Begum Shamim Akhtar's funeral: Punjab govt allows Shahbaz, Hamza Shahbaz to be released on parole

PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif and his son, Hamza, would be released on a five-day parole ahead of the funeral of the former Punjab chief minister's mother, Begum Shamim Akhtar.

According to sources at the Ministry of Interior, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar had earlier sent a request for the temporary release of Shahbaz Sharif and Hamza Shahbaz to the provincial cabinet for approval.

The PML-N had submitted a request for a 14-day release on parole to the Deputy Commissioner Lahore, who has the power to approve the release for 8-10 hours.

The parole-based release would come into effect once the body reaches Pakistan after clearance from the Westminster Magistrates' Court coroner and confirmation from London — expected in a few days.

Sources said that a draft summary was prepared for their release on parole for five days. With the cabinet's approval, the PML-N president and his son would be let out of jail on parole to attend the funeral of Nawaz Sharif's mother, Begum Shamim Akhtar, a day before the body arrives in Pakistan.

'Deliberately politicising the issue'

Earlier today, Information and Broadcasting Minister Shibli Faraz clarified that the federal government had placed no restrictions on Nawaz Sharif or his family members and that they could attend the funeral of Begum Shamim Akhtar.

Faraz had said Nawaz, his sons Hassan and Hussain, and former finance minister Ishaq Dar were free to return to Pakistan but warned them against politicising the matter.

Related: Shibli Faraz says no restrictions on Nawaz Sharif, family to attend Begum Shamim's funeral

"They can visit [Pakistan] and attend the funeral of late Begum Shamim Akhtar and get sawab-e-darain [reward]," the federal minister had said on Twitter.

"The propaganda of state repression is deliberately politicising the issue.

"Who are you fooling," Faraz had asked rhetorically.

Begum Shamim had passed away aged 89 on Sunday. She had developed a severe chest infection and was suffering from an advanced stage of Alzheimer's disease.

The condition of Nawaz Sharif's mother had deteriorated a week before her death and she was unable to regain her health due to her old age.

Begum Shamim Akhtar was under treatment at a London hospital and her body was kept at the Avenfield Apartments where she was staying with her son.

The body had been transferred to the London Central Mosque's mortuary late Sunday night after the coroner and local police spent about three hours at the Sharif family's apartment to complete paperwork to determine the cause of death and other legal requirements.

As per the United Kingdom's coronavirus guidelines, the number of participants at the funeral is limited to 30.

The Sharif family was also waiting for a repatriation clearance from the Westminster Magistrates' Court coroner in order for the body of Nawaz Sharif’s mother to be taken to Pakistan for burial in Jati Umrah.

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PM Imran gives in-principle approval for law on chemical castration of rapists

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday approved, in principle, a law on chemical castration of rapists.

The decision was made during a federal cabinet meeting wherein the law ministry presented a draft of the anti-rape ordinance. The draft includes increasing women’s role in policing, fast-tracking rape cases and witness protection.

Stressing that this was a serious matter, PM Imran Khan said no delay will be tolerated. “We need to ensure a safe environment for our citizens.”

The premier said the legislation will be clear and transparent with strict enforcement. He said the rape survivors will be able to register complaints without fear, adding that the government will protect their identity.

Sources said some federal ministers also recommended public hanging for the rape convicts. But the premier said castration will be a start.

The federal cabinet has, in principle, approved strict severe punishment for rape convicts.

Taking to Twitter, PTI senator Faisal Javed Khan said the law will soon be presented before the Parliament.

Rape laws in Pakistan

There has been much debate around rape laws in Pakistan. The incident of Kasur's Zainab and more recently the motorway gang-rape in Lahore sparked a debate on the severity of punishment to prevent sexual assaults.

Speaking at a joint sitting of the Parliament after a passage of bills pertaining to the FATF, PM Imran Khan had said that the government will soon introduce three-tier legislation including registration of sex offenders, exemplary punishment for rape and child abuse and effective policing.

In an interview, PM Imran Khan had suggested public hanging and chemical castrating the convicts to curb rising sexual violence in the country.

 

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Nz Tour: Green shirts arrive in Christchurch, start mandatory quarantine

Pakistan cricket team has arrived in New Zealand to play three T20 and two Test matches.

The 54-member squad, including 34 players and 20 officials, will stay at the Hilton Hotel for their mandatory 14-day quarantine period.

As per the instructions of the New Zealand government, the squad will undergo a total of three coronavirus tests during their isolation period.
Sources say that in case the first coronavirus test report turns out to be negative, the national squad will be divided into different groups after which each group will be allowed to train in a biosecure environment for the first three days after isolation.

