MIRPUR (AJK): Sept. 18 (APP)::The all parties Parliamentary Kashmir group in the British Parliament Tuesday reached Azad Jammu Kashmir on an official visit to assess and discuss, with the AJK leadership, the current
human rights situation in the Indian-held Jammu & Kashmir.
During a meeting with the visiting British delegation in AJK’s capital on Tuesday, the AJK
President Sardar Masood Khan conveyed his deepest gratitude to the All-Party
Parliamentary Kashmir Group (APPKG), in the UK Parliament, which
under the dynamic leadership of Chris Leslie, British Member of
Parliament, has been raising its voice for the protection of human rights of
the people of Jammu and Kashmir and their right to self-determination.
Sardar Masood Khan made these remarks after receiving a
nine-member British Parliamentary delegation comprising Members of Parliament
Chris Leslie, Imran Hussain, Lord Qurban Hussain and Faisal Rasheed, as well as
Member of European Parliament Ms. Anthea McIntyre.
The President apprised the British delegation that life in the
occupied Kashmir had been paralysed due to Indian atrocities
and the popular reaction to human rights violations by the occupation forces in
the territory.
Last week India used deadly force to kill six young men in one of its notorious cordon and search operations in Kulgam.
The entrapped people of Kashmir, the AJK President said, had sought intervention of the international organizations and international community to protect
life, honor and dignity of the Kashmiri people and their leadership. “They need to be protected from the unbridled wrath of Indian forces, paramilitary troops and intelligence
agencies”, said President Khan.
“The paradise on earth is a paradise on fire”, said the President.
The President also drew the attention of the Parliamentarians on
the recently published report of the Office of the High commissioner for Human
Rights which is a strong indictment against India for committing
massive human rights violations. These includes, Lack of access to justice and
impunity, impeding access to justice by military courts and tribunals, illegal
administrative detention, killings, use of pellet-firing shotguns, arbitrary
arrests and detention (including of children), torture, enforced disappearances,
restrictions on the right to freedom of expression and on journalists, using
rape and sexual violence as a weapon of war.
While talking to the British delegation, President Masood Khan
welcomed the statement of the newly appointed Commissioner for Human Rights,
Michelle Bachelet, for emphasising the need for following up on her
predecessor’s report on
the human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir,
with meaningful improvements, or even open and serious discussions on how the
grave issues raised could be addressed by India.
Addressing the 39th
Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, High Commissioner Bachelet said:
“The people of Kashmir have exactly the same rights to justice and dignity as
people all over the world, and we urge the authorities to respect them”, and
underlined that the Office of the High Commissioner continues to request to
visit both sides of the LoC and in the meanwhile will continue its monitoring
and reporting of the situation in IOK.
President Masood Khan
rejected Indian allegations of cross-Line of Control (LoC) infiltration. He
said that India had installed a high-tech surveillance system along the LoC
which had laser activated fences and technology enabled barriers, that had made
any kind of crossings impossible. In any case, the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan strongly believe in a
diplomatic and political solution to the Kashmir dispute and had urged
India to stop using
state-terrorism to suppress the Kashmiris’ peaceful movement for the realisation
of their right to self-determination.
President Masood Khan
thanked MP Chris Leslie and his team for organizing various testimonies under
the auspices of the APPKG on the human rights violations being perpetrated by
the Indian forces in the occupied territory. The President said that he gave
his testimony to the APPKG on 28 February 2018.
The President
especially appreciated the report’s sharp focus on the draconian laws – Armed
Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and the Public Safety Act (PSA) – as well as
enforced disappearances in the occupied territory.
These black laws, the
President said, arm occupation forces to kill, use excessive force and detain
persons with impunity and without the fear of prosecution. “These laws must be
repealed”, he said.
MP Chris Leslie during
the interaction thanked the President for inviting him to AJK and informing him
on the recent developments in Indian Occupied Kashmir. He said that this visit
would help the APKKG in better understanding the issue of Kashmir and would contribute
in gathering facts for the report being compiled. He hoped that India would also
reciprocate to their requests for visiting IOK.
As Chairperson of the
Friends of Kashmir in the European Parliament, Ms. Anthea McIntyre said that Kashmir is not a concern for Pakistan and India but the whole world
must be involved in the resolution of this issue. She informed that the EU
Parliament will be organising an international conference on Kashmir where speakers from
all over the world will speak on the situation in IOK. Ms. Anthea is also
steering a human rights report on Kashmir in the EU Parliament, which she
informed will be submitted by next year.
MP Imran Hussain also
invited the President on the day of the report being submitted in the
parliament. Lord Qurban said that human rights violations must be brought to an
end and a certain level of normalcy is essential before efforts are made for
the resolution of the Kashmir issue through a
plebiscite.
The President in his
concluding remarks commended the APPKG for their commitment and determination
in raising the issue of Kashmir. He urged the British
MPs to help raise the issue with the British Prime Minister during the question
answer session in the parliament. He said that as a permanent member of the UN
Security Council, UK must ask for the
circulation of reports compiled by the United Nations Military Observer Group
in India and Pakistan
(UNMOGIP) amongst Security Council members.

