DNA

ISLAMABAD, DEC 30 (DNA) – Pakistan Aeronautical Complex celebrated the completion of dual-seat JF-17 aircraft for PAF, and formally launched the production work of Block-III JF-17 aircraft in an inspiring ceremony held at Kamra today. Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force, was the Chief Guest of the ceremony while Ambassador of Peoples’ Republic of China in Pakistan, H.E. Mr. Nong Rong attended as guest of honour.

Speaking on the occasion, Air Chief lauded the efforts of PAC Kamra in completing aircraft production targets for 2020 despite challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. He emphasized the need of indigenization and self-reliance in military hardware and praised initiatives of PAC Kamra for design, development, manufacturing, and overhaul of aerial warfare assets. He also applauded the collaboration between aviation industries of Pakistan and China.

 Ambassador of Peoples’ Republic of China in Pakistan, H.E. Mr. Nong Rong, highlighted JF-17 program as a shining example of cooperation between two countries whereby both countries have diligently collaborated over the last two decades to bring a joint venture from drawing board to successful materialization. He praised the project teams for overcoming challenges and achieving milestones over the years. He assured of continued support by China for ongoing and future joint ventures in all domains.

The dual-seat JF-17 aircraft are fully mission capable for entire spectrum of combat operations and will boost PAF’s operational readiness besides fulfilling the training needs of PAF. Block-III is the most advanced JF-17 variant and represents the cutting edge of aerospace technology and will enable PAF to maintain credible deterrence under the evolving geopolitical environment.

 On the occasion, PAC Kamra also displayed JF-17 and Super Mushshak aircraft produced by its Aircraft manufacturing Factory for export to several countries. Chief of the Air Staff also formally inaugurated a purpose-built hangar built to overhaul JF-17 aircraft. Equipped with latest facilities and equipment, the hangar will assure in-country lifecycle support for the aircraft.The ceremony was held under strict Covid-19 protocols with social distancing at all events.

BEIJING, DEC 30 (DNA) –  Tourism is a good medium that can promote cultural exchanges and pass on the friendship between China and Pakistan from generation to generation, a researcher from China Tourism Academy (CTA) said.

Yang Jinsong, Director of the Institute of International Studies at CTA said in interview that China-Pakistan exchanges in the tourism industry are in their infancy. Pakistan became a destination country for Chinese group tourists since 2003. In 2015, there were more than 50,000 Chinese tourists to Pakistan, which increased to more than 80,000 in 2019.

While there were 155 million Chinese outbound tourists in 2019, so the digital divide is still very large, China Economic Net (CEN) reported. In the future, we hope to promote mutual understanding and tourism exchanges between the two countries through traditional media, social media and other platforms, he added.

Touching on Chinese tourists demand for Pakistan, Yang said, Pakistan has abundant tourism resources, but Chinese tourists cannot get access to that information. First, Pakistan should do more publicity about their tourist industry.

Second, as people are increasingly concerned about safety and health due to the COVID-19 epidemic, how to ensure the safety of tourists is a very important issue. Third, we hope Pakistan will learn more about the consumption habits of Chinese tourists.

For example, Chinese tourists like to buy special commodities and souvenirs during their journeys. If a destination country can study the purchasing habits of tourists in depth, it will definitely promote the development of local tourism.

In terms of travel facilitation, Yang said, the visa processing can be simplified, shuttle flights can be increased and 5G network coverage can be improved, I believe the Chinese tourists will be more willing to visit Pakistan.

Regarding CTA medium and long-term plans to promote China-Pakistan tourist exchanges, Yang said that in the future, it will establish a linkage and cooperation mechanism with other ministries towards tourism.

As the data center of China Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the academy is currently conducting country studies and hopes to carry out more cooperation with Pakistan in data exchange. CTA has rich experience in research report seminars and tourism training, which can be shared with Pakistan.

In terms of learning from China tourism development experience, Yang said that each country has its own national conditions and sometimes can not directly copy other countries’ experience.

But some of China successful experience can help Pakistan avoid hiccups, for example, we can provide a reference for Pakistan in scenic spot construction and market order regulation.

At present, China domestic tourism is recovering at an accelerating pace, we can also offer Pakistan some experience in epidemic prevention and control and resumption of work and production.

According to a recent report Pakistan Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque recently visited CTA. Yang described Haque visit as an opportunity and a starting point to promote the development of Pakistani tourist industry and spur on China-Pakistan cultural and tourist cooperation. = DNA

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DNA

Islamabad, DEC 30 – The Special Cabinet Committee constituted as an oversight body for procurement of the COVID-19 vaccine, held its second meeting with the Minister for Planning Asad Umar in the chair. Minister for Science & Technology Fawad Chaudhry and Minister for Industries Hammad Azhar are the other members of the committee who attended the meeting. The Special Assistant to PM on Poverty Alleviation Dr Sania Nishtar and SAPM on Health Dr Faisal Sultan attended the meeting on the invitation.

The meeting reviewed the overall situation of COVID-19 vaccines. The committee was apprised that a number of countries have pre-booked COVID-19 vaccine based on preliminary or incomplete results in order to ensure the timely availability of vaccines for their populations. In some situations, vaccines were pre-booked even in development stages to ensure availability.

The committee was informed of the deliberations of an expert committee formed by Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) who are in process of reviewing and analyzing available data from clinical studies performed so far. Of the available options, data from one company has been submitted for review to the committee for a final adjudication for emergency use.
In line with global practices at present whereby emergency procurement has to be made at times with incomplete and evolving information, the committee decided to pre-book COVID-19 vaccine from a Chinese state-owned company,  Sinopharm based on data submitted and timely availability. This decision is contingent upon emergency use approval by DRAP. Once approved and procured, the government will provide free of cost COVID-19 vaccine for all frontline health workers in the first quarter of 2021.
It was also decided that other manufacturers of COVID-19 vaccine will continue to be engaged in for future bookings for the remaining phases of vaccination, based on further data and availability. It was reiterated by the committee that the private sector will also be encouraged to approach DRAP and follow the laid down procedures for emergency use authorization of any available and safe COVID-19 vaccine.

ISLAMABAD, DEC 30 (DNA) – The fuel prices in the country are likely to be raised by over Rs3 per litre as petroleum division has received a summary in this regard.

According to sources, the petroleum division has received a summary from Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), recommending an increase of Rs 2.96 per litre on petroleum from January 01.

Besides this, the sources said that the prices of high-speed diesel would go up by Rs3.12 per litre along with an increase recommended by OGRA on kerosene oil and light diesel. MThe notification for the new fuel prices would be issued by the finance division after a final nod in this regard from Prime Minister Imran Khan.

On December 15, Pakistan’s oil regulatory body announced an increase of Rs3 per litre on petrol, which now sell at Rs103.69 per litre, in its bimonthly petroleum product pricing exercise. Prices of Hi-speed diesel, after Rs3 per litre hike, now sold at 108.44 per litre while other products such as Kerosene oil saw Rs5 per litre jump in retail.

The lowest surge was noted in Low-speed diesel with Rs2 per litre as it is sold for Rs67.86 per litre acorss Pakistan. It may be noted that these new prices are applicable from Dec 16 onwards and will remain the same for the rest of the year. = DNA

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ISLAMABAD, DEC 30 (DNA) – A former officer of Indian police service (IPS) N.C. Asthana, in his book has admitted that India has no clarity about its military and strategic objectives against its stated adversaries, Pakistan and China and the reality is that India cannot defeat either country militarily.

N.C. Asthana, in his latest book, National Security and Conventional Arms Race: Spectre of a Nuclear War, argues that instead of pouring vast sums of money into expensive weapons imports, India would be better served by finding solutions by strengthening itself internally and pursuing non-military solutions, including diplomacy.

Asthana also focusses on what he calls the “politics of warmongering” which has consumed public discourse in India over the past six years. Under the delusion that India has somehow, magically become invincible, he notes how a large number of Indians seem to be itching for a war.

This belief is both fueled and strengthened by relentless arms imports. Asthana puts the figure India has spent on arms import in the five years since 2014 at $14 billion, and the undisclosed cost of the 36 Rafale jets purchased from Dassault Aviation is not included in this.

But even this sum pales before the $130 billion India is projected to spend on arms imports in the next decade, including on 100+ even-more-expensive fighter jets to make up for the shortfall caused by the Modi government’s decision to scrap the earlier deal for 126 Rafales.

Asthana argues in his book that the frenzied import of conventional weapons will never guarantee a victory because both Pakistan and China are nuclear-weapon states and cannot be decisively defeated on the battlefield.

Asthana believes that exploiting enmity with Pakistan for electoral benefits has made Indian leaders victims of their own rhetoric, where they are left with a one-dimensional policy – one which is unrealistic in view of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons. = DNA

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ISLAMABAD, DEC 30 (DNA) – Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Wednesday while calling the opposition’s narrative a plethora of antitheses, said the decisions made by Pakistan Peoples Party had cracked up the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).

“The decision-making power in Peoples Party lies with Asif Ali Zardari who has announced his verdict. Bilawal is just a showpiece. PPP has shattered the PDM’s narrative,” he remarked in a statement.

He said the PPP’s Central Executive Committee had exposed the differences with the PDM while the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam were already on different courses.

Mentioning the PPP’s decisions of contesting the Senate and bye-elections, the foreign minister asked the party to give up harping the resignation from assemblies.

