Day: November 25, 2021

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan inaugurated the Sohni Dharti Remittance Program (SDRP) offered jointly by the State Bank of Pakistan, Ministry of Finance and financial institutions here on Thursday at the Prime Minister House in Islamabad.

According to a SBP report, SDRP is an innovative program designed to incentivize Pakistani workers abroad to send remittances to Pakistan through banks and exchange companies and earn reward points. These reward points could then be used to avail different benefits offered by partner organizations. SDRP can be accessed conveniently from anywhere in the world through a mobile application.

In his address as the Chief Guest, the Prime Minister thanked the Overseas Pakistanis for posing confidence in the bright future of their homeland by sending record high remittances of over USD29 billion in last fiscal year FY21 and continuing the trend in FY22. The Prime Minister noted that his Government has always encouraged and appreciated the efforts of Overseas Pakistanis through various initiatives and programs. He especially mentioned the incentives like making remittances transfer free of cost, providing free airtime for remittances received through mobile wallets and covering marketing cost of remittance service providers.

The Prime Minister Congratulated State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Ministry of Finance (MoF), financial institutions, participating public sector entities (PSEs) and all other stakeholders as without their efforts the launch of this remittance incentive program would not have been possible. He termed the launch of SDRP as a tribute to the Pakistani workers abroad who have been contributing in the development of the country through sending their hard-earned money back to Pakistan. He also appreciated the concept of giving incentives through a digital application for sending remittances via official channels.

Governor SBP, Dr. Reza Baqir in his welcome address expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Prime Minister for his continuous interest and guidance in developing ways to facilitate the Overseas Pakistanis and workers abroad. Dr. Baqir elaborated that Sohni Dharti Remittance Program is another outcome of the PM’s vision. Referring to earlier initiatives, he said that Roshan Digital Account and the Naya Pakistan Certificates have been huge successes and the PM’s support has played an instrumental role in it. Adding further, he said that other initiative like the Mera Pakistan Mera Ghar scheme providing low-cost housing finance for first time home owners is another example where the PM’s vision and support has led to a significant takeoff of housing finance in the country, which had otherwise been negligible.

Dr. Reza Baqir said that he was delighted and privileged to announce the launch of SDRP, which is an excellent combined effort of Government of Pakistan, SBP, financial institutions and other organizations. Divulging the details, he disclosed that all home remittances sent from anywhere in the world through legal channels are eligible for inclusion in the SDRP. Besides, funds received in Roshan Digital Accounts which are consumed locally through conversion, and thus become non-repatriable, also qualify for inclusion in the program.

The Governor termed the launch of SDRP another step towards digitalization and financial inclusion that would play a significant role in digital onboarding of Overseas Pakistanis and their beneficiaries in Pakistan. The mobile application of SDRP is available at both Google android and Apple IOS platforms. He took the opportunity to appreciate the participating banks, PSEs and other stakeholders in this regard as it was due to their hard work that this initiative finally saw the light of the day.

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Mr. Shaukat Tareen congratulated SBP, PSEs and other relevant stakeholders for implementing the SDRP as a technology-based solution. He observed that the establishment of Pakistan Remittance Initiative in 2009 was a decision that has worked quite effectively to integrate country’s financial institutions with the ones abroad to help Pakistani diaspora in sending remittance to their families in Pakistan in a very efficient and cost-effective manner.

Under the SDRP, if an individual sends remittance to the limit of USD10,000 or equivalent in one fiscal year, then he/she will be awarded one percent as a reward and allotted a green card category. Similarly, for remittances sent by an individual between USD10,000 and USD30,000 or equivalent, the remitter would be given 1.25 percent as reward and classified into gold card category. Lastly, for remittances of more than USD30,000 or equivalent, he/she will be awarded 1.5 percent as reward and allotted a platinum card category.

The reward points can be redeemed by remitters and their beneficiaries for availing free of cost services from eight (08) participating PSEs at the moment. The services offered include international tickets by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and the provision to pay for extra luggage on international flights of PIA. Along with this, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has allowed Overseas Pakistanis to pay duty on import of mobile phone and vehicles. The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) will provide services related to the renewal of CNIC/NICOP and along with this, they can renew their passports without any hassle.

