Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: The Embassy of Syria in Pakistan has opened a condolence book for condolences on the sad demise of Walid Al Muallem Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Syria.
The condolence book will be opened at the Syrian embassy H No 43-A, School Road, F 6/2 on Tuesday November 17, 2020 from 10 am to 2 pm.
DNA
ISLAMABAD – Staff Major General (Pilot) Salem Hamad Eqail Al-Nabet, Commander Qatar Emiri Air Force, along with his delegation visited Air Headquarters, Islamabad.
Upon his arrival, the distinguished guest was received by Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force. A smartly turned out contingent of the Pakistan Air Force presented Guard of Honour. The visiting dignitary also paid homage to PAF martyrs by laying a floral wreath at Yadgar-i-Shuhada (Martyrs’ Monument).
Later, the General had a detailed meeting with Air Chief. Both the Commanders discussed various matters pertaining to mutual interest. Commander Qatar Emiri Air Force lauded the professionalism of PAF personnel and the exceptional progress made by PAF over the years, especially through indigenization. The Air Chief highlighted brotherly relations and collaboration between the two sides. Both the dignitaries agreed to further augment the already existing cordial relations between the two air forces.
DNA
ISLAMABAD: , Center for Global & Strategic Studies (CGSS), Islamabad organized an online international conference on the topic of “Emergence of Regional Security Structure in the Backdrop of Rising Asia”. This session was aimed to discuss various issues and topics related to security challenges and issues which have been raised in Asia and how a new regional security system is emerging with the rise of Asia.
Ms. Minahil Shawal Afridi, Research Executive, CGSS welcomed all the esteemed panelists in the conference and gave a brief overview of the purpose for holding this International Online Conference.
Dr. Shireen Mazrari, Federal Minister of Human Rights, Government of Pakistan emphasized that since Pakistan has three nuclear armed States in its vicinity, Pakistan needs to revise its policies and ties with the US. She further said that relentless pursuit of nuclear technology by India is a danger for the region and gives India combat cloud capacity. Post 9/11, Pakistan’s external threats became more acute especially in the form of Afghan war and India and US are creating threats by their strategic alliance for China and this region at large.
In the end, she gave her observation that Pakistan cannot have a strategic partnership with US anymore because of their demands of pulling strings on relations with China and US-India military cooperation. US wants Indian hegemony in the region and Pakistan cannot accept it. Pakistan needs to have a reality check of our relations with US. Reassessment of security threats for Pakistan.
Ambassador Riaz Hussain Khokhar, Former Foreign Secretary of Pakistan spoke about relations between Pakistan, China and India.
He gave his opinion that relations between Pakistan and China are deep-rooted and many prominent Pakistani and Chinese presidents in the past have put their efforts to expand this relationship. However, India China relations have been tumultuous because India thinks it is a rival of China in this region.
He warned the audience that Indian threats to Pakistan are real. US policy of containment of Central and South Asia is to shrink Chinese, Iranian and perhaps Pakistani presence in this region by backing India. India is also misusing Afghanistan against Pakistan for many years now.
Pakistan should rely on its strength and should eliminate threats against it with the help of unwavering Chinese support.
Dr. Farid Shafiyev, Chairman of Center of Analysis of International Relations, Baku, Azerbaijan. The esteemed panelist highlighted and appreciated Pakistan’s role in helping Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and discussed prospects of projects between Azerbaijan and other regional countries including Pakistan.
He also suggested that, to improve regional stability in the region, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and other countries should engage in joint projects for mutual development.
Dr. Abbasi Abdus Sattar
Extremely offensive or abusive behaviour has a price, says Craig Pratt a management consultant and an author, “far and away the biggest impact is what happens to people’s motivation, If you’ve ever been in a situation where you feel offended by the behaviour of compatriots – especially if you feel intentionally targeted – you know that you can’t bring your best effort to the duties. Emotionally, intellectually and behaviourally, you’re just not going to be all there”. Offensive campaigns combined with social insecurity, economic hardships, insufficient facilities, limited opportunities, unemployment and low literacy may eventually disappoint people to expect any good from the state. Morally and psychologically it is a stage where people may exhibit destructive behaviour by damaging even their own interest and become a liability for the society.
