ISLAMABAD, Jun 17 (APP):Foreign Secretary Asad Majeed Khan Saturday held fruitful and wide-ranging discussions with Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran Ali Bagheri Kani during 12th bilateral consultations in Tehran.
According to Foreign Office, the two sides held talks on entire spectrum of relations and agreed to deepen cooperation in trade, energy, transport, connectivity, cultural exchanges and educational linkages.
LAHORE, Jun 17 (APP):Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz has said that the party would win the upcoming general elections with thumping majority with the support of its committed workers and followers.
She said that the party was fully prepared to go into the elections and would emerge as an effective parliamentary force in the general elections.
She said this during meetings with PML-N leaders including Punjab General Secretary Awais Leghari, Member National Assembly Nadeem Abbas, former MNA Abdul Majeed Khan and former provincial minister Naeem Khan Baba.
They felicitated the party leadership over successful holding of General Council meeting in Islamabad and also congratulated Maryam Nawaz on being elected Chief Organiser of the PML-N. They also expressed confidence in the leadership of Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz.
Maryam Nawaz said the PML-N candidates would go into the elections with full preparation, adding that policies and guideline of Nawaz Sharif would be followed. She called upon the party workers to start people contact campaign.
ISLAMABAD, Jun 17 (APP):Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) is releasing the 4th quarterly tranche of Benazir Kafaalat cash assistance from June 19 (Monday).
The fourth quarterly tranche will be Rs. 9000/- after a 25 percent increase, which was announced by the federal government early this year.
In addition to Benazir Kafaalat cash assistance, Benazir Taleemi Wazaif stipend’s installment of January to March is also being disbursed to 6.7 Million school going students having at least 70% attendance in school who are registered under Benazir Taleemi Wazaif.
This time, disbursement will be made through 1559, especially arranged Camp sites established throughout the country.
The arrangement of disbursement of Stipends through Campsites is to facilitate the beneficiaries and ensure transparency. Provision of payment through ATMs of HBL and Bank Alfalah would not be available, nor will any payment be made at the POS outside the campsite established by the BISP.
About Rs. 81 billion will be disbursed among 9 million beneficiaries’ families of Benazir Kafaalat cash assistance, while another Rs 16 billion will be doled out to the 6.7 million beneficiaries of Taleemi Wazaif.
It is important to note that at primary level Rs. 2000/- is paid to a girl student while Rs.1500 is given to a boy student. At secondary level, a girl student and a boy student is paid Rs. 3000/- and Rs 2500/- respectively, while at higher secondary level the stipend is Rs. 4000/- and Rs. 3500/- for the female and male students, respectively
Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety and Chairperson BISP, Ms. Shazia Marri, in her message, has called upon the registered beneficiaries to receive the full amount of Rs.9000 along with the receipt of payment.
She has directed the concerned officials to ensure transparency through strict monitoring and vigilance.
She said that monitoring teams have to watch and supervise the cash disbursement process and ensure stern action against any complaint of leakage or deduction from beneficiaries’ precious cash assistance.
She stressed that the beneficiaries should receive their entire amount of Rs. 9000/- plus a stipend of Benazir Taleemi Wazaif according to gender or education level of their child.
She also emphasized the beneficiaries demand a receipt of their payment and to count and check their cash before leaving the POS desk.
The Minister reiterated that in case of any complaint, the beneficiaries should immediately report to BISP’s toll-free helpline 0800-26477 and inform the BISP officer deputed at the campsite to ensure transparent disbursement of the cash.
She warned that the messages sent by BISP will come from 8171 only and that no message from any other number or code should be trusted, as such messages are faked and fraudulent.
ISLAMABAD, Jun 17 (APP):ICLAPA honored the services of Muhammad Aftab (late), the ex-president of the Islamabad Cleft Lip and Palate Association (ICLAPA) and former director general of the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), for his work with children with cleft lips.
A reception was organized by ICLAPA, attended by numerous doctors, surgeons, donors, and individuals from various backgrounds, all of whom paid tribute to the esteemed journalist and praised his efforts in transforming the lives of thousands of children.
ICLAPA, established in 2000 by Muhammad Aftab and Dr Akhtar Rehman to alleviate the sufferings of children born with cleft lip and cleft palate to ensure that they lead a normal and healthy life to become active members of the society.
