Home Blog Page 12533

Shaza Fatima emphasizes importance of women empowerment

0
Loans of 30b distributed in five months; SAPM

ISLAMABAD, Mar 20 (APP): The Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Youth Affairs, Ms Shaza Fatima Monday emphasized the importance of woman’s economic empowerment and financial inclusion and highlighted the need for a multi-pronged approach to address gaps.

While chairing a session on woman’s economic empowerment and financial inclusion organized by the British High Commission’s Revenue Mobilization, Investment and Trade (REMIT) program the SAPM expressed gratitude to REMIT, FCDO, development partners and the private sector for convening the session.

The session was a part of REMIT’s “Economy for All” initiative that works towards mainstreaming gender in key economic reform work.

Speaking on the occasion the SAPM highlighted several government initiatives supported by REMIT, including the solarization of tube wells and the national youth employment policy.

She also mentioned the business youth loan program but noted that only 7% of female entrepreneurs had availed themselves of loans under the program, indicating a need for further initiatives.

She emphasized on the need of building soft skills for women, providing digital devices such as laptops, establishing digital youth hubs for skills mapping, and improving market connectivity for female entrepreneurs to enhance their economic empowerment and financial inclusion. She said her office is open to partnerships.

Addressing the session, the Additional Secretary Board of Investment, Ms Ambreen Iftikhar, said that the government is committed to the consolidation of efforts of all stakeholders to ensure that policies are communicated and implemented effectively.

Naghma-e-Tehniat from British High Commission said that commitment to women and girls empowerment is at the heart of the UK government’s efforts and the newly launched strategy focuses on partnerships for economic empowerment of women at all levels.

She assured commitment through REMIT’s Economy for All group and also BHC funded programs at the national and sub national levels.

The session included presentations from State Bank of Pakistan, SMEDA and Board of Investment with participation from the private and development sector including Jazz, USF, FPCCI, COPAIR, GIZ, ADB, FBR, MG Apparel, Katalyst Labs and provincial Chambers.

Rana Tanveer for strong education, culture, technology with ICESCO

0
Rana Tanveer for strong education, culture, technology with ICESCO

ISLAMABAD, Mar 20 (APP): Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Rana Tanveer Hussain Monday appreciated the friendly relations existing between Pakistan and the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO).

During a meeting with a senior delegation led by Director General ICESCO Dr. Salim M. Almalik, the minister expressed his desire to further strengthen these relations in the field of education, culture, science and technology and thanked Salim Almalik for visiting Pakistan to participate in the 5th VC Conference.

The minister was apprised of the setting up of two ICESCO Chairs on Big Data at Quaid-i-Azam University and the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Islamabad which will be fully funded by ICESCO at US$160,000.

The minister was briefed that an Agreement for improving water, sanitation and hygiene facilities at 30 rural schools in Pakistan (20 in ICT and 10 in GB) has also been finalized.

Rana Tanveer appreciated the cooperation between ICESCO and SUPARCO and signing of the agreement during this visit.

He said that under the leadership of DG, ICESCO Pakistan expects an increase in cooperation with ICESCO and proposed cooperation between Pakistan and ICESCO for girls’ education and out-of-school children (OOSC) enrollment and education including the school on wheels project.

Dr. Salim assured the minister that under his guidance Pakistan will be the first recipient of the digital library project and ICESCO will drastically increase its funding in Pakistan’s education sector.

He acknowledged the role being played by Rana Tanveer in bringing Pakistan to the forefront for all of the donor agencies by highlighting the legitimate challenges of the education sector of Pakistan.

In the end, he appreciated and acknowledged the good work being done by ICESCO in Pakistan to uplift the education sector.

Secretary Federal Education and Professional Training Waseem Ajmal Chaudhry, and Chairman Higher Education Commission Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed also attended the meeting.

Bilawal performs ground-breaking of 1200-bedded ZAB Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases

0

KARACHI, Mar 20 (APP): Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto on Monday performed a ground-breaking at a ceremony held for the construction of the 1200-bedded- Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases at Korangi, here.

