COVID-19 cases continued to drop in the capital city in the last few weeks. It is now revealed that the virus is again spreading through hospitals.
DC Islamabad Muhammed Hamza Shafqaat, in a recent tweet said, “COVID cases going up. We have traced each and every case in Islamabad. In the recent surge, 80 percent infection is spreading through hospitals.”
He also urged people “to be extremely careful while visiting hospitals.”
The total number of reported cases in Islamabad are 15,941 so far.
On Tuesday night, two robbers reportedly gang-raped a mother of two on the Motorway within Gujjarpura police’s jurisdiction. The incident has sparked outrage among the citizens, with people criticising the authorities and the police officials for not doing their job properly and “protecting us”. Countrywide protests are being organised to express solidarity with the victim and demand justice for her.
Date: 12th September, 2020 (Saturday)
Time: 05:00 PM
Venue: Liberty Round About
Date: 13th September, 2020 (Sunday)
Time: 04:00 PM
Venue: Liberty Round About
Also Read; VIDEO: Police blame mother-of-three survivor for gang-rape, say ‘she should have taken GT Road’
Date: 12th September, 2020
Time: 04:00 PM
Venue: Islamabad Press Club
Date: 12th September 2020
Time: 04:00 PM
Venue: Karachi Press Club
Virgin Atlantic airline is all set to operate flights between the UK and Pakistan from December this year. According to details, it will launch three new routes: London Heathrow to Lahore; London Heathrow to Islamabad; and Manchester to Islamabad. Flights will go on sale in September.
In a statement, Virgin’s chief commercial officer Juha Jarvinen said: “Pakistan is an extremely exciting opportunity for us – it boasts one of the largest foreign-born populations in both the UK and the US and, as people start to travel to visit loved ones, we’re anticipating the demand to visit friends and relatives will increase post-COVID-19.”
“Both Lahore and Islamabad are popular year-round destinations and we look forward to welcoming travellers onboard as demand for leisure and business travel gradually increases to the region,” he added.
The carrier said that the services would offer “seamless, speedy connections and a consistent long-haul onboard experience for customers travelling from destinations throughout North America, including New York JFK, Los Angeles, Washington, Boston and San Francisco via London Heathrow onwards to Pakistan”.
“We also see a significant opportunity to increase competition in the US – Pakistan market. Using the strength of our transatlantic services we’re able to offer customers the shortest journey to and from destinations in the US such as New York, Los Angeles and Washington by connecting through London Heathrow”.
Welcoming the announcement, British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Christian Turner in a tweet said, “Another sign of #UKPakDosti- Welcome to Pakistan Virgin Atlantic.”
It is pertinent to mention here that British Airways is currently operating five flights a week between London and Islamabad. On Wednesday, it was reported that the airline is also seeking permission from Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) to start operating flights to Lahore, as a team of experts from the airline visited Allama Iqbal International Airport earlier this week to review arrangements made by the airport management.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former federal minister Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday accidentally arrived at an accountability court in Islamabad, from where he was sent back home by court staff.
As per the details, the PML-N stalwart, against whom the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has filed a reference over alleged corruption in the Narowal Sport City project, is to appear before the court tomorrow (Wednesday).
He, however, mistakenly arrived at the court a day earlier and was informed that his hearing wasn’t until a day later, after which he returned back home.
Reacting to The Current‘s report on Twitter, Iqbal said:
Iqbal was earlier also arrested in connection to the probe into the sports complex built in his hometown.
Construction of the complex, which includes a cricket stadium, gymnasium, squash and hockey ground, began in 2009 when Iqbal was in the opposition. But work picked up pace when the PML-N came to power in the 2013 election. That year, Iqbal was appointed the minister for planning and development.
Below is the charge sheet against the politician from December last year:
• Illegally increasing the cost of the Narowal Sports City complex from Rs35.410 million to Rs97.520 million, without approval from the Planning Commission’s Central Development Working Party (CDWP). Ahsan, adds NAB, was the minister of planning and development and the deputy chairman of the CDWP at the time. Rather than taking the project to the CDWP, he instead approved it on his own.
