Fazlur Rehman excuses from attending Larkana public gathering

Jamit Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has excused to personally attend the death anniversary event of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in Garhi Khuda Bukhsh despite being invited by former president and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari.

On behalf of Fazlur Rehman, a five-member delegation including Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Siraj Ahmed Khan, Abdul Razzaq and Saud Afzal will attend the rally.

On Thursday, Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday had Maulana Fazlur Rehman to attend the death anniversary event of Benazir Bhutto in Larkana on December 27.

The invitation was extended during a telephonic conversation between Asif Ali Zardari and Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) vice-president Maryam Nawaz will reach Sukkur Interchange at 4:00 pm today while travelling by road to arrive in Sindh on a two-day tour.

Maryam Nawaz will address PML-N workers after reaching Sukkur and later she will interact with journalists and address a press conference, sources told ARY News.

The PML-N vice president will depart for Garhi Khuda Bakhsh tomorrow to attend the death anniversary event of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto Late on December 27.

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Karachi to face another cold snap starting Monday

The Meteorological Department has warned the people of Karachi to be prepared for a cold snap from Monday, as temperatures in the metropolis are expected to drop below 10°C.

The Met Office also said that the weather will remain dry and cold during the next 24 hours as well.

The minimum temperature in the city on Saturday was recorded at 10.5°C, while the maximum temperature is expected to be between 26°C and 28°C.

Winds are blowing from the northeast in the port city at a speed of 10-14 kilometres per hour, while humidity is 34%.

A new wave of cold has also been forecast to enter Balochistan from today, due to which cold winds are expected to blow in the northern parts of Balochistan till December 30 and the severity of cold is likely to increase.

The weather department has also issued an alert for rain and snowfall in northern parts of Balochistan for Saturday and Sunday.

According to the Meteorological Department, a series of westerly winds will enter the western parts of the country on Saturday morning and spread to the upper and central parts on Sunday, causing Quetta, Zhob, Ziarat to receive rain and snow.

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Maryam Nawaz to arrive in Sukkur today

Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) vice-president Maryam Nawaz will reach Sukkur Interchange at 4:00 pm today while travelling by road to arrive in Sindh on a two-day tour, citing sources.

Maryam Nawaz will address PML-N workers after reaching Sukkur and later she will interact with journalists and address a press conference, sources told ARY News.

The PML-N vice president will depart for Garhi Khuda Bakhsh tomorrow to attend the death anniversary event of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto Late on December 27.

It may be noted that PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had invited PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz to attend his mother’s death anniversary event at Garhi Khuda Bukhsh, earlier this month.

Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Maryam Nawaz will also hold a meeting at Naudero House on Sunday (tomorrow) and later they will depart for the venue together to attend the Benazir Bhutto’s death anniversary event in Larkana, sources added.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has already arrived in Naudero House ahead of Benazir Bhutto’s death anniversary event. He will stay at Naudero House for three days.

On the other hand, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) supremo Maulana Fazlur Rehman has excused to personally attend the rally in Garhi Khuda Bukhsh despite being invited by PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari.

On behalf of Fazlur Rehman, a five-member delegation including Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Siraj Ahmed Khan, Abdul Razzaq and Saud Afzal will attend the rally.

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Bahawalpur: Seven rare deer die at Bahawalpur zoo

At least seven rare deer of Chital breed died at Bahawalpur zoo due to negligence of the administration, ARY News reported on Saturday.

According to Bahawalpur zoo administration, there were more than 30 deer in the enclosure. A team of veterinary doctors entered the enclosure after the death of seven deer and started treatment of 12 affected deer to save their lives.

The cause of death could not be ascertained, the administration said and added that autopsy of the dead deer is currently underway. Action will be taken against those responsible for the incident.

Earlier this month, another giraffe died at the Peshawar zoo, making it the fourth giraffe to die in the past few months.

According to the zoo deputy director, immediate treatment was provided to the animal but he could not survive. He had said that the giraffe had died due to excessive saliva and diarrhea.

With another death, only two giraffes remain at the zoo, out of the six.

Back in June, a three-year-old giraffe had died at the Peshawar Zoo in mysterious circumstances. Earlier, a giraffe had died on April 17 while a zebra also died in the facility.

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Pakistan records 2,260 new corona infections, 63 Deaths

The statistics of National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has shown that the coronavirus pandemic claims 63 more lives, whereas, 2,260 new infections were reported during the last 24 hours.

In the past 24 hours, 63 more people succumbed to the disease, taking the death toll to 9,816. 1,531 patients have recovered from the virus in a day and 2,357 patients are in critical condition.

According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), with fresh inclusion of the infections in the country the national tally of cases now currently stands at 469,482.

A total of 36,909 tests were conducted across the country during this period. Overall 420,489 people have recovered from the deadly disease so far while 6,523,842 samples have been tested thus far.

As per NCOC statistics, 209,429 cases were reported in Sindh, 135,141 in Punjab, 56,875 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 18,061 in Balochistan, 39,981 in the federal capital Islamabad, 4,847 in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and 8,148 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

3,462 patients have died of coronavirus in Sindh, 3,858 in Punjab, 1,596 in KP, 404 in Islamabad, 181 in Balochistan, 101 in GB and 214 in AJK.
A total of 316 COVID-19 patients are put on ventilators in different medical facilities across the country, whereas, 2,840 patients are currently admitted to 615 hospitals.

 

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All rounder Shadab Khan ruled out of South Africa series

All-rounder Shadab Khan will miss the second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch and the home series against South Africa after being advised a six-week rest following MRI scans confirmed injury to the left thigh.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed this in a statement on Saturday.

Shadab was diagnosed with “high-grade full thickness tear to the Rectus Femoris muscle”, an injury he had sustained during his side’s four wickets victory over New Zealand in the Napier T20I earlier this week.

Sharing details PCB's Dr Sohail Saleem said: “The MRI reports have confirmed it is a fresh injury and not the one that had sidelined him from the Zimbabwe series last month.

“The latest injury will be treated conservatively and Shadab will undergo a six-week rehabilitation programme during which he will have weekly ultrasound scans. After the competition of the six-week period, the medical panel will access and evaluate the injury before making a call on Shadab’s return to competitive cricket.”

The Christchurch Test will be played from 3-7 January, while the two-Test and three T20I series between Pakistan and South Africa will be played from 26 January to 14 February.

Shadab will remain with the side in New Zealand, where he has started his rehabilitation programme under the supervision of the medical team.

 

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MOUNT MAUNGANUI Test: New Zealand continues batting against Pakistan

Fast bowler Shaheen Afridi struck again to end the century partnership of Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor who rescued New Zealand after they lost two quick wickets.

New Zealand were two for 13 before they rallied to be 55 for two at lunch with Taylor on 25 and Williamson on 19.

Ross Taylor rescued the Black Caps after the early scare and scored 70 runs before being caught behind off Shaheen Afridi.

When Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and put New Zealand into bat he said he wanted to take advantage of a green surface offering pace and movement and Afridi immediately obliged.

Tom Latham’s first ball edge went wide of the gully for four, he left the second and the third-ball edge was caught by Azhar Ali at third slip.

Tom Blundell lasted 29 balls but fared little better when he was out for five, caught in the cordon by Yasir Shah to give Afridi his second wicket.
It was a sharp reminder to New Zealand that they faced a potent new-ball attack after they lost the toss twice against the West Indies earlier in the month and won both Tests by an innings.

At the end of the first hour New Zealand were 19 off 13 overs and Afridi had two for 14 while Mohammad Abbas had four maidens in his six over spell.

But a bowling change after the drinks break allowed Williamson and Taylor to bat with more freedom as 17-year-old Naseem Shah and Faheem Ashraf took over the bowling duties.

Williamson, though, had one close call when Shah found an edge only for a diving Shan Masood to put down a difficult one-handed chance.

