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  • 103yo Pakistani becomes one of world’s oldest coronavirus survivors

    103yo Pakistani becomes one of world’s oldest coronavirus survivors

    A 103-year-old man has recovered from COVID-19 in Pakistan to become one of the oldest survivors of the disease in the world, beating the odds in a country with a weak healthcare system, his relatives and doctors said.

    Aziz Abdul Alim, a resident of a village in the mountainous northern district of Chitral, was released last week from an emergency response centre after testing positive in early July.

    “We were worried for him given his age, but he wasn’t worried at all,” Alim’s son Sohail Ahmed told Reuters on the phone from his village, close to the border with China and Afghanistan.

    Ahmed quoted his father as saying that he had been through a lot in life and the coronavirus did not scare him. He did however, not like being in isolation.

    READ: Pakistan’s secret to ‘flattening the curve’

    A carpenter until his 70s, Alim has outlived three wives and nine sons and daughters, said Ahmed, who is himself in his 50s, adding that his father had separated from his fourth wife and is currently married to his fifth.

    Alim also had to be provided with moral and psychological support during his isolation and treatment, Dr Sardar Nawaz, a senior medical officer at the Aga Khan Health Service emergency centre told Reuters on Friday.

    The makeshift centre was set up in a girls’ hostel just weeks before Alim was brought in and is the only one equipped to deal with COVID-19 patients for miles.

    Pakistan has registered more than 270,000 cases of the disease and 5,778 deaths. While the number of people testing positive has dropped over the last month, government officials fear there could be another rise during the Eidul Azha holidays and Muharram.

  • 200-year-old Gurdwara reopens in Quetta after 73 years

    200-year-old Gurdwara reopens in Quetta after 73 years

    A 200-year-old Gurdwara in Quetta has been restored and handed over to the Sikh community by the Balochistan Government so they can continue their religious practices there.

    According to reports, the historical Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha on Masjid Road in central Quetta had been converted into a government school for girls after the Partition.

    Provincial Parliamentary Secretary for Minority Affairs Dhanesh Kumar said that the historic place of worship covers an area of 14,000 square feet and is worth billions of rupees because of its location. He lauded the government’s decision to “hand it over to Sikh brothers instead of using the building for any other purpose”.

    Chairman of the Sikh community in Balochistan Sardar Jasbeer Singh, expressed his happiness at the restoration and said that it was a “gift from the government to the Sikh community” living in the province.

    “Sikh community of the province is very pleased that our ancient Gurdwara has been handed over to the Sikh community by the Government of Pakistan and the Balochistan High Court after 73 years and now we are able to continue our religious practice,” said Singh. “The Sikh community from all over Pakistan and the rest of the world appreciated this initiative.”

    Jasbir added that there were 10-15 more historical gurdwaras in Balochistan which are still occupied.

    “We are hopeful that the government will focus on opening these closed shrines in shrines in Balochistan.”

    Other Sikhs present on the occasion of the reopening also expressed their happiness on this development. According to details, there are approximately 2,000 Sikh families living in Quetta, Dera Bugti, Osta Muhammad and Pashtun areas of the province.

    Meanwhile, the students of the school have been allowed to take admission in a nearby girls’ school so that their education is not affected by this.

    Earlier in February this year, the Balochistan government handed over a 200-year-old temple to the minority Hindu community in district Zhob.

  • Coronavirus: Pakistan’s secret to ‘flattening the curve’

    According to a report published by The Washington Post on July 19, “Pakistan has flattened its coronavirus curve” as the past several days have seen fewer than 1,500 cases and 40 deaths on an average.

    So far, 5,677 people have succumbed to COVID-19 in Pakistan, which is 2.1% of the total infected population while almost 79% (210,468) patients have recovered.

    The initial estimate of the World Health Organization (WHO) was that the infection fatality rate (IFR) for COVID-19 would be 3.4%, which means that for every hundred cases at three or four people would lose their lives. But as per the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the IFR has turned out to be much lower — at a mere 0.65%

    READ: Did COVID-19 peak in Pakistan in June?

    Pakistan’s total number of deaths from COVID-19 in June was 2,835. Since the second week of June, an average of 80 to 100 people had been dying on a daily basis and the same trend continued till June 30. The highest single-day death toll was 153 on June 19.

    So far in July, the highest number of deaths was recorded on the fourth day while the daily death toll within the first week stood at around 80. The trend came down to 60 to 70 deaths a day in the second week and the latest trend suggests up to 30 or 40 COVID-19 fatalities a day.

    Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid says that due to the strict quarantine policy of the provincial government, the virus has not spread as expected. She also says most fatalities are of those who are older than 60 years of age or are suffering from certain other diseases.

    READ: Is coronavirus ending in Pakistan?

    The rate of COVID-19 infections and deaths seems to have dropped significantly in Pakistan but it is an open secret that the number of cases and deaths is also being grossly misreported.

