Pakistan reports 08 more corona deaths in last 24 hours

Pakistan has reported 8 deaths in the last 24 hours by novel coronavirus as the number of positive cases has surged to 1,374,800. The nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 29,105 on Monday.

According to the latest figures by the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) 7,195 persons tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 24 hours.

Province-wise Details

Punjab remains the worst-hit province in terms of deaths followed by Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Till now 13,108 individuals have lost their lives to the epidemic in Punjab, 7,741 in Sindh 5,975 in KP, 976 in Islamabad, 751 in Azad Kashmir, 367 in Balochistan, and 187 in GB.

Furthermore 526,899 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Sindh, 464,431 in Punjab 185,340 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 118,292 in Islamabad, 35,400 in Azad Kashmir 33,941 in Balochistan and 10,497 in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Tests and Recoveries

Pakistan has so far conducted 24,590,353 coronavirus tests and 57,401 in the last 24 hours. 1,269,078 patients have recovered in the country whereas 1,113 patients are in critical condition.

The COVID-19 positivity ratio was recorded at 12.53 percent.

So far, 102,975,552 people have received their first dose of coronavirus vaccine including 286,593 in last 24 hours. 78,860,543 citizens have been fully vaccinated while 470,601 received their second dose in last 24 hours.

The number of total administered doses has reached to 170,711,868 with 786,027 in the last 24 hours.

source https://www.suchtv.pk/pakistan/general/item/111023-pakistan-reports-08-more-corona-deaths-in-last-24-hours.html

PTI's former information secretary to file lawsuit against termination from party

Former central information secretary of PTI Ahmed Jawad on Sunday announced that he will file a lawsuit against the party for terminating his membership.

the PTI had expelled Jawad from the party for "violating the party's constitution" on social media and "slandering" senior leadership.

Talking to Geo News, Jawad said that his termination from the party’s membership is "illegal," adding that, “PTI voters and workers have seen the true colours of Imran Khan now."

The ex-PTI member said that in the last 74 years, "no one ha deceived the nation like PTI did, while overseas Pakistanis were used like Automated Teller Machines (ATM)."

It is worth mentioning here that Jawad had criticised the policies of the ruling party.

Taking to his Twitter account, he had said that he will reveal the reasons why he stayed quiet for so long on the "fascism and incompetence of PTI," asking followers to "stay tuned".

He further asked Prime Minister Imran Khan: “How did your illegal Bani Gala house and Constitution Avenue flat become legal? Can't the houses of the poor be regularised like Constitution Avenue was regularised?"

Subsequently, the PTI expelled the former secretary of information for "violating the party's constitution" on social media.

According to a statement issued by the PTI’s Standing Committee on Accountability and Discipline (SCAD) on January 12, a show-cause was served to Ahmad asking him to explain his position within seven days of the receipt of the notice but the disgruntled leader did not respond to the notice.

After receiving the second show-cause notice, Jawad sent a reply, which was received by the SCAD on January 21; however, he did not explain his position, rather admitted that he had issued more than 40 tweets while SCAD took notice of only two of his tweets.

“The Sub Committee of the SCAD observed that there were different forums in the party for Jawad to express his feelings/narrative before the party while he used social, electronic media to get his objective [to] malign/slander the party senior leadership, causing severe damage to the party,” the statement read.

The sub-committee after analysing the facts of the case and reading Jawad's reply found him "committing a severe violation of the party constitution". Hence, it "unanimously decided to strike down the party membership of Ahmad Jawad from the party membership register”.

source https://www.suchtv.pk/pakistan/general/item/111015-pti-s-fomer-information-secretary-to-file-lawsuit-against-termination-from-party.html

Do not punish Afghans for Taliban’s mistakes: UN chief

UN Secretary General António Guterres has pledged to continue his ‘discreet diplomacy’ for resolving the Afghan crisis, repeating his appeal for a conditional release of Afghanistan’s frozen funds.

The United States froze nearly $7 billion of Afghan assets in the New York Federal Reserve soon after the Taliban captured Kabul in August 2021. Since then, organizations and individuals in both the United States and Europe have been urging Washington to unfreeze the funds.

On Thursday, the US House of Representatives recommended a focused release of humanitarian funds to address the imminent economic and humanitarian disasters facing the people of Afghanistan.

Last month, 40 US lawmakers urged Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen to release humanitarian aid to prevent an economic collapse in Afghanistan.

But the strongest appeal came from the UN chief who warned that a “nightmare (is) unfolding in Afghanistan” and the world was “in a race against time to help the Afghan people.”

“Babies being sold to feed their siblings. Freezing health facilities overflowing with malnourished children. People burning their possessions to keep warm. Livelihoods across the country have been lost,” Mr Guterres said.

