KARACHI: Traders in Pakistan’s financial capital of Karachi have launched a special COVID-19 vaccination campaign for merchants and employees in the city in collaboration with the provincial government of Sindh with the aim of avoiding strict market lockdowns in the future, a prominent member of the business community said on Wednesday, saying a lockdown imposed last month led to about Rs50 billion in business losses.
In July, the government of the southern Sindh province announced a complete lockdown until August 8 as doctors reported an alarming spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus in the provincial capital. Traders and employers’ associations said the curbs would put at risk the livelihoods of at least four million daily wage laborers in the port city.
The provincial government lifted the 10-day lockdown this week, though coronavirus infections have not subsided. Sindh province reported 2,174 new coronavirus infections on Wednesday, with 57 percent of them in Karachi.
“We consider vaccination of traders and their employees as the only way to counter the possibility of future lockdowns of the city’s markets which have suffered great economic setbacks due to these virus restrictions,” said Atiq Mir, chairman of Karachi Tajir Ittehad and the Atiq Mir Foundation that has launched the vaccination drive for traders.
The initiative aims to immunize 50,000 traders, employees and daily workers in the first phase of the campaign, Mir said, beginning by targeting people working at the Arambagh Furniture Market and turning that exercise into a model for other markets to follow.
“We are also targeting residents of these market areas,” he said.
Mir said a majority of 600 big and small markets would be covered under the vaccination drive, saying other market associations were also inspired by the initiative and gearing up to launch similar projects.
“With hundred percent vaccinated traders, we will be in a position to present a strong case against market lockdowns and restrictions to the government,” he added.
Last year, after the coronavirus struck in Pakistan in February, the government imposed strict lockdowns but began lifting them by May over fears for the economy. The government of Prime Minister Imran Khan has always opposed imposing a complete nationwide lockdown due to its economic side effects and has preferred smart, localized lockdowns in disease hotspots with a focus on implementation of social distancing rules and other health guidelines.
A countrywide lockdown last year reduced the active working population of Pakistan from 55.74 million to 35.04 million, or 22 percent. The most affected province was Sindh where the working population reduced to 23 percent, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
Traders say the last lockdown too has inflicted billions of rupees in losses.
“Traders have suffered financial losses of about Rs50 billion during the most recent lockdown imposed by the Sindh government,” Mir said. “The aim of our vaccination drive is to avoid further losses because the virus is continuing to infect people.”
The administrator of Karachi city, Murtaza Wahab Siddiqui, agreed with Mir, saying vaccination was the only way to live a life free of curbs.
“I think we need to convince the people that if they want to protect themselves from this virus, if they want to continue to live a free life without restrictions, then they will have to get themselves vaccinated,” Siddiqui told Arab News, saying the Sindh administration’s decision to impose the lockdown was made to avoid a “health calamity” in the city.
“Unfortunately, we had to take such a tough decision to prevent a health calamity in the city and in the rest of the province,” he said.
Karachi traders launch COVID-19 vaccination drive after last market lockdown causes Rs50 billion loss
https://arab.news/66gct
Karachi traders launch COVID-19 vaccination drive after last market lockdown causes Rs50 billion loss
- Vaccination campaign aims to cover all merchants and employees in about 600 markets in Pakistan’s commercial capital
- Karachi Administrator says provincial administration imposed recent 10-day lockdown to prevent ‘health calamity’ in the city
Pakistan arrests 10 suspects for begging in Saudi Arabia under guise of Umrah
- Suspects were deported from Saudi Arabia for being involved in begging, says Federal Investigation Agency
- Pakistan’s FIA says authorities conducting strict screening across all airports, vows stern action against beggars
KARACHI: Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said on Sunday it has arrested 10 persons deported from Saudi Arabia for allegedly begging in the Kingdom despite traveling there on Umrah visas.
The trend of beggars abusing visas to beg in foreign countries has Pakistan worried that it could impact genuine visa-seekers and particularly religious pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. According to widespread media reports, Riyadh raised this issue with Islamabad at various forums last year.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said in November 2024 that an “effective crackdown” was being carried out across the country against Pakistanis traveling to the Kingdom on pilgrim and other visas and resorting to begging.
“In a major operation by FIA Immigration at Karachi airport, 10 suspects involved in begging under the guise of Umrah were arrested,” the agency said in a statement.
