Bilawal cautions PML-N against making ‘unilateral decisions’
LARKANA S TA F F R E P O R T
but I cannot remain silent when there is wrongdoing Saad Rafique also mentioned that the new U S administration has no interest in Imran Khan and their focus remains on Pakistan’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday urged the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to make decisions based on consensus rather than unilaterally cautioning that ignoring smaller provinces could lead to discord Addressing a gathering in Larkana, Bilawal criticised PMLN’s governance approach “If they want to govern successfully they must make decisions with mutual agreement They seem to believe they have a two-thirds majority and do not need to consult anyone, he said The PPP chief stressed the need for equitable resource distribution highlighting water as a basic right for all provinces The federal government must ensure that provinces receive their rightful share, he asserted Bilawal recalled that the PPP supported the PML-N’s prime ministerial candidate based on a mutual understanding We voted for their prime minister with the hope that our grievances would be
name should be there and Asif Ali Zardari’s name should be there ” he said We the politicians should sit together The problem is that before we sit down it is very important that the mistakes that were made by the people who are sitting down are accepted ” He said that two documents the 1973 Constitution and the charter of democracy were important political documents In the charter of democracy both leaders PPP s Benazir Bhutto and PML-N s
addressed seriously, he said However, he criticised the federal government’s attitude toward smaller provinces claiming it had failed to honour commitments on development projects It was agreed that the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) would be prepared in collaboration with provinces, but this has not been the case ” he added Bilawal singled out PML-N s approach as dismissive of provincial rights They think their majority gives them the authority to make one-sided controversial decisions Let me remind them, they
don t have the kind of majority to act unilaterally,” he said He compared recent decisions about canal infrastructure to the controversial Kalabagh Dam project The decision to construct canals was made unilaterally just like the Kalabagh Dam Resistance to such projects didn’t start in Sindh but in KP, and we ensured such contentious plans weren’t implemented he explained Bilawal warned that federal harmony hinges on consensus-based decision-making, reiterating that divisive policies could jeopardise the stability of the PML-N govern
Nawaz Sharif accepted their mistakes and then the conversation moved forward, PM s aide Sanaullah said He said that the PTI claims that its mandate was stolen and it should be returned Only yesterday you (PTI) had [the mandate] Why did you not speak then? the PML-N leader said We do want to make them [negotiations] successful with complete sincerity,” Sanaullah said, adding that if “today’s grievances are to be accepted then yesterday’s should also be accepted Sanaullah said that his party had always called for negotiations to solve the political
problems, citing former premier Nawaz Sharif s October 21 speech last year He said that negotiations were the only way to move forward and solve the issues Defence minister questions PTI’s ‘change in tone Separately at the same event Defence Minister Khawaja Asif questioned PTI s reasoning for wanting negotiations after refusing to have talks with the PML-N
GERMANY TO OPEN FIRST CENTER TO REPORT CRIMES AGAINST MUSLIMS
The Pakistani rupee remained stable against the US dollar throughout the week closing at 278 47 PKR/USD Key developments during the week included a 14% year-on-year surge in exports to the European Union during the first five months of FY25, reaching $4 8 billion Additionally, the Senate panel endorsed legislation to close bank accounts
The government reaffirmed its
13 5% tax-to-GDP ratio within
and
International Airlines revealed plans to acquire eight new planes next year Sector-wise performance for the week highlighted notable gains in Jute Leasing Companies Property Oil & Gas Marketing Companies and Glass & Ceramics with Jute leading the rally with a 34 8% increase Conversely, the Exchange-Traded Fund, Textile Spinning, Vanaspati & Allied Industries, Transport, and Woollen
U T F O R K A R A C H I C O N S U M E R S
(NHA)
largest loss at Rs151 3 billion followed by QESCO with Rs56 2 billion and PIA with Rs51 7 billion Other notable losses were incurred by PESCO (Rs39 billion), Pakistan Railways (Rs23 6 billion), and SEPCO (Rs20 9 billion) Additional entities contributing to the losses
C
COMMENT
Why target him?
