Tag: Pakistan

  • ‘CEO of Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund drawing monthly salary of Rs2,644,333’

    ‘CEO of Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund drawing monthly salary of Rs2,644,333’

    A journalist has taken a dig at the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF), claiming that the not-for-profit company, which aims to promote an effective approach to poverty alleviation across the country, is only bringing relief to its executives with handsome salary packages.

    “How PPAF alleviates poverty of its own executives rather than the people of Pakistan,” journalist Jawad Khan Yousafzai tweeted along with the details of salary of the fund’s chief executive officer (CEO), which he says he received under right to information (RTI) laws.

    WHAT IS RTI?

    RTI is a citizen’s right to access information from his or her government and private bodies that receive public funds. It is based on the principle that information belongs to the people, and boosts transparency, which in turn strengthens accountability, reduces corruption and improves the delivery of public services.

    It enables citizens to hold public officials to account for their actions, demand for rights and better services, and take a stand against corrupt practices.

    The government also benefits from RTI as access to information by public officials makes it easier for them to carry out their duties more efficiently. It supports citizens’ oversight and demand for accountability, which in turn helps improve the performance and functioning of public organisations.

    RTI is a fundamental right in Pakistan under Article 19-A of the Constitution.

  • We are with you, Mr PM, but take a look back at home too

    We are with you, Mr PM, but take a look back at home too

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has addressed the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), warning India against any misadventures.

    “I want to make it clear that any attempt by the fascist totalitarian RSS-led Indian government to aggress against Pakistan will be met by a nation that will fight for its freedom to the end,” he said, exposing India’s fascism.

    “While the Nazis’ hate was directed at the Jews, the RSS directs it at the Muslims, and to a lesser extent, the Christians.”

    Talking about Islamophobia around the world, PM Imran said India is the one country in the world where “the state sponsors Islamophobia”.

    On the Kashmir issue, he emphasised that Pakistan had always called for a peaceful solution to the Kashmir dispute. He said that India must repeal the measures it had instituted since August 5, 2019, end its military siege and other gross human rights violations, and agree to “resolve the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and, of course, the wishes of the people of Kashmir”.

    He also pointed out that what India did on August 5 last year was in violation of the UN Charter, council resolutions and international law, particularly the 4th Geneva Convention. “Changing demographic structure of occupied territory is a war crime.”

    PM Imran is right about the atrocities in India being committed against religious minorities, especially the Muslims in India. From beef lynchings to Delhi riots to Modi himself laying the foundation stone of the Ram Mandir on the one-year anniversary of revoking the special status of Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK), the message that the Indian government is giving to its Muslim citizens is quite clear: the Hindutva supremacy brigade is in charge and you can only live here on our terms.

    This is a grave indictment of the so-called world’s largest democracy where the rights of minorities now are almost non-existent. The media in India has largely become pliant, a few honourable exceptions aside. We hardly see them questioning the state on issues that matter the most.

    PM Imran’s comments on India are spot on. We do hope that he would also take notice of the new sectarian fire that is roaring in Pakistan these days.

    The huge anti-Shia rallies that were taken out in Karachi and Islamabad should be a wake-up call for our state. It took a long time for the state to put out the sectarian conflict in the country. It would be extremely dangerous if sectarianism starts again. We cannot forget the target killings of Shia Hazaras in dozens just a few years ago.

    The state must end this before it becomes uncontrollable again. Interfaith harmony as well as sectarian harmony is important for any society and for people to co-exist peacefully. Pakistan’s media has been quite responsible in the recent sectarian rift. We hope that the state, too, will play its part.

  • PM Imran Khan wants Tiktok to be banned

    Prime Minister Imran Khan is of the view that social media apps like TikTok are affecting the society’s values badly and should be blocked, Information Minister Shibli Faraz said in an interview with The News.

    Speaking to the publication, Faraz said, “PM Imran is extremely concerned about the ‘growing obscenity and vulgarity’ in the society and has directed all the relevant sections to check the trend before it destroys the socio-religious values of Pakistani society.”

    The information minister added that the Prime Minister had talked about this issue with him not once or twice but 15 or 16 times and wants a complete strategy to check the vulgarity spreading through mainstream outlets, social media and its applications.

    Read more – Pakistanis are outraged with PTA for blocking Tinder

    PM Khan’s opinion has social media divided but actor Ahmed Ali Butt supported the premier’s point of view. Feroze Khan had also earlier referred to TikTok as ‘cancer’.

    Earlier, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had issued a final warning to TikTok ordering it to filter out obscene and immoral content after it banned live streaming application Bigo over similar concerns.

    The PTA has also directed internet operators to ensure that no “immoral or illegal” content is made accessible to users.

  • VIDEO: Man in Chitral jumps into river to save baby Markhor from drowning

    VIDEO: Man in Chitral jumps into river to save baby Markhor from drowning

    A young man from Chitral dived into the river to save a baby Markhor from drowning. 

    According to reports, the Markhor was drinking water from the river when it slipped into the deep water. The youth who witnessed the scene, instantly jumped into River Chitral to save it from drowning.

    He successfully rescued the animal from river water. 

    Read more – Injured young markhor released into the wild after treatment

    Chairman Pakistan Red Crescent KP, Lt Gen Muhammad Hamid Khan has appreciated the youth for saving the Markhor. He said the young man put his own life in danger and saved an animal.

    “Red Crescent pays salute to such brave and caring youth,” he added.

