SIALKOT, July 16 (APP): Federal Minister for Law and
Climate Change Zahid Hamid has said the government is taking up brutal killings of innocent Kashmiris by the Indian army in Held Kashmir to all international forums effectively.

He said this while talking to chairmen,vice chairmen and
councilors of Pasrur Tehsil union councils on Saturday.

MNA Syed Iftikharul Hassan and MPA Rana Muhammad Afzal
were also present.

He said the government had strongly condemned human rights violation, brutal killings and genocide of innocent Kashmiri people by the Indian army in the held valley, adding that this situation should be enough to shake the conscience of the world.

Zahidn Hamid said the plebiscite was a basic right of
the Kashmiri people and the freedom of Kashmir would achieved and added the oppressed people of held Kashmir will soon get freedom from India.

The minister asked the UC chairmen, vice chairmen and
councilors to utilize their energies for victory of the PML-N
in AJK general elections, adding that the day of July 21 will
dawn with the PML-N victory.

Zahid Hamid said the PML-N would win AJK polls with a
majority and heavy mandate to be given to the PML-N by
people of AJK.

Later, the minister held an open-court and listened to
public problems and complaints besides issuing orders.

GILGIT, Jul 16 (APP): Minister of State and Chairperson BISP
MNA Marvi Memon on Saturday said BISP is a social safety net that not only lends a hand in poverty management but also endeavors to harness entrepreneurial potential of its beneficiaries.

She said this while inaugurating the exhibition of handicrafts
made by BISP beneficiaries. The exhibition was held through mutual collaboration of BISP and Cheezmall at Darbar Hotel Ground, Karimabad, Hunza.

“Investing in women’s economic empowerment sets a direct path towards poverty alleviation and financial inclusiveness,” she said.

She also paid tribute to the Pak-China relationship and thanked Cheezmall and China.

Cheezmall, originating from China, is an online shopping
website created by professionals of E-Commerce who have past experience of managing and running Alibaba, a global leader in the field.

The collaboration between BISP and Cheezmall, aims at online promotion and sale of BISP beneficiaries’ products at international level.

Deputy Speaker GBLA Jafarullah Khan, Senior Minister DR
Mohammad Iqbal, Gilgit Baltistan local politicians, Director
Cheezmall Ghazanfar Ali Khan, Prince Saleem, DG GB BISP Mehboob Ali Khan, PMLN Jan ALam marketing team of Cheezmall Haider Qazi were also present at the occasion.

During the inauguration ceremony, Director Cheezmall Ghazanfer said that Cheezmall was highly interested in promoting and maximizing the profits for the products of poverty ridden BISP beneficiaries. He added that this exhibition was a first step towards long term cooperation between BISP and Cheezmall focusing on the betterment of the poor beneficiaries in all provinces of Pakistan.

On the occasion, Chairperson BISP reiterated that through BISP E-Commerce, the products of beneficiaries are already available online giving international recognition to the traditional products of the country.

She further added that market access to the handicrafts of
marginalized segments would contribute in their financial
empowerment.

LAHORE, July 16 (APP): Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad
Shehbaz Sharif Saturday said coup in Turkey was a conspiracy against progress and prosperity of the masses which the Turkish people had foiled through their unity and spirit of patriotism.

Shehbaz Sharif, in a statement here, felicitated Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Prime Minister Bin Ali Yildirim
and other leaders over the failure of the conspiracy against
democracy.

He said it was a proof of the fact that the Turkish people
deeply loved President Erdogan and were committed to democracy.

Shehbaz Sharif said the Turkish people had practically
proved their commitment to the concept of rule of people as
well as the fact that Recep Tayyip Erdogan was a public leader.

He said the way Turkish people saved democracy had proved their faith in democratic system and the leadership of President Erdogan.

Shehbaz Sharif said the government and people of
Pakistan were with the government and people of Turkey and fully supported democracy and democratic government in Turkey.

KARACHI, July 16 (APP): Top Chinese legislator Zhang Dejiang told visiting Pakistan parliamentary delegation that the National People’s Congress (NPC) was ready to increase exchanges with Pakistan’s National Assembly.

Zhang, Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, expressed these views during a meeting with Deputy Speaker National Assembly Murtaza Javed
Abbasi in Beijing.

He said that China is also excited about pushing forward the
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, reports Xinhua news agency.

Zhang called on the two countries to strengthen counter-terrorism and security collaboration.

He also thanked Pakistan for its support on sovereign disputes in the South China Sea.

Deputy Speaker Murtaza Abbasi said there was consensus in
Pakistan about the need to strengthen ties with China, and
Pakistan would continue to adhere to the one-China policy and support China on the South China Sea and other major issues.

PESHAWAR, July 16 (APP): Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor, Engr. Iqbal Zafar Jhagrra has said tourism sector is adjudged as major source of economic development across the world and even it is playing a lead role towards economic uplift of respective people in many countries.

In Pakistan too, he added, the tourism sector remained a
visible contributor for earning foreign exchange in the past
but lately law and order problems caused difficulties in
this connection.

He said this while addressing the inaugural ceremony of a
standard hotel at Naran in Kaghan Valley on Saturday.

