Educational institutions across Pakistan will reopen in phases starting September 15, Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mehmood announced. In the first phase, all higher education institutions including universities, professional colleges, vocational institutes, as well as classes nine till 12 will resume on Sept 15. A week later, on Sept 23, classes six, seven and eight will be allowed to return to schools following a review.
Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan (AWKUM) has become the country’s top-ranked university, according to the recently published Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2021. AWKUM has dethroned Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) which was ranked as the best Pakistani university in 2020. Overall, 17 Pakistani universities have been included in the 2021 rankings. University of Oxford has topped the rankings for the fifth consecutive year.
In a landmark judgement concerning ‘honour killing’ cases, the Supreme Court has said that the word ‘ghairat’ must not be used to describe killings in the name of ‘honour’ as murder is ‘never honourbale and it should not be described as such’. “It will help deter such killings if the term ghairat is not used to describe them”, the top court said.
Pakistan’s educational institutions will remain open on Saturdays and will have no winter vacations this year, according to a notification issued by the federal education ministry. The institutions have been instructed to hold special classes on Saturdays. Schools, colleges, universities, and madrassas in Pakistan are expected to reopen on September 15 but a final decision will be taken on September 7.
A local court in Quetta acquitted former Balochistan lawmaker Majeed Khan Achakzai in a case regarding the death of a traffic warden in a hit-and-run incident over three years ago. Judge Dost Muhammad Mandokhail of a model court acquitted the former chairman of the provincial Public Accounts Committee due to lack of evidence. The court’s detailed judgement has not been issued as yet.
In order to save Karachi from its despair, Prime Minister Imran Khan unveiled a “historic” financial package worth Rs1.1 trillion for Karachi’s transformation. The PM said that the package will address the chronic municipal and infrastructure issues of the country’s financial hub, which came into light last month after record-breaking monsoon rains caused widespread devastation and left dozens dead.
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday rejected the resignation of Special Assistant on Information Lt Gen (retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa. “The Prime Minister is satisfied with the evidence and explanation presented by Asim Saleem Bajwa,” read a statement issued by the PM’s office. The SAPM handed in his resignation to the prime minister today and requested him to relieve him of his duties as his aide.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has ordered authorities to release from prison all female prisoners who suffer from physical or mental illness or who are age 55 or older. The premier has asked for the release of under trial and convicted women prisoners who fulfil the criteria of apex court’s order passed in April. Khan also announced that all juvenile prisoners around the country will be released.
The federal cabinet has green-lighted the issuance of a first licence for medical and industrial use of hemp leaves, locally known as Bhang. Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry tweeted that the cabinet which met with Prime Minister Imran Khan in the chair in Islamabad approved first license for the ministry and Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR).
The Ministry of Interior has directed US blogger Cynthia Rochie to leave Pakistan within 15 days, after rejecting her application for visa extension. The development comes a day after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) expressed dissatisfaction over the interior ministry’s recent order related to the validity of Ritchie’s visa and gave the government a final opportunity to render proper assistance.