PESHAWAR, Feb 14 (APP):Two special athletes on wheel chairs national archer Shanaz and table tennis player Zainab unveiled grand logo and trophy of the Under-23 Games carrying a slogan of “Ha Koshes Hamari ke
Parr Lik Ly Har Kalarri” (mean to educate every sportsperson) here at Nishar Hall on Wednesday.
Along with the logo and trophy unveiling ceremony of the 3rd edition of the Under-23 Games-2018, sports scholarship for education were also distributed of worth Rs. 20 million among 286 plus male and female players who won medals in the first and second edition of the Under-23 Games held in 2015-2016 and 2016-17.
Sports Minister KP Mehmood Khan, District Nazim Peshawar Muhammad Asim Khan, Commissioner Pesahwar Shahab Ali Ali, Secretary Sports Muhammad Tariq Khan, Deputy Commissioner Peshawar Islam Zeb, Director General Sports Junaid Khan, Director Sports (Female Games) Rashida Ghaznavi, Chairman Sports and Culture Committee Mian Khan Afridi, Member Waseem Akram, Coordinator Sajid
Khan Afridi, Test criketer Muhammad Nadeem, known social worker Dr. Siddique Patni, District Sports Officers Jamshed Baloch (Peshawar), Zakir Ullah (Nowhera), Tehsin Ullah (Charsadda), AD Youth Aziz Ullah Khan, former Pakistan team skipper Abdur Rahim Khan, international athlete Muhammad Shah, international handball player Sami Ullah Marwat, national and international players and large
number of spectators were also present.
Nazim Peshawar on this occasion urged upon the youth to take active part in sports along with their education which will help create a healthy nation.
He said steps have been taken in KP for involving youth in sports.
The first and second editions of the U-23 Games were held successfully in 2015-16 and 2016-2017 wherein 8000 male and female athletes each of the edition took part in 20 male and 15 female games and this time a record 11500 athletes in 26 male and 17 female disciplines, to be organized first at KP Inter-District level while in second phase, players from seven regions would be part of the games.
Asim Khan said the govt has also handed over 102 grounds to Director General Sports to utilize them during Under-23 Games in across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at Union Council, Tehsil and District levels.
He said the govt is very keen to hold all big sports events for this year on the newly established
grounds.
In his address Director General Sports Junaid Khan highlighted various steps being taken to ensure better facilities for the players.
Games for men will include cricket, football, volleyball, hockey, squash, badminton, table tennis, boxing, athletics, gymnastic, judo, karate and taekwondo, kabaddi, wrestling, tug of war, tennis, full body contact, handball, cycling, snooker, swimming, archery, wushu, muaythai, and weightlifting while women would compete in cricket, netball, hockey, basketball, squash, badminton, table tennis, athletic, judo, wushu, tennis, rounder, wushu and taekwondo.
Earlier, education scholarship cheques were distributed among eight top players comprising Fahad Khawjah (Tennis), Laiba Ijaz (Squash), Sana Bahadar (Squash), Noreena Shamus (Squash), Shah Hussain (Tennis), Hamza Gul (Tennis), Maaz Akhtar (Swimming), Nimra Aqeel (Squash).
The ceremony was also enthralled by the top singers with their famous numbers comprising Hamayun Khan, Parwa, Laila Khan and Akbar Ali, followed by Fakre Peshawar Awards given to Miss Rashida Ghaznavi, Sajid Javed Afridi (CEO YLF), Rameez Ali (CEO Ample The Consultant), Irshad Khan, Miss Haya Naz, Waseem Akram, Asim Khan and Jehanzeb Siddique.
Two special athletes unveil logo, trophy of U-23 Games
Pakistan’s skilled youth to be employed in CPEC projects: Chinese envoy
ISLAMABAD, Feb 14 (APP):Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing Wednesday said Chinese companies engaged in China Pakistan
Economic Corridor (CPEC) project would keep a constant liaison with NAVTTC so that thousands of trained youth
could be employed in various projects.
He expressed these views during a meeting with Executive Director National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) Zulfiqar Ahmad Cheema here, said a press release.
The meeting continued for more than an hour in which technical education and training issues and production of skilled workforce were discussed in detail.
The Executive Director NAVTTC informed the Chinese ambassador about the recent reforms and activities in
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector.
He said the CPEC would create thousands of jobs for the skilled youth of Pakistan and open new vistas of prosperity
and development.
He added the CPEC plan was a living proof of friendship between Pakistan and China and the entire region would benefit
from it.
