ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Thursday denied reports of a rift between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, saying that Islamabad and Riyadh enjoy unique relations, deep-rooted in religion, culture and social ties.

“Prime Minister Imran Khan’s remarks and Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia attest to the unchanged fraternal relations and close contact between the two countries,” Foreign Office spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said during his weekly press briefing.

Chaudhri added Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have strong economic, political, security and military cooperation at all levels.

Citing the example of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit last year to Islamabad and PM Imran’s visit to Saudi Arabia, he said that they cemented relations between the two countries and provided new opportunities of cooperation in trade, investment and other fields.

The spokesperson added that Pakistan appreciates the Kingdom’s role in the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir.

‘No change in Pakistan’s stance on Palestine-Israel issue’

Responding to a question about the normalization of relations between UAE and Israel, the spokesperson said there was no change in Pakistan’s position on the Palestine-Israel issue.

“Pakistan stands by the commitment realizing the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to self-determination for a just, comprehensive and long-lasting peace,” he noted.

He continued, “Pakistan has consistently supported a two-state solution per UNSC and OIC resolutions as well as international law with pre-1967 borders and with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the capital of Palestine.”

Speaking about recent developments and how Pakistan plans to tackle it, Chaudhri said Pakistan’s approach would be guided by “our evaluation of how Palestinians’ rights and aspirations are upheld and how regional, peace and security and stability are preserved.”

LAHORE : A civil court on Thursday directed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif and vice-president Maryam Nawaz to submit their reply in a case against them for allegedly encroaching upon 4,000 acres of land in Jati Umra.

Senior Civil Judge Fozia Saira was hearing a lawsuit filed by Punjab University Professor Dr Abdul Rauf.

The counsel for the Sharif family members appeared in court and sought time to submit their response. Granting his request, the court gave the lawyer until September 12 to file comments.The litigant alleged that the Sharif family had encroached upon his forefathers’ thousands of acres of land in Jati Umra which they had purchased from the then government from 1911 to 1912. The actual owner of the land in question, Pir Buksh, is still alive, he said.

Abdul Rauf claimed that he had documentary evidence that can be made part of the court’s proceedings and pleaded with the judge to issue directives for removal of encroachment from the land.

He further demanded that the Sharif family pay a sum of Rs50 billion as financial damages he suffered because of the illegal occupation of the land.

ISLAMABAD : Advisor to PM on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan on Thursday called on Prime Minister Imran Khan here in Islamabad.

During the meeting, both leaders discussed matters pertaining to Constitutional, political and legal affairs were discussed. Babar Awan presented the annual calendar of parliament sessions to PM Khan.

The prime minister approved a new parliamentary year and expressed hope that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government’s third parliamentary year will be the year of development and bring more prosperity in the country.On the occasion, PM’s advisor Babar Awan said that National Assembly (NA) will meet every month according to a new scheduled prepared by the incumbent for the lower house of parliament. “Parliament will work 133 days in the next parliamentary year,” he added.

It is pertinent to mention here that President Dr Arif Alvi has summoned a joint session of the parliament today [Thursday] to formally start the third parliamentary year of the National Assembly.

The president has summoned the joint sitting under Article 54(1) and 56(3) of the Constitution. According to the notification, the president will address the joint sitting to mark the start of third parliamentary year of the incumbent government.

Parliamentary sources said that the president in his address will throw light on government’s two years performance. He will also make Pakistan’s renewed pledge for support of Kashmir cause.

LAHORE : The Punjab Police has written a letter to Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Momin Agha seeking deployment of military troops in the province for maintaining law and order situation during Muharram-ul-Haram.

According to a letter, a requisition was forwarded to Home Department of Punjab government for the provision of 63 companies of the army and 43 companies of Rangers to assist the police in the maintenance of security, especially during 9th and 10th of Muharram.

Three companies of Pak Army and Rangers will be deployed in Lahore during Muharram-ul-Haram, the letter stated.

Meanwhile, the government has finalized all security arrangements for Muharram-ul-Haram in order to maintain peace in the province.
The Punjab Home Department yesterday had recommended suspending cellular phone services in the province on 9th and 10th of Muharram as part of security measures.

The Punjab Home Department had recommended for suspension of mobile service on selective areas, especially along the routes of mourning processions.

The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee (RHC) will meet today (Thursday) for Muharram-ul-Haram moon sighting.

Committee Chairman Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman would hold the meeting in Karachi after Asr prayers.

