Day: July 13, 2021

KARACHI: State Bank of Pakistan said on Tuesday that with inflows of around $2.7 billion in June 2021 (9 percent growth (y/y) and 8 percent growth (m/m), workers’ remittances continued their unprecedented streak of above $2 billion for a record 13th consecutive month.

According to SBP information, seasonal pre-Eid related inflows helped further boost remittances level during June. On a cumulative basis, remittances rose to a historic annual high of $29.4 billion. This has helped improve the country’s external sector position despite the challenging global economic conditions in the past year.

Remittances registered a substantial 27 percent growth in FY21 over last year, the fastest rate of expansion since FY03. Remittance inflows during FY21 were mainly sourced from Saudi Arabia ($7.7 billion), United Arab Emirates ($6.1 billion), United Kingdom ($4.1 billion) and the United States ($2.7 billion).

Overall, record high inflows of workers’ remittances during FY21 have been driven by proactive policy measures by the government and SBP to incentivize the use of formal channels, curtailed cross-border travel in the face of COVID-19 infections, altruistic transfers to Pakistan amid the pandemic, and orderly foreign exchange market conditions.

KARACHI: Karachi police along with intelligence agencies on Tuesday claimed to have arrested an accused belongs to the banned organization Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM) from Bhittaiabad area of the city.

According to Spokesperson of Karachi police, the Sindh police and intelligence agencies conducted a joint operation in Bhittaiabad area of the airport and arrested an alleged leader of JSMM, a banned organization, led by Shafi Burfat, a self-exiled nationalist. The arrested accused has been identified as Ramesh Kumar. The arrested accused is highly educated and also specializes in making various types of explosive devices and bombs, the police claimed in its statement. “Arrested accused Ramesh Kumar was the mastermind of more than 38 cracker / grenade attacks in Karachi from 2010 to 2015,” the police officials claimed.

The police has also claimed that accused, along with other accomplices, confessed to rioting and setting fire to hundreds of vehicles during strikes and targeted killings of innocent civilians in the city, including grenade attacks.

During interrogation, the accused revealed that orders for all terrorist acts were received from Shafi Barfat, the leader of the banned organization, the police said. The police statement also stated that leader of the banned outfit has become a tool of the intelligence agencies of the enemy countries and has used the youth to carry out terrorist activities in Sindh, especially in Karachi. The arrested accused further disclosed that Barfat used to send funds in addition to orders for all these operations so that he could procure equipment for making explosives and finance other members of the organization, the police said.

The police have also claimed to recover explosives, cables, grenades, mobile phones and identity cards from the arrested accused. Accused Ramesh Kumar is being interrogated. Further revelations and arrests are expected, the police officials said.

However, the family of Ramesh Kumar held a protest demonstration and said that their beloved one was working in a garment factory near Singer chorangi and he had nothing to do with any political party. The family said that Kumar came to Karachi from Tando Jan Muhammad and got job in a factory. The family said he was taken away by police and some unknown men in civilian dress on 8th July from the factory.

KARACHI: Public health researchers are set to evaluate the feasibility of a faster way to detect new cases of COVID-19 in Karachi. Infectious disease epidemiologists from Aga Khan University, the National Institute of Health, Islamabad, and the World Health Organization’s Pakistan Office will collaborate with Karachi’s District Health Office, East, to pilot a sewage surveillance system that will regularly test wastewater samples for the presence of the coronavirus and its concentration.

They are building on work by health authorities in several countries such as the US, Canada, Australia and several European nations to set up extensive sewage surveillance systems. These systems have helped detect high concentrations of the virus in sewage a week to ten days before cases would rise, enabling public health authorities to take prompt action to contain the spread of the disease.

Sewage surveillance systems take advantage of the fact that the presence of viruses can be identified in sewage before a person shows symptoms. For example, people can shed SARS CoV-2 in their stool in the first 3 to 7 days after infection, long before a person begins to suffer from a fever, cough or shortness of breath. This means that wastewater sampling has the potential to act as a sensitive, early warning system for trends in new cases and a potential way to prevent new cases. That’s because nasal swab tests, which detect the presence of the virus in the nose, are typically only taken after symptoms appear, between 7 and ten days after infection, which means that people could have unknowingly been spreading the disease for days before their positive test.

Researchers will analyses the amount of SARS CoV-2 particles per milliliter of filtered sewage to estimate the number of cases in the area. They hope to generate data that will help them estimate future number of cases in a well demarcated catchment area by measuring viral concentration in sewage samples. If analysis of sewage samples shows a continuous increase in the presence of SARS CoV-2 particles then this could predict an uptick in cases before COVID-19 nasal swab test results become available, thereby giving public health departments and hospitals advance notice of a surge in cases.

