LAHORE: December 22 –
LAHORE: December 22 – Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Kausar Abdullah Malik in a group photo with participants of Kabi 5th plant well plus National Forum Lahore. APP/MHA/ABB/ZID
Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Kauser Abdullah Malik addresses at CABI 5th Plant Wise Plus National Forum Lahore.
LAHORE: December 22 –
LAHORE: December 22 – Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Kausar Abdullah Malik in a group photo with participants of Kabi 5th plant well plus National Forum Lahore. APP/MHA/ABB/ZID
Good to use natural elements to support agricultural activities: minister
LAHORE, Dec 22 (APP): Caretaker Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Dr Kausar Abdullah Malik has said using natural elements for supporting agricultural activities is most desirable approach.
He said this while addressing the 5th PlantwisePlus National Forum meeting at a local hotel on Friday.
He said, “Climate change and realisation to move away from fossil fuel technology are highly important.”
He said anything related to bio was extremely important whether it was biocontrol, biopesticide, biofertilizer, biostimulant, etc.
He said that climate change was impacting agriculture in a number of ways, often exacerbating existing challenges to crop production.
Smallholder farmers in developing countries were the most vulnerable and disproportionately affected because they lack the capacity to cope with uncertainties created by a rapidly changing world, he added.
He said smallholders needed to adapt to farming practices to climate hazards to maintain the quality and quantity of crops, or in some cases diversify into new forms of farming and livelihoods. He said that it was very important to look at soil health to obtain desired results.
Dr Kausar said, “We are consuming most important resources of gas and energy in developing fertilizers.”
Fertilizers were important but the way they were being used was illogical, he added. The minister said that import and export depend on sanitary and phytosanitary measures as it was extremely important.
He suggested the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI) to impart training to all our potential exporters and importers as they were not aware of SPS. He said that biopesticide was also extremely important and there was need to encourage research and development for developing biopesticides adding that pesticides put negative impact on environment. The minister also appreciated the role of CABI.
CABI Senior Regional Director Asia Dr Babar E Bajwa, Country Coordinator-PlantwisePlus programme Dr Muhammad Naeem Aslam, Pakistan Agriculture Research Council Chairman Dr Ghulam Muhammad Ali and others also spoke.
The CABI-led programme is helping the Pakistan government and smallholder farmers predict, prepare and prevent plant health threats to reduce crop losses and improve livelihoods.
Pakistan is one of six PlantwisePlus countries that has effectively served to ‘prove the concept’ for the programme in its delivery of digital innovations. These also included the expansion of its network of plant clinics and plant doctors who help farmers diagnose and remedy their plant health issues.
Caretaker Federal Education Minister, Madad Ali Sindhi addressing the 1st Annual Conference 2023 “Examination and Assessment Practices in Pakistan
KARACHI: December 22 –
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KARACHI: December 22 – Caretaker Federal Education Minister, Madad Ali Sindhi distributing the mementos during the 1st Annual Conference 2023 “Examination and Assessment Practices in Pakistan”. APP/AMH/ZID
Chair-IPO Pakistan emphasis need for creating awareness on Intellectual Property Rights
PESHAWAR, Dec 22 (APP): Ambassador Farukh Amil, Chair-Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan (IPO-Pakistan) here on Friday said Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) were very important for the promotion of genuine trade and underscored the need for the creation of awareness among manufacturers, people and industrialists on its registration, protection and enforcement for genuine business development.
He expressed these views during an awareness session on ‘Protection and enforcement of IPRs: Business development opportunities for industrialists’ jointly organized by (IPO-Pakistan) and the Industrialists Association Peshawar (IAP) here.
Speaking as chief guest, Farukh Amil said that the workshop aimed to raise awareness among people, manufacturers and industrialists in Peshawar about IPRs related services including trademarks, copyrights and patent designs that were protected by his organization and ensure their effective enforcement by law enforcement agencies to avoid counterfeiting and piracy of their products.
For this purpose, he said the process of digitalization has been started by IPO Pakistan with the assistance of the Punjab IT Board for speedy service delivery. Besides English and Urdu, he said people need to be educated about IPRs in regional and mother languages including Pashto, Hindko, Punjabi, Sindhi and Balochi for which the role of academia and media was equally important.
Ambassador Farukh Amil said that Pakistan was blessed with all kinds of resources including mines and minerals, forests, coal, winds, gemstones and hydel power and its optimum utilization through innovative approaches and modern research-based practices could bring laurels to the country. He said economic empowerment of youth carried significant importance and transformed societies forward-looking and prosperous.
He said the promotion of Small and Medium Entrepreneurship (SMEs) was imperative for speedy economic growth and generation of employment opportunities for the young generation and urged academia and educational institutions to come forward with new workable ideas to spur industrial growth.
Farukh Amil underscored the need for organized innovative business competitions in educational institutions vital to bolster SMEs and attract young graduates to start their businesses in their selected fields.
He said academia and industrialists need to encourage young researchers and scientists who were working diligently and bringing innovation to their research work.
Underlining the need for a proactive role of technical education institutes and universities of Pakistan to prepare students as per industries’ demands and exploring markets overseas, Farukh Amil said that IPRs was a very important subject being practised the world over and suggested its inclusion in the national curriculum for education of youngsters besides discouraging brain drains.
The Chair-IPO spoke at length about the importance of trademarks, copyrights and patents for the promotion of trade and business in Pakistan. The ambassador said the doors of his office were open to the public.
Ayub Zakori, President of IAP Peshawar said that KP was relatively located in a disadvantageous position in term of a business point of view due to its long distance from Karachi seaport and underscored the need for digitalization of IPRs services for prompt action on complaints by FIA and other law enforcement agencies to counter piracy.
He said the time of industrialists and businessmen of KP was mostly being wasted while pursuing cases at Islamabad and urged IPO to help in the establishment of the Intellectual Rights Tribunal at Peshawar.
Zakori suggested enhancing communication among traders, industrialists, IPO Pakistan and law enforcement agencies to counter business practices on fake trademarks and copyrights.
Besides others, the function was also addressed by Muhammad Ismail, Director of Enforcement IPO-Paksitan, Umme Salam, Deputy Director of Trademark and Saifullah, Deputy Director of Copyright IPO-Pakistan. Dr Ismail spoke about copyright laws and various penalties including fines and jail terms.
Former President of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industries Peshawar, Adeel Rauf and other eminent industrialists and businessmen participated in the event and presented different proposals.
IPO Pakistan was established on April 18, 2005, and is presently working under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Islamabad. The participants said that a portal would help bring IPO-Pakistan and people closer.
A candidate submits his nomination form to the Returning Officer for upcoming General Election 2024 for PP-79
SARGODHA: December 22 – .
IHC reserves verdict on PAC’s powers
ISLAMABAD, Dec 22 (APP): The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday reserved its verdict in cases pertaining to the powers of Public Accounts Committee to summon NAB officials in the Tayyaba Gul harassment case.
Chief Justice Aamer Farooq reserved the verdict after hearing arguments from the two sides.
During the course of proceedings, Additional Attorney General Munawar Dogal said that the committee had the authority to summon the officials as per the rules.
The chief justice inquired as to why Tayyaba Gul had approached the PAC instead of the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) or anti-corruption department. He said the PAC could not directly summon the head of any institution on the complaint of someone.
The court reserved the verdict after the two sides concluded their arguments.
It may be mentioned here that the PAC had summoned former National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal and director general on the complaint of Tayyaba Gul.
KP Cabinet reiterated commitments to provide level playing field in Election
PESHAWAR, Dec 22 (APP): The Caretaker Provincial Cabinet of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday reiterated its commitment to provide a level playing field to all political parties and has asked them to follow the Standing Operating Procedures (SOPs) during their election campaigns.
Besides the directives of the Election Commissions, these SOPs include holding large political gatherings in designated areas notified by the provincial government during daylight to ensure efficient security and safety of the participants.
The cabinet met under the Chairmanship of the Caretaker cabinet, Chief Minister Justice (Retd) Arshan Hussain Shah finalized preparations for the upcoming general elections in light of the directives of the Election Commission reiterating that every effort will be made to ensure free and fair elections in the province.
The Chief Minister said that all resources have been mobilized for the purpose and every effort is being made to ensure transparency and efficient utilization of the taxpayer’s money. The Cabinet was briefed in detail about the preparations for the upcoming general elections.
It would ensure the availability and placement of human resources, mapping of missing facilities, and placement of IT staff and equipment. The Cabinet assured that provision of ramps at polling stations to facilitate persons with disabilities, rationalization of sensitive and most sensitive polling stations, security arrangements, needs of CCTV cameras, transport arrangements for polling staff & equipment, security plan, SOPs for political gatherings, identification of spots in every district for political gatherings.
The upcoming General Election-2024 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be held for 55 National Assembly constituencies and 145 Provincial Assembly seats for which 15,737 polling stations will be set up throughout the province, out of which 4843 will be for men and 4285 for female voters.
The cabinet was informed that 4812 polling stations have been identified as the most sensitive, whereas 6581 have been identified as sensitive polling stations. Similarly, in 1919 polling stations fall in snowbound areas. Statistics made available by the Election Commission of Pakistan indicate that 54.54% of the voters are men whereas 45.46% of the registered voters are female.
It was informed that 8 detailed sessions have already been held by the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary to work out the arrangements and preparations for the GE-2024 in addition to notifying gathering spaces in every tehsil of the province and permitting 100 Govt spaces for holding large political gatherings.
As for the security arrangements, it was informed that additional security personnel will also be mobilized from the Population Welfare, Excise, Forest and Tourism departments to meet the shortage of security personnel.
Similarly, an emergency plan has also been prepared which will be notified by the Health Department soon. It was also informed that as many as 11,668 CCTV cameras are required to be installed inside and outside the polling stations.
The Cabinet was informed that 1280 IT experts have been identified and committed to ensuring free and fair elections. Similarly, security guidelines have been placed for Political gatherings which include guidelines for corner and public meetings, identification of venues, time observance, use of loudspeakers, hate & and defamatory speech, affixing of promotional materials, and security of political leadership as per the directives of Election Commission, local administration and law enforcement agencies.
As these preparations will require the appropriation of funds and procurement, the Chief Minister stressed ensuring transparency in the processes and efficient utilization of available resources. The Chief Minister also stressed the future use of the equipment so procured.
The provincial cabinet also principally approved the establishment of Khyber Medical College University and Ayub Medical College University as part of the Khushal Pakhtunkhwa program of the provincial government, further directing the Higher Education Department to work out the necessary modalities for the effective and timely launching of the program.
Two-way Link Badeni Road completed
QUETTA, Dec 22 (APP):Balochistan Caretaker Chief Minister Mir Ali Mardan Khan Domki on Friday lauded Commissioner Quetta Division Hamza Shafqaat for taking practical measures to complete the work of two-way Link Badeni Road.
Appreciating his performance and efforts, especially the comprehensive completion of the two-way project of Link Badini Sariab Road, the CM also awarded him with a certificate of admiration.
CM grieved at labourers killing
LAHORE, Dec 22 (APP):Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi has condoled the death of five labourers, who were shot dead at an under-construction police station in South Waziristan.
He extended sympathies to the bereaved families. He also prayed for speedy recovery of the injured labourers.
New action plan on e-commerce launched in Shanghai to benefit BRI countries
BEIJING, Dec. 22 (APP): “As a new business model, ‘Silk Road e-commerce’ provides global consumers with a wealth of goods and services with its convenient, efficient and low-cost features, and we would like to ride the wave of it to boost bilateral trade,” noted Aqeel Ahmed Chaudhry, director of the Pakistani national pavilion located in the Silk Road e-commerce cooperation pilot zone center, Pudong, Shanghai, China.
In a move to promote the Silk Road e-commerce as a novel business model, the government of Pudong, Shanghai, officially released the “Action Plan for Advancing the Construction of the Silk Road E-commerce Cooperation Pilot Zone in Pudong New Area” on December 14th, China Economic Net (CEN) reported.
This initiative aims to leverage the convenience, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of Silk Road e-commerce to offer a diverse range of products and services to consumers all around the world.
It is worth mentioning that the State Council has designated Shanghai as the pilot zone for Silk Road e-commerce cooperation on October 17, aiming at improving digital economic cooperation among countries along the Belt and Road
Initiative, deepening mechanism innovation, and strengthening international cooperation.
According to the plan released last week, a comprehensive Silk Road e-commerce service system will be established by 2025.
The focus will be on creating a high-quality Silk Road e-commerce cooperation pilot zone center, facilitating further trade cooperation among BRI countries through e-commerce.
Additionally, more Silk Road e-commerce national pavilions will be unveiled, with over 20 national pavilions and commodity centers expected to be established by 2025. Living in China for more than a decade, Aqeel Ahmed Chaudhry expressed optimism about the opportunities this initiative will bring to Pakistani businesses and traders.Â
He emphasized that the advantages of Silk Road e-commerce would be fully utilized to provide more development opportunities.