KARACHI: An endangered marine turtle, the Hawksbill, was caught by a tuna gillnet from offshore waters near Ormara on Balochistan coast.
This is the first time that the Hawksbill sea turtle - scientifically known as the Eretmochelys Imbricata - has been reported in the country. The Leatherback turtle, another rare species, also paid a welcome visit to the country last year when it was reported near Sur, Balochistan.
The Leatherback was successfully released by the WWF-Pakistan with the help of other environmental organisations and local communities.
Weather ends Sindh orchards
KARACHI: Severe spell of cold in parts of Sindh has destroyed 70 percent of banana orchards in Khairpur, Naushahro Feroz, Ghotki, Nawab Shah, Tando Allahyar, Mirpurkhas and others.
Banana grower and trader Abdul Ghaffar Malik said banana growers are facing hardship due to the destroying of their cash crop.
Malik said Sindh earns millions of rupees by exporting banana to Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan as well as Iran and Afghanistan.
He recalled that 100 to 150 truckloads were transported daily to Punjab and Balochistan from Khairpur mandi.
Cancer hospital ready in 2015
PESHAWAR: The construction work on Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in Peshawar will be completed next year while the facility will become operational in 2016.
Chief Minister Pervez Khattak was told that construction work on cancer hospital and research centre spreading over 50-canal land started last year and till now four storeys have been completed at the cost of Rs1bn and remaining three storeys would be completed next year.
The hospital to be completed at the cost of Rs3bn would have 1700 doctors, technicians and other staff to be recruitment from the locals. agencies
