Day: October 23, 2020

Points of public importance consume one third of Senate proceedings

ISLAMABAD: The Senate transacted most of its agenda on Friday and consumed almost one third of the proceedings in points of public importance, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in the Daily Factsheet.

The Senate met for two hours and 27 minutes. The sitting started at the scheduled time of 1030 hours. The Chairman presided over the proceedings for two hours and five minutes while remaining sitting was chaired by a member of Panel of Chairpersons. The Deputy Chairman was not present. The Leader of the House attended the entire sitting. The Opposition Leader was present for an hour and 57 minutes.

As many as 15 lawmakers (14%) were present at the outset and 10 (9%) at the adjournment of sitting. The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, PML-N, MQM and JUI-F attended the sitting. One minority lawmaker was present.

The House took up five out of 15 starred questions while lawmakers also asked ten supplementary questions. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs responded to a Calling Attention Notice (CAN) about unregistered pharmacies and medical stores in the country being run without properly qualified and licensed pharmacists. Another CAN on the agenda was deferred on the request of relevant minister. It was about China Pakistan Economic Corridor Authority Ordinance, 2019 which is still holding the field. Eight lawmakers including Leader of the House spoke on points of public importance for 51 minutes (34 percent of the proceedings’ time).

The entire opposition staged a token walkout against non-laying of Ordinances in the Parliament in violation of the Constitution. The House was adjourned to meet again on October 26, 2020 (Monday) at 1500 hours.

6-day anti-polio drive begins in Punjab on Monday

ISLAMABAD: A six day anti-polio campaign will begin in Punjab, from Monday.

During the campaign, anti-polio drops will be administered to nineteen point four million children up to the age of five years.

Meanwhile, chairing a meeting in Lahore Provincial Health Minister Dr Yasmeen Rashid reviewed arrangements for a successful campaign.

FM urges UN to help implement its resolutions on Kashmir

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has urged the United Nations to exercise its legal and political authority to ensure full implementation of its resolutions on Kashmir.

He was addressing a ceremony in connection with the 75th anniversary of the United Nations here on Friday. The Foreign Minister said it is deplorable that universal ideals of UN Charter are continuously being violated and defied with impunity nowhere more egregiously than in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ and K).

He said led by ‘Hindutva’ ideology, the BJP-RSS regime in India is incessantly resorting to aggressive posturing against Pakistan and other neighbouring countries that seriously imperils regional peace and security.

He said the UN Day reminds us of our collective responsibility to abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and lends an opportunity to renew our commitment to the noble ideals enshrined in it.

The Foreign Minister reiterated Pakistan’s firm and abiding commitment to multilateralism, with the United Nations playing a central role. He said Pakistan’s contribution to the UN Peacekeeping is one of the most visible manifestations of our commitment to multilateralism.

He said Pakistan is one of the longest-serving and largest contributors to the UN peacekeeping. Since 1960, we have contributed over 200,000 peacekeepers to 46 Peacekeeping Missions around the world.

The Foreign Minister said Pakistan also continues to co-host one of the oldest Peacekeeping Missions – the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan.

He said Pakistan also continues to host 3 million registered and unregistered Afghan refugees, which remains one of the most protracted refugee crises in the world.

While talking about Corona Pandemic, the Foreign Minister said Pakistan is one of the few countries which have successfully restricted the spread of Coronavirus.

He said our Government followed a strategy of smart lockdowns to ensure that we save people from dying from the virus, and from dying from hunger.

He said in the same vein, Pakistan was also able to combat the threat of Desert Locust, the worst of its kind in more than 25 years.

He commended the role of the World Health Organization, UN Food and Agriculture Organization and other financial institutions in helping the Government to calibrate its response for overcoming these two emergencies, simultaneously.

17 federal, 14 provincial agencies working to control drug smuggling in the country: Senate told

ISLAMABAD: The Senate was informed on Friday that there are no specified routes which are used for drug trafficking at Pakistan’s border areas.

Responding to a question during Question Hour, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said terrain offers many opportunities to traffickers for adopting infrequent routes.

He said seventeen federal and fourteen provincial agencies are working to control drug smuggling in the country. He said intelligence network of Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) has been expanded inside main cities to locate and hung drug smugglers.

He said FM-101 dedicated time for 03:00 to 04:00pm has been earmarked to ANF where masses are being given awareness on drugs and its adverse effects.

Responding to another question, Ali Muhammad Khan told the House that government is taking special initiatives to maximize registration of females.

Responding to points of PPP Leader Raza Rabbani, Ali Muhammad Khan said government is committed to carry forward China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project successfully. He said CPEC is a game changer project not only for Pakistan but also the whole region.

Taking the floor, Leader of the House Waseem Shahzad said Pakistan is heading towards economic stability under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan. He said today an increase is being witnessed in the country’s exports and remittances. The House will now meet on Monday at 3:00 p.m.

RC Sindh-Baluchistan tennis tournament next month

KARACHI: The first Rotary Club Sindh Baluchistan Tennis Championship will be held next from November 1 here at DA Central Club.

Events in the tournament are men’s singles, Under 21 boys singles, girls U-21 singles, ball boys U-15 singles and tennis coaches men’s singles.

The last date of entry in the tournament is October 26.

Entries can be sent to Muhammad Khalid Rehmani, Secretary Rotary Club Sports. He will act as referee of tournament. Farzana Khan will be the tournament coordinator.

PHF to host National Hockey Championship in Rawalpindi

KARACHI: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) will host its premier domestic hockey event, the 66th edition of National Senior Hockey Championship at Mari Petroleum Hockey Stadium in Rawalpindi from November 3 to 15.

According to the ranking of the last edition of the tournament, eight teams namely NBP, SSGC, WAPDA, Army, PIAC, Navy, Port Qasim and Police have directly qualified for the event.

Meanwhile, two top teams of the Tray Championship, which will be held before the national championship, will qualify for the national championship.

PHF has said that the event will be played according to tournament regulations issued by the FIH.

PCB makes changes to points system for Quaid-e-Azam Trophy

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has introduced a new points system in the PCB Paying Conditions for the first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, which commences from Sunday, 25 October.

PCB says it made changes to encourage the six Cricket Association sides to play an attacking and positive brand of cricket. It added that the new system is result-oriented.

The 31-match tournament will be played across four Karachi venues, including the National Stadium, which will stage the five-day final from 1-5 January 2021.

To encourage the batsmen to increase their strike-rates, the PCB, in a major switch, has decided to reward five batting points to sides who will reach the 400-run mark inside 100 overs in the first innings.

According to the amended playing conditions, bonus batting points will be awarded as: 200 runs inside 100 overs – 1 point; 250 runs inside 100 overs – 2 points; 300 runs inside 100 overs – 3 points; 350 runs inside 100 overs – 4 points; 400 runs inside 100 overs – 5 points.

On the other side of the coin, the PCB has also introduced a two-fold bowling points system.

According to the over-based points system, three wickets inside 100 overs will give one point; six wickets inside 100 overs will give points; eight wickets inside 100 overs – 3 points.

Additional all-out bonus points will be allocated as 200 runs or less inside 100 overs – three points; between 201 and 250 runs inside 100 overs- two points; between 251 and 300 runs inside 100 overs – one point.

Meanwhile, the PCB has also amended certain playing conditions as well. In case of a walk over or if a team refuses to play, penalties will be imposed. The match shall stop there and then and will not be restarted.

The Playing XI and the officials of the defaulting team shall be banned for 12 months (it will be a global ban). All central contracts of that team will be cancelled. The team can still play the event with replaced players/officials. The points scored during that match will be nullified. The opponents will be awarded maximum points.