Pakistan

Protests break out across Pakistan after ECP disqualifies Imran Khan

Published

2 years ago

Farwa

ISLAMABAD: PTI leader Imran Khan’s disqualification from holding public offices by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Friday steeped the country into agitation as angry PTI workers started protests against the decision, seen as a massive political blow to Khan’s party.

Following the announcement of the verdict, chaotic scenes were witnessed outside the ECP office where enraged PTI workers converged in large numbers, chanting slogans against the government.

According to police sources, three major arteries leading to Islamabad have been blocked by the district administrator to avoid any untoward incident.

The Islamabad traffic police advised commuters to use Peshawar Road or Lehtrar Road as Chungi No 26 and Athal Chowk in Bhara Kahu area have been closed to all types of traffic due to the protests and security concerns.

In Peshawar, protesters blocked a road near Pir Zakordi bridge and another near Stadium Chowk. They also put traffic on hold after burning tyres on the Motorway near the toll plaza.

Meanwhile, in Karachi, protesters led by party leaders Ali Zaidi, Firdous Shamim Naqvi, Mehmood Moulvi, and others staged a sit-in outside the Sindh ECP office. Reportedly, PTI workers tried to force their way into the ECP building but were repelled by the police amid thunderous slogan-chanting.

In Charsadda protesters thronged the Farooq-e-Azam Chowk, where they were confronted by the ANP workers. Both sides shouted slogans against each other in the presence of a heavy contingent of police; however, no clash was reported.

Swabi also emerged on the protest map after PTI cohorts barricaded the Mardan and Jehangir roads for traffic. Life in Shabqadar was also reported to have suffered from the PTI protests.

However, part of Mardan was seen cheering Imran Khan’s disqualification by distributing sweets among each other. A poor labourer from Mardan in a video message said he was so happy that Khan was gone. “I am poor so I could only buy half a kg of sweetmeat,” the labourer said.

According to reports pouring in from Naushehra, hundreds of fuming Khan fans crowded at Shawera Chowk and recorded their protest, which is currently underway.

Moreover, Mangora Road in Swat has also been closed by the protesters.

PTI’s supporters have also kicked off a protest at Shahdra Chowk in Lahore.

On the contrary, Hafizabad, a PML-N stronghold, was a scene of celebration with the N-league workers rejoicing over the ECP’s decision saying Imran Khan’s chapter had finally come to an end.

PTI youths blocked the M5 Motorway near Billiwala area in Multan’s suburbs, according to reports, while protesters sat in the middle of Delhi-Multan road in Vehari, bringing the heavy traffic to a halt.

Chinot also saw disturbance as agitation hit the city after Khan’s disqualification as PTI workers assembled outside DHQ office in Satellite Town to decry the decision.

Business

Price of LPG “slashed” by Rs. 20 per kilogram

Published

3 hours ago

Farwa

Sources claim that LPG rates have been lowered by Rs 20, making the cost per kilogram drop from Rs 280 to Rs 260.

It is noteworthy to remark that the costs of LPG were reduced by Rs 20 per kilogram earlier, resulting in a total reduction of Rs 40 per kilogram within a few weeks.

The price of liquefied petroleum gas for the month of May 2024 was lowered by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) on April 30.

The LPG tariffs were lowered by Rs 11.88 to Rs 238.46 per kilogram in accordance with the OGRA’s notice. On Wednesday, May 1, 2024, the new rates will go into effect.

In April of last year, the price per kilogram of LPG was Rs 250.34. pricing reduction of Rs 140.18 has resulted in a new pricing for home LPG cylinders set for May 2024 of Rs 2813.85.

The OGRA reported a drop in liquefied petroleum gas pricing in April. The price of LPG is now Rs 250.34 per kg instead of Rs 256.78 due to a reduction of Rs 6.44 per kg.

The price of the household cylinder was fixed at Rs 2954.03 for the month of April, down from Rs 3030.12, a decrease of Rs 76.9.

Business

ADB delegation stops by FBR headquarters

Published

3 hours ago

Farwa

Senior Director ADB Tariq Niazi oversaw the expedition, which also involved Sana Masood, Farzana Noshab, and Senior Public Sector Management Specialist Laisiasa Tora. The meeting included presentations from economists as well, according to an FBR press release.

The officers focused on structural and policy adjustments as they discussed the Domestic Resource Mobilization Program’s implementation at the meeting.

$300 million was given to the Pakistani government by ADB in December 2023 as a result of the hard work and dedication of FBR. Better laws, regulations, and institutional capability for the FBR were established by Sub-Program I.

With the $300 million in funding provided by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to the Government of Pakistan in December 2023, the delegation conveyed satisfaction with the program’s effective launch.

The FBR also underlined how crucial digitization is to recording the economy and boosting productivity in a sustainable way.

In order to promote the Government of Pakistan’s Digital Tax Administration Project, both parties decided to look into measures to improve their cooperation.

Latest News

Off-duty police in Islamabad are prohibited from donning uniforms.

Published

3 hours ago

Farwa

The new directives, according to specifics, were sent via wireless by the federal capital police and state that no officer may wear a uniform when reporting for duty or leaving it.

According to the police official, uniforms will only be worn when on duty; otherwise, two policemen will accompany each other during duty hours and will always be required to carry guns.

A different development was the earlier release of an app by the Islamabad Police with the goal of improving crime prevention and public safety.

Launched on the orders of former Interior Minister Sarfraz Akbar Bugti, the recently released ICT-15 app aims to empower the people of the capital city by giving them the ability to actively engage in the battle against crime and protect their areas.

Residents of Islamabad can now easily download and utilize the ICT-15 app because it is easily accessible on the Google Play Store.

Citizens can report a variety of issues with this easy-to-use application, such as incidents, unlawful behavior, complaints against law enforcement, the presence of undocumented people, or any suspicious criminal activity.

The police promise quick reaction times as soon as information is reported using the app, so assistance will be provided as quickly as feasible.