Day: June 4, 2024

Benazir Income Support Programme and UNICEF have joined hands to enhance collaborative efforts with a particular focus on enhancing the health and nutrition of women and children in Pakistan. This was agreed during a meeting of a delegation from UNICEF, led by Country Representative Abdullah Fadil with the Chairperson BISP, Rubina Khalid in Islamabad. During the meeting, Rubina Khalid emphasized her commitment to increasing awareness of the Nashonuma Programme, which aims at addressing malnutrition among women and children. Speaking on the occasion, Abdullah Fadil praised BISP's initiatives and commended program's effectiveness. Source: Radio Pakistan

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has left for Shenzhen, on the first leg of his official five-day visit to China. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister for Petroleum Dr Musaddik Malik and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar are also accompanying the Prime Minister. The visit of the Prime Minister is an important milestone to further enhance China Pakistan strategic and economic relations and in perspective of the second of phase of China Pakistan Economic Corridor. In Shenzhen, the Prime Minister will participate in Pak-China Business Forum to promote partnership between businesspersons and investors of the two countries. The Prime Minister will also visit Nanshan One Window to examine the latest developments in Chinese One Window Operation. He will also visit headquarters of Huawei company in Shenzhen. On the second leg of h is visit, the Prime Minister will hold meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Chinese counterpart Premier Li Qiang. The Prime Minister will participate in the signing ceremony of the memorandum of understanding between China and Pakistan on cooperation in various fields. He will also meet senior government officials, heads of various companies and Chinese investors in Beijing. The Prime Minister will also visit the People's Monument in Beijing. On the final leg of his China tour, the Prime Minister will visit Xi'an city to meet senior Chinese leadership besides visiting model farms and green technology companies to observe the models of Chinese agricultural development. During the visit, the two sides will discuss the second phase of CPEC, bilateral strategic partnership and cooperation in trade, investment, defence, national and regional security, energy, space research, science and technology, education, skills development, and culture. The visit is expected to become a milestone to further s trengthen the partnership between Pakistan and China. Source: Radio Pakistan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed to immediately abolish the Pakistan Public Works Department due to years-long poor performance and corruption. He gave these instructions, while chairing a high-level meeting on reducing the government expenditures and the size of its infrastructure in Islamabad. The Prime Minister said the Pak PWD, as an organization, has failed to achieve its objectives. He instructed to prepare an alternative action plan to complete the development projects, whose execution was handed over to the Pak PWD. The committee headed by Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Jahanzeb Khan, apprised the Prime Minister about its report regarding reducing government expenditure. The committee recommended abolition and merger of some state enterprises. Shehbaz Sharif directed the committee to submit more recommendations. Source: Radio Pakistan

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has arrived in Shenzhen, on the first leg of his official five-day visit to China. Upon arrival at the airport, he was welcomed by Vice Mayor of Shenzhen city of China Luo Huanghao. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar and other senior Ministers of the Cabinet are accompanying the Prime Minister in his first official visit to China since assuming office. Shenzhen is the first stop during the Prime Minister's official visit to China. During his two-day stay in Shenzhen, the Prime Minister and his delegation will meet the leadership of the Guangdong Province and Shenzhen Municipal Government as well as leading Chinese companies in innovation and high-tech sectors. The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the Pakistan-China Business Conference in line with his vision to support, promote and lead collaboration between the businessmen of the two countries. A business delegation of leading Pakistani businesspersons will attend the Conference for collaboration with the influential Chinese counterparts. Shenzhen is the hub of China's innovation, technology and research led companies and enterprises. The visit to Shenzhen aims to bolster economic cooperation in export-oriented innovation-led advanced technologies, high-tech development and Information and Communication Technologies. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister, in his message on social media platform X, said he has landed in Shenzhen on the first leg of his official visit to China at the invitation of the Chinese leadership. Shehbaz Sharif said he is impressed by the city's skyline and development that symbolizes modern day China. The Prime Minister said he is looking forward to his engagements with the provincial authorities, business community and industry giants in Shenzhen before proceeding to Beijing for official talks with President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and other Chinese leaders and high officials. Source: Radio Pakistan

Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal has urged the Pakistani businessmen to make full use of CPEC Phase-Two opportunities to increase trade and business. He said this while bidding farewell to a delegation of 126 Pakistani businessmen who left for a visit to China. The Minister said that trade between Pakistan and China should not be limited to goods and services but should also be extended to transfer and exchange of education, technology, research, innovation, agri-cooperation and infrastructure development. He urged the businessmen to learn business practices from Chinese businessmen to achieve maximum productivity aimed to support government's efforts for economic recovery. Source: Radio Pakistan

NDMA Chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik has highlighted the need for timely training of responders and importance of preparedness by learning from past experiences. The urgency was expressed at a conference held in Islamabad today regarding the upcoming monsoon season. He underscored the need to review the stock positions for summer contingencies including tackling heatwaves, droughts, GLOFs, and cyclones. The Chairman stressed that proactive measures are essential to mitigate disaster impacts and called for tangible actions before disasters strike. On this occasion, Technical team of NDMA and Pakistan Meteorological Department Pakistan apprised that forty to sixty percent above normal rains are forecasted throughout the country during monsoon this year. The Federal Flood Commission also provided an update on the telemetry stations network and the early warning mechanisms established along the Kirthar and Suleman Ranges to ensure timely and accurate flood alerts. Meanwhile, the Health Minist ry presented a plan for monitoring and controlling vector and waterborne diseases, which are likely to rise during the monsoon season. The NDMA will continue to monitor the situation closely and collaborate with all relevant stakeholders to ensure a timely and effective response to any emergencies arising from the monsoon season. Source: Radio Pakistan

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has expressed his deep grief and sorrow over loss of precious lives in a coal mine gas leak incident in Sanjadi area of Balochistan. In a statement, he prayed for high ranks of departed souls and expressed sympathies with bereaved families. The Prime Minister also prayed for early recovery of injured persons. He directed concerned authorities for provision of all available medical treatment to them. Source: Radio Pakistan

In Gwadar, Rural Health Center Ormara organized a blood donation camp for thalassemia patients with the support of local community and Pakistan Army. Pakistan Army soldiers actively participated by donating blood to help Thalassemia patients. Source: Radio Pakistan