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Shibli Faraz lashes out at PDM, says alliance trying to 'undemocratically oust elected govt'

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz on Friday said that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) is working on a non-democratic agenda to oust an elected government.

Addressing a press conference along with Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Ali Amin Gandapur, Shibli said that the PTI used all options to address its reservations against the 2013 elections.

The information minister said that the PTI had demanded the recounting of votes in four constituencies, adding that rigging was later proved in all of them.

Shibli said that the Opposition, on the other hand, has not used any platform to prove the allegations that they have levelled against the 2018 elections.

The information minister asked the Opposition to bring forward "any evidence that they have in relation to the alleged rigging in the 2018 elections."

"PTI exposed the Opposition's performance [...] and due to their poor performance, people did not vote for them," he said.

Campaign started after NRO not given

Slamming the 11-party alliance, he said that the PDM started an anti-government campaign after they were unable to get the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) to cover their wrongdoings.

Taking a jibe at PDM cheif Maulana Fazlur Rehman, he said that a campaign has started against the the person who is leading the Opposition to oust Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Faraz said that that Fazl's party members have shown no-confidence in him, adding that there has been a "revolt" in JUI-F.

"Maulana Fazlur Rehman has immersed himself in worldly things," Faraz said, adding that Hafiz Hussain Ahmed and Maulana Sheerani had asked the JUI-F chief to come back on the right path.

Fazl's attitude is like that of a "fascist"

Responding to the expulsion of Maulana Sheerani and Hafiz Ahmed from JUI-F, he said that Fazl's attitude is like that of a "fascist".

Shibli said that the PDM was "falling apart", and that they had "differences within". The information minister claimed that none of them wanted to resign from the assemblies.

The information minister said that it has been "a policy" of the Opposition parties to resort to threats instead of responding to corruption cases, adding that they aim to destabilise a democratically-elected government.

Meanwhile, Gandapur said that Fazl was not above the law and that he should be answerable for his "corruption".

'Dacoit movement'

"Maulana Sherani has also asked questions, he needs an answer," Gandapur said, adding that the JUI-F leader had termed Fazl "selected".

The federal minister asked Fazl why was he threatening the institutions if he was not involved in corruption.

"I will provide more proof of Maulana Fazlur Rehman's property that is worth billions of rupees," he said, adding that the government would not spare him.

The federal minister, speaking more on the expulsion of JUI-F leaders, said that kicking out people from the party is not democracy.

"PDM is a dacoit movement [...] So from now on, it should be termed a dacoit movement," he added.

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Turkey wants better ties with Israel, but its policy towards Palestine is unacceptable: Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday said that his country wishes to establish better diplomatic relations with Israel, but added that Israel's policy towards Palestinians is “unacceptable” and a “red line” for Ankara.

He also said that intelligence talks have resumed between the two sides.

The two countries have had a bitter falling out in recent years, despite strong commercial ties, expelling ambassadors in 2018. Ankara has repeatedly condemned Israel’s occupation in the West Bank and its treatment of Palestinians.

Speaking to reporters after Friday prayers in Istanbul, Erdogan said Turkey had issues with “people at the top level” in Israel and that ties could have been “very different” if it were not for those issues.

“The Palestine policy is our red line. It is impossible for us to accept Israel’s Palestine policies. Their merciless acts there are unacceptable,” Erdogan said.

“If there were no issues at the top level, our ties could have been very different,” he added. “We would like to bring our ties to a better point.”

Turkey and Israel, former allies, expelled each other’s top diplomats in 2018 over clashes when dozens of Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces on the Gaza border. Ankara and Tel Aviv continue to trade with one another.

In August, Israel accused Turkey of giving passports to a dozen Hamas members in Istanbul, describing the move as “a very unfriendly step” which his government would raise with Turkish officials.

Hamas seized Gaza from forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in 2007, and the group has fought three wars with Israel since then. Turkey says Hamas is a legitimate political movement that was elected democratically.

Israel, which has formalised ties with four Muslim countries this year, said on Wednesday it was working towards normalising ties with a fifth Muslim nation, possibly in Asia. Tunisia said on Tuesday it did not intend to normalise ties.

Ankara has slammed the U.S.-brokered rapprochements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco, with Erdogan previously threatening to suspend diplomatic ties with the UAE and withdraw its envoy. It also slammed Bahrain’s decision to formalise ties as a blow to efforts to defend the Palestinian cause.

Palestinians have censured the U.S.-brokered deals, seeing a betrayal of a long-standing demand that Israel first meet their statehood demand. Egypt and Israel established full relations in 1979 and Jordan in 1994.

Israel will hold a snap election in March after parliament failed on Tuesday to meet a deadline to pass a budget.

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IGP Sindh was not abducted: Murtaza Wahab

Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab on Friday said that people should be careful while speaking about Inspector-General Sindh as it is a credible designation, adding that Mushtaq Mehar "was not abducted."

Addressing a press conference in Karachi, Wahab said that PTI MPA Raja Azhar had filed an FIR against Captain (retd) Safdar, adding that the country has a clear-cut law regarding the sanctity of Mazar-e-Quaid and a report in relation to the matter was also submitted before the cabinet.

Wahab said the police had raised a legal point, saying that the application should be submitted to a magistrate instead of police, after which PTI leaders tried to submit another petition but the police rejected it once again.

"Under the circumstances, the attitude of PTI members was inappropriate, Wahab said.

The spokesperson added that the report of the Karachi incident was submitted to the provincial cabinet within 30 days but it was only approved yesterday.

Citing the report, Wahab said that the federal government and PTI leaders "used the incident for politicking."

"They agreed with the police report that the FIR was false, so the court dismissed it," he said.

The spokesperson said that the prayer leader, who was present at the shrine, also told the police that such an incident did not take place.

Speaking further, Wahab said that in the video, it could be seen that several PTI leaders were present at the police station and a key federal minister also reached there to pressurise the police.

Wahab maintained that Sindh would write a letter to the federal government, where they would highlight that PTI leaders had interfered with police work.

"The police came under pressure and registered the FIR, while it was the job of the investigation officer to analyse things and then register the FIR," he said.

Meanwhile, speaking about the census, he claimed that he could prove that the province's population was inaccurately counted and that Sindh would write a letter to the federal government in this regard.

"The federal cabinet makes unconstitutional decisions during Imran Khan's rule," he said.

Moreover, speaking about MQM-P, he said that the party should "leave the government, rather than coming out on the streets."

What did the report state?

A ministerial committee probing the arrest of Capt (retd) Mohammad Safdar Awan found that the Sindh Police was pressurised by the federal government and PTI MPAs to take action against the PML-N leader.

On October 22, the Sindh government had established the ministerial committee to investigate the arrest of PML-N vice-president Maryam Nawaz’s husband after the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) jalsa in Karachi and the "alleged mishandling of the highest level of police”.

The matter was also probed by the armed forces on the directives of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa. After the inquiry, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) announced the removal of some officers of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Pakistan Rangers Sindh from their current assignments for acting “overzealously”.

The Sindh committee on Thursday presented its report before the provincial cabinet. The findings accuse federal ministers and local lawmakers belonging to PTI of pressurising the police into registering a case against Awan for raising political slogans in the premises of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s mausoleum.

The report said hooliganism within the mausoleum is a case whose cognizance should be taken up by a magistrate and not the police. But the police was forced to act due to pressure by the federal government and the PTI MPAs to lodge a case against Awan over a ‘fake complaint’ filed by a person who was not even present at the mausoleum.

The report said matter of Sindh IGP Mushtaq Mahar had already been settled through the action taken by the army chief.

Although the cabinet decided to not make the report public, it would appraise the federal government about the interference of its ministers and PTI legislators in Sindh.

Captain Safdar's arrest

Retired Captain Safdar — Nawaz Sharif's son-in-law and Maryam Nawaz's spouse — was arrested in October by Sindh Police for, among other charges, allegedly violating the sanctity of Quaid-e-Azam's Mazar (also called Mazar-e-Quaid).

