PPP, PTI, MQM-P meet to resolve Karachi's issues

The three major political parties of Karachi, the PPP, the PTI and the MQM-P met on Saturday to discuss the city's issues in two separate meetings that were held in Islamabad and Karachi.

Sources informed that it was decided in the meetings to form an advisory committee and a liaison committee to solve the metropolis' problems. 

Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah, Saeed Ghani and Nasir Shah represented the provincial government in the meeting.

Meanwhile Governor Sindh Imran Ismail, federal ministers Asad Umar and Ali Zaidi as well as Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar were in attendance as well. 

Sources further said that the National Disaster Management Authority's Chairman Lt Gen Muhammad Afzal was in the meeting as well. 

Discussions revolved around the role of the NDMA in the development of Karachi.

It was decided that members of the Centre and Sindh government would form an advisory committee to resolve the city's issues. 

MQM’s Aamir Khan in a tweet said that Karachi's problems cannot be solved without giving full authority to its locals.

“The problem of Karachi cannot be solved until the local people have full authority. This will only be possible when new provinces are established across the country including Karachi,” he said.

Karachi is a part of Sindh and will remain so: Raza Rabbani

PPP leader Raza Rabbani said Sunday that Karachi is a part of Sindh and will continue to remain so, adding that the PTI had previously issued a statement as well on separating the city from the province.

Speaking at a press conference after the party's Central Executive Committee meeting, the former Senate chairman said that these statements from the PTI leadership were not new.

"Ever since the PPP government has been formed and the PTI came to power, such statements have been issued," he said, adding that the PTI has previously issued statements as well on imposing governor rule in Sindh.

"There is nothing new about this," he stressed.

Rabbani, without naming anyone in particular, said that "some people want to place Karachi under the Centre and seize its revenue".

Criticising NAB, the PPP leader said that the Supreme Court of Pakistan's judgment in the Khawaja brothers case had exposed the anti-graft body. He said that the Human Rights Watch had also exposed NAB.

Clarifying that the party had not changed its stance on the 18th Amendment, Rabbani said that the party will "not compromise" on it.

'Sindh govt to welcome any party or person that wants to develop Karachi'

Separately, Sindh Info Minister Nasir Hussain Shah welcomed the meeting between PTI, PPP and MQM as a step in the right direction for the betterment of Karachiites.

“The collaboration between PPP, PTI and MQM to work for the betterment of Karachi will prove to be an important milestone,” Shah said.

He added that Sindh, especially Karachi was developed tremendously under the leadership of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. “Sindh government will welcome every person or political party that wants to play a part in developing Karachi,” Shah added.

Referring to the recent monsoon spell which wreaked havoc in the metropolis, the provincial minister said the Sindh government had welcomed the Centre and the NDMA in its efforts to clear Karachi's nullahs.

“Steps taken by the chief minister Sindh for Karachi cannot be forgotten,” he added.

The meeting between the three political parties to resolve Karachi's issues came after the Supreme Court of Pakistan lashed out at the Sindh government for lack of cleanliness in Karachi, stating in its remarks that the provincial authorities had "completely failed".

A hearing into the nullahs encroachment case was held Tuesday at the Karachi registry of the apex court. where the chief justice said that the Sindh government had "turned entire Karachi into a goth".

"The entire city is filled with filth and sewerage water," said the chief justice angrily. "Mosquitoes, flies and germs are everywhere. People are walking on stones [to cross sewerage water]," he added.

"Rulers are the only ones who are enjoying themselves," the chief justice had said angrily. "This is turning into a province of total anarchy."

"Who will rectify the province? Do we ask the federal government to rectify the province," Justice Gulzar asked. "Who will provide the people with their basic rights?"

Justice Faisal Arab had lamented that people have to move the court to avail basic facilities such as water and power. "I belong to this province as well but look at the situation here," he had said.

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Gilgit Baltistan Affairs 16 August 2020

Part 01 Part 02

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Flour crisis: Nanbais shutter down strike in Rawalpindi

Nanbai Association, Rawalpindi on Sunday announced to observe a complete shutter down strike from Monday to press for fulfillment of their demands.

The association has appealed to nanbais across the city to keep their businesses shut and join a march towards D-Chowk in Islamabad to get their demands, including reversal of wheat flour and fine flour rates to their previous prices, accepted.

Office-bearers of the association said nanbais are unable to pay their overdue bills of natural gas and shop rents because they are being forced to sell nans at old rates despite skyrocketing prices of flour.

They lamented that the district administration has failed to bring down flour rates.

Earlier today, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar said the provincial government’s effective and timely measures stabilised prices of wheat and flour in the province.

In a statement, he said Punjab is the only province where a wheat flour bag weighing 20 kilogrammes is being sold at official rates. He vowed to keep on taking such steps in future to ensure stability in prices of essential commodities.

Being the province’s chief executive, it is his responsibility to protect rights of people of the province, CM Usman Buzdar maintained, pledging to not let anyone exploit public.

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Mexico needs 200 million COVID-19 vaccine doses

Mexico will need up to 200 million coronavirus vaccine doses.

According to a senior government official, and inoculation of its 120 million inhabitants could start as early as April if clinical trials and regulatory approvals for pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca Plc go as planned.

In partnership with the governments of Mexico and Argentina, AstraZeneca initially plans to produce 150 million doses in early 2021 and eventually make at least 400 million doses for distribution throughout Latin America.

AstraZeneca is among those working on COVID-19 vaccine candidates now in development around the world.

Mexico’s government also has said it is considering other options for bringing a vaccine quickly to its population, the second-largest in Latin America.

