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Category: Politics

  • 670,000 coronavirus infections in Lahore alone?

    670,000 coronavirus infections in Lahore alone?

    A summary forwarded to Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar by Primary & Secondary Health Secretary Captain (r) Usman last month estimated that there could be 670,000 cases of the new coronavirus — COVID-19 — in Lahore alone.

    The summary was forwarded to Buzdar on May 15, Geo quoted the secretary as saying, and reported that it contained results of samples collected from hotspots, residences and offices in Lahore.

    As per the summary, 6 per cent of the total samples collected, tested positive for COVID-19. In some towns, the percentage of positive cases went up to 14.7 per cent. The report said that there wasn’t a single area in Lahore where the infection had not reached. 

    Members of the Technical Working Group — formed to ascertain the number of coronavirus affected persons in the city — have recommended imposing a complete lockdown for four weeks and quarantining persons aged above 50 years. The group has also advised the government to declare it essential for people to stay inside their homes. 

    Lockdown restrictions have, however, only been eased since before Eidul Fitr last month.

    Amid soaring cases, the Punjab government has decided to further ease lockdown restrictions that were imposed to contain the outbreak. Buzdar last week chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Anti-Coronavirus Measures, wherein it was agreed that recommendations for the opening of the different departments and institutions, according to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) defined by the government, would be forwarded to the federal government.

    In the meeting, Buzdar said that a request would be made to the federal government to provide 1,500 ventilators. He added the instructions of the federal government regarding opening of restaurants, cafes etc, would be followed by the provincial government.

    The Cabinet Committee allowed the Punjab Public Service Commission to conduct interviews of one thousand lady doctors. It was also decided in the meeting that the Drug Regulatory Authority Of Pakistan (DRAP) would be approached for permission to prepare ventilators and respirators at the local level.

    It was decided the National Command and Operation Centre ( NCOC ) would take final decision to reopen the parks’ proposal, new working hours for the commercial enterprises and two-day holidays.

  • Law minister resigns again; this time to represent govt in Faez Isa case

    Law minister resigns again; this time to represent govt in Faez Isa case

    Federal Minister for Law and Justice Dr Farogh Naseem resigned on Monday to represent the government in the Supreme Court (SC) in the presidential reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

    This is the second time that Naseem, a Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) stalwart, has resigned from his post. Previously, he had resigned in November last year to represent Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa before the apex court in the case pertaining to the extension in his tenure as the army chief.

    Confirming the news of his resignation, Naseem said, “I will ensure that the respect and dignity of judges is maintained. I have no personal agenda. I have the greatest respect for the Bar.”

    READ: ‘Farrogh Naseem can go to jail for representing Gen Bajwa with a suspended licence,’ PBC says

    Last year in September, Justice Isa filed a fresh application requesting the SC to form a full-court bench comprising all eligible judges to hear his petition against the presidential reference filed over non-disclosure of assets in his wealth statement.

    Justice Isa had requested that the case be heard by a full court bench comprising all eligible judges of this court since the matter pertained to reference against an SC judge and as per precedent of this court in the case of ex-chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Chaudhry versus president of Pakistan, PLD 2010 Supreme Court.

    Justice Isa had said matters narrated in accompanying civil miscellaneous application dated August 26 – “which may for the sake of brevity be read as a part hereof” – demonstrates the necessity for hearing by such full court bench.

    “The petition also raises a number of important constitutional questions, including that of the independence of the judiciary, formation of an independent opinion by the president, obtaining federal cabinet’s approval and other vital issues of surveillance, and the manner and method of collecting evidence against a judge of the Supreme Court and his family,” he had said in his application.

    READ: New top lawyer excuses himself from fighting Justice Faez Isa case for PTI govt

    On Friday, Justice Isa questioned the eligibility of Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Accountability Shahzad Akbar’s appointment as the head of the Asset Recovery Unit (ARU) and for public office.

    A 10-member judge bench, led by Justice Umar Ata Bandial, will resume hearing the case on June 2, which was earlier scheduled to be taken up on March 30. The apex court had postponed the hearing due to the coronavirus pandemic.

    On the last hearing on February 24, the federal government had sought a three weeks’ adjournment in the case.

