Category: National

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  • Detection of COVID-19 in students adds to second wave fears

    Detection of COVID-19 in students adds to second wave fears

    Two more educational institutions in Islamabad have been sealed by the district health administration after the detection of COVID-19 cases among five students, fueling the outbreak’s second wave fears.

    In August, the government lifted most lockdown restrictions, which had come following a significant drop in new coronavirus cases. Federal Education for Minister Shafqat Mahmood had announced the re-opening of educational institutions on September 4, since when, at least 29 schools, colleges and universities have been sealed in the federal capital alone.

    The cases were reported despite the authorities concerned ensuring that necessary measures were taken ahead of the much-awaited re-opening of educational institutions.

    While it was earlier speculated that coronavirus has ended in Pakistan due to either an effective strategy of the government or multiple other reasons such as herd immunity being achieved, a sudden spike in the number of cases has left experts scratching their heads.

    Amid the rising positivity rate in the country which crossed 2% in September, the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has expressed concerns over the looming second wave of coronavirus, highlighting the carelessness in the implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) in schools and other public spaces.

    Taking to Twitter, Minister for Planning Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar, who also chairs the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) to deal with COVID-19 in the country, has highlighted the rise in the number of infections as well.

    An analysis of previous data shows that since the easing of lockdown restrictions and reopening of education institutions in Pakistan, there has been a steady increase in the number of new COVID-19 cases.

    However, evidence from around the world has shown there is no correlation between students returning to institutions after coronavirus lockdowns and a rise or fall in new infections.

    According to Insights for Education, 52 countries, including France and Spain, actually saw infection rates rise during the holidays. Some, such as Croatia, have seen cases fall after reopening schools.

    Others, like Hungary and Great Britain, have seen a rise since reopening schools, according to the data — based on UNESCO and World Bank figures alongside rigorous daily media scans over the last six months — although the United Kingdom (UK) infection rate was already trending upwards before schools reopened.

    Overall, the picture is so varied that a link between schools and coronavirus transmission cannot be proved, the report suggested. Other factors, including the country’s health system capacity and economic openness and the robustness of its testing and tracing system, must be considered. 

    By the time this report was filed, Sindh had the highest number of infections and deaths in Pakistan — 140,997 and 2,566, respectively — followed by Punjab with 101,237 positive cases and 2,277 deaths.

    The total number of cases in the country stood at 321,218 with 305,395 recoveries.

  • Former ISI DG says he never asked Nawaz Sharif to resign

    Former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) director general (DG) Lt General (r) Zaheerul Islam has said that he never sought the resignation of prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

    Speaking to a private media outlet on Wednesday, Islam also categorically denied that he had in 2014 sent any message through any person to the then PM Nawaz. “I never sent anyone to convey any such message to the premier,” he said, adding it was absolutely wrong.

    Instead, Islam insisted that at every stage during the 2014 sit-in by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), he had advised the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government to politically engage with the protesting parties to end the protest.

    He was, however, reluctant to talk further on the subject.

    Stepping back into the political limelight last month, Nawaz, who is seeking medical treatment abroad, had in a fiery speech said the entire country knows what the former ISI chief had done. He claimed that Islam had at midnight sent him a message seeking his resignation.

    “He threatened to impose martial law if I didn’t step down but I refused to resign at all costs,” Nawaz had added.

    Reacting to his statements, PM Imran Khan had said he would take on anyone who dares to tell him to step down as a democratically-elected PM.

    “He [Nawaz] claims he was told by the army… Gen Zaheerul Islam… to resign. You are the PM… how can he dare to demand so from you?” the premier had said while speaking to senior journalist Nadeem Malik.

    When asked what would Imran Khan do if he is asked to resign, the premier had said he, being the PM, would immediately ask for that person’s resignation. “I am the country’s PM,” he had said maintained.

  • Two govt-controlled depts spied on Jahangir Tareen, monitored his family, his businesses?

    Two govt-controlled depts spied on Jahangir Tareen, monitored his family, his businesses?

    Former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) secretary general Jahangir Khan Tareen was reportedly spied on by two government-controlled departments — neither linked to any defence organisation or the armed forces — after being tasked by his own party to monitor his activities and businesses as well as those of his family.

    While Geo, citing sources, has reported that the departments monitored the same over several weeks, the claims have been categorically denied by the government.  

    Tareen’s residences in Islamabad and Lodhran were allegedly bugged, as were his sugar mills and other business interests. His activities, including meetings with politicians, businessmen and friends, were monitored and phone calls taped, the report said, adding that phone calls of all the members of his family were also allegedly recorded.

    Three weeks ago, a team from the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) had raided the head office of Tareen’s sugar mill and seized office records. It is not clear whether the raid was linked to the bugging operation or not.

    Advisor to the Prime Minister (PM) on Accountability and Interior Shahzad Akbar has, however, rejected the allegations, describing them as “fiction”.

    He said that the allegation that Tareen and his family were spied on was “news” for him. “All concerns of those who were subject of the Sugar Commission inquiry [including Tareen] were raised by them in multiple cases before various high courts as well as the Supreme Court of Pakistan.”

