Pakistani 'hero' doctor dies after contracting coronavirus while screening pilgrims

An undated photo of Dr Osama Riaz, a young doctor from Pakistan’s Gilgit Baltistan (GB) who is in critical condition after treating a number of coronavirus patients. (File photo)
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Updated 23 March 2020
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Pakistani 'hero' doctor dies after contracting coronavirus while screening pilgrims

  • The doctor was not provided with a complete set of protective wear while coming in contact with patients: GB spokesperson
  • Nearly 2,040 pilgrims have returned to GB from Iran via the quarantine facility at Taftan 

MARDAN: A 26 year old doctor from Pakistan’s northern Gilgit Baltistan (GB) region, Dr. Usama Riaz, died on Sunday after contracting the coronavirus while screening pilgrims returning from Iran, the GB government said in a statement. 

“The martyred, Dr. Usama, will be awarded a hero award,” the Gilgit Baltistan information department added in the statement.

His death brings the national tally of fatalities to four people. According to a federal portal which was updated Sunday evening, the total number of cases in the country stand at 760.
According to Dr. Shah Zaman, medical surveillance officer at GB screening camp, Riaz was on duty Friday evening and returned home after completing his shift. 

“When his family went to wake him up the next morning, they were shocked to see his condition,” Zaman told Arab News on Saturday evening.

Commending the young doctor who hails from GB’s Chilas area and was appointed on a contract, Zaman said Riaz had “performed his duty with utmost dedication.”

President of the Pakistan Medical Association in Gilgit Baltistan, Dr. Zulfiqar Ali, blamed the government for the critical lapse, owing to a dearth of protective gear for health care professionals. 

“We confirm that Dr. Usama Riaz has contracted COVID-19, which is the result of the negligence of the provincial government and its health department,” Ali said in a press conference held at the district’s headquarters hospital Saturday evening.




An undated photo of Dr Osama Riaz's graduation cermoney. (File photo)

“Dr. Usama Riaz should be declared a national hero and other doctors should be protected so that they can fight this war against coronavirus effectively,” he said.
 Meanwhile, Zaman said 10 other staff members who were on duty with Dr. Riaz were safe from the virus, and added that all medical staff in GB were being provided with facilities similar to those available for doctors elsewhere in Pakistan.

“Dr. Usama Riaz and other doctors had N96 masks, gloves and surgical gowns, the protective gear which is available to doctors elsewhere in Pakistan,” he said, and added that a select committee had been set up to probe the case.

But a spokesperson for the GB government, Faizullah Firaq, conceded that the doctors on the frontline of the outbreak in GB were not provided with the complete protective wear and that his government had requested the federal government for the kits since the outbreak.

“Yes, they had mask, gloves and gowns but not compete kit of protective wear,” Firaq said.

“The province is facing scarcity of ventilators, and we have requested the federal government to help us,” Firaq added. The provincial government has converted 500 rooms in a hotel into a quarantine center on its own expense, he said. 

Nearly 2,040 pilgrims have returned to GB from Iran via the Taftan quarantine center with 56 of them testing positive until Saturday, with a majority yet to be tested. 
“We have screened around 2,500 international travelers from Iran, Saudi Arabia and other parts of the world and have quarantined them. We are now entering a stage of tests and treatment,” Zaman said. 

“Doctors are the first line of defense. We know our role and are prepared for any conditions. Doctors are at risk everywhere in the world, but this is our real test,” he said.


US, Central Asian defense chiefs join Pakistan for rare regional security talks in Islamabad

Updated 26 July 2025
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US, Central Asian defense chiefs join Pakistan for rare regional security talks in Islamabad

  • Pakistan’s army chief calls for military-to-military cooperation, strategic dialogue amid hybrid and transnational threats
  • The participants expressed commitment to upholding peace and confronting challenges like militancy, cyber insecurity

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan hosted a rare regional defense conference on Saturday, with officials from the United States joining their counterparts from four Central Asian republics to discuss enhanced military cooperation and counterterrorism coordination in the neighborhood.

The US maintained a significant military presence in the region through Afghanistan until the withdrawal of international forces in August 2021. The conference in Islamabad marked the first multilateral defense engagement of its kind hosted by Pakistan amid a gradual thaw in relations between Islamabad and Washington, with participation from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Many of the participating Central Asian states share borders with or lie close to Afghanistan and remain exposed to the spillover effects of militant violence, narcotics trafficking and regional instability.

Pakistan, which shares a porous frontier with Afghanistan, has repeatedly called for deeper security cooperation to confront shared threats in the aftermath of the Afghan conflict.

