Epaper – April 19 ISB 2020

CMYK

19 April, 2020 I 25 Shaban, 1441 I Rs 15.00 I Vol X No 291 I 12 Pages I Islamabad Edition

Pakistan may face ‘difficulties by mid-may’, Pm warns g

ImRAn SAyS lockdown helped conTAIn coRonAvIRuS, uRGeS people noT To leT TheIR GuARd down

ISLAMABAD staff report

P

RIme minister Imran khan on Saturday said that the government’s decision to enforce lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus was bearing fruit while warning that the country could face ‘difficulties’ by mid-may.

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Imran urged people not to let their guard down in the coming weeks. “our initial projections said that we would have 50,000 cases by April 25.

Thankfully that’s not the case. our new projections suggest that we will have 12,000 to 15,000 coronavirus patients. The pressure we expected earlier can now be felt next month.” The premier said that the government was procuring ventilators and personal protective equipment to prepare for the situation.

As of Saturday, the country has recorded 148 deaths and over 7,750 cases ever since the pandemic hit pak-

g

SAyS ‘ouR GReATeST chAllenGe IS To enSuRe ThAT ThoSe SuffeRInG fRom economIc dISTReSS do noT fAll fuRTheR Below The poveRTy lIne’

istan. punjab accounts for the most covId-19 infections, with 3,504 cases.

Sindh, Balochistan, and khyber pakhtunkhwa have so far reached 2,355, 376, 1,077, respectively. Islamabad has 163 cases, Gilgit-Baltistan has 250 cases whereas Azad kashmir has 48 cases so far. The recoveries stand at 1,832.

Giving reasons for a relatively low number of infections, he recalled that the government had started enforcing a lockdown in march when there were “only a few cases”.’ he said that the government had also started screening people at airports and pilgrims returning through land borders.

The premier added that the government would now “gradually start reopening the economy, starting from the construction sector”. on April 3, the prime minister had unveiled an amnesty scheme for the construction sector while elevating its status to that of an industry. Subsequently on April 14, while the lockdown was extended for another two weeks, the construction sec-

coronavirus in

Pakistan

tor along with some other essential industries was allowed to reopen. he said that if levels of poverty in pakistan increased by the time it has defeated the coronavirus, the country will have lost the overall war. “our greatest challenge is to ensure that those suffering from economic distress right now do not fall further below the poverty line. Because if they do and our poverty rises by the time we have defeated this virus, we will have lost the war,” the premier remarked.

The pm said during this month, they would not face any difficulty as the health facilities in the country could accommodate the most intensive care-related cases, but witnessing the global scenario, there were fears about an increase in cases during the next month. he also reiterated that not a single case was imported from china.

The prime minister said the whole world was facing this “unfamiliar challenge”, as no government in the world was ever prepared to combat this pandemic. he said the command and control center was making calculation and analysis of the daily situation with the support and input by all the stakeholders. he also questioned the spreading of “fake news” regarding a higher number of coronavirus deaths than officially reported. he questioned whether people were suggesting the government was hiding deaths due to coronavirus.

Global virus deaths top 150,000 as US braces for lockdown protests STORY ON BACK PAGE

Govt allows Ramzan congregational prayers but conditions apply g

AGReemenT wITh cleRIcS mAkeS SocIAl dISTAncInG InSIde moSqueS mAndAToRy ISLAMABAD staff report

The government on Saturday granted conditional permission to hold congregational prayers – including friday prayers and Taraweeh – during Ramzan after a consensus was reached between the government and clerics.

Addressing the media after a meeting with top clerics, president dr Arif Alvi said that mosques and imambargahs across pakistan have been allowed to hold prayers during Ramzan with special Sops. he issued a 20-point notification that includes all the rules and regulations residents and mosque management are obliged to follow as a precautionary measure to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

Alvi said that people above the age of 50, children and those suffering from the flu will not be allowed to enter mosques. mosque managements have been ordered to remove all carpets and lead prayers on the bare ground.

The prayer floor has to be washed with chlorine water every

NAB says not planning to detain Shehbaz Sharif LAHORE

CONFIRMED CASES:

7,773

RECOVERED:

1,832 SINDH:

2,355

DEATHS:

148

PUNJAB:

3,504

KP:

BALOCHISTAN:

AJK/GB:

ISLAMABAD:

1,077 48/250

376 163

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

PUC endorses govt decision on congregations during Ramzan STORY ON PAGE 02

more inside

Another health crisis in the offing STORY ON BACK PAGE

staff report

A day after pakistan muslim league-nawaz (pml-n) president Shehbaz Sharif skipped the national Accountability Bureau (nAB) hearing, the accountability watchdog said it had no intention of arresting the former punjab chief minister.

A nAB spokesman said in a statement that the bureau has required only detailed answers to a few questions from Shehbaz Sharif. he said the bureau takes action as per law and rules in light of the evidence and added nAB officers have no affiliation with any political party or group. nAB had summoned Shehbaz on April 17, asking him to furnish the complete details of his foreign assets and other businesses in a money laundering case. however, Shehbaz skipped the hearing, saying that he was advised to restrict movement owing to coronavirus as he was a cancer survivor.

Shehbaz had said: “I am a 69-year-old cancer survivor due to which I have low immunity. medical professionals have advised me to restrict movement and limit exposure due to life-

day and Taraweeh during Ramzan will be offered under the open sky instead of in halls. worshippers have been encouraged to bring their own prayer mats and offer wuzu at home as well. everyone coming into the mosque has to wear a face mask. president Avi emphasised that worshippers must maintain a six-foot distance when praying. discussions after prayers, shaking hands and hugging has also been banned, he added.

If due to unforeseeable circumstances the number of coronavirus cases increases in the country, the government has the right to revisit these orders, president Alvi said.

KP Opp seeks SC intervention over non-payment of hydel profits STORY ON PAGE 02

threatening risks associated with covId-19.”

In 2018, medical experts had told on the condition of anonymity that years go Shehbaz was treated for appendicular adenocarcinoma (a cancerous tumour).

According to his medical reports that had surfaced at the time, Shehbaz was said to be suffering from a kidney infection, a lymph node in his chest and had chances of his cancer resurfacing.

In a fresh questionnaire sent

to Shehbaz, nAB had said multiple call up notices, along with questionnaires, were issued to the pml-n leader but his replies were found “unsatisfactory, incomplete and evasive” Shehbaz was also asked to provide the complete details of his business income as claimed before the federal Board of Revenue, along with investment and its volume and expenditures incurred during the period when his model Town residence was declared the chief minister house/camp office.

Telecom operators using 'illegal' BTS towers in Islamabad, probe reveals STORY ON PAGE 09

Confusion, seizure, strokes: How COVID-19 may affect the brain STORY ON PAGE 10

02

Sunday, 19 April, 2020

NEWS

PTI MNA NAJEEb HArOON rESIGNS CITING lACK Of dEvElOPMENT wOrK IN KArACHI KARACHI

S

STAFF REPORT

ENIOR Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) leader Najeeb Haroon on Saturday resigned from his position as a Member of the National Assembly (MNA) in protest against a lack of funds provided to him for development projects in his constituency.

Haroon made the announcement early on Saturday morning in a message posted on social networking platform Twitter. He had been elected to the Assembly from NA-256 Karachi on a PTI ticket in the July 2018 general elections. “I tender my resignation with a heavy heart,” he said.

“It has been 20 months and have not been able to improve either my constituency nor my hometown Karachi in

good conscience cannot justify being in this position,” he added, noting that he had been a founding member of the first executive committee of the ruling party.

“As the only surviving founding father of the first executive committee I would still be part of my beloved party @PTIofficial till my last breath. I also strongly believe in the capable leadership of @ImranKhanPTI and that he can take #Pakistan to new heights,” he further said.

“Being the only MNA who does not take a salary or any perks being an MNA, being one of the highest tax payers in Pakistan, my intentions has always been to give back to #Karachi and to #Pakistan. If I am not able to do so in my right conscience cannot justify being in my posi-

tion,” he said.

“Being JUST an MNA was never my intention. Wanted to do something for my city where my children and grand children live. Wanted to do something so they don’t want to leave for some other country.

HAVE not given up, and would still stand with #PTI,” he said.

IMRAN TASKS ISMAIL TO WOO NAJEEB: Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan has telephoned Sindh Governor Imran Ismail and directed him to approach Najeeb Haroon and persuade him to withdraw his resignation.

According to reports, Imran said that Najeeb Haroon was the founding member of his party and his grievances should be addressed.

Another FIR against Lal Masjid’s Abdul Aziz for defying govt’s lockdown directive ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

UK announces £3.67m for Pakistan to fight coronavirus, locusts ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The United Kingdom (UK) on Saturday announced £3.67 million, the first in a series of measures, to give wide-ranging support to help the poorest and the most vulnerable people in Pakistan during the coronavirus outbreak as well as for the rapid response of controlling locusts in affected areas. British High Commissioner to Pakistan Dr Christian Turner said in a statement, “These are extraordinary times. Across the world millions of people are being affected by COVID-19. I am confident in Pakistan’s resilience and capability to defeat this pandemic.” He said the UK health support of £2.67 million will help the government of Pakistan detect COVID-19, protect communities and help those most affected. He said that funding will help Pakistan give medical assistance to the seriously ill; build stronger systems to detect and test for COVID-19; and support communities to have the right information to protect themselves and others.The British high commissioner said that the UK will provide £1 million for the rapid response of controlling locusts in affected areas in Pakistan, which are having a devastating impact on crops and livelihoods. The wider package of support which the UK will roll-out over the coming weeks will repurpose DFID’s programme of assistance to ensure it helps those at risk and the most vulnerable, during the coronavirus response, he said, adding the £2.67 million funds will help people in 27 districts across all five provinces of Pakistan. It comes alongside the Prime Minister Imran Khan’s appeal to overseas diaspora to help fund-raise for the COVID-19 response, and the UK’s support for Pakistan’s debt relief and loan postponements from the G20 group of countries. The UK aid will fund a £2.67 million package to the World Health Organization (WHO) to help to improve the preventive, testing and treatment services in 27 districts. The UK aid has given £1 million to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to tackle swarms of locusts up until 30 September 2020.

Islamabad police on Saturday registered a second case against former Lal Masjid chief prayer leader Maulana Abdul Aziz for defying the government’s ban on Friday congregational prayer.

The Aabpara police booked Aziz and Abdul Sattar for violating the Section 144, which was imposed to ensure implementation of social distancing measures to control the spread of coronavirus.

This is the second time the firebrand cleric has been booked for the same offence, but he is yet to be arrested. Congregational Friday prayer has been banned by the district government amid the increase in the number of local Covid-19 cases.

According to the police, Aziz held the weekly prayer without taking any preventive measures against Covid19 and also displayed weapons.

Last week, Abpara police had registered a similar First Information Report (FIR) against Aziz and seven

others on charges of provoking people against the state, playing jihadi anthems and organising congregational prayer despite the ban.

The police officials said that they were on-duty near the mosque when they heard an announcement

from the mosque’s loudspeakers for Friday prayer.

Aziz had said that they did not accept orders of a state that followed “international agenda”, adding that they would only abide by their own rules and laws.

21 VPs move court for ZTBL BoD completion ISLAMABAD TLTP

While challenging their relegation before the Islamabad High Court on Saturday, over 21 vice-presidents of the country’s largest agriculture sector financial institution, Zarai Taraqi Bank Limited (ZTBL), urged the court to issue directives to the federal government to fill slots of Board of Directors (BoD) so that affairs of the bank are not left in a limbo.

Making the federal secretary finance, chairman Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, president ZTBL and two others as respondents in the matter, counsel for petitioners Advocate Umer Ijaz Gilani alleged that the bank management has canceled promotions of as many as 150 employees without due process of law.

Advocate Gilani submitted that during 2005, the board of the bank decided to reform the service structure of employees, adding all the existing employees were offered the option to shift from government-style employment terms to more corporate-style employment terms. This new

structure was called ‘Options.’

“In 2013 and 2018, Supreme Court upheld the vires of the Options, provided the switch over of employees from the earlier service structure to Options is demonstrably voluntary,” Gilani contended. The petitioners alleged that incumbent bank management has canceled their promotion in the garb of implementing an order of Supreme Court, which was misinterpreted, adding as a matter of fact the Supreme Court never ordered for demotions or recovery of salaries earned in the past. Advocate Gilani said that under Public Sector Companies (Corporate Governance) Rules, 2013, all matters regarding the implementation of court judgments have to be put before the board; however, in the matter in hand, the bank management passed the current orders without jurisdiction.

Advocate Gilani urged the IHC to set aside the office memorandum while declaring it illegal on the grounds that it has been issued without getting sanction from the bank’s board. He further requested the high court to declare the impugned memorandum as ultra vires the directions of the Supreme Court.

