ISLAMABAD, Feb 28 (APP):Centuries old Five-day historic Sibi traditional Mela would be underway on Wednesday , all arrangements have been firmed up and security has been strengthened.
Deputy Commissioner District Sibi talking to private news channel said today the festival will
comprise various events including a Flower Show, National Songs Contest, Folk Dance, Tent Pegging, Motorcycle Jumps and Horse Dances.
An exhibition of beautiful and unique animals is also part of the festival.
Different government departments will setup stalls for promotion of various type of goods in the festival.
He said the historic mela is not only reflective of local culture and economic activities, but was also a great platform to bring the people of Balochistan together.
The Balochistan government annually held the cultural show to highlight the traditions and culture of Balochi people.
According to traditions, since 15th Century tribal people of Balochistan used to meet at Sibi, some 163 kilometres off Quetta.
Historic Sibi traditional Mela begins
Leaguers lauded decisions to make Nawaz Sharif ‘Quaid for Life’, welcomed Shahbaz as interim head
PESHAWAR, Feb 28 (APP):The veteran leaguers and workers of PMLN across the KP province here Wednesday highly lauded the decisions of Central Working Party (CWP) nominating Nawaz Sharif as Party ‘Quaid for Lifetime’ and CM Punajb Shahbaz Sharif as Interim President, saying the decision would make a great positive impact on the popularity graph of the party in the upcoming 2018 general elections.
The PMLN KP leaders and workers said the party would get further boost in the country under the leadership of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and CM Punjab Shahbaz Sharif and congratulated them for becoming Quaid for Lifetime and Acting President of the Party respectively.
The leaguers expressed the hope that they would utilize all their skills and experiences to lead the party viz a viz take the workers alongside in upcoming election campaign likely to be held in July this year.
The move also thwarted the ill designs of the elements wanting to divide the PMLN, however, the credit goes to the PMLN leaders who demonstrated exemplary unity and discipline in their ranks and files by foiling all such negative designs.
The peaceful switching over of the party office strongly indicated that PMLN was united under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif which would give them a lot of dividends in the upcoming general election.
PMLN Parliamentary leader in KP Assembly, Sardar Auragzaib Nalota told APP that CWP has taken a right decision by approving the name of former PM Nawaz Sharif as ‘Quaid for Lifetime’ and elected Chief Minister Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif as Acting President and PMLN KP endorsed all these decisions.
Former PM Nawaz Sharif had made the country’s defense impregnable in 1998 and gave the gifts of CPEC, Motorways, Highways, Lowari Tunnel and Nawaz Sharif Kidney Hospital Swat besides revitalized the country’s economy, eliminated load shedding and terrorism in the country.
“Nawaz Sharif was national popular leader who can’t be separated from politics,” he said, adding the opponents were thinking that PMLN would split and its votes bank would slashed following Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification but all their speculations were proved wrong as the party stand united and its vote bank was significantly enhanced as evident from Chakwal, Lahore and Lodhran by elections.
“The Lodhran by-election comfortably wins by PMLN was a trendsetter for 2018 general election and a clear signal of downfall of PTI due to negative and agitation politics of PTI leadership.”
He said, “the people of KP are fed up with politics of agitation and are now looking towards PMLN for solution of their problems.”
Nalota said after winning 2018 general election, Peshawar would be brought at par with Lahore in terms of development and the long sense of deprivation of people of KP would be removed.
“Getting PMLN’s ticket in Punjab is considered as guarantee of winning election as evident from Chakwal, Lodhran and Lahore by-polls results and PMLN would given party ticket strictly on merit in KP,” he said.
He said Punjab has made tremendous progress in all sectors during last ten years under Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif where people were provided state of the art transport facilities in the shape of Metro buses besides laid a network of roads, motorways, highways, hospitals and educational institutes.
The agriculture reforms and subsidy on urea and others type of fertilizers in Punjab, has increased per acres production of wheat besides brought prosperity in the lives of farmers and agriculture growers.
