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Monday, 30 March, 2020 I 05 Shaban, 1441 I Rs 20.00 I Vol X No 271 I 12 Pages I Karachi Edition
Corona kills four more, Cases Cross 1,550 g
ABBOTTABAD MAN LINKeD WITH TABLeegHI jAMAAT DIeS, AReA UNDeR LOCKDOWN ISLAMABAD/LAHORE/KARACHI staff report
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S coronavirus cases continued to surface across the country on Sunday, four more patients succumbed to the disease in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, taking the national death toll to 15. Pakistan’s coronavirus cases currently stand at 1,556 after the confirmation of new cases in Punjab, Islamabad and gilgit-Baltistan (gB). 28 people have so far recovered from the disease. ABBOTABAD MAN DIES: According to health officials, the 78-year-old man, who passed away in Abbottabad, purportedly contracted the virus through some Tableeghi jamaat members who were in the area. The whole area has subsequently been put under lockdown now and contact tracing in underway.
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SINDH RePORTS TWO MORe DeATHS, 789 PILgRIMS ALLOWeD TO gO HOMe AFTeR 14-DAY QUARANTINe
According to the District Health Officer (DHO) Abbottabad Dr Faisal Khanzada, the patient was under treatment at Combined Military Hospital Abbottabad. The five deaths in KP have been reported from Hangu, Mardan, Parachinar, Lower Dir, and Abbottabad, the DHO said. TWO DEAD IN SINDH: Sindh Health and Population Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, while talking about the deceased patients, said, “We received the lab reports of both the patients after they had passed away. We found out that the cause of death in both cases was pneumonia along with COVID-19.” “One of the patients was 83 years old while the other was 70 years old,” she added. Separately, 789 pilgrims, who were suspected to be affected and placed in isolation in Sukkur, completed the mandatory 14-day isolation period and were declared virus-free. These pilgrims, who had come from Iran via Taftan border crossing,
SINDH MINISTeR SAYS TOO eARLY TO ReSUMe FLIgHTS, PROVINCeS SHOULD HAVe BeeN TAKeN ON BOARD IN THIS RegARD
ISLAMABAD staff report
The federal government on Sunday withdrew an earlier notification, announcing the resumption of international flight operations, after the Sindh government expressed reservation over the decision, saying it is “too early” to do so. According to a notification issued yesterday, the National Disaster Management Authority
(NDMA) had announced the resumption of international flight operations at Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Quetta and Peshawar airports from April 5. The operations were temporarily suspended on Mar 21 in a bid to contain the potential spread of coronavirus in the country. However, reacting to the decision, Sindh Information Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said the provinces should have been taken on board regarding the
issue as they are struggling to contain the epidemic. “No way, it’s too early to decide on this. Such a decision needs to made by the consent of provincial governments as each province is struggling very hard to contain the spread of #COVID_19. We can’t afford any risk at this point,” Shah had tweeted late Saturday night. Yesterday, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Security Dr Moeed Yusuf gave a briefing on the situation at airports and borders and had said that all international airspace will remain closed till April 4. Beginning March 29, a ban on all outgoing flights will become effective till April 4, the prime minister’s aide on national security Yusuf had said. “The eastern and western borders will also remain closed for two weeks,” he said. Dr Yusuf had said that depending on a ‘case to case basis’, if any country requests a flight to take back its citizens, then it will be discussed.
more inside
PM to announce roadmap for battle against coronavirus STORY ON PAGE 03
US virus deaths could reach 200,000, says top expert STORY ON BACK PAGE
Another health worker dies of coronavirus in Gilgit-Baltistan STORY ON PAGE 02
Pakistan urges India to lift Kashmir restrictions
PUNjAB ANNOUNCeS SIx-MONTH jAIL, RS50,000 FINe IN CASe OF CORONA RULeS VIOLATION
would now be allowed to go home. WOMAN DIES IN PUNJAB: Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar announced on Sunday night that a 68-year-old woman who had returned from Saudi Arabia and was under treatment in Rahim Yar Khan passed away due to coronavirus. He said that so far six people have lost their lives in Punjab whereas 593 confirmed coronavirus patients are under treatment. He added that the government’s teams are constantly tracking and testing the contacts of patients. ‘NO VIRUS CASE IMPORTED FROM CHINA’: Meanwhile, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza said that out of 1,500 total cases in the country, not even a single patient had a travel history of China. “This is remarkable if you think about it,” he said while briefing the team of Chinese doctors at the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad. “This
Govt reconsiders resumption of int’l flights after Sindh’s objection g
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STORY ON PAGE 02
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could happen only because of the coordination between Pakistan and China’s government and as a result of which it was decided not to let Chinese citizens travel before a 14-day period,” he added. Recalling the government’s earlier decision of not repatriating Pakistani students from Wuhan, Dr Mirza said, “It was a very tough decision but we worked very closely with the Chinese government and followed their recommendations and policies.” “They were very nice since they allowed countries to expatriate even against their recommendation,” he added. “Today, when the disease is spreading in Pakistan, the students are thanking the government of Pakistan for not bringing them back,” he said, adding that they are asking the government to take care of their families like China took care of them.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 02
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Monday, 30 March, 2020
NEWS
PakIStan uRgeS IndIa to lIft kaShMIR ReStRIctIonS ISLAmABAd
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AKISTAN on Sunday called for India to lift restrictions in occupied Kashmir and to release Kashmiri prisoners as the number of coronavirus cases in the disputed territory continue to increase. In a statement, the Foreign Office (FO) said that Pakistan is deeply concerned over continued restrictions in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) despite so many confirmed cases and two deaths. “Thousands of Kashmiri youngsters, members of civil society, journalists and Kashmiri leaders remain incarcerated in Indian prisons, many of them at undisclosed locations and away from their families. The Indian forces continue to operate in the occupied territory with complete impunity under draconian laws such as Public Safety Act (PSA) and Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA),” the statement read. “The senior Hurriyat leadership is under detention at homes or in different prisons. Hurriyat leaders Yasin Malik, Asia Andrabi and others are languishing in Indian jails under fake charges without a free or fair trial. Yasin Malik, who is already
suffering from deteriorating health, has threatened an indefinite hunger strike to protest against a false charge sheet by the Indian government in a 30-year-old case,” it added. “Since Indian illegal actions of August 5, 2019, all educational institutions in IOK have been closed. The students are unable to continue virtual education due to contin-
ued restrictions on 4G internet services. While the world is fighting the worst global health emergency, over 900,000 Indian military and para-military occupation troops continue adding to the suffering of innocent Kashmiris,” the statement added. The FO also said that the international community, which is cognisant of the worst human rights violations and the
atrocities being perpetrated by India in IOK, must urgently demand from India the lifting of communication restrictions and allowing unfettered access to medical and other essential supplies. “The Indian government must also be urged to immediately allow release of all political prisoners from Indian jails, end incarceration of Kashmiri leaders including the senior All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leadership, restore full Internet facility in the entire occupied region, remove PSA and other draconian laws, and withdraw occupation forces from the IOK,” the FO added “The dire human rights and humanitarian situation in IOK, exacerbated by India’s illegal and unilateral actions since August 5, 2019, has been amply exposed by the international human rights organisations and international media. The Indian government cannot continue to suppress the legitimate aspirations of the people of IOK without facing international opprobrium and censure,” the statement read. “For its part, Pakistan will continue supporting its Kashmiri brethren in their rightful struggle against Indian oppression till the realisation of their inalienable right to self-determination as enshrined in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions,” the FO concluded.
Another health worker dies of coronavirus in Gilgit-Baltistan ISLAmABAd GhulAm AbbAs
Days after Dr Usama Riaz died after developing complications due to coronavirus, another health worker in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) passed away on Sunday. 55-year-old Malik Ashdar was looking after suspected and confirmed coronavirus patients in Nagar district, but due to the lack of protective gear among health workers, he soon developed coronavirus symptoms. After spending a week in an isolation centre, he passed away on Sunday while his test reports came hours later, confirming his infection.
It is worth mentioning here that a number of health workers continue to perform their duties in the area without proper protective gear. There are currently 34 confirmed cases of the virus in the district, including 11 locally-transmitted cases, but health officials and residents suspect there could be more cases and have urged the federal government to ensure the provision of better facilities. Muhammad Jamil, a local resident, told this scribe that there are currently 100 suspects who are either waiting for their test results or are awaiting the test itself. When asked about Ashdar, he said that the health worker was not given proper treat-
Balochistan govt reduces sentences of prisoners KARACHI INP
Balochistan government on Sunday has announced to reduce the sentences of prisoners by four months in a wake of preventing coronavirus outbreak. According to details, prisoners jailed for terrorism and heinous crimes will not get benefit from this move. Earlier, Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah had issued a nine-page written order asking for the release of some prisoners. In the order, IHC has barred police from making any unnecessary arrests and has asked for the release of those prisoners who do not pose a threat to society. This directive is only applicable to prisoners convicted in cases in IHC.
ment in the isolation centre. Although his test results came positive, the GB Information Department is yet to confirm his death as the second coronavirus casualty in the area. Speaking to Pakistan Today, an official of the GB Health Department said that due to the non-availability of testing kits, no suspected patient was tested in the past three days. He said that National Institute of Health (NIH) in Gilgit has limited resources and the fact that samples have to be sent there manually also causes a delay in treating patients effectively. However, he added, China’s assistance in this regard would enable GB to conduct more tests.
APP
Balochistan government provided about 49 ventilators to Bolan Medical Complex (BMC) Hospital for functional them on emergency basis in order to facilitate patients while the BMC was considered for big hospital of province. Medical Superintendent (MS) of BMC, Dr. Saleem Abro expressed these views on Sunday, saying that Chief Minister Balochistan took the notice of ventilator when he informed the Chief Minister Balochistan that there was no ventilator functional in the main BMC hospital. He said 49 ventilators were provided to the BMC Hospital for func-
tional on immediate basis on special directive of Chief Minister Balcohistan saying that provincial government under leadership of CM Mir Jam Kamal Khan was striving to provide better treatment to patients in province through provision of latest equipment
to respective hospitals to deal with the spread of the coronavirus. “Chief Minister Balochistan is looking all matters of hospitals to address them on primary basis in order to ensure enhancing performances of hospitals for the interest of public health,”he said. He said in the exceptional circumstances of the coronavirus, emergency measures was taken by The CM Balochistan Mir Jam Kamal,aiming to immediately control the pandemic virus in the province. He said the deadly virus could be tackled in country including Balochistan by adopting precautionary measures so therefore people should remain their houses and avoid rush places for halting the virus soon.
Corona kills four more, cases cross 1,550 ContInued fRom pAge 01 Mirza also noted that “China has written a new chapter in public health by putting close to 60 million people in quarantine”. “Not just that but also rigorous implementation; the world has learnt from that,” he added. Mirza said that total 8,066 people were living in different quarantine in provinces out of which PCR test of 4,365 people had been conducted, with corona positive ratio of 20 percent as 869 people had tested positive. He added in total 1,527 confirmed corona patients, 857 patients (58%) had travel history of Iran, 191 patients (13%) had travel history of other countries and 420 patients (29%) had received virus in local transmission. PUNJAB PASSES ORDINANCE TO CONTAIN VIRUS: The Punjab government
promulgated the Punjab Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Ordinance, 2020, enabling it to take precautionary measures to protect the public from the coronavirus outbreak and or any such epidemic in the future. The law will enable the government to reinforce safety measures to contain the spread of the virus. Failure to comply with the law will result in imprisonment for at least six months and a fine of Rs50,000. Private entities, who will violate the law, will be fined Rs200,000. SECOND SHIPMENT OF MEDICAL AID ARRIVES FROM CHINA: Earlier in the day, a cargo airplane of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), laden with medical equipment from China, landed at the Islamabad International Airport. Reportedly, the consignment comprises ventilators, N-95 respirator masks and protective medical gear for doctors performing
field duty. It has also emerged that the air transport fleet of PAF has been assigned with the responsibility to airlift relief cargo from China. China is extending full support to Pakistan in its efforts to contain the coronavirus. China’s assistance to Pakistan so far includes 12,000 test kits, 300,000 masks, 10,000 protective suits, and support to build an isolation hospital. Following the arrival of the donation, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lieutenant General Muhammad Afzal said that the Chinese government is supporting Pakistan in difficult times, adding that around 6 tonnes of goods have arrived on a special flight from Wuhan. Meanwhile, commenting on the development, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Information Secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb said that resources “should be
CMYK
Jang/Geo Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mir Shakilur Rahman’s elder brother, Mir Javedur Rehman, has been hospitalised and is in a critical condition, according to reports. His family members and the employees of the newspaper he publishes have asked the public to pray for his recovery as he also suffers from lung cancer. MSR is currently in the custody of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) since he was arrested on March 12 in a case pertaining to the purchase of a 54-kanal piece of land. He had gone to NAB’s Lahore office on a call-up notice for verification of the complaint, but the arrest was made. His lawyers had claimed that his arrest was in violation of court orders and NAB rules barring the body from investigating businessmen. Later, he was remanded into NAB’s custody till April 7. On March 16, opposition parties had filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the MSR’s arrest, stating that NAB had violated the constitution to arrest him and that his arrest had a specific context because he was being constantly pressured to stop criticism of the anti-graft body. News Desk
Bilawal says will not tolerate negligence in helping poor people Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari warned the Sindh government on Sunday against neglecting the needy during the coronavirus outbreak, directing them to help out those affected the most by the pandemic. Bilawal was chairing a meeting on measures to help daily wage earners during the province-wise lockdown in Sindh. “Sindh government should go to each and every needy person’s house,” he said. “I will not tolerate any negligence when it comes to helping the poor.” The PPP chairman said that affluent persons and welfare organisations should be included in consultations and planning in case the lockdown extends to a longer period of time. News Desk
CM Balochistan provides 49 ventilators to BMC Hospital QuettA
Mir Shakilur Rehman's brother diagnosed with cancer
used to share information amongst people regarding coronavirus testing and quarantine”. Aurangzeb claimed that there “still is not a comprehensive policy to combat coronavirus misinformation”. CONTAINER HOSPITALS: Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal said that the government has decided to open container hospitals and relief and emergency centres as it ramps up efforts to contain the virus. These container hospitals will be equipped with all medical facilities such as operation theatres, isolation wards and residences for doctors and paramedical staff. The temporary hospitals will also have a separate room for pre-burial procedures for deceased patients. According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), initially, 1,500 container hospitals will be prepared and will be sent
Pakistani nationals stranded in India return amid coronavirus pandemic ISLAMABAD: Five Pakistan nationals stranded in India due to the coronavirus pandemic successfully returned to the country through Wagah-Attari border on Sunday. According to a statement issued by the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, the citizens went to India for medical reasons and were stranded in New Delhi due to coronavirus-related restrictions. On March 20, four stranded Pakistan nationals were repatriated via Wagah-Attari border. Pakistan High Commission remained in close contact with the Indian side as well as the relevant authorities in Islamabad to firm up expeditious and safe return of these Pakistanis. In close coordination with both sides, the mission is making all-out efforts for early return of the remaining Pakistan nationals stranded in India. stAff RePoRt to remote areas of the province. FOREIGN PREACHERS PUT UNDER ISOLATION: Sindh government, which is striving hard to prevent the unconfined spread of the virus, put some 44 more foreigners under quarantine at a Tableeghi Jamaat centre in Sukkur, pushing the total number of foreigners quarantined there to 68. According to officials, the foreigners had been travelling through the province for preaching and hailed from Indonesia, Nigeria, Tunisia, Afghanistan and other countries. The samples of all the people present inside the quarantine centre will be sent to Karachi for testing. KP ISSUES QUARANTINE GUIDELINES: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Health Department also issued guidelines for quarantining and isolation of suspected coronavirus patients. According to the notification, a person who has come into contact with a confirmed patient should be quarantined but sampling should be avoided. If the person shows symptoms, they should be isolated, the notification added.
