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Govt. ensuring equal rights, opportunities to PWDs: PM

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Irfan Khan
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Govt. ensuring equal rights, opportunities to PWDs: PM

ISLAMABAD, Dec 3 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said that the government was ensuring equal rights and opportunities to the persons with disabilities (PWDs), in every walk of life.

No country and society could achieve progress without inclusion of PWDs in all sectors of life, the prime minister said in message on the observance of ‘International Day of Persons with Disabilities’ on December 3.

The prime minister said the government was also ensuring that the PWDs should get all rights including health, education, jobs, transport and voting and get access to all facilities of life.

He said today, the world was observing the Day of PWDs and they appreciated efforts of all persons with disabilities who had been striving to improve their lives and their families by facing different challenges.

These efforts by the persons with disabilities were precedent for others to follow, he added.

The prime minister stressed upon the public and private sectors to strive for the betterment of PWDs with joint efforts, adding the media should also spread awareness about the rights and needs of persons with disabilities.

Reiterating resolve, the prime minister urged the people to play their role for making the PWDs as effective members of the society and for their inclusion in the national mainstream.

Naval Chief meets military leadership of Turkiye, Germany, Azerbaijan

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NNPS Desk
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Naval Chief meets military leadership of Turkiye, Germany, Azerbaijan

ISLAMABAD, Dec 3 (APP): Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi visited Turkiye, Germany and Azerbaijan and called on military and naval leaderships of the host countries.

During the meetings, matters of bilateral naval collaboration and regional maritime security were deliberated, said a news release received here.

Naval Chief meets military leadership of Turkiye, Germany, Azerbaijan

During his visit to Turkiye, the Naval Chief attended the launching ceremony of Pakistan Navy Ship (PNS) MILGEM Class Corvette PNS Khaibar, held at Istanbul Naval Shipyard, Turkiye.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and President Republic of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan graced the ceremonies as chief guests.

Naval Chief meets military leadership of Turkiye, Germany, Azerbaijan

During the ceremony, spouse of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Begum Amira Amjad had the honour to launch the most modern PNS Khaibar.

Upon arrival at the German Federal Ministry of Defence, the Chief of the Naval Staff received a warm welcome and guard of honour by the German Navy.

He called on the Inspector of the German Navy wherein matters of mutual interest were brought into the discussion. Later, Naval Chief visited Wilhelmshaven Naval Base where he was given a briefing on the German Navy Flotilla followed by the visit of German Navy Ship.

Naval Chief meets military leadership of Turkiye, Germany, Azerbaijan

Later on arrival at Baku, Naval Chief received a guard of honour from the Azerbaijan Navy. He called on Cdr Azerbaijan Naval Forces and Minster of Defence Colonel General Zakir Hasanov.

The Naval Chief invited the host navy to participate in Ex AMAN-23 and Pakistan International Maritime Expo and Conference (PIMEC-23) to promote Blue Economy and open vistas of cooperation among the countries. Later, the Chief of the Naval Staff visited Military Unit & Azerbaijan Higher Military School and interacted with the concerned faculty.

Naval Chief meets military leadership of Turkiye, Germany, Azerbaijan

The visit of the Naval Chief is expected to augment and expand defence ties between the two countries in general and armed forces in particular.

Sherry for more projects, resources of development sector, partners on climate change

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NNPS Desk
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PTI's violent protests after IK's arrest by NAB alarming, condemnable: Sherry Rehman
File

ISLAMABAD, Dec 3 (APP): Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman on Saturday urged the development sector and partners to enhance projects and resources on climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Addressing the International Summit on Higher Education and Workforce Development in the 21st Century organised by USAID’s Higher Education System Strengthening Activity, the Minister said ecology was based entirely on scientific models that demanded stakeholder intervention to understand its complex issues.

Sherry Rehman said there was need to convene such forums frequently to work on climate mitigation and adaptation models whereas the climate change mitigation and adaptation projects needed to focus on land issues.

Commenting on the flood devastation, the Minister said the floods had changed the demographics and geography of Pakistan’s cities and villages, adding, the affected communities would take a long time to recover.

