A shopkeeper busy in arranging and displaying Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) celebrations related stuff to attract the customer at his roadside setup
Artists performing in a drama “Lost keys of life” presenting by Culture Department Government of Sindh at Arts Council
Gypsy families searching valuables from the heap of garbage
First Lady Begum Samina Arif Alvi distributing Laptops among students on easy monthly installment by Saylani Welfare International Trust
Rice necessary human food crop feeding millions: Gardezi
ISLAMABAD, Oct 17 (APP):Punjab Agriculture minister, Syed Hussain Jahania Gardezi has said that rice is the most important human food crop in the world, directly feeding more people than any other crop.
He said that it is amazingly diverse, both in the way it is grown and how it is used by humans, said a press release issued here on Sunday.
He was the Chief Guest of the seminar on “Public Private Partnership in Rice towards Crop Sustainability and Farmers Livelihood” organized by Rice Partners (Pvt) Limited (RPL) .
He said that rice is 3rd most important crop of Pakistan, which covers an area of 2.89 million hectares, with milled rice production of 7.44 million tons.
He also highlighted the interventions made by government for development of agriculture sector.
Other speakers Chief Executive Officer RPL, Mr. Muhammad Ali Tariq, Director Rice Research Institute Kala Shah Kaku, Dr. Muhammad Rafique, Director General Agri Extension Punjab, Dr. Muhammad Anjum Ali Buttar, Head of Smart Farmer Community RPL, M,r. Zafar Iqbal ,Director Agri Extension Multan, Dr. Shehzad ul Haq, Senior Adviser RPL, Dr. Riaz Mann threw light on the significance of water productivity and sustainable rice production.
The Minister said that rice is unique because it can grow in wet environments that other crops cannot survive in.
He said that such wet environments are abundant across Asia particularly in Pakistan.
The domestication of rice ranks as one of the most important developments in history and now thousands of rice varieties are cultivated on every continent except Antarctica, he informed.
While on the occasion, Chief Executive Officer RPL, Muhammad Ali Tariq said that despite having more glaciers than anywhere else in the world and its location in the Indus River Basin, Pakistan continues to experience acute water scarcity, largely driven by drought and intensive agriculture.
He said that Pakistan has an extensive agriculture sector, which uses flood methods of irrigation to grow water-intensive crops.
Chief Executive Officer RPL said that water infrastructure in Pakistan is outdated and in poor condition, which wastes even more water, while little is stored because of a lack of reservoirs and sediment build-up in existing facilities.
He further added that we have to develop an action plan and implement it in true spirit so that the farmers could produce the rice with minimum use of water without any yield or quality penalty.
Director Rice Research Institute Kala Shah Kaku, Dr. Muhammad Rafique said that modern mechanical harvesting of basmati rice varieties at the premature stage is common, leading to increased post-harvest losses and infestation of microbial organisms in the paddy due to improper drying and storage facilities.
Head of Smart Farmer Community RPL, Zafar Iqbal said that RPL has trained thousands of farmers on sustainable rice production and also provided them the facility of land laser leveling on 50% cost sharing basis.
He said that RPL has provided Alternate Wetting and Drying Tubes (AWD Tubes) and safety kits to thousands of farmers free of cost.
He also narrated that RPL considered that the dream of Sustainable Rice Production cannot fulfill without betterment of agriculture laborers so RPL has made various interventions i.e.
Skill Development Program, Childcare Facilities, Trainings on Human Rights and Free Healthcare facilities.
He said that all these interventions are being done with the intention of to ensure decent working conditions in rice value chain of Pakistan.
Thousands of agriculture laborers have been benefitted through these interventions. Dr. Shehzad ul Haq said that presently irrigation system is being implementing through Public Private Partnership (PPP) due to inefficiency of public sector.
The PPP is better approach due to public sector financing and efficiency of private sector.
Director General Agri Extension Punjab, Dr. Muhammad Anjum Ali Buttar said that the incumbent government is highly dedicated to improvise the agriculture sector of Pakistan.
For this purpose a lot of subsidy schemes have been launched and theses schemes are profiting the farmers, he said.
He said that still there is a need to revise the schemes so that the small landholder farmers could also benefit from these schemes.
He stressed that the other rice millers should follow the Water Productivity (WAPRO) model of RPL to reduce the consumption of water and to enhance the productivity of water.
Special quota for women, transgender to be allocated in ‘Ehsaas Rehri Ban’ project
ISLAMABAD, Oct 17 (APP):“Special quota will be allocated for women and Transgender pedlars under the novel project of `Ehsaas Rehri Ban’ project to provide them a conducive business environment and ensuring their respectable livelihood”.
