Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif visits free flour distribution points established under PM’s Ramzan Package for deserving families
Immense opportunities for investors in diverse sectors of Pakistan: PM
ISLAMABAD, Mar 27 (APP): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Monday said immense opportunities existed for investment in mining, information technology, energy, communication and infrastructure sectors in Pakistan and the government was taking measures to provide all possible facilities to investors.
The prime minister was talking to a delegation of Barrick Riko Diq Mining Company led by its chief executive officer Mark Bristow.
Mark Bristow informed the prime minister about the progress on the mining project.
The PM said many areas of Pakistan especially Balochistan were rich in mineral resources and the government was working on priority basis for fully utilizing these natural resources.
The recent agreement on the Riqo Dik project would be beneficial for both sides, he said adding Riko Diq project would be a game changer for Balochistan and would usher in a new era of progress.
The PM said a project support team should be formed for execution of the Riko Diq project and directed that all relevant departments should fulfill their responsibility for implementation of the project.
The prime minister was told that seventy percent people working on the project belonged to Balochistan.
It was informed that the mining company had established a school in Riko Diq with the cooperation of the community development committee in the area. Besides, steps would be taken for imparting professional and higher level education to youth of the area so that they could get jobs.
It was told in the briefing, work was continuing on providing facilities of clean drinking water and health in the area and alternative energy was being used in the mining project.
Shehbaz Sharif appreciated the mining company for its welfare projects to fulfill its corporate social responsibility.
He invited the company to work with the government to establish Danish Schools in Balochistan.
Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar, Advisor to PM Ahad Cheema, State Minister for Petroleum Musadiq Malik, Special Assistant to PM Jehanzeb Khan and high ranking officers attended the meeting.
IHC grants time for providing details of FIRs filed against Imran
ISLAMABAD, Mar 27 (APP): The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday adjourned the hearing on a petition of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan, seeking details of FIRs lodged against him in the federal capital by the police and FIA.
The case was adjourned as the federation and state’s counsel prayed to the bench to grant more time in this regard.
Chief Justice Aamer Farooq heard the case filed by the PTI chief. During the hearing, the court asked the state’s counsel to provide the details of cases filed against Imran Khan by tomorrow.
The chief justice remarked that he could issue directives as per the jurisdiction of this court. Moreover, the hearing of the case was then adjourned till tomorrow.
Pakistan pavilion in Brussels festival attracts visitors
ISLAMABAD, Mar 27 (APP): The Embassy of Pakistan in Brussels participated in an international festival with a uniquely designed Pakistani pavilion featuring Pakistani street food, handicrafts, sporting products, photo booths and many interesting activities for the visitors.
The International School of Brussels Festival is an annual celebration of diverse cultures and traditions from all around the world, which was held after a gap of three years, due to the global Covid pandemic.
A large number of visitors including the younger generation Monday visited the international festival and took keen interest in various facets of Pakistani culture, reflected through interesting and informative documentaries, books, and cultural displays.
The embassy of Pakistan had displayed an array of cultural displays depicting rich heritage, cultural diversity, tourism and export potential of the country. The displays included artifacts, ornaments, handicrafts, top export products, traditional costumes and photographs.
A selection of books and documentaries about tourism and culture in Pakistan, were also showcased, which provided the visitors with a unique insight into the rich history, traditions and tourism potential of the country.
The traditional Pakistani street food also attracted many visitors who liked the traditional Pakistani cuisine especially, Biryani, Samosas, Seekh Kebabs, Kheer as well as special Pakistani Kashmiri chai.
The pavilion also featured a Hina tattoo corner, offering intricate and beautiful henna designs for those looking for a more immersive experience.
The visitors deeply appreciated the Pakistani cuisine and beautiful artifacts displayed at the Pakistan Pavilion.
President appoints Mansoor Usman as new Attorney General
ISLAMABAD, Mar 27 (APP): President Dr Arif Alvi has accepted the resignation of Attorney General of Pakistan Barrister Shehzad Ata Elahi and appointed Advocate Supreme Court Mansoor Usman Awan as the new Attorney General.
The President accepted the resignation and made the appointment on the advice of the Prime Minister under article 100 of the constitution.
PM, Hanif Abbasi discuss political situation
ISLAMABAD, Mar 27 (APP): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Monday held a meeting with former member National Assembly Hanif Abbasi.
During the meeting here, they discussed the overall political situation in the country.
Experts stress access to clean energy for gender equality, sustainable development
ISLAMABAD, Mar 27 (APP):Executive Director, Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri on Monday said women in rural areas were not only burdened with the collection of bio-mass for energy but also suffered the health burden of respiratory diseases from the exposure to hazardous smoke.
He was speaking at SDPI’s seminar on “Women in Energy: Perspective on Clean Energy Transition”.
He said that gender-segregated data is a key element in gender affirmative responses and ensuring gender mainstreaming in climate policies as well as making substantial progress towards the SDG5 that calls for gender equality.
Research and Media Coordinator, Renewable First Annam Lodhi, stressed the role of social media in leveraging awareness of the women, climate and energy nexus.
She further suggested that a robust engagement with media can play a pivotal role in increasing awareness and raising the issue of gender disparity in energy access and participation of female labor in the energy sector.
Energy Specialist, World Bank Sadia Qayyum said that the energy policies in Pakistan have been traditionally blind to the differences in gender-wise energy consumption and the different impacts they have on genders.
She said that only 40% Pakistanis have access to clean cooking energy and the disparity worsens based on income levels and rural to urban divide.
