ISLAMABAD, JUN 07 (DNA) – Minister for Railways Azam Swati on Monday directed the authorities concerned to complete initial inquiry report of Ghotki train accident within 24 hours. According to spokesman of Pakistan Railways, the minister has also directed for the provision of best medical facilities to the injured.

Around 30 passengers were killed while over 40 others sustained injuries after two passenger trains collided near Dharki, a city located in the Ghotki district of upper Sindh, he said. He said the accident took place after a Millat Express train headed from Karachi to Sargodha derailed and fell across the down track. Due to this, it collided with a Sir Syed Express train coming from Rawalpindi.

The spokesman said the accident took place near the Raiti Railway Station, adding that a relief train had been dispatched from Rohri while officials of Pakistan Railways along with police and the local administration were carrying out rescue operation. The injured passengers had been shifted to Rohri, Pano Aqil and Civil Hospital Sukkar for medical assistance, the spokesman said.

He said the passengers could get information about the accident from the telephone numbers: 041-9200488, 03334805996 Faisalabad, 051-9270834 Rawalpindi, 03312706334 Karachi Cantonment, 071-5813433 Rohri and 071-9310087 Sukkar. = DNA

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ISLAMABAD, JUN 7 (DNA) – Rejecting the cabinet’s decision to approve the 2017 census, PPP Parliamentary Leader in the Senate, Senator Sherry Rehman said, “According to a UNICEF survey, the average members of a household are at 7.2 for Sindh, whereas the census results put the number of the average household at 5.64. Similarly, Sindh’s population should be over 61m, while the official result says the population is just under 48m people. Surely we have a problem here which needs to be rectified”.

“Despite Sindh’s grievances over the 2017 census that its population was undercounted, the CCI approved it & the cabinet committee unilaterally finalized the report which was then approved by the Federal government. Sindh government was not even called for a consultation. How can such a major decision be taken without addressing Sindh’s concerns?” she questioned.

Rehman said, “CM Sindh has written to the PM, Senate Chairman & NA speaker calling for a joint session of parliament to discuss the issue. Why is it being delayed? Is it not a matter of national importance? Our Constitution guarantees us this right under Article 154 (7).”

 “Article 154(7) states that “If the Federal Government or a Provincial Government is dissatisfied with a decision of the council, it may refer the matter to Majlis-e-Shoora (parliament) in a joint sitting whose decision in this behalf shall be final.” We believe in the supremacy of the parliament and in this situation, it is only the parliament which can take the final decision” she added.

Rehman said, “It is rather unfortunate that the PM endorsed the committee’s decision instead of holding an inquiry into this matter. What’s even more shocking is that the during the voting PM chose not to take the vote of the three federal ministers who were present at the meeting. What is the meaning of this? It’s a shame that Sindh is being treated like this by the federal government”.

“How can a fraud like this be approved by the CCI? This discriminatory attitude towards Sindh is not hidden from anyone. Our numbers and representation matters. The government should ensure that Sindh’s grievances are resolved and a joint session of the parliament is called on urgent basis as it is a very important issue which needs attention,” concluded Vice President PPPP Senator Sherry Rehman.=DNA

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ISLAMABAD, JUN 7 (DNA) – The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI) leading by example has opened a vaccination centre in its premises in collaboration with NCOC and Shifa International Hospital for the vaccination of the business community, their families and employees.

ICCI is the first chamber of the country to set up a vaccination centre in its premises for its members to provide the first dose of vaccination to them on Monday and Tuesday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Hamza Shafqaat, Deputy Commissioner Islamabad inaugurated the vaccination centre during his visit to ICCI. 

Expressing his view after inauguration, Hamza Shafqaat, Deputy Commissioner Islamabad congratulated ICCI for opening a vaccination centre for its members and especially appreciated the proactive and dynamic approach of President ICCI.

He said that Islamabad has set a target of vaccinating 20,000 to 25000 people daily and hoped that ICCI vaccination centre would be helpful in achieving this target as it has the capacity to vaccinate a large number of people.

He stressed that the business community of Islamabad, their family members and employees should take full benefit of this great facility at ICCI for their vaccination so that Covid-19 pandemic could be controlled and all business activities could be restored to their normal operation. He also thanked the Shift International Hospital for collaborating with ICCI in setting up a vaccination centre that would play a positive role in controlling the spread of coronavirus in the federal capital.

Speaking at the occasion, Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry said that the purpose of setting up vaccination centre is to support the mass vaccination drive of the government to make Pakistan a coronavirus free country. He said that ICCI has been working actively with NCOC for controlling the spread of Covid-19 pandemic in order to lift all restrictions on businesses. He thanked NCOC and Shifta International Hospital Islamabad for collaborating with ICCI in setting up vaccination centre in its premises.

He said that the only way for Pakistan to come out of the coronavirus and restore business activities to normal routine, was the vaccination of maximum people. He said that ICCI has already informed its members through emails and messages for the availability of a vaccination centre and hoped that maximum members of the business community, their families and employees would avail this facility for vaccination.

He said that ICCI has already set up a vaccination centre at Centaurus Mall and more vaccination centres would be set up in major markets in coming days to promote the government’s mass vaccination drive. He also appealed to all the citizens of Islamabad that if they wanted normalization of life and restoration of businesses, they should get themselves vaccinated on priority basis.

ICCI Executive Members Javed Iqbal, Umar Hussain, M Shakir, Usman Khalid, Faad Waheed, Omais Khattak as well as Khalid Chaudhry former Senior Vice President ICCI, Raja Abdul Majeed, Tehmas Butt and others were also present at the occasion.=DNA

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Army Urban SEARCH & Rescue team carrying Disc cutter, Hydraulic spreaders, life locators and search cameras specially flown from Rawalpindi busy in relief and rescue efforts .

Rescue 1122 team from Rahim YAR Khan also part of rescue operation and frame cutting of train in progress to evacuate people inside boggies.

Most of the injured have been evacuated to hospitals of Rahim YAR khan, Ghotki and Mirpur Mathelo.

Seriously injured people are being evacuated to Pano Aqil through helicopter.