Day: May 30, 2020

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69 die of coronavirus during two days in Sindh; 310 in critical condition

Karachi, May 30, 2020 (PPI-OT): Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said on Friday that 38 more coronavirus patients died during the last 24 hours in Sindh and 1247 new cases emerged, while the virus death toll had reached 465 and the patients tally hit 13623. “The situation is going from bad to worse which can be assessed from the fact that during last two days we have taken 69 bodies – this is quite painful and unbearable for the aggrieved families,” said CM.

Giving details, Shah said that 5481 tests were conducted against which 1247 cases were detected. “This shows 23 percent result which is higher than various countries,” he said. He added that right from February 26, we have conducted 176,703 tests which produced 15.5 percent or 27,360 cases.

Sharing the mortality rate, Shah said that 38 more patients died and lifted the mortality rate from 1.6 percent to 1.7 percent. The death toll stemming from coronavirus has reached 465. “I am sorry to say that 310 patients were in critical condition while 68 of them have been shifted to ventilators,” he said.

The CM said that at present, 13623 patients were under treatment. “Our home isolation experience is going well and presently, 12565 patients are being treated in home atmosphere in [home] isolation, he said and added 127 were in isolation centers and 931 in different hospitals. “We are expanding our facilities by establishing two coronavirus facilities in infectious disease hospitals, one at NIPA and other opposite Karachi University,” he said and added that work on their finishing and installation of the necessary equipment was going-on round the clock.

According to Shah, water connection to both the hospitals has been given and now K-Electric was installing separate PMT for them. The chief minister said that 522 patients had recovered and returned to their normal life. He added the number of patients recovered so far had reached 13272 which constituted 48.5 percent recovery ratio. “Now, the situation is little worrisome that 522 patients recovered and another 1247 admitted means there is a wide difference between admission and discharge- the health system is coming under pressure,” he analyzed.

Giving district-wise data, the chief minister said that out 1247 new cases, Karachi has 923. They include Korangi 215, East 213, Central 183, South 180, Malir 63 and West 69. Similarly, Ghotki has 29 cases, Hyderabad 24, Larkana 23, Jacobabad 22, Sukkur 21, Shikarpur 20, Jamshoro 14, Shaheed Benazirabad eight, Khairpur seven, Mirpurkhas five, Dadu and Kashmore four each, Badin and Thatta three each. Shah urged the people of Sindh to observe social distancing and wear masks while going out of the home. He concluded that without observing SOPs, we would not be able to defeat the virus.

Plane crash update: The chief minister, giving details of the DNA tests of the passengers died in the Karahi plane crash on May 22, said that 97 people lost their lives in the plane crash, and so far, 68 bodies had been identified and handed over to their heirs. He said that at present, 10 bodies were lying in the mortuary of Chhipa and 19 at Edhi. “We have identified 29 bodies through DNA and one DNA is yet to be matched,” he said.

For more information, contact:
Press Secretary,
Chief Minister House, Sindh
Tel: +92-21-99202019(Ext: 336)
Website: www.cmsindh.gov.pk

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Sugar prices rose after Prime Minister allowed its export: Nasir Hussain Shah

Karachi, May 30, 2020 (PPI-OT): Sindh Minister for Information Syed Nasir Hussain Shah has said that the purpose of the sugar probe commission set up by the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan was to find out how the price of sugar went up so much in the time of angels, even more than in the time when according to the PTI leaders, looters and thugs were in power.

The provincial minister said that it was surprising that the price of the sugar was around Rs 50 to Rs 53 in the time of the people labelled constantly by the leaders of PTI as thieves and looters, while in the time of these angels the price went up as much as Rs 80 up to Rs 83. He said that the sugar probe commission headed by Wajid Zia had exposed the angels. Shah said that according to the report of sugar probe commission, one of the major factors in sudden increase in the price of sugar was to allow its export.

The provincial minister said that about one million tonnes of sugar was allowed to be exported, which gave rise to the price of the sugar in the country. “When there is a large quantity of something in the market, its price automatically decreases and if something is less available in the market, its price definitely goes up,” he said. Shah said that the report of the same sugar probe commission stated that the permission to export sugar was given by the Prime Minister himself, adding that, he was a signatory to this permission.

Explaining further, the provincial minister said that people should know that their Prime Minister Imran Khan was also having the portfolio of in charge Commerce Minister. He said that Abdul Razzaq Dawood was merely the special assistant to the prime minister. Shah said that sugar was exported with the permission of the Prime Minister after which there was a shortage of it in the country and as a result, the price of sugar increased.

