Islamabad                                                                                                                                                                                            18 Aug. 2018

Newly elected Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Ahmad Khan, who took oath from the hands of President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain this morning Saturday 18th August 2018, announced this afternoon his 20 members cabinet team.

Federal cabinet consists of 15 ministers and five advisers will take oath at the Presidency in Islamabad on Monday morning as per Pakistani media reporting.

Following are the names of the Federal Cabinet members and their ministries:

Shah Mahmood Qureshi , Ministry of Foreign Affairs,               Asad Umar, Ministry of Finance,                             Pervez Khattak, Ministry of Defence,                                             Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Ministry of Petroleum              Zubaida Jalal, Ministry of Defence Production,                           Shafqat Mahmood, Ministry of Education                  Fawad Ahmed, Ministry of Information,                                       Farogh Naseem, Ministry of Law and Justice            Aamir Mehmood Kiyani, Ministry of Health,                               Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Ministry of Railways, Fehmida Mirza, Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination,     Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Ministry of IT                        Noor ul Haq Qadri, Ministry of Religious Affairs,                       Tariq Bashir Cheema, Minister of Safron                Shireen Mazari, Ministry of Human Rights

Following are appointed as Advisors

Abdul Razzak Dawood, Commerce, Textile, Industry, Production & Investments                                                              Mohammad Shehzad Arbab, Advisor -Establishment                                                                                                              Ishrat Hussain, Institutional Reforms and Austerity                                                                                                        Amin Aslam,   Climate Change and                                                                                                                                                Zaheer Uddin Babar Awan.  Parliamentary Affairs

Earlier this morning, President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain administered the oath of Prime Minister at around 1000 AM at the Islamabad Presidency. There was no relative of Imran Khan and members of opposition parties who attended the ceremony. Imran khan is single brother of three sisters, none of the sisters were present on this occasion.

Among guests present on the occasion included Bushra Bibi, wife of Imran Khan, caretaker Prime Minister Nasirul Mulk, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, Army Chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, Navy Chief Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, newly elected Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, former National Assembly speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza, singers Salman Ahmed and Abrarul Haq, actor Javaid Sheikh, 1992 champion cricket team, former cricketer Wasim Akram and cricketer-turned-commentator Rameez Raja,  Indian Cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu were also invited.

Seoul                                                                                                                                                                                                     17 Aug. 2018                                                                                                                                                                                         (Yonhap News)

The top diplomats of South Korea and Qatar held talks in Seoul on Friday to strengthen cooperation over a range of bilateral and regional issues, including security on the Korean Peninsula.

During the meeting, Seoul's Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha expressed hopes that the two countries can further cement the cooperative partnership on the occasion of the visit by her counterpart, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani.

"Korea and Qatar have established a long standing relationship that has been very beneficial to both sides. Certainly, your visit this time will further that relationship," she said during her opening remarks.

The Qatari minister, who also doubles as deputy prime minister, described the bilateral relationship as "very positive and constructive," and expressed expectations that the two sides can further expand their areas of cooperation.

"We have a lot of areas that we are cooperating, especially in the areas of energy and industry, but also we are looking forward to further expand this cooperation between our two nations," he said.

Al Thani also noted Seoul's efforts to build peace with Pyongyang.

"I would like to congratulate (you on) the achievement you have accomplished with North Korea, and we hope that this would contribute to the stability of the Korean Peninsula," he said.

"And anything that Qatar can help and support for further stability in the peninsula ... Qatar is more than open," he added.

At the talks, Kang expressed hope for Qatar's successful hosting of the 2022 World Cup, noting that Seoul can cooperate based on its experience of hosting the international sporting event in 2002.

She also called for Qatar's support for South Korean firms hoping to join the Middle East country's project to introduce 3,250 buses fueled by compressed natural gas (CNG) and install seven CNG stations so as to prepare for an environmentally friendly World Cup.

In addition, she took note of Qatar's continued support for Seoul's policy toward North Korea.

In response, the Qatari minister said his country will continue to back international efforts for complete denuclearization and a lasting peace regime on the peninsula, the ministry said.

Seoul                                                                                                                                                                                                    17 Aug. 2018

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs met here on Friday with Ban Ki-moon, the President and Chair of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), during his visit to the Republic of Korea.

During the meeting, they discussed means of enhancing partnership and cooperation between the State of Qatar and the Global Green Growth Institute.

The State of Qatar is one of the first countries to support the establishment of the Institute since its inception in 2012.

Islamabad                                                                                                                                                                                             17 Aug. 2018

Imran Khan, former cricket hero who rose to shine winning the cricket World Cup title for Pakistan in 1992, is now the country’s 22nd Prime Minister-elect. Imran, 65, has been popular for his exceptional fast bowling and great all-rounding talent, has recently made a mark at the political pitch, with his party Tehreek-e-Insaf bagging majority seats in general election 2018.

