Elections in Pakistan are pivotal events that play a crucial role in shaping the nation’s political land­scape. These elections provide citizens with the opportunity to voice their opinions and elect representatives who will govern and legislate on their behalf. The electoral process involves po­litical parties presenting their man­ifestos, and candidates vie for seats through a competitive and demo­cratic framework. The democratic process re­mains essential for the country’s governance, reflecting the diverse perspectives and aspirations of its populace. As Pakistan continues to navigate its democratic journey, ensuring fair, transparent, and in­clusive elections remains crucial for fostering a stable and repre­sentative political environment.

Nation-wide anti-polio campaign of varied duration to start from tomorrowA nation-wide anti-Polio drive of varied duration begins tomorrow to administer vaccine drops to children under five years age. During the campaign, Polio teams of health department will go door to door in all 159 districts of the country. In Punjab, during a week-long polio campaign over twenty three million children will be administered polio drops. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, over seven point four million children up to five years of age will be administered anti-polio drops during five-day drive. In Balochistan, over 2.5 million children up to five years of age would be administered anti-polio drops during week-long polio drive.

All Parties Hurriyat Conference leaders while paying glowing tributes to the victims of Sopore massacre have said that the deteriorating situation in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir warrants an international initiative on the Kashmir dispute. The APHC leaders and organizations in their statements in Srinagar deplored that Indian troops are perpetrating crimes against humanity and war crimes to suppress the Kashmiris’ freedom struggle. Meanwhile, the Narendra Modi-led Indian government continues to snatch the properties of innocent people of occupied Kashmir to punish them for their affiliation with the ongoing freedom movement. A forceful anti-India protest demonstration was held at Burhan Wani in Muzaffarabad, today, on the completion of 31 years to the Sopore massacre. A large number of people participated in the demonstration organized by Tehreek-e-Shababul Muslimeen Students Wing.

Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister, Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar, eloquently expressed the critical role of the education workforce in shaping a sustainable development of the nation. Speaking at the Government Elementary College of Education’s 2023 convention in Hussainabad, he underscored the transformative potential of teaching graduates in elevating society. Baqar acknowledged the milestone achievement of the first-ever batch of Hussainabad Teachers Training College, administered by Durbeen through a commendable public-private partnership. The CM termed government schools as symbol of educational empowerment, providing equal opportunities to students irrespective of their socioeconomic background. Notably, all graduates, having obtained their teaching licences, were highlighted by the CM as qualified to become government teachers, a testament to their competence as alumni of the training college.

The government's effective actions against power pilferage are producing results. According to the statistics, 2.58 billion rupees have been collected from across the country and 107 people arrested. Zero point five zero billion rupees were collected from Peshawar and one person was arrested while 0.02 billion rupees were collected from the newly merged districts. A total of 41 people were arrested from Hyderabad and Sukkur and 0.5 billion rupees recovered. Zero point one two billion rupees were recovered from Quetta and 3 persons were arrested while 0.05 billion rupees were recovered from Gwadar.

KARACHI, Jan 06 (APP): The Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister Justice (Retd) Maqbool Baqar has said that a nation’s sustainable development relies on the strength of its teaching workforce and that teaching graduates have the potential to shape the future and elevate society. The Chief Minister referred to it as a notable achievement that the first-ever batch of Hussainabad Teachers Training College has graduated under the leadership of Durbeen. Baqar emphasized that the teaching profession, which gave rise to all other professions, is the backbone of any nation. He explained that a strong teaching workforce is crucial for a nation’s sustainable development. He added that the graduates of this profession have the potential to shape the future and uplift society.

ISLAMABAD - After almost nine years of supplying electricity to K-Electric without any contract, the caretaker government Friday inked power purchase agreement (PPA) for the supply of 1000MW electricity to the company. Government of Pakistan, KE and various critical power sector stakeholders had been engaged in talks for a significant period of time. Under the PPA, the federal government would be bound to provide 1,000MW of electricity to KE for 10 years. The supply of electricity could go up depending upon the availability of excess electricity in the national grid. Caretaker Minister of Energy, Power and Petroleum Muhammad Ali, said on the occasion , “We are tackling a Gordian knot in the power sector with a vision to bring efficiency and long-term stability.

