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Waqas Dar

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Blog Entries posted by Waqas Dar

  1. Waqas Dar
    KARACHI: Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah said on Sunday that Pakistan People?s Party leaders would address the reservations of Governor Sindh Muhammad Zubair in the Sindh Assembly on a bill concerning the authority of the National Accountability Bureau.
    CM Sindh was addressing a press conference along with other party members, at the occasion of former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf member Naz Baloch?s joining of the PPP.
    The bill in question seeks to repeal the applicability of the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999 in the province.

    He said that former military ruler and president Pervez Musharraf had enforced the NAB?s law during 1999?s emergency.
    ?The 17th Amendment gave safeguard to this law,? he said, adding that the governor has the authority to take back the law.
    ?Despite being the governor his interest is not in line with that of Sindh,? said CM Murad.
    Sindh governor refuses to approve anti-NAB bill
    Sindh governor sent the notification along with objection note to Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah
    Sindh Governor Zubair refused on Friday to approve the bill, according to Governor House sources. The governor sent the notification back along with an objection note to CM Sindh.
    Regarding his concerns, Zubair said that repealing NAO is against public interest, adding ?it is our responsibility to ensure the elimination of corruption.?
    On July 3, the Sindh Assembly had passed the 'anti-National Accountability Bureau (NAB) bill', which was tabled by the provincial government.


  2. Waqas Dar
    Minister of Defence and Minister of Water and Power 
    Senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Khawaja Asif lashed out at the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on Sunday.
    In a tweet posted late afternoon, the minister for defence and power questioned the party's ethics, stating that "a certain party resigned from the assembly, then begged to withdraw its resignations, and is now demanding the Prime Minister's resignation."
    A few hours earlier, Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping Mir Hasil Bizenjo said a crisis-like situation exists in the country because of the Panama case.
    ?The joint investigation team [of the Panama case] was dishonest in the way it conducted the proceedings,? he said while talking to the media. ?The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz should challenge such a JIT that is based on dishonesty.?
    The Panama Papers saga enters what may likely be its final round on Monday as the Supreme Court will hear responses of all the parties over the joint investigation team (JIT)?s report.

    All eyes are fixed on the Supreme Court as the future course of the over-year long episode is likely to be determined by the honourable judges on Monday. 


  3. Waqas Dar
    Tennis player Roger Federer. Photo: Reuters  LONDON: For the first time in eight grand slam finals over the same amount of years, Roger Federer will not play someone called Andy, Novak or Rafa when he bids for a record eighth Wimbledon title on Sunday.
    Such has been the dominance of tennis's so-called big-four along with Swiss Stan Wawrinka that Federer will have to wind the clock back to the 2009 US Open when he lost to Juan Martin del Potro to remember what it is like to play a major final against someone outside of the sport's established powerbase.
    With Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic and Rafa Nadal all having fallen by the wayside at Wimbledon this year, Federer will face Marin Cilic in the Center Court showdown.
    While the Croat comes armed with a huge serve and some grand slam pedigree, as the last person outside of the world's current top five to win a major, Federer admits it will be a nice change to see a fresh face on the other side of the net.
    "Thank God I've played also guys who were not called Rafa, Andy or Novak (in finals) in the past," Federer told reporters.
    "From that standpoint I don't want to say it's more relaxed going into it because I have a good head-to-head record against Marin, even though the matches were extremely close.
    "But it's not like we've played against each other 30 times. You feel like you have to reinvent the wheel. It's more straightforward, in my opinion. I think that's nice in some ways. It's a nice change, but it doesn't make things easier."
    Federer is level with Britain's William Renshaw and American Pete Sampras on seven Wimbledon titles and has been refreshed after taking an extended break from the game to prepare for the grasscourt slam.
    He has not dropped a set all tournament and is a clear favorite to claim a 19th grand slam title, after he began the year by winning the Australian Open.
    "It makes me really happy, making history here at Wimbledon," he said.
    "It's a big deal. I love this tournament. All my dreams came true here as a player. To have another chance to go for number eight now, be so close now at this stage, is a great feeling."


  4. Waqas Dar
    [embed_video1 url=http://stream.jeem.tv/vod/673db095514a2531fb931d0535a868e6.mp4/playlist.m3u8?wmsAuthSign=c2VydmVyX3RpbWU9Ny8xNi8yMDE3IDEwOjMwOjUwIEFNJmhhc2hfdmFsdWU9c1JFN1RNSHh1dHpBUEFaeVlKWW5yQT09JnZhbGlkbWludXRlcz02MCZpZD0x style=center] KARACHI: There is a crisis-like situation in the country because of the Panama case, said Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping Mir Hasil Bizenjo on Sunday.

