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April 19, 2019: National Current Affairs

1. Prime Minister shuffles cabinet without completing one year in govt

• Hours after Asad Umar announced his decision to quit as finance minister on April 18, 2019, Prime Minister Imran Khan made major changes in his cabinet with a few big shots removed from key positions and newcomers taking over important portfolios.
• When political analysts and journalists were still analysing the possible causes of Mr Umar`s removal at the middle of the negotiations with the International Monetary Fund, the PM Office not only declared appointment of Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh as the adviser to the PM on finance, but also announced changes in the portfolios of a number of other key cabinet members, including Federal Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry.
• Dr Hafeez Sheikh named as finance adviser Ijaz Shah made interior minister Ghulam Sarwar, Fawad Ch, Shehryar, Swati given Aviation, Science & Tech, Safron, Parliamentary Affairs portfolios Nadeem, Firdous, Dr Zafarullah appointed SAPMs on Petroleum, Information and Health Services, Asad urges his predecessor to make tough decisions. Asks people to not expect miracles from new finance minister

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2. No Pakistani soldier, citizen killed in air strike: Sushma

• Hours after an Indian minister admitted that no Pakistani soldier or civilian was killed in the air strike carried out on Balakot by the Indian Air Force on Feb 26, the public affairs wing of the military on April 18, 2019 expressed satisfaction, even joy, that truth had come out at last.
• `Finally the truth [has been revealed] under ground reality compulsions,` said director general of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor in a tweet.
• However, he expressed the hope that truth about wrong Indian claims about purported successes on the battlefield would also come out soon.
• `Hopefully, so will be about other false Indian claims ie. Surgical strike[of] 2016, denial of shooting down of 2 IAF jets by PAF and claim about F16. Better late than never,` added Gen Ghafoor`s tweet.
• Speaking at a women`s rally in Ahmadabad, India`s External Affairs Minister and BJP leader Sushma Swaraj had acknowledged that no Pakistani soldier or citizen had died in the Balakot air strike.

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3. Punjab govt approves two new districts

• Facing financial crunch in administrative matters, the Punjab government is learnt to have approved creation of two new districts, one on the recommendation of Governor Chaudhry Sarwar, and more new districts and divisions are on the anvil.
• It has been decided to declare Pirmahal tehsil in Toba Tek Singh, the hometown of the governor, a new district.
• In terms of area and population, Pirmahal is the smallest tehsil of Toba Tek Singh district. It was given the status of tehsil in 2013.
• As many Pakistani expatriates belong to this tehsil, this is stated to be an `additional qualification` for its upgrade in addition to the recommendation by the governor, insiders said.
• Approval has also been given to declare Chishtian in Bahawalnagar district a new district. The tehsil has major grain and vegetable and fruit markets.
• The authorities were actively considering to declare Bhakkar a new division. After formal approval, the Bhakkar division will comprise Bhakkar, Mianwali and Layyah districts.

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4. Saudi Arabia recognises doctors` postgraduate degrees

• A significant obstacle in the way of thousands of postgraduate doctors in Pakistan who have completed MS (Doctor of Surgery) and MD (Doctor of Medicine) qualifications has been removed, as Saudi Arabia has recognised their degrees after 11 years.
• Because of the decision, doctors will now be able to work in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states.
• `Although MS and MD degrees are recognised as clinical degrees in Pakistan, in Saudi Arabia both degrees were considered research degrees, due to which degree holders were not allowed to practice there. The fact is that in Pakistan, both MS and MDs work in hospitals and get clinical work experience.

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5. Renowned scholar Dr Jamil Jalibi passes away

• Renowned linguist, critic, writer and scholar of Urdu literature, Dr Muhammad Jamil Jalibi passed away after protracted illness Karachi on April 18, 2019 morning.
• Muhammad Jamil Khan was born on June 12, 1929 in Aligarh, had also served as the Vice Chancellor of Karachi University from 1983 to 1987.
• The seasoned scholar later on joined Muqtadara Quami Zaban (National Language Authority) as its Chairman. However, due to age factor he was almost incapacitated for past few years.
• Dr Jalibi was also conferred upon with different awards including Hilal-e-Imtiaz in 1994; Sitara-e-Imtiaz; Baba-i-Urdu Maulvi Abdul Haq Award by Pakistan Academy of Letters in 2006 besides many others.

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April 19, 2019: International Current Affairs

6. Indonesian leader claims victory as rival rejects results

• Indonesia`s Joko Widodo said on April 18, 2019 his reelection as head of the world`s third-biggest democracy was all but assured, calling for calm as his firebrand ex-general rival insisted he had in fact won the nation`s top job.
• Widodo, 57, said he had received phone calls from world leaders to congratulate him on his country`s biggest-ever election, but added he would await the final results before formally declaring victory.
• He cited a series of so-called `quicl( counts` by pollsters, which are based on samples, that showed him as much as 11 percentage points ahead of Subianto.
• Quick counts have been reliable indicators in past elections.

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7. Peace talks postponed after Taliban object to size of Afghan delegation

• A meeting between the Taliban and Afghan politicians and civil society aimed at ending more than 17 years of war in Afghanistan has been postponed, officials and diplomats said on April 18, 2019, citing Taliban objections to the size o fthe Afghan delegation.
• The talks were set to begin on April 19, 2019 in Doha, but a senior government official in Kabul said `the gathering has been called off for now and details were being reworked.
• Afghan delegates scheduled to fly to the Qatari capital on Thursday were told the trip was postponed and new dates were being discussed, a western diplomat in Kabul said.

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8. Facebook bans British far-right groups

• Social media giant Facebook on April 18, 2019 banned various far-right British groups including the English Defence League from its network for promoting hate and violence.
• Other groups kicked off both Facebook or Instagram include Knights Templar International, Britain First, the British National Party (BNP) and the National Front.
• The tech titan banned the groups for contravening its policy forbidding `terrorist activity, organised hate, mass or serial murder, human trafficking or organised violence orcriminal activity`.

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9. Iran showcases domestically made fighter jets to mark Army Day

• Iran showcased its domestically made fighter jets by flying the aircraft over Tehran during a military parade on April 18, 2019 marking National Army Day as the country grapples with US sanctions and the Trump administration`s recent terrorism designation of Iran`s powerful paramilitary force.
• TV footage showed the aircraft performing during the parade, including the latest all-Iranian fighter jet dubbed Kowsar, which in Islamic meaning refers to a river in paradise.
• The Islamic Republic often announces military achievements that cannot be independently verified to boost patriotism. The United States re-imposed sanctions on Iran, including on its energy sector, last November, after President Donald Trump pulled out of the landmark 2015 Iran nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.

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April 19, 2019: Sports Current Affairs

10. Amir left out of World Cup squad; Abid, Hasnain picked

• Pakistan`s national selectors on April 18, 2019 axed out-of-form pace bowling spearhead Mohammad Amir from the World Cup squad while including Shoaib Malik despite his ordinary form, in-form opening batsman Abid Ali and rookie speedster Mohammad Hasnain in the 15-member party.
• Mohammad Hafeez has also been picked for the May 30-July 14 mega event in England and Wales but the experienced all rounder`s final selection is subject to physical fitness following a second surgery on his fractured thumb late last month.
• Squad: Sarfraz Ahmed(wicket,keeper.captain),Abid Ali, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf. Fakhar Zaman. Ilaris Sohail. IIasan Ali. Imad Wasim, lmam-ul-Haq, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Hafecz, Mohammad IIasnain, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi. Shoaib Malik Additional players for England ODis and one-off T20: Asif Ali, Mohammad Amir.