A motorcyclist is helping a disabled person to reach his destination
The meeting of National Assembly Standing Committee on Privatisation was held under the Chairmanship of MNA Mustafa Mahmud. Federal Minister for Privatisation, Mr. Abid Hussain Bhayo was also present in the meeting
Senator Engr. Rukhsana Zuberi, Convener Pak-Argentine Parliamentary Friendship Group in a meeting with Pablo Tettamanti, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Argentine and Ambassador of Argentine, Leopoldo Francisco Sahores at Parliament House
Many families stroll through the colorful styles of flowers during the various flower displays organized by the PHA at Jilani Park
Regional cooperation key to find solutions to the socio-economic challenges: Speaker NA
ISLAMABAD, Dec 6 (APP): Speaker of the National Assembly Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on Tuesday said that regional cooperation was a key to find solutions to the socio-economic challenges of South and South-West Asia region particularly climate change, hunger, and malnutrition, promoting quality education and decent work for youth and ensuring equitable access to health.
He was speaking at a discussion session titled with “Sub-regional perspectives and Review of cluster of SDGs” organized by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI).
The speaker said that it was indeed a timely opportunity for us to reassess the national and regional strategies towards achieving SDGs in the face of unimaginable scale of loss and damage caused by unprecedented climate induced floods.
He reiterated that National Assembly of Pakistan would continue to perform a proactive role for SDGs Agenda through joint and diverse legislative and parliamentary mechanisms.
Special Assistant to Prime Minister, Romina Khurshid Alam, said on the occasion that Pakistan was confronted with an unprecedented climate crisis and other South Asian countries have similar vulnerabilities to climate change and other challenges.
She informed that the Parliament of Pakistan committed to make the world realize the gravity of climate challenge and the devastation the recent floods have caused across Pakistan.
The Executive Director, SDPI Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri said that Pakistan’s parliament was among a few parliaments across the region which had first adopted SDGs as national goals and set up a dedicated SDGs Task Force.
He said that the presence of Speaker National Assembly in this conference demonstrates his strong commitment to SDGs Agenda.
He said that we are passing through unprecedented times, inflation, rupee devaluation, recession. However, Pakistan was not alone in confronting the Triple-C crisis.
Following the discussion in another session titled with “Closing the Loop – Policy Solutions for Achieving SDG 12: Ensuring Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns’, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister for Finance Tariq Bajwa said that the private sector in Pakistan had a huge potential to advance the agenda of sustainable production and production practices.
He added that although the government had a very thin fiscal space, it had taken measures to revive agriculture and industry, especially in the post-flood scenario.
He said that free seeds, interest free loans, and subsidized energy prices are expected to help farmers to come out of the crisis and revive their livelihoods.
To ensure financing for the emerging businesses, a policy is in the pipeline that would be pushing the banks to lend more to the private sector, he added.
Over 13.5 mln children receive anti-polio drops in 36 districts
ISLAMABAD, Dec 06 (APP): Over 13.5 million children under-five years in 36 districts have been immunized with anti-polio drops during the third Sub-National Immunization Days campaign of the current year 2022.
The campaign covered nine districts of Punjab, eight districts of Sindh, six districts of Balochistan and Islamabad.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the campaign is being launched on December 5, targeting nine high-risk districts of the region.
Over 100,000 trained and dedicated “Sehat Muhafiz” were engaged in the vaccination drive to inoculate the targeted children at their doorstep.
In a message, Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination, Abdul Qadir Patel said that If we can eliminate the poliovirus from southern KP, we will succeed in eliminating polio from Pakistan altogether.
He added that we are actually quite close to the finish line, and we are determined to get there as soon as possible. “Pakistan has made great strides in the fight against polio, with virus circulation reduced to only one small part of the country”, he said.
Dr. Shahzad Baig, Coordinator of the National Emergency Operation Centre emphasized that the anti-polio campaign required collective action at all levels to eradicate the poliovirus from the country completely.
He said that our aim is to ensure timely and repeated vaccination of eligible children. “High-risk districts are our top priority, and we are keen to eliminate the poliovirus from the challenging areas while protecting the rest of the region as well,” he added.
