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April 17, 2021: National / International Current Affairs
1. PM unveils plan to spend Rs446bn on Sindh uplift
• Prime Minister Imran Khan on April 16, 2021 unveiled a historic development package worth Rs446 billion to develop backward areas of PPP-led Sindh through power supply, irrigation, sports and communication projects.
• The package features restoration of 200,000 acres of agricultural land, upgradation of 14 passports offices, construction of Nai Gaj Dam to irrigate around 28,800 acres, 306-kilometre Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway, gas supply to 160 villages and annual 30,000 new power connections in the neglected districts.
2. Tarin joins cabinet in major reshuffle
• In yet another reshuffle in the federal cabinet, Prime Minister Imran Khan on April 16, 2021 changed portfolios of five ministers while bringing in ex-minister Shaukat Tarin to replace finance minister Hammad Azhar who had been recently given the charge in place of Hafeez Shaikh.
• The opposition termed the reshuffle `old wine in new bottle` and questioned what significant change the prime minister had brought about by such reshuffles.
• According to the Prime Minister Office, Shaukat Fayyaz Ahmed Tarin has been appointed as finance minister with the additional portfolio of revenue. He replaced Mr Azhar who had served as finance minster for less than three weeks
3. Social media platforms shut briefly to pre-empt violence
• Access to social media networks remained blocked for hours on April 16, 2021 after the government imposed a blanket ban as part of its security plan to maintain law and order across the country and prevent violent protests in the wake of its decision to ban the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (T LP) along with a clampdown on its activists.
• While the restriction on Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube and Telegram remained in place from 11am till 3pm without prior intimation to users, Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid Ahmed later in a video statement apologised to citizens for inconvenience it caused and reasoned that the measure had become essential as some [violent] protests were feared
4. Dr Qibla Ayaz made CCI chairman
• President Dr Arif Alvi on April 16, 2021 reappointed Dr Qibla Ayaz as chairman of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII).
• Mr Alvi also approved the appointment of CCI members.
• The new members are: Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi, Dr Umair Mahmood Siddiqui, Maulana Hameedul Haq Haqqani, Pir Abul Hassan Mohammad Shah of Bhera Sharif, Mohammad Hassan Haseebur Rehman, Allama Mohammad Hussain Akbar, Syed Ziaullah Shah Bukhari, Pirzada Junaid Amin, Mufti Mohammad Zubair, Syed Mohammad Habib Irfani and Maulana Naseem Ali Shah
5. Cyprus hosts UAE-Israel meet in `changing` Mideast
• Cyprus hosted a meeting on April 16, 2021 of top diplomats from Israel and the UAE, as well as Greece, for talks they said reflected the `changing face` of the Middle East.
• `This new strategic membership stretches from the shores of the Arabian Gulf` to the Mediterranean and Europe, Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi told a news conference in the coastal resort city of Paphos.
• Standing alongside Anwar Gargash, advisor to Emirati President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, he said their encounter was a sign of `the changing face of the Middle East`
6. Britain approves diamond tycoon`s extradition to India
• Britain has approved the extradition of fugitive Indian diamond tycoon Nirav Modi, a Home Office spokesman said on April 16, 2021.
• The jeweller fled India before details on his alleged involvement in $2.2 billion bank fraud, India`s biggest, became public in 2018.
• The fraud dented confidence in the state banking sector and New Delhi has since tried to get Modi extradited
7. US sanctions also target Pakistani firms, individuals in move against Russia
• Ten of the 32 individuals and entities sanctioned by US President Joe Biden on April 15, 2021 for participating in Russia`s alleged cybercrimes are based in Karachi and Lahore, shows an official US statement.
• On Thursday, President Biden expelled 10 Russian diplomats and sanctioned almost three dozen individuals and companies in retaliation for a massive cyberhacking of US federal agencies and interference in the 2020 presidential election. On Friday, the US Department of the Treasury issued a statement identifying these individuals and entities. The list names some Pakistani individuals as well, including Ahmed, Shahzad (a.k.a. Amin, Shahzad) of Lahore, born 14 Dec 1987, national ID #3420204688179. The list includes several email addresses as well
8. Ex-MNA Maulana Sadiq passes away
• Prominent religious scholar and former JUI-F MNA Maulana Mohammad Sadiq passed away here on April 16, 2021, family and party sources confirmed.
• They said that Maulana Sadiq, 80, had been on bed due to diabetes and high blood pressure for the last several weeks and died at his home on Friday morning.
• An expert of religious education, the former MNA was the founder head of JUI-F in Bajaur and deputy chief of the former Fata as well. He was an active campaigner of Fata KP merger and remained MNA from 2002 to 2007. He also remained president of the principals of religious seminaries in Bajaur for several years
9. Fakhar flays SA as Pakistan seal T20 series with nervy win
• Pakistan`s Fakhar Zaman struck a blazing half-century as they survived a scare to seal a three-wicket victory over depleted South Africa with a ball to spare at SuperSport Park and win the four-match Twenty20 International series 3-1 on April 16, 2021.
• South Africa, missing most of their regular players either through injury or having been released to play in the Indian Premier League, were sent in to bat but could only muster 144 all out in 19.3 overs
10. Two Pakistanis scale world`s 10th highest peak
• Mohammad Abdul Joshi and Sirbaz Khan on April 16, 2021 became the first Pakistanis to scale Annapurna (8,091 meters) peak, the world`s 10th highest, in Nepal.
• They hoisted Pakistani flag at the peak. The two were accompanied by 44 international climbers.
• Sirbaz Khan from Aliabad Hunza and Mohammad Abdul Joshi from Shimshal Hunza of Gilgit-Baltistan had begun the expedition on the second week of March and established the base camp on March 23
Check our daily updated ‘s Complete Day by Day Current Affairs Notes
April 2021:
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (April 30, 2021) for CSS, PMS
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (April 29, 2021) for CSS, PMS
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (April 28, 2021) for CSS, PMS
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (April 27, 2021) for CSS, PMS
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (April 26, 2021) for CSS, PMS
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (April 25, 2021) for CSS, PMS
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (April 24, 2021) for CSS, PMS
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (April 23, 2021) for CSS, PMS
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (April 22, 2021) for CSS, PMS
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (April 21, 2021) for CSS, PMS
March 2021:
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (March 30, 2021) for CSS, PMS
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (March 29, 2021) for CSS, PMS
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (March 28, 2021) for CSS, PMS
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (March 27, 2021) for CSS, PMS
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (March 26, 2021) for CSS, PMS
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (March 25, 2021) for CSS, PMS
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (March 24, 2021) for CSS, PMS
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (March 23, 2021) for CSS, PMS
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (March 22, 2021) for CSS, PMS
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (March 21, 2021) for CSS, PMS
February 2021:
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (February 28, 2021) for CSS, PMS
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (February 27, 2021) for CSS, PMS
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (February 26, 2021) for CSS, PMS
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (February 25, 2021) for CSS, PMS
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (February 24, 2021) for CSS, PMS
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (February 23, 2021) for CSS, PMS
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (February 22, 2021) for CSS, PMS
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (February 21, 2021) for CSS, PMS
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (February 20, 2021) for CSS, PMS
- Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs / News (February 19, 2021) for CSS, PMS
January 2021: