Coronavirus in Pakistan

[pakistanisgreat]

Stranded Afghans storm home through Pakistan border crossing

Afghans stranded in Pakistan by the virus shutdown stormed a border crossing after the lockdown on the border between the two countries was briefly lifted, AFP reports.

Thousands entered Afghanistan without being screened, sparking fears they may introduce more cases of the coronavirus into a war-weary country already overwhelmed by hundreds of thousands of migrants returning from hard-hit Iran.

who suppose to screened them?

 

[Bewal Express]

I generally understand urdu when written in English alphabets but couldn't understand. What actually did she mean?

My Urdu is very basic, I get by. This is Urdu in Morse code.

 

[Sirris]

[MENTION=138254]Syed1[/MENTION] [MENTION=1269]Bewal Express[/MENTION] [MENTION=133760]Abdullah719[/MENTION]

Can someone translate this Roman Urdu into hamari dehati Urdu? )

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I appreciate Liver brother Management who instead their productLife Boy permitting every Soap,hat houn Ko Saadi Marienplatz Chaney koi bihi Saboun hou</p>— Syeda Shehla Raza [MENTION=2068]syed[/MENTION]aShehlaRaza) <a href="https://twitter.com/SyedaShehlaRaza/status/1247540834259496960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

A hard encryption indeed.

Forget roman Urdu, her English is allover the place too.

"Marienplatz" is a famous place in Germany, probably "marein plz" got auto-corrected. If I decode the message, this is what I get:

I appreciate Unilever management, who are permitting(promoting?) any soap brand and not just their own product Lifebuoy. Hatoon ko saafai marein plz, chahey koi bhi Sabun ho

ہاتھوں کو صفائی ماریں، چاہے کوئی بھی صابن ہو

Keep you hands clean please, it doesn't matter which soap you may use.

Is she some local political figure?

OMG she has 1 million followers and is a minister. I can understand typos and auto correct but how can you misspell a well known company Unilever as "liver", especially when the tweet is meant to "appreciate" them. She has the responsibility for women's development. What intellect and awareness. feel hopeless about our nation with leaders like this.

 

[MenInG]

 

[MenInG]

Coronavirus 'very dangerous' for the elderly, sick people, says PM Imran

Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the coronavirus is "very dangerous" for the elderly and sick people.

Addressing the media in Islamabad, the premier said that the disease would spread very fast if people refused to stay at home and urged them to stay at home for the sake of their elders.

"If this spreads faster, it would burden our healthcare system, we wouldn't have enough ventilators for people with respiratory diseases," he said.

 

[Syed1]

Test rate going up but number of new cases remaining stable... Inshallah it will start going down soon.

 

[Syed1]

I'm surprised how spectacular covid.gov.pk is.... love or hate this government, you cannot deny their emphasis on digitalization and use of modern technologies.

 

[Arsal_AK]

I'm surprised how spectacular covid.gov.pk is.... love or hate this government, you cannot deny their emphasis on digitalization and use of modern technologies.

True pretty good site. I would like their projection up somewhere too though.

 

[Arsal_AK]

Regarding the test rate its not good enough. We need to really amp it up. Doing around 100,000 should be the target per day.

 

[MenInG]

Thousands of Afghans stranded in Pakistan flooded the eastern Torkham border crossing point between the two countries, defying immigration rules and safety precautions against spreading the novel coronavirus.

Attaullah Khogyani, the spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar province, told Anadolu Agency that Pakistani authorities had allowed tens of thousands of stranded Afghans on Tuesday to pass through the border gate without proper immigration control and social distancing.

Pakistan on Saturday announced it would open its border with Afghanistan for four days to facilitate stranded Afghan nationals' return home.

"On the first day [Monday], we managed the return of travelers properly, but today, thousands of travelers were allowed by the Pakistani authorities to flood the crossing point," Khogyani said.

Authorities in Nangarhar had set up sprawling quarantine camps at Torkham to screen suspected COVID-19 patients.

However, Pakistani officials rejected Afghanistan's accusation, saying they allowed the Afghan nationals' passage on Kabul's request.

"Before opening the border at the special request of the Afghan government, it was decided that per day, 1,000 Afghan nationals will be allowed to cross the border. But yesterday, more than 4,000 people were gathered there and we permitted only 1,000 to go," a Pakistani official at the Torkham border said on condition of anonymity, as he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Later, Afghanistan's ambassador to Pakistan requested all Afghans gathered at the border be allowed passage on Tuesday, he added.

Late on Monday, the envoy, Atif Mashal, said he had reached an agreement with the Pakistani government to allow Afghan nationals reached at the border to cross into Afghanistan.

"We reached a conclusion with the Pakistani government to allow all passengers to enter Afghanistan, from Spin Boldak and Torkham through tomorrow [Tuesday], without regard to the restrictions on passing one thousand," Mashal said on Twitter.

He added that they also discussed with the concerned Afghan authorities to have full preparedness and facilities.

Meanwhile, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Tuesday spoke over the phone with the Iranian Foreign Minister Jawad Zarif about the state of Afghan refugees in Iran in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. According to an official statement, Zarif assured him that health services would be provided to Afghan refugees free of cost.

By Tuesday, Afghanistan had 423 cases of the novel virus, with western Herat province, bordering Iran, as the worst affected.

Since appearing in Wuhan, China, last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 184 countries and regions.

Data compiled by the U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University shows worldwide infections surpassing 1.36 million with nearly 76,400 deaths. Almost 292,400 people have recovered.

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/pakistan-stranded-afghans-flood-border-amid-pandemic/1796014

 

[Syed1]

Curve beginning to plank? Ya Allah please be true and not a false hope.

 

[King-Misbah]

Curve beginning to plank? Ya Allah please be true and not a false hope.

View attachment 100365

I am sorry to say but with limited testing, these figures arw hardly accurate :/

 

[The Viper]

Gender breakdown of coronavirus cases in Pakistan

Male 71.9%
Female 28.1%

 

[Syed1]

I am sorry to say but with limited testing, these figures arw hardly accurate :/

Pakistan actually has the best testing ratio in our region.

