ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s provincial government of Punjab said on Thursday it has vaccinated 23 million people in the last one month through a mass vaccination drive as Pakistan reports a surge in coronavirus cases driven by the omicron variant.
Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province, has reported 360 new infections in the last 24 hours, pushing the country’s overall positivity above 2 percent. Official data available with Arab News shows the province has so far reported 217 cases of the omicron variant, while 53 percent of eligible 81 million individuals in Punjab have been fully vaccinated.
The provincial health department started a “Reach Every Door” mass COVID-19 vaccination campaign across Punjab in October last year alongside its routine vaccination campaign. At least 14 million individuals were vaccinated during the drive.
The second phase of the mass campaign began in December and concluded this week, with authorities reporting that they administered doses to over 23 million individuals.
“These mass vaccination drives have helped us bring down the coronavirus infections, hospitalization and deaths of the patients in the province,” Hammad Raza Bukhari, a spokesperson for the Punjab Health Department, told Arab News on Thursday.
“Number of infections have been increasing for past some days, but so far there is no pressure on our health facilities,” Bukhari said.
He said the Punjab government was given a task by the National Command and Operations Center (NCOC), a federal body that leads Pakistan’s response against the pandemic, to vaccinate a total of 81 million people, saying that authorities have fully jabbed 53 percent of the target.
He added that the partial vaccination of 72 percent eligible persons had been completed.
“Our ‘Reach Every Door’ campaign has played a vital role in this success,” Imran Sikandar Baloch, Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Punjab, said in a statement on Thursday.
While the mass vaccination drive has so far only been adopted by the Punjab government, the National Institute of Health plans to carry out a countrywide vaccination campaign in March this year.
Official data shows Punjab had reported 446,401 coronavirus positive cases till Wednesday while the number of active cases in the province was 3,935.
In the last 24 hours, the city of Lahore reported 320 positive cases, Rawalpindi 14, Multan nine and Faisalabad four cases.
Lahore has recorded a positivity ratio of 4 percent, Rawalpindi and Multan 2 percent, while Faisalabad reported a one percent positivity ratio over the last 24 hours.
“We can stop the spread of the virus only through vaccination and precautionary measures,” Baloch added.
Pakistan reported over 1,000 coronavirus infections in a single day on Thursday, the first time since October 14 last year that the daily cases count broke the thousand cases barrier.
The NCOC has said the country was not considering a lockdown but would ramp up vaccinations and impose further restrictions on the unvaccinated.
Punjab vaccinates 23 million people in a month in mass inoculation drive
https://arab.news/2zvjv
Punjab vaccinates 23 million people in a month in mass inoculation drive
- Provincial authorities have recorded 217 omicron positive cases so far
- Authorities have fully vaccinated 53 percent of 81 million eligible individuals in the province
Pakistan Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff: China corridor is ‘stabilizing force’ for South Asia
- General Sahir Shamshad Mirza emphasizes Pakistan’s strategic bond with China at a major Beijing forum
- He hails CPEC as a game-changing initiative to ensure greater regional connectivity and economic growth
ISLAMABAD: Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza said on Friday the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was not just beneficial for his country’s economy but also a “stabilizing force” for South Asia.
CPEC is a massive infrastructure and economic development initiative that was launched in 2015 as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It aims to enhance connectivity between the two states through a network of roads, railways, energy projects, and special economic zones.
The primary goal of CPEC is to improve Pakistan’s infrastructure, boost trade, and create jobs while providing China with direct access to the Arabian Sea via Pakistan’s Gwadar Port.
It is widely viewed as a strategic partnership between the two countries that has the potential to reshape the region’s economic geography.
“Our relations with [the] People’s Republic of China are truly special and time-tested relationship that not only serves as a testament to our all-weather strategic cooperative partnership but also as a cornerstone for peace and stability, both for Pakistan and the region that are today fraught with challenges,” Mirza said while addressing the Security Cooperation and Asia-Pacific Prosperity and Stability Session of the 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum in China.
