A vendor preparing and selling lemonade at his roadside setup
Activists of Majlis Khatm-e-Nabuwwat Pakistan take part in a protest demonstration at Karachi Press Club against the dishonor of holy Quran outside a Stockholm Mosque
Dar chairs meeting on Civil Aviation Authority, Airport Security Force
ISLAMABAD, Jul 6 (APP): Finance Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Thursday chaired a meeting on legal matters relating to Civil Aviation Authority and Airport Security Force.
Federal MInister for Aviation Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Federal Minister for Commerce, Syed Naveed Qamar, Federal Minister for Law, Azam Tarar attended the meeting, Ministry of Finance said on official twitter’s account.
Lawmakers strongly condemn desecration of Holy Quran in Sweden
ISLAMABAD, Jul 06 (APP): The lawmakers from both sides of the aisle Thursday strongly condemned the desecration of Holy Quran outside a mosque in Sweden and called for measures to avoid such abhorrent acts in future that insulted the sacred values of Muslims.
Speaking on a motion to discuss the situation arising out of desecration of the Holy Quran in Sweden in joint sitting of the Parliament, they said the entire Muslim Ummah should forge unity and raise joint voice to stop the recurrence of such profane acts.
MNA, Sahahuddin of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) while strongly condemning the incident said mere statement of the Swedish government was not enough as the act was done with the permission of the court.
Islam preached peace, love, tolerance and tranquility, he said, adding that followers of Islam did not disrespect to any other religion or other holy books.
He said copy of resolution should also be sent to all Europeans countries and Sweden.
The MNA said it was our joint issue and for which a peaceful protest should be launched to condemn the incident.
He appreciated the Prime Minister’s decision to observe Yaum-e-Taqddees-e-Quran tomorrow and urged to people to fully participate in it order to register their protest.
Raza Rabbani of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) said desecration of holy books or religions in name of freedom of expression did not allow anyone to carry out such heinous act.
The desecration of the Holy Quran was also a blatant violation of the international laws as hatred speech against other religion was contrary to it, he added.
Talking part in the debate, Mushtaq Ahmed of Jamaat e Islami (JI) strongly condemned the incident and termed it an act of war against Islam.
He said it was an attack on our ideological boarders. Such freedom of expression was tantamount to an act of terrorism, he added.
He said unfortunately, the court gave permission to the wicked man and such acts would push the world into third world war.
He urged the leadership of Muslim countries to raise their voice jointly as it was a blatant act of terrorism.
He also demanded recalling of Pakistan ambassador from Sweden besides expelling its ambassador and complete boycott of products of that country.
He also suggested a proper legislation at United National level to ensure respect of all religions and holy books.
He also called for approaching the International court in that regard.
Senator Hidayatullah of Awami National Party said that the act had hurt the feelings of Muslims all over the world.
He said that such despicable acts would only promote hatred in the society.
MNA Farukh Khan of PML-Q said that Islam time and again promoted peace and tranquility.
This evil must be punished by the UN as it was promoting hatred in the world, she added.
Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal underlined the need for tolerance and forbearance among different faiths to avoid clash of civilizations.
“Our religion teaches us patience but in the West incidents keep on taking place regularly where sentiments of Muslims are hurt,” he added.
“If you will speak disrespectfully about holocaust you are not spared as they have rules for that,” the minister said.
He said the Muslims would have to make themselves stronger by obtaining scientific knowledge.
“Only protests and condemnations will not serve for any good purpose. Muslims must pursue knowledge and pay heed towards scientific discoveries as instructed by the Holy Quran,” he added.
The minister said “We should do our own accountability. We must try to know what are the reasons of our downfall”.
Senator Kamran Murtaza said that the desecration of Holy Quran in Sweden was not the first instance.
Rejecting the rationale of freedom of expression, he said that police authorities had given permission to extremists to desecrate the Holy Quran outside the main mosque in the Swedish capital on the first day of Eid-ul Azha, adding that we must try to know as why it happened.
Martyrdom of Burhan Wani sparked Kashmir freedom movement
ISLAMABAD, Jul 6 (APP):The martyrdom of Burhan Wani, a prominent Kashmiri activist, sent a blast wave throughout the region and brought the long-standing conflict in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir to the forefront of international attention.
