Mehran Rang

ISLAMABAD: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has so far declared 37 degrees of parliamentarians as fake while at least 11 others are seen as suspect, whereas verification of 300 degrees is still in process amid reports that the verification done by some of the universities in Sindh is doubtful.

Sindh’s water requirements had now been fulfilled, as the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) had released water for Sindh’s barrages, said Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Qaim Ali Shah while addressing media representatives on Thursday at the Karachi Press Club (KPC).

Karachi:Protesting against the Sindh administration, the employees of Sindh Secretariat’s employees on Friday demanded the removal of Sindh chief secretary Fazlur Rehman.

LAHORE: PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif’s decision to appoint Saleem Zia as coordinator in Sindh has created problems in restructuring the party there.

ISLAMABAD: The Chairman of the Higher Education Commission, Prof Javed Leghari, has sought a meeting with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani as threats and political pressure on the HEC and his own family has mounted to alarming proportions.

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has strong fears that its comfortable numerical strength in the Sindh Assembly will be seriously hit as the fake degrees issue will result in large scale disqualification of its MPAs.

ISLAMABAD – The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has finalised its preliminary report regarding verification of degrees of the Parliamentarians, which is expected to be submitted with the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Education on Monday (Today).

SUKKUR: The Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party (STPP) took out protest rallies and staged demonstrations in various parts of upper Sindh, over the reopening of the Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal.

ISLAMABAD/DUBAI: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has asked Sindh to stop the victimisation of Farooq Leghari, the brother of HEC Chairman Dr Javed Leghari, but has put up a new bureaucratic hurdle to delay action on fake degrees being verified by the HEC.

KARACHI: The Sindh government has sent a request to the federal government to extend the stay of Pakistan Rangers in Karachi by a year for maintaining law and order in the city. Rangers have been given powers equivalent to police to control incidents of violence in the provincial capital.

KARACHI: Fresh from his victory in Chief of Naval Staff Golf Championship on Sunday at the Karachi Golf Club, Pakistan’s top golfer Shabbir Iqbal will be looking to complete a double as he is gearing up for the 12th edition of Sindh Open Golf Championship, which will be played here at Arabian Sea Country Club from July 23 to 25. “Munir, who missed the Sindh Open last year will be back with a young Pakistani-American Aleem-ur-Rehman to feature in the event with top golfers,” said vice president SGA Asad IA Khan.

KARACHI: More than half a dozen people, mainly associated with political parties, were gunned down within two hours in a spurt of violence on Tuesday, police said.

KARACHI: Additional District and Session Judge (ADSJ) Karachi South on Tuesday issued arrest warrants for former Sindh inspector general of police (IG) Rana Maqbool, who has been declared an absconder in the President Zardari torture case.

KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) acting Chief Justice Mushir Alam Tuesday ordered the Thatta DPO to produce in court a woman and her five children detained by her in-laws in Thatta district.

KARACHI: According to a survey report of an NGO called Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN), 90 percent patients in Sindh faced the problem of being overcharged, 35 percent doctors were found absent from their duties, pharmacies were not working properly in 20 percent of sub-district hospitals and doctors and paramedical staff misbehaved with 20 percent patients.

ISLAMABAD: During the ongoing scrutiny supervised by Higher Education Commission (HEC), University of Sindh and University of Balochistan have given clean chits to all their graduate lawmakers, an outcome which the HEC has refused to accept.

ISLAMABAD: University of Sindh has asked speaker of Sindh Assembly Nisar Khuhro to assist it in properly scrutinising the educational qualifications of lawmakers.

KARACHI: Pakistan number one professional golfer Shabbir Iqbal will look to extend his winning run in the Sindh Open Golf Championship that starts tomorrow at the Arabian Sea Country Club.

KARACHI – Differences have surfaced in the meeting of Sindh coalition parties over the anti-encroachment operation in the metropolis to vacate thousands of acres encroached land of Karachi from the land grabbers.

HYDERABAD: Sindh Irrigation Minister Murad Ali Shah has said that the provincial government plans to move the Council of Common Interests (CCI) to address shortcomings of Water Apportionment Accord 1991.

The death toll of the recent spate of target killings reached 12 on Wednesday. Three bodies, bearing torture marks, were found from different parts of the city.

ISLAMABAD: In an unusual move, the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) has openly accused the government of Sindh of not providing to Balochistan its full share of water despite improved river flows.

KARACHI: The employees of lower courts across the province observed a complete strike on Thursday, on the call of All-Sindh Lower Judicial Staff Welfare Organisation regarding the fulfilment of their demand of increasing their pay scales.

KARACHI (Online) – President Asif Zardari while taking notice of the target killings in Karachi, has summoned a high-level meeting today (Friday) and the Home Department has been directed to prepare a report in 24 hours on the reasons behind the target killings.

Karachi: President Asif Ali Zardari has directed the Sindh government for construction of journalist colonies in Hyderabad, Sukkur and Larkana.

KARACHI – The PPP-led Federal Government is reluctant to finance the multi-billion rupees infrastructure projects floated by Sindh government to ease the investment climate at Thar coalfield, officials sources told The Nation on Friday.

QUETTA – More than 100 villages of three districts located in south and southeast of Balochistan were badly affected because of heavy downpours and flash floods after torrential rains while the death toll on official level was confirmed as 15 besides perishing hundreds of livestock, damaging rail tracks, roads, bridges, electricity system and crops spreading on thousands of acres.

KARACHI: The Sindh government has undertaken to construct four Effluent Treatment Plants in each industrial area of Karachi i.e two plants in SITE area and one each in Korangi-Landhi, F.B Area, and North Karachi. The Sindh government has entrusted the job to KW&SB.

KARACHI: Pakistan’s ace golfer Shabbir Iqbal of Pakistan Navy maintained his domination on the professional circuit when he successfully defended his title in the 12th Sindh Open Golf Championship which concluded here at Arabian Sea Country Club on Sunday. Shabbir faced difficulties in strong windy conditions on the final day as he played two-under par 70 third round to end with an aggregate score of 12-under par 204. By retaining the Sindh Open crown, he also completed a double on the Sindh circuit after winning the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Golf Championship last Sunday. Bearded Shabbir, played the rounds of 67, 67 and 72 to emerge as winner.

LAHORE – Jamat-i-Islami secretary general Liaquat Baloch while condemning apathy of the law enforcing agencies over the target killings in Karachi demanded resignation of the provincial government for its failure in maintaining law and order.

KARACHI: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad and Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah have condemned the murder of Mian Rashid Hussain, son of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s provincial minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain. In a statement, the Sindh governor expressed deep sorrow and grief over the murder and sympathised with the bereaved family.

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) Thursday directed the assistant advocate general (AAG) to submit the comments of Sindh government and provincial police officer (PPO) on targeted killings in Karachi within 10 days, along with a copy of the official notification on the formation of fact-finding tribunal.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Thursday ordered the authorities concerned to remain high alert as around 500,000 to 600,000 cusecs flood water from upcountry was likely to hit Sindh on August 3.

KARACHI: Zafar Saleem, the Sindh Workers Welfare Board director general, was also onboard the plane that crashed near Islamabad.

KARACHI – The Sindh government on Friday cancelled holidays of the employees of various departments and declared a high alert to save people from flooding as about 800,000 to 900,000 cusecs of flood water, coming from upcountry, is likely to pass through down-stream Guddu Barrage in Sindh in the first week of August.

KARACHI – Allocating Rs2 billion as subsidy, the Sindh government has announced Ramazan Package to provide flour at subsidised rate of Rs20 per kg to people in Sindh.

KARACHI – Raging floodwaters is still posing a serious threat to Sukkur, and according to the reports, the historical city of Larkana is also threatened by the floodwater after the spur at Aqil Agani was washed away, exposing the wall of the embankment which protects the hometown of Bhuttos.

ISLAMABAD: The meteorological department issued fresh flood warnings on Wednesday, putting parts of Punjab and Sindh on alert.

The water level in Indus River at Sukkur is declining but still is in dangerous zone and could be flooded. While the traffic between Sindh and Punjab has been suspended as floodwaters have inundated national highway from many points after a big crack appeared in a canal at Kot Sabzal near Sadiqabad.

SUKKUR: After inundating Ghouspur, Karampur and other towns and villages in Jacobabad district, floods are now heading towards Thal town in the next 24 hours, according to local authorities.

Pakistan’s Sindh province is bracing for a second round of heavy flooding, with authorities warning it could be as big as the first wave, which displaced millions and destroyed thousands of homes.

KARACHI: Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah said on Friday that the flood that has arrived in Sindh is heading towards Jacobabad and people living in that area have been advised to relocate.

KARACHI: A chartered airliner, carrying 100 metric tons of emergency relief goods worth $360,000, arrived in Karachi on Thursday. The relief items were sent by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) and included health kits, nutrition supplies, midwifery kits and tarpaulin

KARACHI, Aug 14 (APP): As many as 3.7 million people have been affected owing to the floods in the province of Sindh so far while the losses are tentatively estimated at about Rs. 30 billion which may go up to Rs. 40 billion. This was stated by the Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, while addressing a press conference at the CM House here on Saturday.

