ISLAMABAD, Feb 19 (APP):Finance Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Samir Sharifov Monday had a brief visit to Pakistan and delivered a special message from the Azeri president to the Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to seek support of Pakistan for hosting Expo 2025 and World Bank Conference 2021 by Azerbaijan, in Baku.
The prime minister assured consideration to the request for the support of hosting the above mentioned conferences.
The two sides exchanged views on possible cooperation in areas of mutual interest, especially in the energy and agricultural sectors and discussed various measures to enhance bilateral trade.
They also discussed the current situation in Indian occupied Kashmir and Nagorno-Karabakh and reiterated continued mutual support on those disputes.
Azerbaijan’s finance minister calls on PM
Pak troops to impart training to Saudi Armed forces: Senate told
ISLAMABAD, Feb 19 (APP):Minister for Defence Khurram Dastagir on Monday assured the Senate that Pakistani troops were only being sent to Saudi Arabia to impart training to Saudi Armed Forces instead of entangling in Yemeni
conflict.
In a ministerial response to a point raised by Farhatullah Babar regarding Pakistani contingent being sent to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the minister said, “the apprehension that our troops entangle in Yemen conflict is totally incorrect.”
He said, currently 1,600 personnel of Pakistan Army were on deputation in Saudi Arabia and 1000 more personnel were being sent to Saudi Arabia purely for training purpose.
The minister said the Prime Minister has approved deputation of additional Pakistani troops to Saudi Arabia for training and advisory purposes.
He said that the assistance being rendered to Saudi Arabia was a continuation of the ongoing support and within the confines of joint Parliamentary resolution of April 2015.
He said that the planned training and advisory contingent has yet not been dispatched to Saudi Arabia. He said that the contingent would have strength of over 1000 troops of all ranks and would be dispatched shortly.
“Contingent deputed in Saudi Arabia will perform its training and advisory mission while remaining within the geographical boundaries of the Kingdom,” the minister said.
He said Pakistan had also trained Saudi Armed forces personnel in various training institutions of the country. Nearly 10,000 Saudi security personnel have got training from Pakistan so far, he said.
He said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia also hold joint defence exercises regularly. Officials and dignitaries of both the countries frequently exchanged visits, he said.
He said Pakistani forces have vast counter terrorism experience and rendered supreme sacrifices in war against terrorism.
The minister said training of Saudi forces were governed by 1982 bilateral protocol regarding the deputation of Pakistan’s Armed Forces’ personnel.
He said troops were being sent to Saudi Arabia under the bilateral protocol agreement of 1982.
He said Pakistan would remain impartial in Yemen conflict and would only impart training to
Saudi armed forces.
Regarding relations with Iran, Khurram said Pakistan attached great importance to its relation with Iran adding that former PM Mian Nawaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff, Minister for Defence Production, Advisor on National Security and other senior officials visited Iran.
Aibak Polo Cup to get under way
LAHORE, Feb 19 (APP):Aibak Polo Cup 2018 will get under way from tomorrow (Tuesday) here at the Lahore Polo Club (LPC) ground.
Speaking about the tournament, Lahore Polo Club President Irfan Ali Hyder said on Monday that as many as top seven teams are featuring in the 14-goal tournament, which are divided into two pools. Pool A consists of Master Paints Black, Newage/BBJ Pipes, Rijas Aces/PAF and Barry’s while Pool B has Army, Diamond Paints/Guard Rice and Rizvi’s/Master Paints in it.
The inaugural match of the tournament will be contested between Army and Diamond Paints/Guard Rice while the main and subsidiary finals will be played on February 25 (Sunday).
Highlighting the history of the tournament, Irfan Ali Hyder
said: “The Aibak Cup is dedicated to the memory of Qutubuddin Aibak, who became the Afghan Emperor Muhammed Ghauri’s most trusted general. In early 1200’s Emperor Ghauri appointed Qutubuddin Aibak as his ‘Naib us Sultanat’ in India at the grand darbar in Lahore. Upon Ghauri’s death in 1206, the kingdom’s Central Asian territories were captured by the Mongol warlord Genghis Khan, but Aibak retained the lower kingdom and became ruler of the territories which now cover the areas of modern day Afghanistan, Pakistan & Northern India.
