Ikram Junaidi ISLAMABAD: As per a directive given by the federal government, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has extended the deadline for registration of mobile phones till Jan 15 after which counterfeit and smuggled devices will be blocked. Earlier, it was announced that the non-compliant devices would not be registered after Dec 31, 2018 and in future only PTA-approved International …

KARACHI: Deposit growth of the banking system stalled in 2018 despite one of the largest interest hikes of 4.25 per cent in a single year. At 8pc, the rise in deposits was the slowest in a decade, according to a research note put out by Topline Securities. The State Bank of Pakistan reported deposits of scheduled banks grew by Rs992.11 …

Reuters BEIJING: A Chinese man attacked at least 20 young children at a Beijing primary school with a hammer on Tuesday, state television reported, in a rare act of violence in the capital. A 49-year-old man, a former maintenance worker at the school, was detained after venting his anger on the children after his work contract was not renewed, state …

Martin Farrer brings the best news from the Guardian this Monday morning. It might be the new year, but it’s the same old problem for Theresa May as she makes yet another desperate plea to EU leaders for concessions to persuade rebellious MPs to back her deal in a vote which she has promised will take place next week. Without …

AFP North Korean leader Kim Jong-un vowed to meet the South’s President Moon Jae-in “frequently” next year to discuss denuclearisation of the peninsula in a rare letter sent to Seoul, Moon’s office said on Sunday. The leader of the isolated North met with Moon three times this year — twice at the border truce village of Panmunjom and once in …

Syrian troops deployed in support of Kurdish forces around a strategic northern city on Friday, in a shift of alliances hastened by last week’s announcement of a US military withdrawal. Nearly eight years into Syria’s deadly conflict, the move marked another key step in President Bashar al-Assad’s Russian-backed drive to reassert control over the country. Buoyed by its military victories, …

HAH Report     Social and rights activists as well as researchers have called upon the Gilgit-Baltistan government to take policy and legislative measures for curbing child sexual abuse. They stressed the need for change in patriarchal mindset, raising awareness about the crime in schools and setting up care centres for vulnerable children. They were speaking at a seminar on …

 HAH Report   Islamabad: Education activists Thursday joined forces to call for the urgent convening of a national Girls’ Education Task Force. In a statement issued here after launching a series of fact sheets to draw attention to the state of girls’ education, the organisations, including Pakistan Coalition for Education (PCE), Pakistan Youth Change Advocates (PYCA), Social Youth Council of …

HAH Report Islamabad The government has formed a 10-member committee to examine the constitutional, governance and administrative reforms for Gilgit-Baltistan. According to a summary submitted to the Supreme Court of Pakistan by the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP), Anwar Mansur Khan, Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Minister will be the committee’s convener with federal and GB law ministers, GB governor, the …

PM directs the planning ministry to ensure availability of funds for GB projects, wheat subsidy; appreciates PML-N govt’s performance in GB; calls for better coordination, CM apprises Khan of GB apprehensions, concerns.

Special Correspondent GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan government has approved amendments to the Assistance Package policy for its deceased employees, enhancing age limit and employment scale for appointment, says a notification. According to the notification, the Assistance Package policy was approved on April 19th, 2016, for the family members or legal heirs of a deceased government servant who dies during service. The …

  Ali Ahmed Jan & D.W.Baig ISLAMABAD, Oct 3: Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman has expressed serious concerns over PTI government’s decision to slash funds for projects approved by the previous PML-N government under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) and suspending supply of wheat to the GB on subsidised rate. According to media reports, the federal government …

By IKRAM BOKHARI ISLAMABAD, Oct 2: The appointment of Raja Jalal Hussain Maqpoon as Gilgit-Baltistan’s (GB) governor is another addition to the series of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s controversial decisions. Reports of the new governor’s alleged role in the Rs320 million corruption surfaced soon after his oath-taking ceremony. The NAB has launched an inquiry into the matter. The corruption charges have …

Staff Report Islamabad, Oct 2: A woman from Gilgit-Baltistan is waiting for relatives at Edhi Home, H-8 Sector, for four days. The woman, in her early 30s who speaks Shina language, reportedly seems to be mentally-disturbed. The Golra police found her at G-13 Sector and handed over to Edhi Home officials. However, when this reporter tried to meet her to get …

Herald Report      Islamabad: Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) government is working on a proposal to control land erosion in three towns by cascading banks of main rivers meandering through the capital towns of three districts. A Chinese firm has shown interest in the project and negotiations are in the final stages to ink an agreement with the company, Chief Minister Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman …