Chinese Minister arrives Islamabad on three-day visit

Thu, 20 Jun 2024, 9:59 PM

ISLAMABAD, Jun 20 (APP): Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (IDCPC) Liu Jianchao arrived here Thursday on a three-day visit.

He was received at the Islamabad International Airport by Additional Foreign Secretary (Asia & Pacific) Ambassador Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, a Foreign Office press release said.

Minister Liu Jianchao will call on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and hold extensive bilateral talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar.

Deputy PM Ishaq Dar and Minister Liu will also co-chair third meeting of the Pakistan-China Joint Consultative Mechanism (JCM) of the political parties on China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

146,584 tons of offal, garbage collected on Eidul Azha: Mayor Karachi

Kamran Muraad

Thu, 20 Jun 2024, 9:56 PM

KARACHI, Jun 20 (APP): Mayor Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that during the Eid days, 146,584 tons of offal and garbage were collected through 99 collection points and this operation successfully concluded over five days.

He expressed these views on Thursday while addressing a press conference at the KMC head office. He said that following the budget meeting, municipal staff and sanitary workers will be invited to the City Council, where he and the elected representatives will honor them.

He said that despite the extreme heat, sanitary workers performed excellently, cleaning the city of remains of sacrificial animals and garbage. After the cleanup, the next major challenge is the rains, for which all preparations have been completed. Post-rain, focus will shift to development work and completing ongoing projects, he said.

Deputy Mayor Karachi Salman Abdullah Murad, Deputy Parliamentary Leader in the city council Dil Muhammad, Jumman Darwan, Mayor Karachi’s Political Affairs Spokesman Karamullah Waqasi, Managing Director Sindh Solid Waste Management Board Syed Imtiaz Shah, various UC chairmen and local leaders, were also present on this occasion.

The Mayor Karachi noted that despite facing difficulties in the old city area, diligent efforts ensured the operation was uniformly conducted across all 25 towns. Trenches were dug for the disposal of waste. 83,521 tons were buried in Jam Chakro and in Gond Pass 46,907 tons and in Sharafi Goth 16,156 tons, he said.

Barrister Murtaza Wahab mentioned that after a long period, KMC itself is undertaking the cleaning of drains, with tenders to be issued in a day or two. All city choking points have been cleared, and machinery is ready to address the rain challenge.

He said that according to the meteorological department, a spell of rain is expected to start on June 27 and 28. Yesterday marked our one-year completion, during which we have begun addressing Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s issues. Mayor Karachi Barrister Murtaza on this occasion also expressed condolences over the death of labor leader Karamat Ali, who dedicated his life to labor rights.

Deputy PM Dar, Azerbaijan’s FM discuss state of bilateral relations

Najam ul Hassan

Thu, 20 Jun 2024, 9:54 PM

ISLAMABAD, Jun 20 (APP):Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Thursday held a telephone conversation on the occasion of Eid ul Azha with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov and exchanged Eid greetings.

The two ministers discussed the state of bilateral relations and the tremendous potential for collaboration in areas such as trade, investment, energy, and connectivity.

They also agreed to further enhance mutually beneficial cooperation and advance high level engagement and dialogue, a Foreign Office press release said.

KhUJ holds demonstration to protest Khalil Jibran’s murder

Kamran Muraad

Thu, 20 Jun 2024, 9:48 PM

PESHAWAR, Jun 20 (APP): The Khyber Union of Journalists on Thursday staged a protest against killing of senior journalist Khalil Gibran by some unknown persons in Khyber district.

A large number of journalists, led by PPC President Arshad Aziz and KhUJ President Nisar Hussain holding banners and chanting slogans outside the Peshawar Press Club (PPC), demanded early arrest of the killers of Khalil Jibran.

Addressing the protestors, the speakers alleged that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government had failed to protect journalists.

They said Khalil Jibran was receiving threats but he was not provided any security by the police and administration.

They warned of holding a protest outside the Chief Minister’s House and Governor’s House if the killers were not arrested within a week.

They also demanded that the provincial government should give a martyr’s package to Khalil Jibran’s family.

Pakistan, Turkiye agree to further deepen bilateral cooperation

Najam ul Hassan

Thu, 20 Jun 2024, 9:44 PM

ISLAMABAD, Jun 20 (APP): Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Thursday held a telephone conversation on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha to exchange Eid greetings with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye Hakan Fidan.

The two ministers reviewed the bilateral relationship between Pakistan and Türkiye, a Foreign Office press release said.

During the conversation, they expressed satisfaction on the robust strategic partnership between the two countries and agreed to further deepen bilateral cooperation and engagement across multiple domains.

Education emergency shows government’s seriousness in education sector: PM

Najam ul Hassan

Thu, 20 Jun 2024, 9:38 PM

ISLAMABAD, Jun 20 (APP):Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday expressing the government’s resolve to promote education in the country said that imposing education emergency in Pakistan showed how the government was serious in promoting this sector.

He said the government was taking steps to increase the capacity of the country’s youth through the use of modern technology.

He was talking to a high level delegation of Google for Education led by its Managing Director Kevin Kells. The delegation comprised of Google for Education representatives from eight countries.

The prime minister told the delegation that the government was providing laptops to the brilliant students from remote areas of the country. For this scheme, he said the required amount had already been allocated in the budget 2024-25.

He pointed out that the scope of Danish Schools was being expanded to the less developed areas of Islamabad, Gilgit Baltistan, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The prime minister welcoming the Google’s decision to establish manufacturing plants of chromebooks in Pakistan, appreciated the signing of letter of intent between Google for Education and Ministry of the Federal Education to promote education in Pakistan.

He invite Google for Education to expand its scope of cooperation with government of Pakistan.

Being briefed on Google for Education’s initiatives to promote education and training in Pakistan, the prime minister was told that Google was working on “Digital Journey” for education, and ‘Digital Safety’, especially digital safety program for children.

Google for Education and the National Rural Support Program are working together to promote digital skills and protection in rural areas while under ‘Balochistan First and Gilgit-Baltistan First’ programs, training has been provided to thousands of youth regarding digital skills and security, the meeting was informed.

The prime minister was further informed that the number of out-of-school children would be reduced with the help of artificial intelligence whereas Google for Education would provide artificial intelligence training in key national languages ??of Pakistan. Google for Education also offered to make Danish School under construction in Islamabad a Google Center of Excellence.

The prime minister was told that Google for Education organized training programs for teachers in collaboration with the Punjab government and last year, Google for Education gave 45 thousand certificates in Pakistan.

The meeting was also attended by Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Minister of State for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja and relevant high officials.