Monday, 30 March, 2020
NEWS
PM to announce roadMaP for battle against coronavirus IMRAN SAYS GOVT WILL ASSURE PROVISION OF FOOD TO POOR, WARNS OF STRICT ACTION AGAINST HOARDERS AND PROFITEERS FIRDOUS CALLS FOR NATIONAL UNITY DURING CRISIS, SAYS PM’S RELIEF PACKAGE WILL BE EXTENDED TO ALL PROVINCES ISLAMABAD
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Staff RepoRt
rime minister imran Khan on Sunday vowed to take the nation into confidence on monday and to announce a roadmap developed by the federal government to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. Addressing the participants of Pakistan Tehreek-e-insaf (PTi) Core Committee’s meeting, the prime minister said that he has decided to employ all resources of the state to fight the pandemic. He said that one major concern for him was the provision of food and employment opportunities to the lowermiddle class and poor segments of the society who have suffered a major hit in their income due to the lockdown situation. Taking cognisance of the price hike amid lockdown, Pm imran said that there was no shortage of food items in the country but some profiteers were trying to create artificial shortage by hoarding commodities. “i politely warn the hoarders and profiteers to shun this practice. if not, the government would take stern action as a last resort,”
he said, adding that punitive actions may prove disastrous for the hoarders. He said that law enforcement agencies were ready to assist the state authorities. The premier said that he does not take hasty decisions as such decisions backfire. He said that that difficult times and challenges test the mettle of the political leadership and he was taking all decisions after doing his homework. He also said that he would take the people on board over the strategy and measures taken by the federal and provincial governments to counter the pandemic. minister for revenue Hammad Azhar and minister for Planning Asad Umar also gave detailed briefings about the economic situation in the country. Assistant to Prime minister on Health Dr Zafar mirza also briefed the participants about the government’s response to the pandemic. The core committee also discussed the formation of “Corona relief Tigers Force” with an idea to provide relief and food items to the people at their doorsteps. it was decided that PTi lawmakers, cabinet members, party’s central, provincial and district leaders
PUNJAB CM SAYS 4,000 TO BE PROVIDED TO 250,000 FAMILIES; KP CM ASSURES SUPPORT TO 1,900,000 FAMILIES would be included in the Corona relief Tigers Force. Punjab Chief minister Usman Buzdar also briefed the party leadership about the measures taken to counter the outbreak. He told the meeting that Punjab government had issued ordinance under which those violating the quarantine period would be subjected to jail for two months and anyone found doing it for a second time would be jailed for 18 months. Buzdar informed the meeting that his government has allocated rs10 billion to provide rs4,000 financial assistance every month to 250,000 deserving people in the province and those getting financial support from Benazir income Support Programme (BiSP) would not be included in this list. The Cm also informed the meeting that eight medical laboratories in the province would conduct coronavirus tests of 3,200 persons daily and recruitment process of 10,000 doctors and paramedical staff has been started in the province. He also informed that in case any doctor or paramedic dies during performance of his duties, he would be given the same package given to martyrs Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief minister mehmood Khan informed the committee members that his government has announced rs11.40 billion package for providing financial support to 1,900,000 deserv-
ing families in the province. He told the meeting that province has allocated rs32 billion to control spread of the pandemic and is also giving rs5 billion relaxation on taxes and duties to various sectors. He further said that KP would provide additional rs2,000 to each of ten lakh families getting financial support under ehsaas Programme. minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry told that his ministry was working on developing ventilators that cost $2500. He said that currently Pakistan was facing a shortage of ventilators as there were only 2,700 ventilators out of which only 1,500 were operational. He said that the ministry of Science and Technology was also working on developing its own kits for coronavirus testing and soon the country would have the capability to develop domestic kits. Dr Babar Awan briefed the meeting about the legal measures being adopted to counter the violations of lockdown and quarantine period by suspected coronavirus patients. ‘NO DIVISION BETWEEN PROVINCES’: Later, addressing the media, Special Assistant to the Prime minister on information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said that the prime minister also made it clear that the packages announced by the federal government would also be extended to all provinces, even
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where PTi is not in power. She said that the prime minister has renewed his pledge of ensuring delivery of ration and food supplies to deserving poor families across the country at their doorsteps. She also said that the premier trusts the country’s youngsters and wants to use the potential youth force volunteers to ensure the supply of food items to deserving people. She further said that Pm imran informed the committee that the country was passing through a difficult time and there was need of unity among the masses to overcome the challenge posed by this pandemic. “Pm imran urged the party leadership to stand by the people in testing times and play a proactive role in resolution of their problems,” she added. Dr Firdous said that due to ongoing lock down to prevent spread of coronavirus, national economy was being affected and chain of daily use items was slowed down. She said that the prime minister had advised minister for National Food Security Khusro Bakhtiar to ensure the availability of food items, including wheat flour, so that there should be no shortage of such items. The SAPm also highlighted that there was no shortage of edible items in the country and the committee expressed the resolve to treat hoarders and profiteers with an iron hand. She also said that that one-month salary as bonus will be given to doctors and paramedics, who will serve as frontline soldiers against coronavirus pandemic in the province. Personal protection equipment has been provided to doctors and paramedical staff attending coronavirus patients in islamabad, AJK and GB and the same would be provided to other provinces as soon as possible, she added. She further said that in National Coordination Committee (NCC) meeting on monday, steps would be discussed to open supply of goods needed for opening industrial units and construction sector to save the poor labour class from starvation. She added that counter-strategy was needed to save labour class from unemployment.
shehbaz says timely lockdown would have saved lives AJK, GB HEADS DEMAND FORMATION OF COMMISSION TO PROBE CONDITIONS AT TAFTAN QUARANTINE LAHORE Staff RepoRt
Pakistan muslim League-Nawaz (PmL-N) President Shehbaz Sharif said on Sunday that the federal government lost previous time as a timely lockdown would have saved many lives. Speaking to the prime minister of Azad Kashmir and the chief minister of GilgitBaltistan via video conference, Shehbaz said: “GilgitBaltistan is in urgent need of the federal government’s attention.” Shehbaz criticised the government for delaying decisions. “The federal government lost a lot of time in overthinking and reluctance,” he said. The PmL-N leader expressed concern at the alarming rate of coronavirus cases increasing in Punjab. He relayed the message of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif for the people of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir, saying that Nawaz was concerned about the evolving situation in the provinces. Chief minister Gilgit-Baltistan Hafiz Hafeezur-rehman demanded a commission to probe conditions at the Taftan quarantine camp.
newspapers safe to read: cPne
KARACHI: Social distancing measures observed as an NGO distributes ration among poor people at Numaish Chowrangi. ppi
Pakistan is China’s priority in fight against coronavirus: Yao ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt
China’s ambassador to Pakistan mr Yao Jing on Sunday addressing a ceremony held in the honor of the Chinese medical staff that arrived in Pakistan to help out during the global coronavirus pandemic. Jing said that China has made great headway into controlling the deadly pathogen and stands by their ‘iron brother’ Pakistan in their hour of need. The Chinese ambassador added that the coronavirus has become a mammoth challenge for the entire world and unity and self-isolation were the only two ways to tackle the conundrum. Ambassador Yao Jing said
that Pakistan was China’s first priority among every other nation in the world who are currently embroiled in a war against an invisible enemy. The dignitary also said that he was resolute that with China’s help, Pakistan would soon gain total control of coronavirus and curb the disease like China itself has. Pakistan’s count of novel coronavirus (COViD-19) cases soared to 1526 on Sunday, according to the latest statistics released by the National Command and Control Center. Thus far 13 deaths from the disease have been reported in the country, while 28 have made full recoveries after contracting coronavirus.
KARACHI Staff RepoRt
The Council of Pakistan Newspapers editors (CPNe) on Sunday said that newspapers carry an infinitely small risk of transmitting coronavirus because the World Health Organisation (WHO) has also declared them safe. in a statement, CPNe said that as per the WHO report, the likelihood of an infected persona contaminating commercial goods is low, therefore, the risk of getting infected through printed paper is infinitely small. However, they advised all readers to adopt precautionary measures such as washing their hands for 20 seconds before and after holding a newspaper to avoid the spread of the virus. They council also asked the managements of newspapers and the hawkers to adopt preventive measures for the safety of citizens. CPNe also welcomed the provincial governments’ decision of categorising newspapers as “essential services” and ensuring distribution of newspapers during the lockdown. “The need for independent, verifiable news and information more than ever during the coronavirus pandemic. Since a large number of people trust print media, the newspapers are also ensuring that correct and reliable information is conveyed to the readers,” the statement added.
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ThouSandS STrandEd in Sindh aS CaSES TouCh 503 FOUR AGA KHAN HOSPITAL STAFF MEMBERS TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 KARACHI
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UNDREDS of vehicles have been stranded at Punjab-Sindh border after the provincial government shut down the border in a bid to control the spread of deadly coronavirus as the provincial tally rose to 503 on Sunday. According to the details, thousands of passengers are stranded at the provincial border due to the lockdown. The Stranded people are worried about a possible shortage of food and water. The Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah has said that citizens would not be allowed back in Punjab. “The Punjab government, in consultation with Sindh government, had sealed its border for passenger transport, therefore, they would not
allow them to enter into Punjab,” he said. “I would like to advise you not to leave your home during these critical days,” he said, adding that through the home department, he had issued directives to all deputy commissioners (DCs) to not allow any inter-district passenger transport either. Earlier in the day, Sindh Police introduced an application to monitor the movements of citizens during the lockdown in the province. As part of the application, the police enters the CNIC number of a person and the area where he was stopped. The information is then uploaded on the application which becomes accessible to all the units. However, a person is only allowed to travel twice during the day. Media personnel and medical staff are, however, exempted from the order. The Sindh government has so far taken the strictest measures to contain the outbreak as compared to other provinces. Commenting on Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah’s efforts against the pandemic, Science and Technology Minister Fawad Chaudhry lauded his timely actions. “Some provincial governments have played a dynamic role but some did not; in this regard, Sindh government remained
the most proactive,” Chaudhry said. “This is why the Sindh chief minister deserves appreciation and I commend his efforts. I congratulate him on that,” he added. It may be mentioned here that the Sindh CM announced further restrictions on citizens. He directed city police officials to ensure that any rickshaw operating in Karachi during the lockdown should not carry more than two passengers. “Those violating the order should be made to abort their journey while the rickshaws should be impounded,” Shah said. When asked what issued were being faced by the authorities in enforcing the
lockdown orders, DIG South Zone said the police had easily persuaded the residents of Defence to observe the lockdown, however, they were facing difficulties in convincing people from the old city areas such as Lyari and Saddar to stay indoors. “We have been facing difficulties to a certain extent but as the time passes on, people have come to realise the situation as they have now started to obey the lockdown orders by staying at home,” he remarked. The chief minister also said that those coming out of their houses without any valid reason should be stopped. “No residential street should have more than two people at a time and any extra people seen on the streets should be sent to their houses,” he said. “Shoppers outside a grocery market should maintain some distance among them”, he added. Meanwhile, four doctors and related staff at the top hospitals of Karachi, including the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) and the Liaquat National Hospital (LNH), tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday. The hospitals are now screening and testing AKUH doctors, paramedics, and staff for the virus.
Sindh govt develops App to distribute ration among daily wagers, poor Sharmila seeks full suspension of railway transport to save people KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Leader Sharmila Farooqui said on Sunday that in view of the reservations from the Sindh, the federal government’s decision to withdraw the notification issued for international flight resumption is a welcome move, but it is also mandatory to fully suspend railways transport in the country to save the people as the social distancing is must to fight coronavirus. “The withdrawal of international flight resumption decision is a good step because people from different countries are coming Pakistan with virus. It will also help stop the coronavirus along with other measures,” she said in a statement today. She said that railway stations in the provinces are still open that could cause virus among the people, so they should be shut immediately. “Coronavirus is dangerous deadly disease, so we have to take precautionary measures from all sides to control it, and this will be able when the federal government will take all the provinces, including Sindh, on board while taking decisions pertaining to virus control,” she said. “We need social distancing because it slows the spread of the coronavirus disease to manageable levels. When that happens, we can move to a more sustainable mitigation strategy. But we’ll need to be careful,” she said. She said: “Since inception of virus reports in the country, Sindh government was first to take hectic precautionary measure and impose lockdown to save the people of Sindh, including Karachi. Karachi is economic hub of the country where people from all the provinces are residing for business purposes and earning livelihood, therefore, special care is being made to save the economic hub of the country.” She asked the people to cooperate with the government efforts being made to control the virus and ensure staying at homes with children. The outing must be avoided except purchasing necessary goods from the shops. Sharmila asked the federal government to initiate a full-fledged awareness campaign against the coronavirus in consultation with all the provincial governments. She asked the people to ensure social distancing for their good. The children and old persons must be cared fully as they are vulnerable to the virus exposure. There is need to learn from China methods of controlling the virus in Wuhan city. She informed that social distancing in the workplace include stop shaking hands to greet others, hold meetings via video conferencing or phone call, put off large meetings to a later date, hold essential meetings outside in the open air if possible, disinfect surfaces that many people touch. PPI
RATION FOR 1.4 MILLION FAMILIES WOULD COST RS7.7 BILLION KARACHI PPI
Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah has established the Sindh Relief Initiative Application with a URL address under which social welfare organisations interested in working with his government would have to get registered to distribute ration among daily wagers. The CM was presiding over a meeting of welfare organisations here on Sunday. The meeting was attended by provincial ministers, advisor law, special assistants, head of various welfare organisations, Sindh chief secretary, IG Police, home secretary, Karachi Additional IG, PSCM, secretary finance and others. The Sindh Relief Initiative is aimed at providing ration to daily wagers and needy people at their doorstep while having a joint working group without duplication,” he said, adding that daily wagers would also have to get registered through the application. “I have developed this mechanism to reach each and every family so, that nobody goes to sleep hungry,” he said. The chief minister said that according to 2017’s census, the population of the province comes to 50 million out of which 10 million people or 1.4 million families are daily wagers who will have to be provided with ration bags. He said that out of 10 million daily
wagers, 25 per cent were associated with construction industry covered under the Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI), 35 per cent were affiliated with the textile and ancillary industry and were also registered with EOBI whereas 40 per cent workers working in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), cottage and roadside shops, and the transport industry were not registered with any organisation such as EOBI or Sindh Employees Social Security Institution (SESSI). Shah revealed that if an average family was provided with a ration bag of Rs5,500, the amount to cover 1.4 million families would cost Rs7.7 billion. The chief minister said that all stakeholders, including government and non-government organisations, should use the same platform to promote uniformity in the disbursement exercise. “Standard Operation Procedures (SOP) for disbursement are to be signed by all stakeholders,” he said. It may be mentioned here that be-
sides ration to daily wagers, the Sindh Relief Initiative App would provide a single platform for all relief activities. The Sindh CM thanked organisations such as the Karachi Relief Trust, Saylani Welfare, Edhi, Bait-us-Salam, Citizen Foundation, Chhipa, Zindagi Trust, Patient Aid and various others who were supporting the government in its initiative. He said that with the support of the government, welfare organisations, like Saylani, Chhipa, Alamgir, Zindagi Trust and others had already started distributing ration among daily wagers and needy people in different areas and around 200,000 families had so far been provided with a 15 day ration bag. The application’s URL address is https://play.google.com/store/apps/detailes?id=inc.codelabs.krtvolunteer. The chief minister said that Minister Energy Imtiaz Shaikh, Minister LG Nasir Shah and Advisor Murtaza Wahab would be coordinating the distribution of ration with all welfare organisations.
