WEATHER Day
33 °C 92°F
ISLAMABAD ISSUE: 10 VOL: 1
Night
PAGES: 4 RS: 15/-
29 °C 85 °F Thursday – May 18, 2017
|
Sha’aban-ul-Moazzam 21 1468 AH.
ICJ TO ANNOUNCE VERDICT IN KULBHUSHAN J A D H AV C A S E O N TODAY The ICJ Monday conducted hearing into India’s petition demanding staying of Pakistan’s death sentence to RAW agent Kulbhushan Jadhav, a R AW operative and on-duty Indian navy officer, was apprehended from Balochistan as a result of a counter-intelligence operation in March 2016. Pakistan’s counsel, Khawar Qureshi, presented the country’s stance on the death sentence handed to Jadhav in the ICJ, contending that according to the Vienna Convention the case cannot be heard in the ICJ. “India has not provided any evidence to rebut that Jadhav is a terrorist,” Qureshi informed the court, moving it to turn down India’s request. CUSTOMS OFFICI A LS BELIEVE DRUGS I N SE RT E D I N TO PI A PLANE IN KARACHI Sou rces i n the Pak ist an Customs said the plane was w it h PI A’s mai ntena nce department in Karachi for around 20 hours on May 8, following which it flew to Lahore, Islamabad and then London on May 16. Customs investigators have discovered that the narcotics were also hidden in compartments in the plane’s roof — a time-consuming process which could only have been performed when the plane was stationary for a long time. MOH A M M A D NAWA Z SUSPENDED FOR TWO MONTHS IN SPOT-FIXING PROBE The PCB, in its verdict on Wednesday, said that a “period of ineligibility/suspension of two (02) months has been imposed on Nawaz (f irst month suspension has commenced from 16th May 2017), one (01) month of which will be suspended upon fulfillment of additional conditions.” Nawaz has also been fined Rs 200,000 for breaching the board’s anti-corruption code. PA K I S T A N R E G I S TERS PROTEST W ITH UNMOGIP OV ER I N DI A N CEASEFI R E VIOLATIONS RAWALPINDI: Pakistan on Wednesday registered a protest with United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) over recent unprovoked ceasefire violations (CFVs) and targeting of civilian population by Indian forces along the Line of Control (LoC), the Inter Services Public Relations said. The UN military observers were invited to the Pakistan Army’s General Headquarters (GHQ) to register Pakistan’s protest over the ceasefire violations and targeting of civilian population by Indian Army on 10th, 13th and 16th May, 2017. NO POLITICIAN TR EATED ‘MOR E U N FA I R LY,’ T R U M P SAYS Donald Trump gave vent to frustrations over his mounting political problems Wednesday, declaring that no president in US history had been treated “more unfairly.” During a commencement address at the US Coast Guard Academy, Trump urged graduating cadets to follow his example and “fight, fight, fight. Never, ever, give up. Things will work out just fine.”
www.thedestination.com.pk
Pakistan highly attractive destination for investment, PM NAWAZ SHARIF
|
fb.com/TheDestinationNews |
twitter.com/th_destination
Pakistan, Hong Kong agree to further cement bilateral trade ties
Pakistan and Hong Kong have agreed to further promote bilateral economic and trade relations. The agreement came at a meeting between Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Chief Executive of Hong Kong C Y Leung in Hong Kong today. Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said Pakistan’s liberal trade policy provides immense
opportunities to the investors. He said Pakistan and Hong Kong have strong trade relations that need to be further enhanced, as there are immense opportunities in this regard. Nawaz Sharif said Pakistan and Hong Kong have brotherly relations and both sides are cooperating in different fields. Leung said Pakistan and Hong Kong have deep
rooted relations and both sides need to promote economic cooperation. C h a i r m a n of Sh a nd o ng Hi-Speed Group Corporation a n d C h a i r m a n of Z T E Corporation also called on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Commerce Minister Khurram Dastgir and Chairman Board of Investment Miftah Ismail were also present on the occasion.
MAY 17, (DNA) – Sindh IG Allah Dino Khawaja on Wednesday surrendered his post before the Sindh High Court. “I can’t continue working, I am not being allowed to do my job,” said AD Khawaja in his reply to the court. “Since the past six months, it has become very difficult for me to work,” he added. The SHC on May 11 extended its stay order over the removal of Khawaja, restraining the
provincial government from taking any action against him for five more days. The SHC division bench, headed by Justice Munib Akhtar, put off the matter till May 16 after the plaintiff lawyer, Faisal Siddiqui, completed his arguments to keep Khawaja as the IG of police force in the province. Siddiqui said 13 police chiefs were posted and subsequently transferred in the province within a short span of
time by the Pakistan Peoples Party-led government. This practice of the government should be investigated through a commission, he contended. Replying to the comments filed by the provincial government through its advocate-general, Zameer Ghumro, he said the respondent had cited upholding of the seniority during the appointment of the police chief but itself had never maintained the same previously.
