Day: May 24, 2024

Pakistan rejects the Indian Supreme Court's order of 1st of this month that dismissed the petitions seeking review of its judgment of 11th of December last year on the status of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir. At her weekly news briefing in Islamabad today, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said we reject this fresh order of the Indian Supreme Court just as we had rejected its order of the 11th of December last year. She said the two verdicts fail to recognize the internationally recognized disputed nature of Jammu and Kashmir. She said Kashmiris have their inalienable right to self determination as enshrined in the relevant United Nations Security Council's resolutions. Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said India has no right to make unilateral decisions about the status of a disputed territory against the will of other parties to the dispute, the Kashmiri people and Pakistan. She said the Indian Supreme Court's orders or judgments cannot distract the international community's attention fr om the gross and systematic human rights violations being perpetrated in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Replying to a question, the Spokesperson said assembly elections and restoration of statehood cannot server as substitute to the grant of right to self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. She said India should faithfully implement the UN Security Council resolutions and stop intimidating the Kashmiri people. She said Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognized disputed territory that remains on the agenda of the UN Security Council and the final disposition of Jammu and Kashmir is to be made in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people. Turning to recent development regarding Palestine, the Spokesperson said Pakistan welcomes the announcement made by Ireland, Spain, and Norway on recognizing the State of Palestine. She said we also welcome the recent announcements of recognition of the State of Palestine by the Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and Barbados. The Spokesperson said these recent announcements serve as another milestone in the decades-long quest of the people of Palestine for their inalienable right to self-determination. Source: Radio Pakistan

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa surplus budget for the fiscal year 2024-25 with a total outlay of seventeen-hundred and fifty-four billion rupees was unveiled today. Presenting the budget in the Provincial Assembly in Peshawar on Friday, Provincial Finance Minister Aftab Alam said the total revenue has been estimated at seventeen-hundred and fifty-four billion rupees against the estimated expenditure of sixteen-hundred and fifty-four billion rupees thus showing a surplus amount of one-hundred billion rupees. Finance Minister Aftab Alam announced that a total of four-hundred and sixteen billion rupees have been proposed for the Annual Development Program including thirty-six billion rupees for the merged districts. The government has also decided to launch the air ambulance service in the province. The Finance Minister said, keeping in view the inflation, the government has decided to give ten percent raise in salaries and pensions of the employees with enhancing minimum monthly wage to thirty-six thousand rupees. Ea rlier, the provincial cabinet presided by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur approved the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2024-25. Source: Radio Pakistan

The second phase of the ongoing pre-Hajj flight operation to airlift Pakistani pilgrims to Saudi Arabia under the Road to Makkah Initiative is continuing. Our correspondent from Jeddah Bilal Khan Mehsud reports that seven hundred twenty more pilgrims have arrived at King Abdulaziz International Airport Jeddah. These pilgrims reached Jeddah directly from Karachi and Islamabad today. At the airport, Director General Hajj in Jeddah Abdul Wahab Sumroo, Consul General Khalid Majeed and Saudi authorities received the pilgrims. Source: Radio Pakistan

Prime Minister Shehbaz has invited Chinese firm MCC Tongsin Resources to make investment in Mining sector of Pakistan and assured provision of all-out facilitation in this connection. The Mining and Mineral sectors have been on the priority list of Special Investment Facilitation Council and a significant headway has also been achieved in this sector. The Chinese firm MCC Tongsin Resources is a research and investment company and a part of Metallurgical Group Corporation, which has been enlisted among the major Metallurgical Construction Contractors of the world. The Chinese company expressed keen interest in enhancing its investment in Pakistan's mining and minerals sectors and also briefed the Prime Minister about its plans for investment in Mining sector of Pakistan. The visit of the Chinese company to Pakistan is aimed at cementing ties between China and Pakistan and to assure that Pakistan would ensure security of Chinese nationals, working on different development projects. China has so far made i nvestment of more than sixty-five billion dollars in energy and infrastructure projects in Pakistan under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Source: Radio Pakistan

Sri Lanka has assured early release and repatriation of 43 Pakistani prisoners. The assurance was given by Sri Lanka's High Commissioner Admiral (Retd) Ravindra Chandra at a meeting with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in Islamabad today. During the meeting the Sri Lankan High Commissioner assured all possible cooperation in this regard. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi thanked the Sri Lankan High Commissioner for his support for the repatriation of the prisoners. He said that the arrangements for the return of Pakistani prisoners will be finalized in a few days. The Minister said that relations between Sri Lanka and Pakistan have been going from strength to strength over the past seven decades. He said that Pakistan wants to further develop mutual relations in various fields with Sri Lanka. Source: Radio Pakistan

The 53rd convocation ceremony of Pakistan Navy War College was held in Lahore today. Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf was the chief guest of the ceremony. Ninety nine officers were awarded with degrees. Thirty seven officers from friendly countries are also included in the graduating officers. Addressing the event, the Naval Chief appreciated the efforts of Pakistan Navy War College in promoting awareness regarding maritime sector. The ceremony was attended by senior military officials, civil dignitaries and families of course members. Source: Radio Pakistan