ISLAMABAD, Feb 22 (APP):Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Thursday decided to treat Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) candidates for the Senate elections as independent contenders in the wake of Supreme Court judgment regarding the party’s leadership.
In the post-judgment scenario, the commission deliberated upon four option for the smooth and timely election of the Senate and bye elections, said an ECP order.
Option ‘a’ was to postpone the forthcoming election of the Senate and bye election for PP-30 Sargodha-III and PS-7 Ghotki-III, while in option ‘b) the commission discussed that the election be held on time to the exclusion of candidates nominated by PML-N, in ‘c’ it deliberated on extension of time to the candidates affected as a result of order of the court to produce fresh party affiliation certificates, while in ‘d’ it discussed to treat the candidates affected as a result of the order as independent candidates as to hold election on time.
After having gone thorough the preceding options and not finding them feasible, the commission decided to go for option (d) to consider and treat the affected candidates as independent candidates in order to conduct the election on time and protect rights of all contesting candidates besdies providing them level playing.
ECP decides to treat PML-N Senate candidates as independent
Chinese cities on world’s richest list
BEIJING, Feb 22 (APP):China has shone in the latest list of the world’s richest cities, thanks to the rapidly accumulated personal wealth in the country.
According to the World’s Wealthiest Cities list released by the South African market consultancy New World Wealth earlier this month, a total of three Chinese cities entered the top 10 – Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, China Daily reported on Thursday.
The market research firm gauges the total amount of private wealth based on property, cash, equities and business interests. Government funds are excluded from the figures.
Beijing came fifth on the list with a total wealth of US$2.2 trillion, which was the highest ranking among all the nominated Chinese cities.
Shanghai caught up with Beijing to arrive at sixth place with a total private wealth reaching US$2 trillion.
Dislodged by Los Angeles, Hong Kong took eighth place on the list with a total wealth of US$1.3 trillion.
New York City topped the list with total wealth of US$3 trillion. The top 15 cities globally hold US$24 trillion in wealth, which is about 11 percent of the world’s total private wealth.
San Francisco, Beijing, Shanghai, Mumbai and Sydney have shown the fastest growth rates of wealth in the past decade, according to New World Wealth.
Mumbai is expected to be the city with the highest rate of growth in the next 10 years.
New World Wealth analysts singled out two Chinese cities to watch.
They stressed that Shenzhen just missed the top 15 list with a total wealth of US$ 770 billion.
Pointing out that the city is home to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange and telecommunications giant Huawei Technologies, the South African market research firm also acknowledged Shenzhen as the high-tech capital of China.
Besides, New World Wealth rated Hangzhou – the home to e-commerce behemoth Alibaba Group Holding Ltd – as the fastest growing city in China in terms of wealth growth, despite the fact that the total private wealth only came at US$425 billion this time.
Although there are indications showing that economic growth is slowing in China, the sheer scale of the economy, coupled with strong growth in the local high-tech, media, entertainment and healthcare sectors, will deliver 140 percent annual growth among ultra-wealthy populations in the upcoming few years, New World Wealth forecasts.
Musadik terms PML-N biggest political party
ISLAMABAD, Feb 22 (APP):Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Media Affairs Dr Musadik Malik Thursday said Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) was a popular and biggest political party in country.
The PML-N government had launched number of welfare projects including China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) with aimed to bring prosperity and uplift, he said talking to a private news channel.
He said judgment of the court could not affect the popularity of former Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.
Musadik Malik said the workers and supporters were disappointed on the decisions against Nawaz Sharif.
He said the PML-N had won bye-polls of Chakwal and Lodhra with thumping majority which reflected his party popularity and roots among the masses.
China congratulates Sharma Oli on taking oath as Nepalese PM
BEIJING, Feb 22 (APP):China on Thursday congratulated Nepal’s newly elected Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli and said it was ready to work with the new Nepalese government to continue pragmatic and friendly cooperation in various fields between the two countries for common development and regional stability and prosperity.
“China congratulates Mr. Oli on his assumption of the new Prime Minister of Nepal and is ready to work with the new Nepalese government to continue pragmatic and friendly cooperation in various fields between China and Nepal so as to achieve common development and contribute to regional stability and prosperity,” Spokesperson of Chinese Foreign Ministry Geng Shuang said during his regular briefing.
When asked to comment that the new prime minister hoped to deepen relations with China as well as India, he said that China, Nepal and India were each other’s important neighboring countries.
“The three parties should strengthen positive interaction and expand mutual benefits and win-win results,” he added.
The leader of Nepal’s largest Communist party was sworn on February 14, as prime minister, two months after leading his party to a thumping victory in landmark elections billed as a turning point for the Himalayan nation.
K P Sharma Oli will head the first government elected under a new national constitution that cements Nepal’s transformation from Hindu monarchy to a federal republic.
