ISLAMABAD, Jun 17 (APP): Leader of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Talal Chaudhry Friday urged Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) to
appear before the courts for justice on Model Town incident, instead of holding protest demonstration on roads.

“PAT chief Dr Tahir ul Qadri has acquired Canadian nationality and
is preferring to reside there. He comes to Pakistan only when he feels
like creating unrest,” he said in a private news channel programme.

Talal Chaudhry said PAT wants to link Model Town incident with Panama
Papers issue. The court had directed PAT to appear before it to resolve
Model Town issue but it was reluctant to appear before the courts.

He said whenever the country moves forward to gain economic stability
such elements poise to agitation and create chaos.

He said the people want peace, job opportunities and development and not protests and sit-ins. The nation had rejected the sit-ins held by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and PAT at D-Chowk and would not back such endeavors any more because protests had damaged the national economy.

Holding peaceful protest was right of every citizen, but law would take its course against those violating the law, he added.

ISLAMABAD, June 17 (APP): Chairman Prime Minister Inspection
Commission (PMIC) Colonel (R) Saif Qureshi expressed reservation
about the quality of bitumen being used in motorway renovation
project.

While inspecting the motorway renovation project on Friday,
the chairman also directed chief engineer PMIC Qaiser Abbas to draw
the sample for laboratory testing, said a press release issued here.

The difficult areas damaged and humped at four locations of
Kalar Kahar since last few years was the focus of inspection.

Imported geo material, crushed stones filter material, and
special blocks of retaining walls were checked for quality and
timely completion.

Sub standard drain system has caused the damage to the road,
therefore drain system was specially checked.

The perforated plastic pipes being used were checked for
quality and durability.

Lt Col Qamar from FWO explained the technical works undertaken
by the FWO, which is responsible for 20 years duration of
maintenance works.

FWO Project Commander Lt Col Qamar said that the renovation
work is better than the original work.

ISLAMABAD, Jun 17 (APP): Ministry for Information Technology
(IT) is establishing 150 Women Empowerment Centers at Pakistan
Bait-ul-mal (PBM) as part of ICT for Girls project.

These centers are being equipped with state of the art computer labs and broadband infrastructure, said a press release.

At these centers thousands of young girls from disadvantaged
background will be trained by Microsoft led programme.

The Digital Skills programme by Microsoft comprises of 4 Cs
including computing, coding, and communication and coaching to
increase their employability potential.

Under this programme first phase of training by Microsoft is
completed, through which 100 Master Trainers from all across
Pakistan have been trained.

As part of Phase I, establishment of computer labs with allied
broadband infrastructure for 50 empowerment centers are in process
to be placed.

Minister for IT, Mrs. Anusha Rahman said, Present Government
is committed towards an all inclusive society with enhanced
empowerment of women through a well structured enabling environment that could guarantee their financial autonomy.

We are conscious of our social responsibility. Through technological capacity building, the women and girls under this program shall prove to be great asset for the economic engine of the country.

MD PBM Barrister Abid Waheed Sheikh said that various steps
have been taken for the renovation and up-gradation of Women
Empowerment Centers during last three years.

He said that this program intends to empower women through
Information and Communication Technologies. The initiative
exerted considerable efforts to enhance ICT technical capabilities
of women, develop their entrepreneurial capabilities in order to
promote their social and economic empowerment.

While expressing his gratitude to Ministry of Information Technology, USF and Microsoft, Barrister Abid Waheed underlined the significance of realizing collective responsibility in finding out the key solution for comprehensive development, poverty eradication and the empowerment of disadvantaged groups.

GILGIT, Jun 17 (APP): The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)
could not only address Pakistan’s energy shortfall but prove to be a fortune changer for the Gilgit-Baltistan region.

The CPEC is a collection of projects presently being implemented at a
cost of $46 billion to rapidly expand and upgrade Pakistani infrastructure, as well as deepen and broaden economic links between Pakistan and China.

The Corridor passing through Gilgit-Baltistan in the north to reach
the Gwadar port in the south of the country will transform the economy and help bridge Pakistan’s power shortfall.

