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                        <title>Pakistan News, Latest News Pakistan, Pakistan Headline | The Express Tribune</title>
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                        <link>https://tribune.com.pk</link>
                        <description>The Express Tribune keeps you up to date with all the latest happenings from Pakistan and across the world!</description>
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			<title>Dar vows to safeguard Pakistan's water rights under IWT, oppose attempts to weaponise water</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2639562/dar-vows-to-safeguard-pakistans-water-rights-under-iwt-oppose-attempts-to-weaponise-water</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2639562/dar-vows-to-safeguard-pakistans-water-rights-under-iwt-oppose-attempts-to-weaponise-water#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 10 Nov 26 05:59:10 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Naeem Asghar]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Islamabad]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2639562</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Says Makkah defence pact is defensive in nature and is not directed against any country]]>
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				<![CDATA[Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday reaffirmed Pakistan&#39;s commitment to safeguarding its rights under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), warning against any attempt to weaponise water, while calling for respect for treaty obligations to ensure regional stability.

Addressing the inaugural session of Margalla Dialogue 2026 in Islamabad, Dar said rivalry among major powers had reached its peak, while international institutions such as the United Nations were facing political divisions.

FM Dar stressed the need for greater international cooperation, diplomacy and dialogue to address emerging global challenges, saying Pakistan remained committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with the United Nations Charter.

He said tensions in the Gulf and the Red Sea demonstrated how regional conflicts could disrupt the international system.

The foreign minister said emerging technologies, including biotechnology, were changing how states responded to crises. Policymakers needed to recognise that a crisis in one domain could spread to other sectors, he added.



DPM Ishaq Dar says the international security is facing immense pressure, warning that security crises can trigger economic shocks. He stresses the need for policies that are responsive to emerging challenges and evolving global realities.#IshaqDar #MargallaDialogue2026&hellip; pic.twitter.com/C1OtHwfo2u
&mdash; Pakistan TV (@PakTVGlobal) November 10, 2026


FM Dar said the theme of this year&#39;s Margalla Dialogue, &quot;Changing Global Order &mdash; How to Navigate Strategic Uncertainty&quot;, reflected the challenges facing Pakistan.

Read: Turkish parliament approves Makkah defence pact with Pakistan, Saudi Arabia

He emphasised that protecting Pakistan&#39;s national interests required effective diplomacy abroad and strength at home. The deputy prime minister said Pakistan&#39;s regional diplomacy was based on the establishment of peace, citing negotiations between the United States and Iran held in Islamabad as an example of the country&#39;s commitment to peaceful diplomacy.

The foreign minister said the Islamabad memorandum of understanding reflected efforts by the prime minister and the field marshal towards the peaceful resolution of disputes.

FM Dar also referred to a resolution presented by Pakistan concerning diplomacy and dialogue during conflicts, which he said was adopted by the United Nations Security Council on November 5, saying&nbsp;that communication channels should remain open under all circumstances and that Pakistan wished to continue dialogue with all regional partners.

The foreign minister stressed that maritime routes and territorial waters should remain open for uninterrupted and secure trade.



DPM Ishaq Dar says Pakistan believes in a multipolar world order that amplifies the voices of more countries. He cautions that rivalries among global powers and ongoing conflicts heighten the risk of confrontation, stressing that sea lanes must remain open to ensure freedom of&hellip; pic.twitter.com/ZPyT69ROAS
&mdash; Pakistan TV (@PakTVGlobal) November 10, 2026


Discussing regional security, FM Dar said lasting peace in South Asia required a resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions. He reiterated that resolving the Kashmir dispute was essential for regional peace and security.

Referring to Afghanistan, FM Dar said Pakistan wanted to ensure that Afghan territory was not used against any other country, particularly Pakistan. He reiterated that Pakistan would continue to protect its citizens and ensure that Afghan territory was not used against the country.

Read more: Regional powers back Islamabad MoU

Speaking about regional partnerships, he described the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement (MJDA) as a defensive arrangement and said it reflected Pakistan&#39;s partnership with Saudi Arabia and Turkiye. He clarified that the MJDA was not directed against any country.



DPM Ishaq Dar reiterates Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to regional de-escalation, saying that the Makkah Defence Pact is defensive in nature and is not directed against any country.#IshaqDar #MakkahDefencePact #RegionalPeace #DeEscalation #PakistanTV pic.twitter.com/X4KkAxmPJY
&mdash; Pakistan TV (@PakTVGlobal) November 10, 2026


The foreign minister said Pakistan&#39;s strategic partnership with China remained an important pillar of its foreign policy. He added that Pakistan was also engaging with European partners through the R4 framework and remained committed to maintaining dialogue with all regional stakeholders.

FM Dar said economic diplomacy was part of his responsibilities as foreign minister.

He stressed that the emerging global order must take into account the development needs of the Global South. The foreign minister said the shape of the future international system would depend on decisions being taken by countries today.]]>
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			<title>Makkah Defence Alliance set for Islamabad huddle</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2639516/makkah-defence-alliance-set-for-islamabad-huddle</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2639516/makkah-defence-alliance-set-for-islamabad-huddle#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 10 Nov 26 00:11:51 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Kamran Yousaf]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2639516</guid>
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				<![CDATA[Three nations coordinate regional security amid rising tensions]]>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan is expected to host the third meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee of the Makkah Defence Alliance in the last week of November, as the three member countries seek to strengthen their security coordination amid mounting regional tensions and uncertainty surrounding the Iran conflict, diplomatic sources told The Express Tribune here on Monday.

The meeting is expected to bring together the foreign and defence ministers as well as the military chiefs of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and T&uuml;rkiye, with discussions likely to focus on the implementation of the trilateral defence agreement and the evolving regional security situation.

The meeting comes at a particularly critical juncture, with the possibility of renewed military strikes against Iran still looming even as diplomatic efforts to find a way out of the conflict remain on the table. The three countries are expected to discuss the implications of these developments for regional stability and their collective security arrangements.

The Islamabad meeting will be the first gathering of the committee since the Turkish parliament formally ratified the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement on November 7, completing a major step towards bringing the trilateral arrangement into effect.

The Turkish parliament approved the agreement by 279 votes to 119, following a debate in which government lawmakers maintained that the pact was defensive in nature and was not directed against any third country.

The agreement was signed on August 7 by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. It provides for collective assistance in the event of an armed attack against any of the three countries, with the nature and extent of assistance to be determined collectively.

The upcoming meeting will be the third session of the committee established under the agreement to translate the political commitment into practical defence cooperation.

The first meeting was held in Istanbul on August 31, bringing together the foreign ministers, defence ministers and military chiefs of the three countries. The meeting agreed to institutionalise cooperation through a permanent secretariat in Riyadh, which would initially be headed by a Pakistani secretary general for three years.

It also envisaged greater cooperation in the defence industry, joint technology development and production, and measures to strengthen the capabilities and coordination of the three armed forces.

The second meeting was convened on an emergency basis in Riyadh on October 5, following escalating security threats to Saudi Arabia, including attacks attributed to Yemen&#39;s Houthi movement.

The committee condemned attacks targeting Saudi cities and civilian and economic infrastructure, including threats to Makkah and Madinah. More significantly, it agreed to move towards the practical implementation of collective defence commitments, including measures to provide agreed military forces and capabilities and ensure their rapid deployment in Saudi Arabia, subject to the national laws of the member states.

The Riyadh meeting also appointed retired Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood as the alliance&#39;s first secretary general for a three-year term.

The November meeting is expected to take stock of progress on these decisions and consider further steps to strengthen military coordination, intelligence-sharing and defence cooperation.

The Turkish parliament&#39;s ratification has added significance to the upcoming deliberations. While Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had completed their respective ratification processes earlier, T&uuml;rkiye was awaiting parliamentary approval under its domestic constitutional requirements.

However, ratification does not automatically authorise the deployment of Turkish troops abroad, which would require a separate parliamentary mandate.

The alliance has also attracted attention because of the wider geopolitical circumstances in which it was formed. The agreement brings together Pakistan, the only nuclear-armed Muslim-majority country, Saudi Arabia, a major Gulf power, and T&uuml;rkiye, a NATO member with one of the region&#39;s largest militaries.

All three countries have maintained that the arrangement is defensive and intended to strengthen regional stability rather than target any particular state.

For Islamabad, the challenge will be to advance the collective defence framework while maintaining its diplomatic engagement with Tehran and supporting efforts to prevent another escalation in the wider Middle East.]]>
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			<title>SC urges courts to deal civil cases on merit</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2639503/sc-urges-courts-to-deal-civil-cases-on-merit</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2639503/sc-urges-courts-to-deal-civil-cases-on-merit#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 09 Nov 26 22:48:58 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2639503</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Restores two petitions, says litigants should not suffer for lawyers' genuine mistakes]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Supreme Court has ruled that civil cases should ordinarily be decided on merit rather than dismissed on technical grounds, observing that courts must strike a balance between procedural discipline and the demands of substantive justice.

A three-member bench, comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Musarrat Hilali and Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan, gave the ruling while allowing two civil petitions filed by Safdar Ali Butt against orders of the Lahore High Court refusing to restore his civil revision petitions.

In a judgment authored by Justice Mazhar, the court observed that the scales of justice neither favoured automatic dismissal nor automatic restoration of proceedings. Courts must examine the circumstances of each case, particularly whether a genuine and sufficient reason existed for a party&#39;s failure to appear.

The case concerned two civil revisions, pending before the Lahore High Court since 2016, which were dismissed on February 2, 2026, after the petitioner&#39;s counsel failed to appear. Restoration applications were filed the following day.

The petitioner&#39;s counsel explained that the lawyer representing him, Shahid Azeem Bajwa, was suffering from coronavirus and had remained outside the courtroom. When the cases were called, he rushed towards the courtroom but could not reach the bench because of heavy congestion.

The Supreme Court noted that the explanation had not been denied by the opposing counsel, who also failed to establish any deliberate attempt by the petitioner&#39;s lawyer to delay proceedings.

It observed that no previous record indicated that the counsel had been negligent or responsible for the prolonged pendency of the cases.

The judgment stressed that lawyers must carefully monitor hearing dates, cause lists and court benches, make alternative arrangements when commitments overlap, and keep clients informed about case progress, potential risks and settlement offers. It said clients must also remain vigilant and regularly follow their cases rather than leave the entire responsibility to their lawyers.

The court warned that dismissing proceedings because of a lawyer&#39;s negligence, without a reasonable explanation, seriously damages professional credibility and may provide grounds for complaints of professional misconduct before bar councils under the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Act, 1973.

The court set aside the Lahore High Court&#39;s orders, restored both civil revisions subject to payment of Rs10,000 in each case, and directed the petitioner to deposit the Rs20,000 with the Lahore High Court Bar Association&#39;s Medical Centre.]]>
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			<title>Justice Mandokhail bows out</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2639514/justice-mandokhail-bows-out</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2639514/justice-mandokhail-bows-out#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 09 Nov 26 22:48:59 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Hasnaat Malik]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2639514</guid>
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				<![CDATA[SC judge's career marked by high-profile verdicts, judicial controversies]]>
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				<![CDATA[Supreme Court Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, who was among the judges to declare the trial of civilians in military courts unconstitutional, is set to retire on Wednesday, bringing to a close a judicial career spanning nearly 17 years and marked by several consequential rulings on constitutional, political and legal matters.

From his tenure at the Balochistan High Court (BHC) to his elevation to the Supreme Court in 2021, Justice Mandokhail authored and participated in several important judgements concerning property rights, parliamentary proceedings, reserved seats, military trials and the constitutional jurisdiction of courts.

His judicial career was also marked by close associations with former chief justice Qazi Faez Isa and incumbent Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, while some of his positions and decisions attracted criticism from sections of the legal fraternity and PTI supporters.

