ISLAMABAD, Dec 31, (APP)- Foreign Office Spokesman Qazi Khalilullah Thursday said dates for a meeting between Pakistan and India Foreign Secretary level talks in January were being finalized and would be announced close to their talks.
The agenda of their meeting would be to finalize the schedule of the various segments of resumption of comprehensive bilateral dialogue between Islamabad and New Delhi as was agreed between the two countries on Dec. 9,  Foreign Office spokesman said in a regular briefing here.

He said resumption of dialogue between Pakistan and India and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Lahore last week were “two positive steps and we hope it will have a positive impact on our bilateral  relations”.

Answering another question, he said, both countries “have serious issues and disputes that have to be resolved through bilateral talks” and that was the reason the coming dialogue “is very significant” where all issues would be discussed.

Questioned on reports of establishing barbed wire on Pak-India border, the spokesman said, when the foreign secretaries of the countries would meet next month “all issues of our concern” would come up for discussion.

Asked to comment on media reports about arrest of some people linked to Islamic State or Daesh, he said investigation was underway but he was not in a position to say who had left Pakistan to its ranks.
However the spokesman said “there is no footprints of Daesh in Pakistan and we will not tolerate even the shadow of Daesh in Pakistan.” The country’s security agencies had been already alerted on the threat posed by it and the steps had been taken in this regard.

Answering a question on the scheduled quadrilateral meeting in Islamabad among Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the United States in January, he said consultation were underway on its agenda within quadrilateral framework.

Giving a review of the country’s foreign policy, he said that Pakistan would continue momentum of its policy generated under the vision and guidance of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in 2015 for promotion of peace and stability in the region.
Under the “the vision and guidance” of the Prime Minister,
Pakistan has been successful in enhancing its role at the international level. It has expressed its support for peaceful resolutions of conflicts and promotion of peace, stability and development has been “the hallmark of its foreign policy” during 2015, he said.

The clinching of $46 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor
Agreement, induction of Pakistan into Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as its member, facilitating talks between Afghan Government and Taliban in July 2015, the “Heart of Asia Conference” in Islamabad in August which was attended by delegates of 46 countries” signified confidence of the international community” in Pakistan’s leadership and its policies, he said.

During 2015, he said Nawaz Sharif visited Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, U.S, China, United Kingdom, Russia, France, Belarus, Malta, Central Asian Republic countries and attended the UN General Assembly session.
Questioned on 34-nations Saudi Arab alliance against terrorism , he said as had been stated before “we have joined the coalition against terrorism,”  but the extent of ‘our participation” would be decided after receiving details from Riyadh.

Replying to a question on media reports on Bangladesh’s decision to recall its envoy from Islamabad, he said, Bangladesh High Commissioner here was twice summoned to the Foreign Office with regard to the harassment of a Pakistani diplomat in Dhaka.

The Pakistani diplomat was later called back to Islamabad. However, he said, that the people of Pakistan and Bangladesh had strong bond and were very close to each other hence he urged Bangladesh to adopt a forward  looking approach as enshrined in 1974 agreement between the two countries.

ISLAMABAD, Dec 31 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Thursday said there was a lot of scope for enhancement in areas of trade and commerce between Pakistan and Bahrain.
He was talking to Ambassador Designate to Bahrain Javed
Malik who called on him here at the PM House.

The Prime Minister felicitated the Ambassador Designate
on his new assignment and expressed hope that he will
endeavour to bring the two countries even more closer.

Javed Malik thanked the Prime Minister and expressed his
confidence to enhance the relations between the countries
during his tenure.

ISLAMABAD, Dec, 31 (APP) : Ambassador of Japan Hiroshi
Inomata handed over a beautiful renovated play-land to
Capital Development Authority ( CDA) in the area of Japanese park adjacent to Islamabad Zoo terming it an amazing new year gift for Pakistani children from Japan.

The Ambassador said this on Thursday while inaugurating
the recently renovated play-land and handing over ceremony of other playing equipments to CDA.  The ceremony was attended by Member CDA Mustafain Kazmi and other senior officials.
A large number of children from different schools of
Islamabad also attended the ceremony and performed at the
occasion which was appreciated by the participants a lot.

The Ambassador said that the children’s play land commonly
known as “Japanese Park ” was renovated with a total cost of Rs. 70 million provided by the Japan government as gift for children.
This is a part of the assistance from the Government of
Japan to Pakistan in the form of Japan’s Non Project Grant Aid aimed at contributing to the promotion of socio-economic development efforts in developing countries.

Recalling history of the Japanese Park, the Ambassador
said that in 1985, the government of Japan provided the
playing equipment along with the Japanese Park as a gift of
friendship from the children of Japan to that of Pakistan, in
commemoration of the visit of the Prime Minister Nakasone to Pakistan.

Since then, this beautiful park in the bed of Margalla
Hills had been a favourite destination for the children and
their families in Islamabad, he said.

However, after thirty years of its provision, the
equipment had become old and it was needed to be renovated and remodelled, the ambassador said.

Speaking at the occasion, the Ambassador Inomata
said, “I am glade to see the Pakistani children use the play
structures very carefully for a long time. I hope they will
enjoy themselves with new ones very much, taking good care of them just as they did before.”
This is our wish that this park with newly installed
playing  equipment would contribute immensely to improving
both physical and intellectual capabilities of visiting
children, the Ambassador hoped.

