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Alhamra to host 6th annual ‘Adab Festival Pakistan’ on August 17

By
Kamran Muraad
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0
Alhamra
LAHORE, Aug 15 (APP):The Lahore Arts Council, in collaboration with the Department of Information and Culture, Punjab, is set to host the 6th Annual ‘Adab Festival Pakistan’ on August 17, 2024 at Alhamra Centre, The Mall.
The festival, which has established itself as a prominent literary, cultural, and intellectual gathering in Pakistan and worldwide, is preparing to welcome a distinguished lineup of scholars, intellectuals, and notable figures.
Prominent personalities such as Salman Faruqui, Kamran Lashari, Dr. Amjad Saqib, Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Shami, Aitzaz Ahsan, Yasir Latif Hamdani, Seema Aziz, Roshaneh Zafar, Ali Qasmi and many others will attend the event, contributing to a day filled with profound discussions, thought-provoking sessions, and enriching cultural experiences.
Alhamra has long been recognised as a literary and cultural heritage beacon, making it the perfect venue to host this prestigious event. Under the visionary leadership of Amina Saiyid, the Adab Festival Pakistan began its remarkable journey in 2010. Since then, it has flourished into a platform where ideas thrive, creativity blossoms, and the seeds of knowledge are sown.
Reflecting on the festival’s success, Amina Saiyid stated, “The land we stand on is brimming with potential; it only needs the right seeds to be planted for the golden branches of literature to grow and bear fruit.” This year’s festival, organized under the banner of Lightstone Publishers, promises to be an extraordinary celebration of Pakistan’s literary and cultural wealth.
Chairman Alhamra Razi Ahmed expressed his enthusiasm regarding the festival, stating Through the Adab Festival, we honor the power of words and the depth of our cultural legacy. Let us come together to celebrate the richness of our literature.
Executive Director Alhamra Sarah Rashid stated that the Adab Festival Pakistan celebrates our literary heritage, where ideas come alive and culture thrives. We invite everyone to join us in this enriching journey.
The festival starts at 1:30 pm at Alhamra and will run until 8:30 pm, providing a complete day of engaging discussions and enlightening debates. Alhamra extends a heartfelt invitation to all to participate in this meaningful cultural gathering, where appreciation for literature and culture is revered, and the profound legacy of our esteemed heritage is esteemed.

Man arrested for assaulting wife

By
Kamran Muraad
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0
LAHORE, Aug 15 (APP):A man was arrested for assaulting his wife.
According to details, a call was received from the Millat Park area regarding an assault on a woman. The woman sustained a severe head injury and lost consciousness due to the assault by her husband and her in-laws.
The woman’s sister informed the Virtual Women Police Station about the incident, which sent the police to the location. The police shifted the injured woman to a hospital and arrested husband and his brother.
A spokesperson said that the Safe City Virtual Women Police Station was striving for protection of women. Women could contact the police through the Women Safety App, dialing 15, or through chat.

NA abolishes 220 redundant posts, saves Rs 563mln

By
NNPS Desk
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ISLAMABAD, Aug 15 (APP): As part of the national austerity campaign, the National Assembly Secretariat has abolished 220 redundant positions ranging from grades 1 to 19, leading to annual savings of over Rs 563 million for the national treasury.

During a Finance Committee meeting chaired by Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, the body approved the implementation of the austerity plan. The plan included a comprehensive review and improvement of the processes for determining, eliminating, appointing, and promoting positions within the National Assembly Secretariat. It also enhances transparency in these processes.

The cost-cutting measures are being implemented in three phases, with the first two phases already completed. In the first phase, 90 unnecessary positions across various grades were eliminated, resulting in annual savings of Rs 255 million.

In the second phase, an additional 130 posts from grades 1 to 19 were abolished, generating further savings of over Rs 307 million annually.

Together, these measures will save more than Rs 563 million each year, with the third phase expected to contribute an additional Rs 400 million in savings.

These actions, directed by Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, aimed to achieve the overall target of Rs 1 billion in annual savings target.

According to a press release issued on Thursday, the Finance Committee has also decided to halt further recruitments in the National Assembly Secretariat. A sub-committee has been formed to review the National Assembly Secretariat Employees Act 2018 and align it with the Civil Servants Act 1973.

The purpose of these amendments is to ensure that the Secretariat’s staffing levels meet its actual needs and to improve the system of promotions and appointments.