The sanctity of the Quaid's Mazar is protected by The Quaid-i-Azam’s Mazar (Protection and Maintenance) Ordinance, 1971, which explicitly forbids political activities within the premises of the mausoleum.

"No person shall organise, convene or take part in any meeting or demonstration or procession or engage in political activity within the premises of Quaid's mausoleum or within a distance of ten feet from the outer boundary thereof," reads the law on the matter.

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MQM will take a stand against govt regarding 2017 census: Siddiqui

The Muttahida Quami Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) on Friday said it has decided to "take a stand" against the PTI-led government while reiterating its demands regarding the 2017 census.

Speaking on the issue, MQM-P leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said that his party has decided to reach out to the people of Karachi and other urban areas of Sindh to seek their opinion regarding a future course of action.

"MQM voters reside in several areas [population blocks] of Karachi, but their number was shown to be zero in the controversial 2017 census," he claimed.

"The government must answer why they are not doing anything to address our concerns despite having the constitutional option to do so?" he asserted.

He said that the MQM wants to show to the government that Sindh's urban areas were the biggest victim of the 18th Amendment.

"The 18th Amendment was a farce," he said. "The last census was conducted after a gap of eight years, I guess the next one will also take place with a gap of eight years," he said.

The remarks follow a Thursday press conference in Islamabad during which Siddiqui had claimed that the population of Sindh's major cities was shown to be 25% less than the actual count in the 2017 census.

"Our doubts related to the inaccuracy of the 2017 census have proven to be true now," he had said. "We had gone to courts to register our concerns even before the census had begun."

Siddiqui's comments came after the federal cabinet on Wednesday authorised the submission of the Sixth Population and Housing Census 2017 report for final approval before the Council of Common Interests.

The cabinet also decided to bypass an agreement with parliamentary leaders of the Senate to correct controversial results through a recount of the population in 5% randomly selected population blocks.

"We demand the government form a judicial commission to probe the rigged census," Siddiqui had said.

"Right now, we are standing with the government, but we also have the option to part ways because we cannot protest against the government while staying in a coalition with it."

He had also said that the option to cooperate with the government has ended after the cabinet's approval of the controversial census, adding that the "census is a matter of life and death to [the people of Sindh's urban centres]."

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UK, EU reach post-Brexit trade agreement

Just a week before the deadline, Britain and the European Union struck a free-trade deal on Thursday that should avert economic chaos on new year’s day and bring a measure of certainty for businesses after years of Brexit turmoil.

Once ratified by both sides, the agreement will ensure Britain and the 27-nation bloc can continue to trade in goods without tariffs or quotas after the UK breaks fully free of the EU on Jan 1.

Relief was palpable all around that nine months of tense and often testy negotiations had finally produced a positive result.

The Christmas eve breakthrough was doubly welcome amid a coronavirus pandemic that has left some 70,000 people in Britain dead and led the country’s neighbours to shut their borders to the UK over a new and seemingly more contagious variant of the virus spreading in England.

“We have taken back control of our laws and our destiny,” declared British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who posted a picture of himself on social media, beaming with thumbs up.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said it was a long and winding road, but “we have got a good deal to show for it”.

She added: “It is fair, it is a balanced deal, and it is the right and responsible thing to do for both sides.”

The 27 EU countries and the British and European parliaments still need to vote on the agreement, though action by the European body may not happen until after the Jan 1 breakup. Britain’s parliament is set to vote on Dec 30.

France, long seen as Britain’s toughest obstacle to a deal, said the uncanny steadfastness among the 27 nations with widely varying interests was a triumph in itself.

“European unity and firmness paid off,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in a statement.

And German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that unity will now probably result in all the EU nations backing the deal: “I am very optimistic that we can present a good result here.”

It has been over four years since Britons voted 52% to 48% to leave the EU and in the words of the Brexiteers campaign slogan take back control of the UK’s borders and laws.

It took more than three years of wrangling before Britain left the blocs political structures last January. Disentangling the two sides economies and reconciling Britain’s desire for independence with the EU’s aim of preserving its unity took months longer.

The devil will be in the detail of the 2,000-page agreement, but both sides claimed the deal protects their cherished goals. Britain said it gives the U.K. control over its money, borders, laws and fishing waters and ensures the country is no longer in the lunar pull of the EU.

Von der Leyen said it protects the EUs single market and contains safeguards to ensure Britain does not unfairly undercut the blocs standards.

If Britain were to quit the EU with no agreement governing trade, the two sides would reinstate tariffs on each other’s goods.

Johnson’s government acknowledged that a chaotic no-deal exit or a crash-out, as the British call it would probably bring gridlock at the country’s ports, temporary shortages of some goods and price increases for staple foods. The turmoil could cost hundreds of thousands of jobs.

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Upbeat Rizwan vows Pakistan will compete hard in NZ Tests

Skipper Mohammad Rizwan has pledged that Pakistan will not get cowed down during their two-match Test series against New Zealand, while expressing optimism that the expected green-top wouldn’t put the tourists in a state of anxiety despite the forced absence of batting ace Babar Azam who is nursing an injured thumb.

The doughty wicketkeeper-batsman, who will become the country’s 33rd Test captain — and the sixth designated wicket-keeper after Imtiaz Ahmed, Wasim Bari, Rashid Latif, Moin Khan and Sarfaraz Ahmed to do the honour for Pakistan — when he leads out the side in the first Test at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Saturday, told reporters during a virtual media conference on Thursday that he relishes challenges coming his way by leading from the front.

“There’s nothing better than being competitive in any sport we all play and our four-hour practice session at the Bay Oval today [Thursday] Alhamdulillah went very well and the players trained with spirit and intensity required for the Test match,” Rizwan said. “The Test team was joined by members of Pakistan Shaheens side, which was a blessing in disguise and all of us went through the drills [of batting, bowling and fielding]. The players have gelled very quickly, which is good for the team harmony and the overall camaraderie.”

Rizwan conceded the fact that the untimely injury to Babar, who fractured his right thumb during practice in Queenstown on Dec 13 and was due to lead Pakistan for the first time in a Test match, has certainly deprived Pakistan of a world-class batsman.

“Obviously, losing Babar for the entire T20 series and now the first Test is a massive blow for the team. There is no doubt about his status as one of the best batsmen in world of cricket. But we are hopeful that whoever replaces him in the playing eleven on Saturday will put his hands up because representing the country is one chance he must make full use of,” Rizwan hoped. “It’s never easy to find replacement at such a short notice for a player of Babar’s stature. And despite being injured, Babar is turning up at our practice sessions and encouraging the players and telling them not to get disheartened which surely shows how serious he is about for the welfare of our team. His words mean a lot for all of us.,” observed Rizwan.

He downplayed the impression of Pakistan — who have also been depleted by the unavailability of Shadab Khan (who led the side during the T20 series) and opener Imam-ul-Haq through injuries for the opening Test — feeling the heat against a New Zealand Test side which is formidable in their own backyard with an impressive track record.

In the only Test played in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand hammered England in November 2019 by an innings and 65 runs on the back of sterling efforts from left-arm fast bowler Neil Wagner (eight wickets in Test) and wicket-keeper B.J. Watling’s career-best knock of 205.

“We don’t need to read too much really what they [New Zealand] have in store for Pakistan. We had a good look at the pitch today and found the strip fully covered at the top. The lush exterior is a clear indication that it would be a green-top Test match pitch,” Rizwan remarked in a confident tone. “Our job is to go out and perform as well as we are capable of and if New Zealand have the luxury of fielding a world-class seam-bowling attack like [Trent] Boult, [Tim] Southee and Wagner, then our bowlers certainly have the capacity and firepower to create a lot of problems for their batsmen.

