RAWALPINDI, Feb 11 (APP):Frontier Corps (FC) Balochistan Sunday conducted intelligence based operations (IBOs) in various areas and apprehended 20 suspected terrorists.
The IBOs were conducted in Buleda, Gish Kaur, Tratha and Pishin areas of Balochistan, said a statement issued here by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
Cache of arms and ammunition including RPG rockets, submachine guns and sniper rifle ammunition, laptops, Global Positioning System (GPS) and communication equipment were also recovered.
The IBOs were carried out as part of the ongoing Operation Radd ul Fasaad.
FC Balochistan arrests 20 suspected terrorists
Pakistani IT industry wins recognition at international forums
ISLAMABAD, Feb 11 (APP):Pakistani IT Industry has repeatedly won international awards and recognition at international forums and become world’s largest and most reputable entities among its regular clients.
Pakistan has won GSMA Awards, Spectrum for Mobile Broadband(2015) and Government Leadership Award (2017).
Minister of State for IT, Anusha Rehman won the United Nations’ International Telecommunication Union’s Gender Equality and Mainstreaming (GEM-TECH) Award in December, 2015.
Ministry of Information Technology (MoIT) has also secured a seat in the Governing Council of Asia Pacific Centre for Information and Communication Technology for Development under the UNESCAP.
Managing director Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) Iftikhar Shah said, at yearly APICTA Awards, Pakistani IT companies had consistently won top awards and several Pakistani IT companies were ranked among the fastest growing companies in the country.
The presence of international IT companies in Pakistan, as IBM, Intel, Huawei is a vote of confidence in Pakistan’s potential as an IT destination.
He said,PSEB had launched several programs to bolster the local IT Industry including IT company capability development through international certifications such as CMMi (28 companies), 9001 (110 companies), ISO27001 and ISO20000 (24 companies).
These coveted certifications made it easier for IT companies to solicit business from overseas entities, he added.
Pakistan is ranked as the 4th most popular country for freelancing in the Online Labor Index published in 2017 by Oxford Internet Institute (OII) and is consistently ranked among the top destinations for ICT outsourcing as a result of strong government efforts and stellar commitment to the growth of the IT sector in Pakistan.
There are already plenty of Pakistani IT companies working in international arena mainly named as ‘Mindstorm Studios’, ‘GameView Studios’, ’Pepper PK’ and ‘TkXeL’ etc.
From these companies, ‘TkXel’ has created mobile applications and gaming companies from a university lab in Lahore while Pepper PK made history by developing paid BlackBerry applications which reached top rankings on BlackBerry’s App World store.
Tintashhas designed many innovative casual games for iPhone, iPad, and Android platforms. Games are not the only avenue on the mobile platform that Pakistani companies are focusing on, bit a number of companies have looked at broader educational and infotainment markets.
Folio3 judged as one of the Harvard Business School’s All-World Fast Growth 500 companies in 2010 has interesting products in its portfolio.
Folio3 has been instrumental in creating an online educational platform for SecretBuilders, a company that boasts a virtual world for children 5 to 14 years old powered by a Web 2.0 community of children, parents, educators, writers, artists and game developers.
Pakistan has produced some great gaming studios. The title animation sequence of Game of Thrones, the world’s most-watched TV series these days, has been produced by Hameed Shaukat, a US-born Pakistani.
Cricket Companion application which received worldwide recognition was also developed by TricastMedia, a Pakistani startup.
Pakistani Visual Effects Artist, Mir Zafar Ali has received three Oscar awards for his work in The Golden Compass, Life of Pi and Frozen.
Novaira Masood, a Pakistani animator, effects in some of the most popular Hollywood movies including Maleficient, A Christmas Carol, Thor, Transformers 3 and Jack the Giant Slayer.
Like Novaira Masood, Laraib Atta is another emerging visual artist from Pakistan who has worked on visual effects for popular Hollywood flicks such as X-men, Godzilla, and Gravity to name a few.
Dismantle barriers against Women, girls in science: UN
UNITED NATIONS, Feb 10 (APP):The United Nations has called for helping women and girls reach their potential in science by dismantling barriers militating against them.