Imran Ahmad Khan, 22^nd prime minister of Pakistan obtained on Friday 176-96 votes defeated Shahbaz Sharif of PMLN, brother of former 3 times elect Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Oath ceremony will take place on Saturday in President House where President of Pakistan will take oath from newly elected Prime Minister Imran Khan.

PML-N members in lower house protested in the assembly following the announcement of the result and throughout during speech of newly elect Leader of the House Imran Khan.

The session began under the chairmanship of Speaker Asad Qaiser to elect the country’s premier for the next five-year term.  PML-N lawmakers present in the Parliament are wearing black armbands as well.

The PPP had decided to abstain from voting. Co-chairman Bilawal said the party had the right to abstain from voting. Earlier, the party had said it would not support PML-N. The Jamaat-e-Islami is also not partaking in the exercise.

Imran Khan in his speech pledged for eradicating of corruption from country and assured the house of necessary steps towards bringing desired changes in electoral system.

Shahbaz Sharif of PMLN condemned vast polls rigging and demanded to form a commission which should produce it's report to the house within 30 days. Upon findings of lackings in electoral system, reforms be brought by the house immediately.

Sharif mentioned a large list of his allegations in the polling including sending outside polling agents from stations during counting time on polling day, results given on simple paper instead official format, ignored obtaining signatures of polling agents on the results forms, finding of ballot papers in garbage dump stations, delay in result announcement, etc.

Election of President of Pakistan are scheduled to hold on 5th of September 2018. Members of both houses -Upper, Lower House and members of provincial houses participate in electing President of the country.

The PTI has currently 152 members in the National Assembly, Seven of its allied parties’ including MQM (7), Pakistan Muslim League (Q)  and Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) three each; Balochistan National Party (BNP) with 4,  Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) three and Awami Muslim League and Jamhoori Watan Party one each. Nine independent lawmakers have also joined the PTI.

PMLN got 82 members and is the largest opposition party on the opposition benches followed by PPP with 53, The Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal has 15 and Awami National Party (ANP) with one.

Ankara                                                                                                                                                                                                  16 Aug. 2018                                                                                                                                                                                        (AlJazeera News)

The Turkish lira rallied from record lows on Wednesday after Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad AlThani said Qatar was standing by its "brothers in Turkey" as he announced a $15bn investment into the country's financial markets and banks.

The emir's comments came after holding talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, Turkey's capital.

After falling by more than 45 percent against the US dollar, the Turkish lira firmed as far as 5.75 against the dollar on Wednesday - a more than five percent gain - and stood at 5.90 on Thursday morning.

Turkey is currently grappling with a currency crisis and heightened tensions with the United States, its NATO ally.

Sheikh Tamim is the first foreign head of state to visit Ankara since the standoff with Washington began last week.

"We stand by the brothers in Turkey that have stood with the issues of the Muslim world and with Qatar," Sheikh Tamim said in a tweet.

"As part of the important talks that I held in Ankara on Friday with His Excellency President Erdogan, we announced a $15bn deposit package and investment projects in the country, which has a strong and solid productive economy."

Erdogan and Sheikh Tamim also discussed ways to improve their strategic cooperation.

"We attach importance to his visit. This visit, at the same time, is an indicator that Qatar stands with Turkey," Ibrahim Kalin, a spokesperson for the Turkish president, told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday.

Salim bin Mubarak Al Shafi, Qatar's ambassador to Turkey, said his country would continue to support Turkey, adding that the emir's visit demonstrated the "depth" of the two countries' ties.

"Qatar will continue to stand by its Turkish brothers as it did during the failed coup attempt in 2016," Al Shafi said, adding Qatari people purchased millions of Turkish lira to support Ankara against the "economic operation", the country is witnessing, local media reported.

Qatar and Turkey are bound by strategic relations  at the political, economic and military fronts.

But the Gulf country also shares a strategic partnership with the US, hosting a military base that serves as one of Washington's most important overseas military bases with operations throughout the Middle East.

Delhi                                                                                                                                                                                                       16 Aug. 2018                                                                                                                                                                                          (Media)

India’s three times elected former Prime Minister, poet and South East Asia's great statesman Atal Bihari Vajpayee died on Thursday evening at the All India Institute for Medical Sciences (AIIMS). He was 93.

Vajpayee has served 12 time as parliamentarian and has been former President of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and earlier Bharatiya Jana Sangh, and a popular mass leader who brought both respectability and power to the BJP for the first time, passed away

“It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of former Prime Minister of India Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee at 5.05 pm,” Aarti Vij, AIIMS spokesperson announced Vajpayee death in a statement.

“Unfortunately, his condition deteriorated over the last 36 hours and he was put on life support systems. Despite the best of efforts, we have lost him today. We join the nation in deeply mourning this great loss,” Vij added.

Beijing                                                                                                                                                                                                   15 Aug. 2018                                                                                                                                                                                         (Xinhua News)

Above in pictures is a bionic basketball-shooting robot at World Robot Conference 2018 in Beijing, capital of China.

Kicking off on Wednesday, the Conference attracted contestants from 16 countries and regions to participate in the contest section.

