Video - Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari addressing a press conference at Zardari House ISB

#Pakistan - Coronavirus situation grows worse - Heading for confrontation

While Pakistan is menaced by a fourth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, caused by the delta variant of the virus, the federal and Sindh governments seemed headed towards another confrontation like the one which marked the beginning of the pandemic. While the federal government, through NCOC head Federal Minister Asad Umar, has huffily rejected placing the country under a lockdown, the Sindh government has said that it was contemplating just such a measure as deaths rise and positivity rates continue to stay at unbelievable levels. This is happening even as new vaccine-related restrictions come into place. There will be no ban on air travel, but from Sunday, no one will be allowed to travel unless vaccinated. Teachers (as well as all government servants) have until August 31 to get vaccinated.

There is another complication which neither seems to have considered. The matriculation and intermediate examinations have been announced, and Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood has been blunt in the refusal to postpone them. The federal government’s desire to avoid a lockdown is understandable. The plea is that the economic damage would be immense. The federal government’s fear is probably that that damage would cost it electorally. The Sindh government may feel that its better handling will stand the PPP in good stead in other provinces. However, what should be paramount is the lives that must be saved. The PTI must remember that it will not be judged by its cleverness, but by its willingness to save lives. The extent of destruction seen in India, where bodies were being piled on pavements and cremation grounds and cemeteries were turning away bodies, has not happened in Pakistan, but looms.

The only way out is for the government to be ready to do what it takes. The federal government must also be careful that it does not get involved in the kind of unedifying conflict with the Sindh government that bede billed the national response to the covid-19 pandemic. Unfortunately the fourth wave will not remain restricted to Karachi. It will inevitably move upwards, to Punjab and Sindh, which have PTI governments. The NCOC must be ready to take the steps needed, including complete lockdowns. 

 https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2021/07/31/coronavirus-situation-grows-worse/

#Pakistan - Taliban not ‘normal civilians’ by any standard: Afghan envoy on Imran Khan’s remark

The Afghan envoy was responding to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s comment in which he had defended his inability to stop terrorists from crossing over the border.

Afghan ambassador to India Farid Mamundzay on Friday said the Taliban are not “normal civilians” by any standard as common people are not cruel to humankind. The Afghan envoy was responding to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s comment in which he had defended his inability to stop terrorists from crossing over the border.

In an interview with PBS NewsHour, Khan had said that Pakistan hosts three million Afghan refugees of which the majority are Pashtuns, the same ethnic groups as the Taliban fighters. He added that the Taliban are “normal civilians” and “not some military outfits” that Pakistan can hunt down in those refugee camps.

“I think with no standards we can call the Taliban, ordinary citizens. I think common people don’t commit crimes that are justified. They'll not be cruel to humankind,” news agency ANI quoted Mamundzay as saying.

Pakistan has long been accused of helping the Islamic fundamentalist group militarily, financially, and with intelligence in their fight against Afghan defence forces. About 6,000 terrorists of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are operating on the Afghan side of the border, according to a report by the UN Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team.

The Taliban fighters, meanwhile, have been making rapid advances in Afghanistan as the US troops are nearing their final withdrawal. China has been wary of Afghanistan becoming a hub for the al-Qaeda-backed East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) if the Taliban takes control of the country. Earlier this week, China’s state councillor and foreign minister Wang Yi met a visiting Taliban delegation in Beijing.Wang called the Taliban a “critical military and political force” in Afghanistan, urging the group to crack down on the ETIM, a separatist outfit Beijing alleges of waging an insurgency in Xinjiang province. The Afghan envoy said that China has also suffered from terrorism and would continue to suffer if terrorist groups remain operational in Afghanistan, reported ANI.

“We want all countries in the region, particularly major countries like China and India to give strong msg to Taliban,” Mamundzay added.

The Afghan envoy also denied any talks with India regarding military assistance, saying they are receiving sufficient support from the United States and several Nato member states.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/taliban-not-normal-civilians-by-any-standard-afghan-envoy-on-imran-khan-s-remark-101627651448215.html

#Pakistan - Positivity rate reaches 7.1pc in #Lahore

With a sharp increase in Covid cases, Punjab reported 12 deaths and 617 new infections during the last 24 hours.

