Karachi

Extension in the current local governments? (LG) tenure is not under consideration and the decision regarding the future LG set-up will

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ISLAMABAD: The Hajj quota of the parliamentarians has been ended for the first time in the country?s history.

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Hamid Saeed Kazmi said the quota has been scrapped in line with the decision of the Cabinet.

The parliamentarians? quota of 6500 persons has now been included in the general draw.

The Federal Minister said action will be taken against unregistered tour operators and Hajj organizers.

The Governor has issued instructions for submission of applications under Hajj Scheme up to August 15. It has also advised the potential Hajj pilgrims to submit their applications only at Ministry of Religious Affairs.

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ISLAMABAD: Visitors Iran thumped Sports Sciences Department of Punjab University Lahore 11-0 to win the 5th National Women?s Football Championship at the Jinnah Stadium, Pakistan Sports Complex.

Malavan Football Club of Iran, specially invited as a foreign team to compete in the national championship, dominated the local side from the very start, scoring almost at will.

Federal minister for sports Pir Aftab Shah Jilani was the chief guest at the final of the 13-team championship and distributed prizes among the participants. He presented the winners? trophy to the Iranian team, hailing from Bandar Anzali, and gave away the best player?s award to Mariam Irandost. Defending champions Young Rising Stars of Rawalpindi finished third in the annual event.

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ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution moved by State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Mahreen Anwar Raja on Women Parliamentary CAUCUS.

Mahreen Anwar while reading out the resolution congratulated Dr. Fehmida Mirza for being the first women speaker, and the women parliamentarians on establishing the women Parliamentary Caucus.

She also paid tribute to the torchbearers of women’’s movement, spearheaded by Madar-e-Millat Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah, Khatoon-e-Pakistan Begum Rana Liaqat Ali Khan, and Shaheed-e-Jahmoriat Mohtarma Banazir Bhutto.

The resolution said, “no nation can progress unless women are not made an equal partner in Social, economic and political development.”

The Minister of State expressed her gratitude to the father of the nation Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah for making Pakistan a reality and reiterated the resolve to continue commitment to the ideology of Pakistan and to the principles of Democracy, Freedom, equality, tolerance and social justice.

She vowed to stand by the Women parliamentarians” caucus on this important mission.

Deputy Parliamentary leader of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) HaiderAbbas Rizvi underlined the need to evolve a system for evaluating the government performance on every Independence Day.

“Several countries in the world evaluate their performance on their Independence Days.

Setting targets is imperative but, we have no parameters to check that what we achieved and what we lost in the corresponding year,” he added.

Haider Abbas Rizvi congratulated the parliamentarians and the entire nation on the eve of Independence Day on behalf of his party and leader Altaf Hussain.

He said founders of Pakistan had given a complete system to run the government but, unfortunately dictators have been toppling the democratic process for their personal gains.

“Pakistan Resolution was not a mere manuscript, it was a complete system which the dictators have been setting aside to run their governments,” he added.

He said discriminatory attitude was adopted in 1948 when feudalism was abolished in East Pakistan but the same continued in West Pakistan.

Later, this feudal community remained dominant over the entire system, which did not allow imposition of tax on agriculture sector, Haider Abbas added.

He said the government should come upto the expectations of the masses by providing provision of essential items on cheaper rates, adding that there is still a lot to do to make the country a welfare state.

The MQM leader stressed the need to address the root causes behind the tendencies of extremism and terrorism in the country.

“We will have to take a clear stance whether we want Taliban or Pakistan,” he added.

He said extraordinary decisions are needed as Pakistan is passing through an extraordinary situation to strengthen the country by giving autonomy to provinces.

“Revolution does not come in the complete darkness. It comes when a ray of hope arises, and the democratic government should proof its as the ”ray of hope”,” he said.

Commenting on minority rights, he said there must be complete protection to Minorities, enabling them to lead their lives in accordance with their culture and religion.

Chief Whip Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) Syed Riaz Hussain Pirzada also congratulated the entire nation on the eve of Independence Day on behalf of the party.

He paid glowing tributes to army personnel who got martyrdom while fighting terrorists for the national cause.

Pirzada said it was for the first time that the Parliament elected a unanimous, unopposed Prime Minister.

He appreciated the role of Parliamentarians and Federal Cabinet for making efforts to tackle all important national issues in an effective manner.

He hoped that working of the government would ensure supremacy of the Parliament.

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ISLAMABAD: Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervaiz Ashraf Thursday said the government would provide relief to the faithful during the holy Month of Ramazan and measures would be taken to ensure that load shedding is not observed during Sehri, Aftari and Taraweeh prayers.

Talking to the journalists here at the Parliament House, the minister admitted that the situation was not satisfactory, however, he said in the same breath that the situation was improving vis-a-vis power crisis.

“We would overcome the power crisis within next few months. Rental Power Projects are the only solution to the power crisis as these would ensure immediate power generation. Without rental power projects, the load shedding issue may remain till three more years,” he remarked.

Brushing aside the impression of any misappropriation in the rental power projects, the minister said the critiques were targeting the government under a plan to malign the government.

“These elements are presenting rental power projects, law and order situation, Atta and sugar shortage as scams under a pre-planned strategy which is baseless. We would overcome the issues soon,” he added.

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LAHORE

The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has expressed concern over unnecessary delay in the promotion of postgraduate medical officers.b

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ISLAMABAD: The federal government Thursday directed the provinces to bear down on the hoarders of sugar without making any exemption.

According to the sources privy to Finance Ministry, the federal government, taking serious notice of acute scarcity of sugar in the country, directed the provinces to take stringent action against black-marketers and hoarders.

The provincial governments have been directed to look over the stocks at retail and wholesale levels as well.

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Pakistan News

LAHORE

A SQUARE foot towel, along with an iron tag, was found in the abdomen of a patient, Ayesha Waseem, who was operated on by Dr Fehmida Na

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Helicopter gunships pummeled a key Taliban commander’s bases in Pakistan’s northwest, killing at least 12 insurgents Thursday as government forces ratcheted up pressure on the militants following their top leader’s reported death, officials said.

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LAHORE: A towel, along with an iron tag, was found in the abdomen of a patient, Ayesha Waseem, who was operated on by Dr Fehmida Naheed in a leading p

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