Newly elected Senator from Balochistan, Abdul Qadir, joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday. Qadir was elected as an independent candidate with the support of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP). Defence Minister Pervez Khattak and Saifullah Nyazee were also part of the meeting.
— PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (@PTIKPOfficial) March 9, 2021
It should be noted that PTI had withdrawn the party ticket awarded to business tycoon Abdul Qadir in Balochistan for the Senate election after strong opposition from the PTI provincial leadership and zonal heads. PTI awarded its Senate ticket to Syed Zahoor Agha. Later, when Abdul Qadir contested the Senate election as an independent candidate with the joint support of BAP and the government, PTI’s Zahoor Agha withdrew his nomination papers.
پاکستان ٹحریک انصاف امیدوار سید ظہور آغا بلوچستان عوامی پارٹی کے حق میں دستبردار۔
گذشتہ روز بلوچستان عوامی پارٹی کی قیادت نے پی ٹی آئی کے مرکزی قیادت اسپیکر قومی اسمبلی اسد قیصر،اسد عمر،پرویز خٹک صاحبان سے اپنے امیدوار کو دستبردار کرنے کی گذارش ک تھی۔ شکریہ پاکستان تحریک انصاف
Hamza Ali Abbasi has expressed his sorrow and grief over the horrific attack that took place on Sunday in Balochistan’s Bolan district and left 11 coal miners belonging to the Shia Hazara community dead. TheIslamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack.
“The horrifying tragedy inflicted by a few evil men on the Hazara community is so heartbreaking that all I can tell myself to feel some peace is that God is watching everything,” wrote Hamza on social media.
“May Allah bless the souls of the victims and give courage to the families,” added the actor.
The horrifying tragedy inflicted by a few EVIL MEN on the Hazara community is so heart breaking that all i can tell myself to feel some peace is that GOD IS WATCHING EVERYTHING. May Allah bless the souls of the victims & give courage to the families.
People from Hazara community are currently protesting at the Western Bypass, Quetta, saying they won’t bury their dead till Prime Minister Imran Khan personally visits them and assures them of security.
Meanwhile, PM Imran Khan has requested the Hazara community to “please bury your loved one so their souls find peace”, adding that he “shares” their pain and will come to them soon.
I share your pain & have come to you before also to stand with you in your time of suffering. I will come again very soon to offer prayers and condole with all the families personally. I will never betray my people’s trust. Please bury your loved ones so their souls find peace.
Former prime minister (PM) Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali passed away at the age of 76 on Wednesday.
The former premier was battling for life on Sunday after being placed on a ventilator following a heart attack and severe breathing problems.
The senior politician was under treatment at the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC) in Rawalpindi for the respiratory complications.
MNA Mir Khan Muhammad Jamali said that the former PM had suffered a heart attack on Friday.
He said that Mir Zafarullah Jamali was immediately shifted to a local hospital in Chak Shahzad and later moved to the AFIC in Rawalpindi, where he breathed his last on Monday.
PM JAMALI:
Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali served as the 15th PM of Pakistan from 2002 until his resignation in 2004.
Originally a supporter of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Jamali emerged from the politics of Balochistan under military governor Rahimuddin Khan during the 1970s.
He was also affiliated with the now ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Days after the prime minister’s visit to the University of Turbat, the Balochistan chief secretary has written a letter to the Makran commissioner, asking him to explain “the shortcomings” observed during the visit of PM Imran Khan.
The letter that has been circulating on social media has been shared by many, including Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) chief Akhtar Mengal as well, who sarcastically captioned it ‘viceregal’ attitude of the centre.
The Current has confirmed the veracity of this letter
The chief secretary asked the commissioner — who was supposed to supervise the arrangements — to explain why “each and every detailed instructions passed on to you” were not carried out in “letter and spirit”.
It says the PM was served soft drinks that were not “properly chilled” and the plates that were used to serve food to the PM and his entourage were also of “low quality”. The sweeping staff was also reportedly inefficient as the “pathways and washrooms remained dirty” despite instructions.
The commissioner was also asked to explain the unavailability of a “qualified person” to handle the operating system “complications” during the presentation. Also, there was no “spare laptop” in the meeting room.
Furthermore, the chief secretary office was also not pleased with the fact that the CS’s chair was not “marked” in the auditorium where the PM interacted with “notables” while the CS was made to sit at the “extreme corner of the first row”, as per the letter. “The seating arrangement for the administrative secretaries to the government of Balochistan was neither marked nor were they were invited in the auditorium,” it added.
Moreover, there was also complaints about the Turbat’s DC and SSP, who allegedly violated protocol by “walking too close to the PM”. “The SSP Turbat consistently tried to engage the PM in chit chat,” the letter mentioned, seeking a response on the above-mentioned “shortcomings” from the commissioner within 7 days.
