Tag: Pakistan

  • 50 martyred in Mastung mosque blast

    50 martyred in Mastung mosque blast

    An explosion in Balochistan’s Mastung district on Friday has resulted in the deaths of at least 50 individuals, including a police officer, and left over dozens others injured. This marks the second major blast in the district in September.

    Mastung Assistant Commissioner Atta Ul Munim has stated that the explosion occurred near the mosque where individuals had gathered to commemorate Eid Miladun Nabi, which is the celebration of the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

    The AC stated that the explosion, believed by law enforcement to be a suicide blast, took place near the Madina Mosque. He also mentioned that there were plans for people to participate in a procession afterward.

    Provincial Caretaker Information Minister Jan Achakzai said that “the provincial government will bear all the expenses for the treatment of the injured”.

    This marks the second significant blast that has struck fear into the Mastung region in the past 15 days. In the previous blast on September 14, Hafiz Hamdullah, a leader of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F), and numerous others sustained injuries.

    UK high commissioner to Pakistan, Jane Marriott has condemned the blast in Mastung and she said in her tweet on X that ” Balochistan. Violence has no place in our world. My heart goes out to the victims and their families during this incredibly difficult time”.

    https://twitter.com/JaneMarriottUK/status/1707694012365246686
  • PTI leaders arrested in Gawadar

    PTI leaders arrested in Gawadar

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) central leader Farrukh Habib, along with eight other people, have been arrested in Gwadar by security forces.

    Balochistan Caretaker Minister for Information Jan Achakzai confirmed the arrests to Dawn.

    Security personnel in plain clothes conducted a raid and arrested Farrukh Habib and eight other people from a local hotel in Gawadar after they got a tip-off. Habib was minister of state for information in the PTI government and president of PTI’s western Punjab wing.

    Those arrested in the raid include Habib’s brother and father-in-law, who were taken to an unknown place after their arrest.

    “The PTI leader reached Gwadar along with his brother, father-in-law and six other people to cross into Iran from Gwadar,” Mr Achakzai told Dawn.

    Habib, his brother and father-in-law have been shifted to an unknown place while six other people were handed over to Gawadar police, who have been released on bail after initial investigation.

    Those released on bail were: Jawad Ehsan Raza, Muhammad Mohsin, Abdul Jabbar, Muhammad Nadeem, Muham¬mad Saqib Nasim and Mudassir. They belong to Lahore, Karachi and Bahawalpur.

  • 15,105 pink eye cases reported in 24 hours in Punjab

    15,105 pink eye cases reported in 24 hours in Punjab

    Conjunctivitis infections are increasing in Punjab with 15,105 new cases reported during the last 24 hours.

    According to Primary Health Punjab, 3 lakh 79 thousand 690 cases of conjunctivitis were reported this year.

    Moreover, 22,481 cases were reported in Lahore this year, while 916 new patients were reported in the past 24 hours.

    Whereas in Multan and Faisalabad, 1217 and 1827 cases were reported respect yesterday.

    Due to the outbreak of conjunctivitis, schools across Punjab will remain closed until Monday.

  • Senate approves bill for public hanging of rapists despite opposition

    Senate approves bill for public hanging of rapists despite opposition

    A Senate committee has passed an amended bill for the public hanging of rapists despite strong opposition from Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), interior and foreign affairs ministries.

    The bill, proposed by Senator Mushtaq Ahmed of Jamaat-i-Islami, aims to amend sections 375, 375A, and 376 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Schedule II of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrCP).

    The Senate Standing Committee on Interior, chaired by Senator Mohsin Aziz, discussed the amendments to remove section D and introduce public hangings for rapists. The demand for public hangings gained momentum following the gang-rape incident on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway in September 2020

    Senator Sherry Rehman of PPP strongly opposed public hangings. She also took to X (former Twitter) to express her disapproval.

    “I strongly opposed public hangings being introduced in a bill in Senate Interior Committee by JI colleague Sen Mushtaq. There is no proven link between deterrence & public executions, let alone death penalty. Quite the contrary. Sorry to see others arguing for a further brutalisation of society. Ziaul Haq introduced public punishments, what did that do? Rape and human rights crimes went up and have been going up ever since. The PPP opposes such laws.”

    The committee also approved the “Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023”, which focuses on proper treatment and medical examination reports for rape victims through public and private hospitals. The bill was moved by Senator Mumtaz Zehri.

    They addressed the issue of private jails and passed the “Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023”, co-sponsored by Senators Mushtaq Ahmed and Samina Mumtaz Zehri to deter false imprisonment within residences.

