ISLAMABAD, Sep 27 (APP): Pakistan and India would be head-to-head in the final of the SAFF U19 Championship 2023 in Nepal on September 30 (Saturday).
According to details, Pakistan outplayed Bhutan by 6-5 in the first semifinal of the championship and moved in the final.
The match was decided on penalty shoot-outs.
Meanwhile, India downed hosts Nepal in the second semifinal. The final of the championship would be played on September 30.
PESHAWAR, Sep 27 (APP): Illuminating her house with colorful buntings and green color, Maliaka Bibi (12), a student of a private school was busy like a honeybee giving final touches to decorative items to Eid Miladun Nabi (SAWW) in a most befitting manner.
Assisted by her parents in the decoration of the house with colorful buntings and lights at her hometown Pabbi in district Nowshera, Malaika was placing the colorful buntings at balconies of her two-story house besides greening its front veranda by her father to express immeasurable love with the holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
“Along with my parents, I visited Qissa Khwani bazaar Peshawar from where colorful buntings, green lights, and decorative items were brought on the occasion of birthday celebration of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who was a perfect role model, military commander, leader and mercy for all humanity,” she said.
Like Malika, people from all walks of life including students, teachers, traders, merchants, and civil society decorated their houses and buildings with colorful buntings and green colors on the occasion of Eid Miladun Nabi (SAWW) would be celebrated with great religious enthusiasm on Friday.
Besides others, all the major buildings including the University of Peshawar, Peshawar Development Authority, Deans Trade Centre, Islamia College Peshawar, Hayatabad Mall, Balahisar Fort, Governor House, Chief Minister House, IGP KP and Chief Secretary Office and Railways Station Peshawar were illuminated on the occasion of Eid Miladun Nabi celebrations. The decorated buildings look festive in Peshawar, attracting visitors’ attention at night.
From Chitral to Khyber and DI Khan to Kohistan, the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were all set to celebrate Eidul Malidun Nabi with great religious enthusiasm on Friday.
“The arrival of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was a great blessing of the Allah Almighty on the entire humanity and the best way to celebrate Eid Malidun Nabi (SAWW) to strictly adhering to the teaching of the Holy Quran and Sunnah of the last prophet of Allah, who was declared Rehmatul Lil Aalamin for entire mankind,” said Maulana Tayyab Qureshi, Chief Khateeb KP while talking to APP on Wednesday.
He said the life of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is a role model for every person of this world, who believes in Allah and the Day of Judgment.
“The Allah Almighty had sent His messengers in every period of history to guide humanity and educate them about Allah’s commands,” he said, adding the entire world had been waiting for the last Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) for many centuries and this long wait was ended with the arrival of the prophethood of the Prophet (PBUH), who was sent as the last Prophet of Allah Almighty,” he said.
Maulana Tayyab said the shariah of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was regarded as the last message of Allah, and all the previous shariahs were abolished, adding His (SAWW) guidance had been declared sufficient for all mankind till the end of this world.
He said that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had brought a positive revolution in the lives of the people, adding He (SAWW) stressed that Muslims should make good behavior with others and be kind to women and children.
“The life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was a beacon of light for humanity and was called Rehmatul Lil Aalamin due to His noble qualities including kindness, Sadiq, and Ameen,” said religious scholar Maulana Tila Muhammad Sadique.
He (SAWW) was a perfect example of an honest, merciful, compassionate, truthful, and brave human being, who showered peace and mercy upon all creatures living on the face of the earth.
“Muhammad is a holy Prophet raised by Allah, the creator and Sustainer of all human beings for the guidance and happiness of the entire mankind. His qualities of being peace-loving, kind and merciful, generous, modest, and his concern for orphans, widows and poorer, his respect for the people of other religions and religious leaders had touched the hearts of everyone,” Maulana Tila Sadique said.
He said the holy Prophet (PBUH) forgives even his hard opponents after the conquest of Makkah and His simple lifestyle was a good example for the whole of mankind.
“The conquest of Makkah has given a clear lesson to keep moving consistently towards the right direction with a trust in God to achieve a goal, believing in Allah’s help and promoting tolerance, high moral values, and forgiveness.”
In all wars, he said the last Prophet of Allah led from the front and pardoned all opponents after the victory.
“The last messenger of Allah taught us equality, humanity, and the rights of women. He showed followers the value of respect in social life and simplicity in family life. “The best among you are those, who behave best towards their wives. The best among you is the one, who is kindest to his wife, and the worst among you is the one who treats his wife badly”.
He said Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was a perfect family man for all time and raised four daughters, educated them, and married them to pious husbands.
