ISLAMABAD: May 10 –
Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Mohammed Ishaq Dar chairing the meeting of Cabinet Committee on Privatisation.
ISLAMABAD: May 10 –
Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme, Ms Rubina Khalid, called on President Asif Ali Zardari, at Aiwan-e-Sadr.
ISLAMABAD: May 10 –
Pakistan envoy urges Hajj pilgrims to demonstrate discipline during stay in Saudi Arabia
ISLAMABAD, May 10 (APP): Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ahmed Farooq, on Friday urged Pakistani Hajj pilgrims to demonstrate discipline during their stay in Saudi Arabia and thanked the Kingdom for ensuring the best arrangements for the pilgrims.
The statement came amid Pakistan’s ongoing pre-Hajj flight operation to ferry pilgrims to the Kingdom for the annual pilgrimage. Several Hajj flights left Pakistan for the Kingdom on Thursday, Arab News reported.
Ambassador Farooq and Pakistan’s Hajj Director General Abdul Wahab Soomro warmly welcomed the Pakistani pilgrims upon arrival in the holy city of Madinah. “Pilgrims should demonstrate best discipline to increase the prestige of the country,” the Ambassador said and added, we are grateful to the Saudi government for making the best arrangements for Hajj pilgrims.
DG Hajj Abdul Wahab Soomro said that the pre-Hajj flight operation was ongoing successfully and feedback about different facilities would be sought from pilgrims through the Pak Hajj app. Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and requires every adult Muslim to undertake the journey to the holy Islamic sites in Makkah at least once in their lifetime, if they are financially and physically able, he said.
Soomro said Pakistan has a Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims this year, according to the Pakistani Religious Affairs Ministry. Of them, 63,805 pilgrims will be performing the pilgrimage under the government scheme, while the rest would be accommodated by private tour operators, he added.
Federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi in a meeting with Ambassador of Italy H.E Marilina Armellin.
APP28-100524
ISLAMABAD: May 10 –
ISLAMABAD: May 10 – Federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi presenting souvenir to Ambassador of Italy H.E Marilina Armellin.
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal participated in a seminar organized by Belt and Road Center of National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).
BEIJING: May 10 –
APP24-100524
BEIJING: May 10 – Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal delivered a keynote address during a seminar organized by Belt and Road Center of National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). APP/MAF/FHA
Madinah : 3,485 Pakistani Hujjaj arrive in seamless flight operation
MADINAH AL MUNAWWARAH, May 10(APP):: A month-long pre-Hajj flight operation, which started on May 9, is taking momentum with each passing day as different airlines operated 15 flights in two days to transport around 3,485 Pakistani Hujjaj to Madinah Al Munawwarah in first leg of their spiritual journey to perform Hajj.
Out of these, seven flights have been operated from Islamabad and Karachi under the Road to Makkah project, an initiative of the Saudi government to streamline the immigration process for pilgrims to Makkah.
The initiative, launched in 2019, has so far been implemented in five countries including Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Morocco and Bangladesh.
Under the Road to Makkah initiative, pilgrims are able to complete their immigration requirements at their home country’s airport before they depart for Saudi Arabia. This saves pilgrims several hours upon arrival in the Kingdom, as they can simply enter the country without having to go through immigration again.
Currently, only two major airports of Pakistan including Islamabad and Karachi are being operated under the initiatives during the hajj days for facilitation of the pilgrims.
Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony has made elaborate arrangements to extend maximum facilities to intending pilgrims both in Pakistan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Before start of the pre-Hajj flight operation, the ministry held extensive training sessions for weeks to teach the intending pilgrims about the obligatory acts, aware about necessary information to make their pilgrimage hassle-free, facilities including assistance at airports, transport to residential buildings, three-time meal and medical healthcare.
The Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport (Madina Airport) on Thursday received all 11 scheduled flights, carrying a total of 2,160 intending Hajj pilgrims from various major cities of Pakistan to the holy land.
