#UrduJoke - Biwi: main jab bhi gana gati hoo to aap bahir...☺
Zong to Continue Provision of High Quality Services: Chairman PTA
Islamabad: To celebrate its achievement for becoming best performer in almost all voice and data service quality elements amongst all Next Generation Mobile Services (NGMS) licensees, a cake cutting ceremony was organized by Zong at Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Headquarters. Chairman PTA, Dr. Syed Ismail Shah, Member (Finance) PTA, Mr. Tariq Sultan, Member (Compliance & Enforcement) PTA Mr. Abdul Samad CEO Zong, Mr. Liu Dianfeng and his team were present.
PTA has recently carried out a comprehensive Quality of Service (QoS) Survey of 2G and NGMS in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Peshawar to check voice and NGMS QoS as per the required standards. Results of the testing revealed that the data throughput and internet data speed of Zong 4G are the highest among all NGMS licensees. Zong acquired 10MHz frequency spectrum for 4G services in the spectrum auction for next generation mobile services in 2014.
On this occasion, Chairman PTA said that
PTA has been entrusted with the responsibility to ensure provision of high quality telecom services to the people of Pakistan. He said that after launch of 3G/4G services Pakistan’s broadband subscriber base has increased by leaps and bounds. People from all walks of life are finding high speed internet to be essential towards their respective progression. Therefore, we ensure that telecom users get the services at better quality standards.
Chairman further said that now we are ready for more spectrum auction which is expected to be completed by the end of June, 2016. It will further enhance quality of cellular services in the country. The advantage of availability of 3G/4G technologies is not just the availability of high speed internet, rather it is bringing information which leads to transparency and efficiency. The technology is paving way to build a better Pakistan. I hope, Zong will continue its efforts for the provision of high quality services for telecom users, the Chairman said.
Liu DianFeng, CEO Zong said
“It is an honor for us to be ranked as # 1 in the network service quality survey conducted by PTA. Our customers are our top priority. With increased investment in our 4G, and updating our 2G to 3G network, we hope to continue to enhance our network service quality for our customers in the future. We must appreciate PTA authority and its complete management for hosting this survey and create a fair competition amongst all mobile operators in providing their best quality services to our customers. Zong is committed to enhancing the lifestyle of Pakistani people through its technological network and our teams will work very hard to be able to achieve this goal”.
#PTCL - Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited holds Annual General Meeting
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) on Friday held its 21st Annual General Meeting here in Islamabad.
PTCL Board of Directors have announced a final cash dividend of 10% amounting to Re.1.00 per share, which is a reflection of the company's robust performance during the year ended 31st December 2015.
The dividend is in addition to the interim cash dividend of 10% amounting to Re.1.00 per Ordinary Share. The total dividend for the year thus stood at 20% (Rs. 2.00 per share).
Dr. Daniel Ritz, President and CEO PTCL, members of PTCL Board of Directors as well as other stakeholders attended the meeting.
Rizwan Bashir Khan, Chairman PTCL Board of Directors, while thanking the shareholders said, the Company's performance is a testament to PTCL Management's resolve and unwavering focus of its employees to further enhance the Company's profitability within a highly challenging market.
Building on its success, the Company is committed to maximizing shareholders value through sustained commitment to providing cutting edge products and services.
The Company's successes have grown immensely through focus on providing unmatched innovation and customer satisfaction within an increasingly competitive market.
The shareholders unanimously approved all agenda items of the meeting including financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2015.
In getting maximum political mileage out of the Panama leaks - Has PTI missed another chance?
Lahore - Political observers are watching the current political scene with great interest as the opposition parties are competing with each other to get maximum political mileage out of the Panama leaks.
While the outcome is not clear as yet but many believe that PTI has missed yet another chance to capitalise on this issue by making a major political blunder. It has launched a general campaign against corruption in Sindh province, diverting focus from the main issue involving prime minister’s family.
The PTI decision has also provided a justification to the government to generalise the issue of Panama leaks through the Terms of Reference (ToRs) formulated for the proposed judicial commission.
Many believe that PTI leadership could not benefit from its previous political campaign on rigging way back in 2014 when it had the opportunity to force the government to bring about electoral reforms to purge the political system of the deep-rooted practice of electoral rigging.
By clinging onto its rigid stance on prime minister’s resignation, the PTI missed a fair chance of forcing the government to agree on a strict legislation to prevent rigging in future elections. This issue is still pending with a parliamentary committee which is yet to evolve consensus on a new set of rules to empower the Election Commission of Pakistan.
“Voters in Pakistan have never voted for parties who have been campaigning against corruption. Majority of people here vote for candidates who resolve their issues at Thana and Kachehri levels, provide jobs to their children and carry out development work,” Hasan Askari Rizvi remarked when asked to comment on PTI’s corruption campaign. “While the issue of corruption may be used for general mobilisation, but at the same time, political parties need to raise real issues of the people to get their support in elections. In his view, the PTI should have agitated the issue of farmers’ plight because they are not getting the right price of their wheat production with harvesting season at the peak.
Political analyst Sohail Warriach thinks that if the PTI succeeds in forcing the PML-N to hold early elections, it will be the major beneficiary of the Panama leaks episode. “But it is also true that any political government’s fall also benefits the non-political forces,” he observed. “In a scenario wherein non-political forces take over power from the elected government as a result of opposition’s agitation, the PTI may also be the beneficiary afterwards,” he added.
Mr Warriach saw little chance of the PPP getting any political advantage at this stage because of the corruption charges against its leadership.
Though the government has announced a judicial commission to probe the allegations, it seems to have tricked the opposition by extending the sphere of inquiry to all politicians. This has made the opposition parties unnerved because some of their key members also have their offshore companies. Resultantly, the divided opposition has got united on one point agenda to force the government to accept the ToRs of their choice.
