Tag: government officials

  • Citizens launch fruit boycott campaign to protest against skyrocketing prices

    Citizens launch fruit boycott campaign to protest against skyrocketing prices

    Residents of Rawalpindi and Islamabad have launched the “Fruit Boycott Campaign” due to the increasing prices of fruits throughout the country. The campaign, initiated through social media by concerned citizens, appealed to the public to protest against the inflated prices of fruits.

    Citizens alleged that the inflation of fruits was due to the government officials’ failure to control profiteers and hoarders, and accused officials of having an underhand deal with them to loot the public.

    The campaign aimed at boycotting the purchase of fruits for two days initially, but citizens from all cities participated actively in making the campaign successful.

    According to The News, the campaign was successful, with a significant number of people participating and refusing to buy fruits for four days.

    However, the district administrations of Islamabad and Rawalpindi did not intervene in the situation, despite citizens submitting several complaints about the price hike.

    Sources claimed that profiteers and hoarders had hoarded all kinds of fruits to reap extra profits.

  • Summary to deduct two days’ salary of government employees sent to PM

    Summary to deduct two days’ salary of government employees sent to PM

    According to Finance Minister Miftah Ismail, a summary to deduct two days’ amount of government employees’ salary is being sent to Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif for approval in order to assist the flood-affected families.

    Additionally, he requested that the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) should instruct banks to direct a portion of their profits and staff pay to be withheld in order to support flood victims at this crucial time.

    According to Brecorder, Miftah claimed the federal government has provided Rs28 billion for the flood victims while speaking to the Jamiyat Panjabi Saudagaran Delhi Karachi members at the group’s office.

    “I am ready to contribute Rs60 billion for the flood victims, and I have already requested the PM for the consideration, yesterday. This amount will be arranged from the budget, and some other sources,” Ismail said.

    Govt to pay Rs25,000 to one woman from each affected family

    The federal government has decided to pay Rs25,000 for one woman from each family over the next two weeks in order to help flood-affected families who are currently in desperate need of assistance in various districts across the nation.

    This will help them to pay for their essential living costs and prevent them from having to spend the night sleeping on the ground on an empty stomach.

    Import of essential food items

    In response to comments about rising vegetable and petroleum product prices, he said that the government is importing essential products from nearby nations, particularly onions and tomatoes. It is possible to import onions from the neighbouring country of India, and two international organisations have been contacted in this regard.

    Standing crops have been damaged by the monsoon floods, according to Miftah. Loss of at least $10 billion has been calculated thus far.

    He estimated that it will cost about Rs500 billion to rebuild. He acknowledged that the main problem facing the average person is inflation, and he promised to lower electricity rates in two months and put inflation under control in four to five months.

    Ismail said that by successful negotiations with the IMF and obtaining the required support from friendly nations, particularly Qatar, he had saved the country from a potential default.

    He also blamed the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine for the recent increase in fuel costs for gas, diesel, and coal in Pakistan and around the globe.

    The Finance Minister said that the decision to impose ban on import of some luxury products was in larger interest of the country.

  • Petrol quota for ministers, govt officials in Sindh lowered by 40 per cent

    Petrol quota for ministers, govt officials in Sindh lowered by 40 per cent

    Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah lowered the petrol allotment of ministers and government officials by 40 per cent this week as part of his moderation campaign following another spike in petroleum prices.

    Keeping in view a substantial spike in POL prices within the last few days, the decision was made to limit spending and decrease the strain on the national kitty.

    “The rise in petrol price should not be a burden on the exchequer,” Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah said, increasing the treasury’s load entails intensifying the burden on individuals.

    To meet the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) conditions, the government has unleashed another big gasoline bomb on the country after another hike of Rs30. In less than a month, the price of petrol has risen by Rs60 to Rs209.86.

    The latest petrol price hike came just hours after the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) approved a power tariff hike of Rs7.91 per unit.

    The price hike sparked riots in Karachi, with protesters wrecking a petrol pump and torching tyres on University Road. Despite expressing their dissatisfaction with the situation, the general public has requested that the government tightens its belt instead of putting the weight on the populace.

    Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokar, a top PPP lawmaker, also shared this attitude, suggesting a 50 per cent wage cut for politicians, generals, judges, and senior bureaucrats.

    “Why should common folk shoulder the failures of the political, military and judicial elite? This joke has to end”.

    If the average citizen is compelled to narrow his belt, Khokar believes that politicians, generals, judges, and top bureaucrats’ income should be halved and all amenities, including free utilities, should be removed.

    The administration warned on June 2 that it would raise fuel prices by Rs30 for the second time in ten days, as an attempt to obtain the remaining funds from IMF.

  • Facebook locks accounts that have not activated ‘Facebook Protect’

    Facebook has decided to lock Facebook accounts that did not activate the ‘Facebook Protect’ feature. Facebook has sent e-mails to all its users, however, many of them did not respond to it.

    Many users have received e-mails with the subject, “Your account requires advanced security from Facebook Protect.”

    In the e-mail, Facebook sent a link and requested users to click the link and activate ‘Facebook Protect’ for more protection. It also warned if users did not activate this feature, users would not have access to their profile after the deadline, March 17.

    However, some users did not respond to it at all as they considered it a spam message.

    According to Facebook, this feature is “a program designed for people that are likely to be highly targeted by malicious hackers, including human rights defenders, journalists, and government officials.”

    Facebook sent emails through security@facebookmail.com. As the deadline to activate ‘Facebook Protect’ passed, many users have lost access to their accounts.

    Some users have been facing issues to turn on the feature, ‘Facebook Protect’.

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