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PR No. 304 President Asif Ali Zardari today hosted lunch for Dr. Farooq Sattar, Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Mr. Babar Ghuri, Minister for Ports & Shipping. Interior Minister Mr. Rehman A. Malik was also present during the lunch. Overall political situation, coalition matters and law & order situation was discussed during the luncheon meeting. Dr. Farooq Sattar presented to the President booklet containing MQM proposals for local bodies’ polls. The President said that the proposals will be considered by the coalition partners in the provincial government. The meeting expressed satisfaction over the improvement of law and order situation. **FU/Ahmad**
PR No. 305 Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani accepted the resignation of Mr. Shaukat Tarin, Minister for Finance, Planning, Revenue, Economic Affairs and Statistics Division. The Resignation was formally accepted during his call on to the Prime Minister in his office at the Prime Minister’s House here this afternoon. The Prime Minister appreciated the contribution by Mr. Shaukat Tarin in turning around the sliding national economy. The Prime Minister hoped that Mr. Shaukat Tarin would continue to extend his valuable advice to the government as and when needed. In his resignation Mr. Shaukat Tarin mentioned that he has resigned to focus on his family business and he could not do so precisely since it would be clear conflict of interest while serving as minister for Finance, Planning, Revenue and Economic Affairs. He however assured to extend his services and advise to government when felt necessary. The Prime Minister said that in order to ensure the continuity of policies the government would like to acquire the services of Mr. Shaukat Tarin in the National Economic Advisory Council. It needs to be mentioned that Mr. Shaukat Tarin would continue to work as Minister for Finance, Revenue, Planning and Economic Affairs till 28th of February ,2010. **PMMO/Ahmad**
PR No. 306 The Federal Secretary of Petroleum and Natural Resources Mr. Kamran Lashari visited the Pak-Arab Refinery Company (PARCO) Headquarters, Pak-Arab Pipeline Company (White Oil Pipeline) infrastructure facility and FOTCO oil jetty at Port Qasim, Karachi the other day on 22nd February 2010, These were his initial visits since assuming charge. The Federal Secretary of Petroleum and Natural Resources Mr. Kamran Lashari while addressing the gathering said that the objectives of his visits were to become fully conscious and aware of the status of operational activities going on and challenges confronting the oil sector in order to be able to chalk out a future course of action in the light of the experience perceived during the visit. The Secretary P&NR was briefed by the Managing Director PARCO, Chief Executive PAPCO and General Manager FOTCO about the ongoing activities and future plan of action of their respective companies, followed by visit to the plant area, storage tank facility and pumping system. Secretary P&NR emphasized that downstream oil sector especially the refineries should upgrade and modernize their configuration to produce environment friendly petroleum products as per international standard which was the need of the day. He emphasized on to getting out of the traditional approach and to adopt a pragmatic approach abreast with world’s best practices. He further stated that the Government policies were designed to be investment friendly to boost oil and gas sector, especially exploration and production activities both onshore and offshore. He said that training centers through collaboration with the leading universities and institutions could be set up as PARCO possessed qualified professionals and trained technological strength, the requirements of qualified professionals would thus be met. He said that suggestions and proposals for improvement and bringing about a constructive change in the oil and gas sector of the country would be welcomed. **AK/Ahmad**
PR No. 307 Dr. Fehmida Mirza, Speaker National Assembly chaired a meeting of the Board of Governors (BOG) of the Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services (PIPS) in the Parliament House this afternoon. The Board of Governors approved the budget for Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services for the financial year 2009-10. Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Convener of the Sub-Committee No.1 constituted by the Board of Governors to formulate recommendations on the accounting procedures and budget estimates for PIPS for the year 2009-10 presented its recommendation. The Convener informed the BOG that the budget estimates for the year 2009-10 were worked out at Rs.120 million; however, after thorough deliberation and taking into account the interim arrangement of PIPS, it was decided to reduce it to Rs.19.5 million for the current financial year. He further informed that the financial management manual and chart of accounts and codes had been prepared; accounting procedures reviewed for bringing financial transparency and in line with the government financial accounting procedures. The Board of