A donkey holder transporting leather towards leather factory
A view of thick clouds hovering over the skies of Federal Capital
A view of dust covered road at construction site of bhara kaho bypass
U.S. govt supports more than 6,000 Pakistani Small and Medium Enterprises
ISLAMABAD, Nov 15 (APP):The United States (U.S) government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), celebrated the successful conclusion of its six-year-long Small and Medium Enterprise Activity (SMEA) at a ceremony organized here on Tuesday.
The event, which coincided with Global Entrepreneurship Week, recognized the achievements of Pakistani entrepreneurs who received funding and support under SMEA to establish and expand their small and medium enterprises (SMEs), said a press release.
Through SMEA, the U.S. government supported Pakistani entrepreneurs to overcome challenges, secure private sector funding, and strengthen their businesses.
Entrepreneurship and innovation help boost employment, productivity, and trade, as well as drive a nation’s economy. Over the past six years, this USAID-funded activity has supported more than 6,000 SMEs and awarded grants to 141 SMEs, generating $158 million in revenue, leveraging $51.5 million in private sector investment, and increasing exports by $74 million.
Out of the 6,000 SMEs that SMEA supported, 28 per cent were women-owned. SMEA also created almost 48,900 jobs, of which 30 per cent were filled by women.
SMEA was part of U.S. assistance to Pakistan intended to increase private sector-led inclusive economic growth by improving the business-enabling environment and increasing employment opportunities. Through its various initiatives, SMEA improved the competitiveness of Pakistani SMEs in target sectors including agribusiness, information and communications technology, textiles, hospitality, logistics and packaging, light engineering, and women-led businesses.
Speaking at the event, USAID Pakistan Mission Director Reed Aeschliman said, “I am happy to see that the small seeds we planted through USAID SMEA’s grants and business development programs have transformed ideas into profitable realities and innovative solutions for generations to come.
The U.S. and Pakistan have been development partners for 75 years. We share a vision for a thriving private sector, improved business practices, strong business-to-business linkages, pro-business policy reforms, skilled human resources, and increased access to capital. SMEA is a direct reflection of this vision. USAID SMEA demonstrated that such measures can go a long way in helping SMEs achieve their full potential.”
The U.S. government, through USAID, supports private sector-led economic growth in Pakistan to create jobs, foster entrepreneurship, and increase economic opportunities.
As a part of the U.S. government’s long-term commitment to helping Pakistanis secure a more prosperous future, SMEA has successfully improved the environment for private sector-led growth and strengthened the financial and operational performance of businesses.
Morning physical activity is more beneficial than any other time of the day
ISLAMABAD, Nov 15 (APP):Morning physical activity is associated with the lowest risk of heart disease and stroke, as per a new study, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. The findings were consistent regardless of total daily activity.
“It is well established that exercise is good for heart health and our study now indicates that morning activity seems to be most beneficial,” said study author Gali Albalak of Leiden University Medical Centre, the Netherlands.
The study used data from the UK Biobank (a large-scale biomedical database and research resource). It included 86,657 adults between the ages of 42 and 78 who were free of cardiovascular disease at the start. The average age was 62, and 58 per cent were women, Medical Daily reported .
Over the course of six to eight years, 2,911 participants developed coronary artery disease and 796 had a stroke, said the study.
When peak activity times were compared over a 24-hour period, being most active between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. was associated with the lowest risks of both heart disease and stroke.
In a second analysis, the researchers divided participants into four groups based on peak physical activity time – midday, early morning (8 a.m.), late morning (10 a.m.), and evening (7 p.m.).
After adjusting for age and gender, participants who were most active in the early or late morning had 11 per cent and 16 per cent lower risks of incident coronary artery disease, respectively, compared to the reference group, the study added.
“Our findings add to the evidence on the health benefits of being physically active by suggesting that morning activity and especially late morning, may be the most advantageous,” said Albalak.
Shehla underlines the importance of shelter services for women
HYDERABAD, Nov 15 (APP):Provincial Minister for Women Development Syeda Shehla Raza has that organizations like Darul Amaan and Women Complaint Centres can bring a positive change in the lives of unprivileged and vulnerable segments of the society if the workers in such offices are dedicated to their noble job.
