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Panama cuts diplomatic ties with Taiwan, switches to China Panama has cut long-standing diplomatic ties with Taiwan and established relations with China. The government of Panama said it recognizes only one China and Taiwan is part of it. China regards Taiwan as a breakaway province. A number of world countries maintain ties with Taipei instead of Beijing, and Panama is the latest which has abandoned ties with Taiwan. Qatar asks UN agency to resolve Gulf airspace row Qatar has asked the United Nations’ aviation agency to intervene in an airspace rights’ dispute with three Gulf States following an escalating diplomatic row and trade blockade. Informed sources said that Qatar has sent a letter to the International Civil Aviation Organization’s governing council in an effort to resolve the dispute after Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain closed their airspace to Qatari flights. ICAO spokesman William RaillantClark said the agency could not make an immediate comment on the matter. Govt focusing Agriculture development in GB Minister Agriculture GilgitBaltistan Janbaz Khan has said that Government is focusing Agriculture development to bring a positive change in life standard of farmers. This he said while talking to our correspondent in Gilgit. He said Government is also introducing certified wheat seeds to increase its production in Gilgit-Baltistan. He said nine hundred commercial orchards have been set up in Ghizer with participation of local communities. Federal govt announces fully funded overseas scholarship for Ph D students Federal gover n ment has announced fully funded overseas scholarship for Ph. D. students in top universities of the world. Sources of Higher Education Commission told our Peshawar correspondent scholarships are being offered in Agriculture, Engineering and Technology, Management S c ie n c e s a n d B u s i n e s s Education, Medical Sciences, Physical Sciences and Social Sciences. Last date for submission of online application forms is 30th of this month. The initiative will provide free education facilities to talented and deserving students of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA abroad. Punjab govt spending billions of rupees to provide relief in Ramzan: Shahbaz P u nj a b C h i e f M i n i s t e r Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif says Punjab government is spending billions of rupees to provide relief to the masses in the holy month of Ramzan. In a statement issued from Lahore on Tuesday, Shahbaz Sharif said that provincial government has also launched various mega projects to improve quality of life of deprived segment of society. He said that historic relief package of over nine billion rupees is being given to provide relief to people during the holy month under which eight point seven eight billion rupees are being spent on the provision of subsidized flour. He said that he is personally monitoring implementation of Ramzan Relief Package to ensure provision of its fruits to the common people.
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China seeks to mediate
Qatar-Gulf crisis: PM returns home after talks with Saudi King
China has expressed a desire to take on a role as mediator between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s office said in statement. “China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi is scheduled to visit Kabul soon where he will meet Afghan officials to discuss ways to improve Afghanistan-Pakistan relations,” the statement said.
It added that the Chinese foreign minister would work to discuss the possibility of setting up a meeting between the four members of the Quadrilateral Coordination Committee ─ Afghanistan, Pakistan, the United States and China. The four-nation group was formed in January 2016 for reconciliation in Afghanistan through the
direct peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government. “It is the first time that China wants to be a mediator in Afghanistan’s peace process and soon the Chinese Foreign Minister will visit Kabul. Peace with Pakistan was our demand and this must be solved between government and government,” Ghani said,
RIYADH—Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday has returned to Pakistan from Saudi Arabia with a hope that the current impasse between Gulf countries would be resolved soon. During a day-long visit, PM Nawaz met Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz in Jeddah and discussed the emerging situation in the Gulf countries. The premier reaffirmed the strong commitment of the people and government of Pakistan to territorial integrity and sovereignty of
This step ranks among the most important areas of the Action Strategy, and is aimed at promoting products of small-scale economic entities in foreign markets. Specialists of the Fund have already held negotiations with representatives of the Chamber of Importers of Weihai City and ShinDaDong Company, where the Chinese side expressed a special interest in importing food products produced in Uzbekistan. “Today, the Fund runs its representative offices in Russia, South Korea, Italy, Bu lga r ia , Sw it ze rla nd , Germany and Spain. Aiming to expand the map of exports of small and private businesses of Uzbekistan, the Fund intends to open representative offices in Latvia, Singapore, Portugal, Czech Republic, Lu xembou rg, Poland, the UK, Kuwait and other countries in the near future,” its press service reported. Major functions of FSESBPE representative offices abroad include the conduct of market research, search for potential importers of domestic products, promotion of our brands in foreign markets, assistance to Uzbek entrepreneurs with participation in exhibitions, fairs, tenders and other
events. In addition, they organize visits of foreign importers to our country for negotiations with local suppliers of products, assist in obtaining international certificates, licenses and other permits, as well as organize foreign internships for specialists of Uzbek industrial enterprises. This March, a Fund’s representative in Dresden, Germany, initiated an event on trade, economic and investment capacity of Uzbekistan. It was organized by the Economic Development Agency of Saxony, Commerzbank, and other German organizations. The guests were detailed on trade and economic potential of Uzbekistan, the conditions for doing business, on the activities of the fund and its services that are aimed at increasing export capacity of small and private business entities and full support for their export activities, as well as on the opportunities of supplies of Uzbek products to the German market. German companies expressed interest in FSESBPE activities and pre-export financing services for small businesses, assistance to entrepreneurs with participation in exhibitions and fairs abroad and with the implementation of projects
aimed at the manufacture of export-oriented products. The FSESBPE Representative Office in Germany and the German company Orchidee Europe BVBA reached an agreement on the distribution of domestic textile products in an annual volume of $10 million. The last year’s visit of the delegation of South Korea’s largest retail company Lotte Mar t to Uzbekistan is another good example of effective operation of FSESBPE representative offices abroad. They hosted meetings in interested organizations and visited the companies engaged in the textile and food industry, as well as alcohol production. T he bu si ness relat ions established during the last visit have brought fruits: a Bofanda textile company is exporting its textile products in Lotte Mart as early as this year. To enable the supplies, the Fund has provided pre-export financing to Bofanda in the form of an interest-free financial loan for the purchase and manufacture of finished textile products, as well as exports to the Republic of Korea. This suggests that FSESBPE representative offices abroad support export initiatives of domestic business entities.