“There was a little delay in the departure of Hajj flights from Allama Iqbal International Airport due to a small fire incident. All Hajj flights from Lahore are being operated as per the scheduled days,” Spokesman for the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Muhammad Umar Butt told APP.
The Hajj pilgrims were warmly received by Pakistan’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ahmad Farooq, Director General of Hajj Abdul Wahab Soomro, Consul General Khalid Mehmood, Director of Hajj in Madinah Zia-ur-Rehman, Director of Facilitation and Coordination Ahmed Nadeem Khan, Director Moavineen Asghar Yusufza, and Director Hajj Medical Mission Brigadier Jamil Lakhiar.
Filled with excitement and devotion, the pilgrims, who have been preparing for this moment for years, stepped foot in the Prophet’s (SAW) city, marking the beginning of the Hajj season. Approximately three million pilgrims from around the world, including 179,210 Pakistanis, will converge on the holy cities to perform the sacred Hajj.
From the airport, the passengers were transported to residential buildings located in Markazia, just a 15-20-minute walk from Masjid e Nabvi and Roza-e-Rasool (SAW), via luxurious buses.
On first day of the Hajj-flight Operation, Pakistan Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ahmad Farooq along with the Director General Hajj Abdul Wahab Soomro welcomed the guests of Allah Almighty.
Upon arrival of the intending pilgrims at their residential buildings, gifts and bouquets were presented to the guests of Allah Almighty, extending a traditional welcome with playing ‘Duff’ and singing welcome notes in Arabic language.
Following the arrival of faithful from parts of the world for Hajj, a great rush was witnessed at the Masjid-e-Nabvi (SAW) where pilgrims started gathering at early in the morning for offering Jumma prayer.
This year around three million Muslims are expected to perform the religious obligation of Hajj including 1,79,210 Pakistanis.
Atta Tarar eulogizes hockey team players as ‘national heroes’
ISLAMABAD, May 10 (APP): Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Friday wished best of luck to the hockey team for the final of Azlan Shah Hockey Cup 2024, eulogizing them as “heroes of the whole nation”.
Addressing the national hockey team through video link, the minister paid tribute to the players for reviving the national game in the country by putting up remarkable performance during the Azlan Shah Hockey Cup 2024.
Flanked by Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP) Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan, the minister congratulated the national team for achieving the milestone and assured them of all-out support for promoting the game.
Atta Tarar said arrangements had been finalized to broadcast the final match on the Pakistan Television Sports channel.
He said a dedicated campaign would be launched in the newspapers, televisions channels and social media to highlight the achievements made by the national team during the Azlan Shah Hockey Cup 2024.
The minister commended the players for defeating Malaysia and drawing matches with high ranking teams such as New Zealand and Korea in the tournament.
“You have outshine them and performed excellently. You are our heroes and you will win the final match InshAllah,” he added.
He announced that the national team would be given a heroic welcome at the state level on their return and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would confer awards on them.
“Making to the finals is a very big achievement,” he said while lauding Head Coach Roelant Oltmans for reviving the national game.
He said the prime minister was committed to promote the national sports and would make all-out efforts in that regard.
“We grew up while watching penalty corners of Sohail Abbas,” he said, referring to Abu Bakar Mahmood’s penalty corner against New Zealand in the tournament that reminded him of the veteran hockey player Sohail Abbas.
He extended prayers to the hockey team for the final match and said the whole nations stood by with them.
“The whole nation will celebrate your win,” he said, adding a grand welcome would be accorded to the heroes on their return.
Azeri minister calls on PM Shehbaz
ISLAMABAD, May 10 (APP): Minister of Ecology & Natural Resources of Azerbaijan Mukhtar Babayev Friday called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif at the PM House and handed over an invitation letter to him from President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to participate in the COP-29 meeting to be held in Baku in November 2024.