“Climate change has adversely affected economic, educational and health sectors in the country. The flood affected families have lost their homes, livestock and crops. It is now up to our education and development sector to help people reclaim their dreams,” Sherry Rehman said.

The Minister expressed her concerns over less public awareness and education on climate change. “We need to make climate change as a part of the curriculum at every level and it needs to be part of education. There is a need to build climate change departments in our universities,” she added.

Senator Sherry Rehman underscored that there was a desperate need of environmentalists and scientists as even today government departments were working in isolation. However, all sectors and partners needed to work together for coping with the overarching challenge of climate change, she ended.

Efforts underway to establish institutional linkages between Ethiopia, Pakistan: envoy

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NNPS Desk
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Efforts underway to establish institutional linkages between Ethiopia, Pakistan: envoy

ISLAMABAD, Dec 03 (APP): Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia to Pakistan Jemal Beker Abdula has said that concerted efforts were underway to establish institutional linkages between Ethiopia and Pakistan which were crucial to boosting the already flourishing ties and bilateral trade between the two brotherly countries.

Addressing the business community from across the country here at the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) office, he said efforts were afoot to sign accords between the trading organizations of both countries to ensure bilateral trade under a legal system.

“Our government is strongly looking forward to building a strong relationship with Pakistan, which is located in a very important region and has major economies in its neighborhood,” he remarked.

The bilateral trade between the two countries was minimal and amounted to 78 million US dollars, however, he said adding his target was to take it to 300 million US dollars by the end of 2023.

“We have identified the products which will be exported to my country from Pakistan. Pakistani business community can contribute to Pakistan’s economic development by exporting rice, pharmaceutical products, medical equipment, sports items, and construction material to my country,” he added.

Moreover, the Government of Pakistan, he said, could import agricultural products such as coffee, tea, pulses, oilseeds, and vegetables from Ethiopia, which “will eventually help it meet the growing demand for edible items.”

He said the Ethiopian Mission was planning to organize a visit of the Pakistani business delegation to his country by the beginning of 2023. “This visit is solely dedicated to Pakistan to help its businesspersons explore, understand and connect with the business community of Ethiopia.”

“I can assure Pakistan investors that their investment in Ethiopia will be protected by the government and will also have an international guarantee as my country is a member of the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency,” Jemal Beker said.

“The government of Ethiopia is taking multiple steps to facilitate foreign investment in our country. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed chairs a meeting of the Board of Investment every two months to address the challenges faced by investors in our country,” the envoy added.

He also announced that Ethiopian Airlines would start its operation in Pakistan soon and it was likely that the first business delegation would fly to Ethiopia on its maiden flight to his country.

The ambassador said Ethiopia had undergone a lot of reforms under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ali Ahmed who has been working tirelessly and selflessly to make Ethiopia a symbol and beacon of prosperity in Africa.

He said Ethiopia was all set to become a manufacturing hub in Africa as 96.4 percent of energy was being produced from the cheapest source i.e. hydro energy. Ethiopia has already been exporting clean energy to Djibouti, Kenya, and Sudan. Export of the cheapest energy to many other regional countries is underway advance interconnectivity through energy.

“Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is another major sector in which Ethiopia is making strides with the development of a technology transformation road map, innovation ecosystem and conducive technology center,” he added.

On the other hand, the business communities from various chambers under the auspices of the FPCCI expressed their commitment and readiness to explore and harness the availed opportunities in Ethiopia-Land of Origin.

UNHCR warns of risky Andaman Sea crossings amid rising numbers

By
Abdul Hanan
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'World Refugee Day' to be observed on June 20

UNITED NATIONS, Dec 03 (APP): The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, on Friday, issued an alert over the dramatic increase in the number of people attempting to cross the Andaman Sea, from Bangladesh and Myanmar.

The Southeast Asia waterway is one of the deadliest in the world and more than 1,900 people have already made the journey since January — six times more than in 2020, the Geneva-based UN agency said.

“UNHCR warns that attempts at these journeys are exposing people to grave risks and fatal consequences, UNHCR spokesperson Shabia Mantoo said. “Tragically, 119 people have been reported dead or missing on these journeys, this year alone.”

