Tag: quetta

  • Malala requests PM Imran to visit Hazara community

    Malala requests PM Imran to visit Hazara community

    Pakistani education activist Malala Yousafzai has appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan to visit the Hazara community who are protesting in Quetta after 10 coal miners were brutally killed by terrorists five days ago.

    In a tweet, Malala wrote: “I am short of words to express my grief over the brutal killings of Hazara miners. This is not the first time that this has happened. But I hope it is the last.” 

    She added that the whole country is mourning the tragedy before requesting PM Imran to visit the victims.

    The families of the departed have also been protesting for five consecutive days and have refused to bury the slain coal miners until the premier visits them.

    Meanwhile, PM Khan has requested the members of the Hazara community to bury their loved ones and has assured them that he stands with them in their time of suffering.

    On the other hand, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz visited the protesters on Thursday to express solidarity with them.

  • Islamic State claims responsibility for attack that killed 11 Hazaras in Balochistan

    Islamic State claims responsibility for attack that killed 11 Hazaras in Balochistan

     Islamic State, aka Daesh, has claimed responsibility for an attack on Sunday that killed 11 miners from minority Shia Hazaras in Balochistan.

    Reuters reported that the attack took place early in the morning in the Mach area of Bolan district, killing the miners who were in a shared residential room near the coal mine where they worked.

    “The throats of all coal miners have been slit after their hands were tied behind their backs and (they were) blindfolded,” a security official told Reuters. A video clip of the victims making the rounds on social media showed three bodies lying outside the room and the rest inside in pools of blood.

    The incident that shook the country drew criticism from all quarters. Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned the killings, calling them “a cowardly inhuman act of terrorism”. “Have asked Frontier Constabulary to use all resources to apprehend these killers and bring them to justice,” he said in a tweet.

    Following the attack, the members of the Hazara community held a protest in Quetta. The protesters blocked the western bypass and burnt tyres to protest the killings.

    It is not the first time that the minority community has faced attacks from radical Islamist outfits, such as the Taliban and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. In April, a market suicide bombing killed 18 people, half of whom were Hazaras. In 2013, three bombings killed more than 200 people in Hazara neighbourhoods in Quetta.

  • PIA offers 30% discount on domestic flights

    PIA offers 30% discount on domestic flights

    Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has reduced its fares for domestic flights by 30% to facilitate passengers during the winter holidays. The airline has introduced special fares on domestic flights operating between Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Quetta, Faisalabad, Sialkot and Peshawar from December 3 (Thursday) onwards.

    Passengers would now be able to travel between these cities on a one-way minimum fare of Rs8,500 and a round trip minimum fare of Rs17,000. Previously, charges were Rs12,275 and Rs24,600 for the same.

    PIA Spokesperson Abdullah Khan said that the purpose of discounted fares is to facilitate the people travelling to their homes during holidays. He said people can benefit from these fares on a first come first serve basis.

  • Examination centres in Quetta violate COVID-19 SOPs

    Students in Quetta were forced to appear in BA and BSc examinations with no heater arrangements.

    A video doing the rounds on social media shows that no COVID-19 standard operating procedure (SOPs) were followed at the examination centers. SOPs including social distancing and wearing of masks were overlooked.

    Furthermore, very few students can be seen wearing masks in the examination center.

  • PML-N’s Azma Bokhari reveals Maryam Nawaz’s hotel room number during a terror threat

    A day after the Balochistan government requested the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) to postpone its rally in Quetta due to terror threats, the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N)’s former member of the Punjab provincial assembly (MPA), Azma Bokhari posted a video on social media revealing Maryam Nawaz’s room number and suite name. While shaking the door handle of the room, next a sign which clearly states the name of the suite and the number, Azma says, “…yeh lock aur darwaza InshaAllah salamat rahe ga, agar kisi ko adventure karne ka shauq hai tou hum yahan hi hain” (this room is locked, and if anyone wants to have an adventure, we will be waiting right here).

    The National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) has issued a terror threat for Peshawar and Quetta, saying that banned militant outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is planning terrorist activities in the two cities. The statement reads that the TTP is aiming to target religious and political parties in possibly bomb attacks or suicide bombings.

    Azma Bokhari seems to be alluding to the recent arrest of Captain Safdar from his hotel room in Karachi, suggesting that the workers of the party are on high alert and will be there to counter any potential ‘middle of the night’ arrest in Quetta.

    The PML-N former MPA was previously involved in another ‘video war’ with members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, over the price of aata in her area.

    PDM lead by the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam’s Maulana Fazalur Rehman, PML-N’s Maryam Nawaz and the Pakistan Peoples Party’s Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, has done two successful jalsas, one in Gujranwala and another in Karachi but there is some speculation about cracks within the opposition.

  • Police find Rs 85,000 in beggar’s bag in Quetta

    The police found Rs 85,000 in a beggar’s bag in Quetta who lost his consciousness after a vehicle hit him on Wednesday.

    As per reports, the incident happened on Quetta’s Saryab road, where a motorcyclist allegedly hit the beggar, leaving him unconscious.

    He was taken Civil Hospital by police. While he was being treated for his wounds, his bag was checked to find out his identity., The beggar had been carrying Rs85,000 and some change. The bills were kept in a very organised manner, sorted by denomination and bound in separate bundles.

    Police said that the amount has been kept “safe” and will be returned to the beggar when he recovers.

  • 200-year-old Gurdwara reopens in Quetta after 73 years

    200-year-old Gurdwara reopens in Quetta after 73 years

    A 200-year-old Gurdwara in Quetta has been restored and handed over to the Sikh community by the Balochistan Government so they can continue their religious practices there.

