ISLAMABAD, May 20 (APP):Concerned authorities in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have monitored an orchestrated activity
of a group of persons making suspected contacts in support of the activities of foreign circles
and recruiting some persons in-charge of sensitive government positions, said a security
source at the State Security Presidency.
This group who dared to violate the country’s religious and national pillars through making
suspected contacts with foreign circles and recruiting some persons in charge of sensitive
government positions, providing the foreign circles with money with the aim to destabilize
the Kingdom and breach its social structure and mar the national consistency in violation
of Article 12 of the Basic System for Rule, reported Okaz quoting Saudi Press Agency
(SPA).
The strict monitoring, led to the arrest of twelve persons while work is still going on
to pinpoint other suspects.

ATTOCK, May 20 (APP):Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Sheikh Aftab Ahmad has expressed his grief and sorrow over the tragic death of a Pakistani student Sabika Sheikh in a an act of terrorism in US and termed it a great loss for her parents and Pakistan as well.
He said this while talking to newsmen here on Sunday.
He said that such acts of terrorism were condemnable and US must reconcile its policies after witnessing such acts of terrorism as by such acts, a state or a country can not be declared terrorist.
While talking about the political scenario in Attock, he said that PML-N Government was going to complete its tenure successfully as record development took place during this period.
He said that the decision regarding care taker Prime minister would be taken soon as Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Opposition leader Khurshid Shah were heading towards the right direction.
While talking about the development in his constituency, he said that as many as 250 villages had been provided gas facility at the cost of billion of rupees while Agriculture university had been established and approval for medical college had been given.
Earlier, the Federal Minister visited Lalazar Ground Attock and reviewed the arrangements where former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz would address a mammoth gathering on 23rd May.

ISLAMABAD, May 20 (APP):Travelling daily on Islamabad Expressway from Koral to Rawat or vice versa has become a nightmare for commuters where traffic remains clogged for hours with apparently no practical solution in the sight.
The route claimed to be a signal free facility by 2017, seems to remain a quagmire for daily commuters even in 2018 as authorities concerned are restricted to only paper work.
CDA’s Director of Road Directorate North Tahir Mehmood talking to APP said last year it had prepared a self-financed PC-1 of worth Rs 21,000 million for widening this road by adding one more lane on each side from Koral to Rawat but later it was shelved due to paucity of funds.
However, he said the department again had to draft it’s another PC-1 that was approved in PSDP 2018-19 with a cost of Rs10,000 million. The project was likely to get green signal from ECNE in its next meeting, he added.
Tahir said the project would consist of two phases and Rs5,000 million were earmarked for each phase. The area from Koral to Naval Anchorage would be constructed in the first phase while remaining part would be covered in the second phase.
“We have invited pre-qualification from contractors and evaluation of application is under process that will be finalized by May 23.”
“According to CDA’s law, the tender has to be offered within fifteen days of applications’ evaluation. The project will be kicked off by third week of June after award of the tender to the qualifier,” he informed.
Maqsood Satti, who daily commutes from Bahria Town to Sector F-8 said it was a nerve-testing job to reach office in time or get back home in an urgency and a lot of time was being wasted behind the queues of heavy vehicles. He said there was no other solution to this mess except construction of a ring road on both sides of the route.
Satti said all the three lanes are seen most of the time occupied by the heavy trucks.
Aleena Ilyas, a working journalist who has to travel daily from Media Town to Islamabad said, “You cannot determine your time destination while reaching office or getting back home. It has become a daily routine.” Expressing dismay over the situation, she remarked, “It will never be changed.”
Deputy Superintendent of ITP Arshad Chudary said the traffic jam was inevitable at this route because it had ten lanes up to Gulberg but suddenly it narrowed down to four lanes causing severe traffic mess that creates miserable condition for daily road-users.
He said the signal free corridor from Zero Point to Rawat was required to be completed as early as possible to get rid of this daily suffering. He categorically said, “Adding one more lane will not serve to the cause as a permanent solution.”
He said, “9am and 5pm are peak hours when the road bears heavy influx of traffic for public that moves from and to their offices and residences”.
Responding to a question, he said the heavy traffic from Islamabad Expressway during the peak hours was being diverted towards Gulberg’s round-about to let the light vehicles use fast lane.
Arshad said in worst case scenarios trucks were being asked to line up on road side to keep light traffic moving to clear the passage.
The ITP, he informed, had deputed two inspectors and eight officials on this route, working round the clock for the ease of road-users.
A traffic sergeant at PWD stop said two narrow bridges and a couple of U-turns on this passage were major reasons of daily gridlocks on this heavily burdened artery.

