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Health issues force PM Shehbaz to prolong stay in London

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  • PM Shehbaz was initially supposed to leave for Pakistan on Friday.
  • Following a fever on Saturday PM extended his stay second time.
  • Sharif family advised premier against travelling.

LONDON: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Saturday postponed his departure to Pakistan citing physical exhaustion, family sources said, as his hectic schedule during his stay in London took a toll on his health.

The premier, who arrived in London a few days ago after attending the COP27 meeting in Egypt, was scheduled to leave for Pakistan on Friday, but he extended his stay by one day. 

According to sources close to the Sharif family, PM Shehbaz developed a fever before leaving for the airport on Saturday and his family advised him not to travel, so he extended his stay for a second time.

Family sources further said that the younger Sharif could stay in London for two more days. 

It should be recalled that PM Shehbaz held several meetings with PML-N supremo and his elder brother Nawaz Sharif during his stay in London. The meetings were mostly focused on the country’s politics and the appointment of a new army chief.

Earlier on Friday, in a setback, PM Shehbaz’s request for an indefinite adjournment in the Daily Mail defamation case has been denied by a court in the United Kingdom.

Justice Matthew Nicklin heard the case, according to British media, which also reported that the court denied more time to the applicant, PM Shehbaz, whose hands are full with the PTI’s long march.

The PM’s counsels, in their reply to the court, said the prime minister was currently engaged in professional responsibilities and the court was requested that he be granted time to submit the answers.

To this, Justice Nicklin said, “in his court, the prime minister and the common man are equal”, as per media reports.

If PM Shehbaz and his son-in-law Ali Imran fail to respond to Daily Mail’s lawyers in court, they would have to pay the defendant all the cost of the legal proceedings.

In 2019, the prime minister served a legal notice on the British daily and its journalist David Rose for blaming him for misappropriating public funds.

“The article is gravely defamatory of PM Shehbaz, including false allegations that he misappropriated UK taxpayers’ money in the form of Department for International Development (DFID) aid intended for the victims of the devastating 2005 earthquake in Pakistan. PM Shehbaz denies these allegations,” the legal notice said.

At a hearing in a London court, Justice Nicklin ruled that PM Shehbaz’s lawyer will have to deposit £30,000 by November 23 after his lawyers applied unilaterally to the court to withdraw the stay application in favour of the trial proceedings to go ahead. 

PM Shehbaz’s lawyers at Carter Ruck made this move after he was cleared in the money-laundering case by a court in Pakistan but the application for stay at the London High Court was made much earlier than that.

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Zaidong, the ambassador, said China will fully back Pakistan’s counterterrorism operations.

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Reaffirming on Thursday that China will provide Pakistan with unwavering support in its fight against terrorism is Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong.

In an interview that was broadcast on television, the ambassador promised to cooperate with Pakistan and said that China will protect the interests and safety of the citizens of the two friendly nations.

Zaidong underscored that efforts to undermine the two nations’ bilateral relationship would be thwarted by China’s cooperation with Pakistan.

Also, he emphasized how crucial China-Pakistan relations have become strategically given the changing nature of the world.

In highlighting the transformative impact of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the ambassador reaffirmed his nation’s commitment to seeing it through.

In addition to creating thousands of employment, he said, “the CPEC has facilitated significant advancements in power generation and transportation infrastructure with over $25 billion in direct investments and substantial infrastructure development.”

Zaidong stressed the value of sharing ideas and knowledge between Pakistan and China, acknowledging their shared security objectives.

Stressing that both countries have a common future, he envisioned their partnership having a greater social impact.

Concerning the terrorist attack on Chinese nationals [working on the Dasu dam], the ambassador expressed gratitude to the Pakistani people for their condolences and sympathy and commended the government for its prompt action.

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Mild rain in Lahore improves the weather

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Early on Friday, light rain in the province capital Lahore and its surrounding areas improved the weather.

But rain also led to power outages in several areas of Lahore, as multiple feeders of the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) blew, leaving whole sections of the city without power.

Details show that rain was observed in a number of locations throughout the city, including Model Town, Gulberg, Garden Town, Mall Road, Lakshmi Chowk, Gulshan Ravi, Jail Road, and Sanda.

However, the Met Office has forecasted an additional day of rain for the city during the next 24.

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The government will begin coordinated action against lawbreakers in the Katcha region

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On Friday, Mohsin Naqvi, the interior minister, announced that the government would begin a coordinated operation in the Katcha region to eradicate the miscreants for good.

He stated that collaborative efforts in the Katcha region will make use of contemporary technologies, including drones.

According to Mohsin Naqvi, all security agencies, including the police, should make sure that SOPs are fully implemented in order to protect Chinese nationals living in Pakistan.

He declared that any carelessness in this respect will not be accepted at all while presiding over a meeting to review the National Action Plan’s implementation at NACTA headquarters in Islamabad.

According to Naqvi, failure to follow the SOPs for the safety of foreign nationals will result in severe disciplinary action.

“We have to outfit our departments with cutting-edge technology to eradicate terrorism,” stated the interior minister. He declared that the provinces will receive all the assistance from the federation in this area.

Anti-state forces will be permanently driven out of the Katcha region, according to Naqvi. The interior minister expressed satisfaction with the anti-smuggling operations and stated that all ministries need to make sure that smugglers face stern legal action.

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