ISLAMABAD, MAY 8 /DNA/ – World Bank and Pakistan agree to work on a new robust and ambitious Country Partnership Framework  to carry forward reform and development agenda

Mr. Martin Raiser, Regional Vice President of World Bank for South Asia along with a delegation including Country Representative Mr. Najy Benhassine called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad today.

Welcoming Mr. Martin Raiser, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif lauded the contribution of the World Bank to the development of Pakistan. The Prime Minister appreciated the support extended by the Bank for building climate resilient infrastructure in the wake of 2022 floods in Pakistan. He briefed the delegation on the reform agenda of the Government including digitization of the entire tax system, power sector reform, enhancing per acre yield in the agriculture sector, addressing the issue of child stunting, etc.

Appreciating Pakistan’s aggressive reform agenda, Mr. Martin Raiser said the World Bank is ready to collaborate with Pakistan in its journey of transformation of the economy aimed at sustainable development.

Both sides agreed to engage in a long-term, focused partnership under a new Country Partnership Framework with an annual review mechanism to assess progress and ensure that results are achieved. The strategy will include flexibility for future course correction. The new partnership will have the ambition to achieve transformational impacts over a decade on a selective set of critical development priorities for Pakistan.

The initial set of priorities that were discussed in the meeting included structural economic reforms including domestic resource mobilization, particularly via digitalization and tax policy reforms. Human capital development, specifically addressing child stunting and improving foundational learning was also discussed. Likewise, energy sector reforms, including increased participation of the private sector in transmission and distribution, and transition to green energy to make energy cheaper, cleaner and financially sustainable shall also be agreed. In order to better cope with the increased water scarcity and climate-related shocks, both sides emphasized collaboration in climate adaptation.

For increasing economic opportunities, including in the agriculture sector, Pakistan will benefit from the Bank’s expertise in mobilizing global expertise and best practices, institutional capacity building, leveraging digital transformation and private sector participation, including via the World Bank’s private sector arm, the International Finance Corporation and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency.

Both sides agreed that the process for preparation of the new Country Partnership Framework will consist of consultations with Federal and Provincial governments as well as academia, parliamentarians, civil society, development partners and the private sector. The World Bank will coordinate with stakeholders to discuss the partnership priorities duly aligned with the key development priorities and strategy of the Government of Pakistan.

The Prime Minister witnessed the signing of a joint communique in this respect, signed by the World Bank’s Country Representative Mr. Najy Benhassine and Secretary of Economic Affairs Division Dr. Kazim Niaz.

Minister of Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Minister Finance Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister Petroleum Dr. Musadik Malik, Minister of State for IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Dr. Jehanzeb Khan and senior officials of the Government of Pakistan also attended the meeting.

Minister was requested that the regional quota be implemented; ads should be released to APNS members only

ISLAMABAD, MAY 8 /DNA/ – The Federal Government firmly stands for the promotion of print media and the issues confronted by newspapers will be amicably addressed,” stated Mr. Attaullah Tarar, the Federal Minister  for Information & Broadcasting.

Mr. Tarar was addressing a meeting of the Executive Committee of the All-Pakistan Newspapers Society at Islamabad chaired by its President Ms. Nazafreen Saigol Lakhani, Mr. Sarmad Ali, Secretary General APNS welcomed the Minister and apprised him about the problems being faced by the print media. These included long pending notification of 35% increase in the government advertisement rates approved by the Prime Minister in his last tenure.

He reminded that the Prime Minister during his last meeting with APNS office bearers  had given an assurance that  an amount of Rs. 50 crore will be released to newspapers before Eid as initial payment of outstanding dues of the print media against advertising released by the federal government. However, the print media was paid Rs 4.6 crores only.

The APNS office bearers also explained the hardship faced by members in getting renewal of their registration by the Press Registrar office due to a highly complicated procedure practiced by the Press Registrar and requested that the procedure be made hassle free and that the registration be made one time as stipulated in the law.

 The APNS members requested that the regional quota be implemented in letter and spirit and no publications other than regional newspapers be given advertisements from this quota. They also requested that in the forthcoming budget GST, custom and import duties on imports of newspaper consumables like ink and printing plates be exempted.