  • PPP writes to ISI chief for action against Pakistan-based US blogger over tweet about Benazir Bhutto

    PPP writes to ISI chief for action against Pakistan-based US blogger over tweet about Benazir Bhutto

    Former ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has written to the director general (DG) of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), seeking action against Pakistan-based American blogger and columnist Cynthia D Ritchie over her “hateful comments and slander” against the late former prime minister (PM) Benazir Bhutto.

    As per the details, Ritchie made the comment on a tweet discussing the recent violent confrontation between model Uzma Khan and a woman named Amna Usman, who accused the model of having a relationship with her husband of 13 years and used this allegation to justify her violent treatment of the model.

    Ritchie’s tweet garnered a strong reaction from PPP leaders and supporters, with Sherry Rehman saying, “Attributing such filth to a champion for women’s rights, a martyred prime minister degrades the writer of this bot-handle more than anything else.”

    While Ritchie is since continuing her tirade against the PPP over the micro-blogging website, former PPP senator Sehar Kamran has written to spymaster Faiz Hameed, seeking an investigation into the “notorious activities” of Ritchie.

    In the letter, a copy of which is available with The Current, Kamran highlighted how the American columnist has “time and again instigated controversy” and is also playing a role in “deepening the civil-military divide”.

    “The imagery presented by her pictures with military leadership and senior bureaucracy, and access as a foreign tourist to generally sensitive locations ([erstwhile] FATA [Federally Administrated Tribal Areas], Kashmir, etc) is deepening the civil-military divide by unnecessarily implicating national institutions as her support base. It may be useful at this juncture to further investigate all of Ms Ritchie’s activities, which I am certain range beyond her social media commentaries, to protect our national interests,” read the letter.

    The excerpt was followed by a list of questions:

    • Why and in what capacity is Ms Ritchie a resident in Pakistan?
    • What is the nature and duration of her visa status?
    • Who is her sponsor to this end?
    • A regular expat who initially introduced herself as a ‘tourist’ and a ‘belly dancer’ has somehow become embroiled in Pakistani politics, by her own assertion at the highest levels? How?
    • What Is the purpose behind her provoking public sentiment, and furthering bitterness in an already politically polarised society?
    • Furthermore, why is her vitriol targeted towards Sindh, and has conveniently emerged at a time when the province was receiving praise and support for its efforts in the fight against COVID-19?
    • What is the official government policy on the continued presence of such suspicious characters in Pakistan?

    While the PPP leader also sought Ritchie’s deportation, here’s what the blogger hit back with:

    As neither side appears to be going easy on each other, a war of words is continuing over Twitter.

    Separately, in a letter to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), an advocate at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and Islamabad president of the PPP, Shakeel Abbasi, has also sought action against Ritchie for her “very derogatory and slanderous remarks” about Bhutto and former president Asif Ali Zardari’s marital life.

  • ‘There is no corona’: Mob attacks Karachi hospital as health workers remain at risk amid rising fatalities

    ‘There is no corona’: Mob attacks Karachi hospital as health workers remain at risk amid rising fatalities

    In yet another incident of a hospital being ransacked by survivors of a deceased coronavirus patient, a mob on Friday night attacked Civil Hospital Karachi while also harassing and attempting to assault the medical staff on duty.

    According to the hospital’s management, at least 70 people entered the hospital and took the body of the deceased from the emergency ward.

    The hospital’s medical superintendent, Dr Khadim Qureshi, reportedly confirmed the incident and said the police were asked to lodge an FIR [First Information Report] against those involved in the attack.

    No medical staffer were, however, injured in the attack.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    “Doctors are demanding security. It’s hard for them to work under this kind of situation,” Dr Qureshi said.

    Another doctor who was on duty at the time, said the incident took place at around 11 pm. He and other doctors on duty were also tortured and abused. “It’s the third time in a week, ” he claimed, alleging that the police deployed outside the hospital gate did not help the medical staff.

    While no arrests have been made as of yet and doctors have demanded deployment of Sindh Rangers for security, it is worth mentioning that it is not the first incident of its kind as hospitals across the country are being attacked every day amid the rising number of deaths due to COVID-19.

    Among other incidents being reported across the country, over a dozen people last week barged into and vandalised the isolation ward at Karachi’s Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) after a coronavirus patient being treated there died, officials said.

