Tag: Punjab

  • Zardari, Bilawal to meet Shehbaz, Maryam as Opposition gears up for no-confidence motion

    Zardari, Bilawal to meet Shehbaz, Maryam as Opposition gears up for no-confidence motion

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari will meet the Leader of the Opposition and the President of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Shehbaz Sharif at Bilawal House Lahore.

    Sources said the meeting between the two party leaders will first propose a no-confidence motion in Punjab in the meeting.

    Moreover, the two leaders will make a final decision on the date of the in-house change and will also consider a new offer from the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q).

    PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz and Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz will also join the meeting. However, it has not been confirmed yet.

    Zardari has also summoned PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari from Mardan to Lahore.

    Earlier this week, Zardari held an exclusive meeting with Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) cheif Maulana Fazlur Rehman at his residence.

  • Husband murders wife for refusing money to buy drugs

    Husband murders wife for refusing money to buy drugs

    A man killed his wife over her refusal to give him money for purchasing drugs.

    According to details, the incident took place in Faislabad district, where a drug addict asked his wife to give him some money so that he could buy drugs to feed his addiction. She refused and this infuriated him. The addict killed his wife by attacking her with a hammer.

    His wife succumbed to her injuries at the spot and died.

    The suspect also injured a cop during his arrest. He later admitted to his crime.

    Police have launched an investigation.

  • Nawaz Sharif more popular than PM Khan in provinces: survey

    Nawaz Sharif more popular than PM Khan in provinces: survey

    Former Prime Minister (PM) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif is ahead of all other party leaders in terms of popularity, reveals Gallup Pakistan’s latest survey, which was conducted from December 22, 2021, to January 31, 2022, and includes 5,000 participants from across the country.

    According to the survey, there is a noticeable drop in PM Imran Khan’s popularity in all the provinces.

    In Punjab, PM Khan’s popularity rate has dropped from 51 per cent in December 2018 to 33 per cent in January 2022 while Nawaz Sharif’s popularity has jumped from 35 per cent in December 2018 to 58 per cent in January 2022.

    The survey has also included the popularity statistics of PML-N President and former Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari. CM Sharif’s popularity rose from 46 per cent in December 2018 to 58 per cent in January 2022 in Punjab. Meanwhile, Bilawal Bhutto’s popularity increased in Punjab from 18 per cent back in December 2018 to 24 per cent in January 2022.

    In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), there is a significant increase in the level of satisfaction with PM Khan, which was only five per cent in December 2018 but is now 44 per cent, while Bhutto’s popularity mildly increased from 23 per cent in December 2018 to 24 per cent in January 2022. Nawaz Sharif managed to gain in KP from his 14 per cent approval rating in December 2018 to 46 per cent in January 2022.

    Coming to Sindh, both Sharifs are ahead of the PPP. Nawaz Sharif’s popularity in Sindh increased from 12 per cent in December 2018 to 51 per cent in January 2022. Shehbaz Sharif’s approval rating also went up in Sindh from 12 per cent in December 2018 to 41 per cent in January 2022. Meanwhile, PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto’s popularity significantly dropped in Sindh, where the PPP is in power, from 54 per cent in December 2018 to 37 percent in January 2022. PM Khan remained at 33 per cent both in December 2018 and January 2022 but remains the least popular of all four leaders in Sindh.

    According to the survey, this is the first time that the popularity of the former PM has risen after December 2018. Shehbaz Sharif also managed to get similar ratings.

  • ‘Overseas Pakistanis ki maujain’: Cabinet approves separate judicial system for expats

    ‘Overseas Pakistanis ki maujain’: Cabinet approves separate judicial system for expats

    Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry, while addressing a press conference after the cabinet meeting, said that Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has approved a separate judicial system for Overseas Pakistanis.

    Fawad shared that the cabinet has approved the formulation of a separate judicial system for the expats for summary trial.

    The minister further said that the implementation of the laws will come in accordance with PM Khan’s vision to facilitate overseas Pakistanis, who are a precious asset of the country.

    The federal minister further revealed that a similar judicial system will also be established in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, where PTI is in power.

    Fawad said that the administrative issues of courts should be dealt with in line with the view of the government.

    “Pakistan is facing an administrative crisis due to stay orders given by the courts,” said Fawad, adding that lawsuits are “cheaper in Pakistan than in the world”.

  • Large mob lynches man over alleged blasphemy, PM Khan condemns

    Large mob lynches man over alleged blasphemy, PM Khan condemns

    A man was brutally tortured and killed by a violent mob when accused of allegedly burning pages of the Holy Quran in a village in Khanewal, Punjab on Saturday.

    The incident took place in a village called Mian Channu after Maghrib prayers. Thousands of people gathered after the announcement was made that a man had torn some of the pages of the Holy Quran and set them on fire in a mosque.

