FAISALABAD, Mar 03 (APP): The Confucius Institute (CI) University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) on Saturday organized Chinese cultural Lantern Festival at a local hotel in which Chinese and Pakistani cultural performances were presented before the large gathering.
The event was chaired by UAF Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Iqbal Zafar while CI Vice Chairman Dr Ashfaq Chatha, Dr Fahad Rasool also spoke on the occasion.
The Lantern Festival, a Chinese festival is celebrated on the 15th of the first month in lunisolar Chinese calendar.
Dr Muhammad Iqbal Zafar said that both the countries were enjoying excellent bilateral ties based on brotherhood, and neighborhood. Both countries treat each other as their brothers. He said that such events bring the people of the both countries closer and further strengthen ties.
He said that UAF Chinese Confucius Institute was a step towards bring people of both countries come closer through language and learning.
He said that UAF Confucius institute was mulling extending its operation in other institutes including Government College University Lahore and University of Engineering and Technology Lahore to impart the teaching of Chine languages.
The institute also enables students and teaching community to learn Chinese to win scholarships in China in many fields of education. He said that 35 faculty members of UAF had completed their degrees from China.
He said that Pakistan China Economic Corridor would bring the prosperity in the regions. He said that country will witness an economic turnaround that would help ensure sustainable development because of CPEC.
Dr Ashfaq Ahmad Chatha said that eight Chinese language courses had been completed at the CI-UAF. He said that the UAF was enjoying good relations with the Chinese institutions.
He said that agriculture is the backbone of our economy that is directly linked to the rural development.
He said that UAF academic ties with Chinese universities are being boosted to get benefit from each other experience. He said Chinese universities were proving their mettle globally in every filed.
CI organizes Chinese cultural Lantern Festival
ECP officially announces senate election results from KP
ISLAMABAD, Mar 03 (APP):Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has officially
announced the results of senate election 2018 on seats of general, technocrat
and women reserved from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
According to ECP, the seven winning candidates on general seats from KP included Muhammad Talha Mehmood
(JUI-F), Faisal Javed ((PTI), Syed Muhammad Sabir Shah (Independent), Muhammad
Ayub (PTI), Behramand (PPPP), Fida Muhammad (PTI) and Mushtaq Ahmed (Jamat-e-Islami
Pakistan).
On two reserved seats for Technocrat/Ulema, Muhammad Azam
Khan Swati (PTI) and Dilawar Khan (Independent) won the election while on two
seats reserved for women Mehar Taj Roghani (PTI) and Robina Khalid (PPPP) got
success.
On general seats total number of voters were 122, polled
votes were 122 and the number of valid votes were 118, while invalid votes were
four. On technocrat seats, total number of voters were 122, polled votes were
122, and valid votes were 120 while the invalid votes were two.
Similarly, on seats reserved for women, total number of
voters were 122, polled votes were 122, and valid votes were 120, while invalid
votes were two.
Pakistan made unprecedented development during PML-N’s four year period: Musadik
ISLAMABAD, Mar 3 (APP):Advisor to Prime Minister Dr Musadik Malik on Saturday said that Pakistan had made unprecedented development during the present government’s four year period.
Talking to a private news channel, he said the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), government after coming into power in 2013 elections focused on resolving terrorism, energy and economy issues.
He said no elected prime minister could complete the constitutional tenure in Pakistan adding that the leader of PML-N Nawaz Sharif had to leave party presidentship and premiership on verdict of courts.
The decisions could not diminish the popularity of PML-N, he said adding that on one could remove Nawaz Sharif from hearts of the people.
To a question he said that Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), would form the government in 2018 elections due to development works in the country. Everyone knows the performance of PML-N, he added.
The federal government had also taken initiative for providing best transport system for the people of Karachi, Musadik Malik said.
To another question he said that the party was fully united under the flag of PML-N.
He said that PML-N would continue working for sanctity of vote of the people.
Pakistan aims to revive the glory of ancient Mughul city Lahore:Daily Mail
LONDON, Mar 03 (APP):Painstaking work to repair Lahore Fort is part of efforts to preserve the crumbling architectural history as officials considering conserving its diverse heritage with building modern infrastructure in Pakistan’s chaotic second city, Daily Mail reported.
According to the UK paper, perched on scaffolding, restoration experts chip away at decades of grime and repair broken mosaic tiles in a bid to save the colossal murals depicting historic battles and regal ceremonies on the walls of Lahore Fort.
The metropolis, which once served as the capital of the Mughal empire that stretched across much of the subcontinent, has been subsumed into a myriad of civilizations across the centuries.
This rich past is most visible in the milieu of architecture salted across the Walled City of Lahore — from Hindu temples and Mughal forts to Sikh gurdwaras and administrative office built during the Raj.
