ISLAMABAD, DEC 2 (DNA) – A delegation of officers from Press Information Department (PID) Lahore visited the Virtual University of Pakistan head office on Wednesday.

The delegation was received by GM Marketing Virtual University Ms. Rubina Ali. The officials in the delegation included DG PID Mr. Saeed Sheikh, Deputy Director Ms. Uzma Saleem, Deputy Director Ms. Ishrat Akhtar and Information officer Ms. Sameera Liaquat.

PID Officials attended a meeting chaired by the Rector Virtual University Mr. Naeem Tariq along with GM Marketing VU Ms. Rubina Ali and GM VTV Mr. Babar Ali.

Matters related to news media and improving coordination between the Press Information Department and Virtual University were discussed. The delegation visited various departments of the University and was also given a presentation on the functioning and rapid growth of Virtual University. PID delegation acknowledged the important role of Virtual University for the provision of quality education across Pakistan and abroad.

They also appreciated the role of Virtual University for providing access to the knowledge through learning opportunities to the students across the country.

GM VTV Mr. Baber Ali briefed the guests about the Virtual University’s Television Network during the visit of guests to the TV Department. PID Officials appreciated the standard of education set by Virtual University and its network all over Pakistan.=DNA

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ISLAMABAD : Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday approved Civil Servants Efficiency and Discipline Rules, 2020 to ensure transparent and effective internal accountability of civil servants.

To speed up the process of ensuring efficiency and discipline among the civil bureaucracy, the tier of Authorized Officer has been eliminated, leaving only two tiers, which include Authority and Inquiry Officer and Committee.The two-tier process will resolve the issue of the decision of disciplinary proceedings at a lower level by awarding minor penalties by the Authorized Officer, without seeking approval of the authority.

Timelines have been introduced at every step of the proceedings, which include ten to fourteen days for submission of a response to charges and sixty days for completion of an enquiry. The Authority has to decide the case within thirty days as previously, no fixed timeframe to conclude the proceedings was available that resulted in cases lingering on for an extended period.

To facilitate just decisions of cases, an opportunity of personal hearing shall now be provided by the Authority or Hearing Officer.

For the first time, plea bargain and voluntary return have been included in the definition of misconduct and such civil servants shall now be proceeded against. Procedural issues relating to provision of record, slackness on part of departmental representatives, suspension, proceedings against officers on deputation, leave, or scholarship have been clearly provided in the new rules.

The Establishment Division has been authorised to issue subsidiary instructions and clarifications to avoid any delays. In case of multiple suspected officers in a single case, the restriction of appointing a single Inquiry Officer has been imposed to ensure transparency and avoid different decisions in a single case.

In case of Police Service of Pakistan and Pakistan Administrative Service officers posted in provinces, a two months’ timeline has been provided to a chief secretary for submission of fact-finding report, failing which the Establishment Division can proceed on its own.

ISLAMABAD : The Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned further hearing on appeal of the Sindh government in Daniel Pearl murder case, until tomorrow (Thursday).

Sindh government seeking suspension of the Sindh High Court (SHC) verdict of acquitting four convicts in the American reporter’s murder case.A three-judge bench of the apex court headed by Justice Mushir Alam, hearing appeals filed by the Sindh government and the parents of victim Daniel Pearl challenging the April 02 high court verdict that overturned the sentences of four convicts in the case.

Farooq H. Naik representing the Sindh government said that a man met Daniel Pearl at a hotel in Rawalpindi. The man had booked the hotel room with the name of Muzaffar Farooqi but he met with Pearl introducing himself as Bashir, the counsel said.

Another man, Arif, who is absconding, had led the US reporter for meeting with Muzaffar Farooqi. Arif asked at hotel reception for meeting with Muzaffar Farooqi, which proves that Arif knew that Omar Shaikh was staying in the hotel with the name of Muzaffar Farooqi, the counsel argued.

“Omer Shaikh’s hiding his identity,  is a proof of the conspiracy”, Naik said.

“When the identification parade was held,” Justice Sardar Tariq Masood questioned. “The identification parade was held in the presence of a magistrate in the court,” the counsel replied.

“Daniel Pearl’s murder was a part of the international terrorism, Omar Shaikh himself had stated, he will be handed over to the United States,” the lawyer said.

