Category: Pakistan

MIRPUR :Brisk preparations are afoot by the people of Jammu & Kashmir living at both sides of the line of control – AJK and IOJK – as well as the rest of the world to observe the 90th Kashmir Martyrs Day on Tuesday (July 13) with due respect and honor besides with the renewal of the pledge to continue their ongoing struggle for the achievement of their birth right to self determination and for the freedom of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK) from the Indian yoke. There will be state holiday in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on this occasion. AJK government has already appealed to the people of Jammu & Kashmir State inhibiting either side of LoC and rest of the world to observe July as the month of Kashmir Freedom Movement and the grant of internationally-acknowledged birth right of self determination to the people of Jammu & Kashmir State under the spirit of the international norms and commitments most particularly through the UN resolutions on Kashmir. Brief special meetings, under the set SOPs to avert threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, will be held to pay glorious tributes to the Jammu & Kashmiri martyrs for laying down the supreme sacrifices of their lives for the noble cause of the liberation of the motherland from the forced and unlawful Indian occupation. In AJK – including Mirpur division, special prayer meetings to mark the historic Kashmir Martyrs day would be held for upholding the status of the Jammu & Kashmir martyrs in Jannah will be hall mark of the day besides brief congregations against India for keeping Jammu & Kashmir state in her forcible and unlawful occupation since over last seven decades. Mirpur Division Commissioner Ch. Muhammad Raqeeb, when contacted, told media here Friday while unveiling the state program to commemorate the day in all three districts of Mirpur division including Mirpur, Kotli and Bhimbher to pay glorious tributes to the sons of the soil who laid down their lives for the dignity and honour of the motherland.

ISLAMABAD: The 5th Privatisation Commission Board on Friday discussed matters related to revival of Pakistan Steel Mills to turn it as an profit oriented state enterprise. The 5th meeting of the current year held under the chairmanship of Federal Minister and Chairman Privatisation Mohammed mian Soomro. Federal Secretary Privatisation, Chief Executive Officer Pakistan Steel Mills, representative from the Ministry of Industry and Production,  PC Board members and senior officers of the ministry attended the meeting, said a news release. The commission discussed revival of PSM for which few corporate actions were to be performed by the stakeholders including the Ministry of Industries and Pakistan Steel Mills. The matters leading to the filing of the scheme of arrangement with SECP were also discussed in the meeting, which included updated financial reports of the PSMC and its subsidiary, approval of the board for transferring the utility connections to the newly formed subsidiary without encumbrances, approval for the retention of the new subsidiary either by government or PSMC and the desired size of divestment among others.

BAHAWALPUR: Secretary Local Government and Community Development South Punjab, Muhammad Altaf Baloch Friday inaugurated the office of Local Government and Community Development South Punjab Secretariat located at Gulberg Road Bahawalpur after renovation. Officers and staff of the Local Government Department were also present on the occasion. At the inauguration ceremony, Muhammad Altaf Baloch said that the Secretariat has been set up in South Punjab to provide facilities to the people of the area at their doorstep. He said that under the vision of Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar, the Secretariat would be made functional soon. He said that all facilities would be provided to the people like clean water, health, education, sanitation and other basic needs.

LAHORE: It has been reported that 14 cameras installed to counter security threats to the Model Town courthouse are defective or damaged due to which it has become difficult to record daily basis movements through the CCTV cameras installed in the court premises.

A senior judge of Model Town Court has taken notice and dispatched a letter to the Punjab Safe City Authority to make the cameras operational.

LAHORE: Chief Secretary Punjab Jawad Rafique Malik has issues instructions to deal strictly and discipline the officers and employees who come to the offices late, Taking notice of the officers and employees who come to the office late, CS instructed the officers and employees to come to the office on time. In most of the offices of the Civil Secretariat, the secretaries and subordinate staff had made it a habit to arrive late in office and leave before the holiday time. In addition, the Chief Secretary has also directed all the Divisional Commissioners to implement Corona SoPs In accordance with the guidelines issued by the NCOC and speed up vaccination process.

LAHORE: Preparations are underway to make the provincial capital a smart city. Punjab Local Bodies Department and PIT Board have estimated an expenditure of Rs. 85 crore for this purpose. Street lights will be installed in the city including parking stand. Other measures will be taken, including bin sensors and street light sensors

The Punjab government has been making efforts to make Lahore a smart city since last year on which the Local Bodies Department and Punjab Information and Technology Board are working together. Under the Smart City project, Lahore will be equipped with technology park.

Electric machines will be installed at parking stands for parking fees while real time monitoring and management of smart city applications’ real-time monitoring will be made possible.

Under this project, Lahore will be transferred to new technology at par with international standards. Punjab Local Bodies Department and PIT Board have estimated Rs. 85 crore for the completion of the project. Electric machines will be installed at the parking stand in Lahore for parking fees.

 

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said on Thursday that the government had decided to register all foreigners in Pakistan.

Talking to the media in Islamabad, he said: “The interior ministry has decided to register all foreigners [in the country], whosoever they may be.”

He said some individuals making fake Afghan identity cards had been caught as well and “our effort will be to register every foreigner amid the currently developing situation [in the country].”

The interior minister said that around 40,000 to 50,000 unidentified people had entered the country in the past 70 years, adding that “we don’t know about their whereabouts”.

Foreigners living in Pakistan would be issued “alien cards”, which will allow them to open bank accounts, start businesses, obtain sim cards and facilitate their travel, Rashid said.

He added that foreigners could contact the interior ministry after their visa expires to continue availing these services.

The interior minister said all visa applications had been converted online and with the permission of the Cabinet visas are issued within 30 days.

“Agencies review the applications and if they don’t respond within 30 days, we issue the visas,” he added.

Rashid also addressed border management and said: “Chaman border will be made electronic from the first [of August].”

Regarding the 4,000-5,000 Pakistanis stranded at the Torkham border, he said the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) had given permission to open the border for vaccinated individuals.

“The NCOC and FC (Frontier Corps)

will decide what to do about those who test positive [for Covid-19],” said the interior minister.