فیچرڈ

KARACHI: A Rs65 million robbery at an Edhi Foundation centre in Karachi has sparked protests, with families of affected employees demanding the recovery of the stolen money and the immediate arrest of those responsible. The demonstration was held outside the Karachi Press Club on Sunday, where relatives of Edhi Foundation workers, labour representatives, civil society activists and citizens gathered to voice their anger. Protesters carried placards and chanted slogans calling for justice and the safe recovery of funds intended to pay workers’ salaries. Edhi Foundation Chairman Faisal Edhi joined the protest and expressed concern over the financial hardship faced by employees from low-income families. He said the money stolen from the foundation’s Sohrab Goth centre had been kept specifically for salary payments. According to Faisal Edhi, four armed men entered the centre, took the Rs65 million and escaped. He said no arrests had been made so far and urged Sindh Chief Minister to take immediate action to ensure the suspects were arrested and the stolen funds recovered. “These workers come from poor families, and their households have been left without financial support,” Faisal Edhi said, assuring employees that the foundation would stand by them during the difficult situation. Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Chairman Asad Iqbal Butt also condemned the incident, saying the robbery at a humanitarian organisation raised serious concerns about security and law enforcement. He called on the Sindh government to provide immediate financial assistance to the Edhi Foundation and compensate it for the stolen amount. National Trade Union Federation Secretary General Nasir Mansoor, Pakistan Peoples Party Labour Bureau leader Habibuddin Junaidi and other representatives also attended the demonstration in support of the affected workers. Family members of the employees appealed to the provincial government to ensure that salaries were paid without further delay. They also demanded stronger security at Edhi Foundation centres across Karachi and called for the arrest and prosecution of the robbers. The protesters further questioned the Sindh police leadership over the lack of arrests and demanded an explanation for the delay in bringing the suspects to justice. The robbery has left many Edhi employees and their families facing immediate financial uncertainty, turning the incident into not only a major security concern but also a humanitarian issue for the workers who depend on their salaries to support their households.

SWABI: Tobacco growers in Swabi took to the streets on Monday, protesting against what they described as unfairly low purchase prices for their crop and demanding enforcement of the official rate announced by the Pakistan Tobacco Board. The protest was held outside the Swabi Press Club, where farmers were joined by political and social activists as well as members of the local community. Growers said they were being offered as little as Rs350 per kilogram, despite the official rate of Rs750 per kilogram. During the demonstration, tobacco grower and former ANP district general secretary Haji Tameez Khan burned around 500 kilograms of his tobacco crop to highlight the financial pressure facing farmers. Speaking at the protest, Khan said the cost of producing tobacco had reached nearly Rs750 per kilogram, making offers of Rs350 to Rs400 per kilogram unsustainable for growers. He said farmers had already suffered substantial losses in the previous season and were now struggling to clear debts owed to labourers and suppliers. Khan said tobacco was a major cash crop and generated significant revenue for the cigarette industry, yet farmers remained uncertain about receiving a price that covered their production costs. He warned that continued failure to address the issue could lead more growers to adopt similar forms of protest. The protesters also criticised the Pakistan Tobacco Board and tobacco companies for failing to resolve the pricing dispute. They called on the authorities to ensure that tobacco-buying companies adhere to the officially approved rate and protect farmers from losses. National Awami Party district chairman Masood Jabbar said tobacco was a key source of income for Swabi’s farming community. He warned that failure to address growers’ grievances could lead to wider protests across the district, with more farmers expected to join future demonstrations.

LAHORE: President Asif Ali Zardari has left Lahore after spending around two days in the city without meeting the local leadership of his Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), adding to speculation surrounding the political situation within the party. Zardari departed for Islamabad on Sunday after a low-profile visit during which he reportedly held no formal meetings with PPP leaders in Lahore. His stay has drawn particular attention amid unconfirmed reports that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari may have left Pakistan. A senior party figure close to the leadership said the president’s visit was not intended for meetings with the party’s local leadership. According to the source, Zardari had come to Lahore to deal with sensitive and urgent matters away from public attention. The same source acknowledged hearing reports about Bilawal’s possible departure but said he could neither confirm nor reject them. During his stay, Zardari was reported to have held only one known meeting, with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who was accompanied by businessman Gohar Ejaz. The president’s arrival also appeared to catch several PPP leaders off guard, with party members saying they had not been informed beforehand. Some PPP leaders reportedly sought meetings with Zardari but were unable to secure appointments. The president’s visit comes at a politically sensitive time for the PPP, which has recently taken a strong position against the creation of new administrative units and criticised the PML-N government over what it describes as excessive reliance on the establishment. Zardari has also recently withheld his assent to the elevation of judges, adding another layer to the growing political tensions. Attempts were made to contact PPP leaders Nadeem Afzal Chan and Shazia Marri for clarification about the reports concerning Bilawal, but no response was received before the report was filed. Meanwhile, PPP Kashmir leader Chaudhary Riaz said Bilawal had left the Kashmir Valley but added that he did not know where the party chairman was currently located.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has welcomed a strong increase in remittances sent by overseas Pakistanis, with the country receiving $3.6 billion during July. Reacting to the latest figures, the prime minister described the inflow as encouraging, noting that remittances recorded a 13 per cent increase compared with the same month last year. He also highlighted a month-on-month rise, saying remittances grew by 4.5 per cent in July. The continued increase provides further support to Pakistan’s foreign exchange position and reflects the growing contribution of overseas Pakistanis to the national economy. Shehbaz praised the Pakistani diaspora for playing an important role in supporting economic stability. He said overseas Pakistanis remain an important part of the country’s economic strength and appreciated their continued support through financial transfers. The latest rise in remittances comes as Pakistan continues efforts to strengthen its external account, improve foreign exchange liquidity and maintain economic stability.

