Islamabad, October 24, (APP):Minister for Interior Ahsan Iqbal Tuesday said the government was fully committed to fighting human trafficking and drug smuggling through effective steps.He was speaking at the launch of the annual report on Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime here.
The minister said human trafficking must be seen in a broader context and “we need to identify all the problems and factors associated with the problem of human trafficking.”
There were different “push and pull factors” and conflict, extreme poverty and unemployment among youth were some of causes of trafficking of humans, he noted.
People were more vulnerable and insecure when political crises erupt and the environment was not safe, he added.
He said it was fundamental right of everybody to enjoy freedom and peace, adding conflicts were spreading in the world and “we must redouble our efforts to ensure peace and security for everybody”.
The minister said situation in Afghanistan was the major cause of instability in the region.
He urged the international community to not point fingers at Pakistan and look at the broader historical context in which the whole situation unfolded in the past decades.
Other countries shared responsibility with Pakistan for the situation that emerged during the Afghan war,  due to the consequences of the collapse of Soviet Union and destruction of the Berlin Wall, he added.
After the end of war in Afghanistan, the western powers left the region and Pakistan had to bear the burden of 3.5 million Afghan refugees and the poorest of the poor people were left with a lot of weapons which only caused terrorism, he explained.
The problems of kalashnikov culture and drug running were the results of the Afghan war, he added.
He urged the international community to help Pakistan in solving the issue of Afghan refugees, adding, “Other countries cannot escape this responsibility.” “We have to restore peace, security and create alternative livelihoods.”
Ahsan said government of Pakistan had made major gains in the last four years.
The minister said In 2013, Pakistani economy was in doldrums and was on the verge of bankruptcy and then there was an economic turn around and after four years of strenuous efforts by the Pakistan Muslim League (N) government, highest growth rate of 5.3 percent was posted, which was the highest in a decade.
He recalled that in the year 2013, Pakistan was the worst victim of the wave of terrorism and not a single day passed without bomb explosions and acts of terror.
But now in 2017, the incidents of terrorism were reduced by 90 percent and peace has returned to the country, he said adding Karachi was back to normalcy and target killings and major crimes were reduced by 95 percent as well, he said adding when the government came in power in 2013, the country was facing with worst energy crises which led to closure of factories and unemployment.
People faced 18-20 hours of loadshedding but now they were getting electricity for 18 to 20 hours, he added.
In the last four years, 10,000 megawatts were added to the system against 16,000 megawatts of electricity which were added in the last 60 years, he added.
He said Pakistan needed to strengthen its law and institutions to protect its citizens from human and drug trafficking.

ISLAMABAD, Oct 24 (APP):Pakistan on Tuesday underlined the need for increased cooperation among member countries of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to promote trade of cross-border electricity aimed at achieving sustainable economic growth and ending power load shedding in the region.

“Increasing cross-border trade of electricity can play a major role in overcoming challenges to sustain rapid economic growth and making the region free of load shedding. It will help bring down energy prices, mitigate power shocks, relieve shortages, facilitate decarobanisation and provide incentives for market extension and integration,” National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) Chairman Tariq Saddozoi said while addressing the inaugural session of 2nd meeting of SAARC Council of Experts of Energy Regulators (Electricity) here.

He said there was a need to harmonize laws, rules and regulations to achieve the objective of cross-border trade of electricity, adding “the required laws should be framed in line with the existing laws and requirements of system demand, physical infrastructure development, system operation with reliability and stability, economic and commercial aspects including settlements and reconciliation of obligations.”

He said by signing the SAARC Framework Agreement for Energy Cooperation (Electricity) on November 27, 2014, Pakistan had recognized the importance of the electricity in promoting economic growth and improving the quality of life in the region.

“The cross-border trade of electricity also complements the electricity demands and resource endowments among the neighboring SAARC countries,” the chairman said.

Saddozoi said a number of wholesale power markets were establishing in developing regions.

However, he said, certain steps were needed to implement such cross-border trade by ensuring physical interconnection at borders and availability of adequate transmission capacity in the relevant facilities.

The chairman said most of the SAARC countries were struggling to construct their core infrastructure and undertaking additional development of facilities, seeking financial and technical support of leading multilateral agencies like Asian Development Bank, World Bank and Japan International Cooperation Agency for efficient execution of power projects.

“I see the role of multilateral agencies in carrying out feasibility studies, providing financial support and review of relevant laws of the member countries. As for Pakistan is concerned, NEPRA has already finalized its regulation on import of electric power.”

Saddozoi hoped that bilateral trade of electricity would lead to development of regional power pools where real-time electricity trade would be possible, for which the role of multilateral agencies would be critical in facilitating infrastructural development and design of power pools.

The two-day meeting of SAARC Council of Experts of Energy Regulators (Electricity) was being attended b participants from members countries inlcuidng Abdul Khayer and Firoz Zaman from Bangladesh, Nima Tshering and Sangay Phuntsho from Bhutan, Shazeena Ismail from Maldives, Nutan Prkash Sharman and Sumanta Kumar Sah from Nepal, Nilantha Sapumanage and Gamini Sarathehandra from Srilanka and Habibulrahman Rahmat and M Waris Mustamadi from Afghanistan.

The council elected senior advisor of NEPRA Hussnain Zigham as its chairperson.

First meeting of the SAARC Council was held in Thimpu, Bhutan in December 2016 and it primarily focused on the adoption of the work plan and terms of reference of the council.

