Punjab CM announces scores of development projects for Taunsa

TAUNSA: Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, during maiden visit to his home district since assuming the office, announced scores of development projects worth billions of rupees for Taunsa and adjacent areas on Saturday.

According to a statement released form his office, CM Usman Buzdar inaugurated dialysis unit at THQ Taunsa and the Urban Bus Service. He laid foundation stone of Boys Degree College Shadan Lund, two-way Indus Highway, a police station and the buildings of Tehsil Complex.

Addressing to members of national and provincial assemblies at Taunsa, the chief minister said, “Change has come and all poor areas including Taunsa Sharif are transforming into developed cities.”

He announced four years BS degree program at boys and girl colleges of Taunsa, giving status of government technical institute to vocational centre, four primary schools for girls, new public Park and the construction of playgrounds in 10 schools, reads the statement.

The chief minister said the Indus Hospital consisting of 200 beds and equipped with modern technology will be set up in Taunsa and during his next visit he will lay the foundation stone of this project. He continued that ‘The Message Higher Secondary School’ will be set up in Taunsa under the Indus Foundation and added that ‘The Insaaf Health Card’ will be launched in Dera Ghazi Khan soon.

CM Buzdar further announced  that model Rural Health Centre will be set up in Wohwa and emergency, orthopedic, surgical, gynae and other units will be available in the 60 beds hospital.

He said Sakhi Sarwar dispensary will be upgraded to Rural Health Centre and announced the construction of Wohwa Road and five embankments will be constructed for the protection of the life of the people.

The chief minister said 15 small dams will be constructed to preserve rainwater and added that after the renovation of Kamal and City Parks in Taunsa Sharif they will be handed over to PHA Lahore.

He said street lights, water supply and sewerage, tuff tiles and beautification of entry and exit points will be done at the cost of 80 crore rupees in Taunsa.

Nine projects of extension and construction of roads will be completed in Taunsa Tehsil at the cost of three billion rupees, CM Buzdar said and added that twenty three kilometre long road from N55 to Kharar Buzdar will be restored after repair and construction.

He announced that special economic zone will be set up in the area and added that interest free loans up to Rs0.2 million will be provided to skilled persons through the Punjab Small industrial Corporation and up to Rs50,000 loans will be provided through Akhuwat.

A cricket coaching centre will also be set up in Taunsa with the corporation of Pakistan Cricket Board and sports grounds will be constructed at the Union Council level, CM Buzdar said and added Dera Ghazi Khan and Taunsa were included in the Prime Minister Apna Ghar Housing Scheme.

He said that passport office and more centres of NADRA will be set up  in the city and added that an amount of Rs3 billion rupees has been allocated for the elimination of poverty under the SPPAP.

Addressing the meeting, CM Usman Buzdar said that Taunsa will be made a district and PM Imran Khan will be asked to visit the new district.

“All resources are for you and you have complete right on them”, he siad and added that Taunsa Sharif will be made most modern tehsil of Pakistan.

He said the number of Arazi centres will be increased from 180 to 800 and the facility of mobile Arazi centre will also be provided in the area. “All districts of the province will be made example of development,” he concluded

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Tableeghi Jamaat Ameer, Haji Abdul Wahab, passes away

LAHORE: Ameer Tableeghi Jamaat, Haji Abdul Wahab, passed away on Sunday morning after a prolonged illness. He was 95.

Haji Abdul Wahab was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Lahore. He was admitted to the hospital five days ago after his health deteriorated and doctors had declared his condition very critical.

The funeral prayers of the deceased religious leader will be offered after Zuhr prayers at Tableeghi Markat, Raiwind.

Haji Abdul Wahab was the third emir of the Tableeghi Jamaat. He was born in New Delhi in 1923. Before the partition, he worked as Tehsildar (tax officer) in his birth city.

After migrating to Pakistan, Haji Wahab graduated from Islamic College, Lahore. Later he left his job and joined the Tableeghi Jamaat.

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Sindh Food Authority to launch more raids soon: Murtaza Wahab

KARACHI: Adviser to chief minister Sindh on Information and Law, Barrister Murtaza Wahab, on Saturday night visited the family of children who lost their lives after consuming poisonous food at a restaurant in Karachi’s posh area a week ago and offered his condolences, ARY News reported.

Speaking to media after meeting the grieved family, Mr Wahab said necessary action would be taken against persons responsible after inquiry report was finalized.

The family of the children will be informed about the investigation report, he added.

