RAWALPINDI, Aug 26 :Rawalpindi District Police have arrested an accused allegedly involved in firing on police at Range Road and injuring a cop.

According to a police spokesman, Westridge police after receiving information about firing on police at Range road launched search operation to arrest the accused. When the police signaled to stop two bikers, they opened fire and tried to flee.  During exchange of fire, an accused namely Yasir received bullet injuries and rounded up by Westridge police while other managed to escape from the scene.

The arrested accused revealed that he was involved in firing at Range Road on Wednesday night.

According to details, on Wednesday night, Westridge Police stopped a biker and recovered ‘Ice’ from his possession.

Meanwhile, the accused opened fire on the Head Constable Sher Afghan and managed to escape from the scene leaving his motorcycle.

The injured cop was shifted to hospital where City Police Officer, Rawalpindi and other senior police officers reached and inquired after the health of the Head Constable.

CPO directed Superintendent Police, Potohar to ensure provision of best possible medical treatment facilities to the injured cop.

A search operation to net the fugitive accused was also launched.

Superintendent Police, Potohar told that the fugitive criminal would also be arrested and brought to justice.

Those who attack the lives and property of the citizens cannot escape the law, the CPO Muhammad Ahsan Younis said.

PESHAWAR, Aug 26 :Medical Superintendent (MS) of Tank hospital has urged the government to address the shortage of doctors and medical equipment in the health facility which catered to a vast area.

Talking to APP, MS Dr. Abbas Sherani said provision of clean drinking water in Tank hospital was one of the grave problems but authorities concerned resolved it.

Moreover, he said that provision of uninterrupted power supply was vital for better service delivery and in this regard an amount of Rs 25 million had been allocated for 24-hour power supply for feeders.

He said despite limited resources, the management of the hospital was trying their level best to provide best healthcare facilities to people and added inclusion of Tank Hospital in B category and removing shortage of doctors would have the best impact on performance of the hospital.

He was of the view that referral rate would also decrease when people would get best treatment in the hospital of their own area.

He said the hospital had neither a heart specialist nor a CT scan machine and added it was not possible to treat a head injury or a heart patient without a CT scan.

Thus, he added that the government would provide more doctors and medical equipment to the hospital. Dr. Abbas Sherani further said that a letter had been sent to the provincial government and boards of directors to fill the shortage of doctors for Tank Hospital. He hoped that the shortage of staff in Tank Hospital would be met

Islamabad – August 26, 2021:  Today, the United States donated 3.7 million doses of the life-saving Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to the Government of Pakistan for distribution to the Pakistani people through the COVAX facility.  Today’s donation of 3.7 million vaccines is in addition to the 5.5 million Moderna vaccine doses that the U.S. government donated to Pakistan in July, bringing the total number of doses sent from the United States to Pakistan to over 9.2 million.

This donation is part of the 500 million Pfizer doses the United States purchased this summer to deliver to 92 countries and economies worldwide, including Pakistan, to fulfill President Joe Biden’s commitment to provide safe and effective vaccines around the world and supercharge the global fight against the pandemic.

“There is an urgency, now more than ever, to put an end to this devastating pandemic, and Pakistan and the United States are continuing to work together to achieve that goal,” said U.S. Embassy Chargé d’affaires Angela P. Aggeler.  “The United States is proud to partner with the Pakistani people to defeat COVID-19.  Together, we will continue to build a world that is safer and more secure against the threat of infectious disease.”

The United States has also delivered more than $63 million in COVID-19 assistance through our partnership with the Government of Pakistan.  Since the start of the pandemic, the United States has worked together with Pakistan to improve infection prevention and control, enhance patient care, expand laboratory testing, and support frontline healthcare workers.  

The United States is the single largest contributor supporting COVAX efforts toward global COVID-19 vaccine access.

ISLAMABAD, Aug 26 :Indus River System Authority (IRSA) Thursday released 248,300 cusecs water from various rim stations with inflow of 243,600 cusecs.

According to the data released by IRSA, water level in the Indus River at Tarbela Dam was 1544.58 feet, which was 158.58 feet higher than its dead level 1386 feet. Water inflow and outflow in the dam was recorded as 149,200 and 142,300 cusecs respectively.

The water level in the Jhelum River at Mangla Dam was 1200.60  feet, which was 150.60 feet higher than its dead level of 1050 feet whereas the inflow and outflow of water was recorded as 23,400 and 35,000  cusecs respectively.

The release of water at Kalabagh, Taunsa and Sukkur was recorded as 133,600, 115,800 and 28,300 cusecs respectively. Similarly, from the Kabul River a total of 15,900 cusecs was released at Nowshera and 19,800 cusecs from the Chenab River at Marala.

ISLAMABAD, Aug. 26 : The Chief of Municipal Committee of Gwadar has issued a clarification letter to condemn a report by the Guardian in which it tried to sabotage the relationship between the Chinese and Pakistani people by spreading “misleading, malicious, and misinterpreted information” that’s against the will of the majority of Gwadar people.

