Monday, August 3, 2020

NDMA starts work on clearing Karachi's key nullahs

Karachi
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) teams started the operation to clear stormwater drains in Karachi on Monday, a few days after PM Imran directed the authority to clean the city.

NDMA teams along with the Frontier Works Organization (FWO) reached Gujjar nullah to unclog the drains in the city before the fourth spell of rain is forecast to hit Karachi later this week.

Heavy machines are being used by the teams involved in cleaning the drains, to lift the trash and shift it to the city's landfill sites.

Last week, Prime Minister Imran Khan had directed NDMA chairman to visit Karachi and launch a cleanup operation after rain wreaked havoc in the provincial capital.

“I have asked the NDMA chairman to go to Karachi immediately and start the clean-up in the aftermath of the rain,” the prime minister said on Twitter.

The prime minister’s directive had come after the reports of deaths, electrocution and flooded roads came from the city following heavy rain last week.

Chairman NDMA Lt Gen Muhammad Afzal while addressing a press conference on Sunday had said local corps of Pakistan Army had also been tasked to work alongside NDMA and FWO teams to give relief to the people from flash floods.

He had added that efforts were underway to evolve a long term solution to mitigate the woes of Karachiites by taking all stakeholders including federal, provincial, local governments, etc, for a permanent solution of overflowing nullahs and roads.

“We should give relief to people with joint collaborated efforts. The flash flood losses would remain in check during August and September rains. Afterwards, a permanent solution would be in place for getting rid of flash floods,” he had noted.

The chairman had said the city could experience its next wet spell from August 7 which was expected to last till August 10. Another one or two days spell is expected from August 15, however, the expectations of rain were 40%.

“Yet another spell would be from August 24 to 26. The chances of rain will be 60 to 65%,” he had said.



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India heightening security to hide people's anger and frustration: Mehbooba Mufti

Mehbooba Mufti
Former chief minister of Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IoJK) Mehbooba Mufti accused New Delhi of heightening security and surveillance "to ensure that anger and frustration felt by people here remain hidden".

The politician, who has been illegally detained since last year when Indian revoked Article 370 of the Indian constitution that guaranteed autonomy to IoJK, took to Twitter to slam India's heightened security measures ahead of the one-year anniversary of the August 5 move.

"Suddenly, there is heightened security and surveillance in the valley. Not like non discriminatory COVID virus will be more active in the days approaching 5th August so clearly this is being done to ensure that anger and frustration felt by people here remain hidden," her account tweeted.

Though the statement comes from Mufti's account, a pinned tweet on her Twitter profile says that since she is being detained, her daughter is operating the account.

"Ms Mehbooba Mufti, former Chief Minister J&K to whom this twitter handle belongs has been detained since 5th August 2019 without access to the account. This handle is now operated by myself, Iltija daughter of Ms Mufti with due authorisation," reads the tweet from September 2019.



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Constable opens fire on jailed man for asking for a cigarette

Constable opens fire on jailed man for asking for a cigarette
A cop on Sunday opened fire on a jailed man at a police station in Lahore over repeatedly asking him for a cigarette.

According to police, the incident occurred at Chuhang police station in Lahore, where Constable Waris opened fire on a jailed man, Zeeshan, who was brought to the police station in a case pertaining to electricity theft.

“The constable opened fire after the inmate repeatedly asked for a cigarette from Waris, who was posted at the security of a lockup at the police station,” they said.

The injured inmate was shifted to a hospital for medical treatment as police arrested the cop for injuring a prisoner and booked him in a case.

The police said that they would investigate the real motive behind the incident and determine if it was an incident over mere refusing a cigarette or anything else.

The doctors, who have treated the injured accused, said that he was currently out of danger.

It is pertinent to mention here that cases have been reported where cops have been found violating the powers given to them.



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Kashmiri people rejected India’s illegal move on August 5, 2019: Qureshi

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said the entire country is proud of its soldiers deployed at the Line of Control (LoC) and saluted their bravery.

