Girls are getting nail polished at a stall during “Children’s Festival” organized by Islamic Relief Deutschland at local hotel
Children enjoying dart game during “Children’s Festival” organized by Islamic Relief Deutschland at local hotel
Women heading towards their destination holding umbrella during rain in the city
President writes to Indonesian counterpart; seeks support for distressed Pakistani investor
ISLAMABAD, Mar 17 (APP): President Dr Arif Alvi on Friday wrote a letter to his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo seeking his support to resolve the issues faced by a Pakistani investor Malik Muhammad Asif in his business matters.
The president said that both Pakistan and Indonesia were close friends and also bilateral partners, in the context of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
He said the two countries had strived for promotion of economic and trade ties, besides facilitating the businessmen.
The letter said that Pakistani investor Malik Asif had also registered his complaint with Indonesian authorities, through Pakistan’s embassy, but the matter was yet unresolved.
Earlier, the businessman had also requested President Alvi to seek intervention of his Indonesian counterpart for resolution of his problem on fair grounds.
Through the letter, the president had requested his Indonesian counterpart to personally look into the matter for a swift redressal.
President Alvi also conveyed good wishes to President Widodo as well as the Indonesian people.
Politicians praise Lahore police’s restraint despite PTI workers’ attacks
PESHAWAR, Mar 17 (APP): The Lahore police has shown maximum restraint and professionalism that averted untoward incidents during Zaman Park’s skirmishes despite repeated attacks and hooliganism by the PTI workers.
“PTI leadership has tried hard to defame Punjab government and Lahore police by provoking the law enforcers but completely failed in its negative designs,” said Ikhtair Wali Khan, PMLN KP spokesman while talking to APP on Friday.
Praising the high professionalism, commitment to duties and restraint of the Lahore police, he said that the valiant cops have effectively dealt the difficult situation erupted after the PTI workers have pelted police with stones and slingshot, setting police vehicles on fire and ransacking public properties during two days clashes outside Imran residence at Lahore.
As a result of the provoked aggression of the PTI, he said that scores of policemen and law enforcers including officers were critically injured. “The PTI workers had challenged state institutions including police by attacking the law enforcers in Zaman Park on a number of occasions, resultantly many cops being hospitalized.”
“Despite repeated hooliganism and thrashing of police, not a single shot has been fired by the law enforcers and previous lives were saved despite PTI workers’ violence that earned bad name for the country,” he said.
Wali claimed that the recent audio leak has proved that PTI supporters were ordered by the party leadership to procure petrol to use it as a weapon against the police and law enforcers.
“In democratic societies, political leaders were not afraid of jails and faced court trials with courage,” he said, adding Imran Khan was continuously defying court orders. “Does Imran Khan consider himself above the law and constitution? If a three times elected Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif can appear in courts for over 200 times along with his daughter Maryam Nawaz and face imprisonment then why not Imran Khan can appear in courts,” he said.
ANP leader Wajid Ali Khan also praised Lahore police for showing great professionalism and maximum restraint despite PTI workers’ provoking attitude.
Imran Khan instead of surrendering to police has motivated his enraged supporters to create obstruction in police official duties to serve court notices on the PTI chief.
Police had no weapons and ammunition during Zaman Park clashes and were hit with petrol bombs, sticks and stones besides slingshots which was highly deplorable on the part of PTI workers, he said. As a result, about 65 policemen and DIG Operations Lahore were injured and admitted to hospital.
Wajid Khan said Imran had used PTI workers, children and women as human shields to avoid his possible arrest after he was charged in various cases and tried to spread anarchy in the historic city of Lahore.
As a result of the irrational approach of the PTI leadership, he said that surrounding areas of Zaman Park were converted into battle zone that resulted in disruption of traffic causing great difficulties for hundreds of thousands of people and visitors in Lahore.
Strongly condemning Zalmay Khalilzad’s unsolicited advice on the current political situation of Pakistan, PMLN Nowshera President Sahibzada Hamaza said that Zalmay Khalidzad had no right to speak in the internal political affairs of Pakistan.
