Category: World

NUT Desk- WASHINGTON: Deep concerns were expressed over the deteriorating situation of human rights, democracy and freedom of expression in India at a recent US Congressional hearing which discussed “Democratic Values in the Indo-Pacific in an Era of Strategic Competition.”

The hearing took place in a panel of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Foreign Affairs. Congressman Ami Bera, chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia, and Nonproliferation, presided.

In his testimony, Dean Thompson, acting Assistant Secretary at the State Department’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, reviewing the situation in the region, said that increasing restrictions on freedom of expression and the detention of human rights activists and journalists in India have raised concerns as that they were inconsistent with the democratic values.

The United States, he said, regularly engages with India on these issues, including the important work of the civil society.

Intervening in the discussion, Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan, a Democrat, expressed concern over the treatment of Kashmiri people at the hands of Indian authorities and asked about the dialogue with the Indian government in this regard.

In response, Thompson said that Kashmir was one area where the US had urged the Indian government to return the disputed state to normalcy as quickly as possible, while taking note of some steps that have been taken, including the release of prisoners and restoration of 4G access. There were other electoral steps — he did not specify — the US would like them to take.

He said that restrictions on journalists in India and elsewhere in the region were a matter of concern.

NUT (WEB DESK)

Pakistan has strongly criticised the killing of a Pakistan -Origin Family in Canada and said the tragic incident is yet another manifestation of systematic rise in Islamophobia.

In a statement, Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Ch said such incidents reinforced the imperative for the international community to work together for interfaith harmony and peaceful coexistence.

He said we strongly condemn the Islamophobic incident that caused in the tragic death of four family members of Pakistani origin, in London, Ontario. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.

The Spokesperson further said Pakistan’s High Commission in Ottawa and the Consulate General in Toronto are in close contact with the relevant Canadian authorities to ascertain the facts of the case and to ensure that the perpetrators of this heinous act were brought to justice.

GENEVA (WEB DESK) The World Health Organization said Friday a shortfall in Covid-19 vaccine doses going through the Covax programme in June and July could undermine the efficiency of the roll-out. Covax was set up to ensure equitable distribution of vaccines, particularly to low-income countries, and has already delivered more than 80 million doses to 129 territories.

But that is “about 200 million doses behind where we want to be”, Bruce Aylward, the WHO’s Covax frontman, told reporters in Geneva.

So while wealthy countries had pledged to give some 150 million doses so far — on top of the doses Covax procures with donated funds — that would not resolve the problem.

“We are setting up for failure if we don’t get early doses. We are not on track yet: we don’t have enough doses from enough countries early enough to get the world on track to get out of this,” Aylward said.

While the pledges to donate 150 million doses through Covax was a “great start”, Aylward said there were “two big problems”.

“Number one, very little is committed to the June-July period, which means we’re going to still have this gap,” Aylward said.

“The other problem is just the volume. If we are going to get on track to get at least 30-40 percent of the world population vaccinated this year we got to get another 250 million people vaccinated between now and the end of September.”

Covax is an international scheme co-led by the WHO, Gavi and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.

It intends to procure enough vaccines for 30 percent of the population in 92 of the poorest participating territories — 20 percent in India — with donors covering the cost.Covax has been hit by inequalities in the global vaccine roll-out, but also delivery delays.

AstraZeneca shots making up 97 percent of doses supplied so far — the rest being Pfizer-BioNTech.

The Serum Institute of India, producing AstraZeneca doses, was to have been the backbone of Covax’s supply chain.

The first buyers of the pioneering new neighbourhood, Boka Place, are now proud owners of Montenegrin passports.

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir)  After the successful launch of its CBI Program in Pakistan back in January 2021, Porto Montenegro proudly announced the delivery of first Montenegrin passports to homeowners at its newest residential neighbourhood Boka Place.

March 2021 marked an exciting milestone for Porto Montenegro, with the first successful application approvals of Montenegro’s Citizenship by Investment Programme (CBI) for homebuyers of hotel managed residences at the development’s newest neighbourhood. As qualifying applicants become Montenegrin citizens the race is on for investors to take advantage of this limited-time opportunity, with the close of the Montenegrin Citizenship by Investment programme scheduled for the end of 2021.

BOKA Place promises to be an excellent investment opportunity for Pakistanis as well as a world class holiday destination for people travelling to Europe. The project falls under the limited time only, CBI (Citizenship by Investment program) of the Montenegrin government.

“Living and working in this stunning country, the benefits are obvious to me – but I’m always interested to hear from our clients and investors about what motivated them to choose Montenegro. Several factors are almost always highlighted; the extremely low personal and corporate tax rates, capped at just 9%, the central-European location, the stability of the Euro currency, the Visa free or Visa on arrival access to 124 countries and the outstanding natural beauty of this magnificent destination. We were delighted to receive citizenship approvals for our first applicants and we expect a number of new approvals in the coming weeks. Interest in the programme has continued to increase, despite many time constraints” said Brennon Nicholas, Sales and Marketing Director at Porto Montenegro

Montenegro’s new passport owner, O.S. from Russia, stated “Our family has had strong interest in Montenegro’s residency and citizenship programmes. We are incredibly pleased to have been offered the opportunity to obtain our passports and at the same time invest in one of the country’s most sought after developments. We have bought a larger unit in Boka Place to qualify as we trust that the new neighbourhood will be an exceptional place for living”.

Porto Montenegro’s new urban quarter is one of several government-approved projects and the first on the Southern coast of Montenegro. Built with wellness at the core, Boka Place is a neighbourhood unlike any other and provides and exciting investment opportunity, surrounded by shops and cafes, open outdoor and community spaces and a variety of business opportunities.

Located in the UNESCO protected Bay of Kotor, Porto Montenegro combines a spectacular lifestyle destination with a world-class full-service superyacht marina that can berth up to 450 yachts, and a luxury residential village, offering premium real estate for sale and rental in the central Mediterranean.

Author: Fajar Shakeel

Triumph of a lady whose potential to succeed is infinite. She is the perfect example of passion and consistency which leads to success in life.

Dr Sumaira Rehman, Rector of Superior University, Lahore, nominated as the member of PHEC under categories of eminent academician and member from civil society, respectively, for a period of four years according to the notification of Chief Minister Punjab. The Higher Education Department (HED) Punjab on Tuesday issued a notification regarding nomination of Dr Sumaira Rehman as a member of the Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC).

Prof Dr Sumaira Rehman did her PhD in Entrepreneurship form England. Heretofore she was the member of Punjab Industrial Estate Development and Management company (PIEDMC). She is the Director of Chaudhary Muhammad Akram Center for Entrepreneurship. From private sector, she is the First Lady in Pakistan who did PhD in Entrepreneurship. Almighty Allah knows how many milestones she will achieve more.

 

NUT (WEB DESK)

Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi reaffirmed Pakistan’s desire for a broad-based partnership with the United States that would advance the two countries’ shared interests in the bilateral and regional spheres.  

The foreign minister held an interaction with the leadership of US House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and Non-Proliferation, on the sidelines of his UN-related engagements in New York, Foreign office spokesperson said in a press release on Saturday. 

These included Congressman Ami Bera and Congressman Steven Chabot, respectively the chair and ranking member of the subcommittee.

The foreign minister underscored the importance of enhanced bilateral trade and economic cooperation to promote regional connectivity.

He highlighted Pakistan’s efforts for facilitating a peaceful, political settlement in Afghanistan while stressing that peace in Afghanistan was a shared responsibility of the Afghan parties and the key international stakeholders.

Congressman Bera and Congressman Chabot thanked the foreign minister for his briefing and appreciated Pakistan’s invaluable contributions for regional peace and security.  

They acknowledged the huge potential for expanding Pak-US bilateral relationship and agreed to work towards further enhancing engagement of the US Congress with Pakistan. 

The foreign minister Qureshi also spoke with Congressman Thomas Suozzi, member of the House of Representatives from New York.  Congressman Suozzi is also the Democratic Co-Chair of the Congressional Pakistan Caucus. 

 The foreign minister and the Congressman discussed Pakistan-US bilateral relations, regional peace and security as well as the need to strengthen people-to-people linkages between the two countries.  

He appreciated Congressman Suozzi for his role as Democratic Co-Chair of the Pakistan Caucus. 

Foreign minister Qureshi underscored that Pakistan attached importance to its longstanding partnership with the United States.  

Highlighting the government’s emphasis on economic development and connectivity, the foreign minister underscored Pakistan’s desire for closer trade and investment ties with the United States.  

He also highlighted importance attached by the government towards Pakistani diaspora. 

Suozzi thanked the foreign minister for sharing his perspective and appreciated Pakistan’s positive contributions for regional peace and security.  

Recognizing the positive role played by Pakistani American community, especially in his New York constituency, the Congressman agreed to work towards further strengthening the bilateral linkages and relations between Pakistan and the United States.