BAHAWALPUR, Sep 03 (APP):The local Met Office Sunday predicted a dry weather for the city for the next 24 hours.
The maximum and minimum temperatures recorded were 37 degrees centigrade and 27 degrees centigrade were recorded during the last 24 hours.
The dry weather has also been forecast for the rest of the region.
ISLAMABAD, Sep 3 (APP): Minister of State for Tourism Wasi Shah Sunday said that his government was taking significant steps to enhance foreign investment for the tourism industry and boost investors’ confidence to explore the tourism potential of Pakistan which will promote the soft image of the country at the international level.
Talking to a private news channel, he said that efforts are being made to promote and showcase Pakistan’s rich tourism heritage at all international forums with the active participation of public-private stakeholders.
He said that the foundation stone of the first theme park in Skardu will be laid soon.
The Minister Tourism said that all possible measures will be taken to provide the best ever facilities to tourists, adding that the tourism sector will actively promote to strengthen the national economy and lead the country to progress and prosperity.
Minister said the growth of the travel industry must also benefit local communities and create an environment while enhancing the tourist ecosystem.
Replying to a question, he said Pakistan has great potential to attract a huge number of foreign tourists and expatriate Pakistanis to explore and witness the country’s culture, ecotourism and religious tourism.
PESHAWAR, Sep 03 (APP):Five persons including two women and a child were killed in a house Par Hoti area Kacha Sarak, said 1122 on Sunday.
Rescue teams reached the incident place and shifted the bodies to a nearby hospital.
The deceased were identified as Waqar, his wife, mother and four-year-old Azan son of Waqar and Raees son of Shiraz.
Police confirmed the incident and stated the reason behind the incident as domestic and started further investigation.
BAHAWALPUR, Sep 03 (APP):The flood water has reached very close to the Bahawalpur-Lahore National Highway passing through the Goth Shah Muhammad area after covering a distance of around 10 kilometers from the river bank.
The flood water started flowing to Goth Shah Muhammad and other areas after the Sutlej river received a high flood level of around 144,000 cusec at Empress Bridge Bahawalpur and after covering around 10 kilometers distance, it reached close to Bahawalpur-Lahore National Highway passing through Goth Shah Muhammad area of Khairpur Tamewali Tehsil of Bahawalpur district.
“However, presently, there is a low flood level in Sutlej River at both Syphion Headworks Mailsi and Empress Bridge Bahawalpur,” official sources in the district management said.
APP learned on Sunday that floodwater which reached Goth Shah Muhammad, Goth Noor Muhammad, and other areas of Khairpur Tamewali tehsil has spread over an area the length of 16-18 kilometers, inundating over 200 small villages, destroying standing crops on thousands of acres of land including a maze, cotton, and others.
In some places, flood water can be seen at a distance of only one acre of land from the Bahawalpur-Lahore National Highway passing through Goth Shah Muhammad and Goth Noor Muhammad areas, and in some other areas, it could be seen at a distance of three acres of land from the highway.
Thousands of people who have become homeless in Khairpur Tamewali, Israni, Lal Suhanra, Ghot Shah Muhammad, Goth Noor Muhammad, and other areas said that although, they had been provided with meals and medicines, adding they had been facing issues of theft of valuables from their houses which were surrounded by flood water.
“Leaving our valuables and domestic goods at our homes, we fled to areas lying close to Bahawalpur-Lahore National Highway but at night time, thieves using different items to cross flood water used to reach our abandoned homes and took away our domestic items,” they said.
The flood water has also wreaked havoc in Saddar Tehsil and Ahmadpur East Tehsil of Bahawalpur district. After covering a distance of a few kilometers from the Sutlej river bank, it has also reached the road linking Sama Satta Railway Junction to Bahawalpur City as it has inundated thousands of acres of land in Khanowali, Fatowali and Mauza Sama Satta.
Reports reaching here suggested that after the breaking of another Zamindara embankment, flood water has entered dozens of other villages in Ahmadpur East Tehsil, inundating standing crops on thousands of acres of land and forcing thousands of people to flee homes.
The sources in the Flood Forecast Division, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and Punjab Emergency Service Department, Rescue 1122 told APP that presently, Sutlej river had a low flood level on Sunday, September 3.