The CM’s adviser said Sindh Food Authority had been made functional and soon it would launch more raids to ensure sell of quality food across the province. We will try to make sure that no such incident occurs in future, added Murtaza Wahab.

Two kids accompanying their family came for a dinner on Nov 11 at a known restaurant at Zamzama, DHA, however, after having food their health deteriorated. The kids were immediately rushed to hospital where they died shortly afterwards. One-year-old Ahmad, and five-year-old Muhammad, both sons of Ahsan were the residents of Creek Vista.

Senior doctors at the Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Center described food poisoning as the reason of children’s death after conducting post-mortem of the bodies.

Mother of the children was also hospitalized however her condition was later stated out of danger. Bodies of both the kids were later handed over to their parents.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had also taken notice of the deaths and sought a comprehensive report from commissioner Karachi into the incident.

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156 persons arrested over power theft in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: At least 156 people were arrested in difference areas of Peshawar on charges of electricity theft, ARY News reported.

The city administration also disconnected 944 illegal connections and issued notices to some people involved in the wrongdoing.

According to officials, the administration recovered Rs 30 million from defaulters. While more than 40 transformers were removed from areas where residents had not paid dues.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had established a Reporting Centre at the Energy and Power Department for effective supervision and monitoring of the nationwide campaign against power theft in the province.

“We have set up a Reporting Centre equipped with all latest facilities at Energy and Power Department in Civil Secretariat in Peshawar to monitor and supervise the ongoing crackdown against power theft in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” according to officials.

On October 22, Prime Minister Imran Khan had directed for immediate steps to curtail electricity prices and reduce additional burden on consumers due to pilferage and other damages in the power sector.

It was decided to launch a crackdown on power thieves. A special task force has been set up under chief minister Punjab to stop the power theft and deputy commissioners at the district level will oversee the crackdown against power theft.

PM Imran directed the power division to present a detailed plan for ensuring the availability of quality transformers.

Minister for Power Division Omer Ayub Khan had also directed the six power distribution companies to ensure 100 percent recovery of current electricity billing amounting to over 83 billion rupees for betterment of liquidity of power sector.

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Fire erupts at towel factory in Karachi

KARACHI: A blaze erupted at a towel factory in city’s Gabol Town on late Saturday night and it engulfed most parts of the building, ARY News reported.

At least 10 fire fighting vehicles were engaged in the operation to douse the flames. The cause of the fire couldn’t be determined as yet.

Chief Fire Officer Imtiaz Afzal said that 85 percent of the flames had been doused. He told that his department was informed about the fire at around 3.45am and by the time the blaze had already spread to most areas of the factory.

Two fire fighters were also injured when a decrepit wall of the building fell on them during the operation. They were moved to hospital and their condition was stated out of danger.

Our correspondent reported that flames could not be completely extinguished. A snorkel was called by the fire fighters to contain fire in areas that were inaccessible to fire fighters.

A similar fire had erupted on the fourth floor of a multi-storey building, Techno City, located at I.I. Chandrigarh road in Karachi on Oct 1.

A snorkel and half a dozen fire tenders took part in the fire fighting operation to douse the fire in the building at one of the busiest streets of the city. The fire was put out after more than five hours of efforts.

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PM Imran embarks on a day-long visit to UAE

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has left for the United Arab Emirates on a day-long visit today (Sunday), ARY News reported.

According to a state-run television, Mr Khan is accompanied by several ministers; and he is visiting the UAE on the invitation of Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Matters of bilateral, regional and global interest will be discussed during their meeting.

It is PM Khan’s second visit to the UAE. He first visited the country as the prime minister on September 19.

Imran Khan will hold a meeting with the Crown Prince and other top officials of the UAE government.

Sources said the key agenda of the prime minister’s meetings will be to discuss an economic package with the UAE government.

Foreign Minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who has been presently in the UAE, held a meeting with his UAE counterpart, Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayad Alnahiyan in Abu Dhabi.

The meeting on the sidelines of Sir Bani Yas Forum at the UAE’s foreign office, discussed to enhance bilateral cooperation and regional issues of mutual interest.

Prime Minister Imran Khan will also pay a two-day state visit to Malaysia from November 20, Tuesday. He would be accompanied by a high level delegation.

This would be the first official visit of any foreign leader since Dr. Mahathir Mohamad assumed office in May this year.

The two leaders will have a one- on-one meeting, followed by delegation-level talks.

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