ISLAMABAD, JUN 14 (DNA) – To show solidarity with the Palestinian brethren, the Coordinator General, COMSTECH, Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary will announce a number of scholarships for Palestinian students and scholars in a press conference later today at 12:30 pm, at COMSTECH Auditorium.
The scholarships are arranged in partnership with Association of Private Sector Universities of Pakistan (APSUP) and member institutions of COMSTECH Consortium of Excellence.
ISLAMABAD, JUN 14 – /DNA/- The theme of the event is to promote the image of “Beautiful China”, and tell the story of China by focusing on three major sections, which are “Beautiful Countryside and Intangible Heritage Protection”, “Ice and Snow Tourism” and “Food Culture”. It also aims to promote the Beijing Winter Olympics, and showcases the charm of Chinese Culture and Tourism. So join us online to appreciate and experience China’s magnificent natural scenery, colorful cultural deposits, rapid urban and rural development, and the beautiful visualization of people living and working in peace and contentment.
In the following weeks, China Cultural Center in Pakistan will be sharing a variety of interesting virtual and online activities through short videos, H5 mini-programs, trailers and posters covering performance, culture, cultural heritage, cuisine, beautiful landscapes and more.Focusing on key projects of “Belt and Road” international cooperation in cultural and tourism industries, 6 distinctive tourism performing arts projects are selected and reproduced into short videos. With the assistance of a H5 publicity program for mass communication, the broadcasting of the videos will mainly use the official website of cultural and tourist institutions abroad, and the local social media platforms designated for overseas promotion of these products during China Tourism and Culture weeks around the world.
Arts, Culture and Nature includes the best of art shows for tourism of China. Some major cultural activities and project and activities of 2021 China Tourism and Culture Week include Creativeness of Craftsmanship, Yunnan Pottery, Beautiful China and The food-themed micro documentary A Taste of China.
Creativeness of Craftsmanship: The Beautiful Countryside by Design is a project curated and executed by Beijing Saisi Boyi Culture and Art Co., Ltd. (directly affiliated with the Center of International Cultural Exchange) and Sichuan Fine Arts Institute. Based on the research on rural cultural resources by fine arts academies from the perspective of creative design in recent years, the project aims at reinventing rural craftsmanship and catalyzing rural development. By discovering the pathway to rural revitalization, the project reveals the idyllic beauty of the countryside, unveiling the “sweep changes” of China’s rural landscape in the new development stage.
Yunnan Pottery: Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage Microclass. Yunnan province, located in the southwest of China, has a picturesque landscape and a long history of pottery making. It has a number of pottery-making skills, which belong to national intangible cultural heritage. Jianshui Purple-Pottery found along the Red River, Nixi Black-Pottery of Shangri-La, Dai nationality Slow-wheel Pottery of Xishuangbanna, Blue and white pottery of Yuxi, Jinsha Pottery in old town of Lijiang…The rich natural resources and the colorful multi-ethnic culture are well-integrated to created splendid traditional handicrafts, which have been inherited for thousands of years and continue to shine.
Clay is the gift of nature, condenses people’s respect and reverence for nature of all ages. When it gradually takes shape in the hands of craftsmen, the clay seems to take on human nature with the magic of art.
Beautiful China – Ice and Snow Tour Series of Short Video Shows focuses on the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and the winter tourism resources in northern China. This video series also introduces Chongli’s Taizicheng Town, one of the venues for the Winter Olympics, and the natural winter landscapes, folk customs and winter sports in Heilongjiang, Jilin, Xinjiang, Shandong and Inner Mongolia. The series allows friends from across the world to enjoy China’s myriad winter tourism attractions and unique winter culture online.
The food-themed micro documentary A Taste of China is a journey of Xinjiang Cuisine. There are five episodes in first series, these episode cover five representative cities (Urumqi, Turpan, Altay, Ili and Kashgar) from different regions of Xinjiang, China. A variety of border-less narrative techniques combining food, humanities and tourism are employed. Audience is expected to take a special journey to enjoy delicious food, unique customs, natural scenery, as well as the real life and timeless aesthetic connotation in different regions and cities of Xinjiang. It will encourage a profound emotional resonance with the audience.
On 26 may, speaking at an international conference on “Strengthening regional cooperation in the water sector in Central Asia”, the first deputy head of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies (ISRS) Akramjon Nematov presented Uzbekistan’s approaches to solving water problems, reports “Dunyo” IA correspondent.
