ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will take about a decade to vaccinate 75 percent of its population, Bloomberg, an American publication, said in a recently published article about the global disparity between the number of vaccines administered to people in rich and poor countries.
The write-up said more than 46 percent of deaths caused by COVID-19 had taken place in the United States, United Kingdom and the European Union, warning that many nations where the virus was now spreading were “ones where current rates of vaccine rollout won’t result in herd immunity for years, or even decades.”
Based on Bloomberg’s vaccine tracker, the article showed that countries like the US, Britain and Israel were likely to reach the 75 percent target within three months while others like Pakistan were expected to immunize the same level of their population in about a decade.
Germany and France were likely to acquire herd immunity through vaccination in about a year, Argentina in about two and a half years, and India in a little over three years.
The article raised concern over the issue due to the “general indifference to medical problems once they stop bothering rich countries.”
The UK has until now administered at least one dose of vaccine to about 60 percent of its adult population. President Joe Biden’s new administration also aims to vaccinate about 200 million people by the end of this month.
Most underdeveloped countries, however, have even been finding it difficult to get coronavirus vaccines through a UN-sponsored program for low-income countries.
Pakistan received Sinopharm vaccines from China in February and began its immunization drive from its frontline health workers and elderly population.
The country has so far reported 696,184 confirmed coronavirus cases and 14,924 deaths.
While the number of infections has shot up significantly in recent weeks, forcing the authorities to reimpose virus-related restrictions, Pakistan has also witnessed significant vaccine hesitancy that has heightened the risk of the further spread of the virus.
Pakistan will take a decade to vaccinate 75% population — media
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Pakistan will take a decade to vaccinate 75% population — media
- According to American publication Bloomberg, India would be able to vaccinate the same percentage of its population in about three years
- Article says virus spreading in nations “where current rates of vaccine rollout won’t result in herd immunity for years, or even decades“
Pakistan deputy PM calls PIA flight restoration ‘major priority’ in talks with UK officials
- Ishaq Dar says the government will start receiving bids for PIA privatization from October 1
- Deputy PM tells the media his five-day visit to London as ‘potentially very useful’ for Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday described restoring Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights to the United Kingdom and other European countries as a “major priority,” saying that he raised the issue with British officials during his five-day visit to London, which he called beneficial for the country.
The suspension of PIA flights to the UK and Europe followed a 2020 plane crash in Karachi that killed 97 people. This was compounded by a controversial statement from Ghulam Sarwar Khan, the aviation minister in former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s administration, who asserted that a significant number of Pakistani pilots held fake licenses, leading to the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) ban on PIA.
Since then, the airline has undergone multiple audits to address safety and operational concerns in hopes of restoring international routes.
Addressing a news conference in London, Dar criticized the former aviation minister’s “irresponsible statement,” saying Pakistan had since made every effort to resume PIA flights.
“I told the [British] deputy prime minister [Angela Rayner] that it is a serious matter for our community and diaspora,” he said during the media interaction at the Pakistan High Commission. “It is a major priority. So, we will continue to engage and will not sit and relax until as long as this thing is done.”
Dar noted that while restoring flights to Britain and Europe was important, advancing the privatization process of the national airline was equally vital.
“We will start receiving the first round of bids for PIA [privatization] on October 1,” he said, adding the government was also outsourcing Islamabad airport operations, with bids expected next month.
He further emphasized that his visit to Britain had been highly productive.
“I believe that my visit was extensive, busy and potentially very useful for Pakistan,” he said.
This was Pakistani deputy prime minister’s first visit to Britain following the change of government in the UK, where the Labour Party won the general elections in July and returning to power after 14 years.
Ex-PM Khan party holds rally in Islamabad today to press for his release
- Khan, who has been in jail since August, has waged an unprecedented campaign of defiance against Pakistan’s military since his ouster in April 2022
- His PTI party has struggled to hold rallies across Pakistan and says it has been facing a state-backed crackdown, an allegation denied by authorities
ISLAMABAD: Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party is holding a rally in Islamabad today, Sunday, to press authorities for the release of the ex-premier, who has been facing a slew of cases.
Khan, who has been in jail since August on charges of corruption, treason and attempting to incite a mutiny in the military, has waged an unprecedented campaign of defiance against Pakistan’s military since his ouster in a parliamentary no-trust vote in April 2022.
He has accused the then army leadership of orchestrating his ouster together with his political rivals as part of a United States-backed “foreign conspiracy.” The military, Khan’s rivals and Washington have repeatedly denied this.
