ISLAMABAD, Feb 13 (APP):Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Tuesday reiterated federal government’s continued support for socio-economic uplift of the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), development of infrastructure and promotion of tourism in the area.
He was talking to AJK prime minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan, chief secretary and other senior functionaries that met him at the Prime Minister Office.
A detailed presentation was given to the Prime Minister Abbasi about the development projects and activities being undertaken in AJK for socio-economic uplift of the people and for promotion of tourism , a press release said.
Discussing the development programmes initiated under the vision of PML-N leadership, the AJK government appreciated enhancement of the budget for AJK from Rs12 billion to Rs22 billion under the federal government and initiation of various landmark projects including Mirpur-Muzzaffrabad-Mansehra Expressway and establishment of Mirpur Special Economic Zone under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor project.
The meeting was informed that enhanced support from the government of Pakistan enabled the AJK government to take up rehabilitation of all major roads for provision of better connectivity with Pakistan and inter district/tehsils level, besides revival of productive sectors.
The meeting was attended by minister for Kashmir Affairs Chaudhry Muhammad Barjees Tahir, minister for law Chaudhry Mahmood Bashir Virk, secretary to prime minister, federal secretaries for finance, power division and Kashmir affairs and other senior government officials.
PM reiterates continued support for socio-economic uplift of AJK
News agencies agree to promote new technologies, help create better economies
DUBAI, Feb 13 (APP):Heads of news agencies from different countries, participating in the World Government Summit-2018, Tuesday inked a six-point declaration underlining the need to promote new technologies for the benefit of humanity and help create modern economies.
Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) Managing Director Masood Ahmed Malik, who is representing Pakistan at the summit, also signed the joint declaration, which was adopted at the three-day event held here from February 11 to 13.
The heads of news agencies, who adopted the joint declaration, said, “We recognize the importance of the World Government Summit 2018 and the key themes discussed therein, shaping the future of the world and the role expected of the media in developing its tools through the provision of technologies and innovations that contribute to supporting the media content industry for the benefit of humanity.”
The declaration further said,” As the signatories believe that the outcomes and recommendations of the Global Dialogue of Happiness held as part of the World Government Summit deserve continuous media attention, highlighting role that they play in creating a balance between the acceleration of technological development and paying attention to human happiness and well-being and also linking Happiness with the action agendas of governments as well as applying scientific concepts to Happiness.”
The news agencies agreed to enhance the media content associated with Artificial Intelligence (AI) using media tools to raise level of such content and highlight the global successes in use of AI in the service of humanity, based on its positive impact in protecting the planet and creating new economies and efficiency.
They further agreed to explore future use of Artificial Intelligence in information, health and education and work on ways of transferring, disseminating and documenting creativity in these sectors so as to benefit from them at a global level.
The other point of the declaration was to develop an integrated media system to deal with issues related to climate change so as to reduce its negative impacts on natural resources with regard to future generations and to advocate the adoption of green technologies in various fields, especially those of clean and renewable energy, as well as to raise awareness among all members of society about environmental issues.
Another major point was to shed light on all global efforts related to the latest developments in space research around the world and the development of space technologies on earth, highlighting the role played by space science in facilitating knowledge about the universe, understanding its laws and mechanisms, and answering fundamental questions about its nature.
The participating nations agreed to support issues related to youth in all their aspects, to enhance their participation in decision-making and the drawing up of future plans, addressing youth in a language and media content that fits with the nature of their aspirations and ways of thinking.
The news agencies, including Saudi Press Agency (SPA), were represented by its Vice President Ahmed bin Ibrahim Al-Awad, Middle East News Agency (MENA) by Chairman and Editor-in-Chief Ali Hassan Mohamed Abdel Baqi, IANS-Indo Asian News Service by Executive Editor Chandrasekar Sundararaman, Jordan News Agency (Petra) by Director General Faisal Al Shboul, Federation of Arab News Agencies by Secretary General Farid Ayyar, ANSA-Italian News Agency by CEO & Managing Director Giuseppe Cerbone, Federation of News Agencies of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) by Director General Issa Khaira Robleh, National News Agency- Lebanon by Director General Laure Sleiman Saab, APP-Associated Press of Pakistan by Managing Director Masood Malik, Athens News Agency President – General Director Michalis PSILOS, Oman News Agency (ONA) by Director General Mohammed bin Mubarak Al-Araimi, LUSA AGENCIA DE NOTICIAS by International Relations Director Monica Garcia, International News of UKRINFORM by Deputy Chief Editor Natalia Bukvych, Mauritania News Agency by Director General Sidi Mohamed Ould Boune Director General, PTI-India by Executive Editor Sudhakar Nair and Emirates News Agency (WAM) by Executive Director Mohamed Jalal Al Rayssi.
