WASHINGTON, May 10 (APP):The President of AJK, Sardar Masood Khan, on Wednesday appealed to the United States and the international community to pay attention to the humanitarian crises in the Indian-held Kashmir unleashed by the brutalities of the Indian soldiers, saying, the world should not treat Kashmiris as pariah.
“We have a human rights and humanitarian crisis in the Indian-held Kashmir,” the President said while talking to APP during his visit to Washington to draw the attention of the Trump administration and the world towards gross violation of human rights in Kashmir, which has been duly highlighted by the leading American media.
He said that Indian forces, after failing to suppress the sentiments and struggle of the Kashmiri people for their right to self-determination, were now using killing, torture, ethnic cleansing and rape as instruments of war. The AJK President, in this regard, mentioned the rape and murder of an 8-year old Kashmiri girl by Hindu men in an temple.
“Indian forces and those involved in these heinous crimes are enjoying total immunity,”he said, alluding to the fact that these criminals were given protection by the ruling Bharatia Janata Party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Sardar Maood Khan said that the US was talking about the situation in the Middle East and the crisis on the Korean Peninsula, but no one is paying attention to the very serious issue of Kashmir, which is a nuclear flash point and could endanger the world peace.
“If there has to be a solution, the US will have to be involved, directly or indirectly,” he said while adding that the people of Kashmir were ready for dialogue to resolve the issue but India had closed all doors for diplomacy and has resorted to use of force to silent the genuine Kashmiri struggle.
He said that development in resolving the decades-old Korean crisis has re-kindled hope that complicated issues like Kashmir can be resolved.
The Ambassador underlined the need for a close engagement with the United States, adding that while the Trump administration maintains close ties with India due to its economic and political interest, there was a need to shake the world conscious and draw their attention towards the human crisis in the held valley.
The AJK President said that Pakistan needs to be stable, both political and economically, to be able to effectively help the Kashmiri people and find a lasting solution to the problem.
Meanwhile, the AJK President also held a meeting with the American and Pakistani media at the Pakistan Embassy in the United States. Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudry was also present on the occasion.
President AJK in his remarks strongly condemned the continuing use of brutal and indiscriminate force by the Indian occupation forces resulting in killing and maiming of Kashmiris in the Indian-held Kashmir.
He highlighted the pattern in these atrocities which deliberately target young innocent and unarmed Kashmiris staging peaceful protest for their right to self-determination and against the long illegal and inhumane Indian occupation of Jammu & Kashmir.
He underscored that despite 70 years of unspeakable oppression, India will never be able to break their will or succeed in misleading the world community through its malicious propaganda campaign painting the just, legitimate and indigenous Kashmiri struggle for self-determination as “terrorism.”
“If there is any element of terrorism in Kashmir, it is the Indian state terrorism. He expressed concern over India’s intransigence to engage in a dialogue on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.
President Masood Khan said that Kashmiris are heartened by the US engagement with North Korea and the possibility of rapprochement on the Korean Peninsula and stressed the importance of dialogue and diplomacy for resolution of the longstanding issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
In this regard, he urged the US and the international community to play a constructive diplomatic role to end Indian atrocities against Kashmiris in the IOK and promote peace in the region by encouraging India to engage in a dialogue with Pakistan and the people of Kashmir.
The President said that the US is the preeminent global leader and a permanent member of the Security Council and in the past, it has played a role in moving the Kashmir issue towards resolution.
Therefore, he said, we pin our hopes on Washington to help us move the Kashmir issue towards a diplomatic and political solution. “If a chronic conflict like North Korea can see a breakthrough, so can Kashmir”, he said, adding that Kashmiris aspirations for a just, democratic and lasting solution must be respected.
The President AJK will be participating in community events on the Capital Hill in Washington DC and other places in Virginia, Maryland and New York to draw attention of the people and Government of the United States towards the humanitarian crisis in Kashmir.
