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  • ECP rejects PM’s reservations on Senate elections

    ECP rejects PM’s reservations on Senate elections

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued a statement rejecting the “discussion and unhappiness” over the way Senate polls were conducted.

    “It is a shocking matter that under the same staff in the same [election] under the same roof on the same day, [what they won] is acceptable and [what they lost] is unacceptable. Is this not [an] open contradiction?” questioned the commission.

    A day earlier, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan had criticised the election watchdog for allowing “foul play” in the elections for the upper house of the parliament.

    “The ECP rejects this,” Friday’s statement added. “This is democracy and free elections and the beauty of free elections which the entire nation saw and which is mandated by the Constitution.”

    Every political party and politician should have the courage to accept its defeat, it said.

    The electoral body said that if someone disagreed with the ECP’s results, they should come forward with evidence.

    “We have neither come under pressure from anybody and neither will we [do so in the future].”

    The ECP’s statement came after an urgent meeting was convened following the premier’s accusations.

  • ‘You played with the reputation of the country’: Shoaib Akhtar slams PCB after PSL 6 postponement

    Shoaib Akhtar has slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for indefinitely postponing the sixth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) after an outbreak of COVID-19 was reported in the bio-secure bubble.

    “It is time for blame-game,” said Akhtar is a video posted to his YouTube channel. “You have to admit that this is the responsibility of the medical panel. The bio-secure bubble should have been properly maintained. There should be strict inquiry against the medical panel…it should not be spared.”

    Speaking further, the former bowler said: “The medical panel should be punished and I request the higher authorities [for this] because they played with the lives of the people. All the blame has been put on Wasim Khan and he has been asked to face everything. But who brought Wasim Khan? Ehsan Mani.”

    “Where is Mani Sahab?,” questioned Akhtar. “Is it the responsibility of Wasim Khan to answer here? Ehsan Mani should give an answer.”

    Read more – Shoaib Akhtar receives flak from celebrities for his comments on ‘Groove Mera’

    Akhtar also asked Prime Minister and former captain of the national team Imran Khan to look into the matter and punish those responsible for the mess.

    “Aren’t you [PCB] that smart to book an entire hotel. People are getting married there, getting haircuts. Daren Sammy getting out. I fail to understand, why would you [Javed Afridi] breach the bio-secure bubble. I am asking the same question from Wahab Riaz,” said the speedster.

    “You [PCB] played with the lives of the people and at the same time, you played with the reputation of the country… Where is the Chairman of PCB, he has to be answerable. I request the higher authorities and the honourable courts to take a very good look into this matter… Where is Mani? Come to the front and answer.

    “This is an insult to Pakistan and Pakistan cricket,” concluded Akhtar.

    PCB on Thursday postponed PSL6, which started last month after seven people tested positive. Later, in a press conference, PCB chief executive Wasim Khan admitted to breaches of COVID-19 protocols in the bio-secure bubble.

    Meanwhile, Shahid Afridi extended his support towards the PSL management, saying “I fully back the PSL and IA it will come back stronger than ever.”

  • Modi tragically driving India towards authoritarianism: Washington-based watchdog

    Modi tragically driving India towards authoritarianism: Washington-based watchdog

    Freedom House, a Washington-based human rights watchdog has downgraded India from a free to partially free democratic state.

    “Rather than serving as a champion of democratic practice and a counterweight to authoritarian influence from countries such as China, Modi and his party are tragically driving India itself toward authoritarianism,” the democracy research institute stated in its annual assessment.

    Under the Modi government, India is consistently backsliding from a free democracy to an authoritarianism state.

    Political, social and civil rights and liberties have deteriorated in India since Modi became Prime Minister (PM) in 2014 and they further degenerated after the 2019 election, said the report.

    Freedom House is a US-funded Non-governmental organisation (NGO) and it is a champion of democracy for eight years.

    They have assigned an overall score of 67 to India in their annual freedom in the world report.

    There are several factors for the decline in the ranking which including legislation and policies that undermine the political rights of Muslims, increased government pressure on human rights organizations, and rising intimidation of academics and journalists in the country.

    “I’m not surprised at all. Since Modi’s election, India has become a more regulated society. One way of judging it is how dissenters and journalists are being treated. In the last couple of years India has become a very dangerous place for journalists, particularly those who criticize Modi or his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP),” said Dr Talat Wizarat, a noted scholar of International Relations.

    According to the Washington-based research institute, India has witnessed a 9-point decline since 2005. This year’s report also raises several questions about the Indian judiciary’s role. Citing the recent acquittal of BJP leaders who were credibly accused of orchestrating the demolition of the Babri Mosque in 1992, the report said judicial independence had also come under strain since Modi’s re-election.

  • ‘Pakistan has the potential to become an economic hub,’ says Asian Development Bank

    ‘Pakistan has the potential to become an economic hub,’ says Asian Development Bank

    The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has said that Pakistan has huge potential for economic progress given its strategic location and youthful growing population.