Sindh IG AD Khawaja surrenders post before SHC
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that Pakistan is highly attractive destination for investment that no global player can afford to miss. He was speaking at “One Belt-One Road Pakistan Investment Forum” in Hong Kong on Wednesday. The Prime Minister said Pakistan has sixth largest population in the world, rising middle class, rich human and natural resources, strategic
location and political stability. Nawaz Sharif urged prospective investors to benefit from economic revival of Pakistan and enjoy the first mover’s advantage. He said Pakistan is ready to do business with the world. The Prime Minister said Pakistan is a gateway to energy rich Central Asia, oil rich Gulf and economically advanced Far East. It stands at the cross-roads of an
economic revolution which would produce win win outcome for all. The Prime Minister said nine Special Economic Zones are being established along CPEC route where foreign companies can invest in factories, warehouses, logistic centres and much more for consumption in Pakistani market and export. He said the Government has devised a comprehensive
Chief Justice sees ‘campaign’ behind lynching of Mashal Khan ISLA M A BA D, M AY 17, (DNA) – Chief Justice Saqib Nisar on Wednesday said there was a “campaign” behind the murder of Mashal Khan, a 23-year-old university student who was lynched by a mob on accusations of blasphemy last month. “The news of the lynching did not even reach the police,” the chief justice said. He was chairing a three-member bench of the apex court conducting a suo motu hearing of the incident that occurred on the premises of Abdul Wali Khan University in April. Mashal was attacked by a vigilante mob, incited by rumours, for allegedly “publishing blasphemous content online”. The mass communication student was beaten and shot by the mob and succumbed to the injuries he received. The Supreme Cou r t had taken up suo motu notice of
the harrowing incident and directed police to regularly provide details of the incident to it. During Wednesday’s hearing, Nisar asked whether video footage of the incident, that showed the mob of university students kicking the lifeless body of the victim and beating it with wooden planks, had been obtained via CCTV footage or social media. “We know what happened to the body of the victim,” he said. Lawyer Khawaja Izhar told the apex bench that the video was enough to serve as evidence in the case. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police presented a report before the apex court, detailing the number of arrests made so far in the case. “Fifty-three suspects have been arrested,” the report said. “Of those, 49 are in jail and four have been sent on
remand while two others have escaped.” “The key suspect in the case, Imran, has been arrested. He has accepted his crime,” the report added. “Have the arrested suspects been convicted?” the chief justice asked. Iqbal Jan, the father of Mashal Khan, present in the court, told the bench that the police had so far arrested “actors”, and not the “directors” behind the brutal lynching of his son. “My son was beaten from 10am till 3pm,” Jan told the apex bench. “Police was present during the [lynching] but did not take action,” he added. “My son was an asset of the country.” The chief justice said that the if the police had been negligent during the incident, a thorough investigation will be conducted. The hearing was adjourned for three weeks
PTI workers storm Wapda House in Peshawar to protest power outages
PESHAWAR, MAY 17, (DNA) – The Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf workers on Wednesday stormed Wapda House in Peshawar to protest power outages. The PTI activists have forcibly opened the doors of the Wapda House and entered into it. The protest is being led by
PTI lawmaker Ayesha Gulai. Earlier, the Sindh Assembly on Tuesday approved resolution against federal government regarding electricity load shedding. Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani presided over the meeting during which Chief Minister of Sindh (CM) Murad Ali Shah
said that we are neither getting electricity nor gas despite paying huge bills. He said that Sindh is suffering from prolonged power and gas outages due to lack of resources. He further asked the authorities to stop discrimination and equally divide the funds.
plan to create an investment friendly environment. We have liberalized investment policies to welcome Foreign Direct Investment, offered incentives to attract new capital inflows including tax exemptions, tariff reductions and investment facilitation services. Nawaz Sharif said Pakistan’s investment policy is focused on reducing the cost of doing business.
2 Thursday - May 18, 2017
THE DESTINATION
NATIONAL
Canadian high commissioner calls on Imran Khan
PHOTO OF THE DAY
The Canadian High Commissioner Perry John Calde r wood cal led on Chairman Imran Khan at Bani gala on Tuesday. Mr. Imran Khan first thanked Canada for assistance in a number of fields both bilaterally and through multi lateral forums. He also expressed satisfaction at the friendly relations between the two countries. In a wide ranging discussion on a number of issues, Mr Imran K han stressed the importance of fair and free elections for sustainable
Ratti Gali Lake is an alpine glacial lake which is located in Neelum Valley, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan at an altitude of 12,130 feet (3,700 m). Exclusive photo by The Destination team
EU Ambassador inaugurates Micro Hydro Power units in Chitral
C H I T R A L ( DNA) Ambassador of the European Union (EU) Jean-François Cautain, along with Provincial Sports Minister Mehmood Khan and Member of National Assembly Sahazada Iftikhar inaugurated two Micro Hydro Power (MHP) units, built under the EU-funded PEACE programme to tackle energy crisis in the district. The power plants have been built by Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) with the help of local communities under the EU-funded PEACE programme. These plants will bring affordable, sustainable and uninterrupted energy to thousands of households, local businesses, and government offices and hospitals in Chitral town and surrounding areas. The micro hydro power units will supply clean, renewable and sustainable energy to households and businesses, which previously used wood for heating and cooking purposes, thus reducing deforestation and the effects of climate change. Meanwhile, the modern technology used in these newly built power houses will also reduce energy losses to a minimum through automatic controls of the supply. Ambassador of the European
Union Jean-François Cautain said, “Pakistan is an energy deficient country as well as very vulnerable to climate change. By working with local communities, SRSP with the financial support of the European Union has set up tens of small scale hydropower units providing stable and sustainable electricity to remote villages. In Chitral, the EU-funded PEACE project is supplying electricity to two-thirds of the city allowing small businesses to flourish.” He added that, “The establish ment of these micro hydro schemes is part of a much larger rural support programme, which aims to help communities organise and work with the local government to address priority issues.” “The EU has provided funding worth a total of EUR 40 million (Rs 4 billion) to cover 165 micro hydro power units and community infrastructure facilities. The PEACE programme is an excellent example of supporting the local democracy to give a voice to local communities, and to help promote peace and solidarity which are important values for the EU,” he said.
Minister Mehmood Khan said, “The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is grateful to the EU in helping building these micro hydropower units which would facilitate the local communities and businesses.” He said, “EU’s contribution in recognising the province’s potential for power production, and for utilising it so effectively would serve in resolving the energy issues in the country once these power houses are connected to the national grid.” Member of National Assembly Sha h za d a If t i k ha r said , “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has an unparalleled capacit y to produce energy through Hydro power projects and as a representative of the local community he supports and welcomes the EU’s initiative to help resolve their problems through the PEACE project.” CEO of SRSP Masood-ulMulk explained that, “The micro hydro projects are managed and maintained by local communities. Power committees comprised of members of the local population have specified roles in the operation, maintenance and tariff collection for sustainable operation of the units. Another aspect of the project is the irrigation
channels built alongside the water supply for power generation, which would help the local communities in accessing water for farming.” The delegation also visited several other projects funded by the PEACE programme, including clean water wells which are providing clean drinking water to communities, a school and a nursing hostel adjacent to the Women and Children Hospital in Chitral District, all funded under the same programme. The PEACE programme works through a unique model of community involvement, giving them the ownership of the project. It works on a model of collaboration between civil society, the local government and communities to deliver good outcomes in Malakand division.
