Nigar Johar has been promoted by the Pakistan Army to become the first woman lieutenant general, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement on Tuesday.
According to the military’s media wing, Johar, who hails from the Panjpeer area of Swabi district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), also holds the accolade for becoming the first woman surgeon general of the Pakistan Army.
Major General Nigar Johar, HI (M) promoted as Lieutenant General. She is the 1st female officer to be promoted as Lieutenant General. The officer has been appointed as 1st female Surgeon General of Pak Army. Lieutenant General Nigar Johar hails from Panjpeer, District Swabi KPK. pic.twitter.com/ytw8YvSz76
Earlier, in 2017, Johar became the third woman officer to reach the rank of major general.
Lt Gen Johar belongs to the Army Medical Corps and is the niece of Major (r) Mohammad Aamir, a former Pakistan Army officer who served in the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Lt Gen Nigar Johar’s father Colonel Qadir also served in the ISI. He and his wife were killed in a road accident about 30 years ago.
Swabi has produced a number of generals, but this is the first time that a woman has reached the said army rank.
One of the martyred security personnel who thwarted the attack on Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) in Karachi on Monday, was due to retire from service two days later, SAMAA reported.
Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Muhammad Shahid of Lyari recruited 33 years ago in 1987, was due to retire on July 1.
Senior police officials have paid tribute to the martyred officer. They say the city owes its peace to such valiant police personnel.
Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa among others have also paid tribute to the brave cops and security guards who laid down their lives to foil the attack by killing all four gunmen affiliated with the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) before they could enter the compound.
… and integrated response of Pak Rangers & Sindh Police, eliminating terrorists in shortest possible time. “With support of our resilient nation, we will foil all efforts of enemies aimed at destabilizing hard earned peace achieved through sacrifices of our martyrs” COAS. (2/2)
Constable Muhammad Rafiq Soomro and Constable Khalil Jatoyi are also being praised for their valour and the critical role they played in thwarting the attack within eight minutes of its launch.
Earlier, panic and fear swept across Karachi after four terrorists tried to storm the PSX building on I I Chundrigar Road Monday. The assailants came in a car and tried to enter the building, according to the police.
They were intercepted by security guards after which the militants threw a hand grenade at them and opened gunfire. All four attackers were killed after a brief encounter with commandos of the Sindh Police’s Rapid Response Force.
The National Assembly (NA) on Monday approved the federal budget for the fiscal year 2020-21. The session, however, was yet again marred by an altercation, this time between Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Asif and Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry.
“Sir, bass vee kar deo [sir, please stop]” Fawad was heard as saying as Asif addressed the Lower House of the parliament.
To this, Asif replied, “Tuvaaday mutalak mai aisiyaan aisiyaan gallaan karaanga, Khuda di qasam tavanu jagaah nayi labnni ais hall ich [I will say such things about you that you will not find a place in this hall].”
Asif went on to say that for the past few days, Fawad had been “involved in some activities”, to which the federal minister said the PML-N leader would not “find any space in Sialkot — Asif’s hometown — either” and asked him to apologise for his remarks.
NA Speaker Asad Qaiser kept on asking both the lawmakers to stop.
“No cross talk please… sit down please. Please, Fawad Sahib. Take a seat. Khawaja Sahib, continue please.”
“No, how can you let this happen? How can one person say anything and not apologise? How dare he? He must apologise!” Fawad said.
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Speaking to The Current, Fawad said he was discussing something with Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri.
“Khawaja Asif got upset because we were not paying attention to his speech. Then he made up some lies about me, for which I asked him to apologise.”
Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has said that every day he is told by someone that it, or the day after, is his last in power, but he knows he can “easily complete his five-year tenure”.
Addressing a dinner reception hosted at the PM House to muster support of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers as well as coalition partners for the passage of budget 2020-21 in the face of its rejection by the joint opposition, the premier asserted that his government would definitely complete its five-year term because he was determined to face every challenge.
“I am the only choice,” he said, adding that all rumours regarding his government’s uncertain fate and the challenges facing his administration would cease to exist “if he strikes a deal with people”.
He was of the opinion that opposition leaders had a bigger stake than the ruling PTI.
According to Dawn, a participant of the event quoted PM Imran as saying that the members of opposition parties had a bigger stake because if PTI leaders lose the election they would only lose their seats while “if opposition leaders lose them, they would go to jail”.
Responding to the allegation that the government was being run by a team of non-elected people, the premier said, “If we have included some non-elected members in the cabinet, they [opposition parties] had filled the slots with their relatives.”
