ISLAMABAD, Sep 12 (APP): The Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) has served over 1,025,271 women and children under the Benazir Nashonuma initiative until now through the provision of health and nutrition services.

Among the total beneficiaries, a total of 521,353 pregnant and lactating women (PLW) and 503,918 children have been facilitated so far.

According to an official source, these beneficiaries had been served through the network of over 488 Nashonuma Centers across the country.

The Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) intervention of Benazir Nashonuma was designed in August 2020 to increase the uptake of Health and Nutrition services of its beneficiaries.

The primary objectives of the program were to prevent stunting in children under two years of age, improve weight gain of pregnant women during pregnancy, reduce anemia and micronutrient deficiencies and prevent low birth weight.

World Food Programme (WFP) is the lead implementing partner for Benazir Nashonuma which aims at addressing stunting among pregnant and lactating women (PLW) and their children less than two years of age through the provision of additional cash of Rs 2,000 per quarter per PLW and boy child and PKR 2,500/- per quarter per girl child of BISP beneficiary families.

In return, mothers are required to attend regular antenatal health checks and awareness sessions during pregnancy, consume specialized nutritious food (SNF), and take their children for immunization and regular health checks.

According to the statistics, Pakistan’s high rates of malnutrition (40.2 percent stunting, 28.9 percent underweight, and 17.7 percent wasting) are indicative of an ongoing child nutrition crisis.

Such levels of malnutrition rank Pakistan as the second-highest burden country in the region. The first 1,000 days of a child’s life are a window of opportunity to lay a strong foundation for later achievements.

This time frame is a period of enormous change characterized by a high degree of plasticity in the child’s neurological development.

Investments in the early years of life are the foundation of human capital, and human capital is a key driver of economic development in the modern economy.

ISLAMABAD, Sep 12 (APP): Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Aneeq Ahmed, on Monday met with Moroccan Ambassador Mohamed Karmoune to express his deep condolences for the recent earthquake losses suffered by Morocco.

He, in a poignant display of solidarity, extended his sympathies, stating, “I have come to express my heartfelt condolences; I stand with the people of Morocco in their sorrow.”

He emphasized the strong and enduring fraternal relations between Pakistan and Morocco and assured that Pakistan’s government and its people would stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Morocco during these challenging times.

In response, Ambassador Mohamed Karmoune expressed his gratitude for Minister Aneeq’s sympathy and acknowledged the significance of Pakistan’s support during this period of grief.

This meeting between Minister Aneeq Ahmed and Ambassador Mohamed Karmoune underscored the importance of international solidarity and the strength of diplomatic ties during times of crisis.

ISLAMABAD, Sep 12 (APP): The Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) in Pakistan has celebrated Ethiopian New Year 2016 with traditional zeal and fervor.

In this regard, a colorful reception was hosted here for the Government of Pakistan’s officials, media, civil society, diplomatic corps, and Ethiopian Diaspora.

Minister for Commerce Dr. Gohar Ejaz graced the occasion as a chief guest, while other important guests including Ambassador of Turkmenistan and Dean of Diplomatic Corps to Pakistan Atadjan Movlamov, Ambassador of Kingdom of Morocco to Pakistan Mohammed Karmoune, Former President of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Zafar Bakhtawari and others also attended the ceremony.

Ethiopian Ambassador to Pakistan Jemal Beker Abdula accorded a warm welcome to all the guests upon their arrival at the celebration ceremony.

Speaking on the occasion, he said every year on September 11, Ethiopia celebrated its new year in accordance with its own ancient calendar which was an identity of the FDR Ethiopia.

“Our calendar consists of 13 months, with 12 months comprising 30 days each and a 13th month consisting of 5 days. Every four years, this 13th month counts 6 days to account for a leap year. Hence, we find ourselves celebrating this public holiday on September 11, unless it is a leap year in the Ethiopian calendar, when we celebrate it on September 12,” he explained.

He said the seven to eight-year gap between the Ethiopian and Gregorian calendars stemmed from an alternative calculation used to determine the date of the Annunciation.

At one moment, the gathering broke into a loud applause when Jemal Beker said “Whoever presents in this gathering today becomes seven years younger of his age.”

He said on this day, all Ethiopians reaffirmed their unwavering faith in the core values that defined Ethiopia including love, forgiveness, unity, and harmony.

The ambassador said Ethiopia had a unique place in human history as the land of origin, with the discovery of Lucy—the human fossil believed to be one of our earliest ancestors. It was also the birthplace of coffee, with the village of Keffa
giving coffee its name.

“Visiting Ethiopia is akin to reconnecting with your ancestral roots,” he noted.

“Moreover, Ethiopia is renowned as the source of the Nile, the longest river in the world. Our nation also takes pride in producing some of the world’s most exceptional athletes, and I am excited to announce plans to foster knowledge exchange between our athletes and our dear brotherly country in the realm of sports,” the ambassador stressed.

He said the Ethiopian New Year of this year also marked the completion of the first Ethiopian Embassy in Islamabad which was a testament to the strengthening of the diplomatic ties between the two countries. The Ethiopian Government inaugurated its Embassy in Pakistan last year, coinciding with the diamond jubilee of Pakistan, he added.

The ambassador thanked the people and the Government of Pakistan for extending hospitality, generosity, and sincerity to him and the FDRE Embassy for one year.

He also highlighted major initiatives of the FDRE Embassy in its inaugural year which included the formal establishment of the Embassy, the visit of a historic trade delegation of 75 Pakistani businessmen to Ethiopia in March 2023, the arrival of high-powered officials and business delegation of 50 persons from Ethiopia in Pakistan in May 2023 and commencement of Ethiopian Airlines operations in Karachi and signing of agreements with Pakistan in the areas of trade, investment, science, and technology.

Federal Minister for Commerce, Dr. Gohar Ejaz expressed gratitude to Ambassador Jemal Beker Abdula for inviting him to the celebration ceremony and emphasized the close relationship between the two nations in trade, investment, tourism, and technology transfer.

He highlighted the promising trade prospects between Pakistan and Ethiopia during the Ethiopian New Year celebration ceremony.