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Waqas Dar

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Blog Entries posted by Waqas Dar

  1. Waqas Dar
    geo_embedgallery TEHRAN: Twelve people were killed in twin attacks on Iran´s parliament complex and the shrine of its revolutionary leader claimed by the Daesh militant group on Wednesday, its emergency services chief said.

    A total of 39 people were wounded in the two attacks, and rescue operations are continuing, Pir Hossein Kolivand said.
    Attackers raided Iran's parliament and set off a suicide bomb at the Mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini in Tehran. The Iranian Intelligence Ministry said security forces had arrested a "terrorist team" planning a third attack, without giving further details.

    The attacks, targeting parliament and the shrine of the Republic's revered founder, Ayatollah Khomeini, took place less than a month after the re-election of President Hassan Rouhani, a moderate.

    Three assailants, one with a pistol and two with AK-47 assault rifles, attacked the parliament building in central Tehran, lawmaker Elias Hazrati told state television.
    Iran's state broadcaster IRIB reported that one attacker detonated a suicide vest there, though some other news agencies said the explosion might have been caused by grenades thrown by the assailants.
    Armed men launched two attacks in Iran's capital on Wednesday morning, killing a guard at the parliament and wounding several people in the Mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini. Photo: Iranian news agency Mizan Tasmin news agency said there were unconfirmed reports the attackers had taken four hostages inside the parliament building. Up to seven people died and several others were wounded, it added.
    About half an hour later, attackers opened fire at the mausoleum a few kilometers south of the city, wounding several members of the public, Iran's English-language Press TV said.
    One attacker detonated a suicide vest, one was killed by security forces and other assailants were arrested, the Governor of Tehran was quoted as saying by IRIB.
    "The atmosphere is tense. It is a blow to Rouhani. How can four armed men enter the parliament, where a very tight security has always been in place," said a senior official, who asked not to be named. 
    Rouhani retained power with a landslide victory over candidates supported by the hardline clergy and the Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), the country's most powerful security force in charge of ensuring national security.
    Iranian TV said parliament had resumed, and broadcast footage of what it said was the opening session proceeding normally.
    Daesh claims responsibility for attacks
    Daesh claimed responsibility for attacks on Iran's parliament and Ayatollah Khomeini's shrine on Wednesday, the group's state news agency AMAQ said.
    "Fighters from [Daesh] attacked Khomeini's shrine and the Iranian parliament in Tehran," the news agency said.
    Another terrorist plot foiled
    The head of the anti-terrorism department in the Iranian Intelligence Ministry said they foiled a third terrorist plot and have arrested "a terrorist team", state broadcaster IRIB reported.
    Iran's intelligence ministry has also asked people to avoid public transport, according to IRIB.


  2. Waqas Dar
    BIRMINGHAM: Pakistan, desperately seeking to live another day in their Champions Trophy campaign, will look to reclaim their pride and confidence in a tough game against top-ranked South Africa at Edgbaston on Wednesday.

    Pakistan, the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, lost their opening game against archrivals India by 124 runs, sparking criticism over their playing strategy and selection. Today is another chance for the young captain Sarfraz Ahmed?s team to come back from behind and revive hopes of billions of fans by beating South Africa, who have already won their first game against Sri Lanka.
    Pakistan must play without fear to beat South Africa
    To beat the Proteas, Pakistan would need to bring its absolute best to the park and fielding would be of paramount importance
    History hasn?t favoured Pakistan against the Proteas. The Green Shirts have lost both of their previous Champions Trophy matches against South Africa (2006 and 2013 editions). In the World Cup encounters, Pakistan have won one and lost three against the Proteas.
    Sarfraz insists his team can bounce back after the humiliating defeat against India.
    "I think the mood is OK," the skipper told reporters at Edgbaston on Tuesday. "A little disappointed after they lost the match, but now the mood is okay. The guys are really focused on the next match."


    South Africa, however, have a nasty habit of not realising their potential in ICC events.
    But skipper AB de Villiers emphasised Tuesday how the present-day Proteas wanted to "stay in the moment".
    "If we live in the past, there´s lots of scars that we can think of, lots of bad experiences," he explained. "So it´s just wise to try and stay in the moment with what you´re confronted with at the very time."
    Squads
    Pakistan
    South Africa 




  3. Waqas Dar
    Shah Rukh Khan's PDA moments with Abram Khan are no secret.
    The Raees actor loves to pose with Abram Khan and shares the pictures on his social media profiles as he likes to show off his fatherly affection in public.
    Abram Khan is an adorable toddler who knows how to pose for the camera just like his daddy and here is the proof.


    Shah Rukh Khan took to Instagram to share yet another cute picture of Abram as he placed his own picture next to it and the resemblance is uncanny.
    The picture was taken at a party which took place on May 27.





  4. Waqas Dar
    Shah Rukh Khan's PDA moments with Abram Khan are no secret.
    The Raees actor loves to pose with Abram Khan and often shares the pictures on his social media as he likes to show off his fatherly affection in public.
    Abram Khan is an adorable toddler who knows how to pose for the camera just like his daddy and here is the proof.


    Shah Rukh Khan took it to Instagram to share yet another cute picture of Abram as he placed his own picture next to it and the resemblance is uncanny.
    The picture was taken at a party which took place on May 27.





  5. Waqas Dar
    [embed_video1 url=http://stream.jeem.tv/vod/f3e15573bb32c0458207893286b6cad7.mp4/playlist.m3u8?wmsAuthSign=c2VydmVyX3RpbWU9Ni83LzIwMTcgNTozMTowNiBBTSZoYXNoX3ZhbHVlPVFmV2p3NWNoZ3F3bWlPYnZ4VCs3d2c9PSZ2YWxpZG1pbnV0ZXM9NjAmaWQ9MQ== style=center]
    ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed satisfaction with the progress of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing the prime minister?s family?s global financial dealings. 
    The head of the JIT, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Additional Director-General Wajid Zia, had earlier submitted the probe team's interim progress report to the special implementation bench. 
    After perusing the report, Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan observed that the progress so far is heading in the right direction. He added that no delay would be allowed in the 60-day deadline given to the probe team.
    The bench ? formed on May 2 to oversee the JIT?s work in light of the apex court?s April 20 judgment ? is headed by Justice Ejaz and comprises Justices Sheikh Azmat Saeed and Ijazul Ahsan.

