ISLAMABAD, DEC 22 (DNA) – In order to facilitate movements of Afghan nationals to Pakistan, Pakistan Embassy in Kabul and its Consulates in Afghanistan have ensured implementation of Pakistan government’s new liberal visa policy for Afghan nationals in letter and spirit, the Pakistani embassy in Kabul said on Tuesday.

The new policy was enacted on Sept. 29. The Pakistani embassy has issued details about the measures for facilitative visa processing of a large number of Afghan applicants for Pakistani visa.

An embassy statement said the number of windows for collection of visa application forms has been increased from 7 to 17, which has resulted in enhanced visas processing capacity for the applicants.

The embassy and diplomatic missions now issue long-term multiple entry visas to all categories of visitors (one to five year visas). Taking a forward-looking friendly step, Embassy of Pakistan in Kabul and its Consulates in Jalalabad, Kandahar and Mazar-e-Sharif at the instruction of the government have introduced online visa/E-visa for Afghan nationals.

This enables the applicants to apply for visas online from the website visa.nadra.gov.pk  on a 24/7 basis. Separate windows have been designated for applicants for medical treatment, students and business people.

Separate windows have been designated for female visa applicants. Students are being issued visas for their entire duration of studies according to the education programme in Pakistan.

As a result of these concrete measures, the Embassy and Pakistani Consulates have issued 150,000 visas during the months of October and November alone. In addition to this, around 12,000 online E-visas have been issued by the Embassy during the past one and a half month.

“We have been able to manage the large number of visa applicants in a dignified manner due to the facilitative steps taken by the Embassy,” Pakistani ambassador in Kabul Mansoor Khan said.

“In this regard, the Embassy would like to advise the visa applicants to come to the Embassy during visa hours in the morning where enough visa processing capacity is available to entertain them.

The visa applicants do not need to wait for visas outside the Embassy during night hours. The Embassy and our Consulates will continue to process visas of Afghan nationals in a dignified and honorable way,” Khan said.

It is further pointed out that visas for Afghan nationals except businessmen are without any fee. The Embassy reiterates that there is no visa agent for the Embassy. The applicants are advised not to pay any fee/charges in the name of facilitation to process visa to any agents or middlemen.

Pakistan’s Consulates in Jalalabad, Kandahar, Herat and Mazar-e-Sharif have also taken similar facilitative measures. The Embassy once again thanked the Afghan authorities for assisting the Embassy for managing the large number of visa applicants on a daily basis and looks forward to their continued cooperation and support. = DNA

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ISLAMABAD, /DNA/ – The federal cabinet has allowed presentation of the report of 6th Population and Housing Census 2017 before the Council of Common Interest for final approval.

Briefing media in Islamabad on Tuesday, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Syed Shibli Faraz said the cabinet which met in the federal capital, the cabinet also approved clearance of encroachments along the Margalla Road in Islamabad.

The Minister said the Interior Minister was permitted to amend the Exit Control List to implement courts’ decisions. He said the final approval in amending the ECL will be taken from the cabinet committee. He said the cabinet approved application of Pakistan Essential Services and (Maintenance) Act 1952 for another six months on the employees of Utility Corporation of Pakistan. It also accorded approval to amendments in the Capital Development Ordinance 1960 to promote public-private partnership projects.  The minister said import of jet fuel JP-5 was also approved to meet the operational needs of Pakistan Navy.

Syed Shibli Faraz said today’s cabinet meeting was different to that of the routine meeting in view of growing spike of COVID-19 pandemic. He said only those ministers were invited to attend the meeting, whose ministries were related to the agenda items. He said rest of the cabinet members participated in the meeting virtually to avoid spread of the contagion. He said second wave of the COVID-19 is continuing with full pace and complete implementation of Standard Operating Procedures has become a must. He said Corona cases are on the rise in cities, where opposition held its public rallies in complete disregard of SOPs.

Responding to a question, the Information Minister said Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government rendered untiring efforts for betterment of the country’s economy. He said as a result of these efforts country’s exports are at the highest level.

Syed Shibli Faraz said housing sector is also flourishing and the business activities are getting momentum in the country. He said the country is heading towards fast-paced development under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

ISLAMABAD, DEC 22 (DNA) – National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser Tuesday said the federal government was committed to socio-economic development of Balochistan in order to bring its dwellers’ life standard at par with other provinces.

He was speaking to Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) chief Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti, who called on him. The issues pertaining to Balochistan’s development came under discussion during the meeting.

Asad Qaiser assured the JWP chief of fulfilling the promises, made by the federal government for the uplift of Balochsitan. He said the present Parliament had resolved to play its role for the development of Balochistan, adding “The establishment of a special committee to monitor the solution of Balochistan’s problems and development was a continuation of that resolve.”