Pakistan cannot move ahead without stability, peace: Ahsan
ISLAMABAD, Feb 22 (APP):Minister for Interior Ahsan Iqbal Thursday said peace and development were linked and
Pakistan could not move ahead without political stability and continuity
of policies.
The minister was speaking at a seminar on “Disparities in Police System in Provinces and
Federal Capital” organized by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute
(SDPI) here.
The minister said the state of Pakistan had been facing an uncertain situation for the last
70 years.
He said in 2013, Newsweek declared that the most dangerous country of the world was not
Iraq but Pakistan.
In 2017, the situation changed and Pakistan was declared one of the fastest growing economies
in the world, he added.
The minister said, “better policing is needed for the implementation of development projects
and help people in positive contribution towards progress of the country.”
“Police hold the key to stability and development,” he remarked.
He said police should be citizen friendly and play a leadership role in the communities. “Police
should be source of strength for the weak.”
Ahsan Iqbal said police reforms could not be successful without taking all stakeholders on
board.
If there was uncertainty in the country, reforms could not be undertaken in any sphere of life,
he stressed.
One reason for lack of reforms in police was the differences between different
stakeholders, he noted.
He appreciated the sacrifices of personnel of armed forces, civil armed forces and
police and said the forces remained in the forefront in the battle against
terrorism.
He said a unit of anti-riot police was trained for Islamabad, adding a 500-member counter terrorism
police force was also raised.
The minister said role of individuals was important in creating effective institutions.
He said the government was in contact with foreign governments to arrange training sessions
for police.
He said a project was underway to set up 22 model police stations in Islamabad.
Ahsan said human systems were organic in nature and change did not come at once but with
sustained efforts spread over years.
He said according to experiences of developed countries, change comes gradually with
constant training and change in old habits.
“If we want to reform, we give up our old habits and adopt new habits. It has to be a
collective effort.”
Executive Director SDPI, Dr Abid Suleri, Dr Shoaib Suddle, Lt Gen(R) Moinuddin Haider,
Humaira Masiuddin and others spoke on the occasion and highlighted different
aspects of police laws and reforms undertaken in the past.
TAPI gas pipeline sets to enter Afghanistan, groundbreaking on Friday
ISLAMABAD, Feb 22 (APP):Turkmenistan has completed construction of gas pipeline in its section under TAPI project, following which a groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled to be performed at the Turkmen border city of Serhetabat on Friday to take the pipeline to Afghanistan.
The grand inaugural ceremony would be preceded by a Steering Committee meeting of the project’s participating countries – Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India (TAPI) – at Mary City in Turkmenistan.
Talking to APP, Managing Director Inter State Gas Systems (Pvt) Limited (ISGSL) Mobin Saulat, who is in Turkmenistan to attend bilateral and multilateral meetings on the TAPI project, called the event “historic and substantial positive turn in the pipeline’s history.”
Answering a question, he said the ISGSL, which is the project execution company in Pakistan, had initiated FEED (Front End Engineering Design) activities of the TAPI gas pipeline project’s Pakistan section in March, 2017.
“Since then the company has moved diligently towards TAPI gas pipeline’s practical implementation,” he said.
The TAPI gas pipeline, first envisaged in the 90’s had been lying in the back-burner for many years but saw revitalization in the present government’s tenure, which made it a key component of the government’s National Energy Policy to import gas.
The MD said the pipeline would substantially add cheap, reliable and environment friendly energy into Pakistan’s national pool and help in achieving socio economic progress in the region.
Highlighting importance of the project, Mobin Saulat said the pipeline would help increase the power generation capacity to meet the country’s future energy needs, create more job opportunities in backward areas along the pipeline route and further strengthen the national economy.
Under the project, a 56-inch diameter 1,680km pipeline, having capacity to flow 3.2 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) gas, would be laid from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan and Pakistan up to Pak-India border, which is scheduled to complete in the year 2020.
Through the pipeline, funded by Asian Development Bank, Pakistan and India would be provided 1.325 bcfd gas each and Afghanistan would be getting the share of 0.5 bcfd gas.
Meanwhile, official sources told that in Pakistan, financial close of the TAPI gas pipeline was expected to be achieved this year, following which construction work would start on this multi-billion dollars project.
“The construction work on the project will start after the completion of technical studies and achieving the financial close, which expected to be completed during this year,” they said.
They said TAPI Pipeline Company Limited (TPCL), the project executing company, had been jointly formed by the four TAPI parties, which appointed the consultant to undertake the Pre-FID activities including the detailed survey of the entire route, environment impact assessment studies and Front End Engineering Design (FEED).
The sources informed that the procurement process for lines pipe, long lead items and appointment of Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor had been started. While, the company has appointed a legal counsel for rendering legal services on the agreements to be executed by the company, they added.