The ceremony was attended by Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah, Federal Health Minister Abdul Qadir Patel, Provincial Health Minister Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, Senator Nisar Khuhro, Executive Director NICVD Dr Nadeem Qamar, all the provincial ministers, diplomats, MPAs and PPP leaders and workers in a large number.

The new ZAB institute of cardiovascular disease stretches over an area of 40 Acres, located just North of the intersection of Main Korangi Road with Shah Faisal Korangi Road. The site is bordered on the south by the Institute of Animal Health.

Speaking at the foundation stone-laying ceremony, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that Pakistan was going through economic, political and constitutional crises.

He said that Sindh was being deprived of local bodies representatives. PPP was accused for not holding local elections, he said and asked now who was stopping this system from moving forward.

“We have held the local body elections and now who is stopping the election of the Mayor?” he asked.

“Some elements are hindering the election of a PPP Mayor and now our mandate is being robbed off,” said Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

“The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has given a date of April 18 during the month of Ramadan for the by-elections of local bodies in Sindh for the leftover UCs and the local bodies will elect their heads on April 30,” he said.

However, Bilawal directed Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and Law Minister Murtaza Wahab to immediately approach the Sindh High Court against the schedule issued by the ECP.

The foreign minister also expressed concerns over the ongoing digital census in the country and added that “we have drawn a red line on this matter”.

The PPP Chairman said that new free heart treatment hospitals were being established, adding there was no hospital in the whole world that could treat this number of patients for free.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that under the 18th Constitutional Amendment, NICVD Karachi was handed over to the Sindh government in the year 2015, and now this institution had become the world’s largest free heart disease hospital.

He said the NICVD Sukkur was the largest hospital after NICVD Karachi, while there were satellite centers associated with this institution in Hyderabad and Larkana as well as in Tando Muhammad Khan, Sehwan, Nawabshah, Mithi and Khairpur.

Seventeen chest pain units are functioning in Karachi, while such units are also functional in Ghotki, Tando Bago, Jacobabad, Umerkot, Tando Allahyar, Mirpurkhas and Shikarpur.

He further said the PPP was of the opinion that having no money should not be an obstacle in the treatment of a citizen, adding that NICVD Hospital of Sindh was ready to compete with any hospital in India and Europe.

He said that for the past 15 years, a few critics had been busy on targeting the Sindh government and were questioning what had PPP done. He said the well-performing NICVD was an answer to these opponents.

He said that those 70-year-old politicians who say that their struggle spanned 30 years and claimed rivers of milk and honey flowed during their rule but not a single hospital like NICVD was established in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab provinces where they ruled. “I am 30 years old and in a short period of time I have made the world’s largest hospital for the free treatment of cardiovascular diseases,” he added.

Bilawal said that at present inflation, unemployment and poverty were on the rise and in these conditions, this was a gift for the people of the entire country including Sindh province.

He pointed out that more than one lac patients from other provinces had benefited through getting free of cost medical treatment in the hospitals built by the Sindh government. Medical treatment in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was only for money while in Sindh free treatment was being provided to serve humanity.

The PPP Chairman said that in Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, there was a scam going on in the name of health cards, where public money was being given to private insurance companies instead of spending on hospitals.

Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister apprised the chairman about the new ZAB institute and about the health initiatives he had taken so far.

He said that after the commendable achievement of NICVD in cardiac quality care and treatment for the people of Pakistan, the ZAB institute would be another huge achievement of his government to establish a 1200-bed hospital,

Murad Shah said that upon completion, the ZAB Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases would be the world’s largest cardiac center, catering to a projected population of 20 million in Karachi and also to the rest of the country.

“This state-of-the-art complex will comprise seven buildings, occupying a total area of 2,400,000 square feet. Equipped with the most advanced medical technology,” he said and added that it would offer specialized cardiac medical services, including 16 major and minor operating rooms, 18 cardiac cath labs, two  MRI labs, four CT labs, and a range of imaging procedures.

The CM said the hospital would boast the country’s largest clinical and animal research facility, among other services.

“Pakistan Peoples Party prides itself on always recognizing healthcare as one of its major priorities,” the chief minister said, adding that Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto always urged the party to focus on education and on health.