Justice Mandokhail began his judicial career on September 7, 2009, when he was appointed as a judge of the Balochistan High Court.

During his tenure at the BHC, he authored several important judgements, including a ruling declaring that the &quot;unsettled land&quot; of Balochistan, the country&#39;s largest province, belonged to the indigenous tribes inhabiting its plains and mountains for centuries, rather than the provincial government.

In another significant judgement, he declared several provisions of the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) Act, 2015, unconstitutional. In his ruling, he held that the DHA functioned like a non-government agency and that its acquisition of property would consequently violate the constitutional right to property.

The Supreme Court subsequently suspended that ruling. Appeals against both judgements are now pending before the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), it is learnt.

In 2021, Justice Mandokhail was elevated to the Supreme Court, at a time when judicial politics was in full swing at the apex court. He was associated with the camp of former chief justice Qazi Faez Isa and became part of several benches that delivered significant verdicts during Isa&#39;s tenure.

Justice Mandokhail was a member of the bench that set aside former deputy speaker Qasim Suri&#39;s ruling rejecting the no-confidence motion against then prime minister Imran Khan under Article 95 of the Constitution.

He was also among the minority judges who held that the votes of defecting lawmakers should be counted under Article 63A of the Constitution.

The judge was among those who opposed the suo motu proceedings initiated by former chief justice Umar Ata Bandial to hold elections to the Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) provincial assemblies within 90 days.

Justice Mandokhail, along with Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, maintained that the Lahore High Court should first be allowed to proceed with the matter. During former CJP Isa&#39;s tenure, Justice Mandokhail maintained a close association with him and frequently served on benches that delivered important judgements. He rarely dissented from Justice Isa&#39;s opinions in significant cases. His association with the former chief justice continues to draw criticism from PTI supporters.

The constitutional bench question

Following the 26th Constitutional Amendment, Justice Mandokhail was nominated as a member of the constitutional benches and also served on the committee responsible for constituting benches to hear cases. Like Justice Isa, he maintained a close association with incumbent Chief Justice Yahya Afridi.

However, some lawyers have questioned why Justice Mandokhail, despite being a member of the committee, did not play a more active role in securing the hearing of petitions challenging the 26th Constitutional Amendment.

They believe that if the Supreme Court had reviewed the 26th Amendment, the subsequent 27th Constitutional Amendment could have been halted. Justice Mandokhail was also a member of the constitutional bench that ruled that the trial of civilians in military courts was unconstitutional.

He was also among the members of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) who did not support the appointment of Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar as chief justice of the Islamabad High Court.

&#39;Confused jurisprudence&#39;

Supreme Court advocate Faisal Siddiqi described Justice Mandokhail as a polite judge with some prominent dissenting judgements, but criticised his overall judicial approach.

&quot;His overall jurisprudence of balancing between executive interests and citizens&#39; rights ended up in a confused jurisprudence, destroying the power and reputation of the Supreme Court as the apex court&quot;.

Waqas Ahmed, an advocate who worked as a law clerk with Justice Mandokhail, offered a more favourable assessment of the judge&#39;s personality and professional conduct.

He said that beyond his judicial legacy, Mandokhail was a humble and gracious human being who listened to lawyers with patience and respect and remained particularly encouraging and supportive of young members of the bar.

&quot;His legacy is not confined to his judgments; it also lives in the dignity, humility and kindness with which he treated the legal fraternity.&quot;

Waqas Ahmed said Justice Mandokhail would also be remembered for his contributions to constitutional jurisprudence and the protection of fundamental rights.]]>
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			<title>Laiba case exposes official apathy</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2639533/laiba-case-exposes-official-apathy</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2639533/laiba-case-exposes-official-apathy#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 10 Nov 26 01:11:28 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Naeem Asghar]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2639533</guid>
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				<![CDATA[Other victims accuse LEAs of ignoring repeated complaints, evidence against accused]]>
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				<![CDATA[Institutions that failed to act on complaints and evidence of fraud against Noman, the man accused of defrauding gold medallist student Laiba Ejaz, are equally responsible for her death, say other victims of the alleged scam, who are gradually coming forward. They say that despite approaching the authorities in time, they were repeatedly sent from one department to another instead of seeing the suspect arrested. &quot;Who will return the money we lost?&quot; they ask.

Meanwhile, Islamabad Police maintain that the only suspect nominated in the case registered at Ramna Police Station was allegedly killed by gunfire from his accomplices during an encounter while in police custody. The police say the case has been closed.

One of the latest complaints to emerge is that of Atif Jan, a resident of Ghazi Kot in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, who approached the FIA Abbottabad on December 11, 2025. In his application, he alleged that Noman, along with his relatives, had promised to secure jobs for three people, including his sister, in a sensitive government institution. The suspects allegedly collected Rs975,000 in the name of security clearance and medical examinations. Atif alleged that the suspects subsequently handed over fake appointment letters, which turned out to be forged when verified with the relevant departments.

According to the application available with The Express Tribune, the FIA Abbottabad referred the complaint to Abbottabad Police on July 7, 2026, stating that the matter fell within the police&#39;s jurisdiction rather than the FIA&#39;s. However, the Abbottabad DPO returned the application to the FIA on July 20, saying the matter did not fall within Abbottabad&#39;s jurisdiction and should instead be forwarded to the Mansehra DPO.

The FIA Cyber Crime Wing subsequently forwarded the complaint to the Mansehra DPO on July 29, 2026.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Jan said he had paid the money to secure jobs for his sister and two cousins but became suspicious of the suspect at an early stage and refused to pay any further amount.

Meanwhile, three other alleged victims, Malaika, Faryal and Saima, all relatives and residents of Mansehra, have also come forward. According to a case registered at Mansehra City Police Station, the women alleged that Noman had promised to arrange jobs for them and collected money on the pretext of security clearance and medical examinations.

They said the suspect even summoned them to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Rawalpindi for medical examinations. However, when they approached the relevant departments to join their jobs after receiving appointment letters, they discovered that the documents were fake.

Their father, Muhammad Sultan, told The Express Tribune that he had approached the FIA months before Laiba&#39;s death. However, after keeping his application for three months, the agency returned it, saying the matter fell within the police&#39;s jurisdiction.

Sultan said he had submitted complaints and evidence against Noman to the FIA, police and other relevant institutions, but none had arrested him. He further alleged that a few months before Laiba&#39;s death, he had informed the investigation officer handling his case at Mansehra City Police Station that Noman was allegedly defrauding another girl, named Laiba.]]>
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			<title>Public hospitals staff to be tested across Sindh</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251863/public-hospitals-staff-tested-across-sindh</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251863/public-hospitals-staff-tested-across-sindh#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 10:29:19 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[sameer.mandhro]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2251863</guid>
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				<![CDATA[Health department to restart contact tracing for coronavirus]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Sindh government issued directives on Saturday for all public hospitals to get its staff tested for Covid-19 as well as begin coronavirus contact tracing again.

In a letter issued by Sindh health director general Dr Irshad Ahmed Memon, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, the heads of all public-sector hospitals have been asked to get their respective facility's staff tested for the coronavirus on priority basis. Besides, they have been instructed to continue tests for the diagnosis of other suspected Covid-19 cases.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Dr Memon stressed the need for all hospital employees to get tested, claiming, however, that Sindh had the least number of infected health department employees among the provinces.

Another health department official, also emphasising the need for "immediate" screening of healthcare professionals, said the decision had come late.

"It is feared that most health workers do not [properly] follow standard operating procedures. This eventually leads to multiplying the number of infected persons, even in far flung areas," he explained.

This was confirmed by other officials, too, who pointed out that SOPs were particularly ignored at private clinics. They can then carry the virus to public hospitals, the officials added.

Saying that health department officials did all they could to monitor health workers and ensure they followed SOPs, they noted that it was near impossible to keep a watch over private facilities.

According to the health department, there are 1,500 rapid response teams in Sindh that collect samples for Covid-19 testing, besides serving at various healthcare facilities and helping Covid-19 patients in getting admissions to hospitals.

"But after several of them contracted the infection, the number of tests conducted daily was reduced," explained a senior health department official. He, however, added that other reasons also factored in reducing the number of tests. "[Following this], routine testing was disrupted," he explained.

Speaking on the matter, Pakistan Medical Association general secretary Dr Qaisar Sajjad also called for the immediate screening of healthcare professionals. "We had asked for it in March but orders for it have only been issued now."

He was also of the opinion that the government was giving rise to confusion by decreasing the number of tests.

"While the number of tests [conducted daily] is going down, the number of cases are shooting up," he observed, explaining that fewer cases being reported had led to people disregarding SOPs.

"Over 60 per cent citizens have stopped wearing masks," he claimed.

Contact tracing

With the health department also announcing to recommence Covid-19 contact tracing, a health department official told The Express Tribune that the exercise was stopped due to "some confusion."

"But we are starting it again so that [suspected] cases can be traced and screened," he confirmed.

The health dept's silence

Meanwhile, all senior department officials, including spokespersons, have reportedly been instructed not to talk to the media for reasons unknown. "Only a few are privy to this development," a health official, on condition of anonymity, disclosed to The Express Tribune. "We have been told not to share any information with the media." He added that none of the department's officials had access to the daily update on pandemic statistics given by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah.

"This is the only department for which the CM releases data," the official said. "And while we work in the health department, we don't have access to it." 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2020. ]]>
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			<title>MQM-London ‘hitman’ apprehended</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2252248/mqm-london-hitman-apprehended</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2252248/mqm-london-hitman-apprehended#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 18:29:02 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[​ Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2252248</guid>
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				<![CDATA[Police claim he was involved in over 100 murders]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) police claimed on Saturday to have arrested a notorious target killer, allegedly belonging to Muttahida Qaumi Movement-London (MQM-L) and involved in over 100 murders, during a targeted operation in Orangi Town. The police reportedly seized arms and ammunition from his possession as well.

According to SIU SSP Irfan Bahadur, the suspect, namely Shakeel alias Haddi, was a member of MQM-L’s ‘death squad’ and had confessed to the killings of Pirabad police SI Aleem Shah and Orangi Town police constable Rana Sohail in 2011, during his initial interrogation.

Bahadur added that he was also involved in an attack on Awami National Party (ANP) leader Bashir Jan and the targeted killing of ANP’s Shah Faisal Colony in-charge, Nabi Gul, among others.

The SSP claimed Shakeel had also killed a medico-legal officer at Qatar Hospital and MQM-Haqiqi’s Asif Malang, while also setting fire to the ‘astana’ of Khalid Baba, burning three people to death.

According to the police, Shakeel admitted to involvement in over 100 murders on the basis of ethnicity, sect and politics, on the orders of the MQM-L leadership.

Cases against him and other members of the ‘death squad’, including Ajmal Pahari, Saeed alias Bharam, Danish alias Mama, Omar alias Mullah, Zeeshan alias Dada, are registered in several police stations across the city, as well as with the SIU. Further investigation is underway.]]>
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			<title>2,179 people diagnosed with coronavirus in Sindh</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2252371/2179-people-diagnosed-coronavirus-sindh</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2252371/2179-people-diagnosed-coronavirus-sindh#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 23:50:45 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[​ Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2252371</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[CM Murad says province's daily testing capacity has been stretched to 12,000]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah shared on Sunday that 2,179 people were diagnosed with coronavirus overnight, of the total 9,244 samples tested on the day.

Shah added that 435,393 samples have been tested to date in Sindh, of which 80,446 have been positive, which constituted around 18.4 per cent of the total.

The CM apprised that the testing capacity in the province has been stretched to 12,000 a day, courtesy of the laboratories established in Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Gambat and Sehwan, which have been functional for the last month.

According to Shah, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences in Hyderabad could conduct 2,000 tests, Syed Abdullah Shah Institute in Sehwan 100, Gambat Institute 300 and Ghulam Mohammad Maher Medical College in Sukkur could screen 100 samples.

Moreover, the chief minister stated that 26 more people succumbed to the contagious disease overnight, taking the death toll to 1,269 in the province. He claimed that the government has curbed the mortality rate by spreading awareness among the masses.

Shah added that 34,654 people were currently infected by the virus, of whom 33,110 were in home isolation, 88 were quarantined at isolation centres and 1,456 were being treated at different hospitals. He added that 655 patients were in critical condition and 94 of them have been put on ventilators.

Meanwhile, he said that 1,079 more patients had recovered from the contagious disease, pushing the number of recovered people to 44,523 - around 55.5 per cent of all those affected.

Furthermore, the provincial capital saw 1,406 new Covid-19 cases. He presented the district-wise breakup, saying 555 were diagnosed with the virus in East, 358 in South, 171 in Korangi, 138 in Central, 109 in West and 75 in Malir district.

Separately, Sukkur had 86 new cases, Hyderabad 54, Ghotki 40, Khairpur 38, Jamshoro 26, Mirpurkhas 22, Thatta 19, Larkana 17, Sanghar 14, Naushero Feroze 12, Matiari 12, Shikarpur 12, Shaheed Benazirabad nine, Umerkot eight, Dadu seven, Kashmore and Tando Allahyar three each, and Jacobabad one.]]>
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			<title>Youngster killed while shooting TikTok video in Karachi</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2252250/youngster-killed-shooting-tiktok-video-karachi</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2252250/youngster-killed-shooting-tiktok-video-karachi#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 18:39:33 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[​ Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category><category><![CDATA[archives]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2252250</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Faraz lost control of car due to speeding, rammed into tree]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[A youngster was killed and two of his friends injured in a car accident while filming a video for popular video-sharing platform TikTok in Korangi on Saturday night.

The deceased, identified as Faraz, lost control of the car he was driving due to speeding and ran into a tree. As a result, he and his friends, Ayaz and Ahsan, were injured. They were rushed to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) for treatment, where Faraz succumbed to his injured.

According to the police, the car was completely wrecked in the collision. They added that the statements of the injured could not be recorded till the filing of this report.

The body was handed over to the family after the completing of medico-legal formalities.

This is not the first time that a life has been lost while filming a TikTok video. On June 21, a 17-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed himself while making a video. He was reportedly filming himself while holding his father’s pistol to his temple when he accidentally pulled the trigger.

Karachi teenager shooting TikTok video ‘accidentally’ kills himself

Meanwhile, in April, a 22-year-old man died after being hit by a train while shooting a video at the Jumma Goth railway station in Bhens Colony.

According to the Landhi Railway police, Kashif had been running on the railway tracks while doing a TikTok challenge when the train hit him, causing critical head injuries. His friends, who were also filming videos, took him to JPMC, where he succumbed to his wounds.]]>
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			<title>Illegal plasma sale thrives in Lahore</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251888/illegal-plasma-sale-thrives-lahore</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251888/illegal-plasma-sale-thrives-lahore#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 10:56:28 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Imran Adnan]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2251888</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[First Covid-19 patient recovered through trial treatment last month]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Following a surge in confirmed coronavirus cases and a significant increase in the number of patients recovering, a black market of blood plasma has emerged across the country, particularly in the provincial capital.

People are selling blood plasma of the patients who have recovered from coronavirus for tens of thousands of rupees, The Express Tribune learnt on Saturday.

The blood plasma or convalescent plasma is currently being trialled as a possible treatment for coronavirus disease in different countries, including Pakistan, as it contains antibodies developed by the immune system of people who have won the battle against the virus.

Though a large number of patients overcoming the disease are willing to donate plasma free of charge, some black sheep are using popular social media platforms to contact critically ill coronavirus patients seeking donation.

A patient who wanted to sell his blood plasma after his recent recovery said, “I don’t want to earn money but to recover my expenses incurred on the treatment since thousands of rupees were spent on medicines, consultation and food. I believe there is no harm in recovering the cost while people are selling their blood plasma for tens of thousands of rupees in the city.”



Other people involved in the unethical trade also have their own reasons. Thousands of posts are available on social media indicating that the illegal activity is happening openly without the fear of law enforcing agencies or accountability.

On June 13, a Twitter user posted her thoughts on the issue: “People are making money by selling their plasma to patients in Pakistan.

Humanity is dead.” Meanwhile, many people were of the view that there was nothing wrong with it. They commented that people also sell kidneys and blood.

Besides blood plasma, people have posted requirement for medicines such as Remdesivir, Besimivir and other drugs considered beneficial in coronavirus treatment. To save the lives of their loved ones, some people have expressed their willingness to pay any amount for these scarcely available drugs. In May, the National Institute of Blood Diseases (NIBD) confirmed that the first coronavirus patient who had been treated with plasma therapy had recovered.

The sale of oxygen cylinders is also on the rise in the online black market. A 6-litre cylinder along with regulator and stand is being offered for Rs23,000, while an 8-litre variant is being sold for Rs28,000 and 12-litre equipment is available for Rs35,000.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, an oxygen cylinder dealer, Rashid Malik, highlighted that the prices has increased three-fold owing to very high demand. “Mostly these cylinders are being imported from China, Turkey and Russia. In normal days, we were selling a 12-litre cylinder for Rs12,000 to Rs15,000 and 6-litre for Rs6,000 to Rs7,000,” he disclosed.

The Ministry of National Health Services has already announced action against illegal trading of blood plasma and black marketing of life-saving drugs used for coronavirus patients in the country. Health experts are warning citizens not to pay donors for blood plasma since it is still an experimental therapy.

As per the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act 2012, commercial dealing and trade of human organs and tissues is illegal in the country.

Section 11 of the law highlights that whoever makes or receives any payment for the supply of, or for an offer to supply, any human organ; seeks to find a person willing to supply for payment of any human organ; or offers to supply any human organ for payment shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 10 years and with fine of up to Rs1 million.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>Woman commits suicide with two daughters</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251906/woman-commits-suicide-two-daughters</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251906/woman-commits-suicide-two-daughters#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 10:41:58 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Tariq Saeed Awan]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2251906</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Victim’s husband wanted to marry off girls against their wish]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[A mother of seven children ended her life by consuming poisonous pills along with her two daughters over a domestic dispute in Mohalla Selwan, Kundian on Saturday.

A sense of shock and mourning spread in the neighbourhood after the incident.

As per details obtained by The Express Tribune, Muhammad Tahir Qureshi, son of Allah Din, a resident of Mohalla Selwan, and his wife had a dispute over marriage proposals for their daughters. The husband allegedly pressured his daughters to accept the marriage proposals as per his wishes, while the wife and daughters did not agree to the proposals.

As a result of the dispute, Tahir’s wife and daughters, 12-year-old Anza and 11-year-old Asma, swallowed a poisonous substance.

The mother and two daughters were shifted to a rural health centre, where doctor referred them to the Mianwali DHQ Hospital after immediate medical aid. However, the three victims could not survive.

As soon as the incident was reported, Kundian police and Rescue 1122 teams reached the spot. After postmortem was conducted and police completed the legal procedure, the bodies were handed over to the heirs.

Cases where multiple members of the same family committed suicide or were killed by their own family have been also been reported earlier in the province.

On Monday, a woman reportedly poisoned herself and four other members of her family due to financial problems in Okara.

A poor labourer of Okara, Nazar Mohammad, who failed to repay a loan, was struggling to make ends meet due to which his family often quarreled over financial issues.

Nazar’s son, 20-year-old Waqas Ahmed, married 19-year-old Naheed two months ago. The couple lived in Ghouspura neighbourhood of Basirpur Town, Okara with Nazar, his 45-year-old wife, and sons, 18-year-old Ashfaq Ahmed and 16-year-old Sattar Ahmed.

The family reportedly had a debt of Rs150,000. The whole family was worried about paying back the debt and there were often altercations in the house.

Naheed’s in-laws often pressured her to bring money from her father to settle the debt.

Reportedly, Naheed was fed up with the daily quarrels and allegedly fed her in-laws food containing poison, due to which her husband Waqas and brother-in-law Ashfaq died, while her other brother-in-law, 16-year-old Sattar Ahmed, and mother-in-law were severely affected.

In March last year, a man shot and killed his wife and three children, over a domestic dispute, before committing suicide in Rai Chand area of Chiniot.

In April 2019, a man committed suicide after killing his father and sisters over a family dispute regarding his ex-wife, whom he wished to remarry, in Shafiqabad, Lahore.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>Letter to Punjab IGP seeks ban on PUBG video game</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251900/letter-punjab-igp-seeks-ban-pubg-video-game</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251900/letter-punjab-igp-seeks-ban-pubg-video-game#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 10:45:21 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[​ Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category><category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2251900</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Official says excessive violence in game triggers aggressive behaviour among youth]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[A letter written to the Punjab inspector general of police (IGP) on Saturday sought a ban on online game Player Unknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG).

The letter was penned by SSP Liaqat Ali Malik on the instructions of CCPO Zulfiqar Hameed. It mentioned that the online video game has devastating impacts on the mental health of the youth and two incidents of suicide have been reported in the city.

It stated that excessive violence triggers aggressive behaviour among the youth and they become addicted to the game. The CCPO said the game should be banned and an awareness campaign should be launched.

A matric student had committed suicide in Gulshan-e-Abbass Phase-II a few days ago. The boy was found hanging in his room. The police also spotted a smartphone beside the body with the PUBG game app running on it.

His parents also confirmed to the police that they had stopped the boy for playing the game. In another incident, a 20-year-old student of second year at the FC College University Lahore also reportedly committed suicide after being scolded by his parents for playing the PUBG. The victim identified as Jonty Joseph was living in North Cantonment. On the day of the incident, his father reportedly reprimanded him for playing the PUBG for a long period.

He took the punishment so seriously that he locked himself inside a room. The next day when he did not open the door, the family broke it and found him hanging.

The victim also worked part-time to assist the family financially and after work would remain busy in playing the game late at night.

On May 18, a man approached the Lahore High Court to ban the video game. “The game has a negative impact on children. They are becoming more ruthless and violent,” maintained the petitioner.

The PUBG, which has been developed by a South Korean company, is a 2017 survival game in which players are dropped onto an island to battle it out against others. The multiplayer game allows players from all over the world to compete against each other or in teams.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>NGO offers transgender people foreign scholarships</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251895/ngo-offers-transgender-people-foreign-scholarships</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251895/ngo-offers-transgender-people-foreign-scholarships#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 10:51:06 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Asif Mehmood]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2251895</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Programme will allow selected persons to attend month-long training in host country]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[&nbsp;

While educational opportunities have been few and far between for gender minorities in Pakistan, a local NGO has stepped in to create an international platform for the development of the country’s transgender persons. The Gender Guardian (TGG), a non-governmental organisation working to train and educate transgender persons in Pakistan, has partnered with various foreign NGOs to allow transgender citizens the opportunity to participate in a month-long training program in four different countries.

Transwoman Sania Abbasi, who is a makeup artist and has been associated with TGG as a teacher for the past several months, is among the many aspirants of the training scholarship. If selected for the coveted programme, Ms Abbasi says it will bring her immense pride to be one of Pakistan’s first transgender persons sent abroad for training in social work and welfare. “This is a wonderful opportunity for us to be able to represent our country on an international platform and I have been working tirelessly towards achieving my goals. I can’t wait to work alongside international NGOs. I want to learn from them and also share my personal experiences with the world.”

