MANSEHRA, Pakistan: Police in Pakistan say a teacher and three students were electrocuted and died at a private school in the country’s northwest.
Police officer Abdur Rasheed says the four were hoisting the national flag during morning assembly in the village of Kiwai in the picturesque Kaghan Valley when tragedy struck on Tuesday.
The officer says the teacher, Safeer Ahmed, apparently didn’t realize as he was raising the banner that the steel pipe with the flag would come in contact with high voltage electricity cables suspended above the ground. The three schoolchildren, aged 10, 12 and 13, tried to rescue him and were also electrocuted.
Police immediately shut the school down for being unsafe for students and were checking whether other schools in the mountainous region and the valley were meeting safety standards.
Teacher, 3 students electrocuted, die in Pakistani school
Teacher, 3 students electrocuted, die in Pakistani school
- The four were hoisting the national flag during morning assembly in the village of Kiwai in the picturesque Kaghan Valley when tragedy struck on Tuesday, police official says
- Police immediately shut the school down for being unsafe for students and were checking whether other schools in the region and the valley were meeting safety standards
Pakistan to unveil austerity plan on Monday as Middle East conflict drives oil price surge
- The development follows an increase of Rs55 ($0.20) per liter in prices of petrol and diesel in Pakistan this week
- PM Shehbaz Sharif promises ‘maximum relief’ to people as soon as ‘this difficult phase passes’ and economy stabilizes
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to unveil an austerity plan tomorrow, Monday, as surging global oil prices, driven by United States and Israeli strikes on Iran, mount pressure on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government to curb spending and stabilize the economy, the PM’s office said on Sunday.
The development follows an increase of Rs55 ($0.20) per liter in the prices of petrol and diesel in Pakistan this week as the Strait of Hormuz, which supplies a fifth of the global oil consumption, faces disruptions due to US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s counter attacks on US interests in the Gulf region.
Pakistan’s Petroleum Division was directed to submit daily stock reports, while the country’s Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) was tasked with maintaining strict market oversight, officials said this week, as oil rose above $90 a barrel globally, the highest in years.
Sharif on Sunday presided over a meeting to review measures to stabilize the economy amid the Middle East conflict, with officials saying global supply disruptions and price fluctuations may have an impact on Pakistan, according to the prime minister’s office.
“In view of the recent international situation, timely implementation of measures is essential for the country’s economic stability,” Sharif was quoted as saying at the meeting. “The government is constantly monitoring the situation and all necessary decisions will be taken to provide all possible stability to the national economy.”
Earlier in the day, Pakistan’s Finance Minister said that Islamabad was preparing alternative plans to manage the financial impact of rising oil prices.
Speaking at the meeting, Sharif said the austerity measures must protect the interest of the people.
“All government employees and ministers will have to adopt austerity,” he said. “In the current difficult times, it is important to ensure wise use of national resources and as soon as this difficult phase passes and the economy becomes more stable, the government will provide maximum relief to the people.”
Instructions regarding austerity and simplicity will not be applicable to the industry and agriculture sectors so that the country’s production, exports and food security are not affected, according to Sharif’s office.
Several suggestions and recommendations based on austerity and simplicity were presented at the meeting, which were reviewed in detail by participants.
“The briefing was informed that the country has adequate reserves of diesel, petrol and other petroleum products and the government has made advance arrangements to deal with any emergency,” Sharif’s office said.