Hassan Askari Rizvi, a noted analyst, however thinks that PPP was still indecisive whether to side with the PTI or to stand with the government notwithstanding its Punjab leaders’ anti-government statements. They may have their own political compulsions to revive the party in Punjab by forcing the PM to resign, he said.
“But as far as Mr Zardari is concerned, he has not given up his deal options with the government. He may take any decision any time during the agitation,” he opined.
To add to what Mr Rizvi believes, there is another conspiracy theory circulating in the political circles. It is about dragging the matter far too long till it fizzles out like many previous issues. The conjecture is that PPP leaders along with rest of the Opposition will continue to raise this issue in the media till consensus is achieved on the ToRs. The proposed judicial commission will then prolong the investigations and finally come up with recommendations with no clear directions to the government. People have already digested the outcomes of many previous inquiry commissions, the most recent being the commissions on memo gate and Abbottabad.
As the things stand at the moment, the government seems disinclined to changing the ToRs as per demands of the opposition parties. But Ishaq Dar’s recent statement shows that government may show some flexibility on it. It is also yet to be seen if the Chief Justice of Pakistan accepts government’s request to form a judicial commission whose jurisdiction to investigate is also questionable. Pakistan has not signed any agreement with the tax heaven countries to seek any information from them regarding the offshore companies. A recent briefing to Senate Standing Committee by Deputy Governor of State Bank should also be an eye opener. He has quoted local laws which allow individuals from Pakistan to take considerable amount of money out of the country with prior permission of the State Bank.
Besides, Protection of Economic Reforms Act, 1992 applies no restrictions on Pakistanis to shift their money to other countries.
Published in The Nation newspaper on 29-Apr-2016
Russian President #Putin refuses to visit #Pakistan
by INP
MOSCOW: Blowing Pakistan's expectations of making Russia a key ally in times to come, Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected an invitation to visit Pakistan for the inauguration of the North-South Pipeline Project with Moscow. The reason cited was "not enough substance in this trip".
Declining the invitation implies that Pakistan's hopes of a close alliance with Russia will have to wait a while.
The recent bonhomie between both sides has not lasted long, despite Pakistan's plans to buy armament, including aircraft from Russia, signing a number of bilateral agreements, setting up of the high-level consultative mechanism between Islamabad and Moscow, strategic dialogue between their respective Foreign Ministers and a Joint Working Group on counter terrorism, etc.
The high-level visits were being projected as evidence of the new level of friendship and enhanced engagement between the two countries.
The assumption that Moscow was actively developing ties with Islamabad, particularly in trade and counter terrorism, seems to have belied general expectations.
Eight-year-old girl gang raped, strangled to death in Badin
BADIN: A minor girl who was abducted from Badin city a week ago was gang raped and killed near Tando Ghulam Ali town of Badin district, police said Monday.
Tando Ghulam Ali police on a tip-off raided a bus coming from Chambar, arrested two suspects and recovered the body of the eight-year-old girl early Monday.
Station House Officer (SHO) Tando Ghulam Ali Dhani Buksh Marri told media representatives that during preliminary questioning both suspects confessed that they had kidnapped the minor girl and had raped her for seven days. They also confessed strangling her to death later.
Another police official told Dawn that the victim might have died due to profuse bleeding that resulted from repeated rape.
The girl's body was shifted to Rural Health Centre Tando Ghulam Ali.
Examine: ‘10 cases of child sexual abuse occured every day in 2015’
One of the suspects who was apprehended while dressed as a woman confessed that he and his accomplice had abducted five minor girls and killed them after subjecting them to rape, the official said.
The suspects used to bury their victims in a graveyard near Matli, the official said.
SHO Marri said both accused would be handed over to Chambar police for further investigation. He said their latest victim was abducted from Badin's Golrachi Bypass Road area.
The victim's father later told reporters that his daughter went missing a week before and has demanded "exemplary punishment" for her killers.
Zahida Detho, chief of the Sindh Rural Partners Organization (SRPO), has in a statement sent to Dawn demanded a thorough probe into the incident while expressing serious concerns over the increase in incidents of sexual assault in southern parts of Sindh.
DSP Matli Ali Raza Leghari said Badin and Tando Allahyar police would jointly investigate the incident.
A report launched by the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child earlier this week stated that 10 cases of child sexual abuse took place every day in the country in the year 2015. Meanwhile, nine people were executed for rape in Pakistan between January and May 2015.
PPAF, Karandaaz Pakistan and KfW Sign Agreement to Set Up Pakistan Microfinance Investment Company
Mr. Ali Sarfraz Hussain, CEO Karandaaz Pakistan, Mr. Qazi Azmat Isa, CEO PPAF and Dr. Parvaiz Naim, Senior Sector Coordinator, KFW signing agreement to set up Pakistan Microfinance Investment Company in the presence of Mr. Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Honorable Minister for Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Privatization and Dr. Ishrat Husain, Chairman of the Board of Directors Karandaaz and Former Governor SBP.
PPAF is providing PKR 3,000 million, DFID £15 million and KfW €7 million as initial equity contributions for this venture.
Islamabad (PR) The Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF), Karandaaz Pakistan (funded by UK’s Department for International Development) and Germany’s Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) today signed off on the Shareholders’ Agreement for the establishment of Pakistan Microfinance Investment Company (PMIC) at a ceremony attended by the Honourable Finance Minister, Senator Ishaq Dar.
The establishment of PMIC, a private sector Investment Finance Company, was identified as one of the key milestones in the National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS) launched by the Honourable Finance Minister in May 2015.
The Finance Minister said “It is the goal of the PML-N government to meet the needs and aspirations of the poor marginalized and disadvantaged households and the National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS) launched by our government in May 2015 is targeted towards helping the poor segments of the society through financial inclusion. Today is indeed a momentous occasion for us, when we are setting the ground for creation of a new entity to spur the next level of growth in the microfinance sector of Pakistan. I would like to congratulate the shareholders of PMIC (PPAF, DFID through Karandaaz Pakistan and the German Development Bank KfW) for achieving this important milestone in setting up PMIC”.
The objective of the Company is to provide much needed liquidity to microfinance providers serving the poor and micro and small enterprises in Pakistan. It is estimated that PMIC financing could support nearly 300,000 new job opportunities every year.
Qazi Azmat Isa, CEO PPAF said,
“This is a watershed moment for the microfinance sector as the PMIC will build upon the foundations we laid fifteen years ago by providing responsible financial services to the millions of poor and financially excluded individuals of Pakistan. The new company is expected to commence operations by July 1, 2016 after completing regulatory requirements and 50% of the loans served by PMIC will be directed to women and rural areas”
Speaking at the occasion Deputy Head of DFID Pakistan, Judith Herbertson, said:
“I am extremely pleased that the UK is associated with PMIC through Karandaaz Pakistan. This builds on our long-standing support to the financial inclusion agenda in Pakistan which has worked with the State Bank of Pakistan to leverage over £100 million to the microfinance sector, supported over 2 million people to gain access to microcredit, and ensured that Pakistan remains in the top 5 of the Economist Intelligence Unit’s global ranking for microfinance business environments”.
“We believe PMIC will help the microfinance sector reach the huge numbers of people in Pakistan who do not have access to microfinance services and contribute to job creation and growth of micro and small businesses in the country. This is good for Pakistan and it is good for the UK”.
CEO, Karandaaz Pakistan, Mr. Ali Sarfraz Hussain said:
“This is truly transformational for the microfinance sector in Pakistan and I am glad that Karandaaz Pakistan is a partner in this initiative. PMIC will help the sector to reach millions of underserved men and women in the coming years and would contribute to job creation and improving access to finance for micro and small businesses in the country.”
KfW representative shared that “KfW is very happy to finally see PMIC becoming a reality. The last months have shown that we have a strong and committed team both from the shareholders and the prospective Board members in place. We are confident that PMIC will become operational during the next few months providing much needed funding to the microfinance sector and the broader strategy of financial inclusion in Pakistan.”
PPAF has been the sector developer for microfinance in Pakistan by providing revolving funds to Microfinance Institutions and building capacity of organizations to become more effective and efficient. Currently approximately three million individuals in Pakistan are accessing microfinance services out of the estimated potential market of 20.5 million and the sector expansion is constrained due to limited financing. Microfinance regulatory environment in Pakistan is rated amongst the top in the world and PMIC will provide much need liquidity to the microfinance sector to reach out to 10 million clients by 2020, a target set by the industry to improve financial inclusion in the country.
The new company will be set up as a Non-Bank Finance Company (NBFC) and will be led by a highly competent professional board. PPAF is providing PKR 3,000 million, DFID £15 million and KfW €7 million as initial equity contributions for this venture.
Why #Pakistani film #Maalik banned in Pakistan – watch some scenes you will realize the reasons >>
پاکستانی فلم مالک پر کیوں پابندی لگادی گئی: چند سین دیکھ کر اندازہ لگا سکتے ہیں، سیاستدان بے نقاب ہوجاتے ہیں
Dictations from Punchayet and Jargas – killing of women in the name of #Honor continues in #Pakistan 1100 women killed in 2015 >>
Dictations from Punchayet and Jargas – killing of women in the name of #Honor continues in #Pakistan 1100 women killed in 2015 >>
Source: Jehan Pakistan 29 April 2016 Karachi
India activates 'dozen laser walls' along Pakistan border
NEW DELHI: A dozen "laser walls" have been made operational along the India-Pakistan international border in Punjab to plug the porous riverine and treacherous terrain and keep an effective vigil against intruders and terrorists exploiting the frontier areas to cross over.
While eight infra-red and laser beam intrusion detection systems are "up and working" along as many vulnerable and sensitive areas of the international border (IB) in Punjab, four more will be operationalised in the next few days, a senior official of the Border Security Force (BSF) said.
The "laser walls" or fence are being monitored by the BSF which guards the Indo-Pak border in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat.
The decision to install these laser walls was taken by the BSF two years ago keeping in mind the vulnerability of the border in these areas as barbed wire fencing could not be installed in many infiltration prone areas due to treacherous terrain or marshy riverine topography.
After the Pathankot terror attack, where it was suspected that terrorists crossed over from Pakistan by breaching the border from Bamiyal area in Punjab, Union home ministry and BSF sped up the deployment and activation of these walls along the long and winding border.
A total of 45 such laser walls will be installed in these areas along the international border in Punjab and Jammu, a blueprint prepared in this regard and accessed by PTI said.
According to the blueprint, the BSF along with a team of technical experts will be conducting a pilot project for deploying "technological solutions" for effective border guarding at two "sensitive" riverine stretches in Jammu sector which entails deployment of smart sensors to pick up suspected movements along the international border.
"The laser walls have started working and their functioning is being monitored. Preliminary results in detecting illegal movements are encouraging," the official said.
He said sensors were being monitored through a satellite-based signal command system and armed with night and fog operability tools.
Apart from these, four other pilot projects of similar kind in stretches of 30-40 kms of international border in Jammu and Gujarat and one in West Bengal along Indo-Bangla border have been approved by Home Ministry to secure Indian borders effectively.
"Work on them will begin by next month," he said.
