ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Tuesday it was hopeful it could sustain a steady decline in daily coronavirus infections and deaths during the Islamic month of Muharram by implementing official health guidelines with the help of the public.
Shia Muslims gather in large numbers to take out processions across Pakistan, and around the world, in the holy month of Muharram which falls during the death anniversary of Husain ibn Ali, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
“We are on a path of victory against the virus and hopeful to sustain the progress with the help of the public,” Sajid Hussain Shah, a spokesperson for the health ministry, told Arab News, adding that provincial governments were doing their best to ensure that people abided by health guidelines, including social distancing and wearing face masks in large gatherings.
“Wearing face masks and ensuring social distancing are important to defeat the virus, and we have been repeatedly urging the public to follow these measures,” Shah said.
The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) – the apex federal body to monitor progress against the virus – has also asked provincial governments to ensure that participants at large gatherings and processions follow standard operating procedures to stem the spread of the virus.
“The coronavirus infections may increase in case of negligence,” planning minister Asad Umar, who also heads the NCOC, warned provincial authorities on Monday during a briefing through video link.
A nation of 220 million, Pakistan has so far seen 293,711 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 6,255 related deaths. The number of active cases in the country has steadily declined since hitting its peak in June, with only 672 patients in critical condition, according to statistics compiled by the government.
The country has so far conducted about 2.5 million tests, though critics maintain that testing remains low and the country is underestimating the infection rate.
“The government is testing only those people who visit public health facilities with visible symptoms of COVID-19,” said Dr. Wajiha Javed, head of public health at a multinational pharmaceutical company, Getz Pharma.
She urged authorities to conduct mass testing of people to know the exact prevalence of the virus as many people were asymptomatic and spreading the disease without being aware of it.
In a largest seroprevalence survey of the country conducted last month in Karachi, Javed found that 17.5 percent of her sample population of 25,000 had contracted the coronavirus infection.
“There is no doubt that we have made significance progress against the virus, but we really need to sustain it,” she said. “We may see a second wave of the outbreak after Muharram if people do not follow proper health guidelines.”
Pakistan urges public to follow SOPs to sustain coronavirus gains during Muharram
https://arab.news/9q5ux
Pakistan urges public to follow SOPs to sustain coronavirus gains during Muharram
- Coronavirus national command center pushes provincial governments to ensure rules followed at large gatherings and processions
- Largest seroprevalence survey in Pakistan reveals 17.5 percent of sample population had the coronavirus
Pakistan offers seaport for global cargo transshipment amid Gulf conflict escalation
- Karachi Port Trust says its services can ensure ‘continuity and stability’ of maritime trade
- The region is currently witnessing significant disruptions to global trade and oil shipments
KARACHI: Pakistan has offered its Karachi seaport for uninterrupted global cargo transshipments as escalating Middle East tensions threaten maritime trade, the country’s largest port operator said on Friday.
Iran has been rocked by joint US and Israeli strikes since Feb. 28 that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Tehran retaliated with missile and drone attacks on US, Israeli and allied targets across the Gulf, plunging the region into conflict and uncertainty.
The escalation disrupted air travel, heightened military activity, and disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route carrying roughly 20 percent of global oil shipments.
The Karachi Port Trust (KPT) said in a statement it was ready to support international shipping lines by offering transshipment services to regional ports, helping ensure the “continuity and stability” of global maritime trade.
“Karachi Port Trust remains fully prepared to support the international maritime community and to provide reliable, efficient, and secure port services in the interest of sustaining regional trade connectivity,” KPT Chairman Shahid Ahmed said, according to a statement circulated by the port authority.
It added the facility could help stabilize maritime trade by offering transshipment services for cargo destined for ports across the region.
The statement said as a demonstration of its capability, international vessels MV TS TACOMA and MV TS SYDNEY arrived in Karachi and discharged large number of containers as transshipment cargo.
“The containers will subsequently be transshipped from Karachi to Jebel Ali in the Middle East,” it continued.
Pakistan Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Thursday highlighted the importance of the Gwadar port city’s transshipment role as major shipping routes face disruption from the ongoing conflict.
The developments come as the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway between Iran and Oman and one of the world’s most critical oil transit routes, has been blocked by Iran which has threatened to attack ships that attempt to transit through it.
US President Donald Trump has assured shipping companies of naval escorts and insurance support to protect vessels.
The escalating tensions have contributed to a sharp rise in energy prices and significant disruptions to tanker traffic through the strategic waterway.
Pakistan has long viewed its seaports as strategic assets that could boost trade with Central Asia and the Gulf region, while helping the country earn valuable foreign exchange.
