Saturday 6 February 2016

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Want to solve all issues by way of discussions: Khawaja Saad Rafique

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique on Saturday stated that the government wants to solve all issues by way of discussions rather than taking decision on the basis of protests, strikes and use of force.Addressing guests at a dinner held in honour of 9 elected leaders of DHA Lahore Real Estate Agents Association, the Railways Minister stated that politics should not be prioritized over national interests.Rafique stated that the Orange Train project was being criticized similarly as the Metro Bus project. He stated that the public will benefit from it after its completion, however.The Federal Minister stated that an operation will be held against encroachments in Lahore; however hawkers bearing carts will not be led to unemployement due to the crackdown.Rafique further added that the government had acquired a Pakistan that was burning but now the situation was improving on daily basis.He stated that Karachi will not be handed over to extortionists and criminal elements.

Punjab: Police arrest six over child wedding

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MULTAN (AFP) - Police have arrested six people accused of arranging the marriage of a seven-year-old boy and six-year-old girl in, officials said Saturday.The fathers of both children, the cleric performing the ceremony, and three witnesses were charged under the Child Marriage Restraint Act on Saturday after being arrested in Punjab province on Friday, senior police official Saifullah Khan told AFP.They face six months imprisonment and/or a fine of 50,000 rupees.Local police chief Mehr Riaz Hussain said the accused have denied that the wedding took place, but police have it on video.Lawmakers last month withdrew a proposal to impose harsher penalties on those who arrange child marriages. Rights activists strongly criticised the rejection of bill.The proposal, which would also have raised the legal age of marriages for females from 16 to 18, called for rigorous punishment of up to two years in prison for those who organise child marriages, still common in some parts of Pakistan.The original law stipulates the age of marriage to be 16 for women and 18 for men.

Saudi Arabia won't dare send troops to Syria: Iran

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TEHRAN (AFP) - Saudi Arabia wouldnt dare send ground troops to war-torn Syria, the chief of Irans elite Revolutionary Guards said Saturday, after Riyadh opened up the possibility of such a deployment.The kingdom, Irans regional rival, has said it could contribute positively if the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State (IS) extremist group in Syria decided on ground action.But Major General Ali Jafari, commander of the Guards, said such a move would be damaging for Saudi Arabia.I dont think they would dare do that... If they do, they will inflict a coup de grace on themselves, he said, according to Fars news agency, a media outlet close to the Guards.They thought that through support and financial aid they could make gains in Syria but the recent victories by the resistance front have disrupted all of their calculations, Jafari said.Iran, the strongest regional ally of President Bashar al-Assad, openly provides financial and military support to the Damascus government but denies having troops on the ground in Syria.Tehran provides military advisers to Assads army, as well as organising Iranian, Afghan and Iraqi volunteers to fight rebels in Syria.Jafari was speaking in Tehran at a funeral ceremony of Brigadier General Mohsen Ghajarian and five other Guards members killed Wednesday in Aleppo province of northern Syria.Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Irans Expediency Council and a former chief of the Guards, also refuted Saudi Arabias possible presence on the ground in Syria.In such a situation, the clash of Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Syria together, and then the entrance of America... eventually a large regional war is possible, the official IRNA news agency quoted him as saying.If the Saudi government embarked on such a move the entire region other than Iran but including Saudi Arabia, will be consumed by fire.Iran and Saudi Arabia have long been at odds over the conflict in Syria.The Gulf kingdom severed all ties with Iran last month after demonstrators stormed its embassy in Tehran and consulate in Mashhad, Irans second city, following Riyadhs execution of Nimr al-Nimr, a prominent Saudi Shiite cleric and activist.