“Pakistan is an independent sovereign country and no one has the right to pass such unsolicited advice or comment on our internal political affairs,” he said.
He said democracy can’t grow in Pakistan due to repeated unconstitutional intervention, rigging allegations in elections and chaotic economic situations.
Hamzan Khan said it was high time for all politicians to think above party politics and sit together for the country’s larger interest to take the ship of democracy to safe shores.
Agricultural sector indispensable for economic growth: Tasneem Qureshi
ISLAMABAD, Mar 17 (APP):Minister of State for Industries and Production Tasneem Ahmed Qureshi on Friday said that all possible steps were being taken to enable rural development-driven economic growth by enhancing financial inclusion in the agriculture sector to boost productivity and exports.
He expressed these views while addressing a closing ceremony of a five-day international training course on Productivity Gains-sharing in Agribusiness Enterprises.
The event was jointly organized by National Productivity Organization (NPO) and Asian Productivity Organization (APO) Tokyo, Japan.
Tasneem Ahmed said the government is committed to support the agriculture sector and believed that initiatives and platforms which connect such international practices can drive further development of the sector.
He was of the view that the agriculture sector was indispensable for the country’s economic growth, food security, employment generation and poverty alleviation particularly, at the rural level.
The government is closely monitoring key crops, devising policies and planning interventions to ensure un-interrupted supply of basic food items at affordable prices in the country, he added.
The minister said that he was looking forward to enhanced productivity of agriculture sector based on mutual learning and showing the rest of the world that how APO member countries can work together for innovation and development agricultural sector.
He lauded the efforts of the organizers for hosting a successful event which got attention of the APO member countries.
Chief Executive Officer NPO, Muhammad Alamgir Chaudhry tanked the APO for providing an opportunity to bring the experts from 10 different countries to Pakistan which provided an opportunity to interact with people having diverse knowledge and expertise. The program has been proactive to grip with the important topic of productivity gain-sharing in agribusiness enterprises, he expressed.
He hoped that the participants have gained better understanding about the application of gain-sharing tools and techniques to make agribusiness more productive and profitable. Alamgir Chaudhry said that as per his opinion, most of the countries have huge potential but were unable to capitalize it to their full capacity.
He highlighted that Pakistan was an agro-based economy and had very good agricultural crops including wheat and cotton. In fruits, we are the largest producers of mangoes, he said and added, the objective of organizing this program is to ensure participation from different countries and healthy sharing of knowledge.
Head of APO, Tadahisa Manabe also addressed on the occasion.
The APO, established on May 11, 1961, is a union of 21 Asian countries with headquarters in Tokyo working for the promotion of socio-economic development in the region and among member countries.
The members of APO include Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, The Republic of Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, The Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam.
Chinese President to pay state visit Russia
BEIJING, Mar 17 (APP): Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Russia from March 20to 22 at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced in a statement on Friday.
President Xi’s visit will be a trip of friendship, cooperation and peace, said Wang Wenbin, another spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, at a regular press briefing.
In response to a question about the visit’s arrangement, Wang said Xi will have an in-depth exchange of views with his Russian counterpart on bilateral relations and major international and regional issues of common concern so as to promote strategic collaboration and practical cooperation between the two countries and inject new impetus into the development of bilateral relations.
He noted that the two leaders have maintained close contacts in recent years.
The two presidents have guided the sustained, sound and stable development of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.
IHC issues circular for arrangements during Imran Khan’s appearance
ISLAMABAD, Mar 17 (APP):The registrar’s office Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday issued a circular regarding the security and other administrative measures for March 21 during the appearance of PTI’s chairman Imran Khan.
The circular said that the entrance of lawyers and journalists in courtroom No.1 would be allowed through the special passes. It said that only 15 lawyers would be permitted to go along with Imran Khan in the courtroom.
The court had instructed the district administration to ensure the security arrangements during the hearing. The list could be provided till March 20, for issuance of special passes, it said.
The court would hear the bail case of Imran Khan at 2:30pm in courtroom No.1 on March 21.