Urban areas to face five hours, rural areas seven hours loadshedding

 

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Sunday approved the release of funds for enhanced power generation during Ramazan so that the masses would not have to face six-hour loadshedding during Sehri, Iftar and Traveeh prayers.
According to official sources, the Ministry of Water and Power will provide the maximum relief to consumers during the three times that has been calculated to be six hours during the holy month.

In urban areas, loadshedding of up to five hours and in rural areas of up to seven hours during the remaining 18 hours has been planned so that the people may not face difficulties while they are fasting.

The government has already approved maximum electricity generation during Ramazan and the same has been lined up by the ministry by taking all necessary steps. The prime minister has already accorded approval to provision of necessary funds for enhanced generation during these days.

The sources pointed out that better generation from hydel and thermal power plants and addition of new plants like the Uch II, Guddu, will reduce loadshedding during the month. Oil supplies have also been enhanced and their stocks are being built at different points.

Fuel stocks at various power plants combined with continued daily fuel supply have been planned to ensure smooth operation of power plants during the holy month.

The load management plan will be tightly monitored and the Ministry of Water and Power Secretary Ms Nargis Sethi and all distribution companies chiefs along with their officers at their headquarters will be available during Sehr and Iftar the whole month besides their daily routine timings.

They will remain on video link during these hours. Each Disco and the ministry has installed dedicated landlines and mobile numbers at their respective control centers so that in case of a fault, it can be rectified immediately.

At the distribution level, down the line duties of the staff have been assigned and necessary equipment and their replacements have been provided so that prompt action could be taken in case of technical faults, the sources added.

The sources pointed out that due to transmission system constraints, there exists a demand and supply gap. The ministry is making all out efforts to reduce loadshedding during Ramazan. The ministry has appealed to consumers to curtail consumption of electricity so that the maximum number of people could get power. The sources said the plan has also been put up to Prime Minister Nawaz, who has asked the ministry to adhere to its commitment to facilitate the people to the maximum.

Militants’ hideouts in tribal areas to be destroyed

RAWALPINDI: The formation commanders meeting at the General Headquarters chaired by the Chief of the Army Staff General Raheel Sharif on Wednesday decided to completely destroy the hideouts of terrorists in the tribal areas.

The commanders affirmed that the Pakistan Army would not allow the sacrifices of its martyrs go in vain.While speaking on the occasion, General Raheel Sharif vowed that terrorist elements would be eliminated at all costs.

The COAS said the sacrifices rendered by those in the war against terrorism would not go in vain.The half-yearly meeting was attended by all the corps commanders and formation commanders.

Comprehensive briefings on the security situation of the country as well as professional matters relating to the military came under discussion.In the meeting, it was also decided to track down the terrorists and monitor their movements across the country. To dismantle the terror networks, the army resolved to coordinate closely with intelligence and law enforcement agencies.

The meeting also discussed the situation on the Pak-Afghan border, the military operation in North Waziristan and Tirah Valley, national security as well as professional matters.It was also decided that the Airport Security Force (ASF) would be trained by the military in order to counter any future attacks.

It also reviewed the goals achieved in North Waziristan and Tirah Valley.The meeting was held when the Taliban-claimed attacks on Karachi airport raised questions about the ability of the authorities to secure key facilities in the face of a resurgent enemy.

Geo shut in 90 pc areas

 

ISLAMABAD: For a few weeks, Geo TV channel has been put far behind its original number on cable networks. In many parts of the country and many older TVs, these distant frequencies don’t even work which means large segments of the population have been unable to watch the channel. During the past three days, Geo has been closed down in 90 percent of areas. Reports of closing down the channel kept coming in till late night following Tuesday’s illegal meeting of five Pemra members. There is unrest in workers of Jang Group and Geo TV due to this disturbing development. Media workers and journalists throughout the country are planning protests against this injustice.

Anti polio drive postponed in tribal areas

BAJAUR: The health department has postponed the scheduled three-day anti polio campaign in the agency due to incomplete arrangements and unavailability of vaccines, sources of the local health department told.

Dr Zakir Hussain, Agency surgeon Bajaur, when contacted confirmed the postponement of polio drive in the agency. He said that the polio campaign was not only postponed in Bajaur but also in the entire tribal areas.

However, the drive in Bajaur and all over the tribal areas would be launched on May 5, Dr Zakir added. The department with special instructions of directorate of health services Fata has postponed its three-day anti polio drive starting from April 28 Monday. Incomplete security arrangements, unavailability of vaccines, shortage of necessary equipments and volunteers could be the reasons for postponement of the campaign.

“The officials of directorate of health services Fata have sent a notification to the offices of local health department in which they had asked us to postpone the anti polio drive until a later date. I donot know the causes behind the postponement of campaign but we have been instructed by the senior officials to not launch the drive on Monday,” an official of health department told.

