ML-1 project’s approval lauded

By Masood Sattar Khan

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Yao Jing, held a meeting with the Federal Minister for Railways, Shaikh Rashid Ahmed, and exchanged views on the implementation of the ML-1 upgrading project. 

Yao expressed appreciation to the Pakistani government for attaching great importance to the China-Pakistan relations and the implementation of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). 

He also lauded the Pakistani government's approval of the ML-1 upgrade project according to a communication of the Chinese Embassy, released in Islamabad on August 7. 

“The CPEC project is based on the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, and has been reached on the basis of full consultation and expert scientific demonstration by the relevant departments of the two countries,” he reckoned.

 Ambassador Yao Jing assured that China will continue to support Pakistan in the spirit of win-win cooperation and ultimate success of the project. 

The minister pointed out that the ML-1 upgradation was one of the most important projects in the history of the CPEC.

“Passing through the severe test of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the Pakistani government fully supports the construction of various projects under the auspices of the CPEC,” Shaikh Rashid remarked 

“The ML-1 project will bring about system reforms and upgrades Pakistan's railway network, provide around 150,000 local jobs besides bringing huge social and economic improvement. The Pakistani side will actively cooperate with the Chinese team and strive to cooperate and implement the project to ensure the timely completion,” he added.

Coronavirus Update: Static infection rate in Sindh

By Mukhtar Alam

(Pakistan News & Features Services) 

Sindh witnessing a gradual increase in its number of daily COVID-19 tests in recent days, with an almost static infection rate, reported 386 new cases on August 6, with five new related fatalities.

The designated COVID-19 laboratories tested 8,723 samples during the last 24 hours ending August 6 afternoon, in comparison to 4,536 of August 5, 3,922 of August 4, 4,484 of August 3 and 5,272 on August 2. 

Taking the doubling in the number of tests on August 6 as a good development, keen observers reckoned that the increase was expected following the Eid holidays. 

The encouraging thing is that Sindh’s daily infection rate remained consistent, ranging from 4 to 5% during the last couple of days, like that in other provinces, said an observer adding it will relatively be a phase of relief both for the health managers and the public in the province, if the trend of infection and deaths continued passively. 

Sindh’s COVID-19 fatality tally, meanwhile, has increased to 2,250 (1.8%) on August 6 but there are signs that it will fall down in the coming days.

The Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah, in his diseases related daily statement, shared that as many as 795,549 samples were tested since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the province, with a positivity rate of 15%. 

He disclosed that 5,991 patients were still receiving treatment at homes (5,653 patients), isolation centres (nine), and hospitals (329). The condition of 250 patients was stated to be critical, while 49 were put on ventilators as on August 6. 

The district-wise breakdown of new infection came as: Karachi (226), Umerkot (20), Sanghar (16), Badin (10), Shikarpur (10), Thatta (10), Hyderabad (7), Tando Mohammad Khan (7), Ghotki (6), Khairpur (6), Jamshoro (5), Mirpurkhas (4), Kambar Shahdadkot (4), Sujawal (4), Sukkur (4), Tando Allahyar (4), Shaheed Benazirabad (3) and Dadu (2). 

Of the 8,723 tests performed during the last 24 hours, 760 were found positive for COVID-19, including 386 new infections across the province. As many as nine laboratories did not perform any test. 

An official report said that 414 patients occupied the intensive care unit beds at different hospitals across the province on August 6. 

In the meantime, another report said that as of August 5, 71% of the patients (6,035), having died of COVID-19 in the country, had co-morbidity.

The co-morbidities death distribution remained as: Diabetes mellitus-23.9% (935), Hypertension-22.2% (866), both Diabetes mellitus and Hypertension-23% (896), Cardiovascular disease-9.93% (387), Malignancies-1.3% (51) and other diseases-19.6% (763).

Plea to observe National Plantation Day

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

A social welfare organization has appealed to the Government of Pakistan to observe National Plantation Day on August 18. 

Shahida Kausar Farooq, Honorary Chairperson of Subh-e-Nau, an environment and public health entity, has urged Prime Minister Imran Khan and his cabinet to approve the National Plantation Day in the larger national interest.

“The government can easily implement it to motivate and facilitate people through media and their tiger force,” she reckoned.

“Let me share how it all started. I had lobbied the campaign for several years and firstly we had suggested for August 14. But for some reasons this date was not agreed. Probably it was not meant to be done on the Independence Day,” Shahida Kausar recalled. 

“After deliberations it was approved for August 18 in 2005. The then Prime Minister, Shaukat Aziz, declared August 18 as the National Plantation Day and he himself started the campaign by planting a Kachnar tree at the Prime Minister house. He had also made a policy to plant only indigenous trees,” she added.

