ISLAMABAD, Mar 30 : Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Dushanbe on Tuesday and discussed matters of bilateral interest including Afghan peace process.

Foreign Minister Qureshi, in the meeting that took place on the sidelines of Ninth Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process Conference in the Tajik capital, expressed Pakistan’s desire for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan.

Qureshi said Pakistan considered peace in Afghanistan vital for sustainable stability in the region.

He expressed concern over the rising incidents of violence in Afghanistan and said that Pakistan’s position remained the same that the Afghan problem could not be solved through military option.

The Foreign Minister said Pakistan supported a political solution to the Afghan problem through comprehensive dialogue, adding that positive developments as a result of intra-Afghan talks could help bring Afghan peace process to a logical conclusion.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani wished Prime Minister Imran Khan a speedy recovery from COVID-19.

Qureshi had arrived in Dushanbe on Monday where he will represent Pakistan at the Conference and highlight the country’s role in Afghan peace and the future strategy to contribute to sustainable stability of the country.

He is due to hold meetings with his counterparts including Turkey, Iran, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.

Islamabad,  Mar 30 : Pakistan Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry has said that Pakistan is working with Iron Brother China to train the people in semi-conductor technology, according to Gwadar Pro.

The Minister said the country’s future is linked with technology.

“The merger of technology and biotechnology is of utmost importance. We will work together with China for the training of people in semi-conductor technology. China is already cooperating,” he remarked.

Chaudhry maintained that the incumbent government is making all-out efforts for the development of the technology sector.

He said the country can develop at a fast speed with the development of science and technology.

The minister emphasised the need for a national environment where policies encourage technological innovations and the exploration of new ideas.

He highlighted the recent initiatives, including a new national drone policy and the establishment of a national board for the regulation of technologies.

Chaudhry said that the unprecedented transformations in speed, accuracy and range of emerging technologies in the contemporary era necessitate their effective and robust utilisation for sustainable development more than ever.

He said that for the first time in the country’s history, the civil and military interface has been created and now both are sharing their research with each other.

The minister said Pakistan imported medical equipment when the first wave of Covid-19 hit the country, but now it is among those 18 countries which are manufacturing ventilators.

Fawad Chaudhry said it is important to keep an eye on technological advancements, besides observing which businesses have a good scope in the market, and which are getting obsolete.

The minister said the 5G technology would bring about a big revolution. “The country needs a stable internet to benefit from technological advancements,” he added.

Islamabad, March 30 : “At present, the agenda provided by China for the world is based on Peace, Cooperation, and Security” said Prof. Dr. Iram Khalid, Chairperson, Department of Political Science, University of Punjab, Lahore.

She said the steering of the changing world is in the hands of China. Irum was speaking at the Focus Group Discussion on “Dialogue of Civilizations” held on March 29th.

The discussion was jointly organized by Communication university of China and Pakistan Research Centre for a community with shared future.

The Group Discussion was moderated by Khalid Taimur Akram, Executive Director Center for Global & Strategic Studies (CGSS) and Director Pakistan Research Center for a Community with Shared Future, Islamabad.

The discussion was attended by the members of the Institute of Community with Shared Future, Communication University of China, Beijing.

The session was commenced with the opening remarks by Prof. Li Huailiang, Dean, Institute of Community with Shared Future, Communication University of China, Beijing.

He stated that the concept of “Clash of Civilizations” has led to numerous wars and killings of thousands of innocent lives.

He stressed the importance of international communication and international cultural exchange. He also mentioned that to achieve sustainable prosperity and security, a peaceful inter-civilization co-existence is required.

Prof. Zhang Yanqiu, Vice Dean, Institute of Community with Shared Future, Communication University of China, Beijing highlighted the need for Cultural Inclusiveness through the promotion of global communications.

She said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the cooperation and negotiations have led to improved bilateral relations between China and Africa. She also mentioned that to promote the concept of “Dialogue of Civilizations”, China’s international communication needs to be improved.

Mr. Shakeel Ahmed Ramay, Member Advisory Board, CGSS and Director, China Study Center, Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Islamabad highlighted that for a successful Dialogue of Civilizations, China and Pakistan must recognize common indicators of development.

He elaborated that the Chinese Theory of empathy and mutual coordination is similar to that of the Chinese concept of empathy. Ramay emphasized that the Dialogue of Civilizations must be based on common grounds of interest for maximum benefit.

Ms. Palwasha Nawaz, Project Executive CGSS, Brigadier Zahoor-ul-Haq (Ret’d), PhD Scholar, National Defense University, Islamabad, Dr. Imran Ashraf, Assistant Professor, National Defense University Islamabad also spoke at the session.