ISLAMABAD, Feb 12 (APP):The demise of eminent lawyer Ms Asma Jehangir was a great loss of the country as she always defended the
constitution and Parliament, said Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif Monday.
Speaking on a point of order in National Assembly, he said the father of Asma Jehangir was member of
National Assembly in 1960. She offered unmatched sacrifices for democracy. Asma
severely criticized the dictatorship of General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf. She
raised voice for the down trodden.
National Assembly should adopt a resolution for paying tributes to Asma Jehangir due to her meritorious
services.
Parliamentary Leader of Pakistan Peoples Party Syed Naveed Qamar said
a resolution should be passed to pay tributes to Asma Jehangir.Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
MNA Dr Arif Alvi, MQM’s Shaikh Salahuddin and others also paid tributes to
deceased Asma Jehangir, Qazi Wajid and Army Shuhada.

MULTAN, Feb 12 (APP)::Punjab Governor Malik Muhammad Rafiq
Rajwana said on Monday the government was making sincere efforts
to resolve problems of the people and providing basic facilities
at their door steps through prudent utilization of limited
resources.
Talking to people during his visit to a village in the
suburbs of Multan, the Governor said that development needs
of the people were being met on priority, says an official
release.
To a demand of the people for construction of a railway
underpass to connect union council No 32 with UC-40, Governor
said that he has sought a feasibility report from the
commissioner. He added that the project would be approved and
executed provided engineers did not identify any technical
hurdle. He, however, added that an overhead steel bridge would be
built to facilitate pedestrians in case engineers pointed out any
technical problem.
Notables of the area including Sheikh Saleem, Sheikh Asim,
Malik Naveed Iqbal, Shabbir Ansari, Hafiz Ajmal and others were
present.

ISLAMABAD, Feb 12 (APP):The first wet spell of the current month after a long dry spell gave a sigh of relief to the people eagerly waiting for shower especially those caught by the seasonal and viral diseases.
The scattered rain spell in most parts of the country with snowfall over hills coupled with cold breeze changed mood of the people who preferred to visit recreational and hilly parts of the country rather then their routine engagements.
Mostly attendance in offices and schools was also observed thin while the on-duty staff enjoyed the day with hot beverages and snacks but the low gas pressures also created problems for citizens of twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
Huge rush was witnessed at the eat outlets where mostly youngsters with their friends and families enjoyed fried food items like Pakoras, samosas, fish and hot beverages including soups, tea and coffee etc.
Rainfall recorded on Monday at various parts of the country remained in Khaber Pakhunkhwa at Malamjabba 23mm, Bannu 19mm, Dir 14mm, D.I khan 11mm, Peshawar (A/P10mm, City 06mm), Kohat 10mm,Cherat, Lower Dir, Mirkhani  08mm, Parachinar, Saidu Sharif 07mm, Pattan 06mm, Kalam 04mm, Drosh, Balakot 03mm, Chitral 02mm, Kakul 01mm.Kashmir: Rawalakot 20mm, Garidupatta, Kotli 08mm, Muzaffarabad 04mm, Punjab: Sialkot( A/P17mm, City 16mm), Jhelum, Mangla 15mm, layyah14mm, Bhakkar 12mm, Islamabad (Z.P 10mm), Rawalpindi (Chaklala 09mm, Shamsabad 08mm), Gujrat, Kamra 09mm, Gujranwala 07mm, Murree, Joharabad, Kasur 06mm, Lahore (Punjb University 10mm, A/P 07mm, PBO 06mm),Chkwl, Kot Addu, M.B din 05mm, Sargodha (A/P 05mm, City 02mm), Faisalabad, Bahawalnagar, Sahiwal, Shorkot 04mm, NoorpurThal, Multan 03mm, Bahawalpur (city 02mm, A/P trace), Jhang, T.T Singh 01mm, Balochistan: Zhob 16mm, Kalat 08mm, Quetta (PBO 04mm, SM 02mm), Lasbella 03mm Barkhan 02mm. Sindh: Larkana 01mm.
Whereas the snowfall remained Malamjabba 11 inch, Murree, Ziarat 03 inch, Kalam 02 inch and Rawalakot  01 inch.
The rain spell is expected to be over till Monday night in most parts but cloudy to partly cloudy weather is likely on Tuesday morning, an official of Met office told APP.
He informed that chances of rain in northern areas were forecast for next two days with snowfall over hills but the sky would be clear elsewhere till Tuesday afternoon.

