Latest news with #EidulAzha
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Health
- Express Tribune
Congo virus claims three lives in Pakistan
Listen to article Pakistan has recorded three deaths from Congo virus on Thursday, with two fatalities reported in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and one in Karachi, Express News reported. The latest victim in Sindh was a 25-year-old fisherman from Ibrahim Hyderi, while the K-P toll includes patients from Karak and North Waziristan. According to health officials, Muhammad Zubair, a resident of Malir district, first exhibited symptoms including high fever, muscle pain, abdominal discomfort, coughing, diarrhea, bleeding, and loss of consciousness on June 16. He was admitted to Jinnah Hospital, where doctors suspected Congo virus infection. Due to the lack of specialized treatment facilities, he was transferred to the Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital, where he died at 7 am on June 19. Read More: Sindh reports first Congo virus death of 2025 The Sindh Health Department has promptly dispatched an active search and response team to the affected area. Contact tracing efforts have been carried out, with all individuals who had close contact with the deceased identified and monitored. So far, no other cases have been reported. Local residents and the victim's family have been advised to follow strict precautionary measures to prevent further spread. This death follows the province's first reported fatality from the virus earlier this year, when a 42-year-old man from Malir district was admitted to Indus Hospital in Korangi on June 16 and died the next day. In K-P, two Congo virus patients from Karak and North Waziristan districts died at Hayatabad Medical Complex. These fatalities have raised the provincial death toll to three. Also Read: Two Congo virus patient hospitalised at Peshawar's Hayatabad Medical Complex Meanwhile, three additional patients infected with the virus are currently receiving treatment in isolation wards at the hospital. Health Advisor Ehtesham Ali said contact tracing and sanitization operations have been initiated at the homes of the deceased and the infected. He added that an advisory regarding Congo virus had been circulated to all hospitals across Pakistan prior to Eidul Azha, as the increased movement and slaughter of sacrificial animals heighten the risk of transmission. Congo virus is a severe viral disease transmitted primarily through tick bites or contact with the blood and tissues of infected animals, particularly during and immediately after slaughter. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports a case fatality rate of 10-40 per cent, with no vaccine currently available. In April, the National Institute of Health (NIH) issued an advisory urging preventive measures ahead of Eidul Azha, when the movement of sacrificial animals increases.
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Health
- Express Tribune
Sindh reports first Congo virus death of 2025
Sindh has reported its first death from Congo virus this year, following the passing of a 42-year-old man in Karachi. The patient, a resident of District Malir, was admitted to Indus Hospital in Korangi on June 16 after testing positive for the virus. He succumbed to the illness the following day. According to a provincial health department official, the patient had no recent travel history, suggesting local transmission of the virus. Congo virus is a severe viral disease transmitted primarily through tick bites or contact with the blood and tissues of infected animals, particularly during and immediately after slaughter. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports a case fatality rate of 10-40 per cent, with no vaccine currently available. In April, the National Institute of Health (NIH) issued an advisory urging preventive measures ahead of Eidul Azha, when the movement of sacrificial animals increases.
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
PPP workers decry favouritism
Discontent is growing among Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) workers in Rawalpindi over being sidelined during Eidul Azha celebrations, particularly regarding selective meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari. During a press conference, PPP Rawalpindi Cantonment President Malik Qasim Idrees, Punjab Council Member Banaras Chaudhry, Tauqeer Abbasi, Nasir Mir, and Abdul Rehman Tokli voiced strong concerns over what they termed a conspiracy to block dedicated workers from meeting the President. They specifically accused Presidential spokesperson and former MPA Aamir Fida Paracha of creating hurdles and discouraging grassroots members from accessing leadership. The party leaders said they were deeply disappointed by the demoralisation of loyal male and female party workers and alleged that a deliberate conspiracy had kept PPP's allied organisations from meeting the President. They claimed that former Baitul Maal MD Aamir Paracha failed to communicate the true sentiments and grievances of party workers to the leadership, which has harmed the party's unity. Criticism was also directed at the repeated nomination of weak candidates in Rawalpindi.
