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PR
No. 124 Third meeting of Cabinet Committee on Child Camel Jockeys was held here today under the chairmanship of Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Convener of the Committee, Dr. Farooq Sattar. The meeting was attended by Syed Mumtaz Alam Gilani, Federal Minister for Human Rights, Ms. Mehreen Anwar Raja, Minister of State for Law & Justice, Ms. Shahnaz Wazir Ali, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Social Sector, and senior officers of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Interior and Law & Justice. During the meeting it was decided that in order to resolve the issues related to child camel jockeys; the members of the cabinet committee will soon hold a meeting with the ambassador of UAE in Pakistan. It was also decided that to strengthen cooperation with the relevant provincial governments; chief secretaries of Punjab and Sindh would be invited to attend the next meeting. The next meeting of the committee is scheduled to be held on March 18, 2010. It is mentioned here that UAE government launched a Children Involved in Camel Racing Project (CICR Project) in order to compensate the physically injured and psychologically traumatized child camel jockeys and, in this regard, an MoU was signed between the Ministry of Interior of UAE and Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis of Pakistan in 2007. According to the MoU, UAE government agreed to pay a base line payment of US $ 1,000/- to each claimant irrespective of nature of injury. The government of Pakistan has distributed an amount of US $ 424,500/- until now among the claimants. The Cabinet Committee on Child Camel Jockeys was constituted by the Prime Minister in the last Cabinet meeting held on November 18, 2009. It comprises of Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis (Convener), Federal Minister for Interior (Member), Federal Minister for Human Rights (Member), Minister of State for Law & Justice (Member) and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Social Sector (Member).
PR No. 125 Heavy Mechanical Complex (HMC) Taxila, a public sector organization under the Ministry of Industries and Production Islamabad, has achieved a sales turn over of Rs.1.914 billion during 2009, on account of its excellent performance, which is the highest in the last 15 years. HMC executed the order for design, manufacture, installation & commissioning of penstock (4 meter dia. & 800 meter length) for Malakand-III, 81 MW Hydropower station. HMC has been issued Successful Commissioning Certificate after completion of one years defect free operation. This is the first ever penstock completely designed, manufactured and installed by a local company for hydropower plant. HMC had secured the orders through competitions by participating in international biddings. HMC has got a development order for low head turbine vanes on canal from WAPDA for their Nandipur Hydropower plant. These used to be imported by the user up till now. This will ensure local production of low head turbines for Hydropower plants on canals as well as saving of millions of $ US dollars of foreign exchange reserves. Moreover HMC has got orders for design, manufacture and installation of penstocks for three Hydropower plants in AJK. HMC has prepared plans and working on undertaking medium sized Hydropower projects on turn-key basis. HMC after discussing on various fora is in the process of preparing a proposal for establishment of a national level design institute at HMC, for energy sector plants design & engineering locally. This project, on becoming operational, shall be able to have capabilities for design of Hydro & Thermal power plants and oil & gas process plants, reducing foreign dependence. **MAB/Ahmad**
PR No. 126 Dr. Fehmida Mirza, Speaker and Faisal Karim Kundi, Acting Speaker National Assembly have congratulated Muhammad Pervez Malik on his election as a member of National Assembly from NA-123, Lahore. In their separate congratulatory messages to the newly elected MNA the Speaker and Acting Speaker said that his election as a Member of National Assembly was an evidence of the trust and confidence reposed in him by the people of his constituency and party leadership. They expressed hope that the newly elected Member will come up to expectations of the people and will fulfill his responsibilities according to the constitution of Pakistan and will work for the promotion of the democracy in the country.
