پاکستان پرکشش مقامات

 

پاکستان متنوع مناظر اور ثقافتی ورثے سے مالا مال ملک ہے۔

تاریخی مقامات لاہور:

لاہور، پاکستان کا ثقافتی دارالحکومت، اپنے تاریخی مقامات، متحرک

بازاروں اور منہ کو پانی دینے والے کھانے کے لیے جانا جاتا ہے۔

پرکشش مقامات میں یونیسکو کا عالمی ثقافتی ورثہ لاہور قلعہ، بادشاہی مسجد،

شالیمار باغات اور گوالمنڈی کی ہلچل سے بھرپور فوڈ اسٹریٹ شامل ہیں۔

اسلام آباد اور راولپنڈی:

دارالحکومت اسلام آباد ایک جدید اور منصوبہ بند شہر ہے جس میں

خوبصورت پارکس ہیں جن میں خوبصورت شکرپڑیاں پارک اور

دامن کوہ کا نظارہ بھی شامل ہے۔ راولپنڈی کے قریب روایتی بازاروں

اور تاریخی مقامات جیسے مشہور پاکستان یادگار اور راجہ بازار کا ذائقہ

پیش کرتا ہے۔

شمالی علاقہ جات:

پاکستان کے شمالی علاقے فطرت سے محبت کرنے والوں اور

ایڈونچر کے شوقین افراد کے لیے ایک جنت ہیں۔ گلگت، وادی ہنزہ،

سکردو، اور وادی نلتر جیسے مقامات دلکش مناظر، کرسٹل صاف جھیلیں،

بلند و بالا پہاڑ، اور ٹریکنگ، کوہ پیمائی اور کیمپنگ کے مواقع پیش کرتے ہیں۔

وادی سوات:

"مشرق کا سوئٹزرلینڈ" کے نام سے جانا جاتا ہے، صوبہ خیبر پختونخواہ

کی وادی سوات اپنی سرسبز و شاداب وادیوں، بہتے دریاوں اور

برف پوش چوٹیوں کے لیے مشہور ہے۔ یہ مالم جبہ سکی ریزورٹ،

کالام ویلی، مہوڈنڈ جھیل، اور تخت بہی کے قدیم بدھ کھنڈرات جیسے

پرکشش مقامات پیش کرتا ہے۔

کراچی:

پاکستان کے سب سے بڑے شہر اور اہم بندرگاہ کے طور پر، کراچی

جدیدیت اور تاریخی نشانات کا ایک متحرک امتزاج پیش کرتا ہے۔

یہ شہر قائداعظم کا مزار، موہٹا پیلس، کلفٹن بیچ، اور صدر اور

طارق روڈ کی ہلچل سے بھرپور بازاروں جیسے پرکشش مقامات کا گھر ہے۔

یہ بہت سے ناقابل یقین منزلوں میں سے چند ہیں جو پاکستان کو پیش

کرنا ہے۔ ہر خطے کی اپنی منفرد دلکشی، مہمان نوازی اور قدرتی

حسن ہے جو پاکستان کی سیر کو واقعی ایک بھرپور تجربہ بناتا ہے۔

Imran Khan’s arrest Live update

PTI chief ordered to approach trial court, situation still tense at Zaman Park

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday disposed of a plea filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) seeking cancellation of arrest warrant issued for party chairman Imran Khan in Toshakhana case.

A hearing was held in the Islamabad High Court after the removal of objections to the warrant cancellation plea of Imran Khan. Chief Justice Aamer Farooq reserved the decision after the arguments of the parties were completed

Chief Justice Aamer Farooq ordered that the assurance submitted here should be submitted to the trial court. Imran Khan’s non-bailable arrest warrant will be reinstated.

According to the court order, the trial court should decide after looking at the affidavit. Islamabad High Court, while dealing with the petition of former prime minister Imran Khan, ordered that Imran Khan file his petition in the Sessions Court.

The trial court considered the affidavit in accordance with the law. The court ordered Imran Khan’s lawyers to file a fresh application in the trial court.

