ISLAMABAD: Federal planning minister Asad Umar has Tuesday announced that the country has achieved one million Covid vaccinations in one day mark as the country jabbed 1.72 million people yesterday according to National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) numbers, ARY News reported.

“Happy to report that the target we had set for 1 million vaccinations in a day was crossed yesterday with 10 lakh 72 thousand vaccinations,” federal minister Asad Umar said earlier today taking to the micro-blogging site Twitter.

Happy to report that the target we had set for 1 million vaccinations in a day was crossed yesterday with 10 lakh 72 thousand vaccinations. All federating entities contributed with punjab, sind, kp and Islamabad all doing record numbers. Amazing performance by all involved

— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) August 3, 2021

He acknowledged the collective efforts of all the administrations across the country reveling, “Amazing performance by all involved.”

“All federating entities contributed with Punjab, Sindh, KP and Islamabad all doing record numbers,” the federal minister noted.

READ ALSO: Covid rate dips 4pc in 4 days of Karachi lockdown, health department says

It may be noted that in a relevant development today, Sindh health department claimed a dip in Covid surge just within four days as the new and tighter restrictions took effect.

The department said the province noted in the past four days a slash of four per cent, now 20.1 pc, in positivity.

The Covid positivity had surged to 24.9 pc in before the lockdown was imposed, the provincial health department said today, noting a four pc dip in this rate.

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Muzaffarabad: The election for speaker and deputy speaker of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly will be held today with candidates from Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and joint opposition parties vying for the slots, ARY NEWS reported on Tuesday.

The election for speaker and deputy speaker would be held through secret balloting and before that Speaker AJK Assembly Shah Ghulam Qadir would administer the oath to the newly elected members.

PTI has nominated Anwar ul Haq for speaker’s slot while Chaudhry Riaz Gujjar will contest for the deputy speaker. On the other hand, the opposition has fielded Faisal Rathore for the speaker and Nisaran Abbasi for deputy speaker slots.

It is pertinent to mention here that PTI bagged three more seats in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly Monday after its candidates secured the win on reserved seats for ulema, overseas Kashmiri, and technocrat, bringing their total strength in assembly to 32.

PTI also clinched three seats reserved for women in the Legislative Assembly of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) after all five candidates were elected unopposed.

Out of five seats reserved for women, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was able to secure three seats while Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) bagged one seat each.

The unofficial results of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, other than the reserved seats, showed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) bagging victory on 26 seats, securing a simple majority needed to form government in the region.

According to unofficial results, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) remained the biggest opposition group after it secured 11 seats, followed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) that was able to win six seats and Muslim Conference bagging one seat.

The contest between the political parties was for 45 seats of the Legislative Assembly of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

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LARKANA: Three children drowned to death while taking shower in a pond in Larkana on Tuesday, reported ARY News. 

As per details, the incident took place in Larkana’s Abro paroo, where three children drowned in a pond when they were taking shower.

The kids were rescued and were rushed to a nearby hospital, but they could not survive and breathed their last.

Earlier this year, two missing children were found dead in Larkana.

The remains of two minors aged 2 years, were recovered from a pond. The police initially had said that the minors were drowned to death.

Meanwhile, the heirs of the children had said that they were killed and later thrown into a pond.

The bodies were transferred to a nearby medical facility for autopsy.

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KARACHI: The port city will experience mostly cloudy weather conditions with chances of drizzle or light rain at some places, Pakistan Meteorological Department said in its weather report.

Southern districts of Sindh including the coast have chances of light rain/drizzle. Traces of rainfall reported in Karachi yesterday, according to the report.

A weather official earlier said that no rain is expected in Karachi in the coming days but the city will stay cloudy.

Chief Meteorologist Sardar Sarfaraz said in a report that the monsoon spell is far from the city as the monsoon belt has turned to the northern areas.

He predicted a monsoon spell expected by the middle of September and not necessarily in August.

The Pakistan Met Department (PMD) had predicted more rain this year. Kashmir, Punjab and Balochistan are expected to see more than usual showers, it said.

Earlier, the met office revised its rain forecast for the metropolis from July 25 saying that the monsoon spell has weakened and the city would witness drizzle or light rain rather than a previous forecast of heavy showers.