Humanitarian crisis in Indian-held Kashmir needs US, world attention: AJK President
Govt in favour of new provinces on administrative basis: Tariq
ISLAMABAD, May 10 (APP):Minister for Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry has said the government was
in favour of making new provinces on administrative basis but not on ethnicity.
Talking to a private TV channel, he said making new provinces was not possible for any single political party and all political parties should sit together for the purpose and make a plan in that regard.
The minister said those parliamentarians who were in South Punjab Front and joined the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), they
were not sincere for new province because they had never raised their voice in the Parliament on the matter in last five years.
Replying to a question, he said it was right of every person to join any political party according to his own wish.
Tariq Chaudhry said that Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) was still the biggest political party and Muhammad Nawaz Sharif was the most popular leader among the masses, adding that the PML-N would win upcoming general election on the basis
of its five years performance.
He said unity was need of the hour as Pakistan was facing internal and externals threats, adding all political parties should
avoid politics on the sensitive matters.
SC summons CEOs of all airlines in pilots fake degree case
ISLAMABAD, May 10 (APP):Supreme Court Thursday summoned chief executive officers (CEOs) of all airlines functioning in the country to its Karachi Registry on May 12.
A three-member bench chaired by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar passed the directions while hearing a suo motu notice here in connection with fake degrees of airlines’ pilots.
He also cleared that the court was summoning the respondents in their private capacity being the CEOs of the companies.
The court observed that the complete data from all airlines had not been submitted to the court yet, adding that the CEOs would explain this at the next hearing in Karachi.
The chief justice also observed that only Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Shaheen Airlines had provided the required data.
When asked by the chief justice about the total number of airlines in the country, the official said there were four airlines in the country at present.
CJ takes suo motu notice on lawyers fake degrees
ISLAMABAD, May 10 (APP):Chief Justice Thursday took suo motu notice on fake degrees of lawyers and directed bar councils across the country to furnish a report on it within a month.
He took the notice while hearing a suo motu notice in connection with fake degrees of pilots.
The chief justice also directed the Higher Education Commission to provide assistance in this regard.
He observed that there were so many people who neither had license of bars nor degrees of Bachelor in Law and Legislation but appearing before the courts.
UNIDO,GB join hands to promote agro-industry
ISLAMABAD, May 10 (APP):United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and Gilgit Baltistan (GB) government Thursday agreed to
work together for promotion of agro-industry through public-private partnership.
“The UNIDO will provide financial and technical assistance for piloting cherry, apple and trout value chain development”,
said a press release here.
The organization and Agriculture Department of Gilgit and Baltistan convened its maiden Steering Committee meeting for Pakistan’s agribusiness and agro-industry development project. The meeting was followed by the validation workshop which held here under the chairmanship of Secretary P&D Department of Gilgit-Baltistan Babar Aman Babar.
The main objective of the deliberation was to finalize the agricultural value chain that needed to be addressed in the project
and look into its PC-1 to acquire government resources.
Addressing the Steering Committee, the secretary said that climate and abundant water resources make Gilgit-Baltistan
ideally suitable region for fruit crops like cherry and apple as well as trout fish. However, he said the farmers and traders were
unable to harness the best value of these crops due to lack of innovative ideas and technology including pre and post harvesting, processing and packaging.
The UNIDO’s this initiative would help overcome the hurdles faced by the farmers through Agribusiness and agro-industry development assistance in Pakistan (PAAID) – Initiative for Gilgit-Baltistan , he added.
The UNIDO outlined the principles to be considered for formulating the project and briefed the house, about how it
developed the concept of the project and subsequent flow of information through various departments of Gilgit-Baltistan for this project to delineate the state of the art situation in each of these commodities.
The UNIDO conducted a baseline and feasibility study of Cherry, Apple and Trout Fish.
The purpose of the event was to present the preliminary findings of the value chain assessments and feasibilities studies
of selected sectors involving trout, apple and cherry.
