govt hikes petrol
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Govt hikes petrol by Rs4.4, diesel by Rs3.62 as gl…

ByJustpaste.in

The federal government on Thursday increased the prices of petrol and high-speed diesel by Rs4.40 and Rs3.62 per litre, respectively, effective July 24. Following the latest revision, petrol now stands at Rs331.52 per litre, while HSD is priced at Rs378.66. The price hike comes amid a surge in global oil prices, with Brent crude jumping 6% to $100.50 a barrel following attacks on tankers in the Red Sea, which have choked off a second crucial Middle East artery for global oil supplies alongside Iran’s near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

This is the fourth consecutive day the government has revised fuel prices after switching to a daily review mechanism last week to reflect volatility in international markets. The new system bases daily fuel prices on a seven-day average of international market rates, ensuring timely adjustments to align with global trends. The latest increase was anticipated as oil prices surged to their highest level since May, driven by escalating tensions in the Middle East.

The price revision came after the government and the All Pakistan Petrol Pump Owners Association reached an agreement a day ago to postpone the association’s planned nationwide shutdown for two weeks. The agreement followed successful negotiations with Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, who assured dealers that their long-pending concerns, including demands for a monthly pricing mechanism and an increase in dealer commissions, would be addressed.

The surge in global oil prices has been fueled by Houthi attacks on oil tankers in the Red Sea, which have raised fears of a wider regional conflict. The attacks have disrupted shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb strait, a vital alternative route for Saudi oil exports, adding to the supply concerns already triggered by the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The dual disruptions have put energy markets on edge, with fears of a global supply crunch intensifying.

The spike in oil prices has also impacted global stock markets, with major tech giants knocking US stocks lower and Europe’s borrowing costs spiking to long-term highs. The unsettling day across markets reflects the broader economic implications of the Middle East conflict, which continues to disrupt global energy supplies and threaten economic stability.

As the situation remains volatile, further price revisions are likely in the coming days. The government has assured the public that it is monitoring the situation closely and will take necessary measures to mitigate the impact on consumers. However, with global oil prices expected to remain elevated, Pakistani consumers are likely to face continued pressure on fuel costs, affecting transportation, goods, and services across the country. The government’s daily price revision mechanism aims to provide transparency and responsiveness to market changes, but it also means that consumers will face more frequent price adjustments as global oil markets remain volatile. The coming days will be critical in determining whether the situation stabilizes or whether further hikes are needed to reflect global trends.

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    Monsoon rains kill 11, injure 25 across Pakistan

    ByJustpaste.in

    At least 11 people have died and 25 others have been injured in rain-related incidents across Pakistan during the past 24 hours. The latest casualties have pushed the nationwide monsoon death toll to 97 since June 26. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said 297 people have been injured during the same period. Punjab recorded the highest number of casualties in the latest 24-hour period. Seven people were killed and 20 others were injured. Sindh reported two deaths and two injuries. One person died and three others were injured in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Another death was reported in Gilgit-Baltistan. House collapses were the main cause of deaths. The NDMA said they accounted for more than half of the fatalities during the latest reporting period. Drowning and lightning strikes were also among the major causes. The continuing rains have damaged homes and infrastructure in several areas. The NDMA said 22 houses were damaged during the past 24 hours. Seventeen suffered partial damage, while five were completely destroyed. Eight livestock were also lost during the latest spell. Since June 26, a total of 447 houses have been damaged across the country. Of these, 338 were partially damaged and 109 were completely destroyed. The number of livestock killed has reached 269. Heavy rain and landslides have also affected roads in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan. Around 0.9 kilometres of roads were damaged during the latest period. Traffic has been disrupted at several locations. Authorities are working to restore affected routes. The Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast more rain, strong winds and thunderstorms in several parts of the country during the next 24 hours. The department has warned of possible flash floods in hill torrents in Dera Ghazi Khan and northeastern Balochistan. Urban flooding is also possible in parts of southeastern Sindh. Rain and thunderstorms are expected in the upper catchments of major rivers. Islamabad, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan may also receive showers. Parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan are also likely to experience unsettled weather. The Met Office said flood-generating rainfall is not expected until July 28. However, another monsoon spell could begin from July 29. The expected system may affect upper river catchments, Islamabad, upper Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Authorities have continued relief and rescue work in affected areas. The NDMA said 386 relief items were distributed during the past 24 hours. Rescue teams also carried out five operations. Eight people were rescued. Since the beginning of the monsoon season, authorities have conducted 130 rescue operations. A total of 3,841 people have been rescued across Pakistan. Karachi may receive more rain Karachi is expected to remain mostly cloudy, hot and humid over the next two days. The Met Office has forecast light rain and drizzle at isolated locations. Strong winds may also occur in some areas. The city is expected to remain partly cloudy and humid on Monday and Tuesday. Occasional drizzle is also possible. A low-pressure system over southwest Rajasthan and nearby areas is currently affecting weather conditions. The system is expected to weaken by Monday. However, strong monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea continue to move towards southern and central Pakistan. These conditions may keep the weather unsettled. Several districts of Sindh are expected to receive thunderstorms and rain. Tharparkar, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Badin, Sanghar and Matiari may receive moderate rainfall. Heavy rain is also possible at isolated locations. Ghotki, Kashmore, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Sukkur, Larkana and Khairpur are also likely to receive rain. Naushahro Feroze, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Jamshoro, Shaheed Benazirabad and Hyderabad may also experience showers, strong winds and thunderstorms. The Met Office has warned that lightning and strong winds could damage weak buildings and other vulnerable structures. Heavy rain may also cause urban flooding in low-lying and vulnerable areas. Residents have been advised to remain alert. People in vulnerable locations have been urged to follow official weather updates and take necessary precautions during thunderstorms. Karachi received its first major monsoon spell of the season on Friday. Rain was recorded across several parts of the city. The rainfall began in areas including Gulshan-e-Maymar, Surjani Town, Ahsanabad and Manghopir. It later spread to several other parts of the city. Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Gulistan-e-Johar, Nazimabad, Jamshed Road and DHA also received rain. Several commercial and central areas were also affected. The rainfall brought relief from the heat and humidity. However, authorities remain concerned about water accumulation if another heavy spell hits the city. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had placed the province on high alert ahead of the forecast. He directed local government bodies, the Water Board and district administrations to remain operational around the clock

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    Phetchabun Authorities Monitor Receding Pa Sak River Levels Amid Ongoing Flood Impacts

    ByJustpaste.in

    Phetchabun, Thailand, August 2nd, 2026 The Phetchabun Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Operations Center reported on water levels along the Pa Sak River as of 11:00 a.m. on August 2nd, 2026, noting a continued downward trend at key monitoring stations. At Station S33 in Tat Kloi Subdistrict, Lom Kao District, the riverbank height stands at […]

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    Thailand school shooting, teen kills 8 in deadly r…

    ByJustpaste.in

    BANGKOK: A 14-year-old boy killed at least eight people, including his grandparents, before taking his own life in a shooting rampage at a school outside Bangkok on Friday, police said, in Thailand’s deadliest mass killing since 2022. The teenager opened fire at Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Nonthaburi province, northwest of Bangkok, after allegedly shooting his grandparents at their home. Police said the suspect was among those killed at the school. The attack left 15 people injured, with both students and teachers reported among the casualties. Emergency teams rushed to the school as frightened students streamed out of the building, many without shoes, while ambulances transported the wounded. Police said the teenager fired at least 26 rounds and had another 34 rounds of ammunition. Authorities said the weapon belonged to his grandfather. An 18-year-old student told Reuters he initially believed the loud noises were firecrackers or someone striking an object. He said the sounds stopped briefly before gunfire erupted again. Emergency worker Kiatikhun Verapongpradith said his team arrived while the shooting was still underway and treated students suffering injuries. He said teachers were also among those found injured or dead inside the school. The suspect was later found after apparently shooting himself, according to the emergency worker. He was taken to hospital, but authorities confirmed that he died. Education Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong said both teachers and students were among the casualties, while police identified the teenager as a student. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul expressed sorrow over the incident, describing the shooting as a devastating event for the country. The attack is Thailand’s second school shooting this year. In February, a teacher was killed and a student injured in a shooting at a school in the southern part of the country. Thailand has experienced several deadly gun attacks in recent years. The country’s worst mass killing in recent history occurred in 2022, when a former police officer killed 36 people, including 22 children, during a rampage at a daycare centre in northeastern Thailand. A separate 2023 shooting at a Bangkok shopping centre, carried out by another 14-year-old, killed two people and injured five others. Following that attack, authorities introduced several gun-control measures, including restrictions on new firearm licences and tighter rules concerning access to shooting ranges by people under 20. Thailand has one of Southeast Asia’s highest rates of civilian gun ownership. A Small Arms Survey estimate from 2017 put the number of privately held firearms in the country at around 10.3 million. Friday’s tragedy is expected to renew debate over firearm access, school safety and measures aimed at preventing young people from obtaining weapons.

