Chinese Ambassador says CPEC is of immense importance for the Chinese companies and will expand and strengthen economic cooperation for achieving common objectives and guarantee a prosperous future for both the nations
Shujaat Hamza
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Finance and revenue Hammad Azhar has stated that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is of utmost importance for Pakistan. It will enable the country to enhance industrial production, upgrade energy and communication infrastructure and improve connectivity with the region. The CPEC would generate abundant employment and investment opportunities in Pakistan and beyond, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chinese Ambassador outlined that CPEC is of immense importance for the Chinese companies and will expand and strengthen economic cooperation for achieving common objectives and guarantee a prosperous future for both the nations.
The Finance Minister stressed the need for the early completion of projects falling under the umbrella of CPEC. Time is of essence in meeting project deadlines so that the economic benefits could reach to the people of both the countries and contribute towards overall economic growth and development, he stressed.
The Chairman CPEC Authority assured full support and assistance to the Chinese Ambassador for expediting progress in the communication and transportation sectors on the occasion.
Towards the end, the Finance Minister lauded China for its continuous support in provision of COVID-19 vaccine for fighting the disease effectively. He appreciated the continuous and unwavering support that China has extended to Pakistan during testing times. China-Pakistan bilateral relationship is an epitome of enduring friendship and brotherhood, he concluded.
After the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Republic of Azerbaijan has progressed by leaps and bounds. It has come a long way from being a newly interdependent country through its inclusive economic goals and friendly foreign policy options.It happened due to the vigilant policies initiated by Former Azerbaijani President His Excellency HaiderAliyev. The visionary leadershipcontinued and improved by his ingenious son and incumbent President His Excellency IlhamAliyev. In present times, the country stands as a united and developed nation. It has signed multilateral agreementsof regional connectivity and socio-economic development with other countries to gainbroader international support vis-à-vis its political and military narrative. The incumbent government under President IlhamAliyev has masterfully outmaneuvered its rivals on all fronts. In this article, important aspects of Azerbaijan’striumphs’ rise during the past couple of decades areelaborated. Moreover, the success stories of Azerbaijan under thevisionary leadership of President IlhamAliyev are also highlighted.
ISLAMAAD: A meeting was held between Adam MulawarmanTugio, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Pakistan, and Mr. Khalid Taimur Akram, Executive Director, Center for Global & Strategic Studies (CGSS), Islamabad at the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, Islamabad.
During the meeting modalities related to the upcoming online international internship program were discussed. This internship program is being jointly organized by the Embassy of Indonesia to Pakistan and the Center for Global & Strategic Studies (CGSS), Islamabad. It was agreed that this internship program will benefit the academic linkages between both countries.
It was also discussed that CGSS will work in collaboration with various institutions and think tanks in Indonesia.
The ambassador appreciated CGSS’s efforts in enhancing cultural, academic, and diplomatic ties between Indonesia and Pakistan.
KARACHI , April 01 : Abdul Hadi, President, SITE Association of Industry, has welcomed the decision of the Prime Minister of Pakistan to appoint Hammad Azhar as new Finance Minister. He stated that the business & industrial community is confident that the new Finance Minister would be able to bring the economy of the country out of the current challenges and play his due role in the economic revival of the country. He also appreciated the cut in petroleum prices and stressed that the benefits of dollar depreciation must reach common people.
In a statement, President SITE further said that the corona pandemic has severely hurt different sectors of the economy, particularly the local business & industry and the government must play its role to fully restore the business & industrial activities to save them from disaster.
Drawing attention of the new Finance Minister Hammad Azhar towards the issues presently being faced by the industries, Abdul Hadi said that the industries are continuously confronting the issues of hike in the price of electricity & gas, power failure issues and closure of gas of their power plants. Under the circumstances, it has become very difficult for them to ship export orders on time. Abdul Hadi suggested that the new Finance Minister should consult the business community to devise his strategy to take the country’s economy out of crisis and provide a conducive environment for doing business in the country so as to produce more avenues for employment and export promotion which will lead to economic development.