The call was made by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a message to mark the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, observed annually on Feb. 11.
He said it was time to support and invest in women and girls who want to pursue careers in scientific research. Although both girls and boys have the potential to pursue their ambitions in science and mathematics, in school and at work, systematic discrimination means that women occupy less than 30 per cent of research and development jobs worldwide.
“We need to encourage and support girls and women achieve their full potential as scientific researchers and innovators. Women and girls need this, and the world needs this, if we are to achieve our ambitions for sustainable development on a healthy planet,” he stated.
The UN chief called for “concerted, concrete efforts” to overcome stereotypes and biases, such as media representations of scientists and innovators as being mainly men.
His concerns are being echoed by two other top UN officials.
In a joint statement on the Day, the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Audrey Azoulay, and the Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, stressed that such imagery makes it difficult for girls to believe they can be scientists, explorers or inventors, for example.
They said the future will be marked by scientific and technological progress which “will be the greatest when it draws on the full talent, creativity and ideas of women and girls in science.”
They added that the rapidly growing science and technology sectors are “vital” to national economies.
However, UNESCO data shows only around 30 per cent of all female students in higher education select the so-called STEM subjects science, technology, engineering or mathematics. One of the main tools for tackling gender inequality in the sciences is dismantling the barriers to girls and women, at home, in the classroom and in the workplace. This requires a change in attitudes and the challenging of stereotypes, they said.
“We need to tackle biased perceptions amongst teachers, employers, peers and parents of the suitability of girls and young women to learn science or learn at all to pursue scientific careers or to lead and manage in academic spheres,” the UN officials stressed.
They went on to stress that: “Tackling some of the greatest challenges of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development from improving health to combating climate change will rely on harnessing all talent.”
“That means we need to achieve a significant increase in the number of women entering and remaining in STEM careers.”
In December 2015, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution that established the annual International Day to recognize the critical role women and girls play in science and technology communities.
Famous singers enthral audience
LAHORE, Feb 10 (APP):6 Famous singers- Humaira Channa,
Javed Bashir, Mehmal Sohail, Bushra Marvi and other singers
enthralled audience with their melodious voice on the second day of mystic sufi festival at Alhamra Cultural Complex here on Saturday.
The programme is being organized under the auspices of Rafi Pir Theatre.
Nigat Chaudhry performed as a dancer as the bowl shaped cultural complex was full of audience. An overwhelming majority of audience belonged to all walks of life participated in the festival.
Rafi Pir Theatre management has made tight security arrangements around the cultural complex.
LCCI, Pak embassy to set up buying house in Malaysia
LAHORE, Feb 10 (APP):Pakistani embassy in Malaysia, in
collaboration with the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry
(LCCI), will establish a buying house and display centre for
Pakistani products in Kualalumpur to show customers the best
quality of Pakistani products.
The decision was made at a meeting between Pakistani High
Commissioner in Malaysia Nafees Zikaria and LCCI President
Malik Tahir Javaid in embassy of Pakistan, Kualalumpur.
Members of the LCCI delegation Shahid Nazir, Awais Saeed
Piracha, Muhammad Wasim, Haseeb Khawar, Shabbir Bhatti, Malik
Muhammad Islam, Muhammad Farooq, Mian Faisal Majeed and
Muhammad Arshad Bhatti were also present in the meeting,
according to LCCI spokesman here Saturday.
Pakistani High Commissioner in Malaysia Nafees Zikaria said
that Pakistani embassy would take all possible measures to
introduce Pakistani products to Malaysians. He urged the
LCCI members to avail the opportunity and grab the attention
of foreign buyers through the display centre to be set up by
the embassy of Pakistan in Kualalumpur and the LCCI.
He also lauded the untiring and sincere efforts of LCCI
President Malik Tahir Javaid and other members of the
delegation for external trade of the country.
LCCI President Malik Tahir Javaid said that display centre
for Pakistani products in Kualalumpur will be beneficial for both
country and the business community. He said that boost in
export is a must to bring precious foreign exchange in the
country. He said that in present global scenario, marketing is
the most effective tool to increase the businesses whether
these are large or small.
