Category: National

Lahore police is gearing up to arrest young bikers performing stunts around the city during the hyper-active New Year and Christmas celebrations.

Dawn reports that Lahore police have identified around 55 “hotspots”, also called “death points”, where groups of youngsters perform stunts and one-wheeling on motorcycles, leading to accidents and fatal injuries. 

The roads identified by the city operation police include the stretch from Punjab University New Campus to Thokar Niaz Baig on Canal Road, Gulberg’s Main Boulevard, Jail Road, The Mall, Cavalry Bridge and some main roads of the DHA.

On festive occasions, like Christmas and New Year, many youngsters lose their lives while others suffer permanent disabilities after indulging in these potentially fatal activities.  

The youth get help from mechanics to modify their bikes and perform stunts while riding a zigzag, sometimes lying flat on their two-wheelers or standing on them and even leaving the handle.

During a recent meeting,  police officials devised a robust security and enforcement plan to tackle the menace of one-wheeling and other bike stunts.

While talking to Dawn, DIG Operations said, “We have pinpointed a total of 55 hotspots across the city, using advanced technology and data science to implement targeted interventions against such deadly practices.”

Hotspots

These hotspots include four areas in the City Division, eight in Civil Lines, five in Cantonment, 16 in Model Town, and six in Iqbal Town Division.

Outlining the plan Faisal Kamran said that 1,679 officers and personnel will be deployed in addition to routine police force to monitor these hotspot regions.

The contingent of the special forces includes six SPs, 22 SDPOs, and 83 SHOs, who will be on duty till the end of December this year.

The DIG further said that additional checkpoints and enhanced patrolling will also be conducted as part of the plan to curb these bikers.

Moreover, Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) cameras will also be used to monitor the roads already identified by the police in real-time to check bike stunts.

In the longer run, the police intend to initiate legal action against facilitators or mechanics who modify bikes for such dangerous stunts for the youth.

“Mechanics involved in bike alterations that enable youngsters to do stunts will also face strict consequences, including arrest and detention,” Faisal Kamran warned while adding that the recurrent offenders will be required to provide surety bonds to ensure compliance.

The DIG appealed that the parents should keep a check on their children to prevent them from engaging in dangerous activities.

He urged citizens to report such activities and the facilitators (mechanics, etc) to the police through the 15 Helpline.

Reportedly, on some of these roads, adventurous youngsters riding modified 125cc bikes set a target of crossing 200km per hour speed, which could either result in death or a lifelong injury.

Winter season comes with a lot of downtime, tempting us to go on shopping sprees. 

And this winter, many Pakistani brands are offering discounts on their wares, from clothing to shoes to accessories. 

These are the sales that you want to make the most use of.

Old school charm experts Gul Ahmed is offering three types of discounts: Flat 50 percent off, flat 40 percent off, and flat 30 percent off on all their old and new items, from bedsheets to shoes and, most importantly, on suits, both unstitched and ready-to-wear collections. 

The brand has named it the Great Winter Sale. Pro Tip: The bedding packs are a great bargain. 

Everybody’s favourite Khaadi’s winter sale is unique as, along with other products with different percentages of discounts, it is also offering an exclusively online sale for ready-to-wear clothes that goes up to 70 percent off on the embroidered collection.

The other discount types on include  30 percent, 40 percent and 70 percent.

Pro tip: Do check out the western clothes too.

Sapphire, the darling of the minimalist fans, is offering discounts from 20 percent to 50 percent on various products, from  Sapphire Sillouhette Bedsheets and scarfs.

Their special offers on clearance sale is not to be missed as well as it has ready-to-wear and pret collections in it. 

Pro tip: The bed sheets are unique and flying out fast. 

Modern maven Alkaram is offering two kinds of sales. One is the clearance sale of lawn and cambric pieces with flat 40 percent off on the products. The second is on their recently released winter collection. It has a set of vibrant khaddar clothes, which are available at decent discounted prices.

Additionally, the sale by the name of Winter Fest has unstitched products for those who prefer.

Pro Tip: The sizes go up to 16, so curvy girls need to check it out. 

Limelight’s winter sale also has some season-specific articles on discounted prices like the woolen co-ord set, shawls, sweaters, coats and pants.

Pro tip: Don’t forget to check out the scarves and shawls. 

The highly desirable Lama is another high-end retail brand that offers clearance sales and good discounts on cardigans and coats. Pro tip: The shoes! 