Toshakhana

 

Govt makes 21-year record of Toshakhana public

466-page record from 2002 to 2023 made public by uploading it on Cabinet Division’s website

Many exposed as Toshakhana details surface

• Zardari, Nawaz retained bulletproof vehicles; Imran took multiple watches

• Most of the gifts acquired free of cost; millions of rupees spent on gifts given to foreign delegates

ISLAMABAD: The government on Sunday made public the details of foreign gifts retained by public office holders — presidents, prime ministers, federal cabinet members, politicians, bureaucrats, retired generals, judges and journalists from 2002 to 2022.

The details of Toshakhana were updated on the website of the Cabinet Division.

Prominent personalities who benefited from the Toshakhana gifts included President Dr Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, former prime minister Imran Khan, ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif, ex-president Asif Ali Zardari, late military dictator Pervez Musharraf, former premier Shaukat Aziz, ex-PM Yousuf Raza Gilani, ex-PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, ex-PM Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, ex-PM Zafarullah Khan Jamali, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Khursheed Kasuri, Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Jehangir Tarin, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, and Dr Attaur Rehman among others.

The move was made on the instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The recipients of the gifts from foreign dignitaries include former presidents, prime ministers, federal ministers and government officials.

According to the record, the names of former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf, former prime ministers Shaukat Aziz, Yousuf Raza Gilani, Nawaz Sharif, Raja Parvaiz Ashraf and Imran Khan are included among the recipient.  The Toshakhana records of incumbent Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Dr Arif Alvi have also been uploaded.

Apart from the premiers, the record of gifts received by federal ministers, senior officials and civil servants has also been made public.

Most of the gifts of low value were kept by the recipients without payment according to the law.

Until 2022, the law was to retain gifts worth less than Rs10,000 without payment.

Gifts ranging between Rs10,000 and Rs400,000 were allowed to be retained after paying 15% of their value.

Gifts valued over Rs400,000 were allowed to be retained only by the president or the head of government.

Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf

According to the record, the value of the gifts given to former military ruler Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf in 2004 was revealed to be more than Rs6.5 million.

The price of the watch given to  Musharraf in 2005 was said to be Rs500,000.

The former president received dozens of valuable watches, jewellery boxes, and other gifts, which he had retained after paying the required amount.

His wife, Sehba Musharraf, received a jewellery box valued at over Rs2.6 million in 2003.

She received gifts to the tune of Rs1.65 million on April 6, 2006.

On August 1, 2007, the value of the gifts she received stood at Rs3.4 million.

On April 3, 2007, she received gifts worth over Rs10 million.

On January 31, 2007, Musharraf  received gifts valued at Rs1.4 million.

Shaukat Aziz

In the year 2005, former prime minister Shaukat Aziz received a watch worth Rs850,000 that was auctioned off for Rs355,000.

He had kept several gifts by showing their value to be below Rs10,000.

On September 27, 2007, Aziz received a watch worth Rs1.35 million.

On December 20, 2006, he received gifts worth Rs3.7 million – which he decided to keep.

During 2006, he returned several gifts to the Toshakhana.

On June 2, 2006, Aziz received a watch worth Rs1.35 million.

On January 7, 2007, the former premier received gifts valued at Rs1.8 million.

On February 24, 2010, he received a watch worth Rs1.2 million that he returned to the Toshakhana.

Zafarullah Jamali

Former premier Zafarullah Jamali had a model of the Holy Kaaba he had received as a gift installed at the Prime Minister’s House.

Asif Ali Zardari

On December 2, 2008,  former president Asif Ali Zardari received a watch worth Rs500,000 that he decided to keep.

On January 26, 2009, Zardari received two BMW cars – one costing Rs57.8 million and the other Rs27.3 million. He later received Toyota Lexus costing Rs50 million. He retained the first BMW car and Toyota Lexus after paying a total of Rs16.1 million for them.

He kept the other BMW car, which cost Rs27.3 million, after paying Rs4 million.

