Northern areas attract thousands on Eid vacations

Packed with the baggage of cooked food, fruits and tents for camping at the picturesque Thandyani, Qaiser Khan and his family rejoiced after visiting their dream tourist resort during the Eidul Fitr holidays. They enjoyed snow games, mountaineering and trekking amid rainy weather conditions. An ex-Wapda employee, Qaisar and his sons Zershan and Ehtisham, enjoyed national and cultural songs such as "Sohni Dharti" and "Monga da Khyber Zalmi" on their music system. They were also busy fixing and hammering bolts on tents in a suitable location in Thandyani. The family was looking forward to enjoying the rainy weather on the weekend without any cost. Amid disappearing sun behind clouds hovering over Thandyani hills amid blossom of seasonal flowers, Qaiser's wife who belonged to Wapda Town Nowshera, was seen preparing green tea on a gas stove after warming up the Peshawar's famous Chappli Kabab, Paye and Polao (rice dish) they brought along and making it ready on 'Dastarkhwan' to serve her family members on Saturday. "Galiyat is my favourite tourist place. I planned Galiyat's tour a few years ago but postponed it due to travel restrictions owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and today dream of my family to see its mesmerising natural beauty with soothing environment came true," said Qaiser. Wearing traditional Peshawari Chappal, the 59-year-old tourist said that he had brought tents and other stuff along as the hotel room and food cost is very high for a common man at Galiyat. "The rent of a normal two-bedroom per night in Thandyani and Nathiyagali is approximately Rs10,000 to Rs12,000 which was beyond the capacity of the middle class", he added. Like Qaiser Khan, thousands of families and tourists arrived at northern Khyber Pakthunkhwa especially Malakand and Hazara divisions including Galiyat and Thandyani to explore its waterfalls, gushing rivers and lakes of Saiful Malook, Ansoo, Dudipath and Mahoodhand and colonial era tracks besides enjoying the expensive trout fish and water boating in River Kunhar at Kaghan and Khanpur dam at Haripur. "Despite torrential rains in K-P and Punjab, the response of tourists, adventurers and sportsmen in Malakand and Hazara during the Eid holidays was impressive," Saad Khan, said the spokesman for the Cultural and Tourism Authority.\ He said that Galiyat, Thandyani and Nathiagali, Kaghan and Naran including Saiful Malook and Ansoo lakes in Manshera district were the most visited destinations during the Eid holidays. Four Integrated Tourism Zones (ITZ) would be developed at Mankiyal Swat, Thandyani Abbottabad, Ganol Manshera and Madaklasht Lower Chitral, Khan said, adding these ITZs would be constructed with a loan grant of $70 million from the World Bank. He further said that the ITZs of Thandyani and Mankiyal would be connected with Swat and Hazara motorways through link roads that would open up entire Malakand and Hazara for tourists and make Pakistan a hub of international tourism. Published in The Express Tribune, April 14th, 2024.

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Lightning strikes kill 25 people in Punjab, Balochistan

Lightning strikes accompanied by heavy rains on Saturday claimed the lives of at least 25 people in Punjab and Balochistan provinces, Express News reported. In Punjab alone, 17 people succumbed to the deadly strikes, as confirmed by a spokesperson for the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). Lightning struck multiple areas including Muzaffargarh, Rahimyar Khan, Rajanpur, Lodhran, Bahawalpur, and Bahawalnagar. Heart-wrenching accounts emerged from the Faqeer Wali area near Haroonabad, where a father and his two sons lost their lives, while the mother and another son sustained injuries. Rescue 1122 confirmed nine fatalities in Faqeer Wali, with reports of further casualties in Bahawalpur and Lodhran. Read: Rain, thunderstorm expected in Karachi on April 13 and 14 In another tragic incident, a family consisting of a husband, wife, and their two children perished in Rahim Yar Khan city. In Balochistan, eight individuals fell victim to the strikes following torrential rainfall. Reports indicate two fatalities each from Surab and Chaman districts, with additional casualties reported from Qilla Abdullah, Dera Bugti, Muslim Bagh, and Pishin. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended his condolences to the families affected by the lightning events in both provinces. He called upon the PDMA and relevant authorities to extend every possible support to the bereaved families. Read: El Niño-induced weather to grip country in April Following the tragedy, Irfan Ali Kathia, Director General of PDMA, reached out to the deputy commissioners of the affected districts, urging prompt and effective medical aid for the victims. Kathia also pledged financial assistance to the bereaved families affected by the natural disaster. He also expressed regret over the loss of lives and underscored the importance of collaborative efforts in mitigating natural disasters. He emphasised the need for heightened public awareness and adherence to safety measures during adverse weather conditions. The tragic events unfolded against the backdrop of warnings issued by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecasting thunderstorms and rain across the country. The PMD's Early Warning Centre had forewarned about consecutive western disturbances, lasting until April 15.

