Politics

The government has formed a high-powered body to formulate economy-oriented policies of the country. The National Development Council (NDC) to be headed by Prime Minister Imran Khan will also have Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa as one of its members. The federal cabinet approved the formation of the NDC on Tuesday.

After consensus between the treasury bench and the opposition that they will hold a discussion free of disruption in the National Assembly over the budget, the debate on the budget began in the assembly on Wednesday. The Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif opened up the budget discussion by criticising the budget and the overall performance of the government.

The Pakistani government has said that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United Kingdom for the repatriation of former finance minister Ishaq Dar. Mr. Dar has been declared a proclaimed offender in an assets beyond means case filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Muttahida Qaumi Movement–Pakistan (MQM-P) is to receive another ministry in the federation. MQM-P helped the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in the general elections in forming its federal government. During a meeting with Sindh Governor Imran Ismail and Federal Minister for Law in Islamabad, Prime Minister Imran Khan decided to give another ministry to the Karachi based party.

The government and opposition agreed to hear each other out regarding the budget without any disruptions in the National Assembly. As a result, the Leader of the Opposition Shahbaz Sharif was given the opportunity to criticise the budget and the performance of the government. He called the government out on its alleged failure to keep the Pakistani public comfortable.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC), in its detailed judgement of PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari's bail plea dismissal, stated no ulterior motive can be attributed to NAB for the arrest. Judges stated interim bail can be granted if the arrest made is based on ill-intention. However, Zardari's arrest was based on the need for further investigation, IHC said.

Ousted Egyptian president Mohamed Morsy, who had been on trial for espionage, has died aged 67 from a heart attack. He had been granted a request to make a statement before he fainted and passed away, Egypt’s state-run Al Ahram online reported. The former president has been taken to an unnamed hospital.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Asif Saeed Khosa Monday said that the current interpretation of the life imprisonment law was flawed. Section 57 of the Pakistan Penal Code says: “In calculating fractions of terms of punishment, imprisonment for life shall be reckoned as equivalent to imprisonment for twenty-five years.” He said a life sentence should mean as such and not a way to get out of a death sentence.

The alleged front man of Leader of the Opposition in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz and his brother Salman Shahbaz on Monday confessed to have laundered over Rs600 million for the two brothers. Mushtaq Cheeni said in his confessional statement, recorded by a judicial magistrate, that he has been working for the two brothers since 2005.

The Lahore High Court on Tuesday rejected bail applications filed by PML-N leaders Khawaja Saad Rafique and Khawaja Salman Rafique in a corruption case. NAB has accused the Khawaja brothers of wrongfully gaining approximately Rs18.2 million from M/s Paragon City (pvt) Limited in their bank accounts and failing to account for the illegal gains.