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KARACHI: In a bid to boost mass vaccination in Karachi that is hit most hard by the fourth COVID-19 wave in the country, the Sindh government has decided to convert open grounds into drive-thru vaccination centres, ARY NEWS reported.

According to sources in the health department, the drive-thru vaccination centres are planned in districts Korangi, South, Central, East, Malir, Kemari, and West.

“The chief minister has directed the deputy commissioners to setup drive-thru vaccination centres in open grounds where lighting arrangements are available,” they said adding both deputy commissioners and health department are now examining grounds for the purpose as they have been tasked to complete the process in 48 hours.

On Monday, Sindh government spokesman Murtaza Wahab shared data showing that 25 percent of the Karachi population over the age of 18-year-old has been vaccinated against COVID-19.

Taking to Twitter, Murtaza Wahab shared a chart with detailed figures of vaccination in the province, showing that 25.79 percent of Karachi population above the age of 18-year-old has been vaccinated after 3.6 million people have received COVID jabs in the city with 2.6 million getting the first dose while 0.96 million being administered the second jab.

It further showed that over 58 percent and 52 percent of adults in districts East and South of Karachi respectively have been vaccinated against the virus.

The data also revealed that overall 6.6 million people-18.96 percent of the provincial population above 18-year-old- have been vaccinated across the province.

On 01.08.2021, a total of 211,911 citizens received #COVID19 vaccine in the province of #Sindh. The number of vaccination has sharply increased over the last few days. Thank u people of Sindh for the support pic.twitter.com/iNdCX5gXGj

— Murtaza Wahab Siddiqui (@murtazawahab1) August 2, 2021

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KARACHI: Sindh health department claims a dip in Covid surge just within two days as the new and tighter restrictions took effect in the province noting the past four days saw a slash of four per cent, now 20.1 pc, in positivity, ARY News reported.

The Covid positivity had surged to 24.9 pc in before the lockdown was imposed, the provincial health department said today, noting a four pc dip in this rate.

Now the positivity, into the fourth day of lockdown seems to have fallen to 20.1 pc, it said.

The fourth day of lockdown into the Covid’s fourth wave has the infection rate going down 4 per cent, according to the officials numbers of provincial health department.

Separately, the numbers cited resonated with that of national statistics today as well as Pakistan has recorded a decline in COVID-19 cases in the country as it registered 3,582 new infections over the last 24 hours.

The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) shared the daily Covid number today.

READ ALSO: Pakistan records drop in Covid-19 cases

The NCOC said that the country’s number of overall confirmed cases has risen to 1,039,695, including 943,020 recoveries, adding that the positivity rate of infections was recorded at 8.61 per cent.

However, Sindh province still remains to be the most affected region of the country with 387,261 infections, followed by the Punjab province which has reported 358,387 cases.

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PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday took to TikTok and Instagram to try counter misinformation about vaccines following the third weekend of demonstrations over a controversial Covid health pass.

Macron discarded his customary dark suit and tie for a black t-shirt in a short video from the presidency s holiday residence in southern France, in which he repeated that vaccines were the “only weapon” that could beat back the fourth wave of coronavirus.

“Some of you have been hearing false rumours, some of it rubbish it has to be said,” he said in the selfie video, in which he urged the vaccine-shy to put their questions and concerns directly to him.

He was speaking after an estimated 200,000 people demonstrated across France on Saturday.

The protests were the biggest since Macron last month announced that people would have to furnish proof of vaccination, a negative Covid test or recent recovery from Covid to gain entry to most museums, cinemas and sports venues.

The rules will be extended to bars, restaurants, long-distance trains and shopping centres on August 9.

Opponents accuse Macron of running a health “dictatorship”, saying the measures impinge on freedom of choice.

In scenes reminiscent of the “yellow vest” anti-government protests of 2018-2019, tens of thousands have staged protests, some of which have ended in rioting.

Macron, who is expected to seek re-election next year, has been the chief target of the demonstrators’ ire.

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KARACHI: Amid a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases in Karachi, the entry of unvaccinated people has been banned to Sindh police headquarters, ARY News reported.

According to the orders released by the concerned authorities, the entry of unvaccinated visitors and policemen has been banned to the police headquarters.

Only relevant staff should be called to the office and 50 per cent attendance should be enforced at the central police office, the orders read.

On Monday, the Sindh police office had confirmed a total of 38 personnel have so far died in Karachi.

