Pakistan is mulling over administering a third dose of the two-dose Sinopharm’s COVID-19 vaccine to some of its elderly citizens, Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health, Dr. Faisal Sultan, has disclosed. The moves come after UAE started administering a third of Sinopharm’s vaccine last month after initial and booster doses did not develop the required level of immunity among some elderly individuals.
Social media is brimming wit the soothing images of snow-covered Deosai shared by Prime Minister Imran Khan this morning. The premier shared the breathtaking pictures on Twitter, saying that this is Deosai plains’ first ever winter ski traverse. At an average elevation of 4,114 metres (13,497 ft) above sea level in Gilgit-Baltistan, Deosai plateaus are considered the second-highest plateaus in the world.
The government is considering the possibility of giving two years visa extension to Chinese nationals working on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects. The government may approve a general two-year extension, a senior government official. Another option that is being considered is to link the visa period with the completion date of the multibillion-dollar project, which could end the requirement of seeking an extension.
The local administration in Swat has decided to shut down Pakistan’s most loved Malam Jabba ski resort after orders by the Peshawar High Court. The court had barred the administration from charging Rs300 entry fee at the resort. Following the orders of the PHC, the Swat authorities shut down the tourist’s spot and issued instructions for the travellers to avoid visiting the place.
The beautiful Faisal Mosque, located on the foothills of Margalla Hills in Islamabad, has been ranked among top 50 most beautiful buildings in the world. The researches have ranked the buildings on the basis of its striking design according to science. The mosque, which took a decade to build, has secured 16th place in the ranking.
Two young female athletes from Pakistan, Isra Waseem and Kainat Arif, lead the country to victory by bagging gold medals in the International Ju-Jitsu E-tournament. About 371 teams from 31 countries took part in the competition where the Pakistani youngsters, Waseem and Arif made their country proud in the duo beginners’ category for women. Pakistan Ju-Jitsu Federation (PJJF) referee Tariq Ali also appreciated the performance delivered by them.
Bangladesh, Kenya, Pakistan and the Philippines will be added to Britain’s travel “red list”, from April 9th, British High Commissioner Christian Turner announced on Twitter. People arriving from these countries will be banned unless they are British or Irish nationals. Turner said that direct flights between Pakistan and the UK would continue to operate but schedules could change.
A Chinese liquor company, the Hui Coastal Brewery and Distillery Limited has formally started production at its plant in Balochistan’s industrial town of Hub. The company had been granted a license in 2018, which it had applied for in 2017. The company registered itself with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) on April 30, 2020, after completing installation of liquor plant in Hub town.
Pakistan has slipped two spots in the ‘Global Gender Gap Report 2021’ published by the World Economic Forum and now ranks as the fourth worst country in the world. The report found that Pakistan’s gender gap had widened by 0.7 percentage points, to 55.6 per cent, making it one of the worst countries for gender parity. Only Iraq, Yemen and Afghanistan fared worse.
Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Sahibzada Noor-ul-Haq Qadri, has said mosques around the country would remain open during the holy month of Ramadan with strict adherence to COVID-19 standard operating procedures. Last year after the coronavirus first broke out, a restriction on congregation provoked a backlash in Pakistan, with attacks on police as they attempted to halt prayers at mosques.