IPC minister asked to seek joint session on census

A Senate standing committee on Wednesday asked Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Minister Dr Fehmida Mirza to request the National Assembly speaker to convene a joint sitting of parliament on the reservations expressed by the Sindh chief minister on the census-2017 results. The Senate Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination met at the Parliament House with its chairman Senator Mian Raza Rabbani in the chair. The meeting was attended by its members, besides Dr Mirza and the IPC secretary. Regarding the letter written by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to Prime Minister Imran Khan asking for referring the CCI’s decision, taken by a majority vote, on the census of 2017, the committee was informed by the IPC secretary that the matter was to be dealt with in a joint sitting of parliament. The Council of Common Interests (CCI) in its meeting in April approved the census results but also decided to conduct a fresh population count later this year. However, the Sindh chief minister, in a letter to the prime minister, expressed the province’s reservations over the census figures. The Senate committee was informed that the matter pertained to the Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) and the IPC ministry had “no role in it”. Dr Mirza told the panel that “only one letter had been written to us on this issue which was just for information”. The committee chair, while addressing the IPC minister, said that she should write to the National Assembly speaker to convene the joint sitting of parliament on the matter. However, the minister replied that she could not write or force the speaker but could only play her role in this regard. Read more: Court orders issuance of census results Regarding decisions taken by the CCI Secretariat, concerning the provinces from 2008 to date, the IPC secretary said that the CCI secretariat’s work was transferred to the IPC Division from the Cabinet Division in March 2010. Since then, 36 meetings of the CCI had been held, he said, adding that the annual reports of the decisions of the CCI from 2010 to 2020 had been presented in parliament. The secretary also said that so far 29 meetings have been chaired by minister, in which important issues were resolved. The committee chairman asked whether the chief ministers attend those meetings. The IPC minister replied that they had been part of the meetings in the past, but “now no one attends the meetings” despite the ministry writes to them. The committee sought detailed briefing on the matter. While discussing the issue of water sharing among the provinces, Senator Rabbani summoned the representatives of Balochistan and Sindh, chairman and members of Indus River System Authority (IRSA), and the Secretary Water and Power to hear their point of view on the issue in the next meeting. During the meeting, Dr Mirza and the IPC secretary also briefed the committee on the performance and the issues facing the ministry. Mirza informed the committee that the process of re-structuring the ministry was under way. “Our ministry does not have a human resource department, until and unless there is no such department, the performance of the ministry will not get better,” she said. “If someone is fired, they go to court,” she added. The committee also decided to receive a comprehensive briefing on the issues of the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Pakistan Football Federation in the next meeting. When asked about the chess situation, the secretary said that the situation of chess was similar to that of football, which is an unresolved issue. Mirza underlined that we do have problems related to the sports federations. “By making effective relevant policies not only we can engage our youth but sports in the country can also be revived,” she said. The meeting was attended by senators Zarqa Suhrawardy Taimoor, Gurdeep Singh, Muhammad Ayub, Saeed Hashmi, Mirza Muhammad Afridi, Mushtaq Ahmed, Jam Mehtab Dahar, Rana Maqbool Ahmed, and Dr Sikandar Mandhro.

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SEF awards scholarships to 231 students

The Sindh Education Foundation (SEF) has decided to award scholarships to 231 hardworking and able AQ Khan School System Ibrahim Campus students whose parents could no longer afford their education. This was stated by SEF Managing Director Abdul Kabir Qazi. Students who passed the entrance test on a self-finance basis at Dr. AQ Khan School System Ibrahim Campus Islamabad and those who have been studying at the facility for the last two to three academic years have been included in the Sindh School Education Scholarship Programme. Scholarships have been awarded to 231 children and the full cost of their education, accommodation and homecoming will be bourne by the Sindh Education Foundation from April 2021. A statement outlined that parents of children studying at Dr AQ Khan School System Ibrahim Campus Islamabad have long asked for Sindh School Education Scholarships as they can no longer afford the education costs. Read more: Sindh HEC to award scholarships worth Rs40m All the students were studying in SEF and government schools and obtaining an education on a self-finance basis at Dr. AQ Khan School System Ibrahim Campus. Prior to admission, Dr AQ Khan School System Ibrahim Campus conducted an entrance test for the students. Ever since, parents had been paying for their children's education for the past two to three years. However, the financial situation of many families worsened and they could no longer afford to send their children for further education. In view of this situation, the SEF managing director and his team met the administration of the Dr. AQ Khan School System and reviewed the annual curriculum activities and reports of these students. During the review, it was found that the annual results of the students had improved over time and they were hardworking and intelligent. The students risked being expelled from the Dr. AQ Khan School System if they could no longer afford the costs. Therefore, SEF decided to give scholarships to these students and issued letters to 231 students. Published in The Express Tribune, July 1st, 2021.

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‘Extreme’ white dwarf sets cosmic records for small size, huge mass

WASHINGTON: In their death throes, roughly 97% of all stars become a smoldering stellar zombie called a white dwarf, one of the densest objects in the cosmos.

A newly discovered white dwarf is being hailed as the most “extreme” one of these on record, cramming a frightful amount of mass into a surprisingly small package.

Scientists said on Wednesday this highly magnetized and rapidly rotating white dwarf is 35% more massive than our sun yet boasts a petite diameter only a bit larger than Earth’s moon. That means it has the greatest mass and, counterintuitively, littlest size of any known white dwarf, owing to its tremendous density.

Only two other types of objects – black holes and neutron stars – are more compact than white dwarfs.

The way this white dwarf, named ZTF J1901+1458, was born also is unusual. It apparently is the product of a binary star system in which two stars orbit each other. These two stars separately evolved into white dwarfs at the end of their life cycles, then spiraled toward one another and merged into a single entity.

With even a smidgen more combined mass, this merger would have resulted in an immense stellar explosion called a supernova, said Caltech astrophysicist Ilaria Caiazzo, lead author of the study published in the journal Nature. It still might explode at some point in the future, Caiazzo added.

“This white dwarf is really extreme,” Caiazzo said. “We found an object that is really at the limit of how small and heavy a white dwarf could be.”

It is located relatively nearby in our Milky Way galaxy, about 130 light years from Earth. A light year is the distance light travels in a year – about 5.9 trillion miles (9.5 trillion km).

The white dwarf is actually shrinking very gradually, becoming ever more dense. If it does not explode, that could lead to a core collapse transforming it into a neutron star, another type of stellar remnant about the size of a city, typically formed after certain very massive stars go supernova. This would be a previously unrecognized path to neutron star formation.

The dwarf was spotted by astrophysicist and study co-author Kevin Burdge from Caltech’s Palomar Observatory.

“White dwarfs are the most common form of stellar remnant,” said Burdge, who worked on the study at Caltech and is headed to MIT. “So it’s stunning to see the most extreme outliers among them.”

Its diameter of roughly 2,670 miles (4,300 km) – approximately the distance from Boston to Los Angeles or London to Tehran – slightly exceeds the moon’s diameter of about 2,160 miles (3,475 km).

While our sun rotates around its axis once every 27 days, this white dwarf does so every seven minutes. Its magnetic field is about a billion times stronger than Earth’s.

