Lahore factory collapse: toll rises to 17

TrendPK.com
LAHORE: As many as two more bodies were excavated this morning from under the rubble of the factory, which crumbled down as a result of explosion of its boiler yesterday morning, raising the overall toll to 17 thus far, TrendPK reports Tuesday.

Several people are believed to be still trapped under the debris of the factory, which had women and children as its employees.

As many as 14 people were taken out in injured state from the devastated building debris.

According to details, the mishap occurred at 0810 PST in a medicine factory located on Multan Road, Kharak Stop, causing the entire building to collapse trapping under its debris people in large number. The debris could not be removed as yet despite the lapse of 24 hours.

Talking to TrendPK TV on the mishap site, Commissioner Lahore Jawwad Rafiq Malik said the rescue operation will continue till the last person is rescued safe and sound.

The injured and bodies have been shifted to nearby Jinnah Hospital, where Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif’s son Hamza Shahbaz Sharif visited to console him.

The bereaved families faced massive troubles in taking custody of their bodies from the hospital.

Meantime, a case has been lodged against the factory owners and government officers in Sabzazar Police Station. Also, police arrested factory manager Muneer Ahmed.

According to the sources, the factory has been working since eight months now, as its license was not renewed since June 2011. TrendPK

Shahbaz urges Ulema to save country

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LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday urged the Ulema (religious leaders) to save the country, TrendPK reported on Saturday.

While addressing a Seerat-un-Nabi conference here to commemorate the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the Punjab CM said that hatred has destroyed the country and now religion can play part to save it.

He said that begging from outsiders is against the Islamic teachings.

The minister said that there was no leader in the entire history who helped the spread of Islam and the concept of equity around the world other than the Prophet (PBUH).

Religious scholars and people of all classes participated in the conference. TrendPK

Sanaullah, Riaz trade fire over drugs fiasco

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LAHORE: Government and opposition lawmakers in Punjab Assembly traded fire on Friday against each other over the deaths of dozens of people due to contaminated drugs.

Opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Raja Riaz asked Shahbaz Sharif to step down as the chief minister due to the fiasco.

He said Khadim-e-Ala has become Qatil-e-Ala.

Disregarding the demand, Punjab’s Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said opposition has nothing substantial to offer. He said Chief Minister Sharif has no time to listen to junk talk.

Although precious lives are being wasted due to the spurious drugs, ruling and opposition leaders are wasting no opportunity to humble each other.

Speaking to newsmen after the Punjab Assembly session, Rana Sanaullah said his party would welcome any positive proposal by the opposition parties. But he said the chief minister has no time to hear the rubbish talk. TrendPK

PML-N convenes important meeting in Raiwind

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LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has convened an important meeting of party leaders at Raiwind in Lahore tomorrow (Tuesday), TrendPK reported on Monday.
 
All top leadership of the party including Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Senator Mushahidullah, Khwaja Saad Rafique, Khwaja Muhammad Asif, Ahsan Iqbal and many others will attend the meeting.

The meeting will review many important issues including 20th Amendment, Memo-gate case, PIC drug scandal, NRO case and new lists of voters. TrendPK

Drug reaction: Shahbaz shakes health department

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LAHORE: Demanding a judicial enquiry into the drug reaction dilemma, Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif has shaken the bigwigs of health department, TrendPK reports.

Provincial secretary health Jahanzeb Khan and chief of Punjab Institute of cardiology Prof Muhammad Azhar were made Officer on Special Duty (OSD), while director drug testing laboratory, medical president PIC, deputy MS, pharmacist and store keepers were dismissed.

Secretary Agriculture Arif Nadeem has been given extra charge of the health secretary.

Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday ordered a judicial inquiry into reports of deaths due to reaction from counterfeit medicine supplied by the Pakistan Cardiology Institute (PIC), and pleaded to Chief Justice Lahore High Court to formulate a body in this regard.

He vowed to bring to justice all culprits in the light of judicial body’s investigation report. TrendPK

Fake drugs: Govt notifies removal of ex-DG health

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LAHORE: The Punjab government on Sunday issued notification of the removal of former Director General Health Chaudhry Aslam in the wake of uncontrolled deaths caused by mysterious drug reaction, TrendPK reports.

