Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has launched a second flight from Islamabad to Doha, the national flag carrier said in a press release on Sunday.

According to the statement, around 150 passengers flew to Doha via flight PK-287 at 1pm today.

PIA said that the launch of the new Islamabad-Doha route was "warmly welcomed by the general public, especially the business community".

Qatar's policy allows Pakistani nationals to obtain a 30-day visa on arrival.

PIA Chief Executive Officer Arshad Malik congratulated the employees and lauded their "efforts towards revival and progress" of the national airline.

He said that PIA had received "encouraging feedback" and announced that the airline would soon launch flights on the Lahore-Bangkok and Sialkot-Barcelona routes.

The airline is looking to expand its business and is working towards its rebranding. Last month, the PIA had recommenced flights to Muscat and Sharjah from Lahore and Sialkot respectively.

QUETTA: Six lady doctors and a nurse of the Civil Hospital have been suspended for being absent and showing negligence in performing their duties.

On the instructions of Balochistan Health Minister Dr Saleem Abro, the medical superintendent of the hospital during a surprise visit to the neurology department found Dr Nadia Mira, Dr Nazia Idrees, Dr Palwasha, Dr Jamila Noor, Dr Sajjad Yasemia and Dr Nazia Jaffar absent from duty. He suspended the absent doctors and referred the case to a disciplinary committee for further action.

The superintendent said that doctors were absent without getting their leaves sanctioned or informing their seniors.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2018

LAHORE: The Supreme Court on Sunday issued notices to all provincial governments in a suo motu case regarding functioning of patwaris, kanungos and tehsildars in urban areas.

A special bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar heard the matter at Supreme Court Lahore Registry.

As proceedings commenced, Advocate General Punjab Ahmad Owais apprised the bench that the matter was related to the Land Revenue Act which was also applied in other provinces.At this, the court issued notices to all provincial governments and observed that next hearing of the case would be held in Islamabad.

Taking suo motu notice of the issue earlier, the chief justice had sought under what law the patwaris were preparing land transfer deeds after the establishment of the Punjab Land Revenue Authority (LRA).

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2018

KARACHI: A judicial magistrate has remanded a student in an alleged child pornography case.

The Federal Investigation Agency had arrested a suspect for his alleged involvement in cyber stalking and spamming and registered a case under Sections 21 (cyber stalking) and 22 (spamming) of the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act, 2016.

The investigating officer produced the suspect before a judicial magistrate (South) and requested for his remand for interrogation and investigation.

The IO submitted that a citizen on Nov 27 lodged a complaint, alleging that the suspect had taken some pictures of his 16-year-old son and shared with residents of the area. He said that the suspect was still blackmailing them.

It was further submitted during an inquiry that various pictures and videos related to child pornography were seized from the suspect, who is a final year BBA student.

During the initial probe, it transpired that the suspect had made pornographic photos and videos of 10 children, aged between 10 and 13 years, the IO said.

He had made several fake Facebook and Instagram accounts and created virtual WhatsApp groups through which he invited and added underage children, he added.

The IO further submitted that after creating pornographic videos involving minors, the suspect blackmailed the children and their families for money.

He submitted that complaints against an unknown group that used around 12 to 13 children for pornography had been received, adding that the material had been collected against the held suspect. The magistrate remanded the suspect in the custody of the FIA for seven days.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2018

A car, reportedly stolen from Karachi's Jamshed Quarters on Sunday night, was traced to the Khadda Market area in DHA on Monday morning, where it had exploded overnight in an empty plot, DawnNewsTV reported.

Footage and photographs of the car show the charred remains of a decimated vehicle. The car cylinder, however, has been found intact. No casualties have been reported.

According to Bomb Disposal Squad officials, evidence collected so far does not suggest a cylinder blast. Police are investigating the incident and have recovered several gas cylinders from the plot where the car was found parked.

This is the second time that the car was discovered to have been stolen. It was last stolen in 2007 from the Boat Basin area of Karachi and was found five days later near Metroville, SITE area.

LAHORE: Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on Sunday ordered the Lahore Development Authority (LDA), revenue department and the district government to submit a detailed report on the land grabbing cases in which Mansha alias Bamm was allegedly involved.