This was revealed by the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar in an exclusive interview with APP on Sunday.
Terming it as the most challenging initiative in terms of deployment, Dr. Sania said initially the program is being implemented in the G-8, G-10 and G-11 sectors of the federal capital.
The poor and small pedlars in the main `Markaz’ of these sectors are being provided with the licenses and modern cart at their points after conducting proper survey. “The ultimate goal of this program is to protect them from exploitation at any level”, she said.
The scope of this project will be expanded to the whole city and a proper mechanism will be developed to extend this facility in a transparent manner, without any favoritism.
She pointed out that there were few women pedlars in these sectors too who are being facilitated under this project.
Talking about the Ehsaas Targeted Subsidy Program, she said that this initiative will help address the difficulties of the common people through minimizing the impact of inflation on them and increasing their purchasing capacity.
Dr. Sania said that controlling inflation and facilitating the marginalized community are the top most priorities of the present government. Prime Minister, Imran Khan is very much concerned about impact of inflation on poor people and discusses the way forward to address this issue in every meeting.
Explaining the procedure, Dr. Sania said that the eligible families, to be identified through a transparent system, will be able to avail the facility of buying essential commodities like flour, Sugar, Ghee etc. on subsidized rates.
The families will be able to know their eligibility status through the Ehsaas portal for availing this facility and visit the designated stores where the shopkeeper with the help of an installed app will check their information and then pass on the subsidy, she added.
About expansion of the Ehsaas One Window initiative nationwide, the SAPM said that the Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments have agreed to provide space for establishing One Window Centers to facilitate the Ehsaas beneficiaries.
The One Window Center in federal capital is facilitating thousands of disadvantaged people from far flung areas through providing them all the services related to NADRA, designated banks, Langar, Panahgah etc and guidance about all the 19 Ehsaas projects.
Responding to a question about progress on the Ehsaas National Socio-Economic Registry (NSER), Dr. Sania said that the survey is the backbone of all the Ehsaas projects as benefits are extended to the deserving people after checking their socio-economic data with the help of this survey.
The survey was lingering since the last decade. “We have completed this survey up to 99.7 percent after hard work of three years, even crossing the target of the households given by the Bureau of Statistics”, she said.
Sharing about the global socio-economic impacts of COVID-19, Dr. Sania said many of the world organizations changed their targets after emergence of the pandemic but we continued our efforts to implement the social protection interventions throughout the period by launching many of the new initiatives.
Highlighting the COVID-19 specific initiatives, she said over 15 million families received the cash assistance under the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Program Phase-I which was aimed at addressing the economic hardships of the people during the pandemic.
“We ensured that along with the massive cash disbursements during the pandemic; we do not miss our other targets”, she said.
“The decisions were taken to expand certain programs nationwide at that time considering the increasing economic difficulties of the people”, she said.
In the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Program Phase-II, around four million people are being provided cash assistance. Around 70 percent cash disbursement process has been completed so far while rests of the payments are continued, she said.
Dr. Sania highlighted that NSER has been made shock responsive as cash assistance is being provided to those affected by earthquake, drought, floods or any devastation with the help of this survey data. “The cash assistance is being provided to the quake affected people in Harnai, Balochistan with the help of NSER”.
Dr. Sania pointed out that another impactful program of Ehsaas will be Ehsaas Tahafuz initiative which we have been piloting for the last two and a half year through creating its systems.
The people not availing any health insurance will just text the government to seek health aid to meet their catastrophic health expenditures and they will be assisted. “This will be our most effective program in the next six months”, she hoped.
About the expansion of Panahgah initative, the SAPM said that Capital Development Authority (CDA) has provided four plots to set up purpose-built Panahgahs in the capital which will be linked with the One Window Centers.
Dr. Sania said that Ehsaas has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Serena Hotel under which the staff of Hotel will provide hospitality training to the Panahgahs staff.
Thousands of people are eating two time meals at the Ehsaas Langars and now Langar on Wheels program has also started to provide meals to the people, she added.
On the education side, Dr. Sania mentioned that three programs including Ehsaas School Stipends, Ehsaas Undergraduate Scholarships and other selected Postgraduate scholarships were being implemented successfully and yielding positive results.
Farrukh Habib greets newly elected office bearers of RIPJA
ISLAMABAD, Oct 17 (APP):Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib on Sunday congratulated Sohail Malik, President Rawalpindi-Islamabad Photo Journalists Association (RIPJA), Javed Qureshi, its Secretary General and other newly elected office bearers.
