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Stage play “Doctor 2020” highlights social issues at PUCAR

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RAWALPINDI, SEPT 13 (DNA) – A stage play entitled ‘Doctor 2020’was presented at Punjab Arts Council Rawalpindi with aim to highlight social issues.

The play was written and directed by Naeem Toota while Hameed Babar, Naeem Tota, Shama Niazi, Sawera Shahzadi, Sajjad Khan, Shahid Kodo, Zahida Ch and others played wonderful role in the play. The play dealt with the curse of illegal transplantation of kidneys in Pakistan.

Director Arts Council Waqar Ahmed addressing at the occasion said that the drama highlighted social issues of the society and society cannot develop without overcoming social problems. “Artists are our precious asset,” Waqar Ahmed added.

The Arts Council always provided a platform for new talent to showcase their art. At the end of the play, Waqar Ahmed thanked the guests. DNA

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Suspect in Lahore motorway rape surrenders to police, denies involvement

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A suspect in the Lahore motorway rape case surrendered to the CIA Model Town police on Sunday. The suspect has denied any involvement in the rape of a mother in front of her children on Wednesday night and said he wasn’t even in the area.

The woman was raped in front of her children by two unidentified men on the motorway. She was driving to Gujranwala when she ran out of fuel near Lahore’s Gujjarpura. The woman was sitting in her vehicle when two men walked towards her car, broke her window, and made her park on the roadside. They then took her and the children to a nearby forest and raped her.

The men fled after the rape, taking with them three ATM cards, 100,000 in cash and jewellery.

The police have collected 53 DNA samples from residents of nearby villages and sent them to the PFA for testing. They said it would take 10 days for the results but the Authority also ran the DNA samples found at the crime scene through its system and got a match.

The match is of a 25-year-old man who raped a mother and daughter in 2013, according to police sources. He is a resident of Bahawalnagar. He is DNA was at three spots at the crime scene– the victim’s clothes, the smashed car window and inside the car itself.

The 36-year-old surrendered after his CNIC card and picture were flashed across multiple television channels.

He arrived at the police station with a relative at 11am on Sunday and surrendered before duty SP Hasnain.

Police sources say that the man has denied being near the crime scene at the time of the rape. The police are now interrogating him and will investigate further.

He has a criminal background and was released from jail two weeks ago.

National development impossible sans cheap electricity: FPCCI

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DNA

KARACHI, SEPT 13 – The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) on Sunday said affordable and continued supply of electricity has become a dream for masses and the business community.

Costly electricity is not only hurting masses but also adding to the cost of doing business as well as cost of production and exports, it said.

Coronavirus and recent rains have played havoc with economy and masses, therefore, the policy of continued hike in power the tariff should be abandoned to provide some relief to masses, said Vice President FPCCI Qaisar Khan Daudzai.

Talking to a group of businessmen, he said that costly electricity is not only keeping country underdeveloped but also stoking poverty, he added.

In Pakistan, the vulnerability was significantly acute before the current crisis which has now made life further difficult for the people which must be noticed, he demanded.

Commenting on the power subsidy, Qaisar Khan Daudzai said that different government have provided subsidy worth billions of dollars but it could not provide relief due to errors in the subsidy regime.

He said that the government should divert focus on making electricity from imported fuel and start generating renewable energy to keep the environment clean and save a substantial amount of foreign exchange.

Cheap electricity production will reduce poverty and help Pakistan compete with rival nations in the international market, said Dawoodzai.

He noted that despite tall claims and a lot of efforts, the bleeding state-run companies could not be made profitable and the country spends trillions to keep them alive artificially, therefore, all such units should be sold without delay.

PIAF seeks cut in tax ratio on oil to facilitate industry, trade

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DNA

ISLAMABAD, SEPT 13 – The Pakistan Industrial and Traders Association Front (PIAF) has sought reduction in tax ratio on petroleum products to facilitate the trade and industry, as the government has been charging petroleum levy as well as sales tax on oil products to the record high level. 

PIAF President Mian Nauman Kabir, in a joint statement with senior vice chairman Nasir Hameed and vice chairman Javed Siddiqi said that at a time when country’s GDP ratio was further stretched owing to slow exports growth amidst high cost of doing business, the trade and industry need maximum relief. 