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has introduced a new element in the national debate by claiming that the USA was backing the release of jailed PTI founder Imran Khan so as to bring to office someone who would help reverse Pakistan s nuclear technology It does provide an anti-PTI explanation of why the USA might wish to get Mr Khan, though it raises a number of other questions Mr Bhutto Zardari referred, while speaking at the commemoration of the 17th death anniversary of his mother Benazir Bhutto at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh to the role of both his grandfather Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and mother Benazir in building Pakistan’s nuclear weapon He made no mention of the actual test of the weapon, in 1998, when the present PM’s elder brother was PM The supposed enmity of Mr Khan towards the country s interests, including the nuclear and missile programmes, is assumed by his opponents, but there has been no real response, until now, of why elements in the USA, including incoming members of the Trump Administration, were speaking up about how Mr Khan should be released
It appears that it was not enough for the PTI to be accused of spending vast sums on lobbyists but that it was necessary to provide a reason for Mr Khan’s release Mr Bhutto Zardari has obliged with a reason in addition to the one about Mr Khan being complicit in the Indian abolition through a combination of Mr Trump and Indian PM Narendra Modi Mr Bhutto Zardari and other Pakistani politicians, including Mr Khan himself, must be wary of flinging around this charge so casually that its currency becomes debased, much as it is no longer believed if any politician is accused by an opponent of treason
While what Mr Bhutto Zardari said requires a great deal of evidence to be believed, the tale he tells hangs together, and Mr Khan’s supporters cannot dismiss it as beyond belief It also provides a motive for his driving the economy into the ground because that would provide the reason for abandoning the nuclear and weapons programme Mr Bhutto Zardari also has an uphill task and must produce the evidence for his charge which is a serious one If he does not he will be guilty of the kind of casual flinging out of accusations without basis that he and so many others accuse the PTI of doing
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
Therefore, India must respect the aspirations of the people of Bangladesh and start a new chapter in its relationship with the country India should now drop its hegemonic designs in South Asia and focus on strengthening regional cooperation through SAARC South Asia is grappling with pressing political, economic, and climate challenges, and it is imperative for the region's leaders to come together with a shared commitment to addressing these issues. By adopting the recommendations outlined above, SAARC can evolve into a more effective and inclusive regional organization, fostering peace, prosperity, and sustainable development for the people of South Asia
Emerging Non-Traditional Securit y Threats in the Atlantic Ocean
of migrants are trafficked annually through this region, highlighting the need for improved monitoring and rescue operations Additionally the South Atlantic has become a hub for illicit trade in arms and counterfeit goods further destabilizing the region s economies Combating these forms of organized crime requires intelligence-sharing among states, robust border controls, and targeted socio-economic interventions to address root causes Geopolitical Rivalries and Resource Exploitation: The South Atlantic is home to rare minerals and hydrocarbons, which the world has come to recognize This, in turn, has elicited competition from superpowers and thus created concerns about non-sustainable resource exploitation For example although deep-sea mining is economically lucrative it permanently threatens marine ecosystems Oil exploitation in Brazil s pre-salt reservoirs adds to the chances of an environmental disaster, such as oil leaks
The increasing military involvement of outside nations in the South Atlantic makes the security environment more complex Even though they are often rationalized as protecting trade routes strategic naval deployments have the potential to worsen tensions and threaten regional sovereignty Regional governance organizations such as the Zone of Peace and Cooperation of the South Atlantic (ZPCSA) should be reinforced to promote fair resource usage and avoid geopolitical confrontations Suggestions for Addressing Non-Traditional Dangers: Countering non-traditional security challenges to the South Atlantic requires a multifaceted strategy The following ideas might be a future solution:
1 Strengthen Regional Alliances: The ZPCSA should be renewed and expanded as a means of fostering regional collaboration Enhancing collective security should also be facilitated by information sharing training initiatives, and naval patrol coordination
2 Enhance Maritime Governance: In order to better punish criminals, coastal states should modernize their high seas governance structures by coordinating their legal systems and investing in monitoring technology
3 Encourage Sustainable Development:
Environmental preservation and sustainable resource use must be the main goals of policy The International Maritime Organization ought to take the lead in enforcing stronger laws governing mining and fishing 4 Involve Local Communities and NGOs: When developing security plans local communities and non-governmental organizations should be heavily involved Participation at the grassroots level guarantees inclusive solutions and increases confidence in public programs 5 Put Climate Adaptation Measures into Practice: Initiatives to restore ecosystems and build resilient infrastructure can lessen the ef-
Corruption, Governance and the Societ y of Pakistan
Ion
Perceptions Index (CPI) The failure of political and administrative leadership to implement meaningful reforms is a major reason for this persistent decline Structural factors such as a politicized legal system and weak institutions have made it difficult to address corruption at its roots Political patronage and cronyism complicate efforts to break the chains of corruption, as powerful elites often control state institutions and manipulate the system to their advantage Moreover, political instability and changes in leadership frequently result in anti-corruption measures being viewed not as reforms but as political campaigns aimed at discrediting rivals To effectively combat corruption, Pak-
istan needs to undertake comprehensive reforms across multiple sectors A robust and transparent judicial system is essential for holding corrupt individuals accountable Furthermore, political financing must be more strictly regulated as corruption often stems from the unregulated flow of money in politics Comprehensive reforms in political financing can help reduce the influence of money in elections and governance, ensuring that public office is not a tool for private gain Another important step is to ensure the protection of whistleblowers, who often face retaliation for exposing corrupt practices Establishing a legal framework that safeguards whistleblowers would encourage more citizens to come forward and report corruption without fear of reprisal Despite the formation of institutions like NAB, which is tasked with investigating corruption and recovering misappropriated funds the anti-corruption efforts in Pakistan have largely been ineffective NAB has frequently been criticized for selective accountability, with those aligned with the ruling party often avoiding scrutiny, while political opponents are targeted The lack of independence and slow progress in investigations has also tarnished its credibility The pace at which cases are handled is often too slow and in many instances corrupt individuals settle for relatively minor penalties which further erodes public trust in the system
i c a l f i n a n c i n g m u s t b e m o r e s t r i c t l y r e g u l a t e d , a s c o r r u p t i o n o f t e n s t e m s f r o m t h e u n r e g u l a t e d f l o w o f m o n e y i n p o l i t i c s C o m p r e h e n s i v e r e f o r m s i n p o l i t i c a l f i n a n c i n g c a n h e l p r e d u c e t h e i n f l u e n c e o f m o n e y i n e l e c t i o n s a n d g o v e r n a n c e , e n s u r i n g t h a t p u b l i c o f f i c e i s n o t a t o o l f o r p r i v a t e g a i n A n o t h e r i m p o r t a n t s t e p i s t o e n s u r e t h e p r o t e c t i o n o f w h i s t l e b l o w e r s , w h o o f t e n f a c e r e t a l i a t i o n f o r e x p o s i n g c o r r u p t p r a c t i c e s . E s t a b l i s h i n g a l e g a l f r a m e w o r k
t h a t s a f e g u a r d s w h i s t l e b l o w e r s w o u l d e n c o u r a g e m o r e c i t i z e n s t o c o m e f o r w a r d a n d r e p o r t c o r r u p t i o n w i t h o u t f e a r o f r e p r i s a l
Other anti-corruption bodies, such as the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and provincial offices, also face similar challenges due to political interference, lack of resources and ineffective enforcement The consequences of corruption in Pakistan ripple through vital sectors like healthcare education and law enforcement causing profound harm to society In healthcare, corruption diverts resources, fuels the theft of funds, and leads to the distribution of substandard medicines leaving the poor to suffer in an inefficient system Bribes for basic medical services erode trust worsening public health In education misappropriated funds and bribery for
Anglic an and Catholic churches must not forget or ignore the boys who suffered horrific abuse at the hands of predator y priests across the continent
How Netanyahu manipulates Talmudic myths to occupy Lebanon, Syria and beyond
Tsuspicious circumstances at a camp presided over by Smyth Smyth was initially charged with culpable homicide but the case was mysteriously dropped after dragging on for a long time with little progress and many mistakes on the part of the investigators Smyth eventually moved to South Africa, facing no accountability for his alleged role in Nyachure’s death The abuse Smyth inflicted on boys in what were supposed to be nurturing religious settings of learning and growth was unfortunately not an anomaly In the years that Smyth was active in my country, the abuse of children by clergy appears to have been endemic in many other settings I first became vaguely aware of allegations of abuse within my
