Afghan Taliban carry out first public execution since takeover
PHOTO: AFP/FILEAn Afghan man convicted of murder was executed in public Wednesday, the Taliban said, the first confirmation of such a sentence since the hardline Islamists returned to power. Last month Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada ordered judges to fully enforce aspects of Islamic law that include public executions, stonings and floggings, and the amputation of limbs from thieves. They have carried out several public floggings since then, but Wednesday's execution in Farah -- capital of the western province of the same name -- is the first the Taliban have acknowledged. Also read: Taliban treatment of women could be crime against humanity: UNWomen in particular have been incrementally squeezed out of public life since the Taliban's return. The statement included the names of dozens of court officials as well as other Taliban representatives as being present for the execution.
Source:The Express Tribune
December 07, 2022 22:04 UTC
ECP does not oppose EVMs, overseas votes: CEC
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja on Wednesday said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) did not oppose the use of Electric Voting Machines (EVMs) nor did it oppose voting by overseas Pakistanis but urged transparency. While addressing at an event today, the electoral chief said that the commission did not oppose EVMs or overseas votes but emphasised that transparency in the electoral process was mandatory. CEC Raja also said that it will take six months for the delimitation of constituencies. He maintained that the ECP did not want doubts raised regarding election results if polls were held in a haste. Raja furthered that constituencies were delimited twice for the local body elections in Punjab, while the provincial government changed election rules twice.
Source:The Express Tribune
December 07, 2022 21:08 UTC
Celebratory gunfire
Every year we have injuries or deaths as a result of aerial firing. The sound of gunfire echoing across the city at the stroke of midnight on Aug 13 is symbolic of ‘freedom’, whenever Pakistan beats India in a cricket match, the sound of gunfire becomes a symbol of nationwide elation, and the same applies to electoral victories and even weddings. While celebratory firing is illegal, it remains prevalent and common in the country. In some parts of the country, celebratory firing is part of culture, and when people with such cultural background move to other parts of the country and settle there, their practices engulf the larger community as well. - Advertisement -What is frustrating is the fact that the aerial firing and use of firecrackers are continuing despite an order having been issued by the Supreme Court against such practices.
Source:Pakistan Today
December 07, 2022 20:24 UTC
COAS visits Quaid's mausoleum to pay homage to nation's founder
COAS visits Quaid's mausoleum to pay homage to nation's founderChief of Army Staff, General Syed Asim Munir has appreciated Army and Ranger's troops for operational preparedness and reaching out to people of Sindh during recent unprecedented floods in the country. The Army Chief was briefed on operational, security and other matters of the formation including assistance to civil administration during recent natural calamity in Sindh particularly interior Sindh. General Syed Asim Munir praised the formation, allied organisations and law enforcement agencies for maintaining safe and secure environment in the province particularly mega-politan city of Karachi. Earlier, the Army Chief visited mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and paid homage to the founder of nation. On arrival at Karachi, the Army Chief was received by Corps Commander Karachi, Lieutenant General Muhammad Saeed.
Source:The Nation
December 07, 2022 16:29 UTC
Govt urged to release vegetable containers stuck at Karachi Port
Share:KARACHI- Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Associations Tuesday urged the government to release the vegetable containers stuck at the Karachi port. Containers loaded with onions and garlic are stuck at the Karachi port as the commercial banks have refused to provide clearing documents to the importers. The worth of stuck vegetables is said to be $5.5 million. The association has said delay in clearance of the vegetable containers will ultimately result in a price hike in the market. The government has been urged by the Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Association to ensure immediate clearance of the imported onion and garlic.
Source:The Nation
December 07, 2022 10:52 UTC
SBP aiming to develop local bond market
Photo: filePakistan’s central bank is working to open its debt market for retail investors as it gets set to launch its debt market web portal over the next couple of months. The aim of the launch is to mobilise local resources in order to finance domestic projects and cut reliance on tight foreign financing. Speaking at the CFA Society’s 19th Annual Excellence Award on Tuesday, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Governor Jameel Ahmad spoke at length about developing a domestic debt market and highlighted its importance for developing countries like Pakistan. SBP is working on a debt market web portal these days which is near its completion. “The portal is expected to be launched in the next couple of months and will provide access to investors to the debt market and provide relevant information.
Source:The Express Tribune
December 07, 2022 08:30 UTC
Martyred policemen laid to rest
The funeral prayers of Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Asim Ali and Constable Shahid Arshad Ali who were killed in a police encounter with unknown dacoits at Shamkay Bhattiyan Manga Mandi area on Monday night were offered today at District Police Lines Qilla Gujjar Singh. Special prayers were offered for the departed soul of ASI Asim Ali and Constable Shahid Arshad Ali on this occasion whereas a contingent of police presented a guard of honour to the martyred constable as well. CCPO Dogar, along with Additional IG Investigation Punjab, DIG Operations Afzal Ahmad Kausar, DIG Investigation and other senior police officers laid flower wreaths on the coffins of the martyred police personnel. Later, the dead bodies of martyred policemen departed for their final burial in their native areas in the custody of police officers with complete police protocol. Assistant Sub-Inspector Asim Ali and Constable Shahid Arshad suffered bullet wounds and were shifted to the hospital in critical condition.