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Lightning strikes kill 25 people in Punjab, Balochistan

Lightning strikes accompanied by heavy rains on Saturday claimed the lives of at least 25 people in Punjab and Balochistan provinces, Express News reported. In Punjab alone, 17 people succumbed to the deadly strikes, as confirmed by a spokesperson for the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). Lightning struck multiple areas including Muzaffargarh, Rahimyar Khan, Rajanpur, Lodhran, Bahawalpur, and Bahawalnagar. Heart-wrenching accounts emerged from the Faqeer Wali area near Haroonabad, where a father and his two sons lost their lives, while the mother and another son sustained injuries. Rescue 1122 confirmed nine fatalities in Faqeer Wali, with reports of further casualties in Bahawalpur and Lodhran. Read: Rain, thunderstorm expected in Karachi on April 13 and 14 In another tragic incident, a family consisting of a husband, wife, and their two children perished in Rahim Yar Khan city. In Balochistan, eight individuals fell victim to the strikes following torrential rainfall. Reports indicate two fatalities each from Surab and Chaman districts, with additional casualties reported from Qilla Abdullah, Dera Bugti, Muslim Bagh, and Pishin. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended his condolences to the families affected by the lightning events in both provinces. He called upon the PDMA and relevant authorities to extend every possible support to the bereaved families. Read: El Niño-induced weather to grip country in April Following the tragedy, Irfan Ali Kathia, Director General of PDMA, reached out to the deputy commissioners of the affected districts, urging prompt and effective medical aid for the victims. Kathia also pledged financial assistance to the bereaved families affected by the natural disaster. He also expressed regret over the loss of lives and underscored the importance of collaborative efforts in mitigating natural disasters. He emphasised the need for heightened public awareness and adherence to safety measures during adverse weather conditions. The tragic events unfolded against the backdrop of warnings issued by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecasting thunderstorms and rain across the country. The PMD's Early Warning Centre had forewarned about consecutive western disturbances, lasting until April 15.

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Ojhri Camp tragedy still haunts residents

More than three decades have passed, yet the Ojhri Camp tragedy continues to haunt the residents of Rawalpindi. Those who were maimed for life still reside in the city and make a living for their families. One such victim is Muhammad Siddique, who runs a crockery shop on Murree Road. “I vividly recall the moment I was on Zafarul Haq Road when a missile struck nearby, leaving me maimed for life. I lost my both legs in the incident,” Siddique tells The Express Tribune. Despite the government’s promise of aid and support, he found himself alone dealing with the challenges of disability. Read also: Ojhri Camp lives on in memories Today, Siddique perseveres, running his crockery shop with determination, his disabled legs are a constant reminder of the tragedy that reshaped his life. On April 10, 1988, the Ojhri Camp disaster started with a low-density explosion followed by a huge one, after which all sorts of missiles and rockets started raining down in all directions. It was a mini apocalypse for the residents of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The day is remembered as a day of mass mourning. The devastating effects are still fresh in the minds of people even after 36 years. All the people, children and women, ran barefoot to save their lives. About, 112 people died, 1,200 suffered injuries and 450 were maimed for life. Several young girls who had run from their schools, colleges and homes to save their lives were not found. Nobody knew where they disappeared. In this tragedy, former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s father, Member of National Assembly Muhammad Khaqan Abbasi, lost his life due to a missile explosion in Islamabad. On the day of the tragedy, then-President General Muhammad Ziaul Haque was on a visit to Kuwait. He immediately returned home. The then Prime Minister Muhammad Khan Junejo also visited Rawalpindi hospitals. The tragedy was so terrible that the first missile exploded at exactly 10am with a loud bang that shook the residents to their core. After that, the endless rain of missiles started. Missiles continued to explode for an hour and 20 minutes, which flew and fell with explosions in an area of 10 kilometres around the Ojhri Camp. These missiles would cause a loud bang wherever they fell. The house, shop or plaza there would collapse and catch fire. Deaths also continued due to fire incidents. Read: My grandmother: The unwanted martyr Panic spread among the people that an enemy country (India) had attacked. At that time, the Soviet-USA war was also at its peak in Afghanistan. There were clouds of fear everywhere. The entire city was engulfed by the thunder of missiles and clouds of smoke. For an hour and a half, the state and government television were unable to explain what was happening. There was so much fear that for two hours, the police and institutions could not start any rescue operation in the city. Due to these blasts, houses and shops were destroyed in a five-kilometre area around the Ojhri Camp. It was a great national tragedy, in which a three-day national mourning was also observed. The flag flew at half-mast for three days, but despite the loss of so many precious lives and public property and three inquiries, the people of Rawalpindi and Pakistan could not know how the missiles exploded in the Ojhri Camp in the middle of the city. How many missiles were stored and how many exploded? Why was this stocked in the middle of the city? Who is responsible for this? If anyone was held responsible in the inquiry, who was it? What action was taken against the person responsible? How many people and officers of the government organisation were martyred in this tragedy? Unfortunately, these questions remain unanswered. Published in The Express Tribune, April 13th, 2024.

