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June 18, 2019: National Current Affairs
1. Four new districts set up in GB
• The Gilgit-Baltistan government has set up four new districts in the region.
• The government issued a notification on June 17, 2019 about creation of the new districts in Gilgit-Baltistan. The number of districts in Gilgit-Baltistan reached 14 after issuance of the notification.
• The notification said that on approval of competent authority, the government of Gilgit-Baltistan in exorcise of powers, conferred upon it under Section 5 of Land Revenue Act, 1967, was pleased to notify the four subdivisions as separate districts having same territorial jurisdiction, boundaries as earlier. The new districts include Gupis-Yasin in Gilgit division, Rondu in Baltistan division, Deral and Tangir in Diamer division.
2. New commissioner appointed for Rawalpindi
• The Punjab government has appointed retired Captain Saqib Zafar, the specialised healthcare and medical education department secretary, as new Rawalpindi commissioner.
• He is likely to assume charge within the next two days.
• Since the transfer of Joudat Ayaz, former commissioner, deputy commissioner Chaudhry Mohammad Ali Randhawa had been serving as acting the commissioner.
• According to a notification issued by the Punjab government on June 17, retired Capt Saqib Zafar has been transferred and posted as commissioner Rawalpindi against a vacant post, relieving Chaudhry Mohammad Ali Randhawa, deputy commissioner Rawalpindi who was holding additional charge of the post.
• Provincial Information and Culture Secretary Momin Agha has been transferred and posted as secretary, Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department.
3. Quadripartite reaffirms help in repatriation of Afghan refugees
• Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency June 17, 2019 called on the international community to support refugee hosting countries/communities and provide development assistance to put an end to future Afghans displacement.
• The representatives of the Islamic Republics of Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency made this demand during 6th Quadripartite Steering Committee Meeting that was held here. The meeting was chaired by Minister for Safron Shehryar Khan Afridi and was attended by Sayed Hussain Alemi Balkhi, Minister of Refugees and Repatriation (MoRR), of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan; Hossein Zolfaghari, Deputy Minister of Interior for Security and Disciplinary Affairs, of Islamic Republic of Iran; and Indrika Ratwatte, Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, represented UNHCR.
• The purpose of the meeting was to discuss developments and challenges in the implementation of the multi-year regional Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees (SSAR) to support voluntary repatriation, sustainable reintegration and assistance to host countries and to improve the implementation mechanisms and coordinated efforts.
4. Pakistan, Iran agree on border, economic cooperation
• Federal Minister for Interior Brig (Retd) Ijaz Ahmad Shah June 17, 2019 met with Deputy Interior Minister of Iran Hossein Zolfaghari at the Ministry of Interior.
• Both the ministers agreed on mutual cooperation regarding border related matters and economic cooperation, said a statement issued by the ministry. “We highly appreciate the cooperation and support given to us by Pakistan throughout,” said the Iranian deputy interior minister.
5. Model courts decide over 5,600 cases in 75 days
• The 110 Model Criminal Trial Courts (MCTC) across the country have so far decided a total of 5,647 murder and narcotics trial cases in two and a half months, according to a report issued on June 17, 2019 with new model trial courts to start functioning towards the end of the month.
• The Consolidated Progress Report of Model Criminal Trial Courts of Pakistan, released by Islamabad District and Sessions Judge Sohail Nasir, also the Director General Monitoring of Model Courts, states that a total of 2,236 murder cases were decided between April 1, 2019 and June 15, 2019 and a total of 3,411 narcotics cases had been disposed of during the period.
• The model trial courts awarded death sentence in 175 cases and life imprisonment in 535 cases.
• The 1,352 accused have been convicted and were fined Rs260 million after their conviction.
6. Balochistan okays mines, mineral policy
• The Balochistan cabinet on June 17, 2019 unanimously approved the provincial Mines and Mineral Development Policy.
• Briefing the cabinet meeting presided over by the Chief Minister Balochistan Jam Kamal Khan Alyani, Secretary Mines Zahid Saleem said that this is for the first time in the history of Balochistan that a provincial government had finalised a minerals policy. Under this policy the sector`s capacity would be enhanced and collective interest of the province and locals working in the mining industry would be protected, he said.
• New development programme would be embarked in order to prepare manpower for industries and projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he said, stressing that this would be an `awami budget with awami priorities` which will prove to be historical.
June 18, 2019: International Current Affairs
7. Egypt ex-president Morsy dies of ‘heart attack’
• Ousted Egyptian president Mohamed Morsy has died, state media reported on June 17, 2019. Morsy, 67, had been on trial for an espionage case when he suffered a heart attack.
• He had been granted a request to make a statement before he fainted and passed away, Egypt’s state-run Al Ahram online reported.
• A strict Islamist who was educated in southern California, Morsy was voted into power in June 2012 following the 2011 Arab Spring uprising the year prior, which toppled Hosni Mubarak’s longstanding rule.
• A former member of the Muslim Brotherhood, Morsy had campaigned on appealing to the broadest possible audience. But, during his year in power, critics say he became an authoritarian leader who forced through a conservative agenda.
• In 2013, Morsy and the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood movement were ousted in a coup, with the Muslim Brotherhood banned by the government after the military seized power and declared it a terrorist organisation.
8. Iran sets 10-day countdown to surpass uranium stockpile limit
• Iran said on June 17, 2019 it will surpass from June 27 its uranium stockpile limit set under the nuclear deal with world powers, turning up the pressure after the US walked away from the landmark pact last year.
• `Today the countdown to pass the 300 kilograms reserve of enriched uranium has started and in 10 days time… we will pass this limit,` Iran`s atomic energy organisation spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi told a new conference broadcast live on state television.
• The move `will be reversed once other parties live up to their commitments,` he added, speaking from the Arak nuclear plant southwest of Tehran.
9. Ireland to unveil bold plan to tackle climate emergency
• Ireland is preparing to unveil an ambitious plan to tackle the climate emergency by weaning the state, businesses, farms and households off fossil fuels.
• The government is due to publish a long-awaited report on June 17, 2019 afternoon outlining almost 200 measures to curb the country’s greenhouse gas emissions and set a path for net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
• It envisages a rise in carbon taxes, a multibillion euro scheme to retro-fit houses, limits on petrol and diesel vehicles and a number of other measures to change behaviour by institutions, companies and individuals, according to leaked drafts.
• Ireland is one of the European Union’s worst carbon emission offenders and is facing fines of more than €250m for missing 2020 targets on reducing emissions and adopting renewable energy.
June 18, 2019: Sports Current Affairs
10. Shakib, Liton power BD to stunning victory
• Bangladesh powered to the second highest run chase in World Cup history as Shakib Al Hasan`s brilliant century clinched a remarkable seven-wicket win over the West Indies at the County Ground on June 17, 2019.
• Shakib blasted 124 from 99 balls and Linton Das hit a superb 94 from 69 deliveries to lead Bangladesh to 322-3 with 8.3 overs to spare at Taunton.
• Bangladesh`s highest ODI run chase put them behind only Ireland`s 329-7 against England in 2011 in the history of successful World Cup chases.
