Day: February 15, 2022

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PTI emerged largest party in terms of votes in recent LG elections in KP: Khattak

Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak says Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has emerged as the largest party in terms of votes in the recently concluded phase of Local Government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Addressing a news conference, along with Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib, in Islamabad this evening, he said PTI won in 18 tehsils and four independents have also announced to join the party taking the tally to 22.

Pervaiz Khattak said PPP and the PML-N only grabbed two are three seats each. He said it is correct that our people took elections very easy in the first phase of local government polls in the province.

He said reorganization of the party has been completed in all districts and he will soon announce the new setup of the party. He assured PTI workers that their recommendations will be given due consideration. He emphasized on more hard work to win the next phase of Local Government elections.

Source: Radio Pakistan

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Peace Committees to be established to promote harmony in society: Ashrafi

Special Representative on Religious Harmony Tahir Ashrafi has said that Paigham-e-Pakistan Peace Committees will be established at the union council levels in order to promote harmony in the society.

Addressing a news conference in Islamabad on Tuesday, he said the committees will comprise of different segments of the society including religious scholars of all schools of thought and representatives of all religions.

Strongly condemning the latest lynching incident in Khanewal, Tahir Ashrafi said one hundred and twelve suspects including ten main culprits have been arrested. He said they will be presented before the anti-terrorism court in Multan today. He said the state will not stay silent on such despicable incidents and those taking law into their hands will be taken to task.

Source: Radio Pakistan

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President calls for increasing outreach of Federal Ombudsman

President Dr Arif Alvi has called for increasing the physical and geographical outreach of the Federal Ombudsman to provide free-of-cost justice to the people of remote areas against administrative injustices.

Speaking at a briefing on the role of Wafaqi Mohtasib in Islamabad on Tuesday, he underscored the need for revolutionary changes into the institution of Ombudsman through legislation to make it stronger and more effective to dispense speedy justice to the people against the maladministration of government organizations.

Federal Ombudsman Ejaz Ahmed Qureshi highlighted that his institution had disposed of 106,732 complaints in 2021 against the receipt of 110,398 cases, despite the COVID-19 pandemic constraints. He apprised that over 42,000 online complaints have been processed during the year while more than 92.7 percent of findings have been implemented in the year 2021. He further informed that the value of complaints handled during the year was 1.85 billion rupees.

The Ombudsman shared his future vision and informed that he is working on the geographic expansion of the institution to provide free of cost and speedy justice at the district and sub-district level. He apprised that 14 regional offices have been established to help facilitate the people of far-flung areas.

He further said that One Window Facilitation Desks have been established at the international airports of Pakistan, including Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Multan, Quetta, Sialkot and Faisalabad to help facilitate overseas Pakistanis and address their grievances.

Source: Radio Pakistan

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PM directs to ensure development of merged tribal districts

Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaisar called on Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad today (Tuesday).

During the meeting, views were exchanged on matters pertaining to legislation in the National Assembly.

Besides, issues relating to ensuring the development and integration of the merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and creation of job opportunities for the youth were also discussed.

The Prime Minister also directed to ensure development of the merged districts by creating vast employment opportunities for the youth.

Source: Radio Pakistan

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Pakistan accords top priority to projects for Afghanistan: PM

Prime Minister Imran Khan says Afghan students studying in Pakistani Universities will help in playing a vital role for development of Afghanistan and continue to strengthen people to people contacts between the two countries.

Chairing the 4th meeting of the Apex Committee on Afghanistan in Islamabad today [Monday], he directed that scholarships be continued and all necessary resources be made available.

Discussing the potential of bilateral trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the Prime Minister said that Pakistan accords top priority to business-to-business relationships and communication projects and will provide full facilitation from the Government side.

He said that Pakistan will support hospitals Pakistan helped build in Afghanistan as well as work to build even greater road and rail connectivity with Afghanistan.

The Prime Minister also directed relevant Ministries to fast-track the projects and commitments announced for aid of Afghan people.

Imran Khan said that Pakistan wants a peaceful and stable Afghanistan and the International community must help avert humanitarian crisis in the neighboring country.

The meeting was attended by Ministers Shoukat Tarin, Fawad Ahmed, Shafqat Mehmood, Azam Khan Swati, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, National Security Advisor Dr. Moeed Yusuf, Advisor Commerce Abdul Razaq Dawood, SAPM Dr. Faisal Sultan and senior civil and military officers.

Earlier, National Security Advisor Dr. Moeed Yusuf provided a detailed briefing to the Apex Committee regarding Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, chairing a meeting on the Overseas Enclave Islamabad, the Prime Minister directed the authorities concerned to ensure high quality construction, fast-track completion and competitive pricing of proposed housing apartments in Islamabad.

Terming overseas Pakistanis as valuable asset, he said the government is fully focused on engaging nine million overseas Pakistanis for economic turnaround and wealth creation in the country.

