UK warns Taliban to live up to its promises

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Britain has helped more than 2,000 Afghans to flee the country in recent days, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday, as he warned the Taliban must be judged “on actions, not words”.

Addressing MPs rapidly called back to parliament from their summer holidays for an emergency debate, Johnson also defended his government’s handling of the crisis, insisting Britain had prepared for all scenarios.

He said Britain had so far secured the safe return of 306 British nationals and 2,052 Afghan nationals as part of its resettlement programme, while 2,000 more Afghan applications were complete and “many more” were being processed.

“UK officials are working round the clock to keep the exit door open in the most difficult circumstances and actively seeking those we believe are eligible but as yet unregistered,” Johnson told a packed House of Commons.

Britain announced late Tuesday a resettlement scheme for Afghans fleeing the Taliban after their return to power, offering an initial 5,000 places in the first year, rising to up to 20,000 in the long term.

The government has said priority will be given to those most at risk, including Afghan women, children and others forced to flee or facing threats and persecution from the hardliners, offering them a chance to remain in Britain indefinitely.

The scheme is modelled on that which resettled 20,000 refugees from the Syria conflict from 2014 to this year.

Some 900 British troops have been rapidly sent back to Kabul to help the repatriation and evacuation efforts.

However, Johnson faced critical questioning from a range of MPs, including many from his own ruling Conservative party, over the chaotic evacuations from Kabul and unfolding situation in Afghanistan.

Taliban’s Anas Haqqani meets Afghan leaders Hamid Karzai, Abdullah Abdullah

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A Taliban delegation lead by Anas Haqqani on Wednesday met former Afghan president Hamid Karzai and former chief executive officer, Abdullah Abdullah, in Kabul.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that the former Afghan senate chairman Fazal Hadi and other officials also attended the meeting, where the political leaders were provided with “foolproof security protocol”.

Separately, Haqqani also met Hizb-e-Islami chief Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.

The US has classified the Haqqani Network of the Taliban as a terrorist network, holding it responsible for some of the most deadly militant attacks in Afghanistan in recent years.

The Guardian noted that “the group’s involvement in a future Taliban government is likely to be problematic for the international community”.

According to the British publication, a spokesperson for Karzai said that the aim of the meeting was to get the ball rolling on negotiations with deputy Taliban chief and head of the political office of the group in Doha, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar.

He led the talks for the withdrawal of US troops and it is expected he will hold an important role in the government to be formed in Afghanistan. 

Baradar is likely to arrive in Kabul today, after landing in the Kandahar province a day earlier. 

Negotiations between the Taliban and the High Council for National Reconciliation over the transfer of power are expected upon Baradar’s arrival.

UAE welcomes Ashraf Ghani, family ‘on humanitarian grounds’

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The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday said that it has welcomed ousted Afghan president Ashraf Ghani and his family into the country.

“The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation can confirm that the UAE has welcomed President Ashraf Ghani and his family into the country on humanitarian grounds,” read a brief statement on the ministry’s website.

Ghani’s whereabouts have been the subject of much speculation since he fled from Afghanistan on Sunday, as the Taliban entered capital Kabul in the final stage to wrap up a 10-day lightning offensive across the country.

On Sunday, a senior Interior Ministry official said Ghani had left for Tajikistan. A Foreign Ministry official said his location was unknown and the Taliban said it was checking his whereabouts.

Meanwhile, foreign media reports on Afghanistan contacting the Interpol and asking it to arrest Ghani began to surface earlier today.

According to Forbes, the Afghan embassy in Tajikistan made the demand on charges of Ghani “stealing from the country’s treasury”.

It has also demanded the arrest of former Afghan National Security Advisor Hamdullah Mohib and Ghani’s Chief Advisor Fazel Mahmood, TOLO News said, quoting sources.

Pakistan keen to promote trade ties with Korea

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Pakistan is looking forward to strengthening bilateral relations with Korea and promote trade and investment linkages between the two countries, said Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin.

During a meeting with Korean Ambassador Suh Sang-Pyo, the minister thanked Korea for the three-year framework arrangement under which $500 million are being provided for projects in IT, education and health.

According to a statement issued on Tuesday, both sides exchanged views on economic potential and stressed the need to further promote mutual trade and investment linkages. The finance minister expressed the desire of increasing exports to Korea. He briefed the envoy about the recent economic developments and initiatives.

