Politics

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Friday said Turkey and Pakistan want the best solution for the Kashmir issue.

"Turkey stands by Pakistan during its tough times," Qureshi said while addressing a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, at the Foreign Office.

"Turkey supported Pakistan against Financial Action Task Force (FATF)'s decision to place it on grey list and wants the best solution for the Kashmir issue," he added.

Further, the Pakistani foreign minister said, "The beauty of the relations between Pakistan and Turkey is that they are not restricted to a government level."

A meeting of Pakistan and Turkey's joint working group will be called soon, he shared.

Speaking on the occasion, the Turkish foreign minister thanked Qureshi for inviting him to the country and said, "I congratulate Prime Minster Imran Khan for assuming office and will thank him as well."

"Governments change but real friendships remain," he added. "We will work towards maintaining this friendship."

Further, he said, "Qureshi and I discussed several topics of common interest."

The Turkish foreign minister, who is on a four-day visit to Pakistan, held one-on-one talks with Qureshi earlier today. 

Qureshi and Cavusoglu discussed strengthening Pak-Turkey strategic partnership in political and socio-economic sectors during their meeting.

Delegation level talks were also held between delegations of the two countries at FO. 

"Both countries are tied in inseparable bonds of people to people affection based on common faith and objectives and shared destinies as members of Islamic world," FO spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal said after the delegation-level talks.

"Pakistan and Turkey pledged to continue partnership for regional peace and stability," he added.

Later during the day, the Turkish foreign minister called on Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa at the General Headquarters.

Focus of the discussion remained on Pak-Turkey relations, regional security including evolving situation in the Middle East, management of defence and security cooperation between both the countries, the military's media wing, Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), said.

The Turkish foreign minister acknowledged and appreciated Pakistan’s contributions for conflict prevention in the region and also pledged to keep working for better relations between the two brotherly countries, ISPR added.

Cavusoglu arrived in Pakistan on Thursday.

According to a statement issued by the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Cavusoglu will also meet Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Arif Alvi during his visit.

KARACHI: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leadership has nominated #FixIt founder Alamgir Khan to contest by-polls on the seat, NA-243 in the city, vacated by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The premier won on five seats following General Elections 2018 on July 25. However, he only retained NA-95 Mianwali and left the other four, including NA-243.

Alamgir is the founder of a campaign started in Karachi to cover open manholes. #FixIt gained attention in 2016 after Alamgir spray painted a picture of former chief minister of Sindh, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, on the road to draw attention to unsealed manholes.

PM Imran won NA-243 after defeating Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan leader Ali Raza Abidi by 67,276 votes. The PTI chief had bagged 91,358, while the MQM-P leader secured 24,082 votes.

PM Imran did not let go of the Mianwali constituency as he became MNA for the first time with votes from the district in Punjab. Therefore, he had promised the public there, prior to the general elections, that he would retain the seat.  

MIANWALI: Prime Minister Imran Khan inaugurated Mianwali Rail Car on Friday.

"We recovered land worth Rs100 billion from land mafia," the premier said while addressing the inauguration ceremony. He lamented that large areas have been illegally occupied.

The premier said, "We want to spend public money on people's welfare."

PM Imran also apprised the gathering about railway reforms. "The railway system currently in use is the same as that introduced by British rulers."

"We can repay our loans by selling railway land in Karachi," he added.

According to a statement issued by the Pakistan Railways, the Mianwali Rail Car consists of nine passenger coaches. The manufacturing cost of the rail car was Rs8.5 million, the statement added.

Mianwali Rail Car will be operational from today. The train will depart from Kundian for Rawalpindi at 7am and depart from Rawalpindi for Kundian at 6pm daily, the statement said.

An online facility is available for passengers to book their seats.

LONDON: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's son Hussain Nawaz confirmed on Wednesday that Begum Kulsoom will be buried in Jati Umrah on Friday.

In an exclusive conversation with Geo News, Hussain said his mother's body will reach Pakistan on Friday when it will be laid to rest in Lahore's Jati Umrah area. 

Furthermore, Hussain confirmed that both he and his brother Hassan will not travel to Pakistan for their mother's burial. 

Nawaz and his daughter Maryam were released from Adiala Jail on parole hours after his ailing wife, Begum Kulsoom, passed away at a hospital in London. The father and daughter, along with latter's husband Captain (retd) Mohammad Safdar have been released on 12-hour parole to attend Begum Kulsoom's funeral.

The three were escorted by police from Adiala Jail to the Nur Khan Airbase from where they were brought to Lahore.

Nawaz, Maryam and Capt Safdar are currently at their Jati Umra residence.

LAHORE: The funeral prayers for former first lady Begum Kulsoom Nawaz will be offered on Friday at Sharif Medical City in Jati Umra, a spokesperson for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) said.

The funeral prayers will be offered at 5pm on Friday, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said.

An earlier statement by the PML-N spokesperson had also stated that the former first lady's Rasm-e-Qul will be held in Jati Umra on Sunday, September 16, between Asr and Maghrib prayers.

Begum Kulsoom passed away in London on Tuesday after battling cancer for more than a year. She is survived by her husband and four children; Maryam, Asma, Hassan, and Hussain.

The former first lady was under treatment at London’s Harley Street Clinic since June 2017. She was placed on life support after her health deteriorated a day before her death.

Britain would face falling into a devastating recession, the pound would plunge and prices would soar in the event of a no deal Brexit a ratings agency has warned.

Moody's have said the chance of crashing out with out an agreement had “risen materially” in recent months.

The chief author of Moody’s report, Colin Ellis, said that a no deal Brexit would “clearly pose more significant challenges than a negotiated exit”, said.

In a stark report, Moody's said: "The immediate impact of a no-deal Brexit would likely be seen first in a sharp fall in the value of the British pound, as was also evident after the 2016 UK-wide referendum on whether to remain in or leave the EU.

"The fall in the exchange rate would lead to temporarily higher inflation and hence a further squeeze on real wages over the following two to three years, which in turn would weigh on consumer spending and depress growth.