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Author: News Desk

  • Jamaat-e-Islami calls off sit-in protest in Karachi

    Jamaat-e-Islami calls off sit-in protest in Karachi

    Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has called off its sit-in protest in Karachi after the Sindh government agreed to the revisions in the Sindh Local Government Act of 2013 after negotiations successfully concluded between them.

    Both parties have signed the written agreement according to which the health and education institutions will be again transferred to the local bodies, said Sindh Minister for Local Government, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah.

    While addressing the sit-in protestors, Nasir Shah announced that the provincial government will bring amendments to the Local Government law. The notification will be issued in one to two weeks by the Sindh government.

    Both parties also agreed to establish the Provincial Finance Commission, with the mayor and town chairman as members of the commission. It will be awarded once the representatives of the Local Government take power to the authority.

    The mayor and chairman will be responsible for the Building Control Authority and other development authorities.

    The educational institute, Medical and Dental College will be given back to the Karachi Municipality.

    The Solid Waste Management Board will be in control of Mayor Karachi.

    Later on, JI Karachi Chief, Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman announced that there would be no sit-in protests in different areas of the city.

    He said, “With the implementation of this agreement with the Sindh government, we have to get some issues resolved by the federation.”

    JI party has been staging sit-in protests for the past 29 days in Karachi. On January 23, Karachi Chief of JI, Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman warned that the party will block five entrance points to Karachi if their demands were not met.

    Both parties reached an agreement after several protesters of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) got injured from tear gas shelling and police mishandling including the death of one worker on Wednesday. The MQM was attempting to reach the CM House for a sit-in against the Local Government Act.

    The police, however, baton-charged the crowd and used teargas shells in an attempt to dissuade them from entering the red zone.

  • Govt plans to launch Ehsaas petrol cards for motorcyclists

    Govt plans to launch Ehsaas petrol cards for motorcyclists

    The federal government has planned to launch Ehsaas Petrol Cards for motorcyclists to enable them to buy petrol at a subsidised rate.

    Earlier this week, Naya Pakistan Qaumi Sehat Card was distributed by the government, which will provide free medical treatment to all citizens at government and private hospitals.

    In a meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin, several other proposals were also considered such as subsidised fuel, tax reliefs, rise in income/minimum wages, internships, record tax collection and removal of bureaucratic hurdles.

    The government also intends to raise the pay of public sector employees in the upcoming fiscal year 2022-23 budget. Moreover, it has been reported that no consideration was made regarding monetising of bureaucratic perks and privileges.

    A meeting was also held to discuss the Kamyab Pakistan Programme progress. It was informed that the first phase of the programme is going successfully and that the loans are being disbursed after fulfillment of requirements to the deserving applicants.

  • PUBG addict shoots four family members, Punjab Police wants ban on game

    PUBG addict shoots four family members, Punjab Police wants ban on game

    The Punjab Police has decided to request the Federal and Provincial government to ban the popular video game PUBG after a boy killed four members of his family in Lahore. An investigator found that the teenager was “addicted” to online game PUBG.

    The Punjab police spokesperson said that the boy thought that his family would come back to life just like the players in the game. The provincial police in a statement said that the boy shot his family out of frustration after continuous losses in the game.

    As per the his statement, the killer went to sleep after the murder with a sense of accomplishment. The bodies of the four family members were discovered on January 19.

    PUBG has been banned before. On July 1 2021, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority announced the decision to temporarily suspend the PUBG game in the country after it received multiple complaints from different segments of society. However the ban was lifted later.

  • PML-N’s Musadik Malik questions Yusuf Raza Gilani’s absence as Senate passes SBP Amendment Bill

    PML-N’s Musadik Malik questions Yusuf Raza Gilani’s absence as Senate passes SBP Amendment Bill

    The Senate on Friday passed the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Amendment Bill 2021 amid an outcry from the Opposition on suffering back-to-back defeats in the House, where it otherwise enjoys a dominating numerical strength.

    The bill was passed by the upper house with the treasury benches enjoying a one-vote lead of 43 members over the Opposition’s 42. The bill was presented by Finance Minister Senator Shaukat Tarin.

