MQM stands by Kashmiris: Altaf

TrendPK.com

LONDON: MQM chief Altaf Hussain Sunday advised Kashmiri people to deter of nothing, continuing that he and his party stand by them through all kinds of thick and thin, therefore, they should not consider themselves alone, reports TrendPK.

Meanwhile, Azad Kashmir PM Chaudhry Abdul Majeed, in goodwill gesture, went a step ahead, saying he would stand shoulder to shoulder with MQM if some elements again try to conspire against the Karachi’s majority party.

Earlier, PM AJK Majeed received warm welcome upon reaching NineZero. On the occasion, he visited Shaheed Memorial graveyard in Jinnah Ground and later held sittings with the members of MQM’s coordination committee.

Talking to media, Majeed said Altaf Hussain always voiced concerns for the rights of Kashmiri people, vowing to become stumbling block in way of conspiracy against MQM at all levels.

MQM’s Dr. Shagheer Ahmed said his party has always kept its stance very lucid and coherent on Kashmir issue that the most longstanding dispute of South Asia, the Kashmir row, be resolved in line with the wishes of people of Kashmir Valley.

During the visit, two leaders – PM AJK Majeed and Altaf Hussain – also held telephonic conversation. Hussain, on the occasion, called upon United Nations to have the Kashmir Dispute settled for the sake of durable peace in the region. “Kashmiri people should not consider themselves alone; MQM stands shoulder to shoulder with them through troubled waters,” Altaf maintained. TrendPK

Thousands converge for DPC’s rally in Karachi

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KARACHI: Defence of Pakistan Council’s mass meeting was underway as thousands of supporters of the politico-religious alliance continued on Sunday pouring into the rally at Bagh-e-Qaid, TrendPK reports.

Local leaders of the 44-party alliance addressed the occasion, condemning ‘foreign intervention’ in the country, possibly opening of the NATO supply and PPP-led government’s policies spawning corruption and rampant inflation.

Chairman DPC Maulana Sami-ul-Haq, Ameer Jamat-e-Islami Pakistan, Syed Munawar Hassan, Ameer Jammad-ud-Dawah (Jud), Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, President Awami Muslim League Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Lt.Gen(R) Hameed Gul, Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan central leader, Dr. Sahibzada Abu-al-Khair Muhammad Zubair will address the rally participants.

Carrying flags and banners, activists on Sunday morning started pouring into the rally before the time as meeting area and its surrounding was decorated with hoardings, banners and different party flags.
 
With CCTV monitoring cameras and walkthrough gates installed at rally’s entry points, strict measures have been taken for the security purpose.

About 1,000 activists from the JuD acted as guards in addition to more than 1,000 police and Rangers contingents deployed around the venue, whereas the JI workers were supervising eternal arrangements of meeting place.

The parties had set up various welcome camps at different areas of the city to lead the masses to Mazar-e-Qaid ground.

The same venue of Karachi has also been used by cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F (Fazl Ur Rehman) and former president Pervez Musharraf’s All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), drawing thousands of activists to gain political momentum in the current uncertain scenario ahead of general elections.

The religious alliance has earlier announced a sit-in outside the Parliament House on 20th February against expected restoration of the NATO supply, besides an All Parties Conference on 27th February in Quetta. TrendPK

Defence of Pakistan Council all set for big Karachi show

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KARACHI:  Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC), the alliance of 44 politico-religious parties, is all set for a mammoth rally on Sunday, expecting thousands of its supporters at Karachi’s Bagh-e-Qaid (the mausoleum of Qaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah), TrendPK reports.

The same venue has been used by cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F (Fazl Ur Rehman) and former president Pervez Musharraf’s All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), drawing thousands of activists to gain political momentum in the current uncertain scenario ahead of general elections.

Chairman DPC Maulana Sami-ul-Haq, Ameer Jamat-e-Islami Pakistan, Syed Munawar Hassan, Ameer Jammad-ud-Dawah (Jud), Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, President Awami Muslim League Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Lt.Gen(R) Hameed Gul, Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan central leader, Dr. Sahibzada Abu-al-Khair Muhammad Zubair and JI leader Liaquat Baloch will address the rally on the occasion at around 4 pm.

The rally is being organized by the alliance in protest against ‘foreign intervention’ in the country, possibly opening of the NATO supply and PPP-led government’s policies spawning corruption and rampant inflation.
The religious alliance has earlier announced a sit-in outside the Parliament House on 20th February against expected restoration of the NATO supply, besides an All Parties Conference on 27th February in Quetta.

Carrying flags and banners, activists on Sunday morning started pouring into the rally before the time as meeting area and its surrounding was decorated with hoardings, banners and different party flags.
 
With CCTV monitoring cameras and walkthrough gates installed at rally’s entry points, strict measures have been taken for the security purpose.

Sources say about 1,000 activists from the JuD would act as guards in addition to more than 1,000 police and Rangers contingents deployed around the venue, whereas the JI workers are supervising eternal arrangements of meeting place.

