come streets well
|

Come to streets, we’ll serve you water’: Nasir

Sindh Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah has responded strongly to recent statements by MQM-P leaders Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and Mustafa Kamal. The remarks have sparked a fresh political exchange between the Sindh government and the MQM-P leadership.

Shah reacted to the MQM-P leaders’ calls for political mobilisation and protests. He said they were free to take to the streets if they wanted to. In a sarcastic remark, he said the weather was hot and that “water would be provided” to them.

The minister also questioned MQM-P’s demand for an account of the past 18 years. He asked the party leaders to explain how much accountability they had themselves provided during their political tenure.

Shah also rejected suggestions about changing the existing structure of Sindh. He said the constitutional and geographical status of the province could not be changed according to the wishes of an individual political leader.

He also criticised Mustafa Kamal’s remarks about the creation of new provinces. Shah said the country was already facing difficulties in managing its existing four provinces. He questioned why there was now a demand for additional provinces.

The minister accused the MQM-P of turning towards public issues as elections approach. He said the party had previously enjoyed the benefits of political power but was now raising issues concerning the people.

Shah’s comments came after Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui accused the Pakistan Peoples Party of creating an ethnic and linguistic divide in Sindh. Siddiqui had also demanded an accurate population count and stronger local governments.

MQM-P leader Mustafa Kamal had separately said that the party would take to the streets to demand its rights. The statements have increased political tension between the MQM-P and the Sindh government.

Sindh Culture Minister Zulfiqar Shah also criticised the MQM-P leadership. He said Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui was struggling to protect his position as party chairman.

Zulfiqar Shah described the differences between Khalid Maqbool and Mustafa Kamal as the result of what he called divisive politics. He said the MQM-P leadership should first resolve its own differences.

He also questioned the competing positions within the party. According to Zulfiqar Shah, the divided leadership should first decide whose statements should be taken seriously.

The latest exchange comes amid renewed political debate over Sindh’s governance, representation and local government system. MQM-P has been demanding greater authority for local governments and an accurate population census.

The party has also raised concerns about political representation and resource distribution in Sindh. The Sindh government, however, has rejected calls that could affect the province’s existing constitutional and geographical structure.

Similar Posts

  • | |

    What led Perez Hilton to contact Britney Spears an…

    Perez Hilton reportedly reached out to several celebrities to make amends for his past treatment of them before his recent mental health crisis. Among those he contacted were Britney Spears and Khloé Kardashian, two stars who had been the subject of his celebrity coverage during his years as one of Hollywood’s most controversial gossip bloggers. The revelations came from an interview with Sean Hannity that was recorded on July 14 and released on August 6, just days after Hilton was hospitalized following a distressing TikTok livestream. Hilton discussed his efforts to repair relationships and take responsibility for his past behavior. (Page Six⁠) Hilton wanted to make amends During the interview, Hilton explained that he had privately contacted a number of people he believed he had wronged. His outreach to Spears and Kardashian was part of what he described as a personal effort to confront his past. Hilton said he had reached out to Spears through an intermediary. While he indicated that Spears did not directly respond to him, he appeared to accept that she was not obligated to do so. His experience with Khloé Kardashian was different. Hilton said he contacted Kardashian privately and received a kind response from her. He also acknowledged that some people he contacted did not respond, adding that he understood and respected their decision. (Page Six⁠) A change in Hilton’s approach The outreach appears to be connected to Hilton’s broader reflection on his career. During the interview, he acknowledged that his earlier approach to celebrity coverage could be cruel and invasive. Hilton became famous for mocking celebrities’ appearances, commenting on their private lives and pushing boundaries in his coverage. In recent years, however, he has spoken more openly about changing his approach. He told Hannity that he realized he could still be entertaining without being unnecessarily harsh. He also discussed the idea of “counsel culture,” a concept associated with encouraging people to learn from their mistakes rather than permanently defining them by those mistakes. (Page Six⁠) Hilton’s hospitalization On August 4, Hilton was hospitalized in Miami after authorities responded to reports concerning a serious mental health crisis during a TikTok livestream. His family later confirmed that he was receiving medical care and was able to communicate. They asked the public to respect his privacy while he recovers. (People.com⁠) The timing of Hilton’s reconciliation efforts has drawn attention because they came shortly before the incident. However, there is no confirmed evidence that his conversations with Spears or Kardashian caused or directly influenced what happened. Instead, his comments suggest that Hilton had already been reflecting on his past and attempting to repair relationships. His outreach to former targets shows a public figure confronting the consequences of his earlier work while trying to move forward in a different direction. For now, Hilton’s family says the focus remains on his recovery and well-being.

