A petition at Peshawar High Court (PHC) filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday challenged by-elections in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) scheduled for April 30.
The petition stated that the election scheduled for NA 22, 24 and 31 posits that the by-elections would be held on April 30.
Read PTI lawmaker Arsalan Taj sent on physical remand
However, the petitioners argued, elections cannot be held 120 days before the general elections.
"If the government was serious about holding elections, it would have announced a date within 120 days," the PTI said.
The petition stated that by-elections will not only be a waste of money but also be a deviation from the Constitution. It further stated that many other constitutional problems were likely to arise from following the schedule as well.
The party also maintained that the resignations were never individually verified, thereby expressing reservations over the acceptance of the resignations that had left the National Assembly seats vacant in the first place.
Read More PTI wants gift-receiving generals, judges named
Earlier this week, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had called off by-elections in 37 National Assembly constituencies in light of the decisions of the high courts concerned.
The by-elections had been triggered after National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf had accepted the resignations of PTI lawmakers earlier this year.
A total of 123 PTI MNAs resigned en masse on April 11 last year – two days after party Chairman Imran Khan was removed from the post of the prime minister through a no-confidence vote.
Also Read PTI moves LHC against Section 144 in Lahore
On January 17, the speaker accepted the resignations of 34 PTI lawmakers, and one member of the Awami League (AML), an ally of the PTI. Three days later, 35 more resignations were accepted, including one of AML chief Sheikh Rashid.
On January 25, the ECP de-notified 43 PTI lawmakers and two days later announced the by-elections to 33 National Assembly seats on March 16. It also announced 31 more by-polls for March 19 in February.
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PTI challenges by-polls in K-P on vacated seats
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Sacked law officers challenge K-P action
The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Monday issued a notice to the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) over a petition challenging the dismissal of law officers from the Advocate General’s Office and the appointment of new officials.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Ejaz Anwar and Justice Syed Arshad Ali of the high court heard the writ petition.
The writ has been filed by Advocate Inamullah Khan and other law officers through the mediation of Advocate Shumail Ahmed Butt.
It has been argued in the writ petition that the caretaker government does not have the authority over the matter and questioned under which law the new law officers had been appointed.
Even though the establishment department had disputed the summary, the summary was approved, the petition added.
The court issued a notice to the caretaker provincial government and adjourned the hearing till Tuesday.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 14th, 2023.
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EU lays emphasis on employable skills
European Union Ambassador to Pakistan Dr Riina Kionka visited the Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Peshawar, to experience the functionality of the centre under the new role.
The mission was pleased to note that the CoE, Peshawar is playing its role in the reformation of TVET sector in Khyber- Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), said a press statement issued here on Tuesday.
The CoE has been upgraded through the provision of state-ofthe- art equipment and civil works through the support of TVET Sector Support Programme, funded by the European Union, Government of Norway and the Federal Republic of Germany and it is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.
The ambassador visited various labs and inspected the status of operations being executed at the centre.
She held interactive sessions with the students and faculty of the centre and reviewed diversified products formulated by the students during project assignments.
She lauded the efforts of the management as well as the faculty in imparting requisite marketable skills to the students.
Sadiq Orakzai, Director KP-TEVTA and Dr Hazrat Hussain, Principal CoE Peshawar presented brief overview of the achievements made by the center in the preceding years.
Hundreds of faculty and students have imparted contemporary skills in various trades, which reflects a unique feature of the center, he said, adding that the agreements executed with the potential private sector stakeholders for joint collaboration.
He pledged that the centre would further be strengthened for fortification of quality management unit in near future.
Tahir Khan and Qazi Farid of TVET SSP appreciated the significant role being played by the center through catering the skills needs of the present market, adding that a good number of employers were attracted to hire the skilled students trained by the centre.
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Women’s digital inclusion stressed
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Ombudsperson for Protection Against Harassment at Workplace, Rukhshanda Naz has emphasized the need for cost-effective technology, including mobile devices, to enable women file complaints online while staying at home.
The use of technology has provided women with means to report relevant issues to the Ombudsperson through their cell phones without fear, she said while addressing a provincial consultation on ‘Digital Safety for Women & Children in Khyber- Pakhtunkhwa’ here.
