PM Imran Khan expresses grief over the loss of lives in Turkey

Prime Minister Imran Khan and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday held a telephonic conversation.

During the telephonic conversation, PM Imran Khan expressed his heartfelt grief and sorrow over the loss of lives in the earthquake in Turkey. Pakistan stood with the Turkish nation in this difficult time, the prime minister said and extended all-out help and cooperation to Ankara.

Both the leaders expressed serious concerns over rising Islamophobia in Europe.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Imran Khan had extended condolences to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the people of Turkey over the loss of precious lives in an earthquake in Izmir city.

He tweeted: “We stand with the Turkish nation, offering every help we can give. We can never forget the way Turkey stood with us when the devastating earthquake hit Pak & AJK in 2005.”

Nineteen people had been killed in Turkey and Greece after a strong earthquake struck the Aegean Sea on Friday, bringing buildings crashing down and setting off tidal waves which slammed into coastal areas and islands.

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Pakistan's better Covid-19 strategy works during pandemic: Bloomberg

International business magazine Bloomberg on Saturday said that Pakistan’s decision to loosen Covid-19 restrictions early has helped the country’s exports emerge stronger than its South Asian peers.

In a report, the economic journal said the outbound shipments have grown at a faster pace than Bangladesh and India as textiles, which account for half of the total export, led the recovery.

The country saw total shipments grow 7pc in September, compared with New Delhi’s per cent and Dhaka’s 3.5 per cent.

The report said that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s administration was the first in the region to ease pandemic restrictions, allowing export units to reopen in April, a month after locking them down to stem the spread of Covid-19. This helped draw companies from to the South Asian nation.

“Pakistan has seen orders shifting from multiple nations including China, India and Bangladesh,” the report quoted Shahid Sattar, secretary-general at the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association as having said. “Garment manufacturers are operating near-maximum capacity and many can’t take any orders for the next six months.”

Even as lockdown curbs disrupted trade in India and Bangladesh for at least two months beginning late March, Pakistan was already making face masks and personal protective gear for export.

The South Asian nation also gained some orders from companies looking to diversify their supply chains amid the trade war between the U.S. and China, the world’s top textile exporter, despite factories there reopening as early as April.

“Despite a relatively rapid recovery of exports, following the ease of the lockdown imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic, a long-term view reveals stagnation,” said Gonzalo Varela, senior economist at the World Bank. “Pakistan needs an across the board tariff rationalization to encourage manufacturers to export and the nation to compete with other nations.”

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COVID19 claimes three more lives and infectes 185 people in Punjab

The novel coronavirus has claimed three more lives and infected at least 185 people during the past 24 hours in Punjab.

In a statement on the daily COVID-19 situation, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar said that three more people succumbed to COVID-19 in 24 hours, taking the death toll to 2,357 in the province.

He maintained that 185 new cases of the coronavirus were reported in the province during the last 24 hours, lifting the tally of infections to 4,228.

The chief minister said that the number of COVID-19 cases is rising as people were not following the standard operating procedures (SOPs). He maintained that smart lockdown will be imposed in coronavirus hotspots in the province.

Earlier on October 30, the spokesperson of Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department had confirmed that 244 new cases of novel coronavirus emerged in Punjab province during the last 24 hours.

The department had added that 129 cases were reported in the provincial capital Lahore, whereas, seven more people died of the virus. The total count of coronavirus had reached 103,831 and mortalities reported up to 2,354.

It is pertinent to mention here that the country’s tally of confirmed Covid-19 cases had risen by 1,078 to 332,186 on Friday.

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COVID19 claimes three more lives and infectes 185 people in Punjab

The novel coronavirus has claimed three more lives and infected at least 185 people during the past 24 hours in Punjab.

In a statement on the daily COVID-19 situation, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar said that three more people succumbed to COVID-19 in 24 hours, taking the death toll to 2,357 in the province.

He maintained that 185 new cases of the coronavirus were reported in the province during the last 24 hours, lifting the tally of infections to 4,228.

The chief minister said that the number of COVID-19 cases is rising as people were not following the standard operating procedures (SOPs). He maintained that smart lockdown will be imposed in coronavirus hotspots in the province.