    “I am aware of a few cases in which patients with COVID-19 symptoms were never taken to hospitals and in case of death were laid to rest at large funeral gatherings,” said Love for Data Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Syed Tajamul Hussain. He added that the country hadn’t had a mortality census in a while and it was highly likely that cases were being under-reported amid limited testing capacity.

  • People want Waqar Zaka to be PM after court orders to lift PUBG ban

    People want Waqar Zaka to be PM after court orders to lift PUBG ban

    With the Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordering Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to immediately lift the ban imposed on popular online multiplayer game PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), Pakistanis are taking to social media to praise VJ-turned-television host Waqar Zaka’s efforts in this regard and seek his election as the country’s prime minister (PM).

    Pakistan’s ban on PUBG had been challenged in the Sindh High Court (SHC) by Zaka who had taken to social media to express his outrage as well as “expose” some shady conspiracy theories behind the ban.

    According to the YouTuber, the ban on PUBG, which the authorities said had come after PTA received “numerous complaints against PUBG wherein it was stated that the game is addictive, wastage of time and poses a serious negative impact on the physical and psychological health of children”, was “actually to prevent Pakistani youth from excelling in e-sports”.

    “These are the same people who don’t want our children to become famous around the world, who don’t want our country to generate revenue online, who want to send out a message to the e-sports providers around the world to prevent them from setting up their business here – reason why YouTube never did. These people will not allow us to evolve, a digital revolution needs to be brought,” Zaka had said in a video message.

    With the popular television personality continuing to raise his voice against the ban and separately the IHC on Friday finally ordering PTA to lift it, here’s what people have to say as ‘#ThankYouWaqarZaka’ trends on Twitter in Pakistan.

    https://twitter.com/Qasim6tweets/status/1286562678362779648

    On June 23, Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Zulfiqar Hameed had recommended a ban on the online game.

    The CCPO had taken up the matter with the higher authorities through a letter referring to the death by suicide of a teenage boy, who was an ardent player of the game. It had led to a temporary ban on the game, which was followed by a PTA statement on Thursday, according to which the ban was to stay in place.

  • ‘Bulbulay’s’ Nabeel Zafar apologises for show’s offensive remarks

    ‘Bulbulay’s’ Nabeel Zafar apologises for show’s offensive remarks

    Nabeel Zafar, who plays one of the leads on ARY Digital’s hit sitcom Bulbulay, has apologised for ‘offensive’ comments against Pashtuns on the show.

    In a video message, Nabeel apologises for hurting Pashtun sentiments and says that their intention was never to hurt anyone.

    “I came across some comments on Twitter today that we might have hurt the sentiments of our viewers through a scene of the show,” says Nabeel in the video. “We would never target a particular ethnicity. That was never our intention. Our audience ranges from a four-year-old to an eight-year-old. We receive massive viewership from the KP region.”

    He then goes on to explain the characters and says that the team of the shows aim to entertain the masses and make them laugh.

    “There are several characters on the show. We never meant to disrespect anyone. Our only intention was to make our audience happy,” he says further.

    Nabeel’s video was retweeted by the official handle of ARY Digital as well as ARY CEO Salman Iqbal.

    In a clip being circulated on social media, Mehmood Sahab (Mehmood Aslam) is seen talking to a Pathan man Sher Khan over the phone. When Khan says that he would like to come to their house and give them a gift, Nabeel jokes that the only gift he will give is either naswar or a bomb. Nabeel’s comments sparked outrage for stereotyping Pashtuns and the hashtag #BoycottARYDigital began to trend on social media.

    https://twitter.com/Iam_Mian1/status/1286301914846638080?s=20

  • ‘Soneya’: Asim Azhar drops new single

    ‘Soneya’: Asim Azhar drops new single

    Days after releasing the biggest collaboration of the year Tum Tum, Asim Azhar is back in the groove with a new single titled Soneya. But unlike his previous song, Soneya is darker and more sombre.

    Before the song begins, the singer reveals that the music video was shot under very challenging circumstances.

    “To the one’s who made it happen, and to all my fans who have stood by me, this one’s for you,” says the singer.

    According to details, the “heartbreak anthem” has been written by Kunaal Vermaa and composed by Asim. It features models Roshanay Afridi and Reham Rafiq.

    Soon after the song released, it began to trend on social media platforms following which Asim thanked everyone for their love and support.

    Asim also joked that he is finally trending for the right reasons this time. For the unacquainted, the singer was referring to how he has recently been trending due to his relationship with Hania Aamir.

  • Islamabad High Court orders govt to lift ban on PUBG

    Islamabad High Court orders govt to lift ban on PUBG

    The Islamabad High Court on Friday ordered the government to lift the ban on the popular online multiplayer game PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), Geo reported.

    The decision to lift the ban was announced by Justice Amir Farooq while hearing a petition filed against the banning of the game. 

    The decision comes a day after the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had announced that PUBG will remain blocked in Pakistan. 

    In a statement released on Twitter, the telecom watchdog and internet regulator said it reached the decision to keep the game banned after a detailed hearing conducted at the PTA premises on July 9 on the directions of the Lahore High Court (LHC).

