KARACHI, Sep 01 (APP):The Exchange Rates Committee of Financial Markets Association of Pakistan issued the following Exchange rates bulletin, here on Thursday.
CONVERSION RATES FOR SEPTEMBER 01, 2022 FOR FOREIGN CURRENCY
FOR FORWARD COVER FOR DEPOSITS (EXCLUDING FE 25 DEPOSITS)
SBP SETTLEMENT VALUE DATE SEPTEMBER 08, 2022
USD 218.6016
GBP 254.5397
EUR 218.4923
JPY 1.5757
APP/mzr/
ISLAMABAD, Sep 1 (APP): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday announced to postpone his visit to the United Arab Emirates scheduled on September 3, with a view to focus on the ongoing rescue and relief activities in the flood-ravaged areas.
“I was set to visit the UAE on Sept 3 on the invitation of HH the President. We mutually decided to postpone the visit so that I could focus on the ongoing rescue & relief activities,” the prime minister wrote on Twitter.
He said Pakistan would forever be indebted to “our brothers and sisters who have stood by us in this challenge.”
The prime minister said that the UAE had started delivering the first tranche of relief goods for the flood victims in Pakistan. He said that in his telephonic conversation with the UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan last night, the latter assured that the UAE would continue to help flood affected people of Pakistan.
ISLAMABAD, Sep 1 (APP): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said that late Syed Ali Gilani was a symbol of Kashmir freedom and the title of “Baba-e-Hurriyat” (father of freedom movement) by the Kashmiris was in fact the recognition of his historic struggle.
The prime minister, in his message on first death anniversary of the great Kashmir leader, said that the struggle of Syed Ali Gilani was a golden chapter in the history of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference as well as the Kashmir freedom movement.
“Syed Ali Gilani was not merely an individual rather a movement and a mission with the slogan of ‘Kashmir to become Pakistan,” he remarked.
The prime minister said that by snatching the mortal remains of late Ali Gilani, India could not take away the Kashmiris’ passion for freedom.
“The people of Pakistan and Kashmir salute Syed Ali Gilani. His slogan “We are Pakistani and Pakistan is ours” still echoes across the world,” he commented.
The prime minister also prayed for high ranks in paradise for Syed Ali Gilani and martyrs of Kashmir, and strength for their respective families to bear the loss with fortitude.
In a related tweet, the prime minister said that the late Gilani personified the very essence of Kashmiris’ struggle.
“Frail in body but firm in resolve, he powered the resistance movement with belief in the idea of freedom from Indian yoke,” he remarked.
The prime minister said that Syed Ali Gilani remained as relevant to the freedom struggle today as he had been in life.
WASHINGTON, Sep 01 (APP): Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Masood Khan, has thanked US Secretary of State Antony Blinken for announcing $30 million as humanitarian assistance for flood relief in Pakistan where turbulent waters have killed more than a 1,000 people and displaced 33 million.
“We are grateful to you and the United States for your support at this critical time for Pakistan”, the Pakistani envoy said in his tweet, while responding to Secretary Blinken.
In his tweet, Blinken said that the United States, through USAID (United States Agency for International Development), was providing $30 million towards critical humanitarian assistance like food, safe water, and shelter.
At the State Department, Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the State Department, told the daily news briefing on Tuesday, “We stand with Pakistan during this difficult time, and the U.S. is proud to be the single largest humanitarian donor to Pakistan.
“We are deeply saddened by the devastating loss of life and livelihoods throughout Pakistan,” he added.
Meanwhile, US lawmakers and other political leadership expressed solidarity and sympathies with Pakistan over the widespread devastation setoff by the unprecedented floods, and Ambassador Masood Khan thanked them individually.
Senator Bob Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said that his thoughts were with the people of Pakistan- especially those who lost loved ones-to recent floods. International support for shelter, clean water, healthcare and emergency services was critical, he said “We cannot afford to ignore the climate crisis or its deadly impact on our world”.
Senator Lois Kolkhorst stated that her family and she joins with Texans in praying for the people devastated and impacted by the horrific floods in Pakistan.
Congresswoman Ilhan Umer, expressing solidarity with the people of Pakistan, said that the devastating flooding in Pakistan was yet another example that the effects of climate change were happening right now. “My prayers are with the millions of people suffering – and for a future where we can prevent it.”, she said in her twitter message.
Congressman Troy Nehls said, “My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by this horrific flooding.”
APP/ift
ISLAMABAD, Sep 01 (APP): The government on Wednesday revised the prices of petroleum products, increasing the rates of petrol by Rs.2.07 per liter with effective from September 1st 2022.
According to press statement issued by finance ministry, Petrol would now be sold at Rs.235.98 per liter against its sale at Rs.233.91.
Likewise, the prices of high speed diesel have been increased by Rs.2.99 per liter, from Rs.244.44 per liter to Rs.247.43.
The price of kerosene oil has been increase from Rs.199.40 per liter to Rs.210.32, an increase of Rs.10.92 whereas the prices of light diesel oil have been enhanced by Rs.9.79 per liter, from Rs.191.75 to Rs.201.54.
ISLAMABAD, Aug 31 (APP): Another flight from Turkiye carrying relief goods for the flood-stricken people of Pakistan landed at Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, in continuation of humanitarian assistance from the brotherly country.
Turkish Consul General Cemal Sangu along with representatives of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the national Disaster Management Authority welcomed the Turkish aircraft.