Although both founding members have passed away, a dedicated team of volunteers, including Dr Azhar Sheikh, Dr Ayesha Aslam, Dr Zahida Ahmad, Dr Maida Hanif, Prof Farhat Rehman, Tehmina Hassan, and Muhammad Akhtar Rehman continues to serve children with cleft lips and palates.
During the event, Prof Farhat, a senior member of ICLAPA’s board of trustees, spoke about M Aftab’s pivotal role in the association. She highlighted his guidance, support, and extensive network, emphasizing his significant contributions of time, resources, and skills to the cause.
She said the association, originally founded as the Pakistan Cleft Lip and Palate Association (PCLAPA) in 2000, transformed into ICLAPA in 2014. “M Aftab organized an event at his house where foreign diplomats learned about their work. Following the event, Japan presented a $100 check to support ICLAPA’s dedicated service to children with birth defects.”
“When my husband, Dr. Akhtar Rehman, passed away, it was M. Aftab who encouraged me and the team to persevere. ICLAPA and the children we have treated so far will never forget him,” expressed Prof Farhat emotionally.
M Aftab’s daughter, Qandi, and granddaughter, Maria Asif, shed light on his family life during their speeches. Maria, overwhelmed with emotions, left the podium without completing her speech, creating a poignant and captivating moment for all the participants
Dr Ayesha Aslam shared that cleft lip surgeries for children are currently being performed free-of-cost at Fauji Foundation Hospital. She added, “Last year, we treated approximately 50 children.”
Dr Azhar Sheikh expressed gratitude to Chinese doctors who have been instrumental in fulfilling ICLAPA’s mission. They have made multiple visits to Pakistan, treating hundreds of children. He mentioned that the Chinese doctors, even after the pandemic, recently contacted him on their own accord, expressing their interest in returning to Pakistan to continue treating children.
The event concluded with special prayers for the eternal peace and high rank of M. Aftab.
LAHORE, Jun 17 (APP):Advisor to the Prime Minister on Accountability Irfan Qadir has said that accountability should be held without any discrimination and no one is exempted from accountability.
He expressed these views while addressing a press conference at the Governor’s House, here on Saturday.
He said the government and parliament were standing with the judiciary and there was no ambiguity in the Constitution regarding accountability. He added that no one was above the Constitution and law, and everyone would be held accountable.
He said until all the institutions were brought under accountability with uniformity, supremacy of law could not be established in the country, adding that if any institution did not support, then it would be shared with the nation. He said their effort was aimed at ensuring that the rule of legal system remains stable in the country until the end of the current government’s tenure.
“We have seen for some time that the Supreme Court has become very active for supremacy of the law and the constitution,” he said. He appealed that judges should not get involved in political affairs of the country, but should take steps to ensure justice to people.
Irfan Qadir said there was a system of self-accountability in judiciary, adding that no one was free for corruption and the case of alleged corruption of a judge of the Islamabad High Court had come to the light, and the alleged audio leaks in this regard had also surfaced.
He said that politicians and bureaucrats should also be held accountable. He said if a person commits malfeasance, he would have to face the consequences.
Irfan Qadir said the government had set up a commission in which the most senior judge had been included, but the judiciary had disabled the commission. The right to appeal was given to those involved in serious crimes, but the former prime ministers were sent packing without giving them the right to appeal, he said.
The advisor said there was an intra-court appeal in the High Court at that time and no one had said that it was against the Constitution. He said the law should apply to all.
In response to a question, he said that in the case against Nawaz Sharif, there could be no disqualification for life. A law has been passed by the Senate, and only five years of disqualification could be imposed under that law. When the case would be reopened, it would be known whether things went wrong, he said and added that Nawaz Sharif was disqualified for not taking salary from his son.
To another question, he said the coalition government did not have two-thirds majority, and the new parliament would make legislation on crucial issues.
In response to another question, Irfan Qadir said new laws had been made to strengthen the judicial institutions.
About trial in military courts, Irfan Qadir said if someone wanted to challenge the military courts, there was no hurdle for him. However, those who attack or vandalize the military installations, whether they are soldiers or civilians, their cases would be tried in military courts, he concluded.
ABBOTTABAD, Jun 17 (APP): Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Javed Abbassi Saturday said that Prime Minister’s Talent Hunt Youth programe would provide an opportunity to the players to represent Pakistan in the foreign countries.
He expressed these views while addressing the football trials at the Police ground in Abbottabad.
He said that under PM’s talent hunt scheme, there is no need for any sort of recommendations, this scheme is providing opportunities to every talented male and female youth, he underlined the need for personal development of youth which would lead to the country to the prosperity in the world.
