Tag: The Pakistan Times

By Raja kamran "CPEC is a transformational project. There is a complete national consensus on CPEC's indispensability for our national development efforts. Pakistan and China are firmly committed to the timely completion of CPEC projects and making it a High-Quality Demonstration Project of BRI", this was underscored by Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood in a meeting with Chairman CPEC Authority, General (R) Asim Salim Bajwa. Reviewing the progress of CPEC projects, Foreign Secretary maintained that CPEC energy and infrastructure projects had created thousands of jobs and had boosted industrial growth and productivity. It testified to the fact that CPEC's contribution to strengthen Pakistan’s economic landscape has been real and substantial, he emphasized. The Foreign Secretary underlined th...

By Raja kamranThe newly appointed Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan H.E. Mr. Nong Rong called on Chairman Board of Investment (BOI), Mr. Atif R. Bokhari here at Islamabad. Secretary BOI, Ms. Fareena Mazhar and Project Director CPEC-IC Mr. Asim Ayub were also present on the occasion.During the meeting, Chairman BOI & Ambassador Nong Rong discussed matters of mutual interest particularly Industrial Cooperation under CPEC. Chairman BOI expressed that both Governments are working together to make the 2nd phase of CPEC fruitful by attracting quality FDI.Chairman BOI apprised the Chinese Ambassador of the Draft Framework Agreement on Industrial Cooperation (IC) under CPEC. H.E Ambassador Nong Rong expressed that he gives utmost importance to the “Draft Framework Agreement” & wi...

By Raja kamranEnergy Minister Omar Ayub called on Chinese Ambassador Nong RongChairman CPEC Authority Asim Saleem Bajwa and Special Assistant for Power Tabish Gohar attended the meeting.Energy projects and power projects under C-Pack were discussed in the meetingCPEC is of fundamental importance in Pak-China friendship and mutual economic development: Omar AyubThe energy sector plays an important role in economic growth, said Omar AyubOur government is working on stable and affordable electricity rates, Omar AyubThe industrial sector will develop with the provision of cheap electricity, Omar Ayub saidDistribution and transmission system in power sector is being improved .Reducing the cost of electricity generation is the top priority, Omar Ayub saidC...

By Raja kamranPrime Minister Imran Khan visited the Anti-Narcotics Force Headquarters Rawalpindi. Federal Minister for Drug Control Azam Khan Swati and DG ANF Major General Muhammad Arif Malik, Hilal Imtiaz (Military) received the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister laid flowers at the Martyrs' Memorial and recited Fateha after which he inaugurated the new ANF building. The Prime Minister was also given a tour of the ANF Headquarters building.The DG ANF gave a detailed briefing to the Prime Minister on the ANF's operations to curb drug trafficking. During the briefing, the DG ANF briefed the Prime Minister on the international and regional situation of drugs and its harmful effects on the society, ANF's strategy and ensuring the establishment of a drug-free society, issues and forces....

By Raja kamranNCOC morning session in progress. Chief secretaries joined morning session through video link. Forum is being apprised on national positivity ratio, measures taken by federating units for SOPs compliance week and most importantly detailed review of critical requirements during 2nd wave of pandemicTesting for last two weeks remained over 40 thousands per day .81 % positive cases are from major urban centres. During last week 40 % testing was on contact tracing.4503 smart lockdowns (SLD ) across Pakistan with 1512903 people under these SLDs .Provinces updates on SOPs compliance. NCOC was told that various administrative measures including fines/ closures have been taken for disease containment. Provinces updated NCOC on various activities being taken particularly during SOP...

By Raja kamanDespite challenges faced on domestic and external fronts, particularly in the wake of the second wave of COVID 19, the key macroeconomic indicators have shown strong performance, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, Makhdum Khusro Bakhtyar said here Sunday. “The Key economic indicators are showing strong performance despite challenges posed by second wave of COVID 19 and depressed economic conditions that encircled globally,” he said. In a detailed statement on state of economy, the minister said that the current account imbalances inherited from previous government stood firmly addressed while the economic performance was remarkable in the context of sharp growth contraction worldwide. He said that the government was confident that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would...

By Raja kamanToday is a sad reminder of the demolition of the historic Babri Masjidin India. On this day, 28 years ago, Hindu zealots of the RSS-inspired BJP, backed by the state apparatus, demolished the centuries-old Mosque in Ayodhya in an abominable act of anti-Muslim frenzy and blatant violation of religious and international norms.The painful scenes of the demolition of Babri Mosque in 1992 still remain fresh in the minds of not only Muslims but all conscionable persons in the world. The new illegitimate structure, which the Hindutva-driven BJP has campaigned for and is bent upon constructing as part of its agenda of converting India into a ‘Hindu Rashtra’, is a scar on the face of so-called “largest democracy” in the world.The flawed judgment of the Indian Supreme Court in t...

Imagine, just for a second, the Australian wine industry as a bottle shop. For decades it had loyal customers overseas - old friends from the UK and the US partial to an antipodean drop.Then a few years ago, a new customer walked in who began eyeing up the reds. Soon, not only were they spending double the other customers, but they were buying the high-end stuff, preferring the premium vintages.China - this top customer - has bought close to 40% of Australia's wine exports in the past few years.In 2019, China bought more bottled wine from Australia than it did from France. After an intense few years of marketing and trade deals, this love affair with Australian winegrowers was fizzing along nicely.Then last week it was corked in the n...