Day: July 14, 2021

YAROO: Collectorate of Customs Balochistan claimed to have foiled the bid of smuggling by seizing 110 kilogram high quality Hashish in an operation conducted at Yaroon Check post of customs on Wednesday.

According to a statement issued by the media cell of Collectorate of Customs, Balochistan, staff of customs seized 110 kilogram high quality of Hashish from the cavities of a truck in an operation conducted in Yaroo check post of District Pishin. Operation was conducted by Additional Collector, Yasir Wahab Kulur, Deputy Collector, Akbar jan and Deputy Collector, Malik Muhammad Ahmed on the directives of Gul Rehman, Chief Collector, Collectorate of Customs, Balochistan.

KARACHI: Sindh chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, keeping in view the new highs of the coronavirus in the province, particularly in the Karachi, Wednesday decided to close all recreational places, including indoor dining and sports activities and schools from class one to 9th, and warned to take more strict actions if the SOPs were followed in true letter and spirit.

He took these decisions while presiding over a meeting of the Provincial Task

Force on Coronavirus here at CM House. The meeting was attended by Provincial Ministers, Nasir Shah, Ikram Dharejo, Advisor Law Murtaza Wahab, Parliamentary secretary Health Qasim Siraj Soomro, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, IG Police Mushtaq Maher, PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro, ACS Home Qazi Shahid Parvez, Commissioner Karachi Naveed Shaikh, Secretary Finance Hassan Naqvi, Secretary School Education Ahmed Bux Narejo, Secretary Health Kazim Jatoi, VC Dow University Prof. Saeed Qureshi, Dr Qaiser, Dr Sara of WHO, representatives of Corps -5 and Rangers and other concerned.

The chief minister was told that overall detection ratio of COVID-19 has reached 7.4 percent in the province and in Karachi it has been recorded at 17.11 percent on July 13. At this the chief minister said that on July 7 the detection rate of the city was 11.98 percent and within seven days it reached 17.11 percent on July 13. “The situation is going from bad to worse and would turn worse if necessary, measures are not taken,” he said.

Secretary Health Kazim Jatoi told the chief minister that 365 cases of six types of Coronavirus have been detected in the province, of them 95 of UK variant, 162 of South Africa, 29 Brazilian, 66 Indian, three P.1(501Y.V.3) and one Wild type upto July 12, 2021.

It was pointed out that in July 143 patients of COVID-19 have died, of them 98 or 69 percent on ventilators, 29 or 20 percent off vent and 16 or 11 percent at home.

The meeting was told that in the first wave starting from March 1, 2020 Sindh had a peak of 3038 cases, the peak of the second wave was 1983, the third wave had a peak of 2,076 cases and the fourth on-going wave has so far shown a peak of 1210 cases.

Decisions: Keeping in view the situation of the virus the chief minister decided to close indoor dining, schools from class- One to eights, all recreational places, including water parks, sea view, Hawks bay, Keenjhar, swimming pools, Cinemas and indoor gyms from Monday. However, the schools where examinations were in progress would function as per their routine.

The chief minister said that on next Monday he would review the situation once again and may take more strict measures, if SOPs are not followed.

Vaccination: The chief minister was told that 5,870,997 doses of COVID vaccine have been received, of them 4,465,908 have been utilized. Shah urged the health department to accelerate its vaccination drive.

KARACHI: Met office has forecast that on Wednesday, more rain-wind/thundershower is expected in Kashmir, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan, Balochistan and Sindh. Heavy falls are also expected in Punjab, Kashmir and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa at scattered places during the period.

Thursday Weather

More rain-wind/thundershower is expected in Kashmir, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan, Balochistan and Sindh. Heavy falls are also expected in south Punjab, lower Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, upper Sindh and northeast Balochistan at scattered 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: Mangla 99, Chakwal 86, Sargodha 57, Joharabad 52, Mandi Bahauddin 51, Jhelum 43, Layyah 41, Bhakkar 36, Kotaddu 28, Rawalpindi (Chaklala 16, Shamsabad 08), Gujrat 14, Attock 12, Islamabad (Golra 09, Saidpur 06, AP, ZP 04, Bokra 01), Murree 08, Narowal, Jhang 07, Noorpurthal 05, Lahore, Sialkot 04, Kashmir: Kotli 35, Rawalakot 16, Garidupatta 11,

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: DI Khan (AP 23, City 15), Parchinar 10, Kalam 08, Saidu Sharif 07, Kakul 05, Lower Dir, Takh bai 04, Balochistan: Turbat 18, Gilgit Baltistan: Bagrote 08, Sindh: Thatta 06, Chhor 04.

Yesterday’s highest maximum temperatures (°C): Nokkundi 46, Dalbandin 43.

ISLAMABAD: Leader of the House in the Senate Dr Shahzad Waseem called on Prime Minister Imran Khan here on Wednesday and discussed matters pertaining to legislation.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that development of tribal districts is the foremost priority of the government.

He made the remarks whilst chairing a meeting here on Wednesday which reviewed the ongoing development schemes of tribal districts.

He said the people of these areas rendered immense sacrifices for the country. He said we highly regard these sacrifices. He asked the provinces to contribute as per the promise for the fast track development of the districts merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The meeting was informed that a budget of about 130 billion rupees have been earmarked this fiscal year for the merged districts. It was informed that the federation is fully abiding by the promises made with the people of erstwhile FATA for the development of their areas.

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar has said a major milestone in the energy transition in Pakistan is the new Renewable Energy Policy approved by Council of Common Interest (CCI).

Talking to the German Ambassador to Pakistan Bernhard Schlangheck here on Wednesday, the Minister said the policy is aimed at incorporating a substantial shift in the power generation capacity to Renewable Energy sources, moving from current 6 per cent to 20 per cent by 2025 and 30 per cent by 2030.

He said our aim is to further improve the Transmission and Distribution System to cater for the need of the generation capacity.

The German Ambassador expressed the commitment to further cement the existing cooperation between the two Countries in the energy sector.

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Climate Change, Zartaj Gul Wazir has lauded the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for taking steps for controlling and tackling the impacts of climate change.

Addressing a news conference in Peshawar on Wednesday, she said the mega project of the Billion Tree Tsunami project of the PTI government is yielding unbelievable positive results across the country particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

She said the world is also acknowledging the serious efforts of Pakistan to climate change. Zartaj Gul said the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit service of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is a successful and environment friendly project.

She said the project has helped in reducing thirty-one thousand tons of pollution in Peshawar besides creating about three-thousand job opportunities for the youth.