HYDERABAD: January 22 –
A vendor displaying wooden toys to attract the customers at Cantonment Road.
HYDERABAD: January 22 –
Five theft cases traced; stolen items, cash recovered
DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Jan 22 (APP):The district police on Monday claimed to have traced five theft cases and arrested four accused recovering stolen items, cash and drugs from their possession within the limits of Paharpur police station.
According to police spokesman, a police team led by SDPO Paharpur circle Kashif Sattar and Paharpur police station Station House Officer (SHO) Faheem Abbas Khan, taking action against thieves and other criminals, successfully arrested four accused including Tariq son of Abdul Rasheed, Zariq son of Ghulam Yasin and Muhammad Khalid son of Ahmad Hasan who were wanted to police in different theft cases.
The police also recovered two motorcycles, a mobile phone, 1050 grams of hashish, 145 grams of heroin and Rs 170,000 cash from them.
In another action, the police arrested accused Munir Khan son of Karim Bakhsh recovering a 30-bore pistol along with three cartridges from him.
A flock of birds sitting in water pond at Qasimabad.
HYDERABAD: January 22 –
Children enjoying the swing at Kumhar Para
HYDERABAD: January 22
Security Forces killed seven terrorists in Zhob operation
RAWALPINDI, Jan 22 (APP): The security forces on Monday killed at least seven terrorists involved in hostile activities against the armed forces and innocent civilians during a fire exchange that took place during an intelligence-based operation in Sambaza Sector area of Zhob District, near the Pakistan-Afghan border.
According to the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) news release, the Army troops effectively surrounded and engaged the fleeing terrorists.
The seven killed terrorists remained actively involved in terrorist activities against security forces as well as the killing of innocent civilians. Arms, ammunition, and explosives were also recovered from the killed terrorists.
“Sanitization operation is being carried out to eliminate any other terrorists present in the area. Security Forces of Pakistan are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism,” the ISPR said.
Exports increase by 35.33% to Rs 4.3 trillion in 1st half
ISLAMABAD, Jan 22 (APP):The exports from the country in the rupee term witnessed an increase of 35.33 percent during the first half of the current fiscal year as compared to the corresponding period of last year, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported.
Exports during July-December (2023-24) were recorded at Rs.4,300,752 million as against Rs.3,177,893 million during the corresponding period of last year, showing an increase of 35.33 percent, according to the provisional data released by PBS.
On a year-on-year basis, the exports during December 2023 increased by 54.59 percent and were recorded at Rs.799,588 million compared to the exports of Rs.517,240 million in October 2022.
On a month-on-month basis, the exports increased by 8.86 percent when compared to the exports of Rs. 734,541 million in November 2023.
The main commodities of exports during December, 2023 were rice other than Basmati (Rs.124,040 million), knitwear (Rs. 103,898 million), readymade garments (Rs. 84,569 million), bed wear (Rs. 64,119 million), cotton cloth (Rs. 40,678 million), cotton yarn (Rs.26,984 million), towels (Rs.24,814 million), rice Basmati (Rs.22,888 million), badeup articles, excluding towels & bedwear (Rs.16,991 million) and meat and meat preparations (Rs.12,472 million).
On the other hand, Imports during July–December, (2023-24) totaled Rs.7,533,700 million as against Rs. 6,962,865 million during the corresponding period of last year, showing an increase of 8.20%.
On a year-on-year basis, imports into Pakistan during December 2023 amounted to Rs. 1,317,463 million as against Rs.1,156,237 million in December 2022, showing an increase of 13.94 percent.
On a month-on-month basis, imports into the country witnessed an increase of 1.66 percent in December 2023 when compared to the imports of Rs.1,295,968 million in November 2023.
The main commodities of imports during December, 2023 were petroleum crude (Rs. 158,260 million), petroleum products (Rs.150,888 million), natural gas, liquified (Rs.109,516 million), electric machinery & apparatus (Rs.63,667 million), palm oil (Rs. 60,316 million), plastic materials (Rs. 52,218 million), mobile phones (Rs.49,887 million), Iron & steel (Rs.41,654 million), Iron and steel scrap (Rs.30,426 million) and Motor cars, ckd/skd (Rs.29,543 million).
Pakistan, Iran envoys to resume offices by Jan 26; Iranian FM to visit Islamabad on Jan 29: FO
ISLAMABAD, Jan 22 (APP): Pakistan and Iran on Monday agreed that their ambassadors would return to their respective posts by January 26, 2024.
The agreement to this effect was reached in a telephonic conversation between Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.
Following the violation of Pakistan’s airspace by Iran on January 16, Pakistan had announced to recall its ambassador from Tehran besides conveying to the Iranian side that their envoy may also not return for the time being.
“Following the telephone conversation between the Foreign Ministers of Pakistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran, it has been mutually agreed that ambassadors of both countries may return to their respective posts by 26 January 2024,” according to a joint press statement issued by the Foreign Office.
Besides, at the invitation of Foreign Minister Jilani, the Iranian foreign minister will undertake a visit to Pakistan on January 29.
