Day: January 16, 2023

PTI finds it hard to accept Pakistan’s diplomatic recognition at a global stage: Sherry Rehman 

Islamabad, January 16, 2023 (PPI-OT):Federal Minister for Climate Change, Senator Sherry Rehman has said that the international community has commended Pakistan’s diplomatic leadership and efforts during COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh and the International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan in Geneva. In response to a question during the Senate’s session on the official visits of Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Minister Rehman said, “This is the first time in Pakistan’s history that a Foreign Minister is footing the bill for his expenses from his own pocket.

Last year, we took a working delegation to COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, where Pakistan’s leadership as the Chair of G77+China was commended globally as we led from the front, and our diplomatic efforts led to the establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund. While the whole world is acknowledging Pakistan’s leadership at the diplomatic stage, it is clear to see that PTI can’t accept Pakistan’s success at a global level.” She further said, “PTI needs to stop criticizing the Foreign Minister for his official visits, and he has to do his job to take Pakistan out of the international isolation that the PTI had plunged the country into. Our delegations are not going on these visits for a vacation or self-seeking gains, but to present Pakistan’s case at the international stage.

PTI is the one who needs to give answers as they were using these trips for trafficking jewellery and stealing from Toshakhana.” Minister Rehman highlighted that the success of the International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan in Geneva was a vote of confidence in the Government of Pakistan’s 4RF plan by the international community and development partners. “The pledges we have received in Geneva are for project and programme funding for Pakistan’s reconstruction, which was well above our expectations and showed trust of the international community in the efforts of the coalition government.

The government invited representatives from Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan, which sent out a powerful and rare message of federal unity by the Government of Pakistan in a time of extreme political polarization. The provinces presented their plan for reconstruction during the plenary session that was chaired by the Foreign Minister. We decided to put public interest instead of partisan politics at the heart of our policies.

While we are putting all our efforts in rebuilding the country, Imran Khan has been busy in creating a false narrative of hatred and division and has no concern about the 33 million flood victims. While speaking to the media, Minister Rehman said, “If the PTI wants to come back to the National Assembly and take a U-turn on their resignations, they are more than welcome to do so. Pakistan Peoples Party has never stopped anyone from using their democratic right, but it has to be according to the constitution.”

For more information, contact:
Principal Information Officer,
Press Information Department (PID)
Tel: +92-51-9252323, +92-51-9252324
Fax: +92-51-9252325, +92-51-9252326
Email: piopid@gmail.com
Website: www.pid.gov.pk

Uri, Pulwama attacks planned by Modi regime: NC key leader

Srinagar, January 16, 2023 (PPI-OT):In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, National Conference leader Mustaffa Kamal has said that both the 2016 Uri attack and 2019 Pulwama attack were planned by the Modi-led Indian government, which experts said were carried out to defame Pakistan. Mustaffa Kamal, who is brother of party chief Farooq Abdullah, in a statement in Srinagar further said that there were no photos or bodies of the [killed] soldiers, and that all those who lost their lives were from the Scheduled Caste (SC) categories.

“It is certain now that they (attacks) were planned by the Government of India. We didn’t see their photos and bodies and it is clear that all those 30-40 (soldiers) were SCs,” Kamal was quoted as saying. Reiterating Abdullah’s demand for setting up the ‘Truth and Reconciliation Commission’, the NC leader said the “truth” behind the attacks will reveal after an investigation is conducted.

“Till the time it is clarified who is to blame, not one but all five fingers are pointing at the Government of India,” he added. India saw two of the deadliest terror attacks of the decade in 2016 and 2019. An army camp was attacked by heavily armed men in Kashmir’s Uri on September 18, 2016, killing 17 soldiers. On February 14, 2019, a CRPF convoy was attacked in Pulwama, killing 44 soldiers.

For more information, contact:
Kashmir Media Service
Phone: +92-51-4435548, +92-51-4435549
Fax: +92-51-4861736
Email: info@kmsnews.org
Website: www.kmsnews.org

Minister Rehman to represent Pakistan’s Climate Resilience and Development Agenda at WEF at Davos 

Islamabad, January 16, 2023 (PPI-OT):Federal Minister for Climate Change, Senator Sherry Rehman will be representing Pakistan at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos on their invitation from 16-20 January 2023. The Federal Minister’s engagements include a packed calendar of high-level meetings with political leaders, corporate executives, international organizations, climate action practitioners, media and plenary forums on climate, environmental, economic and social issues.

This year the signature Pakistan Breakfast held annually by the Pathfinder Group will feature Minister Rehman as the Chief Guest, where she will be talking about Pakistan’s challenges and opportunities at a time of acute climate stress. Minister Rehman will also attend the high-level meetings of the Global Risks Advisory Board, and Informal Gathering of World Economic Leaders (IGWEL), where she will stress the need for urgent climate action in this decisive decade to get back on track towards the 1.5°C temperature target set under the Paris Agreement.

She will also be talking about Pakistan’s Resilient Recovery, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Framework (4RF) program in multilateral meetings as well as keynoting at a dinner for Women Leaders, among other engagements. On the invitation of Mr. John Kerry, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, Minister Rehman will attend the ministerial level meeting of Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FLCP) where the ministers will discuss mobilizing finance, investment, and technical support for ambitious forest and climate action.

