Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addresses the inaugural ceremony of the refurbishment of unit 5 and 6 of Mangla Dam
Pakistan must prepare itself against changing global geo-political and geo-economic situation: Speakers
ISLAMABAD, Dec 5 (APP): The speakers at a seminar on Monday said the country was needed to prepare itself in the backdrop of changing global geo-political and geo-economic situation.
The four-day Sustainable Development Conference (SDC) was organized by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) in Islamabad and jointly held alongside UNESCAP’s 6th South and Southwest Asia High-level Political forum and Policy Dialogue on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Speaking at the morning plenary on the first day of the conference, former National Security Advisor Dr Moeed W. Yusuf said that geographically Pakistan could not escape from the great power contestation, as uni-polarity was morphing into a new world order.
“Pakistan can either become proxy ground for this contestation or emerge with a model where destabilized Pakistan is unfavorable for the world and we must move away from assistance to development partners,” he said.
Dr Moeed Yusuf said that Pakistan needed a strategy to send skilled labour to aging countries so as to increase remittances.
He further suggested that Pakistan also needed to take bold policy choices, decentralize power to local governments and allow lateral entry of experts into revamp the government structure.
He stressed on deregulation and privatization of economic space and prioritizing policy continuity in key governance areas through legal and constitutional guarantees.
Haroon Sharif, former Chairman of Board of Investment, shedding light on four major challenges said that globalization was shifting towards regionalism and proximity advantage could cut the cost of trade, an opportunity Pakistan should not miss.
“Global tensions and conflicts are causing exogenous macro-economic shocks and share of nations in international organizations has become political leverage which is unfavorable for Pakistan’s bargaining positions,” he remarked.
He suggested that amidst inflation, trade and partnerships diversification and regionalism can be the viable solutions.
Emphasizing separating geo-economics from geo-strategic positioning, he said that the government should offer purely economic value by offering asset swaps so that the countries economic and investment interests could be interlinked.
Gen. (retd) Zubair Mahmood Hayat, former Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee said that geo-strategic contest of power at global level and regionally RSS-driven and BJP-led Bharat and associated Akhund Bharat ideology have serious geo-strategic ramifications for Pakistan.
He said that it was not pure geo-economics, but intertwined geo-strategy and geo-politics at play.
He stressed the need for devising concrete policies to accelerate clean energy transition and exploiting blue economy to access unexplored markets.
Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri, Executive Director SDPI said COVID-19 has decreased global GDP by US$10 trillion and continues to affect global trade and energy market.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has challenged the agriculture market; G7 countries and EU have conflicts over hard choice between heating or eating, which has crowded global energy market, he added.
Ashrafi rejects US report on religious freedom in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia
ISLAMABAD, Dec 5 (APP):Special Representative of the Prime Minister on Interfaith Harmony and Middle East Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi on Monday rejected the report of the United States (US) on religious freedom in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
Addressing a press conference, Ashrafi, who is also the chairman of Pakistan Ulema Council, said the minority communities in Pakistan equally enjoyed all human rights like the rest of the citizens of the state.
He said the information being provided to the US Commission on Religious Freedom was not based on reality as the elements allegedly involved in disinformation against Pakistan had their own hidden agendas to disrepute the peace-loving country in the comity of nations.
He invited the US Commission to pay a visit to Pakistan and witness the ground realities of the standard of living of minority communities in the country.
He emphasized the US commission to revisit the report and urged not to be part of any conspiracy against Pakistan, adding that if someone had apprehensions it could be resolved with mutual understanding as issues were part of life.
“The way, Muslims were being humiliated in the wake of Islamophobia in Canada, US, England and European countries, it was crystal-clear before the world,” he maintained.
Ashrafi said since the beginning of December, the Christmas celebrations had kick started in the country, adding that in the same way, Hindu and Sikh communities were observing their religious festivals without any fear at any nook and cranny of the country because their legal rights were completely protected in the Constitution.
Expressing his astonishment, he said there was no mention of India where minorities were being treated as third-class citizens. “It proves that the report on religious freedom is based on prejudice and it has nothing to do with reality,” he opined.
He further mentioned that Haramain Sharifain was the center of Muslim Ummah’s faith and the Saudi Arabia’s government was serving them in the light of Quran and Shariah.
Ashrafi quoting a verse of Quran said the entry of non-Muslims was prohibited in the jurisdiction of two holy cities – Makkah and Madina, adding that the US should desist from giving its guidelines on the religious matters of Muslims.
Regarding the current social and economic challenges being faced by Pakistan, he said its solution was lying in unity and negotiation.
He proposed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan to opt for unconditional dialogue as there was a dire need for electoral reforms before the general elections in the country.
He also asked the Imran Khan to avoid “loose talk” against the former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa as he had been his “well-wisher and helped him through thick and thin in the PTI’s tenure”.
“It was Imran Khan who used to praise General Bajwa as the most democratic person,” he reminded.
Shahid Afridi desirous of Pak-India bilateral series
SUKKUR, Dec 05 (APP):Former Captain of Pakistan Cricket Team Shahid Afridi on Monday said there had been no bilateral cricket series between Pakistan and India and the last was played in 2012-13.
“Despite the matches at ICC tournaments, the spectators of both sides of the countries wanted to see their respective teams playing at the bilateral level,” he said.
Talking to the media, here in Sukkur, he said the relations between Pakistan and India had always improved due to cricket, hoping for better relations between the neighboring countries.
Afridi gave the idea to establish cricket academies in Sindh to promote cricket talent.
“Talent in Sindh can only be brought into the limelight through building academies,” he said and added that the authorities in Sindh should work for the betterment of sports in the province.
Afridi thanked the Sukkur Chamber of Commerce for inviting him. He praised the Sukkur Chamber of Commerce and Industries for its development work.
He said the ‘Shahid Afridi Foundation’ had been providing relief goods to flood-hit people in Sindh and Balochistan urging people to spend more.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addresses the inaugural ceremony of the refurbishment of unit 5 and 6 of Mangla Dam
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif inspecting the ongoing work on unit 3 and 4 of Mangla Dam
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif inspecting the ongoing work on unit 3 and 4 of Mangla Dam
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif being briefed about the refurbishment project of Mangla Dam and about the operations of the newly inaugurated units
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif being briefed about the refurbishment project of Mangla Dam and about the operations of the newly inaugurated units
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif inaugurates unit 5 and 6 of Mangla Dam after their refurbishment
