Thursday, 3 December, 2020 I 16 Rabi al-Akhir, 1442 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XI No 154 I 12 Pages I Karachi Edition
Imran announces unIversal health coverage for gB as PtI takes charge g
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pm promises sehat insaf card worth rs1m for medical treatment, construction of a hospital in skardu
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says govt in talks with foreign companies to unlock region’s great tourism potential
takes jibe at ‘stressed’ dar for ‘lying’ in bbc interview
GILGIT sTaff rePorT
P
rime minister imran khan on wednesday announced universal health coverage for the people of gilgit-baltistan as his pakistan tehreek-e-insaf (pti) assumed power in the region after registering a victory in the recent election. the announcement was made in a speech delivered after the premier's arrival in the region to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the 14-member cabinet. gb governor raja jalal hussain maqpoon administered the oath. addressing the ceremony, pm imran, while congratulating the new cabinet, expressed the hope that the new government would set a "new tradition" and give a governance system that "sets new standards".
he said that the pti's flagship healthcare scheme, sehat insaf card, would soon be launched in gb, offering rs1,000,000 in health insurance to every household. the amount will enable citizens to receive medical treatment at any hospital -- both public and private, he added. “i know your area. i know your problems,” the premier said. he also congratulated the cabinet and chief minister khalid khurshid on assuming a “difficult duty to serve the masses”. discussing the tourism potential of the region, imran said: "no prime minister in pakistan has seen this region the way i have," and asserted that he was acutely aware of the issues being faced by the people of gb. he said that as a regular visitor to the region prior to becoming prime minister, he was well aware of the "great tourism poten-
coronavIrus In
PakIstan
CONFIRMED CASES:
403,311
LAST UPDATED AT 7:35 AM ON DECEMBER 2, 2020
DAY'S DEATH TOLL:
75
RECOVERED:
NEW CASES:
2,829 DEATHS:
345,365 8,166 SINDH:
PUNJAB:
175,642
120,356
KP:
BALOCHISTAN:
AJK/GB:
ISLAMABAD:
47,701
17,215
6,982/4,667 30,748
tial". “in the summers, you see a tsunami of tourists; hotels and rest houses fill up,” he said, noting that this had not thus far materialised during the harsh winter months. “last week, i met a major company from austria that specialises in skiing,” he said and recalled that switzerland’s tourism was primarily related to skiing. he said that the company had informed him that areas in gb witnessed 7-8 months of skiing weather. he disclosed that discussions were ongoing to bring this type of international tourist to the region during the winter months. “this will benefit pakistan through foreign exchange,” he added. the prime minister said that the government would provide loans on preferential terms to people wishing to adapt their homes to rest houses so they could profit off this tourism. pm imran said said that the government’s first step would be to commence work on providing the provisional provincial status he promised to the people of gb prior to the elections. “the people of this region should never feel they are not equal citizens of pakistan,” he further said and added the government would form committees that would be given timelines to implement the provisional provincial status. noting the people of gb knew best what kind of development was needed for their area, the premier said that this was part of the riyasat-e-medina, his model of the welfare state. “when we talk about riyasat-e-medina, the most important thing is prioritising the uplift of the underprivileged,” he said. referring to the ehsaas programme, he said that it was part of the government’s efforts to eradicate poverty, adding it would soon be launched in gb.
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Govt promises free vaccine as Covid-19 death toll surges g
75 die in 24 hours as 2,829 new cases surface ISLAMABAD TLTP
the parliamentary health secretary announced on wednesday that covid-19 vaccine will be provided to citizens free of cost, while the country witnessed the most singleday deaths due to covid-19 since july 9, as 75 people died in the last 24 hours, said the national command and operation centre (ncoc) on wednesday. the covid-19 vaccine, once procured, will be administered to citizens free of cost, parliamentary secretary for national health services regulations and coordination (nhsrc) dr nausheen hamid said. according to app, dr hamid, in an interview with a private news channel, said that a vaccine will be made available “once its efficacy is proved”. the coronavirus situation in the country is deteriorating with the fatality rate also increasing rapidly across pakistan. the country in the
Nawaz declared proclaimed offender in two corruption probes ISLAMABAD sTaff rePorT
the islamabad high court (ihc) on wednesday declared deposed prime minister and pakistan muslim league-nawaz (pml-n) supreme leader nawaz sharif proclaimed offender in al-azizia steel mills and avenfield house cases after he failed to show up despite repeated reminders. justice aamer farooq also announced to pass a short order regarding the proclamation of the convicted and in addition to issuing show-cause notices to his brother and pmln president shahbaz sharif who signed the surety deed, assuring his brother’s timely return. in july 2018, an accountability court handed sharif 10 years as jail time in the avenfield house case, related to the purchase of upscale apartments in london, and one year for not cooperating with the national accountability bureau (nab) during the probe. later in december, another accountability court handed him seven years and a $25 million penalty in the al-azizia steel mills reference wherein he was unable to prove the source of
income that had led to his ownership of a steel mill in saudi arabia. after spending a year in prison, sharif, 71, after securing a conditional bail in november 2019, travelled to london on the pretext of medical treatment and has since been residing there. his party insists that despite being summoned by the courts, who declared him a proclaimed offender earlier in separate corruption probes, the former premier will only return after the completion of his medical treatment.
during wednesday’s proceedings, the court recorded the statements of three witnesses and completed proceedings regarding the proclamation process. earlier in september, a high court bench issued his non-bailable arrest warrants after he failed to appear before the bench for hearing of his appeals against his conviction in al-azizia and avenfield cases. later, the bench started the process of declaring him an absconder and ordered authorities to publish the summons in british publications, summoning nawaz on november 24. the ihc at the time said if sharif did not appear in the court within 30 days after publication of the advertisement, he would be declared an absconder. it had also ordered the authorities concerned to paste the notice outside his london and lahore residences. nawaz, his daughter and pml-n vice president maryam nawaz and her husband captain (r) safdar awan were released from adiala jail on september 19, 2018, after an ihc judgement suspended their respective sentences in the avenfield reference.
last 24 hours reported at least 2,829 new covid-19 cases. according to the ncoc data, at least 35,197 people were tested, of whom 2,829 were diagnosed as positive for the coronavirus. the results take the country’s positivity rate to 8.04 per cent. so far, 8,166 people have succumbed to the virus in pakistan. meanwhile, 345,365 patients have recovered from the respiratory illness, of whom 2,079 have made a recovery in the last 24 hours. there are now 49,780 active cases in the country. the condition of 2,244 patients is reported critical in the country. according to the ncoc data, the number of coronavirus patients in sindh has reached 175,642, 120,356 in punjab, 47,701 in khyber pakhtunkhwa (kp), 30,748 in islamabad, 4,666 in gilgit-baltistan (gb) and 6,982 in azad jammu and kashmir (ajk).
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more inside
Former prime minister Zafarulllah Jamali passes away STORY ON PAGE 02
pm approves new civil servant rules to improve efficiency STORY ON PAGE 03
Lahore’s administration refuses permission for PDM rally STORY ON PAGE 03
afghan government, taliban announce breakthrough deal to pursue peace talks STORY ON BACK PAGE