LONDON, Apr 19 (APP):A young Pakistani Qasim Farasat has been elected as Asia Regional Representative of Commonwealth Youth Council (CYC).
The election took place during the ongoing CHOGM 2018 in London.
Qasim represented young people of Pakistan at the 11th Commonwealth Youth Forum of the CHOGM
2018.
He is the first ever Pakistani who received this singular honour. Qasim is an active young leader who is
working for the empowerment of youth.
Syed Ibne Abbas, Pakistan High Commissioner to the UK felicitated Qasim on this unique honour.
He termed him a role model for the youth and wished him well in his future endeavours.
Qasim Farasat from Pakistan elected as Asia Regional Representative of Common wealth youth Council
PM Abbasi joins Commonwealth leaders at official welcome reception
LONDON, April 19 (APP):Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Thursday joined the leaders from Commonwealth countries at the official welcome reception hosted by British Prime Minister Theresa May and Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland QC here at St. James Palace.
Earlier, Prime Minister Abbasi, who is in London to participate in the 25th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM 2018), attended the formal opening ceremony of CHOGM held here at Buckingham Palace.
The Prime Minister earlier on Wednesday also attended and addressed the Malaria Summit being held here alongside the CHOGM 2018.
Patron’s Trophy semis drawn
ISLAMABAD, Apr 19 (APP):The two semi finals of the Patron’s Trophy Grade II 2017-18 played at different venues of Islamabad and Rawalpindi ended
in a draw on Thursday.
In the first semi final on the third day, ZTBL started the day with the overnight score of 43 for 3 in their second innings and
ended up with 192 runs. Hamza Nadeem 51 not out, Saad Ullah Ghauri 27, Mohsin Nadeem 26, Muhammad Ali 21 batted well.
ZTBL had scored 218 runs in their first innings.
For SBP, Taj Wali took 5 for 45 and Nazar Hussain 3 for 59.
SBP’s in their second innings scored 112 runs for 6 in 18 overs. Rizwan Hussain 31, Umar Waheed 28 played well.
For ZTBL Naseem Shah took 2 for 9, Hamza Nadeem 2 for 44 and Muhammad Ali 2 for 59.
SBP had scored 183 in their first innings.
In the second semi final at Pindi Stadium, Rawalpindi, Ghani Glass started the day with 3 for 1 and ended up making 219 runs
for 4 in their second innings against KPT. Tayyab Tahir 62, Husnain Bukhari 41 not out, Moeez Ghani 35, Muhammad Waheed 28
not out, Zeeshan Ashraf 21 batted well.
Ghani Glass had scored 241 runs in their first innings.
The final of Patron’s Trophy Grade-II 2017-2018 will be played between ZTBL and Ghani Glass at Pindi Stadium, Rawalpindi
from April 21 to 24. A total of Rs 950,000 will be distributed among the winner, runner-up and individual performers of the
tournament along with trophies.
The distribution of prize money includes winner (Rs 500,000), runner-up (Rs 250,000), man of the final match (Rs 50,000),
best batsman (Rs 50,000), Best bowler (Rs 50,000), all-rounder/outstanding cricketer (Rs 50,000).
Pakistan can get good share in Japanese market through competitiveness, diversity: Japanese Ambassador
KARACHI, Apr 19 (APP):Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, Takashi Kurai has advised the Pakistani Business Community to become cost and quality competitive along with coming up with diversity of products to capture significant share of Japanese market.
Japanese like Pakistani goods including textile especially apparel and agriculture products. There was great demand for Pakistani mango, said the Ambassador during a media chat after 10th annual general meeting of Pakistan Japan Business Forum, held here on Wednesday.
Japanese Consul General to Karachi Tishikazu Isomura, President of PJBF, Sohail P. Ahmed were also present.
The Ambassador assured that Japanese missions in Pakistan would be extending maximum possible support and facilitation for promoting Pakistan’s exports to Japan. However, he added, Pakistani manufacturers, producers and exporters would have to adopt modern techniques of value-addition including better packaging to strengthen their position in the international market. Pakistan should focus on indigenization.
He said during fiscal year 2016-17, Japan exported 80 tons of Pakistani
mango and the volume might increase this year.
He said the bilateral trade last year figured dollars two billion, which
was very low against the potential. It was in favour of his country.
To a question about the possibility of signing of free trade agreement
between the two countries, he said Pakistani business community in general might not support it because it was likely to create more trade imbalance between the two countries.
