ISLAMABAD: An association of Pakistan's sanitation workers said Friday the government must prioritize over two million members of their professional community while managing the immunization drive against COVID-19 since these people were even more vulnerable than frontline health workers.
The government received the first shipment of Sinopharm vaccine from China on February 1 and said it would vaccinate doctors and paramedics during the first phase of the immunization campaign.
“The sanitary workers are at least five times more vulnerable to the coronavirus than hospital employees due to the nature of their job,” President Solid Waste Management Association of Pakistan Jamil Asgher Bhatti told Arab News.
He said the government had provided personal protective equipment (PPE) to health workers across the country to minimize their exposure to the virus, besides giving them special training to deal with their patients.
“The sanitation workers go to hazardous places with bare hands and zero safety equipment,” he continued. “Hundreds of them have contracted the virus and dozens have passed away. Yet, they are still being neglected.”
Bhatti urged the government to register over two million sanitation workers in the country to protect them from the debilitating respiratory disease.
The demand comes at a time when a large number of health workers remain skeptical toward the safety and efficacy of Sinopharm shots.
Dr. Faisal Sultan, who advises Prime Minister Imran Khan on public health, claimed in the beginning of the month that hospital employees in the country would get the vaccine within two to three weeks. However, only 52,768 had received the shots across Pakistan until Wednesday.
“Health workers are reluctant to get the vaccine since there are numerous questions about its efficacy and safety,” Dr. Qaisar Sajjad, secretary-general of the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), told Arab News.
He said the PMA had already requested the government to vaccinate all staff members working at hospitals, including sanitation workers and administrative staff, but to no avail.
Sajjad said the government initially announced the Sinopharm vaccine was not recommended for people beyond 60, yet it was asking individuals over 65 to register for shots.
“There is a lot of confusion and mismanagement that is hampering the vaccination program,” he said.
Dr. Rana Muhammad Safdar, director-general health at the Ministry of National Health Services, said the government was doing its best to vaccinate all health workers in the first phase, while the remaining population would be covered in the next phase through official order.
“The janitorial staff at health facilities are viewed as healthcare workers,” he told Arab News without elaborating the vaccination plan for other sanitation workers across the country.
Pakistani sanitation workers seek priority in COVID-19 vaccination program
https://arab.news/b7x9q
Pakistani sanitation workers seek priority in COVID-19 vaccination program
- The Solid Waste Management Association of Pakistan says sanitation workers are more vulnerable to health risks than other groups
- The Pakistan Medical Association says doctors and paramedics are skeptical toward the safety and efficacy of Sinopharm vaccine
China tops list of Pakistan’s bilateral lenders followed by Saudi Arabia— World Bank
- China’s share of Pakistan’s total external liabilities stands at 22 percent, Saudi Arabia’s at 7 percent
- Islamabad has eyed trade, investment with Riyadh and Beijing to ward off economic crisis
ISLAMABAD: China remains Pakistan’s biggest lender with its debt comprising 22 percent of Islamabad’s total external liabilities, followed by Saudi Arabia with its share of debt comprising seven percent, the World Bank said in its latest report this week.
According to the annual International Debt Report 2024 released by the World Bank on Tuesday, Pakistan’s total debt in the report showed that Islamabad’s total external debt stood at $130.847 billion at the end of 2023. China remains Pakistan’s top bilateral creditor with its debt comprising 22 percent of Pakistan’s total external liabilities or $28.786 billion.
Saudi Arabia comes in second place with its debt comprising 7 percent of Pakistan’s total external liabilities or $9.16 billion.
The South Asian region saw the biggest yearly increase in interest payments in 2023, the report said.
“The increase was most noticeable in Bangladesh and India, whose interest payments increased by more than 90 percent in 2023,” the World Bank’s report said. “Pakistan made the second-largest interest payments in the region.”
The World Bank’s share of debt comprises 18 percent of Pakistan’s total external liabilities, the Asian Development Bank’s comprises 15 percent while other multilateral creditors’ debt comprises 13 percent of Islamabad’s external debts.
Other bilateral lenders’ share comprises 8 percent of Islamabad’s total external liabilities while bondholders comprise 8 percent as well.
Pakistan considers China and Saudi Arabia close regional allies that have invested in the South Asian country for trade and investment purposes. Beijing has invested billions in Pakistan for an infrastructure project that Islamabad hopes will modernize its economy and improve its infrastructure considerably.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia also enjoy close economic ties. The Kingdom and Islamabad in October signed agreements, including investments in agriculture, semiconductor manufacturing, and energy, worth $2.8 billion.