Fourteen dead, 150 missing after Taiwan quake fells buildings

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TAINAN (AFP) - Relatives of residents trapped in a 16-storey apartment complex felled by a powerful earthquake in Taiwan that killed 14 people were praying for miracles Saturday as rescuers sought survivors, with more than 150 missing in the quake zone.The cluster of buildings in the historic southern city of Tainan were full of families who had gathered for Lunar New Year celebrations when it collapsed and the death toll is rising.The national disaster response centre said a total of 156 people were still out of contact across Tainan and neighbouring counties.Lee Wei-sen, a spokesman for the centre, said those missing had lost contact in disaster hit areas in Tainan, Chiayi and Yunlin.Tainan bore the brunt of the 6.4 magnitude quake and the disaster zone centres around a residential complex containing almost 100 homes which were toppled.The four blocks at the Wei-kuan complex were left lying on their sides with twisted metal girders exposed and clouds of dust rising from the jumbled concrete.Among the 12 people killed when the apartment buildings collapsed were a 10-day-old baby girl and two other children, the National Fire Agency said.The other two victims were killed in different parts of the city by falling debris, the agency said.Around 800 troops have been mobilised to help the rescue effort at Wei-kuan.A senior army official at the scene said around 20 people were still trapped in one of the buildings.Liang Chuan-shun, deputy fire bureau chief for Tainan, told AFP the search was now a race against time and would continue through the night.Some rooms in the building were rented to students who would not register with the census authorities -- were not sure how many others might still be left within, he said.Agonising waitRelatives huddled by the ruins late Saturday, hoping for news.I was woken up by the quake and called my brothers mobile -- no-one answered and I feared something was wrong, said Huang Yu-liang who lives near the site and is waiting for news of his brother, sister-in-law and their two children.I rushed here and saw the collapsed building and I was in shock. Their building is at the bottom (of the wreckage). I am praying for miracles.Rescue workers told AFP that two of the toppled buildings fell against the other two blocks in the complex, crushing them.Wang Chien-ming came from Yunlin county to the north of Tainan to find his sister and her family.My sister, her husband and their child live on the third floor and I havent heard any news since I arrived here. I will keep waiting for as long as it takes.Officials said there were 256 people registered as living in the complex, which contained 96 apartments.More than 250 have been rescued so far, with more than 40 hospitalised.Interior minister Chen Wei-jen said he feared there may have been more people in the building than usual as family members would have returned to celebrate the Lunar New Year holidays next week.Terrifying powerResidents told of their horror as the quake hit, with survivors pulled bleeding and crying from the ruins, some just in their underwear.The quake was really powerful -- it shook up and down, left and right and even in a circle. It was terrifying, one elderly woman at the scene who was waiting for news of a missing friend told AFP.One survivor used a hammer to break out of her crushed home, while another tied clothes together to lower himself to safety, local media reported.Cranes towered over the disaster zone with diggers trying to move slabs of concrete as rescuers painstakingly freed survivors young and old from the ruins.Meanwhile groups of people chanted prayers at the site, accompanied by Buddhist monks.Eight shelters have been set up around the city, with over 100 people taking refuge there.Officials said several blocks had collapsed or half collapsed in other parts of the city, with some buildings left leaning at alarming angles.Across Tainan and surrounding counties, more than 400 people were injured, with 100 still in hospital.The quake struck at a depth of 10 kilometres (six miles) at around 4:00 am (2000 GMT Friday), 39 kilometres northeast of Kaohsiung, Taiwans second-largest city.Taiwan lies near the junction of two tectonic plates and is regularly hit by earthquakes.The islands worst quake in recent decades was 7.6 magnitude in September 1999, killing around 2,400 people.