 

[Abdullah719]

'Painful and tiresome' — Swat's first recovered patient recalls encounter with Covid-19

Junaid Khan was shocked to learn that he had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

He developed symptoms on March 28 after returning to his hometown in Swat from Karachi, but had no foreign travel history. He also does not recall coming into contact with a Covid-19 positive person and, curiously enough, the relatives he lived with in Karachi tested negative.

When it was confirmed that he indeed had the virus, Khan was admitted to Saidu Teaching Hospital (STH) on March 30. Nine days later, on Wednesday, he became the first patient in Swat to have recovered from the coronavirus.

But the period he spent in isolation felt like an eternity to the 30-year-old, who was given a ceremonial farewell — complete with bouquets and photo op — by the hospital staff after being discharged.

“Although the medical staff, nurses and doctors took great care of me and other patients round the clock, the time with the new virus was strange. It was not only painful but also very tiresome for me,” he recalled while talking to media after being released from the High Dependency Unit at STH.

Khan, a resident of Swat's Odigram area, said he was initially mentally disturbed at the prospect of a crowded and dirty hospital ward, but after being admitted, he found the isolation ward to be clean and hygienic. “They provided me with very good care, food and medicines and I am very much satisfied with the service in the hospital,” he said.

Nonetheless, the time spent in isolation was "the most difficult" period of his life, Khan said, adding that his excitement knew no bounds after he was given the all-clear to be discharged.

STH Medical Superintendent Dr Naeem Awan confirmed that Khan had contracted Covid-19 in Karachi and fully recovered from the disease after nine days.

“Two days ago he tested negative after which we sent his sample for a second test which too came negative today,” he said.

Khan is now advising others in his community to observe social distancing if they want to avoid the distressing experience that he underwent.

Before going home, he stressed that everyone must follow the guidelines issued by the government in order to save themselves and others from the deadly virus, which has so far killed 18 people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and infected 527.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1547529/p...vered-patient-recalls-encounter-with-covid-19

 

[Sirris]

'Painful and tiresome' — Swat's first recovered patient recalls encounter with Covid-19

Junaid Khan was shocked to learn that he had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

He developed symptoms on March 28 after returning to his hometown in Swat from Karachi, but had no foreign travel history. He also does not recall coming into contact with a Covid-19 positive person and, curiously enough, the relatives he lived with in Karachi tested negative.

When it was confirmed that he indeed had the virus, Khan was admitted to Saidu Teaching Hospital (STH) on March 30. Nine days later, on Wednesday, he became the first patient in Swat to have recovered from the coronavirus.

But the period he spent in isolation felt like an eternity to the 30-year-old, who was given a ceremonial farewell — complete with bouquets and photo op — by the hospital staff after being discharged.

“Although the medical staff, nurses and doctors took great care of me and other patients round the clock, the time with the new virus was strange. It was not only painful but also very tiresome for me,” he recalled while talking to media after being released from the High Dependency Unit at STH.

Khan, a resident of Swat's Odigram area, said he was initially mentally disturbed at the prospect of a crowded and dirty hospital ward, but after being admitted, he found the isolation ward to be clean and hygienic. “They provided me with very good care, food and medicines and I am very much satisfied with the service in the hospital,” he said.

Nonetheless, the time spent in isolation was "the most difficult" period of his life, Khan said, adding that his excitement knew no bounds after he was given the all-clear to be discharged.

STH Medical Superintendent Dr Naeem Awan confirmed that Khan had contracted Covid-19 in Karachi and fully recovered from the disease after nine days.

“Two days ago he tested negative after which we sent his sample for a second test which too came negative today,” he said.

Khan is now advising others in his community to observe social distancing if they want to avoid the distressing experience that he underwent.

Before going home, he stressed that everyone must follow the guidelines issued by the government in order to save themselves and others from the deadly virus, which has so far killed 18 people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and infected 527.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1547529/p...vered-patient-recalls-encounter-with-covid-19

The best would be to give those who recovered more media time, perhaps a small ad, where they explain their first hand experience dealing with Coronavirus. It can be in their local language for a bigger effect. The next time PM addresses the nation on Coronavirus, they can include a clip with Coronavirus victors.

 

[Syed1]

The best would be to give those who recovered more media time, perhaps a small ad, where they explain their first hand experience dealing with Coronavirus. It can be in their local language for a bigger effect. The next time PM addresses the nation on Coronavirus, they can include a clip with Coronavirus victors.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">1. Ghafoor, who came from Karachi, tested positive for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/coronavirus?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#coronavirus</a>, treated in Mardan, now negative, and ready to go home.<br>He has a message for all of us.<br>Shared with permission, recorded by Dr. Zia Ur Rehman, a doctor in Mardan who tested positive for the virus and is with him. <a href="https://t.co/sWMECLuU7t">pic.twitter.com/sWMECLuU7t</a></p>— Taimur Khan Jhagra (@Jhagra) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jhagra/status/1247809964053352453?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Varun]

Gender breakdown of coronavirus cases in Pakistan

Male 71.9%
Female 28.1%

How come?

 

[treker747]

How come?

Women are not being tested as much could be the reason.

 

[King-Misbah]

Women are not being tested as much could be the reason.

I think globally men are in more risk to the virus.

 

[Itachi]

I think globally men are in more risk to the virus.

There's no evidence that sars cov 2 has particular attraction towards y chromosomes.

 

[Abdullah719]

Sindh lockdown 'likely' to be eased after Apr 14, public gatherings to remain banned: CM spokesman

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah's spokesperson has said that the lockdown in the province would likely be eased but SoPs would be issued to avoid crowds at public places, public transport etc.

However, the spokesperson clarified that a final decision has yet to be taken on the matter and "may be taken after the expiry period of the ongoing lockdown. The decision will be taken in consultation with all stakeholders."

 

[Abdullah719]

Health ministry allows clinical trials of plasma therapy, says Dr Mirza

The health ministry has allowed the clinical trials of plasma therapy in order to treat the coronavirus, SAPM Dr Zafar Mirza said.

