Today’s top Pakistan current affairs December 21,2020 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
- Mehran Express resumes operations after nine months. Mehran Express, which takes passengers from Karachi to Mirpurkhas, resumed its operation on Sunday after nine months.
- Pakistan Army soldier martyred in Awaran operation. A Pakistan Army soldier was martyred during the exchange of fire with terror suspects at Jatt Bazar in Balochistan’s Awaran Sunday night, according to the military’s media wing.
- Saudi Arabia suspends international flights for a week. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has suspended all international flights over concerns of a new strain of the novel coronavirus.
- Pakistan bans flights from UK due to new coronavirus strain. Pakistan has banned flights from the United Kingdom until December 29 after a new strain of the coronavirus reportedly emerged in the UK, a notification said.
- Punjab CM Usman Buzdar tests positive for COVID-19. Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Monday,
- Pakistan Will Not Recognize Israel Until Solution Of Palestine: Qureshi. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that Pakistan has given the dossier regarding Indian sponsored terrorism in Pakistan to the International World.
- Faisalabad man dies after ‘playing PUBG for 24 hours’. A man in Faisalabad’s Jaranwala died after playing PUBG for straight 24 hours, according to the police.
- Gold prices continue to rise in domestic market. Gold prices continued their upward trend as the per tola price of the precious metal on Monday witnessed an increase of Rs150 to Rs112,600 in the domestic market
Spotlight by The NewsRun
1. COVID-19 IN PAKISTAN
- 24-hour count: Pakistan reported 1,792 new cases and 62 deaths in the past 24 hours. Pakistan also conducted 34,772 tests in the span of 24 hours (P.S. this data was last updated on December 21 at 7:27am).
2. Using tribal areas as tax havens
What’s going on? The former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) have reportedly become a tax haven in Pakistan. Basically, businesses are establishing shell or small setups in the tribal areas to avoid paying taxes. A shell company only exists on paper, and isn’t a legit office with employees. Shell companies aren’t exactly illegal, but they can be used illegitimately to cover up business ownership or dodge taxes.
The details: Why is there a tax exemption in FATA? This “five-year tax holiday” is part of an overarching plan to make FATA “mainstream.” From June 2018 to June 2023, factories in FATA are exempt from paying a 17% sales tax on supplies. The point is to create incentives that will contribute to development in the tribal areas.
Something to know: The manufacturing, import, services, and retail/distribution sectors in Pakistan have to pay a sales tax on their locally produced goods and imported goods. However, not all goods are “taxable supplies.” Tax exemptions can vary on a case-by-case basis.
Tell me more: Some businesses in the country are reportedly taking advantage of looser tax requirements in FATA. For example, shell companies or small units in FATA are importing foam with tax exemptions. Then, they send that imported foam to their foam factories outside of FATA. Also, some businesses are making and selling goods in developed parts of the country, but allegedly showing that production and consumption are taking place in the tribal areas.
The context: FATA merged with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in 2018, bringing it into the fold of Pakistan’s legal system and govt authority. The govt wants to “mainstream” FATA in order to reduce militancy and improve security in the region. Other proposed reforms in FATA include the provision of basic human and legal rights under Pakistan’s constitution, economic support and development aid.
The bottom line: Foam manufacturers producing goods in Punjab are feeling threatened by big-time industry players misusing tax exemptions in FATA. As a start, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has set up check posts to monitor goods being transferred from FATA to more developed parts of the country. However, manufacturers have doubts about the FBR’s ability to effectively keep track of goods being moved out of FATA.
3. An “airpocalypse” in Lahore
Lahore’s air quality reportedly plummeted on Saturday, according to the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI).The AQI ranges from 0 to 500. A high number in the AQI indicates poor air quality. A number above 300 is considered “hazardous,” so imagine how people reacted when the highest number, 615, was recorded near the US Consulate. If the air quality crosses 500, it is considered “beyond index.” An average AQI of 540 was recorded across the city. Lawyer and environmental activist Ahmed Rafay Alam, believes local news outlets don’t cover air pollution enough. According to Alam, local media needs to start taking the air quality issue more seriously, so people are aware of how dangerous it is for their health.
4. UAE visa suspension due to COVID-19
Remember the UAE visa suspension we’ve been covering? Reported reasons for the temporary visa suspension keep changing. A few weeks ago, we learned that the UAE will temporarily stop issuing new visas to citizens of Pakistan and a dozen other countries. At first, Pakistan’s Foreign Office said UAE authorities most likely made this decision due to COVID-19. Later on, media reports claimed the UAE suspended visas to citizens of Pakistan and 12 other mainly Muslim-majority countries for security reasons. Specifically, the UAE suspended new employment and visit visas. Recently, the UAE assured Pakistan that COVID-19 is the real reason behind the ban.
- Backstory: Pakistan was a bit shook up over the visa suspension, because the UAE reportedly has the second largest population of overseas Pakistanis in the world. Pakistanis working in the UAE are a key source of foreign currency for Pakistan, since they send money in the form of workers’ remittances back home.
5. Pakistani scientist wins Young Leaders Award
The UK-based Young Professional’s Society (YPS) gave the Young Leaders Award to Dr. Yarjan Abdul Samad, a Senior Research Associate and Teaching Fellow at the Cambridge Graphene Center, and the Engineering Department of Cambridge University. Dr. Samad is reportedly the first Pakistani space scientist to work at The University of Cambridge. He is originally from a small town in Balochistan.
- Backstory: The Young Leaders Award honors young professionals who have shown outstanding achievements during the early stage of their careers. YPS provides personal and professional development opportunities. It also aims to bring young, accomplished and progressive people to the forefront so they can make positive contributions to society.
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