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DG Radio delivers session to 43rd MCMC

By
Kamran Muraad
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ISLAMABAD, Jun 17 (APP): Director General of Radio Pakistan, Saeed Ahmad Shaikh, delivered a comprehensive briefing session to the officers of the 43rd Mid-Career Management Course (MCMC) of the Information Group at the Information Service Academy, Islamabad.
The session focused on Radio Pakistan’s roadmap for revival through a robust commercial business plan, administrative efficiency, and digital transformation.
Shaikh shared that Radio Pakistan is moving decisively toward financial sustainability, with sales targets set for each station to generate over Rs. 1 billion in advertisement revenue.
He elaborated on efforts to monetize under-utilized assets such as buildings and open lands, with landmark projects in the pipeline under Public Private Partnership Authority (P3A), including the establishment of pre-fabricated warehouses in Landhi, Karachi.
Highlighting administrative reforms, Shaikh revealed that Radio Pakistan has become the first public sector broadcaster to develop an indigenous Digital Pension Management System, aimed at eliminating ghost pensioners and ensuring transparency.
Cost-saving initiatives like an energy conservation campaign and optimal use of internal engineering capabilities have significantly reduced operational expenditures.
He also emphasized Radio Pakistan’s drive toward technological transformation and outreach (TTO). Key developments include antenna realignment, the conversion of Murree Repeater Station into an FM Complex, and the installation of a 300 KW solar grid station. These measures are geared toward enhancing transmission quality and energy efficiency.
Shaikh further outlined the integration of digital media platforms into Radio Pakistan’s content strategy. From live global streaming to active engagement on Facebook, X, and TikTok, and the development of podcast studios nationwide, Radio Pakistan is repositioning itself to connect with a younger, tech-savvy audience.
The session concluded with an expression of optimism for Radio Pakistan’s future as a financially viable, administratively efficient, and digitally integrated national institution.

2 in 3 women in Pakistan can not make decision about their reproductive health: UNFPA

By
Kamran Muraad
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0
ISLAMABAD, Jun 17 (APP):Women and girls continue to struggle to make choices about the size of their family including barriers to exercise the reproductive choices.
In Pakistan, only one in three women can make decisions about their reproductive health. UNFPA’s State of World Population Report 2025 report titled ‘The real fertility crisis: The pursuit of reproductive agency in a changing world’ says that too many couples around the world face obstacles to forming the families they desire.
Pakistan’s demographic future hinges on one pressing truth: around 67% of its population is under the age of 30. Yet, for many, especially women and girls, reproductive autonomy remains out of reach.
-Every 45 minutes, one mother dies from a pregnancy-related cause.
-The adolescent birth rate stands at 41 births per 1,000 girls aged 15–19, and over 18% of women are married before the age of 18.
-32% of all married women aged 15–49 use modern contraception methods, while over 16% of women have an unmet need for family planning.
Drawing on academic research and new data from a UNFPA/YouGov survey spanning 14 countries – together home to over a third of the global population – the report finds that one in five people globally expect to not have the number of children they desire. Key drivers include the prohibitive cost of parenthood, job insecurity, housing, concerns over the state of the world.
The data paints a stark picture:
-More than half of people said economic issues were a barrier to having as many children as they wanted.
-1 in 5 people report having been pressured to have children when they didn’t want to.
-1 in 3 adults have experienced an unintended pregnancy.
-11% say that unequal caregiving burdens would undermine their ability to have children.
-40% of respondents over 50 say they failed to have the number of children they wanted.
‘Every couple must have the power to decide on their families and this choice should be supported by adequate systems and policies. Having a population-resource balance is the key here. Human resources need to be invested in through gainful employment, quality education and access to family planning services. All this will deepen the human capital in Pakistan, an empowered youth will be able to choose their futures and families freely,’ said Dr. Luay Shabaneh, UNFPA representative in Pakistan.
The report warns against simplistic or coercive policies to declining birth rates – such as fertility targets – noting that these policies are largely ineffective and can violate human rights. Instead, UNFPA urges governments to empower people to make reproductive decisions freely, including by investing in affordable housing, decent work, parental leave, and the full range of reproductive health services and reliable information.
UNFPA also calls on societies to address all the ways that gender inequality undermines people’s family choices.
A tailored mix of economic, social, and political measures are needed to help people form the families they want. As policy makers consider how to navigate shifting population dynamics, UNFPA stands ready to support Pakistan in understanding the challenges they face, and designing solutions that will ensure rights and choices for all.

Ayaz Sadiq attends Portuguese National Day

By
Kamran Muraad
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ISLAMABAD, Jun 17 (APP):Speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq attended a ceremony to mark Portugal’s National Day as the chief guest.
Upon his arrival at the event, he was warmly received by the Ambassador of Portugal, Frederico Pinheiro da Silva, said a press release.
The ceremony began with the national anthems of both Pakistan and Portugal, setting a tone of mutual respect and friendship. Speaker Ayaz Sadiq also participated in the ceremonial cake-cutting to mark the occasion.
In his remarks, the Speaker extended heartfelt congratulations to the people, government, and parliament of Portugal on their National Day.
He emphasized that Pakistan and Portugal enjoy friendly and trust-based bilateral relations.
He expressed Pakistan’s desire to expand cooperation with Portugal in areas including education, trade, culture, and parliamentary exchanges.
The event was attended by Federal Minister for Education Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, ambassadors, educationists, business leaders, and members of civil society.