After the Pathankot incident, BSF had deployed an additional battalion (about 1,000 men) in Punjab sector even as it has increased the number of its ambush operations and patrol in the area.
The BSF is also considering deploying at least four more battalions in Punjab and Jammu border areas as a second-tier of defence after withdrawing these units from the Line of Control.
Courtesy Times of India
Taliban suicide bomber accidentally triggers explosives early, killing himself and eight other would-be martyrs at their base
Taliban suicide bomber sets off his own vest by accident
Set off fellow fighters's vests, killing himself and eight others
Had planned to target Kunduz where Taliban launch new offensive
A Taliban suicide bomber accidentally killed himself and eight fellow militants after triggering his explosives vest by mistake.
The jihadist fighters had been ordered to carry out an attack in Kunduz city, Afghanistan, but all died before their got there.
However, one of the militants detonated his vest shortly after leaving a Taliban base in Dasht-e-Archi, triggering everyone elses explosives, the Afghan Interior Ministry said.
Deadly fail: A Taliban suicide bomber detonated his vest by accident triggering everyone else's explosives, and killing all nine fighters (pictured are Taliban fighters in southern Afghanistan)
+2
Deadly fail: A Taliban suicide bomber detonated his vest by accident triggering everyone else's explosives, and killing all nine fighters (pictured are Taliban fighters in southern Afghanistan)
The Taliban fighters had been part of a group operating under commander Mullah Wali, the MoI statement said.
The Taliban have been trying to recapture Kunduz, a city which they held for just 14 days after months of fighting with government forces.
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The fall of Kunduz, if only for a few days, was a symbolic triumph for the Taliban, who have just launched a spring offensive in Afghanistan.
The Taliban say they stalled their Kunduz assault thismonth, because they had captured four 'important points' outsidethe city and wanted to avoid harming civilians.
'Local residents are now gradually leaving for safer placesand the moment our fighters get approval from centralleadership, they will start (the) advance,' said the group'smain spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.
Busted plan: The Taliban fighters had been ordered to carry out an attack in Kunduz city (pictured) but all died before their got there.
+2
Busted plan: The Taliban fighters had been ordered to carry out an attack in Kunduz city (pictured) but all died before their got there.
Uncertainty over which side has the upper hand lingers inthe streets of Kunduz, where memories of last year's deadly routare fresh.
Nearly 300 civilians were killed in the mainfighting, which lasted from April to October, according to the most conservative estimates.
'This is not how normal life should be,' said Jawad Azadzoy,whose cousin was wounded when a makeshift bomb went off outsidehis shop in downtown Kunduz on Monday.
'Life has not been normal for a long time.'
Masoom Baha, a senior doctor at the city's public hospital,said medical staff were barely able to keep up with casualtiesof the fighting, mainly from rockets and artillery fire.
Adding to the strain on emergency services, a U.S. airstrike in Kunduz on Oct. 3 killed 42 people and destroyed ahospital run by Medecins Sans Frontieres, in what the U.S.military has since called a 'tragic mistake'.
To prevent the city from falling again, Afghan troops havetried to secure main roads leading into Kunduz, includingHighway 3 to the east, after supply lines were cut during the2015 siege, slowing efforts to regain control.
Taliban fighters maintain strongholds close to thethoroughfares, however, and during recent skirmishes, somepolice checkpoints on Highway 3 were overrun.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3561255/Taliban-suicide-bomber-accidentally-triggers-explosives-early-killing-eight-martyrs-base.html#ixzz473C50tfg
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Set off fellow fighters's vests, killing himself and eight others
Had planned to target Kunduz where Taliban launch new offensive
A Taliban suicide bomber accidentally killed himself and eight fellow militants after triggering his explosives vest by mistake.
The jihadist fighters had been ordered to carry out an attack in Kunduz city, Afghanistan, but all died before their got there.
However, one of the militants detonated his vest shortly after leaving a Taliban base in Dasht-e-Archi, triggering everyone elses explosives, the Afghan Interior Ministry said.
Deadly fail: A Taliban suicide bomber detonated his vest by accident triggering everyone else's explosives, and killing all nine fighters (pictured are Taliban fighters in southern Afghanistan)
+2
Deadly fail: A Taliban suicide bomber detonated his vest by accident triggering everyone else's explosives, and killing all nine fighters (pictured are Taliban fighters in southern Afghanistan)
The Taliban fighters had been part of a group operating under commander Mullah Wali, the MoI statement said.
The Taliban have been trying to recapture Kunduz, a city which they held for just 14 days after months of fighting with government forces.
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Previous
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Direct peace talks between Kabul and the Afghan Taliban began in Pakistan in July 2015 but were scrapped after the belated revelation that Mullah Omar, the g...
Taliban team in Pakistan to try to restart peace talks:...
'In the name of women assassinated for refusing the dress...
Batul Mahadiyar, head of the NGO Marie Stopes International, advises women about family planning and contraception at a religious school in Mazar-i-Sharif
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In this photo released by Afghanistan's Presidential Palace, President Ashraf Ghani speaks during a joint meeting of the National Assembly in Kabul, Afghanis...
Afghan president calls on Pakistan to battle Taliban
SHARE THIS ARTICLE
Share
1.4k shares
The fall of Kunduz, if only for a few days, was a symbolic triumph for the Taliban, who have just launched a spring offensive in Afghanistan.
The Taliban say they stalled their Kunduz assault thismonth, because they had captured four 'important points' outsidethe city and wanted to avoid harming civilians.
'Local residents are now gradually leaving for safer placesand the moment our fighters get approval from centralleadership, they will start (the) advance,' said the group'smain spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.
Busted plan: The Taliban fighters had been ordered to carry out an attack in Kunduz city (pictured) but all died before their got there.
+2
Busted plan: The Taliban fighters had been ordered to carry out an attack in Kunduz city (pictured) but all died before their got there.
Uncertainty over which side has the upper hand lingers inthe streets of Kunduz, where memories of last year's deadly routare fresh.
Nearly 300 civilians were killed in the mainfighting, which lasted from April to October, according to the most conservative estimates.
'This is not how normal life should be,' said Jawad Azadzoy,whose cousin was wounded when a makeshift bomb went off outsidehis shop in downtown Kunduz on Monday.
'Life has not been normal for a long time.'
Masoom Baha, a senior doctor at the city's public hospital,said medical staff were barely able to keep up with casualtiesof the fighting, mainly from rockets and artillery fire.
Adding to the strain on emergency services, a U.S. airstrike in Kunduz on Oct. 3 killed 42 people and destroyed ahospital run by Medecins Sans Frontieres, in what the U.S.military has since called a 'tragic mistake'.
To prevent the city from falling again, Afghan troops havetried to secure main roads leading into Kunduz, includingHighway 3 to the east, after supply lines were cut during the2015 siege, slowing efforts to regain control.
Taliban fighters maintain strongholds close to thethoroughfares, however, and during recent skirmishes, somepolice checkpoints on Highway 3 were overrun.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3561255/Taliban-suicide-bomber-accidentally-triggers-explosives-early-killing-eight-martyrs-base.html#ixzz473C50tfg
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
PCB accepts #Younis apology, allows to play in Pakistan Cup
LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday allowed Younis Khan to resume playing in Pakistan Cup, a domestic tournament.
Reports said that PCB has accepted Younis Khan’s apology and given permission to him for rejoining Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan Cup.
Earlier, Younis Khan called the PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan in response to the show-cause notice given to him. He admitted his misbehaviour during a match in Pakistan Cup at Faisalabad on Monday and apologized.
“Younis Khan made telephonic contact with chairman PCB Shaharyar Khan today,” the PCB said in a statement. “He felt sorry for the incident that happened during the Pakistan Cup in Faisalabad.”
He left the host city, last week, in protest against ‘substandard umpiring’ in the event. Later, the PCB had issued the show cause notice to Younis Khan instead.
PCB chairman Shahryar Khan has accepted that Younus Khan has had great services for Pakistan Cricket, but no one is above the rule and game. (The News)
Islam does not allow - #Bangladesh Gay Rights Activist Is Hacked to Death >>
DHAKA, Bangladesh — A Bangladeshi gay rights activist and his friend were hacked to death Monday in what the police believe is the latest in a series of targeted killings by Islamist militants.
The activist, Julhas Mannan, had attracted the attention of extremist groups by helping to organize a march for gay and transgender youths that had been scheduled for the Bengali New Year on April 14. The Rainbow Rally, as it was called, drew threats of violence and police canceled the march, saying the event would offend religious sentiments.
Mr. Mannan, who also edited Bangladesh’s only gay and transgender magazine, Roopbaan, had received “very vicious, murderous threats” from anonymous people who opposed the rally, said Sara Hossain, a friend. “The last few days were very frightening,” she said.
Mr. Mannan had been working for the United States Agency for International Development, and had served as a protocol officer to two United States ambassadors, the police said.
Marcia Bernicat, the current American ambassador to Bangladesh, said in a statement that she was “devastated” by the death of a man she called “a dear friend.”
On Monday, a group of five or six young men posing as couriers approached security guards at Mr. Mannan’s apartment building in the capital, Dhaka, saying they were delivering a parcel, according to Mohammad Iqbal, the officer in charge at the local police station.
The parcel contained machetes, Mr. Iqbal said.
The group attacked a security guard and then entered Mr. Mannan’s apartment, where they killed him and a friend who had accompanied him home from work. The assailants, also armed with guns, escaped the building through a narrow alley, opening fire on a policeman when he tried to stop them, Mr. Iqbal said.
Ms. Hossain, who had spoken frequently to Mr. Mannan about the threats he received, said she was certain he had been singled out for his activism on gay rights.
In the last two years, similar killings have taken place, targeting intellectuals, secular writers, members of religious minority groups and activists who had published views critical of Islam. Ms. Hossain said this was the first time extremists appeared to go after someone for his sexual identity.
“It’s a new shift, a new turn,” she said. “This is something different now.”
Monirul Islam, the head of the counterterrorism unit for the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, described the attack as a “planned killing.”
On Saturday, a university professor, Rezaul Karim Siddiquee, was hacked to death and nearly beheaded when he was attacked near his home in the northwest city of Rajshai. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack on the professor, according to a message posted on Twitter by the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadist websites.
Last year, unidentified men used machetes to attack four activists who published views critical of Sunni Islam, and two publishers who had published their works. The attacks took place in broad daylight, on crowded city streets, or in the victims’ homes.
Since those attacks, extremists appeared to broaden their list of targets to include new categories of minorities. Shiite Muslims, Hindu priests and Christian priests were attacked, and two foreigners were shot, apparently at random. The killings resumed this month, with the hacking death of a student activist in Dhaka and the killing of the university professor.
The death of Mr. Mannan, a cousin of a former foreign minister, Dipu Moni, of the ruling Awami League party, sent shudders through Dhaka’s close-knit diplomatic and government circles.
Associates described him as a “godfather” of the gay community, and one of the few activists willing to identify himself openly in the news media and online. An observant Muslim, Mr. Mannan would celebrate the Islamic holy month of Ramadan by organizing traditional evening suppers for gay youths, one friend said.
Homosexual acts are a crime under Bangladesh’s penal code.