    ?The joint investigation team [of the Panama case] was dishonest in the way it conducted the proceedings,? he said while talking to the media. ?The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz should challenge such a JIT that is based on dishonesty.?
    Bizenjo said it seemed like the JIT was conducting proceedings against criminals not politicians.
    However, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif went by court orders with honesty, Bizenjo maintained. ?He respected the court, presenting himself and his family for accountability.?
    He said every member of the Sharif family presented themselves before the JIT, except for Kalsoom Nawaz, the premier's wife.
    ?Unlike Former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gillani, Nawaz Sharif did not refuse to accept court orders,? the ports minister said.
    At present, he added, no one in the country fulfils the requirements stated in articles 62 and 32 of the Constitution. The articles state the eligibility criteria to be a member of the Parliament, and the reasons that result in disqualification.


  5. Waqas Dar
    Rioting followers of local spiritual leader Amjad Ali Shah pictured on Sunday.  FATEH JANG: Followers of a local spiritual leader Amjad Ali Shah injured two including an SHO after the police arrested Shah in Qutbal on Sunday.
    The rioting mob vandalised the Airport Police Station, set public records on fire, and damaged cars parked in the vicinity.

    [embed_video1 url=http://stream.jeem.tv/vod/858ccb4b5908c5d07ce2bd5458c4067c.mp4/playlist.m3u8?wmsAuthSign=c2VydmVyX3RpbWU9Ny8xNi8yMDE3IDEwOjIwOjI0IEFNJmhhc2hfdmFsdWU9UHFyUWJqbzVDbTRPU090YWFyYzhWZz09JnZhbGlkbWludXRlcz02MCZpZD0x style=center] Long queues formed on the Fateh Jang Rawalpindi road after the mob created roadblocks.

    A large contingent of police was summoned to the scene of incident to restore law and order. 
    Negotiations with protesters were underway at the time of publication.


  6. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry said on Sunday that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has still not submitted any objection to the JIT report.

    Addressing a press conference, he said the ruling party is having trouble finding any worthwhile lawyer to represent them.
    ?We hope the Panama case will reach its logical conclusion by the end of the week,? said the PTI leader.
    Chaudhry said there was a substantial increase in Nawaz Sharif?s assets after he came to power, adding that the premier was sent Rs1 billion from 2010-2015 as gifts. ?He gifted Rs82 million to Maryam who then gifted it back to Nawaz,? claimed Chaudhry.
    He claimed the PML-N was used as a tool to whiten ill-gotten wealth.
    The JIT report stated that Hussain Nawaz owns 13 companies of which nine are loss-making enterprises, Chaudhry said.
    The PTI leader said those defending the Sharif family should first become defenders of Pakistan. He advised those looking for conspiracies to first read the JIT report. ?When the Urdu translation of the JIT report is out, it?ll be clear what ?seems/likely? means,? he said.
    Everyone must be held accountable but it should start from the ruling party, stressed Chaudhry.
    He revealed that an indoor event of the PTI that was to be held today and attended by PTI chief Imran Khan was sealed by the local administration of Islamabad. ?We strongly condemn this act,? he stated. 
    Chaudhry was accompanied by Senator Shibli Faraz of the PTI. 
    Shafqat Mahmood's presser
    At a press conference in Lahore earlier, PTI's Shafqat Mahmood said the money trail of Sharif family is connected to Gulf Steel Mills as United Arab Emirates has no records of the company?s dealings.
    He added that Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed on the sale agreement of Gulf Steel Mills, but now he has refused to admit to what he did.
    He spoke further about the ownership of properties by Sharif family, saying it has been proven that Neilsen company belong to Maryam Nawaz. He said it has also been proven Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was the marketing manager of FZE company on a salary of DHR 10,000. ?Now they claim Nawaz was the chairperson and manager but did not take salary.?
    Mahmood said the public elected Nawaz to rule the country, not carry out corrupt activities.
    The PTI leader said the Panama case is nearing its conclusion, which is why the ministers were worrying with the passage of time.
    He maintained the ministers talk about conspiracies but do not name anyone.
    ?Leaders have also been calling Panama case an international conspiracy,? Mahmood said. ?But it is surprising that different countries have collaborated to conspire against them.?


  7. Waqas Dar
    RAWALPINDI: Inter Services Public Relations Director General Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor held a press conference on Sunday. 

