Day: October 16, 2020

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board will use Saturday’s high-profile National T20 Cup semifinals to create awareness about breast cancer as part of its corporate social responsibility in partnership with Pink Ribbon Pakistan.

October is marked across the globe as Breast Cancer Awareness Month to help increase attention and support for the awareness of breast cancer, which is by far the most common cancer in women worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, there are about 1.38 million new cases and 458,000 deaths from breast cancer each year.

To mark the occasion, players from the four semi-finalist teams as well as PCB staff and broadcasters will wear pink ribbons on their shirts to raise awareness. In addition to this, the match officials will wear pink polos, the stumps will be painted pink and all PCB’s digital assets will turn pink to align with the global breast cancer awareness cause.

PCB chief executive Wasim Khan: “The National T20 Cup has been the most followed and discussed cricket event on PTV Sports, delayed live-stream and other social media platforms during these unprecedented Covid-19 times. As such, it is appropriate that we avail this opportunity and once again use the reach through our platforms to play our small part in creating greater awareness about breast cancer.

“Survival rates from Breast cancer very much improve if diagnosed and attended to at an early stage. Medical science has made great strides in this area and encouraging regular check-ups and examinations will save precious lives.

“The PCB has always performed its duty of care by creating awareness about health-related issues so that we can encourage the society to improve its quality of life. The PCB will continue to perform its responsibilities as we look forward to hosting healthy and lively fans in stadia when we decide to open the gates for domestic and international matches.”

KARACHI: Syed Baqar Raza Rizvi has been assigned charge of Acting Chief Executive Officer of Sindh Healthcare Commission (SHCC) on Friday.

A press release of SHCC said, Syed Baqar Raza Rizvi has vast experience comprising 25 years in Administration, Human Resource Management, Industrial/Employee Relations, legal, and Corporate and Labor Laws.

He is a qualified professional and has done MSMS-HRM, MBA-HRM, LLB and MA in Political Science. He has done post Graduate Diploma in Labour Administration and Industrial Welfare. He is also a Certified Director of Director Training Program of Institute of Business Administration and has done Business Catalyst Program of KSBL.

KARACHI: At least 42 new dengue fever cases surfaced across in the Karachi city in last 24 hours, tally of registered cases had reached to 378 in the city this month so far.

The Vector Borne Diseases Department of Directorate General Health Services Sindh has recorded a total 389 dengue fever cases from 01 to 15 October 2020 throughout the Sindh out of them 378 were reported in Karachi and 11 from others districts.

In Karachi, majority of dengue cases emerged in District East, District Central, District South, District Korangi, Malir District and District West.

The VBD has registered 1378 dengue cases all over the Sindh province till date out of them 1297 were reported in Karachi Division alone. A death due to dengue fever was also reported in Karachi city this year so far.

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that six more patients of coronavirus lost their lives lifting the death toll to 2574 and 225 more cases emerged when 8429 tests were conducted raising the tally to 141,474.

In a statement issued here on Friday, the CM said that six more patients died overnight lifting the death toll to 2574 that constituted 1.8 percent death rate.

Mr Shah said that 8,429 tests were conducted against which 225 new cases were detected that came to 2.6 percent current detection rate. He added that so far 1,519,134 tests have been conducted which diagnosed 141,474 cases, of them 95 percent or 134,494, including 650 overnight.

Murad Ali Shah said that currently 4406 patients were under treatment, of them 4164 in home isolation, five at isolation centers and 237 in different hospitals. He added that the condition of 168 patients was stated to be critical, including 20 shifted to ventilators.

According to the CM, out of 225 new cases, 164 have been detected from Karachi, including 69 from South, 40 East, 28 Central, 20 Korangi, five Malir and two West. Hyderabad has eight cases, Sukkur six, Jamshoro four, Sanghar and Shikarpur three, Dadu, Larkana, Naushehro Feroze and Umerkot two each, Badin, Jacobabad, Kambar, Matiari and Mirpurkhas one each. The chief minister urged people of the province to observe SOPs strictly.

KARACHI: An accused charged with blackmailing, taking extortion money and harassment escaped from the premises of city courts after dismissal his bail on Thursday.

A lady doctor of a local government hospital had lodged a complaint against accused Zaid alias Colonel, but the accused had already secured Bail Before Arrest (BBA). However, the accused managed to escape after the Xth Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADJ) Aurangzeb Shah dismissed his plea for confirmation of his BBA.

Chairman of International Lawyers Forum (ILF) Nasir Ahmed Advocate represented the complainant.

Sub-Inspector Waheed Iqbal, the Investigation Officer (IO) of the case divulged that accused Zaid is a nominated accused in FIR No. 412/2020 Under Section 384, 452, 500, 506-B/34 registered at Police Station Saddar, adding the accused has a criminal record.

However, the bail application was disposed by Xth ADJ South when the investigation officer submitted the report of 173 CrPC so after that start the trial but accused has liberty to apply the bail before Sindh High Court.

