Death-lanche swallows hundreds in Siachen (إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ)

More than a hundred people, mostly soldiers, are feared dead after an avalanche buried a Pakistan Army Brigade Headquarter at Gayari Sector, near Siachin Glacier in mountainous Kashmir, an area known as the World's Highest Battlefront.

The incident occurred at about 4:00 AM at an altitude of about 16,000 feet (4 876.8 meters) and 180 miles northeast of Skardu the Capital of Baltistan.

No survivors had been found after a huge all-day search involving more than 150 soldiers, sniffer dogs, and helicopters through the avalanche that covered an area of one-square kilometre (a third of a square mile).

A Team of Medics also rushed to the High-Altitude Militarized Region, which is close to the de facto border with India and where temperatures plummet to Minus 70 Degrees Celsius (Minus 94F).

"More than hundred Soldiers of NLI (Northern Light Infantry) including a Colonel were trapped when the avalanche hit a Military Camp,” Army Spokesman Major General Athar Abbas told.

List of names of all those buried under the snow can be found at ISPR Press Release Site.

إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ

Every hour in Pakistan is Earth Hour

Amid the Announced and Unannounced Load-Shedding for hours in both rural and urban areas of the country, Pakistan along with hundreds of other countries is observing "Earth Hour" by turning-off lights for an hour from 8:30 PM to 9:30 PM in a collective display of commitment to a better future for the Planet to reduce energy consumption.

With the Theme "I will if you will", "Earth Hour’ is a World Wildlife Federation (WWF) climate change initiative. This event calls for everyone to stand up and take responsibility towards a sustainable future.

The Pakistan Peoples Party led Federal Government has been celebrating this hour successfully, that is a couple of years prior to Earth Hour's launch in 2010.

It has been learnt that Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO), along with Water and Power Distribution Authority (WAPDA), has made special Load-Shedding Schedule for Earth Hour.

Related Posts: Gas is not a State of Matter in Pakistan

Supreme Court's Suo Moto Action against "Unknown Disease" in Punjab

In a Suo Moto Notice against Unknown Disease in Punjab, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has sought Complete Report from the Federal Investigation Agency and Chief Minister Punjab's Inspection Team.

The Supreme Court also instructed the Lahore High Court's Commission to continue the probe against the Unknown Disease and Spurious Drugs.

Earlier, the Supreme Court took Suo Moto Notice of the deaths of more than ninety (90) Heart Patients under treatment at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology, either from Spurious Drugs or due to Wrong Prescription of Blood Thinning and Lipid Lowering Medicines.

Its an Unknown Disease that is said to get deposited in the Bone Marrow and ultimately ends the body’s resistance. The generation of White Blood Cells stops in the body and a severe Chest Infection also takes place.

Update 1st February: A London based Laboratory has determined that Isotab, a medicine manufactured by Efroze Chemical Industries, caused the "Unknown Disease".

Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif revealed that Isotab tablets, which are meant for Heart Patients, had been contaminated with an Anti-Malarial Chemical, which resulted in fatalities to patients who used it daily.

Zardari not to return until "Doctor" permits

President Asif Ali Zardari will not return to Pakistan from Dubai until his Doctor permits, Presidential Spokesman Farhatullah Babar said.

Was Babar talking about "Doctor" Babar or was he referring to some other Doctor?

President Asif Zardari has been shifted to his Dubai Villa after after remaining admitted in American Hospital Dubai for more than a week.

Related Posts:

Zardari is going to resign : The Cable

Sao Sunar Ke, Aik Lohar Ke (سو سنار کی ایک لوہار کی)

Zardari's secret messages to Mike Mullen for removal of Military Leadership

Update 19th December: President Asif Ali Zardari's Doctors have granted him the permission for returning to Karachi, but the permission for returning to President House Islamabad has been denied as yet.

Punjab to hire mosquitoes in Dengue Brigade

To overcome much feared Dengue Epidemic, that is haunting every citizen in the Lahore, the City District Government Lahore has decided to hire Dengue Mosquitoes in Dengue Brigade. This yearly drive will not only keep the Dengue Mosquitoes busy, it will also add more sting to the Pakistani Law Enforcement Agencies, insiders informed. 

They said that according to annual schedule the hiring campaign was to start formally in the mid of the September but delayed due to sluggish attitude of the authorities despite the special directions from the Punjab Chief Minister who directed CDG authorities to launch campaign before scheduled time keeping in mind the disastrous situation of Dengue Epidemic this year which claimed lives of hundreds of citizens.

