Moen-jo-Daro Express resumes with major modifications

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Pakistan Railways resumed the operation of 213 Up Moen-jo-Daro Express from the City Station Karachi with major modifications on August 17. 

Prior to suspension of train operation almost 5 months back due to COVID-19, it was running between Kotri and Rohri via Sehwan, Dadu, Larkana, Shikarpur and Sukkur. 

The Moen-jo-Daro  restored Express will now operate between Karachi and Multan on ML-I path from Karachi to Kotri and ML-II path from Kotri to Multan enroute Dadu, Larkana, Jacobabad, Rajanpur, D G Khan and Muzaffargarh. 

The train having departed from the City Station Karachi comprised of seven economy class coaches with a cumulative seating capacity of 616 passengers.

According to railway sources the extension in initial and final stations of train will be enormously beneficial for the laborers and workers from interior Sindh and Southern Punjab employed in Karachi as it provided them with the cheapest option for journey between their native places and Karachi.

While talking to media on the occasion, the Divisional Superintendent Railways Karachi, Arshad Salam Khattak, said that Moen-jo-Daro Express was not a new train but its route has been elongated primarily as a public facilitation step.

"Though the train will take almost 24 hours between Karachi and Multan but it offers the cheapest possible fare of Rs 920 per berth for a journey of approximately 1000 kilometers,” Arshad Khattak remarked.

Chinese Foreign Minister visits Tibet

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi has stated that given the new period of major changes rarely seen in a century and the complicated influence brought by the global coronavirus pandemic, the diplomatic front will work with people in Tibet to ensure regional stability, China's national security and support Tibet's opening-up and cooperation with the outside world, economic and social development.

Wang Yi gave the assurance when he visited Tibet. His trip came against the backdrop of China-India border clash in the Galwan Valley in June, according to a newspaper report quoting Tibet Daily. 

The Chinese Foreign Minister was reported to have met Wu Yingjie, Tibet's Party secretary, and Qizhala, chairman of Tibet regional government besides other local officials. 

Wang said that the security and stability of the region is important to the overall development of China. 

He mentioned the current international situation and China's diplomatic work saying that Tibet has made great achievements regarding economic development, stabilizing and developing border areas, joining external cooperation and participating in projects under the Belt and Road initiative. 

Wang also visited the border area to learn about the situation of poverty alleviation, infrastructure building and the construction of villages. 

The Foreign Minister has been conducting special research trips to several Chinese regions from time to time. In February 2019, he had visited the China-Myanmar border in Southwest China's Yunnan province while in August 2019, he undertook a visit of Southwest China's Chongqing municipality to review the progress on Belt and Road Initiative.

Double-decker bus service launched in twin cities on trial

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

In an effort to promote tourism and attract the foreigners in particular to visit tourist attractions spots, double-decker bus service between twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad has been launched on trial basis. 

They are presently having capacity for 40 passengers with proposed fare of PKR 400 for a tourist. 

However, children less than five years and special persons can joy ride free to visit historical and tourist attractions in twin cities. The regular bus service is expected at the end of current month. 

It’s being deemed as an encouraging sign for the revival of tourism in the country as the government has chalked out elaborate plans to rope in more foreigners for visiting Pakistan.

Coronavirus Update: Sindh’s infection remains higher than national average

By Mukhtar Alam
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Sindh’s daily and overall COVID-19 infection rates remained above the country’s rates on August 16 when authorities in the provincial government confirmed registration of 278 more cases and five new related deaths during the last 24 hours across the province.

Sindh showed a daily COVID-19 infection rate of three percent, with an overall infection rate of 14% on August 16, which was two percent less than what was recorded on August 1. 

Pakistan’s daily infection rate remained about 2%, with an overall infection rate of 13%, which meant the province was yet to go a long way of precautionary measures surveillance and treatment, commented a keen observer. 

According to an official report, Sindh’s COVID-19 samplings reduced by 40% of its total capacity of conducting 14,940 tests daily. 

Of the 28 laboratories across the province, 16 conducted tests and detected a total 386 positive cases, including 278 new cases. 

The Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah, in his routine COVID-19 statement, shared that the number of patients having recovered from the diseases had reached to 119,572, including 147 of August 16. 

He further said that there were still 4,288 active patients of COVID-19 in the province, out of which 3,888 were isolated in homes and eight isolation centres, while 392 were admitted to hospitals, with 216 being critically ill.

Karachi registered 144 (52%) of the new cases, followed by Sujawal (12), Matiari (11), Khairpur (10), Umerkot (10), Shikarpur (9), Tando Allahyar (9), Hyderabad (7), Sukkur (6), Thatta (6), Jacobabad (5), Badin (5), Kambar Shadadkot (5), Larkana (4), Sanghar (4), Jamshoro (3), Tando Mohammad Khan (3), Mirpurkhas (3), Ghotki (2) and Naushero Feroze (2).

The province in all tested 9,044 samples during the last 24 hours ending on August 16 afternoon, pushing the tally of samples tested so far to 891,530 for Sindh.

The Chief Minister’s confirmed five new deaths, without giving details of hospitals, districts, gender and age of the deceased people.

A total 2,322 COVID-19 fatalities have been recorded in Sindh, against the national figure of 6,175 deaths. According to an official report, four deaths took place in Sindh on August 15 and all the deceased belonged to Karachi, with no one in home isolation. In all 23 patients died at home during August across the country.