SNG Daily: Evergrande Accused of $78 Bn Fraud; US Evacuates Citizens From Haiti

Ex-ISI Chief Faiz Hamid’s Brother In The Dock

The arrest of a revenue officer Najaf Hamid, by Pakistan’s Anti-Corruption Establishment, suggests the new government is cracking down on those who were involved in Nawaz Sharif’s removal from power in 2017. Najaf Hamid is the brother of former ISI chief Gen Faiz Hamid, who is accused of manipulating the judicial proceedings against Sharif in the Panama Papers scandal. The elder Hamid has denied the charge but the younger brother’s remand has been sought by the authorities.

US Evacuates Citizens From Haiti

The first charter flight organized by the US embassy in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, landed in Miami with dozens of American families on board. The US State Department confirmed 30 US citizens were evacuated with gang violence spiralling. An advisory has urged all US citizens to leave the island with the caveat they would have to go by road to the northern city of Cap Haitien. But it also warned that they would have to consider how safe the highway to the city was.

Modi Off To Bhutan

Prime Minister Modi heads for Thimphu, Bhutan on Thursday for two days of discussions with the top leadership. Talks are expected to cover the Gelephu Mindfulness City project in southern Bhutan, a special economic zone bordering India. There are indications Bhutan may seek Indian help to upgrade its military capabilities including the supply of drones. Bhutan may also brief India on the border negotiations with China.

China’s Evergrande Inflated Revenue

China’s Evergrande property group is accused by regulators of inflating revenue by $78 billion over two years. In 2019 it boosted its income by nearly $30 billion by “recognizing sales in advance”, the China Securities Regulatory Commission said, and the next it added $48 billion. The company has been fined $583.5 billion and its owner Hui Ka Yan, could be banned from the financial markets. Hui was fined over $6 million last year and is now under formal investigation.

Umrah, Once And Only Once During Ramadan

Umrah can be performed only once during the ongoing Ramadan, Saudi Arabia has ruled. This is to avoid congestion and overcrowding. The decision by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah underscores the view that every person has the right to perform Umrah and there is a need to allow fair access for all. Those who try to request for a second Umrah on the official online portal set up for the purpose, will get an error message.