Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Religious Affair, Interfaith Harmony and Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council, Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi making turban (Dastar Bandi) of Late Molana Israr-ul-Haque’s son Izhar-ul-Haque.
Sports Manager, Mushtaq Aslam in a group photo with the participants during 44th University Athlete Game prize ceremony at Punjab Football Stadium
Minister distributes Rs 23.6m cheques among 29 sports associations
By Sohail Ali
LAHORE, Nov 19 (APP):Taking another revolutionary measure for the growth of sports culture in the Punjab province, Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Taimoor Masood distributed cheques of Rs 23.6 million grant money among 29 provincial sports associations here at the National Hockey Stadium on Saturday.
Vice-Chairman Sports Board Punjab (SBP) Malik Nadeem Abbas Bara, Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Ehsan Bhutta, Commissioner Lahore/President Punjab Olympic Association Amir Jan, Director General Sports Punjab Muhammad Tariq Qureshi, Director Admin Syed Umair Hassan, CEO Lahore Qalandars Atif Rana, former Test cricketer Aqib Javed, Director Sports Chand Parveen, Deputy Director Tariq Wattoo, Assistant Director Zahoor Ahmed, Secretary Punjab Olympic Association Idris Haider Khawaja and presidents and secretaries of all provincial sports associations were also present on this occasion.
The SBP vice-chairman also distributed grant money cheques among some provincial sports associations.
Addressing the ceremony, the Punjab sport minister said that it is a historic day because on this day Sports Board Punjab is releasing grant-in-aid money to all provincial sports associations for the promotion of sports culture. “We have fulfilled our promise and now it is the obligation of provincial sports associations to deliver and hold a maximum number of sports events and trace fresh talent in their respective games,” he added.
He said that the grant money will be given to provincial sports associations every year. Representatives of all provincial sports associations thanked Punjab Minister for Sports Secretary Sports Punjab and DG, SBP
for fulfilling their key demand.
Malik Taimoor Masood further said that there is no doubt that provincial sports associations have a key role in the promotion of sports among the young generation. “The annual grant-in-aid to provincial sports associations was a regular feature in the past but it was suspended due to some reasons but now the long-standing demand of provincial sports associations has been fulfilled for which my whole team deserved huge appreciation”.
He further said that Sports Board Punjab will continue to extend every possible support to provincial sports associations for the organization of their sports events. “Recently, we organized the 73rd Punjab Games quite successfully. We also found several talented athletes from the Punjab Games. We are also setting up a network of top-class sports academies of different games. The establishment of a cricket academy adjacent to Punjab Stadium is a latest example in this regard,” he elaborated.
Commissioner Lahore/President Punjab Olympic Association Amir Jan on this occasion thanked Punjab Minister for Sports and Y, Secretary Sports Punjab and DG, SBP
for fulfilling demand of provincial sports associations. “Definitely, this great measure will help a lot in holding several sports competitions and tracing fresh talent from grassroots level,” he added.
A huge grant of Rs 30 lakh was given to Punjab Olympic Association. As many as 10 provincial sports associations such as Punjab Athletics Association, Punjab Hockey Association, Punjab Modern Pentathlon Association, Punjab Kabaddi Association, Punjab Table Tennis Association, Punjab Wrestling Association, Punjab Badminton Association, Punjab Cycling Association, Punjab Squash Association and Punjab Golf Association were given Rs 10 lakh grant each.
Eight provincial sports associations namely Punjab Baseball Association, Punjab Basketball Association, Punjab Lawn Tennis Association, Punjab Rugby Association, Punjab Touch Ball Association, Punjab Weightlifting Association, Punjab Rifle Shooting Association and Punjab Swimming Association were given Rs 7 lakh grant apiece.
Whereas 10 provincial sports associations namely Punjab Paralympic Association, Punjab Archery Association, Punjab Gymnastic Association, Punjab Handball Association, Punjab Judo Association, Punjab Karate Association, Punjab Netball Association, Punjab Roller Sports Association, Punjab Taekwondo Association and Punjab Wushu Association were given Rs 5 lakh grant each.
Pakistan never defaults on its international payments, will fulfill its commitments: Dar
ISLAMABAD, Nov 19 (APP):Minister of Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar Saturday ruled out any prospects of Pakistan being on verge of default over its international payments and reiterated that it would will never come close to it as it was committed to making all its payments on time without any delay.
