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February 12, 2019: National Current Affairs
1. Raheel meets Bajwa ahead of Saudi crown prince`s visit
• With Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman due in Pakistan later this week, the pre-visit activities have increased in Islamabad and neighbouring Rawalpindi.
• Top commander of Saudi Arabia based Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) retired Gen Raheel Sharif on February 11, 2019 met Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.
• Gen Sharif, who is considered to be close to Mohammad bin Salman, had arrived in Islamabad on February 10, 2019 leading an IMCTC delegation ahead of the crown prince`s two-day trip.
• The crown prince is expected to reach Islamabad on Feb 16. This would be his first visit to Pakistan after becoming the crown prince in June 2017. He will later travel to Malaysia before going to Delhi on Feb 19. His visit is being given extraordinary importance because of the investment commitments he is expected to make.
• Riyadh is planning to set up a massive refinery in Gwadar with an investment of $10 billion the biggest by the kingdom in Pakistan to date.
• The investment pledges, which would follow $6bn in balance of sup-port and oil on deferred payment facility, are being seen as a lifeline for Pakistan`s struggling economy.
2. Govt urged to own up overseas Pakistanis who declared themselves Afghans
• The Senate Standing Committee on States and Frontier Regions on February 11, 2019 took up the matter of Pakistanis who went to Europe and the US posing as Afghans and who are now stuck there as they cannot get Afghan or Pakistani passports.
• It has become difficult with time to get documentation which means they cannot get Pakistani or Afghan passports. Some of the young people sought asylum but they cannot prove they are Afghans.
3. Balochistan Govt launches Rs4bn school education programme
• The Balochistan government on February 11, 2019 announced the launching of an education programme in the province to provide modern and best possible education facilities to students in all schools of the province.
• Current Balochistan Education Minister: Muhammad Khan Lehri
• A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the education department held here to review educational facilities in all schools of the province.
• For implementing the programme, Rs4 billion has been allocated by the provincial government and under the chief minister`s initiative, class rooms, toilets, IT labs, admin blocks, spons grounds and boundary walls etc will be constructed in hundreds of primary, middle and high schools of the province.
4. Rashid Suhrawardy passes away in London
• Rashid Suhrawardy, the only son of Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, former prime minister of Pakistan, the last prime minister of Undivided Bengal, and founder of the Awami League, died of natural causes in London on Feb 5. He was 78.
• Educated in the UK at Charterhouse School and Oxford University, Mr Suhrawardy attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London after which he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company. One of his most notable roles was in the film Jinnah, in which he played the part of Pandit Nehru.
• Mr Suhrawardy was unmarried and so leaves no direct heirs, but his closest relatives are Begum Shahida Jamil, Begum Naz Ashraf and Princess Sarvath El Hassan
5. Moody`s cuts banking sector outlook
• Moody`s Investor Service has changed the outlook for Pakistan`s banking sector to `negative` from stable owing to the its over-exposure towards government lending amid higher fiscal deficit.
• `Over the next 12-18 months, banks in Pakistan will see their credit problems challenged by their high exposure to the country`s low-rated sovereign debt and a slowing economy,` said Constant in os Kypreos, Senior Vice President of the New York based rating agency.
• In a statement released on February 11, 2019, the investor service said banks` large holdings of government bonds link their credit profiles to the low-rated government while slower economic growth will contain business opportunities for banks and stall improving trend in problem loans.
• As a consequence, the agency changed its `outlook for the banking system in Pakistan (B3 negative) to negative from stable`, said a statement adding the Pakistani banks` operating conditions will be difficult with the country`s real gross domestic product (GDP) growth slowing to 4.3 per cent in the fiscal year ending June 2019, down from 5.8pc in 2018.
February 12, 2019: International Current Affairs
6. US sends defence chief to Kabul ahead of peace talks
• The United States sent its defence chief to Afghanistan on February 11, 2019 apparently to assure the Afghan government that Washington has no plan to abandon Kabul even after it reaches a peace deal with the Taliban.
• Acting Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan arrived in Kabul two days before defence ministers from 29 Nato countries meet in Brussels to review the alliance`s support to the Afghan government and Afghan security forces.
• After the last ministerial meeting in June, Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had assured Kabul that the alliance wanted to `strengthen the Afghan security forces so they can create the conditions for a peaceful solution.
• Mr Shanahan`s unannounced visit, also his first as the US defence chief, meant to `signal American support for the jittery Afghan government while the US holds talks with the Taliban to end the country`s 17-year war.
7. South Korea allows hydrogen charging station at parliament
• South Korea on February 11, 2019 said it will allow Hyundai Motor Co. to set up a hydrogen charging station in parliament for fuel cell electric vehicles in a symbolic gesture that underscores Seoul’s commitment to boosting the hydrogen economy.
• Hyundai Motor, the world’s first mass-producer of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles, has also been given the green light to install two other hydrogen charging stations in southern Seoul.
• The decision “will serve as an occasion to open the floodgates of regulatory innovation,” Sung Yun-mo, minister of trade, industry and energy, said in a news conference at a government building in central Seoul after holding a first review of new business models that are eligible to take advantage of a “regulatory sandbox.” “We will create a testing ground for innovation to make sure that regulations do not hold back the market launch of innovative products and new technologies.”
8. French group wins $35.5 billion defence deal from Australia
• Australia and France on February 11, 2019 signed a strategic partnership agreement for joint construction of Australian navy’s new fleet of submarines.
• The production of the 12 Attack-class submarines by French shipbuilder Naval Group will cost Australia A$50b ($35.5b). The bids were announced in 2016. Construction on the “regionally superior” submarines has already started.
• The first Attack-class submarine will be named HMAS Attack and it will be delivered in early 2030s, the newspaper quoted a joint statement by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Defence Minister Christopher Pyne. “The signing of the agreement is a defining moment for the country,” the statement said.
February 12, 2019: Sports Current Affairs
9. Pakistan women score ODI series win over Windies
• Nashra Sandhu and Diana Baig shared six wickets between them before Sidra Amin slammed a half-century as Pakistan women defeated the West Indies women by four wickets in the third and final One-day International at the ICC Academy in Dubai to claim the series 2-1.
• The victory in the fourth-round fixture of the ICC Women`s Championship has helped Pakistan women move ahead of the West Indies (11 points) and England (10), and join India on 12 points. However, Pakistan are placed behind India in fourth position on net run-rate. Australia lead the table with 16 points while New Zealand are second on 14.
• This was Pakistan`s first series victory over the West Indies in 16 years and only their seventh ODI win in 26 matches. Overall, it was Pakistan`s 46th triumph in 158 One-day Internationals.
10. Swat team wins skiing gala in Malam Jabba
• The Swat Deputy Commissioner team was declared winner of the skiing gala at the 9,000-foothigh ski slope in Malam Jabba, which saw participation from over 30 national and international players.
• The four-day skiing gala and snow festival concluded on February 10, 2019, which was jointly organised by the Pakistan Army, district administration and Samson group.
• The Civil Aviation Authority team secured the second position, while Pakistan Police team came third.
• Peshawar Corps Commander Lt Gen Shaheen Mazhar Mahmood was invited as the chief guest to the closing ceremony. Officials from the civil administration and army and a large number of tourists from across the country witnessed the competition.
• The competition included slalom, giant slalom and free downhill races.