Talking about SIUT Healthcare Model, the Community-Govt partnership, the CM said that between 2018 to 2022 the largest dialysis centre with 380 machines performed around 1350 sessions daily.

He said that the largest transplant center performed 6,844 kidney transplants with life-long follow-up and medications for both donors and recipients. The CM said that the center with five lithotripters treating a large number of stone diseases, dedicated pediatric urology, nephrology, and transplant center.

He added that it has a dedicated oncology hospital in the public sector with two radiotherapy machines and PET CT facilities. He proudly said that nearly 15 million people benefited from different services during the last five years.

In Sukkur transplant service was started in SIUT Chablani Hospital where at breast cancer unit surgery, chemo, radiotherapy, and PET CT facilities had been provided.

Murad Ali Shah talking about the JPMC ‘Cyberknife’ unit, said that it has treated 38, 000 patients and 18000 radio surgeries completed since 2012. He said that a new surgical complex was being established there. The new CyberKnife Unit was being equipped with a robotic surgery facility.

The Chief Minister said that Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) had performed 756 liver transplants, 147 kidney transplants, 101 Cornea transplants, 43 Bone marrow transplants, 142 cochlear implant procedures and treated 2446 cancer patients, and gamma knife and 194400 patients in emergency.

Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah talking about his government’s partnership with Childlife Foundation said that his government was working with them in 95 Sindh government hospitals and this partnership would further extend to all the government hospitals by the end of this year.

The CM said that no child would be more than 30 minutes away from the world-class ICU services across Sindh. “We treat 1.2 million Pediatric Patients per year. “In the near future we are going to integrate with ambulatory services,” he concluded.

Earlier, Minister Health Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho talked about the health services being provided by the provincial government. Executive Director Dr Nadeem Qamar gave a detailed briefing about the ZAB institute project and about the performance of the NICVD and its satellites.

A woman holding a Banner Flex to protect from rain while riding on motorcycle in the Provincial Capital

0
A woman holding a Banner Flex to protect from rain while riding on motorcycle in the Provincial Capital
APP54-200323 LAHORE: March 20 – A woman holding a Banner Flex to protect from rain while riding on motorcycle in the Provincial Capital. APP/AMI/TZD/FHA
A woman holding a Banner Flex to protect from rain while riding on motorcycle in the Provincial Capital
APP54-200323 LAHORE

A large number of people in a queue to collect free flour bags distributed by Government in connection with the Ramadan package at Argenton Road

0
A large number of people in a queue to collect free flour bags distributed by Government in connection with the Ramadan package at Argenton Road
APP56-200323 LAHORE: March 20 – A large number of people in a queue to collect free flour bags distributed by Government in connection with the Ramadan package at Argenton Road. APP/AMI/TZD/FHA
A large number of people in a queue to collect free flour bags distributed by Government in connection with the Ramadan package at Argenton Road
APP56-200323 LAHORE

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Youth Affairs, Miss Shaza Fatima Khawaja while speaking at an event organized by British High Commission’s REMIT programme

0
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Youth Affairs, Miss Shaza Fatima Khawaja while speaking at an event organized by British High Commission's REMIT programme
APP59-200323 ISLAMABAD: March 20 - Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Youth Affairs, Miss Shaza Fatima Khawaja while speaking at an event organized by British High Commission's REMIT programme. APP/TZD/MOS
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Youth Affairs, Miss Shaza Fatima Khawaja while speaking at an event organized by British High Commission's REMIT programme
APP59-200323 ISLAMABAD

National Productivity Organization (NPO) CEO Alamgir Chaudhry is addressing the seminar, organizing Ministry of Industries & Production, Government of Pakistan at Local hotel

