PRESIDENT – Page 8 – BOL News Staging

President for measures to ensure financial inclusion of women

August 28, 2023 by Abid Khan

He said more steps needed to promote gender equality.
Alvi said jobs for people with disabilities could be tailored in banks.
He expressed concern over rising incidents of banking fraud.

KARACHI: President Dr Arif Alvi stressed the banking institutions of the country to take measures to further increase the financial inclusion of women as well as ensure gender equality in the banking sector.

Besides the provision of easy and accessible financial services to women and differently-abled persons, he emphasized that the banking sector should also focus on providing more employment opportunities and financing facilities as well as providing on-the-job training to them.

President expressed these views while chairing a meeting with representatives of various banks held here at Sindh Governor House to review progress on initiatives aimed at financial inclusion of women and differently-abled persons as well as progress on the measures to ensure employment and financial opportunities for them. The review meeting was attended by senior officials of the State Bank of Pakistan and Chief Executive Officers of different commercial banks.

Terming meaningful participation of women in economic activities as vital for the progress and prosperity of the country, the President said that it was encouraging to see that the share of female account holders and their share in banking sector jobs has witnessed a surge in previous years.

He added that more steps were needed to be taken to promote gender equality and inclusion of women and persons with disabilities in the banking sector and other economic activities.

President said that the jobs for people with disabilities could be tailored in the banking sector and the process of opening bank accounts should be further simplified.

The President, while referring to the fast-paced growth of digital technologies across the world, said that the banking industry in Pakistan has to keep pace with the changing circumstances by using the latest IT tools.

He expressed concern over the rising incidents of banking fraud and emphasised the need to improve the safety mechanisms of banks to effectively protect the interests of banking customers.

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President urges businessmen to work harder for brand Pakistan

August 26, 2023 by Abid Khan

President stressed vital importance of honesty.
He lauded track record of Pakistani products.
He drew attention to mental stress faced by Pakistanis.

KARACHI: In a resounding call for trustworthiness and the advancement of ‘Made in Pakistan’ goods, President Arif Alvi urged the business community to work harder for brand Pakistan at the inaugural ceremony of the ‘Made in Pakistan’ movement in Karachi.

President Alvi stressed the vital importance of honesty and trust in all commercial endeavors, both domestically and abroad. He lauded the track record of Pakistani products that had achieved international acclaim through the addition of value to their original forms, emphasizing the potential for global promotion of ‘Made in Pakistan’ items.

President Alvi asked business leaders and the youth of Pakistan to take an active role in rectifying societal issues and advocating for local products. He called upon Pakistani society to prioritize ‘Made in Pakistan’ products over foreign alternatives as a means of promoting domestic manufacturing and reducing the nation’s import bills.

Highlighting alarming statistics, the President drew attention to the mental stress faced by 24 percent of the Pakistani population and the unfortunate reality that approximately 27 million children were out of school.

President Alvi underscored the significance of character and honesty, evoking the values exemplified by the Muslims and preached by our Holy Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.). He emphasized that honesty and character must remain at the core of commercial activities, with morals and ethics guiding business conduct.

In a call to action, the President urged coordinated efforts to promote charity and philanthropy, advocating for a shift away from wealth accumulation. He made it clear that Islam does not endorse the accumulation of wealth as a primary pursuit. He said that the rich should help the needy people.

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President directs refund of Rs 4.1m to bank fraud victims

August 23, 2023 by Abid Khan

Banks activated EFT without consent of customers.
The complainants not requested banks to open EFT.
President, therefore, rejected the representations of banks.

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has directed two private banks to return a collective sum of Rs 4.1 million to four customers, who were swindled out of their money by fraudsters.

The banks had activated the Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) without obtaining the consent of the customers and were found negligent in complying with the State Bank of Pakistan’s various regulations regarding online fund transfer facilities, disclosing the terms of fund transfer in a clear and simple language to customers, and assigning limits to fund transfer.

President said that the loss of money occurred due to the reason that the banks made EFT operational without the account holders’ request, therefore, the banks committed maladministration and were liable to make good the loss of the customers.

President gave these remarks while rejecting three representations filed by Muslim Commercial Bank (MCB) and one by Allied Bank Ltd (ABL) against the orders of the Banking Mohtasib directing these banks to refund the lost amount to victims of bank fraud.

As per details, Ms Sumera Allahditta, Afzal Abbas Kazmi, Ms Farah Muhammad Khan, and Dr Kanwar Shakeel Ahmed (the complainants) lost Rs 1,558,700, Rs 985,000, Rs 960,000, and Rs 598,000 respectively when these amounts were transferred from their bank accounts without their consent.

President observed that the complainants had not requested their respective banks to open EFT facilities and the banks also did not put in place adequate systems and controls to mitigate the risk of fraudulent activities.

He further stated that the banks were found negligent and in non-compliance with SBP’s rules and regulations on obtaining the consent of customers before opening online fund transfer facilities, informing the customers about the pros and cons of EFT facility in writing in simple language, and transaction limits.

President concluded that the banks were given ample opportunity to controvert the claims of the customers and present evidence that customer consent was obtained.

