Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif launching the website and app “Pakistan Code”
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif launching the website and app “Pakistan Code”
BISP women beneficiaries to get free cancer treatment soon: Faisal Kundi
DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Aug 08 (APP): Minister of State for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Faisal Karim Kundi on Tuesday said the Benazir Income Support Programm(BISP) would collaborate with the State Life Insurance Corporation of Pakistan(SLIC) to provide free cancer treatment facilities to women beneficiaries across the country.
He expressed these views while jointly inaugurating the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Zone of State Life Takaful in Dera Ismail Khan with Chairman State Life Insurance Corporation Pakistan Shoaib Javed Hussain here at a local hotel.
Faisal Karim Kundi said that a proposal was being worked out and the agreement would soon be inked with the SLIC soon, enabling the BISP to shore up the country’s women of poor families to have free treatment facilities for the deadly disease.
He said the BISP system had been made hassle-free and the payments to the beneficiaries were made more transparent through a new disbursement mechanism of transferring amounts through bank accounts.
He said that PPP believed in practical measures to extend relief to the masses and the introduction of such peoples’ welfare-oriented measures were testifying in that regard.
He also welcomed the opening of State Life First Takaful Zone DIKhan, saying the initiative would help generate job opportunities by boosting business activities in the region.
He also appreciated the SLIC chairman for making efforts to launch the initiative from Dera Ismail Khan.
The SLIC chairman Shoaib Javed Hussain said the event was taking place under the vision of Faisal Karim Kundi to provide financial and health protection to the people of Dera Ismail Khan, adding under the same vision of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, the corporation was established in 1972.
He said in every era, our scope had been increasing, and the business from the Takaful zone in Dera Ismail Khan flourished, leading to social and economic prosperity in the area.
State Life Manager Muhammad Sajid highlighted the role of State Life in economic development and the features of the Islamic economic system.
He said that the establishment of the Takaful Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Zone in Dera Ismail Khan by Faisal Karim Kundi became the pioneer of the mission to serve people.
BBISE dispatches 72408 certificates pending for 33 years
QUETTA, Aug 08 (APP): Balochistan Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BBISE) Quetta has delivered 72408 certificates to the successors, pending for 33 years due to incomplete address.
The dispatched certificates include matriculation pending from 1990 to 2014 and intermediate from 1990 to 2019 to the branches of the board, BBISE chairman Mir Ejaz Azeem Baloch told APP on Tuesday.
The students of the said period were informed to collect their certificates from the board branch located in their respective areas, he added.
Chairman BBISE has taken strict notice of the non-delivery of such a large number of credentials to the aspirants.
Chairman said negligence in duties would not be tolerated and action should be taken against the involved person.
He said that students should register their addresses correctly to avoid delays in getting credentials.
Strenuous efforts steer Pakistan out of most difficult times: PM
RAWALPINDI Aug 08 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said that owing to the relentless efforts of the incumbent government, Pakistan had been out of the most difficult times.
Addressing a ceremony at the Army Auditorium, General Headquarters (GHQ), to honour the supreme sacrifices of Shuhada and Ghazis, the prime minister stressed that they all had to strive to rebuild Pakistan collectively.
He said 75 years had passed since the creation of Pakistan which came into being due to hard work by the Great Quaid, the Founder of the Nation, whose vision still remained unfulfilled.
The ceremony was attended by Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir, officers, ministers and families of Shuhada and Ghazis.
The prime minister said that the incumbent government would complete its term on Wednesday (tomorrow) and after which they would hand over the reign of the government to an interim set-up in accordance with the Constitution.
A comprehensive plan was put in place for the progress and prosperity of the country by the incumbent government, he said, adding the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) had given that vision for the progress of Pakistan with the development of agriculture, minerals and IT sectors.
He further said that under that plan, foreign investment worth billions of dollars would be made in the country.
The prime minister termed the ceremony to honour Shuhada and Ghazis as a dignified occasion to pay tribute to their great sacrifices.
They had made Pakistan more secure with their sacrifices and saved it from the evil designs of the enemies, he added.
He said that they had laid down their lives for the defence of the country by setting unmatched precedents of bravery, valour and sacrifice, adding that the nation had been rendering sacrifices since the creation of Pakistan.
On 14th August, he said, Pakistan would celebrate its 76th anniversary. The nation had to traverse the path carved out by their Shuhada to make Pakistan a prosperous and developed country.
The prime minister underlined that for the elimination of poverty and unemployment, they should rid Pakistan of foreign debts with sincerity, devotion and hard work.
On the Independence Day, they should pledge to work day and night for the country as much water had already flown under the bridges, he added.
“Shuhada and Ghazis are our pride and their respect and honour is binding on each Pakistani. We must never forget that the peace and freedom we enjoy today is due to the ultimate sacrifices rendered by these brave sons of the soil. I salute their families for sacrificing their loved ones for Pakistan,” he added.
The prime minister said that it was now their earnest duty that they realised the supreme sacrifices of Shuhada and Ghazis into the prosperity and well-being of each Pakistani.
