ISLAMABAD, Mar 29 (APP):Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Revenue and Federal Minister Senator Haroon Akhtar Khan said Thursday that the resolve and sacrifices of the Pakistani nation and its security forces have won the country peace and security after a long, drawn-out battle against the evil forces of terror.
“We have been through some of the most difficult circumstances nations go through but with the help of collective resolve and determination of our people and through countless sacrifices of our forces, we have been able to vanquish the forces of terror,” he said while talking to Martin Kobler, Ambassador of Federal Republic of Germany to Pakistan.
The minister said, the peace and security prevailing in the country has already paid dividends with economy stabilizing and investors coming to Pakistan in a big way to benefit from the investment opportunities and the favourable business climate.
He welcomed the German investment in different sectors of Pakistan’s economy and appreciated the efforts of the German envoy towards image-building of Pakistan.
Earlier, Martin Kobler briefed Senator Haroon Akhtar Khan on the scope of German investment in Pakistan, particularly the smaller convenience stores set up across Pakistan which had flourished quite well by registering double digit growth during the last two years.
He said Pakistan had also moved during the last six months from a “question-mark country” status to the “group of opportunities countries” in the eyes of potential German investors who were now looking at Pakistan as a potential market offering good returns on their investment.
He said “quality control” was a hallmark of the German businesses and the German investment in Pakistan was also driven by this idea with a view to providing the customers quality services and products at affordable prices.

HYDERABAD, Mar 29 (APP)::The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed has said that the April 10 national conference in Islamabad will discuss the sanctity of vote.
Speaking at a press conference after inviting Qaumi Awami Tehreek’s (QAT) President Ayaz Latif Palijo here Thursday he underlined the need of political unity for the country’s security, development and prosperity.
“The PML-N’s leader Nawaz Sharif isn’t speaking against any individual or an institution but only over a judgment,” he said and added that Sharif’s stance was getting widespread acceptance among the people.
Syed said the country was facing internal and external threats, adding that Pakistan’s constitution and democracy would be saved at all costs.
“The elections will be held on time and they should take place on time,” he emphasized while ruling out the happening of election engineering in the upcoming general elections. He deplored that in the senate the senators of PML-N were not accepted as senators of that party.
Syed said the China Pakistan Economic Corridor project would equally benefit all the provinces, adding that the local people had the right to employment in the projects in their respective areas.
The senator said Sharif was a popular leader of Pakistan and that his stance was getting wider recognition and support.
“The people can talk about the court’s decision. They aren’t religious scriptures,” he noted while justifying Sharif’s reiteration over the judgments which disqualified him from remaining a member of the legislature and later as the party’s chief.
He lamented in the past the sanctity of vote was recurrently violated and which stymied development of the country. “The people leveling accusation over the former prime minister haven’t been able to prove anything so far,” he observed while pointing out chief of the JIT Wajid Zia who was recording his statements in the Accountability Court in Islamabad.
Responding to a question he said Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbassi’s meeting with Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Justice Saqib Nisar was not an objectionable meeting.
Meanwhile, Palijo told that during the meeting he put forward complaints of Sindh’s people and reminded the senator of the promises which Sharif made to Sindh during his 2012 and 2013 election campaigns in Sindh.
Palijo complained that people of Sindh were suffering from 12 to 18 hours load shedding. The QAT’s leader also pointed out the alleged flaws in delimitation of constituencies.
Earlier, the senator also met the veteran politician and Awami Tehreek’s leader Rasool Bux Palijo, who was nominated by PML-N as interim prime minister before 2013 general elections.

ISLAMABAD, Mar 29 (APP):A delegation of all Pakistan textile mills Association (APTMA) here on Thursday held a meeting with Dr Miftah Ismail adviser to Prime Minister on finance.
The delegation discussed with the adviser matters pertaning to tax refunds (sales tax) as well as smooth supply of gas to textile units without any interruption.
The delegation also requested for expediting cases of refunds stated that it was a major issue confronting the taxtile manufacturers.
Adviser to PM Miftah Ismail said that textile industry has a key contribution in country industrial development and earning foreign exchange. He also assured that requests by the APTMA regarding of gas and early refunds are under active consideration of the government and efforts are being made to resolve these issues.

KARACHI, Mar 29 (APP):Sindh Governor, Muhammad Zubair has called for concerted efforts to further streamline and strengthen trade relations between Pakistan and Iran.
Talking to a delegation led by Chairman of Iran’s Foreign Affairs Committee and a former foreign minister, Kamal Kharazi, he said strong cultural and historical ties between the two countries needed to be diversified through trade and business ventures.
“Pragmatic measures are also urgently required to improve our bilateral trade relation focused on raising volumes for mutual benefit of the two economies,” he said.
Mentioning that Pakistan has rendered tremendous sacrifices in the war against terrorism, Sindh Governor said the ongoing internal fight among different tribes and clans in Afghanistan has also burdened Pakistan’s economy.
Arrival of millions of refugees from Afghanistan had severely affected our structure of public services, he said mentioning that things, however, during past five years have markedly improved.
Sindh Governor said due to CPEC related projects special measures have been adopted, on priority basis, for infrastructure development that will ultimately contribute turn CPEC a game changer for the region and extensively benefit its inhabitants.
“This will definitely help in bringing about an economic revolution in Pakistan,” Muhammad Zubair said.
The delegation led by Kamal Kharrazi included Rasul Islami, Mehdi Mustavi, Baqir Khurram Shad, Abdul Raza, Saifullah Tahiri and Consul General of Iran, Ahmed Muhammadi along with Deputy CG, Muhammad Nasir and Abdul Raza Sultan.

