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NA Speaker extends condolences over Najma Hameed’s death

By
Abdul Hanan
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ISLAMABAD, Dec 03 (APP): National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf and Deputy Speaker Zahid Akram Durrani on Saturday extended the deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathies over the sad demise of (PML-N) leader Begum Najma Hameed.

Paying moving tribute to Najma Hameed, who was the maternal aunt of Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ms Marriyum Aurangzeb, Speaker and Deputy Speaker said her untimely death has deprived the country of the services of a principled, intelligent and brave political leader. Her political and social services will be remembered for long.

They said Begum Najma, who was the sister of MNA Tahira Aurangzeb, remained loyal to her party the PML-N, during difficult times.
Speaker, Deputy Speaker prayed for the salvation of the departed soul and expressed deep sympathy to bereaved family members, especially Tahira Aurangzeb and Marriyum Aurangzeb, the sister and niece of the deceased respectively.

‘Lok Mela festival promoting Pakistani culture, providing entertainment to public: minister

By
Abdul Hanan
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PM Laptop Scheme to empower youth: Muqam
file photo

ISLAMABAD, Dec 3 (APP): Adviser to Prime Minister for National Heritage and Culture Engr Amir Muqam on Saturday said that the annual Lok Mela festival was playing a significant role in promoting the country’s soft image effectively and connecting people with their rich cultures.

In an exclusive talk with PTV news, he said that the 10-day event aimed at promoting and preserving arts, crafts, culture, folk music, and traditional skills of Pakistani people.

While lauding the services of Lok Virsa management for organizing such an excellent folk festival, he said everyone, including artists, sponsors, and organizers contributed towards making the Mela a success, which was evident from the number of visitors.

This unique event has now become a symbol of the federation’s recognition where people from all provinces are actively taking part and presenting their cultural shows to entertain visitors, he added.

He also welcomed all the participants of the mela and said that his ministry is determined to the conservation, preservation, and propagation of the folk cultural heritage of Pakistan.

The events like Lok Mela are a priority of the present government as these promote Pakistan’s traditional culture and provide healthy entertainment for the people, he said, adding, last year due to the COVID pandemic the event was canceled but now we again revive its activities.

He also expressed the hope that the Mela would play an important role in promoting harmony, brotherhood, national integration, and cultural understanding.

“Pakistani people are hospitable and we need to highlight the correct image of the country at national and international levels”, he added.

Replying to a question, he said his ministry was in the process of revising Pakistan’s cultural policy to ensure national integration and promote enlightened moderation.

4.5 magnitude quake jolts parts of KP

By
NNPS Desk
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ISLAMABAD, Dec 3 (APP): An earthquake measuring 4.5 on the Richter scale jolted several cities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province including Peshawar in the wee hours of Saturday.

People came out of their homes in panic and started reciting verses from the Holy Quran. No loss of life and property was reported from any part of the province due to earthquake, a private news channel reported.

According to US Geological Survey (USGS), the epicenter of the earthquake was located in the northeastern mountainous region in Afghanistan at the depth of 94 kilometres.

Kashmir dispute adds more to list of PWDs: Chairman KIIR

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NNPS Desk
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Holding G20 summit in India or any where in IIoJK amounts to whitewash Modi government's crimes: Wani

ISLAMABAD, Dec 03 (APP): Chairman Kashmir Institute of International Relations (KIIR) Altaf Hussain Wani while stressing the need for early resolution of Kashmir dispute, has said that the unresolved dispute had not only increased the vulnerability of existing disabled persons and their families but it had added more to the list of people with disabilities (PWDs).

In a press statement issued on Saturday on the occasion of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the KIIR chairman while referring to continued bloodshed and violence in the disputed territory, said that continued violence and unrest in the region had played a key role in growing number of people with disabilities, especially after the use of pellet guns by Indian forces.