Business Recorder
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Govt could have done more in the budget
EDITORIAL: The tailwind is with them — the economy is stabilising, elections are three years away, and the government is firmly in control. The timing could not be better to expand the tax base and start trimming the government's fat. But, instead, it is almost more of the same. There are low-hanging fruits — if the FBR has any real interest in them. One such area is livestock, which accounts for more than half of the agriculture sector and as per the advice of the attorney general clearly falls within the federal government's domain to tax its income and also impose tax on its sale. The FBR has opposed the Punjab government's attempt to legislate taxation on income from livestock, yet there is nothing to exhibit the federal government's willingness to tax income from livestock trade in this budget. It is important to note that livestock is supposedly growing at 4.7 percent, while major crops have declined by 13.5 percent. Some animals were sold for millions of rupees a head during the recent Eidul Azha and all transactions occurred in cash — with no sales tax and no trail for income tax. The government continues to tax poultry and treats the processed milk industry like a stepchild, yet red meat — something the poor only get to eat on Eid — remains untouched. The irony is clear: the government taxes cheap sources of protein and fat, while steaks and mutton chops go tax-free. This reflects the absence of a tax policy aligned with social needs or equity. Instead, taxes are applied where collection is easiest. There are other examples that contradict the government's stated policy goals. Take the case of taxing online marketplace transactions. The policy incentivizes cash on delivery (CoD). For example, if you buy electronics worth Rs2,000 online and pay digitally, the tax is Rs400; if you choose CoD, it is just Rs52.5. This stands in stark contrast to provincial incentives. For instance, in Punjab, GST is 5 percent for card payments and 16 percent for cash. Additionally, e-commerce platforms are now expected to collect taxes on behalf of the vendors, who must be registered. The finance minister claimed that online vendors have an unfair advantage over traditional retailers, as if brick-and-mortar retailers are paying their fair share of taxes. In reality, the objective is not fairness but revenue — and it comes at the cost of a nascent e-commerce industry. Meanwhile, the government pretends these steps are good for the digital economy, even as they further entrench the cash economy with higher taxes on cash withdrawals. There are other glaring examples as well. Taxes are being reduced in some areas and increased in others — not to steer the economy or broaden the tax net but simply to extract maximum revenue from wherever it is easiest and least politically damaging. The FBR operates on a 'two-plus-two' mindset; it does not think beyond that. On paper, taxes on salaries and super tax have been slashed — not to revive investment or stop the so-called brain drain, but to incentivize speculative investment in real estate and stocks, while discouraging formal savings. The real objective seems to be to boost market sentiment and sweep meaningful reforms under the rug. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
5 days ago
- Climate
- Express Tribune
Heatwave halts trading activities
Amid the scorching sun and intense heatwaves, an oppressive stillness gripped wholesale markets, trading centres, grain markets, and commercial bazaars across the city on Sunday. All tourist spots and parks remained deserted throughout the day due to the unbearable heat, severely affecting the businesses of stallholders. From 10am to sunset, commercial activity in markets drastically declined. Shopkeepers were seen wiping sweat off their faces while sitting under fans blowing hot air, waiting in vain for customers. The extreme heat also forced birds to seek refuge in flocks under thick tree canopies. With temperatures soaring between 45°C to 47°C, the skies appeared empty as even birds avoid flying. The Citizen Action Council has appealed to residents to place water and grains in shaded areas of their balconies and rooftops to help birds survive the heat — a charitable act considered a form of ongoing charity (sadaqah jariyah) for households. Meanwhile, the relentless heatwave, combined with scarce rainfall, has led to a drop in the underground water table, and many delicate bird species have been found dead. The intensity of the sun has also impacted loading and unloading activities, badly affecting the working class and daily-wage labourers. After Eidul Azha, people's purchasing power has significantly declined, and due to the heat, most avoid visiting markets during the daytime. Some citizens only venture out after sunset, but even then, business activity has plummeted. Instead of buying bulk items from wholesale markets, many now prefer purchasing small quantities from neighbourhood shops. Meanwhile, in homes, streets, mosques, imambargahs, and churches, people have started praying fervently for rain to break the intense heat.
