Here’s what’s happening across the border: Pakistan navy commissions indigenously-built warship PNS Moawin, and woman car mechanic breaking gender stereotypes.
Zainab’s killer hanged to death in Lahore jail
Imran Ali, who was convicted for rape and murder of six-year-old Zainab Amin earlier this year, was executed in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Central Jail in the early hours of Wednesday, reports Dawn.
Zainab’s case sparked national outrage, leading to protests in which two persons were killed. The tagline #JusticeForZainab was widely used by Pakistan’s netizens to express anger over the minor’s killing and demand stringent measures to check violence against children in the country.
Ali, 24, who was awarded a death penalty on four counts by an anti-terrorism court on 17 February, was also accused of raping and killing of at least six other minor girls in Kasur. The convict’s appeal against the death penalty had been rejected by the Lahore High Court, the Supreme Court of Pakistan as well as by President Alvi.
Ali was hanged to death in the presence of Zainab’s father Muhammad Ameen and Kasur city’s magistrate Adil Sarwar.
Zainab had gone missing on 4 January and her body was found in a garbage dump near her home in Kasur on 9 January.
The Lahore High Court had Tuesday rejected Muhammad Ameen’s appeal for public hanging of Imran Ali.
Pakistan to move IMF for $15 billion bailout package
Pakistan has decided to approach the International Monetary Fund for a $15-billion bailout package for a time period of three years, reports Geo TV.
According to some sources, Pakistan would require a $1.5-billion loan every three months.
Officials in Pakistan will inform the IMF delegation, that is set to visit their country on 7 November, about their financial requirements after which the global lender would take a call on the loan amount. The consent of member countries contributing to IMF in this case is very important.
The sources have also said that Pakistan might ask the IMF to reschedule some of its previous loans, in which case a $10-billion package would suffice to bridge the deepening deficit crisis.
Pakistan Navy commissions indigenously-built warship
The Pakistan Navy Tuesday commissioned an indigenously-built 17,000-tonne warship, called PNS Moawin, to its fleet at an event held at the naval dockyard in Karachi, Dawn reports.
A statement issued by the Pakistan navy’s media wing says that PNS Moawin is the biggest warship ever constructed at Karachi Shipyard.
Apart from having the capability to provide logistical support to other ships for fuel and important cargo, the ship can also “transport two helicopters. It is also equipped with state-of-the-art medical facilities and can provide overseas support to friendly countries during any humanitarian assistance and disaster relief,” the statement says.
President Arif Alvi who had attended the ceremony was quoted as saying, “With the realisation of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the maritime trade and activity off our coast will increase manifold which calls for a strong navy to provide security and seaward defence.”
A 17,000 tons Fleet Tanker named PNS MOAWIN was Commissioned during an impressive ceremony held at Pakistan Navy Dockyard, Karachi. President of Pakistan, Dr Arif Alvi graced the occasion as Chief Guest. See More…https://t.co/3MSbBMq9Pw pic.twitter.com/3pxEMXRR8y
— Pakistan Navy (@PakistanNavy) October 16, 2018
‘US troops must not leave Afghanistan unless peace is restored’
Pakistan believes that US combat troops must continue to stay in war-torn Afghanistan until peace is restored in the country, Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor, Pakistan army’s spokesperson, has said.
Ghafoor has been in the United Kingdom sine last week as part of a military delegation led by army chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa.
According to an Express Tribune report , Ghafoor said that peace in Afghanistan would also ensure harmony in Pakistan and surrounding regions. He was addressing students at the University of Warwick.
He went on to say that the al Qaeda could not have been defeated without Pakistan’s support and assistance. Ghafoor mentioned that incidents of terror activities saw a marginal reduction due to Pakistan army’s operations. In this regard, he added that the world should be thankful to Pakistan for its war on terrorism.
Woman car mechanic breaks the glass ceiling
Uzma Nawaz, one of Pakistan’s first woman car mechanics, has become immune to reactions of shock and surprise but has lately garnered respect for choosing this line of work in a society which is considered deeply patriarchal, The News International has reported.
Twenty-four-year-old Nawaz, a resident of Dunyapur of Punjab province, faced numerous hurdles, including financial ones, before she was able to complete her education in mechanical engineering and finally secure a job in an auto repairs garage in Multan.
At the time of her undergraduate studies, she relied on scholarships and often skipped meals when she was broke.
“No hardship could break my will and motivation,” she said. Within a year of working at the garage, she was promoted to general repairs.
Her co-workers and family members have been taken aback by her dedication to work and changed their perceptions about women working in male-dominated societies.
Gwadar real estate flourishing due to CPEC projects
The Gwadar Port City is turning out to be the next preferred destination for the country’s investors as the real estate business is thriving due to China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects, reports The News International.
A huge chunk of privately-owned land is being used for setting up housing societies in the city. Changez Baloch, who is the deputy director of Gwadar Development Authority, said that real estate prices had shot up exponentially in the past few months. This, he said, is attracting investors as they are able to derive a good return of investment for increase in the value of lands.
However, the development of housing projects has not come without its share of problems. Irregularities in land ownership records are a major a hurdle. In addition, residents complain that a number of hilly mounds and rain drainage have disappeared due to levelling of the land.