ISLAMABAD, Aug 18 (APP): The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) has disbursed more than Rs 76 billion among the beneficiaries of Benazir Kafaalat initiative during the ongoing payment process of its fourth quarterly tranche for the Financial Year 2022-23.

“Over Rs 76 billion has been disbursed among more than 8.4 million beneficiary women under the scheme till August 18 (12:00 pm)”, an official source revealed.

Under Benazir Kafaalat, 90 lakh registered beneficiary families are entitled to a quarterly instalment of Rs 9,000 per family.

BISP has already released over rupees 81 billion to its partner banks, that is, Bank Alfalah and Habib Bank Limited (HBL) for disbursement among the beneficiaries through their retail distribution network.

Along with Benazir Kafaalat, Benazir Taleemi Wazaif is also being given out to the children of registered families, however, 70% attendance in the school is mandatory to receive Taleemi Wazaif, said the spokesman of the programme.

In case of any complaint, beneficiaries can approach the nearest BISP Tehsil Offices or call on toll-free helpline number 080026477 of the Benazir Income Support Programme. Any messages from BISP are sent only from 8171, and messages from any other number should not be trusted.

ISLAMABAD, Aug 18 (APP): The nominated Chief Minister of Balochistan Ali Mardan Domki on Friday called on Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar here.

The prime minister congratulated Ali Mardan Domki on his nomination for the top slot in Balochistan’s caretaker setup and expressed good wishes for him.

ISLAMABAD, Aug 18 (APP): The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Friday issued an advisory to alert the national and provincial departments concerned to ensure proper measures to cope with any emergent situation as Sultej River attained high level flows that would persistent for the next 24-48 hours.

The NDMA advisory underlined that as per the water flows data received from Flood Forecasting Division (FFD), Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) and Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters (PCIW), the River Sutlej has attained high level of flows at Ganda Singh Wala, whereas the flows would be reflected and passed on downstream to Sulemanki and Islam Headworks in next 48 to 76 hours.

In the light of the high flows and probable dangers and vulnerability of areas astride the River Sutlej, the NDMA advised the Federal Flood Commission (FFC) to ensure implementation of elaborate coordination mechanism for preparedness and mitigation through management/ regulation of water reservoirs, barrages, headworks and irrigation canals.
“The measures must ensure desynchronized releases from all reservoirs, regulating structures to preclude cumulative flooding in any regions. Plan immediate discharges from regulating structures to build capacity for likely heightened or increased flows,” it said.

The PCIW was also directed to ensure that flows and discharge data of eastern rivers was updated regularly for necessary planning and preparations.

The Met Office and FFD were directed that during the forecasted period share 6-hourly weather forecasts to
enable timely decision-making and coordinating response.

Moreover, they would also share 3-hourly updates on river and nullah flows and reservoir levels to facilitate coordinated water management and regulation.

The d. Punjab Irrigation Department was also instructed to take all necessary measures to manage water flow and mitigate flood risks.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab and respective district disaster management authorities (DDMAs) were directed to conduct extensive public awareness campaigns through multiple channels, including TV, broadcast, social, and print media etc., to ensure that vulnerable communities were well-informed about the anticipated flood situation and necessary precautions.

Moreover, they should also preposition required machinery, equipment, emergency supplies and personnel in high-risk areas, considering the forecasted severity of flooding.

The relevant authorities should also proactively maintain nullahs and storm water drains to ensure their proper
functioning and prevent blockages that may exacerbate flooding. They should also ensure immediate stocking of basic commodities, including paramedics and medicine, especially in regions that were likely to get cut-off during flooding.
However, the authorities should also activate early warning systems in flash flood-prone areas to promptly alert
residents and facilitate their evacuation to safer locations and also strengthen coordination among all relevant departments and agencies to facilitate the timely sharing of information and resources during emergency
situations.

The authorities concerned should also ensure widespread circulation of alerts and advisories, especially in local
languages, to raise awareness and sensitize travelers and tourists and local communities in at-risk or vulnerable areas.

ISLAMABAD, Aug 18 (APP): The Speakers at a seminar on Friday demanded that the country’s National Space Policy should prioritize private sector participation in research and development (R&D), and encourage commercial sector involvement.

“At the international level, the space sector is growing exponentially, with public-private partnerships (PPP) in R&D aimed at acquiring next-generation capabilities. To ensure the success of Pakistan’s space programme, it is crucial for the national leadership to set goals, allocate resources, and develop a credible infrastructure,” these were some of the key takeaways from the seminar titled ‘Emerging Trends in Aerospace Power: Options for Pakistan’ organised by the Centre for Aerospace & Security Studies (CASS), Lahore.

Director National Security, CASS, Lahore, Air Commodore (R) Khalid Iqbal delivered the introductory remarks. His speech was followed by a keynote address by former Chairman Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), Major General (R) Ahmed Bilal, who highlighted the prevalent global aerospace trends.

Associate Professor, Air University, Dr Ali Sarosh focused on the evolution of Space power in South Asia, including its military and civil applications while Professor Dr Ahmed Saeed Minhas, DHA Suffa University elucidated on gaps in international Space law and viable developmental strategy for Pakistan’s Space programme.

Following the guest speakers’ remarks, an extensive question and answer session was held to delve into the depths of the topic.

The speakers said, “Aerospace power is the ability to use air and space capabilities to achieve wide-ranging civil and military objectives in economic, commercial and scientific domains. Pakistan stands at the threshold of numerous opportunities to capitalize on emerging trends like space exploration, satellite technology, unmanned aerial system, and electric propulsion of green aviation. The seminar focused on options for Pakistan regarding aerospace power.”

President, CASS Lahore, Air Marshal (R) Asim Suleiman, in his concluding remarks, said that Pakistan should focus on space technologies, infrastructure, industrial, technological potential, and human resource. He further said that the national security strategy of a country recognizes the importance of maintaining access to space, considering that space-related technologies are crucial for determining a nation’s military strategy.

The CASS Lahore President also said that Pakistan must integrate space-related services in the mainstream setups for better governance, efficient functioning, sustainable development, and social well-being.

The most important takeaways from the seminar were: A three pronged National strategy be pursued as the ‘Way Forward’: Firstly, ensure full scale applicability of available Aerospace capability and resources for socio-economic development and national security; Secondly, achieve self-sufficiency and indigenisation as far as possible in the short and medium term, meeting the basic needs over complete spectrum of Aerospace; and Thirdly, synergise the National effort for sustained growth of the Aerospace sector.

The national space policy should be based on realistic objectives, considering ground realities, national ambitions, and the international environment. It should be a well-thought-out institutional mechanism that creates linkages between state-controlled and commercial activities, ensuring preservation of national priorities and safeguarding state interests. There is a need to rejuvenate the National Space Policy to generate a new vigour towards development of space capability and capacity for application in civil and military domains.

The success of the aerospace programme hinges not only on recognizing the significance and utility of aerospace technologies in socio-economic and national security domains, but also on harmonizing national endeavours to attain these goals.