Coronavirus Update: Sindh still unstable

By Mukhtar Alam
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Sindh registered 177 more new COVID-19 infections, with four related deaths, against Pakistan’s overall 670 new cases and six deaths on August 15.

The Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah, in his COVID-19 statement on August 15, shared that 400 virus infected persons recovered from the diseases during the last 24 hours while the number of active patients stood 4,162, including 3,766 at homes and 388 at hospitals. 

Sindh had 254 patients in critical condition, 36 of which were put on ventilators, according to the statement. 

Keen observers noted that Sindh was yet to witness any stable COVID-19 status. 

It had far too many ups and downs, which needs to be overcome now in order to give confidence to the masses. 

The province’s virus-related deaths had reduced to one on August 2, which, after many ups and down, was 4 which meant 67% of the country’s total deaths, on August 15.

Similarly, it registered the lowest number of infections during August, 177 on August 2, but failed to retain the down pattern in the following days.

Almost half of the designated COVID-19 laboratories did not perform any test during the last 24 hours, according to an official report updated on August 15.

However, LUMHS Hyderabad conducted the maximum of 5,401 tests, against its maximum capacity of 5,000 per day. It was followed by Indus Karachi Hospital which conducted 1,661 tests against its capacity of 4,000 daily.

On August 15, Karachi reported 117 positive cases (43% of the total new cases), followed by Khairpur (20), Kashmore (19), Hyderabad (18), Thatta (15), Ghotki (7), Jacobabad (5), Sujawal (5), Shikarpur (5), Tando Mohammad Khan (4), Badin (3), Jamshoro (3), Mirpurkhas (3), Naushero Feroze (3), Sanghar (3), Sukkur (3), Tando Allahyar (3), Larkana (2), Kambar Shahdadkot (1), Matiari (1), Shaheed Benazirabad (1) and Umerkot (1).

Same day four patients died in the province, taking the death tally to 2317, but details about their hospitalization, age and gender and the district they belonged to were not revealed in the Chief Minister’s statement.

On August 14, six COVID-19 patients died in Sindh, including four at Karachi one each at Badin and a Larkana. The person who died in Larkana was a COVID-19 infected doctor.

So far, 54 doctors, one medical student, two nurses and 21 paramedical staff have lost their lives due to the infection in the country. According to an official report, only 134 ventilators, out of 1334 dedicated for COVID-19 patients across the country, were being utilized on August 14.

Earlier, 10 deaths registered in Sindh on August 13 occurred among patients belonging to Karachi, including three those at homes, according the report.

Gwadar termed as jewel in CPEC crown

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Pakistan’s newly appointed Ambassador to China, Moin-ul-Haque, in an interview, remarked that the Pak-China cooperation in hydro projects would promote the socio-economic development of Pakistan. 

The Ambassador rejected the debt-trap conspiracy theories linked to Pak-China projects and said the socio-economic dividends of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would help Pakistan to reduce reliance on external borrowing. 

Terming the Gwadar port a jewel in the crown of CPEC, the Ambassador, while talking to the Chinese media on the Independence Day of Pakistan, pointed out that both sides have ensured having prioritized the development of Gwadar port. 

Enhanced bilateral cooperation in agriculture will also help Pakistan to enhance food security, he added 

“On the economic side, these projects would also contribute to job creation, skills development and transfer of technology. Their hydroelectric component would help instigate climate change efforts, lower the overall cost of electricity thus enhancing Pakistan’s overall economic competitiveness,” the Ambassador explained.

NBP pledges soft loans under PM housing scheme

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), which recently won a couple of prestigious Asian awards, has announced providing soft loans to the general public under the Prime Minister’s housing scheme, in order to let people build their own houses. 

The NBP President, Arif Usmani, during his speech on the Independence Day, hailed the PM housing initiative as a revolutionary programme which would improve the living standard of the common man and besides generating economic activity in the country. 

He added that the construction industry had great potential to grow and more than 40 other industries directly linked to it will also be booming with the housing programme. 

“As the premier government commercial bank of the country, NBP has recently gone through various policy, structural and technology upgrades which would start yielding within the next six months,” the NBP President remarked. 