Thousands march across Europe in anti-Islam Pegida rallies

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DRESDEN (AFP) - A march by Germanys anti-Islamic organisation Pegida drew thousands to the eastern city of Dresden on Saturday with rallies in support of the movement also held in a string of other European cities.In Prague, around 5,000 people turned out for a Pegida-inspired march organised by two far-right groups, while in Amsterdam mounted police charged pro- and anti-Pegida groups and arrested at least a dozen people.Another rally in the northern French port of Calais, home to the infamous Jungle refugee camp for migrants seeking passage across the Channel to Britain, brought about 20 arrests, local authorities said.Police there responded with tear gas after scuffles broke out.The Pegida group had called for the Saturday rallies, urging supporters to march under the anti-migrant banner of Fortress Europe.The group began as a movement in Germany in mid-2014 and has spread to other countries as Europe grapples with its worst refugee crisis since World War II.Several thousand Pegida supporters turned up in Dresden under clear blue skies to march along the banks of the River Elbe to protest against mass immigration.We have to helpAbsent was Lutz Bachmann, the movements founder, owing to illness, organisers said.Police deployed around 1,000 officers.Many held aloft banners criticising German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is in the firing line for her liberal stance towards refugees after Germany took in more than a million asylum seekers last year.Around 2,000 people -- less than the 10,000 expected by police -- meanwhile joined an anti-Pegida rally at which participants urged tolerance towards migrants.Anti-Pegida marchers chanted slogans such as no place for Nazis and we dont need xenophobia, demagoguery or Pegida.Pegida supporters countered that they were European patriots against the Islamisation of the west.In Prague, an AFP journalist put the crowd at around 5,000 although police did not give an official estimate of the demo or its counter-rally. Police arrested four people.A counter-rally was organised by the non-parliamentary Green party and several leftist groups.Migrants are people like us which is why we have to help them, in a reasonable way, said president of the Greens Matej Stropnicky.But we have to help them in their own countries, he said, adding that it would be impossible for vast numbers to be integrated in Europe.In Dublin, scuffles broke out between people who had gathered to protest against the launch of Pegida in Ireland, and those who attended the launch of the group.We are standing together... to show that there is no place in Ireland today for racism and intolerance -- there is no place for hate, counter demonstrator and MEP Lynn Boylan from the Sinn Fein party said.People are afraidIn Amsterdam, rival groups numbering a few hundred each waved banners with slogans.We are demonstrating because we are very worried about our country and Islam, said 51-year-old Yvette from Utrecht, who carried a white banner saying Pegida is Love in Dutch.The two sides were kept apart by dozens of mounted and riot police while a military helicopter hovered overhead.An AFP reporter witnessed at least a dozen arrests and mounted police charging the crowd to separate the rival groups.Anti-Pegida demonstrator Tommy Morelli, 32, told AFP: I cannot believe that these guys (pro-Pegida supporters) can still think the way they do in this day and age. Its shameful.In Birmingham in central England, meanwhile, police said about 150 Pegida supporters and 60 counter-demonstrators turned out.Demonstrations also took place in Bratislava, Warsaw, the French city of Montpellier, Graz in southern Austria and Brno in eastern Czech Republic.

Rangers' investigation committee starts probe on PIA employees' murder

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Rangers’ investigation committee on Saturday has started its probe into a firing incident that left Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA) two employees dead during a protest outside Karachi international airport. Rangers questioned the people and officers of the security force who appeared in the media footage of the demonstration.The committee also visited the scene of the incident and collected evidence from the area. The investigation committee also recorded the eye witness accounts of the incident.According to the Rangers Spokesperson, a detailed questioning is underway from those citizens and officers who were shown during the media clips on that day.A case against unknown culprits has also been registered in the airport’s police station.Since the past five days, PIA employees apparently boycotted work against government’s decision to privatize the national airlines. The protesters are not willing for privatization of the company.The suspension of suspending all flight operations came after two workers of the protesting company were killed on February 2nd, as they rallied towards Jinnah terminal in Karachi despite counter measures by the law enforcement agencies.Ranger and Sindh Police personnel were deployed at the protesting site to contain the mob and deter their movement. The security personnel baton charged and used water cannon to disperse the protesters.Allegedly an unidentified man opened fire during the march injuring two persons who succumbed to wounds later while under treatment in a local hospital.

JAC proposes handing PIA to Saad Rafique instead of privatization

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – The Joint Action Committee (JAC) on Saturday has come forward with a new suggestion for the Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA) conflict. According to JAC sources, the committee has proposed handing PIA to Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique instead of privatizing the institute.The committee stated that the Federal Minister for Railways is capable of helping PIA recover from the deficit crisis like he had donefor the railways. Meanwhile a scheduled second meeting, between government representatives and the JAC, could not be held.On the other hand, PIA administration late Saturday night has partially restored its flight operations with two flights departing for Jeddah as soon as the operations were resumed. The Federal government welcomed the move for resumption of flight operations.Privatization commission’s Chairman Muhammad Zubair and JAC Chairman Captain Sohail Baloch had earlier conversed on a phone call on February 5 and move for the restoration had been expected.The move came after 5 days of complete suspension of all flight operations of the national airlines with thousands of passengers suffering from the strike.

PIA flight operations partially restored, 2 flights depart for Jeddah

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA) administration late Saturday night has partially restored its flight operations with two flights departing for Jeddah as soon as the operations were resumed. The Federal government welcomed the move for resumption of flight operations.According to the Spokesperson for the Federal government, the decision by PIA employees to resume duties, even though partially, was praiseworthy. He hoped that complete operations of the organization will be restored soon.Both flights, PK-749 and PK-7239, which are en route to Jeddah, will be bringing back the country’s 800 pilgrims from Saudi Arabia who had initially gone to offer Umrah.The pilots, crew and ground staff of both flights belong to PIA. Both, Chairman PIA and Secretary Civil Aviation Irfan Elahi, saw off the flights themselves while top officials of the national airlines were also present during the flights’ departure.

Four-nation meeting approves roadmap for Afghan reconciliation process

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – China, United States, Afghanistan and Pakistan launched the third round of talks for reinstating peace and stability in Afghanistan. A roadmap for the Afghan reconciliation process was approved Saturday during the four-nation meeting.According to a statement released after the meeting, talks for peace between the warring Taliban and Afghan government are expected in the coming month after the roadmap was approved.Addressing the meeting, Pakistan’s Adviser to PM on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz stated that Pakistan completely supports the Afghan reconciliation process and reiterated that violence in Afghanistan can only be ended through these efforts for peace.The meeting for Afghanistan’s peace and reconciliation kicked off in Islamabad with Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry leading the Pakistan delegation and Sartaj Aziz delivering the opening address.Two meetings of the Quadrilateral Coordination Committee have been held previously in Islamabad and Kabul with the first ever round held in Islamabad on January 11th.Since the clash among Taliban factions, leaders of the banned outfit have not come together to decide to either accept talks proposal or not.

Umrah pilgrims' problems remain unresolved as PIA strike continues

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – The strike by the employees of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has jeopardized the future of many as all flight operations have been suspended while the problems of thousands of pilgrims, both desirous of performing Umrah and those wishing to return from Saudi Arabia, remains unresolved as of Saturday.A hotel situated in Karachi international airport’s complex appears busy nowadays as numerous elderly passengers can be seen walking around wearing Ehrams. A large number of women passengers are also present. All these passengers were to board for Jeddah, intending to perform Umrah, however the travelers have been stranded at the airport due to the PIA’s strike.Some pilgrims even groaned that their entry period for entering the Saudi Arabia is nearing its end. A demonstration against the strike was also held by the passengers in the hotel, but to no avail.Thousands more are stranded at the airports of Lahore and Islamabad and are waiting anxiously for the strike to end.Meanwhile 3000 Pakistani pilgrims, having performed the Umrah, are stuck at Jeddah’s airport even though two airplanes of Saudi airlines have already transported 1000 pilgrims back to Islamabad and Karachi.