    Other bills were discussed during the session, including one temporarily rejected due to its sub judice status, and another was rejected.

    The committee also passed the “Rain Water Harvesting Facility in Urban Areas, Bill 2023,” to efficiently utilize rainwater, supported by CDA representatives.

    Senator Irfan Siddiqui raised concerns about a missing bill for almost 15 months and decided to request a detailed report on the matter from relevant officials.The meeting was attended by various senators, including Saifullah Abro, Samina Mumtaz Zehri, and Sherry Rehman, as well as bill movers Senator Mushtaq Ahmed and Palwasha Khan, along with government representatives.

  • Two brothers confess murdering younger sister

    Two brothers confess murdering younger sister

    Two brothers have been arrested in Sargodha after they confessed to killing their sister in Ganesh Town.

    A few days ago, Mudassar and Tassawar’s parents went out of the house to attend a funeral in a nearby village. Their 12-year-old-sister, Hina, was at her Quran class. On her return, Hina saw her brothers indulging in inappropriate activities with a village girl.

    She was infuriated at the sight and threatened to tell their parents about it. The brothers, out of fear, strangled Hina and hanged her body from a faucet with a cloth around her neck to pass it off as suicide.

    The police investigation team took them under custody and later unveiled that they staged her so-called suicide before leaving for the night shift at the restaurant they worked in.

  • Same people who conspired against Nawaz Sharif brought the protesters to Faizabad, says Khawaja Asif

    Same people who conspired against Nawaz Sharif brought the protesters to Faizabad, says Khawaja Asif

    As the Supreme Court began to consider review petitions related to the Faizabad sit-in verdict, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former defence minister Khawaja Asif claimed on Thursday that the protesters of the sit-in were brought to Islamabad by the “same people” who were involved in a plot against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

    “If there was any flaw in the decision of the Faizabad sit-in case, all these things would not have happened. The Faizabad sit-in case decision should be implemented,” the PML-N stalwart said during Geo News show Capital Talk.

    Government officials distributed money in a video, and that is “proof” of who was responsible for bringing the protesters to Faizabad, he added.

    The PML-N leader also said that “the purpose of the sit-in was to somehow block the return of Nawaz Sharif”.

    The former defence minister stated that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was handed a victory in 2018 while Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz were in jail.

  • Fallout of cheating scandal: MDCAT test to be conducted again

    Fallout of cheating scandal: MDCAT test to be conducted again

    Fall out of the cheating scandal of the Medical Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) continues, with the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa announcing that it will again conduct the test following the insistence of candidates.

    Chief Education Secretary Arshad Khan presented a report regarding MDCAT in the supervisory cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Azam Khan.

    After discussing the report in the meeting, it was decided to conduct the test again within six weeks under the supervision of Khyber Medical University.

    On this occasion, caretaker information minister Barrister Feroze Jamal Kakakhel told the media in a briefing that the forensics of the gadgets seized from more than 200 students in MD CAT will be carried out.

    The minister said that samples of all the gadgets have been sent to Islamabad, to clean the systems from duplication and prevent such incidents.

    Previously, Peshawar police arrested seven suspects, including the mastermind “facilitating” cheating in MDCAT.
    City police also received several complaints of some students cheating via Bluetooth devices and more equipment.

    Additionally, 74 candidates, including men and women have also been arrested and 19 cases have been registered at eight police stations in the provincial capital.

    The case

    Dozens of candidates had been caught cheating in the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) MDCAT exams conducted in a number of cities on September 10.

    Over 40 candidates, including 20 female candidates, were arrested in Peshawar while 10 were taken into custody in DI Khan.

    All of the detainees were said to be using Bluetooth to cheat in the test. And as reported by Geo, DI Khan police sources claimed that VIP passes were issued to the candidates for which a hefty amount was paid to take the exam through dishonest means.

    Students and parents filed complaints to the Human Rights Cell in Peshawar regarding the results and integrity of the system which were then sent to the PHC chief justice.

    The applicants asserted that approximately 200 students were caught using Bluetooth devices during the examination.

  • Here is why you should give Green Line train a try

    Here is why you should give Green Line train a try

    With continuous hikes in petrol prices and dearth of good transport facilities that are comfortable, clean, and economically reasonable, travelling to another city within Pakistan can be a hassle.

    We spoke to Omer Khan, a passenger who recently travelled from Lahore to Islamabad on the Green Line train.

    Khan claims to have had a very pleasant experience.

    In a four hour journey, he was served two samosas and “excellent” chai which can be ordered as many times as one wants.

