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.
9th National art exhibition concludes at PNCA
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
President urges Afghan students in Pakistan to use knowledge to end mutual mistrust
ISLAMABAD, Feb 27 (APP):President Mamnoon Hussain on Tuesday said the Afghan students in Pakistan were ambassadors of
their country and called upon them to use education to defeat forces that fomented mistrust between the two countries.
Addressing at the launch of documentary titled ‘The Real AfPak – Fighting terrorism through knowledge’ here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, the President said keeping in view of regional situation, Pakistan and Afghanistan as responsible nations, needed to take decisions for their peace.
President Mamnoon said Pakistan and Afghanistan were linked by the spirit of mutual respect and love based on blood relations, regional proximity, shared values and religious beliefs.
He said despite recognized borders, the affection on both sides was similar and mentioned the launch of higher education programme for Afghan youth, keeping in view the same association.
He expressed satisfaction that the number of Afghan students studying in Pakistan would increase from 3,000 to 6,000 in coming days, which would provide them better opportunities of education.
The President said presence of Afghan students at the Aiwan-e-Sadr was a memorable event. He wished the students happiness and best of knowledge so that they could work for the progress, prosperity and stability of their country and region. “It is our sincere desire that you serve your country in various fields after completing education so that the loss suffered by Afghanistan during the last few decades, could be compensated and you could also play your part in the well-being of the entire humanity,” he said.
President Mamnoon expressed pleasure that the Afghan students were being provided facilities and opportunities similar to Pakistani students through this scholarship.
To the students studying under Allama Muhammad Iqbal Scholarships, being offered by the Government of Pakistan, the President said the great poet Iqbal had termed Asia like a body with Afghanistan its heart and had said that if there was no peace in Afghanistan, there could be no peace in Asia.
The President said during the decades of war, the Afghan brothers suffered enormous losses and Pakistan was also been hugely affected.
He recalled that Pakistan had lost its 70,000 sons, daughters, elders and soldiers, besides huge financial damages beyond calculation. “We are fully aware of the problems you have been facing since 1980s. We also hope that Afghan brothers are also cognizant of our difficulties and constraints,” he said.
President Mamnoon said the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) belonged more to Afghanistan than to Pakistan and China. He said several countries from Central Asia and Russia were anxious to become part of this project and added that this corridor would be accessed after passing through Afghanistan.
He said start of trade between different regions of the world through this corridor would also bring new technologies and knowledge to this region.
The President said the basic purpose of these scholarships awarded to Afghan students in Pakistan, was to prepare them for the requirements of modern era.
Ambassador of Afghanistan Omar Zakhiwal said the documentary was aimed at fighting mistrust and misunderstanding between Paksitan and Afghanistan.
He said the Afghan students, studying in Pakistan, would define the future of relationship between two countries and such exchanges would develop closer links.
Chairman High Education Commission Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad said education was only solution for Pakistan and Afghanistan that could minimize their sufferings and mentioned that Allama Iqbal scholarship would prove to be helpful in this regard.
The event was attended by teachers and Afghan students.
Experts for sensitizing community system to tackle with climate change challenges
ISLAMABAD, Feb 27 (APP):The two-day 4th International Climate Change Adaptation, Policy and Science Conference (CCAPS) here on Tuesday urged the need for sensitizing community system in order to tackle with the climate change challenges faced across the globe.
The event was organized by Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) in collaboration with International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and LEAD Pakistan, aiming at building a platform for climate change adaptation and resilience, research
in the region and create synergies with actions currently conducted or proposed by the other stakeholders.
They called for strengthening the communication among policy makers, scientists and media in order to raise awareness about the climate change and its after affects on the life of a common man and urged the need for taking appropriate measures for heat stress management to safe the glaciers and mountains.
Addressing the concluding session of the event Federal Secretary Ministry of Climate Change Khyzer Hayat Khan said that government was working on the climate change and formulated a climate change policy by taking all the stakeholders on board in order to protect the natural environment.
He said that Pakistan was an active member of the global community, which was working on climate change challenges and it had included it in its sustainable development goals (SDGs) to provide a better environment for the people and coming generations.
However, he said that there was still a room existing for the betterment and improving the efforts to achieve the desirable results of climate change.
Khyzer Hayat Khan informed that under Green Pakistan Programme about 100 million tress were planted and efforts were made to conserve the forest to bring it to as par with international standards. He said that Pakistan efforts in mitigating the climate change challenges were internationally recognized and received a support fund of US$ 37 million.
He said that government was taking measures to introduce climate smart agriculture to protect the agri-sector from the adverse impact of climate changes and maintain food safety and security in the country, besides it was taking measures for conserving energy and water resources in collaboration with other international agencies and development partners .
Speaking on the occasion Chairman PARC, Dr Yousuf Zafar said that the outcome of the conference would help the policy makers to device a strategy to overcome the issues related to climate change, which was posing serious threats for agriculture and livestock as well as million of people living in mountainous region.
He said Pakistan was the most vulnerable in terms of climate change and had faced severe circumstances including droughts, flash floods and weather shifting, which had damaged the growth of agricultural national economy.
Despite that the share of Pakistan was below to nominal in green house gas emission, but it had taken serious steps to fulfill its commitments made in Paris Convention to mitigate the climate change issues and challenges.
The government had established a resource center in PARC, where as a mountain center in Gilgit, besides establishing 12 center in different ecologies and developed a glacier inventory to intimate other stakeholders, he added.
Russia vetoes UN Yemen resolution targeting Iran
UNITED NATIONS, Feb 27 (APP):Russia, wielding its veto powers, has quashed a UN Security Council resolution that was aimed at Iran for failing to prevent its missiles from being used in the Yemeni conflict.
The UK.-drafted resolution, strongly supported by the United States, garnered 11 favourable votes in the 15-member Security Council but was blocked by Russia’s veto.
China and Kazakhstan abstained, while Bolivia also voted against the measure.
Nine votes and no negative votes from the five permanent council members — Britain, France, China, Russia and the United States — are required to adopt resolutions at the Security Council.
After the veto, the council unanimously adopted a Russian-drafted measure that extended for one year the sanctions regime against Yemen, but which made no mention of Iran.
Both resolutions were meant to renew the sanctions imposed on Yemen, which were set to expire on Monday. The original resolution that named Iran was based on the findings of a January report produced by a UN panel of experts.
The panel said Iran violated the 2015 arms embargo by failing “to take the necessary measures” to prevent the direct or indirect supply of missiles and drones to Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen. The experts examined missile remnants fired into Saudi Arabia by the Houthis last year and said many “are consistent with those of the Iranian designed and manufactured Qiam-1 missile.”
While the report stated that Tehran had violated the embargo by failing to block arms shipments, the experts were unable to identify the supplier.
“We cannot concur with uncorroborated conclusions and evidence which requires verification and discussions within the sanctions committee,” Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the council.
Meanwhile, Iran’s envoy to the United Nations Gholamali Khoshroo said that the US and the UK are trying to distract the international community away from “Saudi Arabia’s war crimes in Yemen” by drafting such resolutions.
He further went on to dismiss the allegations that his country had been providing weapons to Yemen’s Ansarullah movement.
The Iranian diplomat also reiterated Tehran’s stance on Yemen, stressing that only a political solution and intra-Yemeni dialog can put an end to the country’s conflict.
A military coalition led by Saudi Arabia has been bombing the Houthis since March 2015 in an effort to expel them from areas they have seized from the Saudi-backed government, including the capital, Sana. The conflict is widely seen as part of a broader power struggle between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which supports the Houthis.
Shehbaz Sharif elected acting President PML-N
LAHORE, Feb 27 (APP):The Central Working Committee of Pakistan Muslim League-N elected Muhammad
Shehbaz Sharif, Chief Minister Punjab, acting President of the PML-N here on Tuesday.
While PML-N Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan
Abbasi and Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif proposed Nawaz
Sharif’s name as “Quaid for Lifetime” of the PML-N, which was unanimously approved
by the members of the Central Working Committee (CWC).
Addressing the PML-N CWC, Shehbaz Sharif thanked Nawaz Sharif for reposing confidence in him
and said that it was an honour for him to be elected party president.
He said that Nawaz Sharif had played a very important role to
make the PML-N a popular and successful party, adding that Nawaz
Sharif had put in place day and night efforts for stability and solidity of the party.
Speaking on the occasion, former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz
Sharif said that nobody could bury history, adding that elected
prime ministers were not allowed to work for a complete tenure
in the history of the country. The sanctity of vote was also dishonoured, he maintained.
He said that elected representatives worked hard for the betterment
of the people and to bring development, but anti-democratic forces
hatched conspiracies against them.
The former prime minister said that not even a single corruption evidence had been
proved against him but despite that he was sent home packing.
He said that it was party workers’ right to elect whoever they
deem fit to lead their party but even then, he was disqualified from
party leadership.
Daughter of Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, PML-N leader Hamza
Shehbaz, Federal Minister for Interior Ahsan Iqbal, and other
senior leaders of the PML-N were also present during the meeting.
Later, talking to the media persons, Federal Minister for Climate
Change Senator Mushahidullah Khan said the PML-N always respected
the judiciary and implemented its decision in letter and spirit.
He said that Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif were PML-N workers,
adding that Shehbaz Sharif played an important role for the party.
The PML-N was being kept away from Senate elections, he alleged
and said that no one had the right to keep any political party away
from electoral process. The elections should be held on scheduled
time, he maintained.
The senator said that Nawaz Sharif’s struggle for civil supremacy
would continue, adding that Nawaz Sharif was being targeted for
eliminating terrorism and initiating China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects.
He said that negative tactics against Nawaz Sharif were actually against the democracy, adding that civilian supremacy was being compromised.
Mushahidullah Khan said: “Former interior minister Chaudhry
Nisar Ali Khan is a part of PML-N, and Nawaz Sharif is his leader.”
He said that Shehbaz Sharif was elected PML-N Acting
President in the party’s central working committee meeting.
NSC senior director for SA Lisa Curtis visited Pakistan
ISLAMABAD, Feb 27 (APP):Deputy Assistant to the President and US National Security Council’s Senior Director for South and Central Asia Lisa Curtis visited Islamabad from February 26 to 27 and met various Pakistani officials.
According to a statement issued by foreign office here, Senior Director Curtis met Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal and the Chief of the General Staff Lieutenant General Bilal Akbar.
In her meetings with Pakistani officials, Lisa Curtis said that the United States seeks to move toward a new relationship with Pakistan, based on a shared commitment to defeat all terrorist groups that threaten regional stability and security as well as on a shared vision of a peaceful future for Afghanistan.
She acknowledged Pakistan’s considerable sacrifices fighting terrorism and emphasized that the US South Asia strategy represents an opportunity to work together to bring about a stable, peaceful Afghanistan which would enable the dignified return of Afghan refugees to their homeland.