In an earlier hearing Farooq Naik said that four accused including Ahmed Omer Saeed were arrested, while seven others were at large.

The accused had hatched kidnapping plot of Daniel Pearl, a US national reporting for the Wall Street Journal, in a Rawalpindi hotel, Naik said. “They sent an email to the victim’s wife after kidnapping and demanded ransom money,” the counsel further said.

The accused brutally slain Daniel Pearl after their demand was not met, Sindh’s counsel said. They also released the video of the slaughter causing fear and harassment among public.

Four convicts in the murder case, British national Ahmed Omer Saeed, co-accused Fahad Naseem, Salman Saqib and Sheikh Adil had moved the SHC in 2002 challenging their convictions handed down by the Hyderabad Anti-Terrorism Court after finding them guilty of abducting and killing American Journalist Pearl.

The 38-year-old South Asia bureau chief of The Wall Street Journal, Daniel Pearl, was researching a story on religious extremists, in January 2002 in Karachi when he was abducted and slain.

LAHORE : The Lahore High Court (LHC) directed on Wednesday the authorities concerned to submit a detailed report on skyrocketing prices of wheat and sugar.

A single bench comprising Justice Sajid Seth was hearing a writ petition seeking directives for the government to bring down the prices of essential food items.Over the course of the hearing, the court asked why the prices of sugar and wheat are going up?

The bench directed the relevant authorities to submit a detailed report spelling out what measures they have taken thus far to control food prices. The hearing was adjourned until December 04.

According to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the country’s CPI inflation reduced to 8.3 per cent in November from 8.9pc in October due to a slight drop in the price of perishable products.

In urban areas, food items whose prices increased in November included chicken 21.36pc, tomatoes 15.68pc, potatoes 8.79pc, onions 5.81pc, vegetables 5.63pc, dry fruits 4.38pc, eggs 2.83pc, butter 2.61pc, condiments and spices 2.6pc and fish 1.89pc.

The commodities that saw a decrease in prices in urban areas include wheat flour, down 4.83pc, wheat 4.1pc, pulse moong 3.54pc and pulse gram 1.94pc. In rural areas, price of chicken rose by 20.76pc, potatoes 15.8pc, tomatoes 9.29pc, onions 6.56pc, sugar 5.39pc, eggs 5.23pc, condiments and spices 3.05pc and butter 1.46pc.

GILGIT : Prime Minister Imran Khan has arrived in Gilgit-Baltistan and attended the oath-taking ceremony of cabinet members.

GB governor administered oaths to the newly-elected members of the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly (GBLA).

Earlier, PM Imran Khan scheduled to visit Gilgit-Baltistan today to attend the oath-taking ceremony of new GB cabinet. He is accompanied by chief organiser Saifullah Khan Niazi, Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan (FB) Ali Amin Gandapur and Adviser to PM on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam.
During his visit, PM Imran Khan will also meet governor, chief minister and cabinet members.

On November 30, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Barrister Khalid Khursheed had been elected as Gilgit-Baltistan’s new chief minister.

The election for the leader of the house of Gilgit Baltistan Assembly had held through the show of hands in the GB Assembly Hall in Gilgit on Monday.

Muhammad Khalid Khursheed got 22 votes while the opposition nominated candidate Amjad Hussain secured 9 votes. The session was presided over by Speaker Syed Amjad Ali Zaidi.

Last week, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had clinched both speaker and deputy speaker seats in the Gilgit Baltistan Legislative Assembly (GBLA).

LAHORE : The Punjab government on Wednesday decided to extend the parole of PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shahbaz for one day which was ending today.

Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan tweeted that the provincial government has approved the PML-N’s application of extension in the parole of the opposition leaders.

“The Punjab government, on the directions of Chief Minister Usman Bazdar, has granted an extension of 24 hours in the parole of Shahbaz Sharif and Hamza Shahbaz,” Awan said.

The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by the chief minister earlier in the day to review the PML-N application.

In the application submitted to the Punjab government, it was stated that several people want to meet Shahbaz and Hamza to offer condolence over the demise of Begum Shamim Akhtar.

CM Buzdar consulted the Home Department after which it was decided to extend the parole of both.

The PML-N president was released on parole on Friday on the demise of his mother for five days.