Winter is also known for weddings, and this is why various brands are offering sales while keeping in view the wedding season and Decemberistan. 

Laam.pk, famous for its luxury and high-end products, is offering massive discounts on various brands it hosts. 

Sana Safinaz-the go-to brand of different celebrities- at Laam.pk is offering upto 70 percent off.

Similarly, the usually expensive Zara Shahjahan is offering a discount starting from 10 percent to upto 35 percent at Laam.

Ali Xeeshan at Laam is offering discounted prices on multiple products, ranging from 20 percent to 60 percent.

Other brands at Laam are also offering discounted prices on their festive collections.

 
Asim Jofa is also one such luxury brand offering flat upto 50 percent off on its embroidered collections of chiffon, net, cambric, cotton and silk collections. 

The year-end sale also has a number of articles for the wedding season ahead.

Senior journalist and analyst Irshad Bhatti has tied the knot to social media influencer and former actor Sama Raj in a private ceremony, it has emerged.

As per the details, Bhatti tied the knot to Raj at least two weeks ago when the latter posted a video of their union and wedding photoshoot to her social media.

“And We created you in pairs,” she wrote while sharing a video of their shoot that took place at Lahore’s Walled City Food Street near the Badshahi Mosque.

“Loved each other for the sake of Allah. Married each other for the sake of Allah. May Allah keep us united in this world & hereafter in Jannah! ❤️. ALHMDULILLAH KASEERA ,” Raj added.

While Bhatti has not yet officially announced the union, this is the senior analyst’s second marriage after the passing of his wife Iram Irshad Bhatti in 2022.

The journalist had during a live show in June this year hinted at his plans to remarry.

Meanwhile, congratulatory messages and best wishes are pouring in for the newly-wed couple. “I’m very happy for you both. I really like watching your videos. May Allah keep both of you happy,” wrote one netizen.

“Stay happy always. May you prosper and stay protected from evil eye,” commented another social media user.

Journalist Fakhar Durrani on Saturday revealed that former Director General (DG) Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) General (R) Faiz Hamid’s military court trial on allegations of engaging in ‘political activities’ and other charges has commenced, with the first hearing held on Friday, December 13.

Taking to his YouTube channel Fact Check Pakistan, Durrani stated that former spymaster Faiz Hamid, along with his counsel Mian Ali Ashfaq, appeared before the military court on Friday; however, during the proceeding, Ashfaq requested an adjournment for five days, which the presiding judge approved.

“The military trial of Faiz Hamid will be concluded within a month,” Durrani predicted.

The journalist stated that he approached Faiz Hamid’s counsel for confirmation on whether the ex-spymaster’s military trial had begun; Ashfaq neither rejected nor confirmed the news.

“Due to Officials Secret Act, I cannot comment on it,” Faiz Hamid’s lawyer told Fakhar Durrani.

The journalist observed that if the military court sentences General Faiz, he is likely to be transferred to Adiala Jail Rawalpindi, where former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan is currently incarcerated.

Fakhar Durrani commented on the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan’s military trial, claiming that the establishment had not yet decided to try the former Premier in a military court.

“Imran Khan’s military trial will create the impression internationally that Pakistan is a security state,” he said.

ISPR statement

Former DG ISI Lt Gen (R) Faiz Hamid was formally charged with engaging in political activities and misusing his authority as the chief of the country’s premier intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) reported Tuesday.

According to a statement issued by the military’s media wing, the former spymaster was also charged for violating the Official Secrets Act, misusing authority and government resources, and causing wrongful losses to individuals.

“These actions have compromised state security and interests,” ISPR added.

According to the statement, the process of Hamid’s field general court-martial (FGCM) was initiated on August 12, under provisions of the Pakistan Army Act.

Additionally, the military’s media wing said, the former spymaster’s role in creating agitation and unrest, including the May 9 riots, “in collusion with vested political interests”, was also being investigated.

“Lt Gen (r) Faiz Hamid is being afforded with all legal rights as per the law,” it added.

The development comes four months after reports said and the ISPR confirmed that the ex-ISI chief was taken into custody by the military on charges of abuse of power and violating the Army Act.

The former spy chief was arrested in August this year in connection with a Supreme Court petition filed by a housing society’s chief executive officer, Kanwar Moeez Khan, who accused Hamid of land grabbing and stealing valuables during a raid.