RAWALPINDI, Oct 24 (APP):Pakistan Armed Forces as contributor to United Nations Peacekeeping efforts, have joined the UN on its 72nd founding day.

According to a press release of Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) issued here on Tuesday, Pakistan’s support to UN Peacekeeping operations began in 1960 when Pakistan deployed its first ever contingent in the United Nations’ Operation in Congo.

Pakistan Army Peacekeepers have participated in 43 UN Peacekeeping Missions including some of the most challenging ones.
As many as 153 Pakistan Peacekeepers have sacrificed their lives including 23 Officers for global peace and stability under
UN auspices.

As of today, over 6,000 officers and soldiers are performing their duties as part of UN peacekeeping assignments.

Pakistan is one of the largest and most effective Troops Contributing Countries consistently for years. Professionalism and services of Pakistan peacekeepers have been widely acknowledged by world leaders and UN leadership.

ISLAMABAD, Oct 24 (APP):Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Tuesday said Pakistan remained fully committed to maintain good order at sea and was always ready to cooperate on maritime issues of global concern.
Addressing at the inaugural session of 13th meeting of Head of Coast Guard Agencies Meeting (HACGAM), the Prime Minister said the dependence of global economy on oceans continued to increase and the safety and security of maritime resources and sea lines of communication had become more important.
The Prime Minister said the role of Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) as the country’s sole maritime law enforcement agency remained vital and was mandated to enforce national and international laws, agreements and conventions in the maritime zone of Pakistan.
He said the government had equipped PMSA with potent sea-going platforms as well as aircraft fully functioning at coastal bases.
Prime Minister Abbasi said the government was aware to respond to the emerging maritime challenges, there was a need to commit more resources to enhance its capacity to smoothly perform these tasks.
He said the efforts included wide-ranging maritime initiatives, continued participation of command in multinational task forces of 150 and 151 and regular hosting of AMAN series of exercises were a clear manifestation of the government’s focus and attention on maritime affairs.
He said participation in maritime assistance, disaster relief efforts in Indonesia, Maldives and Sri Lanka and evacuation of foreign nationals from war-stricken areas of Yemen was a reflection of capabilities of Pakistan’s naval forces.
He said HACGAM spearheaded by Japanese Maritime Guards had become a vibrant forum to synergize the efforts of Asian coast guard and maritime security and safety agencies, and provided a platform to enable its members share experiences over wide-ranging maritime issues.
He complimented the Japanese Coast Guards for taking the lead in institutionalizing this forum.
Abbasi said oceans had always been the highways for the world for prosperity and remained an unquestioned most economical medium for trade and transportation.
He mentioned that after the events of 9/11, concerns for security had accentuated both for land as well as in the sea and said due to greater inter-dependencies, the oceans’ disturbance in any part resulted in ripple effect across the globe.
He said in the maritime domain, the issues including terrorism, piracy, illegal trafficking of drugs and weapons, human trafficking, illegal fishing, environmental degradation of ocean ecosystem had become a concern for every state.
The Prime Minister said due to vastness of oceans, the maritime challenges could not be addressed by a single nation, thus cooperation to mitigate these challenges had become a matter of compulsion rather than choice.
He said nations had come together by instituting various regimes and legal instruments to promote peaceful uses of seas, equitable and efficient usage of resources and preservation of marine environment.
He said these principles were also enshrined in the UN Convention of Law of the Seas which called upon all states and their law enforcement entities to act and operate in unison.
The Prime Minister said in Pakistan’s case, more than 95 percent of the trade was dependant on sea, thus sea lines of communication remained a national lifeline.
He expressed confidence that all the organizations present at the meeting would cooperate to address maritime challenges of maritime security and the deliberations made at this forum would be mutually beneficial in pursuit of shared objective of maritime security.
Director General Pakistan Maritime Security Agency Rear Admiral Jamil Akhtar briefed the audience about the features of HACGAM and said the forum was significant in bringing together various Asian Coast Guards and Maritime Security and Safety Agencies for sharing their experiences and discussing issues relating to law and order at sea and common good of people in the region.

ISLAMABAD, Oct 24 (APP):Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Tuesday said after almost three decades of investments, efforts and sacrifices Pakistan was at the closest point to interrupting polio virus transmission and was heading towards finally eradicating it.
In a message on the World Polio Day,the Prime Minister said “the Government of Pakistan is fully committed to winning this decisive round to ensure that our children will never again be afflicted by polio.”
The Prime Minister said Pakistan was one of the last three countries remaining with the wild polio virus.
He said “a polio-free world is within our grasp and are at the last mile of our cherished goal of polio eradication.”
He said Pakistan was fighting an intense final battle with the virus in selected pockets of the country.
Prime Minister Abbasi said today more than 16 million people worldwide, who would otherwise be paralysed, were able to walk – thanks to concerted polio eradication efforts. This means 500,000 people from Pakistan could walk who would otherwise have been affected, he pointed.
“Let us resolve on this World Polio Day that we will give no room for the poliovirus to find any sanctuary within our communities or our homes.”
The Prime Minister thanked the hardworking Sehat Muhafiz who reached out to children across the length and breadth of the country.
He pointed that their dedication had played an important role in bringing close to the goal of eradication of polio.
“I would also like to sincerely thank the leadership of all the political parties, religious scholars, defence forces and security personnel for showing exemplary support towards this national cause”
“When our people come together towards a national cause there is nothing we cannot achieve,” the Prime Minister said and prayed to “Allah Almighty to help and guide us!.”