Home Blog Page 13427

PM cautions world to climatic changes staring at face of humanity

0
PM cautions world to climatic changes staring at face of humanity

ISLAMABAD, Sep 24 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said that he had reminded the world that climatic induced calamity that befell on Pakistan would not stay here if urgent action was not taken.

On his Twitter handle, the prime minister, referring to his speech at the United Nations General Assembly session, said that he had cautioned the world about the imminent climatic impacts that had been staring at the face of entire humanity.

“Let global response not be guided by cameras but empathy and concern for humankind,” he added.

“The crux of my speech at UNGA was to warn the world of what stares humanity in the face. The climate-induced calamity Pakistan is facing today will not stay in Pakistan if no urgent action is taken. Let global response not be guided by cameras but empathy & concern for humankind.”

In another tweet, the prime minister maintained that he made it clear to world that Pakistan desired peaceful and good neighbourly relations with India.

For this, he said, India should reverse post-August 2019 actions and stop the process of demographic change in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

Court issues written order regarding suspension of Dar’s warrants

0

ISLAMABAD, Sep 24 (APP):An Accountability Court (AC) on Saturday issued a written order regarding suspension of arrest warrants against former finance minister Ishaq Dar.
The order said that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had not raised any objection on the petition filed by former finance minister.
According to the application, Ishaq Dar could not appear before court due to illness and suspension of his passport.
It further said that the purpose of the issuance of the arrest warrants was to ensure the attendance of accused during trial. It was necessary to give him one opportunity to appear if he wanted to surrender, court added.
The court said that it was giving chance to Ishaq Dar for surrender before it till October 7, after returning the home country. The arrest warrants against him would remain suspended till that time.
The court stopped the authorities from arresting Ishaq Dar and instructed him to surrender voluntarily.
AC-Judge Muhammad Bashir issued the written order in the case. It may be mentioned here that the court had issued his permanent arrest warrants in May this year on his continuous disappearance in reference pertaining holding assets beyond sources of income.

PM underscores need for global efforts to save future generations from climatic impacts

0

ISLAMABAD, Sep 24 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has reiterated the call for galvanizing of the global efforts to save the future generations from the worsening climatic- induced consequences that led to flood-devastation in Pakistan.  

In an interview with ‘The Associated Press’ (AP), the prime minister said that he came to the United Nations to tell the world that “tomorrow, this tragedy can fall on some other country.”

The prime minister urged the world leaders gathered for their annual meeting at the General Assembly to stand together and raise resources “to build resilient infrastructure, to build adaptation, so that our future generations are saved.”

He said the initial estimate of losses to Pakistan’s economy as a result of the three-month flooding disaster was $30 billion, adding that he had requested UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to urgently hold a donors’ conference.

The prime minister further said that the impact of climatic change on Pakistan was immense.

More than 1,600 people had died, including hundreds of children. Crops on 4 million acres have been washed away. Millions of houses have been damaged or completely destroyed, and life savings had disappeared in the devastating floods triggered by monsoon rains, AP quoted the prime minister as saying.

“Thousands of kilometers of roads have been smashed, washed away — railway bridges, railway track, communications, underpasses, transport. All this requires funds,” the prime minister said, reiterating that they needed funds to provide livelihood to their people.

He said Pakistan was responsible for less than 1% of the carbon emissions that cause global warming. “We are a victim of something we have nothing to do with,” he added.

To a question, he said even before the floods began in mid-June, Pakistan was facing serious challenges from grain shortages and skyrocketing crude oil prices sparked mainly by Russian-Ukraine conflict.

The skyrocketing prices had put the import of oil beyond their capacity and with the damage and destruction from the massive flooding — solutions have become ‘extremely difficult,’ he added.

The prime minister said Pakistan had a very robust, transparent mechanism already in place to ensure that all aid items were delivered to people in need. In addition, he said, “I will ensure third-party audit of every penny through international well-reputed companies.”

He further informed that he met top officials from the International Monetary Fund and World Bank and appealed for a moratorium on loan repayments and deferment of other conditions until the flood situation improves.

“They sounded very supportive,” he said, stressing that a delay “can spell huge consequences” — both for the economy and for the Pakistani people.

