Pakistan is the world’s second most polluted country: report

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March 17, 2021

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is the world’s second most polluted country, said a report that monitored the 106 countries across the globe. Lahore stands most polluted city in the country while Islamabad as cleanest one.

Another bad news for Pakistanis on the climate front, as the country was declared second most polluted rund the world. Pakistan is the world’s second most polluted country, according to a new report by the global air quality data platform.

The most polluted country is Bangladesh. India is the third among the 106 countries monitored.

Last year, the PM2.5 concentration in Pakistan was five times above the Word Health Organisation’s recommendation. PM2.5 is particulate matter (PM) that is smaller than 2.5 micrometers. These tiny particles in the air we breathe are responsible for most lung diseases, heart diseases and cancer. Particulate matter includes dust, dirt, soot, smoke, and liquid droplets.

The WHO target is 10µg/m³. Pakistan’s current measurement is 59, which falls in the unhealthy category.

“Pakistan has shown numbers that have come in very poorly in the past, with many of its megacities creating vast amounts of smoke, haze and deadly smog that permeates the air,” the World Air Quality Report 2020 says.

The cleanest city in the country is Islamabad with an AQI of 110. The most polluted city is Lahore — also the world’s 18th most polluted city — with an AQI of 163.

Major sources of pollution in Pakistan are:

Vehicle emissions and road dust

Domestic biomass burning

Industrial activity, especially steel mills

Agricultural burning

Garbage burning

Negative effects on health

Air pollution kills around seven million people worldwide every year, according to the WHO.

More than 20% of deaths in Pakistan can be linked to the negative impacts of air pollution exposure, IQAir says.

Major health issues are respiratory illnesses such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, bronchitis, emphysema and aggravated asthma attacks.

Experts said that the air in the country can be lethal for people with asthma and result in healthy children developing the disease.

PM2.5 can also enter the blood causing heart issues such as ischemic heart disease, stroke, heart attacks, arrythmias, as well as damage to the blood vessels and filtration organs such as the liver.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about a temporary improvement in the air quality levels worldwide.

“Many parts of the world experienced unprecedented, but short-lived, improvements in air quality in 2020, as restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic caused a steep drop in fossil fuel consumption,” said Lauri Myllyvirta, lead analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), who also contributed to the report.

“This improved air quality meant tens of thousands of avoided deaths from air pollution. By transitioning to clean energy and clean transport we can realize the same improvements in a sustained way.”

An early study, however, shows that between seven and 33% of deaths from COVID-19 worldwide can be linked to long-term air pollution.

These deaths may have been prevented by reducing human-made air pollution, IQAir concludes.

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PIA to operate direct flights to Turkey

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Our Correspondent

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March 15, 2021

KARACHI: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has decided to resume direct flights to Turkey from Lahore and Islamabad.

The national airline plans to operate flights to Turkey’s Istanbul city from Lahore and Islamabad thrice a week from mid-May. The PIA had stopped operating flights on this route many years back.

The decision to resume flights from Lahore and Islamabad to Turkey will help fetch significant revenue for the loss-making national entity that is striving to cut operational cost.

It is noteworthy that Federal Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan had last week met Turkey’s Ambassador in Islamabad Ihsan Mustafa Yurdakul and discussed the matters relating to promoting bilateral ties in diverse fields including aviation.

During the meeting, the two sides stressed the need for further strengthening the existing long-cherished brotherly relations between Pakistan and Turkey.

With input from INP

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Etisalat team meets key government stakeholders on Telecom Sector & national economic growth

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Our Correspondent

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March 12, 2021

ISLAMABAD: Etisalat delegation comprising of top management held meetings with Federal Ministers and other key government stakeholders in Islamabad.

The delegation led by Group CEO Etisalat Hatem Dowidar met with the Federal Minister for Finance, Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Federal Minister for Privatization, Muhammad Mian Soomro and Chairman, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Maj Gen. (R) Amir Azeem Bajwa.

During the meeting, Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh welcomed the delegation from Etisalat to Pakistan.

Matters of mutual interest were discussed with a focus especially on Telecom Sector and its significance on the national economic growth.

Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh commended the efforts of Etisalat and PTCL for their tremendous coordination and support in developing a strong infrastructure that would surely transform Pakistan into a digitalized economy.

The Minister elaborated Prime Minister of Pakistan’s vision for a Digital Pakistan and highlighted its role in today’s digital world.