Stars with up to eight times the mass of our sun are thought to be destined to end up as a white dwarf. Such stars eventually burn up all of the hydrogen they use as fuel through nuclear fusion. At this point, gravity causes them to collapse and blow off their outer layers in a ‘red giant’ stage, eventually leaving a dense core that is a white dwarf.

White dwarfs initially have high temperatures but gradually cool over time, lacking any new energy source. In roughly 5 billion years, our sun is expected to become a red giant and later a white dwarf.

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Two international airlines cancel US-Pakistan flights after CAA advisory

KARACHI: After Pakistan’s decision to limit international flights amid the coronavirus pandemic, two International Airlines have cancelled their scheduled flights for Pakistan from the US, ARY News reported on Thursday, citing sources. 

As per details, Turkish and Qatar International Airlines have cancelled their scheduled flights from the United States to Pakistan. The flights were scheduled to land in Pakistan in the first week of July.

Following the cancellation of the flights, Pakistanis in the US who were willing to return to the homeland, are facing difficulties, said sources.

It has been learnt that the airlines were expecting relaxation from Pakistan about the number of onboard passengers, but after the latest CAA travel advisory, both the airlines suddenly cancelled their scheduled flights.

Reacting to the situation, the spokespersons of the CAA, said that both the airlines did overbooking on the Pakistan-bound flights.

Read more: CAA TAKES STEPS TO REDUCE PASSENGERS’ INFLUX AT AIRPORTS

It is to be noted that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Wednesday had issued a travel advisory for international flights amid the coronavirus pandemic, stating that only 20 flights would be operated in Pakistan till July 15.

The aviation authority stated in its latest order that 80 per cent of inbound international flights would be banned except the operations up to 20 per cent in accordance with the Summer 2021 schedule.

It added that the international inbound flights were enhanced to 40 per cent only for direct flights from the United Kingdom (UK), Canada, Europe, Malaysia and China with effect from July 1.

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COVID-19 claims 40 more lives in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has reported 40 more deaths over the last 24 hours by COVID-19 as the total number of the fatalities has reached 22,321, ARY News reported on Thursday.

According to the latest figures issued by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), the number of positive cases has surged to 958,408 after the inclusion of 1,037 fresh infections during the said period.

Statistics 1 Jul 21:
Total Tests in Last 24 Hours: 46,145
Positive Cases: 1037
Positivity % : 2.2%
Deaths : 40

— NCOC (@OfficialNcoc) July 1, 2021

The country conducted 46,145 tests in the past 24 hours out of which 1,037 Pakistanis were tested positive for the disease. The COVID positivity ratio was recorded at 2.2%

Overall 904,320 Pakistanis have recovered their health back from the COVID-19 pandemic, while 1,844 are still said to be critical.

As of July 1, as many as 12,938,721 people have been partially vaccinated against the deadly infection while 3,032,920 fully vaccinated, the NCOC said.

A total of 159,716,411 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered across Pakistan thus far.

On Wednesday, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) has approved another locally-developed intensive care unit (ICU) ventilator, ARY News reported, quoting sources.

The National Engineering and Scientific Commission (NESCOM) developed the ventilator named Pakvent-1, the sources in the health ministry said.

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Saudi Arabia unveils Hajj operational plan

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has launched its operational plan for this year’s Hajj season.

Acting Minister of Media Majid Al-Qasabi said the country’s leaders and people are honored to serve the Two Holy Mosques and all who come to them as pilgrims or visitors.

“The Kingdom’s government has enabled all the concerned sectors in the country to facilitate the service of pilgrims, and to harness all the security, safety and health capabilities to facilitate the services (that allow) pilgrims to perform the rituals of Hajj with ease,” he added.

Al-Qasabi said this year’s Hajj pilgrimage will be the second under the exceptional circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, and takes place as new variants of the coronavirus continue to emerge. He added that the decision to limit Hajj to 60,000 pilgrims, all of them from inside Saudi Arabia, aims to protect them and ensure their rituals can carried out as safely as possible.

Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, president of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, said the authority is working to put in place all possible health precautions, while also ensuring that the Hajj rituals can take place, the experience is enriched, and proper hospitality is provided in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.

Regarding the provision of water to pilgrims, Al-Sudais said that the presidency will hand out bottles of sterilized Zamzam water. The latest artificial intelligence technology will be employed to distribute the water using robots and high-tech smart vehicles, he added, in accordance with precautionary procedures.

The presidency will provide more than 800 manual and electric vehicles to help people move around within the Grand Mosque and its courtyards, he said, and make it easier for elderly and disabled pilgrims to perform their rituals

Al-Sudais also revealed that about 5,000 workers have been recruited to sterilize the Grand Mosque, its courtyards and other facilities 10 times a day, using more than 60,000 liters of disinfectant and the latest cleaning technologies. The presidency also plans to provide gifts, including umbrellas and sterilizers, that will make it easier, safer and more comfortable for pilgrims to perform their rituals.

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VIDEO: Four-year-old helps save home by alerting dad to kitchen fire

A close call was caught on camera as a 4-year-old Florida girl alerted her father to a kitchen fire. Amelia Jermyn was playing in the kitchen and the adjacent living room when she noticed a fire in the kitchen, reports local media. 

Once she notices the fire, she is seen approaching the area to take a look and can be heard mumbling the words, “That’s a fire. Oh no, my dad is gonna kill me,” while maintaining a safe distance. After a few decisive seconds, where she can be heard saying “think, think”, she sprints towards her father who is in another room. Her father then rushes into the kitchen, as the dogs of the house run around confused, and is initially shocked by the fire. He, however, immediately moves the errant air fryer that started the fire into the swimming pool and douses the rest of the flames with water from a cup.

Soon after the incident, Mr Jermyn shared the video.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Daniel Patrick Jermyn (@danieljermyn)

Mr Jermyn was brushing his teeth when the incident occurred. Speaking to News4JAX, he said, “She was like ‘Dad, you have to see this’ and I don’t know why, so I was, like, ‘Ok, fine.’ So I am brushing my teeth and walking out of the room.”

He added, “And, I couldn’t comprehend it. You know what I mean? As soon as you see it, there’s no way this is going on right now, and I look and the air fryer is on fire.”

He added that the air fryer was used to cook chicken nuggets and french fries 30 minutes before the incident. The food had been consumed and the appliance was simply “sitting on the stove” when it caught fire. Except for Mr Daniel suffering a few burns on the leg, none of the other family members, including the dogs, sustained any injuries.

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Accomplices turn out to be killer of ‘robber’ in Karachi

KARACHI: Police on Wednesday claimed to have resolve the mystery surrounding the murder of a man whose body had been recovered from an auto-rickshaw two and half months ago in Karachi, as his accomplices turned out to be his killer, ARY News reported.

According to police, a man had been found shot dead in an auto-rickshaw on 11th of April in Liaquatabad Town. After being informed, police rushed to the scene and shifted the body to the hospital for medico-legal formalities.

The police had registered a case and launched investigations into the murder. On Wednesday, the police arrested three suspects named Shah Zaib, Farooq and Habib. During the initial interrogation, the suspects confessed to killing their accomplice in Liaquatabad Town.

The police said that the suspects had killed the man after a dispute over distribution of the looted money.

