KARACHI: A spokesman for the Karachi Water and Waste Disposal Council (KWSB) said on Monday that a power cut had occurred at the Dhabeji pump station and as a result, several areas in the capital Sindh would face water shortages.
The spokesman said the blackout damaged a main supply line, causing a suspension of 28 million gallons of water to the city.
“This morning, there was a sudden blackout at the Dhabeji pump station, which caused the water supply to Karachi to be cut off,” the spokesman said.
The spokesman said the 72-inch diameter line exploded after a large area around the pump station became inundated.
As a result, the water supply to Gulshan-e-Hadid, Bin Qasim, Quaidabad, Malir, Shah Latif City, Razzaqabad, Korangi and other areas has been cut off.
Speaking of pipe restoration, sources say it may take 24-36 hours.
MULTAN – Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Hussain Qureshi said on Sunday that nothing could withdraw to power the South Punjab Secretariat adding that it was the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and South Punjab province was part of the party’s manifesto.
Responding to a press conference here at Raza Hall, FM Qureshi said that the South Punjab Secretariat will continue to have power whether Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf remains in power or not. He said that the formation of the South Punjab Secretariat was not a matter of individuals, but a problem of the entire population in the region.
He said that those who try to create hurdles at the South Punjab Secretariat must face it first. He said that all members of the national and provincial assemblies, ministers and Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar would protect the Secretariat.
The foreign minister said that his son Makhdoom Zain Hussain Qureshi informed him of the notification in which the powers of the South Punjab Secretariat were withdrawn when he returned after attending a conference abroad. He said that all the ministers, MPA and even the main minister were not aware of the notification. He called the notice a conspiracy against the Punjab government because the agreement was not taken by CM or the provincial cabinet before it was circulated. He said the notification went against Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision of the creation of the South Punjab province.
If everything has to be done in Lahore then why was some Rs 4 billion spent on the South Punjab secretariat, he said
He said PM Imran Khan made South Punjab province part of the party’s manifesto under his vision of facilitating people from disadvantaged areas. He said he himself had discussed the issue of notification with different officials in the province adding that even the Punjab IGP confirmed that powers had been delegated to the South Punjab additional IG.
Foreign Minister Qureshi said he would hold a meeting with CM Buzdar on Monday to discuss the matter further and to demand a proper investigation. He said that any conspiracy that got in the way of the creation of the South Punjab province would be defeated. He said CM Usman Buzdar had formed a committee chaired by Provincial Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bukhat to submit recommendations for changes to the trade system in South Punjab Province.
He stated that Pakistan has always tried to normalize relations with India and has a strong belief that problems can only be resolved through dialogue. He said that Pakistan and India were nuclear powers and therefore incapable of waging war. He said Pakistan had a clear stance on trade with India and added that it was now India’s turn to create a comfortable environment for dialogue.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs expressed concern over the ongoing situation in India’s Illegal Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ & K) and said that the Kashmiri people and different political parties have rejected the Indian government’s decision on 5 August 2019. He said that human rights organizations Different international humans have raised voices against human rights abuses at IIOJ & K. He said that China has had good friendly relations with Pakistan over the past few decades.
On a question about a recent environmental conference in America to which Pakistan was not invited, Foreign Minister Qureshi said that the US government only invited countries responsible for pollution. He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan is a role model for developing countries in their efforts to control global warming and environmental pollution. He said that PM Imran Khan was the only leader who started the billion tree project by taking the problem of climate change seriously.
“I wrote a letter to the special envoy for the Joe Biden administration and former US secretary of state in which I said that Pakistan and America have the same policy on the environment and the two countries can work together on this issue,” added Qureshi.
South African apparel and homewares retailer Mr Price, seen in Cape Town, South Africa, November 26, 2020. REUTERS / Mike Hutchings / File Photo
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South African budget retailer Price Group said on Tuesday it had received all approvals to acquire retailer Power Fashion in a deal likely to reach $ 105 million.
The low-cost clothing and household appliance retailer said the acquisition, which will expand its market share in budget retail, would take effect from April.
Price said earlier this month it would buy privately owned kitchen appliance company Yuppiechef to increase its online presence and premium offerings.
