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March 06, 2019: National Current Affairs
1. Pakistan foils intrusion attempt by Indian submarine
• Pakistan on March 25, 2019 said it had blocked an intrusion attempt by an Indian submarine in what is being described as the latest provocative action by Indian forces during the ongoing crisis between the two countries.
• `Indian Navy has deviously deployed its submarines against Pakistan in line with Indian nefarious designs.
• However, Pakistan Navy detected and blocked Indian Navy Submarine from entering into Pakistani waters.
• Scorpène-class submarine INS Kalvari was `detected and localised` in Pakistan`s Exclusive Economic Zone, some 86 nautical miles from Gwadar, according to a source.
• The detection was done by P-3 Orion aircraft in Pakistan Navy`s fleet, which is an antisubmarine and maritime surveillance aircraft.
2. Punjab Minister for Information and Culture Fayyaz Chohan resigned
• Punjab Minister for Information and Culture Fayyaz Chohan on March 6, 2019 resigned from his post a few days after his remarks against the Hindu community generated controversy.
• Dr Shahbaz Gill, spokesman for Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, confirmed that Mr Chohan had tendered his resignation. Asked whether he had quit or was told to resign, Mr Gill said: `Our position is that he has resigned; it has been accepted by the chief minister and sent to the governor.
• Mr Chohan also said that he had resigned, though he had initially, in the morning, denied this.
3. JeM chief`s son, brother among 44 held in crackdown
• Forty-four under-observation activists of proscribed organisations, including two close relatives of the Jaish-eMohammad (JeM) chief, have been taken into `protective custody` as the government launched a massive crackdown against militant outfits.
• Among those 44 detained were Abdul Rauf and Hammad Azhar, brother and son of JeM chief Masood Azhar, respectively.
• The government can take over assets of banned organisations under the Anti Terrorism Act, 1997. Hours after the press conference, a formal notification to ban JuD and FIF was issued by ministry of interior.
4. Bilawal elected NA human rights panel chairman
• Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman and Member of the National Assembly (MNA), was on March 5, 2019 unanimously elected chairperson of the NA Standing Committee on Human Rights.
• This is Mr Bhutto-Zardari`s first stint in parliament, after contesting and winning the election from NA-200.
• He took to social media to thank lawmakers across `party lines` for `unanimously` electing him to the post. `Would like to thank all members across party lines for unanimously electing me as chairperson of the human rights committee of National Assembly of Pakistan. Human Rights are the foundation stone of any democracy. we must ensure every Pakistanis human rights,` he tweeted.
• According to parliamentary procedure, his name was proposed by PPP MNA Shazia Marri, also a member of the NA Standing Committee on Human Rights, as chairman and seconded by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) MNA Fouzia Behram.
5. Setting up of 3rd LNG terminal ordered
• Without a scientific study, the government on March 5, 2019 ordered setting up of a third LNG processing terminal on a fast-track basis for completion before next winter at a new location Jharri Creek/Chann Wadoo and approved about Rs1.63 billion supplementary grants for security improvement and facilities for paramilitary forces.
• The decisions were taken at a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet presided over by Finance Minister Asad Umar.
• The meeting was informed that the Ministry of Interior had demanded about Rs2.9bn supplementary grants repaid; replacement of security cameras and payment of rentals for hired vehicles; raising of five additional wings of Pakistan Rangers and their other facilities; and development of e-passport project in Islamabad, but the finance ministry agreed to only Rs1.8bn.
6. Punjab CM approves new uniform for police
• Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar approved changes in police uniform and new dress code would be given to cops next year.
• He approved navy-blue pant and light-blue shirt for the police. During his maiden visit to the CPO on March 5, 2019, the chief minister was briefed about law and order.
• The chief minister inaugurated a new mobile phone application to provide different services to people at Police Service Centres. Buzdar also visited the Complaint Cell and Monitoring Cell. The IGP briefed CM about modes operandi of these cells. The CM was also informed about revamping of Punjab Highway Patrolling Police.
• The police department is using modern technology to provide maximum services to public, the IGP said, adding that the working of SHOs was being monitored at police stations by CCTV cameras.
March 6, 2019: International Current Affairs
7. New Delhi is world`s most polluted capital
• New Delhi was the world`s most polluted capital city in 2018, two groups monitoring air pollution said on March 5, 2019 in a study of the amount of fine particulate matter known as PM2.5 in 61 capital cities around the world.
• The Indian capital, home to more than 20 million people, was followed by the Bangladesh capital of Dhaka and Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, according to the study by IQ Air Visual, a Swiss-based group that gathers air-quality data globally, and Greenpeace.
• New Delhi`s toxic air is caused by vehicle and industrial emissions, dust from building sites, smoke from the burning of rubbish and crop residue in nearby fields.
• The city`s average annual concentration of PM2.5 in a cubic metre of air was 113.5 in 2018, the groups said in their report, more than double the level of Beijing, which averaged 50.9 during the year, making it the eighth most polluted in the world.
8. China raises defence spending by 7.5 percent
• China announced on March 5, 2019 a 7.5 per cent increase in military spending in 2019, lower than last year as the country faces an economic slowdown, but still likely to make Asian neighbours nervous.
• It is working to provide the two million strong People`s Liberation Army (PLA) with state-of-the-art hardware, spending heavily on stealth warplanes, aircraft carriers and other weaponry.
• Beijing has also stepped up its rhetoric against any independence movements in self-ruled Taiwan and continues to assert its vast territorial claims in the disputed South China Sea and East China Sea.
• The government will spend 1.19 trillion yuan ($177.6 billion) on defence in 2019, after it increased its outlay by 8.1pc to 1.11 trillionyuanin2018,accordingto a government report presented at the start of the annual meeting of the National People`s Congress (NPC).
March 6, 2019: Sports Current Affairs
9. United face tough task as Gladiators confirm top-two finish
• Islamabad United were still left sweating in the danger zone of the HBL Pakistan Super League on March 5, 2019 night after the reigning champions suffered a 43-run drubbing that guarantee d runaway leaders Quetta Gladiators direct entry to the qualifiers.
• The last Exture of the UAE leg turned out to be a one-sided affair at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, even though Luke Ronchi momentarily kept his side in sight of the tough 181-run chase, which began promisingly as he and Cameron Delport laid a solid platform.
10. Misbah, Sammy engineer remarkable Zalmi victory
• Misbah-ul-Haq and Darren Sammy proved age is just a number as they inspired Peshawar Zalmi to a come-from-behind HBL Pakistan Super League victory over Lahore Qalandars by four wickets on March 5, 2019.
• Misbah kept his cool with a 55-ball 59 not out as the retired Pakistan skipper struck four boundaries and two sixes while Sammy slammed 46 off 36 deliveries to engineer a superlative comeback after Zalmi were reeling at 20-5 in pursuit of a rather modest target of 125 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.
• In the end, the 2017 champions chalked up their sixth win to go top of the standings for the time being because Quetta Gladiators are able to beat defending champions Islamabad United in the last fixture of the UAE leg late on Tuesday night they`ll reclaim the No.1 slot from Sammy`s side.