In a video massage, he strongly rejected the baseless and irresponsible statements and rumors about the country’s economy, saying that the government had arranged all international payments for the next one year.
The Finance Minister said that for the past few days, baseless and irresponsible rumors had been circulating about the country’s economy just for the political objectives.
When these rumors were spread through social media and various sources, it not only affected Pakistan’s economy and economic interests, but also impacted the affairs and transactions with their bilateral and multilateral partners, he opined.
The Finance Minister said that rumors were being spread that Pakistan would not be able to pay $1 billion sovereign bond (sukuk) in December. “This is baseless and contrary to facts, Pakistan has never defaulted on its international payments and will never come close to it,” he maintained.
Rumors are also being spread about Pakistan’s credit default swap, he said, adding that they had their own ambitions and formula with regard to credit default swap, this was a baseless thing and the speculations in this regard should be stopped.
The Finance Minister said that rumors were making rounds about the petroleum products which were also fake.
Pakistan has reserves of petroleum products according to the country’s need and demand and there is no need for worry, he added.
Apart from disturbing the public, such rumors also created concern in the financial and international institutions and they sent questions, which not only harmed the efforts for economic interests but also wasted time, he further said.
Ishaq Dar said that there were still rumors about the current account deficit. The current accounts are being closely monitored, professionally managed and well managed, he told and added that the current account deficit was $316 million in September, which was expected to be $400 million in October.
“That is, by the end of the financial year, the current account deficit is likely to be 5 to 6 billion dollars, while the target of this deficit for the current financial year is 12 billion dollars. The current account deficit is expected to remain below target,” he added.
The Finance Minister said that in the light of these facts, he appealed to all Pakistanis not to pay heed to any kind of rumors, as they accorded top priority to Pakistan and for the country’s economy, they needed to work beyond political affiliations.
Harmony only way to counter political instability: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi
ISLAMABAD, Nov 19 (APP): Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Saturday said that as a nation “we have much bigger issues to address”, urging all the stakeholders including political leaders to think only for the country.
Talking to a private news channel, Shahid Khaqan said the country requires harmony, also believing that the country could not move ahead due to instability.
How would any government focus on real issues when people were on the streets and political leaders were threatening to attack the federation, he questioned.
State institution like NAB, when used for political victimization, was the root cause of political turmoil and instability, he claimed.
Referring to the army chief’s appointment, he said the prime minister had the prerogative to appoint the new COAS.
Criticizing PTI’s economic policies in its tenure, Khaqan Abbasi said, “Khan’s former government has brought the country to the verge of bankruptcy”.
“How ridiculous by Imran Khan to criticize the economic situation after the mess they [PTI} created in four-year tenure,” he added.
“Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had paid the political cost in bringing economic stability, besides losing political capital,” he conceded.
IWMB warns locals amid leopards’ increased movement in winters
ISLAMABAD, Nov 19 (APP):The Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) on Saturday warned the local population of Margalla Hills National Park to take special precautions due to increased presence of wild leopards during winter season.
According to the IWMB official statement, the wild leopard were often seen near the rural population of the Margalla Hills National Park in winters.
The statement further read that the local population and tourists should avoid unnecessary movement in the national park. Moreover, the local people should not send their cattle to the forest for grazing. The Wildlife Board advised the masses to keep livestock in a safe place within walled enclosures during the night hours.
Likewise, the households near the forest should not leave small children, women and elderly people unnecessarily in the wild.
The IWMB was of the view that disruption of the leopard’s natural habitat could be harmful.
It also cautioned that it was a offense to harm a leopard and persons found guilty of the crime would be fined as per the law.
Sports Manager, Mushtaq Aslam distributing cash prizes to successful players, 44th University Athlete Game Award Ceremony at Punjab Football Stadium
First Lady Begum Samina Arif Alvi viewing displays of various women-created products including shirts jackets shawls and home wares at the new office of Indus Heritage Trust- a non- Profit organization engaged in preserving and promoting the country’s heritage of arts and crafts.
Managing Director of PMDC Sabur Sethi, Chairman Peshawar Board Nasrullah Khan Yousafzai and Director PMDC Muhammad Sohail in a group photo with position holder students during Academic Excellence Award Ceremony of Peshawar Model Degree Colleges.
A juggler on the way along with his pets heading towards his destination