“You get a history of a thousand years, 500 year-old houses and monuments and mosques, shrines and a very peaceful atmosphere,” says Kamran Lashari, director general of the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA), daily Mail said .
The Paper said that prime among them, and dating back to the 11th century, the Lahore fort was first built of mud and was then later reinforced with stone over the centuries by a long cast of Mughal emperors who oversaw its expansion and the accompanying artwork.
But periods of conflict along with searing heat, monsoon rains and years of neglect have taken a toll on the fort, it said.
The paper further reported that despite the onset of decay, experts suggest the city’s vast Islamic architectural heritage could make it a contender to rival more established Silk Road travel destinations.
“Lahore can easily compete with Samarkand. It nearly matches Ispahan,”the paper said quoting Sophie Makariou, president of the Parisian-based National Museum of Asian Arts.
More than 40 conservationists with the the WCLA — including engineers, architects, and ceramists from across the globe — are currently working on restoring the mosaic mural on the fort’s exterior, the paper said.
The Daily Mail said Lahore, which once served as the capital of the Mughal empire that stretched across much of the subcontinent, has been subsumed into a myriad of civilizations across the centuries.
“It’s one of the largest murals in the world. It contains over 600 tile mosaic panels and frescos,” says Emaan Sheikh from the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.
Restoration of the mural is just part of a larger project to refurbish the fort, which includes conservation projects in the royal kitchen, the summer palace and a basement, according to WCLA’s director general Kamran Lashari, the Daily Mail said.
Similar work by the WCLA has already been done to revamp the artwork at the historic Wazir Khan mosque and the Shahi Hammam — one of the only surviving Turkish Baths in the subcontinent that is approximately 400 years old.
The city’s famed Delhi Gate, which once hosted extravagant Mughal processions arriving in Lahore from the east, has also been fully restored along with dozens of homes in the Walled City.
Many of those involved in the project are optimistic.
“The cities which are most famous for tourism, you can take London, Madrid, Istanbul, Rome, all the prerequisites which are available in those cities, are available in Lahore,” claims Ahmer Malik, head of Punjab’s tourism corporation, referring to Lahore’s architectural and cultural attractions, the paper said.
Kamil Khan Mumtaz, President of Lahore Conservation Society (LCS), an advocacy organisation promoting preservation projects, says the efforts run the risk of transforming the old city into a “Disneyland” to attract tourists.
“This was a pedestrian’s city. A pre-Industrial revolution modelled city. This should be conserved into that original state instead of remodelling buildings,” said Mumtaz, who is pushing for the use of traditional construction materials in restoration projects,t he paper said.
PML-N backed candidates win 11 seats from Punjab
LAHORE, Mar 03 (APP):Independent candidates backed by PML-N won 11 out of 12 senate seats in Punjab Assembly on Saturday.
Seven candidates contested for general seats,
one for minority , two for technocrat and two for women seats.
Out of seven senate general seats in Punjab, independent
candidates backed by PML-N won six general seats, whereas PTI
candidate won one seat.
According to official results, PML-N backed candidates
Dr Asif Kirmani secured 42 votes, Dr Musadik Malik 42 votes,
Rana Maqbool 43 votes, Zubair Gul 38 votes, Haroon Akhtar 42 votes
and Shaheen Khalid Butt 41 votes, whereas PTI candidate Chaudhary
Muhammad Sarwar got 44 votes.
Kamran Michael, an Independent candidate backed by PML-N, was elected on the minority seat by securing
321 votes.
While former finance minister Ishaq Dar and Hafiz
Abdul Karim were elected on technocrat seats by securing 155 votes and 160 votes, respectively.
PML-N backed independent candidates Saadia Abbasi and Nuzhat Sadiq were also elected on two women Senate seats by securing 160 votes and 152 votes, respectively.
Independent candidates backed by PML-N win 6 general seats, PTI gets one
LAHORE, Mar 03 (APP):Out of seven Senate general seats in Punjab, independent candidates backed by PML-N won six general
seats while one seat was won by the PTI candidate.
According to unofficial results, the PML-N backed candidates
Dr Asif Kirmani secured 42 votes, Dr Musadik Malik 42 votes,
Rana Maqbool 47 votes, Zubair Gul 38 votes, Haroon Akhtar 43
and Shaheen Khalid Butt 41 votes whereas PTI candidate Chaudhary Muhammad
Sarwar got 44 votes.
Former finance minister Ishaq Dar and Hafiz Abdul
Karim were elected on technocrat seats.
PPP wins 10 seats,MQM 1, PML-F
KARACHI, Mar 03 (APP):Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) won 10 out of total 12 Senate seats in Sindh Assembly and emerged as the
leading party in the province.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan and Pakistan Muslim League-F
won seat each.
