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.
If Pakistan does not make fruitful changes to eradicate Poliovirus in next six months, the situation would become dire, notes the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB). Citing modelling data, the report notes that Pakistan is at the risk of wild poliovirus cases reaching 500 by end of 2020 and vaccine-derived poliovirus cases reaching 1,000.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed all relevant authorities to finalise the ‘Karachi Transformation Plan’ within a week to address major civic issues faced by the metropolis. Presiding over a meeting at PM House, Mr Khan directed that the plan be finalised in consultation with all stakeholders. PM Khan said the country’s progress and development was linked to the prosperity of Karachi.
Aasia Bibi, the Christian woman who was spent eight years on death row for blasphemy, said she would never speak against Pakistan or its laws, as she disowned a book written by a French journalist on her life. In an interview with Voice of America, Aasia said she had nothing to do with the book that was being published as her ‘autobiography’.
Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Maliki called on Pakistani Interior Minister Ijaz Ahmad Shah at the Ministry of Interior and said flights for the Umrah pilgrimage would resume as soon as the coronavirus situation improved, the interior ministry said. Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have fraternal relations not only at the governmental level but also at the public level, Shah was quoted as saying.