Pakistan is successfully manufacturing economical face shields of highest standards for school children as the government prepares to reopen educational institutes. These face shields are lightweight, washable with soap and water, provide full face protection, are comfortable to wear, non-resistant to breathing, and the first level of defense against splashes and mist. The cost of each shield is Rs. 150 to make it affordable.
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday approved a project to introduce specialised education in 400 higher secondary schools of the country. Presiding over a meeting, the prime minister gave his consent to the launch of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) project in collaboration with universities. Around 100,000 children schools will have access to education and training in modern sciences through this project.
After politicians and actors, Pakistani cricketers are also hooked to the Turkish TV blockbuster Ertugrul. Speaking to reporters via teleconference, captain Azhar Ali said that the series is being used as an unlikely motivator for the Pakistan team ahead of their must-win third Test clash against England. “There is hardly any player who is not watching Ertugrul,” said Azhar.
The Standard & Poor’s (S&P) rating agency has affirmed Pakistan’s ‘B-’ long-term and ‘B’ short-term sovereign rating while maintaining ‘stable’ long-term outlook. The New York-based rating agency also affirmed ‘B-’ long-term issue rating on Pakistan’s senior unsecured debt and sukuk trust certificates. It said the country’s rating remains constrained by a narrow tax base and domestic and external security risks, which continue to be high.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government will finalize in October the masterplan for Pakistan’s first Digital City, which it expects to serve as a hub for high technology, innovation, and create thousands of new jobs. Pakistan Digital City will be located in Haripur district of KP, a province which for years was a site of militancy and military operations and only in the recent past regained stability.
Vaccine alliance Gavi is going to supply Pakistan with COVID-19 vaccine doses to immunize for free 20 percent of its 225 million population. Gavi is a public-private partnership that helps provide vaccines to developing countries. It has signed an agreement with Pakistan to provide 90 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, once it is ready.
Pakistan’s workers’ remittances reached an all time high in the month of July, the first month of fiscal year 2021, at $2.77 billion, the State Bank reported on Monday. Prime Minister Imran Khan announced the news on Twitter, alling it “more good news” for Pakistan’s economy. July’s remittances improved by 36.5% compared to remittances recorded last July, which were $2 billion.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected an Australian news outlet’s report alleging that a Wuhan lab has been conducting alleged covert operations in Pakistan as “politically motivated and fake”. The Klaxon report, quoting unnamed “intelligence experts”, claims China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology has “set up operations in Pakistan as part of a broader offensive against India and Western rivals”.
Malaysia has verified licenses of 18 Pakistani pilots currently employed in the country and it has reinstated them with immediate effect. The pilots were suspended earlier this month after authorities in Pakistan discovered that up to a third of the country’s pilots may have falsified their qualifications. Last week, the Vietnamese government also verified licences of all Pakistani pilots.
The Supreme Court hinted at another YouTube ban a day ago, completely dismissing the fact that the last three year ban caused an approximate loss of Rs. 1.4 billion in revenues. The people of Pakistan are not happy with the news, as YouTube is not only a source of entertainment for people, but also creates employment opportunities for thousands.