Overseas Pakistanis can avail life insurance premium payment through state life insurance services and a facility to pay schools’ fee of Overseas Pakistanis Foundation schools. Moreover, overseas Pakistanis will be able to make purchases through a network of utility stores across the country. Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) will provide preferential services to overseas Pakistanis under the umbrella of this program by installing separate counters and provide priority clearance whereas Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will ensure the placement of standees and banners for the promotion of this initiative.

KARACHI: Women workers should be given equal wages for same work, and the gender-based disparity in wages should be ended, said the speakers of a consultative meeting of women workers held at the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

The meeting was hosted by the Home-based Women Workers Federation (HBWWF) which also demanded end to harassment of women at workplaces. They demanded that at every workplace, anti-harassment committees should be established so that gender-based violence against women workers can be done away with. Representatives of women belonging to every walk of life attended the meeting.

The speakers said that this day is observed in the memory of the three great revolutionary sisters who are remembered in the history as Mirabal Sisters. These three real sisters emerged as the symbol of democratic independence, change and self-reliance. They continued to raise voice against the oppression of dictatorship till their last breath. As the result of their struggle and sacrifice, people of Dominican Republic got freedom from dictatorship.

In 1999 the general assembly of the United Nations announced to celebrate the day of November 25 as the international day for the elimination of violence against women. The speakers said that this day has lost its political importance and it is being observed just symbolically. Sadly, many people do not know about the importance of the day, and they not know that this is the day to remember the struggle for restoration of democratic values and human rights.

The speakers said that though on this day speeches are made about the atrocities meted out to women, but the problems faced by the working women and gender-based discrimination against them are seldom discussed. They said that in Pakistan for a long time the number of women workers in informal sector is on the rise; however, due to Covid these women workers are also the mostly affected.

Sharing their experience, women workers said during work they face different types of violence and discrimination, which cast negative affects on their social and economic life. Even today there is disparity between the wages of male and female workers, as the wages of female workers are less than male workers. This difference is about 40 to 50 percent. A lot of women workers work under contract system where they are not registered under social security institutions.

They do not get pension. The incidents of violence against women workers are not even reported. They said that discrimination and violence against women is the violation of law and constitution. They said the government of Pakistan in 2010 passed a Bill against harassment at workplace, and under this law the affected women could file their complaints with the provincial and federal ombudsmen, but due to prevailing social attitudes and injustice these cases are just lingered on.

The speakers of the consultative meeting said that even today the women workers face indecent treatment at their workplaces but there is no remedy available to them. No actions are taken at the governmental or factory level. The wages are female workers are lower than their male counterparts. Most of the female workers are compelled to work under contract system.

The work is rapidly shifting to informal sector, in which female workers are deprived of their legal rights. The contractors give wages as per their sweet will. The workers are threatened of being sacked if they demand raise in wages. In many sectors, especially home-based and domestic workers despite working day and night could not manage two square meals for their families. They are not given the minimum wages and growing price hike has hit them hard.

The speakers said that the food inflation is rising in Pakistan and almost 60 percent population lives beneath the poverty line. After every fifteen days fares of transport are raised due to which prices of all commodities are rising sharply.

The consultative meeting observed that the rights of working women are in fact human rights and without understanding them a gender equality could not be brought to society. The prevailing economic crisis and negative social attitudes are worsening conditions for working women, while the women working in informal sector are compelled to work on very low wages. To avoid this situation the only way is that the working women raise voice for their rights and struggle after properly organizing themselves and joining trade union in a large number.

The consultative meeting suggested and demanded to end all discriminatory laws against women. Harassment of women at workplace should be stopped and committees in this regard should be formed at all workplaces. The government of Pakistan should ratify the ILO Convention 190 and make proper laws in its light. The anti-harassment laws at workplace should be made a part of labor laws and women workers should be given proper protection.