Mr. Atta Ullah Tarrar assured that the issues being faced by the newspaper industry will be addressed to the satisfaction of the print media’s. He stated that he would take up the issue of  increase in the government advertisement rates with the Finance Ministry for its incorporation in the next fiscal budget. He reiterated that the Ministry of Information had disbursed an overall amount of Rs.1.3 billion to media outlets before Eid.

He stated that he has asked the ministry to evolve a mechanism for future budgetary arrangements for payment of advertisement expenses. He assured that the old liabilities will be cleared in the first quarter of next financial year. Mr. Tarrar proposed a joint committee of Information Ministry and APNS to evolve a system for registration of newspapers. He stated that the newspapers played a pivotal role in countering fake news and disinformation. In order to promote newspaper readership, the Federal Minister stated that he would ask the Information Ministry to suggest to the Ministry of Aviation and other government ministries and departments to subscribe to newspapers as in the past. In this respect he proposed to initiate a pilot project with the Ministry of Education to promote newspaper readership at the school and college levels in the ICT.

Earlier the Executive Committee, on the recommendations of the Advertising Committee, granted provisional accreditation to M/s. Starcrest Communications (Pvt.) Ltd Karachi, M/s. SAP Communications (Pvt.) Ltd. Islamabad and M/s. URS Digi (Pvt) Ltd. Islamabad.

The members expressed condolence to Mr. Ahmed Baloch, Publisher Daily Kainat Bahawalpur on the sad demise of his mother.

The meeting was attended by the following. Ms. Nazafreen Saigol Lakhani, President, Mr. Imtinan Shahid, Senior Vice President, Mr. Sarmad Ali, Secretary General, S.M Munir Jillani, Joint Secretary, Mr. Waseem Ahmed, (Daily Awam, Quetta), Mr. Mohsin Bilal,( Daily Ausaf), Mr. Humayun Tariq,( Daily Business Report), Mr. Ansar Mahmood Bhatti, (Monthly Centre Line), Mr. Muhammad Waqaruddin, (Daily Dunya), Mr. Javed Mehr Shamsi, (Daily Kaleem). Ms. Rukhsana Saulat Saleemi, (Weekly Nikhar), Mr. Bilal Mahmood, (Daily Nawa-i-Waqt). Mr. Sardar Khan Niazi, (Monthly Naya Rukh), Mr. Faisal Zahid Malik,( Daily Pakistan Observer), Mr. Humayun Gulzar, (Daily Sayadat), Mr. Irfan Ather, (Daily Tijarat), Syed Haroon Shah, (Daily Wahdat), Mr. Nasir Dad Baloch, (Daily Sindh Sujaag),

Mr. Mehtab Khan, (Daily Ausaf), Mr. Tahir Mughal , (Daily Nawa-i-Pak) attended the meeting as special observer.

Following attended on ZOOM. Ms. Fauzia Shaheen, (Monthly Dastak), Ms. Zahida Abbasi, (Daily Nau Sijj), Mr. Mohsin Siyal, (Daily Aftab), Mr. Tahir Qureshi, (Monthly Naye Ufaq).=DNA

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ISLAMABAD, MAY 8 (APP): Uzbek Deputy Minister for Transport and Aviation, Jasurbek Choriev has said that Pakistan and Uzbekistan have decided to start work on the trilateral trade corridor with Afghanistan, which is of great importance in regional economic integration.

Including Afghanistan, all three parties are willing to complete this trade corridor and its completion will increase regional trade and boost economic activities in the regional countries, Jasurbek Choriev said this at the Tashkent International Investment Forum (TIIF) while talking to APP.

The minister said that Pakistan was our foremost priority economic partner as well in the recent future, with which we are working in many spheres at the economic and trade level.

He said that the Pakistan-Uzbekistan partnership is of great importance in regional economic and trade integration and Uzbekistan considers Pakistan will have a significant partner in this regard.

The Minister said that Uzbekistan is the central country of Central Asia and similarly, Pakistan is also a Geo-Strategically important country of South Asia located in the neighbouring Central Asia.

He said that air, rail and road connectivity between Pakistan and Uzbekistan is essential to increase bilateral trade between the two countries.

Jasurbek Choriev said that the direct flight between Pakistan and Uzbekistan will start in October this year 2024.

