ISLAMABAD, Nov 25 (APP):Following the unprecedented rains and floods in the 2022 monsoon season, a vast majority of children have limited access to learning materials, and those having access are limited to textbooks only. 

According to a report issued by the non-profit organization Save the Children, one in five children does not have access to any learning materials.

The report having up-to-date assessment and needs of families in flood-affected areas highlights that the school children are also facing multiple issues including long travelling to the temporary school shelters, psychological stress, non-availability of instructors, and absent teachers.

The education of female students is being suffered more than boys as children have to travel one hour or more on foot to reach schools and parents are not able to afford transportation.

In response to the issues, Save the Children has reached almost 108,000 people, including almost 57,000 children through the life-saving activities under flood response 2022 and along with setting up Temporary Learning Centres and Child-Friendly Spaces.

PESHAWAR, Nov 25 (APP):Internationally recognized snooker player Sharjeel clinched the trophy after defeating his strong rival Sirbaland Khan in the final of the 34th Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Snooker and Billiard Men Championship played here at Lounge Snooker Club on Friday.

Former Sports Minister and President Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Olympic Association Syed Aqil Shah was the chief guest on this occasion. President KP Snooker and Billiard Association Zulfiqar Ali Butt, Secretary General Faisal, Associate Secretary Aamir Shehzad, Kaki Dada of Swat (SVP) and member executive committee Salahuddin, and a large number of spectators were also present.
27-year-old Shargeel, who is also in the top national ranking, faced tough resistance against Sirbaland (32) in a marathon three hours play. Sharjeel won the first two frames but failed to click in the third and fourth frames won by Sirbaland Khan.
It was the fifth and sixth frames in which Sharjeel managed his position accordingly. The fifth frame started with past tempo and each of the players wanted to set some snooker but Sirbaland quite easily managed his position and succeeded in breaking.
Sirbaland got a chance against Sharjeel and made a strike back in the fifth frame by taking three consecutive shorts of superb pots excellently racing up 21 points besides opening the game. He did not stop his lust for the points and reached 43 but when he was nearing finishing the frame against Sharjeel, he missed an easy pot. Sharjeel also did well and failed to win back the frame. When the tally was 3-3, Sharjeel took the seventh frame after a break of 91, giving no time to Sirbaland to strike back, Sirbaland had a good chance to take the frame and the Championship but he missed some key pot at the crucial occasion. Thus Sharjeel won the Championship by 4-3
Speaking on this occasion, Syed Aqil Shah, who is also Senior Vice President Pakistan Olympic Association, said that after watching the game of the players of the province, he is hopeful that these players will perform well on the national and international stage. He said that we have worked hard for the promotion of snooker in the province. In earlier times snooker trends and facilities were lacking but despite this, the Championship has been organized continuously which is admirable.
Zulfiqar Ali Butt while welcoming the guests said that four players have qualified for the National Championship wherein they conducted U17 and U21 trials in which hundreds of players participated. He said 64 players participated in the Championship wherein more than 310 players took part from each district for the qualification rounds.

                ISLAMABAD, Nov 25 (APP):The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) based weekly inflation for the week ended on November 24 for the combined consumption group witnessed an increase of 0.48 percent as compared to the previous week.

The SPI for the week under review in the above-mentioned group was recorded at 218.87 points against 217.82 points registered in the previous week, according to the latest data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) here on Friday.

As compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for the combined consumption group in the week under review witnessed an increase of 30.16 percent.

The weekly SPI with base year 2015-16 =100 is covering 17 urban centres and 51 essential items for all expenditure groups.

The SPI for the lowest consumption group up to Rs 17,732 witnessed 0.46 percent increase and went up to 228.23 points from last week’s 227.19 points.

Meanwhile, the SPI for the consumption groups from Rs 17,732-22,888; Rs 22,889-29,517; Rs 29,518-44,175 and above Rs 44,175 witnessed an increase of 0.48 percent, 0.47 percent, 0.50 percent and 0.47 percent respectively.

During the week, out of 51 items, prices of 19 (37.25%) items increased, 09 (17.65%) items decreased and 23 (45.10%) items remained stable.

The items which recorded decrease in their average prices on a week-on-week (WoW) basis included pulse gram (1.26%), tomatoes (1.08%), pulse masoor (1.07%), vegetable ghee 2.5 kg (0.59%), wheat flour (0.40%), LPG (0.39%), cooking oil 5 litre (0.32%), pulse moong (0.17%) and pulse mash (0.17%) each.

