Siasat Wala Blog

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Shireen Mazari on Thursday slammed the federal government for hiking the prices of petroleum products. In a tweet on Thursday morning, she said the PML-N government has gifted a “petrol price bomb” to the people of the country. “The Noonies are determined to keep the average Pakistani weighed down by debt, spiraling prices, poverty. They know the multiplier impact of this petrol price hike on daily essentials!” The government on Wednesday increased the prices of different petroleum products for the month of February. The price of petrol has been increased by Rs2.98 per litre to Rs84.51. The price of high speed diesel (HSD) has been increased by Rs5.92 per litre, and will now be available at Rs 95.83 as compared to earlier price of Rs 89.91. Light Diesel Oil (LDO) has been increased by Rs 5.93 to Rs64.30 per litre. Moreover, the price of kerosene has been increased by Rs5.94 from Rs64.32 and will now be available for Rs70.26 per...

RIYADH: Cheering supporters greeted Saudi Arabian billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal when he arrived at his skyscraper offices in Riyadh after his release from detention in an anti-corruption crackdown. But he and other tycoons freed from a luxury hotel in the Saudi capital face a challenge to get back into the swing of running their financial empires in the uncertainty hanging over the business community since their detention in early November. Their ability to do so could impact Saudi Arabia’s attempts to lure investors to big projects, an important part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s grand vision to transform the kingdom and reduce its dependence on oil. “It will need another six to nine months without disruption or another witch hunt before anyone would be willing to move on anything major,” a regional banker said of the business climate. “This is not the right time to bring anything to market.” Online footage showed Prince Alwaleed waving from a luxury car in a con...

KARACHI: Ousted prime minister and PML-N president Nawaz Sharif is arriving here today on a two-day visit to hold meetings with party leaders. This is his first visit to the metropolis after his disqualification at the hands of the Supreme Court on July 28, last year, in the Panama Papers case. Sharif will arrive in the city in a charter plane from Lahore and is expected to land at Karachi airport at 11:00pm. A large number of PML-N leaders and activists are expected to reach the airport to welcome their leader. He will address a gathering of party workers at the airport’s old terminal after his arrival. During his two-day stay here, the PML-N chief will attend a seminar at a hotel and also meet lawyers. Sharif’s trip is a part of the ruling party’s election campaign to garner support and mould public opinion in its favour especially after his ouster from office and trial on corruption charges. He is also expected to visit Peshawar this month to address public meetings. In...

TOKYO: Eleven people were killed and five were rescued in a fire at a facility to support senior people on welfare in northern Japan late on Wednesday, public broadcaster NHK said. The 16 elderly people were living in the three-storey wooden facility in Sapporo, where they paid a monthly rent of 36,000 yen ($330), NHK said on Thursday. Three of the survivors, aged between their fifties and eighties, were being treated in hospital but their condition was not life-threatening, the broadcaster said. The facility is run by a Sapporo organization that helps those who are on a public assistance by providing food and helping them find jobs, NHK said. In March 2010, seven people at a nursing home for elderly people with dementia were killed in a fire in Sapporo, Kyodo news agency said. The post Eleven people killed in fire at Japanese seniors welfare facility appeared first on ARYNEWS .

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Thursday said that the provincial government was serious to arrest former SSP Malir Rao Anwar to investigate the Naqeebullah Mehsud murder case. This he said while talking to media at Hindu Gymkhana where he attended NAPA Convocation 2015-17 as chief guest. He was accompanied by Sindh Culture Minister Syed Sardar Shah. This should be noted here that people of Waziristan’s Mehsud tribe have been holding a jirga in Karachi since the last several days demanding immediate justice in alleged encounter killing of Naqeebullah. Read More: Rao Anwar formally suspended as SSP Malir To a question, Murad Shah said that it was quite surprising for him that the people were casting doubts on the sincerity of the Sindh government in arresting the suspended SSP. “PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had taken notice of Naqeebullah Mahsud’s killing and on his directives inquiry committee was constituted,” he said and added that “the provincial g...