Photojournalists play an important role in the media, the photos speak for themselves, the Minister of State said in a statement.
He said that photojournalists remain at the forefront of every incident and convey the real situation to the people through photography.
He said that journalists, photographers and media workers would be included in Sehat Insaf card and PM’s housing scheme.
He assured that Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will work with stakeholders to train and enhance the capacity of all media professionals including photojournalists.
He expressed the hope that the newly elected office bearers of RIPJA will play a role in provision of facilities to its members while performing professional duties as well as for welfare of photojournalists community.
Naat khawan reciting Naat during Mehfil e Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) as the nation starts preparations for Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) celebrations
Patients suffering from dengue fever receive medical treatment in the dengue isolation ward at Civil Hospital
66th National Track Championship to get underway
By Sohail Ali
LAHORE, Oct 17 (APP):The three-day 66th National Track Cycling Championship will get underway here tomorrow (Monday) and country’s top notch riders will be seen in action.
This was stated by Pakistan Cycling Federation (PCF) President Syed Azhar Ali Shah at a press conference at the cycling velodrome on Sunday.
Other PCF officials present on the occasion were Secretary General
Nisar Ahmad, Vice President Muazzam Khan and Shoaib Nizami.
More than hundred players are participating in the championship while the players of Pakistan Army and Pakistan Wapda will not take part in the national event.
“Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) has been destroying sports in the country by establishing a number of parallel federations while they have also asked Pakistan Wapda and Army teams not to participate in the event.
The construction of cycling velodrome in Quetta was also stopped by the POA, which is also against the Olympic Movement,” said Azhar Shah during the presser.
“For the last three years, we didn’t get a single penny from the Pakistan Sports Board, but even then we have been providing each and every facilities to our talented cyclists and also conducting national events for them to keep them fit and well-prepared for the international events.
We have just one thing in mind that is to serve the country and its talented cyclists, and in return, we want them to win international laurels for Pakistan,” added the PCF president.
“We had selected Pakistan cycling team on merit for the World Road Championship, and the genuine players represented the country in the mega event.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Wooden Cycling Velodrome is being established and it’s feasibility has been prepared, and it will be Pakistan’s first international standard velodrome, where international competitions will be conducted.”
PCF Secretary Nisar Ahmad, while speaking on the occasion, said: “The National Track Championship 2021 will help find fresh and promising talent, which will be further trained and groomed and will be sent abroad to feature in the international events.
We are keen to promote cycling in the country and we will continue this mission despite all odds.”
PCF Vice President Muazzam Khan Klair said all the preparations to conduct the championship in a successful manner have been completed.
“This will be for the first time that open cycling race will also be organised. Our main goal is promotion of cycling and providing maximum opportunities to Pakistani cyclists to exhibit their prowess in national events and after performing well, book berth in national team to represent Pakistan in international events.”
A vendor displaying decorative items for sell in the city in connection with Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) celebration
Nation to celebrate Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) on Tuesday with religious, traditional zeal
ISLAMABAD, Oct 17 (APP):Faithful will celebrate Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) on Tuesday across the country with religious and traditional zeal, renewing the pledge to transform their lives in line with the Islamic principles and disseminate teachings of Allah Almighty’s last Messenger across the globe.
The day will dawn with a 31 and 21 gun-salute in the federal and provincial capitals respectively to pay homage to Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).
Special prayers will be offered in mosques for peace, progress and prosperity of the country, besides early liberation of Palestine and Kashmir for illegal occupation.
Prime Minister Imran Khan in special televised for 12 Rabi-ul-Awwal has asked the entire nation including the media and minorities to fully participate in Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) celebrations.
The premier said that this is a month of blessings and happiness as Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) is celebrated by Muslims as the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
The PM said that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is a great leader of the world because quality of a great leader is to bring the people together and does not spread hate.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has also directed the Ministry of Religious Affairs to celebrate Jashan-e-Eid Miladun Nabi (PBUH) across the country and specially mobilize the youth to play their active role in this regard.
Imran Khan had also directed the federal ministers and members of parliament to celebrate Eid Milad-un-Nabi in their constituencies with full zeal.
The official of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony while talking to APP, said that arrangements had been finalized for holding 46th International Rehmat-ul- Lil-Aalamin (PBUH) conference in the federal capital on Monday as part of Eid Milad-un- Nabi (Peace Be Upon Him) celebrations in a befitting manner.
