RIYADH, 30 March 2020, TON, WHO: In response to an urgent appeal from the World Health Organization (WHO) and under the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) has signed an agreement for USD 10 million in financial support to WHO for urgent action needed to minimize the spread of COVID-19 by supporting countries with vulnerable health infrastructures. The agreement was signed between KSrelief’s Assistant Supervisor General of Operations and Programs, Engineer Ahmed Al Baiz, and the WHO Country Representative for Saudi Arabia, Dr. Ibrahim El Ziq.

Dr. El Ziq, in a press statement following the signing of the agreement, said that “the ten million dollars provided by Saudi Arabia to the World Health Organization will contribute to the implementation of the COVID-19 National Health Plan. With this contribution, we will purchase preventive equipment for health workers, and laboratory equipment needed for investigations on the virus. The grant will also assist in carrying out scientific research towards developing a vaccine to prevent COVID-19, and will fund the purchase of medications to treat cases of the virus.” He ended his remarks by expressing his appreciation for the Kingdom’s generous ongoing support to crisis-affected countries around the world.

Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, Supervisor General of KSrelief, stated that this royal directive reflected the Kingdom’s commitment to applying its significant resources to help alleviate the suffering of all in need. KSrelief, he added, continues to work in cooperation with United Nations agencies and other leading humanitarian organizations to safeguard public health and address a wide range of global humanitarian issues. Dr. Al Rabeeah added his appreciation for this generous gesture from the Kingdom’s leadership, which demonstrates its willingness to act quickly to support for the world community in times of urgent crisis.

Dr. Al Rabeeah also mentioned the extraordinary virtual G20 Summit meeting recently headed by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques; during this summit, the Kingdom also confirmed its commitment towards helping countries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This leadership, he stated, demonstrated how seriously the Kingdom takes its responsibility to join with the rest of the world in fighting and overcoming the dangerous health and economic effects of COVID-19.

TRIPOLI, 30 March 2020, TON: Forces loyal to Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA) repulsed an attack on south of Tripoli, launched by the rebels under General Khalifa Haftar.

A spokesman for GNA, Mustafa Al-Majei said “The air force carried out three strikes against concentrations of Haftar militia fighters in the vicinity of Sirte. A number of individuals and other locations were also targeted.”

On Saturday, the GNA forces announced that their air strikes killed the operations commander of Sirte, Salem Driaq, his aide, Gaddafi Al-Sadai, and eight of their soldiers. Artillery also targeted buildings in Qasr Bin Ghashir, south of Tripoli, where Russian, American and African mercenaries were sheltering. If we recall, on Thursday, UN recognized GNA, launched Operation Peace Strom and took over airfield and arrested a number of mercenary.

KUPWARA, 30 March 2020, TON: Three bodies of unidentified youth were recovered from outskirts of forest area in Kupwara district on Monday.

Locals said that the bodies were beyond reorganization as the faces of two persons were disfigured. As per the detail a shepherd who went to forest area for grazing of his goats when he smelled bad odor. On reaching the spot, he found three dead bodies of males between ages 20 to 30 years.  Later, local police unit arrived at the spot and shifted bodies to the hospital for identification and other legal formalities. So far no one has claimed the bodies.

SRINAGAR, 29 March 2020, TON: Lieutenant General Nirbhay Sharma while briefing at Corps Headquarters said that over 890 Kashmiris were arrested and 337 FIRs registered in various districts of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, 29 March. He revealed that most of them have been released, however, 89 suspected Kashmiris are still under detention. Details of those arrested during the last 15 days, however, could not be obtained.   

Director General of Jammu and Kashmir police Dilbag Singh told the media that 337 FIRs have been registered and 627 persons arrested for violating prohibitory orders in the Union Territory (Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir) amid the coronavirus outbreak. He added, 118 shops and 490 vehicles were seized for defying the government orders.

The Indian controlled Jammu and Kashmir administration passed orders on 22 March for a shutdown of all establishments, except those providing essential services and commoditiesto control spread of coronavirus.