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OGRA hikes LPG price up to Rs19 per kg

ISLAMABAD: The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has hiked the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) once again up to Rs19 per kilogram, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

LPG Association Chairman Irfan Khokhar said that the price of an 11.8 kg LPG cylinder for domestic consumers has been jacked up to Rs224 and commercial cylinder up to Rs863.

He said that the LPG prices were hiked for the fourth time in a month and it is the first time to witness the rise in prices in the summer season.

Earlier on June 22, the prices of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) had been raised in the country for the third time within a span of four days as distributors have announced a nationwide strike against the decision on June 30.

It had been announced to increase Rs6.09 per kilogram in the prices of LPG cylinders. After the previous increase, Rs71.93 was being charged more on the household cylinder while commercial cylinder prices went up by Rs276.75.

The LPG prices had been raised to Rs170 in Gilgit Baltistan, taking the commercial cylinders price up to Rs7720 and a household cylinder at Rs2000 in the region.

The chairman of the LPG distributors had announced to go on strike on June 30 against the decision and said that they would cut the supply of LPG across the country.

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Putin, in COVID-19 vaccine push, says he got Sputnik V shot

President Vladimir Putin told Russians on Wednesday to get vaccinated against COVID-19 amid a wave of cases, and said for the first time that he had received Russia’s Sputnik V shot.

The Kremlin had previously said that Putin, 68, received a two-dose vaccine in March and April, but it gave no further details and did not release images of him getting it.

That lack of publicity has came under the spotlight as officials concerned about slow uptake to coax or compel people to get the COVID-19 shots, which are readily available.

Putin used his annual televised phone-in on Wednesday to cast Russia’s four vaccines as highly effective and safe, while taking a swipe at shots that are widely used in the West.

“As you can see, everything is in order, and thank God we don’t have such tragic situations after vaccinations like AstraZeneca or Pfizer,” he said, adding that 23 million of Russia’s more than 144 million population had been vaccinated.

Asked which shot he’d had, Putin said he had been asked not to reveal its name so as not to give the product a competitive advantage, but went on to say it was Sputnik V. Moscow has not approved any foreign vaccines.

“I thought that I needed to be protected for as long as possible. So I chose to be vaccinated with Sputnik V. The military is getting vaccinated with Sputnik V, and after all I’m the commander-in-chief,” he said.

“After the first shot, I didn’t feel anything at all. About four hours later, there was some tenderness where I had the shot. I did the second at midday. At midnight, I measured my temperature. It was 37.2 (Celsius). I went to sleep, woke up and my temperature was 36.6. That was it.

“I don’t support mandatory vaccination, and I continue to hold this point of view,” Putin said.

SHOTS FOR MIGRANTS

Russia launched its inoculation programme in January with the aim of vaccinating 60% of the population by the autumn, but the Kremlin said this week low uptake meant it would fall short of that target.

This week, Moscow began offering the one-dose Sputnik Light shot to some of the millions of migrants, many from Central Asia, that work in the city. The 1,300 rouble ($18) cost of the vaccine will be charged to their employers.

“COVID is everywhere at the moment and I don’t want to get infected, so I wanted to get vaccinated,” said Usanboi, a chef from Uzbekistan, as he queued for a shot.

Russia reported 669 coronavirus-related deaths nationwide on Wednesday, the highest official daily total since the pandemic began. It also confirmed 21,042 new cases in the previous 24 hours, including 5,823 in Moscow.

Officials have blamed the surge in cases on the Delta variant.

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Two alleged target killers arrested by Karachi police

KARACHI: The District East police officials have arrested two target killers who were allegedly involved in resorting to firing on a witness in an extortion case in Karachi, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

Police said that the target killers are close relatives as the younger one is the nephew of the other accused. The target killers were arrested through CCTV footage of the firing incident.

They said that the witness had sustained injuries in the firing. During the interrogation, the accused confessed that they targeted the witness for recording a statement against their father and brother.

After injuring the witness, the accused fled to Faisalabad who were later arrested immediately by the police officials after returning to Karachi.

Police also recovered weapons and a motorcycle used in the shooting incident.

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Former U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has died -family

WASHINGTON: Donald Rumsfeld, a forceful U.S. defense secretary who was the main architect of the Iraq war until President George W. Bush replaced him as the United States found itself bogged down after 3-1/2 years of fighting, has died at age 88, his family said in a statement on Wednesday.

In a statement, his family said, “It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of Donald Rumsfeld, an American statesman and devoted husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather.”

He breathed his last his home in the town of Taos, New Mexico.

 

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Watch: Pakistan inducts state-of-the-art VT-4 battle tanks

While dilating upon the evolving strategic and regional environment, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has said that Pakistan stands for peace within and all around, as it looks forward to acting as a bridge among regions, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The army chief expressed these remarks during a visit to the National Defence University (NDU) in Islamabad on Wednesday. General Qamar also addressed participants of the National Security and War Course (NSWC) – 21. Expounding on Pakistan’s support to the Afghan peace process, the COAS said that spoilers of peace in Afghanistan risk regional stability. Pakistan stands for peace within and all around as it looks forward to acting as a bridge between regions: COAS@OfficialDGISPR https://t.co/dHA7OMhb1K pic.twitter.com/hVTcRFkQ1U — Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) June 30, 2021 Expressing resolute support to the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), according to the ISPR, the army chief stressed a peaceful and durable solution of the Kashmir issue in line with relevant UN resolutions and aspirations of the Kashmiri people. Sharing his vision of the Pakistan Army, the COAS underscored the need for continuous evaluation of existing doctrine and corresponding strategy to effectively deal with the evolving threats in various domains, the military's media wing added. Gen Qamar termed professionalism, competence and devotion to duty as hallmarks of the Pakistan Army and emphasised realistic and futuristic training for maintaining perpetual operational readiness. "Force modernisation and induction of advanced technologies are imperative for maintaining a qualitative edge over adversary," the COAS was quoted by the ISPR as saying. Read more: COAS seeks ‘cooperation’ with US in all domains "A well-equipped, well-trained and motivated army having unwavering support of its people can surmount any challenge," Gen Qamar emphasised, adding that elements that wish to undermine the unbreakable bond between armed forces and the nation are bound to fail. Congratulating the participants on the successful completion of their course, the army chief advised them to stay focused on attaining professional excellence while remaining abreast with revolutionary advancements in warfare that are redefining national security. Earlier on arrival, he was received by NDU President Lieutenant General Muhammad Saeed. Pakistan Army inducts state-of-the-art VT-4 tanks Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Shaheen Mazher Mehmood Commander Mangla Corps visited Armoured Division, the ISPR said. The military's media wing said that Major General Rashid Mahmood briefed about the ongoing post-shipment inspections of the first batch of newly-inducted state-of-the-art VT-4 tanks. Also read: Time to end this human tragedy and resolve Kashmir issue: COAS According to ISPR, Corps Commander witnessed the mobility and manoeuvrability test of tanks and appreciated the efforts undertaken by the formation for smooth conduct of the induction process. Commander Mangla Corps Lieutenant General Shaheen Mazher Mehmood visits Armoured Division @OfficialDGISPR https://t.co/bSzNcAgHTD pic.twitter.com/ftocPrOiWf — Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) June 30, 2021  

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World Bank approves $800mn loan for Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The World Bank has approved $800 million in financing for two programs in Pakistan — the Pakistan Program for Affordable and Clean Energy and the Second Securing Human Investments to Foster Transformation.