Catholic boarding school in 1989-90 when I was a pupil at the Jesuit-run College of St Ignatius of Loyola, near Harare There were rumours of the things a few priests did to the younger boys Yet no one talked about it openly or attempted to do anything to stop it I learned about the true scope of clergy abuse at Zimbabwean Catholic schools years later when I started to do research for a novel I have just completed on abuse at a fictional Catholic boarding school As part of my research, I talked directly to some of the boys now men who said they were abused at my old school and at two other elite Jesuit schools in Zimbabwe – St George s College and St Francis Xavier popularly known as Kutama They gave an account of horrific abuse, inflicted on young, vulnerable boys with impunity
During my interviews the names of three priests were mentioned most frequently I learned that as was the case with Smyth and the Anglican Church the Catholic Church moved these men around different settings to shield them from accountability I was told that one of the three whom two old boys said they witnessed raping a young boy he had picked up off the street in Harare was eventually moved to Mbare one of Zimbabwe s poorest townships He is alleged to have found more victims there
So far, only one of these three men has been tried and convicted for the crimes he committed against children and can therefore be named in this article: James Chaning-Pearce In 1997 Chaning-Pearce was convicted of seven counts of indecent assault against boys at a Jesuit School in Lancashire, England and sentenced to three years in prison However the Catholic Church played no role in bringing Chaning-Pearce to justice He faced accountability only because a former pupil at St George s School in Zimbabwe, who was abused by ChaningPearce during his time there, identified him in Australia
He learned that the priest had been named in an inquiry into historic abuse at the school in Lancashire and alerted the British authorities An investigation had revealed that he had indeed abused children and he was duly extradited from Australia, tried, convicted and sentenced in England To this day ChaningPearce has never faced any accountability for his alleged abuse of children in Zimbabwe
An acute tragedy of clergy abuse in Zimbabwe is that Catholic schools like St Ignatius, St George’s and Kutama attracted some of the brightest children from across the country many on scholarships Countless children from poorer families saw these schools as their best chance to make something of them-
selves It is heartbreaking to know that so many of them received not the edu-
cation and nurturing care they were promised but instead were subjected to horrific abuse
A reckoning must come for the Catholic and Anglican churches in Africa, just as it has in the United States and Europe Just as they did elsewhere the Anglican and Catholic churches must launch full inquiries into historical sex abuse at their schools in Zimbabwe and elsewhere in Africa African victims deserve, as much as victims in other parts of the world, to receive, if not justice then accountability
In announcing his resignation over the mishandling of the Smyth abuse scandal Archbishop Welby said he hopes his decision to step down makes clear how seriously the Church of England understands the need for change and our profound commitment to creating a safer church”
In 2018 the head of the Catholic Church Pope Francis had similarly acknowledged fully and apologised for his church s failings in responding to clergy abuse In an unprecedented letter to all the world’s Catholics, he promised that no effort would be spared to prevent clerical sex abuse and its coverup
The heart-wrenching pain of these victims which cries out to heaven was long ignored, kept quiet or silenced, the pope wrote
“With shame and repentance, we acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been that we did not act in a timely manner realizing the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them
It provides a great sense of comfort and relief to see that after decades of silence and attempted coverups the Catholic and Anglican churches are finally acknowledging past mistakes and are promising to do better to safeguard children in the future But so far, their repentance seems to be directed solely towards white victims of clergy abuse in the West However children in Zimbabwe and across Africa suffered as much from predatory priests as their white peers did in England, Ireland, and the United States The churches need to take swift, meaningful action to acknowledge their pain and offer these broken boys now men a chance at justice To fail to do so would be to say the victims of clergy abuse do not matter as long as they are Black Africans Petina Gappah is an international trade lawyer and the critically acclaimed author of two novels and two short-story collections Her latest play Yellow Dog Dingo confronts the subject of
IN a new violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty and UN Resolution 1701 photos have circulated showing right-wing Zionists belonging to the Uri Hatzvon movement raising a banner on December 8 that read “Lebanon is ours ” The Israeli army radio has confirmed that these settlers: “crossed several meters across the Blue Line” in the Lebanese town of Maroun al-Ras In the early summer of 2024 Bezalel