Wani was a true hero and his martyrdom on July 8, 2016, sparked widespread protests in IIOJK, leading to another wave of violence by Indian occupation forces in the region.
According to an article published by Kashmir Media Service, Wani played a game-changing role in the struggle of IIOJK against India.
Burhan Wani was born on July 7, 1994, in south Kashmir. Despite belonging to a relatively well-off family, he treaded the path of a civic activist at a young age after witnessing the frequent attacks of Indian army on innocent Kashmiris.
At the age of 15, he started to raise his voice against the oppressive Indian forces. Soon he was known as a brave Kashmiri activist, gaining recognition for his mesmerizing personality and passionate speeches. Social media platforms became his means of spreading his message of opposition to Indian occupation and motivating others to join the cause. His ability to connect with IIOJK youth, who recognized him as a symbol of resistance against Indian oppression, made him a prominent figure within the freedom movement. He used social media platforms to spread his message and recruit more individuals to join the cause.
On July 8, 2016, a joint operation by the Indian occupation forces, including the army, police, and paramilitary, tracked down and martyred Burhan Wani in Kokernag area of south Kashmir’s Islamabad district.
The news of his death spread rapidly, and thousands of people gathered for his funeral, despite strict curfews imposed by the authorities. The funeral procession turned into a massive protest, with mourners shouting slogans against the Indian government and demanding freedom.
Burhan’s death witnessed a significant escalation of violence in the region with many people killed and injured by Indian forces. As a result of the curfew in the valley, the internet was shut down and many other restrictions were also imposed and the protest continued for many months. Moreover, the violence by Indian forces continued for months, resulting in a sense of insecurity and fear among the masses.
The death of Burhan Wani was seen as a significant loss for the IIOJK freedom movement and a cause of concern about the human rights situation in the territory. Burhan Wani was a martyr and a symbol of struggle against Indian occupation. His death was a result of Indian coercion and excessive use of force against IIOJK civilians. Government of Pakistan condemned Burhan Wani’s killing and expressed solidarity with the people of IIOJK.
His martyrdom at the hands of Indian army highlighted the broader issue of human rights violations in Kashmir and the need for international attention and intervention.
Pakistan persistently raised the IIOJK matter with prominent UN officials and submitted letters to the UN Secretary General and the President of the United Nations Security Council, expressing deep concerns regarding the violation of human rights in IIOJK following the tragic death of Burhan.
Pakistan’s government consistently raised the Kashmir dispute at the international forums, arguing that the world community should intervene to ensure that the rights of the IIOJK people were protected.
Pakistan called for an end to the use of force against civilians, the withdrawal of Indian occupation forces, and a plebiscite in accordance with the UN resolutions in IIOJK.
The death of Wani marked a turning point in the Kashmir freedom movement, with the emergence of a new wave of struggle and widespread youth participation in highlighting the Kashmir issue specifically by using social media. The fallout from his death continued to shape the ongoing struggle for the right to self-determination in IIOJK.
In conclusion, the death of Burhan Wani was a significant event that gave impetus to the struggle against the brutal Indian forces. His sacrifice served as a constant reminder of the ongoing battle for freedom and justice in IIOJK, motivating people to continue fight for their rights.
The legacy of Wani lived on as he was a symbol of courage, resilience, and the unyielding spirit of the activism of IIOJK.
UAE striving for all-inclusive platform at COP-28 for unified global climate action: Al Jaber
ISLAMABAD, Jul 6 (APP): President-designate of COP-28 and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Minister for Industry & Advanced Technologies, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber on Thursday said the UAE was striving to ensure that the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC meeting, to be hosted by Dubai this year was ensured as an all-inclusive platform for unified global action.
The UAE Minister made these remarks during a talk held here at the Foreign Service Academy (FSA) flanked by Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Pakistan Senator Sherry Rehman and Director General, FSA Ambassador Mazhar Javed.
Sultan Al Jaber thanked the government of Pakistan and FSA and the Minister for Climate Change for facilitating his visit. He expressed that he had assumed the task of COP-28’s presidency with humility and a deep sense of responsibility.