Secretary, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Noor Ahmed and Melinda Good, Acting Country Director, World Bank signed the two important program loan agreements worth $800 million on behalf of their respective sides.

The World Bank will provide US$ 800 million for key policy reforms in priority areas as under:

Second Securing Human Investments to Foster Transformation–Development Policy Financing (SHIFT-II) Program worth US$400 million.

The development objectives of this World Bank-funded program is to (i) strengthen Civil Registration and Vital Statistics, health and education systems essential for Human Capital (HC) accumulation; (ii) recognize the contribution of women to economic productivity (iii) improve national safety nets to respond to shocks in a more efficient manner.

Program for Affordable and Clean Energy – Development Policy Financing (PACE-DPF) Program worth US$ 400 million.

The development objective of this program is to reduce circular debt flow by reducing power generation costs, de-carbonizing the energy mix, improving efficiency in distribution and retargeting electricity subsidies.

Upon signing of the agreements, World Bank will disburse US$ 400 million immediately while disbursement of another US$ 400 million will follow in the coming days.

This financial support of US$800 million under the said two programs will also help in improving the balance of payment, strengthening foreign exchange reserves, according to a press statement.

The economic affairs secretary thanked and appreciated the World Bank for extending timely support to the government at this difficult time when the country is facing increasing health-related and socioeconomic challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ms. Melinda Acting Country Director, World Bank appreciated the reforms undertaken by the Government of Pakistan in the areas of Energy Sector and Human Capital Development in difficult times.

She reiterated the commitment of the World Bank to continue to work together with the Government of Pakistan in the critical areas of the economy.

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Man, 90, awarded death sentence for shooting noisy children in street

LAHORE: A sessions court in Lahore has awarded the death sentence to a 90-year-old man who was found guilty of opening fire on children in the street who were being noisy, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

The additional and sessions’ judge Muhammad Saeed announced the verdict of a murder case of children who were killed for being noisy in street by the elderly man. The man, 90, Gama alias Gaman Masih has been awarded a death sentence and a Rs700,000 fine by the local court.

Due to his firing, a minor boy Nauraiz Masih had lost his life while his sister and mother sustained wounds.

‏The court pronounced 10-year imprisonment and Rs50,000 fine to the convict. A case had been registered against the convict at Nishtar Colony police station which stated the children turned noisy in a street while returning to their home from tuition.

The accused had first fought with them and later opened fire using a pump-action gun. After listening to the statements of the witnesses, the court pronounced death sentence to the man.

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Three women killed in Lahore hostel blaze

LAHORE: At least three women were killed and two others fell unconscious as a result of fire broke out at girls hostel in Lahore here on Wednesday, ARY News reported.

According to rescue sources, three women identified as Neelum (22), Muneza (25) and Rubeeka (42) died when their hostel located at Raiwand road caught fire.

Two other girls living in the same hostel also fell unconscious due to the blaze. The rescue and police team rushed to the site and shifted the bodies and injured to a nearby hospital.

Read More: Woman kills husband after setting him on fire in Punjab

Police have launched an investigation into the matter.

On June 10. a man was set ablaze by in-laws at Lahore’s Mayo Hospital.

The deceased man was identified as Stephen who visited the residence of in-laws in Lahore to reconcile with his wife, Urooj after she went back to her parents following a domestic dispute two weeks ago.

However, the verbal fight turned violent between Stephen and his in-laws as they poured petrol on him and set him on fire.

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Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reports 117 more COVID-19 cases

PESHAWAR: At least four more people died from the novel coronavirus during the past 24 hours in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, taking the provincial death toll to 4,320, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

According to the KP health department, 117 more people were diagnosed with the COVID-19 during the same period, raising the tally of such patients in the province to 138,068.

However, 132,249 patients have recovered from the disease so far in the province, including 162 during the past 24 hours.

Read More: COVID DEVOURS 7 NEW LIVES IN KP, INFECTS 102 MORE PEOPLE

Earlier on June 20, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province had reported seven new Covid-led casualties in the 24-hour period as well as 102 fresh infection cases.

With new casualties reported that day, the provincial death toll had reached 4,269 that day according to the health department of KP.

Other than the fresh 102 cases reported that day, the KP health department had also said some 190 people reportedly recovery from the virus as well.

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CAA porter returns lost bag carrying cash to its owner

KARACHI: In yet another instance of exemplary honesty, a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) official on Wednesday returned a lost bag and currency to a passenger at Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, ARY News reported.

According to the aviation authority’s spokesman, the passenger forgot her bag at the washroom of Karachi airport.

A civil aviation official found the bag and deposited it in CAA’s Lost and Found Departures department.

Reportedly, the passenger identified as Neha Ahmed travelled from Karachi to Lahore on a private airline’s domestic flight on June 12 when she forgot her bag at Jinnah airport’s washroom.

The purse, according to the reports, carried total cash of over Rs160,000 including foreign and local currency, which the porter returned after locating her.

READ: CAA porter returns valuables to owner

The porters after finding the passenger’s wallet reported it to CAA authorities who located the passenger and returned it to her.

Earlier in the ongoing month, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) staff had returned a lost bag that carried more than Rs125,000 to the passenger.

As per details, a passenger had flown in today from London to Lahore via international airlines but unfortunately lost the bag. The CAA staff deputed on duty at the airport lounge found the bag and handed it over to their in-charge.

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Pakistan has 12.4m more male voters

ISLAMABAD. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued the report of a pilot project for eliminating gender gap among the voters. According to the report, there is a huge gap of over 12 million people between the number of male and female registered voters in the country. The pilot project was conducted in 20 districts of the country covering 21, tehsils and 230 census blocks. Prior to the survey, the ECP conducted a comprehensive training of all the relevant regional election commissioners, district election commissioners, registration officers, and data entry operators. It had developed a set of data collection instruments and recording and reporting formats to ensure standardized data collection and analysis. During the pilot project the ECP covered 32, 970 households and contacted 133,267 people of age 18 and above in a door to door survey. The research showed that 81% of people above 18 years of age – 108,218 people – had valid Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs). The 19% people who did not have CNICs included 77% women and 23% men. In Punjab, the people who did not have CNICs include 77% women and 23% men. Read more: Govt to respond ‘appropriately’ to ECP In Sindh the people who did not have CNICs included 74% women and 26% men; in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) the people who did not hold CNICs comprised 84% women and 16% men while in Balochistan respectively 71% and 29% of the total people sans CNICs were women and men. According to the survey, the people did not get CNICs due to inaccessible National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) offices, economic constraints, lack of awareness about importance of CNICs and voters lists and socio-cultural constraints. The ECP said due to its campaign, the number of voters phenomenally increased. Between July 2018 to December 2020, the ECP registered 9,7 93, 344 voters 50.41% of which were women and 49. 48% of which were men.

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How WhatsApp’s new disappearing photos feature View Once works

After its disappearing messages feature, the online messaging app WhatsApp is now rolling out the disappearing photos feature for beta users, which is known as ‘View Once.’

