Blaze News - Pakistan

Nullah Leh, the sharp thorn in the garrison city’s eye has earned itself a bad reputation for causing devastating floods every year, but little do Pindiites know who the culprit is when it comes to fixing the responsibility for the constant nuisance it has become. The Leh stream, commonly known as Nullah Leh, originates from the Margalla Hills in Islamabad and passes through Rawalpindi, posing a recurring threat to the city with its history of devastating floods. From June 15 to August 15 each year, the stream's potential for flooding causes fear and panic among the approximately 0.5 million residents living in settlements along its banks. These residents often rush to transport their cattle and belongings to safer areas in anticipation of torrential rains and floods. Historically, Nullah Leh's water was clear, allowing people to perform ablutions and drink from it, while the Hindu community used it for bathing and scattering the ashes of their deceased. A Shamshan Ghat from th...

Despite severe concerns shown by educators and educational bodies, the Punjab government has initiated the privatisation of government colleges after schools across the province. Around 37 colleges of the Rawalpindi division will be included in the privatisation process. A total of 168 colleges are slated for privatisation out of 550 colleges throughout the province. The Punjab Professors and Lecturers Association (PPLA) has opposed selling government colleges to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and announced challenging the government’s decision in the Lahore High Court (LHC). The Maryam-led government has also decided to return the colleges taken into national custody, including the historic Rawalpindi Gordon College, to their old owners. The privatisation plan also includes the sale of nine colleges, including the Post Graduate Girls College on Railway Road, built by former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed in Rawalpindi. Additionally, both the girls' and boys' degr...

Huqooq Tahaffuz-e-Ulama Mehakama Auqaf has demanded to upgrade the scales of salaries of imams and muezzins of mosques of all public hospitals across the province, to keep the mosques of hospitals open 24 hours and to make it mandatory to teach the Holy Quran in the morning, afternoon and evening, in the mosques. They have demanded the establishment of free tables, the creation of religious libraries in mosques and the beautification of the lawns of mosques. Maulana Abdul Rahim Abbasi, the central spokesperson for the Huqooq Tahaffuz-e-Ulama Mehakama Auqaf, said the mosques of the district headquarters should be made model mosques. Their imams, khatibs and muezzins should be given privileges equal to district khatibs. Hundreds of relatives of patients come to hospitals. If mosques are open 24 hours a day and they have free food tables and reading of the Holy Quran and teaching, relatives of patients will be able to read the holy book along with free food. Perks should be announced for ...

The Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) has sought Rs4.445 billion in funds to construct 14 new major water supply and sewage system schemes for the new financial year 2024-25. The proposed budget also covers other general annual and district development schemes. Under these schemes, major water supply schemes of 24 old rural union councils in urban areas of suburban areas within the Rawalpindi district are also included. Additionally, the budget also accounts for a project that is aimed at converting all Wasa installations and over 500 tube wells to solar power. Funds of Rs102 million have been sought for the project’s first phase. The completion of this project is expected to reduce Wasa’s electricity bills by a significant 40 to 55 per cent. The development of 14 new water supply schemes will also get Wasa an additional 1.255 million water and sewerage customers, consequently increasing its income. Thirteen new tube wells will also be constructed under these schemes. The tube wells w...

As the summer heat intensifies, the price of ice has surged across the city, accompanied by a significant increase in the sale and cost of unhealthy ice balls, colourful sugary drinks, ice creams, and other refreshments in the Twin Cities. The price of lemons has also gone up to Rs600 per kg due to the high demand for lemon water. Solid ice is being sold at Rs50 per kg, while hollow ice is priced at Rs60 per kg. The demand for ice in Rawalpindi and Islamabad has reached record highs, prompting all four ice factories in Rawalpindi to operate round-the-clock. The number of loader vehicles supplying ice has increased, and temporary stalls selling ice have emerged in bazaars and trading centres throughout the cities. In the open market, a glass of lemon soda is now Rs150, a large glass is Rs170, and a glass of tamarind prune juice is Rs200. Various harmful colorful juices are being sold for Rs30 to Rs50, with hundreds of carts set up near schools, streets, neighborhoods, workers' camps...

The Punjab government has released Rs60 million to the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) for the silt cleaning of 15 small and large rain drains spread throughout the city before the onset of the monsoon season. The agency had requested Rs70m for the purpose. Additionally, the WASA has demanded Rs80 million for the cleaning of the eight-kilometre stretch of Nullah Leh in urban areas. A summary has been sent to the Punjab Cabinet for consideration in the next meeting. Credible sources told The Express Tribune that there are indications that funds amounting to Rs60m will be released to facilitate the silt cleaning of Nullah Leh. However, the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board and Chaklalahla Cantonment Board will release the funds for silt cleaning within 10km of the Nullah Lai in the cantonment areas. Furthermore, the Cantonment Boards have formally requested a grant of Rs50m from the federal government. Sources in WASA confirmed to have received Rs60m after Rs10m was cut for the silt cleanin...