He said that lack of proper marketing is also one of the
major reasons of limited Pakistani exports, but the Lahore
Chamber of Commerce & Industry is striving to remove the
obstacle.
Malik Tahir Javaid urged the businessmen to contact
the LCCI to avail the opportunity of display centre for
Pakistani products in Kualalumpur.
Lahore Chamber President also urged the Pakistani
entrepreneurs to concentrate on branding because consumers
always prefer branded products. He said that branding
transforms an ordinary product into special one and also
removes all the ambiguities from the minds of the buyers thus
a huge amount of foreign exchange can be earned by focusing on
branding as Pakistani products are best of the best in the
world.
Malik Tahir Javaid thanked Pakistani High Commissioner in
Malaysia Nafees Zikaria for accepting the LCCI idea of display
center.
PM calls for ‘jihad’ against horse trading ahead of Senate polls
ISAKHEL, Feb 10 (APP):Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Saturday called for ‘jihad’ against political horse-trading and categorically declared to resist and shame those who would get Senate membership using their fortune.
“Senate election is due after a month. I question as how a party or individual with no MPA in a provincial assembly, can become Senator. There is only one method of plundering and venality which we have to reject. This can never be in country’s interest. We have to launch jihad against it,” the prime minister said addressing a public gathering after launching work on gas supply project to Isakhel Tehsil and surrounding areas.
The prime minister who earlier launched the project by unveiling the plaque and welding a gas pipeline, was accompanied by parliamentarians from the area including Obaidullah Shahdi Khel and Mumtaz Tamman, provincial minister Raja Ashfaq Sarwar, and party leaders including Hanif Abbasi, Anjum Aqeel and Siddiqul Farooq.
The prime minister said that they would personally resist and shame those who would get Senate membership by buying the votes.
“(We) will shame them. (We) will present them before the public court” he said believing that the one winning Senate membership by using the riches could neither represent the people nor could serve the Senate.
Therefore, the people have to face such politics through its reaction which could be improved only though public pressure, the prime minister said and also sought public endorsement asking the gathering to raise their hands in support, he said adding that those involved in horse trading would be exposed and the PML-N would face them.
The project would cost Rs 2.30 billion involving government’s direct funding of Rs 1.2 billion and Rs 1.06 billion indirect funding.
It would benefit the population of 180,000 people and comprise transmission line of 58 kilometers stretch and distribution network of around 406 kilometers.
The prime minister, who wore a traditional white turban of Mianwali, said it was the biggest ever gas project of Punjab province and vowed to expand the facility across the whole NA-71 constituency.
He said as the PML-N government inherited the ban on new gas connections owing to gas shortage but now all the consumers were getting uninterrupted gas supply and long queues at CNG stations had also ended.
The prime minister said the people were getting fruit of voting the PML-N into government in forms of vast network of motorways, numerous power and gas projects.
He said the motorway from Hassan Abdal to Dera Ismail Khan was about to complete that would change the fate of locals by begetting employment opportunities.
“This is the gift of the Nawaz Sharif and PML-N. This is fruit of your 2013 elections decision,” he remarked.
Prime Minister Abbasi claimed that the PML-N had carried out the development projects even more than last 65 years. Even the odds like sit-ins and conspiracies could not hamper the course of development, he added.
He was confident that the PML-N would again win 2018 elections to serve the masses for another five years.
He reiterated that the journey of development and democracy would go hand in hand but the it were the people who had to decide either to vote those who delivered or those who merely made hollow claims.
He also spoke high of the performance of Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif and drew a comparison with that of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government.
The prime minister assured the workers of Agritech Fertilizer that the plant would get gas supply by next month to end their difficulties.
He said the federal government had unprecedentedly allocated 100 mmcfd gas to KP for a power plant but the provincial government could not accomplish the task. Even, the provincial government did not adhere to the federal government’s suggestion of diverting only 28mmcfd gas to Agritech plant till their plant becomes operational.
