In order to avoid a severe crisis vis-à-vis availability of life-saving drugs in the local market, the government has lifted the ban on import of medicines and raw material from India. Ban on other trade items will remain. The exemption is given in the best interest of the public and in order to maintain supply of medicines to patients.
Karachi has been named among the 10 least liveable cities in the world by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) — the research and analysis division of the Economist Group — in The Global Liveability Index 2019. This year, Karachi has been ranked 136th on the list — the fifth least liveable city in the world — only managing to fare better than Damascus, Lagos, Dhaka and Tripoli.
A new Whatsapp scam in Pakistan has the users scratching their heads. Users have been receiving fake calls from individuals who claim to be PTA officials and ask for verification codes that have been sent to the users’ numbers. By using these codes, these impostors gain access to Whatsapp accounts of users and use them to their advantage.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has said Pakistan would not use nuclear weapons first against India. At the first International Sikh convention, PM Imran projected himself as leader of a responsible nuclear state, whereas Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has hinted at changing his country ‘no-first use’ nuclear policy. PM Khan reiterated that he would continue to raise his voice for people of Indian-Occupied Kashmir.
The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) management has laid off nearly 1,000 surplus employees in order to reduce operational cost. The staff which has been termed “redundant” by PIA President Arshad Malik, was laid off on cost cutting recommendations of Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh. Dr Sheikh asked PIA to effectively utilise its assets, improve revenue streams and ensure efficiency and financial discipline.
Asian Development Bank (ADB) Vice President Shixin Chen, who is on his first official two-day visit to Pakistan, met Prime Minister Imran Khan and “reaffirmed ADB’s support for Pakistan’s development priorities”. ADB plans to provide $7 billion to Pakistan for “various development projects and policy-based programmes” over the next three years aimed at developing the country’s social protection, urban services, and energy security.
In order to ensure smooth flow of traffic during peak hours, the Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) has banned entry of heavy travelling vehicles (HTV) in the federal capital for seven hours on daily basis. Entry of heavy traffic in the city would not be allowed from 7 am to 10 am and from 4 pm to 8 pm for maximum convenience for road users.
Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella and all-rounder Thisara Perera are not keen on traveling with the team to Pakistan for 3 ODIs and T20I series. Both players have sought permission for their participation in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), which will be played from 4th of September, clashing with the dates on which the Sri Lankan team will be touring Pakistan.
The government is ready to establish a mobile phone manufacturing plant in Haripur in collaboration with the private sector, dropping the idea of privatizing the Telephone Industry of Pakistan (TIP). To fully realize the potential of IT sector, talks are underway with five to six different Chinese companies for establishing a mobile handset manufacturing plant.
National anthems of Pakistan and Kashmir will be played at noon on Friday in line with the government’s move to observe ‘Kashmir Hour’ every week, said Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) ) Director General Major Gen Asif Ghafoor. Sirens would also blare during the hour at 12pm. DG ISPR also appealed to the country’s youth to participate in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) govt’s initiative.