According to The Gender Guardian (TGG) Head Asif Shehzad, his organisation is committed to providing equal opportunities to transgender people through the provision of free vocational training and formal education. “We have taught and trained dozens of transgender people in various skills such as driving, cooking, makeup, sewing and etc over the last couple of years. However, through this scholarship the selected participants will be able to use share their skills and talent with the world and for the first time, have access to international cultural exchange and training,” said Shehzad. Speaking further about the scholarship programme, Shehzad also informed that The Gender Guardian has been working towards compiling a digital database of transgender persons registered with TGG as well as other people who donate to the organisation. “So far, we have partnered with NGOs working in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. Using our database, we will select candidates every six months to be sent to these four countries for a month-long training, while people from the same four countries will also have the option to come and train in Pakistan. Our selected candidates will be working alongside their host country’s NGOs and represent Pakistan on an international level,” he explained.

Sania Abbasi, believes this scholarship will allow the people of the world to see the skills and talent of Pakistan’s transgender person, who often tend to be stereotyped as people limited to sex work. “As a gender minority, we have little no resources for pursuing higher education or going abroad, because of which we have very limited opportunities for work. However, this scholarship opportunity for transgender people to showcase their abilities and break the stereotypes associated with them,” she asserted.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>‘Pakistan’s progress linked to Balochistan peace’</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251914/pakistans-progress-linked-balochistan-peace</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251914/pakistans-progress-linked-balochistan-peace#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 10:35:52 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[​ Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Balochistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2251914</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[NA speaker chairs parliamentary committee meeting to discuss issues facing province]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser on Saturday asked Balochistan parliamentarians and public representatives to suggest solutions to the socio-economic problems being faced by the province and its people.

Chairing the maiden meeting of the special parliamentary committee on Balochistan in the Parliament House, Qaiser said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) emanated from Gilgit-Baltistan and culminated in Balochistan, which increased the significance of the province.

“Balochistan and its issues are always a priority of the incumbent government,” he said. “Parliament and public representatives are the best option to put forth solutions to the socio-economic issues faced by Balochistan and its people,” he said.

“Pakistan’s progress is linked to peace and progress in Balochistan,” Qaiser said, stressing the need for the committee to look into the matters related to ensuring transfer of the real benefits of CPEC to the local people.

Committees in the parliamentary system across the world, Qaiser said, played a recommendatory role, therefore, this committee would make all-out efforts to recommend the best possible solutions to the issues faced by Balochistan.

The speaker mentioned that the issuance of an executive order, regarding immediate implementation of 6% employment quota in all federal departments, underscored the seriousness of Prime Minister Imran Khan towards addressing the issues of Balochistan.

On the occasion, the speaker formed a four-member sub-committee, headed by Dr Fehmida Mirza, to develop comprehensive terms of reference (ToRs) encompassing all the issues related to Balochistan. It was also decided that a representative from the Balochistan National Party and Defence Minister Prevaiz Khattak would be invited to assist the sub-committee in developing the ToRs.

Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri appreciated the initiative of the speaker to constitute the special committee.

He noted that the government was seriously looking into the resolution of the issues confronting peace and development in the province.

Mirza, the inter-provincial coordination minster, told the committee that Balochistan’s issues had always been the top priority of the parliamentarians.

She pointed out that comprehensive ToRs were essential to make the committee more effective. Khattak said that the government had taken various steps to mitigate the grievances of the people of Balochistan.

Representing Balochistan National Party (BNP) chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal, National Assembly lawmaker Agha Hassan Baloch contended that the issues of Balochistan were getting intense since 2006 and needed to be redressed forthwith.

He called for examining the recommendations, proposed after a meeting between previous parliamentary committee, headed by Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, and late Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>Balochistan collects Rs2.5b from mineral sector</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251919/balochistan-collects-rs2-5b-mineral-sector</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251919/balochistan-collects-rs2-5b-mineral-sector#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 10:38:28 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[APP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Balochistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2251919</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Computerised weighing scales have been installed]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Balochistan government has collected Rs2.5 billion from the minerals sector during the current financial year, despite coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent lockdown that was imposed to curb virus spread.

The government has collected the huge amount from mining sector and deposited in the provincial treasury, an official of the Balochistan government said. Computerised weighing scales have been installed besides increasing mining check posts in the province, he added.  

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>First phase of HingIaj road construction completed</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251913/first-phase-hingiaj-road-construction-completed</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251913/first-phase-hingiaj-road-construction-completed#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 10:35:07 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[mohammad.zafar]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Balochistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2251913</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Project was approved at a cost of Rs120 million]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The first construction phase of Hinglaj Mandir Link Road project has been successfully completed with the special funds from Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal.

The Hindu community of Lasbela has expressed gratitude to the government of Balochistan, according to official sources, as 90% of technical work of the temple stands completed.

The project was approved at a cost of Rs120 million to construct a 13km road to the temple which is adjacent to the Gwadar Coastal Highway.

The first phase of the 4.7 km Link Road project has been completed this week while phase two of the project will be completed in the next financial year.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>Bilawal, Mengal agree on joint strategy for budget</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251810/bilawal-mengal-agree-joint-strategy-budget</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251810/bilawal-mengal-agree-joint-strategy-budget#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 00:50:02 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Khalid Mehmood]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category><category><![CDATA[Balochistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2251810</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Both leaders express concern over spread of coronavirus in country]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto telephoned Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) chief Akhtar Mengal on Saturday and discussed the current political situation in the country.

According to details, both the leaders agreed on a joint strategy for the next year’s fiscal budget.

They also exchanged views on the 18th Constitutional Amendment and government’s measures on the National Finance Commission (NFC) award.

“By criticising the 18th Constitutional Amendment, Imran Khan is attacking the constitution,” Bilawal said.

They expressed concern over the growing number of Covid-19 patients in the country and deliberated the holding of all parties’ conference next week.

Bilawal, Shehbaz reject federal budget

“PTI-IMF budget is anti-people. We cannot accept it,” the PPP chairman said.

“Due to the incompetence of the government, coronavirus has spread everywhere,” he added.

Both the leaders also rejected the increase in the petroleum price and noted that this was the time to provide maximum relief to the people.

A few days back, Mengal announced his party's withdrawal from its alliance with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led federal government over its failure to implement accords with the party.

Speaking during a session of the National Assembly, he said: "I am officially announcing that our party is ending its alliance with the PTI. We will stay in Parliament and will keep talking about issues."

Mengal added that the PTI had signed two agreements with the party at the time of government formation after the 2018 elections and later during the presidential elections, but not a single point of the accord was implemented.]]>
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			<title>K-P wants revival of tourism hit hard by Covid</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251918/k-p-wants-revival-tourism-hit-hard-covid</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251918/k-p-wants-revival-tourism-hit-hard-covid#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 10:37:34 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[​ Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[K-P]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2251918</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[CM Mahmood Khan orders early opening of provincial tourism authority]]>
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				<![CDATA[In an effort to boost the tourism sector, which has been hit hard by the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, the provincial chief executive has directed for expediting efforts for opening the newly established provincial tourism authority.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan issued these orders while presiding over the 22nd board meeting of the Board of Directors of the Tourism Corporation of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (TCK-P).

CM Mahmood directed to finalise formalities for opening the newly established K-P Cultural Tourism Authority immediately.

The chief minister also ordered to take steps for liquidation of TCK-P and handing over its assets and liabilities to the culture and tourism authority. The TCK-P employees would be absorbed in the authority, he added.

The chief minister termed tourism as a major economic sector and said its promotion is a top priority of his government.

The meeting was briefed on the progress so far made on the liquidation of the TCK-P after the establishment of the Culture and Tourism Authority as provided in the K-P Culture and Tourism Act, 2019.

The meeting decided to constitute a committee headed by K-P Additional Chief Secretary Shakil Qadir to streamline and expedite all the legal, administrative and financial matters with regard to the liquidation of the TCK-P in a prescribed manner.

The committee would draft and present its recommendations to the competent forum within a week. Other members of the committee would finance secretary, law secretary, tourism secretary and establishment secretary.

K-P Chief Secretary Dr Kazim Niaz, Additional Chief Secretary Shakil Qadir, Finance Secretary Atif Rehman, Tourism Secretary Khushal Khan and TCK-P Managing Director Junaid Khan, private sector members of the board and other relevant officials attended the meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>Poor internet access for students echoes in K-P assembly</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251303/poor-internet-access-students-echoes-assembly</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251303/poor-internet-access-students-echoes-assembly#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 27 Jun 20 09:14:06 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[shahid.hamid]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[K-P]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2251303</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Debate on Rs55.42b supplementary budget completed]]>
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				<![CDATA[Lawmakers on Friday took up the issue of poor internet connection for students in the remote areas of the province, noting that the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic means that online classes are the only means for obtaining education for students now.

This was discussed as the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly resumed on Friday to debate the provincial budget for the fiscal year 2020-21.

MPAs raised questions on online classes in the province. They urged the provincial government to ensure students have access to 3G and 4G networks, especially in the merged districts, so that they can access classes.

Moreover, they lamented that a girls college built in the Mohmand tribal district has yet to start functioning even though its structure was completed years ago.

During the discussion on the supplementary budget for the fiscal year 2019-20 worth Rs55.42 billion, the issue of a laptop scheme was raised.

Opposition lawmakers including Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Nighat Orakzai, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) Maulana Lutfur Rehman, Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) Inyatullah Khan, Mir Kalam Wazir, Shafiq Afridi, Baseerat Bibi, Khushdil Khan, Shagufta Malik and others said that a handsome amount had been allocated for the information technology sector in the supplementary budget to provide laptops to teachers.

They noted that if teachers can be provided laptops, then what about the students and called for greater transparency in the programme.

The opposition benches also raised concerns over the plight of the inmates in prisons across the province during the pandemic. They slammed the government for losing control of the bureaucracy.

Police reforms

On the directions of Deputy Speaker Mahmood Khan for a senior police officer attend the assembly proceedings, an SP level officer arrived at the assembly on Friday.

However, the deputy speaker did not allow him to enter the session as he expressed his anger over the absence of senior officers.

He then directed a DIG level officer to attend the session.

Later, Peshawar CCPO Ali Gandapur visited the assembly lobby and marked his presence.

Lawmakers from across the aisle pointed to the need for police reforms. They also asked the CCPO to explain reports of extrajudicial killings and the harassment of citizens at checkpoints set up across the province.

Members of the opposition expressed their reservations over the dormant status of the public safety commission. With no check and balance on the department, they claimed that the police was doing what it wants.

The secretary of the home department was also accused of deliberately delaying the process of activating the commission. Opposition lawmakers also pointed to the incident in the Zangi area where a motorcyclist was killed when he failed to stop at a checkpoint.

Discriminatory allocations

Shafiq Afridi from the Khyber Tribal District accused the government of dividing development funds based on the personal likes and dislikes of the finance and chief ministers. Moreover, he said that lawmaker of the merged districts has been completely ignored. 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 27th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>K-P up in arms against custodial torture</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251292/k-p-arms-custodial-torture</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251292/k-p-arms-custodial-torture#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 27 Jun 20 09:19:02 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[​ Our Correspondents]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[K-P]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2251292</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Govt asks PHC to probe yet another instance of police high-handedness]]>
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				<![CDATA[Scores were left injured on Friday as police and protesters clashed in the Tehkal area of the provincial capital as the latter demonstrated against the excesses of the former.

The clashes came even as the government wrote to the provincial judiciary, asking it to probe reports of police detaining an Afghan national, stripping and parading him naked and then torturing him for abusing officers in a video.

Several protests and rallies were held across the province on Friday to protest the torture of Rafiullah alias Amir of Tehkal.

The largest protests were staged in the Tehkal area, outside the Peshawar Press Club and in front of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly building. Protesters filled the road from Saddar to the press club, blocking it for all sorts of traffic. Former Awami National Party (ANP) provincial assembly member Alamgir Khan Khalil and members of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Youth Wing also participated in the protest.

They held aloft banners condemning the police brutality and of filming a detainee in a compromised position and then leaking the videos. Chanting anti-police slogans, they demanded a judicial inquiry into the case and kept the road closed for nearly two hours.