Amnesty International, the human rights organization, released a statement calling on the Bangladeshi authorities to provide better protection to activists who have been threatened, and to push harder to prosecute the killers.
“There have been four deplorable killings so far this month alone,” the statement said. “It is shocking that no one has been held to account for these attacks.” The statement said that since the wave of killings began in 2015, no attacker has been prosecuted or sentenced.
China’s New Silk Road: What’s in it for #Gilgit-Baltistan? - By Fida Karim
2,000 KM long PCEC would shorten the route for China's energy imports, bypassing the Straits of Malacca between Malaysia and Indonesia, a bottleneck at risk of blockade in wartime.
In the history of Gilgit-Baltistan, there have been some historical events and transformational incidents that have had far-reaching impacts on the socio-economic development of Gilgit-Baltistan. These include war of independence against Dogra Raj in 1947, advent of Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in 1946, abolishment of State Subject Rule and principalities by introducing the regular civil administrative structure in GB in 1974 and construction of mighty Karakoram Highway (KKH) in 1978. Similarly in 1994, the PPP led federal government introduced Legal Framework Order giving GB limited authority over local affairs through an elected body. In 2009, the PPP led federal government promulgated an empowerment order that gave the region its distinct identity as Gilgit-Baltistan with a Governor and Chief Minister, making it seems like Pakistan’s fifth province.
Before 1978 Gilgit-Baltistan was cut off from the rest of the world and Pakistan due to harsh terrain and lack of accessible roads. Similarly, before abolishment of State Subject Rule by Z.A Bhutto and advent of AKDN in GB, all the socio-economic indicators including health and educational attainments and civic amenities were not accessible to all the GBian but selected few like Mirs and Wazirs in Gilgit Agency, the Baltistan District of the Ladakh Wazarat and the hill states of Hunza and Nagar. The first three primary schools in the Northern Areas (now Gilgit-Baltistan) were established by the Political Agent in as early as1893 in Gilgit, Astore and Gupis. Until the year 1940s, the government was the sole provider of formal education in the Northern Areas that too was meant only to selected families. In 1946, the first 17 Aga Khan Diamond Jubilee Schools were established by the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) that can be cited as the first community intervention in the field of education in these areas. Before these DJ Schools there happens to be only one school under the name of Government Primary School in Karimabad Hunza which was established in 1912.
Now that when the Pakistan and People Republic of China have principally agreed and started work on China- Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a planned $46-billion network of roads, railways and energy projects linking Pakistan's deep-sea Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea with China's far-western Xinjiang region, it can easily infer that this package of projects will have transformational and game changing impacts on the Gilgit-Baltistan as it is going through this picturesque and geo-politically important region of Pakistan by opening new vistas of opportunities in regional trade and investment, micro enterprises development with special focus on transportation, tourism, energy conservation and service sector.
As can be seen in the given map above, PCEC would shorten the route for China's energy imports, bypassing the Straits of Malacca between Malaysia and Indonesia, a bottleneck at risk of blockade in wartime. This multi-purpose and multi-billion strategic interventions by Chines Government will also play a critical role in restoring the regional power balance that foreign policy experts say has tilted in favour of India after President Barack Obama’s trip to New Delhi.
It is befitting to note it here that in September 2013, President Xi Jinping proposed reviving the ancient trade routes connecting China, Central Asia and Europe. In the backdrop of this the control of Gwadar Port was given to China and an agreement was signed with China Overseas Ports Holding Co on May 16, 2013, to transfer operational rights from the Port Authority of Singapore.
China also considers opening the ports to Afghanistan and India once social stability can be ensured. After all, openness is the foundation of boosting trade. Similarly to become a transportation hub and China’s core area on the economic belt, the government has decided to develop three main corridors through southern, central and northern Xinjiang, which connects China with Russia, Europe and Pakistan. Work is also due to begin soon on the long-planned China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway. The region, which borders eight countries, also plans to open three new land ports to Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Russia. While on our side, 26 sites for establishment of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) have been identified in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan for potential investor along the China-Pak Corridor.
26 Special Economic Zones (SEZs) have been identified in rout to PCEC
Irrespective of rout alignment in other provinces of Pakistan, all the routes of CPEC will be going through GB via Khunjarab pass to China. Isn't it an irony that Pakistan is continuously exploiting our region's resources without giving us any place in the decision-making process at Federal level? We, the people of GB, are not party to any of the 51 accords signed between Pak and China. GB being a UN recognized disputed region deserves a better deal and a concrete legal and constitutional safeguard against the corporations and the governments involved. It is expected that our pleas will not fall on deaf ears and that our reservations will be addressed at the earliest under the already formed Sartaj Aziz Commission on GB.
Not taking the GB region's people into confidence, and not ensuring the protection of their rights and interests will prove to be detrimental for the feasibility and viability of this important project. As you well know, GB is where the "bottle-neck", so to say, is located on this corridor. Therefore, it is vital to ensure that the bottle-neck doesn't cripple the potential of this corridor.
Before embarking on the CPEC project, it is imperative to ensure social and political liberties in Gilgit-Baltistan through constitutional measures and institutional rearrangements. Implementation of the CPEC without required political and legal guarantees makes the region vulnerable to exploitation by big businesses and apathetic decision-making bodies. If Pakistan continues with its ambiguous policy of keeping Gilgit-Baltistan in political limbo, it will ultimately harm its own interests.
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Emerging Gawadar Deep Sea Port that will connect Pakistan via CPEC with Oil reach Middle East & Land-lock Central Asia.