Court extends Jang Group CEO Mir Shakil’s remand for 10 days LAHORE STAFF REPORT

An accountability court on Saturday extended the physical remand of Jang Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mir Shakilur Rahman for 10 days in a 34-year-old case pertaining to alleged illegal acquiring of property. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) produced Mir before the court after his initial 11-day remand, given on April 7, expired. As the hearing started, a special prosecutor for NAB requested the court to extended Mir’s physical remand by 15 days. Responding to the request, defence counsel Amjad Pervaiz said that his client has just received a copy of NAB’s demand and sought time to submit a reply. Accepting the plea, the court briefly adjourned the hearing. After the hearing resumed, the NAB prosecutor informed the court that the bureau had sought different records from Mir. “Relevant SOPs have to be followed to retrieve data from the government departments,” he said, adding: “the [pace of] progress [in the case] is dependent on how fast those departments provide the requested information.”

“We have requested some more documents from LDA,” he said. To which, defence counsel remarked that NAB is “only wasting court’s time”. “All the information asked for by the bureau has been duly provided,” Pervaiz said, adding that at this stage, there is no need to extend the remand. Subsequently, the court adjourned the hearing while reserving its judgement which was announced shortly. The bureau had arrested Mir on Mar 12 in a case which dates back to 1986 and involves the transfer of 54-canal land which, according to the anti-graft body, was illegally leased to Mir by then Punjab chief minister Nawaz Sharif “in violation of the relevant laws and rules”.

However, Mir has maintained that the property in question was bought from a private party “34 years ago and all evidence of this was given to NAB”. Subsequently, on Mar 13, an accountability court remanded Mir into bureau’s custody for 12 days. The remand duration has been extended multiple times since.

‘HARASSMENT CAMPAIGN’: Following Mir’s arrest, Jang Group, the parent company for Geo television, alleged that the bureau is running a targetted harassment campaign against its business interests. It has termed Mir’s arrest as an “attack on press freedom”.

The day Mir was arrested, the Jang Group had issued a statement, which claimed: “In the past 18 months, NAB has sent our reporters, producers, and editors — directly and indirectly — over a dozen notices, threatening a shutdown of our channels (via PEMRA) due to our reporting and our programmes on NAB.” “NAB has also, through several means, tried to persuade us to go slow, to stop stories and to do others in its favor at the expense of the full truth.” However, the bureau rejected all the statement terming it as “baseless”.

KP Opp seeks SC intervention over non-payment of hydel profits PESHAWAR AZIZ BUNERI

Main opposition parties in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly have urged the Supreme Court to take a suo motu notice of non-payment of province’s net-hydel profit by the federal government and direct it to invest in hydro-power resources in KP instead of investing in expensive power generation projects in other provinces.

The political parties’ leaders said that the PTI government in KP failed to secure the net-hydel profit from the central government added that it couldn’t generate even a single unit of electricity over the past seven years.

Sardar Hussain Babak, parliamentary leader of Awami National Party (ANP) and deputy opposition leader in KP Assembly, told the media-persons that KP has the potential to generate 30,000 megawatts (MW) power gen-

LAWMAKER SAYS KP FACING POWER CUTS EVEN THOUGH IT GENERATES WAY MORE ELECTRICITY THAN NEED eration from its hydropower resources.

He claimed that the federal government was reluctant to invest in KP projects and was spending money on expensive power projects in other provinces. He said that the federal government should start power generation projects in KP so the country can overcome the power shortage without putting an additional burden on the public.

Babak also complained that the federal government was selling the electricity at much higher prices to KP and claimed that per-unit cost of electricity production in KP was just Rs1 but the province was forced to purchase its own electricity at Rs18 per unit.

Babak further added that the province was facing power cuts even though it was generating 6,000MW electricity –more than 4,400MW than its consumption.

“The federal government has refused to pay electricity net profit to province according to AGN Kazi formula,” said the ANP leader, adding that the provincial government has failed miserably to obtain net hydel profit from the federal government.

He alleged the country was being operated on the province’s resources and revenue but in the province, there an increase in unemployment and backwardness which is now unbearable for the people.

CMYK

Pakistan People’s Party leader Senator Bahramand Tangi told Pakistan Today that the present provincial government was unable to secure the net-hydel profit from central government.

Tangi added that due to the ‘flawed’ policies of the KP government, it has failed to invest in the province’s hydel resources.

The PPP leader said that the PTI failed to construct the 356 small dams in KP despite taking loans from the Asian Development Bank. Tangi said that former chief minister Pervez Khattak used to say that if they got the government in the centre, they would bring the net-hydel profit to the province and initiate mega power generation projects but so far, the government couldn’t initiate any such project.

Provincial Amir Jamat-e-Islami Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan said that at present, the province’s net-hydel profit was

more than Rs500 billion under the Kazi formula. He said in the past, the PTI government has taken a loan from the bank to pay net-hydel profit to the province, but later on, the province was asked to pay interest on the loan which was received by the federal government.

In this regard, Khan said, Jamat-e-Islami had submitted a motion in the Senate which was referred to the Standing Committee and from there it was decided to payment of the net hydel profit to KP under AGN Qazi formula, but so far no payment has been made.

The JI provincial chief added when the current PTI government was in opposition, it was demanding the federal government to pay the net profit of to KP under the AGN Qazi formula but now they want to abolish this formula despite the fact that this formula is approved from CCI, Supreme Court and NFC Award.

Sunday, 19 April, 2020

Govt to enhance testinG caPacity as situation reMains ‘uncertain’ PM’S AIDE SAYS GOVT WILL SPEED UP REPATRIATION OF OVERSEAS NATIONALS, TO BRING BACK 6,000 CITIZENS EVERY WEEK ISLAMABAD

F

APP

EDERAL Planning Minister Asad Umar on Saturday said despite the relatively low number of fatalities, the situation pertaining to the coronavirus cases in the country was still ‘uncertain’.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad via video-link, he said the country needed to increase the testing capacity at once. “Our aim is to conduct 25,000 tests daily by the month’s end,” Umar said. The minister said the meeting of National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) also decided to continue the policy of maintaining a balance between im-

posing lockdown to contain the virus and to open some selected sectors to avoid unemployment and hunger.

“More protective measures would be adopted, the health sector would be further strengthened by providing maximum facilities, and the number of ventilators and beds would also be increased,” he added. Umar said the meeting also decided that with the help of technology and other resources, all such people would be approached for testing with whom a person with positive coronavirus had met during previous few days.

He said now the world was also calling against complete lockdown and asking for maintaining balance between containing the virus and imposing lock-

Balochistan govt makes face masks mandatory In order to contain the spread of coronavirus, the Balochistan government on Saturday told citizens to wear face masks when going outside. According to the Liaquat Shahwani, the citizens have been urged to wear masks or to cover their faces with any cloth in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. “This will help the government in controlling over the pandemic,” Shahwani said and added that strict action would be taken if any citizen was found violating the orders. As of Saturday, the country has recorded 144 deaths and 7,650 cases ever since the pandemic hit Pakistan. Punjab accounts for the most COVID-19 infections, with 3,410 cases. Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have so far reached 2,355, 351, 1,077, respectively. Islamabad has 163 cases, Gilgit-Baltistan has 250 cases whereas Azad Kashmir has 48 cases so far. The recoveries stand at 1,832. Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US authority on public health, revised its official guidelines to recommend wearing a “face covering” in certain public settings. NEWS DESK

PM fighting two battles: Firdous ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has said that Prime Minister Imran Khan is fighting against both coronavirus and hunger, and everyone should support him. In a series of tweets on Saturday, she said, “Our real mission is to control coronavirus in all the provinces instead of doing politics. This is no time for politics.” She said Imran Khan gave the largest package of the country's history for deserving people and laborers. She said that Punjab government has announced one-month additional salary for doctors, nurses and paramedical staff fighting coronavirus on the forefront. A financial assistance of four million rupees for scale one to 16 and eight million rupees for scale 17 and above is part of the martyrs’ package. APP

down. “We made decisions according to our own ground realities and now the whole world is also doing what we have done already,” he added.

He said it was possible to root out the disease in two weeks if all people were locked in their homes, but in reality, it was not possible because by doing so, thousands of people would die from hunger if not from the disease. He said not only the poor but even the middle class people were also feeling the heat of ongoing lockdown in the country.

Asad Umar reiterated that all decisions were being made in larger interests of the country and the nation and no politics was involved in them.

‘GOVT TO SPEED UP REPATRIATIONS’: Addressing the reporters, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on National Security Dr Moeed Yusuf said the government was increasing the number of overseas Pakistanis stranded abroad to 6,000 per week for repatriation after proper

data analysis of the emerging COVID-19 situation in the country.

Addressing the Prime Minister’s live briefing on the prevailing situation of the pandemic, he apprised on the situation of repatriation of overseas Pakistanis.

Moeed said: “Around 2,000 overseas Pakistanis have been brought back in the past week whereas a three-fold increase has been made in this number. Therefore, by this week around 6,000 Pakistanis per week will be brought back and by the next week it will be scaled up to 7,000 international passengers per week.”

He mentioned that after complete data analysis of 2,000 overseas Pakistanis brought back initially noted only 40 positive cases of coronavirus.

“In the beginning, there were some cases of coronavirus transmission from international passengers which has declined due to strict measures taken in the foreign countries to control the pandemic.”

Pakistan extends suspension of flight operations till April 30 ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Pakistan has suspended all domestic and international flight operations till April 30, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) notified on Saturday. According to CAA, special/cargo and relief planes holding special approval will continue operations as per the permissions granted to them.

“As per the decision of the Government of Pakistan, the suspension of international and domestic flight operations as effected earlier has been extended up to Thursday, April 30, 2020, 11.59pm PST,” CAA said.

The new directives come as the number of confirmed cases in the country rose to over 7,500 with 143 deaths.

Earlier, Pakistan had suspended domestic and international flight operations in the country in a bid to contain the coronavirus till April 21. In an earlier, notification, the CAA had said that diplomatic, special/cargo flights and rescue flights of the national carrier to and from Pakistan would

be exceptions to the ban. Most countries around the world have suspended international travel ever since the pandemic started spreading at a feverish pace in Europe, America and Asia last month.

PIA UK FLIGHTS: Separately, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Saturday announced to partially restore its flight operation from Lahore and Islamabad to London, Manchester and Birmingham from Sunday with concessional fare. The decision has been taken to transport the people of both countries who were stranded on either sides due to suspension of air traffic caused by coronavirus pandemic.

The PIA has also introduced a reduced fare of Rs 125,000 or 525 UK pounds per person on the request of citizens on humanitarian grounds. The decision of partial flights operation was taken after getting permission from the authorities by giving assurance to follow all protective measures. Those passengers who had already bought tickets could also avail the facility, however, for new booking, passengers have been advised to contact PIA offices or PIA’s website.

Sindh govt tells SC it has tested 16,920 people for coronavirus till date ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The Sindh government on Saturday informed the Supreme Court (SC) that it has tested 16,920 people for coronavirus in the province till date whereas 11 union councils had been sealed in Karachi after the number of patients there rose from 84 to 234.

In its report submitted to the SC in relation to the suo motu case on the government measures regarding the coronavirus crisis, the provincial government said that the population of the 11 UCs exceeded 674,000 while 194 out of 1,210 tests came positive for the deadly virus.

It stated that out of 388 functioning ventilators in the province, the government has only 144 to cater to coronavirus patients. It added that around 21 corona patients are in critical condition.

In the wake of the coronavirus situa-

tion, 6,673 ration bags were distributed in sealed areas. As per the procedure laid out by the Sindh government, 285,673 ration bags were distributed throughout the province. The report added that there are 1,056 isolation wards spread across the province treating coronavirus patients.

Earlier, the apex court had also questioned the credentials of the Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Health Dr Zafar Mirza and ordered his removal after expressing dissatisfaction over the government’s response to the crisis.

The SC, in the suo motu proceedings, had sent notices to the Attorney-General of Pakistan, the health secretary, and the interior secretary questioning the inadequate facilities being provided to citizens by the federal government to combat the coronavirus. As of Saturday, Pakistan recorded more than 7,000 cases of the coronavirus with around 144 deaths.

Govt to provide subsidy on electricity bills, says minister ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Hammad Azhar on Saturday announced that the government will provide domestic consumers subsidy on electricity bills to provide them relief amid the coronavirus lockdown.

Talking to journalists, Azhar said that the government will introduce a scheme in this

regard within two weeks.

He maintained that the government will provide every possible support to the people who have lost their livelihoods amid the pandemic. Earlier on March 26, Federal Minister for Power Omar Ayub had said that the government had facilitated people by allowing them to pay their electricity bills in three in-

stallments. He added that the facility was introduced for those consumers using 300 units.

He had detailed that gas consumers could also pay their bills in three installments, whereas, the gas bills of March, April and May will have to be paid within 9 months. The concerned authorities will further review the situation for power bills after June. INP

NEWS

03

$1.4bn covid-19 emergency fund ‘additional’ to $6bn bailout package, iMF says The International Monetary Fund (IMF) clarified on Saturday the disbursement of $1.4 billion to Pakistan to address the economic impact of the coronavirus is “additional” to the existing $6 billion programme. “The $1.4 billion RFI [Rapid Financial Instrument] disbursement is additional to the $6 billion EFF [Extended Fund Facility] to help Pakistan’s immediate efforts to COVID-19,” the Fund said in a tweet. “The EFF remains in place. Staff & authorities continue to work closely to bring the second review to the IMF Board as soon as possible,” it added. Earlier, on April 17, the IMF had approved disbursement of $1.386 billion for Pakistan under the Rapid Financing Instrument to address the economic impact of the Covid-19. NEWS DESK

Puc endorses govt decision on congregations during ramzan ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) on Saturday endorsed the declaration agreed between the government and ulema on the proposed strategy for prayers inside mosques during Ramzan.

The PUC leadership stated after the conditional permission it was the responsibility of the public to take preventive measures against coronavirus. It warned that irresponsible conduct could lead to a lockdown. In a statement, the PUC said that the public should ensure social distancing to for the safety of one another. It underlined that Darul Afta Pakistan and Pakistan Ulema Council have been raising their voice for the preventive measures against the coronavirus pandemic and added that all these preventive measures were being agreed upon to keep open mosques during Ramzan. Among suggestions as proposed by Pakistan Ulema Council for mosques during coronavirus lockdown, it was also suggested that prayers and Azan from mosques should not be halted completely and faithful visiting mosques should observe complete preventive measures by ensuring proper distancing and spacing among prayers lines. With support of public administration and police effective preventive measures should be observed for mosques as well as for visiting numbers of faithful for prayers inside mosques. It has also been decided that prayers inside mosques will be held in open spaces of the mosque on the floor. APP

04 ISLAMABAD

Sunday, 19 April, 2020

WEATHER UPDATES SUNDAY

230C

150C

MONDAY

270C

140C

TUESDAY

280C

170C

Scattered locuSt Swarm arriveS in PeShawar SuburbS PESHAWAR

a

APP

SCATTERED swarm of locusts arrived in the suburbs of Peshawar on Saturday, settling in the southern side of the city between FR (Frontier Region) and Kohat.

“The swarm has reached Mattani and is presently staying in a barren land whereas agriculturists are busy in spraying them with pesticide to contain the attack,” Peshawar District Plant Protection Depart-

ment Deputy Director Sajjid Khan said.

Talking to APP during the field operation in Mattani on Saturday, Sajid said that the attack is not severe and would be contained easily, adding that the incoming locusts are part of a swarm which is scattered between D.I.Khan and its adjoining areas.

He expressed hope for 90 per cent of the locust problem in the province being resolved once the swarm is eliminated.

"Agriculture teams are busy in spraying different areas, including Karak, D.I.Khan and FR Kohat where the pest's

presence is being reported.

Sajid said that the team is also busy is spending time in the field to contain the locusts despite threats of coronavirus infection. It merits to mention here locust is scientifically known as `Schistocera Gregaria’ and can fly at a speed of around 15 km per hour. A locust swarm is so huge, it can spread over an area of around four to five kilometres in the sky and comprise of a population of around 80 million to one billion.

In January 2020, such swarms started arriving in D.I.Khan district while pass-

ing through the Takht-e-Suleman mountain range in Baluchistan.

On January 30, the KP Relief, Rehabilitation and Settlement Department declared an emergency in nine southern districts of the province.

To counter the attack and protect crops from damage, authorities have adopted the strategy of monitoring of the swarm's presence and targeting potential pockets by spraying before dawn when the pest is dormant and cannot fly.

This strategy has proved highly successful in containing the attack.

PrAyer Timings FAjr SunriSe

Zuhr

ASr MAGhrib iShA

4:08

12:08

3:47

5:36

6:40

8:08

KP govt to open torkham border for stranded Pakistanis on tuesday, Saturday PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has decided to keep Torkham border open on Tuesday and Saturday to facilitate the return of Pakistanis stranded in Afghanistan.Talking to the media here on Saturday, KP Advisor to Chief Minister (CM) on Information Ajmal Wazir said the government had set up a camp office at Jalal Abad to facilitate the return of stranded Pakistanis, adding that the returning citizens were being tested and quarantined. The CM's aide said the KP government would soon achieve the daily diagnostic capacity of 2,000 for COVID-19 patients, adding that Peshawar Khyber Medical University (KMU) had enhanced testing capacity up to seven hundred per day. "The government has established coronavirus testing laboratories in Abbottabad, Dera Ismail Khan, Swat, Mardan, and Swabi districts," he added. He appealed to the people to follow the health department's guidelines with regard to the coronavirus pandemic and ensure social distancing along with other precautionary measures to contain the outbreak in the province. APP

regulatory authority established for health related depts in islamabad ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on National Health Services, Dr Zafar Mirza on Saturday announced the establishment of a healthcare regulatory authority in the federal capital.

Chairing a meeting of Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority on Saturday, he said that the authority will regulate private hospitals, clinics and laboratories.

Islamabad Health Authority (IHA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Syed Ali Hussain Naqvi was present in the meeting. The SAPM emphasised that the government was committed to providing health coverage and was striving to strengthen the primary healthcare system. "The federal capital will be made a model city regarding healthcare facilities in this regard," he said. It may be mentioned here that Islamabad is the 10th big district of the country with a population of three million people wherein 3,100 private clinics and 1,100 medical stores are working. The regulatory authority will now be available for the redressal of complaints regarding the health department by citizens of the federal capital, a task which was not possible earlier even after the imposition of the Islamabad Health Care Regulatory Authority (IHCRA) law in 2018. APP

PESHAWAR: A TMA employee fumigates a neighbourhood in Cantt to protect people from COVID 19 pandemic. inP

Four labourers from Karachi test COVID-19 positive in Shangla district PESHAWAR Four labourers arrived from Karachi to Shangla district have been tested positive for coronavirus. The Spokesman Relief Department told APP on Saturday that 13 laboratory reports have been received after samples were taken from suspected patients at Government Degree College Puran Quarantine in Shangla. He said four persons were tested coronavirus positive and nine others negative.

The Spokesman said coronavirus has been detected in Nasib Said son of Hakim Khan aged 20 years, Tajim Ullah son of Nadeem (25), Umar Zar son of Shala (22) and Gul Farin (42). All belonged to union council Martung. The spokesman said these persons are labrourers in Karachi and travelled to Shangla via Torghar. They

were received at Kablgram checkpoint and shifted to Jambal screening point through police. Later, they were shifted to tehsil headquarters hospital (THQ) Puran Emergency Triage. They were later moved to Govt Degree College, Puran quarantine along with 15 others co travellers on April 9. The spokesman said all of the above individuals were tested for COVID-19 on April 16 due to contact with three others COVID-19 positive co travellers including Gul Zari, Muhammad Rafiq and Said Azar whose labortary reports were also tested positive. The spokesman said all of them have no contact history with their families. They are being shifted from GDC quarantine to THQ isolation ward with full precautionary protocols and would be admitted for observation till complete recovery. APP

Govt intensified measures to deal with coronavirus, says Ajmal PESHAWAR APP

Advisor to Chief Minister on Information and Public Relations, Ajmal Khan Wazir Saturday said the government intensified measures to deal with coronavirus and Chief Minister Mahmood Khan himself was visiting various districts and giving instructions after reviewing the arrangements there.

He said that the active role of the chief minister and his timely decisions encouraged doctors, health staff, police and people and institutes, fighting on the frontline against the pandemic.

All arrangements have been made to bring back the Pakistanis stranded in Afghanistan, for which Torkham Border would be opened twice a week on Saturday and

Tuesday and five hundred Pakistanis would have returned on each day, he added. He expressed these views while talking to the media persons in the Civil Secretariat Peshawar. Ajmal Wazir said that 500 Pakistanis were brought back to quarantine center in Khyber District yesterday for which all facilities had been provided and the Pakistan consulate in Jalal Abad had set up an office to facilitate returnee Pakistanis on the Afghan side. Similarly, 345 Afghan Tableeghees were sent back to Afghanistan who were preaching in Punjab and all those Afghan Tableeghees completed the quarantine period and tests were done.

Ajmal Wazir said that Torkham Border was also opened on Friday to bring back 195 truck drivers along with their trucks from Afghanistan who were stranded on Torkham border since March 16.

Sunday, 19 April, 2020

NEWS

PakIstan exPresses COnCern OVer sale Of Us HarPOOn mIssIles tO InDIa ISLAMABAD

P

APP

AKISTAN has expressed its concern over the sale of Harpoon Block II air launched missiles by the United States to India. Foreign Office Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said that the sale of such missile systems, along with technical assistance and logistic support, at a time when there is a global effort to fight the pandemic is particularly disturbing.

She said that Pakistan has articulated

its concerns regarding the sale of sophisticated weapons to India which would further destabilize the region.

“Pakistan has alerted the international community many times about India’s aggressive designs not only towards Pakistan but also towards other neighboring countries in South Asia.”

She said that sale of the weapons would destabilize the already volatile situation in South Asia. There is a high possibility of India conducting a false flag operation while global efforts are directed towards combating the pandemic, the for-

eign office said. Pointing out towards cease fire violations from neighbouring arch rival, the foreign office spokesperson said that Indian forces committed over 765 ceasefire violations resulting in martyrdom of three civilians as well as serious injuries to 54 innocent civilians.

“In 2019, India violated the ceasefire agreement 3351 times,”she said adding that Pakistan continues to respond to Indian belligerence in a firm and responsible manner. Aisha Farooqui while rejecting a US Commission’s report on denial of food aid to minorities and said that it was not

Over one million textile workers set to lose jobs amid Covid-19 fallout LAHore HASSAN NAQVI

More than one million textile workers are set to lose jobs in Pakistan because of declining global orders amid the coronavirus crisis, according to a study conducted by Mazdoor Akath (Labour Collective).

Textile workers are 45pc of the total industrial workers in Pakistan and 85pc of them are informal. In this crisis, more than 1 million will lose their jobs.

This crisis especially has a big toll on women in this sector who had already been undermined and were not visible in the system.

Muhammad Azeem and Dur e Shawar of Mazdoor Akath stated that while ordering a lockdown, the Sindh government through a notification to Employers’ Federation of Pakistan, and giving it effect through Emergency Relief Ordinance on April 8, asked Sindh employers to pay workers for the next three months.

However, the reply of the Employers’ Federation of Pakistan (Sindh) was very simple. They said, “businesses are run for profits and it is the fundamental right of the employer to decide about operating the mills and to hire and fire the labour.”

The ordinance was also outrightly rejected by the Site Association of Industry (SAI). Further, employers proposed that workers should be paid from the workers welfare fund for the labourers of the province and the Sindh Employees Social Security Institution and not from their own profits.

“We also note that the federal and Punjab governments only gave verbal statements to assure ‘no layoffs’ without any legal backing unlike Sindh. Industry in Punjab in fact demanded a postponement of the lockdown, so that they could complete orders and keep the factories running and the profits flowing, despite the dangers posed by the pandemic.”

They stated that at present, despite the non-essential nature of the textile industry, it has won permission to be open. Meanwhile, many units have shut down, many workers have been laid off or fired, and many have only been paid partially.

The study claimed that businesses are using the opportunity to negotiate new terms with the government and drastically restructure their production lines, leaving the future for workers very precarious.

This report is about labor lay-offs and closure of factories in the textile and garment industry in Lahore and nearby.

They stated that in Lahore they interviewed workers from almost 30 units and collected stories about their condition. The authors of the study said they also asked workers about their friends working in the textile sector to broaden our canvas of research. In Faisalabad, they said they reached out to a known labour activist in the textile sector and understood the situation through him. The study said that it is important to mention at the outset that due to the domination of brands and global value chains in the textile and garment industry there are multiple layers of contractual arrangements and hiring patterns.

They stated that the effects of the current economic crisis are different at different levels. The GSP+ report presented to the European Union (EU) ) by the Pakistan Workers Federation (PWF), Human Rights Watch report of textile workers, National Trade Union Federation (NTUF)’s research on textile industry in Faisalabad and Karachi, some important work by Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER), and few academic writings, shows us that the overall situations of labour conditions in the textile sector are abysmal.

According to the NTUF report, 80 percent of the factories are not registered. Most of the workers are hired under a contract system without appointment letters. Almost 75 percent of workers engaged in the textile, garment and hosiery industry are in the informal sector of global value chains. These workers also face long working hours, lack of toilet facilities and clean drinking water. The study maintained that women in the garment industry do not have separate canteens, no childcare, maternity leave etc. “There is huge discrimination in salary and promotion for female workers. Only four percent are unionised and

93 percent are receiving less than minimum wage,” the study said.

They added that within this prevalent unjust structure, the Covid-19 crisis hit the textile industry and inflicted a heavy toll on these insecure workers.

They claimed that industry owners stood united in not wishing to share any of the costs and burden, but rather started asking relief from the government while insisting on running the factories.

LAY-OFFS AND LABOUR CONDITIONS IN THE TEXTILE AND GARMENT INDUSTRY: The report stated that production in the textile and garment industry is not only through value chains, but operates through clusters and networks. Other than supplier contractor arrangement between brands of developed countries and local manufacturer, GVCs in textile has downward links (cotton picking, ginning, weaving, spinning, dyeing, cutting, sewing, finishing), as well as upward links with godown workers, loaders, and retail salespersons.

