Not a big fan of outages
A city without water and electricity is not a place one would want to be in this boiling summer season. The agitated citizens of the provincial capital continue to cry out loud at the unavailability of basic necessities of life. Markets and business hubs of the city portrayed a deserted look as the power outages continued for more 20 hours in some parts of the city. The load-shedding of electricity especially during night made people pass sleepless nights and due to shortage of sleep, the people went irritated and the cases of quarrel have been increased. There was also a shortage of water as all the water supply schemes were stopped due to load shedding. Despite the caretaker government repeated assurance that the load shedding would be cut short, no respite has been made to the people. During power outages, labourers’ were seen waiting outside shops for electricity to come and resume work. Meanwhile, mercury jumped to 47 degrees Celsius on Thursday which was the highest recorded for the season. Residents from various areas of the city said that the electricity outages also interrupted the water supply to the localities due to which they had to fetch water from far off areas. Moreover, traffic signals in most of the busy chowks of the city remained turned off due to the load shedding, creating problems for the traffic police. The residents demanded the concerned authorities to end the prolonged and unannounced load shedding in the city.
Measles nearing century
Measles death toll rose to 97 in Punjab as another child died at the Children’s Hospital on Thursday. Seven-month-old Abdul Rehman was under treatment in Children’s Hospital where he breathed his last. Keeping in view the critical situation provincial health department had started anti-measles campaign across Punjab under which children under 10 years of age were vaccinated. However, despite vaccination, measles has been continuing to claim lives across Punjab. The citizens have criticised the performance of the Punjab Health Department and federal government to overcome measles. They demanded for seeking help of international health experts for bringing the dreadful disease under control and to stop the deaths of innocent children.
LHC sets aside removal orders of 17 law officers
The Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial on Thursday set aside removal orders of 17 provincial law officers after declaring them discriminatory. The chief justice passed the orders while allowing petitions filed by Muhammad Saeed and others against their dismissal. The petitioners' through their petition submitted that the provincial interim government removed 20 law officers including them without any reason. They contended that the step was not only against the mandate of the interim government but also discriminatory. They said that selected law officers were removed against rules. They pleaded the court to set aside the removal orders as the court had already given relief to three officers who were dismissed with them. The chief justice after hearing the arguments set aside the removal orders of the petitioners while allowing their petition. LHC TAKES NOTICE OF ACID ATTACK: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday took notice of an acid attack on a woman and her two sons in Hazro Area. Attock district & sessions judge has been directed to probe into the matter and submit a detailed report regarding steps taken by the local police along with his own comments. According to details, a woman, a resident of suburban Hazro, was at her house with her two sons aged three and one. An unidentified man entered the house, sprayed acid over them and escaped. As a result, she and her sons received burns. The local police rushed to the scene and shifted the victims to the hospital. LHC Complaint Cell took notice of the news and directed the concerned D&SJ to look into the matter and submit report within a week. LHC REMOVES OBJECTION ON PLEA AGAINST APML’S MNA-ELECT: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday removed an office objection on a plea seeking disqualification of an MNA-elect belonging to Pervez Musharraf’s All Pakistan Muslim League (APML). After removing the objection the court directed that the plea be fixed for the hearing. LHC registrar had objected to the plea filed against MNA-elect Shehzad Iftikahr saying that the plea be moved in the Islamabad High Court. Applicant noted that the Iftikhar contested election in violation of party decision of boycotting the polls. He prayed the court to disqualify Shehzad Iftikhar.
Seven D&SJs transferred
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday posted and transferred seven district and sessions judges (D&SJs). According to an LHC notification, the following transfers of D&SJs has been made: Muhammad Tanvir Mir from Khushab to Attock, Mujahid Mustaqim Ahmad from Attock to Khushab, Tahir Sabir from Bahawalnagar to Chakwal, Moqurab Khan from Chakwal to Lahore, Syed Pervez Ali Shah from Hafizabad to Bahawalnagar, Mushtaq Ahmad Tarar from Sahiwal to Hafizabad and Hafeez Ullah Khan from Lahore to Sahiwal.
PML-N names Shahbaz as Punjab CM
Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) chief Mian Nawaz Sharif has formally nominated his younger brother Shahbaz Sharif for the post of Punjab chief minister, a private news channel reported on Thursday. Sharif had won seats from Lahore’s PP-159 and PP-161 and Rajapur’s PP-247 constituency. The formal approval for provincial chief minister’s slot has been made prior to the Punjab Assembly’s parliamentary session. The PML-N is leading in the provincial assembly with a two-third majority. Shahbaz has remained Punjab chief minister from 2008 to 2013. Previously, he held this position from 1997 to 1999, when former dictator Pervez Musharraf toppled the government. He, along with his entire family, was sent to exile to Saudi Arabia. The entire family returned back to Pakistan in 2007.