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President approves appointment of PHC chief justice

August 22, 2023 by Abid Khan

President Alvi approved appointment on PM advice.
CJ PHC appointed under Article 175 A13 of constitution.
Earlier, Musrat Hilali took oath as judge of apex court.

ISLAMABAD: President Dr. Arif Alvi approved the appointment of Justice Muhammad Ibrahim Khan as the Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court(PHC).

The President has approved the appointment on the advice of the Prime Minister under Article 175 A13 of the Constitution.

On July 7, former Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court, Musrat Hilali, took oath as a judge of the Supreme Court, after which Justice Muhammad Ibrahim Khan was appointed as the Acting Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court.

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President can either assent or return a bill to parliament: Ministry of Law

August 20, 2023 by Baseer Ahmed

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Law and Justice on Sunday while expressing grave concern over a tweet of President Dr Arif Alvi regarding Official Secrets Act and Pakistan Army Amendment Bills 2023, clarified that Article 75 of the Constitution provided two options to the president either to give assent or refer the legislation back to parliament … Read more

“No Leniency!” President enhances penalty upon woman harasser

August 18, 2023 by Abid Khan

He said accused himself had also admitted his guilt.
President rejected representation filed by accused.
Dr Arif Alvi said accused deserved no leniency.

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has enhanced the penalty for workplace harassment, imposed upon the Director for Human Resource Management (HRM) in NEPRA, to “dismissal from service”.

He held that sending text messages to a female colleague, asking her to stay in the office beyond office hours with an ulterior motive, making unwanted advances, and intimidating her to face dire consequences in case of her refusal to assent to his unethical demands constituted harassment, and warranted no leniency.

While deciding upon a workplace harassment case, the President in his decision wrote that statements of the complainant, witnesses, CCTV footage, WhatsApp messages, and the email fully established the factum of harassment. He said that the accused himself had also admitted his guilt by implication and his only grievance before the President was regarding the severity of punishment.

He rejected the representation filed by Ahmad Nadeem (the accused), Director HRM in National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) and changed the minor penalty of “withholding two increments” imposed by the Federal Ombudsman for Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace (FOSPAH) to “dismissal from service”.

Earlier, a female Office Assistant (the complainant), had filed workplace harassment in NEPRA alleging that the accused used to call her into his office, discussed personal matters, passed comments on her looks, tried to physically approach her, invited her to have lunch and dinner, and used to send unnecessary and inappropriate text messages.

The President held a personal hearing of the case, at Aiwan-e-Sadr, in which the complainant appeared with her consul whereas the representatives of the accused and NEPRA appeared. The President, after perusal of the record and the statements of the parties, observed that the inquiry conducted by the IHC was quite detailed and supported by evidence.

President noted that when all the incidents narrated in the complaint were put in juxtaposition with the evidence produced by the complainant as well as CCTV footage and WhatsApp conversations, they established the guilt of the accused for the charges of harassment. He said that workplace harassment was a serious matter.

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FIO building confidence in public to get speedy justice: President

August 18, 2023August 17, 2023 by Abid Khan

He said only few percent people knew ombudsman’s role.
Alvi said approaching ombudsman was easy way to get justice.
He said FIO was acting upon concept of providing speedy justice.

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi said the Federal Insurance Ombudsman(FIO) was doing major work in building confidence among the general public to get speedy justice by following easy steps.

The president said only few percent people knew about the ombudsman’s role mainly because of less marketing and awareness campaigns.

He said approaching the ombudsman was the cheapest and most effective way to get speedy justice.

Addressing a Seminar titled ‘Insurance Ombudsman and Concept of Speedy Justice at the Doorstep’ here at Aiwan-e-Sadr, the president said all the five ombudsmen including Federal Insurance Ombudsman, Federal Banking Ombudsman, Federal Tax Ombudsman, Federal Harassment Ombudsman and the Federal Ombudsman were working under his office.

The subject Seminar ‘Insurance Ombudsman and Concept of Speedy Justice at the Doorstep’ is a series of seminars in which the high dignitaries of the insurance sector as well as from the business community were invited for their valuable views and vision for betterment and transparency in the insurance business.

President Alvi said due to his personal efforts, awareness among the people about the role of the Ombudsman had significantly increased. But still, he stressed the need to make more people aware of it.

He also highlighted the role of media in creating awareness about the Ombudsmen’s role and responsibilities adding that the good decisions by the ombudsmen must be publicized in the national print, electronic and social media.

He said ignorance was not an excuse, therefore the people should know about various ways to get justice through alternative means.

The president highlighted that in many cases the decisions remained pending for decades in the mainstream judiciary due to overburden of work and other flaws. Therefore, he called upon the people to utilize this channel which was relatively easy, more quick, and affordable for all.

He said Alternative Dispute Resolution was the solution to reduce the burden on the mainstream judiciary.

He also asked the insurance company owners to offer better products for the public to increase trust and remove doubts among the people about the insurance companies.

Generally, he said the perception of insurance among the general public was not up to the mark which needed to be improved by building trust among them.