“Coronavirus (COVID-19) has literally affected every sector and every organization. NBP, however, with its professional commitment and high national spirit has served the masses in the best possible manner,” he acknowledged while promise to announce special allowance for the top performers shortly. 

He urged the bank employees to continue working will total sincerity and professionalism to earn more goodwill for their organization and for their own satisfaction for their contribution will facilitate in bringing prosperity to the country. 

“Since its inception, NBP has been playing a pivotal role in the development of the country. The bank primarily established for jute financing has now been playing a prominent role in every sector of the economy. Serving the nation with more than 1,500 branches, NBP was catering to every aspect of banking including Islamic banking, corporate banking, trade finance, agriculture, SMEs and retail, treasury and home remittances,” Arif Usmani highlighted.

“We proudly discharge our responsibility of functioning as government treasury and have the largest rural network in banking industry. NBP had taken a lead role in government initiated lending and goodwill programs like PM Youth Entrepreneurship scheme and now PM housing scheme,” he observed. 

“In order to manage the foreign exchange need of the country, NBP has taken initiatives for promoting remittances through legal channels that included collaboration with Pakistan Post which created the largest remittance payment network in the country with over 2,000 payment locations,” he continued.

“The customized products in collaboration with Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment have been launched to provide banking facilities to intending emigrant workers. Resultantly, NBP’s market share in remittance business along with remittances volume had considerably increased in last two years,” Arif Usmani shared. 

He didn’t mince words in stating that significant population of the country was below the poverty line and promoting SMEs would be greatly help address this situation. 

“The government of Pakistan was making all out efforts to address these economic challenges and NBP was committed to deliver on the national agenda of inclusive development,” he reiterated.

Tamgha-e-Imtiaz bestowed on two diplomats of Pakistan Embassy Beijing

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Two diplomats of the Pakistan Embassy posted in Beijing, China, have been conferred Tamgha-e-Imtiaz for facilitating and assisting Pakistani students confined in the locked down in the city of Wuhan, the epicentre of novel coronavirus early this year. 

The diplomats, Muhammad Junaid and Muhammad Suleman Mehsud, were the members of a special task force who met Pakistani students in different universities in Wuhan and collected first-hand information on the health and safety needs of the students. 

As a result of their work, the welfare of the Pakistani students was ensured and they were well-looked after during the lockdown in Wuhan. 

The investitures ceremony for the awards would be held on March 23, 2021, the next edition of Pakistan Day.

Jack Ma conferred Pakistan’s prestigious civilian award

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)


Pakistan has announced, on its Independence Day (August 14), the conferment of the country’s prestigious Hilal-e-Quaid Azam award on Jack Ma, the distinguished Chinese philanthropist, business leader, investor, co-founder and former executive Chairman of conglomerate Alibaba Group.

It may be recalled that when COVID-19 was at its peak in Pakistan, his Alibaba Group came out with huge assistance to combat the fight against the pandemic. 

It has been acknowledged that the timely assistance from Alibaba Group had helped Pakistan greatly to controlling COVID-19. 

On his directive, Alibaba Group has launched Cyber Mulan to help 50 million women across the world to realize their dream through technology. 

Jack Ma, also known in Chinese as Ma Yun, is popular all over the world for his philanthropy and promotion of women empowerment as well as sports particularly in less developed countries including in Africa. 

The Hilal-e-Quaid Azam award, as per tradition, will be presented to Jack Ma on the occasion of the next Pakistan Day (March 23, 2021).

Dr Ahmed Ali Palijo, others promoted to BPS-20

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

A total of 114 doctors, which included 21 lady physicians, were promoted to the post of senior medical officer (BPS-20) in the health department of the Government of Sindh.

The notification in this regard was issued by the Services General Administration Coordination (SGAD) of the provincial government on August 12.

The long serving doctors of the province have been promoted on the recommendation of the Provincial Selection Board No: 1 with the approval of the Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah. 

Among those promoted to the BPS-20 includes Dr Ahmed Ali Palijo, who also used to be an active athlete during his five-year student life at the prestigious Cadet College Petaro from 1975 to 1980. 