Being a respectful husband and a loving father to his children and grandchildren, he showed a good example to his followers about the way of peaceful family life in the way of Islamic teachings.
“Whenever Hazrat Fatima (RA) came in front of the holy Prophet, He raised from the seat as a mark of respect and met her with great kindness,” he said.
As a businessman, successful reformist, strategic leader, and brilliant administrator, the holy Prophet (PBUH) was an extraordinary personality in his social life. As a businessman, he used to give needy people whatever he earned being extremely generous and encouraging his followers to help people in time of need.
“One of his companions once asked the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) which act in Islam is the best and Prophet Muhammad replied, “To feed the poor and needy people whether Muslim and non-Muslim and greet the people you know and those you do not regardless of religion, color or race.”
Qari Tila said that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had encouraged all Muslims to treat people with respect and dignity regardless of color, religion, faith, gender, or tribe. He also stressed to give respect to slaves and provide all the needful to them.
“His farewell sermon Hijatul Wida had outlined the entire agenda of human rights and interfaith harmony. In the last sermon, the holy Prophet (PBUH) declared that no one has any superiority over any other on any basis except by piety and righteousness.
He (PBUH) gave the concept of Tauheed (oneness of Allah), that there was no one worthy of worship except Allah Almighty and belief in the Prophethood of Muhammad (PBUH) was the basis of Islamic faith.
The holy Prophet (SAWW) had declared that killing a person and forceful possession of one’s property was against the teaching of Islam and declared such negative practices as Haram (prohibited). He (PBUH) also called for honoring human lives and declared that protecting the life of an individual was tantamount to the protection of the whole of humanity.
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) emphasized justice, equality of all human beings, and equal socioeconomic rights for women and declared racial supremacy unacceptable.
The scholars said the best way to celebrate Eid Miladun Nabi (SAWW) was to strictly adhere to the teaching of the Holy Quran and Sunnah of the holy Prophet PBUH to achieve success in this world and hereafter.
ISLAMABAD, Sep 27 (APP): Chairperson of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), Dr. Muhammad Amjad Saqib Wednesday said the Programme was playing a pivotal role in extending crucial support to disadvantaged individuals and families, enabling them to access essential resources and opportunities for personal and socio-economic development.
He was speaking during a meeting with a delegation of Ministers from Gilgit Baltistan including Minister for Tourism, Minister of Finance, Minister of Food, Chief Secretary and Addl. Secretary Gilgit Baltistan.
Secretary BISP, Amer Ali Ahmed, was also present in the meeting.
During the meeting, the delegation congratulated Dr. Muhammad Amjad Saqib on assuming charge of Chairperson in BISP.
A comprehensive discussion was held on the well-being and welfare of BISP beneficiaries in Gilgit Baltistan.
The participants also delved into various aspects of BISP and its wide array of initiatives, which encompass programs such as Benazir Kafaalat, Benazir Taleemi Wazaif, Benazir Nashounuma, Dynamic Registry of NSER, Benazir Social Protection Accounts, and more.
Furthermore, the delegation was briefed on the facilitative measures in place for the disbursement of payments and the registration process for BISP beneficiaries in Gilgit Baltistan.
LAHORE, Sep 27 (APP):Agriculture sector still holds significant prospects and opportunities for investors to revitalize the ailing economy of Pakistan.
Green Pakistan Initiative (GPI), an effort under the newly formed Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), would prove to be catalyst for the most attractive investment opportunity in Pakistan.
Pakistan Business Forum (PBF) President (Lahore Chapter) Momin Ali Malik told APP here on Wednesday that over the last couple of months, most of the local business groups which they met were all set to invest in corporate farming that means momentum and support for the initiative was very strong. PBF strongly believed the Green Pakistan Initiative was not only an opportunity but also critical for the sustainability of the domestic economy, he remarked. “In our opinion, triggered by Green Pakistan Initiative, the agricultural sector can be the eye catching theme in Pakistan over the next five to ten years,” he added.
Momin Ali Malik mentioned that government was targeting US $ 50 billion investment over the next five years and even if only a fraction of this could materialize, it would have a multiplier impact on the economy and the society, adding the agriculture was a scalable sector where Pakistan could have an inherent competitive advantage and could also be a source of dollar earnings which the economy needs.
“It is also encouraging to see that the government has shifted away from its perennial fascination with real estate and construction sectors into more productive sectors of the economy like agriculture, mining and technology,” he remarked.