Governors also asked the Sub-Committee No.2 constituted under the convenership of Senator Dr. Babar Awan, Minister for Law & Justice and Parliamentary Affairs to formulate its recommendations regarding service rules for the manpower of PIPS, at the earlier so that the formal recruitment process of the human resource could be initiated. The Board of Governors also approved the appointment of incumbent Executive Director (PIPS) till 30th June, 2010. Dr. Fehmida Mirza, Speaker National Assembly said that the establishment of the Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services would be beneficial for Members of the Parliament to enhance their capacities and better contribute towards welfare of their constituents. She apprised the committee about the pace of work at the permanent PIPS Building. She said that PIPS Facility was being established with the financial and technical assistance of USAID. The meeting of the BOG was attended by Mr. Nisar Ahmad Khuhro, Speaker Sindh Assembly, Mr. Kiramat Ullah Chagharmati, Speaker NWFP Assembly, Senators Mr. Ishaq Dar, Syed Tahir Hussian Mashadi, MNAs Mr. Pervaiz Khan Advocate, Mian Raiz Hussian Pirzada, Mr. Zafar Beg Bhittani, Mr. S. A. Iqbal Qadri, Mrs. Yasmeen Rehman, Mr. Aftab Shaban Mirani, Ch. Muhammad Barjees Tahir, Secretaries of Senate and National Assembly. **MT/Ahmad**
PR No. 308 A delegation of Tsinghua University led by Professor Li Xiguang, Director of the University’s Centre for Pakistan Culture, today called on President Asif Ali Zardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr. Professor Li Xiguang informed the President that the Tsinghua University would be holding Mohenjodaro week cum exhibition in April this year to highlight Pakistani culture, its past history and to enhance awareness about Pakistan. He also invited the President to visit Tsinghua University on the occasion. The President appreciated their efforts and said that Chinese academic institutions like Tsinghua University can help Pakistan promote its soft image and introducing its real identity at different forums by making documentaries for the electronic media. The President highlighted rich cultural diversity of Pakistan and said that there was much greater scope and opportunities for enhancing our cooperation in the field of education and cultural development with special focus on preservation and protection of archeological sites. The President while talking to the delegation, who is scheduled to visit Mohenjodaro on Friday, said that places like Mohenjodaro which is unsurpassed for its magnificent town planning among the other ancient cities of the world offer great scope for the students of Archeology to be further explored and studied. He said that the mutual imprints of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, norms and traditions shared by Pakistan and China strengthen the bonds between the people of the two brotherly countries. The delegation thanked the President for meeting them and for the hospitality of the Pakistani people. **FU/Ahmad**
PR No. 309 The Federal Minister for Finance, Mr. Shaukat Tarin chaired the meeting of the Committee of ECC to look into the possibilities of Reduction in Prices of Food items here today. The meeting, while reviewing the exiting of market pricing in the four provinces, discussed measured to improve the system. Mr. Shaukat Tarin, Federal Minister for Finance stressed upon devising a mechanism for effective monitoring of supply and demand of various food items. He said that there is need to improve the price control, transportation, market monitoring, and consumer protection system so that the ordinary citizens could get food items in affordable rates. The meeting was attended by the Chief Secretaries of Punjab, Sindh and NWFP, Federal Secretaries of Industries and Food & Agriculture and representative of the Government of Balochistan. **MKS/Ahmad**
PR No. 310 Federal Minister for SAFRON Najmuddin Khan has said that the present government is taking necessary steps for the welfare of NWFP and FATA on priority basis. While chairing a presentation by FATA Secretariat on Area Development Project for Frontier Regions (FRs) to the FATA Parliamentarians here today, the federal minister said that this Frontier Region is consists of 6 regions including Peshawar, Tank, Lakki Marwat, D.I.Khan, Bannu and Kohat. The Minister told that FCR is the law for FRs and these FRs function through Maliks and Lungi holders who are influential members of their respective tribes. He said that SAFRON communicated certain observations which were accordingly addressed by FATA Secretariat and conveyed to SAFRON. Project Director, FATA Secretariat Tahir Orakzai briefed the FATA Parliamentarians and the Federal Minister that this project will facilitate the community for better livelihoods by increasing incomes and creating opportunities through a mix of economic and social sector, mainstreaming of FRs into the country’s economic system. He said that after the approval of work plan funds will be released to line departments. FATA Parliamentarians, high officials of Ministry of SAFRON and representatives of FATA Secretariat and UNHCR were also present in the meeting. **NA/Ahmad**
