Shehri Tv

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi (Pakistan News & Features Services)  “This Ramazan, majority of Muslims around the world while observing Rozas (fasting) offered Taraweeh (late night prayers) quietly in their homes, except a few, who defied government instructions and advices of religious leaders and prayed in mosques. It was against the common sense behavior of protecting themselves, their families and other citizens from the risk of deadly COVID-19,” Senator Nisar Memon, a former federal minister, observed in his latest newspaper article. “Such a response evokes no surprise because we have neither provided basic education nor proper religious education to our compatriots. Else they would have shielded themselves from pandemic despite Islamabad’s confusing and conflicting response and lack of uniform support to provinces on this pandemic,” he felt.  “In the spirit of Ramazan the leadership of Ummah, apart from the Fund they committed, did not announce any policy to make us proud Um...

By Mukhtar Alam (Pakistan News & Features Services) Karachi, the largest hub of coronavirus cases in the country, on May 30 reported its all days’ highest number of new infections and relevant deaths as 1,043 and 35, respectively, taking the Sindh’s tally of infections to 1,247 and deaths to 38 for the day. Previously the megapolis had registered its maximum daily new infections (872) on May 20 and daily deaths (30) on May 29. The tally of infections in Karachi has reached to a staggering 21,879. In the meantime, despite the demise of 65 COVID-19 patients on May 29 and 30, the situation related to intensive care unit beds at 12 hospitals of Karachi did not changed considerably. There were 51 patients on ventilators with another 79 off vents while nine beds were vacant on May 30. A keen observer said that largely the patients were being kept on ICU beds equipped with ventilators, while they did not require the ventilators and as such, on the other hand, more deserving vent seeking p...

By Mukhtar Alam (Pakistan News & Features Services) The Sindh public sector health facilities, faced with severe shortage of life supporting machines and equipment, may start receiving ventilators at the beginning of the new fiscal year, this emerged on May 29. At a meeting of the Sindh Coronavirus Emergency Fund Committee meeting, chaired by Chief Secretary Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah, Director General of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority said that 100 ventilators, previously ordered, will be received by June 25 this year.  Giving various approvals of new procurement under the emergency fund committee, the Chief Secretary, who heads the committee, told the meeting that an amount of Rs 1.5 billion has so far been spent out of a total of Rs 3.61 billion collected in the fund. In the meantime, the committee approved a sanction of Rs 466 million coming from the budget of Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) for purchases of 168 ventilators, while another Rs 237 mill...

By Mukhtar Alam (Pakistan News & Features Services) While working at a slow pace the provincial government, yet to procure intensive care related machines and other medical equipment for public sector health units, confirmed unprecedented demise of 30 more coronavirus infected patients in Karachi during the last 24 hours, on May 29, with 804 new infections across the province.  According to the official COVID-19 summary, the overall Sindh’s death toll rose to 427, an average over six deaths every day since March 20 when the province had reported its first such death, while the total number of infections grew to 26,113, out of which 12,750 could recover from the lethal disease.  However, the health department’s personnel, despite requests and queries, did not go beyond death number and ages of deceased patient. Such a silence over heap of deaths with no provision of hospital names and information about patients stay period at hospitals, their health history and kind of trea...

By Masood Sattar Khan (Pakistan News & Features Services)  As a record number of 57 people lost their battle against fatal coronavirus disease in Pakistan during the last 24 hours, the Punjab Health Minister, Dr Yasmeen Rashid, claimed to have obtained encouraging results from the trial on COVID-19 patients by using injection that originally used for the treatment of some other ailment. She stated that the injections could be applied twice within 24 hours on acute coronavirus patients.  The cost of the two set of injections is over Rs 100,000 which, according to her, was being borne by the government.  She further said that as many as 10 patients have so far recovered by using this injection.  Meanwhile, the Punjab Kidney & Liver Transplant Institute (PKLTI) has initiated treatment of coronavirus patients with plasma.  The authorities have appealed to people, having recovered from the virus, to come forward and donate their plasma to save the lives of ot...

