Tag: islamabad

  • VIDEO: Journalist Matiullah Jan goes missing

    VIDEO: Journalist Matiullah Jan goes missing

    Journalist Matiullah Jan, who is a vocal critic of the government among other quarters, has gone missing from Islamabad, his family said on Tuesday, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).

    According to Jan’s wife, Kaneez Sughra, who was speaking to Independent Urdu, his car was found with keys still inside.

    Jan was due to appear in the Supreme Court (SC) this week after it took suo motu notice of a contemptuous tweet by the journalist.

    Amnesty International South Asia called for authorities to “establish [Jan’s] whereabouts immediately”.

    In a tweet, the organisation said it was “extremely concerned for the fate and wellbeing” of the journalist, who it said has been the subject of “physical attacks and harassment for his journalism”.

    Meanwhile, a CCTV footage showed Jan’s car being intercepted. It also showed a scuffle breaking out between the journalist and the reportedly armed men who took him away.

    He can also be shown throwing his phone away, which a woman was seen handing over to one of the unidentified men.

    Federal Minister for Information Shibli Faraz, later in the day, said the government was aware of the abduction and efforts were underway for the journalist’s safe return. The development was also confirmed by Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari, who said that she was in contact with the capital city’s police in this regard.

    Chief justice of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), on the other hand, has reportedly taken notice of the abduction and directed authorities to present Jan before the court on Wednesday.

  • Islamabad to get an electric vehicle charging station

    Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhary has announced that the first electric vehicle (EV) charging station will be launched in Islamabad.

    “Extremely excited to see the launching of first Electric Car Charging Station in Islamabad,” the minister wrote in a tweet.

    He added that the first flagship EV charging facility will be set up at Jinnah Avenue Islamabad soon.

    “The opening of EV charging stations was another target of Ministry of Science and Technology to encourage E-vehicles as future transportation,” he said.

    As the country approved its first-ever electric vehicle (EV) policy last month, vehicles in Pakistan will be shifted on electric power. Under the policy, motorcycles and vehicles would be shifted on electric power, while EV Manufacturing Units would also be established in the country.

  • Islamabad admin at odds with Navy over construction of elite sailing club

    Islamabad admin at odds with Navy over construction of elite sailing club

    Islamabad administration has issued a notice to the Pakistan Navy Sailing Club to halt its illegal construction.

    It has been reported that the club near the Lake View Park was inaugurated on July 10.

    The Capital Development Authority (CDA), in a notification on July 13, said that the club was told to halt construction on September 17, 2019, and February 24, 2020.

    “It has once again come to notice that illegal construction has resumed and the club has been made functional,” a notification read. “This is sheer violation of the CDA laws and it needs to be halted immediately.”

    The CDA has instructed the club owners to stop the construction work. If, however, they fail to comply then the authority has threatened to “take action” over the demolition of the structure at the club’s risk and cost.

    On the other hand, according to a letter written by the deputy chief of naval staff to the CDA chief in response to the authority’s first notice, it was informed that Navy Sailing Club was established in 1992 on the directives of then prime minister (PM).

    The letter also annexed three directives of the PM Office but it is pertinent to clarify here that none of them confirms the formal allotment of land to Pakistan Navy. The first notification issued in 1991 states that chief of naval staff is appointed as patron in chief of all water sports in Pakistan. The second letter issued in 1992 was regarding the premier’s directions to develop water sports centres at six different locations of the country including Kunhar River, Tarbela Lake, F-9 Park, Rawal Dam, River Ravi in Lahore and Sukkur Barrage.

    The third letter by the PM Office issued in 1994 is relatively more specific to the subject in which the premier has approved the development of a water sports centre at Rawal Lake. The letter states further that the centre will be developed by the chief of naval staff in his capacity as patron in chief for all water sports in Pakistan.

    The finance division will provide the funds while cabinet division will authorise provision of land at Rawal Lake for the purpose, it adds.

  • Company responsible for Peshawar BRT’s construction gets another three projects in Islamabad

    Company responsible for Peshawar BRT’s construction gets another three projects in Islamabad

    The firm responsible for the construction of Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project that lies in limbo amid several delays and rising costs, has won the contracts for three mega projects of the federal capital by submitting the lowest bids, much below the estimated cost, The News reported.

