ISLAMABAD – The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday ordered to remove terrorism sections from case registered against Imran Khan for threatening a female judge and officials of the Islamabad police.

According to details, the high court bench headed by Chief Justice Athar Minallah announced the verdict on a plea seeking dismissal of the case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

During the hearing, Special Prosecutor argued that Imran Khan talked about a judge in his speech and the speech was made by a person who has a massive social media following.

The speech was made by a person who is an ex-prime minister and could possibly be elected as the prime minister again, Abbasi said.

However, Imran Khan s lawyer opposed the argument, saying that there are some basic factors required to warrant terrorism charges and that these factors were absent in the case.

The chief justice also remarked that the sections of the anti-terrorism laws are being misused. It can’t be called a terror design if nothing concrete was found, he added.

Earlier on September 8, IHC has ruled that it will indict former Prime Minister Imran Khan on charges of contempt of court relating to remarks made against the judge of a lower court, and charges against him will be framed on September 22.

The five-member bench at the Islamabad High Court (IHC), led by the chief justice of the court, Athar Minallah, issued a ruling after a nearly two-and-a-half-hour long hearing.

Islamabad (DNA) Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Regional Chairman Muhammad Nadeem Qureshi held a special meeting with the Asif Haidar Shah Federal Secretary of Climate Change on the issues facing the polymer waste importers and recyclers industry. The meeting discussed the implementation of SOPs by the relevant ministries, including the threat posed to polymer waste importers and recyclers industry and the solution to the problems faced by this industry.

Muhammad Nadeem Qureshi, Regional Chairman & Vice President of FPCCI said the polymer waste industry stands on the brink of destruction. The closure of those who can barely run for a few months will make millions of unemployed and reduce foreign exchange in Pakistan. If Pakistan was focused on minor things in Pakistan, Pakistan would not only be economically stable but would also get rid of debt.

Nadeem Qureshi said that institutions should relieve the business community by playing their role in the country’s economic development, especially by implementing SOPs and restrictions on the recycling industry.

Asif Haidar Shah Federal Secretary of Climate Change assured the Ministry of Climate Change of full support to say that wherever you need our support regarding business community issues, we will be with you people for the solution and the economic development of Pakistan.

The meeting was also attending Syed Mujtaba Hussain Sr. Joint Secretary (I.C), Dr. Zaigham Abbas D.D (Chemical) Ministry of Climate Change, Atif Nawaz Mughal convener and Asif Sarwar, deputy convenor of FPCCI Standing Committee.

DNA

Islamabad, Sep 19: Today, U.S. government representatives and Government of Pakistan health officials visited a vaccination center in Islamabad to launch a nationwide campaign to vaccinate children with the first batch of 8 million Pfizer COVID-19 pediatric vaccine doses donated by the United States.  Since the start of the pandemic, the United States has committed to donate more than 78 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to the people of Pakistan, and thus far more than 70 million of these doses have arrived in-country.  The United States is the largest donor of COVID-19 vaccines to Pakistan.

The U.S. government, through USAID, is supporting the Government of Pakistan’s COVID-19 pediatric vaccination campaign for 5- to 11-year-old children. U.S. Ambassador Donald Blome joined the Federal Health Minister, Mr. Abdul Qadir Patel, to kick off the life-saving campaign today at the Mass Vaccination Center in Islamabad. The campaign is taking place in the capital and selected districts of Sindh and Punjab provinces.  Executive Director of NIH Major General Dr. Aamer Ikram, Director of General Health Services Dr. Shabana Salem, and other senior Pakistani government officials also attended the event.

Addressing health officials at the inauguration campaign, Ambassador Blome remarked, “Today, we celebrate the next step in protecting all Pakistanis against this devastating disease by launching the pediatric vaccination campaign.  Our recent collaboration to protect the children of Pakistan demonstrates the importance of our longstanding partnership to work together and overcome the global challenge.”