    During the proceedings, the counsel of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's son Hussain Nawaz objected to the leaking of his client's picture during the JIT sessions. In response, the bench asked the JIT head to submit an explanation on Monday.
    After the hearing had concluded, Zia, in response to reporters' questions regarding problems faced by the JIT, said they will file a separate application with the court regarding these issues. 
    Meanwhile, reports said the prime minister's elder son, Hussain, has been summoned by the JIT for the fifth time on June 9 while his elder son, Hassan, on June 10 for the second time. 
    In its judgment in the Panama case, the court had given the JIT 60 days to complete its probe and ordered for submission of fortnightly progress reports. The bench had finalised the JIT members on May 6.
    Supreme Court satisfied with JIT's progress in Panama case
    Special three-member bench reviewed JIT's findings; rejects PTI's plea to make them public
    On May 22, the JIT had submitted its first progress report, for which the bench had expressed its satisfaction and allowed the high-profile probe team to continue its investigation. During that hearing, a request by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf to make the report public was rejected by the court, which observed that it will do so when it deems necessary.
    Controversies

    Tale of Whatsapp caller and the Panama JIT
    ISLAMABAD: Using Whatsapp, a caller introduced himself as the Registrar Supreme Court and told the top bosses of the State Bank of Pakistan and Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan to...
    Since the last progress report was submitted, the probe has been marred by several controversies. 
    A news report published in The News revealed that a person claiming to be the Supreme Court registrar had surreptitiously contacted the Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and asked for specific persons to be included in the list of potential JIT members. The prime minister?s son, Hussain, had raised questions of bias against one of the SECP officials who made it to the probe team. However, those objections were not entertained by the court.
    Moreover, a picture of Hussain during his first visit to the JIT on May 28 was leaked to the media recently, raising questions on the credibility of the JIT?s work. In the picture, Hussain can be seen inside a room with no other pieces of furniture except for the chair he is sitting on and a table beside it. Opposition parties claimed the government itself leaked the picture to gain sympathy, however the Interior Ministry denied those claims.
    Picture of Hussain Nawaz waiting before JIT session goes viral
    PML-N workers question who leaked the photo taken from a CCTV in Federal Judicial Academy
    The most recent controversy surrounding the JIT stemmed from former Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz?s recent threats against the ?those investigating the prime minister?s family?. 
    Senator Nehal Hashmi, who was the PML-N?s Sindh general secretary when he made the comments a week ago, is facing contempt charges in the Supreme Court for ?threatening the families of judges? after the court took a suo motu notice of his remarks.
    SC serves contempt notice to Nehal Hashmi, compares outburst with mafia threats
    Former PML-N member's outburst cost him his Senate seat, party membership
    Progress
    Since May 22, the JIT has summoned Hussain Nawaz four times and the premier?s younger son, Hassan, only once.
    Moreover, sources said, the SECP has submitted all the pertinent record related to the Sharif family?s business, including documents of the Hudaibiya Paper Mills case. The affidavit of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar with regards to the case ? recorded in front of a sessions judge during the tenure of Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf ? has also been submitted with the JIT. However, that statement, said to be damaging for the Sharif family, was later retracted by Dar.
    The JIT has also received a response from Qatari prince Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jaber Al-Thani after writing to him twice to record his statement. The Sharif family had earlier submitted a letter by the Qatari prince in the Supreme Court aiding the premier?s defence of his money trail. In his reply to the JIT?s summons, the prince has said he cannot travel to Pakistan but is willing to record his statement with the JIT via other means.
    The JIT also summoned National Bank President Saeed Ahmad and questioned him for around 12 hours.
    Qatari prince?s letter
    Former Senator Saifur Rehman ? a close aide of the prime minister ? has said that as the Qatari prince has verified the contents of his letter to the JIT, there is no need for him to come to Pakistan.
    Speaking on Geo News? show told Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath on Tuesday night, Rehman said the royal family member has no issues recording his statement with the JIT if they visit Doha.
    The JIT
    The Federal Judicial Academy in Islamabad where the JIT is working from. Photo: File The six-member JIT comprises its head, Zia, Amer Aziz of the State Bank of Pakistan, SECP?s Executive Director Communication Bilal Rasool, Irfan Naeem Mangi of National Accountability Bureau, Brigadier Nauman Saeed of the Inter-Services Intelligence and Brigadier Kamran Khurshid from the Military Intelligence.
    The Federal Judicial Academy in Islamabad has been declared as the secretariat of the JIT.


  6. Waqas Dar
    If judiciary is harmed then anarchy will spread across the country, said Khursheed Shah on Wednesday. Photo: file  ISLAMABAD: Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, Khursheed Shah, remarked that the country?s institutions are being destroyed to save one family while taking a jibe at the ruling Sharif family.

    He was speaking at the National Assembly session on Wednesday.
    If judiciary is harmed then anarchy will spread across the country, he remarked while criticising the statements made by Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday.
    Shehbaz, while speaking to media at an inaugural ceremony of patient transfer in Lahore, said ?To hold a single family accountable is not accountability.?
    Khursheed Shah said that the CM Punjab?s remarks have scared him. ?They [ruling party] are forcing their authority on the people.?
    No matter what happened, no one ever dare threaten the judiciary, remarked Khursheed Shah, adding that Pakistan Peoples Party never expressed anti-state sentiments even when Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was sentenced to death.
    Opposition stages walkout
    The opposition staged a walk out from the National Assembly for the 11th consecutive day. The protest started with opposition demanding that their budget speeches be broadcasted live on the state-run Pakistan Television (PTV).
    During the assembly session, Jamiat Ulma-e-Islam (JUI-F)?s Asiya Nasir spoke about the rights of the minorities. She claimed that minorities are being discriminated against in Sindh.
    In outdoor NA session, opposition slams federal budget
    Mock session being held in response to opposition?s reservations that their budget speeches were not covered live
    ?Minorities are being told that they should only work as sanitary workers,? she said, ?What is happening in Sindh??
    To this, Khurshed Shah said ?we will look into the matter.?
    Following this, opposition members walked out from the session.
    Later, opposition members held a session outside the NA, which was chaired by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf?s Arif Alvi.  