  • |

    Spain tightens Italy border checks amid migration dispute

    Spain has resumed border checks on travellers arriving from Italy amid a growing disagreement between the two European countries over irregular migration. Spanish authorities inspected around 200 passengers on the first day of the measures, which were introduced at the country’s six busiest airports. The Interior Ministry said 199 people arriving on 12 flights from Italy were checked at airports in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Bilbao, Alicante and Valencia. The temporary controls began on Saturday and are scheduled to remain in place until September 7. The move follows Italy’s decision to introduce its own checks on travellers arriving from Spain. Rome suspended the usual Schengen arrangements with Spain from August 1, saying the decision was linked to concerns over a sharp increase in irregular migration. Italian authorities said their measures would remain in place at least until August 15. The dispute intensified after around 72,000 migrants reportedly reached Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta on July 30, prompting renewed concerns over migration pressures and border security. Italy has stressed that its checks are targeted rather than a blanket restriction on European travellers. Officials said Spanish and other European Union citizens would not be affected by the measures, which focus mainly on non-EU nationals travelling from Spain by air or sea. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Rome hoped to remove the restrictions as soon as the perceived security risk had eased. The latest developments have raised concerns about tensions within the European Union’s passport-free travel system. The Schengen Area allows people to move across 29 European countries without routine internal border checks, although individual member states can temporarily restore controls in response to security threats, public-order concerns or exceptional circumstances.

  • | |

    Juggan Kazim reveals heartbreaking childhood trauma

    Pakistani television host and actress Juggan Kazim has shared emotional details about her father’s murder and the difficult experiences she faced during her childhood, saying those events remain among the most painful chapters of her life. Speaking during a recent podcast, Juggan reflected on losing her father, veteran television personality Syed Abbas Kazim, who was murdered in 2002. She said she was in North America when she received the shocking phone call informing her of his death. Juggan recalled that she initially struggled to believe the news and disconnected the call, thinking it was false. She later learned that her father had been murdered, describing the moment as one of the darkest periods of her life. She said the tragedy changed her perspective and exposed her to difficult realities at a young age. The actress said she often wished her father had lived long enough to witness her professional achievements. She added that she especially remembered him when she received a prestigious national honour, feeling saddened that he was not there to celebrate her success. Reflecting on her childhood, Juggan said she grew up in a challenging family environment following her parents’ separation. She described herself as an energetic and rebellious child who frequently found herself in conflict with her mother. According to her, the divorce and family circumstances had a lasting impact on her personality. Juggan also spoke about her father, saying he had a strict and aggressive nature at home despite being respected by many people outside the family. She said he cared deeply for others but acknowledged that life within the household was often difficult.