The prime minister thanked the President of Azerbaijan for the invitation, and congratulated him and the Azeri people on Baku’s selection for hosting COP-29, the most important gathering of world leaders this year to deliberate upon the challenges posed by climate change.
He said that Pakistan was one of the most vulnerable countries that had borne the adverse impact of climate change in recent years, including the catastrophic floods of 2022.
He stressed the need for urgent action to enhance climate resilience. In this regard, he assured Azerbaijan of Pakistan’s full support and cooperation in ensuring the success of COP-29.
While accepting the invitation, the prime minister said he looked forward to participating in COP-29 where he would also have the opportunity to have detailed discussion with President Ilham Aliyev on the bilateral relationship, particularly to enhance bilateral trade and investment.
PM Shehbaz also reiterated his invitation to President Aliyev to undertake an official visit Pakistan.
The Azeri minister thanked the prime minister for receiving him and offering Pakistan’s support for the successful organization of the COP-29. He said the Azeri side would work closely with Pakistan to set an agenda that suitably reflects the needs of climate vulnerable countries.
KP govt pledges industrial growth, student empowerment for economic development: Abdul Karim
HARIPUR, May 10 (APP): Special Assistant to the CM Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for Industries, Skills Development and Technical Education, Abdul Karim Tordher has outlined the provincial government’s efforts to bolster industries and harness the potential of the university students to uplift the standard of living.
He expressed these views while addressing a conference at Pak-Austria Fachhochschule Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology here Friday.
The conference, attended by a multitude of industry and education dignitaries, saw active participation from Dr. Muhammad Mujahid Sanat and vice-chancellor of the university Dr. Abdul Matin.
The discussions primarily revolved around strategies to effectively leverage students’ capabilities in the industrial sector.
The participants underscored the importance of aligning students’ education with industry requirements to facilitate their seamless integration into the workforce, thus fostering substantial contributions to the province and the nation’s development.
Expressing gratitude to the participants, Abdul Karim Tordher reiterated the government’s steadfast commitment to providing substantial cooperation for industrial sector development and ensuring students are adequately prepared for pivotal roles within industries.
Pakistan, Korea sign Aide-Mémoire for Enhanced Development Cooperation 2024-2026
ISLAMABAD, May 10 (APP): The Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) and the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MoEA) here on Friday signed an Aide-Mémoire to chart a mid-term plan for implementation of development projects between 2024-2026.
The Aide-Mémoire, which was signed at the conclusion of visit by EDCF Country Programme Mission from the Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM), represents a key milestone in deepening economic ties between Pakistan and the Republic of Korea.
According to MoEA press release, the Aide-Mémoire was signed by Joint Secretary, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Sajid Manzoor Asadi and Director of the Asia Team, EDCF Mission, Bonhyun Koo. The signing was witnessed by Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Dr Kazim Niaz and other officials from the MoEA and EDCF.
Additionally, a project concept for the construction of a Pediatric Hospital in Jamshoro was signed, with EDCF committing USD 60 million in financing for the hospital’s construction in Sindh.
During the course of the visit, the EDCF Mission engaged with various government departments in Pakistan, including the Ministry of Planning, the National Highway Authority, Provincial Planning & Development Departments, and others, to discuss and refine the proposed development agenda.
The EDCF mission’s objectives also included knowledge sharing and capacity building, which both sides agreed to further enhance in the coming years.
In total, the EDCF has committed an indicative USD 900 million for lending to Pakistan over the next three years, with an additional USD 2 million allocated for technical assistance. This commitment will support high-priority projects, which will be further refined during an upcoming Policy Dialogue.
The Secretary, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Director, Asia team, EDCF Mission, emphasized their shared commitment to promoting sustainable development and fostering stronger economic cooperation.
They highlighted that the Aide-Mémoire underscores the commitment of both sides to work towards sustainable development through projects in priority sectors, including transport, healthcare, energy, and information and communication technology (ICT).
They expressed gratitude to all stakeholders for their support and collaboration, the press release added.