Day: May 23, 2022

ISLAMABAD: Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo held a meeting with Federal Minister for Housing and Works Maulana Abdul Wasay in Quetta on Monday.

During the meeting, overall political situation and other matters of mutual interest were discussed. The meeting also discussed measures being taken to extinguish forest fire in Sherani district and issues relating to relief and rehabilitation of local people. It was agreed in the meeting that the federal and provincial governments will work together to extinguish the forest fire and ensure restoration and protection of forest and wildlife.

ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Monday unanimously passed a resolution condemning the illegal detention of Hurriyat leader Yasin Malik by Indian Government.

The House expressing solidarity with Yasin Malik, strongly condemned the Indian Government, which is not providing the basic human rights to him. The resolution moved by Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, asked the world community and human rights organizations to pressurize the Indian government not to infringe basic human rights of Yasin Malik.

The House ordered to send copies of the resolution to the whole world. Speaking on the occasion, Leader of the House Azam Nazeer Tarar said it is high time to send a message to the world community that Pakistani nation is united and stands behind the legal efforts of the Kashmiri leaders for their right to self-determination.

The House also passed four bills. These bills included the Pakistan Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, 2022, the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021, the Children (Pledging of Labour) (Amendment) Bill, 2022, the Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2022. The House has now been adjourned to meet again tomorrow (Tuesday) at 10:30 am.

ISLAMABAD: Kashmiri Hurriyat leader Yasin Malik’s wife Mishaal Malik has called upon the international community to play its role to stop India from violating fundamental prisoners’ rights in Yasin Malik case.

Addressing a news conference along with PPP leader Saleem Mandviwalla here in Islamabad on Monday, she said Yasin Malik has been kept in Tihar jail for the last three and a half years and he has been denied the legal access.

Mishaal Malik also asked Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to raise the matter at international forums. Speaking on the occasion, Saleem Mandviwalla assured Mishaal Malik that Pakistan will take all possible steps for the rights of Kashmiris especially Hurriyat leader Yasin Malik. He said if Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav’s case can be taken to International Court of Justice then why Yasin Malik’s case cannot be considered.

ISLAMABAD: Optima Integration Group, China and Asia Pak Investments, Pakistan in spirit to enhance Business to Business (B2B) Agricultural Cooperation between Pakistan and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Monday under the auspices of Board of Investment (BoI).

Federal Minister BOI Chaudhry Salik Hussain was the chief guest of the event and Secretary BOI Ms Fareena Mazhar also participated in the ceremony. The signatories included Mr Sam Siu, Chairman, Optima Integration Group and Mr Eusha Saleem Bajwa, CEO, Sino Pak Optima Technologies (SPOT).

Federal Minister BOI appreciated the interest of Chinese side in Agriculture and Livestock sector of Pakistan, particularly, Fish and Seafood industry. The Minister informed the participating parties about the establishment of Pakistan-China Business and Investment Forum (PCBIF) which is the result of joint efforts of Board of Investment (BOI), Chinese Embassy and All-Pakistan Chinese Enterprises’ Association (APCEA) and comprises of leading Pakistani and Chinese companies.

According to a press release, the project between the signing parties will comprise setting up an end-to-end supply chain for seafood export (79 species of fish are approved by General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC) for export from Pakistan to China), to be produced in Pakistan and transported to China for consumption there.

It will include a high-tech processing facility and related technology transfer. In the first phase, the estimated investment will be around USD 50-million and will create more than 100 jobs in Gwadar and Karachi in Fishing, Power and Logistics sectors.

In the long run, the Project will expand from fish to beef and goat – starting off with exporting beef with cold chain transport, then scaling with Chinese standard breeding, feedlot operations, vaccinations, track and trace technology, and slaughter and pack facilities in Karachi.

The federal Minister congratulated both the companies on successful signing of the MoU and encouraged Chinese companies to invest in Pakistan. He assured the Chinese investors of concerted efforts from BOI’s side to facilitate the potential investors.

ISLAMABAD: National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) has been reconstituted at National Institutes of Health (NIH) Islamabad on the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

According to a notification issued on Monday, all concerned Ministries and Directorates will remain engaged in the operations and functions of the NCOC. Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination will head the NCOC.

The NCOC will extend its operations for prevention, detection, surveillance, and response to public health emergencies at national level as well as facilitate coordination with all provinces and regions.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has urged the world to take note of Indian government’s mistreatment of political prisoners in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ and K).

In a tweet on Monday, he said conviction of prominent Kashmiri leader Yasin Malik on fake terrorism charges is futile effort to silence voices critical of India’s blatant human rights abuses. He said Modi regime must be held to account.

Meanwhile, in a statement, the Prime Minister strongly condemned the Indian government for its act of involving prominent Hurriyat leader Muhammad Yasin Malik in a fake terrorism case. He rejected the Indian tactics against Yasin Malik, who is a symbol of unparalleled bravery and freedom.

The Prime Minister pledged that the government of Pakistan will raise the issue of revengeful acts against Yasin Malik and other Kashmiri leadership at all international human rights forums and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). He said India has been pursuing a deliberate plan to remove the real Kashmiri leadership from the scene.