Latest news with #CitizenActionCommittee
Express Tribune
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Selfies at Gawalmandi, silence elsewhere
With the pre-monsoon season underway, the district administration has once again designated the Gawalmandi Bridge — a high and secure vantage point — as the central monitoring site for flood damage caused by the 22-kilometre-long Nullah Leh and 15 tributary stormwater drains. Despite severe urban flooding on Wednesday that submerged 70pc of the city's Cantonment areas and major markets — such as Raja Bazaar, Moti Bazaar, and others — under 2 to 3 feet of water, no senior officials visited the affected neighbourhoods. Instead, key figures including the commissioner, deputy commissioner, RDA director general, WASA MD, and other officials arrived at Gawalmandi Bridge after the rain had stopped, took selfies, gave brief statements about drainage efforts, and left in vehicles. This location has unofficially become a "photo-op point" for flood assessment. The bridge is cleaned and freshly painted before each high-profile visit, and nearby traffic is halted during these inspections. Unlike other vulnerable bridges over Nullah Leh, which officials avoid due to potential public backlash, Gawalmandi Bridge remains the preferred spot due to its security and easy access. Sources indicate that all federal and provincial ministers, MPs, and department heads will be brought to this same site during the monsoon season. Even if Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz visits Rawalpindi for flood assessment, she is expected to be taken to this bridge. Local civic groups, including the Citizen Action Committee, have strongly criticised the practice. Chairman Malik Zaheer Awan has demanded that officials visit flood-affected areas and announce immediate relief of Rs100,000 per victim. District Bar Association President Sardar Manzar Bashir also condemned the symbolic monitoring from Gawalmandi, calling it inadequate for understanding the full extent of the disaster. Citizen Action Committee warned of a mass protest at Gawalmandi Bridge if this "selfie drama" does not end.
Express Tribune
06-04-2025
- Express Tribune
Toy gun claims life of seven-year-old boy
A boy is silhouetted against the sun as he holds a toy gun. PHOTO: REUTERS A 7-year-old child lost his life in Kahuta while playing with a toy gun when the firecracker inside the gun exploded for unknown reasons, injuring him severely. He was reportedly rushed to PIMS Hospital but he couldn't survive. The sale and use of toy guns surged during Eid, with children spending most of their Eid money on these dangerous toys. According to sources, the incident took place in Mohalla Ara, within the jurisdiction of Kahuta police station when Hatim Waqas, son of Muhammad Waqas, was playing with friends on the rooftop of his home using a toy gun. During play, an explosive firecracker went off, injuring the child. He was rushed to PIMS Hospital in Islamabad but, unfortunately, did not survive. Police have registered the case as an accidental death and have closed the file. The Citizen Action Committee has called the incident alarming and demanded a complete ban on the sale of dangerous toy weapons. Committee Chairman Malik Zaheer Awan stated that the purchase of such toys by children has a criminal undertone. He warned that toy weapons and firecrackers pose fatal risks, especially if they strike sensitive areas, and urged parents to prevent their children from buying them. The investigating officer of Kahuta police station confirmed that the toy weapons and firecrackers involved in the incident have been confiscated and destroyed.
