Sohail Khattak
Peshawar
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Mr Khattak works on governance, politics, economy militancy, elections, culture, and human rights.
Articles by Sohail Khattak
Federal ministers criticizes again on Chief Election Commissioner
وزیر ریلوے اعظم سواتی نے چيف اليکشن کمشنر کو کھلا چيلنج دے ڈالا، بولے چند روز میں قانون بناکر دکھائیں گے، آپ کس کے کہنے پر کھلواڑ کررہے ہیں، آپ بڑے میاں کی جیب کی گھڑی اور ہاتھ کی چھڑی ہیں، الیکشن کمیشن اور آئین کا پاس نہ ہوتا تو کبھی آپ کی تقرری نہ ہوتی۔ بابر اعوان نے بڑا دعویٰ کرديا، کہا کہ اپوزیشن کی جانب سے پارلیمانی کمیٹی بنانے کا مطالبہ مان لیا گيا ہے۔ اسلام آباد میں وفاقی وزیر ریلوے اور مشیر پارلیمانی امور نے پریس کانفرنس کرتے ہوئے ایک بار پھر چیف الیکشن کمشنر سکندر سلطان راجا پر کڑی...
یاسین ملک نہ ڈرے تھے،نہ ڈرے ہیں،نہ کبھی ڈریں گے،مشعال
کشميری حريت رہنما ياسين ملک کی اہليہ مشعال ملک کا کہنا ہے کہ مودی سمجھتا ہوگا کہ ان سے یاسین ملک ڈر جائے گا،مگر یہ یاد رکھیں کہ یاسین ملک ڈرا تھا نہ ڈرا ہے نہ ڈرے گا۔ برطانوی پارلیمنٹ میں مقبوضہ کمشیر پر بحث پر ردعمل کا اظہار کرتے ہوئے حریت رہنما کی اہلیہ مشعال ملک کا کہنا تھا کہ پارلیمنٹ پارلیمنٹ میں مقبوضہ کشمیر کی بات سے بھارت شکست ظاہر ہوتی ہے۔ اپنے ویڈیو پیغام میں مشعال ملک کا کہنا تھا کہ برطانوی پارلیمنٹ میں کشمیر پر آوازیں اٹھنا بھارت کی ہار ہے۔ یاسین ملک کیخلاف 30 سال پرانا کیس کھول...
Why is JI absent from the Azadi March?
In the current political scenario, when the opposition and government are locking horns in the capital, Jamaat-e-Islami is conspicuous by its absence. The religious party opted to distance itself from the current political situation in the country. Political parties, activists and social media users have been noting the absence of the JI and its chief, who is to be seen nowhere. Memes are circulating on social media making mockery of JI chief Sirajul Haq.
Angry doctors, stubborn government
Thousands of patients across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are suffering because doctors and paramedics are on a strike which was triggered by a controversial law passed by the provincial assembly on September 27. Both sides – the government and the protesters – are refusing to show any flexibility on their positions to end the strike and resume routine activities which have been disrupted for over two weeks.
The Maulana Cometh
As sultry summer days draw to a close, it appears political temperatures might rise as winter sets in. This is because Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) is preparing to march to the federal capital to force the government’s resignation in October. The party has kicked off a fundraising campaign across Khyber Pakhtunhwa (KP), is finalising security arrangements, and is mobilising crowds for a march good enough to build pressure on the government.
How the rumour of a baby killer vaccine caused panic in a Pakistani city
The increasing spread of unverified news in Pakistani society often leads to unprecedented chaos and violence. In late spring this year, a rumour was in full swing, becoming a fake news story about children dying from polio vaccines in Mashokhel, an impoverished village on the outskirts of Peshawar city in northwestern Pakistan. It triggered panic and chaos.
Financial Crunch: KP’s Leading Universities Struggling to Survive
Three leading universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) are struggling to survive due to a financial crisis. It appears these universities desperately need a bailout package from the government to continue their operations. The province’s three oldest universities are the University of Peshawar, University of Agriculture and Gomal University.
Absent teachers, missing facilities in schools of KP’s new districts
More than half of the schools in the newly merged tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) lack basic facilities like access to water and electricity supply. Tackling this issue is a gigantic task for the provincial government, which is struggling to bring these schools at par with rest of the province.
First of Many: People of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s New Districts Vote For Their Representatives
July 20 was a historic day for the people of the newly merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Scores of citizens flocked to polling stations to vote for 16 seats of the KP Assembly from these districts. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had announced elections on 16 seats of the KP Assembly from seven merged districts which were created after the 25th Constitutional Amendment. This amendment abolished the federally administered tribal areas (also known as FATA).