A second wave of floodwaters entered Sindh on Saturday due to which the floodwaters at Guddu and Sukkur barrages have reached high intensity once again. Downstream, even Kotri Barrage is under mounting pressure of advancing floodwaters.

JAMSHORO: Hundreds of people from upper Sindh continued to pour into Hyderabad and nearby districts on Sunday amid complaints that the government was not providing appropriate relief facilities to the victims.

LARKANA / SHIKARPUR: The 220 KVA grid station at Lodra tripped on Sunday, causing suspension of power supply to more than 20 districts in Sindh and Balochistan.

QUETTA / HYDERABAD / SUKKUR: Floodwaters invaded large swathes of Balochistan’s Jaffarabad district on Saturday morning, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to abandon their homes and seek safety under open skies.

ISLAMABAD (Agencies) – Due to high flow of water in Indus River, upper Sindh towns including ShahdadKot, Sajawal, Ratodero and Qabo Saeed Khan have been declared red zone.

SUKKUR: Although breaches in Punjab have caused the flood waters to lose some intensity, water levels in the River Indus continue to rise. On Wednesday, officials recorded a flow of 274,122 cusecs at Guddu with more water expected over the next few days.

LAHORE: The Flood Forecasting Division (FFD) said on Wednesday that next seven days were critical for Sindh because of the existing ‘exceptionally high flood’ in the Indus at Guddu and Sukkur. Water level is also rising at Kotri.

KARACHI – The killing of Awami National Party (ANP) Sindh Security Incharge (Salar), along with his office colleague, in broad daylight on Thursday shattered the brief lull in ethno-centric target killings. Ten more people were killed and at least 20 sustained bullet wounds in different incidents of violence that erupted in parts of the City following ANP leader’s killing.

KARACHI: Sindh Governor, Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan, on Thursday telephoned the chief of Awami National Party, Asfandaryar Wali, and expressed deep sorrow and grief on the murder of the provincial office bearer of the party, Obaidullah Yousufzai.

SUKKUR: About 150,000 people were forced to move to higher ground as floodwaters from a freshly swollen Indus River submerged dozens more towns and villages in the south, a government spokesman said Saturday.

KARACHI: The Sindh government is considering soft loans for small businesses and jobs, along with Rs20,000 for flood survivors in order to help them at this hour of need.

LARKANA: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has ruled out possibility of famine in the wake of widespread devastation caused by unprecedented floods

LARKANA: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah said on Saturday that the Nadra would be tasked with carrying out a comprehensive survey of losses and registration of flood affected people in the province.

HYDERABAD/KARACHI: A dyke built temporarily at the Ratodero-Khuzdar highway in Shahdadkot struggled on Sunday to prevent floodwater from entering Shahdadkot city while rumours swirled in Hyderabad about embankments giving way to flood waters in its Latifabad and Qasimabad areas.

KARACHI (PPI) – Besides displacing millions of people, the floods in Sindh have caused a massive devastation to livestock sector, the main source of income and livelihood of poor people living in Katcha areas.
Pakistan is the 4th biggest milk producer in the world and the contribution of livestock in overall agriculture output is 51.8pc and in GDP 21.8pc. The value of livestock is 6.1pc more than the combined value of all major and minor crops.

KOTRI: An exceptionally high flood passed through Kotri Barrage on Tuesday, crossing the 900,000 cusecs mark for the first time in half a century.

LARKANA: Unchecked flow of floodwaters from Tori and Begari breaches inundated Qubo Saeed Khan, a thriving town of Qambar-Shahdadkot district, on Tuesday, cutting all road links and making it impossible for the affected people to move to safety.

HYDERABAD: Nearly half a million people have been ordered to evacuate towns on Thursday as rising floods threaten further havoc in a country straining to cope after its worst humanitarian disaster.

THATTA: A third breach in a PB canal embankment near Fakir Goth spread panic in Thatta, with the district’s coordination officer ordering the evacuation of the city.

THATTA: A torrent of water threatening to deluge a city in flood-hit Pakistan has begun to recede, officials said Monday, as emergency workers plugged a breach in defences against the swollen Indus river.

KARACHI: Over seven million people have been displaced in Sindh alone by the worst-ever floods in the country’s history and the massive internal displacement of Sindh population is the biggest-ever in a natural calamity in the subcontinent’s history

LARKANA: Floodwaters entered on Monday Gaji Khuhawar, a town of 40,000 people in Qambar-Shahdadkot district, and were mounting pressure on Warah town.

SUKKUR: About 16 flood survivors, mostly minor children, died of gastroenteritis in different official and unofficial relief camps across the province and three died of flood related incidents on Tuesday.

LARKANA/KARACHI – Floodwaters roared towards two more small towns in Sindh on Tuesday as authorities managed to finally plug a breach in defences across the Indus River in Thatta.

KARACHI: The Sindh government has released Rs 80 million to the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) for the internally displaced persons (IDPs), sources said.

DADU: Floodwaters gushing from seven breaches in Khuda Wah inundated a major part of Khairpur Nathan Shah and 10km of the Indus Highway from Yousuf Naich village to Mehar bypass on Friday.

DADU: The authorities in Johi issued a final warning on Saturday to residents, asking them to leave the city within 24 hours as traders scrambled to save their goods. The district administration had diverted floodwaters towards Johi from two sides and as many as 47 villages have been inundated. The MNV drain has developed breaches at six points, swamping 15 villages, including Yousuf Solangi, Chanjani, Shah Mir Gadhi, Nabi Buksh Lund, Mian Ismail Khoso, Aziz Kangrani and Talib Jamali, while water coming from Kali Mori hit 10 villages of union council Phulji. Seventy per cent of the residents of Johi have left the city and evacuation is continuing.

KARACHI: The initial agricultural loss assessments are in for Sindh, known for its rice belt, cotton and sugarcane. But both the government and vocal growers know that not only are the figures rough estimates, they are also likely to go up because of further flooding.

KARACHI – Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has maintained that all government departments, both federal and provincial, are effectively working in the areas hit by floods in Sindh.

SUKKUR: River Indus continued to flow in high flood at Kotri Barrage on Wednesday, threatening more areas in Sindh.

DADU: Machni City has been flooded near Dadu while water has reached alarming levels at Manchar Lake.

SUKKUR: “The red balloon is for me and the green one is for my brother, Ali,” Hina told her father. She had accompanied him to the mosque to offer prayers on the morning of Eidul Fitr, after which she inched her way towards a vendor who was selling balloons down the street, all the while looking expectantly at her father.

THATTA:Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Monday visited Makli where he was briefed by General Officer Commanding (GOC) Hyderabad, Major General Shoukat Iqbal about condition of the IDPs and facilities extended by the government, army and national and international institutions.

DADU: Twenty-five more villages in Sehwan and Johi came under water on Tuesday as the level continued to go up in the Manchhar lake, triggered by floodwater coming from the Tori bund breach.

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Tuesday presided over a high-level meeting to reviewing the flood situation in the province and the relief measures taken by the government and its relief agencies. Salient features of a proposed flood impact recovery plan were also discussed.

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah has launched Watan Cards, a scheme for the rehabilitation of flood survivors, and distributed Rs20,000 each among families affected by the floods.

KARACHI: Karachi shut down on Friday after a senior politician belonging to the city’s dominant Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was stabbed to death in London.

JOHI: Floodwaters submerged 240 villages in Bhan Saeedabad on Saturday, washing away railway tracks and more sections of the Indus Highway, as torrents flowed from Manchar Lake and the Main Nara Valley (MNV) drain.

THATTA: Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah visited a relief camp run by the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) in Thatta.

KARACHI: Representatives of three United Nations organisations — World Food Programme, World Health Organisation and Unicef — have assured Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah of more assistance to be provided by the international community through the United Nations for relief and rehabilitation of flood-affected people in Sindh.

KARACHI: A meeting of the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), Sindh province was held here at PMA Headquarter on Sunday. PMA members from all five divisions of Sindh, particularly those from Larkana, Kahirpur, Dadu, Mirpur Khas, Hyderabad, Mithi, Badin, Thatta, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Adam, Hala and Karachi attended the meeting. The meeting showed dismay over government’s attitude towards medical fraternity for not solving genuine problems of Sindh doctors. The participants were greatly concerned over non-availability of proper service structure for them, and criticized that while score of doctors are jobless, the Sindh Government Health Department is not paying heed to fill 700 – 800 vacant seats by holding DPC.

KARACHI: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan’s (HRCP) Sindh Chapter has released its statistics report of Karachi’s violence and killings for the year 2010.

KARACHI: The Karachi share market saw range-bound activity on Wednesday as institutional interest in blue-chips diluted concerns over the assassination of the governor Punjab on Tuesday, dealers said

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is planning to create history by making this month’s Quaid-e-Azam division-I final a day-night affair here at the National Stadium (NSK)

KARACHI: The prices of onion and tomato began to scale down in vegetable market here, as onion wholesale price came to Rs. 30/kg level.

