HYDERABAD
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HYDERABAD
Butchers busy in slaughtering sacrificial animals at Madrasah Mazahir-ul-Aloom on the 1st day of Eidul Azha
HYDERABAD
Chairman Senate Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani offering Eidul Azha prayers at Musa Pak Darbar
MULTAN
APP47-170624
MULTAN
Five killed in Sheikhupura road mishap
ISLAMABAD, Jun 18 (APP):At least five people were killed after a vehicle collided with their motorcycle in Farooqabad city, near Pandour village, Sheikhupura.
According to Rescue 1122, the incident took place due to overspeeding, a private news channel reported on Tuesday.
The ill-fated family was heading to the Gujjar Pura area of Lahore from Amar Sadhu to meet their relatives on Eidul Adha.
After being informed, police and rescue officials rushed to the site and shifted the bodies and injured to the hospital for medical-legal formalities and treatment, respectively.
Those who died in the mishap were identified as Shahzad, 26, Fiza, 10, Mehak, eight, Faizan, 12, and Sufyan, six.
Karachi Division Admin strives to maintain cleanliness on Eid-ul-Azha
KARACHI, Jun 18 (APP):The administration of Karachi Division is in the field during the days of Eid-ul-Azha to shift the offal of sacrificial animals to dumping points in compliance with the clear orders of Commissioner Karachi Syed Hasan Naqvi.
According to a spokesperson on Tuesday, Commissioner of Karachi Syed Hasan Naqvi issued strict instructions to the Deputy Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners, and their staff of Karachi Division to stay in the field during Eid days and monitor all administrative matters for the convenience of the citizens, especially clearing cattle markets, shopping malls, and areas with traffic jams immediately.
On the 1st day of Eid, the entire divisional administration remained in the field and, following the orders of Commissioner Karachi, supervised the lifting and disposal of the offal of sacrificial animals in their respective districts.
All Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners, in collaboration with the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board and Town Municipal Administration, were monitoring the process of removing and disposing of garbage from the streets in their respective districts.
In this regard, the SSWMB officials briefed Commissioner Karachi that they had made 99 collection points to collect 96,000 offals of sacrificial animals. In the first phase, the animal waste would be delivered to the landfill sites of collection points and GTS.
Commissioner Karachi Syed Hasan Naqvi said, “Deputy Commissioners of all districts are helping SSWMB and Town Administration in all possible ways to remove and dispose of garbage so that the citizens of Karachi can celebrate Eid in a clean environment.”
The Commissioner Karachi gave clear orders to the Deputy Commissioners to be in constant communication with all the relevant institutions, including SSWMB, and if there were any complaints from the public in any district, they should be redressed immediately.
The Deputy Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners, and all the district administrations should supervise the process of lifting and disposing of the animal wastes after the Qurbani in their respective districts, and no negligence would be tolerated in this regard.
Attaullah Tarar grieved over death of mother of senior journalist Rehan Sheikh
ISLAMABAD, Jun 18 (APP): Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National Heritage and Culture Attaullah Tarar on Tuesday expressed deep grief and sorrow over the death of the mother of senior journalist Rehan Sheikh.
In his condolence message, Tarar expressed his heartfelt condolences and sympathy to the family of the deceased.
Tarar said he was really very sad to hear about the death of Rehan Sheikh’s mother and he shared the grief of the bereaved family.
The minister prayed to Allah Almighty to rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant courage to the bereaved family to bear this loss with fortitude.
Pakistan embassy joins over 40 countries, cultural bodies at Lyon Consular festival
PARIS, Jun 18 (APP): The Embassy of Pakistan in Paris joined over 40 countries and numerous cultural associations at the two-day Fetes Consulaires 2024 held in Lyon city of France under the theme of “Art and Culture”.
The embassy officials received Mayor of Lyon Grégory Doucet and his team members at the Pakistan pavilion. He enjoyed the traditional Pakistani drink Rooh Afza and was presented with a hand-made football, according to a press release received on Tuesday.
The mayor appreciated the diverse Pakistani arts, culture, cuisine and music on the display.
The Pakistani pavilion won the hearts of all as the mehndi stall, handicrafts, delicious kebabs and samosas remained the talk of the festival.
The Pakistan embassy also organised a fashion show in collaboration with Naina Khan, a Paris-based Pakistani designer and Komal, a Paris-based Pakistani makeup artist.
The fashion show with Pakistani music in the background enthralled all as it showcased the colourful Pakistani bridal and traditional dresses.
18 die in road accidents across Punjab on first day of Eid
MULTAN, Jun 18 (APP):As many as 18 people died in different road accidents across the province on the first day of Eid ul Azha.
According to Rescue 1122, the rescue team responded to 1903 accidents in Punjab on the first day of Eid and provided first aid treatment to 2089 people.
Most of the accidents were reported in Lahore, where 418 people sustained injuries in 382 different accidents. However, 125 accidents in Faisalabad, 120 in Multan, and 108 in Gujrawala were reported.
On the first day of Eid, 173 incidents of fire occurred in scattered places in the province.
In Lahore, there were 33 incidents of fire. However, fire incidents were also reported in Ralwalpindi, Attock, and Faisalabad.
