
Students of Sheikh Zayed International Academy (SZIA), performing during the opening ceremony of UAE photo exhibition the celebrations of 51st National Day at Centaurus Mall


Indian white eye perched on branch of a tree in search of food early morning at F9 Park


President urges bureaucracy to provide prompt services to public

ISLAMABAD, Nov 30 (APP): President Dr Arif Alvi on Wednesday urged civil servants to transform bureaucracy into a service-oriented discipline by increasing its efficiency and outreach, especially to the underprivileged and underserved areas of the country.
He said the bureaucracy should focus on providing relief to the people by removing redundant impediments, thus providing hassle-free swift services to the people at their doorsteps.
The president expressed these views while addressing the participants of 117th National Management Course (NMC), comprising senior civil servants of different services and occupational groups, at Aiwan-e-Sadr, President Secretariat Press Wing said in a press release.
Addressing the participants, the president said that the bureaucracy should focus its energies, abilities, knowledge and expertise to provide relief to the people of Pakistan by adopting an open-door policy and improving service delivery to all parts, especially to the people of far-flung areas.
Commitment to the welfare of the people should be the central pillar of bureaucracy, which most of the time did not require money but a change in attitudes, he observed.

The president highlighted the need to review Pakistan’s bureaucratic processes to bring in an exponential increase in its effectiveness, efficiency and outcome with the help of Artificial Intelligence-based technologies.
While replying to a question, he said the bureaucracy needed to provide solutions to problems by identifying them, factoring in successful past experiences, benchmarking the best practices around the world and setting key performance indicators with a definite timeline for the achievement of targets.
The president said that Pakistan was facing population growth, which was putting tremendous pressure on its limited resources, however, out-of-box ideas and solutions could help better manage the population growth and thus converting them into an economic and financial asset.
He said that out of 8 million pregnancies every year, half were unwanted, and by improving the availability of contraceptives these unwanted pregnancies could be reduced to half, which would help reduce population growth.
Replying to another question, the president said that although provinces spent more than 20% of their budgets on education, however, the quality and quantity of the educational services required substantial improvement.
He underlined the important role of civil bureaucracy in ensuring the allocation of resources and its judicial, purposeful and objective utilization to improve the condition of existing schools and create new facilities, both in-house and online and to bring over 20 million out-of-school children into the education system.
He said that assistive technology and enabling conditions for over 20 million differently-abled persons could make them economically empowered and would ensure their mainstreaming.
He also highlighted the permeation of mental health disorders and issues and said that over 24% of country’s population was facing mental health issues and underlined the need for taking necessary steps to reduce the stress level in society by taking appropriate time-bound interventions.
The president underscored that the world needed qualified and skillful human resources, especially in the IT and Cyber Security sectors, and if Pakistan managed to provide the required knowledge, education and skills to its youth, it could turn them into a highly productive human resource.
The president said that experience around the world had shown that hybrid and online education systems were more effective in terms of quality and cost and were playing a vital role for those students who could not acquire an in-house education.
He further said that the Higher Education Commission and Higher Education Institutes should benchmark the best practices of the hybrid and online education system to increase their reach to a large number of people without compromising the quality of education.
The president also highlighted the need to improve the justice system by removing backlog and making the provision of justice inexpensive, which would help in streamlining our systems and providing speedy relief to the people.
Currently, 117th NMC with 52 participants is in progress and its aim is to build the capacity of senior officers of civil services to help formulate and implement the public policy for the continuous improvement of governance at national and provincial levels.
COAS General Asim Munir calls on PM

ISLAMABAD, Nov 30 (APP): Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif here at the PM House on Wednesday.
Professional as well as matters relating to national security were discussed in the meeting, which was the first after General Asim Munir assumed the office of Army Chief, a statement issued by the PM Media Wing here said.
The Prime Minister congratulated General Asim Munir on the assumption of the office of COAS.
He said, “The nation is happy over your appointment as Army Chief. The relations of trust and love between the people and armed forces will further strengthen.”
“The leadership of a competent officer like you will help further improve the professional development of the institution,” the Prime Minister maintained.
COAS General Asim Munir thanked the Prime Minister.
Labourers busy in construction work of bhara kaho bypass along Srinagar highway


Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Youth Affairs, Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja and Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates H.E. Hamad Obaid Alzaabi, viewing painting in opening ceremony of UAE photo exhibition during the celebrations of 51st National Day at Centaurus Mall