Pakistan wants to have sustainable relationship with US, says Aizaz Chaudhry
Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Aizaz Chaudhry has said that Pakistan wants to have a broad-based, sustainable relationship with the United States. He was addressing the Ambassador Series Program organized by the World Affairs Council in Washington. The Ambassador said close cooperation between Pakistan and the US in the past had yielded positive results. He said peace in Afghanistan is our top priority as a stable and prosperous
Afghanistan is not only in the interest of Pakistan but the entire region. Aizaz Chaudhry said Islamabad wants systematic border management along Pak-Afghan border to effectively check the cross border movement of terrorists. He said that terrorism was a common enemy and both countries should cooperate with each other.
Good governance needs participation of people in diverse fields, Rana Rabnawaz In Pakistan, the system of good supremacy has generally not been satisfactory. “The country started with weak political and administrative infrastructure,” as a result, which was unable to create a healthy environment. Good governance is a precondition for the horizontal running of directorial machinery, and to address public affairs. It strengthens the institutions of the state to work for the — peace of the people. Hence, it is therefore, ultimately practicable to attain good supremacy
in Pakistan, when all its parameters would fully and honestly endorse in the administrative structure. The government must realize to ensure transparency by putting energetic efforts to envision the involvement of whole society in supremacy. Participation of the people in diverse fields are very much needed to overcome the crisis of good supremacy in Pakistan. Rana Rabnazwaz Suleri is a young PTI member from UC 85, Chobara, Sialkot
democracy in Pakistan. He said that Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf had waged a long struggle against tainted elections and it was thanks to the party’s efforts that issue of electoral reform is now centre stage in the country. He informed the Canadian High Commissioner that PTI has participated diligently in the electoral reform process in the parliament but is not satisfied with the results so far. Some critical issues, said Mr Imran Khan, such as biometric verification of voters, electronic voting machines
and particularly voting rights for overseas Pakistanis have not been resolved. He stressed that Election Commission of Pakistan must be reconstituted after the electoral reform process is over. Discussing challenges faced by Pakistan, Mr. Imran Khan said that terrorism remains the number one security challenge. He pointed out that operation Zarb e Azb and now Rad ul Fasaad launched by our armed forces has improved matters considerably but there are still many challenges ahead. Full
implementation of the National Action Plan and activation of NACTA are prerequisites for a successful outcome but equally important are police reforms. In this connection Mr. Imran Khan informed the High Commissioner about revamping the police in KP and the excellent work done by it subsequently. The Canadian High Commissioner thanked Mr. Imran Khan for the meeting and the excellent discussion on a number of issues of mutual interest.
Pakistan’s achievements in security domain should be acknowledged, Thomas Suozzi Congressman Thomas Suozzi, Member of the House Foreign Relations and Arms Services Committee met the Ambassador Aizaz Chaudhry at the Chancery today. The Ambassador briefed him on Pakistan’s success in the security arena and the economic turnaround, says a press release received here today from Washington DC. Rep. Suozzi ag reed that Pakistan’s achievements in security domain should be acknowledged and highlighted
in the United States to bridge the gap between perceptions and the fast changing positive reality of Pakistan. Reflecting on the regional situation, he expressed the view that the US could play a role in the resolution of the Kashmir issue. He added that the US and Pakistan have a greater opportunity to stabilize Afghanistan by working together. On the invitation to visit Pakistan to see for himself the changing reality of Pakistan, Congressman Suozzi
Opposition gets ready against Jazz Awarded for Excellence government over Dawn Leak in Service Delivery Two main opposition parties of the country, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Monday saw eye to eye to give tough opposition to the government over Dawn Leak. It is pertinent to note here that Opposition Leader in National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi held telephonic consultations on national politics. The two leaders were in
consensus that their parties, on the floor of the National Assembly, will jointly demand the government to produce Dawn Leaks report before the House. The leaders of the two major parties of Pakistan talked over the strategy to be adopted during the NA session. Bringing into discussion over issues including national security, the duo underscored the need for removing the ambiguity over Dawn Leaks report.
ISLAMABAD – Federal Minister for Food Security and Research Sikandar Bosan has said relations between Pakistan and Uzbekistan are from cordial to excellent adding mutual collaboration between the two countries is increasing with each passing day. The Federal Minister was speaking on the occasion of a round-table arranged by the Embassy of Uzbekistan to mark the 25th Anniversary of diplomatic relations between two countries. The federal minister particularly mentioned his recent visit to Uzbekistan, which he said was excellent and very productive. He added, Uzbekistan has a lot to offer to Pakistan and vice versa therefore both countries are keen to expand cooperation and a variety of fields. The minister hoped the newly appointed ambassador of Pakistan to Uzbekistan would contribute greatly towards further promotion and strengthening of these relations. The National Security Adviser Lt. Gen ® Nasser Khan Janjua, former interior minister Senator Rehman
Malik also spoke on the occasion. Ambassador of Uzbekistan Furkat Sidikov briefed the aud ience about va r iou s aspects of bilateral relations between the two countries. He said, on December 20, 1991 Pakistan recognized independence of Uzbekistan one of the first countries. On May 10, 1992 diplomatic relations were established between the two countries. These two signif icant dates related to the opening of a new page in the modem Uzbek-Pakistani relations and the establishment of foundation to build a mutually beneficial partnership based on the principles of respect, equality and taking into account each other’s interests.
In recognition of its customer centric approach to business, Jazz has been awarded with the Service Appreciation Award at this years’ Service Punch: T he Ser vice Conference organized by Active8. It provides a unique learning event and knowledge sharing platform dedicated to excellence in service and the customer experience. The awards were based on a survey by rozee.pk for best service providers in different sectors. The ceremony was
attended by a large number of CEOs, businessmen and delegates along with members of the Pakistani business community. While receiving this honor, Nauman Fakhar, Head of Customer Care and CEM – Jazz, stated, “This award is a testament to Jazz’s customer obsessive approach. From planning to new service initiation to customer support, we believe it is imperative to think from the customers’ point of view.
In Ju ne 2016, President Mamnoon Hussain attended the meeting of the Heads of States Council of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Tashkent. I n S e p t e mb e r 2 016 , Uzbek delegation headed by Chair man of “Uzindustryexport” visited Islamabad and Lahore. In December 2016, Delegation headed by the Deputy Prime Mi n ister of Uzbek ist a n Mr.Ulugbek Rozukulov visited Pakistan. -In February 2017, Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Mr.Ulugbek Rozukulov visited Pakistan to participate on 13th ECO Summit in Islamabad. In March, 2017, The Federal Minister of Food Security and Researchs Mr.Sikandar Bosan visited Tashkent. In May, 2017, delegation headed by Minister of agriculture of Punjab Muhammad Na e e m A k h t a r v i s it e d Uzbekistan.
and Pak ist an equally expressed interest in deepening cooperation in trade, economic and investment fields. Our countries have signed a number of important documents, providing for the strengthening of cooperation in aforementioned areas, including the agreements on trade-economic cooperation, mutual investment, protection of investments, and avoidance of double taxation and prevention of tax evasion on income. Ever increasing potential of Uzbekistan, evolving transport communications and international logistics centers, successively upgradable industry are significant factors in the expansion of mutually beneficial cooperation. Evolving relations in cultural and humanitarian sphere are of great significance in strengthening of Uzbek-Pakistani cooperation. “Uzbekistan-Pakistan” Community has been successfully acting since 1991. The organization regularly hosts a variety of events with the participation of business, cultural, scientific and academic circles, and organizes an exchange of delegations, he added.
Pakistan, Uzbekistan ties poised for quantum leap: Sikandar Bosan
- I n J u n e 19 9 2 a n d November 2015 the Prime M i n ist e r of Pa k ist a n Muhammad Nawaz Sharif paid the official visits to Uzbekistan. In August 1992 and May 2006 First President of Uzbekistan Mr. Islam Karimov paid official visits to Pakistan. In November 2015, Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif visited Uzbekistan.
He said, today the development of relations with Pakistan is one of the important directions of Uzbekistan’s cooperation with the South Asian countries. Uzbekistan
Canada has a proven track record and a very healthy volunteer culture
Canada - “Federal Government is fully aware of the socio-economic needs of the common man including the segment of the people with disabilities. He said that the public sector institutions in Pakistan look forward to working with relevant partners including the non-profit organizations, the NGOs and HCI Canada to deliver this noble goal,” said Tariq Azim Khan, High Commissioner of Pakistan
while addressing a fundraising dinner for deaf children in Pakistan organized by Human Concern International (HCI) Canada, says a press release received here today from Ottawa, Canada. He added that Canada has a proven track record and a very healthy volunteer culture, philanthropy and development cooperation with countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. HCI Canada
is, therefore, another manifestation of this development cooperation. He said that HCI Canada has been contributing very generously to support Deaf Children in Pakistan in collaboration with Family Education Services Foundation (FESF) Pakistan which is sponsoring Deaf Reach Program. We appreciate their support in providing basic education facilities for the special children with
hearing disability, he added. Earlier Mr. Danial Lanthier of Program Deaf Reach which is operating schools located in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Nawabshah, Tando Allahyar and Lahore, said that the Deaf Reach Program is a holistic model, providing free education for deaf children as well as skills training, teacher development, parent training and job placement.
THE DESTINATION
Thursday - May 18, 2017
3
NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL Dr. Babar Shahbaz
Food insecurity with its multidimensional impacts has become a real challenge for Pakistan. The objectives of reducing food Chair Outreach Program, insecurity and sustainable agriculture development can be University of Agriculture, realized with the joint ventures of various stakeholders like Faisalabad researchers, academia, extension (outreach) and farmers. There is a great urge of outreach realm that the farmers should get rid of their various dilemmas related to production and marketing etc. through a close cohesion with other stakeholders. The real driving force is the interactive linkage. The US Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Agriculture and Food Security (USPCAS-AFS) has been established at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) with the support from United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and University of California, Davis is technical collaborator. he major goal of USPCAS-AFS is to build the capacity of UAF to find innovative solutions to solve national and global challenges related to food, agriculture, and environment through excellence in education, research, outreach and policy support. The efforts on the part of University of California Davis and University of Agriculture, Faisalabad are vivid and conspicuous and this synergy can bring fruitful and need based results under the dynamic leadership of Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan (vice-chancellor). There are five thematic chairs of the center viz. Climate Change, Biotechnology, Precision Agriculture, Agricultural Policy and Outreach. This article is specifically about outreach and extension activities of USPCAS. Outreach and extension are the vital institutional components of agriculture and are dynamic processes that are meant to bridge the gap between agricultural researchers, academicians, policy makers and end-users (farmers and industry). The objectives of sustainable rural development are almost impossible to achieve without effective social Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan mobilization and collective action, however in the rural (vice-chancellor) areas of Pakistan in general and those of Punjab in particular, social mobilization is always a challenge due to heterogeneous socio-economic and cultural set-up. University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) being top-ranked university of country acts as catalyst for mobilization of farmers for collective action and participatory development. The Outreach Chair is one of the five thematic chairs of US-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Agriculture and Food Security (USPCAS-AFS) established at the UAF. Vision of the Outreach Chair of USPCAS-AFS is to excel as a leading national institute of outreach and extension by strengthening the outreach system of UAF and mobilizing the rural communities. Mission of the Outreach Chair of (USPCAS-AFS) is to work closely with other chairs of USPCAS-AFS and faculty members of University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) for the transfer and dissemination of agricultural and food system knowledge/research and technology to the farmers. The objectives of outreach chair are: - Transfer of agricultural and food system knowledge and technology - Mobilization of farmers, youth and women
Berlin airport terminal evacuated after suspected tear gas outbreak A terminal at Berlin’s Schoenefeld air por t was evacuated after a suspected tear gas outbreak, the airport operator said a day before yesterday. “Terminal D cleared due to suspected tear gas. Fire brigade ventilates building,” Berlin Airport said on Twitter, adding it may lead to delays.