However, he assured that the Agritech plant would get gas supply as the government could not play with the fate of poor labourers.
He said earlier, Pakistan was importing one million tons of fertilizer but during this tenure, the country had exported 0.6 million tons of the commodity.
As requested by the local MNA Obaidullah Shadi Khel and other parliamentarians, the prime minister agreed that the interchanges to link Basal and Kallur Kot would be included in the next PSDP.
He also announced the establishment of a medical college in the area besides assuring the implementation of policy of gas supply within the five kilometers radius of gas producing area.
The prime minister said the industrial zone being set up by Punjab government would uplift the area and assured the employees of water schemes to take up the issue of their delayed salaries to Punjab chief minister.
In his address, Provincial Minister Amanatullah Shadi Khel said the PML-N government had completed mega projects for the economic uplift of all the areas without discrimination. The people of the area would vote for the party in the next elections, he hoped.
Other local parliamentarians also addressed the gathering and put forth the public demands for setting up a medical college, gas supply to Agritech plant and resolution of irrigation issues.
PCB unveils trophy of triangular women cricket tournament
MULTAN, Feb 10 (APP)::The trophy of Pakistan Cricket Board Triangular One-Day Women Cricket Tournament, commencing from February 11, was unveiled here at the Multan Cricket Stadium Saturday.
Three teams including PCB Blaster, PCB Challengers and PCB Dynamites will participate in the mega event.
According to officials, total seven matches would be played among the team consisiting of national level women cricketers. The final match of the tournament would be played on February 20.
PCB Blaster Captain Naheed Khan, while talking to the media persons after the trophy unveiling ceremony, said the tournament would offer a good opportunity to emerging players to nurture their capabilities. Sidra Ameen, captain of PCB Challenger
and Javairia Khan of PCB Dynamites said the stadium, pitch and weather conditions were suitable.
The national women cricket team would also be selected on the basis of the players’ performance in the tournament.
Shehbaz Sharif distributes cheques under CM Self-Employment Scheme
LAHORE, Feb 10 (APP):Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz
Sharif has said that the CM Self Employment Scheme of the
Punjab government is a revolutionary programme that is proving
helpful in bridging the gap between poverty, unemployment,
and the rich and the poor.
According to a DGPR handout issued here on Saturday, he
expressed these views at a ceremony held at Badshahi Masjid in
connection with the CM Self-Employment Scheme.
He said under this scheme, interest-free loans worth
Rs 40 billion had been distributed in 18 lakh needy families
in six years and 2.25 cror people had been benefited from the
loans. He added that the return of loans was 99.9 per cent and
today more than 60 crore rupees would be distributed
in 25,000 families.
He said 1.8 million families in the Punjab had been given
interest-free loans under the scheme due to which they were
able to earn a respectful leaving. He added, on the one hand,
there were great Pakistanis who had repaid the loans while, on
the other hand, there were very rich persons who had got written
off loans worth billions of rupees through approaches and
bribes despite having Mercedes cars, factories and lucrative
posts.
The CM said he saluted these great Pakistanis who had returned
loans and used them with honesty and sincerity.
He said in this ceremony being held in this mosque we all pray
that Allah Almighty give strength to governments, rulers,
politicians and the rich that they take step ahead and hold
hands of the poor.
He said the idea of this great programme came to my mind
when I had met Dr Amjad Saqib during my exile and at that time
Dictator Musharraf was ruling the country. He said I had prayed
that the PML-N will work on this unique and innovative idea if
it came to power so that millions of people can become
self-employed. He said this idea came into my mind in 2005 and
today is 2018, and I am satisfied and happy that Allah Almighty gave strength and
enabled me to give practical shape to this program.
The chief minister said under this programme these great
Pakistanis can get interest-free loans up to 50,000 rupees and
this program is running across the Punjab simultaneously.
He said the Punjab Educational Endowment Fund was also such
a historical measure through which resource-less students are getting higher education
and by the next two months the number of beneficiaries from this fund will increase to
three and a half lakh. He said under this programme thousands of girls and boys from poor
families have completed their education and now serving the nation after becoming
engineers, doctors, teachers and economies. He said talented students from
Balochistan, Azad Kashmir, KPK and Sindh have also been included in this programme. He said
this is that revolutionary programme which is transforming Pakistan into a welfare state dreamt
by Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal.
