MUZAFFARABAD, OCT 14 (DNA) – Two Azad Kashmir ministers have been reported COVID-19 positive with spike in coronavirus cases in the region. Local administration has imposed smart lockdown at five places after resurgence of coronavirus cases.

Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Farooq Ahmed Tahir and college education minister Waqar Ahmed Noor have been reported COVID-19 positive. The government authorities have notified imposing smart lockdown at five areas in the region.

According to the government notification, smart lockdown has been clamped at Officers Colony Narol, Domel Taameer-e-Nau School street, Officers Colony Jalalabad, Rizwan School’s street and the street behind Saif Plaza.

Fourteen more people died from coronavirus-related complications in the country over the past 24 hours, taking the death toll from the disease to 6,601 

According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), 471 fresh infections surfaced when 28,022 samples were tested during this period, lifting the national tally of cases to 320,463.

Around 305,080 people have recovered from the disease so far across Pakistan with addition of 471 recoveries recorded over the previous 24 hours. There are a total of 8,782 active cases of Covid-19 in the country. Of the total patients under treatment, 518 are said to be in critical condition.

A total of 39,43,734 tests have been conducted so far. So far, Sindh has reported 140,756 cases, Punjab 101,014, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 38,427, Balochistan 15,577, Islamabad 17,526, Azad Jammu and Kashmir 3,198, and Gilgit Baltistan 3,965.

On October 13, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar had stressed that the implementation of precautionary measures is vital to ward off the possible second wave of the novel coronavirus.

Chairing a meeting of NCOC, he said the use of face masks is mandatory and enforcement of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in educational institutions and banquet halls will be strictly monitored. = DNA

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ISLAMABAD, OCT 14 (DNA) – Ruling out any chances of reconciliation, Prime Minister Imran Khan has once again given a clear message to the opposition parties that whether they stage sit-ins or hold rallies, they will never be given an National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO).

The Prime Minister said this while meeting Senators Faisal Javed and Zeeshan Khanzada. The meeting reviewed various initiatives for the revival of Pakistan’s film and drama industry, as well as producing feature films and dramas based on Islamic history nationally.

“No matter what opposition stages sit-ins or protests, I’ll never give NRO to anyone, PM Khan said. The Prime Minister also called for increasing positive and constructive activities for the youth and said that he wants them to participate in constructive activities as much as possible.

 He said that he would address the youth at the Tiger Force Convention this week. The country’s political situation and the opposition’s anti-government movement were also discussed during the meeting.

The Prime Minister said that he had predicted from day one that the corrupt will band together. He took a clear and unequivocal stand and reiterated his position that no matter what happens there will be no NRO for the opposition.

Hitting the opposition parties’ reunion, PM Khan said he has been saying from the very first day that the opposition is united only to save their corruption. On Friday, Prime Minister Imran Khan had said that all the opposition leaders have gathered at one platform to save their corruption.

Addressing the seminar of PTI Lawyers Forum in Islamabad, he had said that opposition parties have only one agenda to halt the process of accountability. “They do not believe in rule of law in the country.” = DNA

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ISLAMABAD, OCT 14 (DNA) – Islamabad police would continue accountability process to improve functioning of department and bringing transparency in policing affairs.

DIG (Headquarters) Islamabad Salaeem held weekly Ardal Room for 39 police officials as well jawans and reviewed their appeals and disciplinary action against them.

After listening to the policemen, the police spokesman said that he restored the four lady constables ad two constables on service while change in penalty of 14 policemen was made. Twelve policemen appeared for their transfer while seven others regarding their personnel issues.

After listening to these policemen, transfers were made as per Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) while assurance was made to resolve the problems of cops.

It is to mention that senior police officials including DIG (Headquarters) hold Ardal Room on weekly basis as per directions of IGP Islamabad and policemen serving in Capital police force get opportunity to highlight problems and issued faced by them.

As per directions of IGP Islamabad Aamir Zulfiqar khan, police spokesman said that accountability process would continue in the force.=DNA

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PTCL records highest Broadband customers in a month in the last 5 years

Islamabad, October 14, 2020: Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), the country’s leading telecom and ICT services provider, has announced its financial results for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 at its Board of Directors’ meeting held in Islamabad on October 14, 2020.

PTCL Group reported revenue of Rs 96 billion for the nine months ended September 2020; when normalized for the impact of Covid-19 and certain regulatory changes affecting Ufone, Group revenue is 4.2% higher than 2019 on a like-for-like basis. UBank continued its growth momentum and has achieved a double digit growth in its revenue over last year. PTCL standalone revenue for the nine months period is 0.7% lower than last year; when normalized for the impact of Covid-19, the like-for-like revenue is 1.2% higher than the same period of last year.

As the post-Covid situation got better and the markets opened up after the lockdowns, PTCL Group performance has shown signs of improvement. Group’s Q3, 2020 revenue is higher by 3.4% over the same quarter of last year.  The topline growth coupled with cost control initiatives translated into 167% and 356% improvement in Group’s operating profit and net profit for the quarter respectively.