PR
No. 311 In order to develop appropriate guidelines for integration of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) aspects in the Housing Policy and National Reference Manual for planning standards, a day long consultative seminar was arranged by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Housing & Works and United National Development Program, at National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), at Islamabad on Tuesday. The main focus of the seminar was to (i) Introduce a Ministerial Strategy on DRR in the Housing sector in Pakistan (ii) Initiate dialogue and to identify gaps in the “National Housing Policy” and the “National Reference Manual” instruments from a DRR perspective (iii) Finalize recommendations and way forward from the mutual consultation of the resource persons and professional participants from PCATP, PEC, development authorities and other relevant agencies in Pakistan. “DRR Sensitive Housing Policy and Planning Standards” is identified as a crucial need by the Ministry of Housing and Works for mainstreaming DRR in the Housing Strategy which has also been emphasized globally in the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) and in Pakistan, to incorporate DRR in all such policies and regulatory instruments, since the earthquake of 2005. Prominent partners of this initiative included the Pakistan Engineering Council, Pakistan Council of Architects, Town Planners and the UN-Habitat. Professionals from the planning and construction fields who attended the seminar included engineers, architects, town planners and decision makers from various public and private sector organizations. Lt. Gen. ® Farooq Ahmad Khan, Chairman NDMA, Ms. AR Shama Usman, Chairperson Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planners, Mr. Aslam Mughal, President Institute of Planners Pakistan (IPP) and Ms. Maggie Stephenson, Senior Technical Advisor, UN-Habitat were some of the keynote speakers on the occasion. Speaking to the participants of the seminar, Chairman NDMA, Mr Khan was hopeful that the recommendations of the seminar will lead the NDMA/UNDP to formulate a methodology which would be developed as guidelines for integration of DRR aspects in the relevant section of the Housing Policy and National Reference Manual for Planning Standards. The recommendations evolved from this seminar will lead towards formulation of DRR annexure for both the Housing Policy and National Reference Manual and will serve as a consultative start for development of DRR guidelines for the sector. CA/wh
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No. 312
He apprised the President about various activities of PBM and measures being taken to provide relief to the poor people. SAK/wh
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No. 313 President Asif Ali Zardari today directed the concerned departments to urgently finalize plans for the renovation and extension of the historic shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalander in Sehwan Sharif, Sindh, to facilitate the visitors on the one hand and improve the general look of the shrine, on the other. In a follow up meeting today at Aiwan-e-Sadr about reconstruction and renovation of Mazar of Lal Shahbaz Qalander, the President directed that the rectification work of dome and Dhamal court should be done on priority basis. Federal and Provincial governments would be sharing the cost of the project, he said. The President said the cultural assets must be preserved for protecting our cultural heritage and for the benefit of those who want to know, learn and experience Sufism. Those who attended the meeting included among others Minister for Auqaf, Zakat and Usher Mr. Abdul Haseeb, Mr. Fazl-ur-Rehman Chief Secretary Sindh, Mr. Iqbal Ahsan Zaidi, Secretary Auqaf and other relevant officials of the concerned departments. SAK/wh
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No. 314 A delegation of World’s leading financial institution Nomura Bank of Japan led by its Managing Director Mr. Arshad Ghafoor held a meeting with Senator Waqar Ahmed Khan Federal Minister for Privatisation here today as a follow up of their meetings in UAE and UK. Senator Waqar Ahmed Khan Federal Minister for Privatisation invited the group to identify the transactions included in the Privatisation Program and to suggest various modes for value addition of our national assets. The government intended to associate Private sector through Public Private Partnership to bring in efficiency, improvement in performance, better management, create new job opportunities through expansions in the projects, he said. The delegates of Namura Bank expressed their confidence in Pakistan’s economy and appreciated the government for bringing in stability and its continuing efforts for the economic reforms. They appreciated the government’s resolve for bringing in political and economic stability through reconciliation process and taking unanimous decisions for NFC award and Baluchistan package. Mr. Shahab Khawaja Secretary Privatisation and PC Advisor Agha Waqar Javed were also present during the meeting. TP/wh
PR
