Category: Pakistan

F.P. Report

Islamabad: The Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser has said that Pakistan is an agricultural country whereas production of any agricultural country depends upon ample quantity of water. He further said that to overcome the scarcity of the water, we have to adopt such measures through which we cannot only meet our agricultural needs but can also generate employment opportunities.  He expressed these views while chairing a high level meeting to discuss the issues related to current water crises in the country, agriculture and farming.

The Speaker said that Pakistan was including in those countries which not only self-sufficient in agriculture commodities but also export them to other countries.  He said that agriculture in Pakistan depends upon Canals and rain water; however, due to shortage of water in rivers the cultivated areas were becoming barren.   In view of the water crises, we have to adopt such measures to save our farms to become barren, Asad Qaiser said.  He stressed the need to build small canals and lay pipelines to irrigate nearby water starve areas.

During the meeting, Director Pehur High Level Extension Canal Project informed that with help of Asian Development Bank, a project of Rs. 10.1 billion was initiated and under this project 91 kilometers land will be irrigated through Canals from Terbela Dam.  Besides this 30 kilometers long pressure pipelines will also be laid to irrigate the barren areas.  He informed that through alternative system, 228 Cusecs water will be supplied to Swabi and its environs to which 30 thousand 5 hundred acres land will be irrigated.

The Project Director apprised that this project will be completed by December, 2022. He explained the meeting that at present 6 thousand Metric Tons production is being produced by rain water from those areas and after completion of this Project the production will be increased up toone lac 15 thousand metric tons.  He further informed that areas including Jhanda Boka, Topi, Maini, Punj Pir, Kala Dara, Mian Dheri, Guju Khan Maira, Ambar, Indus, Nandrak, Shah Mansoor, Ganjwal, Jhendi Dhari will be benefited from this Project.

Asad Qaiser said that with the completion of this Project not only the agriculture production will be increased but also inhabitants of areas will get employment opportunities.  He said that the farmers of the areas will not only meet their food needs through production of agricultural commodities they will also enable to play their role in the country’s economic development by selling their products in markets.

 

 

F.P. Report

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Information Shaukat Yousafzai Monday criticizing PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said he could not even deliver political speech or give statement without support of written material.

In a reaction to Bilawal Bhutto’s recent public speech in Gilgit, he said that Karachi has turned into ruins due to corruption of PPP, adding that as the accountability process against Sharif family was getting pace, Zardari family was also feeling the heat.

He said Bilawal should focus on Sindh province which has been deteriorating day by day. Instead of pointing figure at others, Bilawal should listen to the cries of Thar’s children who were dying of food shortage and mal-nourishment.

He said that PPP and PMLN both were responsible for the existing economic crisis of the country, adding that PTI government was taking pragmatic measures to steer the country of this quagmire.

Shaukat said that PTI would not do politics on murder of SP Tahir Dawar and vowed that the culprits of the heinous crime would be brought to justice soon.

Criticising Awami National Party (ANP), he said ANP has no other issue except giving statements on Kala Bagh dam to keep their presence intact in political arena.

He said those who were making issue out of “U-turn” were in fact were failed and rejected politicians.

“The Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan is taking big decision in best interest of the country and nation while the opposition parties are terming it politics of U-turn,” he remarked.

 

 

Ahmad Nabi

LANDIKOTAL: Remained suspended for five days, clearing process resumed at Torkham border as clearing agents called off their strike here on Monday. Prior to it, a session of dialog was held in custom house, Peshawar that was attended by President clearing agents association, Torkham Haji Zerqeeb Shinwari, custom collector, Peshawar Saeed Jadoon, Lab chairman Syed Jawad Hussain Kazmi, representative of Pak-Afghan chamber of commerce and industry Zia-ul- haq Sarhadi, senior-vice President Khyber chamber of commerce and industry Haji Jabir Shinwari and assistant commissioner Muhammad Imran.

Sharing details Haji Zerqeeb Shinwari said that an agreement signed with concern authorities according to which 12 MB net and undisrupted electricity would be provided in Torkham to make possible smoothly run of Web Based One Custom (WeBoc) system. Secondly retail and mixed items loaded trucks would be cleared on old procedure of custom clearance and thirdly increase would be made in staff working at export and import disks in Torkham custom center to facilitate the agents, exporters and importers.