The suspects were deported from the Kingdom for being involved in begging and had arrived in Karachi via flight SV-704. The FIA said they hail from Pakistan’s Rajanpur, Naushahro Feroze, Kashmore, Lahore, Peshawar, Mohmand and Larkana cities and districts.
The agency said its initial investigation proved the suspects were begging in Saudi Arabia for several months, adding that they were transferred to the Anti-Human Trafficking Circle in Karachi for further legal action.
“FIA Immigration is conducting strict screening at all airports,” the FIA said. “Passengers going abroad are being checked from all aspects. Strict action is being taken against those involved in begging.”
Pakistanis are the second-largest expatriate community in the Kingdom, with over 2.5 million living and working in Saudi Arabia, the top source of remittances to the South Asian country.
Pakistan interior minister urges Imran Khan’s party to avoid Feb. 8 countrywide protests
- Khan has called on protesters to mark Feb. 8 Pakistan election anniversary as “Black Day” to protest alleged rigging
- Tri-nation cricket series involving South Africa, New Zealand and Pakistan will kick off in Lahore from Feb. 8
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi this week urged former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party to avoid protesting on Feb. 8, the same day a tri-nation series involving international cricket teams from South Africa and New Zealand is to kick off in the eastern city of Lahore.
Khan’s party has called on thousands of his supporters to mark the one-year anniversary of Pakistan’s controversial Feb. 8, 2024 general election as a “Black Day.” The former prime minister has urged people from all walks of life to hold protests in their respective cities against alleged rigging on Feb. 8.
Last year’s polls were marred by a countrywide shutdown of cellphone networks and delayed results, leading to widespread allegations of election manipulation by the PTI and other opposition parties. The caretaker government and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) denied the allegations. The US House of Representatives, as well as European countries, have called on Islamabad to open a probe into the allegations — a move that Pakistan has thus far rejected.
Pakistan is set to host New Zealand and South Africa for a tri-nation cricket series starting Feb. 8-14 in Lahore and Karachi. The matches on Feb. 8 and 10 will be held in Lahore. Pakistan will then host the eight-nation Champions Trophy cricket tournament from Feb. 19-Mar. 9 in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Karachi.
“Like before we will request them not to do this [Feb. 8 protest],” Naqvi told reporters at a press conference in Lahore on Saturday.
“I did this before too when they started giving dates for the Nov. 26 [protests]. If they don’t [call off the protest] then...,” Naqvi paused abruptly without finishing the sentence, hinting the government would take action.
The interior minister was referring to the party’s November protests last year in which thousands of Khan supporters arrived in the capital, threatening to demand his release from prison. The government says four troops were killed in clashes, a charge the PTI denies and says scores of its workers were also killed.
Khan’s ouster in a parliamentary no-trust vote in 2022 has plunged Pakistan into a political crisis, particularly since the PTI founder was jailed in August 2023 on corruption and other charges and remains behind bars.
Khan’s party and the government held talks last month to ease political tensions in the country. However, the PTI ended negotiations this month, saying the government had failed to honor its demands of establishing judicial commissions to probe the protests of May 9, 2023, and November 2024.
Dallas-based Pakistani chef to feature in popular US culinary show
- Maryam Ishtiaq, 32, will feature in the latest season of ‘Next Level Chef’ set to premiere on Feb. 13
- Ishtiaq will feature as a contestant on show with celebrated British chef Gordon Ramsay as judge
ISLAMABAD: Dallas-based Pakistani chef Maryam Ishtiaq recently announced on Instagram that she will be part of the upcoming season of the popular American culinary reality TV show, “Next Level Chef,” saying she was proud to represent her community on the international stage.
Next Level Chef is an American culinary reality competition TV series featuring celebrated chefs Gordon Ramsay, Nyesha Arrington and Richard Blais. The three recruit talented chefs from around the world and take them under their wing, with the contestants facing unique cooking challenges.
Ishtiaq, 32, describes herself as a “self-taught” chef with years of experience cooking for large families, catering for intimate gatherings and hosting private parties. She is the co-founder of an American food company “Its Actually” which sells halal broth.
“I have consistently followed a unique career journey, and I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity to turn my dreams into reality while pursuing my passions,” she wrote on Instagram on Jan. 28, announcing that she will feature in season 4 of the culinary show.