    Addressing the media, he said a follow-up operation, Khyber-4, has been launched in Khyber Agency's Rajgal Valley today. The ISPR DG said the area, next to the Afghan border, is being used by Daesh and other local militant groups. 
    A division-plus size force will take part in the operation, he informed, hoping they plan to unilaterlly secure the int border, eliminate hideouts, and complete physical hold on Khyber Agency. 
    The army spokesperson also gave a country-wide breakdown of the operations taken as part of Operation Raddul Fasaad (RuF), stating that the security situation of the country has improved after the launch of RuF.
    Talking about the situation on the Line of Control, he said so far 580 ceasefire violations have occurred to-date this year ? the highest in any year. "This indicates the Indian aim of diverting attention from political upheaval in Indian Occupied Kashmir," he claimed.  
    The ISPR DG lamented that the Indian army has the choice of opening fire on civilian areas whereas the Pakistan Army cannot do that to Kashmiris across the LoC. 
    "There will never be any foreign boots on our ground," said Maj Gen Ghafoor when talking about collaborative efforts against terrorism on the Pak-Afghan border. 
    Referring to the ongoing phase-1 of fencing the Pak- Afghan border, he said on average there is a fort or check post every 1.5 kilometres. 
    Talking about the military courts, he said at present 40 cases are under process at the moment. Regarding the 17 terrorists nabbed in Parachinar, he said there case in the military court will be fast-tracked. 
    He ended the presser by relaying a message from the army chief: We are building peace in our country, brick by brick.
    Replying to a question on the Kulbhushan Jadhav case, DG ISPR said the army chief is reviewing the proceedings of the case and will take a decision on his appeal on merit. 
    When asked to comment on reports that the army is part of a conspiracy to remove the government, he said "I don't think it merits a response. I have shown you what the army is doing". 
    In response to another question, Maj Gen Ghafoor stressed that there is no organised Daesh infrastructure in Pakistan and nor will one be allowed. ?However, Daesh is getting stronger in Afghanistan but is still far from making a base the way it did in the Middle East.?
    He added that splinter groups of TTP adopting the bandwagon of Daesh in Pakistan are already being taken care of by the security forces.
    ?It is the duty of every Pakistani to ensure the supremacy of the law and Constitution,? he said when asked about the ongoing political crisis in the country. 



  8. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Saturday issued a strongly worded rebuttal to Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal?s comments on Geo News? programme Naya Pakistan with Talat Hussain.
    Iqbal stated that cabinet members had agreed, during a recent cabinet meeting, that the JIT?s modus operandi did not meet the requirements of justice.
    The minister quoted Chaudhry Nisar as referring to his over three-decade long association with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and describing his loyalty as an asset he was proud of in his political journey.
    An hour after Iqbal?s comments ? aimed at dispelling the impression that Chaudhry Nisar had distanced himself from Pakistan Mulsim League ? Nawaz?s (PML-N) leadership over the Panama Papers probe and JIT report ? were aired, an interior ministry spokesperson issued a strongly worded statement refuting the remarks attributed to Nisar by ?a member of cabinet.?
    The interior minister had excused himself from a crucial PML-N parliamentary party meeting following the cabinet meeting on Friday, on the basis of prior engagements.
    Nisar strongly negated rumours that his absence was something symbolic and said personal engagements kept him from attending the meeting.
    In a statement that indirectly referred to Nisar, Iqbal had also said that one?s character was defined by their decision to complain or stand by the individual who was in trouble.


  9. Waqas Dar
    Naz Baloch addressing the media on Sunday. Photo: Geo News KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Naz Baloch announced joining Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Sunday.
    Addressing the media alongside Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and senior PPP figure Faryal Talpur at the party?s media cell, she said ?I?ve returned home as my father laid down the foundation of the PPP alongside Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto?.


    She said she does not want to smear the party where she spent seven years of her life. ?I am a representative of Sindh. I disagree with the PTI?s policies which focus only at Punjab and the centre?s politics,? she said. 

    Criticising the appointment of the same group of people as the PTI's Karachi heads, she said it is no surprise that the party's support has dwindled in the city.
    Around half an hour before her announcement, Baloch, who was considered an active PTI member on the social media with over 600,000 followers, tweeted the following:
    The move comes after several recent moves into the PTI of PPP leaders in Punjab. The most recent transfer was of former PPP senator Babar Awan, who has since assumed the charge of being one of the party's spokespersons.  
    Prior to Awan, PPP's Firdous Ashiq Awan, Noor Alam Khan and Nazar Gondal also joined the PTI.



  10. Waqas Dar
    LAHORE: The money trail of Sharif family is connected to Gulf Steel Mills as United Arab Emirates has no records of the company?s dealings, said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf?s Shafqat Mahmood.

    He added Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed on the agreement of Gulf Steel, but now he has refused to admit to what he did.
    While addressing a news conference in Lahore, the PTI leader said the Panama case is nearing its conclusion, which is why the ministers were worrying with the passage of time.
    He maintained the ministers talk about conspiracies but do not name anyone.
    ?Leaders have also been calling Panama case an international conspiracy,? Mahmood said. ?But it is surprising that different countries have collaborated to conspire against them.?



    Mahmood was speaking to the media regarding the Panama case on Sunday, a day ahead of the announcement on the Supreme Court?s final verdict.


  11. Waqas Dar
    Overturned oil tanker pictured on the National Highway near Bhit Shah.  BHIT SHAH: An oil tanker en route to Punjab overturned on the National Highway near Bhit Shah on Sunday.
    The vehicle's driver ? who got trapped in the front cabin following the incident ? was safely removed.
    The overturned tanker was reportedly carrying 50,000 litres of fuel.  Police cordoned off the scene of incident and called for machinery, fire brigade, and rescue teams to commence the rescue operation.
    Reportedly 50,000 litres of fuel is present in the tanker. 
    In a similar incident on Saturday, a mini truck carrying oil overturned on Multan Road near Manga Mandi.
    Mini truck carrying oil overturns near Multan Road in Lahore
    The mini truck was reportedly speeding following which the incident happened
    The truck ? that was reportedly speeding ? overturned after one of its wheels dismantled, following which its oil tank started leaking.
    Earlier on Thursday morning, an oil tanker overturned on the National Highway near Rahim Yar Khan.
    The tanker, transporting around 40,000 litres of fuel, skidded off the road after the driver dozed off while passing by Koochi Muhammad Khan, according to officials. 
    Reckless driving: Oil tanker overturns near Rahim Yar Khan
    The tanker, transporting around 40,000 litres of fuel, skidded off the road after the driver dozed off
    In one of the biggest national tragedies in the past month, at least 152 people were burnt to death and scores injured after an oil tanker overturned and caught fire in Bahawalpur's Ahmedpur East town on June 25.