He further said that those who resorted to desecration of monuments of Shuhada, their faces would remain blackened in the history of the country and the proud people of Pakistan would never forget them.
On the occasion, the prime minister appreciated the efforts of Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir and his team and the present federal and provincial governments for the bright and prosperous future of Pakistan.
The ISPR, in a press release, said that the prime minister paid a farewell visit to the GHQ. Upon arrival, he was received by the COAS.
The prime minister met the Principal Staff Officers (PSOs) and was presented with the Guard of Honour and laid a wreath at the Yadgar-e-Shuhada.
He appreciated the role of armed forces in protecting the territorial integrity of the country and robustly fighting the menace of terrorism across Pakistan.
He also distributed cheques of Special Financial Assistance amongst 70 families of the martyrs and 30 War Wounded Persons. Laptops were also distributed among the wards of Shuhada who are undergoing their academic pursuits.
ICCI and CDA to join hands for tree plantation drive in Capital
ISLAMABAD, Aug 8 (APP): Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) in collaboration with the Capital Development Authority (CDA) would jointly launch a tree plantation drive in the capital under the Go Green Campaign to promote a healthy environment by making Islamabad greener.
Member Environment CDA Captain (R) Anwar ul Haq Tuesday visited ICCI along with Director General Environment Xenia Hamayun Sanik and Director Environment Akhtar Rasool and asked the chamber to join hands with CDA to promote the tree plantation drive in the Capital as support of the business community is very important in making this drive successful.
He said that the CDA is ready to give a piece of land to ICCI for tree plantation so that the business community can plant maximum saplings there and also take responsibility for their maintenance and upkeep. He said that CDA will identify the species of plants while the business community can also select the species in consultation with CDA.
He said that filtration plants and washrooms are ready in many sectors and CDA is ready to hand over these facilities to the concerned market associations if they take responsibility for their maintenance and operation with their own resources.
He said that the CDA is also ready to allow ICCI to display its digital logo on the Zero Point Bridge and maintain it with its own resources. He said that allergy-causing trees like paper mulberry are being eliminated in Islamabad to save people from allergies.
Speaking on the occasion, President ICCI Ahsan Zafar Bakhtavari said that the chamber had earlier planted thousands of saplings in Islamabad under the Go Green campaign in collaboration with CDA and with the support of the business community, the plantation campaign in the markets will be carried out in an effective manner to promote a healthy environment by making Islamabad greener and greener.
He said that along with planting new trees, a strategy should be made for proper maintenance of old trees so that they can be kept safe. He said that the CDA should organize entrance and exit gates in the markets with the help of the Chamber, which will increase the beauty of the city.
Speaking on the occasion, Senator Senator Lt. Gen. (Retd) Abdul Qayyum Khan appreciated the efforts of CDA to carry forward the plantation drive. He said that the keen interest of the business community in making the plantation campaign successful in collaboration with CDA for the promotion of a healthy environment is commendable.
Shazia Marri calls for establishing complaint redressal system to address beneficiaries concerns
ISLAMABAD, Aug 08 (APP): Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety and Chairperson, Benazir Income Support Programme, Shazia Marri Tuesday called for establishing a complaint redressal system to ensure transparency and promptly address the concerns of beneficiaries and the public in real-time.
In a meeting held here, the federal minister emphasized the need for dedicated efforts from senior officials of BISP to continue their diligent service to the nine million beneficiaries.
She said that serving nine million poorest of the poor must be taken as an honour.
She also reviewed the ongoing pilot project, the Benazir Social Protection Accounts, under which 1147 beneficiaries have so far opened their Bank Accounts for direct transfer of stipends of Benazir Kafaalat etc. from BISP.
Shazia Marri expressed her intention to expand this initiative by collaborating with additional banks and further reducing the account opening costs.
In her comprehensive review, Shazia Marri assessed the various initiatives undertaken by BISP, including the deployment of Mobile Registration Vehicles to serve the most vulnerable communities in remote areas of Balochistan and Sindh.
She also evaluated payments under the Wheat Seed Subsidy programme of the Sindh Government for flood-affected farmers, and other initiatives, the BISP is engaged with.
The Secretary of BISP Amer Ali Ahmad, along with all Director Generals of the programme, were present during the meeting.
Rupee sheds 49 paisa against US Dollar
ISLAMABAD, Aug 8 (APP): Pakistani Rupee on Tuesday was weakened by 49 paisa against the US dollar in the interbank trading as it closed at Rs 287.91 against the previous day’s closing of Rs 287.42.
However, according to the Forex Association of Pakistan (FAP), the buying and selling rates of dollars in the open market stood at Rs 293.6 and Rs 296.5 respectively.
The price of the Euro increased by 14 paisa to close at Rs 316.01 against the last day’s closing of Rs 315.87, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).
The Japanese Yen lost 01 paisa to close at Rs 2.01, whereas an increase of Rs 0.97 was witnessed in the exchange rate of the British Pound, which traded at Rs 367.14 as compared to last closing of Rs 366.17.
The exchange rates of the Emirates Dirham and the Saudi Riyal increased by 13 paisa each to close at Rs 78.38 and Rs 76.74 respectively.