Qureshi said Prime Minister Imran Khan would never resign on the opposition’s demand and that those who were earlier about to tender their own resignations from assemblies had now changed the narrative to seek PM’s resignation.

“The fact is that the PPP is unwilling to sacrifice their government in Sindh. They (PPP) will never resign otherwise they will never have desired to take part in bye-poll,” he stated.

He said the PPP had linked the long march with the return of Nawaz Sharif which also showed their non-seriousness. He said he had already called the PDM an unnatural alliance which could not work for long.

Rubbishing the opposition’s criticism, the foreign minister said the neither the government had arrested PML-N leader Khawaja Asif nor it was done on its behest rather National Accountability Bureau had acted as an independent institution.

Meanwhile, in a tweet, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz said on Wednesday that the dream of Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz and Maulana Fazalur Rehman to destabilize the government has been shattered by the bouncer of Pakistan People’s Party.

Shibli Faraz said that the balloon of Pakiatan Democratic Movement set up to get personal benefits has already burst.

He said that Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Maryam Nawaz, who are not members of the Parliament were the twelfth players in game of politics. The political unemployment of both leaders has been extended indefinitely, he remarked. = DNA

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ISLAMABAD, DEC 30 (DNA) – An accountability court in Islamabad has approved one-day transit remand of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) lawmaker Khawaja Muhammad Asif in assets beyond income case.

The officials of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) have produced PML-N’s central leader Khawaja Asif before the accountability court. Judge Muhammad Bashir conducted the hearing.

The anti-corruption watchdog sought transit remand of the politician which was approved by the court besides directing to produce him before the concerned court tomorrow. The judge directed concerned authorities to transfer the accused to Lahore today or tomorrow.

During the hearing, Asif’s counsel opposed the NAB’s plea seeking his transit remand and demanded the accountability court to order the immediate release of his client. However, the court rejected the plea of Asif’s counsel.

Later, NAB Lahore’s team took away Khawaja Asif from the courtroom. He will be produced before an accountability court in Lahore on Thursday (tomorrow) where the prosecution will seek physical remand of the accused.

Before appearing before the court, the PML-N lawmaker interacted with journalists and claimed that NAB has not yet initiated interrogation from him. Asif said that he was given a charge sheet by the anti-graft watchdog for possessing assets beyond income.

He alleged that the government is attempting to weaken the stance of Nawaz Sharif and trying to split the political party into different factions.

Khawaja Muhammad Asif was arrested on Tuesday by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials for allegedly having inordinate wealth compared to the sources of income.

Asif was reportedly present at another PML-N lawmaker Ahsan Iqbal’s residence for a huddle that was scheduled shortly following Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) session. The accountability watchdog had claimed that Asif could not furnish a satisfactory response on his possession of assets amounting to Rs260 million.

Asif had been arrested as soon as he left Iqbal’s place following a party leadership huddle which was attended by Maryam Nawaz Sharif as well. Khawaja Asif had been kept at NAB Rawalpindi’s office after he underwent a medical examination.

NAB officials had confirmed that the arrest was sanctioned by Chairman NAB Justice retd Javed Iqbal himself after he could not convince the three-member committee of NAB investigation on how he made assets that do not conform to his means of earning. = DNA

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ISLAMABAD, DEC 30 (DNA) – Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz has said that the prime minister was selected, now he will also be rejected. Rulers are feeling embarrassed after leveling baseless allegations. Why unprepared people in the government allowed to play with the people’s lives.

Addressing the founding day of PML-N Azad Kashmir, Maryam Nawaz said that Nawaz Sharif was called Modi s friend, who has lost the Kashmir case to Modi. Kashmir is lost to Modi due to Imran Khan s incompetence, India attacked us because of weak government, when Nawaz Sharif was in power, Modi came to Pakistan by himself.

When the vote is not respected, Pakistan s jugular vain is attacked. Maryam Nawaz has said that Imran Khan was so scared of my statement that he arrested me. We belong to PML-N, the creator party of Pakistan.

Our opponents are also speaking the tone of Nawaz Sharif today. PML-N has improved every corner of Azad Kashmir. PML-N made Pakistan a nuclear power at the hands of Nawaz Sharif. Nawaz Sharif has been accused of state terrorism.

League leader further said that Nawaz Sharif threw the allegations in the trash, not a single allegation was proved against Nawaz Sharif, the elected Prime Minister was sent home accusing Panama.

She said that NAB court judge came home and apologized to Nawaz Sharif, Judge Arshad Malik asked Nawaz Sharif for forgiveness. Nawaz Sharif had said to Imran Khan that you will not be able to run the country. Nawaz Sharif had told Imran Khan to go and play cricket, she added. = DNA

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