The parliament has passed the Zainab Alert, Response, and Recovery Act, 2020, named after Zainab, a seven-year-old girl who had been abducted and murdered after rape in early 2018. The bill presented in the National Assembly eight months ago, has now been forwarded to Senate for final approval. The legislation was mandatory in the wake of increasing cases of child abuse in the country.
At least 41 people have died across Pakistan as the country experiences an extremely cold spell, with Balochistan and Azad Kashmir being the worst hit regions where extremely low temperatures due to snowfall brought life to a standstill. According to meteorologists, the “strong westerly wave” is expected to continue until at least Tuesday.
A viral image showing ‘seriously sick’ former prime minister Nawaz
Sharif, along with his family members, in a cafe in London has raised questions regarding the ex-PM’s health. The image has made PTI-led Punjab government skeptical about the ‘serious nature’ of his health as Nawaz appears very stable in the picture and may become a hurdle for extension in his stay abroad.
An Afghan national was arrested by officers of the Karachi Company police station in Islamabad for supplying drugs to university students in the capital. Police confiscated more than one kilogramme of heroin and almost 115kg of ice (methamphetamine) from the supplier. The afghan national bought huge amounts of ice powder from Peshawar to supply it to university students, according to SHO Salim Raza.
PIA has been slapped with a massive fine for leaving passengers’ luggage in Saudi Arabia. It has been fined 72,000 Saudi Riyals or Rs2.97 million. Saudi Ground Services fined PIA 1,000 Riyal per container of luggage. Most recently, PIA left the luggage for the Islamabad-bound PK-754 and Lahore-bound PK-725 in Riyadh. This isn’t the first time PIA has left its luggage in Saudi Arabia.
The Pakistan Stock Exchange was on its way to a recovery on Thursday after two days of equity loss due to tensions in the region. The benchmark KSE-100 had lost over 1,000 points in the aftermath of the Iranian general Qasem Soleimani assassination. Since Trump gave the impression that he did not want war, the panic has somewhat vanished and people are returning to the equity market, according to senior equity analyst Raza Jafri.
Punjab authorities decide the fares of Orange Line train, Metro and Speedo buses. As per the reports, a meeting was held, in which Punjab’s Mass Transit Transport Authority decided the fares. Sources said that under the suggestions, the fare for the OLMT will be up to Rs. 40-50, and in case of Metro and Speedo it will be retained at Rs. 30.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has tasked Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi with visiting Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United States, in an attempt to help de-escalate the Middle East situation. He also asked General Qamar Javed Bajwa “to contact relevant military leaders to convey a clear message: Pakistan is ready to play its role for peace but it can never again be [a] part of any war.”
Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry slapped anchorperson Mubashir Luqman during the wedding ceremony of Punjab Irrigation Minister Mohisn Laghari’s son in Lahore. A heated exchange took place between Chaudhry and Luqman during a conversation which led to the minister slapping the anchorperson, according to the sources. However, PTI leaders at the ceremony intervened and took them aside.
Two Pakistan Air Force (PAF) pilots have been martyred after their plane crashed near Mianwali, according to a spokesperson of the air force. The pilots have been identified as Squadron Leader Haris Bin Khalid and Flying Officer Ibaadur Rehman. The plane, FT-7, was on a routine operational training mission when the crash occurred. A board of inquiry has been ordered by the Air Headquarters to determine the cause of the accident.