Just like how the expiring media feature works on Instagram, a photo will disappear as soon as the receiver leaves the chat after opening it. The feature is currently available for Android WhatsApp users.

WaBetaInfo revealed the impending feature via screenshots it shared earlier showing users will simply be able to just choose files from the gallery and send disappearing photos.

Tap on the clock-like icon once you have selected the videos, photos and GIFs that you want to send under View Once feature that the app shall display near the “Add a caption” bar, once rolled out.

READ: “DoubleVPN” service used by hackers seized and shut down

You can send disappearing photos that way to anyone in your contact list.

You will find this feature in WhatsApp’s 2.21.14.3 Android version. If you have yet to see the view once button display while sharing the media with anyone, it simply suggests you haven’t received the feature.

The cited source says that if you disable read receipts, the recipient will still be able to see if you have opened the photo or video set to view once, but you won’t be able to check when the recipient opened your image.

You are allowed to share photos and videos using the ‘View Once’ button in groups as well.

The website further shared that if you share a disappearing image in a group, you will be able to see, despite having disabled read receipts, when other participants are opening the expiring photos.

It should, however, be noted the recipient might be able to screenshot or screen record the expiring files and WhatsApp won’t even notify you because there is no screenshot detection.

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Interior ministry orders repatriation of 15 officers from FIA

ISLAMABAD: Interior Ministry has issued directives to repatriate 15 Grade-19 officers from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) following the orders of the Supreme Court (SC) over their deputation for years in violation of the law, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

The interior ministry issued a notification regarding the repatriation of 15 Grade-19 officers from FIA who had been illegally deputed in the intelligence agency since 1998. The top court had declared the absorption of the government officers in FIA illegal.

The repatriated officers including Additional Directors Mir Mazhar Jabbar, Nasarullah Khan Gondal, Assistant Directors Lubna Tiwana, Javed Iqbal Rehmani, Malik Ahsan Javed, Tauqir Ahmad, Inspectors Tauqir Ahmad, Zareen Amina, Asad Akhtar Awan, Muhammad Ahmed Sheheryar Khan, Muhammad Ahmed Tariq, Haroon Zaman, Aamir Abbas, Sub-Inspector Sohail Ahmed, UDC Shoukat Hussain and Deputy Assistant Director Mirza Azmat Javed.

Mir Mazhar Jabbar will report back to Communication and Works Department (C&W), Nasarullah Khan to Punjab Police, Lubna Tiwana to Sindh police, Javed Iqbal Rehmani to Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Customs, Zareen Amina to Motorway Police, Mirza Azmat Javed to WAPDA and Aamir Abbas to Balochistan Police.

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TikTok removed 6.5mn videos in Pakistan over immoral content: report

More than six million videos having immoral content were removed from TikTok in Pakistan in three months, the app said in its report on Wednesday.

TikTok, the global platform for creating and sharing short videos, released its quarterly transparency report which indicated Pakistan as the second-largest market to have videos removed that violated TikTok’s community guidelines and terms of service.

According to a report, during the three-month period from January till March 2021, 61,951,327 videos were removed globally, which was less than one percent of all videos uploaded on TikTok.

Of those videos, TikTok identified and removed 91.3 percent before a user reported them, 81.8 percent before they received any views, and 93.1 percent within 24 hours of being posted.

“In the Pakistani market, TikTok removed 6,495,992 videos making it the second market to get most videos removed after the USA where 8,540,088 videos were removed during this period,” TikTok Pakistan’s latest transparency report said.

TikTok also removed 30,624 videos in the first three months of 2021 for promoting COVID-19 misinformation.

“Last quarter, we reinstated 2,833,837 videos after they were appealed. We aim to be consistent and equitable in our moderation and will continue our work to reduce false positives and provide ongoing education and training to our moderation team,” said Jamin Tan – Head, APAC Regional Product Policy, Trust and Safety, TikTok.

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on June.28 ordered the authorities concerned to impose a ban on the popular short-video sharing app TikTok.

The Sindh High Court (SHC) bench called for a ban to be imposed on the app from today. The bench has directed Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to immediately block the TikTok application in the country.

Also Read: Court wants objectionable videos blocked on TikTok

The court issued the directives while hearing a petition against the upload of immoral content on the video-sharing app.

On March 12, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) had ordered a ban on the short video sharing entertainment app.

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Spoilers of peace in Afghanistan want instability in region: COAS Bajwa

RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Wednesday visited National Defence University (NDU) in Islamabad, ARY News reported. citing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).   

Addressing the participants of National Security and War Course (NSWC) – 21, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, while expounding on Pakistan’s support to Afghan peace process, said that spoilers of peace in Afghanistan risk regional instability.

According to the military’s media wing, the army chief dilated upon the evolving strategic and regional environment.

“Pakistan stands for peace within and all around, as it looks forward to acting as a bridge between regions,” he added.

Expressing resolute support to the people of Indian occupied Kashmir, the COAS stressed upon a peaceful and durable solution of Kashmir issue in line with relevant UN resolutions and aspirations of Kashmiri people.

Sharing his vision of Pakistan Army, the COAS underscored the need for continuous evaluation of existing doctrine and corresponding strategy to effectively deal with the evolving threats in various domains, said ISPR.

Read More: PAKISTAN CAN PARTNER WITH US FOR PEACE BUT NOT IN CONFLICT: PM IMRAN

The army chief termed professionalism, competence and devotion to duty as hall mark of Pakistan Army and emphasised on realistic and futuristic training for maintaining perpetual operational readiness.

“Force modernization and induction of advanced technologies are imperative for maintaining qualitative edge over adversary”

A well-equipped, well trained and motivated Army having unwavering support of its people can surmount any challenge, COAS Bajwa emphasised, adding that the forces that wish to undermine the unbreakable bond between Armed Forces and the nation are bound to fail.

Congratulating the participants on successful completion of their course, the COAS advised them to stay focused on attaining professional excellence while remaining abreast with revolutionary advancements in warfare which are redefining national security.

Earlier on arrival, the COAS was received by NDU president Lieutenant General Muhammad Saeed.

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Health ministry issues Eid guidelines

The Ministry of National Health on Tuesday issued guidelines for Eidul Azha, warning that new variants of coronavirus might initiate a fourth wave of the pandemic because of a lot of activities during the auspicious occasion. The guidelines are far less restrictive than seen during the previous Eidul Fitr, which was observed in the middle of May, amid the third wave of the infectious disease. Thanks to strict implementation of the Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) the cases continued to decline. On Tuesday, according to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), the single-day tally of new cases hit an eight-month low, while the national positivity ratio also declined to 1.78% during the past 24 hours. The ministry guidelines suggested strict implementation of the SOPs in the cattle market. It advised the people to prefer online shopping of the sacrificial animals. However, those who wish to go to the market must ensure social distancing. People without masks should not be allowed to enter the market, the guidelines said, adding that hand sanitizers should be placed at the entrances and exits of markets. For the sellers, the ministry makes the vaccine mandatory. Read: Asad Umar warns of fourth Covid-19 wave in July if SOPs not followed Similarly, the guidelines urge faithful to ensure social distancing during the Eid congregations. The ministry also urged people to avoid family events, hugging each other on the Eid day, because it could spread the disease. Meanwhile, the national tally of active Covid-19 cases slid to 32,153 as 735 more people tested positive for the virus while 784 people recovered from the disease during the last 24 hours, according to the daily update issued by the NCOC. It said that 23 patients, including 11 on ventilators, died during the past 24 hours, raising the nationwide death toll to 22,254. During the past 24 hours, the NCOC said, most of the deaths, 11, occurred in Punjab, followed by 9 in Sindh. Among the active cases, 2,201 patients were admitted to various Covid dedicated healthcare facilities of the country, including 1,946 patients under treatment in critical condition. Around 253 ventilators were occupied in the country, the NCOC said. As of Tuesday, the national caseload of the disease rose to 956,392. Among them 901,985 people had recovered from the disease so far, making it a significant recovery ratio of over 90%. A total of 14,502,023 corona tests have been conducted so far, the NCOC said.