CPEC has enhanced Pakistan’s regional importance: FPCCI
LAHORE, Feb 13 (APP):Pakistan offers tremendous opportunities for businesses and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects
have increased Pakistan’s regional importance.
Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI)
Regional Chairman and Vice President Chaudhry Arfan Yousaf expressed
these views on the inauguration of Flynas Airline, according to Federation’s spokesman here on Tuesday.
Chaudhry Arfan said, “We live in the world of connectivity, and
airline industry is rapidly changing. The growth of this industry is strongly associated with the phenomenon of globalisation;
therefore, addition of Flynas to our air connectivity will robust our cooperation.”
He said that Saudi Arabia was the largest trading partner of Pakistan in the Middle East and most of the Pakistani overseas labourer worked in Saudi Arabia, which was evident from the fact that an estimated 2.7 million Pakistanis residing in Saudi Arabia and their remittances were the highest from any single country in the world.
FPCCI regional chairman hoped that the airline would ensure quality
and affordable flights to business community, religious and other travelers to and from Saudi Arabia especially Hajj and Umar pilgrims.
On this occasion, Chaudhry Arfan Yousaf, Flynas Country Head Manzoor Thanvi, TDCP Managing Director Ahmed Malick, Bukhari Group Chairman Rafique Khan also gave away free airline tickets to 10 participants through lucky-draw.
‘Pakistan, Thailand can collaborate in agricluture, hospitality industry’
LAHORE, Feb 13 (APP):There is a good scope of collaboration between Pakistan and Thailand in agriculture and hospitality industry as Pakistan is an agrarian country while Thailand’s agriculture sector has registered robust growth and contributed heavily in exports.
Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) President Malik Tahir Javaid expressed these views during a meeting with government officials
of Thailand and speaking at supreme business forums, according to LCCI spokesman here Tuesday.
Chairman of the Federation of Thail Industries Chen Namchaisiri Chairman, Dr. Boonpeng Santiwattanatam, Somyod Tangmeelarp, Achana Limpaitoon, Mingpant Chaya, Ms. Kultida Charoensawad, Chartchai Singhadeja, Manus Aree, Theeraphat Kaosaiyanant, Ms. Duangchai Oden, Parinya Ketkam, Panit Sricheewachart, Ms. Wareerat Chansoontorn Analyyst, Ms. Nuntanut Kumponkanjana International Business Development Manager, Somchai Muyjeen Manager, Petrochemical Industry Club and members of the LCCI delegation also spoke on the occasion.
LCCI President said that private sectors of the two countries must forward to each other and establish long-term partnership to reap fruit
of huge potential in two countries. He said that this collaboration
would help share and technology transfer to Pakistani agriculture sector.
With an aim to attract investors of Thailand, he said that economy
of Pakistan was growing steadily and its consumer market was developing rapidly, and it was emerging as trade, energy and transport corridor in Asia and this advantage made Pakistan a destination full of opportunities. “Pakistan has very good strategical location and is a gateway to the oil and mineral resources rich Central Asian Republics and also a member of SAARC which together make up a market of 1.5 billion people. It is also close to Gulf countries and African horn. Any investment made in Pakistan will find market in these countries,” he continued.
Malik Tahir Javaid mentioned that World Economic Forum had declared Pakistan better than India as an emerging economy, adding that Pakistan’s GDP growth reached to 5.3 percent previous year while it was expected
to reach up to six percent by end this year.
He said that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project would change the destiny of Pakistan, as the two countries were taking ahead
the project to its next stages successfully, and today, the world was
eying Pakistan besides terming it as an ideal country for investment.
LCCI President urged the businessmen of both countries to join hands
to give new height to their respective economies. Pakistan also offered
a lot of opportunities for foreign investors in the form of joint
ventures with Pakistani counterparts, he maintained.
