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240 buildings procured for Pakistani pilgrims’ comfortable Hajj stay in Makkah

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NNPS Desk
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240 buildings procured for Pakistani pilgrims' comfortable Hajj stay in Makkah

MAKKAH MUKARMA, Jun 10 (APP): A total of 240 buildings, divided into nine sectors, exclusively procured in Makkah to ensure ample, comfortable lodging for Pakistani pilgrims during Hajj, Director Moavineen e Hujjaj Sajjad Haider Yaldram said.

Talking to APP, he said a total of 140 buildings are presently providing accommodation to 56,000 Pakistani hujjaj who have arrived in Makkah Mukarama so far.

Yaldram said that in Masquota, buses are deployed sector-wise to facilitate intending pilgrims, and each bus is labeled with its corresponding sector number for easy identification.

The buses are arranged in an orderly line to efficiently pick up intending pilgrims. Yaldram commended the exceptional services provided by Moavineen in assisting and supporting the pilgrims.

Director Hajj Makkah, Faheem Khan Afridi, told APP that comprehensive guidelines have been issued to intending hujjaj at each building regarding transportation arrangements.

In Masquota, there are plans to deploy additional buses to meet the transportation needs of intending pilgrims. This step has been taken to ensure that all pilgrims are adequately accommodated and transported during their journey.

Kazakhstan Airlines’ inaugural flight to land on July 8

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NNPS Desk
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Kazakhstan Airlines' inaugural flight to land on July 8

ISLAMABAD, Jun 10 (APP): The highly anticipated first flight of Kazakhstan’s SCAT Air Company from Almaty to Lahore is set to commence on July 8, 2023.

The embassy of Kazakhstan in Pakistan in a news release said that the flights will operate twice a week, specifically on Wednesdays and Saturdays, utilizing the comfort of a Boeing 737 aircraft.

Passengers can already purchase tickets for this new and exciting route.Lahore is renowned as the cultural center of Pakistan, and it offers a fascinating experience for tourists.

The city boasts magnificent architecture, with the Lahore Fort being a prominent attraction.

The fort is a vast complex filled with palace structures, gardens, and exhibition halls. Visitors should also make a point to visit the Badshahi Mosque, explore the beautiful Chauburji Gardens, and take a tour of Aitchison College.

The launch of these direct flights will facilitate travel between Almaty and Lahore, allowing passengers to conveniently experience the cultural richness and architectural marvels of Lahore.

Pellets blinded Insha Mushtaq passes 12th class exams

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NNPS Desk
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Pellets blinded Insha Mushtaq passes 12th class exams

ISLAMABAD, Jun 10 (APP): In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Insha Muhstaq, who lost her eyesight due to the pellets fired by Indian troops, has passed the 12th class board exams.

A resident of Sedow area of Shopian district, Insha Mushtaq lost her eyesight due to the pellet injuries in 2016. She is among the nearly 65 percent of the candidates who passed class 12th board exams, Kashmir Media Service reported on Saturday.

On July 11, 2016, Insha opened the window of her house in Sedow to look out at the protests against the killing of popular youth leader Burhan Wani by Indian troops. The next moment, the Indian forces’ personnel deployed in the area fired a volley of pellets indiscriminately, hitting Insha in the face, skull and eyes. Insha has not been able to see since then.

Insha’s family had immediately rushed her to the District Hospital in Shopian where doctors referred her to a hospital in Srinagar. She was also taken to various hospitals in Delhi and elsewhere, but she could not regain her eyesight.

Insha qualified her class 10 examinations in 2018 despite facing a complete loss of sight in both eyes. She is one of the hundreds of teenagers who have lost their eyesight in one or both eyes in the occupied territory due to the pellet firing by Indian troops.

Sindh Cabinet approves Rs2.24 trillion budget for next fiscal year 2023-24

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NNPS Desk
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Sindh Cabinet approves Rs2.24 trillion budget for next fiscal year 2023-24

KARACHI, Jun 10 (APP): The Sindh Cabinet on Saturday approved Rs2,24 trillion budget for the next financial year 2023-24 in its pre-budget meeting here at the Chief Minister House.

The Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah discussed a five-year performance of the provincial government.

