The Balochistan government has extended province-wide lockdown till May 5 due to a spike in cases of the novel coronavirus. The Balochistan Home Department has issued a notification in this regard. Shops and industries that have been allowed to resume operations have been directed to adhere to the SOPs issued by the government to prevent the spread of the virus.
National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has decided to launch an investigation into Pakistan’s flour and sugar crises. The approval for the investigation was granted during a meeting of the bureau’s executive board on Tuesday. All aspects of the flour and sugar crises will be investigated, the bureau said in a statement.
Pakistani truck drivers stuck in Afghanistan for more than 1.5 months were brought back into the country through the Pak-Afghan Chaman border on Monday. The drivers were allowed to cross the border under strict SOPs issued by the government. They will be shifted to the quarantine centre at the border and will be tested for the coronavirus there.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has agreed to the demand of Islamic clerics to defer the utility bills of all mosques, imambargahs, madrassas and other places of worship. It was announced by Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, the special assistant to the PM for information and broadcasting. The decision was taken in the light of the coronavirus. She said the government was also aware of the academic loss of madrassa students amid coronavirus.
The cyber crime wing of the Federal Investigation Agency has arrested two ATM hackers in Islamabad on Sunday. According to the FIA officials, they recovered thumb impressions of over 4,500 people in their laptop and a money transfer application in their cellphones. The officials said that the suspects had 10 cellphones and 13 sim cards which were being used for unlawful activities.
PIA will be operating daily flights to the UK to send back stranded Britons and bring back stranded Pakistanis. The PIA spokesperson said the flights will start April 19 (Sunday). They will operate from Lahore and Islamabad to London, Manchester and Birmingham. The added that the permission was given after assurance that all safety measures will be implemented.
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has extended the deadline for blocking unregulated IMEIs for an additional 30 days. PTA has given extension due to the coronavirus outbreak, to provide relief and facilitation to the public. The blocking of mobile devices that are not compliant with PTA regulations will resume from May 19 and will be communicated via SMS.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has ordered the Federal Investigation Agency to take strict action against social media users posting anti-judiciary content. The premier has instructed the FIA director-general to form a separate team to look into the matter and submit a report soon. The FIA has been asked to curb propaganda against Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed and other Supreme Court judges.
The police have sealed 107 shops and arrested 78 people in Balochistan for violating the lockdown. A lockdown has been imposed in the province to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). A total of 281 known cases have been reported in the province. Forty new cases emerged on Thursday, according to Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani.
Pakistan Railway ministry has decided to partially restore passenger train operations across all four provinces upon the end of a lockdown. About 24 trains will start functioning for up and down operations after approval from the prime minister before April 25. Reservation offices may remain closed even after the end of lockdown while customers will be able to purchase tickets online.