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  • At least 1,300,000 people in KP to lose jobs in 45 days?

    At least 1.3 million people could lose their jobs if a 45-day lockdown is put in place, a report prepared by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government’s Planning and Development Department revealed on Sunday.

    The report warns at least 460,000 people working as daily wagers and street vendors are set to lose their employment with “immediate effect”.

    The report, released on Sunday, highlighted the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the province’s economy.

    Estimating layoffs caused due to the lockdown in place to stop the spread of the pandemic, the report noted that “daily wage workers, paid worker by piece rate or work performed, paid non-family apprentice and street vendors” were highly vulnerable to the economic impact of coronavirus.

    The report also predicted that the growth of KP’s economy would drop from 3.73 per cent in 2019 to 2.9pc this year, while the gross domestic product (GDP) would go down from Rs13,35,942 million to Rs13,16,160m.

    The report also predicted that overall, some 1.3 million jobs could be lost during a 45-day lockdown. The highest losses would be seen in the transportation and storage sectors with a predicted loss of some 359,393 jobs while construction, manufacturing and wholesale sectors would also be highly affected with job losses of some 295,594, 258,664 and 216,252 respectively.

    The number of jobs lost could increase even more if the lockdown was extended, the report warned, estimating that some 2.7m jobs would be lost if the lockdown was extended to a six-month period while some 4.2m jobs would be lost if the lockdown remained in place for a year.

    However, the report observed that there would be “minimal impact” on the province’s agricultural sector.

    REPORT LAYS DOWN MECHANISM TO MITIGATE IMPACT:

    The report titled Coping Strategy: Mitigating Adverse Impact of COVID-19 on the Economy and Job Market in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also laid out the provincial government’s mechanism to deal with the impact.

    According to the report, some 1.5 million families in the province will benefit from the federal government’s Ehsaas Cash Disbursement Programme through which they would get Rs12,000 every month.

    The report voiced apprehension that the COVID-19 pandemic would also “render vulnerable” those people who do not fall under the federal government’s cash distribution programme criteria.

    The government would therefore form a committee at the Village Council level that would identify vulnerable families who would receive Rs6,000 from the government.

    Certain sectors would also be exempted from tax payments, the report said. Construction, wholesale, retail and transport sectors would be eligible to benefit from these tax exemptions.

    The government would also adopt a moratorium on loan payments for three months to “allow business higher liquidity to the most affected small and medium enterprises” while “mark-up due for the quarter ending 31 March would have to be paid by 15 June instead of 15 April”.

    The government would also pay advance salaries to officers from grade 1 to 17 to “sustain demand” if needed.

    The government would also consider deferral of payment of utility bills for three months to help support small businesses and shopkeepers, the report further added.

  • Urdu version of ‘Diriliş: Ertuğrul’ to air on PTV in Ramazan

    Fans of the super hit Turkish historical fiction series Diriliş: Ertuğrul, popularly referred to as the Turkish Game of Thrones, can rejoice because the drama serial will be hitting our TV screens in Urdu on the first of Ramazan.

    Senator Faisal Javed Khan made the announcement on social media. According to Khan’s tweet, the drama will air in the Urdu language every day from the first of Ramazan at 9:10 pm on PTV Home.

    PTV also shared a short promo of the drama on their social media channel.

    PTV got the exclusive rights for dubbing and screening it in Pakistan after Prime Minister Imran Khan suggested that Pakistani viewers should watch the series. Reports suggest that the prime minister is a big fan of the series as it promotes true Islamic values.

    Read more – PM Imran requests PTV to air Turkish drama in Urdu

    Diriliş: Ertuğrul is set in 13th century Anatolia, before the establishment of the Ottoman Empire. It illustrates the struggle of Ertugrul Gazi, the father of Osman I – the founder of the Ottoman dynasty.

    Since its premiere on state-run Turkish TV channel TRT 1 in November 2014, the serial has been telecasted in 60 countries and has a huge fan following across the world.

  • Team of ‘Ishrat Made in China’ tested for COVID-19

    Team of ‘Ishrat Made in China’ tested for COVID-19

    After a long wait and some hitches along the way, the cast and crew of Ishrat Made in China including Sanam Saeed, Shamoon Abbasi, Mohib Mirza and Sara Loren have tested negative for COVID-19. They had returned from Thailand on April 14 on a special flight arranged by the Government of Pakistan after being stranded there for almost two weeks.

    Sanam took to social media to share the results and thank Deputy Commissioner Islamabad for his support and assistance. The actor also cleared the air regarding the issues they had faced upon their arrival back home.

    Read more – Shamoon Abbasi, Sanam Saeed face gross mismanagement as they arrive in Pakistan

    Shamoon also updated his fans about their results.

