Austria has been active in inter-religious, intercultural dialogues: Ambassador

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Sat, 13 Dec 2025, 8:16 PM

KARACHI, Dec 13 (APP): Ambassador of the Republic of Austria Wolfgang Oliver Kutschera on Saturday said that Austria had been active in Inter-religious and intercultural dialogues for many years.

Addressing the members of Pakistan Institute of International Affairs (PIIA), he said that Austria had diverse society today. He said that Pakistan was strong participant of European GSP+.

Kutschera said that Islam was officially recognized in Austria in 1912. Today’s collaboration is significant and vital to strengthen the protection of human rights through dialogue, he added.

Addressing the participants, Assistant Professor, Department of Constitutional and Administrative Law, Vienna University, Dr. Stefan Hammer focused on the current status of human rights across the globe.

Minister discusses trade collaboration with Hong Kong Trade Development Council

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Zaka Ullah Ch

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Sat, 13 Dec 2025, 8:14 PM

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LAHORE, Dec 13 (APP):Provincial Minister for Industries & Commerce Chaudhry Shafay Hussain held a virtual meeting with Vian Cheung, Asia Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), to discuss the strengthening of trade and investment ties between Punjab and Hong Kong, as per an announcement from the Industries Department on Saturday.

The meeting focused on enhancing mutual cooperation between the Punjab Industries & Commerce Department and HKTDC, with both parties agreeing to foster closer collaboration in trade and investment.

Vian Cheung shared that the Gems & Jewellery Fair and Electronics Fair will be hosted in Hong Kong in March and April of next year, respectively. She extended an invitation to Punjab’s industrialists and traders to actively participate in both fairs, stressing the importance of such events in boosting international trade. It was also decided that a Pakistan Pavilion would be set up at both fairs to showcase local industries.

Chaudhry Shafay welcomed the news of these upcoming events, highlighting their potential to significantly boost exports. He assured that a delegation of industrialists and traders from Punjab would take part in the fairs, underscoring their importance in expanding global market reach.

Furthermore, the Minister mentioned the establishment of a Hong Kong Desk within the Punjab Department of Industries & Commerce, aimed at facilitating trade and investment between the two regions. Wahab Tariq Butt, Executive Member of the Punjab Board of Investment and Head of the Hong Kong Desk, was also present during the meeting.

NADRA Sukkur launches its facilitation center in Barrage Colony

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Zaka Ullah Ch

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Sat, 13 Dec 2025, 8:11 PM

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SUKKUR, Dec 13 (APP):The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) Sukkur has opened a facilitation centre in Barrage Colony Union Council to provide citizens with easy access to identity services.

Regional Director NADRA Sukkur Khurram Shehzad and Mayor Sukkur Arsalan Islam Sheikh on Saturday inaugurated the counter, as part of a project to establish NADRA counters in every Union Committee.

Shahzad said that the move would benefit citizens, especially women, children and senior citizens by providing them with National Identity Cards, B-Forms and other services.

The Mayor said that Sukkur Municipal Corporation would continue to support the initiative, with more counters to be established in other Union Committees.

PML-N govt following Nawaz Sharif’s vision for national progress: Attaullah Tarar

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Zaka Ullah Ch

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Sat, 13 Dec 2025, 8:10 PM

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LAHORE, Dec 13 (APP):Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has said that the PML-N government is steadfastly following the vision of Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and working for the progress and development of the country.

Addressing the book launching ceremony of ‘Nawaz Sharif, Mard-e-Ahan’, authored by renowned journalist Nawaz Raza, at the Lahore Press Club on Saturday, Tarar said that Nawaz Sharif’s politics and personality have two distinct phases — before and after entering politics. He said that a deliberate and organised campaign was launched to spread misconceptions about Nawaz Sharif, particularly among the younger generation.

Rejecting the narrative portraying Nawaz Sharif as a privileged elite, Tarar said that his family had a strong industrial background long before he entered politics. He recalled that Mian Muhammad Sharif had established Asia’s largest steel factory in the 1960s and 1970s, while the family maintained international business links. He added that historical evidence, including photographs of former president Ayub Khan and Chinese leadership visiting the Sharif family’s factories, clearly disproves such propaganda.

The information minister said that despite undergoing a painful process of nationalization, the Sharif family rebuilt industries through hard work and credibility, once again creating employment opportunities in the country. He said that Nawaz Sharif’s entry into politics in 1985 marked the beginning of service-oriented and development-focused politics in Pakistan.

Tarar said that development projects initiated during Nawaz Sharif’s tenure could be seen across the country, from Peshawar to Karachi and Gilgit to Gwadar. He highlighted the Punjab Institute of Cardiology as a landmark project, saying that without it, heart patients would have faced immense difficulties. He added that Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif further advanced this vision, citing the Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology as an extension of Nawaz Sharif’s mission, now serving patients from Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir.

He said that economic stabilisation achieved through teamwork, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and state institutions, had restored confidence at the international level. He criticised the past political practices that, according to him, promoted hatred, polarisation and attacks on state institutions, calling it unprecedented in the country’s history.

Tarar said that international institutions now acknowledge Pakistan’s improving economy, declining inflation and stabilising indicators. He maintained that public service, relief for citizens and development have always remained the core of Nawaz Sharif’s politics.

Highlighting major infrastructure achievements, he said the motorway project was South Asia’s first of its kind and symbolised Nawaz Sharif’s vision of a modern Pakistan. He also credited Nawaz Sharif’s foresight in strengthening regional connectivity, saying that today Central Asian countries recognise Pakistan’s strategic importance through ports like Karachi and Gwadar.

Earlier, Federal Ministers Ahsan Iqbal and Rana Tanveer Hussain also addressed the ceremony. Jamaat-e-Islami leaders Fareed Paracha and Ameer-ul-Azeem, senior journalists Mujib-ur-Rehman Shami, Salman Ghani, Sajjad Mir, Lahore Press Club President Arshad Ansari, and others also spoke.