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Tag: Punjab

  • Two Punjab doctors treating coronavirus patients get infected

    Two more Pakistani doctors have been confirmed to have contracted the novel coronavirus while treating patients, Geo reported.

    Punjab’s Primary and Secondary Health Care Department said on Friday that two doctors involved in the fight against coronavirus had tested positive for the disease.

    The spokesperson for the department stated that the doctors had been performing their duties at a quarantine centre in Dera Ghazi Khan when they started showing symptoms associated with COVID-19.

    Both doctors have since been confined to an isolation ward and are out of danger, added the statement.

    Earlier, a doctor had lost his life in Gilgit-Baltistan while performing his duties at one of the quarantine centres in the region.

    Meanwhile, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pakistan rose to 1,257 on Friday after more people tested positive in Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Islamabad.

    The country also recorded its ninth death due to the virus while at least 24,000 deaths have been recorded globally, more than 15,500 of which are in Europe since the virus first emerged in December.

    More than 532,000 declared virus cases have been registered in 199 countries and territories of which at least 268,191 are in Europe, the worst-hit continent.

    The countries with the most deaths include Italy with 8,165 deaths out of 80,539 declared infections, Spain with 4,089 deaths out of 56,188 cases, mainland China with 3,287 deaths out of 81,285 cases, Iran with 2,234 deaths out of 29,406 cases, and France with 1,696 fatalities out of 29,155 cases.

  • PICTURES: Social distancing in Pakistan

    After the outbreak of coronavirus, health experts have urged people to stay at home and practice social distancing. Social distancing involves “remaining out of mass settings, avoiding mass gatherings, and maintaining distance” whenever possible to limit the ability of the virus to spread.

    Section 144 has also been imposed in Pakistan under which more than four people cannot gather together in an area.

    Considering essential activities cannot completely be closed, here’s how Pakistanis are maintaining social distance at grocery stores, banks and police stations:


    Social distancing in Hangu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
    A police station in Lahore
    Mithi, Sindh.

  • VIDEO: Watch Usman Buzdar protect himself from coronavirus

    Chief Minister Buzdar has recently been tweeting about the pandemic and what Punjab is doing to control its spread. The largest province has eerily been silent on the issue, confirming only six cases compared to Sindh’s 155 cases and the CM has faced much criticism for keeping quiet on the issue. The government has yet to confirm whether a suspected coronavirus case has died this morning in Mayo hospital.

    READ MORE: VIDEO: Suspected coronavirus patient at Lahore’s Mayo Hospital passes away

    Admist the confusion, CM Buzdar was recently seen protecting himself from the virus by getting his temperature checked and also using hand sanitizer to promote safety.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    CM Buzdar getting his temperature checked and using hand sanitizer

    RELATED: All the coronavirus updates you need to know

    Punjab has yet to reveal how they are controlling the spread of the pandemic or how they have managed to control it since only six cases have emerged in the province.

  • Quiz: Which provincial identity suits your personality the most?

    [forminator_quiz id=”42790″]

  • Punjab Governor House to open doors for weddings, commercial events

    Punjab Governor House to open doors for weddings, commercial events

    After allowing the general public to visit his official residence on recreational tours earlier, Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar has announced that the Governor House in Lahore will soon open its doors for weddings and commercial events.

    Addressing a news conference at the Governor’s House on Wednesday, Sarwar announced that the lawn of the building was available for corporate events at Rs1 million per function while any kind of function could be hosted for Rs500,000 in Darbar Hall. Wedding shoots can be arranged for Rs50,000 and commercial photo-shoots against Rs1 million, while guided tours of the Governor’s House will be organised for groups of 10 persons on Saturdays and Sundays.

    “We believe the business plan will help the Governor’s House to reduce its burden on the public kitty. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has made this business plan as its promise and all earnings of these functions will be directly deposited in the government of Pakistan’s account,” The Express Tribune quoted Sarwar as saying.

    “The estate will be rented out for commercial events only and no political party will be allowed to host its function at the Governor’s House,” he said and indicated that all events would be booked on the official website of the Governor’s House.