The Sindh Cabinet meeting was attended by the Provincial Ministers of Sindh, Advisors, Special Assistants, Chief Secretary Sindh, Chairman Planning and Development, CM’s Personal Secretary and others officers concerned.

The CM Syed Murad Ali Shah said that it was the last pre-budget meeting of the five years tenure performance of the provincial government.

He said that the other meetings of the Provincial Cabinet would continue as usual.

The Chief Minister said that their Cabinet performed well under the leadership of PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardri.

He said that the local bodies elections were the manifestation of their success.

Syed Murad Ali Shah said that PPP got success in every district of the Sindh province in the local bodies elections.

He claimed that PPP would win general elections from every nook and corner of the country.

Pakistan targets $1billion of export to China through land route: Commercial Counselor

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NNPS Desk
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Pakistan targets $1billion of export to China through land route: Commercial Counselor

BEIJING, June 10 (APP): After successful transportation of seafood cargo container to Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region through Karakoram highway, Pakistan will be targeting $1 billion of trade with China through land route in coming years, Commercial Counselor, Embassy of Pakistan, Ghulam Qadir said on Saturday.

It is very heartening that export of food items especially seafood from Pakistan to China has started through land route. This is a big success and we want to build on it to increase our export, he told APP in an interview.
He informed that the Pakistani side is targeting that $ 1billion worth of trade should happen in the long-run through land route.

However, keeping in view the current situation, we hope that this year, we have millions of dollars of export and trade from this route in the coming fiscal year, he added.
While commenting on the export of seafood from Pakistan to China through land route, a spokesperson of the Chinese foreign ministry welcomed quality agricultural products from Pakistan to enter its market and said that the Chinese side stands ready to continue to work with Pakistan to boost bilateral trade through land transportation.

As all-weather strategic cooperative partners, China and Pakistan have engaged in close cooperation in trade and other fields, he added.
Pakistan’s first-ever seafood cargo container has recently arrived in Kashgar city of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region through Karakoram Highway.

This is the first time that seafood containers from Pakistan have been transported by road from Karachi to Kashgar city along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
“We welcome quality agricultural products from Pakistan to enter China’s market and stand ready to continue to work with Pakistan to boost our trade through land transportation, achieve sustainable growth, bilateral trade and deliver more benefits to our two peoples”, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson added.

Pakistan Ambassador to China, Moin ul Haque has also expressed satisfaction over the development and informed that the Pakistani and Chinese governments are making joint efforts to bring more Pakistani seafood and agriculture products through Karakoram Highway to the Chinese market.

“We are working together to bring more Pakistani seafood and agricultural products through this land route to the Chinese market,” he said.
As the world’s second largest consumer market, China embraces more high-quality Pakistani products exported to China.

Ambassador Haque said that facilitating trade and exports of Pakistan’s high-quality products through Khunjerab border is Pakistan-China shared objective.
A representative from the Pakistani transport company said that it is the first attempt at bilateral cross-border road transport business in partnership with a Chinese firm.

He noted that the shipment cost by truck is far below that of air transport, and has simpler customs clearance procedures.
In addition, shipment by road shortens transport time to eight days, which is suitable for small-scale and point-to-point logistics, while the sea transport from Karachi Port to Yangshan Port in Shanghai takes nearly a month.

The Khunjerab pass, a major land route on the China-Pakistan border was officially reopened for passengers and goods in first week of April this year after a closure of three years following the Covid-19 restrictions.
At present, in the wake of cold weather and lack of oxygen in the high altitude, Khunjerab pass generally opens from April 1 to November 30 every year, and remains closed from December 1 to March 31 of the following year.

However, the Pakistani and Chinese side are now working to keep the border crossing open for 12 months making it an all-weather facility.
As per officials, the reopening of the border between Pakistan and China is expected to witness a huge growth of cross-border trade and transportation this year.

The export of cherry from Gilgit-Baltistan area has been allowed to China and this will open up a market of up to $ 2 billion. Similarly, sesame seed export to China has also increased.
The textiles, rice, cherry, mangoes and other food items could be exported to China which would help achieve the target of one billion dollars of export to China.