In his recent visit to Gilgit-Baltistan, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif laid the foundation stone of a fiber optic project which is part of CPEC.

The project will be completed in two years at the cost of Rs 4.4 billion.

It will lay an The 820-kilometer long cable from Rawalpindi to Khunjerab
will provide an alternative telecommunication route between Pakistan and China after completion.

As a result, people of GB will be the core beneficiary of this project
because the region is still deprived of 3G and 4G and other modern telecommunication facilities.

Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Chaudhry Barjees
Tahir has said that CPEC would bring prosperity in the country, especially in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).

During a meeting with a delegation of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz
(PML-N)from GB, the Minister said, the Corridor would be proved as a milestone in the history.

The minister said that this project would also promote the tourism in
GB, which would ultimately in the favour of local public.

He said that the Pak-Army troops would be deployed to make Karakorum  Highway safe for the travellers.

Speaker, Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly, Fida Muhammad Nashad
while talking to APP said, “The CPEC, will boost tourism to the 73,000 sq kilometers region, which is called a paradise for mountaineers and is home to five of the ‘eight-thousanders’(peaks above 8,000 meters) as well as more than 50 mountains over 7,000 meters besides being home to the world’s second highest peak K-2 and the Nanga Parbat.

With the CPEC passing through GB, Afzal a local businessman hoped, the route would open business opportunities for people of the region.
He said that CPEC would be a game-changer for the region because
establishment of one or two economic zones in the region will surely boost job and business opportunity for local educated youth and businessmen.

Exporting fruits to China would be more profitable, Afzal said,”We can
double our sales, earn more profits if we can sell our commodities to China where cherries are very popular,” he said.

“We export our products to Dubai by air, but it would be faster and
cheaper if we could send it by road to China via Xinjiang as people of Gilgit-Baltistan can get a one-year border pass to travel to China.”

According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Gilgit-Baltistan is the
producer of over 100,000 metric tons of fresh apricots annually.

Abdul Manan, who owned a farm house and export fresh and dried fruits  to Middle East, estimates that Gilgit-Baltistan is a producer of 4,000 tons of cherries and up to 20,000 tons of apples.

Development consultant Javaid Akbar, who also belongs to the area,
said, “CPEC,will surely bring development, prosperity, business opportunities as far as the people of the region are concerned.”

Parliamentary Secretary for Law and Justice of GB legislative Assembly
Aurang Zaib Khan said,”The Diamer-Bhasha dam, which is located in Gilgit-Baltistan, once completed, it would generate 4,500 MW of electricity.

“People of Gilgit-baltistan are facing shortage of electricity now-a-days, and completion of Diamer Bhashah will surely minimize the power loadsheding in the region.

ISLAMABAD, June 17 (APP): Leader of the House Raja Zafarul
Haq Friday said Islam does not allow forced conversion of non Muslims
as it increased tension in the society.

Senate on Friday expressed its indignation over the reported forced conversion of a Kalash girl to Islam.

Speaking on a Point of Public Importance in Senate Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said the forced conversion of the girl was lamentable. Minorities should be provided special attention and care, he added.

Chairman Senate Raza Rabbani remarked that crimes against
women are increasing in the country. Senate session was suspended
for five minutes last day to protest the burning alive of a girl by
her mother. The purpose of suspending proceedings was to give
the society a wake up call.

Meanwhile, Speaking on Point of Public Importance, Chaudhry
Tanveer Ahmed said Capital Development Authority (CDA) has not yet
started the process of land acquisition for the construction of
Karal Chowk flyover on Islamabad Highway. The process to acquire land
from civil aviation department should be started immediately to
avoid delay in the project.

He claimed Pakistan Housing Authority has recently allotted 350
apartments to their cronies.

Sehr Kamran said the uniforms of PIA air hostesses had been
changed which is against country’s traditions.

Meanwhile the chairman fixed July 21, 2016 for hearing the
issue of delayed tabling of Ordinance in Senate. He said Attorney
General of Pakistan may also come to the House to hear the arguments
of amicus curiae.