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President assures support on PEMRA (Amend) Bill 2023

August 15, 2023 by Abid Khan

President stated this while talking to PFUJ delegation.
He appreciated collective efforts of media community.
Delegation briefed President about various provisions of new bill.

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has assured media workers and the journalist community of his support for the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) Amendment Bill 2023.

The President stated this while talking to a delegation of representatives of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA), Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), and Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AEMEND), who called on him, at Aiwan-e-Sadr.

Talking to the delegation, the President appreciated the collective efforts of the media community for introducing amendments to the PEMRA law, especially to protect the rights of media workers. He said that the linking of government advertisements with the payment of dues to electronic media employees would help address their issues.

The President discussed in detail various aspects of the bill with the visiting delegation, adding that the amendment bill had brought improvements to the existing media law.

President also asked the members of the delegation to volunteer to educate the youth about fake news and disinformation. He highlighted that teenagers were among the most vulnerable populations to the scourge of fake news, and they needed to be educated and sensitized about its implications.

He remarked that the media, especially senior journalists, should enhance linkages with academia and universities to guide and educate students about fake news and the new developments taking place in the field of journalism.

President also urged the need to promote diversity of thought and opinions by promoting dialogue in society and free exchange of ideas. He said that the dynamics of new forms of media, especially social media, should be understood, adding that it was the responsibility of media to educate the people on morality and the use of social media in a responsible and constructive manner.

The delegation briefed the President about various provisions of the new bill that would benefit the journalist community as well as media employees.

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Pakistan will become prosperous, developed country soon: President

August 14, 2023 by Abid Khan

Addressing flag-hoisting ceremony on Independence Day.
He said Quid-i-Azam always discouraged nepotism.
He said currently 27 million children were out of school.

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi said Pakistan could be put on the path of development and prosperity by promoting the rule of law, democracy, provision of basic human rights, eradication of social injustices and poverty.

Addressing a flag-hoisting ceremony held here in connection with the 76th independence day of Pakistan, the president expressed the hope that Pakistan would soon become a prosperous and developed country by following all the basic rules and guidance given by the founder of Pakistan Quid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

He said Quid-i-Azam always discouraged nepotism and voiced for the promotion of merit, unity, socio-economic justice, and poverty alleviation.

He said Pakistan got independence in 1947 because of the long struggle of Quid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and other founding leaders, and the sacrifices of hundreds of thousands of people.

He said the country’s armed forces, police and the public were still sacrificing their lives for the country’s security as over 100,000 people had rendered their lives in the war against terrorism.

He said the aim of Pakistan’s independence was the establishment of an independent state for the Muslims of the subcontinent to live their lives according to Islamic principles.

The president paid the heartiest tributes to the founders of Pakistan who struggled for independence of Pakistan and the hundreds of thousands of people who embraced martyrdom for Pakistan.

President Alvi stressed the elite of the country to take responsibility for poverty alleviation and promotion of education and health, which he said were inter-connected with each other.

He said currently 27 million children were out of school across the country and needed to enrol in schools.

He stressed that every child should be enrolled in school which could only be possible through resources.

He quoted Allama Iqbal as saying that without women’s participation; no nation could develop and prosper. Therefore, he called upon the women folk of the country to work for the development of the country by actively participating in all areas.

The president also expressed solidarity with the people of occupied Kashmir. He hoped that by the will of God, soon Kashmir would become part of Pakistan.

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President Alvi approves 180-day remission for prisoners

August 12, 2023 by Abid Khan

Reduction of sentences will be applied to life imprisonment offenders.
Remission of sentences will not apply to prisoners involved in murder.
He approved reduction of sentences under Article 45 of Constitution.

ISLAMABAD: President Dr. Arif Alvi has approved a 180-day remission in the sentences of prisoners on the occasion of Pakistan’s 76th Independence Day.

Reduction of sentences will be applied to life imprisonment offenders.

The commutation of sentences will not apply to prisoners involved in murder, spying, and anti-state activities.

Remission of sentences will not apply to criminals convicted of adultery, theft, robbery, kidnapping, and terrorism.

Criminals committing financial crimes and causing damage to the national exchequer will also not be able to benefit from the reduced sentences.

The reduction in sentence will apply to male prisoners who are above 65 years of age and have served one-third of their sentence.

Remission of sentence will also apply to women prisoners above 60 years of age who have served one-third of their imprisonment.

Persons under 18 years of age who have served one-third of their sentence will also be subject to a reduced sentence.

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President urges civil servants to improve service-delivery

August 11, 2023 by Abid Khan

He also underscored need to take timely and faster decisions.
President Alvi said a civil servant must interact with public.
He distributed certificates among successful graduates of SMC.

LAHORE: President Dr Arif Alvi has urged civil servants to work with dedication and commitment to improve service delivery and ensure good governance in the country.

He also underscored the need to take timely and faster decisions to keep pace with the rest of the world.

Addressing the successful graduates of the 118th Senior Management Course (SMC) and 33rd National Management Course (NMC) at the National School of Public Policy, he said that Islam was a community-based religion and it emphasized serving the poor and showing utmost compassion to them.

