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  • Lawyers’ attack: PIC suffers losses worth Rs70 million

    The Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) has suffered a loss of Rs70 million, due to an attack by an angry mob of lawyers on Wednesday, Geo News reported.

    According to the details, the chief executive of PIC Dr Saqib Shafiq has claimed that the loss of Rs70 million includes damage to the main building, medical equipment and the doctors’ vehicles parked outside.

    Dr Saqib further said that two people had also died in the emergency ward of the PIC, while three patients were rushed to other hospitals where they were later pronounced dead.

    The doctor said that two days have passed since the incident has happened, but consulting doctors are still afraid to resume work at the hospital.

    “On the day of the attack, former inspector general police Nasir Durrani’s mother had come to the hospital for a blood test,” Dr Saqib said, adding that even her car was not spared by the lawyers.

    A group of more than 200 lawyers, who had ongoing issues with the doctors of the PIC had on Wednesday stormed the hospital, vandalised property, damaged dozens of vehicles of visitors and set ablaze a police van.

    They also attacked the information minister Fayyazul Hasan Chohan who had come to the hospital to neutrliase the situation.

    Police have registered two FIRs [First Information Report] against 200-250 unidentified lawyers on the complaint of an official of the hospital, while another was registered on the complaint of police in which 15 lawyers were nominated.

  • US officials regret treating Pakistan as a friend; say Islamabad ‘played double game’

    US officials regret treating Pakistan as a friend; say Islamabad ‘played double game’

    United States (US) officials in the Bush and Obama administrations believe the “treatment of Pakistan as a friend” in Washington’s trillion-dollar Afghanistan war was a “critical error” as Islamabad “played a double game”, The Washington Post has revealed in its “secret history” of the 18-year-long conflict.

    The American newspaper on Monday published US government papers in an extensive report, ‘The Afghanistan Papers’. It contains confidential government papers containing around 2,000 pages of previously unpublished notes of interviews with US generals and diplomats who were key decision makers along with aid workers and Afghan officials playing a direct role in the conflict.

    As per the report, US officials admit that despite receiving advanced weapons and billions of dollars in aid, “Pakistan never supported America and was playing a double game in the conflict as early as 2002”.

    The Print quoted the report as claiming that Pakistan had joined the US in the war against terror, “but it also supported the Taliban and the al-Qaeda leadership in finding safe havens and logistics support on its soil and in Afghanistan”.

    The documents obtained by the Post also revealed that senior US officials failed to tell the truth about the Afghan war throughout the 18-year campaign and they “kept making rosy pronouncements they knew to be false while hiding unmistakable evidence that the war had become unwinnable”.

    Over the past 18 years, over 775,000 American troops have served in Afghanistan, many repeatedly. Over 2,300 US troops died in the conflict while 20,589 returned home wounded, according to the US Defense Department figures. At present, over 13,000 American troops are serving in Afghanistan whereas several thousand veterans suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

    The George W Bush administration had invaded the country in 2001 to hunt down 9/11 perpetrator, al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden, and destroy his terror organisation.

    However, the war, continued by Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, eventually became a prolonged conflict, with the US objectives changing over the years to include fighting the ultraconservative religious faction Taliban and installing a democratic Afghan government.

    In the ‘Lessons Learned’ interviews, other US officials said the Bush administration compounded its first mistake by “treating Pakistan as a friend”.

    This was because of former military ruler General (r) Pervez Musharraf, who had allowed the Pentagon to use Pakistani airspace and US intelligence agency CIA to track al-Qaeda leaders in Pakistani territory.

    “As a result, the Bush White House was slow to recognise that Pakistan was simultaneously giving covert support to the Taliban, according to the interviews,” the Post said in its report.

  • Police trying to save PM’s nephew? Hassaan Niazi’s name excluded from FIRs

    Police trying to save PM’s nephew? Hassaan Niazi’s name excluded from FIRs

    The police, in an attempt to favour Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s nephew Barrister Hassaan Niazi, have allegedly excluded his name from the cases registered against the lawyers who attacked the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) in Lahore on Wednesday, Dawn reported.

    According to reports, an official has claimed that a mobile phone footage showing Niazi pelting cops with stones Jail Road had surfaced, however, the police had neither nominated him in the FIRs [First Information Reports] nor detained him.

    The authorities have registered two FIRs against 250 lawyers after they stormed the state-run cardiac hospital, damaged public property and beat up government officials, including Punjab Information Minister Fayyazul Hasan Chohan, on Wednesday.

    Police have booked the protesters under terrorism, murder and street crime charges in the FIRs lodged on the complaint of the hospital’s chief executive and SHO concerned.

    Moreover, police authorities, after going through several CCTV/mobile phone footage and obtaining credible information from different sources, have nominated 21 lawyers in the FIRs.

