Rs 30bn Metro Bus project to launch in twin cities
Capital Development Authority (CDA) Traffic Engineering Director announced on Wednesday that the much awaited Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus project would be launched in November. The federal government has allocated Rs 30 billion for the project, he added. The official said that the Asian Development Bank's Cities Development Initiative Asia (CDIA) Department has already completed the project’s pre-feasibility study. He informed that the final feasibility report would be completed by next month and tenders would soon be floated in the international media to invite bidding for establishing the transport system. A senior CDA official choosing to remain anonymous said that the mass transit system issue was taken up by the CDA board in a meeting on Monday. He said that the CDA through its own resources could not manage a practical transport service, so it decided to link the project with Rawalpindi to avail the Punjab government’s assistance. He added that the CDA was encouraged to reach this decision due to the success of Lahore’s bus service. The CDA would also engage the Punjab government for a fleet of 50 buses. The official also said that a recommendations report on the transport project’s finances and administration has been submitted for approval before the CDA board. Meanwhile, he said, the CDA’s Planning Wing has marked out bus stop locations in the capital city for the project. Further, the source maintained that the CDA had repeatedly announced a mass transit solution, but had not been able to launch a project duet o paucity of funds. "However, now, the authority’s dream has come true as the federal government has allocated a hefty fund for this project,” he added. However, it is not clear yet whether the federal or Punjab government would bear the cost of the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus project.
Sector G-7 deprived of drinking water
Sector G-7 residents on Wednesday demanded the concerned authorities to immediately repair the area’s water filtration plant so they can get a clean drinking water supply. Many residents said that the water filtration plants in their area were not sterile and people faced a shortage of potable water because most plants have been shut down due to non-payment to contractors by the authorities. The residents claimed that the issue had been reported repeatedly to the Capital Development Authority (CDA) but to no avail. The situation is worst in the filtration plants of Sector G-7/1, G-7/3 and G-7/4 as Sector G-10 residents also use the same plant, which is not enough for all these sectors. Sector G-7/1 resident Zahid Khan said that residents often returned empty handed from the filtration plants as clean drinking water was not available. The residents demanded that the CDA renovate the plants as soon as possible. Sector G-7/1 residents complained that their fundamental rightto clean drinking water was being violated as the CDA seemed in no hurry to install a new filtration plant. A CDA official told that that the authority would replace the faulty filtration plants soon. He advised the residents to avoid misusing and wasting clean drinking water.
Foreigner busted in $ 50,000 fraud
The Kohsar Police on Wednesday arrested a Nigerian involved in fraudulent activities and recovered $ 50,000 from him, a police spokesman said. According to details, Christopher Offera offered his services to Qiasar to clean his dollars through a photosynthesis technique and on this pretext, stole the money, cutting off all contact with Qaisar. Qaisar consequently lodged a complaint with the Kohsar Police Station. SP (City), who constituted a special team headed by Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Siddique and others to trace the criminal. They managed to trace the accused to Lahore, where he was residing, visiting Islamabad for crimes of fraud. The police have recovered the stolen money, and further investigations are underway. Islamabad Superintendent praised the police for their performance, announcing cash prizes and commendation certificates for the team. Further, the Islamabad police arrested 12 other outlaws from various areas of the city and recovered a stolen car, snatched motorcycle, fake currency, 27 wine bottles, three pistols and two daggers from their possession. Bhara Kau Station House Officer (SHO) Inspector Mehboob Ahmed, ASIs Rafi-Ullah and Ameer Sajjad along with the police team arrested four dacoits namely Dil Daraz, Noor Daraz, Usman Munir, Kamran and recovered a snatched motorcycle, 30-bore pistol and two daggers from their possession. ASI Javed Iqbal from the Anti Car Lifting Cell recovered a stolen car (LE-1387) from accused Mushtaq Ahmed while ASIs Muhammad Ishaq and Muhammad Tariq from Sabzi Mandi Police Station arrested Walayat Khan and Dawood, recovering fake currency worth Rs. 30,000 and one 30-bore pistol from them. Further, Abid Hussain was also arrested for decanting gas in cylinders illegally. Sub Inspectors Muhammad Boota, Baddar Munir and Muzafar from Koral Police Station arrested Usman Ali, Aksar Mehmood and Hafie Ahmed besides recovering 27 wine bottles and one 30-bore pistol from them. Cases have been registered against the accused and further investigations are underway.
