Karachi driver arrested for illegally transporting 60 people to Bajaur
KARACHI: A truck driver was arrested on Tuesday for attempting to illegally transport 60 people from Karachi to Bajaur. The Gadap police stopped the vehicle during a security check. The passengers claimed that they paid Rs200,00 to the driver to take them to their homes. The passengers have been detained and a case has been registered against the driver. Partial and complete lockdowns have been imposed across Pakistan to contain the spread of coronavirus due to which inter-city transport is temporarily suspended.
Source:Pakistan Today
March 31, 2020 11:26 UTC
Jang Group’s publisher Mir Javedur Rehman passes away
KARACHI: Jang Group’s publisher Mir Javedur Rehman passed away in Karachi on Tuesday. Javed was the brother of the group’s chief executive Mir Shakilur Rehman, who is currently under NAB’s custody in Lahore. Rehman had asked for permission to travel to Karachi in order to meet his brother, which was issued by the accountability bureau yesterday. According to NAB, Rehman can travel to Karachi to see his brother but he will remain in the bureau’s custody. However, the suspect can file a petition in the court for transitory remand,” a NAB statement said on Monday.
Source:Pakistan Today
March 31, 2020 07:41 UTC
UN warns Pakistan could be hardest-hit by economic fallout of pandemic
UNCTAD said in a new report that the developing countries – which according to a UN body’s tally number 170 – would need a $2.5 trillion support package this year to face the economic crisis caused by the pandemic. “Sub-Saharan African countries will be among the hardest hit alongside others, including Pakistan and Argentina,” said Richard Kozul-Wright, director of globalisation and development strategies at UNCTAD, who oversaw the report. “Without urgent, ambitious and historic action, we could easily see the biggest humanitarian crisis since World War II,” Vera warned. It said all fees for health should be removed and free testing and treatment should be delivered. We can only beat this pandemic if we act in solidarity with every country and for every person.
Source:The Express Tribune
March 31, 2020 04:29 UTC
CDWP approves Rs133b worth of projects
CDWP has a mandate to approve projects costing up to Rs10 billion and projects having a higher cost are sent to Ecnec, chaired by the finance adviser, for final approval. The road project in Balochistan is already nearing completion but its revised design awaits final approval due to serious deviation from the original design. Similarly, the CDWP returned the Gwadar-Ratodero road project worth Rs38 billion. It referred the Punjab Human Capital Investment project worth Rs52.8 billion to Ecnec for final approval. CDWP cleared the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Irrigated Agriculture Improvement project worth Rs30.1 billion and referred to Ecnec for approval.
Source:The Express Tribune
March 31, 2020 03:45 UTC
Hungry daily-wage workers wonder about promised rations
Will they provide rations to the needy when the lockdown is over?”According to government data, there are around 10 million people – or 1.4 million families – of daily-wage workers in the province. The remaining 40 percent of workers, though, work in small and medium enterprises, cottage industries, roadside shops and the transport industry. Under this, social welfare organisations interested in working with the government will have to get themselves registered to distribute rations to daily-wage workers at their doorsteps,” the CM’s spokesperson said in a statement on Sunday. According to the latest decision, the daily-wage workers, too, will have to get themselves registered through a mobile application before they can get the rations. Government officials claimed that the app would ensure uniformity in disbursement by registering CNICs, so that no duplication could occur.
Source:The Express Tribune
March 30, 2020 21:56 UTC
Three more patients die of coronavirus in Karachi
As Sindh's coronavirus count spike to 566, a cluster emerges at a sealed mosque in HyderabadKARACHI / HYDERABAD: Three more coronavirus patients have passed away in Karachi, bringing the number of fatalities in the province to six, confirmed Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho on Monday. The deceased patients were residents of Karachi who had been diagnosed with the contagious disease two to three days ago. As a result, Sindh’s tally of COVID-19 patients stands at 566, of which 236 are local transmission cases. The mosque had been sealed after a Chinese Muslim staying there, who belonged to a Tableeghi group, tested positive for COVID-19. Sindh Education and Labour Minister Saeed Ghani, who tested positive for coronavirus last week, also announced his complete recovery from the infectious disease.
Source:The Express Tribune
March 30, 2020 21:33 UTC
New infections fall as more patients recover
“Confirmed cases reported in Pakistan during the past 24 hours [by Monday evening] are 99, which are less than the cases reported in the previous 24 hours,” Mirza said. “In hospitals, out of 783 cases, 773 are improving and expected to get well soon,” said Mirza. He confirmed that the coronavirus pandemic had claimed 21 lives, with five deaths reported within the last 24 hours. The deadline to apply for this initiative is April 3, 2020,” Zafar added. “We’re also requesting Balochistan to identify sites for testing so that we can start building labs there,” he added.
Source:The Express Tribune
March 30, 2020 21:00 UTC
Tales of survivors: ‘Never before had I seen doctors dressed up like aliens’
This is when I started having more symptoms, like chest pain, dry cough, and a painful throat. Tales of survivors: How I became Pakistan’s first COVID-19 patientThe doctor told my brother to take me to the Northwest General Hospital in the neighbouring Peshawar district. The sight of doctors dressed up like khalaee makhlooq (aliens) scared me. Frankly, the fear of dying from the coronavirus didn’t cross my mind for once at the isolation ward. And the next day, I was discharged, but the doctors advised me to isolate myself as a precautionary measure.
