LAHORE: At least 465 officers and officials have tested positive for liquor use while 235 for the use of heroin, charas and ice, sources said on Saturday. The list of drug-addict officers and officials of the Punjab Police surfaced on the world anti-drugs day. It showed that most of the officers who had to control the drug-dealers were either themselves drug-addicts or were patronising the heinous business.
The report showed that 98 officers were confirmed alcoholic, including 26 DSPs, 15 inspectors, 17 sub-inspectors, 9 ASIs, 10 head constables, and 24 constables.
The report showed that 35 officers were addicted to heroin and ice. The drug tests of officers and officials of all ranks including the additional inspector general of police (AIG) would be conducted and strict action would be taken against those who would be found addicts, the Punjab IGP earlier said.
465 cops test positive for liquor, 235 for other drugs
WASHINGTON: US pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson will “exit from the opioid business nationally” as part of a $230 million settlement with New York, the state´s attorney general Letitia James said Saturday.
The agreement allows Johnson & Johnson to resolve litigation over its “role in helping to fuel the opioid epidemic,” according to a statement from the prosecutor, who said the company would spread the payments over nine years.
It could also pay an additional $30 million in the first year if the state enacts new legislation creating an opioid settlement fund.
The company still faces other legal proceedings nationwide, including an ongoing trial in California.
“The opioid epidemic has wreaked havoc on countless communities across New York state and the rest of the nation, leaving millions still addicted to dangerous and deadly opioids,” James said in the statement.
“Johnson & Johnson helped fuel this fire, but today they´re committing to leaving the opioid business — not only in New York, but across the entire country,” she added.
That includes both manufacturing and selling opioids, the statement said
Tehran: Iran´s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday received the first dose of a domestically produced coronavirus vaccine, his social media announced, as the country battles the Middle East´s deadliest outbreak. The 81-year-old cleric´s Twitter feed published a video it said showed him “receiving the first dose of the #IranianCovidVaccine that has been developed by young Iranian scientists”. The footage shows him wearing a surgical mask and a black turban, sitting under a picture of the Islamic republic´s founder Ayatollah Rouhollah Khomeini, as two male medics tend to him, injecting him in the left arm. State television broadcast the same scene, saying Khamenei had received a single dose of the COVIran Barekat jab, developed by a powerful state-owned foundation known as Setad. Iran announced on June 14 that it had had given emergency approval for the domestically produced vaccine. The Islamic republic is attempting to make up for a lack of vaccines and providing second jabs to those who have already received a first, on a voluntary basis. Strangled by US sanctions that have made it difficult to make money transfers to foreign firms, Tehran says it is struggling to import vaccines for its 83 million population. In early January, Khamenei banned imports of UK- and US-produced vaccines, saying they could “contaminate” the country. In another tweet on his English-language Twitter feed on Friday, he said he was “truly grateful to all those who used their knowledge & experience & made scientific & practical efforts to provide the country with such a great, prestigious capability”. Iran has been devastated by the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 83,500 people among 3.1 million infected, according to official figures widely seen as understating the toll. The health ministry says more than 4.4 million of Iran´s 83 million people have received a first vaccine dose since an inoculation campaign began in February.
KATHMANDU: Wearing a baseball cap and knee-length traditional Gho robe, carrying a backpack, Bhutan’s king has walked through jungles infested with leeches and snakes, trekked mountains and quarantined several times in a hotel in the capital.
For 14 months, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, has been travelling by foot, car and horse to remote hamlets to oversee measures to protect his tiny kingdom of 700,000 from the coronavirus outbreak that has flared up in neighbouring India.
The impact of the 41-year-old king’s excursions are evident in a COVID-19 death count of just one for the nation nestled between India and China in the Eastern Himalayas.
“When the king travels for miles and knocks … to alert people about the pandemic, then his humble words are respected and taken very seriously,” said Lotay Tshering, the country’s prime minister.
“His Majesty’s presence is far more powerful than just issuing public guidelines,” Tshering told media. His presence assures people they are not alone in their fight against the pandemic, the prime minister said.
