Prime Minister Imran Khan advised the Pakistan Cricket team to perform well in the upcoming international cricket event next month in October at UAE.

The national squad for the T20 World Cup Wednesday arrived at the Prime Minister House to meet PM Imran Khan, who is also the patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

The meeting was held in the backdrop of the recent big blow suffered by the PCB after New Zealand and England abruptly called off their Pakistan tours.

Nawaz’s son-in-law Capt (retd) Safdar was given a one year sentence.

Accountability Court-I Judge Mohammad Bashir announced the verdict today after several delays since morning.

Moreover, the court also sentenced Maryam to one year in prison for submitting false documents in court.

The court has also ruled that the Avenfield apartments of the Sharif family, in their possession since 1993, shall be seized by the federal government.

The Avenfield properties reference was one of three filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) last year in light of the Supreme Court’s verdict against Nawaz in the Panama Papers case. The reference pertains to the ownership of the Sharif family’s apartments at Avenfield House, London.

Maryam, Safdar barred from elections

Following the verdict, Maryam and Safdar stand barred from contesting the July general election from Lahore and Mansehra, respectively.

Following the verdict, the Election Commission of Pakistan stated that Maryam’s name will be removed from the ballot papers of the NA-127 constituency.

Moreover, after the hearing, NAB Deputy Prosecutor General Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi said the accused have 10 days to file an appeal against the verdict.

Today’s hearing

All eyes were set on the accountability court hearing the high-profile corruption cases against the former prime minister and his family. Strict security arrangements, including paramilitary personnel, were in place at the Federal Judicial Complex, where the court is located. The roads leading to the complex were also closed to traffic.

Moreover, the district administration had imposed Section 144 in the capital to discourage mass gatherings.

As the hearing went under way today, Judge Bashir heard Sharifs’ request, submitted on Thursday, requesting the trial court to postpone the verdict till he is back in the country next week.

After submitting Begum Kulsoom Nawaz’s medical report, Maryam’s counsel Amjad Pervez argued that the law stipulates the presence of the accused when the verdict is read out. After the prosecution opposed any delay at such a late stage of the trial, the judge reserved his verdict and adjourned the hearing for an hour.

Later, the court dismissed Sharifs’ plea and set 12:30pm as the time for announcing the verdict. However, that deadline was later extended thrice — 2:30pm, 3pm and 3:30pm — before it was finally read out after 4pm.

The judge had called lawyers of both sides inside his chambers and disallowed the media. He then stated that the media will be called in when the judgment is being read out.

Earlier, the judge, present inside his chamber, had issued the delay notices through the court staff but the 3:30 pm deadline was informed of by the judge himself. He explained that they have to make an appropriate number of photocopies of the judgment for distribution to the relevant parties.

Prior to the verdict, Maryam took to Twitter, urging the “PML-N’s lions” not to get unsettled no matter what the verdict.

“All of this is not new for your Nawaz Sharif, he has faced exile, disqualification, and life imprisonment [sentence] in the past,” she said further in the series of tweets.

Nawaz, Maryam hear verdict in Avenfield apartments

Reports from London stated that the former premier will hear the verdict at the Avenfield apartments along with Maryam and former finance minister Ishaq Dar, and then proceed to visit his ailing wife at Harley Street Clinic.

Nawaz and Maryam have been in London since June 14 tending to Nawaz’s wife Kulsoom, who is under medical treatment there, while Nawaz’s son-in-law, Capt (r) Safdar, was in Mansehra campaigning for the July 25 election.

Safdar vows to stand firm

Speaking to voters today, Safdar said he does not fear any verdict against him, adding that he will be exonerated in the court of public opinion.

On Tuesday, the court had reserved its verdict and ordered all accused to ensure their presence in court when the verdict is read out today.

Apart from Nawaz, Maryam and  Safdar, Nawaz’s sons are also accused in the case. They were declared proclaimed offenders last year owing to their no-show and will face a separate trial whenever they join the proceedings.

The accused have been charged as per the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999, according to which they face maximum jail terms of 14 years and/or a fine, each.

