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Pakistan, China undertakes long-term plan to boost agriculture

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DNA

ISLAMABAD, Aug. 19  –  Pakistan, China have decided to undertake a long term plan of CPEC (2020-30) to boost agriculture sector. The plan, according to a report published by Gwadar Pro on Wednesday includes upgrading agricultural infrastructure, Promoting the construction of water-saving modern agricultural zones, and
increasing the development and remediation of medium- and low-yielding land to achieve efficient use of resources.

it also focus on strengthening drip irrigation technology for water efficiency,
strengthening cooperation in the fields such as crop farming, livestock breeding, forestry and food growing and aquatic and Fishery in the regions along the CPEC’s route.

Under the plan, the two sides will also take steps improving post-harvest handling, storage and transportation of agricultural, products, and innovate in marketing and sales models.

They will also work to improve water resources operation and management,
strengthen development of pastoral areas and desert, and promote application of remote sensing technology.

It was hoped that Pak-China cooperation will lead to strengthening of production of agriculture inputs particularly pesticides, fertilizer, machinery and support services including agriculture education and research.

They also intend to collaborate in forestry, horticulture, fisheries and livestock medicines and vaccines and strengthen production of horticulture products.

According to the report, agriculture is a major component of Pakistan’s economy, if incorporated, it will increase Pakistan’s agricultural produce, and explore export opportunities in China.

It will also be in the interest of Chinese government to bring investment in the neglected agriculture sector and export surplus produce to feed the growing Chinese population.

Joint ventures, value addition, cold chain management for fruits and vegetables, marketing and branding would help Pakistan overcome weaknesses and increases agriculture exports to China and other countries.

Pak-China agricultural cooperation has to focus on the vertical increase in productivity of existing crops, transfer of knowledge and technologies, seed and plant protection as well as disease control.

The CPEC will surely help in boosting the growth of the agriculture sector and making CPEC a ‘game changer’ for Pakistan’s economy, development of infrastructure in any shape leads to growth in GDP derived from agriculture sector.

Agricultural development is one of the seven areas of cooperation under CPEC, China is specifically interested to explore areas like cotton productivity, efficient irrigation and post-harvest infrastructure along the CPEC route, the report added.

Pakistani student pursuing dreams in China to serve his country

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DNA

BEIJING, Aug. 19 : A Pakistan’s student Muhammad Usman said, he and his others colleagues are pursuing dreams in China to serve the country in future.

“I hope that when we go back to Pakistan, we would improve the situation of waste management and the production of renewable energy,” he said.

Having been in China for almost 3 years, Muhammad Usman is doing a PhD on microbiology in Lanzhou University, one of China’s top universities.

Recently his thesis titled Determination of the inhibitory concentration level of fat, oil, and grease (FOG) towards bacterial and archaeal communities in anaerobic digestion got published on Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews, the reputed journal with the highest impact factor in the field of energy as per Elsevier.

“Frankly speaking, initially when I came to China in 2017, it was challenging to adjust myself to life here due to the language barrier, the different culture and food habits,” he told CEN, “but with the passage of time, I come to interact with some Chinese fellows and learn Chinese culture and language.”

“I got my CSC Scholarship offered by China Scholarship Council in 2017. And studying here has been a good experience.

The facilities provided by Lanzhou University and my advisors – Prof. Li Xiangkai and Prof. El-Sayed Salama – are the major reasons that I was able to pursue my research dreams here.”

“Lanzhou University provides a suitable, friendly and scientific environment for international students,” Muhammad Usman noted, adding that the friendly nature of Chinese people toward Pakistanis living in China is really good. “I have been to other cities, too. They treated us with a lot of respect.”

As Muhammad Usman put it, China has already established a good setup for utilizing most of its food waste for renewable energy and has the highest energy potential from food waste globally. However, the situation in Pakistan is not the same.

Muhammad Usman mentioned that China and Pakistan are working together in many fields, including the sharing of scientific and industrial experience and facilities.

“The effective utilization of waste in developing countries can solve many issues such as energy crisis and can also improve people’s health status and provide a cleaner environment,” he said.

The scientific research and industrial corporation between Pakistan and China plays an important role in the transfer of sustainable technologies, Muhammad Usman said, adding that “This will improve the life standards of both nations and strengthen their bond as well.”

PIA flight lands safely at Karachi airport after mid-air fault

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KARACHI : A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight landed safely at Karachi airport, after it developed a technical fault en route from Abu-Dhabi to Peshawar.

