Category: Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday, in another historic step to address the public grievances, directed to link the performance report of the government officials with their efficiency to resolve the problems of people. The prime minister suggested evaluating the performance of government officials in their ACRs by adding points based on their efforts to redress the public grievances. On the instructions of the prime minister, a letter was issued to the Establishment Division to work out the new modalities of performance evaluation. A statement by Prime Minister Delivery Unit (PMDU) said addressing the problems of the people was the prime responsibility of any government official. The PMDU stressed that as per the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan, an effective and prompt resolution of the grievances of the public up to their satisfaction was the best method to evaluate the performance of a government official.

PESHAWAR: Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Balakot sustained bullet injury during an anti-encroachment operation in Naran on Friday. According to Resue 1122 Mansehra, DSP, Balakot, Yaseen Janjua was shot injured allegedly by the owner of a private hotel when he was supervising an anti-encroachment operation in Naran. The Rescue 1122 said DSP Janjua was provided first-aid on the spot and shifted to Mansehra on private vehicle for treatment. The people were resisting the anti-encroachment operation also pelted stones at the Rescue 1122 vehicles.

ISLAMABAD: The nation celebrated 54th death anniversary of Madr-e-Millat ”Fatima Jinnah, the younger sister of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah by paying rich tribute to the mother of the nation who rendered unforgettable political and humanitarian services for the country. Fatima Jinnah is referred to as the Madar-e-Millat or Mother of the Nation for her dynamic role in the Pakistan freedom movement. Fatima Jinnah had passed away on July 9, 1967 in Karachi soon after spearheading an election campaign in both the eastern and western wings of the country. She was born on 30th July 1893 and Jinnah had seven siblings. Mohammad Ali Jinnah was the eldest one in the family. Today, 54 years after her tragic death, the iron lady is still remembered for her passionate support for civil rights and devoted struggle towards the Pakistan Movement, Electronic channels reported. Mohammad Ali Jinnah was deeply affected after his wife’s death in 1929, so Fatima Jinnah worked side by side with Mohammad Ali Jinnah and gathered the women of sub-continent on one platform which made the struggle for achieving a separate state of Muslims easier. She was the closest to Muhammad Ali Jinnah who became her guardian upon the death of their father in 1901. She played an important role in the Pakistan Movement, supporting the two-nation theory and strongly opposing the British Raj. After the independence of Pakistan, she co-founded the Pakistan Women’s Association which played an integral role in the settlement of the women migrants in the newly formed country. She returned to the political forefront to contest the 1964 elections at the age of 71 against Ayub Khan but was defeated unfortunately. Fatima died in Karachi at the age of 71. Though her cause of death is attributed to heart failure. Fatima Jinnah remains popular and is considered as one of the greatest female figures in Pakistan’s history. She was laid to rest next to her brother at Mazar-e-Quaid.

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday said the strengthening of the ranks of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was not in the interest of Pakistan and categorically stated the country would not favour any sort of Talibanization. “The comeback of TTP is not in Pakistan’s interest. We do not want Talibanization of our country,” the foreign minister said in his remarks at the meeting of the Senate”s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, here at the Parliament House. The foreign minister expressed concern over the chances of breaking out a civil war after the pullout of military forces from Afghanistan and said Pakistan did not want such a scenario to repeat. He stressed that “power-sharing” of different Afghan factions was the best option to avert a civil war. He said Pakistan desired an honorable return of the Afghan refugees, which he said, should be made part of the Afghan peace process. The foreign minister said after the Taliban refused to attend the Istanbul Peace Process, Pakistan held a tripartite meeting with Afghanistan and Turkey. On Afghan refugees, he called upon the international community to find a solution for their repatriation to their homeland. Qureshi said Pakistan would welcome the support extended by China for the stability of Afghanistan. On Iran, he said the relationship was getting stronger and mentioned the agreement with Tehran on establishment of border markets.

