Announced Today 
Not Announced today !
SINGAPORE: Donald Trump's "isolationist" foreign policy pronouncements are feeding insecurity in some Asian nations fearful of China's growing power, and risk emboldening nationalists and authoritarians in the region.The real estate developer, who is very close to securing the Republican nomination for November's presidential election, has with undiplomatic abandon challenged much of the status quo in U.S.-Asia relations. Overall, his comments have sounded like a death knell for the "pivot to Asia" strategy adopted by President Barack Obama five years ago.He has also threatened to rein in China's big trade surplus with the U.S., saying he will threaten to impose heavy duties on Chinese goods. And Trump says he will rip up and then renegotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade pact agreed to by the U.S., Japan, and 10 other countries in February.Furthermore, Trump's call for a ban on Muslims entering the United States risks undermining moderate leaders in Muslim countries like Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Bangladesh."If he becomes president and adopts his own version of foreign policy, the U.S. will cease to be a Pacific power. That's the end result," said Kunihiko Miyake, a former Japanese diplomat, who served in both Beijing and Baghdad."It's not that we would adopt 'Japan First', but if the U.S. leaves, there will be a vacuum and China will try to fill it," said Miyake, research director at the Canon Institute for Global Studies. "It's a survival issue for all allies of the United States."His idea of making Japan and South Korea pay up rather than enjoy a cheaper ride under the U.S. security umbrella sent shudders through Tokyo and Seoul.
And his comments about the possibility of a local nuclear deterrent fanned fears among Asian diplomats that the world could become an even more dangerous place."It is here that Trump is most scary," Lalit Mansingh, a former Indian ambassador to Washington, told Reuters in New Delhi, though he also noted it may be "just election rhetoric".Japan's nationalist-led government has already boosted defence spending and has reinterpreted its pacifist constitution to allow its military to come to the aid of allies under attack even if Japan itself if not attacked, a major shift in Japan's post-war security stance.Mansingh said he expects China to test the foreign policy resolve of whoever occupies the White House next, and the South China Sea looms as one of the most likely flashpoints."They're building a massive fortress in the South China Sea. They're not supposed to be doing that," Trump told Reuters, without saying what he would do about it.At least, according to Mansingh, China's leaders and Trump shared the mentality of dealmakers, which could help settle diplomatic wrangles before they get out of hand.Jia Qingguo, an advisor to China's government on foreign affairs, said Trump sounds like an "isolationist" who doesn't want the United States to become too active internationally."So, he doesn't sound that aggressive," said Jia, the dean of the School of International Relations at China's elite Peking University. "Chinese tend to think that too much so-called internationalism on the part of the U.S. is not that good."Mansingh says those fears are overblown as the United States self-interest lay in protecting access to the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
"What would American withdrawal mean, does it want to hand over the affairs of the world to China? Would that serve anybody's interest? I don't think so."
Pakistan Govt (borrower) should be aware that making a wrong statement to the US Govt (lender ) will result in cancellation of the loan being granted ; for too long, Pakistan has been "famous" for fooling some of the people for all the time or all of the people for some of the time ; but it CANNOT FOOL ALL OF THE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME !After the U.S House of Represen¬tatives voted to pass a bill that subjects reimbursements and support to Pakistan worth $450 million to strict certification requirements, Pakistan said that its sincerity in the fight against terrorism should not doubted and that it treats all terrorists equally.
Pakistan's External Affairs Ministry's spokesman Nafees Zikria said his country fights terrorism without discrimination.
"Pakistan spares lots of efforts in the fight against terrorists and its sincerity in this regard should not be doubted. We have acted against all terrorist groups equally," he said.
He added: "We have repeatedly said that doubting Pakistan is not only a mistake but it will help benefit those who are not willing to join peace in Afghanistan."He also said that they believe that peace is the only option to end violence and that a chance should be given to peace.
Meanwhile, President Ashraf Ghani's deputy spokesman, Dawa Khan Menapal, once again called on Pakistan to act against terrorists equally.
"The demand of Afghan government from Pakistan is that it should act against Afghan people's enemy as it acts against its own enemies," he added.Analysts meanwhile said they believe that the remarks by Pakistan are part of its duel-faced policies.