A two-judge bench headed by the chief justice was hearing a petition of an overseas Pakistani about land grabbing against Mansha at the Supreme Court’s Lahore registry.

The CJP questioned the Lahore deputy commissioner why the government did not take urbanisation issue seriously and what role his department was playing in urban areas.

He also said the officials of revenue department should tell the court what is “Khata and Khatoni” (revenue record).

The CJP asked under what law the Patwar Circle was still working in urban areas. The Lahore deputy commissioner told the court that Mansha had bought 32-kanal land in 1992 and later sold it.

He said the LDA had yet to hand over the land retrieved from Mansha to the petitioner.

The bench later ordered the LDA, revenue department and the district government to submit a detailed report on the land retrieved from Mansha and its return to the rightful owners.

The chief justice on Saturday had directed the DC to hand over the retrieved land to the rightful owners and also censured the Punjab police for failing to control the land grabber.

According to police record, more than 70 land-grabbing cases have been registered against Mansha in Lahore’s Johar Town.

Earlier, in October, the Lahore administration had launched a grand operation against encroachments in which it had retrieved illegally possessed land, including around 80 kanals possessed by Mansha in Johar Town worth Rs5 billion.

On October 15, Mansha “surrendered himself” before the Supreme Court and was taken into custody.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2018

BADIN: The SC-appointed one-man Judicial Commission headed by retired Justice Amir Hani Muslim on Sunday paid a surprise visit to Qazia Wah (canal) and waterworks in Badin town and issued strict directives to the officials concerned to check water theft.

He reprimanded the officials for turning a blind eye towards the tactics being resorted to by unscrupulous elements to take away others’ share in irrigation water.

He also told them to ensure supply of adequate safe drinking water to the people of Badin.

Justice Muslim asked Badin Deputy Commissioner Dr Abdul Hafeez Siyal and Additional Deputy Commissioner Dr Ali Nawaz Bhout to take immediate steps towards removal of all encroachments from the canal’s dykes and also take punitive action against all those involved in water theft.

The judge told the officials concerned to seek Rangers’ assistance in stopping water pilferage by tampering with modules and employing other diversion gadgets, pipes or tools.

He warned that stern action could be taken against the officials if they failed to address people’s grievances with regard to irrigation and safe drinking water.

Justice Muslim also asked the authorities concerned that those found polluting the canal water be taken to task without any delay. Lethargy in this regard would not be tolerated, he told the officials concerned.

During his visit to the old and new water supply schemes of the town, the judge expressed his anger and indignation over the unhygienic conditions at and around the sites and the fact that the ultra water filter plants had been lying out of order for four months.

He ordered ADC Dr Ali Nawaz Bhout to ensure repair or replacement of the pant within the next four days or face action.

He told the officials concerned to accept no pressure in ensuring full share of water to each and every grower of the area.

“There could be no compromise on making available safe drinking water to people,” he remarked.

Irrigation Secretary Syed Jamal Mustafa, Mir Ghulam Ali Talpur and officials relevant departments accompanied the judge in his visits.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2018

QUETTA: Though the Balochistan government has approved guidelines to ensure implementation of the law for the wildlife’s protection, authorities have issued a special permit to a Qatari prince, allowing him to hunt internationally protected houbara bustard in the province.

Inhabitants of the Central Asian region, houbara bustards migrate to Pakistan every year in winter to avoid harsh weather conditions at home. The return to the region after winter.

Sources said that the Qatari prince had paid $100,000 before he was issued the permit for hunting the migrating birds.

Hunting parties are set a limit of 100 birds in a maximum period of 10 days, but they often exceed their quota.

According to the policy, they cannot use shotguns and other inflammatory weapons, but can hunt houbara bustard with the help of falcons.

A wildlife department official confirmed that the Qatari prince had given $100,000 to the provincial government for hunting migratory birds in Balochistan.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2018

KARACHI: Lashing out at the Pakistan Peoples Party-led provincial government, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan said on Sunday that it would resist every move to demolish legally constructed houses in the name of ongoing drive against encroachments.

The MQM-P organised a protest demonstration against water shortage in Karachi at Nagan Chowrangi. The event was attended by a good number of party workers and supporters, including women, and area residents.

