• A spokesperson for the district police said the administration had not yet given permission for the rally.
• Fazal said that all PDM leaders stand united on their stance against the government.
• He was speaking to the media in Multan.

MULTAN – Opposition leaders are struggling to get rid of the illegal occupation of the government in Islamabad, said the head of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazal ur Rehman said on Sunday.

Speaking to media in Multan, Fazal said that all PDM leaders stand united on their stance against the government and there has been no change in it.

“Claims of change in policy are exaggerated and hold no degree of truth,” he maintained, adding that Opposition lawmakers have submitted their resignations to party leaders and the process is still underway.

“Islamabad is not someone’s property, we are undertaking a legitimate struggle to get rid of an illegal occupation,” he stressed.

PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz Sharif has hosted the PDM rally under Fazl’s leadership.

PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the rally will reach Lari Ada Chowk via Dera Iqbal Chandar, and will end at Chowk Seraiki where all three — Fazlur Rehman, Maryam Nawaz, and Yousuf Raza Gilani — are expected to address the rally.

On the other hand, a spokesperson for the district police said the administration had not yet given permission for the rally.

Warning notices have been issued to the organisers to cancel the rally and panaflexes as well as billboards in the city advertising the rally have been removed, he said.

The police spokesperson added that cases have been registered against local PDM officials and workers for violating coronavirus safety protocols. Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Sunday said that Opposition leaders are struggling to get rid of the illegal occupation of the government in Islamabad.

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Sunday announced the resumption of two-way flights to the kingdom after Saudi Arabia lifted its ban on international travel.

Riyadh had closed its borders for travel last month after a new strain of the novel coronavirus had been detected in the United Kingdom.

On Sunday, the kingdom’s civil aviation authority, the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) announced the country was resuming international travel in a notification following which PIA made the announcement regarding resumption of its travel.

A few days ago, the PIA had announced that it would repatriate Pakistani who had been stranded in Saudi Arabia following the outbreak of the second wave of the virus.

“Passengers will be able to travel to Saudi Arabia from today on all PIA flights,” said the national flag carrier’s spokesperson. “All travelers must obtain a [negative] PCR test before they travel.”

PIA flights to Saudi Arabia suspended

Last week, all PIA flights to Saudi Arabia were suspended until further notice.

The development came after Saudi government temporarily suspended entry into the Kingdom after a new strain of the coronavirus was identified in the United Kingdom. The mutation is believed to be more contagious.

A PIA spokesperson had said that the national carrier had suspended 18 flights to and from the Kingdom on the directives issued by the Saudi aviation authority.

The PIA spokesperson had asked effected passengers to register through the airline’s UAN 11-786-786 with their working phone numbers to receive timely updates.

Shujaat Hamza

ISLAMABAD: The National COVID Positivity Ratio on Sunday was recorded 5.12 percent where 2,284 Coronavirus patients were in critical condition across the country with the number of critical patients rising at a fast pace.

The positivity ratio was determined on the basis of positive cases appearing in 100 samples of COVID patients.

 The highest positivity ratio was observed in Mirpur which was 15.69 percent followed by Peshawar 12.13 percent and Karachi 11.27 percent, according to the latest update issued by the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC).

The positivity ratio in various federating units was as in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) was 6.16 percent, Balochistan 9.02 percent, Gilgit Baltistan (GB) 1.11 percent,  Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) 3.12 percent, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) 4.65 percent, Punjab 4.16 percent and Sindh had 7.23 percent positivity ratio.

 It also mentioned the Province wise COVID Positivity Ratio breakdown that indicated in Punjab, Lahore had maximum positivity ratio of 8.39 percent, Rawalpindi had 3.84 percent, Faisalabad 2.22 percent and Multan 1.52 percent.

 In Sindh, Karachi had 11.27 percent, Hyderabad 9.59 percent, in KP, Peshawarhad 12.13 percent, Swat 1.85 and Abbotabad 2.02 percent, in Baluchistan, Quetta had 2.9 percent, in ICT 3.12 percent positivity ratio was prevailing. In AJK, Mirpur had 15.69 percent positivity ratio.

The update aslo showed Mortality Analysis during the prevailing pandemic outbreak as a total of 10,311 deaths were recorded with prevailing Case Fatality Rate of 2.12 percent against the global death rate of 2.17 percent.

It added that as per the gender analysis of the deceased around 69 percent were males with 77.5 percent over the age of 50-year.

As many as 73 percent of the perished COVID-19 patients had chronic comorbidities (affected with another disease prior to contracting Coronavirus).

