Youth run over by police mobile in Multan

TrendPK.com

MULTAN: A Youngman was killed as a speedy police mobile ran over him at Masoom Road in Multan city on Sunday, TrendPK reports.

The incident triggered enraged people to pelt the vehicle with stones, smashing its windowpanes.

Reports said the Asif was on its way in a market place at Masoom Road when a patrolling police mobile, carrying three constables, ran over him, leaving him dead on the spot.

The cops managed to flee as area people gathered at the site and severely protested against the law enforcers, chanting slogans and pelting the vehicle with stones. TrendPK

Multan eunuchs thrilled at vote registration

TrendPK.com

ISLAMABAD: Members of transgender community in Multan are thrilled to have their names registered in new voter lists in line with a Supreme Court ruling.

Dozens of khwaja saras thronged the Multan office of Election Commission and got their votes registered. They were really excited following the registration of their votes.

Speaking to TrendPK, eunuchs thanked Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry for acknowledging their rights as equal citizens of Pakistan. They said that they would cast their votes to those who supported them.

One of them said khwaja saras could also field their own candidate in the next parliamentary elections.

Khwaja saras have been divided into three categories, male transgender, female transgender and Khunsa-e-mushkil. Male transgender and khunsa-e-mushkil will be registered in men’s voter list while female transgender will be included in women’s voter list. TrendPK

EU to sanction Iran bank

BRUSSELS: EU nations Thursday agreed to sanction Iran’s central bank, freezing assets used to finance its nuclear drive, but have yet to clinch an oil embargo deal that could penalise debt-hit Greece.

“The text was considered closed and agreed,” a diplomatic source said of the proposed financial sanctions, following talks between senior diplomats from the 27 European Union nations.

Diplomats have held lengthy meetings through the week in Brussels to agree an oil and financial embargo against Tehran that is to be formally adopted at talks between EU foreign ministers on Monday.

But Greek concerns held up a final deal on the oil embargo.

The freeze on assets held by Tehran’s central bank will be partial, “enabling legitimate trade to go ahead”, and ensure there are no obstacles to continued payment of outstanding Iranian debts to Europe, an EU diplomat said.

Germany notably expressed concern over the reimbursement of loans to Iran worth 2.6 billion euros should financial channels be closed.

“The idea is to dry up sources of finance for Iran’s nuclear programme,” said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

But the high-level diplomats planning ways of tightening the noose on Tehran were unable to finesse last details on an oil embargo, the source added.

“They’ll have another go on Monday morning” ahead of the foreign ministers’ meeting, said another diplomat.

“But it’s looking likely that the oil embargo will have to go directly to the foreign affairs council” of ministers, he added.

The new EU sanctions are part of a concerted effort with the United States to pressure Iran into halting its controversial nuclear activities, which the West suspects are aimed at developing nuclear weapons.

Iran says its nuclear programme is purely for civilian use.

The EU imported some 600,000 barrels of Iranian oil per day last year, according to the International Energy Agency, making it a key market alongside China, which has refused to bow to pressure from Washington, and India.

“The issue is how to reassure the delegation that depends most on Iranian oil that all is done to protect them,” said a diplomat.

“The problem with Greece was not resolved.”

Iranian oil accounted for 34.2 percent of Greece’s total oil imports, 14.9 percent of Spain’s and 12.4 percent of Italy’s in the first nine months of last year, according to the latest EU statistics.

The problem for European governments has been to agree to implement an embargo that gives nations dependent on deliveries from Tehran time to phase out existing contracts.

Some countries, including Britain, France and Germany, wanted a three-month deadline, whereas financially-stressed nations such as Greece, Italy and Spain were requesting up to a year.

Under discussion too has been a request from Italy to allow Iranian companies to continue repaying debts with crude instead of cash.

That would mean Tehran having less crude to sell on the market.

Exploratory talks have also taken place to seek alternative supplies for nations dependent on imports from Tehran.

Contacts had been made “notably with Saudi Arabia to examine whether it could increase production to offset the loss of Iranian crude,” a senior EU official said.

Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi said this week that the kingdom’s output could be boosted by around 2.6 million barrels a day to offset a potential cut in Iranian exports.

But Iran warned Saudi Arabia to reconsider its vow to make up for any shortfall. AGENCIES

Two Westerners kidnapped in Multan: officials

MULTAN: Two Western foreign aid workers were kidnapped by gunmen in the central Pakistani city of Multan on Thursday, local officials said.

