ISLAMABAD, Mar 21 (APP):Embassy of Pakistan in Brussels organized a reception alongside an exhibition of famous Pakistani Truck Arts in connection with 23 March also known as Pakistan Day.
Speaking on the occasion, Pakistan’s ambassador to Belgium, European Union and Luxembourg Naghmana Alamgir Hashmi highlighted the aspects of rich cultural heritage of Pakistan and the opportunities Pakistan offers for business and investment as an emerging economy, said a statement received here.
She also informed the gathering about the great tourism potential of Pakistan particularly the high mountains of Pakistan including K2.
Guests showed great interest in the Truck Art Exhibition by Anjum Rana. Introducing her initiative”Tribal Truck Art” Anjum Rana said Pakistani Truck Art is a distinct flamboyant folk art which is seen on trucks on the roads of Pakistan, it reflects the lives, ambitions, aspirations of the truck drivers and artists.
She added that her mission is to foster economic and cultural sustainability for truck art and truck artists worldwide and to create intercultural exchange opportunities that unite the people of the world.
She has developed a new arena by her initiative which has made a distinct and positive impact on the lives of the truck artists and their families and was conferred the UNESCO seal of excellence award in 2008.
Two Photographic exhibitions were also arranged on the occasion. The first one about the achievement of Pakistani women in various walks of life and the second about progress in economic and cultural spheres.
Names of guests were also inscribed in Urdu by Shakeel Haider. Tunes of Pakistani folk songs were played on Sitar and Tabla by Belgian artists.The participants relished Pakistani food and enjoyed culture.
The reception was attended by large number of member parliaments, senior diplomats, and senior representatives of European institutions, academics and media persons
Pakistan day celeberated in Brussels
Work on Thakot-Havelian motorway enters in final stage
ISLAMABAD, Mar 21 (APP):The work on the construction of Thakot-Havelian motorway in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has entered into final stage.
A spokesman of provincial CPEC cell said that 120 km long motorway is being completed at a cost of US Dollar 1,366 million, Radio Pakistan reported.
The 39 km Havelian-Abbottabad-Mansehra section of the motorway has already been completed and will be opened for traffic within two months.
The motorway on completion will enhance trade with China and Central Asian States besides promoting tourism in the area.
Senior Kashmiri journalist Maqbool Sahil passes away
ISLAMABAD, Mar 21 (APP):Senior journalist and writer, Maqbool Sahil, in Indian occupied Kashmir, passed away in Srinagar, this morning.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Maqbool Sahil prolific Urdu and Pahari writer and broadcaster fell while walking in Lal Bazar area of Srinagar city. He was rushed to a hospital, where he was declared brought dead. Doctors said he died due to cardiac arrest. His death shocked his colleagues and community of writers and intellectuals across the occupied territory.
Muhammad Maqbool Khokhar alias Maqbool Sahil was born in 1968 at Adhal village in Kokernag area of Islamabad district. He graduated from SP College and started his journalistic career from local daily “Morning Times” where he worked from 1986 to 1989. He worked for Jamaat-e-Islami’s “Azaan” as front page calligrapher and had good command over Kashmiri, Urdu, Pahari and Dogri languages.
Besides writing for Rising Kashmir, Maqbool Sahil was working as senior editor with Kashmir Parcham and Buland Kashmir, Urdu publications of Rising Kashmir. He also performed in TV serials of Gojri and Pahari languages. He hosted talk shows and mushairas on Kashmir channel.
A day before his death, he had posted his picture on Facebook with an Urdu couplet ‘Zindagani! Khush numa too aur bhi ho sakti thi… Sharat lekin sakht thi, uss ko bhi rakhna tha qareeb.” A few days back, he had posted some of his latest Kashmiri poems in his own handwriting to showcase his command over Kashmiri language.
Maqbool Sahil had a long association with Urdu weekly Chattan where he contributed analytical articles and interviews.
A twist came in his professional career in 2005 when he was arrested by Indian police in a fake case. He was detained for two years before court quashed his detention orders. He later penned down his ordeal in an Urdu book Shabistan-e-Wajood, which was well received by readers.
On March 10 Maqbool Sahil was given the “Best Staffer Award” on completion of 10 years of service with Kashmir Media House group. “Shabistan-e-Wajood” was awarded the 2009 Reporters without Borders (RSF) prize.
Pakistan calls for harmony, international cooperation as UN marks int’l Day of Nowruz
UNITED NATIONS, Mar 21 (APP):Pakistan has underscored the need for promoting peace, international cooperation and harmony at a special ceremony marking the International Year of Nowruz held at the United Nations on Tuesday.
“At a time when intolerance, violent extremism and rising conflicts threaten the world we live in, Nowruz shines a light of hope and optimism by its message of a new beginning, of seeking peace through tolerance and promoting dialogue and reconciliation among peoples,” Ambassador Maleeh Lodhi, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, told the largely-attended event.
In his remarks, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also pointed out that Nowruz encourages reconciliation and good neighbourliness and that its values echo those that we together promote at the United Nations every day and everywhere.
A message from the President of the U.N. General Assembly, Miroslav Lajcak, was also read out. Among other speakers were the ambassadors of all the countries where Nauroz is celebrated, including Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics.
Highlighting Nowruz’s message, Ambassador Lodhi said, “For thousands of years, our people, irrespective of culture, religion and language, have come together to reaffirm and share the values of this day.
“Values of tolerance, solidarity, harmony, joy, resilience and a common aspiration for a peaceful, just and prosperous world,” she added.
Referring to Nowruz as a symbol of equality, manifested by the equal length of its day and night, the Pakistani envoy said this was the same spirit of equality on which the United Nations was founded.
“It is this Charter principle of sovereign equality that should guide our engagement here, especially at this time of challenge but also great opportunity.”
Ambassador Lodhi also told the meeting of Pakistan Day celebrations on Friday. “It was on this day, 78 years ago, just before Nowruz, that the idea of Pakistan was first presented,” she said.
“Thus Nowruz for us has always been very special, marking a new dawn for our people that empowered them to shape their destiny and strive for a better and more prosperous future.
“As we celebrate this festive day, let us all be inspired by the universal message of peace and solidarity of Nowruz, and be reminded that we share a common future and a common destiny and need to work even closer together to make this world a better place for our future generations,”.
Ambassador Lodhi concluded her remarks with the words Pakistan’s national poet Allama Mohammed Iqbal:
“Keep thy bonds of brotherhood strong, As we march along, And hold on to the tree of hope, And Hope to see the Spring.”
At the close of the ceremony, video clips were screened from all the countries, including Pakistan, where Nowruz is celebrated every year.
Nowruz, which marks the first day of spring and the renewal of nature, is celebrated by more than 300 million people all around the world and has been celebrated for over 3,000 years in the Balkans, the Black Sea Basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East and other regions.
In 2009, Nowruz was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as a festivity of rich diversity promoting peace and solidarity across regions and generations. The following year, the UN General Assembly welcomed its inclusion on the List.
Media has an important role to foster inclusive culture for people with disabilities in Pakistan: Marriyum
ISLAMABAD, March 20 (APP):Media has an important role to foster inclusive culture for people with disabilities in Pakistan. This was stated by Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting, National History and Literary Heritage Marriyum Aurangzeb while speaking as chief guest at “Hazrat Khadija Tul Kubra Awards on prodigious contribution for empowerment of women with disabilities in Pakistan”here Tuesday.
She said that MNAs Tahira Aurangzeb, Kishwar Zehra and Shaista Pervez Malik were actively engaged in continuing the process of legislation for persons with disabilities in the parliament.
The minister said that in regard to legislative measures, consultations would be held with the stakeholders concerned and all kinds of disabilities like visual impairment, physical disability, mental illness, deafness and dumbness would be covered.