    According to reports, Maqbool Associates-Calsons joint venture has been awarded by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) the construction of the Rawal Dam interchange (Rs1.2b, 11pc less than the estimated cost); expansion of Korang Bridge (Rs628.5m, 17pc less than the estimated cost) and the PWD Underpass (Rs420m, 19pc less than the estimated cost). These constructions will cost Rs2.248b.

    The official record shows that in its case against Shehbaz Sharif in the Ashiana Housing Scheme, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has been betting on Calsons. The NAB has portrayed Calsons as a well-meaning firm that had won a contract on merit to develop the Ashiana Iqbal Housing Scheme, but was wronged by the Shehbaz Sharif administration. The then chief minister was alleged to have secured Calsons’ Ashiana contract cancelled in order to give it to a choice party.

    Officials said Calsons came into prominence when it won the contract to remodel and widen the Kashmir Highway, a major artery of Islamabad. Because of delays, the project became a festering wound during the tenure of the last Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government in 2008-2013 and the capital’s residents faced untold hardships. The project was finally completed by the subsequent government.

    According to officials, the Calsons fell on the wrong side of the Punjab government under Shehbaz Sharif when, in 2013, the then chief minister received electronic evidence of the illegal award of the Ashiana contract to a joint venture involving Calsons by the Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC).

    Shehbaz Sharif referred the case to a committee, led by the then Punjab secretary finance Tariq Bajwa, who later became governor of the State Bank of Pakistan. The committee sought a further probe into the matter, following which Shehbaz Sharif referred the matter to the Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE). Consequently, the Ashiana contract awarded to Calsons was also cancelled.

    The cancellation was done by the PLDC Board in September 2013. Calsons approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) against the PLDC decision. The LHC ordered arbitration as per the contract between the two parties. As a result, the contractor was awarded Rs5.9 million as compensation. Hence the first contract ended.

    Later, in 2015, Calsons was accused of wrongdoings in the Orange Line train project. Officials said that Calsons was accused of violations of contract, leading to the termination of its joint venture with Maqbool Associates. The company was blacklisted and a penalty of Rs902 million was imposed on it by the Shehbaz Sharif administration.

    According to officials, the Maqbool-Calsons joint venture made a bid for Package II (Chauburji to Ali Town) of the Orange Line. The Punjab Mass Transit Authority (PMA) had entrusted the civil works of the project to the LDA. They said that the progress of work by the Maqbool-Calsons joint venture remained poor from the outset, and added that the contractor did not pay heed to repeated verbal and written instructions of the LDA and failed to meet its obligations under various contractual clauses. Resultantly, the provincial government terminated the contract and forfeited and en-cashed its bank guarantee of Rs903.289 million, the record showed.

    Officials said that Punjab administration, after terminating the contract, charged Maqbool-Calsons with violations, including refusal to hand over material (reinforcement bars, crush gravel, pre-stressing wire) worth Rs400 million, which had been purchased with the money advanced by the LDA. On the LDA’s complaint, the ACE lodged a first information report (FIR) with the police for building shorter piles. The Punjab government imposed a five-year ban on the contractors from participating in LDA tenders under Public Procurement Regulatory Authority rules. It also sent a reference to the Pakistan Engineering Council seeking the blacklisting of the firm.

    When contacted, Calson owner Chaudhry Amir Latif told The News that they would complete all the three projects of the federal capital within the stipulated time. He said the company won the contracts for being the lowest bidders.

    To a question, he said that the matters relating to the Ashiana scheme have been settled and closed. Amir Latif said the issues pertaining to the Orange Line train project including the forfeiture of their bank guarantee were being looked into by arbitrators as provided in the contract. The arbitration, which is in final stages, will sort out the contention between the company and the LDA, he said.

    To another question, the Calson owner said that they have concluded the work of the Peshawar BRT assigned to them and have been issued the completion certificate.