Asad Qaiser said without peace, the dream of development could never be achieved in the province. “Presently, Pakistan is facing an extraordinary situation and confronted by intrusion from the miscreants sponsored by our hostile eastern neighbor,” he noted.

JWP Chief Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti said development of Balochistan was the development of Pakistan. He praised the formation of the special committee chaired by the Speaker of the National Assembly, himself.

Bugti maintained that the people of Balochistan could be brought into the national mainstream by alleviating their deprivations. He also apprised the Speaker about the return of internally displaced Bugti tribes to their homes. The Speaker assured Shahzain Bugti of all possible cooperation in that regard. = DNA

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ISLAMABAD, DEC 22 (DNA) – An accountability court on Tuesday deferred the indictment of former prime minister Shaukat Aziz in a case related to illegal appointments until January 19.

The indictment was deferred as the co-accused Basharat Hasan did not show up before the court citing suffering from coronavirus. Later, the court adjourned the hearing of the case until January 19 for the indictment.

It is pertinent to mention here that Shaukat Aziz had not been appearing before the court for long in a corruption reference filed against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and was declared a proclaimed offender.

NAB had filed a reference against Shaukat Aziz, who served as Pakistan’s prime minister from 2004 to 2007 – over misuse of powers during his tenure as prime minister.

NAB contends that he had illegally appointed Mr Basharat Hasan Bashir as a consultant for the Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) on Management Position-II (MP-II) pay scale.

The accountability watchdog maintains that the appointment of Bashir violated MP scale policy guidelines and the board’s regulations. Basharat Hasan Bashir was appointed on January 1st, 2006 without open competition, NAB says.

After expiry of his consultancy contract in May 2008, Basharat Hasan Bashir illegally held the said post for almost five years without any extension, notification or regular appointment and kept on enjoying salary and all perks and privileges illegally in connivance with the management of AEDB. = DNA

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Oracle Cloud can provide a stable infrastructure to help build a digital healthcare platform, providing staff and patients with easy and quick access to “eShifa Home Health Services”

ISLAMABAD, DEC 22 /DNA/ – Shifa International Hospital will be deploying Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) to help deliver a virtual hospital. With OCI, the hospital can help enhance the healthcare experience by offering greater and smarter home health services to all in the comfort of their own home, reducing wait times, the risk of infection, and easing the burden on the hospital.

Accessed via a third party mobile application, ‘eShifa Home Health Services’ will give patients access to online doctor consultations and laboratory and nursing services.

“Technology has the potential to greatly improve the way we provide medical care, making it possible for every person to have access to quality healthcare services that are on par with hospital-level care from the comfort of their own home. All they need is an internet connection and a smartphone. We really believe this innovative service has the potential to revamp healthcare in Pakistan and place us among the innovative leaders in the industry,” said  Dr. Farah Ansari, Medical Director, eShifa.

“To help deliver on this vision, we chose Oracle Cloud Infrastructure because it provides a high-performance cloud foundation backed by robust security, scalability and resilience,” she added.

Oracle Cloud Infrastructure will provide a highly scalable, cost-effective cloud platform on which the hospital will run its Hospital Management Information System (HMIS). Data integrity between the hospital’s on-premises HMIS and eShifa cloud application will be ensured using Oracle GoldenGate 19c on OCI Marketplace, which will provide high-performance data replication.

“Healthcare providers today face a number of significant challenges to provide uninterrupted healthcare services, and to keep on improving service delivery in these challenging times,” said Amer Khan, Senior Sales Director, Technology Business, Oracle Pakistan.

“Oracle Cloud can help Shifa International Hospital run its eShifa Home Health Services securely and smoothly, helping to provide the same level of support to the patients on their doorsteps as they would get in the hospital,” he added.

Shifa International Hospital’s IT team is implementing the solution with support from Oracle.

DNA

ISLAMABAD, DEC 22 – Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa visited forward troops deployed along Line of Control (LOC).COAS was briefed about latest situation, Indian Cease Fire Violations deliberately targeting innocent civilians along LOC and recent targeting of UN vehicle by Indian troops against all international norms and conventions.Appreciating operational preparedness and high morale of troops, COAS lauded officers and men for continued vigilance and professionalism.

Indian provocations particularly recent targeting of UNMOGIP vehicles are threat to regional peace and stability, COAS emphasised.COAS said that Indian Army shall always get befitting response to any misadventure or agression.

Pakistan Army shall take measures to protect innocent civilians along LOC and defend honour, dignity & territorial integrity of motherland at all costs, COAS reiterated.Corps Commander Rawalpindi Corps, Lieutenant General Azhar Abbas received COAS at the LOC.