Tag: Asad Umar

  • ‘Ban on Eid travel’ – Govt announces strategy for Eid

    The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has announced Eid-ul-Fitr Holidays in Pakistan from May 10 to May 15. The announcement came after NCOC’s meeting on Thursday which was chaired by Minister for Development and Planning Asad Umar.

    During the meeting, NCOC also recommended restricting international flights to Pakistan from May 5 to May 20, according to Samaa News. However, the detailed instructions will be issued by The Civil Aviation Authority.

    Comprehensive standard operating procedures (SOPs) will be issued for Youm-e-Ali, Aitekaf, Shab-e-Qadar, Juma-tul-Wida, and Eid prayers by May 1, said the press release.

    The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) had earlier advised the government to give Eid Holidays from May 10 to 16 as the country battles the most lethal wave of coronavirus.

    To reduce mobility during the forthcoming Eid-ul-Fitar NCOC has announced a “Stay Home, Stay Safe” strategy from May 8 to May 16.

    Here are the Comprehensive guidelines by the name of “STAY HOME-STAY SAFE — Eid-ul-Fitr-2021 from 8-16 May 2021” announced by NCOC:

    • All markets, businesses, and shops will remain closed except for essential services.
    • Chaand Raat bazaars will be banned.
    • Complete ban on tourism
    • Inter-provincial, inter-city, and intra-city public transport will be banned but private vehicles will be allowed to operate with 50 per cent capacity.
    • Media channels will broadcast special Eid Holiday packages to keep public at home.

    Vaccinations for people in Pakistan aged 40 to 49 years will open May 3, the NCOC also decided in the meeting.

    Pakistan is experiencing a third wave of coronavirus. As per NCOC, Pakistan has recorded 5,450 new cases and 151 deaths with a positivity rate of 9.61%. The 151 death toll is the highest Pakistan has seen since the pandemic began.

  • Vaccination registration for ages 40-49 to start from April 27

    Vaccination registration for ages 40-49 to start from April 27

    Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar has announced that Pakistan will commence COVID-19 vaccination registrations for ages 40-49 from April 27.

    The minister also said that the National Command and Operations Centre has decided to start walk-in vaccinations for all registered citizens aged 50 and above.

    “In today’s NCOC meeting decided to open up registration of 40 plus age citizens starting tomorrow. Also, decision taken to allow walk-in vaccination of all registered citizens of 50 plus age group,” said Umar, urging all eligible persons to register for the vaccine.

    Pakistan is currently vaccinating citizens who are 50 plus and healthcare workers with Chinese vaccines including Sinopharm. According to the NCOC, over 1.8 million people have been vaccinated in the country so far.

    Meanwhile, more than one billion doses have been administered worldwide, according to a tally by AFP. More than half, or 58 percent, have been given in three countries: the United States with 225.6 million doses, China with 216.1 million doses and India with 138.4 million.

    In terms of the proportion of the population who have been vaccinated, Israel is in the lead, with nearly six out of every 10 Israelis fully inoculated. That is followed by the United Arab Emirates with more than 51 percent of the population has received at least one jab, Britain with 49 percent, the US with 42 percent, Chile with 41 percent, Bahrain with 38 percent and Uruguay with 32 percent.

    WATCH – Canadian man celebrates COVID-19 vaccination with bhangra

    Pakistan is currently battling against the third wave of COVID-19 with a total of 800,452 cases. The country has reported 4,825 cases and 70 deaths in the last 24 hours.

  • Asad Umar warns complete lockdown in major cities if SOPs not followed

    Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umair has warned that a complete lockdown in major cities of the country could be imposed if the public does not strictly follow COVID-19 SOPs.

    Addressing the media after chairing a session of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), Umar hinted at the possibility of shutting down major cities of the country amid a surge in COVID-19 cases.

    “Further restrictions will need to be imposed,” said Umar. “Let me make it clear, the level at which the virus is spreading and our hospitals are filling up, if we don’t act now, we will have no choice but to close down major cities.”

    “Presently, the number of patients on oxygen is more than 4,500 which is 30% more than than the first wave of the virus,” stressed Umar, adding: “Health facilities are under stress due to increasing number of positive cases which have now crossed 83,000.”

    Reiterating his warning, Umar said: “This is the last chance to follow SOPs and curb the spread of the virus otherwise we will not have any other choice but to close big cities.”