    He said the delay in the completion of the given work was not caused by them but it occurred due to frequent changes in the design by the consultant, which consumed almost a year. In addition, he said, the land acquisition was also a major issue. He pointed out that the caretaker government had also been in place after the award of contract to them, suggesting that this interregnum also affected the pace of work.

    Amir Latif said that the government authorities have taken over the completed work of the BRT and were doing the trial run of buses. He said the COVID-19 pandemic has also been a major reason behind the non-start of the full-fledged start of the bus service.

  • Minorities & Pakistan

    Minorities & Pakistan

    Last month, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan approved a grant of Rs100 million for the construction of Islamabad’s first Hindu temple, which Minister for Religious Affairs Pir Noorul Haq Qadri had requested. Plan of the Sri Krishna Mandir complex was approved under the government of PML-N but the construction was delayed due to protests by religious groups and some administrative hurdles. Once again, there has been an uproar by religious groups who petitioned the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to stop its construction. The IHC disposed of three petitions filed against the construction of the temple and observed that it required the approval of the regulator, which in this case, is the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

    Religious affairs minister has said there was no need to debate on the rights of minorities as they were protected by the PTI government. “The party’s manifesto calls for removing all obstructions in the implementation of constitutional provisions regarding the rights of minorities.” Qadri insists that the construction of the Hindu temple has been stopped due to technical reasons and some issues with the CDA. Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari also asked “if we don’t protect and defend our own minorities then how will we fight the case of other Muslims across the world.”

    Islamabad has about 3,000 Hindus and due to there being no temple within the capital, they face many issues on religious festivals. We have had several prominent Hindu members of parliament, a former Hindu chief justice and military officers as well. Hindus make a large number of our minority population. We must not give in to reactionary forces.

    Pakistan’s founder Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah in his August 11 speech made it clear that there will be no discrimination in Pakistan on the basis of religion. “You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place or worship in this state of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed – that has nothing to do with the business of the state,” he said and all of us know, but still we fall short of respecting those who are equal citizens of the state.

    Unfortunately, Pakistan’s track record of protecting its religious minorities is not too good. Forced conversions of Hindu girls has become a norm in the country, mobs have burned down minorities’ places of worship in the past, religious minorities face discrimination quite regularly – incidents of such discrimination were recently shared by some cricketers as well.

    It is unfortunate that Muslim majority countries sometimes do exactly what is happening to Muslim minorities in other countries. The recent example of changing the status of Hagia Sophia in Turkey is an example – whether it is a politically calculated move or not, the religious connotations are quite obvious. We hope that the PTI government will go ahead with the construction of the temple in Islamabad. The premier has been quite committed to protecting the rights of religious minorities. We are hopeful that he will not disappoint the minorities, who are equal citizens of Pakistan.

  • Quran complex to be set up in Islamabad

    Quran complex to be set up in Islamabad

    Minister for Religious Affairs, Pir Noor-ul-Haq Qadri has announced that the government is planning to build a Qur’an complex in Islamabad to preserve historical manuscripts of the Muslim scripture.

    According to Radio Pakistan, Qadri revealed the government’s plans while talking to the media during his visit to an exhibition of historical manuscripts of Holy Quran in the Federal capital.

    The minister also shared that the government is encouraging such activities and is working towards publishing a translation of the Holy Quran acceptable to all school of thoughts.

    Read more – Space museum to be set up in Islamabad

    He added that the publishing of Holy Quran on papers used in printing newspapers has been banned.

  • Channel boasts getting construction of first Hindu temple in Islamabad stopped, backtracks later

    Channel boasts getting construction of first Hindu temple in Islamabad stopped, backtracks later

    A private media outlet that had claimed credit for getting stopped the construction of Islamabad’s first Hindu temple later retracted its story amid severe backlash.

    As per the details, the construction of the first Hindu temple in the federal capital has been stopped by the authorities after fierce opposition from religious hardliners as well as an ally of the ruling party, Chaudhrys of Gujrat’s Pakistan Muslim League (PML).

    The Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Friday stopped construction of the boundary wall on the plot meant for the temple citing legal reasons.

    A joint team of the CDA’s enforcement and building control departments reached the site of the temple in Sector H-9/2 and directed workers to stop constructing the boundary wall.