The trial

After the Supreme Court disqualified Nawaz in the Panama Papers case on July 28, 2017, the NAB, in light of the verdict, filed three corruption references against the Sharif family in the accountability court.

The trial against the Sharif family commenced on September 14, 2017, under the supervision of Supreme Court Justice Ijazul Ahsan, who was appointed a monitoring judge in the Panama case verdict.

During the course of the trial, spread over 107 hearings, a total of 18 prosecution witnesses recorded their statements, including the Panama case joint investigation team (JIT) head, Federal Investigation Agency’s Wajid Zia.

It was the Zia-led JIT’s report which the Supreme Court used last year as a basis for Nawaz’s disqualification and further investigation of the Sharif family’s assets.

After his statement was recorded, the defence counsels cross-examined Zia for around two weeks.

The prosecution also recorded statements of two witnesses through video-link from London — private solicitor Akhtar Raja and forensic expert Robert Radley — whose expertise was utilised by the JIT during its probe.

Nawaz and the other accused were asked 127 questions during their cross-examination, while no witnesses appeared in their defence.

Nawaz and Maryam attended 78 hearings, skipping a few proceedings as they visited London in between to spend time with Begum Kulsoom Nawaz.

Safdar, however, attended nearly all the proceedings.

The apex court had directed the trial court to conclude the cases in six months. However, the court has only concluded proceedings of the Avenfield reference despite two deadline extensions — the latest one being July 10.

The other two corruption references — Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metal Establishment and offshore companies including Flagship Investment Limited — have yet to conclude.

*This is a breaking news story and will be updated as details become available. 

Accountability court judge Muhammad Bashir had reserved the judgement after proceedings of Avenfield reference against Sharif family were completed.

The court also ordered ex-PM and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (r) Muhamamd Safdar to ensure their presence in the court today (Friday).

Judge Muhammad Bashir had also ordered the capital administration to make foolproof security arrangements in and outside the court.

The Islamabad administration keeping in view the court orders has imposed section 144 around the Judicial Complex.

There will be a complete ban on the assembly of more than 5 people outside the Judicial Complex, while 500 Rangers personnel and 1500 police personnel will also be deputed in and outside the complex.

On the other hand, the security of accountability court judge Muhammad Bashir has also been beefed up and the Rangers personnel will be deputed at the entrance of the Judicial Complex.

It is pertinent here to mention that Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Cpt (r) Safdar are nominated in the Avenfield reference, while ex-PM’s sons Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz were declared absconders.

The Avenfield reference is one of three corruption references filed against the deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his three children, son-in-law and former finance minister Ishaq Dar in compliance with the Supreme Court verdict in the Panama Papers case last year.

Sharif, his sons Hasan and Hussain, daughter Maryam, son-in-law Capt (retd) Mohammad Safdar and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar are facing multiple corruption references in the accountability court.

The Pakistan Supreme Court had, on July 28, disqualified Sharif from holding the office of the prime minister and asked the National Accountability Bureau to file references against the Sharif family in connection with corruption cases against them.

On the orders of the country s Supreme Court, a JIT was formed last year to probe the allegations on the Sharif family.

The initial explosion occurred around 9:30 am (1430 GMT), then spread to other warehouses just as police and firefighters began attending to the first victims in the town, which is known for its artisanal fireworks — and a history of deadly accidents.

“We deeply regret the deaths of those who were killed this morning in… Tultepec, including our firefighter and police colleagues who lost their lives saving those of many others,” read a tweet from the Red Cross in the state of Mexico, where Tultepec is located.

At least 19 people were killed — including a minor — and 40 wounded, said state Interior Minister Alejandro Ozuna.

Hundreds of soldiers, police and firefighters deployed to the neighborhood of Xahuento, on the outskirts of the town, cordoning off a wide area around the smoldering workshops where the explosions ocurred.

An anguished teenager was asking rescue workers for information about his father, a fireworks maker who worked in the area.

“The last time I saw him was this morning. I left school to look for him as soon as we heard about the explosion. But they won´t let me through and nobody is giving me any information,” said Allan Osvaldo, 14.