He said that Pakistan and Uzbekistan have a central role in global and regional trade and the strategic partnership of the two countries can usher in a new era of economic prosperity in the region.

Replying to a question,he said that the economic and trade relations between the two countries started from the historic Silk route and both countries are determined to revive the old Silk route.

Great Silk Road is a historical trade artery between East and West, which is of great cultural, economic and geopolitical importance, he said.

Meanwhile highlighting the significance of Tashkent International Investment Forum, the Minister said that in TIIF, international experts and representatives of government agencies explored opportunities to expand ties, economic cooperation and cultural exchange along the ancient routes of the Silk Road.

First and foremost, “we think about the economy and new transportation routes that will benefit everyone, not only Uzbekistan, and here respect for the law and culture of other countries plays a big role,Jasurbek Choriev said.

He said that in this forum participants discussed ways to revive this ancient route in the modern era, expand trade and economic ties, and promote intercultural dialog between countries once linked by the Silk Road.

“We need to take concrete steps to realize the concept of the New Silk Road -ensuring safe and efficient transport corridors, developing logistics infrastructure and strengthening cooperation between the states of the region” he said.

Mahnoor Ansar

ISLAMABAD: To celebrate the contributions of Pakistani women in climate action, the Embassy of France, the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates, the Delegation of the European Union, the French Development Agency (AFD), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Civil Society Coalition for Climate Change (CSCCC) held the ceremony of the 2nd edition of the Gender Climate Award. The objective of the award is to highlight women’s commitment, leadership and concrete initiatives in the fight against climate change and its effects in three categories: climate action, green enterprise, and young climate journalism.

The proud winners of the Pakistan Gender Climate Award 2024 are: Qandeel Rehman (Climate Action), Umbreen Arif (Green Enterprise), and Khalida Niaz (Young Climate Journalism).

The winners received a trophy and a cash award of PKR 1.2 million each to advance their activity and use the funds to deepen the gender-climate nexus in their area of work.

The Pakistan Gender Climate Award ceremony held at the Serena Hotel was attended by dignitaries from the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, diplomats, civil society, academia, youth and the media.

The Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Climate Change, Ms. Romina Khurshid Alam, lauded the initiative and pledged her support in taking the agenda forward to strengthen the gender- climate nexus. In her keynote address, she said, “Women are the change and will change the future. They are our champions and we have faith in their capabilities.”

The Ambassador of France, H.E. Mr. Nicolas Galey stated, “We are delighted that the Gender Climate Award, which was launched last year by the French Embassy, can bring together other prestigious partners this year, and even more in the future. This demonstrates global awareness of the impact of climate change, and the need for everyone – men and women, governments, international organizations, and NGOs – to meet this challenge together. By honoring the three winners of this award, we pay tribute to the extraordinary women of Pakistan for their leadership in climate action and their efforts to find innovative and concrete solutions to make their communities more resilient.”

The EU Amb. Dr. Riina Kionka highlighted the disproportionate impact of climate change on women, she said “Women are at the heart of our work in building a sustainable world. Investing in female leadership is key for climate solutions. We are delighted to honour the inspiring work of women in addressing climate challenges, be it through journalism, entrepreneurship, or advocacy”.

The Deputy Head of Mission, UAE Embassy, Mr. Muhammad Sultan AlKaitoob commented on the negative impact of climate change on the lives and livelihoods of women, He emphasized the need for action,“ The UAE recognizes the indispensable role that gender equality plays in building a sustainable and resilient future. Empowering women and girls not only enhances social cohesion but also accelerates progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to climate action”.

Mr. Samuel Rizk, the Resident Representative of UNDP congratulated the winners and encouraged them to become role models of inspiration. “We’ve got to move past old-fashioned ways of thinking and work together to make real change happen. Today’s winners serve as examples for young women and girls across Pakistan that show that the barriers can be broken down”.

In her concluding remarks, Senator Sherry Rehman said, “Climate and women are inextricably linked. The impacts of a planet on fire will further erode capital of women. Spotlighting women and empowering them to become leaders is key to resilience. Events such as this should be scaled up and held every year to inspire women”

The nation-wide call for applications made in November 2023 for the Gender Climate Award received a robust response. A total of 79 applications were received and evaluated by a five- member committee to select the winners. “We hope this is a trend that we can build on to raise awareness and encourage women to participate more actively in climate action” said Aisha Khan from CSCCC.

