President Dr Arif Alvi chairs a meeting on Crop Insurance organized by the Federal Insurance Ombudsman at Aiwan-e-Sadr
PM lauds efforts by NFRCC, others for relief, rehabilitation of flood survivors
ISLAMABAD, Dec 9 (APP): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday appreciated the fabulous teamwork by the National Flood Response and Coordination Center and other institutions for relief and rehabilitation of millions of distressed flood-hit people across the country, by utilizing all available resources.
The prime minister, addressing a ceremony held to acknowledge the efforts by the NFRCC and others during the flood relief operations, appreciated the leadership of Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and NFRCC’s head Major General Zafar Iqbal.
He said the Center had made efforts for the suffering flood-hit people who had lost around 1700 of their dear ones, houses and crops to the floods which also damaged the road and power supply infrastructure.
He said many villages had lost road connectivity but the Pakistan Army, Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Air Force, National Disaster Management Authority, provincial authorities and governments carried out the uphill task of supplying ration to the stranded people and restoring their access.
The prime minister particularly appreciated the role of former NDMA Chairman Lt. General Akhtar Nawaz, Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman, Poverty Alleviation Minister Shazia Marri, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and provincial chief ministers.
He also spoke high of the “remarkable job” by Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb for highlighting the catastrophic situation within Pakistan as well as internationally, by capturing the “critical moments” which impacted international viewers.
The prime minister said as the government had a model before it which required immediate implementation to save Pakistan as much as possible from any future catastrophic situation and enhance country’s preparedness to cope with the disasters.
He told the gathering that Pakistan was rich with immense natural resources like Reko Diq and others in Northern Areas, Sindh and Punjab.
He said Reko Diq had huge reservoirs of copper and gold to the tune of billions of dollars but despite the passage of several years, the country could not dig out even a “kilo” of gold or copper and instead lost billions of dollars in terms penalties, fees and tribunal expenses.
He said the country would not be able to get rid of poverty unless it pursued the course as advised by founder Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said the recent floods were the biggest climate disaster of modern history which affected the poorest of the poor regions.
He said Prime Minister Shehbaz himself visited the flood-ravaged areas and the relevant institutions
made coordinated efforts from the top to the city administrations.
He said the hard work and collaborative efforts enabled the country to contain the scale of destruction like deaths consequent to the feared outbreak of diseases due to stagnant water.
People purchasing fish from vendor in fish market.
Air Marshal Abbas Ghumman calls on IT Minister
ISLAMABAD, Dec 9 (APP):Deputy Chief of the Air Staff, National Aerospace Science and Technology Park (NASTP) Air Marshal Abbas Ghumman called on Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Syed Amin Ul Haque here on Friday.
During the meeting, they discussed matters related to IT and establishment of the center of excellence for gaming and animation in NASTP Sierra, Karachi.
Air Marshal Abbas Ghumman apprised the minister that the gaming and animation technologies were extensively employed in aerospace sector for development of flight simulators, tactical simulators and training.
He said the NASTP Sierra was giving preference to the IT companies working in the gaming and animation domain to develop a flourishing ecosystem inside Sierra Park.
The IT minister appreciated efforts for setting up the center of excellence for gaming and animation in NASTP Sierra, Karachi and ensured full support of the Ministry of IT & Telecom in this regard.
View of Semi final Polo match between Remington Pharma and Diamond Paints Shekioo Steel in Corps Commander Cup at JPF DHA.
In the Landa Bazaar of the provincial capital, women are selecting and shopping second-hand children’s shoes in preparation of the cold weather.
Fruit and dry fruit vendors are attracting customers by displaying selling rate on their carts.
Young boys who had submitted applications for government jobs are checking their name among the elected list
TMA staff is planting palm trees to beautify the city on Khawaja Safdar Road.
Sherry chairs 1st Steering Committee’s meeting on Living Indus Initiative
ISLAMABAD, Dec 09 (APP):Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman on Friday chaired the first meeting of the Steering Committee of the Living Indus Initiative at the Ministry of Climate Change.
“The Living Indus Initiative is an ambitious project that has the full support of the Federal Cabinet, and we look forward to working together with all the relevant stakeholders to fulfill this dream of ours through this Steering Committee. The Committee will guide this Initiative to recharge this lifeline of Pakistan, the Indus River, which is responsible for the livelihoods of 80% the Pakistani population,” said Minister Rehman in a news release here received.
Senator Sherry Rehman was joined by Minister for Economic Affairs Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Minister for Industries & Production Syed Murtaza Mahmud, Sindh Environment, Climate Change and Coastal Development Minister Muhammad Ismail Rahoo, UN Resident Coordinator Julien Harneis, FAO Representative in Pakistan Florence Rolle, secretaries from the Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of National Food Security & Research, Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives, and officials from the Environment Ministries of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Baluchistan, Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan.
The purpose of the Steering Committee is to set guidelines from all the stakeholders and formulate the way forward. The Committee discussed next steps on how financing can be unlocked for the projects under the Initiative, building teams to monitor and support implementation, and exploring communication strategies for advocacy of the Living Indus Initiative, highlighting the story of the Indus River, and urgency of this Initiative. It was also discussed how the stakeholders can share feedback by proposing additional and improving existing interventions.
Minister Rehman thanked the members for joining and said, “80% of Pakistan’s agriculture and more than three quarter of our economy resides near the Indus and Pakistan’s history, topography and culture is defined by this River. It has been sustaining life for 5000 years – but will it sustain life for the next 100 years? This is now our responsibility to work together and across the federal, provincial, and local levels to rejuvenate the Indus River, because we don’t have the luxury to wait.”
The Living Indus Initiative was launched in September 2022 with its Secretariat at the Ministry of Climate Change. It is an umbrella initiative and a call for action to lead and consolidate initiatives to restore the ecological health of the Indus within the boundaries of Pakistan.
It has a ‘living menu’ of 25 interventions, which are in line with global best practices with a focus on green infrastructure. nature-based solutions, flood-risk management, and ecosystem-based adaptation approaches to protect, conserve and restore natural, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems. The initiative is being undertaken in partnership with the United Nations and FAO.