The ministry has also allowed the testing of ventilators that have been made locally, he added.

 

[Syed1]

Trend is encouraging.... need more flattening








The number of recovered people has also jumped to 572. Everyday we are getting 100-150 people recovering now Alhumdulilah.

 

[Sirris]

Data from Italy, Spain and China actually suggest that men are hit harder. It's certain yet if that's due to cultural or biological reasons.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/apr/07/coronavirus-hits-men-harder-evidence-risk

In Pakistan's case culture could play an even bigger part. A large number of Iranian travelers and Tableeghi events attendees are most likely going to be male.

 

[Syed1]

Govt to Make Blood Donations Compulsory for All Recovered Coronavirus Patients

Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has reportedly approved the use of passive immunization technique to treat COVID-19 patients in the country.

Dr. Tahir Shamsi, head of the National Institute of Blood Diseases (NIBD) Karachi, has actively advocated for employing passive immunization technique to treat Coronavirus patients since the first case of the disease was reported in Pakistan.

The federal government is expected to announce the decision tomorrow.

Initially, COVID-19 patients will be treated at NIBD Karachi, LUMHS Jamshoro, and LUMS Medical University Lahore.

Moreover, the government has devised a protocol with consultation from the National Bioethics Committee (NBC) for treating COVID-19 patients using passive immunization.

Under the NBC sanctioned protocol, patients, who make a complete recovery from COVID-19, will be bound to donate their blood to treat other patients.

DRAP officials have also recommended the federal government to provide them a list of nearly 570 patients who have completely recovered from Coronavirus. This way, doctors from the designated centers would collect their blood and start using passive immunization techniques.

Ventilators and Chloroquine
Besides passive immunization technique, DRAP has approved the local production of ventilators after a comprehensive technical evaluation.

DRAP has also approved the manufacturing of the ingredients used to make chloroquine in Pakistan. Successful clinical trials at DRAP have found chloroquine to be effective against COVID-19.

While chloroquine will be manufactured in Pakistan after nearly a decade, ventilators will be manufactured in the country for the first time.

https://propakistani.pk/2020/04/09/...2KLL6tNgnDoVTkwF-wlM6zikEc8p-0xZ3TET84dPh8944



Pehlay corona se laro phir do liter khoon bhi do

 

[Syed1]

NESCOM also developed an indigenous ventilator that can be mass produced. DRAP also approved it now it seems.

It has been undertesting for a few weeks but above report seems to mention that now it has been approved.

 

[Abdullah719]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">16 positive cases. Area around Taramari Chowk is being sealed. This is the area with maximum social distancing violations. "Positive case" had been going to a shop and infected others. After results all were tested and we found another epicenter. <a href="https://t.co/IFNP3ySbWA">pic.twitter.com/IFNP3ySbWA</a></p>— Deputy Commissioner Islamabad (@dcislamabad) <a href="https://twitter.com/dcislamabad/status/1248253458702090240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Syed1]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">16 positive cases. Area around Taramari Chowk is being sealed. This is the area with maximum social distancing violations. "Positive case" had been going to a shop and infected others. After results all were tested and we found another epicenter. <a href="https://t.co/IFNP3ySbWA">pic.twitter.com/IFNP3ySbWA</a></p>— Deputy Commissioner Islamabad (@dcislamabad) <a href="https://twitter.com/dcislamabad/status/1248253458702090240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Islamabad admin has been very proactive in sealing off entire areas that are about to turn into epicenters. Today they de-sealed Bara Kahu and Shahzad Town after having it sealed for two plus weeks and conducting spot tests.

 

[Syed1]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">How do we plan our response in Islamabad? Bara Kahu, Shahzad Town and H-9 were sealed because of more than 5 positive cases. After massive screening they were desealed. Our next danger area is near Tarlai. All of it is planned here &#55357;&#56391;&#55357;&#56391;Nerve Center of Islamabad Administration <a href="https://t.co/LOm11UW3Ry">pic.twitter.com/LOm11UW3Ry</a></p>— Deputy Commissioner Islamabad (@dcislamabad) <a href="https://twitter.com/dcislamabad/status/1248207368292315136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Abdullah719]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">My deepest condolences to Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah <a href="https://twitter.com/MuradAliShahPPP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MuradAliShahPPP</a> and his family on the sad demise of his brother in Law Syed Mehdi Shah who lost his life fighting with Coronavirus for last 3 weeks.</p>— Imran Ismail (@ImranIsmailPTI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranIsmailPTI/status/1248315031684616194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[King-Misbah]

NESCOM also developed an indigenous ventilator that can be mass produced. DRAP also approved it now it seems.

It has been undertesting for a few weeks but above report seems to mention that now it has been approved.

Need PEE kits to be mass produced. Make it compulsory for everyone that comes out has to wear a mask.

 

[Syed1]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">My deepest condolences to Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah <a href="https://twitter.com/MuradAliShahPPP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MuradAliShahPPP</a> and his family on the sad demise of his brother in Law Syed Mehdi Shah who lost his life fighting with Coronavirus for last 3 weeks.</p>— Imran Ismail (@ImranIsmailPTI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranIsmailPTI/status/1248315031684616194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Inna lillahi wa inna illahi rajioon


May Allah forgive the sins of the departed Ameen

 

[last_knight]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">My deepest condolences to Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah <a href="https://twitter.com/MuradAliShahPPP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MuradAliShahPPP</a> and his family on the sad demise of his brother in Law Syed Mehdi Shah who lost his life fighting with Coronavirus for last 3 weeks.</p>— Imran Ismail (@ImranIsmailPTI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranIsmailPTI/status/1248315031684616194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

inna lillah ay wa inna ilaihe rajayoon

 

[MenInG]

74 cases of #COVIDー19 in Karachi reported positive today that are all locally transmitted. This is the highest number of cases reported in any city of Pakistan in a single day. Meanwhile, traders associations in Karachi want to open markets from April 15th

 

[finalfantasy7]

Need PEE kits to be mass produced. Make it compulsory for everyone that comes out has to wear a mask.

