Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi passes away in Lahore

Prime Minister Imran Khan’s stance on Kashmir at international fora to highlight gruesome human rights violations by India

Indian media’s fake “civil war” in Pakistan, falls flat on face

By

Shafek Koreshe

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5th Gen War – Twitterati bust RAW’s #Fake letter attributed to COAS

By Shafek Koreshe

In an abortive attempt to create diversion from Narendra Modi’s human rights abuses in Kashmir, the Indian media went berserk by propagating fake news about a “civil war” like situation in Karachi, triggering a hilarious response from the twitterati in Pakistan, who enjoyed every bit of the ridiculous reports.

#CivilWarInPakistan and #KarachiCivilWar were in no time the top trends, with the young twitter users going crazy by posting video clips from action movies, comics, images of the Indian MiG pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, shot down by Pakistan Air Force inside Pakistan’s territory, as scenes from the Civil War, getting an equally enthusiastic response with numerous retweets and likes.

The arrest of PML-N leader Captain (Retd) Safdar on charges of political sloganeering at Quaid’s Mausoleum and leave applications by senior police officers was exploited by the top Indian news channels, who portrayed an administrative issue as a “civil war” and went to the extent of even reporting casualties, and armed clashes.

Indian Media ditches professionalism to dip at to its lowest

The news reports were part of a persistent barrage of fake news from Indian mainstream media and its RAW controlled assets on social media over the past few months. The trend has witnessed a sharp spike as part of India’s fifth generation war (5GW) against Pakistan.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office on the “malicious and fabricated propaganda” by Indian mainstream and social media claiming civil unrest in Pakistan, said planting such baseless stories were reflective of the “Pakistan-obsessed BJP-RSS” mindset.

“Needless to say that Indian media continues to hit new lows,” he said, when asked to respond over the series of fake news flashed as breaking news across the Indian media about a “civil war in Pakistan”.

“Indian media continues to hit new lows”: FO

The Spokesperson said through “peddling fake news and running propaganda machinery”, India could not wash away the truth about its own gross and systematic human rights violations in Indian Ilelgally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

“Rather than reporting on humanitarian crisis in IIOJK, the Indian media chooses to spread fake and sensational news about Pakistan to detract from core issues,” he said.

#FakeNews - Yet another figment of imagination of Indian Media — #FakeNews – Yet another figment of imagination of Indian Media

The Indian media tried hard to appease its own consumers and to create a diversion from its human rights abuses in occupied Kashmir. However in its abortive attempt it created history by churning out fake news overpowered by the anti-Pakistan hysteria, undermining its professional ethics and credibility.

#FakeNews - India Today with its concocted news story — #FakeNews – India Today with its concocted news story

The unleashing of the Indian media did not go unnoticed, as Michael Kugelman, deputy director at the @AsiaProgram and South Asia senior associate @TheWilsonCenter in a tweet pointed that the Indian disinformation accounts were exploiting Pakistan’s current political crisis, and “falsely claiming that the country is no experiencing urban warfare.”

He described the trend as “dangerous and disturbing”, as several of these accounts were verified and had huge followings.

Indian disinformation accounts are exploiting Pakistan’s current political crisis and falsely claiming that the country is now experiencing urban warfare and other serious instability. Dangerous and disturbing; several of these accounts are verified, with large followings. Ugh.

— Michael Kugelman (@MichaelKugelman) October 21, 2020

Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari said the Indian media was in “hyper drive with fake news on Pakistan” and regretted that it was “unfortunate that Twitter is [deliberately ignoring it].”

All major media outlets in so-called world’s biggest democracy decimated all journalistic norms as none bothered to fact-check such a huge gaffe. India’s News18, India Today, Zee News, India.com and several others quoted the International Herald which showed old videos of bomb explosions in Pakistan and portrayed it as the ongoing civil war.

#FakeNews - Indian International Herald tweet — #FakeNews – Indian International Herald tweet

The Institute of Policy Research in a report said their data indicates a pattern of Indian propaganda against Pakistan on digital media that grew exponentially after 2018 General Elections in #Pakistan. The propaganda hovers around largely 4 key themes.

