August 13, 2020 – Page 18 – PPI News Agency

Prime Minister unveils ground-breaking Ehsaas Nashonuma Program

Islamabad, August 13, 2020 (PPI-OT): Today, Prime Minister Imran Khan launched a new program that will tackle stunting and improve the nutrition of the poorest children in Pakistan, emphasising that there is no place for malnutrition in twenty first century Pakistan. The inaugural officially took place at Ehsaas Nashonuma Center set up in Dogra Headquarter Hospital, Khyber Tribal District. Prime Minister visited the center and interacted with the staff, and beneficiary women and their children present at the registration, check-up/anthropometry, awareness, and specialized nutritious food distribution counters.

At the launch event, Dr. Sania Nishtar, Special Assistant to the PM on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation briefed the PM about the wide-ranging services being provided under Ehsaas Nashonuma. She demonstrated the android based Ehsaas Nashonuma app as well that will enable the electronic registration and tracking of beneficiary women and children under 23 months of age. “Ehsaas Nashonuma” will focus on improving nutrition and health in the first thousand days of life, the most critical period in early childhood development, starting at conception and finishing at age two.

The nutritional status of new-borns and infants is directly linked with the health and nutritional status of the mother before, during and after pregnancy. Forty percent of children in Pakistan are currently impacted by stunting due to malnutrition, with significant consequences for their health and educational outcomes. Under the program, every quarter conditional cash-transfers will be provided to the poorest pregnant and lactating women and those with children under two years old, totalling PKR 1500 for each boy child and PKR 2000 for each girl child.

Beneficiaries will be identified through Ehsaas Kafaalat and payments will be conditional upon the consumption of specialized nutritious food, immunisations, and attendance of health awareness sessions. The program is fully funded by the government of Pakistan. [QUOTE FROM PRIME MINISTER] The new program will sit under the Ehsaas umbrella initiative headed by Dr. Sania Nishtar, who accompanied the PM at the launch.

“Widespread malnutrition is holding our country back and previous governments have failed repeatedly to take concrete action. Ehsaas Nashonuma will be the first-time serious efforts have been made to give all children in Pakistan the best possible start in life,” said Dr. Sania Nishtar. “This flagship initiative is a cost-effective way to target the most vulnerable young children and improve their outcomes by addressing a number of interacting factors including nutrition, immunisations, and health promotion through education.”

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Message from Honourable Federal Minister for Energy Omar Ayub Khan on the occasion of 74th Independence Day of Pakistan

Islamabad, August 13, 2020 (PPI-OT): I extend my heartiest felicitations to my fellow Pakistanis on the auspicious occasion of 74th Independence Day of Pakistan. On this occasion, I salute our sons of the soil who have sacrificed their lives while protecting the ideological and geographical boundaries of the motherland, and have kept aloft our National Flag which symbolizes hopes and aspirations of the nation. This day reinvigorates our resolve to work hard for the progress and prosperity of our country.

Our forefathers envisioned a progressive Pakistani State where democratic norms could flourish and rule of law prevailed in accordance with the golden tenets of Islam, where compassion ‘Ehsaas’ characterized the bond between the state and her citizens. Our Prime Minister of Pakistan Mr. Imran Khan is enthusiastically pursuing this vision to establish our beloved country on the model of State of Madina as envisaged by our forefathers. Prime Minister’s passion to implement State of Madina model in Pakistan is a mission statement of present government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

On this Day, we feel saddened to see our Kashmiri brothers and sisters who are sieged in Indian Occupied Kashmir, and being subjected to the worst kind of oppression and ruthless state terrorism. The tyranny of current Indian Government has immensely endangered the peace of the region. Pakistan will continue to provide its political, moral and diplomatic support to our Kashmiri brothers for self-determination. May Allah grant us the strength to transform Pakistan on the model of the State of Madina. InshaAllah, Pakistan will achieve its rightful place among the comity of nations under the dignified, truthful and inspiring leadership of our Prime Minister Mr. Imran Khan.