She said this after visiting Dar-ul-Aman, Qasimabad here on Monday.
The Minister visited various sections of the Darul Aman, checked entries in the complaint registered and interacted with the administrative staff of the centre.
Shehla Raza appreciated the performance of the In-charge Women Complaint Cell of Dar-ul-Aman, Syeda Qurat-ul-Ain Shah for taking pain to facilitate the aggrieved women contacting the center for help and support.
On this occasion, Shehla Raza said that the Department of Women’s Development is making efforts to provide all possible help to the destitute and oppressed women in which they are being provided logistical including legal support.
AJK CEC reassures LG polls to be held on November 27
MUZAFFARABAD, Nov 15 (APP): Azad Jammu and Kashmir Chief Election Commissioner (AJK-CEC) Justice retired Abdul Rasheed Sulehria on Tuesday, while brushing aside rumours about the postponement of local government elections, assured that polls would be held on November 27 as per the previously announced schedule and all arrangements for in that regard had been made.
Leading a presser here accompanied by a senior member of the commission, Raja Farooq Niaz, he said the required funds had been provided by the government and federal interior minister had assured him to provide 17,000 security personnel to maintain law and order during the polling.
Rumors were spreading all over AJK that the commission was going to approach Supreme Court to get its order for the conduction of LG polls before November 30 amended on the grounds that the federal government had expressed inability to provide security personnel due to reasons.
“Government has provided us hundred percent required funds of which 280 million rupees have been spent so far and I, personally, talked to interior minister Rana Sanaullah, who assured me to provide security personnel to maintain law and order during the polling,” Sulehria maintained.
He advised political leaders to avoid spreading rumors and creating uncertainty about the elections going to be held after 30 years, and said firmly that the commission was committed to conducting the polling on time on a single day.
However, he said, the decision about conducting polling in the areas covered with snow would be taken near the polling date, and polling in such areas might be postponed depending on the weather conditions.
Senior member commission Raja Farooq Niaz said the polling scheme and printing of ballot papers had been completed and polling material was distributed which showed the commitment of the commission to conduct the polling on time.
He said a total of 2.95 million voters would cast their vote in the LG elections to elect their representatives in 10 district councils, five municipal corporations, 14 municipal committees, 12 town committees, and 272 union councils.
Experts demand seamless transportation system amid Capital’s growing population
ISLAMABAD, Nov 15 (APP): The experts at a dialogue on Tuesday stressed the need for a seamless and well-planned transportation system that could help provide the public affordable, accessible, environment and human friendly mobility.
The Dialogue on National Transport Policy 2018 and Implementation was organised here by Institute of Urbanism (IoU) in collaboration with the Heinrich Boll Stiftung (HbS) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Secretariat here at the Parliament.
While chairing the dialogue in lie off Convener National SDGs Taskforce, Romina Khurshid Alam, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Youth Affairs, Shaza Fatima Khawaja said there was a structural issue in ensuring safer mobility amid gender quality in the federal capital which should be resolved through expert and innovative interventions of the concerned.
She suggested that the Capital Mass Transit Authority (CMTA) should hold a detailed assessment on the impact of mass transit Metro Bus facility to check decline in privately owned car users after increased ridership of public facility. The impact assessment of Metro Bus should also study women accessibility to the transport facility, she added.
The SAPM also sought the Capital Development Authority (CDA) officials to widely display the Metro Bus routes map across the Capital for massive public awareness.
She added that monitoring and evaluation of policy goals set under such initiatives should be done and also vowed to ensure expedited action on Capital Mass Transit Authority Bill 2021.
Senior Programme Fellow, IoU, Dr Ejaz Ahmad in his opening remarks briefed the chair and participants about the Institute and its endeavours so far.
He informed that there were many dialogues held previously in which the parliamentarians’ role and participation was imperative. He highlighted that the key thematic areas of focus of the Institute were redefining urban mobility, sustainable consumption patterns, eco-entrepreneurship and solid waste as a resource.
“The IoU have conducted different studies and surveys to research on public response on available transport systems and their demands. Lack of parking facilities and encroachment of green belts in the capital for converting them into parking lots has been a serious concern in the Capital.”