As the protesters neared the provincial assembly, they were charged by police in riot gear. At this, the protesters started pelting police officers with stones.

To disperse the crowd, the police resorted to firing tear gas canisters.

The clashes left scores of protesters and police officers injured.

Meanwhile, protests against police excesses were also held in Mardan, Swabi, Bajaur, Charsadda, Nowshera, Malakand, Lower and Upper Dir, Swat and other southern districts. Lawyers, social workers, students and local political leaders participated in those protests.

Judicial inquiry

In a media briefing at the Information Cell in the Civil Secretariat on Friday, Adviser to the K-P Chief Minister on Information Ajmal Wazir said that the provincial government has written to the Peshawar High Court’s registrar to nominate a judge who will lead a judicial commission to probe the Tehkal incident under the K-P Tribunal of Inquiry Ordinance.

Wazir said that soon after the video went viral on social media, the provincial government had taken immediate action by suspending and booking the four police personnel involved, including an SHO. Moreover, the SSP Operation was removed from his post.

On the judicial commission, he confirmed that the PHC had been requested to form the probe body. He added that the body will be tasked with identifying those responsible for the incident and that later they will be tried as per the law.

Noting that the commission has been directed to complete its inquiry within 15 days, Wazir said that the government will make the inquiry public.

The adviser, however, urged the public not to malign the entire police department due to the actions of a few

“The misconduct and wrongdoings of a few personnel should not be blamed on the entire police department,” he said, reiterating the immense sacrifices rendered by the provincial police force in the war against terror apart from serving on the frontlines against the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 27th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>Another case of police excesses surfaces</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251290/another-case-police-excesses-surfaces</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251290/another-case-police-excesses-surfaces#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 27 Jun 20 09:19:42 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Yawar Hayat]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[K-P]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[The report further showed that the additional SHO had been previously found guilty of framing a man in a fake case]]>
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				<![CDATA[After Peshawar, a case of police excesses has emerged from Haripur where a senior police officer allegedly beat up a clerk at a filling station for refusing service to his son.

A report submitted to the district police officer's (DPO0 office stated that additional SHO SI Muhammad Nawaz's son had gone to a filling station in the Batrassi area of Haripur to get fuel for his motorbike. Because he was not wearing a face mask nor a helmet, the clerk on duty refused to provide him with service as per a campaign being run by the district police.

At this, additional SHO Nawaz and his driver arrived at the fuel station where they beat up the workers. Nawaz’s driver also allegedly snatched cash from the cashier's pocket and then fled.

The owner of the filling station and workers subsequently approached the DPO and urged him to intervene. The DPO took notice of the incident and suspended Nawaz and launched an inquiry.

The report further showed that the additional SHO had been previously found guilty of framing a man in a fake case and allegedly took a bribe to set the case aside.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 27th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>Virus cases in Indian Occupied Kashmir top 7,000</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2252336/virus-cases-indian-occupied-kashmir-top-7000</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2252336/virus-cases-indian-occupied-kashmir-top-7000#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 23:11:02 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category><category><![CDATA[Jammu &amp; Kashmir]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2252336</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[2,700 infections, including 41 virus-linked deaths, confirmed in last 2 weeks]]>
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				<![CDATA[Coronavirus cases in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&amp;K) region crossed the 7,000-mark including 94 deaths, officials said on Sunday.

As many as 127 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours, taking the national tally to 7,093, according to the latest data by the government.

Since June 13, the data revealed, about 2,700 cases have been registered while 41 people, including a 15-day-old baby, have died.

The Doctors Association of Kashmir has warned of community transmission, saying that more than 90% of the region's population is susceptible to the infection.

AJK president lauds Joe Biden for urging India to restore people’s rights in IOJ&amp;K

Dr Suhail Naik, who heads the association, told Anadolu Agency the recent numbers indicate that the virus has arrived in the community, and is going to spread amid an ease in restrictions.

“We cannot bear the excess load of cases in our underdeveloped healthcare systems... the only remedy available is social distancing, hygiene and prevention,” he said.

While educational institutions remain closed, and public transport is still suspended in the region, some businesses have reopened.

As the pandemic crisis is looming, Indian forces continued their human rights violation in the valley, killing over 130 freedom fighters in over 40 gunfights in 2020 so far.]]>
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			<title>AJK president lauds Joe Biden for urging India to restore people’s rights in IOJ&amp;K</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2252239/ajk-president-lauds-joe-biden-urging-india-restore-peoples-rights-iojk</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2252239/ajk-president-lauds-joe-biden-urging-india-restore-peoples-rights-iojk#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 22:27:03 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[​ Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category><category><![CDATA[Jammu &amp; Kashmir]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2252239</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[US former vice president has said restrictions on dissent, such as preventing peaceful protests, weaken democracy.]]>
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				<![CDATA[While welcoming US Democratic presidential nominee and former vice president Joe Biden’s statements over the restoration of rights of Kashmiris, Azad Jammu and Kashmir President Sardar Masood Khan has said that Biden’s remarks are a proof that the world community has refused to buy the Indian narrative on Occupied Kashmir.

Biden has asked New Delhi to take all necessary steps to restore rights of all the people of Kashmir and asserted that restrictions on dissent, such as preventing peaceful protests or shutting or slowing down internet, weakens democracy.

The US ex-vice president also expressed disappointment over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the enforcement of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in different states of India.

“We welcome the US Democratic Party leader’s remarks and urge Indian-Americans and Muslim-Americans to applaud Joe Biden’s policy statement together because nobody wants India to be ruled by theocratic fascists. Kashmiris’ liberties and fundamental rights, especially their right to self-determination, should be restored. It’s a just demand,” President Masood said in Muzaffarabad on Sunday.

Earlier addressing a function held in connection with the disbursement of cash grant among the affectees of Indian shelling living along the Line of Control (LoC), the AJK president said that relief being provided by the federal government to 610,000 members of 80,000 families is the recognition of their sacrifices as well as acknowledgement of the responsibilities being shouldered by the state government.

"Azad Kashmir is not only a strong defence line of Pakistan, but the people living close to the LoC and facing India's direct aggression are the defenders of the motherland," he added.

While commenting on Prime Minister Imran Khan's announcement to include more than 100,000 people affected by the Indian firing at the LoC in the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme and to issue health cards to 1.2 million people of Azad Kashmir, he said that the people of occupied and the liberated territory want to become part of Pakistan not because of geographical location but on the basis of their faith and ideology.

Joe Biden seeks restoration of peoples’ rights in Occupied Kashmir

The AJK president said that India's ruling party BJP and the RSS have planned to eliminate the Kashmiri people, occupy their lands, reduce the number of Muslims in the assembly of Occupied Kashmir, and to turn the whole state into a colony of India, but the people of both the liberated and occupied parts of Kashmir would offer stiff resistance.

He went on to say that it is high time that the government and the people of Pakistan as well as the valiant people of Azad Kashmir adopt an aggressive policy to counter India because "India is constantly threatening to attack Pakistan, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan".

"Instead of saying that we will defend Pakistan and Azad Kashmir, we should also talk about the liberation of Khalistan, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Mizoram, and tell the world that India is no longer a secular state but it has emerged as a fascist state," he added.

President Masood also said that India's anti-Muslim moves have awakened the Muslims across the world, and a wave for the renaissance of Islam has risen in the whole Muslim world. "It is now clear that whether it is Kashmir or Palestine, the Muslims are prepared to safeguard their interest."

Referring to Azad Kashmir, he said that the liberated territory can emerge as an economic engine for Pakistan. At present, he maintained, that 2,000 megawatts of electricity is being generated in Azad Kashmir while the territory has a potential of producing another 8,000 megawatts of electricity "though our own demand is between 300 and 400 megawatts, and the surplus electricity is injected into the national grid".

On completion of Kohala, Gulpur, Azad Pattan, Dudhnial and many other projects in the coming decade, Azad Kashmir will become the biggest electricity generating region of Pakistan.

President Masood said that Azad Kashmir is not only strategically important for Pakistan's defence but it can also play an important role in the economic uplift of the country. "That is why, we say that Pakistan is incomplete without Kashmir and Kashmir has no identity without Pakistan."]]>
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			<title>Hinduism being masqueraded as secularism in India, says AJK president</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251761/hinduism-masqueraded-secularism-india-says-ajk-president</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251761/hinduism-masqueraded-secularism-india-says-ajk-president#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 00:33:43 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[​ Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category><category><![CDATA[Jammu &amp; Kashmir]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2251761</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Masood says 13,000 Kashmiri boys have been abducted and kept in prison houses where they're being subjected to torture]]>
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				<![CDATA[Sardar Masood Khan, the president Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), has said that after grudgingly accepting the independence of Pakistan, India adopted a secular doctrine, an insincere attempt to hide prevalent Hindu nationalism under the guise of secularism.

He made these remarks while addressing two separate web-conferences organised by the Institute of Policy Studies on the topic of “India: Past, Present &amp; Future: Perceptions of the Muslim World”; and by the Pakistan High Commission UK on the topic “Seeking Justice for Kashmiri Victims of Sexual Violence and Physical Torture, and Widows”.

Speaking at the IPS session – which was attended by leading international experts from the United States, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Nigeria – the president said Hindu fascists romanticise an imaginary state of "Akhand Baharat" that they claim to have existed before the arrival of Muslim rulers in the sub-continent. This notion, he said, is not only unsubstantiated by history, it is also counterintuitive.

Referring to the faux secularism adopted by India, the AJK president said that over the decades, this glue of secularism had has come off and the real face of India’s political masters has been exposed. "Not long after independence, on 27 October 1947, India began working on its imperialistic agenda, and invaded the Jammu and Kashmir State. Driven by its Hindu-extremist policy, India has carried on with this agenda over the years," he said.

Masood Khan said that lawmakers and the leadership of BJP, the RSS and their affiliates have publicly declared that they would do away with Muslims from within India. This, he said, has caught the attention of Hindu zealots from across India which has consequently impacted the larger political landscape of the neighbouring country.

This BJP-RSS nexus has waged three wars in the region; one against its minorities inside its own borders, the second one against Kashmiris in the occupied territory of Kashmir and the third one against all its neighbouring countries. "Considering Pakistan as enemy number one, they have threatened to wipe off Pakistan from the face of the earth by the use of nuclear weapons," he informed.

The AJK president said that India’s ambition of becoming a colonial and imperial power in the region has led it to using the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh for sabotaging the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It has also formed a four-member alliance QUAD – comprising of India, USA, Japan and Australia – to oppose the BRI and, especially, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

“India is the biggest barrier for progress in the region. SAARC has been struggling for decades and that too because India has been standing in the way of economic integration as it wants to establish its hegemony in South Asia,” said the president.

'Existing tensions surfacing in new China-India row'

Speaking about the situation in IOJ&amp;K, he said that India is practicing the policy of lebensraum by reoccupying the State of Jammu and Kashmir, bifurcating it and now bringing it under the direct rule of Delhi. He compared the new domicile rules introduced in the occupied valley, to the policy followed by Nazi Germany against the Jews, based initially on economic strangulation, followed by demonisation and marginalisation and finally physical extermination.

The president apprised that in IOJ&amp;K political leaders have been incarcerated, the youth are being killed and tortured in jails all over Occupied Kashmir and northern India. He added that 13,000 Kashmiri boys have been abducted and kept in prison houses where they are being subjected to torture and brainwashing. Bipin Rawat, India’s Chief of Defence Staff, has said that these boys (some as young as 10 years old) are more dangerous than a pellet-firing shotgun because they raise the slogan of Azadi (freedom) and self-determination, he said.

The AJK president said that members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) should start a boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against India, while the corporate sector of these countries should be discouraged to invest in India as they are committing human rights violations against Kashmiris and Muslims of India.

