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YOUTH ARE THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRESS OF THE SCO SPACE

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SCO Secretary General Vladimir Norov

Every year on August 12, International Youth Day is celebrated in all countries of the world. The holiday was established by the decision of the UN General Assembly on December 17, 1999 at the suggestion of the World Conference of Ministers for Youth Affairs, held in Lisbon on August 8-12, 1998.

The UN Youth Strategy2030, launched in 2018, outlines five priority areas designed to improve the lives of young people: to involve them in solving modern problems; expand access to education and health care; seek to improve their economic situation; to provide conditions for the realization of their civil and political rights; support young people in situations of conflict and crisis.

Today there are 1.8 billion young people in the world – the largest number in the history of mankind.Almost half of the world’s youth live in the SCO area (over 800 million people).Young people, with their energy, innovative and bold ideas are an important pillar on the path of further development of the SCO in various aspects of its activities.That is why the focus of the Organization is on the young generation of our countries.

This year our organization celebrates its 20th anniversary.

Over the 20 years of its existence, the SCO has been able to build one of the world’s largest systems of successfully combining national and regional interests in various areas of development, as well as multifaceted regional cooperation with an emphasis on guaranteeing political stability, strengthening security, expanding economic interaction, joint development and prosperity of peoples, development of intercivilizational dialogue in the region.All these years, the SCO member states have attached great importance to the development of youth cooperation aimed at promoting the physical, mental and spiritual development of the young generation, involving it in a large-scale joint development plans.

The responsible body for the implementation of the policy in this area is the SCO Youth Council, created in 2009 at the initiative of the Youth Organizations of the SCO member states.The SCO Youth Council is an effective mechanism for protecting young people from various destructive ideas by creating conditions to receive modern education and acquire professional skills, to engage in entrepreneurial activities and innovative projects in order to expand their employment, self-realization, increase their spiritual potential and well-being.

The involvement of young people in cross-border cultural, economic, scientific and educational processes contributes to the disclosure of the creative, social, educational and spiritual and moral potential of the young generation, strengthening friendship and mutual understanding between young people of the SCO member states, which can serve to further develop good-neighborly relations, strengthen interethnic and interfaith cooperation.

For this purpose, discussions, conferences, cultural and sports events, as well as youth forums are held annually within the framework of the SCO Youth Council.In addition, the project of the International Service “Youth Card of the SCO” is being successfully implemented, the international festivals “Student Spring of the SCO and BRICS countries” and the SCO Marathons are held annually.

Within the framework of theproject “SCO is our Common Home”, the SCO Secretariat is working with young people by providing them with technical support, as well as a platform for organizing various events. These events range from “Model SCO” meetings to intellectual competitions “Leader of the XXI century.”

Currently, the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the habitual way of life of many millions of people, causing serious damage to the socio-economic life of states.At the same time, young people are among the category of the population that suffers from the coronavirus pandemic the most.

Today, the SCO member states, in accordance with the principles of the “Shanghai Spirit”, in order to overcome the negative consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, continue to show a high level of solidarity, mutual support and mutual assistance.At the same time, despite all the difficulties, modern youth of the SCO region actively participate in the public life of the SCO member states.

The younger generation is helping to overcome the negative consequences of the coronavirus pandemic through their voluntary assistance to doctors, the sick, the poor and the needy.In the context of the transition of most of the education system to the online mode, the activities of various destructive forces have intensified to involve young people in their criminal activities.

International terrorism and extremism, turbulence in the global economy and exacerbation of social problems – these and other factors increase the challenges faced by young people.Taking these trendsinto account, the SCO member states are also taking appropriate measures aimed at countering the involvement of young people in the activities of terrorist, separatist and extremist structures.

Last year’s Moscow SCO Summit declaration emphasized the need to continue the participation of the SCO Youth Council in the implementation of the provisions of the “Joint Appeal of the Heads of the SCO Member States to Youth” and the “Action Program for its implementation, adopted on June 10, 2018 at the SCO Summit in Qingdao”, which are focused on the active involvement of young people in the creation of a worthy future, assistance to the physical, mental and spiritual development of the younger generation.The documents emphasize the extreme importance of ensuring favorable socio-economic conditions, the availability of opportunities for education, self-expression, the disclosure of creative potential and the implementation of labor activities for young segments of the population.

