Islamabad, Sep8: When Pakistani delegates visited the International Grand Bazaar in Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, they were enthralled by the modern Chinese technology and handicrafts from Pakistan. Senior PTV reporter Arbab Ali Asghar commented, “I was surprised to see handicrafts from my hometown here,” as he made a visit at a Pakistani store in the bazaar. The store offered pendants made of jade, carved copper vases, handcrafted brass lamps, and other Pakistani artisan goods. Ahtar Hussain, a Pakistani businessman who has resided in Xinjiang for more than 30 years, runs the store, which provides a…
Author: Iqra Khan
Islamabad, Sep8: Romina Khurshid Alam, the Prime Minister’s Climate Change Coordinator, asked the governments of Sindh and Balochistan to step up their efforts to protect maritime ecosystems on Sunday. Romina Alam demanded the creation of more Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in order to meet the worldwide goal of safeguarding thirty percent of the ocean by 2030, in response to Churna Island’s designation as an MPA by the Balochistani government. Alam called the Balochistan government’s decision to safeguard Churna Island a “positive step towards protecting marine resources and promoting environmentally sustainable development.” He also applauded the government’s action. Presently Pakistan’s second…
Islamabad, Sep8: Aybek Arif Usmanov, the ambassador of the Republic of Uzbekistan to Pakistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan are not only sincere allies but have also raised their level of comradely collaboration to that of a strategic alliance. The Ambassador stated that only in the past three years has President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan had face-to-face meetings with his counterparts in Pakistan, including Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari, and Chief of Army Staff Gen. Asim Munir. These meetings have strengthened trade, industrial, and technological projects, as well as the active military cooperation between our nations. Aybek Arif…
Islamabad, Sep8: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres observed “Clean Air Day” by urging international investment in initiatives to combat climate change and the growing harm that air pollution does to the environment, public health, and the economy. The topic of this year’s International Day for Clean Air and Blue Skies, which is observed on September 7 every year, is “Invest in #CleanAirNow,” which emphasizes the advantages that investing in clean air has for the environment, the economy, and human health. The UN General Assembly recognized the harmful effects of air pollution and the value of clean air for human health, leading…
Islamabad, Sep8: Visiting the front lines of the fight against rising sea levels, World Bank President Ajay Banga stated on Friday that Tuvalu’s youth require training to help them shift and adapt to climate change.The impact of the improvements was evident, he added, as the tiny country recovered coastal territory and secured its ports during the first visit by a World Bank chief to Tuvalu. Banga extended the global lender’s mandate to include climate change for the first time in eight decades shortly after assuming the top position in June of last year, under the pretext of reducing poverty on…
Islamabad, Sep8: An ambitious new strategy to direct its evolution and increase its support on major issues confronting Asia and the Pacific, such as stepping up efforts to battle climate change and boost private sector development, has been agreed by the Asian Development Bank. An update to its corporate strategy, the Mid-term Review of ADB Strategy 2030, describes how the bank will adapt to a development environment that is changing quickly and how it will address issues that jeopardize its goal of creating a prosperous, resilient, inclusive, and sustainable region. Masatsugu Asakawa, president of ADB, states, “Our support is needed…
Islamabad, Sep8: According to Energy Minister Awais Leghari, in a recent interview with Reuters, the federal government is renegotiating contracts with independent power producers (IPPs) in an effort to lower electricity bills nationwide. The energy minister stated that the government and IPPs both agreed that the status quo could not last and that the current power pricing structure was no longer sustainable. He suggested that in order to find a long-term solution that works for everyone, all parties involved would have to make some compromises. The government has passed on additional fixed expenses and capacity charges to customers due to…
Islamabad, Sep8: Simon Milner, Vice President of Public Policy at Meta for the Asia Pacific area, took part in a podcast to talk about Meta’s efforts to encourage responsible digital citizenship and support creativity among young people in Pakistan. The episode centered on Meta’s artificial intelligence initiatives, such as Meta AI, which is accessible in Pakistan, and the most recent Meta Llama Pitchathon for developers held in Islamabad. Simon Milner discussed Meta’s initiatives to support users in creating virtual communities and offered advice on how to get the most out of Meta platforms. They also discussed the importance of successful…
Islamabad, Sep8: Potential local purchasers of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) have requested total exemption from taxes pertaining to aviation, fuel, and aircraft leasing, as well as the protection that is presently granted to international investors under a parliamentary act. Some of the selected bidders made demands to the government during the ongoing PIA due diligence process, according to sources close to the Privatization Commission who spoke with The Express Tribune. They said that the demands and their rejection of performance standards were making it more difficult to move the privatization deal through without incident. The bidders’ requests go counter to…
Islamabad, Sep8: The Government Holding Private Limited (GHPL) investment of Rs89.550 billion in US dollars in the Reko Diq project of Balochistan has drawn strong criticism from the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) for not guaranteeing the availability of money and necessary foreign currency. On the advice of the federal government, GHPL purchased an 8.33% ownership part in the Reko Diq project. Barrick owns 50% of the Reko Diq project, while three State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) GHPL, OGDCL, and PPL own 25%. The Balochistani provincial government owns 15% of the project fully funded and 10% on a free-carried basis. The board…