“Why should we fear New Zealand bowlers because our batsmen, too, have been playing on green-tinged pitches back home. You get similar sort of pitches that we have seen here [in New Zealand] at places like Abbottabad, Peshawar, Rawalpindi and Sialkot.

“I promise our fans that we will be going all out, and will not get under pressure by playing aggressive cricket to put New Zealand on the back foot. Insha’Allah that would be our prime objective and that’s how I play cricket.”

The 28-year-old Rizwan — who will be appearing in just his 10th Test after debuting against New Zealand at Hamilton in November 2016 when the then captain and current head coach Misbah-ul-Haq was slapped with a one-match suspension and fined for a slow over-rate offence — observed the pressure on him had considerably eased after he masterminded Pakistan to victory in Tuesday’s final Twenty20 International in Napier with a career-best 89 at McLean Park.

“It’s always nice to make a winning contribution for Pakistan. I felt in good nick throughout that [T20] series. It was just that our plans were not executed in the way we wanted. But having said that, Alhamdulillah I would say the victory in the last T20 has definitely given us a big boost for the Test series,” he asserted. “Personally, I am feeling a lot more confident now because it is a great honour to be asked to captain your country in a Test match.

“I’m also fortunate to observe how Sarfaraz [Ahmed] went about his job as Pakistan captain. He’s has always been supportive to me and is ever willing to boost me up. Personally I would consider myself extremely lucky to get the opportunity as an understudy [to Sarfaraz] when he was well established in the Pakistan side. I’ll fully acknowledge Sarfaraz’s immense services for the country. And that I learnt a lot and grew up as a player by sharing the dressing room with him. No doubt, he has led Pakistan with distinction and I’ll always cherish his company.”

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PSL may be limited to Karachi, Lahore due to Covid-19

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is considering a proposal to limit the next edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) to two venues, Karachi and Lahore, due to the prevailing Covid-19 situation, it has emerged.

According to sources, though it was not an approved option but most likely that all the 34 matches of PSL 2021 would be staged in Karachi and Lahore, with both the cities hosting equal number of games. Karachi will host the first 17 matches while the remaining 17 games will be held in Lahore.

Last year, the PCB organised all 34 matches of PSL in Pakistan for the first time since the inception of the league in 2016, and games were staged at four venues -- Karachi, Multan, Rawalpindi, and Lahore.

The PCB has planned to also use Peshawar as the fifth venue for the 2021 PSL edition, but the disturbing Covid-19 situation across the country is forcing the Board to keep the action to only two cities as a precaution against the pandemic.

However, holding 17 matches in one city may hit the popularity of the league and will put extra workload on law enforcement agencies of providing security non-stop for 15 days.

At least Multan or Rawalpindi should be included to hold 11 matches in Karachi and Multan/Rawalpindi each in a row and the remaining 12 matches including the final in Lahore.

Being situated between Karachi and Lahore, though Multan can be a viable third venue, shortage of quality hotels there may create logistical problems as providing accommodation to six teams and their supporting staff would not be easy. But this is not the problem in Rawalpindi.

After studying all options regarding venues, the PCB will put this proposal before the owners of six PSL franchises in order to take a final decision.

Meanwhile, according to a PCB spokesman, all the franchises have cleared their dues to become eligible to field their teams in the 2021 PSL scheduled for February-March.

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There is no time left to conduct another census: Imran Ismail

The PTI government on Friday moved to address the reservations of the MQM-P over the approval of controversial results of Census 2017 and assured to address them.

Sindh Governor Imran Ismail said the MQM-P is an important ally of the PTI and added that "there's an excellent understanding" between the two. "The concerns expressed by the MQM-P are genuine and were raised by some PTI members as well," he said. "Other parties have also objected to it."

It may be noted here that both MQM-P and PPP had expressed reservations over the census results and its approval.  Governor Ismail stressed the ruling coalition will remain intact and the government will address the issue. He explained that the federal cabinet had approved census keeping in view the upcoming local bodies polls.

"There is no time left to conduct another census," he said. "So, the government will repeat the exercise in 2022 before the next general elections and remove all discrepancies in the method to ensure transparency. "

The statement comes after MQM-P leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said the federal cabinet accepted the 2017 census results despite coalition partner's reservations. "Census is a matter of life and death.

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Missing nine-year-old found dead in Mardan

The body of a nine-year-old student, who went missing on Thursday at around 4:00 pm, was recovered from an irrigation canal on Friday morning in Mardan.

The deceased was identified as Muhammad Ismail s/o Mumtaz, a student of Class-III, who went missing on Thursday evening. He was the resident of Katlang Tehsil of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Mardan city.

After his sudden disappearance, the family members and neighbours continued efforts for the whole night to search him, however, they failed to find him. Later, Ismail’s body was recovered from an irrigation canal on Friday morning (today). The dead body was shifted to the hospital for post-mortem in order to ascertain causes of his death.

 

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MQM-P Amir Khan tests positive for coronavirus

Senior Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Amir Khan has tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

After being diagnosed with the COVID-19, Amir Khan has quarantined himself at his residence and has appealed masses and the party workers to pray for his recovery.

The second wave of the COVID-19 has claimed several lives of people belonging to various walks of life including, journalists, politicians, and judges, and others.

On November 30, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader and former provincial minister Sindh Muhammad Adil Siddiqui died due to complications caused by the novel coronavirus.

Adil Siddiqui who had arrived in Islamabad earlier this month was admitted to hospital after contracting coronavirus. The politician was on a ventilator at a private hospital in Karachi, where he was pronounced dead by the medical team.

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Blast reported at a bank in Karachi's Paposh area

A mysterious explosion has taken place inside a bank in Paposh area of Karachi which damaged the shutter and cracked window glasses of the building.

Rescue officials reached the site after a mysterious explosion rocked a bank on Friday. The bank was closed following a public holiday today.

Heavy contingents of police and Rangers immediately rushed to the site. The security officials cordoned off the area and commenced investigating into the incident.

SSP Murtaza Tabassum said the blast occurred inside the bank. "A vehicle and two motorcycles were also damaged due to the blast intensity. He added that the Bomb Disposal Squad had also arrived at the scene and the nature of the blast was being assessed. 

 

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Pakistan issues notices to Google and Wikipedia for disseminating sacrilegious content

Pakistan issues notices to Google and Wikipedia for disseminating sacrilegious content

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on Friday issued notices to tech giant Google and online encyclopedia Wikipedia for disseminating sacrilegious content through the platforms. 

 

 

 

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Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch sold for knockdown price

Michael Jackson’s famed Neverland Ranch in California has finally sold, more than 10 years after the death of the pop star.

Billionaire investor Ron Burkle, a former family friend of Jackson, recently bought the sprawling 2,700 acre (1,100 hectare) estate, his spokesman said on Thursday.

The Wall Street Journal said the estate, which was renamed Sycamore Valley Ranch several years ago, sold for $22 million according to public records. In 2015, the asking price was $100 million and in 2017 it was re-listed for $67 million.

Burkle’s spokesman said the businessman saw the investment as a land banking opportunity. He spotted the estate from the air while looking at another location and contacted Tom Barrack, the founder of real estate investment company Colony Capital LLC, to seal the sale. The ranch was off the market at the time.

Jackson, who died from an overdose of the anesthetic Propofol in 2009 at age 50, bought the property in Los Olivos, about 120 miles (193 km) north of Los Angeles, in 1988 for $19.5 million. After financial troubles, in 2008 he handed over the title to Colony Capital LLC, which held a loan on the property.

Neverland, a name taken from the “Peter Pan” tale of a boy who refused to grew up, became Jackson’s favorite retreat and famously featured a zoo, a railway and theme park rides.

It also was where he entertained children, one of whom brought molestation charges against the singer that resulted in a 2005 trial and Jackson’s acquittal on all charges. Jackson vowed never to return to Neverland after the trial.