Role of the state is to extend conduciveliving environment to the people. When fellow citizens observe contemptuous responses to any disagreement and sometimes extreme offensive blames to declare someone as traitor inculcates feelings of insecurity and fragility in the social fabric fearing that they will be next with the suspicion that the state doesn’t care about thoughts and emotions of their people. Another dangerous trend in the society is to declare people infidel (kafir) on sensitive issues, there are a few instances that people have been marginalized with such declarations due to lack of complete information about the incidence or lack of understanding of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) about the matter. Such declarations cause demotivation among masses ultimately leading tolack of productivity and participation in communal and professional endeavours resulting in decline of collective output of the society. Accusing systems, censuring circumstances, criticizing institutions and condemning policies became a norm leading to society-wise disbelieve on the capability of the Country to secure interest of common man deep into the streets. Climate of disrespect has flourished to the extent where everyone feels real insecure to exhibit anything out of the box for common good. Recent reports about administrative machinery of the Country avoiding decisions even on vital projects and seeking institutional protection are manifestations of such hostile environment, even sitting ministers in the government publically admitted the fact that the bureaucracy is reluctant to expedite existing projects let alone thinking for novel solutions to meet urgent needs of the society.
We need to turnaround our existing cynicism into trust and respect if we wish to strengthen our society. We have to respect the collective wisdom of the nation instead of taking decisions and developing policies in isolation on the basis of self-declared conjectures of faithfulness and patriotism. If it continues unchecked, it may lead to unprecedented unrest and dismay resulting in social chaos despite strong apparatus to defend the country, because history clearly suggests a complete inability of nations to withstand severe internal turmoil.
Egregiousbehaviour often has its roots in a lack of empathy. Such people can say and do outrageous things that cause intense fear, shame or humiliation because they’re psychologically incapable of feeling the other person’s pain. They also tend to lack insight into their own motivations. These people may have absolutely no idea how insensitive they are. Bullies don’t have control of their own lives, says Gary Namie, principal consultant at a Washington based company, and “such people often have deep-seated feelings of powerlessness and low self-esteem. To keep those disturbing feelings at bay, they may go for a cheap power fix by provoking fear, hurt or shame in those around them. The only way to control these controllers is to create an environment where such behaviour simply isn’t tolerated”. It is the responsibility of those who are at leadership positions in their respective domains to ensure that those who spread intimidation and aggression through bulling and cursing on different social and mainstream media platforms are either trained to behave appropriately or avoided to represent or defend their respective organizations. The first statement of Joe Biden after winning the presidential election is a lesson for all to provide such an atmosphere where self-esteem of both the followers and opponents remains protected.
While the personality of the perpetrator certainly plays a role, egregious behaviour doesn’t occur in a vacuum, says Linda Andrews, health and psychology specialist, “If dealt with promptly and decisively, such behaviour often can be nipped in the bud. On the other hand, if we fail to respond effectively, anyone who might be prone to cruel or vile behaviour may feel that a green light has been given, and the behaviour can quickly escalate to the next level.Letting or patronizing offensive behaviour tacitly encourages not only that individual but also other potential abusers to openly operate. Intentionally or unintentionally, you’re setting up benchmarks. Your followers look to you for guidance on what is acceptable and what is not. The absence of a clear ‘stop’ sign often is interpreted as ‘go’.”