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    AJK election results: PML-N leads in eight seats, …

    ByJustpaste.in

    Unofficial and preliminary results from the first phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections show the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leading in eight of the 13 constituencies. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidates are ahead in the remaining five constituencies, according to the results received so far. The first phase covered 13 constituencies across Mirpur, Kotli and Bhimber districts. Vote counting is continuing, and the results remain unofficial. LA-1 Mirpur-I Results from 17 of 139 polling stations have been received. PML-N candidate Azhar Sadiq is leading with 1,692 votes. PPP candidate Muhammad Afsar Shahid is second with 1,482 votes. LA-2 Mirpur-II Results from 40 of 149 polling stations are available. PPP candidate Qasim Majeed is leading with 3,455 votes. PML-N candidate Azeem Bakhsh Chaudhry has secured 2,915 votes. LA-3 Mirpur-III Results from 31 of 161 polling stations have been received. PML-N candidate Chaudhry Muhammad Saeed is ahead with 2,986 votes. PPP candidate Chaudhry Yasir Sultan is in second place with 2,648 votes. LA-4 Mirpur-IV Only four of 162 polling stations have reported results. PML-N candidate Chaudhry Rukhsar Ahmed is leading with 594 votes. PPP candidate Chaudhry Sohaib Arshad has received 345 votes. LA-5 Bhimber-I Results from 104 of 176 polling stations have been received. PML-N candidate Waqar Ahmed Noor is leading with 19,592 votes. PPP candidate Chaudhry Parvez Ashraf is second with 16,335 votes. LA-6 Bhimber-II Results from 24 of 195 polling stations have been reported. PML-N candidate Chaudhry Muhammad Razzaq is leading with 3,814 votes. Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party candidate Ali Shan Chaudhry has secured 3,351 votes. LA-7 Bhimber-III Results from 34 of 237 polling stations are available. PML-N candidate Chaudhry Tariq Farooq is leading with 6,346 votes. Independent candidate Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq is second with 3,552 votes. LA-8 Kotli-I Results from 10 of 155 polling stations have been received. PPP candidate Zafar Iqbal Malik is ahead with 1,221 votes. PML-N candidate Malik Muhammad Nawaz Khan is close behind with 1,174 votes. LA-9 Kotli-II Results from 105 of 178 polling stations are available. PML-N candidate Umair Naeem is leading with 21,682 votes. PPP candidate Javed Iqbal Budhanvi has received 13,484 votes. LA-10 Kotli-III Results from 36 of 169 polling stations have been received. PPP candidate Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin is leading with 6,999 votes. PML-N candidate Fateh Mahmood-ul-Hassan is second with 3,560 votes. LA-11 Kotli-IV Results from 73 of 206 polling stations are available. PPP candidate Chaudhry Muhammad Akhlaq is leading with 10,659 votes. PML-N candidate Muhammad Asif has secured 9,264 votes. LA-12 Kotli-V Results from 40 of 207 polling stations have been received. PPP candidate Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin is ahead with 2,613 votes. PML-N candidate Muhammad Riasat Khan has received 1,255 votes. LA-13 Kotli-VI Results from 110 of 193 polling stations are available. PML-N candidate Raja Ayaz Ahmed Khan is leading with 13,063 votes. Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party candidate Nisar Ansar Abdali is second with 8,995 votes. Disturbances reported in Bhimber PPP AJK Election Cell in-charge Sardar Abdul Shakoor claimed that disturbances occurred at polling stations 119, 120 and 121 in LA-5 Barnala. He said the incident affected polling in the area. According to Shakoor, voting resumed after security forces arrived, but the process remained slow. Raja Pervez Ashraf seeks action on complaints PPP leader Raja Pervez Ashraf expressed concern over alleged electoral irregularities in several constituencies. He called for additional security personnel at sensitive polling stations, including those in Gulpur, Thurochi and Muhajir Camp. Ashraf urged the Election Commission to take immediate and impartial notice of all complaints. He also called for measures to ensure free, transparent and fair elections.

