Will give best against Tajikistan: Stephen Constantine

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Mon, 20 Nov 2023, 7:45 PM

ISLAMABAD, Nov 20 (APP): Pakistan football team coach Stephen Constantine on Monday said the national squad would give its best in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers 2 match against Tajikistan on November 21 here at the Pakistan Sports Complex.

Every game is important and FIFA World Cup Qualifiers 2 matches will not be taken lightly,” he said at a press conference here along with attacking midfielder Otis Khan.

Khan said football was coming back in Pakistan and we had many opportunities to score goals against Saudi Arabia but could not be materialized.

He said Pakistan was a new team for FIFA World Cup qualifying. We have played three FIFA qualifying matches so far.
To a question, he said that he would play good game against Tajikistan and try to win the match. Pakistan football team played less international matches in the past, he said.

He said teams of Saudi Arabia and Tajikistan were continuously playing international matches while Pakistan was competing with best teams. The match against Tajikistan is important for Pakistan, he said.

He was of the view that no one expected Pakistan to win match against Cambodia, but we did beat Cambodia in a crucial match.
There should be maximum number of matches for the improvement of Pakistan football. Football leagues should be started in Pakistan, he said.

Meanwhile, coach of Tajikistan football team Petar Segrt, said the fans who were warmly welcomed upon arrival in Pakistan will get to see an excellent football.

A tough match is expected between both teams. FIFA World Cup Qualifiers match will be important for Pakistan and Tajikistan. Pakistan is a very hospitable country and I have heard a lot about Pakistan. Winning and losing the match is part of the game, he said.

Zindagi Trust, Meta join hands with PTA, FIA, NCRC to promote youth safety in digital spaces

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NNPS Desk

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Mon, 20 Nov 2023, 7:38 PM

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 20 (APP): Zindagi Trust and Meta have announced their collaboration with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Federal Investigation Authority (FIA), and the National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC) to launch a digital campaign “Cultivating Digital Competence of Youth and Parents” to promote youth safety in digital spaces.

The collaboration was announced on the occasion of National Children’s Day in Pakistan, which was marked on Monday, a PTA news release said.

Shehzad Roy, founder of Zindagi Trust, in his remarks, said the main goal of the campaign was to start the dialogue, and educate the young people and their parents about online safety and different ways to report negative content such as online bullying, false information, hate speech and spam.

“As part of conversations on online safety, safeguarding children on the Internet, addressing their educational requirements, and encouraging positive interactions stand as paramount objectives for the PTA,” the news release said.

“It is important for the young people to understand that access to devices and the Internet comes with a responsibility that extends not only to their own safety but also to the well-being of others in the online sphere,” it added.

The commendable initiative by the Zindagi Trust and Meta would help the young people in cultivating online relationships in an environment where “they feel safe. The PTA supports this initiative and recognizes its potential to significantly contribute to the overall online safety of young people,”.

It is imperative to make online safety conversations part of everyday life – just like conversations about ‘stranger danger’ or crossing the road, and this should start early.

Imran Haider, Incharge of the Unit To Counter Online Child Abuse, Cybercrime Wing of FIA explained that in today’s digital age, children were surrounded by a wide array of electronic gadgets, “therefore, education and awareness play a crucial role in child protection by empowering children and families to identify and prevent child abuse”.

NCRC Chairperson Ayesha Raza Farooq expressed the hope that through the campaign, the young people in Pakistan would be equipped with the tools and knowledge to navigate the digital world safely and responsibly.

The launch of the campaign was marked by a roundtable discussion, which discussed the importance of protecting the young people in the digital age and curating informed individuals on cybercrime.

Meta’s Director of Public Policy for South and Central Asia, Sarim Aziz, who attended the discussion, stated that the company was committed to doing their part to protect the young people on and off their apps and “will continue to collaborate with our various stakeholders, industry safety partners, and law enforcement to keep young people safe online”.

This collaborative digital campaign will also include video messages from students who talk about safety tools like Privacy Check Up, Locked Profiles, Hidden Words, Supervision Tools, and managing false information.

Inspection team visits Passport Office after receiving complaints

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NNPS Desk

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Mon, 20 Nov 2023, 7:35 PM

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Inspection team visits Passport Office after receiving complaints

ISLAMABAD, Nov 20 (APP): On the directions of Wafaqi Mohtasib, an inspection team visited the Passport Office on Monday after receiving complaints about delays in issuing passports.

Taking notice of complaints, the inspection team visited the Passport Office Islamabad, on the direction of Ombudsman Wafaqi Mohtasib Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi, said a press release.

The inspection team led by the Senior Advisor discussed in detail the entire process of issuing passports to ascertain the causes of inordinate delay and breakdown of efficient delivery of services in the Passport Office.

The team interviewed a large number of people who had come to get their passports in the Passport Offices located in the G-8 and G-10 Sectors.

The team was informed by the applicants that they had been visiting the Passport Office to collect their documents for many months and their visas had expired in the process.

The administration of the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports informed the visiting inspection team that the printing of passports got delayed due to the non-availability of lamination paper.

They assured the inspection team that the backlog would be cleared soon as the lamination paper was now in hand. The inspection team advised the administration to ensure the timely procurement of lamination paper in future so that the applicants do not face this problem again.

The administration was also advised to ensure the issuance of passports within the prescribed timeframe. The inspection team further advised the administration of the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports Office to refund the fee charged for urgent passports in case of late delivery.

The inspection team on arrival at G-10 Passport Office observed hundreds of applicants waiting to collect their travel documents. The lack of proper seating arrangements was causing further agony to the visitors.

The inspection team will submit its report based on its recommendations for the consideration of the Wafaqi Mohtasib within one week. Meanwhile, Wafaqi Mohtasib Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi has directed the Secretary Interior Division to take stock of the working of the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports comprehensively to ensure efficient delivery of services in future.

Health Minister meets DG WHO

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NNPS Desk

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Mon, 20 Nov 2023, 7:30 PM

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 20 (APP): Caretaker Federal Minister for Health Dr. Nadeem Jan had a meeting with the Director General World Health Organization (WHO) Dr. Tedros during the Global Food Security Summit being held in London, UK.

He expressed his grief on the grave situation of health and nutrition in the flood affected areas in Pakistan affecting more than 33 million population.

He appreciated the efforts of Government of Pakistan in addressing this challenge faced by the country especially the vulnerable groups including adolescent girls, mothers and children.

Dr Nadeem Jan also shared the vision of the current government with regards to reach to the communities through UHC and focused on “Health for all” approaches and he thanked the WHO for extending their support for provision of equipment and supplies.

Dr. Tedros assured complete support of WHO to alleviate the suffering of those in need in the flood affected areas and discussed the role of WHO Pakistan in the overall efforts of UN organizations and partners.

He also discussed the bilateral support provided by WHO Pakistan to address the nutrition issues in Pakistan especially those affecting women and children.

He updated that WHO Pakistan is working in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health in areas nutrition in emergencies and this collaboration will be further strengthened as required.