A vendor is displaying and selling hand made nests for birds at his roadside setup
A vendor is displaying and selling garlands, bouquets and rose petals at his roadside setup
A view of construction work under process at IJP road
IESCO workers are installing a new electric poll at Moti Mehal Chowk
Envoys reaffirm resolve to take Pak-Ethiopia bilateral ties to new heights
ISLAMABAD, Feb 01 (APP):Ambassador of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Jemal Beker Abdula and his counterpart in Addis Ababa Shozab Abbas on Wednesday reaffirmed their resolve to take the already flourishing ties between the two countries to new heights by enhancing bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation.
They expressed their resolve during a meeting held here at the Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE).
Both discussed regional and global issues of mutual interests during the meeting which reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations between the two countries. They agreed to establish contact between the top leadership of Pakistan and Ethiopia.
Ambassador Jemal Beker Abdula said that Ethiopia accorded utmost importance to its ties with the Islamic Republic of Pakistan as both countries had a long history of working together for global peace and preservation of the rule-based world order.
As regards of bilateral trade, the Ambassador of Ethiopia said that the prospect of trade between the two countries was b’right as the business community from both Pakistan and Ethiopia were eager to penetrate in each others’ markets.
He briefed his counterpart on the progress so far made on the Pakistani business delegation flying to Ethiopia on March 5-10 to explore business, trade and investment opportunities in the land of origin.
Jemal Beker said that a high-level delegation from Ethiopia was also expected to arrive in Pakistan in April to formally inaugurate the FDRE Embassy in Islamabad and for signing the agreements in various fields including trade, science and technology, aviation and others.
He also discussed the matters related to the flight operation of Ethiopian Airlines in Pakistan with his counterpart Shozab Abbas who assured him of his full support in this regard.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Shozab Abbas said that there was need to encourage the business fraternity from both sides to interact regularly to boost bilateral trade relations further. Moreover, he said that Ethiopia was a gateway to Africa, HQ for Africa Union and strong partner for Pakistan’s ‘Look Africa Initiative.’
He, however, emphasized promoting educational cooperation between the two countries which was crucial to enhance people-to-people contact between the two countries.
Business community with security forces to quell terrorism: Iftikhar Ali Malik
ISLAMABAD, Feb 1 (APP):The business community across the country on Wednesday expressed solidarity with valiant security forces to frustrate the evil designs of anti-state elements and stamp out the menace of terrorism.
Talking to a delegation of industrialists and traders led by Muslim Khan Buneri, President SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Iftikhar Ali Malik said Pakistan is facing gigantic and myriad challenges including terrorism and the country is passing through a critical period of history since its inception.
He said that with the proverbial resilience of our people, we were destined to overcome this challenge and would soon emerge as a stronger country.
He said the government, the armed forces and the people are on one page to defend the geographical frontiers and flush out terrorism from the motherland. The patriotic business community will help thwart such targeted specific anti state stances by a section of disgruntled and unscrupulous elements, he added
Iftikhar Malik said that better law and order was the pre-requisite for strengthening of national economy and promotion of democratic system besides inflow of foreign investors in every sphere of life.
He further said our armed forces are our greatest asset as they not only offer their precious lives for fighting in the battlefields but also always remain in a state of preparedness to undertake the responsibility of working as a cohesive force in a very challenging situation, may it be horrifying earthquakes or the devastating floods.
CDNS digitized National Savings Certificates to modernize institutional process
ISLAMABAD, Feb 1 (APP):The Central Directorate of National Savings (CDNS) has digitized National Savings Certificates (NSCs) for the convenience of consumers and to modernize the institutional process.
The CDNS and Central Depository Company of Pakistan Limited (CDCP) have signed an agreement to start a pilot project for digitization and dematerialize of NSCs, a senior official of CDNS told APP here Wednesday.
The senior official said this will increase investment in National Savings and increase consumer confidence.
He said that this agreement between National Savings and CDCP is a part of automation and digitization of the institution.
He said that the Federal Finance Minister, Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar has specially participated in the signing ceremony and praised the process.
Replying a question, he said the CDNS realized the target of Rs 765 billion in fresh bonds during the current fiscal year 2022-23 from July 1st to January 30th, 2023.
The CDNS has set a reviewed saving target of Rs 1.3 trillion for the current financial year (2022-23) which will “promote the savings culture in the country”, he said.
In view of the current market trend in the country, the ambitious target had been set to further improve the savings culture, he said.