No. 315 Federal Minister for Education Sardar Aseef Ahmad Ali has said that ours is the land that can boast of being one of the oldest, and the most enviable cultural heritage in the world. He made these remarks while inaugurating Mubarak Shah’s Sculpture and Paintings at Hunerkada here today. He said that paintings and drawings create awareness among the people and also help us to communicate our feelings to others. Mubarak Shah and many other leading Pakistani artists have helped to redefine the role of the artist in today’s increasingly complex and interconnected world, he added. AJ/wh
PR
No. 316 Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani announced flats for Ms. Naseem Hameed and Ms. Sara Nasir who won the gold medals in South Asian games. Prime Minister appreciated the talent of the athletes and asked them to focus on the next compactions. The athletes called on the Prime Minister at the Prime Minister’s Secretariat this evening. The Prime Minister said that the government believes in promotion of the sports and games at all levels to channelize the energy of the youth in healthy activities. While talking to the athletes, Prime Minister said that they have set an example for all those youngsters who have talents and want to achieve the highest level. He also assured to direct all the sports federations arranging such events to fully facilitate the young talent and help them meet the international standards. PMMO/wh
PR
No. 317 Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who is in China for a four day official visit, called on the Chinese Premier Mr. Wen Jiabao this afternoon. Premier Wen Jiabao warmly welcomed the Foreign Minister of Pakistan and said that Pakistan was China’s close friend and strategic partner. Premier Wen said that China was keen to further promote and strengthen the friendship and strategic partnership with Pakistan since it was in the interest of the two countries as well as regional stability. He was confident that the two sides would take forward the friendship and trust forged by earlier generations of leaders. He recalled his own visit to Pakistan in 2005 and said that he still remembered the warmth and affection shown to him by the people of Pakistan. The Premier said that Sino-Pakistan relations were truly comprehensive in that they covered all aspects including political and economic. Premier Wen Jiabao expressed satisfaction at the progress made in various Chinese assisted projects in Pakistan. He said that cooperation between the two countries had deep roots and that mutual trust was a valuable asset. The Chinese Premier appreciated Pakistan’s critical role in the fight against terrorism and assured Pakistan of China’s full support and assistance. The Foreign Minister said that he had brought sincere greetings and best wishes of President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and people of Pakistan. He referred to Pakistan-China friendship as the corner stone of Pakistan’s foreign policy and added that every Pakistani was proud of this friendship. He recalled the pioneering role played by Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in laying the foundations of this unique friendship. The Foreign Minister thanked the Premier for his personal interest and contribution in strengthening Pakistan-China friendship and taking it to new heights. He said the exchange of high level visits attested to the importance attached by the two sides to their bilateral relations. He said that the President of Pakistan looked forward to his visit to China this year. The Foreign Minister mentioned his comprehensive talks with the Chinese Foreign Minister the day before and described them as highly productive. The two sides, he said, comprehensively exchanged views on the full range of bilateral, regional and international issues. He reiterated Pakistan’s unconditional, unequivocal and complete support to China on all issues of importance to it including Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang. The Foreign Minister lauded China’s positive role in international affairs and its efforts to promote peace and stability. He said that China was a factor of peace and stability in South Asia. The Foreign Minister thanked the Chinese government and people for their continuing political and economic support to Pakistan. He said that many economic projects of national importance underway with Chinese assistance were making smooth progress. He emphasized the need to further enhance people to people contacts through exchanges of youth delegation, parliamentarians, artists, media persons and entrepreneurs. The Foreign Minister also briefed the Chinese Premier on Pakistan’s counter-terrorism policy, the regional situation and its efforts to contribute towards the promotion of peace and development in Afghanistan. He also highlighted Pakistan’s efforts to promote good relations with India. The Foreign Minister conveyed invitations on behalf of the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan to the Chinese leadership to visit Pakistan. The Premier thanked Foreign Minister Qureshi for the invitation and said that China looked forward to welcoming Pakistani leaders to China in 2010.