“A civil servant must interact with the public and be easily accessible to them in order to address their problems. This principle has been practised by great caliphs of Islam”, Dr Alvi said, adding that the welfare of the community should be the first priority of a civil servant.

He further said that brilliant civil servants were an antidote to the state’s ills and that people with the right attitude could change the world around them. He remarked that the country needed such people more than before as the country was faced with multiple challenges.

Dr Alvi urged the civil servants to follow in the footsteps of the former great civil servants and become a source of resistance against hypocrisy and corruption, besides ensuring good governance.

The President said that keeping pace with modern knowledge was also vital to national progress and the bureaucracy must play its role in steering the country out of its problems and put it on the path to progress.

Highlighting the role of training institutions like NSPP and NDU, the President said that these institutions could better train civil servants and equip them with relevant skills to address the administrative and governance issues.

Earlier, Director NSPP, Dr Ijaz Munir welcomed President Dr Arif Alvi and thanked his constant patronage of the institution. Throwing light on salient features of the high-profile training institution, he said NSPP did not confine itself to academics but also provided training on practical strategy and policy formulation.

The Director NSPP further said that scholarships were also being awarded to the toppers of the SMC and NMC training and they were being sent to Harvard University.

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President stresses youth to benefit from technology advancement

August 8, 2023 by Abid Khan

ICMA launched Digital Academy in partnership with TFG.
Alvi highlighted importance of ICMA Digital Academy’s plans.
He said ICMA has been active in developing professionals.

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has stressed the youth to benefit from the technology advancement and offer their services globally to increase technology exports of the country.

“We have a youth bulge in our country and that youth bulge must be linked intellectually with the rest of the world. If it is not done, we will miss a great opportunity available to our country,” President Alvi said in his video message to a virtual inauguration of the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants (ICMA) Digital Academy.

ICMA launched the Digital Academy in partnership with the London-based The FinTech Group (TFG).

ICMA Digital Academy is incorporated in the UK with a mission to develop the job-ready workforce of the future in Pakistan with globally in-demand digital skills.

President highlighted the importance of the ICMA Digital Academy’s plans to help the youth bulge in the country offer their services globally. He reminded the audience that young adults are very keen on learning new technologies and on interacting with global customers in a professional manner.

He described the strategic shift taking place around us in terms of the new jobs of the future and the way many of these services will be rendered in future. Pointing to the increased acceptability of remote work in many of the jobs of the future, the President indicated that this provides a tremendous opportunity to the talented young adults of Pakistan to interact virtually with the users of their services without any geographical limitations

He reminded the country about the speed of change taking place around the world and the need for Pakistan to get on the train faster. In this context, he congratulated ICMA for its timely launch of the ICMA Digital Academy.

President Alvi said that ICMA has been active in developing professionals in management accounting to serve the needs of the country for a very long time. But in tomorrow’s world it will be possible for accountants to expand their reach well beyond Pakistan and start serving the needs of users globally, thereby increasing the country’s digital exports and enhancing economic prosperity.

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President emphasises Muslim world cooperation in S&T

August 2, 2023 by Abid Khan

President met with management committee of COMSTECH.
Ambassador of Kazakhstan also attended meeting.
The committee members briefed president.

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi stressed the need for enhancing cooperation among the Muslim countries in the fields of science and technology as well as innovations.

The president said this while talking to a delegation of the management committee of the COMSTECH Nobel Festival.

The Ambassador of Kazakhstan in Islamabad Yerzhan Kistafin also attended the meeting.

The committee members briefed the president about the objectives of the Nobel Festival aimed at ensuring access of everyone to education and science.

The Festival is participated by Nobel laureates, scientists and representatives of international organisations.

The ambassador of Kazakhstan said that his country gave special importance to educational cooperation with Pakistan. The establishment of direct aerial linkage between the two countries was welcoming, he added.

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Govt taking measures to facilitate special persons: President

July 23, 2023July 22, 2023 by Abid Khan

He said in Pakistan 10 to 12 persons were disabled.
Dr Alvi said legislation had been enacted at federal.
He said disabled persons needed certificate.

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi said the government was taking measures to make persons with disabilities productive citizens of the society.

In a video message for special persons with disabilities, he said in Pakistan 10 to 12 persons were disabled who needed to be facilitated by society.

He said those with physical deficiencies and those who could not see, hear and speak should be given admission in regular schools where they could not be denied admission legally.

He said legislation had been enacted at the federal and provincial levels to provide special persons job opportunities in public and private sectors so that these people could become self-sufficient and take benefit from their skills.

He said National Vocational and Technical Training Commission and Technical and Vocational Training Authority were arranging for training of persons with disabilities in 140 fields so that they could improve their skills and get suitable jobs.

It should be determined that the persons with disabilities could get what kind of jobs in different institutions and companies so that they could get be facilitated in finding employment.

He said these special persons were also getting free education in universities, medical facilities and relaxation in fares for travelling.

