ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has distributed two months ration among the flood victims enabling them to be self-sufficient until the rehabilitation work was completed in the flood affected areas.

The PAF was vigorously undertaking rehabilitation operation for flood victims of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Sindh, Balochistan and South Punjab where the flood affectees are also provided free of cost medicines and medical care at PAF Field Medical Camps, a PAF news release said on Monday.

During the last 24 hours, Pakistan Air Force emergency response teams have distributed 16,650 cooked food packs, 750 water bottles and 777 ration packs amongst the needy families. Moreover, 920 patients were also attended by the medical teams of Pakistan Air Force. 

DNA                          

Islamabad, Sep 26: An amount of Rs.25,000 per family is being distributed through Benazir Income Support Programme to the flood affected families of Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Gilgit Baltistan. So far a total of Rs.46,545,900,000 has been disbursed among 1,861,836 flood affected families under Flood Relief Cash Assistance across the country.

In Balochistan 150,568 flood affected families have received Rs. 3,764,200,000. 1,321,300 affected families of Sindh have received Rs.33,032,500,000. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 183,628 families have received Rs. 4,590,700,000 whereas 206,033 families of Punjab have received Rs.5,150,825,000. In Gilgit Baltistan 307 flood affected families have also received Rs. 7,675,000.

Today a total of 142,171 flood affected families have received financial assistance from different campsites established in flood hit areas. A control room has been established at Benazir Income Support Pogramme headquarters to ensure smooth payments.

KARACHI – Pakistani currency continued to stabilize for the second consecutive working day, as it made fresh recovery against the US dollar in the inter-bank market on Monday.

According to details, the local currency appreciated by Rs2.63 against the greenback and closed at Rs237.02. The rupee had closed at Rs239.65 on Friday, according to Pakistan’s central bank data.

With the latest day-to-day gain, the rupee has cumulatively recovered Rs2.7 in the past two working days. 

In open market, the local unit has posted a massive recovery of Rs7 and was being traded around Rs238.

The bull has also returned to the Pakistan Stock Exchange as benchmark KSE-100 index gainedover 400 points and was being traded around 41,000 points.

ISLAMABAD, /DNA/ – The Education Testing Council (ETC), viz. Higher Education Commission (HEC) has announced that its portal etc.hec.gov.pk will remain open until October 3, 2022 midnight for the third batch of students who wish to take the Undergraduate Studies Admission Test (USAT). Their USAT will be held on October 16, 2022. If there is a change in the test date, it will be communicated to applicants individually as well as through email/ SMS.

The ETC conducts USAT for admission at the undergraduate level in universities operating all over Pakistan. The USAT is designed on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) pattern and covers all known disciplines of Engineering, Medicine (Allied Health), IT, Management and Social Sciences at the undergraduate entry level. The students after qualifying respective USAT would stand eligible to all relevant universities accepting it, like the SAT.  

The students who have passed the Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) or equivalent/Grade 12 education and those who have appeared in the final examination and awaiting results can apply for USAT.

The ETC conducts the USAT in six categories based on relevant academic streams, including USAT-E for Pre-Engineering, USAT-M for Pre-Medical, USAT-A for Arts & Humanities, USAT-CS for Computer Science, USAT-GS for General Science, and USAT-Com for Commerce.

Doctors and medical workers have been battling the increase in waterborne

 diseases and other infections, and struggling to treat the sick and deliver medicines

ISLAMABAD, /DNA/ – Emirates Field Hospital has successfully treated more than 7,000 children, women and the elderly affected by floods in Pakistani villages.

Since the start of the unprecedented monsoon rains and flooding, more than 1,600 people have died and thousands more have been injured. The floods have affected 33 million people, leaving hundreds of thousands homeless.

Doctors and medical workers have been battling the increase in waterborne diseases and other infections, and struggling to treat the sick and deliver medicines, food supplies and tents to people displaced by the floods.

The Emirates Field Hospital in Sindh Province in Pakistan is on the frontline to provide medical assistance to the flood-hit families through mobile medical teams, mobile clinics and a field hospital equipped with the latest diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive equipment.

Working under the supervision of the UAE Embassy in Islamabad and the Consulate General in Karachi in coordination with the Pakistani Ministry of Health, it is operated with the participation of UAE and Pakistani doctors who are volunteers in the Emirates Medical Relief Programme.

The joint initiative of UAE and Pakistani health and humanitarian institutions has proven to be a distinctive model of joint humanitarian work to alleviate the suffering of patients, especially children, women and the elderly.

Dr Adel Al Shamri Al Ajmi, CEO of Zayed Al Ataa Initiative, chief physician of the UAE and director of the Emirates Medical Relief Programme, said that the Emirates Field Hospital enhances its humanitarian tasks through its mobile medical teams in villages located in the vicinity of flood-affected areas in Sindh province, Gulf news reported .

This is done according to a study prepared by the team to cover the segments that have not been reached by humanitarian and health services to reduce the effects of the disaster in Pakistan.

He pointed out that UAE doctors launched their programme in various Pakistani villages through the efforts of volunteer doctors in the Emirates Medical Relief Programme.

