ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif said Monday that India had unleashed its brute and oppressive apparatus to browbeat Indian Muslims into submission. Commenting on the unabated persecution of Muslims in India by the Narendra Modi-led regime pursuing the Hindutva ideology, the prime minister said the whole plan was to further marginalise the Indian Muslims politically, economically and culturally. Shehbaz Sharif says reality of India’s democratic ‘face is before the world to see’“India has unleashed its brute & oppressive state apparatus to browbeat Indian Muslims into submission. The whole plan is to further marginalise them politically, economically & culturally. The reality of India’s “democratic face” is before the world to see,” the prime minister said on Twitter.

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is scheduled to meet this week, from June 14 to 17, 2022, in Berlin where it will be decided whether Pakistan has fulfilled all of the requirements needed to exit the list. According to sources, Pakistani officials appear to be quite hopeful of a positive outcome from the plenary meeting as they believe that there has been substantial progress that has been acknowledged by FATF members. There is no denying that Pakistan has put in sincere efforts over the years to bring about the recommended structural changes. Now that the authorities have played their part, it remains to be seen if the FATF community is satisfied with the progress. Before Pakistan can be excluded from the list however, FATF is expected to send its team over for onsite inspection to take stock of the progress that has been made.

A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking the formation of a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the “illegal acts”, particularly the payment of salaries to the Tiger Force members, by former prime minister Imran Khan, ex-interior minister Sheikh Rashid, and other PTI leaders. According to the petitioner, Imran recruited “1 million” workers in his Tiger Force which was being used against the incumbent government during protests. WATCH: PTI women lawmakers stage protest outside Parliament HouseThe petitioner alleged that Sheikh Rashid, who has been made respondent no.3 in the petition, used to pay salaries of Tiger Force members “from accounts of different departments” and termed this act against the Constitution. The petitioner further prayed that the court constitute a JIT to probe the alleged illegal acts and also requested the court to issue directions to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to conduct an inquiry into the issuance of salaries to the Tiger Force by Imran Khan. Along with the federal government, PTI Chairman Imran Khan, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Fawad Chaudhry, Haleem Adil Sheikh, Ali Zaidi, and Sheikh Rashid have been made respondents.

A fundraising event for Northland Therapeutic Riding Center will take place June 25 at Smithville Lake’s Kansas City Trapshooters Association location at 6420 NE 176th St., Smithville.

Parliament should be part of debate on talks with TTP: RabbaniISLAMABAD – Former chairman Senate and Pakistan People’s Party legislator Mian Raza Rabbani Monday proposed that talks with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) needed to be made part of a national debate. He said that parliament, experts, military commanders who fought against the TTP and civil society should be a part of the debate. His remarks came after the ruling PPP said that parliament should decide all key matters related to talks with the TTP and about mainstreaming the outlawed group. The two tribal jirgas sent to negotiate with the group cannot be a replacement of the collective wisdom of parliament, Rabbani said. The people of Pakistan have the right to decide their future, therefore, let a consensus decision be arrived at through a debate in which parliament leads, he concluded.

Each of these is of the highest importance to the country, even if many Americans are unlikely to be swayed by them. Every president in our nation’s history has honored the constitutional duty to relinquish power and allow the peaceful transfer of executive authority – every president that is, until Donald Trump. The existential danger that burst into deadly mob violence on January 6 has not been laid to rest, it is ongoing. The country as a whole must reckon with and acknowledge what a sitting president perpetrated and the existential harm he brought on this country with his reckless, abhorrent, and illegal actions. Thus, there should be no doubt in anybody’s mind that he has committed treason against the United States, for which he must be charged and face his day in court.

AMSTERDAM (AP) — The Rolling Stones canceled their concert in Amsterdam on Monday, just hours before it was due to start after lead singer Mick Jagger tested positive for COVID-19. The band announced the cancelation in a statement, saying the 78-year-old Jagger tested positive “after experiencing symptoms of COVID upon arrival at the stadium” on the outskirts of Amsterdam. Some fans were already in the stadium when it was announced that the show had been scrapped. The veteran rockers are touring Europe with a show called SIXTY to mark six decades together. The next scheduled concert is in Bern, Switzerland, on June 17.

The PPP said it will raise the issue, jointly with other parties, in the Parliament. The PPP special committee includes Qamar Zaman Kaira, Senator Sherry Rehman and Farhatullah Babar, according to PPP statement. The PPP has earlier decided to reach out to its allied parties to build a consensus on the way forward amid talks with the TTP. A high-level meeting was held at Zardari House in Islamabad under the chairmanship of the party’s co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Chairman Bilawal Bhutto. Will be reaching out to allied parties to create consensus on the way forward,” the foreign minister wrote on Twitter.