    A senior police officer, however, has denied the allegation of favouring PM’s nephew, saying all the lawyers, who participated in the violent protest, would be treated equally.

    He said that Hassaan was among the 250 lawyers who had gone underground to avoid arrest and the police were carrying out raids for their arrest. “46 lawyers have been arrested so far,” the official added.

  • Kashmiris are finding solace in Turkish drama ‘Diriliş: Ertuğrul’

    Turkish historical fiction series Diriliş: Ertuğrul popularly referred to as the Turkish Game of Thrones‘ by fans, has become a sensation in Indian-occupied Kashmir, beating the internet ban in the valley.

    According to a report in Print India, “Diriliş: Ertuğrul, which means ‘Resurrection Ertugrul’, is travelling from one household to another in flash drives, circumventing a government effort to stop local cable operators from airing content produced by Muslim countries such as Turkey, Pakistan and Iran.”

    Fans not only enjoy the show but say it has helped them “rediscover” Islamic history.

    Though the show was popular in the area before the lockdown, its popularity appears to have skyrocketed following the blackout, including in previously uncharted areas of the Valley. Watching the show together has become a family activity for most families living there.

    According to Kashmiris, with no internet, restrictions on civil movement and the shutdown between August and October, contributed to its popularity, to the extent that “analysing” the series is becoming an activity of sorts at coaching centers, street corners and even at mosques.

    As for how they gained access to the show, many people had already downloaded the series before the internet ban, while some got it on trips outside the Valley. The series was then shared between different households.

    Set in 13th century Anatolia, Diriliş: Ertuğrul follows the time before the establishment of the Ottoman Empire and illustrates the struggle of Ertugrul Gazi, the father of Osman I – the founder of the Ottoman dynasty.

    It has five seasons, all of which have more than 25 episodes, each around two hours long.

    Previously, Prime Minister Imran Khan had requested PTV to air the show and had recommended all Pakistanis to watch it because it “promotes the true Islamic values.”

    Following the PM’s request, PTV acquired the rights to the drama and will soon be airing it after it is dubbed in Urdu.

  • ‘Ashamed of myself,’ says PM Imran’s nephew who was present at lawyers’ violent protest

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s nephew, Barrister Hassaan Niazi, has condemned his peers’ attack on Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) in Lahore, while people are calling him out for being present at the violent protest himself.

    At least four patients lost their lives after hunderds of lawyers ransacked the hospital on Lahore’s Jail Road on Wednesday afternoon. The mob was protesting against a viral video wherein doctors were seen making fun of some lawyers they had recently interacted with.

    With condemnations pouring in, Niazi was called out for being present at the protest as people questioned if justice would be served regardless of the fact that one of the protesting lawyers was the nephew of the country’s chief executive.

    He was also seen attacking a police vehicle that was later set on fire.

    https://twitter.com/fanwar03/status/1204827493435420672

    “After watching this clip, I feel ashamed of myself. This is murder!” Niazi tweeted separately as he distanced himself from what happened earlier in the day.

    “My support and protest was limited to initiation of legal action against the concerned doctors. I only stand for peaceful protests. It’s sad day and I condemn my own self for supporting this protest now [sic],” he maintained.

    Two FIRs [First Information Reports] have been registered against over 250 lawyers involved in the attack.

  • KP govt approves Rs 700 million for tourism police

    Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Mahmood Khan has approved Rs 700 million budget for the formation of tourism police in the province. The decision was taken to promote tourism in the province.

    The tourism police, consisting of 500 personnel, will protect tourists and tourist spots across the province.

    The decision was taken in a meeting on tourism promotion in the province.

    During the meeting, it was also decided to start the KP Tourism Authority, as well as outsource Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation’s devolved assets. Construction of hotels around tourism spots was also discussed.

    CM Mahmood also approved Rs 500 million for the ‘Home Cities Project’ set to be built at three scenic tourist spots.

    Moreover, Rs 500 million was allocated for marketing scenic tourist destinations to attract tourists.

  • Lawyer reportedly disguised himself as a patient following PIC protest

    Lawyer reportedly disguised himself as a patient following PIC protest

    A lawyer who was among the violent protesters who attacked the Punjab Institute of Cardiology in Lahore disguised himself as a patient and was escorted out of the hospital on a wheelchair by the police.

    According to a report by Samaa News, the lawyer clashed with the police earlier outside the hospital gate. However, he was later seen leaving the hospital on a wheelchair in a blue hospital gown.

    Further details on the lawyer and if any action has been initiated against him are not known as yet.

    Lawyers on Wednesday stormed the emergency ward of the PIC, vandalising public property, setting a police vehicle on fire and attacking provincial minister Fayyaz ul Hasan Chohan.

    The attack resulted into deaths of four people, while several patients were forced out of the building to sit on footpaths. The mob also destroyed millions worth of health equipment inside the hospital and caused damaged to the hospital building.