    “When someone will send his request to book an event at the website, the Governor’s House staff will contact the person to finalise arrangements. All the payments will be made through bank account and no Governor’s House employee will be authorised to receive payments in cash from the person or company holding the event,” he elaborated while highlighting the procedure for booking.

    The Governor’s House website shows that name, CNIC, passport number, nationality, mobile phone number and address is required for booking of events. Events can be booked for two slots from 10 am to 2 pm and 2 pm to 6 pm for seven days a week. Event booking will be granted subject to approval. Prior approval is required for payment and confirmation will be made accordingly while two functions can be booked for the same date and time.

    As per booking terms mentioned on the website, the applicant has to provide a complete list of participants, staff and workers. Administration of Governor’s House will not be responsible for arrangements or installation of any temporary facility.

    A glimpse of Governor House:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMGjcWmB-gM&t=321s
  • World Bank okays $300 million to improve Pakistan’s health and social services

    World Bank okays $300 million to improve Pakistan’s health and social services

    To improve social and health indicators in Pakistan, World Bank has approved $300-million financial package, including a loan of $200-million, reported Express Tribune.

    The loan has been approved under the Punjab Human Capital Investment Project that will strengthen services regarding health and social protection for poor and vulnerable households in various districts in Punjab.

    READ MORE: ‘IMF putting Pakistan on path of stability’ says Dr. Reza Baqir

    World Bank Country Director for Pakistan Illango Patchamuthu said that “investing at the start of life, especially for girls and women, is essential to empower citizens to thrive.”

    He further added, “the project would help the Punjab province to invest in early years now to create a productive workforce for the future. The project is also aimed at increasing the quality and uptake of health services, including maternal care, immunisation and childbirths attended to be qualified professionals, reaching up to 18 million people.

    READ MORE: Pakistan ranks 76th on ‘Inclusive Internet Index 2020’

    It will provide early childhood education and skills training for young parents and will improve systems to more efficiently manage economic and social inclusion programmes.”

    The recent Human Capital Index (HCI) has highlighted that an average girl born in Pakistan will have realized only 40% of her overall human capital potential by the time she turns 18.

    Pakistan’s high stunting rate among children under five and poor educational and learning outcomes also highlights the challenging human capital outcomes.

  • Man files petition to remove conditions on second marriage

    Man files petition to remove conditions on second marriage

    A man has registered a case in the Lahore High Court asking for the elimination of the condition in which he is required to get his first wife’s permission for a second marriage.

    Dr Muhammad Mudassir, who was sentenced for marrying another woman without his wife’s (now ex-wife’s) permission, has named the Punjab Law Ministry and provincial law secretary as respondents.

    He has appealed the Punjab government to make changes to the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, 1961.

    A man doesn’t need the permission of his first wife to get married again in other provinces, the petitioner said, adding that such complaints could only be registered at union councils in Balochistan, Sindh, and KP. He claimed that Punjab has a higher fine too.

    On May 17, 2019, Dr Mudassir was sentenced to jail for one month and fined Rs500,000 for his second marriage by a special judicial magistrate in Sialkot.

    He was found guilty of violating the laws of the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, 1961. As per law a man must submit written permission from his first wife if he wants to marry another woman. If a man is found guilty of violating the law, he may be imprisoned for a year.

    The petitioner has asked for more time to submit additional documents. The case has been postponed till February 10.

  • ‘Saaf Bath’ initiative to set up portable public toilets with focus on facilitating women

    ‘Saaf Bath’ initiative to set up portable public toilets with focus on facilitating women

    The Salman Sufi Foundation (SSF) has launched a new project ‘Saaf Bath’ to benefit pedestrians, especially women, who do not have access to clean public toilets in Pakistan.

    According to a press release, the foundation will set up portable public toilets in Lahore and Karachi during the first stage of the project expected to complete by February 2020. The project aims to facilitate women, who are vulnerable to major diseases due to the lack of availability of clean and hygienic bathrooms.

