23-04-2026

Month: May 2024

The personal wealth of Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty rose by £122m last year, according to the Sunday Times Rich List.

The couple’s fortune was estimated at £651m in the latest list, up from £529m in 2023.

This was mainly due to Ms Murty’s shares in Infosys, the Indian IT giant co-founded by her father.

It means they are richer than the King, according to the annual list of the UK’s most wealthy people.

Charles III was ranked higher than the Sunak family last year, but his personal fortune is estimated to have grown more modestly over the past year, up £10m to £610m.

The Sunaks were ranked higher than the late Queen in 2022 – with Elizabeth II’s personal fortune that year evaluated at £370m.

However, estimating the personal fortunes of monarchs is tricky, while the wider wealth of the monarchy – which includes various estates and palaces – has been estimated at dozens of billions of pounds.

Mr Sunak became the first front-line politician to feature on the Sunday Times’ annual wealth list in its 35-year history when he appeared on it as chancellor in the 2022 edition.

At that point, the family’s wealth was estimated at £730m.

According to the Sunday Times, the 10 richest families and individuals in the UK, the estimated value of their fortunes and the primary source of their wealth are:

  • Gopi Hinduja and family – £37.2bn (industry and finance)
  • Sir Leonard Blavatnik – £29.25bn (investment, music and media)
  • David and Simon Reuben and family – £24.98bn (property and internet)
  • Sir Jim Ratcliffe – £23.52bn (chemicals)
  • Sir James Dyson and family – £20.8bn (household goods and technology)
  • Barnaby and Merlin Swire and family – £17.2bn (transport)
  • Idan Ofer – £14.96bn (shipping)
  • Lakshmi Mittal and family – £14.92bn (steel)
  • Guy, George, Alannah and Galen Weston and family – £14.49bn (retail and real estate interests, including Primark)
  • John Fredriksen and family- £12.87bn (shipping and oil services)

Mr Sunak worked as a hedge fund manager before entering politics and is personally wealthy, listing £2.2m in income, earnings, and capital gains last year in his latest tax summary.

But he owes his place at the top table of wealthy Britons mainly to his wife’s Infosys shareholding, estimated to be worth £590m last year.

Downing Street declined to comment on Mr Sunak’s latest appearance in the rich list, saying it was a “private family matter”.

But the PM’s official spokesman added: “When he’s been asked this question before he’s responded and asked that people judge him by his actions, including to support livelihoods during the pandemic though the furlough scheme as an example.

“That’s his focus and his priority and he should be judged on that.”

Chinese FinMin reaffirms continued support for Pakistan’s financial stability

Chinese Finance Minister Lan Fo’an Thursday met Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and reaffirmed his country’s continued support for Pakistan’s efforts to bring about financial stability.

Appreciating bilateral financial and banking cooperation as the manifestation of the “All Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership”, the Chinese minister took note of the positive trajectory of Pakistan’s economy.

As per the Foreign Office (FO), the high-level meeting saw the two sides discussing ideas to further enhance financial cooperation, especially in view of growing business-to-business (B2B) linkages between the two countries.

Meanwhile, Deputy PM Dar underscored Islamabad’s reform agenda with its focus on governance, revenue, and ease of doing business to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and stressed the prioritisation of Chinese investments by the government in various fields including agriculture, IT, mines and minerals and renewable energy.

A day earlier, FM Dar — who reached Beijing on May 13 to co-chair the 5th Pakistan-China Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue — met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi wherein the latter voiced Beijing’s readiness to promote an “upgraded version” of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

During the meeting, the duo agreed to sustain the growing momentum of bilateral relations in all areas of cooperation and to further deepen the iron-clad friendship.

On his four-day visit, Dar has held various high-level interactions with various Chinese officials including Chinese Executive Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Secretary-General Ambassador Zhang Ming and others.

In his interaction with Xuexiang, the FM held an in-depth discussion on various aspects of bilateral relations, including CPEC Phase II, trade, economic cooperation and investment.

He also accentuated the progress made by CPEC in energy and infrastructure and expressed confidence in the positive dividends under Phase II in the fields of industry, agriculture and mineral development.

During his stay there, the Deputy PM highlighted the government’s investor-friendly policies and invited Chinese companies to set up manufacturing and processing units in Pakistan.