Next time, Pakistan applies for a US loan, it will be useful for an Afghan official delegation to make a presentation to the US House Of Representative !"We have not seen any practical move by Pakistan so far. It has not closed madrassas, terrorists' training centers, it still supports Haqqani network and the groups and leaders that are against the Afghan government are still kept there in Pakistan," said military affairs commentator Mirza Mohammad Yarmand.
schinnas wrote:SSridhar wrote:
The chatter after the latest AAD test is growing in Pakistan suggesting that a big ticket item is about to be transferred from China.
Right on! I bet it could be some ballistic cruise missile that can evade India's upcoming missile defence system. This Cheeni maal will be painted green and showcased as pindigenously developed missile. With every step, Cheen are getting too involved into propping up Pukis to the point of no return. As India modernises it's defences, Cheen would be forced to share their top line technology and hardware with their all weather friend, to save their munna from getting thrashed by India.
At which point does it become point if negative returns for Cheen? How do we game that?
Falijee wrote:...Pakistan's reserves... $21 bn
schinnas wrote:..
At which point does it become point if negative returns for Cheen? How do we game that?
Falijee wrote:Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves reach historic high at $21.31billion
Some realistic balance posted to the above noted " feel good news" . See below for a "balanced view"
Pakistan's External Debt Grows To A Whopping 90 Billion
Why put a damper on Eid celebration coming up in a few days when the Aam Abduls are expected to indulge in an orgy of eating, drinking (no sharab!) and "general fun"
Two French festivals on Friday cancelled shows by Eagles of Death Metal, the band whose November 13 show in Paris turned into a bloodbath, after the frontman made remarks critical of Muslims.
The Rock en Seine and Cabaret Vert festivals took issue with an interview by singer and guitarist Jesse Hughes, who renewed allegations that Muslim staff at the Bataclan club was involved in the attack.
Cheers"I saw Muslims celebrating in the street during the attack. I saw it with my own eyes. In real time! How did they know what was going on? There must have been coordination," he told Taki's Magazine, a publication of Greek-born conservative commentator Taki Theodoracopulos that has faced criticism for its writings on race.
Peregrine wrote:Falijee wrote:[url=https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwitm9aMnenMAhVq04MKHS
As such Govt. of Cwapistan has only got US$ 16.5157 of which about US$ 2.0 Billion is “Parked” by Brother Muslim Countries, US$ 1.5 Billion by Saudi Arabia and US$ 0.5 Billion by Sholtel than the Dwalfs, Tallel than the Giants, Yellowel than Tulmelic Time Tested Fliend.So in Reality Cwapistan has only US$ 12.5157 Billion in its Hands. That includes the IMF and WB Loans as also the US$ 2 Billion borrowed – I believe – in the International Money Market.
Cheers
Not sure whether this is a tactical gesture by Deep State , just to relieve the US pressure and resume Moolah from Massa; remains to be seenThe seven suspects to be charged individually for the abetment to murder of each of the 166 victims.
Lashkar-e-Taiba operations commander Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi and six others accused in the 2008 Mumbai attack case will be individually charged for the abetment to murder of each of the 166 people who died in the carnage, a Pakistani anti-terrorism court (ATC) ruled on Friday.
“The seven suspects will be charged individually for the abetment to murder of each victim of Mumbai attack case,” a senior court official said, quoting the verdict of the trial court.
Delay and Pak is blaming India for it
Meanwhile, the Mumbai attack case has faced inordinate delay as no proceedings were held for the previous seven consecutive hearings. The next hearing of the case is scheduled for May 25.
The Pakistani authorities are blaming India for the delay in the case, saying it cannot move further till the Indian government sends witnesses to Pakistan for recording statements in the case.
“The seven consecutive hearings of the case were adjourned without any proceedings because the Pakistani government is still awaiting its counterpart’s response about sending (Indian) witnesses to Pakistan for recording statements in the case,” the court official said.
The Foreign Ministry of Pakistan had written to the Indian government about three months ago asking it to send all 24 Indian witnesses to Pakistan for recording statements in the trial court in Mumbai attacks case.
According to prosecution lawyers, the trial court had already completed recording the statements of all (Pakistani) witnesses in the case which has been underway in the country for more than six years.