The leaders of the SCO member states are convinced that young people united by the “Shanghai spirit” embodying mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for cultural diversity, striving for joint development, are able to give a tough rebuff to destructive forces, become a powerful obstacle to the spread of alien ideas of terrorism, extremism and legal nihilism.At the same time, the SCO countries attach great importance to channeling the energy of the younger generation into a creative channel. First, through affordable, high-quality, innovative education, which makes it possible to fully realize the potential of an individual.

During the first organizational meeting of the SCO University Coordination Council held on June 30, 2020, the member states discussed the issues of transferring educational programs to distance learning in the context of a pandemic.The SCO Secretariat considers it important to work on generalizing the experience of our countries in the development of distance education and developing an appropriate program of multilateral cooperation.At the same time, the SCO University should become a reliable platform for the development of online learning in the space of our Organization.

In the field of youth education, with the assistance of the SCO Secretariat, such projects as the educational game “Model SCO” and the “SCOLAR Academy” are making their positive contribution.The interactive game “Model SCO” demonstrated the growing interest of young people in the activities of the Organization aimed at strengthening mutual trust, friendship and good-neighborliness between the peoples of our countries.In this regard, we consider it important to disseminate the experience of conducting an interactive game “Model SCO” and the volunteer youth movement “SCOLAR Network” in all countries of the SCO family with the active support from the national Youth Councils of the SCO.

At the same time, in the current environment, the development and support of youth entrepreneurship has become a priority area for the governments of our countries.The International Youth Business Incubator of the SCO Countries project, implemented within the framework of the SCO Youth Council, aims to facilitate the training of mentors for start-up startups, the opening of the business incubator space for young people, as well as internships in the country participating in the project.

The coronavirus pandemic has given impetus to the development of the digital economy and forced many young people to rethink their vision of the future development of the economy and their professional activities.Given the importance of innovation and the digital economy as key factors of economic growth, the SCO attaches great importance to attracting young people to the development of e-commerce, promoting start-up initiatives in the field of the digital economy.

In order to more actively engage in this area, the SCO Secretariat, together with the SCOLAR Network youth platform and in partnership with the Innoway Technology Park and Alibaba Group, held a conference on the topic: “Digital Economy and E-Commerce: Challenges and Opportunities in the SCO Region” and a webinar on Digital Action for Entrepreneurs in the COVID-19 Era: Lessons from Alibaba.More than 600 young professionals took part in the events.The 2ndYouth Competition for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the Conclave of SCO Young Scientists, the Startup Forumthe Youth Conference “AGORA: SCOLAR Vision”Youth Conference were also successfully held.

In modern conditions, in the implementation of youth policy by the SCO member states, the importance of public diplomacy is increasing. It is an element of cross-border relations that contributes to the dialogue of peoples and cultures.One of the most effective areas of such contacts is the interaction of the youth and student communities of our countries.Therefore, the readiness of representatives of student associations and youth activists for such work is extremely important.

In this regard, an important role is played by the institutions of public diplomacy of the SCO member states and, in particular, The Chinese Committee for Good Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation, Center for Public Diplomacy of the SCO in Tashkent and the Center for Friendship and Cooperation of the SCO in Tajikistan, which strive to form knowledge and skills among young people. All of them contribute to public diplomacy.

At present, at the initiative of the SCO chairmanship of Tajikistan, the member states are discussing a draft Agreement on cooperation between young people and authorized bodies of the SCO member states, which is planned to be adopted at the anniversary SCO summit in Dushanbe in September this year.

This document is aimed at strengthening cooperation in the field of work with youth and public organizations (associations) implementing the state youth policy, as well as supporting initiatives aimed at enhancing international youth cooperation.At the same time, special attention is paid to the promotion of joint economic and humanitarian initiatives aimed at involving young people in entrepreneurship and innovative projects in order to increase their employment and well-being, as well as support the activities of the SCO Youth Council.

It is important to note that the current Tajikistan’s chairmanship in the Organization coincides with the 20th anniversary of the SCO, which is being held under the motto “20 years of the SCO: cooperation for stability and prosperity.”Within the framework of the current chairmanship of the Republic of Tajikistan in the SCO, large-scale work is being carried out to further strengthen multifaceted mutually beneficial cooperation in the field of security and economy. Much attention is paid to the issues of deepening humanitarian ties, intercultural exchanges, interaction between youth.

