#Punjab Education Minister Marriage

[famouslook1987]

In PICS: पंजाब में मंत्री हरजोत बैंस शादी के बंधन में बंधे, IPS ज्योति यादव के साथ लिए फेरे

In PICS: पंजाब के शिक्षा मंत्री हरजोत सिंह बैंस शादी के बंधन में बंधे, IPS ज्योति यादव के साथ लिए फेरे Source link

[theborderupdates]

New Canadian Immigration Rules Hit Marriages in Punjab

Last week, Pallavi Sharma, a sprightly young woman in her early 20s, found her dreams of studying abroad shattered. Pallavi, who successfully cleared her IELTS with a score of 6.5 bands in September last year, had been eagerly planning to pursue an undergraduate program in a Canadian university.

Her engagement last month added another layer to her journey, as her fiancé was set to sponsor her student visa. However, a recent announcement by Canada’s immigration minister, Marc Miller, has thrown a wrench into her well-laid plans.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Pallavi expressed her disappointment, saying, “After completing class 12, I pursued a diploma in computer applications and cleared IELTS with 6.5 bands. Due to financial constraints, my family explored the option of a spouse visa, where the boy wanted to go abroad. Everything was arranged, and I even got engaged. But the new regulations state that spouses of students in undergraduate programs cannot obtain an open work permit. Without financial support from my fiancé’s family, there is no way I can pursue my dreams. My family doesn’t have the means to pay my fees.”

Pallavi’s story echoes the concerns of others in the state facing similar challenges. Gurpreet Singh Plaha, a resident of Dholewal area in Ludhiana, had plans to send his spouse to Canada in the May intake. However, in the absence of an open work permit, his aspirations have now been dashed. Plaha, who is single, says he was in the process of tying the knot with an ‘IELTS-pass’ girl.

Of late, such ‘IELTS weddings’ had become a new route to Canada in Punjab. A study titled “A study on overseas migration from Rural Punjab: Trends, Causes, and Consequences,” by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) from 1990 to 2022 revealed that 9.51% of Punjabis migrated abroad on a spouse visa. Notably, over 50% of these migrants were males. The gender-wise distribution showed that males (53.16%) outnumbered females (46.89%). This shift was attributed to a new trend of ‘contract marriage’ initiated by men with women obtaining high IELTS bands for study visas who would later sponsor their husbands on spousal open work visas.

It is commonplace for families to place matrimonial advertisements seeking IELTS-passed girls, with the groom’s family covering the wedding expenses, sending the girl to Canada, and bearing the financial burden—often exceeding 25 lakhs. Jagseer Singh Jhumba from Jhumba village in Bathinda highlighted this trend, stating, “It was a gateway to enter Canada.”

Amrit Saini, who lives near the bus stand in Ludhiana, shared, “My parents were in talks with a family whose daughter had cleared IELTS for a diploma course starting in May intake. The new rules from Canada have put a spanner in my plans now.”

The new regulations specify that spouses of students enrolled in undergraduate programs will not be eligible for an open work permit. This permit will only be applicable to spouses in master’s, doctoral, law, or medicine courses.

The ramifications are far-reaching, for immigration agencies as well. Nitin Chawla from Kapri Education and Immigration Services Inc. in Ludhiana noted, “This will significantly impact not only local immigration consultants but also students whose dreams hinge on flying to Canada. Many immigration consultants’ offices had a substantial portion, around 80%, of files related to spouse visas. Now, with the end of open work permits for spouses of undergraduate students, survival will be challenging for numerous immigration and IELTS institutes.”

The practice of using immigration consultants as informal marriage bureaus is not uncommon, with consultants facilitating alliances between boys and IELTS-passed girls. However, a consultant from Moga revealed, “In many cases, girls used to ditch the groom, and in numerous instances, couples would divorce after obtaining permanent residency in Canada.”

Nitin Chawla from Kapri Education and Immigration Services Inc. commented on the current scenario, stating, “For the past two months, consultants have seen a significant downturn in business. The federal government’s allocation of students to provinces, followed by provinces assigning quotas to universities and colleges, means no files can be processed until March 31, 2024, leading to automatic rejections.”

Vinay Hari, a prominent immigration and career consultant in Punjab, asserted that the new rules would put an end to the practice of sending boys to Canada based on IELTS-passed girls. He mentioned, “Spouses can only obtain an open work permit if the partner is enrolled in master’s or doctoral courses. This move by the Trudeau government is aimed at winning the confidence of local voters, especially with elections approaching.”

Hari urged students to reconsider their motives for going to Canada, emphasizing the importance of contributing to Punjab’s economy. He noted, “The market for master’s or professional courses is relatively small in Punjab. This correction was necessary, and many planning marriages with IELTS-passed girls will now pause their plans.”

Devpriya Tyagi, MD of Rightway Airlink Immigration Consultants, clarified that the new rule doesn’t affect students already in Canada on study visas, but it will impact those enrolling from September 1, 2024. Tyagi mentioned, “The IELTS institutes and immigration consultants are adopting a wait-and-watch strategy. The announcements aim to filter the type of students reaching Canada.”

The trend of groom’s families paying for the IELTS exam of the girl, often from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, is widely known. Unfortunately, incidents of suicides and police complaints have been reported when girls refused to call grooms after reaching Canada or when couples divorced after obtaining permanent residency.

While students in masters or doctoral courses can still call their spouses with open work permits, the numbers are expected to be minimal from Punjab. Devpriya added, “Students must study in public colleges or universities to secure work permits. Those in public-private campuses will no longer be eligible for work permits.”

Nitin Chawla concluded, “The Trudeau government’s previous relaxations are being rolled back, reflecting on their collapsing system. In response to the announcements, an immigration consultant in Ludhiana has promptly put one branch of his IELTS institution up for sale, signaling the immediate impact on businesses.”

Chawla emphasized a shift in the trend, urging boys to take charge of their education, pass IELTS, and pursue bachelor’s courses independently. “The era of significant demand for IELTS-passed girls is over, at least in the near future,” he declared.

Source: The Indian Express

[welidot]

Hina Rabbani Khar

This Biography is about one of the best Professional Pakistani stateswoman of the world Hina Rabbani Khar including her Height, weight, Age & Other Detail… Express info Real Name Hina Rabbani Khar Nickname Not Known Profession Pakistani stateswoman Age (as in 2023) 45 Years old Physical Stats & More Info Party Pakistan Peoples Party Political Journey • In 2002, she was elected member of National Assembly. • In 2004, she was appointed Minister of State for Economic Affairs in the Shaukat Aziz Government. • In 2005, she became Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs. • In 2008, she was appointed Minister of State for Finance & Economic Affairs in the Cabinet of Yousaf Raza Gilani. • In 2011, she was appointed Minister of State for foreign Affairs in the Gilani's Cabinet. • On 19 July 2011, she became the youngest and 1st female Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan. Physical Stats & More Of Hina Rabbani Khar Height in centimeters- 168 cm in meters- 1.68 m in Feet Inches- 5’ 6” Weight in Kilograms- 58 kg in Pounds- 128 lbs Figure Measurements 34-26-35 Eye Colour Brown Hair Colour Black Personal Life Of Hina Rabbani Khar Date of Birth 19 November 1977 Birth Place Multan, Punjab, Pakistan Zodiac sign/Sun sign Scorpio Nationality Pakistani Hometown Multan, Punjab, Pakistan School Not Known College Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan University of Massachusetts Amherst, Massachusetts, US Educational Qualifications BSc (with honors) in Economics from Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) MSc in Business Management from University of Massachusetts at Amherst in the United States Debut In 2002, when she was elected member to the National Assembly from the NA-177 (Muzaffargarh-II) constituency in Punjab. Family Father- Ghulam Noor Rabbani Khar Mother- Sumaira Rabani Khar Brother- N/A Sisters- N/A Religion Islam Address 18/B, Nisar Road, Lahore Cantt, 140-A, Defence Housing Authority Lahore Rabbani Farm, Khar Garbi, Teh: Kot Addu, Distt. Muzaffargarh, Pakistan Hobbies Traveling, Reading Boys, Affairs and More Of Hina Rabbani Khar Marital Status Married Marriage Date 24 November 1999 Affairs/Boyfriends Not Known Husband Firoze Gulzar (businessman) Children Son- N/A Daughters- Dina Gulzar, Annaya Gulzar Money Factor Of Hina Rabbani Khar Salary Not Known Net Worth (approx.) 13.37 million Pakistani rupee (as in 2013) This Biography Written By www.welidot.com Read the full article

[ginazmemeoir]

Mughal Women

Ok while I was scrolling through tumblr today on women’s history, one thing struck me odd - there wasn’t a single post regarding the women of one of the richest, most powerful empires in the history of the world. So here’s to you ladies - icons, role models and most of all - badass queens.

1. Isaan Daulat (lit. Good fortune) : Grandmother of Zahiruddin Khan or as he is famous, Babur, the founder of the Mughal dynasty, Isaan Daulat regularly advised her son on statecraft and warfare, and carried out most of his diplomatic missions. According to a source, Isaan Daulat’s husband was once killed in a war against the Shah of Persia. The Shah thereafter proceeded to “gift” Isaan Daulat to one of his generals. However, the same night, Isaan Daulat had her retinue murder him in the courtyard, “while she sipped wine reclining in the moonlight courtyard” as a witness claimed. When the Shah arrived, he questioned her about this action, to which she replied, “Islam gives me a right as a widow to marry by my convenience. You just handed me to him like cattle, and therefore his killing is perfectly justified by Islamic Sharia. You should consider yourself lucky.” The Shah of Persia then sent back Isaan Daulat with the wealth and assets he gained from that war, and declared her and her lineage as his sister and nephews. This later helped to back the Mughals’ legitimacy. Sadly, Isaan Daulat could never enjoy the land her descendants called home.

2. Gulbadan (lit. she with a rose like body) : Gulbadan was Babur’s eldest daughter, and was quite adventurous. She had famously chronicled the lives of her father and her brother Humayun, the second Mughal emperor. She looked after administration while her brother fled from place to place. She had also embarked on a seven-year voyage to Mecca and Medina for The Hajj, encountering the malicious Portuguese (she had to bribe them with a fricking town for guarantee of safe passage), pirates, kings, sufis and many more, and was thus also called Hajji Begum. She held a special place in Akbar’s zenana as his aunt.

3. Hamida Banu : Princess of Sindh, she was married off at the age of 15 to a much older Humayun at the age of 15. She had accompanied Humayun in all his wars and also on his journey to Persia, for asking the Safavid Shahs to help them recapture Hindustan. She was Akbar’s mother.

4. Maham Anagah and Jiji Anagah : Akbar’s wet nurses, they had raised up Akbar while his parents tried to win their empire back. Maham Anagah was Akbar’s chief advisor and head of his zenana, before a failed coup by his son, after which he was killed and later on she was relieved of her post, despite still holding Akbar’s favour. Jiji Anagah’s children extensively married into the Mughal family, and her husband Mirza Aziz Koka was Akbar’s head of finance. Her family, wealth and power grew so much, as the Emperor’s favourites, that they were collectively known as the Atka Khail.

5. Ruqaiyya Begum : Akbar’s first cousin, and also his first wife, Ruqaiyya Begum was Akbar’s chief queen and Padshah Begum of the zenana. Though she remained childless, she reigned supreme in the zenana and commanded her husband’s respect in a society where a woman’s existence was through her children. She was the main force behind Noor Jahan and Jahangir’s wedding, and was also the person who raised Shah Jahan.

6. Salima Sultana Begum : Wife of Akbar’s general Bairam Khan, she was later married to Akbar after Bairam Khan’s assassination. Her son Abdur Rahim was later made Khan-i-Khanan or Commander of the Mughal Army. She was the one who had brought up Jahangir, and thus he was also called Salim. An erudite scholar, she managed Akbar’s library along with her own private collection, commissioning new works and translations of others. She later protected Jahangir from Akbar’s wrath after Jahangir had him poisoned in a bid for the throne.

7. Harkha Bai : Bollywood knows her as Jodhaa, while history knows her as Maryam-uz-Zamani, Harkha Bai was the Rajput Princess of Amer and the daughter of Raja Bharmal. She was married to Akbar as part of a political alliance, and later became Jahangir’s mother. She was the richest woman of her time, her wealth being more than Akbar’s, and she also had one of the most valuable lands (jagirs). There are 2 famous anecdotes on her - 

Once, an English merchant had bought her indigo farms at Bayana, Rajasthan. When she got to know of this, she practically destroyed that merchant, bought back that farm, and later had it burnt.

Another time, the Portuguese had captured and set fire to her ship the Rahimi, one of the largest and finest ships in that time, in a last bid to maintain their hold in India and the Arabian Sea against the increasingly powerful English. In retaliation, Jodhaa had all of their ships burnt, snatched their powers and wealth, and basically made paupers out of them. She died as the richest woman in Mughal history, before Noor Jahan.

8. Anarkali : A courtesan, with whom Jahangir (then Prince Salim) fell madly in love, many historians now consider the very real possibility that she never existed and was instead “invented” by the Mughal family as someone to blame for the tension between Akbar and Jahangir. According to the folklore, Akbar didn’t approve of Salim and Anarkali’s relation, and after she and Salim refused to end things, he had her entombed alive in a wall.

9. Maan Bai : Harkha Bai’s niece, she was Jahangir’s first wife. She later committed suicide by an overdose of opium when Jahangir had her son Khusrau blinded and imprisoned in a bitter war of succession. Her brother Man Singh was one of the Nine Gems (navaratna) of Akbar’s court, and had defeated Rana Pratap in the famous Battle of Haldighati.

10. Jagat Gosini : Princess of Jodhpur, she was the Padshah Begum of Jahangir’s zenana before Noor Jahan, and also the mother of Shah Jahan. She was the biggest obstruction in Noor Jahan’s historic rise to power. She was not on good terms with then Dowager Empress Ruqaiyya Begum (see above) and hence, Ruqaiyya Begum demanded that Shah Jahan be handed over to her so that she could raise him up, and also helped Noor Jahan against her. A local folklore also suggests that she had been the one behind the miscarriage of Noor Jahan after she had come into the zenana. She faded after Noor Jahan’s rise, but still held respect and power.

11. Noor Jahan (lit. Light of the World): The most famous and powerful woman in the history of the Mughals, Noor Jahan was born as Mehr-un-Nisa (lit. Sun amongst Women) to Persian immigrant parents. Brought up in Agra alongside Akbar’s court, Noor Jahan was an intelligent woman full of talent and potential. She was married off at 19 to Sher Afghan, a commander in Akbar’s army. The marriage was a failure, and moreover Noor Jahan suffered through 8 miscarriages with him, before the birth of her daughter, Ladli (lit. Darling or Beloved). After her husband was murdered in a coup, Ruqaiyya brought her to the Imperial Palace as part of her retinue, and later helped her and Jahangir get married, with she being Jahangir’s twentieth and final wife. Her rise to power was quick, owing to her own ambition and intellect, and some help from her father Itimad-ad-Daulah (Royal Treasurer of the Mughals), brother Asaf Khan (a prominent minister in Jahangir’s court) and Ruqaiyya Begum. Her seal as the Padshah Begum became second only to that of Jahangir, and later even surpassed his own. She brought great innovations to fashion, cosmetics, administration, architecture and gardening, city planning, and many more. She was the one who had arranged the marriage between her niece Arjumand Banu and Shah Jahan. Her marriage with Jahangir was a success – both of them were tempestuous and cared and loved each other deeply. Later, as Jahangir’s health started failing due to asthma and alcoholism, she took over the reigns and took the Mughal empire to great heights. The first British ambassador, Sir Thomas Roe, arrived in her time. However, she gave the British no rights or privileges till the Rahimi incident, and extracted a great many gifts from him, including a carriage made entirely of silver. She had designed her parents’ tomb near the Yamuna river in Agra (it was later copied by Shah Jahan), and she also designed Jahangir’s tomb in Lahore (modern day Punjab, Pakistan). She had tried to get Shah Jahan to marry her own daughter, but he refused and so she completely withdrew her support from making him the emperor, and instead opposed him. Shah Jahan thus had to flee to Burhanpur, with his eldest children Dara Shukoh, Jahanara, Aurangzeb and Roshanara in Noor Jahan’s custody. Later, he waged war against Noor Jahan with help from her brother Asaf Khan. Noor Jahan was ultimately defeated in Kashmir. She was deprived of her wealth, status and power and exiled to Lahore with her daughter and granddaughter. Her influence still remained, with Shah Jahan keeping her legacy alive by copying the Taj Mahal from the tomb she designed for her parents.

12. Mumtaz Mahal : Born as Arjumand Banu, she was Noor Jahan’s niece and Shah Jahan’s most beloved. She died in childbirth while giving birth to her fourteenth child – a girl called Gauhar.

13. Jahanara : Eldest daughter of Shah Jahan, she was the one who headed the empire after Shah Jahan was left heartbroken following Mumtaz’s death, and became active in the construction of the Taj Mahal. Noor Jahan is often described as being fond of her, taking care of her education personally. She was known as Padshah Mallika, and her flower-shaped seal was the most powerful. She was an accomplished dancer, poet and a patron of the arts. She conducted the most expensive wedding ever, between her brother Dara Shukoh and Nadira Banu Begum, valued at 2 lakh rupees then, approximately 2 billion USD in today’s time.  She supported Dara Shukoh in his bid to become emperor. Later, she was imprisoned by Aurangzeb after he imprisoned Shah Jahan and killed all his remaining brothers.

14. Roshanara : Shah Jahan’s younger daughter, she was also an accomplished poet, but always at loggerheads with Jahanara. She later supported Aurangzeb as emperor.

15. Dilras Banu Begum : Aurangzeb’s first wife and Padshah Begum of his zenana, Dilras Banu belonged to the Safavid dynasty of Persia. She was mother of all of Aurangzeb’s children. However, she died an year before Aurangzeb’s succession. The Bibi ka Maqbara (Tomb of the Lady) in Aurangabad, which bears a striking resemblance to the Taj Mahal, was constructed by Aurangzeb in her honour.

16. Zeenat-un-Nisa : Aurangzeb’s eldest daughter, she was the Padshah Mallika after her mother’s death. She survived Aurangzeb by a great many years, and was respected by his successors as a remnant of a magnificent past. She was known for her charity, and was buried in the Zeenat-ul-Masjid built by her in Dlehi.

17. Zeb-un-Nisa : Aurangzeb’s favourite daughter, Zeb-un-Nisa was the most accomplished poet in Mughal history, with her works still surviving and enjoyed. She was an atheist, but later converted to Sufism. She led a secret society, and lead a rebellion against the oppressive and harsh rule of her father. She was subsequently imprisoned by Aurangzeb, where she died. She was buried in the Tees Hazari Bagh (Garden of 30,000 Trees) near the Kashmiri Darwaza (Kashmir Gate) in North Delhi. Her tomb was later shifted at Akbar’s Mausoleum in Sikandra, Agra when Delhi was expanded following Independence.

Well people, this has been an informative post. You’re welcome.

Sources : Daughters of the Sun by Ira Mukhoty, Empress : the Astonishing reign of Noor Jahan by Ruby Lal.

[timespakistan]

Solid measures to be taken for curbing child labour: CM LAHORE:Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar chaired a meeting to review the performance of the Labour Department at the CM office on Sunday. Addressing the meeting, he said that a Labour Tower would be constructed in Lahore under the supervision of the Labour Department. He also directed to review the proposal of setting up of hostels for the labourers and industrial workers. It was principally decided in the meeting to turn Punjab Employees Social Security Institution and Punjab Workers Welfare Funds into smart organisations. The meeting further decided that COMSATS would establish a campus on the land of the Labour Department in Defence Lahore where 30 per cent of children of labour and workers would get free education. He further directed the authorities concerned to take solid measures for curbing child labour. Usman Buzdar said that land of the Labour Department worth 2 billion rupees had been evacuated from the Qabza Mafia. Similarly, 144 flats of labourers and workers in Sheikhupura, Kot Chatha and other areas got vacated from Qabza Mafia as well. He maintained that the minimum wage of the workers in Punjab had been fixed to Rs 20 thousand, adding that incumbent government, during its two and a half year tenure, had given raise of Rs 5000 in the minimum wage of labourers and workers. He said that free of cost medical facilities had been provided to a common man in Social Security Hospitals of Lahore and Muzaffargarh. Usman Buzdar directed to complete the construction of 720 flats project for the workers and labours at the earliest. He said that Social Security Hospitals were being constructed in Taunsa, Sargodha and Faisalabad, whereas the cardiology department had been established in Khawaja Farid Social Security Hospital in Multan for the labours. As many as 98 per cent of payments were made online for Social Security Card. He said that the marriage grant had been increased from one lakh to two lakh. Similarly, the amount under the head of death grant had also been increased from five lakh to six lakh. Free online service was being provided for the registration of factories. The meeting also reviewed the proposal of setting up of PESSI Medical College and Nursing School. Secretary Labour gave the detailed briefing of departmental performance and measures taken for providing facilities to the workers. Provincial Minister Labour Ansar Majeed Niazi, Principal Secretary to CM, Secretary Labour, head of Special Monitoring Unit and concerned officials were present on this occasion. Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has taken notice of a kidnapping and murder of a child in Karyala Chakwal and sought a report from Regional Police Office (RPO) Rawalpindi. The Chief Minister directed for the immediate arrest of the accused and fulfill the requirements of the justice, said a handout issued here on Sunday. Usman Buzdar assured justice to the bereaved family of the child and extended heartfelt sympathies and condolences with them. Govt taking steps to protect human rights: minister: Punjab Minister for Human Rights and Minorities Affairs Ejaz Alam Augustine said on Sunday the Punjab government was taking numerous steps to protect human rights in the province. Addressing the ceremony of formation of legal committees across the province to provide legal and moral assistance to the people on the basis of human rights here, he said that there was a need to create awareness about human rights among the common people and in this regard establishment of legal committees across the province would prove a milestone. https://timespakistan.com/solid-measures-to-be-taken-for-curbing-child-labour-cm/19474/

[dpr-lahore-division]

CM ANNOUNCES COMPOSITE STRATEGY TO COMBAT THIRD CORONA WAVE

With the compliments of, The Directorate General Public Relations,

Government of the Punjab, Lahore Ph: 99201390.

No.484/QU/Zahid

HANDOUT (A)

LAHORE, March 29:

The province is facing the 3rd corona wave which is more intense than the second and first wave while the positivity rate has reached 14 per cent. The majority of positive cases has been reported in Lahore, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Faisalabad and Multan as the positive tests' ratio has remained 21 per cent in Lahore during the last 24 hours. This is very serious because the health system is overloaded due to the burden on the hospitals. It is imperative to take measures to control this virus as industries and businesses cannot be closed down. The government is not in favour of restrictions but it's not possible without the support and cooperation of the people.

These views were expressed by Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar while addressing a presser after chairing the meeting of the cabinet committee for the eradication of corona at his office on Monday. Provincial ministers Dr Yasmin Rashid, Murad Raas, Yasir Humayun, SACM Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Chief Secretary, IG Police, ACS (Home) and Secretary Primary & Secondary Healthcare were also present.

While briefing the media about the decisions taken in the meeting as well as the latest situation, the CM said that the corona situation is critical in some cities of the province as positive cases have reached 215227 as 2309 positive cases have been reported during yesterday. The total number of positive cases has reached 23106 and 252 patients are in critical condition, he added. 6244 have died of corona as 39 patients have lost their lives during the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, 15780 have also been tested during this period, he added.

The CM stated that important decisions were taken in the meeting to secure the lives of the people. He maintained the Punjab government is not going to put restrictions on economic activities adding that industries, goods transports and construction industries will continue their work according to the routine while ensuring strict compliance of SOPs. Meanwhile, he added that a decision has been made to enforce strict lockdowns in districts with more than a 12 per cent corona rate from April 1st to control this virus. The lockdown will continue till April 11 while the cabinet committee will take stock of the situation after seven days to take further decisions, he added.

CM announced a strict ban on wedding events from April 1st. Marriage halls will be totally shut down and permission will not be granted to hold an indoor or outdoor gathering of any sort. Similarly, a decision has also been made to close down mass transit transport which includes metro bus service, orange metro train and speedo bus service. Similarly, he announced that indoor and outdoor dining will also be banned in hotels and restaurants while takeaways and home delivery service will be continued. Sports, cultural, social and other gatherings will be totally banned along with parks, he added and further announced that markets and bazaars will be closed at 6 pm. Shops will remain closed two days of the week, he added.

The CM maintained that non-compliance with SOPs will result in further deterioration and added that the Punjab government is striving hard to implement the restrictions. The people can remain safe from the deadly virus by wearing facemasks, he added. More than 15 thousand tests can be conducted every day as 22 BSL-III labs are working in the province. Along with it, 126 vaccine centres are established in the province and 121527 healthcare workers have been given the first dose. A total of 456000 doses of corona vaccine have been received and 54885 healthcare workers have also been given the second dose. 151447 citizens of more than 60 years of age have been vaccinated as well, he added. The government machinery is fully active to save the citizens from corona and the people should also observe precautions while extending cooperation to the government machinery, he added.

Replying to the questions, the CM asserted that legal action will be initiated in case of violation of SOPs adding that the Chief Secretary and IG Police have been instructed to personally monitor the observance of SOPs. Replying to a question about hurling threats to senior journalist Rana Azeem, the CM said that this matter will be dealt with by IG Police and legal action will be initiated. Not everything will be shut down by the government and efforts will be made that people are minimally burdened, he added and maintained that the purpose of these steps is to overcome the spread of coronavirus. It is a matter of saving lives because the effective implementation of the SOPs will help to overcome the virus. The government is desirous of protecting the health of the people while running the wheel of the economy, the CM emphasized. The countries with the best healthcare system are unable to control this disease and the media must extend its support in the larger public interest. To another question, the CM said the educational institutions will remain closed till April 11 and a ban has been put on public transport to discourage people from moving out.

Replying to another question, education minister Murad Raas said that students were given a fee discount last year when schools were closed down by the government. We have to give relief to both parents as well as the schools as several schools were closed down afterwards. He added that the schools are not closed down in 26 districts and students are attending their institutions according to the SOPs. The government will try to ensure that schools of other districts are also opened after April 11, he added. I have met with the delegation of teachers engaged in agitation and a promise has been made with them that genuine demands will be fulfilled from 5 to 9 April but the teachers did not fulfil their commitment, he said while giving a reply to another question. The SACM said agitating teachers are violating corona SOPs. CM Usman Buzdar held a meeting and given the responsibility to ministers to amicably settle this issue as the government does not want to deal strictly with the teachers, she added.      

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No.485/QU/Zahid

HANDOUT (A)

ANTI-POLIO DRIVE STARTS IN PUNJAB

LAHORE, March 29:

20 million children of less than five years of age will be administered anti-polio drops by a contingent of one lac and 20 thousand polio workers during a five day long drive being started today in 36 districts of the province.

This was stated by Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar in a statement issued here on Monday.

Giving the details, the CM asserted to achieve the hundred per cent target while observing anti-corona SOPs. He asked the parliamentarians to play their role and directed that effective monitoring of anti-polio teams be ensured as well. Making Punjab a polio-free province is the commitment of the government and collective efforts are needed to be utilized effectively to achieve this target, he added. The CM said the line departments should ensure coordinated efforts to give desired results as there is no room for any negligence. Meanwhile, the parents should also ensure to administer the vaccine to their children as it is a collective responsibility to overcome this deadly disease, the CM added.  

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No.486/QU/Akram

HANDOUT (A)

CM TAKES NOTICE OF FIRING INCIDENT

LAHORE, March 29:

Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar has sought a report from CCPO Lahore about firing in Shah Alam Market and directed to arrest the accused along-with initiation of legal action against them.

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[briefnytw]

Partition: The Creation of Two States

Before Partition: Muslim and Hindu Relations

Long before British rule, India was ruled by the Mughal Empire from 1526 to 1857. The Mughals were founded and ruled by a Muslim dynasty, taking governmental control away from the Hindus native to the land. Similar to other conquests of one nation by another, the Mughals used violence to gain control of India. During the time of ruler Akbar, from 1556 to 1605, there was much intermixing within the two cultures. Akbar built relations with Hindus through marriage, listening to the teachings of Hindu saints and philosophers, building Hindu and Muslim temples as well as allowing Hindu’s to play a big part in court. Other rulers, such as Aurangzeb who ruled from 1658 to 1707, were not so open to Hindu influences. Aurangzeb imposed harsher taxes on Hindus, had authorities mistreat them, and showed considerable favoritism, overall, to Muslims.

However, the last written ruler of the Mughal emperor, and most rulers of the empire, mirrored Akbar’s tolerance more than Aurangzeb’s favoritism. By the 19th century, a Sunni Muslim living in Bengal still had more in common with his Hindu neighbor than another Sunni or Sufi Muslim from another part of India and vice versa. Historian Sukbir Singh sums it up by writing that, “the social relationships between these two communities were co-operative without any severe constraint or conflict despite religious distinctions.”

By 1858, India found itself caught in the crosswire of British imperialism. The East India Trading Company, a British company, had gone to and won a war with the Mughal Empire, which soon set the British up not only as an economic power but also as the as governing power in India. Many historians view this as the turning point in Hindu and Muslim relationships. Alex von Tunzelmann writes in her book India Summer that when “the British started to define ‘communities’ based on religious identity and attach political representation to them, many Indians stopped accepting the diversity of their own thoughts and began to ask themselves in which of the boxes they belonged.” British legislation helped create the Congress Party, a secular party with a Hindu majority, and the Muslim-dominated Muslim League. These two parties played a huge role in Muslim-Hindu relations as India hurdled towards Independence.

To Independence: The Creation of India and Pakistan

Calls for India’s Independence from British rule began to gain steam at the end of the First World War.

Photo from an article by Shoaib Daniyal

The Congress Party was led by Hindu’s Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, while the Muslim League was led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah. All three were lawyers who received part of their education in England. Much of the politics in the situation, like today, was lead primarily by relationships and personality. In the beginning, Jinnah was a huge advocate of Muslim-Hindu cooperation in gaining independence. He was famously dubbed “the Ambassador of Hindu-Muslim Unity” after saying that he thought the British were implying Hindu-domination over the Muslim public as a way to “frighten you, to scare you away from cooperation and unity, which are essential for the establishment of self-government.”

However, after the First World War the relationship between Jinnah and Gandhi grew sour. Congress Party launched a boycott of non-cooperation to all aspects of British rule. Jinnah did not agree with this policy, which grew the divide between Congress and the Muslim League. After local elections in 1937, Congress refused to form coalition administrations with the Muslim League in mixed areas.

During World War Two, Congress began a “Quit India” movement and refused to fight for Britain in the war. Gandhi, Nehru, and many others were arrested and jailed. Jinnah, however, used this moment as a way to grow favor with Britain, urging Muslim Indians to fight for the British in the war and meeting with British leaders to discuss Muslim interest in India. Jinnah began advocating for partition and the creation of a Muslim state of Pakistan. Historians are still undecided on whether Jinnah used this as a bargaining chip for equal Muslim-Hindu control over Independent India, or if he seriously wanted another state.

Overall, this did not bode well with Congress and Gandhi, who thought Indians should be fighting for independence instead of currying up to and helping Britain win their wars. By the end of World War Two, the disagreements between the two men intensified. The disorder brought on by the World War Two fueled the discontent between Hindus and Muslims even more. Local and regional political leaders deepened the idea of separation with their words and calls to violent action. People began moving from mixed neighborhoods to areas with only Muslims or only Hindus. Soon there were widespread religious massacres; one in Calcutta in 1946 took the lives of five thousand people.

At the end of World War Two, the British Empire was heavily wounded and no longer had the resources to continue ruling India. In March 1947, Lord Louis Mountbatten came to Delhi to give India its independence and set up a central government. Prime Minister of Britain, Clement Attlee, at the time told Lord Mountbatten to “Keep India united if you can. If not, save something from the wreck. In any case, get Britain out.”

Mountbatten found Congress and the Muslim League unable to agree on many terms on independence and rule. Communal violence between Muslim and Hindu communities continued. Thus instead of one central government, Mountbatten, Congress, and the Muslim League agreed to two independent states. Mountbatten acted very hasty in trying to get Britain out of India. He announced August 15, 1947 as the day of the transfer of powers. This date was ten months earlier than Congress and the Muslim League had expected. Cyril Radcliffe, a British judge, was given less than forty days to draw the boarders of the two new states. On August 14, 1947 when the remaining British officials set off towards the railway station to leave, they saw Punjab burning.

The Aftermath:

Photo Credit: Margaret Bourke-White/The Life Picture Collection/Getty

When August 15, 1947 finally came, millions of Muslims migrated across the newly drawn border to Pakistan, while millions of Hindus migrated in the opposite direction to India. Guerillas, from both sides, clubbed travelers they met on the roads, while packed trains often suffered ambushes that left hundreds dead. Leaders in the Muslim League and the Congress Party tried but could not stop the violence. In a couple of months the Hindu population in what is now Pakistan went from 15% to 1.5%. Muslims in India, especially Punjab, according to India’s census, went from 52.4% to 1.56%. Partition result in 15 million people displaced and more than a million killed.

Tensions remain between Pakistan and India to this day. Though the generation of citizens in both countries that lived through Partition have begun to talk about the violence they witnessed and endured, a collective healing, from both sides, seems distant.

http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/128996/11/08_chapter%204.pdf

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/06/29/the-great-divide-books-dalrymple

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/why-cant-hindus-and-muslims-get-along-together-its-a-long-story-1162319.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/how-the-partition-of-india-happened-and-why-its-effects-are-still-felt-today-a7888131.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/08/15/indian-independence-day-everything-need-know-partition-india/

https://www.thoughtco.com/what-was-the-partition-of-india-195478

https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/the-british-pm-who-oversaw-indias-independence/295156

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/viceroys-house/lord-mountbatten-india-partition/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia-pacific/70-years-later-survivors-recall-the-horrors-of-india-pakistan-partition/2017/08/14/3b8c58e4-7de9-11e7-9026-4a0a64977c92_story.html?utm_term=.1db85f9b84c0

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/how-the-partition-of-india-happened-and-why-its-effects-are-still-felt-today-a7888131.html

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jul/31/break-silence-partition-british-colonial-history-south-asian

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/05/partition-70-years-on-india-pakistan-denial

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/14/everything-changed-readers-stories-of-india-partition

http://theconversation.com/how-the-partition-of-india-happened-and-why-its-effects-are-still-felt-today-81766

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/indian-partition-a-brief-history-of-india-and-pakistan-on-the-70th-anniversary-of-independence-a3612126.html

[ptcnewsupdates]

Unlock 5 guidelines: Punjab government announces end to night curfew and Sunday lockdown

Punjab Unlock 5 guidelines: Amid declining in Covid-19 cases and deaths, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday ordered a slew of relaxations, including the lifting of night curfew and end to Sunday lockdown. He also directed the DGP to strictly enforce wearing of masks and other safety norms.

https://www.facebook.com/ptcnewsonline/videos/1824185141056028/?t=0

Among the relaxations announced by the Chief Minister are increasing the limit for marriage functions and funerals to 100 in the state, in line with the Government of India guidelines, as well as easing the limit of three persons in a car and 50% capacity in buses, subject to the condition of windows being open.

Captain Amarinder Singh, however, has directed DGP Dinkar Gupta to ensure strict adherence to COVID protocols, with immediate action against those violating the mandatory mask’s condition. There should be no laxity, especially in view of the ongoing Paddy procurement operations and the forthcoming festival season, he said.

Punjab Unlock 5 guidelines, watch video:  

On the issue of reopening of schools and educational institutions, which the Centre had left to the states to decide post-October 15 under Unlock 5.0, the final decision will be announced after due deliberations between the Home Secretary and the Education Department.

During a virtual meeting to review the COVID situation in the state, the Chief Minister took note of the decline in the rising cases/deaths trend and said the restrictions imposed earlier by the state government had helped. However, he expressed concern over the increase in cases in rural areas, even though numbers in cities/towns were going down.

Captain Amarinder also directed Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan to look into arranging for the provision of Vitamins etc to poor COVID patients discharged from hospitals.

In a brief presentation earlier, the state’s expert health committee head, Dr. KK Talwar, said the positivity rate in the state had come down from 10.85% on September 14 to 5.12% on September 28. The number of deaths and patients on ventilators had also shown a decline during this period, he said. The state’s COVID death rate currently stands at 2.9%, with deaths per million at 112.5%. The recovery rate has gone up to 82.1%.

Health Minister Balbir Sidhu underlined the need for the motivation of doctors and other medical staff to keep the situation under control.

Health Secretary Hussan Lal shared details of the current situation in government and private hospitals etc, while Dr. D.K. Tiwari, Secretary Medical Education & Research disclosed that 54 COVID patients had been given plasma donation at the three GMCs so far.

[khalilhumam]

Construction of first Hindu temple in Islamabad, Pakistan faces opposition

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Construction of first Hindu temple in Islamabad, Pakistan faces opposition

“The constitution of Pakistan provides equal rights to all citizens”

Umarkot Shiv Mandir in Umarkot, Sindh, Pakistan. Image via WIkipedia by Harish Chander, CC BY-SA 4.0.

On 24 June, Pakistan's Parliamentary Secretary on Human Rights Lal Chand Malhi performed the groundbreaking ceremony for construction of the first Hindu temple in Islamabad. However, as soon as the construction of the boundary walls commenced, it was vandalized by Islamists and petitions were filed against the temple by a group of religious clerics.

Condemnation by religious groups

Of the estimated 221 million people living in Pakistan, over over 96% are Muslim and around 1.85% are Hindu — although the Pakistan Hindu Council claims the last number to be much higher. According to the Evacuee Trust Property Board of the Government of Pakistan, there are approximately 1,300 temples in the country with only 30 considered currently functional. The construction of this new temple is meant to provide the nearly 3000 members of the Hindu community in Islamabad a place for their religious ceremonies, marriages, last rites and cremation. In late June, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan approved a 100 million rupee (US$ 598,000) grant for construction of the Shri Krishna Mandir temple. The decision to build the temple in Islamabad faced severe backlash. Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi opposed the decision despite being a coalition partner in the government. Jamia Ashrafia, a leading religious educational institution in Lahore, released a statement calling the construction un-Islamic and issuing a fatwa (religious decree) against it. Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani, an expert in Islamic jurisprudence, added that the issue was not the construction of the building but who was paying for it. The Capital Development Authority (CDA) of Islamabad had stopped the construction on July 4, 2020 citing reasons that design should be approved as per the building plan. In the meantime, a group of Islamic fundamentalists vandalized the temple's boundary walls, chanted religious slogans and recited Azan (the call to prayer) on the temple grounds.

The boundary wall of the Temple was destroyed and now a man is saying the Azan on the site. This has nothing to do with the excuses of taxes, etc. This is bigotry towards Hindus. Give others what you ask for yourself! Islam preaches tolerance.#AreHindusLesserPakistani pic.twitter.com/FNnUlXw2Nx — Shamila Ghyas (@ShamilaGhyas) July 7, 2020

The Islamabad High Court dismissed the petitions made by a group of Muslim clerics and referred the matter to the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), a constitutional body formed in 1962 to guide the state on how to run the country in accordance with the injunctions of the Holy Quran and Sharia. When the State requires legal advice on Islamic issues they refer to the CII. The Ministry of Religious Affairs (MORA) also sought the CII's advice on the allocation of funds from Muslim taxpayers money, for construction of the temple. CII Chairman Qibla Ayaz has acknowledged the receipt of the ministry’s letter and he forwarded it to the council’s research department to formulate an opinion. The construction of the temple can only begin if the CII gives a favourable decision.

Support for the construction of the temple

Noor ul Haq Qadri with the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony tweeted in support of the temple's construction:

اسلامی تاریخ ، تعلیمات اور پاکستان کا آئین تمام اقلیتوں کی مذھیبی آزادی اور عبادت گا ھوں کی حفاظت کےضامن ھیں !عمران خان کی حکومت اپنی اقلیتوں کے ساتھ ھر گز ھندوستاں جیسا سلوک نہیں کرے گا ! پاکستان بین المذاھب ھم اھنگی کیلۓ اقدامات جاری رکھے گا ! 50 لاکھ ھندوآبادی بھی پاکستانی ھیں — pir noorulhaq qadri (@NoorulhaqPir) June 28, 2020

Translation: According to Islamic history, education and constitution of Pakistan all minorities are free to worship and the state would protect them. PM Imran Khan will not treat them like India has been doing so with the minorities.

In an telephone interview with Lal Chand Malhi, the National Assembly member who presided over the temple's groundbreaking ceremony, echoed this sentiment:

According to the constitution of Pakistan and the law of the land nothing can stop us from constructing the temple. The only issue at the moment is if it can be made from public money or not for which an application has been sent to CII. But if the response is in negative we will still construct it after collecting  funds.

According to religious scholar Javed Ahmed Ghamidi all Pakistani's pay taxes and the State builds mosques using public money so the government should be able to use public funds to build places of worship for other religions as well.

Javed Ahmed Ghamdi on the construction of Hindu Temple in Islamabad. Here, he recognizes the secular principle of secular nation-states, instead of advocating for an Islamic Republic. https://t.co/QayA20Evou — Haroon Riaz (@HaroonRiaz) July 2, 2020

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) opposition party member Khawaja Asif addressed the National Assembly by reiterating the tenants of Pakistan's constitution, mainly that equal rights apply “to all citizens irrespective of their caste, creed, and religion.” Pakistan Ulema Council criticized those complicating the issue and extended support for the construction of the temple as the Constitution of Pakistan was clear on the rights of Muslims and non-Muslims living in the country.

Reaction on social media:

Social media has been abuzz since the day the prime minister gave his approval for the construction of the temple. The decision was praised by some while religious groups spoke against it and some even threatened to kill people from the Hindu community.  #MandirTauBanega (#TheTempleWillbeBuilt) has been trending widely.

The construction of the first Hindu temple in Islamabad is a welcome and laudable step by our Government. Pakistan belongs in equal measure to each and every citizen irrespective of his/her caste, creed, ethnicity or faith. #islamabadtemple — Umar Khayyam (@utggondal) June 24, 2020

A private news channel ran a full-fledged campaign against the construction of the temple and when construction stopped they ran a piece stating that they are proud of their victory.

This is disgusting and shameful that @92newschannel is terming it their victory as CDA has stopped construction of a #Hindu #temple in #Islamabad. Simply, #ShameOn92News for siding with and promoting bigotry. This is Jinnah's Pakistan, not mullah's Pakistan. #MandirTauBanega pic.twitter.com/uvkPHwUcis — Kapil Dev (@KDSindhi) July 3, 2020

< p class='gv-rss-footer'>Written by R Umaima Ahmed · comments (0) Donate · Share this: twitter facebook reddit

[brajeshupadhyay]

Coronavirus LIVE Updates: WHO chief says no return to 'old normal' in near future; global cases rise by 10 lakh in five days

08:06 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak Latest Updates

WHO sounds alarm as coronavirus cases rise by 10 lakh in five days

 The number of coronavirus infections around the world hit 1.3 crore on Monday, according to a Reuters tally, climbing by a million in just five days.

The pandemic has now killed more than half a million people in six-and-a-half months, and World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said there would be no return to the “old normal” for the foreseeable future, especially if preventive measures were neglected.

07:59 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Hong Kong Latest Updates

Hong Kong preps for stringent social distancing norms from tonight

Hong Kong is set to impose the most stringent physical distancing norms from tonight, reports Reuters. Facemasks will be mandatory for people while on public transport, restaurants can only provide takeaways after 6 pm and 12 types of establishments, including gyms, will be shut for a week.

07:57 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in Odisha Latest Updates

Odisha's COVID-19 toll mounts to 70 with six more deaths

The death toll due to COVID-19 in Odisha rose to 70 on Monday with six more fatalities, while the tally climbed to 13,717 as 616 more people tested positive for the disease, a health department official said.

Four deaths were reported from Ganjam district, the state's COVID-19 hotspot, while Khurda and Cuttack reported one each, he said.

07:52 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak Latest Updates

Total confirmed cases now at 1.3 crores; toll at 5.7 lakh

The total confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the world stand at 1.3 crores, according to the Reuters tracker. This figure includes COVID-19 patients who have recovered and the overall global death toll which stands at 5.7 lakh.

With over 33.2 lakh reported cases to date, the United States is the worst-affected country in the world. The US is followed by Brazil, India, Russia and Peru.

07:49 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in US Latest Updates

US has biggest COVID-19 testing programme in the world: Trump

The United States has the biggest COVID-19 testing programme in the world, better than big countries like Russia, China, India and Brazil, President Donald Trump said on Monday, asserting that America has "just about the lowest mortality rate" due to the disease in the world.

"We have one of the lowest mortality rates anywhere," Trump said at a White House roundtable. More than 34 lakh Americans have tested positive for COVID-19 so far and over 1,37,000 have died due to the disease, both of which are the largest numbers among all the countries.

07:48 (IST)

Coronavirus Outbreak in India Latest Updates

Pune, Bengaluru under lockdown from today

Across the country, authorities are preparing to reimpose lockdown restrictions for varying periods in more cities. In Pune and Bengaluru, the seven- and 10-day lockdown respectively, will begin from Tuesday.

Coronavirus LATEST Updates: The pandemic has now killed more than half a million people in six-and-a-half months, and World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said there would be no return to the 'old normal' for the foreseeable future, especially if preventive measures were neglected.

The total number of coronavirus cases in India crossed 8.50 lakh with 28,701 new infections reported countrywide on Monday. Meanwhile, with the surge in cases across the country, more state governments are likely to impose lockdown restrictions in cities, reports said.

According to Union health ministry data, 500 new casualties have also been reported on Monday, taking the total toll to 23,174. Of the total tally of cases, active infections are 3,01,609 while 5,53,471 people have been cured.

On its part, the ICMR said that 2,19,103 samples had been tested for COVID-19 in the last 24 hours. With this, the total number of tests conducted so far rose to 1,18,06,265.

Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest single-day rise with 1,654 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, pushing the total to over 38,000.

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan was quoted by CNN-News18 as saying that he wouldn't be able to set a deadline for a vaccine to treat coronavirus.

He added, "No data to prove community transmission in India yet. Can say with confidence, community transmission hasn’t begun."

Pune, Bengaluru, Kerala to be under lockdown as COVID-19 cases rise

Across the country, authorities are preparing to reimpose lockdown restrictions for varying periods in more cities. In Pune and Bengaluru, the seven- and 10-day lockdown respectively, will begin from Tuesday.

The Kerala government has imposed an enhanced triple lockdown in the coastal areas which have been declared as critical containment zones. The triple lockdown came into force from 6 am on Monday and will continue till 23 July.

The coastal regions where a triple lockdown has been declared are Thiruvananthapuram-Manikyavilakam, Poonthura and Puthanpally wards, Kollam-Chavara and Panmana, Alappuzha- Pattanakkad, Kadakkarappally, Cherthala south, Mararikulam North, Kodamthuruthu, Kuthiathode, Thuravoor, Arattupuzha, Ernakulam-Chellanam Malappuram-Veliyamkode, Perumbadappu, Ponnani, Tanur municipalities.

No movement of people will be allowed to and from the containment zones except for medical emergency and exempted services. The government has also declared five kilograms of rice to the families residing in these regions free of cost, ANI reported.

Shops that sell essential items will be allowed to function from 10 am to 6 pm. These shops are permitted to collect stock from 7 am to 9 am.

Additionally, the Uttar Pradesh government decided to implement strict restrictions across the state on weekends to check the spread of coronavirus, joining Karnataka and Tamil Nadu which have been imposing 'Sunday lockdown'.

Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Bihar were among the states that have already announced area-wise lockdown for different durations.

Tamil Nadu chief minister K Palaniswami extended the curbs in Madurai and nearby regions including the Paravai Town Panchayat and several village panchayats till 14 July.

The Maharashtra government had earlier announced a comprehensive lockdown in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad from 13-23 July. The state government had imposed similar curbs in areas around Mumbai.

Authorities in Kashmir too began strict implementation of another phase of the lockdown on Sunday, sealing off historic Lal Chowk and 67 other areas in Srinagar which have been declared containment zones after a sudden surge in COVID-19 positive cases over the past one week.

The Indian Express reported that authorities the "movement of people are restricted to essential services and medical emergencies only".

The Punjab government reportedly issued a "complete bar" on all public gatherings, while restricting social gatherings to five and marriages/other social functions to 30 instead of the current 50, News18 reported. Additionally, the state government also mandated that an FIR be filed against lockdown violators.

Mumbai's doubling rate is highest in country

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday said that Mumbai has achieved a doubling-rate of 50 days for COVID-19 cases, which is the highest in the country currently.

The municipal body credited the achievement to the recently-adopted 'open testing policy', which allows people to get tested for coronavirus without prescriptions. Reports said that Mumbai is the only city in the country to implement such a testing policy.

"After the open testing policy, our testing has gone up from 4,000 to 6,800, daily. But the total positive cases have come down from 1,400 to 1,200 now," BMC commissioner IS Chahal was quoted as saying.

Of these 1,200 cases, the symptomatic cases are less than 200, so the BMC needs only 200 beds daily, Chahal said.

The BMC's discharge rate now stands at 70 percent, and on Sunday, after allotting beds to all patients, there were still 7,000 COVID-19 beds plus 250 ICU beds lying vacant, he added.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government "decided to cancel exams in all state-run universities in view of the rising coronavirus cases in the state," News18 reported quoting state education minister Uday Samant.

SC refuses to entertain plea for restrictions on Amarnath Yatra in view of COVID-19

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a plea seeking restrictions on devotees in the Amarnath Yatra pilgrimage this year due to COVID-19 pandemic, saying the issue has to be left with the local administration to look into.

"We have to respect principle of separation of powers," said a bench comprising justices DY Chandrachud, Indu Malhotra and KM Joseph and declined to enter the arena of the executive which has to deal with it as per statutory norms.

"We are of view that recourse being taken here under Article 32 (of the Constitution) is inappropriate. The issue as to whether Yatra be held should be left with the local administration. Undoubtedly any decision arrived at must be based on law and all relevant statutory provisions", the bench, which conducted the hearing through video conferencing, noted in the order.

The apex court was hearing a plea filed by ''Shri Amarnath Barfani Langars Organisation'' (SABLO) which had sought a direction to the Centre, Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board to restrict the access of pilgrims in the Yatra this year in wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

Karnataka tourism minister tests COVID-19 positive

Karnataka tourism minister CT Ravi has tested positive for coronavirus. His wife and daughter have however, tested negative for the virus, PTI reported.

"Yesterday, I along with my wife Pallavi & my staff members underwent COVID19 test. Fortunately, my wife Pallavi and all my staff members are tested negative. Third umpire's result for me has confirmed that I'm Covid Positive," Ravi tweeted on Monday.

He went into home quarantine on 11 July after he came in contact with a coronavirus patient.

WHO team arrives in China to investigate origin of COVID-19

Two World Health Organisation experts arrived in China on Monday as part of a mission in China to trace the origin of the coronavirus pandemic. The virus was first detected in central China’s city of Wuhan late last year. Beijing had been reluctant to allow a probe but relented after scores of countries called on the WHO to conduct a thorough investigation.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Hua Chunying, said they would work with Chinese scientists and medical experts on “scientific cooperation on the new coronavirus tracing issue.”

China has argued that the virus might have originated outside of China and has denied allegations that it covered up the scale of the outbreak as infections first began to spread.

"We have a basic consensus with the WHO that virus tracing is a scientific issue, and that requires international scientific research and cooperation of scientists across the world,” ministry spokesperson Hua said at a daily briefing. “WHO also believes that the virus tracing is an issue in progress, which may involve multiple countries and regions, and WHO will also conduct similar inspections in other countries and regions as needed."

With inputs from agencies

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[supervidyavinay]

NEW DELHI: The condition of minorities is worsening in Pakistan and their numbers are declining by the day. Minorities in Pakistan are severely charged on minor allegations, leading to punishments like the death penalty. Blasphemy laws, in most cases, are used to fulfill a personal vendetta. Victims are immediately presumed guilty, even without proper investigation and holding the trial under jury.This was the theme at a meet organised on Friday close on the heels of meet in Geneva where India questioned Pakistan’s treatment of minorities. The speakers included experts who have studied situation of minorities in Pakistan -- Dr. Omendra Ratnu, ENT Surgeon and Founder, Nimittekam; Amanjeet Singh, President, Sikh Youth of Jammu and Kashmir; and Dharmendra Singh Rataul, Education Management Expert with Khalsa College, Amritsar.Earlier on Tuesday India had hit out at Islamabad at a UN session over human rights violation, terrorism activities and treatment of minorities In Pakistan, saying that the country should practice tolerance towards their minorities and "good neighbourliness" so that the South Asian region sees "eternal peace".Dharmendra Singh Rataul highlighted the severity of the overbroad blasphemy laws of Pakistan, he said that such laws do not exist even in the Arab world. He further argued that migration of minorities from Pakistan has been a major result of persecution and quoted the example of the Pakistani Ahmadiyya community settling down in Punjab.Women from the minority community are the most vulnerable group in Pakistan. Forced abductions, rapes, forced conversions, forced marriages have become trends. Instead of checking the persecution of minorities, the Pakistan government has rather chosen not to speak.Dr. Ratnu talked about his grassroots initiatives towards the Hindu minorities of Pakistan. His organisation acts as an interface between Pakistani minorities and India. To date, the organisation has been able to get 2000 Indian citizenships to Pakistani minorities and thanked the Ministry of Home Affairs to authorise DCs of Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Jaisalmer to recently entitle rights to grant citizenship to Pakistani minorities.Young Sikh right activist Amanjeet Singh began by mentioning the slogan of Pakistani tribal raiders during 1947-48 massacre of Kashmiri Hindus and Sikhs which said “Muslim ka Ghar, Hindu ka Zar, and Sikh ka Sir”, meaning let us take shelter at Muslim houses, burn down houses of Hindus, and behead Sikhs. He said that more than 30,000-35,000 Sikhs were massacred in Kashmir and cities of Mirpur and Muzafarrabad were cleansed off the Sikh population.He recalled that let not the Sikh community forget the plight of Gurudwara Naluchi Sahib in PoK in which 2,000 Sikhs were set on fire. Attacking Khalistani forces, he said that the international Sikh diaspora should think that how can Imran Khan, who has the blood of Sikhs on hand, could work for the welfare of Sikhs? Pakistan is doing this just for the sake of propaganda and money.Last Tuesday exercising India's Right to Reply at the 43rd session of UNHRC in Geneva, Vimarsh Aryan, First Secretary from the Indian session, said, "It is very unfortunate, however, not unexpected from the deep state of Pakistan, which is continuing incessant abuse of its membership of this august Council for propagating an illegal, immoral and inhuman territorial ambition.""However, what we are witnessing in Pakistan is unabated torture, maiming and systematic persecution of religious minorities. The attacks on a Hindu funeral procession and a Christian church couple of days ago in Sindh and Punjab provinces, respectively, portray the horrific plight of various minorities in Pakistan," he said."This epicentre of global terrorism very irresponsibly harps on self-determination of the already democratic Jammu and Kashmir, but very conveniently ignores that the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (VDPA) very explicitly state that the principle of self-determination must not be used as a garb to promote activities detrimental to the territorial integrity and political unity of Member States in violation of the UN Charter," he said."I would ask Pakistani delegation to properly understand Part I, Para 17 of the VDPA on terrorism, before pretending to be a promoter of Human Rights, while most grisly of the human rights violators i.e. terrorists breed under its nose," added Aryan.He urged Pakistan to practice tolerance towards its minorities."I would once again invoke VDPA to ask Pakistan to abjure its territorial ambition which is grossly violative of all human rights. Instead, they should practice tolerance towards their minorities and good neighbourliness towards us so that the South Asian region sees eternal peace the absence of which can mostly be attributed to Pakistani deep state," he said.The Indian diplomat further pointed out that Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has openly acknowledged the support and inter-operational linkages between their state machinery and the UN-proscribed terrorist organisations."As the biggest victim of the cross-border terrorism emanating from this pernicious cradle of terrorism, we would like to inform this Council that Pakistan is a country whose former President and Prime Ministers including the incumbent one have openly acknowledged the support and inter-operational linkages between their state machinery and the UN-proscribed terrorist organisations," he said.Aryan said that Jammu and Kashmir has always been and will continue to be a part of India. "Jammu and Kashmir has been, is and will continue to be an integral part of India and Pakistan should cease to covet it". from Economic Times https://ift.tt/3hDRV0W

[vsplusonline]

Pakistan seeks USD 3.7 billion loan as coronavirus cases rise to nearly 1,200

New Post has been published on https://apzweb.com/pakistan-seeks-usd-3-7-billion-loan-as-coronavirus-cases-rise-to-nearly-1200/

Pakistan seeks USD 3.7 billion loan as coronavirus cases rise to nearly 1,200

Pakistan has sought USD 3.7 billion additional loan from three multilateral creditors to cope with the economic crisis being posed by the coronavirus outbreak, as the pandemic spread further in the country, infecting nearly 1,200 people and killing nine so far.

In addition to USD 1.4 billion loan from the IMF, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank will extend loans of USD 1 billion and USD 1.25 billion respectively to the country, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said at a news conference on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Imran Khan had earlier announced a Rs 1.2 trillion economic relief package.

The number of coronavirus patients in Pakistan has reached to 1,179, according to the latest official data.

There were 421 patients in Sindh, 394 in Punjab, 131 in Balochistan, 123 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 84 in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), 25 in Islamabad and 1 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, according to the website of ministry of health services.

There was another death due to the virus, taking the toll to 9, while 28 patients have recovered so far and 5 were in critical conditions. So far 77 new cases have been reported on Thursday, according to official website.

Slight improvement was seen in worst-hit Sindh as the number of new cases slowed but it was increasing in Punjab, Balochistan, KP, GB and federal capital areas.

Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani said 12 more coronavirus cases were reported, taking the total provincial tally to 131.

KP health official reported 43 new cases as the provincial tally rose to 123. Its worst hit area was Manga village of Mardan district where the virus spread when a man returned from Saudi Arabia after performing pilgrimage (Umra) and invited 2,000 villagers to celebrate it. Reportedly, he hugged everyone.

Later, he was tested positive and incidentally was the first to die in Pakistan due to the coronavirus.

Pakistan President Arif Alvi has urged religious scholars to stop all congregational prayers to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The move came following a ‘fatwa’ (edict) issued on Wednesday by the Grand Imam Shaikh of Jamia Al Azhar and the Supreme Council in Egypt, saying that head of the state is empowered to stop collective prayers in the current situation.

The clerics informed the president that over 3 million madrassa students were sent homes after closing seminaries.

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday paid a visit to an isolation centre in Islamabad, where he was briefed about the arrangements by the chairman of National Disaster Management Authority.

Separately, Prime Minister Khan chaired a meeting of National Core Committee to evaluate response to contain the virus.

Planning Minister Asad Umar told the media after the meeting that it was decided to keep education institutions across the country shut until May 31.

Also, the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was not allowed by the government to fly four special flights to Toronto, London, Manchester and Birmingham amid a rise in the number of coronavirus cases across the United Kingdom and North America.

Earlier, the PIA announced that it will be operating exclusive premium flights for those passengers who need to return home immediately.

Pakistan has already suspended international flights this week. However, cargo flights are exempted from the flight suspension ban.

Despite increase in the number of positive cases, Khan was still ambivalent on the issue of complete curfew like lockdown, which he said would hit hard the daily wagers and those living below the poverty line.

He asked the provinces to continuously reassess the lockdown as it may have serious impact on the economy.

Meanwhile, to ease the burden on jails and reduce chances of infection in prisons, Sindh province has decided to release 829 under-trial prisoners on the directives of the Sindh High Court Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M. Shaikh.

Similar steps were already taken in the federal capital areas on the direction of the Islamabad High Court.

Also, all 104 members of the Senate or the upper house have decided to donate one month’s salary to the emergency fund set up by the government to deal with the coronavirus pandemic in the country.

However, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani would donate three months’ salary to the fund.

The Pakistan economy was feeling the heat of local and global lockdown and the currency lost Rs 4.40 to reach at Rs166 against the US dollar in intraday trade in the interbank market.

It showed that rupee tanked to all-time low of Rs 164.05 on June 27, 2019.

The lockdown in various provinces and areas was going on and the number of people on road was considerably low. Though, there was instances where people were seen together and some of them arrested by police.

Police also arrested a groom and wedding guests in Pakpattan area of Punjab after they assembled for the marriage ceremony in violation of ban on all such gatherings.

The novel coronavirus – which originated in the central China city of Wuhan towards the end of last December – has now spread to all over the world. The COVID-19 has so far killed over 21,000 of people and infected close to half a million others across the globe.

COVID-19 cases witnessed a sharp surge in Pakistan after hundreds pilgrims, who returned from Iran, one of the worst-affected countries, tested positive.