ANP Peshawar president shot dead in Peshawar’s Gulbahar | Samaa Digital
ANP’s Peshawar city president Sartaj Khan has been shot dead in the Gulbahar area of Peshawar. According to the police, his assailants were on motorcycles. Witnesses said he was killed during an attempted robbery. His body was taken to Lady Reading Hospital after which it was handed over to his family. Khan is from Charsadda and was elected as the ANP’s Peshawar city president. Follow SAMAA English on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Crisis management: KP government struggles with galloping expenditures
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government is struggling to control its bill of expenditures, which is eating away fiscal space for development schemes. Over the last 12 years, the pension bill of the provincial government has increased by a whopping 1,628 per cent – an annual average rate of 25 per cent. The province’s salary bill has also recorded an increase of 848 per cent -annual average rate of 18 per cent.
KP government presents Rs162 billion budget for new districts
For the first time in its history, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government presented the budget for the newly merged tribal districts of the province with a total outlay of Rs162 billion. These districts were previously known as the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. KP Finance Minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra presented the provincial budget for the fiscal year 2019-20. It was aimed at nullifying protests by opposition parties in the KP assembly. “This is a historic moment.
Is the building on the 1000-rupee note in danger?
If you still haven’t seen the iconic and historic Islamia College University of Peshawar, you can still have some idea of its beauty from the picture that adorns the 1000-rupee note in Pakistan.
Proposed bill sparks privatisation debate in KP
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and doctors of the province are at loggerheads over a proposed bill seeking drastic changes in the health sector. The doctors are against the proposed bill titled The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Regional and District Health Authorities Act 2019, which is yet to be tabled in provincial assembly. Doctors call it “privatisation of health services” but the government says it is aimed at health reforms and devolution of powers to the districts.
محکمہ صحت خیبر پختونخوا نے قبائلی اضلاع کے والدین کو انوکھی آفر دے دی
محکمہ صحت خیبرپختونخوا نے قبائلی اضلاع میں حفاظتی ٹیکوں لگوانے کیلئے والدین کو قائل کرنے کیلئے انوکھی آفر کردی ۔ محکمہ صحت خیبرپختونخوا نے قبائلی اضلاع کے والدین کو انوکھی آفر دے دی ، والدین اپنے بچوں کو حفاظتی ٹیکے لگوائے اور پیسے لیجئے ۔ خیبرپختونخوا کے قبائلی اضلاع میں بچوں کو حفاظتی ٹیکے لگوانے پر فی بچہ 200 روپے دیئے جائینگے ۔ محکمہ صحت کے مطابق پیسے دینے کا مقصد والدین کو ٹیکوں کے لئے قائل کرنا ہے۔
Merged districts parents to be paid for getting children vaccinated | Samaa Digital
The Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) will now pay parents for getting their children vaccinated in the merged districts, formerly known as FATA. The decision was taken to ensure every child is vaccinated. A fund for this purpose has been allocated and released for all children of the merged districts who are under two years of age. Parents will get Rs200 per vaccination and per child for six visits, according to the EPI schedule.
A Bird in the Hand
It is a bright Saturday morning in the Takht-e-Nasrati village of southern Karak district. Scores of men of all ages are flocking at a small tea-stall in the Mela, the local name for the Saturday Bazaar held every week for fruits, vegetables, meat and daily-use food items. The men approaching the tea-stall of Fazal Khan have at least one or two Batair (quails) in their hands wrapped in microfiber cloth to protect the little birds from the outside environment.
Pakistan and Ramazan: one country, two moons | Samaa Digital
When the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee announced on Sunday that the moon hadn’t been sighted anywhere in Pakistan and that Ramazan would begin from Tuesday in the province, it was met with more opposition than it is used to. Federal Science and Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry took to Twitter to announce that his ministry would make an Islamic calendar with Eid, Ramazan and Muharram dates pre-decided before the official announcement.
Concessional agreement for Rashakai economic zone signed with Chinese group | Samaa Digital
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic Zones Development and Management Company (KPEZDMC) has signed the concessional agreement with China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) for development of the Rashakai Special Economic Zone. KPEZDMC Chief Executive Officer Saeed Ahmad signed the agreement in China with CRBC Chairperson Lu Shan in the presence of Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chinese Premier Li Keiqiang.
‘Reshuffle’ rumours expose rifts in KP cabinet
With eight months in office, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is struggling to control internal rifts in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet. These rifts among members of the KP cabinet have gained momentum and fissures have come out of cabinet meetings and spilled over onto the floor of the provincial assembly, and in press conferences.
