Folk singers attract large crowd

An enthralling concert was organised on the premises of National Art Gallery in which singers belonging to all four provinces of Pakistan infused the spirit of patriotism among the audience.

The event was organised by the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, to mark Pakistan Day in which famous singers, including Shaukat Ali, Shahida Minni, Shafqat Ali Khan, Raga Boys, Mashooq Sultan, Mai Dhai, Saira Tahir, Bashir Baloch, Farzana Bahar and Bashir Lohar performed.

The 400-seat hall of the facility proved insufficient to accommodate the swarming crowd with many sitting on its stairs and floor, but still there were dozens who could not be accommodated in the jam-packed hall. The administration of NAG took an immediate step to control the sea of people and shifted dozens to the open-air theatre at the back of NAG. The singers performed alternately at both venues.

A famous song by Shaukat Ali ‘Jag Utha Hai Sara Watan’ sent a wave of enthusiasm among the audience, who thoroughly appreciated the song by continuously clapping and singing along with the performer. Besides that, his other songs included ‘Jugni’, ‘Mahiya’ and ‘Kyun Door Door Rahnday Ho’. The folk songs by Mai Dhai and Mashooq Sultan spellbound the audiences, as they danced on Pushto songs and famous songs of Thar.

All artistes performed live on stage, with musicians in the orchestra wonderfully playing instruments including the keyboard, ‘tabla’, ‘dholak’, ‘rubab’, drums and harmonium. The audiences also performed folk dances on various folk songs while the youngsters on the occasion performed ‘bhangra’ on national songs. On the occasion, the PNCA presented a special award to singer Mashooq Sultan from NWFP in recognition of her contribution to the promotion of folk songs.

Soan River bridge to be inaugurated today

The Capital Development Authority is all set to inaugurate Soan River Bridge Rehabilitation Project and Service Road West of the Islamabad Expressway today (Thursday), says a press release.

CDA Chairman Imtiaz Inayat Elahi, while presiding over a meeting to review the arrangements for the inauguration, said that the rehabilitation of the western side of the Bridge of Soan River on the Islamabad Expressway has been completed at a cost of Rs181 million. The project would facilitate the flow of traffic on the Islamabad Expressway.

About half a kilometre long bridge with the width of 13 meter has been completed in a record period of five months. The bridge has been provided with 9.4 meter wide carriage way and 1.8 meters walkway on each side. The project would not only facilitate the adjacent areas but also the people visiting the federal capital.

The chairman giving the details of the Service Road West Project said that the widening and rehabilitation of the Service Road West along Islamabad Expressway from Faizabad to Karal Chowk is being completed at a cost of Rs200 million. This road having a length of 7 kilometre would be completed by June 2010. The completion of the Service Road West would substantially decrease the traffic burden on Islamabad Expressway and facilitate the population living on the western side of the Expressway along the Service Road. In the first phase of the project 3.5 kilometre road would be rehabilitated from Khanna Bridge to Karal Chowk whereas the second phase of the project includes construction of 3.5 kilometre concrete road from Khanna Bridge to Dhoke Kalakhan.

Protest hits twin cities against transport fares hike

Updated at: 1226 PST,  Friday, March 19, 2010


ISLAMABAD: The violent protest against hike in public transport fares in Islamabad was continued on Friday as protesters at Bara Kaho burnt tyres and closed Murree and Saddar roads.

The roadblocks caused traffic jam in capital city as angry protesters chanted slogans against the authorities and hurled stones on police and vehicles. Heavy police contingents were reached at the scene and carried out tear gas shelling to disperse the protestors.

Fresh protests erupted when transporters charged increased fares on Friday morning despite reports of restoration of old fares on Thursday.

Bloodiest Strike against Public Transport High charges in Islamabad

Friday, March 19, 2010
IsloooBoy


Islamabad

A young boy was seriously wounded alongside 21 others, including seven cops of the Islamabad Police, in a protest demonstration against increase in public transport fares in Bhara Kahu here on Thursday.

Students of various colleges of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, living in Bhara Kahu and its adjoining areas, told ‘The News’ that they had planned a peaceful protest against increase in transport fares, as their parents were unable to give them Rs100 daily for transportation.

According to them, they blocked the main Murree Road to register their protest and demanded review of the fare list. When a group of protesters intercepted some public service vehicles (PSVs), their drivers and conductors started arguing with students, which resulted in a brawl.

Eyewitnesses claimed that students got provoked and enraged over the administrative mismanagement when Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Ali Abbas and Assistant Commissioner Asim Ayub humiliated them. “The situation could have been controlled easily and angry students could have been cooled down by better management, but the attitude of the ADC (G) worsened the situation,” witnesses said.

