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Chinese Girls’ documentary highlights rich, diverse culture of Pakistan

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Chinese Girls' documentary highlights rich, diverse culture of Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Jul 11 (APP):The short documentary film titled “Threads of Friendship: A Chinese Girl’s Adventure in Pakistan” screened here on Tuesday at the Aiwan-e-Quaid auditorium showcased the rich and diverse culture of the country captured in visuals presented by a native Chinese in pure Urdu language.

The speakers at the screening of the short documentary film termed China as Pakistan’s all-weather, ‘iron’ friend and said that both the countries were linked in a bond of friendship that spanned over decades and travels through generations.

The documentary is in fact a joint venture of the China Media Group (CMG) and 101 Friends of China, an Islamabad-based mega strategic think-tank founded by the late Editor-in-Chief of Pakistan Observer, Zahid Malik in 2014.

In the 22-minute short film, Director of the China Media Group (CMG) Urdu Service, also known as the China International Radio Urdu Service, (FM 98 Dosti Radio) Noreen (Chinese name: Nao Ling) has successfully tried to explore various layers of the ancient, rich, diverse and unique culture of Pakistan.

She started her journey by visiting Faisal Masjid giving some useful information about its architecture, design and historical perspective.

She also visited the Pakistan Monument, Saidpur Village, Rawal Lake and the National Incubation Centre.

“Pakistan” in her words “is a country full of wonders,” she added.

At the closure of the documentary she said, “My journey has just started and soon I shall be back with more such captivating sights.”

Special Assistant to Prime Minister (Minister of State) on Interior Affairs, Jawad Sohrab Malik was the Chief Guest on the occasion while among the noted guests who attended the show included Press Attache of the Embassy of China Liu Chang, Vice-Chancellor of the Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU), Prof Dr Niaz Ahmed Akhtar, Vice-Chancellor, National Skills University, Prof Dr Muhammad Mukhtar, CEO of Pakistan Observer and Vice Chairman 101 Friends of China Faisal Zahid Malik, DG National Institute of Maritime Affairs (NIMA), Vice Admiral (R) Ahmed Saeed and former Project Director (PD) China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Hassan Daud Butt.

The audience that included a large number of the Pakistani and the Chinese viewers applauded as the short documentary progressed and admired her for portraying an enlightened, peaceful and moderate Pakistan in her documentary.

“Her command of Urdu and ease of using the right Urdu word at the right place is simply amazing,” said Fatima, one among the audience.

In the words of the moderator and co-producer, Fahd Gauhar Malik, the screening exemplified the power of video-sharing and communication that enabled us all to delve deeper into the nuances of Pakistan’s customs and traditions through the lens of our Chinese friends.

“During the four weeks of recording and while working with Noreen we always found her full of energy and passion to film the ‘real potential’ of Pakistan’s tourism sector and to attract the local as well as foreign tourists to this land of peace, harmony and diversity,” said Fahd Malik.

Chief Guest on the occasion SAPM Jawad Sohrab Malik commending the work of the CMG and 101 Friends of China said Pakistan had always valued its friendship with China. Pakistan’s tourism sector indeed carried a huge potential that must be tapped and Noreen and Fahd through the documentary have tried to reflect that.

Dr Hassan Daud Butt in his speech shared his experience of the Chinese people’s hospitality and love for the Pakistanis and held that he felt the same feeling of sincerity and camaraderie in the ‘Chinese Girl’s Adventures in Pakistan.’ Noreen, he said, has become a household name in Pakistan because of FM98 Dosti Radio and a large number of the Pakistani people are tuned to its transmissions.

While thanking the audience, Noreen said she planned to do more such documentaries on Pakistan’s sites that have not so far been discovered.

To a question, she said wherever she went for the sake of the documentary she found the Pakistani people very kind, helpful, cooperative and hospitable. A certificate was also presented to Noreen in recognition of her great work.