The three Gender Climate Award winners expressed their delight and gratitude for the recognition and saw it as an opportunity to become beacons of hope. The message from the three winners reiterated their resolve and spoke with one voice to say that nothing is impossible if you take challenges head on and demonstrate grit and perseverance to achieve your objective.

The Hollywood production team thanked the minister for the cooperation and hospitality they received in Pakistan. They said they were inspired by the great cultural heritage and people of Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, May 08 (DNA): Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said on Wednesday that the production of Hollywood film on Pakistan’s culture will give people around the world an opportunity to know more about the country and highlight its soft and positive image.

This he said during a meeting with the members of the Hollywood production team visiting Pakistan to shoot an international film on Pakistani culture.

He said the film produced by the Hollywood production team will be an important milestone for the Pakistani film industry.

 In the meeting, discussions were held regarding the great cultural heritage and history of the country, including the preparation of a film based on Pakistani culture.

The minister also apprised the Hollywood production team about the progress in the film industry in the country.

He thanked the Hollywood production team for deciding to produce a film on Pakistani culture.

“It is a great honour for our culture and people,”  he said adding Pakistan was a country with a great cultural heritage.

“Our history, literature, music, and art are unique and appreciated worldwide,”  Attaullah Tarar maintained.

The minister said he believed that this film would give the world a new opportunity to see the beauty and diversity of Pakistan.

While throwing light on the measures taken by the government for cinema revival, he said it was the only industry in Pakistan that enjoyed tax amnesty.

“The government under the leadership of Shehbaz Sharif restored the film policy in its previous term,”  he said and added that the film sector had been given the status of an industry so that the youth could get an opportunity to enter this sector.

He said a film finance fund had been established at Rs 1 billion in the budget of 2022-23. Moreover, he said medical insurance for artists and tax incentives for the film industry had boosted the film industry and its related sectors.

He said in the budget 2022-23, five years of tax exemption was given to filmmakers.

Similarly, income tax exemption of five years has been given on the establishment of new cinemas, production houses, and film museums whereas a tax exemption has been given for ten years on the export of film and drama.

He said that foreign filmmakers were also given concessions on joint film and drama projects with local producers.

 For this, the condition of shooting 70 percent of the film in Pakistan was applicable to promote business activities including tourism and culture.

He said through screen tourism, Pakistan has conveyed its narrative to the world.

 The minister assured to provide full support and cooperation to the Hollywood production team from the government and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

The Hollywood production team thanked the minister for the cooperation and hospitality they received in Pakistan.

They said they were inspired by the great cultural heritage and people of Pakistan.

 “Pakistan has huge filmmaking potential, we are committed to helping the local industry to grow”, they remarked.

They thanked the government, the people of Pakistan, and the local film industry for the cooperation provided to them during their stay in Pakistan.

They said they were fully enjoying their visit and they were highly impressed by the beautiful locations and heritage of Pakistan.

 The delegation comprised  James MC Milan, Andrew James Fiero, Luisa Iskin, Sadia Ashraf, Badr Ikram, and Mashal Saqib.

ISLAMABAD, MAY 8 /DNA/ – The Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan Bakhtiyor Saidov, currently on a two-day visit to Pakistan, called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif today. Congratulating the Prime Minister on his re-election, the Uzbek Foreign Minister also conveyed the invitation of President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev for Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif to undertake an official visit to Uzbekistan at his earliest convenience. The Prime Minister expressed his gratitude to President of Uzbekistan, Mr. Shavkat Mirziyoyev and said that he was looking forward to meeting him.

The two sides discussed enhanced cooperation between Pakistan and Uzbekistan in the fields of trade and economy, security and defense, connectivity and people to people contacts. The importance of peace and development in Afghanistan for regional connectivity was also discussed.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif expressed Pakistan’s commitment to working with Uzbekistan to speed up and complete all bilateral trade and connectivity projects. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s readiness to provide access to Uzbekistan to Pakistani Ports. He also emphasized the importance of Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Railway Project and Pakistan’s commitment to its early completion.