One of the speakers claimed that Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar, who is also an MQM-P leader and part of its coordination committee, had made it clear to the Sindh government that he would resign if houses were demolished in Karachi.

Protest against water shortage held; Sattar asks coordination body to stop shedding crocodile’s tears

Addressing the protesters, MQM-P convener and federal minister Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said that the provincial government was hatching a conspiracy to make the people of Karachi shelterless in the guise of the apex court’s decisions.

He said that the people of Karachi were not behind encroachments in the city as everyone knew who had encroached upon hills and Hawkesbay.

Dr Siddiqui questioned that why the PPP government took control of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board as well as the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA). “It is unfortunate that the people of Karachi are protesting for water because a few people are selling the water of this city.”

He appealed to the chief justice of Pakistan to take suo motu action against those who patronised the land mafia in Karachi.

Speaking on the occasion, senior deputy convener Amir Khan said that everyone praised the Karachi mayor when he launched an operation in Saddar on the directives of the apex court.

He said that now the Sindh government was using the SBCA to demolish legal houses. “We are making it clear to the Sindh government that they would have to take action against our houses on our bodies.”

He said that the MQM-P was standing with the people of Karachi and its mayor had clearly told the Sindh government on Saturday that he would resign if houses were razed.

Senior leader Khwaja Izharul Hasan said that the KWSB be handed over to the MQM-P if the Sindh government could not control it. “We will resolve the issue of water within one week,” he said.

He said that the local government minister should have resigned if he could not provide water to Karachi.

He said that the elected representatives of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf should also have been present in the protest demonstration if they were serious in solving people’s problems.

Kanwar Naveed Jameel said that the Sindh government and KWSB were patronizing the ‘water mafia’ in Karachi. He said the MQM’s city government had laid the foundation of the K-IV project but the Sindh government did not work on this project.

MQM-P MPA Muhammad Hussain said that the water of Karachi was being stolen and provided to Bahria Town on the Superhighway.

Strict security arrangements were made and a heavy contingent of police and Rangers was deployed in the area.

Sattar wants mayor to suspend anti-encroachment drive

Disgruntled MQM-P leader Dr Farooq Sattar on Sunday demanded that the coordination committee ask Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar to suspend the anti-encroachment operation forthwith.

He said on one hand the coordination committee was giving mandate to the mayor but on the other it was holding a press conference against the campaign against encroachments.

“The coordination committee should stop shedding crocodile’s tears and order mayor Wasim Akhtar to stop the operation forthwith,” he said.

He said that the operation should be suspended until alternative arrangements for the affected people were made.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2018

QUETTA: Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chairman Meh­mood Khan Achakzai has said that his party will continue its peaceful struggle for protection of people’s constitutional and dem­­­ocratic rights.

Speaking at a public meeting held here on Sunday to commemorate the 45th death anniversary of Khan Abdul Samad Khan Achakzai, he said: “This is our country and our loyalty is to a federal and democratic Pakistan where equal rights of every nationality, ethnicity and minority are guaranteed by the constitution which the state should hold sacrosanct and supreme.”

Senior PkMAP leaders Ayaz Khan Jogezai, Abdur Rauf Lala, Senator Usman Kakar, Obaibullah Babit, Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal and Nasrullah Zerey also spoke on the occasion.

They paid tribute to the late Samad Khan Achakzai and underlined the need to follow in his footsteps and political and ideological philosophy.

Asserts PkMAP’s loyalty is to a democratic Pakistan where equal rights to all are guaranteed

Mr Achakzai said he believed in non-violence and peaceful struggle. He said Pakistan needed to be a genuinely democratic federation where people enjoyed constitutional guarantee of their fundamental, political, economic and cultural rights. He said the establishment had no right to interfere in politics.

The PkMAP chief called for convening a multi-party conference to take stock of the political and economic situation.

He expressed concern over the ongoing violence and alleged violation of rights, particularly in the Pakhtun belt.

“Pakhtuns are not terrorists. We should erase such stereotypes and concocted images,” he said, adding that “Pakhtuns love their land”.

