Day: January 21, 2022

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More tests detect 21 Omicron variant, 3,467 COVID cases in Sindh

KARACHI:Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that 21 more cases of Omicron variant emerged when 24 samples were tested lifting the tally to 521 and 3,467 new cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed through 15,412 tests and three more patients died lifting the death toll to 7,730.

Omicron: The chief minister sharing the omicron cases report said that during the last two days 24 tests were conducted which detected 21 new cases lifting the number of Omicron variant cases detected in the province so far to 521.

COVID-19: Giving details of COVID-19 situation, as many as three more patients of Coronavirus died overnight lifting the death toll to 7,730 and 3,467 new cases emerged when 15,412 tests were conducted, that came to 7 percent current detection rate.

He said that so far 7,435,098 tests have been conducted against which 518,330 cases were diagnosed, of them 91.5 percent or 474,127 patients have recovered, including 787 overnight. The CM said that currently 36,473 patients were under treatment, of them 36,051were in home isolation, 26 at isolation centers and 396 at different hospitals. He added that the condition of 339 patients was stated to be critical, including 18 shifted to ventilators.

According to the statement, out of 3,467 new cases, 2,884 have been detected from Karachi, including 1,090 from East, 698 South, 428 Central, 297 Korangi, 204 Malir and 167 West. While in other districts Hyderabad has 269, Shaheed Benazirabad 41, Dadu 40, Sukkur 32, Ghotki and Jamshoro 22 each, Badin 21, Naushero Feroze 20, Tharparkar 13, Jacobabad 12, Sujawal 11, Larkana, Matiari, Shikarpur and Tando Allahyar 10 each, Kashmore nine, Mirpurkhas five, Qamber, Khairpur and Sanghar one each.

Vaccination: Sharing vaccination data the CM said that 32,699,678 vaccinations have been administered upto January 19th and added during the last 24 hours 206,722 vaccines were inoculated – in total 32,906,400 vaccines have administered which constituted 59.36 percent of the vaccine eligible population. The chief minister urged people of the province to follow SOPs.

Vaccination Campaign: Health Secretary Zulfiqar Shah told Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, that National Command and Operations Center (NCOC) has acknowledged the successful COVID vaccination Campaign of Sindh Government. Secretary said that during the last seven days, an average of 250,000 vaccines have been administered daily in Sindh while 30,000 doses have been administered in Educational Institutions.

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Pakistan, Iraq sign MoU to promote bilateral tourism

ISLAMABAD:Pakistan and the Republic of Iraq have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the Field of Tourism in Baghdad on 19 January 2022.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday, the MoU was signed by Iraq’s Minister for Culture, Tourism and Antiquities and the Ambassador of Pakistan to the Republic of Iraq. The MoU will promote and facilitate cooperation and collaboration in the field of tourism between the two brotherly countries.

This will also help reinforce people-to-people linkages between Pakistan and Iraq. Pakistan is also engaging actively with the Iraqi side for facilitation of Pakistani Zaireen to Iraq. The signing of the MoU is another manifestation of the efforts of both countries to strengthen and diversify bilateral collaboration across diverse fields.

It may be recalled that bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Iraq received significant boost with a number of Ministerial level visits exchanged last year, in particular the visit of Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, which was reciprocated by Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein. Pakistan remains committed to deepening and broadening its fraternal ties with the Republic of Iraq.

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President Alvi calls for further facilitating cross-border trade with neighbouring countries

ISLAMABAD:President Dr Arif Alvi has called for further facilitating cross-border trade with neighbouring countries to boost exports as well as provide employment opportunities to the people living near the border areas of Balochistan.

He asked the relevant stakeholders to fully equip the existing border stations by upgrading the road infrastructure, providing telecommunication facilities and establishing banking channels at crossing points to enhance border trade and bring prosperity to the remote areas of Balochistan.

The President gave these directions while chairing a follow-up meeting on border and trade management in Balochistan, in Gwadar, today. The meeting was attended by the Advisor to Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment, Mr Abdul Razak Dawood, Governor Balochistan, Syed Zahoor Ahmad Agha, Chief Minister Balochistan, Mr Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, Commander XII Corps, Lt General Sarfraz Ali, Commander Coast of Pakistan Navy, Rear Admiral Javaid Iqbal, Commander West of Pakistan Navy, Rear Admiral Jawad Ahmed, Chairman FBR, Dr Muhammad Ashfaq Ahmed, Chairman CPEC Authority, Mr Khalid Mansoor, Chairman OGRA, Mr Masroor Khan, and Chief Secretary Balochistan, Mr Mather Niaz Rana, and senior officials of the Government.

The meeting was updated on the status of various issues raised by the Government of Balochistan in a meeting held on 3rd January 2022, at Aiwan-e-Sadr, Islamabad. The meeting was informed about the border trade issues and illegal fishing in the coastal areas of Gwadar.