The PBF President highlighted the most attractive investment opportunities in the sector including rice and meat exports, seed technology, olive plantation and forestry. Pakistan also had great potential in logistics, supply chain, agri-tech and water conservation. In the listed space, he said, food and agriculture related companies such as Guard Rice, Millat Tractors, The Organic Meat Company, Engro would also benefit from the structural growth in the sector. Pakistan had a total area of 79.6 million hectares out of this cropped area is 23 million and forests covered 4.6 million hectares. Pakistan’s agriculture sector annual income last year was US $ 38 billion (23 percent of GDP).
Momin Malik said that one should understand Pakistan was the 15th largest agricultural producer globally and amongst the world’s top ten producers of wheat (7th), cotton (5th), sugarcane and mango (6th), and dates, kinnow oranges and rice (10th). Despite this fact, he said, over the last few years, it had become a net importer of wheat. Climate change and water scarcity had created a threat to food security.
The PBF strongly believed the Green Pakistan Initiative was not only an opportunity but also critical for the sustainability of the domestic economy, he concluded.
PESHAWAR, Sep 27 (APP):Head of Sub-Office of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), Kofi Dwomo has said that Pak-Afghan Expo will certainly open the doors of economic development for both Afghans and Pakistanis.
He expressed these views during a meeting organized under the auspices of the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) here on Wednesday.
Besides, the Regional Coordinator FPCCI KP Region, Sartaj Ahmad Khan, the officials of UNHCR, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Board of Investment & Trade (KP-BoIT) and Women Chamber of Commerce & Industry (WCCI) Peshawar also attended the meeting.
The Head of UNHCR Sub-Office said that they believe in the restoration, strengthening and promotion of bilateral trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
He said that finding opportunity for joint work will be a matter of joy for them.
The UNHCR official said that the provision of strong support to Afghan refugees and people of Afghanistan is their mission. Such efforts could also open the new avenues of economic development for Pakistan.
He appreciated the efforts of FPCCI and assured extending full cooperation to it on his behalf and maintained that very soon a formal memorandum of understanding (MoU) will also be signed in this regard.
Speaking on the occasion, Regional Coordinator FPCCI, KP Region, Sartaj Ahmad Khan said that the business community of the province have always stood by the side of their Afghan brethren not only during natural disasters, rather have continued taking all possible steps and making efforts for increase in the volume of trade and further strengthening of bilateral trade between both countries.
Sartaj Ahmad Khan said that the business communities of both countries are determined for holding the expo, saying it will usher economic revolution and termed it essential for the promotion of the trade interests of both countries and UNHCR has to play crucial role in this regard.
QUETTA, Sep 27 (APP):In a significant stride towards enhancing educational opportunities in underprivileged regions of the country, the Virtual University of Pakistan has deployed the first-ever Mobile Bio Lab at the University of Turbat, Gwadar, and high schools.
The students of Balochistan received the lab with enthusiasm, and gratitude, expressing their heartfelt appreciation to the government for making this pioneering endeavor possible, said a news release.
The Mobile Bio Lab offered a diverse range of practical experiments, enabling students to gain hands-on experience in various biological disciplines. The innovative initiative seeks to bridge the educational gap and foster scientific curiosity among students in Balochistan.
Dr. Arshad Saleem Bhatti Rector Virtual University of Pakistan said “We are committed to expanding educational horizons and empowering students in every corner of Pakistan. This Mobile Bio Lab in Balochistan is a testament to our dedication to promoting science and knowledge in underprivileged regions.”
The lab has already witnessed students eagerly engaging in numerous experiments, fostering a spirit of exploration and inquiry. It is expected to play a pivotal role in nurturing future scientists and researchers in Balochistan.
ISLAMABAD, Sep 27 (APP): The Adventure Club of Pakistan (ACP) in collaboration with Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) organized the 13th Sport Climbing Competitions here at Ibex Club, Lake View Park on Wednesday to mark World Tourism Day.
The Club is dedicated to promoting adventure/outdoor healthy activities in the country, said a news release.
The event was organized through the continued support of Ibex Sports & Leisure Club, Lake View Park, Islamabad.
Frash Security Services and Northern Mountaineering Equipment presented climbing equipment items for the distinction holders.
At the end of the thrilling competitions, the position holders were awarded with shields and certificates of participation. Various educational institutions, adventure clubs, and individuals participated in different age categories.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Club was established in 1994 and it has a vibrant history of diversified activities, however, Wall & Rock Climbing is the specialty of the Club.
In previous years, the Club has organized 17 climbing competitions on International Women’s Day, 12 climbing competitions on International Mountain Day, and 12 climbing competitions on World Tourism Day.
