Category: Islamabad

ISLAMABAD:French Ambassador Marc Barety called on Naval Chief Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi here on Friday.

Matters pertaining to mutual interest, including bilateral maritime cooperation and regional security situation, were discussed in the meeting.

ISLAMABAD:In occupied Kashmir, former puppet Chief Minister and Member of Indian Parliament, Ghulam Nabi Azad has said that BJP government is misleading world over prevailing situation in territory.

According to reports, while talking to media persons in Jammu, he said New Delhi is still clueless how to run government in Jammu and Kashmir.

He said, after repealing Kashmir’s special status and dividing it into two Union Territories, the BJP government has attempted to mislead the world over the situation in Kashmir.

He said, now dozens of ministers from Modi government will be visiting Kashmir during next week to witness only ‘destruction’ and spread falsehood and befool innocent people of the territory.

ISLAMABAD:Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) has announced the final result of its Bachelor (B.A) programmes (Semester Spring 2019).

The programmes include B.A (General) B.Com and B.A Mass Communication. The result has been placed at the University’s official website and the same has been conveyed to the relevant students at their postal address.

Meanwhile, the AIOU opened its first phase of admissions for the Semester Spring, 2020. Academic programs offered in the first-phase include Matric, F.A, MS/M.Phil, PhD and BS (face-to-face).

The second phase will begin from March 2, through which applications will be invited for Master, B.Ed (Associate degree) and teachers training programmes. The two-phase admissions plan made the process more efficient and facilitated for the aspiring students.

ISLAMABAD:Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on National Health Services Dr Zafar Mirza has said the government is taking revolutionary steps to ensure availability of quality medicines at affordable prices to the people.

Talking to a private news channel, he said government has taken strict action against pharmaceutical companies for unauthorized increase in the prices of medicines. He said the government is reviewing the Drug Act in order to redress the apprehensions of Pharma industry. He stressed upon the pharmaceutical companies to support the government in provision of health facilities to the common man.

Islamabad:A workshop was organized by IUCN Pakistan on the Flagship Report under a project titled “Global Assessment of the State of Nature and Biodiversity Safeguarding actions in Northern Pakistan” in Islamabad Friday. This project is funded by the Italian Cooperation.

The purpose of the workshop was to interact with the stakeholders on the links between environment and security. The workshop was attended by the IUCN Members, government officials and civil society representatives.

In her remarks by Ms. Aban Marker Kabraji, Regional Director, Asia emphasized on the importance of the workshop as it aims to elicit key inputs and views on environment security and migration situation in Pakistan. She further said that the issue of environment and security needs to be analysed in a variety of contexts, including different natural resources, different regions, as well as environmental, institutional, socioeconomic, and political circumstances.

In his remarks Malik Amin Aslam, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Climate Change, Ministry of Climate Change said that the Pakistan government is driven by the passion of the Prime Minister Imran Khan has taken on the agenda of ‘Clean and Green Pakistan’ which revolves around 5 main areas that is, Billion Tsunami afforestation, Electric vehicle Policy, Recharge Pakistan, Clean Green Pakistan Index and Ecotourism.

He further said that due to the sustained efforts of the government and MoCC, the awareness about Climate change in Pakistan has risen from 30% to 80% in the last 5 years. The government has also been successful in curbing the powers of Mafias i.e. Land mafia, Timber Mafia, Water Mafia, Waste Mafia etc., that were hindering environmental security and sustainable growth.

Mr. Mark Halle, former Director of Institute of Sustainable Development, and an expert in environment and security and authoring the flagship report, explained that: degradation of natural resources and ecosystems is leading to a loss of livelihoods and increased competition for remaining resources. He noted that competition over water resources is on the increase, and that environment is a factor in growing internal migration, exacerbation social and communal tensions in the cities.

He cautioned that a serious worsening of threats could lead to breakdown of governance and overwhelming of state capacity to manage.

Ms. Emanuella Benini, Head of Italian Cooperation in Pakistan, said in her remarks that the flagship report was an essential tool for paving the way for more robust strategies for addressing environment and security issues in Pakistan. She appreciated the role of the Ministry of Climate Change.

During the welcome remarks by Mr. Mahmood Akhtar Cheema, Country Representative, IUCN Pakistan said that IUCN has played a key role in environmental rehabilitation and sustainable development in Pakistan with several joint initiatives including holding dialogues on several environmental issues including water scarcity and environment and security.

He further said that climate change is creating numerous problems in the country, particularly in the coastal areas, where damage to wetlands and rising sea levels have been observed, causing several villages to disappear.

He emphasized on the coordinated efforts that are required to address these challenges. He said that IUCN Pakistan has worked on climate change issues and ecosystem restoration through various initiatives, particularly in the mangrove ecosystem in the coastal areas, where a significant portion of mangrove forests have been restored.

ISLAMABAD:In occupied Kashmir, India has planned to set up Nazi type concentration camps for Kashmiri youth to starve, torture and kill them.

According to reports, addressing a conference in New Delhi, warmonger former Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat has given a clear indication of plan.

He said that young Kashmiri children are being radicalized and they need to be identified and put in de-radicalization camps.

Meanwhile, All Parties Hurriyat Conference and other liberation organizations in their statements have said that in the name of de- radicalization, the Kashmiri youth would be tortured in new camps.

They also appealed to world human rights organizations to take cognizance of Indian atrocities in Occupied Kashmir and impress upon New Delhi to give Kashmiris their right to self-determination.

ISLAMABAD:Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has appreciated the Indian Muslim woman journalist Rana Ayyub for exposing the fascist agenda of Modi by executing her professional responsibilities with bravery.

In a tweet on Friday, she said when a valiant person raises voice against oppression and persecution, it becomes a bright and commemorative chapter of history.

She said Rana Ayyub has unveiled the false claim by Modi government that “all is well” in the Kashmir and revealed deserted roads and darkness of fear in Srinagar before the word.

The SAPM said an article titled “Blood and Soil in Narendra Modi’s India,” published in a journal of New York, is a splendid acknowledgement of the capabilities of Rana Ayyub.