Ball is in India’s court’
“Now the ball is in India’s court. The Indian government should send all Indian witnesses of the Mumbai case to Pakistan to record their statements so that the trial could further move ahead,” a prosecution lawyer said.
Mumbai attack mastermind Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi, Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younis Anjum are accused of abetment to murder, attempted murder, planning and executing the Mumbai attacks.
Lakhvi is living in undisclosed location after he got released from jail on bail a year ago. The other six suspects are in Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi.
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf has said that a committee has been constituted to evolve consensus on celebrating Eid on the same day.
He was addressing the awards distribution ceremony of 32nd National Hifz-o-Qirat competition here on Thursday.
The minister said the committee would meet before Ramazan to discuss the way forward.
Scotland Yard is not going to be embroiled in Pakistan's political circus and start a witch hunt against an almost dying personLONDON: Scotland Yard has passed incomplete case file to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for the charging decision on Muttahida Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)-related money laundering investigation giving birth to questions about the very future of the whole investigation.This correspondent has learned from credible sources that the police file was passed to the CPS despite the fact that Counter-terrorism Command Uunit, responsible for investigating the money-laundering case, was aware that the “case file” at the stage of submission to the CPS, around a month ago, was incomplete because of the fact that several people refused to cooperate with the police in its investigations and the police didn’t pursue the suspects rigorously as it routinely does where it wills to do so.
Anecdotal hearsay #1 being equaled to the standards required of court evidence ; rhona dona by a London based Paki journo !This correspondent has seen evidence first hand as how the police failed to investigate various suspects vigorously. A UK-based businessman is one such example whose name was found on a cash bundle found at the house of Altaf Hussain during June 2013 raid. Further inquiries revealed that the businessman had made payments into account of a political leader. In one instance £1,000 were paid.The businessman told the police that the political leader asked him to do so. The police asked the businessman to produce bank statements to prove that he was not involved in moving large sums of cash around but since then the businessman has not cooperated with the police and no action has been taken against him.
Anecdotal hearsay #2 being equaled to the standards required of court evidence ; rhona dona by a London based Paki journo.It can be disclosed for the first time that at least four businessmen, linked with the MQM, were sent letters by the Scotland Yard to reach London and appear before the police in relation to their own part in facilitating large payments to the MQM from Pakistan, Dubai and Canada. Names of these Pakistani businessmen figure in the bank statements and paper trail available with the investigators at the Scotland Yard. Some of the people sought by Scotland Yard for interviews enjoy influential positions in Pakistan but their names at this stage cannot be disclosed due to sensitive reasons.
Scotland yard, with its reputation to protect cannot be seen to be a tool in collusion with the corrupt Paki police where all kinds of third degree methods are used to extract confessions from innocent persons!The Scotland Yard investigators didn’t pursue the people vigorously and didn’t seek help of Pakistani authorities under the mutual legal assistance formula and showed half-heartedness. The police could have warned the relevant businessmen of consequences of “preventing the course of justice under the British laws” and could have easily gained help from Pakistan, Dubai and Canada but no appetite was shown on part of the police.
When asked that the police could have taken a serious interest in interviewing the people to whom the trail of money goes to and who have been involved in vast suspicious transactions, the police spokesman said: “Witnesses that chose to come forward and give evidence to police as part of an investigation do so of their own volition and sense of duty.”
The police spokesman said that a case file with all of the available evidence has now been submitted to the CPS for a decision to be made as to whether there is sufficient to support a prosecution “at this time”.
Geo News contacted the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and sought its opinion on a “file case” which is incomplete, especially when some important witnesses have refused to be interviewed by the police and the police unwillingness to go after the important witnesses diligently, the spokeswoman said: “We can only consider a charging decision once we have received a full file from the police.”
WASHINGTON: U.S. President Barack Obama will meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington next month to discuss security and other issues and the Indian leader will be granted the rare honor of addressing both houses of Congress.The White House said Obama and Modi will discuss economic growth, climate change, clean energy, and security and defense cooperation during their June 7 meeting.It will be Modi´s fourth trip to the United States since he became prime minister in 2014."The visit will highlight the deepening of the U.S-India relationship in key areas," the White House said in a statement on Friday. The two countries´ partnership is seen as critical in Washington, which is seeking to counterbalance China´s increasing power.
