ISLAMABAD, March 13 (APP):Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting, National History and Literary Heritage Marriyum Aurangzeb on Tuesday called for collective efforts to tackle the problem of child abuse in the society.
Speaking as chief guest at a workshop on “Child Protection Case Management and Referral System in Pakistan” organized
by UNICEF, she said that it was imperative to adopt a collective approach by the media, civil society and concerned stakeholders for tackling the problem and changing the social attitudes.
She said that media has the obligation to report and unveil incidents like Kasur, but it also has to fulfill its corporate social responsibility for creating awareness for prevention of such incidents.
Marriyum Aurangzeb, who is Chairperson of National Assembly’s Special Committee on Child Abuse, was all praise for Baluchistan and Gilgit Baltistan assemblies for enacting flagship, holistic and comprehensive legislation for child protection in
their respective provinces. Such legislation not only showed that the government was serious and committed to overcome this problem but it also inspired confidence among the people, she added.
In Pakistan, she said in most cases good laws exist but problem lies in their effective implementation. The minister said that Zainab and Asma cases were highlighted by the media but countless such cases remained unreported.
She said that Zainab and Asma cases became eye-opener for the society and all the assemblies had started working on
child protection laws.
She said that a special committee on child protection had been constituted by the Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq which would present its recommendations within 30 days after thorough consultations with all the stakeholders. The
committee was examining the laws, legal frameworks and regulations for effecting improvement in them, she said.
The minister said that prosecution area was the most important part as in many cases the parents had to run from pillar to
post for getting the case registered.
She said that Zainab and Asma were being treated as case studies and the Punjab government was assisting the committee
to check what problems were faced by the parents of the victims particularly in registration of cases.
She said that the committee would also include the input of the civil society and other stakeholders in its recommendations.
Marriyum said that there was also a need to include the subject of child protection in the curricula to create timely
awareness among the children and parents as well.
She said that the Punjab government had launched an information technology based system and a forensic lab had been established which could also be helpful to other provinces.
The minister thanked international partners for their support and contribution in fighting the scourge of child abuse and
provision of data regarding best practices at the world level. She also lauded UNICEF for its contribution in health and education sector, provision of data and its help in capacity building.
She also appreciated the role and contribution of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and National Commission on the
Status of Women for child protection.
Marriyum said that Article 35 of the Constitution called for protection of mother and child and the government was striving to take concrete steps in that regard.
She said that under the 18th Amendment, the provinces had become more empowered and they were also doing legislation
for the resolution of their local problems and issues.
She said that the federal government was ready to provide all possible support and facilitate them to fulfill their responsibilities in this connection.
She said that Sustainable Development Goals task force was working for child protection issues at both the federal and provincial levels. It was providing data and equipment to the legislators in their respective assemblies, she added.
The minister said that SDG task force was the brain-child of Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Pakistan
had become the first and only country to have a full fledged secretariat of SDGs.
Collective approach imperative for tackling child abuse: Marriyum
Punjab contingent all set to defend its titles: Punjab sports minister
LAHORE, Mar 13 (APP):Punjab Minister for Sports Jahangir Khanzada has expressed his optimism that the Punjab contingent will defend all its titles successfully in the upcoming 4th Inter-Provincial Games, scheduled to begin in Peshawar from March 18.
He expressed these views during his visit to Punjab training camps functioning to prepare for the Games at Nishtar Park Sports Complex Gymnasium on Tuesday.
Jahangir Khanzada witnessed camp training of wushu, volleyball and karate at Nishtar Park Sports Complex Gymnasium. Deputy Director Hafeez Bhatti was also with him during his visit.
Minister said that Punjab players were working hard at the training camps under the supervision of qualified coaches and trainers. “The Punjab contingent will feature in 28 disciplines of games during the mega event. We are the defending champions and our athletes are capable enough to defend their titles comfortably,” he added.
Jahangir Khanzada said Sports Board Punjab is providing all modern facilities including residence to all trainees during the camp training. “Now it’s players’ turn to show handsome performances in their respective games during the mega event. The upcoming games will be a golden opportunity for talented youth to demonstrate their potential,” he asserted.
Zarif reiterates Iran’s commitment for improving relations with Pakistan
ISLAMABAD, March 13 (APP):Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif Tuesday reiterated his country’s commitment for improving relations
with the neighbours.
Talking to a private news channel, he said Iran would not allow its soil to be used for activities against Pakistan.
Neither Pakistan would take any action to harm Iranian interests nor his country, he added.
As regards Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was caught by Pakistan in March 2016 while crossing over from Iran, he said Iran had shared all the intelligence and information with Pakistan.
To a question about Pak-Iran gas pipeline, he said the project was in the interest of both the countries. “We have done our part, and invested some $2 billion in the project,” he added.