ISLAMABAD: The Saudi Arabia”s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced completion of online registration for 60,000 domestic pilgrims for this year”s Hajj. The online registration for pilgrims from among citizens and residents from inside the Kingdom began on June 13, the ministry said in a statement. The pilgrims, who fulfilled the health and regulatory requirements and standards for this year”s Hajj, have been issued necessary permits, Saudi Gazette reported . The pilgrims shortlisted for this year’s Hajj represent 150 countries. Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Abdelfattah Bin Suleiman Mashat said that as many as 558,270 people applied for the Hajj during the first phase of registration, adding that the priority was given to those who had not previously performed the pilgrimage and their age group. The ministry also called on all eligible pilgrims who have received Hajj permits to take the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine without booking an appointment and adhere to preventive and precautionary measures. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah clarified that pilgrims will be received during the 7th and 8th of Zilhaj in four reception centers, after which they will be transported by buses to the Holy Mosque in Makkah to perform Arrival Tawaf before heading to the Holy Sites.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday welcomed Iran’s engagement with the Taliban and the Afghan government delegation to sort out a peaceful solution for the conflict-hit country after the pullout of American troops. “Pakistan welcomes Iran’s engagement with Afghan parties to achieve a negotiated political settlement,” the Foreign Office Spokesperson said in response to queries by media persons about the visit of Taliban and Afghan government delegations to Tehran. Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said Pakistan considered the role of Iran in Afghan peace process as important. “Iran, like Pakistan, is a neighbouring country of Afghanistan and host to millions of Afghans refugees,” he adedd. He hoped that the Afghan parties would seize the opportunity and achieve an “inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement”. Tehran recently hosted the first significant peace talks in months in a previously unannounced meeting that comes as U. S. forces leave. The high-level peace talks between the Afghan sides follow months-old discussions in Qatar that have been stalled by a diplomatic impasse and escalating violence. A joint statement released after the talks on Thursday said the Afghan government and Taliban agreed that “war is not the solution to the Afghanistan problem” and that all efforts must be director toward achieving a peaceful political solution. The two sides also agreed to continue talks on the specific mechanisms of achieving lasting peace.

MULTAN: The proclaimed offender staff launched a special Midnight Operation across the district and arrested 49 proclaimed offenders here on Thursday night. In line with special directives of City Police Officer (CPO) Munir Masood Marth, the proclaimed offender”s staff had initiated a special Midnight operation against criminals across the district. The team arrested 49 proclaimed offenders wanted to police in different cases of dacoity, robbery, motorcycle snatching and other criminal activities. A Police spokesman said that the city police officer has directed officers concerned to ensure stern action against criminals and he himself has introduced operation Midnight. The CPO has directed officers to continue operation Midnight on daily basis.

ISLAMABAD: The first spell of monsoon is likely to start from Saturday (July 10) in the federal capital and various other parts of the country. Spokesperson Met Office Zaheer Baber on Friday said monsoon currents from Arabian sea and Bay of Bengal are penetrating in upper parts of the country which would onset monsoon, he told media. He informed that during the spell, rains are expected in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Narowal, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Okara, Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Sargodha, Mianwali, Khushab, Bhakkar and Layyah. Met Office also warned possibility of damages due to windstorm during the first monsoon spell. The prevailing water stress in rain-fed areas would likely to subside and there would be improvement in water reservoirs due to the upcoming rain spell, he said.

RAWALPINDI: Federal Minister for Railways Azam Khan Swati on Friday said that the Railway lands and stations would be given on lease under a public-private partnership for infrastructure development. While handing over the “Sir Syed Express” to the private sector at Rawalpindi Railway Station, the Minister said inefficient and corrupt mafia in the Railways department would not be tolerated at any cost as it had given a huge financial loss to the department in the name of worker’s welfare. He said the salaries of workers would be increased while efforts were underway to turn the Railways into a profitable organization. Swati said that there were several ghost employees who were receiving salaries sitting at home while there were around 132,000 pensioners in the department which would be identified within the coming 20 to 25 days. The Minister lauded the role of Chief Justice of Pakistan for retrieving the railway land from the mafia, adding no Railway land was sold out during his tenure. He informed that Prime Minister Imran Khan was going to visit Uzbekistan in few days and hopefully the work on the second phase of ML-1 would be started after his visit. “To increase the earning of Railways, he said, a mechanism is being devised to hand over the passenger trains to the private sector, as this is the only way to end the financial crisis of the Pakistan Railways. “he added.