In March 2011, he retained a watch valued at Rs1 million after paying Rs158,250 for it. In June 2011, he retained a Corum wristwatch costing Rs1.25 million after paying Rs189,219 for it. He kept another Cartier watch valued at Rs1 million in October 2011 with a payment of Rs321,000 for it and a gun.

Yousuf Raza Gillani

Former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s wife, Fauzia Gilani, kept a jewellery set worth Rs2 million after paying Rs326,043 in December 2009.

Raja Pervaiz Ashraf

Former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf retained a Graff wristwatch assessed at Rs890,000 in November 2012 after paying Rs218,000.

Nawaz Sharif

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif retained a Mercedes Benz valued at Rs4.2 million in April 2008 after paying Rs636,888. In November 2013, he retained a Rolex wristwatch costing Rs1.18 million after paying Rs243,000.

He kept a Piaget wristwatch valued at Rs1 million in January 2015 after paying Rs240,000.

In January 2016, he retained a Christopher Claret watch costing Rs2 million, a ring valued at Rs19.5 million and a pair of cufflinks valuing at Rs16 million after paying Rs7.6 million for them. His wife Kulsoom Nawaz retained a bracelet worth Rs12.7 million and a necklace with earring valued at Rs41.6 million after paying Rs10.8 million.

In February 2016, Nawaz retained a Dela Cour watch worth Rs3.2 million, a ring valued at Rs8 million and a pair of cufflinks costing Rs5 million after paying Rs3.2 million.

In October 2016, he retained a Rolex watch worth Rs1.2 million and another Rolex watch costing Rs850,000 after paying Rs469,000.

In March 2017, his son, Hussain Nawaz, retained a Rolex watch valued at Rs940,000 after paying Rs186,000. Nawaz retained a diamond necklace valued at Rs1 million after paying Rs207,560.

In May 2017, Nawaz retained a Rolex watch costing Rs4 million after paying Rs808,000.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi retained a Hublot wristwatch worth Rs15 million, a pair of cufflinks costing Rs1.2 million , a pen worth Rs1.5 million, a ring valued at Rs3 million and prayer beads worth Rs1.85 million in October 2017 after paying Rs4.5 million. His wife Sameena Shahid also retained a jewellery set worth Rs99 million after paying Rs19.99 million.

In November 2017, Abbasi retained a Rolex watch boxset valuing Rs23 million after paying Rs4.59 million. In April 2018, he kept a Rolex wristwatch costing Rs25 million after paying Rs5.27 million.

Imran Khan

Former prime minister Imran Khan in September 2018 retained a Graff wristwatch worth Rs85 million, a pair of cufflinks valuing Rs5.6 million, a pen worth Rs1.5 million and a ring costing Rs8.75 million after paying Rs20 million.

In October 2018, he retained a Rolex watch, valued at Rs3.8 million, after paying Rs754,000. He kept another Rolex watch worth Rs1.5 million in the same month after paying Rs294,000. In November 2018, Imran retained another Rolex wristwatch costing Rs900,000 after paying Rs338,600.

In October 2019, he retained a watch valued at Rs1.9 million, after paying Rs935,000.

In September 2020, Imran retained another Rolex watch, valued at Rs4.4 million, after paying Rs2.4 million. In the same month, his wife Bushra Bibi also kept a necklace valued at Rs10 million, a bracelet worth Rs2.4 million, a ring costing Rs2.8 million and a pair of earrings assessed at Rs1.85 million after paying Rs9 million.

Arif Alvi

President Dr Arif Alvi’s wife, Samina Alvi, retained a necklace worth Rs1.19 million in October 2019 after paying Rs865,000.

Alvi himself kept a Rolex watch costing Rs2.5 million in February 2022 after paying Rs1.2 million.

Karachi Attack

Security forces identify two terrorists involved in Karachi attack.

Security forces clear Karachi police chief’s office on Sharea Faisal, 3 terrorists killed

 

The office of the Karachi police chief, which came under attack on Friday evening by armed militants, has been cleared, officials said, adding that at least three terrorists had been killed.

