BERLIN, MAR 17 – German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas demanded on Wednesday that Russia respect foreign correspondents’ right to report after an official warned German journalists of possible reprisals in a tit-for-tat row.

Earlier this month, Russia’s foreign-facing state television station RT accused the German government of putting pressure on lenders, including Commerzbank, to close the bank account of its German office.

Germany has denied that while Commerzbank declined to comment on individual clients.

Russian-based German journalists were summoned to a video conference on Monday at which, according to a participant, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned that Moscow would have to respond if Berlin did not back down over RT.

“Press freedom is not up for negotiation,” Maas wrote on Twitter. “That is possible in Germany and it must be the case in Russia too.”

The spat adds to strains between Russia and the West.

Though heavily dependent on Russia for energy imports, Germany has condemned the imprisonment of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, who was arrested on his return from Germany after treatment for poisoning in Russia.

Showing the importance to Russia of the goodwill of Germany, a major buyer of its energy, RT last November promised a full German-language TV channel in addition to its current online selection of programmes.

Several countries, including the United States, have labelled RT state propaganda, while British regulators have repeatedly investigated it for breaches of impartiality rules.

DNA

ISLAMABAD, MAR 17 – Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood and his Tunisian counterpart, Secretary of State Ambassador Mohamed Ali Nafti, virtually held the 3^rd round of Bilateral Political Consultations (BPC) today.

The exchanges covered the full spectrum of bilateral relations and regional & international issues of common interest. Mutual collaboration at the regional and multilateral fora was also reviewed.

The Foreign Secretary underscored the importance Pakistan attaches to its historic and long-standing fraternal ties with Tunisia and reaffirmed the resolve to deepen cooperation in the fields of trade, investments, security, defence, education, culture and science & technology. There was agreement on both sides to upgrade the overall economic relationship and bring it at par with the excellent political ties.

The Foreign Secretary highlighted Pakistan’s economic security paradigm and the focus on geo-economics. In particular, the Prime Minister’s central emphasis on peace, development and connectivity was highlighted.

The Foreign Secretary apprised his counterpart of ‘Engage Africa’ initiative aimed at enhancing Pakistan’s diplomatic footprint in Africa and deepening economic engagement with the Continent. Welcoming the initiative, the Secretary of State offered Tunisian support in the advancement of this outreach in the North African region.

The transformational China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was also highlighted by the Foreign Secretary. He called upon Tunisia to consider the beneficial opportunities offered by this important project.

The Foreign Secretary lauded Tunisian efforts for regional peace and apprised his counterpart of Pakistan’s positive contribution to Afghan peace process. Appreciating Tunisia’s role as non-permanent member of UN Security Council, the Foreign Secretary thanked Tunisia for its principled position on the Jammu & Kashmir dispute at the UN & OIC.

Both sides highlighted the convergence between their leadership in fostering regional peace and stability and the need to counter Islamophobia through collective endeavours — including by correct projection of Islam’s message of peace and harmony and promotion of inter-faith harmony worldwide.

Pakistan and Tunisia have institutional mechanisms for regular interface in the political, parliamentary, diplomatic, defence, economic & trade domains. It was agreed that high-level exchanges will be enhanced and bilateral cooperation expanded through specific initiatives.

ISLAMABAD, MAR 17 (DNA) – Fehmida Mirza, President, Pakistan Sports Board presented Pakistan’s Flag to Mr. Sirbaz Khan, a young mountaineer from Hunza to hoist at the Peak of Annapurna (8091-M) and see him off for Nepal.

Mr. Sirbaz Khan had call on the Minister yesterday, before travelling (today) for his expedition to Nepal to summit Annapurna alongwith Mr. Abdul Joshi another mountaineer and his supporting 3-members. Earlier, he climbed five peaks of above 8000-M, he told the Minister that he has a mission to climb 14 peaks those are above 8000-M.

Dr. Fehmida Mirza, federal Minister for Inter Provincial Coordination appreciated the endeavors of young mountaineer and his team and said that the Government is taking all possible measures and steps to promote sports at grass root level to nurture young talent like him who can bring glory to the name of Pakistan and promote its good image globally. She also said that the Government is already playing its role but the true vision of revival of sports can only be achieved when all stakeholders of the sports’ ecosystem including national federations, provincial associations, and media play their role in collaboration.

She wished the young mountaineers good luck on behalf on Government and people of Pakistan.

Sirbaz appreciated this gesture of presenting Pakistani flag and meeting with the team and said that it will be a source of encouragement not only for him and his team but also to the other emerging climbers towards this mountaineering.

Mr. Abu Zafar Sadiq (President) and Mr. Karrar Haideri (Secretary) from Alpine Club of Pakistan were also present during the call on.

WASHINTON, MAR 17: U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said the release of the latest update to the Hong Kong Autonomy Act report showed that China’s National People’s Congress had unilaterally undermined Hong Kong’s electoral system in its March 11 decision.

Blinken said the report identified 24 China and Hong Kong officials whose actions have reduced Hong Kong’s autonomy. He added that foreign financial institutions which knowingly conduct significant transactions with these officials would be subject to sanctions.

China’s parliament approved on Thursday a draft decision to change Hong Kong’s electoral system, further reducing democratic representation in the city’s institutions and introducing a mechanism to vet politicians’ loyalty to Beijing.

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Imran Khan has approved the name of Air Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar as new chief of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). Zaheer Babar belongs of village Sidh, Gujrat.

He will replace outgoing Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Mujahid Anwar. Babar was among three air vice-marshal to be promoted as vice marshal in July 2018.  Having commanded a fighter squadron, an operational air base, and regional air command, Air Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar was commissioned in GD (P) branch of the PAF in April 1986.