Tshering, a practicing urologist, often accompanies the Oxford-educated king for trips near the porous border shared with India, where a second wave of the pandemic more than doubled the death count over the last two months.
Bhutan became a constitutional monarchy in 2008 when the king relinquished his absolute powers. But loyalty to the royal family still dominates the nation’s socio-political landscape.
In recent weeks, the king walked for five days on a trail passing through elevations of up to 4,343 m (14,250 ft) to thank primary health workers in remote areas.
The king’s office declined a request for an interview but his social media pages on Instagram and Facebook showcase his work and travels during the pandemic.
“Our king’s biggest fear is that if the pandemic spreads like a forest fire then our (nation) could be wiped out,” said a senior palace official.
A father of two boys, after every trip the king checks into a hotel in capital Thimphu to follow quarantine protocols. Like most of his subjects, he has received one vaccination dose.
Bhutan King on ‘mountains trekking mission’ to hold down Covid deaths
Karachi (Muhammad Yasir) In collaboration with Health Department, Government of Sindh, the management of Naya Nazimabad has set up a new COVID-19 vaccination Centre in its own premises, at Ali Habib Medical Centre (AHMC).
“We are pleased to make vaccinations easily accessible to the residents of Naya Nazimabad and adjoining areas,” said Samad Habib, CEO, Naya Nazimabad. “The new vaccination centre reinforces our ongoing commitment to safety, while also providing an added convenience to our residents and the entire community. We would like to thank Government of Sindh and AHMC for their partnership in this important initiative,” added Samad Habib.
Vaccines will be available on a walk-up basis and no appointments are necessary. The vaccine is available to anyone 18 years of age or older. “As a socially responsible corporate entity, our commitment to improve the health and wellbeing of our community as well as the city of Karachi is what fuels Naya Nazimabad’s aggressive vaccination efforts. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with GoS in protecting our residents and citizens of the city, as we begin to safely return to a normal life with friends, family, and colleagues,” Samad Habib further added.
Deputy Commissioner West Mr. Saleemullah Odho also visited the facility on 26 June 2021 with AHMC management and was given an update on the progress of the vaccination drive. On this occasion DC West appreciated the efforts & hard work done by the management of Naya Nazimabad and AHMC in setting up the vaccination centre. He said that the situation of coronavirus in Sindh is different from other provinces and that is why the government of Sindh had to impose more restrictions. “The acceleration of vaccination drive in Sindh, especially Karachi is being made possible by Government of Sindh and in this regard, we are thankful to Samad Habib, management of Naya Nazimabad and AHMC to support our stance and our initiatives to vaccinate the citizens of Karachi,” he added.
The fully equipped vaccination centre is located at Ali Habib Medical Center, Naya Nazimabad. Vaccinations are being provided and administered by Government of Sindh employees, free of cost.
#PAMIrejectsPMCact has been a top trend in Pakistan, with students, doctors, students and social media users pointing out the anti-education points in the Pakistan Medical Commission Act.
Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) The Pakistan Association of Private Medical and Dental Institutions had recently issued a white paper against the performance of the PMC, after which information about the flaws in the Pakistan Medical Commission Act reached every section. Speaking at a press conference in a private hotel a few days ago, PAMI officials said that the PMC was bent on destroying private medical and dental colleges. The authority to destroy colleges has been given, work is being done for the interests of foreign medical colleges instead of Pakistan. Addressing the press conference, PAMI President Prof. Dr. Chaudhry Abdul Rehman said, this is the big scandal than Sugar, flour and Ring Road is emerging as PMC continues to destroy the education sector of Pakistan. A systematic destruction of medical educational institutions is taking place.
Incompetent people have been imposed on medical educational institutions in Pakistan. A lawyer has been appointed as the vice president of PMC. He added that Ali Raza, a lawyer and vice president of PMC, has been favoring his relatives. What is the merit of Ali Raza? How did he become the vice president of PMC? How can a person who did not come on merit himself bring merit?