Most of those risking their lives are Rohingya refugees, who fled Myanmar in their hundreds of thousands in 2017, to escape military persecution.

In an appeal for help from Governments in the region, UNHCR said that the most recent arrivals included more than 200 people in North Aceh, Indonesia, where the authorities allowed them to disembark and provided shelter. Ms. Mantoo said the agency welcomed and appreciated their efforts.

Refugees who safely disembarked on the Indonesian coast from the two boats, a fortnight ago, are currently hosted, somewhat ironically, in a former immigration office in Lhokseumawe.

UNHCR, with UN migration agency, IOM, and partners, is on the ground, the Spokesperson said.

“We are working closely with the local authorities to help support the refugees, including through registration, providing for their basic needs and working to ensure secure and adequate accommodation for the two groups.”

UNHCR has also received unverified reports of more boats with desperate individuals, adrift at sea, who require life-saving rescue and attention, she said.

With increasing levels of desperation and vulnerability forcing more refugees to make these deadly journeys, UNHCR and humanitarian partners continue to stress the need for increased regional and international cooperation to save lives and share responsibility.

Indonesia currently hosts nearly 13,000 refugees and asylum-seekers mostly from Afghanistan, Somalia and Myanmar and should not be alone in rescuing and disembarking people adrift at sea, Ms. Mantoo added.

“It is imperative that States in the region uphold their commitments made in 2005 under the Bali Process to collectively find solutions for these desperate journeys”.

In 2016, Asia-Pacific governments pledged to do more to prevent people dying on such journeys, after 5,000 men, women and children were abandoned by people-smugglers in the Andaman Sea, and left adrift, starving and sick, for months.

Sherry slams Imran Khan for anti-parliamentary democracy remarks

By
Abdul Hanan
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Sherry Rehman PPP

ISLAMABAD, Dec 3 (APP): Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman on Saturday slammed Imran Khan for his anti-parliamentary democracy remarks and said Khan’s statement against parliamentary democracy was condemnable.

In a series of tweets, the Federal Minister expressed that Imran Khan and his party had always railed against parliamentary democracy.

Senator Sherry Rehman said in his (Imran Khan) eyes, the system in which he gets power is correct, then be it the presidential system.

“He is a dictator in the guise of a politician himself,” she alleged. The Minister added that by mocking the moral standards of the people of Pakistan, Imran Khan had humiliated every Pakistani.

The man who was disqualified due to corrupt practices was now teaching the nation high morals, she said, adding, “If he himself follows moral principles, why is he not leaving politics after disqualification?”

The Minister said the political parties and the nation had made sacrifices for the restoration of the constitution and parliamentary democracy in the country. “Imran Khan’s 26 years of political struggle have been spent in eating money in the name of charity. But our leaders and workers have sacrificed their lives for the restoration of this democratic system,” Sherry Rehman said.

US calls for probe as it denounces attack on Pakistani embassy in Kabul

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NNPS Desk
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Pakistan has right to defend itself against cross-border terrorism: US

WASHINGTON, Dec 03 (APP): The United States Friday condemned the attack on the Pakistani Embassy in Kabul targeting its head of mission, Ubaid Nizamani, and called for a full investigation.

“We offer our sympathies and wish a quick recovery to those affected by the violence,” State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told his daily press conference.

“The United States is deeply concerned by the attack on a foreign diplomat, and we call for a full and transparent investigation,” he added.

Pakistan committed to well-being of persons with disabilities: President

By
Abdul Hanan
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0

ISLAMABAD, Dec 3 (APP): President Dr Arif Alvi Saturday said that Pakistan was committed to promoting the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in all spheres of society.

The president, in his message on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities being observed under the theme ‘Transformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in fuelling an accessible and equitable world’ on December 3, called for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in all spheres of life.

Dr Alvi said the inclusion of PWDs in all spheres of life as equal and fully capable persons was paramount as over one billion people or almost 15 percent of the world’s population suffered from some form of disability.

“Unfortunately, out of this 15 percent, 80 percent live in developing countries, which also include Pakistan where the population of PWDs is estimated to be more than 10 percent that is indeed an alarming figure.”