He said in order to establish peace in Afghanistan, its sovereignty should be respected by all the powers involved.

“Conducive environment needed to be created to enable the Afghans to bring peace to their country,” he suggested.

Senator Usman Kakar criticised the government for its lack of democratic credentials and inefficiencies.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2018

LAHORE: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Sunday expressed displeasure over non-availability of complete infrastructure for liver transplant.

“If India can start liver transplant then why did Pakistan not build such a facility in the last 70 years?” he questioned.

At the Supreme Court’s Lahore registry, the CJP was heading a two-member bench hearing a suo motu case of alleged irregularities in the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI). PKLI head Dr Sajid, former chief executive officer Dr Saeed Akhtar, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Lahore Director General Shehzad Saleem and others were present in the court.

Dr Sajid told the court that currently, it was not possible for them to provide liver transplant facility to children.

“We cannot endanger the lives of children, and majority of people cannot afford the treatment from neighbouring countries,” he said, expressing concern. “What will happen to the children who are suffering from this disease?”

The CJP asked the Punjab advocate general if he filed a corruption reference against those involved in spending Rs34 billion and yet not providing the transplant facility. “It was the collective responsibility of the doctors community to launch a campaign for liver transplant,” he asserted.

The CJP said a social media campaign had been launched against the court when he had questioned former PKLI head Dr Akhtar, and asked him who had suggested setting up of a liver facility to them.

Dr Akhtar told the court that former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif had cited an example of a hospital in New York from where he (Shahbaz) had received treatment.

The CJP said that he knew who had given the idea and where it was first discussed, and adjourned the hearing till Dec 3 (today) in Islamabad.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2018

PESHAWAR: The provincial government has divided seven tribal districts of the erstwhile Fata into 702 village and neighbourhood councils to introduce the three-tier local government system there.

Sources said that division of tribal districts into village and neighbourhood councils was a prerequisite exercise for the implementation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Act, 2013.

According to the government system, which has been functional in the province since 2015, the village and neighbourhood council is the lowest tier among the district and tehsil tiers.

Elections for local govts in erstwhile Fata to be held after amending law

According to the preliminary report, the seven tribal districts consist of 702 councils including 628 village and 74 neighbourhood councils.

Under the local government system, the rural areas are divided into village councils while the urban areas into the neighbourhood councils.

Prior to local bodies’ elections in 2015, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was divided into 3,501 village and neighbourhood councils. Under the law, the elections for district and tehsil councils were held on party basis while elections for the village and neighbourhood councils were conducted on non-party basis.

Sources said that the erstwhile Fata had already been divided into 296 union councils decades ago but no local bodies’ elections were held there in the real sense.

“With the implementation of the KP local government system, these union councils will be called wards under the law,” they added.

The Khyber tribal district is on top in the list with 147 councils including 130 village and 17 neighbourhood councils while Orakzai is on the bottom with 46 councils including 42 village and four neighbourhood councils.

Bajaur tribal district has a total of 127 councils including 120 village and seven neighbourhood councils while South Waziristan has been divided into 97 councils — 82 village and 15 neighbourhood councils.

North Waziristan tribal district has 81 councils including 75 village and six neighbourhood councils while Kurram tribal district also has 81 councils — 67 village and 14 neighbourhood councils.

Mohmand tribal district consists of 65 councils with 58 village and seven neighbourhood councils.

Similarly, the erstwhile frontier regions (FRs), which have been merged with the adjacent districts of the province, have also been divided into village and neighbourhood councils.

According to the data, the erstwhile FR Kohat has been divided into 16 councils including 13 village and three neighbourhood councils and FR Dera Ismail Khan into 12 councils — 11 village and one neighbourhood councils.

The erstwhile FR Peshawar has 11 village councils, FR Tank has eight village councils, FR Bannu has six and FR Lakki Marwat has five councils while none of. these erstwhile frontier regions (FRs) has any neighbourhood council.

According to the existing KP local government system, the minimum population of a village or neighbourhood council should be 2,000 while its maximum population is 10, 000.

However, the number of population has increased as noticed in the latest census held in 2017. So, the provincial local government department has proposed to increase the minimum population of the village and neighbourhood councils from 2,000 to 5,000 and maximum from 10, 000 to 15, 000.