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Sindh, Punjab water share cut by 5%

The water levels in the reservoirs have started falling again, compelling the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) to reduce the share of Sindh and Punjab by 5%. Sindh's share has been reduced from 149,000 cusecs to 130,000 cusecs. Punjab’s water supply has been cut from 125,000 cusecs to 106,000 cusecs. The shortfall is likely to increase in the coming days if the inflow of water does not increase. A spokesperson for the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) said the inflow of water in Tarbela Dam was 110,400 cusecs and the outflow 131,700 cusecs. Read: Irsa reverses decision, raises Sindh, Punjab’s share Similarly, the inflow at Mangla Dam was 39,400 cusecs and it had an outflow of 49,000 cusecs. The water inflow in Chashma Barrage was 179,500 cusecs and the outflow was 175,000 cusecs. The inflow in Chenab River at Head Marala was 31,300 cusecs and the outflow was 5,000 cusecs. The inflow in Kabul River in Nowshera was 42,000 cusecs while the outflow was recorded at 42,000 cusecs. The water storage in Tarbela was 700,500 acre feet on Monday while the water storage in Mangla on Tuesday stood at 1.9 million acre feet. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) had recently warned that drought-like conditions prevailing in parts of Sindh and Balochistan might exacerbate. The caveat has been issued in light of overall below than average rainfall recorded in the country from October last year to May 21. “The country received 36.1% less rainfall than usual,” it read, adding that Sindh recorded 64.5% less rainfall than usual, while Balochistan saw 59.5% below usual rainfall. Kashmir received 37.7% less rainfall, while Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab received 20.4% less rainfall. The rainy season in west to south-west districts of Balochistan is over now and no significant rainfall is expected until November, the statement read, declaring that due to consistent deficiency of rainfall moderate drought has further intensified into severe drought, especially in the south-western Balochistan and south-eastern Sindh. Read more: Sindh questions impartiality of IRSA teams “Drought conditions may further affect the agriculture and livestocks. So, It is advised that all stakeholders take pre-emptive measures for disaster prone districts,” the PMD cautioned. The moderate drought is likely to occur in different areas of Balochistan such as Chaghi, Gwadar, Harnai, Ketch, Kharan, Mastung, Noshki, Panjgur, Kalat, Quetta, and Washik. The water crisis in Pakistan is fast becoming a forecast for more prolonged spells of droughts in future in several parts of the country. Reduced water supply to Sindh from Indus River has worsened the water woes for the lower riparian province. The depletion of snowfall on the mountains has led to severe scarcity of underground water in Balochistan.

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WATCH: ‘Hero’ cop rescues children from burning train station

A cop is being hailed as a hero after a video showed him rescuing two children from a huge fire that broke out at a London train station.

A shocking video posted to social media platforms shows the chaos which ensued as people rushed to evacuate the station.

Insane scenes as explosion rips through Elephant & Castle Station in Central #London pic.twitter.com/WJSAw2NKon

— CAM (@CAM0zUK) June 28, 2021

Mothers were seen carrying babies out of the buildings which has caught fire. Seconds later, a brave cop was seen rushing out of the burning building with two young children.

The kids are seen clutching to the officer in terror and he runs down the steps away from the blaze.

The video has gone viral on social media, with netizens praising the cop for saving the lives of the children.

Read More: COP BECOMES ‘HERO’ AFTER SAVING INFANT THAT STOPPED BREATHING

“Heroic @metpoliceuk Police Officer Rescues Two Children From Elephant And Castle Explosion. Policing is more than dealing with crime, it’s much more than that. #Hero,” one user said.

Another wrote, “A police officer carrying two children to safety at Elephant & Castle fire this afternoon. Thank you for your service.”

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Cop martyred as bandits open fire on APC in Ghotki operation

GHOTKI: One policeman was martyred while another got injured during an operation against bandits in the Katcha area of Ghotki on Wednesday, reported ARY News.

According to details, the outlaws opened fire on an armoured personnel carrier (APC) during the operation, as a result of which one cop was martyred while another got injured.

Also Read: BANDIT GANGS RELEASE FIVE HOSTAGES IN SHIKARPUR KATCHA AREA, SAY POLICE

The police said they have called in reinforcements from different police stations to conduct the operation against the bandits.

The martyred cop was identified as Abdul Rehman. His funeral prayers will be offered at the district police headquarters.

Also Read: COP, WIFE ABDUCTED BY DACOITS AS ANTI-BANDIT OPERATION HALTED IN SHIKARPUR

Last month, two policemen were killed in an anti-bandit operation in the Garhi Tegho area of Shikarpur district. Seven other policemen, including two SHOs, were injured in the shootout between the outlaws and police.

During the police operation, the robbers put up fierce resistance and fought with heavy weapons. Armed men also damaged the armored personnel carrier.

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Heart inflammation after COVID-19 shots higher than expected: study

Members of the US military who were vaccinated against COVID-19 showed higher-than-expected rates of heart inflammation, although the condition was still extremely rare, according to a study released on Tuesday.

The study found that 23 previously healthy males with an average age of 25 complained of chest pain within four days of receiving a COVID-19 shot. The incident rate was higher than some previous estimates would have anticipated, it said.

All the patients, who at the time of the study’s publication had recovered or were recovering from myocarditis – an inflammation of the heart muscle – had received shots made by either Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) and BioNTech SE (22UAy.DE) or Moderna Inc (MRNA.O).

US health regulators last week added a warning to the literature that accompanies those mRNA vaccines to flag the rare risk of heart inflammation seen primarily in young males. But they said the benefit of the shots in preventing COVID-19 clearly continues to outweigh the risk. read more

The study, which was published in the JAMA Cardiology medical journal, said 19 of the patients were current military members who had received their second vaccine dose. The others had either received one dose or were retired from the military.

General population estimates would have predicted eight or fewer cases of myocarditis from the 436,000 male military members who received two COVID-19 shots, the study said.

An outside panel of experts advising the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said last week that reports of myocarditis were higher in males and in the week after the second vaccine dose than would be anticipated in the general population. A presentation at that meeting found the heart condition turned up at a rate of about 12.6 cases per million people vaccinated.

Eight of the military patients in the study were given diagnostic scans and showed signs of heart inflammation that could not be explained by other causes, the study said. The patients in the study ranged from ages 20 to 51.