PM Shehbaz seeks permanent solution to AJK issues following violent protests

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday sought a permanent solution to issues facing the people in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) in a bid to prevent the reoccurrence of violent protests that erupted in the valley earlier this week.

The premier’s statement came during a day-long visit to the AJK on Thursday two days after the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) called off its protests against inflation, high taxes and electricity bills.

The four days-long protests in AJK had claimed at least four lives including a policeman while also left seven others injured.

The protests were called off a day after the federal government announced a Rs23 billion subsidy package for AJK.

Addressing the special cabinet meeting in AJK, PM Shehbaz said he assured that his government, in collaboration with the AJK leadership, would ensure the implementation of mutual understanding and seek a permanent solution to the issues facing the Kashmiri people.

He instructed the formation of a committee to discuss issues like water charge, Neelum Jhelum and others for the benefit of the AJK people.

Referring to the recent movement run by the AJK people for their rights, PM Shehbaz said the people raised their voices for their genuine demands but amidst that some “miscreants tried to create riots and cause killings”.

He condoled the killing of a police official and some citizens during the movement and announced that his government would support their respective grieved families under the Shuhada Package.

He told the participants that Rs23 billion approved by his government had been released to the AJK government and assured that, after the completion of the IMF team’s visit, the federal minister and secretary for power would consult with the AJK authorities to seek a permanent solution to the issues and prevent the recurrence of such incidents.

The prime minister asked his AJK counterpart Chaudhary Anwarul Haq to constitute a committee on his side for necessary consultation with the relevant Pakistani ministries and urged him to take personal ownership of the matter as he would do so in Pakistan.

He instructed the relevant authorities to immediately complete the construction of the bridge of the Mangla Phase-2 project. Regarding Neelum Jhelum, he said federal Secretary Water and Minister for Kashmir Affairs Amir Muqam would discuss the matter with the Kashmiri leadership to formulate short-, medium- and long-term solutions.

PM Shehbaz also highlighted the Indian atrocities in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and the plight of Kashmiris languishing in Tihar jail and assured that Pakistan would continue extending its moral and diplomatic support to the Kashmir cause.

He said the Indian ruling party could not contest the election in IIOJK under its real name which showed their fear of public anger for Indian human rights abuses in the territory.

In his remarks, AJK PM Haq welcomed PM Shehbaz in Azad Kashmir, who was accompanied by federal cabinet members and senior government officers.

He also said that Rs23 billion approved by him a couple of days ago, was received by his government showing an unprecedented swift implementation of the directives.

He said PM Shehbaz’s visit to AJK manifested the value Pakistan accorded to Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Ethiopia protests ‘ill-advised’ speech by US ambassador

Ethiopia on Thursday objected to a speech delivered by the US ambassador urging better protection of human rights, with the foreign ministry calling the address “unsolicited” and “ill-advised”.

Ethiopia on Thursday objected to a speech delivered by the US ambassador urging better protection of human rights, with the foreign ministry calling the address “unsolicited” and “ill-advised”.

While visiting a recently restored historical building in capital Addis Ababa on Wednesday, Ambassador Ervin Massinga called for a “transparent transitional justice process” to address reports of extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detentions, sexual violence and other abuses.

“To those whose responsibility it is to govern Ethiopia, the government here, the country has far more to gain through peace than on the battlefield,” he said.

“Detaining and harassing those who criticise the government will not resolve those issues that must be addressed,” he added.

Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced the speech on Thursday, saying it contained “allegations against, and unsolicited advice to the Government of Ethiopia.”

“The statement is ill-advised and contains uninformed assertions. It is contrary to the historic and friendly relations between Ethiopia and the United States,” the ministry said in a statement.

In his speech, Massinga blamed “all armed actors” for inflicting human suffering in the country, including by displacing civilians.

He called on fighters from various armed ethnic factions, including the Oromo Liberation Army — which the government considers a “terrorist organisation” —  the Fano self-defence militia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front to make their demands through dialogue rather than violence.

A mosaic of more than 80 ethno-linguistic communities, Africa’s second most populous country has endured multiple conflicts over identity and territorial claims in recent years.

Congress lashes out at Modi for anti-Muslim comments

Modi remains popular across much of India and his Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is widely expected to win this general election when it concludes in early June.

