PTI working on development as it considers Karachi its own unlike PPP's Sindh govt: Asad

The PTI-led federal government is working on development projects in Pakistan's southern port city as it considers the metropolis "its own", Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar said Sunday, claiming that its counterpart under the PPP in Sindh did not have the same views.

Speaking at the inauguration of the PTI's regional office in Shah Faisal Colony, Asad Umar said the ruling party "considers Karachi as [its] own and [the PPP] does not; therefore, the PTI is working on various development projects in the city.

Umar was accompanied by members of the Sindh Assembly, including PTI lawmakers Firdous Shamim Naqvi, Jamal Ahmed, and Adeel Ahmed.

"You don't consider Karachi as your own but we will continue to work here. When the federal government tries to work in Sindh, obstacles are put in its way.

"The local government system in Sindh does not meet the spirit of the Constitution. The local government should have all the powers but that's not the case in Karachi.

"Provinces [usually] seek help from the federation. The provincial ministers and the chief minister step up with promises but the powers have not been transferred yet," the minister added.

Umar, who also heads the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC), which serves as the monitoring body related to the coronavirus pandemic, underscored that the ruling party and its Karachi-based coalition partner has approached the country's top court regarding the aforementioned issue.

"The PTI and the MQM have filed a petition in the Supreme Court regarding the local government powers," he said, adding that Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah "does not consider Karachi as his own".

The federal minister noted that development work is underway in Karachi and that no one could hold leaders accountable better than the people themselves.

"Elections will be held under the new system, which empowers people," he mentioned, adding that the political families would not have any say under it.

"This will be the Naya Pakistan!"

Naqvi, the PTI lawmaker, echoed Umar's comments, saying five months have passed since the local government system ended but the Sindh leadership has not been able to announce a date for the transfer of powers.

"The city has fallen victim to the tyrannical Zardari party and the Sindh government is responsible for all the shortcomings," he said. "Karachi's problems have outgrown the province's problems over the past four decades.

"There is no mass transit system in Karachi," he lamented but added that only "working together will resolve" the problems of Pakistan's financial capital.

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Imran Khan's govt won't last a day if I don't want it to: Khattak

Prime Minister Imran Khan's government will not survive a single day if I don't want it to, said Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak on Sunday.

The former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister was speaking to PTI workers in Nowshera where he spoke about the incumbent government.

Khattak spoke about the Opposition, saying that they respected him which is why he also had regard for parliamentarians. "No one can cheat me when it comes to politics," he said, adding that Imran Khan's government would not last a single day if he didn't want it to.

However, Khattak clarified that the prime minister had bestowed a lot of favours on him and that he was with the premier all the way.

The former KP chief minister turned his guns towards the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), accusing it of trying to pressurise the government to hide their corruption.

"There are internal rifts within the PDM. Very soon, their artificial alliance will meet its fate," he said. Khattak blamed Opposition parties for having a hand in the inflationary situation that Pakistan was currently strugglign with, saying that it was the predecessor governments' policies that had brought Pakistan to its current state of affairs.

A few hours after the Khattak's above-mentioned statement started doing the rounds on social media, the defence minister took to Twitter to issue a clarification.

In the tweet, Khattak clarified that he was "sincere and indebted" to Imran Khan.

"Clearly mentioned in my speech for the locals of my village in Nowshera that I’m sincere and indebted to Imran Khan. We are successful in our constituency due to our efforts and the support of IK. We will defeat all opp. parties ganged up against the candidate we are supporting for the by-election," he tweeted.

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PTI working on development as it considers Karachi its own unlike PPP's Sindh govt: Asad

The PTI-led federal government is working on development projects in Pakistan's southern port city as it considers the metropolis "its own", Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar said Sunday, claiming that its counterpart under the PPP in Sindh did not have the same views.

Speaking at the inauguration of the PTI's regional office in Shah Faisal Colony, Asad Umar said the ruling party "considers Karachi as [its] own and [the PPP] does not; therefore, the PTI is working on various development projects in the city.

Umar was accompanied by members of the Sindh Assembly, including PTI lawmakers Firdous Shamim Naqvi, Jamal Ahmed, and Adeel Ahmed.

"You don't consider Karachi as your own but we will continue to work here. When the federal government tries to work in Sindh, obstacles are put in its way.

"The local government system in Sindh does not meet the spirit of the Constitution. The local government should have all the powers but that's not the case in Karachi.

"Provinces [usually] seek help from the federation. The provincial ministers and the chief minister step up with promises but the powers have not been transferred yet," the minister added.

Umar, who also heads the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC), which serves as the monitoring body related to the coronavirus pandemic, underscored that the ruling party and its Karachi-based coalition partner has approached the country's top court regarding the aforementioned issue.

"The PTI and the MQM have filed a petition in the Supreme Court regarding the local government powers," he said, adding that Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah "does not consider Karachi as his own".

The federal minister noted that development work is underway in Karachi and that no one could hold leaders accountable better than the people themselves.

"Elections will be held under the new system, which empowers people," he mentioned, adding that the political families would not have any say under it.

"This will be the Naya Pakistan!"