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Discipline shall always remain guiding principles of our great nation: COAS Bajwa

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has said no power on earth can undo Pakistan.

In his message in connection with the birth anniversary of the founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, he said the nation is celebrating Quaid Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s anniversary with great reverence and commitment upholding his message of hope, courage and confidence.

The COAS said Unity and Discipline shall always remain guiding principles of our great nation.

145th birthday anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah is being celebrated with traditional zeal across the country.

The day dawn with the recitation of the Holy Quran at the mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam in Karachi. A number of events, including seminars, debates and exhibitions, are being held both at official and civil society levels to highlight life, achievements and different aspects of the personality of the Quaid.

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Private Schools Threaten To Go Against Govt If Schools Remain Shut

President All Pakistan Private School Federation (APPSF), Kashif Mirza has said that as many as 10,000 private schools have been closed in Pakistan thus so far.

Mirza said that 20,000 private schools would be closed if the academic year commences from September.In his tweet, he announced that a long march would be staged if schools are not reopened on 11 January as per the education ministers’ decision.

He said due to the closure of schools as many as 10 million children have left the schools. Meanwhile, an inter-provincial education ministers conference slated for December 30 (Wednesday) has been postponed and rescheduled for Jan 4.

Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood will be chairing the meeting in the first week of the next month. On November 23, the federal government had announced to shut all educational institutions from November 26 to December 24 due to a spike in COVID-19 cases.

“It has been decided to close all educational institutions across Pakistan from November 26 till December 24. Winter vacations would start from December 25 to January 10,” Shafqat Mahmood had announced at a press conference after a meeting of inter-provincial education ministers.

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3.9 magnitude earthquake jolts Sibi and adjoining areas

A mild earthquake hit Balochistan’s Sibi city and its adjoining areas on Friday .No casualty or damage was reported.

The National Seismic Monitoring Centre said that the intensity of the quake was recorded 3.9-magnitude at Richter scale. The depth of the earthquake was recorded 10 kilometres with the epicentre of 88 kilometres off northeast.

Earlier in November, A 5.1 magnitude earthquake had jolted Balochistan capital Quetta and adjoining areas.

According to Pakistan’s National Seismic Monitoring Centre, the depth of the quake was recorded 38 kilometres while the epicentre 38 kilometres in the west of the Balochistan capital.

The tremors were felt in Quetta, Pashin, Harnai and its suburban parts.

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2 UK returned passengers test positive for coronavirus in KP

Two people, who recently returned from the United Kingdom, have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

KP Health Secretary Imtiaz Hussain Shah said a total of 149 passengers have recently arrived in the province from Britain. The government has traced 44 people and 32 of their contacts.

Another 54 passengers have been identified across seven districts including Peshawar, Swabi and Nowshera. The district administration has been tasked to trace them.

The government has been unable to trace 46 people because they provided incorrect residential address. “In the first batch of testing, four people tested negative while results of 25 passengers are awaited,” the health official said.

The SARS-CoV-2 was identified in two passengers who have been quarantined. One of the patients has been identified in Peshawar while the other is in Abbottabad. Shah said further tests will be conducted at the National Institute of Health in Islamabad which will determine the nature of the strain.

The new strain, referred to by some experts as the B.1.17 lineage, is not the first variant of COVID-19 pandemic, but it is said to be up to 70% more transmissible than the previously dominant strain in the UK.

After the British government officially announced detection of the mutation, many countries, including Pakistan, have imposed travel bans on the UK. Pakistan announced its updated standard operating procedures (SOPs) for travel restrictions imposed on inbound travelers from the United Kingdom, after cases of a highly new infectious strain of the coronavirus rose across the European country.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announced Tuesday that Pakistani passport holders who have been issued the Business, Visitor or Transit visas by British authorities can return to the country provided they show a negative PCR test.

The test, however, must have been taken 72 hours prior to the start of their travel to Pakistan, said the aviation authority. It may be noted here that the Ministry of National Health Services dismissed rumours that the new strain, identified in Britain, has been detected in Pakistan.

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Russia sets records for coronavirus cases, deaths

Russia on Thursday registered record numbers for daily infections and deaths from the coronavirus, as the country avoids reimposing a nationwide lockdown.

Health officials reported 29,935 new infections, bringing the country’s caseload to 2,963,688  the fourth-highest in the world.They also registered 635 deaths, increasing total fatalities to 53,096 since the beginning of the pandemic.

Russia’s death rate is much lower than that of other badly hit countries, raising concerns that authorities could be downplaying the scale of the outbreak. Data published by the country’s statistics service earlier this month indicated excess deaths of nearly 165,000 year-on-year between March and October, suggesting virus deaths could be much higher.

Officials on Wednesday also registered a record number of new infections in the capital Moscow, the epicentre of Russia’s outbreak. The records came after officials said that Russia does not need to reintroduce a nationwide lockdown like the one at the start of the pandemic in the spring.

During his annual end-of-year press conference last week, President Vladimir Putin rejected the idea of imposing the kind of lockdown many European countries have introduced going into the Christmas holidays. “If we follow the rules and demands of health regulators, then we do not need any lockdowns,” Putin said.

Although stringent restrictions have been imposed in some major cities, authorities in many regions have limited measures to requiring mask-wearing in public spaces and reducing mass gatherings.

Many Russians however flout social distancing and mask-wearing rules and in recent weeks the outbreak has overwhelmed underfunded hospitals in the regions. Instead of a lockdown Russia has pinned its hopes on its homemade vaccine, Sputnik V — named after the Soviet-era satellite.

The capital has launched a mass vaccination drive starting with those in high risk groups, including teachers, health and transport workers. But Russians have so far been slow in getting the jab.

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U.S. will require negative COVID-19 tests for all UK passengers - CDC

The U.S. government will require all airline passengers arriving from the United Kingdom to test negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours of departure starting Monday amid concerns about a new coronavirus variant that may be more transmissible.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in a statement that all airline passengers arriving from the UK must test negative in order to fly to the United States. The decision was a turnaround after the Trump administration told U.S. airlines on Tuesday it was not planning to require any testing for arriving UK passengers.

The decision follows the emergence of a highly infectious new coronavirus variant in Britain that has prompted many countries to shut their borders to travelers from there.The British Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment late on Thursday.

Earlier on Thursday, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines said they were requiring all passengers on flights from the United Kingdom to the United States to present a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of departure.

The CDC said late on Thursday passengers must test negative via either a PCR or Antigen test. The CDC said “viruses constantly change through mutation, and preliminary analysis in the UK suggests that this new variant may be up to 70% more transmissible than previously circulating variants.”

The CDC noted that in March President Donald Trump suspended entry of nearly all foreign nationals who visited the United Kingdom in the past 14 days, which has reduced air travel to the U.S. from Britain by about 90%.

Under the new policy, passengers departing from the UK for the United States must provide written documentation of their laboratory test result (in hard copy or electronic) to the airline, the CDC said. Airlines must confirm negative test results for all passengers before they board. If passengers choose not to take a test, the airline must deny boarding.

The CDC said the order will be signed on Friday and is effective Monday.
Delta’s policy, expanded from its decision on Monday to require the screenings on UK flights to New York’s JFK Airport, is effective Dec. 24, while United’s requirement begins Dec. 28.

On Monday, the three airlines that fly from London to JFK Delta, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic - agreed to a request from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo that they screen passengers from Britain.U.S. airlines have already drastically scaled back flying to the United Kingdom, as well as the rest of Europe.

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Nation celebrates Quaid-e-Azam’s birth anniversary

The nation is celebrating the birth anniversary of the Founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, today with all the traditional zeal and fervour.

Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was born on December 25, 1876, in Karachi. The birthday is a public holiday and the national flag is hoisted on principal government buildings throughout the country.

The day dawned with special prayers for the security, progress, and prosperity of the country. Special events are arranged on the day to highlight and promote ideas and views of the Quaid-e-Azam.