“I can so far confirm that the Karachi Police Office (KPO) building has been cleared. Three terrorists have been neutralised,” said Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab on Twitter at 10:42pm, three-and-a-half hours after the attack occurred.

Of the three militants killed in the retaliatory action by the security forces, two terrorists  hailed from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

The terrorist who blew himself up during the security operation was identified as Kifayatullah, son of Miraz Ali Khan and a resident of Wanda Amir, Lakki Marwat.

The second terrorist was identified as Zala Noor, son of Wazir Hasan, who hailed from North Waziristan.

Latest Sindh News

Court reserves verdict on plea against water connection to hospital

A file photo of the Sindh High Court building.

Bench expressed its concern over water scarcity in the metropolitan city

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday reserved its judgment on a petition against grant of a direct water connection to a private hospital by the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) in North Nazimabad.

Appearing before a two-member bench, headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, the counsel for the petitioner, Usman Farooq Advocate, stated that grant of water connections should not be decided on political considerations. Everyone living in Pakistan is equal citizen of the country; therefore, water connections should be given on merit.

The bench expressed its concern over water scarcity in the metropolitan city. Justice Abbasi remarked that it was important to address the water scarcity issue and ensure supply of clean drinking water to all citizens of Karachi. The deputy commissioner Central, KWSB officials and others appeared before the bench.

"People living towards the tail-end do not receive drinking water. Shortage of water leads to arguments which result in riots," the judge remarked. He added that proper SOPs should be laid down for grant of water connections. "No one should be begging for a connection from the main line," he said.

The KWSB engineer submitted that connections could be granted from the main pipeline to hospitals on commercial basis. "What happens if someone requests a new connection in the area," the court remarked? "Wouldn't there be issues if you give a connection from the main pipeline?"

According to the deputy commissioner central, issues pop up due to new constructions and renting out of portions of bungalows. A KWSB official submitted before the bench that the hospital in question has been given a two-inch diameter connection from the 36-inch main water pipeline.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the court reserved its decision on the petition.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, February 16th, 2023.

Schools in Sindh not reopening soon despite pressure from associations

Shazia Hasan

KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Education, Labour and Human Resources Saeed Ghani has said that the education department cannot risk reopening educational institutions in the province by June 1 or June 15 as he is being pressured to do so by several private school associations.

He also said that they had thought over the decision of promoting all students to the next level without taking exams because there were issues they had overlooked earlier, especially when it comes to board exams. Therefore, only students up to class eight would be promoted.

The minister was speaking to members of the media following a two-hour meeting of the Sindh government’s steering committee on education at the Sindh Assembly here on Tuesday.

It was being said for several days that nothing regarding education, be it the decision of reopening of schools, examinations, fees, etc, was final and inconclusive until the steering committee meets again to take up all these matters with the stakeholders.

Students from class one to eight will be promoted to next level

The education minister said that Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood’s announcement that the closure of schools would be extended till July 15 and all students of classes one to 12 were to be promoted without having to sit for exams was given in haste without looking at the problems from all angles. “But to all the private schools saying that schools should reopen from June 1 or June 15, I will also say that we are also not prepared for that. We will have to extend the closure,” he said, adding that the steering committee on education had already announced the entire academic plan in March, but after Shafqat Mahmood’s announcement last week, he called him to inform that he did not have the Sindh education department’s consent and they would like to review his decisions by calling their steering committee’s meeting again.

“But now the federal minister for education is also saying that promoting students of classes nine, 10, 11 and 12 is not so simple,” he said.

“Yes, students of classes one to eight can be promoted to the next level on the basis of their last year’s performance and results,” he said. “But there, too, it won’t be right to promote students who just barely passed last year. We think it would be good to make some students who are very weak in certain subjects to take their exams in those particular subjects. But this decision we leave to the discretion of the schools,” he added.

“As for classes nine, 10, 11 and 12, they come under the various boards, which have their own rules. And changing those rules will require making amendments to their ordinances. We have called all the respective board chairmen and the secretary school and secretary colleges to review the issues that we face in making things work there and also to come up with their suggestions and solutions. After all the students passing out of colleges are to go to professional colleges and universities and we cannot allow them to do that with the eyes closed,” he said.

