RAWALPINDI, Dec 7 (APP): Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Wednesday expressed deep grief over the tragic loss of precious lives in the Pakistan International Airlines plane crash near Havelian.
“We stand shoulder to shoulder with bereaved families at this difficult time,” he said in a press statement issued by the Inter Services Public Relations.
ISLAMABAD, Dec 7 (APP): The Foreign Office Spokesperson Wednesday said the statement attributed to the Adviser in the full Senate Chamber pertaining to Kulbhushan Yadav was absolutely incorrect.
The Advisor to the Prime Minister had stated that the investigations regarding the network of Kulbhushan Yadav, the arrested Indian intelligence agency RAW’s operative, were going on and the dossier would be completed after conclusion of the investigation, the spokesperson said in response to a media query.
“There is irrefutable proof against Kulbhushan Yadav, who had also made a public confession in March this year,” a press release said.
The adviser had also condemned the continued Indian interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan and urged the international community to take immediate notice of the violation of international law by India.
LAHORE, Dec 7 (APP)- A two-member delegation of British Army called on Director General, Sports Punjab, Zulfiqar Ahmad Ghumman here on Wednesday at his office and discussed the matters relating to sports.
The delegation comprised Captain Stephen and Lt. Thomson. Secretary, Pakistan Hockey Federation, Shahbaz Ahmad, head coach of Pakistan senior team, Khawaja Muhammad Juniad, Director Sports, Muhammad Anees Sheikh were also present on the occasion.
DG SBP said Pakistan and Great Britain have long term relations and both the countries are cooperating each other in different ventures including sports. He called for getting benefit from the expertise of experts from Pakistan and England to further strengthen ties between the two countries.
The members of the delegation appreciated the efforts of SBP being made for the overall development of the games in the province.
“A lot of sports activities including sports festivals have been organised in recent past and SBP is contributing a lot in the creation of sports
infrastructure throughout the province,” said the members of the delegation.
The members of the delegation went around Nishtar Park Sports complex, national hockey stadium and the Gadaffi stadium and praised the facilities.
ISLAMABAD, Dec 7 (APP): A 20-member Pakistan Army Hockey Team, which is currently in Sri Lanka, visited the High Commission of Pakistan in Colombo on Wednesday.
The Pakistan Army Hockey team, as part of the ongoing Army-to-Army Sports exchange programme reached in Sri Lanka on December 4 to participate in four friendly matches with their counterparts in the Sri Lankan Army, a press release issued here on Wednesday said.
The High Commissioner of Pakistan in Sri Lanka, Maj. Gen. ® Syed Shakeel Hussain, while talking to the team members, said Pakistan and Sri Lanka are bonded together in a wide range of relations one of which is sports activities and have been supporting each other’s teams in various sporting events.
Hockey is the national game of Pakistan and Pakistan Hockey team held almost every major title, he added.
He appreciated the Pakistani Army Hockey team for their good performance.
He emphasized the need that such regular visits would not only help groom young players but also strengthen relations between the two countries.
On the occasion, the Manager of Pakistan Army Hockey Team, Lt. Col. Sadaf Akram apprised the High Commissioner about warm welcome and hospitality extended by the Sri Lankan Army to Pakistani Army Hockey team which was highly appreciated by the High Commissioner.
Pakistan Army Hockey team won the first match against Sri Lankan Army team which was played on Tuesday at Colombo Astro Turf ground.
ISLAMABAD, Dec 7 (APP): Pakistan has joined the rank of 70-member countries Open Government Partnership (OGP) in Paris.
This was announced by Finance Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar at the opening ceremony of the 3-day 4th OGP Summit held in Paris, Wednesday.
A statement issued by the Ministry of Finance here said finance minister who is currently visiting Paris handed Pakistan’s Letter of Intent to join OGP to the President of French Republic in the inaugural ceremony of the Summit which was chaired by the French president.
Few other countries including Luxembourg, Morocco, Burkina Faso and Jamaica also announced their decision to join the OGP.