Smotrich the Israeli finance minister explicitly called for the occupation of southern Lebanon if Hezbollah continued to support the Palestinian resistance movement Then, on September 24, the Jerusalem Post published an article claiming that Lebanon was “part of the Promised Land of Israel that God will soon return to Israel The article was deleted later as it widely angered foreign readers amidst the rising civilian casualties in Lebanon as a result of US-led Israeli aggression
The article highlighted the Jewish Rabbi Shai Tahan’s question of “where the northern border of the Land of Israel should be religiously located ” and whether Israel is obligated to conquer the areas included in the divine promise to Israel or are those areas outside its borders? The Jerusalem Post also published another report in which Rabbi Yitzhak Ginsburgh claimed that God “has given the current Israeli generation the ability to receive the gift again and to conquer and settle Lebanon ” In turn Haaretz published a report confirming that often religious illusions in Israel quickly turn into state policy Besides, the newspaper conducted various opinion polls on the extent of support for establishing settlements in Lebanon
During the recent US-led Israeli aggression, Uri Hatzvon called for exploiting the war on Hezbollah to occupy Lebanon In the middle of its flag is a cedar tree framed by the Star of David According to Eliyahu Ben Asher one of the founders, the movement was launched on April 12, 2024, with the aim of convincing the Israelis that “Lebanon is a Jewish homeland as a first step to the borders of Turkey in the north and the Euphrates in Iraq in the east
I s r a e l ” S o k o l w a s k i l l e d a l o n g w i t h 2 3 o t h e r s o l d i e r s w h e n t h e P a l e s t i n i a n r e s i s t a n c e b l e w u p t w o b o o b y - t r a p p e d b u i l d i n g s A c c o r d i n g t o h i s f r i e n d E l i y a h u B e n - A s h e r S o k o l s d r e a m w a s e s t a b l i s h i n g I s r a e l i s e t t l e m e n t s i n L e b a n o n H i s f a m i l y h a s e n g r a v e d o n h i s t o m b s t o n e : G a z a h a s s e e n y o u f r o m t
JAZEERA
CHINA SANCTIONS 7 US MILITARY COMPANIES, RELEVANT EXECUTIVES OVER ARMS SALES TO TAIWAN REGION
US sanctions Georgian Billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili
CH I N A’s Foreign Ministry on Friday announced its decision to take countermeasures against seven US military companies and relevant senior executives over recent military assistance and arms sales to China’s Taiwan region Recently the US announced another substantial package of military assistance and arms sales to China s Taiwan region Its National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 includes multiple negative sections concerning China These seriously violate the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués interfere in China’s internal affairs and undermine China s sovereignty and territorial integrity according to the Foreign Ministry s announcement Pursuant to Articles 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 and 15 of the Law of the People s Republic of China on Countering Foreign Sanctions China hereby decides to take the countermeasures against seven companies: Insitu Inc Hudson Technologies Co Saronic Technologies Inc Raytheon Canada Raytheon Australia Aerkomm Inc and Oceaneering International, Inc , and relevant senior executives, according to the statement Their movable and immovable properties and other kinds of assets within China shall be frozen All organizations
and individuals within China shall be prohibited from engaging in transaction, cooperation and other activities with them read the statement This decision will come into force from December 27 2024 according to the Foreign Ministry Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a press conference on Friday that seeking Taiwan independence” is bound to fail What the US has done to assist the “Taiwan independence” attempt by arming Taiwan will only backfire Its relevant act containing negative articles on China is filled with Cold War zero-sum mentality and ideological bias Without factual basis, the US plays up the “China threat” narrative, trum-
pets for military support to Taiwan and finds pretext for increasing military expenditure and maintaining hegemony, which disrupts regional peace and stability said Mao We urge the US to abide by the oneChina principle and the provisions in the three China-US joint communiqués, especially the August 17 Communiqué of 1982, immediately stop arming Taiwan in any form view China’s development and China-US relationship objectively and rationally not to implement these negative articles concerning China and stop wrong words and deeds that harm China s interests China will continue to take all measures necessary to firmly safeguard our sovereignty, security and
development interests, said Mao China’s countermeasures against US military-industrial companies and their executives express a firm stance – China strongly opposes any violation of the three China-US joint communiqués through arms sales to Taiwan region and actions that undermine its national interests and threaten peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits, Li Zhenguang, deputy director at the Institute of Taiwan Studies at Beijing Union University told the Global Times on Friday As the US prepares for the presidential transition, China s countermeasures also serve as a reminder of the redline on China-US relations to the US side and to American companies of their responsibilities in managing ties with Taiwan island said Li adding that the US side should avoid destabilizing the Taiwan Straits and refrain from actions that undermine China-US relations Recently, different departments and ministries in China respectively refuted the US’ signing into law of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 and its content related to China s Taiwan region For example Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the State Council s Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a regular press conference on Wednesday that Taiwan is China’s Taiwan and that the Taiwan question is purely China s internal affairs that will not tolerate any external interference
State funeral held for former India PM Manmohan Singh
India on Saturday accorded former premier Manmohan Singh one of the architects of the country s economic liberalisation in the early 1990s a state funeral with full military honours, complete with a gun salute Singh, who held office from 2004 to 2014 died at the age of 92 on Thursday after which seven days of state mourning were declared The honours were led by President Draupadi Murmu with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in attendance, along with the country’s top civilian and military officials Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck also attended the ceremony Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, who called the former prime minister his mentor and guide, joined Singh’s family as they prayed before his cremation Earlier mourners gathered to pay their respects to Singh His coffin draped in garlands of flowers, was flanked by a guard of honour and carried to his Congress Party headquarters in New Delhi It was then taken through the capital to the cremation grounds accompanied by guards of soldiers and accorded full state honours
Modi called Singh one of India s most distinguished leaders Opposition Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said he had lost a mentor and guide”, adding that Singh had “led India with immense wisdom and integrity” US President Joe Biden called Singh a true statesman saying that he charted pathbreaking progress that will continue to strengthen our nations and the world for generations to come” The former prime minister was an understated technocrat who was hailed for overseeing an economic boom in his first term Singh s second stint ended with a series of major corruption scandals, slowing growth and high inflation Singh’s unpopularity in his second term and lacklustre leadership
China on Saturday called on the international community to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries in the Middle East, respect the legitimate and reasonable concerns of those countries, respect the independent choices made by the people of the Middle East and respect the historical and cultural traditions of countries in that region
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the remarks when holding talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi in Beijing
Noting that the Middle East belongs to the people of the Middle East, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee said that it is not an arena for major-power rivalry nor should it be the victim of geopolitical competition among countries outside the region
For the region to emerge from chaos and enjoy stability the pressing task is to achieve an immediate ceasefire and stop violence ease the humanitarian crisis adhere to political settlement and resume dialogue and negotiation, Wang said He said it is hoped that all parties will play a constructive role in promoting peace and stability in the Middle East instead of trying to impose their will on the people of the Middle East or pointing fingers at Middle Eastern countries let alone resorting to sanctions and pressure provoking confrontation or resorting to force at every turn
As a good friend and partner of Middle Eastern countries, China has always firmly supported them in independently exploring development paths, in resolving issues through dialogue and consultation in safeguarding sovereignty independence and territorial
UN voices concern over Israeli attacks on G aza, hospital raid
Six members of a same family died and three others sustained injuries when a sugarcane-led tractor trolley, rammed into a car due to dense fog in Tandlianwala late on Friday night
According to Rescue 1122 the car was heading from Lahore to Samundri when it met the accident Rescuers informed that three children were among the dead, while a child, a man and a woman were injured in the accident
The police and Rescue 1122 personnel rushed to the scene soon after the incident and shifted the dead bodies and injured to the THQ Hospital Tandlianwala
The police officials stated that the accident occurred due to low
Orangi Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament begins
Johar Jawans, North Nawabs, and Clifton Popular Secure Victories in KTPL
The 13th day of the Karachi Tape Ball Premier League (KTPL) hosted three matches, with impressive performances from Johar Jawans North Nawabs and Clifton Popular as they emerged victorious in their respective matches at the Moin Khan Academy In the opening match Johar Jawans defeated Karachi Nights by 10 wickets Karachi Nights posted scores of 104/1 in the first inning and 105/2 in the second, while Johar Jawans easily chased down 55/0 in the first inning and 159/0 in second Abdul Basit was the standout performer for Johar Jawans with an unbeaten 94 supported by Waqas Sher s 49 Zohaib Ur Rehman with 60 and Para Din with
S ec urity forces thwar t two infiltration bids on Pak-Afghan border; 15 terrorists repor tedly killed
More than 15 terrorists, including Khawarij and Afghan Taliban, were “reportedly killed” when security forces repelled two crossborder attacks by Khawarij and Afghan Taliban in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa s Kurram and North Waziristan districts
According to media reports, around 25 militants attempted to cross into Pakistan from Afghanistan’s side utilising Afghan Taliban border posts However Pakistani security forces swiftly responded, thwarting the infiltration attempts, the sources added The militants, backed by the Afghan Taliban, opened heavy fire on Pakistani posts but were met with a robust and decisive response
from Pakistan s security forces
Preliminary reports indicated that 15 or more militants and Afghan Taliban were killed, with several others injured Additionally, the Taliban abandoned six posts and fled following the effective retaliatory action and artillery fire
When their first attempt to cross the border was beaten back, the Khawarij with the help of Afghan Taliban again tried to get into Pakistan early Saturday and opened heavy firing on Pakistani posts
The Pakistani troops responded with effective measures and caused huge losses on the enemy s side
Only three Pakistani troops were injured in the firefight, the sources said Pakistan had on several occasions had asked Afghanistan not to let Khawarij use their soil to launch attacks on Pakistan
Pakistan s armed forces are taking several initiatives to further enhance the security management at country’s western borders
Under the Western Border Management regime 98% of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Border work has been completed and 91% of the Pakistan-Iran Border work is finished, covering a total of 3,217 Kilometres
To prevent the movement of terrorists along the western border, 92 percent of the forts along the Pakistan-Afghan Border and 40 percent of the forts on the PakistanIran Border have been completed
Likewise, the fencing work covering 3,100 kilometres of the western border has been completed
The completion of the fencing will significantly strengthen national security
President Zardari vows to uphold Bhutto family ’s legac y of public ser vice
SUKKUR S TA F F R E P O R T
weapons are surrendered the risk of opening roads cannot be taken One of the sides has demanded that all weapons from both parties be handed over to the government, and that decisions from the Apex Committee be followed Discussions on this demand are ongoing Government representatives also informed the Jirga members that helicopter services have been launched to deliver medicines and other supplies to Kurram Health Advisor Ihtesham Ali stated that since December 13, over 16,000 patients have been treated at the Parachinar DHQ Hospital and health facilities across Kurram are providing timely services, including medicines Ali further explained that there is a sufficient stock of medicines at all health centers including Upper Kurram s DHQ in Parachinar The Parachinar DHQ has also seen the highest number of OPD patients in its history, with the majority being women and children For patients unable to visit hospitals, medicines are being delivered to their homes, and insulin for diabetic patients will
President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday vowed to keep up the Bhutto family’s legacy of public service dedicated to improving the socioeconomic well-being of the nation
Addressing the inauguration of Ziauddin Hospital in Sukkur, the President hailed the inauguration of the state-of-the-art hospital as a transformative moment for Sukkur and its surrounding areas Sindh Chief Minister Syed
Murad Ali Shah Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti, Dr Asim Hussain, Sindh provincial ministers, MNAs, MPAs, hospital establishment, and people from different walks of life attended the event
President Zardari lauded Dr Asim Hussain and the Ziauddin Hospital management for their efforts in establishing a facility equipped with cutting-edge technology and a team of highly skilled professionals
The President reflected on his personal involvement in encouraging Ziauddin Hospital to invest in Sukkur, highlighting the need for such initiatives to uplift healthcare standards in underserved areas He said that the Government of Sindh would also bear the expenses for the establishment of a university at the Ziauddin Hospital Sukkur Campus He stated that he had also donated his personal land for establishing Dr Ziauddin Hospital’s campus in Hyderabad
Non-Muslim c annot inherit proper ty of Muslim relatives: LHC rules
