Shahbaz Gul gave an irresponsible answer to the journalist’s question

The journalist asked Shahbaz Gill, special assistant to PM Imran Khan during a press briefing in Islamabad, a News One reporter asked if there was a campaign against him on social media.

Are you a citizen of any country other than Pakistan? And have you been charged with harassment?

News One reporter Kashif Rafique’s question

In response to these questions, Shahbaz Gill replied to the journalist, “Do you want to have a relationship?” What relationship have you brought to me?

Journalists protest at the end of the press briefing and asked why you said that but Shahbaz Gill said that he did not want to confuse you on this issue. The journalist said that we ask questions, it is our right to ask questions, but as Shahbaz Gill replied, he should apologize for it, on which fellow journalists also chanted slogans of shame.

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Saddar Division Police Rawalpindi Performance Report of May 2020.

Rawalpindi:

Saddar Division Police Performance Report for the month of May 2020 has been released. Saddar Division Police has arrested 346 accused including notorious criminals involved in effective crackdown against criminal elements in May, according to details. Orders have been issued for action against criminal elements.

Implementing this, Saddar Division Police under the supervision of SP Saddar Zia-ud-Din Ahmed in May 2020, while performing best against drug dealers and illegal arms holders, seized a large quantity of arms, ammunition and drugs and arrested several accused. In May, the Saddar’s Division Police registered 66 cases against those possessing illegal weapons and arrested 57 accused. They recovered 05 Kalashnikovs, 06 guns, 01 rifle, 47 pistols, 06 knives and a large quantity of ammunition from their possession.

During the operations against the sellers, 55 cases were registered and 49 accused were arrested. 26 kg 645 gm of hashish, 6 kg 400 gm of opium, 210 gm of heroin, 446 liters of liquor were recovered from the possession of the accused while 2 drunkards were also arrested. During the course of 10 cases, 57 accused were arrested and Rs. 3,049,440, 61 mobile phones, 08 chickens, 14 partridges, 04 Suzuki pickups, 06 motorcycles and other gambling equipment were recovered from the gamblers. 12 precedence 165 accused were arrested, 1885 kites and 46 strings were recovered from their possession, 30 cases of violation of government orders regarding coronavirus were registered and 38 accused were arrested, Saddar Division Police said.

During the arrest of 14 most wanted Category (A) and 117 Category (B) notorious criminals, SP Saddar Division Zia-ud-Din Ahmed said that further action would be taken against drug dealers and those possessing illegal weapons.

Provide information about criminal elements and drug dealers to the police so that they can effectively crack down on them and rid the society of the scourge of drugs and keep their young generation safe.

Crackdown on arms display and intimidation will continue.CPO Muhammad Ahsan Younis

Waris Khan police operation, accused arrested for aerial firing and display of weapons.Police recovered pistol and ammunition from arrested accused Sikandar Shahid

The accused used to spread panic among the citizens through display of weapons and aerial firing. police said

Action against the accused was taken by SHO Waris Khan and his team. Police

Congratulations to SHO Waris Khan and his team on the prompt action of SP Rawal Division

Crackdown on arms display and intimidation will continue, says CPO Muhammad Ahsan Younis

3 million jobs likely to be lost due to pandemic, finance ministry tells Senate

Around three million jobs are expected to be lost in the “initial round” of the novel coronavirus outbreak, the finance ministry told the Senate in a written response submitted on Friday.

Out of the three million jobs, the industrial sector is likely to lose one million and the remaining two million will be lost in the services sector. The Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, the finance ministry said, estimated a loss of 18m jobs in agricultural, services and industrial sectors collectively.

The ministry had submitted a response to a three-part question by Senator Mushtaq Ahmed, who asked about the estimated loss to the economy, increase in budget deficit, debt and dollar value, and the government’s plan to cope with the challenges.

In its answer, the finance ministry also said the proportion of those living in poverty will increase from 24.3 per cent to 33.5pc.

The fiscal deficit is also expected to rise from the initial target of 7.5pc to 9.4pc of the gross domestic product due to revenue shortfall and an “increase in public spending due to fiscal stimulus package”. The ministry added that the increase in debt burden will depend on the fiscal deficit.

Furthermore, exports may fall to $21-22 billion owing to low commodity prices and decreased economic activity in the United States, European Union, United Kingdom and the Middle East. Before the pandemic, they amounted to $25.5bn.

Remittances are also expected to fall from $23bn to $20-21bn. Federal Board of Revenue may also not be able to achieve its target and tax revenue is expected to fall from Rs4,800bn to Rs3,905bn. Between April and June, the FBR is expected to incur a loss of Rs700-900bn.

The ministry also informed the Senate about the currency value, which depreciated by 7.5pc in March over February. The value of rupee against the dollar in February was Rs154.23 but in March, it decreased to Rs166.70. In April, the value of rupee had increased to Rs160.17 as the “volatility observed in domestic financial and foreign exchange markets […] somewhat subsided”, the finance ministry said.

Rupee value in May fell slightly to Rs163.10 in May, the report addded.

Before the pandemic, GDP growth for fiscal year 2020 was estimated as 3.24pc out of which:

  • agricultural sector was expected to record a 2.85pc growth

  • industrial sector was expected to record a 1.95pc growth

  • services sector was expected to record a 4.04pc growth

However, the year posted a negative growth of 0.4pc out of which industrial sector recorded -2.64pc, agricultural sector 2.67pc and services sector -0.59pc.

The finance ministry also provided details of the relief package of Rs1,240 trillion that was announced “to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 on economy and vulnerable sections of society”.

The economic relief package covers emergency response, relief for citizens and business support, the ministry explained.

‘Want to run PSM in partnership with private sector’

During today’s sitting of the Senate, Minister of Industries Hammad Azhar told senators that the government wished to “run Pakistan Steel Mills in partnership with the private sector”.

He was responding to questions about Economic Coordination Committee’s decision to axe more than 9,000 employees of the PSM with a one-time severance cost of about Rs20bn. The decision was taken on the revised summary of the Ministry of Industries and Production on the basis of an updated “human resource rationalisation plan” in line with the instructions issued by Dr Shaikh on May 13. The previous plan envisaged laying off 8,000 employees with a cost of Rs18.74bn.

In today’s sitting, Azhar blamed the previous governments for PSM’s woeful financial situation, saying that the mill was shut down in 2015 and yet salaries were being paid to employees. The amount being paid in salaries, Azhar said, amounted to Rs35bn.