The Directorate General of Immigration and Passports has revealed operational hours for passport offices nationwide during winter.
From Monday to Thursday, passport offices will be open to the public from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, while on Fridays, the timing will be adjusted from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM.
The schedule will be followed in all regional passport offices, executive passport offices, and service counters which will be processing passport applications and facilitating passport issuance.
Awami Muslim League leader and former federal interior minister, Sheikh Rasheed, was arrested from his house in Rawalpindi last month. On Thursday, the Lahore High Court gave the police one more week to find him.
At today’s hearing, RPO Rawalpindi Syed Khurram Ali and CPO Rawalpindi Khalid Hamdani appeared before the court, seeking more time for recovering Sheikh Rasheed.
“How much more time do you need for recovery, what have you done so far,” the court asked the cops. The RPO Rawalpindi said the officers responsible for the arrest were not present in the area on that day.
“We need a bit more time for recovery,’ the RPO informed the court.
“We are giving you a week’s time as the last chance to recover Sheikh Rasheed else the court will pass an order with a warning,” was the reply.
The hearing was then adjourned until October 27.
Responsible parenting everyone needs to take some good notes from!
Veteran actress Saba Hamid was a guest on Maliha Rehman’s Youtube channel where she opened up about her childhood, especially the impact her late father, journalist Hameed Akhtar, had on her.
“My father was a feminist,” described the actress, adding that “He was a big believer in equal rights till his last breath from day one.”
Speaking about her family, the ‘Jaisay Apki Marzi’ actress said she was one of four daughters and obe son but her parents never made them feel like there was inequality between them on the basis of gender. Hamid elaborated how chores around the house that are generally male-oriented like calling the plumber, or driving, were taught to all the siblings. Her parents also didn’t put any restrictions on their daughters while allowing their son to stay out late. “I was scolded just as much as he was if he stayed out late.”
These teachings, Saba observed, made her assume that the world would treat men and women equally the way her father had. But soon grew to realise that it was the opposite.
The ‘Laal Ishq’ actress further opened up about how liberated her mother was, not seeking permission from their father to go anywhere because he gave her liberation. She spoke about her mother announcing to their father that she was visiting her sister in Islamabad for a day, and his reaction being simply “okay”.
“We grew up thinking this is how it is, this is the way the world is. It was quite later I realised you had to seek permission from a partner to go somewhere.”
We are completely moved by Saba’s account of her father and his gentle parenting that made her into the fierce woman she is today- and also helped her raise two phenomenally powerful individuals like Meesha and Faris Shafi. We hope more parents, especially fathers to newborn daughters, watch this clip and take a lesson in how giving girls independence can help them later in life.
Pink toilets, a project to be implemented in public spaces in Bahawalpur along the highways, has now expanded to government offices across South Punjab.
In the last leg of the project, 433 toilets are to be constructed in government offices throughout the region. They are designed specifically for working and visiting women-a major step towards promotion of gender equality and facilitation of women.
The initiative commenced at the South Punjab Secretariat under the guidance of Additional Chief Secretary South Punjab, Captain (R) Saqib Zafar.
The foundation was laid by the Secretary Services South Punjab, Engineer Amjad Shoaib Khan Tareen. He, while addressing the ceremony, informed the attendees about a survey that has been carried out to identify optimal locations for these facilities. The administration of all three divisions have been asked to complete the project by November 9.
He stated that the project is proof of determination of the management towards the cause of ensuring the well being of women. It also signifies the commitment to the purpose of creating an inclusive and accommodating environment for the female workforce.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has asked the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to promptly release a detailed written order regarding the issuance of the party’s election symbol.
Highlighting the importance of justice and fairness, Senator Barrister Syed Ali Zafar, the party’s counsel, submitted an application on Wednesday to the Commission, emphasizing the necessity of a comprehensive decision in the interest of transparency.
Senator Zafar underscored that the Election Commission’s earlier notice to the PTI, rejecting the allocation of the cricket bat symbol due to purported intra-party election discrepancies, was a misstep. He contended that the PTI had indeed conducted intra-party elections on June 9, 2022, in accordance with its constitution.
According to Senator Zafar, the Election Commission’s subsequent decision on August 30, 2023, had validated the PTI’s stance on the legitimacy of the intra-party elections and had signaled the allocation of the bat symbol.
However, despite the Commission’s initial commitment to issue a detailed decision following the verbal announcement, the order had not been provided even after 41 days.
“PTI is the largest political party in the country, which is contesting the upcoming elections. Not issuing a detailed decision even after 41 days is a clear violation of fundamental rights, including articles 4, 9, 10A, 15, 16, 17 and 26 of the Constitution,” he said.
Ali Zafar insisted that according to the Constitution, ECP was bound to hold free, fair, impartial, and transparent elections, while avoiding detailed decisions was a deviation from this constitutional mandate.
He further added that under the Constitution of Pakistan, the ECP was bound to organize and conduct the election in a manner that was honest, just, fair, and in accordance with the law, but the non-issuance of the detailed written order was contrary to this.
“The entire world is watching the proceedings of the ECP and the delay in the decision is unnecessarily creating contrary false rumors as if the decision orally announced on Aug 30, 2023, is going to be varied,” he said.
A female constable working at a women’s police station has reportedly accused the station house officer (SHO) of theft and blackmailing staff.
The spokesperson for the police, on the other hand, has deemed the complaint baseless allegations to dodge accountability.