During his dazzling career, he has served as assistant air chief for operation research and development (R&D), assistant air chief for training officers, and the director-general of projects at the Air Headquarters in Islamabad.

A graduate of the Combat Commanders’ School, Air War College, and the United Kingdom’s Royal College of Defence Studies, he has also served as the additional secretary at the Ministry of Defence. In recognition of his outstanding services, he has been awarded Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Military) and Tamgha-i-Imtiaz (Military).

ISLAMABAD, Mar 17 (DNA): President Dr Arif Alvi Wednesday emphasized on youth to gain skill-based education, adopt new technologies and develop analytical skills to make good decisions and achieve progress in life.

He was speaking at a ceremony held at President House here to acknowledge the excellence of the position holders in the Higher Secondary School Certificate examination 2020.

While congratulating the position holders in the examinations, he said recognizing achievements of the brilliant students will encourage others to set a path for themselves and move ahead.

He said the real education was the ability to process the acquired information, develop analytical and logical thinking, reach good decisions and draw conclusions.

Talking about the emerging fields of artificial intelligence and neural networks, he noted that human brain was amazing with its 100 billion neurons and 100 trillion connections and one could increase his brain capacity by indulging in mental exercises similar to the way physical exercises were done to strengthen a human body.

“We have to develop our skills, build our brains and excel in fields like information technology where the possibilities are limitless.”

Referring to the issue of 20 million out of school children in Pakistan, he said in Bangladesh 98 percent of children were getting primary education.

In Pakistan as compared to boys, more girls were obtaining higher education, he said and underlined the need for incentives and linking benefits of the Ehsaas programme with school enrollment to educate more children.

He mentioned the scheme of providing lunch in schools in New Delhi to encourage children to attend school. “We have to give incentives to increase enrollment.”

He said the government of Pakistan Tehreek I Insaf (PTI) was working on introduction of uniform syllabus in the education system, teacher training and had allowed the private institutions to print textbooks.

He was optimistic that the measures taken by the government would change the landscape of education in Pakistan in the next few years.

He said human brain was a real asset and countries like Japan and Germany after their destruction rebuilt themselves with their intellectual and human resources. “Nations make progress with their intellectual abilities. Companies like Facebook and Google were the product of endeavours of individuals who brought the information technology revolution.”

Poverty could be alleviated by ensuring education and health facilities for the citizens, he remarked.

He said education should be all encompassing and the student should get the opportunities to excel in the fields of science and arts.

Recalling that Pakistan suffered from brain drain in the previous decades, he said in the next few years, Pakistanis could make significant progress with their hard work and harnessing of intellectual capabilities.

President Alvi said character building of youth was the way forward for progress of the nation and advised the students to stay away from corruption, speak truth and earn their living through honest means.

Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood in his speech informed about the reforms being undertaken by the government to improve the education system.

Earlier, the President gave away prizes to the position holders in the examinations of the education boards of all the provinces, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan.

ISLAMABAD, Mar. 17 (DNA): Pakistan has taken elaborate measures to vaccinate millions of its people, thanks to the Chinese government for speedy delivery of anti-corona vaccine which is still coming in batches, says a report published by Gwadar Pro on Wednesday.

Officials confirmed that another batch of China’s Sinopharm vaccine has arrived on Wednesday which will be given to elderly population ( 60 & above) as well as the critical patients of COVID-19.

Mass vaccination centers have been set up across Pakistan just ahead of the arrival of 500,000 doses of Sinopharm Vaccine.

“We have set up these centers in Islamabad, Multan, Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar. More will be established across other cities,” a senior official dealing with the Vaccine program project in Pakistan told Gwadar Pro.

Pakistan has signed a deal with Beijing Institute of Biological Products for delivery of Sinopharm vaccine that aims to fight against COVID-19.

Pakistan will purchase 1.2 million doses of coronavirus vaccine from Chinese manufacturer Sinopharm, Federal Science Minister Fawad Chaudhry confirmed earlier.

“The Cabinet Committee has decided to initially purchase 1.2 million doses of the vaccine from the Chinese company Sinopharm, which will be provided free of cost to frontline workers in the first quarter of 2021,” Fawad said.

In Pakistan, Federal Health Ministry has recently launched a registration drive across the country in collaboration with National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) advising the masses to register to have jabs of vaccine.

“Vaccine is being administered to people who have registered online to get free dose of vaccine. The vaccination will continue until the whole population gets jabs of vaccine,” a spokesperson of Ministry of Health told this correspondent.

Early this week, authorities announced to administer jabs of vaccine to people aged 70 & above at their door step.

“We have advised people aged 70 & above to stay home as we have taken steps to administer jabs of vaccine to them at their door step as per directives given by Prime Minister Imran Khan,” spokesman of Ministry of Health said.

On March 5, 2021, Pakistan approved the emergency use of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine for people over 60 years of age, a statement by National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) said.

Since then, a large number people in Pakistan, mostly frontline health workers, have been administered doses of Sinopharm vaccine. The vaccine has had great results so far, Pakistani authorities said.

Meanwhile, Pakistani authorities have confirmed they have placed an order to purchase single-dose Chinese vaccine Ad5-nCoV vaccine (Cansino Bio) for COVID-19 and its first batch is expected to be delivered to Pakistan shortly.

According to officials of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination (NHS, R&C) the single-dose Chinese vaccine could be administered to people of all ages as it was found effective among people from 18 to 80 plus years of age during trials in Pakistan and other countries of the world.