Development work to be completed by 2025: FGEHA

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FGEHA

ISLAMABAD, Jul 11 (APP):Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA) Tuesday said the development work of Green Enclave II residential project of the government employees would be completed by 2025.

FGEHA Director General Tariq Rasheed said the development work of Green Enclave II residential project of the government employees would be completed by 2025.

“The work of the first part of the project Green Enclave II (Commoners Sky Garden) is going on vigorously. The Housing Authority Green Enclave II- Project is a joint venture of FGE Housing Authority, a subsidiary of the Ministry of Housing and Construction, with Sky Garden to provide low-cost plots/flats to government employees.

He said the work on the first part of Green Enclave-II was progressing towards completion.

The project consists of about 11,000 kanals of land, and the development work on about 2403 kanals of the first part consisting of (A, B, C, D & E) blocks of Phase-I will be completed by the end of 2025 while 20 per cent work is completed in Block D.

The road work and other facilities would also be completed soon, he said.

The director general said as per promises made by the Housing Authority would be fulfilled within the stipulated time period.

GCF approves US$66 funding for WWF-Pakistan’s flagship Recharge Pakistan project

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GCF approves US$66 funding for WWF-Pakistan's flagship Recharge Pakistan project

ISLAMABAD, Jul 11 (APP):The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has announced US$ 66 million in funding to support the Government of Pakistan’s efforts to reduce the twin climate impacts of flooding and drought.

The investment will improve the resilience of some of the country’s most vulnerable communities affected by the impacts of climate change, including catastrophic flooding.

The new 7-year project, ‘Recharge Pakistan: Building Pakistan’s Resilience to Climate Change through Ecosystem-Based Adaptation for Integrated Flood Risk Management’, is the largest investment at the national level to date in an ecosystem-based approach to flood and water resources management, a news release said.

A collaboration between the Government of Pakistan’s Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC), the Federal Flood Commission (FFC) under the Ministry of Water Resources, and WWF-Pakistan; the project will demonstrate the effectiveness of ecosystem-based adaptation and green infrastructure as an innovative addition to the nation’s traditional grey infrastructure solutions to flood and drought.

This will be achieved through restoration and reforestation of forests and wetlands; rehabilitation of water flow paths and channels; development of recharge basins and retention areas; and strengthening the climate resilience of local businesses in the agriculture and forests sectors.

In addition to the GCF funding, the project is supported through a collective US$ 12 million investment and technical support from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Coca-Cola Foundation and WWF-Pakistan.
Collectively, the project’s interventions will directly benefit over 600,000 people and will indirectly benefit close to 7,000,000 people.

Speaking about the announcement, President WWF International Dr Adil Najam stated, “The floods of 2022 were yet another stark reminder of climate change’s impacts on Pakistan. Initiatives like Recharge Pakistan are the need of the hour to rehabilitate the Indus Basin, Pakistan’s lifeline. Through ecosystem-based adaptation and nature-based solutions, this collaboration will help restore the basin’s health, enhance resilience, and safeguard the most vulnerable communities. Today, we are one vital step closer to building climate resilience, protecting biodiversity, and securing a sustainable future for Pakistan.”

Director General WWF-Pakistan, Hammad Naqi Khan added, “A focus on green infrastructure and ecosystem-based adaptation is crucial, especially for a country like Pakistan, where the impacts of climate change are manifesting with increasing frequency and severity and deepening the economic crisis. On behalf of my team, I am thankful to the GCF for their trust and acknowledgment, and would like to thank Minister Sherry Rehman for her support in seeing this through. Under her leadership, the Ministry of Climate Change took all possible measures to secure this critical funding. I am confident that in collaboration with our capable partners, we will deliver the impact expected from this critical and far-reaching undertaking.”

Announcing the news on social media, Senator Sherry Rehman, Minister of Climate Change stated, “We worked very hard to convert this GCF funding from loan to grant. After the 2022 megaflood our view was that Pakistan needs grant based climate financing, and are grateful to the GCF for accepting our advice. Rigorous design implementation involved months of consultations with all the provinces. After this stage, implementation now lies with them as the executing partners.”

