Events that defined 2020 for Pakistan

A list of major events that happened in Pakistan in 2020

KARACHI:

The year 2020 could easily be marked as one of the most tumultuous years in the history for Pakistan.

From terrorist attacks, to the outbreak of a deadly pandemic, here is a list of some major events that occurred in the country during the year.

Senior police official, cleric among 14 martyred in Quetta mosque blast

At least 14 worshippers, including a deputy superintendent of police and a cleric, were martyred, while 21 others sustained injuries in a powerful blast that struck a mosque-cum-seminary in the Ghosabad area of the Satellite Town, in Quetta on January 10.

The blast targeted the worshippers at the Madrassa Darul Uloom Al Sharia while they were offering Maghrib prayers.

The explosion also ripped apart the seminary's doors and shattered its windows.

The martyred DSP was identified as Haji Amanullah, posted at the police training centre, whereas the peshimam was identified as Hafiz Hamdullah.

 

PTM chief Manzoor Pashteen arrested

Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) chief Manzoor Pashteen was arrested and subsequently sent to jail on a 14-day remand by a judicial magistrate in Peshawar on January 27.

Police official Shiraz Khan said Pashteen was wanted to DI Khan police on charges, including sedition, hate speech, incitement against the state and criminal conspiracy.

He was subsequently released from jail on February 25

 

National emergency declared to combat locusts

The government on February 1 declared a national emergency in the country to effectively combat the locust attack and approved a national action plan to ward off the threat.

The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan. The meeting also formed a committee, headed by the food security secretary to take steps at the federal level against the locust attack.

Chairing the meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office, PM Imran directed the authorities concerned to take all the necessary steps on an emergency basis to contain the locust outbreak in the country and to prevent crop losses.

 

JuD chief convicted over terror financing

An anti-terrorism court on February 12 sentenced Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed to five-and-a-half years in prison in two cases after finding him guilty of terror financing and affiliation with an outlawed group.

The court handed down a prison term of five years and six months and a fine of Rs15,000 in each of the case – collectively 11 years – but that will not affect the duration of the jail term with both sentences running concurrently.

Saeed’s associate, Malik Zafar Iqbal, was also found guilty in both the cases and handed down the same sentence.

The JuD leaders were convicted under Section 11-N of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997 and sentenced to five-year imprisonment with a fine of Rs10,000 on that count. They will also serve an additional six-month jail term in case they fail to pay the fine.

 

10 killed in Quetta blast targeting FC

At least 10 people including four security personnel, a woman and child were killed, and 23 others sustained injuries in a suicide attack on February 6 in Quetta.

According to details, a convoy of security personnel comprising a truck and two vehicles was on routine patrolling on the Adalat Road of Quetta city when a bicycle rider targeted it, killing 10 people.

The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack.

 

Pakistan reports first two Covid-19 cases

The first two cases of the deadly pandemic were reported in Pakistan on February 26.

At the time the de facto health minister Dr Zafar Mirza said that “there was no need to panic”.

“The cases have been reported one each in Sindh and a ‘federal area’,” Dr Mirza later told a presser in Quetta.

“Both the patients had travelled to Iran in the last two weeks,” Dr Mirza said.

 

IHC orders relocation of elephant Kaavan to Cambodia

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on May 22 directed to shift all animals in the Marghazar zoo to sanctuaries within a month, particularly the pachyderm Kaavan.

Probably the most famous elephant in the world, Kaavan safely reached his new retirement home, the Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary on November 29.

Famous American singer Cher played a vital role in his freedom by running a campaign that she launched in 2015.

 

PIA plane crash in Karachi kills 97

A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight PK8303, carrying 99 people on board, including eight crew members, crashed into a densely populated residential area near the Karachi airport on May 22 as it was making its second attempt to land.

Ninety-seven people perished in the accident that also caused considerable damage to the residential area the plane crashed in.

According to a report, the CAA officials, cockpit crew, control tower and air traffic control repeatedly made mistakes.

 

SC quashes presidential reference against Justice Isa

The Supreme Court on June 19 quashed a presidential reference filed against Justice Qazi Faez Isa as well as the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) proceedings that were started on the basis of the reference.