Minister for Ports and Shipping pointed that the Indian propaganda was at its peak and “sadly fueled by the PDM Circus.” He said the food inflation was artificially manufactured, but was being brought under control.

Indian media propaganda at its peak & sadly fueled by the PDM circus.
Both social & economic indicators of Pakistan are showing positive signs.
The artificially manufactured food inflation is being brought under control as well.
Pakistan on the rise under PM @ImranKhanPTI

— Ali Haider Zaidi (@AliHZaidiPTI) October 22, 2020

Minister for Kashmir Affairs also lambasted the “fake, fabricated and malicious propaganda campaign to malign State institutions of Pakistan. He urged @Twitter to take action against Indian accounts for #FakeNews against Paksitan.

#Indian media is deeply involved in a fake, fabricated and malicious propaganda campaign to malign state institutions of #Pakistan.@Twitter needs to take action against Indian Social Media accounts who are involved in nefarious attacks of fake news against Pakistan.

— Shehryar Afridi (@ShehryarAfridi1) October 21, 2020

However, this idiocy of Indian media gave the Twitterati a perfect chance to enjoy as the microblogging site was flooded with messages to ridicule the Indian media’s insanity.

“Karachi civil war has gotten so bad that my food panda delivery boy had to crawl through mine fields carrying his AK47, RPG & 9mm along with my nihari and Biryani. This thing is getting so serious. Multiple cows have been killed & people are dying of over eating. #IndianMedia,” commented renowned singer Fakhr-e-Alam.

Karachi civil war has gotten so bad that my food panda delivery boy had to crawl through mine fields carrying his AK47, RPG & 9mm along with my nihari and Biryani. This thing is getting so serious. Multiple cows have been killed & people are dying of over eating. #IndianMedia 😂

— Fakhr-e-Alam (@falamb3) October 21, 2020

Besides numerous other fake photos, the Indian media also used an image of a building collapsed following a gas leakage blast in Karachi earlier in the day to substantiate its fake news of civil war.

“A little investigation would have informed Zee News that it wasn’t a bomb blast in ‘civil war’ in Pakistan but the result of a gas leak in Karachi. Whither truth, objectivity, balance and fairness in reporting?,” said Farhatullah Babr, former senator of Pakistan Peoples Party which rules Sindh province.

A little investigation would have informed @ZeeNewsEnglish that it wasn’t a bomb blast in ‘civil war’ in Pakistan but gas leak in Karachi. Whither truth, objectivity, balance and fairness in reporting? https://t.co/RaZ81Tx96C

— Farhatullah Babar (@FarhatullahB) October 21, 2020

“An Aircraft shot during civil war in Karachi… and the pilot captured…,” commented another Twitter user Fasihuddin while sharing the images of Indian aircraft MiG-21 and captured injured pilot Abhinandan following an aerial dogfight during India-Pakistan standoff in 2019.

An Aircraft shot during civil war in Karachi… and the pilot captured…

#Karachicivilwar #IndianMedia pic.twitter.com/Al5iWx6jOe

Some of the selected tweets

Indian media propaganda at its peak & sadly fueled by the PDM circus.
Both social & economic indicators of Pakistan are showing positive signs.
The artificially manufactured food inflation is being brought under control as well.
Pakistan on the rise under PM @ImranKhanPTI

— Ali Haider Zaidi (@AliHZaidiPTI) October 22, 2020

— Fasih Uddin (@Fasih_Uddin) October 21, 2020

Captain Amir Liaquat Hussain leading the #CivilWarinPakistan, targeted Sindh Police positions with 2 grenades at a time from a single RPG. 👏 pic.twitter.com/VVDeI8y4Rh

— Kashif Ali (@KaschifAli) October 21, 2020

Live scene from #CivilWarInPakistan

This is civil war at its peak. pic.twitter.com/EOBXWjJMZv

— Mustafa T. Wynne (@mustafa_wynne) October 21, 2020

UN chief calls for urgent de-escalation by Israeli forces in Syria, withdrawal from Golan buffer zone

By

NNPS Desk

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UNITED NATIONS, Dec 14 (APP): UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed concern over the hundreds of Israeli airstrikes against targets in Syria since the overthrow of the Assad regime, and called for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the demilitarized zone in the strategically important Golan.

