ISLAMABAD, April 20 (APP): President Mamnoon Hussain Wednesday conferred the Nishan-i-Imtiaz (Military) on General Claudio Graziano, Chief of Defence General Staff of Italian Armed Forces, in recognition of his outstanding services and contribution in promoting friendly ties between the two armed forces.
The President decorated General Claudio Graziano in a special ceremony here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, which was attended by Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Rashad Mahmood, Secretary Defence and senior civil and military officials.
General Claudio Graziano said he was proud of being the recipient of such a prestigious award.
President confers Nishan-i-Imtiaz (Military) on Italian Army Chief
Aaqib quits as UAE coach to join Lahore Qalandars
ISLAMABAD, Apr 20 (APP): Former pacer Aaqib Javed on Wednesday
resigned as the UAE coach and will join the Pakistan Super League
(PSL) outfit Lahore Qalandars as their Director Cricket Operations.
Aaqib, who signed a 3 year contract with UAE in 2012, expressed satisfaction with his stint with the UAE team, saying “I have decided to resign from the UAE job and return home,” he told a cricket website.
“They (UAE team) have the ODI status, playing cricket at the
highest level against big teams. Now it is just a repetition and I
don’t want to do it again,” he said.
Minorities enjoying complete religious freedom in Pakistan: Dastgir
ISLAMABAD, April 20 (APP): Minister for Commerce Engineer Khurram Dastgir Khan Wednesday said minorities, including Christians, were
enjoying complete religious freedom in the country.
Talking to a private news channel, he said a huge amount was
being spent to execute different development schemes in Christian
localities for ensuring provision of various amenities of life to
them.
He said the last month bomb blast in Lahore showed that war
against terrorism was not yet over and people belonging to all religions
had to fight unitedly for eliminating the menace.
President condemns killing of policemen in Karachi
ISLAMABAD, Apr 20 (APP): President Mamnoon Hussain on Wednesday
strongly condemned the terrorist attack on police personnel in Karachi that resulted in the loss of precious lives.
The President said such cowardly acts could not deter the nation’s
resolve to eliminate terrorism and criminal elements from the country’s soil.
He said strong action would be taken against such lawless elements
till restoration of peace and normalcy in the metropolis.
PTC contributes Rs 23 billion to National exchequer in Q1, 2016
ISLAMABAD, Apr 20 (APP): Pakistan Tobacco Company (PTC) has
contributed over Rs 23 billion to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR)
in the form of duties and taxes during the first quarter of 2016.
According to announcement of the company here on Wednesday,
the PTC has announced its results for the first quarter of 2016,
declaring net turnover of Rs 11.547 billion, after tax profit of Rs
2.813 million and earnings per share of Rs 11.01.
Despite a decline in volume, the gross turnover has increased
as a result of the excise led price increases in June and December
2015.
Ahsan directs to formulate integrated plan for fast track construction of hydro power projects
ISLAMABAD, Apr 20 (APP): Federal Minister Planning, Development and
Reform Ahsan Iqbal Wednesday directed to formulate an integrated plan on hydro power projects to take up their construction work on fast track basis.
This integrated plan should consider financial implications as well as
demand and supply of power to be produced from these power plants.
A working group must be immediately constituted to work out this
integrated plan in shortest possible time.
FPCCI presents budget proposals in NA panel
ISLAMABAD, April 20 (APP): The Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has formally presented its budget proposals to the National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance.
The proposals were presented to the National Assembly’s panel by Secretary General United Business Group Zubair Tufail and Vice President FPCCI Zafar Bakhtawari, said a press release.
While briefing the legislators, Zubair Tufail suggested for declaring all export sector zero rated from July 01 and waiving import duty and sales tax on import of plants and machinery.
SUPARCO, CGWIC sign contract for developing PRSS-01 project
ISLAMABAD, Apr 20 (APP): Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere
Research Commission (SUPARCO) and China Great Wall Industry
Corporation (CGWIC) on Wednesday signed a contract for development
of ‘Pakistan Remote Satellite Sensing (PRSS-01)’ project in order
to promote space surveillance and monitoring.
Minister for Planning Development and Reforms, Ahsan Iqbal and President CGWIC of China to Pakistan signed the contract on behalf of their respective countries.
Addressing the ceremony, the minister said PRSS-01 project was testimony of the claim of both the countries that their friendship was higher than the Himalayas.
New rain spell likely from tomorrow
ISLAMABAD, Apr 20 (APP): A new rain spell is likely to grip upper
areas of the country including Upper Punjab, Upper Khaber Pakhtunkhwa Malakand, Hazara divisions, Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan and Northern Areas for next two days.
An official of Met office told APP that the same system likely to penetrate from Thursday to Saturday in upper areas of the country causing more rains which would continue in Northern areas till April 27 whereas hot and dry weather expected in plain areas after Saturday.
Hot weather is likely to prevail in Karachi from April 22 to 25 as due to a high pressure cell, the winds will take turn from South westerly to North westerly gradually which will bring hot and dry air mass to Karachi and other coastal areas cutting the sea breeze.
Defence minister visits Defence Services Asia Exhibition 2016 in Kuala Lumpur
ISLAMABAD, Apr 20 (APP): Minister for Defence Production Rana
Tanveer Hussain met Chief of Malaysian Armed Forces Zulkifeli bin
Mohammad in Kuala Lumpur and discussed to further their defence and
strategic relationship.
In a meeting that took place at the Defence Services Asia Exhibition (DSA) 2016, Rana Tanveer Hussain said defence relations between Malaysia and Pakistan had been very encouraging in recent years and both countries were committed to further strengthen their cooperation.
The Minister visited stalls of various countries including
Serbia and Azerbaijan, says a statement from Pakistan High
Commission received here Wednesday.