His PTI party aims to mobilize the public for the release of the former cricket star who has a devoted following, but has struggled to hold rallies across the country. The party this week said it got permission for the rally in Islamabad, which was canceled twice in recent months.
“We are holding this rally as per the law and the constitution,” PTI member Aamir Dogar was quoted as saying by the party on X. “Efforts should not be made to prevent it.”
The party has also announced simultaneous protests outside the Pakistani embassy in London and in other parts of the world.
“Everyone must attend the all important protest tomorrow in London outside the Pakistan embassy,” Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari said on X. “It will be a historic turnout in Islamabad, London and world over. This is the beginning of our peaceful protests in Pakistan and world over. It’s a duty upon us to stand up.”
The PTI says it has been facing a state-backed crackdown and the mass arrest of its members and supporters for standing by Khan. Pakistani authorities deny the allegations.
The action against the PTI began after people carrying its party flags attacked and damaged government and military installations on May 9, 2023, after Khan’s brief arrest that day in a graft case.
Hundreds of PTI workers and leaders were arrested following the May 9 riots and many remain behind bars as they await trial. The military has also initiated trials of at least 103 people accused of involvement in the violence.
Khan recently made a “conditional” offer of talks to the army, if “clean and transparent” elections were held and the “bogus” cases against his supporters were dropped. The military, which has repeatedly said Khan and his party were behind the May 9 attacks, has ruled out any talks with him.
Bodies of three Pakistani climbers retrieved after nine years from Sarwali Peak in Azad Kashmir
- The missing climbers, Imran Junaidi, Usman Khalid, and Khurram Shehzad, embarked on a journey to summit Sarwali Peak in Neelum district in August 2015
- The bodies of the missing climbers were spotted by two trekkers last month, after which a mission involving two dozen volunteers was launched on Sept. 3
KHAPLU: A team of Pakistani climbers and porters has retrieved bodies of three local mountaineers who had gone missing on 6,326-meter Sarwali Peak in Azad Kashmir nine years ago, an official and volunteers said on Saturday.
Sarwali Peak, also known as Dabbar Peak, in Azad Kashmir’s Neelum District is believed to be one of the few unconquered mountain peaks in the region, with no confirmed ascent till date.
The missing climbers, Imran Junaidi, Usman Khalid and Khurram Shehzad, had embarked on a journey to summit the Peak in August 2015, but went missing while attempting a push on the right saddle of the mountain.
A comprehensive search operation was launched on September 7, 2015 to locate the missing climbers, but no trace of them could be found.
“The bodies of all three missing climbers were spotted last month by two trekkers,” Akhtar Ayoub, in-charge of the Azad Kashmir State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) in Neelum district, told Arab News.
“A special rescue team was formed to retrieve the bodies and today, their bodies and remains were retrieved from the advance base camp side.”
Two dozen volunteers, including climbers, rescuers and porters, took part in the mission and brought down the bodies from a height of 16,000 feet, according to the official. The team departed on the mission on Sept. 3 and retrieved the bodies today, Saturday.
“We found the bodies near the advance base camp at the right saddle of the mountain,” Imran Arif, a member of the recovery team, told Arab News, adding that all three had been identified.
Arif said he and his fellow had spotted the bodies while trekking on the mountain on August 12.
“We preserved the bodies and came back to Kel Valley. Four days ago, we went for the rescue mission and today their dead bodies have been shifted to a hospital of Kel Valley,” he said.
“State Disaster Management Authority, district administration, Rescue 1122 and Alpine Club of Pakistan played a good role in this mission.”
Ikram Junaidi, bother of late climber Imran Junaidi, told Arab News they would now find a final resting place for his brother.
“Many attempts were made to find them in the past. But after nine years, we got news about the retrieval of dead bodies. Being a brother and a Muslim, it was our dream to offer funeral prayers for him. Now we will get a chance,” he said. “What matters is the quality of life instead of quantity. My brother went for expeditions on unclimbed peaks.”
Ikram said his mother had lost all hopes of finding Junaidi’s body, but she would now find solace in the fact that her son’s body had finally been recovered.
Pakistan says head coach to scout for cricketing talent in domestic event after dismal performances
- Pakistan have been reeling after their first-ever Test series loss to Bangladesh this month, the latest in a string of poor performances
- The defeat came hard on the heels of chastening losses against Afghanistan and United States in the ODI and T20 World Cups respectively
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s head coach Gary Kirsten will be scouting for cricketing talent in the upcoming Champions Cup, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Saturday, following a series of dismal performances by the national side.