“Over the last few months, I have had the opportunity to engage with all stakeholders from all over the world including businesses, governments, students, and scientists etc.”
He added that during all the engagements he converged the discussion for all inclusive platform. “The voices were most resonating of the people at the forefront of the climate change. The sad reality is that climate change is having profound impact on the lives of those people. Last year floods in Pakistan, almost affected 33 million people, caused over 1700 deaths, and billions of dollars losses in infrastructure,” the UAE Minister said.
He mentioned that it was imperative to allow the affected communities’ voices to be heard and respond to their queries who were facing climate change and come up with result-oriented outcomes. The COP process has evolved over the years and become politically charged and a comprehensive forum, he said, adding, “In about 148 days from today UAE will host COP-28 in Dubai. This is going to be the first ever official assessment of how world acted upon Paris Agreement.”
He noted that the UAE was genuinely interested to reduce 43% of the GHG emissions to limit global temperature to 1.5C as business as usual could no longer work. “We need to ensure course correction to meet ultimate goals of Paris Agreement. We must build energy system of the future and decarbonise energy mix. World must not work in a fragmented but rather in a holistic manner,” he added.
Al Jaber said the focus of attention was to meet the pledges by the countries at the previous COP forums and the global climate fund by the developed countries to deliver $100 billion annually to the global south.
“We must work on programmes and action agendas that work on climate adaptation. We cannot leave anyone behind.
What is needed is to start thinking differently in a new manner and culture. The divide and polarisation lead to this level and we need to unify the world for this agenda and should ensure inclusivity to ensure this agenda,” he said.
The President-designate of COP-28 said the public and private sectors, diplomatic community, academia and all had to join hands.
In his welcome remarks, the DG FSA expressed his gratitude to the UAE Minister for visiting Pakistan and sharing his insights on the subject matter.
Minister for Climate Change, Senator Sherry Rehman in her opening remarks thanked the UAE Minister for accepting Pakistan’s invitation to visit the country. She said for Pakistan climate change was a new and accelerating reality as it had become the ground zero for many ways starting from heatwaves to glacial melts and monster monsoon that ravaged its population.
She said Pakistan stood committed to looking forward a tranformative change as global pledges would now had to become actions and resources as pipelines to address climate crisis. The Minister commended that Dr. Al Jaber was clear in his vision for tranfomative change at the COP platform.
She mentioned that Pakistan was also working on renewable energy transition to address climate change whereas capital and capacity were important for the clean energy transition.
Responding to media queries, the UAE Minister said the Emirates government would make all out efforts to facilitate committee members of the loss and damage transition body to present necessary recommendations. “We will encourage countries facing climate change to participate at the forum and present their case. We have adopted the narrative to merge the culture around inclusivity, justice and equality. We don’t want to contribute in the divide but rather provide a platform that is centered around inclusiveness.”
He ended that a sophisticated pool of young people would be given representation at the COP-28 to have effective participation and it would be a paradigm shift for youth at COP-28.
Pakistan seeks transformative global reset at COP28, says Sherry Rehman
ISLAMABAD, Jul 6 (APP): Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Senator Sherry Rehman on Thursday said Pakistan sought a transformative global reset at the 28th conference of the parties meeting (COP-28) to be held in Dubai.
“Developing countries like Pakistan need a global re-set of the financial system to meet their growing climate resilience needs. I am encouraged to see that the COP28 Presidency is looking towards “leaving no one behind” as we go into a crucial Global Stocktake at the end of the year. Under the leadership of the incoming president, Sultan Al Jaber, there is an opportunity to not just shift the wall of distrust that has been built around such negotiations but also to bridge the gap between the Global North and the South. Actions at this particular COP are going to signal crucial bend in the path to our collective futures, and to try more realistically to build common ground, and invest in new thinking as well as tools to shift the needle on global goals that are drifting further and further away from meeting Paris goals,” stated Senator Sherry Rehman, Federal Minister for Climate Change & Environmental Coordination during a high-level meeting with a delegation led by Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, President-designate of COP28 and UAE’s Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology at the Climate Ministry, a news release said.