Commenting on the Pakistan-China Economic Corridor (CPEC), he said it was important to develop infrastructure in the region. Such projects would benefit the people of the entire region.
To another question, Javad Zarif said that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had made efforts to improve relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Both Pakistan and Iran could play a vital role in the regional stability, prosperity and progress, he added.
National Open Polo Championship: three match decided
LAHORE, Mar 13 (APP):Diamond Paints, Barry’s and Master Paints/Rizvi’s chalked out contrastive
triumphs in the ongoing Diamond Paints National Open Polo Championship for
Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup here at the Lahore Polo Club (LPC) grounds on Tuesday.
Diamond Paints edged past Army by 8-6 in the first encounter
of the day. Macos Araya was top scorer for the winning side as
he produced an impressive hat-trick while Mir Huzaifa Ahmed and
Mumtaz Abbas Niazi scored a brace each and Eulogio Celestino
converted one. From the losing side, Ignasio Negri also struck
a hat-trick while Major Omer Minhas banged in a brace and
Miguel Luis Duggan hit one, but their efforts couldn’t bear
fruit for their team.
Army started the match with a field goal to take 1-0 lead
which was soon not only equalised by Diamond Paints, but they
also struck one more to take 2-1 lead. The second chukker was
evenly poised as both the teams scored two goals each, with
Diamond Paints having 4-3 lead. The high-voltage third chukker
was also dominated by Diamond Paints, who struck three as
compared to Army’s two goals, as the score was 7-5, in favour
of Diamond Paints. The winning side added one more goal in their
tally to enhance their lead to 8-5 in the fourth chukker while
in the fifth and last chukker, Army struck one to reduce the deficit to 8-6.
Barry’s played brilliantly against Rijas Aces/PAF and
outclassed them by a big margin of 12-4 in the second match of
the day. Juan Maria Ruiz (Tito) was hero of the day for Barry’s
as he slammed in superb six goals while Nafees Barry, Ramiro
Zavaleta and Bilal Haye scored a brace each. From the losing side,
Juan Cruz Araya struck a brace while Faisal Shahzad and Deigo
Araya hit one goal apiece.
Barry’s fully dominated the first two chukkers as they thwarted two goals in the
first chukker and pumped in fabulous five goals in the second chukker to take healthy
7-0 lead. They added one more in the third chukker to further enhance their lead to 8-0
but then Rijas Aces/PAF made a comeback by scoring a brace to make it 8-2 and then
added one more in the fourth chukker to further reduce the margin to 8-3. Barry’s converted
one more goal to stretch their lead to 9-3.
In the fifth and last chukker, Rijas converted a goal off 30-yad penalty to make it 9-4 but
after that it were Barry’s, who prevailed and slammed in three more goals to take insurmountable
12-4 lead, which remained intact till the end and declared Barry’s the ultimate winners.
Juan Cruz Losada struck six to guide Master Paints/Rizvi’s to a thumping 8-4 victory over Newage/BBJ Pipes in the third and last match of the day. Hamza Mawaz Khan scored the remaining
two goals to complete the tally for the victorious team. Salvador Ulloa hammered a hat-trick for the
losing side while Ahmed Zubair Butt converted one.
Master Paints/Rizvi’s scored the opening goal which was leveled by Newage/BBJ Pipes but by
the close of the first chukker, the winning side converted one more to take 2-1 lead. The second
chukker was evenly poised as both the teams hit one goal each with Master Paints/Rizvi’s having
3-2 lead. Newage/BBJ Pipes then scored an equalizer in the beginning of the third chukker to make
it 3-3 but after that, both the sides produced one goal each which leveled the score at 4-4. Master Paints/Rizvi’s then dominated the next two chukkers fully and slammed in fabulous four goals to win
the match by 8-4.
‘Vote ko izzat do’ – PML-N manifesto for next election: Nawaz Sharif
ISLAMABAD, Mar 13 (APP):PML-N Quaid (supreme leader) Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Tuesday said manifesto for the election campaign of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would be “vote ko izzat do” (respect the vote) as the party wanted to restore respect for the mandate of the citizens.
He was speaking to the Central General Council of the party here at Convention Centre after unanimous election of Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif as new PML-N president.
“I want to declare that our manifesto for next elections will be four words: “Vote ko izzat do”. Respect our vote. Respect the people. Respect the mandate. Respect people’s right to rule,” the former prime minister said.
Nawaz Sharif said it was part of his faith that the people of Pakistan should lead honourable and prosperous life and for the purpose he would remain steadfast in his mission to ensure respect of the voters.
“The next 70 years of Pakistan should be better than the previous ones. I will walk beside you. I will compel you to work for the respect of your vote.”
Nawaz Sharif urged his party workers to make the next election a referendum for the vote’s respect. The PML-N president had been changed due to a situation created by others, he added.
He said in 2013, Pakistan was in a difficult situation as its treasury was empty, people were dying in acts of terrorism and the country was plunged in darkness due to absence of energy.
He said law and order had considerably improved in the country in just four years, while energy shortages were also overcome with production from new power projects and a network of roads was spread out across Pakistan.
The progress made by Punjab in last ten years was more than what had been done in the previous 60 years, he added.
He named the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), motorways, metro bus projects, Orange Train and power projects as some of the achievements of his government and said he was being punished for putting Pakistan on the path of progress and prosperity.
He said in 2013, he accepted the challenges faced by the country and resolved major problems.
He said he wanted to work for the future generations. His agenda was not personal as it was in the interest of the Pakistani nation, but he was involved in cases though he did not indulge in corruption, he added.
Nawaz Sharif said those, who were claiming to be honest and principled persons, staged a drama in the Senate and made compromises in its election.
He said the whole nation watched what happened in the Senate elections. His opponents were liars and dual faced as their actions were contrary to their words. They were like toys run by keys as they had acted on instructions from others, he added.
“We do not make compromises. We do not sell our nation. We fight for the people of Pakistan,” Nawaz Sharif said as he concluded his speech by repeatedly raising slogans of “vote ko izzat do”.
Xinjiang to deepen cooperation with neighboring countries including Pakistan
BEIJING, Mar 13 (APP):Chairman of Regional Government, Shohrat Zakir said on Tuesday that Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region will deepen cooperation with neighboring countries and enhance the level of its opening-up.
As the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt, Xinjiang will be deeply involved in China’s Belt and Road Initiative by further improving connectivity,” he told media on the sidelines of the first session of the 13th National People’s Congress.
Xinjiang neighbors eight countries, including Pakistan and Kazakhstan. The region will focus on the construction of the international land port in the regional capital of Urumqi and increase the operation of the China-Europe freight trains departing from Urumqi, making the services more regular and effective, he added.
Urumqi, which saw its first China-Europe freight train service in May 2016, now has three such trains daily. The trains can reach five Central Asian countries and 17 European countries.
Shohrat Zakir said, Xinjiang maintained social stability and achieved healthy economic growth last year. “Xinjiang people from all ethnic groups have a growing sense of happiness and security,” he added.
Tourism is seen as a barometer of Xinjiang’s stability and harmony, adding, the region received more than 100 million visits from tourists in 2017, an increase of 32.4 percent year-on-year, he said. “The figure shows that stability is the precondition of development and the foundation of people’s well-being.
“Maintaining social stability and long-term peace is the general goal of Xinjiang. As long as we carry out and push forward all work bearing that goal in mind, we can build a united, harmonious, prosperous and civilized Xinjiang,” he said.
Northwest China’s Xinjiang has always been the front line of China’s battle against terrorism and separatism.
Xinjiang also made great accomplishments in its economic development in the past five years. It will focus on the quality of development in the future by improving agricultural productivity, pushing forward industrial reform and expanding the service sector, he added.
“The region’s average annual GDP growth reached 9 percent in the past five years. What’s more, Xinjiang’s service industry has developed rapidly, making it the driving force of economic development, instead of solely relying on traditional industries to boost the economy,” he said.
Poverty alleviation, especially lifting people out of poverty in southern Xinjiang, is another major task.
Although 1.72 million people have been lifted out of poverty from 2014 to 2017, there are still 1.63 million people living in extreme poverty in southern Xinjiang, he said.
“We will focus on fundamentally solving the problems that restrain development in impoverished areas. The goal is to ensure all impoverished people are lifted out of poverty by 2020,” he said.
Indian strategy focusing on South Asian diplomacy likely to fail: analyst
BEIJING, Mar 13 (APP):India will focus on diplomacy with its neighbors this year, including Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal, to hold its ground and status in South Asia, a strategy that Chinese observers said is likely to fail.
India’s diplomatic engagement will focus this year on Bhutan, with its Prime Minister Narendra Modi planning to visit the small Himalayan nation wedged between India and China.
India will also step up development assistance to Bhutan this year with new projects in hydropower and infrastructure, and the completion of ongoing projects.
Modi is also planning to visit Bangladesh and Nepal in the coming months to showcase his government’s support to South Asian partners, and these visits are being planned amid China’s relentless push to make inroads into Himalayan states and attempts to implement projects in Bangladesh under China’s Belt and Road initiative.
Hu Zhiyong, a research fellow at the Institute of International Relations of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that India wants to maintain relations with its partners in South Asia, but those countries may not listen to India.
Hu said Nepal’s election with pro-China KP Sharma Oli taking office as prime minister for the second time this February was a heavy blow to India, and other South Asian countries including Sri Lanka and the Maldives have been actively participating in China’s Belt and Road initiative.
