New Zealand introduces Hijab as part of official uniform for women officers

Women police officers in New Zealand will now be able to wear a hijab as part of their official uniform, BBC reported.

The move is aimed at encouraging more Muslim women to join the force and to create an "inclusive" service reflecting the country's "diverse community", said a spokesperson.

According to BBC, a new recruit, Constable Zeena Ali will become the first police officer to wear a hijab with her uniform.

Besides New Zealand, London's Metropolitan Police and Police Scotland also offer the option of wearing the head covering.

In the UK, the hijab was approved in 2006 and in Scotland ten years later, in 2016. Meanwhile, in Australia, Victoria Police's officer, Maha Sukkar, wore it in 2004.

BBC cited New Zealand Police as saying that the process to include the hijab began in 2018, after a request came in from police staff visiting secondary schools.

Constable Ali was the first to make the request and was even included in the development process.

Ali was born in Fiji but moved to New Zealand in her childhood. Speaking to the New Zealand Herald, she said that she wanted to join the police force following the terror attack in Christchurch.

"I realised more Muslim women were needed in the police, to go and support people," she told the publication.

"It feels great to be able to go out and show the New Zealand Police hijab as part of my uniform," she said. "I think that seeing it, more Muslim women will want to join as well."

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‘Lives matter the most’: Punjab education minister

Punjab Education Minister Murad Raas said Saturday that he will take a "sensible" decision regarding the province's educational institutions, as lives mattered the most.

As the coronavirus cases rise and government mulls strategies to curb the virus' spread, the education minister said that he would make a decision based on data.

Pakistan recorded 42 coronavirus deaths in the last 24 hours — the highest since mid-July. This brought the country's death toll to 7,603.

The country also reported the highest single-day tally in four months as 2,843 people tested positive for the coronavirus, bringing the total number to 371,508.

"If I close the Schools people are not happy. If I keep the schools open people are not happy. Let me just inform everyone that decision will be made on DATA that is being given to me," Raas said in a tweet.

If I close the Schools people are not happy. If I keep the schools open people are not happy. Let me just inform everyone that decision will be made on DATA that is being given to me. Lives matter the most. Zero pressure on me from either side. Sensible decisions have to be made.

— Murad Raas (@DrMuradPTI) November 21, 2020

 

"Lives matter the most. Zero pressure on me from either side. Sensible decisions have to be made," the minister added.

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Shahid Afridi named as the captain of Galle Gladiators

Former Pakistani skipper Shahid Afridi has replaced Sarfaraz Ahmed as the captain of Galle Gladiators in the Lanka Premier League, according to a statement released Saturday.

In the statement, the Gladiators announced that the former Pakistani skipper will be leading the side in the first edition of the league, which will be played from November 26 to December 16 in Hambantota, Sri Lanka.

The T20 star will be assisted by local player Bhanuka Rajapaksa as the vice-captain in the tournament.

Afridi replaced Sarfraz Ahmed who was supposed to lead the side initially. The wicket-keeper batsman withdrew from the tournament to fulfil his national duty in the series against New Zealand.

Nadeem Omar, Galle Gladiators’ owner, was happy with the team’s decision of appointing the 40-year-old as the new captain. “Afridi is a global superstar and a great leader, thus he is the perfect choice to lead Galle Gladiators in LPL,” he said.

“I believe Afridi’s experience will be great for all our foreign players and local Sri Lankan guys. I trust that he will be able to help us fight for the title and win it,” Omar added.

Gladiators have replaced Sarfaraz Ahmad with young Pakistan batsman Ahsan Ali while West Indian batsman Chadwick Walton has come in as a replacement of South African Colin Ingram, who went to play Big Bash.

The team will play their first match on November 27 against Jaffna Stallions.

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Pakistan jumps rank on trading across border index

Pakistan’s rank on trading across border index jumped by 28 places in 2020 mainly due to considerably improved implementation of several measures under the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) contributing to Ease of Doing Business.

The Geneva-based World Trade Organisation’s TFA implementation level reached to 79 per cent in November 2020 from 34pc in June, 2018, which has tangibly contributed to rise of Pakistan — from 136th position to 108th position — in the Global Fund’s Annual Ease of Doing Business 2020 Report.

Further analysis show implementation of TFA by Pakistan is greater than regional countries like India and Bangladesh whose implementation rate is 78.2pc and 36.1pc, respectively. Pakis­tan’s implementation rate is higher than those of average of all WTO members, which is at 65.5pc and the average of all developing countries, which is at 65.2pc.

According to the FBR report released here, trade facilitation is an effective driver for stimulating economic activity, attracting foreign direct investment, promoting exports and generating employment.

In line with the direction of the Prime Minister Imran Khan to thoroughly facilitate the trade, involved in imports, exports, and transit for achievement of the strategic objectives of economic and export-led growth a robust integrated plan is being implemented.

