RAWALPINDI, Oct 04 (APP): The security forces on Tuesday killed four terrorists during intense exchange of fire carried out in general area of Tank, South Waziristan District.
The clash occurred as security troops observed and engaged terrorists’ movement in general area of Tank, an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) news release said.
The security troops also recovered weapons and ammunition from the killed terrorists.
The killed terrorists remained actively involved in target killing, kidnapping and extortion in the area, it said.
RAWALPINDI, Oct 4 (APP):Corps Commander Peshawar Lieutenant General Hassan Azhar Hayat on Tuesday met tribal elders part of grand Uthman Zai Jirga in Miran Shah, North Waziristan District.
The Corps Commander lauded the sacrifices rendered by tribesmen in achieving peace in the area and assured that Pakistan Army would provide all possible assistance to the locals.
The Malaks & Mashrans (tribe chiefs) thanked Pakistan Army for restoration of peace in the area and ongoing efforts for socio-economic development. They also assured the Corps Commander for their unflinching support to the security forces.
PESHAWAR, Oct 04 (APP):The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Tuesday dispatched ten truckloads of medicines and vaccines to flood affected areas of Nasirabad Division in Baluchistan.
The relief goods including medicines, vaccines for cattle and other needed items have been sent to flood-hit localities of Jafarabad and Suhbatpur districts. Four qualified teams of veterinary doctors have also been sent to these areas.
Speaking on the occasions, Secretary Livestock, Dr. Muhammad Israr said that veterinary experts would remain in these two districts for one month and work in collaboration with district administration to treat cattle.
He said that people living in remote areas of Baluchistan are totally dependent on their cattle adding that KP government would continue help flood victims in this hour of need and distress.
ISLAMABAD, Oct 4 (APP): President Dr Arif Alvi on Tuesday said that Special Economic Zones (SEZs) being developed across the country under the second phase of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would further augment Pakistan’s industrial growth and uplift transport, infrastructure, and energy sectors.
The president, addressing the 3rd Roundtable Conference on“Pakistan Paradise for Investment & CPEC-2030: Economic Revolution from Kashgar to Gwadar and Beyond”, held at Aiwan-e-Sadr, said that five SEZs, being developed under the CPEC, would possess state-of-the-art infrastructure.
He said the Government of Pakistan would provide all the necessary facilitation in setting up the industry in the SEZs.
He urged the local and foreign investors to fully benefit from the improved Ease of Doing Business in the country and utilize the opportunities being offered by the country’s business and investment-friendly policies.
Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong, and Editor-in-Chief of the Pakistan Observer Faisal Zahid Malik also addressed the conference which was attended by the members of the diplomatic community, media and businessmen.
The president highlighted that the investment-friendly policies of the country had already started paying dividends, encouraging famous mobile phone brands to invest in the manufacturing and assembling of phones in Pakistan.
He also urged the business community to fully utilize and benefit from sectoral policies designed by the government offering incentives like tax breaks, tax refunds, tax reduction, dedicated infrastructure and investor facilitation services.
Terming the CPEC a reflection of exemplary Pak-China bilateral relations, the president said that huge investments under CPEC would further reinvigorate various sectors of Pakistan’s economy, besides attracting investment from friendly countries in different sectors.
He further said that CPEC had already advanced the level of cooperation with Pakistan’s all-weather friend China in the infrastructure and energy sectors.
President Alvi said that CPEC had helped Pakistan develop a world-class road network, which would not only improve internal connectivity but would also help forge closer linkages with other countries in the region.
He said the steps were being taken to improve the transmission and distribution system of the country under CPEC, enhance system reliability, address the chronic problem of circular debt and ensure sustained provision of energy at affordable rates for industrial and commercial activities.
Expressing satisfaction with the multi-dimensional and multi-sectoral work being undertaken by China in Gwadar, the president said that it would help realize the dream of making Gwadar a centre of regional trade and investment.
He further said that Gwadar Port would be an ideal sea route for trade with Afghanistan and the Central Asian Republics (CARs). He also underlined the need for peace in Afghanistan which would ultimately open trade and economic opportunities for the region and neighbouring countries.
President Alvi underlined that the government had introduced a comprehensive program for skill development of the youth, especially in the IT sector, with a view to provide a skilled workforce to the local industry and manpower export market.
He expressed the hope that collaboration between the two countries in the IT sector would be further enhanced.
The president also appreciated the management of the daily Pakistan Observer for hosting the event, which would go a long way in complementing the efforts of the government to promote foreign investment in our motherland.
Ambassador of China Nong Rong, in his address, said that Pakistan and China enjoyed exemplary and all-weather friendship in all sectors and CPEC was one of the manifestations of that cooperation.
He said that China would continue its support to the CPEC projects to ensure that the development work on those projects was carried out with full potential.
He said that the cooperation between the two countries was further being enhanced in the social sector, industry, culture and technology.
Faisal Zahid Malik said that the conference was organized with a view to facilitate foreign and local investors and highlight Pakistan’s immense potential for investment, especially under CPEC.
ISLAMABAD, Oct 04 (APP):Managing Director, (MD) Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) Aftab Rana on Tuesday said that Pakistan among the luckiest countries in the world which offered adventure, cultural and religious tourism for International tourists.
Our three products are very strong, no country in the world has adventure tourism like Pakistan whether it is mountaineering, tracking, paragliding, river rafting or other winter sports, PTDC has to work in all these areas for betterment and its has a lot of potential, MD PTDC Aftab Rana told APP.
He said the second segment of Pakistani tourism is cultural tourism of archeological sites because Pakistan has a history of nine thousand years from mehar garh till to date and many of such sites can attract cultural tourism.