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Tableeghi Jamaat members refuse screening HYDERABAD: The men detained inside Noor Mosque in Wahdat Colony area of Qasimabad allegedly resisted screening and broke out of the mosque here on Sunday. The police informed that the Rangers were called to control the situation after which the men were sent back into the mosque. The mosque was sealed on Friday night after a 19-year-old Chinese who was part of a Tableeghi group staying in the mosque tested positive for coronavirus. The local administration sealed the mosque in order to test the people who remained in close contact with the Chinese and also to screen the rest of the people. According to police and health sources, more than 100 persons are detained inside Noor Mosque. APP
ECC decision to release subsidy a ray of hope: K-Electric KARACHI: K-Electric welcomes the Economic Coordination Committee’s (ECC) decision to facilitate the power utility through advance provision of Rs26 billion as subsidy. Provision of this amount will off-set a portion of the KE’s ballooning receivables which are due to it from the Federal and Provincial Government and which have now crossed Rs240 billion. CEO K-Electric, Moonis Alvi, hailed the ECC’s decision saying that KE’s foremost priority during the COVID-19 crisis is to ensure that Karachi remains powered up and that the most economically vulnerable customers are provided relief through uninterrupted power supply and deferred due dates including the deferral of the Industrial Support Package (ISPA) adjustment for industries. The power utility has extended the due date for bills below PKR 4,000 to April 10, 2020 and for all other customers including industrial and commercial, the due date has been extended till April 7, 2020. To further facilitate customers who are mandated to stay at home during the crisis, KE has also strengthened its online customer service platforms and ensured the availability of alternate payment portals including mobile banking, Easy Paisa, Jazz Cash or ATMs. Critical centers such as power stations and load dispatch centers continue to stay operational with essential staff to provide uninterrupted power to the citizens of Karachi. Annual preventive maintenance (APM) activities have also been suspended until further notice. The power utility is committed to standing by Karachi and ensuring uninterrupted power supply to its over 2.8 million customers. Press releAse
Second batch of medical aid from Jack Ma Foundation arrives BEIJING: The Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation today announced that the second batch of shipment of donated medical supplies, including testing kits and other medical equipment, arrived in Pakistan. This is in addition to previous batch, which landed in Pakistan on 25th March. The National Disaster Management Authority, Government of Pakistan will transport and distribute the supplies throughout the country. The shipment is part of the donation of medical supplies to 10 Asian countries announced on March 21. Collectively, the nations will receive a total of 1.8 million masks; kits for testing 210,000 people, 36,000 pieces of protective clothing, as well as essential medical equipment such as ventilators and forehead thermometers. INP
Sindh minister lauds steps of all provincial govts KARACHI APP
Sindh Minister for Information, Local Government, Housing & Town Planning, Religious Affairs, Forest & Wildlife Syed Nasir Hussain Shah has said that all the provincial governments were adopting those drastic measures which they had never been taken before in this crucial time. In a statement on Sunday, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said, “we can fight against Coronavirus more effectively if we are together”. Meanwhile, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah while presiding over the 32nd meeting of the task force on Coronavirus had instructed that while delivering
the ration as well as the cash first and far most priority must be given to the families of daily wagers. Nasir Shah said that the Sindh government was devising a mechanism through which the families of these daily wagers would be approached without any difficulty. In this regard a relief initiative mobile phone application (app) had also been developed and through this app it had also been suggested that all the daily wagers could be registered on this app through their Computerized National Identification Cards (CNIC), he added. Nasir Shah said that the Sindh government was doing its utmost to reach the real needy families in this difficult time. All the stakeholders including the members of the welfare organ-
izations were also on board with the government, he added. He said that during the meeting of the task force the representatives of the welfare organizations reassured Chief Minister Sindh to cooperate fully with the Sindh government. They also apprised him progress of distribution of ration to the needy families during the lock down so far, he added. Nasir Shah said that the Chief Minister thanked the representatives of all the welfare organizations for becoming the helping hands of the government in this difficult time. Speaking about the measures adopted by the Sindh government to control the spread of coronavirus, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that it was imperative to maintain social distancing.
Similarly, in order to ensure social distancing, it was also being ensured that the people follow the new timings of the lock down, he added, The Minister said that the complete lock down timings had been increased and now all the shops including that of groceries, vegetables, fruits and dairy shops would now be shut down at 05:00pm instead of earlier timings of 08:00pm daily till the situation improved, the Minister added. He said that the people engaged delivering essential services had not been banned since day one of the lock down. The Minister informed that quarantine centers had also been set up with the help Pakistan Army in various districts of the province, including more than1000-bed hospital at Expo Center in Karachi, he said.
Monday, 30 March, 2020
NEWS
KeePing A sAfe distAnce CITY NOTES M A NIAZI
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AS anyone really worked out what a lockdown really means? Well, there’s social distancing, and that is tough. I wonder how barbers can do their jobs and maintain social distancing. And I’m not talking about the old-fashioned barbers who also shaved your armpits. I’m talking about the ones who do your hair with strange patterns shaved into your head. Or the one who got taken to the cinema by an enthusiastic young client, who wanted to show him the hero of a movie, so he could replicate his hairstyle. There are less taxing things than getting a haircut. What about going to the bank? I wouldn’t be surprised if that was why the government postponed all those payments. To avoid the immense lines. And there haven’t been any summer sales yet. Who wants to try out clothes at them? So a lot of large heavyset people are thus probably going to end up squeezed into small-size clothes. And conversely, a lot of small, svelte people are going to be lost in the large garb they pick up. But the main purpose of getting new clothes, due to Eid congregations. I wonder whether we will have Eid congregations this year. And whether the triple embrace will be replaced by anything. They’re already talking about cancelling the Haj, which is obligatory, so there shouldn’t be a problem with the Eid congregations, which are not compulsory anyhow, though attended even by those who don’t normally attend Friday prayers (which are).
I wonder how the Tablighi Jamaat is getting on. Their method, after all, is for a group to spend their afternoons preaching to people. The group stays in mosques, and come together from all over the country. Their methodology is ideal for spreading any infection, particularly this disease. There’s another method. In these times of uncertainty and worry, I wouldn’t be surprised if people are getting their Pir Sahibs to make special supplications. The gatherings are dangerous enough, but the jackpot would be if a Pir Sahib was a carrier. And his murids asked him to do dam on them as a special blessing and protection. Not only would a lot of murids fall sick, but most of the rest, perhaps all, would become carriers themselves. And if they then spread out across the country? Of course, one reason we have the coronavirus is we took our eye off Iran,
and all those pilgrims coming back. Well, we seem to have kept a watch on the pilgrims, but a PM’s Adviser is supposed to have got some out of quarantine. The results are like going to an ATM, and not washing your hands afterwards. The epidemic is spreading. Both Prince Charles and UK PM Boris Johnson have got it. Prince Charles is 72 in November, unlike our own PM, who will be a sprightly 68 in November, but both are above the danger age of 60. Imran doesn’t admit it, though, because he intends to keep on getting the youth vote forever. That’s why he’s set up the Tiger Force to distribute rations during the lockdown. Which he plans to join. To make sure the PML(N) doesn’t complain about having its symbol taken over, he’s set NAB to work. It’s decided to file another reference against Shahid
Khaqan Abbasi. Hmmm… Perhaps the only people who will get COVID-19 are corrupt elements. Some people seem to think that the virus will clean out the West, leaving the world open to a takeover. Why does that remind me of the story about the ‘mirasi’s’ son who asked his mother what would happen if the village ‘chaudhri’ died. His son. And what if he died? His brother. And if he died? The brother’s son. And if he died? Exasperated, she said, “Pura pind marjai, tehnoon chaudhri koi nahin banaega.” (Even if the whole village dies, nobody’ll make you chaudhri.) That’s what’ll happen to us. Even if the whole West dies, we won’t get the leadership of the world. One of the things about a lockdown is enforcement, and if the enforcers are as prone as our police to look away for consideration, we really won’t have a lockdown, will we? But cops must live too, and they have to look after families. But maybe they should at least stop gambling dens, where people find it difficult to maintain social distancing, instead of taking a cut on them. One of the unexpected boons has been working from home. Then there’s distance shopping. Distance learning is also getting started. All of these things have only been possible because of technology and its proliferation. Even kids’ social lives haven’t ground to a halt, because of mobiles. And the Internet has been a great resource in this time. When I look back to my youth, a lockdown would have been much harsher. Footnote to these notes: the most proactive US Governor is Andrew Cuomo of New York. Just as our most proactive CM is Murad Ali Shah of Sindh. Is it a coincidence that the former is the son of former Governor Mario Cuomo, and the latter of ex-CM Abdullah Shah? I think, for Jam Kamal Haider, the Baloshistan CM whose father Yusuf and grandfather Ghulam Qadir had held the office, didn’t impress anyone with the mess at Taftan.
Fawad to represent Pakistan in UNESCO dialogue on COVID-19 ISLAMABAD AgeNcIes
AJK PM House converted into quarantine centre Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider on Sunday said that newly constructed PM House has been converted into quarantine centre. Talking to journalists, Farooq Haider said that the government has converted officers clubs and rest houses into isolation centres. He maintained that the AJK government has established state-of-the-art laboratories in various cities for coronavirus test. The prime minister said that the health professionals have been provided protective kits so that they can perform their duties without any fear. Earlier on March 23, to stem the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider had announced a three-week lockdown in the region. The AJK premier had appealed to the public to stay in their homes and avoid going out unnecessarily. Unveiling the restrictions, he had said transport will remain suspended and people will not be allowed to go out unnecessarily during this period. However, he had added, special passes will be issued to people for travelling in inevitable circumstances. News Desk
Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry will represent Pakistan in the virtual ministerial dialogue titled “COVID-19 and Open Science” to be held on Monday (today) via video link. The dialogue is being arranged by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The purpose of the ministerial meeting is to consider proposals and future action plans for the prevention of global diseases with the help of science. The meeting will also consider the possible immediate and equitable participation of data and scientific information worldwide regarding global war against COVID-19 and other unknown epidemic diseases and threats. At the meeting, the director-general will also give a presentation on UNESCO science and the prevention of pandemic diseases. All ministers will discuss and consult on policy and lessons in this context. In the meeting, the worldrenowned Nobel laureate scientists will also inform participants of their experiences and observations on COVID-19. According to UNESCO, the purpose of the meeting is to provide a platform
for dialogue and share experiences and lessons learnt on how science has informed evidence-based decision making. The ministerial meeting and the associated ‘Plea for a global pact for Open Sciences and international scientific collaboration’ intends to reaffirm the critical role of science to contain the pandemic and preparedness for the future. This initiative will help support the international coalition of scientists and mobilise policymakers and reaffirm the importance of science for informed policy-making and in meeting global challenges including addressing COVID-19. The scientists and policymakers
will discuss which policy measures are needed to ensure adequate scientific collaborations and what additional mechanisms and international platforms are necessary for ’opening science’. They will ponder on how can science provide solutions in the ‘war against COVID-19” and other future unknown pandemics and threats. The meeting will begin with a short presentation by the Director GeneralUNESCO, updating the situation and presenting how science has been informing the decision making to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, followed by interventions from Ministers to share policy responses and lessons learned.
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nitB launches mobile app to help combat coronavirus ISLAMABAD APP
Ministry of Information Technology has developed an application “COVID-19 Gov PK” in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak in the country. The application, available at both iOS and Android stores, was developed by the National Information Technology Board (NITB). The application will provide awareness to citizens about all the actions to be taken for the prevention of coronavirus threat. The application currently contains four different functions such as dashboard, providing the current status of COVID-19; alarms, reminding to maintain personal hygiene; a chatbot for awareness and the World Health Organization (WHO) video tutorials. One of the major features of the app, Radius Alert, is currently under trial and after completion, it will provide citizens with an opportunity to track virus patients in a certain radius, thus allowing them to maintain a safe distance. The said feature will be launched within one week.
Minister urges youth to focus on coronavirus awareness ISLAMABAD AgeNcIes
Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mehmood on Sunday called upon the youth to play an active role in raising awareness about coronavirus and ask citizens to adopt precautionary measures. Mehmood, in a media talk, called on the nation to adopt self-discipline and not to go for panic-buying. “With collective efforts, we would overcome the threats of the pandemic,” he said. The minister said that youth have a great national responsibility to play their part and create awareness to eliminate misinformation and rumors. “The only way to survive is to observe preventive measures”, he added. He appreciated the government’s efforts to increase testing capacity enable to facilitate everyone who develops symptoms of the coronavirus. The minister further said the government has ensured that every coronavirus patient should go into quarantine and treated well, he said, adding, the incumbent government is taking corrective measures to deal with any situation. “Coronavirus has emerged as an unprecedented global issue. We are hopeful that we would be able to find out some cure for this disease,” he added. The minister said the educational institutions have to play a great role during such a crucial time. “We should keep in mind that this is not a fatal disease and we can recover but precaution is better than cure,” he said. It is high time for the students to spread awareness and educate the people to stay safe, he advised. Our religion teaches us to take all precautionary measures in the wake of any pandemic. It is our social responsibility to stay safe and keep others safe too, he stressed.
World Kashmir Awareness Forum expresses solidarity with global Sikh fraternity after terror attacks WASHINGTON AgeNcIes
The World Kashmir Awareness Forum (WKAF) is outraged and condemns the terrorist attacks that have targeted the Karte Parwan Sikh Gurudwara in Kabul, Afghanistan, killing 25 innocent human beings. “We are deeply saddened by the loss of life and our hearts go out to the bereaved families and friends. We ask that the Afghanistan government set-up an impartial Commission to investigate this heinous crime and bring the culprits to justice,” the WKAF said in a statement released on Sunday. According to the statement, the world community in general, and the Sikh community, in particular, have not forgotten the Chittisinghpura massacre on March 20, 2000, on the eve of President Bill Clinton’s visit to India.
An internal investigation instituted by the Indian government under international pressure revealed that the massacre was the handiwork of the Indian agencies. These revelations by Lt. General K. S. Gill, who was part of the investigation, that the personnel of the Indian army, along with the Indian government’s hired gunmen in Kashmir, were directly involved in the massacre were initially hushed up by the Indian government, the statement said. According to Gill, their singular aim was to smear the Kashmir freedom struggle to enlist the sympathies of the then US president Bill Clinton toward the Indian government’s narrative on Kashmir. Clinton has repeatedly refused to accept the Indian government’s contention that the massacre was the work of Pakistani groups. Similar cynical attempts by the Indian intelligence agencies and their collaborators in
the Afghan intelligence network, in the past, have invariably aimed at implicating Pakistan and the Kashmiris in such acts of violence against civilians. These agencies relentlessly aim to achieve the twin goal of tarnishing the images of both Pakistan and the Kashmiris freedom movement and simultaneously sow a division among the Kashmiris and the Sikhs. Such despicable attempts by the Indian government have failed to create a wedge between the Muslim and Sikh communities. The rank and file, and leadership of the two communities across the globe are united in friendship, it further added. The WKAF expresses its solidarity with our global Sikh community at this moment of tragedy and demands from the Afghan government an impartial inquiry into the massacre with the assistance of international agencies such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch.
Monday, 30 March, 2020
06 COMMENT
Public health preparedness and zoonotic diseases
Lockdown stories If action has to be taken later, why not now?
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HE way lockdowns are proceeding in the country creates doubts rather than confidence in their ability to help control the coronavirus epidemic, as they are not doing enough to halt the human transmission of the coronavirus, as Pakistan on Sunday reached 1526 cases confirmed, and had suffered 13 deaths. this was well below the 123,000 cases recorded in the uSa by Sunday evening, or the 3228 deaths, but all it means is that the disease is about to break out. the reluctance of the Pti government to impose a strict lockdown is explained away by a ‘noble’ concern for the daily wager, but it ignores the fact that to earn even that daily wage, and to consume what others produce, a person has to be alive. For the time being, the wheels of the economy and society seem to be turning, and the number of people observing self-isolation does not seem to have increased. the only sign of change has been the closing of schools and colleges, and even that is close enough to the spring break to make it seem normal. the examples of italy and iran show what happens when the state takes a casual attitude, and leaves things to happen: a rapid proliferation of cases (92,000 in italy and 38,000 in iran), and a large number of deaths. the examples of china itself, and of South Korea and Germany, show that the disease can only be tackled by rigorous testing, with continuous tracing of others who have been in contact with the infected, followed by testing of those persons. in the short term, it might seem populist not to inconvenience people, but in the not-so-long term, it means a ballooning of cases, and of deaths, and a sagging of the economy because there are too many workers, producers and consumers who have died. the government’s wing-and-a-prayer approach must give way to a more hardheaded one, where it does what needs to be done, rather than supinely trying to curry favour. Despite loud claims, the government failed to keep the illness out. it focused all its energy on the chinese route, but left the disease to enter from iran. now it is fairly in all parts of the country. a rigorous lockdown accompanied by mass testing will not prevent further damage, but it will minimize it.
