Heatstroke Awareness Campaign by Pakistan Red Crescent

 Karachi, Pakistan - With rising temperatures, the Pakistan Red Crescent Society, Sindh Branch, has launched an awareness campaign to educate the public on how to prevent and manage heatstroke.

The campaign emphasizes that "Loo lagna khatarnak hai" (Heatstroke is dangerous). The organization is distributing informational materials, like the one in the image, to help people recognize the symptoms of heatstroke and take appropriate action.

Key steps to take in case of heatstroke, as outlined by the Red Crescent, include:

• Reduce Body Temperature: Use a fan to cool the person down.

• Elevate Legs: Raise the person's legs.

• Apply Cool Compresses: Place cold, wet cloths on the body. Gently rub the body with a towel.

• Hydrate: Give the person water or other hydrating fluids to drink.

• Move to a Cool Place: Lay the person down in a cool and safe environment.

The Pakistan Red Crescent is urging the public to take these precautions to protect themselves and their loved ones from the dangers of heatstroke during the hot weather.

Punjab Government Approves Special Courts Act 2025 to Protect Overseas Pakistanis' Properties

In a landmark move, the Government of Punjab has passed the "Special Courts for Overseas Pakistanis' Properties Act 2025" aimed at ensuring swift and transparent resolution of property-related disputes faced by Pakistanis living abroad. This new legislation is specifically designed to address issues such as illegal possession, tenancy conflicts, and other property matters involving overseas citizens.

Barrister Amjad Malik, Vice Chairman of the Overseas Pakistanis Commission Punjab, hailed the development as a long-awaited step in the right direction. “This law fulfills a longstanding demand of overseas Pakistanis. With e-filing, digital hearings, and decisions expected within 60 to 90 days, swift justice is now a reality,” he stated.

Highlighting the significance of the move, Barrister Malik pointed out that thousands of complaints are currently pending across 41 districts of Punjab, including Lahore. He emphasized that the new initiative will be a major blow to land grabbers and help combat the chronic issue of delays in the judicial system.

Calling the legislation a "welcoming beginning," Barrister Amjad Malik stressed the need for immediate allocation of resources, appointment of trained judges, and the establishment of a transparent system to operationalize these courts effectively. He added that these steps are crucial for restoring the trust of overseas Pakistanis in the justice system.

Ishaq Dar issued a firm directive to the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association

  * Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has issued a firm directive to the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA), demanding full compliance with the agreed-upon retail price of sugar. This move aims to stabilize market prices and ensure affordability for consumers across Pakistan.

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 * In a recent high-level meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Dar reviewed the current sugar market situation, focusing on adherence to the previously established price agreement.

 * Dar expressed his satisfaction with the observed downward trend in sugar prices, which he attributed to stringent market oversight and regulatory enforcement.

 * However, he emphasized the necessity of consistent compliance from the PSMA to maintain price stability.

 * The directive mandates that the PSMA ensure retail sugar prices remain at or below the agreed-upon level throughout Pakistan.

 * The governments goal is to protect consumers from price gouging, and to maintain a stable supply of sugar throughout the country.

 * The government is also actively monitoring supply, to make sure that there are no artificial shortages created.

 * The Competition Commision of Pakistan (CCP) is also monitoring the sugar industry, to ensure that there are no anti-competitive practices taking place.

DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE & INVESTIGATION (INLAND REVENUE) LAHORE RECOVERS SALES TAX EVASION WORTH BILLIONS OF RUPEES

The Directorate of Intelligence & Investigation (Inland Revenue) Lahore has detected sales tax evasion worth billions of rupees by a reputed company. The company had issued illegal credit notes of huge amounts in Annexure-C of the sales tax returns without corresponding debit notes from the buyers. In this way, the company suppressed output tax to reduce its sales tax liability for the tax periods in which illegal credit notes were issued and thus deprived the national exchequer from due tax revenue. The team of Directorate gathered information meticulously without disturbing the business activity of the company and initiated proceedings under section 38 of the Sales Tax Act, 1990 and retrieved the record and documents from the business premises. Thereafter, the company management agreed to deposit the amount of sales tax involved in the credit note issued/claimed in the return of March 2023 along with default surcharge. Thus, timely intervention by the Directorate has led to recovery of sales tax amounting to Rs.1358 Million and default surcharge of Rs.26 Million on 20th June, 2023. The Federal Board of Revenue is committed to eradicate the menace of tax evasion and tax frauds in order to provide level playing field to the businesses that are tax-compliant and contributing to the national exchequer. Accordingly, to place a system check on such fake credit notes, the sales tax return has been amended to disallow suppliers of goods to issue/claim credit notes in the returns without first issuance of debit notes by the corresponding buyers.

TV Anchor Mureed Abbas murder case hearing adjourned

Mureed Abbas murder case hearing was adjourned till July 2, Judge Faraz Chandio was transferred. 

Additional District and Sessions Judge Hatem Aziz Solangi has been appointed. The trial of the case could not start even after three years have passed since the murder of Mureed Abbas. 

Accused Atif Zaman is in jail on judicial remand. One accused Adil Zaman is still at large. The court adjourned further hearing of the case till July 2.

DS Karachi emphasizes on improving Railways efficiency, safety

 By Abdul Qadir Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Emphasizing the imperative need for ensuring immaculate safety aspect in train operation, the Divisional Superintendent Railways, Karachi Division, Kashif Rashed Yusufani, called upon the Divisional Officers and all other concerned personnel to contribute their bit in achieving the cherished objective of providing hazard-free service to railway passengers. 

He was speaking as chief guest at a one ‘Train Safery Operation seminar organized at the Technical Training Center on his directive. 

The seminar was attended by Divisional officers, Assistants, Train examiners, PWI, Guards, Station Masters and other relevant officials. The main objective was to acquaint them about how to take measures in advance to cope with accidents. 

The DS was appreciative of the officials and the staff members who were working efficiently despite problems of material and staff shortage.

He exhorted the officials and subordinates in charges to essential ensure carrying out now and then inspection of various railway installations and told them that timely inspections will surely reduce problems by 60-70 percent because such inspections would surely help pin point the safety related problems. 

He emphasized that no one should hide the problems, if identified, whether it related to track system, rolling stock or engine defection and the same should be forwarded to concerned officials for immediate remedial action.

“The staff must necessarily share the same with their officials as hiding the same or keeping it in abeyance, will be harmful for the railway,” he declared, adding that they will have to work together in making Pakistan Railways a profitable entity. 

His emphasis was that rules and regulations must be observed fully as only this could help the organization in making further advancements.

On the occasion Divisional Transportation Officer (DTO) Sajjad Ahmed Wagho, apprised the seminar participants about the importance of the event in detail and recalled that many lives were lost in trains accidents during the past few years besides accruing financial losses to the railway which also caused damage to the Railways credibility. 

The seminar was informed about three main reasons for accidents which were the condition of tracks, rolling stock problems and human error. Besides, natural calamities, subversion, material shortage and problems in defective signaling system were identified as other causes of accidents. 

The seminar proposed setting up of safety cell, procurement of safety materials, surprise inspections and taking immediate corrective measures of minor deficiencies as short term remedies. 

The seminar was attended, among others, by Deputy DS Shahid Hussain Sammpn, DCO Ishaq Baluch, DME-I Junaid Ahmed, DME-II Habibullah Maher, DN-I Kamran Ghauri, Assistant Operating Officer Shahid Hussain Khilji, Assistant Transportation Officer, Jahan Babar, Station Managers Karachi Cantonment, Karachi City, Keamari, Kotri and Hyderabad.

JDC provided walk-through gates to Karachi University

 

In order to protect the lives of 45,000 students, teachers, and others studying at Karachi University after the recent terrorist attack on the Chinese teachers and to save the students from waiting in the scorching sun, the welfare organization JDC provided 8 security walk-through gates for all the entrances. The walk-through gate was handed over to the Registrar, University of Karachi, Prof. Dr. Maqsood Ali Ansari.