MULTAN: August 24 –
Workers sorting good-quality potatoes at the vegetable market.
MULTAN: August 24 –
Commuters passing through sewerage water accumulated at Sheikhupura Road near Misaq Ul Mall need the attention of concerned authorities.
FAISALABAD: August 24 –
Dr Iftikhar Bhatti PMA President presents memento to Dr Yusra on Awareness Breastfeeding Seminar.
BAHAWALPUR: August 24 –
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BAHAWALPUR: August 24 – Group photo of participants at the event of Awareness Breastfeeding Seminar.
BISP enhances financial support to alleviate economic hardships for poor families: Rubina Khalid
ISLAMABAD, Aug 24 (APP): Chairperson of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), Senator Rubina Khalid Saturday said that the BISP is providing additional financial support to alleviate the economic difficulties of poor families.
She stated that the program reflects the vision of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto to economically empower the women of Pakistan, a vision she championed even during her exile in Dubai.
Thanks to this program, the most vulnerable women in the country have gained recognition and support, she said.
Senator Rubina Khalid expressed these views during her speech at the women’s Khuli Katcheri in Azakhil Bala, Nowshera, said a news release.
Senator Rubina Khalid urged the women to visit the BISP offices to collect their payments only after receiving a confirmation message from 8171.
She highlighted the importance of having essential documents such as the Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) issued by NADRA and the Form B for children to enroll in the program.
In the event of any deductions, she advised contacting the BISP helpline at 0800-26477 or visiting the nearest BISP tehsil office.
She further mentioned that BISP provides educational scholarships to the children of deserving families under the Benazir Taleemi Wazaif Programme, with a special focus on scholarships for girls.
Additionally, a unique skill development program is being launched to enhance the socio-economic status of deserving women and their family members.
Later, Senator Rubina Khalid visited Tehsil Katlang in Mardan, where she addressed a public gathering.
She shared that, as per the instructions of President Asif Ali Zardari, the scope of the BISP is being expanded to include more deserving households.
She emphasized that the aim is for eligible women to receive their payments with dignity and respect, without any deductions.
Senator Rubina Khalid also announced that BISP has introduced a new banking system to facilitate the payment of funds to deserving women.
Under this system, the services of six banks are being procured to minimize human intervention, ensuring that beneficiaries receive their payments promptly.
She appealed to the public to cooperate with BISP management to ensure that payments are collected transparently and honorably by the entitled women.
People carrying the coffin of martyrs of bus accident in Iran after offering funeral prayers at Zulfiqar Bagh.
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LARKANA: August 24 – A large number of people offering funeral prayers of martyrs of bus accident in Iran at Sheikh G Imam Bargah.
LARKANA: August 24 – Sindh Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah and other offering funeral prayers of martyrs of bus accident in Iran at Shahbaz Air Base Jacobabad. APP/ABB
LARKANA: August 24 – Sindh Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah and other offering funeral prayers of martyrs of bus accident in Iran at Shahbaz Air Base Jacobabad.
LARKANA: August 24 – Relatives mourning in grief during funeral prayers of martyrs of bus accident in Iran on last night late at Shahbaz Air Base Jacobabad.
Monsoon rains expected in Punjab, Sindh from August 26 to 29: NDMA
ISLAMABAD, Aug 24 (APP): The National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) anticipated more rain and thundershower in Punjab and Sindh from August 26 to 29.
“A strong system is active over parts of Sindh and may result in heavy downpour in short duration while in most parts of the Punjab, including the Potohar region, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Sialkot, Sargodha, Faisalabad and Multan isolated rainfalls are expected intermittently from 26 to 29th Aug,” the NDMA news release said.
It added that torrential rains may generate flash flooding in local nullahs, streams and hill torrents of D.G Khan, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Sialkot, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Multan in Punjab province while coastal flooding may occur along Sindh -Makran’s coast and flood may occur in low laying areas of Dadu, Hyderabad, Badin and Shahdadpur district of Sindh.
The NDMA urged all relevant authorities and the public to take necessary precautions to mitigate the potential impacts of flooding and heavy rains.
The NDMA issued instructions to all relevant departments to alert Emergency Response Teams and mobilized resources to ensure a swift response to any arising situations.
The public is advised to remain vigilant and follow instructions from local authorities. NDMA advises the public to stay informed and download ‘Pak NDMA Disaster Alert’ mobile app for timely alerts and closely monitor weather reports.
RDA issues notices to seven illegal housing schemes
RAWALPINDI, Aug 24 (APP):Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has issued notices to the owners of seven illegal housing schemes.
According to RDA spokesman, the Metropolitan Planning and Traffic Engineering (MP&TE) Directorate RDA issued notices to the owners of seven illegal housing schemes namely Gilgit City in mouza Kohala, Mehmood Town (K & M Construction and Developers (Pvt) Ltd. in mouza Misriot, Hamdard City in mouza Dheri, Top View City in mouza Piswal, Wanni in Tehsil Taxila, Green Hurtus in mouza Chakri, illegal Land Subdivision near Gandhara City and Farm Land Estate located in mouza Adyala near DHA, Tehsil and District Rawalpindi for illegally marketing and booking of plots.
