Day: June 27, 2024

Ambassador of Netherlands to Pakistan Honey Focal de Vries met with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sardar Ali Amin Khan Gandapur in Peshawar today. They discussed matters of mutual interest including cooperation in various fields. Source: Radio Pakistan

Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif has directed to immediately release 400 million rupees for ongoing development projects across the province. She said this while presiding over a meeting of the Planning and Development Board in Lahore today. Maryam Nawaz directed the submission of PCs (Project Cycles) of all schemes by 15th of next month and also said that special attention should be given to project transparency, quality and time tracking. During the meeting, the Chief Minister discussed each project to ensure timely completion of projects and directed PITB to set up a dashboard for real-time monitoring of all projects. Maryam Nawaz directed to release 25 percent of the universal health insurance fund on a monthly basis and took a detailed briefing on the special schemes of the Department of Health and issued instructions for early completion of renovation, construction and rehabilitation of health centers. She also instructed to form a company for export of meat, prawns, animals and garments. D uring the meeting, the Chief Minister was briefed that ambulance service is being started at every interchange of motorways in Punjab. She was also informed that 106 Development projects would be completed with the support and participation of foreign institutions. Source: Radio Pakistan

The statue of first Sikh ruler of Punjab Maharajah Ranjit Singh has been permanently installed at Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib. Punjab's Minister for Minority Affairs and Pardhan of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, along with officials from the Project Management Unit Kartarpur and Sikh pilgrims from India, attended the installation ceremony. On this occasion, Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora emphasized the importance of protecting the statue. Sikh pilgrims from various countries, including India, are in Pakistan to commemorate the 185th death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh on Saturday in Lahore. Source: Radio Pakistan

Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Sarfraz Bugti has said that steps are being taken to provide job opportunities to the people of District Chaman. He said this while inaugurating Chaman Master Plan in District Chaman today. On this occasion, concerned officials briefed the Chief Minister about Chaman Master Plan. Source: Radio Pakistan

Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has emphasized adopting productive culture by ensuring increase in agricultural produce. He was talking to Chairman Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Ghulam Muhammad Ali, who called on him in Islamabad today. During the meeting, adoption of technology and innovation to increase agricultural produce came under discussion. The Minister said a sustainable research is needed to increase production. He said monitoring transparency and research by ensuring the involvement of the private sector is also the need of the hour. Ahsan Iqbal directed to organize agricultural production competitions at district level to encourage farmers. Speaking on the occasion, the Chairman PARC informed the Minister that agricultural potential of the country is low due to ban on seeds. He said farmers also cannot purchase all kinds of seeds due to inflation. Source: Radio Pakistan

Minister for Law and Justice Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar has termed the women empowerment inevitable for their valuable participation in every walk of life. Addressing a ceremony in Islamabad today, he stressed the need to develop a framework for the quick disposal of cases related to women and there should be a time line in case management. Commenting on the violence against women, the Minister said that there is a need to change the negative attitudes to curb the violence against the women and government believes that there should be an effective legislation to tackle this menace. He said around one hundred forty amendments have been introduced in the Code of Criminal Procedure in order to give speedy justice to women in cases related to violence. He said there are numerous shortcomings in the criminal justice system of the country and he vowed to remove these inadequacies within the system. Azam Nazeer Tarar said that the draft related to the violence against women is in the final stage in criminal just ice system. Source: Radio Pakistan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed authorities concerned to formulate a comprehensive framework to strengthen economic partnership with Azerbaijan in investment and trade sectors. Chairing a meeting in Islamabad today regarding the promotion of economic and trade relations with Central Asian Republics especially Azerbaijan, he said that there is an enormous potential of trade and investment between Pakistan and Azerbaijan. Highlighting the unique strategic location of Pakistan, he said that Pakistan offers a natural economic corridor through Sea waters for Central Asian states. The Prime Minister said that Pakistan and Azerbaijan have longstanding fraternal ties spanning decades. He further said that foreign investment is increasing in the country due to the business and investment-friendly policies of the government. The meeting was briefed that negotiations are underway to have preferential trade agreement with Azerbaijan as there is a huge potential of energy cooperation with Azerbaijan. The Prime Minister was also briefed about the steps taken to increase business and trade volume, potential and investment opportunities between Pakistan and Azerbaijan. Source: Radio Pakistan

Pakistan's Ambassador Masood Khan to the United States Masood Khan says the government of Pakistan is making conscious efforts to bring people together and strengthen intersocietal linkages. He was addressing interfaith dialogue to build bridges of understanding hosted by the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington DC. The dialogue included faith leaders, diplomats, and representatives from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, the United States Institute of Peace, think tanks, and civil society. Speaking to the occasion, former U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan, Anne Patterson also expressed her optimism about curbing violent extremism through interfaith dialogue. Director Sikhs of America organization Dr. Surinder Singh Gill commended Pakistan for facilitating Sikh pilgrimages and the Kartarpur Corridor initiative, a peace gesture also lauded by the international community. Other speakers emphasized significance of interfaith dialogue and the government's efforts to protect the rights of minoritie s in Pakistan. The dialogue concluded with a renewed sense of hope for continued progress and cooperation. Source: Radio Pakistan