The president said,“On this day, we pledge ourselves to remove stereotypes attached to this huge population and take proactive steps to give them equal opportunities in all aspects of life.”

He stressed providing the PWDs with quality and customized education and skills, which “maximize their abilities, make them economically and financially empowered, besides creating enabling conditions for their participation as equals in political, social, economic and cultural mainstreams”.

He pledged to take on board everyone, including the PWDs, to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 10, “which strives to reduce inequality within and among countries by empowering and promoting the social, economic and political inclusion of all, including persons with disabilities”.

He expressed full faith in the country’s leadership, relevant institutions, and society for rising to the occasion and taking all necessary steps to promote an understanding of disability issues.

In this regard, he emphasized mobilizing support for the dignity, rights, and well-being of PWDs by increasing their access to technology, enhancing accessibility to public places, and creating legal, social, and economic conditions.

The president urged the members of the public and private sectors to undertake special efforts for the inclusion of PWDs into the mainstream of all sectors of life, particularly by providing them with education in mainstream institutions.

He called for ensuring the provision of quality and relevant healthcare facilities and treatment to the PWDs, besides providing employment to them as per their skills and abilities, and implementing their job quotas with creating an enabling and friendly environment for them.

The president urged the media to play its role as an important stakeholder in dispelling and discouraging negative attitudes and stereotypes attached to the PWDs through their media products.

“I believe that if we join hands and direct our energies and efforts with commitment and determination, and take all stakeholders on board, we can succeed in integrating the PWDs as equal and normal members of our society,” he said.

Sanjrani expresses grief over Najma Hameed’s demise

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NNPS Desk
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ISLAMABAD, Dec 03 (APP): Senate Chairman Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani has expressed his sorrow and grief over the sad demise of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leader, former Senator Begum Najma Hameed.

In a condolence message, Sanjrani said the death of Najma has deeply saddened him. The services of the deceased in politics are unforgettable.

Senate Chairman prayed for salvation of the departed soul and expressed deep sympathy to bereaved family members.

Likewise, Senate Deputy Chairman Mirza Muhammad Afridi, Leader of the House in Senate, Senator Ishaq Dar, Leader of the Opposition in Senate, Senator Dr Shahzad Wasim also expressed their deepest sorrow and regret over the death of former Senator Najma Hameed in their separate condolence messages to the family of the deceased.

They expressed their heartfelt sympathies with the family members of the deceased, who was the sister of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) MNA Tahira Aurangzeb and maternal aunt of Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb.

Begum Alvi underlines need to safeguard PWD’s rights with provision of facilities

By
Irfan Khan
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Samina Alvi
Begum Alvi underlines need to safeguard PWD’s rights with provision of facilities

ISLAMABAD, Dec 3 (APP): First Lady Begum Samina Alvi on Saturday stressed upon the need of paying special attention to the rights of the persons with disabilities (PWDs) so that they should not lag behind in playing their effective role in the society.

The First lady, in a message on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities being observed on December 3, said that over one billion people of the world’s population suffered from some form of disability.

She observed that PWDs were not handicapped, but they possessed slightly different capabilities. They possessed certain capacities like other ordinary people.

She said it was a collective responsibility of all to encourage the PWDs to become effective members of the society.

Begum Alvi also stressed upon the business community to provide employment opportunities to the PWDs according to the quota and their talents. They should also provide safe and friendly environment to the PWDs at the places of jobs.

Due to the existence of certain hurdles in the social, physical and basic infrastructure, the PWDs were deprived of the quality educational and health facilities, she added.

She called upon the nation to provide all possible support and facilities to the PWDs in their surroundings and include them in their daily life activities by safeguarding their rights.

She appealed to the media to highlight the rights of the PWDs and dispel and discourage the negative attitudes and stereotypes in the society, adding it was regrettable that persons with disabilities were kept aloof from the mainstream of society.

The first lady further observed that PWDs had to face numerous issues in their ordinary life, including access and movement in different buildings due to lack of proper facilities and ramps. Moreover, they had to face differences and negative attitudes in the society.

Begum Alvi expressed the optimism that with joint efforts, they would be able to diffuse the negative attitude attached with disabilities.  

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