The Federal Health Minister, Mr. Abdul Qadir Patel, praised the commitment of both countries to combat COVID-19 in Pakistan and said, “Protecting our communities from COVID-19 is a shared priority of both of our governments, and these vaccines will keep millions of children safe from the most devastating impacts of the pandemic.” He expressed gratitude for the U.S. government’s support to improve health services in Pakistan and noted that it reflects the strong bilateral relations between the two countries.

In addition to the vaccines, the U.S. government has also provided over $80 million in direct and in-kind support to assist the Pakistani people in the fight against COVID-19. This support has included more than 1.2 million N95 masks, 96,000 surgical masks, 52,000 protective goggles, one million COVID-19 rapid diagnostic tests, 1,200 pulse oximeters, and 200 ventilators for 64 Pakistani hospitals – all of which has helped save lives and protect people across Pakistan.  The U.S. government also trained over 50,000 health workers, including 30,000 women, across Pakistan on home-based care for COVID-19 patients and established a national network of disease surveillance and response units and teams – providing an infrastructure to combat the current pandemic and building resiliency for the future.  In July, the United States also provided four mobile testing labs to Pakistan’s National Institute of Health to strengthen Pakistan’s ability to diagnose diseases in remote, underserved areas.

BEIJING, Sept. 19 (DNA):  Shanghai Cooperation Organization Demonstration Area (SCODA) has extended assistance to flood victims in Pakistan, Gwadar Pro reported on Monday.

“China and Pakistan are all-weather friends and iron brothers. Whenever times are tough, the two always come together and stand by each other. We will continue to join hands and create a better future together.” Ghulam Qadir, Pakistan’s Commercial Counsellor to China said at the donation ceremony held by SCODA, to help the flood-affected people in Pakistan.

On the occasion, Li Gang, deputy secretary of party working committee of SCODA, on behalf of the committee and Chinese enterprises including East Sea Holding (Qingdao), Qingdao LULU Agriculture Equipment, China State Construction No 6 Bureau, SCO Everest (Qingdao) International Exhibition and Qingdao Xingangtong Mineral, delivered 225,000 yuan of relief funds to the representative of the Pakistani side.

Since mid-June, monsoon rains and floods have affected 33 million people in Pakistan, destroyed more than 5,000 kilometers of roads and bridges, and caused an estimated economic loss of $10 billion. 

The disaster saddened the hearts of SCODA members. Together with the Pakistan China Center, the SCODA committee immediately organized fund raising campaigns and prepared relief supplies to help the disaster-stricken people in Pakistan.

“The SCODA has made its modest contribution to the people affected by the disaster. I believe that with joint efforts of all, the Pakistani people will be able to overcome the floods, resume normal production and life soon.” Zhang Dong, deputy director of the SDODA committee, added.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia to Pakistan Jemel Beker says women have huge potential to work in different sectors

DNA

ISLAMABAD: As the first ever Ethiopian Ambassador to Pakistan, it is an honor for me to represent the Government Ethiopian at such a significant event of Pakistan Export-Women led business Conference held in Islamabad on 18 September 2022. Those of you who do not know Ethiopia, Ethiopia the third diplomatic center in the world, HQ for Africa Union, UNCECA. It is the land of origin, human fossil Lucy 3.2 million years of age which is the complete human fossil, Coffee, and a source of Nile, longest river in the world. And it is a land of Bilal Al-Habash, late King Nejash, first hijira to Ethiopia where we are connected with other Abrahamic Religions as well.

The ambassador expressed these views while speaking on the occasion of a seminar arranged by Faisalabad women chamber of commerce and industry.

He added he would like to thank you for this opportunity to share his leadership experiences with you. He congratulated the Faisalabad Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FWCCI),and its President Mrs. Nighat Shahid for taking this initiative on basically introducing Pakistan export potentials- women led business and investment opportunities in Pakistan to the rest of the world.

