ISLAMABAD, Sep 17 : Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA Kanwal Shauzab Thursday urged academia, civil society, media and other organizations to make collective efforts to bring an end to violence and all ill practices against women.

She called upon the all sections of society to take joint steps to eradicate violence against women, adding that the law enforcement agencies should also adopt modern methods of investigation in such cases.

She stressed measures to upgrade the police department so that it could efficiently serve victims of violence, adding, rape and violence victims should not come under any sort of pressure and must speak out against their tormentors.

She said the protection of women is a first priority and responsibility of the PTI government, adding that such brutality cannot be allowed in any civilized society.

MNA said growing media coverage of various forms of violence against women had helped raise the much-needed social consciousness and it had created resistance to these crimes, adding, society should set aside there liberalism and just focused on the rights of humans.

Replying a Question amid growing demand for public hanging of rapists in the wake of a gang-rape of a woman on Lahore-Sialkot motorway, she said according to our constitution laws we can not implement it, adding, but we will improve legislation to tighten punishments and bring cases to their logical conclusion.

She said many cases of sexual abuse go unreported but we have to ensure the children and women who are subjected to rape are provided justice.

We have to make such laws that could provide protection to women and children against harassment in our society where cases are increasing on daily bases, she emphasized.

The government is in the process of preparing a bill aimed to award strict and exemplary punishment to these offenders, she assured.

She said there is need to provide necessary assistance to victims of violence, ensure women have access to education and training, employment and services, while carrying out activities and enforcing laws to eliminate any violence against women and children.

Kanwal said the violence against women has brought negative impacts on socio-economic development and it is an enormous obstacle for gender equality so we all should work together.

She said Punjab government was conducting the investigation of rape cases on a priority basis.

She also suggested recruiting more women officers in the police department to deal with all women-related cases.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has congratulated Yoshihide Suga for being elected as the new Prime Minister of Japan.

In his tweet, Imran Khan said he looks forward to working with his Japanese counterpart to further strengthen friendship and cooperation between both the countries.

Japan’s Yoshihide Suga was voted prime minister by parliament’s lower house on Wednesday, becoming the country’s first new leader in nearly eight years, as he readied a “continuity cabinet” expected to keep about half of predecessor Shinzo Abe’s lineup.

Suga, 71, Abe’s longtime right-hand man, has pledged to pursue many of Abe’s programmes, including his signature “Abenomics” economic strategy, and to forge ahead with structural reforms, including deregulation and streamlining bureaucracy.

Abe, Japan’s longest-serving premier, resigned because of ill health after nearly eight years in office. Suga served under him in the pivotal post of chief cabinet secretary.

DNA

ISLAMABAD: Speakers at a Panel Discussion have said that India’s hegemonic foreign policy designs pose threat to peace in the region and beyond.

The Panel Discussion on “Decoding India’s Foreign Policy in the Regional and Global Context” was held in Islamabad today under the auspices of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

They said Hindutva mind-set, hegemonic designs and domestic politics are the major contributing factors to India’s foreign policy.

In his remarks, Information Secretary Akbar Durrani said India is playing a dangerous game by its chauvinistic and hegemonic policy by flouting Indus Water Treaty, Simla Agreement and Ceasefire Agreement of 2003 between Pakistan and India.

He said time has come that the world should notice irresponsible and aggressive posturing of India causing instability and threat to peaceful coexistence at the regional and global context.

The Information Secretary said Pakistan believes in peaceful co-existence with all its neighbouring countries.

He said the world is acknowledging and appreciating Pakistan’s positive role in Afghanistan’s peace process. This is a clear manifestation of its commitment towards stable and peaceful Afghanistan but India is playing as spoiler and trying its best to sabotage the peaceful settlement of Afghan quagmire.

Speaking on the occasion, former Foreign Secretary Riaz Hussain Khokhar said all Indian leaders wanted to make India a hegemonic power in South Asia. However, he said, Pakistan happened to be an obstacle in this Indian dream. He said Modi wants to transform India into a Hindu state.

Riaz Khokhar said Indian government has been carrying out ruthless killing of innocent people in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He said Pakistan should provide full spectrum support to the Kashmiris in their just struggle for freedom. He regretted that the world conscience is not awakening over the gross human rights violations in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Former Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir said India is more isolated within the region today than ever before. He said India’s relations with Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan have turned bad. He said China has sent a strong message over Laddakh episode that India should not commit any strategic blunder. He said Indian union is fragile with one third of its territory under insurgency. He said Indian government’s Hindutva mind-set is taking the country to dark ages.