So how many ventilators are we making in total? and how many do we have already?

 

[Syed1]

Need PEE kits to be mass produced. Make it compulsory for everyone that comes out has to wear a mask.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Visited Pak Ordinance factory where workers producing hundreds of masks everyday to meet <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19Challenge?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19Challenge</a> distances n other precautions are fully enforced <a href="https://t.co/nIxXcgczbT">pic.twitter.com/nIxXcgczbT</a></p>— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) <a href="https://twitter.com/fawadchaudhry/status/1247851213095403521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[King-Misbah]

So how many ventilators are we making in total? and how many do we have already?

I am really not sure unfortunately. May be [MENTION=138254]Syed1[/MENTION] can shed some light.

 

[MenInG]

 

[MenInG]

 

[King-Misbah]

View attachment 100380

The positive are the high number of people who have recovered. This means that the active cases are around 3900. Punjab is a worry atm because I realise that people are too relaxed down there.

 

[Savak]

The positive are the high number of people who have recovered. This means that the active cases are around 3900. Punjab is a worry atm because I realise that people are too relaxed down there.

Police and the govt must come down with full force via danda. Our nation only understands the danda

 

[Abdullah719]

Punjab govt to provide tax exemptions, clear dues of media houses: Chohan

Punjab government has decided to give tax exemptions to media houses and clear their pending dues so that they don't have to face financial losses due to the ongoing virus that had brought the country to a halt, provincial minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan announced.

He expressed hope that the impact of the tax exemption and payment of dues would also reach media workers.

The Punjab information ministry will provide masks and protective gear for newspaper hawkers so that they would be protected from the virus, provincial minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan said.

Protective gear will be handed to the union president tomorrow.

Punjab Information Minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan has said that the provincial information ministry will pay Rs100,000 to any journalist who contracts Covid-19 while reporting on the situation.

In case a journalist passes away from the virus, the Punjab information ministry will pay Rs1 million to the family of the deceased, he said.

https://www.dawn.com/live-blog/

 

[Abdullah719]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">My deepest condolences to Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah <a href="https://twitter.com/MuradAliShahPPP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MuradAliShahPPP</a> and his family on the sad demise of his brother in Law Syed Mehdi Shah who lost his life fighting with Coronavirus for last 3 weeks.</p>— Imran Ismail (@ImranIsmailPTI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranIsmailPTI/status/1248315031684616194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Hospital did not declare my brother-in-law Covid-19 positive, Sindh CM

Another death from Covid-19 has been reported in Sindh during the past 24 hours, said Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, adding that the
deceased was his brother-in-law.

"Syed Mehdi Shah was 52-years-old and tested positive on March 28. He had won the battle against coronavirus and had tested negative twice.

"However, the disease had caused other complications that eventually lead to his death," he said. He added that the hospital did not declare his brother-in-law as Covid-19 positive.

Despite this, his funeral was carried out while observing all standard operating procedures regarding coronavirus, he said.

https://www.dawn.com/live-blog/

 

[Abdullah719]

SHO injured in Orangi Town after citizens pelt officials with stones

Citizens in Orangi Town, Karachi pelted police officials with stones, injuring a female station house officer, according to SSP West Fida Hussain.

Speaking to Dawn.com, Hussain said the police officer was injured after officials tried to take action against those violating the lockdown imposed in the province in Pirabad.

A heavy police contigent reached the scene after being informed of the incident and managed to bring the situation under control, he said, adding that action will be taken against those responsible.

https://www.dawn.com/live-blog/#1548074

 

[MenInG]

President Alvi, others offer special prayers to rid world of Covid-19

Minister for Religious Affairs Dr Noorul Haq Qadri led Namaz-i-Taubah after Friday prayers at Aiwan-i-Sadr.

President Arif Alvi, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani were among those who offered the prayer held to seek Allah's forgiveness and rid the world of the coronavirus pandemic, Radio Pakistan reported.

The decision to offer the special prayers was made during a meeting between the president and the Council of Islamic Ideology a day earlier.

 

[Abdullah719]

SHO injured in Orangi Town after citizens pelt officials with stones

Citizens in Orangi Town, Karachi pelted police officials with stones, injuring a female station house officer, according to SSP West Fida Hussain.

Speaking to Dawn.com, Hussain said the police officer was injured after officials tried to take action against those violating the lockdown imposed in the province in Pirabad.

A heavy police contigent reached the scene after being informed of the incident and managed to bring the situation under control, he said, adding that action will be taken against those responsible.

https://www.dawn.com/live-blog/#1548074

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING: Lady SHO in Orangi Town, Peerabad attacked by mob - She tried to restrict people from conducting <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Friday?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Friday</a> prayer in a mosque. Case against those who attacked police, will be registered & they will be arrested, said Police. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CoronaVirusUpdate?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CoronaVirusUpdate</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID%E3%83%BC19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVIDー19</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Karachi?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Karachi</a> <a href="https://t.co/Vk4On07xN3">pic.twitter.com/Vk4On07xN3</a></p>— The Times of Karachi (@TOKCityOfLights) <a href="https://twitter.com/TOKCityOfLights/status/1248549706596323328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[King-Misbah]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING: Lady SHO in Orangi Town, Peerabad attacked by mob - She tried to restrict people from conducting <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Friday?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Friday</a> prayer in a mosque. Case against those who attacked police, will be registered & they will be arrested, said Police. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CoronaVirusUpdate?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CoronaVirusUpdate</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID%E3%83%BC19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVIDー19</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Karachi?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Karachi</a> <a href="https://t.co/Vk4On07xN3">pic.twitter.com/Vk4On07xN3</a></p>— The Times of Karachi (@TOKCityOfLights) <a href="https://twitter.com/TOKCityOfLights/status/1248549706596323328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

They should face minimum 5 years in prison, sends a message out to the rest of the awaam too.

 

[last_knight]

They should face minimum 5 years in prison, sends a message out to the rest of the awaam too.