LCCI President said that Thailand had highly advanced industries
such as electrical appliances, computers, televisions, integrated
circuits, textiles & garments, furniture, plastics. It was the second largest tungsten producer and third largest producer of tin, therefore, Thai investors could relocate some of these industries in Pakistan.
The LCCI delegation members Shahid Nazir, Muhammad Wasim, Haseeb Khawar, Shabbir Bhatti, Malik Muhammad Islam, Muhammad Farooq, Mian
Faisal Majeed and Muhammad Arshad Bhatti also had B-2-B (Business
to Business) meetings with their Thai counterparts.
Pakistan cannot be made scapegoat for failures of others in Afghanistan: Aizaz
ISLAMABAD, Feb 13 (APP):Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry has said that although Pakistan desired good relations with the US, it cannot be made a scapegoat for the failures of others in Afghanistan.
“Peace in Afghanistan is in Pakistan’s own interest. However, peace will remain elusive by the pursuit of a purely military solution and that political reconciliation is the only option to move forward,” he said while delivering a talk on Pakistan-US relations at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) last night, a message received here Tuesday said.
The event was arranged by the Center for India and South Asia of UCLA. In his remarks, the ambassador highlighted the importance of having good relations between Pakistan and the United States, which had historically seen highs and lows in the last 70 years.
He said both countries had benefited whenever they had worked together. Therefore, he added, it was imperative that they continued to work together to secure peace and stability in Afghanistan and the region, despite strained ties due to divergent approaches.
The ambassador said there were no safe havens in Pakistan today, thanks to the remarkable success of military operations in the tribal areas conducted by Pakistani security forces in the last three years.
He added that relations between Pakistan and the US had always been broad-based and multifaceted and they could not be held hostage to the situation in Afghanistan.
Drifting away from each other, he said, would not be in the interest of either country. He expressed the hope that even if relations between both governments were under stress, people to people contacts and private sector engagements remained strong and robust.
In the Q&A session, the ambassador responded to queries related to Pakistan’s relations with the US, China, Afghanistan, India and the situation in Central Asia as well as South Asia.
Earlier, he gave an overview of the evolving global geo-strategic and socio-economic trends which were redefining international relations. Faculty members and students of UCLA as well as local Pakistani American community representatives attended the event.
No dearth of women cricket talent in Pakistan: Mark Coles
MULTAN, Feb 13 (APP)::Pakistan Women Cricket Team Coach Mark
Coles said that there was no dearth of talent in the country and
best coaching would groom talent and improve ranking of the team.
Talking to the media here, Mark Coles stated that he was very
happy to become coach of Pakistan Women Cricket Team. He added
that he was striving hard on cricketers for upcoming tour of
Sri Lanka. Mark Coles maintained that he would move forward with
new talent also.
To a query, he observed that there was a need to pay more
focus on fielding and batting. The coach claimed that the cricket
team performance and ranking would surely improve.
Shahid Aslam, senior manager women cricket also spoke and
informed that PCB was bringing five year plan to promote women
cricket. He also added that the women cricket would be introduced
at school and college level in amicable way.
He hoped that the steps would surely help bringing improvement
in women cricket.
Punjab govt to launch 131 new sports projects: Hanif Abbasi
RAWALPINDI, Feb 13 (APP):Punjab government is making efforts to provide state-of-the-art sports facilities and will launch 131 new sports projects under Project Management Unit in the province, Chairman of Steering Committee Punjab Sports Board Muhammad Hanif Abbasi Tuesday said.
He said this while chairing meeting held here at Commissioner Office to review the progress of construction work on sports projects.
He said Punjab government is striving hard for promotion of education, health, transport, clean drinking water and sports facilities in the province.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Director Sport Punjab Hafiz Bhatti, Divisional Sports Officer Malik Waqar Hussain, District Sports Officer Rawalpindi Abdul Waheed, PDPMU, Muhammad Akram Soban, Divisional Sports Officer Lahore Tanveer Ahmed and other officers concerned.
He said the contracts of 124 schemes after formal approval have been awarded to the contractors and construction work on 107 schemes has also been started.
Hanif Abbasi said timely completion of the sports projects is priority of the government and negligence or delay will not be tolerated in this regard.
He said the government under annual development programme is completing 18 different schemes in Rawalpindi division.
Hanif Abbasi directed the authorities to complete the ongoing projects including Astro Turf laying project in Viqar un Nisa Post Graduate College which will be first of its kind and completed by March 31, at a cost of Rs45 million.
