Workers are busy in painting the wall of Pul-e-Khawaja Safdar Jail Road in connections of development program to make the city beautiful
PCB Chairman’s election scheduled for 13 September
LAHORE, Aug 27 (APP): Election Commissioner of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Mr Justice (retd) Sheikh Azmat Saeed has called a special meeting of the Board of Governors on 13 September, at 1100 in Lahore to elect the 36th PCB Chairman.
The Election Commissioner made the decision in his first meeting at the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday afternoon, in which he also directed that notices of the special meeting be issued to the BoG members. Such notices have been issued.
Earlier on Friday morning, PCB Patron, Prime Minister Mr Imran Khan, had nominated Mr Asad Ali Khan and Mr Ramiz Raja on the BoG for a three-year term while exercising his powers under clause 12(1) of the PCB Constitution.
The other five members on the BoG are Mr Aasim Wajid Jawad, Ms Alia Zafar, Mr Arif Saeed and Mr Javed Kurieshi (all independent members) and Mr Wasim Khan (PCB Chief Executive).
Pakistani, Chinese intellectuals participates in Pakistan Literature Night in Beijing
BEIJING, Aug 27 (APP): Notable Pakistan and Chinese intellectuals and experts participated in Pakistan Literature Night held in the Chinese capital as part of Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF).
On the special invitation of Chinese government, Pakistan is participating in BIBF as the Country of Honour to celebrate the 70th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China.
Renowned literary figures namely Amjad Islam Amjad, Dr Arifa Syeda Zahra, Ata Turab, Professor Zhang Shixuan, Professor Tang Mengsheng and Professor Kong Julan participated in the event.
The literature night was live telecast on official Wechat and Tiktok accounts of BIBF and was virtually attended by peoples from all walks of life.
Expressing their views during the event, Pakistani and Chinese intellectuals dilated on various aspects of Pakistan’s culture, history and literary traditions.
They highlighted that as an ancient civilization and a pluralistic and progressive society, Pakistan made notable contributions to the development of global art and literature.
The poets, writers and intellectuals also paid rich tribute to several Pakistani poets of Urdu, English and local languages for their services.
During the event, Pakistani and Chinese also expressed satisfaction at the steady development of literary and cultural ties between the two countries and agreed to further deepen their bilateral ties as envisaged by the leadership and peoples of two countries.
During the literature night, Associate Professor Zhang Jiamei and Professor Zhang Shixuan also briefed the audience about their respective books on Gandhara civilisation of Pakistan and translation of Faiz Ahmed Faiz poetry into Chinese language.
China strongly condemns Kabul airport attack
BEIJING, Aug 27 (APP): China on Friday expressed shock and strongly condemned explosions near the Kabul airport which caused massive casualties.
“China is shocked by the explosions near the Kabul airport which caused massive casualties. We also strongly condemn that,” Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said during his regular briefing held here.
He said that this incident showed that the security situation in Afghanistan remains complicated and severe.
“We hope relevant parties can take effective measures to ensure smooth transition of the situation there and ensure safety of the Afghan people and foreign nationals”, he added.
He said that no casualties among Chinese nationals had been reported as of Friday afternoon.
“The Chinese Embassy in Afghanistan verified and understands so far there are no reports of casualties for Chinese citizens,” he added.
Zhao Lijian said that the Chinese embassy has strengthened contacts with Chinese nationals still living in Afghanistan. They maintain close communication and will provide necessary assistance and also tell them reinforce safety precautions and also ask them to protect safety of Chinese nationals.
Responding to a question, he said that the Chinese side condemns the terrorist attack and express deep sympathy to bereaved family and those injured.
While strongly opposing terrorism of all forms, he said that the Chinese side will work with the international community to cope with the terrorist threats and prevent Afghanistan to fall into hot bed of terrorism again.
“We noted that in past two decades some terrorist groups gathered and developed in the territory of Afghanistan posing severe threats to international and regional peace and security, especially the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) listed as terrorist group by United Nations Security Council (UNSC) posed direct and immediate threat to the safety of Chinese nation and the Chinese people.
He said that the Taliban has already stated clearly that they will not allow any force to use the Afghanistan territory to undermine China.
“We hope Taliban fulfil their commitment and make a clear break with all terrorist groups firmly crackdown on ETIM and remove obstacles and pave way for the regional safety, security and development.
According to media reports, two blasts and gunfire rocked the area outside the Kabul airport on Thursday evening, witnesses said. Video shot by Afghan journalists showed dozens of bodies strewn around a canal on the edge of the airport, less than two weeks after the Taliban took control of Kabul.