RAWALPINDI, Sep 18 (APP)::A high level delegation from National Narcotics Control Committee (NNCC) of China along with representatives from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
visited Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) Headquarters (HQ) here on Tuesday.
The delegation included Deshing Xiong, Deputy Secretary General NNCC, Jermey Douglas, Representative UNODC Regional Office South East Asia & Pacific and Cesar Guedes, Representative UNODC Pakistan.
Major General, Musarrat Nawaz Malik, DG ANF Pakistan warmly
welcomed the guests. During the visit, issues of mutual concern in the field of
controlling drugs and precursor trafficking were brought under discussion.
The representatives from both the countries, Pakistan and China agreed upon further augmentation of the existing level of bilateral counter narcotics cooperation between the two countries by supporting each other’s anti drug initiatives and establishing bilateral interaction mechanisms
at appropriate levels. As a manifestation of the resolve, Border Liaison Office
(BLO) has been recently inaugurated at Pak-China border, Sost which will help
both the countries in real time information sharing and carrying out intelligence
based joint operations to effectively counter the drugs related activities across
the border.
Deshing Xiong assured up-gradation of technical and operational capacity of ANF by establishment of bilateral support mechanism e.g. database.
He further assured that China being the world’s largest producer of precursor chemical would make its best efforts to counter illicit use and trafficking of chemicals especially routing through Pakistani border.
He expressed that Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Peoples
Republic of China are strategic partner and all weather friends which have roots
in strong mutual trust, excellent cooperation and convergence of views on
regional and global issues including counter-narcotics (CN) cooperation.
Jermey Douglas and Cesar Guedes assured all time moral and financial support to ANF Pakistan and NNCC China for long-lasting mutual cooperation in terms of counter narcotics.
The new emerging challenges associated with drug and precursor trafficking through CPEC route was also given special attention during the meeting. It was decided that appropriate joint measures would be taken to effectively counter perceived emerging threat of illicit drug
trafficking and additional resources to ANF for establishing and deploying
dedicated check posts and drug interdiction teams along, especially its transit
and terminal points in Pakistan i.e. Sost (being established) and Gwadar would
be supported in all aspects.
It was further decided jointly that unanimous stance of
Pakistan & China on the issue of maritime cooperation as well as on other
drug related issues would be reaffirmed at all regional and international fora.
The guests were given short brief of the ANF achievements
in controlling the drug menace which was warmly lauded by the delegation.
The DG ANF thanked the honorable guests with the resolve
to provide all possible services at regional, continental and global level to control
illicit drug and precursor trafficking to make the region and the world a “Drug
free society”.