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Dr Musadik Malik, taking to Twitter, said, “Leader of the Opposition Yusuf Raza Gilani is missing. One vote, i.e. of Mr Gilani, is missing and the bill to make Pakistan a slave of the IMF was passed. And those who made him Leader of the Opposition voted for the government.”

    Taking to Twitter, Gilani’s son, Kasim Gilani said his father was absent from the Senate session because he had to attend Ghulam Rabbani Khar’s Qul. “To schedule secret sessions at midnight deliberately to overlap with bereavements is a violation of all norms of our culture, politics, and decency.”

    “The government summoned the session post midnight knowing well that the Qul of Noor Rabbani Khar was scheduled for today. YRG was in Multan and would not have been able to make it to Islamabad by 10am in anyway ent and he had to attend the Qul of his long time friend, political colleague, and father of two PPP MNAs.”

    On January 25, the Senate session was adjourned for Friday, January 28.

    The SBP Amendment Bill, 2021, promises complete autonomy to the central bank and places a complete restriction on the government’s borrowing from the central bank. However, the government can now borrow at a market rate from commercial banks, which will benefit private banks owned by business elites, according to the Opposition.

    The bill was passed by a majority vote. Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani then adjourned the session till January 31.

  • PIA plane denied permission to land in India

    PIA plane denied permission to land in India

    Patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council and Member of National Assembly, Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, in a video message has said that rumours regarding the cancellation of “Faith Tourism Initiative” are false, and the programme has been postponed, but not cancelled.

    The news reports regarding refusal of the Indian government, regarding the request of landing PIA plane at Jaipur International Airport, have been making rounds since morning. Ramesh, while clarifying the news, said, “Our request for PIA landing reached India on January 24; they only had one day after it, and then it was a holiday on 26, and yesterday was 27 so they said they require some time for clearance.”

    “We accept your faith tourism programme and it is a good proposal and we welcome it,” was India’s official response according to Dr Ramesh Kumar.

    Dr Ramesh added that he is hopeful that he will get the clearance next week.

    “This initiative is highly welcomed by both Pak/Indian Governments,” he said in a tweet.

    The programme was initially planned to take Pakistani nationals to India on a four-day tour from January 29-February 1, 2022, for Pilgrimage of Hazrat Nizamudin Aulia (R.A.) Delhi and Hazrat Moinudin Chishti (R.A.) Ajmer ,along with a visit of Taj Mahal Agra, Pink city Jaipur and city tour of Delhi.

  • PTI finalises Hammad Azhar as its official candidate for Lahore mayorship

    PTI finalises Hammad Azhar as its official candidate for Lahore mayorship

    The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has finalised the name of current Federal Energy Minister Hammad Azhar as its official candidate for the slot of Lahore Mayor.

    A source told Business Recorder, “The party has short-listed his name that will be announced in due course of time; the party high-ups find him the fittest candidate to contest the Lahore Mayor elections. Azhar has shown willingness to give up his ministry and take part in the local bodies’ elections.”

    “Azhar has proven himself as a young energetic minister while heading important federal ministries. He is seen as a clean person full of energy,” the source added.

    Hammad has also served as the federal economic affairs minister and federal industries and production minister. He is the son of veteran politician and former Punjab Governor Mian Muhammad Azhar, thus has strong political roots in Lahore.

    Prior to this news, it was reported that the party had offered the candidacy to Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid.

  • ‘No evidence that Nawaz Sharif’s medical reports were fake’: Attorney-General of Pakistan

    ‘No evidence that Nawaz Sharif’s medical reports were fake’: Attorney-General of Pakistan

    Attorney-General of Pakistan (AGP) Barrister Khalid Javed Khan has said that there is no evidence to support that Nawaz Sharif’s medical reports are fake.

    Speaking on Geo News show ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, the AGP Javed said they do not want to initiate contempt of court proceedings against Shehbaz Sharif over the subject of Nawaz Sharif’s return. Instead, he said, they want the situation to be settled amicably.

    AGP Khalid Javed said that Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid too said that the medical reports of Nawaz Sharif were not fake.