He said Japan’s investment in Pakistan was about 32 billion dollars. The
major portion was in auto sector, followed by hydro-power generation. More Japanese investors would come in and invest in different potential sectors if they were provided more incentives and facilitation by Pakistan government and the private sector, he said.
Commonwealth diplomatic network expanded
LONDON, Apr 19 (APP):British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson Thursday announced an expansion of the UK’s overseas network with the opening of nine new diplomatic posts in Commonwealth countries.
The new posts will extend Britain’s global influence: Lesotho, Swaziland,The Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda,Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu Foreign.
The Foreign Secretary said “As a Commonwealth family of nations, it is in our shared interest to boost prosperity, tackle security issues and clear up the environment.”
These new diplomatic posts are in regions which provide huge potential and opportunity post-Brexit for British businesses and will help us to deepen our relationships across the Commonwealth, he added.
“After we leave the EU, Global Britain will remain outward facing, open for business and a champion of the rules-based international order,” he said
Britain has one of the largest diplomatic footprints in the world. The UK’s overseas network is instrumental in promoting our national interest, particularly post-Brexit. The expanded network puts Britain in peak position to enhance military cooperation, boost trade and provide services to the rapidly expanding middle classes of the developing world.
The UK will also have a greater presence in Europe and in all regions of the world. An increased global footprint will also ensure that Britain and its allies are able to counter the malign influences of countries who seek to undermine the UK.
The UK will also use its world-class soft power to continue to win hearts and minds for the global good.
UN honours seven Pakistani peacekeepers who sacrificed lives in line of duty
RAWALPINDI, Apr 19 (APP):Seven Pakistani peacekeepers, who laid their lives for global peace and security were honoured United
Nations (UN) medal at the UN Annual Memorial Ceremony held at UN Headquarters (HQ), New York on Thursday.
UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres was the Chief guest on the occasion who paid tributes to peacekeepers, who sacrificed their lives in line of duty, said a statement issued here by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
Pakistan has been one of the largest troop contributing country for the UN peace keeping missions across the globe. So far 156 Pakistani blue helmets have embraced ‘shahdat’, while serving
under UN umbrella.
Seven Pakistani peacekeepers honoured include Naik Qaiser Abbas, MINUSCA (Central African Republic), Sepoy Yasir Abbas UNAMID (Darfur), Sepoy Muhammad Ishtiaq Abbasi, MONUSCO (Democratic Republic of Congo), Havildar Zishan Ahmed, MONUSCO (Democratic Republic of Congo), Sepoy Hazrat
Bilal, MINUSCA (Central African Republic), Naik Abdul Ghafoor, MINUSCA (Central African Republic) and Naik Atta Ur Rehman, MONUSCO (Democratic Republic of Congo), the ISPR statement added.
Alumni of Danish schools call on CM
LAHORE, Apr 19 (APP):Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has said the plant of Daanish schools sown by the Punjab government in 2008-9 has grown up into a full-fledged tree.
He said that it has been providing necessary shelter and societal protection to thousands of deserving students to get higher education without being burdened. The credit goes to the PML-N government which envisioned Daanish schools and materialised it, he added.
The CM expressed these remarks while addressing the gathering of
students of Daanish schools enrolled in institutions of higher learning, who called on him, here on Thursday.
The chief minister said that Daanish schools played an important role in helping the penurious children to excel in life and the ministers, secretaries, PEEF and other line departments deserve accoladed for it.
The purpose of creation of Pakistan was to provide equal opportunities to all and sundry. These students would emerge as the architect of the nation to retire debts of the nation, he added.
The critics should realize facts and they should meet with these children to know about the shining results, he said and added that education is an equal right of every child and bridging the divide between the haves and have-nots is the need of the hour, the chief minister said.
Replying to a question about NAB, the Chief Minister said that NAB should fulfill its responsibilities at every cost. We are happy if NAB is activated and it should be welcomed. Transparent and indiscriminate accountability of all should be held as it rejuvenates the society.
If it is the approach of Chairman NAB then nobody would differ with it. Billions and trillions of rupees have been looted in the near past, he said. The nation should welcome the step if NAB is going to hold the accountability of it.
He said that we did not hide Saaf Pani Scandal as we believe in transparency and are answerable to the people along with Almighty Allah.
We lodged FIRs and the case was referred to the anti-corruption establishment but where was NAB then? He said that Punjab government had saved many hundred billion rupees in different projects by maintaining complete transparency.