PESHAWAR, Sep 18 (APP):A meeting of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Apex Committee chaired by Governor Shah Farman held here at Corps Headquarter on Tuesday reviewed the prevailing law and order situation in Khyber Pakthunhwa and erstwhile FATA.
The committee expressed satisfaction on the progress of reconstruction and rehabilitation projects in health, education and infrastructure development, said a release of ISPR.
Senior Civil and Military officials including Chief Minister KP Mehmood Khan and Commander Peshawar Corps Lt Gen Nazir Ahmed Butt attended the meeting.
The forum also hailed the efforts of army in rehabilitation of TDPs. Matters related to Pak-Afghan border fencing and enhanced surveillance mechanism also came under discussion.

ISLAMABAD, Sep 18 (APP):The Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on Tuesday took notice on the death of ten year old girl (Amal) by firing at a signal in Karachi.
Taking notice of the issue, the chief justice had fixed the matter in the court for hearing on September 25 (Tuesday).
The court issued notices to Advocate General, Secretary Health, Inspector General of Police, Sindh and Administrator National Medical Hospital, Karachi, said a press release issued here.
As per media reports, Amal along with her parents was on way, when she was hit by a bullet in her head while the robbers were robbing a car next to them.
They rushed to the nearest hospital (National Medical Centre – NMC). The hospital gave oxygen to the injured girl by an Ambubag pumping manually. The doctor told them to take her to either Jinnah or Agha Khan Hospital. The hospital neither provided them emergency medical aid, nor ambulance and even refused to give the Ambubag to help the injured reaching another hospital.
The family arranged another ambulance, however, Amal died on the way to the other hospital.

LAHORE, Sep 18 (APP):The hydel power stations owned and operated
by the Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) generated
the highest-ever electricity during the peak hours of the last two days
as WAPDA hydel generation crossed 7500 megawatt (MW) mark for the first time in Pakistan.
Giving hydel generation details, the WAPDA spokesman said here Tuesday that WAPDA provided as much as 7571 MW and 7513 MW of electricity to the National Grid during peak hours on September 16 and 17 respectively. This quantum of hydel power share registered an increase of about 1000 MW if compared with that of previous years, he said, asserting that this increased share of hydel electricity in the National Grid is the result of power generation commencement from Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project and Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project.
In accordance with outflows from Tarbela Dam and availability of
water in River Neelum, two units of Tarbela 4th Extension and one unit
of Neelum Jhelum were providing electricity to the system.
The statistics of yesterday’s hydel generation during the peak hours show that Tarbela Hydel Power Station generated 3461 MW, Tarbela 4th Extension 770 MW, Ghazi Barotha 1450 MW, Mangla 920 MW, Warsak 185 MW, and Neelum Jhelum 243 MW while other hydel power stations cumulatively shared 484 MW to the National Grid, he added.
He mentioned that WAPDA owned as many as 19 hydel power stations
with cumulative generation capacity of 6902 MW. In addition to these
19 hydel power stations, WAPDA has also completed three hydropower
projects in 2018 namely Tarbela 4th Extension, Neelum Jhelum and Golen
Gol with total installed capacity of 2487 MW. These projects are in
their defect liability period and generating electricity in accordance
with the prescribed standard operating procedure (SOP). The electricity generated by these projects
is also being injected to the system.
He further said that hydel electricity is the cheapest one and environment-friendly. WAPDA provides about 31 billion units of hydel electricity on the average each year to the National Grid. The share
of hydel generation greatly contributes in lowering the overall
electricity tariff for the consumers, as electricity generated
through other sources is far costlier.

KARACHI, Sep 18 (APP):Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is designing a plan to expand urban forestry so as to enhance vegetation in the cities across the country, said Malik Amin Aslam, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Climate Change.
During his visit to the urban forest park in Clifton on Monday,
he said individuals and organisations from private sector must come
forward for the cause.
“It is an investment for our future generation towards building
healthy environment,” said the adviser who was also accompanied by
IUCN country representative for Pakistan, Mahmood Akhter Cheema.
Malik Amin Aslam appreciated Shahzad Qureishi and his team for
introducing the concept of urban forest in the country, through his
model project in Karachi.
Earlier, he visited the mausoleum of Quaid e Azam and offered
fateha.
Following this, the adviser to the PM along with the workers of
IUCN and members of local NGO, Shehri for Betterment of Citizens
participated in a plantation campaign in the vicinity of Mazar e
Quaid.