KARACHI: The federal government has decided to ban the export of onions via land route in an attempt to stabilise prices in the domestic market.

Karachi

As many as 16 students belonging to the low income area of Machar Colony have been presented with the opportunity to take on the finest schools of the city at the Third Annual TCF KBC Inter School Rowing Regatta 2011. The event will kick off on January 6 and continue through till 8th.

KARACHI: Raw cotton remained stable on Wednesday, despite a rise in the international market, dealers said.

KARACHI: The Karachi Port Trust (KPT) handled a cargo volume of 111,206 tons, comprising 87,568 tons of imports and 23,638 tons of exports during the last 24 hours, a statement said on Wednesday.

KARACHI: Sindh Home Department Wednesday issued directives to re-scrutinize police personnel who will be put to various tests regarding psychological and religious aptitudes held by them

Karachi

On the directives of Governor Sindh Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan and Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, the Board of Revenue (Sindh) has handed over 1,490 acres land around Northern Bypass to City District Government Karachi for its various projects like setting up wholesale market, warehouses, truck stand, etc.

Karachi

Chief Secretary Sindh, Ghulam Ali Shah Pasha, on Tuesday reviewed the progress of Biometric Identification Electronic System (BIES) for employees of Sindh Secretariat, Chief Minister’s Secretariat and Governor’s Secretariat.

KARACHI: The Division Two final of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship between Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) and State Bank has been extended for a day at least after foggy conditions at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium yet again curtailed play on Tuesday.

Karachi, Jan 5 (IANS) Pakistan’s sports chiefs are hoping to bring international sporting action back to the country after successfully hosting the National Games in Peshawar last month.

LARKANA: The 83rd birth anniversary of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) founding chairman and the former prime minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was observed on Wednesday with simplicity due to the assassination of Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer.

KARACHI: Shahid Afridi, Pakistan’s limited-overs captain, has welcomed the inclusion of experienced wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal in the country’s preliminary 30-man squad for World Cup 2011

On the day an inquiry into allegations that Pakistani cricketers were paid to bowl no balls during last summer’s tour to England begins, the game’s world governing body has admitted that “a very large number of players and officials have reported inappropriate approaches made by potential corruptors”

When we look at the way people understand the world, we have to pay attention to more than news reports, speeches, policy reports, and scholarly treatises. Most people, honestly, don’t make their meaning in those ways. Many people believe in things that are demonstrably not facts (i.e., Saddam Hussein’s involvement in 9/11, President Obama’s Muslim faith) and a huge number of people seem to learn what they “know” about the world from media sources such as Glenn Beck or Jon Stewart (or, like the U.S. Congress, be influenced by them).

Karachi

A 15-year-old daughter of Baloch nationalist leader Qambar Baloch on Wednesday urged Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry to take suo motto notice of her father’s continued detention despite the CJP’s orders for his release.

Karachi: For the first time in history of Pakistan cricket, a first class match will be played under lights and with coloured balls when the final of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy will begin at the national stadium from January 13.

KARACHI: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) planning to re-write the history of first class cricket in Pakistan as they will organize day n night final of Quaid-e-Azam trophy starting from January 13.

KARACHI: Over 300 youngsters representing 16 schools are featuring in the third Karachi Boat Club Inter School Regatta which exploded into action here at KBC on Wednesday.

Flags were hoisted and pigeons were released at an impressive opening ceremony as title contenders flexed their muscles to win titles on offer during the Regatta which will conclude on January 9.

Karachi

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has finally decided to drop multimillion-dollar funding for a mass transit project in Karachi – the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) — thanks to the Sindh government’s lethargic attitude and its failure to adopt a consistent implementation plan.

The News has learnt that the ADB took this step after the provincial government kept changing its position on the project in the last five years.

In a letter addressed to Zafar Hassan Raza, joint secretary, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Statistics, Economic Division Affairs, dated April 9, 2010, Country Director ADB Rune Stroem stated: “The ADB regrets that no funding is available or planned in its country strategy and programmes for this initiative.”

KARACHI: Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has organised the first meeting of Industries, Investment and Privatisation and Human Resource and Social Development. The meeting highlighted that when there is no industrial policy in the country, how one could imagine development of industrial and manufacturing sector. “It is a strange fact our exports hold raw material a major share as compare to the world trade, which is 65 percent of manufactured goods, exporting raw materials means crippling the local industry,” said Talat Mahmood, acting president KCCI. “We need to address the issues on priority basis, it’s a sad fact that Pakistan is still managing the exports at meager $20 billion while regional exports has crossed $100 billion,” he said. The price of energy is highest in the region — even Bangladesh today has energy cost at 50 percent in comparison, hence its competitiveness has increased because of low manufacturing cost.

By our correspondent

The City District Government Karachi has appointed Dr Nadeem Rajput as the new Medical Superintendent of the Abbassi Shaheed Hospital in place of Dr Hamid Zaheer. Dr Raput, who was previously worked at the ASH as Additional MS, has also served as MS of Leprosy Hospital, Manghopir, and was a part of the team that revamped ASH in 2005.

KARACHI: Inspector General of Sindh Police, Sultan Salahuddin Baber Khatak formally inaugurated the recently upgraded largest hospital for Police in Sindh at Garden Police Lines here.

KARACHI – A large number of flood affectees are still living in unhygienic condition with insufficient food and under the open sky in camps in cold weather at the outskirts of city, but government authorities have no care of their miseries.
The flood affectees also staged a protest against lack of facilities in relief camps outside the Karachi Press Club on Wednesday. Shah Muhammad, Nazir Ahmed, Akbar Ali, Gul Sher and others said that presently a large number of about 10,000 flood affectees of different areas of interior Sindh living in Keamari and other outskirts of city.

he Afghan Transit Trade Agreement was supposed to come into effect on January 1. However, imported goods for Afghanistan from Karachi and Port Qasim are still being transported under the old agreement signed in 1965. The Pakistan Customs has not yet received instructions to implement the new agreement. Neither are the Afghan importers providing bank guarantees to Pakistan Customs, nor is electronic surveillance of all containers bound for Afghanistan being carried out, as required under the new agreement.

KARACHI (January 06, 2011) : The Karachi Port handled 111,206 tonnes of cargo including 87,568 tonnes of import cargo, 23,638 tonnes of export cargo, 5,847 loaded and empty containers during last 24 hours ended at 0700 hours on Wednesday. The total import cargo of 87,568 tonnes comprised of 49,925 tonnes of containerised cargo; 197 tonnes of general cargo; 36,664 tonnes of bulk cargo: 4,473 tonnes of DAP; 27,112 tonnes of coal; 5,079 canola seeds and 782 tonnes of oil/liquid cargo.

MULTAN/KARACHI – The religious parties Wednesday were all praise for Mumtaz Hussain Qadri, the assassin of Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer, and warned the govt that any attempt to repeal or amend the blasphemy law would be resisted.
In Multan, Tehrik Tahaffuz-e-Namoos-e-Risalat (TTNR) offered full legal and moral support to Qadri, saying no stone would be left unturned to get him released.
“We’ll dedicate our all out energies and resources for the sacred cause. We’re also going to hold a ‘successful’ public meeting in Karachi on January 9 for the protection of the Namoos-e-Risalat,” announced a joint declaration issued by the Multan chapter of the body after an emergency meeting held at the Jama’at-e-Islami (JI) office.

Karachi

The National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC), Karachi Bench, restrained the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) labour union from preventing or pressurizing the eligible workers from opting for the Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS) and resorting to demonstration, go-slow etc.

KARACHI – The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) on Wednesday decided to decrease the fee of Certificate of Origin for acquiring GSP facility on exports to European Union from Rs1000 to Rs100.
This decision was taken at a meeting held between Chief Executive Trade Development Authority of Pakistan Tariq Iqbal Puri and all stakeholders to discuss the issue of GSP Form rate.

KARACHI: Trading remained range-bound amid firm spot rate with plenty of forward deals with strong physical price, traders at Karachi Cotton Association (KCA) said Wednesday.

The KCA spot rate remained intact at Rs 9,700 per maund and majority of the buyers with limited funds made forward deals on slightly higher than spot rate during the trading session, floor brokers said.

KARACHI (January 05, 2011) : Despite claims to have all arrangements made for imposing reformed GST by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the e-portal is still lacking a special module for the revision of monthly sales tax returns after lapse of several months, Business Recorder learnt on Tuesday. A backlog of sales tax returns is waiting for approval of the sales tax collectors, authorised under amended Sales Tax Act 1990, to grant permission for revision.

Karachi

The Sindh government has approved a water supply scheme, which was announced recently in the Keamari Town Development Package, to benefit the residents of 29 coastal villages of the town. The water supply lines will link two small reservoirs located near Lal Bakhur and Deh Allahbanu in Keamari Town. The two dams were completed in 2008.

KARACHI: There has been a considerable decline in the crimes in province of Sindh during the year 2010.

