Day: May 8, 2024

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the high-quality development of CPEC in priority sectors like Information Technology, agriculture modernization, textile, minerals and renewable energy.

He was talking to Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Mr. Sun Weidong in Beijing today.

Discussions also include a review of successful culmination of the first decade of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the progress achieved in its second decade, especially on the five corridors, namely growth, livelihood, openness, inclusivity and innovation.

Both sides also discussed early implementation of ML-I, KKH realignment and other key infrastructure projects in Pakistan.

As part of efforts to promote people to people linkages, the two sides agreed to further enhance visa facilitation for each other’s citizens, which was also highlighted as central to strengthen Business to Business cooperation.

Later, Ahsan Iqbal also met with leadership of Chinese financial institutions, especially President
of China Export and Credit Insurance Corporation Mr. Sheng Hetai and discussed cooperation across various sectors, including early completion of hydel power projects such as Azad Pattan and Kohala. Both sides agreed to realize the common goal of shared progress and prosperity.

The Federal Minister also met with President of China Development Bank Mr. Tan Jiong.

The two sides also discussed China Development Bank’s support for development projects in Pakistan, especially in infrastructure, renewable energy and industrial sectors.

The President of the China Development Bank assured the Federal Minister of the bank’s continued support to the efforts of the Government of Pakistan to accelerate the pace of the socio-economic development in the country.

Planning Minister invited the President of the China Development Bank to undertake a visit to Pakistan to witness the success of several key CPEC projects in the country.

Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi is also accompanyi
ng the Planning Minister.

Source: Radio Pakistan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has instructed authorities to establish the Pakistan Skill Company to enhance employment opportunities for Pakistani workers overseas.

During a sectoral briefing in Islamabad concerning NAVTTC and the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the unification of technical and vocational education nationwide.

Furthermore, he ordered to immediately set up the Pakistan Skill Development Fund. The prime minister emphasized the need for NAVTTC to be more proactive in providing top-notch technical and vocational training to the youth, ensuring globally recognized certifications in all technical disciplines.

Shehbaz Sharif highlighted the importance of enhanced collaboration between federal institutions and provinces to elevate Pakistani manpower to international standards. He emphasized the need for an integrated regulatory system and the implementation of technical and vocational training plans aligned with global standar
ds.

The PM also instructed reforms in the licensing process for companies employing Pakistani technical and vocational workforce overseas.

Shehbaz Sharif also ordered the establishment of a committee to oversee reforms within NAVTTC and the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development. During the meeting, it was revealed that NAVTTC aims to train sixty thousand individuals in technical skills this year.

Furthermore, the initiative plans to provide technical and vocational training to a total of six hundred thousand people over the next three years.

Source: Pro Pakistani

Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal along with Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi have reached China to hold talks with Chinese leadership on matters of mutual interest specially CPEC, agriculture and energy.

Pakistan Ambassador the China, Khalil Hashmi and high level Chinese authorities received the Pakistani delegation at Beijing Airport.

In his special message from Beijing Airport, Ahsan Iqbal said China is our trustworthy friend which has extended every kind of help to Pakistan in testing times.

He said projects of worth twenty-five billion dollars are currently being implemented in Pakistan under the framework of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

He said swift and successful implementation of projects related to agriculture, industry, green energy and technology would be implemented under the second phase of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

The Minister said his visit to China will help prepare agenda of Joint Cooperation Committee meeting of Pakistan
and China.

Source: Radio Pakistan

Last month, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa experienced unprecedented rainfall, totaling 174.9mm, marking the highest precipitation in the region over the past 59 years, surpassing the previous record set in 1965 of 158.6mm.

The meteorological department’s monthly ‘climate summary’ for April 2024 revealed that KP encountered its wettest April since 1964, with rainfall significantly exceeding the average. Notably, on April 14, the Dir region and on April 20, the Malam Jabba area of Swat district reported the heaviest one-day rainfall, reaching 91mm each.

Malam Jabba emerged as the wettest location, receiving a total of 520mm of rainfall for the month.

Experts expressed concerns over the drastic shift in weather patterns. Several areas within the province broke long-standing records for extreme weather conditions. Chitral district, for instance, saw its wettest April since 1964, recording 283.5mm of rainfall, surpassing the previous high of 208mm set in 1964. Similarly, the Dir district experienced a record-breaking 461
.9mm of rainfall, eclipsing the 1995 record of 353mm.

