Court approves two-day transit remand for Khawaja Asif

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December 30, 2020

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Accountability Court approved on Wednesday two-day transit remand for PML-N leader Khawaja Asif. NAB has been ordered to immediately present him before the relevant court.

Asif, a former defence minister, was arrested on Tuesday on four charges, including owning more assets than his reported income can justify, providing false sources of income and accumulating undue assets while in public office.

Judge Muhammad Bashir heard the case.

According to NAB, Asif hid his illegally gained assets by transferring them to other people’s names. In 1991 he had assets worth Rs5.1 million but in 2018 they were worth Rs221 million.

Before the 2018 general election, the Islamabad High Court had disqualified Asif for holding a foreign iqama (work permit) but the Supreme Court had overturned the order and allowed him to contest the election. He was elected an MNA from NA-73 Sialkot.

The NAB chairperson had ordered the inquiry against Asif after it emerged that the sources of income he provided in his official documents was not the actual source of his assets.

He was summoned for a second time by NAB after he failed to satisfy it regarding his assets. A warrant for his arrest was issued as part of the investigation after which he was arrested.

The PML-N’s Maryam Nawaz vowed that there would be a reaction to Asif’s arrest.

“Now, you have arrested the PML-N parliamentary leader,” Maryam said. “Do you fear that the PML-N is going to resign and Khawaja Asif can play a better role in it?”

She said such tactics would not work because she had already received resignations of PML-N MPAs and MNAs.

The PML-N leader warned that such moves would only expedite the government’s departure.

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Kashmir Premier League joins hands with Shahid Afridi Foundation

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Our Correspondent

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December 29, 2020

ISLAMABAD: Kashmir Premier League (KPL) organized a signing ceremoney in Islamabad with Shahid Afridi Foundation as charity organization.

KPL aims to align the societal development with the cricketing activity creating a platform which would positively encompass the people and land of Kashmir.

KPL signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today with the Shahid Afridi Foundation as charity organization with the aim of transforming the lives unprivileged communities.

Arif Malik – President KPL mentioned “We already have Shahid Khan Afridi on board as our brand ambassador for the League and he already has a personal association and empathy for Kashmir and its people”.

Shahid Afridi mentioned that he has visited Kashmir and term it as the ‘Heaven on Earth’. He also said he supports the Kashmiri Agenda and vow the launch of KPL a brand dedicated to the region.

Afridi is willing support the league initiative as it would open doors to new opportunities for the people. Through this process KPL will be promoting Shahid Afridi Foundation on shirt logos and sponsoring food drives and other CSR projects.

On this event Ch. Shahzad Akhtar CEO – KPL, shared his thoughts and highlighted the importance of KPL for the Kashmiri Community and said this will be a landmark event for the region.

Other designated guests included Adil Waheed – Owner Mirpur Royal, Muhammad Arshad Khan Tanoli – Owner Muzaffarabad Tigers, Samar Abbas – Member Advisory Council KPL, Amir Nawab – Director Cricket Operations and Tanveer Mughal – Manager Cricket Operations KPL.

KPL is a T20 league which comprises of 6 teams entitled as Rawalakot Hawks, Kotli Panthers, Mirpur Royals, Muzaffarabad Tigers, Overseas Warriors and Bagh Stallions. The event will be executed in Muzaffarabad, Mirpur and Rawalpindi Cricket grounds from 1st to 10th April, 2021.

This league is an initiative to promote the domestic Cricket in Pakistan and highlight the talent and natural magnificence of Kashmir.Read more:

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DHA girl, friend who beat constable get pre-arrest bail

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Our Correspondent

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December 23, 2020

LAHORE: A woman and his friend who allegedly attacked and misbehaved with cops in Lahore DHA area, got bail from Islamabad and Gujrat respectively on Wednesday.

Lahore Police sent a report to CCPO Lahore that a woman identified as Kanza d/o Abdul Rehman, who created a scene in DHA market slapped and hurled verbal abuses at the police personae outside a coffee shop and got bail along with his friend.

The woman was taking drugs in her car and later misbehaved and confronted cops

She tried to rip the jacket of policeman Qaiser, the complainant said, before fleeing away with her male friend.

It is pertinent to note that after the incident a video of the incident quickly went viral rounds on the internet.

Lahore CCPO Omer Sheikh ordered the arrest of both involved in the incident and appreciated the cops who showed restraint in the tense station.

Earlier, CCPO Lahore Muhammad Umer Sheikh took notice of the incident where the tipsy woman and her male friend misbehaved with the police constable and then beat him.

As the constable tried to avoid their onslaught, they both ran after him and slapped him again and again.

The constable did not fight back and kept his calm while trying to avoid the couple.

(With additional input from INP)

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IHC nullifies decision to hike Islamabad property taxes by 200pc

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Our Correspondent

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December 23, 2020

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) has nullified the notification of 200 percent increase in property taxes in federal capital.