The chief minister said if Allah Almighty gave us chance again to serve the country, the program will be started in all federating units of Pakistan so that Pakistanis get respectable employments and become self-reliant and we will bury begging once and a for all. He said we have given Azad Kashmir an amount of Rs 1.5 billion from our funds this year so that welfare projects move forward there.
Provincial ministers Rana Sanaullah Khan, Malik Nadeem Kamran, Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, Akhuwat Chief Dr Amjad Saqin and other people were also present.
First National youth summit from Feb 12, Punjab Sports Minister
LAHORE, Feb 10 (APP):Punjab Minister for Sports, Jahangir
Khanzada said Punjab govt is taking every possible measure to
empower youth of the province and the holding of First National
Youth Summit Pakistan (NYSP) from February 12 is the right step
towards achieving this goal.
He said this while addressing a press conference at National
Hockey Stadium here on Saturday.
Executive Director CSRP Naseem Khan Achakzai and Abuzar Ghaffari Director Opertaion University of Lahore were also present in the largely-attended press conference.
The First two days National Youth Summit Pakistan (NYSP)
will be held under the auspices of University of Lahore (UoL)
and Provincial Ministry of Youth and Sports at University of
Lahore.
Punjab Minister for Sports Jahangir Khanzada said talented
youth are the true future leaders of our country. “We are proud
of our youth. First National Youth Summit Pakistan will be a
useful activity for the youth from across the country. The
young male and female students from interior parts of the country,
Sindh, FATA and Kashmir will participate in this grand event”,
he elaborated.
“The main purpose of First National Youth Summit Pakistan is
to enhance peace and harmony among the youth of the country through
this mega event which will reflect a true picture of all cultures
of the country. The summit will be an annual gathering of around
150 young people including 50 % female students, shortlisted from
more than a thousand applicants, with equal representation of
each segment of the country”, he added.
Jahangir Khanzada urged the youth to work hard for sharpening
their professional skills for the sake of the country. “It’s right
time for our youth to portray a healthy image of the country through
their excellent performances and strong character”.
Highlighting the objectives of National Youth Summit Pakistan,
Punjab Minister for Sports said: “This event will be held under public-private partnership to gather youth and stake holders in policymaking at one platform to focus on policymaking relevant
to majority youth population of Pakistan”.
He said that for the first time in the country, academicians, professionals, experts, activists, politicians and talented youth
will be the part of this mega-event to focus on youth issues on
such higher level and will serve as a step towards creating a
culture of capitalizing youth potential for a brighter today and
tomorrow of the country in a very sustainable way.
Punjab Minister for Sports Jahangir Khanzada further informed
that a cricket match will also be played between Minister XI and
Youth XI at University of Lahore on February 14.
WTCT to be helpful for promotion of Women cricket: GM PCB
MULTAN, Feb 10 (APP)::General Manager Pakistan Cricket
Board (PCB) women’s wing Ayesha Ashar said that Women Triangular
Cricket Tournament (WTCT) scheduled to be start from Sunday
would be helpful to promote the women cricket across the country.
Ayesha Ashar expressed these views while talking to the
media at a ceremony organized to unveil trophy of the tournament
here at Multan cricket stadium.
She said the tournament was scheduled under a five-year
programme for the promotion of women cricket.
She said that female students of different schools
and colleges were invited for the triangular event.
The GM said the players who performed best in the event
would represent the national women team at in ICC championship
round-II and Sri Lanka tour.
She said that national women team players, emerging players
and those who performed best during last year 2017 would also
be part of the event.
She said that training camps had also been set-up in Karachi
for training of players about fitness, bowling and fielding.
Ayesha Ashar expressed the hope that best talent would
emerge through the girls event in Multan.
It is pertinent to mention here that the triangular
tournament would commence from Feb-11 and would be continued
till Feb-20. Three teams were participating in the event.