    Umar also said that the government has prepared a new set of guidelines and shared them with the provincial governments. They will be announced on Friday, April 23.

    Pakistan started the COVID-19 vaccination drive of people in the age group 50-59 today (April 21). Registrations for those 50 and above commenced on March 30. Those who haven’t registered can send their CNIC number to 1166 to register or can register online.

    Pakistan is experiencing the third wave of coronavirus with the situation worse than it was during the first wave. According to the NCOC, 5499 new cases and148 deaths were recorded in the country in the last 24 hours.

  • Ramzan 2021: NCOC issues list of guidelines

    As Pakistan battles, a deadly third wave of COVID-19, the National Command and Operations Center (NCOC), has issued a list of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) for Ramzan.

    A special meeting was chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development, Reforms and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on April 13, during which the following NPIs were decided:

    • Broader lockdowns
    • Saturdays and Sundays will be observed as ‘closed days’ at the national level
    • The market timing will be from Sehr till 6:00 pm apart from essential services
    • Indoor dining will be banned, however, outdoor dining will be allowed from iftar till midnight
    • Complete closure of cinemas and shrines will continue to be enforced
    • 50% work from the home policy will continue
    • Taraweeh prayer to be organised in open spaces as far as possible
    • There will be a complete ban on contact sports, festivals, cultural gatherings, and other events
    • All kind of indoor, as well as outdoor gatherings, will remain banned
    • Ban inter-provincial transport on two closed days (Saturdays and Sundays) which will continue to be enforced till midnight April 25-26 and the decision will be reviewed on April 20.
    • Stringent protocols for tourism have been imposed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu Kashmir and tourist sites elsewhere. In addition to that, Sentinel testing sites at every point/selected locations will be established.

    All NPIs will be effective from Ramzan 1st (April 14).

    As per NCOC, 4681 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the last 24 hours, with the positivity rate of 9.73%, whereas 135 people lost their lives.

  • ‘Vaccination registrations for all ages to open after Eid’

    Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar has announced that the government plans to open registrations for COVID-19 vaccination for citizens of all age groups after Eid, which is around mid-May.

    According to a report in Gulf News, the minister made these remarks while talking to senior media persons in a press meet. He also said that Pakistan will be able to vaccinate more than 125,000 people per day after Eid.

    “We began a phase-wise approach at the beginning [and are expanding it now],” said Umar during the meeting, adding that the coming five to six weeks are very critical for Pakistan in the fight against coronavirus.

    The minister said that the private sector had also started vaccinations and so far 14,000 people have been vaccinated through that, while 1.1 million were inoculated as part of the government campaign.

    Umar also relayed that China was Pakistan’s “primary source” for vaccination and that the CanSino vaccine would also be available in the country after Eid.

    Meanwhile, Pakistan is all set to start manufacturing the Russian COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V locally in collaboration with Russia in the coming months.

    Vaccinations of people 60 and above commenced on March 10, while registrations for people above 50 started from March 30.

    Pakistan is currently battling with its third wave of COVID-19. According to the NCOC, Pakistan has recorded 5312 cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours and 105 people have lost their lives to the deadly virus.

  • Asad Umar among other passengers unhurt in emergency Karachi landing

    Asad Umar among other passengers unhurt in emergency Karachi landing

    A private airline flight made an emergency landing at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport after developing a technical fault. 

    The development on Monday came after SereneAir’s Karachi-Islamabad flight ER-502 returned to the port city’s airport half an hour after taking off.

    According to reports, the airline issued a statement in this regard, saying that the plane developed a technical fault after takeoff, and the captain decided to land it back in Karachi after acquiring permission from the control tower.

    Reports further said that Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar was also onboard.

    The aircraft’s engine had developed a fault, and engineers are working to fix it.

    It is being reported that another engine of the same plane had developed a fault earlier.

  • CanSino vaccine: Three million doses to be ‘packed in Pakistan’

    Minister for Planning and Development and head of the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) Asad Umar has announced that Pakistan will be getting bulk vaccine by mid-April from Cansino from which three million vaccine doses can be made.

    Read more – Govt launches COVID-19 immunization certificate portal

    Umar said the bulk vaccine received “will be formulated, sterilised and packed in Pakistan” and for this purpose special equipment has been procured and manpower is being trained.