The high court directed the authorities to collect tax at previous level and also clarified that tax collection is duty of Metropolitan Corporation of Islamabad (MCI) instead of the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

Earlier in last year, the court had suspended the notification after hearing a plea against the hike. The petition argued that MCI had made a 200 percent increase in the property tax in Islamabad while misusing its powers and asked the court to set aside the decision of the MCI regarding increase in the property tax.

The MCI approved the increase in property tax, making it applicable from July 1, 2019, but tensions between the MCI and CDA over who would control the revenue directorate responsible for collecting property tax meant that the distribution of property tax bills was delayed.

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PIA moving headquarter to Islamabad next month; shifting starts in phases

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Noor ul Huda

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December 21, 2020

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), the national flag carrier, has finalized the plan to shift its headquarters from Karachi to Islamabad by the end of next month.

As part of the restructuring plan of the airlines the shifting process will start as flight services division, commercial department and human resource divisions, will be moved to federal capital.

Other department, including flights scheduling and medical division, corporate development department, works division and supply chain management will be shifted to the federal capital by the end of February, internal audit, corporate secretariat and finance departments by the end of March and engineering department by the end of June 2021.

The human resource cost of the airline is Rs24.8 billion a year which will be reduced under the restructuring plan.

The PIA management is also considering introducing “Sehat Card” for the employees by discontinuing the present model of medical facility which, it believes, is a huge financial burden on the airline. It said that if the “Sehat Card” option could not be materialised, then either government hospitals would be taken on panels instead of expensive private hospitals or nominal medical encashment would be made part of salaries.

The air tickets scheme (passage facility) is being rationalised to extend the same facility to all cadres of employees. The number of tickets authorised to the employees is being reduced as these contribute to indirect expenses in terms of fuel cost.

PIA had on Dec 7 launched a Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS) to get rid of 3,500 employees and achieve the 1:250 (250 per aircraft employees) ratio and set a deadline of Dec 22 for the scheme. The deadline for the Mandatory Separation Scheme (MSS), which is based on performance and discipline, is January 2021.

The deadline for separating non-core functions and fast track across-the-board accountability has been set for March 2021. The fast track accountability includes initial/completion of departmental investigations and inquiries, aggressive perusal of legal cases in court and speeding up investigations at the National Accountability Bureau and Federal Investigation Agency.

Efforts are being made to let the employees get separated in a dignified way with a good financial package.

According to the restructuring plan, if the separation of the required number of 3,500 employees was not met through the VSS, then the MSS will be launched soon after the former. All departments/categories of PIA employees will be rationalised to achieve the required number of 3,500 employees.

According to plan, the excess employees will be mandatorily retired based on performance, discipline and value addition. The mandatorily retired employees will not be offered VSS financial packages as well as medical/passage facilities post retirement.

PIA Officers Association general secretary Safdar Anjum alleged that the airline management had leaked the restructuring plan with an intention to create panic and fear among the employees so that they avail the VSS. “Since the VSS scheme had been introduced, only 650 employees have applied so far,” he tweeted.

Safdar Anjum said all the employees who had been transferred from Karachi to Islamabad were facing difficulties in getting accommodations and other facilities.

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COVID-19 vaccine will be available in Pakistan in Feb or March: Dr Faisal

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Our Correspondent

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December 17, 2020

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Health Services Dr Faisal Sultan on Thursday said that COVID vaccine will be available in Pakistan in February or March 2021.

Speaking to a private TV channel morning program, Dr Faisal Sultan said that coronavirus vaccine would be available in Pakistan next year in February or March and it will be free for all the citizens.

He said COVID-19 is rapidly spreading in the densely populated areas of the country and the positivity ratio in Karachi is highest.

Dr Faisal Sultan said that coronavirus vaccine would be available in Pakistan next year in February or March and it will be free for all the citizens

The SAPM said that the pandemic can only be controlled by adhering to SOPs until the availability of the vaccine.

Yesterday, Dr Faisal Sultan had confirmed that the Covid-19 vaccine to be procured by the government would be vaccinated free of cost to the Pakistani public.

In a media briefing in Islamabad, he had assured that the vaccine will be procured keeping in view its safety, efficacy and effectiveness.

Faisal Sultan further had said that said the virus positivity ratio has reached 7 to eight percent and its intensity has increased in big cities.

He once again asked the people to fully comply with the SOPs to avoid the spread of the deadly virus.

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Highest covid positivity ratio observed in Karachi at 18.76 pc

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Our Correspondent

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December 16, 2020

ISLAMABAD: The national COVID-19 positivity ratio on Wednesday was recorded 7.2 percent where 2,510 coronavirus patients were in critical condition across the country with the number of critical patients rising at a fast pace.

The highest positivity ratio was observed in Karachi which was 18.76 percent followed by Hyderabad 16.56 percent and Peshawar 15.99 percent, according to the latest update issued by the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC).

The positivity ratio in various federating units was as in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) was 5 percent, Balochistan 4.9 percent, Gilgit Baltistan (GB) 1.6 percent, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) 2.9 percent, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) 11.3 percent, Punjab 3.2 percent and Sindh had 14.8 percent.

It also mentioned the province wise COVID-19 positivity ratio breakdown that indicated in Punjab, Lahore had 6.04 percent, Rawalpindi had maximum of 6.15 percent, Faisalabad 2.67 percent and Multan 2.71 percent and Gujranwala had 0.77 percent.

prevailing pandemic outbreak as a total of 9,010 deaths were recorded with prevailing fatality rate of 2.02 percent against the global death rate of 2.22 percent

In Sindh, Karachi had 18.76 percent, Hyderabad 16.56 percent, in KP, Peshawar had 15.99 percent, Abbotabad 3.80 percent and Swat had 3.46 percent, in Balochistan, Quetta had 5.08 percent, in ICT 2.94 percent positivity ratio was prevailing.

In AJK, Mirpur had 5.31 percent positivity ratio and Muzaffarabad 1.8 percent and GB had 1.45 percent.

The update also showed mortality analysis during the prevailing pandemic outbreak as a total of 9,010 deaths were recorded with prevailing fatality rate of 2.02 percent against the global death rate of 2.22 percent.

It added that as per the gender analysis of the deceased around 70 percent were males with 77.5 percent over the age of 50-year with age median of 61-year.

As many as 73 percent of the perished COVID-19 patients had chronic comorbidities (affected with another disease prior to contracting Coronavirus).

Out of the total died COVID patients 91 percent of the deceased remained hospitalised whereas 58 percent of the hospitalised patients remained on ventilator, it added.

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Punjab reports 57 deaths by COVID-19 in 24 hours

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Our Correspondent

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December 15, 2020

ISLAMABAD: According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC)Punjab has recorded 57 deaths due to the COVID-19 in the last 24 hours on Tuesday.

It is to be mentioned here that overall 73 deaths and 2,459 new cases of coronavirus reported across the country in 24 hours. Overall death toll by the novel coronavirus reached to 8,905.

Punjab has reported above 1,28,000 cases of the disease, while 3,365 deaths, well ahead of Sindh’s 3,158, which has a caseload of above 196,000.

The total count of active cases in country is 48,008, whereas, overall 386,033 people have recovered from the deadly disease so far.

In the second wave of the coronavirus cases, the occupancy ratio of ventilators and oxygen beds in hospitals has increased

According to the (NCOC) , the occupancy ratio of available ventilators in Multan hospitals has reached to 54 percent.

The occupancy ratio of ventilators in Islamabad has been 42 pct, Lahore 33 pct and Peshawar 26 percent.

In Islamabad 36 percent oxygenated beds, allocated for coronavirus patients,have been occupied, while occupancy ratio of oxygen beds in Multan has been 50 pct, Peshawar 60 pct and Karachi 39 pct, according to the NCOC.

According to a report federal capital Islamabad is well ahead of the provicnes in conducting Covid-19 tests. While the countrywide tests per million population (PMP) have been recorded at 28,428, Islamabad has conducted 370,266 tests.

According to the data of the NCOC, Islamabad followed by Sindh with 44,862 and Gilgit-Baltistan 39,941 tests PMP.

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PM hails Pakistan Navy’s efforts for defense of maritime frontiers

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Our Correspondent

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December 14, 2020

Naval Headquaters Visit- The Newstoday-TNT

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has commended the efforts of Pakistan Navy for the defense of country’s sea frontiers and provision of security to China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project including Gwadar Port.

He made the remarks during his visit to Naval Headquarters in Islamabad on Monday where he was given a detailed briefing about Pakistan Navy’s initiatives for the development of maritime sector.

The Prime Minister assured to continue to provide all possible cooperation to the naval force.

Imran Khan said declaring 2020 as the year of blue economy manifests the government’s emphasis to maritime economy

He said given its importance for economic development, the government is trying to promote the maritime sector.

Imran Khan said declaring 2020 as the year of blue economy manifests the government’s emphasis to maritime economy.

Naval Chief Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi on the occasion said Pakistan Navy is fully prepared to protect the maritime interests and sea frontiers of the country.

Federal Ministers Pervez Khattak, Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Syed Ali Haider Zaidi and Special Assistant on National Security Dr Moeed Yusuf were also present on the occasion.

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Woman beats six-year-old son to death

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Our Correspondent

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December 13, 2020

ISLAMABAD: Woman reportedly beat her six-year-old son to death for insisting on going to his uncle’s house in Islamabad, the Federal Capital.

The police stated the mother grew angry when the boy insisted he wanted to go to his maternal uncle’s house and began to beat him. The child died of his injuries.

A case has been registered at the Ramna police station on the complaint of the boy’s father and the woman has been taken into custody.

The boy’s father Ghafraz said he gave the boy, whose name was Muzzamil Abbas, to his childless brother. “My son lived with his uncle for five years. Last year, his mother brought him back,” he said.

He said the boy wanted to go to his uncle’s house and his mother used to beat him up over it. This morning she beat him up and he was severely injured, said Ghafraz, adding that the boy died at the hospital.

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