A police statement here on Thursday said that the incidents of kidnapping for ransom decreased by 13.3 percent and those of car snatching by 53 percent.

KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari has said that Salmaan Taseer has written a new chapter in the history of Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) continuing struggle for human rights, democracy and non-discrimination.

The president called his widow Aamna on the eve of his soyem. Zardari said that Taseer was an undaunted political leader and a true follower of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto. “He called a spade a spade and did not mince words in expressing what he believed was true and right,” Zardari said about Taseer.

Karachi

The Baloch Colony police took a young woman into protective custody on Thursday after she managed to escape from the house of her in-laws, who allegedly tortured her.

People found Sauleha, 23, tied in chains near the Expressway in the Baloch Colony police limits on Thursday morning, and informed the police about her.

Karachi: It has emerged that there are now several no-go areas in district Rahim Yar Khan. Police have been helpless against criminals who have sought refuge in these areas famously known as ‘kachcha’. They are equipped with sophisticated weapons including anti-aircraft guns, long-range machine guns, G-3s, rocket-launchers, land-mines and mortars, The Express Tribune has learnt. The boundaries of Sadiqabad tehsil in the district are linked to Rajanpur, Ghotki and Kashmore districts.

KARACHI: The oil sector, mainly exploration and production (E&P) companies, led gains at the local bourse amidst hopes of better-than-expected results and rumours of possible discoveries by leading E&P concerns, according to analysts.

The 100-share benchmark index at the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) gained 182.63 points, or 1.5 per cent, to end Thursday’s trade at 12,323.47 points

KARACHI: Pakistan’s selection committee has come under heavy fire from the Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA) which has termed the omission of various Karachi-based players from the 30-man World Cup squad a way to promote match-fixing.

Notable omissions from the preliminary squad include Fawad Alam, Mohammad Sami and Khalid Latif, all of whom represented Pakistan in the last year.

KARACHI: The Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) estranged ally, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in a late night meeting decided to come back to the fold if the Prime Minister Gilani took concrete steps to remove its reservations, Geo News reported.

MQM in its Coordination Committee’s joint meeting, discussed the strategy in view of the PM’s expected visit to Nine Zero Friday. It was decided to rejoin the coalition government and would not let the premier return empty handed.

KARACHI: Foreign exchange reserves rose to a record $17.2 billion in the week ended January 1, up from $16.42 billion the previous week, the central bank said on Thursday.

Reserves held by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) rose to $13.53 billion from $12.71 billion, while those held by commercial banks fell to $3.67 billion from $3.71 billion, said Syed Wasimuddin, chief spokesman for the central bank.

KARACHI: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has increased credit card and personal loan limits to Rs5 million in an apparent bid to encourage provision of consumer finance. Earlier, the limit for credit cards was Rs2 million.

In this regard, the SBP has amended certain provisions of prudential regulations for consumer financing with immediate effect.

KARACHI: The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has stepped up action against insider trading and market manipulation.

In December, the regulator issued three orders against the chief executive officer of a listed company as well as its associated company for “grave violation of fair market practices”. The CEO of the company was found indulging in insider trading of shares in connivance with the associated company.

KARACHI: A six-member delegation of High Peace Council of Afghanistan led by Chairman Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani called on President Asif Ali Zardari in Bilawal House Karachi on Thursday evening and exchanged views on situation in Afghanistan and the on-going efforts for peace and stability

Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani thanked President Zardari for Pakistan’s consistent support to efforts for reconstruction of Afghanistan and said that the close and cordial relations between the two countries would go a long way in establishing peace in the region.

KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Punjab President Imtiaz Safdar Warriach said he was not satisfied with the investigations being carried out into the killing of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, as Punjab government was responsible for his security; however, the security was overlooked.

Talking to media after visiting Taseer’s grave at Cavalry Ground, he said Taseer’s assassination was politically motivated; but, it was being taken to some other dimension, adding his killing is a conspiracy against Pakistan.

KARACHI: Pakistan’s first fully automated dry bulk cargo terminal Fauji Akbar Portia (FAP) at Port Qasim made a record by discharging 16,500 tons of canola oilseed in a day, bettering the previous record of about 9,500 tons achieved at Karachi Port.

A FAP press release on Thursday said motor vessel Panagiotis D carrying about 55,000 tons of canola docked at the 11.5-metre draft jetty at FAP. This oilseed cargo was the largest in a vessel that docked at any port in the country.

KARACHI: The meeting between Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and Sindh Governor Dr. Ishratul Ibad Khan began here on Friday.

Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik is also attending the meeting.

The meeting is being held between the two leaders in the backdrop of crumbling support for the coalition government, as Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) parted ways following the government’s step to increase POL prices on December 31.

In the days following the brutal murder of Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer, the voices of reason have seemed absent. Compassion gone. Justice non-existent. But outside of the busy blogosphere and English print media, there are people getting out and making sure their fellow citizens see that there are Pakistanis willing to stand up for what is right and against what is wrong. They have neither been absent nor silent, just simply drowned out. They know that on the other side of the divide the screams are louder and come wrapped in threats and intimidation, but these concerned citizens have continued with peaceful protests in Islamabad, Karachi and Hyderabad.

Baloch Nationalist Pro-independence Organisation the Baloch National Voice (BNV) has released a detailed report of under-custody killings of Baloch political activists in last six months of 2010. Previous year (2010) has been one of the bloodiest years for the abducted Baloch from July 2010 to December 2010 at least 60 Baloch political prisoners have been murdered in cold-blood by Pakistani security forces. The mutilated/decomposed bodies found from different areas in Balochistan bore sign of extreme torture including electric shocks, pulling their nail out, carving their bodies with sharp objects and throwing acids on the faces of Baloch political activists; majority of them were shot in their heads and eyes.

Cricket Special Report: The Green Guys Going Blue (Part 1)

Some 343 days ago, the White Knight of Australian batting muscled the hopes out of the once feared Pakistani tigers that roamed the streets of Islamabad and Karachi. The White savage shredded the bowling figures apart with the sheer force of his cricketing armour.

KARACHI:

The Karachi Electric Supply Company has received over 10,000 complaints from citizens under its “Speak Up” campaign against illegal use of electricity of which 80 per cent were found genuine on checking. The KESC has appreciated the citizens’ participation in the campaign with great interest and responsibility as reflected from the success rate of raids on these complaints. The identity of the complainants was kept confidential all the time.

KARACHI: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani Friday arrived at Bilawal House to apprise President Asif Ali Zardari about the development achieved in his meeting with Sindh Governor Dr. Ishratul Ibad Khan here.

Top government officials, including Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik are in top gear to win back support of their estranged allies, who severed ties on various issues, particularly the fuel price hike.

KARACHI: The beleaguered government of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Friday received a lifeline when the estranged ally Muttahida Qaumi Movement agreed to return to the coalition though it refused to allow its parliamentarians to rejoin the cabinet.

The concession — which restores Premier Gilani’s slender majority in the 342-member National Assembly — is thought to be the handiwork of President Asif Ali Zardari, who flew to Lahore to meet the grieving family members of slain Punjab governor Salman Taseer only when behind-the-scene talks ended what was viewed as a make-or-break political crisis.

Karachi

Nothing evokes emotion quite like a well-performed Greek tragedy and that is exactly what students in their third year at the National Academy of Performing Arts (Napa) managed to put on display to a riveted audience on Friday. Despite the fact that this rendition of the famous Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex was done in Urdu, language did not prove to be a barrier as the dialogues were brilliantly written.

Karachi: Although many Pakistani players have played in the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League, Abdul Razzaq is yet to make an appearance in the cash-rich tournament as he was associated with the unofficial Indian Cricket League in 2008.

nd since then the IPL franchises gave a cold shoulder to the Pakistani cricketers for the last two years because of diplomatic tensions between the two nations after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

The government of Pakistan has avoided a possible collapse as the ruling coalition’s second-largest party has dropped its plan to leave.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s senior leader, Raza Haroon, said Friday that the party agreed to stay for the sake of the country and democracy.

KARACHI: Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) and State Bank will have to wait for at least another day to decide the Division Two champions of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship after play on the unscheduled sixth day was put off on Wednesday.

Tuesday`s tragic event in Islamabad — the assassination of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer — led to play being called off at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium where KRL were due to resume at 74-2 in response to State Bank`s first-innings total of 303.

Karachi

ncluding two activists from political and religious groups, were shot dead in targeted killings in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi, television reports said on Friday.

Unknown assailants opened fire on a man named in reports as Irfan, who was linked to a religious party in Karachi’s Surjani Town area, a report said.

Danish Kaneria has filed a letter to the PCB seeking explanation about the board’s decision to ignore him for the World Cup.

Kaneria, through his London-based lawyer, Stephen Hourigan, asked the PCB to fix up a meeting and sort out the issue of him getting a clearance to play for the national team.

KARACHI: The authorities of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Sindh, on Friday arrested two directors of private industry on allegations of willful loan default of Rs 174 million availed from National Bank of Pakistan (NBP).

