Major opposition parties on Sunday came together and announced lthe launching of a three-phased anti-government movement, demanding resignation of Prime Minister Imran Khan. Giving a formal shape to their alliance with the name of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), the opposition parties will start with countrywide public meetings next month, protest demonstrations and rallies in December and a “decisive long march” towards Islamabad in January 2021.
Pakistan has reported more than 700 coronavirus cases for the first time in more than a month. 722 cases were reported in the country on September 17. of which 95 were reported in Punjab, 307 in Sindh, 57 in KP, 193 in Balochistan, 10 in AJK, 39 in GB and 21 were reported in Islamabad. The last time the country recorded more than 700 cases was on August 12 when 711 cases were reported over 24 hours.
Thirteen educational institutions were closed down across the country in the last 24 hours for disregarding health guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs) laid down by the government. According to a statement by the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC), 10 educational institutions were shut down in Khyber Pakhutnkhwa while three were closed in Sindh for “non-compliance of health guidelines and protocols and disease prevalence”.
Turkey has said it will assist Pakistani government in bringing an iconic tram service back to Karachi’s MA Jinnah Road and II Chundrigar Road. In a meeting held at Karachi Metropolitan Corporation office, Turkish Consul General Tolga Ucak offered Karachi Administrator Iftikhar Ali Shallwani his country’s support for the project. Ucak also offered his support in uplift of libraries in the metropolis.
The World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) has granted a stay on the enforcement of penalty of $6 billion imposed on Pakistan for its decision to deny a mining lease for the Reko Diq project. The office of the attorney general for Pakistan in a statement described the development as a success for the country and its legal team.
The Pakistan High Commission in London has received arrest warrants sent by the government for former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. The high commission did not make an official comment on the development but sources confirmed that the mission had received the paperwork to serve the arrest warrants on Mr Sharif. All legal formalities and procedures would be followed in this regard.
Following the Punjab police’s request to prevent the prime suspect of the motorway gang-rape from leaving the country, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has placed his name on its ‘black list’ and alerted the law enforcement authorities about it at all checkpoints across the country. Abid Malhi, the main accused is still at large, while Punjab Police struggles to trace
The National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) said that 22 educational institutions across the country were closed down during the last 48 hours for failing to comply with standard operating procedures (SOPs) for curbing the spread of Covid-19. According to the statement, 16 of these educational institutions were in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, one in Islamabad and five in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
A woman who was gang-raped by two robbers on the motorway near Gujjurpura last week has appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan that ‘culprits should be publicly hanged’. The mother has appealed to the PM that both the culprits should be “publicly hanged”. The woman said PTI is a party which promised justice, so justice should be given,” said anchorperson Fareeha quoting the survivor.
A third accomplice of two prime suspects in motorway gang rape case has been detained, while key suspect Abid Ali remains at large. Police said a man named Bala Mistri, identified by the arrested suspect Shafqat Ali as the third person, has been taken into custody. Bala Mistri has been involved in various crimes alongside Abid in the past.