  • Natasha of Natasha’s Salon shares a body-positive message for new mommies

    Natasha Khalid of Karachi’s renowned Natasha’s Salon shared an endearing message for all mommies out there highlighting body-positivity and the pressure women face after giving birth.

    “I have always been in awe of those women I see that somehow seem to go back to being fit and look like they have it all together right after having a baby,” wrote the makeup artist. “Whilst I always wished them well I also realised the kind of pressure it put on all us women in general, as all of our journeys with our bodies are different and are not meant to be the same.”

    Addressing all those who keep asking her how she looks so put together, Natasha wrote, “I want to tell all the women and mamas messaging me that I have not lost the baby weight, I have a mama belly and am softer all over. My focus right now is my breastfeeding and eating what I love and indulging. And that is okay.”

    She continued, “Having a baby may be one of the hardest things we do as women because alongside the absolute joy is a loss of self, massive hormonal shifts, I am paranoid about protecting my baby all the time, I fight with my husband and mom most days and cry in the shower without fail every day.”

    Along with her message, Natasha shared pictures of her in her “Sunday best, which is no makeup, her husband’s shirt, burp cloth, crumpled pyjamas, oil in her hair, Noor in her hands and a smile on her face.”

    “I don’t have it all together and I don’t have all the answers. I am learning to be a mom alongside my Noor, falling apart most of the time but then getting up and trying again. To everyone who struggles, I feel you and send so much power and love to all mamas and women out there. We are absolutely powerful and incredible in every way, don’t let anyone make you feel any different,” she concluded.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B_KAv05jBJ0/

    Natasha, who is also Nur Jahan’s granddaughter, welcomed her baby daughter in January.

  • We’re on your side, dear minister

    We are all familiar with the adage that journalism is not a crime. Unfortunately, it seems that the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for some reason thinks it is.

    When The Current, with pictorial evidence, reported how unhygienic the conditions at a quarantine facility in Peshawar were, and when a few journalists shared the story on social media, the government did not take it very well. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Health Minister Taimur Khan Jhagra took to Twitter and quote-tweeted journalist Benazir Shah.

    Other than questioning the report, he said:

    Targeting a well-respected journalist for tweeting a story about bad conditions at a quarantine facility in KP came as a surprise to many who had been commending both the KP government and Jhagra for their hard work in the fight against coronavirus. Jhagra could have ignored the story and not responded at all or just acknowledged the unhygienic conditions. If neither, he certainly could have responded without targeting Shah. 

    Jhagra is known to be decent and hardworking unlike many of his colleagues. Thus it came as a surprise when he targetted an accredited journalist, despite being fully aware of how the trolling brigade works. By targeting Shah specifically, he unleashed a troll army that is always ready to attack the media, especially women journalists.

    The notoriety of the ruling party’s troll army is an open secret despite official denial. Twitter trends against the media and renowned journalists have become a norm. Sharing private pictures of journalists taken from their social media accounts is another feather in the cap of these trolls. Any journalist who has attended Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s media briefings in recent days and dared to ask him a tough question, has faced online trolling and vile attacks.

    Jhagra also implied in his Twitter thread regarding The Current’s story that the “privileged” cannot bear 48 hours of discomfort as the quarantine facilities may not be ideal. Well, this wasn’t about privilege. It was about highlighting the unhygienic conditions at a quarantine facility and nothing to do with privilege. Both the privileged and the under-privileged deserve clean quarantine facilities. This problem isn’t limited to Pakistan. In neighbouring India, many such cases of poor and unclean quarantine facilities have been highlighted on social as well as mainstream media.

    We understand that the government has limited resources and it will be difficult to deal with such pressures. We also acknowledge how hard the federal, as well as provincial governments, are working to fight the coronavirus and that mistakes are unavoidable as this is something the world hasn’t seen in recent times.

    We commend the hard work of our public officials, healthcare workers, doctors, policemen, security officials and everyone out there who is working day in and day out to ensure that the people of Pakistan stay safe and healthy during the pandemic. But we will also mention and highlight facts and news so that our readers stay informed. It is not our job to only highlight the positives; we have to report the truth even if the state does not like it. Journalists cannot be bullied by online trolls or campaigns against them. The media is not your enemy; coronavirus is our common enemy. Fight the virus, don’t fight the media without any reason.

    We don’t have rose-tinted glasses on, and red flags are not just flags to us…

  • After Al-Fatah denial, DIG Operations Lahore confirms coronavirus positive employees

    After Al-Fatah denial, DIG Operations Lahore confirms coronavirus positive employees

    Rumours that Al-Fatah’s large department store at Hussain Chowk in Gulberg, Lahore had employees that tested positive for coronavirus was doing the rounds this week. The store was closed and customers were told that the closure was for fumigation and that the rumours were false. Delivery was still open.

    When DIG Operations Lahore was asked on Twitter whether the rumours were true or false, he confirmed that three employees tested positive for coronavirus and that the store was closed.