Minister Al Jaber expressed gratitude to Minister Rehman for her invitation to visit Pakistan and acknowledged Pakistan’s leadership in representing the Global South during COP27, noting the establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund, which enhanced the vulnerable countries’ stake in climate negotiation processes. He anticipated direct engagement and continuous support from Pakistan as the UAE prepares for COP28, highlighting that Pakistan is not just a great friend of the UAE, but also a likeminded partner.
Highlighting the Presidency’s vision for COP28, Minister Al Jaber emphasized the importance of providing an enabling environment and ample space during the Global Stocktake to steer the world back on the right track. He pledged to introduce practical, pragmatic, and results-driven actions that encompass mitigation, adaptation, loss and damage, and finance. The focus on finance was particularly emphasized, aiming to ensure its availability, accessibility, and affordability, especially for countries that require it. Additionally, he stressed the need to attract and incentivize private capital on a large scale, as he felt substantial capital is essential for effectively addressing the climate change challenge. He emphasized the urgency for a transformative approach, not just reformation, of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) and International Financial Institutions (IFIs), to meet the immense scale of the required funding.
Minister Rehman, while expressing appreciation for the vision of the COP28 Presidency, highlighted Pakistan’s objective of seeking a global reset at the upcoming COP in the UAE. She emphasized the importance of turbocharging the momentum on existing and new goals that help bridge the gap between action and ambition, with specific priorities aimed at reducing the growing gaps in capacity between the Global North and South. She underscored that climate change should not be a death sentence for those in the arc of extreme climate vulnerability. Furthermore, the Minister reiterated Pakistan’s intention to pursue a global reset in financial thinking, with the aim of revamping the financial architecture, raising of finances and ways in which joint goals can be pursued more effectively. She emphasized the need for an exponential broadening of the climate finance pool by bringing the private sector to the table that can support in meeting the objectives set forth.
Bringing the delegation’s attention to Pakistan’s extreme vulnerability to accelerated climate impacts, Minister Rehman stated that Pakistan has endured a relentless series of natural calamities, ranging from forest fires and heatwaves to unforgiving droughts. “The melting glaciers have triggered riverine floods, while the catastrophic Glacial Lake Outburst Floods have wreaked havoc, ruthlessly swept away bridges and left behind a trail of destruction and despair. This culminated into a record-breaking catastrophic flood that submerged one-third of the country, impacting 33 million people,” she said.
She further emphasized the alarming surge in heatwaves and temperatures observed in 2023, coupled with torrential rains that have triggered floods in the northern regions. Cyclone Biparjoy, the longest-surviving cyclone in the Arabian Sea, has further affected parts of Sindh already reeling from the devastating super flood of 2022, pushing communities into a veritable “recovery trap”.
The Minister highlighted the numerous initiatives the Government had undertaken in tackling climate stress, including the Green Pakistan Programme, Living Indus Initiative, National Adaptation Plan, GLOF-II, National Clean Air Policy, National Hazardous Waste Management Policy, Single-Use Plastic Prohibition Regulations 2023, and the upcoming Carbon Market framework. She also pointed towards the critical gap in resources for adaptation and mitigation, identified by multilateral agencies as amounting to US$348 billion or 10.7 percent of cumulative GDP by 2030. Despite this, Pakistan is committed to a green energy transition, whereby it will transfer 60% of its energy needs to renewables by 2030 and reduce its projected emissions by 50% reduction until 2030, she stated.
Minister Rehman warmly welcomed the UAE’s engagement and expressed appreciation for their interest in cooperating with Pakistan on renewable energy initiatives. She highlighted that the Government of Pakistan is actively involved in transitioning the country towards the renewable energy sector and is seeking partnerships in the Alternative and Renewable Energy sector. She highlighted that the government has introduced a comprehensive 10-year plan to generate 10,000 megawatts of electricity through solar and wind energy by the year 2031. This ambitious plan reflects Pakistan’s commitment to harnessing the potential of renewable energy sources and contributing to a sustainable and greener future.
A skilled worker manufacturing export quality surgical instruments at his work place
Vehicles passing through rain water accumulated on the road during rain that experienced in the city
Federal Minister for Planning and Development and Special Initiatives Prof. Ahsan Iqbal University of Education College is presenting a souvenir to the members of the project