“Most of our demands have been accepted therefore we end our strike”, Shinwari said. The news of ending the strike was received warmly by the truckers who stuck on the border for the last five days and till filing the report clearing process of export and import started again at Torkham border.

 

 

F.P. Report

Islamabad: President Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Masood Khan visited Air Headquarters Islamabad, today. The visiting dignitary called on Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan in his office.

During the meeting, President Azad Jammu and Kashmir lauded the unmatched professionalism of the personnel of PAF and also appreciated significant contributions made by Pakistan Air Force in defending the aerial frontiers of Pakistan. He also lauded the pivotal role played by PAF in carrying out successful operations against terrorism in recent years.

 

Shafiuddin Shafqi

KARAK: Three persons were killed and five others critically injured in two separate road accidents. In the first incident a speedy truck ran over a rickshaw in which six cricket players were travelling on Indus Highway near Jail Chowk.

According to police sources and the relatives of the victims informed that the players of Karak city were going to the Jail cricket playground for a match in a rickshaw but when they reached near Jail Chowk a speedy truck ran over the rickshaw resultantly all the six players sustained critical injuries in the accident. They were immediately rushed to the district headquarters hospital Karak where one of the player identified as Hashim Khan resident of Algadi Karak succumbed to his injuries. The other five injured players identified as Wali Hassan, Khan Wali, Muhammad Najid, Muhammad Hamayun and Muhammad Fiazan were referred to a hospital in Peshawar. The doctors stated the conditions of the five players very critical.

Meanwhile the relatives of the injured players held a protest demonstration against the unavailability of doctors and other facilities inside the hospital. One of the relatives of injured Salahuddin Khattak, who is also a general councilor, strongly condemned the absence of doctors and unavailability of the facility in the hospital. He claimed that only one doctor and one nurse was available in a so big emergency for five injured persons.

He added that the injured were critical and they needed urgent treatment but one doctor could not cope with the situation and added that there was no facility and equipment in the emergency of the hospital as they were bringing everything from outside which took time.

He demanded of the Prime Minister Imran Khan and district administration to provide doctors and facilities to the hospital. He added that it was the lone big hospital near Indus Highway from Kohat to DI Khan and accidents taking place on Indus Highway frequently due to the very bad shape of the highway.

Later, they dispersed peacefully. In second road accident two motorcycle riders identified as Muhammad Salih son of Sadiqur Rehman resident of Dengarwala and Abdullah Khan son of Sada Khan resident of Babalkhel killed on the spot when their motorcycle plunged into a ravine on Indus Highway near Amberi Kalay due to over speeding. Later the local people shifted the bodies to district headquarters hospital Karak and after autopsy the bodies were handed over to their relatives for burial.

 

 

 

 

F.P. Report

PESHAWAR: Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shah Farman directed all higher educational institution to submit monthly report on the use of drug and unwanted political activities in the premises of varsities.

He also directed higher education department to constitute a committee in this regard, saying that the use of drug, negative use of social websites and unnecessary political activities in the premises of varsities would not be given space.

He issued these directives during a meeting with the vice chancellors of all public sector universities here at Governor House, Peshawar on Monday.

The Governor said that the government is committed to ensuring quality education and training in the national interest, adding, all universities should also work for character building of students besides their professional obligations as quality education and good moral character is imperative for every student.

He emphasized upon teaching faculty to fulfill their responsibly as negligence in discharge of professional responsibilities is tantamount to committing a crime. “This is our collective responsibility to make prosperous future of our young generation.”

He said all varsities should have to take students’ quality education and training as challenge to produce talented youth in the province.

At the end, the Governor asked all public sector universities to prepare their fiscal budget on the basis of genuine requirement. He also stressed merited and policy based recruitment.

He said Governor House is always opened to solve the administrative, financial and others issues faced by the varsities and this office will continue its support for the betterment of educational standard in all varsities.

 

 

 

Rafiullah Mandokhail

ZHOB: “In Balochistan the state-run schools are in precarious condition. Around 70 percent of public sector schools have no basic facilities including drinking water, electricity and boundary walls. In the province 1.2 million children are in state-run schools, while 0.5 million children are in private institutions.”

This was revealed by General Secretary Balochistan Private Schools Foundation Nazar Barech while addressing ‘Parents Day’ function held at Islamia Public high school. Chief Guest of the event was Chairman of the association Jaffar Kakar. Tehsildar Sadiq Hariphal, Balochistan Private Schools Grand Alliance leaders Naqeeb Shahwani, Rozi Khan Khilji, Rehmat Ghaznavi, Amir Umair Kakar, private school heads, parents and students in a large number attended the event.