In a note to correspondents issued on Friday, the UN chief said he was “deeply concerned by the recent and extensive violations of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Since the de facto authorities of the HTS armed group took control of Damascus on Sunday, Israeli forces reportedly took over an abandoned Syrian military post overlooking the city in the Golan border region and other parts of the “areas of separation” between Israel and Syria.

The UN Disengagement Observer Force, UNDOF, was established by the Security Council in May 1974 to maintain the ceasefire between Israeli and Syrian forces in the mountainous Golan and supervise the areas of separation.

Israeli forces have not only moved into parts of the separation zone – they say on a temporary basis only until new security measures are put in place – but also conducted a “defensive” air campaign against weapons stockpiles, military facilities and assets such as airfields, as well as bombing naval vessels off the Syrian coast.

“The Secretary-General is particularly concerned over the hundreds of Israeli airstrikes on several locations in Syria,” the statement said, calling for urgent de-escalation “on all fronts, throughout Syria.”

Many areas of Syria are not under the control of HTS, with several armed groups holding territory in the south, the far north and the north-east, where Kurdish fighters have reportedly captured the town of Deir-ez-Zor, the UN said. Designated terrorist group ISIL affiliates also maintain a foothold in central Syria, where US warplanes have been targeting them this week.

The statement from the UN chief stressed that the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement “remains in force” and must be upheld, “including by ending all unauthorized presence in the area of separation and refraining from any action that would undermine the ceasefire and stability in Golan.”

Guterres also stated it is “imperative to support credible, orderly and inclusive transitional arrangements in Syria.”

At least 68 journalist killed in 2024 worldwide, UNESCO reports

By

NNPS Desk

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UNITED NATIONS, Dec 14 (APP): For the second consecutive year, conflict zones have proven dangerous for journalists and media workers, with 2024 seeing at least 68 deaths in the line of duty, according to new data from the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

More than 60 per cent of these killings occurred in countries experiencing conflict – the highest percentage in over a decade, the Paris-based UN agency pointed out.

“Reliable information is vital in conflict situations to help affected populations and to enlighten the world,” UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said in a statement.

“It is unacceptable that journalists pay with their lives for this work. I call on all States to step up and ensure the protection of media workers, in accordance with international law,” she added.

The report highlights that 42 journalists were killed in conflict zones this year, including 18 in Palestine, which recorded the highest toll.

Other countries such as Ukraine, Colombia, Iraq, Lebanon, Myanmar, and Sudan also saw multiple fatalities, underscoring the heightened risks in regions marked by violence and instability.

This follows an unsettling trend seen in 2023, with more journalists losing their lives in conflicts over the past two years than in any comparable period since 2016-2017.

While conflict zones remain a critical concern, the overall number of journalist killings decreased slightly during this year.

A notable reduction in deaths occurred in non-conflict areas, where 26 journalists were killed – the lowest figure in 16 years.

This decline was particularly evident in Latin America and the Caribbean, where journalist killings dropped from 43 in 2022 to 12 in 2024.

This suggests some progress in addressing threats against journalists in peacetime, especially in regions previously plagued by violence against media workers.

UNESCO’s data, sourced from leading international press freedom organizations, is rigorously verified to ensure impartiality.

Cases are excluded if deaths are deemed unrelated to the victims’ journalistic work. However, dozens of cases remain under review, and UNESCO continues to monitor developments closely.

The Organization’s mandate extends beyond tracking fatalities. It works to protect journalists through initiatives such as the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity.

In addition to physical threats, journalists are facing new challenges, including financial and legal pressures.

UNESCO has reported a 42 per cent increase in attacks on journalists reporting on environmental issues between 2019 and 2024, highlighting the evolving nature of risks confronting the media.

As UNESCO continues its efforts to promote press freedom and safeguard journalists, the agency calls on the international community to strengthen protections for media workers – ensuring that the quest for truth does not come at the ultimate cost.