The spokesperson informed that the Director General RDA, Kinza Murtaza had directed the MP&TE Directorate to take strict action against illegal advertisements/marketing and First Information Reports (FIRs) should also be lodged against the owners of illegal housing schemes.
He said that the MP&TE Directorate had also advised the citizens not to invest in illegal housing schemes.
The spokesman said, the managements of the illegal housing schemes could not advertise their projects and sale and purchase the plots without prior approval of Authority.
The MP&TE Directorate RDA had directed the owners of illegal housing schemes to stop all kind of development works, advertisements, sale and purchase of the plots. In case of non-compliance of the orders, strict action in accordance with the law would be taken against the rules violators, he added.
The citizens were advised to visit RDA website www.rda.gop.pk to check status of legal and illegal housing schemes, he said.
ANF recovers 129 kg drugs in four operations
RAWALPINDI, Aug 24 (APP):Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) while conducting four operations across the country managed to recover 129 kg drugs worth Rs 700 million and arrested six accused, said an ANF Headquarters spokesman here on Saturday.
He informed that 14.5 kg ice was recovered from a parcel sent to Indonesia from a courier office at Karachi Airport.
105 kg hashish was recovered from a vehicle intercepted near Hyderabad bus stop and three accused were arrested during the operation.
In third operation, 8.4 kg hashish was recovered from two suspects rounded up near a park in Rawalpindi.
In fourth operation, 700 grams hashish was recovered from the possession of an accused arrested in Gadap Town Karachi area.
Cases under the Anti-Narcotics Act have been registered against the arrested accused and further investigations are under process.
Azma says PTI playing victimhood card now
LAHORE, Aug 24 (APP):Information Minister Punjab Azma Bokhari said on Saturday that after the religion and treason cards, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was playing the victimhood card now.
In a statement issued here, she said Imran Khan, in his attempts to get out of jail, sometimes seeks forgiveness from the army and at the other appeals to the British prime minister. And now, he was trying to gain public sympathy by portraying himself as a victim. The differences between his wife and sister have become a topic of discussion in the WhatsApp groups. A power struggle is ongoing between his wife and his sister for controlling the PTI, she added.
The provincial information minister said the PTI could go to any extent to spread chaos in the country. “Nothing can be ruled out when it comes to propaganda by the PTI founder and Bushra Bibi,” she added.
Azma Bokhari said when the PTI founder was the prime minister, he was preparing lists to hang his opponents. She said that today, his wife and sister were spreading propaganda about executions. While in power, they were making plans to wipe out their opponents, and now both husband and wife were afraid of even the shadows of the prison walls, she added sarcastically.
JICA, UNHCR urge educational partners to scale-up “ALPs” to help address education emergency
ISLAMABAD, Aug 24 (APP):Participants at a national education workshop called upon education actors in Pakistan to work together to scale-up Accelerated Learning Programmes (ALPs) to provide education for disadvantaged, over-age, out-of-school children and youth, who missed out or had their education interrupted.
Jointly organized by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the workshop dedicated to accelerated learning was attended by over 80 participants including government officials and education actors from Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, said a press release.
Discussions focused on best practices, as well as opportunities for better coordination and collaboration to address the huge education needs in Pakistan.
Speaking at the occasion, Ms. Philippa Candler, UNHCR’s Representative in Pakistan extended appreciation to the Government of Pakistan for its continued support to refugees and to refugee education. “It is alarming that over 250 million children are out of schools across the world, and 26 million of these are from Pakistan, among them 500,000 refugee children,” she added.
She added that programmes such as the ALP are an essential component in supporting out of school refugee adolescents and youth to access and complete primary education and transition to secondary education, especially girls and young women. Ms. Candler underlined the need for collective efforts and find solutions to improve situation of education in Pakistan for all, and reaffirmed UNHCR’s commitment to support the development of policies and programmes that benefit both refugee and host communities’ children.
Naoaki Miyata, Country Chief of JICA said that Pakistan stands at a critical juncture where 67 percent of its population is under the age of 30. He added that JICA has been focusing on human capital development through enhancing access to quality education and this conference will pave the ways for advocating impactful measures through accelerated education policy in Pakistan to address the out-of-school challenges.
Speaking at the occasion, Sohail Akhtar Malik, Senior Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, highlighted the urgency of the situation, including the declaration by prime minister of an education emergency, and underscored the need for adopting innovative, cost-effective solutions and approaches to provide right to education to out-of-school children especially through digital technology, namely through the acceleration learning programme.
During the workshop, participants also shared good practices and efforts underway to address the education crisis, including Allama Iqbal Open University delivering ALP (Middle-Tech) to around 3,000 children across the country.
Provincial level consultations will now get underway, followed by national technical level discussions in September with a goal to agree on a unified approach to accelerated education, ensuring these programmes are accredited and effectively support children in need, regardless of their status.