Pakistani rupee climbs to 152 against US dollar

KARACHI: The Pakistani rupee extended gains against the United States (US) dollar at the start of Wednesday’s trading in the inter-bank currency market.

According to forex dealers, the greenback began trading at Rs151.50 against the local unit but later rebounded to Rs152.25. After depreciating 84 paisas, the dollar is now trading at Rs152.25, a 21-month low.

Also Read: Pakistan fetches US$2.5 bn from Euro bond rollout

The US dollar had finished at 153.09 against the rupee the other day, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

The rupee has gained considerable ground on the back of improved foreign exchange reserves, current account surplus, foreign loan receipts, higher remittances besides less demand of dollar due to the ongoing pandemic.

Also Read: Pakistan receives third tranche of $500mn from IMF

The rupee has recovered more than Rs14 during the last seven months since it touched an all-time low of Rs168.43 last year in August.

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108 children contract coronavirus in Islamabad in a day

ISLAMABAD: The District Health Officer (DHO) Office has confirmed that 108 children aged up to 10 years have contracted novel coronavirus in Islamabad during the past 24 hours, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

Overall 5,726 children aged up to 10 years were tested positive for COVID-19, whereas, 5,343 teenagers aged from 11 years to 20 years were infected with the virus.

The statistics of COVID-19 cases with separate age groups in Islamabad further showed that the coronavirus-positive people aged 21-30 years were recorded up to 11,734 and 16,429 are those aged between 31 to 45 years.

Read: Alarming trend of COVID-19 cases among children emerges in Islamabad

11,074 patients of coronavirus are aged between 46 and 60 years, whereas, the coronavirus affected 5,913 people aged 61-80 years and 539 aged more than 81 years.

Earlier in the day, The latest statistics of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) showed coronavirus claimed 78 more lives in Pakistan during the past 24 hours, taking the overall death toll to 14,434.

The COVID-19 has claimed 78 more lives and 4,757 fresh infections were reported during the period.

During the period of a day, the total count of active cases was recorded at 50,397 and the positivity rate stood at 10.8 per cent.

Read: COVID-19 pandemic has cut parents’ access to hospitalized children

The health facilities across the country conducted 43,965 coronavirus detection tests, taking the total number of COVID-19 tests to 10,197,329 since the first case was reported.

According to the statistics, 27 patients were declared critical, adding to the total number of patients suffering from sensitive health condition up to 3,197.

Overall 603,126 people have recovered from the virus including 2,848 who have regained their health from COVID-19 during the past 24 hours.

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Pakistan to receive second batch of Sinopharm vaccine today

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will likely to receive its second consignment of purchased coronavirus vaccine on Wednesday (today), quoting sources ARY News reported.

The second batch of half a million doses of China-made Covid-19 vaccine, Sinopharm, will reach Islamabad in a special flight from China.

Four consignments of vaccine from China have reached Islamabad so far, while another half a million doses of the vaccine will reach today.

The next half a million doses of Sinopharm vaccine, will reach Islamabad on April 1st, sources said.

Pakistan has agreed to purchase five million doses of Sinopharm vaccine and the first batch of the purchased vaccine landed in Islamabad yesterday by a special flight from China.

China has earlier gifted 15 million doses of Sinopharm vaccine to Pakistan.

Pakistan also getting bulk Covid-19 vaccine from China’s CanSino Biologics by mid-April, Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar revealed on Tuesday.

“We will be getting bulk vaccine by mid april from Cansino from which three million vaccine doses can be made,” he tweeted.

“The bulk vaccine received will be formulated, sterilized and packed in Pakistan. For this purpose special equipment has been procured and manpower is being trained,” Umar, who also heads the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), said.

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Viral video: Little girl dozes off on stage during dance performance

A video has gone viral on social media which showed a little girl falling asleep on stage during her dance performance in China.

The five-year-old girl was dozing off while apparently participating in an event with other girls on the stage who continued with their dance moves.

The girl performing next to her tried many times to wake her up, however, her efforts go in vain as the partner kept enjoying her nap on the stage.

The happening amused audience who were present at the event and those who watched the interesting video online.

The girl’s mother said that she usually takes a quick nap during lunchtime but she could not do so due to the performance on the day. The mother added that she could not wake her up even after the show as she was so tired and fell asleep on the stage during her performance.

The video has so far garnered over 403,000 views on YouTube which ended up with a caption, ‘This is me while I’m at work.’

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SHC orders govt to fix price of privately imported vaccine in week

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed on Wednesday the federal government to fix the price of a Covid-19 vaccine imported by the private sector in a week.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Amjad Ali Sahito disposed of an appeal of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) that challenged a single bench’s March 18 verdict.

On March 18, the single bench had suspended the drug regulatory authority’s notification with regard to the withdrawal of exemption in Covid-19 vaccines import to a private pharma company.

Also Read: Pakistan to import CanSino vaccine in bulk to package 3m doses: Umar

The firm’s lawyer stated before the court that the DRAP allowed the import of vaccine under certain conditions on Feb 2, following which the pharma company imported one million doses of Russia’s Sputnik-V vaccine.

He lamented that the firm is not being allowed to sell the vaccine. “We have already invested $45 million and imported the vaccine. What should we do now?” he asked.

Also Read: SHC puts Govt on notice over Covid vaccine price, distribution

A DRAP counsel requested the court to not allow the sale of the vaccine until its price is fixed. He said the firm couldn’t be allowed to fix the vaccine price as the authority to do so rests with the government. He said the company wants to sell the vaccine at desired prices.

The counsel for the firm demanded that the government allow it to re-export the vaccine if it’s not being allowed to sell it.

“Tell us whether you want the vaccine or not?” the bench asked the DRAP counsel.

