Pakistan Press International
KARACHI:Docks police thwarted a drug-smuggling attempt and seized over 48kg of hashish during a raid near Machhar Colony on Friday.
According to police source, Docks police, on a tip-off, about the smuggling of huge quantity of hashish, started checking a mini truck near Machhar Colony area.During checking, 48kg of hashish was seized from the truck. The truck driver was also arrested from the spot.
Police said that the drugs were being smuggled to Karachi from Peshawar.
KARACHI:The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday disposed of Naqeebullah’s father Muhammad Khan’s petition seeking cancellation of an earlier Sindh government notification declaring former Malir SSP Rao Anwar’s house as a sub-jail.
A two-member bench of the SHC heard the plea filed by Khan for withdrawal of his earlier petition for declaring Anwar’s houses as sub-jail. Faisal Siddiqui, counsel of the petitioner told the court that his client did not wish to follow the matter further since the accused had been granted bail in the case.
The former police officer is the prime suspect in the extra-judicial murder of an aspiring Waziristan model Naqeebullah and four others.
Anwar is currently facing trial in an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Karachi.
Last year, through a notification, Sindh Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal declared the former cop’s house a sub-jail citing ‘threats’ to his life. The decision was challenged by Khan. The advocate had stressed that the treatment extended to Anwar by allowing “detention in his own home declared as a sub-jail is a simple continuation of the VVIP treatment being accorded to an alleged terrorist.”
Shortly after the news of the fake encounter surfaced, a high-level inquiry committee comprising senior police officials found that the Waziristan native was killed in a ‘staged’ encounter on January 13, 2018. Sindh govt defends decision to declare Rao Anwar’s house as sub-jail
The incident garnered outrage leading to countrywide protests. The Supreme Court of Pakistan took a suo motu notice of the matter and summoned Anwar – who went underground.
On January 23, 2018, Anwar was caught by immigration officials at the Islamabad airport trying to board a Dubai-bound flight. However, the former cop, again, went missing after eluding law enforcement agencies. He finally appeared before the apex court on March 21, 2018, and was arrested on the directives of former chief justice Mian Saqib Nisar.
KARACHI:A rapid need assessment (RNA) in eight villages of Thar desert revealed the livestock is facing malnutrition and death due to drought-like situation. The mortality among animals is reported to be up to 9 percent in goats, 13 percent in sheep, and 5 percent in cows and camels (9 average percent mortality). The animals’ death was linked to shortage of fodder.
The data compiled by a local non-governmental organization Sindh Rural Partners Organization (SRPO) indicated that there were 937 households in eight villages who had acquired a total of 8,061 small animals (goats and sheep) and 1799 large animals (camels and cows).
Though the recent winter light showers have created a hope for the people in drought-stricken Thar Desert for better crops of the season, they need immediate support in terms of food stuff and fodder for their animals as there was very low rains during the last Monsoon season.
The Sindh government claims to have provided wheat for the drought-hit desert people, but activists had concerns over the food distribution system, which could not cover the wider area in the desert. Apart from this, the activists believed that provision of fodder was an urgent need to save livestock.
To face such calamities people are looking for having sustainable coping mechanism, which unfortunately does not exist in the remote desert areas of Tharparkar district. Communities reluctantly borrow loans from microfinance institutes on heavy markup. Therefore, provision of livestock fodder to protect their assets and restore livelihood source is an immediate need of the communities, the report suggests.
SRPO executive director Ms. Zahida Detho claims to have helped 2500 drought affected households through distribution of livestock fodder (Vanda+ Wheat straw) for 16,500 small and 600 large animals for two months. In addition, 100 extreme vulnerable individuals are being provided with cash assistance of Rs 6000 each household, per month for two months.
She said they had set priorities to help poor households having widows, women, disable person and children, who are in special need. She said due to droughts and shortage of fodder, Thari communities migrate to barrage areas along with their livestock. In case of any emergency, they sell out their traditional assets like livestock on very bargaining price. Because they don’t have cash to purchase fodder for their herds, so their animals lose weight or become sick. In drought-like situation, they even cannot afford to buy food for their families. For food they sell their animals.
Detho was with community volunteers at the Village Dehwar, UC Jhirmiryo, Taluka Diplo, Tharparkar district distributing fodder to the needy people, where she said prior to distribution of fodder they had arranged 100 livestock management sessions with communities and with the support of provincial livestock department 15 days campaign was launched to vaccinate 25,000 animals in the area. A total 2,600 households comprising on 18200 beneficiaries have been helped under this intervention.
She lauded the efforts made by field staff, veterinary officers for ensuring vaccination to animals in remote areas and drenching services provided to community at their doorstep. She said they would like to strengthen collaboration in between Government authorities and NGOs so that real issues of the communities can be addressed timely.
Sindh Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Abdul Bari Pitafi while speaking at the food distribution ceremony in village Dehwar appreciated the organisation’s efforts for protecting productive assets and livelihood of the communities. He appreciated these timely initiatives taken by local organizations. He said the Sindh government had also planned to distribute fodder to assist badly affected desert people.
