ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s provincial government of Punjab said on Thursday it has vaccinated 23 million people in the last one month through a mass vaccination drive as Pakistan reports a surge in coronavirus cases driven by the omicron variant.
Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province, has reported 360 new infections in the last 24 hours, pushing the country’s overall positivity above 2 percent. Official data available with Arab News shows the province has so far reported 217 cases of the omicron variant, while 53 percent of eligible 81 million individuals in Punjab have been fully vaccinated.
The provincial health department started a “Reach Every Door” mass COVID-19 vaccination campaign across Punjab in October last year alongside its routine vaccination campaign. At least 14 million individuals were vaccinated during the drive.
The second phase of the mass campaign began in December and concluded this week, with authorities reporting that they administered doses to over 23 million individuals.
“These mass vaccination drives have helped us bring down the coronavirus infections, hospitalization and deaths of the patients in the province,” Hammad Raza Bukhari, a spokesperson for the Punjab Health Department, told Arab News on Thursday.
“Number of infections have been increasing for past some days, but so far there is no pressure on our health facilities,” Bukhari said.
He said the Punjab government was given a task by the National Command and Operations Center (NCOC), a federal body that leads Pakistan’s response against the pandemic, to vaccinate a total of 81 million people, saying that authorities have fully jabbed 53 percent of the target.
He added that the partial vaccination of 72 percent eligible persons had been completed.
“Our ‘Reach Every Door’ campaign has played a vital role in this success,” Imran Sikandar Baloch, Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Punjab, said in a statement on Thursday.
While the mass vaccination drive has so far only been adopted by the Punjab government, the National Institute of Health plans to carry out a countrywide vaccination campaign in March this year.
Official data shows Punjab had reported 446,401 coronavirus positive cases till Wednesday while the number of active cases in the province was 3,935.
In the last 24 hours, the city of Lahore reported 320 positive cases, Rawalpindi 14, Multan nine and Faisalabad four cases.
Lahore has recorded a positivity ratio of 4 percent, Rawalpindi and Multan 2 percent, while Faisalabad reported a one percent positivity ratio over the last 24 hours.
“We can stop the spread of the virus only through vaccination and precautionary measures,” Baloch added.
Pakistan reported over 1,000 coronavirus infections in a single day on Thursday, the first time since October 14 last year that the daily cases count broke the thousand cases barrier.
The NCOC has said the country was not considering a lockdown but would ramp up vaccinations and impose further restrictions on the unvaccinated.
Punjab vaccinates 23 million people in a month in mass inoculation drive
https://arab.news/2zvjv
Punjab vaccinates 23 million people in a month in mass inoculation drive
- Provincial authorities have recorded 217 omicron positive cases so far
- Authorities have fully vaccinated 53 percent of 81 million eligible individuals in the province
Pakistani energy giants increase investment in Reko Diq gold mine project to $1.25 billion
- Reko Diq, one of the world’s largest underdeveloped copper-gold mine, is jointly owned by Canadian mining firm Barrick Gold Corp. and Pakistan
- Feasibility study shows project has a mining life of 37 years and is expected to yield 13.1 million tons of copper and 17.9 million ounces of gold
KARACHI: Pakistani state-owned Oil & Gas Development Company Ltd. (OGDCL) and Pakistan Petroleum Ltd. (PPL) have increased their investments in the Reko Diq gold and copper mining project to $1.25 billion, the energy firms said in separate filings in the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX).
The OGDCL and PPL, each holding 8.33 percent stake in the multi-billion-dollar project through Pakistan Minerals (Private) Limited, have completed their feasibility studies. The third state-owned shareholder is Government Holdings (Private) Limited, according to the stock filings.
Each of the two oil and gas explorers have decided to increase their funding commitment with respect to the project, reflecting their pro rata share of total capital investment, inclusive of project financing costs, to $627 million. The financing cost is to be adjusted according to the actual project cost and inflation.
On Tuesday, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the federal cabinet also approved a summary regarding the Reko Diq project and changes in its overall development plan, the Finance Division said in a statement.
“The ECC took up a summary by the Petroleum Division regarding the Reko Diq Project and changes in its overall development plan and related financial commitments and project finance considerations due to inflation and enhanced scope of the project concerning capacity, energy mix, alternative water supply options and updated processing plants and machinery,” the statement read.
“The ECC noted the factors leading to the project escalations, and approved the proposals contained in the summary with the directions to the Ministries of Petroleum & Finance to continue close coordination with a view to ensuring timely implementation of all agreed actions.”
Reko Diq, one of the world’s largest underdeveloped copper-gold mine, is jointly owned by Canadian mining firm Barrick Gold Corp. and Pakistan. Out of the total shareholding of Reko Diq project, 25 percent is held by the provincial government of Balochistan — 15 percent on a fully funded basis through Balochistan Mineral Resources Limited and 10 percent on a free carried basis — and 50 percent is held by Barrick Gold Corporation which is the operator of the project.