Saeed Ghani said he had formed another committee to look into these matters during the steering committee’s meeting. He said they would also discuss the issues related to the reopening of schools. “Then we will put before the federal government our findings and suggestions,” he said, adding that they quite frankly had no idea about how long the coronavirus pandemic would last and for how long they would have to keep educational institutions closed.

Pouring globs of sanitiser on his hands during the press conference, the education minister said that life had changed due to the global pandemic “and we will also need to change our ways of living. But that does not mean that we will discriminate [against] students from getting education. They may not be able to attend schools in person but there is the option of studying online. We also understand that all students don’t have the facilities to study online and our government schools also don’t have the capacity to teach them that way. We are looking into all these things and we will announce a system that should work for all in a few days,” he said.

He said that to teach students online they also had to train teachers. Then there are internet issues; signals don’t reach in certain areas for which they have also been talking to cellular companies. He said they are also working on coming up with some phone apps. “It will be fine for teachers to come to schools to receive their training,” he said, adding that they were examining various models and educating systems. “Different areas of the province have different circumstances which we have to keep in mind,” he said, adding that the most desirable thing was to have a uniform education system for all of Pakistan. “But while the Sindh government is quick with coming up with solutions the other provinces lag behind.”

Answering a question about school fees, he said that there are thousands of private schools and teachers who number in hundreds of thousands. “We have told all schools to pay their staff their salaries in full, and this many of them did even after giving parents relief of 20 per cent monthly in school fees. But one must also understand that the schools need fees to pay their teachers and staff. It won’t help anyone if the schools start throwing out students over non-payment of fees and firing teachers too because they are unable to pay them their salaries. Then the students will be the ultimate losers,” he said.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2020

Imran Khan asks President

Imran Khan asks President Alvi to order inquiry against ex-COAS Bajwa

LAHORE: Former prime minister Imran Khan has written a letter to President Arif Alvi asking him to order an inquiry against former chief of army staff (COAS) General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa for his alleged violation of oath and the Constitution of Pakistan.

PM Imran go on Musharraf's footsteps: Zardari

Former president Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Imran Khan is following in the footsteps of Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf and maintained that the incumbent government has ruined the national consensus in the country.

Speaking to PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira on the coronavirus crisis and the evolving political situation in the country, Zardari criticised the government, saying that it wants to curtail the constitutional and financial powers of provinces.

"This government is fighting the opposition instead of fighting coronavirus," he said.

Referring to PPP's past tenure, the former president stated that when he[Asif Ali Zardari] came to power in 2008, the country was a victim of terrorism and division.

"We conducted the Swat operation through national consensus and brought peace [throughout the country]," the former president asserted.

'PPP playing the Sindh card'

The PPP and the PTI have been trading barbs over the past few weeks. Yesterday, after being criticised for the second consecutive day by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the Parliament House, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto had demanded that the foreign minister either withdraw his statement against PPP or resign from his position.

The foreign minister had earlier addressed a session of the Senate, where he spoke at length about PPP’s style of governance and the participation of the province in national decision-making.

FM Qureshi had said that the PPP was focused on only provincial politics rather than thinking for the entire country. He also said that it was not true that the federal government had abandoned Sindh.

Also read: Bilawal demands Qureshi either withdraw remarks on Sindh or resign

In reaction to Qureshi’s criticism, Bilawal had said that the minister had also accused him of using the "Sindh card".

Bilawl said that he had been raising his voice for issues pertaining to the provinces, without any such intention in mind.

Responding to Qureshi’s comments that the PTI will make inroads in Sindh as it did in other provinces such as Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Bilawal had said: “What sort of politics is this? What do you mean you will prove your political mettle in Sindh?”

He had said that politicking of this nature damages the federation and it goes against national unity.