Third and most important segment of Pakistani tourism is defined as religious tourism which covers Budhism, Sikhism, Sufism, Christianity and Hinduism, in this regard, PTDC has started working, said MD Rana Aftab adding that the government is prioritizing the Budhism and Sikhism tourism to generate employment in far-flung areas and to promote religious harmony.
He further said that now is time to be more responsible tourist and PTDC has prepared guidelines for international tourists regarding their visits of tourists sites and how to protect the environment and culture of that particular area and above all how to deal with the locals in those areas.
To promote sustainable tourism, the tourists have to be responsible otherwise the areas would be destroyed so it is now the responsibility of tourists to act like a responsible tourists.
He said Pakistan’s domestic market of tourism is very strong and the country has immense sources to promote tourism.
He said approximately six million tourist visit different countries every year which helps generating economy of billions of rupees especially in the areas where there is no industries.
Tourism also plays a role of a bridge between people of different nationalities, ethnicity and backgrounds through which harmony is promoted, he said.
The hospitality of the people of Pakistan makes the country unique in the world which is acknowledged by the foreign tourists, he said.
ISLAMABAD, Oct 04 (APP): Minister for Board of Investment (BOI) Chaudhry Salik Hussain said on Tuesday that the second phase of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would commence in the country soon as the first phase had already been completed.
He said this while replying to the Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi, here at the Upper House of the Parliament, adding that under the first phase of the project Gwadar had been connected with the rest of the country.
The minister said that most of the early projects under the first phase of CPEC relating to power and infrastructure had already been completed.
The second phase would focus on Industrial Cooperation with China and relocating industries from China, particularly in the Special Economic Zones (SEZs), he added.
However, the minister remarked that it was very encouraging to witness that with the operationalization of most of the SEZs in the past two years, and increased investor’s interest to establish industry therein, besides other investors from different countries many Chinese origin companies had entered SEZs as enterprises.
As regards 29.27 percent decrease in the Chinese investment in the country for last couple of years, he said it was due to the outbreak of Covid-19, which had caused a sharp decline in global economic activity.
As majority of Chinese Investments fall under the CPEC ambit, the economic disruptions and social restrictions caused by COVID-19 also impacted the pace of CPEC, thus impacting the overall net Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), he added.
The decrease in Chinese investments in the last two years was also due to the decrease in the FDI Inflows in the manufacturing industry.
Giving a breakdown of top two sectors in manufacturing industry, the minister stated that a fall of 73.96 percent investment was witnessed in the Electrical Machinery whereas the investment plummeted by 44.73 percent in Rubber and Rubber Products.
However, it is pertinent to mention that due to COVID-19, the manufacturing sector has been affected globally.
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ISLAMABAD, Oct 04 (APP): The meeting of the Senate Select Committee Tuesday reviewed the existing provisions and the proposed amendments in the ICT Trust Act, 2020.
The body met with Senator Muhammad Azam Khan Swati in chair and was attended by Senators including; Shahdat Awan, Sardar Muhammad Shafiq Tareen, Jam Mehtab Hussain Dahar, Dilawar Khan, Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah, Saifullah Abro, Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti, Faisal Saleem Rehman, Muhammad Tahir Bizenjo, Mohsin Aziz along with senior officers from ministry of interior and ministry of law. The Mover, Senator Mushtaq Ahmed was not present.
The committee considered the Islamabad Capital Territory Trust (Amendment) Bill 2020.
The argument revolved around whether or not proposed amendments were endorsed in the context of FATF concerns.
DG FATF, Ministry of Interior informed the committee that Amendment of Section 16, Act XXV of 2020 was withdrawn.
Regarding Amendment of Section 17, Act XXV of 2020 the body was informed that this Section was crucial; removal of which would affect numerous other Sections/Clauses.
DG FATF, Ministry of Interior informed the Committee that the Ministry after thorough review did not support the Amendment of Section 17, Act XXV of 2020. Amendment for Section 24, Act XXV of 2020 was accepted.
The matter was disposed off due to absence of the Mover.
ISLAMABAD, Oct 04 (APP): The Senate on Tuesday deferred a government bill and passed a motion granting 60-day extension to standing committee on Cabinet Secretariat for presentation of reports on a private member’s bill.
On behalf of Chairman Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, Senator Rukhsana Zuberi moved a motion under Rule 194 (1) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate, 2012 which sought 60-day extension for presentation of report on the Regulation of Generation, Transmission and Distribution (Amendment) Bill, 2022.
The bill was introduced by Senator Kauda Babar on August 1, 2022 and was referred to the standing committee on the same day for deliberation on it. However, the House granted 60-day extension to present report on it with effect from 30th September, 2022.
Meanwhile, Chairman Standing Committee on Defence Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed presented report of the Committee on a starred question asked by Senator Dost Muhammad Khan on July 29, 2022 regarding Secondary School Teachers (SST) working in Federal Government Education Institutions (Cantt and Garrisons).
The Chair deferred a government bill – the Pakistan Global Institute Bill, 2022 – on the request of Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Rana Tanveer Hussain.
ISLAMABAD, Oct 10 (APP): Six truckloads containing humanitarian goods were handed over to the Afghan authorities on Tuesday to support the people of the war-hit country.
Arranged by Pak Afghan Cooperation Forum, the relief goods included 17.5 tons of food items, clothing, bedding, and medical supplies.
Donated by Alkhidmat Foundation and Afghan Red Crescent, the goods were handed over to the Afghan authorities at Kharlachi border.
The handing-over ceremony was attended by officials of Afghan Red Crescent including Head of South West Region Maulvi Ilyas Khel Nasari and Head Paktia Mufti Ghulam Sarwar.
The representatives of Al Khidmat Foundation of Pakistan including Muhammad Waseem SPM, Alkhidmat Foundation KPK Office and President Alkhidmat Foundation Kurram Ilyas Bangash were also present.