Since voting began last month, the 73-year-old premier has stepped up his rhetoric targeting India’s main religious divide in a bid to rally voters. He has referred in campaign rallies to Muslims as “infiltrators” and claimed the main opposition Congress party would redistribute the nation’s wealth to Muslims if it won.

P. Chidambaram, a former Indian finance minister and senior lawmaker for Congress, said on Thursday that Modi was playing “his usual game of dividing Hindus and Muslims”. “The world is watching and analysing the Indian prime minister’s statements, and they do not bring glory to India,” he added.

After Modi suggested that a former prime minister from Congress had planned for a separate “Muslim budget”, the party’s general secretary Jairam Ramesh condemned his statements as “nonsensical”.

“This is typical Modi bombast and bogusness,” he said on Wednesday on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

Since he swept to power a decade ago, Modi has sought to align India’s politics more closely with its majority faith, in defiance of the country’s officially secular constitution.

His cultivated image as a champion of Hinduism has made him roundly popular but has left many among the country’s 200-million-plus Muslim minority uneasy about their status and anxious about their futures.

Modi on Tuesday denied stoking religious tensions in a television interview with broadcaster News18. “The day I start talking about Hindu-Muslim (divisions) will be the day I will lose my ability to lead a public life,” he said.

 

But at a campaign rally the following day, Modi accused Congress of planning to commit “vote jihad”, an implied suggestion that his opponents were rallying Muslims to vote against him.

India’s poll code prohibits sectarian campaigning and opposition parties lodged a complaint about an earlier Modi speech last month with the election commission, which has yet to announce any sanctions against the premier.

Other members of Modi’s party have been accused of matching his rhetoric and unfairly targeting Muslims during the election.

Arab League calls for UN peacekeepers in occupied Palestinian territory

MANAMA / RAFAH: The Arab League on Thursday called for a UN peacekeeping force in the Palestinian territories, even as Israel vowed to “intensify” its ground offensive in Rafah, in defiance of global warnings.

In its final statement following a meeting in Manama, the 22-member group called for “international protection and peacekeeping for­ces of the United Nations in the occupied Palestinian territories” until a two-state solution is implemented.

It also adopted calls by host Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas to “convene an international conference under the auspices of the UN, to resolve the Palestinian issue on the basis of the two-state solution”.

Speaking at the summit, UN Secretary General Antonio Gut­erres described the war in Gaza as “an open wound that threatens to infect the entire region”, adding that “the only permanent way to end the cycle of violence and instability is through a two-state solution”. It is the first time the bloc has come together since an extraordinary summit in Riyadh, capital of neighbouring Saudi Arabia, in November that also involved leaders from the 57-member OIC, based in the Saudi city of Jeddah.

Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas told the summit his political rivals in Hamas gave Israel an excuse to wage war on Gaza with its October 7 attack from the Palestinian territory.

“The military operation carried out by Hamas by a unilateral decision on that day, October 7, provided Israel with more pretexts and justifications to attack the Gaza Strip,” he said.

The Palestinian president also complained his government has not received the financial support it had expected from international and regional partners.

 

The Israeli army said that five of its soldiers were killed in Jabalia on Wednesday when two Israeli tanks mistakenly shelled the building they were in.

“Five soldiers of the 202nd Paratrooper Battalion were killed last night in a mass casualty incident as a result of fire by our forces,” the military said.

On Thursday, Israel’s tanks pushed into the heart of Jabalia in northern Gaza as the US anchored a temporary floating pier to a beach in Gaza to boost aid deliveries.

Govt ‘completes arrangements’ for Imran Khan’s virtual appearance in SC today

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has completed arrangements to ensure incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan’s appearance before the Supreme Court bench via video link in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) amendments case today (Thursday)

 

The sources within the federal government told Geo News that arrangements have been made in light of the apex court’s orders directing the Centre and Punjab government to arrange a video link facility for the jailed PTI founder to allow him to present his arguments in the case.

“The PTI founder can present his arguments in the upcoming hearing via video link if he wishes to do so […] arrangements should be made for the presentation of arguments via video link,” Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa said on Tuesday.

The CJP’s remarks came during the hearing of the federal government’s intra-court appeal filed against the apex court’s 2023 verdict that annulled some of the NAB amendments.