The future development of the entire SCO area depends on the participation of young people in political, socio-economic and public life, both at the national and international levels.It is not enough to understand young people in the traditional sense, only as a future society.It must be assessed as an organic part of modern society, bearing a specialfunction of responsibility for the preservation and development of our countries.Young people are the main bearers of the intellectual potential of society. They have great ability to work, to be creative in all spheres of life. They are able to master new knowledge, professions and specialties faster than other social groups of society.

There is now a real increase in youth activity in many areas.That is why the member states consider it necessary to build a society in the SCO space where all young people will have the opportunity to reveal their potential, and in which their ability will be recognized as well as their contribution to the development and building of the future of their countries.

We want to witness the formation of new leaders of the 21st century in the SCO space, since in the face of today’s young people we see an important driving force of the “Shanghai spirit”.

TURKMENISTAN’S CULTURE, ART, PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION KICKS OFF IN ANKARA

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ANKARA, AUG 16: Turkmenistan’s embassy to Turkey kicked off on Monday a two-day culture, art and photography exhibition in the National Library building in the capital Ankara.

Organized on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s independence to be marked on Sept.27, the exhibition, arranged in partnership with the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry and the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY), gathered many people, including senior authorities, bureaucrats, and representatives of foreign missions in the country.

Following the national anthems of both countries, Ambassador Ishankuli Amanlyev speaking at the opening ceremony said that his country gained its independence at the” most critical stage in human history.”

“The field of culture and art gains special importance in the context of Turkmenistan’s recognition in the international arena as the country that initiated global progressive transformations,” he said.

“This area is an important factor in the implementation of the Turkmen state’s foreign policy, which aims to develop international cooperation towards achieving universal peace, prosperity and sustainable development,” Amanlyev added.

He went on to say that the development of culture and arts, science, education, and new technology gains nowadays play a “decisive role” in the comprehensive development of Turkmenistan.

The envoy underlined the importance of the “cultural rebirth strategy” implemented by the Central Asian country, adding that Turkmenistan’s cultural values and national heritage of nation is “re-kneaded” in today’s conditions and come to light in a “modern way.”

“The ancient culture, which is an important factor in the development process of the Turkmen state, on the one hand meets the demands of the new historical age, on the other hand, offers a great and unique potential for Turkmenistan to advance on the path of democratic and socio-economic development,” he said.

Amanlyev highlighted that today, culture is considered as the “reinforcing and inspiring power” of the society at the level of state policy, the carrier of moral and aesthetic criteria, the basis of democratic and social transformations, and the most important source of development of the nation and country.

He noted that one of the main elements of Turkmenistan’s foreign policy is the development of cultural cooperation which serves to strengthen the relations of friendship and mutual understanding between the world countries.

Culture, art, science and education are among the priorities of cooperation between Turkmenistan and Turkey, he said.


‘BIG UNITED FAMILY’

Turkey’s Deputy Culture and Tourism Minister Serdar Cam, also speaking at the opening ceremony, congratulated Turkmenistan’s 30th independence anniversary, and stressed that all the Turkic states are members of a “big family”.

Cam said that the cultural events are a reminder to the whole world that the Turkic countries are united “as a sole family.”

“We wish the flood of love and affection from our ancestral homeland to flow forever,” he said.

Cam also emphasized that they are proud to work with Turkmenistan in organizations such as the Turkic Council and TURKSOY.

Following the speeches, Cam and Amanlyev along with other authorities officially opened the exhibition with ribbon cutting.

The exhibition includes unique photographs of Turkmenistan, paintings by Turkmen artists, traditional clothes, musical instruments and decorations belonging to Turkmen culture.

Joe Biden to address nation on chaos in Afghanistan after Taliban takeover

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WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden will return to the White House Monday to address the nation on the U.S. evacuation from Afghanistan, as the planned withdrawal of American forces turned deadly at Kabul‘s airport as thousands tried to flee the country a day after the Taliban‘s takeover.

The White House says Biden will travel back to Washington from the Camp David presidential retreat to speak at 3:45 Monday afternoon from the East Room. It will be his first public remarks on the Afghanistan situation in nearly a week, after Biden and other top U.S. officials had been stunned by the pace of the Taliban’s swift routing of the Afghan military.

Senior U.S. military officials say the chaos at the airport left seven people dead Monday morning, including some who fell from a departing American military transport jet.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss ongoing operations.