Both the developing and developed countries were unprepared for the crisis
Dr Omer JaveD
I
n a public health policy note of the World bank connecting sectors and systems for health results and published in 2012– well before the start of the current pandemic caused by the coronavirus– in which it was highlighted that there were significant gaps in terms of preparedness for dealing with ‘zoonotic’ diseases– one that is transmitted from animals to humans, like the coronavirus. in this regard, the Report highlighted ‘...recent pandemic threats create a vivid reminder of the need to strengthen prevention and preparedness efforts. at the same time, the global landscape is undergoing major shifts including globalization, rapid urbanization, and climate change, all with profound implications for the public health agenda. Perhaps the most far-reaching shift is an epidemiological one, namely the rise of non-communicable diseases (ncDs) as the leading cause of death and disability in almost every region– even as many countries still face significant gaps in meeting the health-related MDGs and addressing major zoonotic diseases.’ yet, such public health preparedness as was called for in this Report, particularly with regard to dealing with zoonotic diseases could not be reached, as is amply evident from the lack of response capacity of both developed and developing countries in the rel-
NAB unchained Its custody will prove a nest of coronavirus infection
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n line with what is happening in the rest of the world, the islamabad High court last tuesday ordered the release of 408 prisoners, specifying that they should not pose a threat to society. on the other hand, nab started a fresh investigation against ex-PM Shahid Khaqan abbasi, showing that the government is unwilling to scale back its so-called pursuit of accountability in the worst crisis that has struck the country and is rather ramping up its high-handed, onesided campaign against corruption, which has so far brought in only political opponents, only to expose these opponents to the risk of coronavirus infection. So far, nab has been singularly unsuccessful in its efforts, as most of those against whom cases have been brought have been granted bail by the superior courts, because it was unable to furnish evidence that would justify detention. the sort of media circus nab organizes after making a high-profile arrest is humiliating enough for the person arrested, but it has now become a public health hazard too, and makes nonsense of the Prime Minister’s calls for self-isolation. that is also the case with appearances before nab of in-custody prisoners, who are brought cheek-by-jowl with a police party in an unsanitised prison van. all that is left is for nab to round up a few coronavirus carriers, and seat them next to its prisoners. nab’s fear that such prisoners will run away has not been justified by experience, but now that flights abroad have been suspended, there is no fear of anyone fleeing the country. the Ecl has lost its meaning, having become universal, as the government itself has tried to seal off the country. nab should realize that the law enforcing agency holding a prisoner is held responsible for his or her welfare. that includes the health of the prisoner. nab should also realize that the superior courts take a dim view of any threats to his or her health. as iHc chief Justice athar Minallah observed in the recent case, “in this situation, prisoners cannot be kept in isolation. Prisoners have the right to survive too.” after all, corruption does not carry a death sentence, whatever accountability enthusiasts might think.
Ihsaan afzal Khan “None of us is free until all of us are free”, –Emma Lazarus.
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ccountability is integral part of good governance, which holds public representatives and public officials accountable. but who is responsible to hold accountability institutions accountable? this is matter of serious concern as rising misuse of power has restricted the greater good and also discouraged the right to difference of opinion. a narrow spectrum of politics, limited to exercise of power, has always restricted the prosperity of a nation. Few servants of the public who are designated as public officials misuse their authority for private gain, either monetary or political. this practice corrodes the trust in institutions and governments, and public policy becomes less effective as this kind of governance lies under authoritarian approach. in Pakistan there are many institutions whose sole purpose is to ensure that the government and public officials run the affairs of the state transparently, but at the apex and prominent is the national accountability bureau (nab). built and designed by a dictator, now an absconder, nab’s function is demarcated as political victimization. Some of the officials in its higher hierarchy are being used as tools against the opposition. one can easily criticize the aforementioned statement but most recent plots won’t let anyone. Majority of the opposition leaders, media personnel, and anyone with critical mindset and makimg unfavorable comments has become a victim, by initially going through a media trial as a result of the press releases by nab. they are arrested during the investigative stage with tall claims of evidence of corruption and on the excuse that they will influence the investigation if they remain free. these people have remained behind bars for ongoing investigation for several months. Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan abbasi was granted bail by the islamabad High court (iHc) after seven months’ confinement,
Editor Umar Aziz
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Executive Editor
Deputy Editor
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Omer Javed holds PhD in Economics degree from the University of Barcelona, and previously worked at International Monetary Fund. He tweets @omerjaved
most. Jeopardizing the fairness of the entire accountability process seems to be a priority. the premier election slogan of the incumbent government was across-the-board ruthless accountability and economic turnaround. instead, it has diverted its whole focus to vested interests. nab’s architecture had the same voices at the start but was infected by vested interests, soon diverted the focus ahsan iqbal got one month’s captivity, 16 months as of nab to selective politically-inspired accountabilseen in the case of Saad Rafiq. there are lot others ity. in this process, the menace of corruption reincluding some prominent bureaucrats. all these per- mains, and is gradually penetrating all segments of sons arrested were only to be later released on bail society. they could have invested their capital and due to lack of evidence. the released claim that they focus on reforms like digitalization of processes were hardly investigated during their stay in confine- which does not only enhance the accountability process but also the opment. arresting without erational performances proofs and with no of the institutions. they proper investigations undoubtedly shows the As the Covid-19 pandemic has forced should convert their bad policies of curbing the functions of nab have everyone to stay at home, I would voices of dissenters. been made to deteriorate Revolutions and and deliberately used by recommend you not to waste this changes always come the ruling class. apart from distinctive voices. from the political victimtime watching T.V, counting the Dissenters have ization, nab chairman is busy playing dirty increasing number of corona-infected been labeled with charges, but they have pool, an added excelpeople, and creating the panic rather never stopped speaking lence for him, and surtheses disprising for all is that after read some good writings on freedom differently. senters are the eloquent the video scandal which surfaced regarding him, of thoughts, actions and speeches. symbol for those who have been subjected to he still continues to reBaghat Singh’s actions, Faiz poetry the pressure of conformtain his appointment. ing to accepted opinions. now the matter of and John Stuart Mill’s essay On Distinctive and construcconcern is that who will tive voices should not be bear the loss of victims Liberty might help you understand dealt with by legal who have spent a numthe importance of freedom of liberty, penalties rather they ber of days in jail, leavshould be handled in a ing their businesses and actions and thoughts useful manner. For now, family. one would take as the covid-19 panit normally, but if one is demic has forced everyto believe the facts, it has one to stay at home, i a tremendous impact on economy and affairs of government as the whole. op- would recommend you not to waste this time watchposition plays a constructive role in running the af- ing t.V, counting the increasing number of coronafairs of a nation smoothly. their recommendations infected people, and creating the panic rather read should have been taken into account, especially when some good writings on freedom of thoughts, actions they had run their tenures efficiently and effectively. and speeches. baghat Singh’s actions, Faiz poetry and Personal grudges cannot be kept while the economy John Stuart Mill’s essay On Liberty might help you is sinking drastically. Priorities must be set to address understand the importance of freedom of liberty, acthe most important issues rather to satisfy personal tions and thoughts. grudge and curtail freedom. Handling constructive Ihsaan Afzal Khan is Member of Policy criticism is the icing on the cake for the incumbent government, but the interest in excesses matters the Formulation Committee, PML-N
Dissenting voices will not be stilled by NAB victimisation
Arif Nizami
Joint Editor
tive and sporadic outbreaks have been reported until now. this respiratory disease is particularly severe, accounting for 2465 cases confirmed by laboratory analyses, with a fatal rate of 35% (de Wit et al.2016; WHo 2020b). Epidemiological studies have suggested that MERS is due to a coV transmitted by the contact with dromedary camels or camel products (chan et al.2015).’ Given the importance of coVs for humanity and the likelihood that it could possibly pose a greater challenge like in the wake it now has through coViD-19, public health could sadly not be prepared anywhere near to where it should have been. the way to prepare better in terms of dealing with zoonotic diseases was provided in research, for instance the paper published in December 2017, and titled Zoonotic disease programs for enhancing global health security pointed out ‘Most infectious diseases that recently emerged in humans originated in animals. besides close contact between animals and humans, other factors probably contribute to the cross-species transmission of infectious diseases. it is critical to establish effective mechanisms for coordination and collaboration between the animal, human, and environmental health sectors before new threats emerge by bringing the different sectors together to tackle endemic zoonotic diseases of greatest concern. Such multisectoral partnerships should begin by identifying priority zoonotic diseases for national engagement with equal input from the different sectors. improvements in surveillance and data sharing for prioritized zoonotic diseases and enhancements of laboratory testing and joint outbreak response capacities in the human and animal health sectors will create and strengthen the mechanisms necessary to effectively detect and respond to emerging health threats, and thereby enhance global health security.’ Going forward, it is hoped that better approaches on the lines above, will be used by public sector policymakers everywhere to prevent zoonotic diseases and to deal with them effectively, especially the coVs, given the potential they have to spread at the global level, like the coViD-19 pandemic.
Despotism or Liberty
Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami
Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad
ative sense, that is, whereby developing countries a lot more than developed, but developed countries also lacking the appropriate level of response needed. at the same time, as the global agenda of discussion revolved around avoiding another financial crisis of the likes of Global Financial crisis 2008, and trade wars between major nations, especially the uSa and china, the same efforts were not made to reach policy measures at a global level that could avoid transmitting of diseases from animals to humans, and that uplifted the level of preparedness to meet the challenge of a pandemic, especially similar to one with a large scale of coronavirus. according to the research article coronavirus: a paradigm of new emerging zoonotic diseases, published in February 2019, coViD-19 is ‘a novel type of coronavirus (2019-ncoV) infecting humans appeared in Wuhan, china, at the end of December 2019... Molecular analysis suggest that 2019-ncoV could be originated from bats after passaging in intermediate hosts, highlighting the high zoonotic potential of coronaviruses [coVs].’ the important aspect to realize is the lack of effort by policy makers to boost health sector preparedness– more so in developing countries than developed ones, although the latter too are far from being properly prepared– although the serious of the challenge at hand to public health with regard to coronaviruses was quite evident for roughly two decades now, as highlighted by the paper ‘until 2002, coVs were considered minor pathogens for humans, generally associated with the common cold or mild respiratory infections in immunocompetent people, with rare exceptions represented by severe infections in infants, young children and elder people (channappanavar and Perlman 2017). this concept completely changed with the emergence of a highly pathogenic zoonotic disease, the Severe acute Respiratory Syndrome (SaRS) caused by the SaRS-coV.’ later on MERS also spread, about which the paper highlights ‘a total of 10 years after the onset of SaRS outbreak a new coronavirus jumped from animals to humans causing the lethal Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) (WHo 2020b). the new emerging disease was first identified in humans in 2012 and interested mainly the Kingdom of South arabia with the majority of reported cases (Zaki et al.2012). in comparison to SaRS, MERS is still ac-
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Monday, 30 March, 2020
COMMENT 07 Editor’s mail Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively
Sanitizer in the time of Corona AS we all know that coronavirus is spreading rapidly throughout the world. There are 260 confirmed cases of COvID-19 in Pakistan. The health agency says, Do wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. This is the smartest thing you can do to prevent the spread of viruses. Fear of the coronavirus has led people to stock up on the germ-killing gel, leaving store shelves empty and online retailers with sky-high prices set by those trying to profit on the rush. More is on the way, although it’s not clear how long it will take retailers to restock. Do make sure that if you are able to buy a lesser-known brand of hand sanitizer, it’s made of at least 60% alcohol, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (C.D.C.) Do make sure that if you decide to try and make your own hand sanitizer, it also contains at least 60% alcohol. Razi RaHman Karachi
Highly irresponsible
lntolerance continues What does the Aurat March have to do with the coronavirus?
