Newly constructed flyover open for traffic at IJP road
PM offers all possible support in Syrian quake relief efforts
ISLAMABAD, Feb 11 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday called Syrian Arab Republic Prime Minister Hussein Arnous to extend heartfelt sympathies to the brotherly Syrian people on the human and material loss in the wake of recent devastating earthquake.
The prime minister offered all possible support in the relief efforts, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release.
Offering condolences to the Syrian prime minister on his personal loss of family members in the horrific natural calamity, Prime Minister Sharif expressed concern with regard to the reports emanating from the region of severe aftershocks.
He shared that Pakistan had already dispatched the first batch of humanitarian assistance which was being followed up with more relief goods sent via air and land routes.
He said that a medical team from Pakistan would also support the humanitarian efforts in Syria.
Prime Minister Arnous thanked the government and the people of Pakistan for demonstrating solidarity with the Syrian people at this difficult time.
PM felicitates Iran on National Day
ISLAMABAD, Feb 11 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday extended felicitations on behalf of the Government of Pakistan and its people to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Iranian people on the observance of their National Day and the 44th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.
In his felicitation message, the prime minister said Pakistan and Iran enjoyed strong brotherly relations which had been based upon the shared religious, historic and cultural ties.
He expressed his satisfaction that these durable ties were further growing and strengthening with the passage of time, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release.
The prime minister also expressed his good wishes for the continuous progress, prosperity and welfare of the brotherly nation of Iran.
Funeral prayers of Army officers martyred in Kohlu IED blast held
RAWALPINDI, Feb 11 (APP): The Namz-e-Janaza (funeral prayers) of Major Muhammad Jawad Shaheed and Captain Sagheer Abbas Shaheed were offered at Rawalpindi and Kot Addu respectively.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Muhammad Saeed, a large number of serving and retired officers, soldiers, relatives and people from different segments of society attended the funerals.
The Shaheeds were laid to rest with full military honour.
Both officers embraced shahadat due to an improvised explosive device (IED) blast during sanitisation operation in Kohlu, Balochistan.
PAF’s IL-78 aircraft carrying relief goods arrives in Adana, Turkiye
ISLAMABAD, Feb 11 (APP): The IL-78 aircraft of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) carrying tents and relief goods from PAF Base, Lahore has reached Adana, Turkiye.
The ilyushin-78 aircraft was carrying 16.5 tonnes of humanitarian assistance relief goods from people of Pakistan for the earthquake affected brethren of Turkiye, said a PAF news release received here on Saturday.
PAF is also making all-out efforts to repatriate stranded Pakistanis in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Pakistan Embassy in Turkiye.
Some eight Pakistani passengers would be evacuated on the PAF IL-78 aircraft back to Pakistan.
Bilawal pays homage to Asma Jahangir on her 5th death anniversary
KARACHI, Feb 11 (APP): Chairman of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari paid homage to former prominent human rights activist and senior lawyer late Asma Jahangir on her 5th death anniversary here on Saturday.
He said that Asma Jahangir was a name of unwavering support for democracy and resistance to dictatorship.
Bilawal said that she struggled for the promotion of rule of law, supremacy of parliament, human rights and tolerance in the front line.
He said that her principles, people friendliness and respect for the constitution was a beacon for all of us.
PM takes notice of lynching of a man in Nankana Sahib
ISLAMABAD, Feb 11 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday took notice of an extra-judicial killing of a person in the jurisdiction of Nankana Sahib police station.
The prime minister also directed an investigation into the incident, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release.
The prime minister said that rule of law should be ensured and no one should be allowed to influence the law.
He further questioned as to why the relevant police force failed to prevent the mob from lynching a man in Nankana Sahib?
Those tasked to maintain law and order should give priority to this responsibility, he emphasized.
According to media reports, a 35-year-old man arrested over blasphemy allegations was lynched in Nankana Sahib district on Saturday after a mob broke into the police station.
Pakistani’s donation for quake-affected people of Turkiye, Syria moves PM
ISLAMABAD, Feb 11 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said that he was deeply moved by the example of an anonymous Pakistani who walked into the Turkish embassy, in the US and donated $30 million for the earthquake victims of Turkiye and Syria.
On his Twitter handle, he said that these were such glorious acts of philanthropy that enabled humanity to triumph over the seemingly insurmountable odds.
Pakistan dispatches over 200 tons of relief items including winterized blankets to Turkiye
ISLAMABAD, Feb 11 (APP): In line with Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif’s directive, about 200.7 tons of relief assistance including 18 tons of winterized tents had been sent to the quake-affected people of the brotherly country Turkiye.
The request for tents was made by the Turkish government to save hundreds of thousands of the quake-affected people who were bracing the severe cold.
So far, different flights of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Pakistan Air Force (PAF) have delivered 200.7 tons of relief goods including winterized blankets to the quake-affected populace of Turkiye.
These relief assistance consignments included tents, blankets and other items.
Sharing the latest details of the quake, the Turkish health minister informed media that more than 20,213 people had lost their lives in the 10 affected provinces while 80,052 others were injured.
A total of 67 survivors were also rescued from the rubble in the last 24 hours. 1666 aftershocks were recorded so far in the aftermath of two massive tremors that brought unprecedented destruction in Turkiye.
According to experts, Turkiye lies on two fault lines. The recent double earthquake was far more intense than anything seen since 1939. The first quake registered a magnitude 7.8, followed by another of 7.5 tremor.
Maqbool Butt remembered on 39th martyrdom anniversary
ISLAMABAD, Feb 11 (APP):The people of Jammu and Kashmir are observing today the 39th martyrdom anniversary of Muhammad Maqbool Butt who had lived for a national cause for his people and ended his life by kissing gallows in Tihar Jail on 11 February 1984.
Farooq Rehmani, Chairman J&K People’s Freedom League and ex-Convener All Parties Hurriyat Conference AJ&K paid a rich tribute to the struggle of the martyred Freedom fighter of Kashmir.
He said that Maqbool Butt first left his home in Kashmir during 1950s, crossed into Pakistan to organise the freedom movement in different ways and came back to the IIOJ&K in the 1960s with a fulfilled mission but was arrested and imprisoned and later sentenced, but again made his way to enter Azad Jammu and Kashmir, said a press release issued here on Saturday.
Once again seeing the conditions of his homeland akin to a political revolution, he made his 2nd attempt in 1976 to sneak into the IIOJ&K, but unfortunately, he was again arrested and kept in the high-security prison in Tihar Jail, where a good number of Kashmiri resistance leaders are languishing since 1990s or from the beginning of this century.
Muhammad Farooq Rehmani said the Indian government made a revengeful decision to send him to the gallows without listening to his defence counsel and the execution was rightly described and condemned by many in the sub-continent, especially by a popular newspaper of Jammu Kashmir Times as judicial murder.
“Today his mortal remains and that of Afzal Guru Shaheed remain buried in the premises of Tihar jail and the people of Kashmir especially the parents and the family members of both of these martyred sons have time and again demanded the international community to use their influence to hand over the last mortal remains to the concerned families in the IIOJ&K,” he said.
He further said that the political and economic life of the people of Jammu and Kashmir today had been squeezed and crippled by the racist Modi establishment of India and there was everywhere an atmosphere of fear due to arrests, long imprisonments.
He emphasized the UN to invoke its resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir and equally impressed upon other regional and European organizations, especially the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to play their part in resolving the problem of Kashmir to end an environment of fear and political and economic suffocation in the Occupied State of Jammu and Kashmir.