QUETTA, Apr 23 (APP):Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Zubair Mahmood Hayat Monday said extremists did not represent Pakistan rather poets, Sufis, labourers, workers, and others were its true representatives.
Pakistan did not belong to a single person or institution as it was the country of every one, he said while addressing a seminar on “Nationalism and Pakistaniat” organized by Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) here at Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS). The seminar was attended by a large number of students of public and private sector universities, according to a press release .
General Zubair Hayat said the concept of ‘Pakistaniat’ was incomplete without the Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal, who were the force and spirit behind its creation. Pakistan’s strength was its civilization as the nation was the most resilient and charity giving one in the world. Some three percent of the country’s gross domestic product was given in charity, he added.
He asked the students to be proud of themselves by becoming the ‘Shaheen’ (eagle) of Allama Iqbal as there was nothing they could not achieve in life.
PICSS Director General Major General (Retd) Saad Khattak said militancy had increased in the world during the last 15 years and the world militaries could not win the war against terrorism. However, the story of Pakistan regarding war against terrorism was quite different, he said, adding, ” We as a nation suffered immensely and made unprecedented sacrifices but were able to eradicate the menace. Our military was able to flush out militants from the Pakistani territory to such an extent that there is no organized presence of militants in the country.” The huge success in the war against terrorism was not due to a single institution, rather it was a joint effort of the whole nation, he said.
Roshan Khursheed Barocha said,”Pakistan had given us everything and now it is our turn to return the favour to it.”
Renowned Karate champion Shahida Abbas said behind every successful and developed nation, there were hardworking youth. She said that despite odds, she through hard work was eventually able to achieve her aim. She advised the students and youth to believe in their abilities to achieve goals.
Motivational Speaker Faizan Hassan said the youth had the potential to compete not only at national level but also at international level. He advised students and youth first to have a clear vision and then work to achieve it.
Senator (Retd) Robina Irfan highlighted the importance of women in national growth and development. She said the women of Pakistan in general and Balochistan in particular were capable to prove themselves in every field of life. She encouraged women to contribute positively in well-being of their families, tribes, provinces and the country.
She said the women were facing a lot of problems while pursuing their personal and national goals, but they had the potential to sail through the hard waters.
Managing Director PICSS Abdullah Khan said that besides fighting militants through use of force, it was equally important to pay heed to fighting them on ideological front. The Pakistani security forces had killed almost 30,000 militants but still more people were joining their ranks, because the youth were brainwashed.
“We have not been fully able to present a counter narrative to militants’ ideology” and that was the main reason that university students were falling prey to the militants who made them suicide bombers through wrong interpretation of Islam, he said, stressing the need for a national programme for rehabilitation of the youth, who had joined militants.
Advocate Azad Bin Haider said the Quaid-e-Azam had special attachment with Balochistan. Ninety percent of the national guards deputed for the security of Quaid-e-Azam were Baloch.
Brig (Retd) Agha Gul in his presentation on “Sense of Deprivation: Myth and Reality” said Balochistan remained deprived due to peculiar history of its area and it was wrong to blame Punjab, or any other province for that. He cited various historical and socio-economic factors that resulted in less development of the area in particular and the country in general.
Naveed Baloch and Sarwar Javed also addressed the seminar.

ISLAMABAD, Apr 23 (APP):Quaid Pakistan Muslim League(N) Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Monday asked PTI chief Imran
Khan to tell the nation about his vote for “arrow” in the Senate elections.
Talking to mediamen outside the Accountability Court here, he said the comments of Sirajul
Haq about Senate elections were very meaningful.
He said those who were indulging in unprincipled politics, could not bring about change,
adding “change comes by following principles.” Only Pakistan Muslim League (N) and its
allies transparently voted in the Senate elections, he added.
He said Imran Khan had reprimanded his members of provincial assembly for selling
their votes. Imran Khan should reprimand himself as on whose orders he voted in the
Senate elections and tell the nation about Chaudhry Sarwar, he added.
He said it may be informed who gobbled up billions of rupees allocated for Karachi.
Nawaz Sharif said the health condition of Kulsoom Nawaz was better and appealed
the nation to pray for her.