    According to reports, the historical Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha on Masjid Road in central Quetta had been converted into a government school for girls after the Partition.

    Provincial Parliamentary Secretary for Minority Affairs Dhanesh Kumar said that the historic place of worship covers an area of 14,000 square feet and is worth billions of rupees because of its location. He lauded the government’s decision to “hand it over to Sikh brothers instead of using the building for any other purpose”.

    Chairman of the Sikh community in Balochistan Sardar Jasbeer Singh, expressed his happiness at the restoration and said that it was a “gift from the government to the Sikh community” living in the province.

    “Sikh community of the province is very pleased that our ancient Gurdwara has been handed over to the Sikh community by the Government of Pakistan and the Balochistan High Court after 73 years and now we are able to continue our religious practice,” said Singh. “The Sikh community from all over Pakistan and the rest of the world appreciated this initiative.”

    Jasbir added that there were 10-15 more historical gurdwaras in Balochistan which are still occupied.

    “We are hopeful that the government will focus on opening these closed shrines in shrines in Balochistan.”

    Other Sikhs present on the occasion of the reopening also expressed their happiness on this development. According to details, there are approximately 2,000 Sikh families living in Quetta, Dera Bugti, Osta Muhammad and Pashtun areas of the province.

    Meanwhile, the students of the school have been allowed to take admission in a nearby girls’ school so that their education is not affected by this.

    Earlier in February this year, the Balochistan government handed over a 200-year-old temple to the minority Hindu community in district Zhob.

  • Young doctors boycott treatment of coronavirus patients to protest police brutality

    Young doctors boycott treatment of coronavirus patients to protest police brutality

    Young doctors in Quetta have announced boycotting all services, including the treatment of coronavirus patients, after their colleagues were assaulted and arrested by police for protesting against the lack of medical equipment being provided to them.

    Young Doctors’ Association (YDA) President Dr Yasir Khan announced the boycott after police resorted to baton charging and arresting several doctors for staging a sit-in in the red zone near the Balochistan chief minister’s official residence.

    The young doctors were protesting against the lack of safety kits for doctors and paramedical staff treating COVID-19 patients at Quetta’s Sheikh Zayed Hospital.

    The action from police reportedly came following the failure of negotiations between the protesters and the government to end the sit-in.

    Addressing a press conference after the police action, YDA office bearers announced a province-wide suspension of duties and demanded that the government released the arrested doctors immediately.

    They had on Sunday announced to continue protesting against the lack of safety kits for medical staffers after at least 11 doctors had tested positive for the deadly pandemic in Balochistan.

    At least 44 doctors on Saturday were suspended for allegedly refusing to perform duties at Pakistan-Iran border town of Taftan amid a health emergency in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

  • Cricket fans can now buy PSL 5 tickets online

    Cricket fans can now buy PSL 5 tickets online

    Tickets for the fifth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) are now available for sale. The tickets are also available online at www.yayvo.com.

    With one month to go before the fifth edition of the cricket festival comes to Pakistani grounds, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced ticket prices and purchase details.

    All 34 matches of the HBL Pakistan Super League will be played in Pakistan with Karachi to host nine matches, Lahore 14 matches, Multan three matches and Rawalpindi eight matches from February 20 to March 22.

    The first batch of tickets were available for purchase starting at 8 pm Pakistan Standard Time Monday night via Yayvo. General sale of tickets will start on Tuesday, Jan 28 through TCS Express Centres across 38 cities of the country. Each customer can buy up to seven tickets per match on one CNIC.

    A dedicated 24/7 TCS helpline will also provide support to the customers throughout the ticketing process. In addition, a webchat customer support desk (www.tcsexpress.com) and a WhatsApp number (+92-316-112-3456) will remain active during this time to address requests.

    For the grand opening ceremony and
    opening match in Karachi that is on Feb 20, tickets have been priced between
    Rs1,000 to 6,000. The ticket price range for the final match on March 22, in
    Lahore, will be from Rs 500 to Rs 5,000.

    The 2020 edition of the 20-over tournament kicks off on February 20 with defending champions Quetta Gladiators playing two-time champions Islamabad United at Karachi’s National Stadium. 

    Schedule with ticket prices:

  • Quetta Civil hospital doctors perform surgery with cell phone light

    Quetta Civil hospital doctors perform surgery with cell phone light

    Doctors at Civil Hospital Quetta were forced to perform surgery under cell phone light because of the constant power outage due to heavy rain and snowfall in the provincial capital. The hospital had no backup power as there was no generator in place either.

    According to a statement issued by Balochistan Young Doctors’ Association (YDA), the trauma and emergency centre in the hospital was in terrible condition due to the incompetence of its managing director.

    YDA spokesperson Rahim Khan Babar revealed that there was a lack of equipment and medicines. The operation theatre did not have slippers for the patients and the x-ray machines and other apparatus automatically shut down due to power breakdown.

    He added that Balochistan CM Jam Kamal, Balochistan Assembly Speaker Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, Balochistan High Court Chief Justice Jamal Mandokhail and provincial Health Secretary Muddasir Waheed have visited the hospital but no development and improvement was witnessed.

    Earlier, the CM promised to ensure facilities for poor citizens in the hospital during his visit.

    Babar urged the CM to take notice of the situation and resolve it as soon as possible because precious lives were put at risk. He also stressed the management to make contractual staff permanent employees to improve the situation of the hospital.