Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif attends the 22nd Shanghai Co-operation Organisation Heads of State Council Summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. EPA
Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif attends the 22nd Shanghai Co-operation Organisation Heads of State Council Summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. EPA
Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif attends the 22nd Shanghai Co-operation Organisation Heads of State Council Summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. EPA
Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif attends the 22nd Shanghai Co-operation Organisation Heads of State Council Summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. EPA

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to step down before term ends next month


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Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he will handover power to a caretaker government before the completion of his term next month.

Mr Sharif, who took over in April last year after leading a coalition of parties that removed Imran Khan from power through a parliamentary vote of no-confidence, didn’t say when exactly he will quit.

He will finish his time in office after Islamabad secured a critical $3 billion IMF bailout last week. The country is struggling economically with inflation at nearly 30 per cent annually and soaring debt, but the bailout has given a glimmer of hope that the country can stabilise its finances. Interest rates have hit a record 22 per cent in an attempt to curb inflation.

A man walks past a currency exchange shop in Islamabad. Pakistan's desperately low foreign exchange reserves were boosted on July 11 with a $2 billion deposit from Saudi Arabia, ahead of a key IMF meeting to approve a standby deal. AFP
A man walks past a currency exchange shop in Islamabad. Pakistan's desperately low foreign exchange reserves were boosted on July 11 with a $2 billion deposit from Saudi Arabia, ahead of a key IMF meeting to approve a standby deal. AFP

Mr Sharif said the bailout, which followed eight months of difficult negotiations, “bolsters Pakistan's economic position to overcome immediate to medium-term economic challenges, giving the next government the fiscal space to chart the way forward”.

Mr Sharif’s time in office has been marked by a long-standing dispute with former prime minister Imran Khan, who led a series of massive rallies across the country following his ousting in a no-confidence vote in April.

Mr Khan said that Mr Sharif had worked covertly with the US to oust him – a charge Washington and Mr Sharif strongly deny.

The rallies of Mr Khan's Tehreek-e-Insaf party, which were often met with violent police crackdowns – and in one case, saw the death of a police officer – culminated in May with Mr Khan’s arrest, along with the detention of thousands of his supporters.

Released on bail, the former prime minister is still fighting numerous charges brought against him by the government, and had previously been held on charges of terrorism and corruption. He also stands accused of being linked to the murder of lawyer Abdul Razzaq Shar, who had accused Mr Khan of high treason and was shot dead in June.

Mr Khan survived an assassination attempt in November, when an assailant shot him in the leg.

Mr Sharif, who had spent years in exile in Saudi Arabia between 1999 and 2007 following a coup in his home country, is known for being the longest serving governor of Punjab. Like Mr Khan, he was arrested in September 2020 on corruption charges but was released on bail in April the following year.

Mr Sharif’s time in office has also been marred by worsening violence in the rugged north of the country, where the army is battling two insurgencies, one led by the local branch of the Taliban and another by Baloch separatists.

Dawn reported the national elections may be held in November, within 90 days of the dissolution of the National Assembly, or parliament’s lower house that elects the prime minister. The five-year term of the lower house ends on midnight of August 12, it said.

The so-called caretaker government supervises the polls, which must be held within 60 days of the dissolution of the National Assembly. If the legislature is dissolved days before the completion of its term, the elections are to be held within 90 days.

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The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow. 
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It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes). 

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Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

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Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

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Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.

Two-step truce

The UN-brokered ceasefire deal for Hodeidah will be implemented in two stages, with the first to be completed before the New Year begins, according to the Arab Coalition supporting the Yemeni government.

By midnight on December 31, the Houthi rebels will have to withdraw from the ports of Hodeidah, Ras Issa and Al Saqef, coalition officials told The National. 

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Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal 

Rating: 2/5

Five personal finance podcasts from The National

 

To help you get started, tune into these Pocketful of Dirham episodes 

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Balance is essential to happiness, health and wealth 

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What is a portfolio stress test? 

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What are NFTs and why are auction houses interested? 

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How gamers are getting rich by earning cryptocurrencies 

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Should you buy or rent a home in the UAE?  

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Vittel - La Planche de Belles Filles, 160.5km

It is a shorter stage, but one that will lead to a brutal uphill finish. This is the third visit in six editions since it was introduced to the race in 2012. Reigning champion Chris Froome won that race.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Other simple ideas for sushi rice dishes

Cheat’s nigiri 
This is easier to make than sushi rolls. With damp hands, form the cooled rice into small tablet shapes. Place slices of fresh, raw salmon, mackerel or trout (or smoked salmon) lightly touched with wasabi, then press, wasabi side-down, onto the rice. Serve with soy sauce and pickled ginger.

Easy omurice
This fusion dish combines Asian fried rice with a western omelette. To make, fry cooked and cooled sushi rice with chopped vegetables such as carrot and onion and lashings of sweet-tangy ketchup, then wrap in a soft egg omelette.

Deconstructed sushi salad platter 
This makes a great, fuss-free sharing meal. Arrange sushi rice on a platter or board, then fill the space with all your favourite sushi ingredients (edamame beans, cooked prawns or tuna, tempura veggies, pickled ginger and chilli tofu), with a dressing or dipping sauce on the side.

About Karol Nawrocki

• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.

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• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.

Three ways to boost your credit score

Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:

1. Make sure you make your payments on time;

2. Limit the number of products you borrow on: the more loans and credit cards you have, the more it will affect your credit score;

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Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder

Power: 245hp @ 5,500rpm

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Updated: July 17, 2023, 8:51 AM