It was highlighted that necessary groundwork for the provision of basic necessities to the residents of Gwadar would be completed within 06 months. Chairman CPEC Authority apprised that the project for the provision of 1.2 million gallons per day (MGD) of water to the people of Gwadar would be completed within 06 months.

The meeting was also briefed about the progress on the development of Gwadar Airport and the hospital. In order to encourage and facilitate foreign investors, the meeting was told that the process of the issuance of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to foreign investors had been streamlined that would now be issued in four weeks. Chairman OGRA apprised the participants that the top ten Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), possessing storage facilities in Balochistan and having valid licenses, had been directed to establish two additional petrol pumps in each district of the province to meet the fuel requirements of the province.

The meeting lauded the Government’s decision to reduce the number of security check posts in Balochistan. Addressing the meeting, the President highlighted that the issues being faced by the traders belonging to border areas of Balochistan should be addressed on a priority basis. He welcomed the State Bank of Pakistan’s decision of directing banks to establish banking channels at border trading points.

He underlined the need for the skill development of the youth of Balochistan enabling them to fully benefit from the employment opportunities in Gwadar. The President reiterated the Government’s commitment to address the sense of deprivation of Balochistan and bring it at par with other provinces of the country. The Governor and Chief Minister of Balochistan deeply thanked the President for taking a keen interest in the development of the province as well as resolving the issues being faced by its people.

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Two die, four faint due to gas leak

Narowal:Two people were killed while four others lost their consciousness in a surrounding village of Narowal after the room they were sleeping in was filled with the gas emitting from the burning coals in the wee hours of Friday.

According to reports, all six of them, who were members of the same family and lived in Pindi Mana village, had ignited coals to keep themselves warm in extreme cold, but the gas being released into the air turned out to be life-taking. The dead also included the sole breadwinner of the family and a little girl.

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Pak Army committed to eradicate terrorism from country: COAS

RAWALPINDI:Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa said on Friday that Pakistan Army is committed to eradicate terrorism from the country and complete peace will be restored in Pakistan.

According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa visited Corps Headquarters Peshawar on Friday. During the visit, the COAS was given detailed briefing on prevailing security situation, progress on development works in newly merged districts and Pak-Afghan border fencing.

Paying tribute to brave tribesmen, officers and soldiers of Pak Army, FC, Levies, Khasadar, and Police, Gen Bajwa vowed that sacrifices of martyrs will not go in vain and complete peace will return to Pakistan. He appreciated security forces for providing enabling environment for the completion of socio-economic development projects in the newly merged districts, vital for enduring stability and sustainable progress of the area. Earlier, on arrival at Corps Headquarters, COAS was received by Commander Peshawar Corps Lieutenant General Faiz Hamid.

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Pakistan reports more 23 deaths due to Covid

KARACHI:Pakistan on Friday reported 23 deaths due to Covid and 7,678 new cases in the last 24 hours while the number of positive cases surged to 1,353,479. The nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 29,065 on Friday.

According to the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC), 7,678persons tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. So far, 516,874 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Sindh, 458,879 in Punjab, 183,403 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 115,047 in Islamabad, 34,997 in Azad Kashmir, 33,812 in Balochistan and 10,467 in Gilgit-Baltistan. Pakistan has so far conducted 24,415,716 coronavirus tests and 59,343 in the last 24 hours. 1,265,665 patients have recovered in the country whereas 961 patients are in critical condition.

So far, 102,975,552 people have received their first dose of coronavirus vaccine including 286,593 in last 24 hours. 78,860,543citizens have been fully vaccinated while 470,601 received their second dose in last 24 hours. The number of total administered doses has reached to 170,711,868 with 786,027 in the last 24 hours.

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Martin Dow Marker joins hands with DVAGO

KARACHI:Pakistan’s leading pharmaceutical company Martin Dow Marker Ltd. (MDM) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a leading pharmacy chain of Pakistan, DVAGO, here Friday, for Joint Patient Awareness, Access and Care (JPAAC) Program.

The purpose behind this strategic collaboration is to increase patients’ awareness on disease and dosage compliance and the dissemination of reliable information to cater to the health issues of the public. To achieve this objective both companies agreed on organizing and facilitating pharmacist training programs, pharmacy management skills trainings and educational awareness sessions to improve their capabilities in counseling the patients and to improve the access of medicines to the public. The collaboration will also aid Martin Dow Marker in providing greater access to authentic medication via DVAGO’s E-Commerce platform to patients from the comfort of their home, so they stay safe during the pandemic.

Speaking on the occasion Group Director Business Growth and Strategy, Martin Dow, Dr. Anum Akhai said, “We are consistently working towards patient safety and awareness with leading pharmacy chains amid covid-19 and the rising spread of the new variant omicron with an ultimate aim to serve the masses aptly.”

While also talking at the occasion Chief Commercial Officer – Pharma and Trade, Nouman Lateef and Head of Trade Marketing, Sheraz Ahmad, expressed their views that this is just the biggening of collaboration with DVAGO and more initiatives will continue for greater good of patients and quality health service for the entire country.