During his announcement speech, finance minister reiterated Pakistan’s
commitment to the four key principles of the OGP including fiscal transparency, access to information, asset disclosures and citizen engagement.
He added that the government of Pakistan has pledged to work against corruption and fiscal fraud and is prepared to make further high level commitments to fully achieving and sustaining the principles of the OGP.
The summit aimed at promotion of transparency, accountability and
citizen participation was attended by a large number of Heads of States and governments, ministers and civil society representatives to push forward the open government agenda in light of the global challenges.
Later the minister attended a reception hosted by French Foreign Minister Jean Marc Ayrault.
The OGP was launched in 2011 to provide an international platform for
domestic reformers committed to make their governments more open, accountable and responsive to citizens.
Since then, the OGP has grown from 8 countries to the 70 participating
countries including the USA, the UK, France, Canada, Indonesia, Turkey and Sri Lanka.
ISLAMABAD, Dec 7 (APP): Lieutenant General Shahid Beg Mirza on Wednesday was posted as Corps Commander Karachi.
According to ISPR, Lt Gen Mirza is presently holding the office of Military Secretary at General Headquarters Rawalpindi.
Meanwhile, Lt General Ghayur Mehmood has been posted as Military Secretary at GHQ. He presently is holding office of Chief of Logistics Staff at General Headquarters.
ISLAMABAD, Dec 7 (APP): The rescuers of Pakistan Army and volunteers have recovered 36 bodies from the debris of Pakistan Airlines International flight PK-661 that crashed near Havelian on Wednesday.
According to Inter Services Public Relations, rescue work at the crash site was in progress and 36 bodies had been recovered from the
debris.
500 troops along with necessary equipment and machinery are engaged in the search operation.
PESHAWAR, Dec 7 (APP): A total of 12 Hockey Olympians will be coming to Peshawar to inaugurate the forthcoming Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inter-Regional Under-16 Boys Hockey Championship on December 22 at Lala Ayub Hockey Stadium, President KP Hockey Association Captain (Retd) Tariq Hayat told APP here on Wednesday.
He said Hockey Olympians and legendries Islahuddin Sadique, Sami Ullah, Iftikhar Sayed, Manzoor Ul Hassan, Shehnaz Sheikh, Rashid Ul Hassan, Salim Nazim, Iqbal Bali, Usman Sheikh, Olympian Hassan Sardar, Hanif Khan and Musaddiq Hussain will be received at the entrance of Qayyum Sports Complex for which all arrangements have
already been made.
The Olympians will be received and garland before taking to the Lala
Ayub Hockey Stadium. The players of all the participating teams from the seven regions comprising Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Kohat, Mardan, Swat, Hazara and host Peshawar would receive the hockey Olympians.
Besides inaugurating the Championship, the Olympian would see the
matches of the Championship and would give tips to the upcoming players. He said that teams from all seven regions will be taking part. He said the arrival of the team would be completed on December 21 and the opening ceremony of the tournament will be held on December 22, 2016 at 3.00 p.m.
Tariq Hayat said that during the Championship prominent sports
organizers, World Champions Qamar Zaman and Jansher Khan, KP Sports Minister Mehmood Khan, Director Sports PAF Sports Control Committee Group Captain Asghar Awan, represented from various associations affiliated with the KP Olympic Association, Director General Sports KP Miss Rashida Ghaznavi, representatives from the print and
electronic media, people from different walk of life, would also be invited to witness the colourful opening ceremony.
He said a total of 35 probables would be short-listed for the camp to be
organized at a same venue wherein KP Hockey Academy coaches Yasir Islam and Zia Binori would impart training and coaching.
He said World Elite Panel Hockey Umpire Faiz Muhammad Faizi will act as
Tournament Director and Umpire Manager as well. During the Championship refreshers courses would also be imparted with Umpire Clinic headed by Faiz Muhammad Faizi. One umpire from each of the region would be invited to attend the Umpiring Clinic.
He said the office-bearers of the Regional Hockey Association has been
directed to holding their trials for the selection of the teams at Regional Headquarter levels.