Various activities will be held in government and private organisations to shed light on Quaid-e-Azam’s lifelong political struggle and his guiding principles of unity, faith, and discipline. The celebrations would be aimed at educating the youth about the Quaid’s vision and Pakistan’s ideology.

A change of guard ceremony took place at the Mazar-e-Quaid during which Pakistan Military Academy Kakul cadets took over guard duties from the Pakistan Air Force.

Several people from all walks of life would visit the tomb to pay tribute to Quaid-e-Azam for the services he rendered for the creation of a separate homeland for the Muslims of the sub-continent.

A lawyer and politician, Jinnah served as leader of the All-India Muslim League from 1913 until Pakistan’s independence on 14 August 1947, then as Pakistan’s first Governor-General until his death September 11, 1948.
President Dr Arif Alvi while paying rich tribute to Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah for his role in the creation of a separate homeland for Muslims of the sub-continent has reaffirmed the nation’s pledge to follow his ideals to make Pakistan a strong and prosperous country.

The president said Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah propounded the two-nation theory, championed the rights of minorities, and declared that members of every community will be treated as citizens of Pakistan with equal rights, privileges and obligations and that minorities will be safeguarded and protected.

“Today, we reaffirm our commitment to building a state that respects the diversity of its people and provides equal opportunities to its citizens irrespective of their religion, caste, creed or colour,” he added.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan, while paying rich tribute to Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah for his role in the creation of Pakistan, has urged the nation to pay a befitting homage to “our great Quaid” by following his footsteps in all walks of lives.

The prime minister said that in the modern history of mankind, there were a few people who garnered such wide popularity as our Quaid did. “He is a role model not merely for us but Muslims of the whole world because of the universal vision he instilled in the creation of Pakistan.

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Wishing all our Christian citizens a very Happy Christmas: PM IK

Christian community in Pakistan and around the world is celebrating the Christmas today.Special prayers are being held in churches across the country with the Christian community.

Both President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan felicitated the Christian community and observed that Jesus Christ as a Messenger of Allah is venerable not only to Christians but also to Muslims.

"All citizens of the country enjoy the freedom of religion and worship under the constitution," said President Alvi

Meanwhile, PM Imran in his message said the government is dedicated to preserve the sanctity of existence and equality of opportunities enjoyed by all Pakistanis including minorities.

"Minorities are actively contributing to the development and prosperity of the country without any hindrance," said PM Imran

PM Imran also wished the a Happy Christmas to the Christian citizens of the country on twitter as well and urged them to observe COVID-19 SOPs.

"Wishing all our Christian citizens a very Happy Christmas. Please stay safe by observing COVID 19 SOPs," said PM Imran.

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Pakistan records 2152 new corona cases, 85 deaths in last 24 hrs

The novel coronavirus has claimed more 85 lives and infected 2,152 people during the past 24 hours,reported on Friday.

According to the data released by National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), 85 more people succumbed to coronavirus in the past 24 hours, taking the death toll to 9,753. 1,824 patients have recovered from the virus during the last 24 hours and 2,382 patients are in critical condition.

The total count of active cases currently stands at 38,511.

According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), with fresh inclusion of the infections in the country the national tally of cases now currently stands at 467,222.

A total of 39,435 tests were conducted across the country during this period. Overall 418,958 people have recovered from the deadly disease so far while 6,482,889 samples have been tested thus far.

On Thursday, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on National Health Services Dr Faisal Sultan had there was no evidence of new Covid-19 strain SARS-COV-II incidence in Pakistan.

Responding to claims attributed to Dr Atta-ur-Rehman who heads the prime minister’s task-force on science and technology, SAPM Sultan had said Dr Rehman did not support his claims with evidence.

He said the medical sector is now replete with charlatans and quacks who believe in sham practices rather than scientific evidence.

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Islamabad United bids adieu to Misbah due to his commitments with national side

Islamabad United (IU) on Thursday bid farewell to Misbahul Haq as their head coach due to the latter's commitments with the national team and the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) conflict of interest rules.

In a statement, the Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise said that Misbah's contract, which had expired earlier, will not be renewed.

The seasoned cricketer — who stepped down as the chief selector earlier in October to focus solely on coaching — was the captain of two IU teams that had won the league in 2016 and 2018. He was appointed head coach of the franchise in Dec 2019.

In the statement, the team thanked the cricketer for his association with the franchise and wished him the best in his current role with the national team.

Commenting on the news, Misbah said that he had an attachment to IU and the relationships built over the past five years. "But with back to back World T20s coming up, I want to focus on the PSL from a purely neutral perspective.

"For anyone involved in Pakistani cricket, their national commitments should always be the priority, and for that I believe I will have to sacrifice my franchise commitments," he said in comments posted to the franchise's website.

"I wish the best of luck to Islamabad United for PSL 6, and the foundation we have built in that franchise will hopefully be a ladder to success for them for this year and future PSLs to come.”

Meanwhile, Ali Naqvi, the owner of the franchise, said: "Misbah has been an integral part of IU since being picked in the draft of PSL Season 1 in December 2015, and has been instrumental in making us the most successful team of the league.

"[The team] will miss his experience, guidance and wisdom but we respect the constraints of the PCB’s new rules and his commitments to the national side. We wish him the best in his professional as well as personal life," he said.

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Govt talks about improved economy but people are committing suicide: Bilawal

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday said that while the PTI-led government is busy making tall claims about improved economic indicators, people are committing suicide because of poverty.

He was addressing a press conference after the inauguration ceremony of the Malir Expressway in Karachi, during which he said that Pakistan is even lagging behind Afghanistan and Bangladesh in terms of gross domestic product (GDP).

Shedding light on woes of the common man, Bilawal said that people are slapped with hiked electricity and gas bills, but they do not get an adequate supply of electricity or gas in their houses.

"What solutions do you have for the masses? What are you even doing for them," Bilawal questioned Prime Minister Imran Khan. "The PM only says 'what can I do' whenever the country finds itself in crises."

He added: "When Kashmir was attacked, the PM said 'what can I do?' People are suffering from extreme poverty and inflation, and the premier continues to say 'what can I do'."

The PPP chairman went on to say that PM Imran Khan should resign from his position and go home if he does not have the solution to Pakistan's problems.

"We are the ones who know how to solve people's problems because we steered Pakistan away from crises [in 2008] when the entire world was struggling with a global recession," Bhutto-Zardari claimed. "We did not abandon the masses even during the most critical situation in history."

Speaking about the initiatives the PPP government took during its tenure, Bilawal said that the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) alleviated the conditions of the people and helped them fight poverty.

"We even gave increments to people on their salaries and pensions despite the national kitty being empty at the time," he maintained. "We even increased the Pakistan Army's salary by 175 %, which had been unprecedented in the country's history."

Bilawal warned that if the ongoing situation continues, it would become impossible for the government to control the wrath of the masses.

Speaking about Balochistan, he said that "the region where gas is produced is itself deprived of gas supply."

"People of Karachi cannot light their stoves, how would they contribute to the economy?"

The PPP chairman also shed light on the ongoing issue of his party members' resignations from the national and provincial assemblies, saying that all PPP MPAs and MNAs have already submitted their resignations to him.

"I know how each and every member is being pressurised to retract their decisions. Do not treat my people like this," he said. "I know who is doing this, so don't compel me to expose you."

"You cannot blackmail civil servants," he said.

Developmental projects in Sindh

Elaborating on the different developmental projects that the Sindh government introduced in the province, Bilawal Bhutto said that the ruling PPP — with the help of public-private partnership — completed and initiated more projects in the province than the Centre and all other provinces combined.

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Education ministers to meet on next month to discuss reopening schools: Mahmood

Education ministers from all provinces of the country will meet on January 4 to review the coronavirus pandemic situation and decide on when schools and other educational institutes should be reopened.

