ISLAMABAD, Feb 27 (APP):National Assembly Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research Tuesday unanimously approved proposed allocation of Rs4.18 billion for various ongoing and new development projects of the ministry to be included in Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2018-19.
The 43rd meeting of the committee was held here Tuesday under the chairmanship of Malik Shakir Bashir Awan, MNA.
Secretary of Ministry of National Food Security and Research, Fazal Abbas Maken briefed the committee on ministry’s Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) for the financial year, 2018-19.
He informed that there are 18 ongoing projects costing Rs6471.285 million, 10 new-approved projects amounting Rs546.184 million and 26 unapproved projects worth Rs8846.214 million.
The total budgetary proposals regarding PSDP for the FY-2018-19 were Rs4183.441 million.
After detailed discussion and certain observations of the committee, the budgetary proposals were unanimously approved.
The committee also directed, the ministry to complete all the projects relating to the PSDP in due time to avoid lapses of funds and unnecessary delay.
The secretary of Ministry of National Food Security and Research also briefed the committee about the implementation status of the previous recommendations of the committee and also briefed about the Bill “The National Food Safety, Animal and Plant Health Regulatory Authority Bill, 2017”. After detail deliberations the committee deferred the said Bill till its next meeting.
MNAs Choudhary Iftikhar Nazir, Chaudhary Nazeer Ahmed, Shahnaz Saleem, Khalida Mansoor, Pir Shafqat Hussain Jillani, Faqir Sher Muhammad Bilalani and Dr. Fouzia Hameed attended the meeting.
The meeting was also attended by Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan, and other senior officers of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research.
NA body okays MNFSR’s proposed budget for 2018-19
Punjab sports minister welcomes Iranian Kabaddi team
LAHORE, Feb 27 (APP):Punjab Minister for Sports Jahangir Khanzada has said that Pakistan and Iran have historic relations which are getting stronger with each passing day.
He expressed these views while talking to Iranian Kabaddi team here at his office on Tuesday.
Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (PKF) Secretary Rana Sarwar, Vice-President Ramzan Ghumman and Director Admin Javed Rasheed Chohan were also present on this occasion.
Welcoming the guest team, Punjab Minister for Sports Jahangir Khanzada said Iran has a respectable place in the field of sports at international level especially in gymnastics, wrestling and football.
“We want to enhance cooperation with Iran in the field of sports and definitely it will be a great platform for players from either side,” he added.
He hoped that Iran kabaddi team will demonstrate glorious performance in the 40th National Kabaddi Championship scheduled to be staged at cycling velodrome, Nishtar Park Sports Complex from tomorrow (Wednesday).
Vice-President Iranian Kabaddi Federation Majid Bahrami thanked Punjab Minister for Sports Jahangir Khanzada for extending warm welcome and said: “Pakistan people have won our hearts. We can’t forget the love and respect we receive in Pakistan.”
National Kabaddi Championship gets into action
LAHORE, Feb 27 (APP):The 40th National Kabaddi Championship will explode into action here at cycling velodrome, Nishtar Park Sports Complex, tomorrow (Wednesday).
Neighboring Iranian Kabaddi team will also take part in the 5-day National premier kabaddi activity being held with the collaboration of Sports Board Punjab (SBP), said Secretary Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (PKF) Rana Sarwar while addressing a press conference at National Hockey Stadium on Tuesday.
Vice-President Iranian Kabaddi Federation Majid Bahrami, PKF Vice-President Ramzan Ghumman, sponsor of the event, Muhammad Mubeen and members of Iranian kabaddi team and Deputy Director,SBP, Hafeez Bhatti were also present on this occasion.
Sarwar said Sports Board Punjab has completed all the arrangements for the National Kabaddi Championship. “Kabaddi is our traditional game and Sports Board Punjab will continue to extend every kind of cooperation for the promotion of kabaddi,” he added.
Deputy Director Hafeez Bhatti said Pakistan has cordial relations with Iran and the visit of their kabaddi team will be very beneficial for Pakistan players.
PKF Secretary Rana Sarwar and Vice-President Ramzan Ghumman lauded the role of SBP under the leadership of Secretary Sports Muhammad Aamir Jan for the growth of sports in the Punjab province. “Secretary Sports Muhammad Aamir Jan has established top class sports infrastructure across the province which highly appreciable,” they maintained.
PKF Secretary Rana Sarwar said that the teams from eight affiliated departments, four provinces and Islamabad will vie for top honours in the mega event. “Iranian kabaddi team is also participating in the championship on our invitation. The guest team will play only exhibition matches and they will be given medals separately. Iranian kabaddi team will play its first match against Punjab team on Feb 28,” he elaborated.
Vice-President Iranian Kabaddi Federation Majid Bahrami, on this occasion, said: “Pakistan is our second home. We learn our kabaddi from Pakistan and our players will improve their kabaddi skills after this tour,” he explained.
“Pakistan people are very sincere and sports loving. Punjab govt has made excellent security and other arrangements during our stay in Pakistan,” Vice-President Iranian Kabaddi Federation Majid Bahrami further stated.
Punjab Polo Cup started with Newage getting victory
LAHORE, Feb 27 (APP):Newage/BBJ Pipes outpaced Rijas Aces/PAF
by eight goals to five and a half in the inaugural encounter of
the Hamdan Holdings Punjab Polo Cup here at the Lahore Polo Club
ground on Tuesday.
Salvador Ulloa was in sublime form and displayed outstanding polo skills with stick and pony. Half of the Newage/BBJ Pipes goals were slammed in by Salvador while a hat-trick came from Ahmed Zubair Butt and one-goal contribution from Ahmed Ali Tiwana. Rijas Aces/PAF couldn’t get benefit from one and half goal handicap advantage, as they could add just four goals in their total tally . In the end Deigo Araya (2 goals), Juan Cruz Araya and Faisal Shahzad (1 goal each) were the goal scorers from losing side.
Newage/BBJ Pipes dominated the first chukker by banging in a brace to tale 2-0 lead. Salavador and Ahmed Zubair were the scorers. Newage maintained their supremacy in the second chukker as well as they converted one more to stretch their lead to 3-0. Rijas Aces bounced back through Deigo Araya, who fired a fantastic field goal to make it 3-1.
Rijas Aces smashed two more goals in the beginning of the third chukker to level the score 3-3. Juan Araya and Deigo Araya hit one goal apiece. But Newage then changed their gears and fought back well to pump in two more goals through Salvador and Ahmed Zubair to take 5-3 lead.
Newage once again showed their supremacy in the fourth and last chukker by hammering a hat-trick – one goal each by Ahmed Zubair, Ahmed Tiwana and Salvador – to take insurmountable 8-3 lead. By the close of the chukker and the match, Faisal though Struck one to reduce the margin to 8-4 yet it was too less for them to register victory. With one and half goal handicap advantage, the final score was 8-5.5 in favour of Newage/BBJ Pipes. Howard George Smith and Jason Dixon were field umpires while Ignasio Negri was match referee.
Three matches will be played tomorrow (Wednesday), as Master Paints Black will take on Master Paints/Rizvi’s at 1:00 pm, Barry’s will face Rijas Aces/PAF at 2:00 pm and Army will vie against Diamond Paints/Guard Rice at 3pm.
Sethi hopes half of PSL next edition’s matches will be held in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD, Feb 27 (APP):Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board Najam Sethi has expressed the optimism to hold at least half of the matches of Pakistan Super League (PSL)’s next edition in Pakistan.
In video message on Tuesday he said the ongoing edition of the PSL was going on quite successfully.
He termed the PSL a ‘national asset’ stating that it did not belong to one particular city.
“I have only one message for the people of Pakistan. This (PSL) is your asset. It doesn’t belong to Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Quetta or Multan. You will have to protect it if somebody tries to damage it,” he added.
He said it was 100 per cent confirmed that the PSL-III final would be played in Karachi.
He said a PSL final between Lahore and Karachi was what people wanted to watch adding, “But Allah knows what will
happen.”
9th National art exhibition concludes at PNCA
ISLAMABAD, Feb 27 (APP):A two-month-long 9th National Art Exhibition representing all provinces including Gilgit-Baltistan
and Azad Jammu Kashmir concluded here at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA).
Speaking on the occasion, Director General PNCA Syed Jamal Shah said that the exhibition
was dedicated to the nine legendary artists of Pakistan: Ahmed Khan, Bashir Ahmad, Colin David
(Late), Hajra Mansur, Ijaz ul Hassan, Mansur Rahi, Iqbal Geofrey, Saeed Akhtar and Zulqarnain
Haider.
He said that these artists are the icons of Pakistani art and have contributed their best to the promotion of art in the country. The exhibition was part of the 70th Independence Day celebrations
and were revived after a gap of 13 years as a regular annual event, he added.
He said: “Prior to the big event, PNCA had organized a series of regional exhibitions representing all provinces, which were given relevant context according to the cultural heritage of the land from Mehergarh to Quetta, Harappa to Lahore via Katas, Akra to Peshawar via Takht Bai, Mohenjo-Daro
to Karachi via Makli and from Takht Bai to Islamabad.”
The exhibition displayed a highly diversified range of experimentation both in 2D and 3D work including sculpture, installations and videos.
As many as 556 paintings and 140 sculptures and installations by 384 artists from all over the country were put on display that attracted a huge number of art lovers.
These works were selected from the regional exhibitions that PNCA organized during the last several months. The themes of the regional exhibitions were quite different this time from Mehergarh to Quetta, Harappa to Lahore via Katas, Akra to Peshawar via Takht Bai, Mohenjo-Daro to Karachi via Makli, and from Takhtbai to Islamabad.
“Situation 101”, a contemporary creative installation by Jamal Shah, remained the centre of attraction with 101 sculptures in a very oddly humble situation and with a 25 feet high cage. The installation was a bold reflection of the entire nation being fooled by the influential.
Need stressed for enhancing bilateral economic ties between brother Islamic countries
PESHAWAR, Feb 27 (APP):Chairman Council of OIC Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Haji Naseem ur rehman stressed the need for enhancing bilateral economic
ties and trade relations between brotherly Islamic countries.
While chairing the 1st meeting of FPCCI OIC Council here Tuesday, Haji Naseem ur rehman said that soon in
Pakistan Islamic trade fair of Islamic countries will be organized. The meeting was also attended by President Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries Ghazanfar Bilor.
The meeting discussed the agenda related to the single currency trade, to make strong linkages
with Islamic Development Banks, to organize Islamic Trade fair in
Pakistan and to make website for FPCCI council on “OIC”.
Rehman said the Muslim countries had enormous resources and potential to succeed, but
the task was to transform the potential into real asset. Promotion of
economic linkage within the Muslim communities by creating opportunities
could help generate greater flow of capital from within and beyond the
Islamic world.
He further stated that there was great need to promote integration amongst
the Islamic Countries in the era of globalization and absence of unity
among the OIC countries which is the biggest challenge in the present
situation.
He said that single currency will eliminate transaction costs, which are linked
to international financial operations. This will affect both ordinary
citizens who plan to spend money abroad and multinational corporations
undertaking international transactions. Different currencies create a
lot of inconveniences and barriers.
Exchanging one currency for another always involves currency exchange fees, as
banks, which provide such currency exchanges, require commissions for
their services. In the scale of countries or even monetary unions such
expenditures on currency exchange fees may reach high amounts. The
council will work for single currency trade among OIC member.
The meeting was attended by the members Khalid Tawab from Sindh,Omar Masood from Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa,Shaheryar Iftikhar Malik from Punjab,Zulekha Aziz from
Balochistan and Shakeel from Gilgit Baltistan.
Prominent Singer Anwar Rafi enthralls audience at RAC
RAWALPINDI, Feb 27 (APP):International fame singer Anwar Rafi enthralled the jam-packed audience at a launching ceremony of video songs by Rida Jaffery and Wali Jaffery.
The ceremony was organized by Rawalpindi Arts Council (RAC) to patronize and encourage the new talent.
Fatima Jaffery and Laila Jatti anchored the colorful ceremony and attended by Director RAC Waqar, senior artists and general public.
Anwar Rafi former Director RAC, Naheed Manzoor and others addressed the participants and said that Rida
Jaffery and Wali Jaffery are future of Pakistan in the field of music.
They said both the singers will earn a good repute as they have good start. Rida Jaffery and Wali Jaffery are
children of Basharat Jaffery, a senior cameraman of PTV.
The video songs of Rida Jaffery and Wali Jaffery were broadcast on big screen. The singers Laila Jatti, Khawaja
Naseer, Abbas Jatt and Imran Ghulam Ali also performed on the occasion while Anwar Rafi enthralled the audience by
his famous songs.
KP Youth Badminton Championship begins amidst great fun
PESHAWAR, Feb 27 (APP):Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Youth Badminton Championship got under way here at Wadood Hall, Qayyum Sports Complex
on Tuesday.
Director General Youth Asfandiyar Khan Khattak was the
chief guest on this occasion and formally inaugurated the Championship in which
a total of 80 players from across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are taking part.
In the opening match Urooj defeated Uzma by 2-1, the score
was 21-17, 19-21 and 21-18. Sumaiya beat Irum by 2-0, the score was 21-17 and
21-19. Noreen and Iqra defeated Nazish and Irish Khan in straight sets.