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    JUI-F cleric shot dead in Waziristan

    ByJustpaste.in

    A religious scholar affiliated with Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) was shot dead by unidentified attackers in the Azam Warsak area of Birmal tehsil in Lower South Waziristan, police said on Saturday. The deceased was identified as Maulana Muhammad Ismail. According to police, the attack took place shortly after Friday prayers when unidentified gunmen riding a motorcycle opened fire on the cleric. He sustained multiple gunshot wounds and died at the scene before he could receive medical assistance. The attackers fled immediately after carrying out the shooting. Police launched a search operation in the area, but no arrests have been made so far. District Police Officer (DPO) Muhammad Tahir confirmed the incident and said an initial case has been registered. He added that investigators are examining all possible motives behind the attack and collecting evidence to identify those responsible. According to local officials and tribal elders, Maulana Muhammad Ismail was a resident of Kazha Panga and served as a teacher at a religious seminary in the area. He was known for his religious services and educational work in the community. Following the incident, law enforcement personnel reached the crime scene and shifted the body for legal formalities. Security was also tightened in nearby areas as authorities began efforts to trace the attackers. Police said no group has claimed responsibility for the killing. Investigators are questioning witnesses and reviewing available information to determine whether the attack was linked to personal enmity, militancy or any other motive. The killing has once again highlighted security concerns in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where religious and political figures have occasionally been targeted in violent attacks. Earlier this year, former JUI-F provincial lawmaker Maulana Muhammad Idrees was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Charsadda. In a separate incident in January, JUI-F leader Maulana Sultan Muhammad Wazir succumbed to injuries after being critically wounded in a bomb blast near a religious seminary in Wana Bazaar, South Waziristan.

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    Court summons former Lebanon Central Bank governor

    ByJustpaste.in

    Lebanese judicial authorities have issued a court summons for former Central Bank governor Riad Salameh after he failed to appear at a scheduled hearing in a high-profile financial corruption case, marking another major development in one of the country’s most closely watched legal investigations. According to a judicial source, prosecutors ordered security forces to locate Salameh at his residence and escort him to Beirut’s Palace of Justice after he did not attend Thursday’s hearing. The case stems from a complaint filed by current Central Bank Governor Karim Soueid, who has accused his predecessor of embezzlement of institutional funds, illicit enrichment and money laundering. Salameh, 76, led Lebanon’s central bank from 1993 until July 2023, overseeing the country’s monetary policy for three decades. Once regarded as one of the Middle East’s most influential financial figures, he later became a central figure in the controversy surrounding Lebanon’s devastating financial collapse. The Central Bank has alleged that it was the victim of an embezzlement scheme involving several hundred million euros, claiming the funds were misappropriated by Salameh with assistance from individuals close to him. However, the former governor has repeatedly denied all allegations, insisting he has committed no wrongdoing. The first hearing in the case took place in June at Salameh’s home because of his reported health condition, where he was questioned by an investigating judge. On Thursday, former banking executive Samir Hanna appeared before the court in connection with the same investigation, while Salameh remained absent. The former governor has faced growing legal pressure both inside Lebanon and abroad. He was arrested in September 2024 over allegations that he embezzled $44 million from the institution he once headed. After spending a year in detention, he was released on bail exceeding $14 million, one of the largest ever imposed in Lebanon, but remains banned from leaving the country. International investigations have also intensified. French authorities issued an international arrest warrant for Salameh in 2023, while prosecutors in Paris continue examining allegations linked to cross-border financial transactions. In May this year, the Swiss subsidiary of British banking giant HSBC was formally indicted as investigators examined claims that it may have facilitated financial activities connected to the former governor. The latest court summons underscores Lebanon’s efforts to pursue accountability for the country’s prolonged financial crisis. As investigations continue at home and overseas, the case against Salameh remains one of the most significant legal battles tied to Lebanon’s economic collapse, with many citizens viewing it as a crucial test of the country’s commitment to transparency and judicial reform.

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