Syed KaSwar Gardezi
E
very society in the world has a moral recognition which identifies it to the world at large. The set of morals and values which guide a society form the essence embodied deep within. Tolerance, amongst others, is a virtue which defines multiple aspects of a society. It can be sub-divided into different categories; such as tolerance to co-exist, religious tolerance, ideological tolerance and political tolerance and so on. Pakistan, unfortunately, is the harbinger of intolerance in each one of the aforesaid forms of tolerance. We do not condone tolerance of any sort as a matter of fact. Certain exceptions can be found, but the focus of the discussion is the society at large therefore, not much room for tolerance in general. Greater importance is attached to religious tolerance as it entails violent consequences and is fundamental in our society. radical forms of religion expose within themselves the distaste of intolerance every now and then. In the name of religion, discrimination and all sorts of atrocities are committed against religious minorities. We have been unable to adapt to the simple principle of co-existing, the sort professed by our own religion, which we miserably fail to comprehend. For the longest time, religious sentiments have been spiked with radical slogans which end up taking a toll on the minorities; within as well as outside Islam. Coupled with its impact on the general public, religious intolerance has been the forerunner for pressurizing the executive, legislature and the judiciary in order to protect the religious sentiments of the majority of the public. There is little room for difference of opinion as far as the religion is concerned. Our ideals are guided by our radical views which govern our belittled minds. rather than being religious, we have, in the name of religion, become ultra-judgmental and are every ready to issue fatwas in case of a disagreement. One would think that over the years we would have moved ahead from the lamentable
days of religious persecution where, in a bid to these obstacles in the future. We have grown into an intolerant society suppress the minorities, violence would be employed as a tool and a chain massacre would where no one is willing to do as told. The very follow. False allegations of blasphemy being concept of being told what to do is the bedrock the front-runner in our bigoted society, we are of intolerance. Take for example the recent still far from comprehending our shortcomings calls for social distancing and self-isolation beand progressing as a society. Bigotry continues cause of the coronavirus pandemic. Solely beto rule our nation with no bright light in sight. cause we are being told to do something, most Dim-witted ideologies remain bent upon de- are not willing to adhere to it. By displaying stroying our future generations and there isn’t their inherent illiteracy, despite being educated, a vast majority of the elite class consider much being done in order to counter it. In recent times, patriarchy has reemerged it an insubordination to their egos at being told in the form of opposition to the Aurat March. how to live their lives. Consequently, we fail With the exception of a few controversial to be tolerant towards the government’s inposters, the purpose of the March is greater, structions and naturally become a source of much greater than what even the organizers spreading the pandemic. The roots of might comprehend. this lack of cooperThe symbolism of ation on the part of women empowerthe public can be ment is embodied Till the time we do not focus on traced to the underdeep within our relying intolerance ligion and even if educating the masses in a proper planted deep within we solely adhere to the society. It is not Islamic principles, manner, we cannot count on the only a matter of adwe would be able general public to act as one, be it for hering to the guideto comprehend the lines in wake of the significance of the coronavirus pandemic or any coronavirus, but for equality; one which we have failed to other difficulty of the time. Similarly, all times which have passed, we, as integrate into our we cannot expect religious harmony a society, lack the society. Patriarchal basic discipline and intolerance has had or the adoption of the notion of tolerance required its day in the field by blasting out the equality for women, until and unless to work together. It becomes too diffiAurat March and we work towards clearing out the ill- cult for us to follow the women supsimple instructions, porting it. conceived misconceptions regarding the instructions rather than arwhich are for our guing about religion and society that our people own good, due to whether to support the March or not, nurture. The day we are able to breed the lack of patience and intolerance for we should learn to within ourselves the notion of being the needs of others identify the underpresent. each one lying issues and considerate to the needs of others, of the aforesaid is a work to resolve them. It needs to be only then can we progress as a nation form of intolerance and Pakistan, ununderstood that and be better equipped to fight out fortunately, harbors wasting our breath every single one of by arguing with ilcalamities like Coronavirus them. literates is not Till the time we going to nurture do not focus on edtolerance in the soucating the masses ciety. Nor is it going to resolve the issues faced by women in in a proper manner, we cannot count on the gengeneral. An illiterate mind is not going to eral public to act as one, be it for the coronavirus change its thought process solely due to a be- pandemic or any other difficulty of the time. rated argument. As mothers of the future gener- Similarly, we cannot expect religious harmony ations, these women, instead of arguing with or the adoption of the notion of equality for illiterate patriarchal men, should work to edu- women, until and unless we work towards clearcate their children and breed tolerance within ing out the ill-conceived misconceptions regardthem. The children of tomorrow need to be ing religion and society that our people nurture. taught to co-exist with others irrespective of re- The day we are able to breed within ourselves the notion of being considerate to the needs of ligion, gender, caste or creed. Women in rural areas need to be reached out others, only then can we progress as a nation and to, and educated about their rights. Similarly, re- be better equipped to fight out calamities like ligious tolerance is equally important and needs Coronavirus. to be deeply instilled in the minds of our future Syed Kaswar Gardezi is a lawyer and a generations. religious intolerance and patriarchy has seen the blood of thousands split and columnist. He can be contacted at kaswarserious working needs to be done to overcome gardezi@gmail.com
HIGHly irresponsible, deplorable and condemnable attitude of the people, by and large, towards adopting preventive measures against Coronavirus is forcing the federal and provincial government to take extraordinary steps of partial or full locking down and call the army in aid of the civil administration under Article 245 of the Constitution. Quite obviously we are passing through an extra-ordinary which calls for taking extraordinary measures also particulay when the people at large are not serious, responsible and non-cooperative to say the least. It is all the more shameful and regrettable that even sensible and educated people are also not observing the preventive measures against the invading contagious disease what to talk about their urging fellow people to be responsible and behave appropriately by taking all possible preventive measures as being told through print and electronic media throughout day and night. extraordinary step like locking down is being being taken by the federal and provincial governments after their emphatic appeals to the people to stay in their homes, adopt social distancing and avoiding embracing or shaking hands with others regrettably fell on their deaf ears. Opinion leaders including religious scholars, ulema, mashaikh, scholars, writers should urge the people to adopt all preventive measures to safeguard themselves, their families and others against this killing disease and also keep praying and seeking forgiveness of Almighty Allah for mercy and blessings and vowing to sun sins and be good , right and positive thinking people. Politicians ,irrespective of party affiliations, in particular requested to brush aside all sorts of politics and observe preventive measures themselves, avoid public gathering , use face masks and urge fellow countrymen to do the needful likewise. Social distancing and self-isolation for some days is not too much to ask from the people of all shades of schools of thoughts at this most critical juncture of our history, please.Thanks. m z RiFaT Lahore
Karachi lockdown PreSeNTly, Coronavirus is knocking at our door and we have confirmed Corona patients in Karachi. So the government has decided to shutdown the whole city post midnight on Sunday which is the best prevention to stop the spreading of epidemic Coronavirus. Only vegetables, grocery stores and medical stores are allowed to stay open from 8am to 8pm. Congregational prayers are also banned in the city. With everyday passing, the Sindh government is furthering the lockdown restrictions for the citizens as the number of coronavirus cases are increasing day by day. On Friday, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said that all grocery stores and shops across the province will be closed by 5pm instead of 8pm. He also has said that previously that he has no choice but to opt for a province-wide lockdown. “We are making tough decisions in the best interest of the people,” he said. CM Murad had also urged the masses to maintain social distancing and avoid public places until absolutely necessary. Rabia KHan Karachi
History repeated THe corona virus has reached almost 199 countries of the world and it is considered the most dangerous virus of twenty first century. Similarly, the Spanish Flu of 1918 was most dangerous pandemic of twenty century that almost infected a third of world’s population and killed 50 millions people more than that of collectively killed in the first world war. The virus was hardest on young and adults between the ages of 20 and 30 who had previously been healthy. Scientists offer several possible explanation for the high mortality rate of the 1918 influenza pandemic. Some analyses have shown the virus to be particularly deadly because it triggers a cytokine storm, which revage strong immune system of young adults. However, the corona epidemic is easily infected and killed the very old, whose immunity system is weak. Therefore, the world community should careful amid the corona virus outbreak and learn lesson from history. biLawaL aLi LaKHo Shikarpur
Defying lockdown TurBAT has been experiencing a lockdown from 22 March till 6 April at the behest of deputy commissioner of Kech after the joint meeting of association of merchants of the city in the wake of novel coronavirus outbreak. This decision was made to enforce strict social distancing measures and implement the safety guidelines and precautions advised by the health professionals. Despite the fact of lockdown, the citizens are throwing the orders of DC to the wind. People are, on daily basis, seen in bazaars in a large scale. Mosques are overwhelmed by the worshippers. large gatherings like marriages are continued without any hindrance. The authorities are badly failed to maintain the order entire the city. The district administration must look into the matter before the situation gets out of hand. amanuLLaH DaSHTi Turbat
Monday, 30 March, 2020
08 WORLD VIEW
The need fOr The wOrld TO cOme OuT Of diplOmaTic quaranTine THE US AND ITS PARTNERS ARE FROZEN IN DIPLOMATIC QUARANTINE WHILE THE PANDEMIC AFFLICTS COUNTRIES AROUND THE GLOBE
consortium news
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ToNY KeviN
T is true that the COVID-19 pandemic is not a threat to international security as defined by the Un Security Council. People are dying quietly in hospitals or at home. These miseries and deaths do not threaten national borders. There can be no running away as refugees from COVID-19. Yet there would be benefits in terms both of morale and policy in world leaders constructively meeting together soon – virtually of course, not physically – to try to agree on some common principles of national conduct in opposing the virus. I am thinking of three suggested principles for discussion in particular: no. 1. nations that have resources to do so should commit to helping other nations where the need is greatest, and to the best of their ability, to fight the virus. no. 2. nations should agree to put an at-least-temporary, and with hope permanent, end to economic sanctions as a weapon to apply pressure short of war on other nations. no. 3. nations should decisively reject the misplaced and morally evil notion of building “herd immunity” as a guide to public health policy against the pandemic. Let’s discuss these in turn. First, on countries helping one another, we already see altruistic acts of generosity from China (towards Iran, Italy and others), from Russia (towards Italy), and from Cuba and South Korea. I am not aware so far of any international offers of help to stricken countries from any Western government. At least so far, we seem in a world pretty much of sauve qui peut– save himself who can. Does this accord with the principles of in-
ternational solidarity that all nations signed up for under the Un Charter? I think not. Secondly, on economic sanctions, the picture is if anything worsening as the virus spreads. Last week U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo continued to threaten tighter sanctions against Venezuela and Iran, even as these countries reported intensifying citizens’ suffering from Western sanctions’ interference with vital COVID-19 medical supplies and appliances to their state-owned health sectors. The U.S. government and Congress entertained White Helmets leaders in Washington, in a bid to energize the failing anti-Syrian government armed opposition in Idlib, Syria. Dominic Raab, the U.K. foreign minister, fulminated abusively and untruthfully against Russian policy in Crimea and East Ukraine. COLD WAR REDUX NARRATIVES: There is a mindless, Terminator–like quality about the way such Cold War Redux anti-China and anti-Russia narratives continue to be mechanically pumped out, even as the world begins belatedly to recognize its common enemy in the COVID-19 pandemic. Economic sanctions not approved by the Un Security Council against an aggressor nation are in themselves a criminal act — a crime against humanity, when people suffer and die as a result of them. The U.S. tries to stop essential medicines and supplies reaching Venezuela and Iran, simply as unilateral U.S. policy, which it seeks to force on its weaker allies through threat of secondary sanctions. Russia and China protest but to no avail: U.S. President Donald Trump and Congress appear oblivious to their own criminality. Certainly Trump and Pompeo appear indifferent, and their allied national leaders remain prudently quiet. In the cruelest of Medieval wars, armies besieging an enemy city sometimes would catapult decaying corpses of plague victims over the walls, hoping to infect those inside. What the U.S. government is now doing to stricken Iran and Venezuela is the modern-day equivalent to this. It is simply wrong, as Pakistan’s President Imran Khan recently protested. Who will dare to join him?
My third point on which world leaders might try to agree is that decent societies should reject pernicious notions of “herd immunity,” or letting COVID-19 run its course unabated in societies, in the hope that by “culling” the older weaker elements in society, the society might emerge healthier and stronger. The nuremberg War Crimes Tribunal rejected nazi eugenics, and it would be timely for world leaders to reaffirm this moral position. Decent societies respect and take care of their elders to the best of their ability. They do not abuse their elders. China and Korea have shown this moral example to the world. The world should commit to follow as best it can. “It is time to set this poisonous argument aside and move on to constructive collective dialog.” What would be the most effective vehicle for useful world leaders’ dialog on COVID-19 at this point? I have considered the merits of virtual meetings in four possible fora: G-9, G-20, the whole current Un Security Council and the UnSC Permanent Five (P-5) at national leader level. For reasons that should on reflection be rather obvious, I favor the P5 option. Basically, I envisage a “new Yalta Conference” on the COVID-19 pandemic. THE PERMANENT FIVE: The G-7 is not representative. The G-20 is better, but large, unwieldy and prone to special agendas that could distract and complicate its discussion. It is also, numerically, heavily biased against key nations China and Russia. Similarly, for the present Un Security Council as a whole. A proposed P-5 forum of national leaders of the U.S., U.K., France, China and Russia – involving Trump, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, President Emmanuel Macron, President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin — is the right size and clout to have an efficient and effective free and frank dialog, moderated and facilitated as necessary by the skilled and non-partisan Un Secretary-General António Guterres. A familiar plot device in science fiction is a world of warring governments coming together against a common enemy – usually alien invaders. COVID-19 is this common enemy, an enemy which does not respect borders. But I see no sign of old Cold War hostilities being
Social distancing is a privilege FOR A DAILY LABOURER IN MUMBAI, STAYING HOME MEANS ‘MY CHILDREN AND MY WIFE WILL DIE’
Foreign Policy
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RANA AYYUB
n March 24, Indian Prime Minister narendra Modi announced a complete nationwide lockdown for 21 days—one of the strongest national measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The decision marked a sharp turn. Just a week ago, the world’s second-most populous country was being seen as a mysterious anomaly that had remained relatively unscathed from the deadly pandemic. But then the math caught up. As the lockdown began, the number of confirmed cases in the country was beginning to grow exponentially, rising to 933 by March 28. While new Delhi has taken decisive action, there are fears it has come too late and that too many of the country’s poor and homeless will be left exposed. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, a pandemic as long ago as March 11. Back then, India refused to label it a health emergency, and large parts of the country continued about business as usual. Even now, the entire country has tested fewer than 30,000 people, representing one of the lowest testing rates in the world. Ramanan Laxminarayan, a leading public health expert and the director of the U.S.-based Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics, and Policy, projects that despite the lockdown, the peak of the pandemic will likely hit India by late April or early May and that around a million people will need hospital beds and critical care at that point. This is where disaster could strike. India has just 0.5 hospital beds per 1,000 people (Italy has more than six times as many) and spends just 3.7 percent of its GDP on health (the United States spends 17 percent of its GDP on health care). Mean-
while new Delhi has allotted large sums of money to build the world’s tallest statues in an obnoxious display of nationalism. Last year, Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, put aside $91 million for the construction of a statue of the Hindu deity Ram even as hundreds of people in his state had died of encephalitis in the last few years, with key emergency facilities lacking necessary oxygen cylinders. Adityanath’s stated aim was to build a statue taller than the 597-foot one of the freedom fighter Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, inaugurated by Modi in 2018, which cost $400 million. It is not just a long-standing misallocation of funds that is the problem. Even when Modi announced his lockdown on March 24—with no mention of how people would get their daily supplies—his words sparked panic. People rushed to the streets in large numbers before Modi could finish his speech. Pharmacies were swarmed with nervous faces; social distancing was quickly forgotten. At supermarkets, anxious families stocked up on essential commodities. Milk and eggs disappeared from the shelves. But while the privileged—a tiny minority in India—were stocking their refrigerators with weeks of supplies, the country’s daily wage workers and laborers were flocking to their hometowns, often barefoot, some with their infants tied to their backs and young children crying in tow as police beat them mercilessly for flouting curfew rules. In Mumbai, the country’s financial capital, some 300 migrant workers crammed themselves in food container trucks so they could reach home away from the scrutiny of baton-wielding police. The heart-wrenching images of young men, with sweaty, bare bodies making their way out of the claustrophobic containers, made headlines on the country’s TV channels. In neighboring Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum with a population of 1 million in an area of less than a square mile, workers laughed when I asked them if they had been practicing social distancing. As I stood outside a
hovel, trying to keep some distance from people the day after Modi’s lockdown order was announced, even talking about social distancing felt obscene near a room of eight people crammed together with barely any space to breathe. Ghanshyam Lal, a migrant laborer who works in a Mumbai tannery, has been feeding a family of eight on his daily wage of $3 a day. He told me he didn’t care about the virus as much as he did about putting food on the table. And he worried about his wife, Asha, who was on dialysis at a government hospital and may now be booted out to make way for wealthier patients who had tested positive for the coronavirus. “How easy it is for the prime minister to say do not step out of your houses,” he said. “If I do not go out for a week, my children and my wife will die.” Lal’s fears are not exaggerated. In a city with a population of 20 million, the government hospitals have only 400 ventilators and a thousand beds for intensive care. At Mumbai’s Kasturba Gandhi Hospital, which is taking the bulk of patients who have tested positive for the coronavirus, doctors told me that their neighbors have distanced themselves from the doctors’ families. “We are saving lives. We are breaking down in the bathrooms while we are being treated like untouchables outside of the hospital premises,” said one young doctor who wished to stay anonymous. On Sunday, March 22, wealthy Indians came out on their balconies clapping and banging utensils to mark a national day of curfew. “Modi, Modi,” they chanted. But it was a misplaced celebration of nationalism. It also highlighted a fundamental divide in the country. On the one hand, there is the country’s uppermiddle class, the elite that has stocked hand sanitizer, mango puree, and ground coffee and is posting patriotic selfies on social media. But a much larger underclass, the country’s poor and struggling, is battling poverty, has no access to soap, water, or toilets, and is living in packed clusters in slums. These same people are extremely vulnerable to the virus; for them, social distancing is a curious privilege. The unpreparedness of India’s health care and social system to deal with the pandemic is aggravated by an indifferent law enforcement that deploys brutal force against its people. On March 25, as the lockdown began, a 32-year-old man was beaten to death by police in West
put aside. After an early hopeful Trump-Xi conversation about the virus, U.S.-China relations have reverted to a frozen hostility. I am heartened that Putin has now sent real aid to stricken Italy, and that Italy accepted. Typically, the Russian aid transport planes had to fly via Sochi, the Black Sea, Turkey, and Greece after Poland and Ukraine denied air space. There needs now to be real international assistance to weakened Iran and Venezuela, and an end forthwith to sanctions. Finally, a comment on how U.S.-China mutual accusations have lately become even more poisoned over the vexed questions of where and how the virus originated or got away from control. Suspected sites are U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick, Maryland, about 50 miles outside Washington, and a Chinese Bio-security Lab 4 (BSL4) facility in Wuhan. We know from the local Frederick news-Post that the U.S. Fort Detrick facility there was forced to close down in August 2019 due to safety protocol failures, and a new commanding officer was appointed there. Clearly something had gone seriously wrong. The facility was only partially reopened in november. We know that international military athletics games were held in Wuhan in October 2019. The U.S. sent a rather mediocre 300person team. Chinese officials, and officials writing “in personal capacity” on social media, have come close to accusing US saboteurs of disseminating the virus deliberately in Wuhan. It may never be possible scientifically to resolve these inflammatory questions. Clearly, to harp on them could seriously threaten an effective and useful P-5 dialog on what the world should be doing now to fight to contain the pandemic. It is time to set this poisonous argument aside and move on to constructive collective dialog. Finally, should Australia try to play any diplomatic role as an icebreaker? As an ally of the U.S. and U.K. and a friendly enough partner of France, there is nothing to prevent an Australian government from advocating such ideas to its larger friends. There is also no reason for Australia not to enter into constructive dialogue on these ideas at foreign minister level with the Chinese and Russian governments. How about it, Foreign Minister Marise Payne? Labor MP Penny Wong? Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s expanded national Cabinet? Tony Kevin is a former Australian senior diplomat and the author of six published books on public policy and international relations.
