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Thursday, 20 June 2013

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More foreign buyers eye Chinese drones -

BEIJING, June 20 (APP): At least five countries are negotiating with China on buying its domestically developed Wing Loong drone. “Wing Loong is quite competitive in the international market and we have delivered it to up to three clients,” China Daily quoted Ma Zhiping, general manager of China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corp, at the 50th International Paris Air Show.Ma’s company is the biggest exporter of aviation defense products in China and has a strong presence in the military aircraft market. It belongs to Aviation Industry Corp of China, the country’s leading aircraft manufacturer.

After successful launch of Pak Satellite, China seeks to boost share of satellite market -

BEIJING, June 20 (APP): After successful launch of Pakistan’s communication satellite, China is actively exploring commercial opportunities to boost its share of the global satellite-launching market. Since 2005, China has launched satellites for Nigeria, Venezuela, and Pakistan, and in April added Turkey, Argentina and Ecuador to its international roll call of clients, after sending three more satellites into orbit. China Great Wall Industry Corp, a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, is using this year’s Paris Air Show to showcase its next generation of heavy-lifting rocket, the Long March 5, which is expected to be first launched in 2015, reports China Daily.

Pakistan calls for steps to ensure natural resources fuel development, not conflict -

UNITED NATIONS, June 20 (APP): Pakistan has stressed the need to prevent diversion of the world’s abundant natural resources to fuel conflict by ensuring that land and mineral wealth are managed wisely, transparently and yield benefits for the people.At the same time, Ambassador Masood Khan acknowledged that extractive resources were not the only cause of conflict. “Poverty, ethnic and religious strife, and bad governance often exacerbate the tensions created by mismanagement of natural resources,” he told the UN security Council on Wednesday. “High dependency on extractive industries combined with unsettled disputes
lead to competition and conflict over resources,” the Pakistani envoy said in his remarks to the day-long thematic debate in the 15-nation Council on conflict prevention and the extractive industries.

Kerry eager to visit Pakistan; wants to spend sufficient time to discuss wide-ranging cooperation:US -

WASHINGTON, June 19 (APP): The United States on Wednesday said Secretary of State John Kerry is eager to visit Pakistan soon, but he is not going to Islamabad during his trip to Asia starting this week because he wants to spend sufficient time to discuss the wide-ranging cooperation between the two countries.“Secretary Kerry plans to visit Pakistan as soon as his schedule permits. He will meet the new civilian government, which just took office there,” State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said.Responding to a suggestion, the spokesperson said Secretary Kerry’s not going to Pakistan on the trip to Asia, which includes a stop in New Delhi, is “absolutely not” a snub to the country.“The Secretary is ready to go, he wants to go. We are working on scheduling the time to go.”

War drives number of forcibly displaced worldwide to 18-year high: UN report -

UNITED NATIONS, June 19 (APP): A United Nations report released Tuesday says that more people are refugees or internally displaced than at any time since 1994, with the crisis in Syria having emerged as a major new factor in global displacement.The annual Global Trends report, released by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), shows that as of the end of 2012, more than 45.2 million people were in situations of displacement compared to 42.5 million at the end of 2011.This includes 15.4 million refugees, 937,000 asylum-seekers, and 28.8 million people forced to flee within the borders of their own countries. The report does not include the rise in those forced from their homes in Syria during the current year, UNHCR pointed out in a news release on the report, launched ahead of World Refugee Day, commemorated annually on 20 June.

Sport News

PCB Interim Committee pre-scrutiny briefing from Thursday

KARACHI, June 19 (APP): Two-day Interim Committee appointed for holding elections of Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA) zones’ pre-scrutiny briefing will be held at National Stadium on Thursday and Friday. According to an announcement of Interim Committee on Wednesday, briefing for Zone-I and II will be held on Thursday at 4.30 p.m., on Friday for Zone II-IV at 9.30 a.m. and for Zone-V and VII at 4.30 p.m. Gulfraz Khan has been appointed as the chairman of the interim committee while Badar Jafri is its member.

Taekwondo team off to Jakarta to feature in Asian Junior Championship

ISLAMABAD, June 19 (APP): A three-member Pakistan Taekwondo outfit on Wednesday departed for Jakarta to chip in the 7th Asian Junior Taekwondo Championship to take place there from June 21-23.
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Rs 22 mln more allocated to POA Interim Committee for national games

ISLAMABAD, June 19 (APP): Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has released the remaining amount of Rs 22 million to the Interim Committee of Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) to hold the 32nd national games, scheduled to take place here from June 28 to July 4.
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Match officials for Champions Trophy semis announced

KARACHI, June 18 (APP): The International Cricket Council (ICC) Tuesday announced the match officials for the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy. England will take on South Africa in the first semi-final on Wednesday at The Oval.The on-field umpires appointed will be Kumar Dharmasena and Rod Tucker, with Bruce Oxenford and Steve Davis third and fourth umpires, respectively.
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Pakistan hockey training camp commences

KARACHI, June 18 (APP): Training camp of Pakistan probables in preparations for Hockey World League began here at Hockey Club of Pakistan (HCP) Stadium on Tuesday.Former Pakistan captain and Olympic half back Waseem Ahmed did not report for training as he was getting treatement after an accident, Manager/Chief coach Akhtar Rasool told APP during team’s afternoon training session.
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Rivers/reservoirs report - DG ISI calls on Prime Minister - Pak-China desire to explore new areas of cooperation - President phones President-elect of Iran Dr Rohani, felicitates him - LHC adjourns Chinese company locomotive plea - End of discrimination in global nuclear order vital for global stabi...

DG ISI calls on Prime Minister

News - National

ISLAMABAD, June 20 (APP): Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lieutenant General Muhammad Zahir ul Islam on Thursday called on Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.During meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office, the Director General ISI apprised the Prime Minister about the working of his organization. Furthermore, matters pertaining to national security and regional stability were also discussed.

President phones President-elect of Iran Dr Rohani, felicitates him

News - National
KARACHI, June 19 (APP): President Asif Ali Zardari Wednesday evening telephoned President-elect of Iran Dr Hassan Rohani and felicitated him on being elected as the President. Spokesperson to the President Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the President while felicitating Dr Hassan Rohani said that his election was a demonstration of the confidence of the people in his leadership and in his abilities to steer the nation towards peace, progress and prosperity.
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Strategic programme reinforces peace: Prime Minister

News - National

ISLAMABAD, Jun 19 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday expressed his full confidence in the management and security structures of Pakistan’s nuclear capability. He said that the Strategic Programme matured over the years had ensured full spectrum deterrence against external aggression, thereby reinforcing peace in the region. The Prime Minister expressed these views at the end of a special briefing on Pakistan’s Strategic Programme by the Director General Strategic Plans Division, Lieutenant General (Retired) Khalid Ahmed Kidwai. The Prime Minister, who is the Chairman of the National Command Authority (NCA), reiterated his government’s unflinching resolve and commitment to the centrality of the Strategic Programme to national security. The briefing was attended by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Special Advisors, Sartaj Aziz, Tariq Fatmi and Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Khalid Shameem Wynne.

Prime Minister for early completion of Neelam-Jehlum Project

News - National
MUZAFFARABAD, Jun 19 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday directed the concerned authorities to expedite construction work on Rs274.882 billion Neelam-Jehlum Hydro-power Project and make it functional till 2014-15 to overcome the power shortage issue in the country. During his visit to the site of the project, the Prime Minister told the mediamen that the concerned authorities had sought time for the completion of project till 2016, conditional to availability of financial resources but he had declined and instead instructed them to accomplish it till 2014-15. He regretted that such like projects were conceived in the past but were not given due attention as there had been vested interests but they would have to change such culture.
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Govt. seeks guideline to devise strategy to check printing of holy verses in newspapers

News - National Assembly
ISLAMABAD, June 19 (APP): Minister for Information Broadcasting and National Heritage on Wednesday sought guideline from Ulema, religious and political parties to devise a comprehensive strategy for checking desecration of verses of the Holy Quran printed in newspaper.Responding to a calling attention notice moved by Makhdoomzda Basit Bokhari, he said “Ulema, religious and political parties should guide how can we discourage publishing of verses of the Holy Quran in newspapers.” He informed the House that it is a highly important matter and close to our heart, however added the government could not solely take any decision regarding imposition of ban on the printing of Holy verses in newspapers without taking on board the owners of newspapers.
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Nisar for national consensus on terrorism, sovereignty

News - National Assembly
ISLAMABAD, June 19 (APP): Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Wednesday called upon political forces in the country to join hands for national consensus on important economic, political and strategic issues. “Let us stand united to protect our sovereignty and independence. Let the nation send a unanimous message on sovereignty and drone attacks that we are not a Banana Republic. Today’s Pakistan is not Pervez Musharraf’s Pakistan,” Nisar said in reply to first ever speech of Tehreek-e-Insaaf’s Chairman Imran Khan in National Assembly. PTI Chairman reached the House for the first time since he won the elections; and took oath as MNA following which he delivered policy statement encompassing different national issues and called upon the government to develop a national consensus.
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NA resumes debate on budget

News - National Assembly
ISLAMABAD, Jun 19 (APP): National Assembly on Wednesday resumed debate on budget 2013-14, giving an opportunity to members to give proposals for the important document. Taking part in the debate, Mir Ejaz Hussain Jakhrani said after announcement of budget, the prices of various commodities witnessed an increase. He said it seems the initiatives announced in the budget are causing price-hike which would add more miseries to lives of common man. Mir Ejaz said Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) accepted the elections result only for the promotion of democracy. Earlier, Ghaus Baksh Mehr supported the idea of re-checking of votes in different constituencies as this would remove concerns of people, alleging that polls were rigged.
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Govt striving to revive economy through comprehensive reforms: Dar

News - National
ISLAMABAD, Jun 19 (APP): Federal Minister for Finance, Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar has said that government under the leadership of Prime Minister, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif was trying to revive Pakistan’s economy through comprehensive reforms. Talking to Ambassador of Korea, Choongjoo Choi who called on him here, the minister said that relations between Pakistan and Republic of Korea have always been warm and cordial and friendships between the two countries will further strengthened with every passing day.
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Tax not imposed on basic commodities to facilitate common man: Pervez Rashid

News - National
ISLAMABAD, Jun 19 (APP): Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervez Rashid on Wednesday said that government did not impose taxes on basic commodities of life to facilitate the common man. Basic goods for life including pulses, meat, spices, milk, medicines etc were exempted from General Sales Tax (GST), he added.
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Senators discuss finance bill 2013-14

News - Senate
ISLAMABAD, June 19 (APP): Lawmakers of the Upper House of the parliament on Wednesday continued debate on the finance bill 2013-14 . Senator Kamil Ali Agha of the PML-Q ,on a point of order, raised the matter of the absence of cabinet members from the House proceedings, stating that this would make the budget debate meaningless. However, Leader of the House Raja Zafar- ul- Haq clarified that two deputy secretaries were present in the galleries to take notes of the points raised by the members. He said that the timeline for submitting proposals with the Senate Standing Committee on Finance had been extended to accommodate the proposals of members.
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