    152 burnt to death as oil tanker catches fire in Bahawalpur
    Scores injured in fire that broke out after oil tanker overturned and crowds rushed to collect fuel
    Most victims were residents of nearby localities who had rushed to the scene of incident to collect the leaking fuel after the tanker toppled, said rescue sources.



  12. Waqas Dar
    [embed_video1 url=http://stream.jeem.tv/vod/f6c8c640ffbd1169f06b502f19dceb58.mp4/playlist.m3u8?wmsAuthSign=c2VydmVyX3RpbWU9Ny8xNi8yMDE3IDY6MjY6NDYgQU0maGFzaF92YWx1ZT1qM2ZnU2IzaXBUY3VaeTJ0SXB2aUlRPT0mdmFsaWRtaW51dGVzPTYwJmlkPTE= style=center] LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif in an implied reference to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan said, ?a politician expert in levelling allegations has broken all records of lying.?

    In a statement released on Sunday, the Pakistan Muslim League ? Nawaz (PML-N) leader said the Pakistani nation only wishes to see the country growth and development.
    He implored that the public should remain indifferent to long marches and protests and said that those trying to hamper the country?s progress should ?have mercy on the nation.?
    ?We [PML-N] will serve the nation selflessly,? the Punjab CM said. ?We will live and die with the nation.? 


  13. Waqas Dar
    Photo: File QUETTA: Unofficial results for by-election on the National Assembly constituency NA-260 (Quetta-cum-Chagai) declared Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam ? Fazl?s (JUI-F) Usman Badini the winner with 42,636 votes.
    Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) Bahadur Khan Mengal stood second with 36,622 votes, as per the unofficial results.
    The seat fell vacant after the death of Abdul Rahim Mandokhel, the senior vice chairman of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP).
    In all 17 candidates contested the poll, of which nine were independent candidates.
    Prominent candidates included Sardarzada Umair Muhammad Hasni of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Dr Usman Badani of JUI-F, Bahadur Khan Mengal of BNP-M, Jamal Khan Tarakai of PkMAP, Dr Munir Ahmed of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Qari Meharullah of JUI-Nazaryati.
    Two candidates, BNP-Awami's Dr Asif Baloch and Hazara Democratic Party's Ahmed Ali Kohzad, withdrew their candidature in favour of BNP-Mengal candidate Bahadur Khan Mengal.
    In the last seven elections held in the constituency, the PPP won the seat five times while the JUI-F clinched it twice.


  14. Waqas Dar
    A CCTV camera screenshot showing the moment before the traffic cop was run over. Photo: Geo News QUETTA: The police have registered another case against Balochistan MPA Abdul Majeed Achakzai after his official vehicle was found to have been illegal.
    Reports on Wednesday stated that the Civil Lines police registered a case against the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party MPA after forensic examination of his vehicle which ran over a traffic police official on June 20 showed that it was unregistered. Reports further stated that the engine and chassis number of the land cruiser had also been tampered with.
    It thus emerged that the MPA had illegally converted an unregistered vehicle into his official vehicle.
    Moreover, on Saturday, an Anti-Terrorism Court rejected the bail plea of the MPA and extended his judicial remand for three days.
    Achakzai is presently in jail on judicial remand after being arrested for the attempted killing of traffic policeman Haji Attaulla.
    Attaulla succumbed to injuries on June 20 after Achakzai allegedly ran him over while he was performing his duty near Quetta's GPO Chowk.
    Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on June 28 took suo motu notice of the incident and summoned a detailed report from the Balochistan police.
    Since his arrest, at least one more case was registered against the MPA related to a kidnapping case several years ago. 


  15. Waqas Dar
    geo_embedgallery
    India's biggest Bollywood stars lit up an American stadium Saturday with a dazzling celebration of dance, music and fashion at the International Indian Film Academy awards just outside New York.

