Day: February 6, 2023

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi has ordered best arrangements for the 18th International Cholistan Jeep Rally starting from 6 February to 12 February on Monday. CM Mohsin Naqvi said that foolproof security should be ensured for the participants and people coming from all over the country to enjoy the jeep rally.

He reiterated that overcharging in local hotels should be addressed during the event, and efforts should be made for launching national and international campaigns for the publicity of the jeep rally. It is pertinent to note that people-friendly programs will be presented at Derawar Fort, whereas mobile towers of phone companies have also been installed to ensure signals availability in Cholistan.

For those who enjoy camping, Derawar Fort will also host Food Street, Musical Night, Fireworks, Camel Dance, Javelin, and many more events. While briefing the chief minister about the organization of the jeep rally, Commissioner Bahawalpur said that five categories have been introduced for the first time in Cholistan Jeep Rally.

He told the CM that almost half a million people are expected to arrive in Cholistan during the jeep rally. To maintain traffic flow in Cholistan in this regard, alternative routes and roads have been constructed and expanded.

KARACHI: The provincial cabinet in its over five-hour lengthy session decided to start wheat procurement from March 15 at a rate of Rs4000 per 40 kg, approved Rs58.7 billion for relief work, enhanced the scope of the Rapid Response Force (RRF) and created Crowd management unit to respond during violent public disorder. The cabinet was held under the chairmanship of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah here at CM House and was attended by provincial ministers, advisors, special assistants, Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, Chairman P and D Hassan Naqvi, PSCM Fayaz Jatoi, and other concerned officers.

CM Advisor on Law Murtaza Wahab, just after the cabinet meeting, briefed the media about the [cabinet] decisions. At the outset, the cabinet condemned the terrorist attack in Peshawar that claimed over 82 innocent lives and vowed to eradicate terrorists and their facilitators from our ranks and also expressed solidarity with the people of Turkey where southern areas have been hit by a deadly earthquake.

The cabinet appreciated Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah’s visit to Peshawar where he visited the blast site and the hospital to give consolation to the injured. The cabinet also endorsed the chief minister’s announcement of Rs1 million compensation for the families of the person killed in the blast and Rs500, 000 for the injured. The cabinet also decided to dispatch 100,000 blankets to Turkey for earthquake-affected people.

Funds approved for Relief: The general Administration department told the cabinet that during the floods and unprecedented rains, Rs58.7 billion were released, including Rs27,648.452 million for relief and rehabilitation, Rs8,390 million for a subsidy to farmers on Rabi Crop 2022-23, Rs1000 million for provision of fodder, Rs14,150.3 million for the repair of Irrigation works, Rs3,628.63 million for the survey or damages and related works, Rs3925.952 million for KMC and DMCs to repair bus routes and other works and Rs985.405 million for purchase of medicines.

The chief minister directed Advisor Agriculture to coordinate with the federal government that has been provided Rs8.39 billion for a subsidy to farmers on rabbi crops so that they could be distributed through BISP in time. The cabinet approved the amount of Rs25.036 billion released/to be released onward for relief and rehabilitation. Domicile issue: The cabinet took up the issue of recent recruitments in the police department in which there were some complaints of fake domicile. The chief minister said that the recruitment was made purely on merit only for locals.

The chief minister directed the chief secretary to get all the domiciles of newly recruited in the police department verified so that genuine, and locals could be recruited. RRF and Crowd Management Unit: The cabinet was told that the Inspector General Police has sent a summary for the expansion of the Rapid Response Force (RRF) and the establishment of the Crowd Management Unit (CMU). The Rapid Response Force (RRF) is an anti-terrorist and anti-dacoits force operating throughout Sindh, established in 2009. The RRF, in addition to core responsibilities, provides security to vital Installations such as Oil Refineries, the Supreme Court and High Court at Karachi, the CM House, the Assembly Building, Security of VVIPs and Cricket Teams, important Religious, political, or Social gatherings

The CM was told that the expansion of RRF to the entire province will enable district police or other LEAs to respond quickly in case of an emergency. The CMU: The CMU is required to respond professionally during a violent public disorder. To prevent loss of lives and damage to property, to manage the unruly crowd, and to maintain law and order. The CM directed the Home dept. that in order to avoid financial implications for the expansion of RRF new positions should be created by re-appropriating positions of Sindh Reserve Police (SRP).