PR CEO orders crackdown on fake job advertisements

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LAHORE, Dec 13 (APP):Pakistan Railways Chief Executive Officer Amir Ali Baloch has taken serious notice of the fake job advertisements circulating on social media and directed immediate legal action against those involved in this fraudulent activity.

In a statement issued here on Friday, the CEO clarified that official job postings for Pakistan Railways are published exclusively on the organization’s official website. He warned that individuals creating counterfeit advertisements to deceive the public and extract money will face strict punitive measures.

Amir Ali Baloch further revealed that he has instructed the concerned authorities to register cases against the culprits under the Cyber Crime Act without delay. He assured that Pakistan Railways is on the right track due to consistent policies, and the public will hear positive news about the organization in the near future.

WB approves $240 mln to support water, sanitation services

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 13 (APP):The World Bank (WB) has approved $240 million in financing for the Second Karachi Water and Sewerage Services Improvement Project (KWSSIP-2) to provide safely managed water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services in the city of Karachi.

“Safely managed WASH services are the foundation of public health and quality of life and are central to addressing the stunting crisis in Pakistan,” said Najy Benhassine, World Bank Country Director for Pakistan, in a press statement issued by the World Bank on Friday.

“KWSSIP-2 will expand the scope of investments in bulk water augmentation, water treatment, wastewater treatment and reuse, water distribution, and sewer network rehabilitation. About half of all beneficiaries will be women, 58 percent will be youth (age 15–24), as well as over half a million people in Katchi Abadis (informal settlements)”, he added.

The project builds on KWSSIP-1 and will finance and expand on several investments to strengthen Karachi’s water supply, sewerage, sanitation, and treatment infrastructure throughout the city.

In addition, it will improve water, wastewater infrastructure and help expand safe drinking water and sanitation services in several Katchi Abadis (informal settlements), benefiting over half a million people.

The long-term benefits of the project include reduced cost of using alternative water sources, reduced time spent collecting water, and health benefits from reducing waterborne diseases.

Task Team Leader for the project Khairy Al-Jamal said “KWSSIP-2 will also continue to address the gender gap in employment, representation, and leadership at the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) through gender-inclusive recruitment plans to hire more women in technical and decision-making positions,”.

“It will support technical training for women, institutionalize an internship program for women graduates and create pathways for them to find employment within the utility, and support promoting women employees to higher-grade positions”, he added.

The project will provide a safely managed water supply to nearly 16 million people and sanitation services to nearly 7.5 million people in Karachi by 2030. It will also improve the performance and financial sustainability of KWSC and promote private-sector partnerships in the delivery of WASH services.

This project is the first phase of the [World Bank’s support for the] Pakistan Urban WASH Services Program that aims to reach 33.5 million people with safely managed WASH services by 2035.

KWSSIP-2 will be co-financed by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank with $240 million. In addition, there will be a government contribution of $250 million and expected private sector and commercial finance of $269 million.

This project is part of a World Bank South Asia regional initiative or program of programs to provide Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services to about 100 million people across the region by 2035.

PSMA denies rumors of sugar price hike

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LAHORE, Dec 13 (APP):The Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (Punjab Zone) has denied the rumors of a sugar price hike and called for strict action against speculators having vested interests linked with price hike of sugar.

The PSMA-PZ spokesman stated here on Friday that baseless rumors about a sugar price hike are being spread by speculators and clarified that recent media reports claiming an increase in sugar prices are false.

The spokesman categorically said that the ex-mill sugar prices have not exceeded the government’s declared limit of Rs 140 per kg set by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) meeting held on June 13, 2024. After government gave sugar export permission in June 2024, the ex-mill and retail prices of sugar have decreased, he added.

During this period few price corrections took place based on interplay of market forces but remained within declared parameters. As reported by respective representatives of Punjab, Sindh and KP governments, in meeting on 13th December, 2024 with Federal Government, retail prices of sugar as of 12th December, 2024 are upto Rs. 130 per kg in different parts of the country. While sugar industry reported ex-mill prices of Rs. 122 to 125 on that date.