    According to reports, a CDA official said that the building control laws of the civic authority clearly stated that no activity could take place on a plot until the building plan was approved.

    However, according to another CDA official, it was possibly the first time that this clause had been enforced as all owners were allowed to construct boundary walls and ensure possession of their plot while formalities regarding approval of the map continue.

    READ: Islamabad to get its first Hindu temple

    Meanwhile, a private media outlet, 92 News, claimed the credit for stopping the construction of the temple.

    “Owing to successful efforts of 92 News, the CDA stopped the construction of a temple in Islamabad on Friday,” the news channel said in a report titled “92 News Efforts Bear Fruit As CDA Stops Construction Of Temple In Islamabad“, which has now been retracted.

    Earlier, the construction of the temple had been opposed by religio-political among other right-wing organisations.

    A leading religious school had issued a fatwa against construction of the temple, calling it “un-Islamic”, while parties like Jamiat Ulemae Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) had voiced their concerns over the same for they said it was “against Pakistan’s ideology”.

    PML leader and Punjab Assembly Speaker Pervaiz Elahi had also said that Pakistan was created in the name of Islam and construction of a temple on its soil “was against the very spirit of Islam”.

  • Groundbreaking: Islamabad to get its first Hindu temple

    In a first, a ceremony was held to start construction of a Hindu temple in the federal capital, Dawn reported.

    According to reports, a crematorium will also be built in Islamabad for the Hindu community, members of which earlier had to travel out of the city to perform religious rituals.

    The Krishna temple will be constructed on a 20,000 sq ft plot in the H-9 sector, and has been named Shri Krishna Mandir by the Islamabad Hindu Panchayat.

    According to Religious Affairs Minister Pir Noorul Haq Qadri, the government will bear the construction cost, presently estimated to be Rs100,000,000.

    Parliamentary Secretary on Human Rights Lal Chand Malhi had on Tuesday performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the temple.

    While addressing the gathering at the ceremony, Malhi mentioned the presence of pre-1947 era temple structures in the capital and its adjoining areas, including one in Saidpur Village and at the hill point overlooking the Korang River near Rawal Lake. However, they have been abandoned and not used.

    “Besides, there is no crematorium in Islamabad,” he said, adding the Hindu population in Islamabad had increased significantly in two decades, therefore, the temple was necessary.

    “The Hindu community in Islamabad has been demanding a temple for a long time now. The population has also increased while many Hindu temple structures in the capital have been abandoned,” he said. “Besides, there is no crematorium in Islamabad.”

    The plot on which the temple is being built was allotted to the Hindu Panchayat by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) in 2017. However, the construction work could not begin on time because of some formalities, like the site map’s approval by the CDA and other authorities.

  • Areas in Islamabad to be sealed in 36 hours

    Areas in Islamabad to be sealed in 36 hours

    Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Hamza Shafqat has announced that following a sharp rise in cases in Sector G-6/2, G-6/1, G-10/4, G-7/2 and Ghori Town, the areas will be sealed in next 36 hours. The DC asked residents to plan their activities accordingly.

    Earlier, Sector G-9/2, G-9/3 were also sealed to curb the coronavirus cases.

    While talking to the Arab News, Islamabad’s Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Hamza Shafqaat told that the number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan’s federal capital has significantly decreased in the wake of the smart lockdown in the city.

    10,912 coronavirus cases have been reported in Islamabad so far.

  • ‘Hit-and-run’: Road accident in Islamabad further heightens Indo-Pak tensions

    ‘Hit-and-run’: Road accident in Islamabad further heightens Indo-Pak tensions

    • Two Indian High Commission officials detained briefly after running over pedestrian in Islamabad on Monday
    • Both officials of non-diplomat status handed back to Indian High Commission owing to diplomatic immunity while Indian reports claim they were let go off after New Delhi pressurised authorities in Pakistan
    • India had earlier claimed harassment and assault of officials and raised concerns over alleged abduction in response to expulsion of two Pakistan High Commission officials over ‘espionage’ in New Delhi

    A road accident in Islamabad has further heightened Indo-Pak tensions as diplomatic ties between the two neighbours continue to deteriorate ever since New Delhi’s abrogation of Article 370 for the annexation of held Kashmir last year in August.

