A vendor displaying flowers bouquet as their demand increased because of wedding season at Teen Hatti Flower Market
Special Assistant to PM for Industries and Production Tasneem Ahmed Qureshi chairing a meeting at Pakistan Stone Development Corporation
Workers filling husk into large sacks to be used for animal fodder at godown
Korean Embassy organizes seminar to promote renewable energy in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD, Nov 18 (APP): The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Islamabad has organized an interactive seminar to encourage energy infrastructure enhancement in Pakistan through the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF).
The seminar was held at a local hotel and attended by senior-level representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Economic Affairs Division, EXIM Bank of Korea, Korean Companies, Pakistani Business Community Members, and the UN.
While speaking at the seminar, Ambassador of Korea to Pakistan Suh Sangpyo said that Korea and Pakistan have always enjoyed cordial ties, and Korea aims to further enhance these bilateral relations between the two countries to new heights through renewable energy projects.
During the seminar, the participants discussed ways to promote renewable energy, especially solar power in Pakistan in a collaborative and synergistic manner.
The representatives of Korean companies showcased their experiences of undertaking renewable energy projects in Korea, Pakistan, and around the world.
They also highlighted the interest of the Pakistani Government towards utilizing the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF), worth USD 1 billion for the years 2022 to 2026, which was signed in June 2022 between the Economic Affairs Division (EAD) of Pakistan and the Korean Embassy towards enhancing Pakistan’s renewable energy output and making the country more climate resilient.
The Country Director of KOICA and CEOs of Korean Companies also expressed their willingness to assist Pakistan in this process.
IRSA releases 93,300 cusecs water
ISLAMABAD, Nov 18 (APP): Indus River System Authority (IRSA) on Friday released 93,300 cusecs water from various rim stations with inflow of 62,500 cusecs.
According to the data released by IRSA, water level in River Indus at Tarbela Dam was 1518.01 feet and was 120.01 feet higher than its dead level of 1,398 feet. Water inflow and outflow in the dam was recorded as 26,600 cusecs while outflow as 48,000 cusecs.
The water level in River Jhelum at Mangla Dam was 1145.05 feet, which was 95.05 feet higher than its dead level of 1,050 feet. The inflow and outflow of water was recorded 13,600 cusecs and 23,000 cusecs respectively.
The release of water at Kalabagh, Taunsa , Guddu and Sukkur was recorded 57,500, 49,100, 30,600 and 13,100 cusecs respectively. Similarly, from River Kabul, a total of 13,300 cusecs of water released at Nowshera and 2,900 cusecs released from River Chenab at Marala.
Mobile import decreases 64.94% in 4 months
ISLAMABAD, Nov 18 (APP): The import of mobile phones witnessed a decrease of 64.94 per cent during the first four months of the current fiscal year (2022-23) as compared to the corresponding period of last year.
Pakistan imported mobile phones worth US $226.051 million from July-October (2022-23) as compared to the imports of US $644.672 million during July- October (2021-22), showing a decline of 64.94 per cent, according to the latest data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
Meanwhile, on a year-to-year basis, the import of mobile phones also dipped by 56.06 per cent during the month of October 2022, as compared to the same month of last year.
The import of mobile phones during October 2022 was recorded at $65.780 million against the exports of $149.712 million in October 2021.
On a month-on-month basis, the imports of mobile phones increased by 12.62 per cent during October 2022, as compared to the imports of US $58.407 million during September 2022, according to the data.
Pakistan’s fruits, vegetable export to China crosses $54 million in Jan-Sept 2022
BEIJING, Nov 18 (APP): Pakistan’s fruits and vegetable export to China topped $54.34 million, witnessing a massive increase in the month of January-September year-on-year, showed data from the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC).
According to GACC, imports of dried leguminous vegetables (commodity code 07139090), amounted to $6.17 million, with imports totaling more than 4,040 tons in the January-September period, compared with $3.97 million in the same period last year.
Ahmed Raza, a Pakistani fruits and vegetable exporter, told China Economic Net that in wake of the high demand for fruits and vegetables in the Chinese market, Pakistani traders have an imperial opportunity to increase their exports and grow as a food basket for China.