Tender issue of our society but this can be used as an opportunity to demonstrate order of law.

 

[MenInG]

Govt's requests for social distancing flouted in Larkana as people gather to collect cash

Huge crowds of people were seen in Larkana at Kifalat centres where they had gathered to collect funds allocated by the government for lower-income people.

Videos showed huge crowds of women holding their National Identity Cards standing in close capacity without wearing masks as police officials unsuccessfully tried to convince them to stand apart.

Senior Superintendent of Police Larkana Masood Bangash said that officials have been deployed at centres but "it was hard to control the crowd because women turn up in large numbers".

 

[MenInG]

Govt reinstates ban on export of anti-malarial drugs

The government has reinstated a ban on export of anti-malarial drugs amid the coronavirus pandemic.

A notification issued by the commerce ministry revealed the decision was being made on the recommendation of the National Coordination Committee (NCC).

 

[Bewal Express]

I think looking at the slow steady daily increase, our big increase is 6 to 8 weeks away.

 

[last_knight]

I think looking at the slow steady daily increase, our big increase is 6 to 8 weeks away.

Virus has shown this trend of progressive increase in daily new cases for 30 days (+/-5) starting from the day when 100 New cases were reported for the first time.

In case of Pakistan, that was Mid March when we started having 100 New cases daily.

If Virus sticks to the trend gentlemanly, our peak is 7-10 days away and decline will start after 20th April.

 

[Bewal Express]

Virus has shown this trend of progressive increase in daily new cases for 30 days (+/-5) starting from the day when 100 New cases were reported for the first time.

In case of Pakistan, that was Mid March when we started having 100 New cases daily.

If Virus sticks to the trend gentlemanly, our peak is 7-10 days away and decline will start after 20th April.

The number of real cases will be roughly 10x the reported figure. As the increases will exponential, we are still to see anywhere near the peak. IA you are right and I am badly wrong.

 

[BoomBoomCricket]

It was supposed to be just a picture of Pakistan's president taking precautions during an official meeting.

But instead the image of President Dr Arif Alvi wearing the high-end N-95 medical mask - tweeted out on social media - has further inflamed tensions between Pakistan's government and those on the front line of the fight against coronavirus.

The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) noted that while "politicians and bureaucrats are often seen wearing N-95 masks during meetings and visits… health professionals are facing a dire shortage of (these masks) and PPE (personal protective equipment)".

Indeed, while many countries around the world regularly take to the streets to applaud their health workers during the crisis, doctors in one city - where almost 25 medical officials have already tested positive - were beaten by the police, for daring to protest over the lack of PPE.

Dr Alvi has since explained that he was given this mask in China during a recent visit and had been re-using it until its straps broke. He is now using a common face mask.

But doctors are still not happy.

PPE shortages have been in the headlines ever since the coronavirus pandemic struck early last month, mainly because it was an unprecedented situation and the magnitude of demand could not have been foreseen.

For the 200,000 or so practising doctors in Pakistan, the outbreak came just six months after they were stunned by a controversial government decision to close the country's top health professionals' regulatory body, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC).

That decision left 15,000 fresh medical graduates without certification, while around 30,000 doctors still await their routine five-year registration renewal which is necessary for them to continue to practise medicine in Pakistan and abroad, a source in the PMDC said.

The near absence of protective gear triggered unrest among this already strained community, with doctors all over the country resorting to brief protests and strikes.

There were clashes between police and doctors in Quetta
But nowhere were these protests as violent as in Quetta - and there are some good reasons for this.

Balochistan province is already under-resourced, with only two tertiary-care hospitals, both in Quetta, the capital. The region has often been politcally neglected. A low-intensity separatist insurgency has been going on for two decades.

The province was also the first recipient of coronavirus, which arrived with the thousands of pilgrims who crossed over from Iran during February and March.

Soon after the virus was detected, the government set up a quarantine camp at the Taftan crossing, but the arrangement was "grossly inadequate and unprofessional", says Dr Yasir Khan, president of the Balochistan chapter of the Young Doctors' Association (YDA).

"People were crowded together in tents so that those who had no infection also got infected," he says.

Concerns were further raised when 40 out of the 96 people who tested positive in Quetta some two weeks ago were found to have no travel history, indicating community transmission.

As doctors demanded protection, supplies were arranged by the federal government, and the hospitals were made to sign receipts for N-95 masks.

But they turned out to be K-95 masks, mostly used by barbers and beauticians in haircutting salons, Dr Shah says.

At least 17 doctors and five paramedics in Quetta have so far tested positive for Covid-19. Even more worryingly, none of Quetta's infected health workers were involved in directly handling coronavirus patients, Dr Khan said.

No infections among health workers have been reported elsewhere, though there are unconfirmed reports that two doctors have died in Gilgit-Baltistan region and Karachi. The federal health ministry was repeatedly approached by the BBC to confirm country-wide infections among health professionals, but it did not respond.

By Wednesday, tensions had reached boiling point. Hundreds of doctors and paramedics went on strike, gathering at Quetta's Civil Hospital, from where they started a protest march towards the chief minister's residence.

Police stopped them halfway to the venue, and when they tried to break through the cordon, they were pounced upon and beaten with sticks and fists.

Many were injured, and more than two dozen were arrested.

They have since been released and have decided to call off their strike. But their protest continues as PPE supplies, which the government claims to have dispatched, have yet to reach them.

https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/world-asia-52243901?__twitter_impression=true

 

[Syed1]

worldmeter is saying plus 2000 today..... I looked at all official sources and all show about +250 today. I hope worldmeter is incorrect

 

[Abdullah719]

worldmeter is saying plus 2000 today..... I looked at all official sources and all show about +250 today. I hope worldmeter is incorrect

4695 on the govt. website, 6495 on their website. They might've mixed up the first two numbers.

 

[Syed1]

4695 on the govt. website, 6495 on their website. They might've mixed up the first two numbers.

Good catch.... cheeel jaisi nazrien

 

[last_knight]

It was supposed to be just a picture of Pakistan's president taking precautions during an official meeting.

