RjNews

ISLAMABAD: The European Union has released an additional one million euros in humanitarian aid to respond to floods that directly or indirectly affected some 900,000 people in the past weeks. The new funding comes in addition to the 16.5 million euros already allocated in humanitarian assistance to Pakistan earlier this year, in order to assist the most vulnerable population affected by conflict and climate-induced disasters. The funding will help address the most pressing needs of vulnerable people in Balochistan, Sindh, Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, says a press release of EU delegation in Islamabad on Monday. The Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarcic, said: “One year after the tragic floods that caused tremendous suffering in Pakistan, the EU remains committed to helping those most in need. “As the new rains have displaced thousands of people in parts of the country, the additional EU funding will help support vulnerable communities as they try to recover the...

TORONTO: Canadian Sikhs staged protests outside India’s diplomatic missions on Monday, a week after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there may be a link between New Delhi and the murder of a Sikh separatist advocate in British Columbia. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a week ago stood in parliament to say that domestic intelligence agencies were actively pursuing credible allegations tying New Delhi’s agents to the shooting of Canadian citizen Hardeep Sing Ninja, 45, in June. About 100 protesters in Toronto burned an Indian flag and struck a cardboard cut-out of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a shoe. About 200 protesters also gathered outside the Vancouver consulate. Demonstrators use their shoes to hit a placard depicting Indian prime minister Narendra Modi during a Sikh rally outside the Consulate General of India, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on September 25, following the murder of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.— AFP In Ottawa, fewer than 100 people gathered...

ISLAMABAD: In an unusual public rebuke, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) has advised against speculation on petroleum prices, which could “disrupt” the smooth supply chain. In a public statement on Monday, the petroleum regulator emphasised “the importance of avoiding speculations regarding the prices of petroleum products”. Even though the statement excluded any explicit reference, the caution was apparently in response to the statements by two caretaker federal ministers, who had hinted at a reduction in prices in the next fortnightly review, due on Sept 30. Their optimism was based on the improved value of the rupee, which has gone up by Rs16.24 against the dollar since hitting a record low of 307.1 in the inter-bank market on Sept 5. Regulator’s ‘unusual’ warning comes on heels of optimistic statements by two members of caretaker cabinet On Monday, Ogra pointed out that the prices are determined on the basis of international market prices and the exchange rate. ...

QUETTA: Children hold banners reading ‘we have no access to electricity and gas’, ‘let’s overcome inflation and awaken the community’ and ‘enemy’s children are being provided education while we are forced to leave schools due to inflation’ during a protest, on Sunday. Similar demonstrations against the recent surge in petrol and electricity prices were organised by the Jamaat-i-Islami in several cities.—AFP QUETTA: Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Emir Sirajul Haq has said that the assets of former rulers and others who looted the national resources should be sold to repay the foreign loans, which pose a significant burden on the country’s economy. Speaking to participants of a protest sit-in staged by Balochistan JI near the Governor House Quetta on Sunday, he said that huge loans were acquired by the rulers, and now they are imposing the burden of repayment on the people, as per the IMF’s demands. A large number of JI workers, supporters, and other individuals gathered in the afternoon, re...

LONDON: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Malik Ahmed Khan, who is visiting London, criticised the Supreme Court’s decision regarding amendments to the National Account­ability Ordinance, terming the law “destructive for Pakistan”. Mr Ahmed, who is here on a personal visit and is staying at The Churchill hotel in central London where interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar is also staying , said the two had not met and that he “had no idea” Mr Kakar is staying there. “I had no meeting with Mr Kakar,” he told reporters outside the hotel on Sunday. If these rumours had not been circulating in the media [perhaps I would have]. I have good terms with him, but because he is the caretaker prime minister and if meeting him raises a question regarding his neutral stance, I will not be meeting him.“ Mr Ahmed has had several meetings with N-league high-ups, including party supremo Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif. He said in his most recent meeting, the SC decision on the NAB law ...

NEW YORK: Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani said on Sunday that there’s absolutely no move to recognise Israel and he did not meet his Israeli counterpart during the 78th UN General Assembly in New York this week. Earlier this week, Israeli Foreign Minister Elhi Cohen told Israeli journalists that during the UNGA he met leaders from several Muslim countries who had not recognised Israel yet. He also suggested that “six or seven” Muslim nations were likely to normalise ties with Israel, following Saudi Arabia’s potential inclusion in the Abraham Accords. The agreement represents Arab nations willing to normalise ties with Israel, such as the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan. “We take decisions based on our interests and the interests of Palestinians,” the Pakistani foreign minister said, while talking to Dawn . “Our position is reflected in the statement that I made in the OIC Contact group on Palestine (earlier this week).” Israeli minister claims six or seven ...

ISLAMABAD: High­lig­hting ‘incomplete devolution’ and institutional weaknesses as key development and governance challenges and pinning little hopes on technocratic government, the World Bank has advised Pakistan to create a ‘National Council of Ministers’ — comprising key federal and provincial representatives — to fill the vacuum for simultaneous and coordinated strengthening of poorly performing federal and provincial institutions, policies and accountability systems. “While technocratic interventions are unlikely to transform Pakistan’s institutional environment in the short term, the current contextual factors — deteriorating economic conditions, demographic change and social media — may present some windows of opportunity for positive change,” said the Washington-based lending agency in policy advice . It said Pakistan did not effectively implement devolution initiated through the 18th Amendment and the Centre continued to deliver many devolved functions, creating overlaps in s...