Category: General

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has invited the companies to establish processing plants in Balochistan to produce value-added mineral products for domestic consumption and exports to China.

He was talking to Vice President of Minmetals and Chairman of Metallurgical Cooperation of China, Chen Jianguang, in Beijing.

He appreciated the longstanding partnership of Pakistan with Minmetal and MCC, and their contributions in executing important mining projects in Balochistan.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister underlined that export of copper to China from Pakistan has increased exponentially reaching 1.22 billion dollars in 2022 from 132 million dollars in 2018.

He underscored that the second phase of the CPEC aims at enhancing B2B collaboration between the private enterprises of the two countries.

He added that CPEC provides Minmetals and MCC with access to modern transport infrastructure to enhance logistical efficiency and reduce transportation costs for both raw materials and finished products.

S
ource: Radio Pakistan

76 Pakistani universities have been featured in the Times Higher Education (THE) World’s Young University Rankings 2024. While 33 national institutes have been ranked by THE, the remaining have been granted the status of a ‘reporter’ on the list. With a total of 76 universities cutting, Pakistan’s absence from the top 100 highlights the challenges faced by its higher education sector.

Here is the list of Pakistani universities that made it to the list of Young University Rankings list of the world’s best universities that are 50 years old or younger, other than these are granted the status of ‘Reporter.’

The 2024 ranking includes 673 universities, up from 605 in 2023. A further 499 institutions are listed with ‘reporter’ status, meaning that they provided data but did not meet the eligibility criteria to receive a rank.

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore tops the league table for the second year in a row.

Hong Kong continues to have a strong presence in the top 10, but it’s a mixed picture in te
rms of individual university performance. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology has slipped from second to third place and Hong Kong Polytechnic University from fourth to seventh, but the City University of Hong Kong has risen two places to fourth.

Meanwhile, France’s top institutions all improve. Paris Sciences et Lettres – PSL Research University Paris, its top performer, is now second, up from third last year. Turkey has the highest number of institutions ranked, at 58, followed by India with 55 and Iran with 46.

The number of territories featured in the table rises to 79, one more than in 2023. Ghana and Peru both make their debut.

Source: Pro Pakistani

Balochistan Governor Jafar Khan Mandokhel called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad today.

The Prime Minister felicitated Jafar Khan Mandokhel for assuming office of the provincial governor and expressed best wishes for him.

During the meeting views were also exchanged on matters relating to Balochistan.

Source: Radio Pakistan

A review meeting was held in Islamabad under the chairmanship of Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal to discuss preparations for Prime Minister’s upcoming visit to China and review progress on CPEC Phase 2.

During the meeting, the Federal Minister was briefed on the preparations and agenda for the upcoming JCC meeting scheduled to be held next week.

The Minister emphasized that ensuring progress on ongoing and newly proposed development projects under CPEC Phase 2 would be a key agenda item of the Prime Minister’s visit to China.

He directed all ministries and departments to play an active role in the completion of CPEC projects.

Source: Radio Pakistan

Lahore Development Authority (LDA) is planning cycling tracks along major roads to promote cycling in the city.

According to details, an Asian Development Bank delegation recently met with LDA Director General Tahir Farooq to discuss plans for a cycling track in the provincial capital.

The meeting aimed to enhance cycling infrastructure by initiating a feasibility study for the master plan in collaboration with relevant stakeholders like LDA and TEPA.

The DG LDA instructed the TEPA Chief Engineer to extend full support to the Asian Bank team in their efforts. Furthermore, discussions included plans to address environmental pollution, improve traffic flow, enhance pedestrian facilities, and optimize parking arrangements on MM Alam Road.

In separate news, the LDA collected over Rs. 30 million in overdue annual commercialization fees last month. According to details, LDA’s Town Planning Zone-1, led by Director Ayesha Mutahir, conducted six operations, sealing over 45 properties across various LDA schemes su
ch as New Muslim Town, Shadman, Shah Jamal, and Gulshan-e-Ravi.

Source: Pro Pakistani

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed the desire to take all the political forces onboard in resolving issues confronting Pakistan and putting the country’s economy on track.

He expressed this resolve, while to JUI-F leader Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, who called on him in Islamabad today.

The Prime Minister further said welfare of the people of Balochistan is amongst top priorities of the government. He said equal opportunities of education and employment will be ensured for the youth of Balochistan.

They also exchanged views on overall political situation in the country and matters relating to various development projects in Balochistan.

Members National Assembly Usman Badini and Noor Alam Khan were also present during the meeting.

Source: Radio Pakistan

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has underscored the government’s commitment to continue with and expand upon the reform agenda to further engagement with IMF.

He was talking to the IMF mission led by IMF Mission Chief Nathan Porter, who called on him in Islamabad to kick start the discussions on further engagement with the Fund.

The Finance Minister welcomed the IMF team and thanked them for the successful completion of the Standby Arrangement.

The Finance Minister apprised the IMF team of the improvement in the macro-economic indicators over the course of the SBA.

Source: Radio Pakistan

Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has announced a ban on visitor access to the gallery. This decision comes in response to recent incidents where visitors engaged in disruptive behavior, including shouting slogans and creating disturbances during sessions.

During a session chaired by Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, it was emphasized that the presence of guests in the assembly gallery was leading to disruptions in parliamentary proceedings. Therefore, to ensure the smooth conduct of legislative business without interruptions, it was decided to restrict access for visitors.

The decision to ban visitor access was reinforced by the absence of guest passes issued for any minister or Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) during the current session. As a result, the guest galleries remained vacant throughout the National Assembly session.

The restriction on visitor access aims to maintain the decorum and orderliness of parliamentary proceedings. By curbing disruptive behavior from visitors, lawmak
ers can focus on deliberations and decision-making without external disturbances.

In addition to addressing visitor access, the National Assembly session also saw discussions on legislative matters, including the extension of the Tahshiya Ordinance 2024. This extension, totaling 120 days, was part of the legislative agenda during the session.

The restriction on visitor access aims to maintain decorum and orderliness within the National Assembly, allowing lawmakers to conduct business efficiently and effectively. The decision to restrict visitor access underscores the commitment of the National Assembly to uphold parliamentary norms and ensure an environment conducive to effective lawmaking.

Source: Pro Pakistani