“Chinese people like Pakistani fruits & vegetables because of their good taste and high quality. If we enhance the techniques used by China to offer high-end products, the export value will increase,” he added.
He further said that the flood badly affected many sectors of Pakistan including agriculture. Many crops including rice, sugarcane, fruits and vegetables vanished by the flood but these crops should be replanted as soon as possible to cover the losses and increase exports, he stressed.
“Due to climate changes, when our farmers harvest fresh fruits and vegetables, they encounter difficulties in storage, transportation, and preservation.
Pakistani farmers are very helpless watching the fresh fruits and vegetables gradually deteriorate with the passage of time. To solve this problem China and Pakistan should further enhance cooperation in the fields of vegetable & fruit planting, storage, processing and make it high-end products,” he mentioned.
It is to be noted that despite the pandemic of COVID-19 and the flood in Pakistan, bilateral trade between Pakistan and China has increased significantly. Pakistan’s exports stood at $ 2.57 billion in the first nine months (January- September) of FY22, up 2 percent from $ 2.51 billion in the same period of the previous year, which grew for three consecutive years.
Finance minister updates President Alvi on economic outlook
ISLAMABAD, Nov 18 (APP): Finance Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar called on President Dr Arif Alvi here on Friday and discussed the overall economic and financial outlook of the country.
In a meeting held at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, the finance minister briefed the president on various steps taken by the government to provide relief to the general public, particularly the unprivileged population and the flood-affected people.
Various matters concerning finance and economy also came under discussion.
Pakistan, Lanka vow to continue support, cooperation in defence industry, military training
ISLAMABAD, Nov 18 (APP): The third round of Pakistan-Sri Lanka Armed Forces Defence Dialogue (AFDD) was held in Expo Centre Karachi from November 16-17 where both sides agreed to continue to support each other at all regional and international fora.
The Pakistan delegation was led by Secretary Defence, Lt General (R) Hamood uz Zaman Khan, Sri Lankan delegation was headed by Secretary Defence,General (R) Kamal Gunaratne, said a news release issued here Friday.
The delegations also agreed that the cooperation in the field of defence industry, military training, and joint exercises high level visits would continue.
During the Dialogue, Pakistan and Sri Lanka reviewed the existing scope of bilateral military relations and expressed satisfaction on the progress achieved under the umbrella of AFDD. Both leader exchanged views on regional security and upcoming challenges. It was agreed that Pakistan and Sri Lanka would continue to support each other at all regional and international fora. The cooperation in the field of defence industry, military training, joint exercises high level visits will continue.
In the end, it was agreed that next meeting of AFDD will be convened in Sri Lanka on mutually agreed dates 2023.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Peeping through annals of history
By: Fakhar Alam
PESHAWAR, Nov 18 (APP): As a gateway to the Indo-Pakistan Subcontinent, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa carried a unique geographical location, archaeological heritage and primitive history that witnessed the oldest civilizations including Gandhara and onslaught of invaders that marched to India through historic Khyber Pass.
“Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is known for its rich history in the Subcontinent where followers of almost all religions came and stayed for accomplishment of their political, trade and business objectives. As result of which different religions including Buddhism, Hindusim, Sikhism and Christianity gained roots for many years in the region of present-day Pakhtunkhwa before Islam,” said Bakhtzada Khan, Research Officer, Department of Archeology and Museums while talking to APP.
“The discovery of human remains in Soan Valley in Pakistani Punjab as evidence of the stones and bones’ tools dating from around (2 million to 90,000 years before present) of the Early Paleolithic period signified that people were living here.”
He said, “Sangaro cave’s excavations, Mian Khan, Mardan conducted by the renowned archeologist Ahmad Hasan Dhani and Farid Khan in 1963 had revealed the presence of people’s remains in the Middle Paleolithic period (9,000 to 27,000 years before present) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”
He said these people were living in stones-made caves, who fulfilled their foods mostly from hunting of birds and animals. The discoveries of primitive rocks, bones and hunting tools dating back of Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age (10,000 to 8,600 years before present) during excavations at Khanpur in Haripur district and Sangaro Cave signified presence of humans’ life in Swat and Dir where every stone speaks about their lifestyle, culture, livelihood and civilizations, he informed.