ILF members, Tehseen Manzoor Rajput Advocate, Jamshed Ali Khowaja Advocate, Habib Baloch Advocate, Syed Jaffer Abbas Jafri Advocate and Salman Farhad Advocate were also present in the court, says a release of ILF.

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board Friday insisted it will not allow any player or official to put at risk the health and safety of other competitors and those breaching the bio-secure protocols in future will be sent packing from the tournament.

PCB Director – High Performance, Nadeem Khan: “The PCB is disturbed and disappointed that some senior players and officials have breached the bio-secure bubble during the National T20 Cup. In doing so, they have put at risk the integrity of the tournament and, health and safety of their colleagues.

“This is completely unacceptable to the PCB and following meetings with the concerned players and their team officials, it has been agreed there will be zero-tolerance for future breaches and those violating the protocols will be expelled from the ongoing and future tournaments.

“I expect the players and officials to show responsibility as the world is watching and international cricket is standing at our doorsteps. Their irresponsible actions can put into jeopardy all the efforts of the PCB in organising and inviting sides during these challenging Covid-19 times.”

Nine players and three officials had spent time in the out of the bubble area within the vicinity of the team hotel. After this came to the attention of the event organisers following last evening’s match, Covid-19 tests were conducted on an urgent basis, which all turned negative. The 12 individuals picked up the costs of the tests, besides receiving warnings for their actions.

KARACHI: Southern Punjab continued their fine resurgence in the National T20 Cup for First XI teams as they recorded their third win to stay in the hunt for a semifinal spot in Rawalpindi on Thursday night.

The Shan Masood-led outfit scored a thumping 70-run victory over Sindh who have already secured one of the four semi-final spots.

Sindh finished their 10-match league round with an even win and loss record of five wins and five defeats which earned them 10 points. Southern Punjab’s last game against Balochistan has taken renewed significance after the result today. Southern Punjab would have to win the game and ensure that they improve their net-run-rate to go past both Balochistan and Central Punjab to seal the fourth semi-final spot behind Northern (table-toppers), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh.

A win for Balochistan would take them through to the last four. Central Punjab would have to hope Balochistan lose to Southern Punjab and both teams stay behind them on the net-run-rate to move to the semi-finals stage.

On Thursday night, Sindh’s 192- run chase got off to a poor start as Sharjeel Khan (1) and Saud Shakeel (13) perished cheaply followed by the big loss of the duo of Azam Khan (14) and captain Sarfaraz Ahmed (8).

Sindh crashed to 93 for six in the 13th over as Khurram Manzoor who had kept one-end intact got run out for 49 off 35 balls (seven fours). Hassan Khan who had helped Sindh chase down two targets in Rawalpindi fell for a duck to Zahid Mahmood in the same over. Zahid had earlier dismissed Azam and Sarfaraz in what turned out to be a match winning spell of three for 20 in four top-quality overs of leg-spin bowling.

Danish Aziz who had been in rich batting form fell to Mohammad Ilyas as the Sindh chase fell away, the left-hander looked off colour today in his nine-run innings that consumed 11 balls.

The Sindh tail failed to wag as they folded for 121 runs in the 17th over giving Southern Punjab a 70-run victory which has helped them improve their net-run-rate significantly.

Ilyas provided great support to Zahid taking three wickets for 25 runs in 3.4 overs.

Reflecting on his performance, man-of-the-match Sohaib Maqsood said: “We were in a bad situation when we lost three early wickets, our approach was still very positive as we knew that we had to make big runs to ensure that we score a big win that is why we maintained an aggressive approach. The pitch was difficult to bat on, I think we bowled very well and credit must be given to our bowlers for an outstanding job. We are still alive in the tournament after this victory and are looking forward to our last game.”

Sindh asked Southern Punjab to bat first after winning the toss in what was a must win game for the side from Punjab; Southern Punjab however, got off to a dreadful start losing their first three wickets with-in the first 19 balls as left-arm-spinner Danish who took the new ball accounted for Shan Masood (4) and Hussain Talat (0). Fast bowler Sohail Khan sent back Zain Abbas for one.

Southern Punjab were rescued by the pair of man-of-the-match Sohaib Maqsood and Khushdil Shah, the two added 121 runs for the fourth-wicket partnership in only 65 balls. Khushdil who had hit a 35-ball century in the previous clash with Sindh scored 53 off 32 balls today (five fours, three sixes).

He was dismissed on the last ball of the 14th over and three balls later Sohaib became Danish’s third victim of the day. The big-hitting right-hander scored 67 off 41 balls; his match-winning innings included six fours and four sixes.

Aamer Yamin contributed 24 off 17 balls (two fours, one six) as Southern Punjab posted a formidable total of 191 for six at the end of their 20 overs. Zeeshan Ashraf (19 not out) and Muhammad Imran (13 off four balls, one six, one four) also made useful contribution in the death overs.

For Sindh, Danish took three wickets for 32 runs in four overs while Sohail Khan bowled a miserly spell conceding a mere 16 runs in his four-over quota in which he accounted for Zain and Yamin.