Work on state of the art Metro Train project in Lahore was in full swing that upon completion would provide safe and quality communication facilities to people, he maintained.
Sardar Saleh Muhammad Khan MPA also termed the election of CM Punjab Shahbaz Sharif as Acting President and ex PM Nawaz Sharif as Quaid for life was inclusive and right decision that would take the party to new height of popularity besides paving way to achieve landslide victory in 2018 general elections.
“Shahbaz Sharif was the best available option for the Office of PMLN President keeping in view high long political services for the party and massive record development works of Punjab,” he remarked.
PMLN MPA Rushad Khan and leader Hamza Khan also endorsed the CWP decisions and congratulated Nawaz Shairf and Shahbaz Sharif for becoming Quaid for Life and Acting President PMLN respectively.
They expressed the hope that both the leaders would continue their efforts for further strengthening of the party and serve their countrymen with best of their skills and abilities to address their problems besides taking the country on road to progress and development.
Democracy should guide process to make UN Security Council more effective: Pakistan
UNITED NATIONS, Feb 28 (APP):Pakistan on Tuesday underscored the need for making the principle of democracy a “central tenet” of the UN Security Council reform process aimed at transforming the 15-member body into a more representative, effective and accountable one.
“Anything less would mean that the reform of the Security Council seeks to address its existing dysfunctionalities by merely reinforcing them,” Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, told an interactive session of the deadlocked Inter-governmental Negotiations (IGN) during which she made a strong case for more elected/non-permanent seats on the council, among other points.
“Democracy should be pivotal in our deliberations; it should not be the elephant in the room,” she said in a debate focused on pushing the reform process forward.
Progress towards restructuring the Security Council remains blocked as India, Brazil, Germany and Japan — known as the Group of Four — push for permanent seats in the Council, while the Italy/Pakistan-led Uniting for Consensus (UfC) group firmly opposes any additional permanent members.
As a compromise, UfC has proposed a new category of members — not permanent members — with longer duration in terms and a possibility to get re-elected once.
The Security Council is currently composed of five permanent members — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, and 10 non-permanent members that are elected in groups of five to two-year terms.
Full-scale negotiations to restructure the Security Council began in the General Assembly in February 2009 on five key areas — the categories of membership, the question of veto, regional representation, size of an enlarged Council, and working methods of the body and its relationship with the 193-member Assembly.
In her remarks, Ambassador Lodhi regretted that the Group of Four stance denies democracy its rightful place as the cornerstone of the reform process. “They seek a democratic process, but not a democratic outcome,” she said.
“Yet, fully aware of its significance, some still attempt to cloak their ambition by invoking quasi-democratic notions,” the Pakistani envoy added. “It is time that this aberration is corrected, and the principle of democracy is restored to its rightful place, as a central tenet of the reform process.”
Ambassador Lodhi also emphasized that a reformed Security Council should be “a mirror of the contemporary world, a world that is not static, and not frozen in time, but ever changing.”
Th Pakistani envoy was commenting on a proposal by the Group of Four that the reform of the Council should reflect “the realities of the contemporary world.
In fact, she said what was needed was a Council that “continues to reflect the realities of the world.”
In this regard, she pointed out that when the Council was created in 1945, it was argued that it responded to the realities of the world at that time, but those realities changed and the Council could not.
“Are we to repeat the same mistake again,” she asked.
Ayaz, Murtaza greet Hindu Parliamentarians, Hindu community on eve of Holi
ISLAMABAD, Feb 28 (APP):Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Speaker National Assembly has greeted Hindu Parliamentarians and the Hindu Community on the eve of Holi which is being celebrated on March 1.
Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said that he was delighted to extend his warmest greetings to Hindu Parliamentarians and everyone in Hindu Community on this eve of colours and lights.
In his message, the Speaker also commended the contributions of Pakistani Hindu Community to the prosperity and progress of the country. He said that their contributions in every sphere of our national life were extremely laudable.
