ISLAMABAD, Apr 14 (APP): Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Raheel Sharif Thursday conferred military awards to Army personnel, for acts of gallantry, in ongoing Operation Zarb-e-Azb at an investiture ceremony, held at General Headquarters.

A large number of military officials and relatives of Shuhada and Ghazis attended the ceremony.

Those were awarded Tamgha-e-Bisalat included 35 officers and soldiers, while 35 officers were awarded SITARA-I-IMTIAZ (MILITARY), and 5 officers and soldiers were decorated with United Nations (UN) Medal.

ISLAMABAD, Apr 14 (APP): Minister for States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Lt. General (Retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch has said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan wanted to cordon off the  residences of PML-N leadership to fulfill his ‘illegal’ demands.

The government was ready to investigate Panama leaks matter  by any national institution, including Federal Investigation Agency  (FIA), National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Supreme Court, he said  while talking to a news channel.

Abdul Qadir Baloch said the inquiry should be carried out on
the issue, but no one should act as a judge. The Prime Minister had
no link with Panama Leaks, he added.

ISLAMABAD, Apr 14 (APP): Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms, Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday said that political stability was the only and sole option to make the country prosperous and economically developed.

Addressing the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIES) Convocation here, the minister cited examples of some of Asian economies who were lagging far behind Pakistan few decades ago but now they were growing at a faster pace than Pakistan.

He said the economies of the countries like Vietnam, Myanmar and Bangladesh were rapidly growing due to the fact there was political stability in those countries.

PAF OPERATIONAL BASE, Apr 14 (APP): Pakistan-China Joint International Air Exercise “Shaheen-V” commenced on Thursday at an Operational Air Base of Pakistan Air Force (PAF).

The contingent of People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), comprising combat Pilots, Air Defence Controllers and technical ground crew, is participating in this significant exercise.

According to PAF news release, the exercise will continue till April 30.  The exercise will help enhance close relations between the two countries in general and develop mechanism for inter-operability of both Air Forces in particular.

ISLAMABAD, April 14 (APP): Pakistan’s premier news agency in public sector Associated Press of Pakistan Corporation (APP) and Romania’s official news agency AGERPRESS, here Thursday signed a news cooperation agreement for the two way exchange of news.

Managing Director APP Masood Malik and Romanian Ambassador Emilian Ion signed the agreement at the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage.

Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Senator Pervaiz Rashid and Secretary Information Syed Imran Gardezi were also present during the signing ceremony.

ISLAMABAD, Apr 14 (APP): Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Iqbal Zafar Jhagra Thursday said 100 percent rehabilitation of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) will be completed by mid of May.

Addressing participants of national seminar “FATA Governance Reforms: Issues and Way Forward” the Governor said that in the first phase, around 200 thousand families had been rehabilitated.

“The first phase of the rehabilitation of IDPs had been completed while second phase which started from April 11, would be concluded by the mid of May.”