    Videos taken of the ward, where 37 coronavirus patients were being treated, after the attack showed pieces of glass, furniture and fans strewn on the floor. The glass windows of a counter were also shattered.

    Pakistan has so far reported 1,395 deaths due to the novel virus.

  • Government mulls allowing restaurants to reopen

    Government mulls allowing restaurants to reopen

    As coronavirus cases continue to surge across the country, the Punjab government has decided to allow restaurants to reopen.

    The decision was taken during a cabinet committee meeting on coronavirus which was convened on the directives of Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar.

    Reportedly, recommendations in this regard have been sent to the federal government and would be presented before the National Coordination Committee (NCC) for final approval.

    The committee also decided that markets and shopping malls would be allowed to open from 9 am to 5 pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, while on the remain three days, they would remain closed.

    The provincial government also recommended opening recreational sites and tourist destinations such as Murree.

    The meeting was attended by Law Minister Raja Basharat, Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan and Commerce Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal.

    Officials of the health department also briefed the meeting about the coronavirus situation while administrative agencies presented a report on the implementation of the standard operating procedures (SOPs).

    Earlier, Lahore Restaurants Unity (LRU) and Lahore Super Markets Association (LSMA) sought help from the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) for reopening their businesses with implementation of SOPs.

    LCCI President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh, along with Senior Vice President Ali Hussam Asghar and Vice President Mian Zahid Jawaid Ahmad, met the delegations of the LRU and LSMA and listened to their grievances.

    LRU Chairman Amir Rafiq Qureshi and LSMA President Ahmad Nawaz and Marriage Halls Association Chairman Mian Muhammad Ilyas said that the lockdown had destroyed their businesses to such an extent that they were no heading towards a point of no return.

    They said that restaurants and marriage hall owners were ready to follow the SOPs set by the government to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

    Sheikh said that the LCCI was well aware of the miseries of traders and had already taken up the issues at the highest level. He said that a number of countries, including Turkey, had allowed hotels to open up. “We have to live with coronavirus like various other diseases, therefore, the government should manage and allow businesses to reopen,” he said.

    The LRU representatives demanded relief in rents of restaurants located in buildings of government and semi-government departments. They demanded a 100 per cent waiver in utility bills of small restaurants and 50 per cent waiver in utility bills of large restaurants for the next three months.

  • Currency worth Rs3 crores was being smuggled on PK8303; discovered in PIA plane’s debris

    Currency worth Rs3 crores was being smuggled on PK8303; discovered in PIA plane’s debris

    In a shocking development, local and foreign currency amounting to Rs30 million was allegedly being smuggled in the plane that crashed in a Karachi neighbourhood on May 22, a spokesperson of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has claimed.

    “Local and foreign currency worth millions of rupees was recovered from the crash site,” said the spokesperson, adding that a total of Rs30 million had been recovered from three separate bags.

    The PIA official said that such an amount cannot be transported without informing the airline and that an extra seat ticket needs to be purchased for transporting such huge amounts of cash. “A passenger cannot carry it in their luggage or cabin baggage.”

    He said for such large amounts of cash, a passenger has to be seated next to the cash but no passenger had brought an extra seat.

    So far, three people have come forward to claim the money, the spokesperson said.

  • Coronavirus equipment to US was sent by armed forces, not govt: Lt Gen Muhammad Afzal

    Coronavirus equipment to US was sent by armed forces, not govt: Lt Gen Muhammad Afzal

    National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) chief Lieutenant General Muhammad Afzal has clarified that the personal protective equipment (PPE) sent to the United States (US) as a gesture of solidarity amid the coronavirus pandemic, was by the country’s armed forces and not the government, Dawn reported.

    The consignment of PPE arrived at Andrew Air Force Base (AFB), Maryland Via C-130 flight from Islamabad, Pakistan.

    Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US, Dr Asad Majeed Khan, and senior officers of the embassy’s defence wing were present at the airport.

    Acting Assistant Secretary of Defence for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs David Helvey with other American officials were also present on the airbase.

    On the occasion, Ambassador Khan referred to the cordial ties between the people of two countries and their armed forces.

    He said that armed forces of both countries fought together in the global war on terrorism and would stand together in the fight against COVID-19 too.