At a Friday afternoon news briefing in New York, a journalist reminded the UN chief that the situation in Afghanistan had further deteriorated and asked him if he were willing to “pick up the phone and talk to the Taliban” to make them do the reforms needed to end the country’s economic blockade. “First of all, it is clear that we have in Afghanistan a serious situation of violations of human rights, and (the conditions for ending the blockade were) not yet met.”

That’s why, he said, the United Nations has “been in constant advocacy with the Taliban to say that it is absolutely essential for them in the context of their objective of recognition but also in the context of their objective of getting international support for their own people.”

Mr Guterres, however, repeated his appeal for not linking the Taliban’s failure with the humanitarian crisis. “Humanitarian aid and the need to avoid … the economic collapse in Afghanistan is something that we have been fighting for, because the people of Afghanistan [are] in an absolute desperate situation,” he said.

“It would be a mistake to submit the people of Afghanistan to a collective punishment just because the de facto authorities are not behaving properly.”

Underlining the need to “separate the two things,” he said: “We will go on with our humanitarian action. We will go on insisting on the need to have liquidity, allowing for the economy not to collapse, for the people not to be in an absolute desperate situation.”

But the United Nations will also “go on insisting with the Taliban on human rights but also on the question of terrorism and on the question of inclusive governance,” he added.

Responding to the suggestion to pick up the phone and call the Taliban, he said: “I intend to go on doing discreet diplomacy, doing active public diplomacy, and speaking out when I believe this is the best way to solve the problems we face.”

source https://www.suchtv.pk/world/item/111001-do-not-punish-afghans-for-taliban-s-mistakes-un-chief.html

COVID-19 situation continues to worsen in Pakistan

Pakistan reported 7,586 fresh cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours as the Omicron driven fifth wave of the pandemic continues to get worse, official figures showed Sunday morning.

Pakistan registered its highest number of daily COVID-19 cases — 7,678 — on Friday since the pandemic started in 2020, the National Command and Operation Centre's (NCOC) statistics had showed.

According to the NCOC, a total of 58,334 tests were conducted in the country during the last 24 hours, of which 7,586 came back positive, pushing the nationwide tally of the virus cases to 1,367,605. The country’s positivity rate now stands at a record high of 13%.

 Meanwhile, 20 more patients succumbed to the virus during the same period, taking the death toll to 29,097.

In addition to this, the country’s active coronavirus cases surged to 70,263, making it the highest in over four months. Pakistan last reported 65,725 active cases on September 16, 2021.

Statistics 23 Jan 22:
Total Tests in Last 24 Hours: 58,334
Positive Cases: 7586
Positivity %: 13.00%
Deaths :20
Patients on Critical Care: 1,083

— NCOC (@OfficialNcoc) January 23, 2022

A day earlier, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) had revised COVID-19 protocols for mosques and announced that only fully vaccinated people will be allowed to pray inside the places of worship.

The body leading Pakistan's COVID-19 response also announced on Friday that all schools with a high COVID-19 positivity ratio would remain closed for one week across the country.

On January 21, the NCOC had decided to shut down all schools with a high COVID-19 positivity ratio for one week across the country to curb the new variant, Omicron.

A notification issued by the NCOC had said that all the educational institutions, premises, sections, specific classes with high positivity will be closed for one week.

"Provincial administration, in consultation with district health, education authorities, and school administrations, is to set a threshold of cases for deciding such closures," the notification had added.

The NCOC had added that COVID testing in educational institutes was carried out in major Omicron-hit cities to ascertain disease spread among students and ensure accurate disease mapping.

Therefore, keeping in view the results, the NCOC had taken the following decisions:

• Aggressive testing in education institutes for next two weeks especially in high disease prevalence cities.

• Federating units to carry out special vaccination drives in schools to ensure 100% vaccination of students over 12 years of age.

source https://www.suchtv.pk/pakistan/general/item/111000-covid-19-situation-continues-to-worsen-in-pakistan.html

PSL 7 is another opportunity for me to perform and make a comeback in national team : Wahab Riaz

Wahab Riaz targets the upcoming seventh edition of PSL an opportunity to perform and make a comeback to the national squad.

Addressing a virtual news conference Saturday, Riaz said, “When you play cricket, your target is always Pakistan.”

“I have performed. Even last season I was the second highest wicket-taker in the PSL. Sometimes you get the chance and sometimes you don’t get the chance. I have great passion for playing for Pakistan and that is why I am playing cricket,” Wahab said.

“This is another opportunity for me to perform and make a comeback. I feel that I can play for Pakistan for another two or three years. I will try my level best,” said the pacer, who is also captaining Peshawar Zalmi, one of the most successful franchises.