He said that Pakistan might have to import about a million tons of wheat because of the destruction of farmland. The country also needed fertilizer because factories involved in their production were closed, he added.

About ties with India, the prime minister reiterated that India has to understand that unless and until the burning issue of Kashmir was resolved through peaceful talks … ‘we will not be able to live in peace.’

About Afghanistan, the prime minister said Taliban had “a golden opportunity to ensure peace and progress” for the people by adhering to the Doha Agreement.

He also stressed that Afghan assets should be unfrozen.

The prime minister also highlighted that Pakistan desired “good, warm relations” with the US.

“What the previous government did, in this behalf, was most uncalled for, was detrimental to Pakistan’s sovereign interests,” he said, adding it was definitely not in line with what ordinary Pakistanis would believe and expect.

Stars ICCA, RIUJ hold Flood Relief Fund Raising T20 match

0

ISLAMABAD, Sep 24 (APP):Advisor to the Prime Minister on Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Qamar Zaman Kaira has lauded Stars ICCA and Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) for holding a Fund Raising Twenty20 Cricket match for the flood-hit victims in the country.

A Flood Relief Fund Raising Twenty20 Cricket match was held here at the Meusam Cricket Ground, Faisal Town to generate funds for the flood-hit victims. The match was organized by Tanveer Associates, Star ICCA and RIUJ.

Qamar Zaman Kaira who was the chief guest on the occasion said all praise for Stars ICCA and RIUJ for raising funds for the flood-stricken people, who were in dire need of assistance at this time, when the country was hard hit by devastating floods and heavy rains.

“It is good to see people from all walks of life coming out in support for the relief of flood affected people in Pakistan. May Allah bless us all so that we can help them at this time of need. It is a very good initiative taken by ICCA and RIUJ to generate funds for the flood-hit people,” he said.

Millions of people have been affected by the floods in Pakistan, who either have lost their lives or displaced in camps. Over millions of houses, livestock and agricultural land have been damaged or destroyed by the floods in the country.

Meanwhile health officials were warning that outbreaks of waterborne diseases and epidemics are imminent.

Wani thanks PM Sharif, Bilawal Bhutto for raising Kashmir issue at global forums

0

ISLAMABAD, Sep 24 (APP):Senior leader All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) Altaf Hussain Wani has expressed his profound gratitude to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for raising the issue of Kashmir vociferously during his speech at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) forum.
In a statement received here, Wani termed the premier’s landmark speech as a true reflection of Kashmiris’ sentiments.

While lauding Pakistan’s consistent support to Kashmiris’ legitimate struggle Wani said, “The people of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) owe a debt of gratitude to the people as well as the government of Pakistan for their continued support to their cause and raising global awareness on early resolution of Kashmir”.

He said that “I would like to express my gratitude to Prime Minister Sharif for his strongly worded statement on the Kashmir in the UN calling for an early resolution of the lingering dispute through peaceful means of dialogue and diplomacy”.

He also thanked the foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for raising the issue of human rights violations in Kashmir at the OIC and other relevant forums.

Referring to Kashmiris’ indigenous struggle for and the urgent need to settle the lingering dispute in line with the UN resolutions, Wani said that it was high time that the world should not ignore the Kashmiris’ decades long struggle and their sacrifices for right to self-determination.

At UN, Pakistan hits back at India, calling it terrorism’s ‘principal’ perpetrator in South Asia

0
At UN, Pakistan hits back at India, calling it terrorism's 'principal' perpetrator in South Asia

UNITED NATIONS, Sep 24 (APP):A Pakistani diplomat has categorically rejected India’s allegations about Pakistan’s involvement in terrorist acts, citing instances of the Indian sponsorship of terrorism and aggression against all its neighbours that makes New Delhi the “principle perpetrator, sponsor, financier and abettor” of terrorism in South Asia.

“The myth of terrorism against Pakistan, created and propagated by India, cannot and will not hide the stark reality that people of Pakistan, the Indian Illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and its own minorities are victims of its state-sponsored terrorism,” Saima Saleem, counselor at the Pakistan Mission to the United Nations, told the UN General Assembly on Friday night.