The federal,provincial governments and Parliament were focused on introducing and implementing inclusive legislation for persons with disabilities, she added.
She said that the onus of necessary legislation rested with the government but for the implementation of those laws the civil society, media, NGOs and other stakeholders had a great responsibility. To achieve that objective, awareness of the society and positive role by all the stakeholders was absolutely necessity, she added.
Marriyum said that only the establishment of special schools was not enough and providing opportunities to the disabled persons in every sphere of life was also one of the top priorities of the government.
The minister said that the parents had a key role in encouraging and making the disabled children useful citizens. She said due attention should also be paid to include this subject in the curricula of the schools to create awareness.
She said that Pakistan was the only country whose parliament had established SDGS secretariat to achieve its targets which came into being due to the personal interest of National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq and was playing an active role. She said that similarly the SDGS task forces were working at the provincial levels.
Marriyum said that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) had a concept of “leaving no one behind”, which was meant to take care of the vulnerable groups and those under the poverty line.
She said that for creating awareness in the society and changing behavirous and attitudes, a collective effort was needed, more so by the media. She said that the parents would have to be discouraged from concealing the disabilities of their children from the society.
The minister informed the audience that she herself suffered disability and was on the wheel chair between the age of three to fourteen years and her parents faced the situation courageously and encouraged her to move forward with determination and aplomb.
She said that when her mother became member of the parliament she strived to have necessary legislation done for the disabled children because she had a disabled child in her own home. MNA Kishwar Zehra had also done a lot for the disabled children, she added.
The minister said that due to the efforts of PEMRA all the TV channels were telecasting 10% content on social messages and campaigns on social issues.
Marriyum said that under the Prime Minister’s Education Reforms Programme, the content regarding education and training for special children has been included in the courses designed for capacity building of the teachers.
She said that the government had done its duty to facilitate the disabled children and would continue to do so in the future as well, adding that the state, parliament and provinces should make collective efforts to make the disabled children useful citizens of the country.
Secretary Caucus MNA Shaista Pervez Malik, UN’s Country Director for Women Jamshed Qazi, and others also spoke on the occasion. Twenty-one disabled children were given awards during the ceremony.
Pakistani basketball team wins gold medal in regional special games in Abu Dhabi
ISLAMABAD, March 20 (APP):The Pakistani Basketball Men team secured first position in the Basketball event during the ongoing Middle East North Africa
(MENA) Special Olympics Regional Games, being held in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates from 14-23 March 2018.
Ambassador of Pakistan to UAE, Moazzam Ahmad Khan congratulated the team and officials for bringing laurels to the country,
a message received here Tuesday said.
The ambassador also distributed the medals to the Pakistani team in a ceremony and appreciated the resolve and commitment of
the players for exhibiting high standards of professionalism and sportsmanship during the competition.
Ambassador Khan also lauded the role of UAE government in patronizing a number of programmes in order to build an inclusive
society. In this regard, he congratulated the UAE government for successfully holding the games.
A 17 member contingent comprising Pakistan men and women athletes are participating in the Regional Games. More than 1,200
athletes from 33 countries are competing in 16 different sports.
Police ensure foolproof security for PSL
LAHORE, Mar 20 (APP):The Lahore police on Tuesday
strictly implemented the security plan made to foolproof protection for the Pakistan Super League (PSL)
players and spectators.
As per the plan, about 18,000 police personnel from
various wings of Police department were deputed at Gadaffi
Stadium, whereas, over 2,000 traffic wardens including 97
senior traffic wardens and 22 DSPs under supervision of seven
SPs performed duties to maintain traffic flow on roads.
The special police teams also conducted combing
operations around the stadium and PC Hotel to avoid any
untoward incident. A heavy contingent of police including DSP
and SHO participated in the combing operation.