The disabled persons needed certificate and identity card from the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to avail these facilities, he said adding NADRA was issuing a certificate to youth aged 9 to 18, in which his disability was mentioned.

The President said the certificate from NADRA would help special persons in getting jobs, loans from banks and facilities available in the public sector.

He appealed to the business community to follow the law and provide job opportunities to people with disabilities.

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Imam Hussain’s sacrifice reminder about fighting oppression: President

July 19, 2023 by Abid Khan

He said new Islamic year is reminder strength of nation.
President emphasized need for mainstreaming all segments.
He said Muharram as first month of the Islamic calendar.

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has said that the invaluable sacrifice of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) is an immortal reminder about challenging the oppression and injustice, and standing firm to uphold truth.

He said the new Islamic year is a reminder that the strength of the nation lies in unity and harmony.

“With a united approach, we can overcome any challenge and make the future of our coming generations bright,” he said, in his message to the nation on the advent of new Islamic year 1445 Hijrah.

President Alvi emphasized the need for mainstreaming all segments of society and providing them a level-playing field.

The president said new Islamic year has a great significance for the Muslims all over the world and reminds of the immense sacrifices rendered by their forefathers.

“On this day, we make a pledge to follow the life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) and implement these in our lives,” he said.

He said compassion, justice, unity and kindness are the ethos of Islamic culture and are important to promote harmony and prosperity in the society.

The president said Muharram as the first month of the Islamic calendar guides a Muslim to refresh his spiritual journey of life.

He said it relates to the month when Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his companions sacrificed their lives in the battle of Karbala.

Against oppression, the historic event of Karbala is an example of undeterred courage, sacrifice and steadfastness, he added.

The president said Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his small army of followers fought against the injustice and sacrificed their lives to uphold the sanctity of truth.

Dr Alvi prayed that may Allah Almighty make the new Islamic year a source of His blessings for Pakistan, the nation, Islamic community and the entire world.

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President extends posting tenure of three Peshawar High Court judges

July 15, 2023 by Baseer Ahmed

President Dr Arif Alvi has extended the tenure of posting of three additional judges of Peshawar High Court by six months. The President approved the extension in the period of Justices Fazal Subhan, Shahid Khan and Dr Khurshid Iqbal on the advice of the Prime Minister. The extension in the posting will be with effect … Read more

Arif Alvi calls for prevention, early diagnosis of diseases

July 13, 2023 by Abid Khan

Speaking virtually at awareness programme.
Pakistan should give priority to health and education.
He said awareness was vital to prepare people against diseases.

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi called for prevention and early diagnosis of diseases like breast cancer and water borne ailments to give people a chance to live longer healthy lives.

Speaking virtually at an awareness programme arranged by Siemens Healthineers, he underlined the need for improvements in the health and education sectors of Pakistan.

Despite the limited resources a developing country like Pakistan should give priority to health and education of the people, he stressed.

He said preventive measures and widespread awareness was vital to prepare people against the onslaught of life threatening diseases.

He said Pakistan had an experience of effectively and successfully tackling Covid 19 as compared to the neighboring country where the death rate was higher.

Spreading of awareness among people was critical to keep Covid under control, he said adding people followed the advice of the government to wear masks, keep distance and take preventive measures helping the country eventually overcome the challenge.

The President urged people to ensure cleanliness to stop the spread of communicable diseases.

Religious scholars could play an important role by teaching the significance of hygiene during their sermons in mosques, he continued.

He appreciated the efforts of Begum Samina Alvi in raising awareness about the threats posted by breast cancer to the health of women.

While citing reasons for late diagnosis of breast cancer among women in Pakistan, he said women were hesitant to share information about any unusual signs which was the cause of delay in screening for breast cancer.

He said those who go for early screening their chance of survival from breast cancer was 99 percent and women should undergo screening when they feel a lump in their chests.

He pointed to the brain drain in Pakistan saying a large percentage of women who get higher education either prefer to stay at home or leave for better opportunities abroad which resulted in lack of availability of professionals in different fields.

He said it was alarming that 10 percent population in Pakistan was suffering from hepatitis, adding due to contribution of Bill and Malinda Gates Foundation, Pakistan had almost eliminated polio however, few cases were reported along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

He mentioned that rapid progress in artificial intelligence and other technology tools was making early diagnosis possible for a number of diseases.

He also underscored the need for improved infrastructure for treatment of mental ailments, adding Pakistan had a low number of psychiatrists and psychologists and there should be more focus on providing treatment to people through online services.

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President for expanding ties with Iran and Philippines

July 13, 2023 by Abid Khan

President made these remarks during meeting with Ambassadors.
He called for further expanding economic ties with Iran.
Arif Alvi felicitated envoys on their appointments.

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has said that Pakistan wants to expand bilateral ties with the Philippines, Iran, and Rwanda in the fields of trade, economy, investment, culture, and people-to-people contacts.

The President made these remarks while talking to the Ambassadors-designates of the Republic of the Philippines and the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the non-resident High-Commissioner-designate of the Republic of Rwanda, who presented their diplomatic credentials to the President and made separate calls on him, at Aiwan-e-Sadr.