The committee has introduced amendments to the Esta-Code’s contract cancellation clauses to facilitate the saving of national resources.

The meeting was also informed that a ‘Ticketing and Lodging Committee,’ comprising representatives from all relevant departments of the National Assembly Secretariat, has been established.

This committee will ensure transparency in operations, clarify the duties of officers and staff, and improve performance evaluation, leading to further resource savings.

The meeting also decided to initiate the digitalization of the National Assembly Secretariat to reduce paper usage through modern technology. The Punjab Information Technology Board has already begun work on this project.

Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq also directed that the construction of additional blocks in the Parliament Lodges be completed within the specified timeframe.

Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has previously made significant contributions to cost-saving efforts, including the transition of the Parliament House to solar energy, resulting in substantial annual savings.

Over 58,000 saplings planted in Lodhran

By
Kamran Muraad
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0
plantation
LODHRAN, Aug 15 (APP):Over 58,000 saplings has been planted on Thursday in Lodhran district under the “Plant a Tree for Pakistan” campaign initiated by Punjab Chief Minister.
District Lodhran ranked seventh in the province-wide tree plantation drive. Deputy Commissioner Abdul Rauf Mahar appreciated the Lodhran team for the outstanding performance.
Various government departments achieved their targets by planting saplings through 3,262 activities on Independence day.
Punjab Chief Minister, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, had directed the launch of a campaign across the province on the occasion of Independence day.
A target was set to plant 41,000 saplings in district Lodhran on Independence day under the “Plant a Tree for Pakistan” campaign.
While providing details about the campaign, DC Abdul Rauf Mahar said that no campaign could succeed without public participation.
He urged the citizens and the private sector to come forward and participate in the tree plantation drive to make it successful.
He further stated that a green and prosperous Pakistan was our goal, and green Pakistan is the future of our coming generation.
He also mentioned that under the direction of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the “Plant a Tree for Pakistan” campaign has been launched in South Punjab.

Two shot dead over old enmity

By
Kamran Muraad
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0
DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Aug 15 (APP):Two people were shot dead over an old enmity here in Rehmani-khel area in the limits of Shaheed Nawab Khan police station.
According to police, 25-year-old Ghulam Yazdani son of Ghulam Rabbani, resident of Rehmani-khel along with his relative named Aziz Ullah were on their way when unknown assailants opened fire at them near Asif Public School. As a result, both of them died on the spot.
The reason behind the incident is said to be an old enmity.

Mehran University Launches AI-powered career counseling program

By
NNPS Desk
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HYDERABAD, Aug 15 (APP): Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MuET) Jamshoro has launched Pakistan’s first AI-powered career counseling program in collaboration with IDEAGIST. This initiative marks a revolutionary shift in career guidance for students, allowing them to access up-to-date information on employment trends through advanced artificial intelligence. The program features IDEAGIST’s “CareerGPT” chatbot, which will offer modern career counseling services to Mehran University students.

According to the MUET spokesperson, the goal of the project was to provide students with the technical support needed for success in their chosen careers and the Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Taha Hussain Ali stated that this agreement will serve as a significant milestone in providing essential technical resources and information for students to achieve excellent career outcomes.

Under the agreement, it is anticipated that integrating AI into career services will position the university as a leader in the field of educational guidance within the country. The agreement includes a 12-month pilot program, during which students will receive career guidance. The project aims to enhance student success and prepare graduates for a competitive job market.

The Managing Director and CEO IDEAGIST Hassan Syed expressed enthusiasm about launching this new program in collaboration with Mehran University. He noted that their AI technology is designed to assist students to choose a career path in an appropriate way and enhance their employment and professional opportunities.

Drug dealer held with over 1.2 kg hashish, cash

By
Kamran Muraad
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0
DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Aug 15 (APP):The district police have arrested a drug dealer recovering 1.25 kilogram hashish and Rs 50,000 cash from his possession here in the limits of Saddar police station.
According to police spokesman, the crackdown against the menace of drugs was continued successfully in the district following the strict instructions of District Police Officer (DPO) Nasir Mehmood.
He said a team of Saddar police station led by SDPO Saddar Circle Imran Ullah Khattak along with Additional SHO Taimur Khan, taking action on a tip off, arrested accused drug dealer Farhan alias Amir son of Gulzaman, resident of Noor-velly. The police also recovered 1250 grams of hashish and Rs 50,000 cash from him.
The police also registered a case against the arrested accused and started further investigation.