“At Islam Headworks, the inflow of water is 70,513 cusec and outflow is 68,283 cusec with low flood and steady position, at Syphion Headworks inflow is 66,635 cusecs and outflow is 66,635 cusec with low flood and steady position,” they said, adding there was no more threat of high-level flood in Sutlej river so far.
Meanwhile, it is observed that the personnel of the Pakistan Army, rescuers of the Punjab Emergency Service Department, Rescue 1122 Bahawalpur, and civil society have been playing remarkable roles in rescuing people affected by the flood and providing them with meals medicines, and other necessary items.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Bahawalpur Zaheer Anwar Jappa himself was seen sitting with the flood-affected people at Earth and having a luncheon with them which was provided by the district management of Bahawalpur.
People affected by flood water in Hasilpur Tehsil, Khairpur Tamewali Tehsil, and Ahmadpur East Tehsil of Bahawalpur District have appealed to the Caretaker Prime Minister, Chief Minister of Punjab, national and international donors to provide them with compensation as their standing crops of maze, cotton and others spread over tens of thousands of acres of land have been washed away by flood water and their storage of wheat for cooking bread at homes was also swept away by flood water.
BEIJING, Sep 3 (APP):The ongoing China International Fair for Trade in Service (CIFTIS) in Beijing will support Pakistan in increasing services exports, especially in Informational Technology (IT), e-commerce, finance and logistics, said Pakistan Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque.
The exhibition will also help promote regional connectivity with the presence of NLC and PIA in the exhibition, he told APP after inaugurating the ‘Pakistan Pavilion’ at the CIFTIS.
Commercial Counselor, Ghulam Qadir, Science and Technology, Counselor Khan Muhammad, and representative of Pakistani companies were also present.
Some prominent Pakistani enterprises including Technology Zone Authority (STZA), Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), NETSOL, ISBEI, National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), National Logistic Corporation (NLC), Fb Enterprises, and others have set up their booths at Pakistan Pavilion to attract international investors during the event.
Ambassador Haque emphasized that the Pakistan Pavilion provides a platform for Pakistani businesses to showcase their capabilities and explore new avenues for trade and investment.
“This initiative reflects Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening economic ties with China and other countries, and further positioning the country as a hub for service-oriented enterprises in the region,” he added.
He said, “China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) a flagship project of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has entered its second phase.”
“We are now focusing on cooperation with China in agriculture, IT, logistics, services, tourism and education,” he added.
“Pakistan has signed several protocols which have opened up the multi-billion Chinese market for Pakistani products including boiled meat, dairy, cherry and chilly etc.”
Terming the signing of protocols a game changer, he said that this would not only benefit Pakistan traders and companies but also provide ample opportunities to enhance their exports to Chinese markets.
He said, “Pakistan and China are focusing on making Khunjerab Pass an all-weather land route for trading and business between the two countries.”
“Following the difficult weather conditions, the border remains open for 7-8 months a year but now both countries are working to make it an all-weather route by upgrading facilities like logistics, warehouses, customs clearance, etc.,” he added.
To a question about the opening of an international road transport (TIR) route between Islamabad and the Chinese city of Kashgar, he said it was very promising and it would not only enhance bilateral trade activities between Pakistan and China but also increase regional trade.
“The products can travel from Pakistan through China to Central Asian counties and vice versa and this is in line with the regional connectivity and trade under the Belt and Road Initiative,” he added.
With the theme ‘openness leads development, cooperation creates a win-win future,’ the CIFTIS is scheduled to take place in Beijing from Sept 2-6.
The event has attracted over 2200 enterprises and representatives of 75 countries and international organizations, with the proportion of international participants exceeding 20 percent.
RAWALPINDI, Sep 03 (APP):Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the District Health Authority Dr. Ejaz Ahmad has said that a week-long Anti-Polio drive will commence in the four high-risk towns of the district on Monday (September 4).
The CEO told APP that 2,770 teams including 2,430 mobile teams, 568 area in charges 261 fixed points and 156 Union Council medical officers would vaccinate polio drops to over 741,579 children under five years of age in four towns of the district including Rawalpindi city, Rawalpindi Cantonment, Rawalpindi rural, and tehsil Taxila which had been declared high-risk areas.
