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PR.
No. 161. Federal Minister for Food, Agriculture and Narcotics Control, Nazar Muhammad Gondal has called upon the younger generation to fully equip with science and technology education vital to face global emerging challenges in a befitting manner. He expressed these views while addressing at the annual prize distribution ceremony of Rasul Government College of Technology here today. The Minister said that no country could stand in the comity of the developed nations without possessing latest science and technological skills pre-requisite for overall socio-economic progress and prosperity. He said that it was good omen that our country had made tremendous progress in promotion of science and information technology during the past few years. The Minister said that keeping in view of importance of this sector, the present government has allocated a sizeable amount in the current fiscal year to spread the education of science and technology in all parts of the country. He assured that the government would upgrade the Rasul Government College of Technology as a University of Science and Technology which would mitigate the financial burden of the parents on the education of their children in other cities. The Minister urged upon the students and teachers to devote their energies in studies and benefit from the development emerging in S & T field on world map so that these methods could be applied in our own country. Principal of Rasul Government College and Technology, Syed Mazhar Abbas Naqvi highlighted the salient features of the achievements made by the students and teachers in the Board in education and sports fields. Later the Minister gave away certificates and shields to the outstanding students and teachers. He also planted a sapling in the college premises as a mark of tree plantation campaign in the country. **EH/Ahmad **
PR. No. 162. President Pervez Musharraf on Monday underscored the need to increase the green cover in the country to offset the environmental threats such as water shortage, air pollution, loss of wildlife and climatic extremes. The President made these observations while planting a sapling at the President House, Murree. He said the entire nation, including students; NGOs and people from all walks of life must sincerely participate in the Monsoon Tree Plantation Campaign 2008 to make Pakistan look greener. During the campaign, 47, 37 million saplings will be planted through out the country by the Provincial Forest Departments with the participation of the general public, non-governmental organizations and corporate sector. During this campaign, 13 million saplings in Punjab, 10 million in Sindh, 9.5 million in NWFP, 7 million in FATA, 6 million in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and 0.5 million saplings in Balochistan would be planted. The other departments including CDA will plant 1.27 million saplings during the Monsoon Tree Plantation Campaign 2008. The tree plantation ceremony was attended by Federal Minister for Environment Mr. Hameed Ullah Jan Afridi, Federal Secretary Environment, Ejaz Qureshi, Tehsil Nazim, Murree, Sardar Muhammad Saleem Khan and other high officials. **SMA/Ahmad**
PR. No. 163. Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that Pakistan is an important country playing a major role for the peace and stability in the region and the government is committed to maintaining a minimum credible deterrence through conventional and strategic capabilities The Prime Minister said this while talking to General Tariq Majeed, Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee here at the PM’s House this morning. The Prime Minister said that economic sovereignty, smooth political process, good neighbourliness, friendly international environment and good governance are prerequisites for impregnable defence of the country. Government would continue to provide all necessary support to further enhance the capabilities of the Armed Forces to meet the defence needs of the country, he added. The Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee apprised the Prime Minister of the performance and professional activities of the three armed services i.e Army, Air force and Navy. **PMMO/Ahmad**
PR. No. 164. The Ministry of Commerce has initiated the process of selecting trade officers in BS-18, 19 and 20 for posting in the Pakistan missions abroad. The officers of the following Occupational Groups having recent experience of serving on relevant post in the Economic Ministries / Divisions and Provincial Departments like Planning & Development, Finance, Industries & Agriculture may apply through their Administrative Departments. The Groups are: District Management Group, Custom & Excise, Income Tax, Commerce & Trade, Accounts, Secretariat, Office Management Group, Planner & Economist. The selected officers will be posted for a period of 2 years subject to further extension based on their performance. The candidates will have to appear in a written test to be conducted by LUMS on the issues related to trade and commerce, computer skills and data analysis. The syllabus and the sample papers for the written tests can be accessed at the following web site of the Ministry of Commerce: http://www.commerce.gov.pk The letters have been issued to the Controlling Divisions/Departments for sending nominations of the eligible officers. In case official intimation is not received, the interested officers may apply through their Administrative Departments up to 5th August 2008 for participation in the test. The written test will be held in Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta in early September 2008. The venue and time will be communicated by LUMS. A proto type of the form containing, inter alia, the batch and occupational group of the candidates, grade and present posting can be downloaded from the website also. For any kind of change the website may be visited periodically. For any inquiry related to the above matter, following officer and telephone of Ministry of Commerce can be contacted: Mr. Muhammad Liaqat Ch, Section Officer (Admn-II), Ministry of Commerce, Islamabad. Phone: 9203896, Fax: 9205241. **SH/Ahmad**