Ms. Saleem was exercising her right of reply to Indian delegate Mijito Vinito’s allegations about Pakistan sponsoring cross-border terrorism and accusing it of making ” untenable territorial claims against neighbours”– an obvious reference to Jammu and Kashmir.

The Indian delegate made that statement in response to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif speech to the 193-member Assembly in which the Pakistani leader drew world community’s attention to New Delhi’s grave human rights violations in occupied Kashmir and called for resolving the UN-recognized dispute in accordance with Security Council resolutions.

In her remarks, the Pakistani delegate said that India has sponsored and perpetrated terrorism and aggression against all its neighbours by creating terrorist groups, and destabilizing and blockading neighbours to do its strategic bidding.

In Pakistan, she said India was funding and supporting terrorist organizations like the TTP (Tehreek-i-Tliban and the BLA (Balochistan Liberation Army), whose attacks have resulted in the killing of thousands of innocent Pakistanis.

“Since the Hindutva inspired RSS-BJP Government’s unilateral and illegal actions on August 5, 2019 termed as ‘Final Solution’, India’s 900,000 occupation forces in occupied Kashmir – the ‘densest’ occupation in history – have escalated their oppression of 8 million Kashmiri men, women and children in the world’s largest ‘open-air prison’,” the Pakistani delegate said.

She accused India of extra-judicial killings in fake encounters; enforced disappearances of 15,000 young Kashmiri boys; incarceration of the entire Kashmiri leadership; bringing about demographic change by issuing millions of fake domicile certificates to non-Kashmiris; gerrymandering of electoral boundaries for reducing Muslim representation; curbing religious freedom and media and internet blackout.”

Since 1989, Indian occupation forces had committed over one lakh extra-judicial killings, around 162,000 cases of arbitrary arrests and torture, over 25,000 pellet gun injuries, 11,250 cases of rape and gang rape, and 8652 unmarked mass graves, attesting to the genocide which is being committed in occupied Kashmir.

“Yet, we fear that these discoveries of Indian crimes are but the tip of the iceberg,” Ms. Saleem said.

“If India has nothing to hide, it must grant access to Occupied Jammu and Kashmir to human rights mechanisms, accept a UN Commission of Inquiry and agree to implement the Security Council resolutions.”

Highlighting India’s reign of terror against its minorities, the Pakistani delegate said, Islamophobia has penetrated into the very foundations of the Indian state, where 200 million defenceless Muslims are lynched by cow vigilantes and killed in pogroms led by RSS “brown-short” thugs.

Noting that public calls of the desecration of mosques is the state agenda, she said adding that rich Muslim culture and heritage is being destroyed and history being re-written.
The Citizenship Amendment Act aims to purge India of its Muslim minority, she said, pointing out that Hijab is banned; anti-Muslim social media trolls of “Corona Jihad” rule the internet; the ruling RSS-BJP leaders call Muslims “termites” and the “green virus”. Also, houses and shops of Muslims are being bulldozed; and derogatory remarks against Holy Prophet (PBUH) are being made by top leadership of RSS-BJP dispensation as a matter of state policy to hurt feelings and sentiments of not only Indian Muslims but also of Muslims across the world.

“Other minorities in India, including Christians, Sikhs and Dalits, also face persecution and churches and gurdwaras are torched by Hindu fundamentalists,” Ms. Saleem said.

“Let me emphasize that no quantum of brutality of Indian occupation forces can break the will, perseverance and courage of the Kashmiris to demand their inalienable right to self-determination in accordance with Security Council resolutions.

“Like Martin Luther King, the Kashmiris also have a “dream” that they shall see the dawn of freedom one day,” she added.

APP/ift

PM Shehbaz leaves for London after his hectic UN visit

0

NEW YORK, Sep 24 (APP):Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif left New York for London Friday night after leading Pakistan’s delegation to the 77th session of United Nations General Assembly(UNGA).

He was seen off by Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN, Munir Akram, Ambassador to the United States, Masood Khan, Consul General in New York, Ayesha Ali, and other senior officials.

During his 5-day hectic visit, he met a number of world leaders, including US President Joe Biden, attending the 193-member’s high-level debate.

