IRSA releases 186,300 cusecs water

ISLAMABAD, Sep 26 (APP): The caretaker government on Tuesday said under the constitution and prevalent electoral laws, all political parties had the equal right to participate in the general elections and categorically stated that the remarks of the caretaker prime minister during a recent interview to the foreign wire service Associated Press had been “misunderstood and misreported”.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in its official statement issued the original text from the Associated Press to clarify that Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar was plainspeaking to suggest that whereas participating in the elections was a right, but retribution for crimes was legally warranted.

The ministry lamented that the interview had been “twisted by some outlets” to give the impression that someone will not be allowed to take part in the general elections.

The ministry drew attention to the following text of Prime Minister’s interview:

“We are not pursuing anyone on a personal vendetta,” Kakar said. “But yes, we will ensure that the law is appropriate. Anyone, be it Imran Khan or any other politician who violates, in terms of their political behavior, the laws of the country, then the restoration of the law has to be ensured. We cannot equate that with … political discrimination.”

Kakar said fair elections can take place without Khan or hundreds of members of his party who are jailed because they engaged in unlawful activities including vandalism and arson, a reference to the violence that rocked the country following Khan’s initial arrest in May.

The caretaker prime minister added that the thousands of people in Khan’s party who didn’t engage in unlawful activities, “will be running the political process, they will be participating in the elections.”

The Information Ministry reiterated in its statement that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and its leaders are free to participate in the elections like any other party. It has been clarified that there is no impediment to contesting elections by any leader of PTI or the party as a whole.

The statement further added that every citizen is equal before law and the law will take its course with respect to any person currently facing legal charges. The courts are free and independent and the caretaker government has neither authority nor intention to influence the courts at any level.

It was further clarified that any person aggrieved by any order or ruling of a statutory or judicial forum has a constitutionally guaranteed right to approach the next forum in judicial hierarchy for relief.

“The caretaker government is committed to holding free and fair elections. The caretaker government will support the constitutional and legal structure for holding elections and would ensure that all orders and directions of the Election Commission of Pakistan and independent judiciary are complied with in letter and spirit,” the government said in its statement.

IESCO recovers Rs 20.24 mln from 1,342 defaulters

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Tue, 26 Sep 2023, 11:28 AM

ISLAMABAD, Sep 26 (APP): The Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) on Tuesday recovered over Rs 20.24 million from 1,342 defaulters in various circles of the company during the ongoing power anti-power theft and recovery drive.

The IESCO Spokesperson said that collectively a sum of Rs 200 million has been recovered from 14,112 defaulters so far. Meters of the defaulters have also been removed, he added.

Sharing the details, he said that an amount of over Rs 3.8 million was recovered from 360 defaulters in Islamabad Circle, Rs 5.1 million from 253 defaulters in Attock Circle, Rs 1.9 million from defaulters in Rawalpindi City Circle, Rs 1.12 million from 211 defaulters in Jhelum Circle, Rs 3.8 million from 235 defaulters in Chakwal Circle and Rs 6.5 million from 210 defaulters in Rawalpindi Cantt circle.

Local administration and police were fully assisting the operation teams of the company in the drive, he said.

The spokesperson said that over 62,000 meters of various tariffs/categories have been checked so far during the ongoing drive.

Around 1,082 consumers were charged over 1.5 million units on account of power theft and slow meters. A Rs 7.21 million fine has also been imposed on them besides registering 336 FIRs against them.

The police have also arrested 28 power pilferers so far. The drive would continue till the complete elimination of power pilferage, he said.

China-Pak crop pest management seminar held in Chengdu

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Tue, 26 Sep 2023, 11:15 AM

BEIJING, Sep 26 (APP): In order to strengthen the mutual learning and cooperation between China and Pakistan in the fields of crop pest management technology, prevention and control measures and management standards, the Seminar on Methods and Standards of Crop Pest Management in China and Pakistan was held by International Standardization Talent Training Base (Chengdu).