ISIS-K, a local affiliate of the ISIL, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Envoy discusses Afghan situation with UK’s Shadow Cabinet Members
ISLAMABAD, Aug 27 (APP):Pakistan’s High Commissioner in UK Moazzam Ahmad Khan held a virtual discussion with Lisa Nandy MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and Stephen Kinnock, Shadow Minister for Asia and Pacific on the unfolding situation in Afghanistan.
In his interaction, the high commissioner presented Pakistan’s perspective on the Afghan situation, pointing out that Pakistan had been sincere in its desire for peace and stability in Afghanistan, said a press release received Friday.
The high commissioner said as part of a shared responsibility, Pakistan had extended every support for initiating the Intra Afghan dialogue. However, regrettably, the dialogue was unable to make much headway, principally because of intransigence of the Afghan government.
He updated his interlocutors on Pakistan’s efforts to extend all possible humanitarian support in evacuating those intending to leave Afghanistan.
He hoped that the international community would not repeat past mistakes, and would stay engaged to ensure peace, security and stability in Afghanistan.
The high commissioner further clarified that Pakistan hoped that human rights, including women rights would be respected, a broad-based and inclusive dispensation would be put in place and Afghan soil will not be used to foment instability in any country.
He assured that as a responsible member of the international community, Pakistan would continue to extend all possible facilitation to evacuation efforts of foreign nationals.
Pakistan can’t dictate Taliban, but only advise: Fawad
BADIN, Aug 27 (APP): Minister of Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Friday categorically remarked that Pakistan could not dictate Afghan Taliban, but only advise them on formulation of an inclusive government in the land-locked country.
“Pakistan wants peace and stability in Afghanistan. Prime Minister Imran Khan, earlier in his speech in Bajaur, had advised former President Ashraf Ghani to formulate a government based on consensus instead of holding elections. And now we have the same advice for the Taliban,” he said in an interaction with the office bearers of Badin Press Club.
Flanked by Federal Minister for Inter provincial Coordination Dr Fehmida Mirza, Fawad said Taliban sat on negotiation table with the United States due to Pakistan’s efforts, but unfortunately, former president Ashraf Ghani did not show any interest in negotiating with the Taliban.
For boosting trade from Peshawar to Mazar-e-Sharif and Tashkent through trains and to reach Central Asian States via Afghanistan through trucks, peace and stability in the neighboring country was crucial, he said while pointing out Pakistan’s desire to link China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) with the European Union.
Such steps, which would further boost economic activity in the region, could only become possible with stability in Afghanistan, he added.
About the proposed Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA), he ruled out possibility of compromising on the journalists’ rights and fake news. Other than that, the government would welcome any amendment in PMDA draft, he added.
He said the working journalists should have the right to enforce their job contracts through media tribunals. An amount of Rs 700 million has been released to media groups in the last three and a half months, but it was very unfortunate that some media houses were still not issuing salaries to their workers.
The office bearers of Badin Press Club briefed the Information minister on Sindh government’s injustice to the area’s journalists. They also told him about the problems being faced by them.
The Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting listened to their problems carefully and assured them of resolving their issues on priority.
He said the Sindh government received a substantial share from the federation on the name of Badin and Ghotki’s gas royalty, while the centre had also given an amount of Rs. 1900 billion to the province in previous years.
Around 59 percent of total taxes collected by the federation from across the country were transferred to the provinces, he said adding, people of Badin should raise voice for their rights (royalty).
Endorsing Fawad’s stance, Minister for Interprovincial Coordination Dr Fehmida Mirza said Badin, with an impressive political background, was still a backward region.
However, she lauded Badin’s media for playing an active role in raising regional issues.
Fehmida Mirza regretted that the non-payment of salaries to workers was very unfortunate as the government had cleared the media houses’ out standing payments.
The officials of Badin Press Club who called on the ministers included Tanveer Ahmed Arain, Shaukat Memon, Hameed Soomro,Dod Panhwar, Ashraf Memon, Swan Khaskheli, Malik Ilyas, Imran Abbas Khawaja, Ashfaq Memon, A Majeed, Khakoor Memon, Khalid Abbasi, Shafi Memon, Murtaza Memon and Noor Hassan Solangi.
Resolution of Kashmir dispute imperative for regional peace: NA Speaker
ISLAMABAD, Aug 27 (APP): Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser Friday said that the fighting for the cause of Illegally Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) on every regional and international forum would continue till the resolution of Kashmir dispute as per aspirations of Kashmiri people.
He resolved to utilize all possible channels to highlight and sensitize the world about atrocities being committed on innocent Kashmiri people in (IIOJK).
He expressed these views while meeting with newly elected Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan Niazi who called him here.
Speaker Asad Qaiser congratulated Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan Niazi on assuming the office of Prime Minister of State of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K) and expressed his confidence that under his leadership the AJK would traverse on the path of progress and development.
He said Indian atrocities would not last longer and the people of Kashmir would soon get their basic right of freedom.
He said that the state of Azad Jammu and Kashmir is full of natural scenes and resources and there is vast opportunity of promotion of tourism.
He said that exploring tourism opportunities would bring mass prosperity and generate employment opportunities.
Speaker Asad Qasier also said that highlighting the atrocities and violations of basic rights in IIOJ&K have always been the priority of the incumbent government.
He said that the peace of the region and of the world is dependent upon the resolution of the Kashmir dispute as per the resolution of the United Nations Security Council and aspirations of the people of Kashmir.
He remarked that Parliament of Pakistan has raised the Kashmir issue at all national and international forums.
He said that he himself had written letters to Speakers and Presiding officers of 198 Parliaments of the world to highlight Indian brutalities in IIOJ&K.
Prime Minister of AJK Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan Niazi thanked the Speaker for his warm facilitation and good wishes. He also lauded the initiatives taken by Speaker Asad Qaiser for highlighting the Kashmir dispute and assured that he would continue to highlight the Kashmir dispute at every regional and international forum.
He was confident that soon the people of Kashmir would be free from Indian occupation and succeed to get their right of self-determination.
He also said that promoting tourism in state of AJ&K would be the top priority of his government and all available resources would be utilized for the well being of the people of Kashmir.
A group photo of Pakistan Navy and Royal Saudi Naval Force officials on deck of Pakistan Navy Ship Zulfiquar during visit at a port in Jeddah
JEDDAH: August 27-, Saudi Arabia.APP
MEDITERRANEAN: August 27- Pakistan Navy Ship (PNS) Zulfiquar participating in the Passage Exercise with Turkish and Italian Navy in Mediterranean Sea.APP
JEDDAH: August 27-A group photo of Pakistan Navy and Royal Saudi Naval Force officials on deck of Pakistan Navy Ship Zulfiquar during visit at a port in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.APP
A traffic warden removing wrongly parked vehicle for smooth flow of traffic in the city
UNDP Peace and Justice Project Manager Mr Darren Nanci presenting honorary shield Inspector General of Police Gilgit-Baltistan Muhammad Saeed Wazir during his visits to CPO Gilgit
Man cooking rice on orders of customer at Brewery Road.
Vendor displaying mix fruits to attract the customer
China’s financial sector holds growing appeal for foreign investment
ISLAMABAD, Aug 27 (APP): In recent years, China has advanced the opening-up of its financial markets in an orderly manner, approving the establishment of a total of more than 100 foreign-funded financial institutions in fields including banking, insurance, securities, and payment and clearing.
In June this year, DBS Securities (China) Limited, China’s first securities joint venture controlled by a Singaporean-funded enterprise, received its business license from China Securities Regulatory Commission, thus being permitted to officially commence business operations in China, People’s Daily said in an article.
The development of the controlling shareholder of DBS Securities (China) Limited, DBS Bank (China) Limited (DBS China), which is among the first wholly foreign-owned banks in China, the first participants in the Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS) for RMB, and the first banks designated by Shanghai International Energy Exchange to carry out overseas customer deposit management business, well reflects the course of opening-up in China’s financial sector.
“Over the past more than four decades, China has established a huge modern financial system, and its financial sector has enjoyed rapid development. During the course, China has opened up its markets step by step, achieving universally recognized results,” said Neil Ge, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of DBS China, adding that foreign-funded financial institutions have witnessed fast growth of businesses in China.
China announced that it would significantly broaden access to its financial markets in 2018, and this round of opening-up surpassed that in 2001 when the country joined the World Trade Organization in terms of the breadth of licenses for financial services and the depth and speed of qualifications of businesses, pointed out a report on new opportunities generated by China’s financial opening-up released by the financial research center of McKinsey Greater China last October.
China’s importance and influence in the global economy and the global financial systems will continue to expand, which, combined with the accelerated implementation of the country’s measures for further opening up its financial markets, will make global investors and market participants more optimistic about the Chinese market, according to a research team from Deutsche Bank.
Since the country officially removed all items on the 2020 negative list for foreign investment access to its financial markets, wholly foreign-owned and foreign-controlled financial institutions have sprung up all over the Chinese market continuously.
On July 17, 2021, Ueda Yagi Money Broking (China) Co., Ltd., the first wholly foreign-owned money brokerage company on the Chinese mainland, officially opened for business.
A month before that, BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, became the first foreign asset management company that was licensed to start a wholly owned onshore mutual fund business in China. On July 1, 2021, BlackRock reported its first public offering product, which meant its first public offering fund will soon be unveiled.