Published in Geo

Couple killed in Shikarpur

Couple killed in Shikarpur after four years of free-will marriage

SHIKARPUR: In what appeared to be a chilling murder, a couple was killed after four years of their free-will marriage in Shikarpur area of the Sindh province, ARY NEWS reported.


According to police, the incident occurred in suburb area of the Shikarpur district, where a man killed his sister and brother-in-law over free-will marriage.

“The couple contracted the marriage four years ago,” said the police.

They said that the accused was able to flee away from the scene after the incident and police have initiated a search for him. The bodies have been shifted to a hospital for medico-legal formalities.

Violent acts against couples who contract free-will marriage have been reported in the country from time to time.

In one such incident, a young person in Sadiqabad was brutally tortured with his nose chopped off for contracting free-will marriage.

The shocking incident took place in Chowk Bahadur area of the Sadiqabad tehsil in Rahim Yar Khan.

According to the youngster’s family, the girl’s brothers along with other people subjected him to brutal torture and cut off his nose.

The victim has been shifted to Shaikh Zayed Hospital in critical condition.

His family members said over fifteen people beat Ahmed Ali black and blue after kidnapping him.

They appealed to Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar to take notice of the incident and bring the culprits to justice.
Reports say the boy and a girl named Samera Bibi got married out of their own free-will a year and a half ago, which angered the family of the girl, that was looking for an opportunity to settle a score with the boy.

A first information report (FIR) of the incident has been lodged at the Saddar Sadiqabad police under kidnapping and attempt to murder charges.

Meanwhile, three key accused, Arif, Asif and Siraj have been arrested as raids are being conducted to arrest their accomplices.

Basha Dam to be completed on time

Asad Umar

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar on Thursday reiterated that Diamer Basha Dam will be completed on time, ARY News reported.

Presiding over a high-level meeting to review progress on Diamer Basha Dam, Asad Umar directed to expedite the pace of work on the project.

Matters pertaining to land acquisition for the dam, contracts for construction and other issues were came under discussion in the meeting.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, Gilgit-Baltistan CM Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman and other high officials attended the meeting through video-link.

Read More: Asad Umar announces completion of 20 water reservoir projects in 2020

Earlier on March 6, Federal Minister for Planning Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar had announced that 25 water reservoir projects would be completed during the ongoing year.

The government had already utilized 42 percent of the funds earmarked for the water resources’ projects that is upto Rs 20 billion during the eight months of this year, said the federal minister while chairing a meeting to review projects of the water resources ministry.

The meeting was also attended by chairman Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) and officials from water resources and planning ministries.

138 Pakistanis died from coronavirus in different countries: FO

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Thursday said at least 138 Pakistanis have died from the coronavirus in different countries.

“Most countries do not give ethnicities of those who succumbed to Coronavirus. Most figures shared are informal and anecdotal as to how many Pakistanis or Pakistani origin people have died,” Spokesperson Ayesha Farooqui said at a weekly media briefing.

According to an unofficial estimate, she added, a total of 138 Pakistanis or Pakistani origin people in different countries of the world have died due to COVID 19.

To a question about how many Pakistani families approached the foreign office and Pakistani missions for evacuation of dead bodies who died due to coronavirus, the spokesperson said standard operating procedure (SOPs) have been devised by the National Institute of Health (NIH) for repatriation of dead bodies. These details are available on the dedicated website of COVID-19, she added.

Read More: WHO chief says ‘virus will be with us for a long time’

She said over the past few days as part of the third phase of repatriation plan that commenced April 20, 81 nationals were repatriated from South Africa, Botswana, Swaziland, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Lesotho.

From the UAE, 1453 nationals have been repatriated through six flights on April 20, including 100 prisoners, she detailed, adding from the Maldives, nine stranded Pakistani nationals were brought home safely on April 22.

“So far the total number of our nationals brought back home in the current third phase of the plan stands at 5079.” Ms Farooqui said.

“In addition to this, in the last few days 41 stranded Pakistanis were brought back from India through the Wagha border; 195 truck drivers came through Afghanistan on 17 April, as well as over 1000 other stranded Pakistanis came home through the Pakistan Afghanistan border. That brings a total of 1254 nationals that came home through our land borders in the last few days.”

