Day: September 21, 2022

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Islamabad police enhance Red Zone’s security

Karachi: Islamabad police said Wednesday that security of the Red Zone had been enhanced, by deploying extra police contingents at its exit and entry points and also placing containers at some points, to deal with any disruption to law and order.

The spokesperson for Islamabad police said that some people had turned to the federal capital from Punjab for the fulfillment of their political demands due to which the security of the Red Zone had been enhanced with the deployment of extra police contingents at its entry and exit points.

“Those going to offices and educational institutions in the Red Zone are advised to leave for their destinations before time to avoid any difficulty,” he said, adding that a traffic plan would also be released soon for the smooth flow of traffic.

“Islamabad police are always ready to deal with any disruption to law and order. Citizens are requested to cooperate with the police. Section 144 is imposed in the city. The violators will be dealt with according to the law,” he warned.

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Gastro, malaria take 10 more lives in flood-hit Sindh

Karachi: There seems to be no end in sight, at least in near future, to deaths from contagious diseases in the flood-affected areas of Sindh such as Khairpur Nathan Shah where three more children died due to gastro on Wednesday.

Those who died were 14-year-old Arbaili, 10-year-old Awais and five-year-old Sakina, and they all belonged to the same family.

Moving scenes were witnessed as the bodies of children were taken to graveyard for burial.

Hundreds of other children are still sick in the city, its suburbs and other parts of Sindh due to gastro and other diseases which have spread in the wake of devastating floods in the province.

Four children die in Khairpur:

Gastro also took the lives of four children in Khairpur.

Toddler, two others fall prey to gastro at Tangwani:

Similarly, a two-year-old child and two other children died from gastro in Tangwani in Kashmor district of Sindh.

On the other hand, two girls lost their lives to gastro in Qambar.

Not only gastro, but malaria, too, is making its presence felt in the areas still under water as everyday 50 malaria patients at Umarkot Hospital.

The situation is quite grim in Dadu district of Sindh where so far 82 people, including 39 children, have died due to gastro and malaria this monsoon season.

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IHC issues circular to indict Imran Khan in contempt case tomorrow

Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) will formally charge the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan with contempt of court tomorrow (Thursday).

He is being indicted for his controversial remarks about an Additional District and Sessions Judge, Islamabad Zeba Chaudhry during a rally in the federal capital on August 20.

The IHC on Wednesday issued a circular on Wednesday about the indictment. The circular stated that the proceedings of the case will start at 2:30pm, during which a larger bench of the IHC will frame the charges against Imran Khan.

“A 15-member legal team of Imran Khan, 15 law officers from the office of the Attorney-General for Pakistan and Advocate-General Islamabad will be allowed to enter the courtroom,” the circular reads.

It said no one except for the above mentioned will be allowed entry to the court room, unless they have the special passes issued by the IHC Registrar office.

The circular further stated that, “The Islamabad administration and police will make the security arrangements to maintain decorum in the court.”

On last hearing of the case on September 8, the IHC had termed the response submitted by Imran Khan as “unsatisfactory” and decided to indict him after he did not submit an unconditional apology.

Imran Khan had submitted two of his responses in the contempt case against him and in both the responses, he did not offer an unconditional apology.

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Petrol price up, rates of light diesel, kerosene down

Quetta: The government has announced the revision of the prices of petroleum products and interestingly the petrol rate was up but prices of all other POL products were down on Wednesday.

According to a tweet of the Federal Finance Ministry, the petrol price has been increased by Rs1.45/litre despite government minister’s statements that it would come down, while the rate of high-speed diesel remained the same.

According to the Finance Ministry’s notification, the rates of kerosene and light-speed diesel have been reduced by Rs8.30 and Rs4.26 per litre respectively.

The new prices are as follow: Petrol Rs237.43 up from earlier Rs235.98 per litre, kerosene Rs202.02 down from Rs210.32 per litre and light-speed diesel Rs197.28 down from Rs201.54 per litre. The price of high-speed diesel remained the same at Rs247.43 per litre.

The new prices of the petroleum products come into effect from September 21 (today), the notification said.

The revised petroleum prices were to be announced on September 16, however, the government deferred the announcement for unknown reasons.

Public furious over hike in petrol price

The government notified the revised prices of petroleum products around midnight, raising the petrol price by Rs1.45 per litre.