Jakarta                                                                                                                                                                                                  15 Aug. 2018                                                                                                                                                                                        (Xinhua News)

Mayor of East Jakarta M. Anwar (C) participates today on Wednesday in the Torch Relay in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The 2018 Asian Games will kick off here on Aug. 18.

Islamabad                                                                                                                                                                                             15 Aug 2018                                                                                                                                                                                         (Daily Express Tribune)

South-African comedian Trevor Noah, host of the famous The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, has never been one to shy away from calling out world politics and the hypocrisy it brings along. Through satire, he’s actively been a political commentator, highlighting everything that’s wrong across the globe.

In the latest episode of Noah’s show, the comedian compared Pakistan’s Prime Minister-elect, Imran Khan to the US President Donald Trump. Noah stressed that Khan’s background story is eerily similar to that of Trump’s, wherein the two belonged to privileged families and were known for their good looks.

In a throwback interview presented on the show, Khan describes his lavish lair to “not be that lavish” after all. Instead, he says that he has tried to make it “comfortable” for himself. Noah then points out at a picture of Khan’s old bedroom that he believes is a “part of Pakistan’s Trump Tower”.

Calling Khan an “even more tan version of Trump,” the 34-year-old TV host added that media outlets portray Khan and Trump similarly as well. One clip from the show features a political commentator stating that Khan seems to contradict himself during speeches — something the US President has also often been accused of.

Noah also went ahead to compare Trump and Khan’s career choices, stating that “while was Trump was doing pizza ads, Khan was promoting Pepsi”. Noah joked, “Trump has three marriages in the tabloid, so did Khan. Trump thinks Islam is bad, Khan lives is Islamabad.”

He also pointed out that shortly before the two were elected in their respective countries, they were both embroiled in sexual harassment scandals. Noah also spoke of the similarity of words in Trump’s and Khan’s interviews.

Noah concluded with yet another joke, saying, “I don’t know if Prime Minister Khan will turn out to be exactly like President Trump. All I’m saying is that if you’re planning to move to Pakistan to escape Trump, you might want to pick some place else.”

Islamabad                                                                                                                                                                                             15 Aug. 2018                                                                                                                                                                                         (Daily Express Tribune)

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf nominee Asad Qaiser was elected as the speaker of the National Assembly after a one-on-one contest against opposition candidate Syed Khursheed Shah on Wednesday.

PTI’s Qasim Khan Suri also won the election of deputy speaker of the lower house, defeating opposition’s candidate Asad Mehmood.

Newly-elected speaker Qaiser presided over the session and administered the oath to his deputy.

Qaiser bagged 176 votes while Shah bagged 146 votes. Outgoing Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq announced the winner. “In the future, I would desire to see work that would benefit Pakistan. Out of a total 330 votes, 322 were deemed valid and eight were rejected,” said Sadiq.

On the other hand, Suri bagged 183 votes out of the total 327. Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal’s (MMA) Mehmood managed to secure 144 votes.

Suri thanked party chief Imran Khan for his support in his victory speech. The newly-elected deputy speaker, who belongs to Balochistan, said there is a dearth of basic infrastructure facilities in the province.

“Balochistan has seen one of the worst periods of violence before the general elections,” he added. Suri said he would try to bring all political actors on board during his term at the lower house.

He expressed desire to fight for the rights of people of Balochistan, as well as, restoration of peace in the province. Suri vowed to remain impartial while performing his duties as deputy speaker in the house.

Following the announcement, supporters of the opposition chanted slogans and raised posters of deposed premier Nawaz Sharif. Qaiser adjourned the NA session for 15 minutes following the protest. The election for deputy speaker is yet to be conducted. Former president Asif Ali Zardari also walked out of the Lower House following the announcement. Zardari was the first to be called for the vote, but the former president was not present.

PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif arrived to vote in the Lower House after attending his elder brother Nawaz Sharif’s hearing at the accountability court. Wearing a black armband, the PML-N president said he is protesting ‘rigging’ in the recently held national elections.

“We are wearing black armbands to protest against the rigged elections. The caretaker government was also involved with the rigging. We haven’t come to the assemblies to support these rigged elections, but to expose it,” Shehbaz said. “Imran Khan demanded four constituencies to be opened in the last elections, and they were all entertained. But after the SC verdict of this year, the situation has become very clear.”

Former foreign minister Khawaja Asif said, “We will vote for Shah as the speaker. Casting vote is our right.”

Today’s election will be the first test case for the PTI, which apparently could arrange the required numbers by soliciting support of its smaller allied partners in favour of its nominees.

But political analysts believe that the PTI is unlikely to face any major setback at the hands of the joint opposition after differences reportedly emerged between the PPP and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) over nomination of PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif for slot of the premier. However, Khan’s party is now more worried about internal bickering with its smaller allied partners.

The election will be held through secret ballot, which makes it convenient for parliamentarians to indulge in horse-trading and for that very reason the PTI has already expressed its reservations over alleged attempts of the opposition to lure loyalties of some of its MNAs ahead of the election.