He said that new crushing season was ongoing smoothly, current stocks were satisfactory. Sugar production was estimated to meet domestic demand in next year. Same stance was presented and substantiated by the sugar industry to the satisfaction of Sugar Advisory Board (SAB) meeting held on November 22, 2024.

The PSMA appealed to the government to take strong action against speculators who tend to spread baseless rumors for their personal gains.

UN Resident Coordinator for global collaboration to tackle financial, investment challenges

By

NNPS Desk

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 13 (APP): The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Pakistan, Mohammed Yahya on Friday emphasized the importance of global collaboration to tackle financial and investment challenges at the 52nd UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTD).

He was addressing the closing ceremony of 52nd UN trade and Development Course held at Foreign Service Academy Islamabad.

UN Resident Coordinator said the conference, hosted in Pakistan for the second time, highlights the shared commitment of the UN and its partners to equip policymakers with the skills needed to address the unique challenges faced by developing and least-developed countries.

Yahya acknowledged Pakistan’s efforts, saying the program reflects a long-term vision for building knowledge and expertise.

Yahya said the presence of participants from across the Asia-Pacific region underscores regional ties and opens doors for future collaboration.

Highlighting Pakistan’s hospitality, Yahya encouraged participants to explore Islamabad, noting the city’s diverse offerings. He humorously advised, “Make sure you don’t leave with foreign currency; there are wonderful things to buy here.”

The global pandemic, Yahya noted, has highlighted the need for resilience in policymaking. He expressed confidence that the knowledge gained during the program would help participants navigate complex global challenges in their home countries.

“The UN team in Pakistan is steadfast in supporting initiatives like this,” he said, emphasizing the organization’s commitment to strengthening human capital and institutional capacity. Yahya also highlighted the long-standing partnership between the UN and Pakistan in capacity-building efforts, particularly for civil servants.

Over the years, the UN has supported various programs for Pakistani civil servants, including those in administrative services and training programs.

Yahya praised UNCTD’s role in delivering effective capacity-building initiatives and congratulated the team for fostering meaningful engagement with participants.

This collaboration, Yahya concluded, lays a solid foundation for sustainable development and stronger regional ties.

In the end UN Resident Coordinator Mohammad Yahya distributed the completion certificates among the course participants.

CM Gandapur orders urgent reforms in Hazara division’s health, education & land administration

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ABBOTTABAD, Dec 13 (APP):Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Khan Gandapur on Friday conducted a four-hour review meeting at the Commissioner Hazara’s office during his visit to the divisional headquarters in Abbottabad.

Senior officials from all districts of the Hazara Division, including the Speaker of the Provincial Assembly Babar Saleem Swati, cabinet members, members of the National and Provincial Assemblies, and district administrative authorities, were present at the meeting.

During the session, the chief minister reviewed administrative issues and public service delivery across the division, with a special focus on key sectors such as health, education, water supply, local government, social welfare, and revenue.

Relevant officials briefed the CM on the progress and challenges faced in each sector.

Chief Minister Gandapur expressed strong displeasure over the critical shortage of specialist doctors at Ayub Teaching Hospital, where 90 out of 100 specialist positions remain vacant. He ordered the immediate hiring of specialists on a contractual basis within two months. He warned that failure to complete the recruitment process within the stipulated time would result in the dismissal of the responsible officials.

Additionally, the chief minister directed health authorities to address the shortage of doctors in other government hospitals and ensure the 100% availability of essential medicines at all healthcare facilities. He called for immediate measures to strengthen healthcare at the grassroots level by ensuring the availability of human resources and medical equipment in basic health units and rural health centers.

Ali Amin also encouraged the public and elected representatives to report absentee doctors and teachers, vowing strict action against such officials. “Strict action will be taken against those who fail to perform their duties, and no favouritism will be tolerated,” he declared.

The chief minister took serious notice of the practice of assigning teachers to non-teaching duties, known as “detailment postings,” and ordered an immediate end to the practice. He also directed district authorities to ensure the availability of functional washrooms and clean drinking water in all girls’ schools.

