Tag: July

  • July remittances post significant hike

    July remittances post significant hike

    The Pakistani diaspora has sent $3 billion back home in July, 48 percent higher than the previous year, The News has reported.
    State Bank Pakistan (SBP) data shows that remittances from Saudi Arabia increased by 56 percent to $761 million in July, while those from the United Arab Emirates increased by $611 million.
    The percentage reflected a 94 percent surge from the UAE compared to July 2023.

    Remittances from the United Kingdom totaled $443 million, a 45 percent increase from the previous year. Workers also sent $300 million from the United States, a 24 percent hike from last July.
    The research director at AKD Securities Limited, Awais Ashraf said, ‘’This increase is mainly due to the movement of worker remittance into the formal channel, spurred by the reduced rate difference between exchange companies and the interbank market’’.

    Throughout FY24, Pakistan posted a current account deficit of $681 million, equivalent to 0.2 percent of the gross domestic product.

  • Over 40 cases of kidnapping, rape, sexual abuse reported in Mandi Bahauddin in July

    Over 40 cases of kidnapping, rape, sexual abuse reported in Mandi Bahauddin in July

    In the month of July alone this year, more than 40 separate cases of kidnapping, rape, and sexual exploitation of women have been reported in Mandi Bahauddin district, Punjab province.

    According to 46 First Information Reports (FIRs) filed in the district, these incidents occurred between July 1 and July 24.

    The cases involve serious charges, including Sections 376 (rape), 376(iii) (rape of a minor), 365B (kidnapping, abducting, or forcing a woman to marry), and 496-A (enticing, abducting, or unlawfully detaining a woman with malicious intent).

    Seven cases were specifically filed under Section 376(iii), four under Section 376, 13 under Section 365B, and 21 under Section 496-A. Additionally, two cases were registered under Section 511 (offences punishable with life imprisonment or a shorter term), and one under Section 114 (accomplice present during the commission of the crime).

    The FIRs detail incidents of kidnapping, rape, and sexual exploitation involving young girls and teenagers, with victims ranging in age from 10 to 28 years, the majority being between 10 and 18 years old.

    Most incidents occurred within the Police Circle Sadar Mandi Bahauddin, with others in Police Circles Phalia and Malkwal. The cases were reported across various police stations, including Saddar, Civil Line, Kathiala Sheikhan, Gojra, Meana Gondal, Pahrianwali, and Phalia where an estimated 150 known and unknown suspects have been named in FIRs.

    A report by the Sustainable Social Development Organization, violence against women increased in Punjab in 2023, with the highest number of incidents occurring in Lahore and Faisalabad.

    10,201 cases were registered under Sections 354 and 509 of the Pakistan Penal Code, marking a 14.5% increase from 2022, when 8,787 cases were reported. The report also highlighted that 1,464 cases were reported in Lahore, 1,198 in Sheikhupura, and 877 in Kasur, with an average of 28 women facing violence daily in Punjab.

    Furthermore, 6,624 rape cases were registered in 2023, indicating that a woman was raped every 45 minutes. Faisalabad reported the highest number of cases with 728, followed by Lahore with 721 and Sargodha with 398.

    With Lahore, Faisalabad, and Rahim Yar Khan topping in numbers, an estimated 626 women were kidnapped, 120 were killed in the name of honour, and 20 were trafficked in 2023.

  • NDMA warns of floods during monsoon

    NDMA warns of floods during monsoon

    The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued an alert for floods and landslides as both heavy and light rains are expected in different parts of Pakistan in the first week of July.

    As per the NDMA forecast, moderate to heavy rains may increase water flows in streams and rivers, causing flash flooding in low-lying areas.

    Monsoon rains may cause torrents in areas of Dera Ismail Khan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, and the Suleman and Kirthar mountain ranges. Meanwhile, urban flooding in major cities is also possible.

    Rains could also trigger landslides in mountainous areas of Murree, Galiyat, Azad Kashmir, GB and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

    Increased temperatures and rainfall in GB and KP are expected to cause glacial lake outburst flood (Glof) events in at-risk valleys.

    The NDMA further said that dust, wind, thunderstorms, and heavy showers may damage structures such as electrical poles, solar panels, hoardings, trees, and under-construction buildings.

