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February 29, 2020: National / International Current Affairs
1. Senate body supports bill proposing criminalisation of custodial torture
• A parliamentary committee on February 28, 2020 supported Senator Sherry Rehman who proposed to criminalise custodial torture.
• The PPP senator had presented to the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights `The Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention and Punishment) Bill, 2020`.
• She had introduced the bill in the house on Feb 10.
• `There are 150 torture cells in Lahore.
• There should not be impunity. We want to stop it, and penalise custodial torture.
• Police should know that parliamentarians are watching them,` she informed the members.
2. PM to award Ehsaas scholarships to first batch of students on March 2
• Prime Minister Imran Khan will award `Need-based Ehsaas Undergraduate Scholarships` to the first batch of deserving students on March 2, Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division announced on February 28, 2020.
• This four-year, Rs24 billion initiative will support 200,000 students from low income backgrounds. As part of the Ehsaas scholarship policy, 2pc scholarships will be exclusively awarded to students with special needs.
• Overall, 50,000 scholarships will be given every year to enhance financial access to higher education for the deserving.
• The continuation of scholarship in following years will depend upon the maintenance of academic performance
3. Pakistan needs to maintain credibility of deterrence: report
• With stability in the region increasingly coming under stress due to India`s aggressive posture, Pakistan would have to maintain the credibility of its deterrence, Centre for International Strategic Studies, Islamabad (CISS) believes.
• `Pakistan`s measured response during the 2019 crisis reasserted the efficacy of its conventional deterrence, but the growing qualitative and quantitative asymmetry in South Asia is likely to keep deterrence stability under constant stress for the foreseeable future, CISS said in a special report `Pulwama Balakot Crisis and Operation Swift Retort` launched on the first anniversary of `Operation Swift Retort` against aerial incursion by India in February 2019, says a press release.
• `Pakistan, therefore, needs to be vigilant and cognisant of the evolving nature of the threat spectrum and continue to maintain the credibility of its full spectrum response,` the report further said.
4. Japanese PM to open technological miracle bridge
• Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will inaugurate the state-of-art steel bridge in the mountainous area of N-70 near Fort Munro in April.
• The bridge is the part of 32.6-kilometre portion of 450 kilometre long N-70 starting from Bahawalpur Chowk in Multan and concluding at Qila Saifullah in Balochistan.
• The toughest portion of N-70 -from Ralchi Gaaj to Bewata -has been constructed with the financial aid of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The total cost of the project is Rs23.5 billion, of which JICA`s grant is Rs13.5 billion.` The bridge is 11.6 kilometer long and is open for traffic, however, a formal inauguration ceremony of the bridge and road will take place in April and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will inaugurate it,` First Secretary and Deputy Head of Economic and Development Section at the Embassy of Japan Teruki Hanazawa told this correspondent
5. Federal govt decides to appoint Mushtaq Mahar as Sindh police chief
• Finally a patch-up has emerged between the federal government and Sindh government as the former has accepted the latter`s demand and decided to appoint Mushtaq Mahar as new police chief in the province.
• Former inspector general (IG) of Sindh police Syed Kaleem Imam, who had been striving to retain his position and had locked horns with the Sindh government, has finally been transferred and appointed as IG of National Highways and Motorway Police.
• The decision to appoint Mr Mahar as IG of Sindh had been approved by the federal cabinet through circulation.
6. More than half of Pakistanis overweight: study
• More than half of the country`s population is overweight or faces obesity, which is making a majority of the people vulnerable to multiple diseases and health complications that could prove fatal, says a study conducted by an official research body.
• Officials and experts who helped write the report about a recent survey conducted by the Pakistan Health Research Council said the fresh data showed alarming trends in society, where not only adults but children too were fast becoming patients of obesity-linked diseases.
• `In the countrywide study two cutoffs were put as standards by the experts,` said a source citing findings of the study
7. Abuses in held Kashmir, anti-Muslim violence in Delhi worries UN official
• The United Nations` top official for human rights has expressed concern over the situation in India-held Kashmir as well as the escalating anti-Muslim violence in New Delhi where a number of people have been killed during peaceful protests against a controversial law.
• Speaking at the Human Rights Council, Michelle Bachelet, the UN high commissioner for human rights, appealed to Indian leaders to take steps to prevent violence.
• `In India more broadly, the Citizenship Amendment Act adopted last December is of great concern, she told the 47-member Geneva-based council.
• `Indians in huge numbers, and from all communities, have expressed in a mostly peaceful manner, their opposition to the act, and support for the country`s long tradition of secularism,` Ms Bachelet said
8. US, Taliban set to sign deal in Doha today
• The United States and Taliban are set to sign an agreement in Doha, Qatar, on February 29, 2020 that both hope would bring peace to Afghanistan and end America`s longest war.
• Last week, the two sides concluded a `reduction in violence` deal, agreeing that if violence remained contained for a week, they would sign the peace agreement in Doha on Saturday.
• And on February 28, 2020, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo indicated that the US felt the condition had been met and was ready to sign the deal. `We have seen just these last six days a significant reduction in violence in Afghanistan,` he told House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee.
• But the same day, 22 House Republicans sent a letter to Mr Pompeo, expressing `serious concerns` about the Trump administration`s plans to sign the deal
9. Zalmi compound Qalandars` misery after rain-hit match
• The HBL Pakistan Super League action was badly disrupted on February 28, 2020 after intermittent rains in the twin cities curtailed the second game of the Rawalpindi leg between 2017 champions Peshawar Zalmi and the Lahore Qalandars to a 12-over affair at the Pindi Cricket Stadium.
• Lahore Qalandars` miserable run in the fifth edition continued as they capitulated to a third straight defeat after failing to chase down 133, losing by 16 runs in what was their eighth loss in nine fixtures against Peshawar Zalmi in PSL history.
10. Moeen-Shan stand too hot for Kings as Sultans romp home
• Scintillating batting by Moeen Ali and captain Shan Masood and fine bowling backed by outstanding fielding inspired Multan Sultans to a crushing 52-run victory against Karachi Kings and propelled them to the top of the points table in the HBL Pakistan Super League in a packed-to capacity Multan Stadium on February 28, 2020.
• Set to chase a target of 187, Kings though maintained a high run-rate but no batsman could stay on the crease for any big knock as all were out at 134 in 17 overs, with Imran Tahir (3-28), Shahid Afridi (2-18) and Sohail Tanvir (2-20) did not allow the visitors to settle.
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