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%.

Rare buffaloes from Khunjerab on sale in Lahore

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Besides thousands of sacrificial animals put on sale in Animal Mandi in Lahore, a beautiful pair of buffaloes was attracting the buyers most. 

"Our demand is Rupees 1.5 million for the pair,” the owner of buffaloes declared, stating that he had brought these sacrificial animals all the way from Khunjerab Pass. 

He disclosed that this kind of buffaloes pair was rare and on verge of possible extinction. 

Stated to be around four mounds in weight, many customers offered price of the pair ranging from Rs six lacs to one million but the young owner was insisting for Rs 1.5 million.

Coronavirus Update: Fingers crossed in Eid holidays

By Mukhtar Alam 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

As the nation celebrates Eid-ul-Azha with traditional enthusiasm, fingers remained cross as far as the outcome was concerned regarding spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country. It’s being hoped that SOPs will not be ignored this time unlike a couple of months ago which had resulted in spike following Eid-ul-Fitr.

Sindh, having endured a July with higher number of COVID-19 fatalities, reported three deaths on August 1 when the authorities confirmed 270 new patients during the last 24 hours across the province, with an overall infection rate of 16%. 

In all 7,676 samples were tested during the last 24 hours ending August 1 afternoon, with a positivity rate of 3.5%. Sindh, during the month of July, had reported an average 27 COVID-19 deaths daily. 

The Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah, in his daily COVID-19 statement, shared that overall 121,309 positive cases were found among 767,712 samples from across the province since February 26 when Sindh reported its first infection at Karachi.

According to the statement, issued by his secretariat on August 1, as many as 8,164 patients were receiving treatment in the province, including 7,593 those at homes, 559 at hospitals, out of which 369 were told critically ill while 64 patients were put on ventilators.

In the meantime, an official report revealed that of the 11 patients who died on July 31 included two who died at homes. As many as nine patients lost their lives in Karachi, while another one each at Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas.

According to data, as of July 31, about 15 of the designated COVID-19 testing laboratories in Sindh did not conduct any test during the last 24 hours.

In all 107 (40%) new positive cases were reported from Karachi, followed by Hyderabad (25), Sukkur (16), Ghotki (12), Dadu (9), Shaheed Benazirabad (9), Jamshoro (8), Naushero Feroze (8), Jacobabad (8), Sanghar (7), Khairpur (7), Shikarpur (7), Mirpurkhas (5), Sujawal (5), Umerkot (5), Larkana (4), Kambar Shahdadkot (3), Badin (2) and Thatta (2).

The testing at majority of the laboratories is expected to be on the lower side due to the Eid-ul-Azha holidays.

Engr Asim Murtaza installed as Rotary President

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Engineer Asim Murtaza Khan, one of the bigwigs of Pakistan’s oil and gas sector, was formally installed as the President of the Rotary Club of Karachi Darakhshan for the year 2020-21. 

The honours were performed by the Governor of the Rotary International, District 3271 (Pakistan), Prof Dr Farhan Essa, in a ceremony held in Karachi on July 31. He decorated Engr Asim Murtaza with the Presidential sash. 

Jahangir Moghul, the Charter President of Rotary Club of Karachi Darakhshan and the only District Governor to be produced by the club, was also present on the occasion. 

Engr Asim Murtaza has been working as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), in an honorary capacity, at the Petroleum Institute of Pakistan (PIP), a think tank of the petroleum industry, since November 2015. 

Previously he had worked at the Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) for over 32 years, having served on key operations and general management senior positions. He was appointed MD/CEO of the PPL in May 2011 and headed the organization until his superannuation in February 2015. 

He was chiefly responsible for establishing Bolan Mining Enterprises, joint venture of the PPL and the Government of Balochistan for mining of barites, iron ore and lead- zinc besides being one of the founder Directors of PPL’s overseas subsidiary companies, PPL Europe E&P Ltd and PPL Asia E&P BV. 

A brilliant student from the outset, he had earned his Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from the NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, followed by a Masters in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST), UK, and is an alumnus of the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, USA. 

Engr Asim Murtaza is a Fellow and Central Council Member of the Institution of Engineers Pakistan (IEP), Chair of the Petroleum Engineering Advisory Board and Member of the Academic Council of NED University, Member of a key Committee of the Pakistan Engineering Council, and is the Founder President of the NED International Alumni Association registered under the Societies Act.

Coronavirus Update: Relaxed situation at Karachi hospitals

By Mukhtar Alam
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

All the designated COVID-19 hospitals in Karachi witnessed a relaxed situation in term of their intensive care unit (ICU) beds’ occupancy on July 31 when authorities confirmed 11 more related fatalities in the province, against 20 reported on July 30, with 489 new infections during the last 24 hours. 

Karachi reported 244 (50%) of the total new cases in Sindh on July 31, against its daily infection rate of 52% on July 30.

Of the 409 ICU beds reserved for COVID-19 patients in Karachi, only 147 (35%) were occupied by patients including 63 those put on ventilators.

However, the only child care exclusive hospital, National Institute of Child Health (NICH) continued working under pressure as its all the four ICU beds were in use on July 31 too.

On the other hand, as of July 31, all testing laboratories, except LUMHS, Essa Lab, Advanced Lab, Al Khidmat Laboratory and Bahria Town Lab and the government run laboratory in Larkana, conducted COVID-19 tests below their sanctioned capacity. 

Against the collective capacity of 14,920 tests, 11,555 samples were taken up, out of which 839 tested positive. On July 31, the new infection rate was one percent less than 5% on July 30.

The Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah, in his routine coronavirus status statement, said that the overall number of fatalities had reached to 2,220. However, no district wise breakdown of new fatalities was given in the statement issued by his secretariat.

In the meantime, an official report updated on July 31 said that in all 20 people died during the last 24 hours in Sindh with Karachi (17), Sujawal (1), Hyderabad (1) and Ghotki (1).

In all 110,738 COVID-19 patients have recovered, while there were 8,081 active patients in Sindh on July 31, including 476 at hospitals, out of which 320 were stated to be in critical condition.

Apart from Karachi’s 244 new infections, Sukkur registered 23 cases, followed by Ghotki (20), Hyderabad (15), Tando Allahyar (15), Naushero Feroze (15), Umerkot (15), Badin (12), Kambar Shahdadkot (9), Matiari (10), Shikarpur (6), Shaheed Benazirabad (5), Tando Mohammad Khan (5), Mirpurkhas (3), Sanghar (3), Jacobabad (3) and Jamshoro (3).

Surprisingly, the federal government portal was not updated on August 1 morning. The last time the dashboard numbers were updated at 9.35 am on July 31, and as such any consolidated COVID-19 status and authenticated tests results released by provinces on July 31 were not available there.

Ambassador Moin-ul-Haque assumes charge at Beijing

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The newly appointed Pakistan Ambassador to China, Moin-ul-Haque has arrived in Beijing and assumed his responsibility on July 31. 

"A great honour indeed,” the Ambassador Moin-ul-Haq observed in his twitter message. 

"Pakistan and China are iron brothers. Looking forward to contributing further strengthening Pak-China special ties along with my wonderful team at the embassy,” he further stated. 

A distinguished career diplomat, Ambassador Moin-ul-Haque had served in Belgium, Canada, France, Sri Lankan, Turkey and USA before assuming his responsibility in China. 

Ship with 17,000 tons DAP anchored at Gwadar Port

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

A ship, loaded with 17000 tons of foreign DAP, was anchored at the Gwadar Port on July 31.

The fertilizer was being transported to Afghanistan on 550 trucks via Chamman. 

For the first time, bagging of DAP has been done locally instead of the country of origin. 

This step has helped locals to earn their livelihood, besides boosting the transportation business in the area. 

The development of the Gwadar Port happens to be one of the marquee projects of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).