Netherlands’ Ambassador honors Pakistan’s human rights defender
ISLAMABAD, Dec 8 (APP): Ambassador of the Netherlands to Pakistan, Henny de Vries, presented the Embassy Human Rights Tulip Award 2022 to lawyer and human rights defender Saqib Jillani for his outstanding work in promoting human rights.
The Embassy Tulip is an annual award of the Dutch government for outstanding and courageous human rights defenders.
Through the award, the Netherlands supports human rights defenders to continue their work and share their stories, said a statement issued by the Netherlands Embassy on Thursday.
“Human rights are always about people. The people are protected by human rights.
But also the people who selflessly work to defend, protect, and develop human rights”, said Ambassador de Vries.
“Jillani is a prominent example of a courageous human rights defender, working on equal rights for all”.
As a lawyer, Jillani has represented women and civil society organizations in cases related to human rights violations.
Since 2018, he has been defending a woman in a long-drawn and heavily contested # MeToo-related defamation case.
This litigation has raised fundamental questions relating to women’s right to report sexual harassment without fear or intimidation of defamation proceedings, freedom of speech as well as whether defamation laws can be used as a tool to silence victims of sexual harassment.
Support for human rights defenders is one of the human rights priorities of the Netherlands.
“The Netherlands government regards human rights as an indispensable requirement for stability in a rules-based democratic order. That is why we need people like Jillani, who dare to speak out, unconditionally and unequivocally, for human rights”, said Ambassador de Vries.
The award includes a budget for a project to promote human rights, he added.
Ranjha seeks lifetime disqualification of IK over misdeclaration
ISLAMABAD, Dec 8 (APP): Senior leader of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha on Thursday sought lifelong disqualification of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for making false statements and incorrect declaration.
Talking to media persons, he said Imran Khan must be punished for filing misleading assets declarations in his annual returns filed with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had only de seated Imran from Mianwali but he must be disqualified for life.
He said Imran Khan was a petty thief and he devoured gifts he looted from Toshakhana. He said Imran Khan had destroyed country’s economy in his three years and six months rule, sabotaged China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects.
A complaint has been lodged with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Sobia Khan against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairperson Imran Khan for allegedly using government resources for personal benefit, with the accountability watchdog starting the investigation.
National Accountability Bureau (NAB) should file a case against Imran Khan for using government resources for personal benefits by sheer misuse of his authority.
Sherry urges for conducive polices to promote flood and climate resilient houses in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD, Dec 8 (APP): Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman on Thursday urged the need for making conducive policies to promote flood and climate resilient houses in Pakistan.
She said that the recent floods had brought huge devastation in Pakistan destroying millions of houses and causing loss of over Rs 1.2 trillion, therefore, it was very important that the government should focus on making new policies to promote environment friendly green houses in the country that should reduce floods and climate induced risks.
The minister said that Pakistan was witnessing growing urbanization as in the future, 60 percent of the population would be living in urban areas and it was very important that sustainable urbanization with better municipal services in the cities should be promoted to reduce pressure on urban communities.
She was addressing at the inaugural session of the 1st International Housing EXPO 22 organized by the Ministry of Housing and Works and Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI).
Mirza Muhammad Afridi, Deputy Chairman Senate speaking at the occasion, said that the construction industry stimulates the economy and emphasized that the State Bank of Pakistan and the government should make policies in consultation with the private sector to facilitate the better growth of this important industry.
Iftikhar Ali Shallwani, Federal Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Works said that it was the responsibility of the government to provide affordable housing to the people, but it needed the help of the private sector to achieve this goal.
He said that organizing the 1st International Housing EXPO 22 in collaboration with ICCI on a public-private partnership model was a right step in that direction.
He said that the government was intending to promote planned cities with focus on vertical housing and hoped that various sessions were being organized on the sidelines of the EXPO would come up with good proposals to help the government in materializing its plans of green and resilient housing.
He hoped that the EXPO would be a major achievement of the Ministry of Housing and ICCI.
Speaking on the occasion, Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari, President ICCI urged the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to allocate land to ICCI to build housing units, university and hospital for traders and urged for giving permanent representation in the CDA Board to resolve the issues of the business community more effectively.
He urged the government to fully cooperate with ICCI in establishing a new industrial zone in the region. He said that the Islamabad Citizen Club should be revived urgently and ICCI be given representation in its administration.
Pakistan team is busy in a practice session for the upcoming 2nd test match against England at Multan Cricket Stadium
Students performing tableau on stage during Culture Program at RC School
A view of netball final match between PNF Academy and Shah Latif Girls College during Hyderabad Girl’s Netball Cup 2022 at Shah Latif Girl’s College
Workers unloading challan issued motorcycles from a truck due to incomplete documents at Gulbahar Traffic Terminal
LG polls in progress in Mirpur Division of AJK
ISLAMABAD, Dec 8 (APP):The third and final phase of the Local Government Elections started in all three districts of the Mirpur Division of Azad Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday.
The polling was started at 8:00 a.m. and all administrative measures have been completed to make the polling process successful.
The 4257 candidates from the different political and religious parties including independents are contesting LG elections in 12 constituencies of three districts including Mirpur, Kotli and Bhimber districts of Mirpur Division.
According to the Election Commission of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), 2188 polling stations have been established in all three districts of the Division and 874 polling stations have been declared most sensitive adding that 803 polling stations sensitive and 511 polling stations have been declared normal and as per the CEC of AJK the polling is going smoothly and peacefully.
The Secretary of AJK Election Commission Ghazanfar Khan told the media that there is enough security force comprising on AJK Police to conduct the third phase of LG elections in Mirpur Division besides, FC and Ranger are at the backup to counter any possible untoward incident.