Naqvi, the PTI lawmaker, echoed Umar's comments, saying five months have passed since the local government system ended but the Sindh leadership has not been able to announce a date for the transfer of powers.

"The city has fallen victim to the tyrannical Zardari party and the Sindh government is responsible for all the shortcomings," he said. "Karachi's problems have outgrown the province's problems over the past four decades.

"There is no mass transit system in Karachi," he lamented but added that only "working together will resolve" the problems of Pakistan's financial capital.

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Pakistan announces 20-man T20I squad for South Africa series

Pakistan Chief Selector Muhammad Wasim announced the 20-man squad for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa on Sunday. Wahab Riaz and all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez were excluded from the squad.

The 20-member squad comprises of the following players:

Babar Azam, Haider Ali, Khushdil Shah, Hussain Talat, Danish Aziz, Asif Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Zafar Gohar, Faheem Ashraf, Aamer Yamin, Amad Butt, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Hasan Ali, Usman Qadir, Zahid Mehmood.

As per the precedent set by Wasim in the Test squad, the T20I group, too, featured a bunch of domestic stalwarts such as Zafar Gohar, Amad Butt, Zahid Mehmood and Danish Aziz. Aamer Yameen and Asif Ali, who had largely been forgotten, also marked their return.

Among the notable absentees were veterans Mohammad Hafeez and Wahab Riaz, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Musa Khan, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan and Abdullah Shafique.

Wasim announced the squad in Lahore during a press conference, which was broadcast live on the Pakistan Cricket Board's official YouTube channel.

The incumbent chief selector, who had replaced Misbah-ul-Haq late last year, had sprang a series of surprises in the Test squad, opting to give opportunities to some of the top performers of domestic circuit, including Nauman Ali, who went on to have an exceptional debut against South Africa in the first Test.

The first T20 between the two teams will be played on February 11, the second on February 13 while the last game will be played on February 14.

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Imran Khan's govt won't last a day if I don't want it to: Khattak

Prime Minister Imran Khan's government will not survive a single day if I don't want it to, said Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak on Sunday.

The former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister was speaking to PTI workers in Nowshera where he spoke about the incumbent government.

Khattak spoke about the Opposition, saying that they respected him which is why he also had regard for parliamentarians. "No one can cheat me when it comes to politics," he said, adding that Imran Khan's government would not last a single day if he didn't want it to.

However, Khattak clarified that the prime minister had bestowed a lot of favours on him and that he was with the premier all the way.

The former KP chief minister turned his guns towards the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), accusing it of trying to pressurise the government to hide their corruption.

"There are internal rifts within the PDM. Very soon, their artificial alliance will meet its fate," he said. Khattak blamed Opposition parties for having a hand in the inflationary situation that Pakistan was currently strugglign with, saying that it was the predecessor governments' policies that had brought Pakistan to its current state of affairs.

A few hours after the Khattak's above-mentioned statement started doing the rounds on social media, the defence minister took to Twitter to issue a clarification.

In the tweet, Khattak clarified that he was "sincere and indebted" to Imran Khan.

"Clearly mentioned in my speech for the locals of my village in Nowshera that I’m sincere and indebted to Imran Khan. We are successful in our constituency due to our efforts and the support of IK. We will defeat all opp. parties ganged up against the candidate we are supporting for the by-election," he tweeted.

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All CNG stations across Sindh will remain closed for 72 hours

All the compressed natural gas (CNG) stations across Sindh will remain closed for 72 hours from Monday (Feb 1).

A spokesperson for the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) said gas filling stations will remain shut for 72 hours from 8 am on Monday till 8 am on Thursday (Feb 4) across the province.

A notification regarding CNG stations closure has been issued.

The country faces a shortfall of gas in winter, forcing the government to cut gas supply to CNG stations and industries while domestic consumer are supplied gas on priority.

Earlier, Special Assistant to the PM on Petroleum Nadeem Babar had said the country faced a dramatic decline in the domestic gas production this year. He said the government had suspended gas supply to CNG stations but domestic consumers will be given priority.

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Six passengers arrested for trying to travel providing fake COVID-19 test

As many as six passengers from Bacha Khan International Airport Peshawar were taken into custody for trying to travel while presenting fake COVID-19 test reports.

According to details, a vigilance team of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and KP health department took action against six passengers after they were trying to travel abroad using fake reports of COVID-19 test.

The passengers were traveling from separate flights of the PIA and a private airline to Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Al Ain.

The passengers produced test reports to the authorities at the airport and on getting suspicious regarding their authenticity, the reports were checked and turned out to be fake.

The airlines did not issue boarding cards to the passengers and they were arrested over the forgery. They were later released after paying a fine but were not allowed to take the flight.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has issued strict SOPs for entering the nation-wide airports aimed at halting the spread of COVID-19.

According to details, after the implementation of the strict COVID-19 SOPs, many passengers were denied entry into the airports over violations.

“No one either the passengers or airport staffers will be allowed to enter the airports’ premises without a facemask,” the sources said adding that the airport managers are personally supervising the implementation.

They further said that all airlines have also been directed to comply with the SOPs and ensure that their staffers wear a facemask and warned that strict action would be taken over violations.

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