The wheel of development had been moved with speed and the people who worked hard for national development should be appreciated by the nation for encouraging such citizens, he said.
Talking about Nandipur Power Project, the Chief Minister said that no bidding of this project was done which was amounting around 50, 60 billion rupees and the then government awarded the contract without any bidding. The court referred the case to NAB and Justice Rehmat Hussain Jaffari stated in his verdict that Babar Awan was responsible for the delay in that project. Billions of rupees had been wasted due to Babar Awan and the plant was left rusted at Karachi Port, he added.
He said that a dacoity of billions of rupees was tried to be made over the iron ore reserves in Chiniot and the case was referred to NAB on the orders of Lahore High Court in 2010. NAB closed it and gave a clean chit though. Now, it had been re-noticed which was a good thing. Similarly, a corruption of billions and trillions of rupees was made in NICL, rental power projects and EOBI, and if this money was recovered, then NAB will be appreciated, he added.
Replying to another question, he said that Schools Education Department had done a good job by giving admissions to lakhs of children adding that 90 thousand children of brick-kiln workers have also been given admissions who are getting free textbooks, uniforms and stipends. Such a good example does not exist even in India, he pointed out, he said.
The CM said three lakh 50 thousand needy students have been given stipends through PEEF and 26 lakh children had been enrolled in partner schools through Punjab Education Foundation. However, the province where it was claimed that a new Pakistan was in the making, the important sector of education was badly ignored. Similarly, no attention was paid to education sector in Sindh and Balochistan. Punjab government’s educational reforms could not be compared with other provinces because we had achieved mammoth successes in the field of education.
Replying to a question, the Chief Minister said that Bilawal Zardari had inquired from his uncle Imran that whom you were deceiving.
He said parliament, judiciary and establishment should be united to deal with the challenges being faced by the country because such challenges
cannot be dealt with by a single institution. Everyone should be
united to solve these problems and this way we can deal with them.
To another question, he said that we had to strengthen the system of justice and everyone will have to be united for the supremacy of justice.
The Daanish Schools alumni also spoke on the occasion and praised the vision of Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
NA panel directs PNCA to devise mechanism to avoid theft of paintings in future
ISLAMABAD, Apr 19 (APP):National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information, Broadcasting, National History and Literary Heritage on Thursday directed the director general Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA) to devise a mechanism to avoid instances of missing paintings in future.
The committee meeting, chaired by Pir Aslam Bodla, MNA, was apprised that 104 paintings were reported missing in the year 2015.
The committee was discussing the issue of missing paintings of renowned painters from the PNCA. Representatives of the FIA stated that the PNCA had shared only a partial record on the matter with the FIA, if a complete information and inquiry report would have been submitted to the FIA; a delay would not have been possible.
On his this contention the DG PNCA answered that a complete inquiry report done on the matter had already been shared with the FIA and to avoid such instances in future evaluation and authentication of paintings process had already been initiated by the PNCA.
Arifa Khalid Pervaiz and Dr Azhar Khan Jadoon stated that they were extremely disappointed how the PNCA and the FIA were shifting responsibility to each other. The committee recommended that the PNCA should also share inquiry report with the committee as well. To which Secretary of Information and Broadcasting Sardar Ahmed Nawaz Sukhera said that the division with the help of PNCA would share the inquiry report with the committee within three days and the FIA representative also committed that the FIA would also prepare an inquiry report and present to the committee before its next meeting.
The Secretary Information and Broadcasting briefed the committee about the status of establishment of new channels, PTV Kids and PTV Parliament. The committee was informed that the Annual Development Programme
had already approved the proposals regarding PTV Parliament and it would be up and running within four months after the budget and for the PTV Kids channel, PC-1 has been established and the work on the establishment of the said channel was under process.
Minister of State Marriyum Aurengzeb while briefing the committee about the film and culture policy stated that Ministry of Information, Broadcasting, National History and Literary Heritage had proposed income tax (export duties and sales tax) exemptions on export of equipment for film and drama industry.
Loan schemes were also introduced to support and encourage new film makers, who were interested in making films, theatre or art academies. Artists assistant fund was also going to be established to financially assist artists for their health care.
The minister stated that tackling and regulating pirated material was going to be their priority because of that cinema industry was having financial troubles since long. The committee appreciated the hard work of the Minister of State and Secretary Information and Broadcasting on their dedication towards building a strong film industry supporting Pakistani culture and traditions and decided that the committee would write a letter to the Finance Ministry requesting that the proposals made by the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting, National History and Literary Heritage for budget could be approved.