“In an era defined by transnational threats and complex hybrid challenges, the imperative for deeper military-to-military cooperation, strategic dialogue and mutual trust is paramount,” Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir said during his opening address, according to a statement released by the military’s media wing.

“Pakistan remains fully committed to working with partner nations to build a secure and prosperous regional environment,” he added.

Earlier, the army chief welcomed the participants of the Regional Chiefs of Defense Staff Conference, held under the theme “Strengthening Bonds, Securing Peace.”

The event focused on strengthening regional security partnerships, expanding joint training efforts and improving crisis response mechanisms.

Delegates also discussed the strategic landscape in South and Central Asia, with emphasis on evolving threats, sovereignty concerns and military diplomacy.

The official statement said the participants reaffirmed their commitment to upholding peace, respecting national sovereignty and confronting common challenges including militant violence and cyber insecurity.

Delegates praised Pakistan’s role in convening the meeting and commended its leadership, hospitality and efforts to promote regional defense diplomacy.


PM Sharif orders swift release of funds for remittance scheme after record $38.3 billion inflows

Updated 26 July 2025
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PM Sharif orders swift release of funds for remittance scheme after record $38.3 billion inflows

  • Workers’ Remittances Incentive Scheme encourages overseas Pakistanis to use official banking channels
  • The scheme offers priority processing, fee waivers and reward points for frequent or high-volume senders

KARACHI: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday directed the finance ministry to release funds on a priority basis for the Workers’ Remittances Incentive Scheme, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to facilitating formal remittance flows after overseas Pakistanis sent a record $38.3 billion in the last fiscal year.

The scheme, introduced in 2023, aims to encourage Pakistanis living abroad to use official banking channels instead of informal networks such as hawala or hundi. It offers benefits including simplified digital transfers, priority processing, fee waivers and reward points for frequent or high-volume senders.

The program is also integrated with Roshan Digital Accounts (RDAs), which allow non-resident Pakistanis to invest in domestic stocks, real estate and government securities.

“Overseas Pakistanis are our strength and a national asset,” Sharif said in a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office. “Their hard-earned remittances play a vital role in Pakistan’s development, and the entire nation, including myself, holds them in the highest regard.”

The prime minister noted that remittances have not only helped meet Pakistan’s rising import bill but have also contributed to strengthening foreign exchange reserves.

“From laborers to entrepreneurs, every overseas Pakistani is playing a part in the country’s progress,” he added.

Sharif said the surge in remittances during FY2025 was key to achieving Pakistan’s first current account surplus in 14 years.

He also pledged to remove administrative and procedural bottlenecks in the remittance system, calling for it to be made “simpler, more transparent and more efficient.”

Remittances form the backbone of Pakistan’s economy, providing a vital source of foreign exchange that eases pressure on the current account and supports millions of households through spending on education, health care and daily needs.

In times of crisis, they have served as a financial lifeline, helping stabilize reserves and maintain macroeconomic balance.


Pakistan vows to eliminate ‘Indian-sponsored’ militants amid Balochistan insurgency spike

Updated 26 July 2025
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Pakistan vows to eliminate ‘Indian-sponsored’ militants amid Balochistan insurgency spike

  • Mohsin Naqvi, Sarfraz Bugti meet in Quetta, review counterterror efforts in Balochistan
  • They highlight full federal-provincial coordination against separatist groups like the BLA

QUETTA: Pakistan on Saturday vowed to bring what it described as “Indian-sponsored” militants to justice, as federal and provincial leaders met in Quetta to address a growing wave of insurgent attacks in Balochistan, the country’s largest and most volatile province.

Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, is strategically significant due to its vast mineral resources and its role as a transit hub for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). However, the province has long been plagued by a separatist insurgency, with militant groups such as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) intensifying their attacks in recent years.

Islamabad describes these groups as proxies for Indian intelligence, branding them “Fitna-e-Hindustan”, or India’s mischief. New Delhi denies any nexus with these groups.

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti held a high-level law and order meeting to review the ongoing counterterror operations and the implementation of a new Provincial Action Plan aimed at stabilizing the region.

“Indian-sponsored terrorists and their facilitators have no place to hide in Pakistan and will be brought to justice at all costs,” Naqvi said while chairing the meeting, according to an official statement. “Those challenging the writ of the state will be dealt with an iron hand.”

The interior minister said the federal government stood “shoulder to shoulder” with the Balochistan government in its war, adding that full coordination exists between national and provincial authorities.