The salient TFA reforms/provisions that have been implemented are Authorised Economic Operators Programme, Advance Ruling, Electronic payments, Pre-Arrival Processing, Freedom of Transit, Opportunity to Comment and Information before Entry into Force, Temporary Admission of Goods and Inward and Outward Processing, Risk Management and Post Clearance Audit.

According to the WTO, amongst the most difficult-to-implement (and least notified) provisions are Single Window and Border Agency Cooperation. Despite this, significant work has been done on these important areas with the help of the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank and these provisions would be implemented in Pakistan well within timelines.

The Chairman Federal Board of Revenue Javed Ghani has specifically designated dedicated project teams under Member (Customs) Tariq Huda to ensure implementation of the TFA in Pakistan. The teams worked industriously and all this has resulted in substantial implementation (and compliance with) the TFA and have comprehensively facilitated national / regional / international trade.

The implementation of WTO’s facilitation agreement by Pakistan is acknowledged worldwide. According to the World Bank, Pakistan has made the top 10 list of governments that have done the most in the past year to improve the ease of doing business in their countries.

The OECD Trade Facilitation Indicators Data Base (2019) has also acknowledged Pakistan’s best performance across the areas under TFA. Moreover, The World Customs Organisation (WCO) has stated that “considering the recent advancement of Pakistan Customs administration for proceeding TFA, Pakistan Customs administration is very suitable to be listed in the successful countries.

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Cigarette smoke increases cell vulnerability to Coronavirus

Exposure to cigarette smoke makes airway cells more vulnerable to infection with the new coronavirus, UCLA researchers found.

They obtained airway-lining cells from five individuals without COVID-19 and exposed some of the cells to cigarette smoke in test tubes.

Then they exposed all the cells to the coronavirus. Compared to cells not exposed to the smoke, smoke-exposed cells were two- or even three-times more likely to become infected with the virus, the researchers reported on Tuesday in Cell Stem Cell.

Analysis of individual airway cells showed the cigarette smoke reduced the immune response to the virus.

“If you think of the airways like the high walls that protect a castle, smoking cigarettes is like creating holes in these walls,” coauthor Brigitte Gomperts told Reuters.

“Smoking reduces the natural defenses and this allows the virus to enter and take over the cells.

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COVID-19: Over SOPs violation, famous shopping mall in Karachi sealed

The Deputy Commissioner of Karachi’s district South, Irshad Sodhar on Saturday sealed Karachi’s famous shopping mall located in the city’s Clifton area.

The deputy commissioner sealed over violation of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by the government in wake of the second Covid-19 wave.

In order to stem the spread of coronavirus, the local administration in Karachi today imposed smart and micro lockdowns in parts of the city as COVID-19 cases witnessed a spike, indicating a second wave of the virus.

According to details, the smart and micro lockdowns was imposed in Central, West, South and Korangi districts of the city.

A notification issued by the district commissioner Central read that smart lockdown will be enforced at specific places in 26 areas including Azizabad, Aliabad, Karimabad, Yaseenabad, Dastagir, Nazimabad, areas near Asghar Ali Shah Stadium, Shadman Town, North Karachi, Muslim Town and Firdous Colony.

The lockdown would remain enforced in the district for two weeks from November 20 to December 04.

Similarly, deputy commissioner Korangi also issued a notification imposing restriction on movement under smart lockdown strategy in seven areas falling under three union councils of the district.

The smart lockdown will remain in place in these areas until December 05 and would begin from 07:00 pm today. Grocery and medical stores will remain open during the restrictions and only a single person at a time would be allowed to leave home in the restricted areas after showing an identity card.

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Students of KIU stages protest against the harassment

Students of the Karakoram International University (KIU) staged protest demonstration against the alleged sexual harassment of a female student by an employee of the scholarship affairs office here the other day.

About 300 students, including females, gathered outside the office of the vice-chancellor and chanted slogans against him and the administration.

The demanded protection to the female students from harassment.

Addressing the protesters, their leaders announced that the protest would continue till justice was served to the victim student.

Newly-elected member of the GB Legislative Assembly Ubaidullah Baig, who also participated in the demonstration, said harassment of students by varsity’s staff was condemnable.

“I will ask the VC that why he didn’t take notice of the incident despite passage of many days,” he said.

A female student on condition of anonymity said many harassment incidents had occurred in the past involving employees of the scholarship affairs office.

She said female students were asked for undue favours if they wanted to get a scholarship.

In an application submitted by the victim student to the vice-chancellor Dr Attaullah Shah, she wrote that she was writing the letter in a state of shock in order to let him know about the harassment she suffered at the hands of an employee namely Saeed of the varsity’s scholarship affairs office on the morning of Nov 17.

In the letter, she said that the employee teased and touched her. “I am in a state of shock and appeal to the vice-chancellor to give me justice,” she wrote in the letter.

She demanded termination of the employee.

She further stated: “It is the responsibility of the KIU administration to take action against the erring employees as I am being harassed within the premises of the campus.”

Meanwhile, according to a press release issued by the KIU public relations office, VC Dr Attaullah Shah took notice of the complaint of the female student, and set up a three-member committee to probe the incident.

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