ISLAMABAD: The media wing of the Pakistan army said on Tuesday that coronavirus testing labs had been established at major military hospitals across the country, with a central facility set up in Rawalpindi.
Health officials have said 195 people have tested positive in Pakistan so far.
Pakistan Army Chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, has directed all military commanders to take necessary steps to assist the country’s civil administration in tackling the coronavirus pandemic, the military's media wing said in a statement.
“As part of the national effort and in line with the decisions of the National Security Committee taken on 13 March, all medical facilities of the armed forces are operationalized and geared up to meet any eventuality to deal with the pandemic,” the statement said.
It added that testing labs had been established at main army hospitals across the country and a central testing lab set up at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Rawalpindi.
“The armed forces of Pakistan are fully involved in assisting the government and provincial administrations to tackle the situation since the outbreak and duly vigilant of the developing situation [since the emergence of] COVID-19,” the military statement said.
COVID-19: Pakistan army sets up testing labs at all its major hospitals
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COVID-19: Pakistan army sets up testing labs at all its major hospitals
- Army chief directs military commanders to take necessary steps to assist government in tackling outbreak
- All medical facilities of the army operationalized and geared up to meet any eventuality, military’s media wing says
Pakistan vows more facilities for elderly pilgrims in ‘even better’ Hajj 2026
- Will try to ensure aged pilgrims are not allocated rooms above first floor, says official
- Pakistan sent over 115,000 pilgrims under both government, private Hajj schemes this year
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Director General Hajj Abdul Wahab Soomro this week vowed that the government would try to ensure next year’s pilgrimage is “even better” for pilgrims, promising more facilities for the elderly ones.
This year’s Hajj took place from June 4 to June 9, drawing millions of pilgrims to the holy cities in Saudi Arabia. Pakistan sent over 115,000 pilgrims under both the government and private schemes.
Speaking at a ceremony held to acknowledge the services of the Pakistani welfare staff during Hajj in Makkah, Soomro said the government introduces new measures every Hajj for its pilgrims and would continue to do so.
“In the next Hajj, we will try to make it even better,” Soomro said on Monday. “We will try to ensure that aged pilgrims, for example, are not allocated a room above the first floor.”
The Pakistani official said the government would also try to ensure that elderly pilgrims are provided accommodations close to the Mashair, or holy sites in Makkah, for their convenience.
“So, these small things that we are adding every year are enriching the overall experience of the pilgrim,” Soomro said.
Dr. Syed Ata ur Rehman, Pakistan’s secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, also spoke at the event. He reminded authorities that the post-Hajj flight operation will continue until the last Pakistani pilgrim and welfare staff return to the country.
“Therefore, the remaining part of the operation should be carried out with the same diligence, attention and caution so that the glory of this success does not diminish,” Rehman told participants.
Pakistan began its post-Hajj flight operation with the arrival of the Pakistan International Airline flight PK-732 in Islamabad on June 11, carrying 307 pilgrims. The country is expected to conclude the operation on July 10.
Over 11,400 pilgrims, including around 3,000 from Madinah, have returned to Pakistan so far, as per figures provided by Pakistan’s religious affairs minister.
The government has announced it has begun preparations for Hajj 2026 as it has received the Saudi Hajj policy and timeline for next year’s pilgrimage.
Pakistan, UAE ink agreement to share knowledge and expertise in various sectors
- Both countries agree to share expertise in public sector reforms, science and technology, human resource development
- UAE is one of Pakistan’s most important partners, with cooperation spanning trade, investment, defense and other fields
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday signed an agreement to share knowledge and expertise in diverse fields such as public sector reforms, science and technology, urban planning and human resource development, state-run media said.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the two countries as a high-level UAE delegation, led by Deputy Minister For Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange Abdulla Nasser Lootah, arrived in Pakistan to discuss bilateral relations and cooperation.
The UAE is one of Pakistan’s most important regional partners, with cooperation spanning trade, investment, defense, energy, and diaspora affairs. Roughly 1.5 million Pakistanis live in the UAE, making it the second-largest overseas Pakistani population after Saudi Arabia.
“Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for exchanging knowledge and expertise in diverse spheres of development,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.
The MoU was signed by Pakistan’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Lootah. The ceremony was witnessed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
“The fields identified for sharing knowledge and guidance include good governance, development planning, public sector reforms, human resource development, urban planning and science and technology,” the state broadcaster said.
Earlier, the UAE delegation met Sharif during which the Pakistani prime minister spoke about steps taken by his government to promote digitization, a paperless economy, a faceless customs system and data-based decision-making in the country.
Sharif said Pakistan wanted to benefit from the UAE’s experiences to make its initiatives more effective, the state-run media reported.
Lootah appreciated the Pakistani community’s role in the UAE’s development, the state broadcaster said.
“He said the UAE is happy to share knowledge and experiences with Pakistan,” Radio Pakistan said.
Bilateral ties between Pakistan and the UAE have deepened in recent years, especially in areas like infrastructure, renewable energy and logistics. In May 2024, the UAE pledged to invest $10 billion in Pakistan’s key economic sectors as part of its long-term regional economic strategy.
Pakistan needs foreign investment to boost its economy and shore up its currency reserves to meet rising external repayment obligations as it treads a tricky path to economic recovery under a $7 billion IMF bailout deal.