The World Economic Forum annually brings together leaders from all walks of life to label common global challenges of the present and the future, and to identify pathways to overcome them. As the world currently faces a polycrisis in the shape of economic, social and environmental challenges, this year’s Annual Meeting is being organized under the theme, “Cooperation in a Fragmented World”. The meeting is expected to bring together around 3,000 leaders from all over the world to forge understanding and alignment and exchange insights that can drive tangible action on key global issues.

For more information, contact:
Principal Information Officer,
Press Information Department (PID)
Tel: +92-51-9252323, +92-51-9252324
Fax: +92-51-9252325, +92-51-9252326
Email: piopid@gmail.com
Website: www.pid.gov.pk

Mehbooba, Tarigami condemn forced eviction of Kashmiris from their lands 

Srinagar, January 16, 2023 (PPI-OT):In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the President of Peoples Democratic Party, Mehbooba Mufti and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami have strongly condemned the forced eviction of Kashmiris from their lands under the new land law. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regime in context with removal of encroachment of land and other properties of Muslims is to make Muslims of Chenab and Pir Panjal valley political and economic slaves and homeless so that they migrate to Kashmir valley or any Indian state for begging and to live poor labour life

Mehbooba Mufti in a tweet protested against this oppressive law of the Modi government and said that laws were made for the welfare of the people, but in Kashmir, the Modi government is using the laws to disempower the people, insult them and punish them. She said that the Modi government had introduced a new land law to evict Kashmiris from their lands in the occupied territory because it had failed to suppress the freedom struggle of Kashmiris through brutal use of military force and black laws prevailing in the occupied territory.

Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami in a statement issued in Srinagar said, “The admin is totally blind towards the destruction of the livelihood of the rural poor. Is this the beginning of the process of “Acche din”? The administration is conducting false propaganda that the land is being acquired for development purposes but the facts are contrary to its claims.”

It is rather unfortunate that the authorities have mobilized all its machinery to dispossess the poor and excluded of the land registered as Kahchairi, Shamilat and so on. The people who are living off this land have found themselves in a bind after the government’s recent order, he added.

For more information, contact:
Kashmir Media Service
Phone: +92-51-4435548, +92-51-4435549
Fax: +92-51-4861736
Email: info@kmsnews.org
Website: www.kmsnews.org

Unidentified dead body found in IIOJK’s Sangam

Srinagar, January 16, 2023 (PPI-OT):In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, an unidentified male dead body was recovered by the locals of Sangam area in south Kashmir’s Islamabad district. An official told the media that on Monday afternoon, locals after spotting a body near Panjpora crossing in Sangam area, called the police station, Sangam, to rescue the body.

Police rushed to the spot and shifted the body to Govt Medical College, Islamabad, for medico-legal Formalities, he said. The identity of the body was not known till filing of the report.

For more information, contact:
Kashmir Media Service
Phone: +92-51-4435548, +92-51-4435549
Fax: +92-51-4861736
Email: info@kmsnews.org
Website: www.kmsnews.org

16-century historic mosque demolished in UP’s Prayagraj 

New Delhi, January 16, 2023 (PPI-OT):A historic mosque, Shahi Masjid, was demolished by the authorities in Prayagraj district, Uttar Pradesh. The mosque was reportedly built in the 16th century during the reign of Sher Shah Suri, the founder of the Sur Empire in India. The demolition took place in the strong presence of Indian forces. As per Mohammad Babul Hussain, imam of the mosque, the matter was being heard in the lower court and listed for hearing today (January 16).

He said the demolition was carried out even though the matter was taken to the lower court after Allahabad High Court had dismissed the petition for staying the proposed demolition in August last year. “We told the officials that the matter is in the lower court but the mosque was still demolished,” he added. Babul Hussain said they filed an affidavit in the court on January 10 following the demolition.

To save the historic mosque, locals had first gone to the High Court, which in turn asked the petitioners to go to the Civil Court. “We took the matter to the civil court, which rejected our stay. After this, we went to the lower court where the case is currently going on,” Imam said. The demolition of the mosque drew varied reactions from denizens on social media.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s former chair of International Water Cooperation Ashok Swain shared a video of the mosque being bulldozed on his official Twitter handle.

For more information, contact:
Kashmir Media Service
Phone: +92-51-4435548, +92-51-4435549
Fax: +92-51-4861736
Email: info@kmsnews.org
Website: www.kmsnews.org

Indian police file charge sheet against two Kashmiri youth

Jammu, January 16, 2023 (PPI-OT):In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Indian police on Monday filed charge sheet against two Kashmiri youth in a false case registered against them in 2021. The police filed the charge sheet before the court of 3rd Additional Sessions Judge, Jammu, against Altaf Hussain Shah and Mohammad Qasim.

The police have claimed that the two youth were associated with a mujahid organization and had thrown a grenade in the house of one Romesh Singh in Rajouri in 2021 and due to the explosion a three years old child, Veer Singh died and several others sustained injuries.

For more information, contact:
Kashmir Media Service
Phone: +92-51-4435548, +92-51-4435549
Fax: +92-51-4861736
Email: info@kmsnews.org
Website: www.kmsnews.org