The two-day conference, titled “ Role of Masjid, Madaris, Khanqas and Imambargahs for the promotion of Unity and Harmony in the light of teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH),” would be held on Rabi ul Awwal 11 and 12 (Monday-Tuesday) in Islamabad. National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser would be the chief guest on inaugural day of the conference.
On the second day of the conference, President Arif Alvi is likely to preside over the first session while Prime Minister Imran Khan would chair the last session of the conference.
The conference was the annual event of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony since 1976. The main aim of organizing the conference was to highlight the soft image of Islam, disseminate the teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) and also encourage the authors by giving them prizes on their outstanding books on Seerat and research papers written on the life of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
On the day, big and small Eid Milad-un-Nabi procession will be taken out in the federal capital. Streets and roads, as well as bazaars, shopping centres, government and private buildings had been beautifully decorated and illuminated with lights, colours and banners bearing writings about the celebration of Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH).
TV channels and Radio Pakistan will air special programs and newspapers would also publish special additions in connection with the day.
Special Assistant to Chief Minister Punjab on Information and Spokesperson Punjab Government Hasaan Khawar addressing press conference at 90-SQA
An illuminated view of Town Hall building decorated with colourful lights in connection with Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) celebrations
Pak-China friendship hospital to provide modern facilities to people of Gwadar
ISLAMABAD, Oct 17 (APP):The under construction Pak-China friendship hospital would provide state-of-the-art medical facility to the inhabitants of port city of Gwadar that was being completed with the estimated cost of $ 100 million.
The project was financed by the Chinese government while the project was being supervised by the government of Balochistan.
The hospital being constructed on 68 acres of land would have six medical blocks and each block would have 50 beds each. Almost 20 percent work on the residential blocks has been completed, said a document of Gwadar Port Authority.
Under the proposed project remaining medical blocks, such as nursing and paramedical institutes, medical college, central laboratory, and other allied facilities were also under construction.
The project was being constructed under GDA Business Plan duly supported by Public Sector Development Project (PSDP) of the federal government.The project’s update feasibility study has been completed by Chinese team to add 100 beds from existing 50, for subsequent extension to 300 beds.
New Gwadar Int’l Airport to be operational by 2023
ISLAMABAD, Oct 17 (APP):The new Gwadar International Airport (NGIA), the $246m greenfield airport being built at an area of 4,300 acres would be operational by September 2023.
According to the official source, the passenger terminal building of the project would be completed by June 2023; work related to air traffic control by March 2023, while the overall construction of the airport would be finished before September 2023.
The New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA) was being managed and operated by Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). To be owned by a joint venture between Pakistan, Oman, and China, the airport would handle domestic and international operations.
The airport development is a part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) development, which was a cornerstone of China’s One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative.
The biggest in Pakistan and would also become the nation’s second airport capable of handling A380 aircraft upon its commissioning in 2022. It was expected to stimulate the development in Gwadar peninsula and boost trade between Pakistan and China.
The airport would be operated under open sky policy and developed under the guidance of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).The New Gwadar International Airport project was initiated as an early harvest high-priority project of the CPEC programme in 2014.
It was approved by the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) in January 2015.The project was being funded through a grant agreement signed between China and Pakistan in May 2017. Soil testing on the project site was started in January 2018 and involved drilling of 300 boreholes in various locations. The groundbreaking ceremony was held in March 2019.
NA session to resume on Monday
ISLAMABAD, Oct 17 (APP):National Assembly will resume its scheduled business after a two-day break on Monday at 4 pm.
The session is likely to discuss calling attention notices, motion of thanks and legislative business.
PDM doing politics of long marches, sit-ins: Farrukh Habib
ISLAMABAD, Oct 17 (APP): Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib on Sunday said that despite the politics of conspiracies, sit-ins and long marches by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government did not created any hurdles to stop them.
Talking to a private news channel he said, PDM was a bunch of politically unemployed persons who shut down power looms in Faisalabad in their tenures making a large number workers jobless, while the PTI government restored the power looms and created employment opportunities.
He said although government was trying level best to minimize the impact of global inflation on poor people which was directly affecting prices of various commodities especially oil products, yet, Pakistan’s economy had witnessed growth due to prudent policies of the government.
He said that petrol prices suddenly jumped from 35 dollars to 85 dollars per barrel and it was impossible for the economy of the country to bear the increase.
“However, we are trying to control the inflation on sustainable basis and in this connection, long term policies are being implemented to enhance the export with diversification”, he said.