While Modi-ji will be feted like a king, due to India's rising status as a future world power, the Paki establishment is being treated like a pariah dog, which no one wants to trustModi will address a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress, an opportunity extended to few foreign leaders, the day after the White House meeting, U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan said in a tweet.
But then, in politics there is no permanent friendship as the Pakis are finding out to their peril !The invitation is a sharp turnaround for Modi, who was once barred from the United States over massacres of Muslims. Last year there were only two joint addresses to Congress - by Pope Francis and by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, another important U.S. ally in Asia. In 2005, then-U.S. President George W.Bush´s administration denied Modi a visa...,
Every one seems to be wooing India; everyone seems to be know that Pakistan is the leader of IT (the other kind )The United States is also keen to encourage greater business and trade with India. Progress has been only gradual, but in late March, the chief executive of U.S. nuclear reactor maker Westinghouse Electric said he expected to sign a deal in June to build six reactors in India after marathon negotiations that began more than a decade ago.
on Kaafirs or is that a Wajib al-Qatl aka Bull Cutlet offence? ISLAMABAD: The country missed the economic growth target for the current financial year by a wide margin mainly because of widespread dismal performance by the agriculture sector. The gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 4.7 per cent against the target of 5.5pc.At a meeting on Friday of the national accounts committee comprising senior representatives from the four provinces and regions and technical experts, the performance of all economic sectors was added up that showed higher than targeted growth by the industrial sector. The services sector achieved its growth target of 5.7pc.But the most worrying aspect of the year was a 0.19pc negative growth by agriculture as a whole against the target of 3.9pc.Cotton output led the freefall in the agriculture sector, considered the backbone of the national economy, as it posted a negative growth of 27pc. The cotton output stood at 10.1 million bales against the target of 13.96m bales. Last year, its output stood at 13.9m bales with a 9.5pc growth.The industrial sector, favoured by PML-N, booms as the agriculture sector suffers in the current financial year.As a result, cotton ginning declined by 21pc against the target of 5pc. Important crops output fell by 7.18pc against the target of 3.2pc, while other crops fell by 6.2pc against the target of 4.5pc.Wheat production grew by a meager 0.61pc to 25.47 million tonnes.The livestock sector grew by 3.63pc, but remained short of the 4.1pc target, while fisheries increased by 3.3pc, surpassing the 3pc target. Forestry was the only saving grace in the agriculture sector as it grew by 8.8pc against the target of 4pc.The services sector could meet the target of 5.7pc, but this was mainly supported by an increase in the salary of government employees. This was evident from an 11.13pc growth in general government services against the target of 6pc.
LAHORE:
A Gujrat-based Christian family is on the verge of having blasphemy charges pressed against it after reportedly dining on a panaflex banner, The Express Tribune has learnt.
A local prayer leader and his followers have been pestering police to register an FIR against the family claiming that the name of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was inscribed on the banner used by the Christians to dine on. Disputing the claim, police say the banner—which has been recovered from the family—only features pictures of local politicians.
Police have been striving to lay the matter to a rest by having the family placate the prayer leader and his followers by assuring them that they have not blasphemed. The prayer leader—on the other hand—has asked some Muslim residents to vouch on behalf of the family.
Blasphemy case registered against six for ‘desecrating’ Sikh man’s turban
Rights activist Khalid Shahzad told The Express Tribune that Christian Colony resident Shaukat Masih was eating with his family when a Muslim neighbour had come to visit them. He said she had later returned and asked for the banner to be handed over to her. Shahzad said Masih’s wife failed to comprehend the gravity of the situation and refused to handover the banner.
He said the woman had then approached her husband who had in turn informed the prayer leader. The rights activist said the prayer leader had managed to organise a protest demonstration after becoming cognisant of the matter. Shahzad said the timely intervention of some other Christians—who alerted police—prevented any untoward incident from taking place.
Lorry Adda SI Abdul Rehman told The Express Tribune that he was leading the police team that had visited the venue of the demonstration. He said the family had handed over the banner to police after they inquired about it. Rehman said the police team had taken the family and the prayer leader to the police station where they had showed the banner to the latter.
On inspecting the banner, he said, the prayer leader had asserted that the family must have replaced the original panaflex with another one. Rehman said the banner in question only had the names of Haji Imran Zafar and Haji Nasir inscribed on it. He said the prayer leader had accused the family of blaspheming without even having seen the banner.
Garhi Ahmadabad Police Post In-charge Muhammad Arif, an SI, told The Express Tribune that the prayer leader had approached them to register an FIR against the family. He said police had been striving to amicably resolve the matter but would have no option but to register a complaint against the family if it failed to placate the prayer leader and his followers. Arif said the family had already begged pardon despite being “innocent.”
When two corrupt Pakjabi zamindars meet, all is forgivenLAHORE (Staff Report) – Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited the residence of former prime minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani on Saturday and congratulated him on the return of his son Ali Haider Gillani.The prime minister was accompanied by his wife Kalsoom Nawaz and son Hussain Nawaz.On this occasion, Gillani’s sons, Ali Haider Gilani and Abdul Qadir Gilani, were also present. Nawaz Sharif embraced Ali Haider Gilani and congratulated him.
The prime minister had sent his planeto airlift Ali Gilani from Kabul
NEW DELHI:
India will on Monday sign a commercial contract with Iran to build and run a strategic port on Iran's southern coast, the government said on Friday, to help it gain a foothold in Iran and win access to central Asia and Afghanistan.
The deal under which India will develop two terminals and cargo berths at Chabahar, on the Gulf of Oman, will be signed during a visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Iran beginning on Sunday.
Ummah brother used to neutralize Pakistani blackmailChabahar is about 60 miles from Pakistan's Gwadar seaport which China is developing as part of a $46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
The Chinese project, coming on top of investments in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Maldives raised disquiet in India about China's expanding reach in the region and prompted faster movement on the Iranian project.
India is blocked from land access to Afghanistan and through it to the central Asia countries because of opposition from Pakistan, which sees India's expansive diplomacy in the region as a threat.
Road and rail links are to be built so that landlocked Afghanistan can get access to the Iranian port as an alternate to the Pakistani port of Karachi.
"The trilateral agreement will be a game changer for regional connectivity especially for Afghanistan which can find an assured and reliable alternate access to India via sea," Mr Baglay said.
So, Afghanistan is already on board with this idea !
© Thomson Reuters 2016
Equivalent to the Juma to Juma bath ? i.e. anything goes for the "rest of the year" ?ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) Chairman Absar Alam on Friday said a ban will be placed upon television programmes portraying re-enactment of criminal activities, effective from the first day of Ramazan.
“Airing interviews of abuse victims will be prohibited too,” Alam said while addressing a press conference in Islamabad. “TV channels should respect the holy month of Ramazan,” he added.
Moreover, news and entertainment channels will be restricted from showing content that dramatise suicides, rapes or other criminal acts .
He said that if a channel keeps violating the PEMRA’s guidelines permission would be sought to ban it permanently.
Gagan wrote:US elevates Indo-US toes to a NATO-esque relationship under DTTI.
Pentagon will set up a new desk to oversee DTTI.
This means lifting restrictions on weapons, tech transfers etc.
So India is the one of the largest economies purchasing American weapons.
Maybe there will be an F-18 assembly line in India after all!
Expect MASSIVE rona dhona on this very soon
Probably drafted by an "educated assistant" (as "everyone" knows that AAZ was a "school dropout" ) or more likely outsourced to a NY PR firm !ISLAMABAD: In a rare letter to the editor of The New York Times, former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has questioned the United States’ commitment to the security needs of Pakistan.
Responding to a New York Times editorial which attacked Pakistan being a “duplicitous and dangerous” partner for the United States and Afghanistan, the he emphasised how what once was a strong partnership allied against threats to the region was sadly frayed, while citing the struggle between Pakistan and the US over the purchase of F-16 fighter jets.
“Despite our common security interests and a deep democratic kinship, there is ambiguity toward the bilateral relationship from officials in both countries. In Congress, there is outright opposition to supporting the fighter deal,” he added.
“Pakistan has suffered repeated mass-casualty attacks by the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, most recently in Lahore, where 74 were killed and 338 wounded. We are fighting for our lives,” wrote Zardari, adding that those members of Congress who were distrustful of Pakistan’s commitment to fighting terrorists should come to the country and bear witness to Islamabad’s solidarity and resolve.
