Author: newsdesk

  • Military takes control over two government colleges in Lakki Marwat

    Military takes control over two government colleges in Lakki Marwat

    A letter written by the principal of a public college in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat district to the Higher Education Department is doing rounds on social media. In the letter, the principal states that the Pakistan Army is taking control of the college building, and forcing the administration to halt all academic activities. He also states that the army had initially taken control over some part of the building and was now taking it over.

    Geo Fact Check has confirmed that the letter and the story is true after it spoke with three officials, including the principals of the colleges.
    The story first came up when an X user posted on his account, “Building security force bases in educational institutions is equivalent to ending education?”

    The user also posted a supposed letter written by the principal of the Government Degree College Ghazni Khel in Lakki Marwat to the director of the Higher Education Department in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, urging the director to take notice of the army “occupying the whole college building” without permission.

    He urged in his letter that, “Lakki Marwat’s Ghazni Khel Degree College students should not be removed from studies. Security forces should find an alternative place.”

    The ‘letter’

    Geo reveals that the letter dated November 21 was written by the principal of the Government Degree College Ghazni Khel in Lakki Marwat to the Higher Education Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Peshawar to bring attention to the fact that Pakistan army had for the last year “occupied” half of the college’s building.

    It also stated that the army had “occupied the whole college building” without prior permission from higher education officials.
    The letter further added that the academic session was in full swing and in “such an ambiguous situation the college administration was compelled to stop the academic sessions due to lack of classroom accommodations”.

    Accounts of witnesses

    Akram Khan, the principal of the Government Degree College Ghazni Khel, told Geo Fact Check over the phone that he had indeed sent a report to the “higher-ups” on November 21.

    “There was a movement of [military’s units] in the area,” Khan said, “So they [the military] told us to shut down the college for a week or so.”

    The principal further explained that the army already had control over half of the college building since last year, while educational activities had continued in the other half. But then this month, the entire college had to be shut down when the control was further extended, he said, adding that the campus of the Government Degree College stretches over 250 canals.

    Khan also said that after a recent round of negotiations with the military, the military agreed to provide the students “some space”.

    Fareedullah Shah, a director at the Higher Education Department in Peshawar, said that in “emergency situations” government buildings had to be assigned to the military.

    “I am not very happy about this [situation] but when they [military] need [a government structure]… listen you cannot call such a thing an ‘occupation’, this is an internal government matter,” he said.

    He added that the Higher Education Department is trying to accommodate the students and the teaching staff by providing an alternative space to continue their studies.

    “This is our army, not a foreign army,” Shah added, refusing to go into detail about how long the building had been in control of the military or how long it planned to stay there.

    Separately, Yasir Nazir, the assistant commissioner in Lakki Marwat, told Geo Fact Check the military “needed” the college building, further confirming that the students of the college had also recently protested against the military presence on their campus.

    Meanwhile, another public college, the Government Post Graduate College, also in Lakki Marwat, was facing a similar incident, where the military had taken control of part of the college premises after which students had voiced their concerns.

    Saleem Khan, the principal of Government Post Graduate College, confirmed the news, adding that the issue had now been resolved with the military without explaining any further.

  • Nepra allows passing Rs3.53 per unit burden on power consumers

    Nepra allows passing Rs3.53 per unit burden on power consumers

    National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has provisionally approved distribution companies (Discos) to recover Rs32.7 billion at Rs3.53 per unit from consumers for October 2023.

    Central power purchasing agency highlighted a negative impact of paisa 20 per unit for the Fuel Cost Adjustment (FCA), which rose to Rs3.53 per unit with Rs28.33 billion added in previous adjustments.

    China Power and Thar Coal Block-1 Power also had shares in the adjustments.

    Due to a potential negative impact on consumers, there’s a proposal to stagger the amount in the winter months. Electricity sales decreased by over 10 per cent, reaching 9.63 billion units in October 2023, and a 28 per cent reduction in demand occurred compared to September 2023.

    Concerns were raised about the decline in demand, with Nepra noting alarm if it’s due to reduced industrial consumption.

    In a public hearing, the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) representative urged a review of the “disallowed mechanism” due to financial difficulties, with Rs42 billion withheld, impacting salaries and pensions.

    In terms of electricity generation, various sources contributed differently in October 2023. Hydel generation was 32.54 per cent, local coal-fired plants were 13.94 per cent, and imported coal was 3.51 per cent.

    Gas-based plants generated 7.35 per cent, RLNG contributed 20.25 per cent, nuclear sources provided 19.08 per cent, and electricity imported from Iran constituted 0.24 per cent.

    Wind and solar energy made up 3.08 per cent and 0.79 per cent, respectively. The total energy generated was 9,572 GWh at Rs8.2605 per unit, with a cost of Rs79.066 billion.