He spent his time between Lahore & Delhi, where he also built the Qutub Minar, now a world heritage site. Sultan Qutubuddin Aibak died in Lahore in 1210 in an accident while playing polo. He was buried in Lahore near the Anarkali bazaar, he added.
“Thrilling and exciting polo will be witnessed during the week long event which have the participation of country’s top notch polo stars,”
said LPC Chief.
President for boosting trade ties with Azerbaijan to exploit potential
ISLAMABAD, Feb 19 (APP):President Mamnoon Hussain Monday said there existed immense potential for trade and economic cooperation between Pakistan and Azerbaijan and both the countries must put in their efforts to exploit it.
In a meeting with Finance Minister of Azerbaijan Samir Sharifov, who called on him along with a delegation at Aiwan-e-Sadr, the president emphasized the need for exchange of delegations of traders and industrialists besides pondering over the launch of joint projects.
During the meeting, the Azeri minister conveyed a special message of Azeri President Ilham Aliyev to President Mamnoon Hussain.
He said two countries had similarity of views on regional and international issues and also supported each other at international forums which reflected their close and brotherly ties.
The president said Pakistan respected the internationally recognized boundaries of Azerbaijan besides supporting the country on Nagorno-Karabakh issue.
He said Pakistan also lauded the Azeri stance on Kashmir issue.
On the occasion, the Azeri minister said Azerbaijan supported Pakistan on Kashmir issue and believed that the dispute must be resolved in accordance with the UN Security Council’s resolutions.
He said Azerbaijan also desired maximum economic cooperation with Pakistan.
President confers Nishan-e-Imtiaz on Malaysian Royal Navy’s chief
ISLAMABAD, Feb 19 (APP):President Mamnoon Hussain Monday confered Nishan-e-Imtiaz (military) on chief of Malaysian Royal Navy Tan Sri Ahmad Kamarul Zaman here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.
Addressing on the occasion, the president said Pakistan had eradicated the menace of terrorism from its soil and the terrorists were carrying out their activities from across the border.
He said the country’s border with Afghanistan would be fenced to check the infiltration of terrorists.
President Mamnoon said Pakistan and Malaysia were sincere friends who stood with each other in difficult times.
He lauded the role of Malaysia to support Pakistan’s attainment of full membership of ASEAN.
The ceremony was attended by Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mehmood Abbasi and civil and military officials.
PM’s youth programme reflective of PML-N govt priorities
ISLAMABAD, Feb 19 (APP):Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Monday said the PM’s youth programme was reflective of priorities of PML-N government aimed at increasing their contributions towards overall socio-economic development of the country.
During a briefing given by Chairperson of Prime Minister (PM)’s Youth Programme Leila Khan here at the PM Office, he expressed satisfaction on overall progress of various components of the programme initiated in 2013 and said it would help the youth become productive asset of the society.
The chairperson briefed him on the achievements of various schemes. She termed it a successful initiative of the PML-N government for the socio-economic development of youth, as overall beneficiaries under its six schemes had crossed 1.1 million.
Leila Khan said under PM’s Youth Business Loan Scheme, so far 22,000 loans worth Rs22 billion had been disbursed among educated and skilled youth, for the promotion of entrepreneurship culture in the country.
Those young entrepreneurs were not only running their own businesses successfully but also providing employment to number of others, she said and added the 91% recovery rate of the scheme was the highest in SME sector financing and spoke of its success.
She said under the PM’s Interest Free Loan Scheme, so far more than 400,000 interest free loans worth Rs9.5 billion had been disbursed among poorest of the poor across the country.
She said 64% of the loans beneficiaries were female, while the overall recovery rate of the scheme was 99%. More than 64,000 BISP beneficiaries had also started their own business by taking interest free loans under the scheme.
Under PM’s Youth Skill Development Program, 100,000 unemployed youth had been trained in around 100 demand-driven vocational trades across the country, whereas 100,000 more youth would complete training by the end of 2018. Under PM’s Fee Re-Imbursement Scheme, fee of more than 227,000 university students from less developed areas had been paid so far, resulting in increase in university enrollment, she added.
She said under PM’s Youth Laptop Scheme, 300,000 laptops had been distributed among talented university students across the country, whereas 200,000 more “Made in Pakistan” laptops would be distributed by the end of 2018.