So far, seven relief flights from Turkiye have landed in Pakistan carrying relief goods for flood affected people.
Pakistan is thankful to the government and people of Türkiye for their support and solidarity in this grave hour of need, the Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement.
ISLAMABAD, Aug 31 (APP): Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Wednesday chaired an emergency session on Initial Damage Assessment of Foreign Funded Projects (FFP) affected by unprecedented rains and flash floods across the country.
NCC-FFP- Emergency Session on Initial Damage Assessment of Foreign Funded Projects (FFP) affected by flood disaster,said a press release issued here.
Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs chaired an emergency session on Initial Damage Assessment of Foreign Funded Projects (FFP) affected by unprecedented rains and flash floods across the country.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, State Minister for Finance, Dr. Kazim Niaz, Secretary Ministry of Economic Affairs, Mr. Humair Kareem, Additional Secretary EAD, and representatives from Provincial Governments including P&D, BOR Punjab, Sindh, KP, Balochistan, AJK and GB, and all relevant provincial PDs.
Minister for Economic Affairs welcomed the participants to the meeting and stated that in continuation of 29 successful NCC-FFP sessions, the objective of calling this emergency session was to review the initial damage assessment caused by heavy rains and flashfloods to the implementation of Foreign Funded Projects (FFP) in the provinces, including AJK and GB and to attend to the issues of the affected projects on urgent basis to pace up disbursements and progress.
All the provinces submitted an initial damage assessment report to the EAD on which discussions were held today.
Fortunately, the initial damage assessment seems to be curtailed to a manageable limit. Minister directed to hold detailed damage assessment session in upcoming NCC meeting to evaluate the progress of the projects, a part from a general review of the project implementation.
During the meeting, the representatives of the Provinces presented an initial damage assessment of the affected FFP along with the issues hampering implementation of the projects.
The Provinces emphasized that the present assessments are preliminary and not definitive owing to access issues and the assessment is ongoing. Currently, in total there are 113 projects in all provinces worth 15.2 Billion USD. The Province of Punjab is implementing 22 Projects, worth 6.2 Billion USD, KP – 41 projects, worth 4.9 Billion USD, Sindh – 29 Projects worth 3.2 Billion USD, Balochistan – 13 projects worth 0.526 Billion USD and AJK/GB – 08 projects worth 0.209 Billion USD.
The Minister requested the representatives from Provincial Governments to timely address the issues of projects affected by the heavy rains and flash floods. He also emphasized the need for setting milestones/deliverables, with timelines, by the focal departments and implementing agencies for better monitoring, and preventing time & cost over-runs.
He further stated that strict action would be taken against officials who are causing unnecessary delays in the efficient implementation and the Foreign Funded Projects as the assessment of the FFP is going through a Three-Tier Check including from EAD, NDMA and UNDP.
Secretary EAD also stressed the need for regular follow-up meetings by the focal departments with the executing agencies and stakeholders for effective monitoring and prompt resolution of issues.
The meeting identified the damaged Foreign Funded Projects in each province and directed the provinces to make a detailed assessment for the upcoming NCC meeting.
ISLAMABAD, Aug 31 (APP):Pakistan on Wednesday received $1.16 billion (equivalent of SDR 894 million) after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Executive Board completed the combined seventh and Eight review under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) for the country.
The State Bank of Pakistan stated on its official Twitter handle that the amount would help improve its foreign exchange reserves and also facilitate realization of other planned inflows from multilateral and bilateral sources.
Earlier this week, the IMF Board had approved the much needed revival of EFF for Pakistan.
The EFF was approved by the Executive Board on July 3, 2019 for SDR 4,268 million (about $6 billion at the time of approval, or 210 percent of quota).
In order to support programme implementation and meet the higher financing needs in FY23, as well as catalyze additional financing, the IMF Board approved an extension of the EFF until end-June 2023, rephasing and augmentation of access by SDR 720 million that would bring the total access under the EFF to about $6.5 billion.
The programme seeks to address domestic and external imbalances, and ensure fiscal discipline and debt sustainability while protecting social spending, safeguarding monetary and financial stability, and maintaining a market-determined exchange rate and rebuilding external buffers.
WASHINGTON, Aug 31 (APP): The head of a Kashmir advocacy group has paid tributes to Syed Ali Gilani, the iconic and the most recognizable Kashmiri leader, who passed away a year ago, saying he stood firm for the exercise by the Kashmiri people of their UN-pledged right to self-determination.
“Gilani sahib was a symbol of defiance, and breathed his last while under Indian custody in occupied Kashmir,” Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, Chairman of the Washington-based World Forum for Peace and Justice, said in a statement on Tuesday.
He said that Gilani sahib was an “honest and sincere” leader who never compromised on his principles, and cited several examples.
When President Pervez Musharraf suggested to sideline the UN Security Council resolutions on Kashmir to explore an out-of-box solution, and proposed a four-point formula, Fai said that Gilani Sahib rejected the formula, saying it was against the basic principle of the right to self-determination.
Kashmir’s suffering is a rebuke to the United Nations for its inaction, Fai added. “The situation is a call on the conscience of the members of the Security Council, particularly to the United States.”
“With the passing of Gilani Sahib, a leader par excellence, who was also a symbol of humanity and champion of human rights all over the world, be it Palestine, Myanmar, Chechnya, Kashmir or else, it is an end of an era,” Fai said.
