by Gul Nayab Kaiser Islamabad, April 27: The government has further tightened restriction on travel and tourism and called for compliance with SOPs during religious gatherings and Eid Holidays. A complete ban has been imposed on tourism, inter-provincial and intra-city transport from May 8 to 16 including Eid holidays, a notification issued by the interior ministry said on Tuesday. The …

by Asad Raza Gokal Since September 2020, when the UAE struck with Israel a deal on normalizing relations, alarm bells began to ring louder for the Pakistani Shia diaspora residing in the country. In the United Arab Emirate (UAE), members of the Shia families, a religious minority, are mostly employed in professions that pay them enough to cater the needs …

By Neelum Wali The word COVID-19 stands for coronavirus disease. Formerly, this disease was referred to as “2019 novel coronavirus” or “2019-nCoV”. COVID-19 is linked to the family of viruses as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Different viruses are given their names according to their genetic structure. The virus was named as SARS-CoV-2 on February 11, 2020, due to its genetic …

Mushtaq Ahmad There is a long history of global pandemic and epidemics, but there is also evidence that all these have been challenged by man. Consequently, there have been great losses of human lives coupled with social and economic vicissitudes as well. At the same time, every major crisis brings opportunities to rethink our systems and make them stronger to future …

Global community unites to celebrate “tourism and rural development” High Asia Herald Report Summer holidays used to be the peak season in Gilgit-Baltistan. file photo The 2020 edition of World Tourism Day, with the theme of “Tourism and Rural Development”, celebrates the unique role that tourism plays in providing opportunities outside of big cities and preserving cultural and natural heritage all …

By Ghulam Amin Beg The old Indian narrative on Jammu and Kashmir of a democratic dispensation, constitutionally guaranteed local autonomy and unique status has disappeared overnight. Thanks to the fascist actions of Prime Minister Modi and the BJP government last year. The new status quo in Kashmir has created a new narrative for both pro-Indian and nationalist Kashmiris as well …

$6.5m Third-Party Verification Immunization Coverage Survey was conducted to assess gaps and bottlenecks in Pakistan’s immunization programme High Asia Herald Report Islamabad:  Health experts and researchers have expressed concern at the prevalence of poliovirus in Pakistan and called for enhanced efforts to strengthen immunization coverage. Participants at the launch of the Third Party Verification of Immunization Coverage Survey in Islamabad. …

by Dr Aziz Baig The Coronavirus, perhaps the deadliest in the last century that surfaced in Wuhan city of China in November 2019, has now spread to about 188 countries of the world affecting over 27 million people and claiming over 0.8 million lives. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared it pandemic on March 11, 2020. In Pakistan, the first two cases of COVID-19 …

News Desk Shirin Nazirmadova, a doctor from southern Tajikistan, has been saving for years to afford the hajj pilgrimage that all able Muslims are required to make once in their lives. But like millions of others, Nazirmadova’s dream journey of a lifetime was shattered when Saudi Arabia decided last month to bar international visitors from making the pilgrimage this year …

32 students hailing from Gilgit-Baltistan are stranded in China waiting for repatriation for the last three months Herald Special Islamabad: Scores of students hailing from Gilgit-Baltistan are stranded in China due to non-availability of flights and closure of Khunjerav border. They have been notified by their universities and dormitories to leave the host country by July 20. Over 30 students …

By Wajidul Islam   The National Finance Commission (NFC) is a resource-sharing mechanism between the federal government and federating units. It was constituted under Article 160(1) of the 1973 Constitution. It is mandatory to constitute and hold the NFC meeting in every five consecutive years. The purpose of the award is to review the collection of revenues by the Centre …

Student’s Solidarity Protest against Poor Internet connectivity & falsified policies of HEC regarding online classes organised by All Baltistan Movement in Skardu.#teamABM Posted by ABM (All Baltistan Movement) on Tuesday, June 23, 2020 Students from GB, Kashmir, ex-Fata districts, Seraiki and Balochistan regions demand suspension of online classes, waiver of fees Inayat Abdali, Iqbal Salik & Aunil Muntazir   Gilgit/Ghizer/Skardu/Islamabad: …

Doctors, paramedics and patients complain about the lack of facilities and apathy of the health officials     By Mehtabur Rehman GILGIT: While the Chief Minister Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman and his media team are busy in propagating his achievements in the fight against coronavirus in Gilgit-Baltistan, the doctors and paramedics who are fighting on the frontline, as well as patients, are …

Six members of a family who travelled from Karachi to Hunza have been quarantined   Herald Report Hunza: One more person has tested positive for coronavirus in Hunza District. So far two persons have been affected by the virus in the district. A man belonging to Hini (Nasirabad) lower Hunza has tested positive for the virus, sources in the district …

The pandemic causes a 22% decline in tourist arrivals in Q1, or $80bn loss, says UNWTO reports   Herald Report The coronavirus pandemic has caused 22% fall in international tourist arrivals in the first quarter (Q1) of the financial year 2020 and could further drop by 60-80% over the whole year, says a report. The UN tourism watchdog says 67 …