Extensive internet trolling and recent discourses in the Country are depictive Linda’s thesis. It certainly reflects lack of respect and concern for those who are in the camps of your opponents, which is indeed ridicules,because there is always a chance that those who are rivals today can be friends tomorrow. A famous business maxim ‘make new customers but keep existing satisfied’ provides exemplary guideline for communal life to build the inventory of loyal people around. Egregious behaviours and campaigns probably eliminate opportunities of attracting masses from other side of the line which can be a disadvantage in the long-run because it is usually impossible to keep your all supporters always satisfied. Cursing and bulling means not only betraying the human values that draw most people to the mainstream in the first place, but also undermining the society’s best interests. Entry and exit of supporters is established phenomenon, therefore it will be wise to keep the balance rather validate corroborators instead of depleting potential support.
We need a society free of abusive and hostile surroundings. Leaders of all organizations operating in the Country have to understand the cost of egregious environment which hampers collective objectives of its people.
BEIJING, November 16 (DNA): After COVID-19, Pakistan will engage more with the travel agencies so that more Chinese people can travel to Pakistan, said Mahmood Akhtar, deputy consul general of Pakistan in Chengdu, China.
In an interview to Gwadar Pro in Chengdu, he said, ” Our prime minister and our government are focusing on tourism. The facilities have already been improved and will be improved further in the northern areas and across Pakistan.
Last year, we have found that 20% to 30% of visas issued from our area alone are tourism visas. And people visiting Pakistan had great tourism experience.”
Masood Akhtar added, ‘ Western paradise in Chinese literature is in Pakistan, what more potential does Pak-China tourism has.
Pakistan is situated at the confluence of many civilizations, and it’s a repository of history over thousands of years.
He further said, “religious tourism, adventure tourism and historical tourism in Pakistan are all potential areas that travel agencies can explore.
In China, Buddhism came from Pakistan, the area is known as Taxila and Pushklawati valley. Chinese monk Xuanzang traveled there for Buddist scripture around 1500 years ago.
His one dress is still in one monastery in Chengdu. The area of Pakistan at that time was called Xitian, which means Western Paradise.”
The story of Xuanzang going on a pilgrimage to Xitian for Buddhist scriptures is the origin of Journey to the West, one of China’s four classic novels, which is popular among Chinese of all ages for periods, while Chinese people hardly know that Xitian is in Pakistan.”
“The second is adventure tourism.” According to Mahmood Akhtar, out of 15 highest mountains around the world, seven mountains are in Pakistan, including the second-highest mountain.
Mahmood Akhtar also mentioned the uniqueness of Pakistan’s food. “In Pakistan, we have a special combination of food that came from the Middle East, South Asia and Central Asia, including Chinese influence. “
DNA
Islamabad – A delegation of Turkish companies visited Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry and showed keen interest to set up industrial units in Pakistan to start production activities to meet the needs of the construction industry. Mustafa SAK, President, ADO Group, Kamil Arsalan, Chairman of the Board, Bricks Plus and Mustafa Orhon, Area Manager, NG Kutahya Seramik Porselen Turizm were in the delegation. Shafiq Akbar, Chairman, Imarat Group of Companies also accompanied the Turkish delegation. M. Ejaz Abbasi former President ICCI, Ch. Naseer, Aslam Khokhar and others were also present at the occasion.
After giving a warm welcome to the Turkish delegation, Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry briefed them about the potential business and investment opportunities in Pakistan’s real estate and construction sector. He said that Pakistan was a big market with huge demand for housing units and commercial buildings. He said that the current government has announced a very attractive construction package to boost construction activities in the country and it was the right time for foreign investors to explore Pakistan’s real estate and construction industry for JVs and investment. He said that the Turkish investors should bring technology and expertise and set up industrial units in Pakistan to capitalize on the emerging investment opportunities in construction and other sectors that would also help in maximizing economic growth and increasing exports of our country. He assured that ICCI would extend all possible assistance and facilitation to Turkish investors for JVs and investment in Pakistan.