Imran Khan approves 25 PTI workers

Imran Khan approves 25 PTI workers to access main stage

SARGODHA (Dunya News) – Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan, today, has approved 25 names for the people who would have access to the central stage after which 25 passed have been issued for the stage.

Nobody would be allowed entry to the central stage without a pass. The people who have been allowed admittance include vice chairman PTI Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Saifullah Niazi, Ijaz Chaudhry, Mehmood ur Rasheed, Yasmeen Rasid, Andaleeb Abbas, Sheikh Rasheed, Attaullah Esakhelvi and Faisal Javed.

Hina Manzoor, Sadaqat Abbasi, Mumtaz Akhter, Ansar Majeed, Ansar Iqbal Haral, Colonel (r) Ejaz Minhas, Hassan Paracha, Nazeer Ahmad Bhooli, Asghar Lehri, Iftikhar Gondal and Ali Asif Bagga are also among the workers who have been given the permit.

Imran Khan’s personal guard Ayub, Youth leader Ali Awan and Captain (r) Hassan have also been granted access to the central stage.

Participants, on the other hand, have started arriving for the rally organized.

Workers including women are coming to participate in the rally in large numbers whereas the security measures for the event are being handled by PTI workers including 100 PTI women activists.

Earlier, PTI had been all geared up to amp up the political heat through a massive showing in Sargodha on Friday.

The PTI will hold a mass political rally at a stadium in Sargodha even after tragedy of stampede occurred in Multan Stadium.

However, the administration is more careful for Friday show after Multan tragedy which left seven people dead and 40 others injured.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on Thursday demolished the wall and ticket collection booth of Sargodha stadium for holding its public rally.

The reason for bringing down the wall and ticket collection booth of the stadium was said to be the small size of the gate through which the container for building the stage could not be brought inside the venue.

The above action caused a severe damage to 32 sq ft area of Sargodha stadium.

Sargodha Administration explained that the local leadership of PTI has assured to rebuild the demolished ticket collection booth and wall of the stadium after its rally.

It is not out of place to note that seven people had been killed and dozens others injured in PTI’s previous public rally in Multan following a stampede.

The PTI’s stage in Sargodha will be almost 40 feet high. The PTI activists are exerting their maximum to fill the stadium beyond its capacity. Imran Khan and other leaders would address to the gathering.

No show: Imran Khan skips resignation scrutiny

ISLAMABAD: 

As expected, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Monday did not appear before the National Assembly speaker for verification of his resignation from the lower house.

Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq had invited PTI lawmakers in small groups to verify whether or not they had submitted their resignations voluntarily.

The process of verification began on September 25 and is expected to end on October 15. However, none of the PTI members has appeared before the speaker so far as the party demands that the speaker should invite all its lawmakers on the same day.

On August 22, some 31 members of the PTI had submitted their resignations in the speaker’s office as a protest against alleged rigging in the May 2013 general elections.

Up to 26 resignations were found valid while five of them – submitted by Mujahid Ali, Colonel (retd) Ameer Marwat, Saleemur Rehman, Junaid Akbar and Qaiser Jamal – were declared invalid as they were addressed to the PTI chairman – rather than the NA speaker.

Three PTI members, including Gulzar Khan from NA-4 Peshawar, Nasir Khattak from NA-15 Karak and Musarrat Ahmedzeb on women’s reserved seat, had not submitted their resignations. The only resignation accepted so far is that of the party’s former president Javed Hashmi.

Talking to media at the Parliament House, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq said the PTI was trying to find excuses to delay the issue of resignations.  “My doors are open to them, even if they want to coming holding each other’s hand,” he said.

Imran’s address

Addressing his supporters at D-Chowk, Imran Khan said local government elections would soon be held in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), adding that it would be for the first time that people of villages would be empowered.

“We will also improve the sewerage system in the entire country. We will ask the youth to clean Pakistan and the government will clean rivers and plant new trees,” he added.