    Lahoris also alleged that Al Fatah had posted a notice denying the rumours and had deleted the notices today.

    There were notices posted outside the store and people called in to find out what was going on. People who called were told that there was fumigation going on but the news of positive cases was not true.

    The notice, which was saved by twitter users is now circulating on the social media platform with people asking why it was deleted.

    https://twitter.com/nabihameher/status/1251835072459800577?s=21

  • Quiz: Who should be your quarantine partner

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  • Restaurants to remain open in Karachi for takeaway & home delivery services

    Restaurants to remain open in Karachi for takeaway & home delivery services

    Restaurants, hotels and ‘nanbais’ in Karachi have been granted permission to operate from 8 am to 5 pm.

    According to a notification issued by Commissioner Karachi, restaurants will be allowed to offer takeaway and home delivery services. However, dine-in is strictly prohibited.

    The government has also issued a number of SOPs which need to be followed. This includes following the proper procedure to ensure everything is disinfected. Every worker should be checked before entering the workplace.

    Commissioner Karachi has also made wearing face masks mandatory for those going outside their houses.

    “Face masks are mandatory for all people who come out of the houses for a valid reason or are exempted during the lockdown. The mask shall cover the nose, mouth and chin.”

    If symptoms of flu, cough or fever are found, he/she may be referred to the hospital immediately, the notification read.

    Meanwhile some areas of Karachi, where a large number of COVID-19 cases have been reported have been completely sealed by the Sindh government.

  • Shaan asks ‘born-again politician’ Jawad Ahmad to support PM Khan

    Renowned actor Shaan and singer Jawad Ahmed got into a Twitter feud which started with Shaan asking Jawad to put aside his political differences and work with Prime Minister Imran Khan in these testing times; and ended with Shaan referring to Jawad as a ‘born-again politician’ and taking a jibe at the fact that his party won no seats in the 2018 General Elections.

    It all started when Jawad criticised PM Imran Khan for playing politics with the Sindh Government and caring more about the Corona Tigers than his people. Shaan, who has always vocally supported PM Khan and his initiatives, responded, “Thank God he is not corrupt. Where were you when we had corrupt people in power?”

    Shaan further said that the PM is struggling and that everyone should play their part in helping the country rise.

    At that point, Jawad did not directly respond to the actor but instead shared an old tweet in which he had explained why he criticises PM Khan and not those before him.

    While Jawad did not responds further, Shaan continued to defend PM Khan and his policies under Jawad’s tweet.

    Later, Jawad decided to respond to Shaan’s questions in a video message.

    “I usually don’t respond to such comments and I really respect everyone from the showbiz industry, but the questions he raised require me to answer him,” Jawad said in the video. “When he asked me where I was when there was corruption, so I was exactly where you were. I was singing, I was in the industry.”

    He further said that he was offered a position in PTI in 2013 which he refused.

    “In 2018, I contested in elections. I’m a part of the said politics, therefore I can critique. Imran Khan is the Prime Minister, I have a right to criticise him.”

    In response to Jawad’s video, Shaan wrote, “Dear Jawad, it’s good to know that you are a born again politician but the 2018 elections show differently. Brother, you need to build more trust on people so they would listen, believe and vote for you. IK is PM try working with him to build Pakistan together.”

    Shaan did not end his support there. He further tweeted:

    But in the end he left his followers with some very profound words: “We have many leaders but only one hope. Pakistan – land of the pure.”

  • On This Day: Javed Miandad breaks Indian hearts with last-ball sixer

    On This Day: Javed Miandad breaks Indian hearts with last-ball sixer

    It was on April 18, 1986, when former Pakistan batsman Javed Miandad struck a final-ball six to defeat India in the finals of the Austral-Asia Cup.

    This match still sends shivers down the spine of ardent cricket fans in both Pakistan and India. Miandad had smashed a six off the final ball of the match bowled by Chetan Sharma, reports said.

    The feat is remarkable as Pakistan needed four runs off the final ball to win the Austral-Asia Cup. Miandad did not succumb to pressure, giving the cricket fans a memory to cherish forever.

    Pakistan needed 246 runs to win the match, and the side found itself at 61/3. It was then that Miandad walked out to the middle and played a match-winning knock of 116 runs.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    In his innings, Miandad struck three fours and as many sixes.

    Batting first, India had got to a score of 245 as Kris Srikkanth made 75 runs while Sunil Gavaskar went on to register 94 runs from 134 balls.

    For Pakistan, Wasim Akram scalped three wickets.

    Miandad has often been involved in fierce battles with India. During the 1992 World Cup group stage game, Miandad ended up mocking the style of India’s wicket-keeper Kiran More.

    The Austral-Asia Cup has been played thrice, with Pakistan winning the tournament on all three occasions.