The squad's first coronavirus test will be performed on November 25.

The team will play its first T20 match on December 18 in Auckland, the second T20 match is scheduled in Hamilton on December 20, while they will play their last T20 match of the series in Napier on December 22.
The two teams will also face each other in a Test series comprising two matches. The team will play their first test in Mount Maunganui from December 26-30, while they will play their second test in Christchurch from January 3-7.

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UK to use testing to shorten quarantine for incoming passengers

England will introduce a new system on Dec. 15 allowing passengers arriving from high-risk countries to take a COVID-19 test after five days of quarantine and to be released from any further self-isolation if they test negative.

Airlines and other companies in the travel and tourism industries had been calling for such a scheme for months, having suffered devastating consequences from a 14-day quarantine rule that has deterred people from travelling.

“The move will give passengers the confidence to book international trips in the knowledge that they can return home and isolate for a shorter period if they have received a negative test,” the government said in a statement on Tuesday.

The new scheme will be open to all passengers arriving from countries not featured on the government’s safe travel list, such as France, Italy, Spain and a number of other major destinations usually favoured by British tourists.

“With this announcement there is now light at the end of the tunnel not just for carriers and UK aviation but consumers looking to get away at Christmas and beyond,” said Tim Alderslade, chief executive of industry group Airlines UK.

People travelling to England by plane, ferry or train from Dec. 15 and wishing to take advantage of the scheme will have to book a test with a private provider from a government-approved list. They will have to pay for their test.

Those who decide not to take a test will still be required to self-isolate for 14 days.

British Airways said the new scheme was “a significant step in the right direction”.

The airline added that it planned to publish results of trials it was conducting between Britain and the United States that it said would show that a robust pre-departure testing system would eliminate the need for quarantine altogether.

The government also said it would introduce new financial support for commercial airports and ground handlers in England in the new year, capped at up to 8 million pounds ($11 million)per site.

“This new package of support for airports, alongside a new testing regime for international arrivals, will help the (aviation) sector take off once again as we build back better from the pandemic,” finance minister Rishi Sunak said in the government statement.

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HEC abolishes two-year BA/BSc degree programmes

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has asked all the public and private universities and their affiliated colleges to abolish two-year BA/BSc degree programmes.

According to a notification issued by the HEC, it will no longer recognise the degrees undertaken after the 2018 academic year.
The HEC called for universities to immediately stop offering these degree programmes following the education commission’s decision of phasing out two-year BA/BSc programmes after the academic year 2018.

“It has been noticed with grave concern that these programs are still being offered by universities/ Degree Awarding Institutes (DAIs) and their affiliated colleges,” read the notification.

“In this regard, universities/ Degree Awarding Institutes (DAIs) are directed not to offer admissions in the two year BA/BSc programs and that the degrees shall not be recognized by HEC for students enrolled in these programs after December 31, 2018.”

Back in 2019, the HEC had announced that it will replace the two-year BA/BSc programmes with Associate Degree programmes (AD) with a changed degree nomenclature.

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‘Animation, video gaming programme going to be a game-changer: Fawad Ch

Federal Minister of Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry has announced the plan for introducing animation and video gaming certification programme for youth which will be a ‘game-changer’ for Pakistan,on Tuesday

Fawad Chaudhry said in his Twitter message that the youth should be readied for an innovative programme of the federal government if the video games are more attractive for them instead of theoretical things.

He said that the Ministry of Science and Technology is going to introducing a programme for video gaming programme, aiming to become a part of the gaming industry worth over $90 billion.

The federal minister was of the view that animation and video gaming certification programme will become a game-changer for the youth of the country.

Earlier in October, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry had announced Pakistan’s first OTT network.

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Security officials counter terrorism bid in Lahore; kill ‘suicide bomber’

Security officials have foiled a major terrorism bid in Lahore by killing a suspected suicide bomber outside a Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) police station at Lahore’s Barki Road on Tuesday morning.

A terrorist attacked a Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) police station at Lahore’s Barki Road on Tuesday morning, however, he was killed in retaliation by security officials.

According to CTD, the attacker opened fire on the security forces at the police station after being called to identify himself. The unidentified terrorist was later killed in response fire by the security officials.

The CTD officials said that a suicide vest, two hand grenades and weapon were recovered from his possession. The security forces started a search operation after cordoning off the area, whereas, the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) has also arrived.

The alleged terrorist wanted to carry out a suicide attack on the police station, however, timely action by the security officials foiled his plan, the CTD officials said.

Earlier on Monday, security forces had busted a major terror module, killing two terrorists during a raid in Bajaur, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

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