Problems confronted by business community needed to be resolved on priority basis: Governor
KARACHI, Nov 30 (APP):Governor Sindh Kamran Khan Tessori Wednesday said that the problems confronted by business community needed to be resolved on priority so as to ensure rapid industrial growth in the province.
This he said while talking with Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar at Governor House here, said a statement.
Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Revenue Tariq Bajwa and Governor State Bank of Pakistan Jamil Ahmed were also present on the occasion.
The governor said that Karachi being the economic hub of the country required special attention regarding provision of uninterrupted electricity and gas.
It was essential for ensuring industrial productivity, he added.
The governor lauded the efforts of federal government for providing relief to common man.
Despite financial difficulties, the federal government’s steps in that regard were commendable, he added.
He also said that all the stakeholders of the province were being approached to create harmony and unity for the sake of prosperity of the province.
He said that with the funding federal government infrastructure facilities in the province would also improve.
The federal finance minster lauded efforts of the governor for progress and prosperity of the province.
He and the governor State Bank assured that grievances of business community would be addressed on priority basis.
Overall economic situation of the country, problems of business community, measures to provide relief to common man, release of funds for federally funded projects and other matters of mutual interests were discussed in detail on the occasion.
Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar takes charge as law minister

ISLAMABAD, Nov 30 (APP): Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar on Wednesday took charge as Minister for Law and Justice in the cabinet of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Upon arrival at the Ministry of Law and Justice to join his new responsibilities, Azam Nazeer was received by the Secretary Ministry of Law and Justice and senior officials.
The Secretary Law and Justice gave a detailed briefing to the Law Minister regarding the affairs of various wings and sections of the ministry.
Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar also had a telephonic conversation with the Minister of Justice of the United Arab Emirates, Abdullah bin Sultan bin Awad Al Nuaimi.
They discussed matters of mutual interest and further development of bilateral relations. The issues of mutual legal assistance between the two countries were also discussed in detail.
Both the dignitaries also discussed the process of Pakistan’s from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list.
Senator Tarar said that Pakistan was always ready to support its brother country UAE.
He also thanked the UAE government for assistance during the flood situation in Pakistan. UAE had always supported Pakistan in difficult situations, he added.
Secretary Sports Punjab distributes grant money cheques among 12 provincial sports associations
Sohail Ali
LAHORE, Nov 30 (APP):Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Ehsan Bhutta distributed cheques of Rs 7.2 million grant money among 12 more provincial sports associations at an impressive ceremony held here at Punjab Stadium on Wednesday.
In all, cheques of Rs 3 crore 8 lakh have been distributed among provincial sports associations.
Additional Secretary Sports Malik Sanaullah, Director General Sports Punjab Muhammad Tariq Qureshi, Director Admin Syed Umair Hassan, Secretary Punjab Olympic Association Idris Haider Khawaja, Assistant Director Zahoor Ahmed and representatives of different provincial sports associations were also present on this occasion.
Addressing the ceremony, Ehsan Bhutta said the Punjab government has taken a revolutionary measure for the growth of sports culture in the Punjab province by distributing grant money cheques among provincial sports associations.
“Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Taimoor Masood has played a key role in the release of this huge grant money,” he added.
He said that this grand amount must be spent on sports activities and its utility should be reflected in the shape of encouraging and positive results of sports events.
“Sports and Youth Affairs Department Punjab and Sports Board Punjab have organized several top class sports events in recent months and we will continue this healthy practice in future as well,” he added.
While briefing the participants, Director General Sports Punjab Muhammad Tariq Qureshi said that Punjab
government has allocated a huge amount for the promotion of sports culture in all parts of the province.
“Now with this amount, provincial sports associations should hold maximum sports events at all stadiums, grounds and gymnasium halls of the province”.
He said that the talented male and female players of the province will improve their performance to a great extent after the release of this huge grant money.
As per detail, a grant of Rs 20 lakh was given to Punjab Olympic Association and Rs 10 lakh to Punjab Football Association.
Rs 7 lakh each were awarded to Punjab Boxing Association and Punjab Volleyball Association, Rs 5 lakh to Punjab Kick Boxing Association.
Five provincial sports associations such as Punjab Canoeing Association, Punjab Junior Sports Association, Punjab Bodybuilding Association, Punjab Rowing Association and Punjab Tug of War Association were given Rs 3 lakh each while Rs 2 lakh each were granted to Punjab Muay Thai Association and Punjab Ski Association.
Federal Minister for Energy, Engr. Khurram Dastagir is being presented with memento during the Inauguration ceremony of Wind Power Projects at Jhimpir District Thatta


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