Therefore, it involves diverse hiring and payment of wages arrangements. The daily wagers which are almost 90 percent of the workforce are usually hired through contractors for certain parts of the process of manufacturing, e.g. stitching. Daily wagers are of two types – one is monthly plus piece rates, and the other is only piece rate.

They stated that the sudden lockdown left contractors and workers in limbo in terms of wages. Presently money for under process jobs is double what is being paid to workers. Contractors have told workers to “wait” so that they can get money from the factory.

The study stated that they are also threatening workers not to contact activists but wait for the situation to settle and business to resume.

According to one account of a very senior textile worker, the capitalists or industrialists are united and following uniform policies such as firing workers on probation, paying with 35 percent deductions. Larger companies are particularly harsh whereas smaller groups and brands are more concerned with their labour, he added.

In Lahore generally, from our study, it seems that after the lockdown began, contract workers were paid for the days they worked till March 13 and March 20 and were then told that they would be informed when work would restart, they said.

The study stated that there were no promises for wages for the next month or rehiring. In some cases, assignments and payments of contractors were pending and the sudden closure of business left workers in limbo. In many cases, piece rate payment was stopped. They added that in this situation contractors and workers were not able to either confront or leave the situation. The study also stated that thousands of daily wagers and workers are laid-off by few of the leading textile exporters of the country. “Contractors and workers were offered work for one more week without wages in order to recover pending dues.

Workers have been using different tactics to recover wages given that they are in complete precarity and uncertainty.

The study claimed that first they were told to come on Saturday, many were Christians and Easter was the next day, they were not paid and were told to come again. In advance fashion / US group advances were stopped but local pressure compelled management to pay.

Based on the above, the study revealed that the danger for workers extends into the future. Firstly, workers who retain their jobs might be required to work at less than normal wages for next few months including not being paid for many hours of work.

Secondly, they fear that when industry resumes, it might only hire a fraction of the workforce with lower wages and security, with particular effect on women’s employment. They maintained that there will be many compromises on safety, as even normally there are few precautions and no labour inspection. They further mentioned that the intensity of the backlog will fall on workers, who will work without any or proper overtime. The researchers feared that the payment to contractors will be deducted, who in turn will shift this load onto daily wagers.

05

Chinese company ships 500 tonnes of hybrid rice seeds to Pakistani customers

based on facts and seems to have relied on inaccurate sources.

“Under the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme, which is the official social protection programme, every eligible citizen has an equal opportunity to seek financial assistance,” she said and added that out of the 6.5 million beneficiaries that have received cash assistance in Category-I, 400,000 (6.15 percent) are non-Muslims. She further said that India had to ensure bringing an end to illegal occupation of the Kashmir. “We are committed to hold any meaningful talks with India on resolution of Kashmir dispute,” he said.

Qureshi urges Opp to avoid criticism amid COVID-19 MULTAN: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Saturday urged the opposition parties to avoid politics and criticism on the government and instead show unity in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. “Prime Minister Imran Khan set up a special fund for fighting COVID-19 . A large number of people are donating money as they trust Prime Minister Imran Khan,” he said while talking to journalists here. Qureshi lauded the services of the doctors fighting on the frontline against the pandemic. APP

A total of 500 tonnes of hybrid rice seeds from a seed company in east China’s Jiangsu province have been transported to Pakistan to help ensure the country’s grain yield this year. It is estimated that about 33,333 hectares of land will be planted with those seeds. Earlier this year, Jiangsu Hongqi Seed Industry Co Ltd, an enterprise engaged in wholesale and retail of crop seeds in China, reached an agreement with Pakistani customers to ship hybrid rice seeds after the spring festival, China Economic Net reported on Friday. However, affected by the coronavirus epidemic, the seeds could not be processed and packaged as planned. Thanks to the help of the customs of Taizhou city in China’s Jiangsu province, which opened a green channel and streamlined the process, the seeds were finally loaded on a ship and departed for Pakistan. “If these seeds could not be delivered to our customers in time, our business and reputation could be damaged, while the local grain yield in Pakistan could also be affected,” said Zha Lianqun, general manager of the company. Since the end of last year, Pakistan has made efforts to combat locust plagues which have destroyed crops and threatened the livelihoods of farmers. “This batch of seeds aims to help ensure the grain yield of Pakistan this year,” Zha said, adding that China will provide more technical assistance as far as possible and work with Pakistan to fight the locust disaster. BUSINESS DESK

Experts hail govt’s concessional package for construction industry ISLAMABAD APP

Prominent economists, businessmen and associations have hailed the government for providing tax relaxations to builders and developers amid the prevalent crisis caused by COVID-19 pandemic.

"Under the current circumstances, when the global economy is heading towards a deep recession, our government has taken appreciable steps to stimulate construction industry by providing it concessions and tax relations," SDPI Executive Director and Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council member Dr Abid Suleri told APP on Saturday. Expecting long-term benefits from this "pragmatic" decision, he said the decision would boost investments in the real estate sector, something the country desperately needs amid virus lockdowns.

He said by encouraging the real estate investors, the government would not only be able to create employment opportunities but would also activate around 70 other allied industries. He, however, said there was a need to ensure transport and labour availability for the construction industry, as safety of labour force at sites could prove to be a challenging task.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) Vice Chancellor Dr Nadeem ul Haque also lauded the tax relaxations offered to the construction industry, saying that this would ensure market regulation and liberalisation. He added Pakistan's construction industry needed more tax liberalisation to compete with regional competitors and to create more employment opportunities in the country’s economy.

He said the construction of high-rise buildings and other big projects would also promote growth and investment. Renowned economic and former Balochistan

Board of Investment chairman Dr Kaiser Bengali said that this ‘construction ordinance’ would help recover old investments. He said that small housing schemes for the middle-class could be a better option to benefits from these tax relaxations, as the government had also provided finance flexibility to low-income people for building their own houses.

Representing the construction industry, Association of Builder and Developers (ABAD) Chairman Mohsin Seikhani hailed the government’s construction package, saying that the government's decision to declare the construction sector as an 'industry' would add much-needed positivity to the country's economic health.

Terming the government's construction package as 'historic', he said it would prove a turning point for the economy. "ABAD had been rigorously demanding incentives for the construction sector because more than 70 allied industries are dependent on it. We are indebted to the prime minister for reviving the construction industry through multiple incentives."

He, however, requested the PM to announce a universal policy for approval of building plans across the country so that builders and developers could start construction as early as possible. Mohsin also praised the government’s comprehensive strategy plans for redressal of local industrial issues amid coronavirus outbreak.

Furthermore, Pakistan Iron and Steel Merchant Association Chairman Tariq Irshad said that construction industry was considered the backbone of any economy, as it generated huge employment opportunities. He said that under the current circumstances, the construction industry would play role of catalyst for the country’s economy. He further said that because of recently announced package, new investors would also invest in the industry and play due role in the revive of local economy.

Govt allows Ramzan congregational prayers but conditions apply ContInueD froM pAge 01 He reiterated that the decisions were taken after consensus by all religious leaders and sects, government officials and the health ministry.

The president urged people to take responsibility for themselves and follow the rules. All these points adhere to the rules of social distancing given by the World Health Organisation, he assured.

In separate phone calls, the president spoke to Jamaat-e-Islami chief Senator Sirajul Haq, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith chief Senator Sajid Mir and PML-N leader Rana Tanveer Hussain regarding safety precautions to be taken to contain the pandemic during the holy month.

Religious leaders of Rawalpindi and Islamabad attended the meeting from President House, while those in other parts of the country attended it through a video link from their respective governor houses.

‘TIME FOR UNITY’: During his address, President Alvi noted that now is the time for the government and the clerics to show unity as the people wanted to see their political and religious leaders on the same page in such a crucial time.

“We have sought proposals from the provincial governments to incorporate their point of view while deciding in this regard,” the president said, adding that Interior Minister Brig (r) Ijaz Shah is in touch with the provincial governments in this regard.

“We will ask for forgiveness and salvation during this holy month,” the president said, adding that he was hopeful that all preventive measures will be taken to curb the spread of coronavirus during Ramzan.

“The virus prevention strategy for Ramzan will be devised after developing a consensus with religious leaders,” he said. “The success of the agreement depends not only on the government or the religious leaders but on every single individual,” he added.

On April 14, religious leaders had demanded the federal government lift restrictions on congregational prayers at mosques in the country, saying prayers are essential for Muslims and should be allowed as long as safety measures are observed.

Prime Minister Imran Khan had also earlier assured the clergy regarding meeting religious scholars to discuss the restrictions on congregational prayers, imposed last month. A maximum of five people were allowed to gather for prayers at a time.

Sunday, 19 April, 2020

08 WORLD VIEW 2-km-long food queue of hungry in Delhi The ImperIal College CoVID-19 HE HAD JUST ONE REQUEST moDel preDICTeD a 98% reDuCTIon FOR THE GOVERNMENT: ‘IT IS VERY In CoVID-19 DeaThs WIThouT ClosIng IMPORTANT TO OPEN THIS LOCKDOWN SO I CAN GO HOME’ non-essenTIal busInesses

oKlaHoMa State UNiVerSitY

W

SteVe troSt

HEN Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt announced on March 24 that he was issuing an order closing all non-essential businesses in 19 counties (which he subsequently extended to all 77 counties), my heart sank. I knew of no evidence supporting such a drastic move, and I was skeptical that any such evidence actually existed. In other words, I was skeptical that such a move would significantly reduce the death toll from COVID-19 and I was certain that the fallout (in terms of actual harm caused to individual citizens) would be dramatic.

As a very technical person who remains inherently skeptical of claims not supported by solid evidence and/or well-reasoned arguments, I took it upon myself to review a plethora of reports and data analyses regarding the spread of the deadly SARS-CoV2 virus (the virus that causes COVID-19). In that respect, I strongly prefer going to the source documents written by acclaimed ‘experts’ rather than merely relying upon interpretations (or interpretations of interpretations) presented by journalists.

As a direct result of my aforementioned skepticism, I have closely reviewed the COVID-19 data analyses and reports produced by three distinguished teams of researchers – the Imperial College in London, Oxford University, and the University of Washington.

I want to hone in on the Imperial College model and subsequent report, because it is the one that predicted the most dire potential outcomes (and thus started the ball rolling with respect to media hysteria and extreme political reactions). The Imperial College model predicted 2.2 million deaths in the U.S. if we were to ‘do nothing’ to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV2.

The media, of course, picked up on that prediction of 2.2 million deaths and used it to garner the rapt attention of citizens and politicians alike (there is no better motivator than fear coupled with anxiety – forget FDR’s quip about having nothing to fear but fear itself).

However, what the media seem to have lost sight of (or perhaps never even looked into at all) is the fact that the Imperial College epidemiologists provided a prescriptive plan for reducing the number of COVID-19 deaths, by up to 98% (i.e. from 2.2 million U.S. deaths to less than 50,000). And, equally important to the potential reduction in deaths, the Imperial College plan detailed a path for reducing COVID-19 deaths (from cataclysmic levels to ‘normal flu season’ levels) WITHOUT shuttering ANY businesses (other than schools). Their comprehensive COVID-19 suppression plan (the one they predicted would reduce deaths by 98%) in-

volved four specific ‘social isolation’ strategies: case isolation (CI), household quarantine (HQ), social distancing (SD), and school closures (PC).

More specifically, the above strategies can be grouped into three distinct responses: case isolation at home (CI) and household quarantine (HQ) (if you have symptoms, everyone in your household stays at home for 14 days, i.e. no direct contact with anyone outside the household, with the exception of medical professionals, as needed for testing and/or treatment), social distancing of the entire population (SD) (if no one in your household has symptoms, you can still go to work, but you are expected to reduce social contact by 25% at work and by 75% everywhere else), and closure of schools and universities (PC) (government closes all schools, 25% of universities remain open).

Another extremely important aspect of the Imperial College COVID-19 suppression plan (that has been completely ignored by the media and politicians and just about everyone else) is that the strategies were designed to be applied LOCALLY or REGIONALLY, based on triggers tied to the # of empty ICU beds available within a given community.

“Given local epidemics are not perfectly synchronised, local policies are also more efficient and can achieve comparable levels of suppression to national policies while being in force for a slightly smaller proportion of the time.” (italics added, p. 15) Also, the Imperial College epidemiologists analyzed the effect of stopping mass gatherings and concluded that stopping mass gatherings “is predicted to have relatively little impact … because the contact-time at such events is relatively small compared to the time spent at home, in schools or workplaces and in other community locations” (italics added, p. 8).

In other words, the experts who predicted up to 2.2 million deaths in the U.S. due to COVID-19 also presented plausible analyses that those deaths could be reduced by 98% WITHOUT closing ANY businesses and WITHOUT forcing Christians to violate the scriptural admonition against “giving up meeting together” (Hebrews 10:25, NIV).

It is a shame that, on their holiest day of the year, Christians in the U.S. were prohibited from gathering together for corporate worship, even though the experts who provided the most dire predictions also predicted that those dire outcomes could be avoided, and that they could be avoided without requiring Christians to abandon their scripturally-mandated commitment to regularly gather together for worship, prayer, and mutual encouragement.

Lastly, it bears noting that, although the Imperial College epidemiologists presented and analyzed strategies that are far less draconian than those that are currently in place (both in Oklahoma and across the nation), they did suggest that such measures (which should be triggered on and off based on ICU bed usage), may need to be in place for up to 12 or even 18 months (i.e. until a vaccine or effective treatment is developed). Personally, I have no doubt that strictly following the Imperial College’s COVID-19 suppression plan for 12 to 18 months would be FAR less disruptive to individual lives and the national economy than even one month (much less 2 or more) of the economy-shattering, business-shuttering, jobkilling measures that are currently in place.

Steve Trost is Associate Director of the Institute for the Study of Free Enterprise.

Scroll Vijayta LaLwani & Supriya Sharma

Bhalswa is home to Delhi’s largest open garbage dump – and working-class families who can’t afford to live in a less toxic place. Around noon on Saturday, a queue snaked around a bend in the road leading into the neighbourhood. Food was being distributed inside a community hall by the Shri Shiv Sevak Delhi Mahashakti Group, an organisation that runs kitchens during the annual Amarnath pilgrimage in Indian held Kashmir.

When we saw people lined up on the road, we started rolling the camera, not realising that the queue was nearly 2 km long. In the queue were hundreds of men and women clutching cloth bags. Inside the bags were empty pots and pans that they hoped to fill up with cooked food. Some held up umbrellas to protect them from the scorching sun.

Many said they were embarrassed about queuing up for food. A common refrain was: “Hum kamaa ke khaane waale log hain.” We are workers who earn and feed ourselves. But the lockdown has deprived them of work and wages. As migrants in the city, many do not have the ration cards needed to access foodgrains from the public distribution system. For such families, the Delhi government has started issuing temporary food coupons online. But outside a school in Bhalswa, where food rations were being distributed, we met many people who had successfully registered for such coupons, but were still being turned away empty-handed.

“There is no food in our homes,” said Veena Singh, 28, a woman who stood in the food queue outside the community hall. She has been living in the neighbourhood with her husband and three children for eight years. A domestic worker, she earns Rs 1,500 as a monthly salary, while her husband, a porter, earns daily wages. The family had Rs 4,000 in savings when the lockdown began. But the money started to run out fairly quickly. “Along with the electricity bill, we end up spending Rs 3,000 on rent,” she said. As migrants from Bihar’s Motihari district, the family does not have a ration card in Delhi. “Those who have ration cards are getting double the foodgrains, but we are not getting anything,” she said. She had applied for a food coupon but was yet to receive one.

Singh now comes to the community hall every day to fill up three pots with dal, sabzi, rice and roti. This often means standing in the sun for one and a half hours. Despite the hardship, most people are grateful to get cooked meals. “The quality of the food is great,” said Mohammad Nolej. “It tastes just like home food.”

Nolej works as a daily-wage porter in Azadpur Mandi, the vegetables and fruits market in North Delhi.

Since last week, work at the mandi had come to a standstill, he said, leaving him with no choice option but to queue up for food. He first went to the government school in Jahangirpuri, the neighbourhood where he lives, about 2 km from Bhalswa. “I did not get food, even though my children are studying there,” he said. He described scenes of mismanagement at the school. “Police waale dande barsa rahe the.” Policemen were swinging lathis.

In comparison, even though it was a long trek to the community hall in Bhalswa, he was able to fill up enough food for two meals for his family of four. “In the school, they serve khichdi on small plates, while here they allow us to take food for the entire family,” he said. What was

most impressive, he said, was that they were serving vegetables along with rotis and rice.

A group of volunteers went past in a jeep making announcements, asking people to maintain adequate distance between each other in the queue. Another vehicle carried water drums. A volunteer asked people who had queued up to keep their Aadhaar cards ready. “People with three family members would come and take away food for ten and then waste it,” said the volunteer, explaining why they had asked people to produce identity cards. Asked whether they would leave out children in the family, who often do not have identity cards, he said: “We don’t implement this strictly. We allow people to take extra food.” Those in the queue agreed.

Naresh Kumar Sisodia of the Shri Shiv Sevak Delhi Mahashakti Group said that the community kitchen started to cook meals for around 18,000 people on March 29. “We saw a lot of people walking back to their villages,” said Sisodia. “Some would have to cover 1,000 km. We asked them to stay back.”

He said the organisation’s members had contributed both foodgrains and cash to keep the kitchen running.

Most of them were businessmen who own grocery stores, sweet shops and tenting services, while some were salaried professionals. “We will continue to do this for as long as we can,” he said. “Since we began, the number of people in the line has only increased.”

At 12.10 pm, Lilavati Devi was the last person in the queue – but not for long. Scores of others lined up behind her within minutes. A resident of an unauthorised colony at Bhalswa Dairy, 40-year-old Devi came to Delhi with her husband around 25 years ago from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. She worked as a vegetable vendor earning between Rs 300 to Rs 450 in a day until the lockdown forced her to pack up. She has no savings left. Even the family’s monthly food rations of 30 kgs of wheat and 8 kgs of rice are over.

For the past ten days, Devi has stood in the scorching heat to collect food to take back home for her husband and two children aged 20 and eight years.

Five months ago, her elder son, 25-year-old Lokush, who works as a painter, went to Mumbai for work. He could not make it back home in time before the lockdown began.

Devi said he was supposed to get married on May 24.

“He calls us and tells us that he is just in the room without any money and that he buys food on credit,” said Devi. “I am so sad but what can I do?” Thirty-year-old Fakhruddin stood in the queue carrying two utensils with him. He was there to collect food for his wife Nargis, 25, and their four-year-old child. “We are scared about the virus spreading but we are more worried about food,” he said. The family had come to Delhi from Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh around six years ago. As a daily wage earner, Fakhruddin earned around Rs 400 per day but work had dried up after the lockdown. He has around Rs 400 saved up and owes his grocer Rs 4,000. He wanted to take his family back to Aligarh where his sister lives, but could not leave before the trains and buses stopped running. “The poor will die like this,” he said.

Another worker, Sirajul, had walked nearly 2 kms from his home in an unauthorised colony in Burari to stand in the queue. “I do not even have a single penny with me,” he said. The bottling water factory where he worked had closed operations during the lockdown.

He had a family of five to feed – his wife and four children aged seven, six, three and two. He came to Delhi from Goalpara district in Assam a year ago. All he wanted now was to go back home to his 85-year-old mother who was unwell. “My brother told me she has a fever and a headache,” he said.

He had just one request for the government: “It is very important to open this lockdown so I can go home.”

How Taiwan and Somaliland are crushing coronavirus

NatioNal iNtereSt michaeL rubin

Two unrecognized countries—Taiwan and Somaliland—have outperformed their larger, better-resourced neighbors in combatting the coronavirus pandemic, often while being denied information and resources made available to almost every other country.

Both against the backdrop of the

SARS outbreak in China and now COVID-19, the World Health Organization largely ignored Taiwan and its 23 million citizens. Taiwan, however, has tested, identified, and responded to the pandemic much ably.

The same pattern is at play with regard to Somaliland and Somalia. Donald Yamamoto, the U.S. Ambassador to Somalia, has sought to channel all aid through Somalia’s deeply-flawed government in order to help build its power.

His logic is both simple and wrong: He believes that channeling aid through the Somali government will allow the Somali president and prime minister to consolidate control, not only over Somalia’s six federal states, but also within the capital itself where they hold little sway outside their compounds.

Yamamoto’s strategy ignores basic Somali history, however. Consensus academic literature on Somalia shows that infighting over foreign aid accelerated the county’s failure as various clan leaders and

powerbrokers sought to convert access to aid into personal power.

A mad rush ensued in order to possess and loot whatever any political actor could control or sell.

That same dynamic continues today.

Transparency International has ranked Somalia as the world’s most corrupt country for the past 16 years. Put another way, investment and aid money is less likely to be stolen or diverted in North Korea, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Venezuela, or Yemen than it is in Somalia. Somalia should be in good shape. Shortly before the coronavirus crisis hit, the U.S. Congress forgave Somalia’s $1 billion debt to U.S. taxpayers as part of a broader, $5 billion international effort to give the new Somali government a blank slate.

Throwing money at Somalia may have made its dysfunction worse, however. The Somali government has certainly put its preference to milk international donors on full display: Finance Minister Abdirahman Duale Beile gave a press conference in

Mogadishu on Monday, April 13 in which he said Somalia needed $240 million in additional stimulus because of the pandemic. He said his strategy would be to “beg” the international community for additional funds.

He did not mention the case of Mohamud Mohamed Buule, the finance director at the Ministry of Health, who earlier this month apparently absconded with previous funds allocated to address the coronavirus.

Mohamed Moalimuu, secretary-general of the Federation of Somali Journalists, reported that the government is also seeking other suspects from the Health Ministry. The mayor of Mogadishu, meanwhile, has accused the government of lying about infection rates.

While Somalia has received international assistance, its government—with the Yamamoto’s support—has refused to distribute any aid to Somaliland, the unrecognized state that accounts for onethird of Somalia’s total population and has

governed itself democratically since 1991.

Nevertheless, Somaliland, has managed to control the virus’ spread without international assistance but instead has raised $15 million from its own tax base. Fifteen million dollars—carefully allocated and audited—can be far more effective than $240 million or $1 billion in funds from international donors.

There is a lesson here for those both in the international community and State Department who prioritize power over democratic accountability, and believe that money trumps competence. Perhaps its time to recognize that capacity and transparency mean far more than cash. Diplomatic recognition or not, governments should only get assistance when they demonstrate the capacity to spent it effectively rather than steal it. It is time to reward good governance rather than throw good money after bad.

Michael Rubin is a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI).

Sunday, 19 April, 2020

BUSINESS 09

Telecom operaTors using 'illegal' BTs Towers in islamaBad, proBe reveals

CORPORATE CORNER

ISLAMABAD

ISLAMABAD: Mahmud Ali Kasuri (MAK) Welfare Trust CoChairman Nassir Kasuri and Beaconhouse School System Executive Director recently presented a cheque of Rs20 million to PM Imran Khan for the Prime Minister’s COVID19 Corona Relief Fund-2020. PRESS RELEASE

mcB Bank donates protective equipment worth rs10m to punjab govt LAHORE: MCB Bank has donated Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) worth Rs10 million to the Punjab government’s Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education (SH&ME) Department for Doctors and Medical workers on the frontline in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic. MCB Bank Chairman Mian Mohammad Mansha formally handed over the donation of PPE to Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Raashid during a brief ceremony held at MCB House, Lahore. MCB Bank President/CEO Imran Maqbool, and Security and Marketing Group Head Hassan Nawaz Tarar were also present at the occasion. The donated PPE comprises of N95 masks, protective clothing, latex examination gloves, protective glasses, head protective caps and shoe protective covers. The consignment of PPE comprises of locally sourced equipment and imported equipment that is FDA/CE/CNS certified and approved. PRESS RELEASE

Bike, three-wheeler sales decline 12.3pc in nine months BUSINESS DESK The sale of motorbikes and three-wheelers witnessed a decline of 12.34pc during the first nine months (July-march) of the current financial year (FY20) as compared to the corresponding period of last year. During the period under review, as many as 1,170,403 motorbikes and three-wheelers were sold in July-march FY20, as against the sale of 1,335,232 units in July-march FY19, according to data released by the Pakistan Automobile manufacturing Association (PAmA). The sale of Honda motorcycles in the country witnessed a decrease of 6.66pc, from 823,918 units last year to 768,974 units, while the sale of Suzuki motorcycles dipped 12.51pc, from 17,873 units last year to 15,637 units. In addition, the sale of Yamaha motorbikes witnessed a nominal decrease of 0.28pc, from 18,193 units to 18,142. Similarly, the sale of United Auto motorcycles went down from 281,776 units to 242,387 units (-13.97pc), while the sale of Road Prince motorcycles decreased from 123,348 units to 83,400 units (-32.38pc). meanwhile, the sale of Road Prince three-wheelers dropped of 22.46pc, from 8,634 units last year to 6,694 units during the period under review. The sale of Qingqi three-wheelers fell by 44.50pc, from 17,238 units to 9,567 units, while the sale of United Auto threewheelers plunged by 48.22pc, from 9,176 units to 4,751 units.

T

SHAHZAD PARACHA

elecom operators are providing services through 'illegal/unregistered' Base Transceiver System (BTS) towers in the federal capital, an inquiry report has revealed.

According to sources, the sub-committee of the local Government commission (Islamabad), in its inquiry report titled 'corruption/negligence/malpractice in the Directorate of municipal Administration Islamabad (mcI)', has unearthed massive corruption in the affairs of the directorate.

After thoroughly analysing the documents, the three-member subcommittee, headed by IcTA Director General Syeda Shafaq Hashmi, has submitted the inquiry report to the local Government commission, which has further passed it on to the Prime minister's office.

The commission had directed the mcI to submit a reply on 11 questions that included whether BTS towers of each telecom operator were registered and part of the mcI's tax net. And if not, mcI must give reasons about the potential beneficiaries.

According to sources, telecom operators need to install BTS towers to provide coverage to their clients. For this purpose, Telecom Infrastructure

Provider (TIP) companies, duly registered with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), provide services for installation of these towers.