Source:The Express Tribune
March 30, 2020 20:14 UTC
Zulfi sends defamation notice to PML-N’s Asif over virus outbreak allegations
According to the notice, the PML-N leader on March 17 used mainstream media to claim that the SAPM allowed an influx of pilgrims from Iran by setting aside the condition of quarantine. Most of the people affected by COVID-19 in Pakistan had either visited Iran or had come in contact with the pilgrims. Rejecting the claim as baseless and unfounded, the SAPM said the allegations were disseminated on mainstream and social media to extensively hurt his reputation. Bukhari said he had nothing to do in the matter of Pakistani pilgrims, who were placed in quarantine at Taftan that shares border with Iran. “The Balochistan government had decided to allow entry of some 5,000 Pakistani pilgrims at Taftan border as they were out-stamped by the Iranian authorities.
Source:The Express Tribune
March 30, 2020 19:30 UTC
PM forms 'Tiger Force' to fight coronavirus crisis
The virus has so far claimed 25 lives in Pakistan, while 55 COVID-19 patients have fully recovered. “The greatest of our strength is faith and youth through which we can win war against this virus,” the premier said while explaining that his government has formed a Coronavirus Relief Tiger Force (CRF) comprising of the youth to assist civil and military authorities in relief operations. During the meeting, the prime minister directed the authorities to take all possible measures which could ease the difficulties of the masses as the “country is facing menace of coronavirus along with poverty”. PM Imran directed all relevant ministries to establish a think-tank comprising of experts to evaluate the situation and make recommendations on how to cope with the situation arising out of the coronavirus crisis. “The government will use all its resources to provide relief to the downtrodden segment of the society,” the premier was quoted as saying.
Source:The Express Tribune
March 30, 2020 19:07 UTC
Five graveyards designated for coronavirus victims in Karachi
City mayor says says funds have been requested to turn KMC hospitals into COVID-19 centresKARACHI: Five cemeteries have been designated for burials of those who have died due to coronavirus, Karachi mayor Wasim Akhtar said on Monday. Visiting Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, the mayor revealed that coronavirus victims would be buried at the Mohammed Shah, Surjani, Mowach Goth, Korangi No. Currently, the authorities in Sindh conducted 5,945 tests, with Karachi has 249 COVID-19 cases, Hyderabad 12 and Dadu and Jacobabad one each. The nationwide tally of COVID-19 patients has crossed 1,700 with 638 in Punjab, 152 in Balochistan, 195 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 136 in Gilgit-Baltistan, 51 in Islamabad and six in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The virus has so far claimed 21 lives in Pakistan, while 55 COVID-19 patients have fully recovered.
Source:The Express Tribune
March 30, 2020 17:48 UTC
NAB gives one-day reprieve to Mir Shakil to inquire after his ailing brother
According to a NAB press release, Mir Shakil has been allowed to go to Karachi for one day to meet his brother. Mir Shakil will remain in the custody of NAB and the authority to grant remand or otherwise during custody rested with the relevant court, the statement added. A division bench, headed by Justice Sardar Ahmad Naeem, heard the petitions filed by Mir Shakil and his wife, Shaheena Shakil. During the proceedings, petitioners’ lawyer Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan pleaded with the court for immediate release of Mir Shakil. Mir Shakil was arrested by the bureau on March 12 in illegal plots allotment case.
Source:Pakistan Today
March 30, 2020 16:41 UTC
Sindh CM orders withdrawal of FIRs against prayer leaders
But, he rued, some people had violated the orders, leading to action being taken against them under the law. “I am directing the Sindh Inspector General of Police to withdraw the FIRs registered against the prayer leaders and others all over Sindh,” he stated, while requesting the clerics to abide by their earlier agreement and limit their congregational prayers to five people. He pointed out that the mosques still remained open, while the call to prayers is given there five times a day and congregational prayers of up to five people were also held. Currently, the authorities in Sindh conducted 5,945 tests, with Karachi has 249 COVID-19 cases, Hyderabad 12 and Dadu and Jacobabad one each. CM Sindh has made a request to all citizens for their financial help and support to help us in our fight against #COVIDー19.
Source:The Express Tribune
March 30, 2020 16:41 UTC
5 more corona cases reported in KP, total reaches 193
PESHAWAR: The confirmed coronavirus cases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) rose to 193 on Monday after five new cases were reported three from Peshawar and one each from Abbottabad and Bannu districts, the Health Department reported. It said that during the last 24 hours as many as 89 suspected cases were reported taking the tally of suspected patients to 1017 in the province. The report said that in Peshawar corona diagnostic tests of 301 patients were found clear while the result of 524 suspects was being awaited. It said that until now five people have died due to infectious corona disease. A notification of the Department of Trade and Industry said that the industries include Oil and Ghee, Cement, Water and beverages and others.
Source:Pakistan Today
March 30, 2020 16:29 UTC
PTI leaders call for immediate delivery of ration to poor
KARACHI: Expressing concern over plights of the poor, especially daily wagers, Sindh Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders have demanded of the provincial government to ensure immediate delivery of ration to the poor. “The Sindh government has no answer to these questions even after the passage of 10 days. Rs10 million was spent on the Expo Center and almost Rs6 million were given to DCs. Shamim also warned that an increase in crime rate may be seen soon. He also said that the federal government has given relief of Rs26billion to K-Electric but the Sindh government has not even paid its bills.
Source:Pakistan Today
March 30, 2020 15:33 UTC