On Friday, PM Imran Khan visited Turbat district to inaugurate development projects in the city. During the visit, the PM also went to Turbat University.
The Current approached the PM’s focal person on digital media, Dr Arslan Khalid for the confirmation of this letter. According to Dr Khalid, the prime minister has nothing to do with the letter. He said it was a matter of the provincial government. Sources in the provincial government also confirmed the veracity of the letter, saying it was issued by the office of the chief secretary.
Women of “conservative” Balochistan have little space in the political, cultural, economic, or social fields. Conditions are even worse for Balochistan’s women in rural areas.
Surviving all these hurdles, Pari Gul Tareen has been posted as Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Quetta Cantt. Tareen is the first woman in the history of the province to be appointed to this post.
She hails from the Pishin area of Balochistan and is the first woman in the province to join the Police Service of Pakistan (PSP) after passing the Central Superior Services (CSS) exam.
CHANGING TIMES:
Tareen is, however, not the only one to have made the country proud in these changing times.
Nigar Johar had earlier this year been promoted by the Pakistan Army to become the first woman lieutenant general.
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.
Earlier, in 2017, Johar had become the third woman officer to reach the rank of major general.
Swabi has produced a number of generals, but it was the first time that a woman had reached the said army rank.
Yesterday, a female journalist in Balochistan was shot dead. A social activist, an anchorperson at PTV and editor of a Balochi language magazine Dazgohar, Shaheena Shaheen was shot three times in Turbat on Saturday. She succumbed to her bullet injuries at the hospital. According to media reports, Kech Superintendent of Police Najeebullah Pandrani said the killing was the result of domestic violence. Shaheena’s family has nominated her husband in the First Information Report (FIR), whom she married just five months ago.
Spokesperson of the Government of Balochistan Liaquat Shahwani tweeted that the murder seems to be due to a domestic issue and promised that justice would be served. Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz also condemned Shaheena’s murder. He said the government would fulfil its responsibility and bring the culprits to justice.
Shaheena achieved a lot during her short but meaningful life. She was a talented artist, a brave social activist, and a talented journalist. Shaheena’s murder brings forth multiple issues plaguing our society, especially domestic abuse.
Domestic violence is a serious issue in Pakistani context. According to a report released by SSDO in August and titled ‘Tracking Numbers: State of Violence Against Women and Children in Pakistan’, violence against women increased 10 times in just three months in Pakistan. A large number of women are victims of domestic abuse at the hands of their husbands but suffer silently due to multiple reasons, which include family ‘honour’, children’s future, lack of financial independence and the taboo attached to divorce. It is because of their silent suffering and lack of repercussions that these men continue to commit this crime. Some, like Shaheena’s husband, are emboldened enough to even commit murder. Apart from domestic violence, ‘honour killing’ by family members is not an uncommon practice in Pakistan. On Friday, the Supreme Court observed that the killing of women in the name of honour had never been an honourable practice and that such murders should not be categorised as honour killings. “It will help deter such killings if the term ‘Ghairat’ is not used to describe them,” observed Justice Qazi Faez Isa.
Why is it that ‘honour’ is always attached to a woman’s actions and not that of any man in our society? Why is a woman expected to suffer at the hands of her abuser just to save family’s honour? Our lexicon is filled with phrases like, ‘Log kya kaheinge?’ [what will people say?], which make women think twice before leaving an abusive relationship. We wonder what these ‘people’ will say when a woman is murdered by her husband?
The Ministry of Human Rights launched an awareness campaign about domestic abuse and violence in March this year, asking the victims to call their helpline. We have laws against domestic violence and honour killing in place but the major issue is under-reporting of these cases by the victims themselves who choose to stay silent due to societal pressures. It is time to raise awareness across the country and let these women know that they are not alone. The state as well as society stands with them. Shaheena, we hope your murderers are brought to justice. Rest in power, Shaheena!
Government has given an approval to private companies for the provision of high-speed internet in the under-served areas of Balochistan and Sindh.
The Federal Secretary of Ministry of Information technology (MoIT), Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui chaired the 73rd board of directors meeting regarding Universal Service Fund earlier this week.
The board approved contracts to Jazz — Pakistan Mobile Communications Limited (PMCL), Zong — China Mobile Pakistan (CMPAK), and Ufone — Pakistan Telecom Mobile Limited (PTML), for the provision of next-generation internet.
Jazz Telecom has been awarded the contract of Ghotki, Zong is going to work in Jaffarabad, Sohbatpur, and Nasirabad district under the contract. In contrast, Ufone is being awarded the agreement of the Ziarat and Kalat region. The worth of this Sustainable Development Projects is Rs. 895 million in total.
