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September 18, 2022: National / International Current Affairs
1. 3 militants killed in Khyber operation, claims CTD
• At least three suspected terrorists were killed by the personnel of Counter Terrorism Department during an intelligence-based operation in the Sur Kamar area of Jamrud in Khyber tribal district late on September 17, 2022 evening.
• A brief statement issued by the CTD on Saturday said the operation was conducted upon information about the presence of an armed group that was busy planning terrorist attacks in the country.
• Three armed men were killed after an exchange of intense gunfire, while another two or three managed to escape taking advantage of the darkness.
• The CTD statement said that some arms and ammunitions were seized during the operation
2. Russia offered wheat, gas supplies to Pakistan
• Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif on September 17, 2022 said that Russia has offered wheat to Pakistan to deal with the impending food shortages as a result of crops damages caused by recent floods.
• Addressing a press conference, Mr Asif detailed the prime minister`s interaction with world leaders at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Uzbekistan.
• `There have been discussions on oil, gas and wheat supplies from Russia,` he said, adding that Russia has proposed that its gas pipelines infrastructure which was in place till Central Asian states could be extended to Pakistan through Afghanistan.
• Mr Asif also said Russian President Vladimir Putin appreciated Pakistan`s position on the Russia-Ukraine War
3. PM appoints three judges to GB chief court
• Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, as chairman of the Gilgit-Baltistan Council, has appointed three judges to the region`s chief court and extended the tenure of another three for a year.
• A Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan notification said on September 17, 2022 the premier, acting on the advice of GB`s governor, who is also the council`s vice chairman, appointed district and sessions judge Mushtaq Muhammad and advocates Jahanzeb Khan and Javed Ahmed as chief court judges for a year under Article 84(10) of the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan Order, 2018.
• Another notification said the prime minister extended the tenure of Justice Malik Inayat ur Rehman, Justice Johar Ali Khan and Justice Raja Shakeel Ahmed for a year with effect from Sept 16.
• The three posts filled on Saturday had been lying vacant for many years while the tenure of judges who got extensions had also expired
4. Abdullah Sumbal made acting CS
• Planning and Development (P&D) Board Chairman Abdullah Khan Sumbal on September 17, 2022 assumed look-after charge of Punjab chief secretary`s office, since the incumbent officer Kamran Ali Afzal has proceeded on a two-week leave.
• Mr Afzal had repeatedly requested the federal government to withdraw his services from Punjab for not being comfortable with the present provincial government.
• Mr Sumbal belongs to 23rd Common of the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) and has a vast experience in the fields of finance and public administration. He has served on various important positions, including additional chief secretary (ACS), secretary of finance, higher education and information departments, as well as commissioner of Lahore and Sahiwal divisions
5. No dollars for food imports from Iran, Afghanistan
• The food importers, especially vegetables, from Afghanistan and Iran have been relying on the grey market to make payments since they are not allowed to buy dollars from banks or exchange companies.
• The country has been facing an acute shortage of tomatoes, onions, potatoes, etc after floods destroyed crops pushing up prices to unprecedented levels across the country.
• This situation has forced the government to immediately allow imports of these foodstuffs from neighbouring countries to bridge the supply and demand gap but it has not made any arrangements for the provision of greenbacks to make payments against these imports.
• Quite interestingly, the importers were asked to enter into barter deals with their Afghan and Iranian counterparts by exporting food items available in Pakistan
