KARACHI, Jan 13 (APP): The second phase of training session for the polling staff in connection with the upcoming General Elections 2024 in the Sindh province was commenced here on Saturday.
According to a spokesman for the ECP Sindh, the training session would continue till February 01.
A total of 40338 Presiding Officers and Senior Assistant Presiding Officers would be trained.
RAWALPINDI, Jan 13 (APP): The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) seized over 100 kg drugs in eight operations and arrested six accused, said an ANF Headquarters spokesman on Saturday.
He said that 350 grams hashish was recovered from the possession of a Dubai-bound passenger scheduled to leave by Flight No. PA-100 at Jinnah Airport.
In the second operation, 320 grams heroin was recovered from a parcel being sent to the United Kingdom at General Post Office (GPO) Lahore, and 200 grams weed from a California-bound parcel at a courier office in Rawalpindi.
About 72 kg hashish was recovered near Chenab Toll Plaza G.T Road Gujarat while an accused was also arrested.
In fifth operation, 13.2 kg hashish and 1.2 kg opium were recovered from Sialkot, Sambrayal and two accused were arrested.
Likewise, 6.9 kg hashish and 20 grams ice were recovered near Jhelum and an accused was arrested while 3.6 kg hashish was recovered from the possession of an accused netted in Balochistan.
In the eighth operation, 2.3 kg ice drug was recovered from Zakhakhel area of Khyber.
Cases under the Anti-Narcotics Act had been registered against the arrested accused and further investigations were under process, the spokesman said.
PESHAWAR, Jan 13 (APP): Opposing the calls for delaying the polls, Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) Chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao on Saturday said that the general election must be held on its scheduled date to enable the people to elect their representatives.
Speaking at a gathering of party workers in Sherpao village in Charsadda district, he opposed postponing the elections on the pretext of deteriorating law and order and harsh weather, adding that this would further complicate the situation.
He maintained that elections were the only way to bring political and economic stability to the country.
Aftab Sherpao said the political parties should join hands to help steer the country out of the prevailing crises.
He said after the polls, the political parties should work together to revive the economy and improve the worsening law and order. Aftab Sherpao urged the people to use their right to vote in order to send their representatives to the assemblies so that they could work for the uplift of their areas. “We will spare no effort to serve the people,” he vowed. He said his party had always served the people as it believed in working for the development of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Aftab Sherpao said the voters must not fall for catchy slogans and empty pledges as opportunists were once again out to deceive them.
He advised the voters to check the track record of the candidates before voting for them. He said that nobody cared to raise voice for the rights of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa facing financial crunch.
He said all uplift projects in KP were placed on the backburner. The QWP leader said the PTI ruled KP for almost a decade, but left the province in dire financial straits.
He said the province was buried under huge loan. He said that experiments with the political system caused colossal loss to the economy therefore such practices should be stopped.
ISLAMABAD, Jan 13 (APP): Ayub Park Cricket Ground, also known as Ayub Park Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi is all set to host its first women’s tournament match on Monday (January 15).
The match will see Nida Dar-led Lahore region taking on Umm-e-Hani led Multan region in the National Women’s T20 Tournament.
Established in 2013, Ayub Park Cricket Stadium, besides district level trials, has hosted PCB’s U16 and U19 cricket matches.
The stadium has a 60-metre boundary and three pitches designated for the upcoming women’s tournament matches. Additionally, the venue features an attractive museum, showcasing autographed bats including those from the West Indies team of 1959, along with souvenirs and cricket magazines for the fans of the game.
Courtesy of the Army Heritage Foundation (AHF), the facility at the stadium is diligently maintained for sporting activities, complemented by an adjacent football ground.
Head of Women’s Cricket Tania Mallick: “It is heartening to witness women’s cricket matches being organised at three venues in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
“Ayub Park Stadium in Rawalpindi, which is situated at the city centre, has proper infrastructure, providing the women’s wing with an additional venue to hold domestic matches. With the support of the Army Heritage Foundation committed to further enhancing the ground, the PCB women’s wing looks forward to organising more women’s cricket matches in the future.”
ISLAMABAD, Jan 13 (APP): Caretaker Privatization Minister Fawad Hassan Fawad on Saturday said that all the legal formalities had been completed for the privatization of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
Talking to a private news channel, he outlined various stages of the process for the PIA’s privatization, saying that the Privatization Commission was diligently executing the task.
Fawad said that in order to enure transparency in the PIA’s privatization, the representatives of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), besides the ministries of education, law, and finance had also been taken on board.
Fawad said the caretaker government was carrying out the privatization under the constitutional amendments enacted by the previous elected government. The decision to the effect was taken by the then government to prevent further deterioration of the economy, he added
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The minister rejected rumors of negotiations about buying of the PIA by a foreign government. Such baseless allegations were being levelled by certain elements for their vested interests, he added.