Mohsin Khan Leghari said by elections were being delayed
following the retirement of four provincial members of the
Election Commission of Pakistan. He criticized the government for
delay in the appointment of new members.

Muhammad Atteeq Shaikh lamented that the cleanliness of Nullah
Leh of Rawalpindi had not yet started despite fast approaching Monsoon rains.

Senator Nauman Wazir demanded action against the contractor of
new Islamabad Airport for faulty design. The chairman referred the
matter to standing committee concerned and demanded report in
the next session of Senate.

Meanwhile, the Senate adopted a motion authorizing the House
to constitute a committee of the whole to prepare policy guidelines
in the light of emerging regional realities and the role of the
United States.

The motion was moved by Leader of the House Raja Zafarul Haq.

ISLAMABAD, June 17 (APP): Finance Minister, Muhammad Ishaq
Dar Friday announced merger of another ad hoc relief (2015 16) in
the basic salary of government employees and then ten per cent raise on it.

Earlier, the finance minister in his budget speech had
announced merger of two ad hoc relief of 2013 14 and 2014 15 to the basic salary and ten percent raise on it.

Considering the budget proposals forwarded by the Upper
House of the parliament to be incorporated in the finance bill,
the finance minister said that now three ad hoc reliefs including that of 2015 16 would be included in the basic salary and then ten percent raise would be given on the cumulative basic pay.

He said that it would have about 13 percent impact on the
salaries of the government employees.

ISLAMABAD, June 17 (APP): The release of two more Ukrainian hostages from Russian imprisonment will lead to implementation of Minsk agreement and resolution of the dispute between Russia and Ukrain.

Ambassador of Ukraine to Pakistan Volodymyr Lakomov said this while welcoming the decision of the Russian government to release two Ukrainian hostages namely Gennadiy Afanasyev and Yuriy Soloshenko according to a statement issued here on Friday.

The Ambassador hoped that a total 26 Ukrainian still hostages in Russia would be released soon.

“We are grateful to all international partners for their
continued support of our efforts in releasing Ukrainian citizens”, the envoy said.

The President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko welcomed Ukrainian
citizens with their safe return to home and emphasized that Ukraine would continue its for the release of remaining hostages, the statement said.

The Ukrainian President also noted that the release of two
more political prisoners from Russia was made possible due to the Minsk agreement.

Both the hostages who were released by the Russian government remained a total 767 days in the custody of Russia, the statement concluded.

ISLAMABAD, June 17 (APP): Parliamentarians from both sides of aisle in the National Assembly, on Friday endorsed different proposals, forwarded by the Senate to make Budget 2016-17 more beneficial for ensuring overall development of the country.

Participating in the discussion on proposals sent by the Upper House, MNA Dr. Azra Fazal of Pakistan People Party said that the budget ought to be scrutinized by the parliament and it should be involved in budget-making process.

She endorsed the Senate recommendations for putting the minimum wages in place and also highlighted the importance of implementing the agriculture loans and subsidies in Balochistan.

She said that Pakistan was a water-scarce country; hence the water conservation strategy should be put in place to avoid water disputes.

Pervaiz Malik of Pakistan Muslim League (N) also endorsed the proposals and said budget review should be made mandatory in six months.

He stressed the need for reducing the mark-up rate on agriculture loans.

He supported the proposals for expansion of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and raise in the salaries of parliamentarians.

He said that the pensions of retired employees who take their pensions from Employees Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) should be raised from Rs 5250 and urged the government to support them through financial assistance from Workers Welfare Fund.

He said the stationery items should be zero rated.

Amjad Nizai of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf said the mark-up rate on agriculture loans should be put below 2 percent to facilitate the farmers.

He also endorsed reducing duty on agriculture machinery imports.

He said that an Economic Zone should be established on the Western Rout of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to develop these backward areas.

He said Pakistan has great potential of tax collection and currently it was mere 33 per cent which could be enhanced up to 80-90 per cent through tax reforms.

He said tax reforms were mandatory for retiring the public debt.