ISLAMABAD, Feb 02 (APP):The World Bank agreed on Friday to extend loan and grant worth US$305 million to support projects in agriculture sector in Punjab and to improve the nutrition status of children as well as women in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The loan and grant agreement was signed by Secretary, Economic Affairs Division (EAD) Arif Ahmed Khan on behalf of Government of Pakistan while representatives of Government of Punjab and Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa signed their respective Project Agreements.
Country Director, World Bank, Patchamuthu Illangovan signed the loan and grant Agreements and the project agreements on behalf of World Bank.
Strengthening Markets for Agriculture and Rural Transformation (SMART) in Punjab Program worth 300.0 million (Loan) is aimed to help the Punjab government to promote transformational change in the crop and livestock sub-sectors by focusing on activities contributing to three results areas including increased on-farm productivity and value of crops and livestock; increased value addition and competitiveness of crops and livestock, and enhanced resilience of smallholder farmers to climate change and natural disasters.
Each results area involves a specific combination of policy reforms, institutional strengthening and public investments.
Additional Financing of $5 million (grant) for enhanced nutrition for Mothers and Children project would be extended to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.
The objectives of the grant is to scale-up nutrition intervention in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to improve the nutritional status of children under two years of age, as well as pregnant and lactating women.
The Secretary, Economic Affairs Division (EAD), thanked the World Bank for extending its continuous support to the Government of Pakistan in its efforts to achieve sustainable economic development in the country.
World Bank agrees to support agri, nutrition projects in Punjab, KP
Passing out ceremony of PITD 24th Special Training Programme held
ISLAMABAD, Feb 2 (APP):The passing out ceremony of 24th Specialized Training Programme organized by Pakistan Institute of Trade and Development (PITD), Ministry of Commerce was held here at Islamabad Club on Friday.
The event was presided over by Secretary Commerce Mohammad Younus Dagha and attended by an overwhelming number of commerce and trade officers of civil services.
The event marked the successful conclusion of specialized training programme which started in April 2017 i.e. around 10 months back in newly build campus of Pakistan Institute of Trade and Development with an aim to equip the young commerce and trade officers with the knowledge & skills necessary to manage international trade and commercial diplomacy.
Firstly, Mohammad Ilyas Ghauri, Director General PITAD, presented the report of training activities conducted for the course during last one year.
In his speech, DG PITAD thanked the ministry of commerce for its active support in providing the required facilitation.
He also enumerated a number of milestones achieved by PITAD i.e. Foreign Training Course arranged for the probationers in WTI Bern Switzerland, Training of Afghan Commerce Officers, ECO Seminars, and first round table on WTO’s information Technology Accession (ITA-I) held in PITAD.
The director general congratulated the graduated officers and wished them for their future endeavours.
The chief guest while speaking on the occasion urged the young officers to work hard as there was no shortcut to success.
The secretary informed that commerce and trade group was getting more visible by each passing year and with the induction of new officers in the group.
A considerable number of C & T officers were posted abroad as well as on key positions in MOC and its attached departments. This visibility required enhanced service delivery which should be evident from the professionalism and performance of the officers. The secretary commerce congratulated the officers on the successful completion of their training.
Afterwards certificates were awarded to the graduated officers by the chief guest. The event ended with a vote of thanks by the organizers.
UN calls rapes of Zainab in Pakistan, baby girl in India, heartbreaking
UNITED NATIONS, Feb 2 (APP)::The United Nations has expressed intense sorrow over the recent sexual assaults on a seven-year-old girl in Pakistan and an eight-month-old baby girl in neighbouring India, saying the scourge of violence against females affected all countries.
Responding to a question at the regular noon briefing at United Nations’ Headquarters in New York on Thursday, a spokesman of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the UN and its agencies were working with governments to get the message across to communities against the attacks on girls and women.
“First, these two cases that you are referring to are heart-breaking,” Spokesman Stephane Dujarric told the questioner. But he added, “What is clear is that no country on this planet is immune from the scourge of violence against women, violence against girls. We see it in all countries, North, South, East and West.”