Talking to the Ambassador-designate of the Philippines, Ms Maria Agnes M. Cervantes, the President said that Pakistan was keen to expand bilateral relations with the Philippines across all areas of cooperation and expressed the need to explore new avenues of cooperation to further diversify bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

Speaking to the Iranian Ambassador-designate to Pakistan, Dr Reza Amiri Moghaddam, the President highlighted the need to promote economic engagement and mutually beneficial economic exchanges between the two countries through the established institutional mechanisms and private-sector collaborations.

He called for further expanding economic ties by strengthening the existing institutional mechanisms, besides making the Border Sustenance Marketplaces functional.

Talking to the High Commissioner-designate of Rwanda to Pakistan, Mr James Kimonyo, the President emphasized the need to further strengthen trade and economic relations, adding that the business communities of the two countries needed to exchange visits to boost bilateral trade.

He remarked that Rwandan businessmen should explore the Pakistani market, especially for the import of rice, textile products, pharmaceuticals, surgical instruments, and sports goods.

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Pakistan offers valuable window to Gandhara civilization: President

July 11, 2023July 11, 2023 by Abid Khan

It’s time to rediscover the role of cultural diplomacy.
He said Buddha’s quest rekindles spirit of inner reflection.
President welcomed Buddhist monks in the country.

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi said Pakistan offered the world a valuable window to Gandhara civilization with its unique blend of ancient history, and the Buddha’s message of peace and compassion.

“In today’s world where hatred is on the rise and increasing polarization is fueling conflicts, it’s time to rediscover the role of cultural diplomacy to promote dialogue among civilizations,” he said in his address here at the three-day Gandhara Symposium 2023.

The symposium titled ‘Cultural Diplomacy: Reviving Gandhara Civilization and Buddhist Heritage in Pakistan’ was organized by Prime Minister’s Task Force on Gandhara Tourism, Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), and the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The event gathered monks and inter-faith experts from Sri Lanka, Nepal, Thailand, China, Malaysia, South Korea and Vietnam with an objective to explore Pakistan’s rich Buddhist legacy and create an enabling environment for Gandhara tourism.

President Alvi said Buddha’s quest rekindles the spirit of inner reflection with a precept to abstain from taking lives of the living beings and caring for the environment.

He highlighted that the Gandhara civilization, which thrived in Pakistan centuries ago, could serve as an informative place for the visitors from across the globe to explore exquisite Buddhist sites.

He urged collaborative efforts to raise awareness about the inclusive and multicultural nature of Gandhara civilization and help the society to absorb diversity of cultures.

The president welcomed the Buddhist monks in the country, hoping that their presence would relay a message of peace and cross-cultural harmony.

Minister of State, Chairman of the PM Task Force on Gandhara Tourism Ramesh Kumar Vankwani said the Gandhara civilization continues to mesmerize from all over the world and emphasized the need to preserve and revive the historic Buddhist relics.

He said cultural diplomacy helped foster understanding and tradition among civilizations and expressed confidence that the symposium would act as an effective platform in promoting Pakistan’s heritage.

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President for accelerated efforts to provide jobs to PWDs

July 7, 2023July 7, 2023 by Abid Khan

He expressed these views while chairing meeting.
Dr Alvi also called for making disability certificates accessible.
He said there is need for highlighting success stories of DAPs.

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has urged the need to accelerate efforts for the job placement of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the public and private sectors to empower them financially.

He said that the suitability of PWDs for different jobs in the market should be determined as per international standards, and they should be facilitated in finding jobs for their financial empowerment.

The President expressed these views while chairing a meeting regarding the framework for the classification and severity of disability, at Aiwan-e-Sadr.

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that prospective employers for the job placement of skilled Differently-Abled People (DAPs) should be identified and, in the first phase, large employers in the private sector should be approached to accommodate DAPs as per their skill set. He said that the representation of PWDs in the business and industrial sectors should be increased to make them productive citizens of the country.

The President emphasized the need for adopting the framework for the classification of disabilities, developed in line with international standards and best practices, at the national and provincial levels. He added that the framework would help determine the severity of disability as well as the suitability of PWDs for jobs in the market.

He also called for making the disability certificates accessible and readable to the general public by translating them into Urdu.

He urged the concerned stakeholders to improve their coordination with the provinces for the adoption of a uniform classification framework and disability certificate throughout the country that would greatly facilitate PWDs.

The President underscored the need for highlighting the success stories of DAPs in the media so as to encourage and motivate PWDs to make similar achievements.

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PTI decides to file petition in SC against postponing polls in Punjab

March 23, 2023 by Abid Khan

Barrister Ali Zafar will file a petition in the SC tomorrow.
A contempt of court plea will also be filed against Governor KP.
Fawad Chaudhry said PTI will hold a power show on March 25.

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) has decided to file a petition against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for postponing elections in Punjab.

Addressing a press conference, senior PTI leaders Fawad Chaudhry and Asad Umar said Barrister Ali Zafar will file a plea in the Supreme Court (SC) tomorrow. They said President Dr. Arif Alvi had already announced the elections scheduled in Punjab on April 30 and added that ECP could not postpone polls.

