Arif Habib Bank launches free 'eTop Up' service

Arif Habib Bank Limited (AHBL) launched free "eTop Up" service for its existing customers. This service allows the customer to top-up call credit directly through their mobile phone via SMS or alternatively through a landline by calling the Bank's Call Center at 0800-24252.

KBCA starts operation against illegal farm houses

The Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA) has started action against various commercial farm houses on agricultural and poultry land in Gadap Town, on the directive of Chief Controller of Buildings, Manzoor Kadir.
In this regard a KBCA demolition team razed illegal RCC bungalow-type rest house portion with the help of heavy machinery constructed in Sita Gadyano Farm House and Super Millennium Farm House.
The demolition operation was carried out under the supervision of TBO Gadap Town, Aqeel Ahmed Abidi, Controller of Demolition Capt (Rtd) Shahid Waseem, Deputy Controller Gadap Town, Waqar Ahmed and Assistant Controller Mazhar Shah.
A heavy police posse headed by TPO Gadap Rao Anwar, SHO Gulshan-e-Maymar Police Station Amanullah Marwat and SHO Gadap Sajjad Hyder was present to control any law and order situation.
A KBCA spokesman said yesterday that demolition action will continue against more illegal farm houses with the cooperation of area police.

Chief of Capital City Police suspends DSP, 5 SHOs

The Capital City Police Officer, Karachi, Waseem Ahmed suspended a DSP and five SHOs for failing to stem target-killing and other crimes in the city.

According to a spokesman, the suspended police officers include DSP Ferozabad, SHO Ferozabad, SHO Gulshan-e-Iqbal, SHO Taimuria, SHO Aziz Bhutti and SHO Shah Faisal.

It merits mention here that earlier, the city police chief addressed the police officers at Arts Council Auditorium and said that the incidents that occurred in the past three days in Karachi, are a mark of shame for the police force.

MURDER OF MINOR GIRL, ATC judge remands policemen to police custody

Administrative Judge Anti-Terrorism Courts Karachi, Justice Faisal Arab of Sindh High Court yesterday remanded two policemen, allegedly involved in kidnap & murder case of three year old girl, to police custody till July 17, 2009.
HC Bashir Ahmed & PC Noor Muhammad were produced before AJ ATCs following transfer of case by Judicial Magistrate, East, Karachi, Malik Akhtar Hussain for trial by AJ ATCs on application of Sindh CM’s Advisor Sharmila Farooqui. She stated accused committed brutal offence & liable to be tried by Anti-Terrorism Court.
According to prosecution, HC Bashir Ahmed & PC Noor Mohammad living in rented house of same locality kidnapped Sana on July 3, 2009 playing near her home in Korangi, Karachi. Her family reported matter to PS Zaman Town.

AKEB SSC exams, Shahwilayat School bags first position

KARACHI: Arsalan-ud-din, student of Shahwilayat Public School secured 1st Position in SSC examination for 2009 from Aga Khan Education Board. Arsalan achieved 91.36 per cent marks.

Pakistan’s first multi-storey CDGK Parking Plaza inaugurated

By Sohail Rab Khan

KARACHI: Governor of Sindh province Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan and Karachi City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal inaugurated Pakistan’s first ever multi-storey CDGK Parking Plaza for vehicles in Saddar town yesterday.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony on this occasion Governor of Sindh Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan congratulated citizens of Karachi for completion of the project and also praised the efforts of City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal and his team for performing unprecedented and extraordinary development works during the last four years in Karachi.
The Parking Plaza was built at a cost of Rs 650 million and has 11 floors altogether in which seven floors are reserved for parking, two floors consist of Shopping Plaza while remaining two are consist of basement. 700 cars and 500 motorcycles can be parked in the said plaza at a time while the parking charges are very nominal i.e. only Rupees 20 for first three hours and then Rs. 10 will be charged for one hour. It may be mentioned here that the Parking Plaza has been made fully computerized with surveillance, video cameras have been installed at all major locations and the building is also equipped with heavy elevators and standby generator.
Replying to a question regarding care-taker administrator, Ebad said it is not necessary that the care-taker administrator be a government man, he could be from any political party, he added
Earlier, speaking on the occasion, Nazim Karachi Syed Mustafa Kamal said that today is a good day for the public in Karachi and for all Pakistanis that Pakistan’s first ever car Parking Plaza has now been opened for public. He said that the City Government has made a plan under which the busy area of Saddar would be made pedestrian area on gradual basis.
Nazim Karachi said that with the completion of this project and development work around the CDGK Parking Plaza, the area of Saddar is now presenting a new and refreshing look.
He said that after the completion of corridor-III the motorists would have 18 kilometers of signal free journey from Saddar to Safora Goth, Malir Cantonment and even further 10 km to Tool Plaza at Superhighway. (NC Report)

Arms license books to be computerised in Sindh

The Sindh Home Department is about to initiate the production of computerised arms license books, which will be similar to machine readable passports, Sindh Special Home Secretary Kamran Dost told The News.

