Islamabad, AUG 31 /DNA/ – COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted lives of individuals and communities across the globe. However, women are reported to have suffered more than men due to systemic inequality and lack of access to humanitarian and health services. Whereas women have specific humanitarian needs, they have specific roles too to make themselves resilient against all kinds of shocks.   

The speakers said this while sharing their views at the webinar ‘Addressing the gender dimension of COVID-19 pandemic: data, policy and psychological determinants’ organized by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI).   

Ms Shamim Chowdhury, a Foreign Correspondent, explained the situation in the context of problems in Rohingya refugees’ camps and said that almost half a million women need humanitarian assistance including financial support. She said that COVID-19 has aggravated the problems since the vaccination program in Bangladesh is not matching to the pace and precautions are not being taken in the camps to avert pandemic. As far as data is concerned, she added, UNHCR is constantly working on that, however, the limitations of implementation on relevant legislation, is a big problem at the grassroots level.  

Ms Adesewa Josh, Broadcast Journalist associated with the TRT World, emphasized that we need to understand that natural disasters are not gender neutral for many reasons. Data research is very important, but the governments often lack the capability to collect data. Explaining the issue in the context of African countries, she highlighted that most interactions in Africa are informal and thus, this pandemic has affected the communities adversely.   

Dr Shafqat Munir, Director Resilient Development Program, SDPI, presented a detailed landscape of devastating impacts of pandemic on communities. Cited his experiences from Philippines, Myanmar and other parts of Asia in his previous regional humanitarian policy specialist role, he said that women have to go under a double trauma while emergencies, disasters and pandemics hit their communities as they have to take care of their loved ones impacted from crises and they themselves have to bear the brunt of such shocks. “We have seen women-led households left behind in accessing humanitarian assistance from philanthropists,  humanitarian organizations and government entities as they were hardly counted for such an assistance,” said Dr Shafqat emphasizing on gender inclusiveCovid19 response plan and gender segregated data for those who have been infected so that social protection and humanitarian policies do not exclude women and other marginalized groups from any response plan.  

Ms Aisha Sarwari, Co-founder of Women’s Advancement Hub, opined that even before the pandemic, 9 out 10 women in Pakistan faced violence in their lives. The ideas and programs for protection of women seldom see practical manifestation. The situation of women at Pakistan-Afghanistan borders demands urgent action for their protection and fulfilling their humanitarian needs. Mr Faiz Rehman, Chief of Urdu Services at Voice of America, highlighted that 15% to 20% people in the United States have lost their jobs during the pandemic and according to data, 3% more women than men lost their jobs. Likewise, 33% percent of women as compared to 11% Men were at home taking care of the household and 57% of women had to reduce their working hours as compared to 43% men.

The exercise was aimed to develop, strengthen and bolster military cooperation between the two countries

Staff Report

JEHLUM: Closing Ceremony of Pakistan-Kazakhstan Joint Military Exercise “Dostarym III” was held today at National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC), Pabbi.

The exercise was aimed to develop, strengthen and bolster military cooperation between the two countries in the face of emerging counter terrorism and counter-insurgency domains. Special Forces of both the countries took part in Hostage & Rescue, Compound clearance, Heli Rappelling and Close Qtr Battle (CQB) and exchanged the first-hand experience and ideas. The exercise focused on integrated synergy, interoperability, quick decision making and swift action at tactical level. The exercise furthered reinforce the mutual cooperation and understanding between the two states to effectively counter the threats.

Major General Ahsan Gulrez, Director General Military Training graced the occasion as chief guest. Military officials of Kazakhstan were also present.

The information minister says he hopes for peace to prevail in Afghanistan

Shujaat Hamza

ISLAMABAD: In Pakistan’s bid to exit from the UK’s travel red list, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan will speak this week at length about Pakistan’s coronavirus testing mechanism with Britain’s chief medical scientist.

This was announced by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry on Tuesday during his post-cabinet meeting media briefing.