According to an announcement of NAB, accused Anwar Ahmed Rajwani and Salman Karim Rajwani were engaged in the business of garment manufacturing as M/s ARK Garments Inds. (Pvt) Ltd.

KARACHI: Arrangements were in full swing for ‘Tahfuz Namoos-e-Rislat March’, being held in Karachi on January 9 against “conspiracies” to repeal blasphemy laws.

Leaders of Tehreek Namoos-e-Rislat met with citizens, traders, transporters and people belonging to various walks of life in different parts of city and distributed handbills and pamphlets among them, said a Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) release on Friday.

Denying any conflict with Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Sindh Home minister Zulfiqar Mirza has said that the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) did not succumb to pressure tactics.
Speaking to media outside Sindh Assembly building here on Friday, Mirza said that the resistance co-existed with the conflict and there was not a one with MQM.

KARACHI: Top tennis organiser and Chairperson Subh-e-Nau Shahida Kausar Farooq has called upon the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) to move the National Women’s Tennis Championship to Karachi from Islamabad because of climatic conditions.

“Extremely cold weather in Islamabad could affect the performance of the players and there is also a forecast of rains in the federal capital during the next week, so shifting the event to Karachi will be very beneficial for the players,” she contended.

KARACHI: Air traffic between various cities remained suspended on Thursday and Friday as airlines cancelled domestic flights, citing dense fog and poor visibility.

Flight cancellation stranded a large number of people and air travellers staged a number of protests against rescheduling at a number of airports.

KARACHI: Pakistan Muslim League-N chief Mian Mohammed Nawaz Sharif Friday threatened government that his party would not express hesitation in parting ways with PPP in Punjab if the ultimatum issued to latter is not positively heeded and responded properly, Geo News reported.

He said N-league would then look for other ways in order to accomplish targets that are there on his party’s agenda.

Karachi,Pakistan: President Asif Ali Zardari has said that all elements behind the murder of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer will be exposed and punished in accordance with the law.

The president visited the residence of the late governor here on Friday and offered condolences to the family and prayed for the departed soul.

The second-largest member of Pakistan’s ruling coalition has reversed its decision to join the opposition, restoring the bloc’s parliamentary majority and saving the government from possible collapse.

Raza Haroon, a senior leader in the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, says his party made the decision Friday for the sake of democracy and the country.

KARACHI: The acerbic Sindh home minister lived up to his billing on Monday, launching a none too veiled, vitriolic attack on the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and blaming it for the wave of targeted killings that have bedevilled Karachi over the past few months.

“Dr Imran Farooq was murdered in London, but buses of Pakhtuns were torched in Karachi. Did Asfandyar Wali kill Dr Imran Farooq?” Mr Mirza said, spelling out a litany of complaints against the MQM.

KARACHI

Prime Minister, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, has said that unity among the democratic forces can effectively check the extremists tendencies much needed to ensure socio-economic development in the country. He was talking to the Sindh Governor, Dr. Ishrat ul Ebad Khan, who called on him at the Governor House here on Friday.Regarding the government’s policy of reconciliation, the Prime Minister said that this was aimed at forging harmonious relations among all the political parties for developing consensus approach on national issues.

Discontent over food inflation has been a major headache for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who is struggling with a slew of corruption charges against his government, eroding its political capital from an impressive election victory in 2009.

KARACHI: Fourteen-year-old Muhammad Zafar was rescued by police after neighbours reported the boy was being kept shackled in the house where he worked as a domestic labourer. Unsurprisingly, the young boy was not even being paid wages for at least the last 19 months.
“His employers told us he had stolen gold jewellery and we could not see him or take him away till these had been paid for,” Zafar’s mother, Parveen Bibi, was quoted to have said in a report by IRIN, the UN information unit.

KARACHI, Pakistan — The second-largest member of Pakistan’s ruling coalition reversed its decision to join the opposition Friday, averting the potential collapse of the government in this nuclear-armed nation.
The move by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, announced after Prime Minister Raza Yousuf Gilani backed down on unpopular economic measures, restored the government’s parliamentary majority and eased the political crisis facing Pakistan. But the government’s concessions could prevent it from receiving billions of dollars in international loans, exacerbating the country’s already precarious financial position.
That possibility poses a major concern to the United States, which is wary of instability in Pakistan and is reliant on the country for help in battling Taliban and al-Qaida militants in the region.

KARACHI: The Pakistan International Airline (PIA) has qualified for the final of Quaid-e-Azam Trophy after thrashing Karachi Blues by an inning and 16 runs here on Saturday.

KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari is in consultation with Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders over the appointment of Punjab Governor after the assassination of Salman Taseer, Geo News reported on Saturday.

According to sources, the President has summoned federal minister for finance Abdul Hafeez sheikh, advisor to PM Lateef Khosa and other senior party leaders in Karachi.

The Obama administration will offer Pakistan more military, intelligence and economic support, a message that US Vice President Joe Biden will deliver next week during a visit to the country amid strained relations, the Washington Post reported on Saturday.

KARACHI: PIA have all but qualified for the Division One final of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship on Friday after reducing the hapless Karachi Blues to 49-3 in their second innings at the halfway stage of the match at the National Stadium.

The Blues need a further 67 to avert the innings defeat with effectively having six wickets in hand with the injured opener Rameez Raja almost unlikely to bat after an X-ray revealed a broken thumb which was put in a plaster.

KARACHI

An activist of Muttahida Qoumi Movement (MQM) was gunned down in PIB Colony within the limits of PIB police station, police said.

An official at PIB police station said that Yawar Abbas s/o Sardar Hussain, aged 38 was targeted outside his home at Martin Road in PIB Colony.

Pakistan’s religious divide was on display on Sunday as thousands of Muslims marched in support of blasphemy laws while churches prayed for a politician murdered for defending a Christian woman sentenced to hang for criticising Mohammed.

Mumtaz Qadri said he acted because of Mr Taseer’s views on blasphemy. Since then, the killer has been feted by hardline clerics and showered with rose petals while the country’s small band of liberals has criticised the government for appeasing extremists and failing to tackle intolerance.

Karachi: Thousands of people rallied on Sunday against the attempts to reform the blasphemy law that had also led to the murder of Governor Punjab Salmaan Taseer. They vowed to continue their campaign throughout the country till the government announces its “clear-cut” policy in this regard on the floor of the house.

KARACHI: The Karachi Electric Supply Company has announced 16 hours of loadshedding for the city’s industrial sector.

According to a KESC spokesperson, the company took the decision after a rapid decrease in gas supply by the Sui Southern Gas Pipelines Limited.

KARACHI/RAWALPINDI – A conglomerate of religious and politico-religious parties on Sunday organised a mammoth “Namoos-e-Risalat” (PBUH) rally in the metropolis and demanded of the government to immediately withdraw the private bill seeking amendments in blasphemy law.

KARACHI: Senator Sardar Latif Khosa is likely to be named as the new constitutional head of Pakistan’s Punjab province.

President Asif Ali Zardari held day-long discussions with senior party leaders at Bilawal House to finalize the name for the challenging post in the country’s largest province.

KARACHI: Five members of the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan (SCBAP) including Abbas Ali, Khan Afzal Khan, Mian Muhammad Javed, Choudhry Aslam Ghumman and another member, opposed the meeting of their president Asma Jahangir and other office bearers with President Zardari during a press conference at the SCBAP office at Karachi registry.

Karachi: The Punjab Police is to launch a massive operation against criminals hiding along the Indus River on the border between Punjab and Sindh with the participation of the Elite Force, Sindh Police and Rangers.

The IG Punjab Police has directed RPO Bahawalpur to immediately launch a grand offensive against the networks of kidnappers taking refuge along the Indus with the coordination of Sindh Police as well as Rangers. Kidnappers have hide-outs close to the bed of the Indus River, adjacent to the Rahim Yar Khan and Rajanpur districts as well as other areas on the Punjab-Sindh border.

Karachi: Dense fog continues to blanket vast areas of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday, leading to suspension of traffic on main thoroughfares.

Karachi: Suspended Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir was questioned and cross-examined on the fourth day of the International Cricket Council anti-corruption tribunal hearing in Doha on Sunday.

According to reports, the 18-year-old Amir was questioned by one of the ICC lawyers and also by the lawyers for the two other suspended Pakistani players, Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif.

KARACHI: Seems strange to flaunt soda cans, a cutting board and bedsheets as art but when you mix it up with oil paints and acrylics, voila! You’ve got a masterpiece.

The Second Floor (T2F) café displayed works of 15 artists at their weekend bazaar, ‘Art Lootmaar’.

Karachi: The city police on Sunday nabbed 24 suspects from different areas of the city. These were arrested for their alleged involvement in gambling, drug peddling and bootlegging. The police recovered around six kilograms of hashish, 20 wine bottles, Rs35, 200 of stake money from their possession.

Tarnol police arrested Akbar Khan and Quresh Bibi for drug peddling, recovering over three and two kilograms of hashish respectively. Nilore police arrested an alleged bootlegger Mushtaq Hussain and recovered 20 wine bottles from his possession.