PR
No. 318 Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo, Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Chaired the meeting. The meeting was attended by Mr. Qamar Zaman Kaira, Minister for Information and Broadcasting/Governor, Gilgit-Baltistan, Syed Khurshid Shah, Minister for Labour and Manpower, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Minister for Water and Power, Syed Mehdi Shah, Chief Minister, Gilgit-Baltistan, Secretary, Kashmir Affairs & Gilgit-Baltistan Division, Secretary, Water and Power, Chairman, WAPDA, Member Planning Commission and Chief Secretary, Gilgit-Baltistan. The Chair pointed out that this committee has been-assigned an important job by the Prime Minister to resolve the issue of compensation and re-settlement of affectees of Diamer-Basha Dam. The Committee needs to resolve this issue amicably as early as possible. All the participants expressed their views and were unanimous on the following points: i) The dam has to be built. It has to be constructed with the full cooperation of the local people. II) Instead of indulging in disputes that may cause not only delay in the construction of Dam but also result in manifold increase in the cost of the project, the affectees may be taken on board to avoid any untoward incident in future. iii) Out of court settlement may be preferred to save time and money in the construction of Dam. iv) In case the affectees are paid compensation in lumpsum, the land may got vacated from the affectees only after provision of decent alternatives. v) The affectees should not be forced to take decisions in the resettlement plan. WAPDA must make the entire arrangements as flexible as possible on humanitarian as well as social grounds. vi) The issue of compensation must be taken up not only as a land acquisition exercise but also as an initiative for creating good will among the local people. Economic development of the area would be the guiding principle during and after the construction of the Dam. vii) Full sympathy was expressed with the families whose family members lost their lives and also with those who were injured. 2. After detailed discussion the following decisions were taken: DECISIONS: a) Federal Government reaffirms its commitment to construct the Dam without further wastage of time in the best national interest with total cooperation of people of Diamer and Gilgit-Baltistan. b) A sub-committee under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister, Gilgit- Baltistan, with Secretary KA&GB Division, Secretary Water and Power Division and Chief Secretary, Gilgit-Baltistan as member was constituted to discuss the rates of compensation with the affectees. The report of the sub-committee will be presented in the meeting of the Ministerial Committee to be held on 1st March, 2010. c) The sub-committee will hold proper negotiations with the affectees. Transparency will be maintained at all cost. 3. The meeting ended with a vote of thanks from the Chair i.e. Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo, Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan.
PR
No. 319 The Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said that the decline of sports in our national set up has contributed towards the rise in terrorism in the country. If the youth of the country, he added, is provided with motivation, facilities and opportunity to harness their energy into positive activities like sports, the extremists would have a hard time finding youth that can be misled. The Prime Minister was addressing the first ever joint meeting of the national sports bodies and national sports heroes held at the highest level in the Prime Minister’s Secretariat this afternoon. The Prime Minister said at the national level, sports create national integration discipline and a sense of brotherhood and comradeships. Sports, he added, create awareness, bring cultures altogether and create bridges even in the case of traditional rivals. In the context of encouraging sports, the Prime Minister said as in other countries, private corporate sector funding needs to be encouraged. He observed that there are scores of oil and gas companies, banks, cellular companies, beverages and major tea brands which are engaged in patronizing bigger sports like, cricket and hockey also need to focus on individual sportsmen by providing them scholarships and employments. The major public sector corporations and the nationalized banks, he emphasized must again patronize sports in a big way as they used to do in the past. Similarly the private sector oil and gas exploration companies in Pakistan, he said can be approached for their patronage in terms of their Corporate Social Responsibility. In turn the Government would facilitate them and consider giving them certain concessions, he added. The Prime Minister said that the government is contemplating to ask the foreign donors to include in their education projects “Sports Education” as a component. The government, he said, has various initiatives in the field of education for North West Frontier Province, FATA, Balochistan, Interior Sindh and Southern Punjab. All these initiatives, he added, should have a sports component as a part of strategy to fight terrorism as envisioned in the concept of “From the Battle Field to the Sports Field” The Prime Minister said he would direct the concerned authorities to include sports education as part of the development package for under developed and militancy affected areas. In his concluding remarks, the Prime Minister said that Promotion of Sports is yet another campaign which would be undertaken