“Ladies and gentlemen, [the] China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a flagship project of China’s Belt and Road Initiative,” he continued. “It is an initiative of enhanced regional connectivity and economic development. Indeed, CPEC is not only a game changer for Pakistan’s economy, but also a stabilizing force in South Asia.”
The 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum is being held from September 12 to 14, with unprecedented participation from over 100 countries and organizations. Under the theme of “Promoting Peace for a Shared Future,” this year’s event features critical discussions on global security, regional stability, and innovative technologies in defense.
The Pakistan government is already negotiating “CPEC 2.0” to mark the second phase of the joint corridor project carried out by the two countries, shifting the focus from infrastructure and energy projects to industrial cooperation, agriculture, socio-economic development and technological advancements.
CPEC 2.0 also aims to develop new Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to attract foreign investment and boost industrial growth, as part of Pakistan’s economic revitalization strategy.
– With input from China News Service via Reuters
Pakistan launches probe into ex-PM Khan’s ‘threatening’ social media post targeting state institutions
- Khan criticized powerful people, saying they were putting the country’s stability at stake to maintain power
- Information minister say FIA is investigating who is operating Khan’s social media account and from where
ISLAMABAD: The government has directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to investigate a “threatening” social media post by former Prime Minister Imran Khan in which he criticized Pakistan’s military and judiciary, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced on Friday, adding a team of interrogators was currently questioning him in prison.
Since the collapse of his government in a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022, Khan has repeatedly alleged that his ouster was orchestrated by US officials in Washington with the complicity of Pakistan’s military, accusations that both the US and Pakistani authorities have denied.
Khan, who has been imprisoned for over a year on multiple charges, has continuously criticized Pakistan’s military and intelligence services, accusing them of involvement in a failed assassination attempt on him during a protest in November 2022.
In a recent social media post, he likened the current military leadership to General Yahya Khan, accusing them of risking the country’s stability to maintain power. He also named Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa among the powerful individuals who he said were upholding the “system of injustice and brutality” against his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
“The FIA is investigating the matter of the threatening post by PTI’s founding chairman,” the information minister said in a statement.
“The founding chairman of PTI shared an anti-state post on social media and posted material against Pakistan’s integrity,” he continued, adding he had targeted the institutions of military and judiciary.
The minister said that an FIA team had arrived at Adiala Jail to determine who was operating Khan’s social media account and from where.
Tarrar did not elaborate on why he considered the ex-premier’s lengthy post threatening, though it urged Pakistanis to “come out for a street movement to protect our freedom.”
Khan’s legal spokesperson, Naeem Haider Panjutha, also confirmed that a “four-member team” from the FIA’s Cyber Crime Wing had gone to the prison to interrogate the former prime minister while condemning the development.
Dhaka’s National Press Club marks 76th death anniversary of Pakistan’s founder
- Participants say Bangladesh would have been treated like Kashmir if it had not been part of Pakistan in 1947
- They emphasize the need for closer relations with Pakistan and China, asking their country to honor MA Jinnah
ISLAMABAD: In a significant development, the National Press Club in Dhaka arranged an event in remembrance of Pakistan’s founding father, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, to mark his 76th death anniversary with Urdu songs, poetry, and recitals this week, according to a report published by a Bangladeshi newspaper on Thursday.
The tribute to Jinnah comes at a time of profound political change in Bangladesh, where just weeks ago, a student-led protest toppled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajid’s government, marking the end of her 15-year rule.
The unrest led to the toppling of statues of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the nation’s founding father and Wajid’s father, amidst widespread dissatisfaction with his daughter’s increasingly autocratic governance.
The event in remembrance of Pakistan’s founding leader is particularly striking, given Bangladesh’s historical resentment toward Pakistan over the events of the 1971 independence war, signaling a re-evaluation of the country’s political and historical narratives, driven by a turbulent domestic environment and evolving sentiments toward its neighbors.
“If Bangladesh had not been part of Pakistan in 1947, we would have been in the same position as Kashmir today, with the Indian junta holding weapons to our necks,” one of the speakers identified as Muhammad Samsuddin was quoted as saying by the newspaper. “Bangladesh gained independence because of Pakistan, which Jinnah helped create.”
