ISLAMABAD: Former world light-welterweight champion Amir Khan on Friday offered his boxing academy in Islamabad to the government of Pakistan to be utilized as a makeshift COVID-19 hospital amid virus outbreak.
“I have a big boxing academy in Islamabad sports complex which is at a central location of the city. That is a very large space and can easily be converted into a 1000-bed temporary hospital,” Khan told Arab News in an exclusive interview on the phone from Bolton.
The 33-year-old British-Pakistani sportsman said Pakistan could face a sharp spike in coronavirus cases being a densely populated country, which prompted him to offer his facility for virus patients.
“It would serve as an ideal space due to vast area, infrastructure and accessibility,” Khan said. “It also has furnished offices which can be used for the doctors.”
He also expressed resolve to launch a crowdfunding campaign in the United Kingdom for Prime Minister Imran Khan’s newly announced COVID-19 fund.
“I am also looking to send £20,000 to help poor people affected by lockdown in Pakistan and I will also spread the message in the community here in UK to donate in Prime Minister’s fund for COVID-19,” Khan said.
The Pakistani premier on Friday said his government would set up “Corona Tigers Relief Force” and announce the “Prime Minister’s Corona Fund” next week aiming to provide relief to daily-wage worker and their families.
Amir Khan has also offered his newly built £8m four-story building in Bolton to Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) in fight against coronavirus.
“I have a building of 60,000 square foot in Bolton, a four-story building which is completely ready to be a wedding hall and retail outlet. I had offered this building to the NHS which they can easily convert into a 4000-bed temporary Coronavirus hospital,” he said.
Khan said that fear and panic grew over the amount of beds available to virus patients as the pandemic continues to cause chaos.
“I am aware of how difficult it is for the public to get a hospital bed in this tragic time,” he said.
Pakistan has seen a sharp rise in coronavirus cases since the outbreak gripped the country, with more than 1250 people infected by the respiratory illness by March 27 and nine deaths recorded so far.
Boxer Amir Khan offers Islamabad academy for COVID-19 patients
https://arab.news/244ua
Boxer Amir Khan offers Islamabad academy for COVID-19 patients
- Pledges £20,000 to help people affected by lockdown in Pakistan
- Also offers his £8m 4-story building in Bolton to Britain’s National Health Service in fight against coronavirus
Pakistan regulator amends law to facilitate capital raising by listed companies
- The amendments address challenges faced by listed companies when raising further capital from existing shareholders through a rights issue
- Previously, listed companies were prohibited from announcing a rights issue if the company, officials or shareholders had any overdue amounts
KARACHI: The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has notified amendments to the Companies (Further Issue of Shares) Regulations 2020 to facilitate capital raising by listed companies while maintaining adequate disclosure requirements for investors, it announced on Monday,
The amendments address challenges faced by listed companies when raising further capital from existing shareholders through a rights issue. Previously, listed companies were prohibited from announcing a rights issue if the company, its sponsors, promoters, substantial shareholders, or directors had any overdue amounts or defaults appearing in their Credit Information Bureau (CIB) report.
This restriction constrained financially stressed yet viable companies from raising capital, even in circumstances where existing shareholders were willing to support revival, restructuring, or continuation of operations, according to the SECP.
“Under the amended framework, the requirement for a clean CIB report will not apply if the relevant persons provide a No Objection Certificate (NOC) regarding the proposed rights issue from the concerned financial institution(s),” the regulator said.
The notification of the amendments follows a consultative process in which the SECP sought feedback from market stakeholders, including listed companies, issue consultants, professional bodies, industry associations, law firms, and capital market institutions.
The amendments are expected to enhance market confidence, improve access to capital for listed companies, and strengthen transparency within the rights issue framework, according to the SECP.
“To ensure transparency and protect investors’ interests, companies in such cases must make comprehensive disclosures in the rights offer document,” the regulator said.
“These disclosures must include details of any defaults or overdue amounts, ongoing recovery proceedings, and the status of any debt restructuring.”
The revised regulations strike an “appropriate balance” between facilitating corporate rehabilitation and enabling investors to make informed investment decisions, the SECP added.