In the Drosh area of Chitral, a staggering 300.4mm of rainfall was recorded, smashing the previous high of 278.4mm set in April 1908. Additionally, the Kakul area of Abbottabad district registered 289mm, surpassing the 1961 record of 254.3mm.

Furthermore, Chitral and Drosh recorded their lowest daytime temperatures on April 15 at 3.2 and 3.4 degrees Celsius, respectively.

The report highlighted other significant rainfall figures across the province, including Dir (461.9mm), Saidu Sharif (382mm), Kalam (379.6mm), Lower Dir (346.9mm), Ghari Duppatta (280.3mm), Mirkhani (270mm), and Peshawar (220.7mm).

The unusual weather patterns were attributed to successive western disturbances that entered the country between April 2 and April 30, affecting various regions including KP, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Balochistan, and parts of Sindh.

Dr. Khan Alam, a professor of atmospheric physics at the University of Peshawar, linked the extreme
weather events to the rise in sea surface temperature and other climatic factors, resulting in heightened vapor emissions from the Indian Ocean. He emphasized the global nature of the issue, advocating for international cooperation to address such challenges.

Source: Pro Pakistani

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the establishment of Pakistan Skill Company for better employment of Pakistani workforce abroad.

Chairing a sectoral briefing regarding NAVTTC and Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development in Islamabad, he also directed to unify nationwide technical and vocational education. He directed the immediate establishment of Pakistan Skill Development Fund.

The Prime Minister said NAVTTC should be further activated to ensure the provision of world-class technical and vocational training to the young workforce. Globally renowned and international certifications should be ensured in all technical fields.

Shehbaz Sharif emphasized the importance of greater cooperation between the federal institutions and the provinces for the development of Pakistani manpower as per the international standards. For this purpose, he also stressed for the formulation of an integrated system of regulation. Technical and vocational training plan should be implemented in lin
e with international standards.

The Prime Minister called for the creation of a coordinated and organized database of Pakistani manpower.

Shehbaz Sharif directed reforms in the licensing regime of companies regarding the employment of Pakistani technical and vocational workforce abroad. He said such companies and people should be identified who cheat the workforce and cause economic loss to them.

The Prime Minister said special consideration should be given to merit and transparency in the appointments of community welfare attachés in Pakistani embassies.

Shehbaz Sharif directed the formation of a committee for reforms in NAVTTC and the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development.

The meeting was informed that NAVTTC will provide technical training to sixty thousand people this year. It was informed that a total of six hundred thousand people will be provided with technical and vocational training in the next three years after the introduction of reforms.

The meeting was further infor
med that not only quota has been allocated for the youth of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir at the federal level but also a separate program is being launched for their special training which will start in June this year.

Source: Radio Pakistan

The Pakistan Council for Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) announced on Tuesday that 19 bottled and mineral water brands have been deemed unsafe for human consumption due to microbiological or chemical contamination.

The PCRWR has directed the federal government to conduct quarterly monitoring of bottled and mineral water brands and publish the results to raise public awareness.

Between January and March, a total of 185 samples from bottled water brands were collected across 21 cities. Analysis of these samples in comparison to the quality standards set by the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) revealed that 19 brands were found to be unsafe for human consumption due to microbiological or chemical contamination.

Among the brands flagged for safety concerns, six – Hensley Pure Water, Pure Life, Natural Pure Life, Klear, Am Mughal Pure Water, and Nero – had high sodium. Furthermore, Nero was deemed unsafe due to exceeding the permissible limit of total dissolved solids (TDS).

Cleana
, Orwell, and Still were identified as unsafe due to higher levels of arsenic beyond the permissible limit. Moreover, Starlay, Al-Faris Water, Nestlo Healthy Water, Nesspure, Pure Life, Natural Pure Life, Nesspak, Geo Max Premium, Cleana, Splash, Karakorum, Heavenly, and 7 Bro were found to be contaminated with bacteria, according to the PCRWR report.

The PCRWR advised the public to read the detailed report to understand the water quality status of the bottled water brands they consume. It added that the comprehensive report is accessible on their website at www.pcrwr.gov.pk.

Source: Pro Pakistani