General Raheel Sharif to be elevated as Field Marshal?

October 16, 2016

Islamabad, Oct 16: A proposal to elevate Pakistan's Army chief General Raheel Sharif to the rank of Field Marshal has reached the Islamabad High Court, weeks ahead of his retirement from the powerful post.

RaheelA lawyer has sought the high court's help to elevate Gen Raheel, 60, to the rank of Field Marshal in the greater national interest by taking into consideration his "exemplary services and sacrifices rendered for the nation," The Express Tribune reported today.

In the appeal submitted yesterday, Sardar Adnan Saleem, through his counsel, said that such an elevation is an emergent need in the present circumstances.

Saleem has made the federation through the cabinet division secretary, the prime minister through the secretary of the PM Secretariat and defence ministry secretary respondents in the petition, the report said.

The counsel said that the army chief should be promoted to the rank of Field Marshal for rendering services to protect national security and safeguarding the frontiers of Pakistan in accordance with the National Action Plan (NAP) and for successful completion of the anti-terror campaign 'Zarb-e- Azab' in an effective and efficient manner.

Gen Sharif had earlier promised to bow out at the end of his term in November this year.

Sharif, currently serving as the 15th Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army, was appointed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on November 29, 2013 for a three-year term.

"I don't believe in extension and will retire on the due date," Sharif had said in January this year amidst growing speculation about an extension in his tenure.

If Sharif hangs up his boots on November 30, he would be the first army chief to retire on time in two decades. His predecessors Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Gen Pervez Musharraf got extensions, while Gen Jehangir Karamat was sent home prematurely.

While calling him a "trailblazer", the petitioner's lawyers said that Gen Raheel provided visionary leadership to the people as well as the security forces.

"The exemplary, outstanding and professional performance during peace and war time with total dedication and devotion by attaining the highest standards and mastery in battlefield," he said adding that the COAS needs national appreciation, award and recognition.

The petition said that the COAS should be elevated to the highest level of military hierarchy for rendering his services for the nation and humanity at a larger scale in an extraordinary, exemplary and selfless manner.

The petition has urged the court to direct the respondents to elevate Gen Raheel to the rank of field marshal for leading from the front on different fronts.

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Agencies
August 5,2020

Paris, Aug 5: French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said France will deploy a civil security detachment and several tonnes of medical equipment to Lebanon, whose capital was hit by an explosion that left over 70 people dead and thousands injured.

"Emergency doctors will also reach Beirut as soon as possible to strengthen hospitals. France is already engaged," the French President said in a tweet.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, also extended his deepest condolences to all those affected by the "massive explosion at the port of Beirut."

"We are closely monitoring and stand ready to assist the people of Lebanon as they recover from this tragedy. Our team in Beirut has reported to me the extensive damage to a city and a people that I hold dear, an additional challenge in a time of already deep crisis. 

We understand that the Government of Lebanon continues to investigate its cause and look forward to the outcome of those efforts," he said in a statement.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said his country is ready to provide support in any way it can.

"The pictures and videos from Beirut tonight are shocking. All of my thoughts and prayers are with those caught up in this terrible incident. The UK is ready to provide support in any way we can, including to those British nationals affected," Johnson said.

Israeli people share the pain of their Lebanese neighbours after a devastating blast in the port of Beirut and reach out to offer their aid, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said on Tuesday.

"We share the pain of the Lebanese people and sincerely reach out to offer our aid at this difficult time," Rivlin said on Twitter.

Over 70 people have been killed while thousands of others were wounded in the massive explosion on Tuesday in Beirut which shattered buildings and caused widespread damage.

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News Network
June 24,2020

Jun 24: The coronavirus tally in Pakistan reached 188,926 with the detection of 3,892 new cases in the last 24 hours, the health ministry said on Wednesday.

Sixty more people died due to the viral infection, taking the death toll to 3,755.

As many as 3,337 patients are in critical condition across the country, the ministry said.

With the detection of 3,892 new cases in the last 24 hours, the coronavirus tally in the country now stands at 188,926, it said.

Sindh reported the maximum number of 72,656 cases, followed by 69,536 in Punjab, 23,388 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 11,483 in Islamabad, 9,634 in Balochistan, 1,337 in Gilgit-Baltistan and 892 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (Pok).

Health authorities have so far conducted 1,150,141 coronavirus tests, including 23,380 in the last 24 hours.

A total of 77,754 patients have recovered so far from the disease.

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News Network
July 27,2020

Chengdu, China, Jul 27: The American flag was lowered at the United States consulate in Chengdu on Monday, days after Beijing ordered it to close in retaliation for the shuttering of the Chinese consulate in Houston.

Footage on state broadcaster CCTV from outside the consulate showed the flag being slowly lowered early Monday morning, after diplomatic tensions soared between the two powers with both alleging the other had endangered national security.

Relations deteriorated in recent weeks in a Cold War-style standoff, with the Chengdu mission Friday ordered to shut in retaliation for the forced closure of Beijing's consulate in Houston, Texas.

The deadline for the Americans to exit Chengdu has been unclear, but the Chinese consulate in Houston was given 72 hours to close after the original order was made.

On Saturday news agency reporters saw workers removing the US insignia from the front of the consulate.

Over the weekend, removals trucks entered the US consulate and cleaners were seen carting large black rubbish bags from the building.

Beijing says closing the Chengdu consulate was a "legitimate and necessary response to the unreasonable measures by the United States", and has alleged that staff at the diplomatic mission endangered China's security and interests.

Washington officials, meanwhile, said there had been unacceptable efforts by the Chinese consulate in Houston to steal US corporate secrets.

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