Responding to another question, he said the CDNS surpassed its annual target in the previous fiscal year and set a historic record of Rs 1,250 billion in savings till June 30, 2022.
For the first time in its history, CDNS crossed Rs 1,000 billion in fresh deposits and achieved the target of Rs 1,250 billion by June 30, 2022.
He said CDNS had accomplished the target of issuing Rs 1,250 billion in fresh bonds from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022. It had set an annual gross receipt target of Rs 980 billion from July 1 to June 30 of the previous financial year 2020-21 to promote savings in the country.
The senior official said the CDNS had set a Rs 250 billion annual collection target from July 1 to June 30 for the year 2020-2021 as compared to Rs 352 billion during the same period for the previous year (2019-20) to enhance savings in the country.
The CDNS had set Rs 352 billion annual collection target for the year 2019-20 as compared to Rs 350 billion for the previous year (2018-19), he added.
Replying to another query, he said CDNS had reviewed and set a target of Rs 60 billion in the fiscal year (2022-23) for Islamic investment to introduce the new products in the market.
In the current financial year, CDNS would achieve the investment target of Rs 60 billion, he maintained.
PNCA to hold Kashmir cultural festival from Feb 3
ISLAMABAD, Feb 01 (APP): Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan will mark Kashmir Solidarity Day through a three-day cultural festival here from February 3-5.
The event will include speeches, tableaus, Mili Naghmay, puppet show, painting and photography exhibition, stage play, folk performances, music and songs of solidarity to highlight Kashmir issue through soft expressions of art and crafts and engage the youth in healthy activities to promote Kashmiri cultural heritage and highlight problems faced by Kashmiris, said Director General PNCA, Ayub Jamali while talking to APP.
The activities have been arranged to express solidarity with the Kashmiri people struggling for their right of self-determination in the Indian Occupied Kashmir through purely a cultural perspective.
The program will focus on serving the fun lovers as informative entertainment through highlighting cultural heritage and traditions of the country and also pay tribute to the heroes of the freedom movement in sub-continent and Kashmir and the struggle of freedom fighters.
These programs are a regular feature of PNCA to celebrate the national days by presenting a variety of cultural and entertainment activities to promote the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Pakistan.
The programs aim to pay tribute to the Kashmiri freedom fighters and martyrs and show solidarity with the Kashmiri brothers against Indian occupation and brutality.
Different segments of the festival will focus on the atrocities by the Indian army in occupied Kashmir as artistes will present Kashmiri folk and traditional music and songs to show solidarity with Kashmiris fighting for their due right of self-determination calling the international community to play their role in solving the issue through United Nations resolutions and stop Indians from violation of human rights in Kashmir, he said.
Shaheen raring for comeback in HBL PSL 2023
Sohail Ali
LAHORE, Feb 01 (APP):It was at the start of April in 2018 when a lanky teenager by the name of Shaheen Shah Afridi received international cap from Pakistan legend Wasim Akram at Karachi’s National Bank Cricket Arena.
He had showed glimpses of brilliance in the last two months – during what was his maiden HBL Pakistan Super League season – that catapulted him to the national side.
The highlight was his five-wicket haul at Dubai against Multan Sultans, which saw him become one of the only two bowlers that season to bag five wickets in an innings.
Shaheen never looked back from that moment, establishing himself as an all-format bowler for Pakistan and, subsequently, the leader of the Pakistan bowling attack.
Such was his utility for Pakistan that before the first Galle Test in which he injured his right knee by landing awkwardly while attempting a dive at the boundary in July last year, he had taken the most wickets (204) behind Australia’s Pat Cummins’ 209 across all three international formats.
He was so lethal that his strike rate of 35.4 was the best in international cricket amongst the fast bowlers with at least a thousand overs.
The fourth morning of that Test, however, put a halt on an ever-progressing career. Shaheen was back in Pakistan colours in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia last year and his bowling form grew proportionally with the matches he played, before a freak twist while completing that famous Harry Brook catch at Melbourne in the final sent him back to rehabilitation.
While the sight of Shaheen limping off the field broke millions of Pakistani hearts, it was the beginning of a struggle for a bowler who since his Pakistan debut had done nothing but bowl in heaps.
“There were times when I wanted to give up,” Shaheen, who now has checked all the requisites for his return to competitive cricket, said on Wednesday . “I was working on only one muscle and it was not improving. Often during the rehabilitation sessions, I used to say to myself ‘this is enough, I cannot do this anymore’.