Afghans rushed onto the tarmac of the capital’s airport as thousands tried to escape after the Taliban seized power with stunning speed. Some clung to the side of a U.S. military plane before takeoff, in a widely shared video that captured the sense of desperation as America’s 20-year war comes to a chaotic end.

Another video showed the Afghans falling as the plane gained altitude over Kabul.

The speed of the Afghan government’s collapse and the ensuing chaos posed the most serious test of Biden as commander in chief, and he was the subject of withering criticism from Republicans who said that he had failed. Chaotic scenes unfolded at the Kabul airport Monday as Afghans tried desperately to find space on departing military flights, with the U.S. resorting to firing warning shots and using helicopters to clear a path for transport aircraft.

Biden campaigned as a seasoned expert in international relations and has spent months downplaying the prospect of an ascendant Taliban while arguing that Americans of all political persuasions have tired of a 20-year war, a conflict that demonstrated the limits of money and military might to force a Western-style democracy on a society not ready or willing to embrace it.

By Sunday, though, leading figures in the administration acknowledged they were caught off guard with the utter speed of the collapse of Afghan security forces. The challenge of that effort became clear after reports of sporadic gunfire at the Kabul airport prompted Americans to shelter as they awaited flights to safety after the U.S. Embassy was completely evacuated.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan said Monday that Afghanistan fell faster than the administration expected, and blamed the government’s fall on the Afghans themselves.

“It is certainly the case that the speed with which cities fell was much greater than anyone anticipated,” Sullivan said Monday on NBC’s “Today.”

But he said the U.S. ultimately could not give Afghan security forces the “will” to fight to defend their fledgling democracy from the Taliban.

“At the end of the day, despite the fact that we spent 20 years and tens of billions of dollars to give the best equipment, the best training and the best capacity to the Afghan security forces, we could not give them the will and they ultimately decided that they would not fight for Kabul and they would not fight for the country,” Sullivan said.

The turmoil in Afghanistan resets the focus in an unwelcome way for a president who has largely focused on a domestic agenda that includes emerging from the pandemic, winning congressional approval for trillions of dollars in infrastructure spending and protecting voting rights.

Biden remained at Camp David over the weekend, receiving regular briefings on Afghanistan and holding secure video conference calls with members of his national security team, according to senior White House officials. His administration released a single photo of the president on Sunday alone in a conference room meeting virtually with military, diplomatic and intelligence experts.

Biden has been at the Camp David presidential retreat, and largely out of public view, since Friday. He had been scheduled to stay there through Wednesday.

Biden is the fourth U.S. president to confront challenges in Afghanistan and has insisted he wouldn’t hand America’s longest war to his successor. But the president will likely have to explain how security in Afghanistan unraveled so quickly, especially since he and others in the administration have insisted it wouldn’t happen.

“The jury is still out, but the likelihood there’s going to be the Taliban overrunning everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely,” Biden said on July 8.

As recently as last week, Biden publicly expressed hope that Afghan forces could develop the will to defend their country. But privately, administration officials warned that the military was crumbling, prompting Biden on Thursday to order thousands of American troops into the region to speed up evacuation plans.

One official said Biden was more sanguine on projections for the Afghan fighters to hold off the Taliban in part to prevent a further erosion in morale among their force. It was ultimately for naught.

Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump also yearned to leave Afghanistan, but ultimately stood down in the face of resistance from military leaders and other political concerns. Biden, on the other hand, has been steadfast in his refusal to change the Aug. 31 deadline, in part because of his belief that the American public is on his side.

A late July ABC News/Ipsos poll, for instance, showed 55% of Americans approving of Biden’s handling of the troop withdrawal.

Most Republicans have not pushed Biden to keep troops in Afghanistan over the long term and they also supported Trump’s own push to exit the country. Still, some in the GOP are stepping up their critique of Biden’s withdrawal strategy and said images from Sunday of American helicopters circling the U.S. Embassy in Kabul evoked the humiliating departure of U.S. personnel from Vietnam.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell deemed the scenes of withdrawal as “the embarrassment of a superpower laid low.”

There were no additional steps planned beyond the troop deployment Biden ordered to assist in the evacuations. Senior administration officials believe the U.S. will be able to maintain security at the Kabul airport long enough to extricate Americans and their allies, but the fate of those unable to get to the airport was far from certain.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who has backed the Biden administration’s strategy, said in an interview that “the speed is a surprise” but would not characterize the situation as an intelligence failure. He said it has long been known that Afghanistan would fall to the Taliban if the United States pulled out.