    People were not ready to tho listen to the mentally handicapped man who reportedly claimed innocence. People hanged him on a tree and then threw stones and bricks until he took his last breath.

    Local police came to the spot after receiving a call from a villager. They reached to arrest suspects but villagers started stoning them when they tried to release the man. The violent mob grabbed him from police’s custody and continued beating him.

    The victim’s elder brother revealed that the victim had been mentally ill for about 17 to18 years and was living with another brother in Karachi. He also had remained hospitalised for treatment but he could not recover. His wife also divorced him because of his illness. He had two sons and a daughter.

    He further added, “He went to buy some cigarettes and did not turn up till evening and they later learned that he was killed on blasphemy charges.”

    While talking to Dawn News, he claimed that neighbours also knew about his mental condition. He said that the violent mob stoned his brother to death in the presence of police and they did not protect his brother from the mob. He also complained that his brother’s fingers were missing after the frightful incident.

    Police claimed that they have arrested 85 suspects after they conducted more than 120 raids on Sunday.

    The police have registered two First Investigation Reports (FIR) for alleged blasphemy under Section 295-B of Pakistan Penal Code and the second one related to the lynching under Sections 302, 353, 186, 148, 149 of the PPC and Section 7A of Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

    Also Read: Sri Lankan factory manager tortured to death in Sialkot over alleged blasphemy

    Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Religious Harmony, Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi soon after arriving at Khanewal Circuit House, condemned the incident and said no one should take the law into their hands.

    He emphasised that there are laws to protect religion and against blasphemy. Such matters should be reported to the police and let them proceed under the law.

    Prime Minister, Imran Khan condemned the tragic incident on his Twitter. He ordered a detailed report from the Punjab police chief. He directed authorities to take strict against the perpetrators of the lynching incident.

    Human Rights Minister, Shireen Mazari also condemned the incident and asked the Punjab government to take strict action against the assailants involved.

    Netizens also criticised Mazari for not taking enough efforts to prevent such tragic incidents. They are saying that tweets are not enough to stop such brutality.

    Some users questioned the appreciation award which was given to Shireen Mazari by Prime Minister Imran Khan last week, and how it wasn’t well deserved.

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also strongly condemned the incident.

    “The tragedy of Mian Channu has once again humiliated the entire nation,” he said.

    The deceased victim was buried in Mian Channu on Sunday.

  • Counter Terrorism agents arrests two alleged members of ISIS from Khanewal, Punjab

    Counter Terrorism agents arrests two alleged members of ISIS from Khanewal, Punjab

    The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) is claiming that they have arrested two members from ISIS after a raid in Khanewal city, Punjab.

    The spokesperson of the CTD revealed that the suspects were preparing for attacks on the important installations and worship places. The team also recovered banned literature, weapons, and hand grenades.

    Further investigation is still underway.

    A new wave of terrorism is hitting cities across Pakistan from the beginning of the year, 2022 after a ceasefire was unilaterally ended by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

    Last month, terrorists targeted Lahore with a bomb blast at a famous crowded marketplace, New Anarkali. Three people died including one child and several were injured in the attack.

    Recently attacks occurred in Balochistan on a Wednesday evening resulting in four soldiers embracing martyrdom and killing 15 terrorists. Terrorists tried to enter a security forces’ camp from two locations. The banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has reportedly claimed responsibility for the attacks.

    Similarly, an incident occurred on January 28, when 10 soldiers embraced martyrdom after terrorists attacked a security forces’ check-post in Balochistan’s Kech district.

  • Khairpur health workers inject at least 150 police officers with expired vaccine

    Khairpur health workers inject at least 150 police officers with expired vaccine

    At least 150 officers of the Khairpur police department were injected with expired Covid-19 vaccines, confirmed by the Police Training Centre, reports Geo News.

    After the incident, an inquiry report stated that the date of expiry for the vaccine was December 2021, while the vaccine was administered on January 24.

    Four police officers out of 170 got sick due after getting an expired booster dose. Five health workers, including Dr Amar Lal were found responsible for the act.

    The inquiry report states that the incident took place due to the negligence of a storekeeper, a technician, a male nurse, and a vaccinator in Sukkur, and that action should be taken against those responsible.

  • ‘The ones wearing long boots don’t know about the suffering of people’, PM Khan compares Shehbaz with Buzdar

    ‘The ones wearing long boots don’t know about the suffering of people’, PM Khan compares Shehbaz with Buzdar

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan launched Rs450 billion Naya Pakistan Qaumi Sehat Card on Wednesday and distributed them among residents of Islamabad with an annual medical cover of up to Rs1 million for each family.

    While addressing the ceremony, PM praised Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar. “He belongs to one of the most backward areas of the country and thus realises the suffering and problems confronting people.”

    He further said that some of the worst campaigns were launched against Buzdar but even then a survey declared him the top CM of the country. Last week, a survey found Punjab CM Usman Buzdar to be leading in satisfaction level for developmental works in comparison to other CMs.