“But then I used to watch my bowling on YouTube and see how well I had done and that motivated me and I told myself ‘to push a little more’ … It is frustrating for a fast bowler to miss cricket because of an injury.”
While there is no good time to be injured, Shaheen’s had come at a time when Pakistan were scheduled for their biggest home season in over a decade with seven T20Is and three Tests against England followed by two Tests and three One-Day Internationals against New Zealand. Shaheen missed all 15 games.
“It is tough when you miss your home games because of the injury,” he says. “Before our Test home season, I even missed the seven England T20Is. I was more distressed for missing the Tests, because I like Test cricket more. A bowler is measured on how he performs in Test cricket and I wanted to take wickets against England.”
Was there any moment during the 2022-23 home season that made him want to get in the Pakistan colours? “It came when I was watching the [Multan Test] match and our tailenders were not able to finish the game.
I wanted to hit a few sixes there and finish the match for Pakistan,” he chuckles. “Also, when they [England] were scoring a lot of runs, I wanted to give my input with the ball.”
Shaheen made sure to remain in touch with the bowlers. “It is tough to switch from the white ball cricket to red ball cricket as the demands of the Test format are totally different from the limited overs.
I was in touch with the boys over phone. Naseem bowls really quick and mentally he is very sharp and understands he needs to be done. I used to speak with Haris Rauf daily. I remained in touch with our other bowlers as well, who played in the Tests.”
Amongst those who made their HBL PSL debuts in 2018, the Lahore Qalandars captain has the most wickets (70). He is third on the list of the highest wicket-takers in the tournament history behind Wahab Riaz (103) and Hasan Ali (81) who have played 27 and 14 more matches than him.
In a year when Pakistan will begin their third ICC World Test Championship cycle and play 50-over Asia Cup and World Cup, Shaheen could not have asked for a better stage to make his return than HBL PSL that will test his fitness and skills to the hilt.
“HBL PSL is one of the best leagues in the world and the quality of cricket tests you as a bowler. I am very excited to be making my comeback here and look forward to all the challenges that it will throw at me.
Thanks to Almighty, I am doing well. I am ticking both the bowling workload and fitness requirement boxes.”
Lahore Qalandars will begin their title defence from 13 February when they take on Multan Sultans in the tournament opener in Multan.
President emphasises Ulema’s role in social reform, discouraging extremism
ISLAMABAD, Feb 01 (APP): President Dr Arif Alvi on Wednesday called upon the Ulema and Mashaikh of the country to play their role in bringing positive social change, discouraging extremism, terrorism, and sectarianism.
The president, talking to a delegation of the Ulema Mashaikh Yakjehti Council of Pakistan (UMYC), that called on him, at Aiwan-e-Sadr, urged their role for inculcating ethical and moral values in society, promoting the conservation of resources, national solidarity, religious tolerance, and inter-faith harmony and peace.
The president urged Ulema to play their role to eliminate extremism, terrorism and sectarianism by highlighting the true teachings of Islam in the light of the Quran, Sunnah and Ahadith of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
He said that the challenges of terrorism and militancy in Pakistan required a comprehensive action plan coupled with concerted efforts on the part of the Ulema in the areas of counter-extremism and counter-terrorism.
President Alvi said that it was the responsibility of religious scholars to disseminate the true teachings of Islam among the people, especially the youth of the country, to bring in social reforms, and promote virtue, ethics, and morality in society.
He said that Pakistan could achieve progress and its rightful place in the comity of nations through discipline, persistence, moral righteousness, and promoting social justice.
The president said that Ulema should make concerted efforts to remove divisions from society, and should promote unity and solidarity within the country.
He said that youth should be educated on tolerance, forgiveness, and peace as these were the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
The president said that Islam emphasized the conservation of resources and avoiding wastage. The Ulema should also help promote moderate, responsible and sustainable consumption of resources, especially fuel and energy, through their Friday sermons in the mosques.
The delegation was led by Chairman UMYC, Qari Hidayat Ullah Mirani, and consisted of Muhammad Younas Qureshi, Molana Gul Wali, Major Ehtasham Uddin Kiyani, Prof Abdul Ghaffar Shah Bukhari, Abdul Rahim Abbasi, Noor Elahi, Fahad Maqsood, Hameed Ullah Khan, Sheikh Mazhar Hussain, Sheikh Zia ur Rehman, Alama Mufti Mehmood Ahmed Tabasam, and Jamal Khan.