    Discos received 9,253 GWh at Rs11.4277 per unit, totaling Rs105.737 billion in October 2023. The situation raises concerns about the financial viability of power entities and their potential impact on consumers.

  • Gold price in Pakistan increases to Rs221,000 per tola

    Gold price in Pakistan increases to Rs221,000 per tola

    The per tola price of 24-karat gold in Pakistan witnessed a rise of Rs2,600, reaching Rs221,000 on Wednesday. This marks an increase from its previous sale at Rs218,400 on the last trading day.

    Similarly, the price of 10 grammes of 24-karat gold experienced an uptick of Rs2,229, settling at Rs189,472 compared to the previous Rs187,243.

    Meanwhile, the cost of 10 grammes of 22-karat gold rose to Rs173,683 from Rs171,640, according to the All Sindh Sarafa Jewellers Association.

    The prices for both per tola and ten-gramme silver remained unchanged at Rs2,620 and Rs2,246.21, respectively.

    In the international market, the price of gold increased by $29, reaching $2,062 from the previous $2,033, as reported by the Association.

  • IT minister promises 5G launch, easy smartphone installment plans

    IT minister promises 5G launch, easy smartphone installment plans

    Caretaker Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication, Dr Umar Saif, emphasised on Wednesday that the government’s foremost commitment is to deliver high-quality telecom services to the public.

    During a meeting with the Group Chief Executive Officer of VEON, alongside CEO Jazz, Aamir Ibrahim, Dr Umar Saif highlighted that the government is actively taking measures to enhance connectivity across the country.

    A news release stated that various aspects of the telecom sector of mutual interest were discussed in the meeting.

    Dr Umar Saif, in discussions with the VEON delegation, revealed plans to auction the tech-neutral spectrum soon, aiming to elevate telecom services for the public.

    He pledged full support for the launch of 5G, assuring that the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication would collaborate closely with the telecom industry. Furthermore, he announced the forthcoming availability of smart mobile phones in convenient installments.

    Addressing the delegation, Dr Umar Saif conveyed that Pakistan offers a favourable investment environment and encouraged Jazz to invest in the e-agriculture, e-education, and e-health sectors.

    He praised the VEON Group for its noteworthy contributions to the technology sector and the provision of smartphones.

    Aamir Ibrahim, CEO of VEON, emphasised the importance of stable telecom systems as a foundation for the digital ecosystem and the economic stability of the country.

    The meeting was attended by senior officers of the IT Ministry, adding depth to the discussions on matters crucial to the development of the telecom sector.

  • Amir Khan’s welfare program canceled for supporting Gaza

    Amir Khan’s welfare program canceled for supporting Gaza

    The British University refused to host British Pakistani ex-boxer Amir Khan, who collected donations for Gaza, and to organize a welfare program in the university.

    Amir shared the screenshots of the email on Instagram. The email shared in this post shows that the university has canceled the fundraising program for being anti-Semitic.

    The e-mail said “Through the British newspaper Jewish Chronicle (JC), they came to know that an event of his is being held on December 16 at Queen Mary University of London on the subject of ‘An evening with Amir Khan’. We learned that you signed a statement just two days after the recent attack by Hamas on Israel, defending the right of Palestinians to carry out armed resistance against Israel and denied the actions of Hamas as terrorist acts”.

    The statement that Amir signed ‘called for the release of Palestinian prisoners and described Israel as a colonial state that is committing genocide’.

    It should be noted that next month, on December 16, a fundraising event at Queen Mary University of London was organized to which Aamir Khan was invited along with Red Bridge Islamic Center’s Imam Asim Khan who was nominated as the main speaker.

    According to Amir Khan, all these tactics are being used to defame him. The former boxer has reiterated his commitment to continue supporting Palestine.

  • World’s first ‘flying’ electric ship’s trials complete

    World’s first ‘flying’ electric ship’s trials complete

    The world’s first flying ship has completed the testing phase and is likely to be introduced next year. This electric flying passenger ship has been developed by a Swedish company, Candela Technology AB. It has been named Candela P12, and is 12 meters long.

    Capacity:

    It can carry 30 passengers at a time. According to the company, the Candela P12 can fly through water at a speed of 29 miles per hour. The company added that this will change the way of traveling in water.

    Working Mechanism:

    The aircraft uses hydrofoils for flight. Its lower part in the water rises above the surface of the water. Hydrofoils reduce water friction and allow the ship to travel at higher speeds than conventional boats. It uses two engines powered by a 252 kW battery, while its digital flight control system adjusts the hydrofoils based on currents in waves, wind, and water.

    The company did not provide a price but said that from 2024, the electric ride will make a 55-minute journey in 25 minutes.

  • Female officer reportedly harassed by senior faculty members in Bahawalpur University

    Female officer reportedly harassed by senior faculty members in Bahawalpur University

    Incidents detailing the harassment of a female officer in the administration of Islamia University in Bahawalpur have been reported, following on the heels of earlier reports about female students facing the same.