“Given how much we have invested in the Afghan army, it’s not ridiculous for analysts to believe that they’d be able to put up a fight for more than a few days,” Murphy said.

In the upper ranks of Biden’s staff, the rapid collapse in Afghanistan only confirmed the decision to leave: If the meltdown of the Afghan forces would come so quickly after nearly two decades of American presence, another six months or a year or two or more would not have changed anything.

Biden has argued for more than a decade that Afghanistan was a kind of purgatory for the United States. He found it to be corrupt, addicted to America’s largesse and an unreliable partner that should be made to fend for itself. His goal was to protect Americans from terrorist attacks, not building a country.

As vice president, he argued privately against Obama’s surge of 30,000 troops into Afghanistan in a bid to stabilize the country so that the United States and its allies could then pull back their forces.

As president, Biden said in July that he made the decision to withdraw with “clear eyes” after receiving daily battlefield updates. His judgment was that Afghanistan would be divided in a peace agreement with the Taliban, rather than falling all at once.

“There’s going to be no circumstance where you see people being lifted off the roof of a embassy in the — of the United States from Afghanistan,” he said in July. “The likelihood there’s going to be one unified government in Afghanistan controlling the whole country is highly unlikely.”

SAUDI CGS, ARMY CHIEF DISCUSS LATEST SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN

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RAWALPINDI, AUG 16 /DNA/ -A high-level military delegation led by General Fayyadh Bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili, Chief of General Staff (CGS), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, called on General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) at General Headquarters today. 

During the meeting, geo-strategic environment, security situation in Afghanistan and matters of mutual interest were discussed including bilateral defence cooperation and Training Exchange Programme. In view of the evolving regional security situation, Saudi CGS expressed full support for Pakistan’s efforts for peace in the region.The dignitary acknowledged Pakistan Army’s achievements in war against terrorism and contributions for regional peace and stability.

Saudi CGS thanked Pakistan Army for its sustained assistance in training of Saudi Armed Forces and expressed his desire to enhance bilateral defence collaboration.   Earlier on arrival at GHQ, General Fayyadh Bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili laid floral wreath at Yadgar-e-Shuhada. A smartly turned out contingent of Pakistan Army presented Guard of Honour to the visiting dignitary.

SERENA AND RGC HOST AZADI GOLF TOURNAMENT

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ISLAMABAD, AUG 16 /DNA/ – Serena Hotels and Rawalpindi Golf Club (RGC) hosted a three-day mega Golf tournament that culminated with an awards ceremony on Sunday afternoon.

The Serena-RGC Azadi Golf tournament drew more than 250Golf enthusiasts from Diplomatic Corps, Armed Forces, Government, Corporate and Business segments including women and teenager golfers.

Inspector General Arms and Colonel Commandant of the Punjab Regiment, Lieutenant General Majid Ehsan, Hilal-e-Imtiaz(Military) participated in the tournament as well as graced the event as Chief Guest.

CEO Serena Hotels South and Central Asia Mr. Aziz Boolani thanked the participants for their participation in the pleasant overcast conditions. Over the years, Serena Hotels Sports Diplomacy Initiative has emerged as an integral part of the Company’s efforts to build stronger relations with communities and provide platform to engage with each other while improving the teamwork,communication skills and leadership along with promoting a healthier lifestyle.

The winners in various categories were:

Government & Armed Forces: Brig AzharYasin (1st Gross), Major Gen. Syed Anis Akbar (1st Net)

Corporate: Mr. Alamgir Shah (1st Gross), Mr. Asghar Khan (1st Net)

Diplomat: Mr. Aamir Shaukat (1st Gross), Mr. Aizaz Ahmed Chaudry (1st Net)

Ladies: Ms. Tahir Nazir (1st Gross), Mrs. AVM Rizwan Riaz (1st Net)

Amateur: Mr. Tipu Raja (1st Gross), Mr. Ziyad Abbasi (1st Net)

Senior Amateur: Major Shuaib Uddin (1st Gross), Major Tahir Janjua (1st Net)

Juniors Male: Master ShaharyarSarfaraz (1st Gross), Master Umer Usman Ashraf (1st Net)

Juniors Female: Miss Daniya Irfan (1st Position)

Veteran: Lt. Col S M Saif (1st Gross), Major Gen. Abdul Razzaq (1st Net).

