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Route to peaceful resolution of Pak-India disputes runs through meaningful dialogue: COAS

KAKUL: Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Qamar Javed Bajwa said on Saturday that the route to peaceful resolution of Pak-India disputes, including the core issue of Kashmir ran through comprehensive and meaningful dialogue.“While such dialogue is no favour to any party, it remains the inevitable precursor to peace across the region. Pakistan remains committed to such a dialogue, but only on the basis of sovereign equality, dignity and honour,” he said while addressing the passing out parade of 137th PMA Long Course, 8th Mujahid Course and 56th Integrated Course here at Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul.The COAS said that Pakistan was a peace loving country and it sought harmonious and peaceful co-existence with all countries, especially its neighbours. “However, this desire for peace must not, in any sense, be construed as a sign of weakness. Our valiant armed forces are Alhamdulillah fully prepared to respond across the full spectrum of threat in a befitting manner,” he said.“I also take this opportunity to express our complete political and moral support to the basic right of self-determination for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Those peace loving innocent citizens are being subjected to one of the worst form of state terrorism,” the Army Chief said.He said that it was high time for the world community to wake up and play its positive role to bring peace to that unfortunate part of the Sub-Continent.He said Pakistan was also committed to peace and intra-Afghan reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan at all bilateral and multilateral forums. “We sincerely believe that there will be no peace in Pakistan, if there is no peace in Afghanistan. Our peace is linked, therefore, we must work in unison with our Afghan brothers to achieve this goal.“Moreover, we have done our part to cleanse Pakistan of the scourge of terrorism and extremism without any distinction and our efforts have started to bear results. We are committed to continue these efforts, not out of any compulsion, but to make Pakistan a safe, prosperous and progressive country,” he added.General Qamar Javed Bajwa said that Pakistan armed forces were the custodians and upholders of this resolve – a resolve that was evident in the sacrifices of young men and officers. He called upon all the stakeholders within the region and beyond to let give peace a chance.He said that Pakistan had totally rejected extremism and terrorism. “We also refuse to be pulled asunder on issues of sect, ethnicity, caste or creed,” he said.He said that the diversity of Pakistan was its strength stating, “The very resilience of Pakistan comes, not just from our military capacity, but from the synergetic mix of a people who have come together, willingly towards a single purpose.”He said that Pakistan’s enemies knew that they could not beat it fair and square and had thus subjected it to a cruel, evil and protracted hybrid war. “They are trying to weaken our resolve by weakening us from within. Had it been any nation than ours, it would have disintegrated by now. But since we enjoy complete confidence and support of our nation, we have defeated every move of these inimical forces and will continue to do so,” he added.The Army Chief reiterated that Pakistani nation and its armed forces were totally united and focused towards their primary objective of eradication and elimination of terrorism. As a result of past and ongoing operations, he said Pakistan had eliminated almost all organized terrorist presence and infrastructure from its soil. “We are now going after the residual and scattered traces of this menace under the banner of Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad.He said that Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad was not merely an operation; it was a concept, a resolve and a commitment of the nation to eradicate tumult from its soil. “Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad is guided by our collective resolve and belief that we will neither tire nor relent until the last terrorist is eliminated from our soil. Moreover, we are committed not to allow our soil to be used against any other country,” he added.General Qamar Javed Bajwa expressed the pleasure to witness the Passing-out Parade as its Reviewing Officer. He complimented the Commandant PMA, General Akhtar Nawaz Satti and his team for doing the job well.He also congratulated the cadets and conveyed his heartiest felicitations to their parents.Speaking about the future role and responsibilities of the cadets, the Army Chief that their training so far was focused on transforming the raw youth into a gentleman. “But from now onwards, the actual period of professional training starts, along with honing of your leadership skills – You will hit the ground running and will soon be testing your mettle with the best of the bests.”As many as 31 cadets from FATA, 67 cadets from Balochistan and six Allied cadets from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were among passing out cadets.The COAS gave away awards to distinguished cadets.