He reportedly also asked PTI leaders and all government allies to get the budget passed on Monday with a significant majority and spoke about the recent hike in petroleum prices, corruption as well as coronavirus in the country.
The function concluded after the PM’s address, as no one spoke after him on the occasion.
As many as 14 MNAs belonging to the Imran-led PTI, Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), Pakistan Awami Muslim League (PAML) did not attend the dinner, reports said.
It merits a mention that a day later, the National Assembly has approved the federal budget for the fiscal year 2020-21, despite the opposition’s vow to not let it sail through the house.
The first audit report of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has unveiled irregularities and corruption to the tune of Rs270 billion in 40 departments and ministries.
According to Dawn, the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) has unearthed misappropriation and embezzlement of public funds to the tune of over Rs12 billion, with irregularities of government funds amounting to Rs258bn.
The AGP’s report covers the fiscal year 2018-19 — the first year of the PTI government — and recommends strict action, including references, to investigation agencies against those responsible. The AGP has finalised its report on audit year 2019-20 and it would be submitted to parliament and the president in a couple of days.
The report also disclosed that record for a number of entities and accounts was not given to audit teams in violation of rules.
The audit revealed corruption and fake receipts in ministries and departments to the tune of Rs12.56 billion. It stated that recovery cases of Rs79.59 billion in federal ministries were reported and a record of Rs17.96 billion was not provided to the auditor general by government departments.
The report further said that Rs8.89 billion in corruption cases had been recorded owing to weak internal controls and cases worth Rs152.20 billion were reported due to poor financial management.
The AGP recommended that government institutions not be allowed to undertake expenditures unless approved from the parliament and similarly, to not allow supplementary grants to these institutions without the parliament’s approval.
He recommended that corruption cases be handed over to investigative agencies.
A government minister while commenting on the audit report said that such irregularities during the period of past governments used to involve up to Rs1,000 billion. Geo quoted Minister for Industries Hammad Azhar as saying the graph had come down by 80 per cent but added that the PTI government needed to improve it further.
Police killed all four assailants who attacked the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) compound in Karachi on Monday morning, police chief Ghulam Nabi Memon confirmed to media.
Citing Memon, Reuters reported that the gunmen had attacked the compound on I I Chundrigar Road with grenades and guns. “Four attackers have been killed, they had come in a Corolla car,” Nabi said.
Initial reports said that four attackers entered the building around 10 am and opened fire. A grenade attack was carried out at the entrance.
At least two civilians were killed in the attack and multiple were injured.
Police surgeon Dr Qarar Ahmed Abbasi said that five bodies and seven injured including policemen were brought to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital in Karachi.
Other reports said that four guards and a policeman were also martyred.
[GRAPHIC WARNING]
Police and Rangers’ officials arrived at the scene soon after the attack and killed all four attackers, Sindh Rangers said.
A clearance operation is underway in the vicinity. Weapons and hand grenades have been recovered from the attackers.
“An unfortunate incident took place at the Pakistan Stock Exchange,” said PSX director Abid Ali Habib. “They made their way from our parking area and opened fire on everyone.”
He said that the militants had stormed the Railway Ground parking area and fired outside the PSX ground. They made their way to the main gate of the building and stormed it after trading fire with security guards.
Habib said that the firing by militants caused panic among the people in the building.
The PSX building and surrounding areas were sealed by law enforcement agencies. People inside the PSX building were evacuated from the back door.
Police said the militants conducted the assault with sophisticated weapons and were carrying a bag filled with explosives.
Counter Terrorism Department’s (CTD) Raja Omar Khattab said that police would try to find out details about the car used by the attackers. “CCTV cameras are being monitored by law enforcement agencies to obtain clues.”
An earlier statement by the PSX said that its compound had been attacked by militants and that the “situation is still unfolding”.
“There was an attack on the PSX compound earlier today. The situation is still unfolding and management, with the help of security forces, is managing the security and controlling the situation,” tweeted the PSX.
There was an attack on the PSX compound earlier today. The situation is still unfolding and management, with the help of security forces, is managing the security and controlling the situation.
“We will issue a more detailed statement in due course once the situation is under control and more details are known,” it said in a subsequent tweet.
We will issue a more detailed statement in due course once the situation is under control and more details are known. For now firing has stopped and reinforcement are in place.
For now firing has stopped and reinforcement are in place, it added.
Meanwhile, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail condemned the attack.
Strongly condemn the attack on PSX aimed at tarnishing our relentless war on terror. Have instructed the IG & security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators are caught alive & their handlers are accorded exemplary punishments. We shall protect Sindh at all costs.
“Strongly condemn the attack on PSX aimed at tarnishing our relentless war on terror,” he said, vowing to protect Sindh at all costs.
The banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which was declared a global terrorist group by the United States (US) last year, has reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack.
A protest led by members of Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s Tiger Force on Saturday disrupted Special Assistant to the PM (PM) for Overseas Pakistanis Zulfi Bukhari’s speech as disgruntled workers raised slogans against him as well as the ruling party’s leadership, reportedly forcing Bukhari to leave the rostrum.
The premier’s Corona Relief Tiger Force is part of an ambitious multi-pronged strategy by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government to impose movement restrictions and shut down industries while also ensuring that Pakistan’s poorest citizens — many of whom rely on daily wages to survive — continue to receive adequate supplies of food and other essentials.
Hundreds of thousands of volunteers from across the country, who signed up for the force, are reportedly discharging their duties as the country continues to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
While Saturday’s event organised in Attock seemed to be in violation of social distancing among other government guidelines to curb the spread of the virus, things took an uglier turn as soon as Bukhari took the floor to address the gathering.
According to reports, the volunteers raised slogans against Bukhari as well as other leaders of the ruling PTI in protest against the force’s focal person, namely Qadri Ahmed, “not being invited to the ceremony despite working hard for over a month”.
اٹک میں وزیر اعظم کے معاون خصوصی زلفی بخاری کی سربراہی میں ہونے والی ٹائیگر فورس کی تقریب بد نظمی کا شکار زلفی بخاری کو تقریر روکنے پڑھ گئی ٹائیگر فورس کے ایک گروپ نے اپنے علاقائی صدر کو نہ بلانے پر احتجاج کیا زلفی بخاری مردہ باد کے نعرے @sayedzbukhari@ImranKhanPTI@ArfaSays_pic.twitter.com/PmH2NKZkyg
The volunteers were then seen leaving the venue, raising slogans in Ahmed’s favour.
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A member of Bukhari’s staff, however, denied media reports and said that no one left the stage as it was “only a two to four-minute issue between [Adviser to PM on Climate Change] Malik Amin Aslam and the local president.
“Bukhari ended up completing his speech,” they said.
PTI Punjab lawmaker Syed Yawer Abbas Bukhari among other local leaders were also present on the occasion.
With Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan approving a Rs25 hike in petrol price, yet another tweet from the past has come back to haunt the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The premier on Friday approved a summary of recommendations to increase the prices of petroleum products “in view of the rising oil prices trend in the global market”, with a notification issued to announce the new rates.
The notification stated that the new petrol prices would come into effect immediately.
Petrol prices, according to the recommendation, were to be bumped up Rs25.58 per litre. Similarly, the per-litre prices of high-speed diesel (HSD), kerosene oil, and light diesel were recommended to be increased Rs21.31, Rs23.50, and Rs17.84, respectively.
The new per-litre prices of petrol, HSD, kerosene oil, and light diesel, therefore, would respectively be Rs100.10, Rs101.46, Rs59.06, and Rs55.98.
With the hike drawing a strong reaction from the general public as people expressed frustration over the development that could result in yet another inflation bomb amid the coronavirus outbreak, some took to Twitter to retweet a statement by the premier from back when he sat in the parliament on opposition benches.
Absolutely shameful how the govt has dropped a petrol bomb on the poor nation at the start of 2018. Instead of undertaking tax reforms and cracking down on money laundering, the govt continues to burden the masses – this time with a big increase in petroleum products' prices.
“Absolutely shameful how the govt has dropped a petrol bomb on the poor nation at the start of 2018. Instead of undertaking tax reforms and cracking down on money laundering, the govt continues to burden the masses — this time with a big increase in petroleum products’ prices,” the tweet read.
Petrol should be sold at Rs 58 per litre, demands @ImranKhanPTI
“Petrol should be sold at Rs58 per litre, demands @ImranKhanPTI [sic],” another tweet from 2015 by PTI’s official handle read.
This isn’t the first time an old tweet has come back to bite the PTI government.
While the same tweets were used to criticise the government after a fuel prices hike in July 2019, a separate tweet from August 2014 read, “All over the world, just on an incident of railway accidents, minister resigns. This is real democracy, says Imran Khan [sic].”
All over the world, just on an incident of railway accidents, minister resigns. This is real democracy, says Imran Khan
It had started making rounds last month after the tragic train accident in Sadiqabad, which claimed over 20 lives.
Prior to this, as PM Imran reached China amid Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s (TLP) nationwide protests last year, a 2012 tweet of his, went viral. In the tweet, he had criticised the then premier for traveling abroad as the country “burned”.
