ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Thursday challenged PTI founder Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s acquittals in the cipher case before the Supreme Court. The cipher case pertains to a diplomatic document that the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) charge sheet alleges was never returned by then-PM Imran, who long held that the document contained a threat from the US to topple his government. A special …

SAHIWAL: A special judge of the anti-corruption court has issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Khawar Maneka, the ex-husband of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi and his son Musa Maneka, for not appearing in the court in a land grab and tax evasion case. Special Judge Asif Bashir directed the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Okara, to arrest both suspects …

MIANWALI: A contingent of Mianwali police cordoned off the sessions court premises since Wednesday morning to rearrest the 37 Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf workers booked in May 9 cases. On Tuesday, all 37 PTI workers were acquitted by ATC courts in Sargodha, including former MNA Amjad Ali Khan, but Mianwali City Police arrested them from the compound of Sargodha central jail as soon …

LAHORE: Lahore High Court Chief Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan on Wednesday summoned Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Usman Anwar and other officials on a complaint by the presiding judge of an anti-terrorism court of Sargodha alleging harassment by the intelligence and law enforcement agencies. The LHC registrar office received a special report on June 7 from District & …

ISLAMABAD: Even before the start of discussion on the budget proposals for the next financial year in the Senate, the PTI lodged its protest in the house on Wednesday against what it called the anti-people budget and proposed additional taxes to add to people’s misery. Soon after a copy of the Finance Bill was laid in the house, Leader of the Opposition Syed Shibli …

ISLAMABAD: “Everyone has to come into the [tax] net,” said Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb hours after he delivered a speech announcing the country’s budget for the coming fiscal year. “The reality is that a 9.5 per cent tax-to-GDP ratio will not run a country,” he added. The minister presented his first federal budget with a total outlay of Rs18.9 trillion, which analysts …

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Wednesday presented his first federal budget with a total outlay of Rs18.9 trillion, which analysts say is broadly “in line with IMF guidelines”. Pakistan’s budget for the upcoming year aims for a modest 3.6 per cent GDP growth, and sets an ambitious Rs13tr tax collection target, raising taxes on salaried classes and removing tax …

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday issued a notice to the complainant and prosecution on a petition seeking the suspension of the sentence of former prime minister Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi in Iddat case. The couple were convicted by a senior civil judge on Feb 3 for contracting marriage during Ms Bibi’s Iddat period. They were sentenced for …

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday ordered the relocation of restaurants out of the National Park Area within a period of three months, including the most frequented eatery Monal, perched atop picturesque Margalla Hills. Headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, a three-judge Supreme Court had taken up an appeal against the Jan 11, 2022 judgement of the …

ISLAMABAD: Cash-strapped Pakistan witnessed the highest-ever single-year increase in tax exemptions or concessions, surging by 73.24 per cent or Rs1.64 trillion in the outgoing fiscal year. The Pakistan Economic Survey 2023-24, released by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Tuesday, showed that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) doled out a record Rs3.879tr in FY24 compared to Rs2.239tr in FY23. The cost …