Finally, referring to the US State Department’s upcoming visit to Pakistan, the former president said he hopes that the meeting will be used to assure Pakistan that the US remains committed to supporting Islamabad’s security needs.
“The May 12 editorial about Pakistan’s role in Afghanistan is biased and negates the complex history of this prolonged conflict,” Ambassador Jilani said in a rejoinder to the NYT’s editorial page editor. Allegations of duplicity and double game were extremely painful as Pakistan has suffered the most due to war in Afghanistan, he added.
SSridhar wrote:
The important thing to note is that Japan is contributing funds. India & Japan decided a couple of years ago to complement each other in the Indian neighbourhood projects where Indian funds in sufficient quantities was a problem.
Illegal crossing of border is a main contributor in terrorist activities in Pakistan. In order to control entry and exit, Pakistan Army handed over a purpose-built border crossing facility to Afghan authorities at Angur Adda.
This facility will serve as a role model for border management strategy and is likely to pave an easy way for both countries to collectively curb illegal border crossing.
But what about the (Haqqani) traffic going from East to West !The image above shows members of Pakistan and Afghan security forces standing hand in hand.
Though it is a small step but it is going to have huge impact and will define future policies for better border management. It is the most important happening in history of Durrand Line.(which no Afghan Govt (even Taliban ) has ever recogniized )
Pakistan’s leading Human Rights activist Asma Jahangir has said that Ahmadiyya Muslims are the most persecuted religious minority in Pakistan. Jahangir made the remarks while speaking at the Hudson Institute on May 18th, in Washington D.C. The event was moderated by Pakistan’s former ambassador to the United States, Husain Haqqani.
Answering a question about Pakistan’s anti-Ahmadiyya laws Jahangir said:
The supreme court in one of the cases many years ago had given a judgement on the Ahmadi issue which I find revolting in terms of human rights, it is a revolting judgement which says that a muslim has copyright over certain things and no one can copy it.
The worst are the Ahmadis in Pakistan, not only in Pakistan but [even] in Indonesia & Bangladesh the Ahmadis are being persecuted. I say that it is the worst kind of persecution in Pakistan [because] the persecution is by the state and there is a law which by name says [Ahmadis] can not do this or do that. There are thousands of [court] cases against them. They are constantly in and out of courts./quote]
The "Good Haqqani" can afford to pontificate from the safe haven of Massaland, but for Asma to stick out her neck for Ahmedis (and Altaf Bhai also ) might be too much for the Deep StateSpeaking on the issue of Ahmadiyya persecution, Pakistan’s former ambassador to the United States, Husain Haqqani said:
“They are completely disfranchised under the electoral laws because unless they acknowledge themselves as non-Muslims they can’t vote as non-Muslims and since they are [declared] not Muslims they can not vote as Muslims so that’s another important discrimination against the Ahmadiyya community.”
chetak wrote:but they will suborn hundreds of locals, using the same visa, us job route.
ISLAMABAD: The PML-N government, [b]for the third year in a row, has missed the most critical target of annual growth rate amid deep suspicions that even achieved growth rate of 4.7% for the outgoing fiscal year was a result of some ‘manipulation’.
For the first time in decades, the output in agriculture sector – the backbone of the economy – contracted in the outgoing fiscal year, instead of showing growth.
The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – measure of increase in monetary value of all goods and services produced in one year – is projected to have grown at a rate of 4.7% during the fiscal year 2015-16 ending June 30, according to the National Accounts Committee (NAC).
It is the third consecutive year that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s administration has missed the most important and critical economic target.
According to sources, on May 18, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics Chief Statistician Asif Bajwa informed Finance Minister Ishaq Dar that the estimated growth rate for 2015-16 was coming close to 4.2%. Bajwa also informed Dar that the revised figures of the previous two financial years were slipping below 4%. Dar, however, did not accept the figures and asked Bajwa to go back to the drawing board.
“The figure keeps changing until the final figure is approved and the provisional GDP growth rate for 2015-16 is 4.7%,” said Bawja while talking to The Express Tribune.
“Where did the 4.7% growth rate come from?” questioned the Ministry of Finance Economic Adviser Dr Ashfaque Hasan Khan.