FLAG-HOISTING CEREMONY TO MARK INDEPENDENCE DAY ORGANIZED AT PAKISTAN EMBASSY, MINSK

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Minsk, AUG 16 /DNA/ – To commemorate the independence day of Pakistan, a flag-hoisting ceremony was held at the Embassy of Pakistan, Minsk on 14 August 2021. The ceremony was attended by Pakistani diaspora from different walks of life including students.


Ambassador Sajjad Haider Khan raised the national flag to the tune of national anthem of Pakistan and delivered the messages from the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan whereby a glowing tribute was paid to the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and that of the other leaders of the Independence Movement, whose unwavering struggle culminated in freedom for the Muslims of subcontinent.


The Ambassador also highlighted the achievements of the current government in the socio- economic fields. Appreciating the importance of freedom as a basic human right, Pakistan’s resolute commitment to the innocent people of IIOJK by extending them moral, political and diplomatic support was also reiterated. Expressing the resolve to nurture Pakistan into a progressive Islamic society on the ideals of Riasat-e-Madina, the need for unity among nation during these testing times was underlined.
On the occasion, children also sang Pakistani national songs. Towards the end, guests were treated with traditional Pakistani cuisine.

E-Taxi service for Northern Areas revolutionary step: Amin

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ISLAMABAD, AUG 16 (DNA) – Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam on Monday inaugurated the environment friendly E-Taxi for northern areas of the country as per the Prime Minister’s vision of embracing 21st century technological advancement amid ecological conservation.

Addressing the launching ceremony of first ever electric vehicles being introduced as taxis in the hilly terrain of Northern Areas through a joint venture between Sapphire Group and Faisal Movers, he said, “I congratulate Sapphire Group and Faisal Movers for their joint initiative, as they are embracing the future in the field of advanced mobility and sustainable growth.”

The joint venture between Sapphire Group and Faisal Movers aimed to reduce the country’s carbon footprint which was a global collective objective along with implementation of a strong de-carbonisation action plan which would help preserve the natural environment of Northern Areas, especially Gilgit Baltistan (GB).

Amin said, “E-Taxi service is a very big service for GB facing drastic impacts of temperature rise leading to snow slides and glacial lake outburst floods.” He said that the transformation of automobile entering the picturesque tourist areas of GB would bring revolution in the valley through eco-friendly transportation.

“Chief Minister GB Khalid Khursheed Khan is also excited to welcome this initiative as he has also been taken on board on this matter,” the SAPM said. PM’s aide on Climate Change underscored that GB was bearing the massive potential of tourism attracted by the country and was also equally vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

“We have the responsibility to protect its environment as fuel based vehicular emissions are detrimental for the local environment and ecology. GB is generating major chunk of our tourism, so we cannot pollute it,” he said.

Pointing out the initial routes of the EV taxis, he said E-Taxi would start from the federal capital to Murree and Nathiagali whereas its powerful engine and battery capacity could also let the vehicle venture into hilly areas.

“Charging Infrastructure is a major issue after launching the EVs whereas our government is extending incentives on charging stations to be installed across the country,” he informed the participants.

Amin said Electric vehicles (EV) are the future of the world, and the country, keeping in view the global trends, introduced an EV Policy in 2019 which after many strides got approved from the Cabinet.

“Climate Change is a very huge issue for Pakistan. The country has initiated different endeavors in forestry and energy side. We are going to clean our energy mix by shifting it to 60% renewable,” he announced.

Transport sector, he said was costing 40% emissions in Pakistan, adding, “We have direct risk of air pollution. EV is a win-win answer for Pakistan, as it’s running cost is 60% less as compared to fuel based vehicle and emits 70% less emissions.”

Ministry of Climate Change had conducted a US AID study that highlighted massive bill was of oil import born by the country which the EV would help to save $2billiom per year with generating green jobs.

Amin appreciated the Build Your Dreams (BYD) EV manufacturing company for its trust in Pakistani market and launching their vehicles in the country.

“We are looking forward for this technology. China is the leader in EV technology in the world. We are also looking China to start EV manufacturing units in Pakistan.

