NSA urges Kabul to avoid blame game for regional peace

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan wants a lasting peace in Afghanistan, said National Security Adviser (NSA) Nasser Khan Janjua and urged Kabul to avoid blame game in the interest of both neighboring countries.Mr Janjua was addressing a seminar titled "China-Afghanistan-Pakistan: Constructive Engagement for Sustainable Growth" in Islamabad on Tuesday morning.Pakistan has been trying to engage Taliban in political process for lasting peace in neighbouring Afghanistan, he said.Speaking on the occasion, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing said China wants to host the next phase of dialogue for Afghan peace.Afghan Ambassador Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal said regional stability is directly linked with trade and every project of Pakistan leaves positive impact on Afghanistan.

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Rao Tehseen appointed as DG Radio Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has appointed Rao Tehseen as Director General of Pakistan Radio, Geo News reported.Tehseen, a grade 21 officer in the Information Group, was removed from his position last year after a committee set up to investigate the source of Dawn Leaks found him responsible. Rao Tehseen has denied his involvement. “Rao Tehsin Ali, Principal Information Officer (PIO) of the Ministry of Information, shall be proceeded against under E&D (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules 1973 on the charges based on findings in the instant report”, read the directives signed by Prime Minister’s Princi­pal Secre­tary Fawad Hasan Fawad soon after the report was approved.The restoration orders were issued by the Prime Minister’s Princi­pal Secre­tary Fawad, added sources. The orders to restore Tehseen, however, were not implemented because of reluctance from bureaucracy. Geo quoted sources saying that Information Secretary Ahmed Nawaz was out of the country on leaves while acting Information Secretary Shafqat Jaleel said he had no knowledge of the orders.According to sources, Establishmen Division is yet to issue a notification for the appointment of Rao Tehseen. Sources  privy to the PM House said that Establishment Division was bound to follow the prime minister's orders. 

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CM Sindh Murad distributes cash prize among position holder students

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that around Rs3 billion are being spent on the enrolment, registration and examination fees and cash prize distribution among the position holders of all the educational boards operating all over Sindh.This he said while speaking at a cash prize distribution among the position holders of all the educational boards here at the Banquet Hall of the CM House Tuesday.The prize distribution ceremony was attended by Minister Education Jam Mehtab Dahar, Principal Secretary to CM Sohail Rajput, Additional Chief Secretary (U&B) Mohammad Hussain Syed, Secretary Collages Pervez Seehar, chairman of all the educational boards, educationists and parents of the position holdersThe chief minister distributed cash prizes of Rs927 million among 145 position holders and 36,157 A-1 graders of all the groups of matriculations and intermediate examinations of all the educational boards.There are eight educational boards, including Technical Board and Shaheed Benazirabad board which is scheduled to start functioning from the next year. Some 550,000 students are receiving education higher secondary classes (HSC) while 750,000 are studying in secondary classes (SSC). The number of students who have obtained A-1 grades in all the boards come to 36157. The chief minister gave a Rs300,000 cash prize to first position holder, Rs200,000 to Second position holder, Rs100,000 to third position holder and Rs25,000 to each A-1 grader.The BISE Mirpurkhas bagged 21 position holders cash prizes, BISE Sukkur got 39, Larkana 28, Hyderabad 24, BSE Karachi nine and BIE Karachi 24 cash prizes. The chief minister said that when he had taken over as a chief minister he had decided to waive of registration, enrolment and examination fee and also decided to give cash prizes to the position holders. “The overall enrolment, examination and registration fees cost over Rs1.76 billion to the government while he has released Rs927 million cash prizes.,” he said.Murad Ali Shah said that he was so much happy to see a large number of position holders and A-1 graders sitting under the roof of the CM House. “You are future of our nation and I am sure one day you would achieve excellence in different fields,” he said. He congratulated the students, their teachers and parents for receiving cash awards. “I am sure you keep it up and would also achieve highest prizes in your further educational activities,” he told the students.

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US Embassy struck ?Diyat? deal with family of youth killed in accident

ISLAMABAD: The family of man killed by US diplomat has reached an agreement with the US Embassy on blood money, sources told Daily Jang.Under the deal, the embassy will pay Diyat amount to the victim family and in return they will not pursue the case in court, according to the report.The details of the agreement, which was reached many days ago before the diplomat was allowed to leave on Monday under the Vienna Convention, are kept secret. The report said that the amount and when it will be paid is unknown. The US Military Attaché, Col Joseph Emanuel Hall, involved in the killing of a Pakistani youth in a road accident, left for the United States, diplomatic sources confirmed to the Geo News.The official sources said Pakistan accepted the US viewpoint that Col Joseph Emanuel Hall has complete diplomatic immunity under the Vienna Convention.On April 7, Col Joseph jumped a red light and rammed into a motorcycle killing a Pakistani civilian. He was let go by the police officials in Islamabad after the accident as the law — Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961 — provides the diplomat with immunity from criminal prosecution.According to sources, the local police has handed over all the record related to Colonel Hall to the US officials. Hall is a certified envoy who enjoys diplomatic immunity, the sources added. Pakistan's criminal, civil, and administrative laws do not apply to the US envoy. The US government had refused to strip Joseph of the diplomatic immunity, said the sources.Earlier on Saturday, a United States Air Force C-130 returned from the Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi, without the diplomat as the Interior Ministry refused to issue him a No Objection Certificate (NOC), sources had informed the Geo News.The Islamabad High Court on May 11, on a petition filed by the deceased's father, ruled that the US diplomat does not have absolute immunity in the country. The court had also granted two weeks to the Ministry of Interior to decide on placing his name on the Exit Control List (ECL).

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Nawaz rejects National Security Committee statement

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supreme leader Nawaz Sharif has rejected  the statement of National Security Committee's  Monday's statement as horrible and painful, according to Geo News.Speaking at the Accountability Court the PMLN leaders said the statement of the top civilian-military coordination forum   was based of misunderstanding.Later, talking to media outside the court, Nawaz Sharif said time has come to decide who is traitor and who is patriot, reiterating his demand to set up a national commission.He said being a three time prime minister he knows a lot of things. "Who has brought  the country to this point," he said.The NSC  meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi  and also attended by  top military leaders  had condemned Sharif's remarks about  Mumbai terror attacks in an interview with a leading English daily.The NSC on Monday  dismissed former premier Nawaz Sharif's  statement on the 2008 Mumbai attacks and termed it "incorrect and misleading".  

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Nawaz Sharif's remarks misreported by media, says PM Abbasi

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi  has called for an end to a debate that Nawaz Sharif sparked with his controversial remarks about Mumbai attacks.Expressing his in the National Assembly, he said that Sharif's remarks  were misreported by Indian media."Nawaz Sharif didn't say Mumbai attackers were dispatched from Pakistan. The sentence about non-state actors was misquoted ," he said.He said Pervez Musharraf, Gen (retd) Pasha, Imran Khan, General (retd) Durrani and Rehman Malik had also discussed the subject of Mumbai terror attacks in the past for which Nawaz Sharif is being crticized."Nobody is authorized to issue certificates of  patriotism," he said, and warned against using the issue for political point scoring."Do not become India's facilitators in a matter related to national security. Do not use a national security matter for political purposes," he said."Parliament should form a commission if it is willing to look back into the past," Abbasi said. He reiterated that Pakistan would not allow it soil to be used against other countries. "It was and  it still remains our policy," said the premier .  

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The last selfie: How technology has become a menace for millennials

At the heart of the tragic incident that occurred on Sunday – in which seven medical students lost their lives as a hanging bridge collapsed in Neelum Valley – lies a very pressing issue: people’s (especially youngsters) over-increasing dependence on technology.The incident occurred after a total of twenty-six students gathered on the Jagran bridge built on a deep gulch for clicking a selfie, after which the bridge collapsed due to overweight. Despite the warning sign which clearly indicated that the bridge is able to withstand the pressure of five people only, the tourist students (mostly belonging to Faisalabad) ignored it, jeopardising their safety, putting their life at stake. And for what? A mere selfie. It’s heart-wrenching to see how precious lives were lost due to the obsession, the craze that we all have for clicking pictures. And it is quite alarming to see the lengths people go to in order to capture that ‘perfect selfie’, often putting their lives in extreme danger, when it’s not even worth it. While there is no denying the fact that technology has engulfed us completely, cramming most part of our lives, we absolutely cannot imagine living our lives without it. However, it has become scary to see how people get killed because of depending on or using it excessively. Have you ever been to a concert that you were planning to be a part of since long, but do not remember even a single moment of it, because you were too occupied with clicking pictures, making videos and posting them on Snapchat and Instagram? I am sure you have, and you just have your soaring dependence on technology to blame for it. Selfie deaths are not a new phenomenon, they happen all around the world. But what is highly distressing is the fact that the obsession with technology has led to more tragedies than any other thing. According to a research conducted in 2015, it was found that more people died by taking selfies than by suffering from shark attacks. Moreover, most of the selfie-related deaths reported were due to falling. Coming over to the most disturbing part of the study: most of the people involved in such incidents were aged between 18 and 22, and the accidents ranged from a man being electrocuted while climbing on a train to a pilot crashing a light aircraft, killing himself and a passenger, and multiple instances of people dying while posing with loaded guns.And similar happened with these medical students who for the sake of a picture lost their lives. So to say, people should realise the immense value their lives hold and be very cautious while using technology. You may not know what harm a slight negligence may do to you, needless to say the everyday consequences the addiction of technology has on your health.

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Kalasha Chilim Just Festival 2018 kicks off

The Kalasha “Chilim Just Festival 2018” has officially been kicked off today the 14 May 2018. First ritual “chirik pipi”, milking distribution by shepherds to welcome the spring kicked off in Bumburet Kalash valley.To the Kalasha the festival is the culmination of religious life and, like the big funerals, they unite the people. The “Chilim Jusht / Joshi Festival is the spring festival, in the middle of May lasts for four days. The spring festival honors the fairies and also safeguards the goats and shepherds before they go to the pastures. Before the festival the women and girls gather from all over the valley and decorate their houses. Inside the houses local wine and milk products are shared. The women then sprinkle milk on Goddess “Jestak“ the protector of their children and home. The festival begins at Rumbur where the Shaman (soothsayer) and tribal chiefs lead a procession to the “Malosh altar”, high above Grum, to sacrifice goats to the Gods. Later the festival moves on to Bumburate and ends up at Birir, a few days later. The Kalasha are colourful and ancient indigenous people. They are cheerful, generous, witty and fond of rejoicing and merry making. Their women folk have an outgoing manner that is disarming, delightful and unexpected. Every religious ceremony is accompanied by dancing and rhythmical chant to a beat of the drum. The women wearing their traditional black robes, ornate cowries shelled head dresses and adorned with colored necklaces, dance in a circle. Then the men join in: it may be a man and a women or a man in the middle with a women on each side, lovers being free to intermingle. One hand is held round the waist of the partner and the other round the shoulders. Tribal chiefs (Kazis) in colorful dresses narrate stories of bygone days and events. Deputy Commissioner Chitral Irshad Sodhar is committed to celebrate this event with great pomp and show, he has also invited media personnel to cover the event so that a positive impression would go the outer world. This will help in promotion of tourism industry and attraction of foreign and national tourists to Chitral. On this occasion Irshad Sodhar, DC Chitral said that he has inducted a “Hospitality Platoon” in Chitral Levies to facilitate tourists, for the first time female levy staff deputed for this event to facilitate families. District Admin in collaboration with Distt Police has devised a traffic plan for Ayun-Bamborate road, so that tourists reach with ease. A special helpline desk has also been established at DC Office with number 0943-412519, for the festival. Any issue and update may be send direct to DC Chitral on official Facebook page (Facebook.com/DCChitral) and twitter handle (@DC_Chitral). Moreover, GoKP Halal Food Authority has been tasked to test the food items, ensure fresh fruits and also regulate the prices of edible items. “We have installed dustbins at every village in the valley for Solid Waste Management, portable washroom and clean drinking water will be provided at every camp” said DC Chitral. “A massive cleanliness campaign will be carried out just after the festival with the help of DC Chitral Volunteer Task Force and TMA Chitral” he added. As per DC Chitral Irshad Sodhar transport union has also been kept in the loop to avoid overcharging from the tourists, special parking lots have been identified by the Traffic Police in the area. The event is widely promoted on social media as well, Twitter top trend #ChilimJushtFest18 has been noticed at peak hours.