The expert stressed that about 80% of Uzbekistan’s water resources are formed at the expense of transboundary watercourses. This, in his words, dictates the need for the development of interstate relations on the sustainable use of transboundary water resources, the development of mutually acceptable mechanisms for the joint management of transboundary water resources in the region, ensuring the balance of interests of the Central Asian countries.
According to A. Nematov, cooperation in the field of water resources should be carried out on the basis of the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity, mutual benefit and good faith in the spirit of good neighborliness and cooperation.
Reasonable, equitable and optimal use and protection of water, energy and related resources of international watercourses should be a key condition.
The expert believes that the management of water resources of transboundary watercourses should be carried out in such a way that the needs of the present generation are met without prejudice to the future.
Water is an ecosystem, a drinking resource, an important factor for the development of energy and agriculture, and sometimes a source of emergencies, – stressed A. Nematov. In this regard, he urged to be guided by the principles of integrated water resources management, an intersectoral and interdisciplinary approach in this area.
The contradictions in this area should be resolved taking into account the entire set of geographic, hydrographic, hydrological, climatic, ecological and demographic factors, as well as the socio-economic needs of the states of the region, with special attention to the requirements to meet urgent human needs and the needs of ecosystems in a sufficient amount of water.
“The main thing is that all disputes should be resolved through negotiations and consultations,” the ISMI representative said.
On the basis of these principles, it is important to strengthen approaches to the development of regional cooperation in the water-ecological sphere, allowing:
1) conduct joint monitoring of the flow of the Amu Darya, Syrdarya and other transboundary rivers;
2) exercise joint control over water consumption;
3) establish the exchange of open data;
4) develop mutually acceptable mechanisms for the construction of large hydraulic structures.
At the same time, it is important that the issues of using the water resources of transboundary rivers in Central Asia are resolved taking into account the interests of the population living in all countries of the region, as well as all actions carried out on transboundary rivers should not have a negative impact on the existing ecological and water balance of the region.
Proceeding from these approaches, according to A. Nematov, work with neighboring countries has begun in Uzbekistan. A working group has been created to develop proposals on all areas of water relations between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. The signing of an Interdepartmental Agreement with Kyrgyzstan on the establishment of a joint bilateral water management commission is being prepared to reach consensus on the issues of the water and energy sector. Interaction with Turkmenistan is developing fruitfully within the framework of a trilateral working group with the participation of the Amu Darya basin water management organization.
Significant events were the plans announced at the highest level for the joint construction of two hydroelectric power plants by Uzbekistan and Tajikistan on the Zarafshan River. The Uzbek side expressed its readiness to comprehensively consider the possibility of participating in the construction of hydraulic structures in Tajikistan, including the Rogun HPP, as well as the Kambarata HPP-1 in Kyrgyzstan.
A. Nematov also emphasized the role of Afghanistan, which is interested in establishing contacts with the countries of Central Asia, including Uzbekistan, on water use. According to experts, in the next 15 years, Kabul will increase the withdrawal of water resources from the Amu Darya fivefold and will bring this figure to 10-15 km3 per year. With this development of events, according to preliminary estimates, the existing water deficit in Uzbekistan in the Amudarya river basin, on average from 1.5 to 3.0 km3 per year, can increase to 10 km3 per year.
The representative of ISMI noted that the outlined principles and mutually acceptable mechanisms for the joint use of water resources in the region will create a stable, long-term and trusting basis for solving existing and emerging issues in the interests of all countries of Central Asia.
For the further development of regional cooperation on water and environmental issues, the expert suggested:
First, to continue work on a radical increase in the level of regional cooperation in water conservation, management and rational use of transboundary water resources;
Secondly, to adopt the Regional Program for the Rational Use of Water Resources in Central Asia, initiated by the President of Uzbekistan Sh.Mirziyoyev at the meeting of the heads of the founding states of IFAS in August 2018.This, the expert believes, will open a new stage of cooperation between the countries of the region on the joint use of transboundary water resources , will make it possible to jointly implement water and energy projects, as well as develop practical actions for joint accounting and exchange of information on the Amu Darya and Syrdarya river basins.
Thirdly, to adopt a Regional Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change, which will allow, on the one hand, to establish a regional dialogue between the countries of the region to analyze and develop proposals for mitigating the products that provide an increase in productivity and adaptation of agricultural plants to new agro-climatic and soil conditions.
The event, organized by the International Institute of Central Asia together with the UNESCO Office in the Republic of Uzbekistan, was attended by the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Central Asia, Head of UNRCCA N. Gherman, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea H. Sharofiddinov, UN Resident Coordinator in the Republic of Uzbekistan X Fraser, Deputy Head of the Office of the OSCE Project Coordinator in the Republic of Uzbekistan H.-U. Im, as well as representatives of relevant departments, prominent scientists and experts of leading research institutes and analytical centers of Central Asian countries.