Bugti briefed the meeting on Balochistan’s Provincial Action Plan, which he also mentioned earlier this month.

He noted that it focused on intelligence-led operations, faster threat response, and outreach to disaffected youth. It also highlighted bureaucratic and operational bottlenecks that have hindered previous efforts.

“This war is not only the responsibility of the security forces but of the entire nation,” he said. “The sacrifices of our people and institutions will not go in vain.”

Balochistan has witnessed several high-profile militant attacks since the beginning of the year. Among them, a passenger train hijack by the BLA in March and a suicide bombing in May targeting a school bus in Khuzdar that killed several children made international headlines.

The separatist insurgents also routinely target security forces, civilians, and non-local workers in coordinated and targeted attacks.


Asia Cup 2025 cricket tournament moved to UAE amid India-Pakistan tensions

Updated 26 July 2025
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Asia Cup 2025 cricket tournament moved to UAE amid India-Pakistan tensions

  • India was due to host the T20 tournament that will now be played between September 9 and 28
  • The event will feature eight teams and is seen as a key warm-up for the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup

ISLAMABAD: Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi confirmed on Saturday the 2025 Men’s Asia Cup will be staged in the United Arab Emirates in September following a contentious venue dispute that threatened to derail the event.

India was due to host the T20 tournament, but rising tensions with Pakistan, exacerbated by a military standoff in May, and disagreements over the ACC’s Annual General Meeting in Dhaka led to weeks of uncertainty.

New Delhi initially refused to attend the meeting and questioned the neutrality of Naqvi, who also heads the Pakistan Cricket Board and serves as the country’s interior minister. However, Indian authorities later joined the gathering via video link.

“I am delighted to confirm the dates for the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 in UAE,” Naqvi announced in a social media post on X. “The prestigious tournament will take place from September 9th to 28th.”

“We look forward to a spectacular display of cricket,” he added. “Detailed schedule will be out soon.”

 

India and Pakistan have not hosted each other for a bilateral series in over a decade, with political and security concerns consistently spilling over into cricketing ties.

Last year’s Asia Cup in 2023 was marred by similar discord, as Pakistan was the official host and India refused to travel.

The ACC then implemented a hybrid model, splitting matches between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

All India fixtures— including the final— were held in Sri Lanka, while Pakistan hosted only non-India group games.

The workaround preserved Pakistan’s hosting rights while accommodating India’s participation.

The ACC has reached a similar compromise this year, with the UAE, an established neutral venue, stepping in to host all matches.

The tournament in September will feature eight teams, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, UAE, Oman and Hong Kong.

A group-stage clash between India and Pakistan is likely, with the event also serving as a key warm-up for the ICC T20 World Cup in early 2026.


PM approves modern digital ecosystem for Pakistan revenue watchdog to increase collection

Updated 21 min 19 sec ago
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PM approves modern digital ecosystem for Pakistan revenue watchdog to increase collection

  • The move is tied to the government’s economic stabilization agenda, structural benchmarks under a $7 billion IMF program
  • Pakistan has set a record-high tax collection target of $47 billion for 2025–26, marking a 9% increase from the previous year

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved the development of a modern, world-class digital ecosystem in the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and directed hiring of world-renowned experts, his office said, in a bid to increase revenue collection.

The prime minister issued the directives at a meeting he presided over to review ongoing reforms in the FBR, during which officials briefed participants about linking FBR data to a single hub for real-time monitoring.

The reforms are tied to the government’s economic stabilization agenda and structural benchmarks under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program. Pakistan has one of the lowest tax-to-GDP ratios in the region, despite a population of more than 240 million.

Speaking at the meeting, Sharif said the country's economy was moving in the right direction, thanks to the ongoing FBR reforms, and the government could only reduce tax on common people by increasing the tax base and eliminating informal economy.

"An entire digital ecosystem should be created to strengthen the new [FBR] system," he said. "All data from raw material production and import, product manufacturing to consumer purchases should be linked to a single system."

In June, Sharif's government set a record-high tax collection target of Rs14.13 trillion ($47.4 billion) for the fiscal year 2025–26, marking a 9 percent increase from the previous year. Officials say meeting this goal is essential to reducing reliance on external debt and ensuring long-term fiscal sustainability.

The prime minister said this consolidated data, collected under the new FBR system, should be used for economic, strategic decision-making.

"The system should be made so effective that the entire value chain can be directly monitored digitally," the prime minister added.

Earlier this month, the FBR launched simplified digital tax returns for salaried individuals, aimed at increasing tax compliance and widening the narrow tax base.