But instead the image of President Dr Arif Alvi wearing the high-end N-95 medical mask - tweeted out on social media - has further inflamed tensions between Pakistan's government and those on the front line of the fight against coronavirus.

The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) noted that while "politicians and bureaucrats are often seen wearing N-95 masks during meetings and visits… health professionals are facing a dire shortage of (these masks) and PPE (personal protective equipment)".

Indeed, while many countries around the world regularly take to the streets to applaud their health workers during the crisis, doctors in one city - where almost 25 medical officials have already tested positive - were beaten by the police, for daring to protest over the lack of PPE.

Dr Alvi has since explained that he was given this mask in China during a recent visit and had been re-using it until its straps broke. He is now using a common face mask.

But doctors are still not happy.

PPE shortages have been in the headlines ever since the coronavirus pandemic struck early last month, mainly because it was an unprecedented situation and the magnitude of demand could not have been foreseen.

For the 200,000 or so practising doctors in Pakistan, the outbreak came just six months after they were stunned by a controversial government decision to close the country's top health professionals' regulatory body, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC).

That decision left 15,000 fresh medical graduates without certification, while around 30,000 doctors still await their routine five-year registration renewal which is necessary for them to continue to practise medicine in Pakistan and abroad, a source in the PMDC said.

The near absence of protective gear triggered unrest among this already strained community, with doctors all over the country resorting to brief protests and strikes.

There were clashes between police and doctors in Quetta
But nowhere were these protests as violent as in Quetta - and there are some good reasons for this.

Balochistan province is already under-resourced, with only two tertiary-care hospitals, both in Quetta, the capital. The region has often been politcally neglected. A low-intensity separatist insurgency has been going on for two decades.

The province was also the first recipient of coronavirus, which arrived with the thousands of pilgrims who crossed over from Iran during February and March.

Soon after the virus was detected, the government set up a quarantine camp at the Taftan crossing, but the arrangement was "grossly inadequate and unprofessional", says Dr Yasir Khan, president of the Balochistan chapter of the Young Doctors' Association (YDA).

"People were crowded together in tents so that those who had no infection also got infected," he says.

Concerns were further raised when 40 out of the 96 people who tested positive in Quetta some two weeks ago were found to have no travel history, indicating community transmission.

As doctors demanded protection, supplies were arranged by the federal government, and the hospitals were made to sign receipts for N-95 masks.

But they turned out to be K-95 masks, mostly used by barbers and beauticians in haircutting salons, Dr Shah says.

At least 17 doctors and five paramedics in Quetta have so far tested positive for Covid-19. Even more worryingly, none of Quetta's infected health workers were involved in directly handling coronavirus patients, Dr Khan said.

No infections among health workers have been reported elsewhere, though there are unconfirmed reports that two doctors have died in Gilgit-Baltistan region and Karachi. The federal health ministry was repeatedly approached by the BBC to confirm country-wide infections among health professionals, but it did not respond.

By Wednesday, tensions had reached boiling point. Hundreds of doctors and paramedics went on strike, gathering at Quetta's Civil Hospital, from where they started a protest march towards the chief minister's residence.

Police stopped them halfway to the venue, and when they tried to break through the cordon, they were pounced upon and beaten with sticks and fists.

Many were injured, and more than two dozen were arrested.

They have since been released and have decided to call off their strike. But their protest continues as PPE supplies, which the government claims to have dispatched, have yet to reach them.

https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/world-asia-52243901?__twitter_impression=true

Disagree to an extent.

Being a healthcare worker I can confirm Corona-Suits are provided daily. Gloves, shoe-covers, head-covers are in abundance.

N-95 remains an issue though. And that's the most needed one.Not available for all healthcare workers, but provided to the groups dedicated for Corona Wards. Authorities need to focus more. N-95 in untrained hands is a health risk for them.Ministers and DCs are not trained to use N-95. It can be dangerous for them.

I have talked to 3 import-export friends and reason behind shortage of N-95 is abrupt stoppage of Imports despite of Orders placed with advance Payments.

 

[Syed1]

A silver lining, if you can call it that, is that 727 people have recovered from the disease as per latest report and this figure is rising everyday by 100-150. Inshallah in a couple of days we will breach 1000 recovered.

It is heartening to know that the pace of new cases and new recoveries is almost matching each other now.

 

[finalfantasy7]

how many people are they roughly testing in day in pakistan?

 

[Syed1]

Another day with encouraging trend...

 

[King-Misbah]

Another day with encouraging trend...

View attachment 100397

I hope so but the testing rate is not good enough for these statistics to hold true value.

 

[Syed1]

I hope so but the testing rate is not good enough for these statistics to hold true value.

Lack of testing can only hide positive cases, but it cannot hide the number of people dying/needing ventilators. We have conducted 54,000 tests and about 4,700 have come positive.


Pakistan's death rate is even significantly lower than world average. So even if you assume that the cases are about 50% more then what is officially reported then our death rate does not match with the mortality rate of this virus.

 

[globalcitizen]

Lack of testing can only hide positive cases, but it cannot hide the number of people dying/needing ventilators. We have conducted 54,000 tests and about 4,700 have come positive.


Pakistan's death rate is even significantly lower than world average. So even if you assume that the cases are about 50% more then what is officially reported then our death rate does not match with the mortality rate of this virus.

Pakistan cannot be an hotspot and It will be surprising if Pakistan turns out to be one. my reasons are below;

Pakistan does not have much international travellers going in and out compared to other countries.
Pakistan does not have much western mnc companies compared to other countries.

So from Pakistan perspective it has to only isolate cases among those infected and then let the virus run its course and it will flatten the curve.

The fallback from this is even though Pakistan manages to flatten curve, it still cannot open borders or relax lockdown. So it’s in the same dilemma as other countries unfortunately, thereby hurting the economy.

So ultimately we need to conquer this virus together along with other countries of the world to really say we have passed this pandemic.