The angry protesters started pelting stones on wagons and buses, and broke the windowpanes of dozens of public service vehicles, witnesses told ‘The News.’ They added that students stopped a number of public service vehicles and snatched keys from their drivers.

The local police called extra force to tackle the situation and tried to clear the road, but angry students started pelting stones on them. Consequently police resorted to baton-charge and hurled tear gas on the orders of the ADC (G), which later culminated in firing.

Resultantly, 21-year-old Mehfeez, son of Abdur Rashid, a first year student of the Islamabad College, Shamsabad, received a bullet in his chest. He was shifted to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in critical condition. Moreover, Shahzad Town Circle SDP Farhat Kazmi was wounded along with seven police personnel during stone-pelting.

The protest, which started at about 12:30 p.m., continued till late evening. Police arrested dozens of protesters but most of them were released on the orders of the deputy commissioner. Traffic between Murree-Azad Kashmir and Rawalpindi-Islamabad remained choked for more than six hours. However, police tried to manage traffic by diverting it to different link roads.

Following orders from Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, Interior Minister Rehman Malik has ordered an inquiry into the incident and appointed the deputy commissioner to submit a report within 72 hours.

Deputy Commissioner (Islamabad) Aamer Ali Ahmad, when contacted by ‘The News,’ said that the administrative officers would be punished according to the law if they were found guilty of provoking students. He said that he would complete the inquiry within two days, adding that the statements of the ADC (G) and AC as well as witnesses claiming the mismanagement of the administration would be recorded to ascertain the facts.

PIMS spokesman Dr. Waseem Khawaja, when contacted by ‘The News,’ said Mehfeez, the wounded student, sustained a bullet injury, but now he was stable and out of danger.

Meanwhile, Leader of the House in the Senate Syed Nayyer Hussain Bokhari condemned the incident and asked the Islamabad chief commissioner to conduct an inquiry into the incident. The chief commissioner assured Bokhari that the people responsible for the situation would be dealt with sternly.

The situation remained tense till late evening and the protesting groups continued attacking police with stones from different sides. The scattered youth blocked Murree Road at different points, but police remained silent.

Deputy Commissioner (Islamabad) Aamer Ali Ahmad said that despite having force, they would not use it. He said that all issues have been settled, but some people were creating law and order situation. He said that the chief commissioner has cancelled the fare list and ordered its revision as per public wishes.

Meanwhile, negotiations between the deputy commissioner and the agitating students continued till filing of this report.

Islamabad's golden jubilee celebrations in full swing

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has finalized a comprehensive program to celebrate the year-long celebrations, marking the 50 glorious years of the federal capital. Celebration Year started with a Peace Gathering at Faisal Mosque on Juma Prayer on 1st January that would follow dozens of different activities depicting national culture as well as the development of the federal capital.
The Capital Development Authority has arranged this peace gathering at Faisal Mosque, in which eminent religious scholars hailing from different sects, members of civil society, people from all walks of life and employees of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), have been invited to pray for the peace, sovereignty and prosperity of Pakistan. On the occasion, the CDA Chairman Imtiaz Inayat Elahi will formally announce the commencement of Golden Jubilee Celebrations.
After Friday Prayers, the participants will pray for strengthening of peace, prosperity, unity of the country, long life, beauty, and clean and green city of Islamabad.
The Chief Organizer of Golden Jubilee Celebrations programmes and Director General (Civic Management) Syed Mustafain Kazmi informed that the Friday event of Golden Jubilee Celebrations at Faisal Mosque would be a memorable day and would commence with pray of peace and love. He said the Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani would be patron of the whole celebrations and informed that the civic body would not spend even a single penny as it has managed the sponsorship from different local and multinational companies.
As part of golden jubilee celebrations, four stamps would also be introduced depicting natural beauty of the federal capital as well as the logo of 1960-2010, marking the golden jubilee of the city.
Among other events are, Sufi night, ‘I Love Islamabad’ campaign, paintings competition, tree plantation drive, international mushaira, qawali concert, Jashan-e Baharan, city branding, mini-marathon, CDA golden jubilee awards, mock exercise of fire and rescue, workshop on disaster management, water conservation
drive, city branding with light show, tournaments, fire works, seminars, art, craft and photo exhibition, ghazal night, get together with Christian fraternity, lighting of Christmas Tree and a grand finale with launch of Golden Jubilee Monument and award distribution ceremony.

Source: Nation