President Dr. Arif Alvi emphasizes need for increasing quantum of online education in the country

Islamabad, August 13, 2020 (PPI-OT): President Dr. Arif Alvi has emphasized the need for increasing the quantum of the online education in the country. He said that online education saved the time of students from being wasted during the pandemic and it was imperative to promote it so as the student should benefit of it in the country. He expressed these views during a briefing, given by the Vice Chancellor Quaid-e-Azam University, Professor Dr. Muhammad Ali, at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, today.

The Vice Chancellor highlighted the role and contribution of university in promoting higher education. The President urged the management of the university to focus on research and development and produce graduates according to requirements of the market. The President lauded the role of university in providing quality education to students.

China to assist NAVTTC in setting up smart classrooms in TVET institutes across the country

Islamabad, August 13, 2020 (PPI-OT):National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) is going to upgrade and enhance capacity of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutes across the country by transferring state of the art Chinese technology to meet requirements of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) skilled workforce. For this purpose, China is providing technical training equipment worth PKR 650 million for establishing smart classrooms in 50 Pakistani institutes.

A meeting was held between Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training, Mr. Shafqat Mehmood and Chinese Ambassador H.E. Mr. Yao Jing at NAVTTC HQs today for this purpose and to discuss further areas of collaboration in TVET sector between China and Pakistan. “Pak-China Friendship has entered a new era of cooperation through initiation of socio-economic support by Chinese Government under CPEC” said the Federal Minister. “We are very keen to have close synergy and cooperation with China, the closest friend of Pakistan of all times, and collaboration in TVET sector will help us analyze what kind of jobs and training are required to meet the needs of CPEC mega projects including ML-1”, the Minister added.

“NAVTTC being the premier TVET organization and also a member of CPEC socio-economic Development Working Group will work closely with Chinese companies and CPEC Authority to prepare Pakistani workforce as per the needs of different kind of projects”, he added. 11-member Chinese delegation led by the Ambassador of China, H.E. Mr. Yao Jing, Parliamentary Secretary to M/o FE and PT, Ms. Wajiha Akram, Chairman NAVTTC, Syed Javed Hassan, Executive Director NAVTTC, Dr. Nasir Khan, were present in the meeting. The Minster apprised the delegation about the country’s largest skill Development Programme “Hunarmand Pakistan” under the supervision of NAVTTC, and said a large number of Pakistani youth are being trained in high end trades including artificial intelligence, cloud computing, automation etc. and conventional trades including electrician, plumbing etc.

The Minister told the delegation that for the first time in the country, a National Accreditation Council is being established to ensure a uniform certification regime that will be accepted in both the local and international markets. We are establishing international linkages in TVET sector that will help us gain global experience, he said. We are grateful to China for its never ending support and look forward to start various joint programmes for skill development of Pakistan, he stated. The ambassador of China, H.E Mr. Yao Jing congratulated the government for successful control and prevention of coronavirus and expressed hope that it will open new windows and opportunities for Pakistan to grow economically.

“The pandemic is far from over but I believe that Pakistan will manage it successfully,” the Ambassador stated. He appreciated the steps of the government taken to boost local industries including shipping and construction and various projects initiated for human resource development. The Ambassador said that many Chinese companies are waiting for investment in Gwadar and thousands of jobs will be available soon for Pakistani skilled workforce. 90 percent of labour for CPEC projects will be local and for training of engineers we will jointly launch various scholarship programmes. He also mentioned that 3 Pakistani engineers will be associated with 1 Chinese engineer for these projects.

20,000 scholarships and 1500 short term internship programmes to Pakistani workforce are in pipeline which will be started post Covid-19. Vocational education is a major area of CPEC bilateral collaboration and soon we will start training in agriculture sector to boost rural areas of the country. A National Vocational Institute is under construction in Gwadar and another one will be established soon, he said. The Chairman NAVTTC, Syed Javed Hassan thanked China for its support in TVET sector and said, “This initiative will help to improve the overall image of TVET institutes of Pakistan by enhancing Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) facilities for improved teaching and learning”.