The five-member Supreme Court larger bench, headed by CJP Isa, includes Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi.

The same bench will resume hearing of the case on May 16.

Khan, incarcerated in Adiala Jail, wanted to appear in the apex court in person to present his arguments. However, the court allowed him to present his arguments via video link.

The PTI founder has been out of sight since August last year after he was arrested following a conviction in the Toshakhana case.

Following his arrest, the PTI founder was convicted in other cases including cipher and illegal marriage which kept him behind bars despite him securing bail in some of the cases.

If appeared via video link, this will be Khan’s first virtual appearance in public in nearly 10 months.

The Adiala Jail sources said arrangements regarding Khan’s video link appearance have been made on the apex court’s directives. However, it is up to the PTI founder if he appears before the bench or not. They added that the authorities would ensure Khan’s virtual appearance before the court.

A three-member bench of the SC, in September 2023, had approved former prime minister Khan’s petition challenging amendments made to the country’s accountability laws during the tenure of the previous Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led government.

Headed by then-chief justice Umar Ata Bandial, and comprising Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Ijazul Ahsan, the court held more than 50 hearings and in its majority 2-1 verdict restored graft cases against public office holders that were closed down following the amendments.

The apex court ordered restoring all graft cases worth less than Rs500 million that were closed down against the political leaders belonging to different political parties and public office holders and declared the amendments void.

The verdict provisions far-reaching consequences as the striking down of the amendments would mean that references against some of the country’s political bigwigs will once again land in the accountability courts.

These include the Toshakhana reference against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan Peoples Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari and former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, along with the LNG reference against former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and the rental power reference against another ex-premier Raja Pervez Ashraf.

Following the verdict, the federal government filed an appeal under Section 5 of the SC law against the apex court’s order.

Army successfully conducts training launch of Fatah-II

In a major boost to Pakistan’s arsenal, the Pakistan Army on Wednesday successfully conducted the training launch of Fatah-II Guided Rocket System, said the military’s media wing in a statement.

The rocket system, which has a range of 400 kilometres, is equipped with state-of-the-art navigation system, unique trajectory and manoeuvrable features. The missile is capable of “engaging targets with high precision and defeating any missile defence system”.

According to Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), today’s launch was aimed at perfecting the launch drills and procedures.

“Fatah-II is being inducted in Pakistan’s Artillery Divisions for stand-off, precision engagement of deep targets. The rocket system will significantly upgrade the reach and lethality of Pakistan Army’s conventional arsenal,” said the ISPR.

The rocket system’s launch was witnessed by chief of the general staff of Pakistan Army, senior officers from the three services and dedicated scientists and engineers.

“President, prime minister of Pakistan, chairman joint chiefs of staff committee, chief of army staff and all Services Chiefs congratulated participating troops and scientists on this excellent achievement,” said the ISPR.

Politicians term ‘exposed’ properties in data leak as ‘declared’

After the property leaks exposé took national media by storm, politicians, military generals and other individuals named in the investigative report have issued explanations regarding the properties they own in the United Arab Emirates.

Those who were named in these leaks included Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Senator Faisal Vawda, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Sher Afzal Marwat and Azad Jammu and Kashmir Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Sohail Habib Tajik — some of whom have said that they possess declared properties in Dubai.

Bilawal’s spokesperson, Zulfikar Ali Bader, said that all the assets of Bilawal and Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari are declared. These properties were inherited by them in the wake of their mother Benazir Bhutto’s death.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi clarified that the Dubai property purchased in the name of his wife was fully disclosed and recorded in the tax return. It was also declared in the reports submitted to Punjab Election Commission when he was the provincial caretaker chief minister. The property, he added, was sold a year ago, and a new property was recently purchased with its proceeds.

Independent Senator Faisal Vawda, while reacting to the property leaks, termed them a “propaganda campaign”, objecting to its timing. He questioned why there was no mention of anyone from PTI.

He lamented that all properties in Dubai have been stamped illegitimate, while a programme to issue a clean chit to a specific class has also been devised.

The politician asked if the goal of the leaks was to impact the investment work being done by Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) with friendly countries. He also questioned release of confidential property records just after the law and order situation got disturbed in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and asked who could be the ultimate target of the “propaganda campaign”.