Murtaza Javed Abbassi invited all stakeholders especially his political rivals to come and join hands for the development of Abbottabad which is the central city of the region and said let’s make this city an example in tourism and other fields and I am ready to provide my services in this regard.
While talking about the restriction on the general public in the playing grounds of Abbottabad city including College ground, Kung Football stadium and Police ground police lines, the minister said that he would discuss this issue with chief minister KP to open the grounds for youth in the evening.
KARACHI, Jun 17 (APP):Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Saturday said that during the last five years, the Sindh government collected Rs5 trillion (from fed govt and provincial resources), of them Rs2.6 trillion were spent on salaries, retirement benefits, and pension of the government employees.
“We have spent Rs442 billion in the non-development expenditures of local government, Rs909 billion on education, including Rs48.9 billion on grants universities.”
He said this while winding up a debate on the budget 2023-24 here on the floor of the provincial assembly of Sindh.
The Chief Minister said that it was his 11th speech to wind up annual budgets. He said that so far, he had made 18 speeches, including five as opposition member. “My association with the Sindh assembly was since 1972 when he had
sat in the gallery,” he recalled and went on saying that his father, former chief minister of Sindh Syed Abdullah Shah had the honor to preside over the then session in which Ghulam Rasool Kehar was elected as assembly speaker.
Murad Shah said that in the past opposition members were not allowed to speak in the assembly. “Even the then speaker had banned my entry in the assembly,” he recalled and then said it was the PPP government, which had established a new tradition of giving maximum time to the opposition member to speak in the houses since 2008.
Though he could not attend the session, but he had the record of each and every speech, including Nand Kumar, Khwaja Izhar Mohammad Hussain and others.
In 2008, our leader Shaheed Mohterma Benazir Bhutto was killed, and people had come out to cast vote in favor of PPP. ‘We did better than 2008 in 2013 and better than 2013 in 2018.’
He alleged that former PM Imran Khan not gave a single scheme in the province. He used to speak reluctantly with him during the meetings. “We served the city and out of 25 have won 13 UCs in local bodies election,” he said.
1970 there were only 7 seats, of them 2 PPP had won and two Jamaat and one independent PPP had bagged 200754 votes while Jamat had taken 168,000 votes. The city which belonged to Shaheed Bhutto. “ye shahre karachi Bhutto (this city of Karachi belongs to Bhutto),’ he said.
He said that MQM-P had shown lack of maturity for a few years. He urged MQM-P not to blame PPP for its weaknesses.
The Chief Minister said that they had seen the first disaster was Imran Khan as prime minister.
The other one was COVID-19 and then they had seen the unprecedented rains. When PM Shahbaz Sharif visited Sindh, he saw rainwater accumulated all over Sindh, he asked and said the provincial government would not be able to grow wheat. Our government made all-out efforts and grew record wheat crop, he said.
He said that 8 per cent relief to the people was given by the provincial government. The affected people were given cash through the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP).
Murad Shah gave a complement to Education Minister Syed Sardar Shah for delivering an impressive speech.
He further said that his government started making projects just after receiving devastating floods. “We talked to the world bank, the Asian Bank and other donor agencies and managed to get funds to rehabilitate the devastated people.
The federal government had been talking to reach a deal with IMF for a loan of $1.2 billion but we managed $.23 billion facility. The world Bank Regional Director and the Country director visited Sindh last week and they appreciated the provincial government for doing an excellent job for rehabilitation of the flood affected people.
Syed Murad Ali Shah said that our development outlay had been pitched at Rs700 billion.
He said that during the last five-year the Sindh government had received Rs3.8 trillion from the federal government and the provincial government’s revenues were Rs1.2 trillion. In this way, during the last five year, the Sindh government had spent Rs5 trillion.
Development: During last five years, the Sindh government had utilized Rs840 billion on development.
He disclosed that 1061 schemes have been launched in the Karachi.
K-IV project was started in 2002, Mr. Shah said and added that in 2007 the problems started. The K-IV was a 260 MGD project launched for Rs29.5 billion. The pre-feasibility was made in 2002 and its cost was Rs42 billion. The essential components were not included.
The CM said that the KWSB had made the K-IV scheme and its alignment was approved by the then mayor.
Murad Ali Shah said that he has arranged Rs100 billion for the K-IV augmentation.
He said that he raised the issues of census and therefore the population of the province increased.
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