KARACHI : The meeting of two-member committee formed by President Asif Ali Zardari, comprising of Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Federal Minister for Interior Rehman Malik held a meeting on Monday morning at Chief Minister House.

The meeting discussed and reviewed the law & order situation of province of Sindh particularly the Karachi, and expressed overall satisfaction. Both leaders expressed their belief that the Government will take all coalition partners on board and will consider the suggestions and proposals of coalition partners.

KARACHI: Sindh Home Minister Dr. Zulfiqar Ali Mirzahas said that provincial government was determined to provide all basic necessities of life to the personnel of Police Department.

KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday advised the Sindh Bank’s management to consider allocating 40 percent of jobs to women in the province.

The president gave this advice during a briefing on the new setup of the Sindh Bank and its operations given by its president and chief executive officer, Bilal Sheikh, at the Bilawal House. Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, provincial Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah and senior officers of the federal and provincial governments were also present on the occasion.

KARACHI: Prior to the prime minister’s meeting with Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s coordination committee, Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza implicitly said that the outcome of the meeting will be in accordance with the “wishes of the people of Karachi.” And by the evening, MQM had announced that it would sit on the treasury benches of the National Assembly and Senate.

Talking to the media outside the Sindh Assembly building on Friday, he said the party had not succumbed to pressure from anyone, but withdrew the petroleum price-hike decision respecting the majority’s opinion.

KARACHI: The Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC), in a statement on Monday, announced that it needs at least 110 mmcfd of gas to fully utilise its gas-fired power generation capacity, which has been largely offline for want of gas.

“At present, gas supply to KESC remains at 30 mmcfd, which is insufficient for producing required electricity,” it said.

Karachi: At least 17 people were killed in road accidents in Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan on Monday as most parts of the country remained covered in dense fog amid a severe cold wave.

The lowest minimum temperature of -10.9 degrees Celsius was recorded in Kalam.

KARACHI: Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has given the Sindh government 48 hours to contain the unending spells of electricity and gas outages.

KCCI President Saeed Shafiq said that up to 16 hours of load shedding has ruined the industry.

KARACHI: Sindh Bank would provide loans for agriculture, livestock and fisheries on easy terms besides offering other financing facilities, said Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister Sharmila Farooqui.

Farooqui said that farmers will also be provided a facility to order seeds and fertilisers through SMS from designated suppliers. “The suppliers, upon receiving the SMS and instructions from Sindh Bank, will ensure delivery of goods at farmer doorsteps. Supplier accounts with Sindh Bank will automatically be credited after delivery.”

KARACHI: The second half of 2010 turned out to be somewhat better, at least where women in Sindh are concerned, since the total number of cases of violence against women fell from 940 to 862, according to a report of the Aurat Foundation.

BM Genel Sekreteri Ban Ki-mun’un Pakistan’a yardımlardan sorumlu özel temsilcisi Rauf Engin Soysal, Pakistan’da geçen yıl meydana gelen sel felaketinden en çok etkilenen Sindh eyaletine iki günlük ziyaret yaptı.

BM Sözcüsü Martin Nesirky konuyla ilgili yaptığı açıklamada, Soysal’ın, 7 milyondan fazla kişinin sel felaketinden etkilendiği Sindh eyaletine yaptığı ziyarette, bölgedeki halka yapılan yardımın mutlaka devam etmesi gerektiğini söylediğini bildirdi.

An extraordinary situation came about in Karachi on January 20, as five more people lost their lives in the ongoing target killing violence: the massive operation launched against terrorists in the city by the paramilitary Rangers has been disowned by the main political stakeholders. Sindh Home Minister Zulfiqar Mirza said he should have ordered the operation but he came to know of it only after it began unfolding; Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik, too, expressed his ignorance about the operation and added that the Sindh chief minister had not been consulted either.

Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah has said an agro-economic zone was being established on 160 acres land in Khairpur to promote business activities adding that Provincial Government is striving to provide advanced healthcare facilities to people.

KARACHI: Interior Minister Rehman Malik and Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza on Thursday disowned the Orangi Town operation conducted by the Rangers on Tuesday, Geo News reported.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who arrived in Karachi on Thursday, expressed his ignorance about the Rangers’ crackdown, saying it was an “administrative mistake”.

The Sindh home department issued a notification on Saturday, announcing the extension of the ban on pillion riding in Karachi, due to the rising number of target killings.

To curb violence and the ensuing death toll in Karachi, the Sindh Home Department has extended the ban on pillion riding for another 7 days.The order was communicated through a notification issued by the Home department on Saturday.

KARACHI: The Judicial Commission, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, on Saturday granted an extension of tenure to 24 additional judges of the Lahore High Court (LHC), while the names of ten judges have been dropped, according to Express 24/7 correspondent Faisal Shakeel.

A total of 34 additional judges of the Lahore High Court were being considered for an extension in their tenure on the basis of their performance.

KARACHI: In a surprising development, the Sindh government has again postponed an all-party conference on the law and order situation in Karachi.

The meeting, previously scheduled to be held on January 31, was originally announced to be held on January 26, but it was put off without any justification.

KARACHI: PM Yousuf Raza Gilani along with PML-F Chief Pir Pagara talks to mediamen after their meeting–PPI
OUR STAFF REPORTER

KARACHI – The Sindh government has postponed the All Parities Conference (APC) that was scheduled to be held on coming Monday to discuss the law and order situation and target killings in Karachi and to evolve a joint strategy to combat the terrorism.

Karachi:A delegation of Asian Development Bank (ADB) mission led by Director Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture, Makoto Djiro held a meeting with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah at he Chief Minister House here on Friday.

KARACHI: Sindh Home Minister became the proud owner of the first computerised arms licence on Wednesday. “The number of licences would go up from 50 in a month to 30 in a day because of the new computerised system,” Zulfiqar Ali Mirza said.

In an effort to get rid of fake arms licences, the home department, and the National Database Registration Authority (NADRA), have installed a computerised arms licence management system at a cost of Rs22.5 million.

KARACHI: Despite the international community’s pledge to provide long-term relief to flood-stricken Pakistan, a mass number of disaster victims are still living in harsh conditions.

Hundreds of thousands of people live in temporary shelters, even though more than a billion dollars in aid has been delivered to the disaster-stricken country.

KARACHI: The Sindh government on Monday removed 12 advisors of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, reports said.

According to a notification of Services, General Administration and Coordination Department of Government of Sindh issued here, those removed included Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh, Mohammad Siddique Abu Bhai, Jehangir Dilawar Khanji, Dinshaw Ankel Saria, Ghulam Qadir Malkani, Babar Leghari, Mohammad Kamran Behan, Mufti Ferozuddin Hazarvi, Sardar Aamir Khan Bhutto, Jammed Ahmed Soomro, Waqas Malik and Sharmila Farooqui.

Karachi: Some unidentified men killed five policemen including SHO Dera Allah Yar police station district Jafarabad here on Wednesday.

According to private TV channel, Levies sources told that SHO Dera Allayar, Ali Nawaz Khoso among four policemen were going to Quetta regarding official work. Near Much, Bolan in jurisdiction of Levies Force, some unknown armed persons cordoned them. The armed men opened indiscriminate firing killing Head Constable Rasool Bux and Constable Fakhar Deen on the spot. The criminals abducted the SHO and remaining two policemen and after that killed them too.

KARACHI: Industrial areas of Karachi faced eight hours of power outages on Wednesday as the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) rolled back on its supply to the sector, said a company official.

KESC passed the buck on to Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) for the increased power cuts. A day earlier, SSGC had announced a reduction in the supply of gas to KESC after two of its gas fields developed technical faults. An SSGC spokesperson confirmed that they are facing a shortfall of 80 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) of gas.

KARACHI: The Pakistan People’s Party and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Sunday agreed to revive the magistracy system to check inflation and hoarding.

KARACHI: Over 17 million population of mega city Karachi has been suffering from pollution and they need practical steps to reduce it on war footing basis. This was stated by Secretary Information Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) Ladies Wing Sindh Sharmila Farooqi here on Sunday.

KARACHI: Over 17 million population of mega city Karachi has been suffering from pollution and they need practical steps to reduce it on war footing basis. This was stated by Secretary Information Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) Ladies Wing Sindh Sharmila Farooqi here on Sunday.

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed a provincial law officer on Monday to provide details on the status and nature of responsibilities given to the five remaining advisers to the Sindh chief minister.

KARACHI: Central President of Awami National Party (ANP), Asfandyar Wali Khan said that his party will not withdraw support for Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

Addressing a press conference at Mardan House here on Monday, the ANP chief said the government should complete its five years tenure.

KARACHI: Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said all players played their part in the series win against New Zealand while vice-captain Misbah-ul-Haq brushed aside rumours about groupings in the squad.

The Pakistan squad returned home from Auckland, New Zealand, in the early hours of Tuesday.