Karachi (DNA): Mian Nasser Hyatt Maggo, President FPCCI, has thanked Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar, Governor Punjab, for hosting a high-profile delegation of FPCCI with an open-heart and realization of the business, industrial, and trade community’s role in economic development of the country.
Mian Nasser Hyatt Maggo took this opportunity to highlight some glaring anomalies in the Federal Budget 2021-22. He said that all emphasis is on extracting more taxes from existing taxpayers; rather than broadening the tax base as advised by FPCCI in its Budget Proposals.
Mian Nasser Hyatt Maggo vehemently criticized the imposition of Section 203A, which authorizes assistant commissioners to arrest a businessman merely on the basis of a doubt of tax evasion. He maintained that business community will never agree to such barbaric and anti-business piece of legislation – which also happens to be against basic human rights.
Chaudhry Sarwar assured the delegation of raising their concerns and issues with the Federal Budget 2021-22 in order to help them have resolutions amicably and swiftly with the federal government. He also appreciated the role the business community plays as the backbone of the economy through generation of taxes and employment.
FPCCI’s delegation – led by Mian Nasser Hyatt Maggo, President FPCCI – also included Mian Anjum Nisar, Chairman Businessmen Panel (BMP) & Former President FPCCI; Khawaja Shahzeb Akram, SVP FPCCI; Chaudhry Mohammad Saleem, Ather Sultan Chawla & Hanif Lakhany, Vice Presidents FPCCI; Juma Khan, Former VP FPCCI and others.
FPCCI is looking forward to have anomalies in the Federal Budget 2021-22 addressed in the larger national interest and economic growth of the country through dialogue. These anomalies are detrimental to the businessman’s confidence and investment environment of the country.=DNA
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KARACHI : Hearing a case regarding removal of illegal encroachments in Karachi on Monday, Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed remarked that the entire country is developing except Sindh.
Taking the Sindh government to task, the chief justice Gulzar Ahmed said people in Tharparkar are desperate for a drop of water even today. “Not a single RO [Reverse Osmosis) plant was installed but Rs1500 million had been spent,” he added.
“What plan does the government have?” the chief justice asked the Advocate General, observing the situation is getting worse.
Unfortunately, the top adjudicator remarked, people rule here from London, Dubai or Canada, which does not happen in any other province. Even an assistant sub-inspector becomes so powerful that he runs the entire system, he added.
“Your government has been in power here for many years. What did citizens get?” Chief Justice Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed questioned the top provincial law officer.
The Advocate General asked the apex court for two days’ time saying the provincial government is going to unveil the budget tomorrow.
At this, the Chief Justice Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed questioned what did people get as the budget was presented last year too. “It is a rigmarole of figures. You just move numbers here and there.”
LAHORE : Punjab government on Monday agreed to pay an amount of Rs30.8 million to a woman in Lahore High Court (LHC), years after her property was acquired for construction of road infrastructure.
Chief Justice LHC Qasim Khan while hearing a petition from a woman sought replies from the Punjab government regarding payment of her dues.
The Punjab government assured the LHC bench regarding payment of Rs30.8 million to the woman within the next three days, besides also promising to pay the remaining amount of Rs9.2 million by July 15.
The CJP during the hearing remarked that the government acquired land from the woman, and constructed a road on it, however, it had yet to pay the dues to her.
“People are left helpless as they were not paid dues for years despite their land being acquiring by the government,” he said while warning to impose a fine of Rs100,000 per day in case of delay in payment from July 15.
In a land-related case recently heard by the LHC, the high court sought an explanation from D.G. Lahore Development Authority over failing to regularize private housing societies.
“Political people get their societies approved from the LDA by exerting pressure,” Chief Justice Qasim Khan remarked while hearing the petition of a housing society.
The bench also objected to the LDA’s committee while questioning the presence of the finance secretary in the committee. “Six legislators are also members of the committee. It is not the domain of MPAs to decide which housing society should be approved,” the court remarked.
“This illegal money changes hand at the LDA office, which has played havoc with Lahore,” the court observed.
RIYADH : Saudi Arabia has issued a fresh travel advisory for passengers traveling to the Kingdom, making it compulsory for them to provide their data on an online portal before entry into the country.
According to a notification issued from the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of Saudi Arabia, the online portal would have complete data of vaccination of the passengers.
The airlines would also have to check the registration of the passengers on the online platform before their arrival.