  • ‘Greta must work on her anger management problem’, Donald Trump trolls teenager

    ‘Greta must work on her anger management problem’, Donald Trump trolls teenager

    President of the United States Donald Trump, in a recent tweet, trolled 16-year-old environmental activist Greta Thunberg for being named Time magazine’s “Person of The Year.”

    Thunberg responded swiftly, changing her Twitter profile to: “A teenager working on her anger management problem. Currently chilling and watching a good old fashioned movie with a friend.”

    The two have previously also shaded each other by passing snarky remarks.

    In September, when Trump and Greta, both were in New York for United Nations General Assembly session, Trump had criticised her. Meanwhile, Thunberg had dismissed Trump’s comments, and said she wouldn’t consider meeting with him on the issue of climate change.

    Thunberg has spoken about her diagnosis of Asperger’s, a neurological disorder that creates difficulty with social and communications skills. She calls it her “superpower.”‘

    In naming her Person of the Year, Time magazine said “Thunberg began a global movement by skipping school: starting in August 2018, she spent her days camped out in front of the Swedish Parliament, holding a sign painted in black letters on a white background that read Skolstrejk för klimatet: “School Strike for Climate.”

    “In the 16 months since, she has addressed heads of state at the UN, met with the Pope, sparred with the President of the United States and inspired 4 million people to join the global climate strike on September 20, 2019, in what was the largest climate demonstration in human history,” it added.

  • Pakistan, Qatar agree to enhance bilateral trade volume

    In order to enhance bilateral trade, Pakistan and Qatar have agreed in principle on a preferential trade agreement (PTA) and a free trade agreement (FTA), The Express Tribune has reported, adding that the agreements would soon be signed after necessary formalities.

    Pakistan has also offered to establish a plant in Qatar to manufacture footballs for the FIFA World Cup 2022 as well as subsequent football tournaments.

    Nebras Power, a major investment group in Qatar’s energy sector, has expressed an interest in investing directly in Pakistan’s power sector.

    The Nebras Power Consortium will take part in the privatisation of the Haveli Bahadur Shah and Balloki power plants in Pakistan.

    It has formally informed the Pakistani government about its interest and hoped that it would promote direct cooperation between the two governments in the fields of energy and power generation.

    According to a document, Pakistan’s commerce and energy ministries attended the 5th Pak Qatar Joint Ministerial Commission meeting in Qatar last month.

    A copy of the minutes issued by the signatories of the two countries was sent to the respective ministries for implementation of the decisions made by the two countries.

    Pakistan has expressed an interest in exporting sports goods for the FIFA World Cup 2022. Qatar has welcomed Pakistan’s interest and said it would consider its goods on the basis of price and quality for the mega event.

    The document also read that the Pakistani government had fully endorsed a report sent by the Qatar government to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to recognise its products, including Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and natural gas, as ecofriendly.

    Qatar has also requested additional traffic rights to enhance aviation links with Pakistan. The two countries will consider the matter on a commercial basis.

    The two countries have agreed on an air service agreement in the near future to enhance bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Qatar in other areas of aviation and agreed to hold further meetings during the forthcoming air service talks scheduled to be held in Shi’ar Uqba, Jordan where further progress is expected in this regard.

    According to Qatar’s media, the two-way trade exchange between Qatar and Pakistan reached QR9.5 billion in 2018, witnessing an unprecedented 63pc growth as a result of better ties. The balance of trade is currently skewed in favour of Qatar due to the export of high-valued products to Pakistan. But the South Asian nation is also working aggressively to enhance collaboration in the field of manpower aiming to increase the flow of remittances, which will eventually make the economic relations more balanced.

  • Black Wednesday: PM appreciates Fayazul Hasan Chohan for his courage

    Black Wednesday: PM appreciates Fayazul Hasan Chohan for his courage

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has appreciated Punjab Information Minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan for his courage as the latter expressed restraint over lawyers’ Wednesday ransacking of Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) in Lahore, ARY News reported.

    According to reports, the premier, during a telephonic conversation, said that Chohan was an asset of the party and lauded his nerve for offering restraint during the violent protest. He said that miscreants wanted a Model Town-like carnage, but the provincial government of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had foiled their heinous designs.

    PM Imran vowed to expose the real characters behind the lawyers’ agitation and added that no one would be allowed to take law into their own hands.

    Earlier, Federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda had also appreciated Chohan.

    “Well done Fayazul Hasan Chohan! Very graceful of you that you didn’t take any harsh action and avoided the inevitable despite how these hooligans maltreated you,” he tweeted.

    On Tuesday, Chohan was slapped and tortured by agitated lawyers as their protest against doctors turned violent. At least four patients lost their lives and hospital equipment worth millions was damaged.

    The provincial information minister, who had arrived at the scene to hold talks with the lawyers, was thrashed by the protesters who, according to Chohan, also “tried to kidnap him”.