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  • PML-N MPA calls boss Nawaz a ‘lota’, says India taking advantage of his speeches

    PML-N MPA calls boss Nawaz a ‘lota’, says India taking advantage of his speeches

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Jalil Sharaqpuri has slammed his boss and party’s supreme leader Nawaz Sharif, calling him a “lota”, saying that “India is taking advantage of his speeches”.

    The lota — a plastic vessel — is used figuratively in Pakistani politics as an insulting term for people who switch parties and loyalties quite frequently.

    Sharaqpuri is among the five PML-N lawmakers from Punjab who earned the ire of the party leadership when they met Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar without obtaining permission.

    “Did Nawaz not change his [loyalties]?” he asked while addressing a press conference, adding, “They are all lotas.”

    “In my opinion, Nawaz’s speeches were inappropriate,” he said, adding that the PML-N supremo, who has over the past month made headlines for his fiery speeches, should speak in the interest of Pakistan.

    Sharaqpuri said that while the party leadership makes decisions, a person should be able to express his reservations against them.

    The lawmaker said that he was a member of the PML-N earlier and had left the party after “ideological differences with Nawaz”, following which he was with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for eight years.

    “In the 2018 elections [PML-N lawmaker] Rana Tanveer asked me to opt for PML-N’s ticket and I agreed on the condition that I be allowed to hold on to my differences with Nawaz,” Sharaqpuri said.

    He added whatever the party, he had come into politics “to serve the country”.

    “For me Pakistan comes before anything or anyone else.”

    Talking about Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, he said that the premier has Pakistan’s interests at heart. “He raised the slogan of Islam in the United Nations (UN).”

    “If PML-N talks about honouring the vote, then respect should also be accorded to votes given to Imran Khan,” he said.

    Reacting to an event that took place a few days ago, where PML-N workers placed a lota on top of his head, Sharaqpuri demanded PML-N to take action against those involved.

    “I joined PML-N with good intentions, and I am still a part of it,” he said.

  • COVID-19: Five more educational institutions sealed in Islamabad

    COVID-19: Five more educational institutions sealed in Islamabad

    Five more educational institutions have been shut down in Islamabad after cases of coronavirus emerged there, as experts have already warned of a second wave of the virus during winter.

    As per reports, the notification to seal educational institutions was issued by the district health officer and a circular has also been released to seal the concerned departments of Namal University due to a surge in coronavirus cases.

    The circular stated that two virus cases have been reported in Islamabad Model School in G-6/1-3 and two cases were also reported in a private school in the city’s G-11/4 area.

    Two cases each have been reported in two private colleges at H-8/1 and H-8/4, as per the circular.

    Furthermore, 15 coronavirus cases have also been reported in a private school in I-9/3.

    The affected educational institutes have been directed to disinfect their buildings after closing their locality.

    Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Fawad Chaudhry, also suggested that political parties should postpone rallies and processions for three months amid fears of a second Covid-19 wave in the country.

    Earlier today, the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) issued standard operating procedures (SOPs) for marriage halls as cases of the pandemic continue to increase across the country.

  • VIDEO: ‘ISI keeps a check on prime ministers,’ Imran reveals

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has revealed that Pakistan’s premier intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), keeps a check on the country’s chief executives and is the first to know when any government is involved in corruption.

    Addressing a ceremony organised by the Insaf Lawyers Forum (ILF) in Islamabad on Friday, he claimed that ISI’s check on the integrity of PMs was the actual reason behind opposition parties’ clash with the security establishment. Reports quoted Imran as saying that if he too “started laundering money” out of the country, the ISI would find out about it before anyone else “because it is the world’s top agency”.

    “Military is unlike other institutions. They [former ruling parties] manipulated all institutions that were responsible to keep checks and balances, except one. They know the ISI is aware of all their theft. They try to control it and that’s where the conflict starts,” he said.

    Mocking Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo and deposed PM Nawaz Sharif, who, in recent weeks, has levelled serious allegations of political interference against the armed forces, the premier commented on the claim that Nawaz was asked to step down by ex-ISI chief Zaheerul Islam.

    “Why did he [Islam] say that? And why did you [Nawaz] silently hear that? Because Zaheerul Islam knew how much money you had stolen,” PM Imran said and added that Nawaz “fought with every army chief” because he wanted to turn the military into Punjab police.

    Referring to what he termed Nawaz’s “attacks” on the Pakistan Army, he said, “If anyone is going around with India’s agenda, it is the [opposition].” He added that if the Pakistani military was weakened, the country would see similar turbulence as in other Muslim countries such as Libya, Syria and Yemen.