Governor Kundi slams PTI’s 13-Year rule over economic, administrative, security failures

By
Kamran Muraad
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0
ISLAMABAD, Jun 17 (APP): Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi, in a meeting with a delegation of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), led by Senior Journalist Kazim Khan, expressed deep concerns over the province’s severe economic, administrative, and security challenges.
Governor Kundi squarely blamed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for what he described as unprecedented corruption and mismanagement during its 13-year tenure in the province.
He alleged massive embezzlement in projects like mosque solarization schemes, with billions lost, notably highlighting irregularities in Kohistan and other districts.
He criticized the collapse of local government institutions, saying that funds are insufficient even for basic salaries and that recruitment for low-grade positions is marred by bribery. Universities are in a dire state, with salaries and pensions halted, yet recruitment continues through financial kickbacks.
On the healthcare front, Governor Kundi lamented the monetization of basic services, including medical tests and medicine distribution, alleging favoritism and profiteering at the cost of patient care.
Raising the question of accountability, he asked, “Where is the Billion Tree Project now?” while underlining the neglect of agriculture despite it being the backbone of the economy.
Highlighting development needs, he reiterated his commitment to inaugurating the Chashma Lift Canal project to meet South KP’s food requirements.
He also emphasized the economic benefits of linking Kalabagh Dam with the Jinnah Canal, proposing that the Chief Minister present a bill in the assembly to safeguard the province’s water rights.
The Governor expressed regret over the lack of progress on the Southern KP and Balochistan route of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), saying even the existing infrastructure is deteriorating due to corruption.
On security, he painted a grim picture, daylight extortion checkpoints, armed hold-ups, and loss of public trust.
Referring to an incident involving the son of JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman being stopped by armed men on a highway, he questioned the law enforcement’s control.
He revealed that 750 bunkers were constructed in Kurram without transparency on their purpose or origin, restricting humanitarian access.
He urged the Chief Minister to sit in Kohat with his cabinet and the Inspector General of Police until the region’s issues, especially Kurram’s, are resolved.
Kundi voiced disappointment that despite sharing the same constituency with the Chief Minister and Maulana Fazlur Rehman, there is no peace in the region.
Addressing political fragmentation, he claimed PTI is now divided into factions and accused provincial facilitators of offering safe passage to those under investigation in Islamabad.
He also alleged that funds allocated for merged tribal districts have been misappropriated, depriving students of basic services like internet, forcing them to stay on campus during holidays.
Calling for a political consensus, he proposed forming a cross-party jirga from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to advocate for the province’s constitutional and financial rights.
“The Chief Ministers of Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan raise their voices for their provinces, but our CM seems focused elsewhere,” he said, adding that organizations like Alkhidmat Foundation often deliver aid before state institutions raising serious concerns about governance.
He concluded that growing dissent against FATA’s merger stems from continued injustices, and the provincial budget is nothing more than “empty rhetoric.”

Foreign Secretary emphasizes need for principle-guided AI development

By
Kamran Muraad
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ISLAMABAD, Jun 17 (APP): Foreign Secretary Ambassador Amna Baloch on Tuesday underscored that innovation in artificial intelligence (AI) must be guided by principle; human control and judgment must remain paramount.
The Foreign Secretary inaugurated the Regional Consultations on Responsible AI in Military Domain (REAIM) here, a news release said.
In her keynote remarks, the Foreign Secretary underlined, “Military AI is transforming warfare, but legal and political frameworks are lagging behind. This transformation was unfolding in a deeply fragile international landscape and was lowering threshold for use of force.
Ambassador Baloch pointed out that in South Asia, autonomous weapon capabilities were used for the first time in a nuclear environment and was compressing decision time during crises.
She added that global governance must remain anchored in the UN system whereas REAIM offered a valuable complement.
Developing States, she said needed capacity-building and regional dialogue to ensure inclusive rule-making.
Some 17 States from West, Central and South Asia are participating in the two-day Regional Consultations of REAIM, being held in partnership with the Republic of Korea, the Netherlands and Spain.