Source: Radio Pakistan

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Loans worth Rs39b approved under KJP to economically empower youth: Usman Dar

Special Assistant on Youth Affairs Usman Dar has said loans worth thirty-nine billion rupees have so far been approved under Kamyab Jawan Program (KJP) to economically empower the youth.

Addressing a news conference in Islamabad on Tuesday, he said twenty-five thousand and seven hundred youth have qualified for the loan scheme.

He said interest free loans of up to five hundred thousand rupees are also being given to the youth under Kamyab Pakistan Program.

The Special Assistant said under Kamyab Jawan Program, two thousand tractors worth 2.5 billion rupees have also been handed over to the young agricultural entrepreneurs. He said more tractors will also be given to the youth as part of efforts to enhance agriculture productivity.

Usman Dar said under ‘Kamyab Jawan’ Skills for All initiative, sixty thousand scholarships are being offered in the third badge, while one hundred thousand scholarships had already been provided.

The Special Assistant said Sports and Talent Hunt Drive launched by Prime Minister Imran Khan will be taken to each nook and corner of the country. He said the aim is to engage the youth in healthy activities.

Source: Radio Pakistan

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Cabinet approves formulation of separate judicial system for Overseas Pakistanis

The Federal Cabinet has approved formulation of a separate judicial system for Overseas Pakistanis to ensure summary trial.

This was stated by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, while briefing media in Islamabad this afternoon, about the decisions taken in today’s (Tuesday) meeting of the federal cabinet which met in the federal capital with Prime Minister Imran Khan in the chair.

He said these laws will be enacted in view of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision to facilitate overseas Pakistanis, who are the precious asset of the country. He said similar judicial system will also be established in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, where PTI is in power.

Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said the cabinet also expressed concern over massive stay orders due to which Federal Board of Revenue is unable to collect revenue of over three trillion rupees. He said the Law Ministry has been asked to take up this matter with the Chief Justice of Supreme Court and the chief justices of high courts. He said it has been recommended that there should be a separate forum to resolve such policy issues. He said the cabinet hoped that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court will present a serious point of view of the judiciary over this matter.

Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said the cabinet called for enacting stringent laws against use of filthy language and hate speech on social media.

The Minister said country’s first ever Digital Cloud Policy also got cabinet’s nod. Besides, export of 34,500 metric tons of Mung beans to Afghanistan under World Food Programme was also approved. He said the cabinet approved reducing prices of Remdesivir injection from 3967 to 2308 rupees for the treatment of Covid-19 patients. He said it is a matter of great satisfaction that Pakistan has now become a major exporter of Covid related material, including Remdesivir injection.

Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said the cabinet approved 15 percent increase in the salaries of civil armed forces and a disparity allowance for the employees of the Federal Government from scale one to 19. He said the cabinet also congratulated the Prime Minister for PTI’s victory in local bodies’ elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Source: Radio Pakistan

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Imran Khan launches ‘Raast’ instant payment system

Prime Minister Imran Khan launched Pakistan’s first instant person to person payment system ‘Raast’ developed by State Bank of Pakistan in Islamabad on Tuesday.

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said the country’s population can be turned into a real asset by involving them in the formal economy through digitization.

Imran Khan said Raast will facilitate the common man to do their transactions through cell phones, besides it will also help improve the saving rates.

Imran Khan said technology is the way through which we can enhance our saving rates as well as tax to GDP ratio to take the country forward. He said we are also using technology in FBR in order to trace those who are not paying taxes regardless of lavish lifestyle.

Imran Khan reaffirmed the commitment to lift the people out of poverty, saying if we succeeded in it, it will be the present government’s big achievement.

The Prime Minister also directed the Governor State Bank of Pakistan to establish a special cell to further facilitate the overseas Pakistanis. He said overseas Pakistanis are our biggest asset and we need to further facilitate them.

Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin, in his remarks, termed Raast instant payment system as a revolution in digital banking which will promote e-commerce and IT related exports.

Shaukat Tarin said the Prime Minister will soon announce some new initiatives to help the lower middle and salaried class affected by the price hike. He said Raast can also be used in implementation of those initiatives.

Highlighting the key features of Raast, Governor State Bank of Pakistan Reza Baqir said this technological advanced system, which is only available in few countries, will be completely free and the banks will not charge any fee on it. He asked the people to fully use the system for their payments.

The Governor pointed out that e-banking transactions worth five hundred billion dollars were carried out last year. He said a growth of thirty percent is being witnessed in e-banking transactions and these will further increase through Raast.

Alluding to the future plans of the central bank, Reza Baqir said that five licenses will be issued for the establishment of digital banks which will cater to the common man. He said we are also enabling the people to remotely open their bank accounts with the help of NADRA. He said this will bring more people into the banking system.

Source: Radio Pakistan