BEIJING: A communications satellite launched in China for Pakistan entered its test orbit located at 37.8 degrees east longitude on Sunday, China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC) has announced.
PAKSAT-1R, which was launched at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the South Western China’s Sichuan Province on Aug. 12, will soon begin an in-orbit test, the CGWIC said Tuesday. The satellite is expected to enter its final orbit located at 38 degrees east longitude before delivery to Pakistan, the CGWIC said.
It is China’s first in-orbit delivery to Asian customers and also the first commercial satellite export to international users this year.
The contract for the PAKSAT-1R was signed in 2008 between the CGWIC and the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission of Pakistan.
PAKSAT-1R will provide a range of services, including broadband Internet, telecom and broadcasting, covering regions in Europe, South Asia, the Middle East, and eastern Africa.
China and Pakistan share a long history of space technology cooperation.
Pakistan’s first low-orbit satellite, BADR-A, was launched by China in 1990, carried by the Long March 2E rocket. (APP)
KARACHI: Rupee traded at 87.57 to the dollar on Wednesday, inching closer to its record low of 87.59, due to increased import payments and negative sentiment surrounding the country's economic outlook.
"The rupee traded at 87.57 per dollar in the ready market, but went to 87.60 in the TOM (one-day forward) market," said a dealer at a foreign bank.
The rupee ended at 87.57/61 to the dollar, compared with Tuesday's close of 87.42/52.
The rupee hit its record low of 87.59 on Friday but this week there was some support from higher remittances from Pakistanis working overseas.
According to official data, remittances rose 40.45 percent to $1.31 billion in August, compared with $933.06 million in the same period last year.
Though there were some inflows, dealers said negative sentiment about Pakistan's economy was affecting the local unit.
Pakistan faces a new crisis as monsoon rains which have killed 226 people sweep through the southern province of Sindh.
Floods have caused only minor damage to the sugarcane and rice crops, officials said, though weeks of downpours have already destroyed about 13 percent of the crucial cotton crop.
Stalled payments from an International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout programme are also hurting the rupee.
In the money market, overnight rates ended lower at between 12.25 percent and 12.75 percent, compared with Tuesday's close of 13.40 percent, amid increased liquidity in the interbank market. (Reuters)
LAHORE: Dengue continues its grip over Punjab and the provincial capital in particular where 15 people have died from the disease, Geo News reported. Three including a boy died from the virus in the city on Wednesday.
Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif said a case would be lodged against those not providing free treatment for Dengue. Sharif has also directed the administration of private residential colonies to conduct fumigation drives.
A case pertaining to the spread of the virus is also being heard at the Lahore High Court (LHC). The court did not receive an answer from district government and health department officials and ordered that they submit their replies by September 16.
The court stated that people were dying from Dengue and high ranking officials were not concerned.
Opposition members in the Punjab Assembly also staged a walkout with a PML-N MPA claiming that the disease would be controlled within ten days.
499 new Dengue cases were reported in Lahore and 3,925 people are suffering from the virus. All educational institutions in the city have been closed for 10 days.
Eight Chinese engineers have also been infected with the Dengue virus and are receiving treatment at different hospitals of the city.
The situation is dire in Faisalabad as well where within a span of 18 hours, 35 new Dengue cases were reported. Overall 220 Dengue cases have been reported in the city.
KARACHI: Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry asked the government to submit a written statement that it would not support armed groups, Geo News reported.
The special bench of the SC headed by the CJP, seized with the Karachi violence suo moto case, resumed the hearing at Supreme Court Karachi Registry and during proceedings the Chief Justice remarked that government officials had their jobs and respect because of Pakistan but it was a mystery why we did not love the country.
On Tuesday, the Attorney General, Barrister Zafarullah and Advocate General Sindh concluded their arguments and the proceedings were adjourned till Wednesday. Babar Awan, the lawyer for the federation will continue with his arguments when the hearing resumes.
During his arguments Attorney General Maulvi Anwar Ul Haq said the court had to find out whether it was political parties or the state which violated the law and how this could be dealt with. Replying to a question posed by Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany the Attorney General said that since the Supreme Court took notice of the violence, the situation in the city had improved and there was no need to call in the army.
Advocate General Sindh Fateh Malik informed the court that the history of Karachi illustrated that during the rule of civilian governments there was violence in the city and peace during military rule. Malik added that during the governments of Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto thousands lost their lives in the city and the situation improved once General Musharraf came into power.
In his arguments Babar Awan said the provinces executive authority covers 23 districts and the suo moto was based on the condition of one district. Awan added that the executive authority was not a failure at both the federal or provincial level and the situation in Karachi fell under internal unrest.
PESHAWAR: Dengue fever claimed one more life in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), raising the death toll in the province to three, Geo News reported.
The provincial health department states that the individual who lost his life after contracting the Dengue virus was a resident of Manshera. Prior to this an individual from Haripur and one from Nowshera fell victim to the virus.
According to the health department, over 100 patients suspected of having Dengue are admitted in hospitals across KPK while there have been 29 confirmed cases.
KARACHI: At least four people lost their lives in various incidents after heavy monsoon rains crippled biggest city and commercial hub of Karachi on Tuesday, with few people able to make it to work or school.
In Karachi, the capital of Sindh, rain was forecast through Wednesday at least.
Rains that began Monday evening continued till today noon. The convoy of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry also stuck in the rainwater.
Two people were killed in Wahid Colony area of North Nazimabad when a wall fell and two others lost live due to electrocution in Burns Road area.
Many streets were impassable, cars were stuck, several fuel stations were inundated and no visible efforts were underway to drain water.
"We have recorded 50-100 mm (2 to 4 inches) of rain in Karachi and the situation is pretty bad. Many main roads and areas are inundated at the moment and it can turn even worse," said Mohammad Hussain Syed, the city's district coordination officer.
Various city hospitals including Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre and Civil Hospital were without electricity.
KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Sunday accused Awami National Party (ANP) of being a terrorist organization and called for imposing an immediate ban on the same, Geo News reported.
In a statement issued here today, the MQM Coordination Committee member Yousuf Shahwani, Gulfaraz Khattak Advocate from Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa and Zonal Incharge of MQM Lahore Syed Shaheen Gilani in reaction to the ANPs call for banning MQM said ANP's past is synonymous with terrorism.
They said everyone knew very well as to who had been perpetrating acts of terrorism in Pakistan on the backing of Afghanistan and India and which organization it was that had to face a ban in 1975 for engaging in terrorist activities.