High Court upholds Government decision to seal Labs, including Shaukat Khanum

The Lahore High Court dismissed petitions by private Medical Laboratories and Hospitals sealed by Punjab Government for overcharging of Dengue Fever Test, including famous Shaukat Khanum Hospital Labs.

The High Court ruled that contempt of court proceedings would be initiated against the Laboratories found of non-compliance with the Punjab Government direction of charging Rs 90 for Dengue Fever Test till 15th November.

During the course of hearing, a Law Officer informed the Court that Drug Inspectors were taking action against Medical Laboratories charging more than Rs 90 for Dengue Fever Test.

 

Justice Muhammad Khalid Mehmood Khan was hearing a writ petition challenging sealing of Zeenat Laboratory allegedly for charging high fee for Dengue Fever Test.

However, Petitioner`s counsel Raza Kazim insisted that his client would charge Rs 90 for Dengue Test but it was not possible to charge Rs 90 for CBC Test. The counsel argued that the government`s order about Rs 90 was illegal and had no legal cohesion.

Justice Khalid Mehmood, however, said it was not a case of legality or illegality rather it was a case of morality.

Earlier, the Punjab Government had sealed off several privately owned Medical Laboratories, including two Medical Labs of the well-reputed Shaukat Khanum Hospital of Lahore for overcharging of Dengue Fever Test.

Sindh Government starts Donkey-Cart Ambulance Service

Sindh Government has started Donkey-Cart Ambulance Service for patients at the flooded Mirpur Khas Civil Hospital. The hospital is under flood and entry of Motorized Ambulance is not possible.

The Mirpur Khas Civil Hospital is under flood for the last ten days and entry of Motorized Ambulance is not possible. Therefore, the Hospital Administration has started Donkey-Card Ambulance Service for the patients and their attendees. Each passenger of Donkey-Cart Ambulance has been charged a nominal fare of Rs. 10.

Moreover, there is a free Donkey-Cart Transportation Service for medics as well.

مریضوں کے لیے گدھا گاڑی سروس

Punjab imposes Section 144 against Dengue Mosquito

The Punjab Government has imposed Section 144 in Lahore, and prohibited the assembly of five or more Dengue Mosquitos, to stave off the spread of Dengue Fever.

According to the Lahore District Coordination Officer Ahad Khan Cheema, assembly of five or more Dengue Mosquitos at public places of Lahore will be prohibited. Anti-Mosquito Spray will be conducted against those who will violate the Section 144, the DCO said.

The information presented above is offered in Good Faith and is correct to the best of our knowledge. If any factual errors have appeared here inadvertently, then we would be pleased to hear from anyone wishing to offer corrections.

Fighting Dengue Fever!

Dengue Fever also known as Breakbone Fever, is an infectious tropical disease caused by the Dengue Virus. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains, and a characteristic skin rash that is similar to Measles. In a small proportion of cases the disease develops into the life-threatening Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever, resulting in bleeding, low levels of blood platelets and blood plasma leakage, or into dengue shock syndrome, where dangerously low blood pressure occurs.

Dengue is transmitted by several species of mosquito within the genus Aedes, principally A. Aegypti. The virus has four different types; infection with one type usually gives lifelong immunity to that type, but only short-term immunity to the others. Subsequent infection with a different type increases the risk of severe complications.

There are no approved vaccines for the dengue virus. Prevention thus depends on control of and protection from the bites of the mosquito that transmits it.

The primary method of controlling A. Aegypti is by eliminating its habitats. This is done by  or by adding insecticides or biological control agents to these areas, although spraying with organophosphate or pyrethroid insecticides is not thought to be effective. However, Aerial Spray over the effected town or region could be very effective.

Keeping the environment clean is thought to be the best way to control and eliminate the Dengue mosquito's habitat, i.e. following the Islamic pratices of Tahara (Cleanliness).

Reducing open collections of water through environmental modification is the preferred method of control, given the concerns of negative health effect from insecticides and greater logistical difficulties with control agents. Using mosquito netting while resting, and/or the application of insect repellent (DEET being the most effective). 

Women can prevent Dengue mosquito bites by wearing clothing that fully covers the skin, i.e. by following the Islamic practices of Hijab.