Out of the total died COVID patients  91 percent of the deceased remained hospitalised and out if these patients 57 percent were on ventilators, it added.

Bureau Report/DNA

QUETTA: Eleven coal miners were killed and four others were seriously injured after armed men opened fire at them at the Machh coal field.

Police said that armed men took the coal miners to nearby mountains where they opened fire on them. Eleven were confirmed dead by police and the others injured were said to be in critical condition.

The injured were taken to the Machh hospital for treatment. After news of the incident broke, police and FC personnel have arrived at the coal mine.

Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani said that the incident was an act of terrorism. “Investigative institutions are probing the incident from every angle to determine who is responsible for this,” he said.

Shahwani said that terrorist activities in Balochistan were on the rise, adding that Levies personnel are present in the area to provide security. “The situation [in the area] was satisfactory hence this incident wasn’t expected,” he said, adding that the area where the killings took place is quite large.

The Balochistan government official said that security in the area will be increased after assessing the situation. He vowed that those responsible for the incident will be brought to the book.

ISLAMABAD – The Supreme Court of Pakistan fixed the hearing of the Daniel Pearl murder case for January 5. Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed constituted a three-judge bench headed by Justice Mushir Alam and comprising Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and Justice Yahya Afridi would hear the Sindh government and the appeal of Daniel Pearl’s parents against theáSindh High Court’s (SHC) judgment.

Theábench will hear the plea seeking suspension of the SHC’s judgment regarding acquitting/áreleasingáthe accusedáináPearl’s murderácase.

On April 2, 2020, theáSHC hadácommuted the death sentence of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikhá- the man convicted of kidnapping and murdering American journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002á- to a seven-yearásentence.

The SHC had also acquitted three others who had been awarded life imprisonment in the case.

The slain journalist’s parentsáhad approached the Supreme Court against the Sindh High Courtĺs verdict.

Two criminal petitions have been filed by a lawyer Faisal Siddiqi on behalf ofáPearl’sáparentsá- Ruth Pearl and Judie Pearlá-against the acquittal and release of the four accused.

On previous hearing, Advocate Faisal Siddiqui counsel for Daniel Pearl’s parents had said that a bag was recovered from Umar Sheikh at the time of his arrest. There were emails, a camera, a scanner and few photos in the bag, he added.

Addressing the counsel, Justice Tariq Masood said that prosecution witnesses said that two e-mails were sent but the counsel was saying many emails were sent.

He asked the counsel that the documents, he was referring to were not produced in either the trial court or the high court.

Justice Tariq Masood said that it was surprising how these documents came in the file of the Supreme Court.

Justice Mushir Alam said that the parties had to get permission from the court before submitting any new document. The court would not see these documents right now, he added.

He said that the documents submitted to the Supreme Court would be verified.

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Govt forms JIT; assures transparent probe; accused policemen produced before court 

ISLAMABAD, Jan 02 (DNA): The federal government has formed a JIT to investigate the harrowing murder of a student in Islamabad by anti terrorism operatives.

A notification has been issued in this regard, ordering a judicial inquiry into Saturday’s killing. Rana Waqas Anwar has been appointed as Additional District Magistrate Inquiry Officer.

The Commission has been directed to submit a comprehensive report within five days after recording statements of all witnesses, relatives and police officers.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan for Political Communication Shahbaz Gill has said that there will be a transparent inquiry into the incident.

In a tweet on Saturday, he said that a transparent inquiry would be conducted and the facts will be put before the public, adding that action would be taken against whoever is found responsible.

As per details, the Islamabad police opened fire and killed a man for not stopping his car near G/10 Friday night.

According to his family, the 21-year-old was coming back after dropping a friend to university when the incident took place. “He was shot just for not stopping his car,” the victim’s father said in a video statement.

His parents have filed a complaint against the police officers demanding action be taken against them immediately.

Following this, five officers of the Anti-Terrorism Squad were arrested. The capital’s inspector-general has promised a clear investigation into the case.

Earlier, the police claimed they received news of a dacoit in a white car escaping. “The policemen asked the man to stop the car but when he didn’t, they opened fire at him,” an officer said, claiming that two bullets hit him.

A medical report by PIMS Hospital, however, revealed that six bullets hit the victim, while 17 were fired. The bullets hit him on his face, chest, neck and head.

The Islamabad operations DIG has formed teams to investigate the matter. CCTV footage from the nearby cameras is being obtained and evidence from the crime scene is being collected.

Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said the perpetrators will be punished and action against them will be taken under the Anti-Terrorism Act and Section 302 (punishment for murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code.  DNA