A star-studded premiere ceremony of ‘Gluco Allahyar and the Legend of Markhor’ was held in Karachi at Nueplax Cinemas on January 31. A number of celebrities along with their kids graced the premiere of the latest animation treat by 3rd World Studios in association with ARY Films including Adnan Siddiqui, Faysal Quraishi, Sarwat Gilani, Zhalay Sarhadi, Aamina Sheikh, Hareem Farooq, Ejaz Aslam and Ali Rehman Khan, amongst others, and revealed their kids’ excitement about the movie. The celebrity kids also took pictures with the Gluco Allahyar and the legend of Markhor movie character cut-outs. The story revolves around, Allahyar (Anum Zaidi) and his animal companions Mehru (Natasha Humera Ajaz), Hero (Azfar Jafri) and Chakku (Abdul Nabi Jamali) as they gather courage and strength to embark on a journey to fight the evil  hunter Mani (Ali Noor), and save the endangered species. Written, produced and directed by the talented Uzair Zaheer Khan, the brains behind this exceptional v...

LAHORE: Punjab police have arrested an 18-year old boy for trying to abduct and rape a five-year old girl in Nishtar Colony area of Lahore, ARY News reported on Wednesday. According to ARY News correspondent, police in Lahore took into custody an 18-year old after area residents brought him to police station accusing him of trying to kidnap and sexually assault a minor girl. The First Information Report (FIR) lodged by the girl’s father states that the minor girl was coming back from madressa (religious seminary) when the suspect forcibly took her to an under construction building and tried to rape her but her cries alerted the area residents who foiled the attempt and handed him over to police. It is pertinent to mention here that a similar incident was reported earlier in the day, when a man allegedly tried to abduct a girl in Kasur city of Punjab. Earlier this month, the brutal rape and murder of Kasur’s Zainab Ansari shook whole Pakistan with activists and general public de...

BRUSSELS: U.N. refugee agency special envoy Angelina Jolie called on NATO on Wednesday to help stop the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war, as the Hollywood star broadened her international efforts to protect women’s rights. Jolie, who earlier this week visited a Syrian refugee camp in Jordan, made her appeal to the U.S.-led alliance’s top decision-making body, the North Atlantic Council, in Brussels, and later met NATO military commanders. “Violence against women and children, particularly sexual violence, is an increasing feature of conflict,” Jolie told a news conference at NATO headquarters alongside the alliance’s Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. “This is rape used as a weapon to achieve military or political goals. It affects men and boys as well as women and girls,” Jolie said. NATO, which counts 29 members and has missions from Kosovo to Afghanistan, has agreed to help report on sexual violence in war to help bring perpetrators to justice and challenge the idea ...

NEW YORK: New Zealand pop prodigy Lorde has thanked her fans for supporting female musicians, as artists hit back amid controversy that the Grammy Awards neglected women — a spat fueled by comments from the Recording Academy’s president seen as disparaging. The 21-year-old’s “Melodrama” was the only work by a woman nominated for the most prestigious prize of Album of the Year on the music industry’s biggest night Sunday. She not only was bested by Bruno Mars’ “24K Magic” but she was not given a spot to perform at the televised show in New York. The Recording Academy, which administers the awards, said the roster was full. Lorde took out a full-page advertisement in The New Zealand Herald with doodlings about the Grammys and a handwritten note that thanked readers “for loving and embracing ‘Melodrama’ the way you did.” “Thank you, also, for believing in female musicians. You set a beautiful precedent!” she wrote. The Grammy winners slanted overwhelmingly male at a time of mountin...

CHARSADDA: A 16-year old girl in Charsadda district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province managed to escape an alleged gang-rape attempt during the earthquake which jolted parts of India and Pakistan on Wednesday morning, ARY News reported. According to ARY News correspondent Sartaj Khan, the 16-year old girl named Ayesha claimed that she was alone at her house when four armed men from her locality barged into her house and tried to rape her after tearing her clothes. The criminals escaped in fear after tremors jolted the area. The girl’s family reported the incident to area police and maintained that the four armed men entered their house after climbing walls, held the teenager hostage on gun point and tried to rape her before tremors forced them to flee in fear. More to follow…………. The post Earthquake helps girl escape rape bid in KP appeared first on ARYNEWS .