“Keeping in mind the needs of CPEC, we are training more and more youth in the fields of construction
and hospitality,” he said.
Cheema said with the help of China, the NAVTTC would set-up world-class technical and vocational institutions along
the CPEC route and in every industrial zone which would help meet the needs of skilled workforce for mega projects.
The Chinese ambassador appreciated the steps taken under the present leadership of NAVTTC.
He said that China would help establish world class technical institution in Islamabad where thousands of skilled people
would be trained so that they could meet the needs of local and global markets.
He said China would help transform NTB into a state of the art technical institution on the lines
of Tianjin University.
He also said that china would soon initiate Special Bilateral Training Programs for the trainers of Pakistan which
would enable hundreds of Pakistani workers to get training of modern machinery and equipment each year.
Zulfiqar Ahmed Cheema thanked the Chinese Ambassador on the cooperation of China and presented
him a memento.
66 civilians martyred, 228 injured in ceasefire violation by Indian troops in 5 yeares
ISLAMABAD, Feb 14 (APP):A total of 66 civilians embraced Shahadat and 228 sustained injuries in last five
years due to Cease Fire Violations (CFVs) committed by Indian forces since Jan 1, 2013 to date, Minister for Defence Eng Khurram Dastgir Khan told National Assembly.
Answering the question of Ms Shamas UN Nisa during Question Hour in the National Assembly, he said as many
as 1,394 ceasefire violations along Line of Control have been committed by Indian Army since Jan 1, 2017 to date.
He said Indian Army is deliberately targeting civilians along Line of Control (LoC). Pakistan Army is responding in a befitting manner and is taking all necessary safeguards to protect the life and property of the citizens.
CM announces to donate his salary to Saylani Trust
QUETTA, Feb 14 (APP):Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo Wednesday announced to donate his monthly salary to the Saylani Welfare Trust.
He announced this while addressing the inauguration ceremony of Welfare Services of the Saylani International Trust Social at Bolan Medical Complex here Wednesday.
The CM lauded the establishment of Saylani International Trust in Balochistan and said
welfare services rendered by the Trust would help poor citizens.
On the occasion, provincial ministers Mir Sarfaraz Khan Bugti, Mir Abdul Majid Abro, Member
Provincial Assembly Mufti Gulab Khan, CM Advisor for Social Welfare Shahzad Saleh Bhotani, Chief Advisor to CM Balochistan Aurangzeb Haq, Provincial Secretary Health Javed Anwar Shahwani, Founder of Saylani Trust Bashir Ahmed Qadri, President Saylani Trust Yousuf Lakhani, the officials of the health department and the members of civil society were present.
Commander Rawalpindi Corps visits forward troops at Neelum Valley
RAWALPINDI, Feb 14 (APP):Commander Rawalpindi Corps, Lieutenant General Nadeem Raza Wednesday visited forward troops at Neelum Valley and appreciated operational preparedness and high morale of troops.
He directed troops to give befitting response to Indian cease fire violations, which was unethically targeting innocent civilians, a statement issued here by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
NA Speaker condoles with Asma Jahangir’s heirs
LAHORE, Feb 14 (APP):National Assembly’s Speaker Sardar Ayaz
Sadiq here Wednesday visited the residence of famous lawyer and
former President of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) late Asma Jahangir.
Talking to the bereaved family members, the Speaker expressed
his profound grief over the sad demise of the iconic personality
of the human rights and lawyers community. He prayed to Allah Almighty
to rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant courage to the bereaved
family to bear this irraperable loss with patience.
Sardar Ayaz Sadiq also paid tributes to her services for maintaining
rule of law and supremacy of the constitution in the country.
Late Asma Jehangir throughout her life had strived for the
protection of human rights specially the women right as well as
other vulnerable communities, besides playing crucial role in the
movement for independent judiciary.
PML-N to win next general election with majority: Talal
ISLAMABAD, Feb 14 (APP):Minister of State for Interior, Talal Chaudhry said Wednesday that former prime minister, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif was the most popular political leader in the country and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would win the general election 2018 with majority.
Talking to a private news channel, he said people had unbreakable association with their beloved leader and the PML-N’s victory in the Lodhran bye-election was proof of that.
Nawaz Sharif would remain the central point of the country’s politics in future, he added.
Talal said the PML-N leadership had always adopted a legal way and worked for strengthening the national institutions. Nawaz Sharif and his family members presented themselves before the courts for the supremacy of law, he added.
The minister said the PML-N would bring reforms in the judicial system after winning the next general election and run the country as per the desires of the people.