He said in Peshawar Regional teams from Nowshera, Charsadda and Peshawar would take part to select a team for the forthcoming Regional Under-16 Hockey Championship.
He said after organizing trials, each of the regions will hold their
respective camps well before the Championship. It is mandatory to have one team at Under-16 level. With this we can improve hockey at grassroots level.
He said arrangements for the successful holding of the Championship at Under-16 level have been kicked off and hopefully like KP Regional Inter-Club Hockey Championship, KP Regional Under-16 Boys Hockey Championship would also be organized in befitting manners.
ISLAMABAD, Dec 7 (APP): National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has successfully verified 95.026 million Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs) till date during ongoing national security CNIC re-verification drive.
During the drive, 3,630 aliens have voluntarily returned their Pakistani identities.
Over 66,000 intruders have been identified so far as a result of 14 million SMS sent by NADRA to family heads across Pakistan, Minister for Interior, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan was informed here on Wednesday.
He was chairing a meeting of Heads of attached departments of Interior Ministry. Those present during the meeting included Special Secretary Interior, Chairman NADRA, Director General Immigration and Passport, Inspector General of Police Islamabad, Deputy Commissioner Islamabad and senior officers from Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the Ministry.
The six-month national security related CNIC re-verification drive is due to be completed within scheduled time.
Expressing satisfaction over completion of herculean task and overwhelming response received from public, Ch. Nisar directed NADRA to put in place a permanent and ongoing mechanism for re-verification of the CNICs that should continue throughout the year to block chances of any alien getting Pakistani identity through illegal means.
The minister directed Immigration and Passport Directorate and NADRA to dispatch teams for monitoring and ensuring better facilitation of expatriates in countries where higher number of Pakistani citizens for smooth passport and CNIC services.
He also directed Directorate General of Immigration and Passport for removing flaws from online passport system currently faced by expatriates.
“We need better public facilities coupled with facilitation,” the minister was quoted as saying by spokesperson of the ministry.
He directed the FIA to come up with a comprehensive strategy for arrests of Proclaimed Offenders (POs).
The FIA briefed the minister that it has arrested 439 POs while ICT police has arrested over 3000 POs who were wanted in various cases.
Expressing satisfaction over the drive which was initiated on his directives to nab POs, he said the FIA, the ICT police and NADRA should work in close coordination for finding way forward to address issue of blocking of the CNICs of the POs and to ensure their speedy arrests.
Ch. Nisar also directed the ICT administration for complete elimination agent mafia in its jurisdiction and taking stern action against food adulterators and professional beggars.
The ICT police briefed the minister over law and order situation in federal capital, giving comparative analysis of crime rate with past year.
The minister was informed deadline for 73 new passport offices was February 2017 after that every district will have a passport office.
ISLAMABAD, Dec 7 (APP): AGAHI Awards ceremony will be held on Saturday to celebrate and recognize the work of credible and dedicated journalists across the country.
This year AGAHI Awards received more than 3000 nominations from
journalists across Pakistan working for print, television, radio and the online media.
AGAHI Awards are an annual award series for journalists and were inaugurated in Pakistan for the very first time in March 2012; since then the awards have become an essence of several media development initiatives in Pakistan.
The awards are organized in collaboration with local and international
media bodies, regulatory authorities, private sector and other stakeholders.
The objective of these awards is to recognize and appreciate best
journalistic practices in Pakistan, creating a healthy competition within media and encouraging ethical and professional reporting practices.
Through this initiative, AGAHI Awards has successfully brought together government, media development institutions, press clubs, academia and private sector with interest in improving the state of media in Pakistan.
The AGAHI Awards play an instrumental role in promoting media diversity and best industry practices.
Every year AGAHI and Mishal Pakistan in collaboration with multiple
stakeholders jointly nominate national and international leading opinion
makers, development experts, media gurus and knowledge professionals to be part of the judges’ panel to evaluate the entries.
Serving the nation since 1947 by providing an accurate, objective, uninterrupted flow of news to the people, the national news service is pursuing a comprehensive strategy to transform the existing news operations into a forward-looking service – APP Digital for its diverse subscriber-base and the public.
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