Rescue 1122 spokesperson Farooq Ahmed urged citizens to contact the department in case of any emergency.
Drive to destroy animal offal under way
SARGODHA, Jun 18 (APP):The cleanliness drive launched by the Metropolitan Corporation Sargodha was in full swing to ensure the best cleanliness arrangements for Eid-ul-Azha.
On the direction of Deputy Commissioner Sargodha and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Metropolitan Corporation Tariq Proya,the cleanliness drive was started under the leadership and supervision of Superintendents concerns .
Assistant Commissioner Sargodha Sara Afzal Tarar,with Municipal staff and officials conducted a thorough inspection of the ongoing cleanliness drive during the second day Eid-ul-Azha. On the occasion, the Assistant Commissioner (AC) said that the cleanliness campaign for Eid-ul-Azha has been started and will continue till all the remains of sacrificial animals were properly disposed of.
All its staff members were here on duty during Eid days,canceled holidays of the entire sanitation and other staff to ensure the timely disposal of animal waste and maintain city cleanliness during the festival,he added.
The standard cleanliness activities will focus on prompt collection, storage, transportation and disposal of animal waste during all three days of the festival, the official said.
He added that that 75 collection points were set up in the city.He urged the people to cooperate with the sanitary workers and dump entrails of the sacrificial animals and offal at specific collection points from where, these could be removed properly.
The official said that the Complaint Center of Metropolitan Corporation will remain open on all days of Eid and the people of urban areas can call the helpline and also visit the main office or sub offices at Union Council level to register their complaints which will be redressed immediately.
Govt tightens belt, eyes revenue boost, expenditure cut to revive economy: Aurangzeb
ISLAMABAD, Jun 18 (APP): Federal Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb on Tuesday reiterated government’s commitment to reduce expenditures and boost revenues as part of a comprehensive effort to strengthen the country’s economy on sustainable grounds.
Addressing a press conference in his hometown, Kamalia, the minister said the federal government would shut down parallel ministries or departments that have been devolved to provinces.
This move is expected to significantly reduce expenditure and improve efficiency, adding, the Prime Minister has already announced the closure of Pakistan Public Works Department, a move that will help reduce the financial burden on the government.
Secondly, the government will privatize state-owned enterprises (SOEs), which have been a significant drain on the national exchequer. The minister cited the example of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), which has a liability of 622 billion that has been transferred to the government. The privatization of SOEs will help reduce the financial burden on the government and improve efficiency.
The minister also announced that airport outsourcing is being completed, with Karachi airport set to be handed over to the private sector by July or August this year, to be followed by L|ahore airport.
The government is committed to reducing losses and burdens on the federal government, and these measures are part of a larger effort to achieve this goal. The minister emphasized that the Prime Minister was personally leading the effort to reduce expenditures and improve efficiency.
On revenue side, the minister emphasized the need to increase the tax-to-GDP ratio from 9.5% to 13% over the next three years, stressing that taxes are essential for running the country.
To achieve this goal, the government has announced revenue measures, including bringing the non-taxable sector into the tax base, gradually eliminating tax exemptions worth Rs3.9 trillion, and rephrasing policies in areas like health and agriculture.
The minister announced that 32,000 retailers have already been registered and will be taxed starting from July 2024, and emphasized the government’s commitment to bringing other sectors into the tax net.
The government is also focusing on compliance, plugging leakages in the system, and implementing an end-to-end digitization system to reduce human intervention, increase transparency, and end corruption. Sales tax automation is a top priority, he remarked.
He reiterated government’s commitment to develop the agricultural sector, saying Rs.41 billion have been earmarked the federal Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) to promote this sector adding government also intends to solarize tube wells, provide loans to small farmers, and develop warehouses to facilitate small farmers. He said, subsidies on fertilizer, seeds and agriculture would continue. He said, banks, including Islamic banks are being pursued to facilitate loans for farmers to help promote this sector.
In the IT sector, the government aims to facilitate freelancers and increase exports from $3.5 billion to $7 billion. He said, an hefty amount has been earmarked in the budget to facilitate IT sector.
The minister assured that the Prime Minister’s recent visit to China was focused on technology transfer, industry development, and enhancing exports, rather than seeking aid.
Overall, the government’s plans aim to strengthen the country’s economy, reduce dependence on aid, and promote sustainable growth through taxes, compliance, and development in key sectors like agriculture and IT.
1.5 mln people benefited central tawaf initiative during hajj season: presidency religious affairs
ISLAMABAD, Jun 18 (APP):Presidency of Religious Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, represented by the General Department of Tawaf Affairs at the Grand Mosque, has provided central Tawaf services to over 1.5 million pilgrims during the 1445 AH Hajj season, setting a new record.
According to SPA this effort was made to improve the Tawaf process, especially with the large number of pilgrims performing the farewell Tawaf.
Program includes Tawaf services, guidance, and field awareness for the pilgrims, ensuring their needs are met and that they perform the Tawaf ritual correctly according to the guidance of Prophet Mohammed.
Hundreds of qualified Saudi youth supervise the program. The central Tawaf program, launched 14 years ago, continuously expands and modernizes through cooperation with partners in the Tawaf service.