‘It rained fire’

An overpowering smell of gunpowder hung in the air, and charred furniture and bricks hurled through the air by the explosions could be seen lying in the grass, even outside the ample security perimeter.

“I was having breakfast when there was a terrible blast. We left the house running and I saw a huge white cloud in the sky, as if it were going to rain — except today it rained fire,” said Alondra Perez, 62, who lives across the road.

Rescue workers confirmed that some of their own had been caught in the explosions, though it was not immediately clear how many.

A police officer told AFP an ambulance had been completely charred in one of the blasts.

“People here insist on continuing to make fireworks. It´s their tradition. But they don´t gauge the consequences of these tragedies. It´s infuriating, because our firefighter colleagues… end up dead saving these people,” he said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

History of accidents

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto sent his condolences to the victims´ families on Twitter and said the army and interior ministry were supporting the state rescue effort.

Authorities suspended all fireworks sales in the area. The state interior minister said an “exhaustive review” would be carried out of all workshops´ permits.

“We know it´s a way of life and a tradition, but we have to send the community the message, and they have to understand, that it must be regulated, for their own safety,” he said.

Tultepec is known for making the fireworks that Mexicans traditionally use to celebrate holidays and saints´ days. It has been hit by devastating explosions in the past.

On June 6, seven people were killed in a similar blast.

And on December 20, 2016, 42 people were killed and 70 injured in a series of spectacular explosions at Tultepec´s San Pablito market, the largest fireworks market in the country.

On that occasion, investigators say a rocket exploded at the market and set off a chain reaction of other blasts.

The market, which was filled with people shopping for Christmas and New Year´s festivities, was reduced to smoldering ruins.

Early this year, Ranveer whisked his ladylove Deepika to the Maldives to celebrate her special day. And now with Ranveer’s birthday coming soon, Deepika is moving mountains to ensure, she makes her man feel like the most special person around.

However, there is a  slight glitch. This birthday planning is not going to be an easy feat for the lady, considering Ranveer is shooting on his birthday.

Ranveer will be in Hyderabad, completing a schedule of Rohit Shetty’s Simba on July 6.

Deepika who is currently in Bangalore spending time with her parents, and shopping for her trousseau, intends to fly down to Hyderabad to be with her man.

She wants Ranveer’s last single birthday to be an affair to remember!

Meanwhile, talking about the couple’s wedding buzz, Deepika and Ranveer are set to get hitched on November 10.

While the wedding is likely to take place in Bengaluru, a reception will take place in Mumbai soon after.

Deepika has been seen shopping with her family time and again in Bengaluru for the wedding while, Ranveer has bought an apartment in the same building as his parents in Bandra.

According to The Washington Post, Light is currently working on the prototype, which could be ready by the end of 2018.

But why nine cameras?

Well, Light says that this arrangement of cameras is capable of capturing 64-megapixel shots, as well as better low-light performance and sophisticated depth effects.

The news comes just months after Light launched its L16 camera, which has a total of 16 lenses.

Every time you take a picture, the L16 intelligently assesses the zoom level and chooses a combination of its 28mm, 70mm, and 150mm modules.

At least 10 lenses capture the same scene from slightly different angles, and these individual shots are then fused together to create an incredibly high-resolution 52MP still image.

By capturing so much data with every shot, the L16 also generates a 3D depth map of the scene.

This information revolutionizes the way you can edit the photo, allowing you to adjust the depth of field, focal plane and noise.

However, the L16 camera comes with a fairly hefty price tag of £1,850, suggesting the Light smartphone may too be expensive.

India wants to extradite Mallya from Britain on fraud charges and to help nearly a dozen Indian banks recover loans granted to his defunct Kingfisher Airlines after the tycoon, co-owner of the Force India Formula One motor racing team, fled to Britain in March 2016.

The case against Mallya centres on a series of loans Kingfisher obtained from Indian banks, and in particular from state-owned IDBI. Indian banks want to recover more than $1 billion that Indian authorities say Kingfisher owes.

