ISLAMABAD
Senator Hidayatullah Khan, presiding over a meeting of the senate standing committee on narcotics control after being elected as chairman of the committee at Parliament House
ISLAMABAD
Pakistan Women cricket team Captain Fatima Sana and South Africa Women cricket team Captain Laura Wolvaardt pose with the Three T20 series trophy at Multan Cricket Stadium
MULTAN
Pakistan Women cricket team bowling coach Junaid Khan giving tips to the Pakistan women team bowler Diana Baig during net practice session for the upcoming three T20 series against South Africa Women cricket team at Multan Cricket Stadium
MULTAN
MULTAN
MULTAN
Hectic consultation process among political parties on constitutional package held
ISLAMABAD, Sep 15 (APP):Process of intense consultations among political parties on the proposed constitutional package continued in the federal capital on Sunday.
The government delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar visited the residence of JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman where two sides held detailed discussions on the constitutional and legal matters.
Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar and Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi were also present during the meeting.
Meanwhile, a meeting of the PPP Parliamentary Party in the National Assembly was also held in Islamabad.
Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Assefa Bhutto, Syed Khurshid Shah and others attended the sitting, which deliberated upon different constitutional and legal matters.
Similarly, the Parliamentary Party of JUI-F also met with Maulana Fazlur Rehman in the chair.
It exchanged views on different matters related to proposed constitutional amendment.
A meeting of Muttahida Qaumi Movement Parliamentary Party was also held with MQM leader Maqbool Siddiqui in the chair. It discussed different aspects related to constitutional matters.
A delegation of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf also visited Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s residence.
It is pertinent to mention that sessions of both Houses of the Parliament were also scheduled tonight.
The government has intended to table the constitutional package in the parliament to strengthen the judicial system of the country.
Minister reviews Eid Milad-un-Nabi preparations in high-level meeting
PAKPATTAN, Sep 15 (APP):Provincial Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani on Sunday chaired a high-level meeting regarding the preparation for the upcoming Eid Milad-un-Nabi celebrations.
According to the focal person media, Dr M Abdullah Tabassum, the meeting was attended by the Commissioner Sahiwal, Iqbal Syed, RPO, Mehboob Rasheed, Deputy Commissioner, Sadia Mehr and others.
During the meeting, the focus was on the main procession route for 12th Rabi-ul-Awwal.
Deputy Commissioner Sadia Mehr provided a detailed briefing on the current status of arrangements. All departments were urged to ensure that facilities are in place to manage the large crowds expected for the event.
The provincial minister emphasized the importance of the 12th Rabi-ul-Awwal for
the Muslim community and reiterated the commitment of the government to ensure public convenience during the celebrations.
He called on the organizers of the processions to closely coordinate with the district administration and law enforcement agencies to maintain order and security.
Kermani also stressed the need for respect during the processions, urging participants to avoid any mishandling of langar, niyaz, and tabarak, which are traditionally distributed during the event.
Furthermore, he advised the public to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the authorities.
On the eve of Eid Milad-un-Nabi, the government aimed to create an atmosphere of peace and order, ensuring the smooth flow of the celebrations for the public.
Governor Punjab acknowledges business community’s role in country’s economy
ISLAMABAD, Sep 15 (APP):Governor Punjab Sardar Saleem Haider Khan on Sunday said that the business community is playing a pivotal role in the economic well-being of the country and one of the most significant contributions is job creation.
The governor said that God has gifted all His blessings to this country, it has been created in the Name of Allah and His Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH), therefore no power can inflict harm on it, the only needed thing is hard work and honesty.
Addressing the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry business role model award ceremony for renowned business leader Mohammad Bashir Janmohammad here.
The business community drives in turn, boosts consumer spending, drives economic growth and improves overall living standards,he said.
He termed the political stability vital for the economic stability and paid richest tribute to the business community which despite all the difficulties is determined to continue its businesses in the country.
Talking on IPPs issue he said that the government will have to take necessary initiative not only over this issue but on the gas issue also and it should focus its attention on the initiation of work on Pak-Iran gas pipeline for the economic wellbeing of the country.
He praised Islamabad Chamber of Commerce President Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari and his entire team for acknowledging the services of Mohammad Bashir Janmohammad in the field of business, social work and philanthropy by assuring his utmost cooperation for speeding up work on the ICCI Industrial Estate at Neela Dulla interchange.
Chancellor Institute of Business Management and Chairman Westbury Group of Companies Mohammad Bashir Janmohmmad while sharing his success story to the attendees expressed gratitude to the ICCI for gracing him with the prestigious role model award. He impressed upon the youth for focusing on education especially on IT and try to become entrepreneurs instead of job seekers in the best interest of the country.
He expressed the hope that sooner or later the IPPs issue will be resolved and the business community as well as the domestic consumers will heave a sigh of relief.
President Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry Atif Ikram Shaikh assured the business leaders that Federation is tirelessly working for the solution of all the major issues of the community including the IPPs issue and it will soon listen a good news on the subject.
President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari in his welcome note by highlighting the services of the awardees especially Mohammad Bashir Janmohammad said that the business community in Pakistan is confronting multiple difficulties especially the highest power rates, irrational taxes leading to closure of industries and business and culminating to unemployment.
He said that government must tailor its economic policies in consultation with the business leaders if it really wants to pull country out of the existing economic crunch.
He also said that for the economic stability of the country political stability is imperative, therefore the politicians should sit together and formulate a policies for at least next ten years.
He also sought Punjab Government’s assistance with regard to the establishment of an Industrial Estate of the ICCI at Neela Dulla.
Chairman Founder Group Khalid Iqbal Malik narrated the business community problems in detail and impressed upon the Governor Punjab to play his role for their solution in the best interest of the country.
He said that Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari is selflessly serving the community by spending huge amounts from his own pocket.
Secretary General United Business Group Zafar Bakhtawari said that Pakistan has a great future ahead. We must let the economy grow and ensure this journey succeeds through strategic planning and development.
He said his slogan is “Pakistan First” and added that the whole business community would leave no stone unturned in achieving the goal.
Former President FPCCI Zubair Tufail talked about the difficulties of the small traders and businessmen and called for unity in the ranks of the community to overcome these challenges.
Former Senior Vice President FPCCI Hanif Gohar expressed the hope that ICCI and FPCCI along with Mohammad Bashir Jamnmohmmad will be able to obtain the level playing field for the community.
Former President ICCI Zubair Ahmed Malik called for consistency in government policies for its prosperity and progress.
Nasir Mansoor Qureshi, Council Member ICCI said that that God has blessed our country with all the required resources and the only needed thing is the positivity and hard work.
He called upon the youth to come forward and serve the country for its pride in the comity of the nations.
Group leader Chakwal Chamber Qazi Mohammad Akbar,Group leader Gujrat Chamber Haji Nasir Mehmood, Group leader Rawalpindi Chamber Sohail Altaf, Group leader Rawalpindi Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industries Shahid Ghafoor Paracha also addressed the ceremony.
At the end of the ceremony awards and shields were distributed among the awardees at the hands of Governor Punjab Sardar Saleem Haider Khan.
UNGA adopts 79th session’s agenda, including addressing nuclear legacy & lethal autonomous weapons
UNITED NATIONS, Sep 15 (APP): The UN General Assembly has adopted the work programme for its seventy-ninth session, deciding to include items on addressing the legacy of nuclear weapons and on lethal autonomous weapons systems in its agenda, while Russia and Ukraine voiced opposing views on the body’s consideration of an item relating to the war-hit eastern European country.
Acting on the recommendation of its steering committee, the 193-member Assembly decided that the general debate, which will be held from 24 to 30 September, will continue on Saturday, 28 September. [The general debate will not be held on Sunday, 29 September.]
More than 130 heads of state/government, including Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, are expected to attend the high-level debate.
The Assembly President Philémon Yang of Cameroon, highlighted the Committee’s other recommendations on the organization of the session, concerning rationalization of work, closing date of the session, the general debate and the conduct of meetings.
The Assembly also took note of information on the ‘right of reply’ — particularly the organ’s practice that statements delivered in exercise of the right of reply to addresses made by Heads of State be in writing.
It decided to consider the draft agendas titled “Addressing the legacy of nuclear weapons: providing victim assistance and environmental remediation to Member States affected by the use or testing of nuclear weapons” and “Lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS)” under the “Disarmament” heading on its agenda. (LAWS are weapons that select and apply force to targets without human intervention).
Under the “Organizational, administrative and other matters” heading, it decided to consider the draft agendas titled “Eightieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War”, “Observer status for the Regional Anticorruption Initiative in the General Assembly” and “Observer status for the International Coffee Organization in the General Assembly”.
During the meeting, Russia disassociated itself from consensus on the decision to include the item titled “The situation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine” in the Assembly’s agenda. Stating that this wording does not reflect reality and intentionally misleads the international community, the Russian representative stressed that it also denies the fundamental principle of self-determination.
“The bloody pro-Nazi coup in Kyiv in 2014 initiated by the West” caused the systematic persecution and physical elimination of ethnic Russian, Russian-speaking and Christian Orthodox residents in Ukraine, the Russian representative said. Meanwhile, she continued, this agenda item only serves to propagate the Kyiv regime’s unsubstantiated accusations and propaganda. Further, because the topic of Ukraine is also discussed in other forums, this agenda item is a clear example of duplication of efforts.
The representative of Ukraine, for her part, thanked the Assembly for the inclusion of this agenda item. “We deeply regret the disrespectful attitude displayed by the Russian delegation towards the General Assembly, the most-representative principal organ of this Organization,” she said. Against the backdrop of the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, retaining this item in the agenda is of paramount importance.