PML-N has a majority in GBLA and Federal Government. It should understand that if the impending storm in GB is ignored further and political victimization of right activist like Baba Jan, a serious political movement may take birth that will not only disturb the peace in this highly sensitive area but will also compromise CPEC projects thereby putting at risk the dreams of a prosperous Pakistan. It will indeed be an epic tragedy, if the people of GB, having endured years of political shortchanging and disempowerment, finally lose their confidence in democratic solutions.
As Pakistan and China proceed with the project, an unintended, but vital, consequence could be the potential transformation in the character of Pakistani state itself. At present, security overshadows the development agenda. As China gains more leverage in the country’s decision-making structures, the development goals are likely to receive more traction within Pakistan’s civil and military establishment. The economy-centric agenda of political elites, supported by China, could, in the medium to long run, improve the civil-military imbalance.
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The writer is working as a Manager-Monitoring, Evaluation & Research in social sector. He is interested in youth-centric issues, international development & political economy. He can be reach on his Blog or Facebook.
Larki ban kar head teacher ko bewaqoof banata raha..ghair akhlaqi guftgo...teacher moon dekhane laeq nahi raha
چنیوٹ میں لڑکا اسکول ہیڈ ماسٹر کو جعلی لڑکی بن کر بے وقوف بناتا رہا
ہیڈ ماسٹر ٹیلی فون پر میرے ساتھ غیر اخلاقی گفتگو کیا کرتا تھا: ایکسپریس نیوز۔
چنیوٹ: کہتے ہیں کہ جب کسی کے سر سے عشق کا بھوت اترتا ہے اور اس پر حقیقت عیاں ہوتی ہے تو عاشق کو اپنے کئے پر نہ صرف افسوس ہوتا ہے بلکہ اسے معاشرے میں شرمندگی کا سامنا بھی کرنا پڑتا ہے اور ایسا ہی ہوا بھوانہ کے علاقے میں جہاں ایک لڑکا جعلی لڑکی بن کر سرکاری اسکول کے ہیڈ ماسٹر کو تقریباً سال تک بے وقوف بنا کر لوٹتا رہا۔
ایکسپریس نیوز کے مطابق چنیوٹ کے علاقے بھوانہ کی چک نمبر 205 میں واقع گورنمنٹ ہائی اسکول کے ہیڈ ماسٹر غلام سرور کو مزمل نامی لڑکا تقریباً ایک سال تک جعلی لڑکی بن کر بے وقوف بناتا رہا اور اپنی جعلی محبوبہ کے عشق میں اس قدر اندھا ہو گیا کہ اسے موبائل فون پر ایزی لوڈ بھی حاصل بھیجتا رہا۔
ہیڈ ماسٹر غلام سرور نے اپنی جعلی محبوبہ کو اس بات پر راضی کر لیا کہ وہ اپنی ایک جھلک دکھانے کے لئے آ جائے اور بغیر ملاقات کے چلا جائے۔ لڑکا جعلی لڑکی بن کر زنانہ کپڑوں میں ہیڈ ماسٹر کے دفتر پہنچا تو دیگر اساتذہ نے اس کے قد و قامت پر شک کا اظہار کیا اور اس طرح غلام سرور کی جعلی ’’لو اسٹوری‘‘ اپنے منطقی انجام کو پہنچ گئی۔
سرکاری اسکول کے ہیڈ ماسٹر نے لڑکے کے خلاف مقدمہ درج کرایا جس پر پولیس نے مزمل کوحراست میں لے کر تھانے میں بند کردیا۔ دوسری جانب مزمل کا کہنا ہے کہ ہیڈ ماسٹر اس سے ٹیلی فون پر بے ہودہ اور غیر اخلاقی باتیں کیا کرتا تھا۔ پولیس کا کہنا ہے کہ گرفتار ملزم مزمل کا تعلق بھی ہیڈ ماسٹر کے گاؤں چک نمبر 207 سے ہی ہے
SiasatDanoon ki Dunya - by #HassanNisar
سیاست دانوں کی دنیا: حسن نثار کا کالم
#Tetra Pak sees strong performance in 2015 in spite of global headwinds
Tetra Pak’s revenues reached €11.9 billion in 2015, a rise of 7.5% on the previous year, as a strong business performance helped overcome the impact of continued challenges in the global economy. Positive currency impacts accounted for 6.3% of the increase, but the company also reported solid growth in both Services and Processing Solutions, while its Packaging sales advanced at a more modest rate.
Tetra Pak President and Chief Executive Officer Dennis Jönsson said: “Despite slowdowns in our top two markets – China and Brazil – and significant hits to sales arising from the political and economic events in other countries, we continued to grow in both Processing and Packaging in 2015. It was a tremendous achievement, reflecting the strength of our strategy, the commitment of our workforce and the continued support of our customers.”
Packaging Solutions
Revenues from Packaging Solutions totalled €10.1 billion in 2015, a rise of 6.4% compared with the previous year, with particularly strong growth in Technical Service. In spite of the more challenging global economic environment, sales of packaging materials were slightly higher, with 184 billion packs sold in 2015 compared with 180 billion in 2014.
In recent years, food and beverage companies have been seeking ways to differentiate their products from those of their competitors. By introducing new shapes, new materials and enhanced functionality, Tetra Pak has been able to meet that shifting demand. Almost 40% of packages delivered during 2015 were from our range of advanced formats, an increase of 27 percentage points since 2010.
Processing Solutions
The Processing Solutions division saw revenues reach €1.7 billion in 2015, the highest in Tetra Pak’s history. All five of the company’s geographical clusters grew, with double-digit growth in both Greater China and Greater Middle East & Africa. Processing Technical Sales & Service revenue was particularly strong, with a 17.0% increase, at prevailing rates, compared with the previous year.
Performance in this area of the business also benefitted from the acquisition of Polish company Obram S.A., a leading provider of cheese technology solutions and equipment in its home market, Russia, Belarus and many parts of Eastern Europe. The expanded expertise helped to secure a number of major processing orders during the year.
Services
Services revenues, which combine Packaging and Processing Solutions, reached €1.2 billion in 2015, with strong growth in new categories. These include production line upgrades, consumables such as lubricants and adhesives that are used in production, and expert services, which are directed at improving operational performance. The revenues have been driven by customer appreciation of the value these activities bring, either through cost savings or increased performance. The strong growth is expected to continue as the company expands its offering. Services now account for more than 10% of total revenues for Tetra Pak.
Innovation
Tetra Pak launched a number of important innovations in 2015, such as:
- Tetra Rex® Bio-based, the world’s first fully renewable package;
- Tetra Pak® E3 filling machine platform, which uses electron beams to sterilize packaging materials for the first time in the industry;
- The world’s highest capacity ice cream extrusion line;
- The OneStep processing technology for liquid dairy production from powder, which was previously only available for production from raw milk.
Like all innovations in Tetra Pak’s pipeline, these new products and technologies support customers’ business, whether it is to help them win new orders, differentiate their products from their competition, improve their environmental performance and/or cut operational costs.
The company also introduced a new way of working with customers during the year. With a newly-launched Marketing Services program, Tetra Pak has increased its collaboration with customers, using its wide portfolio of processing, packaging and service solutions to develop customized consumer products.
Looking ahead
Looking forward to the prospects for 2016 and beyond, Jönsson said: “This year marks the half-way point in our 2020 Strategy. Since we started that strategy five years ago, we have become leaner and more productive, with a stronger and broader product portfolio and a sharper focus on customer value, giving us a good platform from which to build. In the future, we believe that we can continue growing our business by driving efficiency, staying focussed on product and service innovation, and putting customers at the centre of everything we do.”
Zong provides 4G services, mobile phones to the students at FUUAST
Zong recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology (FUUAST) that would allow the varsity’s’ students and faculty members to enjoy the telecom company’s’ fastest 4G services.
More than 4,000 students and scores of faculty members would benefit from Zongs’ high-powered internet services.
The aim of signing the MoU with the university is to provide the students with the fastest internet technology, which would help them in the studies.
Additionally, the company also provided affordable mobile phones and Zong SIMs to the students at the university. Zong is also establishing digital research laboratories to help the students in research programs.
In present times, it has become inevitable for educational institutions to be in contact with the industry. Social media, email, video phone, video conference and other applications have been synthesized in the mobile phone.
The company wants that the students effectively use mobile and the internet for the development of education and research. This will provide an opportunity to interact with other universities worldwide and benefit from their research work.” PR
Man kills 4 brothers, nephews over petty issue
ATTOCK - As many as four persons including two real brothers were gunned down when a person sprayed bullets at them over a petty dispute of trees yesterday.
According to details, Muhammad Arshad s/o Muhammad Nawaz from village Kot Chaji had some dispute with his brothers over the ownership of some trees and property.
Sunday morning, he exchanged harsh words with his brothers over the same dispute.
He went home, took out his rifle and started indiscriminate firing at the deceased.
As a result, his brothers Muhammad Ejaz and Mehboob Alam got seriously injured and died on the spot.
Reportedly his two nephews Hamza Ejaz and Muhammad Ejaz (both real brothers) who came to rescue their father and uncle were also shot dead in the firing.
Arshad also shot injured his sister-in-law Naheed Begum and another relative Khurram Shehzad.
On getting information, Jand police reached the crime scene, recovered the weapon and arrested the culprit.
The dead bodies and the injured were shifted to a nearby hospital for post-mortem and first aid.
Published in The Nation newspaper on 25-Apr-2016
Pakistan’s 1st LockScreen app for smartphones - downloaded by 500000 people >>
This morning, Slide announced a small achievement from it’s 2016 road-map. With just under 6 months of Slide’s launch, the startup app has gained more than 500k users.
SLIDE is Pakistan’s 1st lockscreen app which has the first of it’s kind loyalty program in Pakistan. Slide users get to choose the sort of content they’d like to see on their Android Lockscreen and simply by consuming content, users are able to earn Real Money. They say it’s pretty simple, “YOU SLIDE, WE REWARD”
Junaid Malik CEO of the startup said that he’s not surprised with Half-a-million Mark but this definitely confirms that our strategy and efforts are headed in the right direction. We are looking to be in every android phone in the country and are focused to have more integrations done with the platform so our users can redeem the money earned on E-commerce sites or even Cashout instead of just having to top-up their mobile balance which by the way, is weeks away.
Junaid further said:
The numbers that will surprise the industry would be the total number of impressions being consumed each month. Just Last Month, Total impressions consumed were over 70 Million. A big Number, yes we know compared to the small number of users we currently have, the simple reason behind this is relevant content shown to the users and spicing it up with Rewards. Why this platform keeps us excited is not only the impressions but the sort of CTR we’re getting. Currently on regular content CTR is falling anywhere between 5%-9% and on Ads, we’re seeing a CTR of above 12%. Now I’m sure the guru’s of digital advertising can spare a few seconds to digest this. Yes with the conventional Fb/Google ads, we all know how much CTR our campaigns really get.
Seeing such results, we’re confident that the advertisers in Pakistan can Gain a lot out of SLIDE. It’s the only App that gives you ample space to convey Brand’s message to it’s consumer as currently on Mobile you only see ads while playing a game or a small banner in-app or while searching online.
My Goal is to make SLIDE the Number One app in Pakistan. Till then it’s more sleepless nights, a lot of data mining, revising strategies, meeting Industry experts to make this a Success story for Pakistan.
The app can be downloaded here >>>
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