Economic, education, skills, and knowledge empowerment of women is very important and linked to economic and social transformation and development of any country. AS Bringham Young said: when you educate a man, you educate a man, when you educate a woman, you educate the generation. In the same token when you empower women you empower the society, and the nations. My country since Dr. Abiy Ahmed took the Premiership of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in which half of the cabinets are women, and 50 percent of the parliament are also women.

The Ambassador said, women have huge potential to work in different sectors of the economy including trade and investment, governance, and leadership.  Many of the most significant and meaningful moments during my Ambassadorship will devote on issues that affect women and girls and I am proud of all that our Embassy team will be able to accomplish, especially when it comes to having important discussions like we will have today.

‘Woman empowerment is a life-time priority for me that I take it very seriously. Strong girls, and strong women are critical to success of our societies and nations and a key to sustainable development. Leadership and mentoring women has always been a top priority for me. As I reflect on my career where I serve as a program coordinator for women affairs long time back and my today’s successes were built on that service’.

Obviously, the exchange of information and ideas during this conference will help you all better understand Pakistan’s potential and, I hope, result in new and profitable export deals. I am confident that women led business will continue to grow and that the Pakistan export sector will continue to revive, survive, and thrive in the time to come. Ethiopia has been and will continue to be a committed partner in the development of Pakistani export sector its Chamber of Commerce and Industry starting from now onwards.

Ambassador Jemel said his  country Ethiopia saw Pakistan as a preferred partner and was keen to expand trade, business, investment, and tourism relations. In actual fact, our business and economic relations have not been adequately developed and in this regard, I leave no stone unturned to change this scenario. We have observed that very few items are being traded between Ethiopia and Pakistan for the last many years. The main reason of such a low level of two way trade were due to little knowledge about each other’s markets and lack of relationships. Indeed, this gathering can be considered as a window of opportunity for Pakistani Women export entrepreneurs to harness huge, availed prospects.

To this end, one of the major priorities of our Embassy would be to link the Ethiopian chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations with Pakistani Chamber of Commerce and Industry, sign a memorandum of understanding which its implementation would help increase bilateral trade, business to business and people to people cooperation. In collaboration with the responsible Pakistan government institutions, and as well as chambers like you, the Embassy will work diligently for exchange of trade delegations between the two countries, and I assure you, I myself would bring a delegation of Ethiopian businesspeople to Pakistan Faisalabad soon.

‘Over the last four years, my country has embarked on an ambitious roadmap of economic reforms aimed at energizing private sector growth, attracting greater FDI, and stimulating the country’s nascent knowledge economy through deep and penetrating reform. To this end, it developed home-grown economic reform that have already had a significant impact on the business and investment environment in Ethiopia – an environment, which we believe is more fertile than ever for foreign investment’.

He said many of the Pakistani companies here today are all well placed to benefit from the possibilities opening up in a country that is truly a Lion of Africa and economically set to roar on the world stage. Yes, there are challenges which need to be resolved. Yes, you need patience and a long-term approach. But for many companies with a global vision, Ethiopia is a huge and growing market which you should not and cannot ignore.

He disclosed that Ethiopia Airlines, the biggest airlines in Africa that has more than 127 international destinations was going to fly to the sky of Pakistan soon. Indeed, the commencement of Ethiopia Airline will boost the trade, investment and tourism between Ethiopia and Pakistan the rest of Africa as well the globe.

Ambassador Jemel added, Ethiopia offered tremendous potential, and we look forward to working with the government and people of Pakistan. The next stage requires solid partnership with the private sector to develop its manufacturing sector, boost exports and increase employment.

‘Finally, I would like to express my deepest sympathy and condolences to families, friends, and relatives who have lost loved once precious lives during this climate led floods and calamities unfolded upon Pakistan due to international wrongdoing but, Pakistan became zero ground. Indeed, we share the pain and stand in solidarity with you to rebuild and heal the wound of climate crisis’, he concluded.