PSX stays bullish, gains 570 points

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ISLAMABAD, Jul 11 (APP):The 100-index of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) continued with bullish trend on Tuesday, gaining 570.67 points, a positive change of 1.28 percent, closing at 45,155.80 points against 44,585.13 points the previous trading day.

A total of 555,100,181 shares were traded during the day as compared to 440,221,059 shares the previous day, whereas the price of shares stood at Rs 15.487 billion against Rs 12.086 billion on the last trading day.

As many as 363 companies transacted their shares in the stock market; 253 of them recorded gains and 92 sustained losses, whereas the share price of 18 companies remained unchanged.

The three top-trading companies were WorldCall Telecom with 35,089,048 shares at Rs 1.28 per share; Pak Refinery with 31,421,276 shares at Rs.16.95 per share and Fauji Foods Ltd with 23,204,209 shares at Rs.6.74 per share.

Rafhan Maize witnessed a maximum increase of Rs 242.95 per share price, closing at Rs 8,597.95, whereas the runner-up was Khyber Textile with an Rs 55.89 rise in its per share price to Rs 801.09.

Bata (Pak) witnessed a maximum decrease of Rs 38.35 per share closing at Rs 1,714.65; followed by Siemens Pakistan with Rs 16.01 decline to close at Rs 699.99.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in a group photo with the high-achievers who received laptops on merit basis under the Prime Minister’s Youth Laptop Scheme 2023

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Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in a group photo with the high-achievers who received laptops on merit basis under the Prime Minister's Youth Laptop Scheme 2023
APP38-110723 PESHAWAR: July 11 - Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in a group photo with the high-achievers who received laptops on merit basis under the Prime Minister's Youth Laptop Scheme 2023. APP/MAF/TZD
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in a group photo with the high-achievers who received laptops on merit basis under the Prime Minister's Youth Laptop Scheme 2023
APP38-110723 PESHAWAR

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif interacts with students at the ceremony of merit-based distribution of laptops among high-achieving students under the Prime Minister’s Youth Laptop Scheme 2023

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Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif interacts with students at the ceremony of merit-based distribution of laptops among high-achieving students under the Prime Minister's Youth Laptop Scheme 2023
APP37-110723 PESHAWAR: July 11 - Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif interacts with students at the ceremony of merit-based distribution of laptops among high-achieving students under the Prime Minister's Youth Laptop Scheme 2023. APP/MAF/TZD
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif interacts with students at the ceremony of merit-based distribution of laptops among high-achieving students under the Prime Minister's Youth Laptop Scheme 2023
APP37-110723 PESHAWAR

PSX stays bullish, gains 570 points

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PSX

ISLAMABAD, Jul 11 (APP):The 100-index of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) continued with bullish trend on Tuesday, gaining 570.67 points, a positive change of 1.28 percent, closing at 45,155.80 points against 44,585.13 points the previous trading day.

A total of 555,100,181 shares were traded during the day as compared to 440,221,059 shares the previous day, whereas the price of shares stood at Rs.15.487 billion against Rs.12.086 billion on the last trading day.

As many as 363 companies transacted their shares in the stock market; 253 of them recorded gains and 92 sustained losses, whereas the share price of 18 companies remained unchanged.

PSX stays bullish, gains 570 points

The three top-trading companies were WorldCall Telecom with 35,089,048 shares at Rs.1.28 per share; Pak Refinery with 31,421,276 shares at Rs.16.95 per share and Fauji Foods Ltd with 23,204,209 shares at Rs.6.74 per share.

Rafhan Maize witnessed a maximum increase of Rs.242.95 per share price, closing at Rs.8,597.95, whereas the runner-up was Khyber Textile with an Rs.55.89 rise in its per share price to Rs.801.09.