LAHORE, Apr 23 (APP): PML-N President and Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Monday said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was not limited to any of the provinces but was a gigantic project for the whole of Pakistan.
“It’s not a project of building roads and bridges only but a broader initiative of inter-connecting different continents, regions and countries,” he added.
He expressed these views while addressing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Seminar held under the aegis of Ministry of Planning & Development and Dawn Media group in Karachi.
The chief minister said the CPEC would have to be transformed into a huge development project of future which would benefit the 220 million people of Pakistan. In fact, he said, the CPEC had become a game-changer and this mega project had opened new avenues of cooperation in Pak-China friendship. “It depends upon us to make it a success,” he said, adding their enemies were engaged in spate of negative propaganda about the CPEC as they did not want that Pakistan could reap its fruits.
“The enemies of CPEC are, in fact, the enemies of Pakistan and its enemies are opponents of our development and prosperity.
Our enemies do not want Pakistan to become self-reliant. We are happy that lion’s share has been given to the province of Sindh under the CPEC,” said Shehbaz Sharif and added that speedy
work was going on Thar Coal Project due to the CPEC.
“Let us join hands and work harder with commitment and untiring efforts to make Pakistan a role model in the world.
We should take full benefit of the opportunity and work collectively to make Pakistan a modern welfare state,” he said.
The chief minister recalled after the general elections of 2013, they went to China under the leadership of the then Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and held parleys with the Chinese leadership for energy projects. The energy crisis had badly affected the economy and every other sector in Pakistan then. The Chinese leadership well-understood Pakistani problems, especially our energy needs and helped them in an hour of trial.
He said Chinese leadership had given a priceless gift worth 60 billion dollars in shape of CPEC projects. China made this colossal investment without attaching any strings nor repeated
any ‘Do More’ in garb of this investment.
The chief minister said belt and road was a wonderful vision of Chinese President and CPEC was an extended phase of it. He said political leadership of Pakistan had worked very hard and sincerely to give a practical shape to the CPEC. “Very rapid work has been done on CPEC,” he added.
Shehbaz Sharif said he was a great admirer of Chinese development model. “Mutual liaison can be further enhanced by initiating necessary economic steps through belt and road.”
He said Pakistan and China were moving side by side in the journey of development and prosperity. “Our goal and objectives are the same.
The friends and enemies of Pakistan and China are also the same,”he maintained.
Shehbaz Sharif said 60 per cent population of Pakistan consisted of the youth and a best opportunity had been provided to empower them through this project. “We have to take benefit of this opportunity to move forward. A soft revolution will be materialized in Pakistan if the youth has been
empowered and our country will become developed and prosperous.
He said the Punjab government had sent 500 students to China to learn the Chinese language. These students, he added, would act as a bridge between Pakistan and China after
learning it. He said China was a global economic and military power and it had achieved this status with continued hardwork. “Let’s make a pledge to make this country great and strong,” he opined.
Senator Mushahid Hussain, Chairman P&D Punjab and others addressed the CPEC summit. Governor Sindh Muhammad Zubair, Federal Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Chief Minister Sindh Syed
Murad Ali Shah, Chinese Ambassador Mr. Yao Jing, economic experts and officials of Chinese companies also attended the seminar.

ISLAMABAD, Apr 23 (APP):Keel laying ceremony of Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV-I) being built for Pakistan Navy was held at DAMEN Shipyard Galati, Romania, says a statement received here on Monday.
Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff (Projects), Rear Admiral Farrokh Ahmad, graced the occasion as Chief Guest.
Contract for two Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs-I & II) for Pakistan Navy was signed between Ministry of Defence Production and M/s DAMEN in June 2017.
These OPVs are state of the art, proficient and multi-purpose platforms of medium size and tonnage.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Guest highlighted the importance of OPVs Project for Pakistan Navy and their timely delivery while complying with the highest standards of construction, outfitting and performance.
Rear Admiral Farrokh Ahmad also acknowledged the professional competence of DAMEN Shipyards and prospects of future cooperation in delivering cutting edge naval technologies to Pakistan Navy in the form of Offshore Patrol Vessels.
The ceremony was also attended by officials from the Ministry of Defence Production, Naval headquarters, besides senior management of M/s DAMEN Shipyards, Gorinchem and Galati.

