Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Mar 24 (NNN-XINHUA) – Pakistan announced to lock-down east Punjab province, hours after locking down south Sindh province, to curb the spread of COVID-19, after the number of infected patients rose above 800 across the country, officials said.

All markets and shopping malls, except grocery shops and medical stores, will remain closed in Punjab, during the two-week lock-down period, from Mar 24 to Apr 6, Chief Minister of the province, Usman Buzdar, said.

ISLAMABAD, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan on Monday announced to lock down east Punjab province hours after locking down south Sindh province to curb the spread of COVID-19 after the number of infected patients rose above 800 across the country, officials said.

All markets and shopping malls except grocery shops and medical stores will remain closed in Punjab during the two-week lockdown period from March 24 to April 6, Chief Minister of the province Usman Buzdar said in a press briefing.

ISLAMABAD, Mar 22 (APP): While paying homage to the founding leaders on Pakistan Day, President Dr Arif Alvi expressed unshakable support with the people of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir who had been subjected to an inhuman lockdown and communication blockade for over seven months.

“I assure the people of Jammu and Kashmir that Pakistan will stand shoulder to shoulder with them and will continue its moral, political and diplomatic support for their legitimate right of self-determination,” the president said in a message on Pakistan Day being commemorated on March 23.

ISLAMABAD, Mar 20 (APP): Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Friday said as global community fought an unprecedented pandemic, it was time for world leaders to show compassion towards each other and lift sanctions against Iran.

“Sanctions must be lifted against Iran, in this moment of peril so that it can use its resources to save precious human lives,” the foreign minister said in a tweet as senior Iranian health official revealed 50 citizens contracting COVID-19 every hour.

ISLAMABAD, Mar 17 (APP): Prime Minister Imran Khan has warned richer countries to prepare to write off the debts of the world’s poorer states, expressing fear the coronavirus could devastate the economies of developing nations.

“My worry is poverty and hunger,” Khan said. “The world community has to think of some sort of a debt write-off for countries like us, which are very vulnerable, at least that will help us in coping with [coronavirus].”

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s prime minister said Monday he fears the new coronavirus will devastate the economies of developing nations, and warned richer economies to prepare to write off the debts of the world’s poorer countries.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Imran Khan criticized recent comments by the president of neighboring Afghanistan, which appeared to reference accusations that Pakistan used militants to further its own goals in years past.

ISLAMABAD, Mar 16 (APP): Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on Monday said that a Memorandum of Understand (MoU) was going to be signed on Tuesday (tomorrow) in Beijing for establishment of two new Joint Working Groups under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

In his tweet, the minister informed that the new working groups would be formed in areas of agriculture and science and technology.

ISLAMABAD, Mar 16 (APP): Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday chaired a meeting on National Coordination Committee for Covid-19 to discuss measures to contain the disease.

Interior Minister Brig (R) Ijaz Shah, Religious Affairs Minister Noorul Haq Qadri, Finance Adviser Dr Abdul Hafiz Sheikh, Special Assistant to PM (SAPM) on Health Dr Zafar Mirza, SAPM for Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, SAPM for Overseas Pakistanis Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari were present.

All chief ministers through videolinks made their presence.

ISLAMABAD, Mar 15 (APP): As the deadly novel Coronavirus (COVID 19) continues to stalk the globe, stoking fears among the world community, the world’s leading public health agency World Health Organization (WHO) has advised the people to adopt preventive measures to control its further outbreak.

“Every effort to contain the virus and slow the spread saves lives. These efforts give health systems and all of society much needed time to prepare, and researchers more time to identify effective treatments and develop vaccines,” the WHO says in one of its statement.

ISLAMABAD, Mar 11 (NNN-APP) – A Pakistan Air Force (PAF) fighter jet, crashed near Shakarparian, Islamabad. The aircraft was an F-16 fighter jet, according to eyewitness reports. It was engaged in a rehearsal ahead of Pakistan Day.

As per eyewitnesses, the incident occurred at around 11.00 am on Wednesday morning. As for now, rescue teams have arrived at the scene, while police have cordoned off the area. Army helicopters are hovering over the crash spot.