Today’s top Pakistan current affairs 18 May, 2021 with download link available in pdf. These are the latest breaking news about Pakistan which will be helpful for aspirants in test preparation of current affairs, Pakistan affairs, General knowledge for NTS, PPSC, CSS, FPSC, KPPSC, SPSC, BPSC, AJKPSC, OTS, PTS, and other Govt Jobs, exams & MDCAT, ECAT Entry test preparation.
One Liner
- Nation To Observe Solidarity Day With Palestinians On Friday: Tahir Ashrafi. Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Religious Harmony Maulana Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi says the nation will observe Solidarity Day with Palestinians on Friday.
- Moeed Yusuf Appointed National Security Adviser. Prime Minister Imran Khan appointed Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on National Security Division and Strategic Policy Planning Dr Moeed Yusuf as the National Security Adviser on Tuesday.
- Pakistan, Turkey Condemn Israeli Aggression. Pakistan and Turkey have strongly condemned the Israeli aggression against unarmed Palestinians and their forced eviction from their homes.
- Pakistan will send medical aid to Palestine: information minister. Pakistan will send medical aid to Palestine to help the people targeted by days of Israeli airstrikes, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said Tuesday.
- Four killed in rain-related incidents in Karachi. A minor boy among four died and seven others were wounded in various rain-related incidents in Karachi on Tuesday
- No shortage of Sinopharm vaccine, says Faisal Sultan. Terming the reports about non-availability of Sinopharm vaccine baseless, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Faisal Sultan on Tuesday claimed that there was no shortage of the vaccine in the country
- Balochistan postpones annual examinations of FA, FSc. Amid the third wave of coronavirus in the province, the Balochistan government on Tuesday postponed the annual examination of FA and FSc
- Gold Prices Increase Rs800 Per Tola. The price of 24 karat per tola gold witnessed increase of Rs800 on Tuesday and was traded at Rs107,250 against its sale at Rs106,450, Karachi Sarafa and Jewellers Group reported.
- PCB shifts remaining PSL6 matches to UAE: report. The Pakistan Cricket Board has shifted the remaining matches of the Pakistan Super League Season 6 to the UAE amid a surge in Covid-19 cases across Pakistan, the Cricket Pakistan reported reported Tuesday.
Spotlight by The NewsRun
1. COVID-19 IN PAKISTAN
- 24-hour count: Pakistan reported 3,232 new cases and 74 deaths in 24 hours. Pakistan also conducted 36,725 tests in the span of 24 hours (P.S. this data was last updated on May 17 at 8:31 am).
- Real estate tycoon dodges COVID test at airport: Bahira Town founder, Malik Riaz, his wife, and another member of his team reportedly refused to get a COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) after landing at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport. They arrived from Dubai on a chartered flight. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) staff on duty asked them to take the RAT test since it’s apparently a govt requirement. However, Riaz and his travel group reportedly didn’t respond. Later on, airport health staff members went to Riaz’s house to administer the test, but he refused again. The Lahore airport Chief Operating Officer and Manager wrote a letter to the CAA headquarters in Karachi and claimed that Riaz violated the National Command and Operation Center’s COVID-19 safety guidelines.
2. Pakistanis march for Palestinians
What’s going on? Pro-Palestinian protests took place across Pakistan yesterday. At least 800 students and local activists joined the protests. Protestors accused Israel of expanding its illegal settlements into occupied Palestinian territory. They also protested against the Israeli military’s attacks on Gaza, and called on both the Pakistani govt and world powers to intervene. The violence in Gaza has sparked protests in cities across Europe and the US as well.
The details: Pakistan-based
Tell me more: On Monday, 42 Palestinians were killed, including Dr. Ayman Abu Al-Ouf, the head of the internal medicine department at Shifa Hospital, and a senior member of the hospital’s coronavirus management committee. Dr. Ouf’s death is a big loss since Gaza is already struggling with a surge in COVID-19 cases. Two of Dr. Al-Ouf’s teenage children, and two other family members, were also buried under rubble.
The context: Hamas, a Palestinian resistance group with an armed wing, controls the Gaza territory. Israel claims it is targeting Hamas militants and Hamas military infrastructure. The Israeli military said it also destroyed the home of Gaza’s top Hamas leader, Yahiyeh Sinwar. However, Israel’s aerial bombardment has caused more civilian deaths. At least 198 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed since Israel’s airstrikes started, including 58 children. Israel has reported 10 dead people on its side due to Hamas rockets fired from Gaza, including two children.
The bottom line: Protestors in Pakistan reiterated that their support for Palestinians isn’t about religion. They believe that anyone who is human should protest against the airstrikes on Gaza. At the same time, protestors are hoping Muslim countries come together to support the Palestinians. In the meantime, the administration of US President, Joe Biden, approved a $753 million weapons sale to Israel. Other democratic lawmakers in the US are urging the Biden administration to limit military support for Israel’s govt, especially in the wake of its escalating assault on Gaza. The Biden administration has maintained that Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas.
3. Karachi is sweltering
Pakistan’s
- Stay indoors and avoid exposure to the sun
- Stay on the lowest floor of your house
- Drink a lot of water, even if you’re not thirsty
- Postpone outdoor sports events
- Don’t leave children or pets alone in closed vehicles
- Wear loose-fitting, lightweight, light colored clothes
4. Prime Minister’s aide resigns over scam case
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis, Zulfi Bukhari, reportedly resigned. He was accused of being involved in the Rawalpindi Ring Road (RRR) project scam. Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan ordered a full inquiry into the RRR project scam. On Twitter, Bukhari said he wanted to set an example and step down from his position until his name was cleared. He also reiterated that he had nothing to do with the Ring Road project or any ongoing real estate project. Bukhari even pointed out that he “sacrificed” his life overseas to come serve his country – he’s a dual British-Pakistani national.
- Backstory: This Ring Road project is supposed to connect Islamabad and Rawalpindi. When PM Khan said ‘look into this,’ the Punjab govt decided to loop in the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) or the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). PM Khan requested an investigation after two fact-finding reports landed on his desk. The second report suggested that Punjab Chief Minister, Usman Buzdar, and his finance adviser, Dr. Salman Shah, approved a “realignment” of the original Ring Road project. Attaullah Tarar, who is Deputy Secretary-General of the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, alleged that Bokhari and another cabinet member, Ghulam Sarwar Khan, got huge financial benefits through the ring road realignment, since their land was nearby.
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