The event was organised to mark the International Women’s Day by non-governmental organization Aawaz II in collaboration with the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Commission on the Status of Women, the Ombudsperson for Protection Against Harassment at the Workplace and the provincial Child Protection and Welfare Commission here in Peshawar on Tuesday.
The event was attended by dozens of rights activists.
Deputy Chief, Child Protection and Welfare Commission Ijaz Khan stressed the importance of using mobile devices while keeping safety measures in mind.
He further suggested organising awareness-raising sessions to address online harassment.
Amna Durrani, Director of Programmes at KPCSW highlighted that information accessed through the internet or phone is known as digital inclusion.
Deputy Director FIA Network Security Muhammad Akram Mughal stated that overall, there were 15 FIA stations in the country and three stations in K-P province: one each in Peshawar, Dera Ismail Khan and Abbottabad.
He said that there were 159,187 complaints received by the cyber crime wing of FIA from the entire country of which 1,600 applications were addressed and resolved this year.
Secretary, KPCSW, Robina Haider said in her concluding remarks that women are keen to use mobiles but still face harassment at all levels.
Though the laws exist, people are not aware of cybercrime, she observed, adding that the event brought together more than 80 social activists from Swabi, Haripur, Swat, Battagram, Mansehra, Mardan, Charsadda, Kohat and Peshawar.
She maintained that the consultation was aimed at promoting safer online spaces for women and children by increasing awareness of online gender-based violence (GBV), including its types and trends.
The event facilitated discussions on responding to and reporting online GBV, raising awareness about government regulations and protection mechanisms, and exploring the role of Aawaz II community structures and activists in preventing online GBV.
During her remarks, Rashida Dohad of the Omar Asghar Khan Foundation stated that Aawaz II strives to tackle discriminatory gender norms in Punjab and K-P.
She also highlighted the significance of the event which was linked to International Women’s Day.
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Eight terrorists killed, two soldiers injured in South Waziristan operation
ISLAMABAD: At least eight terrorists were killed, and two Pakistan Army soldiers injured when security forces carried out an operation in South Waziristan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the military's media wing said on Thursday.
According to a press release from the Inter-Services Public relations (ISPR), security forces carried out the operation after receiving information of the presence of terrorists in the Zinghara area of South Waziristan.
"During intense exchange of fire between security forces and terrorists including mortar fire, eight terrorists have been killed, whereas two soldiers are injured," the ISPR said in the statement.
"Unfortunately, two children embraced martyrdom during exchange of fire," it added.
Also read: Egypt lauds Pakistan Army achievements against terrorism
Last week, security forces killed at least nine terrorists in two separate operations—six militants during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Datta Khel area of the adjacent North Waziristan district, and three more terrorists in a follow-up sanitisation operation of the area.
Locals of the area appreciated the security forces’ response and expressed their full support to eliminate the menace of terrorism from the area, the ISPR had said in a statement following the operation.
Pakistan's security forces have conducted numerous operations against terrorism across the country, not only arresting terrorists and their facilitators but also foiling several attacks during the last three months.
Security forces have killed more than 150 terrorists during the last three months as operations to eliminate terrorism from the country continue. At least 1,007 terrorists were arrested during 6,921 operations by security forces across the country in the last three months.
At least 1,960 operations were conducted in total in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, out of which 1,516 were area-domination operations, 301 were intelligence-based operations, and 143 were area-sanitisation operations.
As a result of the operations conducted by security forces, over 100 terrorists have been killed and more than 540 arrested in K-P.
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Four cousins drown in Buner manhole
Five people died in two separate incidents in Buner and Mardan districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) on Wednesday.
Four cousins lost their lives while trying to rescue a family child who had accidently slipped into a manhole in Buner district.
Police told The Express Tribune that last night a 16-year-old boy Ghulam Akbar slipped into a gutter. His brother Hamid jumped after him to save him but both drowned.
“Upon hearing their cries for help two of their cousins from the neighbourhood rushed to their help but they also drowned in the gutter. As a result all four of them died on the spot,” said an official of police, adding the incident took place in the Changalai village of Buner and caused widespread panic.
In the second incident, a woman, identified as Kinnat, was gunned down by her mother-in-law after a verbal dispute in the Takhatbahi area of Mardan.
Complainant Muhammad Saleem lodged an FIR with Takhatbai police, stating that his 24-year-old sister Kinnat Bibi was killed by her mother-in-law Zaiton Bibi after a verbal dispute.