to occupy and channelize the energies of our youth towards healthy activities. He announced constitution of a National Sports Development Committee to be headed by the Federal Minister for Sports with Minister for Education, Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination and Provincial Sports Ministers as members. The Committee has been tasked to develop a National Policy for Sports promotion in consultation with all the stakeholders including national sports heroes and submit the policy with recommendations within two months for consideration of the Cabinet. The Prime Minister also announced to double the budget allocations of the Ministry of Sports specifically for the promotion of various sports through established federations. He also announced creation of sports scholarships in all the leading schools, colleges, and universities to encourage students to participate in sports. The participants of the meeting appreciated the unprecedented initiative of the Prime Minister for holding such a high level meeting to promote sports and games in the country. They also suggested that the federal and provincial ministers of Education and Information be involved in promoting sports activities at school, colleges and universities level. In the same context, they stressed for reintroduction of sports quota for admission of students in the educational institutions. The provincial ministers insisted that the sports development schemes included in the Public Sector Development Plan should not be shifted to next financial years as it leads to cost escalation and harms adversely the interests of sports. They also complained that some sports complexes, hostels, play grounds have been occupied by law enforcing agencies and local administration to organize weekly bazaars etc. It was also suggested that every new housing scheme should clearly earmark land for sports activity. It was further suggested in the meeting that one to two hours be fixed for sports activities in the schools. It was stressed as well that the corporate sector be persuaded to spend one percent out of the five percent compulsory contributions of the Corporate Social Responsibility fund. Earlier, the Secretary for Sports briefed the gathering on allocation for various sports activities, the history of Pakistan’s achievements in international events and the problems to achieve the requisite standards. He also apprised the meeting of the short and long term objectives to promote sports in the country.
PR
No. 320 Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has said that the government attaches high priority to work for upholding the rule of law and supremacy of the Parliament. He added that political leadership of the country has always shown sagacity and unity whenever the nation is confronted with any challenge. He lauded the role played by the democratic forces of the country in building consensus and thanked them for their support to the government. The Prime Minister was talking to a delegation of Jamat-e-Islami led by its Secretary General Mr. Liaquat Baloch which called on him at PM’s House here this evening. While mentioning the sacrifices rendered by the people of militancy affected areas, the Prime Minister said that the nation has shown remarkable spirit and courage which greatly helped the security forces to successfully eliminate the militants and restoration of peace in the areas. He said that the government would extend all facilities to the people who have left their homes and hearths for the future of the country. He said that the Ministry of Water and Power has already been directed to provide electricity at the existing camps to provide relief to the people. The delegation appreciated the Prime Minister for his policy of consensus and reconciliation on all important national issues. They said that a new and positive trend has been developed due to this policy in the national political horizon which would go a long way in strengthening of democratic norms in the country. Other members of the delegation included Provincial Amir NWFP, Senator Professor Ibahim, Niab Amir NWFP, Mr. Siraj-ul-Haq and Mr. Haroon Rashid. ZY/wh
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No. 321 Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani called on President Asif Ali Zardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr today. Current situation was discussed during the meeting. SAK/wh
NOT BE PUBLISHED,
BROADCAST AND TELECAST BEFORE THE MORNING OF
FEBRUARY, 24TH 2010. Forest area in Pakistan is hardly five percent of the total land mass which is far below the internationally recommended standard. To increase the forest cover, large scale planting on marginal lands and farmlands is the only option. Therefore, the government launches tree planting campaign twice a year in the spring as well as in the monsoon to increase forest area in Pakistan. Forest resources in Pakistan comprising 4.2 million hectares are inadequate to meet the growing demands of timber, firewood and other non-wood products. In the current perspective of growing energy crises, fuel wood production on farmland can serve as a renewable source of energy, providing sustainable livelihood for tree farmers as well. The Government of Pakistan is following a multi-pronged strategy for food security, energy security, water security and environmental security. Undoubtedly, forests occupy a pivotal position in economy and ecology. Social, cultural and heritage values of forests have their own significance. In view of the immense importance of forests, national laws and policies have