“My world is about to get rocked, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to represent my community on such a prominent platform while doing what I love most! Let’s do this!”
The fourth season of the popular American reality show will kick off on Feb. 13 on Fox network.
Speaking to Dawn Images, Ishtiaq said she applied to be a contestant on Next Level Chef “years ago and totally forgot that I did.”
She told the publication that one day she randomly got a call from the show’s staff who were interested in her.
“You go through multiple rounds of interviews, auditions, background checks,” she said.
Last month, Ishtiaq was featured in an article on private chefs on Forbes. The Pakistani-American chef told the website she plans to open a cafe where halal food can coexist with other dietary restrictions on a varied menu.
Four paramilitary soldiers killed by firing, IED blast in northwest Pakistan— police
- Levies personnel were in Dera Ismail Khan district from Balochistan to retrieve stolen vehicle, say police official
- Pakistan has suffered a surge in attacks in KP province since November 2022 after its truce with Pakistani Taliban ended
PESHAWR: Four soldiers of the paramilitary Levies force were killed after they were targeted by firing and an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in northwestern Pakistan’s Dera Ismail Khan district, a police officer said on Sunday.
According to D.I. Khan police officer Amer Khan, the four Levies personnel were in the district from southwestern Pakistan’s Khanozai area to retrieve a stolen truck.
Noor Ahmad Naib, Rasheed Zaman, Dawood Khan and Bilal Ahmad left for DI Khan on Feb. 1, the police officer said, adding that their vehicle was attacked in the district’s Daraban area.
“Upon initial reports, all embraced martyrdom due to firing followed by an IED blast,” Khan told Arab News.
So far no group has claimed responsibility for the attack but suspicion is likely to fall on the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or the Pakistani Taliban, who have launched attacks on Pakistan’s security forces and law enforcement personnel for over a decade-and-a-half.
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militancy in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan, since a fragile truce between the TTP and the state broke down in November 2022.
The TTP and other militant groups have stepped up their attacks against security forces, besides targeted killings and kidnappings of law enforcers and government officials, in recent months.
Islamabad has frequently accused neighboring Afghanistan of sheltering anti-Pakistan groups that launch cross-border attacks. Afghan officials deny allowing the use of their soil against any country.
The latest casualties in the province come a day after the military said 18 Pakistani soldiers were killed in a militant attack in southwestern Balochistan province. The military said it had killed at least 23 militants in subsequent clearance operations.
India coach Gambhir says focused on winning Champions Trophy, not just Pakistan clash
- India face arch-rivals Pakistan in highly anticipated tournament match on Feb. 23 in Dubai
- Pakistan, India, New Zealand and Bangladesh are members of Group A in Champions Trophy
ISLAMABAD: India’s cricket coach Gautam Gambhir has said he is focused on ensuring his side wins the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy tournament and not just its clash against arch-rivals Pakistan in Dubai.
India and Pakistan are set to lock horns in the highly anticipated Champions Trophy encounter in Dubai on Feb. 23. The eight-nation tournament is scheduled to kick off from Feb. 19 in Karachi with hosts Pakistan taking on New Zealand.
Cricket matches between the two Asian giants are always a treat to watch for millions of fans across the globe. The last time the two sides met in Dubai was in 2021 when Pakistan thrashed India by 10 wickets to register their first win over the arch-rivals in a World Cup contest.
“Look, we don’t go to the Champions Trophy thinking that the 23rd is the most important game for us,” Gambhir, a former cricketer himself, told Star Sports at the annual BCCI awards night in Mumbai on Saturday.
“I think five games, all the games are important.”
The matches will be held in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Karachi cities. India, however, will play all their matches in Dubai due to political tensions with Pakistan.
The Indian coach said the mission for his side to go to Dubai is to win the tournament, not just its match against Pakistan.
“But yes, if that is one game in the middle of winning the Champions Trophy, we’re going to try and take it as seriously as possible,” he said.
India and Pakistan are joined by Bangladesh and New Zealand in Group A of the tournament, with just two teams progressing to the knockout stages of the event.
Pakistan are defending champions of the tournament. They won the last edition of the 50-over tournament in 2017 by beating India in the final by 180 runs.