Terming the use of 3rd degree torture as the main state tool to cause disability, Wani further said that inhuman torture techniques employed by Indian forces against detainees in custody and use of excessive force against peaceful protesters have left thousands of Kashmiris disabled for life.

He said that the use of so-called non-lethal weapons like pellet guns by the Indian forces have led to permanent disability of hundreds of Kashmiri boys and girls who lost their eyesight after being injured by pellet-firing shotguns. Apart from the pellet guns, he said Indian forces had been employing gruesome methods of torture such as crushing the leg muscles with a wooden roller, giving electric shocks and burning detainees’ sensitive parts with heated objects during the interrogation.

“Since 1990, scores of naturally disabled persons have been killed by the trigger-happy Indian forces”, he said, adding that between 2016-18, the vision of 1,253 people was impaired after being hit by pellets.

Referring to a report, Wani said, between 2015 and 2017, 31,085 people were certified as disabled in different districts of Kashmir marking 74 percent jump from 17,898 people in three preceding years.

About the impact of landmines on the lives of innocent Kashmiris, he said that cases of disabilities in Kashmir have increased manifold since India started to use deadly pellet guns in Kashmir. On the other hand, he said, use of landmines and booby traps by the Indian army had wreaked havoc on the lives of people living in the areas adjacent to the LoC.

The KIIR chairman urged the international community to take effective notice of the matter and hold the Indian government accountable for the crimes its forces have been inflicting upon Kashmiris.

UNSC condemns attack on Pakistani embassy in Kabul, demands punishment to perpetrators

By
Abdul Hanan
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'Deeply alarmed' UN Security Council asks Taliban to drop restrictions on women

UNITED NATIONS, Dec 03 (APP): The UN Security Council issued a press statement condemning in “the strongest terms” Friday’s terrorist attack on the Pakistani embassy in Kabul that targeted the Head of the Mission and called for ensuring the safety of diplomatic and consular premises.

The 15-member Council, acting by consensus, also wished a speedy and full recovery to the security guard who was critically injured in the “reprehensible” attack.

The statement, which came hours after the news of the attack reached here, underscored the need for bringing the perpetrators of the attack to justice.

“The members of the Security Council called on all relevant parties to respect and ensure the safety and security of diplomatic and consular premises and personnel of United Nations Member States,” it said.

The statement added, “The members of the Security Council stressed the fundamental principle of the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises, and the obligations on receiving States under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, to take all appropriate steps to protect diplomatic and consular premises against any intrusion or damage and to prevent any disturbance of the peace of these missions or impairment of their dignity and any attack on diplomatic premises, agents and consular officers.

“The members of the Security Council underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers, and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice.

“They urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with all relevant authorities.”

Beijing, several other cities scrap check on COVID-19 tests for public transportation

By
NNPS Desk
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BEIJING, Dec 3 (APP): Several major Chinese cities, including Beijing and Tianjin, announced they would scrap checks of two-day or three-day valid COVID-19 test results previously required for passengers of public transportation.

Residents in cities such as Chengdu and Guangzhou no longer need to show test results when entering most public places, Global Times reported.

Beijing announced that 48-hour valid nucleic acid tests are no longer needed on buses and subways starting next Monday. Passengers must still keep their masks on, the Beijing government said.

Beijing’s shopping malls will all be open starting from December 3, although some still cannot provide dine-in services, and a 48-hour test is required, media reported.

The capital’s health commission on Friday urged residents to fulfil their duties in preventing COVID-19, and “be the first person responsible for your own health,” a phrase recently used by the local government after the release of the country’s optimized COVID-19 response measures.

The subway operators in Tianjin, Beijing’s close neighbor, also scrapped checks for 72-hour valid nucleic acid tests for passengers starting Friday.

The move followed Chengdu, which, in addition to cancelling checks for nucleic tests for taking subways, told residents on Thursday that nucleic acid tests were not needed to enter most public places, and only green heath codes were required. However, test results were still needed when entering medical institutions.