ISLAMABAD, Apr 23 (APP):A Turkish professor has discovered seven new species of ostracods — tiny organisms which live under water.
Okan Kulkoyluoglu conducted research in spring waters of the city of San Marcos, Texas, in the U.S. for a year.
He was assisted by assistant professors Benjamin F. Schwartz and Benjamin T. Hutchins from Texas State University.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Kulkoyluoglu said he collected samples from the main spring of an artesian well in Texas.
In the samples, he discovered seven species that are smaller than one millimeter.
He added that his research has been published in respected international journals.
“We also identified at least 15-20 new genuses and organisms at higher taxonomic ranks. Studies on these are ongoing. We are thinking about publishing them soon,” Kulkoyluoglu said.
‘There are 160 species in Turkey’ Kulkoyluoglu, who serves on the faculty at Abant Izzet Baysal University in Bolu, Turkey, said that he specializes in freshwater ostracods, which have inhabited earth for 500 million years.
He added that so far, 70,000 species of the organism have been discovered.
Of the 2,000 freshwater species, 160 are found in Turkey, he said, adding that the number could be much higher.
Speaking about his discovery, he said: “Almost none of them have eyes. Their size is suitable for their underground habitat.”
He said they may be used to assist efforts for oil exploration.

ISLAMABAD, Apr 23 (APP):Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq Monday said record legislation had been done during the ongoing constitutional tenure of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) government.
Talking to a private news channel, he said there was a need to bring reforms in the Senate elections process as it was in favour of all the political parties and could be done after the budget session.
He said Pakistan Tehreek -i-Insaf (PTI) had always used derogatory language against Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and its leadership but it had voted in the favour of PPP candidate during the Senate elections. One should not cross limits otherwise shame could be faced, he added.
The speaker said he had played a role of bridge between the government and opposition, adding everyone would have to work under the constitutional domains.
Replying to a question, he said not a single corruption case was proved against former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif till date and he was disqualified on having an Iqama. If someone had corruption evidences against him then he should present them before the court.
He said loyal and genuine people would never leave the party, however, selfish and opportunists would give priority to their personal interests.
Those who were raising the slogan of South Punjab province had never raised their voice for it during the whole tenure, he said.
Replying to another query, he said Maryam Nawaz was emerging as the new political leader and she had strong public engagement.
He said general elections would be held in time and the government and opposition would evolve consensus about the caretaker set-up soon.
He said a hung parliament would not in favour of the country and political parties should have to make legislation against the opportunist people.

ISLAMABAD, Apr 23 (APP):National Security Adviser Lt. Gen. (R) Nasser Khan Janjua along with a delegation is visiting Moscow on the invitation of Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Nikolai Patrushev to attend high level inter-ministerial level delegations’ talks.
This is the first-time ever, the inter-Ministerial level delegations led by National Security Advisers of the two countries met each other, says a press release received here on Monday.
Pakistan delegation included senior representatives comprising Secretaries, Additional Secretaries and Maj. Generals from National Security Division, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defence Production, Strategic Plans Division, Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) and Intelligence.
The Russian side, led by Nikolai Patrushev, comprised Commander-in-Chief of Land Forces of the Russian Federation, senior representatives from Russian Security Council, Ministry of Internal Affairs, RosoboronExport, Federal Security Services, Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation and RosCosmos.
NSA of Pakistan gave an elaborate presentation to the bilateral forum on trends of global power politics.
He shared his strategic thinking about evolving security challenges around the globe with particular focus on the region.
He also highlighted the common opportunities for Russia and Pakistan.
Regional connectivity and prospects of closer cooperation in the fields of space, defence, security, economy and trade, cyber security, intelligence-sharing remained the main focus of the delegation level talks.
Delegation-level talks were followed by One-on-One meeting between the National Security Advisers of Pakistan and Russia.
Both sides expressed their satisfaction at the positive trajectory and progression of mutual relationship at bilateral and multilateral levels including SCO and the United Nations.
They reiterated to continue to work together for further improvement in relationship and to seek enduring peace and stability in the region.