Reporting by Tanisha Heiberg; Edited by Kim Coghill
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Thursday congratulated the Armed Forces and organizers on holding a grand march in connection with Pakistan Day.
“Congratulations to the armed forces and organizers who organized the grand parade on the occasion of Pakistan Day,” he said in a statement issued here by the Prime Minister’s Office. The event was held on March 23rd but due to bad weather, it was decided to hold a grand event on March 25th.
The prime minister noted that all parade participants and troops from friendly countries put on a high performance, while the culture of four provinces including Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan was presented in a flower wreath.
The parade, he argued, was a testament to the outstanding performance and professionalism of our courageous Armed Forces: Navy and Air Force. “We are a nation, committed to achieving the goals of national development and public prosperity, moving beyond unity and solidarity,” stressed the prime minister.
ISLAMABAD: Home Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed says the opposition is practically dead and the PDM parties are facing divisions and therefore do not pose a challenge to Prime Minister Imran Khan but that in fact the opposition leadership is the facilitator.
Speaking to media people in Islamabad on Wednesday, he quipped that if any journalist could tell him the names of 11 PDM parties, he would be willing to give him Rs500 as prize money. He said there were only two and a half parties in the PDM – half the parties were Maulana Fazlur Rehman, one PPP party and one PML-N.
“It is a pity that Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s politics are not based on basic reality and the emptiness of substance.” The PDM held rallies for six months and agreed not to take part in the elections, but then reversed course and fought over the elections, he added. The interior minister further said PML-N will also open on the day Mayram Nawaz appears before NAB.
On March 26, the nation will witness how much public support they enjoy, he added. Rasheed said the PML-N was staging a show of strength in his hometown. “This show of strength is not against the PM but their show of strength against the PPP.” But “no matter how hard the PML-N tries, the PPP will never vote for mass resignations.”
However, he admitted that his prediction about the long march of PDM was proven wrong. Criticizing PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif for going abroad after fooling the entire nation, he said revolutionary political leaders such as Chairman Mao, Ho Chi Minh, Karl Marx and Ayatollah Khomeini led the nation from the front rather than from a foreign country. Likewise, Rasheed said that Maryam Nawaz Sharif had managed to secure bail from the Lahore High Court but was still calling on people to take to the streets. The leaders do not make their supporters as human shields for self-defense, they even dare to face threats to protect the nation.
During his last appearance before NAB, a private news channel reported supporters pelting stones at NAB headquarters and law enforcement agencies.
In fact, they took the stones with them, he said. He said there would be no action against PDM supporters if they did not take legal action. The interior minister added “we approved the deployment of Rangers in Lahore on Friday at the request of the provincial government.”
The interior minister reminded the country on coronavirus alert for Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar, adding that he was not saying this to scare anyone but that people need to watch out for the spread of infection from such mass gatherings.
Answering a question, Sheikh Rasheed said that he did not think there would be a reshuffle of the cabinet, but the number of ministers could increase in the coming days.
He said the Swiss account case would reopen tomorrow if not opened today, adding that governments come and go, but cases only end when the person dies. Sheikh Rasheed said that the prime minister has formed a 10-member committee made up of senior Pakistani leaders Tehreek-e-Insaf to hold negotiations with all parties.
Rasheed said it was the government’s focus on tackling the problem of rising prices, adding that the government would tackle the price spiral in the next year and a half. He said Imran Khan was sticking to his stance against corruption and the people wanted the restoration of wealth stolen.
The court will give a verdict against the robbers of national wealth. But so far, there has been no success as no money has been made from big thieves, said the interior minister.
He said three lakh applications had so far been received for visas online which was an initiative of the PM. He said he would also visit Kuwait to lift the Kuwaiti visa ban.
The interior minister said a plan had been finalized to establish a media city for news channels. He said a scheme to provide accommodation for journalists Rawalpindi and Islamabad would also be launched by Ramazan and Prime Minister Imran Khan would announce both schemes.
The Interior Minister, who got the coronavirus shot, said he took the injection because there was a lot of misinformation about the Chinese vaccine. Rasheed also prayed for the early recovery of all coronavirus patients including Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife.