The fake drugs were given to cardiac patients in Punjab Institution of Cardiology (PIC) some three weeks ago, unleashing the suspected medicine reaction.

Two other key health officials – Chief Drug Inspector Punjab Muazam Ali and Medico-Legal Officer PIC – were also suspended on Saturday as three more people died of the reaction on Sunday.  TrendPK

Drug reaction: Two more die; toll hits 111

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LAHORE: Two more people on Saturday died of the suspected drug reaction which has so far claimed 111 lives, TrendPK reports.

The uncontrolled deadly reaction was caused cardiac medicines provided to patients in Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) some three weeks ago, claiming 111 lives and destabilizing health of hundreds of patients.

The institution is now providing alternate medicines to heart patients registered with the hospital. Patients were seen standing in long queues for hours to return old contaminated drugs and get new ones from the PIC.

Meanwhile a team of federal interior ministry arrived in Lahore to probe into the drug reaction menace. However, a government team to investigate the issue has yet to determine those responsible for the deaths. TrendPK

PPP activists protest against Taseer’s abduction

LAHORE: Following the anger of the leaders of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) over alleged negligence rendered by Punjab government in connection with kidnapping of Shahbaz Taseer, the son of former Punjab governor Salman Taseer, the PPP’s activists staged protest in Lahore, TrendPK reported Friday night.

According to details, political workers, hailing from PPP Lahore chapter, took to street and staged demonstration outside provincial assembly building against inefficiency of Punjab government over rendering negligence which led to likelihood of kidnapping of Taseer junior.

Agitators raised slogans against Shahbaz Sharif government, calling for immediate recovery of Shahbaz Taseer.

On the occasion, talking to media, provincial party leader Samiullah said none can anticipate any good from Punjab government, adding that instead of advising Sindh government, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif should ensure security of people dwelling in Lahore. TrendPK

Govt failed to control prices: Nawaz

Talking to mediamen after having a meeting with PML-N coordination committees, he said the yellow cab scheme was announced in the budget.

According to plan, 20,000 cabs would be launched at once and distributed candidly on easy installments. It would not only eradicate unemployment but also promote the industrial sector.

He suggested that the federal government should launch such schemes on national level.

He said that the government had failed to control over price hike. If the expenses of government are curtailed, “we need no foreign aid”, he added.

CM Shahbaz Sharif himself drove the cad while Nawaz Sharif sit on the front seat and Zafar Iqbal Jhagra and Pir Sabir Shah in the rear.

Rawalpindi: Salmans killer Qadri presented before ATC

Assassin of Governor Punjab Salman Taseer Mumtaz Qadri has been presented before Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Rawalpindi on Thursday, trendpk.com reported.

Brought under strict security the joint investigation team presented Mumtaz Qadri before a special ATC today. Owing to the security risks, Rawalpinds anti-terrorism court has been shifted to Islamabad for todays proceeding on Governor Salaman Taseers murder. Earlier yesterday, Taseers assassin was presented in Islamabads court. The Islamabad court handed over Qadri to the police under one days remand and instructed to present him in Rawalpindis anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Thursday (today). During initial probe, the joint investigation team brought Mumtaz Qadri at Taseers murder spot at Kohsar Market in Sector F-63, Islamabad and asked him to draw a map of the murder plan. Later on the investigation team repeated (dramatized) all murder acts while the FIA forensic team collected some proofs from the site. The investigation team has forwarded an initial investigation report to the Interior Ministry. According to the initial report, up till now no evidence has been founded for assassins links with any partyMeanwhile, the initial probe report into Taseers killing would be presented to the Chief Minister Punjab today.

The report is being presented the by the inquiry committee, formed by CM Shahbaz Sharif to look into the tragic incident.The committee is headed by Additional IG special branch Nasir Khan Durrani. Additional IG Mushtaq Sakheer and DIG Shoaib Dastgeer are members of it. It has been learnt that around 32 guards of elite force were escorting Governor Punjab in Lahore, while the number of these guards was 16 in Islamabad, adding that none of the guards was from Lahore. It is being investigated why the number of elite force was reduced in the Federal capital. The report also revealed that killing of the Governor was individual act of the assassin but the phone records of killer Mumtaz Qadri would also help in further investigation.

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