    PM also took a jibe at Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shehbaz Sharif. “A former CM of Punjab, who used to wear long boots and a hat and roam on the streets, flew abroad for his and his family’s medical treatment. They [Sharifs] do not know about the sufferings of the people.”

    CM Punjab Usman Buzdar said that the entire population of Punjab would receive medical insurance by March 31.

  • NCOC bans indoor events in cities with Covid positivity rate over 10%

    NCOC bans indoor events in cities with Covid positivity rate over 10%

    According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), all indoor gatherings and events have been banned in the districts and cities with Covid-19 positivity rate exceeding 10 per cent. However, only outdoor wedding events are allowed to be organised with a maximum of 500 guests.

    The ban will go into effect from January 24 , the NCOC said.

    The decisions were taken after the NCOC held a detailed review of the country’s current coronavirus situation along with the corresponding Nonpharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs). The forum differentiated the new NPIs depending on whether districts have Covid-19 positivity rate up to 10 per cent or above.

    The NPIs to be implemented are as follows depending on the positivity rate and specify that they are for fully vaccinated individuals:

    Gatherings

    • Indoor gatherings allowed up to 300 individuals, outdoor up to 500 for districts with positivity up to 10pc
    • Indoor gatherings banned, outdoor up to 300 for districts with positivity rate more than 10pc (with effect from Jan 24)

    Weddings:

    • Indoor weddings allowed up to 300 individuals, outdoor up to 500 for districts with positivity rate up to 10pc
    • Indoor weddings banned, outdoor up to 300 for districts with positivity rate more than 10pc (with effect from Jan 24 and will remain effective till February 15)

    Dining:

    • Indoor and outdoor dining both allowed for districts with positivity rate up to 10pc
    • Indoor dining banned (with effect from Jan 24), outdoor allowed for districts with positivity rate more than 10pc

    Education sector:

    • Education activities will continue for those under and over 12 in districts with positivity rate up to 10pc
    • Education activities will continue with staggered attendance at 50pc capacity for those under 12 and 100pc attendance for those over 12 in districts with positivity rate more than 10pc
    • Those over 12 will need to be fully vaccinated in both situations
    • Vaccination will be mandatory (at least one dose) for those over 12 from Feb 1
    • Aggressive sentinel testing to be carried out for targeted closures in institutes with high disease prevalence
    • Federating units in consultation with health authorities will decide limits for closure of educational institutions

    Gyms, cinemas, shrines, amusement parks:

    • Indoor activities allowed for districts with positivity rate up to 10pc
    • Indoor activities allowed at 50pc capacity for districts with positivity rate more than 10pc

    Sports:

    • All sports activities allowed for districts with positivity rate up to 10pc
    • Ban on contact sports (karate, boxing, martial arts, rugby, water polo, wrestling and kabaddi) for districts with positivity rate more than 10pc

     

    The NCOC decided that markets and business activities will continue without any restrictions. Employers are encouraged to let people work from home where possible.

    Similarly, intercity public transport has been restricted in districts with high coronavirus positivity ratios at 70pc and 80pc in railways. The ban on serving of meals was also maintained for public transport and domestic air travel.

    The curbs come as the country is in the grip of the fifth wave, which is being driven by the highly transmissible Omicron variant.

    It should be noted that in the last 24 hours, the coronavirus positivity ratio in Pakistan was 9.48pc when 5,472 infections were recorded, with Sindh and Punjab leading the charge in new cases reported.

    Owing to a surge in the number of Covid-19 cases, several educational institutions in Islamabad and Karachi have also decided to close all schools to curb the rapid spread of the virus.

  • Usman Buzdar is ahead of all Chief Ministers in performance: survey

    Usman Buzdar is ahead of all Chief Ministers in performance: survey

    The Institute for Public Opinion Research (IPOR) in its recent survey has found Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar is leading in satisfaction level for developmental works in comparison to other chief ministers, reports The News.

    As per the survey, Buzdar is ahead as 51 per cent of respondents from Punjab are satisfied with him. CM KPK Mahmood Khan ranked second by securing a 48 per cent satisfaction rating. CM Balochistan Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo secured 43 percent while CM Sindh Murad Ali Shah got only a 38 per cent rating.

    The research center surveyed from December 22, 2021, to January 9, 2022, in which they ask the opinion of 3,700 respondents from different provinces.

    About the improvement in the performance of provincial health departments, 72 per cent are satisfied with Buzdar while CM Shah is at last with a 53 per cent rating.

    Similarly, in the education sector 86 per cent of people have shown their satisfaction with CM Punjab and KPK education department drew the appreciation of 80 per cent of respondents.

    In all the sectors, Pakistan People’s Pakistan (PPP) CM Sindh is behind among all the other CMs.