Basking in the success of recently released film Padmaavat, Deepika Padukone has said that she would certainly work in a similar film if given the opportunity. In her first post-Padmaavat interview with India Today, Deepika was asked if she would be ever sign for another such film, biopic or one based on a historical character. “I will most definitely do it, absolutely,” she said when asked if she would for a Padmaavat sequel if asked by Sanjay Leela Bhansali or anyone else. When asked the reason for the risk despite everyone the film has gone through and why she would jump from one landmine to another, she said: “Because I think it is important to be able to make, create and express (yourself).” The film which opened to cinemas in India since January 25 has already seen business worth 150 crores rupees despite being banned in four Indian states. However, Deepika said that the film should not be compared with other films. “I don’t think it should be success in comparison to...

ISLAMABAD: The government on Wednesday increased the price of different petroleum products for the month of February, said a statement from the Ministry of Finance. The price of Motor Spirit (MS) 92 RON Petrol has been increased by Rs2.98 per litre. Petrol will now be available for Rs84.51 from its earlier price of Rs81.53 per litre. The price of diesel (HSD) has been increased by Rs5.92 per litre, and will now be available for Rs 95.83 as compared to earlier price of to Rs 89.91. Light Diesel Oil (LDO) has been increased by Rs 5.93 from Rs 58.37 and will now be available for Rs64.30 per litre. Furthermore, the price of kerosene has been increased by Rs5.94 from Rs64.32 and will now be available for Rs70.26 per litre. Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has recommended double-digit increase in the rates of HSD (Rs. 10.25 per litre), SKO (Rs. 12.74 per litre) and LDO (Rs. 11.72 per litre) on the basis of increase in prices in the international market. The government decided t...

MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin has ordered the government to organise a sports competition for Russian athletes banned from the upcoming Winter Games in Pyeongchang over a doping scandal, his spokesman said on Wednesday. Putin “reminded the cabinet of the decision to organise a competition for those of our athletes who had not been allowed to take part in the Olympic Games,” Russian news agencies quoted Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying. He added that winning athletes would receive compensation equal to what Moscow normally awards Olympic medallists. The International Olympic Committee banned Russia from next month’s event in South Korea after a report on a vast Moscow-backed doping scheme in previous Games. Olympic officials have cleared 169 Russian athletes for competition in Pyeongchang. They will compete under a neutral flag as “Olympic Athletes from Russia.” Peskov spoke to reporters after Putin earlier Wednesday met with Russian athletes set to join Pyeongchang...

Marvel Studios has released the first trailer of “Ant-Man and the Wasp”, an new chapter featuring super heroes with the astonishing ability to shrink.  “Ant-Man and the Wasp” once again sees Paul Rudd playing Ant-Man with Evangeline Lilly joining him as Wasp, a partner he can trust. Michael Douglas returns as Hank Pym, the inventor of the shrinking technology that gives both Ant-Man and the Wasp their powers. WHAT THE TRAILER SHOWS In the aftermath of “Captain America: Civil War”, Scott Lang grapples with the consequences of his choices as both a super hero and a father. As he struggles to re-balance his home life with his responsibilities as Ant-Man, he’s confronted by Hope van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym with an urgent new mission. Scott must once again put on the suit and learn to fight alongside the Wasp as the team works together to uncover secrets from the past. The post Marvel releases trailer for ‘Ant-Man’ sequel appeared first on ARYNEWS .

MOSCOW: The delivery of oil and oil products to North Korea should not be reduced, Moscow’s ambassador to Pyongyang was cited as saying by RIA news agency on Wednesday, adding that a total end to deliveries would be interpreted by North Korea as an act of war. The U.N. and United States have introduced a wave of sanctions aimed at curbing North Korea’s development of nuclear weapons, including by seeking to reduce its access to crude oil and refined petroleum products. “We can’t lower deliveries any further,” Russia’s envoy to Pyongyang, Alexander Matzegora, was quoted by RIA as saying in an interview. Quotas set by the U.N. allow for around 540,000 tonnes of crude oil a year to be delivered to North Korea from China, and over 60,000 tonnes of oil products from Russia, China and other countries, he was quoted as saying. “[This] is a drop in the ocean for a country of 25 million people,” Matzegora said. Shortages would lead to serious humanitarian problems, he said, adding: “Offi...

KARACHI: Former Pakistan opener Khalid Latif Wednesday lost an appeal against a five-year ban for spot-fixing but had his one million rupee ($10,000) fine waived. Adjudicator Justice Faqir Khokhar upheld the ban, saying there was “overwhelming” evidence against Latif, but waived the fine as his career was almost over, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) lawyer Taffazul Rizvi told reporters in Lahore. Latif, who had shown tremendous early promise as a cricketer but failed to make an impact at international level, played five one-day internationals and 13 T20Is, the last of which was against the West Indies in Abu Dhabi in September 2016. The scandal surfaced during the second edition of the Pakistan Super League in February last year when Latif was playing for Islamabad United. Latif, 32, was charged with orchestrating a deal with a bookie that would see his fellow opener Sharjeel Khan deliberately playing two dot balls — deliveries off which no run is scored — in the opening match again...

KARACHI: The Sindh cabinet in its meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday opposed a draft bill calling for ban on dowry in the province. The Women Development Department brought Sindh Dowry Act 2017 draft for discussion. Under the proposed law, extravagant dowry, presents and bridal gifts in marriage have been fixed at Rs50,000. The draft law said that no person shall give or take or abet the giving of taking of dowry exceeding rupees fifty thousand. No person shall demand directly or indirectly from the family or other relatives of bride any dowry. However, CM Sindh said that the law proposed law would be difficult to implement if passed by the assembly, and they have to pass laws which could be implemented in true letter and spirit. He added that dowry or extravagance in marriage is a social problem which  requires to educate people of society. The proposal was also opposed by Industries Minister Manzoor Wassan and Planning and...

ISLAMABAD: Dogged by a recent spate of unresolved cases,  Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak dispelled the impression of any lacklustre performance and said that the police was without any political influence and should not be pressurised. The chief minister while addressing a press conference said that the police in KP performs much better than other provinces, and cannot be judged on just a few cases. “KP Police is independent and should not be compared with other provinces,” he said adding that a handfull of cases are being flouted and cannot determine the performance of the police force. “One or two cases are being flouted. This reduces the morale of the police force. Such cases does not mean that the police is not performing.” CM KP detailed the progress and measures which the provincial government has undertaken to reform the police force. He said that new sophisticated weapons have been provided to the police force. “We have five-star police station...

Stargazers in North America, Hawaii, the Middle East, Russia, India, and Australia are witnessing a rare “super blue blood Moon” Wednesday. The celestial show is the result of the sun, Earth, and Moon lining up perfectly for a lunar eclipse just as the Moon is near its closest orbit point to Earth, making it appear “super” large. It is the second full Moon within the same month, a phenomenon called a “blue” Moon which has nothing to do with its color. Today’s full moon is special for three reasons: it’s the third in a series of “supermoons,” when the Moon is closer to Earth in its orbit — known as perigee — and about 14 percent brighter than usual. It’s also the second full moon of the month, commonly known as a “blue moon.” If you live in North America, Alaska, or Hawaii, a lunar eclipse will be visible before sunrise on Jan. 31. For those in the Middle East, Asia, eastern Russia, Australia and New Zealand, the “super blue blood moon” can be seen during moonrise in the morning ...

NEW DELHI: A eight-month-old girl raped in Delhi has suffered internal injuries, a leading rights campaigner said Wednesday, as she launched a 30-day protest to demand the death penalty for child rapists. Swati Maliwal, who heads the Delhi Commission for Women, visited the infant in hospital after the attack and has urged a change in the law to deter such attacks in the city known as India’s rape capital. Media reports say the victim had to be fitted with a colostomy bag after the attack, which occurred while her mother was out at work. “She has gone through immense pain, her internal organs have been damaged. They will take a long time to heal,” said Maliwal. “She’s just so small. It’s horrific what she’s gone through.” India’s Supreme Court dispatched two doctors to check on the child’s welfare on Wednesday after a lawyer filed a public interest petition asking it to intervene in her case. Maliwal announced a month-long protest to urge tougher laws in India, which has some ...