    “We are safe today because of the sacrifices rendered by our armed forces,” the premier stressed.

    Imran said the reason he did not have any “problems” with the army and the military supported every agenda of his government was because of his clean record.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    Furthermore, the PM sent a warning to the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) — an opposition alliance launching anti-government protests next week. “The moment you break the law, you will go straight to jail — and not to a VIP jail, but where the poor are sent,” he said.

    The premier said that all the “employed” opposition politicians had united on one platform because “they consider themselves above the law” and “unanswerable”.

    PM Imran said that the PDM was the latest attempt by the opposition to obtain an NRO-like agreement. He drew parallels between the PDM and the opposition’s attempts to “blackmail” the government over the passage of legislation concerning the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

    “The day they get an NRO would be the downfall of Pakistan,” he added.

    Referring to the opposition’s allegation of the vote having been stolen in the 2018 elections, the premier said he had gotten “the most votes in Pakistan and won from five constituencies.”

    “I am democracy,” he declared.

  • VIDEO: University student ‘harassed’ by police in hotel room

    VIDEO: University student ‘harassed’ by police in hotel room

    A young woman has allegedly been harassed and mistreated by police officials at a local hotel in Lahore. 

    The university student, named Kinza, has revealed in a video message that she booked a room at Lahore’s Hilton Grand hotel.

    Around 2:30 am, the police chowki in-charge, Arshad Bhatti, along with other cops arrived there and started knocking on the door of her room.

    She alleged that Bhatti harassed her and offered her to book a new room for her at another hotel. The police officer also allegedly kept on asking the girl for her contact number. Kinza maintained that the officers also abused her and called her names.

    She has demanded justice and asked the authorities concerned to take notice of the incident. 

    WATCH VIDEO:

    Reports say that Punjab inspector general (IG) has taken notice of the incident and ordered an investigation.

  • Earthquake hits Swat on 15th anniversary of deadly 7.6 quake

    Earthquake hits Swat on 15th anniversary of deadly 7.6 quake

    A moderate intensity earthquake has jolted Mingora in Swat and adjoining areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on the 15th anniversary of the deadly 7.6 quake.

    According to reports, the intensity of tremors was recorded 4.7 on the Richter scale.

    The depth of the quake was 100 kilometres with its epicentre in the Hindukush Mountain range, according to seismological reports.

    The 2005 Kashmir earthquake also occurred on October 8. It was centred near the city of Muzaffarabad and had also affected Balakot city in KP. The quake claimed thousands of lives and caused massive damage to infrastructure, especially in Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) and KP.

    On Thursday, the 15th anniversary of victims of the deadly earthquake was observed across Pakistan, including AJK. Last year in September, a 5.8-magnitude quake hit different parts of AJK. The quake hit some urban and rural parts of the region, including Muzaffarabad, Kotli and other areas.

    At least 40 people died and more than 500 were injured as a result of the earthquake. Around 6,000 houses were destroyed completely, while 7,100 cattle farms were also damaged.

  • NIH warns rapid spread of COVID-19 in winter

    NIH warns rapid spread of COVID-19 in winter

    The National Institute of Health (NIH) has advised health authorities to declare high alert due to the likelihood of speedy spread of seven diseases including COVID -19 during the winter season.

    In an advisory called Seasonal Awareness and Alert Letter (Saal) it has been informed that the diseases such as COVID-19, Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever virus, dengue fever, diphtheria, pertussis, seasonal flu and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) typhoid can spread rapidly from October to February.

    According to a statement issued by the NIH, the main goal of SAAL is to aware all the health authorities and professionals concerned at all levels for a timely and effective response to the diseases.

    “Based on last five-year data, NIH recommends for all federal, provincial and district health departments to keep a continuous observation and watch on the anticipated seasonal public health threats and taking of all preventive or curative measures in this context,” it states.

    Due to the ongoing pandemic situation, NIH is facilitating testing and capacity building services for all educational, economic, administrative and local institutions at Islamabad along with technical advice and support.

    The necessary technical guidelines and awareness material regarding infectious diseases are also available at the NIH website: www.nih.org.pk

  • CAA porter returns lost wallet having 9 lakh to owner

    CAA porter returns lost wallet having 9 lakh to owner

    An employee of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) returned a lost wallet containing 20,000 Saudi Riyal cash (873,660 Pakistani rupees) to its owner.

