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Secy religious affairs chairs Zoom meeting, ensures Hajj pilgrims’ smooth experience

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NNPS Desk
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By Rehan Khan

ISLAMABAD, May 8 (APP): Secretary Religious Affairs, Zulfiqar Haider, on Wednesday convened a pivotal Zoom meeting to discuss the forthcoming Hajj operation.

The meeting saw the participation of Director General Hajj Abdul Wahab Soomro alongside four directors from Makkah, who collectively provided a comprehensive briefing on the upcoming pilgrimage.

Emphasizing the significance of the pilgrimage, Secretary Zulfiqar stressed the need for the provision of all conceivable facilities to ensure a smooth experience for Hajj pilgrims. He underscored the importance of incorporating feedback and opinions from the pilgrims into the operational framework, affirming their special significance during the Hajj operation.

Secretary Zulfiqar further directed the compilation of data through surveys to gauge the ongoing Hajj operation’s efficacy.

He made it unequivocally clear that any negligence or lethargy among officials would not be tolerated during this critical period.

Addressing logistical arrangements, the director General Hajj revealed the hiring of three Tawafa companies to facilitate the pilgrims in Mina and Arafat during the Hajj. Additionally, it was disclosed that all Pakistani Hajj pilgrims would be accommodated in Madina in Markazia, while they would be allocated residences in Makkah at various locations, including Aziziya, Batha Quraish, and Hai Naseem.

Highlighting the comprehensive preparations, Director Facilitation and Cooperation Ahmed Nadeem Khan confirmed the readiness of all departments involved in providing facilities for Hajj pilgrims.

Medical provisions for Pakistani pilgrims were outlined by the Director of Hajj Medical Mission, who assured the availability of medical facilities through two hospitals and dispensaries in Makkah and Madina.

Furthermore, the Director Moavin assured about the Moavineen-e-Hujjaj’s readiness to fulfill their responsibilities regarding accommodation, food, and travel facilities in Makkah and Madina.

US puts arms shipment to Israel on hold amid dispute over Rafah attack

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NNPS Desk
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WASHINGTON, May 08 (APP): The United States has paused a shipment of “high-payload” munitions to Israel for review over concerns about a potential military offensive on the Gazan city of Rafah, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said Wednesday.

The paused delivery was supposed to contain 3,500 bombs, split roughly evenly between 2,000-pound (907-kilogram) and 500-pound explosives, a senior administration official was cited as saying in media reports.

Austin said no final decision has been made on the shipment.

But the defence secretary stressed that the U.S. commitment to Israel’s defense remained “iron-clad” and that the decision on suspending the munitions shipment was not final.

Still, he said the U.S. preference would be that “no major combat take place in Rafah” and that at a minimum any Israeli operation must safeguard civilian lives.

“We’ve been very clear… from the very beginning that Israel shouldn’t launch a major attack into Rafah without accounting for and protecting the civilians that are in that battles pace,” Austin told a Senate hearing.

“And again, as we have assessed the situation, we have paused one shipment of high payload munitions,” he told a Senate hearing.

“We’ve not made a final determination on how to proceed with that shipment.”

Israel has threatened a major assault on Rafah, but Western nations and the United Nations say a full-scale attack on the city would triggger a humanitarian catastrophe.

Since Oct 7, Israel’s campaign to destroy Hamas has led to a seven-month-long military campaign that has so far killed a total of 34,789 Palestinians, mostly women and children.

The conflict has also left many of Gaza’s 2.3 million people on the brink of starvation and sparked protests in the U.S. demanding that universities and Biden withdraw support for Israel – including the provision of weaponry. Biden is also under pressure from Democrats, including lawmakers in his party, to put more pressure on Israel.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham was among the Republicans who rebuked the Biden administration over the decision.
“This is obscene. It is absurd. Give Israel what they need,” Graham said, adding it wasn’t for Washington to second-guess how Israel fought a war against Hamas bent on Israel’s destruction.

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer, who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, called on Biden to drop “his politically-motivated hold”.
“American support for Israel cannot be in doubt, especially now,” she said.

For its part, the Israeli military appeared on Wednesday to play down the arms shipment hold-up, saying the allies resolve any disagreements “behind closed doors”.

Speaking at a conference hosted by the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper as the Gaza war entered its eighth month, Israel’s chief military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari described coordination between Israel and the United States as reaching “a scope without precedent, I think, in history”.

Secy religious affairs, Saudi ambassador review Hajj preparations

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NNPS Desk
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By Rehan Khan

ISLAMABAD, May 8 (APP): Secretary Religious Affairs, Zulfiquar Haider on Wednesday paid a courtesy call on the Ambassador of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki and discussed the matters of mutual interest.

During the meeting, the two dignitaries reviewed the ongoing preparations for the upcoming Hajj pilgrimage.

The meeting aimed to strengthen the bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries.

