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PR No. 168 Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has expressed grief and sorrow over the death of senior journalist and Chief Editor, Daily Millat (Gujrati), Mr. Inqilab Matri, who was also member of the Press Council Committee of CPNE. The Prime Minister appreciated the services rendered by Mr. Matri towards print media industry. The Prime Minister prayed that Allah almighty may bless the departed soul and give courage to the bereaved family to bear this loss with fortitude.
PR No. 169 Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mr. Qamar Zaman Kaira, Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting Mr. Sumsam Ali Shah Bukhari, Secretary Information & Broadcasting, Mr. Mansoor Suhail and Principal Information Officer Mr. Rashid Ahmed have expressed grief over the sad demise of Mr. Inqilab Matri, Chief Editor of Daily MILLAT, Karachi who expired today in Karachi due to heart failure. They prayed to Almighty Allah to grant eternal peace to the soul of Mr. Inqilab Matri and to grant his family strength to bear this irreparable loss.
PR No. 170
Due to efforts of Federal Minister for Commerce Makhdoom Amin Fahim, the British Petroleum Pakistan has agreed to initiate a social Sector Development Program worth 21 million rupees for the up gradation of Taluka hospital Matiari, and Nasarpur Ceramic’s center and Oderolal Computer center in District Matiari (NA 218). A delegation of elders from Matiari met with the Federal Minister for Commerce Makhdoom Amin Fahim in his office and appreciated his efforts for starting the Social sector Development program in their area. The Federal Minister assured the delegation that the present government is serious in solving the problems of the poor lot. The Program includes establishment of dialysis unit at Taluka hospital Matiari, costing 8.5 million rupees. The second project is establishment of gynecology ward at the same hospital worth 3.87 million rupees, and allocation of medicines worth 2 million rupees. The British Petroleum has also agreed to upgrade the Library and computer center at oderolal and Ceramic center at Nasarpur at a cost of about 6 million rupees.
PR No. 171 Honorable Federal Minister for Environment, Mr. Hameed Ullah Jan Afridi, inaugurated the NGOs Convention and environmental exhibition on 18th January, 2010, organized by One UN Joint Programme on Environment – a joint effort of Ministry of Environment and United Nations in Pakistan. Over three hundred representatives of Civil Society Oragnziations from all over the country joined hands in the NGOs Convention with Ministry or Environment and United Nations for improved environmental management, in addition to the participation of Government, UN Agencies, Academia and Media. Mr. Kamran Ali Qureshi, additional Secretary, Ministry of Environment/National Program Director- One UN JPE welcomed the participants and shared with audience the purpose of NGOs Convention. On this occasion, Honourable Federal Minister for Environment launched the Grass-root Initiative Programme (GRIP) that will provide grants to the Civil Society Organizations for addressing environmental problems in the field of climate change, waste management & sanitation and integrated natural resource management. However, on the face of the mounted challenges, the Federal Minister highlighted the potential of grass-root actions that can substantially contribute to the improvement of environment. He appreciated the indigenous practices of environmental conservation and stressed that these practices need up-scaled use through community mobilization. The Civil Society Organizations have the strength to mobilize the communities at the grass-root level. Therefore, One UN Joint Programme on Environment provides a platform where the civil society UN Agencies and Government join hands for the improved environment of the country. Convention was also a leap forward to develop better understanding between the Ministry of Environment and the relevant NGO’s towards effective partnership for environmental management. The representative of the United Nations, Mr. Toshihiro Tanaka, expressed that environmental challenges cross sectors and political boundaries as the issue can be handled by joining hands among all stakeholders from the government, civil society and UN Agencies. The issue of environment also goes beyond the national boundaries and is international in nature. This is the reason why environment is one of the core themes on which United Nations is focusing its operations. In Pakistan under the One Un Joint Programme for Environment eleven (11) UN agencies (UNDP, UNEP,UNICEF, WHO, FAO, UN HABITAT, UNHCR, ILO, UNESCO, WFP and UNIDO) for the first time have joined hands to assist the people of Pakistan in managing environment. Mr. Kamran Lashari, Federal Secretary for Environment, articulated the environmental challenges being faced by Pakistan. He mentioned that Pakistan’s environment and natural resources are ecologically fragile and are being exploited beyond their “maximum sustainable yield”. Although the political will exists in the country, however there is a general lack of visible impact to conserve the environment and to take proactive steps to reverse and halt the on-going phenomenon of environmental degradation. The convention was concluded with the call for project proposals to be submitted to the Ministry of Environment under the One UN Joint Programme for Environment. These projects of the NGOs will focus on grass-root environmental problems through community based actions that improve the environment and also help in poverty alleviation.