On the other hand, Salman Bashir said, Pakistan is well situated in the region and has many avenues to grow stronger. He said China, which is a trusted friend of Pakistan, has been providing full support to Pakistan.

Taking part in the debate, Pakistan’s former High Commissioner to India Aziz Ahmed Khan said India had to face a setback in Laddakh when its hegemonic designs were defeated by China. He said India took a brutal act on August 5 last year when it revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, and the world took its notice. He said all Kashmiri leaders are against the present Indian government.

Aziz Ahmed Khan said the Pakistani parliamentarians, particularly women, should be sent to various countries to meet their counterparts and apprise them of the human rights violations in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He said the civil society organizations, India, and Kashmiri Diaspora have important roles in this regard.

Former Ambassador Asif Durrani said regionally India has pursued hegemonic policies, but resultantly, none of India’s neighbour is happy with it. He said since 2014, Hindutva agenda is being followed in India, which has led to tensions with its neighbours. He said Pakistan has proved that India’s efforts to isolate it have failed. He said India is also playing as a spoiler in Afghanistan. He emphasized on intellectual work in Pakistan to strengthen its narrative on Kashmir issue.

Inaugurates Burraq Combat Skills Training Complex (BCSTC) aimed at enhancing mechanised elements’ crew proficiency in overcoming obstacles encountered during offensive operations

Naveed Miraj

RAWALPINDI: General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) visited Gujranwala on Wednesday. COAS was briefed about operational, training and administrative matters of the Central Command Formations.

Later, COAS inaugurated Burraq Combat Skills Training Complex (BCSTC) aimed at enhancing mechanised elements’ crew proficiency in overcoming obstacles encountered during offensive operations.

COAS also witnessed integrated training of the strike formation. All elements including armoured, Artillery, Engineers and Mechanized Infantry demonstrated operational combat worthiness.

COAS appreciated operational readiness of the strike formation and high morale of troops.

Corps Commander Mangla Lieutenant General Shaheen Mazhar Mehmood and Corps  Commander Gujranwala Lieutenant General Syed Asim Munir were also present on the occasion.

DNA

ISLAMABAD, SEPT 16 – Ghazi Ghazan Jamal, Member of Provincial Assembly and Special Assistant to Chief Minister, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is taking every possible measure to ease the regulations for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Besides, other steps, a provincial single window on the lines of Pakistan (National) single window is also being established. He said this while sharing his views at virtual public private dialogue ‘Better Business Regulatory Environment for SME Sector of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’ organized by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), here on Thursday.

While elaborating the vision of provincial government of KP further on single window further, Mr Ghazan said that it would provide access to utilities, tax payments, business registrations, and possibly also link with federal registration and tax offices. He said that the provincial government after Covid19, has tried to ease the burden of taxes on SMEs by eliminating dual taxes. However, a higher tax target is expected to be achieved through brining untaxed sectors and individuals in the tax net.  We hope that relaxed taxation and lesser regulatory burden could attract investment, he added.

Akhtiar Ahmed, while representing State Bank of Pakistan, informed the participants that SBP is encouraging commercial banks to lend to SMEs based on their cash flows and movable assets. He suggested that the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa may announce long term concessional rates for utilities and land to attract investors. He said that SBP has created SME Development Forum in which private sector can submit their advice and online grievance redressal system will also be launched soon.

“We need more local research on issues of SMEs such as mineral sector in newly merged districts could be promoted,” Sohail Jan, while representing SMEDA said and added further that some infrastructure gaps need to be addressed for the success of such initiatives.

Dr Vaqar Ahmed, Joint Executive Director, SDPI, was of view that the government’s capacity to support businesses may get diminish in case Covid19 recurring in the future. He said that firms in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are finding it hard to grow owing to lack of affordable business spaces with decent infrastructure facilities; high costs of tax compliance; difficulties in participating in international trade and low access acceptable collateral and formal finance as well as rates of internet penetration; arbitrary imposition of labour, municipal, and environmental regulations; and weak access to public procurement opportunities.

He proposed that “SMEs need to be informed regarding opportunities in CPEC and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Annual Development Plan,” and added further that Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa should expedite measures under Pakistan Regulatory Modernization Initiative (PRMI) which could lead to reduction in business costs. In the wake of Covid-19 the focus should be to improve technology adoption capabilities of SMEs.

