ISLAMABAD : Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan while calling for collective efforts to curb the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday said that Pakistan and China are jointly working to produce coronavirus vaccine.

Addressing the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council of Heads of State (SCO-CHS) meeting via video link, PM Imran Khan maintained that nearly 50 million people have lost their lives after the breakout of the deadly virus across the world.

The economies of the world suffered a huge-blow after the lockdown, PM Imran Khan said and underlined the need for joint efforts to curb the pandemic.
PM also urged the forum to ensure the delivery of coronavirus vaccine across the world at a reasonable rate.

On Afghan conflict, he said that Pakistan has always welcomed the political solution of the Afghan conflict and added that it mediated to bring the US and the Taliban on the table for the talks.

PM Imran Khan stressed upon the SCO-CHS to keep a close eye on the elements who are trying to disturb peace talks in Afghanistan.

On religious freedom, he asked the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council of Heads of State (SCO-CHS) to differentiate between the freedom of speech and religious freedom.

Highlighting Islamabad’s sacrifices in the war against terror, the premier said, Pakistan suffered huge human and financial loss and always condemned terrorism in every form.

“Some countries are raising allegations for their political mileage by using the name of religion”, PM Khan said while addressing the SCO forum via video link from Islamabad.

The SCO-CHS is the highest forum of SCO. It adopts documents and decisions that provide policy guidelines for determining priorities and major areas of activities of the Organization.

Besides Pakistan, SCO’s current membership comprises China, Russia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

DNA

ISLAMABAD, NOV 10 – Satrang Gallery and Serene Arts is an initiative of Serena Hotels which is dedicated to supporting and promoting the artists and artisans of Pakistan.

Asma Rashid Khan, Founder Director Satrang Gallery said, ‘Satrang Gallery is delighted to exhibit “Silver Lining” by Rahim Baloch. Rahim’s exceptionally detailed vivid blue miniature paintings reveal layers of intricate workmanship reflecting the multiple layers of meaning visible in his work. The artist uses specific natural motifs, repeated symbols and colours to portray contrasting human emotions of love and solitude, as well as bitter histories and intertwined narratives’. “ Focusing on the human state of being, and man’s mind. Rahim’s artwork expresses sociopolitical messages for change, within his delicate, detailed artwork”, she added.

Artist Rahim Baloch said, “I use the colours, activities and wonders of nature to express human ideas of love, longing and desire intermixed with solitude, loneliness and nostalgia. My work revolves around being involved and lost in stance; A state of mind where words are worth nothing anymore. The point where this condition rejuvenates one’s self. It merely separates one from all the painful factors without escaping from the reality. A journey which starts from the vacuum and ends at filling about blankness”.

Explaining his artistic work he added, “my entire work shows this transformation in which I create something which itself is a vacuum and it converts this nothingness into something meaningful and concrete. For instance, if we look at something with concentration we start noticing different images and patterns in it. The design merges into a filling, making an attempt to give a meaningful image to the void in which it exists. It is very similar to when we look at clouds and see different forms and shapes in them. In a similar manner, I see all those things which cause the emptiness and vacuum in my life. From that point onwards, this practice pacifies me and becomes a source of calm and solace. With the realization that I can no longer refute my feelings and emotions, I give them form, shape and a face in my work”. Rahim Baloch is a visual artist, graduated from the National College of Arts, Lahore with a B.FA focusing in the miniature department. He graduated with a Distinction and with the best miniature award. Baloch is from Baluchistan and his work is a reflection of his experiences having grown up there.

ISLAMABAD, NOV 10 (DNA) – Over the special direction of Federal Minister for Federal Education and Professional Education, Inter Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC), has started various initiatives to facilitate the students and their parents for attestion and equivalence of documents. In this regard, Dr Ghulam Ali Mallah,

Secretary IBCC  signed the agreement with TCS Express & Logistic to avail 1Link service to extend the opportunity of submission of Equivalence & Attestation fee at any of the TCS express Centers across Pakistan instead of visiting bank in order to facilitate the public under one roof.

With this MoU, the applicants can deposit their equivalence and attestation fee at any of the TCS express centers in Pakistan at more than 850 outlets in over 380 cities/towns in the country.

Mr Shafqat Mahmood, Federal Minister for Education and Professional Trainings directed Secretary IBCC to take measures to facilitate the students in attestation process through building trust of the students on courier service and organisation as their testimonial may remain safe and secure. He also directed that the applicants may also be updated about the status of their applications from submission of the documents till delivery.

The Secretary IBCC, along with TCS Service, devised a mechanism to update applications status from submission till delivery.=DNA

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ISLAMABAD, NOV 10  (DNA) – Pakistan-China Institute (PCI) and Center for Chinese Legal Studies, Lahore University for Medical Sciences (LUMS) co-hosted a virtual conference on “Poverty Alleviation, Covid-19, and CPEC” as part of PCI’s ‘Friends of Silk Road’ Initiative. The conference hosted eminent speakers from Pakistan and China and a large audience consisting of students, faculty, and researchers from all over Pakistan.  Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Sania Nishtar, was the Chief Guest and Keynote speaker.

The conference featured an insightful discussion on Pakistan’s existing Poverty Alleviation Strategy, Covid-19’s impact on Pakistan’s fight against poverty, and CPEC’s role vis-à-vis alleviating poverty in the neighboring countries. The main purpose of the conference was to explore the Poverty Alleviation Strategy of China in an attempt to understand how Pakistan can learn from and employ China’s best practices. The conference was moderated by Prof Sikandar Shah, Director of LUMS Center for Chinese Legal Studies.