PR. No. 165. The Prime Minister has constituted “DAILY ECONOMY MONITORING COMMITTEE” which would meet daily at 3.00 PM in Finance Division except on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to address the day to day issues of the economy. The committee would review various economic indicators and decide upon measures on any issue of concern. The Committee held its first meeting here today and deliberated on a variety of price hike related subjects concerning Petroleum, Food items, inflation, and other allied issues affecting common man. The committee is tasked to keep a watch on prices of commodities, and if there are indications of prices moving to unusual rise, the Monitoring Committee shall take stock of it for rectification. The Committee reviewed prices of essential food items, their existing stock position and measures to ensure prices stability. Provincial stocks and supplies were taken in to consideration. The Committee advised the relevant organizations that wheat and essential items supply to NWFP be ensured. The Committee reviewed OGRA – notified prices of petroleum products and noted that international market oil prices are moving up. GOP however is still subsidizing petroleum products in the country. Despite recent increase in petroleum prices, GOP is providing Rs. One billion per day subsidy to the petroleum sector despite budgetary constraints. It was further noted that country‘s 80% demands are met through imported oil. The Committee held that GOP’s rapidly increasing import bill is using our foreign exchange reserves and we need to take stock of it through internal policy adjustment. The Committee decided to evolve a mechanism to vigilantly keep the prices of essential food items within the framework of public interest/affordability. The Committee also reviewed existing wheat/Atta prices and advised Ministry of Food & Agriculture to monitor latest country wide prices trends focusing domestic consumption. The committee noted that at this point in time wheat prices in international market are stable. The meeting was attended by Secretaries Finance, Commerce, Food & Agriculture, Information & Broadcasting, Petroleum, Water & Power and Member Planning Commission.
PR. No. 166. The Ministry of Health is in the final stages of drafting a programme to combat the Hepatitis Disease, after the earlier 2005 Programme was found to have missed its targets and objectives. According to the reports, the mid-point review conducted by the Health Ministry identified a number of gaps in the 2005 Programme that restricted its impact on controlling the disease. The Ministry decided to prepare and launch another comprehensive programme to fight the burgeoning epidemic. Following an exhaustive audit of the current programme, the Ministry held extensive consultation with the professionals and experts, including liver disease specialists and epidemiologists and drafted a detailed strategy. The Prime Minister will be briefed about the new Programme in a formal presentation and it will be launched after his approval. The focus of the revised Programme, proposed to be called the ‘Prime Minister’s Emergency Action on Hepatitis’ would be on blood borne viral hepatitis (B and C), which is said to be wreaking havoc in many of the communities. The Programme emphasises a robust surveillance system to measure the burden of disease, monitor trends, evaluate control measures, interventions and programs, and identify infected persons for medical assistance. The surveillance system would draw from the District Health Information System and a linked network of the 450 major public hospitals of the country. Improved laboratory facilities would be part of the surveillance system. One of the important aspects of the programme is that it seeks the involvement of Members National Assembly, proposing to link them to the working and monitoring of the programme in 272 sentinel sites along the lines of National Electoral Constituencies. The programme’s intensified focus on the preventive side incorporates major efforts geared towards developing a culture of safe injections and blood safety. It also proposes deployment of a force of 272 Hepatitis Social Mobilisers who would be advising and assisting medical practitioners, barbers, beauty parlours and tattooists on safe practices and hepatitis prevention. “The educational component of the programme is most important,” said Ms Sherry Rehman, Federal Minister for Health, commenting on the draft programme. “Any preventive strategy must focus on inducing behavioural change by communication.” Ms Rehman said that the reason behind augmenting the preventive strategy is because there is a dire need to control the spread of the disease. “The prevalence of hepatitis has reached alarming levels in Pakistan. Studies suggest that up to 7% or 12 million of the population is infected in the country. We cannot afford to allow the disease to grow into a monster threatening the entire population.” Ms Rehman said that unlike the last government, her Ministry would not like to give out a false impression to the public that this programme will eradicate the disease. “It is aimed at controlling the spread of the blood borne viral hepatitis thorough a massive preventive initiative. Our government is determined to play its role in controlling the spread of the disease, and the Programme will be monitored and followed up to ensure it yields tangible results within two years.”
PR. No. 167. Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said the success of a political party lies in the hard work and dedication of its party workers. The Prime Minister said the workers of PPP are assets for the Party. The Prime Minister said that their sacrifices for the cause of democracy will not be ignored and employment opportunities will be given to the party workers. The Prime Minister was talking to a delegation PPPs workers in Governor’s House Peshawar which called on him here this evening.
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