Federal Minister for Privatization, Muhammad Mian Soomro, during his meeting, appreciated their interest in Pakistan and contribution in the Telecom Sector. He emphasized that there are tremendous opportunities which should be availed.

The per capita ratio of cellular phones in Pakistan is amongst the highest globally. Etisalat and Privatization teams resolved to expedite the pending issues and to have continued sittings.

Hatem Dowidar, Group CEO, Etisalat, commended the efforts of the Government of Pakistan including Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Privatization.

He further emphasized on their role in re-shaping Pakistan’s Telecom Sector on the pattern of leading economies of the world.

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CDA decides to make Islamabad tourist friendly

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Sara Maqsood

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March 11, 2021

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) at the first meeting of the newly-formed CDA Board has decided to make the federal capital tourist-friendly, functionalize libraries and to hold activities that highlight the national culture.

It was also decided to make the federal capital tourist friendly and to create a facilitation center to promote tourism. Special guidance will be given to tourists towards the available facilities. On the other hand, the importance of visiting the historical places in Islamabad and its environs will also be highlighted.

The meeting also decided that the existing libraries in the city would be made functional immediately for the promotion of book reading. Other important steps included holding cultural shows, celebrations and to undertake other important steps to highlight the national culture.

The board meeting also reviewed the sanitation situation in the city and directed to further improve the sanitation system. Instructions were also issued to expedite and improve the efforts being made for the rehabilitation of road infrastructure of the city.

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US blocks delivery of Turkish gunships to Pakistan

By

TNT Monitoring Desk

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March 11, 2021

WASHINGTON: The United States has prevented Turkey from supplying 30 locally-made attack helicopters to Pakistan. According to Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told reporters that “the US has blocked Turkey’s helicopter sale to Pakistan, which will likely lead to Islamabad buying it from China.”

The ATAK T-129 is a twin-engine, tandem seat, multi-role, all-weather attack helicopter based on the Agusta A129 Mangusta platform and is equipped with American engines.

The US is holding up export clearance for the LHTEC engine. The blockade could “cause more harm” to US interests, Kalin added.

Turkey and Pakistan signed a $1.5 billion deal for the Turkish-made helicopter gunships in July 2018. But the delivery date was pushed back after the Pentagon refused to issue the Turkish company an export license for the engines.

The Turkish official mentioned the US blockade while briefing journalists on the impact of US sanctions on Turkey, triggered by Ankara’s decision to buy S-400 missiles from Russia.

He said Turkey was forced to buy Russian missiles because Washington had refused to supply Patriot air defence missiles systems to Ankara on favorable terms. The sanctions are designed to deter any country from signing military deals with Russia and restrict US loans and credits to a defaulter.

Developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) in partnership with a European firm, Agusta-Westland, the ATAK T-129 helicopter is designed for advanced attack and reconnaissance missions in hot and high environments in both day and night conditions.

The United States announced the first blockade in July 2019, days before a meeting between the former US president, Donald Trump, and Prime Minister Imran Khan in Washington.

In January 2020, the head of Turkey’s Defence Industries (SSB) said that Ankara and Islamabad had extended the delivery deal by another year to ensure a smooth delivery. The agreement gives Pakistan the option to buy the Chinese Z-10 helicopters should the Turkish deal not materialize.

Reports in the Turkish media said that the Turkish-built T-129 ATAK helicopter was still on the Pakistan Army shopping list.

In August 2020, Turkey hired a Washington law firm to lobby with the US administration and Congress for securing an export license which will help complete its biggest ever defence deal with Pakistan.

The US firm Greenberg Traurig and its subcontractor were paid a monthly retainer of $25,000 to lobby for the deal.

The latest blockade, however, is likely to force the two allies to cancel the deal, persuading Islamabad to look for other options, DAWN news reported.

US officials in Washington were contacted for comments on the announcement made in Ankara but did not respond.

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PDM long march: Fazl says Opposition’s caravans to arrive in Islamabad by March 30

By

Sara Maqsood

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March 9, 2021

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman shared some details about the alliance’s upcoming long march, saying that caravans will arrive in Islamabad by March 30.

The PDM chief, addressing a news conference and flanked by Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Maryam Nawaz, condemned the attack on PML-N leaders outside the parliament last week, blaming the PTI ‘goons’ for being responsible for it.

“The long march will begin from March 26. Caravans from every corner of the country will participate,” he said. “We appeal to the entire nation to play their part in ousting this illegal and unconstitutional government,” added the JUI-F chief.