• Iqbal initiated the project without a feasibility study, which was in violation of the development manual of the Planning Commission.
• After the 18th Amendment, the project was devolved to the Punjab government in 2012 to be completed with its own resources. Yet, reads the charge sheet, funds were taken from the federal government to bankroll the complex. Iqbal, it adds, “further enhanced the scope of the project without any demand from the provincial government”.
A test trial of double Decker bus service was conducted in Rawalpindi and Islamabad on the special orders of Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar.
According to details, the Punjab Tourism Development Corporation with the coordination of Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) initiated a test drive of double-decker bus service on the occasion of Independence Day, celebrated across Pakistan yesterday.
The bus service is expected to start next week in twin cities. The goal of the service is to promote tourism, to invite local and foreign tourists to enjoy the culture and scenery of the twin cities.
Advisor to CM Punjab for Horticulture and Tourism Asif Mehmood said, “The Tourism Development Corporation Punjab (TDCP) will operate the buses,” adding the construction work of the main terminal at Allama Iqbal Park double road is now in the final stage.
At first, two buses will be operated and local people can benefit from this plan, he added.
In Islamabad, the tourists can visit different tourist spots including Faisal Mosque, Marghrzar Zoo, Daman-e-Koh, Constitution Avenue, Lok Virsa, Pakistan Museum of Natural History and Shakarparian through this bus service.
Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has lauded Islamabad Inspector General (IG) Muhammad Amir Zulfiqar Khan over the ongoing operation against land grabbers and a significant reduction in crime rate in the federal capital, which was also highlighted by a report of the World Crime Index issued by the international organisation, Numbeo, earlier this year.
According to a statement from Islamabad police, the crime index decreased to 28.63 per cent in 2020 from 32.88 per cent last year. Islamabad was 232nd on the list earlier while it stands at 301 in the recent ranking of most vulnerable cities to crime in the world.
Its ranking is far better compared to Sydney, Berlin, Moscow, London, Paris and Shanghai, said the report issued after a survey of 374 cities of the world in January.
While the top cop had back then said that crime rate decreased in the capital as a result of an effective strategy, he has now briefed the premier on the same, after which he has been tasked to continue full-scale operation against the land mafia involved in land grabbing.
According to Information Minister Shibli Faraz, the police have retrieved 1,537 acre land from grabbers over Rs450 billion in Islamabad.
In addition to this, the capital has also witnessed a decline in crime up to 15 per cent.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ordered the Capital Development Authority (CDA) administration to seal the newly-constructed Navy Sailing Club, declaring the sports complex’s construction illegal.
Two weeks ago, the CDA had served a notice to the navy for its allegedly illegal and unauthorised construction of the club and directed to immediately stop the construction of the building.
During the hearing on Thursday, a board member told the court that the CDA had not issued any allotment letter for the land in question. To which, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah asked if the authority had taken any action to halt the construction. “We had issued notices to the Navy,” the CDA representative informed the judge.
“What do you mean ‘you issued notices’,” asked Justice Minallah. “Demolish the illegal buildings,” he said.
READ: Islamabad admin at odds with Navy over construction of elite sailing club
Last week, the navy had clarified that the land in question was, in fact, allotted to it in 1994 for the development of a water sports centre. A statement issued at the time had asserted that navy divers are trained at the club who, then, take part in rescue operations in all four provinces and the federally administrative units, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir, as the club is the only such facility in the north of the country.
Citing a 1994 order of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the CDA official informed the court that the permission to build the sports facility was granted by prime minister of the day, Benazir Bhutto.
However, the judge ordered the CDA to seal the facility before the next hearing, saying in case the authority fails to comply, the court will summon Cabinet Secretary Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera. He also directed the issue to be presented before the cabinet.
The judge wondered if the flagship military project was supported by any legal provision providing space for a purportedly commercial project.
