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Int’l workshop on `Ethical Research in Clinical Trials’ to be held from February 07-09

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 29 (APP): Two-day International workshop on ‘Ethical Research in Clinical Trials’ will be held under the auspices of COMSTECH and UEARS from February 07-09 to address the challenges of research integrity in clinical trials in low-middle-income countries and propose the best suitable guidelines to improve the quality of research in this domain.

The workshop, to be held in Cairo, Egypt, is aimed at imparting knowledge and training about research integrity and creating a network of professionals working in the field for continuous learning and exchanges.

According to an official of COMSTECH, the meeting and its workshop will help devise solutions for the challenges faced in clinical trials by low-middle-income countries.

Students, scientists, researchers, experts, healthcare managers, government officials, think tanks, health NGO’s, and policymakers from the domain of multi-center clinical trials research from across the world and global south countries can register for the workshop for physical or virtual participation.

Globally the pursuit and dissemination of knowledge enjoys a place of distinction, and the public expects to reap considerable benefit from the creative and innovative contributions of scientists.

As science becomes increasingly tangled with major social, philosophical, economic, and political issues, scientists become more accountable to the larger society of which they are a part.

Therefore, it is more important than ever that those individual scientists and their institutions periodically reassess the values, and professional practices that guide their research as well as their efforts to perform their research work with integrity.

Behind every medicine and intervention that people have ever taken, are thousands of patients who have volunteered to participate in clinical trials, which have led to many breakthroughs in disease prevention and treatment in the last few decades. Without the willingness of these individuals, many would have suffered.

The value of clinical trials depends on the quality of information produced and the relevance of the data to address public health needs. Nevertheless, there are many less-developed countries that do not have well-prepared medical infrastructure and little or no experience in conducting trials.

Moreover, there is considerable heterogeneity across countries and even within each country, when it comes to health care systems. This may result in some differences in many aspects starting from the review process itself to all the other steps of conducting trials such as data monitoring and patient safety.

To overcome these challenges, UEARS invited COMSTECH to engage the OIC researchers (as part of the audience) in training and development in the area of research integrity in clinical trials.

About the expected outcomes of the workshop, the official informed that a draft of recommendations concerning research integrity in clinical trials will be documented through this event.

The other goals include giving certification to participants concerning research integrity training in clinical trials and the distribution of statements to relevant institutions.

On the first day of the workshop, COMSTECH distinguished scholar, Prof. Dr. Khalid Khan will present an introduction to the workshop while there will be three sessions on the topics including Critical appraisal of clinical trials, Ethical issues in multicenter clinical trials and Design and statistical analysis of clinical trials.

On the second day of the workshop, three sessions will be held on the topics including Regulation and oversight of clinical trials, Publication of clinical trials and Presentation of recommendations for feedback and finalization.

COMSTECH Distinguished Scholar, University of Granada, Professor Dr. Khalid Saeed Khan; London College, UK and UEARS Distinguished Scholar, Professor Dr. Yacoub Khalaf and UEARS Cofounder, Dr. Mohamed Fawzy are likely to be the speakers of the workshop. The intended participants can get details of the workshop through the web link: https://comstech.org/workshop-on-ethical-research/.