Bengal when he stepped out to buy milk for his family. And when police are not brutalizing the poor, they are being indifferent to the migrant laborers who are walking miles from one state to the other, trying to reach their families on empty stomachs and with no public transport. Their cries are falling on deaf ears. Rahul Musahar, an 11-year-old boy who used to work with his father collecting scrap every day, was shifted to a government hospital in Bhojpur district in Bihar this week. Musahar had not eaten food in three days. His mother, who is pregnant with her second child, tried desperately to feed herself and her son. Because of the lockdown, Musahar’s father, who would earn just enough money to survive a day, could not arrange for a meal. Musahar died on return from the hospital, not killed by the virus but by hunger— which could potentially kill many in India if the government does not take immediate measures. Could India have been better prepared? Last month, while much of the world—including next-door neighbor China—was raising the alarm about the fastspreading coronavirus, India was making global headlines for a bloody carnage in the country’s capital in which 54 people were killed and hundreds injured. And all of it was spawned by hate speech by top-ranking ministers in Modi’s cabinet. The city’s police watched on. While the world was stocking up on masks and gloves, India was busy dousing communal fire stoked by its own government. Thousands of families displaced in new Delhi’s violence—with their kin in hospitals and their livelihoods destroyed—were living in temporary relief camps in the capital. Then, as the country suddenly woke up to the threat of COVID-19, the camps were abruptly razed to the ground. The victims were left with no help. A country that is already grappling with its worst unemployment rate in decades and a rising and divisive nationalism now must deal with a pandemic that will strike a major blow to its economy—especially for its so-called informal workers who have no health care, benefits, or safety nets to fall back on. WHO has said India has a major role to play in containing the pandemic—after all, it is home to one-sixth of the world’s population. And while new Delhi’s decision to lock down has been belated, it has the potential to minimize damage: With all forms of public transport canceled, included domestic and international airlines, travel and co-mingling will be sharply reduced. But a bold stroke like this needs to be accompanied with a healing hand for the economically and socially disadvantaged. The next few weeks will be crucial for all of India but especially for its poor. Rana Ayyub is an investigative journalist in India.
Monday, 30 March, 2020
BUSINESS 09
ICCI calls for no layoffs amid coronavirus crisis ISLAMABAD TLTP
The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) has called upon the business community to come forward and extend maximum support to the poor and needy people in this difficult time and become partner with the government in mitigating problems of weak segments of society. Addressing a consultative meeting of the ICCI’s Executive Committee through video link on Sunday, ICCI President Muhammad Ahmed Waheed said due to the coronavirus outbreak, businesses and industrial units had been closed. He, however, vowed that workers would not be laid off and would be paid wages so that they could support their families. Waheed appealed to the business community not to lay off any worker and play their role in meeting their needs in this tough time. He said a support desk has been setup in ICCI that would start working from 2nd of April. The ICCI’s office-bearer emphasized that well-to-do and wealthy people should take maximum participation in welfare activities. Waheed said after consultation, a committee has been formed under his supervision and comprising Muhammad Aslam Khokhar and Faad Waheed to analyse the situation and provide support to the needy people. The ICCI president issued instructions for doubling the capacity of already running Langar in G-8/1, Islamabad, to provide lunch to labour class. He urged the Langar place should be disinfected with spray so that people could avail lunch in a neat and clean place. Waheed stressed the business community to fully follow the government’s instructions to control the outspread of the coronavirus.
Govts, central banks must boost efforts to help economies cope with crisis: BIS head LONDON: Governments and central banks need to step up efforts urgently to support their economies in the face of the coronavirus crisis, the head of the Bank for International Settlements said on Sunday. General Manager Agustín Carstens, who heads the BIS – an umbrella group for the world’s central banks – wrote an opinion piece on Sunday saying “urgent” solutions beyond those used during the 2008 financial crisis were needed. Rules brought in after the 2008 crash were designed to prevent banks overextending themselves, but the worry now is that they are not stepping in and lending when the capital markets have slammed shut for many firms. “To give viable businesses a lifeline to tide them over the economic sudden stop wrought by Covid19, a solution is needed to complete the last mile from potential lenders to those firms at the edge of the precipice,” Carstens said. Major central banks have rushed to pour trillions of dollars worth of emergency funding into the global banking system but that money needed to reach those who need it, Carstens said. A first step towards bridging what he called “the last mile” would be for banks to use their capital buffers while “a global freeze on bank dividends and share buybacks,” was also needed. A second step he recommended would be government-guaranteed loans by banks to small and medium firms, equal to the amount of taxes each paid last year, although it should only go to those that were profitable last year to limit scope for corruption. Agencies
PM’S InteRventIon SouGht to Save exPoRt oRdeRS wIth foReIGn MISSIonS’ helP LAHORE
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EXTILE exporters have appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan to consider exports on a par with essential services amid the coronavirus pandemic and bind Pakistani missions abroad to help sustain exports orders already in place with foreign buyers. They urged the premier to give special instructions to the Ambassadors, Consul Generals and Trade Officer/Commercial Counsellors designated abroad in friendly countries to immediately approach the concerned ministries/departments/buyers in respective countries with recommendations to maintain business with their Pakistani counterparts. It was further urged to not cancel textile orders given to Pakistani exporters. The appeals came from Pakistan
PHMA URGES GOVT TO DECLARE EXPORTS ON A PAR WITH ESSENTIAL SERVICES Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PHMA) Central Chairman Chaudhry Salamat Ali in a news statement issued on Sunday. Ali, in his letter to the Prime Minister, emphasised the need to use Pakistani foreign missions abroad convincing the buyers to maintain their business with Pakistani counterparts and not to cancel textile orders given to the Pakistani Textile industries. Pakistan’s major textile export destinations are USA, EU, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, and Japan. Reportedly, many foreign buyers have cancelled their orders, several others have asked to slowdown production. PHMA believes that exports, being
the highest foreign exchange earner and employment provider, should also be treated on a par with essential services, Ali states in the letter. He lauded the announcement of the federal government to allow the textile export industry to complete its orders in progress in 3 to 5 days while taking all precautionary and preventive measures. Nonetheless, the industries are totally closed in view of complete lockdown, he said. The export orders of many PHMA member exporters are in progress, which will be completed in next few days, provided the government allow to operate the industries. Exporters are highly perturbed and want to complete their pending/in
KP’s mobile phones business tumbles as coronavirus crisis deepens SWAT APP
The coronavirus pandemic has hit the mobile phones business hard in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa as hundreds of thousands of people associated with the smart phones trade are facing numerous troubles. A visit to different markets of mobile phone parts and accessories in different parts of KP showed that rates are increasing with every passing day as wholesale dealers complain of shortage of supplies. Higher prices are also affecting the general public and mobile users. Wahab Mohmand and Shahab Mohmand, who are brothers and wholesale dealers of mobile phones and accessories in Peshawar’s Main Sadder bazaar, told APP that they were paying huge rents in posh area but their business had turned to almost zero as far as visits of customers, small shopkeepers They urged the government to take steps and facilitate traders losing millions of rupees on daily basis. Shah Faisal, another mobile phones dealer from Khawzakhala Swat said, Malakand Region is Pakistan’s second largest division and a good number of people especially from Swat are attached to this business. He said locals in Swat switched their business from tourism to mobile phones after situation in the region normalized after end of terrorism. Shah Faisal said the coronavirus crisis have confined locals to their residences and mobile phone markets located in Mingora city, Dir Upper, Dir Lower, Buner, and Chitral are now giving deserted look.
“And those running their businesses have to pay huge amount in terms of rents, electricity bills and other routine expenditures,” he said, adding mobile phone business ratio is decreasing day by day. Vice President of Swat Mobile Phone Industry Muhammad Usman says mobile phone industry is suffering a lot from the virus spread, which has severely hit the business. “We are selling out products which we have in stocks after Pakistan has suspended trade activities with China. We have already paid advanced payments to the relevant mobile companies but now in the current situation all orders are stuck,” Usman added. He said due to the shortage of accessories, prices have jumped to almost double in the market whose impact is directly on the consumers. Another dealer Talha Khan says mobile business is disturbed due to the border closure as whole-sellers have increased rates of accessories and mobiles parts. A single mobile cover, which earlier cost Rs200, is now being sold in Rs 400, restricting buyers. Barkat Khan, a mobile dealer, said, "Normally we were selling 10 mobile phone sets of each company who was bound to dispatch 20 mobile phone sets but since last one month we are getting less quantity of phones from the companies." KP’s mobile phones traders have appealed to the government to formulate a strategy for those traders who are having business ties with Chinese companies. Pakistan should take measures by building up factories where mobile phones related items could be manufactured, they maintained.
process export orders so that they may complete export consignments and send shipments in next few days to avoid colossal financial losses, the letter further states. The PHMA’s office-bearer requested the Prime Minister to order provincial governments to fully facilitate textile export industries in their respective provinces by giving special permission of transportation of export orders. He said export industries are conscientious of Covid-19 and have taken all special preventive measures before the countrywide lockdown. “Majority of industries have already made special arrangements regarding workers like sensing temperatures, observance of cough or flu condition, installation of sanitisers at time offices, regular fumigation, dedicated private transport for physically fit workers.,” the press released quoted Ali as having said.
Geological Survey seeks Rs519m for Balochistan, KP projects ISLAMABAD APP
The Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) has sought Rs519.057 million to execute four projectsthree in Balochistan- under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2020-2021. Of these projects, three are related to the mineral sector and one is meant for the fuel sector, for which Rs512.533 million and Rs6.524 million have been demanded respectively in the next fiscal year. A senior official privy to the petroleum sector development told APP that GSP wanted geological mapping of 50 Toposheets of 'outcrop area' of Balochistan to maintain database for future exploration of occurrences of metallic and nonmetallic minerals, dimension stones, aggregates, and limestone reserves for the industry at a cost of Rs50.130 million. The Survey also sought Rs414.735 million worth allocations to acquire drilling rigs along with accessories aimed at executing drilling projects in an efficient and cost effective way, he added. Similarly, GSP has also sought Rs6.524 million funds for advancement in the project of exploration and evaluation of coal in Nosham and Bahlol areas of Balochistan, besides Rs67.036 million for the establishment and strengthening of research laboratories at the regional office in Peshawar. The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Energy has recently approved the budgetary proposals of the Petroleum Division for incorporating in the PSDP 2020-21.
Three months that shook global markets LONDON Agencies
How much damage has the coronavirus and the oil price collapse inflicted on global financial markets this year? Put simply, it has probably been the most destructive sell-off since the Great Depression. The numbers have been staggering. $15 trillion has been wiped of world stock markets. Oil has slumped 60pc as Saudi Arabia and Russia have started a price war and emerging markets like Brazil, Mexico and South Africa have seen their currencies plummet more than 20pc. Volatility and corporate borrowing market stress has spiked on worries that whole sectors could go bust, airlines have had half their value vaporised, while cratering economies risk a new wave of government debt crises. “It has been like a train wreck,” Chris Dyer, Director of Global Equity at Eaton Vance, said. “You could see it coming and coming and coming, but you just couldn’t stop it happening.” That carnage has seen 22pc and 24pc slumps for Wall Street's Dow Jones and S&P 500, almost 25pc for MSCI 49-country world index .MIWD00000PUS and 27pc for London's internationally exposed FTSE. For reference, the record quarterly drop for Wall Street was 40pc in 1932 in the midst of the Great Depression. The fact that the S&P and Dow were at record highs back in mid February has made the crash this time
seem more brutal. Stocks in China, where the virus hit first, have faired relatively well in comparison with only an 11pc drop in dollar terms .CSI300, but the impact on other major emerging markets has been devastating as their main commodity markets, and currencies, have also collapsed. Russian stocks, which topped the tables last year, have been routed 40pc in dollar terms. South Africa, which was stripped of its last investment grade credit rating on Friday, has fallen by the same percentage, though Brazil has been the worst, plunging 50pc. A large part of that is down to some wild FX market moves. All three of those countries have seen their currencies lose over 20% this year, which also ties in to the commodity market carnage. Brent crude oil has fallen by 62pc in the quarter to just $25 a barrel LCOc1. This was not only because of the coronavirus crisis, but also the price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia, which is putting their public finances at risk. Industrial metals like copper, aluminium and steel have all dropped 15-22pc and some agricultural staples like coffee LRCc2 and sugar SBc1 are down 17pc and 10pc. “These are truly historical moments in the history of financial markets. 2020 will go alongside 1929, 1987 and 2008 in the text books of financial market panics,” Deutsche Bank Strategist, Jim Reid, said. GIVE ME SHELTER: So are they any places to shelter? Yes, but not many.
Sit-on-your-sofa-suited stocks like Netflix and Amazon have risen 10pc and 2.5pc respectively and some specialist medical equipment companies have surged. Ultra-safe U.S. government bonds have returned 13pc as the Federal Reserve cut US interest rates to effectively zero, leading a charge of around 62 interest rate cuts globally. The dollar has rocketed against emerging market currencies. It had also shot up against the majors too, but has eased back over the last two weeks and will end the quarter only 2pc up against those bigger currencies. This has left the Japanese yen, the other
traditional FX safe-haven, with only a 0.4pc gain. The Swiss franc is down against the dollar, although it has climbed steeply against the euro and many other currencies. Will April bring much relief? JPMorgan reckons the coronavirus will have pushed the world economy into a 12pc contraction in Q1 and with pandemic still spreading rapidly and keeping large parts of the global economy shuttered it is unlikely to get much easier in Q2. The cavalry has arrived though. G20 governments have promised a $5 trillion revival effort, major central banks have cut rates and restarted asset purchases. Markets
bounced big last week until Friday came and may still end Q1 on a relative high. Stephane Monier, Chief Investment Officer of Lombard Odier, is looking to see whether infection rates in Europe and elsewhere peak as they did in Asia. If they do, markets could see a V-shaped 30pc recovery, although if they do not and cases jump in Asia again as lockdowns are lifted, it could be akin to a “war” situation which would impact the economy for 1-1/2 years. “Our expectation is for a very volatile second quarter,” Monier said. “It is important to keep in liquid, high-quality assets.”