The departmental numbers on Karachi police had also said about 6,500 personnel have contracted Covid so far, adding that the force continues to discharge their services for the law and order maintenance in the city.

Read more: 38 KARACHI POLICE PERSONNEL DIED OF COVID TILL DATE, OVER 6000 INFECTED

It had said about 75 per cent of all police staffers have been vaccinated against the virus while the drive is still underway.

Earlier, Sindh government spokesman Murtaza Wahab also shared general vaccination data showing that 25 percent of Karachi population over the age of 18-year-old has been vaccinated against COVID-19.

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ISLAMABAD: Let’s once again reiterate that building consensus on the public hanging of molesters is inevitable, said Tuesday Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI) lawmaker Senator Faisal Javed, ARY News reported.

The PTI senator and Information and Broadcasting standing committee chairman took to the micro-blogging site Twitter earlier today and wrote the people who are proven guilty for this crime are actually beasts and not humans.

ایک بار پھر زور دیتے ہیں کہ بچوں سےزیادتی کرنے والوں کو سرعام پھانسی دینے پر اتفاق رائے پیدا کرنا ناگزیر ہے ۔بچوں اور خواتین کیساتھ زیادتی کرنے والے انسان نہیں-وحشی درندے ہیں-ان درندوں کو نشان عبرت بنانا چاہیے- قانون سازی کے ساتھ ساتھ عمل درآمد، استغاثہ اورسزائیں بہت ضروری ہیں

— Faisal Javed Khan (@FaisalJavedKhan) August 3, 2021

Only legislation will not do if not substantiated with proper implementation, prosecution and punishments, he said in his tweet earlier today.

These savage beasts must be made an example out of, Faisal Javed said.

It may be reminded that the surging cases and their reportage of sexual crimes against children and women have prompted lawmakers, jurors and law enforcers mooting upon the means for deterrence of this heinous crime.

READ ALSO: Four minor girls ‘abducted’ in Lahore

Just yesterday, at least four minor girls were allegedly abducted in the limits of Lahore’s Hanjarwal police station.

According to police, a first information report (FIR) of the alleged abduction has been filed on a complaint of the father of two of the missing girls.

The complainant said his daughters, 10-year-old Anum and 11-year-old Kaneeza, went out with two girls from their neighbourhood to take a ride on the Orange Line Metro Train and has been missing since.

READ ALSO: President Dr Arif Alvi signs Zainab alert bill

Earlier this month, the law devised for the response and recovery of missing children went into effect as President Dr Arif Alvi signed Zainab Alert Bill.

President Dr Arif Alvi promulgated Zainab Alert Bill that will pave way for the establishment of a free helpline for rapid response and recovery of missing children.

The president said the legislation was very effective to curb cases of child abduction by the formulation of a framework of police and administration to recover missing children at earliest.

He added that the law will assist further improvement for tracing out culprits through the usage of modern techniques.

On March 4, the Senate of Pakistan had passed Zainab Alert Bill 2020 which defines the law for the response and recovery of missing children.

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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has recorded a decline in COVID-19 cases as the country has registered 3,582 new infections over the last 24 hours, the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) said Tuesday.

The NCOC said that the country’s number of overall confirmed cases has risen to 1,039,695, including 943,020 recoveries, adding that the positivity rate of infections was recorded at 8.61 per cent.

Statistics 3 Aug 21:
Total Tests in Last 24 Hours: 49,798
Positive Cases: 3582
Positivity % : 7.19%
Deaths : 67

— NCOC (@OfficialNcoc) August 3, 2021

The COVID-19 claimed 67 more lives across the country in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll from the disease to  23,529, the NCOC said, adding that 3,398 people are in critical condition.

Read more: PAKISTAN RECEIVES 1.5MN DOSES OF CANSINO VACCINE

Sindh province is the most affected region of the country with 387,261 infections, followed by the Punjab province which has reported 358,387 cases.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remains third on the list with 145,306 cases. Islamabad, 88,344, Balochistan, 30,627, AJK, 25,034 and GB have reported 8,318 new infections, so far.

To curb the spread of the disease, Pakistan also expedited the pace of vaccination and administered overall 30,590,183 COVID-19 vaccine doses on August 3, including 24,086,196 partial doses and 6,503,987 two doses.

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