- PM Imran announces incentives for construction sector, elevates it to industry All industries that are connected to construction will continue to function, says premier.
- No compromise on supply of essential items: PM As number of Covid-19 cases continues to rise, Imran visits newly-established NCOC.
- Collective efforts needed to fight coronavirus, Murad tells PM Says testing kits provided by NDMA had some accuracy issues and are not being used.
- Over 1m download app for Insaf Imdad Package in three days PITB-developed app is being used for registering applications for aid.
- 294 more Americans evacuated from Pakistan A chartered plane first landed in Karachi then Islamabad to take the US citizens back home.
- Rs9.5bn youth employment scheme launched Funds for scheme approved by the Provincial Development Working Party of the Punjab Planning and Development Board.
- UN asked to probe if Covid-19 man-made Rehman Malik writes to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
- IHC allows govt to turn hotels into quarantine centres Suggests to petitioner to claim any damages at later stage.
- Corona isolation hospital opens in Muzaffarabad The 50-bed facility has been set up in the newly constructed building.
- Crowd manhandles policemen for enforcing Friday prayers restrictions in Karachi’s Liaquatabad Seven arrested as police officials say most of the mosques in Sindh “responded positively” to the lockdown measures.
- Information ministry, ISPR to deal with media over coronavirus: Awan DG ISPR lauds media for its “objective reporting” and for making people aware.
- Sindh govt re-arrests four men acquitted in Daniel Pearl murder case Sindh Home Department cites concern that the released men may act “against the interest of the country”.
- $200m pandemic response pact signed with WB ‘Pandemic Response Effective Project’ will be for social protection measures, food and remote learning education.
- WB cuts growth forecast, slump to persist through 2021 Expenditures could rise by 2pc of GDP; $2.5bn can be repurposed quickly if required.
- Exports dip in March amid global slowdown The export proceeds had edged up 2.23pc to $17.451bn during the first nine months of 2019-20.
- ‘Worst yet to come’ for countries in conflict, says UN chief “The Covid-19 storm is now coming to all these theatres of conflict.” says Guterres.
- Acquittals in Daniel Pearl murder will be challenged in top court, FM Qureshi assures US Says US’ apprehensions over the acquittals are only “natural”.
- US using ‘Wild West’ tactics to outbid rivals for medical supplies in war against Covid-19 “Money is irrelevant. They pay any price because they are desperate,” one high-level German official told Reuters.
- Record Covid-19 deaths reported in US, UK, Spain UN chief says the worst is yet to come, referring to conflict-hit countries like Syria, Libya and Yemen.
- Nigerian man shot dead for flouting virus lockdown Lawmaker representing the area condemns incident and calls for the perpetrators to be prosecuted.
- Row after French scientists suggest virus vaccine trial in Africa Such trials require volunteers to be briefed about any risks and to give their informed consent.
- Call for Trump to impose stay-at-home order US suffers its first 1,000 Covid-19 deaths in a day.
- Navy fires captain who sought help for virus-stricken ship Decision condemned by House Armed Services Committee.
- Prince Charles opens hospital built in nine days to fight virus The 4,000-bed facility is the first of six temporary hospitals to be set up across Britain to cope with the outbreak.
- Coronavirus may spread through normal breathing: US scientists Expert says recent information shows virus can spread even when people just speak, as opposed to coughing and sneezing.