  • Sui Northern tells us when to cook during winters

    Sui Northern tells us when to cook during winters

    The Sui Northern Gas Company has warned that there could be a shortage in severe cold and has issued a few directions for the consumers to follow to avoid any inconvenience.

    These include:

    • Using electric heaters instead of gas heaters
    • Using electric/instant geyser
    • Using a geyser timer device with the traditional gas geyser
    • Gas will be provided during the cooking hours

    However, the authority has not revealed cooking hours yet.

    A statement issued by SNGPL said that the increase in gas consumption during the winter results in the shortage of gas. A wise approach towards gas consumption can make the situation much better.

  • Over 1,200 children start smoking every day in Pakistan

    Over 1,200 children start smoking every day in Pakistan

    Around 1,200 children start smoking every day in Pakistan, Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of National Health Services, Dr Nausheen Hamid, said on Thursday.

    “The data we have has shown that children between ages of 6 and 12 are also among those children who start smoking every day,” Hamid said adding that more than 160,000 people died every year in Pakistan because of tobacco use.

    “The tobacco industry tries to attract young generations to become users their customers,” she said.

    As per reports, Pakistan has taken several steps to control tobacco use, including banning smoking in all places of public work or use, and on all public transport.

    Laws in Pakistan also forbid the sale of smoked tobacco products within 50 meters of any school, university, or educational institution, as well as the sale of single cigarettes and small packets of cigarettes. Youth under the age of 18 are not allowed to but the tobacco products.

    Many forms of tobacco advertising and promotion including advertising on TV, radio and print media are also banned. 

    According to data available on the Pakistani health ministry’s tobacco control cell, there are 23.9 million tobacco users in the country, of whom 15.6 million are smokers.

    “5,000 Pakistanis are admitted to the hospitals every day due to tobacco,” the cell said, “and 39 percent of households are exposed daily to secondhand tobacco smoke.”

  • Australian cricket legend and PSL champ Dean Jones passes away in Mumbai

    Australian cricket legend and Pakistan Super League (PSL) champ Dean Jones passed away from a heart attack on Thursday.

    Jones, 59, was in India for the coverage of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the time of his demise. 

    He was a two-time winner of the PSL with Islamabad United in 2016 and 2018. The last position he held in the league was the head coach of Karachi Kings in PSL 2020.

    He was looking forward to visiting Pakistan for the remainder of the PSL 2020 and even said that all of his side’s foreign players were ready to do the same.

    Jones played 52 Tests and 164 ODIs for Australia in a career that began in 1984 (coincidentally against Pakistan) and ended in 1994.  

    He averaged 44.61 in ODIs – a number unheard of in those times, and is widely thought of as one of Australia’s greatest batsmen in the 50-over format.

    In 2019, he was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame.

  • VIDEO: Electronics shop owner teaches daughters to repair things

    VIDEO: Electronics shop owner teaches daughters to repair things

    Naseeb Jamal, who runs an appliances repair shop in Qasba Colony, Karachi, has taught and trained his daughters to repair different things.

    In an interview with Urdu News, Jamal, who has eight daughters and one son, shared that he trained six of his daughters to fix and repair electronic devices, adding that he believes women are fast learners. 

    Talking about breaking the stereotypes, Jamal said: “People would gossip and called me a rebel. Even my mother said to me that what I was doing was not in line with our traditions and that it was not good for [my] girls to sit at the shop.”

    “I trust my daughters and want to equip them with skills in my supervision. What is wrong in that,” he questioned.

    “This is the way to strengthen women. They should not just be educated, but skilled as well. If they are skilled, they would bring more pride to their parents, to their country and also to their area,” he added. 

    https://www.facebook.com/UrduNewsCom/posts/2026777044126065
  • Lahore gets country’s first-ever 3D zebra crossing

    Lahore gets country’s first-ever 3D zebra crossing

    In a first, a 3D zebra crossing has been unveiled on Lahore’s Mall Road, it was announced by Commissioner Zulfiqar Ahmed Ghuman, who added that 20 different roads will be getting the same.

    In an official statement, the commissioner said that the latest 3D zebra crossing installation was done as part of a bigger plan by Metropolitan Corporation to introduce such crossings across Lahore.

    The idea behind the project is to attract attention to the proper usage of a zebra crossing other than the aesthetic value that the project is likely to provide, according to the commissioner. The novel zebra crossing has been designed as per international standards according to the commissioner.

    According to reports, 3D zebra crossings have been used worldwide in different countries, including Thailand, China, the United States (US), and the United Kingdom (UK). These crossings have proved to be very effective as they create an automatic caution among the drivers.

    Zebra crossings are an integral part of traffic and its rules. However, in Pakistan, these crossings have slowly vanished from most roads.

  • India stops Sikh pilgrims from attending Baba Guru Nanak’s death anniversary in Pakistan

    India stops Sikh pilgrims from attending Baba Guru Nanak’s death anniversary in Pakistan

    The Indian government has barred Sikh pilgrims from travelling to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartapur to take part in the 481st death anniversary rituals of Baba Guru Nanak.

    Pakistan in June had informed India that it was ready to reopen Kartarpur Corridor and invited New Delhi for a discussion on protocols for the safe visit of pilgrims during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The decision was taken after many Sikh pilgrims had started arriving from across the world to attend the event.

    The Foreign Office (FO) also wrote two letters to its Indian counterpart regarding the arrival of Sikh pilgrims in Pakistan through the corridor. The first letter was written on June 27 and the second on August 27, but New Delhi did not respond to either.

    The pilgrims have been taking part in the 481st death anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak at Kartarpur for the past three days. Tuesday was the last day of the event.