ISLAMABAD, Sep 18 (APP):Presenting the supplementary budget in National Assembly on Tuesday, Minister for Finance Asad Umar proposed to allow non-filers of income tax to purchase vehicles and houses.
The previous government had barred the non-filers from purchasing cars and houses on their names in a bid to increase tax net.
However, the government has proposed to increase the federal excise duty on all vehicles with engine displacement of 1800cc and above, from existing 10 percent to 20 percent.
Similarly, the minister also proposed to increase Withholding Tax on banking transaction by non-filers from existing 0.4 percent to 0.6 percent.

LAHORE, Sep 18 (APP):Senior Minister Punjab Abdul Aleem
Khan has said the past regime ran all matters on adhoc basis
in all sectors which is eye opener.
He stated this while presiding over a high level meeting
of Energy Department in which Bhikkhi, Solar Park, Thermal
and Coal Projects were came under discussion.
Abdul Aleem Khan said that during last regime billions of
rupees were showered in the name of ending load shedding and
many projects were carried out only in papers.
Similarly, public exchequer was wasted on the unnecessary
publicity while the results were nothing, he said.
The Senior Minister said that due to his personal efforts
and his intervention assured continuity of Bhikki plant to
produce electricity.
Senior Minister said that Federal Government would be taken
into loop and next week the meeting would be held in Islamabad
with Federal Ministers and authorities.
He asked the officers of Energy Department to prepare
recommendations, keeping in view, the ground realities to
ensure continuity of the existing projects on permanent
basis and resolve the merging issues.
Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan also presided over meetings
of Health, Education, Industries, Tourism and Women Development
Departments in which Ministers and Secretaries were present
and 100 days plan was discussed.
Senior Minister directed that keeping in view the high
hopes of the masses we have to make concrete and solid planning
during these 100 days on which implementation would be made
in the coming years.
“We have to ensure prompt and cheaper provision of basic
facilities of life to everyone and for this every department
would have to come up with proper home work,” he added.
Abdul Aleem Khan said the present government had inherited
a number of chronic issues which were resulting as a hurdle to
run the affairs.
He, however, affirmed belief that soon we would be evolving
the strategy to overcome the situation and bring practical
changes in every sphere of life.
Abdul Aleem Khan asked the senior officers to start their
working based on the facts and take remedial measures to
provide maximum relief to a common man.
Moreover, Provincial Minister for Finance Hasham Jawaan
Bakhat and Minister Irrigation Mohsin Leghari called on Senior
Minister Punjab Abdul Aleem Khan in his office and exchanged
views on 100-day plan and performance of their departments.
Senior Minister said that Punjab Government would bring
budget on the real facts. He also stressed the need to resolve
pending issues in Irrigation Department and assured his all
out cooperation in this regard.

LAHORE, Sep 18 (APP):Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid has
said that 6,891 new medical officers have been recruited through Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC), who would shortly join their duties in hospitals across Punjab.
She was chairing a meeting at Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department, here on Tuesday. She was informed that out of 6,891 newly selected medical officers (MOs), 2,967 were women medical officers, while 3,924 were male and all selected doctors would be given posting through online preference system in the first week of October.
She was informed that 10,763 posts of medical officers were still
lying vacant. He directed the departments concerned to recruit 3,872
more doctors in the next phase through PPSC in October.
The minister expressed her satisfaction over recruitment of 2,834 nurses through the PPSC, adding that requisition for recruitment of further 1,919 nurses should be sent to the PPSC in October as well.
The minister said that recruitment of employees from BPS 01 to
BPS 15 in all districts would be made through the National Testing
System (NTS). She said Punjab Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman
Buzdar had already allowed the recruitment in Health Department which
was a clear indication of Punjab government’s willingness to improve
public health sector.
“All District Health Authorities would be empowered to complete the recruitment process in their respective districts,” she said, urging no compromise should be made on merit and transparency in the recruitment process.

ISLAMABAD, Sep 18 (APP):Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Tuesday reviewed the arrangements for Local Government (LG) by-election in all four provinces of the country.
In a meeting presided over by Chief Election Commissioner Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza, a detailed briefing was given by all four Provincial Election Commissioners while discussion was made on issues and their solutions towards holding these elections.
Secretary Election Commission was also present on the occasion and it was decided to hold a meeting with all four Provincial Local Government Secretaries during the next week.
This meeting would further review the arrangements in connection with these elections and future strategy would be devised after listening to the viewpoint of provincial governments.

ISLAMABAD, Sep 18 (APP):The federal government Tuesday proposed in the supplementary Finance Bill 2018 to maintain the limit for tax exemption on income of Rs 1200,000 per year amid fixed taxes on different cohorts of salaried class.
Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Asad Umar said, “The last government had given sweeping tax relief to all kinds of people, including the most rich. The final decision we’ve taken is that we’ll maintain the Rs1200,000 limit on exemption”.
“We are also maintaining the tax rate for those earning between Rs 100,000 to Rs 200,000 per month. For all categories above that, we are increasing the tax rate that was applicable in May, but it will remain lower than what it was last year. We hope that the people who have the means will not oppose us on this”, he added.
However, maximum tax for salaried class was made to be 25 per cent on the other hand maximum tax for non-salaried class was 29 per cent.

ISLAMABAD, Sep 18 (APP):Chairman, National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal Tuesday described
bribery and corruption as really poison, saying “We must put it down with an iron hand.”
Father of nation Quaid-e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had
also termed bribery and corruption as “one of the biggest curses.”
Chairing a meeting here, he said NAB was committed to
corruption free Pakistan and would recover looted money from corrupt
persons and bring them to justice as per law.
He said the Bureau has chalked out a comprehensive operational
methodology for proceeding of cases complaint verification, inquiry and investigation.
The Chairman said to close possibility of any single
NAB officer/official influencing discharge of official business,
the concept of a “Combined Investigation Team” (CIT) has been
introduced where two investigation officers and a legal
consultant are working as a team for a fair, transparent
and unbiased, inquiry/ investigation.
He said due to NAB’s efforts, national and international
organizations have rated decrease in Pakistan’s Corruption
Perception Index from 175 to 116.
Pakistan is the only country whose corruption
perception index is persistently on declining trend.
NAB had been unanimously elected as Chairman of
SAARC Anti Corruption Forum which is the great achievement.
Justice Javed said NAB has apprehended various corrupt
and presented them before the respective Accountability Courts
as per law.
He said NAB with improved infrastructure
and rationalized workload, timelines has been prescribed
for efficient, effective and expeditious disposal of cases.