"Start by banning the import of non-halal meat into OIC countries and the formation of a Kashmir Humanitarian Fund with the help of the Islamic Development Bank and Islamic Solidarity Fund.”

He also suggested an international civil society movement be mobilised to delegitimise Hindutva and campaign to declare RSS a terrorist organisation. “The biggest and the most trained terrorist organisation in the world is the RSS. They have openly declared to target Muslims not only in South Asia but all over the world”, he added.

Appreciating the supportive role of the OIC, Masood Khan appealed to the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council to raise their voice against Kashmir and call out the egregious human rights violations taking place in IOJ&amp;K.

Speaking at the web-conference hosted by Pakistan High Commission, the president appealed to powerful nations to make moral and legal choices for bringing India to justice and helping dismantle this machine of torture in IOJ&amp;K. “Silence is a crime when such torture is openly taking place in any part of the world”, he said.

He added that 25,000 Hindus from all over India have been given domiciles of IOJ&amp;K; and in the same manner, in which Muslim Indians have become second class citizens, Kashmiris have to run from pillar to post just to prove that they are state subjects. “If we don’t stop this now, IOJ&amp;K won’t be a recognisable entity like it is today. Two million Hindus will be brought in over the coming years” he said.

The AJK president said that India’s non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council will lead to three setbacks in the Council. Firstly, it will try to delete the agenda from the UNSC calendar; secondly, they would make efforts to stop us from holding informal meetings on Kashmir; and thirdly, they will imperil funding of the mandate of the UNMOGIP. “As a permanent member of the UNSC, the United Kingdom can stop this and create a balance in the UNSC,” said the president while speaking to his audience.

He urged the British citizenry and its civil society to lead the campaign of letter writing and awareness-raising on Kashmir in the international realm.

He also thanked MP Steve Baker for his active and vocal role in raising his voice for the Kashmir people by authoring a letter. He urged him to use his clout with 10 Downing Street and the FCO to mobilise the UK towards Kashmir advocacy in both the British Parliament and the UNSC.

The web-conference hosted by the Pakistan High Commission London was attended by Pakistan High Commissioner to the UK Nafees Zakaria, MP Afzal Khan, MP Naz Shah, MP Steve Baker, MP Tony Lloyd, MP, Imran Hussain, MP Khalid Mahmood, Lord Qurban Hussain, Councillor Aasim Rashid, Mr Muzammil  Ayub Thakur, Chairman JKSDMI Raja Najabat Hussain, President Tahreek-e-Kashmir UK Fahim Kiyani, Dr Nazir GIllani, Syed Ali Raza, Shaista Safi and other leading members of the civil society.]]>
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			<title>World leaders urged to help end Indian atrocities against Kashmiris</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2250999/world-leaders-urged-help-end-indian-atrocities-kashmiris</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2250999/world-leaders-urged-help-end-indian-atrocities-kashmiris#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 20 21:06:07 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[​ Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category><category><![CDATA[Jammu &amp; Kashmir]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2250999</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[On International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, AJK president condemns BJP-RSS regime]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan has urged the international community and United Nations to help end the most "cruel, inhumane and degrading" treatment of the people of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&amp;K) by occupation forces,

“We fully agree with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’s statement that torturers must never be allowed to get away with their crimes, and systems that enable torture should be dismantled or transformed,” he said in a video message released on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture observed across the globe on Friday.

The AJK president said that torture is a crime against humanity and it is prohibited by international law and all religions. "Yet, this crime is committed everyday by the Indian forces and authorities in the occupied territory, most brutally and systematically."

He appealed to the United Nations not to generalise and blur the focus on torture where it is pervasive. In Occupied Kashmir, he said, torture is most rampant and most egregious.

“Torture has been committed by the BJP-RSS regime by reoccupying and colonising Jammu and Kahsmir against the will of its 14 million people, dividing their state into two parts, and enforcing decrees whereby the entire territory is now ruled by a foreign capital, Delhi."

While lambasting the Modi-led government, President Masood said: “As we mark this day today, Kashmiri young men are hunted down and killed in cold blood in fake encounters, demonstrators are blinded and sexual molestation is used as a weapon of war.”

Kashmiris, he went on to say, are being deprived of their homeland by bringing Hindus from all over India and settling them in the occupied territory through new domicile rules.

“Stripped of their permanent residence rights, Kashmiris are being robbed of their jobs, livelihoods, businesses and land. Systematically, the demography of the disputed valley is being altered permanently."

PM urges int'l community to hold India accountable for atrocities in IOJ&amp;K

The AJK president said what India is doing in occupied region is a war crime according to the Fourth Geneva Convention, the ICC Statute and international humanitarian law.

Referring to arbitrary arrest of political leaders and political activists, he said thousands of political detainees  – illegally incarcerated – are being subjected to the vicious torture leading in many instances to death and disability.

President Masood demanded that political prisoners in the Tihar jail in India - Yasin Malik, Asiya Indrabi, Shabbir Shah - should be released forthwith and Syed Ali Geelani and other Hurriyet leaders - hundreds of them holed up in cramped prisons - should be set free.

Some 13,000 boys and children, as young as 10, are caged in concentration camps where they are being tortured and brainwashed, he said while calling for the international community led by the United Nations to play ts role for their release.

He also made a demand that India should be asked to repeal all draconian laws that empower occupation forces to commit crimes with impunity.

“Kashmiris are citizens of planet Earth. Listen to their screams of SOS. Save their bodies; save their souls. Silence too is a crime while such massive torture is taking place right before our eyes.”]]>
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			<title>PP-203 by-election set for Sunday</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2639075/pp-203-by-election-set-for-sunday</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2639075/pp-203-by-election-set-for-sunday#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 26 22:11:14 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Adeel Chaudhry]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2639075</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[For the smooth conduct of polling, the ECP has established 185 polling stations across the constituency]]>
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				<![CDATA[Seven candidates are in the running for the Punjab Assembly constituency PP-203 by-election, scheduled for tomorrow (Sunday), with 258,122 registered voters set to elect their representative amid an increasingly active political campaign.

The PP-203 seat fell vacant following the death of PML-N MPA Hanif Jutt, who had been elected to the Punjab Assembly from this constituency after winning a previous by-election on November 25, 2025. According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), 10 candidates initially submitted nomination papers for the contest. However, three subsequently withdrew, leaving seven candidates in the field.

PML-N candidate Asad Hanif Jutt is contesting on the party ticket with the election symbol of the lion, while Awais Mahmood Gujjar, representing Tehreek-e-Ehsaas Pakistan, has been allotted the streetlight symbol. The remaining five candidates are contesting as independents.

The constituency has a total of 258,122 registered voters, comprising 135,728 men and 122,394 women, according to ECP figures. The number of male voters is therefore higher than that of female voters by 13,334.

For the smooth conduct of polling, the ECP has established 185 polling stations across the constituency.]]>
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			<title>Husband, relative arrested after woman allegedly electrocuted to death in Okara</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2639313/husband-relative-arrested-after-woman-allegedly-electrocuted-to-death-in-okara</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2639313/husband-relative-arrested-after-woman-allegedly-electrocuted-to-death-in-okara#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 08 Nov 26 17:51:43 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Atiqur Rehman]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2639313</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Burn blisters found on the victim’s feet while her body was being prepared for burial raise suspicions about her death]]>
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				<![CDATA[A woman was allegedly tortured and electrocuted to death by her husband, with the help of his sister, brother-in-law and nephew, in Ahmed Nagar within the jurisdiction of Cantt police station.

The suspects allegedly tied the woman, identified as Misbah and a mother of two, to a cot before subjecting her to an electric shock. Her in-laws reportedly attempted to portray her death as natural, but burn blisters on her feet, noticed while her body was being prepared for burial, raised suspicions about the circumstances of her death.

According to Okara DPO spokesperson Irfan Sandhu Jutt, Cantt police received information that Misbah&#39;s sudden death was not natural and that she had allegedly been murdered by her husband, Tanveer, in collusion with his relatives.

Read:&nbsp;Three of a family electrocuted

The victim&#39;s mother, Faizun Nisa, alerted the police. When police reached the scene, Tanveer allegedly fled.

Taking notice of the incident, DPO Dr Asad Ijaz Malhi directed the Cantt police to arrest all those involved and ensure that they were brought to justice.

Acting on scientific evidence, police arrested the main suspect, Tanveer, and his brother-in-law, Asghar. Raids are under way to apprehend the remaining suspects.

A case has been registered on the complaint of the victim&#39;s mother against four nominated and three unidentified suspects.

Misbah&#39;s body was shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Police said the findings of the autopsy would help establish the exact cause and circumstances of her death.]]>
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			<title>US, SBP celebrate deployment of new core banking network and data centre</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638967/us-sbp-celebrate-deployment-of-new-core-banking-network-and-data-centre</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638967/us-sbp-celebrate-deployment-of-new-core-banking-network-and-data-centre#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 26 08:25:30 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638967</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Project aims to strengthen Pakistan's financial infrastructure and ensure secure digital banking services nationwide]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[United States Charg&eacute; d&#39;Affaires Natalie Baker on Friday joined State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Governor Jameel Ahmad and senior executives from Cisco Systems Pakistan at the central bank&#39;s head office in Karachi to mark the successful deployment of its new core banking network and software-defined data centre.

&quot;The multimillion-dollar project, awarded to US technology company Cisco, marked a significant step towards modernising Pakistan&#39;s critical financial infrastructure,&quot; according to a press release.

The project established a secure, agile and resilient software-defined data centre architecture designed to safeguard monetary stability and ensure reliable digital banking services across the country, it added.



Speaking at the deployment ceremony, Baker emphasised the importance of trusted and secure technology in supporting modern financial systems, highlighting the growing commercial ties between the United States and Pakistan.

She described the central bank&#39;s infrastructure as &quot;a national asset that underpins economic stability and public confidence&quot;, according to the release.

Also Read: Pakistan, US agree to enhance cooperation in energy sector

&quot;The State Bank of Pakistan&#39;s choice to partner with American industry demonstrates a commitment to technology quality, security, and long-term reliability,&quot; Baker said.

She added that the US valued its longstanding commercial partnership with Pakistan and stood ready to continue connecting Pakistani institutions with &quot;world-class American innovation&quot;.



Meanwhile, Ahmad and Cisco Pakistan Country General Manager Kashif Ul-Haque praised the joint engineering effort behind the project, which involved completing a complex implementation and migration while maintaining uninterrupted central banking operations, the release said.

The event underscored the US government&#39;s continued commitment to encouraging private-sector collaboration, promoting transparent and secure digital infrastructure, and strengthening bilateral trade and investment ties between the two countries, it added.]]>
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			<title>Registries: SCBA seeks permanent benches</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638891/registries-scba-seeks-permanent-benches</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638891/registries-scba-seeks-permanent-benches#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 05 Nov 26 23:33:19 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638891</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[newly elected cabinet thanked the Chief Justice and proposed regular meetings between the SCBA and the Chief Justice]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The SCBA on Thursday raised concerns regarding deficiencies in courtroom sound and video-link systems.

An SCBA delegation, which met Supreme Court Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, also proposed permanent benches at the Supreme Court&#39;s branch registries to facilitate litigants at provincial headquarters.

The newly elected cabinet thanked the Chief Justice and proposed regular meetings between the SCBA and the Chief Justice.

The CJP welcomed the proposal and assured the delegation of continued constructive engagement and due consideration of Bar-related matters.]]>
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			<title>Cabinet ratifies defence pact with Kuwait</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638734/cabinet-ratifies-defence-pact-with-kuwait</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638734/cabinet-ratifies-defence-pact-with-kuwait#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 05 Nov 26 01:02:01 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638734</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Announces fuel subsidy to continue until end of December]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The federal cabinet on Wednesday ratified the Pakistan-Kuwait Defence Cooperation Agreement.