They said a contempt of court petition will also be filed against Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for not announcing the elections schedule in the province. They said 96 bars of Pakistan strongly condemned the postponement of elections in Punjab.

Fawad Chaudhry said the crackdown against PTI workers and supporters has continued across the country while 753 PTI workers have been arrested so far. He said the arrest of PTI workers and supporters was contempt of high court orders.

He said the judiciary is under extreme pressure in Pakistan after criticisms from PML-N leadership. He hoped that supermen court judges will provide justice and millions of people attached expectations to the apex court.

He welcomed the formation of a commission to probe alleged murder attack allegations on behalf of Imran Khan by the Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi and said PTI will present reservations to the commission.

Former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry said PTI will hold a power show on March 25 at Minar e Pakistan Lahore which will prove referendum.

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President for increasing cooperation among the universities

March 22, 2023 by Abid Khan

President said while talking to DG ICESCO Dr Salim M. Al Malik.
He urged the universities of Islamic world to enhance collaboration.
Dr.Arif Alvi highlighted the need for focusing on cyber security.

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has underscored the need for increasing cooperation among the universities of Islamic countries to promote research, and support cultural and educational institutions.

He urged the universities of Islamic world to enhance collaboration in the areas of water resource management, environment related issues, science and technology and artificial intelligence to make fast decisions and accelerate the process of development.

The President made these remarks while talking to the Director General, Islamic Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), Dr Salim M. Al Malik, who along with the members of his delegation, called on President, at Aiwan-e-Sadr.

The meeting was attended by the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia, Nawaf bin Saeed Ahmad Al-Malkiy, Chairman Higher Education Commission, Prof. Dr Mukhtar Ahmed, and Secretary to the President, Mr. Waqar Ahmed.

Earlier, the President conferred the honorary degree of Ph.D. by the Quaid-e-Azam University on Dr Salim M. Al Malik in recognition of his services for promoting cooperation among Islamic countries in the fields of education and research.

Speaking on the occasion, the President highlighted the need for focusing on cyber security and artificial intelligence by the Islamic World to meet the challenges of the 21st century. He said that the universities needed to develop human resources to speed up the pace of social and economic progress. He also emphasized the need for promoting online education, which was cost effective and accessible to students.

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President reconstitutes National Economic Council

March 22, 2023 by Sarah Siraj

President approves reconstitution of National Economic Council Due to the caretaker setup of the provincial governments President gave approval on advice of the prime minister President Dr Arif Alvi has approved the reconstitution of the National Economic Council, the President House said Wednesday. The reconstitution is being carried out due to the caretaker setup of … Read more

President urges varsities to produce more IT graduates

March 21, 2023 by Abid Khan

He said while chairing 1st meeting of Senate of AWCI.
Arif Alvi said that Pakistan must invest in IT sector.
He said that Pakistan only produced 35,000 graduates in IT.

KARACHI: President Dr Arif Alvi has urged the universities to further improve the standard of education and training to produce high-quality and skilled graduates, especially in the field of IT.

He added that Information Technology and Emerging Technologies had great scope and potential, and universities needed to produce more graduates in these fields by utilizing online and hybrid modes of learning.

The President expressed these views while chairing the 1st meeting of the Senate of Pakistan Air Force Air War College Institute (AWCI), Karachi.

Addressing the meeting, the President urged the need to make faster decisions to keep pace with the latest trends and developments in the world. He said that Pakistan must invest in the intellectual development of its human resources which was vital for its socio-economic development.

He said that Pakistan must bring 22 million out-of-school children to schools, besides improving the enrolment rate in higher educational institutions. He said that in Pakistan, only 9% of the students went to universities after F.Sc whereas, in India and Bangladesh the enrolment rate was between 20-25%.

The President said that Pakistan only produced 35,000 graduates in IT and related fields every year which was not adequate to meet the needs of the market. He added that Pakistan must improve the number of graduates in IT and related disciplines to keep pace with the rest of the world.

He also urged the universities to utilize their physical infrastructure efficiently and introduce multiple shifts in universities, besides increasing the quantum of online education to increase the number of students in universities.

The President highlighted that 52% of cyber security experts in the world had no degrees and they equipped themselves with skills through online education. He said that Pakistan had introduced an online programme, digiskills, for youth’s skill development in the field of IT, which was a great success as over 2.5 million people had benefitted from this programme so far.

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President urges Pakistani students to learn artificial intelligence

March 18, 2023 by Abid Khan

He said that there was ample space in the field of IT.
Dr Arif Alvi said He underscored the need to prioritise our decisions.
He applauded the efforts of government for fighting COVID-19 smartly.

KARACHI: President Dr. Arif Alvi has urged Pakistani students to learn and apply Artificial Intelligence (AI) in order to compete in the modern IT industrial era.

He said that there was ample space in the field of IT that can be filled up by Pakistani youth to contribute to the economic prosperity of the country.

The President expressed these views while addressing the conference” titled Traditional & Non Traditional Security Imperatives for Pakistan, at the University of Karachi.