During the 3^rd Quarter, PTCL wireline segment showed positive trends. PTCL has recorded the highest ever sale in Broadband for any Quarter since Q4 2014. Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) continues to grow with consistent growth in subscriber base during the period with a promising outlook. The positive momentum in wireless (CharJi) segment continued with subscriber base increasing by 21% on YoY basis. Retail business recorded 6% growth in revenue between Q3 2020 vs Q2 2020.

Corporate and Wholesale businesses continued their growth momentum and have achieved a 6% overall revenue growth YoY. Similarly, international revenue has also shown 6% growth as compared to the same period last year. PTCL, in collaboration with SCO has successfully established strategic partnership to monetize CPEC cross border connectivity. PTCL has been successful to maintain its dominant position in the market with reference to IP bandwidth and managed capacity services. 

PTCL Customer Care continued its efforts to enhance customer experience through various initiatives taken during this period. Moreover, PTCL undertook a comprehensive Coronavirus relief and support effort, through its various CSR initiatives, standing with the nation in these tough times. Also, PTCL is geared up to increase high-speed internet penetration in the country to support Prime Minister’s vision for Digital Pakistan.  Based on the financial strength and improved performance, VIS Credit Rating Company Limited (VIS) has reaffirmed entity ratings of PTCL at ‘AAA/A-1+’ (Triple A/A-One Plus). The medium to long term rating of ‘AAA’ denotes highest credit quality with negligible risk factors. 

RAWALPINDI, Oct 14  : Punjab Emergency Service, Rescue 1122 has been provided sense of safety to the citizens of Pakistan from October 2004 to 2020 till to date during I6 years of service to humanity.
On Wednesday, the Rescue Service had completed 16 years of serving to humanity and this Service was necessitated after failure of repeated attempts to revitalize and modernize the old organizations mandated for emergency management.

Recall the past memories, when there was no ambulance, fire and rescue services. People were suffering due to unavailability of timely and professional assistance in emergencies, many lives and property loss was routine matter. This helplessness turned into strength after a comprehensive integrated emergency management system of Punjab Emergency Service with name Rescue 1122. Rescue Service gained public trust with several years of the continuous services to humanity and now a lot of achievements are on record.

The Service was started by Dr. Rizwan Naseer with political ownership and support of then Chief Minister Ch. Pervaiz Elahi. The Punjab Emergency Service Act 2006 was also unanimously passed from Punjab Assembly to provide legal cover to the Emergency Services.

Now the Rescue Service has become the leading emergency service of South Asia after getting international certification from United Nations in the field of Search and Rescue.

The Service started from city of Lahore has been expanded in all 36 districts of Punjab and is being replicated down to tehsil level and other provinces of Pakistan except Sindh Province.

During this span of time, despite of all challenges over 8.6 million victims of emergencies were rescued, first modern Fire Rescue Service was established and responded over 150,000 fire incidents, saved worth over 450 billion losses with timely emergency response and professional firefighting, Motorbike Ambulance Service set new standard of emergency response dealt over 600,00 emergencies in 9 divisional headquarters with average response time of 4 minutes, Patient Transfer Service was provided to over 800,000 patients from lower health facility to higher health facility.

The Service established Community Emergency Response Teams in all Union Councils of Punjab and trained over one million first aiders to promote safety through volunteerism. The Rescue Service is continuously striving to serve as per its mission statement “development of safer communities through establishment of an effective system for emergency preparedness, response and prevention”. Citizens are being provided with the basic right to timely emergency care without any discrimination.

As this was a unique initiative in 2004 so Emergency Services Academy was also established to develop train human resource. Pioneer team of Rescue Service Headquarters and districts burns their midnight oil to establish an exemplary model of Emergency Service in Punjab.

The Emergency Services Academy trained over 19000 emergency professionals across Pakistan, organized one SAARC Rescue Challenge, 9 National Rescue Challenge of Emergency Services in order to ensure uniform standard of the Services across the country.

This Academy also conducted 3 National Community Emergency Response Teams Challenge to promote volunteerism and support Community Safety Program of the Service.Finally it is great honor for the country that Pakistan Rescue Team of Emergency Services Academy has become the first United Nations INSARAG certified disaster response team in South Asia. It is pertinent to mention that all officers and employees are grateful for the great ownership of Ch. Pervaiz Elahi, contribution of the Governor Punjab Ch. Muhammad Sarwar and former government who expanded this Service in all districts and regularized employees in their tenure.

The management of the Rescue Service also acknowledge and appreciate the international Organizations like United Nations INSARAG, IETUK, Scottish Fire Service, Strathclyde Fire Service, VSO Pakistan ICRC for providing time to time support in different fields to maintain Service standard as per international level.

This journey was full of challenges as a lot of transition phases came but the Service maintained its standard to serve humanity without any discrimination.

The history of 16 years of Rescue Service is incomplete without the great services of Rescue Shuhada who lost their lives in the line of duty. Salute to all of them. Thanks to the Government of Pakistan for presenting them Gallantry award to four Shaheed Rescuers of Ghakkar plaza Operation and Sitara-i-Imtiaz to Founder Director General and Tamga-e-Imtiaz to Rescue Officers.