“The current government aims to achieve an all-inclusive and sustainable economic growth with key focus on bottom-up approach,” he said, adding that the government had chalked out short, medium and long term plans to spur growth in key priority areas. Furthermore, Tarin added that the government was coming up with a comprehensive policy for expansion of auto industry in Pakistan by increasing the production of cars, motorcycles, tractors etc.

The minister reiterated that the government was determined to encourage and incentivise foreign investors who were keen to undertake investment ventures in respective fields. “The government also stands committed to revive the businesses and industry that had been hit hard due to coronavirus pandemic,” he maintained.

SOURCE: EXPRESS TRIBUNE

OGDC made a Gas and Condensate discovery at well Wali #01 in KPK

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Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (PSX:OGDC) has made a gas and condensate discovery over kawagarh formation from its exploratory efforts at Well Wali #01. The said discovery is unique as it is the first ever discovery in the Kawgarh formation in Pakistan and will open aveneues for exploration and will boost exploration activities in Pakistan.

The structure of Well Wali#01 was drilled and tested using OGDCL’s inhouse expertise. The well was drilled down to the depth of 474 meters kawagarh formation.

PAKOXY approved an investment plan of Rs. 2.5Bn to setup its fifth ASU Plant

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Pakistan Oxygen Limited (PAKOXY) in a notification to PSX announced that it has approved an investment plan of about Rs2.5billion to set up a state-of-the-art Air Separation Unit (ASU) in the Northern region of Pakistan. Once commissioned, it will be the Company’s fifth ASU Plant in the country.

The investment includes the Plant and associated storage equipment which would meet the growing demand of Oxygen from Healthcare and Industrial segments as well as demand for other Industrial gases, including Nitrogen and Argon.

Presently, this demand is being met through trunking gases from the Company’s plant in the Central region. The new Plant is expected to come on stream by 2023.

Lucky Motors entered into an agreement with Samsung for production of Mobile phones

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Lucky Motors Corporation Limited (LMC) a subsidiary of Lucky Cement Ltd, has recently entered into an agreement with Samsung Gulf Electronics Co., FZE (“SamSung”) for producing Samsung branded Mobile Devices in Pakistan. Luck Mototrs has also initiated the process of seeking necessary regulatory approvals to carry on the said business and in this endeavor, has filed an application with the Pakistan Telecommunication Autority (PTA) for securing the license.


The production facility for producing Samsung mobile Devices will be located at the LMC’s existing plant facility producing vehicles at Bin Qasim Insutrial Park, Special Economic Zone, Port Qasim – Karachi. The production facility is anticipated to be completed by the end of December, 2021.

Government approves the hike in Petrol Price by Rs. 5.40/litre

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The federal government has approved increasing the price of #petrol by Rs5.40 per litre said Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill. The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) had recommended an increase of Rs11.40 per litre in petrol price. 

“Prime Minister [Imran Khan] went against OGRA’s recommendation and approved Rs5.40 increase in petrol price keeping in mind public interest,” the special assistant said.

Price of high speed diesel has been hiked by Rs2.54 per litre, kerosene oil Rs1.39 per litre, and light diesel oil Rs1.27

Source: Geo News

PABC to commence trading from July 16,2021

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Pakistan Stock Exchange Limited notified the listing of Pakistan Aluminium Beverage Cans Limited (PABC) with effect from tomorrow i.e. Friday, July 16, 2021.The Opening Price of the shares of the Company will be PKR 49/- per share, as determined through the Book Building process.

The shares of the company shall be settled on T+2 basis. The first settlement date will be Friday, July 23, 2021. The Market Lot of the Company will be 500 shares of Rs.10/- each.

The shares of the Company have already been declared an eligible security by the Central Depository Company of Pakistan Limited (CDC) and all the transactions shall be settled through the National Clearing Company of Pakistan Limited (NCCPL).


Citi Pharma Ltd and CCL Pharma (Pvt) Ltd entered into an agreement to manufacture Formulation Products

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Citi Pharma Limited and CCL Pharma (Pvt) Limited have executed an agreement to manufacture Formulation Products on their behalf. This will lead to enhanced capacity utilization in the Company;s Formulation segment.

Moreover, this will lead to addition in the Company’s profitability and net margins over the next 2 to 3 years.