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China for early convening of 10th JCC meeting under CPEC

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Our Correspondent
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ISLAMABAD: China asked Pakistan to convene the 10th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework before the scheduled time in order to finalize different mega projects.

The meeting of the joint JCC will have to discuss the Railways Mainline (ML-1) Project of $9.2 billion, as well as other CPEC-related initiatives, before the expected arrival of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Islamabad in May or early June 2020. media reports said.

The official communication from Beijing in this regard, asking Islamabad to convene the 10th meeting of the JCC in April 2020, instead of the scheduled time that had been set for June or July 2020, was sent out by the National Development Reform Commission of China.

The Pakistan Government has already notified the JCC under chairmanship of Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar to make arrangements for the upcoming visit of the Chinese President to Pakistan.

The previous meeting of the JCC held in Islamabad in June 2019, and it was expected that the next meeting would be held in the summer of 2020, reports said.

The government, the publication claimed, had been caught off-guard by the Chinese request.

If the 10th JCC meeting is to be held ahead of schedule, the government will have to kick-start preparation for finalising the feasibility and other reports of different projects for inclusion in second phase of the CPEC.

“The next JCC will be held in April 2020 so that both sides can finalise second phase projects of CPEC ahead of scheduled visit of Chinese president,” Minister for Planning Asad Umar.

told The News when asked about the Chinese request and the Pakistani response to the matter.

“The modernisation of rail line from Peshawar to Karachi with approximate cost of $9.2 billion will be among other projects that will be executed under the second phase of CPEC. The government will convene a meeting next week to firm up list of projects,” he added.

Pakistan and China so far executed $29 billion under CPEC for energy and infrastructure projects, and most of these projects are either completed or nearing completion, according to the report.
‘CPEC will accelerate pace of development’

Meanwhile, responding to a statement of US Acting Assistant Secretary of State Alice Wells on CPEC earlier this week, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Planning said that CPEC projects under the overarching umbrella of BRI were a well-thought-out initiative.

“The projects completed so far in Phase-1 of CPEC have already brought relief and started yielding dividends and tangible socio-economic benefits. CPEC projects will accelerate the pace of development in the country boosting economic growth,” the spokesperson added.

“Pakistan, being a sovereign state exercises the right to choose economic partners from around the globe on mutually beneficial basis. All related projects are being pursued as per laws and regulations of Pakistan and through an institutional mechanism wherein transparency is a priority.”

Read more: Pakistan will ensure interests regarding CPEC: FM Qureshi

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Courses for cops to get familiar with code of conduct

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Our Correspondent
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itp
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ISLAMABAD: Courses were arranged for police personnel to get familiar with code of conduct for a successful force and ensure their decent interaction with citizens.

Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) has arranged these courses for its personnel to ensure good and people friendly policing.

The courses being arranged following the directions of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad Muhammad Aamir Zulfiqar would also include briefings about operational codes of ITP including ensuring equal application of law and decent as well as professional policing.

Senior Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Farrukh Rasheed said that special lectures would be delivered during these courses about future strategy of the force, road safety measures, VVIP route duty, procedure for getting driving license, smooth traffic flow, equal implementation of law and decent attitude.

The education team of ITP would deliver lectures while senior police officials would also interact with the participants and to brief them about various aspects of decent and effective policing.

The SSP (Traffic), Farrukh Rasheed, said that ITP has got image of disciplined and corruption free force and further efforts would be made to inculcate friendly police ecology in the city besides enhancing liaison with citizens to bring improvement in traffic system.

He said that the ITP had become model of excellence through its service-oriented policies and further endeavors must continue to come up to the expectations of the general public by ensuring traffic discipline in the city.

Farrukh Rasheed said that discipline plays crucial role in the success of any organization and helps in improving professionalism. He said that ITP is service oriented force and the well-mannered conduct with commuters, courtesy and indiscriminate enforcement of law must be ensured to enhance the image of ITP.

