Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan’s attempt to raise awareness about thalassaemia patients through a ‘symbolic’ blood donation backfired with social media users accusing her of ‘faking it’. An infusion set without needle was placed on her arm, other side of which was connected to an already filled blood bag.
The government will lift the duty on importing wheat in order to control soaring flour prices in the country, according to PTI leader Jahangir Khan Tareen. He further added that the price will drop once the wheat enters the market. Prime Minister Imran Khan tasked Tareen and National Food Security and Research Minister Khusro Bakhtiar with resolving the issue.
An additional district and sessions judge of Islamabad issued non-bailable warrants of arrest for TV anchorperson Mubashir Luqman. A criminal complaint was filed against him by Anwar Aziz, father of ex-minister Daniyal Aziz, for allegedly using slanderous language.In a broadcast, Luqman passed certain remarks against the personal life of Aziz in 2016 and in response, Aziz filed a criminal complaint against anchorperson seeking action against him under the Pakistan Penal Code.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui forwarded on Thursday his resignation as the minister for information technology to Prime Minister Imran Khan. Siddiqui had announced his resignation on January 12, saying that the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had failed to deliver on its promises. He requested for the acceptance of his resignation accordingly.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) suspended membership of 318 lawmakers for not meeting the deadline to submit their assets details. A total of 70 MNAs, 12 senators, 115 Punjab MPAs, 60 MPAs from khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 40 Sindh MPAs and 21 from Balochistan were suspended by the ECP. Under the law, all the legislatures are required every year by December 31 to file the related documents. On non compliance, the ECP bars them for performing their duties as legislators.
An additional and sessions court in Quetta has issued the arrest warrants for Senator Sarfaraz Bugti in a kidnapping case. The judge dismissed the senators application for an extension in his interim bail and ordered issuance of arrest warrants immediately. While Bugti said that he is being dragged into someone else’s family matters by his political rivals and will approach the high court for bail.
Over 4,000 cameras belonging to the Lahore Safe City project are no longer working after a dispute between the project administration and the Chinese company managing the cameras. The dispute has arisen over Rs1 billion in dues not being paid. When the Chinese company didn’t receive the money, it shut down the cameras. The project uses CCTV cameras across Lahore to monitor crime and traffic violations.
Real estate tycoon Malik Riaz has been booked by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for illegal allotment of an amenity plot in Karachi’s Clifton area where the Bahria Town built Pakistan’s tallest building, Bahria Icon Tower. It is the first reference in which Malik Riaz, the chairman of the Bahria Town, is nominated in an offshoot of the fake accounts case.
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) minister Faisal Vawda’s ‘boot stunt’ on live TV has not only landed him in hot waters but has also resulted in a ban on Kashif Abbasi and his show. Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has banned the broadcast of anchorperson Kashif Abbasi’s programme ‘Off the Record’ for 60 days, for a “very unethical act” by the panelist.
According to the latest survey by Numbeo, Lahore has improved its ranking by 56 points, to become safer than Paris, New York, Berlin and Chicago on the World Crime Index (WCI). Lahore was ranked 230th out of a total 374 cities of the world in the Numbeo’s survey for Jan 2020. An increase in a city’s ranking means a drop in its crime rate.