LAHORE, Apr 9 (APP): Joint Operations Coordination Committee (JOCC) has decided to vigorously undertake coordinated action across the board against all terrorist outfits and their facilitators.
The JOCC took the decision during its meeting here on Saturday, following the earlier meeting between Punjab Chief Minister and Commander Lahore Corps, held on April 5.
According to ISPR, the meeting was attended by senior civil
and military officials of Punjab and heads of civil and military intelligence agencies. The forum agreed to revitalize the committee to carry out intelligence assessment, joint development of security mosaic and direct all operations in Punjab.
JOCC to launch vigorous action against terrorists, facilitators
PM condols Maulana Ubaid's death at Jamia Ashrafia
LAHORE, Apr 9 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Saturday visited Jamia Ashrafia without any protocol and condoled death of Maulana Muhammad Ubaidullah with Mohtamim (Administrator) of the Jamia, Maulana Hafiz Fazl-ur-Raheem.
Qari Ahmed Ubaid, Qari Arshad Ubaid, Amjad Ubaid, Hafiz Asad Ubaid and a number of Ulema were also present on the occasion.
Expressing profound grief, the Prime Minister said that
Pakistan had been deprived of a great religious scholar with
demise of Maulana Muhammad Ubaidullah. However, people would continue to benefit from his religious educational services, he added.
Pakistan Navy Inducts Zarb Missile
KARACHI, April 9 (APP): Pakistan Navy has successfully conducted test launch of shore based anti-ship Zarb Missile on Saturday.
A PN statement said that the trial was conducted in Arabian Sea and weapon launched from coastal site successfully engaged the surface target.
The test further consolidates Pakistan’s capability for defence
of the country. The PN statement said that speaking on the occasion, Vice Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (Operations), lauded the efforts of those involved.
Meeting reviews progress of withdrawal of concessionary SROs
ISLAMABAD, Apr 9 (APP): Finance Minister Senator Ishaq
Dar on Saturday held a meeting with senior officials of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to review progress of complete withdrawal of concessionary SROs and Tax exemptions.
Chairman FBR briefed the meeting about the third and
final phasing out plan for withdrawal of concessionary regime
under the head of Income Tax.
Earlier last month a meeting, held at FBR, had discussed
the phasing out plan in respect of Sales Tax, Federal Excise
Duty and Customs.
Dar to attend WB, IMF spring meetings in Washington from 15-17 April
ISLAMABAD, Apr 9 (APP): Finance Minister, Senator
Mohammad Ishaq Dar, along with a delegation, would be
visiting Washington from April 15-17 to attend the World
Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) spring meetings.
During the visit, Finance Minister will also represent
Pakistan at the Global Connect Initiative (GCI) event, which
is being co-hosted by President WB and US Secretary of State.
He will also visit the Woodrow Wilson Center for a talk
on the growth strategy of Pakistan.
Chinese investors invited to Punjab's Safe Drinking Water Project
BEIJING, Apr 9 (APP): Government of Punjab province will welcome Chinese businessmen, firms and joint ventures to invest in a multi-million dollar project to provide clean drinking water facilities to the people of rural and peri-urban areas of the Punjab province, reports Chinese official media Saturday.
The Punjab provincial Minister for Public Health, Housing and Urban Development Tanveer Aslam Malik offered invitations to Chinese investors during a Seminar held at the Pakistan Embassy in Beijing Friday, reports China official news portal China.org.cn.
The Minister led a delegation from Punjab province to showcase the project in China and to invite prospective investors.
PML(N) Parliamentary Board discuss candidates for AJK elections
ISLAMABAD, Apr 9 (APP): Parliamentary Board of Pakistan Muslim League (N) Azad Kashmir held a meeting at Punjab House on Saturday and discussed award of tickets to candidates for the next elections of AJK Legislative Assembly.
The meeting, chaired by PML(N) Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq,
was attended by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Dr Asif Kirmani, Chief Minister Gilgit Baltistan Hafeezur Rehman, Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs Barjis Tahir, Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan, Raja Farooq Haider, Shah Ghulam Qadir, Chaudhry Tariq Farooq, Dr Najeeb
Khan Naqi, Chaudhry Muhammad Aziz, Sardar Abdul Khaliq Wasi, Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan, Naseeb Ullah Gardezi and Siddiqul Farooq.
