ISLAMABAD, Apr 10 (APP): Aftershocks are expected after the severe intensity earthquake of 7.1 at Richter scale which jolted many parts of Khaber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Kashmir and Northern Areas of the country on Sunday afternoon.
Director Earthquake Centre, Pakistan Metrological Department, Zahid Rafih told APP that it was a different earthquake from the previous highest intensity earthquake of 8.1 occurred on October 26, 2015 as its epicenter was towards Tajikistan border in North and North West areas near Waran.
“This is new location and it is expected that land energy would be released in the form of aftershocks”, he said.
Aftershocks expected after current earthquake: Director Met Office
Motor-Boating in Rawal Lake posing threats to visitors' lives
By Waseem Kamboh
ISLAMABAD, Apr 10 (APP): Despite of ban, unabated motor-boating in Rawal Lake is continuously posing serious threats to the lives of visitors besides polluting water.
The operators have set up small boat-yards at Lake View Park’s visitors’ point after breaking the park’s walls in clear violation of rules, while the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has turned blind eye toward the matter.
Dozens of boats including motor, paddle and rowboats can be seen in Rawal Lake without the provision of life jackets to the visitors and other safety measures, which is putting their lives at risk.
People need U-Turn near NUST to safely cross Kashmir Highway
ISLAMABAD, April (APP): A U-turn on Kashmir Highyway,
near NUST institute, will greatly facilitate people who have
to travel about 3-km extra daily, to reach the destinations.
Currently, residents of Sector G-13 tavel upto Toll
Plaza, with an additional 3-km journey on daily basis.
They have passionately appealed to the civic body to
take urgent steps for carving and marking a new U-turn, near NUST institute on Kashmir Highway.
For a distant U-Turn, many vechiles in general and
motorcyclists in particular, violate the traffic rules by
driving in wrong lanes and directions.
Anwar Masood for institutionalization of Mushairas
By Mudassar Iqbal
ISLAMABAD, Apr 10 (APP): Renowned humorous poet Anwar Masood has called upon concerned official quarters to institutionalize the weekly gatherings (Mushairas) of poets of this genre.
This, he told APP in an interview, would be a good mean for the promotion of culture and literature of Pakistan.
He said not only homour-poets’ “Mushairas”, the government should also focus on other cultural and literary activities to give people a respite and diversion from everyday problems.
Severe earthquake jolts multiple cities
ISLAMABAD, Apr 10 (APP): A 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck major cities of the country, including northern areas on Sunday.
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, the
epicenter of the earthquake was Ishkisham, Afghanistan and its focal depth was recorded at 236 kilometers.
Strong shocks were felt in all the major cities of the
country including Lahore, Multan, Sialkot, Faisalabad and
twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
Improved facilities at Benazir Bhutto airport satisfies passengers, public
By Muhammad Atif Noor
ISLAMABAD, Apr 10 (APP): Airports of a country generally portray its reflection to the world and a lot is done across the globe to equip them with state-of-the-art facilities in order to facilitate both local and foreign passengers.
Where the formation of New National Aviation Policy 2015, after 15 years, goes to the credit of the incumbent Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government, it has also done a lot to streamline the airports of the country.
Benazir Bhutto International Airport (BBIAP) of the federal capital speaks well of the endeavors of the government in this regard as the overall management and facilities at the airport have improved considerably during the past three years.
Indian troops firing on LoC; No loss reported: ISPR
ISLAMABAD April 10 (APP): Indian troops on the Line of Control (LoC) resorted to heavy unprovoked firing and shelling in Neza Pir sector late last night.
According to ISPR, Unprovoked firing which started at 2340 hrs last (Saturday) night lasted till 0445 hrs early morning (Sunday).
Pakistan Army troops befittingly responded to Indian unprovoked firing and shelling.
No loss reported so far.
Pakistan expresses deep condolences on Indian temple tragedy
ISLAMABAD, Apr 10 (APP): Pakistan on Sunday expressed its
deep condolences over the loss of lives, consequent to the
breakout of fire in the temple in South Kerala.
“The people and the Government of Pakistan express their
deep condolences on the loss of precious lives, resulting from fire breakout in the temple in South Kerala, India,” the Foreign Office said in a statement.
“Our sympathies are with the bereaved families. We wish
early recovery to all injured people,” it added.
Pakistan urges UN to address International Factors leading to Violent Extremism
ISLAMABAD, Apr 10 (APP): Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Ambassador Tehmina Janjua, urged the global community to address the international factors responsible for the growing threat of violent extremism in a comprehensive manner.
In her address, at Geneva Ministerial-level conference on
Preventing Violent Extremism – A way forward, Ambassador Janjua said that the view that only local factors such as poor governance, lack of human rights and poor socio-economic conditions gave rise to violent extremism was incorrect, said a press release received here Sunday.
She observed that the key drivers of violent extremism were
often international factors such as foreign interventions and
foreign occupation, prolonged and unresolved international disputes, denial of the right of the people to self-determination, xenophobia and Islamophobia in the Western countries.
Candidates for next UN chief to face member states for first time
UNITED NATIONS, Apr 10 (APP): The selection process for a new United Nations Secretary-General, traditionally decided behind closed-doors by the five permanent members of Security Council, will for the first time in the organization’s 70-year history involve public discussions with each candidate campaigning for the world’s top diplomatic post.
Each of the current eight candidates will be formally introduced to the General Assembly “which includes representatives from all 193 Member States, and Observers, the State of Palestine and the Holy See” in three days of informal dialogues beginning on Tuesday. The general public can ask questions through civil society members and social media.
“This is a potentially game changing process,” Mogens Lykketoft, the Assembly’s current President, said.This will be yet another occasion to increase transparency around the whole machinery of the United Nations, through that also the influence of a broader public on what we do here.