China pivot of Pakistan Foreign Policy”, says Ambassador Munjir Akram; “75-80% Pakistani defence purchases from China”, says General Ehsan ul Haq. Mushahid thanks China for timely Covid-19 vaccine donations
ISLAMABAD , April 01 : Commemorations marking 70 years of Pakistan-China diplomatic ties were kicked off with a Webinar, organized by Pakistan-China Institute under the banner of “Friends of Silk Road”, which had distinguished speakers from Pakistan and China. An illustrious panel of keynote speakers including Gen (R) Ehsan ul Haq, former Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee of Pakistan, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chairman, Senate Foreign Affairs Committee and Pakistan China Institute, Nong Rong, China’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Ambassador Sha Zukang, former Under Secretary-General of the United Nations & President of China – Pakistan Friendship Association, Masood Khalid, Pakistan’s former Ambassador to China, Ambassador Munir Akram, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations, Ms Tehmina Janjua, Former Foreign Secretary of Pakistan, & Ms Saliha Agha, youth leader who visited China. The online event was moderated by Mustafa Hyder Sayed, Executive Director of the Pakistan China Institute.
Chinese Ambassador Nong Rong thanked Pakistan for its consistent support to China during the past decades. He said that the bilateral relationship was being further cemented through mutual support and high level consultations and visits. He said China has so far invested $ 25.4 billion in CPEC since its inception, creating 75,000 jobs for Pakistanis and he added, ‘no Pakistani worker was laid off during the pandemic from any CPEC project’. He said Pakistan is the first country to get a donation of Chinese Covid-19 vaccine and he said that the bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will ‘strive to narrow the trade deficit and deepen economic cooperation’. Ambassador Nong Rong added that the upcoming meeting of the Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC),which is the apex body on CPEC, will focus on socio-economic development, industry and agriculture. He also said that 100 million Chinese had benefited from the elimination of rural poverty in China.
Former Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and former DG, ISI General (R) Ehsan ul Haq termed “security cooperation as a significant core area of Pakistan-China relations”. He said that “75-80% of Pakistani defence equipment comes from China and Pakistan accounts for 35% of China’s military exports”. He said that China has a proven track record of reliability and Pakistan-China relations had now moved forward from geopolitics into geoeconomics, socioeconomic development, human security and soft power.
Former Under Secretary General of the UN and President of the China-Pakistan Friendship Association, Ambassador Sha Zukang said that “Pakistan is the most important country in the region for China” and he said that “Pakistan-China relations will blossom in today’s world, where changes not seen in a century, were occurring”. He said that “a strong Pakistan is good for stability in the region and the world”.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN, Munir Akram termed “China as the pivot of Pakistan’s Foreign Policy” and ‘this pivot will remain’ and ‘Pakistan is the strongest defender of China’s territorial integrity”. He said that “Pakistan-China policies are completely aligned in South Asia, in the Indian Ocean, in Central Asia, in the Asia-Pacific region.”
Former Ambassador of Pakistan to China, Masood Khalid said that “China’s rise is an established reality” and he also narrated how 50 years ago, ‘despite China’s own difficulties during the Cultural Revolution, China provided invaluable support to building Pakistan’s heavy industrial base worth almost $ 300 million’, which, he said, ‘in today’s world would be a sum in billions’.
Former Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua quoted President Xi Jinping as telling the Pakistani Prime Minister in 2019 in Beijing that “no matter how the international situation changes, China will always stand firmly with Pakistan”.
Senator Mushahid Hussain said that “people-to-people relations are the core of the Pakistan-China bond” and he referred to his first visit to China in the early 70s as a young teenager in college, “I am very fortunate to have witnessed the remarkable transformation of China in the past 5 decades through my nearly 100 visits to China”. He termed CPEC as a ‘success story whose results are obvious in the resolution of Pakistan’s long-standing electricity shortages, greater inter-provincial connectivity through roads and motorways, the functioning of the Gwadar Port which is now emerging as the hub of regional connectivity with Afghanistan and Central Asia and empowerment of women in such less developed areas as Thar”. He also thanked China for gifting 1.5 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine at a time when these vaccines were urgently needed.