He said that Pakistan’s economy is going through a challenging phase due to the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic. With a view to improve the cash flow of businesses at this crucial time, the government will have to facilitate the business community through reduction in tax ratio on all items including the oil products, besides deferring the interest payments of the businesses for at least one year. 

Mian Nauman Kabir observed that the government has already increased the general sales tax on all petroleum products to a standard rate of 17 percent across the board to generate additional revenues. Earlier, the government has been charging 0.5 percent GST on light diesel, 2 percent on kerosene, 8 percent on petrol and 13 percent on HSD. 

He said that the Brent crude rates, during last six months period dropped to the lowest level, but the authorities, instead of providing full relief of massive fall in oil rates to the public further escalated the prices of petroleum levy on petrol by another 26% to the highest level along with the GST. Besides the 17 percent sales tax, the government lifted the rate of petroleum levy on HSD and petrol by around 400%, during last almost one and half years. 

PIAF senior vice chairman Nasir Hameed observed that business-friendly policies should be adopted as other neighboring countries of the region are giving to trade and industry. He said that sizeable cut in oil rates would certainly bring down the cost of doing business and our products would get their due share in the global market. 

Nasir Hameed called upon the government to address the key issues of trade and industry, facilitate the economic growth along with improving tax revenue of the government. He said that the impact of COVID-19 has badly affected business and industrial sector, stressing the government to bring down GST in order to ease the difficulties of businesses.  

Vice chairman Javed Siddiqi said that the move would reduce the cost of doing business, attract new investment, promote industrialization and create new jobs. 

He said that turnover tax should be reduced from current 1.5% to 0.25% or zero percent for the next 3 years for manufacturers and retailers. He said that to combat the impact of Covid-19, government should withdraw the requirement of CNIC for sales transactions of Rs.50,000.  

Javed Siddiqi further said that government has provided exemption from Sec-111 of Income Tax Ordinance 2001 to investors in construction sector, which should also be provided to all other industrial sectors. 

The PIAF leaders said that the government has made unprecedented increase in the ratio of tax, duty and Petroleum Levi ostensibly to earn billion of rupees in revenue. By jacking up the ratio of taxes, duties and PLs, the government has deprived the consumers of relief from the plunge in global oil prices.

Experts urge US to conduct regional study on post 9/11 losses

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DNA

Islamabad, SEPT 13 – Speaking to webinar the experts termed the 9/11 incident as the high outcome of the hybrid war that intensified 5th generation warfare all around the globe.

It was a human tragedy intentionally created by the unfair geopolitical interventions taken up by the so-called super power and its unwise allies. The incident changed the entire landscape of peace and prosperity globally, especially an unrepairable dent to the region of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

While talking and negotiating the peace process in Afghanistan, the US and NATO countries should also consider about having a comprehensive regional study on the impact of 19 years consistent threat of terrorism on the mental health of people living in the region. The study should also include impact of war against terrorism on socioeconomic conditions, culture and environment of both countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan. A rehabilitation programme should follow the post-peace process accordingly.

The webinar was organized by the Development Communications Network (Devcom-Pakistan) and DTNTV on Saturday.

Devcom-Pakistan Executive Director Munir Ahmed frustration and chaos is rising up in the developing countries as the 5th generation warfare intensifies. State institutions are confronting their own citizens for doubts of integrity. Right to information and expression is being declined, adding more frustration and distress among the young and those having differently framed opinions. This distrust may lead to anarchic situation and direct confrontation between the state institutions and the people thinking differently if the confidence building measures are not taken up.

Ahmed said the mental health, cultural and environmental loss of Afghanistan and Pakistan had never been accounted for while talking about the post 9/11 impact and losses. Before the US and NATO decide to quit Afghanistan, they should take up a study of social and environmental loss followed by rehabilitation investment.

Dr. Imran Ashraf, assistant professor international relations at the National Defense University (NDU),   said we are living in the era of 5th generation warfare where misleading, pessimist and conflict-raining information plays a crucial role in disorienting the citizens. The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is the main source of dissemination of such type of information that disintegrate the fabric of society. It also creates frustration and distress. Government needs to have a check on ICT use in Pakistan without compromising on the basic rights of the citizens.

