Category: Islamabad

ISLAMABAD:Foreign Office has said Pakistan-US relations have been reset with the successful and productive visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to Washington.

At his weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal pointed out that Prime Minister Imran Khan and the US President Donald Trump’s held comprehensive talks focusing on building a broad-based and enduring partnership between the two countries and strengthening cooperation to bring peace, stability and economic prosperity in South Asia.

The spokesperson said Pakistan and the US have decided to establish a mechanism to follow up on the understanding reached during the visit.

He said there was no mention of ‘do more’ during talks with the US administration. We want to move forward on the basis of mutual respect.

He said Pakistan welcomes US President Donald Trump’s offer of mediation on Kashmir dispute. Expressing surprise over Indian reaction on the mediation offer, he said India should give a matured response for resolution of the outstanding dispute.

He said Pakistan’s approach is peace and dialogue based for resolution of the dispute in accordance with the UN Security resolutions and the aspirations of Kashmiri people.

Responding to a question about LOC violations by India, the spokesperson said Pakistan gives a befitting response to the Indian fire. He, however, said Pakistan desires peace and 2003 ceasefire agreement must be respected.

When asked about the next meeting on Kartarpur corridor, Dr Muhammad Faisal said Pakistan is prepared for the talks. He said the Indian side has to give the dates. He, however, expressed the confidence that the meeting will soon be held.

About Afghanistan, the spokesperson said Pakistan’s role has been that of facilitator which has been acknowledged by everybody including the United States. He said we want an Afghan led and Afghan owned solution of the conflict.

To a question about Iran, the spokesperson said all parties must work towards easing the tension in the region. He said Pakistan is watching the developments in the region very closely.

He said security of commercial and shipping supply lines in the Strait of Hormuz and beyond is very important and critical.

ISLAMABAD:Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah visited the community center of Dawoodi Bohra Jamaat in Karachi on Thursday.

He met the Spiritual Leader of Dawoodi Bohra Jamaat Syedna Muffadal Saifuddin and expressed his gratitude to him for visiting Karachi.

ISLAMABAD:National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has so far recovered a record Rs326 billion from corrupt elements and deposited the amount into national exchequer.

This was stated by Chairman NAB Justice (r) Javed Iqbal while listening to the people’s corruption related complaints at an ‘Open Ketchery’ in Islamabad.

The chairman issued on spot directives for resolving the complaints. He directed Director Generals of regional offices to listen to the people’s complaints on Thursday of every month.

Justice Javed Iqbal said NAB is taking serious steps to return the looted money in Mudarba and Musharka scandals.

He said the Bureau has arrested forty three suspects involved in Mudarba and Muskarka Scams and some of them have already been taken to task.

RATODERO:One more child out of 41 people was detected HIV positive when his blood was screened at Taluka Headquarter Hospital here on Thursday bringing the toll to 958 out of which 785 are children and 173 are adults. However nobody was found positive at any of the five outreach sites established in Banguldero, Naundero, Lashari, Pir Bux Bhutto and Garhi Yasin where only 19 people were tested.

Meanwhile, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) of the Health Department, Government of Sindh, Karachi, has written a letter on July 23, to Dr. Fizza S. Gillani, Assistant Professor (Research), The Warran Alpert Medical School of Brown University, USA, on visit of the team of Research Scientists Division of Infectious Disease from Brown University, informing her that “Government of Sindh has been pleased to agree to facilitate your delegation / group to visit Ratodero/Larkana in 4th week of July, 2019 or any date convenient to your group”. Moreover, the letter added, a responsible officer of Health Department / Provincial Program Manager, Sindh HIV/AIDS Control Program (SACP), will accompany with the delegation/group at Larkana during the visit. She has now been requested after expiry of three month’s efforts to convey the detailed visit schedule at the earliest.

The team will bring a “communication project for Larkana” the design of which is “a quick response to this developing healthcare emergency in rural Pakistan and is designed by the project team with experts from Brown University, Jinnah Sindh Medical University Alumni Association of North America (JSMUAANA), and APPNA Institute of Public Health (AIPH)”. “This is a volunteer project with the goals of disseminating HIV knowledge of different forums including teaching institutions, hospitals, hospital administrations, and other health care provider groups in Pakistan. The main objective is to empower the healthcare providers with HIV knowledge to reduce stigma and increase awareness about HIV/AIDS in Pakistan.”

The SACP has also so far failed to establish ART Center in Ratodero so that affected children could be given required medicines at their doorstep relieving them to undergo extra costs on travelling to Larkana despite passage of three months as screening camp was established on April 25, 2019 as since then massive outbreak of children has emerged which has shaken the world.

ISLAMABAD:Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is marking Youm-e-Tashakur today (Thursday) on the first anniversary of 2018 general elections.

In a series of tweets on Thursday, Special Assistant on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan said the aspirations of people and twenty three year old political struggle of Imran Khan bore fruit in the general elections last year.

The Special Assistant said 25th July is the day of expression of public opinion as on this day the people gave a strong support to the mission of purging the country of corruption.

Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said those who used the politics for loot and plunder are being brought to justice. She said the nation has rejected their dynastic politics.

ISLAMABAD:Seventy-four suspects were arrested during search operations in different areas of Kohat and Mardan on Thursday.

According to details, fifty suspects were arrested in different areas of district Kohat while twenty four suspects including five facilitators of terrorists and two proclaimed offenders were arrested in Mardan. Arms and ammunition were also recovered from them.

ISLAMABAD:Adviser to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on tribal districts Ajmal Khan Wazir has said that the tribal people have actively participated in first ever election for the provincial assembly.

In a statement in Peshawar on Thursday, he said peaceful, impartial and transparent election in tribal districts is a victory of tribal people and PTI government.

He said transparent elections in the area reflect the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan about tribal people.

Ajmal Wazir hoped that the newly elected MPAs will work to bring positive change in lives of people of merged districts.