Schoenefeld airport is to the southeast of Berlin and is mainly served by low cost carriers such as easyJet and Ryanair. It is the city’s second-largest airport after Tegel. Earlier this year, passengers at Hamburg airport were affected after a corrosive substance leaked through the air conditioning system.
Publishing 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
Outreach Activities of US-Pakistan Center of Advanced Studies in Agriculture and Food Security, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad - Testing Pilot Cooperative Extension Model – Community Outreach Centers - Strengthening existing outreach activities of UAF - Promotion of ICT culture in rural areas - Conducting interdisciplinary applied research Activities and Outcomes Establishment of UAF Community Outreach Centers Research, education and extension are the basic pillars of agricultural growth, but the extension system of Pakistan face many challenges and there is a gap between researchers, academicians and the farmers. Keeping in view the vision and mission of UAF, the Outreach Chair of USPCAS-AFS has established six (6) Community Outreach Centers in six villages to enhance the direct interaction of UAF faculty, researchers and formers. Main objective of these community centers is to provide a forum to UAF faculty and the local farmers to work together for sustainable solutions of agricultural problems. These centers are equipped with ICT tools and internet connectivity. Participatory need assessment surveys were conducted and action plans for each village were
Writers are requested to send their contributions at editor@thedestination.com.pk
Racism - Two passengers accuse American Airlines A nother major airline is in the headlines. Two passengers have accused American Airlines of racism after the carrier sent a black woman with a firstclass ticket to the back of the aircraft. The incident occurred a month after David Dao was violently
developed. The Community Centers have been established at the following locations. i. Samundri Chak No. 470 GB ii. Tandlianwala Chak No. 411 GB iii. Faisalabad Chak No. 272 JB iv. Jaranwala Chak Rangpur v. ChakJhumra Chak No. 189 RB vi. Okara Chak No. 45 GD
The activities conducted in each Community Outreach Centers during 2016-17 are briefly described here; Filed Days Filed days were conducted in all outreach centers. These field days provided excellent opportunity to local farmers to share their farm related problems and get hands-on solution form the researchers. In addition to UAF faculty members, the officials of provincial extension wing of the Department of Agriculture also participated in these events. Farmers’ day has been held in Samnudari, Tandlianwala, Jaranwala, Okara, Chak-Jhumra and Faisalabad. The expert from UAF, Prof. Dr. Allah Bakhsh, Dr. Bashir Ahmad, Prof. Dr. Ashfaq Ahmad Chattha, Dr. Babar Shahbaz, Dr. IZhar Ahmad Khan, Dr. Jehanzeb Masood Cheema, Dr. Qamar Bilal, Dr. Hassan Munir, Dr. ShahidIbneZamir, Dr. AnjumMunir, Dr.Ijaz Ashraf, Dr. Saeed Ahmad, and Dr. Ghazanfar Ali Khan spoke to the farmers and responded to their queries. The faculty members from Dalhousie University Canada (Prof. Dr. Qamaruz-Zaman) also delivered his lecture on precision farming. Field day in Tandlianwala was chaired by Dr. Anjum Ali (D.G. Extension) and the faculty members from UAF including Dr. Hassan MunirBajwa, Dr. Babar Shahbaz, Dr. ShahidIbneZamir and Dr. Muhammad Iftikhar. Dr. Anjum Ali inaugurated the center and officials of Punjab Department of Agriculture (Extension wing) also participated in the field day and. During this technical session question and answer session was also conducted and each speaker responded to queries of the farmers related to livestock and crops. The speakers pointed out the endeavors on the part of University of Agriculture, Faisalabad for paving the towards agriculture policy regarding the welfare of farming community. It was assured that University of Agriculture, Faisalabad is ever ready to solve the problems of farming community. The farmers were encouraged for their valuable comments and they gave their comments about their dilemmas. Continued (Note: Most parts of this article have been taken from the quarterly newsletter of Outreach, published by USPCAS-AFS)
Tajikistan ambassador says cooperation with Pakistan multiplying
dragged off a United flight at Chicago O’Hare Airport.
Rapists in India are TERRORISTS, says Indian schoolgirls on hunger strike Thirteen schoolgirls have been on a hunger strike for seven days to protest against daily sexual harassment in India. The girls, aged between 16 and 18, told that men often made sexual remarks when they travelled to school in a neighbouring village. The teenagers said local officials in Rewari district had failed to protect them. Some parents and students who are not on hunger strike have also joined the protest.
Rohtash Kumar, the father of a protesting girl, said the problem of harassment had existed for years in India. The mother of a protesting student said it was “painful to see these girls suffer”. “These young girls face the kind of harassment that I can’t even describe. When we complain to the police, they put pressure on us to take such cases back,” she said.
Lloyds new era begins as government sells off final shares
LONDON, MAY 17, (DNA) – Britain has sold its last remaining stake in Lloyds Banking Group, making the lender the first to re-emerge from British state ownership in a symbolic step for the country’s recovering banking sector. The sale draws a line under one of the largest bailouts from the 2007-2009 global financial crisis. This involved Lloyds, Britain’s biggest retail lender, being rescued after an ill-fated governmentbrokered takeover of rival HBOS. “Six years ago we inherited a business that was in a very fragile financial condition,” Lloyds Chief Executive Antonio Horta-Osorio, who joined the bank in 2011, said in a statement on Wednesday. “Thanks to the hard work of everyone at Lloyds, we’ve turned the group around.” The takeover of HBOS in 2008 caused Lloyds to suffer more than 25 billion pounds in losses, with the bailout leaving the government with a 43 percent state shareholding. Lloyds said in a statement that the government will make a profit of about 900 million pounds ($1.16 billion), having spent more than 20 billion pounds rescuing the bank. The sale will be seen as a boost to Britain’s Conservative Party ahead of next month’s election, with the stewardship of the economy emerging as key battleground.