  • Motorway rapist wasn’t arrested, he surrendered: father

    After the arrest of the prime suspect in the motorway rape incident, Abid Malhi, his father claimed that the suspect had turned himself in after having escaped the Punjab police for a month.

    The father released a video Tuesday stating the above after police arrested Malhi a day ago from Faisalabad.

    Reportedly, the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Special Branch of the police, and other agencies had tipped off Punjab police about the whereabouts of the suspect before the arrest was made, but the father’s video alleges that Malhi had called the police himself and that the arrest was made from Lahore’s Manga Mandi area in front of a person named Khalid Butt.

    Furthmore, as the arrest has been made, the father demanded that the female members of their family be released. Some of Abid’s relatives had been apprehended by police shortly after the incident took place.

    “Abid had expressed his wish to come home. At 6:30 pm, he returned,” his father said. “Abid was sent to the Crime Investigation Agency’s (CIA) [office] in Khalid Butt’s car,” he claimed.

    On the contrary, Punjab Inspector-General Police (IGP) Inam Ghani said that the suspect had been arrested by police.

  • Motorway gang-rape suspect says he evaded arrest for a month by wearing mask on public transport

    Motorway gang-rape suspect says he evaded arrest for a month by wearing mask on public transport

    The prime suspect of the Lahore-Sialkot motorway rape incident has revealed how he managed to hide from the police for almost a month before he was finally arrested on Monday evening, Geo reported.

    Last month, two robbers on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway had gang-raped a mother of two in front of her children in an area falling within the Gujjarpura police jurisdiction. The incident caused a countrywide outpouring of anger and brought sexual violence against women into national focus. Abid and Shafqat Ali alias Bagga — who is on judicial remand— are the main suspects in the case.

    According to police sources, Malhi said he spent a month travelling through various cities in Punjab using public transport while covering his face with a mask. 

    The suspect revealed that he had fled to Nankana Sahib after raping the woman, while his accomplice, Shafqat, escaped to Depalpur. 

    With the police on his trail, Malhi fled from Nankana Sahib to Bahawalpur, where he managed to evade the police once again and avoid recognition by wearing a mask over his face.

    “I travelled through various cities in public transport,” the suspect was quoted as saying.

    He was ultimately caught after he ran out of money and was forced to contact his wife. Abid was arrested from Faisalabad and is being shifted to Lahore, Hasnain Haider, a deputy superintendent (DSP) of the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA), said.

    Abid, who was leading a gang of four, is also wanted to police in at least 10 other criminal cases registered at various police stations of Punjab.

  • VIDEO: ‘I don’t eat gulab jamun but couldn’t say no to army chief,’ says Zubair about ‘secret meeting’

    VIDEO: ‘I don’t eat gulab jamun but couldn’t say no to army chief,’ says Zubair about ‘secret meeting’

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader and former Sindh governor, Muhammad Zubair, who has been appointed as party supreme leader Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz’s spokesperson, has revealed further details of his “secret meeting” with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and shared what dinner with the military bigwig was like.

    In an exclusive interview with The Current, Zubair said that he isn’t a big fan of gulab jamun but that’s what they had for dessert the night he met Gen Bajwa over dinner.

    “I’m not a gulab jamun person but I couldn’t say no to him [Gen Bajwa] since he is a dignitary… he is the COAS,” the former Sindh governor said when asked about the details of his meeting that was also reportedly attended by Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General (DG) Lt Gen Faiz Hameed.

    He said that the first meeting lasted for four hours whereas the second one lasted for three.

    Talking about the kind of food he was served, Zubair said it was Pakistani cuisine. “He knew I’m one for desi food. I think he got it arranged while keeping that in mind,” the PML-N leader said.

    To a question about what did Gen Bajwa have, Zubair said he didn’t remember.

    When asked if Maryam, who, along with her father, has over the past month been making headlines for criticising the military and accusing the security establishment of meddling in political affairs, was upset with him for meeting the army chief, Zubair said she trusts him.

    “She has faith in my decision-making and knows I will always do the right thing for the party.”

    During the wide-ranging interview, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Umar’s brother, among other things, also shared how emotional politics can get when someone from your family belongs to a rival party, and shared his views on the current situation of the economy, as well as what he thinks of Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan.

    WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE:

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • VIDEO: Women attacked by shopkeeper for making him show too many clothes

    VIDEO: Women attacked by shopkeeper for making him show too many clothes

    Police have arrested shopkeepers who were abusing women in Hyderi Market, Karachi for not buying anything after making him unfold too many clothes from the stack.

    According to details, the incident took place in a cloth shop located in Karachi’s famous Hyderi market. The seller got angry at the women and started physically assaulting them after a heated argument.

    The female buyers also beat up the shopkeeper and slapped him while the shopkeeper pushed the woman down.

    Police after being informed about the incident reached there and arrested the shopkeeper. However, the victims refused to register a first information report (FIR) against the shopkeeper.

    Video of the incident has gone viral on social media.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ze62ryHs70