On September 27, 2023, the Club completed the 13th season of the event in collaboration with PTDC following the UN-assigned theme.
QUETTA, Sep 27 (APP): The collaboration between Reko Diq Mining Company (RDMC) and Indus Hospital & Healthcare Network (IHHN) resulted in district Chagai receiving its first Indus Mobile Health Clinic last week.
The IHHN has donated this Mobile Clinic to the district to provide healthcare for an interim period of three months while the RDMC-funded Indus Hospital at Nokkundi is being set up. This will ensure that basic health care is made available as a priority while permanent infrastructure can be developed.
The Indus Hospital Mobile Clinic, which was inaugurated by the RDMC Country Head and members of the Community Development Committee (CDC), will be located in six identified places across Nokkundi to create better access to healthcare facilities.
The mobile clinic is an innovative Mobile Medical Unit set in a state-of-the-art bus run and managed by the Indus Hospital.
The IHHN is a credible and renowned leading charity hospital network in Pakistan that brings a high standard of health services to local communities in both urban and rural locations.
Apart from offering primary healthcare through a team of doctors and community workers, the Mobile Medical Unit also houses a lab and pharmacy with essential medical supplies.
“This mobile clinic will provide much-needed healthcare to the local communities in and around Nokkundi temporarily until we can set up the Indus Hospital facility at Nokkundi. Once the Nokkundi hospital is up and running, it will replace the mobile clinic and locals will have a permanent medical facility to serve them in the area,” said Ali Ehsan Rind, the Country Manager of RDMC.
As with all other social investment projects funded by RDMC, this mobile clinic project also has the support and buy-in of the local Community Development Committee (CDC) which comprises local community representatives who direct RDMC to invest in need-based projects and consider the requirement of the local community.
This mobile clinic is the second healthcare initiative taken by RDMC in the region, the first being a recently inaugurated Community Health Center at the Humai village another project delivered in collaboration with the IHHN and funded by RDMC.
Additionally, two primary schools in the Humai and Mashki Chah villages and access to potable water through a water treatment plant in the Humai village have been opened and are serving the local population. These form part of the RDMC social development program in the district since the new Reko Diq agreement was signed in late 2022.
APP/ask.
ISLAMABAD, Sep 27 (APP): Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has said that Pakistan was focusing on its own interests without choosing sides in great power competition, and that the West was “over-obsessed” with efforts to contain China.
The prime minister, in an interview with Washington Post during his visit to New York to attend the 78th United Nations General Assembly session published on Wednesday, said Pakistan intended to stay “neutral” on Russia’s war with Ukraine and saw China as its “all-weather friend” and “strategic partner.”
“It’s not a Cold War. There is no Iron Curtain here. It’s not that opaque. Everybody sees what is happening,” the prime minister said. He said that the West was “over-obsessed” with efforts to contain China.
He told the interviewer that Pakistan was charting a path designed to avoid getting caught up in the competition between the West and Russia and China. He said Pakistan had no intention of committing to either camp in the growing US-China rivalry.
By siding with the West against the Soviets and again after 9/11, Pakistan paid a high price, Kakar said. “Pakistan in the last 30 years has been treated unfairly by the West,” he told the interviewer.
“Every nation for itself… Why should we be worried about this competition? It’s between two great powers, two great civilizations, and the implications [affect] 150-plus countries. And Pakistan is just one of them,” PM Kakar remarked.
Mentioning Pakistan’s “neutral” stance on Ukraine, the prime minister said, “This crisis is creating challenges and at the same time it is creating opportunities also within the region, and we are looking at it both ways,” he said.
Prime Minister Kakar flatly denied the allegations in a media report of Pakistan moving any munitions to Ukraine saying, “We have not gone for any sale which was directly intended for the Ukraine, not any sort of transactions,” even through a third party.
Regarding the arrest of workers of Pakistan Tehree-k-e-Insaf, the prime minister denied the alleged abuses and compared Pakistan’s actions to the arrests in the United States of those who attacked the US Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
“Arrests are being made for unlawful actions, somebody who’s involved in arson or vandalism,” he said. “This is not the kind of behavior which is promoted or vindicated by any liberal democracy. So why is it being even expected of Pakistan that we should condone such behaviors?”
Serving the nation since 1947 by providing an accurate, objective, uninterrupted flow of news to the people, the national news service is pursuing a comprehensive strategy to transform the existing news operations into a forward-looking service – APP Digital for its diverse subscriber-base and the public.
Contact us: news@app.com.pk
Copyright © Associated Press of Pakistan