Murtaza Javed Abbasi, Deputy Speaker National Assembly also conveyed his sincere and warm greetings on the eve of Holi to his fellow Hindu Members of the National Assembly.
He also appreciated their contributions in national development, fostering national unity
and cohesion.
Two policemen martyred in a target attack in Quetta
QUETTA, Feb 28 (APP):Two policemen martyred in a targeted attack on the convoy of a police officer on Wednesday morning.
Rescue officials said the vehicle of DSP Hameedullah Dasti was attacked by unidentified personnel on Samungli Road.
The DSP and his driver remained unhurt but two police officials accompanying him were killed in the attack.
The deceased have been identified as constables Mohammad Tahir and Ayub Shah.
DSP Dasti was posted in the prosecution department and was on his way to court when his vehicle was attacked.
Sources said law enforcement agencies and rescue teams reached the site of the incident after the attack and launched a search and rescue operation.
NCHD enrolls 16,430 students in Balochistan under ‘education for all’
ISLAMABAD, Feb 28 (APP):National Commission on Human Development (NCHD) has enrolled 16,430 students in Balochistan at primary level to raise literary level in the country under its ‘education for all’ initiative.
NCHD, in the collaboration with provincial education department, was operating 439 schools in 24 districts of Balochistan to ensure right of education for all at their door step.
Director Operation, National Commission for Human development (NCHD), Sikandar Shah, on Wednesday said “We are working closely with education department and also providing the assistance to them for the advancement of Balochistan dwellers’ education”, he told APP.
He informed that NCHD was also providing the equipment and conducting special trainings to teachers aimed at provision of education to disabled children in the less-developed areas of the country.
Project to translate selected folk-lore in Urdu, Belarusian launched to promote languages
ISLAMABAD, Feb 28 (APP):Federal Education and Professional Training has initiated a joint project of publication of selected folk-lore
of Belarus and Pakistan to translate them in Urdu and Belarusian to promote culture and language.
Under the project, the selected folk-lore of Belarus and Pakistan is also being translated in English and Russian.
Official sources on Wednesday said a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) between National University of Modern Languages
(NUML) and Minsk State Linguistics University (MSLU), Belarus was signed during visit of former Prime Minister, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif to Belarus which covered the actionable points including collaboration in establishment of Urdu Language Department at MSLU.
The NUML will assist in providing Urdu language teacher and teaching material, promote faculty and student exchange and conduct activities including short courses, cultural projects, summer camp, and study tours and exchange visits by leaders and negotiation of other feasible exchange/cooperation projects.
The sources said on basis of MoU and a protocol of mutual cooperation between the Ministries of Education of two countries, an agreement for establishment of Urdu and Belarusian language chairs (on reciprocal basis) was signed
during visit of President of Belarus to Pakistan on October 6, 2016.
Belarusian Language and Culture Chair was established in NUML and inaugurated on October 3, 2016 by Mikhail
A. Zhuravkov, Minister of Education of Republic of Belarus.
Moreover, Ambassador of Belarus to Pakistan, Andrei Ermolovich visited NUML to meet higher officials and deliver
a talk to students on Pakistan Belarusian Relationship.
A delegation comprising Siarhei Aleinik, Head of Oriental Languages Department and Mr. Aliaksandr Zhyhunou, Lecturer (nominated by MSLU for Belarusian Language and Culture Chair) from MSLU also visited NUML.
Pakistan Urdu Chair has been established in MSLU and inaugurated by Rector NUML during visit of delegation
of VCs/Rectors of Pakistani Universities.
Both sides i.e. NUML and MSLU have nominated faculty members for their chairs and are waiting for
respective government approval regarding issuance of funds etc.
List of major events/activities planned by NUML for year 2018 has been shared with MSLU for attendance by Belarusian Faculty members and researchers.
The sources said a proposal for faculty/students visit on reciprocal basis during summer vacations has been forwarded, whereby, hostel/dormitory accommodation may be provided to visiting teams on gratis basis.
