|
-
PR
No. 269 Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has expressed deep sorrow and grief over the sad demise of the mother of Minister of State for Defense, Arbab Muhammad Zahir. In his message of condolence to the bereaved family the Prime Minister Prayed to Allah Almighty to shower his countless blessings on the departed soul. He also prayed for the family of the deceased to bear this irreparable loss with equanimity. **PMMO/Ahmad**
PR No. 270 Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, Mian Manzoor Ahmad Watto has facilitated newly elected president of Kashmir Journalist Forum Sardar Abid and General Secretary, Zahid Abbas on their clean sweep victory in the AJK Kashmir Journalist forum working in Rawalpindi, Islamabad. The Minister sent a facilitation message to Sardar Abid and Zahid Abbas. **AR/Ahmad**
PR
No. 271 Federal Minister for Environment Mr. Hameed Ullah Jan Afridi has said that effective strategy and action plan are the need of time to address the basic challenges regarding provision of safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene through conceptual framework and national level communication campaign. He expressed these views while presiding over a second consultative workshop regarding Pakistan National Behavior Change Communication Strategy and Action Plan for Safe Drinking Water, Sanitation and Hygiene 2010-2015 here today. Representatives from UNICEF, USAID and other partner organizations attended the workshop. High officials of the Ministry of Environment were also present in the workshop. Workshop was started with opening remarks of Federal Minister for Environment who said that awareness among the masses has utmost importance to solve the problems related to Clean Drinking Water, Sanitation and Hygiene. Ministry of Environment recognizing this very importance of awareness is launching National Behavior Change Communication Strategy and Action Plan for Safe Drinking Water, Sanitation and Hygiene 2010-2015 in consultation with all these stakeholders, he added. The Minister further said that this strategy and action plan addresses the basic challenges regarding provision of safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene through conceptual framework and national level communication campaign. Mr. Stephen Rahaim, Consultant USAID, gave detail presentation on Major Strategic Communication Recommendations. During the workshop objectives of the Pakistan National Behavior Change Communication Strategy and Action Plan for Safe Drinking Water, Sanitation and Hygiene 2010-2015 were highlighted. Moreover, different aspects of strategic communication recommendations were deliberated. On this occasion participants of the workshop gave different suggestions and point of views about related issues. It was observed that Pakistan National Behavior Change Communication Strategy and Action Plan for Safe Drinking Water, Sanitation and Hygiene will help to address this fundamental challenge by providing an overarching national strategy and conceptual framework with a set of recommendations and consideration for a national level communication campaign which addresses basic behaviors related to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene; and by providing a framework for the creation of different strategies that will target more specific barriers to behavior change around the country. It is important to mention here that Ministry of Environment has taken a leadership role in initiating the development of the National Sanitation and National Drinking Water Policies. Moreover with support from UNICEF and USAID, Pakistan Safe Drinking Water and Hygiene Promotion Project, the Ministry of Environment secure consultants with expertise in behavior change communication and strategy planning. In the concluding session Addl. Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Mr. Kamran Ali Qureshi has said that there is a need to focus on formulating a coordinated strategy which encompasses a different context and motivate behavior change through learning from the success and challenges. He hoped that we need coordinated efforts over a single strategy to ensure that we are sharing our lessons and building on each others success.
PR
No. 272 A United States delegation comprising of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, a U.S. government agency, headed by Mr. Robert B Drumheller along with the U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan H.E. Anne W Patterson called on the Federal Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources, Syed Naveed Qamar, here today. Discussion on the funding of Pakistan’s first Liquefied Natural Gas import project took place during a meeting Syed Naveed Qamar, The Federal Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources, informed the delegation about the decision of the Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet taken in its meeting held yesterday wherein 4Gas, the Dutch company, had been cleared for the terminal project. Syed Naveed Qamar also apprised the delegation regarding the exploration and production activities being accelerated across the country. AR/wh
PR
No. 273 This was stated by the State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Mehreen Anwar Raja while talking to a three member UNODC delegation in her office. She apprised the delegation about the process and procedure of the Prosecution in Pakistan and stressed the need for provision of more funds for the judicial reforms and prosecution. She explained the priorities of government and discussed the challenges faced by the legal system in Pakistan. She highlighted the need for technical assistance, provision of the latest equipment, establishment of laboratories, and training for the prosecutors by the donors agencies. She urged for the establishment of laboratory for forensic tests to improve the process of evidence collection. She stressed the need for the establishment of academy for the training of prosecutors and holding of workshops and refresher courses to improve the capacity of personnel. Mehreen Anwar Raja also highlighted the need for Jail reforms and mentioned at the occasion that she herself remained as a prisoner in Jails and have the first hand knowledge about the condition of jails. During the meeting she stressed the need for Establishment of office and libraries for the bar and Construction of Courts to provide working environment for the bar. She also stressed for Narcotics Control to discourage production and manufacturing/Prevention of drugs. She stated that we need assistance for judicial reforms to remove the bottlenecks in the implementation of law. She also stated that in order to modernize our legal and prosecution system we need special court rooms, development of information technology plan for Courts, and Judicial Education and training to enhance the capacity of Judges working in highly specialized areas. She also highlighted the need for Establishment of citizen police Liaison Committee to introduce close relationship between the police and the general Public. Mehreen Anwar Raja further stated that we need a Public defender System to provide free legal aid to the poor and vulnerable class. She highlighted the need for construction of women Shelter homes for homeless women and video conferencing facilities between courts and Jails to the accelerate the disposing of cases.
PR
No. 274 Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has appreciated the efforts made by Ministry of Finance in not only stabilizing the country’s economy but also putting it on the tract of growth. He was talking to Federal Minister for Finance, Mr. Shaukat Tareen, Minister of State for Finance Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar and Acting Deputy Chairman Planning, Dr. Ashfaq Ahmed, who called on him at PM’s Secretariat here this afternoon. The Prime expressed confidence that the long term measures taken by the financial team would go a long way in the sustainable growth of the country. PMMO/wh
PR
No. 275 Chairman Federal Public Service Commission, Justice ® Bhagwan Das called on Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani here at PM’s Secretariat today. Highlighting the significance of the constitutional responsibilities bestowed upon the FPSC, the Prime Minister said that selection on merit would directly serve the people as it would bring competent persons into public service. He expressed hope that under the leadership of Justice ®Bhagwan Das the institution (FPSC) would be able to further improve the standard and process of selection of public servants in various public sector institutions. PMCO/wh
PR No. 276
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
