Nomad women with their camels on the way to sell camel milk in the city at Nishatabad
People standing in a long queue to get free food from the volunteers
Asif Ali Zardari’s message on Karsaz tragedy
KARACHI, Oct 17 (APP): President Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians, Asif Ali Zardari said that the PPP fulfilled the mission of its great leader Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.
In his message on the occasion of the Karsaz tragedy anniversary he said, the PPP restored the 1973 Constitution in its original form, hoisted the national flag in Swat, gave autonomy to the provinces, gave identity to the people of Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said a communique issued here from Bilawal house here on Monday.
The poor and deserving women were made partakers in the society through Benazir Income Support Program. The 18th Amendment guarantees the country’s survival and integrity.
President Zardari said our struggle is for employment of the youth, economic prosperity and social justice. The PPP completed Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s mission by giving power back to the Parliament, that was stolen from it by dictators.
A place such as Thar is contributing towards the progress of the country by generating electricity and illuminating the lives of the people.
Paying homage to the martyrs of the Karsaz tragedy, President Zardari said that their bravery, loyalty and steadfastness is exemplary. There is no other example of such a fearless act in political history, in which people sacrificed their lives to protect their great leader.
President Zardari said that democracy in the country today was owed to the blood of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and the thousands of courageous Jiyalas.
Senate adjourned amid opposition’s protest on Swati’s arrest
ISLAMABAD, Oct 17 (APP): Senate Chairman Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani on Monday adjourned the proceedings of the House amid the opposition’s protest over the arrest of Senator Azam Khan Swati.
At the onset of the proceedings, Leader of the Opposition Dr Shahzad Waseem started agitation over Swati’s arrest and lately joined by all opposition members.
Chairman Sanjrani made several requests for smooth functioning of the House and conduct of legislative business, but the opposition members circled his dais and continued their protest.
The chairman adjourned the session to meet again on Thursday (October 20) 4 p.m.
CM unfreezes Rs 208bn to complete 4158 ongoing, new development schemes
KARACHI, Oct 17 (APP):Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Monday reviewed the ongoing development portfolio of different departments at CM House and decided to de-freeze Rs 208.113 billion of 4,158 ongoing and other schemes.
It may be noted that the chief minister has frozen all the development funds due to the emergency of heavy rains and floods that wreaked havoc in the province.
The meeting was attended by provincial ministers, Sharjeel Inam Memon, Syed Nasir Shah, Zia Abbas Shah, Jam Khan Shoro, Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, Chairman P&D Hassan Naqvi, Secretary Finance Sajid Jamal Abro, Secretary to CM Rahim Shaikh, Secretary Local government Najam Shah, Secretary Works Imran Atta, Secretary Irrigation Sohail Qureshi, Member P&D Fatah Tunio and other concerned officers.
Chairman P&D briefed the chief minister and said that 4,185 schemes were going on with an allocation of Rs204.652 billion against which 119.649 billion were released but the amount was frozen by the government.
The chief minister reviewed the ongoing schemes, including 1182 schemes of Rs58.345 billion.
Another 333 schemes of Rs 98.831 billion likely to be completed in the current financial years were given total funds in three installments but were frozen. 991 schemes of Rs 95.969 billion were being released in four installments to be completed during the current financial year. The funds were frozen by the government.
The chief minister was told that Rs 336 billion would cost the government to undertake Flood Rehabilitation Emergency Projects. They include Rs 48 billion for Flood Control & Rehabilitation of Irrigation & Drainage Infrastructure Projects, Rs 22 billion for Rehabilitation of major roads infrastructure, rehabilitation of water supply & Drainage System, Rs 9 billion for Rescue 1122 Enhancing Response for Emergency Services, Rs16. 90 billion Livestock Restoration Project, Rs 110 billion Housing Reconstruction Project, Rs 294 billion Sindh Human Capital Investment Project, and Rs 24.2 billion Sindh Water and Agriculture Transformation project subsidy on agriculture Inputs.
The chief minister said that farmers have lost their entire Kharif crops. Therefore, we have decided to provide wheat and oils seeds to the growers for which he approved Rs11 billion. The World Bank has also pledged a $100 subsidy for agriculture inputs.
The chief minister was told that stagnant flood/rainwater was being disposed of from the cities, towns, and agricultural lands located on the right and the left bank of the River Indus through pumps, and gravity where it existed. The lands would be cleared by the end of this month so that Rabi crop cultivation could be started.
Transgender Citizens Complaint Management System receives 6 complaints
ISLAMABAD, Oct 17 (APP):The Prime Minister’s Strategic Reforms Unit in collaboration with Ministry of Human Rights ‘Transgender Citizens Complaint Management System’ has so far received 6 complaints during the last two weeks.
According to details, Director helpline 1099 Muhammad Kashif Kamal said that the purpose of the Portal to facilitate transgender citizens to contain incidents of harassment, violence and other issues through swift reporting of crimes on helpline 1099.
He said that initiative would ensure the safety and security of the transgenders and strict action against law violators.
The establishment of helpline 1099 was not only encourage transgenders but also increase their self-confidence to fight back all odds and negative factions of the society causing problems for the transgenders.
CM unfreezes Rs 208bn to complete 4158 ongoing, new development schemes
KARACHI, Oct 17 (APP): Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Monday reviewed the ongoing development portfolio of different departments at CM House and decided to de-freeze Rs 208.113 billion of 4,158 ongoing and other schemes.
It may be noted that the chief minister has frozen all the development funds due to the emergency of heavy rains and floods that wreaked havoc in the province.
