4:00 pm Headlines on 24Digital

♦ Miftah Ismail prescribes 'bitter pills' for rescuing ailing economy: Says Pakistan economy is in dire straits: IMF not happy but government trying to appease it: POL prices likely to hike again: PDL tax will increase inflation in country: Govt to bring 2.5 million traders in fixed tax scheme: 25,000 retailers will also be brought into tax net: Govt to encourage companies’ privatization: Economy will crack if problems are not solved: Energy sector losses are more than defence budget: Not buying LNG on time added to the woes: Record loans were obtained during last four years

♦ Govt announces Rs699 billion in subsidies: Special package for Balochistan; monthly stipend of Rs2,000 for poor families from June; spend 550 billion on civil administration; provinces will get Rs4.2tr; Rs580b reserved for subsidies; luxury tax on big houses, farm houses, reduces taxes on import of different raw materials; Rs1522b reserved for Defence; Rs800b fixed for development

♦ Income Tax slabs for salaried class reduced from 12 to 7: Excise duty on cigarettes, air tickets, telecom services increased: Govt announces Fixed Tax on small shopkeepers, car dealers: Govt increases tax on vehicles from 850cc to above 3000cc

♦ Ghee price massively reduced at Utility Stores

♦ Punjab govt also suggests 15 percent pay raise for its employees in budget: No new tax proposed; Sahulat programme to continue in next FY: Name of provincial finance minister to be announced shortly

♦ KP govt also readies budget with Rs380 billion outlay

♦ Court confirms PM Shehbaz, Hamza's bails in money laundering case: Shehbaz tells court corruption cases against him baseless: Court orders to start proceedings to declare Salman Shehbaz as PO

♦ PTI leaders get extension in their bails until June 18

♦ PM Shehbaz wants NA debate on Namoos-e-Risalat

♦ Two Muslims killed by Hindu fanatics in India protests: Police also open fire on Muslim protesters in Indian city of Ranchi: Anti-BJP protests break out in several Indian states

♦ Dr Aamir Liaquat’s house yet to be de-sealed: Police say they will reopen the residence after completion of forensic report: No word on Rasm-e-Qul

♦ AirBlue flight escapes disaster at Peshawar Airport

♦ Passengers fume as chicken qorma fails to ‘board’ PIA flight

♦ Israeli bombing in Syria halts PIA flights

♦ Three killed in 210 wildfire incidents across KP: report

♦ Smugglers family arrested, 104kg drugs seized in Islamabad

♦ Gusty winds to cool down heatwave in plain areas

♦ Two car-riders shot dead in Lahore target killing

♦ Pakistani breaks Guinness World Record by crushing most apples in record time

♦ Azam, Haq, Nawaz star in Pakistan's 10th series win over West Indies

♦ Singer Justin Bieber says suffering from facial paralysis