Bata (Pak) witnessed a maximum decrease of Rs.38.35 per share closing at Rs.1,714.65; followed by Siemens Pakistan with Rs.16.01 decline to close at Rs.699.99.

As a gesture of respect for meritocracy, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif offered his chair to a high-achiever of Buner University, who was also rewarded a laptop under the Prime Minister’s Youth Laptop Scheme 2023

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As a gesture of respect for meritocracy, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif offered his chair to a high-achiever of Buner University, who was also rewarded a laptop under the Prime Minister's Youth Laptop Scheme 2023
APP36-110723 PESHAWAR: July 11 - As a gesture of respect for meritocracy, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif offered his chair to a high-achiever of Buner University, who was also rewarded a laptop under the Prime Minister's Youth Laptop Scheme 2023. APP/MAF/TZD
As a gesture of respect for meritocracy, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif offered his chair to a high-achiever of Buner University, who was also rewarded a laptop under the Prime Minister's Youth Laptop Scheme 2023
APP36-110723 PESHAWAR

As a gesture of respect for meritocracy, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif offered his chair to a high-achiever of Buner University, who was also rewarded a laptop under the Prime Minister’s Youth Laptop Scheme 2023

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As a gesture of respect for meritocracy, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif offered his chair to a high-achiever of Buner University, who was also rewarded a laptop under the Prime Minister's Youth Laptop Scheme 2023
APP35-110723 PESHAWAR: July 11 - As a gesture of respect for meritocracy, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif offered his chair to a high-achiever of Buner University, who was also rewarded a laptop under the Prime Minister's Youth Laptop Scheme 2023. APP/MAF/TZD
As a gesture of respect for meritocracy, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif offered his chair to a high-achiever of Buner University, who was also rewarded a laptop under the Prime Minister's Youth Laptop Scheme 2023
APP35-110723 PESHAWAR

Ombudsman institutions functioning with full govt’s support: Ejaz

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ISLAMABAD, Jul 11 (APP): The Ombudsman institutions are functioning in Pakistan with the full support of its citizenry and the incumbent government.

This was stated by Wafaqi Mohtasib (Federal Ombudsman) Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi while addressing an international seminar in Bangkok on the role of the Asian Ombudsman as a mechanism for promoting fair administration, good governance and the rule of law, a news release on Tuesday said.

The seminar was held as part of the Asian Regional Meeting 2023 hosted by the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI) which is a global ombudsman body with over 200 members from across the globe.

In his address to the seminar, Qureshi emphasized that the institution of Wafaqi Mohtasib was playing its due role in the dispensation of administrative justice, thereby complementing the efforts of the supreme judiciary in providing justice to all citizens.

He said that the steps taken by the Wafaqi Mohtasib’s institution to check against the maladministration and administrative excesses of government agencies, in fact, contribute towards promoting good governance, the rule of law and respect for human rights.

Highlighting the growth of the institution as an effective mechanism for speedy and inexpensive justice, Wafaqi Mohtasib Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi stated that it has perfected its complaints-handling mechanism over the last 40 years.

The incidence of complaints has touched an all-time high figure of 164,173 during 2022 and the disposal of 157,798 complaints has been unprecedented.

During the first six months of the current year, it has received 90,660 complaints and disposed of 92,387 complaints including the backlog which is reflective of the public confidence in the institution.

Addressing the international seminar, Qureshi said the ombudsmanship has taken firm roots in Pakistan.

The ombudsman institutions are functioning in the country with the full support of its citizenry and the government.
He said the Wafaqi Mohtasib’s institution meets all the given standards in terms of the Venice Principles (2019), the Paris Principles (1993) and the UN Resolution 77/224 of December 2022. Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi being the current President of the Asian Ombudsman Association (AOA), also chaired an informal meeting of the AOA members on the sidelines of the international seminar.

He reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to the cause of ombudsmanship as a means to achieving the ultimate goals of good governance and the rule of law and assured the membership of an active role by AOA in strengthening cooperation within the ombudsman fraternity.