Fazl said the PDM’s caravan will arrive in Islamabad on March 30, adding that another meeting of the Opposition’s leadership will be held on March 15 to discuss the protesters’ stay in the capital. “More details will be revealed about the march then,” he said.

The PDM should initiate its anti-government long march from Karachi on March 26 and culminate it in Islamabad on March 30.

These and other suggestions were forwarded by a special committee of the PDM on Monday during an important meeting of the party chaired by PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

The committee said that all parties would bear their own expenses in arranging caravans of supporters for the long march. It was expected that the long march which will begin from Karachi on March 26 will culminate in Islamabad on March 30, at around 3pm when all participants arrive in the federal capital to stage the protest.

The committee recommended political parties to actively campaign for the long march and ensure their supporters show up in huge numbers. It was suggested by the committee that a central camp to welcome participants of the march in Islamabad will be set up at the Faizabad interchange.

The committee said that all Opposition parties part of the PDM will organise their own workers and will bear their expenses. It said that the Opposition alliance’s leadership should visit all four provinces of the country immediately to mobilize the masses.

Discussing the strategy for the long march further, the committee suggested that the PDM should be put into place a unified system through which people are mobilized.

The committee called on the PDM to create various committees for the long march such as food, medical, finance and legal committees.

“Arrangements should be made for the participants of the long march before they arrive in Islamabad,” said the committee, adding that the sit-in protest should continue till the Opposition’s demands aren’t met.

“Mass contact should be established with farmers, laborers and traders,” recommended the committee.

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After Gillani’s victory in Senate polls, Opposition demands resignation of PM Imran Khan

By

Sara Maqsood

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March 4, 2021

ISLAMABAD: The Opposition parties are in good spirits after the victory of their candidate former prime minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani in the Senate elections from Islamabad, leaving behind the government’s candidate, Abdul Hafeez Sheikh.

PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz, Pakistan Democratic President Maulana Fazlur Rehman and others from the Opposition have now demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

“The PDM has won through the votes of members of Pakistan’s assemblies. They say that Imran Khan was a big sportsman, and in sports you have an honorable and dishonorable defeat, so I think Imran Khan should not throw such tantrums,” Bilawal said, addressing a press conference with Senator-elect Gillani at the Zardari House in Islamabad.

Bilawal said the people of Pakistan understand that the burden they’re carrying right now of power and utility bills and expenses for essential commodities is because of Imran Khan’s incompetence. “Our goal right now is for this puppet government to go home so that people can be provided with some relief. This government, till now, has only tortured the people,” he said.

He said PM Khan should now resign “honourably” as not only had the people of Pakistan, but his own members had deserted him. Bilawal said it is a new era in Pakistan’s democratic journey. “I am going to meet Opposition Leader Mian Shahbaz Sharif too,” he said.

He said this election isn’t only about one seat because all of Pakistan had voted for this seat. “GiLlani was elected as the speaker of the House and the prime minister and after today, God willing, he will be elected as the Senate chairman.”

He said the PPP knows that elections were rigged and we know that losing and winning is a part of it, but we should also have an equal playing field for everyone. “We believe that if there is an even playing field, the Pakistani people can elect representatives who are able to solve their issues,” he said.

Bilawal said that [Foreign Minister] Shah Mahmood Qureshi was a senior politician, but he was crying like a child. “Instead of crying and showing hesitation, Qureshi should advise Imran Khan to resign,” he said.

Gillani was thankful to the PPP chairperson and the PDM leadership, including PML-N’s Maryam Nawaz, Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif, JUI-F’s Fazlur Rehman, Akhtar Mengal and the ANP leadership.

He said this was a victory of democracy. “The Islamabad seat was the most important seat in the Senate elections and everyone was eyeing it,” he said.

Meanwhile, PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz, too, demanded PM Khan to resign as the Leader of the House in the National Assembly.

“You have no more justification to continue occupation of the Prime Minister’s House. Vote chor, kursi chorr (vote thief, leave seat),” Maryam wrote on Twitter.

She said people’s representatives have snatched back the fake mandate. “Their own people, while not succumbing to pressure, refused to vote criminal people, vote thief, sugar thief, electricity thief and atta thief,” she said. “Well done both members from the government and opposition benches,” she said.

There is no need to seek the vote of confidence from the National Assembly as he [PM Khan] has already lost majority in the House, said PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

He said Imran Khan should now admit that he has lost majority in the NA. “There is no justification for Imran Khan to remain in power,” Fazl said.