 

[MenInG]

Barcelona, Spain - When Sheraz Syed returns home from his working day, he cannot hug his three children or his wife, because of the coronavirus.

Being a taxi driver these days is a high-risk job. But on top of his regular work, along with 195 Pakistanis in Barcelona, he provides free rides to healthcare staff in the city.

The initiative started at the beginning of Spain's lockdown, in mid-March, as six Pakistani taxi drivers led by Shahbaz Ahmed discussed how medical workers would be able to return at night to their homes.

Since then, their effort has expanded to about 200 volunteers, including some drivers from other nationalities.

They started by sharing their contact details with hospitals and organised their schedules to cover the city centre and more remote facilities, such as the Can Ruti Hospital.

"Medical staff work too many hours and we saw that they were going to their jobs using public transport," said Asim Gondal, a driver volunteering his services.

"For this reason, as they are working on the frontline for humanity, we began this service also to save them more time and, in this way, they don't spend it on public transport."

Gondal and his family have lived in Barcelona for about 20 years and Spain, he said, a country he now considers home.

"This is a difficult time for Spain," he said.

About 43,000 Pakistanis live in Barcelona, and almost 89,000 in Spain overall, according to the Spanish Statistical Office.

The drivers follow preventive measures: they wear masks, gloves and have disinfectant gel in their cars.

None of the people in the group have the virus, but there have been previous cases of Pakistani taxi drivers with COVID-19.

Five are reported to be recovering in hospital.

"It's frightening when your workmate is at the hospital. Some are my friends and they have eaten in my house," said Syed. "There is always a risk."

In an effort to limit the spread of the coronavirus, the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (AMB) has limited taxi traffic to 20 percent each day and each driver is allowed to work once a week.

"We will provide this service until we can," said Gondal.

Like many in Spain, which is facing a severe economic downturn as thousands have been laid off, the coronavirus outbreak has impacted the drivers' personal finances.

"We don't have any economic help from the government and only self-employed workers are able to work, the rest have been fired," claimed Syed.

This has impacted their personal protection; not all taxi drivers can afford a screen to separate them from their passengers.

In addition to the taxi drivers' inititative, over the past two weeks, the local Pakistani community has stepped in to help.

Grocery store owners have converted industrial warehouses into spaces taxi drivers can use to organise food parcel distribution to the homeless and families in need.

Hundreds of masks and robes for medical workers are being sewn together at pace at the the Catalan Islamic Cultural Centre.

More than 15,000 people have died from the coronavirus in Spain since the start of the epidemic, and there have been more than 152,000 cases overall.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020...s-spanish-health-workers-200408120354440.html

 

[MenInG]

20pc of tests conducted in past 24 hours came out positive: Sindh CM

In a video released by his office's Twitter account, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah announced that 20 per cent of Covid-19 tests conducted in the past 24 hours came out positive.

"This is greater than the world average at the moment," Shah said.

He also said that 919 people are still under treatment in the province.

The chief minister cautioned that there wasn't "much good news" in the last 24 hours and thus the province needed a stricter lockdown.

 

[MenInG]

 

[Navdeep Srivastava]

Sindh has great recovery ratio in comparison to Punjab, any difference in treatment?

 

[King-Misbah]

Sindh has great recovery ratio in comparison to Punjab, any difference in treatment?

Sindh recieved the initial cases so a lot more people have recovered. I would hope that in Punjab a lot more people recover in a weeks time. Overall, Alhamdulillah the recovery rates are good for Pakistan.

 

[MenInG]

11 Union Councils in Karachi's District East sealed to curb virus spread

Eleven Union Councils in District East Karachi are being sealed to contain the spread of Covid-19, according to a notification from the Deputy Commissioner's Office.

The union councils that being sealed are:

UC-2 Manzoor Colony
UC-6 Gillani Railways
UC-7 Dalmia
UC-8 Jamali Colony
UC-9 Gulshan II
UC-10 Pehalwan Goth
UC-12 Gulzar-e-Hijri
UC-13 Safoora
UC-14 Faisal Cantt
UC-9 Jacob Line
UC-10 Jamshed Quarters

 

[MenInG]

Easing restrictions because of lower case numbers than projected would be a mistake: Mirza

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza has said that people think restrictions should be eased because the country has a lower number of cases than projected, warning that doing so would be a mistake.

"If we ease restrictions, the number of cases and deaths will sharply increase [...] in fact we should add to our restrictions."

The SAPM also underscored the need to maintain social distancing even after restrictions are eased.

 

[MenInG]

PIA's special flight evacuates 200 Pakistanis from Malaysia, Singapore

A special Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has flown 200 Pakistani nationals who were stranded in Malaysia and Singapore for three weeks to Islamabad.

The flight (Islamabad-Kuala Lumpur) also repatriated 120 Malaysian and Singaporean nationals from Pakistan.

The eight Pakistani nationals repatriated from Singapore included two critical patients. The plane also carried four bodies.

The passengers included short term visitors, the destitute and the vulnerable who were facing hardships due to closure of flights and lockdown in Malaysia, the Pakistan High Commission in Kuala Lumpur said.

==

Special PIA flight brings 126 Pakistanis home from Baku

126 Pakistani nationals stranded in Baku, Azerbaijan have been repatriated to Islamabad by a special Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight, the Embassy of Pakistan in Baku said.

The majority of them were tourists visiting Azerbaijan on short-term visas who were unable to return to Pakistan due to suspension of international flights.

As a gesture of goodwill, the PIA special flight also repatriated 12 Azerbaijani nationals who were stranded in Pakistan, the embassy added.

 

[Syed1]

A bit of a spike today... Still within our daily average range but early in the day so we might exceed average range by end of day

 

[MenInG]

KARACHI: Residents of Karachi will have to bear the coronavirus lockdown in searing heat, with Meteorological Department Director Sardar Sarfaraz forecasting a two-day heatwave starting Saturday for the port city.

The city has been under strict lockdown orders since March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the Met department, temperatures will remain high for the next two days, shooting up to 40 degrees Celsius.