Police on standby at Peshawar hospital to stop protesting doctors | Samaa Digital
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has directed health officials to file FIRs against doctors protesting across the province. The police have been deployed at Peshawar’s largest hospital, Lady Reading Hospital, to stop doctors from going on strike.
خودمختار اتھارٹیز کا قیام،پشاور کے سرکاری اسپتال میں ڈاکٹرز کا احتجاج
پشاور میں ڈاکٹرز آج پھر احتجاج کررہے ہیں، ایف آئی آر کے اندراج کی دھمکی بھی کام نہ آسکی۔ پشاور میں ڈاکٹرز صوبے بھر کے سرکاری اسپتالوں میں ضلعی اور علاقائی سطح پر خود مختار اتھارٹیز کے قیام پر سراپا احتجاج ہیں۔ یہ اتھارٹیز سرکاری اسپتالوں کے انتظامی اور مالیاتی امور کی ذمہ دار ہیں، اس سے پہلے یہ کام ہیلتھ ڈپارٹمنٹ کے سپرد تھے۔ اتھارٹیزکےقیام بعد ڈاکٹرز کو صرف اس علاقے یا ضلع میں تعینات کیا جاسکے گا جہاں سے اس کا ڈومیسائل بناہوا ہوگا۔ ڈاکٹرز کا کہنا ہے کہ اس اقدام پر آج پھر احتجاج کریں گے اور...
Opposition to challenge KP Local Government Act amendments in court | Samaa Digital
Opposition leader in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Akram Khan Durrani has announced to challenge the amendments to the KP local government act and funds distribution in constituencies across the province. Durrani was addressing a press conference in the KP Assembly on Tuesday afternoon in which he openly challenged KP Information Minister Shaukat Yousufzai to an open debate on corruption in the billion tree tsunami afforestation project.
ایبٹ آباد کی خواتین کیلئے خصوصی بس سروس کا افتتاح
خیبرپختونخوا میں خواتین اور بچوں کو محفوظ اور قابل اعتماد سفری سہولت فراہم کرنے کیلئے خصوصی بس سروس کا آغاز کردیا گیا۔ اسپیکر صوبائی اسمبلی مشتاق غنی نے خیبر پختونخوا میں خواتین کیلئے خصوصی سکورا بس سروس کا افتتاح کردیا، جاپان حکومت کی مالی امداد اور یو این او پی ایس کی تکنیکی معاونت سے شروع کی گئی نئی سروس سے خواتین اور ان کے ہمراہ بچوں کو محفوظ اور قابل اعتماد سفری سہولیات میسر آئیں گی۔ منصوبے کے تحت ایبٹ آباد میں 7 بسیں چلائی جائیں گی، یو این او پی ایس نے ٹرانسپورٹ ڈیپارٹمنٹ اور ضلعی...
بی آر ٹی پشاور میں ایک اور نقص سامنے آگیا
پشاور کے بس ریپڈ ٹرانسپورٹ منصوبے میں نقائص کا سلسلہ جاری ہے، پہلے انڈر پاس میں گیس لائن لگی چھوڑ دی گئی تھی، اب صدر کے علاقے میں تعمیر شدہ پل کے ڈیزائن میں تبدیلی کی جارہی ہے جہاں تنگ موڑ کے باعث بسیں آسانی سے مڑ نہیں سکتی۔ بی آر ٹی منصوبے میں نیا نقص اس وقت سامنے آیا جب 12 میٹر طویل بسوں کی آزمائش کی گئی، غربی پولیس اسٹیشن صدر بازار کے قریب پل پر تنگ موڑ کے باعث آمنے سامنے سے آنیوالی بسوں کا ایک ساتھ گزرنا ممکن نہیں، جس کے باعث پشاور ڈیولپمنٹ اتھارٹی نے اس موڑ کو مزید چوڑا کرنے کا...
‘Cosmetic surgery’ to widen narrow turns on Peshawar’s BRT flyover | Samaa Digital
Design faults continue to haunt Peshawar’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project as the contractor has now started fortifying the already completed elevated portion of the corridor in Saddar because buses cannot easily navigate the narrow and sharp turns. The issue surfaced when a test run of the 12-metre-long buses was conducted.
Peshawar butcher arrested for supplying meat of dead animals | Samaa Digital
The Peshawar district administration arrested on Thursday a butcher suspected of supplying the meat of dead animals in the city, Peshawar deputy commissioner said. Muhammad Ali Asghar, the deputy commissioner, received information that the meat of dead animals is being supplied to various markets in Peshawar. A team, led by Assistant Commissioner Sarah Rehman, stopped a Suzuki truck carrying the meat.