Speaking at the occasion, Mustafa SAK, President, ADO Group said that they have seen huge potential for investment in Pakistan and they wanted to set up industrial units to produce construction material and products to meet the needs of the local construction industry. They said that their collaboration with Pakistani counterparts would be beneficial for both Pakistan and Turkey. He said that Pakistan and Turkey have worked to negotiate a preferential trading agreement, aiming to considerably increase trade and investments, especially in transport, telecommunications, manufacturing, tourism and other industries and hoped that its finalization would further increase the volume of bilateral trade between the two countries.
Shafiq Akbar, Chairman, Imarat Group of Companies said that Pakistan has limitless potential in construction and other sectors of its economy, which must be fully tapped by the Turkish investors. He also highlighted the benefits of such business initiatives for Pakistan and the industries connected to real estate and construction. He said that Imarat Group was working to bring more investors from Turkey to Pakistan that would not only benefit them, it would also further strengthen the bonds of friendship between Turkey and Pakistan.
Ms. Fatma Azim, Senior Vice President and Abdul Rehman Khan, Vice President ICCI thanked the Turkish delegation for visiting ICCI and hoped that their investment in Pakistan would encourage more Turkish investors to tap Pakistani market for JVs and investment.
SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Norov
Every year on November 16 the world celebrates the International Day of Tolerance. On this day in 1995 UNESCO member states adopted the Declaration of Principles on Tolerance and the Program of Action.
“Tolerance” in the Declaration is understood as “respect, acceptance and proper understanding of the rich diversity of our world’s cultures, our forms of expression and ways of expressing human individuality”.
The Declaration proclaims “recognition that human beings are inherently different in appearance, position, speech, conduct and values and have the right to live in peace and preserve their individuality”. The declaration addresses threats to humanity posed by intolerance and offers methods and programs to combat intolerance.
In 1997, the UN General Assembly (Resolution No. A/RES/51/95) invited UN Member States to celebrate the International Day and to hold relevant events focused on both educational institutions and the general public.
The UN is committed to promoting tolerance through better understanding between cultures and peoples. It is even more relevant today when we face negative tendencies of increasing terrorism, separatism and extremism, escalation of various conflicts and manifestations of xenophobia.
Special UNESCO prize named after Mr. Madanjeet Singh – Indian artist, writer and diplomat, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador – is dedicated to propagation of tolerance and non-violence ideals to the International Day of Tolerance. It was established in 1995 and is awarded every two years to institutions, organizations or individuals for significant contributions and effective artistic, cultural or communication activities aimed at creating an atmosphere of tolerance and non-violence.
A total of 18 laureates have received this award. And here I am proud to note that five times they were representatives of the “SCO family” countries. Among the award winners were representatives of India, Pakistan, Russia and South Asian countries.
This year the Madanjeet Singh Prize was awarded to the Conflict Resolution Center of the Democratic Republic of Congo in recognition of its work on human rights protection, liberation of children from military camps, as well as their rehabilitation and reintegration into their native communities.
SCO – space for tolerance, cultural diversity and joint development
In the conditions of modern international relations, I believe that maintaining and strengthening tolerance at the interstate level directly depends not only on the desire and efforts of individual countries, but also on the model of interaction.
20 years ago, the heads of six countries – Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan – wishing to reveal the enormous potential of good neighborliness, unity and cooperation between the states and their peoples, announced the establishment of one of the largest international organizations to date.
The SCO is a unique example of symbiosis of peoples, cultures, traditions, customs and mindsets. The association space includes 18 countries with more than 3 billion people representing almost 200 nationalities. Our peoples are united by common destinies, historical memory, long-standing close contacts and ties. And most importantly, mutual trust and respect for each other make us one.
Throughout the existence of the SCO we have remained faithful to the principles of the “Shanghai spirit”, which implies mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, mutual consultations, respect for cultural diversity, and a desire for common development.
First of all, this is manifested by the fact that it includes different countries with different economies, territories, mentality, resources and potential. Active cooperative interaction is built on the basis of joint determination of zones of intersection of interests, equal importance of opinions of all together and each one individually, irrespective of political and economic power of member states, with full preservation and respect of independence in their internal affairs and foreign policy.