special focus on this sector. Today for any development project Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and particularly impact on forests is an integral component of the projects to meet EIA standards is a prerequisite. Depletion of natural forests calls for well planned and concerted efforts to manage forests and related ecosystems on a sustainable basis. Efforts are needed not only to rehabilitate the degraded forests and transform them to dense forests but also harness the vast potential by extending tree cover on our farmlands that at present meet more than 90% of household fuel wood requirements in the country. For this, the participation of farming communities through a comprehensive national farm/agro forestry programme has become necessary to realize sustainable economic benefits, alleviate poverty and ensure environmental stability in the country. I realize that main constraints in developing forest resources are water shortage and lack of funds. To overcome these constraints, we have to develop non-traditional and innovative ways. Forest Departments should promote native and drought resistant trees besides introducing new irrigation techniques. Apart from financial assistance being provided under PSDP, there is a need to explore other sources of funding as well. Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is emerging as a potential source of income for tree growers for their service to sequester carbon. Ministry of Environment, as the focal point for CDM, is extending technical assistance to tree farmers getting them into carbon trading under CDM. On this occasion I appeal and impress upon every Pakistani citizen, especially the farming communities, and elected members to actively participate in the Spring Tree Planting Campaign ensuring the aftercare and protection of the saplings for better economic development of Pakistan. Let us make Pakistan green. NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST AND TELECAST BEFORE THE MORNING OF FEBRUARY, 24TH 2010.
NOT TO BE
PUBLISHED/BROADCAST/TELECAST BEFORE THE MORNING OF
24TH FEBRUARY, 2010 Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has sent a message of greetings to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Estonia Mr. Andrus Ansip, on their national day falling on 24th February, 2010. In his message, the Prime Minister said: “It gives me great pleasure in conveying to Your Excellency and to the Government and people of the Republic of Estonia our most cordial and sincere greetings on the auspicious occasion of the national day of the Republic of Estonia. Pakistan and Estonia enjoy cordial and friendly relations. I am confident that these mutually beneficial ties will continue to grow in strength in the coming years.” NOT TO BE PUBLISHED/BROADCAST/TELECAST BEFORE THE MORNING OF 24TH FEBRUARY, 2010 PR No. 324
PRESS RELEASE Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira has said that all state institutions are functioning within their ambit and those aspiring for clash among them would be disappointed. He was speaking in Radio Pakistan’s programme “Naey Ufaq’ tonight. The Minister also took live questions from listeners and responded to their queries on national and regional issues. To a question the Information Minister said some political circles and a section of media painted the recent issue of appointment of judges as a sign of confrontation between the executive and the judiciary. He said the day the Supreme Court suspended the notification of the Government about appointment of judges, the Government leadership made it absolutely clear that they would accept the verdict of the court.
The Information Minister, while replying to a question from a listener from Lakki Marwat, said 84 per cent of the eligible citizens have national identity cards and it is effort of the government to raise it to 96 per cent during the next couple of months. He said NADRA teams would be strengthened to expedite the issuance of national identity cards to all eligible citizens. Replying a question he said that the Prime Minister had a meeting with PML(N )Quaid Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif in line with the vision of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto for continuous consultation to address the national issues. He said it reflects the aspirations of democratic attitude of the government, because the Prime Minister wants to strengthen the national institutions for the sake of the democracy. Kaira said as stated by the Prime Minister the Constitutional Reforms Committee has been asked to gear up its work and complete its recommendations for submission in the parliament before March 23.He said the committee is preparing its recommendations in the light of the Charter of Democracy signed by Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif keeping in view the futuristic governance. He
said though the document was signed by the two parties but other political
parties are part of the constitutional committee deliberating for
preparation of proposals in the light of the CoD. To another question
regarding irresponsible attitude of a section of the media, the minister
said that the media has played a vital role along with the political
forces, civil society and the public for the restoration of the democracy.
However, he said, that a few self-centred persons who are engaged to
criticize the government for To another question Kaira said that the unanimous national finance award will be implemented from the next budget and the sources will be allocated to the provinces on the basis of NFC formula.
