ISLAMABAD, Dec 1 (APP): National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (Lok Virsa) would pay tribute to famous poet John Elia on December 4.
The death anniversary of John Elia, one of the finest poets of this country was just observed this month.
Executive Director Lok Virsa Dr. Fouzia Saeed said Lok Virsa is planning a modest tribute to his poetry, his bravery to write truth and express his perspective.
“We are glad that his daughter Sohaina Elia is coming to the program,” she said adding that in addition Asghar Nadeem Syed would also attend the event.
John Elia was fluent in Urdu, Arabic, Persian, English, Sanskrit and Hebrew. He was the brother of Rais Amrohvi, a scholar and a poet.
The event will also be streamed live on Lok Virsa’s official Website: www.lokvirsa.org.pk/live telecast
Lok Virsa to pay tribute to famous poet John Elia on Dec 4
Pakistan attending Heart of Asia Conference ‘despite Indian negativity’: FO
ISLAMABAD, Dec 1 (APP): Pakistan “despite India’s negativity in cuttling SAARC process” would attend the Heart of Asia Conference due to its commitment to Afghanistan’s peace and stability.
“India has been instrumental in scuttling the SAARC summit, and Pakistan despite all negativity of India is going to participate in the Heart of Asia Conference,” the Foreign Office spokesman said
at a weekly press briefing.
Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz will attend the Heart of Asia Conference being held on December 3 4 in Amritsar, India.
Spokesman Nafees Zakaria said that Pakistan believed in peaceful neighbourhood and regarded dialogue as the best option for
resolution of issues.
He, however categorically said that Pakistan would not accept any pre conditions for holding dialogue with India. It is always India that is putting up conditions for dialogue with Pakistan, he added.
The Spokesman said the Heart of Asia Conference would follow the previous agenda as the 14 countries would take stock of the progress.
“Every country has its own share of bringing stability in Afghanistan and Pakistan’s participation means its commitment for peace and stability in Afghanistan,” he said.
Zakaria said the current phase of indigenous self determination movement in Indian occupied Kashmir had entered into the fifth month
and was continuing in the face of worst violations of human rights of defenceless Kashmiris at the hands of Indian occupation forces.
“The world has before it the unending sufferings and misery of those over a thousand Kashmiris, including children, who have been deliberately blinded,” he said.
The Spokesman mentioned the British daily ‘The Guardian’s touching report of November 8, which said “There is no recorded instance of a modern democracy systematically and willfully shooting at people to blind them.”
He said the doctors in Indian occupied Kashmir expressed their
dissatisfaction and rejected “as ambiguous” the report compiled by
the Ophthalmology Pathologists in India, suspecting that there was
something else about the pellet shots that was causing insides of
the eye to turn into a charcoal like substance.
Zakaria said that Pakistan had been insisting on ‘independent fact
finding mission to the IoK’ and similar demands from UN High
Commissioner in Geneva, OIC and OIC Contact Group’s Members had not been met.
On India’s growing relations with Israel and Bangladesh, the Spokesman said that Pakistan without out commenting on bilateral relations between any two countries, however stressed that ties should not affect the third country.
On Russian Foreign Ministry’s statement refuting media reports of negotiations with Pakistan regarding its inclusion in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the Spokesman said “the statement is self explanatory”.
Whether Pakistan could unilaterally offer other countries to join CPEC, Zakaria said “CPEC is the project of both China and Pakistan and both countries would decide as how and what sort of indulgence and participation of other countries would be made in CPEC and CPEC related projects”.
He said that Pakistan Russia relationship was growing steadily and
“we give high importance to it”.
The Spokesman expressed shock over the tragic plane crash of
Brazilian Succor team and said Adviser Sartaj Aziz in his letter to
Brazilian Foreign Minister had conveyed condolences.
PM, Interior Minister discuss national security issues
ISLAMABAD, Dec 1 (APP): Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan called on Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Thursday here at the PM House.
“Matters pertaining to national security were discussed during the
meeting,” a PM’s Office statement issued here said.
President for promoting cultural heritage to highlight softer image of Pakistan
ISLAMABAD, Dec 1 (APP): President Mamnoon Hussain on Thursday called for making concerted efforts to effectively promote the country’s rich cultural heritage for highlighting the softer image of Pakistan.
He said preservation and promotion of literary and cultural heritage strengthens bonds of fraternity, brotherhood and nationhood in a society, adding, that educational and literary institutions can play an important role in this regard.
The president was talking to Advisor to Prime Minister on National History and Literary Heritage Irfan Siddiqui, who called on him here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.
He said the government was committed to promote literary activities across the country to encourage a culture of book reading and other artistic pursuits.
The president emphasized the significance of spiritual and philosophical training of the youth along with acquiring modern education to make them a better and useful citizen.
Irfan Siddiqui apprised the president of steps underway to promote the teachings of Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal and also briefed him about matters pertaining to his ministry.
He further informed about the programmes to promote literary and cultural activities in the country.
Sartaz Aziz meets PM prior to attending Heart of Asia Conference in India
ISLAMABAD, Dec 1 (APP): Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz called on Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif here Thursday prior to his visit to India to attend Heart of Asia Conference.