To streamline land administration, the chief minister ordered all deputy commissioners and district officials to compile a comprehensive record of all government-owned land in their jurisdictions and submit the data to the provincial government within 15 days. He warned that if any unreported government land was later identified by the provincial government, action would be taken against the responsible officials.

He also instructed officials to expedite the computerization of land records in the Hazara Division. The move aims to enhance transparency, improve service delivery, and ensure the timely resolution of public grievances related to land administration.

During the meeting, Chief Minister Gandapur emphasized the importance of restoring public trust in government institutions by ending the culture of favouritism and ensuring the implementation of merit-based decisions. He stressed that only through merit-based operations could the public’s confidence in the government system be restored.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar chaired the “Cabinet committee to ensure stability of Fertilizer pricing” at Ministry of Foreign Affairs

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APP66-131224 ISLAMABAD: December 13 - Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar chaired the “Cabinet committee to ensure stability of Fertilizer pricing" at Ministry of Foreign Affairs. APP/FHA

Mr. Attaullah Tarar, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, addressing at the ‘Stratcom Summit 2024

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APP63-131224 ISTANBUL: December 13 - Mr. Attaullah Tarar, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, addressing at the 'Stratcom Summit 2024. APP/FHA

People are selecting and purchasing old warm cloth from vendor at Tilak chari road

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APP57-131224 HYDERABAD: December 13 - People are selecting and purchasing old warm cloth from vendor at Tilak chari road. APP/FHN/FHA

Ambassador of USA, Donald Blome called on Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar at Ministry of Foreign Affairs

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APP53-131224 ISLAMABAD: December 13 - Ambassador of USA, Donald Blome called on Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar at Ministry of Foreign Affairs. APP/MAF/FHA

Olympic gold medal winner Arshad Nadeem, displaying the trophy of the Inter Provincial Games at Jinnah Stadium Sports Complex

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APP50-131224 ISLAMABAD: December 13 - Olympic gold medal winner Arshad Nadeem, displaying the trophy of the Inter Provincial Games at Jinnah Stadium Sports Complex. APP/SMR/MAF/FHA

WCLA organizes horror tour of Lahore Fort

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LAHORE, Dec 13 (APP):The Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) on Friday organized a horror tour of Lahore Fort titled “Fort Fright” in which tourists were entertained with original horror stories and haunted places.

According to WCLA sources here on Friday, real stories based on tourist guides’ personal experiences at Lahore Fort were shared with the tourists. Participants enjoyed this unique and exciting experience. They expressed positive feedback regarding this tour and enjoyed the new look of Lahore Fort with the spice of horror.

WCLA Director General Kamran Lashari said, “Our tours and events are planned to accommodate as many tourists as possible. We strive to keep ticket prices affordable, ensuring people from all segments of society can visit these sites and participate in our events. Additionally, we aim to provide a comprehensive and enriching experience for our visitors, as exemplified by this tour. The positive feedback from tourists motivates us to introduce more engaging tours, encouraging greater public participation at heritage sites”.

OGDCL announces gas, condensate discovery at Bettani-02 Well in Lakki Marwat

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 13 (APP): Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), Pakistan’s leading exploration and production company, on Friday announced a significant gas and condensate discovery in the Samanasuk Formation, an exploratory zone, at the Bettani-02 (Slant) well located in the Laki Marwat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to a news release OGDCL is the operator of the Wali Exploration License with a 100% working interest.

The Bettani-02 (Slant) well was spudded as an appraisal effort and drilled to a depth of 5,080 meters into the Shinawari Formation.

Subsequent testing of the well, using the Cased Hole Drill Stem Test (DST-1), revealed a flow rate of 2.14 Million Standard Cubic Feet per Day (MMSCFD) of gas and 74 barrels of condensate per day (BCPD) on a 32/64” choke, with a wellhead flowing pressure of 435 psi.

This marks the first-ever hydrocarbon discovery in the Samanasuk formation within the Wali Exploration License. It has further extended the hydrocarbon play area in the southwestern part of the Bannu Basin and de-risked the exploration potential of deeper reservoirs in the region. OGDCL has already designed a comprehensive exploration program to further enhance energy self-reliance in the country.