The exhibitors at the first livestock exhibition in Sindh have received orders worth Rs400 million during the two-day event which concluded at the Karachi Expo Centre on Tuesday. Minister for Livestock Mir Abid Jatoi presented trophies to the owners of the most beautiful animals. An official of the Sindh Board of Investment (SBI) said that according to a survey by the Board, the exhibitors received orders worth Rs400 million for supply of livestock.

Karachi

The perception that Sindh, the land of the peace-loving Sufis, would remain free from the clutches of militancy is no more, as analyst and author Ayesha Siddiqa paints a rather bleak picture, saying that the militant-run schools already operating in Karachi are now opening up in interior Sindh.

KARACHI: The Sindh government on Wednesday issued a notification for the creation of a technical and financial evaluation committee, which will find out a private partner for construction of a modern grain storage facility under the public-private partnership mode.

KARACHI: In front of the Sindh High Court’s six ionic columns, Justice Mushir Alam, 55, was sworn in as the new and youngest chief justice of the Sindh High Court on Monday.
The ceremony was groundbreaking as it was held for the first time at the SHC premises. All previous oath-taking ceremonies had taken place at Governor House. Another first was that the chief justice’s own son, Hafiz Muhammad Ibrahim Alam, performed the recitation from the Holy Quran.

KARACHI: Events held in connection with Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi will kick off come Tuesday. Trails of the major processions can be traced with small green flags, which can be seen scattered around the city.
On February 15, after Isha prayers, a mehfil-e-naat will be held at Adda Sundar Sharif. A mehfil-i-milad will also be held at the Masjid Ya Rasulallah in Moon Market after Isha prayers on Tuesday.
The Murtazavi procession, one of the oldest and largest processions taken out on Rabiul Awwal 12, will leave the city railway station and culminate at Data Darbar after passing through Australia Chowk and Barandreth Road.

KARACHI: The Karachi Stock Exchange has witnessed a spectacular rise of as many as 7,200 points in bench mark KSE-100 index to 12,000 points, from its after crash low of 4,782 points in January of 2009.The market this past week saw a flurry of sell orders. The index lost around 500 points or 3.8 per cent in as few as five sessions to close Friday at 11,943 points.

The uneasy relationship with US on the Raymond Davis case and the dissolution of federal cabinet were bothersome, while investors fixed their gaze on the Egyptian revolution and wondered about its impact on the region. And for the first time since the bull run began, foreign investors put brakes on putting more money into the market. Inarguably, the current bull market has been fuelled by foreign investors.

KARACHI: The Large Taxpayers Unit (LTU) of Karachi has raised Rs297 billion, surpassing the revenue collection target for the first seven months of the current fiscal year.

The target for July-January 2010-11 was set at Rs269.2 billion. The collection during the seven months saw a growth of 24 percent against Rs239.6 billion collected during the corresponding period last year, provisional figures of the unit made available to The News showed on Tuesday.

KARACHI: Despite higher demand and prices in the local market, spot rates of cotton remained stable on Tuesday, dealers said.

“Since February 4, spot rates of the Karachi Cotton Association (KCA) remained steady, despite sharp rises in the local and international markets, while local demand for the commodity gained and cotton was sold at the peak level of Rs13,000 per maund in the open market,” said Shakeel Ahmad, a cotton analyst.

KARACHI: The stock market marched upwards on Tuesday as hopes rose that the much-awaited leverage product will be introduced by month-end following approval given by the bourse’s board to modification in its rules.

The Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) benchmark 100-share index ended 1.1 per cent or 131.75 points higher at 12,077.84.

A day after Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was detained by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) at the IGI Airport for allegedly carrying undeclared cash in his baggage, the 37-year-old was released, along with two others, on Monday evening after more than 24 hours of questioning.

Khan’s passport has been impounded and he has agreed to appear before the directorate whenever required, a DRI official said.

KARACHI: The Sindh Government has allocated Rs20 million to the newly-established Oil and Gas Department. Provincial Minister for Power Shazia Marri has been appointed adviser to the department.

Sources in the government said that the decision on establishing the department was made following promulgation of the 18th Amendment, under which provinces will have 50 per cent share in all natural resources, including gas fields.

KARACHI: The service period of Sindh High Court’s nine judges ended Friday, leaving only 14 judges behind in the court including defunct Justice Yasmeen Abbasi.

According to the sources, all nine judges were given charge of additional judges for one year whose service period ended today while no decision has been made so far for regularising their services or giving them extension.

KARACHI: In the second electricity tariff hike since January, the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) has increased rates by Rs0.96 per unit.

The increase comes as a result of an appeal filed by KESC with the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) for an upward revision in the electricity tariff for the month of December 2010, in respect of fuel adjustment charges, which was approved.

KARACHI: One man became injured as bombs exploded on the railway track in Zafar Town area of Karachi on Thursday.

According to media reports, the explosions took place in the precincts of Shah Latif town police station at the up and down railway track at 9:30 am.

KARACHI: A teen faces at least two more weeks in custody for alleged blasphemy after prosecutors demanded that police re-investigate the case at a more senior level, officials said Friday.

In a case condemned by rights activists, Sami Ullah was arrested on January 29 after writing an allegedly blasphemous comment in a school exam.

KARACHI: A charge-sheet submitted against a teenage blasphemy suspect is not being accepted by prosecution officials who maintain that the police have not adopted the proper procedure, it emerged on Thursday.

Seventeen-year-old Syed Samiullah is facing a charge of making blasphemous remarks about the Prophet (peace be upon him) in answer sheets of his intermediate examination around 10 months ago.

KARACHI: Home Department Sindh has lifted pillion riding ban from Karachi that was imposed on the occasion of 12th Rabi-ul-Awal, hereon Thursday.

In order to avoid any terrorist activity, Home Department Sindh imposed pillion riding ban in Karachi on 15th of February for the next two days. The ban lifted itself when no new orders came out from Home Department on Thursday.

KARACHI: Net profit of DG Khan Cement, the second largest cement-maker, fell 60 per cent to Rs192 million in the first half of fiscal 2010-11 compared with Rs470 million posted in the same period last year.

The decline is primarily due to lower gross margins amid higher input cost and lower selling prices in the local market, said Topline Securities analyst Furqan Punjani.

KARACHI: Capital City Police Officer, Karachi, Fayyaz Leghari has been assigned the additional charge of Sindh Inspector General of Police after the prime minister terminated the contract of Sindh IGP Sultan Salahuddin Babar Khattak on Friday.

Islamabad IGP Wajid Durrani and Fayyaz Leghari are being considered for the post. Meanwhile, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) additional director-general Javed Bukhari is expected to be the new FIA director-general, officials revealed. Names of the new IGP and FIA director-general will be announced by the federal government today (on Saturday).

Karachi

The police on Thursday baton-charged and used water cannon against hundreds of former non-teaching employees of the Education Department who were marching towards the Chief Minister’s House to demand restoration.

KARACHI: Two protesters were injured when police applied baton charge and used teargas to stop low-paid contract employees of provincial education department here on Friday near Karachi Press Club from marching towards Chief Minister House. Al least 12 protestors were arrested.

The protestors belonging to various districts of Sindh had gathered at KPC on the call of All Sindh Education Department Lower Staff Association. They were demanding regularization of their jobs and payment of their outstanding salaries.

Karachi: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Friday asked the Minister for Finance Abdul Hafeez Sheikh to hold meetings with all stakeholders and resolve the circular debt issue.

Gilani gave the direction in a meeting with the Secretary Petroleum Imtiaz Qazi and MD PSO Irfan Qureshi at the PM House.

KARACHI: The Sindh Education Department’s Lower Staff Association ended its protest after four days on Saturday after assurances from the political leadership that their rights will be given.

Old but not frail, 53-year-old Hajan Khan, who is a member of the association, had to come out on the streets even after 27 years of service to the education department. He has served as a gatekeeper in Dadu Degree College all his life and plans to do the same for the next four years of his working age. “We will thank all those who supported us in the fight,” he said happily as his colleagues dispersed.

KARACHI: In what is being described here as an attempt to firm up its alliance with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement before the expiry of a PML-N deadline, a high-level delegation of the PPP, comprising both hawks and doves, paid a visit to the MQM headquarters on Friday and reiterated its pledge to take their censorious ally along “for strengthening the country and democracy”.

Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad accompanied the delegation. Interior Minister Rehman Malik and Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah also took along Home Minister Dr Zulfikar Mirza, whose vitriolic attacks on the MQM had created a political crisis. Many were caught by surprise when they saw Dr Mirza at Nine Zero.

Karachi: PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif says his party’s support for the democratic process in the country must not be construed as intention to back a corrupt government.

“We will not be a party to any such move. The present governments’ real support are those who have been standing shoulder to shoulder with it for the last three years and raising the slogan of revolution,” Nawaz Sharif said in his address Thursday at a party workers convention on the 104th Founding Day of the PML.

KARACHI: A supporter of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was shot dead at Burns Road on Sunday. Ejaz Baig, 23, accompanied by his family, was returning home after attending a wedding when two armed men on a motorcycle opened indiscriminate fire.