The provincial information minister said that the sole purpose of summoning Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and include him in the probe was to divert public attention. He said that it had always been the practice of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders to try to divert the attention of people by blaming others whenever they had been asked to clear their position.

Shah clarified that Omni Group was given subsidy on sugar in the year 2017, adding that, this was the year which was not included in the terms of references of sugar probe commission. The provincial minister said that if the Omni Group had been given a subsidy on sugar, it had been given only 15 per cent, while the rest was given to other sugar mills, including that of Jahangir Tareen.

He said that whenever the Sindh government had given the subsidy on sugar, its sole purpose was to benefit the farmers. Shah said that if Omni Group’s seven or eight sugar mills had been given the subsidy on sugar at around 15 per cent, then only one or two of mills of Jahangir Tareen got 13 percent subsidy. The provincial minister said that apart from this, the sugar mills of Khusro Bakhtiar and those of our biggest opponent of that time, Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza, were also given subsidy. “We have given the subsidy on sugar across the board and not to a single group or person,” he said.

Shah said that the Omni Group, which was being constantly mentioned again and again was only given15 percent of the subsidy. He clarified that there was a big difference between the sugar subsidy given by the Sindh government and the current government. He said that when the Sindh government subsidized sugar, there was an abundance of sugar and it was given to benefit the farmers.

Referring to easing the lockdown, Shah said that whatever the federal government decided in this regard after May 31, the Sindh government would go with them. Dharejo said that the Supreme Court had already ruled in this regard and a uniform policy should be formulated on the issue of coronavirus. He said that the situation in the country was not very good with regard to the spread of coronavirus, but whatever decision would be taken by the federal government the Sindh government would follow it.

For more information, contact:
Sindh Information and Archives Department
Government of Sindh
95-Sindh Secretariat 4-B, Karachi, Pakistan
Tel: +92-21-99204423, +92-21-99204401
Email: pressinformationzubair@gmail.com
Website: http://sindhinformation.gos.pk

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Funeral Parade of PAF officer martyred in tragic Karachi air crash, held at PAF Base Faisal

Karachi, May 30, 2020 (PPI-OT): The funeral prayer of Squadron Leader Zain Ul Arif Khan was held at PAF Base Faisal on Saturday. He was among the passengers who embraced martyrdom in the tragic air crash at Karachi last week. He was posted at Air Headquarters, Islamabad and was travelling to Karachi to celebrate Eid with his parents.

His dead body was identified with the help of DNA and was handed over to the PAF authorities for burial. Air Vice Marshal Ahmad Hassan, Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (Engineering) and Air Vice Marshal Abbas Ghumman, Air Officer Commanding, Southern Air Command along with large number of PAF personnel, civil and military officials and relatives of the martyred officer attended the funeral. Later, the martyred soul was laid to rest at PAF graveyard, Korangi Creek with full military honours, says a statement issued by the PAF here on Saturday.

For more information, contact:
Director Media Affairs
Pakistan Air Force (PAF)
E-mail: pafdpr@paf.gov.pk
Tel: +92-51-9507751, +92-51-9261300
Fax: +92-51-9260868
Website: http://paf.gov.pk/

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Pakistani blue helmets continue to embody country’s unwavering commitment to world peace

London, May 30, 2020 (PPI-OT): Pakistan joins the international community in celebrating “International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers”. As a consistent leading troop contributing country, Pakistan is cognizant of the important role played by UN peacekeepers in maintaining security and stability in so many of the world’s conflict zones. We salute the services and sacrifices rendered by peacekeepers from around the world and reiterate our solemn commitment to continue working with the United Nations for the ideals of peace, stability and cooperation espoused by the ‘blue helmets’.

Pakistan is proud of its long-standing contributions to UN peacekeeping spanning over six decades. Our peacekeepers have earned well deserved respect and goodwill for their professionalism and devotion to duty in every mission they have participated in.

Since 1960, over 200,000 of our servicemen have served with honour and distinction in 46 UN missions in 26 countries in almost all continents of the world. One hundred and fifty-seven of our gallant peacekeepers have made the ultimate sacrifice for the cause of international peace and security.