As per the estimates, the increase in copper and gold prices has offset the impact of higher project costs, according to the two energy firms. The feasibility study of the project shows it has a mining life of 37 years and is expected to yield 13.1 million tons of copper and 17.9 million ounces of gold.
The project will be executed in two phases, with the phase one having an estimated capital outlay of $5.6 billion that is exclusive of the financing costs and inflation. It is planned to be funded through a limited-recourse project financing facility of up to $3 billion with the remaining funded through shareholder contributions, the OGDCL and PPL said.
The energy companies plan to fund the second phase through a mix of revenue generation from the project, additional project financing and shareholder contributions, if required. Under the updated feasibility study phase one is planned to process 45 million tons per annum (Mtpa) of mill feed from 2028. While phase two is planned to double the processing capacity to 90 Mtpa by 2034.
The project will leverage five of the currently identified 15 porphyry surface expressions within the current mining lease, highlighting substantial future growth potential. Negotiations for the proposed project financing are ongoing.
‘No evidence’ of Pakistan supplying weapons to Ukraine — Russian envoy
- Russian Ambassador Albert P. Khorev praises Islamabad for maintaining a ‘neutral position’ in the Russia-Ukraine conflict
- Russia will ‘consider’ mediating between Pakistan, India under its ‘Eurasian security concept’ if both nations agree, he adds
ISLAMABAD: Russia’s Ambassador to Pakistan Albert P. Khorev on Tuesday dismissed reports about Islamabad supplying weapons to Ukraine in the war against Russia, saying that “no evidence” had been found in this regard so far.
Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan’s was visiting Russian in Feb. 2022, when Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine following its annexation of Crimea in 2014.
During the war, reports emerged in the British, United States and Indian media that suggested that Pakistan had sold arms worth millions of dollars to Ukraine in the war against Russia.
“We heard of such reports, such information, but we still haven’t got any evidence so far,” Ambassador Khorev told Arab News in an exclusive interview. “No evidence as of now. So, at this stage, I would prefer to not comment until we have any.”
The ambassador praised Islamabad for maintaining neutrality in the Russia-Ukraine conflict despite “pressure from the Western camp.”
“We are grateful for the Pakistani government for its neutral position in this conflict around Ukraine despite the pressure from the Western camp, previous US administration and European leaders,” he added.
The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has killed more than 250,000 people, and the US, Russia and Ukraine are currently holding talks in Saudi Arabia to implement a ceasefire that may eventually lead to an end to the conflict.
MEDIATION BETWEEN PAKISTAN AND INDIA
Asked if Russia could mediate between Pakistan and India on outstanding issues, Khorev said Moscow would “consider” the idea if the nuclear-armed South Asian neighbors deemed it appropriate.
Relations between India and Pakistan have been fraught for years with the Muslim-majority Himalayan region of Kashmir being a flashpoint between Pakistan and India since their independence from the British rule in 1947. Both Pakistan and India rule parts of the Himalayan territory, but claim it in full and have fought three wars over the disputed region. Both countries also often accuse each other of fanning militancy.
The idea could be supported by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s new Eurasian security concept, according to the Russian envoy. Eurasia refers to the combined landmass of Europe and Asia including countries like Russia, China, Pakistan India and those in Central Asia, which are of significant geopolitical and strategic importance.
“The Eurasian security concept’s main principle was that Eurasian conflicts should be solved through Eurasian actors which means without influence from abroad, different continents and parts of the world,” Ambassador Khorev said.
Pakistan approves fast-track plan to privatize loss-making national airline
- Cash-strapped Pakistan wants to privatize debt-ridden PIA to reform state-owned enterprises
- Pakistan hopes the restoration of PIA routes to Europe will boost the airline’s appeal to buyers
ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to endorse a plan to fast-track Pakistan International Airlines Corporation’s privatization, state media reported on Tuesday, while reiterating its resolve to offload loss-making public entities from the national exchequer.
Cash-strapped Pakistan is looking to privatize the debt-ridden PIA to raise funds and reform state-owned enterprises as envisaged under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund program secured last year.
The decision to endorse the new privatization plan follows Pakistan’s failed attempt last year to offload a 60 percent stake in the airline, which drew just a single offer that was well below the asking price.
The issue PIA privatization came under discussed at a meeting in Islamabad chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Senator Ishaq Dar.
“Cabinet Committee on Privatization (CCOP) on Tuesday approved a fast-tracked plan for the privatization of Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (PIACL), including the divestment of 51-100 percent share capital together with management control,” the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency reported.
“The deputy PM emphasized the government’s commitment to PIACL’s privatization to unlock its full potential and reduce financial burden on the national exchequer,” it added.