The discovery marks an important step in unlocking the energy potential of the region. By successfully de-risking exploration in the deeper reservoirs of the Bannu Basin, OGDCL has paved the way for further hydrocarbon exploration, crucial for addressing Pakistan’s growing energy needs.

Swedish embassy marks ‘Lucia Day’ with cultural fest

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 13 (APP): The Swedish Embassy hosted a Lucia celebration here on Friday, bringing a unique cultural experience to the capital.

The event, rooted in Swedish traditions, focused on light, unity, and shared moments. Lucia, a cherished Swedish custom, symbolizes hope during the year’s darkest period.

Swedish embassy marks 'Lucia Day' with cultural fest

A key highlight of the evening was the Lucia procession. Participants from Swedish and Nordic communities, dressed in white and holding candles, performed traditional Swedish songs, creating a serene and welcoming atmosphere.

Guests were treated to saffron buns, gingerbread cookies, and other Swedish delicacies, offering a taste of Sweden’s culinary heritage.

Ambassador Alexandra Berg von Linde, addressing the gathering, reflected on her first months in Pakistan and praised the warmth of the people, the rich local culture, and the enduring relationship between Sweden and Pakistan, especially as the two nations celebrate 75 years of diplomatic ties.

“Lucia is about light and hope, and sharing this tradition with our friends in Pakistan strengthens our bond,” said Ambassador Berg von Linde.

The Embassy expressed gratitude to attendees and contributors who made the evening memorable. The event highlighted the themes of togetherness and cultural exchange, bridging the two countries in a celebration of light and friendship.

Decorated with Swedish-themed elements, the venue buzzed with lively conversations, fostering a spirit of connection and cultural appreciation.

BISP, Nestle Pakistan discuss expands economic empowerment measures for deserving women

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 13 (APP): Around 3,500 BISP beneficiaries are currently working as sales agents in 29 districts across the country under the partnership between BISP and Nestle.

While additional 500 beneficiaries will be included in the program next years.

This was revealed during a meeting of Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), Senator Rubina Khalid and Secretary BISP, Amer Ali Ahmad with the Corporate Head of Nestle Pakistan, Waqar Sheikh, at the BISP Headquarters on Friday.

During the meeting, Nestle Pakistan Manager, Aatekah Mir Khan, provided a detailed briefing on the ongoing partnership between BISP and Nestle.

Speaking on this occasion, Senator Rubina Khalid emphasized the need to further expand the scope of the existing partnership between BISP and Nestlé to create better employment opportunities for BISP’s deserving women.

She underscored the importance of increasing the number of women in the Women’s Financial Inclusion Program to ensure that more women can benefit from this initiative.

In response, Nestle Corporate Head Waqar Sheikh assured that 500 additional beneficiaries will be included in the program next year.

Senator Rubina Khalid directed BISP officers to collaborate with the Nestle team to develop a strategy for launching new initiatives aimed at women’s economic empowerment, with the goal of initiating the pilot phase soon.

Jam Kamal Khan presents a souvenir to Tajik Energy Minister as a gesture of friendship and mutual cooperation

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APP60-131224 ISLAMABAD: December 13 - Jam Kamal Khan presents a souvenir to Tajik Energy Minister as a gesture of friendship and mutual cooperation. APP/FHA

Jam Kamal Khan and Tajik Energy Minister share a cordial moment during the Pakistan-Tajikistan Business Forum

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APP62-131224 ISLAMABAD: December 13 - Jam Kamal Khan and Tajik Energy Minister share a cordial moment during the Pakistan-Tajikistan Business Forum. APP/FHA

Federal Minister for Planning & Development Ahsan Iqbal, addressing in the awarded ceremony of the staff working on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) at the Chinese Embassy for their outstanding performance and contributions to the success of the initiative

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APP64-131224 ISLAMABAD: December 13 - Federal Minister for Planning & Development Ahsan Iqbal, addressing in the awarded ceremony of the staff working on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) at the Chinese Embassy for their outstanding performance and contributions to the success of the initiative. APP/FHA

Jam Kamal Khan discusses bilateral trade opportunities with Tajik Energy Minister at Pak-Tajik Business Forum

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