This was said by Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood on Thursday as he was responding to media queries about the government's future course of action regarding educational institutes.

His comments came after Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani said that it is unlikely that schools would be allowed to reopen under the prevailing circumstances.

The Inter-Provincial Education Ministers Conference (IPEMC) had earlier decided to shut all schools, colleges, and universities from November 26 and announced that a review meeting would be held in the first week of January.

"The IPEMC would meet on January 4 to review the pandemic situation in the country and make a decision about reopening of educational institutions," Shafqat Mahmood said.

Saeed Ghani on Wednesday said that after evaluating the coronavirus situation, it did not seem possible that educational institutions would reopen in January 2021.

Ghani had reiterated his stance that unlike the last academic year, no student would be promoted to the next year without taking the examination this year.

Meanwhile, the owners of private schools have threatened to hold a long march towards Islamabad if schools were not allowed to resume classes from January 11.

According to a statement issued by the federal education ministry, the meeting will be held as per revised schedule on January 4, 2021 (Monday) at 11:30am under the chairmanship of Federal Minister for FE&PT through video link.

 

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Gen Bajwa, DG ISI meet PM Imran Khan to discuss internal, external security situation

Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Thursday called on Prime Minister Imran Khan to discuss the country's internal and external security situation in a meeting also attended by Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (DG ISI) Gen Faiz Hamid.

According to the prime minister's office, matters pertaining to the external security situation comprised India's aggression both in occupied Kashmir and across the Line of Control (LoC) through ceasefire violations (CFVs) — which PM Imran Khan had earlier said exceeded 3,000 in 2020 alone.

"Concern was expressed over continuous human rights violation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir," the statement from the PM's Office read.

Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa called on PM of Pakistan at Islamabad today.

Director General ISI Lt. Gen. Faiz Hamid was also present on the occasion. pic.twitter.com/dG0kNerTZX

— Prime Minister's Office, Pakistan (@PakPMO) December 24, 2020

"Ceasefire violations and frequent provocative measures from Indian forces along Line of Control came under discussion," it added.

The top military brass and the premier resolved that Pakistan's defence would be ensured at all costs with the support of the entire nation.

India's aggression across LoC

A week earlier, Indian troops had targeted along the LoC a United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) vehicle, which, according to the ISPR, was on its way to Polas in the Chirikot sector to meet victims of New Delhi's ceasefire violations.

The attack resulted in no injuries but damaged the vehicle the observers were travelling in.

That same day Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had warned the world that India planned to conduct a surgical strike against Pakistan, saying he had received information "through our intelligence agencies" that New Delhi intended on fanning a new wave of terrorism.

PM Imran Khan had earlier said if India was "reckless enough" to conduct a false flag operation against Pakistan, it would be faced with a "strong national Pakistani resolve" and would be given a befitting response.

"I am making [it] absolutely clear to the [international] community that if India was to be reckless enough to conduct a false flag operation against Pakistan, it would confront a strong national Pakistani resolve and be given a befitting response at all levels of the threat. Make no mistake," he stated on Twitter.

"The Modi [government] will divert from [its] internal mess by conducting a false flag operation against Pakistan," the premier had said, warning the international community.

 

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Pakistan's governance system has become corrupt: IHC

The governance system in Pakistan has become corrupt, Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah said Thursday. He expressed the belief that people do not even have access to "cheap and speedy justice."

He was hearing cases against the rising number of crime in Islamabad, obstacles in the delivery of justice, issues pertaining to naval farms and housing societies.

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Accountability and Interior Mirza Shahzad Akbar also appeared before the court.

Pointing out the flaws in the justice system, Justice Minallah said district courts, which are meant to deal with the problems of the common man, had never been anyone's priority. In response, the PM's adviser said he has already briefed Prime Minister Imran Khan regarding the matter.

"You are the adviser on accountability, so I suggest you go to the accountability courts yourself and examine the conditions there," Justice Minallah said. "The judges in those courts do not even have the staff for dictation. There is a lot of work pressure on those courts, but there is an acute dearth of staff."

The chief justice added that the Supreme Court of Pakistan has repeatedly stressed courts to hear cases on a daily basis, adding that judges are "ready to work day and night if the executives cooperate with them."

"You should visit the accountability courts and brief the prime minister about the situation," Justice Minallah told Akbar.

Responding to the judge's remarks, Akbar said he has been appearing in the same courts for quite some time, adding that the situation in courts did not worsen overnight and it took 40 years of neglect to reach the current stage.

"Advisers do not have executive authority, we can only provide suggestions," Akbar said. "We will do whatever we can to improve the conditions of special courts."

Justice Minallah said that the "working environment of the courts is very important," and that "instead of increasing the number of courts, authorities concerned should work on making the working conditions of the existing courts better."

The chief justice demanded the submission of a report related to the administrative control of the federal judicial complex.

"I have received many complaints related to property and encroachments," Justice Minallah said. "This cannot happen without the knowledge of the revenue officers."

He said people do not even have access to cheap and speedy justice in this country.

"The system of governance in this country has become corrupt," the chief justice concluded.

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First cargo of Euro-5 diesel reaches Karachi

In line with Prime Minister Imran Khan’s initiative of ‘Clean and Green Pakistan’ programme, the first cargo vessel of Euro-5 diesel on Thursday reached Karachi.

Pakistan State Oil (PSO) has become the first MOC to introduce Euro-5 diesel. The government had set the target to import the latest fuel by January 2021.

Earlier this year, the federal government had decided to shift petrol and diesel from Euro- 2 to higher-quality Euro-5.

The historical decision was taken in the federal cabinet meeting held under the chair of Prime Minister Imran Khan. PM Imran Khan had approved the plan to make a shift to the higher-quality fuel standards in Pakistan.

PM’s Adviser on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam had said that the premier had promised to increase the quality of petrol and it has=d been fulfilled. He had added that petrol would be shifted to Euro-5 from August, whereas, diesel’s standard would be shifted from January 2021.

Aslam had said that 70 per cent petrol and 40 per cent diesel are being imported and Pakistan will become the first country to shift fuel standards from Euro-2 to Euro-5. He added that only Euro-5 fuel will be available in the smog-hit areas.

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Sindh High Court ordered Karachi Metropolitan Corporation to move Ranoo

The Sindh High Court has ordered Karachi Metropolitan Corporation to make suitable arrangements to move Ranoo, a Syrian brown bear cub, to an alternative space at the Karachi Zoo which has more space and a more "natural" setting.

The Karachi zoo administration landed in hot waters after a video started circulating on social media that showed a bear cub being kept in unfavourable conditions at the Karachi zoo.

A petition was filed by Mashal Khan and others seeking orders for the zoo’s administration to keep Ranoo in its natural habitat. The petitioners argued Ranoo needed special attention for its survival at the zoo, saying the bear has been forcibly separated from its parents, which amounts to cruelty because the animal is still too young to survive without them.

They said the severely hot Karachi weather is very different from the cub’s natural habitat. Syrian brown bears can only survive in a cold atmosphere and stay healthy in a habitat of snow, forests, grasslands and meadows of mountainous regions.

Due to a lack of such an environment, brown bears have gone extinct in countries like Syria and the neighbouring region. The petitioners requested the court to order the zoo’s administration to immediately transfer the cub to Skardu, where it can be reunited with its family in its natural habitat.

The court was also asked to ensure proper maintenance of hygiene, living conditions and health care of all the other animals at the Karachi zoo.

The petitioners also sought the formation of a committee comprising the animal welfare community and zoo experts who can conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the zoo and liveable conditions of the animals.

The committee can later submit recommendations in accordance with applicable international zoo standards for implementation so proper management and care of animals at the city’s zoo can be ensured.