    It said the hearing was attended by other interested parties also.

    The PTA said it also approached the PUBG management to share data about PUBG sessions and users in Pakistan and controls in place by the company. The response from PUBG is awaited, it said.

    On July 1, the PTA announced the decision to temporarily suspend the PUBG game in the country after it received multiple complaints from different segments of society.

    The authority said it received numerous complaints against PUBG wherein it was stated that the game is addictive, wastage of time, and poses a serious negative impact on the physical and psychological health of the Children.

    According to recent media reports, cases of suicide attributed to PUBG game have also been reported.

    The LHC also directed the PTA to look into the issue and decide the matter after hearing the complainants.

    The authority had also solicited views of the public to reach any decision about the online game.

  • VIDEO: Ertuğrul’s doppelganger from Karachi goes viral

    VIDEO: Ertuğrul’s doppelganger from Karachi goes viral

    A doppelganger of Turkish actor Engin Altan Düzyatan, who played the role of Ertuğrul Ghazi in the superhit Turkish drama series Diriliş: Ertuğrul has recently been found in Karachi.

    Engin’s lookalike, identified as Mustafa Hanif, lives in Karachi and runs a YouTube channel through which he promotes tourism in the country.

    In a recent interview with a local media outlet, Hanif said that people in his office had seen Diriliş: Ertuğrul before it was aired in Pakistan.

    “I was often told that I look like the leading character of the series but I never paid much attention to it,” said the YouTuber. “When my own family started following the show and said the same, I watched it too and was stunned.”

    He further shared: “Recently, I went to the market without wearing a facemask and a few people recognised me and started talking to me.

    Mustafa also expressed his wish to visit Turkey to meet the cast of the show, including the lead character.

    Read More – Ertuğrul cast to visit Pakistan in Oct/Nov

    Dirilis: Ertugrul is being aired on Pakistan Television (PTV) with Urdu dubbing on the directions of Prime Minister Imran Khan. The show has gained immense popularity in a very short time and has set a new record of viewership in the country.

  • ‘Demolish illegal buildings’: Court orders sealing Navy’s elite sailing club

    ‘Demolish illegal buildings’: Court orders sealing Navy’s elite sailing club

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ordered the Capital Development Authority (CDA) administration to seal the newly-constructed Navy Sailing Club, declaring the sports complex’s construction illegal.

    Two weeks ago, the CDA had served a notice to the navy for its allegedly illegal and unauthorised construction of the club and directed to immediately stop the construction of the building.

    During the hearing on Thursday, a board member told the court that the CDA had not issued any allotment letter for the land in question. To which, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah asked if the authority had taken any action to halt the construction. “We had issued notices to the Navy,” the CDA representative informed the judge.

    “What do you mean ‘you issued notices’,” asked Justice Minallah. “Demolish the illegal buildings,” he said.

    READ: Islamabad admin at odds with Navy over construction of elite sailing club

    Last week, the navy had clarified that the land in question was, in fact, allotted to it in 1994 for the development of a water sports centre. A statement issued at the time had asserted that navy divers are trained at the club who, then, take part in rescue operations in all four provinces and the federally administrative units, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir, as the club is the only such facility in the north of the country.

    Citing a 1994 order of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the CDA official informed the court that the permission to build the sports facility was granted by prime minister of the day, Benazir Bhutto.

    However, the judge ordered the CDA to seal the facility before the next hearing, saying in case the authority fails to comply, the court will summon Cabinet Secretary Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera. He also directed the issue to be presented before the cabinet.

    The judge wondered if the flagship military project was supported by any legal provision providing space for a purportedly commercial project.

    When a Pakistan Navy representative, who was present in the court, sought time to submit a response, Justice Minallah asked what did the navy need time for. “We respect you, appreciate your sacrifices and honour your martyrs but an illegal construction isn’t allowed,” he said.

    “Why are you defending something which is indefensible [according to relevant laws],” he questioned.

    “Islamabad is the country’s capital, not a tribal area. No one is above the law. Not even this court.”

  • KP launches e-challan system in Bajaur

    KP launches e-challan system in Bajaur

    In Bajaur district of erstwhile Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA) now merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) the provincial government has introduced e-challan system to curb traffic violations.

    Reportedly, the system has been in practice since July 16 and more than 120 e-challans have already been served. 

    For now, eight traffic police officials are trained to handle the new system and they are assigned duties across Bajaur district. 

    The traffic wardens think that the new system is highly efficient, safe and flawless. However, many people are not familiar with it. Police officials are also working to spread awareness about the new system. 

    According to the district police officer (DPO) of Bajaur district, e-challan system enforcement in the area is an effort made to bring the dream of a digital Pakistan a step closer to its materialisation.”

    “This facility is ultimately for the convenience of the masses as they won’t have to visit a bank and wait in long queues to deposit challans. Now everything can be done digitally, which would save time and energy.”