He added that drops would also be administered at 109 transit points while teams have been deputed at toll plazas so that no child could miss immunization. The CEO said the purpose for launching the special drive was the presence of continuous detection of the polio virus from environmental samples collected from the area of Sarae Kala, Taxila and Safdarabad, Rawalpindi. The positive sample in Rawalpindi indicates that the virus was circulating in the region, though no positive case had been reported so far, he said and added that “If a single case is reported in a region, it remains a threat to children residing in 200 houses in the vicinity.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Rawalpindi Liaquat Ali Chatta directed the official concerned to improve the anti-polio micro plan devised during the previous campaign.
He said the crippling disease was a national issue, and it was the responsibility of all to play an influential role in making the country polio-free.
The Commissioner warned the officials that strict action would be taken against those responsible for fake entries. Liaquat said hiding facts was not a solution to any problem, but it complicated the issue.
Laiquat further directed to cover the missing and refusal cases by convincing the parents with the help of local community leaders and achieving the target set for the drive.
He urged the citizens, particularly the parents, to come forward and play their role in eliminating the crippling disease from society.
GILGIT, Sep 03 (APP):Amidst misleading social media narratives, let’s set the record straight! Gilgit-Baltistan is experiencing peace and stability.
“Schools, colleges, markets, and roads are open, preserving a sense of normalcy,” said Chief Secretary (CS) of GB Muhiudeen Wani in an official statement to the media.
He said, “Peaceful protests address religious harmony concerns, and the law and order situation is calm.”
“No Army deployment has been ordered; the Army is prepared for routine community protection during events of Jhelum imam e hussain in the coming week,” he added.
He said, “Reports of unrest are baseless; no shots fired, no damage to public and private property”
He said, “Protests are a natural political democratic response to local issues, managed peacefully in GB.”
“It remains a haven of peace and harmony,” CS GB added.
SIALKOT, Sep 03 (APP):Sialkot Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCC) President Abdul Ghafoor Malik
has demanded the government to set special electricity rates for five important
export-oriented sectors of the country to promote exports.
In a press statement issued here on Sunday, he said that 80 to 100 percent increase
in electricity bills in the form of taxes and levies was a big challenge for domestic
exports, which could not be ignored in any case.
The SCCI President said that there was no doubt that the government had to take
strict measures in view of the country’s economic situation, but the export industry,
which keeps the wheel of country’s economy moving was already suffering from
expensive utility bills, increase in the prices of petroleum products and due to the
devaluation of rupee, it was already suffering from serious economic problems.
Malik said that due to increase in the manufacturing cost of export products due
to the recent increase in electricity prices, “our products are losing competitiveness
in global markets”.
ISLAMABAD, Sep 03 (APP): Global Director for Polio Eradication at World Health Organization (WHO), Aidan O’Leary, met Caretaker Minister for Health Dr. Nadeem Jan on the visit of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative’s (GPEI) Strategy Committee.
This was the first engagement between senior GPEI officials and the caretaker government.
In a meeting held at the Health Ministry, Dr Jan said, “It is important for us that our country and global partners and donors stand together in this final leg of the eradication journey.”
The Strategy Committee of the GPEI, chaired by O’Leary, is an executive committee set up to oversee the management and execution of the Polio Endgame Plan, that aims to achieve eradication by 2026.
“There is no time to waste. The Health Ministry will support any measure to interrupt wild poliovirus transmission by the global deadline at the end of 2023,” the minister added.
“I am a polio worker at heart. I will ensure that not only does polio remain a priority at all tiers of governance, but efforts are more targeted and intensified,” he stated.
Speaking after the meeting, O’Leary said, “Political will and commitment to get the job done is absolutely critical to the success of the programme.”
“We have been particularly impressed by the Health Minister’s very immediate and hands-on engagement with the Polio Programme.”
“We certainly look forward to continued advocacy and support.”
He said that the programme has been very successful in ensuring that virus circulation is not established with excellent outbreak responses to virus detection. “This must continue for us to be able to deliver on what is a critical goal not just for Pakistan but for the entire world.”
O’Leary is the head of the Strategy Committee and was accompanied by Dr. Richard Franka, the Pakistan Team Lead for Polio Eradication at the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
“To meet the goal of eradicating polio, Pakistan’s polio programme must enhance efforts to identify and vaccinate children who have not received polio vaccines, especially in areas experiencing conflict and insecurity,” Dr. Franka said.
During their three-day visit to Pakistan, the delegation also met the Engineer-in-Chief at the General Headquarters in Islamabad, the District Commissioner of Peshawar and the Health Minister of Sindh, among other key officials.
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