Khan said his calculations showed that the growth rate in the outgoing fiscal year was not more than 3.5%.
It was for the first time in decades that the agriculture sector contracted by 0.19% as opposed to the 3.9% growth target by the government. Due to contraction, the agriculture sector contribution to GDP shrank 20.5%. The ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) government has been accused of ignoring this sector that employs close to 37% of the labour force. During the PML-N’s two stints in office in the 1990s, agriculture grew by an average of 2.52% per year, as opposed to overall economic growth during that time averaging 4.06% per year.
CheersProduction of both major and minor crops, cotton ginning and livestock, declined compared to the past year. Only forestry and fishing sector grew in the agriculture sector. The cotton production declined to 10.1 million bales – as much as 27.8% less than the last production. Wheat production marginally grew to 25.48 million tons.
And unlike Mullah Omar, Mullah Mansour did not live in hiding. Some of the time he lived in a southern neighborhood of Quetta, Pakistan, in an enclave where he and other Taliban leaders from the same Pashtun tribe, the Ishaqzai, had built homes. And although he is on the United Nations no-fly list, Mullah Mansour has repeatedly taken flights in and out of Pakistan, Afghanistan officials said, to Dubai, where he has a house and several investments under different names.
Mullah Mansour has faced criticism and even outright rebellion from field commanders who distrusted his ties to Pakistan and his handling of the succession.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan imported tea worth Rs 31 billion and green tea worth Rs 196 million from abroad during 2015 as Kenya is the largest exporter of tea to Pakistan with 66 percent tea export while rest of 34 percent is being imported from different countries. Green tea is being imported from China, Indonesia and Vietnam.According to documents available with Daily Times, a cell of special crops was set up in Ministry of Food and Agriculture after separation of East Pakistan in 1971, under this cell a project entitled Research and Introduction of tea in Pakistan was launched in the country in 1973-74.A programme for cultivation of tea was initiated in districts Mansehra, Swat and Batgram in KPK and later this project was handed over to Pakistan Agricultural Research Council. In order to carry out systematic studies on tea about two acres land was planted under tea in the village Baffa of district Mansehra, KPK during 1976-77.In 1982, a four-memnber Chinese team worked out a feasibility report with regard to favourable localities for cultivation of tea in Northern areas. A coordinated tea research programme was launched on the basis of this report.An agreement was signed between China and Pakistan for extending technical assistance on cultivation of tea for 3 years. A research centre was established on 50 acres land at Shinkiari in district Mansehra during 1986. This was aimed at enhancing tea productivity and promoting the tea producing areas.
This is from a Chini newspaper ; and reading between the lines in the headline it means that the "Chinese blothers" are not presently satisfied with the "security arrangements" and hence the visit of the "Bad Sharif"The Pakistani military has reaffirmed its commitment to providing security for regions along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, or CPEC.
This comes as the Pakistani Army Chief General Raheel Sharif visits Beijing, where he has already met with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Vice Chairman of China's Central Military Commission, Fan Changlong.
CRI's Xie Cheng has more:
Pakistan's military spokesperson Lieutenant General Asim Saleem BaJwa briefed the media on the significance of the meetings:
"The leadership reaffirmed the challenges to Pakistan are challenges to China, and Pakistan and China will work closely to implement CPEC and promote peace and stability in the region. Our Chinese friends re-suggest (wtf ?) they will support Pakistan ensuring Pakistan sovereignty, integrity, national security and development."
Can't afford to have an international incident as a result of kidnapping of Chini engineers !The spokesperson of Pakistan's military explained further:
"You know there are 12 to 13 thousand Chinese engineers and workers already in Pakistan, and we are expecting about 16 or 17 thousand more Chinese engineers and workers there. (wow! they will have a hard time to make "polk flied lice" for such numbers !) Their security, which is always a concern in Pakistan, has been very deliberately looked into. There is an integrated mechanism of state and provincial security apparatus which already exists, and additionally, a proper security division has been raised which consists of about 15,000 people, and an equally sizeable security division is being raised for the south of CPEC."
The spokesperson adds that the Pakistani army has also taken part in the construction of CPEC, building 670 kilometers of roads in Balochistan province.
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