Clerk by day, cabbie by night
- Fake taxis are on the rise in Islamabad, leading to looting incidents and resentment from registered taxi drivers
Punjab govt to form district school regulating authorities
The Punjab government on Wednesday decided to establish district education authorities for regulating schools and resolving education related problems in the province. The authorities would comprise 9 to 15 members including MNAs and MPAs, local government members, retired bureaucrats and other officers. They would be authorized to approve or reject school renovations, teacher recruitments and transfers, laboratories, halls and rooms’ construction and the purchase of furniture. According to sources, the paper work for the authorities’ formation is in its final stages and they would be established in the fiscal year 2013-14. Meanwhile, teachers unions have decided to reject the formation of the authorities and start a protest movement throughout the province. They believe that the authorities aim at a gradual privatization of government schools. They expressed fears that the authorities would merge schools in the first phase, and close schools or privatise them in the second. They also feared that teachers would be hired contractually.
ANF seizes heroin-making chemicals, 2 arrested
The Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) on Wednesday seized 2,799 cans of chemicals used in heroin manufacturing from Peshawar and arrested three smugglers including two foreigners of Tajik origin. The ANF foiled a bid to smuggle a huge amount of precursor chemicals to Tajikistan via Afghanistan in a record seizure of its kind, said a press release. The company’s owners and the two Tajiks were arrested for trying to smuggle controlled substances. Following a tip off, Peshawar ANF conducted a raid at Al-Khyber Itihad Goods on Peshawar Ring Road and recovered the banned materials. A case under the Control of Narcotics Substances Act-1997 has been registered against the arrested and further investigations are underway.
PNCA cultural show enthralls SAARC delegates
A cultural show titled “Rhythms of Indus” was arranged on Tuesday night at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) for South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) delegates. The audience were mesmerised with a colourful display of the rich Indus civilization through instrumental music and cultural dances. Performances included a Moenjodaro dance, Kalash dance, Khattak dance, Sindhi Jhoomer, Basant Bhangra, Cholistani dance and instrumental performances on the violin, flute, alghoza, dhol and rubab. The show was arranged by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and PNCA in the follow-up to the 26th SAARC finance group meeting, 9th SAARC finance governors' symposium and 42nd Asian Clearing Union (ACU) Board of Directors meeting. Prominent flute player Salman Adil performed a popular Punjabi folk tune. He handled the instrument with consummate skill and enthralled the audience with his performance. Young rubab maestro Gulab Khel performed a popular melody of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. He was accompanied by the tabla. Outstanding violinist Raees Ahmed also performed. He has numerous performances to his credit and has served the country’s music industry monumentally. Governors of central banks and senior government officials from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, and Sri Lanka attended the event.
Secretariat union calls off strike
All Pakistan Secretariat Union’s employees on Wednesday announced to call off a strike after a meeting with Planning and Development Federal Minister Ahsen Iqbal. Union President Chaudhry Muhammad Hussain thanked the government over a 10 percent salary increase and demanded that all legitimate demands of the employees be fulfilled. He presented a demands list which included uniform salaries for all employees in similar pay scales, pension increases, allowance mergers in basic pay, financial benefits on the basis of higher education, computer allowance for stenographers and private secretaries, restoration of move over and selection grades and promotional opportunities for class-4 employees especially drivers. The minister appreciated the union’s decision of the union to call off the strike. He explained that the nation’s exchequer was in dire straits, while they could give a 50 percent increase in salaries by printing money to gain political mileage but it would devalue the rupee, making salary raises futile. He explained that the last government committed this blunder, which led to the masses voting them out in these elections. Moreover, he pointed to Pakistan’s dismal fiscal deficit which has crosses the 8.8 percent mark, thus making it harder for the government to comply with all of the union’s demands. Iqbal added that giving back to the country was as important as asking for one’s rights. He maintained that secretariat employees should work with more dedication for their capacity building through workshops and training courses.
