PLA Navy on way to becoming one of finest, leading navies: Admiral Niazi
BEIJING, Jan 11 (APP):Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral M Amjad Khan Niazi has said that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy was on its way to becoming one of the finest and leading navies after showing remarkable progress over the last two decades, including operating three aircraft carriers.
The Pakistan Navy was looking forward to strengthen its historic relationship with the PLA Navy and cooperate closely to promote peace and stability in the Indian Ocean region while preserving good order at sea, he added.
Admiral Niazi, in an interview with the Global Times, said Pakistan-China friendship “spans over more than seven decades and is imbued with a high level of trust and commonality of interests, and has matured into a comprehensive strategic partnership at the national level”.
In that regard, he added, it was heartening to see the PLA Navy grow into a blue-water navy with a variety of modern platforms in their inventory, including the three aircraft carriers.
“The latest PLA Navy aircraft carrier, the Fujian, designed by Chinese engineers and equipped with electromagnetic aircraft launch system, is a significant leap in the field of naval technology,” Admiral Niazi said.
“Aircraft carriers reflect a country’s strategic orientation and power projection capability. In this regard, keeping in view the strategic relations of Pakistan and China as iron-clad brothers, we wish for the PLA Navy to grow from strength to strength and continue with its modernization efforts to safeguard its national interests, as per evolving geo-strategic dictates.”
In addition to equipment development, Admiral Niazi also spoke highly of the PLA Navy’s personnel development: “Over the last decade, the PLA Navy has grown exponentially and transformed into a highly competent and combat-ready force.
“Based on my recent interactions, I have found the PLA Navy personnel highly professional, determined, and well-trained in line with the modern trends. The conduct of PLA Navy ships at sea highlights their professionalism and adherence to well-defined procedures, which indicates the high standards of PLA Navy training institutes.”
It was encouraging to observe similar traits in the Pakistan Navy personnel who had availed of various training courses in China, Admiral Niazi said.
K-20 Cup 2023: Apollo, Golden, Lucky Star, Ali Garh Club get victories
By Sohail Ali
LAHORE, Jan 11 (APP):Apollo Club, Golden Star Cricket Club, Lucky Star Club and Ali Garh Club emerged victorious in the K-20 Cup 2023 T20 Cricket Tournament matches played here on Tuesday.
Usaid Amin sparkling knock steered Apollo Club to a thrashing 140 runs win over Shah Faisal Club in the 11th match of the tournament. Besides Usaid, Muhammad Akhlaq (53), Babar Arshad (45*) and Rehan Nadeem (30) also batted brilliantly and scored a huge total of 212-5 in allotted 20 overs. M Ilyas, Ali Manzoor, Soban Malik and Bilal Ansari got one wicket apiece.
Superb bowling by Apollo Club bowlers restricted Shah Faisal Club to a paltry 72-10 in 18.2 overs. Only Mohammad Ilyas (17), Ahmad Zahoor Elahi (16) and Salman Mirza (12) reached the double figures. Umair Butt was key wrecker-in-chief grabbed 3 wickets for 2 while Usaid Amin, Mohammad Rameez and Asad Rafiq bagged 2 wickets each. For his all-round performance, Usaid Amin was named player of the match.
Golden Star Cricket Club maintained their supremacy in the tournament as they defeated P&T Gymkhana by 26 runs. Golden Star, batting first, posted a total of 178-8 in 20 overs. Azzam ul Haq hammered 44 runs, Abrar Ahmad 31, Mohammad Naveed 27 and Usama Tahir unbeaten 21. Adan Khan, Adan Mir and Asad Raza took two wickets each.
P&T Gymkhana, in reply, could score 152-10 in 19.2 overs. Ahmed Bhatti top-scored with 52 runs while Mohammad Ishaq struck 39 and Yawar Bashir 17 runs. Ahmad Safi Ullah, Zain ul Hussain, Abrar Ahmad and Sadaqat claimed 2 wickets each.
Lucky Star Club edged past Prince Club by 4 wickets in a thrilling 13th encounter of the tournament. Prince Club, batting first, gathered 137-9 in allotted 20 overs. Zeeshan Shabbir was top scorer with 45 runs while Nasir Shah hit 17 and Asif Ghafoor 16 runs. Abuzar Zafar and Azeem Arshad captured two scalps each.
