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PR No. 151 Pakistan has welcomed Malaysian investment in Balochistan in sectors such as livestock, fruits and vegetable, marble and Granite, and housing and water treatment sectors. This was stated by Mr. Humayun Aziz Kurd, Minister for Livestock and Dairy Development of Pakistan, who is currently in Malaysia, in a meeting with Acting High Commissioner, Dr. Imtiaz A. Kazi and other officers of the High Commission, in Kuala Lumpur, says a press release received here today. The Minister said that the province of Balochistan was very rich in livestock and currently, not only catering to the needs of Pakistan, but its highly valued live animals and processed meat was also being exported to many countries of the world. He welcomed Malaysian investment in construction and operation of Abattoirs and other related infrastructure for processing and exporting of lamb, goat and camel meat to Malaysia and other countries. The Minister said that the province of Balochistan also produces apples, apricots, pomegranate, peaches, grapes and many other varieties of fruits and vegetable which are known world over due to their rich flavor, excellent taste and appropriate size. He invited Malaysian investment and subsequent preservation, storage, processing and packaging of frit and vegetables to add value and thereafter export to Malaysia and other countries. Mr. Kurd said the province of Balochistan also produces excellent quality of marbles and Onyx in raw and finished form, which can also be exported to Malaysia. He also welcomed Malaysian investment in the development of marble and Granite in Balochistan for mutual benefit of both the countries. Mr. Kurd said that province of Balochistan being mostly arid would welcome Malaysian investment in development of water resources and establishing of water treatments plants and housing sector. **QB/Ahmad**
PR No. 152 The Planning Commission’s Task Force on Climate Change held its meeting today in the Planning Commission with Mr. Hameedullah Jan Afridi and Dr. Ashfaq Ahmad, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission in the chair. The Task Force met to launch its Report on Climate Change. The present report is the result of 10 TFCC meetings involving extensive deliberations by the TFCC members on various climate change related issues confronting Pakistan. The report describes Pakistan’s vulnerability to climate change due to impacts on various socio-economic sectors. It recommends a number of adaptation and mitigation measures based on the initial available assessment of different sectors and reviews the country’s implicit ongoing and planned responses. It also provides recommendations on issues such as much needed capacity building, needs for international cooperation and Pakistan’s position in international negotiations on future climate change regime. This report will serve as a seminal document, providing a base for further work and helping the Planning Commission and the Ministry of Environment in the formulation of National Climate Change Policy. The Planning Commission of Pakistan set up a Task force on Climate Change (TFCC) in October 2008 to provide appropriate guidelines for ensuring security of vital resources of the country such as food, water and energy. The key task assigned to the TFCC was to contribute to the formulation of a climate change policy that would assist the Government in pursuing the paramount goal of sustained economic growth by appropriately addressing the challenges posed by the climate change. Commenting on the importance of the report Federal minister for environment, Mr. Hameedullah Jan Afridi said that “the report of the Task Force has laid the foundation for the development of National Action Plans for adaptation and mitigation.” The meeting was attended by Mr. Shams ul Mulk, Ex-Chairman WAPDA, Ambassador Shafqat Kakakhel, Ex-Deputy Executive Director United Nations Environment Programme, Mr. Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, Executive Director LEAD Pakistan, Dr. Qamar-uz-Zaman Director General Pakistan Meteorological Department, Mr. Daniyal Hashmi, WAPDA, Dr Aurangzeb Khan, Chief Environment Planning Commission, Mr. Mahmood Akhtar Cheema from IUCN, Dr. Arshad M. Khan, Executive Director Global Change Impact Study Centre, Mr. Jawed Ali Khan, Director General Environment, Dr. Rukhshan Roohi Principal Scientific Officer NARC, Dr. Zaigham Habib, Specialist IWRN, Planning Commission, Syed Raghib Abbas Shah, Member (Water) WAPDA, Dr. M.M. Rabbani, Director General National Institute of Oceanography, Dr. Rehana Siddiqui PIDE Dr. Parvaiz Amir ASIANICS and Mr. Mohsin Iqbal, GCISC, Mr. Munir Sheikh GCISC and other participants from various Government ministries. **MS/Ahmad**
PR
No. 153 Prime Minister Syed Yusaf Raza Gilani called on President Asif Ali Zardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Thursday afternoon. Prime Minister’s visit to US to participate in the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, the ongoing debate on 18th Constitutional amendment Bill 2010 in the Upper House of the parliament and current political situation in the country came under discussion during the meeting. The President while referring to the laying of the 18th constitutional amendment Bill in the senate said that the credit for it goes to all the political parties for showing maturity and rising above partisan politics for the larger national interest. He said that the Party believed that the strength of the federation lay in the supremacy of the parliament and the strength of the federating units and added that with the passage of the constitutional reforms package, the constitution would be cleansed from all anti – democratic clauses injected into it by successive dictators. The Prime Minister also briefed the President about his meeting with the President Obama and other meetings on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit. **FU/Ahmad**
