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July 11, 2023: National Current Affairs MCQs News
1. ECP asks Punjab to do away with EVMs for LG polls
• Refusing to use electronic voting machines (EVMs) in much-delayed local government elections in Punjab, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday asked Punjab to amend its laws and do away with provisions related to EVMs and i-voting.
• The commission, which met here with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja in the chair, discussed preparations for LG polls in Punjab and Islamabad
2. Pakistan saw 3rd highest maternal deaths in 2020
• Pakistan ranked third among the top 10 countries with the largest number of maternal deaths, neonatal mortality and stillbirths in 2020, according to a progress report published by three specialised agencies of the United Nations.
• The latest estimates, published jointly by WHO, Unicef and UNFPA in the report titled, `Improving maternal and newborn health and survival and reducing stillbirth -the progress report 2023` show there were a combined 4.5 million deaths; maternal deaths (0.29 million), stillbirths (1.9 million), and newborn deaths (2.3 million)
3. Fitch upgrades Pakistan to `CCC` after IMF pact
• Fitch Ratings on Monday upgraded Pakistan`s long-term foreign currency issuer default rating (IDR) to `CCC` from `CCC-` reflecting reduced external financing risks with improved external liquidity and funding conditions following recent staff-level agreement (SLA) with the IMF on a nine-month Stand-by Arrangement (SBA) in June.
• `We expect the SLA to be approved by the IMF board in July, catalysing other funding and anchoring policies around parliamentary elections due by October`, said the US-based rating agency that also noted risks to programme implementation and external funding due to a volatile political climate and large external financing requirement
4. Remittances contract 14pc to little over $27bn in FY23
• Pakistan lost over $4 billion in remittances sent by overseas Pakistan in FY23, much higher than the amount the PMLN-led coalition struggled to secure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) during the outgoing fiscal year.
• Data issued by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on July 10, 2023 showed that the remittances month-onmonth slightly increased by 4pc to $2.183bn in June while it witnessed a 22pc decline when compared with $2.8bn remittances the country received in June 2022
5. Nepra okays Rs1.25 hike in power tariff
• The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on July 10, 2023 notified an increase of Rs1.25 per unit in electricity rates to provide about Rs46.54 billion in additional revenue to ex-Wapda distribution companies (Discos) on account of quarterly tariff adjustments (QTA) for January-March 2023.
• In a notification, the regulator said it had `determined a positive adjustment of Rs46.536bn on account of variation in capacity charges, Variable O&M [operation and maintenance], additional recovery on incremental sales, use of system charges, market operator fee and FCA impact on T&D [transmission and distribution] losses for the 3rd quarter of FY2022-23` and hence `is notified for recovery in three (03) months period i.e. July, August and September 2023` at the rate of Rs1.2489 per unit to all consumers, including residential consumers using 1-100 units per month
