SKARDU, Nov 07 (DNA): Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit
Baltistan Ali Amin Gandapur on Saturday said Gilgit Baltistan would be
made a province and a special economic zone would be built in the area.

Speaking at a public meeting, he said enemy had its eye on the region of
Gilgit Baltistan. Ali Amin said work was continuing on the construction
of 250 bed health facility and airport while rupees seven billion would
be spent on the construction of an electricity grid in the region.

He assured that employment opportunities would be created with the new
development projects and business activity in the area, adding, Gilgit
Baltistan was ignored by the last government and it was not made part of
the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Special Economic Zone would be built in Gilgit Baltistan while various
feasibility studies were completed for starting building of new power
projects, he said. Gandapur said government of Pakistan Tehreek I Insaf
(PTI) would continue to make efforts to protect constitutional rights of
people of GB.

The promises made with the people of the region would be fulfilled, he
asserted. Amin said a medical college and engineering university had
been approved for the region while the allocated quota of wheat for
northern areas would be distributed among people soon. The wheat quota
was abolished by the last government, he stated.

The minister said Prime Minister Imran Khan was fighting for the rights
of people of Pakistan and had waged struggle against looters of national
kitty. Imran Khan refused to forgive those who looted wealth of the
nation, he said and accused Asif Ali Zardari and Sharif family of
corruption.

Gandapur said Asif Zardari who had not much wealth, later bought a
palace in France and became billionaire while Nawaz Sharif, despite his
humble beginning became billionaire too. He asked people to vote for
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the upcoming election in Gilgit
Baltistan.

He said the issue of Kashmir would be resolved according to resolutions
of the United Nations Security Council. DNA

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ISLAMABAD, NOV 7 (DNA) – Environmental investments not only bring financial benefits to the corporate sector but also cut down environmental degradation and pollution, said Munir Ahmed, Devcom-Pakistan Executive Director and Dy. Convener FPCCI Central Standing Committee on Environment.

Islamabad – Speakers at a webinar said government, corporate sector and experts make a dynamic triangle for an urban sustainable adaptation model. Corporate sector shall come out of discretionary social charity and environmental services to social investment plans at district level including environmental interventions.

The experts said Environment is not limited to tree-plantation or water conservation. It starts from the provision of safe drinking water to sanitation, waste collection to its segregation and disposal, clean air to cost-efficient green energy and a healthy environment. 

The webinar was organized by the Development Communications Network (Devcom-Pakistan) and the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Central Standing Committee on Environment and Climate Change. The speakers included Water and Climate expert Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) Director General Farzana Altaf, Executive Director Devcom-Pakistan and FPCCI Deputy Convener of Central Standing Committee on Environment and Climate Change Munir Ahmed, Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) head of women entrepreneurship Fouzia Qazi, Preston University Disaster Research Institute Director Dr. Allah Wadayo Baloch, and National Institute of Population Studies (NIPS) research fellow Aneela Bibi.

Water and Climate expert Ali Tauqeer Sheikh presented a sustainable urban adaptation model which he said should be based on the synergy and trust of the stakeholders.

“The government should bridge the trust deficit and engage the local businessmen into the local environmental solutions with small investments at the district level. For the large interventions, the government should give incentives and invest in from the public exchequer. All the interventions for the investments shall be prepared by the independent experts with the consultation of local communities and civil society groups.”

AT Sheikh said we need to understand that the government is short of funds for sustainable urban adaptation while businessmen lack sufficient knowledge and expertise for unconventional investments. Corporate sector can fill the investment gap while the environmental experts can equip the corporate sector with knowledge. It could be a win-win situation for all.

Pak-EPA Director General Farzana Altaf said businessmen are always receptive if approached rationally to convince them. The sector I-9 steel industry in Islamabad was polluting the air. We approached them with a carbon-selling model.

One adopted and seven others followed him. They all recovered their investment in the first six months by selling carbon to other manufacturers they collected from the chimneys of their industries. Awareness in the first step that is needed where the expert could help the government and the corporate sector. Collaboration and enforcement come at a later stage, she said.

Devcom-Pakistan Executive Director and Dy. Convener FPCCI Central Standing Committee on Environment Munir Ahmed said “Environmental investments not only bring financial benefits to the corporate sector but also cut down environmental degradation and pollution. Capital Development Authority (CDA) should develop public-private partnership models to engage local industry, corporate sectors and traders for sanitation, water conservation, waste management and air pollution. Ahmed said the civil society and experts should pilot an awareness campaign on environmental investments with the support of Pak-EPA for the twin-cities. We all need clean, green and sustainable cities but no one likes to lead and take initiative.  

RCCI executive member Fouzia Qazi said they have launched some environmental improvement initiatives and the RCCI members would be interested to be part of urban management schemes if invited by the government. She said women entrepreneurs can contribute in awareness raising campaigns to reduce consumption, and management of the domestic waste.

Preston University Disaster Research Institute Director Dr. Allah Wadayo Baloch never tried to engage youth more meaningfully in environmental improvement initiatives. The Higher Education Commission (HEC) shall develop a mechanism for on-ground engagement of youth which is 62 percent of the population.  

National Institute of Population Studies (NIPS) research fellow Aneela Bibi said the country’s population is increasing while the resources are decreasing. Therefore we need to conserve and protect from pollution from our natural resources by reducing wastage and consumption.=DNA

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DNA

Islamabad: – The Infinix Note series is the epitome of elegance and a gesture of poetic justice being done to a phone in terms of camera, processing etc. Any phone from the Note series never ceases to amaze the consumers, its last offering the Infinix Note 7 had performed marvelously in Pakistan. According to our sources (read global launches) The next big wave of the Note series is yet to arrive with Infinix Note 8. The brand isn’t stopping from drumming up its hype that will power the phone. Infinix has dropped quite a lot of views as to what to expect.

Let’s cut to the chase & find out:

What is it?

What features do we get?

What will be the cost?

To be honest; a good camera is an essential must-have for today’s content centric generation. Creating content, be it of self-perception or of one’s surroundings has become a way to express one’s self in today’s lifestyle. Meeting that demand with huge success, Infinix camera phones have been among the best around and with Note 8, the brand takes a huge leap forward. It offers a revolutionary 64 – megapixel quad camera with portrait, macro, and AI lens with the quad flashlight. Hold one; there’s more to come. It also possesses a 16 – megapixel dual front camera with a portrait lens and dual flashlight. On the whole, the image quality from the camera range offered seems to be great, and part of it what makes it extra well is the ultra HD 6 cameras. Indeed, a big deal for people obsessed with clicking pictures and selfies.

Moving on, Infinix Note 8 has worked hard to refine the look as it shines with a stylish glass front, curvy edges with dual-color gradient at the back. One of the most intriguing questions about the Note 8 is whether the phone will be a paradise for gamers? Yes, it has the MediaTekHelio G80 chip on board, built for gamers by gaming experts, to provide excellent gaming performance.

As for how much the phone will cost, the phone is expected to come under the price range of 32K. As of now, the phone exhibits a good design, looks classy, and the high-quality camera will make your content pop. With so many new premium specs and features coming together; it won’t be easy to overlook NOTE 8, a Smartphone that may prove to be great in day to day use.