Flag hoisting ceremony held at Pakistan embassy Oslo

By
Najam ul Hassan
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OSLO, Aug 15 (APP): Embassy of Pakistan in Oslo, Norway held a flag hoisting ceremony at the embassy premises with great zeal and fervor to mark the 78th Independence Day of Pakistan.

A large number of diaspora from Oslo as well as other cities of Norway including men, women and children attended the ceremony, a press release issued on Thursday said.

Ambassador Saadia Altaf Qazi raised the National Flag to the tune of the National Anthem. Messages of the President and the Prime Minister were also read out on the occasion.

Flag hoisting ceremony held at Pakistan embassy Oslo

Ambassador of Morocco to Norway, Nabila Freidji graced the occasion as Chief Guest.

The function also included speeches, songs and cultural performances as well as a fancy-dress parade of Pakistani-Norwegian youth in the traditional folk costumes of Pakistani provinces and regions presenting cultural diversity of Pakistan.

The children performed a tableau on a National Song to the huge applause of the guests. In addition, some other individual amateur singers and speakers including a 7-years old young child from Kristiansand (a southern city of Norway) took the stage in a commendable patriotic spirit.

Another highlight of the ceremony was a melodious performance by a PakNorwegian musical band RagaNor, known for its unique fusion of traditional & contemporary music styles, who captivatingly performed Qawwali, Ghazal and Geet, bringing soulful rhythms of Pakistan to Norway.

Ambassador Saadia Altaf Qazi addressed the gathering highlighting the significance of the day. She also distributed appreciation certificates among the program participants.

Canola, sunflower to be cultivated over 0.85 and 0.77 mln hectares

By
Kamran Muraad
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0
ISLAMABAD, Aug 15 (APP):The government has set a target to cultivate canola over 0.85 million hectares and sunflower over 0.77 million hectares during the current year in order to fulfil the local requirements of edible oil and reduce the reliance on imported oil.
During the period under review, the cultivation targets for rapeseed and mustard were fixed over 5.42 million hectares to produce 6.80 million metric tons of edible oil, said an official in the Ministry of National Food Security and Research.
Meanwhile, the seed cotton to be cultivated over 3.118 million hectares as production targets of the mentioned commodity was fixed at 4.015 million metric tons, he added.
He said that the government was providing different incentives to encourage the farmers to cultivate oil seeds to enhance the local output of edible oil to save foreign exchange, which was being spent on the import of oil including soyabean and palm into the country.
He said that under the PSDP 2024-25, the government has allocated Rs1,000 million for the promotion of olive cultivation on a commercial scale in the Pakistan phase-II project to enhance the output of edible in the country, adding that Rs1,600 million for the national program for enhancing command areas in barani areas.
In its annual development agenda, the government has earmarked Rs800 million for the national oil seed development program, whereas an amount of Rs700 million would be spent on professional capacity building in the agriculture national reforms, he added.
The government has also allocated Rs 600 million for water conservation in barani areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, besides allocating an amount of Rs199.865 million on the mainstreaming of mountain agriculture research centres for the promotion of high-value agriculture in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Governor Tessori, Arshad Nadeem visit Mazar e Quaid to pay homage to father of nation

By
Kamran Muraad
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0
KARACHI, Aug 15 (APP):Sindh Governor Muhammad Kamran Khan Tessori along with Olympian Arshad Nadeem visited the mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on Thursday where they paid their respects and offered Fateha.
Governor Tessori and Good Medalist Arshad Nadeem also laid wreaths at the mausoleum and penned their comments in the visitor’s book.
Later on, Governor and the Olympian Arshad Nadeem also talked to media and said they visited Mazar-e-Quaid to pay homage to the father of the nation.
Arshad Nadeem who won Gold Medal for Pakistan in Paris Olympics is on a visit to Karachi and he also participated Independence Day celebrations organized at Sindh Governor House on the night of August 14.
He also called on Governor Sindh Muhammad Kamran Khan Tessori at Governor House.
Governor Tessori also presented a cheque of Rs. 2 million as reward he had announced for the Olympian over his unprecedented win in a Javelin Throw completion at Paris Olympics.
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