0
National Productivity Organization (NPO) CEO Alamgir Chaudhry is addressing the seminar, organizing Ministry of Industries & Production, Government of Pakistan at Local hotel
APP52-200323 LAHORE: March 20 - National Productivity Organization (NPO) CEO Alamgir Chaudhry is addressing the seminar, organizing Ministry of Industries & Production, Government of Pakistan at Local hotel. APP/AMI/TZD/FHA
National Productivity Organization (NPO) CEO Alamgir Chaudhry is addressing the seminar, organizing Ministry of Industries & Production, Government of Pakistan at Local hotel
APP52-200323 LAHORE
National Productivity Organization (NPO) CEO Alamgir Chaudhry is addressing the seminar, organizing Ministry of Industries & Production, Government of Pakistan at Local hotel
APP53-200323 LAHORE

Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial along with Supreme Court’s honorable Judges Justice Yaya Khan Afridi, Justice Jamal Khan Mandukhail, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazahr, Chief Justice Balochistan High Court Naeem Afghan and BHC’s judges group photo at Supreme Court Registry’s new established building

0
Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial along with Supreme Court’s honorable Judges Justice Yaya Khan Afridi, Justice Jamal Khan Mandukhail, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazahr, Chief Justice Balochistan High Court Naeem Afghan and BHC’s judges group photo at Supreme Court Registry’s new established building
APP47-200323 QUETTA: March 20 - Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial along with Supreme Court’s honorable Judges Justice Yaya Khan Afridi, Justice Jamal Khan Mandukhail, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazahr, Chief Justice Balochistan High Court Naeem Afghan and BHC’s judges group photo at Supreme Court Registry’s new established building. APP/TZD/SSH
Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial along with Supreme Court’s honorable Judges Justice Yaya Khan Afridi, Justice Jamal Khan Mandukhail, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazahr, Chief Justice Balochistan High Court Naeem Afghan and BHC’s judges group photo at Supreme Court Registry’s new established building
APP47-200323 QUETTA

Information Secretary PPP Sindh Aajiz Dhamrah addressing at the 5th death anniversary of PPP MNA Muhammad Ayaz Soomro at local Hotel

0
Information Secretary PPP Sindh Aajiz Dhamrah addressing at the 5th death anniversary of PPP MNA Muhammad Ayaz Soomro at local Hotel
APP51-200323 LARKANA: March 20 - Information Secretary PPP Sindh Aajiz Dhamrah addressing at the 5th death anniversary of PPP MNA Muhammad Ayaz Soomro at local Hotel. APP/NAS/TZD/SSH
Information Secretary PPP Sindh Aajiz Dhamrah addressing at the 5th death anniversary of PPP MNA Muhammad Ayaz Soomro at local Hotel
APP51-200323 LARKANA

Mauritius embassy marks 55th Independence anniversary

0
Mauritius embassy marks 55th Independence anniversary

ISLAMABAD, Mar 20 (APP): Mauritius High Commissioner to Pakistan Rashidally Soobadar on Monday commemorated the 55th anniversary of Independence Day and 31st Mauritius Republic Day here at a local hotel.

The ceremony was commemorated by playing national anthems of both countries, which was also attended by the Dean of the diplomatic corps H.E. Mr Atadjan Novlamov, Additional Secretary Africa Mr Javed A. Umrani.

Speaking on the occasion Rashidally Soobadar lauded the deeply rooted cordial relations of both countries and said, today Mauritius is a safe and secure country, as it is one of the most peaceful countries on the African continent.

He also thanked prominent personalities, diplomats, and excellencies and special thanks to the Deputy Head mission and staff for organising this event in a peaceful manner.

The high commissioner also highlighted the significance of independence and cherished the value of freedom, Mauritius has changed the whole destiny of the island in a short span of time, he added.

On the occasion, his excellency offered sympathies with all the victims of natural calamities in Turkey, Syria and flood in Pakistan.

He also shed light on the achievements since independence on 12 March 1968. Mauritius values peace, security, law and order, good governance, accountability, accessibility and rule of law.

He said Mauritius offers tourism expertise to exploit the untapped potential of the sector, saying he believed it can significantly contribute to the national economy.

Mauritius has a strong road infrastructure and standard hotels quality transport was also vital to facilitate and attract tourists.

He said the entire world was facing a difficult time and despite severe lockdowns due to Covid-19, Mauritius’ economy was recovering gradually from these financial constraints.