Fawad Chaudhry asks PML-N if 'buying votes for Rs2,000' equals respecting votes

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry in reaction to a viral video of voters being allegedly bribed ahead of Lahore's NA-133 by-election, has asked whether "buying votes for Rs2,000" is how respect is accorded to the vote.

His remarks, during a rally in Pind Dadan Khan, Jhelum, were in reference to the PML-N mantra "vote ko izzat do", meaning "respect the vote".

The war for votes between PML-N and PPP in Lahore's NA-133, where a by-election is due on December 5, has gone beyond the constituency to social media, where a viral video appeared to show voters being bribed by party members.

Both parties have blamed each other's workers for the alleged move.

"Is buying votes for Rs2,000 respecting the vote?" Chaudhry asked.

He accused PML-N of contesting the elections with the lure of money.

"PML-N won the 1990 general election of 1990 through rigging", the minister added.

He said that the PTI is currently focusing its energies on the local government elections.

"We are not worried about the next general elections. Currently [our] focus is on the local government elections," Chaudhry said.

He said that the PTI will complete the current tenure and claim victory in the next general election as well.

The information minister went on to say that PML-N and PPP "become the most panicky" whenever there's talk of introducing electronic voting machines.

While referring to the ongoing controversy regarding the recently leaked audio clip allegedly featuring former chief justice Saqib Nisar, Chaudhry said that "whenever a case against PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif or PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz is scheduled for hearing, something is leaked".

"PML-N should start making films instead of [participating in] politics," the minister said, in further criticism.

Chaudhry said that the state's institutions cannot be blackmailed and that "PML-N doesn't have any choice except for providing receipts or going to jail".

Speaking about PPP, the minister said that the party "doesn't have votes anywhere else except for interior Sindh".

"PPP is no more the party Benazir Bhutto formed. It is the party of Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari," he added.

 

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Karachi's new population census will be completed by December 2022: Asad Umar

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on Sunday said that Karachi's new population census will be completed by December 2022.

Umar, while addressing a PTI's workers' convention in Karachi, said that the census has always been a problem in Karachi.

He said that a complaint was received that the people of Karachi are not able to find employment at which, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that census should be conducted every five years.

"A fair and transparent census will be conducted in Karachi," Umar said.

The minister further stated that the Green Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project will be completed within 10-12 days.

Umar said that the PTI-led government will resolve Karachi's transport issues as he announced that PM Imran Khan will inaugurate the project in Karachi in two weeks.

"PM Imran Khan is coming [to Karachi] to solve the transportation issues of the citizens of Karachi," said Umar.

He said that "Karachi's journey towards development has begun".

Speaking about the local government system in Sindh, Umar said that it doesn't empower people.

He said that the PTI has filed a petition in court regarding the system.

The minister further stated that the education, health, transport, tourism and water supply and sewerage departments will work under the mayor in Islamabad.

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Pakistan and Turkey agreed to enhance bilateral trade and economic cooperation

Pakistan and Turkey on Sunday agreed to enhance bilateral trade and economic cooperation at a meeting of President Arif Alvi with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ashgabat on his visit to Turkmenistan.

The two leaders concurred to further strengthen the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) to achieve its objectives and underlined the need for collective efforts of the region, particularly of the Islamic countries, to stop Islamophobia.

President Alvi said there was a need to work together to tackle the challenges faced by the region. He thanked the Turkish President for Turkey’s principled stance on the issue of Kashmir.

Earlier, President Alvi also met Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev and exchanged views on bilateral ties, trade and economic cooperation.

He stressed the need for increasing political contacts between Pakistan and Azerbaijan.

The leaders agreed to further strengthen bilateral ties and cooperation at the regional and international forums.

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Saudia accepted foreign pilgrims to perform Umrah in Grand Mosque of Makkah under coronavirus SOPS

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced Sunday that the Kingdom will now accept foreign pilgrims willing to perform Umrah in the Grand Mosque of Makkah under the updated coronavirus related restrictions.

A statement issued by the official Twitter account for the publication of news related to the two holy mosques in Saudi Arabia said that the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has updated its vaccination requirements for Umrah pilgrims "coming from abroad".

According to the new requirements, the pilgrims travelling to KSA on Umrah visa, who are inoculated with any vaccine approved by the kingdom will be allowed to perform Umrah immediately, without having to quarantine upon arrival.