ABBOTTABAD, Feb 12(APP)::Deputy Speaker National Assembly Murtaza Javed Abbassi Monday said the federal government would try every course of action to achieve excellence in education sector on priority basis.
He said this while addressing Prime Minister Laptop scheme distribution ceremony here at Abbottabad University of Science and Technology (AUST).
He said that AUST is his dream institution and he worked hard to bring funds and other facilities for the varsity. The Deputy Speaker maintained that this institution would be the prime University of the Pakistan where thousands of the students would get the knowledge and serve the nation.
He said that federal government professes the responsibility of the higher education and spending a huge amount for the uplifting of education sector.
Addressing the students, the deputy speaker said that whenever you would get a chance to go abroad you would find Pakistani engineers, doctors, and scientists which is a hounour for the nation.
Earlier, deputy speaker distributed 113 laptops amongst the students of AUST in an impressive ceremony held in the university auditorium.
While welcoming the vice chancellor AUST Professor Dr. Iftikhar Ahmed said that without the support of deputy speaker NA university was not able to bring the funds of one billion rupees which is being spent on the construction of academic and administration block.
He further said that now AUST is stabilized and thousands of the students are getting the education of science and technology in various disciplines.

LAHORE, Feb 12 (APP):Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Monday said the government of Pakistan Muslim
League-N won the hearts of people by fulfilling its promises made with them.
The Chief Minister expressed these views while meeting MNA Asadur Rehman MNA and MPA Abdul Rauf.
The overcoming of the energy crisis was a historic achievement of the PML-N government, he said and added the Punjab government had introduced innovative development strategy in education, healthcare, agriculture and other sectors to help improve the quality of life of the people.
The Chief Minister reiterated that public welfare, development and prosperity were a vision of the government, adding that timely completion of development schemes was being ensured.
He said the government was striving for equitable development of every city and town and best treatment
facilities along with high-quality medicines were being provided to the people across the province.
The CM said that Pakistan Kidney & Liver Transplant Institute (PKLI) was providing best treatment facilities of kidney and liver diseases to the patients across the country and most-modern medical equipment had been provided in different hospitals of the province.

LAHORE, Feb 12 (APP):Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Monday said that new standards of development
will be established in Punjab and transparency is being ensured through monitoring of development projects at every level.
He said this while addressing a high-level meeting here on Monday in which progress on annual development programme and ongoing development schemes of different departments was reviewed.
He said that no compromise would be made on the construction standards of development projects.
The Chief Minister issued directions for early completion of the projects and further said that construction of educational institutions should be completed as soon as possible and different projects relating to the sports should be completed in a transparent manner so that the youth could be provided best facilities for taking part in sports related activities.
The meeting was told that first phase of construction of teaching hospitals in four districts was being completed while medical colleges were being set up in four districts in the second phase.
Shehbaz Sharif said, “Transparency in development projects is a hallmark of the Punjab government”.
The provincial government has set up a worth-following example by saving billions of rupees in development schemes, he added.
He said timely completion of public welfare schemes was being ensured and the government was pursuing the policy of ensuring composite development of all the areas.
For the first time in the history of the country, more budget has been allocated for southern Punjab as compared to its population ratio.
CM issued directions that public welfare and fulfilment of the needs of the masses should be given priority while finalizing development schemes and transparent use of funds should be ensured, as well.
No one will be allowed to waste the hard-earned money of the people and violators of the vision of maintaining transparency in development schemes would not be tolerated, he added.

