Amjad Sabri laid to rest in Karachi

KARACHI: Thousands showed up to pay their final respects and offer funeral prayers for slain qawwal Amjad Sabri on Thursday, who was laid to rest in a graveyard in the city.

Funeral prayers for slain qawwal Amjad Sabri were offered at Liaquatabad road, one day after he was gunned down in the city. Afterwards, the qawwal was laid to rest in Karachi's Paposh Nagar graveyard. 

The body of the deceased was shifted from the morgue to his house, where his friends, family and relatives will paid their final respects. 

Amjad Sabri had been provided the ritualistic ghusl or purifying bath before burial this morning. 

The ambulance carrying Sabri's body was thronged by hundreds of supporters, who wanted to see a glimpse of the legendary singer. The atmosphere was one of grief and tragedy, as almost everyone gathered to pay their respects were in tears. 

Renowned Qawwal Amjad Sabri gunned down in Karachi

 KARACHI: Thousands showed up to pay their final respects and offer funeral prayers for slain qawwal Amjad Sabri on Thursday, who was laid to rest in a graveyard in the city.

Funeral prayers for slain qawwal Amjad Sabri were offered at Liaquatabad road, one day after he was gunned down in the city. Afterwards, the qawwal was laid to rest in Karachi's Paposh Nagar graveyard. 

The body of the deceased was shifted from the morgue to his house, where his friends, family and relatives will paid their final respects. 

Amjad Sabri had been provided the ritualistic ghusl or purifying bath before burial this morning. 

The ambulance carrying Sabri's body was thronged by hundreds of supporters, who wanted to see a glimpse of the legendary singer. The atmosphere was one of grief and tragedy, as almost everyone gathered to pay their respects were in tears. 

Khawaja Asif calls Shireen Mazari a ‘Tractor Trolley’

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly witnessed a ruckus on Wednesday when outspoken federal minister Khawaja Asif called names on the central leader of PTI Shireen Mazari.

Khawaja Asif called Mazari a ‘tractor trolley’ while speaking in the house over the issue of load-shedding. “Mr. Speaker! Tell the tractor trolley to be quit,” the minister said.

While briefing the National Assembly about power situation in the country, he said there is no load-shedding in the country during Iftar and Sehr. In the meantime, PTI MNAs rejected the minister’s claims and raised voice. On that, Khawaja Asif called Shireen Mazari as tractor trolley and called her aunty. On hearing harsh comments, tears rolled down from Shireen Mazari’s eyes.

Shireen Mazari said men should not be allowed to refer to women by using such insulting words.

 “the members of the National Assembly (NA) must know the code of ethics of the session and I hold no reservations against the speaker as he always gives due time to party members to speak,” she said.

To calm down the situation, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq expunged the words from the assembly proceeding on request of Pakistan Peoples Party’s senior leader Naveed Qamar. Khawaja Asif, however, has not taken back his words as demanded by opposition members.

Pak envoy in India barred from entering a diplomatic meeting

NEW DELHI: Pakistani High Commissioner in India Abdul Basit was not allowed to enter a diplomatic gathering in Nagpur, Indian media reported on Wednesday.

The diplomatic gathering was arranged by United Nations and Pakistani High Commissioner was invited to attend the meeting.

The justification given by the authorities was that the Hindu extremist organisation RSS had threatened against allowing the Pakistani high commissioner into the gathering.

Officials at Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi say that this is fourth time the invitation has been canceled.  It is also said that this is against the diplomatic norms.

Operation Zarb-e-Azb to be completed this year, vows COAS

ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif on Wednesday said that failure was not an option in the war against terrorism and vowed that Operation Zarb-e-Azb would be completed this year.

In an informal conversation with media at the Parliament House, the army chief reflected on the ongoing activities of the Pakistan army and said that the operation to root out terrorism was progressing successfully.

“I have earlier said that 2016 will mark the elimination of terrorism,” he said.

Gen Raheel Sharif said that 99 percent terrorism had been brought under control and that the remaining one percent would be eradicated as well.

Talking about Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in the north-western FATA region, he said that the return of 56 percent IDPs has been completed.

He said that the system of governance needs to be established in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and the army has assured the people of FATA that terrorists will never return to the region.

He added that long-term peace and rehabilitation of IDPs is the highest priority. 

The army chief said that drone attacks violate Pakistan’s sovereignty.

Gen Raheel Sharif said that Pakistan army’s efforts against terrorism were lauded during his recent visit to Turkey where he witnessed multinational military exercises. 

The army chief said that Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman is making efforts for the resumption of the US-Pakistan deal to purchase at least eight F16 fighter jets, amounting to $700 million.

COAS meets Parliamentarians

The COAS in a visit to the Parliament House on Wednesday met with the executive parliamentarians in the capital.

The army supremo met with Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and exchanged civilities.

Gen Raheel also met with other politicians including Chairman Senate Raza Rabbani, Speaker National Assembly Murtaza Javed Abbasi and other parliamentarians.