“The current geopolitical pattern in South Asia reflects India’s diplomatic failure, and India could reverse its passive situation in the region only by sincerely joining the Belt and Road initiative,” Hu said, warning that India’s partners in South Asia will diminish if it continues its pro-West policy.
PML-N to move ahead under Nawaz’s leadership: Shehbaz
ISLAMABAD, March 13 (APP):Newly elected President of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Tuesday said the party would move ahead with its mission under the leadership of Quaid Muhammad Nawaz Sharif to ensure free, fair and transparent elections.
Speaking to the leaders and workers after his election by the Central General Council of the party, he said, “Nawaz Sharif was our leader, is our leader and will remain our leader. No one can replace him.”
Shehbaz said he could not even think of taking the place of Nawaz Sharif, who was his guide and leader for the last 30 years. “I am fortunate that I have a leader like Nawaz Sharif and cannot even think of replacing him.”
He said Nawaz Sharif conducted nuclear explosions and made the country’s defence impregnable after refusing
five billion dollars from the United States, keeping in view the national interest.
The nation, he said, would always remember contribution of Nawaz Sharif, who had initiated remarkable development projects, including motorways, besides overcoming energy shortages and eradicating terrorism.
Historians would be compelled not to ignore the role Nawaz Sharif had played for the development of Pakistan, he stressed.
Nawaz Sharif, he said, was a statesman, who was respected for his efforts to bring prosperity in the country.
Shehbaz said situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa showed that people were defrauded and hoodwinked with the “bogus claims of change” by Imran Khan, who had done nothing for their welfare. The PML-N would succeed against “collusion between Zardari and Niazi,” he added.
He thanked the party leaders for reposing trust in him and said the workers were an asset as they remained loyal to the party and made sacrifices for the cause in very difficult times.
He said the PML-N was the ideological heir of Muslim League – the party of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
Problems of people could be solved by making Pakistan a true Islamic welfare state, he added.
He said utmost efforts would be made to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor.
Shehbaz reiterated that the party would continue its struggle for the continuity of democracy with holding of free, fair and transparent elections. “All hurdles in the way of political process will be removed,” he added.
Naval Chief conferred with King Abdul Aziz Medal of Excellence
ISLAMABAD, March 13 (APP):Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, who is on an official visit to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)
on the invitation of Commander Royal Saudi Naval Forces was conferred with King Abdul Aziz Medal of Excellence’ by Chief
of General Staff Royal Saudi Armed Forces in Riyadh, said a press release issued here by directorate of public relations of
Pakistan Navy.
The Naval Chief called on Chief of General Staff Royal Saudi Armed Forces, General Fayyad Al Ruwaili.
During the meeting professional matters of mutual interest and bilateral defence ties were discussed.
General Fayyad acknowledged warm and brotherly relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, based on strong
defence foundations and historical ties and highly appreciated the role and contribution of Pakistan in spearheading various
initiatives for maintaining peace and stability in the region.
The meeting was followed by a ceremony to confer “King Abdul Aziz Medal of Excellence” upon CNS, the highest military
award of Royal Saudi Armed Forces.
Later, Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi visited Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) Headquarter, Riyadh, where he
was received by Commander Royal Saudi Naval Forces. A smartly turned out contingent of RSNF presented him guard of
honour.
Thereafter, Chief of the Naval Staff called on Commander Royal Saudi Naval Forces in his office. During the meeting, he discussed matters of mutual interest including bilateral naval collaboration and security environment in Indian Ocean Region.
Commander RSNF, Vice Admiral Fahad Abdullah Al Ghofaily appreciated the professionalism of Pakistan Navy
personnel and active role being played by Pakistan Navy for maritime security and stability in the region. He acknowledged the valuable training support being provided to RSNF by Pakistan Navy and applauded the successful conduct of Exercise
Naseem-al-Bahr by the two navies in Gulf waters.
Both the dignitaries agreed to further enhance the interaction between both navies in diverse fields of training, mutual visits
and defence collaboration.
The visit is expected to greatly augment the bilateral cooperation between both the countries in general and Navies in
particular.
Musadik welcomes Sanjrani as chairman Senate
ISLAMABAD, Mar 13 (APP):Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Media Affairs, Senator Dr Musadik Malik Tuesday welcomed chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani and expressed hope that he would play a role to further strengthen democracy.
Senators who supported the candidate of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Raja Zafarul Haq, talking to a private news channel said leadership of PML-N was hopeful but not deprived on losing Senate chairmanship., he said that PML-N would get thumping majority in the upcoming general elections on basis of performance and prudent policies.
He said former Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif had not used any unparliamentary language against political opponents.
Musadik Malik said Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had not closed doors for talks with the PML-N government on various issues like Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).
He said Raza Rabbani was a competent person, who worked for promoting parliament and strengthening the democracy.