Latest News from Pakistan News Express
In Gilgit Baltistan, vaccination against Covid-19 to contain the pandemic spread is going on.
District administration teams are checking vaccination certificates in markets, Bazar and public places.
Deputy Commissioner Saad Bin Asad, in an interview with Radio Pakistan Gilgit today, said that Diamer administration is ensuring implementation on NCOC guidelines.
Source: Radio Pakistan
Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar chaired a high level meeting in Lahore on Tuesday and reviewed the proposed draft of Local Government System.
On this occasion, he said that draft of new Local Government system would be finalized and submitted to the cabinet for approval.
Source: Radio Pakistan
Mainly dry weather is expected in most parts of the country during the next twelve hours.
However, rain-wind/thundershower is expected at isolated places in northeast Punjab, Islamabad, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan.
Temperature of some major cities recorded this morning:
Islamabad twenty-two degree centigrade, Lahore twenty-four, Karachi twenty-seven, Peshawar twenty-one, Quetta twelve, Murree fourteen, Muzaffarabad nineteen and Gilgit thirteen degree centigrade.
According to Met Office forecast for Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, partly cloudy weather with chances of rain and wind-thundershower is expected in Srinnagar, Anantnag and Baramula while partly cloudy weather is expected in Leh, Pulwama and Shopian. However, partly cloudy and dry weather is expected in Jammu.
Temperature recorded this morning: Srinagar, Baramula and Pulwama thirteen degree centigrade, Anantnag and Shopian fourteen, Leh five and Jammu twenty-two degree centigrade.
Source: Radio Pakistan
The Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) has decided to freeze the interim result of the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) till the completion of an independent third-party post-exam analysis as per international standards.
Taking to Twitter, the PMC announced that post-exam analysis of MDCAT is currently in progress and the facility to review and download the interim MDCAT result will remain disabled till the completion of the post-exam analysis.
Upon completion of the post-exam analysis, the final MDCAT result will be announced on 9 October. Candidates who appeared in MDCAT 2021 exam will only receive the final result.
Earlier today, Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health, Dr. Faisal Sultan, revealed that Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) will conduct the post-exam analysis on a scientific basis to conduct a transparent investigation of the MDCAT to address the concerns of all candidates.
He added that candidates who attempted out-of-syllabus and ambiguous questions in the MDCAT will receive marks for them.
The PMC has taken the decision to task QAU with the post-exam analysis of MDCAT because of the countrywide protests that took place after the conclusion of the month-long exam.
This year’s MDCAT was held by SOAR Testing and Evaluation Platform Limited, which was awarded the contract by the PMC in an extremely controversial manner.
Notwithstanding, the PMC disbursed more than Rs. 115 million to SOAR to conduct the computer-based MDCAT of nearly 200,000 candidates.
However, the way in which SOAR conducted the MDCAT has triggered a controversy that refuses to die down.
Candidates who appeared in the MDCAT revealed that SOAR provided faulty computers with poor internet services. They alleged that the MDCAT exam contained out-of-syllabus and ambiguous questions.
They also criticized SOAR for conducting the MDCAT from 30 August to 30 September, adding that the practice gave an unfair advantage to some students who had more time to revise than others.
Candidates have been doing their best to force PMC to retake the MDCAT on a single day citing examples of India where the MDCAT of 1.8 million students was held on a single day.
Source: Pro Pakistani
Kazakh Ambassador, Yerzhan Kistafin, called on the Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, Omar Ayub Khan, in his office today. Both sides exchanged views on bilateral relations and discussed key regional issues. They also discussed the other priority areas including agriculture, tourism, and media.
In order to enhance bilateral economic cooperation, the Kazakh Ambassador proposed to hold the next meeting of the Kaz-Pak Intergovernmental Joint Commission on 23rd November 2021, in Almaty, Kazakhstan. He apprised that three working groups on economic cooperation, energy, and transportation have already been established to prepare the proposals for the upcoming Kaz-Pak Intergovernmental Joint Commission.
In order to enhance bilateral economic cooperation, the Kazakh Ambassador proposed to hold the next meeting of the Kaz-Pak Intergovernmental Joint Commission on 23rd November 2021, in Almaty, Kazakhstan. He apprised that three working groups on economic cooperation, energy, and transportation have already been established to prepare the proposals for the upcoming Kaz-Pak Intergovernmental Joint Commission.
Minister for Economic Affairs expressed that the friendship between the two sides is enduring and is based on the principles of mutual respect, regional peace, and economic integration. He said that regional cooperation and economic integration are effective ways to unleash economic opportunities, and further highlighted that there is huge potential for enhancing bilateral trade and investment between the two countries.
He particularly emphasized the importance of regional connectivity and Pakistan’s pivotal position in providing the shortest access between the land-locked Central Asian States and the Arabian Sea. The Minister highlighted that Pakistan would be a regional hub for transit trade and investment opportunism in the near future. He also stressed on establishing direct air linkages between the two countries.
Yerzhan Kistafin underlined the excellent diplomatic and economic relations between the two countries. The Ambassador also highlighted the importance of regional integration and connectivity with Central Asia and Pakistan which would help unleash economic opportunities in the region through enhanced trade, investment, and tourism.
He highlighted that the level of economic cooperation is much below the potential of both countries presently and stressed on enhancing business-to-business contacts through the private sector.
He also informed that the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan has accepted the invitation to visit Pakistan next year.
The Economic Affairs Minister thanked the Kazakh Ambassador for his pivotal role in strengthening diplomatic and economic relations between the two countries.
The Minister reiterated the strong commitment of the government of Pakistan towards further expanding bilateral economic cooperation through enhanced trade, investment, tourism, and B2B contacts.
Source: Pro Pakistani