The CM decided that the SRP would be limited only to the provision of general security to Sindh House Islamabad under the separate administrative control of SSU and he also approved the expansion of the Rapid Response Force (RRF) throughout Sindh Water and Sewerage Corporation: The cabinet after thorough discussions and deliberations approved the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation Bill, 2022 with the responsibility of planning and execution of bulk production, supply, and distribution of potable water; Engaging PPP or CBO/ NGO or autonomous body through the PPP Node of KWSB, determine the quantity of water to be supplied to each Autonomous and Constituent body or Person(s) and issuance of Licenses for providing water and sewerage services complying all standards. [9]

The corporation will have a board and the Chairperson of the Board shall be the Mayor of KMC and in his absence Administrator KMC will be the chairman. It would have seven Ex-officio and nine non-official members (Academia, Civil Society, Water and Sewerage Specialists, and Legal and Financial Experts) and two MPAs from Sindh Assembly. The corporation Board Shall develop and approve strategic plans for water delivery; approve the budget.

The Corporation shall be managed by a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) appointed by the Board of KWSC for a period of four years. It would also have a Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Internal Audit Officer, and Chief IT Officer.

The cabinet referred the bill to the assembly.

Hyderabad Press Club: The cabinet was told that it had allotted 75 acres of land to the Hyderabad Press Club in Deh Ganjo Takar, Taluka Latifabad. The cabinet approved a grant of Rs14, 970,120 for the club to complete its documentation process. Time scale: The Provincial Cabinet decided to grant a higher grade on the basis of Time-Scale for only isolated / non-promotional posts. The criteria for the award of the Time Scale would be given to the employees after attaining the age of 05,12,19 and 27 years of satisfactory service. It would be given only one stage above the present pay scale.

These employees of Grade BS-1 would go into BPS-2 and after 12 years in grade BS-3, after 19 years in grade BS-4, and after 27 years to BS-5. In this way, the employees of such categories from grades BS-1 to BS-15 would get the time scale. Admission in B.S Nursing: The health department presented a policy of selection criteria for Admission in the B.S Nursing (Generic-04 years) Degree Program-2022 for Private Sector Colleges.

Under the policy, as approved by the cabinet, the local/residents of the province would be given admission on a priority basis, and the seats that remain vacant would be filled on open merit (other than Sindh). The selection criteria and quota for private Institutions/Colleges in B.S Nursing would be for women, minorities, and the disabled as 15 percent, 5 percent, and 5 percent respectively.

The qualifying education will remain as F.Sc (pre-medical) marks percentage will be 50 percent as per eligibility as approved by Pakistan Nursing Council. Wheat procurement: The cabinet decided that wheat procurement for the new crop would be started from February 15 at Rs4000 per 40 kg. The target for procurement would be set in the next cabinet meeting. The provincial cabinet approved the appointment of former chief secretary Mohammad Siddique Memon and retired PCS officer Raheem Soomro as Members (Technical) Provincial Local Government Commission.

Sukkur: The prices of fertilizers have been shot up as the price of a 50kg urea bag has registered an increase of Rs600 in just one week on Monday. After the increase, the price of 50kg urea bag has become Rs3, 400. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the price of urea bag in Bannu went up by Rs600 during the current week.

In Sukkur, the price of urea bag was jacked up by Rs250; in Peshawar, by Rs150; in Gujranwala by Rs100, in Multan and Faisalabad by Rs60; and in Lahore the price of urea shot up by Rs28 per 50kg bag.

TANK: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) police thwarted a terrorist attack on Pir Tangi police check post in the jurisdiction of Jandola police station in Tank district on late Sunday. An exchange of fire between police and terrorists continued for more than 10 minutes after which terrorists fled from the area. Local residents also came out to support the police force.

According to the sources, police suffered no casualty in exchange of fire, however, there are reports of injuries and killings on the terrorists’ side. Meanwhile, the Inspector General (IG) KP police talked to the police personnel on telephone and praised them for their bravery. He said that there is a red alert in the province after the Peshawar blast in which 84 people including police officers and civilians were martyred.

LAHORE: Light rain along with hailstorm in various parts of Lahore and adjacent areas on late Sunday night brought the temperature significantly down. The rare hailstorm and light rain in parts of the city including Gulshan-e-Ravi, Mall Road, Data Darbar, Muzang Road, Lakshmi Chowk and other localities also affected the traffic flow.

Hailstones, the size of small strawberries, carpeted streets and rooftops with white colour. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted more rain in Lahore during next 24 hours.

QUETTA:Chief Minister Balochistan, Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, has expressed grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives and damages of property owing to the earthquake in Turkey, according to a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Secretariat here on Monday.

“Our prayers are with the government and people of Turkey in this difficult time”, said Bizenjo, adding that Pakistan and Turkey had always supported each other in difficult time and in that difficult time, people of Pakistan were standing with the people of Turkia. He prayed that may Almighty Allah rest the departed souls in eternal peace and prayed for the early recuperation of injured of the earthquake.