He said the price of coal had increased from 50 dollar per tonne to 250 dollars per tonnes while price of edible oil had risen from 500 dollars per tonne to 1200-1300 dollars per tonnes at international market. At the same time, the charges for container shipping were also increased from 2000 dollars to 8000 to 10,000 dollars, he added.
Replying to a question he said, despite all these odds, the PTI government tried its level best to provide every possible relief to the masses. In this connection, talks were also underway with the owners of ghee mills to bring down the prices of ghee for which the government was also ready for appropriate reduction in taxes and levies, he added.
The State Minister said the government would soon introduce food support programme Ehsaas cards to 12 million poor families, that would directly subsidize on food items.
Similarly, farmers were being provided Kissan cards to get maximum food production and to meet agricultural needs by getting direct subsidies, he said and added that from November, health cards would also be issued, that would also provide up to Rs 1 million annually for treatment.
Farrukh Habib said the farmers had witnessed bumper sugarcane crops and that would help to reduction in sugar price in the country.
About increase in power tariff, he said the government was forced to increase electricity prices as previous governments had set such a trap for the people where we had to pay electricity price whether we purchase it or not.
China first destination for Pakistani students: Ambassador Haque
BEIJING Oct 17 (APP): Pakistan Ambassador to China, Moin ul Haque said that China has now become the first destination for Pakistani students with around 28,000 students enrolled in different Chinese universities,.
While speaking on the occasion of the 4th Exchange Mechanism Conference under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Consortium of Universities, he said, “Education and economic linkages are very important parts of this broad relationship.”
Moin ul Haque said that the CPEC Consortium of Universities, which was established in 2017, is an integral part of China-Pakistan relations.
Initially, 19 universities were part of the consortium while the membership has now extended in four years to 83 universities, with 61 from Pakistan, and 22 from China, China Economic Net reported.
“This not only means the increase of the number of universities but also the inclusion of more academic disciplines, ranging from business administration, transport, engineering, brain development in many other disciplines,” he said.
He said amidst the challenges of COVID-19, both countries have continued cooperation and engagement in the important area of communication.
“Today’s conference is very important: first, it is taking place in a year when our two countries are celebrating the 70 years of our diplomatic ties and an important milestone in the seven decades journey of the country.
Second it is the creation of the China Pakistan Higher Education Research Institute, which has been inaugurated today,” he added.
Moin ul Haque said that the success of the consortium is also important in promoting the study of China-Pakistan history, language and culture channel, integration, and promoting understanding of Chinese economy and business practices and research on possible CPEC projects.
Country representative of IWMI suggests rain-water storage tanks for new housing schemes
ISLAMABAD, Oct 17 (APP):Country Representative, International Water Management Institute (IWMI) Dr. Mohsin Hafeez has suggested Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA) to make mandatory rain-water storage tanks for new housing schemes.
“The store water can be used for gardening, toilets (flush), and for the car wash, etc,” he said while speaking at a consultative meeting on ‘demonstration of nature-based solutions for improving the resilience of groundwater aquifers here.
He said Islamabad gets a lot of rain and the rainwater can be stored to end the water shortage and to avoid a flood.
The city has witnessed a flood-like situation during the current monsoon season when posh areas of Islamabad got flooded, causing huge damages to infrastructure and public property including vehicles, he added.
Dr. Mohsin Hafeez said, “We are working in Pakistan as well as in Islamabad with relevant stakeholders in providing evidence-based scientific solutions to overcome issues of water.”
Chairman Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR)Dr. Muhammad Ashraf, said, “International Water Management Institute (IWMI) Pakistan and Capital Development Authority (CDA are doing water resources assessment of the entire Islamabad for surface water as well as groundwater and identifying research sites.
Based on this assessment, he said, a draft for developing the groundwater and surface water legal framework is also in progress.
Member Engineering, Capital Development Authority (CDA) Engr. Syed Munawar Shah said that the current government encouraged working on the idea of finding nature-based solutions.
“We have developed a PC-1 to overcome the shortage of water in Islamabad. Islamabad relies only on two water sources i.e., surface water and groundwater resources. The groundwater table of the capital is depleted at the rate of one meter every year whereas Islamabad gets almost 1.5-meter rainfall each year” he added.
CDA, he said, would establish at least 50 wells initially to capitalize on the winter rains and the remaining 30 wells would be completed by June 30 2022 before the next monsoon season.
Member CDA appreciated Country Representative IWMI’s suggestion of making it mandatory for all upcoming CDA and FGEHA sectors as well as private housing schemes, those who get their land plans approved by CDA, to have rain-water tanks.