Pakistan has increasingly eyed closer cooperation with the two countries, with a keen focus on enhanced trade and investment, as it attempts to break free of a macroeconomic crisis that has drained its resources and weakened its national currency.
Islamabad last year avoided a sovereign default by clinching a last-gasp $3 billion loan deal from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). After a fresh 37-month bailout program and declining inflation this year, Pakistan’s economy has registered some gains, with its stock market enjoying a bullish trend for days.
Pakistan calls for independent commission on minorities, activating mosques as community centers
- Non-Muslims constitute about three percent of Pakistan’s estimated population of 240 million
- Pakistan’s minorities regularly come under attack by militant groups, complain of discrimination
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday called for granting financial and administrative autonomy to the National Commission for Minorities and said an interfaith harmony policy should be launched to activate mosques as community centers to promote religious tolerance.
Non-Muslims constitute about three percent of Pakistan’s estimated population of 240 million people. Pakistan’s minority communities complain of facing discrimination in nearly all walks of life and regularly come under attack by militant groups. They have also sometimes been accused of blasphemy, which is punishable by death in the South Asian nation.
On Wednesday, the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs and Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination, Rana Sanaullah, chaired a meeting in Islamabad to review the National Commission for Minorities Bill 2024. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar proposed at the meeting to make the National Commission for Minorities “independent and autonomous from ministerial pressure.”
“The subcommittee also proposed granting financial and administrative autonomy to the commission. The commission will consist of 13 members, 9 of whom will be from minority communities,” the ministry of religious affairs said in a statement.
“The committee directed the Ministry of Law and Justice to finalize the National Commission for Minorities Bill 2024 within three days.”
A new interfaith harmony policy for promoting religious tolerance was also reviewed.
“Sanaullah emphasized the significant importance of mosques in Islam and suggested that the interfaith harmony policy should include a proposal to activate mosques as community centers,” the statement said.
“The committee directed the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony to present the interfaith harmony policy and the policy for promoting religious tolerance to the federal cabinet meeting for final approval, incorporating the subcommittee’s amendments related to both policies.”
With Champions Trophy looming, Pakistan rest Afridi for South Africa tests
- Pakistan wants to keep the speedster fresh for the Champions Trophy at home next year
- Left-arm quick picked for six limited-overs matches in South Africa beginning Dec. 10
LAHORE: Speedster Shaheen Afridi has been left out of Pakistan’s squad for a two-test series in South Africa in a bid to keep him fresh for the Champions Trophy at home next year, the country’s cricket board said on Wednesday.
However, the left-arm quick has been picked for six limited-overs matches in South Africa beginning on Dec. 10, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement.
“Shaheen Afridi, who also missed the last two tests against England, has been picked for the white-ball matches as part of his workload management so that he is in his best fitness and form for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025,” the statement read.
Fellow fast bowler Naseem Shah and batting mainstay Babar Azam, both of whom missed the last two matches against England, were recalled for the test matches in Centurion and Cape Town.
Off-spinner Sajid Khan, whose tally of 19 wickets in two tests was key to Pakistan’s 2-1 series victory against England in October, was dropped.
“Leaving out Sajid Khan, despite his stellar performances against England, was an extremely tough and difficult decision,” selector and interim test team coach Aqib Javed said.
“However, considering the pace-friendly conditions at Centurion and in Cape Town, we opted for Mohammad Abbas instead, who is an outstanding exponent of seam bowling.”
Pakistan squads:
Tests: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel, Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Haseebullah (wicketkeeper), Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha
ODI: Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan (wicketkeeper)
T20I: Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan (wicketkeeper)
Imran Khan’s party has ‘history of lawlessness,’ Pakistani deputy PM tells diplomatic corps
- Ishaq Dar briefs diplomats on recent protests by PTI and government actions to disperse demonstrators
- The PTI says at least 20 of its supporters have been killed, while the government says four troops died
ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said on Wednesday the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf of jailed ex-premier Imran Khan had a “history of lawlessness,” as he briefed the diplomatic corps on recent protests by the party and government actions to disperse demonstrators.