The commodities which recorded increase in their average prices included eggs (8.45%), bananas (5.87%), chicken (4.03%), onions (2.35%), tea prepared (2.02%), sugar (1.31%), cooked daal (1.07%)  and firewood (1.76%)

On a year-on-year (YoY) basis, the commodities that witnessed a decrease in prices included chillies powdered (41.42%), gur (5.67%), electricity for Q1 (2.67%), sugar (1.16%) and LPG (0.05%)

The commodities that witnessed increase in prices on YoY basis included onions (363.67%), tomatoes (64.74%), diesel (64.57%), packet tea (60.64%), pulse gram (54.71%), petrol (53.85%), salt powdered (53.26%), bananas (52.70%), gents sponge chappal (52.21%), pulse moong (50.45%), eggs (48.24%) and pulse mash (46.66%)

                ISLAMABAD, Nov 25 (APP):The Ministry of National Food Security and Research has allowed the import of high-yielding dairy and beef animals to maintain the demand and supply of both milk and meat in the wake of devastating floods, Parliamentary Secretary for National Food Security Ahmad Raza Maneka told National Assembly.

Answering the question during question hour, he said a flood relief mission has been launched in the flood-affected areas of Balochistan and Sindh to improve the health and nutrition of animals.

He said the ministry has also developed a National Program on Strengthening Food Security through Improved Genetics of Cattle and Buffaloes in Pakistan Under the Agriculture Transformation Plan. The food and agriculture organization of the United Nations (FAO-UN) Pakistan has launched a flood relief mission in the affected areas of the Balochistan and Sindh provinces to improve the health and nutrition of animals in the flood-affected districts of both provinces.

He said the recent flood has caused deaths of about 0.5 million dairy animals besides loss of production due to inadequate feeding and supplements but the number of animals that were affected was too low to affect the milk and meat shortage in the country.

                PESHAWAR, Nov 25 (APP):The November round of anti-polio drive has been planned in 12 districts of the province with a focus on southern and central parts of the province wherein over 2.8 million eligible children will be vaccinated against polio to help purge the region of the circulating virus and move closer to the goal of polio-free world.

This was decided in a readiness meeting here at Emergency Operations Center Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Director General Health Services Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dr Shaheen Afridi, and Additional Secretary Health (Polio Eradication) /Coordinator EOC, Asif Raheem in the chair.

Deputy Coordinator EOC, Muhammad Zeeshan Khan, Team Lead UNICEF KP, Dr Andrew Etsano, Team Lead WHO KP Dr. Sarfaraz Afridi, Technical Focal Person EOC KP Dr. Imtiaz Ali Shah, Team Lead N-STOP Dr. Hafeezullah and relevant officials of health department were also present on the occasion.

The chair was briefed that as per the decision of the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) the November campaign will be conducted in two phases in 12 districts including Bannu, Lakki Marwat, North Waziristan, D.I.Khan, Tank, South Waziristan, Peshawar, Khyber, Nowshera, Swat, Mohmand, and Bajaur.

It was told that the first round will be kicked off in Bannu, Lakki Marwat and North Waziristan districts from November 28 to December 2, 2022, during which 566,164 million children under five years will be administered polio drops by teams.

Likewise, the chair was informed that the second round of the campaign will be kicked off on December 5, 2022, in 7 complete districts of D. I Khan, Tank and South Waziristan, Peshawar, Khyber, Swat, Nowshera while a partial campaign will be carried out in Bajaur and Mohmand districts.

Overall a total of 2,804,081 children will be administered polio drops in the campaign in 12 districts for which a total of 11,464 teams have been constituted out of which 9,184 were mobile teams, 700 fixed teams, 612 transit teams ad 74 roaming teams, the meeting was told. 

The chair was informed that more than 20,000 law enforcement agencies personnel will be deployed in the campaign districts to ensure security for the frontline workers in the upcoming November campaign.

Speaking on the occasion, Additional Secretary Health (Polio Eradication)/ Coordinator EOC, Asif Rahim stressed that all necessary operational, communications, and security arrangements shall be made to ensure smooth conduct of the campaign and administration of the anti-polio vaccine to all target children.

He appreciated the resolve, commitment, and tireless efforts of front-line workers for braving all odds for protecting children from potentially fatal diseases saying that all the segments of society including parents, community elders, religious scholars, doctors, media, and civil society shall support the government in eradicating the crippling disease from the region.