The event was co-hosted by the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) and the University of Punjab online and attended by technicians of agricultural enterprises engaged in crop pest control and experts of related scientific research institutes from both countries, China Economic Net (CEN) reported on Tuesday.

Honored guest Dr Abid Ali, Associate Professor, Department of Entomology at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad, gave a keynote speech titled Standard System and Current Situation of Pest Control of Major Crops in Pakistan.

“We are facing growing severe pressure from pests, which is a serious threat to survival and security for Pakistan, an agricultural country. Climate change and high temperatures have intensified pests, in the meantime, extensive cropping signifies a lack of systematic and scientific control.

Moreover, blind abuse of pesticides has led to more and more pests becoming resistant further. Such a vicious cycle keeps the cost of plant protection high.”

After analyzing the complex situation of crop pest management in Pakistan, Dr Ali took several major pests such as Fall Armyworm (FAW) as examples to introduce Pakistan’s current management system (chemical control) and pointed out that Pakistan lacks adequate pest monitoring and forecasting systems, which means that pesticides still dominate prevention and control measures.

Statistics show that Pakistan’s annual pesticide use has soared from 50,000 tons/year in 2001 to 200,000 tons/year in 2020 in the past 20 years.

Therefore, studying the population distribution of natural enemies of pests in different phenological stages and crops will help Pakistan establish a biological management system, which reduces the use of pesticides. “China has leading technology in the field of biological control. Through learning-related experience, it will be of great benefit to the promotion of biological control in Pakistan.”

Another attendant, Liu Jie, Deputy Director, of the National Agro-Tech Extension and Service Center, detailed Monitoring and Warning Technology of Agricultural Pests and Diseases Based on IoT and Big Data, focusing on cutting-edge Agro tech such as intelligent testing equipment, which can rely on automatic image recognition to detect and report all insects that enter the trap range, and identify the type, quantity, and gathering period of pests in a certain area.

“In the context of global economic integration, high-speed circulation of global agricultural products through trade networks has brought a greater variety of pests to a certain extent. In addition to climate change, the threat of invasive alien species driven by socioeconomic factors has greatly intensified,” Liu stressed. “Currently, China has established a remote sensing dynamic prediction model that combines multi-scale monitoring results of pests and diseases with epidemic migration patterns of pests and diseases, realizing remote dynamic prediction of remote sensing and migration paths of major pests and diseases areas. We take delight in sharing experiences in this regard between the two countries.”

Besides, China’s standard system for the management of major food crop diseases and pests, along with China’s prevention and control policies and measures for major agricultural pests and diseases were also amplified by experts.

It was noted that China and Pakistan will kick start a series of tests, demonstrations and joint research on integrated disease control technologies for crop pests and diseases of common concern, as well as technical personnel training and personnel exchange and training.

APP/asg

Locals tortures thief caught red-handed

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Tue, 26 Sep 2023, 10:50 AM

KHANEWAL, Sep 26 (APP):Locals caught a thief red-handed and severely tortured him before handing him over to the police.

Residents of a building held the unidentified thief when he was stealing a motorbike owned by a person, an official of the city police station said.

According to citizens stealing of vehicles’ batteries, water pumps and iron outside of the residences became just as routine.

The people demanded the police and concerned constituencies to maintain peace and control the increasing incidents of dacoity and theft in different areas of the district.

Court awards 9 years imprisonment to accused

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Tue, 26 Sep 2023, 10:48 AM

ATTOCK, Sep 26 (APP):A Control of Narcotics Substance Court (CNS) in Hassanabdal on Tuesday sentenced 9 years imprisonment and a fine worth Rs 0.6 million to an accused involved in a drug smuggling case.

The accused was arrested by Hassanabdal Police in the year 2023 in the case registered under section 9-C of the control of narcotics substance act 1997 after recovery of over two kilogram hashish from his custody.

The Judge after hearing the arguments of defense and prosecution counsels announced the verdict as the convicted was found guilty of having drugs, and subsequently awarded 9 years imprisonment and a fine worth Rs 0.8 million.