On the basis of his all-round excellence in academics and sports, he was appointed to the highest student position of Junior Under Officer of Latif House when in Class XII. He later did MBBS from the Liaquat Medical College, Jamshoro. 

Dr Hafeez Ahmed, Dr Hassan Ahmed Afaq, Dr Awais Ahmed, Dr Abdul Rashid, Dr Hadi Bux Wagan, Dr Anwar-ul-Haque, Dr Muhammad Zafar, Dr Moula Bux Shaikh, Dr Gul Muhammad Mari, Dr Muhammad Iqbal Farooq, Dr Sohail Bin Saeed, Dr Abdul Aleem, Dr Aziz Ahmed and Dr Tahir Abbas were among the 93 doctors having been promoted to the BPS-20. 

Dr Farzana Nuzhat, Dr Mubashira Ejaz, Dr Razia Shaheen, Dr Shagufta Mubeen, Dr Huma Rasool, Dr Tabassum Shafi, Dr Shagufta Nasreen, Dr Asma Khan, Dr Razia Hanif, Dr Tabassum Junejo, Dr Samina Mahmood, Dr Rehana Siddiqui, Dr Huma Arif, Dr Nuzhat Kabir, Dr Fareeda Siddiqui, Dr Zahida Shaikh, Dr Farhat Khan, Dr Memoona, Dr Mairaj Fatima Dr Bakhtawar Rabadi and Dr Razia Shaikh were the 21 lady doctors to have been promoted to BPS-20.

Coronavirus Update: Sindh’s fatality tally crosses 2,300

By Mukhtar Alam
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Sindh’s COVID-19 fatality tally crossed 2,300 on August 13 when authorities declared 360 new infections during the last 24 hours across the province, pushing the overall infection tally to 125,289 for Sindh, against the national 287,300.

The Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah, in his routine COVID-19 statement, shared that 10 more infected people died during the last 24 hours ending on August 13 afternoon in the province, taking the total death to 2,307.

The death tally was 1,406 on July 1, 1,501 on July 7, 1,713 on July 10, 1,826 on July 13, 1,922 on July 16, 2,010 on July 20, 2,110 on July 24, 2,209 on July 30. An average of 6.5 people died every day during August, according to the official data. 

The Chief Minister further informed that there were still 4,058 active patients of coronavirus in the province, including 3,666 at homes, 384 at hospitals.

The health condition of as many as 242 patients is stated in critical condition, out of which 40 are receiving the ventilator intervention.

During the last 24 hours Karachi reported 185 (51%) new cases, followed by Badin (23), Dadu (12), Ghotki (12), Shikarpur (10), Thatta (10), Jamshoro (8), Khairpur (8), Mirpurkhas (8), Sanghar (8), Larkana (7), Hyderabad (7), Umerkot (7), Kashmore (3), Naushero Feroze (3), Sujawal (3), Jacobabad (2), Shaheed Benazirabad (2) and Tando Mohammad Khan (1).

According to authorities, 10,754 samples were tested overnight, three percent of which was found to be positive for COVID-19.

Another report suggested that the laboratories at Karachi tested 5,368 samples and found 263 positive cases for COVID-19, compared to 5,407 samples examined by laboratories in the interior, with 96 positive cases.

Of the 409 COVID-19 intensive care beds at Karachi, 104 were occupied by critically ill patients, while hospitals housed in the interior of Sindh had only six patients in their ICUs, as of August 13.

On August 12, five patients lost their lives to COVID-19 at Karachi and one each at Jamshoro and Hyderabad.

One of the deceased persons was receiving treatment at home. Of the total 6,798 health care providers infected with COVID-19 across the country so far, 2,057 belonged to Sindh, against 2263 of KPK, 1,106 of Punjab and 1,560 of Baluchistan.

At Karachi, 1587 doctors, 174 nurses and 296 paramedical and other staffs were infected, according to an official report as of August 12.

Railways’ Multan Division celebrate Independence Day uniquely

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

"For past many years, August 14 comes and goes by silently without making a long lasting impact with all this lights and pompous show only decoration as we see every year. At Multan division, we have decided to make it a date to remember not only for a day or a two, but for many years to come,” Divisional Superintendent, Multan Division, Pakistan Railways, Shoaib Adil, stated in a brief chat with PNFS. 

“This year we have planned to plant as many trees as possible by individuals. So for August 14 we have been able to plant about 70 fruit trees within two days. We are emphasizing on fruit trees for coming generations to benefit from these. Our target for this year of plantation is 50,000 trees. We are confident of achieving this figure with the blessings of Allah,” he informed. 

“To all our railway colleagues at Multan Division, we are wishing a very happy independence day. We are celebrating the big occasion in a memorable manner,” he added.

Pakistan advised to strengthen marketing of agri products exports

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Pakistan needs to strengthen commercial promotion and marketing for its agricultural products to capture international markets including China, a senior Chinese diplomat remarked in Islamabad.

Addressing a webinar organized by the Vehari Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Agriculture Commissioner at Chinese Embassy, Gu Wenliabg, explained that agriculture was one of the key cooperation industries area under the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). 

Both the Chinese and Pakistani governments are committed to strengthening agricultural industry cooperation and encouraging more Chinese enterprises to invest in Pakistan by setting up joint ventures with potential local partners. 

The agricultural industry cooperation will not only increase Pakistan’s yields of crops and maintain its food security but also improve its agricultural products exports to China and other countries and regions. 

The Chinese expert reckoned that there was great potential for China-Pakistan agricultural cooperation in four areas. Starting with seed, the average yield of wheat was only three tons per hectare in Pakistan, which can be improved substantially by taking the high-yield, anti-drought variety with resistance to insects and pests. 

As for rice cultivation, China’s hybrid rice technology is recommended. For sugar cane and potato, the virus free tissue culture sapling could be a good choice. 

Secondly the use of modern technology was suggested as China has many technologies suitable for crops in Pakistan, including compound planting, smart agriculture, water-saving irrigation and greenhouse. 

Recently, two Pakistani students from China’s Sichuan Agricultural University used successfully the maize-soybean strip intercropping technology in Punjab, which has achieved satisfactory results. The greenhouse planting can also promote the development of vegetables, edible fungus and flowers in Pakistan. 

Thirdly he discussed about agricultural machinery and materials since China’s fertilizer and pesticide industries were being developed. Now green pesticides and organic fertilizers are being promoted to reduce pollution from agricultural non-point source. 

In terms of agricultural machinery, with the 5G and other technologies, smart agricultural machines and implements have been playing an important role in crops’ sowing, harvesting and plant protection in China. 

Fourthly he talked about agricultural product processing as Pakistan produces a great deal of high-quality fruits and vegetables every year. Due to their short storage/shelves period, a lot of them go rotten and cause a great waste. To solve this problem, they could either be kept by cold chain storage or processed into high value-added products by food processing technology.

China has 39,000 mosques

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

There are more than 39,000 mosques in China, with as many as 25,000 of them in the Muslims dominated Xinjiang autonomous region where they are free to perform their religious customs.

China, with a population of around 1.4 billion heads, is home to over 200 million Muslims abode in five out of 32 provinces, a recent documentary made on life of the Chinese Muslims highlighted. 

Some historians were of the view that the advent of Islam and preaching in China began about 20 years after the passing away of the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH). 

The Hui tribe was the first to have embraced Islam, followed by different parts of China including Xinjiang autonomous region neighbouring Pakistan. 

As per historians, the first grand mosque was built in Xian. There are also separate ladies mosques for worship. There are huge mosques spread in various major cities including Beijing, Tianjin, Xian and Guangzhou. 

The local governments in coordination with Islamic Association were carrying out massive renovation on ancient structures as hundreds of religious tourists particularly from Muslim countries visit. Erdaoqiao mosque is one of the best landscapes in Urumqi. 

A nearby Culture Street attracted a large number of tourists in 2018-19 alone the number of tourists in Xinjiang exceeded 150 million, an increase of 40 percent.