    The Pakistani envoy said that it was a manifestation of the longstanding and close cooperation between the armed forces of both countries, particularly in dealing with the natural calamity.

    The equipment has been handed over to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for delivery to the US Armed Forces.

  • Indian Home Ministry accidentally posts whiskey pictures while advertising cyclone relief efforts

    Indian Home Ministry accidentally posts whiskey pictures while advertising cyclone relief efforts

    There was panic in the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) after efforts to advertise its relief operations in Cyclone Amphan-hit West Bengal, went awry.

    According to the details, the MHA had taken to Facebook to highlight the work that personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), which falls under the ministry, were carrying out in the Trinamool Congress-governed West Bengal.

    However, with ‘work from home’ having its perils, one of the handlers of MHA’s social media accounts inadvertently posted images of two bottles of whiskey and snacks along with those of the rescue and relief work

    While the photos were posted on MHA’s official Facebook around 9 am and were taken off around 30 minutes later, screenshots of the post started doing rounds over social media. The post sparked exasperation and elation in equal measure as some were enraged by the “irresponsible behaviour” and others saw the funny side of the “accident”.

    The MHA refused to comment on who uploaded the picture but reports quoted officials as saying that the ministry was treating it as a case of human error that should not be shown out of proportion.  

    They added that although most officers were enraged at the “callousness”, many other civil servants laughed off the “disaster”.

  • ‘Chinese president orders army to prepare for war’

    ‘Chinese president orders army to prepare for war’

    Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered his army to strengthen the training of its troops and “prepare for war”, foreign media outlets reported.

    The Chinese president said that it was important to “comprehensively strengthen the training of troops and prepare for war”, “resolutely safeguard national sovereignty” and “safeguard the overall strategic stability of the country”.

    Xi’s speech comes amid rising tensions with the United States (US) and escalating clashes with the Indian army at the Ladakh border. Both armies are said to have deployed additional troops in sensitive areas along the boundary with experts predicting a lengthy standoff.

    As per a report by ThePrint, Beijing has also increased up security on its side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) by locating an estimated 1,200 to 1,300 troops near the Pangong Lake.

    Xi, who chairs China’s powerful Central Military Commission (CMC), made the comments at a meeting of the delegation of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and People’s Armed Police Force (PAPF) on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the country’s parliament.

    He emphasised on preparing for a military struggle “…to flexibly carry out actual combat military training, and to comprehensively improve our military’s ability to carry out military missions”.

    “This epidemic prevention and control struggle is a practical test for national defence and military reform, fully embodies the effectiveness of the reform, and also puts forward new requirements for reform,” he added.

    Two days back, Chinese diplomat Wang Yi, criticised the efforts of some US politicians to fabricate “rumours” and “stigmatise” China to blame it for the pandemic.

  • ‘Murree Brewery is a juice brand’: BOL clarifies how beverages manufacturer sponsored its Iftar

    ‘Murree Brewery is a juice brand’: BOL clarifies how beverages manufacturer sponsored its Iftar

    BOL Network, which many deem as one of the country’s most controversial media outlets, has clarified its position after a viral screen grab from its Iftar transmission, showing Pakistan’s popular alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages manufacturer Murree Brewery as a sponsor, caused outrage over the internet.

    “Iftar sponsored by: Murree Brewery” could be seen popping up on television screens during BOL’s transmission in Ramzan as the channel hosted religious scholars, clerics and celebrities for Iftar every day.

    Here’s what Twitterati had to say about it:

    https://twitter.com/salarzai_/status/1262483061108871173
    https://twitter.com/FarazYasin97/status/1264691048699305989

    “Murree Brewery is a juice manufacturer,” actor Danish Taimoor clarified as he hosted his game show on BOL with host of the Iftar transmission in the hotseat.

    While it was also pointed out by several Twitterati that Murree Brewery also manufactured non-alcoholic beverages, Taimoor went on to name some of the juices and other non-alcoholic drinks by the beverages manufacturer.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    “People are assuming its just alcohol. But as Muslims, we cannot even think of doing it,” he said as the host of the Ramzan transmission also clarified and said he had also apologised during his own show and the logo had been removed.

    “It was a misunderstanding and we cannot even think of doing something of the sort,” the two reiterated.