Economic fallout: Travel bans, lockdowns shrink job opportunities for expats

The pandemic-induced travel bans and lockdowns have direly reduced job opportunities for overseas Pakistanis. Due to the prevalent situation, only 224,000 Pakistanis got employment opportunities abroad in 2020 — a significant reduction from the pre-Covid times. According to an official document received by The Express Tribune, Saudi Arabia reduced its work visas to Pakistanis by 196,374 in 2020 compared to 2019. In 2020, Pakistan witnessed a reduction of 400,000 work visas globally, including those from friendly countries, compared to the tally of 625,000 in 2019. Maintaining the streak, the UAE issued 157,000 less work visas while Oman reduced it by 18,000. Similarly, a reduction of 12,000 work visas was recorded from Qatar. The highest number of workers went from Punjab. Around 118,000 skilled, unskilled and highly qualified workers made their way abroad from Punjab, while 77,318 went from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Meanwhile, 16,950 from Sindh, 1,869 from Balochistan and 1,894 from Islamabad found employment abroad in 2020. According to the document, 1,130 doctors, 2,000 engineers, 1,334 accountants, 4,811 electricians and 3,000 managers were employed abroad last year. The document showed that statistics of drivers and labourers were relatively at the higher side, 76,531 and 94,917, respectively. According to the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment, international travel restrictions and lockdowns left more than 1.5 million overseas Pakistanis unemployed. The majority of the unemployed expats have now returned to the Gulf countries. A senior official at the bureau told The Express Tribune that the process of registration of unemployed overseas Pakistanis has been completed on the portal developed by the government. “All the overseas Pakistanis registered at the portal have been provided with job opportunities through the youth programme, SMEDA, NEUTECH, Ehsaas Programme and other projects.” The bureau officials also pointed out that the expiry of residency permits of overseas Pakistanis is one of the biggest challenges. However, they said that negotiations are underway at the governmental level with the Gulf countries, including the UAE. The officials claimed that the bureau succeeded in gaining reemployment for Pakistanis in the countries where they were previously employed. The pandemic badly hit the building and construction industry, hotels and other related businesses, they said, adding that these sectors are yet to turn fully operational in foreign countries. “Due to the pandemic, not only the host countries are facing problems but also companies are facing difficulties in providing employment opportunities.” Speaking to The Express Tribune, economist Nadeem Hussain said that the labourers in the Middle East, especially from Pakistan’s KP, have suffered the most. “They lost the jobs during the multiple rounds of lockdowns worldwide and were barely able to even survive there. And when they returned home, the local industries didn’t have the space to absorb them.” The economist opined that the loss in remittances due to the COVID-19 joblessness is not quite apparent as of now. He attributed the stability to the government’s extra measures to attract overseas savings. “But we would see the impacts in the coming months and years. The job losses would force thousands of overseas Pakistanis to turn to the informal economy. Reapplying for work visas would be a huge challenge.”

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Capital’s parks add to beauty, biodiversity of the city

World's one of the lushest green capitals with a proliferating green cover, a biodiversity-rich national park with unique wildlife species nestles a plethora of amusement parks for recreation and leisure time. The plentiful charm of federal capital's parks and fecund gardens give an eye-pleasing view along with striking scenery for a healthy time spent, an opportunity to forget the pains and vagaries of life, to the residents of twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Islamabad has well-maintained parks at one hand and picturesque Margalla Hills National Park with hiking trails on the other. Federal capital's parks ensure that its dwellers and visitors to be never far from nature. According to data released by the Capital Development Authority (CDA), parks in Islamabad cover an area of approximately 85 square miles, which is almost just as big as the urban area at present. Read More: CDA reclaims land in Shah Allah Ditta The Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation and Capital Development Authority are responsible for their planning and maintenance. CDA Spokesman Mazhar Ahmed said that Islamabad was home to the best parks in the country with lush green sceneries if somebody wanted to spend some quality time with his family and kids adding that CDA was in charge of their preservation and maintenance. He said Islamabad had many beautiful parks, but the most favourite park of the city dwellers was indeed Fatima Jinnah Park, also known as F-9 Park. "It is one of the most beautiful and most visited parks of Islamabad situated in sector F-9,” he added. The park offers endless discoveries for people who love natural beauty. It is mostly covered by greenery, with a few man-made structures and landmarks. The park includes a sports zone with a swimming pool and tables for table tennis and snooker. The park also includes facilities for bowling, arcade games, laser tag, and other games; areas for fast food, dining and shopping. He said that another most visited park was Lake View Park which was a paradise for the residents of Islamabad as well as the foreigner tourists. The park was constructed alongside Rawal Lake, which was an artificial reservoir that fulfilled water needs for cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, he added. Surrounded with lush greenery and massive playground, the park also offers amazing fun adventures like fishing, bird aviary boating, bird watching, wall climbing, picnic areas. There is a big amusement park for kids and facilities like passenger trains and busses. Rock climbing, paintball, quad motocross, car dodging, scooter boats and speed boats are some of the adventure sports to do in Lake View Park.   Published in The Express Tribune, February 1st, 2021.

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Pakistan reports 26 Covid-19 related deaths in last 24 hours

Pakistan on Monday reported 26 Covid-19 related deaths during the last 24 hours, taking the country's total death toll to 11,638. According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), most deaths were reported in Punjab, followed by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The NCOC added that 15 out of the 26 Covid-19 patients died on the ventilator during the last 24 hours. The highest number of ventilators occupied in the country was found to be in Multan with 41 per cent occupancy, followed by Islamabad at 37 per cent, Lahore 35 per cent and Peshawar 28 per cent. Meanwhile, the highest number of oxygen bed occupancy in the country was in Peshawar at 42 per cent followed by Karachi with 35 per cent, Multan 34 per cent and Bahawalpur 27 per cent. Cases by province The centre reported 1,615 new cases as the total number of cases jumped to 546,428. The total number of active cases in Pakistan were reported to be at 33,493. Read More: Pakistan extends Covid-19 SOPs for inbound flights till February 28 The number of active cases in Sindh was 11,031, 11,431 in Punjab, 6,077 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), 5,059 in Islamabad, 438 in Balochistan, 400 in Gilgit Baltistan and 349 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Covid-19 related death by province Out of the 11,638 total reported deaths, there had been about 3,996 deaths in Sindh, 4,747 in Punjab, 1,906 in K-P, 475 in Islamabad. About 195 deaths had been reported in Balochistan and 102 deaths in G-B and 262 in AJK. According to NCOC, about 1,278 patients had recovered from the deadly pandemic in the last 24 hours taking total recoveries to 501,252. The NCOC also reported that a total of 7,966,981 tests had been conducted since the outbreak of the virus. There are about 631 hospitals with Covid-19 facilities with 2,541 patients admitted across the country, it added.  

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Online kite sellers caught in Rawalpindi

The Rawalpindi Police busted four kite-sellers who had made different groups on a social media platforms selling kites and recovered kites and chemical strings from their possession, a spokesperson shared on Sunday. As the Basant festival is approaching, kite-selling has increased in the city despite the Punjab government’s ban on selling and flying. The official shared that police gathered information and traced the location of a kite-selling group running a social media page that sells equipment to selected customers. He mentioned that the leader of the group along with some of its members identified as Shahrukh, Amir, Ashir, and Yasir were booked while police recovered more than 5,000 kites and 25 chemical strings from their possession. The official added that the police were conducting raids to book the remaining members of the group. Read More: RPO wants to make Rawalpindi drug-free Enthusiasts set to mark Basant The Kite Association has announced a Basant Festival and Basant Night in Rawalpindi despite the ban. The officials from the association said that Basant would be celebrated in the garrison city on February 26 while the Basant Night will be held the night before on February 25, which will start after sunset and continue till midnight. Rawalpindi-Islamabad Kite Association officials Muhammad Iqbal and Niaz Ahmed told The Express Tribune that the festival would be celebrated with full zeal, adding that the preparations for Basant have been started while all kite-flying enthusiasts have been informed about the event. They further stated that they have stocked kites and strings for the upcoming festival as delivery to customers will start in the first week of February.   Published in The Express Tribune, February 1st, 2021.