He said the parliament was the supreme institution of the country, which had the powers to legislate and amend the existing laws.
No Load shedding being conducted in country except power theft areas, NA told
ISLAMABAD, Feb 14 (APP):No load shedding is being conducted in the
country as present power generation capacity is sufficient to cater
present electricity demand, said State Minister for Water and Power
Chaudhry Abid Sher Ali told National Assembly on Wednesday.
Responding to a question of Tahira Aurangzeb in the National Assembly during
Question Hour, he said load management is being carried out nowadays
only in high loss feeders.
Due to theft on high loss feeders load management is
being observed as per schedule to save national exchequer. Two hours
load management is being observed in the areas having 10 to 30 percent
AT&C (Aggregate Technical and Commercial) losses.
He said four hours load management is being observed in the areas having upto 30 to 40 percent
AT&C losses. Likewise six hours load management is being observed in
the areas having 40 to 60 percent AT&C losses. Eight hours load
management is being observed in the feeders having 60 to 80 percent
AT&C losses. And 12 hours load management is being observed in the
feeders enduring 80 percent and above AT&C losses.
He said electricity theft have been reduced by 1.8 percent in the last
4.5 years. Provincial governments did not cooperate with relevant
Power Distribution Companies (DISCOs). Many areas of Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa have become virtually no go areas for officials of
relevant DISCO.
Five cases of corruption in ETPB registered by NAB, NA told
ISLAMABAD, Feb 14 (APP):The National Accountability Bureau has registered five cases of corruption in Evacuee
Trust Property Board (ETPB) during the last five years, Minister for Law and Justice Chaudhry Mahmood Bashir Virk Wednesday informed the National Assembly.
Responding to the question of Ms Shamas un Nisa in National Assembly
during Question Hour, the minister said the investigations were underway against former chairman Syed Asif Hashmi and others, regarding illegal recruitment/regularization/promotions in ETPB.
In the first case the former chairman is accused of illegally
recruiting/promoting/ appointing and regularizing employees in ETPB in
violation of rules and regulations.
In the second case, the minister said NAB was investigating the same accused Syed Asif Hashmi for illegal appointments in Pakistan Model Education Institution Foundation (PMEIF) under ETPB.
He added that the accused was also being interrogated in third case against him for making investments of Rs 1394.083 million
illegally, unlawfully and in violation of rules.
The fourth case against Asif Hashmi relates to allotment of a large
number of plots illegally to the employees of ETPB. NAB was
investigating officials for disposal of ETPB
properties at throw away prices by misusing authority and getting
illegal pecuniary advantages.
Giving details of current status of the NAB cases against ETPB, the
minister informed National Assembly that ACR No 89/2017 was filed
in Accountability Court on October 28 against Syed Asif Hashmi and
others for causing losses of Rs 774,730,403 to the National Exchequer
due to illegal recruitment/ regularization/promotions in ETPB.
He said the cases against former ETPB chief and others were at
different stages in Accountability Courts.
1st phase of Joint Maritime Special Operation Forces’ exercise concludes in Karachi
KARACHI, Feb 14 (APP):The first phase of Joint Special Operation Forces Maritime exercise “AFF’AA – Al Sahil” participated by Pakistan Navy (PN-SOF) and Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF-SOF) concluded here Wednesday.
A PN spokesman sharing details of the exercise said series of
land and harbour exercises were scheduled during the first phase
whereas Maritime Special Operations were rehearsed prior exercises at sea in second phase.
The exercise AFF’AA-Al Sahil was said to be aimed at enhancing
inter-operability and sharpening the tactical proficiency in
countering Maritime Human trafficking, Piracy and Terrorism.
“The exercise will help in developing synergy in operations
against asymmetric and conventional threats,” said the official.
Exercise AFF’AA – Al Sahil is a bilateral exercise being jointly
conducted by the two countries since 2011.
Culmination of First phase will led to Sea Phase during which sea
based Maritime Special Operations will be conducted.
Along with Exercise AFF’AA – Al Sahil at Karachi, Exercise Dera
Al Sahil jointly participated by Pak Marines and RSNF Marines was said
to be also under progress at Saudi Arabia.
The second of the exercise is aimed to enhance professional
skills and practices especially in the field of Coastal Defence like
demonstration for Military Operations & Urban Terrain (MOUT), said the
PN official.
He mentioned that Joint Beach Landing through Landing Craft
Utility (LCU) and training of snipers through camouflage and
concealment techniques are also essential components of Exercise
Dera – Al Sahil.