The SCO’s transparency and openness have become an integral feature. The Organization strictly follows the principles set out in the SCO Charter, including its non-targeting against other states and international organizations; actively develops contacts and cooperation with other international and regional organizations, primarily the UN and its institutes. I also cannot but emphasize that in our “family” each country has equal weight and equal voice. Invariably, all decisions within the SCO are taken only and exclusively on the principle of consensus. Nobody is left unheard, everybody brings their own vision to further development.
I also emphasize that the member states respect the right to choose the path of political, economic, social and cultural development taking into account the historical experience and national peculiarities of each state, promote inter-civilization dialogue, common peace, tolerance, progress and harmony, and are guided by the principles of non-interference in internal affairs, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of the SCO member states.
Today, we can confidently note that the “Shanghai spirit” has introduced a new trend in theory and practice of modern international relations, implementing the universal aspiration for globalization and close integration. No matter how acute the issue is, each side is striving to find the way towards mutual consent.
It is on this basis that we promote and develop multidisciplinary cooperation, maintain and strengthen peace, security and stability in the region, and contribute to building a new democratic, just and rational political and economic international order.
Principles of coexistence
Today the world has entered in an era of profound transformation and large-scale globalization. The desire for peace, development, equitable and mutually beneficial cooperation, and the formation of a community of global peace and prosperity is becoming increasingly important.
There are high rates of economic growth, humanity is becoming more and more mobile and new technologies are being actively developed. At the same time, global challenges and threats, as well as factors of uncertainty and unpredictability, are increasing in the world.
There are still unresolved issues and new regional and local conflicts are emerging. Under these conditions, the most important task is, undoubtedly, the protection of peace and universal development. In the foreground there is a need to build a universal, integrated, transparent security and sustainable growth architecture in the region based on the principles of the rule of international law, non-use of force or threat of use of force, respect for territorial integrity, state sovereignty and independence of countries, open, equal and mutually beneficial cooperation. In this regard, the ideas of tolerance are more relevant in the present time than ever.
I believe that the solution of this problem lies in the concept of implementing tasks in different directions. First of all, it is necessary to strengthen security and stability, in particular to actively resist various manifestations of terrorism, extremism, to provide information security, to fight any manifestations of discrimination against people.
I would like to emphasize separately that in the “Moscow Declaration” adopted on November 10, 2020 at the SCO summit the member states noted the importance and humanitarian orientation of the operations carried out to return their own citizens from the zones of armed conflicts, most of them women and children. They attach particular importance to social rehabilitation and reintegration measures for citizens who are victims of terrorism.
Economic cooperation is also an important element in ensuring stability in the SCO region. Joint development of infrastructure and communications, implementation of multilateral projects to improve the welfare and quality of life of citizens is one of the priority tasks in cooperation between the SCO member states.
Cultural symbiosis
I would like to emphasize separately that the key factor in strengthening the spirit of tolerance in the SCO region is its rich cultural potential, as well as its diverse ethnic and religious composition.
The member states traditionally advocate the development of inter-civilization dialogue, strengthening ties in educational, cultural, humanitarian and tourism areas, contributing to further strengthening of good neighborhood, friendship and cooperation relations, directing efforts to multiply cultural diversity, to cooperate in the study and protection of cultural and natural heritage of the region.
In recent years, as part of the comprehensive project “SCO – Our Common Home”, whole series of cultural and mass events have been held to promote the preservation of cultural heritage and mutual enrichment of peoples of the Organization’s member states.
Among them are Days of Culture of SCO countries. Since 2016 China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Tajikistan, Russia, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have presented their cultural heritage. In 2017-2018 a series of classical concerts “Nine Magic Notes” was held, in which each country had demonstrated its musical potential.