قبضہ مافیا نے پشاور کی تاریخی دیوار کا بڑا حصہ گرادیا، مقدمہ درج
پشاور میں تاریخی ورثے کو بڑا نقصان پہنچادیا گیا، کوہاٹی کے علاقے میں رات گئے 150 سالہ قدیم شہر کی فصیل کا بڑا حصہ گرادیا گیا۔ تاریخی دیوار کے 57 فٹ حصے کو گرا کر اس کے قریب غیر قانونی طور پر زیر زمین تعمیر کیلئے کھدائی بھی شروع کردی گئی۔ محکمہ آثار قدیمہ و میوزیم نے تھانہ کوتوالی میں دیوار گرانے کے ذمہ داران کیخلاف آثار قدیمہ ایکٹ 2016ء کے سیکشن 44 (4) کے تحت ایف آئی آر درج کرادی، جس کے تحت آثار قدیمہ اور تاریخ کو نقصان پہنچانے کو قابل سزا جرم قرار دیا گیا ہے، جرم ثابت ہونے پر 2 سال قید...
‘Land grabbers’ demolish longest-remaining portion of Peshawar’s historic city wall | Samaa Digital
Alleged land grabbers demolished a portion of the historic city wall of Peshawar Tuesday night in the Kohati area of the city. The 57-feet tall portion of the historical wall was demolished by people who own property near the wall and were digging soil close by for construction of a basement. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Directorate of Archaeology and Museum has registered an FIR against them at the Khotwali police station under Section 44 (4) of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Antiquities Act, 2016.
Peshawar hospital set on fire after parents panic over vaccine | Samaa Digital
Doctors say their children are not sick, just panicked A mob attacked and set fire to a small hospital in Mashokhel, Peshawar Monday over panic that dozens of children had fallen sick after what people said was the administration of an anti-polio vaccine. Residents of the area gathered at the gate of the Basic Health Unit Ayubkhel to stage a protest. Demonstrators broke the gate of the clinic as well as its walls and stormed inside. The mob ransacked the property and set it on fire.
انتظار کیجئے، یہ پائپ لائن لٹکنے کیلئے نہیں ہے
پشاور بس ریپڈ ٹرانزٹ (بی آر ٹی) منصوبے میں انڈر پاس سے گزرنے والی گیس پائپ لائن کی تصویر جمعے کو انگریزی روزنامہ ڈان میں شائع ہونے کے بعد سے سوشل میڈیا پر ہاٹ ٹاپک بنی ہوئی ہے۔ ٹرانسپورٹ سیکٹر کے حوالے سے پشاور بی آر ٹی، خیبرپختونخوا میں تحریک انصاف کی حکومت کا سب سے پہلا پراجیکٹ ہے جو کہ کئی بار ڈیزائن میں تبدیلی اور منصوبے کی تکمیل سے متعلق کئی ڈیڈ لائنز دیے جانے پر مذاق کا نشانہ بن رہا ہے۔ صوبائی انسپکشن ٹیم کی جانب سے منصوبے میں خامیوں اور عملدرآمد سے متعلق تنقیدی رپورٹ لیک ہونے کے...
No more limbo for people using Peshawar’s BRT underpass | Samaa Digital
Photo: Sohail Khattak/SAMAA Digital This picture of a gas pipeline crossing the underground market built as part of the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project has been circulating on social media since Friday when it was published by Dawn. The Peshawar BRT, the PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s flagship project in the transport sector, has become the butt of a number of jokes (and memes) because of the frequent changes in its design and ever-changing completion deadlines.
Sindh’s class 5 students who can’t spell | Samaa Digital
70% students in class 5 can't answer class 2 questions In Sindh’s public schools, 70% students studying in class 5 are unable to answer basic English questions taught in class 2 Watch more Samaa Originals on our YouTube channel or Facebook
Peshawar’s students are using crystal meth to pass | Samaa Digital
Ice is smuggled to Pakistan from Afghanistan and Iran ce, as it is called on the street, is crystal meth of methamphetamines in the form of crystals. Methamphetamines are a stimulant drug that comes as a white, bitter powder or pill. Crystal meth looks like glass. It is also called speed. Watch more Samaa Originals on our YouTube channel or Facebook TOPICS: crystal meth Peshawar student
As oil price falls, job opportunities dry up for Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia
PESHAWAR // Visa agent Khushal Akbar sits at his desk in the 40ºC heat, sweating; the air conditioner silent and the lights in his office dark. But there is no power outage in central Peshawar - Mr Akbar simply cannot pay his bills. The 45-year-old makes a living arranging GCC work visas for Pakistanis from across Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province and the adjacent tribal areas, the majority of whom find jobs in Saudi Arabia, he says. Or at least they used to.
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