Addressing on the occasion Chairman BPSF Jaffar Kakar, Ex-DDO Wazir Khan Nasar, Haji Saleem Nasir, Hazrat Ali Kausar, President Government Teachers Association Ayoub Mandokhail, Ex-president Shafiq Mandokhail, President PTI Dawood Mandokhail and school principal Abid Nasar termed the students greatest national asset and the teaching a noble profession. They said that despite the repeated tall claims of the provincial government two million children are still out of school in the province.

“In Balochistan the schools are built on political-base instead of need-base. Resultantly in urban schools the classrooms are packed while in rural areas the schools have no basic facilities” they lamented. Quoting education statistics they said there are 13674 government-run schools besides hundreds of private schools in the province.

The total number of students in government-run schools is 874000 and the provincial government bears Rs.2800 expenses per student every month in the state-run schools. They maintained.

“In Zhob district 26000 students are getting education in 360 government-run schools, while 20,000 students in 50 private institutions”. They lamented that public sector has been neglected deliberately and despite sterling contribution to education the sector has been pushed to the wall and termed the Private Regulatory Bill an indiscriminate act towards the sector. The leaders rejected the board exam for fifth and eight classes at private schools.

The students on the occasion presented speeches, tableaus and national songs. Tehsildar Sadiq Hariphal gave away cash prize of Rs.10, 000 and Haji Kajal Nasar gave away the cash prize of Rs.5, 000 to students for their performance. Principal Abid Nasar presented souvenirs to the guests.

 

F.P. Report

QUETTA: Commander Southern Command lieutenant General Asim Saleem Bajwa on Monday said that Balochistan was pushed towards the menace of terrorism through a proper planning. He, however, said that development work has been started in the province now. He shared his view while addressing a ceremony in connection with operational excellence award in Quetta. He was the chief guest of the event.

Addressing the ceremony, Asim Saleem Bajwa said that we fought against the menace of terrorism untidily and remained successful. Lauding services of Frontier Constabulary, the southern command commander said Frontier Constabulary established rite of the government through its skills while fighting in the Terrain Mountains of the provinces.

He paid homage to the FC officials for their courage and determination against anti-state elements. Bajwa further said FC is here for your protection and security and following their courage the province had been put on the path of development and progress.  He said, “Peace and development are deeply inter-linked with each other.” The southern commander added few anti-state elements had pushed the youth of Balochistan to the mountains. He, however, said over 70 people have surrender before the military and resumed normal activities in the society.

Talking on under-development of the province, he said that they were jointly working for the development of Balochistan.

 

 

F.P. Report

PESHAWAR: Acting President Awami National Party (ANP)  Haji Ghulam Ahmed Bilour on Monday said that Late ANP  leader Haji Muhammad Adeel  would be always remembered for his principled stance on national issues and his unprecedented contributions to strengthen democracy in the country.

He expressed these views on the second death anniversary of   Haji Muhammad Adeel at his residence. A large number of party workers, relatives and friends of Seantor Haji Muhammad Adeel were present on this occasion.

Gulam Ahmed Bilour said that Haji Adeel always advocated rights of smaller province and never compromised on provincial autonomy, adding he was a role model for young generation in politics.

“He stands by the party in every difficult time and remains loyat to the party till his last breath”, he said. Ghulam Bilour said that Haji Adeel had played key role in   7th NFC Award, arrears of net hydle profit and   18th amendment.

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China on Monday agreed to improve cooperation in railways sector and deputed technical teams to work out the details in this regard.

According to the details, the consensus was made during a meeting between the delegations of the two countries in the federal capital. The Chinese delegation of National Railway Administration (NRA) was headed by An Lusheng while Sheikh Rashid Ahmed was leading the Pakistani side.

Talking to the delegation, Sheikh Rashid said no modification will be made in framework agreement between National Railway Administration of China and Pakistan Railways.

He said that up-gradation of ML-1 should be completed swiftly as the current government was interested in up-gradation of ML-1 and ML- 2.

The minister said ML-2 and ML-3 were also important for China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and China should give importance to these projects.

It is pertinent to mention here that Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, on Sep 10, had said that Pakistan Railways was the backbone of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.

“Unfortunately no work has been done in the past in the railways under the CPEC,” he said in a video message.