Shortly after rocket sirens sounded across northern Israel, the Israeli military said that "approximately 40 launches from Lebanon toward the area of Meron in northern Israel were identified". Israel and Hezbollah often trade fire across the Lebanese border, the West Bank is seething with emotion and the Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen seem determined to continue attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes until Israel stops bombarding Gaza. 🚀 Additional footage of the israeli Meron intelligence base after it was targeted with 62 rockets by Hezbollah. Read also: Israel bombs Gaza as UN warns territory 'uninhabitable'After meeting the Lebanese foreign minister in Beirut, the EU's senior diplomat Borrell expressed alarm about the exchange of fire between Israel and Hezbollah and said it was important that Lebanon not be dragged into the Gaza conflict. Israel's onslaught began after Hamas fighters from Gaza attacked Israel on Oct. 7, with 1,200 people killed and 240 taken hostage, according to Israeli officials.

PayPal is set to establish its presence in Pakistan through a strategic partnership with an existing international payment gateway, catering to freelancers and IT professionals. The move comes after persistent efforts by previous governments to convince PayPal to operate in Pakistan, which faced resistance citing security concerns. The IT Ministry has undertaken various initiatives, including providing smartphones through instalment plans, standardised quality tests for IT graduates, and approval of the National Space Policy. Saif expressed confidence in launching 5G services in Pakistan by July 2024, with a spectrum auction offering 300 MHz. The National Space Policy has been approved to enable companies to use low-orbit satellites for communication services.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan yesterday demanded plebiscite in held Kashmir under the United Nations resolutions. On the Right to Self-Determination Day, the foreign minister emphasized the significance of the Right to Self-Determination Day for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He underscored the UN’s commitment to a free and fair plebiscite in the region, a promise made in 1949 that still remains unfulfilled. He pointed to the recent developments, including a controversial Indian Supreme Court verdict, as further undermining the right to self-determination. FM Jilani urged the international community, especially the United Nations, to fulfil their promises and take necessary measures to enable the people of Jammu and Kashmir to exercise their right of self-determination.

ISLAMABAD: Imran Khan Shah Mehmood Qureshi were cleared to take part in the Feb 8 polls by various election tribunals (ET), on Friday. The nomination papers of Mr Qureshi and his son Zain Qureshi were rejected on the grounds that they had not filed certificates about agricultural income tax. Prominent among those declared eligible to contest the polls were Muhammad Atif Khan (NA-22, PK-59 Mardan), Shahram Tarakai, Mahmood Jan, Mujahid Khan, Iftikhar Mashwani and Ameer Farzand Khan. The election tribunal of LHC accepted the nomination papers of Rai Hammad Aslam Kharl (PP-192). Meanwhile, Omer Ayub Khan and Babar Nawaz Khan withdrew their appeals against each other.

North Andover, MA (01845)TodayCloudy this morning. A few snow showers developing during the afternoon. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 30%..TonightPeriods of snow. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph.

Students faced lots of difficulty when they faced power struggles. Every document is now generated through computer, which means that power supply should be round the clock. The office barrier asked him to wait more because, since early morning, this office has faced power issues. Our government offices must have a power supply, which ensures that our common people will not face more hurdles in the documentation phase of documentation. Like the healthcare sector, this education sector must have an ongoing power supply or have a periodic supply in the office.

The Supreme Court (SC) reserved its decision on Friday in the matter related to the re-examining of the lifetime disqualification of lawmakers under Article 62 (1) (f) of the Constitution. A seven-member larger bench of the apex court resumed hearing a set of petitions to determine the disqualification period of lawmakers. The bench is presided over by CJP Qazi Faez Isa and comprises Justice Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Musarrat Hilali. This legislative move adds a layer of complexity to the matter that the Supreme Court is now set to unravel. He began his arguments by stating that the Samiullah Baloch case led to a disconnect between Article 62 and 63 and added that two different considerations prevail as the language of Article 63 is different from that of Article 62.

The schedule for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 was announced by the official broadcaster Star Sports on Friday. The Semi-finals of the event will be played on June 26 and 27 in Guyana and Trinidad respectively while the climax of the World Cup will take place in Barbados on June 29. This will be the first time since 2010 that a T20 World Cup, which was won by England, will be hosted in the West Indies. On the other hand, this is the first time an event as big as the World Cup will be hosted by the US. England are the defending champions after clinching the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, beating Pakistan in the final.