PR
No. 154 On behalf of President of Pakistan, Mr. Asif Ali Zardari, Secretary General to the President, Mr. Salman Faruqui visited the Polish Embassy on Thursday to condole the tragic death of President of Republic of Poland, Mr. Lech Kaczynski, his wife and Polish dignitaries who died in a plane crash in Russia. The people of Pakistan stood at this tragic hour with the people of Poland, Mr. Faruqui recorded on behalf of the President in the Condolence Book. PR No. 155 Federal Minister for Education Sardar Aseef Ahmed Ali has said that the future of the country depends on the educated Youth, and they should use their knowledge and skills in the best possible way for the betterment and development of the country. we have to prepare them to enable them through quality education and skills to face the challenges of the developed world. While addressing the 7th Degree Awarding Ceremony of Hamdard University which was held here on Thursday the Minister said that you have to believe on the power and abilities God has gifted to you and use them for the benefits of the humanity and nation. The Minister further said that Universities are places where knowledge is born, nurtured and passed on to the next generations as a tool for living a better life. Hamdard University has established itself as one of the prestigious institutions of higher education and professional learning in the country and is one of the leading universities in private sector. Hamdard University aims at translating into reality the ideals of Shaheed Hakim Muhammad Said and symbolizes the hope and aspirations of the nation by its high standard of quality education. While addressing the ceremony the Vice Chancellor of the university Dr. Nasim A. Khan said that Hamdard University has significant contribution towards the goal of providing higher education to a large segment of the younger generation in Pakistan and to meet the future manpower needs of the country. While addressing the ceremony the president Humdard Foundation Mohtarma Sadia Rashid has said that you are the future engineers, and pharmacists, and managers of our society. You are what we need to build better cities, run more efficient factories, dispense better health, and have a more effective economy to make our country a developed and prosperous one. Earlier the minister for Education conferred degrees to the successful candidates of the institute. The minister also awarded medals and certificates among the students who showed the best in curricular and extra-curricular activities. PR No. 156 President Asif Ali Zardari Thursday felicitated the Parliament, the political parties and indeed the whole nation on the auspicious occasion of the passage of Eighteenth Constitutional amendment Bill 2010 in both houses of the Parliament today. Spokesperson to the President former Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the President in a message said that the history will remember the current political leadership of the country in golden words for demonstrating extraordinary political unity in restoring the 1973 constitution. The President said that he was immensely pleased with the passage of the 18th amendment bill in the Parliament. The President also congratulated the Prime Minister, leaders of the opposition in Senate and National Assembly, Chairman and members of the Constitutional Reforms Committee and all the Parliamentarns for displaying a true national spirit and rising above partisan politics, in an unprecedented show of national solidarity. The President said that the Passage of the constitutional reforms show that PPP is following the vision of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. PPP today have fulfilled the promises made by the martyred leaders, he said. The President said that Democracy has won today and dictators have been defeated by the people and political forces of the country.
PR
No. 157 Mr. Azeem Daultana, Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Broadcasting has advised the Punjab Law Minister to abide by the Constitution and refrain from casting aspersions on the Constitutional Head of State. Commenting on the statement of Rana Sanaullah, Punjab Law Minister appearing in the press, Mr. Daultana said, it is surprising that the Law Minister of the majority Province of the country is ridiculing the provisions of the constitution by terming the remissions granted to prisoners under the constitution by the President on the advice of the PM on the auspicious occasion of the passage the 18th Amendment in the National Assembly as malafide. Mr. Daultana said that being Law Minister of Punjab, Rana Sanaullah is expected to rise above political considerations and speak the language of the Law and respect the constitution of the country. Refuting Punjab Law Minister contentions that the Remission Order was issued with malafide intention, Mr. Daultana said that facts speak for itself. Had it been coined to benefit a specific person as alleged by Punjab Law Minister it would have been done much earlier. In fact, Mr. Daultana said, some people are engaged in scuttling the achievement of the nation on the momentous occasion on the Constitutional Amendment made through consensus and restoration of the will of the people. Explaining the Remission Order, Mr. Daultana asserted that the remission will not be admissible to those convicted of murder, espionage, subversion, anti-state activities, terrorist acts (as defined in the Anti-Terrorism (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 1999, kidnapping / abduction for ransom, robbery (Section 394 PPC), dacoity (Section 395-396 PPC) and those undergoing sentences under the Foreigners Act, 1946, Mr. Azeem Daultana said. “This is not the first time that the President of Pakistan issued remission order for prisoners. It has been done in the past as well even during the government of Mian Nawaz Sharif, party leader of Punjab Law Minister”.