    AGP said that he is waiting for a decision made by the medical board constituted to further comment on the reports. Until they don’t submit an authentic and comprehensive report, he will wait.

    He also said that he has requested Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif to cooperate and submit Nawaz’s recent medical reports so that the due proceedings can happen. He also said that the medical board will then examine Nawaz’s reports once again and will plan out further accordingly.

    Earlier this week, the AGP had written a letter to the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif to bring back his brother Nawaz Sharif to Pakistan.

    The AGP had instructed Shehbaz to submit Nawaz’s medical reports within the next 10 days. In case he fails to do so, contempt of court petition will be filed against Shahbaz, he had said.

    Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Asad Umar had previously revealed that it was “100 per cent Imran Khan’s decision” to send the former PM to London for his medical treatment. “This was first discussed in a cabinet meeting,” he said, adding that the decision was entirely made by the prime minister and the premier did not say that the decision was not his. 

  • After singing for Katrina Kaif and Sidharth Malhotra, Bilal Saeed ropes in Isabelle Kaif for next

    After singing for Katrina Kaif and Sidharth Malhotra, Bilal Saeed ropes in Isabelle Kaif for next

    Singer Bilal Saeed is set to release his new song Judaiya, a collaboration with British musician Ezu today on January 28, 2022. The song features Bollywood actor Katrina Kaif’s sister Isabelle Kaif. The song will release in the evening on Friday.

    “Can’t wait for everyone to hear and see what we’ve created . Thank you for blessing this song brother,” Isabelle said, leaving a comment under Bilal’s post.

    Watch the teaser here:

    Isabelle Kaif, took to her Instagram account to share the poster of the song. “Judaiya! A brand new song by @ezuworld & @bilalsaeed_music ,” she wrote in the caption.

    Earlier Bilal sang for Katrina Kaif and Sidharth Malhotra in Baar Baar Dekho.

  • 10 soldiers martyred in terrorist attack on checkpost in Balochistan’s Kech

    10 soldiers martyred in terrorist attack on checkpost in Balochistan’s Kech

    Ten soldiers were martyred after terrorists attacked a security forces’ check-post in Balochistan’s Kech district, informed Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

    According to the statement issued by ISPR, the “fire raid” by terrorists occurred on the night of January 25-26.

    “During intense exchange of fire, one terrorist was killed and several injured. While repulsing terrorists’ fire raid, 10 soldiers embraced martyrdom,” read the statement.

    “The armed forces are determined to eliminate terrorists from our soil no matter what the cost,” the ISPR statement said.

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan paid tribute to the martyred soldiers. “I salute the 10 martyred soldiers who repulsed a terrorist fire raid on checkpost in Kech Balochistan. We are resolute in our commitment to rid Pakistan of all forms of terrorism.”

    Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry tweeted, “The graveyards of Jhelum smell of the blood of these martyrs.”

  • SCBA president files petition against lifetime disqualification in SC

    SCBA president files petition against lifetime disqualification in SC

    President Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Mohammad Ahsan Bhoon on Thursday filed a petition against the lifelong disqualification of lawmakers and said that such a law without the right to appeal is unjust.

    The petition asks the Supreme Court (SC) to rule that the declaration by a court of law under Article 62(1)(f) only applies to the election under question, and does not entail a perpetual or lifetime bar on contesting future elections, reports Dawn.

    The petition argues that the lack of clarity regarding the procedure for a declaration under Article 62(1)(f) continues to pose an obstacle to the constitutional protection of citizens under Article 17(2), which allows citizens to form or become a member of any political party.

    It is pertinent to mention here that the result of this petition can affect the outcome of SC verdicts disqualifying former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif, as well as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) disgruntled leader Jahangir Tareen.

    The two were disqualified as lawmakers in judgements rendered in the Panama Papers case on July 28, 2017, and the Hanif Abbasi case on Dec 15, 2017, respectively.

    The contents of the petition said that the principle of lifetime disqualification should only be applied to electoral disputes. Under Article 184/3 of the Constitution, the SC cannot act as a trial court and there is no right to appeal against the decisions made by the apex court, which contradicts the principles of justice.

    The petition said that the lifelong disqualification without the right to appeal is unjust to the voters.