Well-known environmentalist and former director general of Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) Asif Shuja Khan said air, water and land have been immensely degraded during the war against terrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Pakistan foreign office shall write to the US and NATO for a comprehensive study of the environmental, cultural and socioeconomic loss. It should be followed by a rehabilitation plan. Not only 9/11 but the post-event trauma was more horrible for the mental and psychological health of the people living in the region.

Geopolitical analyst Shamshad Mangat said the 9/11 incident was created to dismantle the war-mongers created by the US itself against the USSR. It only benefited the global ordnance factories and the manufacturers of the heavy weapons. A country for the benefit of some destroyed the entire landscape of global peace and prosperity.

Pakistan to set up vocational training institutes with China’s help

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DNA

ISLAMABAD, SEPT 13 – China has decided to help Pakistan open six vocational training Institutes across Pakistan to produce skilled labor, Gwadar Pro reported on Sunday.

At present, Chinese companies working in Pakistan are facing acute shortage of skilled labor as majority of local workers falls under unskilled category.

Shafqat Mahmood, the Federal Minister for Education, told Gwadar Pro that “Vocational training institutes are being set up with the help of China under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to impart necessary skills to meet the demands of the industries. This will further strengthen the partnership between the two friendly countries.”

Bao Zhong, head of political and press section of China’s embassy in Pakistan said that China is helping Pakistan to modernize existing vocational training Institutes as well as giving funds to set up at least six more such Institutes to produce skilled work force.

Pakistan has the ninth largest labor force in the world with an estimate of 61 million workers, out of which 5.9 percent are unemployed. Around 2.5 million people enter the local job market while the majority of them lack necessary skills to meet the demands of the local industry.

While Pakistan has capacity to produce only 445,000 skilled laborers annually,

authorities expect that with induction of six more vocational training institutes with help of China, Pakistan will be able to produce skilled labor for both local and international market. Pakistan and China expect to produce millions of jobs for skilled work force by 2030.

Until September 2020, as many as 70,000 Pakistanis have been directly employed at different projects under CPEC.

A recent study conducted by CPEC Centre of Excellence, showed that indirectly, CPEC could help create even 1.2 million jobs until 2030 under its presently agreed projects.

In July 2020, China provided training equipment worth $4 million (approximately 650 million rupees) for the vocational training institutes/ schools around Pakistan through National Vocational and Technical Training Commission.

11-year-old girl killed in Indian firing along LoC

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RAWALPINDI, SEPT 13  – An 11-year-old girl was killed and four other people injured after Indian forces opened unprovoked fire along the Line of Control in Azad Kashmir on Sunday.

According to the ISPR, the Tatta Pani and Rakh Kichri sector were attacked. The injured people include a 75-year-old woman and two children.

The Pakistan Army gave a befitting response to the firing, the military’s media wing said. They engaged in fire on the Indian check posts.

NAB recovers Rs 137 billions of plundered money in one year

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ISLAMABAD : The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) recovered 137 billion rupees plundered money in a year.

According to a report on recoveries released by NAB, Rawalpindi Bureau of the accountability watchdog made maximum recoveries of 91 billions in an year.

The Pindi bureau recovered 23 billion rupees of the plundered national wealth only in the fake bank accounts case, the report said. The Rawalpindi bureau also recovered heavy amounts in 3-G, 4-G licenses and a housing fraud.

Lahore Bureau of NAB remained at second place with over recovery of over 30 billion rupees in a year, the bureau’s recovery report said.

The Accountability Bureau Sukkur recovered over 9.4 billion rupees and the bureau’s Karachi chapter recovered 3.3 billion rupees of the looted national wealth within the period.

The amount was recovered from corrupt elements in result of plea bargain and voluntary return, the NAB statement said.

In a plea bargain the NAB and a defendant reach to an agreement of return of certain amount of the case money, which requires subsequent approval from the trial court.

The amount plundered from the national exchequer has been returned back to the federal and provincial governments, according to the statement.

The looted money recovered in housing fraud being returned back to the victims of the scam, NAB stated.

Man dies in an accident with diplomat’s car

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The female diplomat later was allowed to leave because it was not her fault and secondly she enjoyed diplomatic immunity 

Staff Report/DNA

ISLAMABAD: A man aged 42 died in an accident in Islamabad as his motorbike struck with car of a female diplomat in Sector F 7. The diplomat was taken to women police station where she was allowed to walk away after brief investigation.