In his opening remarks, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chairman Foreign Affairs Committee in the Senate of Pakistan & Founding Chairman, PCI, said that there is a lot to learn from China’s poverty alleviation strategy. By lifting 800 million people out of poverty, China has made history. Moreover, he said that on Coronavirus too, China had seen success due to timely measures, decisive leadership and cooperation of the people.  Senator Mushahid Hussain termed the Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) as the most important diplomatic and developmental initiative of the 21^st Century, with CPEC as its pillar..

In her Keynote speech, Dr. Sania Nishtar, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation, briefed the participants about Pakistan’s poverty alleviation strategy. She said that framing the issue of poverty with the Chinese experience is a welcome and relevant initiative. . While commenting on the importance of CPEC, she said that CPEC is a paradigm of growth and it will provide a lot of opportunities in terms of job creation helping to alleviate poverty as well. . She said that the government of Pakistan has got its own poverty alleviation strategy called “Ehsaas Program” which contains 140 actions and programs. Moreover, she said that the government has planned more action plans to be included in the Ehsaas strategy. She said due to Coronavirus, there was 18% increase in food insecurity in Pakistan.  She said a Nationwide Digital Survey was being done to evaluate households and the government was keen to include social protection as a fundamental right in the Constitution, with a whole-of-government approach, involving the Federal and provincial governments.

Professor Sikandar Shah, Director LUMS Center for Chinese legal studies, offered full support to the government of Pakistan of the academia in regards to devising poverty alleviation strategies.

Prof Xia Jingjie, Professor of Economics at the prestigious  Peking University,  while briefing the participants about China’s poverty alleviation strategy, said that hundreds of millions of rural laborers have migrated and worked in cities and hence have been lifted out of poverty. He said that in its rooting-out poverty campaign, the Chinese government adopted a simplified multidimensional poverty standard, i.e., Two-Not-Worries (not worrying about food and clothing) and Three-Guarantees (guaranteeing 9-year compulsory education for children and youth of school age, medical care and housing safety). Moreover,, a total of about 800 million poor people have been lifted out of poverty in China over the last 40 years since the country’s Reform and Opening up.

Professor Uzair J. Kayani, Assistant professor of law at LUMS said that there is a need to translate the Chinese experience of poverty alleviation to common law. Moreover, he said that Pakistan has a lot to learn from China. For instance, Pakistan can learn from China’s experience of bureaucratic reforms to lower costs.

Masood Khalid, former Ambassador of Pakistan to China, said that China is making great strides in almost every field and is now becoming a knowledge economy. He said that China has almost eliminated illiteracy. While speaking on how can Pakistan learn from the Chinese experience, he said that it needs to develop its own governance system like China. Moreover, he said that there is great potential in the tourism sector in Pakistan. He also called for learning from Pakistani students studying in China. He termed the Belt and Road Initiative as a great opportunity in overhauling infrastructure.

Dr. Vaqar Ahmed, Executive Director SDPI, put forward three main options for Pakistan for reviving the economy in the post covid recovery. Firstly, the country needs to put the structural reforms agenda back on track as per the commitment with our various development partners and IMF. Secondly, Pakistan needs to harvest the benefits arising from CPEC Phase-II, especially the special economic zones. Thirdly, Pakistan needs to exercise fiscal discipline

In his concluding remarks, Mustafa Hyder Sayed, Executive Director of Pakistan-China Institute, said that CPEC is not all about brick and mortar projects; instead, it has an inclusive people-centred approach. There is a joint working group on socioeconomic development and poverty. He briefed the participants about the multi-dimensional socioeconomic projects under CPEC and said that these projects are creating a lot of opportunities for the local communities.

At the end of the conference, there was a comprehensive question/answer session from the participants, which lasted for over 30 minutes.

Tutors’ appointment process for rest of the academic programs would be completed by the end of this month

Islamabad, Nov 10 (DNA). AIOU has finalized the tutors’ appointments for the millions of students enrolled in the programs offered in autumn 2020 semester including matriculation and FA. In order to provide timely information to the students about their concerned tutors, the same lists have been uploaded on the university website (www.aiou.edu.pk).

Students are, also, being informed about their tutors through SMS.  Upon the directives of Prof Dr Zia Ul Qayyum, the tutors’ appointment process for rest of the academic programs has been further expedited and would be completed by the end of this month.

DNA

RAWALPINDI, NOV 10  – Court of Inquiry on the orders of COAS pertaining to the issue of redress of Inspector General Police Sindh’s grievances, in the backdrop of 18 Oct 2020 Karachi incident, has been completed. The Court of Inquiry has established that on night 18 / 19 Oct officers from Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) and ISI sector Headquarters Karachi were considerably seized with the fall out of desecration of Mazar-e-Quaid. They were under increasing public pressure to ensure prompt action as per the law.

Assessing the response of police authorities against this developing yet volatile situation to be slow and wanting, in a charged environment, the concerned  ISI / Rangers officers decided to act, rather over zealously. They were indeed experienced enough to have acted more prudently and could have avoided creating an unwarranted situation that led to misunderstanding between the two state institutions.

Based on the recommendations of the Court of Inquiry, it has been decided to remove the concerned officers from their current assignments for further departmental proceedings and disposal at GHQ.