During the proceedings, the public prosecutor for the state argued that the accused was caught red-handed while smuggling the contraband and the evidence on record fully connected him with the commission of the offence.

He maintained that the accused was charged with a heinous offense and he did not deserve any leniency.

One killed in Bahawalpur accident

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Tue, 26 Sep 2023, 10:39 AM

ISLAMABAD, Sep 26 (APP):A boy was killed while two others were critically injured when their motorcycle collided with a tractor-trolley in Bahawalpur on Tuesday.

As per details, rescue sources said that the accident occurred in the Yazman area of Bahawalpur where a the speeding motorcycle hit a tractor-trolley parked on the roadside, As a result of the accident a 14-year-old boy was killed, a private news channel reported.

Police and rescue teams reached the spot after being informed and shifted the bodies and injured to the hospital.

Pakistan committed to promote cooperation with SCO states in field of media: Solangi

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Tue, 26 Sep 2023, 10:34 AM

NANJING, (China) Sep 26 (APP): Caretaker Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi on Tuesday said Pakistan was fully committed to promote cooperation with Shanghai Cooperation Organization ( SCO) member states in the field of media.

Addressing the participants of the SCO Television Festival here, Murtaza Solangi said that Cooperation among its members in the fields of radio, television and other audio-visual products was a manifestation of the success of the organization.

” Collaboration in mainstream media and social media is very important to promote communication at the public level”, Murtaza Solangi opined.

In order to promote cultural affinity, the minister said the media organizations of SCO member countries needed to increase ties in various fields including joint publication projects and documentaries.

The minister said that seven decades old Pakistan-China friendship was unique and both countries had the status of “iron brother” to each other.

Pakistan and China had centuries-old cultural linkages, which have been further strengthened by the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework, said Murtaza Solangi.

He said that Pakistan and China were celebrating the 10th anniversary of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor this year.

The CPEC has taken the shape of historic economic cooperation between the two neighbour countries.

The minister said that China and Pakistan had declared 2023 as the year of tourism exchange between the two countries and its aim was to promote exchanges at the public level as well as create a vibrant tourism and cultural ecosystem for the mutual benefit of the people of the two countries.

Murtaza Solangi maintained that the SCO was a useful and promising platform for member countries of the region to promote comprehensive and sustainable cooperation in social, economic, communication, media and cultural fields.

The minister invited the media organizations of the member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to partner with Pakistan in various projects including joint production.

“The member countries of the SCO can benefit from each others’ experiences and advanced technologies,” Murtaza Solangi remarked.

He said joint production projects will help promote the culture and tourism of SCO countries.

India cannot suppress legitimate struggle of people of IIOJK: Mushaal Mullick

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Tue, 26 Sep 2023, 10:33 AM

ISLAMABAD, Sep 26 (APP):Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Human Rights Mushaal Mullick Tuesday said that India could not fool the world by terming the homegrown Kashmiris’ freedom struggle as sponsored.

She said India cannot suppress the legitimate struggle of the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

“Pakistan will not allow India to succeed in its nefarious designs aimed at altering the Muslim majority status in IIOJK”, she said while talking to a private news channel.

“Kashmir has a separate identity according to the United Nations Charter, and India’s claims on Kashmir are false”, she further highlighted.

Mushaal Mullick said that the United Nations had already accepted the stance of Kashmiri people about right of self determination but did not take any practical step yet.

She urged that international community should play its due role for the resolution of Kashmir conflict for the regional peace, prosperity and development.

Replying to a question, she said that Modi-led government has exposed in front of the whole world, adding, Pakistan has always extended its political, moral and diplomatic support to Kashmiri people in their just struggle for right to self-determination.

She also reaffirmed Pakistan’s continuous support to the people of Kashmir and their leaders fighting for freedom.

Pakistanis stand by the “Kashmiri brothers and sisters” in their struggle, and will continue to highlight the dispute to the international community, she added.

NBP exchange rates

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Tue, 26 Sep 2023, 9:39 AM