pakistan

Administration activated for price control, crackdown on hoarders: Maryam

Published

2 months ago

March 6, 2024

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Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday said administration had been directed across Punjab to ensure price control and arrest the hoarding culture, as she expressed her determination to provide relief to the people who have been crushed by a record-high inflation, especially food prices.

There will be zero-tolerance, Maryam told a press conference and added that officials at the district level had started carrying out raids to check the practice of selling daily use items on higher rates and creating artificial shortage.

As the PML-N government has activated the price control committees in Punjab, she asked the owners of storage facilities [godowns] to get the same registered with the district administration within three days so that the officials could have an idea about the stored items and the traders could escape government action.

The chief minister also promised strict action in case anyone tried to create law and order situation, stating no one would be spared.

Any attempt to damage the public property would be dealt with an iron hand, said the chief minister who added that the critics only knew about arson and protest – a clear reference to the PTI.

“I know some people in the opposition criticise [her government]. They are not in right state of mind,” she remarked.

“Criticism for the sake of criticism represents a defeated mindset”, Maryam said, but added that she was open to criticism and would learn from genuine critique.

Maryam said she had a firm belief that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would also work on reducing the prices to arrest inflation.

About the special relief package under Negahban Ration Programme, the Punjab chief minister admitted that a one-time relief to over 30 million people wasn’t enough as poverty had reached an unprecedented level.

Sharing the initiative’s details, Maryam said the government had a digital proof of each of 6.5 million bags containing QR codes, which would be distributed among the deserving families, adding that they had used the Nadra and BISP data for preparing the lists.

The chief minister said the Punjab Food Authority had been directed to check each producer to maintain quality and discourage the sale of substandard items – a practice which is one of the main reasons behind many diseases and health issues rampant in the country.

As far as the future line of action to deal with the poverty challenge is concerned, Maryam said the provincial government would conduct a province-wide survey in the coming months to prepare a Punjab Socioeconomic Registry.

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pakistan

Court reserves verdict on PTI founder’s bail plea in May 9 case

Published

1 day ago

May 16, 2024

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Court reserves verdict on PTI founder's bail plea in May 9 case

The Islamabad district and sessions court has reserved verdict on the bail plea of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder in the May 9 case.

Judicial Magistrate Omar Shabbir heard the case against the PTI leader registered in Shahzad Town police station.

Naeem Haider Panjhota, Sardar Masroof and Amina Ali appeared before the judge as counsel for the PTI leader.

The lawyers said the case against the PTI founder had not been pursued by an authorised officer. All cases against him had been instituted on the basis of politics and should, therefore, be quashed, they demanded.

The court after listening to the arguments reserved the verdict.

Post Views: 8

pakistan

Rawalpindi court bins plea for initiating case against former commissioner Liaquat Chattha

Published

1 day ago

May 16, 2024

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Rawalpindi court bins plea for initiating case against former commissioner Liaquat Chattha

The Rawalpindi Sessions Court on Thursday dismissed a petition seeking the registration of a case against former Rawalpindi commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Hakim Khan issued a two-page written order on the petition.

In its order, the court observed that apart from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), a departmental inquiry was also being conducted against the former commissioner.

If the allegations were proven in the ECP and departmental inquiries, a legal action was certain, the order stated, adding that in this situation, there was no justification for registering a separate case against the former Rawalpindi commissioner.

Two lawyers from Rawalpindi had filed the petition seeking the registration of a case against former commissioner.

In a Feb 18 presser, the former commissioner admitted that elections in his division were “rigged”.

The commissioner accused Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja of being complicit in the rigging and asserted that he, along with the CEC and Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, deserved punishment, even the death penalty, for their injustice.

Chattha expressed remorse for forcing his subordinates to engage in wrongdoing and admitted that winning candidates were made to lose on 13 seats in the Rawalpindi division.

Later on Feb 23, Chattha retracted his earlier statement in a written statement submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

In the statement, Chattha confessed to having supported the narrative of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) about rigging in the general elections and maligning state institutions in exchange for a lucrative position in the future.

He stated he had been made this offer by a Lahore-based PTI leader with whom he had developed a close friendship.

Chattha alleged that “this entire planning had been formulated after consultation and approval of the senior leadership of PTI”.

He stated that this proposal was made by the said [PTI] individual in consideration of the fact that he was about to retire from service after having remained a part of the services for 32 years and enjoyed all the perks and privileges.

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pakistan

IHC orders Zartaj Gul to appear before court with record in ECL name removal case

Published

1 day ago

May 16, 2024

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IHC orders Zartaj Gul to appear before court with record in ECL name removal case

Islamabad High Court (IHC) has sought the record from Zartaj Gul’s counsel on a petition seeking the name removal of PTI leader and MNA Zartaj Gul from the Exit Control List (ECL).

IHC’s Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri heard the case on Zartaj Gul’s name removal from ECL.

During the hearing, the state counsel stated that Zartaj Gul’s name has been included in the Provisional National Identification List (PNIL).

Upon inquiry from the court, the state counsel informed that Zartaj Gul’s name was included in PNIL on the order of Islamabad and Punjab police, and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) was responsible for including the name in PNIL.

Also read: PTI’s Shibli Faraz, Raja Basharat, Zartaj Gul secure bail in May 9 cases

State counsel added that five cases were registered against Zartaj Gul in Islamabad and Punjab.

The petitioner’s counsel, Advocate Usama, disclosed that Zartaj Gul has been granted bail in those cases. He reiterated that the name was being included in the PNIL list despite being on bail.

During the hearing, Justice Tariq Jahangiri inquired about how many cases Zartaj Gul has been granted bail in and ordered the petitioner to appear before the court in the next hearing.

Consequently, IHC has adjourned the case hearing until next week by directing Zartaj Gul’s counsel to appear before the court in the next hearing with records.

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