Karachi to Gilgit Pak is burning & rulers least bothered. Instead they are travelling abroad or boasting of invisible "achievements"!
It was aimed at criticising former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani, who had traveled to China for the Boao Forum while violence linked to sectarian, ethnic and political tensions continued in different parts of the country.
Federal Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar has said that the government is confident of achieving the tax collection target of Rs4,960 billion set in the 2020-21 federal budget through Federal Board Revenue (FBR).
Concluding discussion on the Finance Bill 2020-21 in the National Assembly, the minister on the floor of the House pointed out that the present government inherited a weak economy, but due to its concerted efforts, the government succeeded in stabilising it.
He said that all the international financial institutions are praising Pakistan government’s performance on economic front.
Hammad said that presenting a tax free budget while enhancing allocations for development shows the true leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan. He said the government is trying to minimize the impact of Covid-19 on the economy by pursuing a prudent strategy.
The minister categorically stated that the federal government has not withheld any funds of the provinces under the National Finance Commission (NFC). He said that the recommendations of the Senate for the Finance Bill 2020-21 would be given due consideration.
Earlier, the National Assembly approved 96 demands for grants pertaining to different ministries, divisions and departments for the next fiscal year.
Presented by Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar, these demands were related to Climate Change, Commerce Division, Communications Division, Pakistan Post, Defense Division, Survey of Pakistan, Economic Affairs Division, Power Division, Petroleum Division, Geological Survey of Pakistan, Foreign Affairs Division, Housing and Works Division, Human Rights Division, Information and Broadcasting Division, Information Technology and Telecommunication, Inter Provincial Coordination, Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Division, Law and Justice Division, Federal Shariat Court, Council of Islamic Ideology, National Accountability Bureau, District Judiciary Islamabad Capital Territory, Maritime Affairs, Narcotics Control, National Assembly, The Senate, Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Division, Parliamentary Affairs Division, Planning Development and Special Initiatives Division, CPEC Authority, Privatization Division, Religious Affairs and Inter Faith Harmony Division, Science and Technology Division, States and Frontier Regions and Water Resources.
No cut motions were moved on these demands for grants.
Punjab government has finally once again sealed worst-hit areas of Lahore for at least two weeks despite which the number of coronavirus infections in Punjab rose to 71,987 on Friday.
The development came days after Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid slammed the people of Lahore for not taking precautionary measures against COVID-19 and held them responsible for the surge in the number of infections in the country’s most populous province.
“Lahoris are weird creatures. For them, everything is a joke. They are so ignorant… they do not listen and don’t care. No other nation is more ignorant and stupid than Pakistanis,” she had said.
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Lahoris are a weird creature, for them everything is a joke, they are so Jaahil they dont listen and dont care; no other nation is bigger in jahaalet and stupidity than Pakistanis; Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid says #CoronaVirusPakistanpic.twitter.com/YND8NULp5w
Seven COVID-19-affected areas have been sealed in Lahore over the past week. These include Gulberg, Model Town, Faisal Town, Garden Town, Defence Housing Authority (DHA), Gulshane Ravi and the Walled City.
A complete ban has been imposed on transportation and businesses in the sealed areas where 3,606 cases have so far been reported. The actual number of cases is likely to be way more than official figures that are as follows:
DHA
Gulberg
Model Town
Faisal Town
Garden Town
Gulshan-e- Ravi
Walled city
1,403
736
659
188
238
212
170
Government guidelines were issued before re-opening business ahead of Eidul Fitr, under which shopkeepers were told not to let people gather at their stores, social distancing was stressed, availability of sanitisers for general public’s use was to be ensured and wearing gloves with masks was made necessary in most spaces.
However, none of the SOPs [standard operating procedures] were followed by most Lahoris, resulting in the provincial capital of Punjab becoming the epicenter of COVID-19 in the province.
At present, there are 71,191 coronavirus cases in Punjab while 35,582 cases (about 49.98 per cent of the total number of infections) are in Lahore alone with the local spread in the city standing at 69.4 per cent.
Despite a lockdown being put in place again, government SOPs are still not being followed by people as many believe that coronavirus “does not even exist”, and throng to markets, destroying social distancing among other guidelines.
A look at stats of police actions against violators of SOPs amid the government’s “smart” lockdown, also proves the same.
According to Lahore police stats from June 16 to June 24, almost 238,400 citizens violating coronavirus guidelines were warned and sent back home. As many as 8,251 motorcycles and vehicles were confiscated while 4,599 citizens submitted surety bonds for not unnecessarily leave their homes again.
During the ongoing lockdown, 8,927 cases have been registered and 1,888 shops have also been sealed for violating SOPs in Lahore.
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