“Both of them had a verbal dispute after which Zaiton Bibi shot Kinnat in the head with a pistol,” he stated in the FIR.
Police said that initial investigation suggested that both women had a fight after which the daughter-in-law wanted to leave for her father’s house which even further enraged the old lady.
“She was rushed to hospital where doctors pronounced her dead on arrival,” said a police official.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 16th, 2023.
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Body for reforms in Sehat Card formed
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Caretaker Chief Minister Muhammad Azam Khan on Wednesday constituted a committee to suggest mid-term as well as long-term improvement in Sehat Card Plus.
A meeting in this regard was held here on Wednesday with chief minister in the chair which discussed in depth various matters related to the health card.
Advisor to Chief Minister on Health Dr Abid Jamil, Secretary Finance Ayaz Khan, Special Secretary Health Ubaidullah Kaka Khel, Project Director Dr Riaz Tanoli and other relevant officials attended the meeting.
While briefing the forum about Sehat Card Plus, it was revealed that under the scheme, free treatment facilities are being provided to 9.7 million households of the province at a cost of Rs28 billion per annum.
The participants were further informed that a total of 1,139 health care facilities including public and private hospitals have been empaneled in order to provide quality healthcare services to the general public.
The forum thoroughly discussed the various aspects of the sehat card scheme with a view to further streamline the operational matters and decided to constitute a high level committee comprising experts from the health sector which will submit short and mid-term proposals for the purpose.
The said committee will come up with short term proposals falling within the mandate of the caretaker provincial government, however, long term initiatives to this effect would be proposed for upcoming provincial government aimed at further improving the facility to bring it at par with the modern-day needs.
Moreover, the committee will also suggest proposals regarding improvement of services delivery system in the health facilities of rural and far-flung areas of the province including the newly merged districts.
Chief Minister Muhammad Azam Khan has termed Sehat Card Plus scheme as an important step for public welfare and said that the scheme could be further improved by removing the deficiencies from its process detected in the past few years and taking into account the public feedback.
“We have to ensure that the people are getting the maximum benefits from the scheme and for it further improvements are necessary,” he remarked.
Azam Khan also directed the officials to submit him a report with regard to utilization of funds allocated for the maintenance of various hospitals of the province.
It may be mentioned here that government has also released funds for the payment of salaries of hospital staff being run on public-private partnership basis in the newly merged districts.
Several hospitals had not paid the salaries of their staff due to non-release of funds by the previous provincial government.
The non-release of funds had baldy hampered the services of these hospitals and local residents were complaining that instead of improvement, the new model had deteriorated the health care system in these hospitals.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 16th, 2023.
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Judiciary, establishment should stay neutral: JI
Amir Jammat-e-Islami (JI) Sirajul Haq has said that judiciary and establishment should stay neutral under all circumstances.
Addressing a long march for the rights of tribesmen in Bajaur district, he said that Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced elections in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Punjab and his party would take part in these elections.
“We appeal to election commission and judiciary to stay neutral,” he said.
“The government has said that Rs72 billion funds are required for elections in Punjab and K-P. Holding elections in phases is just a waste of public money in times of financial crisis,” he said, adding that there should be a caretaker government in the centre as well as Sindh and Balochistan too and polls should be held in a free and fair manner.
“The establishment creates conflicts and then different factions begin to fight,” he said, adding that this could not be tolerated anymore.
It may be mentioned here that JI has announced it will hold protests, rallies and long marches for the rights of tribal districts from March 15. In this regard the first rally was held in Bajaur on Wednesday.
The JI will hold rallies in all tribal districts one by one.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 16th, 2023.
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PHC asks for unanimous CNG price policy
The Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court (PHC), during a hearing in a case against low gas pressure and load-shedding in the province, asked the relevant institutions to formulate a unanimous policy to determine the price of CNG per kilogramme.
A two-member bench of the PHC, comprising Chief Justice PHC Justice Qaiser Rasheed and Justice Abdul Shakoor, expressed shock to know that the CNG association fixes the prices of the commodity.
The CJ questioned OGRA about whether it had given a free hand to consumers as well as fixed prices for CNG for itself like the CNG association.
He called it a bad practice and directed that all relevant institutions convene to develop a unanimous policy in this regard and present a report to the court at the next hearing, scheduled for May 9.
