Lahore records 385 dengue cases

Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Secretary Imran Sikandar Baloch said on Sunday that 552 confirmed cases of dengue fever were reported across the province in the past 24 hours, of which 385 were recorded in Lahore. He said in a statement that 70 dengue patients were reported from Rawalpindi, 10 each from Faisalabad and Multan, eight from Gujranwala, seven each from Sheikhupura and Nankana Sahib, six each from Bahawalpur and Sargodha, five from Muzaffargarh and four each from Layyah and Okara. So far this year, 45 deaths due to dengue fever have been reported from all over Punjab, he said. Read More: 172 new dengue cases surface in twin cities Imran Baloch said that two deaths due to dengue fever were reported in the province during the past 24 hours. Both the deceased were from Lahore. He said 14,110 confirmed cases of dengue have been reported from across the province so far, including 10,506 in Lahore. A total of 2,488 patients are undergoing treatment across Punjab, out of which 1,633 patients are in Lahore hospitals, while 855 are under treatment in other districts. In last 24 hours, 391,313 indoor and 87,096 outdoor locations were inspected across Punjab and dengue larvae were eliminated from 1,439 spots. In Lahore, 62,381 indoor places and 11,716 outdoor locations were checked for dengue larvae and 1,015 spots were cleared.   Published in The Express Tribune, November 1st, 2021.

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Sher Shah Suri-era step well to be restored in Mianwali

Work on restoration of a Sher Shah Suri-era ‘Baoli’ (step well) Wan Bhachran in Mianwali is in progress with hopes to provide recreation opportunities to local people and promote tourism in the region. The well was built by the known ruler of the subcontinent, Sher Shah Suri, in the 16th Century. He built similar structures on every route that his army followed. The Baoli was the source of freshwater not only for humans but also animals. It was built in a way that animals as big as elephants could go down to drink water directly from the well. People started settling in the area due to the availability of freshwater, said Sub Divisional Officer (SDO) for Archaeology Ghulam Muhammad on Sunday. The diameter of the well is 20 feet and the stairs go down 210 feet, the official said. He said local people used to throw trash in the well and damaged the beauty of the historic site. Now, the government is spending Rs10 million on restoration of the well to its original form. The official expressed hope that the unique step well would boost tourism in the region. He said the word Wan means well in the Punjabi language, whereas Bhachran refers to the Bhachar clan that inhabits the locality. Ghulam Muhammad said Sher Shah Suri was the founder of the Sur Empire in the northern part of the subcontinent, with Delhi as its capital. Among many of his achievements, the construction of Grand Trunk Road from Kabul to West Bengal, introducing civic and military reforms, issuance of the first ‘Rupiya’ coin and a speedy postal system in the subcontinent were a few. Apart from being a military strategist, the ruler had been gifted with excellent urban and civic capabilities demonstrated in a short tenure of his reign spanning five years (1540-45) over united India. The facilities along the GT Road for travellers speak volumes about his farsightedness and futuristic vision.   Published in The Express Tribune, November 1st, 2021.

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Two held over assault on boy

Two persons were arrested on suspicion of molesting and torturing a minor boy while an eight-year-old girl thwarted an attempted assault by making noise. Police obtained remand of the suspects in the assault on the boy after registering a case against them. The police said the minor boy was tortured over resisting the attempted rape by the suspects Qamar Abbas and Ibad Ali. The police arrested the suspects and registered a case under Section 377 of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). Meanwhile, an eight-year-old girl escaped a rape attempt by raising alarm. Reportedly, the minor was forcibly taken to crop fields by three suspects, including Ali Hassan. The suspect tried to rape her but she thwarted the attempt by making noise.   Published in The Express Tribune, November 1st, 2021.

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Jilted lover takes own, girl’s lives

A young man committed suicide after murdering a girl who had rejected his marriage proposal. According to the police, Muhammad Aslam, son of Raza Shah, a resident of Haveli Shah Din Shah, Tandlianwala, filed a report that Aashiq, son of Aman Ali Shah, a resident of Abadi Ghobe Shah, had murdered his daughter. The complainant, who is a farmer, stated that Ashiq wanted to marry his daughter. “Yesterday my daughter went out into crop fields for some chore when he approached her and insisted that she accept his proposal. On my daughter's refusal, he kidnapped her at gunpoint and took her to a house where he tried to persuade her to marry him,” he stated. He informed the police that on the girl’s refusal, Ashiq fatally shot her in the head. The youth then committed suicide by shooting himself. Police rushed to the spot, took the bodies into custody. The bodies were handed over to their heirs after postmortem. Police registered a case against the deceased Ashiq under Sections 302 and 365 of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). In another incident, a young man was killed and two others, including a passer-by, injured in an armed attack. Police said Khalid, Imdad Hussain alias Pappu and Nisar Ahmed, among others, opened fire on Basharat Ali and his brother Reyasat Ali with whom they earlier had a quarrel in Chak No. 25GB area of Jaranwala Saddar. The two brothers and a passer-by, Abrar, were injured in the firing. They were shifted to Civil Hospital Jaranwala after first aid, where Reyasat Ali succumbed to his injuries. After postmortem, the body was handed over to the heirs by Jaranwala Saddar police. Police officials said Khalid's son Zain Ali had quarrelled with Abdul Jabbar, nephew of the slain Reyasat, and the suspects had opened fire at the victims in retaliation. Police registered cases against the suspects nominated by the complainant and carried out raids to arrest them. Murders and suicides over failure in love are rampant in Punjab. In March a middle-aged man committed suicide after killing his cousin, a student of BA, for refusing to marry him in March this year. Police said 40-year-old Ishaq Muhammad, a resident of Pindi Bhattian, had been visiting his relative Abbas’s house for seven months. During this time, the suspect developed a relationship with Abbas’s 24-year-old daughter, a BA student. He persuaded her to marry him. While, the victim’s family arranged her wedding in a nearby village of Mitranwali on March 27. On Friday afternoon, Ishaq Muhammad came to his cousin Mudassira Bibi’s house with a gun. He asked her to elope with him, but she refused. In a fit of rage, the suspect shot the girl and later committed suicide with the same gun. DSP Nishatabad Fayyaz Ehsan, SHO Sahiyanwala Sub-Inspector Asif Nadeem Butt rushed to the spot. They took possession of both the bodies and shifted them to the hospital for postmortem. Police said the suspect was already married and he has divorced his wife. Any legal action will be taken on the complaint. This is not the first incident of murder and suicides in the region over marriage disputes. Earlier on July 12, 2020, last year, a man shot dead his two nieces over a marriage dispute on Saturday. Tandlianwala city police took both the bodies into their custody, shifted them to a hospital for postmortem and started the search for the escaped murderer. Read Two accused of knifing designer granted bail The suspect Allah Rakha, a resident of 240 Mor, Jaranwala, reportedly wanted to marry off his sons to his brother Allah Ditta’s daughters Sidra and Rani Bibi. Allah Ditta did not agree with his brother’s decision. Due to this resentment, Allah Rakha came to his brother’s house and opened fire on his daughters. As a result, the girls died on the spot.Separately, on May 10, 2019, a 16-year-old girl was set on fire after her family rejected a marriage proposal in Muzaffargarh. Police said Misbah, a resident of Basti Miani, was sleeping at her house when the suspect named Yousuf along with his unidentified accomplice entered the house around midnight and sprinkled patrol over the girl sleeping inside a room. After that both, the suspects set the girl on fire and ran away. The victim’s mother said she woke up when she heard her daughter screaming in pain. She told Police that Yousuf sent his proposal for Misbah but the family rejected his proposal.   Published in The Express Tribune, November 1st, 2021.

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PDM should shun negative politics: Buzdar

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has said the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) should shun negative politics for the greater national interest in such a crucial time. Criticising, the PDM, the chief minister said it was not a time for political point-scoring but to exhibit unity and solidarity in our ranks. Buzdar said opposition parties should act responsibly in the wake of current circumstances. “Watching the interest of Pakistan is our topmost priority and will remain the same always,” he remarked. He regretted that opposition parties were trying to political point-scoring even in this present scenario. “The rallies and protests cannot take the country ahead on the road to progress and prosperity adding that there is no room politics of Chaos and political parties should give priority to the national interest. The negative approach of opposition parties are against the national interest,” he concluded. Buzdar has said resolving the issue amicably and with mutual understanding is a good omen. “Everyone has exhibited farsightedness and wisdom for the sake of Pakistan. Islam also teaches us to resolve our disputes amicably.” He said wisely resolving this issue is a victory for Pakistan. He voiced hope that the situation will improve. “Violence or protests lead to deterioration in society,” the chief minister said. Meanwhile, on the Special instructions of Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, the drive of inoculating coronavirus vaccine to the citizens at their doorstep is being carried out successfully. The chief minister said that one million people are being vaccinated daily, adding that 18,000 teams have been constituted for this purpose. He appealed to the citizens to get benefits from this campaign and protect themselves and their loved ones from coronavirus by getting vaccinated.   Published in The Express Tribune, November 1st, 2021.

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Infection rate falls to 1.52 as 11 die of Covid

The national Covid tally on Sunday recorded a decline with one of the lowest positivity ratios in the past 24 hours at 1.52 per cent while 11 patients died, including those under treatment in hospitals and their respective quarantines. The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) shared the latest statistics in a tweet. The nerve centre also wrote that some 48,192 tests were conducted across the country with 733 more people testing positive for the deadly virus. Read More Low mortality lessens Covid pressure There were 1,402 infected patients under treatment in critical condition in various Covid-dedicated healthcare facilities of the country. The Covid positivity ratio is the percentage of positive cases appearing in every 100 tests performed to identify infected individuals.

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Sikhs in London vote for independent Khalistan

The ‘Punjab Independence Referendum’ organized by the Punjab Referendum Commission (PRC) to gauge support for Khalistan was underway at the Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre, Westminster on Sunday, as throngs of British Sikhs lined up to have their voices heard. The PRC which has been appointed by the US-based Khalistani separatist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), had announced to hold the non-binding referendum earlier this month. The Commission consisting of “non-aligned direct democracy experts” are assigned with organizing and holding the referendum on whether Punjab should be independent. The referendum which started on Sunday in London will also take place in other countries, including the US, Canada, Australia, and the region of Punjab, the commission stated. PRC chairman M Dane Waters, a political strategist, writer and direct democracy advocate clarified that the commission’s role is to “help the SFJ conduct a referendum that is as consistent with international norms as possible”. He added that although Sunday’s referendum is a non-governmental and non-binding one, ‘the result will be used as the basis for the Sikh community to request an official binding vote from the United Nations on establishing the Indian governed region of Punjab as an independent homeland for the indigenous people of whom Sikhs are the single largest group’. Read More: The Sikh factor and siege of Delhi The Indian government was already irked by the date chosen for the London referendum, as on October 31, 1984 anti-Sikh riots had erupted all over India following Indira Gandhi’s assassination by his bodyguards leaving 3,000 to 17,000 Sikhs dead. The Indian government had fought zealously to forestall the intended referendum exercise and sent a dossier to the British government alleging Pakistan and Paramjit Singh Pamma, “an ordinary criminal”, for sponsoring the event. The UK government had rejected the request. SFJ had promised assistance to Sikhs seeking visas to come to London to attend the rally and the following referendum. The organisation has reportedly booked rooms for participants travelling from outside the UK. Caroline Lucas, from the Green Party of England and Wales and George Galloway, a former member of parliament and broadcaster have registered their support for the cause. In an interview given on an earlier occasion, Lucas had said that Sikh people have a right to determine for themselves whether they want to establish an independent Punjabi state.

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