In an alarming situation, the positivity rate in Lahore has reached 7.1 per cent, the highest one since Delta variant surfaced in the city.

Bahawalpur city reported 4.1pc, Multan 2.9 and Faisalabad district 7.2pc infectivity rate during the last 24 hours.

Of the new positive cases, 289 were reported in Lahore and 114 in Rawalpindi, the two districts which have been sharing most burden of the disease.

With new positive cases, the total number has reached 354,312 while deaths 10,976 in Punjab, according to the Covid update released here on Wednesday.

Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Secretary Sara Aslam said the Covid cases were increasing fast across the province due to the presence of Delta variant.

She suggested the citizens to take preventive measures as the fourth wave was taking an ugly shape. The health secretary said the government had intensified campaign to vaccinate maximum number of people, being the best solution to stop further transmission of the Delta variant.

She said health teams vaccinated 45,850 people in Lahore during its door-to-door drive.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1637495/positivity-rate-reaches-71pc-in-lahore

Pandemic won't end after 9-day lockdown 'but hospitals will not choke up': Sindh CM

 

After the Sindh government on Friday announced a nine-day lockdown in Karachi — from July 31 to August 8 — Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah addressed a press conference to respond to concerns and criticism regarding the decision.

The chief minister said that it is being said that "it is not as if the pandemic will end in nine days", but what must be understood is that in this period "hospitals will not choke".

Answering a question regarding why a nine-day lockdown was announced, versus a 15-day one, Shah said that the task force, in its meeting today, acknowledged that this period — which amounts to five actual days of lockdown as four days will be regular off days for businesses anyway — will be one "that will cause minimum economic damage".

He added that doctors concurred that "something is better than nothing".

"At least a break will be provided — think of it as a speed breaker slowing things down," Shah said.

"Then, when we reopen, I hope people will continue to follow SOPs, so we are not forced to repeat such a move," the chief minister said.

Shah said that after the meeting, he spoke to National Command and Operation Centre chief Asad Umar, as well as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan "and both assured me of the Centre's cooperation".

"Whatever we have notified is after consultations and taking NCOC on board."

The Sindh chief minister said that the order extends to all of Sindh "but our focus is on Karachi because it is the worst off".

He said that no exams will take place from Monday-Friday and the two weekends that fall within the lockdown period.

Shah, responding to whether private organisations will be required to remain shut, said that the government "is advising that they do remain shut or keep staff to a minimum".

"The purpose is for no one to exit their home, unless there is an emergency," he explained.

'Focus on getting vaccinated'

The Sindh chief minister urged all the media persons to encourage everyone to get vaccinated, as all vaccines offer protection.

"Vaccinated individuals are an extremely low percentage of those people who die due to coronavirus," he said.

Shah said that in the next nine days, people should "forget about everything else, and just focus on getting vaccinated".

He acknowledged that people might have to queue up in long lines to get themselves inoculated "but this is in your own benefit".

Citing his own example, he said that given his role, he was unable to exercise as much caution as is required but he remained safe and did not get infected due tot he

To a question, he said that the government is trying to increase the number of vaccination centres and mobile vaccination centres, and is mulling on a suggestion by the ulema to have mosques and imambargahs used for the exercise.

What can be expected in the nine-day period

The Sindh chief minister said that those wearing a mask "will not be caught", whereas he "won't be able to anyone found not wearing one".

According to a statement by the CM House, the lockdown will be in place till the 9th of August and "will be particularly focusing the retail industry in the city".

• Essential services will be open.
  
• Food and food related industry will be open, restaurants will only be allowed delivery, no take away, dine in or outside.
  
• Health facilities will remain open, so will bakeries, meat and vegetable shops and grocery.
  
• Vaccination centers will function as usual.
• Banks are not under our jurisdiction but we will certainly request that they operate with minimal staff. Same with the ports.
• Petrol pumps will remain open.
  
• Media persons with masks are allowed.
  
• Utility companies and municipal services will not come under lockdown.
  
• There will be no examinations next week; all exams must be postponed till after the lockdown is lifted.

https://www.geo.tv/latest/362556-pandemic-wont-end-after-9-day-lockdown-but-hospitals-will-not-choke-up-sindh-cm