However, this hike didn’t go down well with citizens who reacted furiously over the government’s unexpected move.

Lambasting the government against proposed fuel prices, the citizens of Karachi told: “Back-breaking Inflation has already triggered many a crises and above that the increase in petrol price will certainly add fuel to the fire.”

There is a lot of anger among the people who were waiting for some relief from the government but the government dropped another bomb of inflation upon them at midnight that infuriated the citizens of Shehr-e-Quaid.

People reproached the government and rejected the fuel hike stating that it is already becoming difficult to make ends meet and despite this, the government has raised the cost of fuel.

“Although the prices of petroleum products are decreasing globally, we are still deprived of the benefit of this drop,” said another citizen.

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FM calls for huge investment to build disaster resilient infrastructure in Pakistan

Islamabad: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has called for huge investment to build disaster resilient infrastructure in Pakistan through coordinated efforts with international development finance institutions.

He was talking to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Development Finance Corporation (DFC) of the United States, Scott Nathan in New York on Wednesday.

The Foreign Minister said additional capital through institutions like DFC is imperative for addressing the challenge of climate change and development in renewable energy, agriculture and business industry.

He said attracting investments in all sectors of Pakistan’s economy is the government’s top priority. Highlighting agriculture, infrastructure, energy including renewable energy and technology sector including green technologies as priority areas, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari hoped that DFC will tap the tremendous investment opportunities in these sectors in Pakistan.

Briefing the CEO of DFC about the devastating floods in Pakistan and the government’s efforts to manage the crisis, he expressed gratitude for the flood relief assistance provided by the United States.

The Foreign Minister said Pakistan wants to make economic and investment cooperation as one of the key pillars of its bilateral relations with the Unite States and DFC has an important role in this regard.

Speaking on the occasion, the CEO of DFC expressed solidarity with the people and government of Pakistan in the wake of devastating floods and assured continued US support in managing the crisis.

He reaffirmed DFC’s interest in collaborating with Pakistan’s private sector and assured continued engagement to identify projects ready for investment by US Corporate sector. He also accepted the Foreign Minister’s invitation to visit Pakistan.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Development Finance Corporation of the United States has developed a Climate Action Plan beginning next year under which it would allocate 33 percent of its investments in climate related projects.

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PM calls for urgent baby food supplies to flood-hit children

Quetta: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed his party’s leadership to take emergency steps for the provision of baby food supplies and other essential items in the flood-hit areas of the country.

Addressing a meeting on flood situation through video link from New York, Shehbaz directed the relevant authorities to mobilize provincial governments, donors and members of food industry in this regard.

Shehbaz also directed Finance Minister Miftah Ismail to immediately release five billion rupees for relief activities. He said food supply to the malnutrition, and stunted-children should be ensured at any cost.

The Prime Minister said in order to overcome the shortage of tents, an order has been placed for supply of two hundred thousand tents. He said under this order, ten thousand tents will be provided on daily basis. The Prime Minister also directed to ensure smooth supply of required medicines, including Panadol and Paracetamol.

Shehbaz Sharif said he held meetings with the Presidents of Spain, France and Chancellor of Austria to reinforce government’s appeal for relief goods to the flood affected people in Pakistan. The Prime Minister said he will highlight the need of all relief goods for the poor people in flooded areas.

While directing the authorities to call an emergency meeting of the drug manufacturing association to device a mechanism for the supply of medicines in flood-hit area, the Prime Minister said we are taking every possible measure to serve the suffering humanity in a practical way.

The meeting was informed that, strict action has been taken against the people involved in the hoarding of Panadol while confiscating 48 million doses of the desired medicine. Besides, foreign donors and NGOs have also been requested to provide the essential medicines.

Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique informed the forum that supply of tents is not sufficient and most of the people are making their own arrangements. He regretted that the momentum of the national movement is not sufficient to deal with the scope of calamity. He requested the Prime Minister to personally launch a campaign involving celebrities of the country.

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PM calls for collective action to deal with climate change

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has stressed for a collective action to deal with climate change.

In a tweet on Wednesday regarding his interactions with the world leaders in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session, the Prime Minister said he apprised them of the flood disaster in Pakistan.

Shehbaz Sharif said he also told them that Pakistan is keen to build partnerships in the realms of trade and economy.