LAHORE: A senior health official in Pakistan’s Punjab province said on Sunday there had been a “significant decline” in coronavirus cases across the province, local media reported.
Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province, reported one death and 57 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, according to official figures.
“Special standard operating procedures (SOPs) have been issued for various sectors to bring about a further decrease in the virus cases,” the Express Tribune newspaper quoted Punjab health care secretary Imran Sikandar Baloch as saying.
The official also urged the general public to “maintain social distancing, wear masks and contact 1033 helpline for any guidance or complaints.”
Pakistan recorded two more fatalities and 358 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, according to official data.
The South Asian nation also continues to report cases of the omicron variant. The strain was first detected in South Africa last month and within a few weeks of its discovery has spread across nearly 90 countries in the world.
On Saturday, Pakistan’s federal capital reported its first case of the new strain, a senior official announced, saying the patient had traveled to Islamabad from Karachi.
Pakistan reported its first omicron case in Karachi on December 13, though many other people were suspected to have contracted the variant in other parts of the country, including Balochistan.
Last week, Pakistani Planning Minister Asad Umar requested eligible Pakistani nationals to get themselves vaccinated after the emergence of omicron cases in the country. He said the spread of the new variant across the world had made it “even more urgent” to increase the pace of Pakistan’s vaccination campaign.
So far, 92,086,806 people have received their first dose of anti-COVID vaccines in Pakistan, while 65,149,948 have been fully inoculated, official data shows.
COVID-19 cases declining across Pakistan’s Punjab province — health official
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COVID-19 cases declining across Pakistan’s Punjab province — health official
- Health secretary says special directives issued to bring about “further decrease” in cases
- Pakistan continues to report new cases of omicron variant, first one identified in capital on Saturday
Pakistan raises fuel prices by up to Rs9.56 per liter amid global energy market fluctuations
- With the new surge, the per liter cost of petrol and high-speed diesel will be Rs265.61 and Rs277.45, respectively
- Any upward revision to fuel prices is generally met with public discontent amid fears of high inflation in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: The government on Sunday increased the per liter cost of petrol and high-speed diesel by Rs7.45 and Rs9.56, respectively, after taking credit for reducing petroleum prices by up to Rs35 since taking over following the last review.
Fuel prices are fixed on a fortnightly basis by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) in Pakistan, which adjusts them by considering fluctuations in the international energy market and rupee-dollar parity.
This allows the government to pass on the net effect to consumers to finance the country’s fuel imports.
“The prices of petroleum products have seen an increasing trend in the international market during the last fortnight,” said the statement circulated by the finance division, adding that OGRA had worked out the consumer prices accordingly.
“There will be no change in the applicable taxes & duties, which will remain at the existing level,” it added.
With the new surge, the per liter cost of petrol will be Rs265.61, and for high-speed diesel, it will be Rs277.45.
The new prices will be applicable for the next fortnight, starting July 1.
Any upward revision to fuel prices in the country is generally met with public discontent as it contributes to inflationary pressure, raising the overall cost of living.
Pakistan witnessed a 38 percent inflation rate in May 2023, which eased more recently to 11.8 percent last month.
PIA slashes Umrah fares to Madinah until July 15
- The round-trip Umrah fare from Karachi to the Saudi holy city will be Rs76,000 without taxes
- Umrah pilgrims flying from other Pakistani airports will pay Rs86,000 excluding relevant taxes
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s national air carrier announced a reduction in Umrah fares for pilgrims traveling to Madinah in a statement issued on Sunday, saying the discounted rates would be implemented immediately.
Thousands of Pakistanis travel to Saudi Arabia each month to visit the holy sites in Makkah and Madinah, making the kingdom a lucrative destination for the financially struggling Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
Earlier this month, PIA also disclosed plans to operate 171 flights to bring about 35,000 Hajj pilgrims back to Pakistan by July 21.
“PIA announces reduction in Umrah fares,” the airline announced in a statement. “Umrah pilgrims traveling from Pakistan to Madinah will benefit from discounted fares.”
“The round-trip Umrah fare from Karachi to Madinah will be Rs76,000 excluding taxes,” it continued. “From Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Multan and Sialkot to Madinah, the round-trip fare has been set at 86,000 excluding taxes.”
The statement added the facility to travel from Pakistan at discounted fares would remain effective until July 15.
