Erfan Khan

RIAYDH, Apr 28 (APP/DNA): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday while terming the global inequity in health sector as ‘the first and foremost problem’ called upon bridging the widening gap between the Global South and the Global North.

Expressing his views in a session of the World Economic Forum (WEF) regarding global health, the prime minister said that the Covid-19 pandemic had exposed the existing gaps largely between the Global North and Global South in terms of provision of health facilities and distribution of vaccines.

He said that the climate change issue had also completely changed the landscape.

Pakistan was not responsible for any emissions in the world, he said, adding but in the year 2022, it witnessed the worst climate triggered floods which hugely devastated the infrastructure and buildings and as consequently, they had to spend billion of rupees to rehabilitate the affected people.

Prime Minister Shehbaz said that for the rehabilitation efforts, they sought costly loans. “Can a developing country like Pakistan afford it?” he questioned and observed that for provision of health facilities, a developing country like Pakistan required resources.

“The yawning gap between the Global South and Global North should be bridged,” he emphasised.

Sharing his personal experiences, the prime minister said that treatment for the fatal disease like cancer was too costly for the poor population of Pakistan.

He said that as a chief minister of Punjab, he had provided about 130 million inhabitants of the province with best medical treatment initiatives like screening and treatment facility for Hepatitis in the remotest and backward areas of the province where the poor people had been in dire need of basic facilities like education and health.

The prime minister further informed that as the former chief minister, he also established the first kidney and liver hospital in Punjab which was probably one of the best in Asia where the poor patients were provided with free of cost treatment.

About Dengue outbreak in 2011 in the province, he shared that the phenomenon in the health sector was one of the biggest in the world.

But they got experts and equipment and with the cooperation of entire government machinery, civil society and common man launched a massive drive against the dengue larvae, he added.

“They were able to control the outbreak with collective efforts and meager resources,” he said, adding that it was a test case for the global study in health sector.

The prime minister appreciated the initiatives launched by Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the health sector and said that they had been serving the ailing humanity with their kind gestures.

The prime minister, in his remarks, appreciated Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for their support and provision of vaccines for polio eradication drives in Pakistan.

He also acknowledged Bill Gates’ generosity during the 2022 floods to support the affected people of Pakistan.

He expressed that with their cooperation, they would be able to get rid from the polio.

Expressing his views, World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed upon collective efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He shared his concerns over the mortality rates of mothers and children, adding that about 54 countries were still far behind in achieving the SDGs targets. Another 4.9 billion people across the globe had no access to basic services, he added. 

The DG said that the world was vulnerable to any pandemic but they had learnt from the past experiences and building on it.

Other participants opined that the conflicts in the world were increasing and impacting the health sector requirements and stressed that resource-rich countries should assist the communities in need.

They underlined the need of investing more in the health sector.

RAWALPINDI, APR 28 /DNA/ – Security Forces conducted an intelligence based operation in Dera Ismail Khan District on reported presence of terrorists.

During conduct of the operation, intense fire exchange took place between own troops and terrorists, and resultantly two terrorists; Terrorist Faheem Nawaz @Gandapuri and Terrorist Mohsin Nawaz, were successfully neutralised and sent to hell.

Weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from killed terrorists, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against the Security Forces as well as innocent civilians including target killings and extortion.

Sanitization operation is being conducted to eliminate any other terrorist found in the area as Security Forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe-out the menace of terrorism from the country.

By Faisal Munir / DNA

ISLAMABAD, APR 28: Pakistan Muslim League (N) Member Provincial Assembly Asma Naz Abbasi has said that Punjab government believes in serving the masses. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the PML-N government in Punjab is diligently working to provide relief to masses, tackling inflation and improving the quality of life for common man.

She said People once again trusted the PML-N in the by-election after seeing our track record. The public responded in befitted manner during the by-election to those who made noise of so called rigging during the recent general elections. The election results showed that the people want the politics of development and prosperity, not anarchy.

Asma Naz Abbasi said that Lifetime Leader of Muslim League (N) Mian Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister Mian Shehbaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Assembly members and enthusiastic workers are eager and working for the success of the country. Our lead­ership has diverted the national resources towards the deprived sections this time too.

She said that Maryam Nawaz Sharif as the Chief Minister of Punjab is running the province of Punjab in the best way. Maryam Nawaz will prove to be a good and capable Chief Minister. The vision of Muslim League (N) is to serve the nation. Will continue the tradition of public service. She said that equal attention is being given to health, education, infrastructure, law and order, agriculture, information technology and all other sectors in Punjab. Efforts will be made day and night to develop the country and provide relief to the people.

Member Provincial Assembly further stated that Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif has set new examples of public service in just two months. Relief was given to the public in the form of inexpensive flour and bread. The people of Punjab trusted in the leadership and policies of Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. Near soon Punjab will set the goals of construction and development. There will be more good news in the coming days, she added.

Asma Naz has said The leaders of Pakistan Muslim League (N) have always given priority to the service of the country and the nation and in the future, the leaders of the PML(N) will continue their struggle for the prosperity, stability and security of the country and will serve the people without discrimination. She said that the people will serve them with the same spirit as the faith they have shown in us. Muslim League (N) will take the country out of crises. 

ISLAMABAD, APR 28 (DNA) —The Pakistan Professionals and Students Forum was held on Saturday, themed “Building Bridges between Academia and Industry.”  This timely discussion explored the critical relationship between Pakistan’s educational institutions and the professional world, particularly students, according to China Economic Net (CEN).

Pakistan’s Ambassador to China, Khalil Hashmi addressed the PPSF Forum that as Pakistan continues to strengthen its economic ties with China through initiatives like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), it is essential to ensure that the country’s workforce is equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to thrive in this evolving landscape. 