Talking to media on the occasion, Dr Asif Kirmani said during
the meeting of the Parliamentary Board of PML(N) AJK, the candidates of Legislative Assembly LA-1 to LA-12 of Mirpur Division informed the Board about the election situation in their constituencies.
Siddiqui for promoting Allama Iqbal's ideology
LAHORE, April 9 (APP): Prime Minister’s Advisor on National History and Literary Heritage, Irfan Siddiqui Saturday underscored the need for formulating short and long-term programmes aimed at promoting ideology of the great thinker and Poet of the East Dr. Allama Muhammad
Iqbal (RA).
Chairing the 44th Governing Body meeting of Iqbal Academy Pakistan (IAP) here at Aiwan-e-Iqbal, he said the IAP must now pay serious attention towards the targets and objectives for which this Academy had been established.
The IAP Governor Body meeting also took various decisions pertaining to re-freezing of the IAP accounts; payment of long-pending dues to the quarters concerned and publishing of books on the life and ideology of Allama Muhammad Iqbal.
SECP organizes roundtable on employees provident fund rules, 2016
ISLAMABAD, Apr 9 (APP): The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has conducted a consultative roundtable to seek feedback on Draft Employees Provident Fund (Investment in Listed
Securities) Rules, 2016 (Rules) from market participants.
The said rules are aimed at regulating the investment made
from the employees’ provident fund by companies and institutions and important to safeguard the employee’s savings, said a statement here on Saturday.
A large number of stakeholders from corporate sector, professional associations, and members of bar associations attended the roundtable.
34 militants killed in Balochistan: Home Minister
QUETTA, April 09 (APP): The Provincial Home Minister, Mir Sarfaraz Bugti has said that 34 alleged militants including a top commander Mir Abdul Nabbi Bangulzai have been killed in security operation in Johan area during last three days.
Addressing a press conference along with spokesman for Balochistan government, Anwar Ul Haque Kakar, here on Saturday, he said that security operation was underway in Johan area of Kalat district for last three days, during that around 34 alleged militants among them a top commander were killed.
Commander Abdul Nabbi Bangulzai was also among the militants who were killed in Johan security operation, he said.
ICCI calls for political stability to revive the economy
ISLAMABAD, Apr 9 (APP): Islamabad Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) has called upon all stakeholders to work for establishing strong political stability which was key requirement for growth of business and investment activities and steering the country out of economic problems.
Atif Ikram Sheikh, President, ICCI said that economy had just started to revive from its slow growth mode, but the re-emergence of volatile political atmosphere could derail this process which would not benefit the country.
“It is high time that a national consensus should be developed on the core economic agenda to put the country on the path of sustainable growth”, the ICCI president said in a statement issued here on Saturday.
Folk Festival of Pakistan “Lok Mela” in full swing
ISLAMABAD, Apr 9 (APP): The on going Folk Festival of Pakistan “Lok Mela”, organized by the National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage, here at Shakarparian is immensely contributing towards documenting and preserving traditional folk crafts and projecting crafts people.
The glimpses of rural folk and traditional heritage of different
provinces and regions including remotest parts have coloured the grounds of the Federal Capital for ten days.
Besides several other features for families and children, exhibition ofArtisans at work is a major attraction for the visitors at Lok Mela.
Nisar offers Imran probe of Panama Leaks through FIA
KALLAR SYEDAN (RAWALPINDI) Apr 9 (APP): Minister for
Interior and Narcotic Control Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on
Saturday said that the Interior Ministry was ready to probe
Panama Leaks through Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
Talking to media here, Nisar Ali Khan asked Pakistan
Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan to point out any
FIA officer of his choice, for conducting inquiry if he
wanted Panama leaks to be probed by FIA.
He said, “No one will be allowed to hold public rally
in the Federal Capital.” Nisar said that he will consult with political parties after the approval of Federal Cabinet regarding public rallies in Islamabad.