“Reference No 1 of 2019 is declared to be of no legal effect whatsoever and stands quashed, and in consequence thereof the proceedings pending in the SJC against the petitioner [Justice Isa] including the show-cause notice dated 17.07.2019 issued to him stand abated,” said a short order.

A ten-judge full court issued the verdict after hearing for over six months a slew of petitions filed against the reference that claimed that Justice Isa had committed misconduct by not disclosing his family members' properties in the United Kingdom in his wealth statement.

Attack on Pakistan Stock Exchange

Gunmen attacked the Pakistan Stock Exchange building on June 29 martyring three guards and a policeman before security forces killed all four of the attackers.

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack in a post on Twitter but Reuters was not able to verify the authenticity of the claim and spokesmen for the group were not available for comment.

"We locked ourselves in our offices," Asad Javed, who works at a brokerage in the stock exchange building, which is in a high-security zone that also houses the head offices of several banks, told Reuters.

Javed said he was on the ground floor when he heard gunfire and an explosion and people scattered for safety.

 

Pakistan Army’s first female three-star general

Lieutenant General Nigar Johar made history on June 30 by becoming the first female officer in the Pakistan Army to be appointed as a three-star [lieutenant ] general owing to her spectacular performance in different leadership and administrative appointments and roles.

She is currently serving as the first female surgeon general of the Pakistan Army.

She is also a recipient of the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Military) and Fatima Jinnah Gold Medal for her meritorious services in the Army Medical Corps from the prime minister.

Lt Gen Nigar has an illustrious career in the Army Medical Corps spanning almost three decades, with a rich and diverse experience in management and leadership appointments in the armed forces.

She holds Membership of the College of Physicians and Surgeons (MCPS) degree in family medicine, MSc in Advance Administration and a Masters’ Degree in Public Health, in addition to multiple courses. She is also the national instructor of Hospital Preparedness for emergencies.

 

Pakistan temporarily bans PUBG

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on July 1 temporarily banned PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) - a popular online multiplayer game played by millions in the country - after "receiving complaints from different segments of society".

"The PTA has received numerous complaints against PUBG wherein it is stated that the game is addictive, wastage of time and poses a serious negative impact on the physical and psychological health of the children," a statement of the authority said.

It added that cases of suicide attributed to PUBG game have also been reported in media reports. "Honourable Lahore High Court has also directed PTA to look into the issue and decide the matter after hearing the complainants. In this regard, a hearing is being conducted on the 9th of July 2020."

 

US to donate 200 ventilators to aid Pakistan’s Covid-19 fight

The United States, on July 3, announced that it would be donating 200 state-of-the-art ventilators to assist the country in overcoming the pandemic as Pakistan’s healthcare system tries to keep up with the continuous influx of novel coronavirus patients.

The US Agency of International Development (USAID) handed over the first tranche of 100 Vyaire LTV 1200 ventilators to the country while announcing that the second tranche of as many lifesaving systems would follow shortly.

Acting US Consul General Jack Hillmeyer handed over the ventilators to the acting chairperson of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Brig Waseemuddin and provincial representatives in a ceremony held at the Karachi airport, officials said.

 

PM Imran inaugurates Peshawar BRT

Prime Minister Imran Khan on August 13 inaugurated the much-awaited Peshawar BRT system.

“BRT will provide massive relief to the common people, who will be able to afford quality service within fewer charges,” he said, adding that the new transit system will also help reduce traffic in the city.

A project that has been under construction for three years, and has experienced many delays, was the last flagship project launched by the previous provincial government of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

 

Unprecedented rains in Sindh

In August, Sindh faced several moderate to heavy spells of rain. Karachi alone recoded 484mm of rain, the highest ever recorded in the city over nine decades.

The rainwater had overflowed from drains, flooding major causeways, residential and commercial locations.

Days-long power outages and gridlocks kept the city residents disturbed for several days.

 

At least 23 dead, several injured in Mohmand mine collapse

A landslide in a marble mine located in the Safi town of Mohmand district killed at least 23 people and injured around 20 on September 7.