Engineers playing key role in country’s development: President
ISLAMABAD, Jan 22 (APP): President Dr Arif Alvi on Monday stressing the significance of engineering expertise in every sector of life, underscored the need for continued support and recognition of the engineering community to propel the nation towards sustainable growth and prosperity.
Addressing an event titled “PEC Engineers’ Excellence Award 2022” held at Aiwan-e-Sadr, the president said the Pakistani engineers had, in the past, played key role in the development of the gulf countries. He said Pakistan needed more engineers in various sectors to ensure sustainable development.
He said Pakistan produced only 25000 engineers annually which was not enough for the country’s need. Out of these, a sizable portion seeks immigration and goes abroad after graduation. In comparison, the president said that India produced over 1.5 million engineers per year.
President Alvi said human resources had been a big challenge for the country as in other sectors like health, the country needed more human resources. “There are only 150,000 working nurses against the total demand of 0.9 million nurses in the country.” Similarly, he regretted that an alarming number of around 26 million children were currently out of school in the country and would become a big burden in future for the society.
He said despite challenges, the Information Technology sector of the country was showing good performance which was evident from the fact that over 2.2 million freelancers were earning their bread and butter along with foreign exchange for the country.
He said to increase the number of engineers and to educate the out-of-school children the government needed huge resources. The resources, he said could be managed by bringing reforms in the taxation system. However, he said decades had passed since various financial institutions including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank and others had been recommending Pakistan to tax the wealthy people. Despite making policies we could not force the elite of the country to pay their due taxes.” The president said, “Only words do not make sense, we need implementation not words”. He pointed out that the country’s tax to GDP was too low at around 9% which needed to be enhanced.
President Alvi said the world was moving towards an abundance of food and resources while we were still stuck in a scarcity of resources.
“We need champions in every sector to achieve the goals of sustainable development,” he said adding amnesty schemes never worked as the government introduced amnesties every year which yielded no results.
Referring to the atrocities being committed on the Palestinians in Gaza, the president called for adopting ethics and morality across the societies to maintain peace in the world.
He said wars would further complicate the world’s challenges. Due to such complexities, the rich were becoming the richest while the poor were becoming the poorest.
Earlier, President Alvi conferred awards to Pakistan’s engineers in different categories to acknowledge their contribution towards the country’s development.
Chairman Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) Muhammad Najeeb Haroon said every year, the Council awards the outperforming engineers to acknowledge their efforts and contribution to the country’s development.
He said the engineers had made outstanding contributions in a range of areas including defence production, nuclear technology, water and power, railways, road, communications, agriculture, telecommunication, manufacturing, chemical and petrochemical industries.
He informed that the PEC had also achieved historical milestones and represented Pakistan as a signatory and member at all the relevant international professional forums, enabling the country to stand among the technologically advanced and developed nations through the Washington Accord and International Professional Engineers Agreement under the International Engineering Alliance, FEIIC, FEIAP NABEEA and other prestigious forums.
He said the PEC was now playing its professional role as a mentor and reviewer to countries like Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Kenya, Myanmar and Central Asian Republics to join these professional forums.
EC KP takes action for ensuring attendance of polling staff
PESHAWAR, Jan 22 (APP): Election Commissioner Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shamshad Khan during the training of polling staff on Monday took serious notice of absent employees and issued strict disciplinary decision against them.
According to details, the election commissioner has also directed all deputy commissioners to ensure the attendance of polling staff during training and emphasised immediate suspension besides action against such absent employees.
He warned that negligence or shortcomings of training staff would not be tolerated at any cost.
He stressed the need for observing a zero-tolerance approach in maintaining the integrity of the training process.
Shipping activity at Port Qasim
KARACHI, Jan 22 (APP):Shipping activity reported at the Port where three ships namely, OOCL Norfolk, Cape Sounio and South Robin carrying Containers and Chemicals, berthed at Container Terminal and Engro Vopak Terminal respectively on Sunday January 21st, 2024.
Meanwhile General cargo carrier Charade carrying Steel coil also arrived at outer-anchorage of the Port Qasim on same day.
A total of nine ships were engaged at PQA berths during the last 24 horus, out of them three ships, OOCL Norflok, Cape Sounio and Hafnia Raven are left the port on today morning and three more ships, Southern Robin, Asia Liberty and AAI Prelude are expected to sail on same day afternnon.
A cargo volume of 117,712 tonnes, comprising 93,360 tonnes imports cargo and 24, 352 tonnes export cargo carried in 2,681 contaiers, (1,842 Teus import and 839 Teus export) was handled at the port during last 24 hours.
There are 05 ships at Outer Anchorage of Port Qasim, out of them two shis, Bolan and Kaisa-I and another ship, Conti-Courage carrying gas oil, LPG and containers are expected to take berths at FOTCO, EVTL and QICT on today, 22nd January, while two more container ships, MSC Vilda-X and Maersk Pittsburgh are due to arrive at Port Qasim on Tuesday 23rd January , 2024.