    Held each year in a different city overseas, IIFA is India's biggest media event and one of the world's most-watched annual entertainment shows, with an audience of nearly 800 million people.
    Thousands of delighted fans, dressed to the nines in evening gowns, cocktail dresses, saris and jewel-encrusted shalwar kameez, shrieked with delight as the awards got underway at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, a short drive from New York.
    A Donald Trump impersonator, introduced as Ronald Grump, tried to lead the crowd in a few strains of song, before actress Alia Bhatt whipped the audience into a frenzy, cheering an upbeat song and signature Bollywood moves with backup dancers in neon costumes.
    Fellow A-listers Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Shahid Kapoor, Sushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanon are also expected to perform.
    Hosted by Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan and producer-director Karan Johar, it is the culmination of a three-day festival, which kicked off with a fashion show and music in Times Square.
    On Friday, the heavens opened during a concert honouring A.R. Rahman, the movie composer who won two Oscars in 2009 for "Slumdog Millionaire" and a green carpet parade of stars in their finery was cancelled at the last minute owing to the poor weather.
    This year marks the 18th edition of the awards, which some dub the Oscars of Bollywood, at a time of growth for Indian film in North America.
    Insiders attribute the increase to the thriving Indian economy, bigger budgets, an increasing South Asian diaspora, and growing popularity among Afghans, Arabs, Russians and Caribbean immigrants.
    Increased crossover with Indian stars such as Priyanka Chopra taking on Hollywood is giving India more global exposure.
    But if IIFA's hopes to reach out to new audiences by holding its awards ceremony each year overseas, it still has some way to penetrate non-South Asian audiences in the United States.
    "The world needs Bollywood movies," actor Anil Kapoor of "Slumdog Millionaire" fame told AFP on the green carpet Saturday, praising their "happiness, smiles, laughter, dance, celebration."
    As for the awards themselves "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" ("This Heart is Complicated") leads the way with eight nominations followed by "M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story", a biopic of former Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, which is nominated for seven awards.
    Dubbed Bollywood's Oscars by some, although critics say the awards themselves do not enjoy the same stature.


  16. Waqas Dar
    ANKARA/ISTANBUL: Hundreds of thousands of Turks rallied to mark the anniversary of last year's failed coup on Saturday, in an outpouring of mass support for President Tayyip Erdogan that lay bare the divisions of a society driven by widespread purges.
    A sea of rapturous, flag-waving crowds gathered in Istanbul to listen as a defiant Erdogan promised to punish his enemies and praised the unarmed civilians who last year stood up to the rogue soldiers and their tanks.
    "They showed no mercy when they pointed their guns at my people," Erdogan said. "What did my people have? They had their flags - just as they do today - and something much more important: They had their faith."
    Some 250 people were killed and parliament was bombed before the coup was put down. The show of popular defiance has likely ended decades of military interference in Turkish politics.
    But along with a groundswell of nationalism, the coup's greatest legacy has been a far-reaching crackdown that has deepened the divide between Western-facing, secular Turks and the pious millions who back Erdogan's Islamist-rooted politics.
    Some 150,000 people have been sacked or suspended from jobs in the civil service and private sector and more than 50,000 detained for alleged links to the putsch. On Friday, the government said it had dismissed 7,000 more police, civil servants and academics for suspected links to the Muslim cleric it blames for the attempted coup.
    "Nobody who betrays this nation can remain unpunished," Erdogan said, promising again to restore the death penalty if parliament votes to bring it back - a move that would all but end Turkey's bid to join the European Union.
    Critics, including rights groups and some Western governments, say that Erdogan is using the state of emergency introduced after the coup to target opposition figures including rights activists, pro-Kurdish politicians and journalists.
    The two co-leaders of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) are in jail - as are local members of rights group Amnesty International and nearly 160 journalists, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
    'Justice Destroyed'
    At a parliamentary ceremony in Ankara on Saturday, the head of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) decried what he said was the erosion of democracy following the coup.
    "This parliament, which withstood bombs, has been rendered obsolete and its authority removed," said Kemal Kilicdaroglu, in a reference to an April referendum that Erdogan narrowly won, giving him sweeping executive powers.
    "In the past year, justice has been destroyed. Instead of rapid normalisation, a permanent state of emergency has been implemented."
    Kilicdaroglu this month finished a 25-day, 425 km (265 miles) "justice march" from Ankara to Istanbul, to protest the detention of a CHP lawmaker. The march, although largely ignored by the pro-government media, culminated in a massive rally in Istanbul against the crackdown.
    The US State Department lauded Turks for defending their democracy but cautioned about the need to preserve basic freedoms.
    "More voices, not fewer, are necessary in challenging times," it said in a statement.
    Thousands March
    In Istanbul, hundreds of thousands gathered to listen to Erdogan near the bridge spanning the Bosphorus - the spot where last year civilians confronted the tanks and troops who had halted traffic between the city's European and Asian sides.
    Roads near the bridge - since renamed "July 15 Martyrs' Bridge" - were so crowded that some people opted to come by ferry. Some in the crowd carried posters of those who died.
    Erdogan was also due to speak at parliament in the early hours on Sunday, to observe the precise minute that the putschists bombed the national assembly building.
    In the run-up to the anniversary, Turkish media has been saturated by coverage from the coup attempt, with some channels showing almost constant footage of young men and headscarved mothers facing down armed soldiers and tanks.
    One man, 20-year-old Ismet Dogan, said he and his friends took to the streets, heeding the call from Erdogan to defy the soldiers. He was shot in both legs, he told broadcaster TRT Haber.
    "My friends and I said, 'We have one nation, if we are to die, let's do it like men'," he said. "Everyone who was there with me had come there to die. Nobody was afraid of death."