Last month, Zainab Ansari, the 7-year-old, was raped and murdered in the Kasur. A couple of weeks later, the eight-month-old infant was raped in New Delhi and a 28-year-old cousin was arrested and charged in the assault.
Both incidents sparked off a wave of anger in the two countries, and off calls for stern action to protect children and women.
About the UN actions to fight violence against girls and women, Dujarric said through various programmes, through UN Women, through UNFPA (UN Fund for Population activities), UNICEF and others, UN is working with national governments to try to get messages through to communities to respecting girls, to respecting women.
It is about equal rights, access to health, access to education (for women and girls). It is about empowerment of women, he said.
Through a number of development programmes the UN is trying to face the issue.
Nawaz Sharif cites democracy crucial for country and its people
KARACHI, Feb 02 (APP): President, Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), Muhammad Nawaz Sharif taking exception to the series of threats posed to democracy said stakeholders must realize its importance for the country at large.
Addressing a seminar on “Future of Democracy in Pakistan,” organized by the members of civil society here at a hotel on Friday, the former prime minister regretted that fate of democracy remains questionable in the country that gained independence 70 years ago through democratic means and in accordance with a legal as well as an acceptable process.
Recalling the challenges faced by democratic setups in the country since 1951, he called upon the stakeholders to fast realize that democracy is critically required for maintenance of balance among
different pillars of the state.
Calling upon the people of the country, pertaining to different sections of the society, to rise above their respective interests and differences, for the larger cause of democracy, Nawaz Sharif said it was high time that masses came together and defend their constitutional rights.
PML – N Chief on the occasion discussing in detail the political history of the country and roles played by different institutions mentioned that the country established in the name of democracy experienced autocratic rule for no less than 30 years.
This was said to be in a scenario when most of the development was registered across the country during democratic regime.
“This is no exaggeration to claim that people of the country benefitted most under elected governments,” he said.
Identifying PCO along with other controversial amendments in the constitution, the former prime minister said parliament needed to take tough decisions for the sake of the country and its people. Nawaz Sharif on the occasion was also critical about the role of certain political parties and their leadership for their alleged compromises to gain numerical strength in the forthcoming senate polls.
Lok Virsa to organize grand celebrations tomorrow
ISLAMABAD, Feb 2 (APP): Lok Virsa would organize on Saturday a grand celebrations on theme of ‘recalling cultural identity and spaces, promoting pluralism.
Renowned folk artists including Krishan Lal Bheel, Muskan, Mehar Anjum, Taimour Afghani, Moiz, Niazi boys (Grand song of Tufail Niazi) folk child singer, Waseem Sakhi, Salman Adil and Dr. Taimur will perform in the grand show.
Film Star Syed Noor, Film Star Sahira Kazmi, Renowned writer I.A Rehman, Journalist Mujahid Brahelvi, Farooq Qaiser (Uncle Sargam), MNA Ramesh Kumar, renowned artist Saleema Hashmi, Director Federal Directorate of Education Hasnat Qureshi and Singer Arieb Azhar also participate in the grand show.
3-day Sri Lankan food festival from Feb. 7
KARACHI, Feb 02 (APP):A three-day Sri Lankan food festival, supplemented with cultural show, will be held here at Avari Hotel from February 7, which is expected to attract a large number of people enjoying very much spicy food of Sri Lanka cooked in coconut oil.
The festival will start from 7:30 am which will continue by 11:30 pm during three days.
The festival is being held in collaboration with Avari Hotel and Sri
Lankan Airlines to strengthen the cultural ties between Sri Lanka and Pakistan as a tool to promote Lankan tourism, said Sri Lankan Consul General to Karachi, G.I.Gnanatheva, in a press conference on Friday.
He was flanked by Sri Lankan Airlines’ Country Head Ahmed Mazahim,
General Manager Beach Luxury Hotel Mohammed Azeem Qureshi and General Manager Avari Hotel, Aamir Qazi.
The Consul General said that the food festival and cultural show were in
line with Sri Lanka’s 70th Independence Day celebrations.
