Tag: services

  • Pakistan’s economy picks up pace: GDP growth hits 2.13%

    Pakistan’s economy picks up pace: GDP growth hits 2.13%

    In the first quarter of the fiscal year 2023-24, Pakistan’s economy exhibited signs of recovery with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate of 2.13 per cent, marking a significant improvement from the 0.96 per cent recorded in the same period of the previous fiscal year, according to estimates released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Tuesday. 

    These estimates gained approval during the 107th National Accounts Committee (NAC) meeting convened on the same day.  

    To align with the structural benchmarks outlined in the IMF-SBA program, PBS engaged in consultations with stakeholders and data providers. They presented revised GDP figures for both the fiscal year 2022-23 and the first quarter of 2023-24 to the NAC. 

    In a noteworthy development, the NAC also sanctioned the incorporation of quarterly national accounts into the country’s statistical system. 

    Revisiting the GDP figures for the fiscal year 2022-23, the growth rate has been revised to -0.17 per cent, a departure from the provisional report of 0.29 per cent. 

    Breaking down the growth by industry, the 107th NAC greenlit a sector-specific methodology for compiling quarterly GDP. This includes a series of quarterly growth rates for various industries spanning from the first quarter of 2016-17 to the first quarter of 2023, with 2015-16 serving as the base year. 

    For the first quarter of 2023-24, the agricultural sector exhibited growth of 5.06 per cent, the industrial sector 2.48 per cent, and services 0.82 per cent. 

    In agriculture, crops recorded a robust growth of 6.13 per cent, with a notable 11.16 per cent increase in important crops.  

    The expansion is attributed to a rise in the sowing area, particularly for rice, cotton, and maize, with increases of 21 per cent, 11 per cent, and 5 per cent, respectively. Sugarcane saw an 11 per cent decline, but this was offset by growth in other major crops. 

    The industrial sector, which experienced a continuous decline in the preceding fiscal year except for a modest growth in the second quarter, reversed its trend in the first quarter of 2023-24, registering a growth of 2.48 per cent. Mining and quarrying posted a positive growth of 2.15 per cent, based on quarterly production in the mining sector.  

    Large-Scale Manufacturing (LSM) demonstrated growth of 0.93 per cent according to the Quantum Index of Manufacturing (QIM). Construction industry growth was estimated at 1.73 per cent, with a notable 15.38 per cent increase in cement production. 

    In services, the overall growth was 0.82 per cent. Wholesale and retail trade, reliant on the output of agriculture, manufacturing, and imports, was estimated at 3.05 per cent due to positive growth in agriculture and industry.  

    Transport grew by 1.7 per cent, based on quarterly data. Information & Communication, previously negative, showed a growth of 2.4 per cent, primarily due to a low base and quarterly information received from sources. 

    The finance and insurance industry reported a growth of -12.79 per cent, driven by a decline in the output of insurance companies and brokers, along with high growth in the deflator.  

    Public administration reported -16.65 per cent growth in the quarter, with high deflators contributing to a decline in constant prices.  

    Negative growth in education and human health and social work activities was largely influenced by a decrease in government budget data along with a high deflator. 

  • Fact Check: Monkeypox DID NOT reach Lahore

    Fact Check: Monkeypox DID NOT reach Lahore

    Claim: Two patients with monkeypox have been admitted into Jinnah Hospital

    Fact: Medical Superintendent Jinnah Hosptial confirms that no patients with monkeypox have been admitted

    On May 23, 2022, Dr Farooq Nawaz Sahil, a resident pulmonologist at Services Hospital Lahore tweeted that 2 patients with monkeypox have been admitted to Jinnah Hospital, Lahore and are being treated in the hospital’s isolation ward. ProPakistani, a digital media platform, shared the tweet on its website which became an extremely concerning public health update, reporting the first 2 cases of monkeypox in Pakistan.

    Although shortly after his tweet, Dr Sahil deleted it, the news spread like wildfire, primarily because the residual fear of a global pandemic has not completely worn off.