By Masood Sattar Khan (Pakistan News & Features Services)  A national flag of Pakistan, which returned after the space voyage, was handed back to the Pakistan Ambassador to China, Naghmana Hashmi at a ceremony held at the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) in Beijing on May 29. The national flag was sent to outer space onboard Tian on May 5, 2020 and re-entered earth on May 8. The space module was launched into outer space by a Long March 5B rocket.  Speaking on the occasion, the Pakistan Ambassador congratulated the Chinese research institutions for the successful space mission.  Recalling excellent bilateral cooperation between the two countries in outer space ventures,  Ambassador Hashmi referred to launching of PRSS-1 and PakTES-1 satellites in July 2018. The two sides are engaged in regular technology transfer and exchange of experts and delegations.  The Ambassador hoped that China and Pakistan would further build on their cooperation in space ex...

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi (Pakistan News & Features Services) Desiring governmental support for the small restaurants all over the country, Senator Nisar Memon has urged the authorities to be compassionate with this particular sector, so badly hit by the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. “The Punjab government has reportedly allowed opening of the restaurants. Notwithstanding its impact on current COVID-19 spread, the small restaurant owners are suffering two-folds. Firstly with the loss of revenue and secondly they are enduring the burden of paying their staff for all these three months,” the former Federal Minister highlighted in his statement issued on May 29.  “In view of this, it is just and prudent to allow opening of restaurants with some SOPs particularly in small towns like Gharo on N5 in Thatta and all the way up to Kashmore. The Sindh government will earn the goodwill of its people suffering from this comparative disadvantage,” he advised.  “Civil services, ...

By Mukhtar Alam (Pakistan News & Features Services) Amidst concerns that intensive care and high dependency units at hospitals, designated for coronavirus infected patients, particularly at Karachi, were under immense pressure due to shortage of trained staff, life supporting machines and beds, the health authorities on May 28 confirmed detection of another 1,103 COVID-19 positive cases, an all days’ highest figure since February 26 when the province reported prevalence of the disease.  According to the health department summary, having resumed after a gap of four days, Sindh’s COVID-19 cases surpassed 25,000 at 9 am on May 28 while the provincial tally of relevant deaths was inching towards 400. Last time, the maximum number of new infections was reported in Sindh on May 9, with 1,080 cases.  The experts, during official meetings and interaction with media, largely appeared fearful due to the given upward trend of the coronavirus disease and the related deaths, stressing ...

Pakistan News & Features Services Unlike the Fridays during the last couple of months, lockdown in Sindh will not be intensified from 12 pm to 3 pm on May 29, it was officially confirmed. The Sindh Information Minister, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, announced that mosques will remain open on May 29 and congregations will be held as per the SOPs issued by the government.  According to the SOPs, people above the age of 50, children and those suffering from the flu, however, will not be allowed to enter mosques whose management has been advised to remove all carpets and lead prayers on the bare ground. It may be recalled that the provincial government had imposed a ban on congregational prayers on March 26 as a part of the measures imposed at stemming the spreading of coronavirus (COVID-19).  The Information Minister further said that lockdown restrictions would remain in place till May 31 but business activities could be conducted during the specified hours on court directives....

Pakistan News & Features Services Serving Hands Organization and Combined Efforts Organization, headed by Dr Siakander Ali Shaikh and Yasir Hashmi respectively, continued their ongoing project of COVID-19 Eid Package Ration Camps by holding an event at Pir Bukhsh Goth Ghani Abad and surrounding villages.  The two welfare organizations joined hands in free distribution of Eid dresses for ladies besides food packets. Earlier they had donated free PPE kits, head and foot covers, sanitizers, masks and gloves for doctors, nurses and paramedical staff at various hospitals.  The Senior Vice President of Serving Hands Organization, Syed Ibne Hassan, remarked on the occasion that helping out needy people was in accordance with preaching of Islam and more efforts should be made for reaching out the suffering community.

By Masood Sattar Khan (Pakistan News & Features Services) Premier Li Kequiang remarked that the China was determined to prioritize the work of meeting people's essential needs and achieve the country's target in poverty alleviation this year. He stated that China now faced a daunting task in slashing absolute poverty. Before COVID-19 struck, there were about five million people living below the official poverty line. Because of the disease, some have fallen back into poverty.  Premier Li Keqiang expressed these views while addressing a press conference after the closing of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress in Beijing on May 28.  He took questions from Chinese and foreign reporters via video link.  He disclosed that China will introduce more targeted and effective measures to further reduce corporate operating costs and the country will achieve its development goals for this year, as well as the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in...