It is worth mentioning that two months ago, the provincial government has decided to abolish the district council and retain the tehsil and village and neighbourhood councils. It has also decided to shift the district government’s responsibilities to the tehsil government.

The provincial government has been working on amending the local government law for the implementation of the local government system in the tribal districts, abolishing of district council and making other changes.

“Discussions and meetings regarding the changes in the current local government system have been underway for the last two months. Once the required amendments are incorporated in the law, the local bodies elections would be held in the tribal districts,” said sources.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2018

GILGIT: The Khunjerab Pass was closed for next four months owing to heavy snowfall here the other day.

Under the Pak-China protocol agreement, the border is usually closed at the end of November and reopens at the start of April.

The Khunjerab Pass is highest paved international border at an altitude of 15,500 feet.

There has been a daily bus service from Sost valley of Gilgit-Baltistan to Xinjiang province of China.

An official of Pakistan Customs requesting anonymity, told Dawn that many attempts to smuggle banned items, including alcohol and mobile phones, were foiled during the current year.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2018

The KSE-100 index plummeted 1,300 points in intraday trading as the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) opened on Monday.

Trading opened at 40,496 points and dropped to 39,177 points within an hour ─ a change of 1.319 points ─ before rising to 39,293 points.

The fall comes on the back of the State Bank of Pakistan's (SBP) monetary policy announcement on Friday and a fall in the value of the rupee.

From Aug 17 to Nov 22, the KSE-100 Index has drifted down by 1,573 points or 3.8pc. The benchmark closed at 40,874 points on Nov 22, from 42,447 points at the start of the era of the present government.

While politically, the government has been pretty comfortable, the economy remains in the eye of the storm. The government has had to grapple with fast depleting foreign exchange reserves and ever-widening deficits.

The rupee closed at 139.06 to the dollar in the interbank market on Nov 30, a depreciation of 3.8pc in its value.

Bankers said this happened as the SBP silently watched the demand for dollars rising on imports and external debt payments. It was so intense and sudden that the dollar surged to Rs144 at one point on Friday before closing lower.

Also on Nov 30, the SBP raised its key policy rate by 150 basis points to contain inflation, a product of several economic factors, most notably a weaker rupee.

Spectators and analysts, however, expected just a 1pc hike in the policy rate, DawnNewsTV reported, adding that the increase brings the policy rate into double digits amid reports that the move is linked to talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on a bailout package.

The timing of the twin moves suggests Pakistan has finally started fulfilling some pre-conditions of a fresh IMF loan, though Finance Minister Asad Umar has said he is in no hurry to get it. The government does not disagree with the Fund’s concerns on economic fundamentals, bankers and analysts say.

Also, it does not disagree with the Fund’s prescription for curing our ailing economy: let the overvalued rupee find its real market worth, minimise energy subsidies, reduce development and non-development expenses, hike interest rates — and choose economic stability over growth in the process.

More details to follow.

RAWALPINDI: A police official was killed and another injured after a motorcyclist opened fire on them at a checkpoint on Saidpur Road on Saturday night.

Police have yet to establish the motive behind the shooting but suspect that the attackers could be criminal elements.

Head constable Mohammad Arif and constable Wajid Hussain were on duty at the picket when they signaled two men riding a motorcycle to stop.

When the police asked the bike riders to produce their identity cards, they first tried to speed away but then stopped.

The pillion rider then pulled out a pistol and shot the two officials.

Head constable Arif, who was in his 30s, died on the spot as he was shot in the head. The injured constable was shifted to the Holy Family Hospital (HFH) where he was stated to be out of danger.

The police said Arif, who belonged to Chontra village, had joined the department in 2007 as a constable. He is survived by his parents, widow and four children.

City Police Officer (CPO) Abbas Ahsan visited the crime scene and then the HFH to inquire after the condition of the constable.

The Banni police have registered a case under the terrorism act and launched an investigation.

The funeral prayer of the deceased was held at the Police Lines Headquarters and attended by the CPO and other senior police officers. The body was later sent to the native town of the deceased for burial.

