Women participate in Pakistan Christmas Peace Rally
A child waving Pakistani flag in Pakistan Christmas Peace Rally
Ethiopia, Pakistan discuss counter terrorism cooperation
ISLAMABAD, Dec 11 (APP):Ethiopia and Pakistan have discussed various ways to develop bilateral cooperation in diverse sectors including security and counter terrorism.
The bilateral cooperation on counter terrorism and security came under discussion here during a meeting between Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia to Pakistan Jemal Beker Abdula and State Minister for Interior Abdul Rehman Khan Kanju.
Ambassador Jemal Beker Abdula eulogized the efforts of Pakistan against terrorism and said his country would look forward to learning from Pakistan’s experiences in counter terrorism.
He suggested to develop a framework between the two countries on counter terrorism. “Our military’s technology and determination against the terrorism is very high, but we still want cooperation in this sector,” he added.
The ambassador said Pakistan and Ethiopia needed to work together closely as there were a lot of challenges in the 21st century.
He said there was a dire need to create a platform to promote south-south cooperation for betterment, progress and prosperity of our people.
“It is the only option we have in this 21st century and we have seen what happened to Pakistan in the wake of climate change that triggered flash floods in the recent past,” Jemal Beker maintained.
The ambassador said he had visited the flood affectees camps in Sindh after the flash floods to share their pain and grief. “Pakistan will not be left alone in this climate fiasco as my government is ready to share its experiences in averting the impacts of climate change.”
He said Prime Minister of Ethiopia Dr. Abiy Ali Ahmed launched a green legacy promgramme which brought green revolution in his country. “We have planted 25 billion seedlings in the last four years to address the climate related issues,” he added.
Ambassador Jemal Beker said both the countries shared similarities in many ways and heirs of the ancient civilizations.
Ethiopia had a federal system like that of Pakistan and held elections after regular intervals, he added.
He said he was amazed by political dynamism of Pakistan where democracy has been flourishing gradually.
“There are a lot of areas where both the countries are needed to strengthen close cooperation such as economy, security, technology transfer and others.”
On the other hand, Abdul Rehman Khan Kanju, State Minister for Interior appreciated all rounded recent achievement of Ethiopia under the leadership of Abiy Ahmed, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia that increase the diplomatic and political leverage of Ethiopia across the globe.
The minister assured the ambassador all-out support in this regard and said the Interior Ministry and the nation of Pakistan would be delighted to extend all-out assistance to Ethiopia on counter terrorism.
‘Political terrorist’ Imran symbol of country’s degradation: Marriyum
RAWALPINDI, Dec 11 (APP): Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb, while terming PTI chairman Imran Khan ‘a political terrorist’ said he was a symbol of the country’s degradation.
Addressing the Muslim League-Nawaz workers’ convention here, the minister said all the allegations levelled by the ‘Toshakhana thief’ against the PML-N leadership proved wrong.
She said it was ironic that a person, who did not start a single development project when in power, was blaming those who brought investments worth billions of rupees to the country.
The minister said the Daily Mail’s apology to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was actually an apology to the 220 million people of Pakistan. Imran Khan, in animosity of Shehbaz Sharif, used David Rose to publish a baseless news story against the PM, she added.
She said that in 2016 when Nawaz Sharif was holding office, Pakistan’s GDP growth rate was 6.2 percent whereas inflation was only 2.3 percent. During Nawaz’s era, she added, the IMF programme was rolled back, CPEC projects were started, employment opportunities were provided to the youth, and 14,000 megawatts of electricity were added to the national grid.
The minister said at that time, a conspirator, incompetent, inefficient and ‘Toshkhana thief’ was waiting for the finger of the umpire and holding sit-ins.
She said Nawaz Sharif made the country a nuclear power but Imran Khan ruined the development process.
Marriyum said Nawaz Sharif, in his tenure, eradicated the scourge of terrorism, but when Imran Khan came to power, terrorism rose its head again.