Deputy commissioners of Lahore and Rawalpindi have announced the closure of educational institutions in their respective districts on Dec 16 (tomorrow).

Educational institutions will remain closed on account of the 10th anniversary of the tragic APS Peshawar attack in 2014, two separate notifications said.

Meanwhile, a third notification also announced closure of educational institutions in Islamabad.

While the exact reason behind the sudden closure has not yet been announced, there is also no confirmation on the status of educational institutions in other parts of the country.

President Asif Ali Zardari has raised eight objections over the Societies Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2024, under which religious seminaries are to be registered as societies.

The Societies Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2024, was passed by both houses of the parliament in October, but was returned to the National Assembly by the president at the time of assent.

According to reports, President Zardari pointed out several flaws and procedural errors in the bill, which, he said, contradicted existing laws. The president also believed said laws could lead to seminaries being used for other purposes than education, reports added.

As per the details of the objections, the law could result in the “spread of sectarianism”, and the formation of several madrassas in the same society could lead to the “deterioration of the law-and-order situation”.

President Zardari expressed fear that if the bill was enacted into law, it could have negative consequences for Pakistan’s international standing.

He said that bypassing the current registration process could lead to adverse reviews by international bodies such as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), and might also affect the European Union’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) programme.

It merits mention that the GSP scheme allows developing countries, including Pakistan, to benefit from preferential access to the EU market by exempting certain goods from import duties. The EU cuts its import duties to zero on more than two-thirds of the tariff lines of their export to those country’s products, which implements 27 international conventions on human rights, labour rights, good governance, press freedom and the environment. Pakistan was awarded the GSP Plus status in 2014.

Furthermore, President Zardari highlighted that the Societies Registration Act, 1860, was applicable within the limits of Islamabad, but the clause regarding the applicability of the new amendments only in the federal capital was not included in the bill.

Referring to the Madrassa Education Board Ordinance 2001 and the Islamabad Capital Territory Trust Act, 2020, the president said that the new legislation could not be enacted in the presence of both acts.

Additionally, he objected to the contradiction in the definition of madrassa in various provisions of the new bill. 

It may be noted that the bill seems to be becoming the latest bone of contention between major power players, including the president, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led federal government and members of the opposition, especially Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

While Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has written to President Zardari, urging him to approve the amendment bill, Maulana has criticised the president over delays in the same.

A Senate Subcommittee on Health announced that it will investigate private medical colleges responsible for charging inflated fees from students. 

Senator Palwasha Khan, convener of the committee, chaired a sub-committee meeting where she highlighted that the law clearly states that Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has the authority to control fees. She raised questions  regarding the role of the medical body, stating that due to the criminal negligence of PMDC, students of private medical colleges were “slaughtered in the name of fees.”

The committee was told that a fee of upto three million rupees was charged from first year MBBS and BDS students.

Committee chairman Palwasha Khan avowed that additional fees collected from students in the year 2024 will be refunded. “We will refund the excess fee charged by these institutions and cancel the registration of all the medical colleges violating the rules,” she said.

Reports suggest that PMDC and the health ministry officials admitted that they have been charging heavy fees from students.

Adding to the conversation, Senator Humayun Mohmand said that the drastic increase in fees from Rs0.8 million to Rs3.5 million is illegal. Moreover, he said that a 300 per cent increase is unacceptable. Among them, many of our parliament members are doing business, he remarked. 

On this occasion, Committee Chairman Palwasha Khan emphasised while the law is very clear that PMDC can control the fees, private medical colleges are openly “looting children”.

Khan said that PMDC gave birth to the private medical colleges which she described as a “mafia”.

As the chairman asked the PMDC’s failure to refund the additional fee, “Why were these additional fees of up to Rs0.9 million not refunded?” The authority’s registrar stated in the meeting that private medical colleges are not categorised. Private medical colleges raise their fees independently.

Adding to that the registrar also informed the committee that education and services are treated separately while compensation is collected for the use of services and machines.

As an example, the committee was informed that a Rs2.9 million fee increase at Hazrat Bari Sarkar (HBS) Medical College has happened over two years.

Upon this, the committee requested a detailed breakdown of the fees charged by the colleges. 

The committee issued a directive to investigate the colleges that have increased their fees by 10-15 per cent.

Parents and students who wish to voice their concerns about the fees have also been encouraged to reach out by the committee.

PMDC President Rizwan Taj and former health secretary Iftikhar Shallwani have been summoned to the next committee meeting to delve into the matter further.