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‘Public vehicles to ply at half capacity’

Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Hamza Shafqaat has announced that the intra-city public service vehicles (PSVs) would run with 50 per cent capacity only. Talking to media on Tuesday, he said route permits for inter-city vans were being reduced to 70 from 100 to curb the coronavirus transmission to other cities from the federal capital. Acknowledging the violations of anti-Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) committed by some public transporters in Islamabad, he said strict action was being taken against them to ensure commuters' safety. The DC said the PSVs with more than 20 seats would be mandated to ply on the city's roads with only 10 passengers. He mentioned the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration was taking serious cognizance of the violations at bus stands, ensuring mask-wearing and use of hand sanitiser at each and every terminal. Shafqaat maintained that the prime focus of the administration was on the pursuance of Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions. Administrative actions such as smart lockdown, implementation of SOPs, sealing of hot spots and 50 per cent attendance at all offices were being taken to curb the spread of the virus amid its third wave, the DC stated. The administration had already sealed multiple areas in the federal capital whereas more localities for smart lockdown are under consideration, he added. Shafqaat said that constant monitoring of public transport in various areas such as Tarlai, Tramri, Bhara Kahu and different Sectors of G series is under way. Meanwhile, residents of the twin cities have complained about the slackness of transporters not ensuring the coronavirus health guidelines in order to mint money. Metro service suspended The Metro Bus Service’s (MBS) Rawalpindi section from Saddar station to IJP station has been shut down to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. However, the service in the Islamabad section from IJP station to Secretariat station will operate as usual, a spokesperson said. Due to a lack of coordination at the federal level, the MBS management remained in a quandary over the complete closure of the service after the Punjab government announced its closure on Monday. The measure was taken after a high Covid-positivity rate was recorded in nine districts of Punjab, including Rawalpindi. Also read Pakistan crosses grim mark of 50,000 active Covid-19 cases The officials said that the Islamabad administration did not ask to halt the bus service in the federal capital, therefore, the service was not suspended. They added that the number of passengers had dropped significantly and they were being accommodated by implementing social distancing protocols. The bus management also said that they would review the situation of the Islamabad section on Wednesday (today) and the future course of action would be decided accordingly after consultation with Metro Bus Authority (MBA). It should be noted that the metro bus hauls between 110,000 and 125,000 passengers between the twin cities, daily. Due to its partial closure, the passengers who travel between Rawalpindi and Islamabad faced difficulties. Furthermore, a meeting was held under the chairmanship of Regional Transport Authority (RTA) Secretary Rashid Ali and Rawalpindi Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Rai Mazhar Iqbal to implement the ban on intra-city transport. RTA and City Traffic Police (CTP) impounded 80 vehicles plying in the city despite a ban, a spokesperson added, while 92 transporters were penalised Rs96,000 for violating SOPs. RTA secretary said that the Punjab government has decided to close intra-city public transport on urban routes which is being strictly enforced. He added that joint teams of RTA and CTP have been formed for enforcement of restrictions and monitoring while an awareness campaign in this regard is also being run. Published in The Express Tribune, March 31st, 2021.

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Man tortured by ‘extortionists’

A motorcycle mechanic was allegedly physically assaulted over refusal to pay extortion to 10 suspects in Dijkot on Tuesday. Reportedly, the suspects also damaged the motorcycle of the victim and filmed the incident after which they uploaded it on social media platforms. Police registered a case against the alleged extortionists and arrested three of the suspects. Police said Mirza Muhammad Qurban, a resident of Chakki Chowk, Saifabad, Nishatabad Street No 5, had set up a motorcycle repair shop at 30 Fata Bazaar, Usman Park. The suspects identified as Asad, Hasnain, Hamad, Noman alias Mana and Hasnain alias Hina used to demand extortion from the victim which he did not give and complained. On which, the suspects intercepted Qurban when he was going after closing his shop. They damaged his motorcycle and tied the victim’s hands behind his back with a cloth, taking Rs16,000 cash out of his pocket. The alleged extortionists also physically assaulted him. After filming and making the video, the suspect Hammad uploaded the video on social media platforms after which it went viral. Reportedly, Millat Town police first sent the victim to the cybercrime office instead of registering a case. After the video went viral on social media platforms, SSP Operation Muhammad Afzal took notice of the incident and ordered Millat Town SHO Sub Inspector Abid Hussain to register a case against the suspects and arrest them. A police team arrested three of the suspects including Hammad. Incidents of extortion are not uncommon in the province. On April 10 last year, police arrested two men for extortion on the complaint of an industrialist in Baghbanpura area of Lahore. Also read Two unidentified bodies found in Dijkot The complainant told the police that an unidentified suspect had asked for his phone number, saying that a man named Kashif Butt wanted it. After a while, he received a call. The caller told him that his factory was built on the land of another party that had asked for over Rs5 million. He went to Butt’s place and paid him Rs50,000. He allegedly abused him and asked him to bring more money. Police arrested the men and recovered illegal weapons and cash. On May 19, 2019, members of Lahore’s Dolphin Squad allegedly assaulted a shopkeeper after he refused to entertain an extortion demand from the law enforcers. A short clip from a CCTV camera showed two personnel from the squad grabbing the shopkeeper’s arm and trying to pull him over the counter. They can also be seen repeatedly hitting the individual with their batons. Reportedly, the victim had earlier refused to pay the bribe these men had asked for. On May 16, 2019, a property dealer in Green Town had alleged that unidentified suspects from tribal areas were threatening him with dire consequences if he failed to pay extortion. The victim told police that the suspects contacted him via mobile messaging application Whatsapp a few months prior to his complaint. The suspects also forbade the victim from approaching law enforcement agencies. However, despite extorting Rs28 million, the suspects were demanding an additional Rs20 million, claimed the victim. Published in The Express Tribune, March 31st, 2021.

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