Senator Mushahid Hussain also said that 2021 is the 50th Anniversary of Pakistan’s historic role in arranging the secret visit of Dr. Kissinger to China which resulted in normalisation of China-American relations which was the biggest “diplomatic coup” of that period. He lauded the role of Pakistan’s Foreign Office professionals like Foreign Secretary Sultan Mohammad Khan and Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Agha Hilaly, who assisted President General Yahya Khan in this secret mission. He added that during a recent webinar on March 20, organized by the Chinese government, in which he and Dr. Kissinger participated, the American statesman had recognized and appreciated Pakistan’s pivotal role.
Mustafa Sayed, Executive Director, Pakistan China Institute termed China as a “champion of the developing world” and he also lauded China’s poverty alleviation strategy which is “an example that developing countries can follow”.
The Webinar lasted for 2 hours and 30 minutes, including an attentive 45 minutes Q&A and discussion among participants, who numbered about 80 diverse and distinguished audience of former policy makers, students and scholars and representatives of think tanks.
London, April 1 : West Indies Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite has joined Gloucestershire for the first eight matches of this season’s County Championship, the club announced on Thursday.
The opening batsman, who replaced Jason Holder as red-ball skipper of the Windies last month, will head to Britain at the end of his country’s ongoing second Test against Sri Lanka, scheduled to finish on Friday.
He could make his Gloucestershire debut in their championship opener against Surrey next week but it is more likely that he will make his bow for the county in their match against Somerset, starting on April 15.
“I truly look forward to the opportunity to represent Gloucestershire,” said Brathwaite, who has previously had spells at Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and Glamorgan.
“I have always enjoyed county cricket and cherished the times I’ve been able to play in England. I’m excited to come to Bristol and do my best for the team, the club and of course the Gloucestershire supporters.”
Brathwaite, who is featuring in his 68th Test this week and is closing in on 4,000 runs in the format, is expected to bat alongside club captain Chris Dent at the top of the Gloucestershire order.
“To be able to bring somebody in who has played the number of Tests Kraigg has, and now as captain, is going to be a massive boost for the guys in the dressing room,” said Gloucestershire’s interim head coach Ian Harvey.
PESHAWAR, Apr 01 : Six employees of Chief Minister House and office were tested positive for coronavirus infection here on Thursday.
According to a statement issued from the CM Office, the Chief Minister has limited his routine activities after a report of six employees being infected with the virus.
The medical tests for coronavirus were termed compulsory for all the employees of CM House and office after six employees tested positive.
A complete ban was also imposed on casual visits of people to CM Secretariat.
The Chief Minister has also limited his meetings with the elected representatives and decided to chair such meetings through video link.
It was further decided that strict implementation of SOPs including social distancing would be maintained in unavoidable meetings at CM House.
The Chief Minister has appealed to the general public to adopt all precautionary measures against the virus and ensure strict adherence to the SOPs.
He said cases of coronavirus were on the rise and people must ensure wearing of face masks.
WELLINGTON, April 1 : New Zealand Sport and Recreation Minister Grant Robertson and Economic Development Minister Stuart Nash Thursday welcomed confirmation New Zealand will host the opening ceremony and matches, including a semifinal, of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023.
The tournament announced on Wednesday night nine host cities and 10 stadiums in Australia and New Zealand that will host matches.
FIFA confirmed a joint Australia-New Zealand bid to host one of the largest sports event in 2020. It will be the first-ever co-hosted FIFA Women’s World Cup and the first edition to feature 32 teams.
There was strong interest from cities on both sides of the ditch to host matches. FIFA revealed the host cities with Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Dunedin the four New Zealand cities.
“To be the nation that welcomes the world to this global event will be very special. As well as showcasing the skills of some of the best players in the world and providing great entertainment, these matches can make a positive and lasting change to the women’s game. This tournament can inspire and encourage more women to get involved as players, coaches, match officials and administrators,” Grant Robertson said.