The petitioners’ counsel, Mohsin Shahwani, drew the court’s attention to the report pertaining to the zoo prepared by a team of experts, who recommend that the cub be shifted to an adjacent cage that has over 500% more space and a good natural setting.
Suggesting the cage will have to be completely overhauled with new fencing, extensive landscaping inside in all three dimensions, water supply and strong safety features, he said the cage can be overhauled and the cub be shifted to its new habitat.

The KMC’s counsel accorded his consent in the matter. The SHC’s division bench headed by Justice Irfan Saadat Khan directed the KMC and the zoo administration to start the required procedure to implement the suggestions made in the report.

The court said that it is also expected from the zoo administration that they will make sure all the animals at the zoo are kept in a healthy and safe environment.

On the other hand, the KMC’s deputy director zoo had denied the petitioner’s claims. He also denied the allegation of cruelty, saying that the zoo’s administration had been providing all the required facilities to the animals, including diet, treatment, and management.

He claimed the bear in question was the property of a private breeding farm and research centre, and it was received through an animal exchange programme in March 2017.

He pointed out that the question of forcible separation from parents did not arise because there was nothing wrong with the bear’s health, showing that it had fully acclimatised to the weather of Karachi.

He also claimed the animal was an adult, it had been living comfortably at the zoo since March 15, 2017, and its weight was between 100 and 110 kilogrammes.

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Sukkur barrage has been closed for vehicular traffic

Sukkur Barrage has been closed for vehicular traffic from Thursday (today) till January 30 for the purpose of annual inspection, maintenance and necessary repairs.

Earlier, the Chief Engineer Irrigation Sukkur Barrage had announced that all canals off taking from Sukkur Barrage will remain closed from January 6 to 20, 2021 for the purpose of inspection, maintenance and necessary repairs of infrastructure.

The barrage pond would be reduced gradually from zero hours of the 6th January 2021. Its raising would again start from zero hour on 20th January 2021, the statement further said.

According to notification, there would be no flow of water in any of the off taking canals of the Sukkur Barrage, which is Pakistan’s largest irrigation system.

The decrease in the river water causes water shortage in Sukkur, the major city in upper Sindh on the bank of Indus river.

Sukkur Barrage has completed its 88 years since its inauguration on January 13 in year 1932 by British Viceroy of India Lord Wellington. The foundation stone of the barrage was laid on October 1923 by Bombay’s Governor George Lloyd.

The barrage has seven off-taking canals, out of which three Dadu Canal, Rice Canal and North Western Canal (Kirthar)  are situated on right bank, and four  Khairpur Feeder West, Rohri Canal, Khairpur Feeder East and Nara Canal – are at the left bank of the Indus.

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Education ministers moot rescheduled for Jan 4

An inter-provincial education ministers conference slated for December 30 (Wednesday) has been postponed and rescheduled for Jan 4.

Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood will be chairing the meeting in the first week of the next month. Matters related to the reopening of educational institutions, new academic session, reduction in summer vacation, the pandemic situation in the country, board examinations and other issues will be discussed in the meeting.

On November 23, the federal government had announced to shut all educational institutions from November 26 to December 24 due to a spike in COVID-19 cases. It has been decided to close all educational institutions across Pakistan from November 26 till December 24. Winter vacations will start from December 25 to January 10,” Shafqat Mahmood had announced at a press conference after a meeting of inter-provincial education ministers.

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Asif Ali Zardari invites Fazlur Rehman to attend Larkana public gathering

Pakistan People’s Party co-chairman and former president of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday has invited Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam chief and head of Pakistan Democratic Movement Maulana Fazlur Rehman to attend the death anniversary event of Benazir Bhutto in Larkana on December 27.

The invitation was extended during a telephonic conversation between Asif Ali Zardari and Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
Both the leaders also discussed the overall political situation and future strategy for the campaign against the incumbent government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

It may be noted that PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had invited PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz to attend his mother’s death anniversary event at Garhi Khuda Buksh, earlier this month, which was accepted by her.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz vice president Maryam Nawaz will attend the death anniversary event of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto on December 27 in Larkana.

According to a schedule released by PML-N, Maryam would reach Sukkur on December 26, where she will address the workers convention of the party. Later, she will leave for Larkana on December 27.

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PM Imran Khan to chair session for reviewing PIA performance

Prime Minister Imran Khan will chair an important session today where he will be briefed over the performance of the national carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), by its chief executive officer (CEO).

The session will also be attended by Federal Minister For Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan, secretary aviation and Director-General (DG) Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Ishrat Hussain.

The premier will be apprised about the financial crisis being faced after assigning route to a foreign airline for running flights to London and Manchester. The decision had been opposed by the national carrier’s management.

At this time, the country’s flight operation for London and Manchester is currently being run through alternative sources. During the session, the PIA CEO will also raise the matters related to permission granted to the foreign airlines for initiating flight operations and travel restrictions.

Yesterday, the PIA CEO Arshad Malik had met PM Imran Khan where he complained about the permission granted to foreign airlines for landing in Pakistan.

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The Sindh High Court extended interim bail of Sohail Anwar Siyal

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday extended interim bail of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Sindh’s former home minister Sohail Anwar Siyal and other accused, in a case pertaining to assets beyond means.

The PPP leader is accused of financial irregularities in Larkana Development Authority. At the outset of the hearing on the bail pleas of the accused, the NAB prosecutor said that inquiry against Siyal and others has been transformed into an investigation. The report has been sent to the NAB headquarters in Islamabad for further directions.

“We will apprise the court after getting a reply from NAB Islamabad”, he added.

Later, the court adjourned the hearing of the case after extending interim bail of Sohail Anwar Siyal and other accused until February 10. The IO was asked to apprise the court about the position of the inquiry in the next hearing.

PPP leader Sohail Anwar Siyal is facing NAB’s inquiry pertaining to his assets and alleged illegal occupation of state land for a housing society.

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Court axes decision to increase Islamabad property tax by 200%

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday suspended a notification related to a 200% increase in property taxes in the federal capital.

The court ordered the Metropolitan Corporation of Islamabad (MCI) to collect property taxes on old rates. It also clarified that tax collection is the responsibility of MCI and not the Capital Development Authority (CDA). 

Last year, IHC had suspended a notification on the tax hike after hearing a plea against it. The petition argued that MCI had made a 200% increase in the property tax in Islamabad while misusing its powers.

It asked the court to set aside the decision of the MCI to raise property tax MCI had approved the increase in property tax, making it applicable from July 1, 2019, but tensions between the MCI and CDA over who would control the revenue directorate responsible for collecting property tax meant that the distribution of property tax bills was delayed.

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Karachi to remain cold, dry over next 24 hours

With cold waves intensifying in the metropolis, Pakistan Metrological Department (PMD) on Thursday said that Karachi’s weather would remain dry and cold, while mornings would remain hazy over the next 24 hours.

The Met department said the minimum temperature in the port city was recorded at 10 °C while the minimum temperature is expected to be between 10 °C and 12 °C during the next hours of the day.

In Karachi, winds are blowing from the northeast at a speed of 9 to 18 km per hour in the morning, while the humidity in the air is recorded at 48%.

Meanwhile, the dry wave is still prevailing in the northern parts of Balochistan. The temperature in Kalat was recorded at minus 7 °C and minus 5 °C in Quetta. Per the Met office, the weather is cold and dry in Quetta Valley and other adjoining areas.

The minimum temperature in the valley is gradually decreasing and the severity of the cold is increasing again. Similarly, the northern and northwestern districts of the province including Kalat, Ziarat, Pishin, Zhob, Chaghi, Qila Saifullah, and Qila Abdullah, and adjoining areas are gripped under cold and dry weather.

The minimum temperature was recorded at minus 2 degrees Celsius in Dalbandin, minus 1 °C in Panjgur and Zhob, 6 °C in Sibi, 8 °C in Lasbela, 11 °C in Gwadar, and 13 °C in Turbat.

The weather is expected to be extremely cold in the northern parts of the province and cold and dry in other parts of the province during the next 24 hours.

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