“We are convinced that the vigilant attention of the General Assembly as a primary deliberative policy-making and representative body is indispensable in addressing Russia’s heinous acts of terrorism,” she stressed, adding that Member States have shown substantial interest in this year’s debate on the item — which only underscores its significance.
ADB President observes BISP’ initiatives
ISLAMABAD, Sep 15 (APP):The President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Masatsugu Asakawa, visited the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) office to observe its initiatives aimed at providing cash assistance to the deserving families, supporting enrolment in schools and maternal and child health in Pakistan.
During the visit to the BISP Tehsil Office in Taxila and the Benazir Nashonuma Centre at Wah General Hospital, the ADB President was briefed on BISP’s programs and their impact on the education, health and well-being of the poorest households.
Accompanied by an ADB delegation, including Haruto Takimura, Chief Advisor to the President, Yevgeniy Zhukov, Director General, Yong Ye, Country Director PRM, Ms. Azusa Sato, Senior Advisor to the President and others, President Asakawa received a briefing from BISP Director General Naveed Akbar. The briefing covered BISP’s key initiatives, such as Benazir Kafaalat, Taleemi Wazaif, Nashonuma, and the Undergraduate Scholarship Program.
DG Akbar also discussed new measures being implemented, including the New Payment Model, Mobile Registration Vans, Digital and Financial Literacy programs, and the extension of the Nashonuma Program to include adolescent girls.
At the Tehsil office, Taxila and Nashonuma Facilitation Center in Wah General Hospital, the ADB delegation interacted with beneficiaries and observed the registration process for the National Socio Economic Registry, the Taleemi Wazaif and Nashunuma Programs.
The visit also provided insight into the operational procedures of the BISP office and the facilitation center.
BISP’s Director General acknowledged the role of international partners, including the ADB, in supporting various social protection programs in Pakistan.
He highlighted efforts through BISP to raise awareness on healthcare services such as immunization and hospital care during childbirth, reduction of out of school children, and school dropouts, which are part of BISP’s ongoing initiatives.
Chairman Senate nominates members for special committee
ISLAMABAD, Sep 15 (APP):Chairman of the Senate, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, on Sunday, approved the nominations from both government and opposition benches for the members of the Special Committee.
According to the Senate Secretariat, the nominated members include the leader of the Opposition Senator Syed Shibli Faraz, Parliamentary leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Sherry Rehman, Parliamentary leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-N Senator Irfan-ul-Haque Siddiqui, Parliamentary leader of PTI Senator Ali Zafar, Parliamentary leader of BAP Senator Manzoor Ahmed, Parliamentary leader of JUIP Senator Atta Ur Rehman, Parliamentary leader of ANP Senator Ajmal Wali Khan, Parliamentary leader of MQM-P Senator Syed Faisal Subzwari, Parliamentary leader of BNP Senator Muhammad Qasim, Parliamentary leader of MWMP Senator Raja Nasir Abbas, Parliamentary leader of NP Senator Jan Muhammad, Parliamentary leader of PML Senator Kamil Ali Agha, and Parliamentary leader of SIC Senator Hamid Khan.
UN chief underscores importance of democracy, warns against threat of unchecked AI
UNITED NATIONS, Sep 15 (APP): UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Sunday reaffirmed the importance of upholding free speech, civil liberties and the rule of law, as well as ensuring accountable institutions and protecting human rights, while warning that artificial intelligence (AI) posed a treat to democracy.
“This is especially crucial in a year where more than 50 countries – representing half of the global population – are holding elections,” the UN chief said in a message marking International Day of Democracy.
“Yet, these rights and values are under attack around the world. Freedoms are being eroded. Civic space is diminishing. Polarization is intensifying. And mistrust is growing,” he said.
Pointing out that this year’s Democracy Day focuses on AI, Guterres said, “Left unchecked, the dangers posed by artificial intelligence could have serious implications for democracy, peace, and stability.
“This can start with the proliferation of mis- and disinformation, the spread of hate speech and the use of so-called deepfakes”.
Despite the dangers, artificial intelligence has the potential to play a positive role in strengthening democratic systems, he added, noting that AI can promote full and active public participation, enhance equality and contribute to human development.
“AI can boost education on democratic processes, and shape more inclusive civic spaces where people have a say in decisions and can hold decision-makers to account,” the UN chief said.
By utilizing AI for good governance, countries can create more transparent and accountable systems, that allow citizens to engage more effectively, he said. However, this will require effective governance of AI at all levels, including internationally.
Guterres also highlighted the recent report of the UN’s High-Level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence with recommendations on harnessing the benefits of AI while mitigating the risks.
“The message is clear: AI must serve humanity equitably and safely,” he stressed, adding that the upcoming Summit of the Future will be a critical platform for nations to discuss ways to strengthen international cooperation on AI.
“On this International Day of Democracy, let us keep working to build a more inclusive, just, and equal world.”