The decades-old manual swings dominated the streets and parks in Rawalpindi in the first three days of Eidul Fitr after a manifold increase in the rates of electric swings.   The operators of up to 70-year-old manual swings returned to the city areas to attract street children and earned a good number of bucks. The families found it difficult to pay for electric swings in the parks of twin cities after operators increased the prices of tickets 500 times for swings like chairlifts. A large number of street children enjoyed these manual swings, which are said to have been manufactured before the partition. The modern days’ swings like dodging cars and computerised games could be a dream of the past times when manual swings were seen in every street and neighbourhood on the occasions of fairs, Eids and national festivals. Before the establishment of Pakistan, till the mid-80s, the swing operators used to swing the children in exchange for flour, sugar, rice, and wheat. Later, the...

On the occasion of Eidul Fitr, Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA), Cantonment Boards and Municipal Corporation have added modern rides, and activities in all 44 amusement parks of Rawalpindi for the enjoyment of families and children. Joyland, Allama Iqbal Park, Patriata, Rumi Park, Nawaz Sharif Park, 502 Workshop Park, Ladies Park and Children’s Park have been all been renovated and new flowers have been planted just in time for Eid. Ayub Park Zoo Jungle Kingdom has added more wild birds, pets and wild animals, including tigers and leopards. For the interest of children, dodging cars, ponies, camels for riding have also been introduced in Ayub Park while magic show counter has also been added. Another one of the added amenities include boat riding, for which boats have been brought to both the lakes of Ayub Park. Military weapons and war helicopters have also been installed at Ayub Park, along with Mono-train and computerised shooting toys. Ayub Park has also arranged local specia...

Special "Eid meetings" will be held between more than 7,000 prisoners and their families in Central Jail Adiala on April 9 (today). For the convenience of the families, the meeting time in Adiala Jail has been set between the hours of 8am to 5pm. All the citizens or families who will come today to meet their loved ones who are imprisoned, they will be allowed some time to spend with the prisoners on account of Eid festival. On this occasion, families will gift new Eid clothes, shoes, fruits, sweets and essentials to their imprisoned family members. A large number of women and children will come for the meetings. Adiala Jail Superintendent has ordered the computerised counter to open at 8am for meetings with all the prisoners. The registration process for the meetings will begin at 8am and will continue until 3pm, while the first round of meetings will begin at 9am. There will be no registrations for meetings after 3 pm. The allowed duration of each meeting will be 40 to 45 mi...

Ramazan drummers, who have long been an integral part of the sehri waking rituals in Rawalpindi, are gradually fading into obscurity as more and more people turn to digital alarms for their morning calls. For centuries, the rhythmic beat of drums at sehri time has awakened the populace from their slumber during the holy month of Ramazan. However, this age-old tradition is now facing a decline as mobile phone alarms take precedence. The traditional practice of drummers circling neighbourhoods to wake people for sehri not only served as a wake-up call but also provided a source of income and employment for many. On Eid, these drummers would receive “Eidi” or festive cash from each household they woke up throughout the month. In addition to cash, families would also give them essential items like sugar, flour, and rice, reflecting a time of communal support and generosity. In the past, the absence of loudspeakers in mosques and poor timekeeping made it challenging for people in the Indian...

The Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) has approved the project of installing seven new state-of-the-art eco-friendly technology rainwater harvesting systems and building water tanks at seven locations of the city. The project, aimed at storing rainwater and making it reusable through filtration, has been approved with an estimated cost of Rs26.8 million under the Annual Development Programme (ADP). The largest system will be installed at the WASA office at an estimated cost of Rs2.78m. On the other hand, the second contemporary system, which is expected to cost Rs1.99m, will be installed in the mosque situated in Liaquat Bagh. The third system will be installed at the Government Girls Associate College Sir Syed Road for Rs5 million. An approval has also been given to install the system in the office of the District Health Authority Chief Executive Officer with an estimated cost of Rs2.62m. The rainwater harvesting plant will also be installed at the Government Shehbaz Sharif Boys Degr...

After a record delay of 198 days, the Rawalpindi district police on Friday finally submitted ‘incomplete’ challans in seven cases of this year’s May 9 violence to an anti-terrorism court (ATC). The police have even been unable to prepare the challans for the three central cases related to the vandalism and arson at the military’s General Headquarters (GHQ) and other sensitive buildings. However, Judge Malik Ijaz Asif of the special ATC has approved all these challans for hearing and issued notices for the distribution of copies to the accused, lawyers and prosecutors as well as indictments. The judge of the court also turned down the requests forwarded by various police stations to reject the approved bails of 121 PTI activists granted to them in connection with the May 9 violence cases and issue their re-arrest warrants. Read May 9 rioters ‘must not go unpunished’ The judge expressed his displeasure over these requests, asking the police why they were bothering the citizens and sm...