Pakistan has turned tide against terrorism: Maleeha
NEW YORK, April 9 (APP): Defeating terrorism, growing the economy and building a peaceful neighborhood are among Pakistan’s top priorities, Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi told a group of students and faculty members from the US Army War College on Friday.
Among these priorities she also emphasized addressing two key external challenges, promoting peace and security in Afghanistan and normalizing relations with India on the basis of resolution of outstanding disputes.
“These national priorities frame our international diplomacy and our foreign engagements,” the ambassador said while addressing the participants who visited the Pakistan Mission to the UN in New York, Describing the sense of optimism in Pakistan about it’s future, Ambassador Lodhi said this reflected gains the country has made on the political, security and economic fronts in the past three years.
Govt’s focus to end terrorism is clear: Rana Tanveer
LAHORE, Apr 9 (APP): Federal Minister for Defence
Production, Science and Technology Rana Tanveer Hussain on Saturday said the National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) was working well keeping in view the current scenario of the country besides fulfilling needs of national defence institutions.
Inaugurating the National Radio and Telecommunication
Corporation (NRTC) Lahore office here, he said defence
institutions had achieved success keeping in view an element of self reliance.
He said different institutions like NRTC, Heavy Industry Taxila (HIT), Pakistan Ordinance Factories (POFs), Karachi Shipyard and research departments were working hard and fulfilling the defence needs of the country.
Flood expected in river Swat, Panjkora: PDMA
ISLAMABAD, Apr 9 (APP): The Provincial Disaster anagement
Authority (PDMA) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has warned that the current rain spell in Malakand Division may cause floods in Swat and Panjkora Rivers.
Warning for high level flooding in the next 48 hours has
been issued for rivers including Kabul, Kurram, Gambeela and Swat in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Radio Pakistan reported on Saturday.
Flood Forecasting Division (FFD), Lahore has also issued
warning that more torrential rains are expected in Kohat, Bannu, Peshawar, Mardan and Hazara Division during the next two days, adding heavy showers may spawn flooding in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s rivers.
Wing set up in Religious Ministry to verify Umra agreements
ISLAMABAD, Apr 9 (APP): The Ministry of Religious Affairs
and Interfaith Harmony has established a separate wing to verify Umra agreements inked between Zaireen and Umra operators.
Spokesman Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith
Harmony Noor Zaman told APP that 600 companies have been registered with the ministry for conducting Umra operations.
He said the names of authorised Umra operators would soon be placed at its website for the information of general public.
Travel agent busted for swindling Pakistanis with fake Hajj packages
NEW YORK, Apr 8 (APP): A Pakistani American travel agent in Brooklyn scammed clients out of more than $350,000 by selling them fake Hajj and Umra travel packages, authorities said.
Junaid Mirza primarily ‘targeted’ Pakistani immigrants and other Muslims, authorities said, duping at least 25 people through a series of agencies he set up between July 2011 and Sept. 2015.
Mirza, 49, pleaded not guilty before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Matthiew Sciarrino to a 31 count indictment, including first degree scheme to defraud, second degree money laundering, grand larceny and other charges.
All institutions on same page; country’s problems being dealt through joint strategy: President
ISLAMABAD, Apr 8 (APP): President Mamnoon Hussain Friday that for the first time in Pakistan’s history, all institutions were on same page regarding the problems confronting the country.
Addressing the Army officials undergoing training at the Command and Staff College, Quetta Cantonment at the Aiwan e Sadr, here, the President said all institutions were unanimously agreed that country’s problems were being dealt with through a joint strategy, which would make democracy even more stable.
The Director General Military Training, Major General Ali
Abbas Haider was also present.
Government believes in dignity of labour: PM
ISLAMABAD, Apr 8 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz
Sharif Friday said present government believed in the dignity
of labour and understood that a prosperous workforce could enable them to compete in a globalized market environment.
He said this in a meeting with Minister for Labour and
Human Resource Punjab Raja Ashfaq Sarwar who called on him at PM House.
Matters pertaining to the human resource development and
ongoing development work in different parts of the province were discussed during the meeting.