SRINAGAR, 29 March 2020, TON: The Kashmiris of Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir have complained that India government is forcibly put them in quarantine against their will, despite having no symptoms of any disease. Principal Secretary, Planning, Development & Monitoring Department of Jammu and Kashmir, Rohit Kansal said thjat they want to ensure that not even a single case of Coronavirus (COVID-19) remain unnoticed. He claimed that even the suspected cases are quarantine so that there is no change that the virus is communicated to other areas and neighbouring Indian states. Indian authorities have claimed that so far 38 positive cases of COVID-19 disease have been detected in Jammu and Kashmir.  

A Kashmiri who introduced himself as Gholam Nabi Bhatt resident of Kathua district claimed that Indian security forces are conducting house to house search in the guise of surveillance of Coronavirus positive patients and each day dozens of Kashmirs are loaded on military vehicles to unidentified destinations. He claimed that in his neighbourhood, three youth and one elder person are missing. He appealed Human Right organization to visit occupied Jammu and Kashmir to find out plight of families of missing Kashmiris in the recent weeks.

Rohit Kansal disclosed that administration is proactively taking a number of steps to combat COVID-19 pandemic and in testing in Jammu and Kashmir is highest in whole India. Furnishing the details, he disclosed that Indian Army and security forces are controlling the administration and are aggressively trying to trace out every contact of suspected person who are forced to undergo tests.

The incharge of the quarantine facilities in Srinagar and Jammu disclosed that it is expected that the Coronavirus positive cases in Jammu and Kashmir would cross 30,000. Accordingly the Jammu and Kashmir administration have arranged quarantine facility for 35000 patients including 10,000 in Srinagar and 6,500 in Jammu.

MOGADISHU, 29 March 2020, TON: Somali government has sent 20 doctors to Italy to help contain the spread of COVID-19 amid a increase in deaths.

Somali government spokesman Ismail Mukhtar Omar said the doctors are volunteers from Somali National University, who have been in some European countries.

"The 20 doctors have already been registered in Italy and are expected to team up with some doctors from across the world to help Italy to contain the novel coronavirus," Omar said.

He said the doctors have been sent as part of emergency response team following appeal from the Italian government for international help to contain the virus.

Somalia has so far confirmed three cases of COVID-19, who were all returness from foreign countries. Accordingly, Somali Government has banned all international flights as well as domestic ones as part of the measures to contain the spread of the deadly virus in the country.  

RIYADH, 29 March 2020, TON: Saudi Arabia has successfully intercepted missiles fired from across the border at Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh on Saturday, 28 March.

Saudi Arabia’s Royal Air Defense Forces intercepted and destroyed the ballistic missiles at midnight, state media said. Saudi state TV reported that its missile defense systems were used in the interception.

Meanwhile, US is praising its Patriot missile defence systems while Russian head of the Defence Committee, Vladimir Shamanov negotiated and advised Saudi Arabia to replace old Air Defence systems with Russian S-400 or S-300 systems.

Another report by the Israeli news agency said that Saudi Arabia intercepted two ballistic missiles on Saturday night launched by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group towards Riyadh and the city of Jizan as reaction to Saudi-led coalition fighting against Houthi militia.

In the recent past, a third country was trying to establish communication between Saudi Arabia and Yemen as well as the rebel groups. The talks were in mid way and the missiles attack seems deliberate attempt, intended to create suspicion in the path of peace between various stakeholders.

MALI, 29 March 2020, TON: Despite Coronavirus, Malian government decided to maintain the legislative elections set for Sunday 29 March, by inviting "all voters to strict compliance with the measures to prevent and combat the coronavirus. Washing kits or hand sanitizers are available at the entrance of each polling station. The government cautioned voters to avoid regrouping inside and outside polling stations. The second round will be held on 19 April 2020.

Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita declared a state of health emergency in the country due to Coronavirus spread in foreign countries. In his message to the nation, President Keita said "Mali's land borders will be closed, except for freight and the transport of goods, in particular basic necessities."

The elections were initially scheduled in 2018 but postponed several times due to security reasons. The current parliament was elected in the 2013 elections, which gave substantial majority to President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. The assembly was to be renewed in October and November 2018, after President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita re-election as president but were postponed several times.