In the Junior category Miqal shocked Haider Ali by 2-1,
the score was 17-21, 21-16 and 21-15, Salman beat Faisal by 2-0, the score was
21-18, 21-17, Umair beat Nouman by 2-0, the score was 21-19, 21-18, Sana Ullah
beat Abdal by 2-0, the score was 21-19, 21-17.
In the Men category Haroon Rehman took berth into the
quarter-finals along with Ihtisham, Zuhaib Khalil, Hamza Ibrahim and Tahir
Khan. Haroon Rehman defeated Faraz of Police by 2-1 in a thrilling match, the
score was 21-23, 23-21 and 21-19. Both Haroon and Faraz gave each other a tough
fight.
In the second quarter-final Ihtisham defeated Nabil of
Pakistan Army by 2-0, the score was 21-19 and 21-19. Current Under-18 National
Champion Zuhaib Khalil defeated Usman by 2-0, the score was 21-19 and 21-17,
Nadeem Khan beat Qari Adnan, the Current Under-15 Champion, by 2-1, the score
was 21-19, 17-21 and 21-17, Hamza Ibrahim beat Yasir Ghafar by 2-0, the score
was 21-18 and 21-19, Shehzad beat Uzair by 2-1, the score was 21-17, 18-21 and
21-19, Tahir Khan beat Mehmood by 2-0, the score was 21-16 and 21-18, Saif
Ullah beat Masood by 2-0, the score was 21-19 and 21-18.
Japan provides 7.7 million USD to support FMD control, restoration of livelihoods in FATA
ISLAMABAD, Feb 27 (APP):The Government of Japan would provide an amount of US$ 2.7 million and US$ 5.0 million respectively for Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to implement its two projects including the enhancement of Foot and Mouth disease (FMD) control and the second phase of restoration of the livelihoods in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
An agreement to this effect was signed between Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan Takashi Kurai and FAO Representative in Pakistan Minà Dowlatchahi.
Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan was also present in the signing ceremony, where as a grant agreement on the details of implementation of the project was signed and exchanged between Chief Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Yasuhiro Tojo, and Ms. Dowlatchahi at the same ceremony.
Foot and mouth is a highly contagious disease of cloven footed animals that threatens food security and the livelihoods of smallholders and prevents livestock sector from achieving its economic potential milk production may drop 50 to 70 percent mortality of young calves reaches 10 to 22 percent.
The project will significantly improve the FMD outbreaks surveillance and rapid response mechanism for disease control and reduce the incidence of FMD outbreaks in the country.
This will help curtail the losses caused by the disease and improve productivity of livestock contributing to food security and improve resilience of livelihood of livestock farmers to animal disease threats.
In the second phase of the same project, Government of Japan through FAO will provide support to about 32,000 households in the two targeted agencies of FATA, Kurram and Khyber.
The project will help reduce poverty and promote economic opportunities in the region through agriculture development which will support stabilization and economic growth in the area.
This project is in line with the “FATA Sustainable Return and Rehabilitation Strategy”, launched by FATA Secretariat and implemented in collaboration with UN agencies and donor countries including Japan
Speaking on the occasion Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan said that government considers agriculture as a key area of focus to ensure food security for all segments of the society.
A growing agriculture sector not only plays a vital role in boosting national economy but also reducing poverty and improving access to food. For improving nutrition diversification of agriculture by enhanced focus on high value horticulture, livestock and fisheries is main thrust of new “Agriculture and Food Security Policy“, he added.
Takashi Kurai said tthat agriculture sector is a vital component of Pakistan’s economy and its steady growth is a prerequisite for the overall developments of the country and these 2 projects will not only contribute to the improvement of production of agricultural goods but also to the socioeconomic development in Pakistan.
Spaking on the occasion Yasuhiro Tojo said that project would make a significant contribution toward stabilization of the area and essentially focus on agribusiness and value chain development to boost commercial agriculture in FATA.
Furthermore, the project will be expected to facilitate women participation in various interventions, particularly in homestead poultry, kitchen gardening and food and grain storage/preservation.
Thanking the government of Japan for its financial assistance, Minà Dowlatchahi said that these projects will cover important areas of interventions for the FATA Transition Plan. These interventions will contribute to the development of the agricultural sector in FATA region by improving food security, boosting economic activities and markets and as a result help achieve peace and security in the area.
The FMD project emphasizes the importance of animal health as part of the One Health agenda, which is crucial for addressing food insecurity, improving nutrition and rural livelihoods that are dependent on livestock,she added