The forum provided a platform for key stakeholders from academia and industry to engage in constructive dialogue and identify strategies to better align educational curricula with the needs of enterprises.

 
Afifa Shajia Awais Education Attaché at Pakistan’s Embassy in Beijing said that one of the key focal points of the forum was the role of academia in equipping students with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in today’s dynamic job market. The event brought together diverse participants, including students, researchers, educators, industry professionals, and policymakers, all united by a common goal of fostering stronger ties between academia and industry. 

Through panel discussions, workshops, and networking sessions, attendees explored various strategies and best practices for enhancing collaboration and promoting mutual understanding between these two vital sectors.

 
Ghulam Qadir, Trade and Investment Counsellor at Pakistan’s Embassy in Beijing told the audience that by integrating industry perspectives into academic programs and fostering closer ties with companies, educational institutions can ensure graduates are equipped with the practical skills and insights needed to excel in their careers. Prominent speakers highlighted the importance of fostering closer collaboration between universities and businesses, emphasizing the need to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. 

Discussions centered around internship programs, industry-sponsored research, and the development of specialized training modules to enhance the employability of Pakistan’s graduates. The excellent Pakistani students from various universities in China received internships from Chinese entrepreneurs, while Overseas Minister of Pakistan, Former Ambassador to China, Moin ul Haque and Education Secretary addressed the Forum. — DNA

RIAYDH, APR 28 (APP/DNA): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and President of Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Dr. Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser on Sunday agreed for early completion of different IDB’s development projects in Pakistan.

The prime minister thanked the IDB for its $1 billion worth investment on different uplift projects in Pakistan during his previous tenure in office.

The president of IDB called on the prime minister on the sidelines of the special meeting of World Economic Forum (WEF), PM Office Media Wing said in a press release.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Foreign Affairs Ishaq Dar, Minister for Finance and Revenues Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Minister for Petroleum Dr Musadik Malik, Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan and Minister for Power Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari.

During the meeting, progress on different projects in Pakistan was reviewed and the both sides discussed ways to explore further avenues for cooperation.

The prime minister also lauded the IDP’s assistance in the rehabilitation of flood affected people and commended the personal cooperation and leadership role of Dr Al Jasser.

He observed that IDB’s beneficial partnership with Pakistan was not only providing job opportunities and assisting in reconstruction efforts but also supporting the government’s endeavours for achievement of objectives of sustainable progress.

The prime minister informed that for fast tracking the foreign investment, removing all concerns of foreign investors and provision of one window operation, Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) was fully functional.

The IDB president said that Pakistan was a founding and the most important member of the Bank.

He observed that the country was blessed with abundant natural and water resources and its huge manpower source could be fully utilized.

Dr Al Jasser also prayed for the progress and prosperity of Pakistan.

Lahore, APR 27 /DNA/ – Pro-Palestinian activists disrupted the speech of German Ambassador to Pakistan Alfred Grannas when he took the podium to speak at the Asma Jahangir Conference 2024 in Lahore on Saturday.

The German envoy was called out by the representatives of the Progressive Students’ Collective when he began his speech during the annual conference, the theme of which this year is ‘The People’s Mandate: Safeguarding Civil Rights in South Asia’.

As Grannas started speaking, one of the guests at the event, an activist, who was standing in the middle of the conference hall, said: “Excuse me Mr ambassador. Excuse me. I’m shocked by your audacity that you are here to talk about civil rights.”

The activist also questioned the envoy about his government’s complicity in the ongoing genocide, as his speech was largely aimed at exploring the state of human and civil rights in South Asia, including Pakistan.

“Why your country is brutally abusing the people speaking for the rights of Palestinians,” the activist said, addressing the German envoy.

Ambassador Grannas, who was visibly taken aback, began shouting while asking the protesters not to shout. He also gestured at the students while waving his left hand in the air, asking them to “go out”.

“If you want to shout, go out, and there you can shout because shouting is not a discussion. That it is [sic]… if you want to discuss…,” the envoy said, soon after which the conference went off-air for a while on a digital media platform’s YouTube channel.

However, the speech by Ambassador Grannas resumed in a matter of few minutes.

The protest by the activist came days after the conference organisers shared that the envoy would participate in the event.
However, the curtain raiser about his participation in the event garnered immense criticism from users on X, formerly Twitter, who questioned his presence owing to Germany’s support for Israeli offensive in Gaza.

When reached out for a comment by Geo.tv regarding the envoy’s mic being muted, Munizae Jahangir — journalist and board member of the Asma Jahangir Foundation, clarified: “German ambassador mic was not muted at all, we don’t have that technology or above all, the intention.”

She also maintained that the conference had arranged a “full panel on Palestine” and with great difficulty got a noted human rights activists recognised as a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International.

“We have over 22 sessions, 140 female lawyers from across Pakistan (including far flung areas like Turbat, Gilgit and newly-merged districts) 140 prosecutors, ambassador from more than 12 countries, and 80 speakers,” she said.

She added that the holding conference every year was only made possible due to the “hundreds of hours of voluntary work go into it by lawyers and journalists who are committed to human rights values”.

Jahangir further said that this was “our commitment to Asma’s principles of democracy and free speech”.

The German government has been explicitly backing Israel in its war on Gazans following the October 7 surprise attack by Hamas, providing both diplomatic support and significant transfer of arms, while it has also meted out harsh treatment to protestors demonstrating against the genocide of Palestinians in Germany.

Over 34,000 Palestinians, including more than 25,000 children and women, in Gaza have been killed following Israel’s brutal offensive in the wake of October 7 attack.

Almost all countries in the Western and European world have extended their support to Israel despite unabated deadly attacks on innocent civilians.