Fears mount of new deportation wave as Afghan refugees’ registration cards expire on June 30
- Pakistan extended the POR cards for two months in April after expelling more than 540,000 Afghan nationals
- Government launched the deportation drive against ‘illegal immigrants’ in November, citing security concerns
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan may resume its deportation drive against Afghan refugees from Monday after their Proof of Registration (POR) cards expire today, June 30.
POR cards are identification documents issued by Pakistani authorities to Afghan refugees that serve as official recognition of their legal status in the country, allowing them access to various services such as education, health care and banking.
The government extends these cards on a periodic basis, often depending on the political and security situations involving both countries.
It decided to extend these cards for two months in April amid rising international concerns of more Afghans being expelled after over 540,000 of them were sent home in the first deportation phase launched amid security concerns last November.
While the government has not yet issued a statement addressing the future of these refugees, the situation has once again stirred concern about Afghan nationals needing “international protection.”
“They’re refugees. They’re not involved in terrorist activities. They’re just people who fled and who need protection,” Philippa Candler, an Afghan refugee agency official in Pakistan, was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera.
Pakistan began its deportation drive against “illegal immigrants,” mostly Afghan nationals, after a surge of deadly suicide bombings which officials in Islamabad blamed on militants based in Afghanistan.
The authorities also blamed the Afghan administration in Kabul for facilitating these militants, a charge denied by Taliban officials, while blaming Afghan nationals in Pakistan for carrying out 14 out of 24 suicide attacks in the country.
Pakistani officials also warned that they would expel registered Afghan refugees from the country.
Seven killed, 10 injured in road collision in Pakistan’s Karachi amid heavy port traffic
- The incident took place on Mauripur Road, which is notorious for traffic jams due to heavy vehicles
- The top police surgeon in Karachi says three people involved in the accident are in critical condition
KARACHI: Seven people were killed and ten injured after a road accident occurred between a coaster and a trailer in Pakistan’s southern city of Karachi on Sunday.
The incident took place on the central Mauripur Road, notorious for traffic jams due to the heavy flow of trawlers and trucks carrying goods to and from the city’s port facilities.
Karachi, Pakistan’s commercial capital, is a major hub for import and export, benefiting from a bustling harbor that provides access to global sea lanes.
“We received seven bodies, one male and six females,” said Karachi’s top police surgeon, Dr. Summaiya Syed, while speaking to Arab News.
She informed that among the 10 injured people, four were male while six were female, with three of them in critical condition.
Road accidents are common in Pakistan, where traffic rules are rarely followed and roads are often in poor condition.
Karachi, the largest and most densely populated Pakistani metropolis, experiences a heavy load of traffic on nearly every artery of the city.
According to media reports, the speeding coaster rammed into the trailer and overturned as the latter’s driver was trying to take a U-turn.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah expressed grief over the incident, saying the licenses of all reckless drivers should be suspended.
Twenty inmates stage jailbreak in Azad Kashmir, one killed – officials
- The incident took place at the Poonch district jail in Rawalakot city where the inmates used a revolver to hold a sentry hostage
- A search operation is underway to locate the escapees, some of whom were held on serious charges including terrorism
MUZAFFARABAD: Twenty detainees, some accused of terrorism, staged a prison break in Azad Kashmir on Sunday, officials told AFP, adding that one was “killed in the crossfire” during the escape.
“The inmates had a revolver that they used to hold a sentry hostage,” said Badar Munir, an official with the regional ministry of interior.
“It is unclear whether they seized it (the weapon) from jail officials or if it was brought in from outside,” Munir added.
The incident took place at the Poonch district jail in Rawalakot city, about 110 kilometers (68 miles) south of Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Kashmir.
“In total, 20 people escaped from the prison. One was killed in the crossfire, while 19 others remain at large,” the inspector general of Kashmir prisons, Waheed Ali Gillani, told AFP.
A senior local police official, Riaz Mughal, told AFP that police had blocked the entry and exit points of Rawalakot, and a search operation was currently under way to locate the escapees.
Prisons in Pakistan are notorious for overcrowding, poor conditions, corruption and human rights violations. Additionally, slow judicial processes contribute to prolonged stays for prisoners.
Militant groups have organized several mass jailbreaks in Pakistan in the past, including one in the northwestern town of Bannu in 2012 that sprung 400 prisoners.