IMCG (PG) F-7/4 holds civil defense training to cope up with emergencies
ISLAMABAD, Feb 28 (APP):Civil Defense authorities often busy in providing community trainings to cope up with emergencies to sensitize for emergency situations at institutional level.
The day long training titled, ”Natural and Man-made Hazards” was held in collaboration with Ministry of Interior, Director General Civil Defense Pakistan.
The exercises involved various activities, trainings and drills to get ready in case of any natural disaster or any other untoward situation including earth quack, windstorm, land sliding, fire eruption, road accidents or terrorism, etc, said a news release.
During her lecture on first Aid, Deputy Assistant Director, Civil Defense, Zahida Perveen briefed ways how to save lives of victims in hazardous circumstances.
She demonstrated the methods how to keep themselves safe and prevent others lives.
College staff and students took keen interest in the training.
Sense of insecurity prevails among online cab services captains
ISLAMABAD, Feb 28 (APP):After an incident of a driver’s murder, the captains of online cab services Wednesday called upon their companies for adequate security mechanism to ensure their safety and well-being of their families.
The captains expressing their grave concern over the brutal killing of their colleague Junaid, stressed for life insurance and 24/7 access to companies’ emergency helpline.
Talking to APP, one of the ride-sharing services’ captain Muhammad Rizwan said a panic button should be introduced in the rides in emergency situations and ensured up-gradation of the tracking system.
“These companies should provide life and vehicle insurance”, he demanded.
He said just a five-minute extended connection with the company after finishing every ride was not enough for a secure job.
The captains should be educated to strictly adhere safety guidelines and to remain within their authorised limits to avoid any untoward incident, another captain suggested.
The public relations officer of an online cab service Sibtain Naqvi said his company was paying full attention towards the prevailing issues of their captains and passengers and in contact with the National Database and Registration Authority to further strengthen the security system into the matter.
The company had constituted the security committees involving customers, captains and officials of law enforcement agencies representatives, in three major cities such as; Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.
Those committees would forward their recommendation on security lapses which would be shared with the higher district management authorities, he added.
NSC agrees to recalibrate foreign policy with more focus on region
ISLAMABAD, Feb 27 (APP):The National Security Committee (NSC) Tuesday agreed on the importance of recalibrating the foreign policy framework to bring more focus on countries of the region.
The NSC met here under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to review the current international and regional situation.
It was agreed in the meeting to launch new initiatives to enhance economic partnerships with friendly countries in the region and beyond for a win-win cooperation.
“The committee agreed that Pakistan will continue its fight against terrorism and extremism in the interest of its people. Our policies will continue to be formulated and implemented in light of our national interests,” PM Office Media Wing said in a press statement.
The meeting was attended by the Minister for Foreign Affairs Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Finance, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and the three services chiefs.
The committee was briefed on the current international and regional situation particularly on relations with the regional countries.
The committee also reiterated the significance of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the benefits it brought to the development of Pakistan, the region and beyond. The participants agreed on further strengthening the CPEC cooperation as the flagship programme of One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative.
It reaffirmed Pakistan’s abiding interest in lasting peace in Afghanistan. It stressed the importance of peace among the Afghan people through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned national peace and reconciliation process.
The committee underscored the need for consistent and continued engagement with Afghanistan. The importance of effective border management as well as time bound repatriation of Afghan refugees to Afghanistan in a dignified manner was also emphasized.
It condemned the unprovoked Indian ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and Working Boundary. More than 400 ceasefire violations in 2018 alone had resulted in the Shahadat of and injuries to scores of innocent civilians.
The committee observed that through consistent ceasefire violations, the Indian government was trying to divert the international attention from blatant human rights violations in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. India must give priority to peace.
Foreign minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif also briefed the committee on his recent successful visit to Russia and recalled the desire of the two countries to further strengthen bilateral relations in all areas.