“Adviser Sartaj Aziz sought guidance from PM on the Heart of Asia Conference in the context of improving peace and reconcilition [process] in Afghanistan,” the PM’s Office said in a statement issued here.
Sartaj Aziz will attend the Heart of Asia Conference being held on December 3-4 in India’city Amritsar.
Marriyum stresses more effective media role in oversight,implementation of social sector projects
ISLAMABAD, Dec 1 (APP): Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Marriyum Aurangzeb Thursday stressed the need for more effective media role in oversight and implementation of social sector projects.
She was speaking as chief guest at the inaugural session of a two day National Roundtable on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Parliamentary Reporters Association (PRA) here.
The minister said that targets set in Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) could not be achieved as parliament and media could not play any constructive role in creation of awareness among the masses.
The minister said that objective of the course was to guide the media persons about the SDGs importance.
She said under the GSP Plus, journalists would be provided training and added she had also talked to European Union ambassadors for capacity building of the media professionals.
She opined that Parliament and media had to play important roles in the achievements of SDGs.
She said that in 2012 it was decided that each country should focus on two sectors and Pakistan selected health and education.
The minister said that the biggest problem of Pakistan were census and the SDGs Secretariat would write a letter to the prime minister that this issue should be included in agenda of next Council of Common Interests meeting.
She said non availability of authentic population data was an impediment in achievement of social sector’s targets.
She said that in 2013, Pakistan became the first country to have a full fledged parliamentary secretariat and a task force, and both federal and provinces assemblies.
She said one feature of the parliamentary oversight was that all ministries and departments related to a sector sit together in integrated sectoral meetings to sort out the issues.
Giving example of choking of sewage system of some schools in
Islamabad she said that both Capital Administration Development
Division and Capital Development Authority (CDA) under different ministries were called by the parliamentary committee and the issue was resolved.
She said that during the last two years, the members of
Parliament had been touching the health and eduction issues in their budgetary speeches and the credit goes to the SDGs Secretariat.
She said that all the license holders of PEMRA were bound to
give some time to create awareness on social and public issues, but that was not being done. She said that beat reporters could do advocacy on areas of health, education, women empowerment, climate change etc by highlighting the issues in these areas.
She said that the members of SDGs task force had been given
scorecard to contain data of funds, ongoing projects and problems being faced by their respective constituencies.
She said that the members of Parliament got good response from
the voters, if all children in their constituencies go to schools and Basic Health Units performance improves.
She disclosed that all members of the SDG task force were given
tasks and they raised social sector issues through calling attention notices, questions in the Question Hour and Point of Orders.
The minister said that for training and capacity building of the media her ministry would activate academies working under its control.
She said priorities set by SDGs for 2018 included education, health, climate change, HIV/AIDS, water and sanitation, urban planning, and polio immunization scheme.
Earlier Executive Director PIPS, Zafarullah Khan said that development and progress of the country was linked with parliamentary debates and legislation.
President PRA Siddiq Sajid said that it was a good omen that for the first time a seminar was being organised on SDGs, an area neglected in the past.
He appreciated the role being played by Marriyum Aurangzeb in running the affairs of the SDGs Secretariat and its task force.
Sartaj Aziz condoles with Brazilian FM on Colombia plane crash
ISLAMABAD, Dec 1 (APP): Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz Thursday conveyed heartfelt condolences to the government and people of Brazil on the tragic plane crash in Colombia, in which Brazil nationals including members of Chapecoense soccer team lost their lives.
“The news of plane crash in Colombia has been received in Pakistan with deep sense of sorrow and grief,” Sartaj Aziz
said in a message addressed to Foreign Minister of Brazil, Jose Serra, Foreign Office in a statement issue here said.
The adviser shared Pakistani nation’s grief and sympathies with the families of the victims of the unfortunate crash, terming it a “human tragedy”.
Pakistan not to take part in any hockey event in India: PHF secretary
LAHORE, Dec 1 (APP): Pakistan Hockey Federation Secretary Shahbaz
Ahmad Senior said on Thursday that Pakistan would not take part in any hockey event, to be organised in India including the 2018 World Hockey Cup.
“We have decided in principle that we will stay away from all hockey events including the World Cup, being organised in India,” he told APP here.
The PHF official sounded confident by saying that it is time to pay India in the same coin as Pakistan junior team had deliberately been deprived of participation in the World Junior Hockey Cup.
He said that the indifferent and unjustified act of the Indian Hockey Federation to keep Pakistan team away from the mega event had
set an ugly example.
If they did not let our team take part in the Cup, we will not be taking part in any hockey event taking place on Indian soil in future,” said the former Pakistan captain in a firm tone.
He said that the elite hockey events to be organised in India in future should be shifted to a neutral venue in the larger interest of the game.
“We have approached Pakistan Olympic Association, International
Olympic Committee and world’s other sports organisations and expressed
our reservations the way our team had been kept away from the World
Junior Cup by the Indian authorities,” he said adding “Indian hockey authorities’ unwarranted conduct is damaging for our hockey.”