According to official data, the import and export cargo volume at the Khunjerab pass topped 200,000 tonnes from 2016 to 2020.

Pakistan highly values its bilateral ties with Kazakhstan: PM

By
Irfan Khan
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ISLAMABAD, June 10 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday underscored that Pakistan deeply valued its bilateral relations with Kazakhstan.  

The prime minister held a telephonic conversation with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan.

Highlighting the importance of increasing tourism and enhancing people to people contacts, the prime minister expressed satisfaction that flight operations between two countries would commence soon, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release.

The two leaders agreed on the need to further expand bilateral cooperation in the fields of energy, agriculture, IT, textiles, and energy.

Characterizing Pakistan as an important country in the region, the Kazakh president expressed his country’s desire to further strengthen their long standing bilateral ties.

The prime minister also invited the Kazakh president to pay an official visit to Pakistan at his earliest convenience.

Economy direly needs reforms; charter of economy only way forward: PM

By
Irfan Khan
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ISLAMABAD, June 10 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said that the country’s economy direly needed reforms, which in turn, could be undertaken in a stable political environment as the economic development was intrinsically linked to political stability.

On his Twitter handle, the prime minister stressed “It is here that the Charter of Economy appears to be the only way forward for our political parties to achieve prosperity for our people.”

The prime minister in a lengthy tweet referred to the laying of the fiscal budget 2023-24 said that it represented the beginning of the process to fix the economy’s long-term ailments.

The coalition government had prioritized the right areas that have the potential to spur economic growth, attract investment and make the economy self-sufficient, he added.

The prime minister said the making of budget (FY2023-24) was particularly a difficult task in view of the persistent challenges arising out of the floods-related relief and rehabilitation, global supply chain disruptions and geostrategic upheavals.

“Never-ending headwinds of political instability created by Imran Niazi damaged the economy and created uncertainty, as the country remained on the boil for well over a year,” he regretted.

Mindful of the impact of inflation, the prime minister said the government provided relief to the public sector employees and pensioners in the form of pay raise of up to 35% and 17.5% respectively, and increased minimum wage to Rs32000.

He said a more balanced budget that levied no new tax could not have been possible within the existing constraints.

The prime minister also commended all those who remained part of this exercise and played their role in the budget-making exercise.

UN Peacekeeping chief pays tributes to fallen Pakistani ‘blue helmets’

By
Zaka Ullah Ch
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UN Peacekeeping chief pays tributes to fallen Pakistani 'blue helmets'

UNITED NATIONS, Jun 10 (APP): The UN Head of Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Friday paid tributes to fallen “blue helmets” and acknowledged Pakistan’s contribution to the world body’s peacekeeping operations in hotspots around the world.

Under Secretary-General Lacroix was speaking at a photographic exhibition “Tribute to Fallen Peacekeepers & Pakistan’s Proactive Engagement and Constructive Contributions to UN Peacekeeping,” to commemorate International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers.

The exhibition, which was organized by the Pakistan Mission to the UN, was open from June 1 to 9 at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

In his brief remarks, The UN peacekeeping chief lauded Pakistan’s contribution to peacekeeping missions and paid tribute to those who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.

Welcoming the guests, including ambassadors, defence attaches and UN officials, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN Munir Akram paid “the highest tribute” to all U.N. peacekeepers and other personnel who lost their lives in the service of the U.N.

Over the past 6 decade history of the United Nations peacekeepers, Ambassador Akram said 171 peacekeepers made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of international peace and security.

During the last year, eight Pakistani peacekeepers embraced martyrdom in a helicopter crash in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Ambassador Akram expressed condolences to their families and commended their sacrifices.

He also praised the perseverance of Pakistani peacekeepers in preserving the values of the UN Charter and maintaining international peace and security.

UN’s Military Adviser General Birame Diop and Police Advisor, Faisal Shahkar also spoke on the occasion.

The UN General Assembly designated May 29 as the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers. This is the date when in 1948 the first UN peacekeeping mission named the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) began operations in Palestine.

Currently Pakistani peacekeepers perform multidimensional mandates: from protection of civilians to humanitarian assistance to infrastructure development. By building roads, bridges and public parks, they continue to serve and facilitate some of the most vulnerable communities of the world.