    The SSF is partnering with numerous corporate companies to install portable toilets in all major cities of the country, especially those areas with a large number of female pedestrians. These toilets will set a standard for a public toilet and there will be a proper model that everybody would be asked to follow.

    The restrooms will also be made accessible for the aged and the differently-abled and will be maintained by the foundation’s coordinating officers daily. The foundation will also ensure that sufficient hand sanitizer and water is available for the public. In addition, there will also be a diaper station as well as the availability of sanitary pads.

    “Many women in Pakistan face severe issues in their menstrual cycle because of the lack of sanitized products and clean places,” said Sufi.


    Shedding light on the project, Salman Sufi told The Current: “Initially, we will be launching two to three toilets in Lahore and Karachi. After that, the foundation plans to expand this to the female schools and colleges in Sindh and Punjab. We are working with LDA in Lahore and the commissioner officer in Karachi regarding these.

    “We have requested the Sindh government to give us access to female colleges where we can install portable washrooms”, he added.

    Sharing further details, Sufi said, “We will be setting a standard for a public toilet and there will be a proper model that everybody would be asked to follow. The toilets will be equipped properly, there will be a diaper station as well as sanitary pads available. Many women in Pakistan face severe issues in their menstrual cycle because of the lack of sanitized products and clean places”.

    The project is in line with the foundation’s plan of starting an overall health and sanitation campaign exclusively for women. According to a 2015 report by the World Health Organisation (WHO), Pakistan was the third-largest country where over 43 million people defecate openly.

  • Policeman forces himself in woman’s house, strips her and makes her dance

    Policeman forces himself in woman’s house, strips her and makes her dance

    In the city of Khanewal, Punjab, a bus hostess refused to accept a police officer’s ‘friendship’ request. The policeman was persistent, sending her indecent messages and asking her to be his friend, she says.

    After she refused, the police officer broke into her home, forcibly stripped her clothes off and made him dance for him. He allegedly took her phone because he was worried that she would reveal the messages he had sent her.

    The police officer is the Station House Officer (SHO) of the local station (which is a high position at the station). He has now been suspended pending an investigation. Khanewal’s District Police Officer, Faisal Shahzad has sad taht a forensic report and an inquiry would take place soon.

  • On Human Rights Day and In Data: Rape Cases in Punjab

    On Human Rights Day and In Data: Rape Cases in Punjab

    In a report, done by the University College of Lahore, ‘Accountability for Rape: A case study of Lodhran’, the numbers show that rape cases in Punjab were staggeringly high in 2016-2017. The study is thorough and looks at court judgements to show how alleged rapists were acquitted. And a whole lot of them were set free.

    Police submitted reports on more than 7,000 new rape cases during 2016-17, cases that had a verdict were more than 5,800. Out of the ones that were given a verdict, only 216 cases had a conviction.

    The police did its job and submitted reports in more than 7,000 cases but only 216 were convicted.

    The study revealed that major cities had more rape cases, as expected, but what was not expected was the amount of convictions in relation to the cities.

    Lahore tops the list with the most amount of cases and the least amount of convictions

    Lahore, Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalpur had the highest number of rape incidents and a very low conviction rate. But

    The highest number of contest acquittals was in Lodhran, which means that when the case went to trial, an acquittal took place when the judge decided that the prosecution had not proved that the defendant was guilty.

    These areas were highlighted because the cases going to court were fewer than larger cities

    The report also showed the cities with the lowest amount of cases with Mianwali and Jhelum topping the list as ‘safer’ cities.

    Cities with the lowest amount of rape cases reported

    Interestingly the study also shows judgments that listed the ‘character’ of the women who were raped.

    How many cases were individual or gang rapes, with individual rapes being the most common type of rape in Punjab.

    79 percent were individual rapes and 16 percent were gang rapes

    The marital status of the women was also documented and most of the women who were raped were married when the incident took place.

    41 percent of the rape victims were married women

    More than half of the incidents that took place involved a man who knew the victim.