The PHF was ready to send the team despite the prevailing tension
between the two countries along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir.
The PHF had not even asked for provision of any special security for the Pakistan’s junior squad in India, said Shahbaz.
This unfortunate decision of the FIH is a great setback to Pakistan
hockey. Since, Pakistan couldn’t qualify for the last Olympics (2016) and the Senior World Cup (2014), this Junior World Cup was the main event for Pakistan hockey,” said the PHF secretary.
Shahbaz pointed out that during the last year and a half, a lot of
efforts and resources had been spent on the training of the junior team.
The side made two preparatory tours of Europe this summer. The improvement is very much there to be seen. Pakistan juniors, who ended last 6th in the 2015 Sultan of Johor Cup, surprised everyone by playing the final of the same event in 2016. The boys had been peaking for the big event in Lucknow. Despite, its limited resources, the PHF had spent around Rs 100 million for preparation of the junior squad.
“All this has now gone down the drain. The junior boys, who had been
looking forward to appear in the biggest event for their life, are in a state of shock. Pakistan hockey was banking on this bunch of players for the revival of its fortunes. This unjust act has pushed our hockey back a few years,” he added.
SECP Chairman inaugurates Islamic Financing Facility Centre in Rawalpindi
ISLAMABAD, Dec 1 (APP): The Chairman Securities and Exchange
Commission of Pakistan (SECP), Zafar Hijazi, Thursday inaugurated an
Islamic financing facility centre in Rawalpindi.
The center would help the common people to avail themselves of
affordable financing on Islamic sharia principles to buy motorcycles and other products in due course of time.
The centre will be operated initially by four modarabas, i.e., Allied Rental Modaraba, First Habib Modaraba, Orix Modaraba and Trust Modaraba.
They will provide micro financing to the customers at cheaper rate ranging between 20 to 25%, as against the prevalent market rates of 40 to 45%.
Speaking on the occasion, Zafar Hijazi said that a nationwide survey was conducted by the SECP, and it was found that illegal and unlicensed informal lending practices were being undertaken throughout the country at exorbitant rates by certain practitioners.
Also such activity was not being recorded or reported to any regulator or agency, he added.
He said that no entity can undertake the business of micro financing without getting license from the SECP.
Realizing the situation and to discourage the informal sector, the SECP advised the modaraba sector to setup a consumer financing centre in Rawalpindi to provide the public at large to avail consumer finance in a regulated form at affordable rates.
Hijazi, said that SECP will not allow such unlicensed activity and action will be taken against those elements fleecing the people.
Congratulating the modaraba sector on opening the centre in Rawalpindi, Zafar Hijazi advised it to setup such centres in other
areas of the country where people can have easy access to get financing facility at affordable rates.
The CEO of Trust modaraba Basheer A. Chowdry said that the Rawalpindi Islamic financing facility will be run through reputable
Qazi Trading Company, which will be providing motorcycles to the applicants fulfilling the necessary requirement and later modarabas will be providing loan facility for other market products also.
Pak China discuss cooperation in cold water fish production, bio energy
ISLAMABAD, Dec 1 (APP): A six members Chinese delegation including
fishery scientists and engineers from Gansu Fishery Research Institute (GFRI) Lanzhou, China visited Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) Headquarters here on Thursday.
The delegation discussed cooperation between China and Pakistan in cold water fish production and bio energy.
The delegation was led by Wang Bin, Deputy Director General,
Department of Science and Technology of Gansu Province, P.R. China,
while other members of the delegation included Ms. Zhang Yanping,
Chunguang Ouyang, Dr. Lou Zhongyu, Jiao Wenlong and Tai Wang.
Acting Chairman PARC Dr. Nadeem Amjad delivered a detailed presentation about PARC history, governance structure, core functions, and research establishments, located in various agro ecological zones of the country for achieving the national goal of food security and poverty reduction through agricultural research and development.
The other participants of the meeting from PARC included, Member
Animal Sciences Division Dr. Shahid Rafique, Member Coordination and Monitoring Division Dr. Munir Ahmad, Director Climate Change, Alternate Energy and Water Resources Institute (CAEWRI)
Dr. Muhammad Munir Ahmad, Director Land Resources Research Institute (LRRI) Dr. Arshad Ali,
Director Range Management and Forestry/Project Director RADP Dr. Sarfraz Ahmad, Program Leader Fisheries Program NARC Dr. Muhammad Afzal and Dr. Farid Ullah from Trout Research and Multiplication Station, Mountain Agricultural Research Centre (MARC) Gilgit.
The Pakistani and Chinese scientists discussed in detail the scope of collaboration between PARC and Gcold water fish production.
The delegation also visited National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) Islamabad which is the largest centre of PARC system.
Member Plant Sciences Division Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali and Director PRMC NARC Dr. Pervaiz Khaliq have briefed the delegation about NARC and its research activities.
After briefing session, the delegation also visited Aquaculture and
Fisheries Research Program, Bio Energy Research Centre and other components of mutual interest to outline the collaboration between both sides.