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Pakistan successfully test-fires enhanced range version of Babur cruise missile

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan on Saturday conducted a successful test of an enhanced range version of the indigenously developed Babur Cruise Missile, said a statement issued here by Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).Babur Weapon System-1 (B) incorporates advanced aerodynamics and avionics that can strike targets both at land and sea with high accuracy, at a range of 700 kilometers. It is a low flying, terrain hugging missile, which also carries certain stealth features and is capable of carrying various types of warheads.It is equipped with state-of-the-art navigational technologies of Terrain Contour Matching (TERCOM) and all time Digital Scene Matching and Area Co-relation (DSMAC), which enables it to engage various type of targets with pinpoint accuracy even in the absence of GPS navigation, thus making it an important force multiplier for Pakistan’s strategic deterrence.Today’s launch was witnessed by Director General, Strategic Plans Division, Chairman National Engineering and Scientific Commission (NESCOM), senior officers from Strategic Plans Division, Strategic Forces, scientists and engineers of strategic organizations.Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Committee and Services Chiefs have congratulated the scientists and engineers of NESCOM and NDC.The President and Prime Minister of Pakistan have also conveyed their appreciations to scientists and engineers on successful conduct of today’s missile test, the ISPR statement added.

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Native Americans Treated Trans People Better Than We Do Now

By Cracked Writers Published: April 14th, 2018

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6 Video Game Feats So Amazing They Make You Question Reality

By James Freeth Published: April 14th, 2018

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Transgender news anchor challenges barriers in Pakistan

LAHORE: Marvia Malik made headlines when she debuted last month on a private television channel in Pakistan, becoming the country´s first transgender news anchor.Opinions are mixed about the slim 21-year-old who appears regularly on the Kohenoor News channel in Lahore, but Malik says she has achieved her childhood dream."I thought that our transgender community was lagging behind in education and jobs, and they are not strong enough politically," she said."So I wanted to do something for my community. "Many transgender individuals in Pakistan live in secluded communities and have no choice but to beg on the streets or sing and dance at private parties to earn a living.Some also turn to prostitution to make ends meet. Malik says she was disowned by her family when she was 16, following years of being forced to dress and act like a boy. She sought a different route for herself, so she trained and then found work as a makeup artist to fund her journalism degree at Punjab University.Through her connections in the beauty industry, she landed a modeling job and became the talk of the town. The story of her life, and her demeanour, impressed the selection panel at Kohenoor News, which hired her as a trainee anchor.Kohenoor Chief Executive Junaid Mehmood Ansari says he had apprehensions about Malik going on air, but his worries were put to rest by social media praise for his efforts to promote transgender people after her first appearance, on March 23.Recent legislation has made clear that transgender individuals in Pakistan are guaranteed all the citizens´ rights enshrined in its constitution, with national identity cards providing for a category of "third gender".But not all Pakistanis are so accepting. "This new transgender thing is the influence of Western culture, and this is totally wrong," said Ayaz Khan, a resident of the southern commercial hub of Karachi.Trans Action Pakistan, a campaign group, estimates there are at least 500,000 transgender people among Pakistan´s population of 208 million.

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PEMRA issues fresh warning to TV channels

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Electronics Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on Saturday warned TV channels against airing live speeches, media conferences and media talks of difference politicians wherein hate speech and aspersions against the judiciary and armed forces of Pakistan is being transmitted without any editorial control.The media watchdog said in a statement "it has also been noticed that news channels in their news bulletins, current affairs programmes/talk shows,, are repeatedly broadcasting these derogatory speeches, media conferences and media talks of politicians as a reference and comments of the panelists are invited which tantamount to casting aspersions against superior judiciary and Armed Forces.The statement warned that violation in the matter is liable to strict action against under Section 27, 29 and 30 of PEMRA Ordinance 2002 as amended by PEMRA (Amendment) ACT 2007.

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SC's verdict to disqualify Nawaz will not last for good: Maryam

SIALKOT: Hours after The Supreme Court's judgment, declaring Nawaz Sharif and other lawmakers in the case disquieted for life, the daughter of ousted prime minister Maryam said that the court’s verdict will only last until the retirement of the five sitting judges who penned the verdict against him.Addressing the Social Media Convention in Sialkot on Friday, Maryam Nawaz lamented the apex court's verdict, terming it vindictive. She said this decision reminded her of Musharaf who imprisoned Sharif for life, adding that such decisions against popular leaders were relegated to the trashbin of history.During her address she said that Sharif was already aware of such verdict that came against him , adding that this would also not be the first time that he would be experiencing imprisonment.Maryam further said that the elements who could not defeat Sharif in elections got him disqualified for life.In reference with JIT head's recent statement before an accountability court, Maryam said that Wajid Zia had also ‘confessed’ that he had no evidence of any receivable pay against Nawaz Sharif in the Iqama case, adding that 40 unknown individuals were working to find evidence against deposed prime minister. She asked who were those 40.Earlier on Friday, A five-member larger bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar ruled that the lawmakers disqualified under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution will be unable to contest elections for the rest of their life.