Asked whether he is in a position to perform better than Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi and Hasnain in the PSL right now, he said: “Hasnain, Shaheen and Haris are very good bowlers. If you say whether in the PSL I can perform better than them; so my record speaks about that,” Wahab said.

“It’s not necessary you take wickets every year, it is also counted how well you bowl. All my records in the PSL are in front of you and I will try to continue that. My competition is not with these bowlers but my competition is with myself because I want to perform and play for Pakistan,” Wahab said.

Wahab played his last Test in October 2018, last ODI in November 2020 and last T20I in December 2020.

 

source https://www.suchtv.pk/sports/item/110999-psl-7-is-another-opportunity-for-me-to-perform-and-make-a-comeback-in-national-team-wahab-riaz.html

People protested across France against covid vaccination pass

Some 38,000 people protested across France Saturday, the interior ministry said, two days before a vaccination health pass becomes mandatory to take part in much of public life.

From Monday, those aged 16 and above will have to show they have been jabbed to access restaurants or bars, leisure activities or use inter-regional public transport.

A negative Covid test will no longer be sufficient, except to access health services.

Opponents of the policy say the reinforced measures will impinge upon daily "freedoms" and have railed against what they dub a form of social "apartheid".

An estimated 5,200 demonstrated in Paris, the ministry said, at rallies largely attended by supporters of the nationalist, anti-EU presidential candidate Florian Philippot.

Some demonstrators brought their children along and many of those marching did not wear masks as they waved French flags and bore banners demanding "freedom".

"Vaccine pass -- total resistance!" some shouted in marches.

Sophie, a 44-year-old legal worker, and Franck, a 56-year-old IT worker, told they had had their jabs but were against their daughter being pressured into also being vaccinated.

Sophie insisted the time had come to put faith in collective immunity two years into the pandemic.

In Bordeaux in the southwest, Anaelle, a nurse, denounced compulsory vaccination as "shameful".

"People who've been vaccinated get sick, so what's the point?" she asked.

Although the size of protests has dropped off in recent weeks, a hard core remain angry at French President Emmanuel Macron, who has made it clear he wants to put pressure on the unvaccinated until they accept a coronavirus shot.

source https://www.suchtv.pk/world/item/110998-people-protested-across-france-against-covid-vaccination-pass.html

Oslo talks with West will 'transform atmosphere of war: Afghan Taliban

The Taliban's first official talks with the West on European soil since seizing power in Afghanistan will help to "transform the atmosphere of war" after a two-decade insurgency against NATO forces.

The group stormed back to power in August as US and foreign troops began their final withdrawal from the country following a stalemate on the battlefield.

No country has yet recognised the Taliban's government — notorious for human rights abuses during a first stint in power between 1996 and 2001 when they were ousted by a US-led invasion.

"The Islamic Emirate has taken steps for meeting the demands of the Western world and we hope to strengthen our relations through diplomacy with all the countries, including European countries and the West in general," Zabihullah Mujahid told.

The Taliban want to "transform the atmosphere of war... into a peaceful situation".

Talks between the Taliban and Western officials will open in Oslo on Sunday on human rights and humanitarian aid as a poverty crisis deepens.

The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated drastically since the Taliban's takeover. International aid came to a sudden halt and the United States has frozen $9.5 billion (8.4 billion euros) in Afghan central bank assets held overseas.

Hunger now threatens 23 million Afghans, or 55% of the population, according to the United Nations, which says it needs $5 billion from donor countries this year to address the humanitarian crisis in the country.

The visit from Sunday to Tuesday will see meetings between the hardline Islamists, Norwegian authorities and officials from a number of allied countries including Britain, the European Union, France, Germany, Italy and the United States, the Norwegian foreign ministry statement said.

The Taliban delegation is also expected to meet Afghans from civil society, including women leaders and journalists, at a time when the freedoms of those living in Afghanistan are being increasingly curtailed.

"These meetings do not represent a legitimisation or recognition of the Taliban" Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt said Friday.

"But we must talk to the de facto authorities in the country. We cannot allow the political situation to lead to an even worse humanitarian disaster."

The 15-member all male Taliban team, led by foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, left Kabul on Saturday on a plane organised by the Norwegian government, a Taliban spokesman said.

Ali Maisam Nazary, the foreign relations chief for the National Resistance Front (NRF) — an opposition group that bills itself as the last bastion against total Taliban control — condemned Norway over the talks.

"We all must raise our voices and prevent any country from normalizing a terrorist group as the representative of Afghanistan," Nazary, who is based in Paris, tweeted on Friday.

source https://www.suchtv.pk/world/item/110997-oslo-talks-with-west-will-transform-atmosphere-of-war-afghan-taliban.html