Under PM’s Youth Training Scheme, above 95,000 interns had so far been placed in more than 4,900 public and private sector organizations across the country, she maintained.
Indian brutality takes eight-year-old boy’s life
RAWALPINDI, Feb 19 (APP):Indian brutality took life of an eight-year-old boy Ayan of Jajot village along Line of Control on Monday, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
“Use of pellet guns in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) and blatant targeting of innocent unarmed civilians across LOC exposes true Indian face,” Director General of ISPR, Major General Asif Ghafoor in a tweet said.
PMLN meeting discuss political situation, Senate election
ISLAMABAD, Feb 19 (APP):President Pakistan Muslim League(N) Muhammad Nawaz Sharif chaired a meeting of party leaders from Balochistan here on Monday and discussed the prevailing political situation and the upcoming Senate elections.
According to party sources, Abdul Qadir Baloch, Sanaullah Zehri, Yaqoob Nasir, Saad Rafiq and others were present in the meeting.The leaders discussed the future political strategy and reorganization of the party.
Govt fully cognizant to safeguard rights of its people: HR Minister
ISLAMABAD, Feb 19 (APP):Minister for Human Rights Mumtaz Ahmed Tarar on Monday said the government of Pakistan was fully cognizant to safeguard the rights of its people and had taken significant steps for social, political, economic and legal empowerment of women, children, minorities and persons with disabilities.
“Constitution of Pakistan obligates the state to guarantee fundamental human rights to all its citizens without any discrimination,” he said while addressing the inaugural session of first International Human Rights Conference held here at a local hotel.
The Minister mentioned that several provisions in the preamble [of Constitution], the chapter on Fundamental Rights and the chapter on Principles of Policy underlined principles of equal rights and equal treatment for all citizens without any discrimination on the basis of sex, cast, creed, color and religion.
The inaugural session of conference organized by the Ministry of Human Rights was also addressed by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Law, Barrister Zafarullah Khan, experts and representatives of various international organizations and institutions including the UN.
The Minister said Pakistan had ratified all significant International Human Rights Conventions including the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, Convention on the Rights of Child Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Pakistan had positively responded to all the regional and international commitments with full conviction, dedication and zeal, he added.
Mumtaz Tarar said during the tenure of present democratic government, Pakistan had presented five reports on ratified Human Rights Conventions along with 3rd Universal Periodic Review Report before concerned UN treaty Bodies.
Efforts were underway for implementation of these International Commitments at the grass roots level with coordination of relevant federal, provincial departments and UN agencies, he added.
The Minister said in view of the post 18th Constitutional Amendment scenario, Treaty Implementation Cells have been established by the Ministry of Human Rights at federal and provincial level for implementation of Ratified International Human Rights Conventions at the grass root level with coordination of relevant departments.
He said capacity building need of federal and provincial governments was being fulfilled through Capacity Building Module which had been prepared by the Ministry to build the capacity of the Government officials about UN system, International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law.
The Minister said Human Rights Conventions have been translated in national language and shared with all relevant stakeholders for better understanding.
NA speaker set up body for properly legislation to curb child abuses incidents: Senate told
ISLAMABAD, Feb 19 (APP):State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhary Monday apprised the Senate that the speaker of National Assembly had set up a committee to give recommendations for proper legislation to curb incident of child abuses including abduction, rape and murder in the country.
Winding up discussion on the motion regarding increase in cases of child abduction, rapes and murder moved by Sehar Kamran, the minister said issue like Zainab murder should not be politicized rather to support each other to curb such heinous incidents across the country.
Lack of awareness from education, religion and non-implementation of laws were some causes of those incidents, he said and added there was dire need to create awareness among people about such evils.
He said The Parliament and media could play an important role in this regard.
He said there was only a Forensic Lab in Lahore and the culprit of Asma murder case was also arrested through the help of that lab.
Earlier, Saher Kamran, Tahir Hussain Mushhadi, Sirajul Haq, Tanveerul Haq Thanvi, Usman Kakar, Kalsoom Parveen and Hafiz
Hamdullah called for taking concrete steps to ensure children safety and eradicate such nasty kind of incidents.