Female peacekeepers serve as doctors, nurses, gender advisors and vocational training officers but also as operations and logistics officers. In 2019, Pakistan deployed its first all- female community engagement team in DRC. They implemented several successful initiatives including vocational trainings for students, teachers and women and psychological workshops for Congolese police.

More than 200,000 Pakistani men and women have served in 46 UN Missions across the world.

Tanzanian peacekeepers to leave Central African Republic after abuse allegations: UN

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NNPS Desk
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Tanzanian peacekeepers to leave Central African Republic after abuse allegations: UN

UNITED NATIONS, Jun 10 (APP): The United Nations is sending home an entire unit of 60 peacekeepers from Tanzania, which was based in the western part of the Central African Republic (CAR), following serious allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse, according to a UN spokesman.

Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters at the regular noon news briefing on Friday that the decision to send the unit home had been made by the Secretariat in New York, following consultations with the peacekeeping mission in CAR, MINUSCA.

“The decision comes after a preliminary investigation which found credible evidence that 11 members of the unit had allegedly engaged in sexual exploitation and abuse of four victims”, Dujarric said.

In a statement, MINUSCA said that a rapid response team had been “immediately deployed” to assess the allegations.

Responding on Twitter to the news, UN Peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix, said that the scourge has no place in any part of his department, adding that the upcoming repatriation “is a robust measure taken to protect victims and demonstrate our resolve to swiftly address these wrongs with the troop-contributing country.”

“The identified victims are being provided with care and support by the Mission’s humanitarian partners. The Mission has also deployed a team to further engage with the community”, he added.

The Spokesperson said the Tanzanian Government had already been formally notified of the decision, and have themselves deployed a national investigation team to CAR.

“In reaffirming their commitment to zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, the Tanzanian authorities noted the seriousness of the allegations and have committed to taking the necessary action to address these matters.”

Dujarric added that the unit had been relocated away from the area where the alleged abuse took place are are now confined to barracks “in order to protect victims as well of course, as the integrity of the investigation. The unit will be repatriated once their presence is no longer required in theatre by the investigators.”

He noted that the Secretariat’s decision was in accordance with Security Council resolution 2272, which provides clear support for decisions made by the UN Secretary-General to repatriate peacekeeping personnel, of “a particular military unit or formed police unit of a contingent, when there is credible evidence of widespread or systemic sexual exploitation and abuse by that unit.”

The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced a firm and robust policy early in his tenure of ‘zero tolerance’ towards sexual abuse by UN personnel, calling on Member States to sign a voluntary compact on preventing and addressing the scourge, in 2017.

Dujarric stressed that the UN remains committed to “robustly implementing” the zero tolerance policy at all levels.

Pakistan fulfils all necessary conditions of IMF: Dar

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NNPS Desk
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ISLAMABAD, Jun 9 (APP): Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar on Friday said that Pakistan has tried its best to fulfil all necessary conditions of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).


Talking to a private television channel, he said IMF should not object to presenting a people-friendly budget. He said that government has made all out efforts to provide maximum relief to people. The finance minister said that last regime of Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI), had formulated weak policies, due to which, the masses were facing immense difficulties in their routine life matters. He said Pakistan had to face financial crunch due to Imran’s policies.


He said that Pakistan Muslim League-N, after establishing coalition government was taking all important measures to re-negotiate with IMF on soft terms and condition. IMF should satisfy with Pakistan because we have completed necessary requirements, he added. He hoped that Pakistan will achieve growth rate as per set target of the government.

To a question, Ishaq Dar said, we are not pondering over increasing the rate of PDL from 50 to next digit. In reply to a question about protecting this country from default line, he said this a geo-politics to engage Pakistan. He said, our country will never fall into the category of “default group”.

“We have fulfilled majority demands of IMF, ” he said. IMF shouldn’t have any objection because the government has presented a people-friendly budget. He said no new taxes imposed in this budget. About continuation of IMF program, he said that new government will decide after the elections.

To a question about PTI, he said that coalition government had made efforts to talk with PTI but Imran’s party was not willing to sit on the negotiating table for resolving issues.

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