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LHC orders 2 weekly offs for Punjab school, colleges till Jan end to curb smog

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  • LHC issues directives on pleas filed against smog in Punjab.
  • Says Punjab National Calamities Act right law to limit restrictions.
  • Also orders two-day work from home in private sector.

LAHORE: In a bid to help curb smog, the Lahore High Court (LHC) has directed the government to implement two days weekly off for public schools, colleges and universities and all educational institutions till the end of January next year.

LHC’s Justice Shahid Karim issued the directives in a three-page order released on Saturday on pleas seeking the court’s intervention in tackling smog in the province.

The order acknowledged that the caretaker Punjab government had “announced measures such as closure of schools and colleges on Saturdays” in line with the court directives.

However, the court noted that the notification should not have been issued under the provisions of the Punjab Infectious Diseases (Prevention and Control) Act, 2020. It added that the Lahore deputy commissioner’s decision to issue the notification under the Punjab National Calamities (Prevention and Relief) Act, 1958 should have been taken into consideration.

The court explained that the 1958 law was appropriate and that could be used to “place a restriction on the movements of public and to close and shutdown schools and colleges”.

“It is, therefore, directed that any such notification to be issued either by the Secretary, Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department, Government of Punjab or by the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Lahore shall be issued in consultation with the Members of the Commission. Further, it is directed that the notification shall mention at least closure of public schools, colleges and universities and all educational institutions for each Saturday till end of January, 2024,” said the order.

The court also ordered that two-day work from home should be imposed on private sector companies and ordered the exclusion of gyms from the notification as it was a “continuation of COVID-19 restrictions”.

“The report by the Punjab Transport Company has also been filed which shows action against smog emitting vehicles and the fine which has been imposed. It has been informed by the Members of the Commission that the industrial units which were sealed on the orders of this Court have been found to be functional on inspection conducted by the Commission itself. It is directed that not only reports regarding the prosecution of such industrial units shall be filed but also names of the relevant officers of the Environment Protection Department who were required to keep these greenbelts as scaled. Departmental action shall be taken against these officers on the next date of hearing,” said the order.

Face masks mandatory

With the arrival of winters, smog has become a problem in multiple cities of Punjab and the government has been scrambling to control the issue as the provincial capital remains ranked high on the air quality index.

In a bid to counter deteriorating quality in Punjab, the caretaker government on Sunday made it mandatory for all citizens to wear a face mask for a week in the smog-hit districts of the province.

Countries in South Asia have seen a marked increase in industrialisation, economic development, and population growth over the past two decades, leading to increased demand for energy and fossil fuels.

While sources like industries and vehicles affect most countries, certain major contributors are unique to South Asia, including solid fuel combustion for cooking and heating, human cremation, and burning of agricultural waste.

About 38% of the pollution in New Delhi this year, for example, has been caused by stubble burning — a practice where stubble left after harvesting rice is burnt to clear fields — in the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana.

An increase in the number of vehicles on roads as the region has developed has also exacerbated the pollution problem. In India and Pakistan, for example, the number of vehicles has increased four-fold since the early 2000s.

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According to Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, accusations made against Pakistan by Bushra Bibi, the spouse of the PTI founder, are vile and disgusting because Pakistan has historical relations to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

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The defense minister stated at a press conference in Islamabad that the Kingdom should not be involved in politics for selfish reasons because of our historical, religious, and economic ties with Saudi Arabia.

2.8 million Pakistanis work in Saudi Arabia and send millions of dollars in remittances, he added, adding that making unfounded accusations against the country will hurt Pakistan’s economy.

According to him, Saudi Arabia has always stood by Pakistan throughout its most trying moments, and Pakistanis have a deep affection and connection to the Kingdom.

There is a breach among PTI ranks and files, and Khawaja Asif stated that we have never witnessed such a low point in politics.

Given the gravity of the accusation, the Minister said, former Army Chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa should respond right away.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government should fight terrorism rather than target the city, he said, adding that the PTI’s demand for a demonstration on November 24 is the third strike on the federal capital.

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The Interior Ministry prohibits KP from using government machinery for PTI protests.

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Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is not allowed to use the resources of the Provincial Government for a party protest, according to the Interior Ministry.

On November 24, the PTI has scheduled a protest, and Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur has declared his intention to participate.

The Federal Government arrested a number of Provincial Government officials who were ordered to participate in the violent protest in Islamabad by the PTI, and confiscated vehicles used by the KP Government against the state during the previous protest in October.

However, the Jinnah Supermarket Traders Union has petitioned the Islamabad High Court to halt the PTI demonstration in the capital and deem it unlawful.

In the petition, the head of the Traders Union has asked the court to rule that the PTI protest violates fundamental human rights by preventing companies from operating and removing the public’s ability to visit stores for necessities.

The petition asked the high court to protect the capital’s workers and PTI founder from unlawful protests.

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Planning Minister: The Nation Is Back on Track for Development

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Ahsan Iqbal, the Federal Minister for Planning and Development, asserts that the country’s youth are its future and that Pakistan has made great strides over the past 77 years, becoming the sixth nuclear state in the world today.

Speaking at a ceremony in Islamabad, Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal stated that inconsistent policies have an impact on the development process.

According to Ahsan Iqbal, the CPEC got Pakistan on its path to growth, and the government is currently moving on with phase two of the project.

The country was in danger of defaulting, but the government has put it back on course, he said.

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