ISLAMABAD, Feb 12 (APP):State Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Pir Muhammad Amin-ul-Hasnat Shah Monday said the ministry intends to introduce a Hajj and Umrah Services Bill in the National Assembly for regulating the Umrah activities.
Responding to a Calling Attention Notice of Ms Naeema Kishwer Khan, Ms Zahra Wadood Fatemi, Ms Surriya Asghar and
Ms Kiran Haider in National Assembly, he said the Umrah services would come under the domain of the ministry after passage of the Bill from Parliament.
Currently, the Umrah services are not being controlled by the Ministry.
Regarding biometric of Umrah Zaireen, he said the Umrah Zaireen of over 45 years and below 12 years of age have been exempted from biometric verification.
He said the company engaged by Saudi Government for conducting biometric verification of Umrah Zaireen, has
enhanced the number of its offices up to 27 in Pakistan for facilitating the Umrah aspirants. The number of offices would be further increased with the passage of time.
Responding to a question, he said no new hajj quota was being granted to Hajj Group Organisers (HGOs).
The ministry has already cancelled hajj quota of all HGOs and hired the services of Chartered Accountant Firm for assessing the performance of HGOs. After the assessment hajj quota would be allotted on merit basis.
He said a total of 47 cases have been filed in various courts for getting stay of Hajj balloting which was
due on January 26.
Ministry had started Hajj arrangement process a month or two earlier for facilitating the Hujjaj but the process was frustrated by stay orders against conducting hajj balloting.

PESHAWAR, Feb 12 (APP):The Election Commissioner (EC), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pir Maqbool Ahmad Monday completed the scrutiny of the nomination papers for general, women and technocrats seats of Senate for the Senate Election 2018.
According to a press release of the ECP issued here, the nomination papers of all six candidates for technocrats and eight for women reserved seats were accepted while on general seats two nomination papers of Ali Khan and Zafarullah Khattak were rejected
due to their absence.
Furthermore, the nomination papers of 18 aspirants for general seats of Senate were also accepted.
According to the Provincial Election Commission appeals against rejection and acceptance can be submitted to Justice Musarrat Hilali, who is heading the Appellate Tribunal till February 15, 2018.

MULTAN, Feb 12 (APP)::Punjab Governor Malik Rafique Rajwana
said that they wanted to see talented youth of Pakistan at par
with youth of the developed countries of the world.
He said this while speaking to a VC BZU, Dr Tahir Amin,
Chairman All Pakistan Bedsheet and Upholstery Manufacturer Association, Syed Aasim Shah, Khawaja Fazil and others who called on him here at Circuit house on Monday.
He informed: “Our area was blessed with capable people
and if given chances, they would prove their skills”.
The governor stated that technology was crying need of
every era, adding that it was advancing with each passing day.
The incumbent govt was utilizing all resources for growth
of vocational education, Rajwana said and added that they
would equip Engineering department of Bahauddin Zakariya
University (BZU) with latest technology and material for
the betterment of the students.
He asked the BZU VC and other stakeholders to give their
recommendations in this connection.

ISLAMABAD, Feb 12 (APP):Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Monday took notice of a news published in the Urdu daily Jang attributing remarks to him and summoned its chief editor and publisher Mir Shakeelur Rahman for a clarification.
The Urdu daily on Monday prominently carried a story on its front page with the headline that CJP wants Shehbaz Sharif to become prime minister.
During the course of proceedings, the chief justice asked when did he express the desire for anyone to be elected as prime minister. Everything would be fixed if the newspaper was shut for four days, he added.
The CJP said the court had already rejected Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah’s statement on the matter.
He directed that a representative of the Jang media group along with its chief editor Mir Shakeelur Rahman should appear in the court Tuesday to clarify the issue.