Category: Pakistan

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In solidarity with Pakistan, top Chinese management of Infinix celebrated Independence day at their Karachi factory.

Lahore (Nut-Desk)

President Dr Arif Alvi has felicitated the nation on the 75th Independence Day. ”During this journey, Pakistan faced many challenges but it successfully overcame them with hard work, sacrifices and the support of the entire nation,” he said in a message on the occasion of Independence Day.

President Dr Arif Alvi said that the tremendous successes achieved by Pakistanis, a brilliant and brave nation, in various fields had made the country distinguished from other nations.

The President said he wished to share in the happiness of his fellow countrymen on the auspicious occasion of celebrating the 74 years of Independence of Pakistan.

“This day reminds us to pay rich tribute to the Father of the Nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and leaders and workers of the Pakistan Movement who created a separate homeland for the Muslims of the Indian sub-continent,” he added.

The President said the world must appreciate the fact that Pakistan singularly fought a long-drawn war against terrorism and eventually defeated the menace.

“Similarly, the development of nuclear deterrence by Pakistan is a great achievement that has made the country’s defence impregnable,” he said adding that “Not to forget that Pakistan is a host to millions of Afghan refugees for many decades.”

The President said that Pakistan also won laurels worldwide for successfully handling the Covid-19 pandemic.

“For this great achievement, I pay homage to doctors and paramedics, religious leaders, media, National Command and Operation Centre, Security Forces and the entire nation whose cooperation made it possible to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus,” he added.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has congratulated nation on the 75th Independence Day. In his message on the occasion, Prime Minister said that with the universal recognition of government’s policies towards revival of economy, handing of COVID-19 pandemic and environment protection, Pakistan today can stand tall among the comity of nations.

“Pakistan today can stand tall among the comity of nations. Our policies towards reviving the economy, handling the pandemic, and protecting the environment have received universal acclaim,” the Prime Minister said.

“As we hoist our national flag to mark Independence Day, we must reiterate the firm resolve to uphold our national values of unity, faith and discipline as envisioned by Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah,” he added.

The Prime Minister said that Pakistan had surmounted monumental challenges during the course of its history to emerge as a united, peaceful and resilient nation.

“Even today, the changing regional dynamics along with some domestic issues continue to test our resolve. Like each time, we will also overcome these obstacles with our characteristic determination and come out stronger as a nation,” he maintained.

The Prime Minister further said that “On this occasion, we should not forget our Kashmiri brothers and sisters in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) struggling for their right to self-determination under extremely adverse circumstances marked by illegal Indian occupation and unspeakable repression.”

“Pakistan will continue to extend its full support to the Kashmiris in their just cause. Kashmiris are looking up to the international community to fulfill the promises made to them,” he added.

The Prime Minister said that Pakistan had rendered immense sacrifices and paid a heavy price for instability on its Western border.

“We have consistently stressed that there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan. Pakistan will continue to support a negotiated political settlement for durable peace and stability in Afghanistan,” he added.

The Prime Minister said, “We want peace within and peace without, to pursue our socio-economic agenda. The Naya Pakistan has shifted its focus from geo-politics to geo-economics, with the well-being and welfare of our people as the topmost priority.”

“Our government has undertaken every possible effort for the development and prosperity of Pakistan,” he added.

“This country is undoubtedly a gift of Allah Almighty for us. I once again felicitate all Pakistanis, both inland and overseas, on this auspicious occasion. I urge you to play your part in making Pakistan a proud, prosperous and peaceful nation state,” the Prime Minister maintained.
 

Lahore (Nut-Desk)

As soon as the clock struck 12:00 midnight, the nation began celebrations to mark the 74th Independence Day of Pakistan.

Government and private buildings as well as streets and markets have been illuminated to mark the special day. National flags, buntings, posters and banners adorn rooftops.

The day will dawn with thirty-one gun salutes in the federal capital and twenty-one gun salutes in the provincial headquarters. Prayers will be offered for security and progress of Pakistan and well-being of the people.

The main highlight of the celebrations will be a national flag hoisting ceremony at President House Islamabad. President Dr. Arif Alvi will be the chief guest on the occasion. Similar flag hoisting ceremonies will also be held at provincial, divisional and district headquarters level throughout the country.

Lahore (Nut-Desk)

Punjab Minister for Prisons Fayyaz Al Hassan Chauhan has been appointed as the new spokesperson of the Punjab government on Friday.  Reports stated that Chauhan’s appointment as the spokesperson has been approved by Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.

Chauhan is currently serving as Minister of Prisons for Punjab since August 2018. He has previously served as the provincial minister for information.

Elected from PP-17 Rawalpindi, Chauhan’s appointment as the spokesperson will be in effect from Friday, August 13.

As per guidelines from previous such appointments, it is expected that Chauhan will be taking part in issuing statements and updates about government policies, programmes and their progress.

The Punjab government has appointed spokespersons to help streamline the information dissemination process, defend its stance, and notify the public of its policies.

Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Nestlé Pakistan and World Bank launched nutrition & hygiene awareness program under TREK initiative

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Nestlé Pakistan in partnership with the World Bank and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tourism Department began community engagement activities under the “Travel Responsibly for Experiencing Ecotourism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa” (TREK) initiative.

The two-day training titled “TREK for Healthier Kids” was held in collaboration with the Nestlé for Healthier Kids (N4HK) program. It concluded with a certificate distribution ceremony for teachers, distribution of 4,000 reusable bags and 2,300 N4HK books to children in Galiyat. N4HK is one of Nestlé’s global Creating Shared Value initiatives that empowers parents, caregivers and educators to foster healthier eating, drinking and lifestyle habits among school age children.

TREK is a collaboration between the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, World Bank Group and Nestle Pakistan under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Integrated Tourism Development (KITE) project. TREK, launched by Prime Minister Imran Khan in December 2020, emphasizes on heritage preservation and destination development while adhering to the fundamentals of responsible tourism.

Highlighting the importance of ecotourism, Abid Majeed, Secretary Tourism, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said, “We are looking for solid waste management (SWM) and plastics recycling in tourist areas through TREK initiative. Alongside provision of SWM equipment other activities included in this program, are awareness campaigns for tourists, and local communities. Awareness campaigns at local schools is part of this program which will enable them to carry forward the agenda of clean and safe Galiyat.”

Sharing his views, Waqar Ahmad, Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, Nestlé Pakistan said, “As part of our vision for a waste-free future, we are accelerating our actions to minimize packaging waste and our partnership with the World Bank Group and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is a step to improve collection and recycle to promote circular economy. We will be driving new behavior and understanding through community engagement activities such as awareness campaigns under N4HK and cleanup activities.”

Talking about the initiative, Kiran Afzal, Senior Private Sector Specialist, World Bank Group Pakistan said, “We are pleased to see that this important activity has advanced to the next stage and that TREK is now actively involving local community in its efforts to ensure responsible tourism in Galiyat.”

Raza Habib, Director General Galiyat Development Authority (GDA), highlighted the support provided by the GDA to the TREK activities. He appreciated that these activities were helping tourists have a better experience of the scenic valleys of Galiyat. “We vow that GDA will continue to support the TREK initiative for a safe and sustainable Galiyat,” he said.

Nestlé Pakistan’s commitment to TREK includes 2 pillars: awareness campaign focusing on Reduce, Reuse and Recycle and a community engagement plan which includes activities that will help in countering the issues of waste and pollution.

The partners also highlighted the role of tourism in job creation and appreciated the government’s efforts for facilitating tourists by improving accessibility through roads, rescue services and planning of tourism zones.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) To ensure the safety and well-being of its workforce, Jazz has completed the vaccination of all its eligible employees. This comprises the company’s staff who have received at least their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

During the internal Independence Day celebrations, Jazz CEO Aamir Ibrahim congratulated the employees on achieving a 100 percent vaccination status, adding, “Jazz remains fully committed to the safety of its people. Our internal vaccination campaign aimed to safeguard the health of not only our employees but those around them as well.  This achievement is another contribution to our #JazzCares initiative and this Independence Day, there can be no greater service to the nation than to keep us and others safe through the pandemic.” 

Apart from focusing on vaccinating its workforce, the company has also collaborated with the National Command and Operation Centre to carry out a massive vaccination awareness campaign.  

Even after vaccinating its entire eligible workforce, Jazz is still enforcing strict adherence to SOPs at its offices and experience centers nationwide. Only employees possessing a COVID Vaccination Digital Pass are allowed to work from the office. Instead of visiting franchises and experience centers, customers are encouraged to utilize digital touch points, like the self-care mobile app, Jazz World, which has crossed nine million active users.

Throughout the pandemic, Jazz implemented several initiatives towards the safety and well-being of its staff. It was one of the first major companies to implement a work from home policy, as the virus first began spreading. This was followed by online counseling sessions and workout classes, one-stop e-health services, medical coverage plans for COVID-19, regular disinfection of offices, equipping workspaces with personal protective gear, travel restrictions with close monitoring, availability of critical resources like medicines and oxygen, and a 24/7 emergency hotline.   

Earlier last year, Jazz pledged PKR 1.2 billion in support of COVID-19 relief. This included short to mid-term initiatives aimed at mitigating the negative socioeconomic consequences of the pandemic.  PKR 124.3 million from this pledge was donated to the PM Emergency Relief Fund, while more than 12,000 vulnerable families in 23 cities were provided food rations through the Edhi Foundation and other NGOs. Jazz also provided 360,000 PPEs and life-saving medical equipment to various hospitals. A part of the announced support also went towards zero-rated and subsidized calls to emergency health services, and subsidized bundles and mobile payments. The company also partnered with education technology company Knowledge Platform to facilitate over 270,000 students in 100 cities with special data bundles.