Tag: Pakistan

  • Smart lockdown imposed in ten districts of Punjab including Lahore

    Smart lockdown imposed in ten districts of Punjab including Lahore

    Seeing the deteriorating air quality in Punjab, the government has imposed a smart lockdown in different regions of the province, including Lahore, Nankana Sahib, Sheikupura, Kusur, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Narowal, Hafizabad and Mandi Bahauddin. Under the smart lockdown, travel is restricted.

    Punjab Relief Commissioner Nabil Javed has ordered restricting normal life in Lahore and Gujranwala divisions, as per a handout.

    According to the decision, all public and private educational institutions will remain closed on Saturday in these districts. However, educational institutions can organise online classes, if they want. Nabil Javed further said the markets, shops, cinemas, and offices will be closed till 3 pm.

    In a crackdown against smoke-emitting vehicles, district authorities in Hafizabad have suspended route permits of more than fifty cars and halted 1300 vehicles altogether.

  • Shehbaz Sharif is ‘innocent’

    Shehbaz Sharif is ‘innocent’

    Former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, along with 10 co-accused, have been acquitted in the Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing Scheme reference by a Lahore accountability court, as per Geo News.

    The list of the acquitted individuals includes the incumbent federal minister Ahad Cheema and Fawad Hassan Fawad.

    The court, headed by Judge Malik Ali Zulqarnain Awan, reserved the verdict on November 2 after the conclusion of final arguments presented by counsels and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutors on acquittal pleas.

    Acquittal applications contended that all prosecution witnesses and approvers had retracted their statements, signaling a lack of grounds for conviction in the reference. The applicants urged the court to approve the applications and absolve them of the charges.

    A report filed by NAB in May stated that there was no evidence of financial corruption or misuse of authority by Shehbaz Sharif. The allegations of misuse of authority and corruption against the former prime minister, according to the report, were not substantiated under the National Accountability Ordinance of 1999.

    NAB had filed the reference in 2018, alleging that Shehbaz Sharif and other accused had caused a significant financial loss to the national treasury by awarding the contract for the housing scheme to a construction firm without a competitive bidding process.

    Sharif was arrested on Oct 5, 2018, in connection with the case when he appeared before the accountability bureau in another matter while Cheema was taken into custody on February 21 of the same year. Both of them were later released on bail.

    Earlier, Kamran Kiyani, the brother of former army chief Ashfaque Parvez Kiyani, and Nadeem Zia of Paragon City were acquitted by the court due to a “lack of evidence”.

    The NAB alleged that Cheema received illegal benefits from the owners of Paragon City Developers as a reward for awarding the housing scheme contract to their proxy firm, Bismillah Engineering.

  • Another exam, more cases of cheating

    Another exam, more cases of cheating

    After cases of cheating during MDCAT examination in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in September, the Public Service Commission examination has also been infiltrated with cheating.

    According to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Service Commission, a test was held on June 24 for the recruitment of SDO in the Irrigation Department and CNW, during which 18 candidates were caught cheating.

    KP Public Service Commission officials also revealed that electronic devices, guides and other copy materials were recovered from the candidates during the examination.

    Examinations were cancelled and they have been banned from appearing for a period of one year to three years.

    The commission has issued a public notice for re-examination and the relevant test will be held again on December 23.

  • Blessed Friday Sale Alert

    Blessed Friday Sale Alert

    Understanding the cultural and religious sensitivities of majorly Muslim societies, brands have initiated end-of-the-year sales under the title of Blessed Friday Sales.

    The phenomenon started in America as traders started the practice of reducing prices so that consumers spend right before the Christmas season. It was called Black Friday but over time it has evolved and now in Muslim-majority countries, it is referred to as Blessed Friday or White Friday sale.

    Here are the best deals out there:

    Borjan’s Bright Friday Sale

    Borjan is offering flat 30-50 percent off on all its products, including shoes and accessories for men, women, and kids.

    The sale is live from November 16 and will go on over the weekend. The shipping fee is a mere 100 rupees, which too is exempted from shopping over Rs. 3000.

    Beechtree Blessed Friday, November Sale

    Beechtree is offering 50 percent off on its unstitched, pret, luxury pret, and outerwear products.
    The sale is live from November 16 and will go on till November 19.

    Chen One Blessed Friday Sale

    Chen One is offering a flat 25 percent discount on its home, textile, and apparel. This is the offer one looks for around the wedding season because the high-end brand is offering discounts on furniture as the wedding season is in full swing. Along with that, there are home accessories, jewellery, and pret variety available for women, men, and children.

    Minnie Minors Funtastic Friday Sale

    Exclusively for kids, Minnie Minors is offering up to 40 percent off on a range of items.
    Their stylish winter products are something to look out for if you want to upgrade your kid’s wardrobe. Free shipping is available on shopping of more than Rs. 1500.