Dozens remained trapped under the rubble for a longnt ime as army troops assisted the district administration in rescue operations.

Heavy machinery was dispatched from nearby districts to accelerate the rescue work.

 

PM inaugurates 'Roshan Digital Account' for overseas Pakistanis

Prime Minister Imran Khan on September 10 inaugurated the 'Roshan Digital Account', an initiative to facilitate millions of overseas Pakistanis to undertake fund transfers, bill payments and investment activities in the country.

Speaking on the occasion, he said that Pakistani diaspora was the country's biggest asset, but they were often looked upon with suspicion.

"They are our best brains. Many even say they cannot become ministers or cabinet members. We need to change this attitude."

The premier said that at times "we lack expertise within the country and therefore require the services of overseas Pakistanis".

 

Pakistan bans TikTok

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on October 9 blocked a popular social media application, TikTok, for failing to remove “immoral” content.

“In view of number of complaints from different segments of the society against immoral/indecent content on the video-sharing application TikTok, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has issued instructions for blocking of the application,” the authority said in an official notification.

The ban was subsequently lifted by PTA on October 19 after assurances from platform's management that they will block all accounts involved in spreading 'obscenity and immorality'.

 

Pakistan Democratic Movement rallies

The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) began its countrywide protest campaign against the Imran Khan-led government by holding a maiden power show in Gujranwala on October 16.

The 11-party alliance held its subsequent rallies in Karachi, Quetta, Peshawar (November 22), Multan (December 1) and finally Lahore (December 13).

The alliance had also announced that all parliamentarians belonging to its constituent parties would submit their resignations from the national and provincial assemblies to their respective party chiefs by December 31.

Jamiat Ulema-e Islam (F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman – who is also the head of the 11-party opposition alliance announced a long march on Islamabad in a bid to dislodge the PTI-led federal government but did not give a specific date for it.

 

At least eight killed, 125 injured in Peshawar madrassa blast

At least eight people were killed and over 125 injured after an explosive device in a bag detonated inside a religious seminary in Peshawar's Dir Colony on October 27.

Police sources revealed that around 40-50 children were present inside the madrassa when the bomb went off.

The seminary's administration said around 1,100 students study at the institution and added that students between the ages of 22 and 28 were present in the class at the time of the explosion.

 

Covid-19 second wave begins in Pakistan

Four-year-old Hamima wears a protective face mask as she waits with her family for a train at a railway station, as the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Karachi, Pakistan. PHOTO: Reuters

After having successfully curbed the first wave, fears of a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic starting in Pakistan came true on October 27.

The return of strict restrictions to curb the spread of the disease became inevitable, the prime minister’s aide on health said.

The SAPM said with the beginning of the second coronavirus wave, strict restrictions would need to be imposed again and a plan for this purpose would be chalked out.

He added that the restrictions would be tightened in the cities where the positivity ratio of the virus was high.

“We cannot allow citizens to visit public places without wearing masks and neglect other guidelines.”

 

Karachi Kings win first PSL

The Karachi Kings won their first Pakistan Super League on November 17, defeating Lahore Qalandars in the finals by five wickets.

The matches were postponed in February due to the outbreak of the Covid-19. The Pakistan Cricket Board announced in July that the matches would be completed in November.

This was the first time the tournament was entirely played in Pakistan.

 

‘The Great Conjunction’ visible from Pakistan

The solar system's two biggest planets, Jupiter and Saturn, had come within planetary ‘kissing’ range on December 21’s evening sky, an intimacy that will not occur again until 2080.

This "great conjunction", as it is known to astronomers, occurs fortuitously on the winter solstice for those in the Northern Hemisphere, and the beginning of summer in the global south.

The two planets are just over 730 million kilometres (400 million miles) apart. But because of their alignment in relation to Earth, they will appear to be closer to each other than at any time in almost 400 years.

Optimal "conjunction" took place at 1822 GMT and was visible in many countries of the world including Pakistan.

 

PHOTOS: FILE/EXPRESS/REUTERS/AFP/AA/BBC SCREEN GRAB