The foreign minister made the remarks while speaking to the media at the LoC along with Defence Minister Pervez Khattak and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Security, Dr Moeed Yusuf as the country marks the first anniversary of the Indian revocation of the special status of occupied Kashmir.

Qureshi, Khattak and Yusuf will brief the media about the Indian violation on LoC, targeting civilian towns and population. The foreign minister will also visit Muzaffarabad where he will meet the political leadership of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Earlier, while departing for the visit to LoC, Qureshi in a video message had said that Pakistan stands with Kashmiris. “Innocent Kashmiris are targeted by Indian forces every day at the LoC as New Delhi keeps violating the ceasefire pact between the two countries,” he said.

“The Kashmiri people have rejected India’s illegal's move on August 5, 2019,” he noted.

The foreign minister had added that the people of Kashmir will continue their struggle until they get their right to self-determination.



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Microsoft says in talks to buy TikTok's US operations

Microsoft says in talks to buy TikTok's US operations
US tech giant Microsoft has said it will push ahead with talks to acquire the US operations of Chinese video-sharing app, TikToK, amid crumbling relations between Washington and China.

Microsoft formally declared its interest on Sunday after President Donald Trump reversed course on a planned ban of TikTok and gave the two firms to 45 days to come to a deal.

The proposed acquisition of parts of TikTok, which boasts 100 million US users, would offer Microsoft a rare opportunity to become a major competitor to social media giants such as Facebook and Snap.

Microsoft, which also owns professional social media network LinkedIn, is also seeking to buy TikTok’s Canadian, Australian and New Zealand interests.

ByteDance has not publicly confirmed the news. But in an internal letter to staff on Monday seen by Reuters, the company’s founder and CEO Zhang Yiming said the firm had started talks with a tech company that was not identified.

The letter also said ByteDance did not agree with the stance taken by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) that it must fully divest TikTok’s US operations.

“We disagree with this CFIUS conclusion,” the letter said but added: “...we understand the decision in the current macro environment.”

ByteDance did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Trump had said on Friday he was planning a ban amid concerns that its Chinese ownership represents a national security risk because of the personal data it handles.

He only agreed to allow Microsoft to negotiate a deal if it could secure a deal in 45 days, three people familiar with the matter said on Sunday.



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Corona cases in Pakistan rose to 280,029, recovery rate rose to 248,873

Corona virus update
The number of confirmed Corona cases in Pakistan rose to 280,029 on Monday after new infections were confirmed in the country.

Total: 280,029

• Sindh: 121,486

• Punjab: 93,197

• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 34,223

• Balochistan: 11,774

• Islamabad Capital Territory: 15,076

• Gilgit-Baltistan: 2,180

• AJK: 2,093

Deaths: 5,984

• Punjab: 2,148

• Sindh: 2,224

• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 1,202

• Balochistan: 136

• Islamabad Capital Territory: 165

• Gilgit-Baltistan: 55

• AJK: 54

RECOVERED: 248,873

 



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Corona cases in Pakistan rose to 280,029, recovery rate rose to 248,873

Corona virus update
The number of confirmed Corona cases in Pakistan rose to 280,029 on Monday after new infections were confirmed in the country.

Total: 280,029

• Sindh: 121,486

• Punjab: 93,197

• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 34,223

• Balochistan: 11,774

• Islamabad Capital Territory: 15,076

• Gilgit-Baltistan: 2,180

• AJK: 2,093

Deaths: 5,984

• Punjab: 2,148

• Sindh: 2,224

• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 1,202

• Balochistan: 136

• Islamabad Capital Territory: 165

• Gilgit-Baltistan: 55

• AJK: 54

RECOVERED: 248,873

 



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Islamabad court dismisses Gill’s bail plea in sedition case

A District and Sessions court of Islamabad dismissed the post arrest bail petition of PTI leader Shahbaz Gill on Tuesday. Additional Dist...