Pakistan’s Lunar CubeSat ICUBE-Q successfully deployed in orbit on May 08

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NNPS Desk
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ISLAMABAD, May 08 (APP): Pakistan’s Lunar CubeSat ICUBE-Q was successfully deployed in orbit at 1314 hours on May 08 from Chang’E6, according to the Pakistan Institute of Space Technology (IST).

IST stated that “Satellite after deployment is performing as per the design specifications. All subsystems’ health data is excellent”.

“Another great news is that the optical imaging payload is also functional. Next few days thorough in-orbit testing of the satellite will be conducted. Looking forward to receiving lunar surface images”, IST said.

IST which is a leading high-end university of Pakistan had the distinct honor of launching a Cube Satellite ICUBE-Qamar (ICUBE-Q) in Lunar orbit on board the China’s Chang `E-6 Mission on Friday at 14:18 PST from Wenchang Space Launch Site, Hainan, China.

CubeSats are a class of small satellites used by academic institutes for experimental and research purposes in Low Earth Orbits, generally with an altitude of less than one thousand km. However, these satellites are now finding many applications in higher orbits and deep space missions.

Moon is in an elliptical orbit at an average distance of around 384 thousand km from the earth which makes it challenging to communicate with and control small satellites.

The opportunity to release CubeSat in Lunar orbit from Chang-E`6 mission was offered by China National Space Agency (CNSA) through Asia Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO) to APSCO member states.

After thorough evaluation, Pakistan’s proposal was accepted out of all APSCO member states. The design, development and qualification of ICUBE-Q was led by faculty members and students of the IST in collaboration with China’s Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) and support from Pakistan National Space Agency SUPARCO.

ICUBE-Q carried two cameras as payload for imaging Lunar surface and Earth/Moon images from Lunar orbit besides having 3-axis altitude control for desired orientation, onboard computer, thermal control, telemetry and tele-command and payload data communication modules for connecting through deep space network.

Chang’E6 rocket took five Earth days to reach Moon orbit. ICUBE-Q was deployed on May 08 in a carefully selected 12-hour elliptical orbit that will allow imaging of the desired Lunar surfaces.

IST is a federally chartered university that pioneered the development of CubeSats in Pakistan by launching its first CubeSat “ICUBE-1” in Low Earth Orbit in November 2013.

According to the Head of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department at IST and co-lead on the satellite project, Khurram Khurshid, “This is Pakistan’s first deep space mission which is a historic moment that would pave the way for launching other deep space missions in the future. Around 100 students, along with the faculty members, contributed to various aspects of the satellite, including electrical engineering for electronics, aerospace engineering for control systems, computer science for software and mechanical/materials engineering for identifying materials suitable for the moon’s harsh environment, he said.

According to the timeline of the launch of Chang’e 6 probe, at 5:27pm (BJT) on May 03, the Long March 5 Y8 rocket, carrying Chang’e-6 spacecraft, blasted off from Wenchang Space Launch Site.

About 37 minutes after the liftoff, the Chang’e 6 probe separated from the rocket, and was sent to the Earth-Moon transfer orbit with a perigee of 200km and an apogee of about 380,000km.

Next, it was supposed to make a soft landing on the far side of the Moon, to collect lunar samples and carry out scientific detection work.

After the samples are sealed in a container, the ascender will take off from the moon and dock with the orbiter-reentry capsule combination in lunar orbit.

The re-entry capsule will then carry the samples back to Earth. The entire process is expected to last about 53 days.

Bilawal demands accountability for May 9 attacks

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NNPS Desk
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Bilawal-Bhutto-Zardari

ISLAMABAD, May 08 (APP): Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has condemned May 9 as yet another dark chapter in the nation’s history.

He urged that justice must prevail for the perpetrators who attacked Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s residence, Jinnah House, and military installations, adding that the violence on May 9 was a malevolent scheme aimed at sowing chaos and enforcing fascism in the country.

According to the press release from the Media Cell Bilawal House, he said that the instigator behind the strongly condemnable events of May 9 is well-known to everyone.

He emphasized that Pakistan cannot afford to ignore the violence that perpetuated on May 9.

Bilawal Bhutto further said that such actions have no precedence in Pakistan’s political history, adding that leaking classified documents and attacking military installations is not politics; it’s anti-national.

He said that his party, the PPP, supports the demand for a judicial inquiry, overseen by the Chief Justice, is imperative for investigating the events of May 9.

However, he emphasized that for this to occur, all parties, including the PTI, must commit to accepting whatever decision the judicial commission arrives at.

May 9 stands as dark chapter in Pakistan’s history: AJK PM

By
Ali Ali
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MIRPUR, May 08 (APP):Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar ul Haq, while describing May 9 as the darkest chapter in the country’s history, has said that there was no option but to punish the criminals.
In his special statement issued on Wednesday, the PM said, “Those responsible should be brought to justice and severely punished so that no one dares to do this in the future.” Terming martyrs as the greatest asset of a nation, the AJK premier said that they were the proud sons of the soil who sacrificed their lives for the sake of the nation.
“Strict action should be taken against those who desecrated the memorials of martyrs,”  the PM said, adding that such people don’t deserve pardon or pity.
The AJK PM categorically said that there could be no pardon for such anarchists who vandalized the martyrs’ memorials and monuments and targeted the strategic installations of the Pakistan Army.
He said that the desecration of martyrs was not acceptable in any case.

