BANJUL: May 03 –
Syrian delegation visits HEC for bilateral collaboration
ISLAMABAD, May 03 (APP): A delegation of Syrian Government officials, led by Deputy Minister of Education and Educational Affairs Dr. Rami Waheed Al-Dhulli, held a meeting with the senior management of Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan at the HEC Secretariat on Friday.
According to a press release, the two sides discussed in detail the issues of mutual interest, aiming to explore the potential areas for bilateral collaboration.
In his welcome remarks, Chairman HEC Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed informed the delegates that HEC was established in 2002 with the target of improving access, relevance, and quality.
He said the government focused on investments in the higher education sector in the past 22 years, paving the way for a number of universities to secure international recognition.
He said HEC invests almost 40 percent of its funds on human resource development, adding that HEC has so far awarded around 300,000 local and foreign scholarships to Pakistani students.
“HEC is open to extend all possible support to the Syrian higher education institutions, be it policy formulation, capacity building of faculty, skill development initiatives, Information Technology, and other areas,” the chairman said.
The delegation head, Dr. Rami Waheed Al-Dhulli, expressed his gratitude to HEC management for offering support to Syrian higher education sector open-heartedly.
He said Syria would like to develop bilateral academic and research relations between the higher education institutions
on the two sides.
He observed that the two sides may collaborate in multiple areas, including professional education, IT, entrepreneurship, technology, and modern teaching methods.
Ambassador of Syria to Pakistan Dr. Ramez Alraee said Pakistan and Syria share a long history of relations which goes beyond political interests, adding that Syria endears Pakistan as a brotherly Islamic country. The history, he noted, testifies that the two countries have been standing by each other in odd times and extended assistance in trials like earthquakes.
He emphasised that Pakistan and Syria must jointly work on building economic, educational, and cultural bonds for the benefit of people on both sides.
The Syrian delegation will visit different universities in the country. The objective of their visit is to get introduced to the education sector in Pakistan and seek opportunities of collaboration related to virtual learning, teaching mechanisms, scientific skills and skills proficiency of students and teachers in the filed of Information and Technology, technology based educational projects, and exploring avenues for bilateral scientific and cultural cooperation.
The Syrian dignitaries included Director IT, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Syria, Dr. Manal Sulaiman Saqr; Director Scientific Research, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Syria, Yaseer Saeed Khadra; Director International Cooperation, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Syria, Dr. Aqil Saeed Mahfoud; Director IT, Ministry of Education, Syria, Najeeb Suhail Salaq; Education Director, Ministry of Education, Syria, Ragib Ali Al-Jidi; and Consular/DHM Embassy of Pakistan, Damascus Umer Hayat Khan.
Aside from HEC senior officers, the meeting was attended by representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Federal Education and Professional Training.
Chairman Gwadar Port Padand Khan briefing Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, about Gwadar port.
GWADAR: MAY 03 –
GWADAR: MAY 03 –
Int’l workshop on ‘Big Data Analytics, AI, & Data Security’ to conclude on Saturday
ISLAMABAD, May 03 (APP):Six-day International workshop arranged by the COMSTECH titled “Big Data Analytics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Data Security” will conclude on Saturday at the L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University in Kazakhstan.
The workshop is being arranged by COMSTECH under its distinguished scholars program, said a news release.
This workshop, led by the renowned COMSTECH distinguished scholar, Prof. Dr Jasni Mohamad Zain, and Director at the Institute for Big Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence (IBDAAI) at Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.
Prof. Zain brought together experts and scholars to explore the cutting-edge advancements and applications of big data analytics and AI across various sectors, including oil, gas, and medicine.
Prof. Zain’s captivating lectures delved into the theoretical and practical aspects of these fields, sparking insightful discussions on their real-world applications.
The workshop emphasized the critical importance of data security, ensuring participants gain a comprehensive understanding of data protection strategies in today’s digital landscape.
The COMSTECH distinguished scholars program plays a pivotal role in fostering international collaboration and capacity building in science and technology in OIC member states.
This program identifies and engages top scientists, engineers, and scholars to serve as expert resource persons, facilitating knowledge sharing and capacity building activities.
Distinguished Scholars like Prof. Dr. Zain being invited to visit OIC institutions, where they offer valuable insights to strengthen academic structures, suggest reforms, and conduct workshops and training courses.
Federal Minister for Interior, Mohsin Naqvi and Federal Minister for Aviation and Defence, Khawaja Muhammad Asif giving necessary instructions regarding enhancing facilities for passengers at Allama Iqbal International Airport.
LAHORE: MAY 03 –
APP24-030524
LAHORE: MAY 03 –
LAHORE: MAY 03 –
Targeting Rafah could lead to slaughter, warns UN aid agency
UNITED NATIONS, May 03 (APP): An Israeli military operation in Rafah “could lead to a slaughter” and cripple lifesaving humanitarian work throughout Gaza, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, said Friday.
“Any ground operation would mean more suffering and death” for the 1.2 million displaced Palestinians sheltering in and around the Strip’s southernmost city, OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke told journalists in Geneva.
Echoing those concerns, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said that “Band-Aid” contingency plans had been made in case a full-scale military incursion does indeed happen, but they would not be enough to prevent Gaza’s humanitarian catastrophe from getting worse.
“This contingency plan is Band-Aids. It will absolutely not prevent the expected substantial additional mortality and morbidity caused by a military operation,” said Dr Rik Peeperkorn, WHO Representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Speaking via videolink from Jerusalem, the WHO medic warned that a military operation would spark a new wave of displacement, more overcrowding, less access to essential food, water and sanitation “and definitely more outbreaks (of disease)”.
“The ailing health system will not be able to withstand the potential scale of devastation that the incursion will cause,” Dr Peeperkorn insisted.
The worsening security situation could also severely impede the movement of food, water, and medical supplies into and across Gaza via the border points, the WHO official noted.
After nearly seven months of heavy Israeli bombardment since October 7, only 12 out of 36 hospitals in Gaza and 22 of the enclave’s 88 primary health care facilities were “partially functional” today, according to the UN health agency.
These include Najjar Hospital in Rafah, which offers dialysis treatment to hundreds of people, explained Dr Ahmed Dahir, WHO team leader in Gaza.
“The health system is barely surviving…if any (Israeli) operation will happen which means the population and patients will not be able to access these hospitals, what is going to happen to these patients; ultimately that would be a catastrophe.”
Despite “slight improvement” in the availability and diversity of food in Gaza in recent weeks, Dr Peeperkorn rejected any suggestion that the looming threat of acute malnutrition had receded for the enclave’s most vulnerable.
“We will see the effects for years to come,” the WHO official continued, noting that 30 children had now reportedly died because of illnesses linked to malnutrition.
Deaths linked to the kind of food insecurity that Gazans have endured should have been completely preventable, Dr Peeperkorn insisted, as he pointed to the widespread destruction of poultry farming and fishing production, along with vegetable and fruit growing which “are not there anymore…we shouldd never have any level of malnutrition in this place”.
As part of UN contingency efforts, the WHO and partners are setting up a new field hospital in Al Mawasi in Rafah.
A large warehouse has also been created in the central city of Deir Al Balah from where WHO has moved supplies to Khan Younis, the Middle Area and north Gaza.
Further supplies have also been prepositioned at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir Al Balah and European Gaza Hospital near Khan Younis in the south.
Also in Khan Younis, Nasser Medical Complex is being refurbished to provide a basic package of health services, now that cleaning and inspection of essential equipment have been completed.
Nine out of 10 operating theatres there are operational and emergency medical teams are preparing to work there alongside national staff, WHO said.
WHO and partners are also establishing additional primary health centres and medical points in Khan Younis and the Middle Area, as well as pre-positioning medical supplies to enable the facilities to detect and treat communicable and non-communicable diseases and manage wounds.
In the north, the UN health agency is helping to increase services at Al-Ahli, Kamal Adwan and Al-Awda hospitals with emergency medical teams and by pre-positioning supplies.
“Plans are also being developed to support the restoration of the Patients’ Friendly Hospital, focusing on paediatric services, and expansion of primary health care centres and medical points,” WHO reported.
Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan addressing the gathering at the occasion of Australia Day in Spring 2024.
ISLAMABAD: MAY 03 –
ISLAMABAD: MAY 03 – Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan signing the visitor’s book at the residence of the Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Mr. Neil Hawkins on the occasion of Australia Day in spring 2024.
ISLAMABAD: MAY 03 – Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan discussing Pak-Australia historical relations with the Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Mr. Neil Hawkins on the occasion of Australia Day in spring 2024.