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Daughter says Maradona died after carers’ plan ‘went out of control’

Gianinna Maradona, daughter of Argentine football legend Diego Maradona

Diego Maradona’s entourage and medical team had a plan for the Argentine football star but things “went out of control” in the lead-up to his death, his daughter Gianinna said in an interview this week.

Maradona, regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time, died in November 2020 at the age of 60 of heart failure and acute pulmonary edema — a condition where fluid accumulates in the lungs — while recovering at home from surgery for a brain clot.

“There was definitely a plan and someone was in charge of it, but things got out of their control,” Gianinna, 36, told news outlets, including AFP.

She spoke on the sidelines of the trial in San Isidro of seven medical workers — including a neurosurgeon, a psychiatrist and a nurse — whom prosecutors accuse of gross negligence over Maradona’s death.

The seven deny responsibility and say the star of the 1986 World Cup died of natural causes. They face prison terms of between eight and 25 years if convicted.

Gianinna blamed Maradona’s former lawyer and representative Matias Morla and his former assistant Maximiliano Pomargo.

The pair are not among the accused in the negligence case, but will stand trial for alleged fraudulent management of Maradona’s brands. The trial date has yet to be announced.

“I can’t quite bring myself to think through this plan, that they wanted to kill him. Did Morla want to have my father’s life in his hands? Surely,” Gianinna said.

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Health minister orders probe into Sindh MDCAT complaints

ISLAMABAD:Federal Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal has taken notice of alleged irregularities in the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) held in Sindh and ordered a comprehensive inquiry into the complaints.

According to official sources, the minister directed a five-member committee, including the President of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), to conduct a transparent investigation and submit its report within 15 days.

The committee has been tasked with examining the complaints and reviewing the circumstances surrounding the alleged irregularities during the examination, sources said.

The minister directed the committee to complete the inquiry within the stipulated timeframe and present its findings for further action in accordance with the applicable rules.

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CDA chairman directs faster work on Expressway East project

ISLAMABAD: Capital Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Sohail Ashraf has directed officials to accelerate work on the Islamabad Expressway Service Road East project while ensuring strict compliance with approved designs and construction standards.

During an inspection of the project on Saturday, the chairman reviewed progress and was briefed on ongoing works and the next phase of development.

He directed the project director and relevant departments to maintain continuous field monitoring and quality control and ensure effective traffic management to minimise inconvenience to commuters.

The chairman described the Expressway East project as an important infrastructure scheme for improving connectivity, traffic flow and road capacity in the capital. He also stressed that construction quality should not be compromised in efforts to meet the project timeline.

During the visit, he was also briefed on an ongoing enforcement operation against unauthorised and illegal construction along the Islamabad Expressway.

According to the CDA, 377 buildings have been identified for action, including 281 commercial structures. So far, 58 buildings have been sealed, while 124 buildings between Sohan and Khanna bridges have been marked for demolition.

The authority said Rs234.685 million had been recovered through land-use conversion, unauthorised construction and de-sealing charges. Around Rs3 billion remained recoverable under applicable regulations in connection with land-use conversion and violations relating to unauthorised construction, setbacks, floor area ratio and covered area.

The chairman directed the relevant departments to ensure strict enforcement of building-control and land-use regulations, particularly mandatory fire-safety requirements.

The enforcement operation is being conducted by the CDA’s Building Control Section and Enforcement Directorate in coordination with the district administration and Islamabad police.

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GB ministers call on Governor Kundi

PESHAWAR: Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi on Saturday held a meeting with a delegation of Gilgit-Baltistan ministers at the Governor’s House here and discussed the country’s political situation and other matters of mutual interest.

The delegation comprised Gilgit-Baltistan Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Zulfiqar Ali Murad, Minister for Health Iqbal Hassan and Minister for Education Aman Ali Ameer.

During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on the prevailing political situation in the country and various issues of mutual interest. They also discussed the recent elections in Gilgit-Baltistan and the Pakistan Peoples Party’s success in the polls.

The visiting ministers were taken on a tour of the Governor’s House. Governor Kundi presented them with traditional shawls and caps.