ISLAMABAD, Sep 18 (APP):National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in its Monsoon daily situation on Tuesday reported 88 persons died, 158 were injured, and 362 houses were damaged due to heavy rains in the country from June 20 to September 14, 2018 here on Tuesday.
According to the report, due to heavy rains and overflow of water channels, gusty winds in various areas of the provinces caused most of the damages of precious lives and property during Monsoon 2018.
The report stated maximum deaths caused in the Punjab province were: 24 males, 2 females and 5 children with a total death toll of 31 while 47 males, 12 females and 13 children, while 72 people were injured and 7 houses partially and one fully damaged.
The deaths in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) were counted less as compared to Punjab where as many as 5 males, 5 females and 12 children died with a total number of 22 causalities, 40 persons were reported to be injured during the monsoon downpours including 12 males, 14 females and 14 children, whereas 182 houses got damaged as 133 partially and 49 completely smashed.
The Balochistan province received two causalities during monsoon including one each male and female. Azad Jammu and Kashmir bore total 21 causalities including 15 male and 5 female and 1 child where 30 injured with 20 males and 10 females reported with 60 houses damaged as 37 partially and 23 fully ruined were reported.
The death toll was the least after Balochistan in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) where only 4 people died including 2 males and females each where one male injured was reported while 43 partially and 57 houses were fully damaged with a total number of 100 houses smashed during monsoon downpours.
The disasters faced by the tribal districts of KPK included 8 children and a male dead where 15 injured including 2 males, 7 females and 6 children while 10 houses partially and 2 fully were damaged during monsoon rains.
Meanwhile the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) of KPK provided 50 and that of GB 60 tents respectively in their domains while GBDMA/DDMA provided 250 bags of food items to the disaster victims till date during Monsoon 2018.

ISLAMABAD, Sep 18 (APP):Senate Chairman, Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani, along with three members will proceed to Azerbaijan on a four-day official visit to participate in the 100th Anniversary of the Parliament of Azerbaijan.
Senate Chairman said that Pakistan and Azerbaijan enjoyed cordial relations and parliamentary exchanges, said a press release issued here.
The delegation, led by Chairman Senate is included
Leader of the House in the Senate, Senator Syed Shibli Faraz, Senator Sardar Muhammad Azam Khan Musakhel and Senator Nighat Mirza.
Senate Chairman will also hold meetings with President, Prime Minister of Azerbaijan besides meeting with Chairman of the Mili Majlis of Azerbaijan. The invitation of this visit was extended by Chairman of the Mili Majlis of Azerbaijan.

ISLAMABAD, Sep 18 (APP):Prime Minister Imran Khan left here on a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates where he will discuss important issues of bilateral interest and the regional situation with their respective leaders.
Accompanied by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Finance Minister Asad Umar, Information Minister Ch. Fawad Hussain and Advisor for Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood the Prime Minister will be undertaking the State visit to Saudi Arabia on the invitation of King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman.
The Prime Minister will have an audience with King Salman and a bilateral meeting with the Crown Prince. The King will also host a State banquet for the Prime Minister at the Royal Court.
Secretary General of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr. Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen will also call on the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister will also pay his respects at the Roza-e-Rasool (PBUH) and perform Umrah.
Prime Minister along with his delegation will arrive in Abu Dhabi on September 19 on the invitation of the Crown Prince Mohammaed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who will also receive him. The two leaders will discuss issues of bilateral interest, a statement from the Foreign Office said.

ISLAMABAD, Sep 18 (APP):Prime Minister Imran Khan Tuesday thanked the people of Karachi for pledging an amount of Rs 760 million for the ambitious project to build dams in the country and to avert the looming water shortage in the years ahead.
The prime minister attended the fund raising event at the Governor House Karachi on Sunday where he spoke on the importance of construction of water reservoirs for power generation and irrigation and said unless the whole nation was galvanized, the future generations would pay a heavy price.
The Prime Minister in a televised message on September 8, particularly to the overseas Pakistanis, made a fervent appeal to donate for the dam fund, in view of the water shortages that might hit the country by year 2025.
The Prime Minister in a tweet stated; “I want to thank the people of Karachi for their generosity in supporting the Dam Fund. Rs 76 crores were raised at this Dam fundraiser.”
Prime Minister Imran Khan in his speech called for a target of Rs 30 billion for the Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dam fund.
“I am the greatest fund raiser in the history of Pakistan,” PM Imran stated. “I assure you that we have to meet our target of 30 billion rupees every year and we will meet more than our target as all Pakistanis have been mobilised today.”
The dam fund initially launched by the Chief Justice of Supreme Court Justice Saqib Nisar on July 6 got the full endorsement of the Prime Minister and has so far collected Rs 3.5 billion from donations alone.