The minister said that first time in the NFC award the government has
acknowledged the claims of the provinces in the national resources. He
said the first instalment of Rs 10 billion out of Rs 120 Billion net
hydel profit has been provided to NWFP government while the claim of
Balochistan for Gas Development Surcharge for Rs 110 billion has also been
accepted and their first instalment of Rs 10 billion is being released. PR No. 325
PRESS RELEASE Islamic Development Bank (IDB) will provide US$ 140 million loan to Pakistan for renovation and up-gradation of Railways and rail system in Pakistan, says a press release received from Jeddah here today. An agreement between the government of Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the IDB was reached here at the Bank’s Headquarters in Jeddah. The agreement authorizes the government of Pakistan to purchase equipments as an agent for and on behalf of the bank and the sale thereof to the government of Pakistan for use in the country’s Railways Development project. It is the pioneer project for the phased installations of modern signaling system on the entire main rail-lines in Pakistan. The Ambassador of Pakistan in Saudi Arabia, Mr. Umar Khan Ali Sherzai signed the agreement on behalf of the Government of Pakistan while Dr. Ahmed Ali, President IDB, signed on behalf of the Islamic Development Bank. Speaking on the occasion, the Ambassador said that the IDB contribution in the economic development of the Islamic world was commendable. The Bank has been instrumental for gearing up progress and development in the Islamic world, he said. The Ambassador appreciated the role of the Bank and the OIC for fostering Muslim unity. The President of IDB said that Pakistan was an important Muslim country and he wishes it to prosper and progress. He assured the Ambassador of all possible cooperation.
PR
No. 326 President Asif Ali Zardari Tuesday night expressed the hope that the Constitutional Reform Committee will complete its task next month before his third address to the joint sitting of the Parliament. He said this while addressing a meeting of the Party MNAs and Senators in the Presidency. Briefing the journalists Spokesperson to the President former Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the president said that the Constitution will be democratized by removing from it all anti-democratic articles introduced into the country’s basic document by successive dictators and restoring to the Parliament the powers that really belong to it in a democracy. He said that our critics who accused us of foot dragging on the issue will be proved wrong very soon when the Constitutional Reform Committee hopefully completes its task next month. Farhatullah Babar said that the President also alluded to the recent developments in his speech and said that the issue of judges appointment had been resolved amicably and those who wanted the people to believe that a clash of institutions was imminent, have been frustrated. The President said that the country was faced with huge challenges and we could ill afford politics of confrontation. He said militancy, economic turnaround, poverty alleviation and the forthcoming local bodies polls were the grave issues that stared us in the face. It calls for regrouping ourselves and focusing our energies to fight these challenges, he said. President Zardari asked the Party parliamentarians to gear themselves for the local bodies polls which he said will test the popularity of the Party at grass root levels. Our parliamentarians, office bearers and the Party as a whole will be called upon to prove their worth before the masses in these elections, he said. We can’t afford to be complacent and must take the challenge of local polls seriously, the President said. The President also recalled the achievements of the government during last two years and asked the parliamentarians to reach out to the masses with the success story of the government. Benazir Income Support Program (BISP), reinstatement of the sacked workers, giving 12 percent shares in state-run enterprises to the workers, plans to give state lands free of cost to poor women in the command areas of the new dams, NFC award, Gilgit-Baltistan reforms and Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan package were also highlighted by the President as major achievements of the PPP Government. The President also paid tribute to Finance Minister Mr. Shaukat Tarin for steering the economy to shores of safety and who, the President said, had decided to resign from the Cabinet for the reason to take firm charge of his personal business. The President said that he will undertake a two day tour of Balochistan from Wednesday which will be followed by his visit to Frontier and other provinces to meet the people and apprise himself of their problems. The President then invited MNAs and Senators to express their views on any issue they considered crucial. Those who spoke on the occasion included Mr. Nadeem Afzal Cahn, Ms. Sherry Rehman, Mr. Akhunzada Chitan, Malik Azmat, Mr. Nasir Ali Shah and Senator Maula Bux Chandio. Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani was also present at the meeting.
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