  17. Waqas Dar
    Thousands of fishes are said to have died from poisoning at Rawal Lake. Photo: Geo News ISLAMABAD: The supply of water from Rawal Dam to Rawalpindi has been restored, authorities said on Sunday.
    The Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) on Saturday stated that poison had not been found in the dam?s water, after a large number of fish were reported ?dead from poisoning? at the Rawal Dam.
    Following the development, water supply to Rawalpindi was initially suspended on the request of Wasa.
    In a statement on Saturday night, Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Capt (retd) Mushtaq Ahmed said the National Agricultural Research Centre has tested the water and declared that no abnormality has been found. However, the fish and water samples have also been sent to the National Institute of Health and Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources for further tests. 
    The statement also said that samples have also been sent to the Forensic Science Lab in Lahore. 
    WASA claims poison not found in Rawal Dam, water supply to Rawalpindi remains suspended
    An FIR states that the local mafia poured poison into Rawal Dam
    A criminal case was also registered by the Secretariat police on Wednesday against a ?local mafia? for pouring poison into the dam.
    According to the FIR lodged by the Punjab Fisheries Department, people from the mafia were stopped from fishing and boating in the dam as it is banned. Subsequently, states the report, the irked mafia added poisonous substance to the water that has killed nearly 240 tonnes of fishes so far.
    The dam provides an estimated 24 million gallons of water to Rawalpindi every day.


  18. Waqas Dar
    Rainwater accumulated on a road in Lahore. Photo: File  ISLAMABAD: Monsoon rains continue in various places across the country, with authorities warning of flash floods in Balochistan.

    A heavy downpour was reported on Sunday morning in Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Nawabshah and Hub while showers are forecast in Mirpurkhas, Hyderabad, Lahore, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, FATA and Gilgit-Baltistan.
    In Karachi, light rain which began Saturday evening continues intermittently. The Met Office has predicted the rain spell to last till Monday. As a result of the downpour, electricity was cut off in several areas. A spokesperson of K-Electric said 100 power feeders tripped due to the rain and several have been brought back online while work is under way to restore the rest.
    Car swept away in Khuzdar
    A family of five is feared dead after their vehicle was swept away in the rain in Khuzdar, Balochistan.
    Reports stated that a strong flash flood sweat away a car on Tuesday. Locals and authorities were able to recover the body of one of the family members, while a search is under way to rescue the remaining family members.
    Moreover, a bridge connecting the Quetta-Karachi National Highway has been swept away by the rain. As a result, traffic was suspended on the main route and hundreds of commuters were left stranded. 


  19. Waqas Dar
    ANAHEIM: An immersive Star Wars hotel, a new Ratatouille attraction, and the first ever Mickey Mouse ride are just some of the high-profile features coming soon to Walt Disney Co's theme parks revealed on Saturday.

    Walt Disney World Resort in Florida will house the hotel where guests can live out a multi-day adventure within the intergalactic universe of the Star Wars film franchise, parks and resorts Chairman Bob Chapek told attendees gathered at Disney's annual D23 fan convention in Southern California.
    Two new Star Wars themed lands ? coming to Disneyland in Anaheim, California and Orlando, Florida ? will be called Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, he said.
    A model concept of the expansive new lands was unveiled on Thursday, showing pavilions set in rough, rocky terrain and uneven buildings that will house attractions. The lands will include a Millennium Falcon ride.
    Disney plans to open a Star Wars land first in its California park and then in Florida in 2019. At 14 acres each, they will be the largest-ever, single-themed land expansions, Disney said.
    Theme parks ? Disney's second-largest division ? posted $1.9 billion in operating income for the six months ended April 1, according to its latest earnings report.
    Disney has been investing in new attractions at its US theme parks as it faces competition from Comcast Corp's Universal Studios.
    In May, Disney opened a land based on the movie Avatar at the Animal Kingdom park in Orlando, Florida, and a ride based on Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy at California Adventure in Anaheim.
    Ahead of Walt Disney World's 50th anniversary in 2021, Chapek announced new upgrades to Disney's futuristic Epcot park in Florida that will include a new Guardians of the Galaxy attraction and a Ratatouille ride, based on the popular one at Disneyland Paris. A new theme restaurant will offer views of outer space.
    Florida's Walt Disney World will introduce the first-ever ride starring company mascot, Mickey Mouse. Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railroad will allow guests to enter an animated adventure with the characters.
    A high-speed Tron ride is coming to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, the world's most popular theme park with about 20.4 million visitors in 2016, according to the Themed Entertainment Association.
    Chapek also said a new Pixar Pier attraction would replace Paradise Pier at Disney's California Adventure, a new home for Pixar's animated characters.


  20. Waqas Dar
    US President Donald Trump waves as he leaves the US Women's Open round three on July 15, 2017, at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey. AFP/Elsa  BEDMINSTER: US President Donald Trump watched Saturday's third round of the US Women's Open tournament from a glass-enclosed viewing area at the 15th hole of his Trump National golf resort.