Earlier, Chairman OGRA Masroor Khan appraised the court.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 17th, 2023.
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Hundi system haven thriving
In the hustle and bustle of Chowk Yadgar, formerly known as the Hasting’s Memorial, a young man, whilst shouting “come purchase dollars and dinars,” can be seen frantically beckoning passersby to come check out the seemingly amazing exchange rate that is on offer.
However, this is not a one time occurrence. Scores of people visit Chowk Yadgar, colloquially referred to as Dollar Bazaar, daily for their currency exchange needs and in some cases to rely on the alternative remittance system outside of formal banking channels, referred to as hundi or hawala, which is offered here without any worry for the law. The small yet awfully crowded market consists of some 500 shops - a majority of which are currency exchange outlets, whereas the remainder are jewellery stores.
Apart from the scores of people that visit, the Dollar Bazaar is also frequently visited by investigation agencies, trying to curb the hundi system so that remittances flow through proper banking channels and the country’s foreign reserves increase - a need of the hour, if Pakistan wishes to complete a successful International Monetary Fund (IMF) review.
However, Gul Badshah, a trader at the Dollar Bazaar, who is a beneficiary of the hawala system, was of the view that agencies like the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) were not actually serious about getting rid of the system. “The FIA conducts raids on this market on a daily basis but never seals the market. If the hundi system is illegal, then why does the FIA not seal the entire bazaar? Because the FIA officials make money from the foreign currency they recover from dealers,” he alleged. When asked why people prefer using the hundi system instead of proper banking channels, Badshah replied: “People think the hawala system is safer than banks and other money transfer companies.”
Khan Wali, who is also in the hundi business, concurring with Badshah, informed that most of the customers in the bustling Chowk Yadgar market were Afghanistan nationals. “They trust the people in this bazaar because many over here have been doing the hundi business for decades,” explained Wali, adding that another reason why Afghans relied on the hundi system was lack of literacy. “They do not feel comfortable going to banks or money transferring companies because they feel there is a lot of paperwork involved. Moreover, mostly the Afghans are trying to send or receive money from relatives across the border quickly, so they do not have time to get into unnecessary hassles.”
Officials of the FIA, speaking to the Express Tribune on condition of anonymity, confirmed Wali’s assessment. “People from the tribal areas do not have any formal education nor do they have a formal banking sector, so they rely on the efficiency of the hundi system,” an official informed. When quizzed about the FIA’s lacklustre attitude in putting an end to the system, the official laid the onus of the courts. “The maximum punishment for hundi is imprisonment for 5 years but the courts usually take a lenient view and grant the accused individuals bail as the offence does not fall under the prohibitory clause of the Code of Criminal Procedure.”
The Express Tribune also spoke to Afzal Khan Niazi, Deputy Director of the FIA, about the agency’s poor performance in curbing hundi networks, who acknowledged that the alternative remittance system was a problem but the FIA was cracking down on it. “From 2021 to 2023, around 395 people were arrested, 44 shops for hawala were sealed, 331 FIRs were lodged, and Rs 969 million was recovered,” informed Niazi.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 17th, 2023.
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JI peace caravan calls for tribal rights
Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) peace caravan for tribal rights reached Orakzai and later Karam district on its second day.
The convoy was led by JI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Ameer Professor Muhammad Ibrahim Khan, Shah Faisal Afridi, Sardar Khan, Zar Noor Afridi, and others.
Professor Khan strongly condemned the reported drone attack in South Waziristan and expressed grief and sorrow over the martyrdom of innocent children, adding that the rulers of the country should tell who was behind it.
It is the responsibility of the government and security agencies to provide security to the public, he said, adding that the provision of law and order, education, health, employment, justice, and fairness is the responsibility of the government.
The rights of the tribal people are a debt to the government, he stated, adding that the government has not fulfilled even one of the promises it made to the tribes before the merger between erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and K-P.
The JI leader said that by increasing the number of seats in the National and Provincial Assemblies, the tribal districts should be represented in the Senate.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 17th, 2023.
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PTI ‘wants polls on same day’
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Governor Haji Ghulam Ali on Thursday said, “Several Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) wanted elections of both national and provincial assemblies at the same time.”
Speaking to the media at Government College Peshawar, Governor Ali said that those MNAs had contacted him to convey their suggestion, but he told them that they should contact PTI Chairman Imran Khan and put their demand to him.
The governor said that if the provincial assembly election was held early, that would mean that every five years there would be two elections. In that case, he expressed the fear that parties would not accept the result when one party was in the provincial government.
“Imran Khan contested for eight seats and lost one, but even on that he levelled allegations of rigging,” he added. “When one party is in power in the province, what will be the reaction of other parties,” the governor wondered aloud.
Earlier this week, the governor announced May 28 as the date for the election of the K-P Assembly after consulting with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). He was mandated by the Supreme Court to announce the election date.
He told reporters that he had given the election date but that carrying out the voting was the responsibility of the ECP. He stressed that he gave the date on the Supreme Court’s order, yet he wanted that political parties took such decisions.
He hoped that “when the national and provincial assembly elections will be held after five months, they should be held with the consultation of all the parties.” He also said that going to jail was not uncommon for politicians, “but the conditions being created today are not suitable at all.”
About the law-and-order situation in the province, he said that the security agencies had described the situation as “dangerous.” He stressed that if the nation stood behind its security agencies, the problems would start decreasing.
Earlier, addressing the college function, the governor urged the students to work hard with determination. He also stressed the need for character-building among the students and promoting the culture of patience and forbearance.
“In the past few years, our political culture has been destroyed. Hate has made its way into politics, and it has been turned into animosity,” he said. “We have to be patient and talk with reason, and the differences should be resolved politely,” he added.
On a personal note, he said that he dreamt of politics, aspired for high office, and succeeded. “I studied while sitting on mats, but now I am the governor. I told my father in 1983 that one day I would be the governor and my father laughed,” he said.
He also recounted his major achievements during the period when he was the mayor of Peshawar. “I widened the roads in Peshawar. “Demolishing the walls of the Governor House was not an easy task,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 17th, 2023.
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At least 10 perish in Lower Kohistan fire
At least 10 people died on Friday after a fire broke out in a house in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's (K-P) Lower Kohistan district, according to Rescue 1122 officials.
A house located in the district's Seri Pattan area caught fire, causing the roof of the house to collapse and trapping the residents under the debris.
Upon receiving information about the incident, Rescue 1122 fire vehicles and ambulances reached the location and started rescue operations.
Rescue teams from Upper Kohistan and Shangla were also called in for assistance due to the intensity of the fire and debris.
Read Six of a family killed in Bajaur roof collapse
Rescuers managed to recover 13 individuals during the operation. Three of the injured were shifted to nearby medical facilities for treatment.
According to Rescue 1122 officials, one person is still missing and efforts are underway for recovery.
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Peshawar suicide bomber’s accomplice held
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa additional inspector general of police on Friday claimed that an accomplice of the suicide bomber who blew himself up at the Peshawar Police Lines mosque in January had been arrested.
On Jan 30, a powerful explosion ripped through a mosque in Peshawar’s Red Zone area where up to 400 people, mostly police officers, had gathered for prayers. Eighty-four people were martyred in the blast which blew away the wall of the prayer hall and an inner roof.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the attack. However, it later distanced itself from it. Sources revealed that it could have been the handiwork of some local faction of the group.
Addressing a news conference, Counter-Terrorism Department’s Shaukat Abbas revealed that the attack was planned in Afghanistan and carried out by the TTP’s group – Jamaatul Ahrar.
Abbas said the suicide bomber who blew himself up at the Peshawar Police Lines was known as Qari in the TTP circles and belonged to Mohmand Agency. During the investigation of the case, he said, the other suicide bomber, “whose name is Imtiaz Khan, has also been arrested from Peshawar”.
He said that the second suicide bomber was also prepared for the blast. “If the first suicide bomber failed, this second bomber would have attacked.”
He said that both attackers received training in Kunduz, Afghanistan, while the mastermind of the suicide attack was Ghaffar alias Salman, who was in contact with the attacker on the day of the incident.
“The suicide bomber and his handler were identified with the help of 300 cameras,” the additional IG said, vowing to leave no stone unturned in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
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Suicides on the rise in Swabi district
Suicides have been on the rise in Swabi district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) as over one dozen cases have been recorded with police in the past three months of this year.
Depression, unemployment and domestic disputes are said to be the main reasons of these suicides.
The data obtained by The Express Tribune shows that five women have also ended their lives this year.
“Pesticides are generally consumed by women to commit suicides as they are easily available in every household,” said a police official, adding that men also use it.
“Men in majority cases use a hand gun to end their lives,” he observed.
On Friday two people committed suicides in Swabi.
In Thand Koi village, a schoolteacher Altamas Khan took his own life by consuming highly poisonous pesticides. He died on the spot.
In a separate incident, a dental technician Aziz Ahmad committed suicide by shooting himself in the head in Marghaz village. He was posted at basic health unit in Kota and was considered very religious.
Both the death shocked the local residents as both of them belonged to good families.
A police official said that suicide rate in the women was also alarming as among the one dozen suicide victims, five were women.
“Women are considered more sensitive than men and they often take the extreme step due to domestic tension, abuse and other such things,” he argued.
Local residents demanded of the government to take notice of the situation and arrange psychotherapy of such people in order to control the situation.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 18th, 2023.
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UoP youth camp commences
The sixth Natives Youth Camp event has started under the aegis of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (K-PCTA) and The Natives in the Bara Gali campus of University of Peshawar (UoP).
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Managing Directors The Natives, Farhad Khan, Asif Khan and large number of students.
About 50 students from K-P, Sindh, Balochistan, Punjab and Azad Kashmir are participating in the camp. Various sessions, including discussions, dialogues on cleanliness, climate change and eco-tourism are part of the event. These sessions are meant for awareness among the participants.
The five-day camp is jointly arranged by KPCTA, the Department of Youth Affairs K-P and the Strengthening Participatory Organisation (SPO).
Speaking on the occasion, participants shared that the event would help highlight the importance of eco-tourism, aware people of the hazards of climate change and promote scenic tourist attractions of the province.
They said that the event is being held for the last six years and the training sessions being conducted in the camp has oriented students about the significance of a clean environment and also provided them guidelines to implement these in their daily lives.
During camp the students also carried out an awareness walk on cleanliness and also participated in a cleanliness campaign in Barra Gali, Donga Gali and Ayubia Pipeline Track.
Such activities are meant to promote the culture and tourism of the province through students who jointly collaborates with CTA for a better, clear and green K-P.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 18th, 2023.
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Level playing field assured for all parties
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Caretaker Minister for Information and Public Relations, Auqaf, Hajj, Religious and Minority Affairs Barrister Feroz Jamal Shah Kaka Khel while informing media regarding the decisions made in the second meeting of the caretaker provincial cabinet held yesterday, said that the cabinet’s mandate is to provide a level playing field to all political parties for fair and transparent elections and to support the Election Commission.
Our mandate also includes identification and elimination of political appointments in public institutions, he said.
The provincial government will give Ramazan package to the deserving people of the province at a cost of Rs19 billion despite limited resources, he maintained, saying that the Chief Minister Azam Khan has formed a cabinet committee to devise a procedure for immediate delivery of zakat funds to the beneficiaries.
The number of posts of law officers posted in the advocate general’s office has been reduced from 61 to 43, he informed.
Barrister Shah said that a cabinet committee has been formed regarding the dissolution of the Board of Governors of 10 MTI hospitals and this dissolution will be done in two stages and will be completed within two weeks.
He observed that the poor and deserving citizens of the province are being given Ramazan package by the provincial government. Beneficiaries registered in this targeted package will be provided 2 to 3 bags of flour free of cost.
The minister said that there are funds for zakat, but there are no zakat councils since last year. The provincial government has formed a cabinet committee in this regard to provide relief to the poor and deserving citizens as much as possible before Ramazan.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 18th, 2023.
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K-P Assembly polls saga takes new twist
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) elections saga has taken yet another twist as on Friday it was revealed that the Governor Ghulam Ali sought more time to discuss the issue with all political parties during his meeting with Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in Islamabad.
Earlier, governor had announced that May 28 has been fixed for provincial assembly elections in K-P but now sources within the Provincial Elections Commission said that no fixed date has been given in this regard.
Governor Ghulam Ali sought more time for further consultation on the issue and he also asked the ECP to share with him more informations.
A meeting of ECP is being held in Islamabad today to discuss the issue in which it would be decided to consult governor K-P once more on the issue.