Programme Coordinator, IoU Ayesha Majid presented a detailed overview of National Transportation Policy 2018. She said the transport sector had a huge carbon footprint in Pakistan whereas the UN’s FAO study revealed 40% share of transport sector in air pollution in Punjab.
She said the policy provided a clear roadmap for the future of transport sector and also promoted other zero emissions form of mobility.
She told the forum that an IoU Survey in 2020 revealed that 97.7% in the Capital believed that air pollution was formed due to transport emissions, only 28.7% were satisfied with current transportation system and 81% of them believed that investment in public transport would improve mobility. The sample size of survey was 300 masses including 51% women and 49% men which was conducted at three entry points of the Capital namely G-15, PWD, and Bhara Kahu.
Member Punjab Assembly (MPA) Ramesh Singh Arora underscored that the regulations and laws enacted should consider public facility and convenience with substitutes being rolled out first for convenient enforcement and adoption of the new law.
He said that there was no proper planning to manage private entities operating in the transport and mobility sector whereas the National Transport Policy 2018 needed to be looked in an overall ambit for a holistic and all-inclusive implementation action.
Convener, National Taskforce on SDGs Romina Khurshid Alam joined via videolink.
Punjab Masstransit Authority (PMA), Manager Operations Technical (Rawalpindi), Shumaila Mohsin said there was a huge tug of war between the federal and provincial departments on the management of PMA as a centralized authority. She suggested that the building authorities like CDA and RDA used to give approvals to housing societies without the ascent of the transport department whereas there needed to be a linkage of transport authorities that could enable to ensure mobility and transport facilities in the desired area prior to the launch of housing projects.
Muhammad Qasim from CDA presented a detailed presentation on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and Integrated Transportation Network in Capital (Progress).
Chief National Transport Research Centre (NTRC), Hameed Akhtar said it was the first ever national transportation policy made since creation of country which was worked out by the NTRC and Ministry of Communications. He said the transportation system was fragmented in the country and the policy was envisioned under the goal to make the country a transit hub in the region.
“There is a cabinet transport committee chaired by Maritime Affairs Minister previously and can be used at present for implementation of the Policy.”
Urban mobility guidelines and road safety had been clearly defined in this policy, he added.
“Almost 36 million vehicles are registered in the country out of which 26 million (76%) are two and three wheelers which is a challenge to manage on roads. There are regional transport authorities that are working on old rules and laws that need moderation and amendment.”
National University of Science and Technology (NUST) Dr Kamran Ahmed said the policy covered all the aspects. The country, he said was interconnected through motorways whereas the next challenge would be the management of operations on it.
He demanded a proper planning for urban transportation as a must while sharing that ridership on Metro Bus was 130,000 individuals per day at the red line whereas 36,000-46,000 vehicles were plying per day on Kashmir Highway.
Farmers demands to include tobacco in provincial subjects list
SWABI, Nov 15 (APP): Local farmers organized a public gathering to urge the federal government for declaring tobacco production a provincial subject and the price for this season should be fixed Rs5000 per kg.
The farmers expressed their displeasure over the construction of housing societies on agriculture lands and asked the government to offer incentives for dairy products, poultry and fish farming sector.
The public gathering was organized by Ittehad Kashtkaran (Farmers) here Tuesday demanding that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa should be allowed to, under the 18th Constitutional amendment, to deal in matters relating to tobacco crop and other provincial subjects.
Chairman Ittehad Kashtkaran, Arif Ali, while addressing the occasion, demanded ban on construction of new housing societies on agriculture land and special incentives for dairy, poultry and fish farming sector. He also demanded formulation of a insurance policy to address the losses incurred by farmers due to climate change induced natural calamities.
The meeting was also attended by Provincial General Secretary Awami National Party (ANP), Sardar Hussain Babak, MPA, Ahmad Karim Kundi and large number of tobacco growers.
Farmers said that tobacco should be made provincial subject after 18th amendment and rate of the crop should be fixed 500 per kilogram keeping in view the current rate of inflation. They also demanded price of wheat Rs5000 per 50 kilogram and subsidized rates for all the crops being grown in KP.