Pakistan to use polio vaccine checkpoints in Taliban areas

PESHAWAR: Officials said on Monday they would begin administering polio vaccines to children at security checkpoints in the tribal belt to protect against the Taliban attacks.

The announcement was made at a ceremony to mark the launch of a three-day anti-polio campaign in Peshawar, and is aimed at children from North Waziristan and other Taliban strongholds. Farakh Sair Khan, a senior administrative official for the tribal areas, told the gathering the new strategy would “vaccinate children belonging to areas that are not accessible for the polio workers.”

“North Waziristan is affected most by the polio virus and unfortunately we had not been able to vaccinate the children there for security reasons but we are trying to overcome it,” Khan said. As many as 2643 polio teams will be participating in the campaign to vaccinate children under five, he added.

“We will establish over 50 vaccination sites next to the checkpoints of security forces,” said Shahdab Younis, an official of the UNICEF said. “Establishing these sites next to security checkpoints will minimise the risk of attacks,” she added. She said the move would also pressure parents into allowing their children to be vaccinated due to the intimidating presence of armed troops.

“We have received 37 new cases of polio in the first three months of this year, 33 of them are from North Waziristan,” Younis said. “Polio vaccination was banned in North Waziristan since 2012 and the children there have not been vaccinated against polio since,” she added.

Meanwhile, a separate official said talks had begun with the army, whose co-operation would be required. “We are discussing it with the army because most of the security checkpoints belong to (them),” the official said.

Several held during operation in Karachi areas

KARACHI: Several suspected persons were rounded up during a search operation in different areas of Karachi, Geo News reported Saturday.

Police conducted raids in Patel Para and Gulshan-e-Iqbal areas of the metropolis and held many suspects.

Police cordoned off block 7 of Gulshan-e-Iqbal and sealed the entry and exit points of the area. Rapid Response Force (RRF) personnel also took part in the action.

Police searched a residential building and apprehended five persons.

Earlier, an alleged gangster was killed in Kalakot area of Lyari during a raid jointly conducted by the police and the Rangers.

The police and the paramilitary force conducted the raid on a tip off about presence of the criminal in the area and killed the suspect in an exchange of fire.

The police said that the gangster identified as Arshad was affiliated with Sheraz Comrade group. His body was shifted to Civil Hospital for medico-legal formalities.

Moreover, two robbers were killed in a police encounter in Hasan Square area of the city.

PAF C-130 airlifts edible for drought-stricken Thar areas

KARACHI: A Pakistan Air Force C-130 carrying edibles for the people of drought stricken areas of Tharparker landed at Talhar, a forward airfield of PAF on the instructions of Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force.
The PAF C-130 air-lifted food supplies for quick dispensation to the drought stricken areas of Thar.
A PAF statement here on Sunday said that the C-130 load of 30,000 Lbs comprised milk, medicines and food items and were handed over by Base Commander PAF Base Faisal, Air Commodore Zahid Kiyani to the District Coordination Officer (DCO) Badin on behalf of all ranks and files of Pakistan Air Force for distribution in the Mithi, Diplo and Chachro, the affected Tehsils of Tharparker, Sindh.

Pak Army troops leave for drought affected areas of Tharparker

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Army troops from Hyderabad Garrison have left for drought affected areas of Tharparker on the directives of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
According to ISPR here on Saturday, the contingents are carrying immediate relief goods and rations.
Staff of medical camp is also going with them to affected areas with lady doctors, paramedical staff and

Sindh govt rushes supplies to drought-hit areas

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Friday announced to distribute 1,20,000 bags of wheat among the drought-hit population of Tharparkar district and providing medicine worth ten million rupees besides giving compensation of Rs. 2,00,000 for each child died of this drought- like situation.
He also issued orders for suspension and arrest of Director Health, District Tharparkar and Medical Superintendent (MS) Mithi Hospital for criminal negligence of duties. According to official data, he said, 41 children have died in the area. The Chief Minister was briefing the media on drought-like situation in Tharparkar and on relief operations, here at the Chief Minister's House.
Sindh Minister for Information and Local Government, Sharjeel Inam Memon, Pakistan Peoples Party (Sindh) Secretary General, Taj Haider and some other PPP parliamentarians were also present.
Syed Qaim Ali Shah informed the media that 60,000 bags of wheat are available in godowns which were being sold to the people of Thar at fifty percent discount and the equal number of wheat bags were being added to the stock. Now, he added, these bags would be distributed among the affected people of Thar.
He said that a three member committee is being constituted to monitor implementation of the relief package for Thar. The committee will comprise a member of Sindh Assembly, an Assistant Commissioner and a local journalist, he said.
He said medicine amounting to Rs. 10 million is being immediately dispatched there and, if needed, more medicine will be procured.
He said the required medical equipment will be provided to the Mithi and other local hospitals to ensure proper analysis of the patients.
He said a team of senior doctors from Karachi is leaving for Tharparkar to help in treatment of the patients especially children in Thar.