The initiative continues its diagnostic and therapeutic programmes with more gradual expansion to accommodate the largest number of affected segments in the vicinity of its humanitarian services to reduce the seriousness of the health situation and the repercussions of the disaster on the most affected groups.

He pointed out that the doctors of the UAE-Pakistan Field Hospital have succeeded in gaining the best and specialised medical competencies from the UAE and Pakistan.

The facility is enabling them to volunteer in the field and virtually to provide diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive services to thousands of women, children and the elderly through the mobile clinics of the field hospital.

This is in line with the directives of the wise leadership led by the President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to adopt innovative humanitarian projects, and to translate the vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, by activating the humanitarian partnership and empowering young people in the service of humanity.

Dr Adel explained that the volunteer medical teams focused on meeting the needs of those affected by chronic diseases in light of their inability to reach the health clinics where they are treated. This was in addition to providing various pharmaceutical items and conducting medical examinations that revealed many different pathological conditions.

Dr Mumtaz Al Balushi, director of Humanitarian Physicians in Pakistan, said that the Emirates Field Hospital and its mobile units have delivered the necessary medical services and dispense free medicines to those affected in the most affected areas, despite the logistical challenges caused by the damage to infrastructure and the dredging of roads leading to those areas.

LAHORE, Sep 26: US ambassador to Pakistan Donald Armin Blome on Monday visited historic Wazir Khan mosque in the old city and praised the cultural heritage of Lahore.

During his three-day maiden visit to the provincial capital since his arrival in Pakistan, the US ambassador will visit various places besides watching the flag-lowering ceremony at the Wahga. He will also watch the Pakistan-England T20I match at the Gaddafi stadium during his sojourn.

Wazir Khan mosque, since 2009, has been restored and preserved through the Ambassador’s Fund while the work on the restoration of the domes inside and different shops and ‘hujras’ outside the mosque was in progress.

Speaking on the occasion, Blome said Lahore was custodian of the rich cultural heritage and the United Satets government is proud of playing its role in the preservation of the cultural sites in the different parts of the country through the Ambassador’s Fund, adding that some 32 such cultural sites were preserved in the country through the US funding since 2001.

“It is inspiring to see work done at this cultural heritage of such magnitude and it continues to be done. The United States government is committed to preserve the cultural heritage sites in Pakistan and the projects like this exemplify depth and breadth of our partnership”, the diplomat said, adding that he looks forward to continue the Pak-US partnership in future.

Terming people to people contacts as strength of US-Pak bilateral relations, the ambassador underlined the importance of the people to people contacts, adding that the projects like this add to the community bonding. He said the Pakistani community in the US was playing a vital role in furthering the mutual ties.

Donald A. Blome said,”Pakistan is passing through the most difficult times due to the incessant flooding in most parts of the country and was saddened by the loss of lives and livelihood”, adding that the United States government stands side by side with Pakistan. 

The US envoy said his visit to the city was significant as Pakistan and the US celebrate 75 yeas of diplomatic ties, adding such projects were hoped to shape the surroundings and future of our children.

Ambassador Blome was accompanied by US Counsel General Lahore William K. Makaneole, Public Affairs officer US Consulate Lahore Bryce A. Isham and Deputy PAO Carl R. Rogers.

Earlier, the Director General Walled City Lahore Authority (WCLA) Kamran Lashari briefed ambassador Donald Blome on the restoration and preservation at the Wazir Khan Mosque. He also shed light on the restoration of other cultural heritage sites by the WCLA.

The ambassador Donald Blome visited different parts of the 17th century Mughal era mosque. He was shown round the houses renovated on the Northern side of the gate while had had the aerial view of the mosque from the adjacent roofs. Blome also visited the mosque and hailed the intricate faience tile work and the fresco on the interior surface of the mosque. He also showed keen interest in the calligraphy work.

The ambassador visited different artifact shops in the outer courtyard of the mosque and interacted with the shop keepers. He admired the tireless efforts of the architects, artists and the artisan in restoring the beauty of the spectacular place.

RAWALPINDI, Sep 26 (DNA): A Pakistani Army helicopter on Sunday night crashed during a flying mission near Khost area of Harnai in Balochistan that resulted into the martyrdom of all six personnel on board including two pilots.

The Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Monday informed that the martyred officers and soldiers included Major Muhammad Muneeb Afzal (Pilot), Maj Khurram Shahzad (Pilot), Naik Jalil (Crew), Subedar Abdul Wahid, Sepoy  Muhamad Imran, and Sepoy Shoaib.

The Military’s media wing further mentioned that more details were to follow. However, as per the details of the Shuhada (martyrs) Major Khurram Shahzad (39) was resident of Attock, married and had a daughter, Major Muhammad Muneeb Afzal (30) was resident of Rawalpindi, married and bore two sons, Subedar Abdul Wahid (44) was resident of village Sabir Abad,  Karak who was married and had four children including three sons and a daughter, Sepoy Muhammad Imran (27) was resident of Makhdoompur, Khanewal, married and had two daughters and a son, Naik Jalil (Crew) was 30 years old and resident of village Bhutta, Lohara, Tehsil Kharian, District Gujrat, married and had two sons. Sepoy Shoaib (35) was resident of village Khatarphatti Post Office Syeeda Tehsil Jhand, District Attock, was also married and had a son.