ANF seizes 8kg heroin at airport
The Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) on Tuesday foiled a drug smuggling bid to Greece, recovering eight kilogrammes of heroin and arresting a smuggler at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport. According to ANF sources, a Gujranwala resident, Abdul Quyyam was leaving for Greece from the airport, and upon searching him, ANF personnel recovered at least eight kilogrammes of heroin from his bags. ANF said that the seized heroin’s international value was millions of rupees. ANF handed over the accused to the Airport Police for investigation.
CDA postpones plot auction
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has extended the dates for the plot auction for “Twin Cities Sadar Market” in Sector I-12 and for commercial plots in other sectors.
The grand auction comprising commercial plots of all shapes and sizes in Islamabad’s developed sectors would now be held on June 27 instead of June20, whereas the auction for Sector I-12 Markaz of Twin Cities Sadar Market has been postponed from June 21 to June 28.
The auctions would be held at the Islamabad Jinnah Convention Centre.
Where’s the CDA?
- Community center site turned into garbage dump
Man critically wounded as illegal kite flying continues
The Rawalpindi Administration and police have failed to curb kite flying due to which one person on a motorcycle sustained severe injuries. Tahir Farooq was traveling on the Rawalpindi flyover on a motorcycle when a metal kite string slit his throat. He sustained serious injuries and was shifted to the hospital.
ITP launches traffic rules awareness campaign
The Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) on Tuesday launched an awareness campaign about traffic rules among the citizens as directed by Islamabad Inspector General of Police Bani Amin Khan. The campaign would also focus on ensuring that correct routes are followed, and on eliminating tinted glasses, non-pattern number plates, over-speeding, driving motorbikes without helmets and one-wheeling. The task has been assigned to Traffic Senior Superintendent Dr. Moeen Masood to ensure gain maximum public cooperation in traffic management. ITP teams visited various educational institutions to inform students about traffic laws. Several students were recruited as traffic volunteers. ITP would also run programs on radio channel FM 92.for streamlining the traffic flow. The Traffic SSP said that this campaign would make the roads safer. Further, ITP on Monday fined 182 motorcyclists for not using helmets, 164 public transport vehicles over route violations, 53 motorists for not fastening seat belts, 50 for red signal violations, 12 for using tinted glass vehicles and 44 motorcyclists for one-wheeling. Moreover, they also fined 53 unlicensed drivers, 20 vehicles for poor quality CNG kits and 378 vehicles for miscellaneous violations.
NUML organizes teacher training workshop
A two-week long faculty development workshop on "Total Teacher Effectiveness Through Professionalism" (TTEP) organised by National University of Modern Languages (NUML)’s Education Department concluded on Tuesday. 30 faculty members from different departments attended and Dr Sufiana Khatoon Malik was the coordinator. The workshop included interactive sessions, reflective practice sessions, group discussions, problem solving situations, brain storming and classroom situations to create awareness among professional teachers about professionalism, competence, professional attitudes, ethical behaviour and respect for students' diverse backgrounds and abilities. NUML Rector Major General (R) Masood Hasan said at the concluding ceremony that such workshops helped one stay updated with latest teaching methodologies. He said that it also provided an opportunity to teachers to learn from those with more experience. “Now, it is your responsibility to share this knowledge with other faculty members and apply it in your classrooms, he added. TTEP Coordinator Dr Sufiana Khatoon Malik informed that the teaching profession is ever-evolving, adding that fresh developments had increased the teacher’s responsibility and role. The concluding session was also attended by Director General Brigadier Azam Jamal, Registrar Brigadier (R) Saeed Akhtar Malik, Education Department Head Dr Brigadier (R) Allah Bakhsh Malik, resource persons, participants and other university officials. The rector distributed certificates amongst participants and resource persons.

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