    In an interview, Country Director of ADB for Pakistan Xiaohong Yang said: “Pakistan has the potential to become a regional hub for trade and economic activity but the major impediment is weak connectivity and trade links. Moreover, the COVID-19 has pandemic caused a sharp downturn in 2020, and is likely to push more people into poverty.”

    Yang also said that ADB is taking major steps in providing critical finance to the government to implement it’s pro-poor fiscal and monetary policy, and to deal with the impacts of the pandemic, adding that ADB has also financed a $2 billion loans to help Pakistan overcome the pandemic challenges.

    ADB is working towards introducing best practices, sharing knowledge and trying to develop capacity building through partnerships will all stakeholders, says Yang.

    The bank has also devised a new partnership strategy (2021-2025) for Pakistan. It is designed to restore growth and economic stability by deploying sovereign and non-sovereign operations to support infrastructure, agribusiness, and finance sector investment.

    ADB will target reforms that boost competitiveness and private sector development, create jobs and drive market innovation.

  • ‘Don’t pit women against women’: Hania Aamir responds to backlash on using beauty filter

    ‘Don’t pit women against women’: Hania Aamir responds to backlash on using beauty filter

    Hania Aamir recently sparked backlash after she talked about colour shaming and flawed beauty standards in a series of posts on her Instagram stories. Netizens and social media users called the actor out for using a beauty filter and not showing her own raw skin while talking about embracing flaws.

    Responding to the criticism, Hania said: “I was even wearing makeup that day. The point is being comfortable with who you are, doing things because you want to do them, not doing things because [of] the beauty standards that are set.”

    “Does that makes sense?” questioned Hania after clarifying her stance.

    “If I am using a beauty filter because I want to use it then it’s fine. But if I use a beauty filter because I feel pressurized by the society, then it is wrong,” she explained.

    The actor further said: “Let’s not kill the whole conversation and pit women against women just because you don’t understand my point of view. There is something good going on over here, so please expand your brains and think positively.”

    Hania further said that she has been talking about skin positivity for the last two years.

    “Agar mein ne beauty filter user kar lia aik din toh aap ko opportunity mil gae hai. Itnay opportunist na bano yaar,” she remarked. “This is me with a bare face, deal with it.”

    This is not the first time Hania has talked about unrealistic beauty standards. Earlier in 2019, Aamir had opened up about her struggle with acne and talked about unrealistic beauty standards.

    Meanwhile, Syra Yousuf also posted a barefaced selfie of herself while responding to those who posted negative comments about her skin.

  • Ban on meals to end soon on domestic flights

    Ban on meals to end soon on domestic flights

    The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has suggested lifting the ban on in-flight meals services amid the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    As per details, the authority wrote a letter to the Aviation Division on Wednesday, recommending them to lift the ban on meal and beverages on domestic flights as the authority’s efforts to contain the spread of the pandemic have been successful.

    The letter further asked the Aviation Division to seek approval from the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) in this matter.

    The precedent of halting food services was set by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) last year. PIA wanted to limit interaction between passengers and airline crew members under the reviewed standard operation procedures (SOPs).

    The idea was picked by CAA and they directed all airlines to follow the protocol on domestic flights. However, passengers on international flights are being served pre-packaged food with beverages.

    Passengers flying to Saudi Arabia receive snacks, club sandwiches, patties, one banana, and muffins in a pre-packaged box with a soft drink. Whereas flights to Kabul and Gulf countries only serve snacks.

  • ‘Govt does not plan to buy vaccines anytime soon’

    ‘Govt does not plan to buy vaccines anytime soon’

    “The government aims to handle the COVID-19 health challenge through herd immunity and donated vaccines as currently; it has no strategy to buy more vaccines,” National Health Service (NHS) Secretary Amir Ashraf Khawaja has told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

    According to reports, National Institute of Health Executive Director Maj Gen Aamir Ikram has informed that a single dose of Chinese vaccine CanSino costs $13 which is why Pakistan was depending on international donors and friendly countries, like China to fulfil its vaccine requirement.

    Read more – Govt announces free vaccine for all citizens

    The NHS secretary further told PAC that Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinopharm had committed to give one million doses of the virus vaccine [to Pakistan], adding that 0.5m doses had already been handed over. Out of those 0.5 million doses,  around 275,000 doses had been administered to healthcare workers fighting against COVID-19 on the frontlines.

    He said the second phase would include the health officials working in hospitals and other health facilities, adding that people aged 65 and above could also register themselves for vaccination via a text message to 1166. According to him, the process of vaccination to aged people was due to start by March 5 but was delayed because the consignment was delayed.

    Khawaja also said that Pakistan plans to vaccinate 70 million people this year.

    Read more – Will Pakistan get enough COVID-19 vaccines?