    Trump ? wearing a white shirt, no tie, and a red "Make America Great Again" hat ? exchanged greetings with many of the thousands of spectators as he looked out over the green at the par-5 hole on a sunny day in Bedminster, New Jersey, south-west of New York.
    The tournament, the richest event in women's golf, is the third major championship of the LPGA season with later majors in the year in Britain and France.
    Activists angered by Trump's controversial comments about women during his presidential campaign had urged the US Golf Association to move the tournament, which had been awarded to the Trump property years before his presidential bid.
    Among the guests of Trump in his secured viewing area was LPGA veteran Suzann Pettersen of Norway, whom Trump kissed on both cheeks when they greeted each other.
    The two-time major champion Pettersen, who accepted a blue cap from Trump, fired a two-over par 74 earlier Saturday.
    Trump ? who arrived at about the same time the leaders teed off on the opening hole ? waved to spectators and thanked some who cheered him. He also applauded players for good shot making, though he often watched television coverage from inside the area.
    American Lexi Thompson, whose shared 27th after a third-round 74 Saturday, was among those who joined Trump in his special viewing area after her round. She said she didn't feel any extra pressure with a sitting US President at the event for the first time.
    "I don't feel extra pressure at all," she said. "This is his golf course. It's cool to have the President of the United States."
    Trump's presence also attracted dozens of protesters who were kept outside the club's gates with one holding up a sign that read, "America Lost Putin Won".


  21. Waqas Dar
    People look at the scene after a wall collapsed at Demba Diop Stadium on July 15, 2017, in Dakar, after a football game between local teams Ouakam and Stade de Mbour. AFP/Seyllou DAKAR: Eight people were killed during Senegal's football league cup final in Dakar on Saturday, the sports minister told AFP, as a wall collapsed onto clashing supporters triggering a panicked stampede.

    Sports minister Matar Ba said a young girl was among the dead, while around 60 injured fans had been taken to health facilities in Dakar.
    Ba vowed "strong measures so that such an event will never be repeated in Senegal", speaking to AFP by phone.
    A mass deployment of firefighters and ambulances remained at the scene late Saturday.
    An AFP journalist who attended the match described a stadium full to bursting with people for the long-awaited clash between local teams US Ouakam and Stade de Mbour.
    At 2-1 during extra time, US Ouakam supporters began throwing stones at Stade de Mbour fans, causing spectators to begin vacating their seats in a rush, the journalist said.
    Part of a wall supporting bleachers seating fans from both sides then collapsed, while police had begun firing tear gas and panic spread in the stadium leading to a crush.
    "All of a sudden when the wall fell? we knew exactly that some of our own had lost their lives because the wall fell directly onto people," said Cheikh Maba Diop, a witness who helped evacuate victims from the stadium and lost a friend in the tragedy.
    Also speaking at the scene, football fan Mara Die Diouf said policing at the stadium had been inadequate. "What I find terrible is that we have this kind of final in this kind of stadium here where there isn't enough security," he said.
    Diouf described police retreating from an area separating the two teams' supporters once projectiles began being thrown, triggering dangerous movements by spectators unable to defend themselves.
    AFP journalists at the scene saw belongings covered in blood at the site, with a pair of glasses and clothing strewn among broken pieces of concrete.
    Campaigning for Senegal's legislative elections due on July 30 would on Sunday be suspended in respect for the victims, said a spokesman for President Macky Sall.
    Sall also wanted "punishments serving as a warning", following the tragedy, spokesman El Hamidou Kasse said on TFM television.
    Senegal's safety record at large gatherings has been heavily criticised this year after the death of dozens of people at a religious retreat in April when a fire ripped through makeshift shelters.


  22. Waqas Dar
    LEFT: Spain?s Garbine Muguruza poses with the trophy as she celebrates winning the final against Venus Williams of the US at Wimbledon in London, Britain on July 15, 2017. RIGHT: Muguruza hugs Williams after winning the tennis match. Both image: REUTERS/Matthew Childs  LONDON: Garbine Muguruza clinched a maiden Wimbledon title on Saturday with a stunning demolition of Venus Williams, whose dreams of a fairytale victory at the age of 37 were blown apart in a devastating second set.