Multan City Police Officer Amir Zulfiqar said one of the foreigners who had been abducted was Italian while the other was believed to be German.

“Three armed men entered the house and kidnapped two foreign nationals,” Zulfiqar told reporters outside the house where they were kidnapped.

“So far we have not established a motive but it is too early to say. We are continuing investigations to try to see what happened.”

The Italian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that an Italian citizen was kidnapped in Multan, in the southern part of the Punjab province.

German embassy officials in Islamabad were not immediately available for comment.

Criminal gangs often target foreign aid workers in Pakistan in hope of securing large ransoms for their release. Pakistani officials say militant groups such as the Taliban are also involved in kidnappings.

Such incidents have put off long-term investors. Foreign direct investment fell 37 percent to $531.2 million in the second half of 2011 from $839.6 million in the final six months of 2010.

Gunmen kidnapped a British doctor, working with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), in the southwestern city of Quetta on January 5.

American aid worker Warren Weinstein was kidnapped from the central Pakistani city of Lahore in August last year. Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for Weinstein’s abduction in December.

In July, a Swiss couple was kidnapped from the southwestern Baluchistan province by the Pakistani Taliban. AGENCIES

PIA plane makes emergency landing in Multan

KARACHI: A PIA plane carrying 118 passengers had to make an emergency landing in Multan after developing a mid-air fault.

The PIA flight PK-369 was en route to Karachi from Islamabad.

PPP leader Fauzia Wahab, MQM’s Wasim Akhtar and some other members of parliament were also aboard the plane.

According to reports, one power generator of the national carrier was already out of order. It second generator also developed some fault during the flight.

A PIA spokesman denied that it was an emergency landing. The spokesmen justified that emergency landing involves complex procedures. TrendPK

Multan may be flooded as Chenab continues to swell

Lower areas of the city are likely to be inundated by tremendous flow of water.

As per details, about 127,000 cusecs water has been released from Tarimu Headworks on Chenab which would enter Multan in 24 hours.

According to the Metrological Department, the level of water is rising with the passage of time which may flood the lower areas in Multan.

According to Flood Control Department, the flow of water may be raised by 150,000 cusecs.

As a precautionary measure, bunds and dykes on both sides of Chenab are being monitored.

LPG prices reduced by Rs 5 per kg

The price of domestic use cylinder has been reduced by Rs 55 and the commercial use cylinder price has been reduced by Rs 120.

The LPG price in Karachi has reduced from Rs 115 to Rs 110 per kilogram while it has been reduced from Rs 120 to Rs 115 per kg in Lahore, Gujranwala Faisalabad and Azad Kashmir.

LPG would be sold at Rs 125 per kg in Peshawar, Multan and Bahawalpur while it would be sold at Rs 135 per kilogram in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Murree and Muzaffarabad.

According to OGRA authorities, more reduction in prices is expected in October as per new LPG policy.

Multan: No relief from loadshedding

The citizens are getting no relief from loadshedding despite decrease in shortfall of electricity. According to Multan Electric Power Supply Company (MEPCO), the shortfall of electricity was reduced to 375 megawatt in Multan region whereas the demand of electricity was recorded at 2775 MW.

At least 8 to 9 hours of loadshedding is being observed in the urban areas of Multan region while the people in the rural areas are facing 10 to 12 hours of power outage.

The power shutdown during sehar and iftar timings is creating problems for the people of Multan.

Multan: People suffer due to worst loadshedding

According to Multan Electric Power Company (MEPCO), the city is facing a shortfall of 850 MW of electricity.

Multan is getting 2,150 megawatt of electricity against a demand of 3000 MW which also increased duration of loadshedding.

The urban areas are facing 9 to 10 hours of power cuts while in urban areas this duration ranges from 11 to 12 hours. MEPCO officials said that people are facing long hours of loadshedding due the increase in shortfall of electricity.

According to the Met office, the maximum temperature in Multan in the next 24 hours will be 27 degree Celsius with partly overcast condition.

Cold weather takes 6 minors

As many as 6 minors died while 20 others were severally ill due to cold weather in Multan.

According to details 6 children of gypsy families were died and 20 others were in critical condition in Multan due to lack of resources. Health department team said that all deaths were result of cold and the department would setup a free medical camp today.

Next Page »