  7. Waqas Dar
    Middle and high school years are the time which is not only memorable for everyone but also enjoyable.
    Justin Taylor was one of those guys who make things memorable to another level.
    One of the things Taylor was passionate about from his middle school years was a Billabong t-shirt, which he wore for each of his school photos between sixth and twelfth grade.
    Yes, he actually did it.
    Taylor, who's now the Global Director of Digital Marketing at Nike Basketball, tweeted the highly fashionable photographic evidence on his account.
    "When I was a kid, being into surfing was super cool and what all the cool kids were into," Taylor said via Twitter DM. 
    "But the cool clothes to wear were expensive, so my parents went out and bought me a few things, including this shirt," Taylor added.
    Taylor wore the shirt for his sixth-grade school photo. The next year, he coincidentally wore it again ? so he just decided to keep the whole thing goin' until senior year.
    Wow, that's some awesome commitment!


  8. Waqas Dar
    Apple Inc customers will soon have more choices as the company looks to reduce long wait times for iPhone repairs at its retail stores.
    By the end of 2017, Apple will put its proprietary machines for mending cracked iPhone glass in about 400 authorized third-party repair centers in 25 countries, company executives told Reuters.
    Among the first recipients is Minneapolis-based Best Buy, which has long sold and serviced Apple products. The electronics retailer already has one of the screen-repair machines at a Miami-area store and one coming soon to an outlet in Sunnyvale, California.
    Fixing cracked screens may seem like small potatoes, but it's a multi-billion-dollar global business. The move is also a major shift for Apple. The company had previously restricted the use of its so-called Horizon Machine to its nearly 500 retail stores and mail-in repair centers, and it has guarded its design closely.
    The change also comes as eight US states have launched "right to repair" bills aimed at prying open the tightly controlled repair networks of Apple and other high-tech manufacturers.
    Apple said the legislative pressure was not a factor in its decision to share its technology. It allowed Reuters to view and photograph the machines in action at a lab near its Cupertino, California headquarters. Until now, Apple had never formally acknowledged the Horizon Machine's existence.
    The initial rollout aims to put machines in 200, or about 4 percent, of Apple's 4,800 authorized service providers worldwide over the next few months. The company plans to double that figure by the end of the year.
    "We've been on a quest to expand our reach," said Brian Naumann, senior director of service operations at Apple. He said repair wait times have grown at some of the company's busiest retail stores.
    Pilot testing started a year ago. In addition to Miami, a few machines already are operating at third-party repair centers in the Bay Area, London, Shanghai, and Singapore. Shops in some countries where Apple has no retail presence will also be early recipients, including locations in Colombia, Norway, and South Korea. Apple would not say how much its partners are paying for the equipment.
    To be sure, any mall repair kiosk can replace a cracked iPhone screen. Apple says its customers can get their devices fixed at non-authorized shops without voiding their warranties as long as the technician caused no damage.
    But the Horizon Machine is needed to remedy the trickiest mishaps, such as when the fingerprint sensor attached to the back of the glass gets damaged when a phone is dropped.
    For security, only Apple's fix-it machine can tell the iPhone's processor, its silicon brain, to recognize a replacement sensor. Without it, the iPhone won't unlock with the touch of a finger. Banking apps that require a fingerprint won't work either, including the Apple Pay digital wallet.
    "RIGHT TO REPAIR" GAINING STEAM
    Apple has sold more than 1 billion iPhones worldwide, many of customers who don't live near an Apple Store or an authorized third-party repair center.
    For fixes, many have turned to mom-and-pop shops and independent technicians that now dominate the trade. Research firm IBISWorld estimates the global cell phone repair business generates about $4 billion in revenue per year.
    Many of these entrepreneurs do good work. Some don't. All use copycat parts because Apple, like other major manufacturers, doesn't supply original parts or repair manuals to anyone but authorized service partners.
    Big companies defend this arrangement as the only way they can guarantee high-quality repair work and keep hackers away from the proprietary software that makes their products tick.
    Consumer advocates, however, say their aim is to wring outsized profits from repairs. Independent technicians often charge less than the cost of a factory fix.
    Enter right-to-repair bills. New York, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Wyoming have introduced legislation looking to aid small shops and do-it-yourself tinkerers.
    These proposed measures would require manufacturers to supply repair manuals, diagnostic tools, and authentic replacement parts at fair prices to independent technicians and the general public.
    Apple, heavy equipment manufacturer Caterpillar Inc and medical device maker Medtronic Plc have lobbied against New York's bill. In Nebraska, Apple sent its state and local lobbying chief Steve Kester to visit the Republican lawmaker sponsoring that state's measure.
    "Apple is telling me this is a bad thing because you're going to have a mecca for hackers in Nebraska," State Sen. Lydia Brasch said of Kester's February visit.
    Apple hasn't commented on the bills, but a trade group it belongs to contends the Nebraska measure would force the company to divulge how it secures sensitive data on the iPhone.
    "Think about how much of our personal lives are in this device," said Mike Lanigan, head engineer for Apple's service efforts.
    INSIDE THE LAB
    Apple got into the screen-fixing business just three years ago with the introduction of the iPhone 5. Up until then, customers whose phones were out of warranty paid a "repair" fee, but Apple simply replaced the entire phone.
    Lanigan said customers have been requesting repair service since shortly after the introduction of the iPhone in 2007, but the company waited until it could perfect the process.
    "We view the service aspect of this as all part of the overall Apple experience," Lanigan said.
    Apple doesn't break out repair revenue in its financial statements. Analysts estimate it at $1 billion to $2 billion annually for all products.
    As Apple's screen mending has matured, its prices have dropped to $129 to $149, depending on screen size, from $229. That's competitive with many independent shops for newer iPhones. Still, some technicians charge as little as $60 to fix older models.
    Apple says its process aims to make the display look like it just came out of the box. To demonstrate, the company allowed Reuters to observe the Horizon Machine at a repair lab in Sunnyvale, California.
    In the cavernous, brightly lit lab painted in Apple's signature sparkling white, two lab technicians clad in T-shirts, shorts and tennis shoes scurried between rows of long white metal tables stuffed with test equipment.
    Dozens of Horizon Machines lined the tables. The contraptions, gray metal boxes the size of a microwave with a swing-out windowed door, vary slightly in shape depending on the model of iPhone they repair. Apple would not say where the machines were made or by whom.
    In a smaller training room, a technician laid out the tools Apple uses to fix iPhone screens: special screwdrivers for the iPhone's five- and three-lobed screws, a custom suction-cup for loosening the screen without tearing the delicate ribbon cables behind it, and a press to squeeze iPhone 7s to ensure waterproofing.
    Once the new screen is mounted, the iPhone goes into the Horizon Machine, which allows Apple's software to communicate with the fresh hardware. Over the course of 10 to 12 minutes, the machine talks to the phone's operating system to pair the fingerprint sensor to the phone's brain.
    While that unfolds, a mechanical finger jabs the screen in multiple places to test the touch-sensitive surface. The machine also fine tunes the display and software to match the precise colors and calibration of the original.
    "We design for a customer experience that exceeds anything our competitors try to do," said Naumann, Apple's service chief. "We endeavor to make it right at the same standard as when the customer bought the product."


  9. Waqas Dar
    Turkish authorities on Tuesday detained the local chair of Amnesty International for suspected links to the network of the Muslim cleric Ankara blames for last year's failed coup, the rights group said.

    Police detained Taner Kilic and 22 other lawyers in the Aegean coastal province of Izmir on suspicion of ties to the movement of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, it said, citing a detention order.
    Since the July coup attempt, authorities have arrested 50,000 people and sacked or suspended 150,000, including soldiers, police, teachers and public servants, over alleged links with terrorist groups.
    "Taner Kilic has a long and distinguished record of defending exactly the kind of freedoms that the Turkish authorities are now intent on trampling," said Salil Shetty, Amnesty's secretary general.
    Turkish authorities were not immediately available for comment. Officials say the crackdown is necessary due to the gravity of the coup attempt, in which more than 240 people were killed.
    Kilic was detained by police at his home in Izmir early on Tuesday before being taken to his office, Amnesty said. Both properties were searched and he remains in police custody.
    His detention did not appear to be connected to his work with the rights group, nor did it appear to specifically target the organisation, Amnesty said. It was unclear why he was suspected of having links to Gulen's network, it said.
    Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999, has denied involvement in the coup and condemned it. Critics in Turkey and abroad say President Tayyip Erdogan is using the coup as a pretext to muzzle dissent and purge opponents.
    Turkey's interior ministry said on Monday it would strip citizenship from 130 people suspected of militant links, including Gulen, unless they return to Turkey within three months.


  10. Waqas Dar
    [embed_video1 url=http://stream.jeem.tv/vod/a254ba9be3cac5accce0b42fb8b89444.mp4/playlist.m3u8?wmsAuthSign=c2VydmVyX3RpbWU9Ni83LzIwMTcgOToxNzoxNCBBTSZoYXNoX3ZhbHVlPUFLU0k5SEk3djMvZkFPOUcrd3Y3VHc9PSZ2YWxpZG1pbnV0ZXM9NjAmaWQ9MQ== style=center] ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought a reply from the Panama case Joint Investigation Team (JIT) against the leaking of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's son Hussain Nawaz's picture.

    Picture of Hussain Nawaz waiting before JIT session goes viral
    PML-N workers question who leaked the photo taken from a CCTV in Federal Judicial Academy
    Earlier, Hussain submitted a petition in the apex court against the leaking of his picture during his first visit to the JIT headquarters on May 28. 
    "The leaked picture and recording the proceedings on tape is a violation of both, the law and code of conduct," states the petition, submitted by the premier's son through his counsel Khawaja Harris. 
    The petition equated video recording of the proceedings during the JIT investigation as a pressure tactic and stated that an independent atmosphere should be provided to the witnesses for the probe.
    Interior minister, IB involved in leaking Hussain Nawaz's picture: Fawad Chaudhry
    PML-N leader Talal Chaudhry rubbishes the PTI spokesperson's allegations
    The JIT is treating witnesses as if they are guilty and JIT members are trying to threaten witnesses to record biased statements, the petition stated further.
    The petition also requested the court to order a ban on recording the proceedings and form a commission to probe who leaked the picture.

    Responding on the issue from Lahore, Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said there is nothing in the leaked picture to suggest that Hussain is being maltreated. 


  11. Waqas Dar
    [embed_video1 url=http://stream.jeem.tv/vod/aeaeba32a0b03238d463fbb11353e57b.mp4/playlist.m3u8?wmsAuthSign=c2VydmVyX3RpbWU9Ni83LzIwMTcgNzo0Mjo0NyBBTSZoYXNoX3ZhbHVlPTN0VWNpQ3hjanNONFg3NmFCUWlnUWc9PSZ2YWxpZG1pbnV0ZXM9NjAmaWQ9MQ== style=center]
    ISLAMABAD: A petition was submitted in the Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday against the leaking of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's son Hussain Nawaz's picture at the Panama case Joint Investigation Team (JIT).

    Picture of Hussain Nawaz waiting before JIT session goes viral
    PML-N workers question who leaked the photo taken from a CCTV in Federal Judicial Academy
    "The leaked picture and recording the proceedings on tape is a violation of both, the law and code of conduct," states the petition, submitted by the premier's son through his counsel Khwaja Harris. 
    The petition equated video recording of the proceedings during the JIT investigation as a pressure tactic and stated that an independent atmosphere should be provided to the witnesses for the probe.
    Interior minister, IB involved in leaking Hussain Nawaz's picture: Fawad Chaudhry
    PML-N leader Talal Chaudhry rubbishes the PTI spokesperson's allegations
    The JIT is treating witnesses as if they are guilty and JIT members are trying to threaten witnesses to record biased statements, the petition stated further.
    The petition also requested the court to order a ban on recording the proceedings and form a commission to probe who leaked the picture.

    Responding on the issue from Lahore, Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said there is nothing in the leaked picture to suggest that Hussain is being maltreated. 


  12. Waqas Dar
    [embed_video1 url=http://stream.jeem.tv/vod/aeaeba32a0b03238d463fbb11353e57b.mp4/playlist.m3u8?wmsAuthSign=c2VydmVyX3RpbWU9Ni83LzIwMTcgNzo0Mjo0NyBBTSZoYXNoX3ZhbHVlPTN0VWNpQ3hjanNONFg3NmFCUWlnUWc9PSZ2YWxpZG1pbnV0ZXM9NjAmaWQ9MQ== style=center] ISLAMABAD: A petition was submitted in the Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday against the leaking of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's son Hussain Nawaz's picture at the Panama case Joint Investigation Team (JIT).