The meeting of zonal and district Ruet-e-Hilal committees will also be held for collecting evidence in respect of sighting of the Muharram moon.

ISLAMABAD : Utility Stores Corporations (USC) has put out a two-year performance report showing how the state-owned enterprise went from being a loss-making entity to tax-paying one.

As per details, the USC’s business inventory was valued at Rs5.46 billion in 2017-18, which rose to Rs15 billion until May 2020. It faced a deficit of Rs6.64 billion in 2017-18 and owed vendors a whopping Rs10.28 billion, which was brought down to Rs3.49 billion in July 2020.

Prime Minister Imran Khan rolled out Prime Minister’s Relief Package on Jan 8, this year, under which the USC was given Rs5 billion subsidy for purchasing essential commodities, aiming to provide the masses some relief.In the first phase of the package, the subsidy was given on five basic items until April 17 and later the number of subsidised items was increased to 19. The government also brought in Ramazan Relief Package amid the coronavirus pandemic.

During the fasting month, the USC saw a record sale of Rs22billion worth of items. It’s sale doubled from Rs3 billion to Rs6 billion due to the government’s special attention and interest and provided commodities to 29.8 million families over the last six months.

In fiscal year 2018-19, utility stores’ total sale clocked in at Rs9 billion but jumped to Rs50.85 billion in FY2019-20. It paid a total of Rs7.09 billion tax from July 2019 until May 2020.

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of National Health Services Regulation and Coordination has accelerated efforts for early availability of coronavirus vaccine.

According to a statement from the NIH, the Covid-19 vaccine committee working under National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has finalised recommendations on early availability of coronavirus vaccine in the country.

“The experts working under the coronavirus vaccine committee has finalised recommendations about the Covid-19 vaccine and the health ministry will present its recommendations to the Prime Minister Imran Khan next month, according to NIH statement.It further said that currently six COVID-19 vaccine candidates have entered phase-3 trials and country’s Covid-19 vaccine committee has proposed a partnership with international vaccine alliance, Gavi to procure vaccine.

“The committee has proposed to increase cooperation with China for development of Covid-19 vaccine and trails,” said the health ministry and added that vaccine will be provided to people affected by Covid-19 on immediate basis once it will get ready for public use.

The special Covid-19 committee also said that Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) resources will be utilized for delivery of vaccines.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan on Monday started phase III of the clinical trial of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate in the country after Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) approved the process.

A spokesman for the National Institute of Health (NIH) Islamabad said that the vaccine under trial is the one being prepared by Chinese biotech firm, CanSino Biologics, and Beijing Institute of Biotechnology.

The vaccine trial in Pakistan is being carried out under the supervision of the NIH head, who is the principal investigator of the programme.

20^th August 2020

ISLMABAD : Advisor to the Prime Minister on Finance & Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh held an introductory meeting with the newly appointed Country Director of the World Bank in Pakistan, Mr. Najy Benhassine today.

The World Bank portfolio in Pakistan includes 56 active projects amounting to approximately $11 billion.  The portfolio supports reforms and investments to strengthen institutions, particularly in fiscal management and human development.

Dr Shaikh welcomed the Country Director and appreciated the strong working relationship between the Government of Pakistan and the World Bank. He highlighted the reforms initiated by the Government to tackle the balance of payment crisis in 2018/19 and bring stability to the economy. Dr Shaikh shared details of how the COVID pandemic has adversely impacted the economy and slowed down the reforms program.

Dr Shaikh outlined the steps taken by the Government to tackle the COVID 19 pandemic and stimulate the economy. In particular, he highlighted the Prime Minister’s Ehsas program where over 16 million of the most vulnerable households have benefitted from cash transfers. Similarly, support provided to SMEs and business in the form of subsidized payroll loans, deferred loan repayments and subsidy on power bills have supported economic activities during the pandemic induced downturn.

Mr. NajyBenhassine appreciated the strong response by the Government during the COVID 19 pandemic and highlighted the World Banks support to the emergency response with projects totalling almost half a billion dollars to help the country prevent, detect and respond to the pandemic and strengthen public health preparedness.

Dr Hafeez Shaikh appreciated the support provided by the World Bank during the pandemic and stressed on the need to continue with the reform’s agenda. In particular, he stressed on the need to strengthen public finances with a focus towards enhancing the tax base and improved expenditure management. He requested technical inputs from the World Bank on the pension reforms currently being prepared by the Ministry of Finance.

Looking ahead both sides reaffirmed to strengthen the relationship and remove bottlenecks in executing the development projects funded by the World Bank.