The event would be inaugurated by the Consul General in the presence of
Pakistan’s social and business figures, and diplomats from different countries.
Two popular Sri Lankan chefs would come and specially prepare
traditional Sri Lankan cuisine for the festival; proving a chance to food lovers in Karachi to taste traditional food from Sri Lanka.
Famous musical and dance groups of Sri Lanka would also perform to
project their country’s culture, he said.
‘Besides strengthening the bilateral ties, this event will help present
Sri Lanka as a key tourist destination,’ he remarked.
Sri Lankan Airlines’ Country Head Ahmed Mazahim said that the festival
would prove as a strong tool for bringing the two peoples closer. It would help explore Sri Lankan culture and project its tourism potential.
He said that 34,000 Pakistani tourists visited Sri Lanka last year and
this number was expected to increase to 100,000 within next three years.
General Manager, Beach Luxury Hotel, Mohammed Azeem Qureshi said that
the law and order situation in Pakistan , especially in Karachi, was very satisfactory and it had become attractive for tourists and foreign traders and investors.
‘Now, we should talk about clean and green Pakistan,’ he said.
Sufi Festival to be held at Alhamra from 9th
LAHORE, Feb 02 (APP):The 17th Mystic Music Sufi Festival
will start at Alhamra Cultural Complex, Qaddafi Stadium,
here from February 9 to 11.
The three-day festival would be organised by Rafi Peer Theatre
Workshop (RPTW) which will bring together some 29 singers from
all over Pakistan.
Executive of Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop, Sadaan Peerzada
while talking to APP said that Sufi music was an effective tool
to bring about a revolutionary change in society.
Some 400 performers, including Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan,
Saen Zahhor, Sheema Kirmani, Papu Saen, Akhtar Chinar Zehri,
Zarsanga, Shah Jo Raag Fakirs, Nighat Chaodhry, Krishan Lal Bheel,
Gonga Mithoo Saien, Mian Miri Qawal and Bushra Marvi, wil
perform during the festival.
Javed Bashir, Humaira channa, Abu Farid Qawwal ,Tehseen Sakeena , Shaukat Dholia, Muhammad Khan from Blauchistan and Naghma Group
from Gilgit Baltistan will participate in the event.
No rooms for politics in Sports, says DG Sports KP
PESHAWAR, Feb 02 (APP):Director General Sports Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa Junaid Khan Friday said that there are no rooms for politics in sports and assured that Directorate of Sports would work with associations duly affiliated with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Olympic Association.
This he said while addressing in a meeting with office-bears of KP Olympic Association in connection with the forthcoming third
edition of the Under-23 Games in which a total of 11500 athletes from across the province will be taking part in 17 female and 26 male disciplines.
He said the aim and objective of the meeting is to create complete coherence between the officials of the Directorate General of Sports
KP and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Olympic Association. Besides him, the officials of the Directorate General of Sports, office-bearers of various associations affiliated with KP Olympic Association, Vice President Pakistan Olympic Association Syed Aqil Shah, Director General Youth Asfandiyar Khan Khattak were also present.
He said this time we want to hold error free games and to ensure every facility to the players besides giving them standardized playing equipment, uniform, shoes. The trials will be open, free and fair so that to select players purely on merit.
He said the trials of the Games will be kicking from February 15, 2018 and it would be ensured that genuine and deserving players would be given ample chances to come and show their hidden talent.
He said, the result of the 2016 and 2017 Under-23 Games are now coming up and that is why despite no camps, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have got third position in the second edition of the Quaid-e-Azam Games and even made a clean sweep in squash female and male events besides winning gold medal in hockey.
“We want to take all the associations on board so that to hold a successful games and without the associations it is difficult to achieve such goal,” Junaid Khan added. He also sorted the help of the KP Olympic Association President and former Sports Minister Syed Aqil Shah.
In his speech, Syed Aqil Shah on behalf of the KP Olympic
Association assured that all the associations would work hand-in-hand with the
Directorate of Sports so that the Games would be organized in befitting
manners.