“Using four of five possible venues gives spectators the opportunity to attend the biggest women’s sports tournament ever held here. Unfortunately, Christchurch is not able to host a match given stadium requirements. We’ll work with New Zealand Football, Football Australia, the Australian Government and FIFA to deliver an amazing event.”
The New Zealand government has set aside up to 25 million New Zealand dollars (17.5 million US dollars) to host the event, including support to run the tournament and to grow the involvement of women and girls in football.
“Confirmation of these matches, soon after we announced New Zealand will host the 8th World Conference of the International Working Group on Women in Sport (IWG) in Auckland in 2022 shows we’re making real progress in the government’s Women and Girls in Sport and Active Recreation Strategy,” Grant Robertson said.
The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be the first cross-confederation (Asia and Oceania) tournament and the largest women’s World Cup with 32 teams.
LAHORE April 01 (DNA) : SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Thursday lauding positive response of Prime Minister Imran Khan to Indian Premier Narendra Modi’s good wishes on Pakistan Day said it will bring tranquility in the region.
Talking to media here today SAARC Chamber President Iftikhar Ali Malik said Pakistan responded positively to India which he added is good omen for the people of the region. He said Indian Premier’s had also sent good wishes to Prime Minister Imran Khan after he was tested positive for novel coronavirus.
He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan in his letter reiterated that Pakistan also desired peaceful and co-operative relations with all neighbours including India and that “an enabling environment is imperative for a constructive and result oriented dialogue”.
He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan also thanked the Indian premier for his letter conveying greetings on Pakistan Day. He said it’s good initiatives from both sides which will further lead to better improvements in the days to come.
Iftikhar Ali Malik further said Pakistan believed in regional development through the platform of SAARC as it was the way forward for peace and economic prosperity in the region.The region had abundant human and natural resources, with one-fifth of the humanity and untapped plenty of indigenous and natural resources for regional uplift , he concluded.
CHICAGO , April 01 : Pfizer and BioNTech said on Wednesday their COVID-19 vaccine was safe and effective and produced robust antibody responses in 12 to 15-year olds, paving the way for them to seek approval in the United States and Europe in weeks.
The read-out, which puts the pair ahead of other western vaccine developers in the quest to also protect children, will likely allow for the use of the vaccine in that group before the next school year, Albert Bourla, Pfizer’s chief executive, said in a statement.
Pfizer’s vaccine is already authorized for use in people starting at age 16. The new study offers the first evidence of how the vaccine will also work in school-age adolescents.
In the trial of 2,260 adolescents aged 12 to 15, there were 18 cases of COVID-19 in the group that got a placebo shot and none in the group that got the vaccine, resulting in 100% efficacy in preventing COVID-19, the companies said in a statement.
The vaccine was well tolerated, with side effects in line with those seen among those aged 16 to 25 in the adult trial. It did not list the side effects for the younger group, but the adult trial’s side effects generally were mild to moderate and included injection-site pain, headaches, fever and fatigue.
The companies also studied a subset of teens to measure the level of virus-neutralizing antibodies a month after the second dose and found it was comparable to study participants aged 16 to 25 in the pivotal trial in adults.
Bourla said the company planned to seek emergency authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration “in the coming weeks and to other regulators around the world, with the hope of starting to vaccinate this age group before the start of the next school year.”
Last week, the companies gave the first vaccine doses in a series of trials testing the vaccine in younger children, that will eventually go to those as young as 6 months of age.
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was authorized by U.S. regulators in late December for people aged 16 and older.
A trial by Moderna to test its COVID-19 vaccine in children aged six months to less than 12 years was launched this month, while Johnson & Johnson, which recently won approval for its vaccine in adults, has yet to begin a planned trial here on children.
AstraZeneca in December removed children from a mid-to-late stage trial of its COVID-19 vaccine in Britain.
The British drugmaker’s vaccine has been linked this year with a very rare form of blood clotting in the brain, prompting some European countries to halt its use in younger adults even though the cause of the condition remains unclear.
Top U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci in January raised the prospect of a U.S. vaccination campaign for children by late spring or early summer.