Lucky Star Club successfully chased the target of 138 runs in 19.3 overs for the loss of 6 wickets. Qasim Akram smashed superb 45 runs while Imran Dogar cracked 22 and Zain ul Hassan 19 runs. For Prince Club, Anas Mustafa and Usman Dhillon got two wickets each.
Sparkling bowling performance by Mubashar Aslam guided Ali Garh Club to a thumping 9-wicket victory over Valencia Club in the 14th match of the tournament. Valencia Club, batting first, scored 123-9 in allotted 20 overs with Ismael Muhammad smashing 33 runs and Adnan Arshad 17. Mubashar Aslam was wrecker-in-chief of Valencia Club batting lineup as he clinched 4-16 while Ehsan Ullah took 3-25 and Awais Nazir 2-15.
Ali Garh Club comfortably chased the target in 15.4 overs losing just one wicket. Both Hazrat Wali and Faraz Ahmad batted sensibly and slammed in unbeaten 57 and 56 runs respectively. The only wicket of Ali Garh batter Zeeshan Ashraf was taken by Muhammad Abbas. Mubashar Aslam was declared man of the match.
On Thursday (January 12), three matches will be played. Pak Lions will compete against P&T Gymkhana at Model Town Greens ground, Township Whites Club will vie against City Gymkhana Cricket Club at Pindi Gymkhana Cricket ground and Shinning Cricket Club will play against Yu Slim Cricket Club by at Model Town Club ground.
UNICEF continues working on restoration of health facilities in flood-hit areas
ISLAMABAD, Jan 11 (APP):United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) will continue to respond to urgent humanitarian needs in flood-affected areas, restoring and rehabilitating existing health, water, sanitation and education facilities for families returning home in the months ahead.
“As families begin to return to their villages, our response has moved with them and our mobile health, nutrition and water teams continue to respond to an immediate lifesaving need,” Abdullah Fadil, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan told here Wednesday.
He said, “We will continue to help restore and rehabilitate existing health, water, sanitation, and education facilities, supporting the government’s efforts in climate-resilient recovery and reconstruction. We know the climate crisis played a central role in supercharging the cascading calamities evident in Pakistan.”
He said, “We must do everything within our power to ensure girls and boys in Pakistan are able to fully recover from the current disaster and to protect and safeguard them from the next one.”
Acute respiratory infections among children, a leading cause of child mortality worldwide, have skyrocketed in flood-stricken areas.
In addition, the number of cases of children identified as suffering from severe acute malnutrition in flood-affected areas monitored by UNICEF, nearly doubled between July and December as compared to 2021 as an estimated 1.5 million children are still in need of lifesaving nutrition interventions.
Nearly 10 million girls and boys are still in need of immediate, lifesaving support and are heading into a bitter winter without adequate shelter. Severe acute malnutrition, respiratory and waterborne diseases coupled with the cold are putting millions of young lives at risk,” Abdullah Fadil added.
UNICEF and partners have started providing items such as warm clothing kits, jackets, blankets, and quilts, aiming to reach nearly 200,000 children, women, and men.
In response to the worsening child survival crisis, more than 800,000 children have been screened for malnutrition, 60,000 were identified as suffering from Severely Acute Malnutrition – a life-threatening condition where children are too thin for their height – and referred for treatment with Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF).
UNICEF health interventions have reached nearly 1.5 million people with primary health care services so far, and 4.5 million children have been immunized against Polio in 16 flood-hit districts. UNICEF and partners have also provided more than one million people with access to safe drinking water, and one million with hygiene kits.
UNICEF Pakistan has permanent field offices in all four provinces and has established four hubs to bring UNICEF operations and programmes closer to the hardest hit areas.
“We have been working with the government of Pakistan, UN agencies, and NGO partners to respond to the needs of the most vulnerable populations in 55 calamity-affected districts, both for displaced populations and those returning to the location of their destroyed villages
NHA mobilizes staff, resources amid snowfall
ISLAMABAD, Jan 11 (APP):The National Highway Authority has mobilized the staff and essential machinery to cope with the possible road blockages due to snowfall in northern areas, including in Murree and Galiyat.