Monday, 30 March, 2020
10 FOREIGN NEWS
CHIna's VIRus EpICEnTRE pIVOTs TO sTEM IMpORTED CasEs
WUHAN
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HE ground-zero city of Wuhan is cautiously reopening after a two-month quarantine, but the birthplace of the global coronavirus pandemic is now on guard against a potential new threat: imported cases. Travel restrictions have been loosened, with Wuhan’s busy train station officially resuming inbound services on Saturday and highways reopened as the unprecedented lockdown that kept more than 50 million people across Hubei
province housebound is lifted. That has unleashed a reverse tide of local residents who were stranded elsewhere in China — where many reported facing ostracism or restrictions on their movements — and are now flocking back to homes they have not seen for at least 10 weeks. The returnees — many arriving by train wearing two face masks, latex gloves and protective suits — bring with them the potential for a new round of infections, and authorities are taking few chances. Before leaving Wuhan’s station, all passengers are required to register their
Russia claims producing drug to treat COVID-19 ISLAMABAD: Russia has claimed it has created a drug, based on the anti-malarial Mefloquine, to treat patients suffering from the coronavirus, known as COVID-19. The drug prevents virus replication in cells and as a result stops the inflammatory process caused by the virus, the Russian Federal Biomedical Agency said in a statement. Veronika Skvortsova, the agency’s head, said Mefloquine has to be combined with antibiotics for the maximum effect, allowing increase in the concentration of antiviral agents in blood plasma and lungs. “This will ensure effective treatment of patients with various degrees of coronavirus infection,” Skvortsova said. Earlier in the day, the Russian government announced 228 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus, bringing the total number in the country to 1,264, with six deaths. A total of 49 people have so far recovered from the virus. In a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus, Russia has banned entry of foreign nationals and canceled all international flights. Authorities are also considering a ban on movement inside the country. After first appearing in Wuhan, China, in December, the virus, officially known as COVID-19, has spread to at least 177 countries and regions, according to data compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University. AGENCIES
personal details and travel history before proceeding through temperature checks. They also must show either a certificate of good health or a “green” rating — for “safe” — on a mobile phone app system that has been adopted nationwide and uses big data to track whether a person visited any high-risk areas in China. Without that, travellers must submit to a nucleic acid test for the virus, an official in Wuhan’s Jiangan district told AFP. Those who report or who are suspected of having travelled abroad recently are sent to a separate registration area, where workers in hazmat suits check their details.
NO VACANCY: On Saturday, a district health worker in Wuhan pried open the glass doors of a shuttered hotel that was previously used to quarantine suspected COVID-19 patients, in order to set up a virus-testing site. AFP reporters who arrived recently in the city were among those told they must take the test, conducted in a makeshift manner while seated on a plastic stool outside the hotel entrance as a health worker took throat swabs. The test subjects included a local woman whom the health worker said was a recovered COVID-19 patient. Staff at multiple international hotels in the city told AFP that no foreigners were allowed to book rooms due to the ongoing pandemic. At least one hotel said foreign guests must have proof that they had completed a two-week quarantine, even if they had stayed in China since before the outbreak. “Things are more tightly controlled now,” a hotel receptionist told AFP. Wuhan’s measures are similar to those imposed by local governments elsewhere in China, with many provinces requiring international arrivals to isolate themselves at home or in designated quarantine facilities for 14 days. Restrictions on residents heading out of Wuhan will not be lifted until April 8, when the airport will also reopen for domestic flights. A study this week found the lockdown in Wuhan had succeeded in containing the virus, but cautioned against opening up the city too soon.
Brazil court orders government to stop advising against virus isolation RIO DE JANEIRO AGENCIES
A federal court in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday banned the government from disseminating propaganda against confinement measures aimed at controlling the coronavirus pandemic. On Thursday night, President Jair Bolsonaro shared a video on Facebook showing a caravan of vehicles celebrating the reopening of businesses and schools in the southern state of Santa Catarina. His son and senator Flavio Bolsonaro also shared on Facebook a government campaign with the slogan: “Brazil cannot stop.” That provoked the attorney general’s office to petition the federal court to stop that campaign. The campaign video encourages people not to stop their normal lives, despite health ministry figures claiming that COVID-19 has claimed almost 100 lives and affected close to 3,500 people in Brazil.
The court also ordered people linked to the government to “stop sharing or fomenting the spread of information that is not strictly founded on scientific evidence.” Judge Laura Bastos Carvalho gave the government 24 hours to publish an official statement explaining that its “Brazil cannot stop” campaign does not adhere to scientific criteria and therefore cannot be followed.
It was the second court blow for Bolsonaro in as many days. On Friday, Rio’s federal court blocked a decree by the president that exempted places of worship from coronavirus confinement orders. “Churches and other places of worship lead to large crowds and the movement of people,” wrote Judge Marcio Santoro Rocha of the Duque de Caxias court.
Hospitals in Europe turn to snorkel masks to ease respirator overload ROME: As hospitals face an overload of Covid-19 patients struggling to breathe, innovative medical staff are turning to snorkelling masks from sports stores to stop their lungs collapsing. The idea started in Italy, the European country worst-hit by the coronavirus pandemic, with hospitals in other nations taking note and adding their own specific medical parts to make it work. One such is the Erasme Hospital on the outskirts of Belgium’s capital Brussels. It is attached to the city’s ULB university — and through it to a private spin-off, Endo Tools Therapeutics, whose know-how in 3D printing for medical use has proved invaluable. “They are to be used for patients with severe respiratory problems. The aim is to avoid having to intubate the trachea of the patient and put them on a respirator,” said Frederic Bonnier, a respiratory physiotherapist at the hospital who also teaches at the university. He spearheaded the design of a custommade valve that fits to the top of full-face masks, where the snorkel is meant to go, allowing them to connect to standard BiPAP (bilevel positive airway pressure) machines that feed pressurised air into masks. This helps prevent the collapse of alveoli, lung air sacs needed for the intake of oxygen into our bodies and the exhalation of carbon dioxide. Pneumonia brought on by Covid-19 inflames the lung membrane and fills those sacs with liquid. AGENCIES
Modi apologises to Indians for 21-day lockdown hardships NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologised to the public on Sunday for imposing a threeweek national lockdown, calling it harsh but “needed to win” the battle against the coronavirus pandemic. “I apologise for taking these harsh steps that have caused difficulties in your lives, especially the poor people,” Modi said in his monthly address, broadcast by state radio. “I know some of you will be angry with me. But these tough measures were needed to win this battle.” The unprecedented lockdown order, which came into effect on Wednesday to keep India’s 1.3 billion people at home for all but essential trips to places like markets or pharmacies, is meant to prevent the spread of the virus from surging and overwhelming India’s already strained health care system. Indian health officials have confirmed 867 cases of the coronavirus, including 25 deaths. Experts have said local spreading is inevitable in a country where tens of millions of people live in dense urban areas in cramped conditions with irregular access to clean water. The lockdown has caused tens of thousands of people, mostly young male day labourers but also families, to flee their New Delhi homes, and has effectively put millions of Indians who live off daily earnings out of work. Modi said on Sunday that he had “no choice but to make these decisions to fight the coronavirus”. The lockdown — the world’s largest — risks heaping further hardship on the quarter of the population who live below the poverty line. Rickshaw drivers, itinerant produce peddlers, maids, day labourers and other informal workers form the backbone of the Indian economy, comprising around 85 per cent of all employment, according to official data. AGENCIES
Privacy rights may become next victim of killer pandemic AMAN AGENCIES
Digital surveillance and smartphone technology may prove helpful in containing the coronavirus pandemic — but some activists fear this could mean lasting harm to privacy and digital rights. From China to Singapore to Israel, governments have ordered electronic monitoring of their citizens’ movements in an effort to limit contagion. In Europe and the United States, technology firms have begun sharing “anonymised” smartphone data to better track the outbreak. These moves have prompted soul-searching by privacy activists who acknowledge the need for technology to save lives while fretting over the potential for abuse. “Governments around the world are demanding extraordinary new surveillance powers intended to contain the virus’ spread,” the Electronic Frontier Foundation said in an online post. “Many would invade our privacy, deter our free speech, and disparately burden vul-
nerable groups of people. Governments must show that such powers would actually be effective, science-based, necessary, and proportionate.” The measures vary from place to place. Hong Kong ordered people arriving from overseas to wear tracking bracelets, and Singapore has a team of dedicated digital detectives monitoring those living under quarantine. Israel’s security agency Shin Bet has begun using advanced technology and telecom data to track civilians. In perhaps the strictest move, China gave people smartphone codes displayed in green, yellow, and red, determining where citizens can and cannot go. China is also among the countries enhancing censorship about the crisis, human rights watchdog Freedom House said, while others are blocking websites or shutting off internet access. “We have observed a number of concerning signs that authoritarian regimes are using COVID-19 as a pretext to suppress independent speech, increase surveillance, and otherwise restrict fundamental rights, going beyond what is justified by
public health needs,” said Michael Abramowitz, president of the group. ‘NORMALISED’ SURVEILLANCE: Some activists cite the precedent of the September 11, 2001 attacks, which opened up the door to more invasive surveillance in the name of national security. “There is a risk these tools will become normalized and continue even after the pandemic slows,” said Darrell West, who heads the Brookings Institution’s Center for Technology Innovation. But even some digital privacy defenders say it may be prudent to use some of the available data to help control the outbreak. “I’m not against fighting this epidemic with data or tech,” said Ryan Calo, a University of Washington researcher affiliated with Stanford’s Center for Internet and Society. “The problem with implementing surveillance in an emergency is that it might acclimate people to that.” Calo said it is a difficult trade-off, noting that even the awareness of being tracked or monitored has an impact on people’s feelings
CMYK
of privacy and personal security. AN APP FOR THAT: Much of the debate centers on smartphone location tracking, a sensitive issue which has been at the heart of numerous privacy disputes. Since the pandemic began several apps have been developed which use the technology to track the outbreak. One from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers determines if people have “crossed paths” with an infected person — although it would only work if it — for lack of a better term — goes viral. Cornell University researchers developed another app allowing users to anonymously share their locations and COVID-19 status to receive alerts about other nearby cases. New York-based technology firm Unacast created a “social distancing scorecard” which uses smartphone locations to determine the extent of respect for recommendations for people to maintain safe distances. “It can be helpful to know if people are practicing social distancing. That can provide actionable information,” Calo said.
But he maintained that crowdsourced data on infections is likely to be “riddled with inaccuracies” and could give people a false sense of security. A group of university researchers has developed a preliminary version of an app designed to allow people to share data on location and infections using smartphones’ Bluetooth technology without compromising personal privacy. “We designed it so that if a person comes down with COVID there’s a way to send an alert (to those in proximity) without identifying who that person is,” said Tina White, a Stanford graduate student and co-founder of the Covid-watch app. White said she and other researchers came up with the notion as an alternative to “authoritarian” measures being adopted in some parts of the world. She acknowledged the app would only be as useful as the number of people using it — but said the technology is being made available freely, and suggested that “Android and Apple could use this an option in a system update” to ensure wide adoption.
Monday, 30 March, 2020
SPORTS 11
Tokyo organisers eye July 2021 for delayed olympics: reporTs TOKYO
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OKyO Olympics organisers are eyeing next July as a start date for the postponed Games, Japanese media reported Sunday, following the historic decision to delay the event due to the coronavirus. Given the ongoing pandemic and need for preparation time, the most likely plan would be for the Games to begin on July 23, 2021, public broadcaster NHK said, citing sources within the organising panel. It came after Tokyo Governor yuriko Koike raised the idea on Friday of moving the event to a less hot and humid time of year. She argued that this would make marathons and other races easier to endure, meaning they could be held in the capital instead of in northern Sapporo city, where the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had decided to move them. The Tokyo 2020 team led by yoshiro Mori is currently discussing possible dates with the IOC, according to the Asahi Shimbun newspaper. On Saturday, Mori told a Japanese TV station that "some kind of conclusion" would be reached within a week. The Olympics were scheduled to open
on July 24 this year with the Paralympics on August 25, but Japan announced last week it had secured agreement from the IOC to postpone the Games -- a decision unprecedented in peacetime. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said they would be held in around a year instead as a testament to humanity's victory over the pandemic. The decision had been seen to open
options for Tokyo, with IOC chief Thomas Bach saying that "all the options are on the table" and rescheduling "is not restricted just to the summer months". Meanwhile, NHK said the Olympic flame would be displayed for a month at the J-Village sports complex in Fukushima, which was used as a base camp for thousands of relief workers in radiation protection suits during the 2011 nu-
World champion boxer saunders sorry for promoting violence against women
clear disaster. A BLOW FOR VIRUS-HIT HOTELS The shock postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics has dealt a savage blow to Japan's hotels and tourism industry, already reeling from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Many operators have seen bookings decimated by the virus and had been clinging to the hope that the Games would help them claw back this year's losses. "This is an enormous shock for us, with sales in many of our member hotels already down by half because of plunging demand for tourism, not only from abroad but also inside Japan due to the coronavirus," said Shigemi Sudo, secretary general of the Tokyo Hotels and Ryokans Association. "Many rooms are going to be cancelled, and it will be difficult to fill those empty rooms with new customers given the situation," he said. But for all the hardship, there is one silver lining -- the prospect of at least recovering some losses when the rescheduled Games go ahead. "There is no one to blame, and we think the postponement is a better decision than cancellation," said Sudo of the Tokyo Hotels and Ryokans Association.
Star batsman Smith's leadership ban ends
CANBERRA AGENCIES
A two-year leadership ban slapped on Steve Smith after the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa ended Sunday, leaving the master batsman free to skipper Aus-
tralia again. The 30-year-old captained the team until he was suspended for 12 months over a brazen attempt to alter the ball with sandpaper under his watch during a Test in Cape Town in 2018. Part of his punishment included a fur-
ther year-long exile from any leadership role, which has now expired. Co-conspirator and former vice-captain David Warner was banned from any leadership role for life, although both have successfully resumed their international careers. There have been calls for Smith to take back the Test captaincy from Tim Paine, but it remains unclear whether he wants to, with the 35-year-old seemingly intent on playing on. Coach Justin Langer last year praised Paine's leadership as "brilliant" and said Smith may not want the "burden" of captaincy on top of batting pressures. Aaron Finch is skipper of the Twenty20 and one-day teams. Smith told Channel Nine television on Sunday he was focused only on trying to stay physically and mentally fit during the coronavirus shutdown of Australian cricket. He was supposed to be preparing for a big-money payday at the Indian Premier League, but the tournament has already been delayed until April 15 in
response to the pandemic. With India in a three-week lockdown in a bid to contain a spread of the virus, Smith admitted the IPL appeared unlikely to go ahead. "I think the country's basically shut its borders until the 15th of April," he said. "It's obviously not looking likely at the moment, I think there might be some meetings over the next couple of days to discuss what the go is with it all. "But just trying to stay physically fit and mentally fresh," he added. "If it goes ahead at some point, then great. If not, then there's plenty going on in the world at the moment. Just play it day by day." All cricket in Australia has been cancelled, with the team's three-match T20 series against New Zealand this month a casualty after just one game. Australia has a Test tour to Bangladesh scheduled for June and a subsequent oneday campaign in England, but both appear to be at risk.