The agreement was finalised on June 11, 2023, to promote cooperation between the two countries in the defence sector.

A statement from the Prime Minister&#39;s Office (PMO) said the Kuwaiti government had ratified the agreement on July 19.

The ratification follows a series of high-level contacts between Kuwaiti and Pakistani military officials in recent months aimed at expanding bilateral defence coordination.

The federal cabinet also approved the transfer of powers delegated to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chief minister to the provincial governor for the conduct of day-to-day affairs during the period of emergency.

According to the PMO statement, the move was intended to facilitate administrative matters and improve governance in the province. The governor would submit a monthly report to the federal government reviewing the exercise of these powers.

The cabinet expressed hope that the K-P Advisory Council, under the governor&#39;s leadership, would work for the welfare and prosperity of the province&#39;s people and help restore peace and security.

The prime minister also said a Rs160 billion development package had been finalised for K-P, with security given priority.

He said a large number of terrorists had been eliminated in the province and expressed confidence that terrorism would be eradicated through the sacrifices of security personnel and the coordinated efforts of law enforcement agencies, the provincial government and the federal government.

Describing K-P as Pakistan&#39;s most beautiful province, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised its people for resisting terrorism for decades and paying a heavy price in sacrifices.

He said Balochistan had also faced terrorism for a long time, adding that the menace had been eliminated in 2018 but had unfortunately resurfaced. He expressed hope that it would once again be comprehensively suppressed. He added that the federal and provincial governments would work with security institutions to eliminate terrorism.

&nbsp;

New currency notes

On the recommendation of the Ministry of Finance, the cabinet approved the designs of new currency notes after receiving a detailed briefing on the process.

The briefing informed the meeting that proposals had been invited from artists and designers across the country. A cabinet committee established by the prime minister had also held consultations with relevant stakeholders on the proposed designs.

The new notes would feature enhanced security measures to prevent counterfeiting and use modern materials intended to extend their lifespan, the statement said.

The cabinet also approved the introduction of a Rs10 coin to replace the existing Rs10 banknote.

The Federal Cabinet further ratified decisions taken at the October 26 meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government-Owned Institutions.

It also ratified decisions taken at meetings of the Cabinet Committee on Legislative Cases held on January 22, February 26, August 5, 18 and 27, and September 11 and 22.]]>
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			<title>132kV grid station at Padhana proposed</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638904/132kv-grid-station-at-padhana-proposed</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638904/132kv-grid-station-at-padhana-proposed#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 05 Nov 26 23:33:19 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638904</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[MNA Babar Nawaz Khan raised concerns regarding the feasibility, approval and execution]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The NA Standing Committee on Power Division on Thursday recommended the establishment of a 132 kV grid station at Padhana, Haripur.

The committee met under the chairmanship of MNA Muhammad Idrees. MNA Babar Nawaz Khan raised concerns regarding the feasibility, approval and execution of the Sarai Saleh Grid Station project, alleging that it had been initiated without a proper feasibility study.

He questioned the valuation of the acquired land, the reported 80% completion of work despite the project&#39;s incomplete status, the expenditure incurred and the availability of procured equipment.]]>
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			<title>Kashmir Chowk underpass opens to traffic</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638915/kashmir-chowk-underpass-opens-to-traffic</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638915/kashmir-chowk-underpass-opens-to-traffic#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 26 01:25:18 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Naeem Asghar]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638915</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[PM praises completion of project ahead of schedule, below estimated cost in 27 days]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday inaugurated the Kashmir Chowk Underpass, which has been completed in a record 27 days, and praised Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi for the speed with which the project was executed.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony, the prime minister said he had never witnessed a mega project being completed so quickly in his entire political career.

He gave credit to Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his team for completing the project in record time.

&quot;Not a single mega project in my entire political career has been completed as quickly and in such a short time as this one,&quot; he said.

The prime minister said the underpass, its adjoining roads and a large number of trees and plants had been completed and planted within just 27 days.

Appreciating the transparency of the project, he said another notable feature was that the contract had been awarded through the e-PAD system under a transparent procedure and the project had been completed at a cost lower than the estimated amount.

Referring to future development projects, the prime minister announced that several more impressive projects were being planned in the federal capital ahead of next year&#39;s Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.

Addressing Mohsin Naqvi, he said: &quot;Mr Mohsin Naqvi, decorate Islamabad with flowers so that their fragrance can captivate and delight the residents of Islamabad as well as all visiting guests.&quot;

Shehbaz Sharif further said the project was not merely an underpass but a network of four kilometres of roads. Two monuments reflecting Kashmir&#39;s significance had also been constructed as part of the project.

He congratulated Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and the CDA team on completing the underpass on time.

The project had been completed at a cost of Rs1.45 billion, with the contract awarded through the e-PAD system at a price approximately 2.5 per cent below the estimated cost.

Speaking on the occasion, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said the project, completed at a cost of around Rs1.4 billion, also included four new connecting roads. Around 6,000 new trees and plants had been planted along the adjoining areas.

He said the project aimed to reduce traffic congestion at Kashmir Chowk and facilitate movement between Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

The interior minister also announced that work on a cricket stadium in Islamabad was about to begin. He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would inaugurate the groundbreaking ceremony of the stadium project in the coming days.

Naqvi said the Kashmir Chowk project had technically been completed in 23 days and could have been inaugurated two days earlier.]]>
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			<title>Pakistan, Britain hold counter-terror dialogue</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638722/pakistan-britain-hold-counter-terror-dialogue</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638722/pakistan-britain-hold-counter-terror-dialogue#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 23:58:52 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638722</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Islamabad, London pledge deeper security cooperation]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Pakistan and the UK on Wednesday held their annual Counterterrorism (CT) dialogue, reaffirming their commitment to strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office Spokesperson, both sides reviewed ongoing cooperation in counterterrorism at bilateral and multilateral forums.

The two sides held detailed and constructive discussion on the evolving global and regional security environment and exchanged views on the threats posed by terrorist entities, including transnational terrorist networks. Both sides expressed concerns over the continuing threat posed by terrorist groups, including the TTP, operating in and from Afghanistan, underscoring the urgent need for a stable, secure Afghanistan as a cornerstone for lasting peace and prosperity across the region.

Both sides also reviewed ongoing bilateral and multilateral cooperation in counter-terrorism and reaffirmed their shared commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. The dialogue also focused on exchange of best practices and exploring new avenues for partnership to counter new trends in terrorism including misinformation/disinformation campaigns, exploitation of social media platforms and emerging technologies.

During the discussion both sides acknowledged Pakistan&#39;s contributions to regional stability and security. Pakistan and the UK agreed to strengthen institutional linkages and maintain regular engagement to advance shared counter-terrorism objectives.]]>
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			<title>Lahore fire hotspots spike amid smog</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638723/lahore-fire-hotspots-spike-amid-smog</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638723/lahore-fire-hotspots-spike-amid-smog#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 23:58:52 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Asif Mehmood]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638723</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Pakistan sees more fire hotspots than India today]]>
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				<![CDATA[A total of 3,712 fire hotspots were detected within a 300-kilometre radius of Lahore over a week, including 2,753 in Pakistan and 957 in India, according to a satellite-based analysis by the Pakistan Air Quality Initiative (PAQI).

The number of fire hotspots recorded in Pakistan between October 27 and November 2, 2026, was 15 per cent higher than the 2,390 recorded during the same period last year. It was also 51 per cent above the eight-year average of 1,824 for the corresponding dates between 2018 and 2025.

In contrast, the number of hotspots detected in India was significantly lower than its eight-year average of 10,448, with only 957 recorded during the week under review.

The analysis, based on data from NASA&#39;s Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS), shows considerable variations in fire activity over the past eight years. Pakistan and India recorded a combined 19,674 hotspots in 2018, 10,563 in 2019, 21,157 in 2020, 15,860 in 2021, 16,118 in 2022, 6,743 in 2023, 4,464 in 2024 and 3,667 in 2025. The combined figure for the current year stood at 3,712.

The PAQI analysis also examined the relationship between fire activity and air pollution in Lahore. It found that an increase in fire hotspots during the second half of October coincided with rising levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5). The daily average PM2.5 concentration in Lahore rose from around 220 to 285 micrograms per cubic metre near November 1 and 2.

However, the analysis does not establish that crop residue burning was the sole cause of the increase in pollution.

To examine the movement of air masses reaching Lahore, researchers used the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration&#39;s (NOAA) HYSPLIT model to track air movement at an altitude of 500 metres over the preceding 72 hours. The model mapped air trajectories reaching Lahore from Afghanistan and India.

Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb has said that winds originating from the Indian cities of Amritsar and Attari contribute to air pollution in Lahore. However, air trajectory modelling identifies the possible movement of air masses and does not independently establish the source of pollutants.

Separately, data published by HamariHawa on November 3 showed significant fire activity across Pakistani Punjab. During the preceding seven days, 10,494 fire hotspots were recorded within a 250-kilometre radius of Faisalabad, 10,115 around Lahore, 9,537 around Sargodha and 8,836 around Gujranwala.

In comparison, Indian Punjab recorded 8,892 hotspots around Amritsar, 6,853 around Ludhiana and 3,210 around Chandigarh during the same period.

Experts caution that satellite-detected fire hotspots should not automatically be classified as incidents of crop residue burning. Such detections indicate the presence of heat or fire but do not identify the activity responsible or quantify the resulting smoke emissions.

According to the satellite monitoring methodology, each fire detection represents an area of approximately 375 metres. Cloud cover can also prevent satellites from detecting fires in some locations.

Experts say identifying the sources of Lahore&#39;s smog requires a combined assessment of satellite observations, ground-based air quality monitoring and meteorological data.]]>
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			<title>Over 300,000 put under 1,291 smart lockdowns</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2242020/smart-lockdown-imposed-1292-areas-across-pakistan-ncoc-told</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2242020/smart-lockdown-imposed-1292-areas-across-pakistan-ncoc-told#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 13 Jun 20 15:20:13 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Razya Khan]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2242020</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Punjab, Sindh cross grim mark of 50,000 cases]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) was informed on Saturday that smart lockdowns had been enforced in 1,292 localities across the country during the last 24 hours to prevent the further spread of Covid-19.

The forum, which serves as the nerve centre of the country’s unified efforts to contain the spread of novel coronavirus, heard that a total of 308,600 people now remain under the restrictions in various parts of the country.

A total of 10 localities in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), having a population of 60,000, were put under smart lockdown, the forum was told. The smart lockdowns had been enforced in 844 localities of Punjab, confining 15,200 people.

Similarly, the lockdown had been imposed in 414 localities of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, with a population of 11,000, seven localities in Sindh with a population of 7,000, 12 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and five areas in Gilgit-Baltistan.

It was also informed that the federal and provincial authorities were ensuring compliance with the health guidelines and instructions, particularly regarding workplaces, industrial sector, transport, markets and shops, besides pursuing the track, trace and quarantine (TTQ) strategy.

The NCOC meeting, chaired by Planning Minister Asad Umar, was also informed that over 13,116 violations of health guidelines were observed across the country in the last 24 hours and punitive actions were taken against 1,541 markets and shops, 33 industrial units and 1,429 vehicles.

Later, the NCOC released details of ventilators and beds’ availability for Covid-19 patients across the country. According to a statement, 379 beds, 68 oxygenated beds and 43 ventilators were available in AJK. Though there was no patient on the ventilator there.

In Balochistan, 2,148 beds, 262 oxygenated beds and 36 ventilators were available for the virus patients. It said that no Covid-19 patient in the province was on ventilator. There were 151 beds, 43 oxygenated beds, 28 ventilators available in Gilgit, where one patient was on ventilator.