DS Multan inspects facilities, working at railway stations

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Divisional Superintendent Pakistan Railways, Multan Division, Shoaib Adil, started an inspection of various railway stations as part of his campaign launched to ensure safe train operation.

Accompanied by the departmental officials, the DS started his inspection journey from Kundian railway station and reached Alluwali Station while inspecting condition of tracks. 

At Alluwali station, he went round the station building and inspected commercial, traffic, signal and other sections. He made queries to staff members about their working. 

He later reached Piplan station and carried out similar exercise. He checked the working of Abdul Rahim, the points man and awarded him cash prize and commendation certificate in appreciation.

He left the station to check railway line’s golai number A-27 and level crossing 193 and made queries to gateman. 

He later arrived at Kalor Kot railway station and repeated the earlier exercise besides reviewing the staff working. 

He then inspected Panjgrain, Darya Khan, Bhakkar, Nautak, Bahail, Karore, Doratta stations and checked the buildings and awarded cash rewards and commendation certificates among efficient employees. 

During the inspection visit, the DS was accompanied by DCO Hameedullah Lashari, DME Rana IImran, DE Jamshed Ali, and Divisional Signal Engineer, Allah Ditta

ECNEC approves ML-1 project

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services) 

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Coordination (ECNEC) has approved the most important railway project, the ML-1 (Mainline 1). Upon completion it’s expected to bring about a revolution in the country's railway network. 

"Alhamdolillah the ECNEC has approved the transformational railway project,” Lt General Asif Saleem Bajwa, Chairman, China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority and Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information, tweeted on August 5. 

The approved project worth US$ 6.806 billion included Peshawar to Karachi 1,872 kilometers railway track and other auxiliary facilities. 

“The cost included Havelian Dry Port and upgradation of the Walton Academy,” he added in his twitter message.

Coronavirus Update: Sindh shares 46% of national infection tally

By Mukhtar Alam
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Sindh, with its increased number of daily infections, shared 46% of the national daily COVID-19 infection load on August 4 when authorities here confirmed 311 new cases, out of 3,922 tests, with five more related fatalities, during the last 24 hours.

Sindh’s overall infection rate came as 16% as its overall tally of infection was recorded 122,016 infections, while daily infection rate increased to 8% against 5% of the preceding day. 

The provincial infection number was 489 on July 31 as compared to 270 on August 1 which went down to 117 on August 2 and rose to 219 on August 3. 

As many as 10 of the COVID-19 laboratories did not perform at all, while another 15 laboratories, including DUHS Hospital (18 tests), CHK (72), AKUH (311, Indus (304), SIUT (30) and PCMD-KU (163), took up samples below the capacity. 

The Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah, sharing the disease’s status in his routine statement, briefed that as many as 6,517 patients were receiving treatment at homes (6,101), isolation centres (9), hospitals (407), while, among them, 356 were in critical condition of their health. As many as 57 patients were put on ventilators.

He said that the provincial COVID-19 fatality reached to 2,213, with the cases fatality rate at 1.8%, as five more patients succumbed to the diseases during the last 24 hours ending on August 4 afternoon.

However, he or the health department did not reveal the district-wise segregation, age, gender and hospitalization of the deceased persons.

As per an official report, of the two patients who died on August 3 in Sindh, one was living in Karachi while the other one resided in Dadu. About 65% of the new infection on August 4 was reported from Karachi.

The district-wise breakdown of new cases resulted showed as Karachi (201), Shaheed Benazirabad (12), Hyderabad (9), Sukkur (7), Ghotki (6), Sujawal (6), Sanghar (5), Thatta (5), Larkana (4), Dadu (3), Jamshoro (3), Kashmore (3) and Badin (2).

Jacobabad, Kambar Shadadkot, Matiari, Mirpurkhas, Tando Mohammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Tharparkar and Umerkot registered one case of COVID-19 each.

During the last 24 hours, Pakistan registered 675 new infections, with 15 new deaths, while the number of total tests conducted during the last 24 hours in the country was recorded as 11,915.

Government expected to decide reopening of COVID-19 negative sectors soon

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The federal government has started consultation process with stakeholders to review the possible reopening of those sectors, having been placed in the negative list during the COVID-19 pandemic, aligned to Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) and after the approval from the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC). 

"Started consultations at NCOC with provinces on review and possible revision of sectors (subject of SoPs) on negative list of opening up. These include tourism, restaurants, marriage halls, parks etc. Also reviewing the timing of markets and industries are allowed to operate, the Federal Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar tweeted on August 4. 

"We have collected the proposals and have asked the provinces to finalize the SoPs and method of enforcement" Hammad Azhar added. 

