ISLAMABAD, NOV 25 (DNA) –President Dr Arif Alvi has underscored the need for digitalization of Parliament to ensure efficient secretariat and Committee management as well as decision making.

He said that it was essential to incorporate Information Technology (IT) into both Houses of Parliament that would enhance its efficiency and would help establish effective monitoring and control system over legislative business.

He stated this while chairing a meeting on President’s Initiative for Cyber-Efficient Parliament, at Parliament House Wednesday.

The meeting was attended by Chairman Senate, Senator Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani, Speaker National Assembly, Mr. Asad Qaisar, Minister for IT and Telecommunication (IT&T), Syed Amin-ul-Haq, Secretary IT&T, Mr. Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui, Secretary Senate, Syed Pervez Abbas, Secretary National Assembly, Tahir Hussain and Executive Director, National Information Technology Board (NITB), Mr. Shabahat Ali Shah.

The President was briefed about the initiatives taken by the relevant organizations for automation of Parliament. He asked the concerned stakeholders to take steps for digitalization of Parliament by June 2021. = DNA

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QUETTA, NOV 25 (DNA) – Amid rising cases of Covid-19 in Quetta as part of the second wave of the pandemic, the city administration announced on Wednesday that shopping malls and markets will shut at 8pm.

According to a notification put out by the deputy commissioner, wedding halls will close at 11pm while parks at 6pm. Businesses found operating past the fixed timings will be dealt with strictly.

The decision to reduce business hours to curb the spread of the virus was taken during a meeting presided over by Quetta’s commissioner.

Balochistan recorded 45 new infections and one death by COVID-19 in last 24 hours. “Five more cases reported in provincial educational institutions in last 24 hours,” Media Coordinator of Corona Cell in the province, Dr Waseem Baig said in a statement.

Corona infections count in academic institutions has soared to 981, the spokesperson stated. Total death count stands at 164 as one more patient succumbed to the complications by the novel coronavirus disease in province.

The number of total cases of COVID-19 in Balochistan has reached to 16,891 according to the statement. The tally of recovered patients in the province has enhanced to 16,093, the spokesperson stated. = DNA

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ISLAMABAD, NOV 25 (DNA) – Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser while chairing the 5th meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Corona virus Disease has said that the present situation of COVID-19 was alarming and warrant strict adherence to the health advisories and SoPs.

He called upon political leadership, intelligentsia, opinion makers and health experts to build a national narrative to make aware people of the disastrous effects of COVID-19. The meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Corona virus Disease was held in the Parliament House, this afternoon.

Noting the absence of the Members of the opposition with deep concern, the Speaker said that considering the present state of corona pandemic, the opposition irrespective of the political differences, should have attended the meeting to give their valuable input. He anticipated that better sense would prevail and the opposition would attend the subsequent meetings of the Parliamentary Committee.

He said that the objection raised by certain quarters about the constitution of the Committee were irrelevant since it was valid constituted in exercise of powers vested in him under the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007. He further informed that before issuance of formal notification of the same, all the parliamentary parties in the Senate and the National Assembly were duly consulted.

The Speaker said that he and his family had undergone the disease, thus knew its devastating effects.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Services and Regulation Dr. Faisal Sultan apprised the Committee about the comparison of the figures related to COVID-19 with previous and latest position.

He said that the situation was alarming and the disease would cast devastating effects if SoPs and decisions of the NCOC were not implemented in letter and spirit. Apprising about the COVID-19 testing and available health facilities, he said that government had enhanced its testing capacity besides making all resources available to provide facilities in hospitals for COVID-19 patients. He appreciated the decision of the NCOC for imposing restrictions on the large gathering, public congregations and educational activities which were major contributor in spread of disease.

The Members of the Parliamentary Committee had the consensus that all the political leadership ought to give a unified message to the public to adopt precautions in order to curtail the spread of the corona virus disease. They suggested for implementation of decision of the NCOC, later ratified by the Hon. Islamabad High Court through administrative measures to stop large gatherings. They regretted that Opposition should have attended the instant meeting since issue of immense national importance was under consideration.