Syed Aqil Shah thanked DG Sports Junaid Khan for calling
a meeting well before the commencement of the Games and would take all the
office-bearers into confidence so that things would be organized in right
direction. He said that arrangement have already been kicked off for holding
the forthcoming 4th Inter-Provincial Games, for the second times, in
Peshawar in March this year.
Terror spate: Afghan government’s reaction based on misconceptions: NSC
ISLAMABAD, Feb 2 (APP):The National Security Committee (NSC) Friday strongly condemned recent spate of terror attacks in Afghanistan and observed that the reaction of the Afghan government was based on misconceptions created by certain foreign elements.
The 18th meeting of the NSC met here under the chair of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and attended by Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Minister for Interior Professor Ahsan Iqbal, Chairman JCSC General Zubair Mehmood Hayat, Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshall Sohail Aman, National Security Advisor Lt. General (Retd) Nasser Khan Janjua and senior civil and military officials.
The committee emphasized that the people of Pakistan understood the pain and anguish of the people of Afghanistan very well since they were themselves the greatest victims of terrorism.
The committee reviewed the security situation in the region and strongly condemned the recent spate of terrorist attacks in Kabul and observed that the government and people of Pakistan shared the shock, grief and sorrow of their Afghan brethren and stood by their side in complete solidarity.
The committee expressed the resolve to forge ahead, despite difficulties, with positive engagement with Afghanistan, including the already planned visit of the Pakistani delegation to Kabul on February 3, 2018, for discussions on Pakistan’s proposed “Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Solidarity.”
The national security body expressed satisfaction on the progress made with regard to border controls with Afghanistan and noted that the Afghan government should support the fencing of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border as being in the interest of both countries.
The meeting reviewed the actions taken by the Government of Pakistan and provincial governments to fulfill the country’s international responsibilities under the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) framework.
The body expressed satisfaction over the objectives achieved so far and directed the ministries concerned to complete the few outstanding actions at the earliest.
The committee directed that the achievements made by Pakistan in fulfilling its international obligations should be fully shared with the FATF, and expressed its hope that the FATF would not be politicized by a few countries.
Finally, the National Security Committee reaffirmed Pakistan’s position of continuing to play its role for regional stability and peace.
Nawaz Sharif assures to solve problems faced by Bengali speaking community
KARACHI, Feb 02 (APP):Former Prime Minister and President, PML-N, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif here on Friday assured members of Bengali speaking community to help resolving their grievances related to issuance of National Identity Cards (NICs).
Addressing a session held under the aegis of Pak Muslim Alliance, he said NIC issuance to the third generation of Bengali speaking citizens settled in the country for the last 50 years or so was a humanitarian issue.
Equally important was said to be the fact that they were descendants of the people who contributed tremendously for the creation of Pakistan in 1947.
“Pakistan Muslim League was founded in Dacca (Bengal) and the people of Bengal made tremendous sacrifices for Pakistan, which were the realities very close to my heart,” said PML-N chief reiterating that he was fully conscious of the difficulties by members of the community in the
absence of NICs.
He assured the members of the community that PML -N once voted back to power would get solved the issue on priority basis through needed legislation.
“I will personally look into the issue and play due role,” said Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.
He, on the occasion, also referred to series of steps taken by PML-N government for the well being of people across the country including successful operation against terrorists, infrastructure development and end to energy crisis.
Earlier, Chairman, Pak Muslim Alliance, Bachoo Abdul Qadir in his welcome address referred to problems faced by the members of Bengali speaking Pakistanis.
Bachoo expressed his confidence that Muhammad Nawaz Sharif would stand true to his words and help solving genuine problems of the community comprising committed Pakistanis.
During his day long activities the former prime minister also addressed the members of lawyers community in the metropolis.
On the occasion former President of Pakistan Supreme Court Bar Association, Yasin Azad, along with 40 other senior lawyers announced to join PML-N.
The program was also addressed by Vice Chairman, Pakistan Bar Council, Kamran Murtaza.
The PML-N President expressed his gratitude to the members of lawyers community for their support to the cause of democracy in the country.