- PM Imran announces incentives for construction sector, elevates it to industry All industries that are connected to construction will continue to function, says premier.
- Govt, IPPs gear up for crucial capacity payment talks Sources says the power tariff involved an additional burden of Rs186 bn due to the rupee’s depreciation.
- PM wants resumption of construction, CPEC work A package for the construction industry will be unveiled today.
- Govt to start flights for stranded Pakistanis FM Qureshi says 17 repatriation flights would be flown between April 4 -11.
- Pakistan, Bangladesh enforce lockdowns to restrict Friday prayers to avert coronavirus spike “Governments have to make difficult and painful decisions for the greater good of the public,” says Sindh minister.
- 101 preachers among 141 more Covid-19 patients in Lahore Authorities have imposed a lockdown in Raiwind city which houses over 0.2 million people.
- Restrictions enhanced on entry into Islamabad The duration of the partial lockdown in the capital has been increased by 10 to 14 days.
- Polio immunisation suspended amid Covid-19 pandemic The announcement came after a meeting of the Polio Oversight Board, an expert body coordinated by WHO and partners.
- Lockdown improves quality of air over capital A decline in industrial activities, construction and traffic has significantly improved air quality.
- Organisations donate food to workers rendered jobless by lockdown “We would sleep without food if people did not provide us with any,” says one labourer.
- Sindh announces three-hour complete lockdown for Friday Govt seeks innovative ideas to combat virus; confirmed Covid-19 cases surge to 2,419 with 34 deaths.
- KP Police likely to get bonus for duty at quarantine centres KP police chief reviews shift-wise duty and strength of the police at different quarantine centres.
- IHC declines to vacate stay order in KPT chief case Justice Minallah wonders why the government was keen to remove the KPT chairman.
- AJK govt condemns India’s domicile move for held Kashmir World community asked to take stock of arbitrary move regarding disputed territory.
- Plasma donation by young coronavirus survivor seen as glimmer of hope for critical patients “The method is being used across the world for the treatment of critical patients.”
- Doctors forced to combat coronavirus without PPE, salaries, food “We haven’t received our stipends for the last three months“.
- PIA announces schedule for 10 special flights Spread of pandemic has wrought havoc on schedules of all airlines across the globe.
- Stocks march past 30,000-level Most investors were bewildered as the index opened gently in the positive but started to take big strides to the north.
- SBP reserves fall $1.5bn in two weeks Decline attributed primarily to govt’s external debt payments that amounted to $441 million, reads statement.
- Pressure builds against lockdown Exporters say the Sindh govt is still dragging its feet in granting them permission to resume operations.
- Trump deploys warships, planes to pressure Maduro, drug cartels The Venezuelan president has remained in power despite a US-led campaign of sanctions and diplomacy.
- 24-hour curfew imposed in Makkah, Madina Other Arab states have locked down districts with large migrant worker populations.
- Covid-19 vaccine tests show promise When tested in mice, the prototype vaccine generated a “surge of antibodies” against the virus within two weeks.
- Chinese city bans consumption of dogs, cats Scientists suspect the coronavirus passed to humans from animals.
- Saarc backs Pakistan proposal for health ministers’ video conference Saarc secretary general appreciates Pakistan’s proposal, says joint effort required to beat coronavirus.
- US slams verdict in Daniel Pearl case “Those responsible for Daniel’s heinous kidnapping and murder must face the full measure of justice,” says Alice Wells.
- Amid coronavirus scare, Americans flock to remote land, survival retreats Experts have warned that rural communities could eventually prove to be the most vulnerable to the pandemic.
- Jahangir, Islahuddin, Sarfraz donate historic memorabilia to KSF Karachi Sports Forum will distribute ration bags and medicines among financially unstable athletes.