Out of total 166 eligible votes, 161 votes were polled.
Five MPAs could not participate because of being out of country. The
total strength of Sindh Assembly is 168 members. Two MPAs from PPP had died recently.
ECP’s Provincial Commissioner M.Yousuf Khattak informed the media
that of 161 polled votes, 25 were rejected in different categories.
He said the winners on seven general seats of the Senate included
PPP’s Moula Bakhsh Chandio, Imamuddin Shauqeen, Raza Rabbani, Mustafa
Nawaz Khokhar, Muhammad Ali Jamote, Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah from
PML-F and Firogh Naseem Advocate from MQM-P. On the two technocrats seats,
PPP’s Dr. Sikandar Ali Mandhro and Rukhsana Zuberi were declared successful.
PPP’s Qurat-ul-Ain and Kesu Bai (Kirshna Kolhi)
bagged two seats for women while Anwar Laluddin of PPP succeeded on the minority seat.
He said ECP would share detailed results with the Media on Sunday.
11 new senators elected in Balochistan Assembly
QUETTA, Mar 03 (APP):Eleven new senators including, six independent candidates were elected in Balochistan Assembly on Saturday, according to unofficial results.
The wining candidates are Anwar ul Haq Kakar (independent supported by PML-N), Ahmed Khan (independent), Kuda Babar (independent), Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani (independent), Sardar Muhammad Shafiq Tareen (Pakhtunkhwa
Milli Awami Party), Muhammad Akram ( National Party) and Molvi Faiz Muhammad (JUI-F) were elected on general seats.
While, Muhammad Tahir Bizenjo (National Party) and Naseeb Ullah Bazai (independent supported by PML-N) were elected on Technocrats seats.
Abida Umar (Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party) and Sana Jamali (independent) won the elections on women
reserved seats.
Ayaz Sadiq assures of resolving textile industry issues
LAHORE, Mar 03 (APP):National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq
on Saturday assured the textile industry associations of help resolving
the issues relating to industry revival, and the energy price difference between Punjab and other provinces.
During his visit to All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) House, he added that meetings would be held with ministers concerned to have an early solution to the industry problems, while all the stakeholders would also be taken into to confidence. He hoped that the issue of the restoration of viability and growth of industry would
be resolved in the larger interest of the country and economic security.
APTMA Central Chairman Aamir Fayyaz, Group Leader Gohar Ejaz and representatives from all major associations, including APTMA, Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association, Council of Power Looms Association, Pakistan Textile Exporters Association, All Pakistan Textile Processing Mills Association and Pakistan Sweater Exporters Association welcomed
him at the Association office.
Representatives of textile industry associations presented the
issues being faced by the Punjab-based textile industry to the NA
Speaker. They demanded for securing uniform energy price across the country.
Aamir Fayyaz said that an early resolution of the industry issues
would enable prospective investors to undertake investment initiatives
to produce exportable surplus to double the exports.
The textile industry leadership said the prevailing difference in
the energy price in Punjab was more than double to the energy price
for mills in other provinces. All the manufacturing units of spinning, weaving, dyeing, readymade garments, hosiery, towel and other sectors
were becoming redundant, he said, asserting that backward and forward linkages and allied sectors of the textile industry were facing
problems.
Gohar Ejaz pointed out that textile industry in Punjab was paying Rs1300 per MMBTU for RLNG against Rs 600 per MMBTU in other provinces. Similarly, the imposition of Rs 3.60 per kWh electricity surcharge in
the electricity bills was being charged which could not be passed on
to the buyers in the international marketplace. He said the business equation in Punjab was being distorted, leading to the closure of mills
in every sector of the industry.
Representatives from other textile industry value added associations said the textile industry, as a matter of fact, had become un-competitive both within the country as well as the region.
PTI clinches 5, PML-N, PPP won two seats each in KP
PESHAWAR, Mar 03 (APP):Five out of eleven Senate seats in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly were won by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), while Pakistan Peoples Party(PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League backed independent candidates won two seats each and
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUIF) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) also got one seat each.
According to unofficial results, out of the seven general seats PTI obtained three while PML-N backed independent candidate, PPP, JUI-F and JI clinched one each.
The wining candidates on General seats included Pir Sabir Shah (Independent/PML-N)
Faisal Javed (PTI), Talha Mahmood (JUI-F), Bahramand Khan Tangi (PPP), Mohammad
Ayub (PTI), Fida Mohammad (PTI) and Mushtaq Ahmad Khan (JI).
Dr. Meher Taj Roghani of PTI and Robina Khalid of PPP were elected on women seats.
Azam Sawati of PTI and Dilawar Khan PML-N backed independent candidate were elected on the Technocrats seats.