Dost said that money had been approved for this purpose in the budget for the current fiscal year, adding that this was being done to eliminate rampant corruption in the department. In his opinion, the new system would also increase the revenue of the department, as at later stages, arms license books could be registered online.

Replying to a question, he said that besides the computerised registration of books, the Home Department was also seeking the help of National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) to maintain all records of arms license branch. At present all record is maintained through manually. According to him, a computer department is being established and staff is being trained with the help of NADRA officials.

Dost added that the move would also help in minimising “the immense pressure on the Home Department” for issuance of new arms licenses. On the contrary, a survey of the Sindh Home department conducted by The News found that no such department had been established as yet that could ascertain any plans for the computerisation of arms license.

According to sources, the new system is being brought in place to remove corruption, although many more meetings will be held before a final decision is taken. Sources also said that NADRA officials are ready to facilitate the Home Department, but will also have to undertake a detailed survey for the new system to work without any hurdles.

However, Home Department officials fear that renewing license fees and supplying data electronically may cause problems for people in rural areas, and such impediments must be removed before any records are computerised.

Sources said that normally it takes two months to issue an arms license in Karachi. When the license is issued, the Home Department then checks for fake licenses. Currently, applying for an arms license is free of cost, but once the records are kept electronically, there will be an official fee of Rs 4,000 to be submitted to the office of the District Coordination Officer (DCO) of Karachi.

Thousands of applicants approach the Home Department everyday to obtain arms licenses, out of which many return frustrated. Even though weapons are licensed by the Home Department, special permission is still required to be allowed to carry them. This was not the case before the Nishtar Park bombing on April 11, 2006.

Despite this, many influential people affiliated to political parties openly display sophisticated weapons without suffering legal consequences. Private security guards, for example, have also been observed displaying dangerous weapons like Kalashnikovs and even firing on some occasions.

Official sources claim that the government has fixed the amount of arms licenses certain officials can issue. The For instance, the Sindh Home minister can issue 366 licenses for pistols, seven for revolvers, 24 for rifles, and 105 for shotguns. Similarly, the Home secretary can issue 896 licenses for pistols, 20 for revolvers, 99 for rifles, and 304 for shotguns. The DCO Karachi can issue 819 licenses for revolvers and/or pistols, 27 for rifles, and 129 for shotguns. However the chief minister can issue an arms license at any time according to his discretion. A total of 2,796 non-prohibited bore arms licenses were issued this year from January to June.

Moreover, NADRA has also started the registration process, but officials from the Home department claim that NADRA has first to prepare a software, after which the Home department will provide all records.

Underworld assassin held

The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of the Sindh police has arrested a man associated with the underworld.

The man was identified as Sultan Arain alias Chief. SIU chief SSP Raja Umer Khattab said the arrested person was an assassin by profession and was associated with the Manzar Abbas group of the underworld. Abbas was presently running a dancing and drugs club and also a moneychanger business in South Africa.

“Arain has killed nine people on payment...he received Rs 0.5-1 million for each murder,” said the SSP. “He killed five people in Karachi, while four others in South Africa. “I made a team headed by DSP Ali Raza that arrested him from the Garden area after an encounter. A 9mm pistol was also recovered from his possession,” the SSP Khattab added. The SIU chief said the culprit belongs to Faisalabad. He met Ibrahim Dada, an underworld man in jail, when the Bahadurabad police arrested him in 1994. He then went to South Africa and joined the group of Manzar Abbas, which was operating his underworld gang in South Africa and Karachi. He arrived in the country in 2004 and was arrested again by the FIA when he was leaving the country for South Africa and sent to jail. staff report

Nazims should act to minimize fears of Talibanization: Dr Ishrat ul Ebad

Sindh Governor Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan has stressed upon the town Nazims to play their active role in apprising the international media about the dangers of Talibanization and acts of terrorism.
He said fears of Talibanization are being continuously presented in international media and said by being Town Nazims this fear of Taliban and terrorism at grass root level could be minimized.
This he stated while addressing the Town Nazims of the cities of Sindh. The city Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal also attended the meeting and appraised the development made in Karachi.(NC)

‘Need for proper utilization of biotechnology’

KARACHI: Information Minister Shazia Marri has said that today Pakistan is on path of economic, political and technological progress.
She was addressing a workshop entitled “Commercial Importance of Biotechnology”, organized by the Dr. AQ Khan Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (KIBGE), University of Karachi, yesterday.
Information Minister said we should produce expert scientists who could lead the world in future and brighten the name of the country.
She was of view that proper utilization of biotechnology would convert this world a better place to live. Biotechnology has brought revolution in the field of health, agriculture, industry and other sectors, she said.
Pakistan is an agricultural country and the government is striving to bring development in this important sector, Marri said.
“Government is focusing on all sectors, particularly on research”, she said and added that young talent is being groomed with the assistance of educationalists and experts.