The culprits escaped after shooting him four times, police officials said.
A heavy contingent of law enforcers reached the site and took the victim to Civil Hospital, Karachi where he succumbed to his injuries.
Police officials said the culprits used a 9mm pistol. The victim was a resident of Railway Colony and his father, Mukhtiar, is an employee in the Pakistan Railway.

KARACHI: Dr Zulfiqar Mirza, Sindh home minister and PPP provincial vice-president, said on Sunday that if the PPP was hit in Punjab, not even a single office of the PML-N would be allowed to exist in Sindh.

Addressing a rally in Lyari, he said the PPP was ready if PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif wanted an open confrontation. He said the episode of shoe-throwing at former Sindh chief minister Arbab Rahim could be repeated with somebody else. Mirza said he challenged the throne of Lahore with the power of the people of Lyari, adding the throne of Lahore should stop giving ultimatums.

KARACHI: Rangers and Police took control of the Godhra colony after continued collision between two religious parties in the area that had spread fear among the residents.

There were reports of firing in the area on Sunday evening after which Rangers took control of the colony and began search operation.

So far five suspects have been arrested.

Karachi: Eight people were killed and several were injured in a collision between two passenger coaches in Dera Ghazi Khan’s Pir Adil area on Monday, DawnNews reported.

The accident occurred when one coach crashed into a trawler while trying to overtake the other coach. The second coach could not maintain its balance and crashed into the overtaking coach.

The coaches were on their way from Karachi to Peshawar when the accident occurred on the Indus Highway.

KARACHI: The Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Karachi organised its second Annual Career Fair on Saturday.

An official of the IBA said that this is an effort to facilitate the employment process for its graduates. The event was organised at the IBA Main Campus by the IBA Career Development Society (ICDS) in affiliation with the Career Development Centre.

Throughout the event, employers and students mingled freely transgressing the corporate barrier to interact informally- an interesting sight to behold.

KARACHI: The Ambassador of Romania to Pakistan, Emilian Ion, has offered joint venture with the privately run Greenwich University.

Addressing the students here on Monday, the ambassador said that Romania was keen to extend all cooperation to the education sector in Pakistan and added that a joint venture will soon be materialised with Greenwich University by a Romanian university.

He said that the joint venture would not only promote education between the two countries but at the same time will help in understanding the culture of each other.

Karachi, Feb 21(ANI): Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan chief Syed Munawar Hasan has termed the Egyptian revolution as the first drop of rain, saying that it would deeply impact other countries of the region.

Hasan said that a successful Egyptian revolution would mean expelling the US and Israel from the region, and it would not be any easy task.

THE Tower of Refuge will turn purple this weekend as part of a Rotary Club campaign to highlight the eradication of polio.

Purple light will bathe the tower on Saturday night, organised by Douglas Rotary Club as part of a series of fund-raising events on the Island during the coming week.

It is part of Rotary International’s Thanks For Life campaign with the colour purple chosen because medical teams stain children’s little fingers with a purple dye to show they have been immunised.

KARACHI: Leaders of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) visited the headquarter of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) here on Friday.

PPP leaders, Federal Interior Minister A. Rehman Malik, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Sindh Home Minister Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza, Sindh Minister for Local Government, Agha Siraj Durrani visited MQM’s headquarter at Azizabad here and met with members of the party’s Rabita Committee.

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah inaugurated the Sindh Bank Branch at I.I. Chundrigar Road Brach, Karachi and opened his account which will be the first account of this branch.

The Bank has been set up in the memory of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto for the socio-economic development of the country with particular focus in the province of Sindh.

KARACHI: Moonis Elahi, one of the accused in the National Insurance Corporation Limited (NICL) scam has been granted a three week protective bail by the Sindh Hight Court.

The Banking Court of Lahore had earlier issued a non Bailable arrest warrant for Elahi and had ordered the investigation team to take him into custody and present him in court. Moonis’s lawyer had submitted an appeal of protective bail to the divisional bench of the Sindh High Court. He added that Moonis is currently not in the country, but will return in a few days.

KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly passed a resolution on Tuesday to take action against “quacks” practicing as doctors.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MPA Manzar Imam moved the resolution. Initially, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawmakers requested he withdraw it because the government is already thinking of tabling a bill. After some argument, the resolution was adopted.

KARACHI: Parliamentary Committee (PC) on the appointment of judges in higher courts Tuesday dismissed the extension of two judges in Sindh High Court (SHC), while other four judges have been granted extension for one year, Geo News reported.

Judicial Commission had sent the proposal to Parliamentary Committee for the service extensions of six additional judges in SHC.

Karachi—The second edition of Sindh Police Games will be held here at different venues of the city from March 1 to 3, Chief Organizers DIG Saud Mirza said on Wednesday. “We successfully launched these provincial games last year to involve our police force in healthy sporting activities,” he told APP here.

“Sports is a vital area in the development of healthy minds. Its creates agility, skill and boost the jawans to perform better professionally,” he said.

KARACHI: As many as 10 retired officers are still working on key posts, including the directors-general of the Sindh, Punjab and Rawalpindi cells of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), which is a clear violation of the Supreme Court’s verdict regarding the reemployment of retired government servants, according to data obtained by The Express Tribune.

It is learnt that Justice (retd) Rana Zahid Mehmood, who was initially hired to head NAB’s offices in Rawalpindi, was later assigned the additional charge of the post of director-general Punjab.

KARACHI: An additional district and sessions judge (AD&SJ) on Wednesday revoked the arrest warrants of PML-Q leader Moonis Elahi in National Insurance Corporation Limited (NICL) scam.

The court also suspended the orders by Judicial Magistrate Irfan Basra for starting proceedings to declare Moonis Elahi as a proclaimed offender (PO) in the NICL scam.

KARACHI: Members of National Assembly have condemned the murder attempt on Member National Assembly Lal Chand on Wednesday and demanded the arrest of person involved in the incident.

Members National Assembly condemned the murdered attempt on Lal Chand, and Minister for law Babar Awan has requested from Speaker National Assembly to set up of a committee who would investigate the incident.

KARACHI, Feb 25 (IANS) There is disquiet in the Hindu community over the as-yet unsolved abduction of their religious leader, a senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader in Quetta has been told.

Sardar Sanaullah Zehri, provincial convener of the PML-N, said all efforts will be made to free Lakki Chand Garji from the captivity of his abductors.

KARACHI, PAKISTAN — A huge controversy has broken out in Pakistan over the case of Magdalene Ashraf, a 23-year-old third-year Christian student nurse at the Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre in Karachi, who was allegedly raped by a doctor on July 15, 2010.

He was also impressed with the Palestine football potential, saying, if the eligible players of Palestine are gathered from all over the world, the strength will explode.

Meanwhile, the visitors’ head delegate Mohammed Abu Srour lauded the way there were extended warm welcome by the Pakistani people at the Lahore’s airport.

The touring side will be led by Abdullah Saidawi (Hilal Al-Quds). Bezaz and Srour also thanked the Pakistan Football Federation’s (PFF) President Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat and the PFA chief Al Rajoub Jibril for arranging the tour. Palestine trained in Amman before setting off for Pakistan. After the tour of Pakistan, the PFA will hold a training camp in Kuwait in the second week of next month to prepare the team for the AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers Group A to be held in Myanmar from March 21-25.

Bangladesh, Myanmar and Philippines are the other teams in Group A.

Few days ago, Palestine Olympic team tasted a 0-1 defeat at the hands of Thailand. But this is the senior team of Palestine and it looks obvious that the visitors are here to get some experience ahead of the AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers. Palestine team practiced for an hour under floodlights at the Punjab Stadium.

Courtesy By:THE NEWS.

KARACHI: In order to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the Biochemistry Department, the University of Karachi (KU) is organising a three-day Symposium cum Workshop from March 1 to 3, 2011.
The year 2011-2012 would be celebrated as the 50th year of the foundation of the Department of Biochemistry, KU as declared by the department’s chairperson. [...]

Karachi, (SANA): At least seven people including three policemen’ have been killed in Karachi in different incidents of target killings.
According to details, two cops were gunned down in Quaid-e-Azam Colony of Gulshan-e-Iqbal.
The killings took place after armed clash between two groups over kidnapping of a political worker. Police rushed to the site and came under [...]

Karachi—The industrial sector has suffered huge production losses due to the load shedding being carried out by Karachi Electric Supply Company in the industrial areas of the city.
The load shedding has created massive problems for the industrialists in meeting their export and local orders on time as eight-hour outage has diminished their pace of [...]

Karachi: Desperate to revive international cricket in Pakistan, the PCB has written to its Sri Lankan counterpart requesting it to tour the country this year for a full series.
A senior official of the board told PTI that the PCB has already started a process to convince the Sri Lankan board to undertake the tour in [...]

KARACHI: Net profit of Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) stood at Rs1.94 billion during October to December 2010 compared with Rs2.78 billion recorded in the same period last year.
PTCL, the largest broadband service provider, announced its financial results for the second quarter (October to December 2010) of fiscal 2011 on Thursday, according to a notice [...]