“Your report has damaged our reputation, negatively affect the development of Gwadar and loss has occurred to us thereof. Therefore, we reserve our right to take legal action to protect our action,” the government proclaimed in the letter, according to Gwadar Pro.

“The people of Gwadar are very grateful for the assistance provided by the Chinese government and companies,” it stated, adding that the ongoing projects, such as Gwadar Port and Gwadar Free Zone Development, New International Airport Gwadar, Gwadar Vocational Training Institute, China-Pakistan Friendship Hospital, and many others not only bring immediate employment for the local community but also will improve the poor infrastructure in Gwadar.

According to a report by Gwadar Pro, dating back to 2013, Gwadar Port was on the verge of desolation with obsolete facilities, barely surviving the seaport business. Since China Overseas Port Holding Company (COPHC) took over the port, the infrastructural work has been complete with three 20,000-ton multi-purpose berths and a storage yard of 140,000 square meters.

Besides, the successful operation of Gwadar Port transit trade to Afghanistan lays the foundation for expanding this trade network to Central Asia and Russia.

Gwadar Free Zone has also seen some significant investment and developments in this area lately. More than 40 enterprises involved in hotels, banking, logistics, overseas warehouses, grain and oil processing, and fishery processing have registered at the free zone, bringing in a total investment worth U.S. $90 million.

The thriving port and free zone have driven the infrastructural development of Gwadar city as a whole. For example, the East-Bay Expressway under the CPEC project, linking Gwadar Port with the Mekran Coastal Highway (N-20), will directly take cargoes from the port to M-8 for onward shipment to Karachi and the rest of the country. 94 percent of the work on the six-lane motorway has been completed and would be inaugurated in October this year.

Despite major infrastructural developments, “water and electricity have been an issue due to historical reasons,” the statement pinpointed, “……and, they are not the responsibility of the Chinese at all. Chinese companies have managed to supply 100,000 to 200,000 gallons of water to the local community with their captive water plant.”

What’s more absurd in the Guardian report is, quoting the letter, “the news reporter is trying to find an excuse for …… the terrorist attack that occurred on August 20, 2021, which is an extremist action against humans and condemned by all the people of Gwadar.”

BEIJING, Aug. 26 : The production of high-yielding hybrid rice receives a notable boost in Pakistan, from the startup of modern color sorter machines and seeds given by China to Pakistan to facilitate the sowing of this grain.

Michael Guo, sales manager of Hefei Meyer optoelectronic technology international told China Economic Net that they started to sell the color sorter to the Pakistan market in 2008, it’s very hard to promote the Chinese Brand at the very beginning, as many people prefer to buy European and Japanese Brand.

He said that in the first five years they only sold not more than 50 machines, but after 2013 rice mills owners have experienced the Chinese Brand, saying it’s not only cheap but also has good quality and stability.

“Up to now, Meyer has sold more than 600 color sorter machines in the Pakistani market with a share of 40%. Most rice exporters are using Meyer color sorter machines, and they are very satisfied with it. MEYER color sorter provides the greatest guarantee of food security for all over the world”, he added.

According to the General Customs Administration of China, data about Pakistan sales of color sorter machines increased over the past four years, and the next three years are an estimate as per previous experience.

“Meyer color sorter machines can meet all of the customers’ requirements, whatever kinds of rice, such as Basmati rice, brown rice, parboiled rice, steam rice and it can remove the light yellow/ dark yellow, pin-points, chalky, even it can remove the foreign materials like glass, plastic, stones, etc.”, he stated.

Guo said they have an authorized agent and professional service team in Pakistan providing the local service within 24hours. Meanwhile, the machine can be connected with WIFI. They have remote services and users can check problems on computers from China.

“Meyer will try the best to provide better technology to serve more and more enterprises and escort the local food security”, he added.

Shamsul Islam Khan, vice president of Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) told CEN that there are three tiers in China to ensure the safety of the market. China should increase Pakistan’s quota of rice and give it more market access to reduce the trade deficit gap between the two countries.

“We imported hybrid rice seeds, especially IRRI-6, IRRI-9 from China, and the advantage of hybrid rice is that it can be grown anywhere. Secondly, where the production of Basmati rice was low, the production of hybrid rice is more than double”, he specified.

The Executive Director of the Rome-based United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), Mr. David M. Beasley, called on Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The Prime Minister appreciated the role of WFP as the leading international humanitarian organization for delivering food assistance in emergencies and for working with nations worldwide to improve nutrition and build resilience.

The Prime Minister underlined that Pakistan has been a beneficiary of various WFP projects that are being implemented in the country, and values its partnership with the Organisation.

Views were also exchanged on the evolving situation in Afghanistan. The Prime Minister reiterated that formation of an inclusive government and positive engagement of international community with Afghanistan, is the way forward to avert any humanitarian crisis and secure peace and stability in Afghanistan.

Executive Director Beasley expressed gratitude for Pakistan’s role in facilitating the work of the United Nations World Food Programme in providing food assistance to Afghans. He also discussed with the Prime Minister the ways of facilitating the continued provision of humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.