The organization also presented its agro-food value chain approach and potential intervention scope for the selected value chains. The GB government encouraged the development partners in the area to join forces keeping in view needs of local
farmers.
As an outcome of this event, the Steering Committee members have agreed on the intervention approach for this initiative
as well as the timeline to finalize the Trust Fund Agreement and governmental approval between the two parties.
Nadia Aftab, Country Representative of UNIDO in Pakistan referring to the background of the project commended the
provision of seed money from UNIDO and funds from One UN for initiating the project activities.
She thanked the GB government for continuous support and their vigour for developing the selected fruit and fisheries sector.
She praised the keen interest shown by the progressive farmers, women associations and women farmers and small fruit businessmen of Gilgit-Baltistan in the project.
Among others,the event was attended by representatives of the Department of Agriculture and the Planning and
Development Department of Gilgit-Baltistan as well as the representatives of International Labour Organization, International
Fund for Agricultural Development, Agha Khan Foundation and the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) besides
other federal agencies.
NAB should not have license to shame politicians just three months before election: Marriyum
LAHORE, May 9 (APP):NAB should not have the license to shame politicians just three months before election. This was observed by the Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb while talking to the media after inquiring about the welfare of Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal here Wednesday.
She said that money laundering allegation against thrice elected former prime minister Muhammed Nawaz Sharif by NAB on the basis of rumours is absolutely ridiculous in view of the fact that the State Bank of Pakistan and the World Bank has already contradicted the story. She said that taking notice of fake news by the NAB Chairman was very disappointing.
Marriyum said that corruption of not even a single penny had been established in the six references that were filed against Nawaz Sharif because of which further extension in the trial period was being sought. Responding to a question she said that a precedent had been set in the country to abuse and denigrate anybody at any time coincided by a media trial.
The minister said that the only crime of Nawaz Sharif was that he was a popular leader and the people had thrice elected him as prime minister of the country adding that wherever he went he was followed by the masses. She said what was being done to Nawaz Sharif amounted to ridiculing the mandate of the people and that detestable act must come to an end.
The minister said that on the one hand a thrice elected prime minister was being put through the rigours of a trial and on the other hand a darling was acquitted from heinous cases. She said that the case of Nawaz Sharif was being heard day and night whereas the documents of yet another darling went missing.
Marriyum said that the cases against the Sharif family were quintessential of political vendetta and Nawaz Sharif had to endure two years of a tedious trial. The minister said that in spite of all those machinations, Nawaz Sharif would emerge triumphant in 2018 elections because the mandate of the people was not under the control of any body.
She said that the ‘aliens’ were those who sent the prime minister home repeatedly. She asked Imran to tell the people in his public rallies what he had done during the last five years.
Replying a question she said that the opponents could only hurl allegations against them but could not say even one sentence about their own performance. Marriyum said that the people of Sindh had the right to ask Bilawal to show the performance of the PPP government in any sphere and likewise the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could ask Imran the same question.
She said that the liars continued the tsunami of billion lies during the last five years but they should be aware of the fact that they could not win the 2018 elections through lies and abuses. She said that the election would be fought on the basis of performance and not by using filthy language.
Earlier the minister while inquiring the welfare of the interior minister prayed for his early recovery and expressed noble wishes for him. Referring to the assassination attempt on Ahsan Iqbal she said that issuing of the statement of the attacker during the investigation was an immoral act. The minister said that Ahsan Iqbal had always served the nation and talked about prosperity and progress of the country. She said that he would soon be among them to continue the journey towards progress and service to the nation. Marriyum said that the JIT had started its investigations and after completion of the process the nation would be informed about the facts that were unraveled.
The minister also met senior journalist Mujib ur Rehman Shami and while talking to him she said that a law needed to be promulgated under which the proceedings of a case against a politicians should be held in abeyance before three to six months of the elections like the ban on recruitment and development projects by the ECP. She said that initiation of political cases just before elections amounted to pre-poll rigging.