The Astro Turf will be imported from Holland and such facility is not available in any school or college of the country, he added.
Waheed Babar briefing the meeting informed that E-Library and Astro Turf project Rawalpindi, Attock Gymnasium,
E-Library, Sport Complex Hazro, Sports Complex Hasanabadal and Jhelum Gymnasium are swiftly being completed in Rawalpindi division.
He said the quality of construction work and its pace is being monitored so that all the projects can be completed as soon as possible.
He further said 21 E-Libraries are being set up in different parks of the province and the projects will be completed by March end.
The chairman said Punjab government is utilizing maximum available resource for uplift projects to facilitate the citizens besides constructing sports facilities in schools, colleges and on available government land so that the energies of male and female students could be channelized in a constructive way and right direction.
He said co-curricular activities play a vital role in the growth and development of the students.
Cabinet approves various agenda items
ISLAMABAD, Feb 13 (APP):The federal cabinet on Tuesday accorded approval for signing of an Inter-Governmental Agreement between the Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division) Government of Pakistan and the Ministry of Oil and Gas, Sultanate of Oman for supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and POL products on government to government basis.
The federal cabinet, which met here at the PM Office with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in chair, also gave approval for the signing of Inter Government Agreement and Letter of Intent on Cooperation in the field of LNG between the Government of Pakistan and Government of the Italian Republic.
The cabinet gave permission to allow transit of 01×20 feet container STC containing eight packages of spare parts of Toyota vehicles of UNMA from Karachi to Kabul.
It accorded approval, in principle, to Anti-Terrorism (Freezing and Seizure) Rules, 2018.
The meeting accorded its approval to the notification of WAPDA Hydro-Electric Tariff for the FY 2017-18 determined by NEPRA and further directed that the process of tariff determination for AJK should be initiated.
The federal cabinet ratified the decisions of Cabinet Committee on China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) taken during its meeting held on 12-01-2018. It was further decided that cabinet would be briefed in detail on CPEC.
The cabinet directed that the process of filling up vacant positions of the heads of organizations in various ministries be expedited.
It expressed satisfaction over the surplus generation capacity in the power sector. It was reiterated that the government was committed to ensure uninterrupted power supply to consumers.
The federal cabinet also directed for early operationalization of new Islamabad International Airport.
Earlier, the cabinet offered Fateha for the departed souls of renowned lawyer, human rights activist and former President Supreme Court Bar Association Ms Asma Jahangir and late Mir Hazar Khan Bijrani.
Rs 10m cheque given to singer Naheed Akhtar
LAHORE, Feb 13 (APP):A cheque worth Rs 10 million from the Punjab government was handed over to singer Naheed Akhtar on Tuesday for acknowledgment of her services in the field of singing.
Spokesman for Punjab government Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, while representing Chief Minister Punjab, delivered the cheque to the Pride of Performance singer in a simple ceremony, held here at Alhamra Arts Complex.
He paid tribute to the services rendered by Naheed Akhtar in the field of music and said that she had introduced a unique style in singing and inspired her fans with her magic voice.
“Let me acknowledge that glamour in Pakistani music was first introduced by Naheed Akhtar and songs once sang by her are still popular among music-lovers,” he said.
The spokesman said that the Punjab chief minister believes that performing arts could play an important role in promotion of tolerance in society.
He announced that the Punjab government would soon arrange a seminar on Sufi poetry to discourage extremism among the youth in general and among students in particular.
Speaking on the occasion, Naheed Akhtar said that she was highly obliged that the Punjab government acknowledged her role in singing in an appreciating way.
“I am very happy today, Shehbaz Sharif has proved that he is an art-lover in true sense,” she exclaimed.
She agreed with the spokesman that Sufi music can help promote tolerance in society. “I will try to start singing again for my fans,” she promised.
Executive Director Punjab Arts Council Capt (R) Atta Muhammad Khan and Director Zulfiqar Ahmed Zulfi were also present.
PHF condoles death of sports journalist’s daughter
LAHORE, Feb 13 (APP):President Pakistan Hockey Federation Brig (R) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar and Secretary Shahbaz Ahmed have expressed their grief over the demise of daughter of senior sports journalist Shahid Sheikh.
In a message here Tuesday, they prayed that may Allah Almighty shower his blessings on the departed soul and grant courage to the bereaved family to bear the loss.