According to details, the pilot of PIA flight no. PK-218 contacted air traffic controller (ATC) after the plane developed mid-air fault in its hydraulics system. The pilot of the plane wisely landed it safely at Karachi airport.

PIA spokesperson told that the flight will take off for Peshawar as soon as the fault is fixed and the passengers of the flight are being provided facilities. It may  be mentioned here that an aircraft of a private flying club narrowly survived mishap at the Islamabad International airport, after tyre of the plane got punctured while landing.

The pilot wisely controlled the plane and landed it safely by avoid any loss.

In the month of May, a PIA flight PK-8303 from the eastern city of Lahore crashed into the Model Colony neighbourhood on approach to Karachi’s main international airport, killing 97 of the 99 people on board.

There were only two survivors from the crash, who were rushed to nearby hospital when the plane slammed into a residential area.

Somalia values its ties with Pakistan: Amb. Khadija

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Exclusive

–          Praises Pakistani’s look Africa policy; says Somalia indebted to Pakistan for support to its students

ISLAMABAD , (DNA)= Khadija Mohamed Al-Makhzoumi, Ambassador of Somalia has said both Somalia and Pakistan have been developing a fruitful and close cooperation since 1st of July 1960.

In 1969, Pakistan and Somalia were among the founding members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Somalia’s relations with Pakistan remained strong in the following years and through the ensuing civil war period, when the Pakistani military contributed to a UN peacekeeping operation in southern Somalia. In 2010, Pakistan tabled a proposal for United Nations Security Council seats for OIC and Arab League states, the latter of which Somalia is also a member.

She expressed these views in an exclusive interview with DNA.

She said, Pakistan and Somalia are active commercial partners, trading a variety of commodities. In 2008-2009, Somalia exported $34,822.059 million USD worth of goods to Pakistan, with Pakistan in return exporting $17,781.883 million USD worth of goods to Somalia.

Somalia’s main export commodities to Pakistan centered on the country’s livestock sector, and in 2009 included $3.190 million in raw hides and skins, $1.044 million in raw sheep and lamb skins, $0.137 million in sheep/lamb skin leather, $0.225 million in raw hides and skins of bovine/equine animals, and $0.033 million in leather of bovine/equine animals.

Pakistan’s exports to Somalia during the same year included $53.254 million in rice, $0.627 million in medicament mixtures, $10.400 million in non-cocoa sugar confectionery, and $0.20 million in shawls, scarves, mufflers, mantillas and similar garments, she added.

To a question about Pakistan’s look Africa policy the ambassador said,Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan has done well by organizing a conference of the country’s envoys in the African Continent with a view to deliberating on issues relating to enhanced cooperation with them.

The move is timely in the sense other countries of the world especially the United States and China are focusing more on Africa as its economies are considered as ‘lions on the move’. African continent is a rising market of 1.26 billion people; it is rich in mineral resources and is an exporter of energy resources. Pakistan has a lot of goodwill in the region as the country always championed the cause of the African countries at UN and remained in the forefront of peacekeeping missions in Africa.

 In this backdrop, it is unfortunate that Pak-Africa trade is negligible and the country has diplomatic presence in a few countries alone – thirteen missions to cover 54 countries (the rest are managed through concurrent accreditation).

Apart from Africa being a huge potential market for Pakistani goods, the country’s geo-strategic location and connectivity offers opportunity for African goods to reach Central Asia and South Asia.

‘As Somali Ambassador to Pakistan, I consider my role is to facilitate the contacts between the players in the economic field, to get them to know each other better and also to interconnect in a better way’.

Ambassador Khadija saida large number of Somali students are studying in Pakistan in various educational fields. ‘We are thankful to the people and government of Pakistan for their continuing assistance to the Somali students and for your delight some students after graduating from Pakistan have established an urdu speaking colony in Mogadishu, Somalia. We are also now thinking to cooperate in Higher Education and research field’.  =DNA

Court grants interim bail to K-electric official in electrocution death case

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KARACHI : District Court (South) on Wednesday granted pre-arrest bail to K-Electric (KE) distribution head Amir Zia in a case regarding death of a youth by electrocution.

The FIR of the death of 19-year-old Faizan, who was electrocuted in recent rainfall in Karachi, was registered at Defence police station.

The chief executive officer and other senior officials of the power utility were booked after the youth lost his life due to electrocution in Defence area.The district and sessions court granted pre-arrest bail to K-Electric’s distribution head Amir Zia today for Rs 200,000 bail money.

The court granted interim bail to the power utility official till August 25.

The court also directed the accused to cooperate with the police in its investigation of the case.

Amir Zia had earlier got a protective bail from Sindh High Court (SHC), which had directed him to appear before the concerned court within a week.

Earlier, the district and sessions court in the same case on Monday granted pre-arrest bail to the power company’s Chief Executive Officer Moonis Alvi with orders to deposit Rs 200,000 bail bonds in the court.

The court had also ordered police not to arrest Alvi till August 25, after granting him the pre-arrest bail.

Court issues arrest warrants for accused in TDAP corruption case

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KARACHI : An anti corruption court on Wednesday issued arrest warrants for twenty five businessmen accused in a case related to multi-billion Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) scam.

Former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani skipped today’s court appearance and sought a day exemption, which was granted by the court.

Gilani has been directed to appear before the court on September 28, whereas arrest warrants for Allah Dad, Farhan Junejo, Shahbaz Ali, Noman Ali and others were released by the court.The Federal Investigation Agency has been directed to present the accused before the court.It may be noted that former prime minister is seeking acquittal in the case.

Gilani, who remained premier in the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government until he was dislodged in a contempt of court case at the hands of the apex court, faces charges of massive corruption in disbursement of trade subsidies.

FIA had registered multiple cases against the former premier and around two dozen officials of the TDAP for their alleged involvement in approval and disbursement of fraudulent trade subsidies of billions of rupees to several fake companies.

IHC warns of sending National Park land grabbing case to NAB

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ISLAMABAD : Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday summoned Chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Mayor Islamabad in a case related to alleged grabbing of state land in the National Park area.

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani was hearing a petition regarding encroachment of 300 kanal state land in the National Park.

The petitioner alleged that Senator Aurangzeb Orakzai has occupied the state land in collaboration with the government officials.The bench also summoned Senator Aurangzeb Orakzai in the court hearing tomorrow.

Justice Kayani in his remarks warned that the state land grabbing case will be sent to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

“Under which law the permission was granted for occupation of the state land,” the court questioned.

“The metropolitan corporation could not give permission for granting state land without approval from the federal authorities,” the Justice remarked.

“Concerned Senator was granted permission for tree plantation and not for any construction,” Director Environment informed the court during the hearing.

Misbah not in favor of introducing ‘Pink Ball’ in daylight

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Southampton : Head coach-cum-chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq doesn’t think ‘Pink Ball’ will useful if introduced in daylight to cope up with weather issues.

In his article on Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)’s website, Misbah highlighted that people would prefer to see Test cricket with red ball. “Pink ball is very different from the red ball and I’m not sure that using it for a whole match – in daylight – is a good idea,” he mentioned.

The head coach is confident to give national belated Independence Day gift by winning the third and final Test. “Playing on Independence Day gives us extra motivation to perform for the nation and we wanted to give people the gift of victory. Hopefully, we can deliver a late gift to the nation in the final Test and announce another Independence Day! Or, as a coach, I can just announce that this is the month of Independence,” he wrote.

It must be noted here that England is leading three matches Test series 1-0. The third and last Test is scheduled to start from August 21.

PSG reach first Champions League final with win over Leipzig

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Lisbon : Paris St Germain reached their first ever Champions League final with a convincing 3-0 win over RB Leipzig on Tuesday, finally delivering the reward of the biggest game in European football for their Qatari backers.

Goals from Marquinhos and Angel Di Maria put PSG 2-0 up at the interval and Juan Bernat added the third in the 56th minute for what was a comfortable victory at the Estadio da Luz.

The French club, celebrating the 50th anniversary of their founding in 1970, will meet the winner of Wednesday’s other semi between Bayern Munich and Olympique Lyonnais after ending what some felt was a mental block in the knockout stages.

PSG have gone out in the last 16 for the past three years, but they proved a step too far for Leipzig, who were playing in the regional leagues just 11 years ago.

The Germans, financed by the Red Bull energy drink company, have outperformed all expectations by reaching the last four, knocking out Tottenham Hotspur and Atletico Madrid en route.

“We showed quality and determination. A good mix. We deserved to win,” said Tuchel, who had faced a heavy expectation to deliver in Europe this season.

“I felt the pressure, it was not easy. I have players who are used to playing with this pressure, who like this pressure and these decisive matches.”

With French World Cup winning forward Kylian Mbappe back in the starting line-up after fully recovering from his ankle injury, Tuchel was able to field his preferred attacking trident with Brazilian Neymar and Di Maria.

Right from the outset, PSG looked a threat to the Leipzig defence with Neymar clipping the post after he was slipped in by Mbappe in the sixth minute.

Seven minutes later though, PSG had the lead — Neymar and Di Maria lined up to take a free kick on the left and it was the Argentine who floated in a lovely cross which was nodded home by Marquinhos.

Former Real Madrid and Manchester United winger Di Maria was in fine form, constantly probing, while Neymar created from deep and Mbappe pushed on to the last defender looking to use his pace.

The Germans were struggling but did threaten in the 25th minute when Konrad Laimer burst down the right and found Yussuf Poulsen but the forward’s shot was just off target.

Neymar then went close with an audacious free kick from deep and wide on the right, the former Barcelona man going for Peter Gulacsi’s near post and striking the post as the Hungarian keeper scrambled.

It was a poor clearance from the keeper which led to PSG’s second. Leandro Paredes collected the ball and then found Neymar who cleverly flicked it with the back of his heel into the path of Di Maria who made no mistake.

BEYOND DOUBT

Leipzig’s 33-year-old coach Julian Nagelsmann needed to find some way to shift the momentum of the game and made two changes at the break but after a bright start, PSG put the outcome beyond doubt.

Leipzig defender Nordi Mukiele slipped while attempting to clear, allowing Di Maria to cross the ball back in to the box and Bernat’s glancing header floated into the far corner.

Mbappe forced a good save out of Gulacsi as PSG pushed for a fourth while PSG keeper Sergio Rico had his hands warmed by a fierce drive from fellow Spaniard Angelino.

“After the second goal, the belief of our players went down a little bit,” said Nagelsmann.

“That’s normal. It’s not that easy right now to think about the good season we’ve had in the Champions League but in one week it will be ok. We know that it was a good season for a young team and we will try to do it again next season,” he said.

The French club have played 110 games in the competition – the most played by a side before reaching their first final, overtaking Arsenal’s record of 90 between 1971-2006.

PSG’s only other appearances in the final of a European competition came with their UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup victory in 1996 and their runners-up spot in the following season.

Olympique Marseille are the only French team to win the European Cup, triumphing over AC Milan in 1993.

Israeli warplanes bomb Gaza after accusing Hamas of risking war

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JERUSALEM : Israeli warplanes bombed the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip overnight after Palestinians fired a rocket into southern Israel, the army said.

The latest exchange came as Israel warned Hamas it was risking “war” by failing to stop fire balloons being launched across the border.

Egyptian security officials shuttled between the two sides in a bid to end the flare-up which has seen more than a week of rocket and fire balloon attacks from Gaza and nightly Israeli reprisals.

“Earlier tonight, a rocket was fired and during the day, explosive and arson balloons were launched from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory,” said a military statement released shortly before midnight (2100 GMT).

In response, “fighter jets and (other) aircraft struck additional Hamas military targets in the Gaza Strip.

“During the strike, a military compound belonging to one of the special arrays of the Hamas terror organization was struck,” the English language statement added.

There were no reports from Gaza of casualties.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin issued a warning to Hamas during a visit to firefighters in the border area who said they were called out to 40 blazes caused by Palestinian arson balloons on Tuesday.

“Terrorism using incendiary kites and balloons is terrorism just like any other,” Rivlin told them, according to a statement from his office.

“Hamas should know that this is not a game. The time will come when they have to decide… If they want war, they will get war,” said Rivlin, whose post is largely ceremonial.

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008.

Despite a truce last year backed by Egypt, the United Nations and Qatar, Hamas and Israel clash sporadically, with Palestinian incendiary balloons or rocket or mortar fire drawing retaliatory Israeli strikes and sanctions against civilians in Gaza.

A Hamas source told  the Islamists had held talks with the Egyptian delegation in Gaza on Monday before it left the territory for meetings with the Israelis and the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority.

The Egyptian delegation was expected to return to Gaza after those talks were concluded, the source added.

In response to the persistent balloon attacks, Israel has banned fishing off Gaza´s coast and closed the Kerem Shalom goods crossing, cutting off deliveries of fuel to the territory´s sole power plant.

Power had been in short supply even before the shutdown, with consumers having access to mains electricity for only around eight hours a day.

That will now be cut to just four hours a day using power supplied from the Israeli grid.

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