“The passengers will have to provide details of their registration with the online platform to the airlines,” the notification said adding that besides showing registration message on mobile phone, the travelers also had to present a printed certificate along with the registration.
The new restrictions will come into force from June 16.
A report on May 30 said that Saudi Arabia has maintained the travel ban on inbound passengers from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and others despite lifting restrictions on travellers from 11 countries.
The Saudi Arabian General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) issued a notification to the airlines operating in the airports of the kingdom regarding lifting the travel ban on passengers from 11 countries.
The countries include the United Arab Emirates (UAE), United States (US), Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, United Kingdom (UK), Sweden, Sweden, Switzerland, France and Japan.
Travellers arriving from these countries are still required to undergo quarantine procedures upon their arrival in Saudi Arabia, SPA added.
However, the travel restrictions have been maintained on passengers from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Turkey, Egypt, South Africa, Indonesia, Brazil and Lebanon for an indefinite period.
ISLAMABAD : Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday expressed concern over recent attacks in Afghanistan and said that reduction in violence is imperative to move forward.
Speaking at the inaugural session of Pak-Afghan Bilateral Dialogue in Islamabad, he said the warring sides, including the Afghan government and Taliban, will have to demonstrate flexibility to reach a settlement.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi also voiced concern over anti-Pakistan statements of Afghanistan’s vice president and National Security Adviser and demanded that this blame game must stop.
He said Pakistan could not be held responsible for all the ills plaguing Afghanistan. There are spoilers inside and outside Afghanistan and both the parties should be fully cognizant of their nefarious designs, he stressed.
The foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to continue playing its constructive role for the success of Intra-Afghan Peace talks. Pakistan is now being recognised at the world level as part of solution and not part of problem, he maintained.
He opined that there is no military solution to the Afghan conflict. A peaceful and stable Afghanistan is in the interest of Pakistan and the entire region, he added.
LAHORE: An accountability court in Lahore on Monday granted Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif exemption from personal appearance in Ramazan Sugar Mills and Ashiana-e-Iqbal cases.
The court adjourned the hearing of both cases until July 8.
The Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly submitted an application in the court stating that he couldn’t turn up before it as he was in Islamabad to take part in the ongoing budget session in the lower house of Parliament.
He, therefore, requested the court to grant him exemption from personal appearance.
On April 23, Shehbaz Sharif was released from Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail after a full bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) granted him post-arrest bail in a money laundering reference. He was released from the prison after nearly seven months.
A three-member bench headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi and comprising Justice Aalia Neelum and Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi announced a unanimous verdict, granting bail to Shehbaz.
It is noteworthy that the larger bench was constituted after a two-member bench gave a split decision and the matter was forwarded to Lahore High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan.
Abu Dhabi: Skipper Mohammad Rizwan and Sohaib Maqsood led Multan Sultans to eight-wicket win over Peshawar Zalmi in the 21st match of Pakistan Super League (PSL) season six.
Sultans chased down the target of 167 in 16.3 overs as Rizwan remained unbeaten on 82 while Maqsood hammered 61. It is Multan Sultans’ second straight win in the tournament.
Sultans dominated the chase from start with Rizwan and Shan Masood taking on the Zalmi bowling attack.
Zalmi had a moment of fresh air when Mohammad Irfan removed Shan Masood (14) but it didn’t last for too long.
Rizwan was joined by Maqsood who started cautiously but after getting set, he didn’t stop. The duo added 116 runs for the second wicket.
Maqsood was sent back to the pavilion by Mohammad Imran, however, on the very next ball, Rizwan smashed a six and finished the chase confidently.
Rizwan stroked nine fours and a couple of maximums while Maqsood hit a quarter of fours and five sixes.
Earlier, Zalmi posted a total of 166/7 in 20 overs. The 22-year-old Dahani picked four for 31 after a solid opening start by Kamran Akmal and Haider Ali. They added 71 off 52 until Dahani removed Kamran (35) in the ninth over.
Straight after, the Larkana-born dismissed veteran Shoaib Malik (0), followed by Haider Ali (28) and Rovman Powell (4) in the next over.
David Miller, playing his last match of the competition, was joined by Rutherford. Both added 39 until debutant Blessing Muzarabani bowled a short-pitched delivery and the ball went towards skipper Mohammad Rizwan, who took a sublime catch to dismiss Miller (22).
Rutherford played the lone-hand till the last and in his 40-ball knock, he stroked two fours and four sixes. Umaid Asif struck four on the last ball to reach Zalmi’s total to 166/7/.