Member Environment CDA Mustafain Kazmi thanked Japanese government and people of Japan for their continuous commitment to socio economic development in Pakistan.
Later, the Ambassador of Japan was also briefed about
the details of the Japanese Park in detail.

The Ambassador also visited various sites of the park
and expressed his happiness over the completion of the play
land with beautiful playing equipment.

The Ambassador also assured that Japanese government
would continue its support to Pakistan for such socio projects in future.

ISLAMABAD, Dec 31 (APP): Federal Minister for Planning,
Development and Reforms, Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday called upon the national media to present positive things and economic progress on television screens aimed at bringing hope among the citizens especially the youth of the country.

Addressing the participants of the 2nd Pakistan
Governance Forum 2015 here, he said showing crimes and
negativity over the national media spreads depression and
hopelessness.

He said the media should highlight ongoing economic
progress and development which are result of the prudent
policies of the present government.

Ahsan Iqbal mentioned decrease in loadshedding, suicide
bombings, terrorism, increase in foreign reserves, improved
security situation in Karachi and Balochisan province and
improved relations with neighbouring and other countries
during the last two and half year.

“But, while sitting before television channels, the
young generation feels itself depressed and disappointed after watching crimes and negativity,” he added.

The Minister said there are crimes and social problems
in every country but their media does not show ugly face of
these countries.

He said a lot of positive developments are underway in
the country which should properly be highlighted.

ISLAMABAD, Dec 31 (APP): Pakistan Railways will upgrade
waiting halls at its 16 major stations by equipping them with
facilities like air-conditioners, internet kiosks and televisions.

The waiting rooms at the stations are generally well
maintained, however, proposals are under consideration to improve facilities for passengers at railway stations across the country, an official in the Ministry of Railways told APP.

Initially, 16 stations including Karachi City, Karachi
Cantonment, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, Okara, Raiwind, Lahore, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Hassanabdal, Nankana Sahib, Narowal, Peshawar and Quetta have been selected for upgradation, he added.
He said that the scope of up-gradation will cover all allied
amenities for convenience of passengers. In addition one air-
conditioned waiting room for ladies and one for gents have been constructed at Lahore Station.
To a question, he said it was not a fact that substandard food and other items are being sold at railway stations at higher prices and added in fact the department has introduced a new Catering Policy whereby the sale of non-standard food and other items have
been completely eliminated.
Now only branded food items such as water, soft drinks,ice-
cream,tea,biscuits etc,are being sold. He said a system of
checking has also been put in place to ensure quality and prices of eatables being sold at the stations.

ISLAMABAD, Dec 31 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Thursday launched an ambitious “PM’s National Health Programme” to provide free medical treatment to the poorest of the poor at public and private hospitals.
“It is a step forward towards making Pakistan a real
welfare state,” the Prime Minister said at the launching ceremony of the programme.
The programme aimed at providing quality healthcare has
been launched in 15 districts and would be later expanded to
23 in next phase. Around 1.2 million card holder families would get this facility in the first phase.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Commerce Minister Khurram
Dastagir, Minister of State for National Health Services,
Regulations and Coordination Saira Afzal Tarar, Minister of
State for Interior Baleeghur Rehman, Minister for CADD Dr.
Tariq Fazal and Maryam Nawaz Sharif attended the ceremony.
The Prime Minister said the National Health Programme was
fulfillment of one important promise of the Pakistan Muslim
League’s manifesto and said the people will hear more good
news regarding better health and education facilities in the
days ahead.
“We fully realise our responsibility, as we believe that
a healthy nation was the key to a prosperous developed
Pakistan,” Sharif said.
He said under the programme the card holders will be able
to get free medical treatment and medicines up to Rs 300,000 at the designated public and private hospitals. However the Prime Minister said that for those who still need
treatment and were hospitalised could be provided additional
funding for up to Rs 300,000 more through Pakistan Bait-ul-
Maal.
In this regard he directed Finance Minister Ishaq Dar to
look into the matter and said if required, the funding for the
Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal would be further enhanced.

ISLAMABAD, Dec 31 (APP): Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Senator Pervaiz Rashid on Thursday assured the Senate that the government would follow the quota system while making appointments in Lok Virsa – the National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage – to correct the imbalance created by the pervious regime.
During the question-hour, he said the present government had made no appointment during the last two and a half years as the all inductions had been done by the previous government.
“I assure the House that if there will be any job opportunities in Lok Virsa, the quota system will be observed in letter and spirit to correct the imbalance created by the pervious regime,” he added.
The minister said that Lok Virsa was arranging various programmes from its own limited resources to promote cultural activities and national heritage.
In the next financial budget, he said, the ministry would try to seek more funds to arrange increased cultural activities through Lok Virsa.
Pervaiz Rashid said that all the federating units had been given representations in the cultural programms being arranged in Lok Virsa.
He said that culture and civilization of all the federating units was being promoted in the activities in the Lok Virsa programmes.
The minister said that special musical programmes had been arranged to promote culture of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He said that a special competition of “Rubab” (musical instrument) was also arranged in PNCA in which many people had participated.
The objective of the competition was to judge skills of the participants, who played the instrument “Rubab” well, he said adding that interestingly a rickshaw driver and a vegetable seller had won the competition.
The minister said that prime responsibility of the Lok Virsa was to promote culture and civilization of all the federating units, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
He said that Lok Virsa had also arranged programmes to promote the culture of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).