Sindh minister Memon said he submits the details of the properties in the declaration of assets and property every year. He added that the leaks expose nothing new, as everything is already public knowledge.

PPP lawmaker from Karachi, Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, acknowledged possessing around two dozen properties in the UAE, sharing that he owns them in partnership with his wife and brother Mirza Ishtiaq Baig.

The politician said the properties are worth between $137,915 and $329,430, all which, including his company, he claimed are disclosed in tax returns, while the tax is also paid on rental income.

AJK IGP Dr Tajik is also listed as possessing property in Al Dhafra 1 and Al Thania 3 in Dubai and confirmed ownership of the property.

Dr Tajik said he bought the property in 2002, while he was working at the United Nations and his salary was $10,000.

“I transferred the money from UN Bank to Dubai as a legal transaction and declared it in my assets,” he said.

Former lieutenant general Shafaatullah Shah, son of former Director General Counter-intelligence (DGC), Major General (retd) Ehtisham Zameer along with his son and other children, former DG Military Lands and Cantonment Major General Najamul Hasan Shah and Major General (retd) Raja Muhammad Arif Nazir also confirmed owning properties in Dubai, stating that all the properties have been declared before the tax authorities.

Former Lt Gen Shafaatullah and Major Gen (retd) Ehtesham confirmed ownership of the property in his reply to Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), stating that all his foreign properties have been declared to the tax authorities in Pakistan. In his response, General (retd) Najam said he bought an off-plan property in 2007.

“We were told that the building will be completed in 2014 and the apartment will be handed over to us. But it is yet to be completed and we are currently in litigation with the management of the tower as they failed to deliver the apartment after almost 17 years,” the former military man said.

Major Gen (retd) Nazir was said to possess a property in Golf Promenade A2, Al Hibiya Third Area. Informing The News about the property, he confirmed being its owner and added that it was gifted to him by his sons who are based in the United States and Denmark.

However, he also confirmed not declaring the property yet as it was off plan and he received its possession in 2022. The former military official said he will now declare the property.

US reaffirms support to Pakistan on terrorism, western border issues

WASHINGTON: The United States Wednesday once again reiterated its support for Pakistan in its fight against terrorism and border issues as the latter strives to curb the scourge of terrorism.

“We confirmed with Pakistan today our bilateral intention to increase our capacity to meet emerging threats, specifically to increase communication on terrorism,” US State Department’s Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said during a press briefing in Washington.

Responding to a query regarding the recent security talks held between Islamabad and Washington, the spokesperson said that both countries have agreed on preventing and deterring terrorist groups with collaboration in various areas including counter-IED investigations, technical assistance at the country’s western border etc.

His remarks come as Pakistan has faced an increased wave of terrorism in recent months with scores of attacks targeting civilians, law enforcement agencies and security forces in various areas across the country.

Pakistan has time again raised its concerns with the interim Afghan Taliban government over the use of Afghan soil by various militant organisations including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Patel’s comments refer to a high-level meeting between the two countries held in Washington earlier this week wherein the discussion centred on the counter-terrorism landscape in the region.

The meeting was co-chaired by Additional Foreign Secretary for the UN and OIC Ambassador Syed Haider Shah and US Department of State Coordinator for Counter-terrorism Ambassador Elizabeth Richard.

As per the statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO), during the huddle, both countries recognised that a partnership to counter the ISIS-Khorasan — also known as Daesh — the TTP, and other terrorist organisations will advance security in the region and serve as a model of bilateral and regional cooperation to address transnational terrorism threats.

It is to be noted that as per the Q1 2024 Security Report issued by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) in April this year, at least 92% of all fatalities and 86% of attacks in Pakistan, including those related to terrorism and security forces operations, were recorded in the Khyber Pakhtun­khwa and Balochistan provinces in the first quarter of 2024.

The report mentioned that the country witnessed at least 432 violence-linked fatalities and 370 injuries among civilians, security personnel and outlaws resulting from as many as 245 incidents of terror attacks and counter-terror operations.

Among the 432 fatalities, 281 included that of civilians and security forces personnel.

The KP and Balochistan province alone have accounted for 51% and 41% of the total fatalities in Q1, 2024, respectively. The data indicates that the remaining regions were relatively peaceful, suffering less than 8% of all deaths.

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