He said it was found that people started making clay and stones made pots, crockery and others related utensils for kitchen during the Neolithic period or commonly known as new stone-age dating back some 8,000 years before as evident from excavations of historic Mehar Gharh in Balochistan of the Indus Civilization, Rehman Dheri DI Khan and Sheri Khan Tarkai Swabi.
The evidence had magnified that people were living in the stone and mud houses in those primordial eras. He said the graves of Aryans invaders were also discovered at Aligram Swat, Sangota Chitral and Timergara Dir Lower dating back of the Dark Ages period of around 2,000 BC.
He said semi-nomadic Aryans entered KP from the Afghanistan side and settled along rivers Swat, Gomal, Kurram, and Kabul before migrating to India. “The Gandhara civilization gained roots in the province after Persians conquered it in 6th century BC and made it one of the provinces of the Achaemenid Empire.”
He said reading and writing in Swat, Dir, Mardan, Charsadda, Peshawar and Malakand, famous for Ghandara civilization, were started as evidence of the inscriptions mostly made on stones by Iranians. In 327 BC, he said Alexander the Great invaded the subcontinent through Khyber Pass and faced tough resistance while trying to subdue Youafzai tribesmen at Swat and Kunar valleys.
Alexander also resided in Taxila where he met a bold young man named Chandragupta Maurya, who was an exiled prince of Magadha in eastern India and Maurya decided to forge an empire in Alexander’s footsteps. However, his dream remained unfulfilled after the death of Alexander.
Later, Alexander’s general Seleucus established rule in India’s territories. The Indo-Greeks, a group of about 39 kings and queens laid the foundation of its own culture and introduced Greek art style which still existed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa besides promoting Bhuddism.
In 1001 AD, he said Mahmud Ghaznavi defeated Jayapala, the last Hindu Shahi King and subsequently Islam was spread in subcontinent including KP. In 1505, he said Zaheeruddin Babar, the founder of the Mughal Empire had entered the subcontinent through Khyber Pass and took today’s Kohat, Bannu districts before defeating the last Lodhi King and becoming Emperor of Delhi.
Ahmad Shah Abdali had launched several campaigns from Peshawar into many places across India. However, Abdali’s reign (1747 – 1772) was temporarily interrupted when the Marathas invaded in early 1750s, but he succeeded to regain control over KP in 1761. Later the province came under control of Sikhs in 1818 under the command of Maharaja Ranjit Singh after he took over Peshawar in 1923.
Another popular freedom movement also called non-violent movement was launched by freedom fighter Abdul Ghaffar Khan and his brother Dr. Khan Sahib and later Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was granted self-government in 1937.
“The history of Pakistan would not be completed without mentioning the outstanding role of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s people and students of Islamia College Peshawar during the Pakistan Movement,” said Muhammad Younas Khan, Chairman Pakistan Studies Department while talking to APP.
The people of KP had accorded warmest welcome to Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and voted in favour of All India Muslim League when he came here in 1946, he added. “The Muslim League secured maximum seats in 1946 election and after that historic victory nobody could stop independence movement of Pakistan from this province,” he added.
In July 1947 Referendum, he said Muslim League achieved landslide victory in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by securing over 200,000 votes and people announced to become part of Pakistan.
Abdul Ghaffar Khan and his brother Khan Sahib (first Chief Minister of KP) had urged the government to give the province a name that reflects the Pashtun identity. However, the province was given the name of North West Frontier Province (NWFP) after rejecting Pashtunishtan’s name as being too controversial.
Later, the province was renamed as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2010 during PPP-ANP’s coalition government under the 18th Constitutional Amendment.
The process of KP-FATA merger has been completed and the process of economic development was expedited after completion of a network of highways and motorways besides other mega education, health, communication, agriculture and other development projects.
APP/fam/taj (APP Feature Service)