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October 24, 2020: National / International Current Affairs
1. Pakistan to stay on FATF grey list till February
• Pakistan will continue to remain on the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for another four months till February 2021 for six out of 27 unmet action plan targets on anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT).
• `Pakistan remains in the increased monitoring list, the so-called grey list,` announced Dr Marcus Pleyer, president of Paris-based global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog, at a virtual news conference on the conclusion of a three-day plenary in Paris.
2. Raoof Hasan made PM aide on information
• Prime Minister Imran Khan on October 23, 2020 appointed Raoof Hasan, who is brother of Fawad Hasan Fawad, the former principal secretary to then prime minister Nawaz Sharif, as special assistant to the PM (SAPM) on information.
• The post was lying vacant since the resignation of the former SAPM retired Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa.
• According to a notification, Mr Hasan will perform his duties as SAPM in honorary capacity with immediate effect.
• Raoof Hasan is also the chief executive of a think tank called Regional Peace Institute in Pakistan.
3. Pakistan gets $2.73 billion from external sources in first quarter of current FY
• Pakistan has borrowed $2.734 billion from external sources in first quarter of the current fiscal year to maintain the country’s foreign exchange reserves.
• “During July-September of fiscal year 2020-21 the Government has received $2,734 million total external inflows from multiple financing sources which are 22 per cent of annual budget estimates of $12,233 million for the entire fiscal year 2020-21,” the Ministry of Economic Affairs noted in its latest report. In the corresponding period of fiscal year 2019-20, the external inflows were $2,180 million which were around (17 per cent) of the annual budgeted amount of $12.958 billion. In the aftermath of COVID-19 and its persistence in the country the disbursements of project financing from development partners dried up during the last quarter of the outgoing fiscal year 2019-20.
• The pandemic has closed down most of the economic activities across the country including development project activities. However, after the ease in the lockdown by the Government the economic activity is reviving which may lead to jack-up the project financing in the current fiscal year 2020-21.
4. New registered voters surpass over 9.79m: ECP
• Over 9.79 million new voters have been registered as compared to last general election 2018 when the total registered voters were 105,955,409.
• According to data shared by Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the commission has registered overall 9,793,344 new voters while the total number of registered voters has reached 115,748,753 with 64,080,419 (55 percent) males and 51,668,334 (45 percent) females.
• As per data of final electoral rolls, Punjab with 66,236,144 voters, including 36,372,639 males (55 percent) and 29,863,505 females (45 percent) leads in terms of total number of voters, followed by Sindh with 24,351,681 registered voters, including 13,444,314 males (55 percent) and 10,907,367 females (45 percent)
5. Pakistan to observe Black Day on Oct 27 in solidarity with Kashmiris
• Pakistan will observe October 27 as ‘Black Day’ at national and international level to express solidarity with the people of Illegally Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), facing unlawful occupation and gross human rights violation for the last 73 years.
• Each year, 27th October is observed as Kashmir Black Day to mark protest and resentment by Kashmiris around the world in commemorating the forced occupation by Indian security forces in occupied Kashmir.
• On October 27, 1947, the sufferings of Kashmiri people began with the landing of Indian troops in Jammu and Kashmir which had been increased manifold after New Delhi suspended the special status of IIOJK through revoking Articles 370 and 35-A of Indian Constitution on August 5, 2019
6. World Bank approves $304 million for development projects in Punjab
• The World Bank’s (WB) Board of Executive Directors approved $304 million in financing for Punjab Resource Improvement and Digital Effectiveness Programme (PRIDE). The programme supports efficiencies in public resource management that generate savings and create fiscal space for growth-generating investments in the Punjab province.
• “The PRIDE programme is integral to the World Bank’s whole-of-country approach in helping Pakistan strengthen public financial management systems at the federal and provincial levels,” said World Bank Pakistan Country Director Najy Benhassine. “Punjab is the largest province, accounting for 55 per cent of the population and about 60 per cent of the economy, so improving quality and access to public services is key to Pakistan’s development.”
7. Sudan agrees to recognise Jewish state
• Sudan on October 23, 2020 agreed to be the latest Arab nation to recognise Israel in a diplomatic coup announced by President Donald Trump days before US elections.
• The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed an accord at the White House last month to normalise relations with Israel but Sudan carries added symbolism as an Arab nation that has been at war with Israel.
• Trump announced the agreement by Sudan`s year-old civilian-backed government moments after he formally moved to end the nation`s designation of a state sponsor of terrorism, which was a major goal for Khartoum.
8. Mehbooba vows to shun Indian flag until J&K flag, special status are back
• In her first press conference after being released from detention of 14 months, the chief of Occupied Kashmir`s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti said she would raise the Indian flag only when Jammu and Kashmir`s (J&K) flag, constitution and special status (under Article 370) were restored.
• She also said on October 23, 2020 that` those who feel we have abandoned Kashmir are mistaken`, according to NDTV.
• In a blistering attack on India`s ruling party, Ms Mufti characterised it as a group of `robbers` who had stolen constitutionally-guaranteed rights of the people of Occupied Kashmir.
9. US drone strike kills 17 in Syria
• The US army said October 23, 2020 it carried out a drone strike against Al-Qaeda leaders in northwestern Syria near the Turkish border, killing 17 terrorists, according to a war monitor.
• The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said five civilians were also among those killed.
• “US Forces conducted a strike against a group of Al-Qaeda in Syria (AQ-S) senior leaders meeting near Idlib, Syria,” said Major Beth Riordan, the spokeswoman for United States Central Command (CENTCOM)
10. Libyan rivals sign ceasefire accord
• Libya`s two warring factions signed a `permanent` ceasefire agreement on Friday after five days of talks at the United Nations, which hailed the deal as a historic moment following years of turmoil and bloodshed.
• `Today is a good day for the Libyan people,` said Stephanie Williams, the UN`s acting envoy to the troubled North African country, where a UN-recognised government in Tripoli has been battling a rival administration based in the east and dominated by military commander Khalif a Haftar.
• `The two Libyan delegations signed a complete, country-wide and permanent ceasefire agreement with immediate effect,` she said
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