The meeting further demanded that women workers should be pay wages as equal to male workers for the same work. Baby care centers should be established in factories and workplaces. Women workers should be given paid leaves for pregnancy. The law for home based workers should be implemented immediately. In media and curriculum anti-women content should be checked.

Those spoke included Zahra Khan of HBWWF, Saira Feroze of United HB Garment Workers Union, Nasir Mansoor of National Trade Union Federation, Dr Shershah of Pakistan Medical Association, Shaher Bano of Journalists Union, Nuzhat Sheerin of Sindh Commission for Status of Women, Mehnaz Rehman of Aurat Foundation, Karamat Ali of National Labour Council, Saeed Baloch of Pakistan Fisher Folkforum, political activist Akram KaimKhani, Seemi Sahir of Garment and Textile women workers, Saeeda Khatoon of Baldia fire affectees association, Nasir Parveen of Lady health workers and others.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Navy Ship ALAMGIR visited Port of Algiers, Algeria as part of Overseas Deployment. On arrival nearing the port, Pakistan Navy Ship was welcomed by Algerian Navy Ship and warmly received by Defence Attaché of Pakistan at Algeria along with Algerian naval officials, said Pakistan Navy in a statement on Thursday.

During stay at port, Mission Commander Commodore Azhar Mehmood and Commanding Officer PNS ALAMGIR Captain Bilal Ahmed Sana called on Commander Central Maritime Sector of Algerian Navy. During the interaction, matters of mutual interest, common maritime security objectives and enhancing Naval collaborations were discussed. The Mission Commander conveyed well wishes from Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi for the people of Algeria in general and Algerian Navy in particular. Mission Commander also extended his gratitude for whole hearted support provided by Algerian Navy in making ship’s stay comfortable.

Upon completion of port visit, PNS ALAMGIR conducted bilateral passage exercise with Algerian Navy Ship to enhance interoperability between the two navies. Visit of PNS ALAMGIR to Algeria provided an opportunity for both countries to further enhance the existing close diplomatic ties and cordial relations.

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi represented Pakistan at the 20th Anniversary meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) on Thursday.

The Council of Heads of Government is the second highest forum in SCO that focuses primarily on cooperation among SCO Member States in socio-economic, trade and financial sectors. Chaired by the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, H.E Askar Mamin, the SCO-CHG was held in a virtual format owing to the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions. SCO Member States and Observers States were represented at the level of Prime Ministers, Vice Presidents and Foreign Ministers.

In his statement, Foreign Minister Qureshi described the 20th anniversary year of the establishment of SCO as an important juncture where SCO leaders need to collectively chart the future course of the Organization. The Foreign Minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s “resolute commitment to continue to advance SCO’s goals and objectives.”

The Foreign Minister underscored that regional security was imperative in fulfilling SCO’s vision of regional prosperity and economic growth. In this endeavor, stability in Afghanistan was of critical importance for all member states of SCO. On its part, the Foreign Minister reaffirmed, Pakistan will continue to “play its role to assist our Afghan brethren in their hour of need by contributing towards its socio-economic development” as well as engage with regional and international partners to advance shared goals and objectives.

The Foreign Minister, emphasized that projects aimed at building regional connectivity as well as creating linkages between businessmen and entrepreneurs were important to achieve regional economic growth. Pakistan would be taking forward initiatives in these areas during 2022. The Foreign Minister also congratulated the Government of China on assuming the Chair of SCO Council of Heads of Government for 2022.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday strongly condemns Indian state-terrorism and extra-judicial killings of innocent Kashmiris in fake encounters and so-called “cordon and search operations” in IIOJK. 35 innocent Kashmiris have been martyred by the Indian occupation forces in less than two months in IIOJK.

The Foreign Office spokesman said in a statement today that three more Kashmiris have been martyred in a fake encounter on 24 November in Srinagar. Indian occupation forces are committing grave crimes against the Kashmiri people including enforced disappearances, targeted and extra-judicial killings, and collective punishment of the population.

The FO spokesman said: “No amount of Indian sophistry can obfuscate the Indian state-terrorism perpetuated with shameless impunity in IIOJK. Nor could use of brutal force ever succeed in breaking the will of the Kashmiri people struggling for their inalienable right to self-determination as enshrined in the relevant UNSC resolutions.”

He said the comprehensive Dossier presented by Pakistan in September this year provided incontrovertible evidence of the gross and systematic human rights violations and crimes against humanity by Indian occupation forces in IIOJK. Pakistan calls upon the international community to hold India accountable for the egregious human rights violations of the innocent Kashmiri people in IIOJK. The deteriorating situation in the occupied territory poses a threat to peace and security in the region. Pakistan also urges the international community to play its role for peaceful and durable resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions and wishes of the Kashmiri people, the spokesman said.

LARKANA: A new investigative report on Thursday revealed a 14.14% HIV positive cases ratio in Ratodero region in district Larkana. HIV positive cases continue to emerge in the Ratodero region as five persons of a family of Lolai community have been detected with HIV in Allah Abad village near Ratodero. Among the positive cases are two women, her two daughters of three and 10 years, and her cousin’s three year old son while another five year old girl have also been found HIV positive.

According to credible sources, the affected people complained to newsmen that vital tests at Taluka Headquarter Hospital (THQ) are not being carried out where the HIV Treatment Centre is located which include x-ray, hepatitis and urine DR for which they are advised by the doctors to get these tests conducted from outside at own expense.

Zahiran Khatoon and Nazul Khatoon said that they are very poor, hand to mouth, as their husbands are labourers and cannot feed their family in this massive inflation era. They said they live in a house jointly and claimed that they cannot afford high costs of these tests from private laboratories and demanded that the Sindh government should ensure provision of these and other essential diagnostic tests free of cost at the THQ Ratodero so that poverty-stricken ailing people could benefit because “we are extremely worried about our lives”.

Meanwhile, Dr. Imran Akbar Arbani, revealed while talking with this Scribe on Thursday that 297 HIV positive cases have been detected out of 2100 suspected cases who were sent by him from his private clinic after detecting symptoms for screening from December 2020 till 24th November, 2021, a detection ratio of 14.14% which is very alarming and a red alert for the authorities to wake up forthwith as such ratio is not found anywhere globally, which has been found in Ratodero region, he claimed.

Dr Arbani who detected the HIV outbreak at the very outset in Ratodero said previously 1540 people were detected till World AIDS Day of 2020 out of 42,533 tested which means, he added, the number of HIV positive cases has reached 1837 now most of them are children. He said 68 HIV positive cases were detected in Ratodero within the last three months from September to 24th November, 2021. Giving breakup of the positive case, he alleged that 27 cases were found in December 2020 out of 174, 14 in January 2021 out of 127, 27 in February out of 120, 20 out of 181 in March, 32 out of 270 in April, 31 out of 213 in May, 30 out of 213 in June, 28 out of 232 in July, 20 out of 201 in August, 21 out of 201 in September, 28 in October out of 231 and 19 out of 198 up to 24th November, 2021.

He said he has only collected these figures which were sent by him and am unaware of government statistics which are strictly hidden by the so-called bosses to hide their sheer negligence as they only believe in photo sessions without doing groundwork properly for the benefit of poor patients. He said quacks have once again emerged and they are doing their illegal work openly and daringly without any fear and check which need to be curbed with iron hands of law once for all to save mankind.

LARKANA: Central Information Secretary PPP-P and the member of the National Assembly Shazia Atta Marri has said that incompetent Prime Minister Imran Khan has jammed the country’s economy by creating petrol crisis and he has also made the nation cry by increasing their miseries.

This she said in a statement issued hereon today. Ms Marri said that the slogan of change has become an epidemic of destruction for the people of the country and it is the need of the hour to get rid of this epidemic.

She added that people have been harassed under a plan and Imran Khan has already announced an increase in petrol prices. She further said that sugar, petrol and all others kinds of mafias are ATMs of Imran Khan and present government is the first government which increased petrol prices in midnight.