  • | | |

    Govt raises fuel prices as petrol pump strike thre…

    The federal government has increased the prices of petrol and high-speed diesel, while petrol pump owners have announced a nationwide strike after failing to reach an agreement with the government over the newly introduced daily fuel pricing system. Under the latest notification, the price of high-speed diesel (HSD) has increased by Rs7.15 per litre, rising from Rs360.06 to Rs367.21. The price of petrol has also been increased by Rs4.93 per litre, taking it from Rs315.80 to Rs320.73. The revised prices came into effect on July 22. The increase follows the government’s decision to replace the previous fortnightly fuel price adjustment system with a daily pricing mechanism. Under the new policy, petroleum prices can now change every day depending on international oil prices and fluctuations in the exchange rate. The new pricing mechanism has been strongly opposed by petrol pump owners and fuel dealers. They argue that daily price revisions are difficult to implement and create financial uncertainty for retailers across the country. After negotiations with government officials failed, the All Pakistan Petrol Pumps Owners Association (APPPOA) announced an indefinite nationwide strike beginning at midnight on Wednesday. The association said petrol pumps across Pakistan would remain closed until the government accepts its demands. Association leaders said discussions with the Petroleum Ministry failed to resolve major issues, including dealer profit margins and the implementation of daily fuel pricing. They insisted that the current system is not practical for petrol station operators and would create serious operational challenges. The Petroleum Retailers Association has also expressed support for the strike, raising concerns about possible disruptions in fuel supplies if the dispute continues. Meanwhile, the All Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) is expected to decide whether it will formally join the protest. The association has called a meeting of its executive committee to discuss the situation and determine its future course of action. PPDA officials said they had already shared their concerns with the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA). According to the association, the regulator requested additional time to present the dealers’ concerns to the government before any final decision is made. Fuel dealers believe daily price changes make it difficult to manage inventories, update fuel prices, and maintain smooth business operations. They argue that the previous fortnightly pricing system provided greater stability and reduced uncertainty for both retailers and consumers. The government, however, maintains that the daily pricing mechanism will ensure that domestic fuel prices more closely reflect changes in global oil markets. Officials believe the new system will improve transparency and allow quicker adjustments to international price movements.

  • | |

    Overnight missile barrage on Kyiv region kills 17,…

    Russia launched a large scale missile assault on Kyiv and the surrounding region on Wednesday, killing at least 17 people and leveling warehouses belonging to major retail chains, according to Ukrainian officials, as Kyiv’s dwindling stock of air defence interceptors leaves the capital increasingly exposed. Explosions tore through the region overnight, lighting up the sky above the Ukrainian capital, which has faced missile attacks roughly every three to four days in recent weeks as Moscow has ramped up its aerial campaign. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Telegram that ballistic missile interceptors could have prevented the deaths recorded on Wednesday, calling on Ukraine’s international partners to replenish the country’s interceptor stocks. He said shipments of air defence missiles have arrived at only a third of the pace seen in 2025. Ukraine’s air force said its defences shot down close to 90 percent of the 115 drones Russia launched but failed to stop any of the 24 ballistic missiles or four Zircon cruise missiles fired during the same assault. Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces struck seven logistics centres in Kyiv and the wider region, claiming the sites were used to store or move dual use goods and drone components. Ukraine has struggled for months with a shortage of interceptor missiles for its US supplied Patriot systems, currently the only weapon in its arsenal able to shoot down Russian ballistic missiles traveling at many times the speed of sound. Since the outbreak of the Iran war in February, Patriot interceptors originally intended for Ukraine have instead gone to the US military and its Gulf allies. Russia has used the opening to intensify ballistic strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities even as its ground advances have slowed markedly this year. Officials said the attack injured more than 40 people in addition to those killed. At a commuter rail station in the Kyiv suburb of Brovary, rescue workers found seven bodies scattered across the platform, with an eighth victim discovered nearby in nearby bushes. Volodymyr Bigun, head of the local administration in Brovary, said residents had missed their last train home when the strike hit, and confirmed eight deaths in the district so far. He said five logistics warehouses sustained damage there, including one belonging to food retailer Fozzy, and accused Russian forces of continuing to target civilian infrastructure. Both Russia and Ukraine have consistently denied targeting civilians throughout the war, which began with Russia’s full scale invasion in February 2022. Ukraine has continued striking back at Russian territory as part of its own campaign, hitting a logistics hub belonging to Russian online retailer Wildberries in the Tula region overnight, adding to more than a dozen similar facilities Kyiv has damaged in recent operations. Epicentr, Ukraine’s largest home improvement retail chain, said two major logistics facilities and a manufacturing plant were destroyed within minutes during Wednesday’s strikes, and that it was still working to determine the full extent of the damage. The company described the attack as a deliberate effort to undermine Ukrainian manufacturing, logistics, employment and the broader capacity to recover from the war. Food retailer Silpo said on social media that at least six of its employees died in the strikes and that two of its distribution centres caught fire. Iryna Chechotkina, co founder of the online retailer Rozetka, said she watched overnight as three ballistic missiles destroyed years of work, describing the experience as devastating while stressing that her company remains operational. Ukraine’s economy has shown considerable resilience over more than four years of war, sustained in part by billions of dollars in financial support from Western governments, but business losses have mounted this year as strikes on commercial infrastructure have grown more frequent. The Kyiv regional military administration said Wednesday’s attack damaged 13 warehouses, a manufacturing facility, four private homes and dozens of vehicles. Prime Minister Sergii Koretskyi, who took office last month following a government reshuffle, said officials would hold an emergency meeting with business leaders to determine how to keep logistics and trade operations running smoothly. Kyiv has renewed its request for additional PAC-3 interceptors, the newest generation of Patriot missile. Separately, the United States is continuing talks that would allow Ukraine to manufacture Patriot missiles domestically, according to four people familiar with the discussions, even after President Donald Trump expressed skepticism about such an arrangement.