The press conference was followed by an atmosphere of unrest among young doctors, senior professors and social circles, and social media users launched a campaign against the PMC Act on Twitter.
ISLAMABAD: United Nations’ (UN) International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking will be marked on June 26 (Saturday) across the globe including Pakistan to raise drug awareness day 2021 of the major problem that illicit drugs represent to society. This day is supported by individuals, communities and various organizations all over the world. UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has, over the years, been actively involved in launching campaigns to mobilize support for drug control. The UNODC often teams up with other organizations and encourages people in society to actively take part in these campaigns drug awareness day 2021. Governments, organizations and individuals in many countries, have actively participated in promotional events and larger scale activities, such as public rallies and mass media involvement, to promote the drug awareness day 2021 of dangers associated with illicit drugs. According to the UNODC, nearly 200 million people are using illicit drugs such as cocaine, cannabis, hallucinogens, opiates and sedative hypnotics worldwide. In December 1987 the UN General Assembly decided to observe June 26 as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. The UN was determined to help create an international society free of drug abuse. This resolution recommended further action with regard to the report and conclusions of the 1987 International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
NUT Desk- LAHORE: The Punjab Emergency Service/Rescue 1122 has been notified as an administrative department of the Punjab government and it would now be called the Punjab Emergency Service Department.
The notification to amend the rules of business was accordingly published in the Punjab Gazette on June 23, 2021. The Punjab Emergency Service was given the status of administrative department after approval of the chief minister and the Punjab Emergency Service (Amendment) Act 2021.
A spokesperson for the department said that the Punjab Emergency Service (Amendment) Act 2021 also provided long-awaited service structure to the rescuers after about 15 years of establishment of the Punjab Emergency Service. Furthermore, the director general of Punjab Emergency Service Department has been given the powers of an administrative secretary under the Act.
NUT Desk- LONDON: Pakistan’s High Commissioner to UK Moazzam Ahmad Khan has highlighted the need for promoting greater cohesion and understanding among various faiths and sects of Islam.
The High Commissioner expressed these views in an interaction with faith leaders of Pakistani origin in Birmingham, a press release issued by the High Commission on Thursday said.
High Commissioner Moazzam, who was on the first leg of his visit to the West Midlands and South Wales, visited the Pakistan Consulate General in Birmingham on Wednesday (June 23, 2021).
Besides meeting the Consulate officials, he held interactions with faith leaders of Pakistani origin and eminent members of the expatriate community, both virtually and in-person.
In his address to the faith leaders, the High Commissioner encouraged the leaders to utilize their sermons to foster love, amity, understanding and goodwill among and within various faith communities.
He also emphasized the important role faith leaders could play in encouraging vaccination against COVID-19.
Lauding the contribution of the Pakistani community to the UK’s development, as well as progress and development of Pakistan, the High Commissioner stated that the Diaspora could play an important part in projecting Pakistan’s true and positive narrative.
He also urged the community to play its role in further strengthening bonds of friendship between Pakistan and the UK.
Pak HC in UK wants cohesion among Islamic faiths, sects
NUT Desk- ISLAMABAD: The national tally on Friday of total active COVID-19 cases was recorded 32,921 with 1,052 more people testing positive for the deadly virus and 1,013 people recovering from the disease during the last 24 hours.
Forty-four corona patients have died during past 24 hours, 41 of them were under treatment in the hospitals and three of them perished in their homes or respective quarantine facilities, according to the latest update issued by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC).
Most of the deaths occurred in Sindh followed by Punjab. Out of the total 44 deaths occurred 25 of them died under treatment on ventilators.
There were 2,029 Covid infected patients under treatment in critical condition admitted in various Covid dedicated healthcare facilities in past 24 hours.
The National Covid positivity ratio was recorded 2.29 percent. The Covid-19 positivity ratio is the percentage of actual positive cases appearing in every 100 tests performed to identify infected individuals.
The maximum ventilators were occupied in four major cities including Islamabad 21%, Lahore 20%, Bahawalpur 22% and Multan 28%.