They unanimously appreciated the convening of the Committee which was constituted under the rules and Constitution and held its 4th meeting attended by all i.e. Treasury and the Opposition without raising any objection about its constitution and also made recommendations on COVID-19 which are being implemented.

The Members also suggested for making arrangements for online classes through PTV and PBC for students to carry on their studies from home.

While discussing the issue of summoning of the National Assembly, the Committee unanimously recommended that the opposition may be consulted for convening the session of the Assembly for abiding by the previous decision made with their consensus to hold session of the Assembly with minimum quorum to be worked out by the Treasury and the Opposition.

The Committee also paid its tributes to the Doctors, Paramedics and all those involved in proving healthcare facilities to the COVID-19 patients. The Committee also appreciated the performance of NCOC for monitoring the prevalence of the disease and its spread.=DNA

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Gilgit : Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gilgit-Baltistan Raja Shahbaz Khan has notified the names of candidates returned to GB Assembly as a result of general election 2020.

Notification in this regard has been issued.

According to notification PTI got ten seats, PPP Three, PML-N two and JUI (F) one and independent candidates won seven seats.

The returned candidates include  GBA 1 Amjad Hussain, GBA 2 Fatehullah Khan,  GBA 3 Syed Sohail Abbas, GBA 4 Amjad Hussain, GBA 5 Javed Ali Manwa, GBA 6 Abdullah Baig, GBA 7 Raja Muhammad Zakria Khan GBA 8 Muhammad Kazim, GBA 9 Wazir  Muhammad Saleem GBA 10 Nasir Ali Khan, GBA 11 Syed Amjad Ali, GBA 12 Raja Muhammad Azam Khan, GBA 13 Khalid Khorsheed, GBA 14 Shams-ul-Haq Lone, GBA 15 Haji Shah Bag, GBA 16 Muhammad Anwar, GBA 17 Rehmat Khaliq, GBA 18 Gulbar Khan, GBA 19 Nawaz Khan Naji, GBA 20 Nazir Ahmed GBA 21 Ghulam Muhammad GBA 22, Mushtaq Hussain, GBA 23 Abdul Hameed GBA 24 Muhammad Ismail.

ISLAMABAD, NOV 25 (DNA) – On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, Pakistan reaffirms its resolve to empower women and end violence against them.

Steady progress has been made in the country through legislative, policy and institutional measures to promote and protect the rights of women and girls, in particular to address the issues of violence against women, domestic abuse, harassment, and the protection of social and property rights.

Pakistan’s National Action Plan on Human Rights has ‘Protection of Women’ as one of its key priority areas. Women Protection Centres and a 24-hour Helpline (1099) have been established to provide free legal advice, redressal and referral mechanism.

This day should serve as a solemn reminder of the need to address the systematic violence against women in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).For several decades, India has employed rape, torture, degrading treatment and killings of Kashmiri women as instruments of its state terrorism in the occupied territory.

Since 1990s, dignity and lives of at least 11,000 women have been violated by Indian occupation forces. Hundreds of cases of violence remain unreported due to fear of reprisals.

The level and form of State-sanctioned violence against Kashmiri women has reached new heights since India’s illegal actions of 5 August 2019 in IIOJK.

Kashmiri women in the occupied territory are living in a constant state of siege and surveillance. Body searches, ill-treatment and molestation of young women during fake “cordon-and-search operations” are being used with complete impunity by the Indian occupation forces.

India’s use of rape as a weapon of war in the world’s most militarized zone has been extensively documented by the UN human rights machinery, global media and independent civil society organizations.

The two Kashmir Reports by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (2018 and 2019) have recorded in detail the sexual violence against women in IIOJK and the wide-scale abuse of their basic human rights. These reports have, inter alia, deplored lack of justice for the victims as a key human rights concern and called for repeal of all draconian laws.

Pakistan calls on the international community, including the UN human rights mechanisms, and the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict to take cognizance of these crimes against women in IIOJK and hold India accountable for its failure to uphold its international obligations.=DNA

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