MIRPUR (APP), May 20 (APP):AJK President Sardar Masood Khan said on Sunday that the devastating earthquake
of 2005 had led to the martyrdom of 80,000 and had left a permanent impact on
Azad Jammu Kashmir but the Government of Pakistan and AJK made result-oriented efforts in the rehabilitation and construction of the affected areas.
The President made these remarks during a memorial ceremony organized by the Central Seerat Committee marking the death anniversary of Syeda Al Kainat Hazrat Fatima (RA) and in the memory the martyrs of the deadly 2005 earthquake that had hit bulk of AJK and the adjoining parts of the KPK province.
President Masood Khan commended Sahibzada Muhammad Saleem Chishti, Chairman Central Zakat Council and the Central Seerat Committee for organizing this very important event.
While addressing the participants, the President said that the life of Hazrat Fatima
(RA) was a guiding beacon for all Muslims.
He added that Hazrat Fatima (RA) led an exemplary life according to the teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) which even today was valid and shall be valid till the end of time.
He emphasized upon the importance of promotion of peace,
tolerance and human dignity in the society.
President AJK said that the 2005 earthquake united us and the whole nation came together to help the victims and injured.
He said that the international community also contributed to rescue and reconstruction efforts. When the earthquake took place, the President said he was in Geneva as a diplomat and recalled how in just a day US $ 322 million of donations were collected.
He said that despite this massive setback, today we were again progressing at an unprecedented pace.
This calamity helped us understand our weaknesses and created the well-needed awareness leading to enhanced investment in preparedness and response, he said.
The ceremony was concluded with prayers for the martyrs of the earthquake. The event was also attended by Member AJK Legislative Assembly Chaudhry Shahzad, Senior PML(N) leader Chaudhry Manzoor, Mr. Javed Manan, Mr. Niaz Gillani, theologists, clerics, scholars and a large number of notables of the community.

ISLAMABAD, May 20 (APP):The citizens Sunday urged the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration to take action against those shopkeepers who were displaying unauthorized rate list of fruits and vegetables to mislead the customers in the holy month of Ramadan.
According to them, the shopkeepers were charging their self-generated rates on fruits and vegetables and they were fully violating the ICT administration’s direction about the actual price list.
They said the administration’s teams should pay surprise visits to rein the prevailing phenomena of overcharging being observed in the markets of federal capital.
The public were of the view that the government had taken productive steps by introducing the fixed and affordable rates for fruits, but it was high time to keep an eye on the profiteers who always looked for an opportunity of fleecing the public.
They said such visits of officials concerned in fruit and vegetable markets would help maintaining the prices and ease the worries of buyers in the holy month of Ramadan.
Muhammad Ashraf, a resident of Sector I-9/4 said, “The shopkeepers display fake rate lists just to befool the buyers and get maximum profit.”
He asked the price control committee members of ICT to check the prices of fruits which were sky rocketing despite tall-claims of departments concerned regarding provision of edible items at nominal rates.
Aftab Ahmad, another resident of Sector G-11 said, “I am amazed about the self-made rate list of shopkeepers which is totally contrary to the official one. The shopkeepers are deceiving the citizens who are unaware about the actual rates of fruits and vegetables.”
He said the authorities should remain vigilant over unfair tactics and called for the regular visits in main sectors’ bazaars of federal capital in order to provide a sigh of relief to the general public. He urged the shopkeepers to display actual price list and not to cheat the people.
When contacted, the ICT spokesperson said special committee had been formed for prices control of edible items. He said 20 price checking teams were in the field carrying out inspections in their assigned areas and punishing the violators.
He said the crackdown campaign would continue during the whole month. He informed that the administration had imposed fines amounting Rs140,800 and Rs150,000 on shopkeepers for overcharging on the food items for the first and second consecutive days.
The 13 profiteers had also been arrested on the spot for violation of Pure Food Ordinance, he added.
He said in some areas, the profiteers were found selling substandard food items besides displaying fake rate lists.
Responding to a question he said all such shopkeepers had been clearly directed to display official rate list, otherwise strict action would be taken against them, he added.

LAHORE, May 20 (APP):Former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Sunday presided over a meeting at Jati Umra, in which matters regarding the current political situation of the country came under discussion.
The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and PML-N President and Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif.