Desecration of OM strongly condemned

Shahbaz Sharif asked to take action

KARACHI, April 17: Surendar Valasai, Advisor on Minority Affairs to Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Patron-In-Chief Pakistan Peoples Party has strongly condemned the mass-production and marketing of slippers inscribed with Hinduism’s most sacred Mantra OM by a Lahore shoes manufacturing factory. “It is very outrageous and an open sacrilege of country’s tiny and hapless minority’s religion and needs to be taken notice of at every level,” he added.

In a press release, he said Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif should immediately order sealing the concerned factory, stop to manufacturing such disgraceful products and strong action against the culprits.

Such slippers were found in Mirpurkhas market and several minority leaders have strongly protested against it.

Surendar Valasai said country’s superior courts need to take suo moto notice of what seems to be a planned conspiracy to squeeze the minorities aimed at forcing them to flee the country.

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Chinese investors threaten to move capital from KP to Balochistan

Representative of Chinese Investors Joint Venture, Fu QuinFeng. — Photo by Zahir Shah Sherazi

PESHAWAR: Expressing lack of confidence in the KP provincial government, a representative of a group of Chinese investors threatened to shift their mining projects from KP to Balochistan.

The representative has also alleged that Ziauddin Afridi, an advisor of Chief Minister KP Pervaiz Khattak on Mines, was causing hindrances in the ventures.

Speaking at a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club, the representative of Chinese Investors Joint Venture, Fu QuinFeng, said the joint venture had been working in Pakistan for the past 17 years.

He added that it had been nine months that the KP government had not been providing the investors he was representing with a license.

Afridi, who advises Chief Minister Khattak on Minerals, has been creating roadblocks in the way of obtaining a license which was why the investors were interested in taking his business to Balochistan instead, it was alleged.

Fu QuinFeng has also demanded that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan take notice of the matter.

He said that despite getting reassurances from KP Chief Minister during a meeting held on March 24th to settle the issue, Ziaullah Afrridi refused to meet and resolve the issue and hence the investors decided to move to Balochistan and withdraw their investment from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

QuinFeng said that “because of a lot of pressure and threats from Mr Zia Ullah Afridi, the most powerful government officer in KP, our Chinese investors would have to stop all mining projects, dismiss thousands of Pakistani workers, accept losing huge investments made in KP and go to Balochistan for further mining works.

He said that Mr Ziaullah after taking charge had cancelled all the leases, stopped the companies from working without any reason and had directed the firms not to supply extracted antimony ore to China vide letter no 2957 issued by director general Mines and Mineral Department on March 10, 2014.

He further said that despite the rules to decide on our application in 90 days, no decision has been made even after the passage of four months and added that when the issue was brought to the notice of the PTI leadership, Mr Ziaullah threatened to cancel all leases.

On the other hand, Advisor to the Chief Minister on Mines, Ziaullah Afridi said that that the firm had requested for mining license but they were given a license for Exploration which was against the procedures and inquiry is being conducted against the responsible officers, also the firm carried out illegal minining and export to China.

He also claimed that the firms involved in this regard had not fullfilled the legal formalities

Afridi said that the Instead of sending samples the firm exported above 500 tons of ore to China and sold it out, which was a violation of Rule 20 B of Mining MCR.

He further said that the department have also served notices on the concerned firm and if its reply is found unsatisfactory, the lease will be cancelled.

Source: DAWN

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683 water plants to be installed across Thar, says Bilawal

Patron-In-Chief of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari: File Photo.

KARACHI: Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Peoples Party, has said the Sindh government is installing 683 solar-powered reverse osmosis plants in drought-hit areas of Thar and other arid regions to provide 10,000 gallons of safe drinking water daily.

“As the world observes the International Water Day today, we reiterate our commitment to ensure a well-irrigated and greener Sindh and Pakistan,” he said in a message released by the party on Sunday.

He said that PPP government in Sindh had taken revolutionary initiatives for the revitalisation of irrigation resources which included refurbishment of 3,420-mile long canals and dykes, construction and repair of 3,890 watercourses, installation of 1,762 tube wells, introduction of sprinkle and drip irrigation systems and rain guns and renovation and repair of Sukkur Barrage.

A total of 500 water treatment plants would be set up in addition to 20 plants in Keamari and Lyrari and the world’s biggest water filtration plant in Shaheed Benazirabad, he said.

He said that his party was taking steps to sensitise public to using every drop of water consciously and wisely to be able to fulfil needs of drinking water as well as the needs of agriculture and industrial sectors.

Tribute to Nusrat Bhutto

PPP patron-in-chief paid glowing tributes to Begum Nusrat Bhutto on the occasion of her 85th birthday anniversary on Sunday.

He said in a press release that her grandmother led a valiant struggle against a tyrant military dictator and braved state torture and jails in her struggle for the restoration of democracy in Pakistan.—PPI

Source: Dawn

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Judicial review: ‘Christian divorce law is insulting to women’

Seeks removal of a section under which women have to be accused of adultery.PHOTO:FILE

LAHORE: A section of the Christian Divorce Act 1869 has been challenged before the Lahore High Court for being “offensive and insulting” to women.

At the first hearing of the case on Thursday, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah directed the petitioner to bring relevant documents before the court at the next hearing, date for which would be fixed by the registrar’s office.

The petitioner, Ameen Masih, said he was going through a divorce and that a petition for maintenance was pending before a civil court.

He said the main reason behind the divorce was that he and his wife were not happy together. He said he also did not get along with his in-laws.

However, he said, under Section 10 of the Christian Divorce Act 1869 he could only divorce his wife if he accused her of adultery. He said he could not make an accusation he did not believe to be true.

Saying that the Act had existed since the colonial times, he requested the court to declare Section 10 of the Act ultra vires and in contravention of the Constitution through exercise of judicial review.

He said several countries, including the UK and the USA, allowed a Christian man to file for a divorce on grounds like unreasonable behaviour which enabled divorce petitions to be dealt in an expeditious manner. He said Section 10 of the Christian Divorce Act 1869 was an obstacle in convenient separation between spouses who agreed to do so. He said divorces under the Act had been tarnishing the image of innocent women.

Source: The Express Tribune

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Sindh govt gives jobs to three transgenders

Sindh Minister for Social Welfare, Women Development and Special Education Rubina Qaim Khani with Riffy Khan. — Photo File.

KARACHI: The Sindh government has given government jobs to three transgenders in Karachi, issuing them appointment letters on Thursday.

The three include Riffy Khan, who holds a masters degree, whereas Muskaan and Anjum have both completed their schooling up to matriculation.

Speaking to Dawn.com, Sindh Minister for Social Welfare, Women Development and Special Education Rubina Qaim Khani said that this was the preliminary phase and that other members of the transgender community would also soon be given jobs.

Riffy Khan, one of the eunuchs to receive the appointment letter, told Dawn.com: “I’m very happy that the government, while regarding us as respectable citizens of the society, has provided us with jobs.”

Khan moreover expressed the hope that the Sindh government would comply with the decision of the Supreme Court and would provide more jobs to eunuchs in accordance with the quota.

Source: Dawn

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