‘Education is our top priority’
Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) Punjab President Mian Shahbaz Sharif has said that more than 7 billion rupees will be spent on education during next 5 years as education was their top priority. He said that PML-N government will welcome opposition's suggestions on every issue. He said Nawaz Sharif's team has the capability to bring in a real change in the country.
Saleema speaks out for senior citizens
- Dementia Center set up at Mayo Hospital
PR employees protest against Multan DS
The employees of Pakistan Railways on Thursday staged a protest outside the DS Office against corruption and illegal appointments by Multan’s divisional superintendent. The protest was lodged under the auspices of PREM Union. The protesters called upon the government to appoint any in-service railway officer as chairman to protect the department from a complete destruction. Addressing the protesters, PREM Union Senior Vice President Sheikh Anwar said that railway officers should cut expenditures instead of pinching junior employees. He protested that TA/DA of employees had been withheld for two years. He warned the administration of jamming the railways if their demands were not met. Earlier, hundreds of PR employees raised slogans against the Multan DS.
Punjab government closes schools due to intense heat
The Punjab government on Thursday announced that all schools in the province would start their respective annual summer holidays from June 1 till August 14. A notification to this effect was issued by the Punjab Education Department. The vacations have been announced in all schools and colleges due to the intensity of heat. Private education institutes have been told to establish summer camp from 7:00am to 11:00am.
Measles kills three more
Three more children who had been suffering from measles died in the Children’s Hospital on Wednesday, raising the measles death toll to 96 in Punjab.
The deceased have been identified as Haris (2), Babar (1) and Zoya (2) who had been undergoing treatment at the hospital.
According to hospital sources, the deceased were from Lahore and Sargodha. As many as 253 new cases have been reported during the last 24 hours from Punjab including 73 from the city hospitals. The number of measles cases reported in Punjab in last six months has reached 13,220.
‘5% minority quota in university recruitment a must’
Punjab Ombudsman Javed Mehmood has termed the ignoring of five percent quota allocated for minorities during the recruitments in Sargodha University as serious maladministration. Mehmood issued these orders on the application of Sargodha University Town All Pakistan Minorities Democratic Movement Chairman Chaudhry Mushtaq Gill. Gill had appealed to the ombudsman that five percent quota allocated for minorities had been totally ignored by Sargodha University during recruitments and the university administration was not willing to implement the rules and regulations at any cost despite repeated requests. The Punjab ombudsman called for explanation from the Sargodha University administration in this regard, and during an enquiry it revealed that it had committed serious violation of rules during process of recruitments of employees. He ordered Sargodha University vice chancellor and registrar to explain their case in this regard. He also ordered them to include five percent minority quota in all recruitments made after March 2010 as per constitution and rules and submit a report to Ombudsman office within a month. Mehmood said that the maladministration of Sargodha University had been proved during the recruitment process and the minority quota had not been mentioned in any advertisement published in the newspapers by Sargodha University after March 2010.
‘Enough of protests, let’s work now?’
Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahbaz Sharif has said his party had no interest in the politics of sit-ins and protests. He said it was time to resolve people's problems instead of staging protests. He appealed to all political parties to get united. The PML-N has also decided to convene a roundtable conference in the wake of poor law and order situation in Karachi. According to sources, PML-N has ruled out the option of military operation to restore peace in the country’s commercial capital.
Pedestrian bridge on Ring Road collapses
A part of an under construction pedestrian bridge on Ring Road collapsed on Wednesday disrupting flow of vehicular traffic in the area. Authorities suspended the traffic from both sides after the incident to remove the debris. According to eyewitnesses, a part of under construction pedestrian bridge in Kamhan Pind area of Defence Phase-IV collapsed on Wednesday morning. No casualties were reported from the incident.
Newly weds face family’s wrath in LHC
A couple married against their families’ wishes were harassed by their relations on Wednesday, right after procuring the Lahore High Court (LHC)’s approval to stay together. According to the authorities, Yousuf had married Zahida against her family’s will who had lodged a First Information report (FIR) against the couple. However, after hearing the appeal, the high court allowed the married couple to stay together which infuriated Zahida’s family. They physically assaulted the two, but the newlywed couple managed to escape.

High