In June 2019, in celebration of the 19th anniversary of the Organization was presented a large-scale project – “Eight Wonders of SCO”. It is a series of thematic presentations, initiated on tourism topics. Its main goal is to present the national wonders of the eight member states through the presentation of national wonders, to present widely the tourism resources, projects, cultural and creative products and culture of the SCO countries. To date, as part of this project we have conducted a series of presentations of sites of the eight SCO member states in Beijing, Tashkent, Xi’an, St. Petersburg, Dushanbe and Helsinki.
The International Day of Nowruz is actively celebrated, which was included in 2009 in the list of intangible cultural heritage of mankind as a cultural tradition of many peoples, symbolizing friendship, mutual understanding, harmony and creativity.
The development of sport is of great importance in promoting and strengthening the spirit of solidarity, tolerance and tolerance.
Yoga and Tai Chi Days have been held annually since 2018 within the SCO. I believe that these events are designed to simultaneously strengthen the human spirit, harmonious attitude towards nature and the world around them, as well as to promote a healthy lifestyle and strengthen dialogue between cultures and civilizations.
An important sporting event in the activities of the Organization is the SCO Kunming Marathon, which gathers tens of thousands of people from around the world, and is an important factor in the integration of peoples, promoting cultural exchanges and cooperation. Its international status is also being strengthened. In March 2020, the International Association of Athletic Federations awarded the marathon a silver license, making it a world-class sporting event.
I would like to remind you that marathons of the SCO were held in other member states of the organisation, in particular in Nur-Sultan (Kazakhstan) in June 2017, as well as on the shore of Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan in May 2019, and we plan to further expand the geography of the marathons.
Great importance is also attached to working with young people, their upbringing in a spirit of patriotism, respect for diversity of cultures, the development of skills for independent thinking and developing judgments based on moral values.
The “Model SCO ” is regularly held – an intellectual game that simulates the activities of the organisation and allows participants to learn in practice the basics of international relations, improve their negotiation skills, work in a team, conduct discussions and develop new ideas and projects. This year the participants discussed the importance of entrepreneurship development and support in the context of post-Pandemic economic recovery, which is one of the urgent tasks facing humanity today.
Separately, I would like to note the importance of the Exhibition of children’s paintings of SCO countries held in June 2020 on the theme “Unity in the fight against the epidemic, protecting the common home”. In their works the participants not only revealed the theme of fighting the virus, but also reflected the ideas of peace, friendship, joint support and aspiration for development – the ideas of the “Shanghai spirit”. It is gratifying that the young generation of SCO shares the principles of mutual support from an early age and calls for solidarity.
“Shanghai spirit” of mutual aid
The issue of maintaining tolerance is of great importance this year in the context of the coronavirus pandemic. It has exacerbated the socio-economic situation in many countries around the world, significantly increased political tensions between major powers and had a significant impact on the familiar lifestyle of millions of people. The threats to global security began to grow.
The pandemic has clearly demonstrated the interconnectedness of all countries on the planet. However, it is not without regret that solidarity and joint efforts to counteract COVID-19 are giving way to isolationism, there is a transition from globalization to localization, and persecution of one’s own benefit is at the forefront. These approaches are splitting society, provoking the rampant traditional security threats and unconventional challenges, which include xenophobia and the escalation of intolerance.
The nations of the world should understand that this negative trend endangers all countries and continents and damages our common home. Therefore, I believe that now the most important task is to overcome political confrontation and protectionism on a global and regional scale. It is necessary to stop any attempts to split mankind by politicizing the problem of coronavirus pandemic as one of the factors of escalation of intolerance.
The SCO has convincingly confirmed its significant potential as an effective platform for responding to emerging challenges and building work to overcome the political, social, trade and economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Building on the “Shanghai spirit”, the SCO countries have effectively exchanged experience in the fight against coronavirus, as well as mutual humanitarian, financial, medical and technical assistance. The existing mechanisms for cooperation in the sphere of health care and sanitary-epidemiological well-being were fully utilized within the SCO.