    Chinyere Fancy Friday Sale

    Chinyere is offering limited-time offers for everyone from casuals to formals and even couture.
    The sale is offering up to 50 percent off with free shipping and the sale will end over the weekend.

    NDURE T.G.I.F Sale

    NDURE’s TGIF Blessed Friday sale is one to look out for.

    The brand is offering up to 50 percent off with shipping charges being Rs. 99 only.

    Insignia Blessed Friday Sale

    Insignia’s Blessed Friday Sale is available on a variety of products from shoes to handbags and fragrances.

    There are flat discounts of 21 percent, 31 percent, and 51 percent on the entire stock with free shipping for shopping above Rs. 3000.

    Engine Blessed Friday Sale

    Engine Clothing Blessed Friday sale is for western wear lovers.
    They are offering 40 percent off on all their stock including chic clothes for men, women, and kids.

    Delivery charges are not to be paid on orders above Rs. 2500.

  • Bilawal Bhutto labels “traditional politics” country’s worst enemy

    Bilawal Bhutto labels “traditional politics” country’s worst enemy

    As political parties gear up for election activities, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, the Chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), expressed concerns about the continuation of traditional politics, labeling it the country’s worst enemy. He emphasized the importance of embracing “new politics,” as reported by Geo News on Friday.

    Speaking at a workers’ convention in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Mardan, Bilawal said: “We need to [embark] on a new political [direction and strategy] which will allow us to overcome the issues faced by the country.”

    He added: “Veteran politicians neither think about the present nor the future [as] they are still stuck in the past. We want to leave behind the politics of division, hate and abuse which [as part of] the traditional politics has been going on for the [past] 70 years.”
    While talking about contemporary politics and its advantages, Bilawal Bhutto said, “We have to become the voice of the ‘new politics’ […] We think about the present and future and not what’s in the past.”

    Earlier in the week, while talking at a worker’s convention in Abbottabad, the PPP chairman said that “new political leadership” is needed if the country is to progress.

  • Dr. Tahir ul Qadri is ‘back’

    Dr. Tahir ul Qadri is ‘back’

    After being inactive for seven years, Dr Tahirul Qadri’s Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) has re-entered the political scene, announcing that it will actively participate in the upcoming February 2024 general elections.

    “We shall take full part in the upcoming elections from our own platform and on our electoral symbol,” PAT’s central president Qazi Zahid Hussain told a press conference on Friday.

    Qazi Zahid Hussain, accompanied by party officials including information secretary Nurella Siddiqui, and Raja Zahid, said that PAT candidates will champion the cause of comprehensive reforms in the system, initiating mass-contact campaigns and electioneering immediately.

    Notably, PAT abstained from the 2013 polls but actively participated in the 2015-16 local body elections.

    Hussain clarified that Dr Qadri had endorsed the decision following a two-day consultation by the PAT central executive council. Responding to queries, Siddiqui confirmed that Dr Qadri would not partake in the electioneering process for PAT nominees.

    Highlighting the party’s stance on candidate commitments, Siddiqui stated that once a candidate submits nominations from the PAT platform, withdrawing in favor of another party’s nominee would result in expulsion from the party.

    Additionally, Siddiqui ruled out the possibility of electoral alliances, noting that decisions regarding post-poll cooperation would be made at a later stage.

    Despite being former partners in protest, a party insider revealed to Dawn that any political cooperation with Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was unlikely.

    The insider cited the PTI’s alleged failure to deliver justice to PAT in the 2014 Model Town tragedy, where 14 party activists lost their lives in a police raid, during the PTI’s approximately four-year rule.

  • Sheema Kermani expelled from British High Commission event for chanting ‘Ceasefire Now’

    Sheema Kermani expelled from British High Commission event for chanting ‘Ceasefire Now’

    Classical dancer and activist Sheema Kermani was “ejected” from an event held at the British High Commission in Karachi for raising a slogan in favour of the people of Gaza.

    Ms Kermani, founder of Tehreek-i-Niswan, was invited for an event in the High Commission to celebrate the birthday of King Charles III on Friday with many other artists also present. “They were all congratulating the British Government and the royal family without any mention of the atrocities taking place in Gaza. I just had to do what I did. I couldn’t stay silent. Sadly, when the other guests saw me being thrown out and my leaving, none of them, not even one of them, decided to also take a stand and join me,” she told Dawn.

    Sheema raised the slogan of “Ceasefire Now” as the speakers were making speeches and sending congratulatory messages to Britain. Security personnel instantly took charge and tried to force her out of the event. “That’s when I asked them to not touch me as I would see myself out,” Ms Kermani stated after the regrettable incident.

    A spokesperson for the British Deputy High Commission responded to the incident by saying that Ms Kermani was shouting during “an important speech about climate change in Pakistan by the British Deputy High Commissioner”. It was then that the “security personnel came forth to stop her from shouting. But then she left on her own. So it won’t be correct to say that we threw her out.”