  • |

    US and Asian chip stocks fall after report of Chinese semiconductor breakthrough

    Shares of major semiconductor companies dropped sharply on Monday after a report suggested that a Chinese firm has made significant progress in developing advanced chipmaking equipment. The news raised concerns among investors that China could reduce its reliance on foreign technology and strengthen its position in the global semiconductor industry. The market reaction followed a report by The Information, which said Shanghai Yuliangsheng is producing immersion deep ultraviolet lithography machines. These machines use ultraviolet light to carve extremely small circuits onto silicon wafers, a key step in manufacturing modern computer chips. Neither Shanghai Yuliangsheng nor related companies SiCarrier and Huawei responded immediately to requests for comment. However, the report was enough to unsettle investors, who fear that China’s progress in chip manufacturing could reshape competition in the technology sector. If the reported breakthrough proves successful, China could reduce its dependence on Dutch company ASML, the world’s leading supplier of advanced lithography equipment. ASML’s exports are subject to strict restrictions, limiting China’s access to some of the most advanced chipmaking technology. Developing its own DUV lithography machines would allow China to expand domestic chip production and accelerate the development of more powerful processors. Industry analysts believe this could help Chinese technology companies narrow the gap with leading American semiconductor manufacturers. The development is also seen as important for China’s artificial intelligence industry. Improved access to advanced chips would strengthen the country’s AI capabilities and help Chinese companies compete more closely with leading US firms developing cutting edge AI models. The report triggered heavy selling across the US technology sector. Shares of AMD fell by as much as eight percent during trading, while Nvidia dropped nearly five percent. Micron Technology also lost around five percent, and Intel declined about 3.7 percent as investors reassessed the competitive outlook for the semiconductor industry. The decline spread quickly to Asian markets on Tuesday. South Korea’s stock market suffered steep losses as concerns over the future of the AI industry combined with the reported Chinese breakthrough. The Kospi index plunged more than 10 percent to its lowest level since April. Major South Korean chipmakers were among the hardest hit. Shares of SK hynix and Samsung Electronics each fell by around 12 percent as investors worried that stronger competition from China could affect future earnings and market share. Japan’s technology sector also came under pressure. The Nikkei 225 index dropped more than four percent, while leading technology companies including Advantest, Kioxia and Tokyo Electron each lost more than 10 percent during trading. The sharp decline across global markets highlights how closely investors are watching developments in the semiconductor industry. As countries compete to secure leadership in chip production and artificial intelligence, even reports of technological advances can have an immediate impact on stock markets and reshape expectations for the future of the global technology sector.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *