Islamabad, 12 August 2020: Today the United Nations in Pakistan commemorated International Youth Day by hosting an online seminar focusing on “Breaking Barriers for Meaningful Youth Engagement”. The event was attended by representatives of youth, the Government and development partners.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Youth Affairs, Mr. Usman Dar, said: ‘Youth form the biggest asset of the country and given the ongoing pandemic, they can play a crucial role in COVID response and recovery. To ensure their meaningful engagement, the Government has established Tiger Force to involve young people across Pakistan to fight against the coronavirus. Through their participation and hard work, we have been able to spread and reiterate SOPs across the country.’ He further added, ‘Our young people possess the energy and ability to contribute positively to the development of the nation. We just need to keep giving them the opportunities and right platforms.’

This year’s theme, ‘Youth Engagement for Global Action’ highlights the ways in which the engagement of young people at the local, national and global levels can enrich national and multilateral institutions and processes.

Ignacio Artaza, Resident Representative, UNDP Pakistan, said, ‘I am extremely happy to open today’s session on behalf of the UN agencies in Pakistan who are working jointly to support the empowerment of youth and adolescents. It’s indeed a pleasure to see several UN agencies, who have been working closely to support a joint UN engagement of youth and adolescents in the COVID response, coming together today to advocate for greater youth engagement.’

The United Nation’s Youth 2030 strategy, which places young people at the center of the Development Agenda, is especially relevant in Pakistan, where more than two-thirds of the population is under the age of 30. With a decade remaining to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, the participants stressed that it is a critical time to build momentum and invest in young people so that they can realize their capabilities to pursue gainful and decent employment, education opportunities, health and wellbeing, as well as civic and political empowerment. Meaningful youth engagement remains instrumental for development, in particular in view of the current COVID-19 crisis.

Recognizing the importance of meaningfully engaging with this demographic, several UN agencies in Pakistan including UNICEF, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNESCO and UNDP have combined efforts to draft a Youth Engagement Strategy, which aims to educate and engage Pakistan’s adolescents and young people to play a positive role in response to the coronavirus COVID-19.

The key highlights of the panel discussion were taken as action points by Government and the development organizations representatives. They will help address some of the barriers to meaningful youth engagement so that young people in Pakistan can have a greater say in their future.

The UN General Assembly designated 12 August as International Youth Day in 1999. It is an annual celebration of the role young women and men play as essential partners in promoting human rights and development.

ABID RAZA

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has been directed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to submit his response by August 18 in a case where he is accused of issuing a liquor license to a hotel illegally

.Buzdar had appeared before the Bureau today and sat through for nearly two hours.

The Punjab chief minister had arrived at the Bureau without any protocol, a stark comparison to PML-N vice-president Maryam Nawaz’s appearance before NAB a day earlier.

According to NAB sources, issuing liquor licenses falls under the domain of the DG Excise, however, the Punjab chief minister allegedly used his influence in issuing them.

Last year in April, NAB had launched an investigation into Buzdar’s alleged corruption after two complaints were filed with the anti-graft body against him.

Sources had said Buzdar was accused of getting a liquor-sale permit issued to a private hotel in Lahore.

The chief minister was also accused of getting a helicopter for his official use insured for Rs70 million, instead of Rs30 million, according to sources. Buzdar had directed to pay the insurance amount through a supplementary grant.

Sources had added that the Bureau had initiated proceedings for verification of the corruption complaints, for which the anti-graft body’s Lahore bureau issued the directives.

The allegation had been rejected by then Punjab government spokesperson Shahbaz Gill.

PESHAWAR : Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Wednesday launched anti-polio immunization campaign in the province.

According to details, a polio vaccination campaign will be carried out in 21 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province.

Overall 4.6 million children would be administered polio drops during the five days campaign, while 19 polio teams have been formed for the vaccination campaign.

Strict coronavirus SOPs would be followed during the anti-polio campaign as workers have been provided with adequate training for the purpose
On the occasion, KP chief minister said that overall 4.6 children would be administered polio drops during the five-days polio campaign in 21 districts of the province.

“KP government is fully committed to eradicating poliovirus from the province and all available resources are being used for this purpose,” he added.

On August 11, ARY News reported that the Federal government had decided to launch anti-polio immunization campaign in the country ahead of the month of Muharram from August 13 over security reasons.

According to sources in the federal health ministry, the campaign would be launched in 130 districts of the country including parts of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

Overall 34.4 million children would be administered polio drops during the campaign, they said adding 225,000 polio workers will take part in the drive.

The polio immunization drive would be launched in Punjab and Sindh province on August 15, covering 9.26 million children in 41 districts of Sindh and 17.86 million children in 33 districts of the Punjab province.

The anti-polio campaign will begin on 17 August in Balochistan and AJK, covering 2.1 million children in 25 districts of the former area.

ISLAMABAD : The National Assembly on Wednesday passed FATF-related bills aimed at checking money laundering and terror financing after the government and the opposition evolved consensus paving the way for their smooth passage from the house.

The house approved the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2020, the Limited Liability Partnership (Amendment) Bill 2020, the Companies (Amendment) Bill 2020, the Control of Narcotic Substances (Amendment) Bill 2020, and the Islamabad Capital Territory Trust Bill 2020.

Taking the floor, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said terror financing and money laundering are the menace that Pakistan has to confront and weed out. He said the government held lengthy discussions with opposition parties to develop a consensus on FATF-related legislation.

He said positive suggestions put forth by the opposition have been incorporated in the bills.

Law Minister Farooq Naseem said it is a historic day as the FATF-related legislation is being carried out with consensus in the larger interest of the country. He said whitening the economy and checking terror financing is important to take the country forward on the path of development.

It is also the government’s aim to simplify the legislation and ensure protection of fundamental rights of the people, he maintained.

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said the terror financing and money laundering are the menace that Pakistan has to confront and eradicate.

Speaking in the National Assembly on Wednesday, he said long deliberations were held with the opposition parties to reach consensus on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) related legislation.He said the positive suggestions of the opposition were honestly incorporated.

Referring to yesterday’s clashes out NAB Lahore office, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said, the issue demands more discussion but urged not to disturb the house’s order and business.

The FM said PML-N lawmaker, Rana Tanveer, who was also booked in NAB’s FIR over clashes outside its office will be supported as he was attending NA’s session in Islamabad when clashes took place in Lahore.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi said there is an impression that a drama was staged by PML-N outside anti-graft watchdog body’s Lahore chapter office.

On Aug 11, violence erupted outside the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) office as PML-N workers police contingents clashed shortly after the arrival of Maryam Nawaz there in a land case.

Many people, including policemen and NAB officials, were injured and more than 50 were arrested after police fired tear gas when the PML-N workers started pelting them and the NAB office with stones.