It’s a great day for Pakistan to welcome EVs at a nascent level which will assist common masses through a dignified and reliable environment friendly transport facility,” Amin concluded. = DNA

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PAKISTAN HAS LONG-STANDING, MULTIDIMENSIONAL TIES WITH CANADA: TARIN

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ISLAMABAD, AUG 16 /DNA/ – Wendy Gilmour, the High Commissioner of Canada for Pakistan, called on the Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Shaukat Tarin at the Finance Division.

While extending a warm welcome to the Canadian High Commissioner, the Finance Minister stated that Pakistan has long-standing and multidimensional ties with Canada. Canada has a large number of Pakistani diaspora and people to people contacts contribute an important component of the bilateral relations.

The Finance Minister said that Canada is one of the major development partners and stressed the need to further strengthening business and economic linkages between the two countries.

The Finance Minister briefed the Canadian High Commissioner about the recent economic developments and initiatives. The Finance Minister stated that enhancing revenue collection, boosting exports, increasing remittances and making the energy sector sustainable are the foremost priorities of the current government.

In addition to these, the government will promote agriculture, housing and SME sector while Kamyab Pakistan Program will be its signature project.

The Minister added that for inclusive and sustainable growth, the government is preparing various short, medium and long term plans in 14 priority areas and it is his firm belief that these plans will bring about a turnaround of the economy and establish it on a more sound footing.

The Canadian High Commissioner thanked the Finance Minister for his time and informed him that the Canadian Business Community sees great investment potential in wind-power generation, power transmission systems as well as mining sector in Pakistan. She stated that government’s support in these areas will attract Canadian investors to bring their businesses to Pakistan.

The Finance Minister assured the Canadian High Commissioner of his support for attracting investment in Pakistan.

GOVT EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH PMDA REJECTED

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KARACHI, AUG 16 /DNA/ – The joint committee of media organizations comprising  All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA), Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and  Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AEMEND) have unanimously rejected Govt. efforts to establish PMDA. 

The recently circulated Minutes of the meeting between Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and these organizations are misleading and have been purposefully distorted to give the impression that there was no serious objection to PMDA. 

All representatives were unanimous in rejecting The PMDA draft . The ministry is continuously trying to give the impression that sections of the media fraternity are supporting the ministry on this draconian attempt to muzzle the press. This should be stopped immediately.

The joint committee is planning to call all human rights groups, bar associations, members of parliament and other sections of civil society to join hands in stopping this outrageous move by the present Govt. to put further curbs on media.

President ICCI inaugurates double decker tourist bus service for twin cities

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Islamabad, AUG 16 /DNA/ – Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) inaugurated as Chief Guest a double decker tourist bus service at Centaurus, which was launched by Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab (TDCP) in collaboration with the Centaurus Mall, Islamabad for promoting tourism between the twin cities. The Centaurus Mall will provide parking facility to these buses and will also handle the reservation of their seats for tourists. Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, President ICCI & CEO Centaurus and Zahid Ashraf, Regional Manager (North), TDCP also signed a MoU of cooperation at the occasion. Fatma Azim Senior Vice President, Abdul Rehman Khan Vice President ICCI, Ejaz Abbasi, Ajmal Baloch, Khalid Chaudhry, Naveed Anjum, Project Manager Bus Service and others were also present at the occasion.

The double decker bus will cover almost all the famous tourist points of the twin cities including Allama Iqbal Park, Faisal Mosque, Constitution Avenue, Rose & Jasmin Garden, Pakistan Monument and Shakarparian. The bus will entertain various categories of tours including educational tours, premier tours, family tours, full blue booking and corporate tours.

Speaking at the occasion, Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, President ICCI and CEO Centaurus said that in line with the Prime Minister’s vision for tourism promotion, Centaurus has collaborated with TDCP for launch of double decker bus service to promote tourism and attract local as well as foreign tourists to enjoy the culture and scenery of the twin cities. He said it will also be great fun for the tourists. He said that Pakistan has tremendous potential to promote tourism and urged that the government should focus on development of modern tourism infrastructure in the region to harness the actual potential of tourism for the economic development of the country.

 Zahid Ashraf, Regional Manager (North) TDCP thanked the Centaurus Mall for collaborating in launching a tourism bus service that would enable the potential tourists of the twin cities to enjoy this great service. He said that the TDCP was working on multiple projects to promote tourism in Punjab and make it an attractive destination for tourists. He hoped that the launch of this tourist bus service would contribute towards promoting tourism in the region.

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