However, some sections of the main roads, leading to
Gadaffi Staium remained closed for traffic, while Ferozpur
Road from Muslim Town Mor to Kalma Chowk and a portion of the
Main Boulevard, Gulberg, were also closed for traffic.
The Mall, Jail Road and Canal Road remained open for
traffic.
The commuters used alternative routes to reach their
destinations. Furthermore, the vehicles with LPG and gas
containers were not allowed to enter the parking space of the
stadium.
Vehicles coming from Gulberg and Cantonment areas were
parked at LDA Parking Plaza, traffic from Thokar Niaz Beg at
Punjab University Hostels, vehicles coming from Kahna and Kot
Lakhpat were parked at Liberty Market.
Regarding rescue and health arrangements, a cardiac
mobile, 20 ambulances, 18 motorcycle rescuers, 20 rescue posts
and two improvised hospitals in stadium area and private
hotels were set up.
PML-N to continue its development-oriented agenda after winning elections:Ahsan
ISLAMABAD, March 20 (APP):Minister for Interior, Ahsan Iqbal Tuesday said Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would continue its policies and development oriented agenda after winning general election 2018.
The PML-N government, had resolved major challenges which the country was facing in 2013 included energy crisis, terrorism and economic situation, he said talking to a private news channel.
He said the people of the country would express their confidence in the favour of PML-N due to its pro-people policies.
The minister said foreign investment worth billions of dollars in the country was evidence of the conducive economic policies
of the incumbent government.
He said the government had worked on fast track to resolve energy crisis and generated 10,000 megawatt in its tenure.
Commenting on politics of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Ahsan Iqbal said we had welcomed the PTI into politics with positive
note but continuous negative politics by chief PTI Imran Khan had exposed the party.
He said target of PTI’s politics was only Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, who was most popular political figure in the country.
The minister said, the person who was elected by the people and represented their will, was respectable in the democratic system. In politics, we should only criticize policies and decisions of politicians rather discussing their private life, he added.
Meeting between Foreign Secretary and Uzbekistan delegation held
ISLAMABAD, Mar 20 (APP):Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua met an Uzbek delegation headed by Ikramov Adham Ilhamovich, former Vice Prime Minister and present Chairman of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan on Tuesday.
According to foreign office statement, Mr. Ikramov stressed the importance of Pakistan’s membership of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) for further strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.
The Uzbek delegation underscored the need -for enhancing bilateral trade between the two countries especially in the fields of pharmaceuticals, energy and leather goods. The Uzbek side also emphasized the need for enhancement of tourism between the two countries that share immense cultural, religious and social ties spanning over decades.
Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua highlighted the cordial relations between the two countries ever since Uzbekistan’s independence and conveyed Pakistan’s desire for enhanced cooperation in
all fields, particularly energy, agriculture, connectivity and human resource development.
Foreign Secretary thanked Uzbekistan for its support of Pakistan’s joining the SCO. She reiterated historical, cultural and social linkages between the two countries and expressed the desire that the full potential of this multi-faceted relationship will be realized.
The Foreign Secretary welcomed the resumption of flights on Tashkent-Lahore sector which has improved connectivity and would help enhance economic cooperation, people-to-people contacts and tourism.
The Uzbek delegation thanked the Government of Pakistan for hosting them and for providing them with the opportunity to witness the Pakistan Day parade due to be held on the 23rd of March. The Uzbek delegation is in Islamabad to participate in a conference titled “Pakistan-A land of Opportunity for the Central Asian Republics” being organized under the auspices of NSD and Center for Global and Strategic Studies (CDSS).
Peshawar Zalmi set Quetta Gladiators at 158 victory target
LAHORE, Mar 20 (APP):Peshawar Zalmi set Quetta Gladiators the target of 158 runs victory in the semi final of the
Pakistan Super League here on Tuesday at Gadaffi stadium.
Put into bat after Quetta captain won the toss, Peshawar were all out at 157 in allotted 20 overs.