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Afridi demands exemplary punishment for culprits behind rape, murder of Asifa Bano, Zainab

Lahore: Condemning barbaric inhuman acts of rape and murder of minor girls Zainab of Kasur and Asifa Bano of occupied Kashmir, former Pakistan skipper Shahid Khan Afridi has demanded exemplary punishment for the culprits.In a tweet on Friday, the former skipper said, “Whether 6 years old Zainab of Kasur or 8 years old Asifa of Jammu, these barbaric inhumane acts should be condemned and those behind should be punished to the maximum.”Using hashtag #JusticeforAsifa, Afridi went on to say “Let these cases be a lesson for the culprits where no daughter will ever be subjected to this heinous act again.”The latest revelations in the horrific case of rape and murder of an eight-year-old Asifa Bano, belonged to the nomadic Muslim Bakarwal community who was abducted on January 10 and held captive in a temple and raped before being strangled, has triggered communal tensions and protests in Indian held Kashmir.According to reports, In January, eight-year-old Asifa went missing when she was grazing her horses in Harinagar district of Indian occupied Kashmir, and days after her abduction her body smeared with blood was found in the forest that led to widespread anger in the valley.On the other hand Asifa's murder has led to widespread anger on social media, where the hashtag #JusticeforAsifa was one of the top trending topics worldwide.

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PM Inaugurates much-awaited 969MW Neelum-Jhelum Power project

MUZAFFARABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Friday inaugurated the much-awaited Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project to inject 969 megawatt of electricity to national grid as a historic milestone to meet country’s growing power needs.After unveiling the plaque, he made the first unit of the project functional by pressing a button in main control room.The prime minister was accompanied by his cabinet members including Barjees Tahir, Engineer Khurram Dastgir, Syed Javed Shah, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Governor Punjab Muhammad Rafiq Rajwana, Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Iqbal Zafar Jhagra and Chairman of WAPDA. AJK President Sardar Masood Khan and Prime Minister Farooq Haider Khan were also present on the occasion.The project would generate 5.150 billion units of electricity annually and generate Rs55 billion revenue which will increase in subsequent years.Completed at cost of around $5 billion, the power project comprises four units with generation capacity of 242.25 MW each.As first unit has been inaugurated on the day, this will follow the opening of one unit a month to make the project fully operational by mid of current year.Being dubbed as a new wonder of Pakistan, the power project comprises three components including a dam, waterway system involving 52 kilometers long tunnels and an underground power house.The project will also help save huge money to the national kitty in foreign exchange on import of oil to the extent of hydel generation. It will reduce dependence on thermal power.Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Company is the executing agency of the project on behalf of WAPDA and the government of Pakistan.The project is a joint venture of five international and national firms as Neelum Jhelum Consultants including Montgomery Watson Harza (USA), Leading Firm, NORPLAN, Int (Norway), National Engineering Services (NESPAK), Pakistan, Associated Consulting Engineers (ACE), Pakistan and National Development Consultants (NDC), Pakistan.The project was executed by Chinese consortium including China Gezhouba Group Company and China Machinery Engineering Company.Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project is a world class underground facility of immense national importance constructed in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.Being an environment friendly project, Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project would avoid the annual release of 2.5 million tons of CO2 from equivalent thermal plant.During the construction, the project created 4,500 jobs besides leading to the socio-economic uplift of the area.An amount of Rs5,237 million have been earmarked to execute the projects for environmental mitigation including girls high school, road, water supply schemes, recreational parks, grid station, basic health unit, bridges, water treatment schemes and water shed management.

