ISLAMABAD : The federal government has moved the Supreme Court challenging the Sindh High Court’s June 23 stay order that restrained it from taking action against sugar mills in light of the sugar inquiry commission’s recommendations.

The attorney general for Pakistan (AGP) filed the appeal in the apex court, requesting it to set aside the restraining order the high court gave on a petition moved by sugar mills owners.

The federal government has stated in the appeal that the SHC had no jurisdiction to halt an investigation into a matter, adding the high court gave relief to the petitioners without affording it a fair hearing.

On June 23, the Sindh High Court had stopped the government from further action on the sugar inquiry commission report till next hearing. A petition was filed against the sugar inquiry commission report by Khairpur Sugar Mills and 20 others, which was taken up and further action on the report was temporarily halted.

The SHC sought an explanation from the sugar mills by June 30 while the petitioner has also been asked to explain why the matter was referred to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, Shahzad Akbar.

DNA

PESHAWAR, Jun 28 : After having being tested COVID-19 positive twice, the Speaker Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Mushtaq Ghani has now been tested negative along with daughter and son-in-law.

In a tweet, he said that he along with his family have recovered from the infectious disease, adding that they adopted all precautionary measures and defeated the disease.

The Speaker expressed gratitude to his family members, friends and public for their good wishes and prayers.

He prayed for early recovery of all those who were being treated against the disease and urged masses to adopt precautionary measures to avert the infection.

DNA

ISLAMABAD, Jun 28 :Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) has allowed its Post-Graduate continuing students to deposit fee for admissions in their respective programs for semester Spring 2020 till June 30.

The Post-Graduate programs for which the facility was provided include: BA, BS (ODL), B.Ed, M.Ed, M.A, MSc and Post-Graduate diploma.

The date was extended on the demand received from the students through various email messages, as well as keeping in view the current crisis of COVID-19, said Director Admissions.

Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum hoped that the students will avail the opportunity of depositing the fee before the expiry date in order to continue their future study uninterrupted.

DNA

ISLAMABAD, JUNE 28 : Prime Minister Imran Khan has invited coalition partners to a dinner on Sunday night (tonight) at his official residence to address reservations of political allies with regard to the budge.

According to sources, the prime minister has stepped up efforts to convince the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), an estranged ally of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf led ruling coalition.

The government has also initiated implementation of the agenda agreed with the BNP-M including six percent jobs for Balochistan in federal government departments to pacify the party, sources said.

The BNP-M, however, on Saturday refused to attend the dinner and the party’s chief has maintained that since the party was no longer a partner in the coalition there was no sense in attending the dinner.
The Prime Minister Office had invited BNP-P chief Akhtar Mengal and party leader Jahanzeb Jamaldini for the dinner hosted by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Meanwhile, Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), another coalition partner from the province, has decided to attend the dinner and extend support to the government for approval of the federal budget for Year 2020-21.

Federal ministers and PTI members would also attend the dinner.

It is to be mentioned here that Shaikh Rashid Ahmed, Federal Minister for Railways, would also absent from the dinner due to his ill health.

The PTI government unveiled its second budget on June 12 in the Parliament, which had the total outlay of Rs7,294.9 billion.

DNA

ISLAMABAD, Jun 28 :The trend of shopping was changing in federal capital due to COVID-19 pandemic and people have started buying essential commodities through online sites.

A local online company owner said the coronavirus pandemic has changed the pattern of shopping across the globe including Pakistan and people have started shifting from traditional shopping method to online shopping system.

The online shopping was new trend among the people, different companies, brands and outlets were providing thousands of their products by following the standard operating procedures (SOPs) in the this testing time, he added.

While talking Zunaira Akram, a customer living in Islamabad said she was purchasing grocery products from online shopping due to fear of COVID-19 pandemic this trend of shopping was more convenient and safe for her. “On the other hand to buying things from going outside market it would not be considered safe and sound,” she added.

Kamran Zahid a buyer said he was buying mobile from Daraz online which was giving special offers to customers in the pandemic days to get the attention of the customers and to sell out their products at low price. “The delivery timing of product within two days, which need to more faster to facilities the customers,” he said.

Muhammad Hammad, a consumer said coronavirus pandemic have accelerated the digitalization trend consumer preferring to shop online instead of going to markets and use the digital payment instead of cash to minimize the risk of getting infected of deadly disease.” The online products selling by different brands were expensive and the standard of the goods was not up to mark”.

While talking to online shop owner Sana who was selling grocery products said the trend of online shopping was increased among the people due to coronavirus and they followed the (SOPs) during providing the products.

ISLAMABAD, JUNE 28 : The Islamabad administration on Sunday de-sealed the two sub-sectors of Sector G-9 and Karachi Company commercial area, which had been sealed after a sharp increase in coronavirus cases.

As per a notification issued by the Islamabad administration late on Saturday, the sub-sectors including G-9/2 and G-9/3 and Karachi Company will be unsealed on June 28.

Smart lockdown is being lifted from the localities after a detailed survey, ground surveillance and testing of suspected patients, the notification read.

However, the de-sealed areas will remain under strict supervision and section 144 would remain enforced there.
Earlier on June 23, the local administration had decided to seal more hotspot areas of Islamabad in view of the rising number of COVID-19 cases.

Sources said that the administration decided to seal seven phases of Ghauri Town after the emergence of new infections. The district administration said that the decision was taken after the inspection of the said areas for the last nine days.

On June 16, four sectors of Islamabad had been sealed over the directives of the local administration Following the emergence of new COVID-19 cases.

The complete lockdown had been implemented four more sectors of the federal capital Islamabad from Thursday. The areas include Sector I-8/3, I-8/4, I-10/2 and I-10 centre.