LONDON: British world champion boxer Billy Joe Saunders was forced to apologise Saturday after a video emerged of him handing out advice to men on how to attack women if domestic arguments occur during tense coronavirus lockdowns. WBO super middleweight champion Saunders, 30, is seen in the video giving tips on how to react if "your old woman is....coming at you, spitting a bit of venom in your face". Using a punchbag, he then describes how to "hit her on the chin" and "finish her off". Saunders apologised if he "offended any women". "I would never condone domestic violence and if I saw a man touch a woman I would smash him to pieces myself," Saunders said in a post on Twitter. "Apologies if I offended any women, stay blessed." AGENCIES
Juventus players agree to take pay reduction in 90-million-euro cost cut
TURIN: Juventus on Saturday announced that they had cut their players' and coach Maurizio Sarri's salaries after all Italian sport was suspended until at least April 3 due to the coronavirus pandemic. "The economic and financial effects of the understanding reached are positive for about 90 million euros ($100.5 million) for the 2019/2020 financial year," said a club statement. Over 10,000 people have died from COVID-19 in Italy, more than in any other nation. Italian champions Juventus, who led second-placed Lazio by a point in Serie A before the suspension of the season, said they had agreed a "reduction" for pay from March until June. Juve added that should the season be finished later in the year, the players could be paid extra in those months. "Juventus would like to thank the players and the coach for their commitment at a difficult time for everyone," the Turin giants said. Players at other big European clubs have also agreed to take pay cuts, including Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund in Germany. Juventus' highly-paid stars include five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo and Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey, who joined from Arsenal on a free transfer last year. AGENCIES
Hunger games?: Tennis foot soldiers struggle in time of virus LONDON AGENCIES
With careers spent scratching around dusty outposts, sometimes with "just $100" in their pockets, tennis' unheralded army of foot soldiers claim they are struggling to afford food after being made unemployed overnight by the coronavirus pandemic. Now, Georgian player Sofia Shapatava is pleading with the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to dig deep and help out the hundreds of players who lost their livelihoods when the men's and women's tours went into a three-month lockdown. "Players lower ranked than 250 will not be able to buy food in two-three weeks' time," warned Shapatava, who is not optimistic the ITF will look favourably on her plea. "I honestly don't think so," she told AFP. "They replied that their plate is full and they will come back to me as soon as they can. But after that email they did not reply with anything." Shapatava, the world number 371, is a 16-year veteran of the tour. But she plays mostly secondary ITF events, a world away from the gilded Grand Slam world inhabited by multi-millionaires Serena Williams, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. Shapatava has banked $354,000 in career prize money from almost 1,500 singles and doubles matches. Barely $3,000 has come her way since the turn of the year after events in Andrezieux-Bouthion in France, Midland in Michigan, Nicholasville in Kentucky and the Californian venue of Rancho Sante Fe. However, compared to many, the 31-year-old is welloff. There are comfortably over 1,000 players in the WTA rankings. The men's ATP Tour has just as many. Amongst a batch of women currently locked in the
lowest rank of 1,283 is 27-year-old Ksenia Kolesnikova of Russia. In 2020, she has officially made just $68. Many players outside the lucrative top 100 traditionally supplement their meagre incomes by coaching or playing in European club leagues. SPORT WILL DIE: However, those reliable revenue
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streams dried up after governments worldwide banned large gatherings to combat the spread of the deadly coronavirus. "I started the petition to help tennis players to be heard by ITF, after I talked to many of the people I know and about their plans for the next three months and I realised that some people won't even be able to have food,"
claimed Shapatava in her online blog. "My problem is that my sport will die as it is, it will die, because players who are ranked lower then 150 in the world will not be able to play." Coronavirus has brought all tennis to a standstill until June 8 at the earliest. The entire claycourt season has been wiped out with the French Open shifted to September-October instead of its traditional May-June slot. Wimbledon could follow suit next week when organisers may postpone or even cancel completely the grasscourt Grand Slam event scheduled to start on June 29. Britain's Tara Moore, the world 233, has made just $2,500 this year but her career earnings stand at $473,500, boosted by lucrative wildcards into the main draw at Wimbledon. In 2016, she made the second round at the All England Club and pocketed a welcome $62,000. "There are more important things like life and death, but a lot of players from smaller countries, (are) unable to earn any income, unable to claim benefits as they are considered 'self-employed'," wrote the 27-year-old Hong Kong-born Moore in support of Shapatava's petition. "It will be tough for many players to survive the next couple of months." Former world number 15 Alla Kudryavtseva sympathised with the plight of the current crop. The 32-year-old Russian, who famously dumped Maria Sharapova out of Wimbledon in 2008, made over $3 million in her career, accrued mostly from success on the doubles court. "I have savings, I'm not worried. What about those juniors that chose tennis as their career and are making the transition to pros? Who didn't have a chance to save anything yet? Who potentially invested money in themselves? "They are not student loans." The ITF did not respond to requests for a comment.
Monday, 30 March, 2020
NEWS
US ViRUS deaThS coUld Reach 200,000, Top medical expeRT waRnS NEW YORK
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AGENCIES
HE global coronavirus death toll surged past 30,000 over the weekend as Europe and the United States endured their darkest days of the crisis as a top US expert National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr Anthony Fauci warned in an interview with CNN that the pandemic could cause between 100,000 and 200,000 deaths in the United States. US deaths from the new coronavirus could reach 200,000 with millions of cases, the government’s top infectious diseases expert warned on Sunday as New York, New Orleans and other major cities warned they would soon run out of medical supplies, Reuters reports. Meanwhile, a back-flip from US President Donald Trump on quarantining New York highlighted the panic and confusion across many parts of the world in trying to contain the pandemic, which has seen more than a third of humanity placed under unprecedented lockdowns. More than 30,800 deaths had been reported worldwide by Sunday, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally, as the virus continued to leave a devastating imprint on nearly every aspect of society: wiping out millions of jobs, overwhelming healthcare services and draining national treasuries. Europe alone accounted for more than 20,000 fatalities, where hardest-hit Italy and Spain each reported more than 800 dead in one day. Pablo Rodriguez, a radiologist at a Madrid hospital, described the influx of patients as “a total tsunami”. “It’s like going to the front line in a war,” he said. Officials in some countries have warned that the worst is yet to come. But in the Chinese city of Wuhan where the virus first struck late last year, officials took tentative steps back towards normality, partially reopening it after more than two months of near-total isolation for its 11 million residents. Trump decided late Saturday against imposing a broad lockdown on New York and its neighbours after a strong pushback
ITALY REPORTS 756 NEW CORONAVIRUS DEATHS IN 24 HOURS, DEATH TOLL RISES TO 10,779 from local political leaders and warnings of the panic it could spark. “A quarantine will not be necessary,” Trump tweeted, about eight hours after he stunned the New York metropolitan region — the epicentre of the US outbreak — with a proposal to place it under quarantine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, however, asked area residents not to travel except for essential purposes. Trump’s reversal came on the same day the US death toll topped 2,100, more than doubling in just three days. Of the fatalities, more than a quarter were in New York City. Health officials say they fear New York may follow the deadly path charted by Italy, with health professionals exhausted and hospitals desperately short of protective equipment and ventilators. “It’s abysmal,” said Andrew, a psychiatry resident in a New York hospital who spoke on condition his name be changed. He is now quarantined at home with a likely case of the virus himself. “There’s not enough money, there aren’t enough tests, there’s not enough personal protective equipment for people who are dealing with this,” he told AFP in an interview punctuated by coughs. The United States now has the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 infections globally with more than 124,000 cases, according to the Johns Hopkins tally. One of the fatalities announced Saturday was that of a Chicago infant less than a year old, marking an extremely rare case of juvenile death in the pandemic. ITALY AND SPAIN: European nations have been harder hit than the US on a per capita basis with over 20,000 deaths — around half in worst-hit Italy. Italy reported 756 new coronavirus deaths on Sunday taking the total number of fatalities to 10,779 as it continues to pay the heaviest price in the world from the contagion. Spain’s health ministry announced 838 new coronavirus deaths, marking the country’s highest daily jump in fatalities
and bringing its total to 6,528. Madrid toughened a nationwide lockdown, halting all non-essential activities, though officials said the epidemic in the country seemed to be nearing a peak. Russia said it would close its borders on Monday, despite reporting relatively low levels of the virus. More than 664,000 cases of the novel coronavirus have been officially recorded around the world since the outbreak began late last year, according to the Johns Hopkins tracker. Variations in testing regimes — and delays in some countries — mean the true number is likely far higher. In France, which has seen close to 2,000 deaths, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe warned the “battle” was just beginning. The British toll passed 1,000 on Saturday while Belgium saw a steep climb in deaths, with 353 recorded on Saturday — up from 289 the day before. Elsewhere, Iran announced 139 more deaths, and India sealed a dozen villages
that had been visited by a guru now known to be infected and a possible “super-spreader”. South African police used rubber bullets in Johannesburg to enforce social distancing on a crowd queueing for supplies outside a supermarket during a national lockdown. ENOUGH, ENOUGH: In Italy, a cardiologist from Rome who has recovered from COVID-19 recalled his hellish experience. “The oxygen therapy is painful, looking for the radial artery is difficult. Desperate other patients were crying out, ‘Enough, enough’,” he told AFP. Infection rates in Italy are on a downward trend. The head of the national health institute Silvio Brusaferro predicted a peak “in the next few days”. Europe has suffered the brunt of the coronavirus crisis in recent weeks, with millions across the continent on lockdown and the streets of Paris, Rome and Madrid eerily empty. Other countries across the world were bracing for the virus’s full impact. As even rich countries struggle, aid groups warn the toll could be in the millions in low-income countries and war zones such as Syria and Yemen, where healthcare systems are in tatters.
Trump brags about high TV viewership of coronavirus briefings US President Donald Trump on Sunday bragged about the millions of people tuning in to view his daily press briefings on the coronavirus pandemic, saying on Twitter that his average ratings matched a season finale of “The Bachelor.” “Because the ‘Ratings’ of my News Conferences etc. are so high, ‘Bachelor finale, Monday Night Football type numbers’ according to the @nytimes, the Lamestream Media is going CRAZY,” Trump tweeted. “‘Trump is reaching too many people, we must stop him.’ said one lunatic. See you at 5:00 P.M.!” Trump’s daily coronavirus updates have attracted an average audience of 8.5 million on cable news, the New York Times reported on March 25, citing data from Nielsen Holdings Plc. Trump had abandoned the custom of having regular press briefings at the White House, but brought them back this month to update the public on his coronavirus task force. The New York Times said viewership of the briefings had risen because people were concerned about the virus and stuck at home. Trump’s briefing on March 23 drew nearly 12.2 million viewers on the major cable news channels, the newspaper said. Millions more than usual are watching on ABC, CBS, NBC and online streaming sites, it said, but reliable numbers are available only for cable news. MSNBC cut away from the March 23 briefing after about an hour, later saying in a statement that “the information no longer appeared to be valuable to the important ongoing discussion around public health.” AGENCIES
Pakistani nationals stranded in India return amid coronavirus pandemic ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
Five Pakistan nationals stranded in India due to the coronavirus pandemic successfully returned to the country through Wagah-Attari border on Sunday. According to a statement issued by the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, the citizens went to India for medical reasons and were stranded in New Delhi due to coronavirus-related restrictions.
On March 20, four stranded Pakistan nationals were repatriated via Wagah-Attari border. Pakistan High Commission remained in close contact with the Indian side as well as the relevant authorities in Islamabad to firm up expeditious and safe return of these Pakistanis. In close coordination with both sides, the mission is making all-out efforts for early return of the remaining Pakistan nationals stranded in India.
Saudi intercepts missiles over curfew-locked Riyadh, border city RIYADH AGENCIES
Saudi air defences intercepted ballistic missiles over Riyadh and a city along the Yemen border late on Saturday, leaving at least two civilians wounded in the curfew-locked capital amid efforts to curb the coronavirus pandemic. Multiple explosions shook Riyadh in the attack, which the Saudi-led military coalition blamed on Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels who have previously targeted Saudi cities with missiles, rockets and drones. It was the first major assault on Saudi Arabia since the Houthis offered last September to halt attacks on the kingdom after devastating twin strikes on Saudi oil installations. “Two ballistic missiles were launched towards the cities of Riyadh and Jizan,” the official Saudi Press Agency reported, citing the coalition fighting the rebels. Their interception sent shrapnel falling on residential neighbourhoods in the cities, resulting in two civilian casualties in Riyadh, a civil defence spokesman said in a separate statement released by SPA. There was no immediate comment from the rebels. At least three blasts rocked the capital — under a 15-hour coronavirus curfew — just before midnight, according to AFP reporters. Jizan, like many other Saudi cities, faces a shorter dusk-to-dawn curfew. The assault comes despite a show of support on Thursday by all of Yemen’s warring parties for the United Nations’ call for a ceasefire to protect civilians from the coronavirus pandemic. Saudi Arabia, the Yemeni government and the rebels all welcomed an appeal from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres for an “immediate global ceasefire” to help avert disaster for vulnerable people in conflict zones. The call coincided with the fifth anniversary of Saudi Arabia’s military intervention in Yemen’s civil war, which was launched to shore up the internationally recognised government against the Houthi rebels.
German minister commits suicide after 'virus crisis worries' The finance minister of Germany’s Hesse state Thomas Schaefer committed suicide apparently after becoming “deeply worried” over how to cope with the economic fallout from the coronavirus, state premier Volker Bouffier said on Sunday. Schaefer, 54, was found dead near a railway track on Saturday. The Wiesbaden prosecution’s office said they believe he died by suicide. “We are in shock, we are in disbelief and above all we are immensely sad,” Bouffier said in a recorded statement. Hesse is home to Germany’s financial capital Frankfurt, where major lenders like Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank have their headquarters. The European Central Bank is also located in Frankfurt. A visibly shaken Bouffier recalled that Schaefer, who was Hesse’s finance chief for 10 years, had been working “day and night” to help companies and workers deal with the economic impact of the pandemic. “Today we have to assume that he was deeply worried,” said Bouffier, a close ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel. “It’s precisely during this difficult time that we would have needed someone like him,” he added. Popular and well-respected, Schaefer had long been touted as a possible successor to Bouffier. Like Bouffier, Schaefer belonged to Merkel’s centre-right CDU party. He leaves behind a wife and two children. AGENCIES
North Korea fires two short-range 'ballistic missiles' into sea PYONGYANG AGENCIES
North Korea fired what appeared to be two short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast on Sunday, the fourth such launch this month as the world battles the coronavirus outbreak. The string of weapons drills come as a prolonged hiatus in disarmament talks with the United States drags on, and despite recent overtures from Washington offering help to contain the pandemic. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the North fired the two projectiles, presumed to be ballistic missiles, from the port city of Wonsan into the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea. “Such military action by North Korea is an extremely inappropriate act when the entire world is having difficulties due to the COVID19 outbreak,” they added in a statement. Tokyo’s defence ministry said the projectiles fell short of Japanese waters and the country’s exclusive economic zone. The nuclear-armed North has yet to issue a statement on Sunday’s missiles but attributed its three other launches this month — all of which landed in the Sea of Japan — to
“long-range artillery” drills. It last week fired what Seoul said were two short-range ballistic missiles, describing them as a new “tactical guided weapon”. North Korean state media announced the following day that the country’s leader Kim Jong Un had received a letter from US President Donald Trump detailing a plan to develop ties — a move later confirmed by a White House official. The report cited Kim’s powerful sister Kim Yo Jong, who warned that the apparently good personal relationship between the two leaders would not be enough to foster broader relations. Trump “explained his plan to propel the relations between the two countries… and expressed his intent to render cooperation in the anti-epidemic work,” she said in a statement published by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). North Korea is one of the few remaining countries in the world yet to report a case of novel coronavirus infection. But the outbreak has turned into a major international crisis, with more than 640,000 confirmed cases and 30,000 dead worldwide. There has also been widespread specu-
lation that the virus has reached the isolated nation, and health experts have warned that it could devastate the country given its weak medical infrastructure and widespread malnutrition.
Sunday’s launch was intended to show the country was running normally during the pandemic, said Kim Dong-yub, a researcher at the Seoul-based Institute for Far Eastern Studies. NEGOTIATIONS DEADLOCKED: Ana-
lysts say the North has been continuing to refine its weapons capabilities more than a year after a summit between Kim and Trump broke down in Hanoi. Negotiations have since been deadlocked over sanctions relief and what the North would be willing to give up in return, despite a high-profile June meeting in the Demilitarized Zone that divides the Korean peninsula. Pyongyang set a unilateral deadline for Washington to offer fresh concessions by the end of 2019, and in late December Kim declared his country no longer considered itself bound by moratoriums on nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests. In the past the North has fired missiles capable of reaching the entire US mainland and has carried out six nuclear tests, the most recent of them estimated to be up to 16 times more powerful than the Hiroshima blast. North Korea is under multiple sets of United Nations, US and other sanctions over its weapons programmes. Heightened tensions in 2017 were followed by two years of nuclear diplomacy between Pyongyang and Washington, including three meetings between Kim and Trump, but little tangible progress was made.
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