“The sea breeze will discontinue during the day time,” the official said, depriving the city's residents of their cooling effect.

As of Saturday, the weather department said Karachi’s day-time temperature had risen to 39.3C.

The ratio of humidity in air is 12%, added the Met department.

The heatwave warning came as the city recorded more than 1,300 coronavirus cases with 28 deaths.

It bears mentioning that despite speculation that heat and high temperature kill the virus and/or strip it of its potency, there is no definite conclusion on the matter as the number of cases have continued to mount in even hotter places.

Last year, Karachi witnessed a series of heatwaves which saw residents avoiding venturing out during afternoon hours and remaining indoors.

The city has been facing consecutive heatwaves since the past two years in particular.

In June 2015, about 1,200 people had died in southern Pakistan during a heatwave, with nearly two-thirds of the victims homeless people.

https://www.geo.tv/latest/282260-amid-pandemic-karachi-residents-to-brace-heatwave-from-today

 

[Syed1]

Corona ko andaza nahi hai is ne kiss quam se panga leh liya hai )


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVDI19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVDI19</a> ward in a hospital somewhere in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pakistan?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Pakistan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/coronavirus?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#coronavirus</a> <a href="https://t.co/BM540OkXKL">pic.twitter.com/BM540OkXKL</a></p>— shaheen (@shaheenmissile) <a href="https://twitter.com/shaheenmissile/status/1248972475519639553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Abdullah719]

Balochistan reports 8 new cases, all locally transmitted

Balochistan has reported eight new cases of coronavirus, all of them locally transmitted, according to the provincial government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani.

The number of locally transmitted Covid-19 cases in the province has risen to 80 while the overall provincial total now stands at 228.

 

[Abdullah719]

Govt responds to CJP’s suo motu notice on corona crisis

ISLAMABAD: A day after Chief Justice Justice Gulzar Ahmed took his first suo motu notice on the coronavirus situation in the country, the federal government submitted a response to Supreme Court (SC) explaining the measures taken by the state to stem the spread of infection so far.

The top court judge had sent notices to the attorney general, the health secretary and the interior secretary over the inadequate facilities at the government's disposal to combat coronavirus on Friday.

In response to his reservations, the government assured the top court that authorities are taking all possible measures to curtail the rapid spread of the virus in the country.

As a preventive measure, 83 thermal scanners have so far been installed at various locations. Moreover, special counters have been set up to facilitate travelers and suspected coronavirus patients at all international airports, the top court was informed.

In line with other initiatives taken by the state to tackle the crisis, surveillance on the crossing of Taftan, Chaman and Torkham border has been tightened and quarantine centres for suspected patients have been established in 154 districts across the country.

A hearing in the matter by a five-member larger bench will resume on April 13.

On April 1, the same five-member bench, comprising the chief justice, Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Amin Ahmed, had also heard the matter of the release of under-trial prisoners amid the virus' outbreak. A petition had been filed against the prisoners' release ordered by the Sindh and Islamabad high courts.

“Under what law can suspects and accused be released?” the CJP had asked while hearing arguments. He noted that it was already very difficult to arrest the accused in cases.

“The police are already busy with the coronavirus emergency. How can we let criminals be out on the roads as well?” he had asked.

He said robberies have already started taking place in Karachi soon after the release of prisoners. The due process of law will have to followed before such a thing can be allowed, the chief justice had ruled.

The Supreme Court then ordered over 500 prisoners — temporarily released to slow the spread of coronavirus — to be re-arrested, as it overturned the high courts’ judgments.

An exception was however made in the case of prisoners accused of minor crimes.

Pakistan has reported 4,700 cases of the coronavirus and 68 deaths. Of the total infected, Punjab has the highest count — 2,280, whereas Sindh comes in second with 1,214.

A countrywide lockdown is being observed until April 14 to curb the spread of the virus. Owing to pressure from the business community, who are facing great losses, as well as concerns surrounding the livelihood of daily wage workers, the provinces are mulling over whether or not to extend the lockdown period.

https://www.geo.tv/latest/282289-govt-reverts-back-to-cjps-sou-motu-notice-on-corona-crisis

 

[MenInG]

KARACHI: Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah said on Saturday that the province is presenting a dismal picture in terms of new coronavirus cases and death toll despite stringent lockdown measures ordered by the Sindh government.

In a video message issued Saturday afternoon, Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah said the province had recorded six deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the provincial tally to 28.

The CM Sindh noted that on April 11, there were 104 positive cases reported within just a 24-hour period.

“We have recorded 104 cases in the province, which is an increase of 20 per cent,” he said, describing it as the ‘highest average [daily increase] in the world’.

He said that the new cases have taken the tally in the province to 1,318.

“We have given orders for stricter measures in Malir,” Shah said, while noting that cases were also rising in Hyderabad, forcing the authorities to enforce stricter measures.

The CM noted that the situation regarding the curbing of the disease is deteriorating and the reason is lapses from the public’s side in following orders.

“A stricter lockdown is our need at the moment,” he added.

Governor Sindh Imran Ismail has opposed an extension in the lockdown, which is set to remain in force until April 14.

Ismail said that it is not appropriate to extend the lockdown after the abovementioned date, as it is pertinent to acknowledge the difficulties being faced by the people.

The PTI leader said that he has been receiving complaints from the public.

The province has been observing a strict lockdown since the middle of March, with the provincial government recently having extended the lockdown until April 14.

Last week, Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani said lockdown rules may be revised on April 14, paving the way for a little leniency.

In a statement, Ghani explained that the rules would be relaxed so that some sectors will be given conditional permission to resume operations.

As of Saturday, the total number of virus cases in Pakistan has surpassed 4,000, with more than 70 deaths reported so far.

https://www.geo.tv/latest/282267-al...irus-cases-seen-within-past-24-hours-cm-sindh

 

[Abdullah719]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Expired ration distributed among needy in Thatta<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ARYNews?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ARYNews</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a></p>— ARY News (@ARYNEWSOFFICIAL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ARYNEWSOFFICIAL/status/1248888419159355393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>