“I particularly urge all parents and caregivers to get their children vaccinated in every vaccination drive instead of hiding them or refusing to take the necessary drops during all vaccination drives. It is important to realize that the polio virus still exists in our surroundings, and no child is safe until all children are truly vaccinated,” Dr. Shahzad Baig said.
Chief Minister Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah calls on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif
President Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F), Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman calls on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif
JUI-F to hold workers convention on Dec 8 in Quetta
ISLAMABAD, Dec 6 (APP):The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) will hold workers convention on December 8 at Ayyub Stadium, Quetta in which a number of notable political figures will join the party.
Talking to APP on Tuesday, JUI-F Spokesman Muhammad Aslam Ghauri informed that former Chief Minister Balochistan Nawab Muhammad Aslam Khan Raisani, former Home Minister Balochistan Nawab Zafarullah Khan Zehri, former Provincial Minister.
District Nazim Nushki Haji Ghulam Dastagir Badeni, former Minister for Transport Balochistan Sakhi Mir Amanullah Notezai, an independent candidate from PB-20 Pishin Agha Asmatullah, former candidate for National Assembly from Pishin Malik Abdul Qayyum Kakar, and tribal elders Nawab Nauroz Khan Zehri and Sardar Zafarullah Khan Gachki would join the JUI-F.
He said the central leadership of JUI-F including Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, Minister for Housing and Works Maulana Abdul Wasay, Minister for Communication Maulana Asad Mehmood, Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Mufti Abdul Shakoor and Senator Abdul Ghafoor Haideri would address the gathering.
He expressed the hope that the JUI-F would get a huge mandate in the upcoming general elections from every nook and cranny of the country as the valuable addition would take the party to new heights of political achievements.
He further informed that JUI-F Secretary General Senator Abdul Ghafoor Haideri had arrived in Quetta to review the arrangements for the event.
Spokesman Ghauri said the JUI-F’s sub-organization Ansar-ul-Islam briefed Senator Haideri about the security measures and traffic plan during the convention.
He said Senator Haideri also held meetings with Nawab Aslam Raisani, Balochistan Awami Party’s Provincial Minister Muhammad Khan Lehri and Member of Provincial Assembly Asghar Tareen.
He said the politicians were posing confidence in the JUI-F and it was becoming the most favorite party of the people of all sections of the society.
Parliamentary interactions to help increase Pak-Argentina bilateral trade: Senator Zubairi
ISLAMABAD, Dec 06 (APP): Convener of Pakistan-Argentina Friendship Group Senator Engr Rukhsana Zuberi on Tuesday stressed that persistent parliamentary interactions between Pakistan and Argentina would help increase their bilateral trade.
The two countries existing trade relations did not reflect their true potential of economic and commercial ties, she said while talking to a high level delegation from Argentina here at the Parliament House.
Senator Zuberi said people-to-people contacts could be strengthened by connecting the parliamentarians of both countries.
The delegation led by Argentinian Secretary of Foreign Affairs Pablo Tettamanti and Ambassador of Argentina in Pakistan, Leopoldo Sahores, comprising Asia & Oceania Director Eduardo Acevedo Diaz and Counsellor, Deputy Head of Mission Camilo Silberkasten, was received by Senator Zuberi along with Senator Rana Maqbool Ahmed.
Senator Rana Maqbool Ahmad said the potential of enhancing cooperation between the two countries should be multi-dimensional.
He urged the Argentinian Foreign Affairs Secretary to facilitate Pakistani football players with formal training for competing at the international level. The urban areas of Pakistan had a lot of football potential which unfortunately had not been explored in a formal manner resulting in the country lagging behind in the popular sport, he added.
While emphasizing on the need to promote football at national and international levels, Rana Maqbool said meetings could be held with the Ministry of Sports to make interactions with Argentina in aiding Pakistan on visits of experts and leader guides for football.
The Argentinian Foreign Affairs Secretary endorsed the viewpoint of Rana Maqbool, saying they had already planned vocational training courses in sports and social awareness.
It was proposed that a Pakistani parliamentary delegation should visit Argentina to study the judicial system and system of prisons in order to gain understanding on the implementation of human rights.
Senator Zuberi extended an invitation to the Pakistan Parliamentary Friendship Group in Argentine Senate to visit Pakistan.