    As per reports, the porter, identified as Inam-ul-Haq, was travelling from Jeddah to Lahore on International Airline’s flight SV-738 when he forgot his bag in the lounge of Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport.

    A civil aviation official found the bag and submitted it to the CAA’s Lost and Found Departures department. The Lahore CAA staff found the owner of the luggage with CCTV footage and handed over the lost wallet to him.

    The passenger thanked the CAA employee for returning his missing bag to him.

    This is not the first time that the CAA has returned lost items to a passenger.

    Earlier in September, the CAA had returned a lost bag having gold jewellery and foreign currency to a passenger at Allama Iqbal International Airport.

    According to the aviation authority’s spokesman, the passenger forgot one of his bags at the Lahore airport.

    “He was returning from Turkey and left one of his bags at the airport,” the CAA official had said.

  • Teenage girl steals motorcycles after disguising as a boy

    Teenage girl steals motorcycles after disguising as a boy

    Mauripur police in Karachi have arrested an 18-year-old girl who they claim stole motorcycles while disguised as a boy.

    The accused is a resident of Lyari and reportedly performs the sport of boxing. The accused used to steal bikes along with her two partners — 14-year-old ‘Chhotoo’ and 20-year-old Basit.

    While the girl is in the custody of women police, both her accomplices are on the run, reports said.

    The suspect has denied the charges and said that she did not steal any motorcycle. She said she had been involved in the case because someone else gave her a stolen vehicle and she got caught with it.

    While the police claimed that the three-member gang used to snatch or steal motorcycles of latest models, they are also searching for the dealers to whom the group sold the same.

  • ‘Army chief had nothing to do with election rigging,’ ex-PM says

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) stalwart and former prime minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa had nothing to do with rigging in the 2018 general election, which his colleagues among other opposition leaders allege.

    “I met him [Gen Bajwa] in November 2018 and expressed no reservations regarding rigging because he had nothing to do with it,” Abbasi said while speaking to journalists on Wednesday. He added that the meetings between ex-Sindh governor and PML-N leader Muhammad Zubair with the COAS were being misconstrued.

    Abbasi, who is among the many PML-N leaders booked for sedition over ex-PM Nawaz Sharif’s fiery speeches against the government and state institutions, further said that the government was distributing treason certificates. “It does not matter what ministers say… Imran Khan is the one behind these cases.”

    Lashing out at the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), he also said that PM Imran did not know that sugar was being sold at Rs110 per kg, he did not know that unemployment was on the rise, and was not even aware that CPEC [China-Pakistan Economic Corridor] has been closed.”

    “Can’t believe he [Imran] thinks that people will buy it when he says he has nothing to do with the cases registered against the PM of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and those who served the country, including two former premiers and three former army generals… they have become traiters today.”

    Abbasi maintained that traitors were the ones “who stopped work on CPEC and added to the masses’ miseries”.

  • People of Pakistan reject Nawaz’s fiery speeches in latest survey as only 33% agree with him

    People of Pakistan reject Nawaz’s fiery speeches in latest survey as only 33% agree with him

    A recent Gallup Pakistan survey has revealed that only 33% Pakistanis agree with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif’s fiery speeches from the All Parties Conference (APC) held last month and the subsequent meeting of his party’s Central Working Committee (CWC) and Central Executive Committee (CEC) on October 1. 

    “A larger 39% said they disagreed and 24% said they neither agreed or disagreed,” read a statement by Gallup Pakistan. “It appears, public opinion is split on the issue with only 1 in 3 siding with Nawaz’s hard stance during the speech.”

    READ: Three ex-army generals, Azad Kashmir PM among Nawaz loyalists booked for ‘conspiring against state’

    According to another question, a majority 47% agree with the former prime minister’s accusation that PM Imran Khan has destroyed Pakistan’s economy.

    “Here again, however, public opinion was split with 41% disagreeing with this claim and another 12% choosing to sit on the fence with respect to this debate,” said Gallup Pakistan. “It is interesting to see that PTI retains its edge among youngsters who were less likely to agree that Imran Khan has destroyed the economy.”

    READ: Nawaz, Maryam go filterless, say ‘nation expected Lt Gen (r) Asim Bajwa to be arrested, not Shehbaz’

    When it came to whether the former prime minister should return to the country or not, the survey’s results revealed that an overwhelming majority of the people want Nawaz to return and face the courts. 

    “A sweeping 78% respondents want Nawaz Sharif to return back to Pakistan and face the justice system. Only 15% agreed that he should stay out of Pakistan.”