    Picture of Hussain Nawaz waiting before JIT session goes viral
    PML-N workers question who leaked the photo taken from a CCTV in Federal Judicial Academy
    "The leaked picture and recording the proceedings on tape is a violation of both, the law and code of conduct," the petition, submitted by members of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, stated.
    The petition equated video recording of the proceedings during the investigation as a pressure tactic and stated that an independent atmosphere should be provided to the witnesses for the probe.

    Interior minister, IB involved in leaking Hussain Nawaz's picture: Fawad Chaudhry
    PML-N leader Talal Chaudhry rubbishes the PTI spokesperson's allegations
    The JIT is treating witnesses as if they are guilty and JIT members are trying to threatening witnesses to record biased statements, the petition stated further.
    The petition, submitted by senior lawyer Khawaja Harris, requested the court to order a ban to record the proceedings and form a commission to probe to the leaked picture.

    Responding on the issue from Lahore, Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said there is nothing in the leaked picture to suggest that Hussain is being maltreated. 


  13. Waqas Dar
    Bollywood actor Paresh Rawal seems to be interested in working with Pakistani television.
     Paresh Rawal recently came under fire for his controversial tweets against writer Arundhati Roy but it seems that he has taken a soft stance on Pak-India tensions.
    While talking about professional opportunities in Pakistan, the Hera Pheri actor said, ?Yes, I would love to work in Pakistani films and shows. I love all Pakistani TV serials like Humsafar, the way they act, the story, the writing, the language...it?s all good. I feel our shows are boring.".
    Paresh also seems to be in awe of Pakistani shows.
    In a 2014 interview, he ranked some Bollywood films as inferior to Pakistani shows.
    Paresh said, ?Forget Hollywood, we cannot even compare our films to Pakistani shows. They are far more superior to what we produce here. We need to make some more smart films where we don't take our audience for granted and think that they will not understand what we want to convey."
    While he is against the idea of a ban on Pak-India cultural exchange, he admits that the times may not allow it to happen at times.
    ?There should be no ban on anyone or anything. Even in Hindi Medium there was a Pakistani actress but nothing happened as the mood is good in the country,? he said.


  14. Waqas Dar
    US pop star Ariana Grande, hardly a household name in Britain before a suicide bomber killed 22 people at her Manchester concert in May, has emerged as a national heroine there following an emotional televised benefit performance.
    In the days following Grande's sold-out show on Sunday, which raised some $3 million for a victims fund and became the UK's most-watched TV broadcast of the year, Britons have embraced the 23-year-old singer. They have called for her to be formally honored by Queen Elizabeth and the city of Manchester.
    At the One Love Manchester concert, Grande hugged a weeping schoolgirl as they performed her hit "My Everything" before a crowd of 55,000 people.
    The tiny performer ended the show alone on stage, singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" in tears.
    Her team is working to release that emotional final number as a single to raise even more money for victims, the UK's Independent newspaper reported on Tuesday.
    The concert served as a catharsis for many in Manchester and all of Britain, moving British tabloid journalist Piers Morgan to write Grande a lengthy public apology for doubting her courage.
    "By coming back to Manchester so soon, shrugging off the latest attack in London, standing on that stage and performing with such raw emotion and power, you showed more guts, resilience, strength of character and ?Blitz spirit? then every sniveling, pathetic Daesh coward put together," Morgan wrote in the Daily Mail.
    Grande was herself a survivor of the May 22 bombing, still inside Manchester Arena when an explosion ripped through the lobby area following her encore. Morgan had criticized the apparently shaken singer for quickly returning home to Florida instead of staying to console victims.
    But within days Grande and her team began organizing the benefit, which overcame considerable logistical and security obstacles to take place less than two weeks later. Days before the show, she turned up unannounced at a Manchester-area Hospital to visit young girls wounded in the attack.
    Grande carried on with Sunday's show despite the attack in London the night before in which seven people were killed. She enlisted fellow entertainers such as Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Coldplay and Oasis frontman and Manchester native Liam Gallagher.
    Daily Telegraph columnist Victoria Lambert similarly apologized for dismissing Grande, who first gained fame on the Nickelodeon teen comedy "Victorious," as a lightweight pop star not fit to be a role model for her daughter.
    "Because far from being a cliched child star, Grande has shown herself to be a perfect role model for our daughters after all," Lambert wrote.


  15. Waqas Dar
    [embed_video1 url=http://stream.jeem.tv/vod/b5962b4965114c435c47124d676fe139.mp4/playlist.m3u8?wmsAuthSign=c2VydmVyX3RpbWU9Ni83LzIwMTcgODo1NjoxMCBBTSZoYXNoX3ZhbHVlPWhFYko2RUdzSFB5dm5ZT0d4TURSY0E9PSZ2YWxpZG1pbnV0ZXM9NjAmaWQ9MQ== style=center]
    Attackers raided Iran's parliament and set off a suicide bomb at the Mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini in Tehran on Wednesday, killing up to seven people in a twin assault at the heart of the Islamic Republic, Iranian media reported.
    The Iranian Intelligence Ministry said security forces had arrested a "terrorist team" planning a third attack, without giving further details.

    geo_embedgallery
    Daesh claimed responsibility for the attacks in a statement.
    The attacks, targeting parliament and the shrine of the Republic's revered founder, Ayatollah Khomeini, took place less than a month after the re-election of President Hassan Rouhani, a moderate.
    Three assailants, one with a pistol and two with AK-47 assault rifles, attacked the parliament building in central Tehran, lawmaker Elias Hazrati told state television.
    Iran's state broadcaster IRIB reported that one attacker detonated a suicide vest there, though some other news agencies said the explosion might have been caused by grenades thrown by the assailants.
    Armed men launched two attacks in Iran's capital on Wednesday morning, killing a guard at the parliament and wounding several people in the Mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini. Photo: Iranian news agency Mizan Tasmin news agency said there were unconfirmed reports the attackers had taken four hostages inside the parliament building. Up to seven people died and several others were wounded, it added.
    About half an hour later, attackers opened fire at the mausoleum a few kilometers south of the city, wounding several members of the public, Iran's English-language Press TV said.
    One attacker detonated a suicide vest, one was killed by security forces and other assailants were arrested, the Governor of Tehran was quoted as saying by IRIB.
    "The atmosphere is tense. It is a blow to Rouhani. How can four armed men enter the parliament, where a very tight security has always been in place," said a senior official, who asked not to be named. 
    Rouhani retained power with a landslide victory over candidates supported by the hardline clergy and the Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), the country's most powerful security force in charge of ensuring national security.
    Iranian TV said parliament had resumed, and broadcast footage of what it said was the opening session proceeding normally.
    Daesh claims responsibility for attacks
    Daesh claimed responsibility for attacks on Iran's parliament and Ayatollah Khomeini's shrine on Wednesday, the group's state news agency AMAQ said.
    "Fighters from [Daesh] attacked Khomeini's shrine and the Iranian parliament in Tehran," the news agency said.
    Another terrorist plot foiled
    The head of the anti-terrorism department in the Iranian Intelligence Ministry said they foiled a third terrorist plot and have arrested "a terrorist team", state broadcaster IRIB reported.
    Iran's intelligence ministry has also asked people to avoid public transport, according to IRIB.


  16. Waqas Dar
    [embed_video1 url=http://stream.jeem.tv/vod/ec260a4feb7fd785f7f442eb7d223d22.mp4/playlist.m3u8?wmsAuthSign=c2VydmVyX3RpbWU9Ni83LzIwMTcgODowNTo1OSBBTSZoYXNoX3ZhbHVlPUZvbDE0bnFMbnRYL01mYXFhbldrSUE9PSZ2YWxpZG1pbnV0ZXM9NjAmaWQ9MQ== style=center]
    Attackers raided Iran?s parliament and opened fire at the Mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini a few kilometres south of the capital on Wednesday morning, in near simultaneous assaults that killed up to seven people, media reported.
    Tasmin news agency said there were unconfirmed reports that the attackers had taken four hostages inside the parliament building.

    geo_embedgallery Three assailants, one with a pistol and two with AK-47 assault rifles, carried out the attack in central Tehran, lawmaker Elias Hazrati told state television.

    Another lawmaker said one of the assailants was surrounded by security forces and all the doors to the building had been closed, ISNA news agency reported. The attackers killed seven people and wounded several others, Tasmin said.
    Armed men launched two attacks in Iran's capital on Wednesday morning, killing a guard at the parliament and wounding several people in the Mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini. Photo: Iranian news agency Mizan "I was inside the parliament when shooting happened. Everyone was shocked and scared. I saw two men shooting randomly," said one journalist at the scene, who asked not to be named.
    Around half an hour later, an attacker opened fire at the Mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini, injuring several members of the public, Iran's English-language Press TV said.
    State news agency IRNA quoted an official at the mausoleum as saying the attacker had set off a suicide bomb after shooting at people.
    Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini launched the Islamic revolution in 1979.
    Iranian TV said parliament had resumed, and broadcast footage of what it said was the opening session proceeding normally.


  17. Waqas Dar
    Injured police officer being taken towards an ambulance outside Iran Parliament where armed men opened fire.Photo:Twitter/Iran news agency TEHRAN: Armed men launched two attacks in Iran's capital on Wednesday morning, killing a guard at the parliament and wounding several people in the Mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini in southern Tehran, state media reported.
    Lawmaker Elias Hazrati said three assailants, one with a pistol and two with AK-47 assault rifles, raided parliament, according the state television website.
    ISNA news agency quoted a member of the parliament as saying that all the parliament doors were shut and one of the assailants was surrounded by the security forces.
    In a separate incident, an armed man opened fire at the Mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini and wounded a number of people, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.
    ISNA quoted an unnamed source saying that the attacker at the mausoleum had blown himself up.
    The identity and the motivation of the assailant was still unclear, Tasnim said.
    Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini launched the Islamic revolution in 1979.


  18. Waqas Dar
    LONDON: A man opened fire in the Iranian parliament on Wednesday and injured a guard, a witness told Reuters.

    "A person entered Iranian parliament today and started shooting at the guards. He shot one of the guards in the leg and ran away," two semi official agencies, Fars and Mehr, reported on their telegram feeds.
    The semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that a guard was hit in the leg, and two members of the public were also injured.
    The identity and the motivation of the assailant was still unclear, Tasnim said.
    The witness told Reuters that security forces had massed inside and outside parliament, and that the incident was now over.




  19. Waqas Dar
    The World Health Organization published a new classification of antibiotics on Tuesday that aims to fight drug resistance, with penicillin-type drugs recommended as the first line of defence and others only for use when absolutely necessary.
    The new "essential medicines list" includes 39 antibiotics for 21 common syndromes, categorised into three groups: "Access", "Watch" and "Reserve".
    Drugs on the "Access" list have lower resistance potential and include the widely-used amoxicillin.
    The "Watch" list includes ciprofloxacin, which is commonly prescribed for cystitis and strep throat but "not that effective", WHO Assistant Director-General for Health Systems and Innovation Marie-Paule Kieny told reporters.
    Its use should be "dramatically reduced", the WHO said.
    "We think that the political will is there but this needs to be followed by strong policies," Kieny said.
    In the "Reserve" category antibiotics such as colistin should be seen as a last resort. That prompts questions about how producers of such antibiotics could make money, said Suzanne Hill, WHO's Director of Essential Medicines and Health Products.
    "What we need to do is stop paying for antibiotics based on how many times they are prescribed, to discourage use. We don't want colistin used very frequently. In fact we don't want it used at all," Hill said.
    "What we need to do as a global community is work out how we pay the company not to market colistin and not to promote it and to keep it in reserve."
    The WHO classification takes into account the use of antibiotics for animal health use, and was developed together with the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Organisation for Animal Health.
    Other changes to the list included the addition of two oral cancer treatments, a new pill for hepatitis C that combines two medicines, a more effective treatment for HIV, and new paediatric formulations of medicines for tuberculosis.
    But the WHO also said Roche's well-known flu drug oseltamivir, marketed as Tamiflu, may be removed from the list unless new information supports its use in seasonal and pandemic influenza outbreaks.
    "There is an updated data set compared to when the committee evaluated this product last, and what that suggests is that the size of the effect of oseltamivir in the context of pandemic influenza is less than previously thought," Hill said.
    But oseltamivir was the only listed antiviral, and was still useful for pregnant women and patients with complications, so the drug should be restricted to the most critical patients, she added.


  20. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday heard Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan's disqualification petition.
    The PTI chairman failed to both, appear before the ECP and submit the party funding record.
    Commenting on the foreign funding case, ex-PTI member Akbar S. Babar said sacks full of cash were received during the PTI-led sit-ins in the capital's D-Chowk vicinity last year.
    "The money was transported to Bani Gala," Babar said, referring to the PTI chief's residence. " People will forget all about the Panama Leaks case If a joint investigation team is formed to probe into PTI's funding."


  21. Waqas Dar
    geo_embedgallery
    Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in a clear jab at US President Donald Trump's move to quit a major climate change pact, said on Monday the world needed "the courage to confront hard truths" on global warming.

    Trudeau's remarks were the first he has made in public since Trump announced on Thursday that the United States would withdraw from the Paris accord. Trudeau issued a statement at the time saying he was deeply disappointed.
    "The future is still bright for those who have the courage to confront hard truths, and the confidence to stay the course," he said in public remarks after briefly paddling along the Niagara River to mark World Environment Day.
    After the event, he tweeted "Canada is all in. This morning, we paddled to celebrate #WorldEnvironmentDay and our commitment to protect the planet for future generations."
    "Canada will not back down from its commitment to fight climate change - and we are not alone. Around the world, nearly every country is on our side. ... Inaction is not an option," he added. "We can't walk away from the reality of climate change."
    News of the planned US withdrawal ramped up tension ahead of talks on renegotiating the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Canada is already at odds with Washington over dairy subsidies, as well as exports of lumber and airliners.


  22. Waqas Dar
    PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led coalition government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) presented its fifth and final budget for the financial year 2017-18 on Wednesday. 
    The provincial finance minister began his speech in the KP Assembly before presenting the budget. 
    The assembly session is being held under the chair of speaker Asad Qaiser. 
    Earlier, the provincial cabinet, headed by Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, finalised the budget. 
    The annual budget, with a total outlay of over Rs600 billion, is likely to be a ?cut-and-paste? of the previous budgets as the provincial government is hardly bringing about any groundbreaking projects in its final budgetary plan, The News reported.

    Following in the footprints of other provinces and the federal government, the KP government has also decided to announce an increase of 10 to 15 percent in the salaries and pensions of the government employees.
    The mainstay of the provincial budgetary vision, the Annual Development Programme (ADP), would pitch at Rs208 billion, which also includes Rs82 billion foreign project assistance.
    According to budget documents obtained by The News, the province?s own-resource component of the ADP would be Rs126 billion. The foreign project assistance amounting to Rs82 billion would also include the soft and low mark-up loans of Rs52.55 billion.
    The ADP will cover a total of 1,631 projects, including 1,182 ongoing and only 449 new ones.Over 80 percent of the development funds would be allocated for the ongoing projects through which, the government claims, sufficient relief would be provided to the masses.
    The loans would be utilised for funding about 74 projects in different sectors including agriculture, education, health, roads and mass transit system in Peshawar.Like all previous development budgets, the incumbent government?s project of the mass transit system in Peshawar is also going to be reflected in its final development initiative.
    The ?Billion Tree Tsunami Afforestation? will also continue under which 200 million saplings would be grown while 120 million saplings would be distributed to the rural organisations for plantation.
    Another ambitious project of the provincial government, Zamoong Kor, would also be replicated as an autonomous institution to cater to the education and other career-management needs of the orphans and street children across the province.
    An amount of Rs460 million has been allocated for the Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Department project under which Special Education Complexes would be built in Charsadda and Mardan.
    The social sector, particularly health and education, will get significant focus in the development plan for 2017-18. The provincial government is going to set aside Rs12 billion for 101projects of the health department that include 75 ongoing schemes for which Rs9.96 billion has been allocated while Rs2.3 billion has been allocated for 26 new healthcare projects.
    About 47,000 patients would get free treatment for tuberculosis (TB). The 1,300 cancer patients will also get free treatment. Moreover, the government has also planned to recruit 3,900 lady health workers for better service delivery.
    The Insaf Health Card system will be extended to the entire province and about 1.8 million registered families would get Rs30,000 per member at the secondary care level and Rs250,000 per member at the tertiary care level treatment at the government and government-designated hospitals.
    The government has set aside Rs14 billion for 77 schemes of the primary and secondary education, while Rs6.3 billion would be spent on 64 projects in the higher education sector.


  23. Waqas Dar
    PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led coalition government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) will present its fifth and final budget for the financial year 2017-18 today with the development outlay of Rs208 billion envisaging a loan of Rs52.55 billion to meet the pressing financial obligations.
    The annual budget, with a total outlay of over Rs600 billion, is likely to be a ?cut-and-paste? of the previous budgets as the provincial government is hardly bringing about any groundbreaking projects in its final budgetary plan, The News reported.
    Following in the footprints of other provinces and the federal government, the KP government has also decided to announce an increase of 10 to 15 percent in the salaries and pensions of the government employees.
    The mainstay of the provincial budgetary vision, the Annual Development Programme (ADP), would pitch at Rs208 billion, which also includes Rs82 billion foreign project assistance.
    According to budget documents obtained by The News, the province?s own-resource component of the ADP would be Rs126 billion. The foreign project assistance amounting to Rs82 billion would also include the soft and low mark-up loans of Rs52.55 billion.
    The ADP will cover a total of 1,631 projects, including 1,182 ongoing and only 449 new ones.Over 80 percent of the development funds would be allocated for the ongoing projects through which, the government claims, sufficient relief would be provided to the masses.
    The loans would be utilised for funding about 74 projects in different sectors including agriculture, education, health, roads and mass transit system in Peshawar.Like all previous development budgets, the incumbent government?s project of the mass transit system in Peshawar is also going to be reflected in its final development initiative.
    The ?Billion Tree Tsunami Afforestation? will also continue under which 200 million saplings would be grown while 120 million saplings would be distributed to the rural organisations for plantation.
    Another ambitious project of the provincial government, Zamoong Kor, would also be replicated as an autonomous institution to cater to the education and other career-management needs of the orphans and street children across the province.
    An amount of Rs460 million has been allocated for the Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Department project under which Special Education Complexes would be built in Charsadda and Mardan.
    The social sector, particularly health and education, will get significant focus in the development plan for 2017-18. The provincial government is going to set aside Rs12 billion for 101projects of the health department that include 75 ongoing schemes for which Rs9.96 billion has been allocated while Rs2.3 billion has been allocated for 26 new healthcare projects.
    About 47,000 patients would get free treatment for tuberculosis (TB). The 1,300 cancer patients will also get free treatment. Moreover, the government has also planned to recruit 3,900 lady health workers for better service delivery.
    The Insaf Health Card system will be extended to the entire province and about 1.8 million registered families would get Rs30,000 per member at the secondary care level and Rs250,000 per member at the tertiary care level treatment at the government and government-designated hospitals.
    The government has set aside Rs14 billion for 77 schemes of the primary and secondary education, while Rs6.3 billion would be spent on 64 projects in the higher education sector.