Pakistan has also led the way in deputing female peacekeepers in a record time. In 2019, Pakistan met the 15 percent benchmark set by the UN Secretariat in the staff/ officers category. Our lady police officer Shahzadi Gulfam was the first ever recipient of International Female Police Peacekeeper Award in 2011.

Our contribution to peacekeeping on ground has been complemented by our sustained engagement in policy development in peacekeeping. We bring a unique perspective to peacekeeping as a leading troop contributing country as well as a host country to one of the oldest peacekeeping missions, UNMOGIP.

On this day, we reaffirm our commitment to ensure that peacekeeping remains a potent mechanism of maintaining peace, security and stability in the world.

For more information, contact:
Head of Chancery,
High Commission for Pakistan in United Kingdom
34 – 36 Lowndes Square, London, SW1X 9JN, United Kingdom
Tel: 020-7664-9271
Supervisor, Mr. Shahab-ud-Din,
Fax: 020-7664-9255

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CEO PIA Air Marshal Arshad Malik met with family members of deceased PIA crew who lost their lives in the air crash

Karachi, May 30, 2020 (PPI-OT): CEO PIA Air Marshal Arshad Malik met with the family members of deceased PIA crew who lost their lives in the unfortunate air crash. He visited their houses in Lahore. He expressed his condolences with the families of the deceased. He said that the entire PIA including himself is with the families of the deceased at this time of grief and will do whatever possible for their assistance. The process of identification and handing over of bodies of deceased passengers continues and till Saturday evening 69 bodies were identified and 63 handed over to the families.

On Saturday, funeral prayers of deceased passengers were offered in Karachi and also attended by PIA senior officials. The funeral of squadron Leader Zain Ul Arif was held at Korangi Creek with full honour by PAF. PIA chief technical Officer along with PIA scouts attended. The funerals of senior journalist Ansar Naqvi and other deceased passengers Eshmael Faruqui, Eyleen Faruqui, Kashif Afzaal and Neelam Barkat Ali were also attended by PIA senior Officials.

PIA transported 06 bodies through PK 304 from Karachi to Lahore. The coffins of 03 deceased PIA crew and others were sent off by PIA Chief Operating Officer and Chief security Officer PIA at Karachi airport. Upon arrival of 06 bodies of deceased which included First officer Usman Azam, Airhostess Amna Irfan and Steward Abdul Qayum Ashraf, PIA employees unable to control their emotions, offered Namaz e Janazah on the apron area of the airport. PIA officials are providing support and assistance to the aggrieved families.

For more information, contact:
General Manager
Public Affairs
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA)
PIA Head Office Airport
Karachi
Tel: +92-21-99043823
Fax: +92-21-34572225, +92-21-34570419
Cell: +92-322-7420707
Website: www.piac.com.pk

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Delegation of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders called on Governor Sindh at the Governor House

Karachi, May 30, 2020 (PPI-OT): A delegation of Pakistan Tehreek Insaf leaders called on Governor Sindh Imran Ismail at governor house in Karachi. During the meeting, the distribution of cash money under the four categories of Ehsaas Program, the attack of locust in the province and steps of the federal government to eradicate locust and other mutual interest matters were discussed.

On this occasion, Governor Imran Ismail said that all-out steps are being taken by the federal government to eradicate locust and the federal government will not leave alone the farmers of the province in this difficult situation.

For more information, contact:
Advisor to Governor (Higher Education and Media)
Sindh Governor House
Tel: +92-21-99201216-7, +92-21-99201201-3
Email: press@governorsindh.gov.pk
Website: www.governorsindh.gov.pk

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Kyrgyzstan shows interest to develop transportation links to Pakistan with access to Gwadar, Karachi Ports

Islamabad, May 30, 2020 (PPI-OT): Kyrgyzstan has offered its market to Pakistani merchandise, urging Pakistani businessmen to come forward and avail the opportunity. The offer was made by Kyrgyzstan’s Ambassador to Pakistan Erik Beishembiev in a meeting with business community in Lahore today. He said his country greatly values relations with Pakistan and seeks further diversification and strengthening of relations with it. The Ambassador said Kyrgyzstan is interested in development of short transportation links through its territory between Central Asia and Pakistan with access to Gwadar and Karachi ports.

For more information, contact:
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
Government of Pakistan
4th Floor, Cabinet Block, Pak. Secretariat, Islamabad, Pakistan
Tel: +92-51-9103557
Email: info@moib.gov.pk
Website: http://www.moib.gov.pk