By Masood Sattar Khan (Pakistan News & Features Services) It was a big sigh of relief for the relatives as well as the investigation team of the May 22 PIA plane crash as the Cockpit Voice Recorder, the most important component that could greatly help in the probe, was finally retrieved by the authorities on May 28. It took as many as six days after the plane had crashed in Karachi to locate the recorder from the debris, with the assistance of the Airbus investigation team.  According to PIA spokesman, the Airbus investigation team had resumed its task to salvage the Cockpit Voice Recorder on May 28 and finally it succeeded after removal of big parts of the plane with the help of heavy cranes. The Cockpit Voice Recorder has been handed over to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board.  The PIA spokesman added that the airline team made all out efforts for the recovery of the Cockpit Voice Recorder, deemed to be one of the most important components that could help greatly ...

Pakistan News & Features Services Dubai’s businesses reopening on May 27, after Eid holidays, may be just another news item but the day became significant because the city adopted a ‘new normal’ with the resumption of cinemas, gyms and educational institutions besides commercial establishments.  Dubai, the regional hub of business, has not yet resumed welcoming back the tourists but that’s also on the cards very soon.

By Masood Sattar Khan (Pakistan News & Features Services) Huawei Technologies Co has expressed disappointment over a Canadian court's ruling over its chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, asserting that the company will continue to stand with Meng in her pursuit of justice and freedom. The company released a statement saying that Huawei was disappointed in the ruling by the Supreme Court of British Columbia. They have repeatedly expressed confidence in Meng's innocence, The China Daily reported on May 28.  The comments came after the court ruled on May 27 the extradition case against Meng could proceed.  "We expect Canada's judicial system will ultimately prove Meng's innocence. Meng's lawyers will continue to work tirelessly to see justice is served," the Chinese multinational technology company said.  According to the reports, Meng is currently detained in Canada. She was arrested at Vancouver International Airport by the Canadian authorities on Dec...

Pakistan News & Features Services New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, declared on May 27 that a draft blueprint on safely starting travel between New Zealand and Australia will be presented to both governments in early June. She revealed having spoken to her Australian counterpart, Scott Morrison, on May 26 and there was enthusiasm for travel to resume on both sides.  “We are working to move on this as quickly as we can. We are both very keen on it across both sides of the ditch. It won’t be too long before we are ready,” Ardern remarked during a press conference.  Neighbours Australia and New Zealand happen to be among the most popular travel destinations to each other. Reportedly as many as 1.5 million Australians had visited New Zealand 2019.  The two countries have been discussing the possibility of a travel bubble between them over the past couple of weeks after having slowed the spread of the novel coronavirus in their respective territories.  The...

Pakistan News & Features Services By discharging it last remaining coronavirus (COVID-19) patient from hospital and having seen no new cases, New Zealand has become free from the virus on May 27. Dr Ashley Bloomfield, Director General of Health, informed media at the COVID-19 press briefing in Auckland that he reckoned it was the first time in months when no patients with the disease were being treated at hospitals.  “Currently there is nobody in hospital with COVID-19 following the discharge of a person from Middlemore Hospital,” he declared.  New Zealand’s first case of coronavirus was detected on February 28, according to the Ministry of Health records.  The country has been widely praised for its handling of the pandemic, with just 1,154 confirmed cases and 21 deaths in the three-month period.  Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, has earned worldwide recognition for having taken a hardline approach to the country’s lockdown in a bid to stop the spread of the dise...

Pakistan News & Features Services As Saudi Arabia prepared to ease coronavirus containment measures, it has announced the opening of two new airports in the country which takes the domestic destinations up to 13.  According to reports, the General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) has confirmed the completion of operational readiness of Al Jouf and Arar airports as the domestic flights were set to resume on May 31.  The GACA has pointed out that the readiness of the Kingdom’s airports was a part of new measures to gradually lift the suspension of domestic flights to ensure a safe journey for passengers through Saudi airports while taking preventive and precautionary measures.  The move is being carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and relevant government agencies within airport facilities as the GACA will work in coordination with airports, air carriers and companies operating in the civil aviation sector to meet the demand in the local market....