The British court order allows the UK High Court Enforcement Officer to enter Mallya’s properties in Britain, giving a legal option to Indian banks to try and recover the dues, media reports said, citing the court decision.

Reuters was not immediately able to confirm the court decision.

Separately, the Indian government’s Enforcement Directorate, which fights financial crimes, has filed an application to seek to declare Mallya a “fugitive economic offender” and sought to confiscate 125 billion rupees ($1.8 billion) worth of his assets.

In a statement issued last week, Mallya said he was trying to sell assets worth about $2.04 billion to repay creditors.

Mallya, who denies the charges against him, said any objection by the Enforcement Directorate or India’s federal police to his proposals to sell assets “will clearly demonstrate that there is an agenda against me beyond recovery of dues to Public Sector Banks.”

“I have become the ‘Poster Boy’ of bank default and a lightning rod of public anger,” Mallya said in his statement last week.

According to a statement issued by the ECP, Chairman Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) Muhammad Baig met the ECP Secretary and assured the election body of its full cooperation during the July 25 polls.

The Secretary ECP, through PEMRA chief, requested media not to air election results before 7PM on July 25.

The ECP secretary also informed the PEMRA chief that a separate media cell has been formed to provide information to news organisations regarding general elections.

Bollywood megastar Salman Khan had given word seven years earlier that he will be launching his bodyguard’s son into the film industry and it appears that the esteemed actor still remembers his promise.

The 52-year-old actor known for his generosity will be giving his bodyguard Shera’s son Tiger his Bollywood debut in an action-packed film soon, as revealed by an inside source.

“It was a promise Salman made to Shera when his son Tiger was born. Salman had picked up the newly born boy and said, ‘Yeh hero banega. Main banaunga.’ Shera thought it was a passing comment made in excitement on seeing the newly born. But as Tiger grew older Salman would frequently mention the boy’s debut,” stated the source.

The Race 3 actor has had Shera as his trusted-aide since a long time now. The bouncer had also appeared next to Salman and his co-star Katrina Kaif in the title track of the 2011 released film Bodyguard.

The source close to Salman revealed further to Deccan Chronicle that, “Of late Salman had become more resolute about Tiger’s launch. He reassured Shera that Tiger would be launched right after Salman’s brother-in-law Aayush Sharma’s Loveratri is out. Salman will ensure Tiger’s debut is as promising as Aayush’s. Shera can give his life for Salman. This is the least Salman can do for him.”

Top PML-N defectors, including former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and provincial minister Zaeem Qadri, are also contesting election on the Jeep symbol.

According to official final list of candidates in 120 constituencies of Punjab province, uploaded on the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) website on Wednesday, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has fielded the highest number of candidates in the province.

The former ruling party led by Nawaz Sharif has given tickets to 102 candidates while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of Imran Khan has awarded party tickets to 100 candidates in these 120 constituencies. The ECP has not uploaded the final list for 21 constituencies of the province in Lahore, Rajanpur and Rahimyar Khan owing to pending court cases, says the official portal.

Surprisingly, the newly-founded religious party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan has also emerged as one of the biggest parties in the province in terms of candidates with 97 tickets awarded to its members.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has fielded 98 contestants in these areas for the election 2018 in Punjab province alone.

A few days ago, more than 11 candidates of PML-N had returned their party tickets and sought the Jeep symbol from the ECP instead of their previous Tiger symbol.

The famous among the revolting members were Sardar Farood Amjad Khosa of DG Khan, Sardar Mohsin Hasan Khan, Usama Abdul Karim, Sher Ali Gorchani, and Sultan Mehmood Hunjar.

However, Ch Nisar on Tuesday disassociated himself from other independent candidates in Punjab contesting on the Jeep symbol. A day earlier PML-N leader Maryum Nawaz had alleged that the symbol of Jeep was becoming the symbol of “aliens”. Her father Nawaz Sharif had also questioned as to why candidates had been forced to “climb on jeep”. Maryum had tweeted that every vote for jeep is a vote for “Khalai Makhlooq” (aliens).