AstraZeneca will be able to produce between 30 and 35 million vaccines per month, Martha Delgado, a Mexican deputy foreign minister, told Reuters in an interview on Friday.

The vaccine could require two doses to be effective, Delgado said.

“If we need 200 million, we’re going to be vaccinating for a long time,” Delgado added.

Last-stage so-called Phase III trials are expected to conclude by November or December, after which AstraZeneca will seek government approvals if the vaccine is found to be safe and effective.

If that goes smoothly, Delgado estimated the first vaccines in Mexico could be administered in April.

Mexico’s death toll of 55,908 stands as the world’s third highest, behind the United States and Brazil. Latin America’s 6 million cases and more than 237,000 deaths make it the world’s hardest-hit region.

To ensure all Mexicans have access to a vaccine, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s government is in talks with other pharmaceutical laboratories in different stages of developing a vaccine.

“Astra’s production isn’t going to be enough for Mexico. We need to supplement that with a couple of more vaccines,” Delgado said.

Mexico’s government has completed memorandums of understanding with French drugmaker Sanofi, Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen unit and Chinese companies CanSino Biologics Inc and Walvax Biotechnology Co Ltd.

CanSino and Walvax are interested in producing a vaccine in Mexico for delivery to the Latin American market.

Mexico’s health authorities are evaluating the Phase I and II clinical trials of those four companies and will determine the viability of Phase III studies in Mexico in the coming weeks, Delgado said.

The earlier phase trials represent an initial test of a vaccine’s safety and effectiveness among small numbers of subjects.

To save time, Mexico’s federal health regulator COFEPRIS will start analyzing AstraZeneca’s completed studies and accelerate approvals if Phase III is successful.

“This is the country’s strategy to diversify our possibilities of having access to the vaccine as soon as possible … and obviously at an affordable cost for the country,” Delgado said.

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Punjab only province where flour available at official rates: Buzdar

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar says the provincial government’s effective and timely measures stabilised prices of wheat and flour in the province.

In a statement on Sunday, he said Punjab is the only province where a wheat flour bag weighing 20 kilogrammes is being sold at official rates. He vowed to keep on taking such steps in future to ensure stability in prices of essential commodities.

Being the province’s chief executive, it is his responsibility to protect rights of people of the province, CM Usman Buzdar maintained, pledging to not let anyone exploit public.

He issued directives for district administration to continue monitoring prices of kitchen items.

The chief minister said all relevant departments have been mobilised to provide relief to the masses.

On July 27, Prime Minister Imran Khan had directed the authorities concerned to ensure uniform prices of wheat and flour across the country.

Presiding over a meeting on availability of flour and sugar and their prices in the country, PM Imran directed all the chief secretaries to adopt a joint strategy with mutual consultations to ensure uniform prices of the commodities in the country.

He ordered to accelerate crackdown against the elements involved in hoarding and ensure provision of flour and sugar at reasonable rates across the country. He said the process of importing wheat at official level besides by the private sector should be accelerated to ensure profuse availability of wheat in the market.

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Trump's younger brother dies: White House

Donald Trump’s younger brother Robert died on Saturday after being hospitalized for an undisclosed illness, the US president said in a statement mourning his loss.

“It is with heavy heart I share that my wonderful brother, Robert, peacefully passed away tonight,” Trump said in a White House statement.

“He was not just my brother, he was my best friend. He will be greatly missed, but we will meet again. His memory will live on in my heart forever. Robert, I love you. Rest in peace.”

The 74-year-old president had visited his brother on Friday at a hospital in New York, staying for about 45 minutes.

US media reports had reported that Robert Trump was seriously ill, although there were no details.

Donald Trump, who was stopping in New York on the way to his golf club in nearby Bedminster, New Jersey for the weekend, told reporters Friday only that “he’s having a hard time.”

While far less famous than his older brother, Robert Trump, who was born in 1948, had long been an integral part of the family real estate empire and was fiercely loyal to the president.

Robert Trump unsuccessfully went to court to try to get an injunction preventing publication of a book by his niece Mary Trump, called “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man.”

The book, which paints Donald Trump as the product of a “toxic” family was a “disgrace,” Robert Trump said. Although a temporary restraining order was applied, a judge lifted this in July, allowing publication.

Donald Trump has previously called his brother “wonderful” and said they have “had a great relationship for a long time, from day one.”

Donald Trump’s daughter and adviser Ivanka said on Twitter Saturday: “Uncle Robert, we love you. You are in our hearts and prayers, always.”

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Punjab only province where flour available at official rates: Buzdar

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar says the provincial government’s effective and timely measures stabilised prices of wheat and flour in the province.

In a statement on Sunday, he said Punjab is the only province where a wheat flour bag weighing 20 kilogrammes is being sold at official rates. He vowed to keep on taking such steps in future to ensure stability in prices of essential commodities.

Being the province’s chief executive, it is his responsibility to protect rights of people of the province, CM Usman Buzdar maintained, pledging to not let anyone exploit public.

He issued directives for district administration to continue monitoring prices of kitchen items.

The chief minister said all relevant departments have been mobilised to provide relief to the masses.

On July 27, Prime Minister Imran Khan had directed the authorities concerned to ensure uniform prices of wheat and flour across the country.

Presiding over a meeting on availability of flour and sugar and their prices in the country, PM Imran directed all the chief secretaries to adopt a joint strategy with mutual consultations to ensure uniform prices of the commodities in the country.

He ordered to accelerate crackdown against the elements involved in hoarding and ensure provision of flour and sugar at reasonable rates across the country. He said the process of importing wheat at official level besides by the private sector should be accelerated to ensure profuse availability of wheat in the market.

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