    The ProPakistani post coincided with the national Institute of Health (NIH) and World Health Organization’s (WHO) warnings to expect a global rise in the number monkeypox cases reported. This made it more likely to be believed and spread a panic within social media users who started sharing it repeatedly. Some of these posts can be found on Facebook and Twitter here, here, here here, here, here, here and here.

    Team Current established correspondence with Jinnah Hospital, Lahore and confirmed with the Medical Superintendent Dr Tahir that no such cases have been reported and in fact this false information has disrupted the hospital’s environment by creating unnecessary panic in citizens in Lahore. National Institute of Health Pakistan also tweeted earlier today, clarifying that no cases of monkeypox have been reported so far.

    Verdict: FALSE

    What is Monkeypox?

    Monkeypox is a virus and a usually self-limited disease with symptoms lasting from two to four weeks. It is transmittable through close contact (lesions, body fluids, respiratory droplets, bedding) with an infected person or animal. It is a viral zoonotic disease and its clinical representation is similar to smallpox. According to the WHO report, past outbreaks were not extremely widespread and increasingly got better managed with modern medicine.

    In May 2022, multiple cases of monkeypox were identified in several countries where occurence of monkeypox is not a regular phenomenon and so WHO and NIH issued warnings against the disease and suggested strongarming medical screening at border entrances.

  • Young doctors boycott hospital services across the country

    The Young Doctors’ Association (YDA) on Wednesday boycotted Out-Patient Department (OPD) services across the country, Daily Times reported.
    They are protesting against torture of their colleagues in Islamabad during a protest outside Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC).

    According to the YDA spokesperson, only emergency services are being provided at the hospital. The move comes a day after police manhandled their fellow doctors in the federal capital during a protest against National Licensing Examination (NLE).

    They criticised the government and the doctors said that this is the first time in the country’s history that the police brutally attacked doctors.

    The protests are causing severe difficulties to the patients coming to the hospitals.
    Services Hospital Lahore have suspended their services.

    In Faisalabad, the doctors from the YDA platform have suspended OPDs and also the operation theatre services at the Allied Hospital. They also staged a protest and strongly condemned the torture and arrest of their colleagues in Islamabad. They vowed not to accept NLE law at any cost.

    Hundreds of young doctors across the country have been protesting against the PMC. The doctors have demanded that the compulsion to sit the National Licensing Exam should be withdrawn.

    The Pakistan Medical Commission has announced that in order to practice in Pakistan, doctors will have to take a licensing exam after completing five years of education.

    Young doctors say the additional examination was unfair as they had already passed the same exam to obtain their MBBS degrees.

    On Tuesday, at least 20 doctors were arrested after they tried to enter the PMC building. The Islamabad police baton-charged the protesters.

  • KP’s Mashal Aamir wins Princess Diana Award for her services for humanity

    KP’s Mashal Aamir wins Princess Diana Award for her services for humanity

    A girl from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mashal Aamir has been awarded the Princess Diana Award for her services for humanity and participation in welfare activities.

    The award credits those who have shown a consistent commitment to humanitarian causes. She has undertaken social work since her childhood that focused on environmental and equality activism.

    Photo Credits: 24 News

    As per details, Mashal has completed her education in law from UK’s Cambridge University.

    She focuses on providing a platform for marginalized voices globally, mainly ethnic women and vulnerable children. Mashal was recently elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, UK, an award granted to those who have made outstanding achievements in social progress and development.

    Photo Credits: 24 News

    She has undertaken work internationally such as in South Korea, America, Pakistan and The Hague including the ‘International Criminal Court’, ‘Supreme Court of Pakistan’, ‘Legal Aid USA’ and ‘Citizens Advice Bureau Scotland’ and thus was awarded a scholarship for her commitment to the field of criminal justice. She has also been selected as one of 30 Under-30 Inspiring Scottish Women and 100 Notable Women in Law.

    Princess Diana Award was established in memory of the late Princess Diana, the only award in her name and honoured by her children. “I received the award for my many years of charity work, this ranges from ICC in The Hague, America, South Korea and in Pakistan. I help Pashto speaking community with the support of my family and varied organisations that I have been involved with to bring about positive impact,” she said.