Get real-time alerts and all the news on your phone with the all-new India Today app. Download from

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[todaybharatnews]

via Today Bharat nbsp; Coronavirus (COVID-19) Latest News Updates: While the Delhi government announced a ban on all gatherings of over 50 people, Odisha ordered all malls in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar to remain closed till March 31 after the detection of first positive case in the state. nbsp; coronavirus, coronavirus news, coronavirus update, coronavirus update in india, coronavirus in india, coronavirus india, coronavirus cases in india, coronavirus latest news, coronavirus in italy, coronavirus in china, coronavirus today news, coronavirus news update, coronavirus latest news update, coronavirus symptoms, coronavirus death toll, corona virus, corona virus in india, corona virus news update A doctor in a protective suit sits outside an isolation ward for COVID-19 patients at a hospital in Hyderabad. Coronavirus (COVID-19) Latest Updates: The number of positive coronavirus cases rose to 114 Monday Centre requested all airlines not to board India-bound passengers from the European Union, the European Free Trade Association, Turkey and the United Kingdom. The fresh cases were reported from Ladakh, Odisha, and Jammu and Kashmir, and Kerala, the Ministry of Health said. Odisha reported its first case of coronavirus after a 33-year-old man, with travel history to Italy, tested positive. While the Delhi government announced a ban on all gatherings of over 50 people, Odisha ordered all malls in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar to remain closed till March 31 after the detection of first positive case in the state. In a presser, the Health Ministry reiterated the measures which need to be taken by the people to avoid the spread of coronavirus. Meanwhile, 53 more evacuees from Iran landed in Jaisalmer in Rajasthan today early morning, a day after around over 450 Indians were airlifted from Iran and Italy. All of them have been taken to a quarantine facility in Army Wellness Centre. Peoples using sanitiser before entering in a mall in Lucknow Monday. So far, 32 cases have been reported in Maharashtra, 23 in Kerala, 12 in Uttar Pradesh, 7 in Delhi, 6 in Karnataka, 4 in Ladakh, 3 in Telangana and Jammu and Kashmir, 2 in Rajasthan, and one each in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Odisha and Punjab. The total number of confirmed cases includes 17 foreigners mdash; 16 Italian tourists and a Canadian. Herersquo;s everything you need to know about coronavirus on March 16: Delhi bans gatherings with over 50 peopleDelhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday announced that any gathering ndash; religious, family, social, political or cultural ndash; of over 50 people will not be allowed in the national capital in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus, which has claimed one life in the national capital so far. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal address media on Corona Virus in New Delhi on Monday. The ban on gatherings, the Aam Aadmi Party chief indicated, will also cover the Shaheen Bagh protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act, National Register of Citizens and National Population Register. ldquo;We have also decided to shut gyms, night clubs, spas till March 31. And gatherings of over 50 people, be it religious, social, political, family, or cultural, will also be not allowed. Marriage functions will be out of its purview as of now but we appeal to people to postpone weddings if possible,rdquo; Kejriwal told reporters. Will spread awareness about treatment and wonderful facilities in India: Delhirsquo;s first COVID-19 patient after recovery When asked if the ban will have the Shaheen Bagh protests under its ambit, Kejriwal said: ldquo;It will be applicable for everyone, be it protest or any other gathering.rdquo; Odisha reports first case of coronavirusOdisha on Monday reported its first case of coronavirus after a 33-year-old man, with travel history to Italy, tested positive. Odisha governmentrsquo;s designated spokesperson Subroto Bagchi said the ldquo;patient is a 33-year-old man who had returned from Italy, where he was a research scholarrdquo;. The patient arrived in New Delhi on March 6 following which he took a train and reached Bhubaneswar on March 12. On March 13, he consulted a private physician and was admitted to a hospital on the following day. coronavirus, coronavirus pune, coronavirus india, coronavirus fake message pune, pune city news Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope visits Kasturba Hospital in Mumbai on Sunday.nbsp;Bagchi also said that that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is monitoring the situation. Meanwhile, as per section 35 of the Odisha Urban Police Act, the commissioner of police (Bhubaneswar-Cuttack) has ordered all malls in the twin cities to remain closed till March 31, effective Monday. Meanwhile, one more person from Yavatmal in Maharashtra has tested positive on Monday after examination of her fresh sample. Collector M D Singh told The Indian Express, ldquo;We had quarantined nine persons, who had returned from Dubai on March 1 after a seven ndash; day tour in the isolation ward of Government Medical College here last week. Two of them had tested positive and seven had tested negative for virus in the test conducted last week. But a lady had subsequently developed symptoms. So we had sent her throat swabs samples to Nagpur for examination. On Monday we received the report where she had tested positive.rdquo; Another active case of coronavirus was reported from Bengaluru after a 32-year-old man tested positive for coronavirus. The patient returned from the US via London on March 8. He was on home quarantine, but now he is admitted to the isolation facility. However, the Health Ministry is yet to confirm this. No fliers from EU, Turkey, UK to be allowed into India: Health MinistryIn a press conference, the Ministry of Health said reiterated the measures which need to be taken by the people to avoid the spread of coronavirus. ldquo;Important measures including the closing of schools, swimming pools, malls, allowing employees to work from home, less use of public transport, one meter distance between people should be maintained till March 31,rdquo; said Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health. ldquo;Travellers from the EU countries, Turkey, and the United Kingdom are prohibited to enter India from March 18. This will be reviewed again,rdquo; Aggarwal said. Compulsory quarantine of 14 days has been put in place for passengers coming from UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait, he added. On the new coronavirus cases detected on Monday, Aggarwal said, ldquo;Contact tracing activity of these positive cases has led to the identification of more than 5,200 contacts, who are kept under surveillance.rdquo; Ministry of External Affairs Additional Secretary Dammu Ravi said, ldquo;The Prime Minister undertook extraordinary initiative with SAARC leaders and they responded positively. The 24times;7 MEA coronavirus control room has now become operational.rdquo; Three new cases in KeralaIn Kerala, three new positive cases of coronavirus were detected today. The new patients are two in Malappuram district and one in Kasaragod district. There are 12,740 people under observation in state mdash; 12470 are in homes and 270 in hospitals. Over the last couple of days, Kerala has changed its strategy with respect to hospitalisation of suspected patients in order to ease pressure on the public health machinery and focus on those with critical issues. Complete clampdown in Tamil NaduTamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswamy Monday announced the closure of cinema halls, malls, amusement parks, swimming pools, gymnasiums, zoos, and museums till March 31. All tourist resorts in the state to be closed till March 31. They have been instructed not to accept any advance bookings until March 31. Coronavirus pandemic: Here is how the southern states are blocking further spread The government also announced to shut down all schools, colleges, universities and other educational Institutions till March 31. Public examination for 10th and 12th standard students to be continued as per schedule. No stone left unturned to ensure public health: PM ModiPrime Minister Narendra Modi Monday took to Twitter to interact with the people on their experience tackling the coronavirus. In reply to one such tweet, PM Modi said, ldquo;At all levels, various authorities are working in sync to ensure COVID-19 does not spread. No stone is being left unturned to ensure people are healthy.rdquo; Highlighting peoplersquo;s participation, PM Modi said that responsible citizens can add great strength to the fight against COVID-19. ldquo;I am sure our citizens will not do any thing that puts the lives of others in danger,rdquo; he said. Explained: Coronavirus testing in India, elsewhere The PM also praised the medical fraternity for their effort in fighting the pandemic. ldquo;Our doctors, nurses, healthcare workers are putting great efforts. They are out there, helping people. We will always cherish their contribution,rdquo; he said in a reply to a tweet. Supreme Court notice to states on overcrowding in prisonsThe Supreme Court on Monday took suo moto cognisance of overcrowding in prisons across the states and sought a response from authorities on the measures taken to prevent the outbreak by March 20. Thermal screening test at Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh due to Corona-virus on Friday, March 13, 2020. Meanwhile, long queues were seen at the entry gate of the top court with health officials thermal-screening the lawyers, litigants and journalists. Following the advisory issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare cautioning against mass gatherings on March 5, the Supreme Court had on March 13 decided to restrict itself to hearing only urgent matters after its reopening on Monday following the Holi break. Telangana govt to quarantine people with travel history to virus-hit countriesThe Telangana government has asked the passengers arriving in Hyderabad, either Indian or foreigners, from countries like China, Iran, Italy, South Korea, France, Germany, Spain in direct flights or via hubs like Dubai, Abu Dhabi etc, having a travel history to these countries after February 15 will be quarantined for 14 days in view of the rising cases of the novel coronavirus. The statement released by the government also gives a procedure that will be followed in the quarantine of the people. Meanwhile, one person with travel history to Scotland has been tested positive for coronavirus in Telangana. His samples are sent to NIV Pune for confirmation, said state Health Minister Eatala Rajender. The person is currently in Gandhi hospital along with two others who tested positive previously. In Telangana, 868 persons are quarantined at home. 395 others are in hospital isolation. Three people from Telangana were arrested on Monday by the Bhongir Town Police of Rachakonda Police Commissionerate for spreading fake news of death of a person due to coronavirus. They have been charged under section 54 of NDMA 2005. Another similar case is registered in Chaitanyapuri police station of Rachakonda commissionerate. New Delhi: Railway workers disinfect the coaches of Delhi –Jammu Rajdhani Express train in wake of coronavirus pandemic at New Delhi Railway Station, Sunday, March 15, 2020. Bihar govt to bear full expenses of treatment of coronavirus patientsBihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said that the Bihar government will be bearing the full expenses of treatment of the coronavirus patients in the state. He also announced that in case of any death, the government will provide an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the next of the kin of the deceased. Bombay HC asks MUrsquo;s stand on final BCom and BA examsThe Bombay High Court asked Mumbai University to respond to Maharashtra Governmentrsquo;s order that suspended classes at state universities including the University of Mumbai and all their affiliated colleges till March 31 in wake of coronavirus outbreak, but final degree examinations and practicals will be conducted as per schedule. Chaos at medical stores to purchase masks and sanitiser in Lucknow. Acting Chief Justice B P Dharmadhikari took cognisance of the letter written by advocate Siddharth Ingle stating that MUrsquo;s decision was imprudent and contradictory as nearly 60,000 students will appear every day for TY BCom semester VI exam starting from March 23. The letter stated that state government and Mumbai University should take responsibility for the safety of the students who are appearing for this examination and their utmost safety and security is the real concern. Assam to start scanning domestic passengers as wellThe Assam government will now start scanning domestic passengers also to stop the spread of coronavirus in the state, said health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday. ldquo;If coronavirus enters Assam, it will not be very easy to tackle it in Assam because there are so many difficult to reach, remote areas in the state,rdquo; he added. Gujarat governmentrsquo;s announcement to shut down all malls and multiplexes took effect from Monday and will continue for two weeks to prevent COVID-19 outbreak. Entire Northeast to shut educational institutionsFollowing Manipur and Assam, the rest of the Northeast India mdash; Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura mdash; Monday decided to close educational institutions to prevent a possible outbreak of novel coronavirus. Board exams, however, will be on as per schedule. Advisories have been issued by each state government to avoid mass gatherings and maintain social distancing as far as possible. While educational institutes in Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura will be closed till March 31, Nagalandrsquo;s suspension continues till April 12, Arunachal Pradesh till April 5, and Sikkim till April 15. Tripura School Education Department has issued a memorandum asking school authorities to provide hand sanitisers or soaps, handwash to all students taking their board examinations this year. Both Madhyamik (matriculation) and Higher Secondary examinations conducted by the Tripura Board of Secondary Education (TBSE) are currently in progress and would continue till March 27 and March 31 respectively. NISHTHA training programme or integrated teachers training to improve learning outcomes at elementary level has also been postponed. Temperature scanning in progress outside Bombay Stock Exchange amidst fear of spreading coronavirus. All ASI-protected monuments shut till March 31Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Prahlad Singh Patel said all ASI-protected monuments, central museums across India will be shut till Mar 31 in view of coronavirus. Following this, the Indian Museum in Kolkata issued a statement saying, ldquo;Due to the spread of NOVEL CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19), which has been declared a pandemic and following the Advisory of the Health Ministry of GoI, Indian Museum will remain closed for the visitorshellip;(till) March 31, 2020 or until further notice, in public interest.rdquo; Mumbairsquo;s Siddhivinayak Temple has been closed for devotees. Several states, including Gujarat, Kerala, Uttarakhand and West Bengal, have announced closure of schools colleges and cinema halls. Fans gather outside Kochi airport to greet Bigg Boss contestant, case filedSurveillance measures imposed at the Cochin International Airport in the wake of the Covid-19 spread in Kerala were wilfully violated late Sunday night as dozens of people crowded outside the airport terminal to welcome a reality show contestant. On the orders of the Ernakulam district administration, the Nedumbassery Police registered an FIR against Rajith Kumar, a contestant on the Malayalam version of the reality show Bigg Boss, three named persons and 75 unnamed persons under sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 188 (disobedience of an order by public servant) of the IPC. No arrests have been made yet.

[dpr-lahore-division]

With the compliments of, The Directorate General Public Relations,

Government of the Punjab, Lahore Ph: 99201390

No.1843/QU/Mujahid

HANDOUT (A)

ALL PAKISTAN MINES AND MINERALS ASSOCIATION DELEGATION CALLS ON CM PUNJAB

LAHORE, November 18:

A delegation of All Pakistan Mines and Minerals Association led by its president Mir Behroz Reki Baloch called on Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar at his office and thanked him for taking timely decisions for the solution of their problems. You have taken timely steps to solve the problems and this would boost the mines sector, they added.

The CM said that an in-principle decision has been made to lift the ban on coal mines' lease. Similarly, the cabinet has also, in principle, approved to lift the ban on renewal of mines lease. Meanwhile, different options will be reviewed for brick-kilns, including the adoption of zigzag technology, to promote environment-friendly technology. He directed the secretaries of mines and environment departments to submit a report about the use of alternate technology for brick-kilns. The mining sector will be extended full support by the provincial government as minerals potential can help boost the economy. Meanwhile, the government has taken steps to overcome smog as it has emerged as a major environmental issue, he added. Secretaries of mines & minerals and environment protection departments, DG mines and others were also present.

**  **

No.1844/QU/Mujahid

HANDOUT (A)

LOVE FOR HOLY PROPHET MUHAMMAD (PBUH) IS INTEGRAL PART OF EVERY MUSLIM'S FAITH-USMAN BUZDAR

LAHORE, November 18:

Any blasphemous act in the garb of freedom of expression is intolerable as love and affection with the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is an integral part of the faith of every Muslim.

This was stated by Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar in a statement issued on Wednesday. The CM said that Shan-e-Rehmat-ul-lil-Alameen Week will be officially celebrated every year in the month of Rabi-ul-Awal with full fervour and different programs will be held to pay homage to the most blessed and merciful life of Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The celebrations are continued in the province and this would be regularly held every year, he added.

**  **

No.1846/QU/Mujahid

HANDOUT (A)

CM APPEALS TO THE CITIZENS TO FOLLOW CORONA SOPs

LAHORE, November 18:

Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar has appealed to the citizens to follow SOPs to remain safe from the second corona wave.

In a statement, he appealed to the citizens to wear facemasks while going outside. The government is monitoring the corona situation on a daily basis and every step will be taken to protect the people. People should also observe necessary precautions and adopt social distancing, he added.

**  **

No.1847/QU/Umer

HANDOUT (A)

CM ANNOUNCES 13 BILLION DEVELOPMENT PACKAGE FOR FAISALABAD

LAHORE, November 18:

Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar has announced Rs.13 billion development package for Faisalabad while addressing exporters and traders in Faisalabad on Wednesday.

The CM said a host of facilities including roads, parks, sewage and water supply schemes will be started under this package and health and educational facilities will also be improved to promote the quality of life. We welcome Prime Minister Imran Khan to Faisalabad which is called 'the Manchester of Pakistan,' the CM added. Prime Minister Imran Khan has inaugurated a model police station and Kashmir underpass project.

The CM reiterated that composite development is the manifesto of the PTI and Punjab has taken the lead in creating ease of doing business. The business activities are going on in full swing in the province. He said 12 cement factories were working in Punjab before the PTI government. The incumbent government has issued NOCs to five cement factories and 16 more factories will be issued no-objection certificates till December, he said. Similarly, the CM said the Punjab government has approved 13 special economic zones while notification of 7 special economic zones has been issued by the federal government.

The CM said new model police stations are being established in different parts of the province and land of 101 police stations is also transferred to the police along with the provision of 600 new vehicles. The government has approved ten thousand recruitments in the police department, he added. The public problems will be solved and the development package is the right of the citizens which has been given to them by the PTI government. The new Pakistan is being formed and everyone will witness the making of a new and prosperous Pakistan, he added.

****

No.1848/Ehtisham/Umer

HANDOUT (A)

LAHORE, November 18:

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has expressed deep sense of sorrow and grief over the loss of precious human lives due to collapse of a roof in a marriage ceremony in Para Chinar and expressed heartfelt sympathies and condolence with the bereaved family members. The chief minister prayed for the early recovery of the injured. He said that Punjab government is equally share the grief of the heirs of deceased.

****

No.1849/Ehtisham/Umer

HANDOUT (A)

LAHORE, November 18:

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has directed to remove CTO Faisalabad from his post on public complaints and devastated condition of traffic in Faisalabad. On the directions of Punjab Chief Minister, CTO Faisalabad has been transferred and directed to report to Central Police Office. Police Department has issued notification in this regard.

[whittlebaggett8]

Pak HC forms commission to probe Hindu sisters’ ‘forced’ conversion and marriage

Islamabad: The Islamabad Large Court docket on Tuesday fashioned an impartial five-member commission to probe the alleged abduction, forced conversion and relationship of two teenage Hindu ladies in Sindh province that led to massive protests by the minority local community in the nation.

A large court docket bench led by Main Justice of IHC Athar Minallah heard the petition submitted by the two sisters — Reena, Raveena — and their alleged spouses, Safdar Ali and Barkat Ali, to search for protection.

In their plea, the girls claimed that they belong to a Hindu relatives of Ghotki, Sindh but transformed willfully as they had been impressed by Islamic educating.

The counsel for the girls’ dad and mom, even so, asserted that the situation pertained to pressured conversion.

Their father on Monday also submitted a petition in the IHC for a health care board to ascertain the precise ages of the two sisters as well as to examination the ladies for Stockholm Syndrome, a condition of thoughts when a sufferer develops belief or passion for kidnappers.

Justice Minallah explained the matter demands clear inquiry and it is the government’s task to conduct probes not the judiciary’s.

The chief justice stated the court docket had to ensure that there was no pressured conversion. The bench formed a five-member commission to probe the matter. 

The fee features Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Chairperson Mehdi Hasan, Countrywide Commission on the Status of Females Chairperson Khawar Mumtaz, veteran human rights activist I A Rehman and renowned Islamic scholar Mufti Taqi Usmani.

The federal governing administration has been tasked to organise assembly of the fee.

The incident came to light-weight when a online video surfaced on line exhibiting the teenagers’ father and brother claiming the ladies ended up abducted and forcefully transformed. It was followed by another video snippet in which the two ladies claimed that they experienced transformed to Islam.

Amid the uproar, Prime Minister Imran Khan directed Sindh and Punjab to investigate the make any difference and get better the women if the forceful conversion allegation was correct.

Main Justice Minallah also ordered that a health care board be constituted to ascertain the age of the ladies. The court purchased the health-related board to submit its report at the up coming hearing on April 11.

Before, a clinical report by Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences mentioned that the ladies ended up not minors at the time of their marriages.

The report was dismissed by the family of the women as very well as opposition lawmaker from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Darshan Punshi, who belongs to the Hindu community.

Both of those the loved ones and the lawmaker demanded an impartial health care board to determine the age.

The girls and their husbands experienced filed a petition for safety from threats to their life. Presently, the IHC on March 26 ordered condition safety for the partners.

The petition also mentioned that the two girls still left their house on March 20 and two days later on they willingly converted and entered into marriages.

During the listening to, the chief justice noted the growing variety of pressured conversion situations from Ghotki. He was irked at the governments’ failure to come across a alternative. Why are this kind of incidents repeatedly being documented from 1 district of the Sindh province? 

He said the perception that minorities’ rights had been not secured has to be transformed.

When speaking about the rights of minorities, Justice Minallah referenced the current terror incident in New Zealand’s Christchurch that killed 50 Muslims and the Jessica Arden-led government’s response.

The choose requested Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawmaker Ramesh Kumar Vankwani why the matter was not raised in the parliament. To which, Vankwani said he will deliver the House’s focus to it.

Till the inquiry is accomplished, the higher courtroom has requested for the girls to continue to be in point out custody. They are currently staying housed at the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Disaster Centre in Islamabad.

The higher courtroom summoned reviews sought by the premier and adjourned the listening to until April 11.

The Hindu neighborhood in Pakistan has carried out massive demonstrations contacting for demanding motion to be taken in opposition to those people liable for compelled conversion and marriages of Hindu women, whilst reminding Prime Minister Khan of his promises to the minorities of the country.

Past year, Khan all through his election marketing campaign had explained his party’s agenda was to uplift the numerous religious teams throughout Pakistan and claimed they would consider helpful measures to prevent compelled marriages of Hindu women.

Exterior Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj previous thirty day period sought facts from the Indian envoy in Pakistan into the alleged abduction of the two Hindu teenaged women and their forcible conversion to Islam.

Hindus variety the biggest minority neighborhood in Pakistan.

In accordance to official estimates, 75 lakh Hindus dwell in Pakistan. The greater part of Pakistan’s Hindu populace is settled in Sindh province.

In accordance to media stories, roughly 25 compelled marriages get location each month only in Umerkot district in Sindh province.

Related

The post Pak HC forms commission to probe Hindu sisters’ ‘forced’ conversion and marriage appeared first on Defence Online.

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