Talking about the recently held joint session of the parliament, he said no one had uttered a single word on the issues of the masses. He said there was no need for metro bus projects in Islamabad and the money could have been spent on welfare of the masses.

“Nawaz Sharif knows that the moment he resigns, his corruption will be exposed,” he said while calling into question the justification of the ongoing development projects.

Claiming that both Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan Peoples Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari had not disclosed their real assets, he said: “We will show you their declared assets [to the Election Commission of Pakistan] and the actual ones.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 14^th, 2014.

Islamabad News | Islamabad Clashes

Three killed, over 560 injured in Islamabad clashes

ISLAMABAD: The federal capital remains tense after violence broke out on Saturday night when supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri tried to storm PM House using crane’s to remove barricades.

Clashes between police and protesters in which three people were killed and over 560 injured continued on Sunday. 77 of those injured were security officials deployed in the Red Zone.

Protesters several of whom were armed with batons and slingshots started removing containers used as barricades which lead to the police using tear gas to force the crowds back. Authorities said they had no choice but to use force.

Shipping containers were set ablaze, several vehicles stood torched, and hundreds of tear gas canisters lay strewn on the ground on Islamabad's normally pristine Constitution Avenue. Protesters also attacked the Geo News office in Islamabad and a satellite van of the channel.

Scores of protesters carrying hammers and iron rods also broke down a fence outside of parliament late Saturday, enabling hundreds of people to enter the lawns and parking area. Acting IGP Islamabad Khalid Khattak said the protesters were armed with large hammers, wire cutters, axes and even a crane.

Police also beat local journalists covering the protests with batons, injuring some, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq said. Rafique said he intervened to stop the police assault and he would ask the government to investigate the officers' conduct.

Who is responsible for the violence in Islamabad

Imran Khan/Dr. Tahir-ul Qadri

Nawaz Sharif/Chaudhry Nisar

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Protests began with a march from Lahore on August 14 and reached Islamabad the next day. Despite calls by Khan and Qadri for millions to join, crowds never exceeding the tens of thousands. Both Khan and Qadri stayed overnight at the protests, spending most of their time in the containers.

 

The decision to march to the PM House was taken after talks between the government, PTI and PAT failed to end the deadlock over the resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. PTI chairman Imran Khan has said that an independent probe of rigging in the 2013 general elections cannot be held if Nawaz Sharif remains prime minister. Khan has called for Nawaz Sharif to step down until the proposed judicial commission completes its probe. Government and the majority of opposition parties have dismissed Khan’s demand for the prime minister’s removal.

Joint session of Parliament on Tuesday
 

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chaired a high-level meeting on Sunday during which it was decided that a joint session of Parliament would held on Tuesday. According to sources the meeting also took the decision to re-engage the PTI and PAT in talks.

 

Differences emerge in PTI

Following clashes in Islamabad, differences have emerged within the PTI. The party’s elected president Javed Hashmi said Imran Khan’s decision to march to the PM House was not that of the party’s. He claimed Imran had been prompted to take this decision after receiving a message from Sheikh Rasheed and Saifullah Niazi. Hashmi said Imran Khan would be to blame if democracy was derailed.

In response to Hashmi, Khan dismissed the elected PTI president announcing that ‘from today he had parted ways with him.’ The PTI chairman also announced that three party MNAs who had not submitted their resignations had also been expelled.

 

Army stresses political resolution to crisis

The Corps Commanders conference chaired by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif ended with the decision that “further use of force will only aggravate the problem”. The conference was originally planned to take place on Monday but due to the security situation in the Capital and the unrest in the country the meeting was held on Sunday.

 

According to a press release from the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) wing of the Pakistan Army, the conference “reviewed with serious concern, the existing political crisis and the violent turn it has taken, resulting in large scale injuries and loss of lives.” The meeting once again reiterated that the “situation should be resolved politically without wasting any time and without recourse to violent means.”

The ISPR statement ended on the note that the “army remains committed to playing its part in ensuring security of the state and will never fall short of meeting national aspirations.”