He asked all NGOs working in the field to submit the list of beneficiaries whom they had distributed livestock fodder. This kind of intervention will help minimize the risk of duplication and add value in the best interest of public, the minister said.
Secretary livestock department Kazi Aijaz Mahesar shared that they had provided Rs 50 million to Thar Foundation for distribution of fodder. In addition, the provincial government is going to allocate more budget for the same purposes. He said since the government had limited resources, the role of NGOs was very imperative at this stage.
Dr Jai Mal Dhanani, former Vice Chancellor, Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam said these herders deserved support at this difficult time. He belongs to Thar and knows the ups and downs of the nature, saying drought always brings challenging situation to the communities. A large number of local activists and beneficiaries participated in the event and got support.
ISLAMABAD:Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain has said that the Opposition is yelling in the National Assembly just to escape from inquiries or cases.
Talking to a private news channel, he said the Opposition never raised issues of the common man while attending the assembly session.
He said the present government under the leadership of Imran Khan is doing the best efforts for smooth flow of democratic system in the country.
He said new local government system would help resolve the matters of the common man besides expediting the development works.
ISLAMABAD:Embassy of Pakistan in Brussels is observing Solidarity Week from today (Friday) to express solidarity with people of Occupied Kashmir.
In this connection, the Embassy has organized a conference at Press Club Brussels today. On the occasion, members of EU and Belgian parliaments, human rights activists and scholars will highlight the struggle of people of occupied Kashmir for their right to self-determination.
The Embassy has also arranged a photographic exhibition of Human Rights violations in occupied Kashmir at its premises, which will continue for one week.
Several activities will be organized by the Pakistani community residing in Belgium and Luxembourg during the week.
Fifth February is observed as Kashmir solidarity Day by the people of Pakistan within the country as well as abroad.
GENEVA:“Violence, displacement and extremely harsh conditions” in northern and eastern Syria have killed at least 32 children since December – including 11 infants in the past two days, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) revealed today.
In eastern Syria, persistent fighting around Hajin has forced thousands on a long, arduous journey almost 300 km to the north, to Al-Hol camp for internally displaced people. “The difficult journey, cold weather and long waiting periods at screening centres, where families wait sometimes for days, have reportedly contributed to the death of at least 29 children – including 11 infants in the past two days alone”, said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore.
She explained that UNICEF is assisting the fleeing children and mothers at the camp with blankets, winter clothing, food, water, health and nutrition services, child-friendly spaces and child protection and family reunification services. However, the “lack of security has made humanitarian access to children en route to the camp’s screening area all but impossible”, she continued.
Since last December, some 23,000 mostly women and children have arrived at the camp completely exhausted after a three-day journey in harsh desert winter conditions, with little food or shelter along the way. More than 5,000 people have arrived over the past three days alone. “Since last week, fighting in Ma’arat al-Nu’man in Idlib, in northwestern Syria, has reportedly killed three children and injured scores more”, informed Ms. Fore, adding that a teacher working for a UNICEF-supported partner and his son were killed in the violence.
As UNICEF and its partners continue to deliver lifesaving supplies and services to children and their families in Idlib, Ms. Fore appealed to all parties to “facilitate safe, unhindered and sustained humanitarian access to all children in need”. “Parties to the conflict have shown a callous disregard for the laws of war” she lamented, calling again on those fighting to “keep children out of harm’s way – even in areas of active conflict”.
ISLAMABAD:Technical assistance and support for economic reforms to improve the investment climate, was discussed by the Chief Economist of the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) Dr. Rachel Glennerster during a visit to Islamabad.
The Chief Economist met with the finance minister of Pakistan Asad Umar to discuss economic priorities including tax, trade and competitiveness, and the business environment in Pakistan.
She also stressed the UK’s commitment to support Pakistan’s vision for economic growth and structural reform. During the three-day visit,she met with key government officials, stakeholders from the private sector and members of academia to understand the impact of DFID programmes on Pakistan’s economy and to discuss prospects of future growth and investment.
The Chief Economist visit coincided with a senior team from British Airways which recently announced their return to Pakistan. British Airways has recognised the improved security situation and business environment and see the potential in the UK-Pakistan trade relations.
Dr. Rachel Glennerster, Chief Economist at the UK’s Department for International Development, said the UK is one of Pakistan’s closest partners, and one of its strongest trading and investment allies with $2.8bn of trade between our countries.
DFID programmes in Pakistan support getting children into school, improving health and supporting communities, but we are also very committed to supporting the government’s drive to grow the economy and improve the investment climate. This will improve living standards and create jobs for younger people entering the market.
To achieve this, it’s important for Pakistan to develop a home-grown economic reform programme. Pakistan will need to widen its tax base and increase investment and competitiveness, which it is committed to doing. We have pledged our support to providing assistance to raise more tax revenue, improve the business environment and invest in a greener energy initiatives.”
The Chief Economist also met with the Chinese mission in Pakistan, where they discussed Chinese investments in Pakistan, and expressed an interest in supporting the government in areas of mutual interest.