Read more: Two FIA officials, their abettor held in fake recruitment case

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Alice Wells to arrive in Pakistan Sunday

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Our Correspondent
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ALICE G WELLS
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ISLAMABAD: Alice Wells, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs will arrive in Islamabad on Sunday for a four-day visit.

The visit by Alice Wells is part of her 10-day visit to the region during which she travelled to Sri Lanka and India before her arrival in Pakistan.

In Islamabad, she will meet with senior Pakistani government officials and members of civil society to discuss issues of bilateral and regional concern, including Afghanistan and the Middle East tensions.

Wells visit to Pakistan comes on the heels of Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s visit to United States where he met with United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and UN President Tijjani Muhammad-Bande in New York and then US lawmakers exchanged views on Pakistan-US bilateral relations and important regional and other matters of mutual interest, including Afghanistan peace process and Kashmir issue.

During his meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Qureshi said Pakistan desired peace and stability in the region and was committed to play its role ending the prevailing tension in the region.

Furthermore, Qureshi told his American counterpart that it was due to the joint peace efforts of Pakistan and US that after 40 years of long confrontation, the news of peace through political settlement was coming from Afghanistan.

He said that Pakistan was playing its sincere role for the common cause of peace and stability in Afghanistan.

Read more: Kashmir dispute not internal affair of India: FM Qureshi

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US ‘concerned’ about lockdown in occupied Kashmir: Wells

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Our Correspondent
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WASHINGTON: US is seriously ‘concerned about lockdown, detentions and communication black out by India in occupied Kashmir, said Alice Wells Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, adding that the United States was closely following the recent trip of foreign diplomats to Indian-occupied Kashmir and was looking forward to normalcy in the region.

In a message posted on the social networking platform Twitter by the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs at the US Department of State, Wells said that the trip was an important step but that the US remained concerned about the detention of leaders and residents in Kashmir.

“Closely following US Ambassador to India and other foreign diplomats’ recent trip to Jammu and Kashmir. Important step. We remain concerned by detention of political leaders and residents, and Internet restrictions. We look forward to a return to normalcy,” she wrote on the microblogging site.

The statement from Wells comes just before she starts a 10-day visit to the region during which she will travel to Sri Lanka, India, and Pakistan, from January 13-22. Wells will arrive in Pakistan on January 19 for a three-day visit, the US state department has previously said.

US Congress members reject Indian dictation on occupied Kashmir

In Islamabad, she will meet with senior Pakistani government officials and members of civil society to discuss issues of bilateral and regional concern. Before arriving in Islamabad, Wells will be in Sri Lanka from January 13-14 during which she will interact with high-ranking officials.

Wells will then travel to India, from January 15-18 to meet with senior government officials and to advance the US-India strategic global partnership, according to the US state department.

Wells had last visited Islamabad in August 2019, barely a few days after the Indian government had rushed through a presidential decree to abolish Article 370 of the Indian Constitution that granted special status to Indian occupied Kashmir, formally integrating the valley into India.

Following the revocation, a military curfew and communications blockade had been enforced in the valley and hundreds of thousands of Indian troops deployed to crush dissent. Several political leaders, including two former chief ministers, and thousands others had been arrested.

US envoy to India Kenneth I Juster and other diplomats meets with civil society members during their visit to Kashmir.

Read more: Canada wants clarity on shoot-down: PM Trudeau tells Iran

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Prime Minister launches ‘Hunermand Pakistan’ program

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Our Correspondent
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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has launched country’s largest ever skilled development program ‘Hunermand Pakistan’ aimed at emancipation of youth through quality professional training.

Addressing the launching ceremony of Rs30 billion ‘Hunarmand Pakistan’ program, the premir said that government will concentrate on enhancing job creation opportunities in the country this year, adding that we focused on attaining stability and this year our focus will be on growth.

The prime minister described the youth as the “biggest asset” of the country, saying the Pakistanis were the 2nd youngest population and its skilled youth alone could change the destiny of the country and the nation.

