ISLAMABAD, June 18 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday termed the regional situation very alarming due to escalated armed conflict between Iran and Israel and said it posed threat not only to the regional but also to the global peace.
The prime minister reiterated Pakistan’s complete solidarity with brotherly country Iran and its people against Israeli aggression and called upon the international community to make efforts for ensuring immediate ceasefire in the ongoing armed conflict.
Addressing a meeting of the cabinet, which was telecast on national Tv channels, the prime minister said that Pakistan had strongly condemned the Israeli aggression against Iran in which hundreds of Iranian people lost their lives and a larger number of others were injured.
“The global community should ensure a ceasefire,” he stressed and expressed the optimism for lasting peace.
He informed the cabinet that during the conflict, he had talked to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and condemned Israeli aggression besides expressed nation’s solidarity.
The prime minister said that he had also held discussion with President of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the evolving situation.
About Gaza situation, he said scenes there were heart-wrenching and painful as over 50,000 innocent Palestinians had been martyred.
“The brutality is being unleashed but when will the world’s conscience wake up!” he questioned.
The prime minister further apprised that Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar would be attending a meeting of the OIC foreign ministers in Turkiye on 21-22 June.
Referring to the fiscal budget, the prime minister appreciated finance minister, his team and chairman FBR for taking the allied parties and other stakeholders onboard in this regard.
He said the government had told IMF against imposing tax on agriculture sector, including levy of taxes on fertilizer and pesticides as this sector was under pressure to which they agreed. The prime minister expressed gratitude to the IMF for accepting their request.
He said that in the current fiscal budget, only one percent tax would be paid by those earning between Rs600,000 to 120,0000 against 5 percent which was imposed last year.
In the recent great victory against India in the armed conflict, he said it was possible due to the professionalism of the armed forces and support of 240 million people of the country.
The prime minister said considering the fight against terrorism, they had increased the fiscal space to meet the requirements of the armed forces with regard to necessary equipments.
He said PSDP volume had been increased to Rs1000 billion in the current fiscal budget and expressed the resolve to achieve the targets.
The incumbent government did not act like those who had broken the promises and took the country to the verge of default, he said, adding that they had pulled back the country from running into financial fiasco and now it was moving forward.
The prime minister also lauded a delegation led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Sherry Rehman, minister for climate and others that had effectively presented Pakistan’s viewpoint over Indian unilateral and illegal aggression during their visits to the US and Europe.
ISLAMABAD, Jun 18 (APP): Five Pakistanis have successfully completed the Union Cycliste Internationale’s (UCI) online cycling Machines course and are now officially certified as Level 1 Coaches.
This was announced by the Pakistan Cycling Federation (PCF) as a major step forward in its commitment to education and capacity building, aligned with the standards set by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), said a press release.
The newly qualified coaches include Miss Maham Tariq, Nisar Ahmad, Shayan Rahman, Muhammad Usman and Naeem Ahmad.
This accomplishment highlights the PCF Secretariat’s ongoing efforts to professionalize cycling in Pakistan by equipping trainers with internationally recognized credentials. By adopting global best practices, the Federation aims to nurture a new generation of skilled and knowledgeable coaches capable of developing young talent across the country.
In parallel with the Machines course, another educational program tailored for national cycling champions is currently underway. This program has seen the enthusiastic participation of over 30 participants who are undergoing structured training and assessments. The results of this course will be announced later this month and into the next, culminating in the certification of additional national-level coaches and commissiear the formal establishment of specialized national commissiear.
These important strides in education and governance are strongly championed by Syed Ali Shah, whose dedicated leadership has been instrumental in laying the groundwork for a robust cycling education system in Pakistan. His vision is to ensure that everyone involved in the sport—from grassroots to elite levels—is not only passionate but also formally trained and qualified according to UCI standards.
Looking ahead, certified individuals will be entrusted with leading training initiatives and contributing to the administrative framework of the sport.
ABU DHABI, Jun 18 (WAM/APP): The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MoEI) announced that preliminary information regarding the accidental collision between two ships in the Sea of Oman, approximately 24 nautical miles off the coast of the UAE, indicates that the incident was caused by a navigational misjudgment by one of the vessels.
In a statement, the ministry said that at exactly 1:30 am on Tuesday, 17th June 2025, the concerned authorities received a report regarding the collision between the two ships—one being an oil tanker named ADALYNN, flying the flag of Antigua and Barbuda, and the other a cargo vessel named Front Eagle, flying the flag of the Republic of Liberia.
The ministry added that the incident resulted in minor surface damage to the outer hulls of both ships, a small oil spill, and a fire that broke out in the fuel tank of one of the ships. Relevant authorities swiftly intervened and extinguished the fire. No injuries were reported among the crew members of either vessel.
The ministry confirmed that a technical investigation is underway in coordination with relevant international bodies, in line with transparency and in accordance with the highest international maritime standards.
The ministry also praised the rapid response and high efficiency of the rescue teams in managing the situation. A safe evacuation operation was carried out for the crew of the oil tanker ADALYNN, totalling 24 individuals, who were transported safely to Khor Fakkan Port by search and rescue boats operated by the Coast Guard of the National Guard and other competent maritime authorities.
The ministry reaffirmed it continues monitoring and assessment of the situation to ensure navigational safety and marine environmental protection, commending the institutional coordination and constant readiness to handle emergencies with professionalism and efficiency.