Whereas pilgrims travelling on Umrah visas, who are inoculated with any of the vaccines approved by the World Health Organisation, will have to go into quarantine for three days upon the arrival.

Moreover, after the completion of quarantine, pilgrims would be required to submit a negative report of the PCR test taken 48 hours after their arrival.

The statement also provided the list of the vaccines approved by the KSA.

According to the list, pilgrims must have taken two jabs of Pfizer/BioNtech, Comirnaty, Oxford AstraZeneca, Covishield, SK Bioscience, Vaxzevria, Moderna or Spikevax or one dose of Johnson & Johnson.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has updated its Vaccination Requirements for Umrah Pilgrims coming from abroad pic.twitter.com/8cIqJJxwho

— Haramain Sharifain (@hsharifain) November 28, 2021

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Karachi's Green Line bus project to begin commercial operation on Dec 25: Asad Umar

The much delayed Green Line bus project in Karachi finally appears close to its completion as Planning Minister Asad Umar on Sunday said its commercial operation is to begin from Dec 25.

The minister, in a tweet, said that the project will be ready for a trial operation within the next 10 days, following which it will be formally inaugurated by Prime Minister Imran Khan and then its commercial activities could begin.

"I conducted a detailed reviewed the Karachi Green Line project yesterday (Saturday). With the grace of Allah, this project will be ready for trial operation in the next 10 days," he said in a tweet.

Work on the Rs16.85 billion federal government-funded bus project had begun after then-prime minister Nawaz Sharif inaugurated it in February 2016 by performing the groundbreaking.

Later, the project was extended by another 10 kilometres as initially sought by the Sindh government and the estimated cost crossed the figure of Rs24bn.

The project was estimated to be completed by the end of 2017, but kept getting new deadlines. Since the launch of the scheme, the battered roads on either side of the route have turned into a great source of nuisance for commuters and for the shopkeepers doing their businesses.

The second and final consignment of 40 buses for the Green Line project arrived in the city on Oct 21, raising the number of buses to 80, rekindling citizens’ hope that Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) in the metropolis was set to be launched. It is supposed to facilitate travel of approximately 300,000 passengers daily.

The first batch of 40 buses had arrived in the city on Sept 19 which the planning minister had referred to as a “ray of hope” and “milestone”, calling it the beginning of modern public transport service for Karachiites after a long gap of 40 years.

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UK takes new measures to slow Omicron coronavirus variant

Britain announced new measures on Saturday to try to slow the spread of the newly identified Omicron coronavirus variant and a top health official said there was a "reasonable chance" that vaccines could be less effective against it.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said arrivals from all countries would have to self-isolate until receiving a negative result from a PCR test, that face masks must be worn in retail settings and it was time to step up booster jabs.

"We need to buy time for our scientists to understand exactly what we are dealing with," he told a news conference.

Johnson said those who had come into contact with people testing positive for a suspected case of Omicron would have to self-isolate for 10 days and that face masks must be worn in shops and on public transport but not restaurants and pubs in England.

England's Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty told the same news conference there was a reasonable chance that the newly identified variant could be less easy to tackle with vaccines.

"There is a reasonable chance that at least there will be some degree of vaccine escape with this variant," he said.

Health minister Sajid Javid confirmed earlier on Saturday the first two cases of the new variant in Britain, saying they were linked to each other and connected to travel to southern Africa.

The two individuals and all members of their households were being re-tested and told to self-isolate while further testing and contact tracing was done.

England will also add Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola to its travel "red list" from 0400 GMT on Sunday, meaning British and Irish residents who arrive in the country must quarantine in a government-approved hotel for 10 days. Non-residents will be refused entry.

That list already contained Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

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Three-day festival concludes in Astore

The biggest three-day festival in the history of the region has been concluded in Astore under the auspices of Pakistan Army.

The festival featured cricket, volleyball, weightlifting, athletics, horse racing, sheep racing, and other sports and speech competitions.

Residents of the area and the district administration were briefed on the equipment and weapons used in the snow-capped mountains.

The aim of the festival was to promote healthy activities among the people of the area and to strengthen the goodwill between the locals and the Pakistan Army.

A free medical camp for the needy was also organized during the festival, in which 103 patients were examined and free medicines were also distributed.

The festival was well received by the locals and was attended by a large number of students and youth.

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