He shared that the PDM leadership will soon hold a meeting of party heads to finalize a future strategy.

Ahsan Iqbal, who was also present on the occasion, said that winning the Senate seat from Islamabad was the first major step in moving towards real democracy for which the opposition was struggling.

To a question, Ahsan Iqbal said that Prime Minister Imran Khan himself fell victim to Ali Haider Gillani formula in which he was telling MNAs how to waste the ballot paper. “Prime Minister Imran Khan himself fell victim to the Ali Gillani formula,” he said.

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PTI will file reference in ECP for Gillani’s disqualifition: Fawad

By

Tanzeel Ahmed

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March 3, 2021

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister Fawad Chaudhry has said the Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) will file a reference in the Election Commission of Pakistan, seeking Yousuf Raza Gillani’s disqualification as the candidate for the Senate seat from Islamabad.

Yousuf Raza Gilani should be disqualified for the Senate election, Chaudhry told reporters in Islamabad Tuesday evening.

The remarks from the minister came shortly after a video of Gillani’s son, Ali Haider, went viral in which he was seen advising a PTI MNA on how to waste his vote in the Senate election.

His father’s main rival in the March 3 election is PTI’s Abdul Hafeez Shaikh.

Ali Haider confirmed it was him in the video and said he was requesting the MNAs for their vote. “We have requested many of our old and new friends, who belong to the ruling party, for their votes,” Ali Haider said at a press conference. “As far as this video is concerned, I can state this on good authority that these MNAs belong to the PTI, they are my friends.”

He claimed that the MNAs told him they didn’t want to vote for PTI’s candidate Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and asked what they should do if the PTI leaders gave them printed ballots.

Ali Haider said he told them how to have their votes rejected if their party gave them already marked ballots.

Fawad Chaudhry, the federal minister, termed Ali Haider’s remarks “confession of guilt”. He said he expected the ECP to take notice of it.

In a statement, the ECP said it had taken notice of Ali Haider Gillani’s video and the matter would be investigated on merit.

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Imran himself supervise PTI Senate election campaign

By

Our Correspondent

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March 1, 2021

ISLAMABAD: As the upcoming Senate elections are at corner and to be held on Wednesday, Prime Minister Imran Khan has cancelled all his official engagements and decided to directly supervise the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) campaign for the upper house’s polls.

Finance Minister Dr Hafeez Shaikh, PTI candidate for a seat from Islamabad, started canvassing for the election and went door to door to meet members of National Assembly in Parliament Lodges.

The government has again leveled allegations of corruption and misuse of authority against former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gillani, the joint candidate of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) for the Islamabad seat.

From Monday, today Prime Minister will only focus on the Senate election and will not attend any official meeting, PTI leader said.

The PTI leader was of the view that the prime minister would directly supervise the PTI’s campaign for the Senate polls and meet MNAs of allied parties.

Situation of the electioneering is tough between former premier Yousuf Raza Gillani and Finance Minister Hafeez Shaikh on a Senate seat for Islamabad. The National Assembly is the electoral college for the seat and an interesting session of the house will be held on March 3 in which voting for the two candidates will take place.

Meanwhile, the MQM-P’s absence from an important PTI reception in Karachi has raised eyebrows of many, particularly after Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari claimed that the MQM-P would support PDM candidate in the Senate polls.

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Opposition firm and united for Senate elections: Fazlur Rehman

By

Tanzeel Ahmed

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March 1, 2021

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) Chairman and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that there is an atmosphere of disappointment in the government ranks at the moment but the opposition is united for the Senate elections.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad flanked by Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and PPP candidate for Senate seat from Islamabad Yousaf Raza Gillani, he said that good results would emerge in the Senate elections.

The JUI-F chief said that a meeting of the PDM leadership will be held after the Senate elections to devise the future course of action regarding the movement against the government. “Getting rid of such rulers would be a big service to the people of Pakistan,” he added.

Fazlur Rehman said, “PDM is the only voice of the oppressed people that was raising voice against inflation.”

Speaking on the occasion, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the opposition wanted to send a message through Senate elections that the parliament is also with the PDM.

He said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) seats from Punjab will be useful during election of Senate Chairman, adding that the opposition is united and will fight the government together.

Bilawal went on to say that it was the success of PDM that they were challenging the government at home, adding that the oppositionis together contesting the senate elections together, we will not allow the government to rig polls.

Regarding Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-Pakistan) skipping dinner organised by the PTI government, the PPP chairman revealed that they are holding dialogue with MQM and other government allies.

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