PR
No. 158 The National Judicial Conference is to be held on 16-18 April, 2010 consisting on inaugural, working and concluding sessions. The conference is being organized by the National Judicial Policy Making Committee headed by the Hon’ble Chief Justice Pakistan . The Chief Justice of Federal Shariat Court and the Chief Justices of the High Courts are members. The Conference is organized in coordination with the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The programme of the Conference is that inaugural session on 16.04.2010 at 5:00 p.m in which keynotes speaker is the Hon’ble Chief Justice himself. In his speech he would identify the issue and problems confronted by the system of administration of justice in the country. After inaugural session the participants will break up into 8 thematic groups to discuss 8 topics as you will see these topics are mostly judicial topics relating to the system of judicial administration in the country regarding processing and disposal of cases as a whole. Judiciary at all levels from downward to the High Courts, Subordinate Courts and the Special Courts will discuss the issues and problems of the judiciary and implementation of judicial policies. The group will discuss Ways to improve Implementation of the National Judicial Policy, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Legal Education, Use of Information Technology in Courts, Expeditious Disposal of Cases: Obstacles and Remedial Measures, Elimination of Corruption in Judiciary: Measures for Effective Supervision and Accountability, Simplification of Exhaustive and Cumbersome Procedures and Responsibility of Judges, Lawyers Police, Prosecution and Litigant Public in Dispensation of Justice. The format of the working is that there would be papers to be represented and there would be discussion and the themes. Each group after discussion and deliberations whole day, would be required to finalize their recommendations. As you know main issue is the implementation of the National Judicial Policies, which were launched from 1st July, 2007 is going on. The group would finalize recommendations and then concluding speech will be made by the Hon’ble Chief Justice of Pakistan so he will come up the recommendations given by these groups. The conference is regularly convened. 1st conference was convened in 2007, 2nd in July 2009 and this is 3rd Conference. This Conference would be regularly organized by the National Judicial Policy Committee. These will be shared with the public and these recommendations also come up before the National Judicial Policy Making Committee so recommendations, suggestions which are viable and practicable and further improve the functioning of the Courts and further improve the National judicial Policy, would be considered. The recommendations in July, 2009 have already been approved by the National Judicial Policy Making Committee and that is being implemented. It is basically a conference, which is organized by the Judiciary but we have invited all other professionals and representatives, who are stakeholders of the justice system. It includes many other professional and members of the Bars. All Hon’ble Judges of the Supreme Court will attend, all Judges of the Federal Shariat Court , all the Chief Justices of the High Courts have also been invited. 50 Hon’ble Judges of the High Courts will also attend the National Judicial Conference. 50 would be District and Sessions Judges, 25 will be Additional District and Sessions Judges and 25 would be Senior Civil Judges will attend the Conference. All office bearers of the Supreme Court Bar Association, all Presidents and office bearers of all High Courts Bar Associations will attend the Conference. All Presidents of the District Bars Associations throughout the Country along with their General Secretaries, Vice Chairman and Members of the Pakistan Bar Councils, Vice Chairman and the Members of the four Provincial Councils and some other permanent members of the Bars among Law Officers have been invited. Acting Attorney General for Pakistan all the four Advocate Generals, all the Prosecuting Generals and then other related officials like Secretary of the Law Division, Secretary of the Law Department, Secretary Human Rights Division, Chief Secretaries of the Provinces, Law Secretaries of the Provinces, Home Secretaries from the Provinces, Inspector General of the Provinces and I.G. Prisoners of the Provinces, all the Faculty Law Colleges in the Public Sectors have been invited. The Hon’ble Chief Justice is also Chairman of the National Judicial Policy Committee. The aim of the Policy is expeditious disposal of the cases. The goal of the policy is to give inexpensive justice to the people of the country. We have also invited members of the civil society.
(NOT
TO BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, TELECAST, BEFORE THE MORNING OF
16 APRIL, 2010) Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has sent a message of greetings to the Prime Minister of Denmark, Mr. Lars Loekke Rasmussen, on the occasion of the Birthday of Her Majesty, Queen Margrethe II falling on April 16. In his message, the Prime Minister said: “on the auspicious occasion of the birthday of Her Majesty, Queen Margrethe II, I have great pleasure in conveying, on behalf of the Government and people of Pakistan, greetings to the Government and people of Denmark. I take this opportunity also to convey my best wishes for Your Excellency’s health and happiness”. (NOT TO BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, TELECAST, BEFORE THE MORNING OF 16 APRIL, 2010)
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