Strange but true, the US President Donald Trump in his latest tweet on Saturday, 28 March, said quarantine for New York area will not be necessary. Despite official figures of 2000 deaths in US, over 1000 in United Kingdom and 7503 in Italy, the leaders of these countries and many other do not believe in quarantine. In his latest tweet, President Trump said on Saturday night that he has asked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) to issue a strong Travel Advisory but quarantine on the New York region will not be necessary. It is interesting to note that President Trump took this decision knowing well that New York City alone has seen 200 plus deaths in a single day on 28 March.

US Health Department confirmed that Coronavirus related deaths in US have doubled in two days, hitting 2000 on Saturday. The department also confirmed 20,000 officially announced new cases in one single day on Saturday for the first time. It would be interesting to note that an official of Department of Health and Human Services’ Civil Rights office disclosed that COVID-19 are usually contracted by very old people who rarely survive due to chronic history of many diseases including bronchitis and asthma. Accordingly, as per WP, the Civil Rights office of Department of Health and Human Services urged health care providers “to not ration care for covid-19 patients based on disability or age”.

It is interesting to note that the Prime Minister of United Kingdom, Boris Johnson in his address to the nation on 23 March, rather than asking masses to quarantine said, “From this evening I must give the British people a very simple instruction - you must stay at home. Because the critical thing we must do is stop the disease spreading between households.” In his address, he said that people will only be allowed to leave their home for very limited purposes including shopping, one form of exercise a day e.g. a run, walk, or cycle alone or with members of your household, medical need and travelling to and from work.  It would be interesting to note that with the exception of few odd, all Churches in United Kingdom remained open on Sunday 29 March.

Italy, which has officially reported 7503 deaths and 74386 infections due to Coronaviris also announced restricted suspension of some activities. The Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on 11 March 2020, executed a decree imposing the temporary lockdown of any retailing activities, with the exceptions of those relating to the sale of essential goods. On 22 March 2020, another decree was issued which is to remain in force from 25 March to 3 April 2020. The government imposed the shutdown and restriction on non-strategic activities including non-strategic production activities and additional restrictions on the individuals’ movement from one municipality to another with the exception of well-grounded work, absolute urgency or health-related reasons. The shutdown was also not to apply on professional activities, strategic activities and other essential public services including defense and aerospace industries.

It is a media war, who knows how many died or infected but Pakistan and some other countries have done a great blunder by taking anti-human rights and anti-individual’s freedom measures including closing all the Mosques for congregational prayers. This could have been enforced on voluntarily basis, in case some specific area is epicenter of epidemic. It is the time to reopen the country and rethink about the cause of Coronavirus, which includes spread of virus from pigs or swine? As proved from the case studies of US, UK and Italy, civil protection is important but closing and imposing restrictions on strategic production houses and services has no precedent anywhere. It is strange that even the hospitals are closed for prescriptions and medicines for the sick as only COVID-19 cases are dealt, which in Pakistan has so far rarely reported, other that precautionary quarantine of those returning from abroad.  Where there is imposed restriction on movement for even essential work, some countries have been forced to come to a standstill that would be counterproductive. One sees people begging for food in the middle-class and poor-class communities. Where we must ensure restrict our activities it is the responsibility of Government and masses to ensure the survival of all.

ISLAMABAD, 28 March 2020, TON: Pakistan’s National Coordination Committee (NCC) had decided to close Eastern and Western borders both for trade and passenger traffic for another two weeks. In statement issued by NCC at Islamabad said, “The closure duration of two weeks of the borders has come to an end today and therefore NCC has decided to further extend the restriction for another two weeks. Both passenger traffic and trade has been stopped at the borders with Afghanistan, Iran and India which includes Kartarpur Corridor as well.”

The NCC on 14 March had earlier decided to halt border traffic on borders of the country for two weeks. International flights to the country were banned till 4th  April. In addition there will also be prohibition for flights leaving the country for abroad from tomorrow. It is interesting to note that the domestic flights were also suspended except the form Gilgit and Skardu.