Day: June 25, 2024

Adviser to Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Tourism and Culture Zahid Chanzeb has invited the private sector to fully participate in the promotion of the tourism sector. Talking to a delegation of transporters association in Peshawar, he said protection will be provided to investment of transporters in the province. On this occasion, he distributed licenses to transporters for group tourism tours to various tourism places of the province. Source: Radio Pakistan

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has emphasized government's commitment to enhancing women's health and education as a cornerstone for national development. Addressing the concluding session of the National Conference on Women and Health in Islamabad today, he said no country can achieve development without the full participation of its female population, which constitutes fifty percent of the population. The Minister pointed out that countries with less than a fifty percent participation rate of women in national development have not succeeded in sustainable growth. He said the government implemented various measures including technological advancements that enable women to work from home, thereby enhancing their participation in the workforce. Commenting on health initiatives taken by government, Ahsan Iqbal said that the government is tackling hepatitis with a national campaign aimed at achieving results comparable to Egypt's success in eliminating the disease within three years. He said the government a lso aims to address malnutrition among schoolchildren by enhancing nutritional facilities, alongside efforts to stabilize the population growth rate, which has begun to increase in contrast to global trends. The Minister emphasized the inclusivity of these efforts, noting the establishment of the Gender Unit within the Ministry of Planning during the previous tenure. Source: Radio Pakistan

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif says Operation Azm-e-Istehkam is a continuation of the National Action Plan. Talking to newsmen in Lahore today, the Defense Minister informed that the National Action Plan was formulated with the consensus of all political parties. He said that the opposition parties will be given a full opportunity to discuss Operation Azm-e-Istehkam. Defence Minister said that this is a matter of national security and the media should play its role in this regard. He said that Operation Azm-e-Istehkam will be implemented in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Khawaja Asif said that the purpose of Operation Azm-e-Istehkam is to restore government implementation in certain areas. He stressed that consensus among all institutions and political forces is essential for the success of the operations. Source: Radio Pakistan

The government has launched an effective strategy to overcome energy crisis in the country. Under Special Investment Facilitation Council, hydel power, solar energy and wind energy are being prioritized for energy generation instead of coal and furnace oil. A one hundred and fifty megawatt solar power plant has been installed in Sukkur while one megawatt solar power plant has been established in Hunza under Public Private Partnership. With the support of the SIFC, an agreement has also been signed for the establishment of a new oil refinery with an investment of over ten billion dollars in the country. Exploration of oil and gas reserves in coastal and marine areas of the country is also underway through petroleum sector projects. An investment of five to six billion dollars is expected in the petroleum sector. Source: Radio Pakistan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says economic security of the common man and provision of opportunities for equal development is the foremost priority of the government. Chairing a meeting of the Federal Cabinet in Islamabad today, he said no new duties will be imposed on solar panels to ensure common man's access to renewable solar energy. The Prime Minister said we will make low-cost renewable solar energy available to every citizen. Shehbaz Sharif said we are also actively planning to move the economy in a positive trajectory. He said exports of the country will be increased by developing small and medium scale industries. Further, privileges of elites of country's resources will be abolished. He directed the Ministers to ensure their presence in Parliament during debate on the Budget 2024-25. During the meeting, the Prime Minister took the members into confidence regarding the misunderstandings and speculations circulating regarding Azm-e-Istehkam. He said Azm-e-Istehkam is a multi-faceted, coordinate d national vision of the various security agencies and the entire state system. For this purpose, instead of a new and systematic armed action, operations based on already ongoing intelligence will be intensified. The Prime Minister said objective of the operation is to decisively root out the remnants of terrorists, criminal and terrorist nexus and violent extremism in the country. The meeting was apprised of the progress on the privatization of state institutions, especially the privatization of Pakistan International Airlines. It was informed in the meeting that process of privatization of PIA is in progress, and companies showing interest in pre-bidding process are visiting various sites of PIA. The bidding of PIA will be held in the first week of August. The Prime Minister directed to expedite process of privatization of PIA and give key importance to the element of transparency. On the recommendation of the Ministry of Commerce and the request of the United Nations World Food Program Afghanistan, t he Federal Cabinet granted permission for the transit of a container containing truck parts from Karachi to Kabul. On the recommendation of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, the Federal Cabinet approved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Religious Affairs Pakistan and the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Da'wah and Guidance, Saudi Arabia. The Federal Cabinet was informed about the decision of the Economic Coordination Committee to export sugar. The meeting was told that there are ample reserves of sugar in the country at present. The forum granted approval to export a small amount of sugar. On this occasion, the Prime Minister issued a clear directive that no increase in the price of sugar will be allowed. The Federal Cabinet on the recommendation of the Cabinet Division approved to allow to table in the Parliament, the National Economic Council annual report for the financial year 2022-23 prepared by the Ministry of Planning Division. Source: Radio Pakistan