China’s efforts to implement the Foreign Investment Law and its supporting rules and regulations and cut the negative list on foreign investment still shorter have created for foreign investors and foreign-invested enterprises a business environment that is based on market principles, governed by law and up to international standards, which impressed Tomoyuki Ota, chief economist at Japan’s megabank Mizuho Financial Group.
The law helps foreign-invested companies develop better in China and enables Chinese people to enjoy better services, said Ota, who believes that the continuous efforts of China to further open its financial markets are beneficial to both China and the world.
Financial opening-up signals the elevation of China’s opening-up to a higher level, and reflects further integration of the Chinese economic development into the global market, according to Wang Yifeng, an analyst with China Everbright Bank.
Speeding up opening-up helps China introduce new management experience, product system, and risk management techniques, and improve the capacity of China’s financial sector for serving the real economy, Wang said.
While expanding opening-up of the financial sector, China needs to enhance its risk prevention ability, strengthen macro prudential management, and make financial regulation more professional and effective, Wang added.
A herd of buffaloes freely walking at Mohenjo-Daro Airport Road creating hurdle in smooth flow of traffic and needs the attention of concerned authorities
Farmers sorting good quality of Dates near Tayyab Shaikh Village Larkana-Khairpur Road
Frontier Corps (FC) personnel foiled a bid of smuggling foreign falcons under Wildlife Department in Gwadar District.
Govt introducing reforms, incentives to attract investment of overseas Pakistanis: PM
ISLAMABAD, Aug 27 (APP):Prime Minister Imran Khan Friday said the government was bringing in reforms and introducing incentives to attract investment of overseas Pakistanis.
He was speaking at the launch of the Roshan Apna Ghar scheme of State Bank here at a ceremony.
He said nine million overseas Pakistanis had as much money as the total gross domestic product of Pakistan.
Since his cricketing days he had interaction with overseas Pakistanis who were the biggest asset of the country but their potential was not fully utilized, he remarked.
Pakistan could greatly benefit from investment potential of expatriate community and from their technical skills, professionalism and expertise, he added.
He said, “We have to create an environment and give incentives so that top professionals return to Pakistan.”
LIVE #APPNews : Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI addressing launching ceremony of #RoshanApnaGhar for overseas Pakistanis #Islamabad @PakPMO https://t.co/xS0EmBjbG3
— APP 🇵🇰 (@appcsocialmedia) August 27, 2021
He said corruption was the biggest hurdle in attracting investment of overseas Pakistanis.
The government in the past did not focus on the welfare of these Pakistanis, he observed.
The Prime Minister noted that Pakistan had substantially improved its ranking among countries in the area of ease of doing businesses.
Imran said overseas Pakistanis wanted to build their home in Pakistan but land mafia was a nuisance for them as it illegally occupied their plots of land.
Under the Roshan apna ghar scheme, he said banks were guaranteeing the plots purchased by overseas Pakistanis.
He was hopeful that current account deficit gap would be filled by the investments made by overseas Pakistanis.
He said sustainable economic growth would be achieved with the money invested by the expatriates.
“We are reforming the system to bring in investment of the overseas Pakistanis.”
The Prime Minister gave away awards to top three performing banks including Bank Alfalah, Habib Bank and Meezan Bank for attracting investment of the overseas Pakistanis.
Minister for Finance Shaukat Tareen, Governor State Bank Reza Baqir and high level government functionaries attended the event.
Addressing the ceremony, Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin said that State Bank of Pakistan particularly its Governor Raza Baqir had shown great leadership to ensure the success of Roshan Digital Account which had attracted $2 billion from overseas Pakistanis.
He said the use of technology to bring all banks under one platform was the biggest challenge in the execution of RDA.
The finance minister said the multiple schemes had been launched for the overseas Pakistanis but the Roshan Apna Ghar scheme would prove to be a game changer. It would also help tap the remittances, he added.
State Bank Governor Raza Baqir said three banks had shown excellent performance for increasing the RDA deposits from $1 billion to $2 billion.
He said the Roshan Apna Ghar scheme would connect the overseas Pakistanis and address almost all the issues faced by them regarding real estate investment in Pakistan.
He said the expatriates would be free to either invest in the projects of their choice or those supported by the banks which would obviously give a sense of security to their investment.
Highlighting the contours of the scheme, the SBP governor said it would include tax deduction at source, fixed tax rate and standard rates for loans.
Youngsters purchasing sun glasses from a roadside stall in the city
Workers laying underground Internet cables on the side of the road in the scorching Sunny day in the city
A carpenter preparing different parts of traditional bed (Charpai) at his workplace
