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December 29, 2018: National Current Affairs
1. COAS endorses death sentence of 22 terrorists
• Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has confirmed death sentence awarded to 22 hardcore terrorists.
• Besides this, 15 convicts have also been awarded imprisonment. However, two convicts tried by special military court were found not guilty and have been acquitted accordingly.
• Their terrorist activities resulted into death of 176 persons including 19 armed forces personnel, 41 police and levies officials and 116 civilians and injuring 217 others.
• They were involved in killing of innocent civilians by exploding vehicle borne improvised explosives device, at Abbas Town Karachi, which resulted in death of 57 persons and injuries to 79 others.
2. Advisory Council on Foreign Affairs formed
• Prime Minster Imran Khan December 28, 2018 constituted an Advisory Council on Foreign Affairs under the Chairmanship of Foreign Minster Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
• The Advisory Council constituted comprises highly experienced former diplomats and ambassadors alongside academicians from country’s renowned universities associated with the study of international relations and foreign policy.
• The council is tasked to formulate recommendations related to Pakistan’s foreign policy, based on their experience and knowledge, especially issues that are not routinely concentrated on such as national resource constraints.
• In order to emphasis on these issues, Dr Adil Najam, a world-renowned expert has been included in the Advisory Council.
• In order to dispel the impression of our Foreign Policy being mostly security centric and less directed towards economic issues, experts having relevant experience in international economics have been made part of the advisory council.
• In order to have a holistic approach, Minsters of Finance, Commerce and Planning have also been included as Members of the Council.
3. First woman principal assumes charge at ICS
• The historic educational institution of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Islamia Collegiate School on December 28, 2018 got first ever female principal in its 106-year meritorious educational history.
• Zohra Tauqir, a senior teacher of the Islamia Collegiate School assumed the charge.
• She possesses rich teaching and administrative experience. Her M.Phil is on application of recreational mathematics at school level mathematics teaching. The Vice Chancellor of Islamia College Peshawar, Prof. Dr. Habib Ahmad formally approved Zohra Tauqir’s appointment order
4. “Air SIAL” got approval to start flight operation
• The Sialkot exporters’ own airline namely “Air SIAL” has finally got Prime Minister’s approval to start its flight operation from Sialkot international airport in 2019.
• A delegation of “Air SIAL” airline called on the Prime Minister Imran Khan at his office in Islamabad the other day. Chairman Air SIAL Fazal Jillani led the delegation.
• The Sialkot exporters discussed in details matters pertaining to the operation, fleet and capacity of the airline with the PM.
• On the occasion, Prime Minister Imran Khan assured his full support and cooperation to Air SIAL airline for its early launch.
• The airline will be operational in the first quarter of 2019.
5. Pakistan, EU sign two financing agreements
• Pakistan and European Union on December 28, 2018 signed two financing agreements, “Development through Enhanced Education Programme – (DEEP)” and “Growth for Rural Advancement and Sustainable Progress – (GRASP)”, worth € 100 million which is equivalent to Rs15,942 million collectively.
• Secretary Economic Affairs Division, Noor Ahmed and the Ambassador of the EU to Pakistan, Jean Francois Cautain signed the agreements in Islamabad. Pakistan and European Union share a long history of development cooperation and the financing agreements are part of the Multiannual Indicative Programme (2014-2020) signed between EU and Pakistan. These projects have been designed in collaboration with government of Pakistan stakeholders.
• GRASP is a six year programme that contributes to the reduction of poverty through development of rural SMEs thereby, creating gender inclusive employment and income opportunities in the rural areas of Sindh and Balochistan through targeted support to both the public and private sectors. It is a grant amounting to Euros 50 million.
6. KP Assembly repeals Ehtesab Commission Act
• The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on December 28, 2018 repealed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission Act, 2014 under which the KP Ehtesab Commission was established in the previous government of PTI.
• The assembly dissolved the commission by passing the KP Ehtesab Commission Repeal Act, 2018.
• The bill transfers all the complaints received by the KP Ehtesab Commission on which inquiries have been initiated to the Anti-Corruption Establishment.
• Similarly, all the pending inquiries and investigations initiated by the Directorate General of the KP Ehtesab Commission were also transferred to the Anti-Corruption Establishment, which will further inquire and investigate them.
• The services of the contractual employees of the KP Ehtesab Commission were terminated while the regular employees have been given the option of taking a golden handshake or carrying on their services as surplus employees of the KP government
7. Pakistan renews request for Chenab hydropower projects inspection
• Pakistan has once again urged India to fulfil its commitment made in August this year of getting its two hydropower projects 1,000MW Pakal Dul and 48MW Lower Kalnal inspected by Pakistani experts.
• `We have once again requested our counterpart, Indian Commissioner for Indus Waters, through a letter on De cember 24 to immediately schedule our experts` tour to inspect 1,oooMw Pakal Dul and 48MW Lower Kalnal at Chenab Basin, Pakistani Commissioner for Indus Waters Mehr Ali Shahtold Dawn on Friday.
• Islamabad had earlier in last month written a letter to New Delhi, reminding it of fulfilling its promise made during the 115th meeting of the Permanent Commission for Indus Waters (PCIW) held between the two countries from Aug 29 to 30 in Lahore. During the meeting, India had not only agreed to allow Pakistani experts to inspect the aforementioned two projects in September but also the Kishanganga project at Jhelum basin at a later stage. Reciprocally, Pakistan had also agreed to allow India to carry out inspection of Kotri Barrage over the Indus after September.
December 29, 2018: International Current Affairs
8. India to construct world’s highest rail bridge
• Indian Railways under the Modi government will build the world’s highest rail-arch bridge with a height of 359 metres over the river Chenab in the northern state of Jammu and Kashmir.
• Currently, the highest rail-arch bridge is the Najiehe Railway bridge at Liuchangxiang in Guizhou, China with a height of 310 meters, whilst the second highest is the Bejpan River Shuibai Railway bridge at Liupanshui in Guizhou (275 meters high).
• Railways is on track to achieve another engineering milestone with the Chenab Bridge in Jammu & Kashmir, set to be the highest railway arch bridge in the world
• The Indian Railways have also tweeted, “Chenab bridge, world’s highest rail bridge, is India’s unparalleled engineering feat.
• More than 24,000 tonnes of steel will be used in the construction. The Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will provide its expertise and collaborate with Indian Railways in the project.
9. Major avenue in Brooklyn named after Quaid
• A section of a busy avenue in Brooklyn, a borough of New York City, has been named after Pakistan’s founder Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
• Under a resolution adopted on Dec 26 — Quaid’s birthday — the New York City Council designated the part of Coney Island Avenue where the Pakistani-American community is concentrated, as “Mohammad Ali Jinnah Way”, an elated Waqil Ahmad, the PAYO President, told a press conference in Brooklyn.
• The resolution, tabled by Jumaane Williams, a city council member from Brooklyn, was adopted by a majority vote.
December 29, 2018: Sports Current Affairs
10. Amla, Elgar give South Africa series lead
• Battling knocks from Dean Elgar (50) and Hashim Amla (63*) helped South Africa wrap up a six-wicket win over Pakistan in the first Test.
• Set 149 to win, the hosts were struck an early blow with the departure of Aiden Markram in the second over of the day.