ISLAMABAD: Despite high tension raised between India, China and Pakistan and New Delhi’s having estranged relations with Islamabad and Beijing, Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar is expected to encounter Pakistani and Chinese Foreign Ministers at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Moscow.
A meeting of Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the eight-member bloc is being held from Sept 9 to 10 to prepare the agenda for the next summit. It is being expected that Indian External Affairs Minister will face Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Pakistan Foreign Minister and Wang Yi, Foreign Minister of China during the CFM.
The SCO-CFM is the highest forum of SCO after the Council of Heads of State (CHS) and the Council of Heads of Government (CHG) that deliberates on important regional and global issues and considers documents for approval and adoption by CHG.
FM Qureshi will have bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the CFM, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Office without naming officials that he will meet.
Before departing for Moscow, Shah Mahmood Qureshi said he would discuss with his Russian counterpart the construction of a gas pipeline due to be built by Russia and stretching 1,100km from Lahore to the port city of Karachi.
“Islamabad sees prospects of a long-term and multidimensional partnership with Moscow,” he said adding that peace in Afghanistan is also an important issue that would be discussed during his meetings with other foreign ministers.
“Pakistan has been actively working to achieve SCO’s multi-sectoral agenda through various mechanisms,” the FO said.
“The Moscow SCO-CFM will consider more than 20 documents for subsequent adoption in the SCO Council of Heads of State,” it added.
“It will also adopt a Joint Communiqué reflecting member states’ unified stance on important regional and international issues.”
ISLAMABAD: The family of Sajid Gondal, a former journalist and an official of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, who had gone missing in Islamabad on September 3, staged a protest outside Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad on Tuesday.
His vehicle was found abandoned outside the Agriculture Research Centre in Shehzad Town, according to the police. The vehicle’s doors were open and the key was in the ignition.
Gondal’s wife, parents, and children along with others held placards and chanted slogans for his immediate release
Talking to the media, Gondal’s wife Sajeela Sajid said, “I request the prime minister, army chief, and the chief justice to at least inform us what he has done wrong.” If there’s a case against him, he should be presented before the court, said Sajeela Sajid. He is a Pakistani citizen, she said.
On the other hand, investigators from Islamabad Police visited the spot from where Gondal went missing. Police said that SECP employees have also been included in the investigation.
ISLAMABAD: Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood on Monday announced the gradual opening of educational institutions across the country from September 15.
Addressing a press conference along with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Dr Faisal Sultan in Islamabad on Monday, he said that they decided to gradually open the educational institutions and in this regard the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has decided that from September 15 higher education institutions, colleges and universities will be reopened. He said there are seven million students in this category.
The minister said the classes for Grade six to eight will be reopened from 23rd September after reviewing the Covid-19 situation. The total strength of students in this slot is 6.4 million.
He said if the situation remains well under control, the primary level schools will also be reopened from September 30, adding that today is also a big day because we were waiting for the situation to improve so that the educational institutions could be reopened.
Mahmood said the decision regarding reopening of educational institutions has been taken after detailed consultations with all the stakeholders including the provincial education ministers, the administration of schools, experts and think tanks.
The Minister said that the decisions taken today will be equally applicable on vocational training institutes and seminaries. He said strict action will be taken if the educational institutions don t comply with the SOPs.
He said the reopening of institutions was a difficult decision but has been taken for the future of the youth. He said matters pertaining to schedule of examinations and the course work are also being reviewed.
“I would like to thank the parents who have been patient for six months and today we have reached the point where we are gradually opening educational institutions from September 15,” said Shafqat Mahmood.
The federal minister said that it is necessary to monitor the health of the children and after a seven-day review, classes from sixth to eighth would be opened from September 23. “On September 30, if the situation improves, all the primary schools will be reopened,” he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Dr Faisal Sultan said that the number of students in the classrooms will be kept low and it will be compulsory for the students to wear masks.
He said special instructions have been given to the educational institutions regarding Standard Operating Procedures to avoid any situation that can lead to revert this decision.
Faisal Sultan urged the parents to ensure the use of masks for school going children. He said schools administration should minimize the density of students in class rooms through shift management. He said social distancing should be ensured in all types of gatherings in educational institutions.
Earlier today, Inter-Provincial Education Ministers Conference (IPEMC) had decided to reopen universities, colleges and school for matric students in the country from September 15.
Federal Minister for Education and Vocational Training Shafqat Mahmood, chaired the conference on the issue. Ministers from all provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir attended the meeting.
During the meeting it was decided that in first phase universities, colleges and school for ninth and tenth grade will be allowed to reopen from September 15 under strict implementation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and in second phase students of sixth to eight standard will be allowed to return to schools from September 22. Primary Schools will be allowed to reopen from September 30 in third phase.
On the other hand, Prime Minister Imran Khan has summoned a session of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) today to discuss reopening of schools colleges and universities after country continues to see steady decline in coronavirus cases.
In today’s session, the chief ministers of all four provinces, federal ministers, Special Assistants to PM, civil and military officials will be present and provide their input.
The Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood will brief the NCC on the SOPs and suggestions regarding reopening of schools. The committee, in light of recommendations will take final decision
ISLAMABAD: The government of Pakistan has provided motorcycles to polio vaccination workers serving in farm flung areas with an aim to facilitate then and cover vast area.
According to details, the governor has provide 42 bikes to polio workers of federal capital Islamabad, 376 bikes to polio workers of Azad Kashmir, 164 bikes to polio workers of Gilit Baltistan and 672 bikes to tribal districts.
In first phase 1254 motorcycles have been provided to polio vaccination workers while in second phase more motorcycles would be provided to polio workers serving in far flung areas.
The government has provided funds for procuring motorcycles and motive behind the provision of bikes is to facilitate the workers and covering a vast area.
ISLAMABAD: An investiture ceremony was held at Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad where President Dr Arif Alvi conferred upon military awards to the officers and soldiers of the Armed Forces in recognition of their meritorious services to the nation.
Wing commander Muhammad Noman Ali Khan was awarded Sitata-i-Jur’att, for demonstrating valour in defence of mother land by shooting down an Indian aircraft when enemy s war planes violated Pakistan s airspace after the Pulwama incident.
Wing Commander Hassan Mahmood Siddiqui was conferred upon Tamgha-i-Jur’att for shooting down another plane of the enemy in February last year.
It may be added that Pakistan Air Force had evolved the Operation Swift Retort after to combat enemy s designs in the wake of situation emerged after Pulwama incident.
In total, one Sitata-i-Jur’att, 23 Sitata-i-Basalat, two Tamgha-i-Jur’att, and 44 Hilal-i-Imtiaz Military were conferred upon to martyrs and officers of the three forces.
His car was found in front of the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) on Park Road, located in Chak Shahzad, and his family says they have not been able to contact him since.
According to his family, last night Gondal visited a family-owned dairy farm in Chak Shahzad but the staff said he left later in the evening.
The SECP official, who is also a former journalist, did not come home, his family said.
Earlier this morning, one of the employees at the farm told his family that his car was parked outside NARC.
Though a formal complaint was not lodged at the time, local police, as part of routine procedure, examined Gondal’s car and informed the family that due to heavy rain earlier in the day, no fingerprints could be found on the vehicle.
Gondal’s wife submitted a complaint of the incident in the Shahzad Town police station, expressing suspicion that her husband had been “kidnapped by unidentified persons”. She urged the police to ensure his return, adding that the family “did not have any enmity”. The police are yet to file a first information report.
Meanwhile, the SECP released a press statement expressing solidarity with Gondal’s family. It further said that it was “providing complete assistance to the family in this moment”.
“The SECP staff are praying and hoping for an early and safe return of Gondal,” the statement concluded.
Earlier in the day, a team of SECP officials met Gondal’s family and it was decided that a team of lawyers would be consulted to decide if a case should be filed on behalf of the family or the department.
‘Bring Back Sajid Gondal’ was the top trend on Twitter in Pakistan after reports of him going missing started circulating on social media earlier today.
Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari took notice of the incident and said in a tweet that the police have been directed to register an FIR.
“Protection of each citizen’s life is our constitutional obligation. Rule of law must prevail — all must be dealt with according to the law,” she said.
Rights body Amnesty International expressed concern over the incident and urged authorities to “establish Gondal’s whereabouts immediately”.
“Sajid Gondal, a former journalist and an official with the SECP, is missing and feared to have been disappeared. We call upon the authorities to establish his whereabouts immediately,” the organisation tweeted.
PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal termed Gondal’s disappearance as “disturbing news” and urged the government to “immediately take all necessary steps to ensure his safe recovery”.
“Such acts bring bad name to Pakistan,” Iqbal said in a tweet.
ISLAMABAD: Kaavan was a bit reluctant to let three veterinarians come near it to assess the health of the 35-year-old elephant at Islamabad Zoo, Zoo officials said.
The three experts have flown in from Cambodia to assess the elephant’s mental and physical conditions.
They will sedate the elephant to perform necessary health checks before permitting Kaavan to travel to its retirement home in a 25,000 acre sanctuary in Cambodia.
However, the veterinarians need to get close to Kaavan before they can administer the right amount of anesthesia on the old elephant, the sources said.
The vets will assess its psychological, mental and heart conditions before they can allow the elephant to travel. They will then present their findings to the expert committee overseeing the process of Kaavan’s shifting to Cambodia.
However, a few conservationists in the committee such as biodiversity specialist Prof ZB Mirza say the elephant might not survive the journey to its retirement home in Cambodia. Prof Mirza argues that even if it does make it, other male elephants might attack Kaavan and kill him.
ISLAMABAD: On directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan, government has decided to grant 50 per cent quota to Islamabad domicile holders in jobs of federal institutions.
According to the notification issued by Establishment Division, the quota will be applicable on jobs of grade 1 to 15. Federal government departments have allocated 19 percent quota for Sindh, 7.5 per cent for open merit, 11.5 per cent for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 6 per cent for Balochistan, two per cent for Azad Kashmir and one per cent for Gilgit-Baltistan.
Former Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) will have three percent quota and government has decided to continue quota for ex-FATA for next 10 years despite of their merger in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
ISLAMABAD: Intermittent thunderstorm shower is expected in Islamabad, southern Punjab and south-eastern Sindh, however, hot and dry weather is expected in Balochistan on Friday.
More thunder showers with gusty winds are expected in Islamabad, upper/central Punjab, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir during the next twelve hours.
Intermittent thunderstorm is also expected in southern Punjab and south-eastern Sindh, however, hot and dry weather is expected in Balochistan.
In an earlier press release, the Met Office had said that rains in Karachi had “subsided” and that dry weather was expected to prevail in most parts of Sindh for the next 10 days with one or two brief rains at a few places during the period.
“Dry weather conditions in Karachi will be supportive for rescue/relief operation during next 10 days,” stated the weather department.
ISLAMABAD: Nearly 200 hundred Pakistanis stranded in India due to the coronavirus lockdown in both the countries, returned home via the Attari-Wagah border on Thursday.
Train service between Islamabad and New Delhi was suspended on August 15 after the coronavirus outbreak, leaving hundreds of Pakistanis stranded on the other side of the border in Gujrat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, New Delhi and Rajasthan.
Pakistan repatriated its nationals from India following the efforts of the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi.
In June this year, the Attari-Wagah border was opened for three days to repatriate stranded Indians in Pakistan.
Pakistan on March 19 had closed the Wagah Border in its bid to prevent the spread of the virus in the country.
Read more: 200 Pakistanis stranded in India due to lockdown to return on Sept 3
In May, the Indian government had facilitated the return of 179 Pakistanis to their country through the land border. They were stranded in various states of India due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
After restrictions were partially lifted, 400 Pakistanis again returned home from the Wagah border.
On March 14, India had suspended cross-border movement of passengers through the Attari-Wagah border after the COVID-19 outbreak.
Earlier on May 28, 300 Indian nationals returned to their country after both the countries eased lockdown restrictions during the pandemic.