SBP to invite students to witness Punjab boxing championship
LAHORE, May 09 (APP):Director Sports , Spirt Board Punjab (SBP), Muhammad Anees Sheikh said on Wednesday that SBP will invite a large number of male and female students from various schools and colleges to witness the upcoming Inter-Division Punjab Open Boxing Championship being held here from May 12.
“The presence of lively crowd of students will definitely help a lot in promoting the game of boxing among young generation”, he said
while presiding over an important meeting at National Hockey Stadium to review the arrangements of event.
Deputy Director Hafeez Bhatti, Raees ur Rehman, Shahid Nizami and PBA’s Arshad Javed Qureshi attended the meeting.
The championship will be held under the slogan of ‘Kaun banay ga Punjab ka boxing champion’.
Anees Sheikh said the young male and female students will get great inspiration after watching thrilling bouts in this boxing championship.
“Punjab has talent in every game and SBP under the leadership of Secretary Sports Punjab Muhammad Aamir Jan is providing suitable platform to all talented players to showcase their potential,” he added.
Street children have equal right over life’s amenities: President
ISLAMABAD, May 9 (APP):President Mamnoon Hussain on Wednesday said street children had equal right to all facilities of life and commended
the services of an international non-governmental organization ‘Muslim Hands’ for the the uplift of such children.
The President expressed these views while talking to Street Child Football Team Players which is leaving for Russia to participate in Street Child Football World Cup and officials of ‘Muslim Hands’ here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.
The President said ‘Muslim Hands’ rendered remarkable services for mainstreaming the street children in various fields of
life including sports.
He emphasized that promotion of sports was imperative for establishing a healthy and progressive society and all efforts in
that direction were highly commendable.
The President advised the players to always keep their confidence high in the playground and added that players should
always accord priority to national respect and honour.
He asked the young players to focus on education in addition to sports as an important step towards development and
prosperity.
Minister of State for Religious Affairs Pir Muhammad Amin ul Hasnat Shah said the children were going to Russia with a
passion of success and hoped that they would win laurels for the country.
Chairman ‘Muslim Hands’ Syed Lakhte Hasnain Shah was also present.
UNSC calls for preventing terrorists profiting from cross-border crime
UNITED NATIONS, May 9 (APP):The UN Security Council has called on all the countries as well as international organizations to do more to stop terrorists enriching themselves through cross-border organized crime.
In a statement read out on Tuesday by Joanna Wronecka, the Permanent Representative of Poland, which holds the Presidency this month, the 15-member Council urged UN member states “to secure their borders against, investigate and prosecute terrorists and criminals working with them, including by strengthening national, regional and global systems to collect, analyze and exchange information.”
The Council also called on all the member states to use “all existing tools,” and the resources of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), INTERPOL and the World Customs Organization (WCO), to strengthen international cooperation.
But in adopting new counter-terrorism measures, the Security Council reminded the countries that they “must comply” with all their obligations under international law, including human rights law, refugee law and humanitarian law.
“Respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law are complementary and mutually reinforcing with effective counter-terrorism measures and are an essential part of a successful counter-terrorism effort,” the Council stressed.
Also in the statement, the Security Council called for better understanding of the links between terrorists and criminal groups, which operate across borders, urging the UNODC and the Counter-terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) – which was formed to coordinate the UN’s overall effort – to monitor ties closely.
Zindagi Trust students meet COAS
ISLAMABAD, May 9 (APP):A group of students from different public schools managed by Zindagi Trust, an organization striving to make holistic, quality education accessible to average Pakistani child met Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa at General Headquarters (GHQ) on Wednesday.
These students apart from education have excelled in different sporting fields including cricket, football and chess, a statement issued here by Inter-Services Public Relations said.
Pakistan is blessed with most talented and vibrant youth which is our real defence, the army chief said.
He encouraged the youth to abreast themselves with latest developments in science, information technology and new disciplines to complete at international level. As a good will gesture the COAS also played chess game with a girl student.