Chengdu also said that close contacts shall be placed under centralized quarantine in principle, and those who meet the conditions for home quarantine are allowed to be quarantined at home.

The southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, which has been hardest hit by the recent COVID-19 wave, was among the first to cancel checks of nucleic acid tests in some public places in low-risk areas.

Many Chinese cities are further optimizing their epidemic response with a “consistent strategy and flexible measures,” facing the weaker Omicron strain.

The Xinhua News Agency published an editorial on Friday urging cities to impose restriction measures fast and lift those measures quickly, calling for the impact of COVID-19 on people’s lives and economic, social development to be minimized.

Jinzhou in Liaoning Province vowed to clear all cases, claiming it had fought for several days and already seen a tapering point. “It would be a pity if we can clear the cases but we give up,” the government said.

Jinzhou, a city with a population of 2.69 million, has adhered to restrictive measures since November. The city reported 25 asymptomatic cases yesterday.

But on Thursday night, the city walked back its previous statement and announced normal life returning in an orderly manner, including the opening of supermarkets and restaurants, but that 48-hour valid nucleic acid tests are still needed.

APP/asg

Chinese enterprises organize training course for Pakistani staff

By
NNPS Desk
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0
China to launch two weather satellites this year

BEIJING, Dec 3 (APP): A training course for Pakistani employees working in Chinese enterprises was organized to improve their technical skills and counter language barriers.

The opening ceremony of the training course organized by Dongguan Polytechnic was held online, China Economic Net reported.
As many as 134 employees of Sino Mall (PVT.) LTD attended the ceremony.

“Sino Mall (PVT.) LTD was founded in 2012 and has become the largest Chinese supply chain enterprise in Pakistan. We have branches in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and other major cities in Pakistan.” Zargham Abbas, executive director of Sino Mall (PVT.) LTD introduced.

To bring more benefits to Pakistani people, Sino Mall (PVT.) LTD attaches great importance to the development of local teams and the training of local employees. “It has become an urgent need for us to expand the professional skills of our Pakistani staff. I am very looking forward to the professional training, and hope that all the staff could have a good improvement in knowledge, skills, and practice.”

“I hope that this kind of training can be carried out on a regular basis,” said He Dingxiu, the president of Dongguan Polytechnic, which is one of the best vocational colleges in China and provided a platform for the training.

“It can be built into a series of projects for staff training of Chinese companies or Pak-China joint ventures in Pakistan, so as to promote people-to-people connectivity between the two countries. We hope that in the future, Pakistani staff from more Chinese companies will benefit from such training,” he said.

Pakistani men’s apparel exports to China register 17% increase

By
NNPS Desk
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0

BEIJING, Dec. 3 (APP): Pakistani men’s apparel exports to China amounted to $21.03million, up more than 17% in the first 10 months of 2022 as compared with the same period in 2021, as per the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC).

According to the GACC, men’s or boys’ apparel increased by 15.29% worth $11.85 million while last year in the same period it was $ 10.28 million.

Data further showed that men’s or boys’ trousers, and breeches, nes, of cotton up 16.42% and crossed $6.49 million in the first 10 months of 2022, whereas in the same period last year it was $5.58million.

The bilateral trade in textile sectors improved very fast. Women’s garments exports from Pakistan to China crossed $8.32 million while home textiles crossed $6.74 million, witnessing an increase of 29% as compared with last year in the same period which was $5.25 million.

Asif Muhammad Sulehri CEO of Brizbane Group of Companies and textile exporter told China Economic Net that three major factors are behind the increasing export of Men’s clothing to China.

Pakistan is a major producer of cotton crops, and it is cheaper as compared to China so it has a benefit over them, he said, adding that Pakistan has cheap labor compared to China which is cost-effective for men’s apparel exports to China.