Data about the quantum of the virus in wastewater will also be compared with records from the district health office about the number and location of positive tests in the area to prepare heat maps of high and low incidence areas. This could enable prompter preventive measures such as mass testing or targeted lockdowns to be taken in high-burden areas. Conversely, the data could also help provide an indication of a forthcoming decline in new cases which could inform policy decisions such as the easing of restrictions.

“Insights from sewage surveillance can help us get ahead of the virus and take more effective measures to curb new cases,” said Dr Imran Nisar, assistant professor at AKU and principal investigator of the study. “No one knows when this pandemic will end but new tools such as wastewater analysis can potentially make mitigation measures more effective.”

Researchers also plan to compare data about the number of vaccinations in the area against the volume of cases to understand the effectiveness of vaccine drives. In later phases of the project, researchers will conduct genetic sequencing of wastewater samples to determine whether new COVID-19 variants have arrived in the city. This could signal the need to ramp up prevention measures or consider changes in precautionary measures, treatments or vaccine roll-out plans.

“Lockdowns have enormous social and economic consequences,” said Dr Nisar. “Comparing data from our sewage surveillance study with clinical and epidemiological data from the community will enable us to halt the cycle of surges leading to lockdowns by enabling policymakers to take prompter, more effective decisions. Throughout the study, we’ll be working closely with the district health office to ensure timely use of data.”

Once researchers have assessed the feasibility of the system in Karachi, they hope to be able to scale up the program at the provincial and national level. The initiative has been funded by Program for Appropriate Technology in Health, USA and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USA.

KARACHI: Met office has forecast that partly cloudy weather is expected in most parts with chances of rain-wind/thundershower while gusty winds are expected in Kashmir, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan, Baluchistan and Sindh during the next 24 hours.

Heavy falls are also expected in Islamabad, Punjab, Kashmir and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa at isolated places during the period.

Past 24 Hour Weather

Rain-wind-thundershower occurred in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhuwa, Kashmir, Balochistan, Sindh and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Rainfall (mm): Punjab: Narowal 117, Noorpur Thal 98, Jhang 96, Bahawalpur (Airport 69, City 21), Toba Tek Singh 60, Islamabad (Golra 38, Zero Point 20, Bokra 14, Saidpur 07, Airport 01), Sialkot. (City 37, Airport 24), Hafizabad 36, Lahore (Airport 33, City 20), Rawalpindi (Chaklala 30, Shamsabad 17), Gujranwala, 27, Kasur 26, Chakwal 21, Joharabad 12, Gujarat 08, Faisal Abad 06, Mangla, Sargodha (City 04), Murree 03, Jhelum 02, Multan (Airport 01), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Balakot 49, Saidu Sharif 25, Malam Jabba 13, Bannu 12, Dir (Lower 07, Upper) 06), Kakul 07, Pattan 02, Peshawar, Chitral, Takht Bai 01,

Kashmir: Rawalakot 29, Muzaffarabad (City 22, Airport 19), Garhi Dupatta 12, Balochistan: Kalat 35, Sibbi 24, Zhob 16, Panjgur 10, Kohlu 08, Barkhan 05, Lasbella 02, Khuzdar 01Sindh: Mirpur Khas 29, Hyderabad 28, Karachi (Saadi Town 24, North Karachi 20, PAF Base (Faisal) 19, Gulshan Hadid, Sarjani 18, Qaidabad, Landhi 15, MOS 14, University Road 12, Nazimabad , Jinnah Terminal, PAF (Masroor) 11, Kemari 04), Chhor 14, Thatta 11, Tando Jam, Dadu 09, Mithi 07, Mohenjo Dharo 05, Badin 04, Larkana 02, Jacobabad 01, Gilgit Baltistan: Skardu 06, Astor 04, Bunji 02, Bagrote and Babu Sar recorded 01 mm of rain. Yesterday’s highest maximum Temperatures (°C): Nokkundi 47, Dalbandin, Jacobabad and Sibbi 46.

Karachi, July 13, 2021 (PPI-OT):As many as eight more patients of Coronavirus died overnight lifting the death toll to 5,621 and 1,201 new cases emerged when 16,262 tests were conducted. This was stated by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in a statement issued here on Tuesday. He added that eight more patients of COVID-19 lost their lives lifting the death toll to 5,621 that constituted 1.6 percent death rate. Mr. Syed Murad Ali Shah said that 16,262 samples were tested which detected 1,201 cases that constituted 7.4 percent current detection rate.