  24. Waqas Dar
    PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led coalition government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) will present its fifth and final budget for the financial year 2017-18 today with the development outlay of Rs208 billion envisaging a loan of Rs52.55 billion to meet the pressing financial obligations.
    The annual budget, with a total outlay of over Rs600 billion, is likely to be a ?cut-and-paste? of the previous budgets as the provincial government is hardly bringing about any groundbreaking projects in its final budgetary plan, The News reported.
    Following in the footprints of other provinces and the federal government, the KP government has also decided to announce an increase of 10 to 15 percent in the salaries and pensions of the government employees.
    The mainstay of the provincial budgetary vision, the Annual Development Programme (ADP), would pitch at Rs208 billion, which also includes Rs82 billion foreign project assistance.
    According to budget documents obtained by The News, the province?s own-resource component of the ADP would be Rs126 billion. The foreign project assistance amounting to Rs82 billion would also include the soft and low mark-up loans of Rs52.55 billion.
    The ADP will cover a total of 1,631 projects, including 1,182 ongoing and only 449 new ones.Over 80 percent of the development funds would be allocated for the ongoing projects through which, the government claims, sufficient relief would be provided to the masses.
    The loans would be utilised for funding about 74 projects in different sectors including agriculture, education, health, roads and mass transit system in Peshawar.Like all previous development budgets, the incumbent government?s project of the mass transit system in Peshawar is also going to be reflected in its final development initiative.
    The ?Billion Tree Tsunami Afforestation? will also continue under which 200 million saplings would be grown while 120 million saplings would be distributed to the rural organisations for plantation.
    Another ambitious project of the provincial government, Zamoong Kor, would also be replicated as an autonomous institution to cater to the education and other career-management needs of the orphans and street children across the province.
    An amount of Rs460 million has been allocated for the Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Department project under which Special Education Complexes would be built in Charsadda and Mardan.
    The social sector, particularly health and education, will get significant focus in the development plan for 2017-18. The provincial government is going to set aside Rs12 billion for 101projects of the health department that include 75 ongoing schemes for which Rs9.96 billion has been allocated while Rs2.3 billion has been allocated for 26 new healthcare projects.
    About 47,000 patients would get free treatment for tuberculosis (TB). The 1,300 cancer patients will also get free treatment. Moreover, the government has also planned to recruit 3,900 lady health workers for better service delivery.
    The Insaf Health Card system will be extended to the entire province and about 1.8 million registered families would get Rs30,000 per member at the secondary care level and Rs250,000 per member at the tertiary care level treatment at the government and government-designated hospitals.
    The government has set aside Rs14 billion for 77 schemes of the primary and secondary education, while Rs6.3 billion would be spent on 64 projects in the higher education sector.


  25. Waqas Dar
    PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led coalition government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) will present its fifth and final budget for the financial year 2017-18 today with the development outlay of Rs208 billion envisaging a loan of Rs52.55 billion to meet the pressing financial obligations.
    The annual budget, with a total outlay of over Rs600 billion, is likely to be a ?cut-and-paste? of the previous budgets as the provincial government is hardly bringing about any groundbreaking projects in its final budgetary plan, The News reported.
    Following in the footprints of other provinces and the federal government, the KP government has also decided to announce an increase of 10 to 15 percent in the salaries and pensions of the government employees.
    The mainstay of the provincial budgetary vision, the Annual Development Programme (ADP), would pitch at Rs208 billion, which also includes Rs82 billion foreign project assistance.
    According to budget documents obtained by The News, the province?s own-resource component of the ADP would be Rs126 billion. The foreign project assistance amounting to Rs82 billion would also include the soft and low mark-up loans of Rs52.55 billion.
    The ADP will cover a total of 1,631 projects, including 1,182 ongoing and only 449 new ones.Over 80 percent of the development funds would be allocated for the ongoing projects through which, the government claims, sufficient relief would be provided to the masses.
    The loans would be utilised for funding about 74 projects in different sectors including agriculture, education, health, roads and mass transit system in Peshawar.Like all previous development budgets, the incumbent government?s project of the mass transit system in Peshawar is also going to be reflected in its final development initiative.
    The ?Billion Tree Tsunami Afforestation? will also continue under which 200 million saplings would be grown while 120 million saplings would be distributed to the rural organisations for plantation.
    Another ambitious project of the provincial government, Zamoong Kor, would also be replicated as an autonomous institution to cater to the education and other career-management needs of the orphans and street children across the province.
    An amount of Rs460 million has been allocated for the Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Department project under which Special Education Complexes would be built in Charsadda and Mardan.
    The social sector, particularly health and education, will get significant focus in the development plan for 2017-18. The provincial government is going to set aside Rs12 billion for 101projects of the health department that include 75 ongoing schemes for which Rs9.96 billion has been allocated while Rs2.3 billion has been allocated for 26 new healthcare projects.
    About 47,000 patients would get free treatment for tuberculosis (TB). The 1,300 cancer patients will also get free treatment. Moreover, the government has also planned to recruit 3,900 lady health workers for better service delivery.
    The Insaf Health Card system will be extended to the entire province and about 1.8 million registered families would get Rs30,000 per member at the secondary care level and Rs250,000 per member at the tertiary care level treatment at the government and government-designated hospitals.
    The government has set aside Rs14 billion for 77 schemes of the primary and secondary education, while Rs6.3 billion would be spent on 64 projects in the higher education sector.


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