News Corner 16

US hits Syria with toughest sanctions yet to push Assad to end war United States on Wednesday imposed its toughest sanctions ever targeting Syrian President Bashar al Assad to choke off revenue for his government in a bid to force it back to United Nations-led negotiations and broker an end to the country’s nearly decade-long war. The fresh round of sanctions on Syria penalise 39 companies and individuals, including Assad and his wife Asma, whom along with her family US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described as “one of Syria’s most notorious war profiteers”. The new travel restrictions and financial sanctions strike Assad at a time when the Syrian leader is grappling with a deepening economic crisis after a decade of war and amid a rare outbreak of protests in government-held areas. In a statement announcing the designations imposed under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act — signed by US President Donald Trump in December — Pompeo said the new steps were the start

Punjab asked to release wheat stocks Sources said the government had reports that middlemen were hoarding this year’s wheat produce owing to higher international prices, lower domestic prices and tight demand-supply situation in the country. It was viewed that release of wheat from Punjab’s stocks and supply by Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (Passco) to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan will compel hoarders to offload the grain. The meeting, presided over Finance Adviser Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, was informed that the government had received encouraging response from the private sector in the shape of formal applications to take benefit of government’s decision to allow duty and tax free import of wheat. However, the private sector may not be able to achieve the 2.5 million tonnes import target set for the current season. Chief Secretary Punjab Agha Jawad Rafique informed the federal cabinet members that the province was ready open up its stocks but thes