ISLAMABAD – Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Punjab lagged behind in Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme (TBTTP), by planting only 1.13pc, 2.79pc and 9.76pc respectively of the total tree plantation/regeneration in the country. The implementation of the TBTTP was initiated in 2019 with a total cost of Rs125.1843 billion for four years (2019-2023) to plant/regenerate 3.296 billion plants across the country. The programme has achieved 579.093 million plants during July-March FY2022 and cumulatively has attained 1586.18 million plants till March 2022. Of the target of 3.296 billion plantation/regeneration of plants under four years TBTT Programme(2019-23), so far 1.9 billion trees have been planted across Pakistan, the documents reveal. Punjab is another province where only 189 million (9.76pc) of the plants are likely to be planted by June 30th.

photo: fileThe domestic airlines have increased their ticket prices by 25 per cent in the wake of continuous rise in fuel and dollar prices. The PIA’s airline ticket from Lahore to Toronto is being charged at Rs458,716. The PIA's two-way Economy Class ticket price from Lahore to Sharjah has gone up to Rs113,927 while that of Executive Economy Class has increased to Rs135,000. The two-way ticket of Dubai Economy Class from Lahore clocked in at Rs190,000 after the increase. The PIA's Economy Class airline ticket between Karachi and Islamabad has gone up to Rs46,600 and Karachi-to-Islamabad Executive Economy Class fare has gone up to Rs76,000.

The ongoing talks with the TTP have elicited a wide range of varying reactions within the policy circles of the country. There are of course differing views on whether talks should be pursued in the first place, how they should be approached, and what the implications could be. There are multiple factors at play here and the assumption that successful talks will result in peace and stability is also a contested one. The other concerning demand of the TTP is to enforce the Sharia in Malakand and its extension to the tribal districts. It remains to be seen how these talks progress and at this point in time, we have only secured a TTP pledge to continue the ceasefire and talks without any cut-off date.

Top military leaders from Pakistan and China have met each other in Beijing and discussed the international and regional security situation and defence cooperation between the two sides. According to the ISPR, a senior-level tri-service military delegation of Pakistan visited China from 9 to 12 June and held wide-ranging discussions with senior officials the of Chinese military and other government departments. “Both sides discussed their perspectives on the international and regional security situation and expressed satisfaction on defence cooperation between the two countries,” the military’s media wing said. It further said that Pakistan and China reaffirmed their strategic partnership in challenging times and agreed to continue regular exchange of perspectives on issues of mutual interest. “Both sides also vowed to enhance their training, technology and counterterrorism cooperation at the tri-service level.”

ISLAMABAD – Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Miftah Ismail on Saturday directed to expedite the process for import of edible oil from Malaysia and Indonesia to ensure the smooth supply to the consumers and stabilise the price hike of edible oil. The minister presided over a meeting of the Committee on edible oil availability, at Finance Division. Federal Minister for Industries and Production Syed Murtaza Mahmud, Federal Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Rana Tanveer Hussain, Secretary Ministry of Industries & Production, Secretary Commerce, Secretary NFS&R, representatives from Vanaspati Manufacturers Association and senior officers attended the meeting. Secretary Ministry of Industries and Production apprised the Committee on the stock position of the edible oil in the country and updated on the import situation of edible oil from Indonesia and Malaysia. It was informed that sufficient stock of edible oil is available in the country and edible oil tankers from Malaysia and Indonesia, arriving during this month, will improve the stock position and support in stabilizing the price.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) approached the Supreme Court earlier this month, seeking directions for the federal and Punjab governments to allow the party to hold a peaceful protest in Islamabad. Imran, the ousted prime minister, said due to the aforementioned reasons it is his right to stage a peaceful protest against the government. “Come what may I will never accept this government of thieves and will stage a peaceful protest against it,” the ousted premier said. Speaking about the country’s economic crisis, he said the incumbent government had no plans to stabilise the economy with all indicators turning negative. “I want to ask cherry blossom [Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif] as to why did he topple my government through conspiracy when he was not ready to deal with the crises,” he asked.

PPP forms committee to reach out other parties over talks with TTPPakistan People’s Party has constituted a three-member committee to reach out other political parties over recent developments in Pakistan’s talks with the TTP. In a statement the People’s Party has stated that it will raise the issue, jointly with other parties, in the Parliament. The PPP special committee has been constituted on party leaders Qamar Zaman Kaira, Senator Sherry Rehman and Farhatullah Babar, according to statement. The People’s Party on Saturday decided to reach out to its allied parties to build a consensus on the way forward amid talks with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Will be reaching out to allied parties to create consensus on the way forward,” the foreign minister wrote on Twitter.