She highlighted the high energy access disparity across the country and said that women in rural areas and lower income households are more vulnerable to lack access to clean energy, particularly in cooking.
Founder, Women in Energy Nameerah Hameed said that the energy sector globally is male-dominated and women account for only 4.6% of technical staff in the energy sector and 3.6% in administrative positions.
She stressed increasing participation of women in climate and development solutions, increasing their engagement in climate actions, and in public leadership roles leading climate responses.
She further said that women representation in country delegations must be increased to at least 50% at COP to mainstream gender equality in leadership positions.
Program Manager, Indus Consortium & Member, PREC Fiza Qureshi said that rural women spend most of their time at home shouldering the entire burden of household chores making them highly vulnerable to energy poverty.
She stressed that the transition to clean energy in Pakistan must include solar power cooking appliances for the feminist just energy transition in Pakistan.
She suggested that international financial institutions such as should consider debt to climate swaps and reallocate them to increase access of rural flood-affected women to energy, education and livelihoods.
Senior Research Economist, PIDE Afia Malik called for long-term integrated institutional and political measures to create a strong foundation of sustainable economic empowerment of women, especially in rural areas.
She said that this is crucial to enable them to adopt clean energy solutions and play effective part in climate change mitigation.
She further said that large segment of rural women do not have CNICs which hinders their access to financial services for clean energy solutions and from access to digital services including risk sharing facilities, credit lines, and insurances.
Visiting Research Fellow, SDPI Dr. Hina Aslam said that progress towards the achievement of SDGs will only be slowed down if women are not engaged and empowered.
She stressed on not just equality but inclusivity to ensure a just and economically viable energy transition.
She suggested that clean energy programs must also include transgender persons and not leave anyone behind for a just transition.
IHC grants interim bail to Imran in seven FIRs
ISLAMABAD, Mar 27 (APP): The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday granted interim bail to PTI chairman Imran Khan till April 6, in seven FIRs pertaining to riot and vandalizing public property at the judicial complex Islamabad.
The court stopped police from arresting the petitioner till the next date and also sought comments from the federal government regarding the withdrawal of security from the former prime minister.
A two-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb heard the bail cases along with the objections raised by the registrar’s office in FIRs registered by various police stations.
Former prime minister Imran Khan appeared before the court in a personal capacity.
During the course of the proceeding, the chief justice questioned why the petitioner had bypassed the relevant forum. He said that the biometric verification could also be done from anywhere.
The chief justice observed that the law and order situation would be critical only when around ten thousand people would come along with the petitioner. He said that we admitted that the PTI was a big political party and people use to come but law and order also needed to be maintained.
Justice Farooq further noted that serious security threats to the life of Imran Khan could be a genuine fact and he had already faced an attack in the past.
Justice Miangul Hassan said that several times this court had given directions to the chief commissioner to ensure the security arrangements. The chief justice remarked that unfortunately Salman Taseer incident also took place here.
The court said the former prime minister Imran Khan also had his own security. Justice Farooq remarked that it was serving notice to the federal government on the issue of security for the ex-prime minister.
The chief justice remarked that withdrawing security from the former prime minister was a wrong act. Justice Miangul Hassan asked the advocate general to get information and ensure the restoration of security immediately if it was withdrawn.
Advocate General Islamabad Jahangir Jadoon said that the trial court was shifted from Kachehri to judicial complex for security reasons. It was also the responsibility of Imran Khan to ensure a peaceful environment during his appearance, he said, and alleged that PTI workers set fire to the vehicles there.
The court also stopped Chaudhry Fawad Hussain and Jahangir Jadoon from cross-talk before it.
During hearing, Imran Khan also arrived at the rostrum and requested permission to speak. However, the court asked him to sit in his seat.
Imran’s lawyer Barrister Salman Safdar argued that there was a threat to the life of the former prime minister.
The petitions had stated that the FIRs against Imran Khan were registered on political grounds. It prayed the court to grant
PTI chairman interim bail and stop the police from arresting him.
Imran Khan’s lawyer Barrister Salman Safdar argued that Lahore High Court (LHC) had accepted the protective bail to his client on March 17. His client filed bail petitions to the anti-terrorism court on March 18, but he was not allowed to enter.
He said that two former prime ministers had been assassinated in the history of Pakistan. He said that his client had no objections to go judicial complex.
Earlier, the registrar’s office had raised two objections against the petitions including shortage of Imran Khan’s biometric verifications and moving the cases directly to the high court without approaching the trial court.
Kashmiris diaspora should fully expose Indian rights abuses in IIOJK: Sultan
ISLAMABAD, Mar 27 (APP): AJK President Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry on Monday said the Kashmiri diaspora in the United Kingdom should play their due role in fully exposing India’s fascist government’s ugly face and the worst human rights violations being committed by its occupation forces in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK).
Referring to the worsening political and human rights situation in the IIOJK, he said India had broken all records of barbarism and brutality in Kashmir.
The Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) president was talking to Chaudhry Khadim Hussain, President of Kashmir Peace Forum International Midland, who called on him here at the Kashmir House.
He said that under the given circumstances, it was our shared responsibility to draw world attention towards the plight of our Kashmiri brethren who he said were being humiliated, harassed, beaten and even killed day in and day out by India’s so-called security forces.”It is our responsibility to expose Modi’s malicious ambitions as well as his nefarious designs in the region”, the president said.
Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry on this occasion appreciated the efforts made by Kashmir Peace Forum International to highlight the Kashmir issue in the UK. ENDS/APP / AHR.
Senator Moulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Chairman Senate standing committee on Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony presiding over a meeting of the committee at Parliament House