However there was criticism that this calculation did not take in to account inflation or fully factor in the cost of borrowing the money to pay for the bailout. William Wright, managing director at New Financial, a think tank that promotes capital markets in Europe, said he calculated the government had actually made around a 6 billion pound loss on the transaction. About half of the 137 billion pounds of direct cash injected into Britain’s five bailed-out banks has so far been recovered. Lloyds has overhauled the way it is run since its bailout and a series of high-profile scandals, scaling back its global footprint and reducing its reliance on short-term funding. The sale ends a lengthy, and at times politicised, government disposal of its stake that underscores Britain’s banking industry’s slow recovery from the 2008 financial crisis. British lenders’ long road back to public ownership contrasts with other countries such as the United States, where lenders such as JPMorgan, Bank of America and Citigroup repaid the government by the end of 2009. In Switzerland, UBS bought back a fund set up by the Swiss National Bank to purge it of its toxic assets in 2013.
ISLAMABAD, MAY 17 (DNA) Ambassador of Tajikistan Sherali Jononov while speaking on the 2nd day of the conference arranged by Strategic Vision Institute (SVI) briefed the audience about the potential that Central Asian states offered to Pakistan and rest of the world. Ambassador Sherali also briefed the audience about CASA 1000 project, which is in the final stages and shall cater to energy needs of Pakistan after completion. He said, Tajikistan’s economy was growing at a fast speed thus making it a lucrative destination for foreign investors. Ambassador Sherali called upon the Pakistani businessmen to cash in on Tajik potential in
various fields. He also mentioned high level contacts between the two countries that had bring both countries further closer. Ambassador Sherali further said both President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had an understanding and vision to their respective countries forward economically and socially. Former Defense Secretary Lt Gen ® Naeem Khalid Lodhi, speaking at one of the sessions during the day, said Pakistan was not in a position to side with any of the major powers. He said instead of branding others as friends and enemies, it was important to keep an eye on their interests and align with
those that suit us, while resisting their interests that adversely affect us. Dr Tughral Yamin Malik, Depar tment of Peace and Conflict Studies, NUST, recommended diversification of Pakistan’s foreign policy. He said the country’s foreign policy had become too much India focused and therefore it needs to be retuned to make it look beyond India. Amb ® Fauzia Nasreen, Center for Policy Studies, COMSATS, pointed to the emerging challenge of India, Afghanistan, Iran nexus for Pakistan. She advised a nimble footed foreign policy that could balance between Iran and Saudi Arabia, address Afghanistan’s
concerns, and explore prospects of improvement in relations with India. Dr Muhammad Nadeem Mirza, QAU, said China was in the third phase in its journey to becoming a great power of the international system, which is the partnership phase, whereas the fourth and final phase would be the ‘leadership’ of the international system. He analyzed the Chinese perspective of the great power politics in Central Asia. He believes that the most interesting aspect of the debate is why Russia despite being the dominant power in the region was giving space to other great powers particularly China in its privileged area of influence.
US Supports Medical Emergency Training for Pakistani Policemen
Islamabad (US Mission Pakistan) Last weekend, more than two dozen Pakistani police officers graduated a six-week medical emergency training course, with eight officers also completing a two-week Master Trainer medical course. Held at the Jakarta Center for Law Enforcement Cooperation in Indonesia, the training taught life-saving medical skills to police officers who are often the first responders at scenes of emergencies and accidents. The courses, supported by the U.S. Embassy’s International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) section, included attendees from seven police organizations
from across Pakistan. The Pakistani police officers attending this course felt confident of their new skills, with one officer declaring “I’m now confident that I am capable of saving lives” in a medical emergency. All of the participating officers received internationally recognized certification in Basic Life Support. The eight police officers who completed the Master Trainer course are returning to their police organizations to teach medical first aid skills to their fellow law enforcement officers. This INL-funded training was implemented in response to requests received from Pakistani police agencies
for assistance with training police officers in basic medical first aid skills. INL Director Katie Stana noted, “INL’s goal is to work with our Pakistani partners to make sure every law enforcement officer has the training they need to effectively
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
serve the public.” Stana added that “There is no question that this training gives Pakistani police officers the skills necessary to save lives, especially in rural areas of Pakistan where the police may be the only first responders.”
4 Thursday - May 18, 2017
THE DESTINATION
FIA has traced 12 websites with anti-army content
Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has initiated probe at the behest of interior ministry over vilification drive against army whereas the security watchdog is also amassing details of bloggers spitting venom against law enforcement agencies (LEAs) on social media. According to details, FIA officials are closely monitoring all websites filled with content against security agencies and has traced at least 12 such websites. Similarly, it has also been unearthed that some people with affiliations to different political parties
are using social media as a platforms to spread antiarmy content and arrests in this regard are being anticipated soon. The initial Cybercrime Bill draft, which was tabled in national assembly in 2016, contained a section which made social media campaigns against law enforcement agencies a punishable offence but later it was chopped off from the final draft. Against this backdrop, a legislation vacuum is present which bars officials from taking action against those involved in such campaigns.
It is pertinent here to mention that Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has ordered strict action against all those carrying out vilification social media campaign against the judiciary and the army.
Firdous Ashiq Awan joins PTI Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan, former Minister of Information and Broadcasting and a prominent PPP leader, has decided to join Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). She announced that she’s be joining PTI on Tuesday. She will represent the party f rom he r con st it ue ncy NA-111 which is next to that of the Defence Minister and Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (N) leader Khawaja Asif as both belong from Sialkot. Firdous Ashiq met PTI’s
Umar Dar, Khawaja Asif competitor in NA-110, and agreed to leave PPP, according to repor ts. She has expressed full confidence in the leadership of PTI Chairman Imran Khan. Earlier this month, PTI managed to grab another PML-N leader Chaudhry Akhlaq who used to be a close aide of Khawaja Asif in the same city. The newly-made PTI leader will announce her formal entry into the party upon meeting Imran Khan. While talking to the media,
she said she’d accept any decision made by the party leadership about ticket distribution. Umar Dar believes
that the inclusion of former PPP leader and state minister would further strengthen PTI in Sialkot.
CDA signs agreement for electronic payment of property tax
I SL A M A BA D ( DNA) - C a pit a l D e velo p m e nt Authority (CDA) has signed agreement for “electronic payment of property tax, water and allied charges billing system” with MCB Bank for collection of online tax payment. This agreement was signed on May 16, 2017 at Ji n na h Convent ion Centre. On this occasion, Member Ad minist ration, CDA, Mu ha m mad Yasi r Pirzada, Director General Administration, CDA, Senior Management of MCB Bank, Top Management of National Information Technology Board (NITB) and journalists from electronic and print media were also present. While briefing media about the initiatives taken by the incumbent management of the CDA, Member Ad minist ration, Muhammad Yasir Pirzada said that by adopting latest technology, service delivery in the Authority is being improved.
In this context, several initiatives have been taken while few are at advance stage which on launching would help address issue of general public more efficiently.
He said that by signing of agreement for electronic payment of property tax, water and allied charges billing system with MCB Bank for collection of online tax payment with MCB Bank residents of the city would be able to deposit their taxes and other charges pertaining to CDA with ease and comfort without visiting CDA office time and again. There would be no additional charges on this service and agreement with other banks would be sign soon to make this procedure easier, he further added. Member Ad minist ration, Muhammad Yasir Pirzada said that in order to facilitate citizens in more befitting manner, Islamabad city App has been
questions in the next meeting scheduled to be held on 23 rd May. The committee after hearing the opinion of ministry of law and CADD, disposed off the Bill titled, “Right to free and compulsory education (Amendment) Bill, 2017” moved by Senator Mian Atteeq Sheikh. The meeting was told that in a meeting with the officials of CADD, the mover had agreed on soliciting opinion of law division on the bill and had said that he would second whatever proposal comes up by the law division. The law division and ministry of CADD opposed the bill. Regarding the public petition pertaining to exploitation of parents and students by private schools and use of drugs in public/private educational institutions, the committee was given a briefing by Chairman Private Educational Institutions Reg ulator y Aut hor it y (PIERA). A report prepared by AntiNarcotics wing of ministry
Yasir Shah equals Wasim Akram, Imran Khan’s record
ROSEAU - Pakistan’s legspinner Yasir Shah has equaled the record of Wasim Akram and Imran Khan by taking 25 Test wickets in one series. Yasir Shah dismissed 25 West Indian batsmen in the recently held three-match Test series, and was declared man of the series as well. Prior to that, Wasim Akram had taken 25 Test wickets against New Zealand in 1994, and Imran Khan had achieved this feat in 1977 versus West Indies.
It is worth mentioning here that the leg-spinner needs only one more wicket in his next Test match to equal Waqar Younis’ record of 150 Test wickets in 27 matches, which is the second highest ever. Yasir Shah has claimed 149 Test wickets so far in his career in 26 matches. Let it be known that the record of fastest bowler to reach 150 Test wickets belongs to England’s Sydney Barnes who made this record in just 24 matches.
In this context concrete steps were taken and the system has been initially installed at different formations falling under Administration Wing. More than 200 employees have been trained and now corresponding through e filling system. While answering a question, Member Administration said
that though there are challenges regarding scanning and digitalization of previous record but once the system will become fully operational this would not only eliminate unnecessary delays but would also help ensure transparency and merit in the Authority. Member Ad minist ration, Muhammad Yasir Pirzad further said that in house complaint management system has also been introduced in CDA. Under this complaint management system a mechanism has been devised to track the complaint right from its registration and till the disposal of complaint. Every head of the formation has been assigned a DASH BOARD which will show the progress on complaints pertaining to subject formation. Furthermore, a feedback from the residents would be also sought to evaluate performance of the concerned formation or directorate.
Population & Housing Census Crude oil price likely to remain around $45 t/$60 per barrel in coming months
Senate committee takes notice of non-provision of water in federal capital
ISLAMABAD, 16 MAY (DNA) - Senate Standing Com m it tee on Cabi net Secretariat in its meeting took strong notice of nonprovision of water in various sectors of Islamabad and the incoherence in different replies by the concerned officials of CDA and CADD. The meeting was to have a detailed briefing on the sector-wise allocation of quota for provision of water supply and shortage of water to all sectors including D-12. It was stated in the briefing that rain water if the only source of water supply in different sectors of Islamabad for which Simli dam is the main reservoir. The officials from CDA and CADD could not give convincing replies to questions regarding demand and supply, reasons for the gap, capacity and condition of reservoirs and any concrete measures taken by CDA to tackle the issue of water scarcity. The committee directed both bodies to come up with proper answers to all
developed by CDA. This App would be available Google play store. With the help of this App one would have access to the information regarding nearby places, tour spots, services being provided and other facilities in the city. He said that Android System based App has been designed with the assistance of NITB and no expendit u re was occurred on this App. Member Administration said that in order to replace practice of traditional file system with latest digital filing in the Authority, it was decided to introduce e filling.