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Parliament to have say in ministerial appointments

The Senate has conveyed to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the global body representing national parliaments, that Pakistan's legislative assembly will exercise authority in the appointment of ministers and cabinet members in the forthcoming periods, it emerged on Friday. According to a report submitted to the IPU, the upper house of the parliament has underscored its commitment to bolstering the Senate's role in matters concerning the Money Bill (budget). Furthermore, it has assured the IPU of efforts to align Pakistan's domestic legal framework with international human rights standards. In addition, the Senate has apprised the global forum that it will introduce a constitutional or legal provision related to conflicts of interest, which would require lawmakers to declare sponsored travel and accommodation. Moreover, it vowed to regulate the practice of lobbying by individuals or groups, each with varying and specific interests, which attempt to influence decisions taken at the legislative level. The details emerged after the Senate identified at least 14 opportunities to strengthen parliament and submitted the report to the IPU. Currently, the National Assembly’s website states that members of the cabinet are appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister, saying in the formation of the cabinet the major portion (75%), goes to the National Assembly while the rest (25%) are taken from the Senate. It further added that the National Assembly has an edge over the Senate by legislating exclusively on money matters. With exception to money bills, however, both houses work together to carry out the basic work of the Parliament, i.e. law-making. The other goals include: establishing a parliamentary budget office; establishing a bureau as the collective governing body of parliament, with representation from both houses; establishing legal provisions relating to equal physical and online access to the parliamentary building, its processes and proceedings, for all citizens, regardless of disability or other special needs. Read also: Historic trifecta as Gilani wins Senate chair Furthermore, the Senate aims at developing an impact assessment manual, guide or similar document that establishes procedures and criteria for assessing the impacts that a proposal for a law, a programme or a policy might have on different groups, and potentially entrusting such assessments to a dedicated body. It also eyes on devising policies and/or plans on gender mainstreaming and considering the gender lens when formulating parliamentary policies; holding workshops or dialogue sessions for senators and secretariat staff on bringing gender-responsive budgeting into the mainstream; and periodically assessing gender balance in the secretariat to ensure the effectiveness of related policies, particularly at senior levels Moreover, the targets included amending the Senate’s rules of procedure to enable senators and secretariat staff to care for young children during the conduct of legislative business and introducing online voting and video-conferencing facilities to help senators and staff with caring responsibilities to exercise their duties. Lastly, it wishes to introduce childcare facilities for Senators and Secretariat staff. In response, the IPU has acknowledged that Pakistan’s Senate self-tested the democratic credentials of the upper house of the parliament, saying it generated 14 recommendations for itself to become more effective. The global body said that development of the self-assessment toolkit began in 2019, with the IPU partnering with a host of parliamentary organisations and other important stakeholders. It said that participating in a focus group to discuss an early version, a staff member of the Parliament of Pakistan saw the potential for his country and proposed a self-assessment. The idea rapidly gained political support in the Senate, it noted. The self-assessment is based on 25 Indicators, each one with several criteria. The indicators are grouped into seven targets, matching the language used in targets 16.6 and 16.7 of the UN’s sustainable development goals. Target 16.6 asks to develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels while target 16.7 says to ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels. Read: Senate unveils annual parliamentary year report 2023-24 The Senate put together a steering committee of three senators, who worked closely with the Senate’s Secretary General and with support from the Senate secretariat, including its parliamentary digital development unit (PDU). With limited time and competing priorities, the IPU noted, setting aside time to complete the work was a struggle for senators and parliamentary staff. Meanwhile, it said, the requirement to find evidence for almost 500 criteria made the task even more complex and challenging. But three months after the initial decision to self-test, the process was complete. Comments and feedback had been incorporated into a single document – including the evidence, grades and recommendations for change – and submitted to the Senate chairman for approval. Some Senators said that the true significance of the assessment had revealed itself throughout the process, which included a thorough review of administrative capacities, accessibility standards and the working environment, as well as of the openness, inclusivity and transparency of parliamentary operations. The Parliament discovered that it was able to call upon its own parliamentary staff and take ownership of the assessment, making it a more strategic document that responded to its needs. The statement said that democracy is not an easy concept to measure, but when the IPU and partners produced the Indicators for Democratic Parliaments, several parliaments tested out this self-assessment toolkit, including Pakistan’s upper house, the Senate. “Since independence in 1947,” it noted, “Pakistan’s democratic credentials have often been under pressure.” Despite multiple efforts to establish democratic systems, the consolidation of democratic norms and practices has been a challenge. By assessing its own strengths and weaknesses, the Pakistani Senate generated 14 recommendations for itself to become more effective. In conclusion, it said that the IPU, in matters of democracy and parliamentary strengthening, does not dictate but rather facilitates so that parliaments drive the process, therefore fostering a sense of ownership and legitimacy. Pakistan is a case in point.