The commission, in its report, noted that mcI had issued 838 licences to cellular companies, including mobilink (127), Ufone (116), Telenor (130), Zong (71), Warid (63), Witribe (51), modaraba al mali (5), mKz (23), PTcl (6) and Wateen (7). It added that the corporation generated an annual income of Rs72 million through the licencing of the above mentioned BTS towers.

After initial scrutiny of the information data provided by the companies, it was leant that many telecom operators were using or providing services of/to those companies that were not registered with PTA and cDA/mcI. These included mKZ, SAcTel, Telecard, NADRA, PAKcom, TlR/cPm, QUBee and AUGRee. The Directorate of mcI was subsequently issued a letter inquiring about the status of these operators with PTA, as these unregistered operators might pose a threat to the national security and could promote grey trafficking.

The sub-committee, during the scrutiny of record, found discrepancies that were mainly related to the financial and procedural record, since files were not maintained and approval for the grant of licences was not clear. The record of licencing, as well as the

copies of permission letters issued by the cDA's Planning Wing, was incomplete. As there was no proper demand and collection register to assess the yearly revenue target, it was difficult to reconcile the financial record.

It was observed that the cDA's Planning Wing played a major role in the allocation of land for BTS installations, but there was no correspondence found, raising suspicion regarding tampering of the record.

Similarly, it was also observed that whenever a BTS tower was installed on cDA/mcI land, a considerable area of the land was occupied by the company.

If it was a necessary requirement for the BTS tower, the cDI should have charged according to the gazette rates of open and covered areas, otherwise, this was "illegal occupation of land" which means tax evasion of millions of rupees.

The report noted that mKZ was a PTA-licenced infrastructure provider since 2015, but was operating as a Telecom Service Provider since 2009 with "declared installed BTS towers" in collaboration with and permission of the cDA's Planning Wing. "mKT has installed BTS towers on mcl/cDA land without fulfilling requisites. The company has been issued six licences to install 50 towers from 2009 to 2019."

It was learnt from the PTA's official website that mKZ had obtained its li-

Wear a mask or pay up to Rs100,000 donation, Meezan Bank tells employees KARACHI MEIRYUM ALI

In order to have employees take the threat of coVID19 seriously, meezan Bank has taken an unusually harsh but maybe a necessary step by imposing a cash penalty on those who refuse to wear a mask.

According to an internal meezan Bank memo signed by Deputy ceo Ariful Islam, this will be known as the ‘mask Rule’, whereby staff must wear masks properly that cover both the nose and mouth at all times while they are in the office.

If staff members do not comply, they will be subject to a tiered penalty system. on first violation, teaboys, riders, and staff will pay Rs1,000; area managers will pay Rs2,000; assistant vice presidents and vice presidents will pay Rs5,000; senior vice presidents and executive vice presidents will pay Rs15,000; senior executive vice presidents will pay Rs20,000; and president and ceos will pay Rs50,000. on the second violation, teaboys, riders, and staff will pay Rs12,000; area managers will pay Rs4,000; assistant vice presidents and vice presidents will pay Rs10,000; senior vice presidents and executive vice presidents will pay Rs30,000; senior executive vice presidents will pay Rs40,000; and president and ceos will pay Rs100,000.

In the case of a third violation, meezan Bank said strict disciplinary action will be taken.

The penalty amount will be deducted from the staff’s salary and transferred to Ihsan Trust, which distributes ration to people whose livelihoods have been affected by the coVID-19 pandemic. The ‘mask Rule’ will be done through physical checks and monitoring using ccTV cameras installed at meezan banks’ branches and head office. The rule will be implemented on April 20 at the head office, and April 21 for all other branches.

WHY SO STRICT? According to Islam, “We have

cence on 15 march 2016, but the licence for installation of BTS towers was issued by the cDA's Planning Wing much before the PTA's licence.

Similarly, BTS towers of SAcTel, AUGeRe, Tele-card and Tele-Solution have also been operating illegally since 2004. These companies had installed BTS towers on mcl/cDA land without fulfilling requisites and approvals.

In a statement, the mcI Directorate stated that its Telecom Unit was created in November 2014, with Ghulam Hafeez as its Project manager/DeputyDirector and Hashim Khan as Admin/Recovery officer.

"However, upon their transfers, the administrative and financial record was not handed over and in fact, Hashim Khan went missing. The financial data sheets showing the entries of deposited amounts as tax into the cDA’s account on a yearly basis also went missing," it maintained.

According to the inquiry report, the PTA's Directorate General (licencing) was approached on 5th october 2017 to seek advice on the issue, but the matter remained unresolved. meanwhile, a special audit on the direction of cDA was also conducted regarding financial and administrative audit of the BTS record. However, due to nonavailability of receipts, quantification of BTS towers and scattered information, the report could not be prepared.

scci seeks ‘comprehensive relief package’ for small traders PESHAWAR STAFF REPORT

issued various instructions and guidelines to staff from time to time on the precautions that must be adopted to ensure that the virus does not spread. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts it has been observed that staff at all levels are not following these instructions.”

The memo further noted that it was imperative that staff follows precautionary measures, as a recent study had shown that 70pc of people who test positive for coVID-19 are asymptomatic. “Please do not think that if you are not feeling sick you do not need to follow all precautions,” Islam clarified. other precautions were also listed, such as washing hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and practicing social distancing.

The State Bank of Pakistan has declared banks an essential industry, and allowed banks to remain open across Pakistan amidst the lockdowns across the country. However, most banks are operating with critical staff only. Branches also have reduced hours, operating from monday to Thursday from 10am to 4pm and on Friday from 10am to 1pm. The SBP has also encouraged digital payments and online banking in the last few weeks, in an attempt to get less people to visit bank branches.

Sarhad chamber of commerce and Industry (SccI) President engr maqsood Anwar Pervaiz on Saturday urged the government to announce a comprehensive fiscal relief package for coronavirus-hit small industries and traders.

During a meeting with a business delegation, the SccI president noted that besides general masses, the business community, particularly small industries and traders, had been adversely affected by coronavirus outbreak in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Pervaiz said a financial relief package for small-scale industries, traders and shopkeepers would not only help revive economic and commercial activities in the province but would also enable the country's economy to avert a certain recession. Noting that half of the country's population was living below the poverty line, he called upon philanthropists and well-off people to financially support the deserving people during the crisis period. He maintained that trade and economic activities had come to a halt due to prolonged lockdown, which was imposed as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of coVID-19. He added that small industrialists, traders and shopkeepers were facing enormous financial challenges under the prevailing circumstances. "The SccI demands the government to immediately announce an economic relief package wherein all taxes for small industries and traders are waived, payment of electricity and gas bills are deferred and additional surcharges on utilities are mot imposed," he added.

COVID-19: Manufacturers expect 25pc drop in cement demand LAHORE HASSAN NAQVI

Despite a relief package given to the construction industry by Prime minister Imran Khan, the cement sector is expecting a 25pc decline in demand amid coronavirus outbreak.

Talking to this scribe, All Pakistan cement manufacturers Association (APcmA) chairman Azam Faruque said “it is safe to assume that there will be a significant reduction in demand, but a lot will depend on the lockdown scenario; demand may surge if the markets are opened early”.

He informed that Pakistan's cement production capacity has touched 63.370 million tonnes per annum, adding that 75.91pc of

this capacity is situated in the country's north while the rest is placed in the south.

During the first eight months (July-Feb) of the current financial year (FY20), domestic demand for cement was recorded at only 27.374 million tonnes, while exports clocked in at 5.939 million tonnes, leaving an unutilised surplus of 8.934 million tonnes.

The APcmA chairman claimed that the cement industry is among the highest contributors to the national exchequer, as its contributions increased to Rs130.463 billion in 2018-19 from Rs39 billion in 2012-13.

He informed that the cement industry is subject to Federal excise Duty (FeD) at Rs2,000 per tonne, while general sales tax is 17pc [of the maximum retail price].

“cumulatively, these taxes amount to Rs170 per bag. This incidence of high taxation negatively affects domestic consumption,” he added.

Faruque requested the government to reduce [in phases] FeD to 'zero' so as to encourage cement offtake and support housing and infrastructural development in the country.

“The abolishment of excise duty will not only eliminate the culture of tax evasion but will also enhance cement consumption at reduced prices.” Presently, he continued, coal and pet coke are being used as fuel/raw material for various manufacturing concerns and that their import duty is at 5pc, which has increased the overall cost of doing business.

He demanded that the customs duty on

coal and pet coke should be reduced to “zero” per cent, just how the government has exempted lNG (industrial fuel) from customs duty at import stage.

The cement player stated that clinker and cement are being manufactured locally and that they are abundantly available in Pakistan. “currently, the import of clinker and cement is liable to customs duty at 11pc and 20pc respectively and due to cheap energy cost in neighboring countries, low-grade quality cement is being dumped into the Pakistani market,” he said. Faruque proposed to increase the customs duty on import of both clinker and cement to a uniform rate of 35pc in order to support the local cement industry.

He further proposed to impose an Inter-

national Trade Price (ITP) regime on the import of Iranian cement. meanwhile, maple leaf cement Factory limited chief executive officer (ceo) Sayeed Tariq Saigol thanked the government for announcing a package to spur construction activity in the country and for allowing the cement industry to restart its production facilities.

“We (cement manufacturers) face the prospect of falling demand amidst the coronavirus crisis and in order to spur consumption, I would urge the government to consider the taxation levels that the industry is subjected to,” he stated while talking to this scribe. “We are among the highest taxed industries in the world and this must change in order to stimulate demand.”

Sunday, 19 April, 2020

10 FOREIGN NEWS

Coronavirus response stirs Jerusalem sovereignty struggle TEL AVIV

i

AGENCIES

SRAEL’S arrest of senior Palestinian officials for “illegal” efforts to contain coronavirus and the Jewish state’s closure of a clinic have exacerbated a long-running row over the status of east Jerusalem.

Since the onset of the health crisis, Palestinian officials allege the Arab population of Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem has been overlooked by Israeli efforts to curb the spread of the virus.

Israeli police recently shuttered a COVID-19 screening facility in the east Jerusalem neighbourhood of Silwan — the testing was unauthorised, they said, because it was overseen only by the Palestinian Authority, and not Israel.

“Our goal is to provide aid to the people of east Jerusalem who are intentionally being neglected” by Israel, Fadi al-Hadami, the Palestinian government’s minister for Jerusalem affairs, told AFP. But meetings with “hospital doctors

in Jerusalem, interviews with media calling on people to stay at home to fight corona(virus) — they (Israel) consider these things violations,” he complained.

Earlier this month, Hadami and Adnan Ghaith, the Palestinians’ governor of Jerusalem, were detained by Israeli authorities amid their on-the-ground response to the coronavirus crisis.

Both men were released within 24 hours. But the spread of COVID-19 in predominantly Palestinian east Jerusalem risks exacerbating political tensions that could put lives at risk.

On Saturday, the Palestinian health ministry reported the first coronavirus death in east Jerusalem, naming the victim as a 78-year-old woman, Nawal Abu Al-Homos. It said that she died in an Israeli hospital in west Jerusalem.

At the heart of the dispute is the status of the city — one of the thorniest issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israel captured its eastern sector in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed it in a move never recognized by the international community. It views the whole of Jerusalem as its “eternal, indi-

visible capital” and bans any Palestinian government activity within the city.

The Palestinian Authority considers east Jerusalem the capital of its future state and tries to maintain a presence on the ground.

The city’s status was meant to be re-

Hong Kong activists arrested over last year's democracy rallies

solved as part of a final peace agreement between the two sides, but the diplomatic process between Israel and the Palestinians has long been dormant.

Israeli police meanwhile enforce the prohibition on any Palestinian activity in east Jerusalem they deem political.

Poor US students miss out as virtual learning sharpens divide

NEW YORK CITY AGENCIES

As a member of the 2020 “class of coronavirus,” Kenia Molina needed to find a laptop in order to graduate high school — a technology gap that has caused thousands of poorer students to miss out on weeks of education.

With many US schools and universi-

ties shut for the academic year, the Los Angeles student will be completing her final year via virtual learning on a home computer donated by her district.

“This is really important… for students that don’t have any access to the internet or even have any devices, they can’t even afford any devices,” said Molina, wearing a protective mask and gloves as she collected her laptop.

The free computers handed out by Los Angeles school district — second largest in the nation — “help us to be there and connected to one another,” she added.

But California’s Department of Education estimates nearly 240,000 more computers are needed.

Some 7,400 of Los Angeles’ 120,000 high school students have not logged in since quarantine began.

That number is down from 15,000 absentees in the first two weeks of lockdown when at least 40,000 students had no daily contact with their teachers.

“This is something we should have been ready and prepared for years ago,” said Rafael Balderas, principal of the school in Los Angeles suburb Bell where Molina studies. “You can’t take away from face-to-face learning — it is the best form of instruction for kids,” he told AFP. “But this now has become our new normal,” he added, with the pandemic and advances in technology spurring the school system to “move our kids to the 21st century.” Parents who still have to work to pay the bills are making huge sacrifices to ensure their children have the opportunity to log in to lessons, or at times entrusting the supervision of young children to older siblings.

Teachers have also been forced to rapidly adapt, learning to use YouTube channels and video call applications like Zoom.

“They’re keeping (students) within that educational space so that we don’t have a whole generation that loses six months of instruction,” said Chait.

CHANGED FOREVER: California was one of the first US states to shut schools, in mid-March, under a containment policy that experts say has helped to contain the deadly coronavirus.

Even though the state has avoided the fate of eastern hotspots like New York, California has lost almost 900 people to the disease so far.

When schools finally reopen, Governor Gavin Newsom has warned that floorplans may need to be spaced out and start times staggered to maintain social distancing.

“It’s safe to say that education has changed forever,” said math teacher Andrew Rowland, who created education app Classkick. “Many more teachers will have now been educated on how they can use virtual teaching more effectively.”

For Molina, those changes are likely to continue through university.

But even before then, she faces another seminal real-life moment transplanted to computer screen — her high school graduation, which will now be celebrated virtually.

“It’s a memory that I’m never going to be able to experience,” she said. “But we really can’t do much about it.”

HONG KONG: Police in Hong Kong carried out a sweeping operation against high-profile democracy campaigners on Saturday, arresting 15 activists on charges related to massive protests that rocked the Asian financial hub last year. Among those targeted was media tycoon Jimmy Lai, 72, founder of anti-establishment newspaper Apple Daily, who was arrested at his home.

The group also included former lawmakers Martin Lee, Margaret Ng, Albert Ho, Leung Kwok-hung, Au Nokhin and current lawmaker Leung Yiu-chung. They are accused of organising and taking part in unlawful assemblies in August and October, according to the police. Five were arrested on suspicion of publicising unauthorised public meetings in September and October. “The arrestees were charged or will be charged with related crimes,” superintendent Lam Wing-ho said. All 15 are due to appear in court mid-May. Media boss Lai was previously detained in February over his participation in another August rally that was banned by police for security reasons. “Finally I’ve become a defendant. How do I feel? I’m very much relieved,” Lee, known as the father of democracy in Hong Kong, told media after he was bailed. “For so many years, so many months, so many good youngsters were arrested and charged, while I was not arrested. I feel sorry about it,” the 81-year-old barrister and founding chairman of the city’s first political party said. He added he does not regret his actions and is proud to walk with Hong Kong’s youngsters in their fight for democracy. The semi-autonomous city was shaken by widespread and sometimes violent street protests in 2019, sparked by a now-abandoned proposal to allow extraditions to the authoritarian Chinese mainland and its opaque judicial system. “Today’s arrests of pro-democracy figures in Hong Kong is another nail in the coffin of ‘one country, two systems’,” China director at Human Rights Watch Sophie Richardson said, referring to the principle that guarantees freedoms in the city not seen on the Chinese mainland. AGENCIES

Chile unrest simmers under pandemic lockdown SANTIAGO: Six months after the largest social unrest in 30 years broke out, the streets of Chile are calm once again as the coronavirus pandemic forces the country into lockdown. But experts say the underlying frustration and social inequality that sparked the mass demonstrations have not disappeared and are merely simmering under the surface, potentially ready to explode again once virus measures are lifted. A mass movement against President Sebastian Pinera and his government erupted on October 18, initially triggered by a modest rise in metro fares in Santiago before mushrooming into general dissatisfaction with the cost of living and a system that seems to benefit the rich at the expense of all others. For the last month, though, the epicenter of the protests in Santiago’s Plaza Italia, as well as other hotspot cities such as Valparaiso and Concepcion, have gone cool with the population barred from heading outside to prevent the spread of the deadly COVID-19 disease. “The problems, whose public expression is currently suspended, are still there,” Patricio Zapata, a constitutional lawyer and member of the opposition Christian Democratic Party, told AFP. Faced with a health crisis that has left more than 110 dead and over 9,200 infected, Pinera actually has the wind in his sails. His approval rating plunged to less than eight percent in January — with weekly protests raging – but has climbed again to almost 20 percent. The good news may not last, though.

“We’re in something like a parenthesis, and there’s the chance that after the parenthesis, things will return to a similar situation” that existed before the unrest erupted, said Juan Pablo Luna, a professor in the political science institute at the Catholic University of Chile. AGENCIES

Confusion, seizure, strokes: How COVID-19 may affect the brain NEW YORK AGENCIES

A pattern is emerging among COVID19 patients arriving at hospitals in New York: Beyond fever, cough and shortness of breath, some are deeply disoriented to the point of not knowing where they are or what year it is.

At times this is linked to low oxygen levels in their blood, but in certain patients the confusion appears disproportionate to how their lungs are faring. Jennifer Frontera, a neurologist at NYU Langone Brooklyn hospital seeing these patients, told AFP the findings were raising concerns about the impact of the coronavirus on the brain and nervous system.

By now, most people are familiar with the respiratory hallmarks of the COVID-19 disease that has infected more than 2.2 million people around the world.

But more unusual signs are surfacing in new reports from the frontlines.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association last week found 36.4 percent of 214 Chinese patients had neurological symptoms ranging from loss of smell and nerve pain, to seizures and strokes. A paper in the New England Journal of Medicine this week examining 58 patients in Strasbourg, France found that more than half were confused or agitated, with brain imaging suggesting inflammation.

“You’ve been hearing that this is a breathing problem, but it also affects what we most care about, the brain,” S Andrew Josephson, chair of the neurology department at the University of California, San Francisco told AFP. “If you become confused, if you’re having problems thinking, those are reasons to seek medical attention,” he added.

“The old mantra of ‘Don’t come in unless you’re short of breath’ probably doesn’t apply anymore.”

VIRUSES AND THE BRAIN It isn’t completely surprising to scientists that SARS-CoV-2 might impact the brain and nervous system, since this has been documented in other viruses, including HIV, which can cause cognitive decline if untreated. Viruses affect the brain in one of two main ways, explained Michel Toledano, a neurologist at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.

One is by triggering an abnormal immune response known as a cytokine storm that causes inflammation of the brain — called autoimmune encephalitis.

The second is direct infection of the brain, called viral encephalitis.

How might this happen?

The brain is protected by something called the blood-brain-barrier, which blocks foreign substances but could be breached if compromised.

However, since loss of smell is a common symptom of the coronavirus, some have hypothesized the nose

CMYK

might be the pathway to the brain.

This remains unproven — and the theory is somewhat undermined by the fact that many patients experiencing anosmia don’t go on to have severe neurological symptoms.

In the case of the novel coronavirus, doctors believe based on the current evidence the neurological impacts are more likely the result of overactive immune response rather than brain invasion. To prove the latter even happens, the virus must be detected in cerebrospinal fluid.

This has been documented once, in a 24-year-old Japanese man whose case was published in the International Journal of Infectious Disease.

The man developed confusion and seizures, and imaging showed his brain was inflamed. But since this is the only known case so far, and the virus test hasn’t yet been validated for spinal fluid, scientists remain cautious.

MORE RESEARCH NEEDED: All of this emphasizes the need for more research.

Frontera, who is also a professor at NYU School of Medicine, is part of an international collaborative research project to standardize data collection. Her team is documenting striking cases including seizures in COVID-19 patients with no prior history of the episodes, and “unique”

new patterns of tiny brain hemorrhages. One startling finding concerns the case of a man in his fifties whose white matter — the parts of the brain that connect brain cells to each other — was so severely damaged it “would basically render him in a state of profound brain damage,” she said.

The doctors are stumped and want to tap his spinal fluid for a sample. Brain imaging and spinal taps are difficult to perform on patients on ventilators, and since most die, the full extent of neurologic injury isn’t yet known.

But neurologists are being called out for the minority of patients who survive being on a ventilator.

“We’re seeing a lot of consults of patients presenting in confusional states,” Rohan Arora, a neurologist at the Long Island Jewish Forest Hills hospital told AFP, saying that describes more than 40 percent of recovered virus patients.

It’s not yet known whether the impairment is long term, and being in the ICU itself can be a disorienting experience as a result of factors including strong medications.

But returning to normal appears to be taking longer than for people who suffer heart failure or stroke, added Arora.

Sunday, 19 April, 2020

SPORTS 11

PreMier League return Date stiLL not CLear, says BraDy Mancheste

W

Agencies

EST Ham chief executive Karren Brady claims the Premier League’s return date is still unclear despite hopes the top-flight season can restart in June.

The Premier League said on Friday that wrapping up the remaining 92 fixtures remains their goal, but the on-going coronavirus crisis means no fixed schedule can be drawn up yet.

Brady’s West Ham were perilously placed in the English top flight when football was suspended, sitting above the relegation zone on only goal difference with nine games remaining.

“Players will have been able to retain some physical fitness at home,” Brady wrote in her column in The Sun on Satur-

day. “But if social-distancing rules are still in place, physical match-play training will not be allowed — you can’t tackle from

two metres away. “So, how match-fit will players be if the season commences, as we all hope it will, by mid-June?”

With most clubs having nine games left, it was reported that Friday’s meeting of the 20 clubs discussed finishing the season in a 40-day window.

There have been claims that clubs were told domestic seasons must end by July 31 and the 2020-21 campaign must start by the first week of September at the latest. But Brady is adamant difficult questions over training, testing of players, hygiene and medical protocols will need to be resolved first.

The Premier League has been suspended since March and the UK’s lockdown is in place until May 7 at the earliest.

Brady questioned how Premier League clubs could regularly test players for the virus when the same situation is not yet in place for all NHS workers.

She also highlighted a potential unfairness in some squads having a number of players in self-isolation.

“Police officers will need to be at games even if they are behind closed doors as some supporters will travel to the stadium, even if they cannot come in to watch,” she said. “Everyone at the stadium — and even behind closed doors this is about 300-500 people — including security, staff, medical officers, players, referees and media, will have to have temperature checks, fill out health questionnaires and observe social distancing.

“Then there is the issue of injuries. All this is manageable but what if a player gets injured, where do we send him?

“It can’t be to an NHS (UK National Health Service) hospital that is already under pressure and private hospitals are carrying out NHS procedures and not taking in injured footballers. So then what?”

Murray haunted by 2016 roland garros final loss to Djokovic London

Man City’s De Bruyne recovering from illness

England’s Moeen ready to return to Tests despite ‘scapegoat’ past London Agencies

Moeen Ali says he is ready to return to Test action for England after a self-imposed exile from the red-ball game despite having been made to feel like “a scapegoat” in the past.

All-rounder Moeen missed the Test matches during England’s winter tours of New Zealand and South Africa after taking a spell away from the longest format of the game.

The 32-year-old, who continued to play limited overs matches for England, has been reflecting on his absence during the coronavirus lockdown and suggested he would be willing to return to Tests if selected when cricket eventually resumes.

“I think I’d probably be ready (to play Test cricket) now, to be honest.

Clearly I would have to be playing well and win a spot back on merit,” Moeen told the Guardian.

“But in terms of being available – and obviously I’m speaking hypothetically – if there was a Test match tomorrow and I got the call, I’d say ‘yes’.

“We’re all missing cricket right

now and coronavirus makes you realise what you love. It could take out the whole summer and that would be a big thing.” Moeen was dropped after the first Test against Australia last year and admitted to feeling like a scapegoat.

He has played 60 Tests for England, scoring five centuries and taking 181 wickets. “When you find yourself surrounded by a few negative comments,

somehow it’s all you can focus on. You have to be mentally stronger and filter more of it out,” Moeen said.

“It’s almost been a case of forgiving anyone who has ever said anything I didn’t like and now looking to start afresh when we get back playing.

“I may have felt a scapegoat at times in the past but I’m over it now.

It’s time to move on.”

Agencies

Andy Murray admits that his Roland Garros final defeat in 2016 to lifetime rival Novak Djokovic remains one of his most shattering losses. Djokovic triumphed in Paris, 3–6, 6–1, 6–2, 6–4 to capture his first and only French Open title. On Friday, Murray and Djokovic shared an Instagram Live chat where they discussed a rivalry which began in childhood and is still going strong in their early 30s. “If I could change one result, I obviously would have loved to win the Australian Open or the French Open, but as a challenge for me, because clay was such a tough surface for me throughout my career,” Murray told the world number one during the link-up. “Just in the terms of the way I played on clay it was the hardest one for me to adapt to. “That would have been my biggest achievement for me if I would have won the French. “Australia has been pretty painful for me thanks to you over the years. If I could change one I would take the French Open off you.” Djokovic has long had the upper hand on Murray. He leads their head-to-head 25-11 and has 17 Grand Slam titles to the Briton’s three. However, Murray does possess two Olympic gold medals from London in 2012 and Rio in 2016. He defeated Djokovic in the semi-finals in London on his way to the title. “I felt like a played well overall, but you beat me in the London Olympics in the semis, 7-5, 7-5,” Djokovic said. “I still felt like we both played very well, I felt the quality of the match was pretty good, you were just better in the decisive moments of the sets. “Of course I was devastated when I lost because it was Olympic Games, but I was happy with the way I played.”

Manchester Agencies

Kevin De Bruyne is recovering from an illness, but the Manchester City star says he is not sure if he had coronavirus.

De Bruyne and his family felt ill for around two weeks, but the Belgian international did not find out whether or not it was the virus.

“I am doing well, to be honest,” De Bruyne told Sky Sports on Friday.

“The first two weeks my family was sick so it was a little bit like up and down, but now they are all healthy. “We don’t know if we had it (coronavirus) or not but I think we’re doing well now.” With De Bruyne recovered, the midfielder is trying to keep as fit as he can while adhering to social distancing rules. The Premier League is suspended indefinitely because of the pandemic, but there remains a chance play will resume this season. “Well, the first two weeks was a little bit weird because I don’t know what’s going on,” De Bruyne said.

“Then I managed to get a treadmill. I was swimming a little bit because I’m lucky to have a pool downstairs. “I was doing a couple of lengths but now mostly I’m doing a run and I would say every other day I would choose between swimming and doing some exercise, so I’m keeping fairly good for what we can on our own, I guess.” Asked if City are sending through information and drills, he said: “They send us like a fairly big programme. “I think at the beginning of lockdown some of the gym physios went to the club and made videos of what we can do, different types of exercises.

“But there’s a few things that I like to do, obviously it’s more the running and the swimming exercise. “I do a little bit inbetween but I’m not one for sitting like an hour or two hours in a gym. “I get bored of doing stuff on my own anyway so I prefer to do running, where I keep busy for myself and listen to some podcasts and all that stuff.”

What now for cricket in 2020?

Johannesburg Agencies

Cricket has seen international series postponed, the Indian Premier League put on hold and the T20 World Cup in Australia thrown into doubt by the coronavirus pandemic.

Let’s takes a look at what could happen next for cricket in 2020: Will Windies be able to defend title?

— The West Indies have been one of the weakest of the Test nations in the last 10 years, with troubles behind the scenes and rows over players’ pay often proving costly for a talented side on the pitch.

But they have still produced two memorable World T20 triumphs, in 2012 and 2016, but now may have to wait to defend their crown in Australia.

The 2020 T20 World Cup is due to get underway in October, but the International Cricket Council (ICC) admitted on Friday that it was “exploring all options”, despite playing down reports that it could be pushed back until 2021.

A postponement would be a blow to some of the game’s ageing stars, including the 40-year-old Chris Gayle, who was hoping to bow out of the international arena in style by leading the Windies to another global title.

However, Gayle has mooted the possibility of playing for another five years.

“Forty-five is a good number. Let’s talk at 45,” the big-hitting opener told cricbizz.com earlier this year. “I think that’s a good number and my first number.

I just think I am on the slow side a bit.”

Could loss of franchise cricket prove costly?

— The world’s richest tournament, the Indian Premier League, has been indefinitely suspended, while the inaugural edition of The Hundred in England and Wales is appearing increasingly unlikely to go ahead as planned.

Many international players make the majority of their salaries in franchise limited-overs cricket, while the IPL draws massive crowds and is estimated to generate more than $11 billion a year for the Indian economy.

Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins was the most expensive overseas player bought at the 2020 season auction, with the Kolkata Knight Riders snapping him up for $2.17 million. The IPL was originally scheduled to start on March 29, was delayed until April 15, and has now been postponed indefinitely after the Indian government extended the country’s lockdown until at least May 3.

A cancellation, or even delay of The Hundred would be a huge blow to English cricket, which was hoping to capitalise on last year’s World Cup triumph by continuing to attract new fans to the sport.

The tournament is still slated to start as planned on July 17, but other sporting events in the UK in July, including tennis Grand Slam event Wimbledon and golf’s British Open, have been scrapped.

Can women’s cricket continue upward trend?

— This year has already been an ex-

CMYK

cellent one for women’s cricket, with a record-breaking crowd of over 86,000 watching Australia beat India to win the T20 World Cup at the Melbourne Cricket Ground last month.

But it faces a battle in order to continue to thrive after the coronavirus lockdown, with players paid far less than their male counterparts. Teenager Shafali Verma

was the find of the T20 World Cup for India, but India’s women’s captain Mithali Raj thinks the lockdown could make it harder for youngsters to break through.

“It’s true that if these matches were to go ahead, a few more gems like Shafali Verma would have been unearthed,” the Indian batting great told The Times of India.

Sunday, 19 April, 2020

NEWS

AnotheR heAlth CRisis in the offing PHARMACISTS SAY PAKISTAN IS FACING SHORTAGE OF LIFE-SAVING DRUGS DUE TO DELAY IN APPROVAL OF SUPPLY ORDERS ISLAMABAD

D

GHULAM ABBAS

UE to the non-appointment of a signing authority at the National Control Laboratory, Pakistan is soon going to face a shortage of life-saving drugs that could morph into a health crisis, especially in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

Thousands of patients are suffering in Sindh and KP, as these provinces are completely out of these important products as the NCL has yet to appoint a person in charge of approving the applications for the release orders.

Moreover, the imports of lifesaving biological products, including insulin, vaccines, plasma-derived products, recombinant biologicals, etc, have been totally suspended since March 13.

According to sources at Pakistan Chemists & Druggists Association, the

lifesaving products include vaccines for rabies, tetanus, pneumococcal, typhoid; recombinant biologicals ( erythropoietin, hepatitis B vaccine); plasma-derived products (Tetanus immunoglobulin, rabies immunoglobulin, anti-D immunoglobulin, intravenous immunoglobulin, albumin); equine/rabbit serum products ( rabies anti-serum, antithymocyte globulin, anti-snake venom serum); oncology ( monoclonal antibodies); cardiology (heparin, streptokinase); insulin among others.

Also, the shortage of life-saving biological products both at government and private institutes has already started and patients are suffering.

“The vaccine for rabies is not available at the hospitals in KP, while hundreds of angina patients there seriously need heparin,” said a source. Kidney patients in KP are also suffering as they need drugs for their protein requirements after dialysis sessions, it added.

Moreover, added the source, the tetanus vaccine is produced locally but it

is also facing shortage since its release also requires approval by the NCL. The source added that the companies will need three days to market the backlog of products in case the government gives release orders immediately.

“As many as 25 applications are submitted to NCL daily but bureaucratic hurdles will further the delay of products reaching the up the country,” said the source. The source said that the companies will have to make fresh orders for the biological products after the approval so that they can reach Pakistan in the next six months.

“The companies prefer imported products because they are already gone through tests under WHO guidelines,” said the source.

In this regard, Pakistan Chemists & Druggists Association also wrote a letter to the chief executive officer of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan. “In the light of the extremely difficult situation that the country is going through, we cannot afford to withhold supplying lifesaving biological products to the market due to lack of lot releases from the NCL,” the letter said.

“We urge you to urgently look into this matter and streamline the issuance of all pending and new lot release applications being submitted to the NCL,” stated the association.

Arundhati Roy says India’s treatment of Muslims during pandemic is almost ‘genocidal’ NEWS DESK Indian author and activist Arundhati Roy said that the Indian government is trying to instigate communal rifts as it is exploiting the coronavirus issue against its minority Muslim community, according to a DW report.

The Ministry of Happiness author said that “the situation is approaching genocidal.”

She told the foreign publication that the coronavirus pandemic has laid bare the facet of India that ‘all of us knew’.

“We are suffering, not just from COVID, but from

a crisis of hatred, from a crisis of hunger,” she said, adding that the world needs to keep its eyes on the matter of anti-Muslim hatred in India.

Linking the fresh wave of singling out Muslims during the pandemic to the recent Delhi riots, she said that it began with people protesting against the anti-Muslim citizenship law.

She continued that under the guise of COVID-19, the Hindu nationalist government is arresting young students, fighting cases against lawyers, media personnel, activists and intellectuals.

Roy said that the current wave of vitriol against

Muslims is tantamount to the one by Nazis during the Holocaust.

According to an earlier Reuters report, the coronavirus pandemic has come as a new form of misery for the already-beleaguered Muslim community in India, who now have to face persecution in the name of quarantine and isolation.

The report said the coronavirus has also exacerbated festering divisions between the country’s Hindus and its sizable Muslim minority, many of whom have seen their livelihoods threatened by the establishment of quarantine zones in densely-packed areas.

RAW tried to influence Canadian politicians against Pakistan: report RAW TASKED CANADA-BASED INDIAN JOURNALIST WITH CONVINCING AUTHORITIES THAT FUNDING IS BEING SENT TO PAKISTAN TO EXECUTE TERROR ACTIVITIES NEWS DESK Two Indian intelligence agencies – Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) – used money and disinformation to secretly influence Canadian politicians into supporting its interests overseas including its covert spy operations against Pakistan, according to a report published by the news arm of Canadian broadcaster Global Television Network. The report, which has been based on federal court proceedings and a highly sensitive government document obtained by Global News, claims Canadian authorities suspect India’s premier intelligence agencies of running an underground operation since 2009, allegedly to influence Canada’s politicians. The report claims Canadian intelligence authorities suspect Indian agencies of trying to use the chief editor of an unnamed Indian publication for this purpose. It adds that the wife and kids of that editor are Canadian nationals and a secret security investigation against him began when he applied to immigrate to Canada. Details of alleged Indian involvement were first revealed in a Canadian federal court, where Canadian authorities have accused the said editor – referred to as AB in the document seen

by Global News – of espionage. The report claims that the accused Indian national allegedly met Indian intelligence officials more than two dozens times over a period of six years. Among the allegations brought on against him by Canadian authorities, one of his assigned tasks was “to convince politicians that funding from Canada was being sent to Pakistan to support terrorism.” “You stated that you were tasked

by RAW to covertly influence Canadian government representatives and agencies on behalf of the Indian government,” read a letter sent to him by an immigration official, seen by Global News. “You stated that you were told to identify random Caucasian politicians and attempt to direct them into supporting issues that impacted India,” the letter continued.

Global virus deaths top 150,000 as US braces for lockdown protests WASHINGTON AGENCIES

Coronavirus deaths have surged past 150,000 worldwide with nearly a quarter of them in the United States, where new rallies against lockdown orders are being held after President Donald Trump lent his support to the protesters.

Evidence is mounting that social distancing successfully slowed the pandemic after more than half of humanity — 4.5 billion people — were confined to their homes.

Governments around the world are now grappling with when and how to ease lockdowns that have crippled the global economy, even as the COVID-19 death toll climbs further in hard-hit countries.

Demonstrators in three US states staged rallies this week to demand an end to the restrictions, with the largest protest in Michigan attracting 3,000 people — some of whom were armed.

Trump has largely left decisions on easing lockdowns to state officials even as he laid out guidelines for a staged reopening of the national economy.

But his call to “liberate” Michigan, Minnesota and Virginia in a series of tweets Friday were rebuked by the Democratic leaders of all three states.

“I do not have time to involve myself in Twitter wars,” said Virginia governor Ralph Northam.

AFRICA DEATH TOLL TOPS 1,000: The United States accounts for nearly a third of the 2.25 million coronavirus infections reported globally.

It has also recorded over 37,000 deaths, more than any other nation, followed by Italy, Spain and France which have all been ravaged by their own outbreaks.

Many countries are testing only the most serious cases and the number of confirmed infections is likely to be only a fraction of the true total.

Virtually no corner of the world has been left untouched, with deaths in Africa passing 1,000.

Nigeria announced the death of President Muhammadu Buhari’s top aide, the highestprofile person to succumb to the virus in Africa’s most populous nation.

Meanwhile, many of the world’s 260 million Orthodox Christians are preparing to mark Easter without attending church services.

The Russian Orthodox Church has asked the faithful to celebrate at home, even though many places or worship will remain open.

Services in Turkey will be closed to the public and broadcast on the internet.

In Zimbabwe, mass rallies and military parades to mark the country’s 40th anniversary of independence from British colonial rule were cancelled.

And Buckingham Palace announced that Queen Elizabeth II will not mark her birthday on Tuesday with a traditional gun salute.

Britain’s overall death toll is officially almost 15,500, but a charity says the number of virus deaths in care homes alone could be as high as 7,500, five times more than estimated.

COVER UP CLAIMS: China’s death toll jumped to 4,632 on Friday after it raised by 50 percent the number of fatalities for the city of Wuhan, where the respiratory disease first

Published by Arif Nizami at Plot # 7, Al-Baber Centre, F/8 Markaz, Islamabad. Ph: 051-2204545. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk

emerged late last year.

Trump, who has angrily shot back at claims he reacted too slowly to the virus threat, has accused Beijing of downplaying the impact of the disease within its borders.

“It is far higher than that and far higher than the U.S., not even close!” he tweeted.

Trump did not offer evidence to back his claim, but pressure has mounted on Beijing to come clean over its handling of the initial outbreak.

Leaders in France and Britain have also questioned China’s management of the crisis but Beijing hit back, saying it had not concealed information about the illness.

MY FAMILY IS HUNGRY: Signs that the outbreak could be easing in parts of Europe prompted Switzerland, Denmark and Finland to begin reopening shops and schools this week.

Germany’s health minister said Friday that the virus was “under control” after 3,400 deaths, and the country is now beginning the delicate task of lifting some restrictions without triggering a secondary outbreak.

Some shops will be allowed to reopen Monday, and some children will return to school within weeks.