A vendor displaying the stationary items pencils to attract the customers outside the Data gunj Buksh Road
People drinking Sabeel (special drink) offer by volunteers along the roadside in connection of Ashura at Sher Kathi Bazar
PHA staff placing bouquets of yellow flowers on the beauty wall of Kalma Chowk underpass
Rescue 1122 workers busy in physical exercise before mock exercise at Kabul River
Rescue 1122 divers’ showing flag march during mock exercise at Kabul River
Shahnaz Sheikh planning to make national hockey team a binding force
ISLAMABAD, Jul 21 (APP): The newly-appointed consultant of Pakistan hockey team Olympian Shahnaz Sheikh said on Friday that he would join the national team’s camp in Lahore on Saturday where he would be trying to knit the players together to make them a binding force.
“I will want our players to give up their individual game and fight like a unit,” Shahnaz told APP.
“I will also try to inculcate a spirit of playing attacking hockey in them. I believe in aggression as this is the brand of hockey
we used to play in our days, which is considered the golden era of Pakistan in the game,” he said.
He said he would hold a meeting with the management of Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) to discuss his plan to raise a strong national side. “I believe we need to take on board the former greats of our hockey. So in the meeting, I will be discussing with them [the PHF management] the ways of availing the expertise of our erstwhile Olympians. As former Olympians we can help our hockey by passing on our skills to the current players.”
According to Shahnaz, preparing coaches to train budding players as well as polish the skills of senior players would be part of his plan. “I feel we need to prepare coaches to train players at all levels. For that we’ll have to chalk out a proper policy.”
He said his first focus would be to enable the team to put up a good show at the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy, to be held in the Indian city of Chennai from August 3-12. “This event is very crucial as in September-October we will be playing in the Asian Games, to be held in Hangzhou, China.
“The Games serve as Olympic qualifiers. A top podium finish will mean a direct entry to the quadrennial spectacle.”
He said he believed though currently Pakistan were a low-ranked side they could still make a cut to the Olympics. “I’m an optimist. Hockey is in our blood. I’m sure we can once again become a formidable side. I have a plan for that and it will be my effort it is fully implemented,” he added.
Earlier, on Friday the PHF through a press release announced to appoint Shahnaz as the consultant of the national team for a two-year period.
The decision to appoint Shahnaz as a consultant was taken during a meeting of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly, the press release said.
The PHF expressed the hope that Shahnaz would help revamp the performance of the national players.
The decision garnered appreciation from the Standing Committee, underling the positive impact his appointment could have on the national setup.
Chairman of the Standing Committee, Nawab Sher Wasir and Minister for Inter Provincial Coordination, Ehsan Ur Rehman Mazari lauded the PHF for their foresight in making this crucial decision.
People passing on the road during a view of light to moderate rain in the Metropolis
Governor of Sindh Kamran Khan Tessori, DG Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) Major General Azhar Waqas and other notables attend namaz-e-janaza of Nawab of Junagarh State, Nawab Muhammad Jahangir Khanji at Fatima Jinnah House Road
Korea to establish IT Centre in Karachi: CG Yi Sungho
KARACHI, Jul 21 (APP): Consul General of the Republic of Korea Yi Sungho, on Friday, informed that the Korean Government was setting up an IT Centre in Karachi to provide young IT startups an opportunity to start working with Korea.
The Korean envoy, during a visit to the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), said that the Korean government was keen to support Pakistan in developing its IT sector and an IT center has already been completed in Islamabad.
He urged Pakistan to come up with strong policies to train and educate young people in the IT sector and must also invest more money in education and training to find some geniuses who could bring revolution not only in IT but also in other sectors of the economy.
Korean Envoy pinpointing the low volume of bilateral trade between Pakistan and Korea observed “Trade between the two countries kept growing until 2019, but it suffered setbacks after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic which was followed by some economic difficulties in Pakistan”.
Efforts were being made to enhance existing trade volume, he added while expressing optimism that trade between Korea and Pakistan will rebound again in the future.
He said, “To support Pakistan’s economy in its quest for fetching maximum workers’ remittances, the Korean Government encourages Pakistani workers to work in Korea, hence, we extended the maximum quota for Pakistani Workers to 4,000 workers, of which 3,000 workers have already been called to Korea.”
Commenting on the investment potential of Korean textile companies, the envoy pointed out that most of the Korean companies moved their manufacturing units to Bangladesh with the passage of time where they were doing quite well.