The CDC began investigating the potential link between the mRNA vaccines and myocarditis in April after Israel flagged that it was studying such cases in people who received the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine there, and after a report that the US military had also found cases.

Health regulators in several countries are conducting their own investigations.

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Ancient quarantine chambers inside caves discovered in Oman

Around 81 ancient isolation chambers carved in caves have been found in Oman, that were used by people in that time to quarantine patients suffering from infectious diseases.

According to details shared by the local media, Oman’s Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, represented by the Directorate General of Antiquities, has documented the presence of around 81 isolation chambers around Oman.

The study was commissioned since last year to document an inventory list of old health quarries spread across various governorates in Oman.

These quarries were used to quarantine patients with infectious diseases such as plague, smallpox and other such that existed during those times.

These diseases that were highly infectious, which now stand eradicated globally, had to be contained to stop the spread. The isolation chambers ranged from stand-alone stone buildings and valleys to big caves chambers.

The presence of these quarries indicates the awareness people of the region had about the seriousness of infectious epidemics and the need to isolate patients to avoid its spread.

Read More: NATIONAL HISTORY MINISTRY DEVISES STRATEGY TO PRESERVE SHAH ALLAH DITTA CAVES

The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism will use the study results to conduct more extensive research on this subject.

Early this year, a group of adventure enthusiasts discovered a new cave in the Al Khatam Mountain in the wilayat of Amerat. The cave, which has many chambers and corridors, is believed to have been used for copper mining in the olden days.

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World Bank approves $800m loan

The World Bank has approved $800 million in loans to finance Pakistan’s budget deficit after the government accepted conditions like increasing electricity prices to reduce circular debt and giving targeted subsidies - measures the lender said would increase poverty in the country. The board of directors of the World Bank approved financing for two programmes - Pakistan Programme for Affordable and Clean Energy (PACE) and the second Securing Human Investments to Foster Transformation (SHIFT-II), totalling $800 million, stated the World Bank. The board approved the $400 million PACE loan only after the government accepted at least six prior conditions like ensuring reduction in power generation cost, competitive bidding for all new power generation projects, shift to clean energy, Rs1.95-per-unit increase in electricity tariffs, reduction in circular debt and appointing independent boards of power distribution companies, according to World Bank documents. The World Bank, in a statement, said that PACE loan focused on measures to improve financial viability of the power sector and support the country’s transition to low-carbon energy. PACE prioritises actions needed to initiate critical power sector reforms focused on reducing power generation costs, better targeting of subsidies and tariffs for consumers, and improving efficiencies in electricity distribution with the participation of the private sector, it added. The project information document listed six prior conditions for the board meeting. The first prior action was about reducing power generation costs in government generation companies, contributing to reduced consumer tariffs and signalling the government’s commitment to equitable treatment and burden sharing for tariff reduction across all categories of power generation. The second condition was about ensuring competitive bidding for all new power generation, which would lower future electricity costs for consumers through the National Electricity Policy. It was under a World Bank condition that the Council of Common Interests last week approved the National Electricity Policy. But Energy Minister Hammad Azhar took credit for the electricity policy on social media. Project documents showed that the third condition of the loan was that the government would ensure transition to 66% renewable energy by 2030 through the adoption of a least cost generation plan (IGCEP). The government accepted two conditions about rationalising electricity prices and minimising subsidies. The documents stated that the government would break the pattern of non-poor and vested interests benefitting from poorly targeted subsidies, additionally constraining fiscal space, and distorting the subsidy schemes of the government. The prior actions support the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Energy’s careful management of the financial situation of the power sector in the recovery period of Covid-19, while minimising the impact on circular debt through the notification of re-based consumer tariffs and cabinet approval of the updated circular debt management plan. According to another condition, the government will ensure full authority and autonomy for the boards and management of all distribution companies. “The rationalisation of electricity tariffs and subsidies may have a small negative impact on the private sector and poverty in the short term as consumers will need to bear some of the burden to reduce the circular debt, but this impact is limited,” according to the World Bank. “It added that broadening the base for tariff increases through retargeting of subsidies and rebasing the electricity tariff will mean that some user categories will face increased tariffs,” said the World Bank. In particular, the latest rebase of Rs1.95 per unit applied to all consumers is expected to increase poverty by 0.34-0.50 percentage point, stated the World Bank. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is seeking a further increase of Rs4.95 per unit in electricity prices, which would mean poverty situation would further deteriorate. However, the lender has cautioned that there were political, macroeconomic, technical design, and institutional capacity risks in implementation of these conditions. Implementation of PA5 (CDMP), especially actions related to consumer tariff increases, budgeting subsidies and transfer of circular debt stock to public debt, is at risk if power costs increase due to higher oil price and rupee depreciation, and if fiscal space is tightened by external shocks, said the lender. “Power sector reforms are critical to resolving Pakistan’s fiscal challenges,” said Rikard Liden, World Bank Task Team Leader for the PACE programme. The World Bank also approved $400 million for SHIFT-II which supports a federal structure to strengthen basic service delivery for human capital accumulation. The programme would help improve health and education services, increase income-generation opportunities for the poor, and promote inclusive economic growth, said the World Bank. The SHIFT-II reforms increase budget reliability for sustainable financing of child immunisation and quality primary healthcare programmes, promote student attendance - especially for children who are out of school due to Covid-related closures - and support data-driven decision-making. The programme supports reforms to encourage women’s participation in the economy by improving working conditions and empowering those in the informal sector. It supports the enhancement of national safety net programmes and better targeting to protect the most vulnerable, building resilience to shocks like the Covid-19 pandemic. “The reforms underpinning PACE and SHIFT can contribute to facilitating sustainable investments and generate welfare gains for those most in need,” said World Bank Country Director for Pakistan Najy Benhassine. Pakistan has already planned to take $17 billion in foreign loans in the next fiscal year. However, the borrowing plan hinges on the country’s ability to remain in the IMF programme, which is again in trouble. Published in The Express Tribune, June 30th, 2021. Like Business on Facebook, follow @TribuneBiz on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.

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Shehbaz skips NA’s crucial budget sitting