Will provide funds for Pak Army's development schemes: Ishaq Dar

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Finance minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday assured that the government will provide funds for the development schemes of Pakistan Army. The Finance Minister also approved funds for the special 28 battalion for the fight against terrorism.The Finance Minister’s approval and assurance came as Dar met with top military officials. The need of funds for the 28 battalion was discussed during the meeting. Dar stated that the battalion’s needs for battling terrorism will be catered to on immediate basis.On the other hand, the Country Director for World Bank, Patchamothu also met with Dar in Islamabad. The Finance Minister stated that Pakistan had carried out successful negotiations with International Monetary Fund (IMF) during the 10th review meeting.Dar also stated that Pakistan intends to further increase cooperation with the World Bank for the country’s developmental projects.A plan for finalizing preparations for the World Bank President’s visit to the country was also discussed during the meeting.

Opposition shouldn't do cheap politics: Dar

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ISLAMABAD: (Dunya News) – Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has on Saturday warned the Opposition parties to give up on ‘cheap’ politics. Angry Dar said that the opponents are presenting false statistics and facts, reported Dunya News.Retaliating to the Opposition’s onslaught, Finance Minister said that the opponents don’t even bother to read the laws. “They made it up on their own that a list of 8000 employees has been prepared. They must stop this cheap politics”, said Dar.Ishaq Dar said that the additional amount earned through petrol prices was also distributed among the provinces. “Oil is cheapest in Pakistan compared with the other countries of the region”, he said. Dar said that Bangladesh, India and Indonesia have also raised the taxes. He said that the average price of petrol around the world is 1 dollar per liter while it is just 73 cents in Pakistan. “Diesel is also priced at 1 dollar whereas in Pakistan it is just 79 cents”, he added.Talking about International Monetary Fund (IMF), Dar said that Pakistan took 5.25 billion dollars from IMF but also returned 4.5 billion dollars to them.The federal minister told that army’s services would be required for the census and the strategy in this regard will be formulated within next four days.

Lahore: PTI protests against Orange Train, PIA privatization

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LAHORE: (Dunya News) – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday staged a protest in Lahore against Orange Line Metro Train project, privatization of Pakistan International Airline (PIA) and gas load shedding. PTI threatened that the government will be brought to ground if didn’t mend its ways. They termed the money spent on Orange Train project as waste, reported Dunya News.In their protest at Cheering Cross in Lahore today, PTI workers under the leadership of Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar, Mian Mehmood ur-Rasheed and others raised slogans against the government. They said that the government is proving stubborn on the PIA privatization issue and Orange Train project is also depriving people of their homes.Expressing solidarity with the PIA employees, PTI demanded abolition of Services Act and also demanded the government to set the petrol price at Rs. 40 per liter. The protesters said that Orange Train project is a project of Lahore’s destruction and is also damaging the historical sites.

DHA scandal: Hammad Arshad's physical remand extended by 14 days

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LAHORE (Dunya News) – Accountability Court on Saturday has extended Defence Housing Authority (DHA) Lahore city scandal’s prime suspect Hammad Arshad’s physical remand by 14 days.According to the details, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) presented the suspect in the Accountability Court after his 12 day physical remand ended. NAB and lawyers of DHA requested that the suspect’s physical remand be extended by 14 days.NAB’s investigation officer stated that the case was a complex one and further time was needed so even those people could also be uncovered who benefitted from the scam.Arshad’s lawyer opposed NAB’s request stating that keeping Arshad under custody in the name of investigation was a baseless argument and this action will have no benefit whatsoever.The Accountability Court dismissed the opposing lawyers request and proceeded to extend the remand by 14 days.Further hearing on the case has now been adjourned up until 20th of February.

US Special Representative Richard Olson meets COAS, discusses key issues

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – US Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Olsonon Saturday met with Chief of Atmy Staff (COAS) General Raheel Shareef. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), key issues were discussed during the meeting held in General Head Quarters (GHQ), Rawalpindi.According to the details, matters pertaining to regional security and the situation in Afghanistan were discussed between the two officials.According to ISPR, Olson lauded Pak Army’s efforts in the war against terrorism. Olson also acknowledged the sacrifices of the Pakistani nation and Pak Army in the eradication of terrorism.
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