“If Pakistan provides a good business environment, these Korean companies will certainly move their units here in Pakistan mainly due to low labor cost which is the most important element of cost of doing business,” he said.
He mentioned that Korean companies moved to Bangladesh due to low labor costs but now, the cost of labor in Pakistan was even lower than what it was in Bangladesh which could encourage many Korean companies to move businesses to Pakistan but the other conditions for doing business must also be the same as being offered in Bangladesh.
The Korean CG informed that Pakistan’s Embassy in Korea will also be holding an Investment and Trade Promotion Conference next week wherein the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) and Board of Investment (BoI) will be explaining the overall investment environment and regulations in Pakistan to Korean companies.
“A University in Islamabad has also started offering Korean Language Courses but no such course is, unfortunately, being offered here in Karachi”, he mentioned while expressing his willingness to open such Korean Language Learning Centre in Karachi.
Earlier, President KCCI Tariq Yousuf, while warmly welcoming the Korean Ambassador, stressed that Pakistan and South Korea need to accelerate bilateral trade volume and devise a clear roadmap for Free Trade Agreement which would pave the way for improved trade relations and open up new dimensions.
He urged Korean companies to explore JVs and investment in SEZs under CPEC and added that the One-Belt-One-Road initiative could prove to be beneficial for enhancing trade between the two countries whereas the Visa regime also needs to be eased for greater matchmaking between the two countries.
He was of the view that Korean corporations can also help the local economy by creating value addition in the textile sector, coastal belts, and Technology Parks. “Participation in trade fairs and exhibitions would be a great way for the business community of both countries to explore new trade avenues and promotion strategies”, he added.
Vice President KCCI Mohammad Haris Agar, Chairman Diplomatic Missions and Embassies Liaison Sub-committee Zia ul Arfeen, and KCCI Managing Committee Members attended the meeting.
Monsoon rains likely to continue till July 26: PMD
ISLAMABAD, Jul 21 (APP): The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) Friday indicated chances of monsoon rains to continue in the coming days.
The monsoon currents were continuously penetrating in the country from Bay of Bengal and a westerly trough was also affecting its upper parts that might persist during next few days, the PMD said.
“Rain/wind-thundershower with few heavy to very heavy falls are expected in Kashmir, (Neelum valley, Muzaffarabad, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhanoti, Kotli, Bhimber, Mirpur), Gilgit Baltistan (Diamir, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Ghanche, Shigar), Murree, Galliyat, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Hafizabad, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Kasur, Mianwali, Sargodha, Khushab, Faisalabad, Toba Tek Singh, Jhang, Sahiwal, Bahawalnagar, Okara, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Buner,Mansehra, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Haripur, Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera, Kurram, Lakki Marwat, Kohat, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Karak and Waziristan from July 22- 26 with occasional gaps,” it added.
Rain/wind-thundershower with isolated heavy falls, the PMD further said, “are also expected in Zhob, Sherani, Barkhan, Musakhel, Kohlu, Naseerabad, Jhal Magsi, Loralai, Ziarat, Mastung, Kalat, Khuzdar, Lasbela, Awaran, Kech, Panjgur, Dera Ghazi khan, Rajanpur, Multan, Khanewal, Bhakkar, Layyah, Kot Addu, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Tharparkar, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad, Dadu, Shaheed Benazirabad, Hyderabad, Sanghar, Badin, Thatta and Karachi from July 22- 24 with occasional gaps”.
About the impacts, the PMD warned that heavy rains might cause urban flooding in low lying areas of Islamabad/ Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Gujranwala and Lahore from July 22-26, and trigger landslides in the vulnerable areas of Murree, Galliyat, Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan and hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the period.
“Heavy rain may generate flash flooding in Kashmir, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Buner, Manshera, Abbottabad, Rawalpindi/Islamabad during July 22-26, and cause hill torrents in Dera Ghazi Khan and adjoining areas of northeast Balochistan on July 22 and 23.”
Heavy rains might also trigger water logging in low lying areas of Karachi and Hyderabad during July 22-24, the PMD said.
It advised the farmers to manage their activities keeping in view the weather forecast, and asked tourists and travelers to remain extra cautious to avoid any untoward situation during the wet spell.
The PMD urged the public to stay at safe places during wind-storm/heavy rains as loose structures like electric poles, solar panels etc might be damaged.
It also advised all the authorities concerned to remain alert and take necessary precautionary measures during the forecast period.