Railways to digitalize its multiple services

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 29 (APP):Pakistan Railways is taking steps to become an E-office soon to digitalize its service and improve internal efficiencies through electronic administration.
The e-office platform aims to cater for the need for effectiveness and transparency in Governmental processes and service delivery mechanisms as well as help government departments to go paperless.
The idea is being implemented with the help of the National Information Technology Board (NITB) which will be responsible for providing the relevant training to the staff of Pakistan Railways.
E-Office is a digital workplace solution that replaces the existing method of manual handling of files and documents with an efficient electronic system.
According to an official source, Pakistan Railways will be on e-office soon which will not only facilitate the users but also make the entire system of the department transparent.
Listing other steps taken by the department, the source revealed that Pakistan Railways has developed a software application for journalist concession card management.
All the related data for journalist concession cards across the country is managed by the Directorate of Public Relations. The software has been prepared and is linked with the centralized reservation centre as well.
About the Networking Monitoring System (NMS), the source said that the software has been deployed on the premises of the Directorate of IT with the help of this system all network deployed all over the railways network is being monitored critically and in case of any disconnections the concerned service provider is taken up and pursued till the fault is removed.
The efficiency of the network is being monitored through this system from audit perspective as well, it said.
Regarding the provision of internet facilities at different levels, the source said that the entire railway headquarters office is covered with internet service. Internet facility is also been provided at the Ministry via the PR Headquarters office (as a backup link).
It was decided by the management of Pakistan Railways to develop an e-ticketing system with the latest technology indigenously. To implement this idea, Pakistan Railways hired IT professionals from the market and developed the software, which has been deployed and in operation since May 2016.
As the e-ticketing system has now been deployed on the latest tools and techniques, to facilitate the management of earnings at the day’s end, a train train-wise earning portal has been devised.
This portal indicates complete information about the financial aspect from the commercial point of view and provides the live incremental financial position concerning passenger earing.
The software for the email exchange server has been installed in the IT Directorate with the viewpoint that emails being used previously from the web hosting company were bounced back as a result e-ticketing client of Pakistan Railways was not in a position to approach this office in case of complaints and claim of refund.
In addition to the above facility the email addresses have also been issued to the officials of Pakistan Railways to communicate on officials’ email within or out of the organization, it added.
They developed the software for the court cases for all of the Pakistan Railways System. The software has now been developed and deployed on the premises of the consumers in all divisions.
In light of the present scenario, the legal department is being facilitated regarding information on all basic ingredients of every legal case and progress made so far.
To a question, the source said Pakistan Railways has launched an awareness campaign to educate the public about the risks associated with trespassing, crossing railway tracks, and carrying prohibited items such as gas cylinders, weapons without a license, cartridges, drugs, and daggers.
“The campaign is launched on the directives of Minister for Railways Shahid Ashraf Tarar and Secretary Syed Mazhar Ali Shah which will not help the department to control accidents but also win the confidence of the passengers of the rail” he added.
The official source said, “Pakistan Railways will use all the social media platforms including print, electronic media, twitter, Facebook, poster and pamphlets to create an awareness among the citizens about a safe train journey.”
He said the department has also asked all the divisional superintendents to ensure checking of luggage of passengers at entry points with scanners, metal detectors and walkthrough gates.

About 10,000 liter substandard cooking oil wasted

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MUZAFFARGARH, Jan 29 (APP):Punjab Food Authority claimd to have seized a carriage containing at least 10000 liter cooking oil made up of inedible poultry offal and bones here.
According to the spokesman, the action was launched at Bhutta flyover today where the said quantity of contaminated oil was captured.
It was bound to supply in factories for preparing snacks.
The owner of the production unit of the said cooking oil was booked.
The spokesman said that the crackdown will continue against hygienic and substandard supply and preparation of foods in future as well.

12 criminals nabbed in Sargodha

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SARGODHA, Jan 29 (APP):District police after launching a massive crackdown against criminals nabbed 12 criminals, here on Monday.
Police spokesman said that raiding team raided at different localities and apprehended Muhammad Nouman, Rashid, Rehman, Suleman, Tahir, Shabbir, Kabeer, Saleem and others besides recovering of 2.1 kg of hashish,0.2 kg of heroin,128 liters of liquor, 22 liters of wine, nine pistols, three guns,109 bullets and valuables worth in millions of rupees from them.
Further investigation was underway.

PM says, no solid reason yet to justify polls delay; assures fairness

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 29 (APP): Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Monday said that no solid reason had yet come to the fore to justify a delay in the general elections, assuring that the government was committed to holding polls as freely and fairly as possible.