WWF alarmed after blue whale found dead in southwestern Pakistan bay
- Whale likely died a few days earlier after getting entangled in gillnets, says WWF
- Blue whale is the largest animal on the planet, weighing as much as 200 tons
KARACHI: The World Wide Fund For Nature-Pakistan has expressed alarm over the mortality of the blue whale in the country, saying that one was found dead near a remote bay area between Pakistan and Iran on Monday.
Whales are at the top of the food chain and have an important role in the overall health of the marine environment. This animal is listed as an endangered species on the IUCN Red List of Species, and there are around 10,000 to 25,000 specimens worldwide. Blue whale is the largest animal on the planet weighing as much as 200 tons. Its stomach can hold one ton of krill, and it needs to eat around four tons of krill each day.
In a press release, WWF-Pakistan said a 35-foot-long blue whale was found dead in the remote Gwater Bay area between Pakistan and Iran by a local fisherman on Monday. The international nature conservation organization said it is likely that the whale may have died a few days back in the open seawater and while the cause of death is not known yet, it seemed it might have died after getting entangled in gillnets used for catching fish.
“Muhammad Moazzam Khan, Technical Adviser, WWF-Pakistan, expressed concerns over the mortality of the blue whale and termed it sad news for the conservation community around the world,” the press release said.
Khan said all cetaceans, including whales and dolphins, are protected under the wildlife and fisheries legislations of Pakistan’s Sindh and Balochistan provinces.
“He also stressed to enact federal legislation for the protection of cetaceans, including whales, in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Pakistan,” the statement added.
WWF-Pakistan noted that there are many records of blue whales being spotted in Pakistan. It said the last blue whale was spotted off Gaddani town in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province on Apr. 8, 2024.
WWF-Pakistan has said in the past that major dangers to blue whales include entanglement in fishing nets, ship strikes, water pollution, and climate change.
Pakistani Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem named in Forbes 30 Under 30 list
- Nadeem bagged gold at the Paris Olympics 2024 with record-shattering 92.97 meter javelin throw
- In May, Nadeem won gold in Asian Athletics Championships in South Korea with 86.4 meter throw
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Olympic gold medalist and star javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem has been featured in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for South Asia in 2025, the international business magazine said in a report on Monday.
Forbes 30 Under 30 is an annual list published by Forbes since 2011 that recognizes outstanding individuals under the age of 30 across multiple industries.
Nadeem, 28, made headlines around the world when he threw the javelin over the 90-meter mark in August 2024 during the Paris Olympics. The record-shattering throw handed Pakistan its first Olympic medal since 1992. It was also the first-ever gold medal Pakistan had bagged in a track and field competition.
“Arshad Nadeem’s impressive javelin throws won Pakistan its first-ever Olympic gold for an individual sport in Paris 2024,” Forbes said in the report.
“Nadeem’s stunning show at the Paris Olympics though, set a new Olympic record for his 92.97m javelin throw.”
The magazine noted that Nadeem also won gold at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Turkiye and the Commonwealth Games in 2022, and secured a silver medal in the men’s javelin throw at the 2023 World Athletics Championships.
In May, Nadeem claimed gold with an 86.4-meter throw in the men’s javelin final at the Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea.
He is the first Pakistani in over 50 years to win a gold medal at the Asian Athletics Championships. Pakistan’s Allah Daad had last topped the podium in javelin throw and Muhammad Younis won the 800-meter event in 1973.
He hails from the small town of Mian Channu and has since become a national hero, inspiring millions with his rise from modest beginnings to the top of the Olympic podium.
Pakistan repatriates 268 nationals from Iraq amid ongoing Iran-Israel conflict
- Pakistani nationals repatriated through two flights, from Basra to Karachi and Islamabad, says FO
- Thousands of Pakistani zaireen (pilgrims) travel annually to Iran and Iraq to visit the holy sites there
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office said it repatriated 268 nationals from Iraq on Monday, as the Iran-Israel military confrontation enters its fourth day with no signs of either side letting up amid fears of a wider war breaking out in the region.
Thousands of Pakistani zaireen (pilgrims) travel annually to Iran and Iraq to visit holy sites there. Many have been stranded since Friday when Israel launched a massive wave of attacks targeting Iranian nuclear and military facilities but also hitting residential areas, sparking retaliation and fears of a broader regional conflict.
Pakistan last week advised its nationals to avoid traveling to Iran and Iraq amid surging tensions. Pakistan said it facilitated the evacuation of 450 nationals from Iran on Sunday.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in close coordination with Iraqi Airways, successfully facilitated the repatriation of 268 Pakistani nationals earlier today through two special flights from Basra to Karachi and Islamabad,” the foreign office said.
“Both flights have safely reached Pakistan.”
The foreign ministry said it remains engaged with Iraqi Airways and other Iraqi authorities to ensure the safe and timely return of the remaining Pakistani pilgrims in the country.
It advised Pakistani pilgrims in Iraq to remain in contact with the Pakistan Embassy in Baghdad and respective airlines for timely updates regarding their travel arrangements.
“All zaireen are further advised to remain prepared for travel at short notice,” the ministry said. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues to monitor the situation closely and remains fully committed to facilitating the safe and orderly return of all Pakistani zaireen.”
Pakistan has condemned the Israeli strikes, calling them an unjustified violation of Iranian sovereignty, and has urged the international community to help de-escalate tensions through dialogue.
Iran has said over 200 people have been killed in Israel’s onslaught since Friday, while Israel says Iranian strikes have killed at least 18 people.