According to MoIT, Jazz is going to provide high-speed internet to about 2 million citizens residing in Ghotki, Sukkur, and Khairpur district. The approximate area that is going to be covered is 23,252 square kilometres.
Similarly, under the contract, Zong is going to offer a high-speed broadband connection to 0.4 million people living in the Jaffarabad, Sohbatpur, and Nasirabad district. The approximate area covered via this contract is 3,431 square kilometres.
Ufone will serve a speedy Broadband connection to a population of 17,406 in the Ziarat and Kalat region of Baluchistan. According to the contract, the telecom company is going to cover approximately 64 square kilometres.
Other officials that attended the meeting are Maj Gen Amir Azeem Bajwa, the chairman of PTA, NITB CEO Shabahat Ali Shah, Telenor Pakistan CEO Irfan Wahab, PTCL CEO Rashid Khan and Consumer Association of Pakistan Chairperson Kaukab Iqbal.
Wasu Khan, whose appeal for financial assistance went viral on social media, has caught the attention of Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal who has taken notice of his situation and has decided to offer him financial help. Wasu, who hails from the Jaffarabad district of Balochistanhas appeared in several songs of acclaimed singer Shehzad Roy.
According to Government of Balochistan’s spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani, the government will help Wasu in his treatement and provide him other other financial assistance. Shahwani also shared a video of himself meeting Wasu.
معروف گلوکار #واسو ان دنوں بیمار و کسمپرسی کی ذندگی گزاررہے ہیں۔ انکے گھر کی حالت سے انکے معاشی حالات کااندازہ لگایا جاسکتا ہے۔ وزیر اعلی بلوچستان @jam_kamal نےچند روز قبل انکی مالی معاونت وعلاج معالجہ کااعلان کیا ہے اورکل وزیر اعلی سیکرٹریٹ میں انکی خدمت میں چیک پیش کرینگے۔ pic.twitter.com/Pc4ZAgJEti
In an interview, Wasu has said that he is not only unable to pay his house rent, but he is also unable to provide his family with two meals a day. He had hoped that his message will reach the authorities and they will help him.
Shehzad Roy is very popular in Pakistan as a singer and also for his social work. Some of his socio-political songs were also a big hit in the country.
One of Roys’s songs featured Wasu Khan, a man hailing from the Jaffarabad district of Balochistan, belonging to the labour class. He made an appearance in the songApne Ullo Kitne Tedhe. His narrartion in the song was liked by mana people.
After ‘Apne Ullo Kitne Tedhe‘s popularity, Wasu was featured in another song with Roy in ‘Beya Beya’ that was a tribute to the late folk singer Mureed Buledi.
But now as per a few posts doing rounds on social media, Wasu is in financial crisis after going through numerous health issues, and living in a rented house.
In an interview, he said that he is not only unable to pay his house rent, but he is also unable to provide his family with two meals a day. He hopes that his message will reach the authorities and they will help him.
His story went viral on the internet and people started to share how the star now needs our help.
اپ رابطہ کروا دیں۔۔ اُمید ہے شہزاد رائے کی ضرورت نہیں پڑے گی
شہزاد رائے نے تو اس کو گمنامی سے نکال کے ایک پہچان دی۔ اس کے بعد باقی لوگوں بشمول میرے، آپ اور حکومتی عہدیداران نے کیا کیا۔ شہزاد کی بجائے ہمیں اپنے گریبان میں نگاہ اور ہاتھ ڈالنے کی ضرورت ہے
Speaking to Urdu News, Wasu said that Roy is still in contact with him.
“Shehzad Roy has helped me a lot. He spent two lacs rupees on my treatment at Agha Khan Hospital and is still in contact with me,” said Wasu.
He added: “Shehzad had bought me a house that was destroyed in the floods of 2010 and later sold it for treatment.”
“ I now live in a rented house. Shehzad has given me a house, money, but my personal income is not enough,” he shared.
Shehzad Roy recently took to Twitter and posted a video of Wasu telling that he asled for the help from the government and did not want to bother Roy as he had already helped him a lot.
last ten years I was constantly in touch with Wasu til my whole family got Corona.He did not cal me,he said he didnt want to trouble me more & wanted help from the govt. So I hav come to Quetta to meet him,he asked me to take him to the CM,who v met,Here is Wasu sharing his story pic.twitter.com/HNtw76BSml
Earlier, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Rukhsana Kausar had tabled a resolution in the provincial house of Punjab seeking a ban on beard styling and action against men with fashionable beards as well as their barbers. However, it was never implemented.