The prime minister, in an interview with a newly launched television channel (Aik News) said the candidates were canvassing and all the rumours would fall to rest by the evening of February 8 – the date for general elections in the country.

Regarding the usual complaints of rigging before or after the elections, he said that learning lessons from the past, the parliament needed to address all the flaws regarding the laws, administration, or the Election Commission.

He said the observers would monitor and local and international media would report on the activity, assuring that as per the standards in the region, the elections would by and large be free and fair.

He observed that the political parties were also involved in the poll rigging by making fake ID cards and casting the votes of deceased persons.

He said voting time would be from 9 am to 5 pm on February 8 and everyone should use his constitutional right to vote to ensure a good turnout.

Emphasising the key focus on the improvement of the national economy, he said unfortunately no political party had yet come up with an agenda to boost the country’s economic health. He said all the electoral claims made by the parties including jobs, shelters, cheap electricity, food security, and others were directly related to a stable economy.

He said the political parties needed to come up with a plan for revenue generation and widen the tax net.

Exemplifying a 91% tax-to-GDP ratio in the Scandinavian countries, he said Pakistan’s ratio stood at just 9%, adding that enhanced taxation would also make the government accountable to the masses.

Responding to a question about his foreign visits, he recalled that soon after assuming the office, he attended the UN General Assembly session – “a forum which cannot be ignored” and later interactions in Europe where he had a stopover for plane refuelling. He also mentioned attending the BRI Forum in China, the ECO Summit, and the COP28 session where he got the opportunity to interact with world leaders and sign bilateral agreements.

He explained that the caretaker government had to play a role to run day-to-day affairs, including foreign policy matters.

About the repatriation of illegal foreign nationals, he said Pakistan had expelled only those with no identity and record and that such individuals would be allowed to return after obtaining valid passports and visas.

Discussing social media, he called it a challenge that empowered individuals irrespective of their educational and mental capability and advocated for its regulation like the mainstream media.

He said the criticism of the caretaker government for doing things beyond the mandate was not genuine as all of its actions were legitimate and vetted by the Law Division besides the backing of cabinet’s approval.

Drivers urged to be careful in hilly areas amid snowy weather

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 29 (APP): All the tourists visiting the hilly areas to enjoy snowfall have been advised by the concerned authorities to take extra precautionary measures to avoid any untoward situation.
Authorities have advised both residents and tourists to refrain from unnecessary travel in order to navigate through the challenging circumstances, said a report aired by a Private news channel.
It also urged the tourists to ensure safety measures before packing their bags as extremely low temperatures were being recorded in the Northern Areas of the country.
PDMA also directed the local administration to ensure the availability of machinery needed to clear roads of any land sliding effect, rain, and snowfall.
The authority also called for timely updating the tourists so that they could take necessary precautionary measures in this regard, said PDM official.
A tourist said that snowfall is the favourite time of her children and they were very excited about playing in the snow and making snowmen.
According to PMD, rain-wind and thunderstorm with snow over hills and isolated hailstorm in various parts of the country are expected during these days.
“Pakistan is a very beautiful country with diverse weather and locations to explore,” a women tourist added.
Furthermore, the tourists are requested to contact the National Highways & Motorway Police (NH&MP) on their helpline or check out their website for updates regarding the status of road conditions of the intended route.
Tourists have been advised to ensure the availability of accommodation and carry the necessary medicines, warm clothing for extreme weather, and food items for at least 24 hours.
According to NDMA spokesperson, instructions have been issued to ensure special measures in tourist areas of Murree, Galiyat, Ziarat, Naran, Kaghan, Chitral, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Spokesperson also emphasized the significance of public awareness to ensure a cautious approach during winter travels.

 

Indian Davis Cup team arrives Islamabad for Group I Play-Off tie against Pakistan

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 29 (APP): A 10-member Indian squad, comprising five players and as many support staff arrived Islamabad on late Sunday for the Davis Cup World Group I Play-Off tie against Pakistan.
The Indian Davis Cup team is visiting Pakistan first time after 1964, a spokesman of Pakistan Tennis Federation said on Monday.
Besides five players the Indian squad includes two physios, a coach, a manager, and a coordinator, he said. The tie is scheduled to be held on the grass courts of Sports Complex Islamabad on February 3-4.
The All India Tennis Association (AITA) had initially appealed to play the tie at a neutral venue, however  International Tennis Federation tribunal rejected that. The most recent tie between the two neighbouring countries took place in 2019 in Kazakhstan.
Pakistan Tennis Federation has already announced the team for the tie that comprises Muzammil Murtaza, Aisam ul Haq Qureshi, Aqeel Khan, Muhammad Shoaib and Barkatullah. Muhammad Abid will be the team’s non-playing captain.

Solangi visits PEMRA to condole with Salim Baig over his brother’s death

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 29 (APP): Caretaker Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Solangi on Monday visited Chairman Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, Muhammad Salim Baig, to condole with him over the death of his elder brother Zafar Baig.
The minister offered Fateha for the soul of the late Zafar Baig and said he was deeply grieved to hear the news of his death and shared the grief of the bereaved family.
He prayed to Allah Almighty to rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant courage to the bereaved family to bear this loss with fortitude.

NBP Exchange Rates

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KARACHI, Jan 29 (APP):Treasury Management Division of National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) on Monday the following exchange rates.
CURRENCY                         SYMBOL            TT Selling              TT Buying
U.S DOLLAR                           USD                   280.05                 279.55
EURO                                     EUR                    304.32                 303.78
JAPANESE YEN                       JPY                     1.8911                 1.8878
BRITISH POUND                    GBP                    355.84                 355.21
SWISS FRANC                        CHF                    324.39                323.82
CANADIAN DOLLAR             CAD                     208.28                207.91
AUSTRALIAN DOLAR            AUD                     184.65                184.32
SWEDISH KRONA                 SEK                         26.94                26.89
NORWEGIAN KRONE           NOK                        26.88                26.83
DANISH KRONE                    DKK                        40.75                40.67
NEWZEALAND DOLLAR        NZD                     170.89               170.58
SINGAPORE DOLLAR             SGD                     208.89               208.52
HONGKONG DOLLAR            HKD                       35.97               35.91
KOREAN WON                       KRW                     0.2097              0.2093
CHINESE YUAN                      CNY                        39.12               39.05
MALAYSIAN RINGGIT            MYR                        59.22               59.11
THAI BAHT                             THB                          7.86                 7.85
U.E.A DIRHAM                        AED                       76.77                76.64
SAUDI RIYAL                           SAR                       74.68                 74.55
QATAR RIYAL                          QAR                       76.84                76.70
KUWAITI DINAR                     KWD                     911.00              909.37
CONVERSION RATE FOR FROZEN FCY DEPOSITS
USD 279.3915
GBP 354.2684
EUR 302.1898
JPY 1.8898
SETTLEMENT DATE: 31-01-2024

Exchange rates for currency notes

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KARACHI, Jan 29 (APP): CURRENCY         SELLING       BUYING
USD                282.85          276.75
GBP                359.40          351.56
EUR                306.80          300.73
JPY                 1.9101          1.8689
SAR                   75.43            73.80
AED                   77.01            75.86

LIBOR
LIBOR FOR CALCULATING INTEREST ON SPECIAL USD BONDS
LIBOR 1M 5.45107
LIBOR 3M 5.58120
LIBOR 6M 5.60051

US DOLLAR Indicative FBP Rates

CURRENCY SIGHT/
15 DAYS1M2M 3M4M 5M 6M

USD278.55277.67275.24272.72269.86267.01264.53

EUR 302.29301.51299.21296.88294.11291.33289.05

GBP 353.86 352.78349.74346.58342.95 339.31336.14