LARKANA : The 13th death anniversary of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto is being observed today (Sunday).

The main function of the anniversary will be held at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh. All arrangements have been completed in Garhi Khuda Buksh.For the first time, along with PPP leaders, PDM leaders Maryam Nawaz, Abdul Ghafoor Haideri and other party leaders will address the people from the stage of Garhi Khuda Bakhsh.

The Shrines of martyrs and surrounding areas have been decorated with banners and party flags. Carpets have been set up for the workers to sit on. Walk-through gates have been installed at the entrances of the shrines.

Tightening security arrangements on the occasion of the anniversary, 7,000 police personnel have been deployed, including women commandos and traffic police personnel. The venue will also be monitored by CCTV cameras.

The central leadership, including PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto, has arrived in Larkana to attend the anniversary celebrations.

Benazir’s assassination 

Weeks before the general elections in the country in 2007, she was targeted in a gun and bomb attack when she was returning after addressing an election rally at Liaquat Bagh of Rawalpindi.

The attack, in which she was killed with scores of her party activists, jolted the political landscape of the country and triggered a frenzy of anarchy and arson attacks that resulted in billions of rupees loss to the country.

Benazir Bhutto is considered one of the most dynamic figures in the world politics and her struggle for democracy was posthumously honored and acknowledged in the world.

The government has imposed a withholding tax on new vehicles that are sold within three months of purchase. The decision was taken Wednesday on recommendations of the Economic Coordination Committee to meet the tax target set for the FBR.

The FBR will charge Rs50,000 in tax for 1000cc cars, Rs100,000 for 2000cc cars and Rs200,000 for vehicles more than 200cc. The decision is expected to curb car trading.

For local manufacture of cell phone, withholding tax has been capped at 4% and sales tax has been abolished. This is likely to reduce price of cars and phones across Pakistan.

Turkey has discovered a major gold deposit holding an estimated 3.5 million ounces (99 tonnes) of the precious metal valued at around $6 billion, the Anadolu state news agency reported Tuesday.

The find in the midwestern town of Sogut was reported by Fahrettin Poyraz, who heads the Agricultural Credit Cooperatives of Turkey and the Gubretas fertiliser production firm.

“We are talking about a value close to six billion dollars,” Poyraz told Anadolu.

“Within two years, we will extract the first gold and bring value to the Turkish economy.”

Gubretas shares soared by nearly 10 percent on the Borsa Istanbul on the news.

Poyraz said his Gubretas fertiliser producer won control of the site from another company in a 2019 court decision and would develop the find on its own.

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Donmez said in September that Turkey broke a record last year by producing 38 tonnes of gold.

“Our target for the next five years is to reach an annual 100 tonnes of gold production,” he said at the time.

KARACHI, Dec 26 – Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on
Saturday predicted a new spell of cold weather in Karachi from Monday,
which could break the seven-year-record of lowest temperature in the
city.

According to the Met Office, a new system of rainfall has entered North
Balochistan areas which will lead to rain and snowfall in these areas
from Monday. “Quetta, Zhob, Ziarat and Barkhan areas will witness
downpour while snowfall will also be recorded in mountainous regions,”
the PMD  said.

The chilling Quetta winds will move towards Karachi from Monday,
breaking a seven-year-old record of the lowest temperature in the city.
“These winds will continue to hit Karachi until Wednesday, lowering the
city’s temperature to a single digit,” it said.

The PMD said that the city could witness gusty winds of upto 40
kilometers per hour. It said that currently, the winds from South West
are blowing into the city at 11 kilometers per hour with minimum
temperature at 20 C and maximum at 27 C.

Meanwhile, temperatures in Gilgit Baltistan and other mountainous
regions in the country have already been lowered below the freezing
point. Skardu recorded a temperature of -9, Astur -8, Parachinar -5,
Kalam -5.

The GB and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) regions will continue to witness rain
and snowfall for the next couple of days.

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By Nazir Siyal

KARACHI/LARKANA: /DNA/ – Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) invited top leaders of the PDM among PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz has been reached to attend 13th death anniversary of the assassinated chairperson and former Prime Minister of Pakistan Shaheed Mohtarama Benazir Bhutto here in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh Bhutto today.

Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari along with Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, Faryal Talpur, Chief Minister Sindh and other senior party leaders and Ministers received PDM leaders among PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz and others were reached to participate in the rally on Sunday, December 27th at Garhi Khuda Bux Bhutto and Naudero Larkana.

PPP Sindh President Nisar Ahmed Khuhro told that the arrangements have been finalized to observe 13th death anniversary of their leader Shaheed Benazir Bhutto at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh Bhutto.The caravans hundred and thousands of numbers of Buses, vans, cars from four corners were reached Garhi Khuda Bux evening for anniversary of Benazir Bhutto Shaheed and large number of camps were installed at different locations to welcome participants around main entries and Chowks/roads of Naudero, Garhi Khuda Bux and Larkana.

PPP leaders told that due to covid pandemic standard operating procedures (SOPs) will be followed at the public meeting and the anniversary activities and Mushaira also will be started afternoon 1.00 pm on December 27, 2020 Sunday.On the occasion, number of senior police officers by special security and traffic arrangements made with over 8000 thousand police personnel, including traffic police, women police, special rapid response police commandos and Rangers have been deployed to ensure law and order at the event location.While, an aerial surveillance at the surroundings of Garhi Khuda Bux Bhutto and Naudero ensured, live monitoring of the activities ensured with CCTV cameras at public meeting as well Bhutto House Naudero.

In this connection, around 60 walk-through gates have been established at the routes to Garhi Khuda Bux and Naudero, while squad with bomb detectors, scanning machines, jammers, snapper’s dogs at the surveillance places.