In general, under current conditions, close coordination of activities of international organizations to combat pandemics and the growing cross-border threats and challenges is required.
According to UN Secretary General António Guterres, SCO is a reliable partner of the UN and a leading player in regional diplomacy of Eurasia, actively promotes cooperation to solve the most acute security problems facing Eurasia today – in particular, the fight against xenophobia, incitement of hatred and extremism.
I note that the acceleration of large-scale changes in the modern architecture of international relations opens new opportunities for interaction and strengthening of contacts. But, at the same time, it imposes a huge responsibility on all participants, both before their countries and before all of humanity.
As negative ideas and trends spread, it is necessary to support the dialogue of cultures and nations.
I am confident that SCO will continue to be faithful to the “Shanghai spirit”, will continue to promote and popularize the ideas of tolerance and humanism in the name of strengthening the world order and maintaining tolerance.
LAHORE : Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar will chair the 37th session of the provincial cabinet today to discuss 34-point agenda which also includes lifting the ban on coal mining.
A draft bill for initiating registration of institutions for homeless children will be presented before the Punjab cabinet members for its approval. The cabinet is expected to approve the establishment of 1122 officers in Khairpur tehsil and Bahawalpur district.
It is also likely that the cabinet will approve the appointment of the registrar of the University of Jhang; renaming Haji Camp road on the name of Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan; amendments in Overseas Act 2014, Punjab Local Government Rules 2020, Code of Criminal Procedures; as well as appointments of chief executive officers (CEOs) of Punjab Board of Investment and Cooperative Bank.
The matters related to investment on land for Ravi Urban Development Authority, whereas, a summary will be presented in the meeting to fix the price of 40-kilogram wheat up to Rs1,650 will also be discussed in the forthcoming meeting.
The observance of Shan-e-Mustafa Peace Be Upon Him (PBUH) was also included in the cabinet meeting’s agenda. The chief minister and ministers will take part in a walk ahead of the observation of Shan-e-Mustafa PBUH Week.
Moreover, a resolution will also be approved in the cabinet session in this connection.
DNA
ISLAMABAD – Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) postponed today’s (November 16, 2020) papers in Rawalpindi city and Islamabad region.
As per a notification issued by the Controller’s office, due to some unforeseen reasons the university postponed final papers of various subjects of BA, BS, B.Ed, M.Ed, MA and MSc programs that were scheduled for today (Monday, November 16, 2020) in Rawalpindi city and Islamabad Region. Students of other parts of the country would appear in their examination as per previous schedule. According to the notification new date for the revised schedule of the postponed papers will be announced later.
According to another notification of the university, examination centre no. 177 (Tanvir Hussain Shaheed Model Collage for Boys (IMCB), Street No. 43, G.7/4, Islamabad) has been shifted to Examination Center No. 171 (Azaan Khan Shaheed Model School for Boys Street No. 10, F-8/3, Islamabad) With effect from 16th November, 2020 onwards. Revised Roll No Slips will be issued to all concerned students, however already issued Roll No. slips shall also be valid for the time being.
DNA
RAMALLAH – President Mahmoud Abbas, a letter he sent to the Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, praised Pakistan’s positions in support of the Palestinian cause.“We followed with great interest and gratitude your last televised interview, and your honorable statements about the official Pakistani positions that are firm and supportive of the just Palestinian cause,” read President Abbas’ letter.
President Abbas stressed that Pakistan is a source of pride for every Palestinian in the world as well as for every Pakistani citizen.“We highly appreciate your adherence to your positions in support of the Palestinian people to obtain their legitimate rights, despite the pressures that you are subjected to, which confirms your courage, originality and the strength of your resolve, and your commitment to support the causes of peoples demanding justice,” President Abbas said in the letter.The president wished the Prime Minister of Pakistan good health, happiness and success, wishing the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, its president, government and people, continued progress and prosperity.