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US diplomat involved in fatal accident leaves Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: US diplomat Colonel Joseph Emanuel Hall, who was involved in the fatal accident, has left Pakistan, Geo News reported citing diplomatic sources as saying.Colonel Joseph, the US military attaché was flown out of Pakistan from Nur Khan Airbase in a special air craft.According to sources, Colonel Joseph left the country after United States refused to withdraw his diplomatic immunity.Police have handed over all the record of Colonel Joseph to US officials, the diplomatic sources said.Colonel Joseph is a bona fide envoy, having diplomatic immunity, sources said and added that Pakistani laws including civil, criminal and administrative laws do not apply on him.Earlier, Pakistani authorities on Saturday barred Colonel Joseph from leaving the country, forcing an American military aircraft flown in for his departure to leave without him.On April 7, Colonel Joseph jumped a red light and rammed into a motorcycle killing a Pakistani civilian. The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday, on a petition filed by the deceased's father, had ruled that the US diplomat does not have absolute immunity in the country. The court also granted two weeks to the Ministry of Interior to decide about placing his name on the Exit Control List (ECL).

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Pakistan reaffirms support for Palestine after US moves embassy to Jerusalem

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has voiced grave concern that despite calls by the international community to comply with UN General Assembly and Security Council resolutions on the two-state solution, the US has moved its embassy to the Holy City of Jerusalem. “This represents a violation of international law and several United Nations Security Council resolutions, in particular resolutions 476 and 478,” according to a statement issued by the foreign office. “It may be recalled that both houses of our Parliament have earlier voiced their position on the US decision.” “The Government and people of Pakistan stand firmly with the Palestinian people."Pakistan also renewed its call for establishment of a viable, independent and contiguous State of Palestine, on the basis of internationally agreed parameters, the pre-1967 borders, and with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

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Islamabad, Kabul agree on effective, full implementation of APAPPS

Islamabad and Kabul have agreed on effective and full implementation of Afghanistan Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS), saying it will contribute towards the common objectives of eliminating terrorism and achieving peace, stability, prosperity and development of the people of the two countries.The statement came after the 4th meeting of Afghanistan Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS) that was held  at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad on Monday. The delegations were led by Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai and Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Ms. Tehmina Janjua. “In pursuance of the seven principles agreed in the meeting between Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi during his visit to Kabul on 6 April 2018, the two sides finalized the Afghanistan Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS). This operationalizes the six working groups envisaged under APAPPS,” according to a joint statement issued by the Foreign Office. APAPPS provides a framework to strengthen mutual trust and deepen interaction in all spheres of bilateral engagements. It is also a mechanism for finding solutions to bilateral areas of concern. Both sides agreed that effective and full implementation of APAPPS would contribute towards the common objectives of eliminating terrorism and achieving peace, stability, prosperity and development of the people of the two countries.

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