SC issues order regarding April 30 hearing of judges letter case

By
Ali Ali
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Supreme Court
ISLAMABAD, May 08 (APP):The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued its written order regarding April 30 hearing of the suo-motu case pertaining to the letter of six Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges.
The order said, “The five High Courts have submitted their respective proposals which were read out by the learned Attorney-General for Pakistan (‘AG’). Proposals were also sought from the Pakistan Bar Council (‘PBC’) and the Supreme Court Bar Association (‘SCBA’). PBC has submitted its proposals and the Vice President and Additional Secretary of SCBA state that since a meeting of the SCBA had not taken place they will be submitting their proposals before the next date of hearing.
“Few petitions and a number of applications have been filed by other bar councils and bar associations seeking to be joined as parties to these proceedings. Others too have filed similar applications. However, we will only entertain the same to the extent of considering proposals made therein.
“It would be appropriate and helpful if bar councils and bar associations come together and preferably file one document containing their proposals. However, if agreement cannot be reached amongst them they may file separate proposals.
“The learned AG may also submit proposals on behalf of the Federation.
“With regard to the allegations levelled in the letter of the six Hon’ble Judges of the Islamabad High Court against the Federation, or any agency under the Federal Government, responses thereto be submitted through the learned AG before the next date of hearing.”
Meanwhile, the dissenting note of Justice Athar Minallah said, “The Federal Government has to submit its response to the grave status of interference by the executive as highlighted by all the High Courts. This is the most serious and grave undermining of the independence of judiciary which cannot be trivialised. The Federal Government controls the intelligence agencies and it is for it to explain its position before this court. The buck stops with the Federal Government. The High Courts have indicated that the phenomenon has existed till recently.”

Zumrad  Khan for collective efforts to create awareness about Thalassemia

By
Ali Ali
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ISLAMABAD, May 08 (APP):Pattern- in-Chief, Pakistan Sweet Home (PSH) Zumrad  Khan on Wednesday said that collective efforts were required to create awareness about Thalassemia.
Addressing an event organized by Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences  in connection with World Thalassemia Day, he said that thalassaemic children needed special attention.
He further stressed on the need for promoting and encouraging these children to make them a useful segment of society.
This year’s theme was “Empowering Lives, Embracing Progress: Equitable and Accessible Thalassemia Treatment for All’’.
International Thalassemia Day is a powerful call to raise awareness about this condition and its impact while celebrating solidarity of resilient Thalassemia community worldwide.
The thalassemia are inherited blood disorders characterized by decreased haemoglobin production.

Society free from tribalism and regionalism in AJK stands as foremost priority: PM Anwaar ul Haq

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NNPS Desk
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AJK PM

MIRPUR, May 08 (APP): Azad Jammu Kashmir Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar ul Haq has said that building a society free from the menace of tribalism and regionalism is his first and foremost priority. Speaking to media men in the state metropolis on Wednesday, the Prime Minister said that merit and transparency were hallmarks of the present government.

He said that there would be no compromise on the merits. About the recently approved Social Protection Endowment Fund, the PM said that it was a sort of dream project that would go a long way toward providing financial assistance to the economically downtrodden sections of society.

He expressed that the government was all set to launch another scheme under which interest-free loans would be provided to talented youth so that they could be able to earn a dignified livelihood.

Holding a peaceful protest, he said, was the right of every citizen, but no one would be allowed to create a law-and-order situation in the region through false propaganda. He, however, maintained that a narrative based on lies cannot last for long.

The Prime Minister said that progress and prosperity across the state would be visible only if the budget was utilized properly for two or three years. He said that it was the first time that the government imposed restrictions on the usage of fuel exceeding 500 liters on the vehicles of ministers. He said that a transport policy was being introduced under which electronic chips would be installed in government vehicles to prevent the misuse of government vehicles. The Prime Minister said that the government was providing maximum subsidies on flour and electricity in Azad Kashmir.

He said that the issue of inflated electricity bills was resolved by issuing bills at old rates. He said that not a single vehicle was bought by the government during its one year in office. He said that 28 buses were provided to different colleges and universities for the easy transportation of girl students.

“Introducing biometric systems in government offices has been instrumental in improving the attendance of employees,”  he said, adding that ambulances were being provided in hospitals. He said that 15 billion rupees were being spent on road infrastructure.
APP/ahr/378

PM felicitates Vladimir Putin on taking oath as President of Russia

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NNPS Desk
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PM shehbaz

ISLAMABAD, May 8 (APP): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday felicitated Vladimir Putin on taking oath as President of Russia for the fifth time.

“I look forward to working closely with him for enhancing Pakistan-Russia cooperation for the mutual benefit of our two peoples,” the prime minister wrote on his X timeline.

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