Islamabad: Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) senior leader Nayyar Hussain Bukhari said that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) should investigate the wheat import scandal.

Nayyar Bukhari said that the import of wheat despite an ample domestic stock inflicted substantial financial losses on the national treasury.

He conveyed this demand through an official statement, emphasizing the necessity of transparency and accountability in handling such issues.

Regarding the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's (PML-N) proposal for PPP to participate in the federal government, Bukhari clarified that while his party is dedicated to supporting the PML-N-led government in Parliament, the decision to join the cabinet rests with the PPP's Central Executive Committee (CEC).

Former interim Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar, in a recent interview with a local private television channel, downplayed the significance of the wheat import controversy, characterizing it as a trivial matter.

Kakar stressed the importance of comprehending the intricacies of the wheat import process and highlighted government initiatives aimed at conserving tax revenue, facilitating private-sector wheat transactions, and generating income through import tariffs.

London (Reuters): Oil futures climbed on Monday after Saudi Arabia hiked June crude prices for most regions and as the prospect of a Gaza ceasefire deal appeared slim, renewing fears the Israel-Hamas conflict could still widen in the key oil-producing region.

Brent crude futures were up 77 cents, or 0.9%, to $83.73 a barrel at 1055 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were at $78.98 a barrel, up 87 cents, or 1.1%.

Last week, both futures contracts posted their steepest weekly loss in three months, with Brent falling more than 7% and WTI down 6.8%, as investors weighed weak U.S. jobs data and the possible timing of a Federal Reserve interest rate cut.

The geopolitical risk premium in oil prices also eased as talks for a Gaza ceasefire were underway.

However, prospects for a deal faded as Hamas reiterated its demand for an end to the war in exchange for the freeing of hostages and Israel appeared poised to launch a long-threatened assault in the southern Gaza Strip.

On Monday, Israel's military called on Palestinian civilians to evacuate Rafah as part of a "limited scope" operation.

"News that Israel wants to go ahead and extend its operation into Rafah risks derailing a potential ceasefire agreement and reigniting Middle Eastern geopolitical tensions which had appeared to be easing," IG markets analyst Tony Sycamore said.

Also supporting oil was Saudi Arabia's move to raise the official selling prices (OSPs) for its crude sold to Asia, Northwest Europe and the Mediterranean in June, signalling expectations of strong demand this summer.

Beirut (AFP): Lebanese official media said an Israeli strike Monday wounded three people in the country's east, with Hezbollah saying it launched "dozens of Katyusha rockets" at an Israeli base in retaliation.

Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah have exchanged regular cross-border fire since Palestinian militant group Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attack on southern Israel sparked war in the Gaza Strip.

In recent weeks Hamas-ally Hezbollah has stepped up its attacks on northern Israel, and the Israeli military has struck deeper into Lebanese territory.

"Enemy warplanes launched a strike at around 1:30 am this morning on a factory in Sifri, wounding three civilians and destroying the building," Lebanon's official National News Agency said.

Sifri is in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley in the Baalbek area, a Hezbollah stronghold that Israel has repeatedly struck in recent weeks, located around 80 kilometres (50 miles) from the Israel-Lebanon frontier.

The Israeli army said its warplanes "struck a Hezbollah military structure... deep inside Lebanon," referring to the location as "Safri".

Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group said it launched "dozens of Katyusha rockets" targeting "the headquarters of the Golan Division... at Nafah base" in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights.

The strikes by Hezbollah on Israel came "in response to the enemy's attack targeting the Bekaa region", it said.

Hezbollah later claimed a drone attack on troops in northern Israel, with the Israeli army saying "a UAV (drone) was identified crossing from Lebanon into the area of Metula".

The army also said "fighter jets struck approximately 15 (Hezbollah) military structures and terror infrastructure" in south Lebanon.

Last month, a building in Sifri was targeted in an Israeli raid, while the Israeli army said it had targeted Hezbollah sites in Lebanon's east.

The intensifying exchanges have stoked fears of all-out conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which went to war in 2006.

In Lebanon, at least 390 people have been killed in nearly seven months of cross-border violence, mostly militants but also more than 70 civilians, according to an AFP tally.

On Sunday official media in Lebanon said an Israeli strike on a southern village killed four family members, with Hezbollah announcing retaliatory attacks.

Israel says 11 soldiers and nine civilians have been killed on its side of the border.

Tens of thousands of people have been displaced on both sides.