When contacted no official of ECP was available to comment on the matter and all officials kept their mum in this regard.
When contacted Govorner Haji Ghulam Ali said that 28 May has been given the election date to ECP but the consultation on the date was still going on and a final decision will be taken soon.
Background
On March 6, instead of giving a date for provincial assembly elections, Haji Ghulam Ali invited ECP for consultation, saying he would give a date for polls after deliberation.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court announced its verdict after two-day-long proceedings in the case regarding the delay in the announcement of the date of provincial elections in Punjab and K-P.
The apex court ordered that elections in both assemblies should be held in the next 90 days, with the chief justice saying that "democracy cannot exist without assemblies".
Following the top court’s decision, the ECP had written a letter to the K-P governor seeking a date for the elections, to which Ghulam Ali responded.
Speaking to Express News, Ali said he has invited the ECP officials for consultation on March 7 or 8.
He further said that he would evaluate the situation and set a date for the provincial assembly elections following consultation with ECP officials.
President Dr Arif Alvi has already announced that elections in Punjab province will be held on April 30.
PTI, the party Alvi belongs to, has called for free and fair elections in both provinces. In the past, PTI has criticised the delay in the announcement of election dates in the provinces, arguing that it is an infringement on democratic rights. The party has also called for the ECP to ensure transparent and impartial conduct of the electoral process.
By bringing forward the provincial polls, political analysts say PTI could pressure the coalition PDM government into holding a countrywide election earlier—a demand the party has been making since chairman Imran Khan was deposed as prime minister in April after losing a parliamentary vote of confidence.
The Express Tribune earlier reported that ECP has geared up preparations for the elections in Punjab and K-P.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 18th, 2023.
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Capacity building workshop held on waste management
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Integrated Tourism Development (KITE) Project in collaboration with Nestle Pakistan on Friday organised a one-day capacity building workshop on solid waste management and sustainable tourism under TREK program of K-P government.
‘Travel Responsibly for Experiencing Ecotourism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’ (TREK) - is a collaboration between K-P government KITE project, World Bank and Nestle to promote responsible tourism for a waste-free future. Hotels and restaurant owners, hotel staff, travel and tour operators, members from academia, students, public sector tourism managers and others attended the workshop.
The workshop aimed at creating awareness about solid waste management practices and recycling initiatives undertaken by TREK. The workshop vowed to adopt actions to reduce plastic and other waste and shift to recycling processes.
Project Director KITE, Touseef Khalid, representatives of World Bank, Nestle Pakistan and officials of tourism department and KITE attended the workshop and addressed the participants.
Talking on the occasion, Touseef Khalid, said “TREK is an initiative being implemented in partnership with the World Bank Group and Nestlé Pakistan since 2020.
Under TREK local area development authorities of Galyat, Kaghan, Upper Swat, Kunrat and Kalash have been provided with solid waste management equipment awareness campaigns for tourists and training of local communities on waste management and to promote responsible tourism for a waste-free future at the tourist sites of the province are also conducted in Peshawar, Swat, Abbottabad and Chitral.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 19th, 2023.
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K-P police check-post attacked by 'terrorists'
A police post in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's (K-P) Meri Khel was attacked on Sunday but so far, no casualties have been reported, according to Express News.
According to the police, grenades were used in what is being termed a "terrorist attack".
A motorcycle parked at the checkpoint caught fire due to the explosives used during the attack and was completely burned.
The militants managed to escape as police took retaliatory action.
Earlier this week, two policemen deployed on census duty in K-P's Tank and Lakki Marwat districts were killed while five others received injuries in terrorist attacks.
Read ‘Spring Offensive’ a threat to K-P polls
In Tank’s Kot Azam area, terrorists opened fire at a police van deployed for the security of census staff, martyring constable Khan Nawab and injuring police constables Shah Nawaz and Aslam Khan, Levies official Bismillah, Frontier Constabulary official Abdullah and driver Eid Jan.
The injured were shifted to DHQ hospital while a fresh contingent of police reached the spot, cordoned off the area and began a search operation.
On the other hand, in a similar attack in Lakki Marwat, motorcyclists opened fire at the census team in the limits of Sadar Police Station, martyring an on-duty policeman, constable Dil Jaan.
The unidentified assailants managed to escape after firing, following which a heavy police contingent rushed to surround the area for a search operation.
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