    The Minister also said that the “first batch of Cansino vaccine procured [is] being received today (Tuesday).”

    “This is the vaccine in which Pakistan participated in Phase 3 trials, which was the first time ever that Pakistan had done so for any vaccine,” he added.

    Vaccination of people 60 and above commenced on March 10, while registrations for people above 50 started from today (March 30).

    Pakistan is currently battling with its third wave of COVID-19. According to the NCOC, Pakistan has recorded 4084 cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours and 100 people have lost their lives to the deadly virus.

  • Govt launches COVID-19 immunization certificate portal

    Federal Minister for Planning, Development, Reforms and Special Initiatives Asad Umar has announced that the federal government has launched an online portal that will issue certificates to recipients of the prescribed two doses of COVID-19 vaccination.

    Umar, who also heads the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC), said that “COVID Immunisation certificate issuance portal has been launched across the country today.”

    “Citizen’s whose vaccination process is complete (both doses) can now download COVID Immunisation Certificate from nims.nadra.gov.pk or get it issued by visiting NADRA mega centres.”

    The certificate can be obtained for only Rs 100 and is a documented proof of completed vaccination.

    The government is currently administering Chinese COVID-19 vaccines to healthcare workers and senior citizens aged 60 and above across the country. Registrations for those aged 50 and above have also begun from today (March 30).

  • Asad Umar warns stricter lockdowns if SOPs not followed

    Minister for Planning and Development and National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) chairperson Asad Umar has said the country has witnessed a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases, warning that if the standard operation procedures (SOPs) are not followed, the government will be forced to take stricter measures.

    “Sharp spike in COVID positivity,” wrote Umar in a tweet. “Hospital daily admissions and people in critical care rising fast.”

    “If SOP compliance does not improve, we will be forced to place stronger restrictions on activities,” warned the minister, adding: “The new strain spreads faster and is more deadly.”

    The NCOC also warned the same in a statment.

    “The NCOC was apprised on implementation of various health guidelines as already issued to all federating units. NCOC was apprised that implementation on those guidelines needs comprehensive review. NCOC showed serious concern on rising disease trend and mortality rate,” read the statement.

    “The forum was briefed that a sharply rising trend in disease is visible and positivity has crossed 7.5 percent. Almost all major cities have crossed 5% positivity,” it said further. “Provincial administrations have been asked to take immediate actions for strict implementation of SOPs.”

    The NCOC added that “serious concern was shown on general disregard of SOPs by masses. Mass violations of SOPs and disrespect of orders including not wearing of mask, disregard of social distancing are widely reported.”

    It appealed to the citizens “to display good example of social behavior and follow the SOPs in letter and spirit, otherwise, strict measures will have to be taken which may result into closure of business and restrictions on economic and social activities.”

    The NCOC further said that COVID vaccination centers across the country will remain closed on Sundays and national holidays.

    Read more – COVID-19: Here’s what you can and cannot do amid lockdown in Punjab

    Later, Minister for Industries Hammad Azhar also urged businesses and corporations to strictly implement COVID protocols to avoid inconvenience.

    According to the latest statistics, Pakistan has reported a total of 3,495 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours. This is the highest number of daily cases recorded since 3,795 cases on December 6, 2020.

    A total of 61 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, the national positivity rate has risen to 7.8 per cent as the country battles a third wave of the pandemic.

    Meanwhile, Umar on Wednesday also announced that over 41 thousand people were vaccinated the previous day marking the highest daily vaccination rate. Vaccinations for those aged 60 and above commenced on March 10.

  • COVID-19: Pakistan begins registration of senior citizens for vaccination

    COVID-19: Pakistan begins registration of senior citizens for vaccination

    The Head of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) Asad Umar announced on Monday that the government has started registration for COVID-19 vaccination of citizens above 65. The vaccination drive for them will begin in March.

    “Pleased to announce that registration for getting COVID vaccine is now open for all citizens 65 and above,” wrote the minister on Twitter.

    Umar said those interested in getting themselves vaccinated can write down their CNIC number and send a message on 1166. 

    “InshAllah vaccinations for this age group will start in March,” he added.

    Read More – Here’s how you can register for COVID-19 vaccine in Pakistan

    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Minister Taimur Jhagra praised the NCOC, SAPM on Health Dr Faisal Sultan and NCOC head Asad Umar for their efforts.