KARACHI: Unidentified gunmen opened fire at the office of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MNA and former federal minister Qadir Patel in Karachi’s Boat Basin area, prompting a police investigation and tighter security around the premises. According to police, the attackers fired several shots at the office entrance late at night before fleeing the scene. No one was injured in the incident, while the main gate sustained bullet marks. Investigators recovered five spent 9mm pistol casings from the site and secured them as evidence. Police teams also began examining CCTV recordings from the surrounding area to trace the attackers and determine the vehicle used in the shooting. Following the incident, security was increased around Patel’s office and nearby areas of Clifton. Police said efforts were underway to identify the suspects and establish the motive behind the attack.

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf has announced that Pakistan’s Hajj application process has been fully digitized, allowing prospective pilgrims to apply from the comfort of their homes without visiting offices or standing in long queues. Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, the minister said the digital system had been introduced to make the Hajj registration process easier and more convenient for pilgrims. Around 400,000 registered applicants will be able to submit their applications online. Under the new system, applicants will have several options for paying their Hajj expenses. Payments can be made through credit cards or PSID, while those wishing to pay in cash can print a challan and deposit the required amount. Yousaf said 107,526 pilgrims are eligible to perform Hajj under the government scheme. The collection of the first installment of Hajj expenses will begin on August 17, while the second installment is scheduled to be collected in October. Applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis, with registration closing once the government’s allocated quota is reached. The minister also said pilgrims opting for the private Hajj scheme would be able to select a private operator through the Pak Hajj application. However, he cautioned pilgrims against making direct payments to private Hajj operators.

TEHRAN: Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has said that Iran cannot be subdued, claiming that the country’s people are standing united against external pressure and forcing their opponents to retreat. Qalibaf made the remarks while congratulating General Mohsen Rezaei on his appointment to the Supreme National Security Council. He described Rezaei’s inclusion in the council as evidence of the confidence placed in him by Iran’s Supreme Leader. According to Qalibaf, Iran is currently passing through one of the most sensitive periods in its history. He said recent developments had demonstrated to the international community that attempts to bring Iran under pressure would not succeed. The Iranian parliament speaker said national unity remained strong across the country, with the public, military and diplomatic institutions standing together under the leadership of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. Qalibaf further claimed that the Iranian people were demonstrating resilience in the face of their adversaries and were now putting pressure on the opposing side to back down. His comments come amid heightened tensions surrounding Iran and the United States, with disagreements over regional security, military threats and the strategic Strait of Hormuz continuing to dominate international attention.

ISLAMABAD: A proposal to reduce the passing threshold for medical college admissions to 50 percent has emerged amid concerns over vacant seats despite efforts to lower merit requirements. The matter was discussed during a meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on National Health Services, chaired by MNA Mahesh Kumar. The committee also examined complaints alleging that some medical colleges were charging fees above the permitted limit. Committee Chairman Mahesh Kumar said medical colleges are allowed to charge annual fees of up to Rs1.8 million. He directed officials to provide details of institutions allegedly collecting higher fees from students. The chairman also questioned why seats were still remaining vacant after merit requirements had already been relaxed. He suggested that the passing marks could be set at 50 percent and that the proportion of difficult questions in the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council’s entrance examination could also be reviewed. Federal Health Minister said 61 medical colleges had applied for permission to increase their fees. However, he clarified that colleges cannot raise fees independently and that only 35 of the 61 institutions had fulfilled the required conditions for a fee increase. Colleges failing to meet the prescribed criteria would not be permitted to charge higher fees. The President of the PMDC informed the committee that notices had been issued to medical colleges against which complaints of excessive fee collection had been received. Committee member Mustafa Kamal said vacant seats were also a concern for the authorities, but argued that high fees alone could not explain the situation. He pointed out that colleges charging around Rs3.5 million had not faced vacant seats, suggesting that other factors may also be contributing to the problem. The PMDC president further informed the committee that 468 additional seats had been approved for government medical colleges in Punjab, while 315 seats had been added for students from the former FATA region. When the committee chairman asked about an increase in medical seats in Sindh, the PMDC president said no additional seats had been allocated because the province had not submitted an application for an increase.