He added that so far 4,710,523 tests have been conducted against which 349,569 cases were diagnosed, of them 91 percent or 318,376 patients have recovered, including 535 overnight. The CM said that currently 25,572 patients were under treatment, of them 24,671 were in home isolation, 837 at different hospitals and 64 patients in Isolation Centres. He added that the condition of 783 patients was stated to be critical, including 61 shifted to ventilators. According to the statement, out of 1,201 new cases, 920 have been detected from Karachi.

According to the report Karachi East 273, South 237, Central 210, Korangi 134, Malir 134 and 20 West. Thatta has 35, Hyderabad 21, Sanghar 23, Umerkot 20, Kashmore 18, Dadu 14, Badin 13, Shaheed Benazirabab, Sujawal and Sukkur 11 each, Tharparkar and Mirpurkhas 10 each, Jacobabad nine, Jamshoro, Matiari and Tando Allahyar eight each, Tando Muhammad Khan seven, NausheroFeroze and Shikarpur six each, Ghotki and Larkana three each. The Chief Minister urged people of the province to follow SOPs.

For more information, contact:
Advisor to Governor (Higher Education and Media)
Sindh Governor House
Tel: +92-21-99201216-7, +92-21-99201201-3
Email: press@governorsindh.gov.pk
Website: www.governorsindh.gov.pk

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Islamabad, July 13, 2021 (PPI-OT):Deputy Speaker National Assembly Qasim Khan Suri has said that painting exhibition of our most beloved places of Medina and Mecca by renowned Ms. Rabia Zakir depicted the strong religious feelings of the Muslims and their attachment with the most sacred places of Medina and Mecca. He said that this work is an important contribution to revive the deep religious feelings especially in the hearts of our young generation.

He said that encouraging artists is our collective responsibility as they have an important role to play to promote soft image of the country .He expressed these views while addressing the inaugural ceremony of A painting Exhibition “The Spiritual journey” organized by renowned Artist Ms.Rabia Zakir at the Centaurus Mall Islamabad today.

He mentioned that this exhibition has reminded him his journey of Medina and Mecca. He said that the work of the Ms.Rabia Zakir would revive the memories and feelings attached with Medina and Mecca especially when many muslim brethrens and sisters cannot go to perform Hajj due to COVID-19. Mentioning the spiritual attachment of the artist he said that this work express her purity of ideas and love for these sacred places. He applauded the work of Ms.Rabia Zakar and appreciated the role of Centaurus management to support in this sacred cause.

Famous Artist Ms.Rabia Zakar and Management of the Centurus Mall expressed their gratitude Deputy Speaker National Assembly Qasim Khan Suri for his encouragement. The Centaurus management also presented a Model of the Centaurus Mall to Deputy Speaker NA.

For more information, contact:
Secretary,
National Assembly of Pakistan
Automation Centre, National Assembly Secretariat,
Parliament House, Islamabad, Pakistan
Tel: +92-51-9221082-83
Fax: +92-51-9221106
Email: assembly@na.gov.pk
Website: www.na.gov.pk

The post Our Artists’ work keep alive our Memories attached with sacred sites of Medina and Mecca: NA Deputy Speaker appeared first on Official News Pakistan.

Islamabad, July 13, 2021 (PPI-OT):Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to cooperative multilateralism to pursue shared goals of a more democratic, equitable, fair and just international order. He was virtually addressing the online Mid-term Ministerial Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement under the theme “Non-Aligned Movement at the centre of multilateral efforts in responding global challenges” today.

The Foreign Minister said it is tragic that the people of Palestine and Occupied Jammu and Kashmir are still waiting to exercise their right to self-determination for over seven decades now. He called upon NAM and the international community to secure a just, peaceful and expeditious resolution of these long-standing disputes in accordance with the resolutions of the UN Security Council and the aspirations of local people.

The Foreign Minister also proposed equitable and affordable supply of anti-Covid vaccines to everyone and everywhere to defeat the virus and overcome the challenges that flow from it. The Minister suggested to urgently mobilize the financial resources needed by developing countries to recover from the COVID-19 induced recession and to restore them on the path to achieve Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

For more information, contact:
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
Government of Pakistan
4th Floor, Cabinet Block, Pak. Secretariat, Islamabad, Pakistan
Tel: +92-51-9103557
Email: info@moib.gov.pk
Website: http://www.moib.gov.pk

The post Foreign Minister reaffirms Pakistan’s commitment to cooperative multilateralism appeared first on Official News Pakistan.