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 October 03, 2018: National Current Affairs

1. S. Arabia not to be made part of CPEC

• Pakistan said on October 2, 2018 that Saudi Arabia would not be made part of the $50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework and the kingdom`s proposed investments would fall under a separate bilateral arrangement.
• Speaking at a joint news conference with Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Minister for Planning and Development Khusro Bakhtiar said there was no decision to bring a third country, like Saudi Arabia, under the framework of the CPEC.
• There could be many offshoots of the CPEC where third countries could be involved in trilateral arrangement for infrastructure development, like China-Pakistan-Japan, China-Pakistan-Saudi Arabia or China-Pakistan-Germany. `Saudi Arabia is not to become a collateral strategic partner in the
• The framework between China and Pakistan is bilateral and Saudi Arabia is not entering that framework as a third-party investor, rather the base of CPEC will be broadened and its pace will be expedited.

2. Pakistan, US discuss options for reviving ties

• Pakistan and the United States held two rounds of talks in Washington on October 2, 2018 and agreed to stay engaged for rebuilding a relationship both regard as
• The first set of talks began at the White House where Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi met National Security Adviser John Bolton for 40 minutes before heading to the State Department for another meeting with his American counterpart, Secretary of State Michael Pompeo. The second meeting too lasted 40
• While the media expected a joint statement, both sides released separate statements, explaining how far this attempt to `reset` had gone. The cautious silence on both sides, however, indicated that the talks were not as successful as
• `During the meeting, Mr Qureshi and Mr Bolton discussed Pakistan-US relations and the regional situation in South Asia,` said a brief statement. These two major issues also dominated the talks between Mr Qureshi and Secretary Pompeo.

3. Yousaf Naseem appointed Punjab Chief Secretary

• The federal government on October 2, 2018 appointed Mr Yousaf Naseem Khokher as the Punjab chief
• Mr Khokher is expected to assume charge of his office on October 3, 2018 (today) relieving his predecessor Akbar Durrani who was assigned the job during the caretaker set-up and who has been recalled by the federal
• Hailing from Multan, Mr Khokher belongs to the 14th common. He was once considered to be a close aide to former chief minister
• Mr Khokher spent first five years of service in Sindh but later remained posted in Punjab for many years. He served as ADCG Sialkot, deputy commissioner Sargodha and Khushab, special secretary to CM Pervaiz Elahi, secretary services, Smeda CEO, principal staff officer to prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, federal secretaries planning, power and
• Meanwhile, the federal government also appointed former Punjab additional chief secretary home and Sindh chief secretary Azam Suleman Khan as interior secretary.

4. COAS awarded Jordan’s Order of Military Merit

• Jordanian King Abdullah Ibn Al Hussain has awarded the medal ‘Order of the Military Merit’ to Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa in recognition of his services for improving defence and security relations between the two brotherly states of Pakistan and Jordan.
• The award was given when the Army Chief called on the Jordanian King during his three-day official visit to Jordan. On the occasion, the two sides discussed regional security situation and bilateral cooperation.
• Jordanian King Abdullah Ibn Al Hussain has expressed earnest desire to enhance cooperation with Pakistan in multiple fields including security, defence production, education and investment opportunities.
• He expressed this desire at a meeting with Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa during his three-day official visit to Jordan.
• The Army Chief assured King Abdullah-II that Pakistan has the highest regard for Jordan and will welcome any positive initiative.

5. Punjab bans recruitment from BS-1to 16

• The Punjab government has imposed a ban on recruitment from BS-1 to BS-16 in all administrative
• According to Dawn Newspaper: The Punjab government`s local government and community development department on October 2, 2018 issued a directive in this regard to all mayors, chairmen, metropolitan corporations, municipal corporations, municipal committees and district councils in Punjab, citing the decision of the provincial cabinet meeting held on Aug
• However, there will be no ban on recruitment in BS-17 and above as these posts fall under the purview of Punjab Public Service
• The Punjab government has also directed the authorities concerned to strictly implement the provincial cabinet`s decision and also warned that any violation will be treated as misconduct

6. Malala’s portrait unveiled at London gallery

• Nobel Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai’s portrait has been unveiled at the National Portrait Gallery in
• Malala’s Father Yousafzai shared that the portrait of Malala by Shirin Nishat has a poem inscribed on it which is written by Pushto poet Rahmat Shah Sayel.

October 3, 2018: International Current Affairs

7. Rules about prohibited chemicals revised

• The Ministry of Narcotics Control October 2, 2018 announced revising regulations related to prohibited chemicals used in making of
• According to officials, the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) 2010 for local purchase, consumption, distribution, manufacturing and transportation of the precursor chemicals have been reviewed and
• Precursor chemicals also known as scheduled substances or drug precursors are used in the manufacturing of narcotic drugs and psychoactive
• The banned chemicals include ephedrine and other chemicals and are used in making of heroin, opium, ice and many other dangerous and destructive drugs of modern
• Legally the banned chemicals are imported to make pain killers or other medicines but smuggled to Afghanistan where they are used in making of narcotics. Many of the banned items are either imported or manufactured locally for the local industry. For example ghee industry uses precursor substance as
• Most of the import and illegal export has been out of the ambit of government and Ministry is trying hard to regulate the neglected sector.

8. NATO plans biggest exercise since Cold War

• NATO`s Trident Juncture 18 exercise will draw in 45,000 troops, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on October 2, 2018, unveiling what officials confirmed would be the alliance`s biggest man oeuvres since the Cold
• Stoltenberg said the exercise would simulate the defenee of a member state from a `fictional` adversary, but the troops, tanks, ships and planes are headed for Norway, the North Atlantic and the Baltic opposite
• It will be the biggest such movement of NATO personnel and vehicles since at least the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, although still smaller than the Vostok-18 exercise staged by Russia and China last
• `The exercise is defensive, and it is transparent, the NATO leader told reporters on the first day of a two day meeting of the 29-member alliance`s defence ministers at its new Brussels
• `All members of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, including Russia, have been invited to send observers, he said.

9. Tools made of light bring Nobel to 3 physicists; first woman winner in 55 years

• Three scientists on October 2, 2018 won the Nobel Physics Prize, including the first woman to receive the prestigious award in 55 years, for inventing optical lasers that have paved the way for advanced precision instruments used in corrective eye
• Arthur Ashkin of the United States won one half of the nine-million Swedish kronor (about $1.01 million) prize, while Gerard Mourou of France and Donna Strickland of Canada shared the other
• ASHKIN, OLDEST WINNER: Ashkin, 96, is the oldest person to win a Nobel, beating out American Leonid Hurwicz who was 90 when he won the 2007 Economics Prize. The 96-year-old is still busy with fresh
• Ashkin was honoured for his invention of `optical tweezers` that grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells with their laser beam
• Ashkin made his discovery while working at AT&T Bell Laboratories from 1952 to
• MOUROU: Mourou, 74, and Strickland won for helping develop a method to generate ultra-short optical pulses, `the shortest and most intense laser pulses ever created by mankind`, the jury said. Their technique is now used in corrective eye surgery, among other
• Mourou was most recently affiliated with France`s Ecole Poly technique.

10. Award for Curran

• England allrounder Sam Curran won the Cricket Writers` Club young cricketer of the year award on October 2, 2018.
• His Surrey team-mate Rory Burns was named County Championship player of the year.