    An application has been submitted to The Woman Ombudsman, Government of Punjab, by the female administrative staff stating clearly that the allegations of harassment against senior faculty members including the Dean of Faculty of Law, Dean of Faculty of Engineering, In-charge faculty of Management Sciences and SLO South Punjab Civil Secretariat.

    The victim is Farkhanda Tehseen, Director of Development and Planning, whose complaint was ignored, leading to her eventually presenting it in front of the woman ombudsman as she is receiving threats from the suspect.

    Dean Law Department Rao Imran Habib has threatened her on the phone about the dire consequences. She registered a complaint against him on June 10, 2023, but no action was taken. Instead of taking action against workplace harassment, another committee has been established which is not taking any active measures.

    The victim requested the ombudsman that the accused should be stopped from working so that he could not influence the case further. Ironically, the Dean Faculty of Engineering, who is nominated in the complaint, is also part of the established syndicate and Rao Imran is in cohorts with him.

    Dean Law Department Rao Imran Habib is reportedly notorious for his activities during his tenure in Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU) and there are reports of him creating hurdles for students here in Islamiya University as well.

    Governor Punjab and the university administration have not taken up the matter yet.

  • Who is Barrister Gohar Khan?

    Who is Barrister Gohar Khan?

    Barrister Gohar Khan is an advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and appears in all high courts as well.

    He is from Khyber Pukhtunkhwa’s Buner district and was formerly affiliated with Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), contesting on a National Assembly seat from there in 2008 on PPP ticket.

    He joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in 2022 in the presence of former Chief Minister Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak who himself has left PTI to form his own political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Parliamentarians (PTIP).

    The Barrister is a law graduate from Wolverhampton University, UK with LLM from Washington School of Law, USA. Gohar has been in active law practice with more than 50 reported judgments to his credit on subjects ranging from taxation, commercial, corporate, arbitration, banking, election, etc.

    The new chairman of PTI has civil and criminal trials experience, and even has the honour to appear before the Supreme Judicial Council, Field General Court Martial, and its Court of Appeal.

    His clients include public and private companies and important persons, including Imran Khan.

  • Indian cricket team head coach Rahul Dravid’s contract has extend

    Indian cricket team head coach Rahul Dravid’s contract has extend

    The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has extended the contract of Indian team head coach Rahul Dravid.

    In a statement on ‘Bcci.TV BCCI’ said, “There was a useful discussion with Rahul Dravid on the contract issue”. Rahul Dravid’s contract expired at the end of the World Cup.

    BCCI Secretary Jay Shah says that there is no one better than Rahul Dravid for the post of head coach. Rahul Dravid proved his selection right with the performance of the team for the World Cup 2023.

  • Nawaz Sharif free in Avenfield apartments reference

    Nawaz Sharif free in Avenfield apartments reference

    In a massive relief for the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), the Islamabad High Court (IHC) acquitted PML-N supremo and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the Avenfield reference on Wednesday.

    The verdict was announced by a two-member bench comprising IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb.

    Nawaz Sharif was facing a 10-year jail sentence in the Avenfield properties corruption reference since July 2018, charged with owning assets beyond known income. An additional one-year sentence was imposed for non-cooperation with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), both to be served concurrently.

    Having been declared a proclaimed offender in two cases, Al-Azizia and Avenfield, in December 2020, Nawaz Sharif spent nearly four years in London on medical grounds before returning to Pakistan last month. Upon his return, he sought the restoration of appeals against his convictions, which had been dismissed for non-prosecution during his medical stay abroad.

    The second case against Nawaz was the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption reference, for which Nawaz Sharif received a seven-year jail term on December 24, 2018, accompanied by a fine of Rs1.5 billion and US$25 million. The decision for this case is yet to be taken. 

    The IHC restored these appeals in a decision last month, leading to today’s pivotal hearing. Nawaz Sharif’s legal counsel, Amjad Pervaiz, argued before the court, pointing out perceived loopholes in the Avenfield reference.

    Nawaz’s lawyer Amjad Pervaiz questioned the ownership of the properties, arguing that there was neither verbal nor documented evidence indicating Nawaz’s ownership. The defense emphasized the lack of evidence proving that Maryam Nawaz and other family members were under Nawaz’s patronage.

    Pervez argued that the NAB failed to prove any of the allegations against Nawaz Sharif. “The properties in question were acquired at different times, with some being acquired between 1993 and 1996. The appellant had no connection to these properties, and the prosecution did not clarify their relation to the properties in the reference.”

    He said that Wajid Zia, former DG FIA, admitted that there was no evidence to establish Nawaz Sharif’s connection to the properties. The charge sheet stated that the assets were not in accordance with declared assets.

    The court based the sentence on assumptions, and the decision was generally written without specific evidence. It was written that children are generally under the guardianship of their father, he said.