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and the Minority
Cohesion, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf and MNA, Mohtrama Tehmina Daultana were also present on this occasion besides a large number of entrepreneurs from hostel industry, tour operators and the local people.

The Governor while appreciating the promotion of quality
hostelling facilities in the area said, it is the most important
factor required to encourage and facilitate the tourists and
through which they are enabled to enjoy the scenic beauty of the area.

Referring to the law and order situation, the Governor
said, with successful conduct of the Zarb Azb Operation, peace has been restored in the entire country especially in FATA and now the government is heading forward to materialise its development plans on vast scales – the tourism sector also bears no exception in this respect.

It is because of the untiring and relentless efforts and
the immortal sacrifices rendered by the Jawans and officers
of Pak Army and the security forces, the Governor said, “we are having security and stability in the entire country which
resulted influx of tourists to tourism resorts as well.”

Indeed, the northern areas of beloved country, Engineer
Iqbal Zafar Jhagrra said, attract a large number of tourists
every year and their further development will add more
attractions to tourists and a big contribution to the
national exchequer.

Definitely, he said, it will prove a big source of generating employment opportunities in future too.

“I am also aware of the establishment of Kaghan Development Authority and indeed this institution of vital importance for ensuring proper utilization of available potentials deserves to be fully functionalised,” he said.
In fact, the Governor said, the Naran Township, being famous tourism resort carries great importance on many counts and with the grace of Almighty Allah, its importance will be further enhanced.

Talking on various points raised by the tour operators
and the entrepreneurs, the Governor said, Pakistan is blessed by nature with vast fertile lands and the areas having tremendous potentials for tourism development and there exists every possibility for making value addition of each and every available potential enabling it to stand amongst the
economically developed nations of the world.

He also assured them to contact the respective quarters
and resolve their specific difficulties as pinpointed on
this occasion.

KARACHI, July 16 (APP): The Pakistan International Airlines
(PIA) will operate special flight to Istanbul to evacuate stranded Pakistanis.

This was announced by the spokesman of the national flag carrier on Saturday.

He stated that on the directions of the Prime Minister, Chairman PIA, Azam Saigol, has said that PIA will operate a ferry flight to Istanbul at the earliest to evacuate the Pakistanis stranded in the city.

In this regard, the airline has approached the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs for obtaining necessary approvals and permissions, he said.

In a statement issued here this evening, the Chairman said
that a Boeing-777 aircraft would be sent to Istanbul as soon as these formalities are completed.

It may be noted that PIA doesn’t fly to Turkey and has a code sharing arrangement with Turkish Airlines under which passengers can travel on PIA’s ticket on Turkish Airlines flights, the PIA spokesman added.

MUZAFFARABAD, July 16 (APP): As many as 427 candidates of different political parties as well as independent ones, are in the run for the upcoming Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections, scheduled for July 21.

According to the final list issued by the AJK Election
Commission, 328 contestants will be vying from 29 constituencies of AJK’s nine districts, while 99 will be competing from 12 constituencies of Kashmiri refugees, spreading over four provinces of Pakistan.

The highest number of candidates in the run is from AJK’s
Capital Muzaffarabad where 67 candidates are in the run for the six constituencies, which have a total of 429,276 votes, including 191,112 female votes.

President PML-N Azad Kashmir Raja Farooq Haider is contesting from LA-XXVIII, Muzaffarabad-V, where 12 other candidates are also in the run.

Muzaffarabad is followed by district Poonch where 51 candidates from four constituencies will be trying their luck. The total registered voters in district Poonch are 310,968, which include 141,334 female voters.

Candidate-wise Mirpur district stands at number three where
48 contenders will be challenging each other from four constituencies, which have a total of 233,518 voters – 127,274 males and 106,244 females.

AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed is contesting from
LA-II, Mirpur-II, where in total 16 candidates are in the run.
While President Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Azad Kashmir
Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry is in the run from LA-III,
Mirpur-III, where in total seven candidates are contesting.
A total of 47 candidates will be competing from five
constituencies of District Kotli, which also surpasses
AJK’s all districts in number of voters with 442,839 people
(246,230 males and 196,609 females) to exercise their right to vote.

Sardar Farooq Sikandar Khan, the son of top PML-N Azad
Kashmir leader Sardar Sikander Hayat is contesting from
LA-IX, Kotli-II.

From the three constituencies of Bhimber district, which
have a total of 243,165 votes, 45 candidates are in the run.
District Sudhnoti with 166,143 votes will see 29 candidates
facing each other from its two constituencies, whereas from
district Bagh, which has three constituencies for its 232,572
voters, a total of 25 candidates are in the run.

All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference’s President and
former AJK Prime Minister Sardar Attiq Ahmed Khan is vying
from LA-XIII, Bagh-I.

District Neelam and district Havelli (Kahuta) have one
constituency each for their 96,584 and 80,637 voters, respectively.

From Neelam eight candidates are competing, while the same number of candidates is also in run from Havelli.

A total of 99 contestants are running for the 12 constituencies, spreading over four provinces of Pakistan where overall 438,884 people will cost their votes.