UN chief  to launch life-saving campaign to strengthen mine action worldwide

By
Shahzad Ahmad
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0
UNITED NATIONS, Jun 17 (APP):UN Secretary-General Antonio is set to launch a global campaign to boost support for disarmament and mine action.
The UN chief announced the move in a statement Tuesday, in response to plans by several UN Member States to withdraw from the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention.
The 1997 treaty, also known as the Ottawa Convention, prohibits the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of these weapons.
Since then, it “has led to a virtual halt in global production of anti-personnel mines, and a drastic reduction in their deployment,” and “more than 40 million stockpiled mines have been destroyed,” according to the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA).
To date, 165 States are party to the treaty and 133 have signed it.
Five European countries – Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland – have recently announced that they intend to leave, or taken steps in this direction, reportedly due to security concerns related to Russia.
Without naming countries, the Secretary-General expressed grave concern over the development.
“At a time when civilians face heightened risks from widening conflicts, it is imperative that we strengthen the frameworks that protect human life and dignity,” he said.
“These announcements are particularly troubling, as it risks weakening civilian protection and undermining two decades of a normative framework that has saved countless lives.”
He urged all States “to adhere to humanitarian disarmament treaties and immediately halt any steps towards their withdrawal,” and appealed to the 32 States that have yet to join the treaty to do so without delay.
These countries include China, Iran, Israel, Russia, and the United States.
The Secretary-General’s campaign will centre on upholding the norms of humanitarian disarmament, accelerating mine action as an enabler of human rights and sustainable development, and driving forward the vision of a mine-free world, the UN said.
“To achieve these aims, over the next six months this campaign will aim to re-energize public support for disarmament and will also facilitate concrete actions by States to uphold humanitarian norms and strengthen mine action,” he said.
He concluded by stressing that “the urgency of this matter cannot be overstated,” saying “the protection of innocent lives depends on our collective action and commitment.”

US$3bn project financing for Reko Diq advances with IFC/IDA loan approval

By
Shumaila Andleeb
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0

QUETTA, June 17 (APP): Reko Diq Mining Company (RDMC) is continuing to progress with the raising of up to US$3 billion of limited recourse project finance to support the development of Phase 1 of the Reko Diq project.

The project involves a group of lenders including the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the International Development Association (IDA), Asian Development Bank (ADB), US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), Export-Import Bank of the United States (US EXIM), Export Development Canada (EDC), Euler Hermes AG and KfW IPEX-Bank GmbH of Germany, Exportkreditnämnden (EKN) of Sweden, and Finnvera Oyi (Finnvera) of Finland, together with a covered commercial bank tranche.

The RDMC remains on track to sign project finance documents and have the project loan available for initial drawdown in the second half of 2025, said a statement issued by RMDC.

The statement mentioned that RDMC welcomes the approval on 12 June 2025 by the IFC and IDA of a direct loan of up to US$700 million for RDMC at a joint board meeting.

The target for first production from the project remains the end of 2028.

MoFA evacuates families of diplomats, staff from Iran

By
Kamran Muraad
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0
ISLAMABAD, Jun 17 (APP): The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday initiated the process of moving out families of diplomats and staff and some non-essential staff from the Islamic Republic of Iran.
According to a senior official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Pakistan embassy in Tehran and its consulates would continue to remain functional.

Hot and dry weather to prevail across Pakistan; heatwave alert issued for plains:PMD

By
Shahzad Ahmad
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0
ISLAMABAD, Jun 17 (APP):The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast mainly hot and dry weather across most parts of the country on Wednesday, with severe heat expected during the daytime, particularly in plain areas.
Isolated rain-thunderstorms are, however, likely in Kashmir and adjoining hilly regions.
The Met Office has issued a warning for very hot weather conditions in the plain areas of the country from June 18 to 21. Citizens, especially children, women, and the elderly, are urged to take precautionary measures.
The authorities advise the public to avoid direct sunlight between 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM, stay indoors as much as possible, and keep hydrated to minimize heat-related risks.
In Islamabad, hot and dry weather is expected with intense heat during the day. In Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, most districts will experience hot and dry conditions, with very hot weather in plain areas during the daytime.
Sindh will face mainly hot and humid conditions, with extreme heat expected in upper and central parts of the province.
In Balochistan, hot and dry weather is likely in most parts, with very hot temperatures in southern and eastern districts.
Kashmir is expected to see partly cloudy skies with chances of isolated rain-wind/thunderstorms, while Gilgit-Baltistan will remain generally dry with partly cloudy conditions.
Hot and dry weather prevailed across most regions during the past 24 hours, with intense heat in the plains.
However, isolated rain and thunderstorms occurred in Southeastern Sindh, Northeastern Balochistan, Kashmir, Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
The recorded rainfall included: Nagarparkar 30 mm, Mithi 27 mm, Islamkot 14 mm, Diplo 06 mm in Sindh; Garhi Dupatta 09 mm, Muzaffarabad Airport 06 mm, City 03 mm in Kashmir; Zhob 04 mm, Barkhan 02 mm in Balochistan; Skardu 02 mm, Bagrote 01 mm in Gilgit-Baltistan; and Balakot 01 mm in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Jacobabad and Mohenjodaro recorded the highest temperature at 46 C, followed by Turbat, Nokkundi, and Dadu at 45 C.
The PMD continues to monitor the situation and advises the public to stay informed through official weather updates.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Haroon Akhtar khan chaired a meeting with the MD Suzuki Hiroshi Kawamura at Ministry of Industries and Production

By
Khuram Maryam
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Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Haroon Akhtar khan chaired a meeting with the MD Suzuki Hiroshi Kawamura at Ministry of Industries and Production
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