She said ‘the Toshakhana thief’ alleged that the PML-N leadership was involved in money laundering, but he could not give any evidence in the courts of Pakistan and the United Kingdom. On the contrary, he himself was caught doing money laundering. Marriyum Aurangzeb asked when will Imran Khan give an account of his theft?
Imran Khan made the country’s treasury a “retail shop” during his time, whereas Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was striving for the betterment of the people.
She congratulated Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, and Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal for emerging victorious in the court cases.
She said Hanif Abbasi was sentenced to 25-years imprisonment in Imran’s tenure but he stood firm and even now standing firm like a lion. Imran took false oaths and put a heroin case on Rana Sanaullah, who stood strong like a rock and still standing like a lion with Nawaz Sharif.
She said Imran embezzled the BRT money and abused the Chief Election Commissioner when it decided the case against him on merit.
He used to offer an extension to the army chief in closed rooms but campaigned against the martyrs outside.
Imran Khan, she said, appointed an incompetent and inefficient person as the chief minister of Punjab who damaged the province.
Taking a jibe at the PTI chairman, she said, after 4 years in power, Imran claimed that he had no power, whereas he had Farah Gogi and Pinki with him. She said Imran Khan even sold a gifted watch carrying the image of the Holy Kaaba.
She said, in Imran Khan’s era, Nawaz Sharif used to come to courts along with his daughter and presented documents from the past 40 years in accountability courts to clear his name.
She said when Imran Khan was asked to answer for his wrongdoings, he got worried and appeared in public on the wheelchair.
During the address, the slogans in favour of the PML-N leadership were raised by the party workers, who came in large numbers to attend the rally.
Afghan Border Forces unprovoked fire martyrs six, injures 17 along int’l border: ISPR
RAWALPINDI, Dec 11 (APP): The Afghan Border Forces on Sunday opened unprovoked and indiscriminate fire of heavy weapons including artillery and mortar onto the civilian population in Chaman, Balochistan that caused shahadat (martyrdom) of six civilians with another 17 individuals being injured.
According to the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) news release, the Pakistani border troops have given befitting albeit measured response against the uncalled for aggression, but avoided targeting innocent civilians in the area.
Pakistan has also approached Afghan authorities at Kabul to highlight severity of the situation and demanded strict action to obviate any such recurrence of the incident in future.
Second Test set for thrilling fourth day with high hopes
MULTAN, Dec 11 (APP):The second test match between Pakistan and England on Sunday entered into a thrilling phase as Pakistan need 157 runs to level the series while the visitors have to grab six wickets for winning the series.
England started the day at 202/5 with Harry brook on 76 and Ben Stokes on 16, Ben Stokes got out at 41 when the total score was 256. Abrar Ahmed with an outstanding performance bowled Ollie Robinson and then Zahid Mahmood restricted England at the total of 275 by taking wickets of Mark Wood at 270, Harry Brook at 271 when he scored 108 runs and James Anderson at 275.
Pakistan changed the opening combination after bringing Muhammad Rizwan to open after Imam-Ul-Haq was taken to hospital for a hamstring . The opening couple makes a partnership of 66 runs when Muhammad Rizwan was bowled by Jams Anderson after scoring 30 runs. Skipper Babar Azam was also bowled on an in-swing delivery of Ollie Robinson at 67/2. Abdullah Shafiq could not resist Mark Wood’s pace and bowled after scoring 45 runs left Pakistan on 83/3.
Imam-ul-Haq put on 108 runs partnership with Saud Shakeel and repaired the damage done by the England seamers.
Jack Leach brought the desired result, tempted Imam-ul-Haq into a full-blooded drive at a ball pitched in the rough took edge, flew to Joe Root at slip who pouched it brought great relief for England and stun the biggest crowd of the match into silence.
Following the behavior of the pitch in the morning during last three days, England was hopeful to get advantage by taking all six wickets, however, Pakistan was also committed to level the series after starting the day at 198/4, requiring another 157 to win.
Wrestlers in action after 25 years in Annual program of Wrestling held at Qadafi Stadium
Women purchasing warm winter clothes at a roadside stall.
