ISLAMABAD, JAN 26 (DNA) —  Vice-Chancellor, Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), Professor Dr. Nasir Mahmood, emphasized the importance of translations in promoting Islamic values, traditions, and culture.

He stated that translation is the most effective means of intellectual progress and serves as a window to understanding other languages and civilizations. Therefore, the process of translations in Pakistan needs to be expanded, and scholars and the religious community can play an exemplary role in this noble cause.

Prof. Dr. Nasir Mahmood expressed these views while addressing the closing ceremony of a five-day training workshop titled “Translation as a Science,” held yesterday at the university.  He further stated that the promotion of Islamic values and traditions has, unfortunately, remained a distant dream, which now needs to be realized.

The Vice-Chancellor highlighted the elevated status of religious scholars in society, noting that their words carry weight, and people trust and believe what they say.  He urged religious scholars to take the lead in promoting Islamic values and contributing to societal reform.

Dr. Nasir Mahmood thanked Dr. Ghulam Ali, Director of the Center for Languages and Translation Studies, and Fakhruddin Akhunzada, Executive Director of the Forum for Language Initiatives, for organizing the workshop and congratulated them on its success.

The workshop was organized by the university’s Center for Languages and Translation Studies in collaboration with the Forum for Language Initiatives. It provided translation training to participants from 12 different languages. Participants expressed their views, describing the training as highly beneficial.

They shared that they had learned the principles and techniques of translation within a short period. They also requested that such training workshops continue in the future. Dr. Ghulam Ali, Director of the Center for Languages and Translation Studies, Fakhruddin Akhunzada, Executive Director of the Forum for Language Initiatives, faculty member Dr. Lubna Umar, and others also spoke at the event.

They emphasized the use of technological tools in translations and the importance of maintaining neutrality in the translation process.Dr. Ghulam Ali mentioned that the Vice-Chancellor’s support was instrumental in the success of the workshop.

Fakhruddin Akhunzada stated that this was their second collaborative event with Allama Iqbal Open University, which had been highly successful. He expressed a commitment to continuing such events and training workshops in the future.

The closing ceremony of the five-day workshop was attended by the University’s Registrar, Raja Umar Younis along with all principal officers and faculty members. —DNA

ISLAMABAD, JAN 26 /DNA/ – The Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) has unveiled an in-depth study on the Grievance Redressal (GR) system of the Sehat Sahulat Program (SSP). This landmark program, which provides health insurance to over 7.9 million families across 68 districts in Pakistan, has emerged as a crucial lifeline for Pakistan’s marginalized communities. Supported by the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, World Health Organization (WHO), the study highlights the program’s successes, critical insights into strengthening grievance mechanisms to ensure its sustainability and greater efficiency.

Authored by Dr. Shujaat Farooq, Director Research PIDE, and Nabila Kunwal, Research Fellow PIDE, the report commends SSP’s efforts in ensuring access to healthcare for marginalized populations and highlights its role in reducing the burden of catastrophic health expenditures. It acknowledges the program’s strong foundation but notes that as it evolves, the grievance redressal system (GRS) must also adapt to meet the growing needs of beneficiaries.

According to the Press Release issued from PIDE, the study underscores the importance of establishing a comprehensive and structured grievance redressal system to address challenges in service delivery and ensure timely resolution of complaints. Key observations include the need for a standardized framework to tackle issues such as enrolment difficulties, denial of services, and limited empanel hospitals.

Currently, there are limited options for a citizen to register a complaint or acquire information about program. The sole source to register the complaint is the call center, and it requires consistent upgradation and adequate staffing. The program requires a centralized complaint management system (ICMS) to efficiently handle the complaints.

At the design level, the SSP needs to improve various areas, i.e., build a national consensus on the federal-provincial role and promote competition in service delivery as there is a single vendor right now (State Life Insurance Corporation). The government has to opt a principal decision on financing inpatient financing to public hospitals as both the insurance and financing is not viable simultaneously. Ideally the public hospitals  should compete with the private hospitals to finance their inpatient expenses. The program should not pay the premium for all citizens and opt some  co-payment formulas to optimize public resources, i.e., the government should pay the premium of only poor households.

Currently, a limited number of hospitals are onboard for inpatient services, and many of them opt for a ‘pick and choose behavior’. To incentivize, the treatment packages must be market-based, so every hospital feels an incentive to participate. Additionally, the provincial regulatory framework must ensure that every private and public hospital with inpatient health facilities is part of scheme.

The report also highlights the need to expand the program’s regional presence. Establishing local offices and enhancing public awareness campaigns will improve engagement and accessibility for beneficiaries. An integrated and automated grievance system, equipped with dashboards for real-time monitoring, is recommended to streamline complaint handling and enhance transparency. Linking this system with health management information systems (HMIS) will enable more effective service delivery.

Policy-level interventions are essential to address systemic gaps, including increasing hospital availability, streamlining enrollment processes, and implementing live data updates in collaboration with NADRA. These steps will help resolve recurring challenges and enhance the program’s overall performance.

ISLAMABAD, JAN 26: /DNA/ – Pakistan Navy is set to host AMAN-25; the ninth edition of multinational AMAN exercise from February 7 to 11. A key feature of this year’s exercise will be the AMAN Dialogue, where Chiefs of Naval Forces, heads of Coast Guards, and senior leaders from around the world will convene to discuss regional maritime security and devise joint strategies to counter evolving maritime threats.

Around 60 countries will participate in AMAN-25, contributing with ships, aircraft, Special Operations Forces (SOF), Explosives Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams, Marines, and observers. Delegations from across the globe will also attend the inaugural International AMAN Dialogue, which will take place alongside the exercise.

AMAN exercise consists of harbour and sea phases. During the harbour phase, activities such as seminars, operational discussions, counter-terrorism demonstrations, and pre-sail planning of evolutions at sea will be held. The sea phase would include tactical maneuvers, exercises related to maritime security such as anti-piracy and counter terrorism, search and rescue, gunnery firings and air defence exercises. Highlight of the sea phase will be the International Fleet Review, which will be witnessed by national and foreign dignitaries.

ISLAMABAD, JAN 25 /DNA/ – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is coordinating the repatriation of 22 Pakistani survivors of the recent maritime incident near the Dakhla port in Morocco. Following thorough investigations and careful coordination with Moroccan authorities, these individuals will be returned to Pakistan in batches.

The Pakistan Embassy in Rabat has been working closely with Moroccan authorities to oversee the relief efforts and finalize the complex repatriation procedure. The Embassy’s consular team in Dakhla has been instrumental in planning the return of the survivors.

The Foreign Ministry’s Crisis Management Unit (CMU) has been actively engaged in monitoring the situation, providing necessary support to the affected individuals, and maintaining active communication with their families.

National identity verification remained a critical component of this process which was completed expeditiously in coordination with the Interior Ministry and the relevant departments.

Separately, the Foreign Ministry is also facilitating the return of 11 Pakistani nationals from Mauritania. These individuals have voluntarily chosen to return home and will be part of a separate repatriation process.

The welfare of Pakistani nationals abroad remains an important priority of the government and it will continue to work to extend all possible facilitation in this regard.

Further updates will be shared as the repatriation efforts moves forward.

ISLAMABAD, JAN 25 /DNA/ – The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet met today to discuss a summary submitted by Petroleum Division for an upward revision of the indigenous gas tariff for industry (captive power) as well as non-protected domestic slabs.

The meeting was chaired by Federal Minister for Finance Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb with Federal Minister for Petroleum Mr. Musadik Masood Malik, Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari, Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Mr. Ali Parvez Malik, Chairman OGRA, Chairman SECP, Federal Secretaries, and senior officers from the relevant divisions in attendance.

The ECC following a through discussion decided to approve upward revision in gas tariff for captive power plants from Rs 3000 per mmbtu to Rs 3500 per mmbtu to ensure required revenue for the gas sector during FY 2024-25, but it did not agree to increase the tariff for domestic consumers with a view to protecting the domestic consumers from additional burden. The ECC, however, instructed the Petroleum Division to take necessary measures for the imposition of a grid transition levy on the captive power plants to enhance the energy sector efficiency.

ISLAMABAD, JAN 25 /DNA/ – At the behest of chairperson Islamabad Wildlife Board, La Montana and Monal were not only closed, but the buildings of these restaurants built with government money were also demolished.

Margalla National Park has a law and boundary, Margalla Hills, and Pir Sohawa Road have neither any legal status nor any separate law. If the Chairperson Wildlife Board has discovered such a law, then the general public should also be informed about it.

The wildlife law applies equally to Islamabad Club, Riding Club, Polo Club, Gun Club and more than 100 restaurants and commercial centers located in The Margalla Hills National Park. Shah-Allah Ditta, Shakarparian, Club Road and all the commercial centers in Saidpur are still doing their business.

Chairperson Wildlife Board, Our question is about the double standards of the ordinance, why do officers have separate laws for their children and separate for public spaces?

At the behest of the Chairperson Wildlife Board, demolishing only two restaurants out of 113 commercial centers in the national park is not personal enmity, then what else is? Our only demand to the Chairperson Wildlife Board is that all the restaurants used by officers and their children in Margalla National Park should also be brought under the preview of the National Park Law.

 What could be a greater example of the excesses of the Chairperson Wildlife Board than the fact that after the demolition of Monal and La Montana, a huge restaurant in Daman Koh was licensed to do business within the limits of Margalla Park.

But the Chairperson Wildlife Board refused to meet the 1,100 employees who were rendered unemployed.

These actions of the Chairperson Wildlife Board made us unemployed on the one hand and on the other hand, the entire area was made a hub of criminal activities. In the last four months, three murders and several robberies have taken place on Pir Sohawa Road, the record of which is available at Kohsar police station. Not only this, Pir Sohawa Road is also completely damaged at this time and garbage and dirt are seen everywhere. Why don’t the so-called environmental pollution authorities see all this now?

With the closure of the 4 acres restaurants in the 31,000-acre Margalla National Park, which were located in the name of chowki in the Master Plan of Islamabad and have been providing entertainment to the general public, has the wildlife in Margalla National Park been relieved of all the problems faced by them? and Due to the demolition of both the restaurants, has the wildlife started using Pir Sohawa Road? not at all, it is a blatant joke and lie.

We demand from the Chairperson Wildlife Board that all unemployed employees should be given licenses to open kiosks on the land adjacent to Monal and La Montana and if our legitimate demand is not met, our next step will be a sit-in in front of the Islamabad Club and will continue till the law of the Wildlife Board is equally implemented on Islamabad Club. Hope It doesn’t happen.