”The toll-free Helpline 1166 and 24/7 WhatsApp Polio Helpline 0346-777-65-46 will be available to assist parents and caregivers by providing information about vaccines and campaign information”, he added.

Quetta, NOV 25 /DNA/ – The office bearers and executive committee of Pakistan Businesses Forum (PBF) welcomed the appointment of General Syed Asim Muneer as Chief of Army Staff (designate) and General Sahir Shamshad Mirza (designate) as Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee by the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

PBF hopes the coming COAS with his rich experience to confront the multi dimensional challenges faces by country being a professional soldier.

PBF Chairman (Balochistan Chapter), Engr. Daroo Khan Achakzai acknowledged the services of the outgoing COAS said that in the face of uncertainties in the region the role played by COAS Gen Qamar Bajwa to tackle the rising challenges remained exemplary in managing the hardcore professional tasks as well as helping Pakistan navigate choppy waters during the last six years.

Pakistan Army under the command of General Bajwa played a crucial role in strengthening Pakistan’s ties with countries across the globe through military diplomacy and played a monumental role including in the case of FATF.

He says under the leadership of COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Pakistan was saved from the heavy penalty in the Reko Diq case and reconstituted a project aimed at excavating huge gold and copper reserves from the site in Balochistan. The Reko Diq agreement was a result of COAS’ personnel efforts as he convinced all parties for a National Consensus.

The Reko Diq agreement has been reached after several rounds of negotiations over the past three years. Reko Diq will potentially be the largest gold & copper mine in the world. It will liberate Pakistan from crippling debt & usher in a new era of development & prosperity.

PBF Balochistan chief Daroo Khan also said Reko Diq will prove to be a game changer for Federal, Provincial Governments and the people of Balochistan. It shall not only restore an investment-friendly image of Pakistan but will also accrue major economic benefits, development of indigenous mineral exploration capability, and result in a momentous socio-economic boost for the people of Balochistan.

PBF Vice Chairperson, Sana Durrani said General Bajwa also accredited for launching the public version of the country’s first-ever National Security Policy, which positions geoeconomics as a major part of the country’s national security outline. The military’s increasing focus on stabilizing the economy demonstrates that the institution realizes that comprehensive sovereignty and security cannot be achieved in the absenteeism of economic constancy.

She said durning the pandemic, while the entire world was shattered by the looming crises, Pakistan’s military took lead to strategize and put to effect a novel idea for the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC). The Military’s organizational and administrative skill was put to good use, and a state-of-the-art quick but enduring solution surfaced. 

Durrani further stated it not only contributed to the distribution of food and medical equipment to the poor but also carried out large-scale awareness campaigns about Covid-19 and due to such effective and synergized efforts, Pakistan has not only tackled Covid-19 aftermaths very efficiently but also averted an impending economic tragedy. 

PBF’s Sana also lauded military diplomacy and launching of cyber 2021 program including induction of Khalid tank was a success of the outgoing COAS.

Uplift schemes underway in Sargodha: SDA chairman

                SARGODHA, Nov 25 (APP):Sargodha Development Authority (SDA) Chairman  Mumtaz Akhter Kahlo on Friday

said the provincial government was utilizing all possible resources to complete ongoing

development schemes at the earliest.

He expressed these views while visiting APP, Sargodha station, here.

He said Sargodha Model Town Housing Colony was a revolutionary step of

the Punjab government which would be completed soon.

The authority had installed a 50-KV transformer to fulfill power needs and zoo would

also provide recreational facilities to people especially children.

Mumtaz Kahlo said an office of  the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) would be

established soon after completing a legal procedure.

                PESHAWAR, Nov 25 (APP):The recruitment process of children of the martyrs of former Bajaur Levy force was formally started in KP Police Department here on Friday.

Regional Police Officer (RPO), Malakand Sajjad Khan and Commissioner Malakand division, Shaukat Ali Yousafzai handed over appointment letters to the children of six martyrs for their induction in KP police.

Addressing the function, RPO Sajjad Khan and Commissioner Malakand Shaukat Yousafzai said that martyrs of former Bajaur levy force had rendered great sacrifices for their country and as a result, peace has returned to the area.

They said martyrs’ families would not be left alone.

Outgoing DPO Abdul Samad Khan, Additional Deputy Commissioner Finance Naseer Khan and relatives of the martyrs attended the function. Congratulating the newly inducted employees, they expressed the hope that they would follow the footprints of the martyrs and give every sacrifice for their country.