Headlines 9am: Pakistan to hold minute’s silence on Aug 5

Here are the headlines from SAMAA TV’s 9am bulletin:

• Three men drowned in the River Indus near Attock on Sunday while swimming, according to rescue officials. Mohammad Khan from Peshawar, and Amir Khan and Zeeshan from Nowshera had gone near the river for a picnic to celebrate Eidul Azha.
• Karachi will be witnessing three spells of monsoon rains in August, the National Disaster Management Authority chief said Sunday. Lieutenant General Mohammad Afzal said the NDMA would start working on cleaning storm water drains in Karachi from Monday onwards. Sindh Minister Nasir Hussain Shah, however, said the situation in Karachi was not as bad as it was shown.
• Punjab has lifted the smart lockdown that was imposed in the province for Eidul Azha, a notification issued on Monday revealed. According to it, business and markets in the province will be allowed to remain open from 9am to 7pm. Grocery stores and milk shops will follow the same timings and will remain open throughout the week.
• Pakistan, to express its support with the Kashmiris, has decided to observe Yaum-e-Istehsal on the first anniversary of the annexation of Kashmir. Earlier, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, in a press conference, said that the government has planned a number of activities. The country will hold a minute of silence, PM Imran Khan will address the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Assembly while the foreign minister will visit the Line of Control.
• The Inter Services Public Relations Pakistan released a song, Ja Chor Day Meri Wadi, on Sunday in solidarity with the abrogation of the special constitutional status of Indian Kashmir. Last year on August 5, India repealed articles 35A and 370 of its Constitution, revoking special status granted to Indian-Administered Kashmir.
• The first astronaut trip to orbit by a private company has splashed down safely in the Gulf of Mexico. Two astronauts dropped out of orbit in what was the first water landing by NASA since 1975, when the agency’s crews were still flying in the Apollo modules used for the historic American moon missions. This flight of the Crew Dragon capsule was operated by SpaceX, the rocket company started by Elon Musk, as part of NASA’s efforts to turn over to private enterprise some things it used to do.
• Pakistan cricket team is practising for its series against England. The first match will be played on August 5.

from SAMAA https://ift.tt/30mTiL5