Source:The Express Tribune
December 07, 2022 07:30 UTC
Aziz Mian Qawwal remembered
Share:ISLAMABAD - Famous for singing ghazals in his own style of qawwali - legendary Aziz Mian Qawwal was remembered on 22nd death anniversary here on Tuesday. Aziz Mian Qawwal was a traditional qawwal having the record for singing the longest commercially released qawwali, Hashr Ke Roz Yeh Poochhunga, which runs slightly over 150 minutes. To pay tribute to the great Aziz Mian Qawwal, PNCA has organised a soul soothing Qawwali evening “Sham-e-Wajd” with the performance of Aziz Mian’s son Imran Aziz Mian Qawwal to present soul soothing melodies through Aziz Mian’s popular Qawwalies and Sufi lyrics, DG PNCA said. Imran Aziz Mian is the Janasheen of Aziz Mian who performed many tracks, both original and covers of his fathers’ Sufiana Kalam. Imran Aziz Mian is known for having the same voice texture of his father.
Source:The Nation
December 07, 2022 03:58 UTC
Coaches make Stetson Bennett a second-team All-SEC pick, key Georgia players overlooked
ATHENS — SEC Coaches saw fit to make five Georgia players first-team all-conference picks and designate Heisman Trophy finalist Stetson Bennett as a second-team selection. Number 5-ranked Alabama, which did not make the playoffs, also had five first-team picks, while No. 6-ranked Tennessee had four first-team picks, including quarterback Hendon Hooker. The Coaches’ first-team picks from the Bulldogs are: • TE Brock Bowers • OT Warren McClendon • DT Jalen Carter • FS Chris Smith• PK Jack Podlesny The Bulldogs had four of the same five players make the Associated Press first-team All-SEC team on Monday. Starks has been a key playmaker and leads the team in PBUs (7) and ranks third in tackles (63).
Source:The Nation
December 07, 2022 03:40 UTC
Old habits
Their mere presence in a dispensation can lay bare many realities in the scheme of things. They’re at it again, even if in the relatively uncharted territory of there being a split, of sorts, in the family. The General, it appears, was playing a game of Tetris: the PDM fits into the federal government, the PTI in Punjab’s. The new army chief faces an uphill task if he wants to wrest his institution away from the sins that it admits to having been party to. We wish him well, so for him to take stock of the institutional experiences of the recent and not-so-recent past.
Source:Pakistan Today
December 07, 2022 03:03 UTC
I hope every woman can
Today, I hope and pray that every woman in this nation has autonomy. I hope every woman is respected. I hope a woman is another woman’s friend. I hope men drop the act of hypocrisy and let go of the evil desires and hostilities that breed within. I hope every woman can wander around the streets safely.
Source:Pakistan Today
December 07, 2022 01:39 UTC
‘Pakistan in financial emergency’
This is a financial emergency,” says PBF CEO, Ahmad Jawad. photo: fileThe consistent depreciation of the rupee is deepening the economic crisis in the country said the Pakistan Business Forum (PBF), as its leaders called upon the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to take necessary measures to stop market speculation and resolve the issue. “Is it not shameful for Pakistan that we rejoice in repaying the $1 billion Sukuk, but don’t take any steps to save the dollars we are wasting. This is a financial emergency,” lamented Jawad. Published in The Express Tribune, December 6th, 2022.
Source:The Express Tribune
December 07, 2022 00:11 UTC
Forex crunch hits govt’s own transactions
The railway official also told the committee that they had requested the government for more funds. During the discussion, the railway officials said that some money, parked with the department, was withdrawn to pay for the imported coaches. The meeting was also briefed about railway track between Torkham in Pakistan and Mazar-e-Sharif in Afghanistan. The official said that the track would cost $8.2 billion for which talks were held with the World Bank. The railway officials told the committee that there was a railway track up to the Jamrud Airport.
Source:The Express Tribune
December 07, 2022 00:06 UTC
Pakistan to UN: Move from talk to action to close digital divide in poor nations
UNITED NATIONS: In spite of global progress in expanding the use of the Internet and information communications technology (ICT), the digital divide between developed and developing world remains wide, Pakistan told the world body during a virtual discussion organised by a United Nations body that conducts independent research on international security issues. “The inability of the developing countries to reap benefits of digital transformation offered by extraordinary opportunities for innovation, communication, sustainable development and economic growth is amplifying the risk of further deepening of the already existing digital divide,” Ambassador Aamir Khan, deputy permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, told the webinar sponsored by the Geneva-based United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR). According to statistics, out of 2.9 billion people offline, 96 percent live in developing countries. Bridging the digital divide will require addressing the major impediments that developing countries face in engaging with and accessing new technologies, such as an appropriate enabling environment, sufficient resources, infrastructure, education, capacity, investment and connectivity, the envoy said. Achieving real and sustained progress in the various dimensions of digitalization requires skills development and effective training, in particular in developing countries,” he said.
Source:The Nation
December 06, 2022 21:51 UTC
PFF drops Hajra Khan from squad ahead of Four-Nation Cup
Experienced midfielder Hajra Khan. — PFF/FileKARACHI: The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has dropped experienced midfielder Hajra Khan from the squad ahead of the upcoming Four-Nation Cup in Saudi Arabia. The move indicates the future strategy of PFF's Normalisation Committee (NC) as they seem to go ahead with a new look squad. Midfielders: Maria Khan, Alina Isphani, Alina Akram, Aliza Sabir, Amina Hanif, Ammal Khan, Anushey Usman, Marvi Baig, Rameen Fareed, Ruqqya Farheen, Sanober Sattar, Suha Hirani and Zehmina Malik. Forwards: Nadia Khan, Aliya Sadiq, Anmol Hira, Kainat Abdul Ghani, Nadia Shams, Naqiyah Ali and Zoya Zeeshan.
Source:The Nation
December 06, 2022 19:57 UTC