between Pakistan, Afghanistan
according to the statement. The development follows a spate of deadly attacks in the country. Two weeks ago, a suicide truck bomber detonated his explosives in the Kabul city, killing over 150 people wounding hundreds other. No group, including the Taliban, claimed responsibly for the attack.
Uzbekistan to open its representative office in China
Saudi Arabia and safety of Harmain al Sharifain. While expressing solidarity with Saudi Arabia, Nawaz Sharif said the Kingdom has a very special place in the hearts of Pakistanis. King Salman thanked the Prime Minister for his visit and appreciated the exceptional success of Pakistan against extremism and terrorism. He also reiterated strong commitment and support of the Kingdom for all issues of interest for Pakistan, including matters of its national security. Finance
Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz were also present with PM. Meanwhile, Qatar has supported Kuwait’s efforts to mediate between Doha and Arab states. The support was declared by Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh bin Abdulrahman alThani while talking to newsmen in Paris after meeting his French counterpart. He said Qatar wants to resolve the issue through dialogue.
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THE DESTINATION
NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL PHOTO OF THE DAY
British expert at UN asks for holding plebiscite in Kashmir
The Deosai National Park is located between Astore and Skardu in Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan. It has an average elevation of 4,114 metres (13,497 ft) above sea level, making the Deosai Plains one of the highest plateaus in the world. Exclusive photo by The Destination team.
EU warns Israel against settlement units in
The European Union has war ned Israel about its plan for setting up new settlement units in the West Bank. In a statement, the EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini said Israel’s continued policy of settlement expansion is illegal under international law and further complicates the prospects for viable two-state solution. She reiterated support for a negotiated two-state solution in the region saying it is the only way to fulfill the legitimate aspirations of both parties and achieve just and lasting peace. Israel has approved construction of approximately 1,800 new settlements in the West Bank.
from occupied Kashmir, Palestine and Western Sahara, and UN’s independent expert on the promotion of equitable international order, Alfred de Zayas. Kashmiri leader Altaf Hussain Wani moderated the event, while Sardar Amjad Yousuf was a keynote speaker. Three international NGOs with special status at the UN organized the event:
World Muslim Congress (WMC), the International Islamic Federation of Student O rga n i z at ion s ( I I FSO), and International Muslim Women’s Union (IMWU). UN Independent expert Alfred de Zayas said the World Body is duty bound to implement UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions on Kash mir. Refer r ing to states that became independent without
shedding blood after the fall of Soviet Union, de Zayas wondered why Kashmir freedom was taking time despite so many sacrifices. The eightmember Kashmiri delegation comprises Altaf Hussain Wani, Syed Faiz Naqshbandi, Hassan al-Banna, Pervaiz Shah, Sardar Amjad Yousuf, Sha m i m Shawl, P rof. Shagufta Ashraf and Ahmed Quraishi.
ISLAMABAD—Pakistan is beefing up security around Chinese nationals streaming into the country on the back of Beijing’s ‘Belt and Road’ infrastructure splurge. China has often urged Pakistan to improve security after pledging around $57 billion to build power plants, railways and roads that will cross the Himalayas to connect western China with Pakistan’s Arabian Sea port of Gwadar. Pakistani officials have outlined extensive security plans that include thousands-strong police protection forces, tighter monitoring of Chinese nationals, and in the province of Balochistan – where the two teachers were kidnapped on May 24 – a review of security arrangements. The protection forces will buttress a 15,000-strong army division set up specifically to safeguard projects in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) initiative, which has been credited with rejuvenating Pakistan’s $300 billion economy. “We are already alert, but this
incident has made us extra vigilant over Chinese security,” said Amin Yousafzai, deputy inspector-general of police of Sindh, which is home to about 50 million people. Sindh is raising a protection unit of about 2,600 police officers to help safeguard 4,000 Chinese working on CPEC projects, and another 1,000 working in other businesses. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, which signed billions of dollars in contracts with Chinese companies, is also conducting a census of Chinese nationals and raising a force of about 4,200 officers to protect foreigners. Balochistan would ‘review the whole security arrangement’ and Chinese nationals who come in a private capacity should inform the authorities about their activities, said Anwaarul Haq Kakar, spokesperson for the provincial government. The number of militant attacks in Pakistan has fallen sharply in recent years, but violent groups still pose a
threat, and in Balochistan separatists opposed to CPEC also carry out attacks. The Islamic State killings were a rare attack on Chinese nationals in Pakistan, but the incident has unnerved Islamabad and the growing Chinese community. Miftah Ismail, a state minister involved in CPEC planning, said Pakistan had devoted huge resources to improving security and Chinese investors should not be put off by a one-off attack. “The country’s security situation has improved,” Ismail said. The scale of the task facing security agencies is increasing by the day as more Chinese entrepreneurs arrive to set up businesses. Most stay in big cities, but some venture into riskier areas. The challenge for authorities will increase in 2018, when the corridor is due to become operational and trucks ferrying goods to and from China cross more than 1,000 km (620 miles) of road in remote Balochistan areas currently off-limits to foreigners. The
two Chinese-language teachers were kidnapped by gunmen pretending to be police, but little else is known about how they ended up in Balochistan’s provincial capital, Quetta. Balochistan’s gover n ment af ter wa rds evacuated 11 other Chinese nationals based in the city. “There are no more Chinese living in Quetta”, said Ahsan Mehboob, Balochistan’s inspector-general of police. It was not clear why the 11 were there. The new Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa forces resemble the Special P rot e ct ion Un it (SPU ) recently established by Punjab, which has attracted most Chinese investment. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was already working on plans to set up the force, but after the Quetta kidnappings the process was ‘accelerated’, according to one regional official. Sindh was also planning to set up a force before the Quetta attack, and was now expanding it, another official said.
ISLAMABAD—Pakistan has the capacity to produce 2.324 million megawatts (MW) electricity annually through solar energy and Photovoltaic (PV) system. Due to its geographic location, Pakistan can generate
more electricity from solar energy than other countries of the world including India, Germany, Spain and China. It h a s b e e n re p or t e d that Pakistan can make 1,920 kilowatts per meter squared per hour (kWh/
m2) electricity from sunlight. Researcher Munawar Hasan has said in his report that Pakistan can produce one third electricity more than Germany through solar energy. He said that solar energy can not only
overcome the power shortfall in the country, but can also provide electricity to people at lower cost which will ensure the progress of national economy.
Pakistan to beef up security around Chinese nationals
Gulf crisis threatens Qatar Airways transit business: experts DUBAI— Qatar Air ways has made Doha a global hub in just a few years, but barring it from Gulf states’ airspace threatens its position as a major transcontinental carrier, experts say. Along with its Gulf peers -- Dubai’s Emirates Airlines and Abu Dhabi’s Etihad -- Qatar’s national carrier has captured a sizable portion of transit travel, capitalising on the Gulf’s central geographic location. But political differences between Qatar and neighbouring Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, as well as Egypt, exploded last week into a full-blown regional crisis, including severing air links. The measures meant cancelling dozens of daily flights by Qatar Airways and carriers from those countries, and also mean Qatari aircraft have to make long diversions, mainly around Bahrain and the vast airspace of Saudi Arabia. “The impact is already bad because it has driven up flight times and therefore costs. As the airspace tightens, the problem grows much worse,” said aviation analyst Addison Schonland from the US-based AirInsight. “Operationally, this is a constraint for the airline that is almost certainly now seeing its profits cut deeply,” he added.
GENEVA—British expert a nd h i s t or ia n Vic t or ia Schofield has said that the holding of UN-supervised plebiscite under UN Security Council resolutions (UNSC) is a key requirement to resolve the Kashmir dispute. Speaking at an international event on the sideline of the 35th session of Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, the author of several books and papers on Kashmir conflict, Schofield said, “If holding a plebiscite across the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir is a problem, the UN could instead go for holding regional plebiscites, which means UN-supervised referendums in each region of the state.” She told diplomats and rights defenders that, “The solution of Kashmir dispute through UN-supervised referendum was awaited.” Schof ield compared life in Kashmir under Indian army curfews to the life in cities in Europe to highlight daily Kashmiri misery. She was joined by activists
Qatar is almost completely encircled by Bahraini airspace that covers a large part of Gulf waters, and its planes usually cross Saudi airspace on their way to the rest of the Middle East, Africa and South America. Instead, Qatari planes are now using Iran’s airspace to get to Europe and skirting the southeastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula to avoid Saudi territory.The flight time for a Qatar Airways trip to Sao Paulo in Brazil, for example, has increased by around two hours, according to f light detecting websites. Flights to North Africa are now travelling over Iran and Turkey towards the Mediterranean, instead of flying more directly over Saudi Arabia and Egypt. However, f lights to Europe appear largely unaffected as they continue to use the Iran route, with a just small diversion to avoid Bahraini airspace. The Islamic republic has opened its airspace to around 100 more Qatari flights daily, increasing Iranian air traffic by 17 percent. “For the future, Qatar flights’ routes and fuel burn will be increased as a result of this,” said aviation analyst Kyle Bailey. Longer routes will bring passenger numbers down, argued Schonland. “Future longhaul reservations will come
down, because even with the high service and excellent amenities, who wants to sit for longer on an airplane?” he said. About 90 percent of Qatar Airways traffic through Doha is transit, according to a report by CAPA Centre for Aviation. Saudi Arabia and the UAE represent the two largest markets for Qatar Airways, said Bailey. Losing these “will no doubt be devastating to the carrier’s financial bottom line, wiping out about 30 percent of revenue,” he said. Qatar Airways is also the largest foreign carrier operating in the UAE, and the fifth overall after the country’s own airlines, according to the CAPA report. Part of this transit traffic is likely to be scooped up by Qatar Airways’ regional competitors Emirates and Etihad, experts say. “ No quest ion about it. Especially Emirates because they have the A380 (superjumbo) capacity to catch the traffic without even a hiccup,” said Schonland. “There is no doubt that Emirates and Etihad would surely be reaping the benefits... In the long term, the increased passenger loads on the other carriers may push up demand causing ticket prices to go up on the other carriers,” said Bailey. T he t wo UA E ca r r ie r s
have wide global networks, and together with Qatar Airways have drawn the ire of European and US legacy carriers who accused them of benefiting from state subsidies to expand into their traditional markets. But Emirates and Etihad, as well as other car r iers f rom cou nt r ies involved such as the UAE’s flydubai and Air Arabia, will also lose out with the suspension of their Doha routes. “There can be few winners” from the ban, according to the CAPA analysis. Contrary to the argument that Emirates and Etihad might boost their numbers of transit passengers, CAPA argued that the ban affects the reputation of Gulf aviation in general.
Pakistan can produce electricity from solar energy more than India
“The nuances of the ban are too particular for the public to understand, but the broader shadow it creates spreads widely,” it said. “Amidst growing security concerns and the existing laptop ban, passengers are unlikely to dig in to the reason for this ban. Gulf aviation becomes less attractive for all,” it added. The United States and Britain banned laptop and tablet computers on flights from certain Middle Eastern and Turkish airports in March for security reasons.
Silva, Costa keep Spain in front of Italy SKOPJE—Spain kept their noses in front of Italy in the fight for automatic qualification for next year s World Cup as David Silva and Diego Costa were on target in a 2-1 win in Macedonia. The two European giants remain locked on 16 points at the top of Group G of UEFA qualifying after Italy saw off Liechtenstein 5-0 in Udine. However, Spain have a superior goal difference and host the Azzurri in their
next qualifier at Real Madrid s Santiago Ber nabeu on September 2. Only the group winners automatically book their place in Russia with second place left to fight out a two-legged playoff in November. “But we are at home, we hope the Bernabeu will be a fortress and, at the end of the day, it is in our hands.” Vic t o r y e x t e n d s Ju le n Lopetegui s unbeaten record as Spain boss since replacing
Vicente del Bosque just under a year ago, and the visitors looked to be set for an easy night in Skopje after a dominant first 45 minutes. “We have achieved our objective which was the three points in a difficult game for the time of year,” said Lopetegui. “Other than the goal, we didn t suffer, but it is true that just a one goal difference made us struggle more than expected after seeing the first-half.” Silva has been the talisman
of Lopetegui s reign and took his tally to eight goals in his last 10 international caps by finishing off a fine move involving Andres Iniesta and Jordi Alba for the opener on 15 minutes. Dimitrievski was forced into one last save four minutes from time to prevent Costa adding a gloss to the scoreline, but Lopetegui s men comfortably saw out the final stages for a hard-earned three points.
THE DESTINATION
Wednesday - June 14, 2017
3
NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL Rana Tahir Shahbaz
known is Issyk-Kul lake. Issyk-Ata
Over 90% of Kyrgyzstan surface area is above 1500 m, of unspoiled nature and primordial beauty of towering mountains, which give Kyrgyzstan more than 28 thousand rivulets, sparkling streams and lucid brooks. There are 1923 large and small lakes in the Republic but largest and best 78 km South-East of Bishkek located Issyk-Ata valley and spa complex based on local sulphur hot springs known since 2-3 centuried A.D. The hot springs also give the hot water to 3 public outdoor swimming pools built on the hill over the valley.
Upstream Issyk-Ata river (30 minutes hike) there are 10 m waterfall and ancient place of worship and piligrimage - Buddha inscription carved on the face of the boulder by ancient people in 10th century. Further up the valley there are 3 alpine lakes which lie in a full day distance from the end of the road. Also from here start trekking routes to Alamedin valley and some other neighboring ravines. The upper grounds of the valley are used by local shepherds as pastures where they breed their numerous herds of horses, sheep and cows. It is well advised to stay in water no more than 10-15 minutes, as longer staying may affect negative influence on one’s heart. Issyk-Kul lake
Enclosed on all sides by the snowy peaks of the Tien Shan Mountains, lake Issyk-Kul literally meaning “hot lake” is said to be the world’s second-largest alpine lake or second highest navigable lake in the world after lake Titicaca in South America, the lake never freezes even in the depths of winter due to some thermal activity, strong winds, physics of deep water
and unique microclimate over the lake.
Founder and Chief Editor: Rana Tahir Shahbaz Editor: Tayyaba Imran Contact #: 051-8314196 Fax#: 051-8315196 Mob#: 0300-8503803, 0347-5959747 www.thedestination.com.pk info@thedestination.com.pk
Recreation Tourism in Kyrgyzstan Measuring 180 km long by 60 km across the lake presently is about 700 metres deep at it’s deepest and sits 1600 metres above sea level. In lake flows 118 large and small rivers, but there is no streams flowing out of the lake. That is why the water is slightly salty. The lake’s water consist of 10 billion tonns of different salts, but there is 5 times less salt then in Oceanic water what is right enough for keeping the lake clean and very comfortable for swimming. Called “The Pearl of Central Asia” the lake changes colour depending on day time and sun position, from pale green to turquoise blue. Also there are many great valleys with number of trekking/climbing/ walking possibilities on the southeast part of Issyk-Kul area. Jety-Oguz Jety-Oguz – balneal-climatic resort is located on the north slot of Terskey Ala-Too, in Jety-Oguz gorge. At an altitude of 2200 meters above sea level, by Jety-Oguz rocks in a Jety-Oguz river valley, in the most pictorial place with coniferous woods, at 28 km distant from town Karakol and 329 km distant from Bishkek.
Writers are requested to send their contributions at editor@thedestination.com.pk
French elections: President Macron’s party set for huge parliamentary majority With 97% of ballots counted, Macron’s party and its ally MoDem have won over 32% of vote. In France, President Emmanuel Macron’s party Republique en Marche, has topped the first round of voting in parliamentary elections. With ninety seven percent of ballots counted, Macron’s party and its ally MoDem have won more than thirty two percent of vote. The centre-right Republicans have under sixteen percent while the previous ruling party, the Socialists, have won just 7.3 percent of vote. Projections show La Republique en Marche and its ally MoDem as set to win up to 445 seats in the 577-seat National Assembly, after second round.
Haqqani network denies involvement in recent Kabul attacks
In Afghanistan, the head of the militant Haqqani network has denied any involvement in recent deadly attacks in Kabul and western Afghanistan. In an audio message by a Taliban spokesman, Sirajuddin Haqqani has condemned the suicide truck bombing in Kabul took place on May 31 that killed at
least 150 people, which was followed by more suicide attacks during a funeral and a bombing near a mosque in Herat province. Afghan security officials have accused the Haqqani network of being behind the attack in Kabul. But Sirajuddin Haqqani insisted that none of the three attacks was planned by them.
Japan seeks to expand arms deals with Southeast Asia
Indian police beat 80-yearold woman, break her bones BHOPAL—Police in Indian state of Bhopal broke the bones of an 80-year-old woman after beating her mercilessly. According to details, four to five police personnel entered the woman Kamlabai’s house and started beating her, the husband, both their sons and four grandsons with sticks. “I was sitting in my house along with my husband, sons and grandsons when police barged in. They accused me of hiding stone pelters inside my house. I denied, and said they were free to look around but they started beating me and my husband with sticks,” she told Times of India on Friday evening. Her husband, Shivnarain, said, “I was lying on my cot when the policemen entered our house. They started abusing and assaulting us despite
our pleading that we were not rioters.” The elderly woman also says that police fired four to five tear gas shells into her house. “Our house is on a farm behind Phanda petrol pump. Chased by police, some protesters ran through the courtyard of my house and into the farms behind us, but neither I nor any member of my family was pelting stones at police. We were all sitting inside the house since we knew that the situation in the village was tense,” Kamlabai said. Police also took her grandsons into custody. The woman’s arm was fractured whereas her husband received injuries on the legs. They went to meet Madhya Pradesh chief minister in order to inform him about the atrocities. However; they were turned away by police.
The resort location, which is in the south of the average widths, leads to a big deal of hours of sun radiance, high sun irradiation voltage, enriching with ultraviolet rays, making less dusty, high air ionizing. The year sum of sun radiance is 1828 hours. The atmosphere pressure is low - 602 mm. mercury pole. In the summer the average month air temperature is +13-15ºC, in the winter - the coldest temperature compare with others resorts Kyrgyzstan. It was built in 1931. Since 1965 the resort works all year. There are 300 rests for treatment. There is an access to 2-3 person rooms with beds ands conveniences. The existence of unique thermal waters with content of radon made this resort as climatic-balneal. Recommendations to the treatment of next diseases: supporting-motion system, bone-muscles system, gynecological and skin cases. The water from a wellspring № 6 is used for treatment of stomach cases. Some baths, shower, mud, massage, acupuncture, curative gymnastic, some outdoors, terrenkur, tourism are used for treatment too. The term of treatment is 10-20 days. There is a cinema, a library, a pool. The local people call this place as Beirek (buds). Jalalabat Djalal-Abad is famous for its spas. There is a legend that the water from the HozretAyub-Paigambar spa cured lepers. According to the legend there was a grave, a mosque and the khan’s palace near the spa. The Djalal Abad sanatoria, “Kurort”, is based on one of the spas on one of the hills overlooking the town – the waters are salty, but people from a wide area to collect bottles of it. Near the entrance to the Kurort (the health resort) is a cafe with a fine view over the town – the “Ikram-Ajy” Panorama, at a height of 1000 meters, with a complex that consists of a “national crafts hall”, souvenir shop and an entertainment hall –from here you can appreciate how green the city is, as the trees rise above the low-rise building. The spas are also the source for several different brands of mineral water. (Source: kyrgyzembassy.com.pk)
G-7 nations vow to continue efforts to contain devastating climate change
They understanding was reached on the first day of two-day talks of G-7 environmental chiefs in Bologna, Italy. The G-7 nations have vowed
to continue their efforts to contain the devastating climate change, despite US withdrawal from the Paris accord. They understanding was reached on the first
day of two-day talks of G-7 environ mental chiefs in Bologna, Italy. The UN official in charge of implementing the Paris accord, Patricia Espinosa, said America’s
Qatar begins shipping cargo through Oman to bypass Gulf crisis Qatar says it has started shipping cargo through Oman to bypass Gulf countries that have cut off sea routes to the tiny, energy rich nation. Qatar’s port authority published video today showing a ship arriving at Doha’s Hamad Port from Oman’s port of Sohar. Qatar’s port authority says its cargo will go through Sohar, as well as Oman’s port at Salalah. Meanwhile, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency has said two Iranian navy vessels will stop off in Oman soon.
Puerto Ricans vote in favour of being 51st US state
TOKYO—Japan has said it is seeking to increase its sales of military equipment to Southeast Asian nations. A senior official of Japanese Defen se M i n ist r y said the move is part of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s push
to bolster Japan’s military role. He said Japan will host a meeting with defense officials from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Thursday to discuss the sharing of equipment and technology.—DNA
A plebiscite in the US oldest and largest colony Puerto Rico has returned an overwhelming vote in favour of becoming the 51st state of the United States. The option of formally joining the US as a fully-fledged state was backed by 97.1% of those who cast their ballots. The US Congress will ultimately decide whether the status of the US commonwealth
pull-out would not make any difference in the short-term. A final communiqué was issued at end of the meeting yesterday.
changes. Puerto Rico has been an unincorporated territory of the United States since the conclusion of the Spanish-American War in 1898.
Published by Rana Tahir Shahbaz from Office # 2 , First Floor, Abbasi Plaza , Bani Gala Islamabad (ph: 051-8314196, fax: 051-8315196) & Printed at Roohani Art Press Islamabad
THE DESTINATION
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CIB committed to Pakistan’s development, growth: Cooper
K AR ACHI—Simon Cooper, CEO, Corporate and Institutional Banking (CIB) has said that Pakistan is a very important market for us and we are committed to its development and growth. He expressed these views while commenting on his twoday visit to Pakistan in the latest demonstration of Standard
Chartered’s deep commitment to the country. Cooper said, “We intend to work closely with both the private and public sectors to deepen our relationships with existing clients and the wider business sector. We are determined to play a leading role in supporting economic growth.” Commenting on his visit,
Shazad Dada, Chief Executive Officer, SC Pakistan said, “Standard Chartered is the largest and oldest foreign bank operating in Pakistan and is a leader in the local marketplace.” “Our Cor porate and Institutional Clients segment has a unique international network and is renowned for
providing superior levels of client service with the support of world-class products and solutions to its loyal client base,” he said. During his visit to Pakistan, Simon met with industry, business and finance leaders to explore the country’s growth strategies and the opportunities for greater Group involvement for the Bank. Si mo n joi n e d St a nd a r d Chartered as CEO, Corporate and Institutional Banking in April 2016. He has extensive experience in our client businesses and across our key markets in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Simon is a member of the Bank’s Group Management Team and is based in Singapore. He also serves on the Advisory Board of Singapore Management University, Lee Kong Chian School of Business.
Five new oil, gas discoveries made in Sindh: Khaqan ISLA M A BA D, 12 J U NE ( D N A) - M i n i s t e r f o r Pe t r ole u m a n d Na t u r a l Resources Shahid Khaqan said that five new oil and gas discoveries have been made in Sindh. Addressing a news conference in Islamabad, he said, “These discoveries will lead to addition of 600 barrels per day of oil and 70 million cubic feet of gas.” He said, “There have been 98 oil and gas discoveries during tenure of the present government and so far 944 million cubic feet of gas has been added to the system. However, the actual addition is minimal because of depletion of gas fields during the same period.” The Minister said, “Addition of 70 million cubic feet of gas per day means a saving of 150 million dollar a year in the import of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).” He emphatically stated that, “The present Government
With the purpose of strengthening think tanks exchanges between Pakistan and China, enhancing cooperation on vocational education and en hancing the development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, approved by the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Gover nment, a 9-member Chinese delegation under the leadership of the President of Chinese Think Tank Association of Special economic Zones, Mr. Sikang Wu called on the executive director NAVTTC, Mr. Zulfiqar Cheema, at
NAVTTC HQs today. The delegation comprised of researches of China Special Economic Zone Think Tank, members of intelligent manufacturing vocational education enterprises in China and chairman of global intelligent manufacturing enterprise. On this occasion, Mr. Zulfiqar Cheema briefed the delegation about the role of National Vocational & Technical Education Commission as an advisory body to the federal government on TVET and the recent initiatives of NAVTTC to introduce
reforms in the current TVET system of Pakistan. He emphasized that the CPEC would open new vistas of prosperity and development and offer enormous employment opportunities for the people of Pakistan. He added that CPEC would be a living monument of Pak-China friendship and it will serve geo-strategic interests of both the countries. He urged that the two countries should enhance their collaboration to reboot the TVET system in Pakistan. The Chinese delegation
assured of their full cooperation in various areas of collaboration including establishment of centers of excellence, up-gradation of existing institutes with modern equipment, training of trainers, study tours, exchange programs, and arranging Chinese language courses for the trainees of Pakistan. Other areas of collaboration include fostering intelligent manufacturing talents in the youth of Pakistan, Smart Factory construction, and robots manufacturing.
Pakistan to host PSA $5,000 tournament in July
is strictly abiding by the constitutional provisions in distribution of gas. In 2010, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) was getting 1665 cubic feet of gas per day
which has come down to 1120 cubic feet this year, representing 35 percent decrease.” “As against this, gas in the system of Sui Southern Gas Pipelines Limited (SSGPL)
which was 1174 cubic feet in 2010 has increased to 1207 cubic feet this year, registering three percent hike,” he said.
Norway to ban full-face Muslim veil in all schools OSLO —The Nor wegian gover nment on Monday proposed a bill to ban the full-face Muslim veil in all schools, from nurseries to universities, saying it hinders communication between students and teachers. Norway’s ruling coalition of conservative and antiimmigration rightwing parties had promised the ban last year, targeting the fullface veil called the niqab as well as burqas, balaclavas and masks. “We do not want clothes
NAVTTC and Chinese Think Tank Association of Special economic Zones join hands on skill development
covering the face in nurseries, schools and universities,” Minister of Education and Research Torbjorn Roe Isaksen said in a statement. “These clothes prevent good communication, which is important for students to receive a good education,” he added. Norwegian authorities will consult over the coming months with those who could be affected by the draft law. Norwegian media reported the government can count on the support of most parties,
saying the bill was expected to pass in the spring of 2018. Local authorities in Norway already have the power to ban the veil in schools, however there is no uniform national policy. At this stage, the bill does not lay out consequences for disregarding the proposed law. The full-face veil is rather uncommon in Norway, even more so in schools, but the issue comes intermittently back into political debates. The Islamic Council, an u m b r el l a o r g a n i s a t io n
representing Muslims, hired a communication manager wearing a niqab, which sparked a heated discussion earlier this year. Legislative elections will take place on September 11 in the Nordic country. “Clothes covering the face, like the niqab and the burqa, have no place in Norwegian schools. It is a fundamental value to be able to communicate with each other,” Per Sandberg, interim minister of immigration and integration, said.
ISLAMABAD—Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) would be hosting Professional Squash Association’s (PSA) $5,0 0 0 t ou r n a m e nt i n Karachi next month. Tal k ing to media, PSF Honorary Secretary, Wing Commander Tahir Sultan said PSA ha s al lowe d Pakistan to host a $5,000 event and this event would be held in Karachi in July. “Only national senior and some junior players would be participating in the $5,000 event. This event would prove valuable for our national players as it would improve their international ranking,”
he said. It may be mentioned here that PSA had cancelled all sanctioned and unsanctioned international events in Pakistan this year due to security concerns. But holding of this event would be a revival of international squash in the country. “This would prove as an important step towards return of international squash in the country,” Tahir said. Responding to a question, Tahir said we are also in talks with PSA to hold six more international tournaments in the country this year.
Pakistan and regional countries pledge to upgrade sister-cities relationship
Shooting for an upcoming Pakistani film completes in Turkey Ambassador of Pakistan Sohail Mahmood has said that efforts are underway to further promote PakistanTurkey collaboration in joint production and exchange of films and TV serials. He was addressing a press conference held at the conclusion of the shooting for an upcoming film “Wajood” by Pakistan’s most accomplished and well-known director, producer and actor Javed Sheikh. “Wajood” has been shot at various locations in Turkey -- including Rize, Antalya and Istanbul. Its cast consists of leading actors from Pakistan’s film industry, with Danish Taimur playing the lead role. Ambassador Sohail Mahmood noted that 2017 marks the 70th Year of Diplomatic Relations b e t we e n Pa k i s t a n a nd Turkey and added that the Pakistan Embassy, in collaboration with relevant Turkish authorities and institutions, is
organizing cultural and literary events to celebrate this milestone in a befitting manner. He hoped that the release of this movie, Wajood, would be an important part of such celebrations. Referring to the revival and revitalization of the film industry in Pakistan, Ambassador Sohail Mahmood said this transformation is part of a larger process in which phenomenal growth of Pakistani music, visual and preforming arts, and literature has taken place. A key element of this growth and expansion is the deeper involvement of younger artists -- who are highly motivated, talented, and enterprising. Lauding the multidimensional talents of Javed Sheikh and his role as a mentor for the new generation of artists, Ambassador Sohail underscored that Javed Sheikh has introduced Turkey’s breathtaking natural beauty and
the warmth and graciousness of the Turkish people to Pakistani audiences through his earlier films including “Chief Sahib” made in 1995. It is also heart-warming that in the last few years, the entertainment industry in Pakistan and Turkey has played an important role in bringing the two brotherly people even closer to each other, said the Ambassador. He added that while Turkey has a well-established and experienced film production and distribution chain, Pakistan, with its nearly 200 million population, has a strong viewer market with an increasing desire for quality entertainment. This creates immense opportunities for the producers in both countries to distribute and display their films and drama serials in each other’s markets. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Javed Sheikh highlighted the theme of the movie as well as its cast and
production team. He thanked Ambassador Sohail, the Pakistan Embassy and the Turkish authorities for providing all possible facilitation and support during the shooting. He also spoke highly of the love, affection and respect of the Turkish people for the people of Pakistan, which he and his crew members consistently experienced first-hand during their stay. Thanking Turkish Airlines for its support of the movie, Javed Sheikh underlined that the remarkable scenic beauty of Turkey, and especially of Rize for the first time ever, will be transmitted to the Pakistani people with the release of Wajood and tourism will surge. Pakistan’s Consul General in Istanbul Dr. Yusuf Junaid and Shaan Agha of Azad Films also spoke while the film’s heroine Saeeda Imtiyaz and other leading cast were present.
KUNMING—Pakistan and other countries from South and Southeast Asia on Tuesday pledged that they would make greater efforts to promote sister-cities relationship, pushing forward the objectives of Belt and Road’s initiative. At an international forum of governments and business com mu nit y’s representatives held at Chinese city of Kunming, they underlined the need of promoting connectivity and people-to-people contacts, through sister-city relationship for their shared development and prosperity. Kunming’s senior official told the Forum that Pakistan is their top priority for giving boost to the bilateral partnership under
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that is a pilot and major project of Belt and Road’s initiative. They are going to deepen links between Kunming and Karachi Port that will facilitate trade and business activities between the two cities. Addressing the forum, Mayor of Kuming Wang Xiliang assured support to all those c ou nt r ie s , p a r t ic u l a r it y Pakistan that are engaged in Silk Route development. They are looking forward to work as strong partner to improve quality of life of their people. The countries who were represented at the forum also included Malaysia, Finland, France, Thailand, Nepal, Lao
Republic and Myanmar. The forum was part of the ongoing South and Southeast Asia trade and investment expo, being held in Kunming. Pakistan had a status of Guest of Honour at the expo. The Government of Kunming provided a special pavilion to the Pakistani businessmen to showcase their commodities and to seek trade and investment’s opportunities. There are more 200 stalls set up at the expo by the Pakistani enterprises. The Forum adopted a declaration, vowing to consolidate sister-cities relationship. It includes regular communication at government’s level, strengthening trade cooperation at level of enterprises,
strengthening cooperation at the level of think-tanks and non-governmental organizations, facilitating investment and trade, establishing normalized sister-city communication mechanism and promoting policy-coordination among the sister-cities. It was also pledged that the regional countries would also focus cross-border connectivity and implementing relevant agreements and MoUs relating to the sister-cities cooperative partnership. It was consensus among the participants that the siser-cities relationship could prove most effective platform to business exchanges and people-to-people contacts.