Islamabad had 514 beds, 262 oxygenated beds, 90 ventilators, while 18 patients were on ventilators, the NCOC said, adding that 4,856 beds, 1,081 oxygenated beds and 340 ventilators were available in K-P, where 85 patients were on ventilators.

In the most-affected provinces, 9,276 beds, 3,500 oxygen beds and 387 ventilators were available in Punjab, where 233 patients were on ventilators, while 8,274 beds, 739 oxygenated beds and 368 ventilators were available in Sindh, where 83 patients were on ventilators.

50,000 cases

Punjab and Sindh, two of the most populous provinces of the country, each crossed the grim mark of 50,000 coronavirus cases on Saturday, as the country endured another day of over 6,000 new infections amid a record-breaking surge in the pandemic.

In the last 24 hours, each of the two provinces recorded more than 2,000 new cases. According to the official data released on Saturday morning, the number of recoveries also crossed 50,000. However, as the day progressed, more Covid-19 positive cases were confirmed.

By midnight, the nationwide tally of Covid-19 patients stood at 135,943 with 50,087 cases in Punjab, 51,518 in Sindh, 17,450 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 8,028 in Balochistan, 1,093 in Gilgit-Baltistan, 7,163 in Islamabad and 604 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The virus has so far, claimed at least 2,597 lives.

The NCOC said that some 839,019 people had so far been tested, with nearly 30,000 tests conducted over the past 24 hours. The data showed that death ratio in confirmed cases also rose to 2%, from 1.7% earlier, while recoveries also climbed from 20% to 32%.

Spread among medical staff

According to the data, 3,858 health workers, treating the virus coronavirus patients, have also fallen victims to this pandemic. The disease has so far, claimed the lives of 36 health workers – 14 in Sindh, 7 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 5 in Balochistan, 6 in Punjab, 2 in Gilgit-Baltistan and 2 in Islamabad.

According to the report, the health workers affected by coronavirus included 2,327 doctors, 476 nurses and 1,055 other staff. Among them, 266 health workers are being treated in various hospitals, including 3 on ventilators due to their critical condition. Over 1,450 have recovered so far.

(WITH INPUT FROM APP)]]>
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			<title>Tales of survivors: ‘Isolation, not coronavirus, was my worst nightmare’</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2188962/tales-survivors-isolation-not-coronavirus-worst-nightmare</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2188962/tales-survivors-isolation-not-coronavirus-worst-nightmare#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 20 17:32:30 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Sher Wali]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2188962</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[I was convinced that if my time is not up, this virus can never kill me]]>
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				<![CDATA[I’ve lived my worst nightmare. It wasn’t the coronavirus, but the prolonged treatment [read: observation] in isolation that made it a hellish experience. Imagine being confined to a tiny room with no social interaction whatsoever for almost a month. Doctors and nurses were the only visitors, who, too, would check on me once or twice a day.

If you’re sick, you need your loved-ones around you. The sense of having someone who cares about you gives you strength to fight illness. Conversely, social isolation makes you more vulnerable to sickness. Your immune system doesn’t respond properly in isolation and it takes you longer to heal.

In my case, it wasn’t me alone; my wife also shared the isolation ordeal at Mohammadabad Hospital, in Danyore, Gilgit-Baltistan. Interestingly, she didn’t have any symptoms, but tested positive for the virus. We both were in the isolation ward, while our five kids were at home – alone and worried.

The ordeal started after a trip to Iran. My wife and I went in a group of 22 pilgrims to visit the holy shrines in Iran. We mostly stayed in Qom, though our pilgrimage also took us to Mashhad, and to neighbouring Iraq.

Tales of survivors: ‘Never before had I seen doctors dressed up like aliens’

On Feb 22, we were preparing to return to Pakistan when we heard about the outbreak of some contagious disease in Qom. Until then, I didn’t know much about the coronavirus.

On Feb 25, we took a flight for Lahore. At Tehran airport, they didn’t allow anyone to board the flight without screening. Neither of us was sick. At Lahore airport, we were screened again. We drove to Rawalpindi where we stayed for two days. While fellow pilgrims dispersed, we took a bus for Gilgit on Feb 28 and reached our village Nomal, some 15km from Gilgit city, in the evening.

In the night I felt feverish. I took it for travel fatigue, took over-the-counter fever reducers from my neighbour and tried to sleep. It didn’t help. I started having chills.

Next morning, I called up the District Headquarters Hospital Gilgit and told medics about my travel and fever. A team of doctors immediately came to see me and my wife. We were then driven to the DHQ hospital in an ambulance. They took samples to test us for the novel coronavirus, while we were shifted to the Civil Hospital Basin. The samples were sent to National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad for PCR test because the facility wasn’t available in Gilgit-Baltistan. I lost my appetite but I tried to force-feed myself so that I could gather some energy to fight off my illness. After a couple of days, our test reports were received from NIH: both of us were positive for COVID-19.

After the diagnosis, they shifted us to the Mohammadabad Hospital, where we were to stay for the next 25 days. Interestingly, by now my fever was gone, while I had no cough, no muscle soreness, no sore throat, and no shortness of breath. My appetite returned to normal [I started eating more than I normally do]. My wife remained asymptomatic throughout all this time.

Tales of survivors: How I became Pakistan's first COVID-19 patient

I’m a 51-year-old ex-serviceman and my wife is 45. I had heard that the coronavirus could be fatal for people of my age and older. Doctors sought to reassure me. But honestly, I wasn’t scared one bit. It is part of our faith that every living being has to die one day. I knew if I was destined to die, I’d die no matter what. But if my time is not up, this virus can never kill me.

We were tested several times during our 25-day nightmarish sojourn. We had no symptoms, but would still test positive. I’ve heard that my wife’s reports were mixed up with another patient’s at the NIH.

Luckily, the PCR testing facility was made available in Gilgit in the meantime and we were tested locally for the first time. The results were negative and a repeat test a day later confirmed the virus was out of our bodies. It was a huge relief.

We were discharged from the hospital on March 28, but doctors said we should avoid socialising for 14 days. We’ve rented a house in Gilgit city to spend these two weeks here. It’s been five days now and we are counting the days till we are completely in the clear.

My advice to the sick: Don’t dread this virus. Keep your faith in God and power up your will, Inshallah you will defeat it. To everyone else, I say take all precautions possible. If not out of concern for the virus, then think of the ordeal isolation can create.

 (Narrated to Naveed Hussain)]]>
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			<title>'We honour his sacrifice': Dr Usama's fight against COVID-19</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2182160/honour-sacrifice-dr-usamas-fight-covid-19</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2182160/honour-sacrifice-dr-usamas-fight-covid-19#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 20 06:55:24 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[shabbir.mir]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category><category><![CDATA[Gilgit Baltistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2182160</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[It is a national tragedy and we will award him the status of national hero, says G-B CM]]>
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				<![CDATA[“We will again see what the issue is, and if they [quarantined pilgrims] need further treatment, they will be shifted to DHQ or city hospital, but if they can be treated here, we will provide treatment to them here.”

These were the last words of young doctor Usama Riaz, heard in a video recorded at a quarantine centre at Sakwar, Gilgit – where he ultimately ended up contracting the novel coronavirus while checking pilgrims returning from Iran and Iraq.

“Usama was continuously on duty and unfortunately was without proper protective gear necessary to handle coronavirus patient,” said a doctor referring to his video in which Riaz is seen wearing an ordinary mask. The video went viral on social media attracting sympathies for the young doctor.

Pakistani volunteers 3D-print ventilators, join war against COVID-19

According to relatives, Riaz returned home on Friday night from duty and went to bed. “But he couldn’t wake up next morning,” said the relative, adding he was rushed to combined military hospital (CMH) and then the district headquarter (DHQ) hospital where a CT scan machine was found to be out of order. The relatives appealed for airlifting him to Islamabad for treatment but that did not materialize either.

The 26-years-old Riaz, who was a resident of Chilas town, was then put on a ventilator at DHQ Gilgit, where he remained for the next three days before passing away on Sunday.

“It’s a national tragedy and we will award him the status of national hero,” Chief Minister Hafeezur Rehman told The Express Tribune.

“He was our frontline defence and we honour his sacrifice.”

Riaz’s death brings the tally of fatalities to five in Pakistan. The country has so far above 800 known cases of the virus. Sindh has reported the highest number of cases.

Mehtabur Rehman, a local journalist, who visited the quarantine centre said, “I visited the centre where Usama was deputed and found the situation deplorable”.

“As far as protective gear, there was no such thing on the ground,” said the journalist who was later put on quarantine on ‘suspicion’ of visiting the centre without following the standard operating procedures. Rehman termed the quarantine as a vendetta for exposing the government’s false claims.

Young doctor screening coronavirus patients dies of COVID-19 in Gilgit

The Pakistan Medical Association of Gilgit-Baltistan (PMA G-B) reacted to Riaz’s death and accused the government of showing negligence towards genuine issues of the doctors.

“Dr Riaz had contracted COVID-19 due to the negligence of government and its health department,” said President PMA G-B Dr Zulfiqar Ali while addressing a press conference in Gilgit.]]>
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			<title>New coronavirus case emerges in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan's tally rises to 20</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2173948/new-coronavirus-case-emerges-gilgit-baltistan-pakistans-tally-rises-20</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2173948/new-coronavirus-case-emerges-gilgit-baltistan-pakistans-tally-rises-20#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 11 Mar 20 09:27:47 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category><category><![CDATA[Gilgit Baltistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2173948</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The 14-year-old boy, a resident of Skardu, was held at an isolation centre where he tested positive for COVID-19]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[The second coronavirus case of Gilgit-Baltistan emerged on Wednesday, raising Pakistan’s tally of total confirmed cases to 20.

The 14-year-old boy, a resident of Skardu, was held at an isolation centre where he tested positive for the mysterious viral pneumonia-like disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

So far 20 Pakistanis have been tested positive for COVID-19 with 15 of them belonging to Sindh, four in Gilgit-Baltistan now and one in Balochistan.

First coronavirus case surfaces in Quetta, raising Pakistan’s tally to 19

On Tuesday, the first coronavirus case emerged in the Balochistan capital. The 12-year-old patient had arrived in Quetta along with his parents from Iran via Taftan border, head of a government hospital said.

The family belongs to Dadu district in Sindh, said the medical superintendent (MS) of Fatima Jinnah Hospital, adding that parents, three siblings and paternal aunt of the child are tested negative.

One patient has already fully recovered and was discharged from the hospital in Karachi last week.

Meanwhile, Dr Zafar Mirza, the de facto health minister, has said the federal government is looking closely at the changing situation and new cases are being provided with the best medical care.

“No need to worry… the situation is completely under control. The federal and provincial governments are jointly making all-out efforts to protect the masses from coronavirus on war footing,” he wrote using his official Twitter handle.

Dr Mirza admitted that the coronavirus cases in Pakistan had doubled in the last 24 hours.

“This is not surprising. Disease has spread in 106 countries. All 19 cases have brought this from abroad. All are stable. There is no evidence of local spread as yet. If we act responsibly we can avoid spread,” he wrote.

He also advised the public to observe hygiene by washing hands properly, avoid touching face and keeping distance with sick people.

“The government is working hard to contain the spread, but we all need to take our part in this fight,” he added.

All educational institutions in Sindh and Balochistan have been closed till March 13 over fear of the contagious disease’s outbreak.

The mysterious COVID-19 virus, which originated in a vet market of the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, has since then spread to more than 110 countries of the world, killing over 4,000 and infecting over 115,000 people, mostly in China thus far.

But new outbreaks in Europe, the Middle East and in Asia have fanned fears of the contagion taking hold in poor nations that lack the healthcare infrastructure to cope.

There are growing fears in Pakistan — sandwiched between China and Iran, both hotspots for the disease — over how the country would deal with the outbreak.]]>
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