The meeting was attended by provincial ministers, Sharjeel Inam Memon, Syed Nasir Shah, Zia Abbas Shah, Jam Khan Shoro, Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, Chairman P&D Hassan Naqvi, Secretary Finance Sajid Jamal Abro, Secretary to CM Rahim Shaikh, Secretary Local government Najam Shah, Secretary Works Imran Atta, Secretary Irrigation Sohail Qureshi, Member P&D Fatah Tunio and other concerned officers.
Chairman P&D briefed the chief minister and said that 4,185 schemes were going on with an allocation of Rs204.652 billion against which 119.649 billion were released but the amount was frozen by the government.
The chief minister reviewed the ongoing schemes, including 1182 schemes of Rs58.345 billion.
Another 333 schemes of Rs 98.831 billion likely to be completed in the current financial years were given total funds in three installments but were frozen. 991 schemes of Rs 95.969 billion were being released in four installments to be completed during the current financial year. The funds were frozen by the government.
The chief minister was told that Rs 336 billion would cost the government to undertake Flood Rehabilitation Emergency Projects. They include Rs 48 billion for Flood Control & Rehabilitation of Irrigation & Drainage Infrastructure Projects, Rs 22 billion for Rehabilitation of major roads infrastructure, rehabilitation of water supply & Drainage System, Rs 9 billion for Rescue 1122 Enhancing Response for Emergency Services, Rs16. 90 billion Livestock Restoration Project, Rs 110 billion Housing Reconstruction Project, Rs 294 billion Sindh Human Capital Investment Project, and Rs 24.2 billion Sindh Water and Agriculture Transformation project subsidy on agriculture Inputs.
The chief minister said that farmers have lost their entire Kharif crops. Therefore, we have decided to provide wheat and oils seeds to the growers for which he approved Rs11 billion. The World Bank has also pledged a $100 subsidy for agriculture inputs.
The chief minister was told that stagnant flood/rainwater was being disposed of from the cities, towns, and agricultural lands located on the right and the left bank of the River Indus through pumps, and gravity where it existed. The lands would be cleared by the end of this month so that Rabi crop cultivation could be started.
UNA, IOFS sign Memorandum of Cooperation
ISLAMABAD, Oct 17 (APP): The Union of OIC News Agencies (UNA) and Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) signed a Memorandum of Cooperation withb an aim to enhance cooperation between the two bodies operating within the framework of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
The memorandum was signed on Sunday by UNA Acting Director-General Muhammad bin Abd Rabbo Al-Yami and the IOFS Director-General Yerlan Baidolet during the latter’s visit to UNA’s headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The IOFS is a specialized institution of the OIC for promoting agricultural and rural development and food security in Islamic countries, with its headquarters in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Swati sent to jail on judicial remand
ISLAMABAD, Oct 17 (APP): A local court of Islamabad on Monday sent PTI’s Leader Azam Khan Swati to jail on 14 days judicial remand in an FIR pertaining controversial tweets about the state institutions.
The accused was produced before the court of senior civil judge Muhammad Shabbri after completion of his physical remand time.
The FIA’s prosecutor prayed the court to grant three days physical custody of Azam Swati for further investigation into the matter.
The defence lawyer Dr. Baber Awan argued that the FIA yet requesting further remand just to recover the said tweets. He claimed that one finger of his client was injured and fractured as well.
After listening arguments, the court sent the accused to jail on judicial remand.
Swati was taken into custody by the FIA’s Cybercrime Wing (CCW) from his home in Islamabad on October 13, after which he was presented before senior civil judge Shabbir Bhatti’s court in the federal capital which approved a two-day remand. The agency’s cybercrime wing had registered a case against Swati later over the controversial tweets.
BISP strives for welfare of under privileged segments of society: Shazia Marri
ISLAMABAD, Oct 17 (APP): Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, Shazia Marri Monday said that the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) is striving hard for the welfare of underprivileged segments of the society.
On the occasion of International Day for the Eradication of Poverty Shazia Marri said that the launch of the BISP reflects the vision of Benazir Bhutto Shaheed, which aims to provide a comprehensive system of social security to the disadvantaged sections of the society, especially women.
“It is to bring a sustainable and positive change in the lives of deprived families by providing economic and social security and ending poverty”, she added.
On the occasion, the minister said the significance of the BISP increases with respect to this day as the purpose of the day is to acknowledge the efforts and struggles of people living in poverty, to provide them with opportunities to move forward and to recognize that Poverty is a violation of basic human rights which need to be addressed.
The main theme of this day is honor is universal, that is, honor is not related to the economic condition of a person, but to his human values, the Chairperson BISP continued and observed that in Pakistan, men and women are equally victims of social oppression due to poverty.
Under the BISP, Rs. 7000 on quarterly basis are given to the deserving women through the Benazir Kafalat program, and the children from 4 to 22 years of age of these women are given Benazir Taleemi Wazaif from 1500 to 4000 rupees so that they can get education.
The Chairperson BISP emphasized that compared to boys; the educational scholarships of girls are a little higher so that parents can educate their children with a relative ease.
Through Benazir Nashonuma, deserving pregnant women and lactating mothers are provided nutritious and balanced food. The nutritional needs of the new-born children are met for their better nourishment.
She also established that the aim of such initiatives of the Government of Pakistan under BISP is to build a strong society. “Today we pledge together that we will continue our efforts to eradicate poverty from Pakistan so that we can give a better future to the coming generations”, the minister concluded.