PR No. 172
The Federal Minister for Food & Agriculture, Nazar Muhammad Gondal has said that the government will take the business community on board before planning any policy. He said that the government is to play the role of a facilitator and no policy can practically succeed without the consultation of all the stakeholders. The minister said that no progress and development is possible in any field without strengthening the political system of the country. “ Institutions need to be strengthened and they should work in their own domains”, he added. The honorable minister said that creating consensus on terrorism is the achievement of the present government. He further said that no foreign or local investment is possible without peace and stability in the country. “ By the grace of Allah Almighty, wheat is surplus in t he country while the cotton production will exceed thirteen million bales this year. Optimum agricultural produce can be guaranteed if the growers get reasonable prices for their crops”, explained the minister. Mr.Gondal said that the development of Pakistan is directly related to development of the agriculture sector of the country. He asked the business community not to exploit the poor farmers and pay them good prices for their produces. He advised them to work on value addition of agricultural products so that maximum foreign exchange is earned for the country. “Pakistan is a country that does not need any proof or guarantee regarding Halal food. There is a huge market for our meat, chicken, etc products the world over. You need to work on it. The government is ready and willing to help and facilitate you”, said the minister. In reply to a question regarding the availability of water for agriculture, the minister said that the present government has approved 32 small and medium dams to be constructed across the country among them 12 have already been issued with finances and 2 of them have been inaugurated by the worthy president. He said that a MoU will be signed with Monsanto (American Seed Company) in the near future which would help us to increase our per acre yield. Nazar M. Gondal said that the government has given 50% subsidy on the agricultural machinery to encourage the modernization of agriculture in Pakistan. He said that the government has reserved Rs. 27 b in the PSDP to make warehouses and storages for the agricultural products, which will minimize the post harvest losses.
PR
No. 173 A section of the print and electronic media has carried a story with reference to the Finance Division pertaining to the 3rd party evaluation of the energy sector being carried out by the Asian Development Bank. Spokesman of the Ministry of Finance has clarified that as yet no report of the Asian Development Bank on the subject has been furnished to the Ministry of Finance. In fact, the 3rd party evaluation report is expected to be received in the Finance Division on Friday, the 22nd January, 2010. Therefore, the story appearing in a section of the print and electronic media is speculative and not based on facts. NJ/wh
PR
No. 174 In response to the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon call to the international community to assist the earthquake victims of the Haiti, Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has directed the Cabinet Division to immediately provide the relief assistance in the form of 3000 tents/blankets and 08 tons of medicines to help the earthquake affected people of Haiti. He directed that these relief items shall be handed over by the Emergency Relief Cell of the Cabinet Division to the Representative of UN Office at Islamabad for their onward dispatch to Haiti. PMMO/wh
PR
No. 175 Federal Minister for Privatisation Senator Waqar Ahmad Khan visited the head office of National Power Construction Corporation (NPCC) on Monday at Lahore He was briefed about the performance and future projects of NPCC by Managing Director Muhammad Ajaz Malik and other officers. The MD told media after the meeting the minister wanted NPCC to be privatised on merit or continue its business because the corporation was fully self‑financed. He said the total turnover of NPCC was 2.5 billion KSA Riyals (US $700 million) during the last 30 years since the inception of the corporation while government investment had been Rs 10 millions. Ajaz Malik said NPCC was an enterprise of the Ministry of Water and Power working mainly on high voltage transmission lines in the Middle East and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). He said the Pakistani company was highly respected for its performance in the international construction market. He said NPCC was providing a large number of overseas jobs to Pakistani engineers, technicians and workers. “We are planning to extend its services to new markets, especially in South African countries including Botswana, Zambia, Nigeria and Libya,” he added. TP/wh
PR
No. 176 Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has said that the government intends to strengthen the democratic institution and promote politics of reconciliation in the country. Government, he added, took a number of initiatives to promote provincial harmony and bring the people together. The Prime Minister said that the supportive role of media in this context was very supportive and encouraging. The Prime Minister was talking to various groups of Parliamentarians who called on him at his Parliament House Chamber this evening. The Parliamentarians lauded the Prime Minister’s policy statements at the floor of the National Assembly on various issues of national importance. They also expressed confidence on efforts made by the Prime Minister to bring about political reconciliation. The Parliamentarians included Federal Minister for Livestock and Dairy Development, Mr. Humaun Aziz Kurd, Minister for Population Welfare, Ms. Firdos Ashiq Awan, Minister for Postal Services, Mir. Israrullah Zehri, President PPP Balochistan, Senator Haji Nawabzada Lashakri Raeesani, MNAs, Nawabzada Muhammad Khan Hoti, Ms. Fizza Junejo, Mr. Khursheed Junejo and Mr. Nawab Ali Talpur and Provincial Minister for Labour Maolvi Muhammad Sarwar. PMMO/wh
PR
No. 177 Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said the supremacy of the Parliament as a significant pillar of the state is a collective reasonability of all the political parties represented in both the houses. The treasury and the opposition benches, he added, have to play their due role to strengthen the parliamentary democracy. The Prime Minister was talking to a two-member delegation of PML (N) led by Mr. Hamza Shahbaz Sharif which called on him at the Prime Minister’s House here this afternoon. The Prime Minister said the government is pursuing the policy of political reconciliation so that the fruits of democracy could reach the people of the country and bring about a positive change in their living standard. Mr. Hamza Shahbaz Sharif lauded the efforts being made by the Prime Minister in creating better understanding between all Political Parties. PMMO/wh
PR
No. 178 Acting Deputy Chairman Planning Commission of Pakistan, Dr. Ashafaq Ahmed called on Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani at his Parliament House here this evening. The salient features of the national planning policy were discussed during the meeting. PMMO/wh
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