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June 01, 2019: National Current Affairs
1. Imran, Ghani discuss Kabul peace process
• Prime Minister Imran Khan and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in a meeting on the sidelines of the 14th Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit on May 31, 2019 exchanged views on bilateral relations and Afghan peace process.
• The prime minister during his interaction with Mr Ghani reaffirmed Pakistan`s commitment to a peaceful and stable Afghanistan.
• Mr Khan underlined Pakistan`s firm support for an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process for political settlement in Afghanistan.
• President Ghani is expected to visit Pakistan in the coming weeks.
• His visit would provide an opportunity to further focus on political, security, economic and people-to-people aspects of Pakistan Afghanistan relations.
2. Pakistan assails countries’ rigid stance on UNSC reform
• Pakistan has described as the “mother of all absurdities” the uncompromising stand of countries pursuing permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) single-mindedly, while complaining about lack of headway in the negotiations to reform the 15-member body.
• Without naming the Group of Four countries – India, Brazil, Japan and Germany – Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi alluded to these states, and said “It is disingenuous for some to stick to their demand for permanent seats while lamenting the lack of progress.”
• She was participating in this year’s final session of the stalled Inter-Governmental Negotiations (IGN) aimed at making the Council more effective, representative and transparent.
• Ambassador Lodhi said that despite this “meaningful progress” was achieved during the current session of the Assembly. “We look forward to build on this constructive engagement during the next session with a view to achieve a comprehensive reform that prioritizes collective good over individual interests,” the Pakistani envoy said.
3. Govt issues sales tax refund bonds to exporters
• In order to facilitate businesses, particularly exporters, the government on May 31, 2019 issued sales tax refund bonds to the claimants worth of Rs7 billion as first tranche.
• The PTI government had decided to issue sales tax refund bonds to the exporters to clear their refunds in order to resolve long outstanding refunds. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) made necessary arrangements for issuance of bonds through Central Depository Company (CDC). The bonds amounting to Rs. 7 billion are being issued in the first tranche. This issuance shall benefit 90 claimants. The bonds have been issued to claimants who had opened their account with CDC.
• Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs, Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh transmitted the advice for issuance of bonds to CDC system in a simple ceremony held at the Ministry of Finance. He advised the claimants to exercise their option for issuance of bonds and provide their CDC accounts to FBR so that they can be accommodated in the next issuance.
4. Project launched to deal with risk of glacier lake outburst
• The Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Friday launched a five year project aimed at averting the risk of glacier lake outburst floods that can cause havoc in northern parts of Pakistan.
• The agreement for launching the project under the second phase of the Glacier Lake Outburst Flood Risk Reduction in Northern Pakistan Project (GLOF-II) was signed by the acting UNDP Resident Representative, Ignacio Artaza, and the GB government`s additional chief secretary for development.
• The agreement will strengthen coordination between the GB government and the UNDP and facilitate implementation of activities as approved by the project steering committee.
5. US withdraws tax exemption privilege to Pak diplomats
• A year after the Trump administration imposed travel restrictions on Pakistani officials stationed here at the Embassy, the State Department has now withdrawn its Diplomatic Tax Exemption programme usually granted to foreign diplomats and consulars.
• The programme provides sales and use, occupancy, food, airline, gas and utility tax exemptions to eligible foreign officials on assignment in the United States.
• The said facility is enjoyed by officials’ dependents too. The decision to take back special Tax Exemption cards issued to Pakistani officials was made on May 15, after which the affected staffers had to surrender the privilege.
• The number of affected staffers of the Pakistani Embassy is a little over 20 persons.
June 1, 2019: International Current Affairs
6. Jaishankar new Indian foreign minister
• Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced his new cabinet, which includes Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veterans such as Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari and at least one surprise pick, former foreign secretary Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
• Modi was sworn in on May 30, 2019 along with 58 members of his new government. But their portfolios were only announced on Friday.
• A 64-year-old retired bureaucrat – well known for his crucial role in India’s foreign policy under Modi – has become the new foreign minister. And this is unusual – cabinet posts are highly coveted and tend to go to party loyalists or important coalition allies. Rarely does a bureaucrat make the cut.
7. Riyadh rallies allies against Tehran at Makkah summits
• Gulf and Arab allies rallied around Saudi Arabia on May 31, 2019 as it ratcheted up tensions with regional rival Iran after a series of attacks, drawing allegations from Tehran of `sowing division`.
• Tehran, which has denied involvement in any of the attacks, expressed disappointment that Riyadh plans to level the same `baseless accusations` at a summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) early on Saturday.
• King Salman called on Gulf and Arab leaders to confront Iran`s `criminal acts` after still unexplained sabotage attacks damaged four vessels, two of them Saudi oil tankers, in the Sea of Oman and twin Yemeni rebel drone attacks shut down a key Saudi oil pipeline.
• A joint statement issued by Arab leaders condemned `acts by the terrorist Houthi militias supported by Iran who [sent] aircraf t that crossed into Saudi Arabia to two oil pumping stations and acts of sabotage that affected commercial ships in territorial waters of the United Arab Emirates`.
8. US to suspend India`s GSP status
• The suspension of a US trade preference programme with India is a `done deal,` as Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his second term.
• President Donald Trump announced in March he would end India`s access to the decades-old Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) trade programme over what the US said was lack of access to India`s market. The programme allows emerging countries to export goods to the United States without paying duties. US law requires the administration to wait 60 days after it notifies Congress of the move before it formally ends India`s participation in the programme.
• Trump notified Congress of the move in early March.
9. Zuckerberg ‘survives’ Facebook leadership vote
• An attempt to make Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg step down as the company’s chairman has failed.
• At the company’s annual general meeting on May 30, 209, shareholders had the opportunity to vote on Mr Zuckerberg’s leadership.
• Mr Zuckerberg is both Facebook’s chief executive and the chairman of its board of directors.
• He controls about 60% of the voting power and would only have lost if he voted against himself.
June 1, 2019: Sports Current Affairs
10. Cricket World Cup 2019 | Thomas-led WI flatten Pakistan
• Forty years after West Indies` quick bowlers blazed their way to another ICC World Cup title, the team has another pace attack that is striking fear into opponents on the sport`s biggest stage.
• Underlining their status as dangerous outsiders, West Indies powered to a seven-wicket win on a bombardment of short bowling that helped skittle out Pakistan for 105 in 21.4 overs the team`s second lowest total in the history of the tournament.
• Pace accounted for all 10 wickets off-spinner Ashley Nurse didn`t get to bowl a single ball as West Indies` approach of pitching it short and often at the body dumbfounded the Pakistanis, leading to some dubious shot selection.