“In January 2020, Pakistan and China entered into the second phase of the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA2), under which China has eliminated tariffs on 313 priority tariff lines of Pakistan’s export and out of the 313 high-priority products that Pakistan can now export without duty payments to China, 130 are from the textiles sector,” he stated.

Sulehri said that the reduced tariffs on textile products, an expected surge in Chinese investment into Pakistan, and the potential shift of production base from China to Pakistan, may change the regional dynamics of textiles trade.

“Under the CPFTA2, many Pakistani textile products will now enjoy duty-free access to China, which has extended similar tariff reductions to other trading partners.

Tariffs on readymade cotton garments (HS codes 61, 62, and 63), have been massively reduced, and men’s ensembles of cotton (HS code – 62032200), Pakiistan’s top world export, were traded with China at 17.5 percent (MFN rate) which was reduced to 12 percent under Phase-I of FTA and has dropped to 0 percent in Phase-II of FTA,” Asif mentioned.

“Pakistani government’s target is raising the country’s textile and clothing exports from USD 13.5 billion in 2018 to USD 25 billion by 2025. As China has the world’s largest textile industry—in terms of both production and export— it is an inevitable trading partner for Pakistan to meet this 2025 target”, he added.

It is to be noted that Pakistan’s cotton yarn exports to China is one of the major items of Pakistan’s exports to the Chinese market.

APP/asg

PM expresses sorrow over death of former president PML-N women’s wing

By
Irfan Khan
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0
PM expresses sorrow over death of former president PML-N women’s wing

ISLAMABAD, Dec 3 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday expressed his grief and sorrow over the death of former president of Pakistan Muslim League (N) women’s wing and senior parliamentarian Begum Najma Hameed.

In his condolence message, the prime minister said late Najma Hameed’s contributions to the supremacy of constitution, democracy, country and party were unforgettable.

She was an embodiment of party ideals, principles, brave, affectionate and faithful personality. Her death was a huge loss to the party as she was a precious asset of PML-N, he added.

On his Twitter handle, the prime minister said that he was grieved to hear about the passing of Begum Najma Hameed, ex-PML-N Senator and the aunt of Marriyum Aurangzeb.

“She was a committed & loyal party leader who served the country, party & democracy with dedication,” he added.

The prime minister further said that late leader was a close confidant and companion of PML-N leader Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and late Begum Kalsoom Nawaz. She played memorable part during late Begum Kalsoom’s political struggle with boldness and steadfastness.

The prime minister expressed his condolence and sympathies with the bereaved family including Tahira Aurangzeb and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb.

He also prayed for the high ranks of the departed soul and for the bereaved family to bear the loss with fortitude.

Late Najma Hameed was the elder sister of member National Assembly Tahira Aurangzeb and aunt of Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb. Najma Hameed passed away on Friday night.

Modernization of higher education system key to progress: Minister

By
Abdul Hanan
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0
HEC’s notification against celebrating ‘Hoil’ in varsities withdrawn: NA told
Rana Tanveer Hussain

ISLAMABAD, Dec 3 (APP): Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Rana Tanveer Hussain Saturday said that the modernization of the higher education system is the key to the country’s progress and prosperity and the government was taking result-oriented steps for improving the education system.

The government schools would be standardized across the country, he said while talking to a PTV news channel.

In line with the vision of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif that the government has initiated various steps for making education accessible to youth by giving them a level playing field by modernizing the higher education system in the country, he said, adding, we are paying special attention to the higher education as well as character building of the students so that they could use their leadership abilities for the betterment and sustainable development of society.

Minister said the educators of the government high schools are the valuable assets of the nation and we must restore their respect and provide facilities and funds to them on a priority basis.

He said the government under a well-devised strategy would take various steps to develop a higher education system including the establishment of new schools, rehabilitation, and improvement of existing schools, merit-based recruitment of teachers, and provision of scholarships to students to enhance literacy rates.

The government has taken more initiatives to digitalize students’ databases and faculty development would also be launched in the higher education departments, he added.

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