ISLAMABAD, Mar 29 (APP):Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday said that total registered voters in the country have reached the figure of 104,267,581 with 58.463,228 male and 45,804,353 female voters.
According to statistics of preliminary electoral rolls-2018 shared by the ECP, out of total registered voters 59,740,095 voters were from Punjab, 22,066,558 voters were from Sindh, 15,239,571 voters from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 4,194,311 voters from Balochistan, 2,296,849 voters from FATA and 730,197 voters from federal capital.
It said that in Punjab, the male voters were 33,294,012 while female voters were 26,446,083. In Sindh the male voters were 12,275,322 while female voters were 9,791,236.
Similarly, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa the male voters were 8,690,376 while the female voters were 6,549,195. In Balochistan the male voters were 2,428,370 while the female voters were 1,765,941.
In FATA the male voters were 1,386,032 while the female voters were 910,817. In federal capital the male voters were 389,116 while the female voters were 341,081.

ISLAMABAD, March 29 (APP):The United States (US) Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Ambassador Alice G Wells Thursday met the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua to discuss the mutual relationship between the two countries.
During the meeting, the two sides reviewed regional issues particularly Afghanistan. Both sides agreed that the momentum of the peace initiative unveiled in Kabul by President Ashraf Ghani and followed up in Tashkent needs to be carried forward, a press statement issued here by foreign office said.
Mechanisms for return of refugees and strengthening border management were also discussed and both sides reiterated their firm commitments to act against all groups that target Pakistan and Afghanistan, it said.
Foreign Secretary also apprised the visiting delegation of the continued ceasefire violations by India that undermined stability of the region. Pakistan’s position that a comprehensive dialogue was the only way forward for civilized nations to resolve outstanding issues was reiterated.
Noting that the US and Pakistan had a long track record of cooperation, Ambassador Wells emphasized the importance of working together to achieve the common objectives of peace and stability in Afghanistan and the region. The two sides agreed to continue bilateral engagements at all levels.
This is Ambassador Wells second visit to Pakistan this year aimed at continuing the conversation to strengthen bilateral relations and promote peace and security in the region.

LAHORE, Mar 29 (APP):South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations have approved harmonised and uniform standards for three food items.
While the final common standards draft on another four sectors have been prepared and sent to South Asian Regional Standards Organisation (SARSO) Secretariat for approval.
After publication from SARSO, all SAARC countries will have
to adopt the same standards as national standards, which will
have great impact to boost regional trade among SAARC countries
ultimately.
The decision was made at the 8th two-day meeting of Sectoral
Technical Committee of SARSO on “Food and Agricultural Products”,
here at a local hotel on Thursday.
The meeting was hosted by Pakistan Standards and Quality
Control Authority (PSQCA). Engr Khalid Siddique, DG PSQCA,
participated as chief guest, while the meeting was chaired
by Nazir Hussain, Director Standards PSQCA, Khawaja Ghulam
Muhayyuddin, Deputy Director SARSO, Programme Officer SAARC
Secretariat Katmandu Manzoor Riaz, Deputy Director PSQCA Asghar
Ali, Khurram Mateen and experts from all SAARC countries also
attended it.
In the meeting, the experts approved harmonised and
uniform standards on three food items including biscuits,
refined sugar and code of hygiene practices and sent it
to SARSO Secretariat for publication. A discussion was also
completed on common standards for instant noodles, skimmed
milk powder, hydrogenated vegetable oil and black tea and
final standard draft was sent to SARSO for final approval.
The committee also completed technical discussion on
rice, spices, turmeric, red chilli and coriander for further
discussion in the next STC meeting.
Some new items including potato, poultry meat, cumin,
curry powder, fish and fish products, mango, orange and
cardamum, were also taken up for technical debate and
standardisation process while some new items dry fruits,
safety standards on DNA combination products, proposed for
building standards and harmonisation in order to facilitate
the regional trade.
Talking to the media, Deputy Director Asghar Ali said the STC
was working on more than 100 food products and produces along
with testing methods for compliance purpose of these item,
adding that SAARC people would soon find common standards
on all the food and non-food products.
Two meetings of two different Sectoral Technical Committees on “Chemical and Chemical Products” and “Food and Agricultural
Products” were held and experts vowed for harmonisation of
standards for the SAARC nations.

ISLAMABAD, March 29 (APP):Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance, Dr Miftah Ismail said Thursday that textile industry had a
key contribution in country’s industrial development and earning foreign exchange.
He was talking to a delegation of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) here, according to a press statement issued by Finance Ministry.
He assured the delegation that their requests regarding supply of gas and early tax refunds were under active consideration of the government and efforts were being made to resolve these issues.
Earlier, the delegation members discussed with the Adviser the matters pertaining to Tax refunds as well as smooth supply of gas to textile units.
The delegation requested expediting cases of refunds and stated that it was a major issue the textile manufacturers were confronting.
The APTMA delegation also shared with the Adviser, their textile related proposals for the upcoming budget 2018-19.