    Like many a brutal demise, the end was messy and at times uncomfortable to watch as the Spaniard cut loose after tense early exchanges, winning nine straight games to crush the demoralised American 7-5 6-0.
    It was Muguruza's second grand slam title to add to last year's French Open and was indisputably deserved after she absorbed everything her opponent could throw at her before taking control and inflicting a punishing triple break in the final set.
    She was robbed of the picture-perfect conclusion and forced to wait as Hawk-eye was called on to confirm that a mis-hit forehand from Venus had landed out before her emotional celebrations could begin.
    It was the 23-year-old's second Wimbledon final, having lost to Venus's sister Serena on the same stage in 2015, and her legs gave way as she fell to the ground after the decision was relayed on Centre Court's giant scoreboards.
    ?Two years ago I lost in the final to Serena and she told me one day I was going to maybe win and hey, two years after, here I am," she said courtside.
    "I played very well since the first game, and I kept the level, which is very hard because you're nervous... I was just very composed," she added later.
    For Venus, who seemed to lack any sort of fight as the final blows were landed, it was a stinging reminder of her advancing years.
    The five-times champion had last triumphed at the All England Club in 2008. She was looking to become the oldest woman to win a grand slam in the professional era and the most senior to triumph on Wimbledon's lawns since 1908.
    Having been diagnosed with Sjogren's syndrome, an illness that causes fatigue and joint pain, in 2011 and seen her ranking plummet to 103, her renaissance this year is still hugely impressive.
    Yet her capitulation ensured a second grand slam final defeat of 2017 after she was also downed by her sister at the Australian Open.
    "She played top tennis, so I have to give her credit for just playing a better match," Venus said.
    Meek surrender
    While it ended in a meek surrender, the first women's final played under the Centre Court roof had begun as a tense duel between two of the game's most powerful hitters, with a high-quality first set gradually building toward a captivating conclusion.
    It included several tests of nerve for Muguruza, who showed an almost iron will not to give an inch even as Venus upped the aggression levels with ferocious intent.
    Muguruza saved three break points, which included two tension-filled set points in the 10th game, the first of which saw the Spaniard emerge with a clenched fist from an epic 19-shot rally.
    It was then her turn to go on the offensive. She crafted her third break point of the set when Venus netted a forehand and took her chance when the American sent a second forehand long after another lengthy exchange.
    There were few clues in those opening games as to what was about to follow as having wrapped up the first set, Muguruza put her foot to the floor with astonishing brutality.
    She broke on three straight occasions in the second set as Venus seemed to hit a mental and physical wall.
    When the five-times winner could barely get her racket to a vicious forehand, it gave the Spaniard three match points, but in keeping with a messy second set, she needed two Hawk-eye challenges to put the beleaguered American out of her misery.
    As the scoreboard showed the ball had bounced out at 40-30, she dropped her racket and fell to the ground, before covering her face in celebration.
    After being handed the famous Rosewater Dish, Muguruza was asked if she had a message for her coach Sam Sumyk, who is absent as his wife is expecting a baby.
    She held the gleaming plate aloft and said, "Here it is."


  23. Waqas Dar
    Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a news conference to present the outcome of the G20 leaders' summit in Hamburg, Germany, July 8, 2017. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday said the suspects being tried on suspicion of involvement in last year's failed coup should wear uniform clothing like the notorious orange jumpsuits used at US military prison at Guantanamo Bay.

    "I spoke to the prime minister and? when they appear in court, let's make them appear in uniform suits like in Guantanamo," Erdogan told a rally, after a controversy where one suspect was seen going into court with the word "hero" on a T-shirt.
    Erdogan also threatened to "chop off the heads" of traitors, in the speech marking the first anniversary of a failed coup bid that aimed to oust him from power.

    "First of all, we will chop off the heads of those traitors," the Turkish president told the rally in the capital city, prompting cries from the crowds that capital punishment should be restored in Turkey.
    He reaffirmed that he "will sign it" if the parliament passes any bill on resuming executions.


  24. Waqas Dar
    GRENOBLE: A British pilot reported missing in the French Alps was found dead on Saturday in the debris of his crashed glider, the prosecutor for the Gap region said.
    Mountain rescue had been alerted late Friday to the disappearance of the 69-year-old pilot, who had taken off earlier that day from the Serres-La Batie aerodrome.
    Rescuers found the body of the British pilot and the crashed glider at an altitude of some 7,500 feet.
    According to the Gap prosecutor, the pilot ? whose name was not released ? smashed into a mountain summit near the commune of Val-des-Pres, north of Briancon in southeastern France.
    Aviation authorities have been called to investigate the cause of the crash.


  25. Waqas Dar
    KINSHASA: Armed men attacked a group of journalists and park rangers in a remote east Congo wildlife reserve overnight into Saturday, and an American journalist and three guards were missing, a local official said.
    The group attacked comprised the American and two Dutch journalists and 13 Congolese park rangers. They were near the town of Mambasa in Okapi Wildlife Reserve, istrator Alfred Bongwalanga told Reuters by telephone.
    The two Dutch journalists and all but three of the Rangers had been found and were safe. Bongwalanga did not know which of the several armed groups roaming eastern Congo was responsible.
    The kidnapping of locals and Westerners for ransom has been on the rise in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a tinderbox of rebel groups and militias left over from a 1998-2003 war.
    But Bongwalanga said there was no evidence the journalist or guards had been kidnapped.
    "I can't confirm any hypothesis that this was a kidnapping? That does sometimes happen in Ituri (the province where the reserve lies) but it has been more than a year since the last one," he told Reuters by telephone.
    "The army has deployed. Search and rescue efforts are underway but this is a dense forest," he added. "We remain optimistic that we will find them."
    In May, armed bandits killed a Congolese park ranger and briefly kidnapped two conservation workers ? including a Frenchman ? during an ambush on South Kivu's Itombwe Reserve.
    Park rangers in east Congo trying to protect dwindling populations of elephants and gorillas often clash with poachers and other armed criminals who exploit the area's minerals, wildlife, and other resources.


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