According to a statement issued by NHA spokesman Sohail Aftab, the Authority has issued instructions to the staff to mobilize the machinery and other necessary resources to maintain the traffic flow on the national highways.
General Manager Zafar Yaqoob Khan was monitoring the entire situation on the instructions of Federal Minister for Communications Asad Mehmood.
NHA teams have been alerted at various places to deal with snowfall and essential machinery had been transported to various locations in view of bad weather.
Citizens have been advised to avoid unnecessary travelling in bad weather.
Transparency in disbursement of cash assistance hallmark of BISP: Faisal Kundi
ISLAMABAD, Jan 11 (APP):Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, Faisal Karim Kundi Wednesday said ensuring transparency in cash disbursement to deprived and underprivileged women is the hallmark of the working of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).
Faisal Kundi stated this while discussing various initiatives of the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) with the Ambassador of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) in Pakistan, Ms Dilsad Senol who called on the minister.
The SAPM informed the visiting ambassador that BISP had recently released a tranche of over Rs. 55 billion as the first quarterly instalment for the year 2023 for disbursement among women registered under the Benazir Kafalat Programme.
An additional release of about rupees 13 billion has been made separately for Benazir Educational Stipends, he continued.
He also apprised the visiting ambassador that Benazir Nashonuma Program has been extended to 118 districts across the country and 169 Facilitation Centers have been made operational so far.
The Minister of State underscored that for complaint redress of the BISP beneficiaries, a Call Centre has been established in the BISP head office. Instructional videos for awareness and advocacy are also shared on social media platforms on regular basis, he added.
Rs. 70 billion have been distributed among the 2.8 million people who were affected by floods, Faisal Karim Kundi added.
The devastation of floods in Pakistan has pushed many people below the poverty line.
BISP has, therefore, launched Dynamic Survey in the flood-affected areas as well as all over Pakistan for the inclusion of such people in the Benazir Kafalat Programme, Faisal Kundi said.
Ambassador Senol noted that floods have put an extraordinary burden on the government of Pakistan to the provision of relief to the affected people.
She said that the whole world is exposed to climate changes and climate-related calamities and every country will have to face its consequences, however, the world is still not ready for it, she observed.
The visiting TRNC ambassador appreciated the Government of Pakistan for establishing diplomatic ties with TRNC and said that over ten thousand Pakistanis are living in TRNC and we feel that very soon cricket would be introduced in TRNC as well.
World poses trust in Pakistan’s leadership in Geneva conference: Ashrafi
ISLAMABAD, Jan 11 (APP): Prime Minister’s Special Representative (PMSR) for Interfaith Harmony and Middle East Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi on Wednesday said the entire world had expressed confidence in the leadership of Pakistan in the Geneva conference.
Addressing a press conference here, he commended the unwavering efforts of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and his team for making the event a success story.
Ashrafi who is also the chairman of Pakistan Ulema Council thanked the international community and Islamic Arab countries particularly Saudi Arabia for supporting Pakistan beyond expectations in this difficult situation.
He said the Geneva conference was an eye-opener for those who were making propaganda against Pakistan’s economic condition and making tall claims that it was moving towards bankruptcy instead of helping the situation to bring it on track.
He said making such propaganda for political and personal gains could have destructive impacts on the national economy.
He expressed the hope that friendly countries would never let Pakistan go default as they always helped Pakistan in crucial times.
Ashrafi proposed the political and religious leaders to remove their differences and strengthen the national economy with collective efforts. “We should take constructive steps to bring the country at par with developed countries beyond political and religious affiliation,” he maintained.
He said it was easy to talk about the state of Madina but it was difficult to constitute a state on its pattern. The nation should be educated about the system of Khilafah Rashidah and the measures taken for the welfare of common people in the era, he added.
Shedding light on the significance of Khilafah system, he said everyone was accountable, no one was a sacred cow, justice was provided at the doorstep of people and no revenge was taken under this fabulous way of government.
He said the Pakistan Ulema Council and its affiliated parties had decided that the virtues of Syedna Siddiq-e-Akbar and the system of Khilafah Rashidah and the state of Madinah would be described in the Friday sermons across the country.