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Educational institutions nationwide reopen today

The educational institutions including colleges and universities across the country, which were closed in November 2020 due to the second wave of coronavirus pandemic, will reopen today (Monday). Saturday will be a working day throughout the academic session. The students of grade 9 to 12 resumed their classes from January 18, 2021 whereas the federal and provincial authorities had decided to commence the classes for primary to grade 8 on January 25. Later, the Inter-Provincial Education Ministers Conference decided that all primary, elementary and university classes would resume academic activities from February 1, 2021 with special vigilance in terms of standard operating procedures. On Saturday, Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood also confirmed that all primary schools and universities would reopen from Monday. Talking to the media in Sukkur, Mahmood said the country had witnessed "too much loss of education" due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The minister noted that education played a crucial role in the economic development and growth of a country and emphasised that use of technology was crucial to ensuring quality education. “Pakistan needs to invest more in education sector in the coming years. Use of technology is vital to bridge the educational gap and better teaching methodologies will be helpful to ensure quality education,” he maintained. The authorities have instructed the educational institutions to strictly implement the Covid-19 SOPs as they resume their academic activities today. The educational institutions are required to call students in the form of groups with a one day gap. The students have been asked to wear masks and keep an extra one in their bags. They are required to keep water bottles and lunch with them and will not be allowed to exchange things. The temperature of children and staff will be checked at the entrance of the institution where they will be given a sanitiser to disinfect themselves. Meanwhile, parents are asked not to send their child to school if they are having cough or fever. There will be seven periods a day and no one including the students, staff and visitors will be allowed to enter the premises without a mask. Washrooms will be cleaned and soaps will be provided there. The heads of institutions will arrive half an hour early while there will be no breaks and the canteen or tuck shops will remain closed. Every day the buildings of the educational institutions will be sprayed with disinfectants after the school timings. Children will be seated at a distance in the classrooms with special arrangements and teachers would disseminate information about coronavirus. Last week, a meeting at the National Command and Operation Centre was held to finalise the strategy for the resumption of classes at the primary, middle and university level on February 1. The forum decided that students in Karachi, Hyderabad, Lahore and Peshawar would attend the classes with 50% strength on alternate days.

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Pindi admin plans action against land grabbers

The Rawalpindi district administration has completed its preparations for a grand operation against the land mafia illegally occupying valuable state-owned commercial plots in the city, a spokesperson shared on Sunday. The operation will be conducted to recover valuable commercial land around Soan River, Korang Nullah, Behti Nadi and Khasra Koth Kalan, the official added. He told The Express Tribune that Punjab Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) Director General (DG) Gohar Nafees has summoned a report from the Rawalpindi ACU Director over non-progress in a land grabbing case against a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPA and his brothers. Meanwhile, another PTI MPA from Rawalpindi, Abida Bibi, tabled a motion in the Punjab Assembly against unauthorised occupation of state-owned land. In response to it, the revenue department confirmed that the encroached land belonged to the Punjab government since 1900 as per the demarcation survey carried out by the department and survey of Pakistan. Read More: CDA reclaims land in Shah Allah Ditta On the other hand, the official further mentioned that a group of MPAs had also met with the Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar to use political influence and defer the operation. However, ACU has been given strict directions by Prime Minister Imran Khan to carry out an indiscriminate action against the land mafia across the province, the official maintained. Therefore, Nafees has given the Rawalpindi ACU a week to report the progress over the case registered against the PTI MPA and his brothers. The official added that lawmakers allegedly-involved in the case have also started contacting members of the bureaucracy to introduce changes in the district administration as a grand operation is set to be launched soon. Property tax collection drive The Excise and Taxation Department has decided to impose property tax on owners of residential and commercial buildings in all housing societies that come under the jurisdiction of the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), a spokesperson shared on Sunday. The department has issued orders to property owners in the related housing societies, he added. Punjab Excise and Taxation Secretary Waqas Mahmood has also issued strict instructions to the Rawalpindi Excise and Taxation director to carry out a survey for property tax of all the approved housing societies across the district, the official maintained. The director ordered formation of various teams to carry out the survey and collect data in this regard, which is expected to start in February after which property tax will be collected from all owners of properties sized over five marlas, he mentioned. The inclusion of dozens of approved housing societies in the property tax net across the district is likely to lead to a record increase in the department’s revenue. Mahmood further said that he will visit Rawalpindi again in 15 days to review progress on the matter.   Published in The Express Tribune, February 1st, 2021.

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CDA launches drive to cover drainage lines

In a consistent effort to improve the infrastructure of the capital city and to ensure the safety of its citizens the administration of Capital Development Authority (CDA) has directed the concerned authorities to promptly install proper covers on drains, lids on manholes, gutter and sewerage lines across Islamabad. Open manholes are dangerous for people particularly children and the public have been cautioned to be careful in this matter. However, unfortunately, it is a sad fact that the civic body has been unable to carry out the task of covering these open sewerage lines for decades. Time and again it has been witnessed that these open manholes have caused a number of accidents. However, the current administration of CDA has taken a serious note of the problem and accordingly directed the relevant departments to cover all the open manholes in the city as soon as possible.\ Read More: CDA reclaims land in Shah Allah Ditta The departments of environment, city sewerage, road and markets have been directed to cover open holes of all the departments including IESCO, SNGPL, PTCL, NTC and others without any discrimination. The said departments will also be asked to undertake the responsibility of covering manholes in areas under their domain. CDA’s department of services and engineering has started work on preparation of lids on a mega scale following directions.     Published in The Express Tribune, February 1st, 2021.

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Ball in PDM’s court as Jan 31 deadline ends

With more rallies scheduled for February and a consensus on taking part in Senate polls, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) seems to have little room to force the PTI government into submission that gave little importance to the opposition’s ultimatum to resign by January 31. The PDM — an 11-party antigovernment alliance —on December 14 demanded that the PTI government resign by January 31 or face a long march to Islamabad. PDM chief Fazlur Rehman had then warned “that if the government does not resign, the final date of the march will be announced on February 1.” With the deadline for the government having quietly passed, a leadership meeting suggest that the PDM table a no-confidence motion in the parliament to dislodge the government.  “The PPP through the PDM platform will send this government in a democratic, legal and constitutional way,” he had said. But the PML-N had swiftly turned down the PPP proposal, asking the PPP chairman to present his game plan for ensuring that the no-confidence motion succeeds. The party had reminded Bilawal that the opposition had failed to dethrone Senate Chairman Sadiq Sinjrani despite having a comfortable majority in the upper house. Even the PML-N de facto chief Maryam Nawaz weighed in on Bilawal’s proposal, expressing her skepticism on its practicality. The PML-N even went on to call the proposal impractical. To defuse the apparent tensions between the two biggest opposition parties, PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari stepped in. In a call to the PPP Punjab leader Chaudary Manzoor, Zardari said all options were available to the PDM including resigning, no-confidence motion, long march and even wheel jam strike. This statement was quickly welcomed by PML-N General Secretary Ahsan Iqbal. However, the PPP leaders later took to the media to declare that their party will manage to convince the PML-N and others on a noconfidence proposal as they managed to convince them to take part in by elections and Senate elections. Apparently, the PML-N and the JUIF believed that the opposition parties by resigning from legislatures could break the electoral college required for the upcoming Senate elections. At the very nascent stages of the movement, it was speculated that PPP would not resign from the Sindh Assembly to give up its provincial government. These speculations were vehemently denied then by the PPP which announced its all-out support for the movement. Spurred on by the commitment from the constituent parties, the PDM leaders especially from the PML-N took to the media to warn the government that all opposition parties would resign from assemblies to take the government down. The PDM was also confident that its six initial rallies would provide it with enough momentum to stage a successful long march towards Islamabad or Rawalpindi. Contrary to the expectation, almost all of the PDM main events especially the rallies in Punjab were heavily criticized for being unimpressive. Of all the parties in the PDM, the PML-N in particular was confident that it would take government down before the start of 2021. Maryam Nawaz, anticipating an announcement from the PDM parties of resigning from legislatures, had termed the alliance’s December 8 meeting a “door-die” affair. The PPP, however, managed to convince the PDM to shift its narrative from giving resignations to a movement to force the government to resign; hence came the demand that the PTI government must resign by January 31 or face a long march. Subsequently the PPP also managed to first convince the PDM to take part in byelections and later in the Senate election that the alliance had initially announced to boycott. Along the way, the PDM constituent parties — especially the PML-N, the PPP and more recently the JUI-F — also turned their guns away from the military establishment on the PTI government in hope to get a widespread acceptability amongst the masses.   However, on expiry of the January 31 deadline PPP chief Bilawal took to Twitter, stating that the long march and no-confidence motion proposals will now be discussed at the upcoming PDM meeting. “The selected PM has failed to resign by the deadline set by the PDM. Had given this illegitimate regime the opportunity to step aside respectfully and allow for a transition to democracy with free, fair and transparent elections. “The establishment must leave political battles to the politicians now or risk being drawn into controversies. Only a government chosen by the people can deliver for the people. “Long march and no-confidence will hopefully be discussed in our PDM meeting. The government’s desperation is clear. [It is] trying to change rules to rig the Senate elections because they can see their defeat. Insha Allah, the Senate elections will show that the government is on shaky ground,” he said. Minister for Information Shibli Faraz said the PDM was an unnatural alliance as its narrative has badly flopped. Talking to a private news channel, he said the government strongly believes in rule of law but the opposition has always played with its supremacy. “Maulana Fazlur Rehman is leading the PDM apparently but someone else is controlling it,” he said.

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Man impersonates aviation officer, directs air traffic using radio

A man has been arrested in Germany’s capital Berlin for making radio contact with an air traffic controller and giving fake flight orders while impersonating an aviation official.

The 32-year-old man, whose identity wasn’t released in line with German privacy laws, was taken into custody from the city’s Koepenic district last week.

He reportedly made contact with pilots of a passenger and a transport aircraft as well as state and federal police helicopters over the past six month.

It was after he made contact with a police helicopter when the cops got suspicious. They broke into his house and found two radios that were used to make the necessary transmissions. He also allegedly gave “potentially dangerous” information.

“For everyone who has been asking about our police helicopter operations in Koepenick, an unusual arrest,” Berlin police said in a Twitter statement, sharing a link to more details.

No accidents or other incidents are known to have been caused by his actions, police said.

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Dr Faisal Sultan thanks China for provision of COVID-19 vaccine

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on National Health Services, Dr Faisal Sultan has thanked China for provision of the first batch of the COVID-19 vaccine to Pakistan. 

Taking to Twitter, Dr Faisal Sultan said that Allahamdullilah first batch of the Sinopham COVID-19 vaccine has reached Pakistan and thanked China and others concerned for making it possible.

الحمد اللہ ہمیں سینوفرم ویکسین کا پہلا بیچ ملا ہے! اس کے لئے انتھک محنت کرنے والے ہر شخص کا شکر گزار ہوں۔ COVID کا مقابلہ کرنے میں NCOC اور صوبوں نے اہم کردار ادا کیا۔ میں اپنے فرنٹ لائن ہیلتھ کیئر ورکرز کو ان کی کاوشوں کے لئے سلام پیش کرتا ہوں۔ویکسین سب سے پہلے انہیں لگے گی۔ pic.twitter.com/zfIdwF1GqN

— Faisal Sultan (@fslsltn) February 1, 2021

Dr Sultan lauded the role of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) and the provinces for controlling the spread of coronavirus. He also paid tribute to the frontline health workers.

Read more: PAF plane carrying first batch of COVID-19 vaccine reaches Islamabad

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PM felicitates govt on making KP first province with health coverage for all citizens

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan took to Twitter on Monday to congratulate the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for making KP the first province in Pakistan with universal health coverage for all KP-domiciled citizens.

“40,000,000 residents covered with free health insurance,” he tweeted, adding each family will get free treatment of up to one million in a year at over 400 government and private hospitals across Pakistan.

Congratulations to KP govt for making KP first province in Pak with Universal Health Coverage for all KP-domiciled citizens. 40,000,000 residents covered with free health insurance. Free treatment upto Rs1,000,000 per family per year in over 400 govt/private hospitals across Pak.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) February 1, 2021

Also Read: Every citizen of Punjab to get health insurance by December 2021: PM

Earlier, KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan tweeted that with today’s launch of Sehat Card in Southern districts, KP will become the first province to have universal coverage of health insurance for 100 per cent population.

“It’s a big step towards achieving the dream of welfare state on pattern of Riasat e Madina as envisioned by Imran Khan.”

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Ensuring security : Rangers, police to maintain peace in by-polls

For the upcoming by-polls in Punjab’s two constituencies, the Election Commission of Pakistan has sought the help of Rangers and police personnel to fortify the security arrangements. On February 19, by-polls will be held in NA-75 Daska (Sialkot) and PP-51 Wazirabad district (Gujranwala). In this regard, the Election Commission of Punjab has also confirmed that Rangers and police personnel will be deployed at all the polling stations, barring those declared sensitive. In PP-51 Wazirabad, a total of 22 candidates have submitted their nomination papers to the returning officer for the by-election. At least, six candidates are contesting from the PML-N. For Sialkot’s NA-75 Daska, 16 candidates had filed the nomination papers. According to sources, the ECP had utilised the services of the Pakistan Army in the past, but this time police and Rangers are being summoned. The candidates have also been allotted marks after scrutiny. The seats in both the constituencies fell vacant in June and August, respectively, following the deaths of PML-N lawmakers MNA Iftikhar Hassan alias Zehra Shah and MPA Shaukat Manzoor Cheema. For PP-51, three of the 10 candidates on the PML-N ticket belong to the family of deceased MPA Cheema. They include his widow Talat Mahmood, son Wahaj Shaukat and brother Khalid Manzoor Cheema. Other candidates include district President of PML-N Gujranwala Mustansir Ali Gondal, who is also a former president of the Wazirabad Bar Association, and Imtiaz Azhar Bagri, a close relative of PML-N MNA Nisar Ahmed Cheema from Wazirabad. However, the PML-N leadership has not yet decided whether to contest the by-elections or not. PML-N sources said that the party is likely to contest the by-polls to maintain its position in its stronghold of central Punjab. On the other hand, the ruling PTI has already nominated Muhammad Yousuf Arian as its candidate for PP-51. The other candidates are PPP Punjab Vice President and former MPA Ijaz Ahmed Saman, Jamaat-e-Islami’s Nasir Mahmood, former PTI ticket holder Shabir Akram Cheema and a few independents. PTI central Punjab President Ejaz Chaudhry said that the PTI candidate would win from NA-75. “We also have the support of the PML-Q. The PTI has gained support of all the communities in PP-51, however, our rival PML-N seems to be divided.” PML-N Punjab President Rana Sanaullah said that the party enjoys a strong position in both the provincial and national assembly constituencies. “The PML-N had won before and would continue to do so. The government is using cheap tactics as action is being taken against Zehra Shah’s son and daughter. His son has been arrested and false charges are being filed.” PML-N Secretary Information Marriyum Aurangzeb said that if any attempt was made by the government to rig the by-polls, people would not stay silent. “The power of the vote will not permit any rigging to take place. On the day of voting, people will fight against rigging. If any attempt was made to destabilise the law and order situation, all the responsibility would be on them (the ruling party).     Published in The Express Tribune, February 1st, 2021.

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MoU inked for gender mainstreaming

Chairperson of Standing Committee on Gender Mainstreaming (Women Development) Uzma Kardar signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bargad, a non-governmental organisation to collaborate in capacity building, orientation, awareness campaigns and other actions for amplifying women’s voices with a focus on their social and economic empowerment. This partnership will also strengthen implementation of the Punjab Youth Policy 2012, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ending child marriage in Punjab. The event was chaired by Kardar. The signing ceremony was joined by a number of parliamentarians. The issue of ending child marriage in Punjab was also discussed in detail at the end of the ceremony and the chairperson of the committee along with other members present during the signing ceremony announced to support a relevant new bill which is pending in the provincial assembly and waiting for the approval. The bill was presented in the assembly by MPA Kardar after getting it signed by around 250 parliamentarians. She told The Express Tribune that the bill is a non-cognisable offence bill which asks to restrain the solemnisation of child marriages in Punjab and proposes a three-year punishment for whoever performs, conducts, directs, brings about or in any way facilitated any child marriage. “The problem of solemnisation of child marriages continues in the province.”   Published in The Express Tribune, February 1st, 2021.

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PAF plane carrying first batch of COVID-19 vaccine reaches Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: A special Pakistan Air Force (PAF) plane with the first batch of COVID-19 vaccine doses has reached Islamabad today (Monday), ARY News reported.

The plane carrying 500,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine, gifted from China to Pakistan landed at the Noor Khan Airbase. SAPM Dr Faisal also reached Islamabad in the plane.

According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), all arrangements for storage, transportation and administration of the vaccine have been finalised.webv desk

It said all measures for vaccine distribution across Sindh and Balochistan provinces have also been finalised.

The NCOC said a special vaccination centre has been set up in Islamabad while such centres in all provinces at a district-level are yet to be established.

Also Read: China to gift 0.5mn doses of Sinopharm vaccine to Pakistan by Jan 31: FM Qureshi

China had promised to gift 500,000 doses of a coronavirus vaccine to Pakistan by January 31.

Earlier, Federal Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar said that Pakistan will likely get 17 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine by March.

Turning to social media via his official Twitter handle, the federal minister announced, “Good news on covid vaccine front.” He added that Pakistan received a response letter from Covax which indicated “supply of up to 17 million doses of AstraZeneca in 1st half 2021”.

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Video: Man narrowly escapes being hit by train, bike crushed

A motorcyclist in India’s Uttar Pradesh narrowly escaped being hit by a train. However, his motorcycle got crushed by the train.

CCTV footage shows the biker attempting to cross a railway crossing but ending up in disaster. He reportedly tried to go across the tracks even as security gates had been closed.

Hair-raising footage shows his motorcycle getting stuck near the tracks, forcing him to abandon the vehicle and flee as the train came closer.

The motorcycle was completely crushed as the train rammed into it, sending its pieces flying into the air.

The man was identified as 24-year-old Shahid Ali. He reportedly tried to flee the scene but was later apprehended and a case has been registered against him.

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Coronavirus claims 26 more lives, infects 1,615 people in past 24 hours

ISLAMABAD: The coronavirus claimed 26 more lives as another 1,615 people tested positive for the deadly disease during the past 24 hours across Pakistan.

According to the latest update released by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), 1,615 new infections surfaced after 34,785 samples were tested during this period.

The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the country has soared to 546,428 with addition of the fresh cases while the countrywide death toll jumped to 11,683. There are a total of 33,493 active cases as 501,252 people have recuperated.

Read more: Pakistan to likely get 17 million AstraZeneca vaccines by mid ’21, Umar says

Since the first Covid-19 case was detected in the country almost a year back, Sindh has reported a total of 247,249 infections, Punjab 157,796, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 67,214, Balochistan 18,823, Islamabad 41,418, Azad Jammu and Kashmir 9,019, and Gilgit Baltistan 4,909.

Earlier, Federal Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar had said that Pakistan will likely get 17 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine by March.

Turning to social media via his official Twitter handle, the federal minister announced, “Good news on covid vaccine front.” He added that Pakistan received a response letter from Covax which indicated “supply of up to 17 million doses of AstraZeneca in 1st half 2021”.

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Government wants to end horse-trading in Senate polls: Sarwar

Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar has claimed that the government wants an end to horse-trading in the Senate elections but the opposition wants its continuation. He stated this while speaking at the inauguration of a water filtration plant installed by Al-Khidmat Foundation in Jinnah Hospital on Sunday. “The whole world knows that votes are bought and sold in the Senate elections. We want to end this corruption for which the opposition should support the government in legislation.” He maintained that nobody can oust the government. “Defence Minister Pervez Khattak has also made it clear that he stands with Prime Minister Imran Khan. We will ensure the protection of national interests at any cost.” Al-Khidmat Foundation Vice President Syed Ehsan Ullah Waqas, University of Health Sciences, Lahore Vice Chancellor Dr Javed Akram, Jinnah Hospital Lahore MS Dr Yahya Sultan and Syed Rashid Dawood were present among others. The governor further said that there was no doubt that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), including the defence minister, had contested and won the elections. However, the PTI got the votes only due to the struggle of the PM. “Whatever Khattak has said, he has also made it clear that he stands with the PM.” Sarwar remarked that when he was elected as senator from Punjab, people also questioned him regarding votes. “I did not buy a single vote. Members of assembly voted for me because of my public service. ”   Published in The Express Tribune, February 1st, 2021.

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Awan assures women inmates of legal aid

The Punjab Chief Minister’s Special Assistant on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan listened to the problems of women prisoners and assured them of legal aid and other facilities during a visit to District Jail Sialkot. “Maharaja Ranjit Singh had built a stable for his horses, which was given the status of District Jail Sialkot in 1863. At present there are 62 death row inmates among 265 sentenced prisoners, including three foreign nationals, 32 women and 10 children. The total number of inmates is 1,872 and two water filtration plants have been installed in the jail,” the special assistant said on the occasion She said a school had been set up for the education of children and the Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority *(TEVTA) was also providing technical training to the prisoners. Multi-storey barracks are also being constructed at a cost of Rs45 million to increase the capacity of the jail, besides washroom and laundry blocks at a cost of Rs2 million and a 20-bed hospital for drug addicts at a cost of Rs20 million. The SACM said that anti-coronavirus counters have also been set up in all the jails.   Published in The Express Tribune, February 1st, 2021.

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Two teenage girls ‘sexually assaulted’

Two teenage girls were allegedly sexually assaulted in separate incidents in Dijkot on Sunday. Police registered cases and started searching for the suspects. According to the police report, Muhammad Zeeshan's 14-year-old niece was alone in her house when her brother-in-law Nadeem sexually assaulted her in Hajveri Town area of Sargodha Road. The suspect fled from the crime scene. Separately, the suspects Fahad and Shehzad entered the house and saw Usman Zia's daughter alone in her house in Johar Colony, Matopura area of Millat Town. They gang raped her at gunpoint. Millat Town and Sargodha Road Police had registered separate cases under Section 376 and started raids to arrest the suspects. Incidents of sexual violence against women and young girls are rampant across the province. On January 21, it was revealed that a teenage girl became pregnant after allegedly being raped by unknown persons in Chak Jhumra. The 13-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by unknown persons who abandoned her when her condition deteriorated. As a result of the incident, the minor girl was diagnosed to be pregnant. On January 18, a minor girl was sexually assaulted in Dijkot. The 10-year-old girl was abducted and raped by a motorcyclist in the Razaabad area. He later threw the girl unconscious near Lasani Bridge. The minor girl had left her home in the afternoon to buy vegetables. The motorcyclist lured her out of the way, abducted her and took her to an unknown location where he sexually assaulted her. He later threw the girl unconscious near Lasani Bridge in Sargodha Road area and fled. On November 20 last year, three women including a teenage girl were sexually assaulted in Dijkot. Reportedly, one of the victims was raped by her ex-husband. According to the police report, a resident of Amin Park Street, Razaabad was married to Muhammad Asif who divorced her in 2005. On the day of the incident, the accused Asif called his exwife on the pretext of meeting his children at a friend’s house where the accused sexually assaulted her. The accomplices of the alleged rapist, Rafiq and Mohammad Sadiq, kept guard while the sexual assault incident took place. In Razaabad, Nadeem Ahmed, a resident of Kokianwala, and his wife were called by Faisal, a resident of Chak No 100GB, to his house. The couple was on their way to collect the money given to them as a loan when they were taken to an empty house. The accused Faisal along with his accomplices locked Nadeem in a room and raped his wife. Meanwhile, a 14-year-old daughter of Allah Dutta, a resident of Chak No 240RB, on Jaranwala Road, was raped by an unidentified accused. On October 9 last year, a teenage girl was allegedly gang raped in Manga Mandi area of Lahore. On the day of the incident, the father of the 15-year-old victim had left for his workshop a few kilometres away from his house. The victim’s mother had left home for some work as well while their daughter was alone at home. (THE ALLEGED VICTIMS’ IDENTITIES HAVE NOT BEEN DISCLOSED AS A MATTER OF POLICY)   Published in The Express Tribune, February 1st, 2021.

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Market official tortured, filmed by ‘drug dealers’

Police have registered a case against 15 suspects for torturing the chairman of the market committee of Jaranwala at a seminary allegedly for pinpointing drug trade. As many as 15 people had reportedly tortured the chairman market committee of Jaranwala, snatched his mobile phone and cash, and made a video of him after he made disclosures about narcotics trade in the area. After the video went viral on social media, police registered a case against 10 named and five unidentified suspects. They have started conducting raids to apprehend the assailants identified through the viral footage. Chairman Market Committee Jaranwala Mirza Arshad has filed a complaint in Jaranwala city police station, stating that he had identified the drug dealers operating in the area who were destroying the future of children, which resulted in an attack on him. Jaranwala city police registered a case against the suspected drug dealers. Mirza Arshad alleged that he was tortured with a pistol butt by Muzaffar alias Muzaffari, Sikandar Hayat alias Hayati, Khuzdar Hayat alias Kachchi, Riyasat alias Riyasati, Moazzam, Malik Danish, Akmal alias Akmali, Baily, Qadeer, Nasrullah alias Nachhi and others inside Madrasa Amina, Jaranwala Road. He also claimed that the assailants snatched his watch worth Rs200,000, mobile phone worth more than Rs100,000 and cash. The complainant added that the suspects dragged him to the highway after the students gathered inside the seminary and made a video of him whilst attacking him. After the video of the incident went viral on social media, the police registered a case against the suspects under various relevant sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and started raids to arrest them.     Published in The Express Tribune, February 1st, 2021.

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Covid-19 claimed 723 lives in January

January proved to be a perilous month with respect to the coronavirus pandemic in Punjab with the disease claiming 723 lives and inflicting 19,407 people. A new type of coronavirus was reportedly identified in the province and most of the critically ill patients admitted to hospitals were above 50 years of age. Health specialists said the situation was still alarming and there was a need to strictly implement the preventive standard operating procedures (SOPs). Despite the health department’s efforts to bring the spread of the virus under control, the rate of deaths and confirmed cases of Covid-19 remained high during the first month of 2021. On average 500 to 600 patients of coronavirus were admitted to hospitals in the province daily. The figure for the last 24 hours was 425. The total number of confirmed cases reported during the first and second waves of coronavirus in the province has reached 157,353. During last 24 hours, 20 deaths from the infection were confirmed in the province. The casualties raised the total death toll to 4,736, including 723 during the past month. The Punjab health department has conducted over 2.9 million tests for Covid-19 since the outbreak of the pandemic, while 142,651 patients have recovered. "We are not seeing a change in the situation of Covid-19 as the number of patients is increasing and the death toll is also high,” Young Doctors Association (YDA) Punjab President Dr Salman Haseeb said while speaking to The Express Tribune. A health department official said, "Although the local administrations are active in Punjab and 40 shops were sealed in Lahore today over violation of the SOPs, while show cause notices have been issued to the managements of 12 schools, the authorities appear helpless on the issue.” According to Chairman Corona Advisory Committee Dr Mahmood Shoukat, the hospitals are receiving patients in critical condition but a majority of people suffering from the disease are undergoing treatment at home “There is varying information about the increase in death toll and we are preparing a report on the current situation regarding coronavirus,” he added. "More deaths are being reported in Lahore where around 370 patients are present in Mayo Hospital. The condition of most of them is critical. The Punjab health department should hold an inquiry into the increase in fatalities in hospitals where patients have complained of negligence and poor facilities,” said an official of Mayo Hospital. Meanwhile, concerns about a new type of coronavirus are rising and patients who had a history of foreign travel were identified a few days ago. "Four people suffering from the new type of coronavirus were identified. Their samples were sent to the National Institute of Health (NIH) for tests and we are waiting for their report but it is right that the type is dangerous. However, the overall situation regarding coronavirus is under control and the number of patients in Punjab is decreasing,” claimed Punjan Health Department spokesman Sayed Hamad Raza. According to sources in the department, around Rs14 billion was allocated by the Punjab government last year to counter the coronavirus. "Almost all hospitals were given funds to cope with coronavirus and three main quarantine centres were set up in Lahore, Dera Ghazi Khan and Multan. Besides hospitals, hostels of universities were also converted into quarantine centres. Now we have maximum facilities, including ventilators, but there is a need to be vigilant as schools, colleges and universities across the province reopen on Monday,” a senior official of Punjab health department said. Published in The Express Tribune, February 1st, 2021.

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3,000 reservoirs developed for agriculture

Directorate of Soil Conservation, the field wing of Punjab Agriculture Department, has developed more than 3,000 water harvesting bodies having live storage capacity of 0.1 million acre-feet in Barani areas of the province. However, there is still much potential to conserve rainwater for enhanced agricultural production and alleviating poverty. This was disclosed by Agriculture Field DG Ghulam Siddique while talking to APP. He remarked that country was facing the issue of water crisis mainly due to climate change and mismanagement of available water resources. According to a report of an international body, Pakistan is the 14th most water- stressed country in the world, facing acute water shortage. Moreover, being an agricultural country, this water shortage has direct impact on the nation’s economy which is dependent on agriculture and water to grow crops, he maintained. “Therefore, if this problem of water shortage prevails, it might have long financial and ecological impacts on the country.” The DG added that due to the climate crisis, the winter season in the country had shrunk from four months to two months and the monsoon season had become unpredictable in the past few years. “Around 70 per cent of total rainfall is received during monsoon season (July-September), which causes floods in the country due to lack of rainwater harvesting bodies.” So, it is crucial to practice systematic conservation practices and water harvesting techniques to trap maximum rainwater to avoid flood losses and to improve the productivity of crops, especially in Barani region where Agriculture is entirely dependent on rainwater, he explained. Speaking about Water Reservoirs, Soil Scientist Dr Atiqur Rehman said that some mini dams were constructed to harvest rainwater from local catchment area having a capacity 20-40 acre-feet. “It is used to fulfill water requirements for irrigation, livestock and fish culture at local level. Moreover, it recharges ground water aquifers and other environmental conditions” Soil Survey Officer Aqsa Ayub said that water ponds are highly useful to meet the irrigation requirements throughout the year which were constructed with storage capacity of 15 to 20 acre-feet. “These are also important for livestock as well as fish farming and help in improving ground water table and ameliorating environmental conditions.”   Published in The Express Tribune, February 1st, 2021.

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Myanmar military seizes power, detains elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi

Myanmar’s military seized power on Monday in a coup against the democratically elected government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who was detained along with other leaders of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party in early morning raids.

The army said it had carried out the detentions in response to “election fraud”, handing power to military chief Min Aung Hlaing and imposing a state of emergency for one year, according to a statement on a military-owned television station. A military spokesman did not answer phone calls seeking further comment.

Phone lines to the capital Naypyitaw and the main commercial centre of Yangon were not reachable, and state TV went off air hours before parliament had been due to sit for the first time since the NLD’s landslide election win in November, viewed as a referendum on Suu Kyi’s fledgling democratic government.

Soldiers took up positions at city hall in Yangon and mobile internet data and phone services in the NLD stronghold were disrupted, residents said. Internet connectivity also had fallen dramatically, monitoring service NetBlocks said.

Suu Kyi, Myanmar President Win Myint and other NLD leaders had been “taken” in the early hours of the morning, NLD spokesman Myo Nyunt told Reuters by phone.

“I want to tell our people not to respond rashly and I want them to act according to the law,” he said, adding that he expected to be arrested himself. Reuters was subsequently unable to contact him.

The detentions came after days of escalating tension between the civilian government and the military that stirred fears of a coup in the aftermath of the election.

The White House said President Joe Biden had been briefed on the arrest of Suu Kyi.

“The United States opposes any attempt to alter the outcome of recent elections or impede Myanmar’s democratic transition, and will take action against those responsible if these steps are not reversed,” spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement.

The Australian government said it was “deeply concerned at reports the Myanmar military is once again seeking to seize control of Myanmar” and called for the immediate release of the unlawfully detained leaders.

Japan said it was watching the situation and currently had no plans to repatriate Japanese nationals from Myanmar.

Coup fears

Nobel Peace Prize winner Suu Kyi, 75, came to power after a 2015 election win that followed decades of house arrest in a struggle for democracy with Myanmar’s junta that turned her into an international icon.

Her international standing was damaged after hundreds of thousands of Rohingya fled army operations into refuge from Myanmar’s western Rakhine state in 2017, but she remains hugely popular at home.

Political tensions soared last week when a military spokesman declined to rule out a coup ahead of the new parliament convening on Monday, and military chief Min Aung Hlaing raised the prospect of repealing the constitution.

But the military appeared to backtrack on the weekend, issuing a statement on social media on Sunday saying it would “do everything possible to adhere to the democratic norms of free and fair elections”.

Tanks were deployed in some streets last week and pro-military demonstrations have taken place in some cities ahead of the first gathering of parliament.

Myanmar’s election commission has rejected the military’s allegations of vote fraud.

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Karachi records minimum temperature at 11 degree Celsius

KARACHI: Minimum temperature in Karachi recorded at 11 º Celsius on Sunday morning, Pakistan Meteorological Department said in a weather report, ARY News reported.

Presently northwestern winds blowing in the city, which could become southwesterly with change of the wind direction. Maximum temperature in city could increase to 28 degree Celsius, according to the weather report.

Cold and dry weather is likely to prevail over most parts of the country while, very cold in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Balochistan. However, light rain and light snowfall over hills, is expected in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir during night hours.

A wave of severe cold continued in northern districts of Balochistan including Quetta and Kalat.

Minimum Temperature: The mercury dropped to minus-14 at Leh, minus-12 at Astore,minus-10 at Skardu and Anantnag, minus-09 at Gopis and Srinagar minus-07 at Kalam and Hunza, and minus-06 at Bagrote.

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UK set to formally apply for trans-Pacific trade bloc membership

LONDON: UK will next week formally apply to join a trans-Pacific trading bloc of 11 countries, with negotiations set to start later this year, the government said on Saturday.

Since leaving the European Union, Britain has made clear its desire to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which removes most tariffs between Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

“One year after our departure for the EU we are forging new partnerships that will bring enormous economic benefits for the people of Britain,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a statement.

Reuters reported on Thursday that Britain will not publish an assessment of the economic benefits of CPTPP membership before requesting to join it – contrary to earlier promises.

Previous government economic analyses of Brexit have pointed to small boosts to economic output from additional trade deals.

The government said joining CPTPP would remove tariffs on food and drink and cars, while helping to boost the technology and services sectors.

British trade minister will speak to counterparts in Japan and New Zealand on Monday with a formal request to join CPTPP, the statement said.

“Applying to be the first new country to join the CPTPP demonstrates our ambition to do business on the best terms with our friends and partners all over the world and be an enthusiastic champion of global free trade,” Johnson said.

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Mother reveals how TikTok video helped her find missing son

An Aussie mother has revealed how she found her son who went missing in a mart after learning a clever hack on TikTok.

She said her two-year-old boy Nathan disappeared during a trip to her local Kmart.

Distraught, the mother asked a friend to alert the mart staff to the missing boy while she continued looking for him. She remembered a TikTok video shared by US parenting blogger Jess Martini.

In the viral video, Martini advises parents to “start shouting (the child’s) description while you’re looking for them.” Resultantly, other shoppers or people nearby will realise a child is missing and will also look out for them.

@jesmartini

If you’re here from the news articles- follow up tips to keep your kids safe in public #momsoftiktok #fyp #foryou #psa #dailyvlog #staysafe

♬ original sound – Jess martini

The loud attention may also scare off a kidnapper in the case of a child abduction.

The mother said the blogger’s TikTok advice was crucial in helping her find her son. “Today I lost my two-year-old for 10 minutes in Kmart,” she wrote in a Facebook post. “It was the scariest 10 minutes of my life. To all parents out there, if your child goes missing, do not search in silence or just call out their name.

“Shout out loud and clear. Say they’re missing, give a description and repeat, repeat, repeat. Everyone will be on alert, and if someone is trying to take off with your kid, it will decrease the chances of them getting away.”

She said she walked around the store screaming: “I’m missing a little boy, he’s wearing a yellow shirt and has brown hair. He’s two years old and his name is Nathan.”

Fellow shoppers immediately joined in the search, helping to look for the missing boy. Minutes later little Nathan was found and reunited with his mother.

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Offices of Khawaja Asif’s alleged housing colony demolished in Sialkot

SIALKOT: Taking action against alleged housing colony of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmaker Khawaja Asif, the local administration on Sunday demolished its offices in Sialkot, ARY News reported. 

A heavy contingent of police along with the local administration reached the area to demolish the booking offices of the housing colony. On the occasion, the enraged PML-N workers exchanged hot words with the police.

Former Mayor Sialkot, Tauheed Akhtar alleged that they are being politically victimized and added that they were even not allowed to take out Rs63mn in their offices before the demolition.

Last week, district Administration Lahore retrieved 38 kanals of state land allegedly illegally occupied by PML-N’s Khokhar brothers.

Sources had said the administration launched an anti-encroachment operation near Expo Centre and recovered the government land from illegal occupation. The value of the retrieved land is estimated at around Rs1.5 billion.

Read more: NAB expands probe against PML-N’s Saiful Malook Khokhar

The Khokhar brothers had fraudulently encroached upon the land and were served notices prior to the operation, the sources said.

The additional deputy commissioner revenue (ADCR) Lahore and SSP Operations monitored the anti-encroachment operation.

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‘Tackling economic issues need of the hour’

Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar has said that tackling Punjab’s economic challenges as well as other issues faced by the people was the top priority of the incumbent government. For the first time, steps were being taken for the development and strengthening of all sectors in the country, he added. “Parliament and democracy are also being strengthened and the country is emerging to a respectable position in the international community.” He expressed these views while speaking to the delegations of Pakistan Tehreek-e- Insaf (PTI) from different districts at Governor’s House on Saturday. The governor further said, “The opposition’s idea of overthrowing the government has become a nightmare for them. The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has not had as many protests as it had meetings. However, all of these efforts ended in fiasco.” He remarked that the parties in the PDM alliance lack ideology. All parties of PDM have their own interests, he claimed. “They have nothing to do with the problems of the people and the development of the country. They only want to escape from accountability,” he added. The governor said that the opposition has used all the options including protests and threats of resignation but they only met with failure. “The opposition has been left with no option now but to wait for the 2023 general elections.” The governor said that the PTI-led government believes in the rule of law and not to wreak vengeance on political opponents adding that the ruling party did not file any cases against leaders of opposition parties. “Rather these cases were filed against one another by the said parties when they were in power.” He elaborated that regardless of the incumbent government's good performance, the opposition will continue to do the politics of disagreement. Published in The Express Tribune, January 31st, 2021.

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Blatant violation of SOPs observed at bus terminals

The government-laid SOPs for the prevention of the coronavirus are being blatantly ignored at the bus stands in Lahore, posing a grave threat to passengers as well as the general public. It has been noted that passengers are travelling without masks in the public transport while bus stands also lack arrangements for hand sanitisers and hand washing. Commuters are left with no option but to use dirty washrooms and unsanitary waiting areas. Not only that, people also do not observe social distancing while standing in long queues to buy tickets. The provincial transport department has become a silent spectator to the blatant violations of coronavirus SOPs. Citizens without masks are barred from entering the Metro and Orange train lines, but many commuters flout the directives of the transport staff. Even if passengers comply with the SOPs initially, they remove their masks as soon as they are seated in vehicles. Lahore and other major cities of the country face a high prevalence of the coronavirus since safety measures are difficult to implement in the congested areas. The only way to stop the spread of the disease is to follow the SOPs at busy places such as bus stands. According to sources, about 4,500-5,000 buses depart daily to different parts of the provincial capital in which more than 300,000 passengers travel. In pursuance of the SOPs issued by the federal government, Punjab’s transport department had directed all bus stand operators to provide soap and water to passengers. The bus services were also directed to disinfect passengers before taking them on board. It was further advised that travellers will not be permitted to board a bus without a mask and temperature check. Similarly, physical distancing within buses was also initially advised under which passengers were supposed to be seated with a gap of a seat. However, the proposal was later cancelled due to the protest of transporters but the remaining SOPs were supposed to be strictly implemented. Read Transporters say will hike fares if fuel prices go up According to the documents obtained by The Express Tribune, the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) had sealed three bus stands on November 7, 2020, over a gross violation of the SOPs. However, due to the alleged involvement of influential people, the transport department could not close the stands for long and failed to enforce the SOPs. In this regard, RTA Secretary Lahore Ghiasuddin Ahmed shared that the RTA teams are constantly working to implement the measures. He said that fines are imposed for violations and three bus stands were also sealed over continuous violations. “The RTA conducts surprise checks at bus stands and inspects buses. The bus staffers who do not comply with the SOPs are first given a warning and then a fine is imposed upon them,” he said. In this regard, General Secretary of All Pakistan Transport Owners Association Sajjad Hussain Shah said that transporters are fully implementing the SOPs, denying the violation of safety measures. “The bus stops are fully equipped with hand sanitisers, soap and water for passengers. Passengers pass through the disinfection gates and observe social distancing while purchasing tickets.” A passenger named Nadeem said that fellow travellers do not wear masks all the time and do not follow any safety measures. “People should travel only when absolutely necessary these days.” Published in The Express Tribune, January 31st, 2021.

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Decision reserved on Gill’s acquittal plea

An additional district and sessions judge on Saturday reserved decision on an application filed by the Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Shehbaz Gill for acquittal from a defamation case. The judge reserved the decision after both sides completed arguments on the application. The petitioner’s counsel implored the court that a false suit had been filed to humiliate him. However, the lawyer of the plaintiff company contended that Gill’s allegedly false statement had damaged its reputation. The petitioner company Turizm Tasimacilik had stated in the defamation suit that it was a part of Albayrak group of companies which belonged to Turkey. Read ‘It's my job’: Annoyed Shibli stops Gill from speaking to media Since 2012, as a leader company, Albayrak group has been operating in public transport and waste management services in Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Lahore. It contended that Gill, during a TV talk show on September 26, 2020 in his personal capacity made defamatory allegations against the company. It prayed the court that the respondent be tried under sections 499 and 500 of Pakistan Penal Code. Published in The Express Tribune, January 31st, 2021.

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Child rapist awarded death

A court has awarded double death penalty to a man who raped and killed his seven-year-old niece in 2019. Handing down the verdict on Saturday, Additional District and Sessions Judge Masood Akhtar Kiyani also imposed a fine of Rs600,000 on the convict, namely Waliullah Khan. The judge observed that the crime committed by the man was heinous and therefore the convict deserved no mercy. At a previous hearing, the perpetrator had asked for a pardon from his brother Noorullah Khan, the victim’s father. The suspect had apologised to his brother in the courtroom for the crime but the victim’s father had turned down his request. Noorullah had said the apology would not bring his daughter back to life. He had further said that the suspect was indeed his brother but he should be severely punished for the heinous crime so the case could be used as deterrence against such criminals. Earlier this week, the court had reserved its decision on the case. As the verdict was handed down on Saturday, the victim’s family expressed satisfaction. Read Cops lodge FIR of woman’s gang rape at her house Talking to media outside the court, Noorullah said though the convict was his brother, however, he deserved strict punishment. He thanked the court for providing him with justice. The airport police had registered a case against Waliullah on November 22 in 2019 for subjecting his minor niece, Sidra, to rape and brutally killing her by suffocating her with a pillow. The whole country had been shaken to its core following the girl's rape-murder case which had grabbed media attention for weeks. The head of the Human Rights Committee, Masood Al-Hassan Shah, and other lawyers, including Najaf Al Hasnain and Samina Bukhari, fought the case for free. They told The Express Tribune that they strived to bring justice to the oppressed families by counselling all human rights cases for free. Double murder case Meanwhile, three suspects facing a double murder case were sentenced to death and another suspect was jailed for six years by a sessions court on Saturday. The court, however, acquitted three other suspects and set them free due to a lack of evidence against them. Additional Sessions Judge Farkhanda Arshad awarded death sentence to Akseer, Jameel, and Qadeer in the 2014 murder case. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 200,000 on each convict. Another suspect, Muhammad Naseer, was awarded imprisonment extending to six years along with a fine of Rs 30,000. The suspects were charged with killing two people and injuring four in an incident that had taken place in the precincts of Saddar police station in 2014. Published in The Express Tribune, January 31st, 2021.

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Pindi on high alert for test match

The security arrangements for a test match between Pakistan and South Africa scheduled to be played from February 4 till February 8 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium (RCS) have been finalised. The double-road adjoining the RCS will remain blocked during match hours. Important establishments, including the Shehbaz Sharif Sports Complex, the Rawalpindi Arts Council (RAC) and the Allama Iqbal Park, have been sealed off with erection of barricades. Personnel of the army, the paramilitary forces and the police have been deployed at the entry and exit gates of the RCS. The officials said a bomb disposal squad (BDS) would conduct a survey before the start of the practice sessions. Rawalpindi Operations SSP and Rawal Division SP Roy Mazhar Iqbal on Saturday visited the RCS and reviewed the security arrangements. The teams are currently staying at a hotel in Islamabad, he said. He added that the Shamsabad Metro bus station would remain shut during the match hours while the passengers would be dropped at an alternative terminal. Read Thick fog delays trains, air traffic in South Punjab A day ago, the Rawalpindi City Traffic Police issued a traffic plan for the second test match between Pakistan and South Africa and advised citizens to use alternative routes to avoid inconvenience as main roads will remain closed in the coming week. “The CTP will make efforts to regulate traffic in adjacent areas of the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium,” said Senior Traffic Officer (STO) Syed Abid Abbas Shah. He shared that the main double-road would remain closed for all traffic from the beginning to the conclusion of the practice session and the match every day. He urged the commuters to cooperate with the police performing duties during the cricket match. Traffic coming from Rawal Dam towards Rawalpindi will be diverted to the Islamabad Expressway while traffic will be allowed to enter Rawalpindi via Dhoke Kala Khan, Khanna and Korali, he mentioned. Traffic going from Rawalpindi to Islamabad will take a U-turn in front of the Kidney Centre and use the opposite side to enter the capital, he added. Furthermore, traffic moving from IJP Road and 9th Avenue Chowk towards Rawalpindi can take Pindora Chungi, Katarian, Carriage Factory and Pir Wadhai route to enter Rawalpindi instead of the Double Road. Shah added that heavy traffic would be strictly banned in the area around the stadium while the match was being played. The STO further informed that 303 CTP personnel, including seven DSPs, 15 Inspectors, 215 traffic wardens and 65 traffic assistants, under the supervision of the SSP (Traffic), would be deployed to regulate traffic in the city. He added that the CTP officials had been directed to keep an eye on suspicious vehicles, motorcycles and vehicles with tinted glasses along with taking strict action in accordance with the law against vehicles without proper licence plates. Published in The Express Tribune, January 31st, 2021.

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Investigators suspect doctor took own life

Evidence of suicide has come to light during police investigation into the death of a psychologist, Dr Saleem Mohib, who was found dead on Friday. The elder brother of the deceased, senior psychiatrist Dr Azhar, had also allegedly committed suicide after murdering his daughter last week. Dr Mohib Saleem was found burnt to death in his home in Sakhi Sultan Colony. The doors of the house were locked from inside. According the wife of the deceased, Dr Rukhsana, when she came home, the door was locked from inside and when it was opened with the key, Dr Mohib's charred body was found lying in the kitchen. Read Kholu blast: Two minors die in Nishtar Hospital’s burn unit The police investigation revealed that the deceased was alone in the house. The security camera footage showed that no one else was present in the house. An official said it was possible that family problems including coronavirus infliction, brother's suicide and the murder of his niece might have caused the suicide with the victim pouring petrol on himself. According to sources, the body of Dr Mohib Saleem was handed over to the family after an autopsy was carried out under section 174 and the statement of the widow was recorded. Published in The Express Tribune, January 31st, 2021.

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Man slays four women of family

A man reportedly stabbed to death four women of his family on Saturday. The incident in a neighbourhood in the Shahkot city police station precinct shocked local residents. The killer slit the throats of his mother, wife, brother's wife and younger sister with a sharp weapon. He fled from the home after killing the four women. According to the police report, the suspect named Shakeel Akram hailed from Bhakkar district. He was living with his mother, wife, sister and sister-in-law in a rented house in Bismillah Gulshan Colony in Shahkot. He had reportedly deserted from his service in the Frontier Constabulary in Quetta and rented the house in Shahkot. He was living with his family and worked as a security guard at a local textile mills. He reportedly slit the throats of his 55-year-old mother Kaniz Fatima, 25-year-old wife Shabana, his brother Rohail Akram's 28-year-old wife Zunera, and 18-year-old sister Faiza with a sharp tool. The accused also cut the veins of the victims' arms. Read Man who raped, murdered 7-year-old niece sentenced to death As soon as the incident was reported, District Police Officer (DPO) Nankana Ismail Kharak rushed to the spot with a heavy contingent of police. The suspect has three sons aged six, four and two years. The slain Zunera also had a two-year-old daughter. According to local people, Shakeel often used to quarrel with his wife and mother. The suspect was at large till late evening. Police shifted the bodies to the tehsil headquarters hospital for postmortem Officials said investigation into the incident was underway. They said the investigation done so far had revealed that the suspect and a sister of his had been married in the same family in Faisalabad. His sister used to come to her parents' house whenever she had a quarrel at her home and went back after settlement with her in-laws. A few days ago, she came to her brother's house in Shahkot after a quarrel with her husband. Shakeel's father Akram wanted to send his daughter back to the home of her in-laws but he was not in favour of sending back his sister. The differences over the issue resulted in prolonged tension in the house. On Saturday, the father of the suspect asked him again to send his sister back to her home, which resulted in an altercation between them. Shakeel reportedly warned his father against going to drop his daughter at her home. The father ignored his threats and took his sister with him to Faisalabad. Shakeel was enraged over this and he killed the four women of his family after his father and sister left the home. SHO Shahkot City Police Station Tasawur Munir said action was being taken to arrest the suspect. Incidents of murder involving family were not uncommon in the province. On January 22, a renowned psychiatrist of Multan killed his daughter over a domestic dispute and later on ended his life with the same weapon at his residence in Justice Hameed Colony. As per initial investigation, the victim Dr Aliza was shot in the neck by her father and was rushed to the hospital by her mother Bushra. However, the victim passed away before she could avail medical treatment. The family claimed that the accused Dr Azhar was suffering from heightened stress. The 66-year-old psychiatrist had retired from Nishtar hospital nearly six years ago as the professor of psychiatry. Later on, he continued to practice psychiatry from his residence in Multan. The children of Dr Aliza were inside the house when the incident occurred. The deceased was a mother of one son and two daughters between the ages of one to five years. Published in The Express Tribune, January 31st, 2021.

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Transporters say will hike fares if fuel prices go up

The transporters of Rawalpindi on Saturday announced hiking fares in case of an increase in petroleum prices. All transporters of Rawalpindi have maintained that if the government raised petrol and diesel prices again on January 31 (today), they would increase bus and wagon fares on all routes with immediate effect from February 1. The transporters have also warned that if the government and the police resorted to action against them, they would hold a wheel-jam strike. Read 'Peace rally' reaches Gwadar Transporters Union leaders, including Muhammad Asif Khan, Tariq Khan and Malik Mustafa, while talking to The Express Tribune said the price of petroleum products had been on the rise for the last eight months. The fuel prices were raised by Rs2.5 at the start of January and are now expected to rise again by Rs2 to Rs4. They said that with such constant increment, they could not run busses on old fares. Owing to this, the transporters have unanimously decided to increase the fares. Published in The Express Tribune, January 31st, 2021.

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Police detain motorcycle lifters

Police arrested two motorcycle lifters and recovered stolen motorcycles, cash and weapons from their possession on Saturday. In line with directives of City Police Officer (CPO) Mehboob Rasheed Mian, Bahauddin Zakaria police launched a crackdown against criminals. The police arrested two wanted motorcycle lifters Kazam and Azraf. The police also recovered four stolen motorcycles, Rs50,000 and illegal weapons from their possession. The arrested men confessed to five cases of motorcycle. However, further investigations were underway and more recoveries were expected from them, police sources added. Published in The Express Tribune, January 31st, 2021.

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Farmers advised to water crops on time

Farmers have been advised to water their wheat crops on time for healthy grains. A spokesman for the agriculture department said that in most of the wheat growing areas, the growers do not care for timely watering of the crops, which affects the quality as well as quantity of grains. He advised, “The growers should water their wheat crops after 20-25 days of cultivation, whereas second watering should be carried out after 70-80 days. The third watering should be done 110-115 days after sowing so that grains of the wheat can become fully developed and produce maximum yield,” he added. Published in The Express Tribune, January 31st, 2021.

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Fake registration, misuse of vehicles unearthed

In August 2017, a day prior to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s rally against his disqualification, a blast in truck blast on Outfall Road left at least 46 people injured. Sharif’s rally was supposed to pass through said road. When the investigations into the incident were launched, serious negligence on part of police as well mega scandal worth billions of rupees had surfaced. It came forth that the suspicious truck out of which a foul smell had been emanating was parked for a few days. Nearby people had filed a complaint against the truck before Lower Mall police. However, the police had typically decided not to take any action. The other revelation was that the truck was registered against a fake number. When the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) dig into the matter, a mega scandal of forged and fake auction of thousands of such vehicles was revealed. Investigations by Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) claimed that there were at least 4,000 vehicles were registered on fake documents into the excise department. It had caused at least Rs300 billion loss to the national exchequer. This misuse of vehicles was just one example of scam involving vehicles and government department. A few months ago, Lahore National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had come under spotlight for its officers using the luxurious vehicles, seized as case properties, into personal use. There was another department, the police, which had a huge collection of vehicles seized in its establishments that were undocumented. A section of law allowed police to seize the vehicles when the driver could not present documents against it. Such seized vehicles were returned to the owner on the court orders after showing of the required documents. Police over the years had seized thousands of such vehicles. There was a large number of such vehicles that had been standing in police station premises without any ownership claims. A citizen on a cursory visit to any police station throughout the province could spot these vehicles parked in the open. An overwhelming majority of such vehicles were in a very dilapidated condition. No database of such vehicles was available in the police department. Such vehicles were recorded manually in a ‘roznamcha’, registered in every police station across Punjab. If a person wanted to know about a vehicle that had been impounded a decade earlier, it may become an uphill task as the said individual would have to go through a large number of registers. Due to non-computerisation of such vehicles, no one knew about the exact number of such vehicles. However, the vehicles were reportedly in thousands. There were over 700 police stations across Punjab while, on average, at least 20 such vehicles were impounded in one police station annually. And the count of a decade of such impounded vehicles could possibly go up over 100,000. As in case of NAB officers using seized luxury vehicles, the issue of the use of unclaimed vehicles by police officers had also surfaced. There were also few reports that few constables would use motorcycles for patrolling after removing the number plates of such vehicles especially in peripheries. The use of such unclaimed, unverified and undocumented vehicles in criminal activities, in connivance of certain policemen, could also not be ruled out. Sources added that there were reports of selling of spare parts as well as accessories of such vehicles. What lies beneath will come up after a thorough investigation into this matter. It was a good decision that Punjab IGP Inam Ghani had asked for searching of the owner of the vehicles and also matching these with FIRs. He also asked to conduct auctions. The need of the hour was to take the matter towards its solution and not just leave it unattended like so many other orders on various issues by successive IGPs. Published in The Express Tribune, January 31st, 2021.

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15-day anti-typhoid drive starts tomorrow

A 15-day typhoid vaccination drive will commence tomorrow across 12 districts of Punjab. During the first phase, 10 million children from the age of nine months to 15 years would be vaccinated in 12 districts while the second phase will begin in the month of May to vaccinate 19.3 million children in urban areas of 24 other districts. A seminar in this connection was held at local hotel titled 'Role & Responsibilities of media in Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine (TCV) drive’ on Saturday. South Punjab Health Secretary Muhammad Ajmal Bhatti said that the Typhoid vaccination drive was being launched at four districts of South Punjab including Multan, Layyah, Rajanpur and DG Khan. The drive was being launched at 65 urban Union Councils of the district in collaboration with UNICEF and WHO. The health secretary further said that 643 teams were constituted to make the drive successful in the district. Out of 643 teams, 82 teams will be deputed at fixed points while 561 teams will perform duties as outreach. Published in The Express Tribune, January 31st, 2021.

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PAF aircraft departs for Beijing to airlift first tranche of Covid-19 vaccine

ISLAMABAD: A special aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) departed for Beijing on Sunday to bring the first batch of a China-made Covid-19 vaccine to Pakistan.

According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), all arrangements for storage, transportation and administration of the vaccine have been finalised.

Also Read: Pakistan to begin COVID-19 vaccination drive next week: Asad Umar

It said all measures for vaccine distribution across Sindh and Balochistan provinces have also been finalised.

The NCOC said a special vaccination centre has been set up in Islamabad while such centres in all provinces at a district-level are yet to be established.

Also Read: China to gift 0.5mn doses of Sinopharm vaccine to Pakistan by Jan 31: FM Qureshi

China had promised to gift 500,000 doses of a coronavirus vaccine to Pakistan by January 31.

A day earlier, Federal Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar said that Pakistan will likely get 17 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine by March.

Turning to social media via his official Twitter handle, the federal minister announced, “Good news on covid vaccine front.” He added that Pakistan received a response letter from Covax which indicated “supply of up to 17 million doses of AstraZeneca in 1st half 2021”.

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PS-43 by-polls: PPP candidate tests coronavirus positive

SANGHAR: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) candidate contesting by-elections on PS-43 Sanghar-III, Jam Shabir Ali Khan has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, ARY News reported. 

Shabir Ali Khan underwent coronavirus diagnosis at the Jamshoro Laboratory, which was positive. He has quarantined himself at his house after testing COVID-19 positive.

It is to be noted that Shabbir Ali Khan to contest by-polls on PS-43 Sanghar – III against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) candidate Mushtaque Junejo along with 15 other candidates on February 16.

Read more: Coronavirus kills 34 more as another 1,599 test positive in Pakistan

The seat was vacant due to the demise of PPP MPA, Jam Madad Ali.

There are 157,210 registered voters including 88,034 males and 69,196 females in the constituency. 132 polling stations would be set up in which 34 are for women and 34 for the men while 64 polling stations would be collective.

A foolproof security plan has been devised under which 1601 police personnel including 98 women cops would perform security duties while assistance of Sindh Rangers would also be available.

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