of Interior was shared with the committee naming eight institutions of Islamabad where drug use was hinted. However, it wasn’t clear whether there was any evidence of drug being openly sold within or outside the premises of these educational institutions. Chairman committee Senator Talha Mehmood observed that there is a need for a stronger system of checks and balances after such rumours but there seems to be no such measure. Islamabad Police briefed the committee that in the last four months 315 people have been arrested in connection with drug use out of which 23 people were related to drug use in educational institutions. The committee also heard the president of Federation of employees cooperative housing society E-11, who told the meeting that the society which was registered in 1982 has now been declared illegal by CDA after cancellation of its layout plan. The layout plan was approved previously
but was cancelled unilaterally by CDA. The committee recommended that the status of society should be restored o what it was in 2015 and the 26 canal land of the society under possession of some other society should also be given to them. The matter will be taken up again in the next meeting. While discussing the question of Senator Azam Swati regarding violation of by-laws by shopping malls and hotels in Islamabad, Chairman Committee Senator Talha Mehmood noted that anything which is against the law and which results in suffering of people due to violations should be dealt with in a way which sets an example for future. The mover pointed out that the Centaurus mall has violated the by-laws by using the space fixed for parking area as a departmental store and by not building the fourth tower which was to be a hotel and was the major part of the project.
All educational institutes in Sindh to remain closed during Ramzan
MAY 17, (DNA) – All public and private educational institutes in Sindh have been ordered to remain closed for the summer holidays from the first day of Ramazan. A notification issued by the Sindh government specified that all public and private educational institutes across the province will be practicing their summer vacations
from the 1st of Ramazan, said to begin at the end of this month, till July 31. Educational institutes will then reopen on August 1. The high temperatures prevalent in the province as well the start of Ramazan is the reason given for the change in the dates of the summer break.
Finance Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar chaired a special briefing session on the ongoing Population and Housing Census – 2017. Chief Statistician, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), Mr. Asif Bajwa informed the meeting that under second phase of the census which commenced on 25th April 2017, bulk of the remaining 88 districts has been covered across the country. The process shall continue till 24th May 2017, he said. He said that the census teams were carrying out their duties diligently in accordance with the given timelines. He added that the teams are being fully assisted by security personnel and have been receiving due support from provincial authorities. He said that, overall, the administrative process of the ongoing census activities has been smooth. The Chief Statistician also gave the sad news that a census worker has recently passed away due to cardiac arrest while performing his duties. The Finance Minister prayed for the departed soul, and
expressed sorrow and grief over the unfortunate loss of a few precious lives during the census routine. He said all those who are working in the ongoing census activities are making contributions to a great national cause, and their efforts must be lauded. He appreciated the hard work by PBS and the support received from provincial chief secretaries, armed forces personnel and members of law enforcement agencies. The Minister also praised the positive role and active participation of the people of Pakistan in the census which has enabled the census teams to conduct their duties effectively and punctually. The Finance Minister said that the well-coordinated census efforts are bearing fruit and, InshAllah, the second phase will also conclude successfully like the first phase. Finance Secretary, Secretary Statistics Division, and senior officials of the Ministry of Finance also attended the meeting.
KARACHI - Crude oil price likely to remain in the vicinity of $45 to $60 a barrel during the coming months, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid K haqan Abbassi told reporters while inaugurating three-day Pakistan Oil and Gas Exhibition in Karachi. He said the government has been trying to give maximum benefit to people through petroleum product prices. However, still the petroleum products prices in Pakistan have been cheaper compared to countries in the region. The government has been trying to resolve the circular debt issue so that all the stakeholders would not face any financial woes, he added. “We have received number of complain from the consumers on adulteration of petrol and diesel as several dealers are mixing with kerosene oil. The cabinet is not willing to increase the price of kerosene oil but we have chalked a plan to eliminate adulteration which would be handled soon.” Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said the government is working hard to eliminate energy shortages through setting up LNG and coal power plants and it is expected that in next fiver country’s LNG imports would be around 30 million tons per annum. In next two years the LNG imports would be around 20
million tons from where in five years it would reach 30 million tons. The present government has constructed first LNG terminal in record time of 11 months while construction of second terminal would be completed in next two months, the minister said. “The main focus of the current government has been to eliminate or reduce volume of load shedding in the country, country by end 2018 would have 10,000 megawatt of electricity, i.e. 7000 MW from coal and 3000 MW from LNG,” he added. In June and July this year we would face issues of load shedding but the situation would i mp r ove f r om Nove mb e r onwards while from June and July 2018, the country won’t face menace of power outage, he said. The minister further remarked that Pakistan in five years wanted to close down all the power plants run by furnace oil. Currently the electricity production from furnace oil constitutes less than 35 percent. “Chinese companies wanted to be part of our bigger plan to LNG supply and installation in the country. The government would provide every possible support and help to foreign companies to install projects to help end load shedding and make country energy efficient.”
Sindh Basic Education Program (SBEP) schools’ groundbreaking in Karachi Karachi ( US M i s sio n Pakistan) Along with Sindh Educat ion Mi n ister Jam Mahtab Hussain Dahar and Secretary of Education Abdul Aziz Uqaili, U.S. Consul General Grace Shelton and USA I D Deput y Mission Director Denise Herbol today broke ground for school construction in Karachi. Local government representatives, community leaders, teachers and students were also present on the occasion. These schools are being constructed with the support of the United States Government through the Sindh Basic Education Program (SBEP). “The United States Government strongly supports education in Pakistan and we are proud to partner with the Sindh Government on the construction of 106 schools throughout Sindh,” said Consul Grace Shelton at
the ceremony. Jam Mahtab Hussain Dahar, Minister for Education, Sindh expressed his appreciation for the U.S. Government’s strong support in modernizing education in Sindh. “Education is the utmost priority of the Sindh Government and we are very grateful to USAID for helping us in education reforms, a need
of the hour.” The SBEP is constructing up to 106 modern school buildings in eight districts of Sindh. Currently, 12 schools are completed and inaugurated and 11 more are planned to be completed later this year. The project aims to increase and sustain student enrollment in primary, middle and secondary
public schools in selected areas of Sindh, with a special focus on bringing back children who have dropped out of schools. Besides construction, SBEP also support the government in piloting the reforms in education, community mobilization, public-private partnerships and improving reading competencies of students in schools.