BEIJING: Beijing criticised the “outdated Cold War mentality” of the United States Wednesday after President Donald Trump named China among threats to American values in his State of the Union address. In recent weeks, US officials have laid the groundwork for a strategic pivot that envisions a world of renewed great power competition with the likes of Russia and China. In his State of the Union address to Congress and the nation on Tuesday, Trump described Moscow and Beijing as challenging “our interests, our economy, and our values”. In Beijing Wednesday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said the common interests of the US and China “far outweigh our differences and disagreements”. A steady relationship with the United States is “also in the interest of the whole world,” Li said after meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May. “China hopes that the United States will work with us and continue to view this relationship in a positive overall perspective,” he said. But Chinese...

ADEN, YEMEN: The UN expressed concern on Wednesday for more than 40,000 displaced Yemenis who had sought refuge in second city Aden, only to find themselves caught in deadly fighting between troops and separatist militia. The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said it had been unable to distribute aid since the southern separatists overran most of the city at the weekend opening up a new front in Yemen’s devastating three-year civil war. “UNHCR emergency aid distributions and humanitarian assessments planned this week for vulnerable, displaced Yemenis have now been postponed and UNHCR humanitarian cargo remains at Aden port unable to be released,” the agency said on Twitter. “We are also particularly concerned for those newly displaced in Aden who have fled other areas in Yemen. More than 40,000 people fled to Aden and nearby governorates since December and we anticipate more displacement as people continue to flee from hostilities in the west coast.” ALSO READ: Yemen separatists surround...

ISLAMABAD: A high-level Afghan delegation comprising the country’s Interior Minister and the chief of National Directorate of Security (NDS) is visiting Pakistan to hold talks on bilateral cooperation between the countries, Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal said on Wednesday. The delegates include NDS chief Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai and Afghan Interior Minister Wais Barmak. Afghan government had requested that a high level delegation comprising Interior Minister and NDS chief would like to visit Pakistan with a message from Afghan President and for discussions about cooperation between the two countries. Delegation is here and will have talks today. — Dr Mohammad Faisal (@DrMFaisal) January 31, 2018 Afghanistan’s envoy to Pakistan Dr Oman Zakhilwal shared the picture of visiting delegation on his official Twitter account. The visit came on the heels of a fresh wave of terrorist attacks in Afghanistan in last few weeks after the Taliban and Daesh apparently s...

BEIJING: Prime Minister Theresa May touted on Wednesday a “golden era” of Sino-British relations with deeper trade ties after Britain leaves the European Union, but her visit to Beijing was dogged by a Brexit row at home. As she embarked on a three-day visit to the Asian giant, May batted away critics of her leadership on Brexit and domestic issues, including within her Conservative party. “First and foremost, I’m serving my country and my party. I’m not a quitter and there’s a long-term job to be done,” she told reporters travelling with her. The House of Lords is scrutinising a key piece of legislation on quitting the EU as a leaked government report shows only economic downsides to leaving the bloc. May discussed Brexit with Premier Li Keqiang when they met at the imposing Great Hall of the People, where both leaders boasted about their “golden era” of relations and the potential for trade ties. “We are determined to deepen our trading relationship even further and we are amb...

ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on Wednesday complained that the PML-N led federal government has been erecting unnecessary hurdles for the oil refinery project between the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government and a Russian oil and gas consortium. Addressing a press conference alongside PTI chairman Imran Khan here, Khattak said the centre has been denying a no-objection certificate to the province for several energy projects. “We have signed a deal with the Russian group of investors but the centre has been showing reluctance to sanction the pact,” he said. Russian consortium representing Inter Rao Engineering and Himmash Apparat, has joined hands with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Oil and Gas Company Limited (KPOGCL) as they plan to set up a medium-sized refinery in Kohat district. Throwing light on the energy pact, Khattak said the province would get 10 percent share in the revenue profit without making an investment. Calling it an unprecedented move, ...