The other day, Leader of Opposition Shehbaz Sharif had thundered in his speech in the National Assembly that the opposition would work together and would not allow the PTI government to pass the “anti-people budget” for the next fiscal year. However, when the Finance Bill 2021-22 sailed through the assembly on Tuesday Shehbaz Sharif was absent from the sitting along with a majority of the PML-N lawmakers. During the proceeding, the government showed its strength and defeated the opposition when Minister for Finance Shaukat Tarin moved a motion for taking up the bill with a majority of 172 against 138 votes. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari while calling the budget approval “unconstitutional and illegal” said “all the PPP members are present” and that “I am responsible for my own party.” The PPP chairman said that he will raise the issue of absence of a number of opposition members with Shehbaz Sharif.” Bilawal said NA Speaker Asad Qaiser had robbed the members of their votes, adding that what had happened in the National Assembly on Tuesday had set a bad precedent. The PPP chairman said the speaker verbally approved the bill and when he challenged a voice vote, the speaker violated the rules and deprived him of his right. “It is sad to say that the speaker has violated the sanctity of the parliament,” Bilawal said.  “Today's budget approval is unconstitutional and illegal and will remain illegal if this mistake is not rectified.” Commenting on the absence of Shehbaz and others in a Twitter post, Bilawal’s sister’s Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari said her father – former president Asif Ali Zardari – attended both a court hearing and the NA session “despite underlying health conditions.” Read: NA clears budget with majority vote “So did 54 out of 56 PPP members (missing two had Covid). We remain in Pakistan. [However, only] 14 out of 84 members from the PML-N came to oppose the PTI-IMF budget,” she wrote. Responding to the criticism, PML-N Secretary Information Marriyum Aurangzeb also took to Twitter to clarify that the opposition leader could not attend the session due to the death of his cousin, Mian Tariq Shafi, as he was busy with funeral rites in Lahore. Marriyum said the fact is that the opposition could not stop the Finance Bill even if all the opposition lawmakers had attended the session. “The government passed the budget with 172 votes, the bare minimum needed to form a government. “With Akhtar Mengal’s absence and the JI’s abstention, the maximum votes possibly polled by the opposition would be 161. There would be no impact on passage of the Finance Bill.  Cheap point scoring won’t serve any purpose,” she added. Marriyum said the opposition's job is to point out the flaws and shortcomings of a budget. This was the first budget in history in which significant changes were made at the behest of the opposition and the government had to take several U-turns over the proposed budget. “More than 35 amendments were made in the 15 clauses proposed by the opposition in the Finance Bill,” she maintained, adding that there is a massive difference between the budget presented on June 12 and the budget approved on June 29. “The opposition played its constitutional role in the best interest of the people,” she said. “The political rhetoric cannot change this reality.” Time and again, the opposition has ratcheted up pressure on the government inside and outside the parliament but they have been able to bring the government to its knees only once when the prime minister had to take a vote of confidence from the assembly. When the budget session started, the treasury benches did not allow Shehbaz Sharif to open debate on the Finance Bill and drowned him out with jeers, boos and catcalls. The treasury benches had adopted this strategy in response to a similar behavior adopted by the opposition members during the parliamentary speeches of Prime Minister Imran Khan. In fact, the opposition has not allowed the prime minister to speak on the floor of the house since his first speech in the parliament in 2018. During the budget session, the treasury and opposition lawmakers later came to blows, a disgraceful situation after which both sides agreed to allow Shehbaz complete his budget speech on the fourth day. Following the truce, sources said, the premier is expected to speak in the parliament on June 30 (today). NA Speaker Asad Qaiser has also sought assurance from the leader of the opposition that there will be no disruption by the opposition parties during the premier’s speech. The NA secretariat and PML-N officials couldn’t be reached for comments.

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Prime minister to visit Uzbekistan in July

Prime Minister Imran Khan will visit Uzbekistan in July 2021 to enhance bilateral trade and economic ties. Besides offering business opportunities, Uzbekistan will also prove to be a gateway for Pakistan to other Central Asian countries. In return, Pakistan can offer its seaport to the landlocked country for trade. Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce, Textile, Industries, Production and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood will also accompany the premier during the trip. “It has been an eventful year for Pakistan and Uzbekistan’s trade relations,” Dawood said in remarks made to The Express Tribune. The current momentum of trade and economic relations would go a long way in cementing bilateral ties for the benefit of both countries, said Dawood. He stressed that Uzbekistan could become Pakistan’s gateway to Central Asia as it shared borders with Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan. According to him, the improvement in bilateral trade relations with Tashkent can enhance Pakistan’s exports to the Central Asian region, which has a trade potential of $90 billion. Earlier in May 2021, the first-ever consignment of export goods from Islamabad reached Tashkent under the TIR Convention. In September 2020, Uzbekistan Deputy Prime Minister for Investments and Foreign Trade Sardor Umurzakov visited Pakistan and met Dawood. During that visit, the Joint Working Group on Trade and Economic Affairs was established to explore possibilities of a preferential trade agreement (PTA) between the two nations. Both sides vowed to cooperate in fields of trade, communications, banking, maritime and investment. In addition, Pakistan agreed to facilitate the movement of Uzbek trade shipments through local seaports. As part of a fast-track approach, Dawood visited Tashkent earlier this year with an inter-governmental delegation. The two countries will hold a Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) meeting in Tashkent on July 14, 2021 followed by Pakistan-Uzbekistan Trade, Investment and Connectivity Conference on July 15-16. The conference will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Imran Khan and the president of Uzbekistan. Published in The Express Tribune, June 30th, 2021. Like Business on Facebook, follow @TribuneBiz on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.

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Musk says may need $30 bln to keep Starlink in orbit

BARCELONA: Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk said on Tuesday that his Starlink satellite internet venture was growing quickly as he forecast total investment costs in the business at between $20 billion and $30 billion.

Without disclosing details, he also said Starlink has “two quite significant partnerships with major country telcos” that could help the SpaceX division plug gaps in fifth-generation mobile and cellular networks.

The Tesla Inc CEO and founder of SpaceX, a rocket ship venture that seeks to colonise Mars, said investment costs before Starlink achieves fully positive cash flow would be $5-$10 billion.

“It’s a lot, basically,” Musk said in a video interview from California with the Mobile World Congress, the telecoms industry’s largest annual gathering, which is being held in Barcelona.

Starlink, an array of low-orbit satellites offering high-speed, low-latency connectivity, is already offering a trial service and aims to cover the world, except for the north and south poles, starting in August, Musk said.

It has more than 1,500 satellites aloft and is operating in about a dozen countries, adding more every month. Musk forecast total customer numbers would reach half a million over the next 12 months, from 69,000 now.

Some analysts question whether satellite internet can be a viable business model because it mainly targets remote areas, where there may not be enough people able to pay the high tariffs needed to recoup the investment costs.

Starlink would need a few million subscribers paying about $99 a month each to recoup a $5 billion investment in a year’s time, said analyst Tim Farrar, president of TMF Associates.

A $30 billion investment over a decade would not require a dramatic rise in subscribers, but to achieve Musk’s 2020 projection of roughly $30 billion revenue a year would require tens of millions of subscribers, he said.

“It is not implausible to get this number (a few million) to make the system not to go bankrupt. But this is not enough to justify the valuation of SpaceX,” he said.

“The more Elon talks up that he is going to invest tens of billions, the harder it becomes for other people. Obviously, that’s the big part of Musk’s objective: to limit competition.”

Starlink faces competition from Amazon.com Inc subsidiary Kuiper, OneWeb – a collapsed satellite operator rescued by the British government and India’s Bharti Group, as well as Telesat and a number of others.

Paolo Pescatore, an analyst at PP Foresight, said Starlink needed scale which would lower costs: “hence the need to partner with telcos.”

PARTNERSHIP

Musk said he was talking to possible partners as a number of countries require operators to provide rural coverage as conditions of their 5G licences.

He also said if telecom operators have cellular stations in remote regions, they can use Starlink to allow them to connect to core networks.

The rapid spread of wireless and terrestrial broadband, along with high prices, were significant factors in killing previous low-Earth-orbit satellite ventures.

Starlink is selling terminals for half price, Musk said, adding he expects to bring down terminal costs from over $1,000 to $300-500 in the next 12 months.

“If we succeed in not going bankrupt, then that’ll be great, and we can move on from there,” he said.

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