Month: February 2020

LAHORE: Lahore High Court Chief Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh will hear on Monday an application assailing the legitimacy of new social media regulations published by Ministry of Information, Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT). “The regulations prima facie appear to be illegal and ultra vires for contravening and exceeding the scope of Pakistan Telecommunication Reorganization Act, 1996 and the Prevention of Electronic Crime Act, 2016 (Peca) and [in] violation of fundamental constitutional rights,” argued the application moved by digital rights activist Ms Jannat Ali. Through her counsel Usama Khawar Ghumman, the applicant…

ISLAMABAD: Local production of petroleum products declined by over 10 per cent during the first half of this fiscal year which also led to a drop in its exports. This was matched by a double-digit fall in crude oil imports, which also translated into lower production of petroleum products by local refineries in 1HFY20. The half yearly data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics show that output of all 11 petroleum components was lower as petrol and high-speed diesel mostly were down 8.68pc and 10.21pc, respectively. However, in December 2019,…

Pakistanis will not be allowed to travel to Iran until the coronavirus crisis is sorted out, Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani announced on Sunday, as the number of casualties from the disease in the neighbouring country rose to eight. He added that Pakistani pilgrims who are currently in Iran will return in March. Shahwani said that the Iranian government had been requested to allow pilgrims to stay in Iran until next month. About 5,000 pilgrims are currently in Iran. Shahwani said that the Balochistan government had taken immediate preventive measures…

QUETTA: Eight people — two police personnel and a Levies Force man among them — were martyred and over 20 others injured in a suicide attack near Quetta district courts and press club on Monday. The suicide bomber had attempted to break through a police barrier and enter a rally, but blew himself up on facing resistance from security personnel, Quetta police chief DIG Abdul Razzak Cheema said, adding that eight people lost their lives and over 20 others were injured in the explosion. No one had claimed responsibility for…