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday questioned the locus standi of members of civil society to file appeals challenging the Sindh High Court November 28 verdict that paved the way for the release of Shahrukh Jatoi and other accused on bail. Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, who headed the three-judge bench, questioned how civil society or NGOs could file appeals when neither the aggrieved party nor the state wanted to question the verdict. He observed that if everyone was given the right to file cases, this would lead to exploitation. The bench issued notice to Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf to appear in person or depute deputy attorney general on next hearing on Thursday (tomorrow) to assist court in the matter. Members of civil society have filed appeals in the apex court challenging the Sindh High Court’s November 28 verdict that set aside the sentences awarded to Shahrukh Jatoi and other accused in Shahzeb murder case. The appellants stated that the Sindh High Court erred...

ISLAMABAD: The government has released over Rs 357.5 billion under its Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2017-18 for various ongoing and new schemes against the total allocations of Rs1,001 billion. The released funds include Rs 104 billion for federal ministries and Rs 32.97 billion for special areas, according to data released by Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform on Tuesday. The commission releases 20% of funds in first quarter (July September), 20% in second quarter (October December), 25% third quarter (January March) and 35% in fourth quarter (April June). Out of these allocations, the government, according to the state run wire service, has released Rs 116.39 billion for National Highway Authority for which Rs 326.25 billion have been allocated for the year 2017-18, whereas for WAPDA (Power) an amount of Rs 19.68 billion has been released out of total allocation of Rs 64.55 billion. Similarly, Rs 5.276 billion have been released for Communication Divisio...

PARIS: Dating sites would be well-advised to add “brain activity” as a compatability criterion, according to a study released Tuesday showing that close friends have eerily comparable neural responses to life experiences. “Our results suggest that friends process the world around them in exceptionally similar ways,” said lead author Carolyn Parkinson, director of the Computational Social Neuroscience Lab at the University of California in Los Angeles. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to compare which regions of the brain lit up as 42 volunteers watched short clips from news reports, music videos, comedy skits and documentaries, researchers were able to identify who among them were friends. The closer the relationship, the more alike the neural patterns in parts of the brain governing emotional response, high-level reasoning, and the capacity to focus one’s attention. “Friends had the most similar neural activity patterns, followed by friends-of-friends,” the authors said in...

STOCKHOLM: Obese people who get surgery to lose weight are slightly more likely to attempt suicide than their counterparts who try other approaches to shed excess pounds, a Swedish study suggests. The findings reinforce a need for thorough pre-surgery mental health assessments of bariatric patients, as well as for providing them with information about the risk of self-harm associated with the procedure and long term follow-up, the study team writes in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology. The researchers examined data from two patient registries of obese individuals who either got bariatric surgery or tried other types of treatment or intensive lifestyle changes to lose weight. In one registry, surgical patients were roughly three times more likely to commit suicide or try to harm themselves than people who used other weight loss approaches, while the risk was 78 percent higher with surgery in the other registry. The absolute risk of suicide was less than 1 percent for both su...

LAHORE: Two people, a policeman among them, were killed when armed men opened fire on them on the premises of a sessions court in Lahore on Wednesday. According to the police, the victim policeman and a suspect facing murder charges were coming out of a courtroom when the latter’s rivals opened fire on them, leaving them with fatal firearm wounds. The accused died on the spot while the policeman succumbed to his injuries at a hospital. The deceased were identified as Constable Asif and suspect Amjad Malik. Following the incident of firing, a heavy contingent of police personnel arrived at the spot of the crime scene and cordoned it off. A number of lawyers gathered on the premises of the court to protest against security lapse, demanding stringent security measures for the court. The post Policeman among two killed in session court firing in Lahore appeared first on ARYNEWS .

BANDUNG: An Indonesian family lived with the bodies of two dead relatives in the hope that keeping their corpses could bring them back to life, police said Wednesday. The bizarre discovery came after a medical officer on a routine visit tipped off authorities after 77-year-old Neneng Hatidjah refused to let the officer inside the house, which was emitting a strange smell. When local authorities forced their way into the home in Cimahi, West Java, they found the nearly skeletal bodies of Hatidjah’s deceased husband and daughter covered with cloth and laid out in a bedroom. Villagers dig up bodies of dead relatives and give them makeover in bizarre ritual She had sprinkled powdered coffee around the remains and police said they also found dozens of perfume bottles in the home, about a three-hour drive from the capital Jakarta. The remains were identified as Hatidjah’s husband, who died in December at the age of 85, and her 50-year-old daughter, who had been dead for two years...