The Vice Chancellor of Karachi University Dr. Khalid Iraqi, the executive Director CISSS Ambassador Qazi Khaliullah and the Chairperson International Relations Department Karachi University Dr. Shaista Tabasum, the teachers and students were also present in large numbers on the occasion.

President Dr Arif Alvi stated that to establish a healthy and balanced society, people should have basic education and health facilities.

He underscored the need to prioritise our decisions while making decisions in daily life or policy making, we must keep social and societal needs, problems, and attitudes in mind.

The President said that there were 9 million births in Pakistan each year, 50% of which are unintentional. Through proper planning, information, and provision of facilities, not only can the growing population be controlled, but it is also possible to solve the health problems of women they suffer during pregnancy.

He stated that the natural resources alone are not sufficient for a country’s prosperity, but natural resources along with intellectual resources are important to utilize them efficiently. Nature has blessed us as a nation with enormous abilities, but that due to a lack of proper utilisation of these resources and abilities, we have fallen behind our neighbouring countries in the race for development in every field of life, he further added.

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President rejects speculations about delay in polls

March 14, 2023 by Abid Khan

He also emphasised the need for upholding the Constitution of Pakistan,
President expressed these views while talking to a delegation of CPNE.
President said that he had been playing his role to reduce differences.

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has said that there would be no delay in elections and he strongly believes that elections would be held on time.

He added that timely elections would pave the way for improving the political and economic situation of the country. He also emphasised the need for upholding the Constitution of Pakistan as our history had proven that delay in elections had caused harm to democracy.

The President expressed these views while talking to a delegation of the Council of Pakistan Newspapers’ Editors (CPNE), led by its President Kazam Khan, at Aiwan-e-Sadr.

Referring to his meeting with the Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Haji Ghulam Ali, the President said that Governor KP was a democratic person and he had encouraged him to appoint a date for elections in accordance with the Constitution and the order of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The President said that he had been playing his constitutional role and his decisions had also been affirmed by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Talking to the delegation, the President said that he had been playing his role to reduce differences and promote reconciliation among the political parties. He stated that he was willing to meet any person or political party for the sake of the country. He remarked that he had also asked PTI leadership to negotiate with other political parties. He also mentioned that he had good working relations with the government.

While talking about the prevailing economic situation of the country, the President said that he was of the firm opinion that Pakistan would not default, adding that better and effective financial management could help overcome the economic difficulties faced by the country.

The President said that he was against corruption as Pakistan had badly been damaged by it, and therefore, he returned the NAB Amendment Bill to the Parliament. He regretted that delayed decision-making, violation of merit, nepotism and corruption had caused immense damage to Pakistan.

The President urged the media to educate the people by providing truthful and responsible analysis and opinions. He stated that despite the rise of new media, print media was still playing a vital role in shaping people’s opinions and informing them about important issues.

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Imran congratulates Chinese President Xi Jinping on re-election

March 12, 2023 by Kumail Soomro

Imran Khan congratulated Xi Jinping on re-election as President of China PM Shehbaz Sharif and President Arif Alvi also felicitated as Chinese President Xi Jinping secured a historic third term as China’s President Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has congratulated Chinese President XI Jinping on securing a third term. “Heartiest … Read more

President for enhanced focus of dentists on prevention

March 10, 2023 by Abid Khan

President said during inaugural ceremony of Int’l Oral Pathology.
Arif Alvi said said preventive healthcare was more important.
He also inaugurated the first oral cancer registry.

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi said that as curative dentistry had more financial implications, particularly for a developing country like Pakistan, dentists should think out of the box to promote preventive dentistry through public awareness of oral hygiene.

The president, addressing the inaugural ceremony of the International Oral Pathology and Aesthetic Dentistry Conference held here, said preventive healthcare was more important as tertiary care was costlier and unaffordable for Pakistan.

Urging the participants comprising oral pathologists, dentists, professors and students, he said that regular brushing of teeth provided almost 99% of prevention from oral diseases. He said Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) also taught the frequent use of Miswak as had been evident from around 20 Ahadith.

The president, also a renowned dentist, shared the success stories of his career in dentistry which marked massive awareness campaigns on oral health which created a win-win situation for both the private partners as well as the field of dentistry.

Highlighting the importance of dentistry, he urged dentists to establish their collaboration with the people to promote oral hygiene and recalled the successful oral hygiene campaign run during the COVID-19 pandemic in collaboration with all the relevant stakeholders.

He said the professional dentists needed to reorient their approach as the quantum of preventive healthcare in their education was not as required. They should broaden their narrow focus to help people achieve prevention against oral diseases, he added.

He said the professionals would have to change their paradigm for the maximum benefit of the people to pay back the huge financing made by the country on their higher education.

The president, who earlier also inaugurated the first oral cancer registry, said after oral hygiene, the focus should on the prevention of oral cancer. He advised against the use and sale of betel and other relevant addictive items leading to oral cancer.

The event marked the start of the 2nd International Conference on Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology. The Conference is a collaborative event that also includes First International Dental Laser Conference.

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