    According to the NHS secretary, Pakistan will also get 16m free doses of Indian-made Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine through Gavi that would cover upto 20% of the population of Pakistan. The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (Gavi) is a public-private global health partnership with the goal of increasing access to immunisation in poor countries.

    In response to a question by the PAC chairman, the secretary said Pakistan would receive the first batch of AstraZeneca vaccine made by Serum Institute of India by the mid of March and the rest was expected to arrive in the country by June.

    He said that another Chinese company had conducted the phase-three trial of CanSino vaccine in Pakistan, adding that a total of 18,000 people were inoculated and the vaccine’s efficacy stood at 85pc.

    The PAC chairman highlighted that some people had some concerns regarding the side effects of the vaccine and suggested that the top leadership of the country should get vaccinated first to remove doubts in the general public’s mind.

    In response to a question by Hina Rabbani Khar, the NHS secretary said that despite the government’s offer to the private sector to buy the vaccine, no serious buyers had so far shown interest. The government had earlier allowed the private sector to import vaccine to cater to the needs of those people who could afford its price.

    According to him, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan has so far received applications only from three companies for the import of vaccines, but their applications were rejected because they did not give any detail and specification of the vaccines they intended to import.

  • PM announces stepping down if betrayed by party members again

    PM announces stepping down if betrayed by party members again

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has said that he is going to seek a vote of confidence from the National Assembly this week, adding that his party would sit on opposition benches if they lose this time.

    He was addressing the national a day after his party’s Abdul Hafeez Shaikh faced defeat on the critical Senate seat from Islamabad despite PTI and its ally parties’ majority in the lower house of the parliament.

    The premier said that that the opposition wanted to threaten him with the no-confidence motion after defeating Shaikh in order to get NRO-like concession. Saying vote of confidence will be held through show-off hand, the premier said that he will have no objection if any member of his party does not trust him.

    Highlighting that some of his party’s lawmakers have sold their votes to ensure the victory of PDM’s joint candidate Yousaf Raza Gillani, he said that such elements should have fear of God.

    PM Imran also questioned the role of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the Senate election. He accused the Commission of damaging the democracy in the country by supporting secret balloting for Senate polls. “The ECP was informed about the horse-trading beforehand but it did not take any action,” he said.

    He said that the ECP provided an opportunity of horse-trading to the opposition, adding that the institution has failed to hold fair and transparent elections.

    Hitting out at opposition parties, the premier said that all the opposition parties in the past were calling for holding Senate polls through an open ballot but they stepped back when the government tried to make legislation in this regard. He said that such moves made the character of opposition parties doubtful.

  • People likely to get record Rs6.37 billion relief this Ramzan

    People are likely to get record relief this Ramzan as a Rs6.37 billion package has been proposed.

    According to reports, the Ministry of Industries & Production (MoIP) has proposed the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) to approve the mega Ramzan relief package for 2021.

    Profit quoted sources at MoIP as saying that under the proposed relief package to be offered through utility stores network, the government would give a subsidy of around Rs40 per kilogramme on sugar, banaspati ghee and wheat flour. The ECC, which would be chaired by Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, is likely to approve the historic relief package soon, they added.

    As per an MoIP official, the average Ramzan relief package in the past 10 years ranged between Rs1.5 to Rs2.5 billion.

    “The relief package last year was Rs2.5 billion and the average savings for the consumers remained Rs10–Rs15 on various items. However, serious intervention will be required this year to control the prices of vegetable ghee and oil, sugar and even wheat flour,” he added.

    They said the relief package would include a reduction in prices of 14 essential items by 10pc to 15pc at utility stores, besides the sale of five items at subsidised rates.

  • Islamabad United’s Hassan Ali, Hussain Tallat reportedly infected with COVID-19

    Social media is abuzz with reports that Hassan Ali and Hussain Tallat have tested positive for coronavirus.

    Senior sports journalist, Shoaib Jutt revealed the news on Twitter, saying that two more cases of COVID-19 were detected earlier today in Islamabad United.

    In another tweet, the journalist shared pictures of Hassan and Hussain, saying: “May Allah grant you speedy and complete recovery.”

    The journalist further shared that four players of the final XI of Islamabad United fell victim to coronavirus because of which the match scheduled to take place today was cancelled. Other franchises feared that more cases would come to light with the passage of the day so the league should be postponed immediately.

    Earlier on Thursday, seven players and one support staff official had tested positive for the virus which led to question marks over PCB’s bio-secure bubble arrangements and reservations from foreign players. Quetta Gladiators’ Tom Banton and Islamabad United’s Fawad Ahmed and Lewis Gregory were among the players who tested positive which resulted in the postponement of the league.

    Meanwhile, the League or the franchise has not yet commented on Ali and Talat’s positive results.

    Islamabad United was scheduled to play against Lahore Qalandars in the fifteenth match of the Pakistan Super League 2021.