Meanwhile, police are investigating a letter released on the social media by a hitherto unknown organisation claiming responsibility for the attack on the two police officials.

The letter claimed that the killing of the police official was an extension of the organisation’s strikes in Karachi and Lahore.

A security official said no such organisation had been on the police record but the police had launched an investigation to ascertain the facts behind the murder of the official.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2018

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) has sought complete record of the case regarding embezzlement in the purchase of medical gases and allied items at Polyclinic during 2013-16.

Though a letter had been written to the chairman National Council of Social Welfare, who was once the focal person, now Polyclinic administration has been asked to provide the record.

A departmental committee formed to probe the case has recommended major penalties against all those involved in the purchase process, including dismissal from service of four senior doctors and forced retirement of another doctor.

In 2016, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested five senior doctors of the hospital along with an official of the now defunct Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) and two contractors for their alleged involvement in embezzlement in the tendering process for the purchase of different gases.

In June 2016, the Supreme Court took suo motu notice of the scam. During the hearing of the case, it transpired that the gases were purchased at almost 10 times higher rates compared to the market rates.

A doctor of Polyclinic, requesting anonymity, said in the past the hospital had provided all the record to CADD consisting of thousands of copies.

“Now once again we have been directed to provide the record which will cost us Rs25,000 to do copies of the record. The record, which was provided to CADD in the past, should have been sent to the ministry of NHS,” he said.

Director General Health Dr Asad Hafeez also said ideally the record should have been shifted from CADD to the ministry as the concerned wing of CADD had been merged with the ministry.

“The matter is being dealt by the administrative wing of the ministry and it must have a reason because sometimes record is sent to different divisions and it becomes almost impossible to find it,” he said.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2018

ISLAMABAD: The International Day of Persons with Disabilities will be observed on Monday with an aim to create public awareness about the rights of those suffering from disabilities.

Moreover, the government will be urged to take steps and legislate to provide maximum facilities to such people.

The observance of the day was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1992. It aims to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation faced by people with disabilities.

International day is being observed today to create awareness about rights of special people

The theme for this year is “Empowering persons with disabilities and ensuring inclusiveness and equality". It focuses the special people for an inclusive, equitable and sustainable development envisaged in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The agenda pledges to “leave no one behind". Persons with disabilities, as both beneficiaries and agents of change, can fast track the process towards an inclusive and sustainable development and promote resilient society for all, including in the context of disaster risk reduction and humanitarian action, and urban development.

Governments, persons with disabilities and their representative organisations, academic institutions and the private sector need to work as a team to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The first UN flagship report on disability and development on the “Realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals” by, for and with persons with disabilities will also be launched on the day.

The 2030 agenda places importance on issues related to sustainable urbanisation, particularly in Goal 11: make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

Director General Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) Dr Asad Hafeez told Dawn that though the ministry had started efforts to provide facilities to the special people, with the passage of time its scope had increased.

“Now the Ministry of Human Rights has also started efforts to provide relief to such persons through legislation. Efforts are also being made at the provincial level and the health ministry not only gives guidelines but also shares best practices with provinces.”

Dr Hafeez said the ministry was also coordinating with the international stakeholders and because of the efforts of Pakistan the World Health Assembly had already passed the global resolution on assistive technology.

“Moreover, the government has decided to provide medical and other facilities to disabled persons through an insurance coverage. We are also trying to play our role to ensure assistive devices for disabled persons at regional level,” he said.

During the current year, Pakistan organised the first regional meeting to develop a strategic action framework on improving access to assistive technology in the Eastern Mediterranean region. As many as 17 countries participated in it.

The Islamabad declaration on assistive technology was signed by the member states during the 65th regional committee meeting hosted by Pakistan.

Dr Maryam Mallick, the technical adviser on disabilities and rehabilitation at the WHO, said it was for the first time that the 2017-18 Pakistan demographic health survey had included a series of questions to identify disabilities.

“The questions address six core functional domains, namely seeing, hearing, communication, cognition, walking and self-care, and provide basic necessary information on disability comparable to that being collected worldwide.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2018

The KSE-100 index plummeted 1,400 points in intraday trading as the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) opened on Monday.

