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Pakistan

Legendary journalist Imran Aslam laid to rest

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  • Funeral prayers was offered at his residence.
  • Aslam passed away at age 70 a day earlier.
  • Funeral attended by large number of people.

KARACHI: President of Geo and Jang Group Imran Aslam was laid to rest Saturday evening in Karachi at a graveyard in Defence Housing Authority (DHA), Phase 8, Karachi. 

His funeral was attended by family members, senior journalists, colleagues, and dignitaries from different walks of life.

Aslam, one of the most seasoned journalists in the country, passed away at the age of 70 on Friday. Aslam was under treatment at a local hospital.

Aslam died in harness as, despite his illness, he passionately continued to show up at work to spend there as many hours as he could until he could do it no longer.

 Last Monday, the ailing senior journalist went into multiple organ failure and was rushed to a hospital. The only solace was that being heavily sedated, he was not in pain, says his wife Fareshteh Gati.

His funeral prayer was offered at his residence at 4pm.

Aslam was among the pioneers who spearheaded the launch of Geo NewsGeo Entertainment, and Geo Super, while he was also the founding member of the English-language newspaper The News.

The journalist was also the chief news editor and senior editor of The News. He also wrote over 60 plays that were both staged and televised.

Aslam joined The News as a news editor, in Karachi when the paper was launched in 1991 and in 2002 when Geo was launched, he was one of the main brains behind the project.

“Everything creative Team Geo did, either he thought of it, or had vetted, enabled, edited or enhanced it in some way,” says Mir Ibrahim Rahman, Geo TV’s Chief Executive Officer. 

His death triggered an outpour of condolences from fellow journalists, politicians, and celebrities

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep grief and sorrow over the death of the president of Jang and Geo group. 

In a statement on Friday, the premier said Imran Aslam had an eminent place in the journalistic community. He said Imran Aslam’s services for the development of media would always be remembered. 

President Dr Arif Alvi also offered his condolences.

In a statement issued on Twitter, President Alvi said: “I offer condolence on death of a dear friend & an outstanding journalist Mr Imran Aslam. A thorough gentleman & a person who had a deep understanding of issues.”

“May his soul rest in peace & may Allah provide strength to family & friends to bear this loss,” he added.

Meanwhile, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, and JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman also expressed condolences on the death.

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Pakistan

Sindh schools winter vacations from Dec 22

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KARACHI: The Sindh government on Thursday announced the winter vacation schedule for public and private educational institutions across the province.

According to a notification issued by the Sindh School, Education, and Literacy Department, the educational institutions in the province will observe winter vacation from December 22 to 31.

“In pursuance of decisions taken in the steering committee meeting, all public and private educational institutions under the administrative control of School Education and Literacy Department Government of Sindh shall remain closed w.e.f 22-12,023 to 31-12,023 for Winter Vacation.”

Sindh schools winter vacations from Dec 22

After the winter break, the educational institutions will reopen on Friday (January 1, 2024).  

Meanwhile, the new academic year in the public and private schools across Sindh will commence on April 15, 2024, and August 1, 2024, in the colleges.

The matriculation and intermediate exams will be started from the last week of May 2024, while the results will be announced on July 31 and the second week of August, respectively.

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Pakistan

COAS Gen Asim Munir meets Kuwaiti crown prince

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  • PM Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar to meet Kuwaiti crown prince today. 
  • Both army chief and PM are in Kuwait on official visit. 
  • PM Office says multiple MoUs expected to be signed during visit. 

Army chief General Asim Munir on Tuesday met Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah as part of his official visit to the gulf country, reported Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).

The meeting was also attended by Caretaker Law Minister Ahmed Irfan Aslam, Pakistan Ambassador to Kuwait Malik Mohammad Farooq and other members of the delegation.

Meanwhile, PM Kakar has also arrived in Kuwait City after concluding the UAE visit and is expected to meet the crown prince today, the PM Office said on Wednesday.

The premier will also meet his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Ahmed Al-Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

The PM office said that a number of memorandum of understanding (MoUs) will be signed for mutual cooperation in various sectors including manpower, information technology, minerals and mining, food security, energy and defence.

In UAE, Pakistan signed several MoUs worth multi-billion dollars in a range of areas on Monday to boost economic and strategic cooperation between the two countries, PM Kakar said.

The prime minister said with the signing of the MoUs, the bilateral economic and strategic relations had entered into a new era of bilateral cooperation.

Congratulating the people of Pakistan and the UAE, he said the foundation of friendship with Pakistan which was laid by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in the 1970s, had been taken forward by his son Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to a new era.

PM Kakar expressed the hope that the MoUs that were signed by the two countries would turn into tangible projects very soon.

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Pakistan

Haj 2024: Pakistanis to get ‘free SIMs with internet’

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Caretaker Minister for Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony Aneeq Ahmed said Tuesday that the government would provide free-of-cost mobile SIMs with roaming internet packages to Pakistanis performing Haj in 2024.

In conversation with a private news channel, the caretaker minister said abayas would also be given to female pilgrims, having a Pakistani flag on the backside, and 13kg suitcases would be given to all.

The minister called the reduction of around Rs100,000 in the Haj cost a “historic step” taken by the caretaker government, noting that a further Rs50,000 would be slashed and the amount would be refunded to the people in their accounts.

He said a new mobile application has been designed to assist pilgrims, which will provide navigation support and enable constant communication between pilgrims and relevant officials.

Initially available in English and Urdu, the application will later incorporate various regional languages, he said, adding, that the app would also provide digital training programmes to every pilgrim.

The minister also disclosed a project that Haj ministry, with the collaboration of the education ministry, has planned to convert city mosques into schools to enroll out-of-school children where the mosques’ imams would play a leading role.

The minister said that mosques will play their role as community centers in every city areas, adding that imams will resolve community issues as well after offering prayers.

He said that haj ministry is taking all four provinces on board and enhancing the connectivity of mosques.

While describing another project, the minister said that his ministry with the collaboration of the health ministry has another project in the works, in which medical clinics will also be part of mosques.

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