Rs 200 mln allocated to CADD during 2017-18 for cancer hospital: Tariq Fazal
ISLAMABAD, Feb 22 (APP):Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry on Thursday said that Rs 200 million have been allocated to CADD in fiscal year 2017-18 for cancer hospital under different head of expenditure.
Speaking in the Senate during question hour, the minister said that PC-I with approximate cost of Rs. 5 Billion was submitted to CA&DD for onward submission to planning Division.
He said that Planning Division held a pre CDWP meeting for the discussion and deliberation on the different aspects of the said above PC-1 while the project is waiting for the approval of Central Development Working Party (CDWP).
Replying to a question, Dr Tariq said that the F.G. College of Home/Economics and Management Sciences is the only institution offering BS Home Economics Professional program in this region since 1976.
He said the study of Home Economics was initiated as a faculty in F. G. College for Women F-7/2, now known as IMCG (PG) F-7/2 adding, the college after its up-gradation will provide teaching/ learning facilities for BS, MS, & Ph. d in specialized fields of Home Economics.
He said that 85 percent work for up-gradation of Block B, C, D, E (Academic Block) has been completed while architectural design of Block G is under process, adding that 74 percent work on Block F (Administrative Block) is completed.
The completion date of the project is 2018, he added.
The minister said the project “Establishment of Islamabad Model College for Girls CIMCG), G-13/1 has been prepared while the scheme has not been approved yet.
However, the minister said that the revised PC-I of the scheme is prepared for submission to the Planning Commissions adding, an amount of Rs.50 million was allocated during Fiscal -Year 2017-18.
However, no utilization of the allocated funds has, been made yet as the administrative approval of the project is still awaited, he concluded.
Rising intolerance against minorities in India matter of concern: Raja Zafar
ISLAMABAD, Feb 22 (APP):Leader of the House in the Senate Raja Zafarul Haq Thursday said the rising intolerance and extremism against minorities in India, despite its high claims of being the largest democracy, was a matter of concern.
Addressing an international seminar on “Pluralism Vs Exclusionism, The Case of Rising Extremism in India” organized by Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) here, he said violence had escalated not only against Kashmiris but also against minorities, including Muslims, Sikhs and Dalits, since Narendra Modi was elected as prime minister of India.
Raja Zafarul Haq said the sharp rise of violence against minorities is a matter of concern.
He said Modi was also involved in the killing of Muslims in Gujrat, while he was its chief minister.
Former high commissioner of Pakistan to India Abdul Basit said Muslims had limited representation in Indian Lok Sabha. Since Modi had become the prime minister, members of extremist Rashtrya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Bajrang Dal and Shave Seena were perpetrating atrocities against minorities to force them to convert to Hindu religion, he added.
He said if Modi was re-elected as prime minister, extremism would further rise.
Other speakers said religious intolerance, which already existed in the Indian society, had now gradually taken roots in institutions as well. A significant rise in religious and caste-based extremism in recent years had polarized the country to a greater extent, with lower caste Hindus and other minorities being its major victims, they added.
They said there was a sharp rise in the incidents of cow vigilantism, lynching, molesting and stigmatizing of minorities in the name of “love-Jihad”.
Students, faculty members spend day with Army at Pannu Aqil Garrison
RAWALPINDI, Feb 22 (APP):A group of students and faculty members from different educational institutes spent a day with Army at Pannu Aqil Garrison.
The event was aimed at familiarizing students about functioning of Pakistan Army and its capabilities, said an ISPR press release Thursday.
The participants witnessed arms and equipment display, live firing and a demonstration on action by quick reaction force.
General Officer Commanding (GOC) 16 Division Major General Zafar Ullah Khan also interacted with the students.
The students thanked Pakistan Army for the awareness.
3 accommodation cases approved to children of govt employees last year
ISLAMABAD, Feb 22 (APP):Ministry of Housing and Works has approved three cases of retired employees of the constitutional bodies for allotment of government accommodations to their children.
“The allotment was made under rule 15(2) (b) of Accommodation Allocation Rules, 2002, which have been approved during the period from April to December, 2017,” an official in the ministry told APP.
He said the ministry has moved a summary to the Prime Minister for amendments in Accommodation Allocation Rules, 2002 to make the employees of constitutional bodies eligible to get government accommodation from Estate Office pool.
However, the official said the decision in the regard is still awaited.
To a question, he said 22 cases of corruption surfaced in the Estate Office, Islamabad during last three years and those involved have to face disciplinary action.
He added that some of the employees were convicted and disciplinary action was taken against them.
About the Bhara Kahu Housing Scheme Phase-I for federal government employees, he informed that the Housing Foundation issued provisional offer letters on First come first serve basis.
However, possession of plots will be handed over after completion of development work. As per main agreement M/s Green Tree (Pvt) Ltd, will carry out the development work and complete it within two years from the inception of development work.