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PTI, PML-N forced judicialization of our politics: Bilawal

Karachi: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has stated that PTI and PML-N have forced the judicialization of politics.Bilawal said this in a reaction following Supreme Court verdict in which the apex court on Friday ruled that disqualification of lawmakers under Article 62(1) (f) of the Constitution disqualification is permanent.Nawaz Sharif and Jahangir Khan Tareen were also disqualified under the same provision of the constitution.Bilawal tweeted, “I am of the belief that it’s the people of Pakistan who should make such decisions about the fate of politicians. Unfortunately it is PTI & PMLN themselves who have forced the judicialization of our politics.”He went on to say naehal (disqualified) Nawaz Sharif and Jahangir Tareen must now face the consequences of their actions.A five-member larger bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, announced the reserved verdict in the cases involving interpretation, determination of the question of temporary or permanent bar on the parliamentarians to contest elections.According to the Supreme Court decision, the constitution declares a person disquieted for life who is not Sadiq and Ameen.

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China?s PLAAF Commander witnesses graduation ceremony at PAF

RISALPUR: “You are the pillars of PAF' s future and your excellence will forge a world class air force”, said Lieutenant General Ding Laihang, Commander People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), China while addressing the Graduation Parade at PAF Academy, Asghar Khan, Friday.He was the Chief Guest during the graduation ceremony of 139 GD(P), 85 Engineering, 95 Air Defence, 20 Admin & Special Duties and 04 Logistics courses. On his arrival at the Academy, he was received by Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force.Addressing the graduating cadets the Chief Guest said, “You will shoulder the sacred mission of safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity. I hope you, together with young military officers from PLAAF, would carry forward the friendly and cooperative relations between the two air forces”. He further said, “Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan, we have established all weather friendship and all round cooperation. We always respect, understand and support each other in issues concerning core interests, representing an excellent model of friendly cooperation between two countries”. He added, “As an important part of friendly cooperation between two countries, military to military cooperation between two air forces witnessed the broadest and deepest pragmatic exchanges. In recent years, PLAAF and PAF have carried out extensive cooperation and achieved great success in operational command, joint exercises, training, logistic supply, weapons and equipment”. A total of 109 aviation cadets including 02 cadets from Royal Saudi Air Force and 02 Lady Cadets graduated in the ceremony. The Chief Guest awarded branch insignias to the graduating cadets and also gave away trophies to the distinction holders. The chief guest awarded Quaid-e-Azam Banner to 4 Squadron, the new Champion Squadron of the Academy.Aviation Cadet Academy Under Officer Ameer Hamza clinched Chief of the Air Staff Trophy for best performance in Flying and the coveted Sword of Honour for Overall Best Performance in College of Flying Training. Chief of the Air Staff Trophy for best performance in Engineering was lifted by Aviation Cadet Sergeant Hamza Hussain; whereas, the prestigious Sword of Honour for Overall Best Performance in College of Aeronautical Engineering was awarded to Aviation Cadet Squadron Under Officer Furrukh Iqbal. Trophies for overall best performance in No 95 Air Defence and No 20 Admin & Special Duties Courses were won by Aviation Cadet Sergeant Sarosh Arif and Aviation Cadet Sergeant Waleed Hassan respectively. Aviation Cadet Sergeant Ahsan Ahmed won the trophy for Overall Best Performance in Logistics course. Aviation Cadet Wing Under Officer Muhmmad Kamran was awarded Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Trophy for Best Performance in General Service Training.The ceremony was followed by a thrilling performance by “Eaglets”- the Para Motor Glider team of the Academy. “Bravehearts and Sherdils”, the PAF Academy Aerobatics Teams also displayed a stunning aerial display at the occasion. The well-synchronized drill presented by Hamza Flight was an icing on the cake, which was thoroughly enjoyed by the guests. The ceremony was witnessed by high-ranking Military & Civil Officials, Diplomats, foreign dignitaries and a large number of guests of graduating cadets.

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Honour killing of girl on efforts for marriage of choice in Jhelum

JHELUM: An unmarried girl on Thursday was killed by her family on her audacity to marry the man of her choice in Pind Dadan Khan, a city in Jhelum district.According to Police, a resident of Jalalpur Sharif, Shagufta, had fled from home and landed at her lover’s house, who is identified as Hasnain.Inquiries launched into the matter revealed that the family had allegedly strangled her with bare hands later that day after manipulating her to return home in claims of marrying them off with honour in a few days span.The police rushed to the site and shifted the body to the Tehsil Headquarter Hospital for autopsy. The police said that the case will be taken to legal proceedings after receiving post mortem reports.

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