  • Lahore woman beats teenaged maid, cuts her hair

    Lahore woman beats teenaged maid, cuts her hair

    Child Protection Bureau has rescued a 14-year-old maid who was assaulted with scissors, knives, and sticks by the woman she worked for in the Garhi Shahu area of Lahore, reports Geo.

    The woman cut the girl’s hair without her consent during the assault. Physical examination has revealed marks of physical violence on the body of the victim, identified as Sana.

    Child Protection Bureau instantly took action and rescued the girl.

    Chairperson Sarah Ahmed said that she intended to take necessary actions against the woman.

  • ADB approves $250 million loan to upgrade Pakistan’s power transmission system 

    ADB approves $250 million loan to upgrade Pakistan’s power transmission system 

    The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has granted a $250 million loan to Pakistan to enhance the country’s power transmission system, addressing persistent electricity shortages. 

    The approved aid aims to ensure a reliable electricity supply by expanding and enhancing the power transmission network in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, as outlined in an official ADB statement. 

    The initiative, known as the Power Transmission Strengthening Project, focuses on fortifying the national grid’s stability by increasing transmission capacity. 

    The project includes the expansion of high-voltage transmission networks, specifically 500 kilovolt (kV) and 220 kV transmission line loops, with the goal of reducing transmission losses in Lahore, Punjab, through the replacement of outdated transmission lines. 

    ADB Director General for Central and West Asia, Yevgeniy Zhukov, emphasised the significance of a reliable power supply for inclusive and sustainable economic growth. 

    He expressed satisfaction in continuing ADB’s support for Pakistan’s pursuit of energy security and improved energy efficiency. 

    In addition to reinforcing power transmission, the project aims to complement ADB’s existing assistance to the National Transmission & Despatch Company Limited (NTDC). 

    This support targets energy security, climate resilience, and increased transmission capacity for the deployment of sufficient, reliable, clean, and cost-effective energy. 

    The project’s key objectives extend to enhancing the management of the national transmission system. 

    Beyond strengthening power transmission, ADB’s initiative will improve the project and financial management of NTDC, incorporating climate resilience in planning and operations. 

    To promote gender equality and women’s involvement in the energy sector, ADB plans to develop mentorship guidelines, conduct awareness campaigns, establish childcare centres, and provide technical training for female staff within NTDC. 

    The project also includes livelihood skills development for women in the designated areas, aiming to enhance their economic opportunities. 

    Additionally, local communities will receive training to enable them to respond effectively to climate-induced natural hazards. 

  • Donald Lu kay khilaf muqadma hoga Amreeka mein: Aleema Khan

    Donald Lu kay khilaf muqadma hoga Amreeka mein: Aleema Khan

    Alima Khan, the sister of incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan, has claimed that the cipher case involves the complete complicity of the US Embassy.

    While talking to the media, she said that they will file a case against Donald Lu in American courts.

    Donald Lu, a US diplomat in the State Department, was blamed by Imran Khan for orchestrating the no-confidence vote that led to his ouster in April 2022.

    Donald Lu’s talks with a Pakistani diplomat were conveyed in a diplomatic cipher sent to Islamabad that caused uproar in Pakistan.

    Alima Khan confirmed that the case will be filed in the US while talking to the media outside Adiala Jail, where Imran Khan is currently held under tight security.

    She assured the public that Imran Khan’s health was in good condition, emphasizing his well-established routine and the absence of any complaints about the food provided by the authorities.

    She also said that the High Court has issued a stay order in the cipher case, and clauses are being added which carry the possibility of the death penalty or life imprisonment.

    Alima Khan demanded that authorities specify the charges against Imran Khan that led to these serious allegations and probable punishments. She urged for justice to be served in Pakistan.

    Alima Khan claimed that Imran Khan asserted that the American Embassy was fully involved in the conspiracy, and if justice is not served in Pakistani courts, they will pursue the case against Donald Lu in the United States.

    The Cases

    The former prime minister is currently being held in Adiala Jail after his arrest from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore on August 5.

    He was moved to the prison on September 26 from Attock Jail where he was initially kept after his arrest.

    Khan was first convicted by a lower court in the Toshakhana case in August and sentenced to three years of imprisonment. The IHC suspended his sentence the same month.

    The Islamabad accountability court issued arrest warrants for PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the Toshakhana and £ 190 million Al-Qadir Trust cases on Tuesday.

    Khan was arrested in the Al-Qadir Trust case on May 9 for the first time.

    The £ 190 million (approximately Rs60 billion) settlement case pertains to the money of property tycoon, Malik Riaz, being laundered and caught by the UK authorities during Imran’s government in 2019.

    The UK government had informed the Pakistani authorities regarding the money being caught.

    The former premier is already in prison as he was subsequently booked in the ‘cipher’ case. The hearing of the cipher case in the special court has been adjourned without proceeding till November 21.

    In the cipher case, Khan, along with his close aide and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, has been accused of leaking state secrets.