ISLAMABAD: Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Wednesday has retracted his decision to resign from the National Assembly (NA). Rashid had previously announced his resignation during a political gathering on Jan 17 in Lahore’s Mall Road over the Model Town incident. The protest led by Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) saw participation of several opposition parties including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP). Responding to a journalist’s question outside the parliament today, Rashid said the resignation time has passed, hence he feels the move to resign from the parliament is not necessary now. The AML chief also attended the Public Accounts Committee meeting at NA Secretariat. Speaking to ARY News during a fundraising event in Dubai on January 20 for the Shaukat Khanam Memorial Hospital, the AML chief had refused to back down from his decision. He then said he would address a political gathering from his constituency soon and ...

KARACHI: Two eye witnesses on Wednesday identified accused persons during an identification parade in a case pertaining to the death of 27-year-old Naqeebullah in a staged encounter. Judicial Magistrate (Malir) conducted the identification parade. The suspects were lined up among dummies and the magistrate asked the witnesses – Hazrat Ali and Qasim – to identify the suspects. Both the witnesses were picked up along with Naqeebullah on January 03 by police personnel in plain clothes, but they both were later released while Naqeeb was killed in a fake encounter. The witnesses told the magistrate that ASI Allahyar, and other policemen were in plain clothes when they had come to pick them up. In the 15-page report, an inquiry committee investigating Naqeebullah Mehsud’s ‘extrajudicial killing’ had declared Naqeebullah innocent and rejected the claims made by suspended SSP Malir Rao Anwar in light of the evidences that he had criminal background. The report asserted that Naqeebullah ...

ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) has summoned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on February 15 in cases related to the attack on the public owned properties and then SSP Islamabad (Operations) Asmatullah Junejo during the 2014 sit-in in the capital city. The PTI chief has been booked in four cases for inciting the crowd to violence, inflicting damages to the public properties including Pakistan Television (PTV) and parliament buildings in Islamabad. Earlier today, the court had granted interim bail to PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi against a surety bond worth Rs100,00. Previously, the court had approved the bail for Khan against a surety of Rs200,000 in each case. Imran Khan had been skipping the court proceedings for last over three years until he surrendered before the court in November last year. Cases against political cousins Police had booked Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Dr Tahirul Qadri along with their supporters in a number o...

LAHORE: Minister for Pakistan Railway Khawaja Saad Rafique on Wednesday slammed the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government over failure to nab the culprit behind the rape and murder of four-year-old Asma in Mardan. In a series of tweets, the PML-N leader launched a bitter diatribe on political opponents, particularly PTI, which has been in power in KP for more than four years, for not conceding what he said its incompetence to bring the perpetrator in the Asma murder case to justice. He said PTI chief Imran Khan’s association with the province remained only to the extent of using provincial government’s resources. The KP had been burning while Imran was busy telling lies, he added. The PTI, which, according to him, had always slandered others, had never conceded its incompetence and negligence, he added. Rafique said the KP police’s failure to arrest the perpetrators behind the murder of Mashal Khan, Asma, and Aasma was bad governance. “Why PTI has been tig...

Earthquakes are just too common these days. What can a person do against such a natural disaster, which wields damage to epic proportions? Seems like people can’t survive it, right? WRONG. Earthquakes are a difficult situation to tackle, but you can escape without injury or hurting yourself much if you implement a couple of safety procedures. Humans still are vulnerable to natural disasters and calamities however, we can take steps to minimize the damages. Just today, an earthquake jolted India, Afghanistan and Pakistan which was recorded at 7.7 magnitude on the Richter scale. Here are a couple of steps which you can use to hopefully escape unharmed and unhurt, when an earthquake strikes What to do during an earthquake  Here’s what you do when the tremors hit you and you feel the ground beneath you shake:- 1. Take cover underneath a table or heavy item If it’s a mild earthquake, throw yourself down on the floor. Most likely the building won’t collapse but items ...