Thousands of PTI supporters had gathered in Islamabad’s historic D-Chowk square last month to demand Khan’s release from prison. The protest convoy broke through several lines of security and reached the edge of the capital’s highly fortified red zone, home to key government and diplomatic buildings. The protest was called off after security forces carried out a midnight raid on the site, with the government saying it used rubber bullets and tear gas but no live ammunition.
The PTI says at least 20 of its supporters have been killed, while the government says four troops died. The PTI has also said “hundreds” of its supporters had been hospitalized with gunshot wounds and the government was attempting to cover up the extent of the deaths and injuries, which state authorities deny. Meanwhile, social media platforms have been awash for days with pictures and video footage of the injured and dead that the government has called “fake propaganda,” insisting there were no civilian casualties.
Briefing diplomats at the Foreign Office in Islamabad on Wednesday, Dar reiterated that law enforcement agencies were not provided live ammunition but used water cannons, tear gas and batons.
“Our priority has always been to take care of the red zone … And we are very conscious that our valuable ambassadors, high commissioners, their colleagues, they are all housed in that area so this has always been a priority during our governance that we make sure that this area, which we call the red zone, is free from any protests or any violence,” the deputy PM said.
For this purpose, Dar explained, parliament passed a law this year, the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act 2024, to streamline the process for obtaining permission to hold public gatherings in Islamabad and designating specific areas and timings for such activities.
Prior to the start of the PTI’s protest on Nov. 24, a Pakistani court had also ruled that the party would not be allowed to demonstrate in the red zone, but should engage with the government and be designated an alternative location.
“The government obviously tried its best, the ministry of interior engaged them [PTI], there were long sessions of three days but nothing came out of it,” Dar said. “They were insistent that law or no law, that we will come in the red zone, so unfortunately [there is] a history of lawlessness in this party.”
The deputy foreign minister, who also serves as the country’s foreign minister, also said the party had a history of announcing protests during visits by foreign dignitaries.
The November protest coincided with a visit to Pakistan of the president of Belarus while protests in October, which the PTI later called off, had been planned on the days of a key Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Islamabad.
“This shows mala fide intent,” Dar added.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed legal action against “rioters” involved in the PTI’s anti-government protests as the party decried a state-backed crackdown against its supporters.
In the aftermath of the protests, Sharif has formed two task forces: one to identify and take legal action against rioters and another to track and bring to justice suspects behind what the government describes as a “malicious campaign” to spread “concocted, baseless and inciting” online news, images and video content against the state and security forces.
Pakistan stocks breach record 105,000 barrier on rate cut hopes
- State Bank has already slashed interest rates by 700 basis points in four consecutive meetings since June
- Poll by Topline Securities says 71 percent participants expect central bank will announce rate cut of 200bps
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani stocks continued their record-breaking streak on Wednesday, closing above 105,000 points for the first time on the back of investor confidence of a significant interest rate cut by the central bank at the next monetary policy meeting on Dec. 16.
The Pakistan Stock Exchange’s (PSX) benchmark KSE-100 Index climbed 544.26 points, or 0.52 percent, to close at a record 105,104.33 points when trading ended on Wednesday. During the intraday trading earlier, the KSE-100 benchmark reached a record high of 105,473.56 points.
Wednesday’s session follows Tuesday’s impressive gains, with the market closing at 104,559.07, adding 1,284 points.
The State Bank has already slashed interest rates by 700 basis points (bps) in four consecutive meetings since June, bringing the rate to 15 percent.
According to a poll conducted by Topline Securities, 71 percent of participants expect the central bank will announce a minimum rate cut of 200bps.
“Out of the 71 percent, 63 percent expect the interest rate to be cut by 200bps, 30 percent expect a cut of 250bps, and 7.0 percent anticipate a cut of more than 250bps,” the poll said.
Market analysts credit the rally in stocks to improving macroeconomic indicators, strong trade performance, and the anticipation of further monetary easing.
Pakistan’s annual consumer inflation slowed to 4.9 percent in November, lower than the government’s forecast and the lowest in nearly six years. This is down from 38 percent last year.
Trade data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics also supports positive investor sentiment as the trade deficit narrowed by 7.39 percent during the first five months (July-November) of the current fiscal year, standing at $8.651 billion, compared to $9.341 billion during the same period last year.
Exports rose by 12.57 percent to hit $13.69 billion, while imports increased by 3.90 percent to $22.342 billion during this period. November’s trade deficit narrowed even further, dropping by 18.60 percent year-on-year to $1.589 billion compared to $1.952 billion in November 2023.
