Pakistan

Islamabad, Sep 18 (PTI) The accountability courts in Pakistan have returned to the National Accountability Bureau 50 major corruption cases against suspects, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a big relief to the premier who is facing a slew of graft charges.

17 Sep 2022; MEMO: Clashes broke out between Afghanistan's Taliban and Pakistani forces this week on the border between the two nations, in an incident the Taliban claims was ignited by Pakistan building a military post.

The clashes took place on the border at Afghanistan's Paktia province and Pakistan's Kurram region earlier this week, reportedly leading to an unclear amount of casualties on both sides.

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The World Health Organization raised the alarm Saturday about a “second disaster” in the wake of the deadly floods in Pakistan this summer, as doctors and medical workers on the ground race to battle outbreaks of waterborne and other diseases.

The floodwaters started receding this week in the worst-hit provinces but many of the displaced — now living in tents and makeshift camps — increasingly face the threat of gastrointestinal infections, dengue fever and malaria, which are on the rise. The dirty and stagnant waters have become breeding grounds for mosquitos.

ISLAMABAD, Sep 16 (APP): The Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted briefings on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) for resident diplomatic missions of several countries from East and Central Asia and the Middle East.

Chaired by the Additional Secretary (Asia-Pacific), two rounds of briefings were convened on September 15 and 16, 2022. The panel of briefers also included senior officials of the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, and the Board of Investment.

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A leading international rights group released a harrowing report Friday about six members of an extended minority Shiite family in Afghanistan who were brutally killed by the Taliban earlier this summer. It accused Afghanistan’s new rulers of blatant disregard of human rights and abuse of minorities.

(AP) --- Climate change likely juiced rainfall by up to 50% late last month in two southern Pakistan provinces, but global warming wasn’t the biggest cause of the country’s catastrophic flooding that has killed more than 1,500 people, a new scientific analysis finds.

Washington, Sep 14 (PTI) The US has said it has flown 10 missions into Pakistan to deliver over one million pounds of critical humanitarian supplies and equipment to Pakistani people affected by the rain-triggered catastrophic flooding that has killed nearly 1,400 people, washed away about two million homes and destroyed over four million acres of farmland.

ISLAMABAD, Sep 13 (APP): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will attend the annual meeting of the Council of Heads of State (CHS) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) being held on September 1-16 in Uzbekistan’s city Samarkand.

“The prime Minister will be participating in the SCO-CHS on the invitation of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who would chair the meeting,” the Foreign Office said on Tuesday.

The leaders of SCO members and observer states as well as heads of SCO organizations and other special guests will attend the meeting.

ISLAMABAD, Sep 13 (APP): The first humanitarian assistance flight for the flood-affected people of Pakistan arrived at the Jinnah International Airport, Karachi.

The flight was received by Sindh government’s Minister of Social Welfare Sindh Sajid Jokhio, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Disaster Management Authority.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar said Pakistan welcomed the relief assistance from Nepal with “warmth and gratitude”.

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan scrambled to deliver aid to those most in need on Tuesday as the death toll from record-breaking floods in this impoverished Islamic nation rose further, with no respite in sight from the unprecedented monsoon rains.

The rains started early this year — in mid-June — and swept away entire villages, bridges and roads, leaving hundreds of thousands homeless. At one point, a third of the country’s territory was inundated with water.