Chaudhry said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had spoken to his British counterpart Boris Johnson, who believed that deliberations should be held over the testing mechanism in Pakistan.

“We are putting in all our efforts to have Pakistan moved out of UK’s red list, as it affects numerous Pakistani families,” the information minister said. 

Pakistan’s name, in the latest review of the country’s travel ban, was retained on the red list, despite a diplomatic offensive by several top government officials.

The British government said that it had decided to keep Pakistan on the travel ban red list because the true number of COVID-19 cases are likely much higher than reported across the country, a leaked letter written by Britain’s health minister revealed.

The information minister said he hopes for peace to prevail in Afghanistan, hours after the last United States troops left the war-torn country, leaving the Taliban in charge.

The Taliban celebrated their total return to power on Tuesday with gunfire and diplomacy. US’ longest military conflict drew to a close on Monday night when its forces abandoned Kabul’s airport, where it had overseen a frenzied airlift that saw more than 123,000 people flee life under the Taliban.

Taliban fighters then quickly swept into the airport and fired weapons into the sky across the city in jubilation — an astonishing return after US forces invaded in 2001 and toppled them for supporting Al Qaeda.

Meanwhile, the information minister wished for the “sad tales” of the Afghan people to come to an end, as he promised on behalf of Pakistan that it would do all it can to provide relief to them.

Speaking about evacuations, he said 10,302 people belonging to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) were brought to Pakistan and 9,032 of them have departed to their respective countries.

“As many as 1,229 people who came from Afghanistan are present in Pakistan and they will leave within a day or two,” the information minister said, adding that of the 1,229, 545 are Afghan nationals, while 684 are foreigners.

The information minister added that of the 155 evacuees from the United States, only 42 are still present in Pakistan.

The information minister said the federal cabinet wants to make the COVID-19 booster shot, which currently costs Rs1,270, free for labourers.

The cabinet has decided to start vaccinating people aged 17 and below in stages, said Chaudhry, while praising the National Command and Control Centre for Pakistan’s response to the virus and its roll-out of vaccines.

TAFTAN, AUG 31 /DNA/ – UNODC Country Office Pakistan (COPAK) handed over the newly constructed building of a Victim Reception and Facilitation Centre (VRFC) to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Taftan. The facility was handover to Mr. Abdul Hameed Bhutto, Director FIA Balochistan by Mr. Altaf Bajwa on behalf of Dr. Jeremy Milsom, Representative UNODC COPAK. Mr. Bajwa has been supervising this project as the lead engineer since the construction began in 2019.

Funded by the Ministry of Justice, Government of Norway, this facility has assisted the FIA in handling thousands of deportees – being handed over by the Iranian authorities from time to time. These include the victims of human trafficking and migrant smuggling (HTMS), who illegally cross into Iran, in their quest to migrate to Europe via Turkey. This project had evolved consequent to signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the FIA and UNODC COPAK during 2016. The VRFC has also enhanced capacity of the FIA to assist the victims of HTMS as per international best practices focusing human rights and gender sensitivities. The facility encompasses accommodation for housing of 100 deportees and their referral to service providers in Quetta for further assistance.

Another important aspect of the VRFC Taftan is that it embeds a conference room of the Counter-narcotics (CN) Border Liaison Office (BLO), under funding support by the Government of Japan. Establishment of a CN BLO in Taftan had been agreed between the Governments of Pakistan and Iran, under the framework of UNODC-facilitated Triangular Initiative (TI). Hence, its establishment has paved the way for promoting domestic and regional CN cooperation against drug trafficking – that emanates from Afghanistan and heads towards Europe, with Pakistan and Iran as the main transit countries.

UNODC COPAK is supporting the Government of Pakistan, in addressing various existing and emerging transnational organized crime (TOC) under its broad-based Country Programme in Pakistan (2016-2021). This construction project has been completed under the framework of UNODC COPAK’s Subprogramme 1 (Illicit Trafficking and Border Management), that supports the Pakistani border LEAs in improving their integrated response against illicit HTMS, drug trafficking and other TOC.