    As per the details, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) police on Monday arrested two staff members of the Indian High Commission (IHC) over their involvement in a hit-and-run incident.

    A vehicle, reportedly a BMW, hit a pedestrian walking on the embassy road at around 8 am. The two staffers, identified as Silvades Paul and Dawamu Brahamu, tried to flee after the incident but were caught by bystanders and handed over to local police.

    The critically injured pedestrian, whose identity has still not been revealed, was shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment.

    Eyewitnesses said the car was being driven irresponsibly and had gotten out of control due to speeding on Khayabane Suhrawardy.

    While it is said that the police were initially unaware that the two accused belonged to the IHC, an FIR [First Information Report] registered at the Secretariat police station of the federal capital, a copy of which is available with this scribe, revealed that one of the officials also possessed Rs10,000 worth of counterfeit currency.

    Local police later informed the Foreign Office (FO) about the incident. However, on Monday evening the two staffers, neither of whom were diplomats, were released because they had diplomatic immunity.

    The two reportedly belong to India’s Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). A sixteen-member specialised security unit from CISF has been deployed at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad since 2009 for the protection of the high commission and diplomats posted here.

    Both were booked by the police for reckless driving, causing injury due to negligent driving, and possessing fake currency.

    It is pertinent to note that officials at the FO were initially unaware of the development, while Indian media reports claimed that the two officials had been abducted and shifted to an undisclosed location.

    Amid Indian claims that the “missing” officials were let go off after torture and New Delhi pressurising Islamabad against the alleged abduction, officials, including the assistant sub-inspector concerned, deny the claims saying it was “nothing but regular action against two people accused of hit-and-run besides possession of counterfeit currency”.

    Pakistan was further asked to return the two Indian staffers along with the official car to the high commission.

    Deputy Superintendent of Police Iqbal Khan said the Indians were detained and shifted to the police station for completing the legal process.

    The FIR also suggests the same.

    Deputy Inspector General (FIG) of Police Operation Waqaruddin Syed said that both the detained Indians were hours later released from the police custody after confirming their status from the FO.

    PAYBACK?

    “The officials were out for an official work before they went missing. The Indian government has taken up the matter with Pakistani authorities,” said Indian reports earlier in the day as they hinted at the possibility of “payback” in response to India declaring two officials of the Pakistan High Commission (PHC) in New Delhi “persona non grata requiring them to leave India within 24 hours” alleging that they had been found guilty of espionage.

    Pakistan had condemned the Indian government’s decision to expel the staff members as part of a “persistent anti-Pakistan propaganda”.

    Islamabad had said that the two staff members of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi were “lifted by the Indian authorities today (31 May 2020) on false and unsubstantiated charges”. They were subsequently released after the Pakistan High Commission intervened.

    “We condemn the detention and torture as well as threatening and pressuring of the diplomatic officials to accept false charges,” the FO had said.

    DIPLOMATS AND RASH DRIVING:

    Earlier this year, an SUV belonging to the United States (US) Embassy drove into a car on a main artery of the federal capital, killing a woman and injuring five members of her family.

    The police arrested the Pakistani driver of the US Embassy, named Amjad Zaman, and registered a case against him at Margalla police station.

    Accidents involving vehicles belonging to diplomatic missions, especially the US Embassy, have been frequent in recent years and in most cases the drivers got away unpunished by invoking diplomatic immunity.

    In April 2018, a motorcyclist was killed after being hit by a vehicle driven by the military attaché at the US Embassy in Islamabad.

    In Feb 2013, an SUV driven by an administrative assistant at the US Embassy hit two motorcyclists near Kohsar Complex on Margalla Avenue, killing one of them and injuring the other.

    In July 2010, an officer attached to the US Embassy’s Force Protection Department hit and killed a young man riding a motorcycle on 7th Avenue.

    In 2011, a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) contractor, Raymond Davis, caused countrywide outrage after he killed two persons when he ran over a motorcycle in Lahore. The deadly incident had strained ties between Washington and Islamabad. Davis went scot-free after paying blood money to the families of the victims.