“Why should we change the name of Allama Iqbal Hall or Jinnah Avenue,” he asked. “These changes were made because [New] Delhi wanted them, but we did not. Bangladesh must foster strong relations with China and Pakistan.”
Another speaker, Nazrul Islam, said Bangladesh should continue to have good relations with Pakistan.
“If Jinnah had not been there, Pakistan would not have existed, and without Pakistan, Bangladesh would not exist,” he continued. “Jinnah is the father of our nation, but we do not acknowledge it.”
“We must preserve our brotherhood, and I hope that both Jinnah’s birth and death anniversaries will continue to be observed here every year,” he added.
The Bangladeshi newspaper informed the Pakistani high commissioner was invited to the event, though he could not attend the ceremony and sent his deputy.
Two Pakistani students studying in Bangladesh were present at the gathering and performed Urdu songs dedicated to their country’s founding father.
Pakistan’s army chief vows support to police amid rising militant attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
- Militant factions have relentlessly targeted the cops in the province, leading to police protests in KP
- General Munir vows to maintain ‘the hard-earned peace’ during his visit to the Orakzai tribal district
ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir praised the police and other law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province during a visit to the Orakzai tribal district on Friday, vowing to provide all possible support to them in performing their duties.
The army chief’s visit comes at a time when militant factions operating in the area have relentlessly targeted the police, killing over 75 of them since the beginning of the year, leading to protests by law enforcement personnel in various parts of the province against these killings.
Security in the region has mostly been dominated by the army, which has been fighting proscribed militant factions like Al Qaeda and the Pakistani Taliban for about two decades, with the police seeking greater government support to empower them to deal with extremist violence in the area.
The military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), informed General Munir received a briefing on the security situation in the area along with the ongoing intelligence-based counterterrorism operations that have been undertaken to ensure stability in the restive tribal district.
“Pak Army will continue to provide all out support to KPK Police and other LEAs in enabling them to perform their duties in newly merged districts,” the army chief said, referring to the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan that were integrated into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa nearly six years ago.
He paid tribute to all the uniformed personnel of the police and security forces who had laid down their lives while performing their duties, saying “the hard-earned peace” achieved through their sacrifices would be maintained at all costs.
The army chief also appreciated the support of the local population in assisting the security forces with their efforts, noting that their positive role was essential in sustaining peace in the region.
Earlier, General Munir laid a floral wreath at the Martyrs’ Memorial and interacted with troops in Orakzai who had participated in recent counterterrorism operations in the area.
Pakistan stocks rally after policy rate cut, positive developments on IMF front
- The benchmark KSE-100 index rose by more than 800 on Friday morning
- It declined in the afternoon session to close at 79,333, up by 315 points
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Friday rallied by more than 300 points, according to the PSX website, following a policy rate cut by the central bank and positive developments with regard to the country’s International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout.
The benchmark KSE-100 index rose by more than 800 on Friday morning, but declined in the afternoon trading session to close at 79,333, up by 315 points.
A day earlier, the central bank cut its key policy rate by 200 basis points to 17.5 percent — the third straight reduction since June as the country looks to spur growth as inflation eases.
“The MPC assessed the real interest rate to still be adequately positive to bring inflation down to the medium-term target of 5–7 percent and help ensure macroeconomic stability,” the State Bank of Pakistan’s Monetary Policy Committee said in a statement, announcing the cut.
“This would be essential to achieve sustainable economic growth over the medium term.”
Separately, the IMF said its board would meet at the end of this month to discuss Pakistan’s new $7 billion bailout program that was agreed in July.
“All matters with the IMF have been settled amicably,” Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said in a statement on Thursday. “These matters will be finalized in the meeting of the IMF board this month.”
Pakistan’s sovereign dollar bonds also rallied on Thursday, with the 2031 maturity trading 1 cent higher to bid at 79.93 cents on the dollar, according to Tradeweb data.
