Pakistan largest recipient of Chinese investment in FY20

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Pakistan happened to the largest recipient of Chinese investment in the financial year ’20, it emerged on July 28. 

China had invested an amount of USD 855.6 million in a period of 11 months of FY20, according to the details revealed by a Chinese website. 

These investments mainly poured in the power sector under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the website further disclosed. 

Meanwhile, the Pakistan government has decided to invite international tenders for Sukkur-Hyderabad motorway (M-6), a critical part of CPEC. 

The tenders are expected to be floated on July 31, the website reported, having quoted the Chairman of the National Highway Authority (NHA), Captain (rtd) Sikandar Qayyum.

Railways recover occupied land in Multan

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The divisional authorities of Pakistan Railways have recovered land having been occupied by the mafia and grabbers in Multan upon the directives of the Divisional Superintendent, Shoaib Adil, 

In a crackdown, launched by the divisional officials, the railway land worth Rs 130 million has been recovered during the last couple of months. 

DS Shoaib Adil has appreciated the success achieved in recovering the railway land from mafia and directed that the campaign should continue unabated. 

Meanwhile, upon his initiatives, another crackdown was underway against people crossing the tracks illegally as part of the ongoing drive for ensuring safe railway operation. 

In this regard, on his instructions, warning boards have been installed at vantage points asking the trespassers to avoid crossing the railway line illegally or otherwise they will be arrested.

Acting on DS directives, the Khanewal Railway Police arrested accused Muhammed Atif while crossing the track on his motorcycle illegally at gate No 215 on the occasion of arrival of Sir Syed Express.

Another motorcyclist was apprehended at the same gate while illegally crossing the line oon the occasion of arrival of Millat Express.

Meanwhile on DS directive, the Divisional Engineer Abid Razaq completed the inspection of railway track from Multan to Mian Chunnoo.

During inspection he observed the working of gang men, level crossings and the bridges falling on this section.

He also inspected various railway colonies and issued necessary instructions to field staff besides listening to problems of various railway employees and issuing directives for their solution.

DS Shoaib Adil has strictly asked the divisional officials to go into the field instead of sitting at their offices so that the railway journey could be made safer.

Coronavirus Update: Home isolation preferred

By Mukhtar Alam
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Only 6% of the COVID-19 active patients were admitted in hospitals of Sindh on July 27 when authorities in the government registered another 513 new cases, with 11 new deaths, across the province during the last 24 hours.

The provincial data suggested that the burden of COVID-19 patients had significantly decreased from hospitals, while 94% of the infected cases were receiving treatment in home-isolation. 

During a period from July 21-27, 4-6% of the entire COVID-19 patients were admitted in about 50 designated government and private hospitals across the province. 

According to the provincial government’s report, as of July 25, a total of 5,323 patients were admitted at the hospitals, out of which 3,071 could be cured and 631 (12%) were still receiving treatment, while 1,621 (30%) lost their lives. 

The Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah, in his routine statement on July 27, shared that there were 8,182 active COVID-19 cases in the province, out of which 7,655 were in isolation at homes, while six were in the government designated isolation centres and 521 were hospitalized with as many as 67 were put on ventilators.

He said that with the latest registration of positive cases the overall number of infections in the province had reached to 118,824 (17%), while the fatality tally came as 2,162 (CFR= 1.8%). A total of 8,742 samples were tested, with a positivity rate of six percent.

However, details of deceased persons’ hospitalization and districts they lived in were neither provided by the Chief Minister nor the provincial health department.

According to a Sindh government report, updated on July 27, of the 412 intensive care unit beds, including 321 in Karachi, 175 were occupied, while only 21% of the high dependency unit beds (1,105) were utilized.

During the last 24 hours, ending on July 27 morning, Karachi reported the maximum of 138 (27%) new cases, followed by Shikarpur (32), Ghotki (31), Hyderabad (26), Sukkur (26), Shaheed Benazirabad (23), Khairpur (20), Badin (19), Kashmore (19), Mirpurkhas (17), Larkana (14), Jamshoro (14), Naushero Feroze (13), Sanghar (13), Umerkot (10), Tando Mohammad Khan (8), Dadu (7), Kambar Shahdadkot (6), Jacobabad (5), Sujawal (4), Matiari (3), Tando Allahyar (3) and Thatta (2).

In the meantime, officers of the Sindh health and population welfare departments, along with officials and employees of the Sindh Emergency Operation Centre for Polio and Sindh Police department undertook activities aimed at creating awareness around childhood diseases, COVID-19 prevention. They distributed literature and facemasks in different localities in the South district of Karachi.

Railways organize seminar on safe train operation in Multan

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Divisional Superintendent, Pakistan Railways Multan Division, Shoaib Adil, chaired the second seminar on safe train operation focussing on prevention of accidents.

Attended by Station Masters, Traffic Inspectors, Permanent Way Inspectors, Train Examiners and representatives of Railway Police, the DS underlined the importance of prevention of any accident and exhorted that everyone will have to walk together to achieve this most critical objective.

In this regard, he said that a vigil watch will have to be kept by all the officers and employees, including signal staff, engineering department, transport personnel and those who are posted at railway crossings which would help avoid occurrence of accidents.

The biggest challenge, he reckoned, was illegally crossing of the tracks as well as trespassers and it needed a sharp crackdown against those unlawfully crossing the railway line or walking on or around the railway line.

“At the same time train drivers too have a vital responsibility to prevent accidents because thousands of valued passengers they are carrying,” Shoaib Adil stressed.

The Divisional Transportation Officer (DTO), Hameed Lashari, advised loco drivers, station masters, traffic inspectors, PWI, TXR, railway police to pay special attention on track maintenance, coaches and wagons and, most importantly, the passengers.

"If we give full attention to tracks maintenance then it is possible to avoid accidents besides focusing on level crossings while strictly adhering to the railway rules and safety,” he explained.

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy DS, Saima Bashir, cautioned that there was no room for any error any more.

She remarked that it was the second safety interactive workshop while such workshops will be organized every week.

The Deputy DS urged upon all the railway employees to perform their duty honestly, diligently and dedication. 

Divisional Engineers, Mohammad Jamshed Ali and Nasir Hanif, also spoke to sensitize participants and highlighted the importance of the role of each category of Railway employee in ensuring safety.