When a Pakistan Navy representative, who was present in the court, sought time to submit a response, Justice Minallah asked what did the navy need time for. “We respect you, appreciate your sacrifices and honour your martyrs but an illegal construction isn’t allowed,” he said.
“Why are you defending something which is indefensible [according to relevant laws],” he questioned.
“Islamabad is the country’s capital, not a tribal area. No one is above the law. Not even this court.”
Journalist Matiullah Jan, who is a vocal critic of the government among other quarters, has gone missing from Islamabad, his family said on Tuesday, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).
According to Jan’s wife, Kaneez Sughra, who was speaking to Independent Urdu, his car was found with keys still inside.
Jan was due to appear in the Supreme Court (SC) this week after it took suo motu notice of a contemptuous tweet by the journalist.
Amnesty International South Asia called for authorities to “establish [Jan’s] whereabouts immediately”.
In a tweet, the organisation said it was “extremely concerned for the fate and wellbeing” of the journalist, who it said has been the subject of “physical attacks and harassment for his journalism”.
Meanwhile, a CCTV footage showed Jan’s car being intercepted. It also showed a scuffle breaking out between the journalist and the reportedly armed men who took him away.
He can also be shown throwing his phone away, which a woman was seen handing over to one of the unidentified men.
Federal Minister for Information Shibli Faraz, later in the day, said the government was aware of the abduction and efforts were underway for the journalist’s safe return. The development was also confirmed by Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari, who said that she was in contact with the capital city’s police in this regard.
Chief justice of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), on the other hand, has reportedly taken notice of the abduction and directed authorities to present Jan before the court on Wednesday.
Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhary has announced that the first electric vehicle (EV) charging station will be launched in Islamabad.
“Extremely excited to see the launching of first Electric Car Charging Station in Islamabad,” the minister wrote in a tweet.
He added that the first flagship EV charging facility will be set up at Jinnah Avenue Islamabad soon.
“The opening of EV charging stations was another target of Ministry of Science and Technology to encourage E-vehicles as future transportation,” he said.
As the country approved its first-ever electric vehicle (EV) policy last month, vehicles in Pakistan will be shifted on electric power. Under the policy, motorcycles and vehicles would be shifted on electric power, while EV Manufacturing Units would also be established in the country.
Islamabad administration has issued a notice to the Pakistan Navy Sailing Club to halt its illegal construction.
It has been reported that the club near the Lake View Park was inaugurated on July 10.
The Capital Development Authority (CDA), in a notification on July 13, said that the club was told to halt construction on September 17, 2019, and February 24, 2020.
“It has once again come to notice that illegal construction has resumed and the club has been made functional,” a notification read. “This is sheer violation of the CDA laws and it needs to be halted immediately.”
The CDA has instructed the club owners to stop the construction work. If, however, they fail to comply then the authority has threatened to “take action” over the demolition of the structure at the club’s risk and cost.
On the other hand, according to a letter written by the deputy chief of naval staff to the CDA chief in response to the authority’s first notice, it was informed that Navy Sailing Club was established in 1992 on the directives of then prime minister (PM).
The letter also annexed three directives of the PM Office but it is pertinent to clarify here that none of them confirms the formal allotment of land to Pakistan Navy. The first notification issued in 1991 states that chief of naval staff is appointed as patron in chief of all water sports in Pakistan. The second letter issued in 1992 was regarding the premier’s directions to develop water sports centres at six different locations of the country including Kunhar River, Tarbela Lake, F-9 Park, Rawal Dam, River Ravi in Lahore and Sukkur Barrage.
The third letter by the PM Office issued in 1994 is relatively more specific to the subject in which the premier has approved the development of a water sports centre at Rawal Lake. The letter states further that the centre will be developed by the chief of naval staff in his capacity as patron in chief for all water sports in Pakistan.
The finance division will provide the funds while cabinet division will authorise provision of land at Rawal Lake for the purpose, it adds.