Pakistan have been left reeling after their first-ever Test series loss to Bangladesh this month, the latest in a string of poor performances which have seen the game hit rock bottom.
The cricket-mad nation was left in despair after losing the second Test in Rawalpindi by six wickets on Tuesday as Bangladesh swept the series 2-0. It was the 10th winless home Test in a row for former powerhouses Pakistan.
However, the PCB has set its sights on the inaugural Champions One-Day Cup, due to take place at Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad from September 12 to 29, to find new cricketing talent in the country.
“Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten will be arriving on 12 September to witness the entire Champions One-Day Cup and it will surely be exciting for him to work in the domestic circuit in order to look into the young talent with an eye on the upcoming white-ball assignments in Australia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, followed by the home tri-national series and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025,” Nadeem Khan, a senior PCB official, was quoted as saying by the board.
“The Champions One-Day Cup will help us unearth future white-ball prospects for the Pakistan’s white-ball teams, also marking the start of the preparation for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Having the Champions Cup in September will allow us to give an extended opportunity to the top performers of this tournament in International cricket before the mega-event commences home.”
Team mentors of the five sides in the tournament include Misbah-ul-Haq (Wolves), Saqlain Mushtaq (Panthers), Sarfaraz Ahmed (Dolphins), Shoaib Malik (Stallions) and Waqar Younis (Lions). The PCB also announced captains and provisional squads on Friday.
The tournament featuring top players from across the country will be a 50-over competition played on a single-league format. All matches will start at 3pm, except for the match between Lions and Panthers on September 16, which will begin at 9:30am.
Pakistan’s loss to Bangladesh came hard on the heels of chastening losses against Afghanistan and the USA in the ODI and T20 World Cups respectively.
Pakistan also have a dismal record in Tests at home in the past three years — six defeats and four draws, including England’s first-ever 3-0 series sweep there in 2022.
Ominously, in-form England are Pakistan’s next visitors and will play three Tests beginning in Multan on October 7.
Pakistan are not faring any better away from home and lost all three Tests in Australia earlier this year — their sixth successive whitewash there since 1999.
Analysts say frequent changes at the top of the PCB, which has had five chairmen in the past three years, have impeded progress. There have also been constant switches of captains and coaching staff while the domestic system of tournaments has had countless overhauls.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi himself called for “surgery in the system” after the T20 World Cup exit.
“We need to fix our problems,” he said last month. “But when we look at how to resolve them, we don’t have any solid data or player pool which we can draw from.”
Ex-skipper Wasim Akram echoed Naqvi’s analysis.
“The quality of our cricket has gone down with no grassroots activity, so we do not have proper back-ups,” he said recently. “We have a lot to work on.”
Pakistan Navy ships visit UAE to participate in Nasl Al Bahr exercise
- The ships were received by UAE Navy officials and Pakistan’s defense attaché upon arrival at Mina Zayed Port in Abu Dhabi
- The exercise aims to enhance interoperability, operational readiness and consolidate existing relations between both navies
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Navy Ships (PNS) Shamsheer and Haibat arrived at Mina Zayed Port in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to participate in the Nasl Al Bahr naval exercise, Pakistan Navy said on Saturday.
Upon arrival at the port in Abu Dhabi, Pakistan Navy ships were received by senior officials of the UAE Navy and Pakistan’s defense attaché, according to the Directorate General Public Relations (DGPR) of Pakistan Navy.
Mission commander of Pakistan Navy, Commodore Shahid Wasif, along with commanding officers of PNS Shamsheer and Haibat called on Brig. Abdullah Faraj Al Muhairi, deputy commander of the UAE Navy.
During the interactions, matters of mutual interests were discussed and enhancement of bilateral ties in all spheres was reaffirmed. In addition, modalities for the conduct of the exercise were also deliberated upon with the host navy.
“After the port call, PNS SHAMSHEER & PNS HAIBAT will participate in Ex NASL AL BAHR,” the DGPR said in a statement. “The exercise is aimed to enhance interoperability, display operational readiness and consolidate existing strong bilateral relations between the two navies.”
During the port stay, UAE’s Assistant Minister for Security and Maritime Affairs Salem Saeed Al-Jabri, Pakistan’s ambassador to the UAE Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, senior leadership of the UAE armed forces and notables from the Pakistani community also visited the ships.
Students and Pakistani community displayed excitement during their visit, while officers and men of both navies also conducted cross visit of naval units and participated in joint sports activities.
The UAE is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States. It is also home to more than a million Pakistani expatriates and the second-largest source of remittances to Pakistan after Saudi Arabia.