Trading opened at 40,496 points and dropped to 39,177 points within an hour ─ a change of 1,319 points ─ before further diving down to 39,090, down 1,406 points or 3.5 per cent.

Take a look: Rupee takes another dip

The fall comes after the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) raised key lending rate by 150 basis points to 10 per cent on Friday and a fall in the value of the rupee on the same day.

The benchmark index has shed more than 3,000 points during the tenure of the current regime. The benchmark KSE-100 Index had closed at 42,447 points when the PTI government came into power. The index was floating at around 42,447 points at 12:45 midday.

While the government has been pretty comfortable politically, the economy remains in the eye of the storm. The government has had to grapple with fast depleting foreign exchange reserves and ever-widening deficits.

The rupee closed at 139.06 to the dollar in the interbank market on Nov 30 — a depreciation of 3.8pc in its value.

Bankers said the rupee plunge happened as the SBP silently watched the demand for dollars rising on imports and external debt payments. It was so intense and sudden that the dollar surged to Rs144 at one point on Friday before closing lower.

Also on Nov 30, the SBP raised its key policy rate by 150 basis points to contain inflation, a product of several economic factors, most notably a weaker rupee.

Spectators and analysts, however, had expected just a 1pc hike in the policy rate, DawnNewsTV reported, adding that the increase brings the policy rate into double digits amid reports that the move is linked to talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on a bailout package.

The timing of the twin moves suggests Pakistan has finally started fulfilling some pre-conditions of a fresh IMF loan, though Finance Minister Asad Umar has said he is in no hurry to get it. The government does not disagree with the Fund’s concerns on economic fundamentals, bankers and analysts say.

Also, it does not disagree with the Fund’s prescription for curing our ailing economy: let the overvalued rupee find its real market worth, minimise energy subsidies, reduce development and non-development expenses, hike interest rates — and choose economic stability over growth in the process.

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had opened Kartarpur Corridor with India without taking parliament into confidence.

Speaking at a function here on Sunday, he said India was closing routes with Pakistan while Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government was taking unilateral steps to facilitate movement of Indian citizens coming to Pakistan.

He insisted that Kartarpur Corridor was opened to appease his (Imran’s) foreign masters, especially a religious minority community. He said Pakistan would pay the price for the unilateral decision, adding the government should take parliament into confidence before opening of the new corridor on the eastern border.

Mr Rehman said the previous government had taken parliament on board before signing the agreement on CPEC with the Chinese government. He said the former prime minister was declared traitor only for inviting Indian prime minister, while the sitting prime minister provided corridor facility to India.

“Is it patriotism to provide corridor to India and put Kashmir issue on the back burner,” Mr Rehman questioned and said Pakistan had been isolated due to flawed internal and external policies.

Commenting on the PTI government’s 100 day plan, he said after economic disaster the prime minister had now offered “chicken-eggs” plan to deceive masses. He said record depreciation of rupee had caused set back to the economy.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2018

Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on Monday directed the federal government to submit by Friday its draft on planned reforms for Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), adding that the court will "give the territory's citizens their full rights".

In May, the GB government had promulgated the Gilgit-Baltistan Order-2018 — a move that was rejected by thousands of protesters, who demanded that GB should be declared a part of Pakistan instead of being administered through presidential orders

A seven-member larger bench of the apex court was hearing a case on GB's constitutional status today when the attorney general read out the government's response on GB reforms.

Explainer: Why GB's opposition parties oppose new order

The government stated that a committee headed by Sartaj Aziz has drafted its recommendations, assuring the court that "the people of GB will get all their constitutional rights".

At this, the chief justice remarked that "this a matter of constitutional amendment and that the government does not have a majority to make such amendments".

"If amendments cannot be made then [at least] recommendations should be implemented," the top judge added.

Salman Akram Raja, the court's assistant on the matter, suggested that "GB can be made a part of Pakistan".

At this, the judge wondered: "What will be the international implications of this?"

Justice Nisar asked senior lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan what Pakistan's point of view on GB was.

"Administratively, this area comes in Pakistan," Ahsan said. "This region can be given complete rights by declaring it a temporary province."

The court instructed the federal government to furnish its recommendations-based draft by Friday, adjourning the case till then.