KARACHI: Pakistan’s Economic Affairs Division is finalizing around $600 million emergency package with international financial institutions to deal with COVID-19 outbreak across the country, Hammad Azhar, Minister for Economic Affairs, announced on Thursday.
“It includes reallocations and fresh financing. This will be in addition to local funding that is being made available,” he said in a tweet.
The minister said that emergency funds of approximately Rs.7.5 billion from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) backed National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF) had been made available for the country’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
“This is in addition to the funds already made available by finance division for immediate use by authority. Reallocations from foreign funded projects also being diverted toward it,” he added.
World Bank and the ADB collectively pledged $588 million to help Pakistan fight the pandemic.
“Ministry of Planning cleared an amount of $238 million from World Bank funding and endorsed another $350 million funding offered by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in support for the COVID-19 emergency response and to address the socio-economic disruption associated with it”, a statement issued by the ministry on Wednesday said.
Funds will be utilized for the establishment of isolation centers across Pakistan and purchase of additional equipment needed to fight the pandemic.
“We are working with government of Pakistan on that (funding) and decision would be announced next week”, Mariam Altaf, spokesperson of World Bank told Arab News on Thursday.
Total number of confirmed virus cases in Pakistan jumped to 384 on Thursday with two reported deaths.
The country’s southern Sindh province is the worst hit due to large number of Pakistani pilgrims returning from Iran. Tehran has reported 18,407 cases of so far with 149 new deaths.
“Federal Director General Health on Thursday informed that over one million people have been screened so far,” according to a statement issued after a special inter-provincial meeting for assessing the impact of coronavirus pandemic on Pakistan’s economy was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Muhammad Jahanzeb Khan, in Islamabad.
Pakistan has taken measures including partial lockdown in major cities and towns to combat the spread of virus. The south Asian country is planning to convert hotels and Karachi Expo center into isolation centers to accommodate the coronavirus positive patients, officials said.
“The Sindh government has also announced to set up isolation center at Karachi Expo Center and provide virus testing equipment to remote purposely set up centers”, Abdul Rasheed Channa, spokesman for Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah, told Arab News.
“The World Bank has committed $10 million for Sindh to combat COVID-19 but it is not yet received as its approval is awaited from the executive board,” Channa said.
Planning ministry on Wednesday approved “Pakistan National Emergency Preparedness and response Plan for COVID-19” to address the pandemic.
The emergency project focuses on taking measures through additional resources for strengthening the integrated disease surveillance and response system across the country through establishing isolation rooms, ensuring availability of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) equipment and protective clothing for the health teams, timely diagnostics and procurement of equipment and ventilators for critical case management across the country.
“It also included establishment of a real time surveillance mechanism for early detection and embedding of prevention and control measures to halt/minimize local transmission”, planning ministry statement said.
Global institutions World Bank, ADB and IMF have announced $14 billion, $6.5 billion and $50 billion initial packages to support companies and countries in their efforts to prevent, detect and respond to the rapid spread of COVID-19.
Pakistan seeks $600 million aid to fight virus outbreak — minister
https://arab.news/8pjxt
Pakistan seeks $600 million aid to fight virus outbreak — minister
- Screens 1 million suspects of coronavirus
- Considers converting hotels, expo center into quarantine facilities
Customs seize narcotics, smuggled goods, vehicles worth $4.9 million in southwest Pakistan
- Customs seize 22.14 kg narcotics, consignments of smuggled betel nuts, Hino trucks, auto parts, says FBR
- Smuggled goods enter Pakistan’s Balochistan province from neighboring countries Iran and Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Customs seized narcotics, smuggled goods and vehicles worth a total of Rs1.38 billion [$4.92 million] in the southwestern Balochistan province on Tuesday, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) said in a statement.
Customs Enforcement Quetta seized and recovered 22.14 kilograms of narcotics and consignments of smuggled goods comprising betel nuts, Indian medicines, Chinese salt, auto parts, a ROCO vehicle and three Hino trucks in two separate operations, the FBR said. All items cost an estimated Rs1.38 billion, it added.
Smuggled items make their way into Pakistan through southwestern Balochistan province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan.
“These operations are part of the collectorate’s intensified enforcement drive aimed at curbing smuggling and dismantling illegal trade networks,” the FBR said.
“All the seized narcotics, goods and vehicles have been taken into custody, and legal proceedings under the Customs Act 1969 have been formally initiated.”
In the first operation, customs officials intercepted three containers during routine checking at FEU Zariat Cross (ZC) area. The containers were being transported from Quetta to Pakistan’s Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, the FBR said.
The vehicles intercepted included three Hino trucks. Their detailed examination led to the recovery of the smuggled goods which were concealed in the containers.
In the second operation, the staff of the Collectorate of Enforcement Customs, Quetta, intercepted a ROCO vehicle at Zariat Cross area with the local police’s assistance.
The driver was interrogated while the vehicle was searched, the FBR said.
“During interrogation, it was disclosed that drugs were concealed inside the spare wheel at the bottom side of the vehicle,” it said.
“Upon thorough checking, suspected narcotics believed to be heroin was recovered which was packed in 41 packets, each weighing 0.54 kilograms.”
The narcotics weighed a total of 22.14 kilograms, with an estimated value of Rs1.23 billion in the international market, the FBR concluded.
“The Federal Board of Revenue has commended the Customs Enforcement Quetta team for their effective action and reiterated its firm resolve to combat smuggling, illicit trade and illegal economic activities across the country,” it said.
