Day: May 3, 2024

Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir is one of the most dangerous places of the world where people associated with the press and media face killings, death threats, abductions, beatings, harassment, detention under draconian laws. According to a report released by the Research Section of Kashmir Media Service on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day, today, all these brutalities have made journalists' everyday work extremely difficult in IIOJK. The report revealed that twenty journalists have been confirmed killed while performing their duties during the ongoing freedom struggle since 1989. The 2024 World Press Freedom Index released by Paris-based Reporters Without Borders said, the situation remains very worrisome in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, where reporters are often harassed by police and paramilitaries. Meanwhile, the IIOJK authorities again placed senior APHC leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq under house arrest at his residence in Srinagar and barred him from offering obligatory Juma prayer s at the historic Jamia Masjid, today. On the other hand, APHC spokesman Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas in a statement in Srinagar hailed Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir's recent remarks on Kashmir, terming his assertion as a source of inspiration and a reminder that the Kashmiri people are not alone in their struggle for self-determination. Source: Radio Pakistan

The reduction in the price of flour is beginning to benefit the public, with flour becoming cheaper by Rs10-20 per kilogram in Islamabad. Market sources revealed that the price of a 10kg bag of flour has been slashed from Rs1,470 to Rs1,200, resulting in a decrease of Rs270. The price of a 15kg bag of flour has decreased by Rs600, now available at Rs1,650 compared to the previous rate of Rs2,250. Similarly, a 20kg bag of flour is now cheaper by Rs630, priced at Rs2,250 instead of Rs2,880. Meanwhile, the price of both small and large loaves of bread has also decreased by up to Rs20. A small loaf of bread is now priced at Rs120, reduced from the previous Rs140. Furthermore, the price of large bread has decreased from Rs240 to either Rs230 or Rs220. Moreover, the price of first-grade chakki flour has been reduced from Rs170 to Rs160 per kilogram, and second-grade flour from Rs160 to Rs150 per kilogram. In the suburbs of Islamabad, the rate of chakki flour has also seen a decline, dropping from Rs150 to Rs14 0 per kilogram. Previously, in Lahore, the price of a 20kg bag of flour had witnessed a substantial reduction by Rs800 per kilogram in just a few days. The price had decreased from Rs2800 to Rs2000 per bag. Source: Pro Pakistani

Canadian Police have made arrests in the killing of prominent Sikh-Canadian activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The move took place months after authorities accused Indian government agents of being involved in the killing. According to police officials the all three arrested are Indian nationals and charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Nijjar was fatally shot on June 18, last year outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia, spurring widespread condemnation worldwide. Source: Radio Pakistan

Friday's matriculation exam papers were once again leaked prior to the scheduled time in various cities across Sindh. The Mathematics paper also found its way into WhatsApp groups, and students in exam centers in Nawabshah and Mehrabpur are engaged in solving it using Chatgpt and WhatsApp. Meanwhile, the Larkana Education Board is conducting today's 9th grade English language exam, which was also leaked without any apparent efforts from the education board to prevent it. Furthermore, the matriculation chemistry paper has been leaked in Khairpur ahead of time. Yesterday in Larkana, students solved the Sindhi language paper with ease as it was leaked well before its scheduled start. Furthermore, the Urdu paper conducted in Kandiaro under the Shaheed Benazirabad Board was also leaked and widely shared on WhatsApp. Even the students in Khairpur got their hands on the English language paper before the start of the exam. According to reports, invigilators also helped the students in solving the paper. Not on ly did boys exploit the leaked papers, but girls also utilized WhatsApp to solve the paper without encountering any repercussions. Despite the implementation of Section 144 around exam centers, there are still crowds of unrelated individuals gathered outside these centers. However, the assurances made by the board administration to prevent such duplications have turned out to be mere verbal claims. Source: Pro Pakistani

The Hajj Flight Operation is commencing from Thursday. First fifteen flights will directly land at the Madinah Airport. However, most of the flights from 24th of this month to ninth of the next month will land at the Jeddah airport. On the first day of the flight operation, 2160 intending pilgrims will reach Saudi Arabia through eleven flights. Six hundred and eighty intending pilgrims will embark on their holy journey through three flights from Islamabad. Two flights from Karachi will carry 330 passengers, three flights from Lahore 670, two flights from Multan 329, and one flight from Sialkot will carry 151 intending pilgrims to Madinah. The first flight from Quetta and Sukkur will fly on 11th and 27th of this month respectively. It is particular to mention that over sixty-eight thousand intending pilgrims will reach Saudi Arabia through 259 flights under the Government Hajj Scheme this year. The Hajj flight operation will conclude on ninth of the next month. The first post Hajj flight will reach Pa kistan on 20th of the next month. Source: Radio Pakistan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed deep grief and sorrow over the sad demise of President Khuzdar Press Club Maulana Muhammad Siddique Mengal in a blast. In a statement today, he prayed forgiveness for the departed soul and commiserated with the bereaved family. The Prime Minister also prayed early recovery of the injured. Meanwhile, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar also expressed grief over the death of Muhammad Siddique Mengal. In a separate statement, he said the deceased was a competent journalist and was a significant name in the field of journalism in Balochsitan. He also expressed sympathy with the bereaved family and prayed for the speedy recovery of the wounded. Terming Muhammad Siddique Mengal's martyrdom as a big loss to the journalist community, the Minister expressed government's commitment to eliminate terrorism. He said the culprits responsible for the blast will be brought to justice. Source: Radio Pakistan