Tuesday, 5 January, 2021 I 20 Jumada Al-Awwal, 1442 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XI No 187 I 12 Pages I Islamabad Edition
Educational institutions to reopen in phases from January 18
ISLAMABAD
t
STaff RePoRT
HE government on Monday decided to reopen educational institutions in phases from January 18 following a slight fall in the intensity of the second coronavirus wave that led to the nationwide closure in November last. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad after the meeting, Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood said that in the first phase, classes from nine to 12 would be allowed to resume from January 18. In the following phase, classes from one to eight would resume on January 25, he said, adding that all higher educational institutions would resume from February 1. The education minister said that teachers and administrative staff would be allowed to return to schools from January 11 following the winter vacation period. Online learning can also be re-
sumed from January 11, he said. Elaborating on the decisions taken during the meeting, the minister said that board exams which were due to be held in March and April were postponed to May and June because “the children have not completed their coursework and we want to give them time [to prepare].” He added that the government would review the health situation again on Jan 14 or 15 to “see if the trajectory is under control”. Meanwhile, Dr Faisal Sultan, special assistant to the prime minister on national health services, said that while all the government’s preventative measures had helped to curb the spread of the second wave, the “largest visible impact” was seen from the closures of educational institutions. “When we examined the data from the second wave, the closure of schools had the greatest impact on slowing down the spread of the pandemic and giving us time to properly cope with it,” he said.
Coronavirus in
Pakistan
CONFIRMED CASES:
488,529
LAST UPDATED AT 8:21 AM ON JANUARY 4, 2021
DAY'S DEATH TOLL:
39
RECOVERED:
NEW CASES:
1,895 DEATHS:
442,457 10,350 SINDH:
PUNJAB:
215,679
140,714
KP:
BALOCHISTAN:
AJK/GB:
ISLAMABAD:
59,484
18,247
8,357 / 4,867 38,263
“However, the second wave is still ongoing,” he stressed, adding the nation “must continue to take care for some more time [to ensure our healthcare infrastructure] doesn’t get overwhelmed”. We need more clarity on the progress of the second wave before we can take any final decisions on ongoing preventative measures, he said. Meanwhile, the country on Monday posted 1,895 fresh cases of the coronavirus after conducting 30,139 tests, a positivity ratio of 6.29 per cent. The total death toll from the pandemic has now reached 10,350, while the number of patients who are in critical condition has been hovering above 2,200 for over two weeks. In November 2019, the federal government shut the schools and postponed exams to try to curb new infections and a rise in the number of people in hospital with the virus. Students, including those at higher educational institutions as well as in private schools, were directed to continue classes through distance learning until December 24, when schools went on winter break until January 11. “All efforts will be made to make sure that education continues from home,” Mahmood said at the time, adding that “if the situation improves” schools would reopen on January 11. The decision to close schools, officials said, was based on an increase in the rate of positive test results in the country. The rate of people testing positive in June was as high as 23 per cent, but dropped to a low of 1.7 per cent by September.
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SC issues notices to AGs, speakers, ECP on Senate polls reference ISLAMABAD TLTP
The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday issued notices to speakers of national and provincial assemblies, advocate generals and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) over the presidential reference seeking its guidance on holding the Senate election through an open ballot. A five-member larger bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, and comprising Justice Mushir Alam, Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Yahya Afridi, heard the reference. The bench also ordered for a notice to be published for all those who are interested to join the court proceedings. The apex bench asked all concerned parties to present a synopsis regarding their submission. Justice Afridi asked AGP Khan to satisfy the court regarding the maintainability of the presidential reference. “Why should the SC jump into the controversy?” he asked. Referring to the Charter of Democracy, in which political parties had agreed to end floor-crossing and corruption, Justice Ahsan asked the AGP why the government does not evolve a political consensus on the issue. Justice Ahsan asked the AGP if he wants to know whether the Senate election should be held under the Constitution or law. He further inquired whether the
Gen Bajwa, Khalilzad discuss Afghan reconciliation process RAWALPINDI STaff RePoRT
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad on Monday discussed the overall regional security situation with particular reference to the ongoing Afghan reconciliation process. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Zalmay Khalilzad called on Army Chief General Bajwa to discuss the regional security situation. The meeting took place at General Headquarters (GHQ) wherein matters of mutual interest were discussed, the military’s media wing said in a statement. “Both reaffirmed the commitment towards the common goal of peace and stability in the region and agreed on continued engagement at multiple levels,” said the statement. The visiting dignitary acknowledged Pakistan’s ongoing efforts for enduring peace in Afghanistan and the region, said the military’s media wing. The development comes as Afghan government representatives and Taliban officials are due to resume their power-sharing talks, although battlefield clashes and targeted killings risk undermining efforts to end the war. Hours after the meeting, The US special representative tweeted that he was heading back to Doha “with expectations that the parties will make tangible progress in the next round of Afghanistan Peace Negotiations”. “Both sides must demonstrate they are acting in the best interest of the Afghan people by mak-
method of National Assembly elections could also be changed through a simple law. The hearing was adjourned till January 11. The presidential reference was filed by Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Khalid Javed Khan, under Article 186 of the Constitution, invoking the court’s advisory jurisdiction. The reference sought an interpretation of Article 226 that stated that all elections under the Constitution, other than those of the prime minister and chief ministers, shall be held through a secret ballot. Article 186 of the Constitution states that “If, at any time, the President considers that it is desirable to obtain the opinion of the Supreme Court on any question of law which he considers of public importance, he may refer the question to the Supreme Court for consideration. “The Supreme Court shall consider a question so referred and report its opinion on the question to the President,” the article further stated. The presidential reference asks if the condition of ‘secret ballot’ referred to in Article 226, is applicable only to the polls held “under” the Constitution – such as the election to the office of the president, the National Assembly speaker and deputy speaker, the Senate chairman and deputy chairman and speakers and deputy speakers of the provincial assemblies – and not to “other elections”.
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MORE INSIDE
Thousands mourn Hazara coal miners killed in Balochistan attack STORY ON BACK PAGE
ing real compromises and negotiating an agreement on a political settlement as soon as possible and an immediate significant reduction in violence/ceasefire,” he added. He condemned the “current levels of violence” and said that those that attempt to perpetuate these vicious cycle are hindering the peace process. “They do not reflect the will of the Afghan people, who yearn for peace,” he added. Last month a similar conversation had taken place when Khalilzad and Commander Resolute Support Mission (RSM) in Afghanistan General Austin Scott Miller had called on COAS Bajwa. At the time, General Bajwa had lauded the role of RSM had played in creating peace and stability in Afghanistan. He had assured Khalilzad and General Miller that Pakistan would continue to play its positive part in enhancing the peace and stability of the region. The visiting dignitaries had also appreciated Pakistan’s untiring efforts for facilitating the process towards the mutual objective of peace in the region.
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PM orders crackdown against sale of smuggled oil products STORY ON BACK PAGE
Faraz for differentiating between prohibited & foreign funding STORY ON PAGE 03
Finance minister seeks to finalise privatisation plans STORY ON PAGE 05