Under this 650 million PKR project 50 smart class rooms will be established in leading TVET institutes across the country related to SEZs and annually around 50,000 TVET graduates would benefit from this project. Moreover equipment for 500 class rooms will also be provided by China under this initiative. Under this project course contents at the TVET institutes will be brought in line with the skill requirements of latest ICT curriculum to fulfill skill requirements of CPEC projects that will enable our skilled youth to gain employment in CPEC projects. Local institutes will be affiliated with the best Chinese TVET training institutes and students and trainers’ exchange and capacity building programmes would also be launched.

Livestock is a major source of livelihood for many farmers: Syed Fakhar Imam

Islamabad, August 13, 2020 (PPI-OT): Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research (NFSR), Syed Fakhar Imam said while meeting a delegation of FrieslandCampina Engro Pakistan Limited (FCEPL). Our ministry is interested in various development projects, to improve the livestock industry and its efficiency. The livestock industry should be given importance due to its full socio-economic potential. FCEPL delegation showed interest to initiate joint efforts to unlock the potential and strengthen the development of Pakistan’s dairy industry.

It wanted to promote sustainable living for farmers and reduce poverty by enabling dairy farmer empowerment. FrieslandCampina has been a champion of safe dairy nutrition in many countries across Asia, Africa, Europe and this step strengthens its commitment to Pakistan. FrieslandCampina is one of the largest dairy cooperatives in the world, owned by over 18,000 farmers. It enjoys a dairy heritage and R and D expertise of 148 years. It operates in 34countriesaround the world offering millions of consumers with dairy products that are rich in valuable nutrients.

Dr. Shireen Mazari condemns targeting of female journalists of Pakistan

Islamabad, August 13, 2020 (PPI-OT): Federal Minister for Human Rights Dr. Shireen Mazari condemns the targeting of female journalists of Pakistan. She said in her tweet “Disturbing to learn of women journalists being targeted and abused. Abusing women because they are critical is never acceptable. Journalists do their job and to target them, especially gender-based abusive attacks on women journalists, is absolutely unacceptable and disgusting.”

APHC urges IIOJK people to observe shutdown on Indian Independence Day

Srinagar, August 13, 2020 (PPI-OT): In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has appealed to the people to observe complete shutdown on August 15, the Indian Independence Day. The APHC spokesman in a statement issued in Srinagar said that India had no moral right to observe its Independence Day as it had held people and land of Kashmir illegally from last 73 years through military might.

He deplored that all basic human rights and civil liberties had been ruthlessly snatched and violated by India in the occupied territory. “Around six lakh people have been murdered, tens of thousands tortured and imprisoned, thousands killed in custody and fake encounters, thousands disappeared, eyes of thousands of our children damaged and with each passing day new records of terrorism are set. Shopian fake encounter is a fresh example,” he added.

The spokesman said history bears testimony to the fact that Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir is highest militarised place on the earth where more than one million Indian troops have been unleashed to terrorize and punish the whole population for demanding their right to self-determination.

For last one year the occupied territory has been turned into an open concentration camp where people have been subjected to unbelievable trauma and state terrorism, he deplored. The spokesman said, “Not only our identity has been snatched but New Delhi is racing towards a well-planned genocide to change the demographic character of the Muslim majority territory to satisfy its Hindu totalitarian and fascist goals.”

He appealed to the people of Kashmir to observe complete shutdown on the Indian Independence Day to convey a strong message to New Delhi and the world that the people of Kashmir reject its illegal and illegitimate occupation of their land and will continue their struggle to achieve their right to self-determination. Suppressing others’ freedom and celebrating own is an insult to the very idea of freedom, the spokesman maintained.

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