DNA

ISLAMABAD: To enhance the beauty of federal capital before the onset of spring CDA administration has started planting trees on large scale. The CDA administration plans to plant 2.5 million roses, flowering plants and seasonal trees this spring.

According to details, the process of planting seasonal plants and trees along with roses and flowering plants is also underway. Moreover seasonal flowers are also being planted in parks of the city. In this regard, flowering plants have been planted at various places including Margalla Road, Jinnah Avenue, 9th Avenue, 7th Avenue, F-10 Chowk, I-8, Kachnar Park, Silman Park, F-9 Park.

Kashmir Highway, I-9, I-10, I-, Green Belt, IJP and other places have been extensively planted with Banyan, Bean tree, Kachnar, poplar, pine and other trees. Work is also underway to plant 10,000 roses of 50 varieties at Rose & Jasmine Garden. Beds of various designs have also been prepared on constitution avenue, 7th Avenue, Zoo Chowk, Margalla Road and other major highways.

DNA

Islamabad – The defense experts speaking at a webinar termed the Indian willingness to restore the ceasefire agreement on the Line of Control (LOC) with Pakistan is merely an eyewash. Though the experts welcomed the Indian aspiration for peace on the LOC, they termed the move ‘getting a breathing space for their strategic gain’ and to divert the world’s attention from the actual situation in the Illegally Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

They said the agreement was inked in 2003 that was revoked by the Indian government unilaterally in 2014 to intensify atrocities in IIOJK. Pakistan shall ask India to do more in real terms to improve the peace and human rights situation in the IIOJK, and to stop unwarranted propaganda against Pakistan on the global forums.

The webinar was organized by the Development Communications Network (Devcom-Pakistan) on Saturday. The panel of experts included Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Lt. General (Retd) Talat Masood, and Lt. General (Retd) Muhammad Asad Durrani, Washington-based senior journalist Anwar Iqbal ad Devcom-Pakistan Executive Director Munir Ahmed. Among others who spoke on the occasion included Dr, Khushboo Ejaz (Lahore), Azhar Aslam (London), Muhammad Waqar Anwar (New Zealand), Sarwat Kazmi, Muhammad Siddique (Karachi), and Ramzan Kakar (Quetta).

It may be mentioned here that Pakistan and India on Thursday said that they had recommitted themselves to the 2003 ceasefire arrangement at the Line of Control and agreed to address the ‘core issues’ that could undermine peace and stability. The surprise announcement was made in a joint statement by the militaries of the two countries on a ‘hotline contact’ between their director general military operations (DGMOs), which had apparently taken place a day earlier. The conversation between Pakistani DGMO Maj Gen Nauman Zakaria and his Indian counterpart Lt Gen Paramjit San­gha was described as “free” and “frank” and held in a “cordial atmosphere”.

Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said the ceasefire is the first step while appreciating it Pakistan shall ask the Indian government to show their seriousness by restoring the IIOJK position as it was on August 4, 2019. All the Kashmiri leaders shall be released from the illegal detention and the occupation of their lands shall be reversed.

He asked India to realize that its Pakistan bashing strategy has failed miserably. All the nations globally have seen the real Indian face after all the fake makeup initiatives have surfaced recently. For India’s face saving, the Prime Minister Modi shall come forward to convene SAARC summit to engage all the countries in peace building efforts, and to launch joint efforts against the challenges of poverty, economic recession, trade and climate change.

 Lt. General (Retd) Talaat Masood prayed that the ceasefire shall last for long though he pointed out that India could not stop itself for long violating the LOC. Pakistan needs to be vigilant about the post-ceasefire movement on the LOC as it could be a strategic move to camouflage. He said the ceasefire means nothing if the situation in the IIOJK doesn’t improve, and bilateral relations do not come to a normal.

Former ISI chief Lt. General (Retd) Muhammad Asad Durrani we shall not expect any paradigm shift in the Indian mindset. The hinditua policy would continue and there will be no improvement in the IIOJK region. Terming it a respite for India, the former ISI chief said, It would turn to be a temporary ceasefire for some strategic gains that we have no idea about.

He said we shall keep on highlighting the atrocities in Kashmir and keep on asking India to do more the needful in IIOJK.

Devcom-Pakistan Executive Director Munir Ahmed said both countries are multi-ethnic nations and need to work out a way for the harmony and peaceful neighbourhood through tolerance for each other. The regional peace and prosperity depend on the peaceful living of both countries India and Pakistan. The Civil Society on both sides shall keep on raising their voices against the aggressive designs of the Indian and Pakistan governments against each other.

ISLAMABAD, FEB 27 (DNA) – The Vice Chancellor of Quaid-i-Azam University, recently appointed the Acting Deans of three Faculties without seeking the mandatory approval of the Chancellor/President of Pakistan, which has caused unrest among the faculty.

On February 9 and 10, the Vice Chancellor Dr. M Ali had appointed three different professors as Acting Deans of their respective Faculties, i.e. Biological Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences.

Under the Quaid-i-Azam University Act 1973, there is no provision for appointment of Acting Dean. Rather, the appointment of Deans is the sole prerogative of the Chancellor/President, and any of the three senior-most professors of each Faculty may be appointed as Deans of their respective Faculties.

The notification from QAU Administration issued in each case does indicate whether any approval for these acting charge appointments was sought from the Chancellor’s office, nor does it state the University Statute under which the acting charge has been given.

The appointment of Acting Dean is prejudicial to the other two professors on the panel for each faculty, as they are disfavoured by such an action. While the other two nominees in each case feel deprived, the faculty in general seems upset at the latest unlawful and unjust act of the QAU Administration.

The University had earlier sent the three cases to the Chancellor/President’s office through the Federal Ministry of Education and Professional Training, which are still in process. Thus, by appointing Acting Deans before the formal approval, the Vice Chancellor has apparently abrogated the authority of the Chancellor/President.

Commenting on the matter, Dr. M Ali Vice Chancellor QAU said “It’s stop gap arrangement 13/4, which is legal and practised since long in all universities of Pakistan.

However, a QAU senior professor said on the condition of anonymity  that there was no emergency in appointing the Acting Deans, the summaries were sent only recently to the Chancellor. Invocation of emergency clause is justified if the Chancellor’s office has been dragging its feet for a while.

Moreover, as per the QAU Act, the Vice Chancellor has to report any emergency action “as soon thereafter”,  which apparently did not happen in this case.

“It’s like you are trying to force the chancellor’s hand. And it is an attempt to favor a candidate and mislead the Chancellor while usurping his authority,” says the professor.=DNA

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ANKARA – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been named the Global Muslim Personality by a Nigerian Islamic newspaper for the third year in a row.

Erdoğan was declared winner of the 2020 Global Muslim Personality Award, tagged #MNAwards2020, by Rasheed Abubakar, the publisher of Muslim News Nigeria.

The maiden edition of the award was held in 2018 to celebrate Muslim achievers across professions including governance and administration.

In a statement, Abubakar said though the year 2020 was very challenging for the world due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic which has affected all facets of human endeavor, Erdoğan remained committed to a just cause, and his achievements surpassed that of the previous years.

The statement noted that the emergence of the Turkish president as a visionary and pragmatic leader has been a blessing not only to Turkey but to the extended global Muslim community, which has “fallen prey to the belligerence of predator nations.”

“From cultivating and consolidating the national capabilities of the Turkish state and its local economy, President Erdoğan embarked on showing the world what it is missing in the absence of Islamic standards in matters of human rights, politics, and fairness, and equity in economic affairs,” it added.

The statement said some of his achievements included the reopening of Hagia Sophia mosque, liberation of the Upper Karabakh region, provision of relief packages to countries hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, humanitarian assistance to marginalized Muslim communities, unwavering commitment to the Palestinian cause and raising the voice against Islamophobia.

DNA

ISLAMABAD, FEB 27  – Today, the entire Pakistani nation remembers with great pride Pakistan’s befitting response to India’s irresponsible military misadventure two years ago.

On 26 February 2019, India violated Pakistani airspace and conducted air strike inside Pakistan in complete violation of the United Nations Charter and international law. The valiant Pakistan Armed Forces swiftly responded and displayed exemplary professionalism.

On 27 February 2019, Pakistan Air Force shot down two Indian fighter jets and captured an Indian pilot. The whole world witnessed that Pakistan, once again, not only resolutely safeguarded its territorial sovereignty, but also acted with tremendous restraint and responsibility. The captured Indian pilot was returned as a gesture of peace.

The Government, Armed Forces and people of Pakistan stand united against any threat or misadventure and will always act with iron resolve to protect and preserve the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan.

As this day is commemorated, we once again make clear to the world community that Pakistan remains committed to peaceful coexistence and resolution of the long outstanding Jammu & Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

DNA

ISLAMABAD, Feb. 27  – China-Pakistan all-weather friendship gained greater strength and the steadfast strategic mutual trust as well as witnessing indepth cooperative partnership in the present pandemic during its first year.

It was also a clear manifestation of “a friend in need is a friend in deed”, says a report published by China Economic Net (CEN) on Saturday.

The report says, the true value of a relationship between individuals or countries can be judged during difficult times such as natural calamities and disease outbreaks.

As a gesture of friendship, Pakistan’s President Dr. Arif Alvi visited Beijing in March 2020 and expressed Islamabad’s abiding support and solidarity with China in its fight against the coronavirus.

Soon the coronavirus cases started appearing in different parts of the World. Pakistan reported its first two cases of COVID-19 on February 26, 2020.

For a struggling economy like Pakistan’s, it was impossible to fight COVID-19 without relief assistance from friendly countries.

At a time when every country of the world was focused on protecting its citizens from the virus, China sent a special plane carrying a team of medical professionals and relief assistance to Pakistan on March 28.

In addition to the Government of China, Alibaba Foundation and Jack Ma Foundation also donated test kits and facemasks to Pakistan. China also handed over ventilators to treat critical patients in hospitals.

A team of eight medical experts from China remained in Pakistan for two weeks and assisted Pakistani doctors and health experts in battling the coronavirus.

Chinese assistance was not only limited to the medical field, as the People’s Republic of China also provided grant assistance of $ 15 million to Pakistan to fight COVID-19.

As the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths grew in Pakistan, China also increased its assistance to the country.

In late 2020, different pharmaceutical companies developed coronavirus vaccines and mass vaccination programs started in the world.

At this critical time, China announced 500,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccine for Pakistan.

During the past one year, Pakistan has around 576, 000 recorded infections with over 12,700 deaths linked to COVID-19.

Pandemics like corona will come and dissipate. However, this period has further strengthened China-Pakistan friendship. As a Chinese proverb goes, “friends show their love in times of troubles, not in happiness”, the report added.