Ms Sana Zia, Development Professional, earlier highlighted around 300,000 enterprises exist in newly merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. However, no official data is available that and hence, it hinders informed and targeted public policy formulation. Mining, construction and commercial agriculture need to be promoted in these areas, she added.

Adnan Jalil, former Vice President, Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce & Industries, on the occasion observed that the voice of SMEs is missing in policy formulation at both federal and provincial level. Besides, banks are not providing financing to new and emerging business sectors in the province.

Bilal Farooq Khan, National Incubation Center, Peshawar, emphasized that we need to bring large Pakistani firms to open production units in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s economic zones like Jamrud Industrial Zone. This will lead to a revival of industrialization in the province. There are very few e-commerce firms as startups require hand holding.

Dr Yasir Kamal of Institute of Management Sciences (IMS), Peshawar, while sharing academic perspective of the issue, said that we need to also encourage a focus on other sectors like agriculture and manufacturing. And hand holding to start up should be focused upon to identify the right areas for the.  Mr Ahad Nazir from SDPI, earlier highlighted that the data-informed policy decisions are required from the government at federal and provincial level in order to ensure an enabling environment can be developed for businesses to develop, grow and sustain in Pakistan also enabling effective revenue mobilization.

DNA

Karachi, SEPT 16 –  To promote Gwadar as a next travel destination from Karachi, Destinations of the World  -Pakistan (DOTW) and Aircraft Sales & Services Pvt. Limited (ASSL) have collaborated to offer attractive travel packages for both leisure and business travellers to the city of blue waters, Gwadar.

Hashoo Group is the leading chain of hotels of Pakistan and are the owners and operators of Pearl-Continental Hotels, Marriott Hotels and the Hotel One in the country. Whereas ASSL is the first and most experienced company with over 50,000 hours of flying to start Air Charter and Tourism Promotion and Regional Integration (TPRI) operations in Pakistan.

In this connection, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between DOTW and ASSL at Karachi Marriott Hotel on Wednesday, 16th September 2020.

Under the MoU, Hashoo Group will arrange hotel accommodation and all required services in the five-star Zaver Pearl-Continental Hotel Gwadar and ASSL will operate round trip flights between Karachi and Gwadar.

At the MoU signing ceremony, the Hashoo Group Hospitality Division, Chief Operating Officer Mr. Haseeb A. Gardezi said, “To support the government’s mission of promoting tourism in Pakistan, be it domestic or international, we are pleased to collaborate with ASSL for offering our guests the unique opportunity to experience one-of-its-kind travel by welcoming them to Zaver Pearl-Continental Hotel Gwadar from across the globe”.

He further added that at Gwadar, adventure enthusiasts, business travellers and families will now be able to enjoy fun-filled activities such as a beach cruise and speed boat rides along the beautiful beaches. During their stay at Zaver Pearl-Continental Hotel Gwadar, apart from watching movies at the in-house cinema, swimming, playing games and karaoke, the guests will also get a chance to savour delicious blue lobsters, crabs, tiger prawns and other large variety of seafood fresh from the sea.

Mr. Akbar R. Jaffer, CEO ASSL said, “It is a great honor for our company to partner with Hashoo Group and Destinations of the World Pakistan, to promote Gwadar as an ideal location for a getaway vacation. As part of this joint venture, ASSL Air will provide scheduled flights in conjunction with stay packages, making it easy and efficient for people to reach their holiday destination as compared to the conventional road travel”.

The event was attended by Mr. Haseeb Gardezi – COO, Hashoo Group Hospitality Division, Mr. Tariq Bin Yousuf – GM, Destinations of the World – Pakistan, Mr. Akbar R. Jaffer CEO ASSL, leading travel trade partners and corporate executives.

Opposition stages walk out; blames Speaker for being partial; PM Imran also attends the joint sitting

Naveed Miraj/DNA

ISLAMABAD: The Joint sitting of the Parliament today (Wednesday) passed two bills to meet the requirements of Financial Action Task Force to steer the country out of grey list.

The bills, moved by Advisor to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan, include “The Islamabad Capital Territory Waqf Properties Bill, 2020” and “The Anti-Money Laundering (Second Amendment) Bill, 2020.”

The Islamabad Capital Territory Waqf Properties Bill, 2020 is aimed at proper management, supervision, and administration of waqf properties in the territorial limits of Islamabad Capital Territory.

“The Anti-Money Laundering (Second Amendment) Bill, 2020” is aimed at streamlining the existing anti money laundering law in line with international standards prescribed by FATF. It reflects government’s firm resolve to strengthen its Anti-Money Laundering regime.