To a question, he said that the caretaker federal cabinet would ensure that no employee of the PIA was unjustly deprived of their legitimate rights.
He said the problems being faced by the national airline due to governance issues, financial mismanagement and appointment of individuals ill-equipped to manage the aviation industry.
He underscored the urgent need for reforms to prevent further deterioration of public institutions, including the PIA.
To a query, the minister said the general elections would be held on the scheduled date of February 8 and the caretaker government was extending fully support the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in conducting the polls.
PESHAWAR, Jan 13 (APP): Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F) on Saturday has finalized its national and provincial candidates for Peshawar district with Noor Alam Khan as the candidate for NA-28, Akhunzada Irfanullah for NA-29.
According to details, Nasir Khan Musazai will be the candidate for NA-30, Maulana Saeedullah for NA-31 and Maulana Hussain Madani for NA-32. Azan Khan will be the candidate for Provincial Assembly Constituency PK 72, Maulana Abdul Haseeb for PK 73, Ejaz Khan for PK 74, Shehryar Khan for PK 75, Niaz Muhammad for PK 76 and Haji Safatullah for PK 77.
Zahir Shah will be the candidate for PK-78, Maulana Ata-ul-Haq Darwish for PK-79 and Maulana Amanullah Haqqani for PK-80.
Likewise, Arbab Farooq will be the candidate for PK 81, Siddiqur Rahman Paracha for PK 82, Haji Mohammad Umar for PK 83 and Malik Naushad Khan for PK 84.
PESHAWAR, Jan 13 (APP): The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has completed the process of issuing tickets in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and issued tickets to all the candidates, the Party’s officials said here on Saturday.
Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been issued ticket from Mansehra NA-15 and PML-N provincial president Ameer Muqam has been given ticket from NA-2, NA-11 and PK-5, said the official. He said, tickets have been issued for 13 provincial and 5 National Assembly seats in Peshawar including tickets issued to PK 72 Azmat Khan, 73 to Fazlullah, 74 to Arbab Afzal, Arbab Ghulam Fariq from 75, Subia Shahid from 76, Zahir Khan from 78, Jalal Khan from 79, Hyder Shah from 80, the Party’s leaders said.
They disclosed that ticket were issued to Waqas Buland from PK 81, Mohammad Nadeem from PK 82 and Sher Rehman from PK 84.
According to the official, the PML-N has also issued tickets for the five National Assembly seats in Peshawar including NA 28 Arbab Khizer Hayat, NA 29 Subia Shahid, NA 30 Rais Khan, NA 31 Subia Shahid and NA 32 Sher Rehman.
ISLAMABAD, Jan 13 (APP): The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has deplored the silence of the international community on the worst Indian state terrorism in illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Kashmir Media Service report on Saturday, the APHC spokesman in a statement issued in Srinagar said the latest report of Human Rights Watch (HRW) is an eye-opener for the world community which must hold India accountable for its brutal actions in the occupied territory.
The HRW in its World Report 2024, said that India continued to restrict free expression, peaceful assembly and other rights in occupied Kashmir in 2023. It said the critics and human rights defenders faced arrests and raids based on spurious allegations and cited the illegal arrests of Kashmiri rights activists, Khurram Parvez and Irfan Mehraj.
The APHC spokesman in a statement in Srinagar said the Modi regime is trampling all basic rights of the Kashmiri people on a daily basis and employing draconian laws to stifle political dissent in occupied Kashmir. He maintained that the continued denial of the Kashmiris’ basic rights including right to self-determination by New Delhi was a violation of the UN charter and international laws.
The spokesman asked that how can India claim to be a democratic republic when it was denying the Kashmiris their basic rights. “India must be pressurized to stop persecution of rights activists and voices of dissent in the IIOJK. Modi and his henchmen must be held to account for trampling every right of the Kashmiris. World must wake up to take notice of the plight of oppressed Kashmiris,” he added.
PESHAWAR, Jan 13 (APP): Coordinator Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI), Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi here on Saturday called on Iranian Consul General in Peshawar, Ali Banafshekhah to express his grief and condolence over deadly Kerman bombings claiming precious lives of scores of people.
During the visit, Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, who is also President of Abaseen Columnist Association Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was accompanied by Imtiaz Ahmad Ali, Director PAJCCI.
Zia expressed his deep grief and condemnation over terrorism incidents in Kerman, a city of Islamic Republic of Iran, which claimed lives of more than 84 people and wounded many more.
He said the people of Pakistan are sharing the grief and shock received by their Iranian brethren over this tragic incident and are standing with them shoulder to shoulder at this difficult time.
He also expressed sympathy with bereaved families and prayed to Allah Almighty to grant courage to them to bear this irreparable loss.
Later, the PAJCCI Coordinator also wrote his condolence remarks regarding the Kerman bombings in memorial book at the Iranian Consulate in Peshawar.
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