He said the present government was hugely investing in the country’s human resource, particularly the youth, which were neglected in the past through various education systems based on discrimination between the rich and the poor.

Imran Khan said that Pakistan has now embarked on the path as envisioned by its great founder Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and great philosopher and thinker Allama Muhammad Iqbal. He expressed hope that Pakistan will turn into a great nation due to skills and hard work of its citizens.

The prime minister said our founding fathers in objectives resolution had clearly stated that Pakistan would be transformed into a welfare Islamic state like Madina. He said the state of Madina became a role model for the world due to its golden principles of justice, welfare and compassion.

“Any civilized society prospers because of creating equal opportunities and meritocracy,” the Prime Minister said and added as part of his vision to turn Pakistan into a welfare society, Ehsaas program costing 190 billion rupees has been launched for the uplift of the poor segments of society. 170 shelter homes have been established in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to provide shelter to homeless, he added.

Giving details of the program, Imran Khan said 500,000 youth will be trained in first phase of Hunarmand Pakistan Program. Prime Minister appreciated the proposal of establishing National Accreditation Council as it will streamline the skills education center.

In the first phase, the government had allocated Rs 10 billion for the training of 170,000 youth, he added.

Imran Khan said that under the prgramme 500 technical training centers would be opened across the country, and 70 of them in Madaris (religious seminaries). The present government had adopted 2.5 million children of Madaris – which were never taken care of in the past – and brought them into the national mainstream.

The prime minister said under the Hunarmand Pakistan programme, 300 smart technical centers, affiliated with international quality institutes, would also be opened across the country.

He lauded the establishment of a National Accreditation Institute, which would ensure standardization and certification of the skills and technical training centers, and help the skilled youth in getting jobs.

The Prime Minister said Pakistan will become a great nation and lead the Muslim Ummah. It will spearhead efforts to establish peace in the region and beyond. Imran Khan reiterated that Pakistan will not fight any other s war in future.

He said we will also make efforts to create friendship between Iran and Saudi Arabia. “We will fully strive for the establishment of friendly relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran,” he said while addressing the launching ceremony of Rs 30 billion `Hunarmand Pakistan’ programme here.

The prime minister said he had also offered US President Donald Trump that Pakistan was ready to play a role in promoting friendly relations between the United States and Iran. “No one wins the war, and the one that wins, also loses,” Imran Khan remarked, adding Pakistan had paid a high price in the war against terrorism.

Read more: Communist Party amazes world with its glorious achievements: Report

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Fire erupts in oil shop in Islamabad’s G-9 Markaz

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Our Correspondent
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ISLAMABAD: Fire erupted at an oil shop in Islamabad‘s G-9 Markaz Friday morning Massive losses were reported but no injuries.

Residential flats above the shop were also affected. The fire was reportedly caused by a short circuit at the shop.

The losses incurred are estimated to be worth hundreds of thousands of rupees and include batteries and UPS machines.

No injuries have been reported yet.

Read more: Four die, many injured in fire near Mochi Gate

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PM reviews NAB ordinance in cabinet meeting

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Our Correspondent
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PM disappointed over UN’s inaction at Indian atrocities in Kashmir

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday reviewed matters pertaining to new amendment in NAB Ordinance and legal issues of the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF).

The federal cabinet meeting was held at the Prime Minister’s office in Islamabad. Sources said that the cabinet discussed 9-point agenda, economic and political situation of the country. The economic team also briefed the cabinet on financial statistics. The meeting deferred the bill for the National College of Arts (NCA).

Read more: LHC raises objection to plea against NAB ordinance

The meeting approved various matters including the issuance of the State Bank’s financial statement for fiscal year 2018, the extradition of the Norwegian citizen, request of the Ministry of Interior to hand over Sohail Ahmed to the UK and the appointment of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) CEO. (With additional input from INP)

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5.3 tremor jolts Islamabad, Kashmir and Gilgit

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Our Correspondent
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ISLAMABAD: 5.3 magnitude earthquake jolted upper parts of Pakistan Monday night, according to United States Geological Survey.

Tremors were felt in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Chilas, Astore, Skardu and Muzaffarabad at around 10:19pm.

The earthquake had its epicenter in Eidgah area of Gilgit-Baltistan’s Astore district, according to the USGS.

It struck at a depth of 40.2km.

Read more: Skardu continues to remain coldest place with minus 21° Celsius

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ICCI to plant one million saplings in 2020 under its Go Green Islamabad initiative

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Our Correspondent
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ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI) in collaboration with ICT Administration on Wednesday launched a Go Green Islamabad Campaign to plant one million trees in federal capital in 2020.

Hamza Shafqaat, Deputy Commissioner Islamabad and Muhammad Ahmed Waheed, President ICCI formally inaugurated the campaign by planting a tree in front of ICCI building. Waseem Ahmed Additional Deputy Commissioner, Gohar Wazir, Danish Zakir, Mahreen Baloch Assistant Commissioners and others were also present at the occasion.

Addressing the gathering, Hamza Shafqaat Deputy Commissioner Islamabad said that ICCI has always actively participated in good works and launching Go Green Islamabad campaign was another positive step of Chamber that was laudable.

He assured that ICT Administration would fully cooperate with ICCI in making this campaign successful. He said that ICCI was the first Chamber of the country to have planned to plant one million trees in Islamabad that would support the PM’s initiative of Green Pakistan.

He said that ICT Administration would identify places for ICCI to plant trees to make the environment of Islamabad healthier. He said that the survival rate of plants was 50 percent as animals and termite damaged planted trees and stressed that good care should be taken of the planted trees to improve their survival rate.

Read more: Arid Varsity Rawalpindi secures 3rd position by UI Green Metric World Universities Ranking 2019

Muhammad Ahmed Waheed, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had set a target of planting 10 billion trees in five years and launching Go Green Islamabad campaign was to support his initiative. He said that CDA, MCI, Islamabad Police, diplomats, schools and others institutions would be involved in this noble cause to make Islamabad green and beautiful. He said that ICCI would welcome any institution that wanted to become part of this campaign.

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Pakistan’s resolution adopted at UN moot to strengthen anti-corruption parliamentary cooperation

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Our Correspondent
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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan-sponsored resolution on strengthening the role of parliaments in preventing and combating corruption was unanimously adopted at the Eighth Session of the Conference of the States Parties (CoSP) of the UN Convention against Corruption.

The conference was held in Abu Dhabi, UAE, from December 16-20, 2019, said a press release received here Saturday.

In line with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pakistan’s initiative is to eliminate corruption and his focus on the issue in his address to the UN General Assembly in New York in September 2019.

The unanimous adoption of the resolution is manifestation of the trust reposed by the international community in Pakistan’s leading role in the fight against corruption, the Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement.

The resolution, inter alia, calls upon States parties to enhance exchanges among parliamentary institutions for promoting good practices to strengthen the role of parliaments in their respective countries in enacting legislation and ensuring effective oversight.

In this regard, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has been mandated to organize a thematic dialogue in collaboration with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) on strengthening the role of parliaments in combating corruption in all its forms. The UNODC will also develop a compendium of good practices on the role of parliaments in combating corruption.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Pakistan Mission in Vienna steered the process of consultations to achieve consensus on the Resolution. A wide range of developing and developed countries from all geographical regions co-sponsored the resolution, including Azerbaijan, Brazil, Canada, China, Indonesia, Morocco, Nigeria, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore and Switzerland.

Read more: Javed Afridi named UNHCR Pakistan’s Refugee Youth Ambassador

Pakistan’s initiative has brought focus of the international community on the important role parliaments can play in the campaign against corruption and would be useful in pushing for concerted action worldwide.

The United Nations Convention against Corruption is the only universal legal framework at the international level to prevent and combat corruption in all its forms. There are 186 States Parties to the Convention, including Pakistan, which joined the Convention in 2007. (With additional input from INP)

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