Today’s top Pakistan current affairs July 27, 2020. 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
- Punjab govt imposes smart lockdown to curb Covid-19 spread
All retail shops, markets, shopping malls and plazas to remain closed till Aug 5. - PM Imran Khan to address nation on coronavirus situation today Prime Minister Imran Khan will deliver an important speech to the nation over coronavirus situation today.
- Prime Minister Imran Khan urged people on Monday to follow government-defined health guidelines during Eidul Azha and Muharram so that the number of Covid-19 cases in the country do not rise again.
- Rs160.43 billion distributed under Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme. The federal government has so far distributed Rs160.43 billion to more than 13.2 million people across Pakistan under its Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme.
- Three killed as small plane crashes into residential area in US.
- Mask manufacturers seek govts approval for export Local demand for masks is on a decreasing trajectory due to slowdown in spread of Covid-19 in Pakistan.
- Gold prices in Pakistan continues to break records, reaches Rs123,800 a tola.
- ICC to launch World Cup qualifying Super League.
Spotlight by The NewsRun
1. COVID-19 IN PAKISTAN
- Pakistan reported 1,226 new cases and 35 deaths in the last 24 hours. Pakistan also conducted 23,254 tests within 24 hours.
- Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health, Dr. Zafar Mirza, warned that the gradual decrease in COVID-19 cases could backfire if people don’t follow health and safety precautions during Eid ul Azha.
2. A string of bans
What’s going on? There have been several news reports about potential bans on content in Pakistan. Last week, the Punjab Assembly passed the Tahaffuz-e-Bunyad-e-Islam Bill, which is meant to protect ‘the foundation of Islam.’ Basically, this bill gives the Director General of Public Relations power to confiscate any book before or after printing.
The details:
- Books: The Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board (PCTB) reportedly banned 100 textbooks for containing anti-Pakistan and anti-Islam content. Some of the banned books allegedly depict Pakistan as inferior to India, while others apparently show Pakistan-controlled Kashmir as a part of India. One book included quotes from Indian independence leader, Mahatma Gandhi. Another book showed math concepts using pictures of pigs, which are considered haram (i.e. forbidden). Social media users are calling the book ban a crackdown on freedom of speech.
- Social media: YouTube was banned in Pakistan from 2012 to 2016. Last week, the Supreme Court hinted at another YouTube ban while objecting to unregulated content on the site, especially comments about family members of the judiciary. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) gave TikTok a final warning for allegedly encouraging immoral, obscene, and vulgar content. The PTA immediately blocked Bigo due to complaints about immoral content.
- Games: The PTA blocked online game, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG). The PTA received multiple complaints about the game being addictive, a waste of time, and detrimental for the physical and psychological health of children. However, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordered the govt to unblock PUBG after hearing petitions filed against the ban.
Looking ahead: Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan said the govt won’t ban any social media app. However, he said they can’t let anyone insult or spread false info about govt organizations or the people working for them. Pakistan’s Science and Tech Minister, Fawad Chaudhry, has some concerns. He doesn’t think TikTok or books are a threat to Islam. Firstly, he thinks banning apps will destroy Pakistan’s tech industry. He is also worried about Pakistan being thrown into a “vicious circle of sectarian and religious extremism.”
The bottom line: PM Khan’s govt is being criticized for decisions its made regarding social media content regulation.
3. Monsoon rains flood Karachi
While some people like to romanticize the annual Monsoon season, Karachi residents are bearing the brunt of excess flooding and rain-related deaths. At least five people, including two children, died in rain-related incidents on Sunday. If you’re trying to visualize what a road submerged in water looks like, watch this video. Utility provider, K-Electric, shut down power in low-lying areas due to safety hazards.
4. A race to produce face masks
There is a growing market for face masks amid the COVID-19 outbreak in Pakistan. During the early days of the virus, frontline medical workers and the public scrambled to get a hold of masks and other personal protective gear. Now, businesses are re-directing their resources to manufacture masks. Textile factories are producing masks to distribute locally and sell abroad. On average, textile factories in Faisalabad are producing 500,000 to 600,000 masks a day. Medical suppliers and health industry officials are complaining about issues with quality control. In other words, new masks flooding the market might not be very effective.
5. Pakistani entrepreneur wins the WE Empower Challenge
Danielle Sharaf, one of Pakistan’s leading young technology entrepreneurs, is among the awardees of a global business competition. The WE Empower UN SDG Challenge, co-led by Vital Voices and Arizona State University, honors women entrepreneurs who are advancing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals through their business practices. Five awardees from around the world are selected to receive an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City during the UN Global Goals Week, which will be virtual this year.
Backstory: Sharaf is the founder and CEO of Switch-ITC, a company that produces digital solutions for mobile users in developing markets. Switch provides important information through text messages and audio for people who use basic mobile telephone services without internet access.
MARKET RECAP
The benchmark KSE-100 index closed at 37,607.62 after rising 29.41 points as of July 24, 2020.
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