    Credit: Dawn

    He said that there were only a few other passengers, probably owing to ticket price of Rs 3250 for one way. However, as Khan stated, it is still way cheaper than travelling from one’s own car as the petrol will now cost between Rs 25,000 to 30,000.

    The seats are said to be comfortable and rotatable. Additionally, functional sockets with charging ports are available.

    Most importantly, the train and its bathrooms are clean, and Khan hopes that the standard will be maintained because often times, the standard of facilities decline.

    Green Line train was first inaugurated by Nawz Sharif in 2015, operating between Karachi and Islamabad. It reportedly only stops at main train stations.

    In 2022, however, the train operation was suspended following floods that drowned train tracks. On November 28, 2022, China Railway Construction Corporation delivered 46 high-speed coaches to Pakistan Railways in accordance with an agreement signed in 2021.

    This year in January, the-then Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reinaugurated Green Line Express train service.

    Travelling between Islamabad and Karachi, it starts its journey from Margalla station and stops at Rawalpindi, Chaklala, Lahore, Khanewal, Bahawalpur, Rohri, Hyderabad and Drug Road on the way.

  • Nawaz Sharif will appear in court after his address at Minar-e-Pakistan

    Nawaz Sharif will appear in court after his address at Minar-e-Pakistan

    Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who is set to return to Pakistan after a prolonged absence, will address a rally at Minar-e-Pakistan the day after his arrival, followed by a court appearance.

    Rana Sanaullah, the President of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in Punjab, stated that party head Nawaz Sharif is scheduled to arrive in Lahore on October 21. On the first day of his return, he will kick off the PML-N’s election campaign with a speech at Minar-e-Pakistan. Following this, he will appear in court on the next day.

    It is worth noting that the Interim Prime Minister had previously stated that legal opinions would be sought regarding Nawaz Sharif’s return, and his homecoming would be conducted in accordance with Pakistan’s laws. Various legal aspects surrounding his return will need to be considered.

    On the other hand, Khurram Dastgir Khan, a leader of the PML-N, remarked that Nawaz Sharif left the country by choice after the consent of two courts and will now return based on the same judicial consent.

    Previously, caretaker Interior Minister Sarfaraz Bugti had stated that if Nawaz Sharif did not receive bail from the court, he would be arrested. He opined that Nawaz Sharif might even prefer to surrender himself, as there is no need for a large-scale operation to apprehend one individual.

    Reacting to the Interior Minister’s statement, Rana Sanaullah, called the statement “crossing the line.”

    Rana Sanaullah stated, “Sarfaraz Bugti should see how the matter concluded when former Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid gave his statement. There is no political agenda on the part of the caretaker government. It is a positive development that Nawaz Sharif wants to rejoin Pakistan’s politics.”

    In response, Bugti clarified that his statement had been taken out of context and manipulated for political purposes. He emphasized that the government had no political agenda and welcomed Nawaz Sharif’s return to Pakistani politics.

    The anticipation surrounding Nawaz Sharif’s return has generated significant political interest, as observers closely monitor developments leading up to his homecoming and subsequent political activities.

  • Minor housemaid missing from Pir’s house

    Minor housemaid missing from Pir’s house

    It has been a month since a minor housemaid working at an influential pir family in Karachi went missing.

    The girl’s father, Ayaz Chandio, fears that his 16-year-old daughter, Aqsa Chandio, has either been killed or sold by her employer.

    Aqsa went missing on August 15 and as the father filed a complaint, Darakhshan police registered an FIR under Section 365-B (Kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel for marriage etc) of the Pakistan Penal Code on August 17.

    Ayaz spoke with Times, a Sindhi news channel, expressing fears that Aqsa has either been killed or sold by the frmale employer.

    The employer had informed Ayaz Chandio of Aqsa’s disappearance after which he came to the coastal city from Khairpur. However he has claimed that he was detained at the family’s house for two days.

    He also said that the neighbour recalled that they could hear Aqsa’s cries and screams every night.

    The employer’s brother threatened Ayaz and warned him that he would not be able to return to his village, Pir Jo Goth, if he highlighted the disappearance.

    He has also complained that the police have not been taking the case seriously.

    According to DIG-South Syed Asad Raza, Aqsa was kidnapped from the Seaview apartment on August 15.

    The police constituted a special team, probed some suspects and arrests were expected very soon.

    According to investigators, Aqsa had a mobile phone that she secretly used which infuriated her employees. Ayaz was called but by the time he arrived, Aqsa had left.

    The mobile phone is currently in police’s custody.