APP did not provide further details of the revised plan or explain how it would differ from the previous unsuccessful effort.
Earlier this month, the government appointed Muhammad Ali, formerly the special assistant to the prime minister on the power sector, as adviser for privatization.
Last year, PIA got permission to resume operations in Europe after a 2020 ban by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which had raised concerns about the ability of Pakistani authorities and the Civil Aviation Authority to ensure compliance with international aviation standards.
EASA and UK authorities had suspended PIA’s operations in the region after Pakistan launched a probe into pilot licensing irregularities following a 2020 crash that killed 97 people.
Pakistan hopes that the restoration of routes to Europe and anticipated approval for UK operations will boost the airline’s appeal to potential buyers.
WWF, global biopharma giant join hands to protect freshwater resources in Pakistan, India
- Freshwater ecosystems have seen an alarming 85 percent decline in wildlife since 1970, WWF says
- Pakistan’s Indus Basin, in particular, faces threats from pollution, dams and climate change
ISLAMABAD: The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the GSK global biopharma giant have launched a five-year initiative to conserve and restore freshwater resources in water-stressed regions of Pakistan and India, Pakistani state media reported on Tuesday.
The collaboration, running until 2030, will focus on the Indus River Basin in Pakistan and the Sutlej River Basin in India, key areas for medicine production. The initiative aims to replenish over 300,000 cubic meters of water and benefit more than 100,000 people by implementing nature-based solutions.
Key efforts include restoring freshwater habitats, protecting endangered species like river dolphins and otters, and promoting sustainable water management in local communities and farms, the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency reported.
“Ensuring sustainable water supply is critical to delivering life-saving medicines,” Regis Simard, president of global supply chain of GSK that operates three manufacturing sites in these regions, was quoted as saying by the APP.
“Partnering with WWF allows us to drive meaningful change in these vulnerable ecosystems.”
Freshwater ecosystems have seen an alarming 85 percent decline in wildlife populations since 1970, according to WWF’s Living Planet Report. The Indus Basin, in particular, faces threats from pollution, dams and climate change.
The partnership aligns with global biodiversity goals, including the Freshwater Challenge that seeks to restore 300,000 kilometers of rivers and 350 million hectares of wetlands by 2030.
“Pakistan faces severe water scarcity and pollution,” said Hammad Naqi Khan, director-general of WWF-Pakistan, highlighting the urgency of water conservation.
“Companies like GSK are leading by example not just reducing water use but actively replenishing resources.”
Rescued dog helps police find owner’s body, wife and brother-in-law held
- Omar Hayat, an agricultural worker, had rescued a stray dog with broken legs and nursed it back to health
- Hayat’s body was buried under a heap of cow dung, which was then set on fire to destroy any evidence
KARACHI: A stray dog rescued and nursed back to health by a Pakistani agricultural laborer led police to its owner’s buried body, exposing a murder plot allegedly orchestrated by the victim’s wife and her brother, officials said on Tuesday.
Omar Hayat was killed last month in a village in Tehsil Chichawatni, located in Punjab province. His wife, Shamim, and her brother, Fida Hussain, were arrested and sent into judicial custody on Monday, according to Station House Officer (SHO) Shahzad Ahmed.
“Omar Hayat had found the dog on the roadside months earlier, with both of his legs broken,” Ahmed told Arab News over the phone. “He took it in and treated its legs. After approximately two months, the dog was able to walk again. Since then, the dog stayed with Hayat all the time.”
The SHO said that when Hayat went missing, the dog began searching for him.
“It sensed its owner’s scent and started digging a pile of burnt cow dung with its legs. It continued this for two days until the legs of the body appeared,” he continued, adding that a local resident, Bilal Shah, saw the remains and informed the police.
“We called the crime scene unit and began collecting evidence,” the police official said.
According to him, the victim’s face had been completely burned, making identification difficult. His wife also refused to identify the body and “continuously misled the police,” he added. However, Hayat’s mother recognized the legs, saying they resembled her son’s, and subsequent DNA testing confirmed the body’s identity.
“We arrested Shamim’s brother, Mudasir, a week ago, and Shamim was arrested two days ago,” the police official said. “Yesterday, both were sent to jail on judicial remand.”
During interrogation, both suspects confessed to murdering Hayat and burying his body under a pile of cow dung, which they set on fire in an attempt to destroy evidence and hinder identification.
“Hayat’s wife said that her husband used drugs and had affairs with other women,” Ahmed said. “After catching him with a woman, his wife went to her brother, and they both murdered him.”
Originally from Multan, Hayat worked at a farmhouse in a Chichawatni village, where he lived with Shamim and their four children.
Shamim belongs to Khanewal, and the couple had been married for 15 years.