PM Shehbaz leaves for London after his hectic UN visit

He also held meetings with the President of the General Assembly, Csaba Korosi, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, as well as heads of International Organizations, IFIs, and philanthropic organizations.

Among those traveling with him to London were Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and his Special Assistants Tariq Fatemi and Ahad Cheema.

APP/ift

PM Shehbaz leaves for London

0

NEW YORK, Sep 23 (APP):Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif left New York for London Friday night after leading Pakistan’s delegation to the 77th session of United Nations General Assembly.

He was seen off by Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN, Munir Akram, Ambassador to the United States, Masood Khan, Consul General in New York, Ayesha Ali, and other senior officials.

During his 5-day hectic visit, he met a number of world leaders, including US President Joe Biden, attending the 193-member’s high-level debate. He also held meetings with the President of the General Assembly, Csaba Korosi, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, as well as heads of International Organizations, IFIs, and philanthropic organizations.

Among those traveling with him to London were Information Minister Marriyum Auzangzeb and his Special Assistants Tariq Fatemi and Ahad Cheema.

APP/ift

Bilawal meets UAE FM

0

NEW YORK, Sep 24 (APP):Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari met Foreign Minister of United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed here on Friday and discussed matters of mutual interest.
The two ministers met on the sidelines of the 77th United Nations General Assembly session.

Bilawal meets FMs of Kuwait, Belarus, Azerbaijan

0
Bilawal meets FMs of Kuwait, Belarus, Azerbaijan

NEW YORK, Sep 24 (APP):Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Friday held meetings with Foreign Minister of Kuwait Ahmed Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah and Foreign Minister of Belarus Vladimir Makei and discussed matters of mutual interest.

Bilawal meets FMs of Kuwait, Belarus, Azerbaijan

According to Foreign Office, the meetings took place on the sidelines of 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly here.

During meeting with the foreign minister of Belarus, they discussed the situation in Ukraine. Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari reiterated his invite to Belarusian Foreign Minister to visit Pakistan and looked forward to welcoming him in Islamabad at an early date.
He said that Pakistan desired to take the relationship forward by broadening interaction in all spheres of cooperation.
The Foreign Minister expressed concern at the situation in Ukraine emphasizing that conflict was not in anyone’s interest and it particularly impacted the developing countries.
Pakistan emphasized de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy to find a diplomatic solution. He expressed the hope that talks between the Russian and Ukrainian representatives would lead to normalization of situation.
The two leaders agreed to further enhance Pakistan-Belarus bilateral cooperation.

Foreign Minister Bilawal also met Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov and Ms. Deemah Al Yahya, Secretary General Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO).

During meeting with the minister of Azerbaijan, the Foreign Minister expressed his gratitude to Azerbaijan for its generous financial assistance for the flood affected people of Pakistan. This was manifestation of deep brotherly ties between the two nations that always stood the test of time and in hour of need.

The two Foreign Ministers expressed satisfaction on the positive trajectory of high-level interactions and growing cooperation in multiple areas between the two countries. They discussed ways to further deepen bilateral ties and underscored the need to further boost trade and economic linkages.

The Foreign Minister appreciated support of Azerbaijan as a valuable member of the OIC Contact Group on Kashmir. He thanked Foreign Minister Bayramov for Azerbaijan’s steadfast support to the just and legitimate cause of the Kashmiris.

Both sides exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest and agreed to continue close collaboration.

Bilawal meets FMs of Kuwait, Belarus, Azerbaijan
Bilawal meets FMs of Kuwait, Belarus, Azerbaijan

Foreign Minister Bilawal also met Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates.

The two leaders discussed the fraternal relations between the two countries; and explored ways and means to further strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation.

The Foreign Ministers agreed to deepen investment cooperation and stimulate economic partnership through active participation of the private sector from both sides.

The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari underscored that Pakistan attached high importance to its political and economic relationship with the UAE. He thanked the leadership and people of the UAE for their generous support during the recent floods in Pakistan. Sheikh Abdullah expressed sincere condolences and solidarity with Pakistan over the loss of precious lives and damage to infrastructure.

The Foreign Minister also held bilateral meeting with Faisal Bin Farhan, Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia.

Bilawal meets FMs of Kuwait, Belarus, Azerbaijan