Earlier on October 30, the spokesperson of Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department had confirmed that 244 new cases of novel coronavirus emerged in Punjab province during the last 24 hours.

The department had added that 129 cases were reported in the provincial capital Lahore, whereas, seven more people died of the virus. The total count of coronavirus had reached 103,831 and mortalities reported up to 2,354.

It is pertinent to mention here that the country’s tally of confirmed Covid-19 cases had risen by 1,078 to 332,186 on Friday.

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JUI-F leader criticizes Sadiq over Abhinandan statement, calls Nawaz ‘aasteen ka saanp’

PML-N leader Ayaz Sadiq has come in for a lot of flak for his controversial statement on Indian pilot Abhinandan’s release. His accusatory remarks on the floor of the National Assembly have also caused rifts in opposition ranks.

Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, a leader of the JUI-F part of the opposition’s Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), not only strongly condemned the statement but termed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif “aasteen ka saanp” (snake in the grass).

Those who bring such people to power are equally responsible, he thundered. There is a limit to everything, he said, referring to the PML-N supremo’s critique of state institutions.

Speaking to media alongside the JUI-F chief after the meeting, the PML-N leader said he stands by his comments and added his statement was distorted to give a particular colour. Neither he nor anybody has the right to bill him or anyone else a traitor, he opined.

Sadiq said they will give India a befitting response as they have always done. “My comments were given political colour, which didn’t benefit Pakistan. An effort was made to promote one narrative in India,” he said.

“Linking my statement with Pakistan Army is a disservice to the country,” he said, explaining that he had referred to the government in his statement that was misquoted. Putting up banners against him is no service to the country either, he added.

Having previously served on key positions, the PML-N leader said he knew many secrets but neither has he given any irresponsible statement before nor will do so in future.

When asked whether he will apologise over his statement, Ayaz Sadiq said: “I have not done anything wrong that I have to apologise for.”

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Lt Gen (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch decides to left PML-N over PDM rally in Quetta

Fissures emerge in PML-N's Balochistan chapter over PDM rally in Quetta.

The PML-N may be taking on the government, but the party’s Balochistan chapter is in turmoil after the party decided not to invite former chief minister Sanaullah Zehri to the October 25 gathering of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) in Quetta.

According to sources, the PML-N’s central leadership had decided not to invite Sanaullah Zehri to the PDM gathering in Quetta, which did not go down well with its leaders in the province.

Sources also alleged that the president of PML-N’s Balochistan chapter, retired Lt Gen Abdul Qadir Baloch, had also expressed his reservations over the hardline stance adopted by PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif. He decides to left PML-N over PDM rally in Quetta.

On the other hand, PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal clarified that the PML-N decided not to invite Zehri as there is a rift going on between the former chief minister and BNP-M leader Akhtar Mengal.

PDM power show in Quetta
The differences emerged after the PDM, in a show of defiance coupled with street power, held its third anti-government rally in the Balochistan capital and reiterated their resolve to oust Prime Minister Imran Khan, saying "the sun is about to set" on his government.

The gathering was held at Quetta's Ayub Stadium.

Among the PDM leadership, PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, as well as JUI-F chief and PDM leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman, all addressed the large show of supporters who gathered to hear the Opposition speak.

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OGRA recommends up to Rs2 decrease in petroleum prices

The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) on Saturday recommended up to Rs2 decrease in prices of petroleum products for the month of November.

The authority forwarded a summary in this regard to the Ministry of Finance for approval.

According to the details disclosed by the summary, the OGRA has recommended a Rs1.50 cut in the per litre price of petrol and Rs2 in the price of high-speed diesel (HSD). The finance ministry will announce new fuel prices for November after Prime Minister Imran Khan’s approval.

Authorities said the government may keep the prices of petroleum products unchanged by increasing petroleum levy.

On September 30, the government had cut the price of high-speed diesel by Rs2.40 per litre and kept that of petrol and other petroleum products unchanged for a fortnight with effect from October 1.

Later on October 15, the government decided to keep fuel prices unchanged for the rest of the month.

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