According to details, a female diplomat of Korean origin working in the United Nations System in Pakistan encountered an accident at College Road, Sector F 7/2 with two motor cyclists namely Murad Ali and Abdul Ghani.

Murad died on the spot Abdul Ghani sitting behind got his leg broken. According to investigation officer the accident occurred due to fault of motor cyclists and therefore female diplomat was not responsible for the accident.

The female diplomat later was shifted to women police station where she told the police how she met with the accident. She told police that after the accident she stayed there and helped the injured.

The female diplomat later was allowed to leave because it was not her fault and secondly she enjoyed diplomatic immunity.

Vaccine trial resumes as virus continues grim march

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PARIS  : Clinical trials of one of the most advanced experimental Covid-19 vaccines resumed Saturday after a brief safety pause, as infection numbers continued to march upward in countries across the globe.

The world’s hopes for a reprieve from the pandemic were dealt a blow earlier in the week when pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and Oxford University announced they had “voluntarily paused” their vaccine trial after a UK volunteer developed an unexplained illness.

But on Saturday the trial was given the all clear by British regulators to resume following a safety review. The company also announced it was resuming clinical trials in Brazil next Monday after being given the green light there as well.

The global death toll from the coronavirus has risen to 916,000 with 28.5 million infections, while France and the United Arab Emirates posted grim new milestones for daily infections on Saturday.

And with billions still suffering from the fallout of the pandemic, a worldwide race for a vaccine is underway, with nine companies already in late-stage Phase 3 trials.

Even during the pause, AstraZeneca said it remained hopeful that the vaccine could still be available “by the end of this year, early next year”.

Oxford University said that “in large trials such as this, it is expected that some participants will become unwell and every case must be carefully evaluated”.

Charlotte Summers, lecturer in intensive care medicine at Cambridge University, said the pause showed the researchers’ commitment “to putting safety at the heart of their development programme.”

“To tackle the global Covid-19 pandemic, we need to develop vaccines and therapies that people feel comfortable using, therefore it is vital to maintaining public trust that we stick to the evidence and do not draw conclusions before information is available,” she said.

Backlash 

That public trust will be crucial to convincing a public that is impatient for a vaccine — and in some corners sceptical.

Among the impatient is US President Donald Trump, who has been accused by rival Joe Biden of “undermining public confidence” by regularly raising the possibility that a vaccine will be ready before November’s election.

The Republican president is under pressure as the US toll continues to rise, nearing 6.5 million cases on Saturday with more than 193,000 deaths — by far the most in either measure in the world.

Biden also called Trump “reckless” for holding a rally in the Nevada city of Reno even after the venue had to be changed because the event breached local Covid-19 restrictions. Television images of the rally Saturday showed a packed outdoors crowd, with few wearing face masks.

Some of those potentially sceptical about a vaccine meanwhile turned out in numerous German cities and Poland’s capital Warsaw on Saturday, protesting against anti-coronavirus measures and often defying mask-wearing rules.

The movement is made up of a number of different groups, from self-declared “free thinkers” to anti-vaccine campaigners, conspiracy theorists and far-right activists.

France, UAE milestones

There are signs of a resurgence of the virus in numerous countries that lifted many coronavirus measures after beating back the first wave of infections months ago.

France reported 10,000 new infections on Saturday, the country’s highest daily number since launching wide-scale testing.

The milestone came a day after Prime Minister Jean Castex declined to announce any new major restrictions despite a “clear worsening” in the country’s outbreak.

“We have to succeed in living with this virus, without returning to the idea of a generalised lockdown,” Castex said.

Another country to hit a daily milestone on Saturday was the United Arab Emirates, which recorded more than 1,000 new coronavirus cases for the first time.

In Spain, which this week became the first EU country to pass half a million infections, a case was detected among Princess Leonor’s classmates.

The 14-year-old heiress to the Spanish throne — who only returned to school in Madrid on Wednesday — will now have to observe a two-week quarantine.

The uncle of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, businessman Mohamad Makhlouf, died from Covid-19 on Saturday.

And in Latin America, which this week passed the milestone of eight million virus cases, worst-hit Brazil charted more than 131,000 deaths from Covid-19 as of Saturday, the second-highest in the world behind the US.

Latvia meanwhile reinstated a compulsory 14-day quarantine for arrivals from neighbouring Estonia due to an upsurge in cases there.

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