PR
No. 127 President Asif Ali Zardari today advised the government to prepare a comprehensive plan for Jail reforms in the light of reports of Parliamentary Committees on the subject from time to time and other national and international human rights bodies. The President said this while chairing a presentation on jail reforms in Sindh province, which was attended among others by Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Chief Minister Sindh, Senator Rehman A. Malik, interior Minister Mr. M. Salman Faruqui, Secretary general to the President, Mr. Kamal Majidullah, SAPM on water resources, Haji Muzaffar Ali Shujra, minister for Prisons Sindh, Mr. Fazal-ur-Rahman, Chief Secretary Sindh, Mr. Arif Ahmad khan, Home secretary Sindh, Mr. Mushtaq Ahmad Shah, IG Prisons Sindh and other senior government officials. The President also directed for providing legal aid to destitute prisoners, training and education and improved service structure for Jail officials. Special attention must be accorded to improve the conditions in women and juvenile prisons, the President said. The President also advised that the reports of the concerned committees of the parliament and human rights bodies on the subject of jail reforms be analyzed and their recommendations be kept in view while undertaking prison reforms. The President while taking the presentation asked for Public- Private Partnership to improve the condition of jails particularly Jail accommodation and the quality of food and other facilities provided to the prisoners. The President also directed for devising such a mechanism in prisons to make the prisoners responsible and useful citizens of the society after their release from jails. The President directed the provincial government to upgrade the old jails and add new barracks to existing ones to overcome the problem of congestion and overcrowding in Jails. Chief Secretary Sindh Mr. Fazal-ur-Rahman gave a detailed presentation on the status of Jail reforms in Sindh. The meeting was informed that significant steps have been taken by the provincial government to develop the infrastructure of Jails and improve the living conditions of prisoners. The meeting was further informed that to overcome the congestion in Jails a new prison at Nowshera Feroze has already started functionig and three more prisons at Ghotki, Mirpurkhas and Thatta would be functional within the coming 3 to 12 months. Barracks for additional 1000 and 500 prisoners are being constructed in Landhi and central Jail Karachi respectively and 70% work on these barracks has been completed, the meeting was informed. The Chief Secretary said that overcrowding was the most serious problem and these steps had been taken to relieve the pressure. The presentation said that government is arranging technical and vocational training for prisoners and survey of deserving women is being carried out in all jails by BISP. The government will appoint Psychiatrists in each prison and will also provide a personal hygiene Kit to each prisoner on monthly basis, the presentation said.
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No. 128 Prime Minister Syed Yusaf Raza Gilani called on President Asif Ali Zardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr today. Constitutional reforms Package, President’s forthcoming address to the Parliament and current political situation was discussed during the meeting.
PR
No. 129 Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has said that the Ministers and elected members of the Parliament have an obligation to serve the people and solve their problems. He was talking to Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Minister for Labour and Manpower Syed Khurshid Shah, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Mr. Faisal Karim Kundi and MNA Eng. Usman Khan Tarakai who called on him at his Parliament House Chamber here this evening. Minister for Water and Power apprised the Prime Minister of the issue of land compensation to the dislocated people of the Diamer Bhasha Dam project. He informed that the issue has been resolved to the satisfaction of the people. Expressing his satisfaction, the Prime Minister said that the government is committed to deliver due rights of the people without any delay. The Deputy Speaker also apprised the Prime Minister of the political and security situation in D. I. Khan. He said that Prime Minister’s initiative to create sectarian harmony has been welcomed by all the political and religious groups which has helped to restore peace in the area. Minister of State for Defence Arbab Zahir Khan and MNA Istaqbal Khan also met the Prime Minister in his chamber and briefed him about the socio-economic development projects being undertaken in their respective constituencies. They also appreciated Prime Minister’s keen interest in the rehabilitation projects of Malakand and Swat.
PR
No. 130 Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi has strongly condemned the suicide blast in Peshawar today which resulted in the loss of precious lives,says a press release received from the Office of the Spokesman, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, here today.. The Foreign Minister emphasized that terrorism will never be allowed to succeed in its nefarious designs. Such reprehensible acts only strengthen our resolve. The Government and the people of Pakistan are determined to eradicate this menace. The Foreign Minister expressed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for early recovery of those who sustained injuries in the blast. NOT TO BE PUBLISHED/BROADCAST/TELECAST BEFORE THE MORNING OF 12TH MARCH, 2010
PR No. 131 Prime Minister, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has sent a message of greetings to the Prime Minister of Mauritius, Honourable Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, on their independence day falling on March 12.
In his message the Prime Minister said: “On the auspicious occasion of the 42nd Anniversary of Independence of Republic of Mauritius, I have great pleasure to convey warm felicitations to you, to the Government of Mauritius and its people on behalf of the government and the people of Pakistan and on my own behalf.
I am confident that the deep bond of friendship and substantial relations which already exist between the two countries will be further strengthened in the time to come.”
NOT TO BE PUBLISHED/BROADCAST/TELECAST BEFORE THE MORNING OF 12TH MARCH, 2010
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