    Citizens, especially travellers and tourists, have been advised to check forecasts regarding weather and flood conditions before setting out for any travel.

  • PPP, PML-N decide to contest together in Punjab by-election

    PPP, PML-N decide to contest together in Punjab by-election

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have decided to jointly contest the Punjab by-election which will be held on vacant seats of the Punjab Assembly (PA) next month.

    Punjab minister Attauallah Tarar confirmed the development to Dawn, saying, “The PML-N and PPP leadership agreed to jointly contest by-polls on 20 Punjab Assembly seats.”

    Earlier, PPP’s Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari and Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Hamza Shehbaz met on Tuesday in which other members of the parties also participated. The decision reportedly took place during the meeting.

    Zardari congratulated Hamza on assuming the CM’s office. According to The News, the two parties also discussed other issues related to cabinet expansion in Punjab and federal, water issues, petroleum prices, and the upcoming budget. Moreover, Zardari held a meeting to sort out his party’s differences with PML-N over desired ministries in Punjab.

    Currently, PPP has seven seats in the Punjab Assembly (PA) and they were promised four ministries and two adviserships. However, in the Punjab Cabinet, there are only two members of PPP, but they are inactive due to non-allocation of their portfolios.

    The polls will be on 20 vacant seats of the PA on July 17. The seats are vacant due to the disqualification of PTI’s Members of Provincial Assembly (MPAs) by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) who switched sides and voted for Hamza as CM.

    It is pertinent to mention that out of the 20 seats, eight are from southern Punjab where the PPP has a strong foothold.

  • PIA to fly to European countries once again as EU decides to lift ban

    PIA to fly to European countries once again as EU decides to lift ban

    The ban imposed by the European Union (EU) on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight operations is expected to be lifted soon, local media reported quoting the country’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) official.

    The ban had been imposed following the crash of a PIA aircraft in May last year, which resulted in the deaths of 97 passengers and crew.

    An International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) audit team that had visited to undertake a safety audit of the aviation authority completed the process on December 10. Its final report will be released in a few weeks and shared publicly, The News reported.

    According to The News, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) had extended travel restrictions imposed on PIA in April for an indefinite period and directed the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) to get its safety audit done by ICAO scheduled in July.

    In its January 4 letter to DG CAA Khaqan Murtaza, ICAO’s Deputy Director Denis Guindon wrote that the committee conducted the audit in December 2021 and “determined that the actions taken by Pakistan had successfully resolved SSC (Significant Safety Concern).”

    “I wish to refer to the Significant Safety Concern (SSC/PEL-01/09-2020/PAK refers) that was issued to Pakistan on September 18, 2020, as well as the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) Continuous Monitoring Approach (CMA) audit that was conducted by an ICAO team in Pakistan from 29 November to 10 December 2021.”

    He further said that until the CAA received the approval, PIA would not be able to resume flight operations to the EU.

    “In accordance with the USOAP SSC process, […] the ICAO SSC Validation Committee reviewed the actions and relevant evidence validated in Pakistan. The Committee determined that the actions taken by Pakistan had successfully resolved SSC,” the letter stated.

  • Remittances rise to record single month high of $2.77 billion in Pakistan

    Remittances rise to record single month high of $2.77 billion in Pakistan

    Remittances rose to $2.77 billion in July, which is the highest ever level of remittances in a single month in Pakistan, according to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Monday.

    That represents a year-on-year growth of 36.5pc when compared with July 2019, and 12.2pc when compared to June 2020. Last month, remittances were recorded at $2.47 billion, which the SBP had dubbed as ‘historic’ at the time.

    Most of the remittances in July were received from Saudi Arabia, at $821.6 million; followed by UAE, at $538.2 million; UK, at $393.9 million; and the US, at $250.6 million.

    The central bank also noted that the growth rate in remittances compared to the same month in the previous year is around twice as high as the Eid-ul-Adha related seasonality typically experienced over the last decade.

    “Given the impact of COVID-19 globally, this increase in worker’s remittances is encouraging,” the SBP said.

    Overall, there are two main factors that explain the rise in remittances, along with some minor reasons.

    The first is that it seems the use of official channels to send remittances has increased, and there has been a decline in traditional hawala and hundi methods of sending cash home.