The parties have set up various welcome camps at different areas of the city to lead the masses to Mazar-e-Qaid ground. TrendPK

Karachi doctors continue protesting against non-payment

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KARACHI: Doctors and paramedical staff of Karachi’s Abbasi Shaheed Hospital on Thursday continued their protest against non-payment of salaries for the seventh consecutive day, TrendPK reports.

A large number of doctors and medics from Institute of Heart Diseases, carrying placards and banners, rallied from Abbasi Shaheed Hospital to Nazimabad-7 roundabout and staged a sit-in there, causing severe traffic jam in the area for many hours.

The hospital crew members, who closed down OPD in Abbasi Shaheed hospital earlier, demanded of the provincial government to immediately release their salary of five months.
 
The OPD closure has caused serious problems for patients arriving for the treatment as no government authority have so far assured release of the doctors’ payments. TrendPK

MQM announces women convention on February 19 in Karachi

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KARACHI: The Mutahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has announced of holding a women convention on February 19 at Quid-e-Azam’s mausoleum in Karachi.

The MQM Rabta Committee has issued instructions to the women wing for making arrangements for this women convention on the scheduled date.

The MQM chief Altaf Hussain will address the women convention through telephone on February 19, Sunady.

According to the MQM sources, a massive gathering of Karachi’s ladies will attended this women convention. TrendPK

Karachi: ASI killed while chasing after dacoits

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KARACHI: A police ASI was killed on Wednesday when he was chasing after three dacoits at Shahrah-e-Faisal, Karachi, TrendPK reports.

Police said three muggers were busy in looting people traveling in their vehicles at Shahrah-e-Faisal near FTC building when the ASI, Abdul Jabbar, reached there along with his police party.
 
This prompted the dacoits to flee from the scene; however, Jabbar went after them to capture the gang. But the fleeing bandits fired shots on him, killing him on the spot. Officials said he was immediately taken to Jinnah hospital but could survive.

Police, by the help of area people, later captured the three dacoits. Two of them were badly injured when people gave them a good hiding. TrendPK

Protest held in Karachi against murder of Domki’s family

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QUETTA: A protest was staged by Balochistan-based nationalist parties on Monday against the murder of wife and daughter of MPA Sardar Bakhtiar Domki.

Workers of Balochistan National Party (BNP) and Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mohaz (JSQM) gathered outside Karachi Press Club and chanted slogans against the government and administration.

They called for immediate arrest of people involved in the murder of Domki’s family.

Baloch Human Rights Organization chairperson Nargis Baloch also strongly condemned the incident.TrendPK

More rain, snowfall forecast as mercury falls

TrendPK.com

KARACHI: The temperatures have further plugged to new lows after downpour and snowfall in different areas of the country on Saturday, TrendPK reports.

The Metrological Department said Karachi, Islamabad, Quetta, Chaman Hub, Parachinar, Charsadda and other parts of the country received rainfalls on early Saturday as the Met forecast more rains in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan during the next 24 hours.

Weather in Karachi turned pleasant as the city received moderate rain this morning, escalating the cold.

The snow spell is also bringing the mercury down in Balochistan and upper country after mountains of Quetta, Chaman, Dir, Charsadda, Malakand, Marree, Kalam, received snowfall on Friday and Saturday. TrendPK

Business train completes maiden journey

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KARACHI: Passengers of Pakistan’s first-class train were accorded warm welcome when the business express arrived at Karachi’s Cantt railway station, completing its maiden journey with 486 onboard, TrendPK reports.

The Railways Department is operating this Karachi-Lahore luxury train in collaboration with private sector.

The passengers were seemed happy when reached at the Cantt station where especial arrangements were made for their welcome, with petals showered on them at the tastefully decorated platform.

GM Railways, Saeed Akhtar and DG Railways Aftab Memon greeted the passengers.

Akhtar announced that government plants to operate five more trains in private sector partnership, describing the private investment in Railways a ‘successful experiment’.

The Railways Minister, Bashir Ahmed Bilor expressed hope that the department would successfully come out of financial crises with healthy competition to private sector.

The train reached Karachi after an 18-hour journey, 1,200 kilometres, between Pakistan’s two biggest cities, that once used to take 30 hours. TrendPK

Tom Hanks returns as an Oscar presenter

LOS ANGELES: Tom Hanks – an Academy governor, two-time Oscar winner and five time nominee – will serve as a presenter at the 84th Academy Awards, show producers Brian Grazer and Don Mischer announced on Tuesday.

Hanks has been a fixture at Oscar shows for more than two decades, with duties that have ranged from presenting the Best Picture award to making a film advising nominees on how to give good acceptance speeches.

He was also pulled out of the audience to participate in David Letterman’s “Stupid Pet Trick” during Letterman’s ill-fated stint hosting the show in 1995.

His is the most traditional Oscar booking to be announced so far; it came on the heels of Academy announcements that Jennifer Lopez and the cast of “Bridesmaids” would be presenters on the show.

The 84th Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, February 26 at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland, with Billy Crystal as host. AGENCIES

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