Secretary IBNH&LH assured that pensioners of the PTV would be paid their dues as a summery had already been sent to the Prime Minister Office for release of grant.
The committee expressed their deep condolences on the death of Chairman Pir Muhammad Aslam Bodla’s mother and offered Fateha for the departed soul.
The meeting was attended by Muhammad Khan Daha, Parveen Masood Bhatti, Arifa Khalid Parvez, Ch. Muhammad Tufail, Belum Hasnain, Dr. Muhammad Azhar Khan Jadoon, Saman Sultana Jaffri, Malik Muhammad Aamir Dogar, Naeema Kishwer Khan.Senior officers of the Ministry of Information Broadcasting Division, Pakistan National Council for Arts (PNCA) and officers of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) also attended the meeting.
I’m ready to bat in middle order, says opener Fakhar Zaman
LAHORE, Apr 19 (APP):Pakistan’s opening batsman Fakhar Zaman said on Thursday that he was ready to bat in the middle order as he was ready to take up responsibility according to planning of the team management during the tour of England.
“In domestic tournaments, I have batted in the middle order and it all depends on the team management which responsibility they want to assign me, no matter in the role of an opener or a middle order batsman,” he told reporters after a training session for the build-up of the team for the tour of England here at the Gaddafi Stadium.
He said it would be his utmost desire to play aggressive cricket in the test matches as he is ready to perform as an opener or if given chance in middle order, he will try to rise to the occasion.
Answering a question he said his top priority is to play cricket for Pakistan and to make best use of his cricket talent and skills to enhance team’s performance.
He said he is following the strategy and training of the team management at the training camp and also learning from the experience of his seniors by getting useful tips from them.
“It is always a dream of player to play the test cricket and I will definitely be there to be a useful part of the team in the longest version of the team,” said the opening batsman.
He said Pakistan Super League was a big way of learning for him and he learnt a lot from pace bowlers who were part of the League.
“I have played in England (Champions trophy last summer) and I know the conditions there and I will be aiming to showcase my talent and technique to justify my inclusion in the team,” said Fakhar.
“I am very excited as I have yet to play test cricket as I have played one day and T20 from Pakistan and definitely playing test cricket will be a memorable moment of my career,” he said adding “My aim is to play my natural game to benefit the team from my batting.”
To a question he said his performance in the domestic four-day matches was quite good which was also considered for his selection in the test team.
He rejected a questioner that he was a hard hitting batsman and he does not deserve a place in the test team. “Everyone has his own opinion and I don’t agree to them, what is important for me is live up to the expectations of the selectors and the team management with quality batting,” he added.
Fakhar set aside the fears of facing English pace battery saying, “I want to bat according to need of the hour, keeping in view the English conditions to play the ball late and I have the necessary temperament to cope with all the circumstances to perform to a high level.”
Pakistan No. 1 Aqeel Khan wins DIG Aman Ullah Memorial Tennis Championship
PESHAWAR, Apr 19 (APP):Pakistan No. 1 Aqeel Khan clinched the title of the DIG Aman Ullah Khan Memorial Tennis Championship played here at Qayyum Sports Complex Synthetic Courts on Thursday.
Renown cardiac surgeon and son of late DIG Aman Ullah Khan,
Professor Dr. Hafizullah was the chief guest on this occasion. Vice President
KP Tennis Association Professor Dr. Farhan Abbas, another promising heart surgeon,
Secretary KP Tennis Association Umar Ayaz, coach Roman Khan, officials and
players were also present and witnessed the thrilling final of the Men’s
singles.
Aqeel Khan, a Pakistan No. 1 Davis Cupper, recorded victory against
Barkat Ullah of KP Police in the thrilling final by 6-4 and 6-4. Young Barkat
UIllah, a hailing for KP, gave tough resistance to his strong rival Aqeel Khan
who is playing top level tennis from the last 30-year.
In the other final of the Under-14 category Aziz Khan of KP
defeated Hasam Khan, also from KP 6-3 and 6-4. In the Under-14 doubles Aziz
Khan and Hasam Khan defeated 10-year-old Hamza Roman and Kashan Umer in the final
by 6-2, 3-6 and 6-4.
At the end, the chief guest professor Dr. Hafiz Ullah gave
away trophies and cash prizes to the winners and runners-up. A total of 30
players took part in the three-day event organized by KP Tennis Association.