“These proposals would be submitted to the NOCC, headed by Prime Minister Imran Khan, to take final decision within a few days,” the Minister concluded. 

There have been indications, following the flattening of graph relating to fatalities and infection caused by coronavirus (COVID-19), that the government would be reopening the ‘closed’ sectors sometime later this month.

Coronavirus Update: Situation apparently under control

By Mukhtar Alam
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Sindh, by the look of things, witnessed a majority of the COVID-19 indicators in control for the third day running on August 3 as the authorities in the government confirmed registration of 219 new infections, out of 4,484 samples, with two more related deaths, during the last 24 hours across the province.

Relevant data suggested that COVID-19 testing laboratories collectively performed only 30% of their given testing capacity (14,920 tests) during the last 24 hours ending August 3 afternoon, like preceding days, probably in the wake of Eid holidays. 

As many as 12 laboratories examined no samples. Earlier, as per the official data, 20 of the 27 COVID-19 laboratories, including 16 at Karachi, among others, did not conduct any test during the last 24 hours ending on August 2 morning. 

In all 5,272 samples were tested by different laboratories across the province, out of which 276 were found positive for the virus, including those of the new patients. 

The Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah, in his routine statement on the disease’s status, said that as many as 111,249 patients had recovered from COVID-19 by August 3, there remained 9,230 active patients, including 7,772 at homes, nine at isolation centres, 449 at hospitals, including 365 in critical conditions, while 64 patients were put on ventilators.

Karachi, as usual, reported the maximum number of 95 new cases (about 43% of the total new cases), followed by Kashmore (17), Ghotki (15), Shaheed Benazirabad (12), Shikarpur (10), Umerkot (7), Hyderabad (5), Larkana (5), Naushero Feroze (5), Sukkur (5), Tando Allahyar (4), Khairpur (3), Dadu (3), Mirpurkhas (3), Kambar Shadadkot (2), Matiari (2), Sngahr (2), Sujawal (2), Jacobabad (1), Tando Mohammad Khan (1), Thatta (1) and Badin (1).

Sindh's daily infection rate came as 5%, against its overall rate of 16%, while the total number of fatalities due to the virus reached to 2,226 for the province.

Dr Zafar Mirza lauded for COVID-19 services

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Federal Minister for Planning and Development, Asad Umar, has lauded the services of Dr Zafar Mirza, the outgoing Special Assistant to Prime Minister, for his services in dealing with the COVID-19 response, after having recognized him at the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) in Islamabad on August 3. 

"I invited Dr Zafar Mirza to the NCOC to recognize his contributions to the national COVID-19 response in the last several months,” Asad Umar tweeted. 

He expressed his gratitude to Dr Zafar Mirza for the support he had rendered to the government and wished him the best of luck for his future. On the occasion a shield was also presented to him in recognition of his services.

Coronavirus Update: Low testing in Eid holidays

By Mukhtar Alam
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

While a majority of COVID-19 testing laboratories did not report any new case during the last 24 hours across the province, Sindh registered substantially low infection cases on August 2 when the authorities in the government confirmed a total 177 new cases in the province, with only one related fatality.

The official data revealed that 20 of the 27 COVID-19 laboratories, including 16 at Karachi, among others, did not conduct any test during the last 24 hours ending on the morning of August 2. 

Those who did not perform any COVID-19 tests at Karachi included Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, DUHS Hospital, Civil Hospital, JPMC, PNS Shifa, SIUT, Hashmanis lab and others. 

In all 5272 samples were tested by different laboratories across the province, against an allocated total capacity of 14920, out of which 276 were found positive for the lethal virus, including those of the new patients. 

The LUMHS Hyderabad laboratory conducted the maximum 4056 tested, out of which only 130 (3%) were confirmed new COVID-19 new cases, which gave to understand that the districts reporting to the lab were having the daily infections in negligible sizes.

Karachi reported the maximum 29 (16% of the total new cases), followed by Ghotki (16), Sukkur (15), Shikarpur (13), Tando Allahyar (12), Shaheed Benazirabad (11), Mirpurkhas (10), Jacobabad (8), Matiari (8), Umerkot (8), Hydrabad (7), Khairpur (6), Naushero Feroze (6), Dadu (3), Tando Mohammad Khan (3) and Sanghar (3).

The Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah, in his daily COVID-19 statement, shared that as many as 8,256 patients were receiving treatment at homes (7,791), isolation centres (12) and hospitals (453), out of which 369 were undergoing the critical phase, while 64 of them were put on ventilators.

With the solitary death, the tally of COVID-19 fatalities reached to 2,224 for Sindh, while the overall number of people infected in the province increased to 121,486, with the infection rate of 16%.