Business
PM Shehbaz Sharif desires to further enhance Pak-EU multi-faceted ties
Pakistan and the EU are celebrating the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations this year.

Islamabad: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Saturday highlighted the strong economic, trade, and investment ties between Pakistan and the European Union and expressed the desire for further strengthening of this multi-faceted relationship in diverse sectors including climate change and legal migration.
The prime minister also underscored the importance of regular high-level exchanges between the two sides to deepen bilateral collaboration and enhance mutual cooperation on issues of peace and stability in the regional and international context.
The prime minister was talking to Thomas Seiler, Charge d’ Affairs, Delegation of the EU to Pakistan, who called on him.
The charge d’ affairs congratulated the prime minister on assuming the office and conveyed the best wishes of the European Council president and the president of the EU Commission.
The prime minister thanked the charge d’affaires for his felicitations and underlined the importance Pakistan attaches to its relations with the EU and its member states.
Thomas Seiler affirmed the EU’s commitment to further deepening bilateral cooperation with Pakistan.
Pakistan and the EU are celebrating the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations this year. Events marking this milestone are envisaged to be held both in Islamabad and Brussels.
Pakistan
Govt hikes per litre price of petrol and diesel by Rs30
New prices will go into effect at midnight

Islamabad: The federal government Thursday announced hike in per litre price of petrol and diesel by Rs30 each.
The announcement came after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) emphasised abolishing the subsidies on the commodities.
Government has decided to increase the prices of Petrol, High Speed Diesel, Kerosene Oil and Light Diesel Oil by Rs 30 per litre from Friday May 27, 2022. New prices will go into effect at midnight. The new price of petrol will be Rs 179.86 & diesel will be Rs 174.15 per litre.
— Miftah Ismail (@MiftahIsmail) May 26, 2022
Federal Finance Minister Miftah Ismail announed raise during a press conference.
In a tweet, the minister said: "Government has decided to increase the prices of Petrol, High Speed Diesel, Kerosene Oil and Light Diesel Oil by Rs 30 per litre from Friday May 27, 2022. New prices will go into effect at midnight. The new price of petrol will be Rs 179.86 & diesel will be Rs 174.15 per litre."
Petrol will now be available at Rs179.86, diesel Rs174.15, Kerosene oil Rs155.56 and Light diesel Rs148.31.
Pakistan
NA passes election amendment bill; scraps electronic voting
Law Minister rejected the impression that the amendment is aimed at depriving overseas Pakistanis of their right to vote.

Islamabad: The National Assembly on Thursday passed "The Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2022" to conduct pilot projects in bye-elections before using I-Voting and Electronic Voting Machines in the general elections.
Speaking on the occasion in the House, the Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar rejected the impression that the amendment is aimed at depriving overseas Pakistanis of their right to vote.
He said overseas Pakistanis are precious asset of the country and the government does not believe in snatching their right to vote.
Regarding use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), the Law Minister said we are not against use of technology, but we have concerns about misuse of technology as Results Transmission System had failed in last general elections to favour a particular political party.
He said the Election Commission of Pakistan had also expressed its inability to hold elections through I-Voting and EVMs in a short span of time and without proper homework.
He said two amendments are being brought to revive the Elections Act 2017, enabling the ECP to ensure free, fair, and transparent elections.
Under the amendment in Section 94 of the Election Act, 2017, the Commission may conduct pilot projects for voting by Overseas Pakistanis in bye-elections to ascertain the technical efficacy, secrecy, security, and financial feasibility of such voting and shall share the results with the government, which shall, within 15 days from the commencement of a session of a House after the receipt of the report, lay the same before both Houses of the Parliament.
Under Amendment in Section 103 of the Election Act, 2017, the ECP may conduct pilot projects for utilization of EVMs and biometric verification system in the bye-elections.
Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, Raja Riaz Ahmed has said the Assembly should complete its tenure and elections should be held on time.
Responding to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's remarks, he assured that the opposition will play its positive and constructive role in running affairs of the House.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while speaking on the floor of the House, congratulated Raja Riaz Ahmed for becoming Leader of the Opposition.
He assured the Leader of the Opposition of his government's full cooperation in running business of the House in an amicable manner.
The Prime Minister said the treasury benches will pay utmost attention to the speech of the Leader of the Opposition by burying the bad traditions of the past.
Responding to a Calling Attention Notice, Minister of State for Interior, Abdul Rehman Khan Kanju assured the House to make every possible effort for the maintenance of government accommodations in Sector G-6 and F-6 of Islamabad.
Pakistan
Pakistan and Iran should tap vast scope in bilateral trade, economic cooperation: Bilawal
In meeting with his Iranian counterpart the foreign minister underscores the importance of the earliest completion of border markets to improve livelihood in the border region

Davos: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Thursday emphasized that Pakistan and Iran should tap the existing vast scope in bilateral trade and economic cooperation through various institutional mechanisms and innovative ways to identify new sectors.
The foreign minister, in a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Dr. Hossein Amir Abdollahian, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, reaffirmed Pakistan’s desire to strengthen Pak-Iran fraternal ties in all areas of mutual interest.
He underscored the importance of the earliest completion of border markets to improve livelihood in the border region.
The foreign minister appreciated Iran’s steadfast support for the Kashmir cause, especially at the Supreme Leader level.
Foreign Minister Bilawal also thanked Foreign Minister Abdollahian for sending an Iranian aircraft to Pakistan which helped in extinguishing the forest fire in Balochistan.
In the context of the situation in Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari noted that as neighbours, Pakistan and Iran had been closely coordinating.
He underlined that sustained engagement between the international community and the Interim Afghan government was critical to advance shared objectives of peace and stability in Afghanistan.
Foreign Minister Abdollahian extended an invitation to the foreign minister to undertake a visit to Iran.
SOURCE: APP
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