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Pakistan among countries named 'dangerous' for UK tourists

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has recently updated its list of destinations considered 'too dangerous' for UK tourists. Pakistan has been included in this revised list, indicating concerns about safety and security for travellers in certain regions of the country, the British media reported. This year's update includes eight new additions, raising the tally of 'no-go' countries and regions for Britons to 24 in total. The primary objective of this comprehensive travel advice is to safeguard UK citizens' well-being during their journeys abroad. The FCDO's guidance spans a spectrum of potential hazards, encompassing issues such as crime rates, armed conflicts, terrorism threats, health risks including disease outbreaks, adverse weather conditions, natural calamities, and other factors that may jeopardise visitors’ safety. The latest advisory from the FCDO strongly recommends UK citizens to steer clear of 24 specific countries or regions due to significant ongoing conflicts that could pose substantial risks to travellers. Notable newcomers to the list this year include Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Sudan, Lebanon, Israel, Belarus, and the Palestinian territories. These destinations are currently involved in significant conflicts that could pose a serious risk to visitors. Read also: US travel advisory urges caution during Pak polls The blacklist now encompasses Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Haiti, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Niger, North Korea, Somalia, Somaliland, South Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen. The current blacklist features a diverse range of nations, each grappling with complex challenges that render them unsafe for tourists. The listed countries and regions encompass a considerable portion of the world's landmass, highlighting the extent of areas marred by instability and insecurity. Alongside the 'no-go' list, the FCDO also maintains a red list of destinations where travel is advised against "unless absolutely essential". The listed countries and regions include all or parts of Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo, Laos, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mexico, Moldova, Mozambique, Myanmar (Burma), Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkiye, Uzbekistan and Western Sahara.

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At least 25 perish in Punjab road mishaps over two Eid days

At least 25 people lost their lives and over 2,500 injuries were reported in road mishaps across Punjab over two days of Eidul Fitr. Rescue 1122 reported that at least 4,500 road accidents occurred in the province. The rescue service added that the majority of crashes involving cars and passenger wagons took place in the districts of Faisalabad and Multan. Among the victims, 4,100 were men and 1,203 were women. Additionally, thousands of bike accidents were also reported across various districts. Expressing grave concern over the high toll, Rescue 1122 Director General (DG) Dr Rizwan Naseer lamented the loss of precious lives and noted that approximately 2,500 individuals sustained injuries. Dr Naseer urged citizens to prioritize adherence to traffic regulations and safety protocols while embarking on their travels. Read 72% road crashes involve motorbikes Lahore reported the highest number of accidents at 770, resulting in 2,545 individuals being rushed to hospitals with injuries, while 2,733 received first aid. Other major cities like Faisalabad, Multan, and Gujranwala also reported accidents, with 288, 256, and 245 accidents respectively. On April 2, Emergency Services Department (ESD)'s Dr. Naseer raised alarm over the escalating number of road traffic accidents, particularly those involving motorcycles, which accounted for 80% of the crashes. The dire warning came in the wake of shocking statistics revealing that 282 individuals lost their lives in 37,634 road traffic accidents reported in Punjab during March.

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