DNA

Karachi: Digibook and Creative 3D, two start-ups at the Institute of Business Management’s Shahjehan S. Karim Incubation Centre (SSKIC) emerged as the top ideas at the third edition of the National Idea Bank (NIB). They were presented with the awards by the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Dr. Arif Alvi, at a ceremony held at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Thursday, February 15, 2024. The NIB was organized by the National University of Technology (NUTECH) in collaboration with ASPIRE Pakistan. While addressing the occasion, President Dr Arif Alvi called for providing an enabling environment for youth to nurture their intellectual abilities and benefit from their innovative ideas for the country’s prosperity. He added that the Pakistani youth who is blessed with enormous potential needed a platform to transform their ideas into competitive and quality products to increase the country’s exports and reduce imports.

Digibook and Creative 3D have been selected, out of over two thousand entries from across Pakistan, to visit Silicon Valley to engage in mentorship and networking sessions. The awards were presented to the Founder of Digibook, Aurangzaib Alamgir, who is an Entrepreneur in Residence at the SSKIC-IoBM; and to the Co-Founder and CEO of Creative 3D, Bilal Afridi. Creative 3D is an alumni start-up at SSKIC’s Cohort-I. Founder and Director of Creative3D, Atif Baig, an IoBM alumnus, was also present. Moreover, the Co-Founder of Digibook, Rida Zehra, is also an IoBM alumna. Accompanying IoBM’s start-ups at the ceremony was Mr. Raza Abbas, Focal Person, National Idea Bank at IoBM, and the Head of Incubation, SSKIC-IoBM.

ISLAMABAD: Startling claims by Liaquat Ali Chatha of abetting large-scale electoral rigging throw shade at polls result. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has formed a high-level committee to probe the serious allegations levelled by Rawalpindi Division Commissioner Liaqat Ali Chatha.

The decision was made during an emergency meeting held to discuss the commissioner’s allegations. Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja attended the meeting via video link.

RAWALPINDI, 17 FEB /DNA/ – On 16-17 February 2024, 9x terrorists have been sent to hell by security forces in two separate operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.

In an intelligence based operation conducted by the security forces in Tank District, two terrorists; HVT Terrorist Rehmat Ullah @Badar Mansur and Ts Amjad @Babri were killed.

In an another operation conducted in South Waziristan District, after intense fire exchange, seven terrorists were sent to hell.

Weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the killed terrorists, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area against the security forces as well as extortion and target killing of innocent civilians.

However, during the operation, a brave son of the soil, Sepoy Shahzeb Aslam (age 29 years; resident of district Haripur), having fought gallantly, embraced Shahadat.

Security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe-out the menace of terrorism from the country and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve.

DOHA: On Sunday, Qatar will host a meeting of the special envoys on Afghanistan. The UN Secretary General’s spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, said that in the Doha meeting, the voices of Afghan women will be heard very loud and clear.

Dujarric said that envoys will meet with the “Taliban,” civil society and women’s groups, although in Saturday, although in a statement on Saturday the Islamic Emirate said it would not attend unless its conditions were met. 

“The centre point of our concern and of our work in Afghanistan has been the restoration of the dignity, the human rights of women and girls. This meeting will be a meeting of envoys on Afghanistan.  So, both from regional organizations, from Member States — there will be a meeting with the Taliban, but there will also be a meeting of envoys with civil society, including women’s groups, because it’s important that the voices of Afghan women be heard very loud and clear,” Dujarric added.

Ahead of the upcoming UN-convened meeting of Special Envoys on Afghanistan taking place in Doha on February 18 and 19, Deprose Muchena, Senior Director at Amnesty International, said that the Doha meeting is a significant opportunity for a unified and concerted action to protect the rights of all Afghan people.

“The upcoming Doha meeting is a significant opportunity for a unified and concerted action to protect the rights of all Afghan people, particularly the rights of women and girls. The culture of impunity that enables the Taliban’s ongoing grave human rights violations needs to be addressed urgently,” Muchena said.

“Afghan people, especially women and girls, expect the Doha meeting to take practical steps to ensure their security and rights,” Lima Shirzai, a women’s rights activist.

Meanwhile, Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security said in a statement: “As the special envoys navigate how to engage with Afghanistan, their approach must also incorporate the perspectives of Afghan women and girls.”

“If the Independent Assessment is meant to serve as the roadmap for the international community’s strategy towards Afghanistan, then its recommendations cannot afford to forsake the status of half of the population. As the special envoys navigate how to engage with Afghanistan, their approach must also incorporate the perspectives of Afghan women and girls,” the statement reads.

In the meantime, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan said in a statement that Asif Durrani, Pakistan’s Special Representative on Afghanistan will lead the Pakistani delegation at the Meeting of the Special Envoys on Afghanistan.

Pakistan’s MOFA added: “Pakistan’s participation in the meeting is part of our efforts to actively engage with the international community, including the United Nations, to strengthen the efforts for lasting peace and prosperity in Afghanistan.”

“International institutions, including the UN and other countries, are interested in finding solutions to Afghanistan’s economic, political and social problems, which they can address by starting political and diplomatic dialogues between Afghans,” said Najib Rahman Shamal, a political analyst.

Earlier, TOLOnews has seen a list showing that representatives from Russia, China, Iran, India, Japan, Tajikistan, US, France, Germany, and the EU will take part in the Doha meeting.

The Foreign Ministry of the Islamic Emirate in a statement said the participation of the Islamic Emirate in the Doha meeting would be “unbeneficial.”

“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan believed that the meeting of Special Envoys for Afghanistan being convened by UN Secretary-General António Guterres in the capital of Qatar, Doha, was a good opportunity to hold frank and productive dialogue on issues of disagreement. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has clarified to the UN that if the Islamic Emirate is to participate as the sole official representative of Afghanistan and if there exists an opportunity to hold frank talks between the Afghan delegation and the UN about all issues on a very senior level, then participation would be beneficial. Else, ineffective participation by the Emirate due to non-progress in this area was deemed unbeneficial,” the statement reads.

ISLAMABAD, FEB 17 /DNA/ – The recently conducted General Elections in the country has been a step towards promoting democracy. Significant turnout from all segments of society, including both genders, has been acknowledged internationally. Post elections, it is imperative that all stakeholders realise that victory and defeat are inherent aspects of democratic processes.

Parties and individuals who harbor any concerns regarding electoral irregularities are encouraged to pursue legal recourse through the available channels. Pakistan’s legislative, judicial, and executive branches are resilient and stand ready to deliver impartial justice to all.

While peaceful protest and assembly are fundamental rights, any form of agitation, violence, or incitement for vigilantism will not be condoned and law would take its course without any hesitation.

Anarchy and disorder will not be tolerated at this crucial time. This only serves to advance the agenda for hostile forces, both domestic and foreign, to exploit and create grave law and order challenges. The caretaker government implores patience, as political parties engage in consultations to form governments at both the federal and provincial levels, in accordance with democratic traditions and norms. We hope that this process concludes as early as possible with mutual understanding and respect.