The complaint lodged by Lady Constable Anita Naseem states that a woman named Arisha Khalid met SHO Irum Khanam to submit an application. At the time of her visit, she lost her purse.
CCTV footage shows SHO Irum Khanam taking money from the purse and putting it away under a blue chair.
According to the report, since SHO Irum Khanam was mindful of the camera, she pressured Anita Naseem to keep hush about the incident and threatened her. It is also, allegedly, not the first time for SHO Khanam to take money from others.
Apart from violating departmental rules, the complainant said that she has been subjected to psychological suffering.
An inquiry into the matter is under way with the Headquarters SP leading the investigation. The initial findings of the inquiry did not support the accusations against the SHO.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari made thinly veiled references to PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif while addressing a public gathering held in connection with the 16th anniversary of the Karsaz tragedy, outside Bilawal House in Karachi.
He said on Wednesday that the country’s constitution, election, and democracy were halted for “one person’s return.”
Despite being partners in the last government and demanding the former three-time prime minister’s return, the PPP has kept raising concerns that Nawaz might get “special relief”.
Nawaz will return to Pakistan on Saturday (October 21) and has been granted protective bail till October 24 in Avenfield and Al-Azizia case. Arrest warrants in Toshakhana case have also been suspended till October 24.
“Our previous allies will have to acknowledge that delaying elections will not ‘give respect to vote’, rather disrespect it,” Bilawal said during a public rally in Karachi, hitting out at the PML-N, whose slogan has been “vote ko izzt do (give respect to the sanctity of vote)”.
The PPP chairman also said that he wants to end the politics of divide and abuse, adding that if politicos keep fighting amongst themselves, the country will not progress.
“We can swallow the ‘bitter pill’ [of holding elections] in more than 90 days only when the election commission announces a date for the polls,” he said.
He called for holding elections, saying only people had the right to choose their leaders and make decisions for their future.
“امید ہے کہ تمام جمہوری جماعتیں پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی کے اس مطالبے کی حمایت کریں گی کہ الیکشن کمیشن فوری طور پر انتخابات کی تاریخ کا اعلان کرے تاکہ ہم اس نفرت کی سیاست کو دفن کرکے آگے بڑھ سکیں۔”
چیئرمین پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی بلاول بھٹو زرداری @BBhuttoZardari #SalamShuhadaeKarsaz pic.twitter.com/RLBESruRI8
— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) October 18, 2023
“We have to leave politics of abuses and divide behind. We need new leadership… a leadership that is not stuck in the past but thinks about the future. We don’t want 90s’ Pakistan or 2017’s Pakistan. We want today’s Pakistan… Pakistan of 2023… a modern Pakistan,” he added.
“The tenure of [coalition] government of the last 16 months taught us that Pakistan cannot be run from London,” he said.
In view of the skyrocketing inflation and depleting economic reserves, the PPP leader demanded that relief should be given to the common man instead of the elite.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) approved the request of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif on Thursday, providing him with bail in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia cases until October 24.
In July 2018, Nawaz Sharif, who had been removed from office, received a 10-year prison sentence in the Avenfield properties corruption case, for assets that exceeded his known income, and an additional one-year sentence for failing to cooperate with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
In the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption case, he was handed a seven-year prison term and subsequently taken to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.
On the other hand, an accountability court has deferred the arrest warrant of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif in the Toshakhana case, as the NAB raised no objections.
The court announced the decision after reserving a verdict on Nawaz’s petition seeking postponement.
A day earlier, the former prime minister filed a petition in an accountability court to restrict authorities from arresting him on his return to the country on October 21.
During today’s hearing, Nawaz Sharif’s lawyer, Qazi Misbah, requested the court to suspend the arrest warrant as he is coming back to Pakistan and wants to appear before the court himself.
The legal team of PML-N supremo has also filed a bail petition in Islamabad High Court (IHC) to prevent officials from arresting him on October 21.
During the hearing, Qazi Misbah argued that Nawaz Sharif wanted to appear before the court on October 24, telling the judge that his client was not well, which is why he didn’t appear before the court.
Sonia, a 16-year-old working as a housemaid in a bungalow located in Gulshan-e-Iqbal 13-C in Karachi, was allegedly raped and poisoned to death by her employer’s sons.
Sonia’s mother has said in a statement given to the police that the teenager had gone to work on Sunday as usual. On her return she was in a critical condition, therefore taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical College for an examination. However the girl died during treatment.
Police has started its investigation but the mother of the victim has accused the sons of the employer-who was not at home at the time Sonia went there-of rape and poisoning.
Gold prices in Pakistan are once again on an upward trajectory, with the per tola price recently surging by Rs6,400 in the domestic market.
This increase was observed as the price of this precious metal climbed by Rs6,500 per tola, reaching Rs206,500, according to statements made by the chairman of the All Pakistan Jewellers Manufacturers Association.
Simultaneously, the price for 10 grammes of gold also rose, now trading at Rs107,740 after a substantial increase of Rs5,487.
In the international arena, the price of gold saw an uptick of $46, settling at $1,938 per ounce. Conversely, the US dollar strengthened against the Pakistani rupee in interbank trading on Wednesday morning, ending a streak of losses for the Pakistani currency.
Furthermore, the value of the US dollar also rose by one rupee in the open market, where it now trades at Rs278, up from its previous rate of Rs277. Just last week, the US dollar had depreciated by Rs5.07 against the Pakistani rupee in interbank trading.