ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin on Tuesday chaired the meeting to review progress on a draft of Pakistan Oil Refining Policy 2021.
The meeting was attended by the power minister, SAPM on Power Tabish Gohar, secretary finance, secretary petroleum, DG Oil and representatives of oil refineries.
The finance minister informed the meeting that Prime Minister Imran Khan is very keen on progress in all sectors of the economy for sustainable growth.
Oil refineries in Pakistan are a pillar of the energy security of the country and now the government wants the domestic oil refineries to upgrade themselves at par with international standards, he added.
“Modernization, efficiency, and environment-friendliness should be common characteristics of all oil refineries in Pakistan,” the finance minister added.
The representatives of oil refineries thanked the government for their support to the oil refinery industry.
The entire oil refinery sector is ready to upgrade itself to international standards and a complete framework is ready in this regard, the delegation assured the finance minister.
Tarin directed the participants to work jointly to overcome all the hurdles in the formulation of the new Oil Refining Policy 2021 so that same may come into effect at the earliest.
KARACHI: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has decided to increase the time period between domestic flights to reduce the influx of passengers in the departure lounges at the country’s airports, ARY News reported on Tuesday.
The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) observed serious violations in the implementation of COVID-related standard operating procedures (SOPs) at the country’s airports. The centre had directed the aviation authority to immediately address the issue.
The CAA has been directed not to operate more than two flights at one time and asked to allow the operation of four to five flights during the time period of two hours.
The Airports Security Force (ASF) and airport managers (APMs) were asked to ensure compliance of COVID-19 SOPs besides allowing only one greeter for attending one passenger in the concourse hall.
Following the NCOC directives, the aviation authority decided to operate each domestic flight with a gap of 45 minutes.
Moreover, the airport administration in Karachi asked Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and private airlines to submit a revised schedule by June 28.
Earlier in March, CAA had formed a task force to strictly enforce the coronavirus-related standard operating procedure (SOPs) at the airports in line with the directions of NCOC.
The CAA had said in a communiqué, “For the safety of everyone involved, all staff of the airlines, government functionaries, GHAs, contractors, concessions are required to strictly observe the SOPs regarding the COVID-19, including wearing of masks, social distancing, avoiding physical contact and use of the hand sanitisers.”
Action will be taken against those flouting Covid-19 SOPs at the airports under Section 144 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), read the statement.
It had also been announced that officials and staffers working on airports without adhering to Covid SOPs laid out by the National Command Operation Centre (NCOC) will be fined in order to curb infection spread.
DEVON: In a shocking incident, a mugger looted an 87-year-old disabled woman after breaking into her sheltered accommodation in Devon, England.
CCTV footage captured the chilling moment a thief crept into the room of an elderly and disabled pensioner on 20th of May. Dean Lennox, 40, woke her after breaking into her room.
In the video, the mugger can be seen searching the victim’s bedroom using his mobile phone as a torch. The elderly woman is seen staring at him, but unable to react.
He stole three rings, £90 cash, and even her late husband’s wallet and a bus pass, which she had kept for sentimental reasons, and managed to flee from the scene.
The disabled woman broke down in tears when police arrived.
But Lennox’s criminal antics were recorded through motion-activated cameras installed in the elderly woman’s flat by her loved-ones.
He was arrested by police within hours after selling his haul to a local jewellers for £45 – giving them his name and address in the process, Mail Online reported.
Within nine hours of the offence being committed, police had the suspect in custody and had recovered the stolen jewellery.
During the initial investigation, Lennox admitted a charge of burglary and was sentenced to three years and four months in prison at Exeter Crown Court on June 21.
LAHORE: Punjab Assembly Speaker and PML-Q Punjab President Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi met with former president and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari at the latter’s Bilawal House residence in Lahore, ARY News reported on Tuesday.
Matters pertaining to the country’s overall political situation and issues of Punjab were discussed in the meeting which lasted for an hour at Bilawal House.
Pervaiz Elahi inquired about the health of Asif Ali Zardari.
سابق صدر آصف علی زرداری اور اسپیکر پنجاب اسمبلی چوہدری پرویز الہی کے درمیان ملاقات میں آزاد عدلیہ اور اس کے احترام کے معاملے پر اتفاق کا اظہار@AAliZardaripic.twitter.com/3myFCG0RNv
The former president also inquired after the health of PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain. The two leaders also discussed matters pertaining to independent judiciary and democracy.
PML-Q leader thanked Asif Zardari for his support during the Senate elections held in March 2021.
Earlier, it was learnt that several political heavyweights will join the PPP during the Lahore visit of the party’s Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari.
According to sources, several political heavyweights will meet Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari during his stay in Lahore.
Former Punjab Governor Zulfiqar Khan Khosa is also likely to meet Zardari with strong hints about his joining the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), sources said.
Zardari is expected to stay few more days in Lahore.
KARACHI: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) supremo Maulana Fazlur Rehman will arrive in Karachi today to pay a three-day visit, ARY News reported on Tuesday.
The central spokesperson of JUI-F, Aslam Ghauri announced that Maulana Fazlur Rehman will arrive in Karachi today. He detailed that the JUI-F chief will address the workers’ convention in Karachi on June 24, as well as attend the meet the press program at Karachi Press Club (KPC).
During the upcoming visit, Maulana Fazlur Rehman will hold meetings with different political personalities.
On June 20, JUI-F chief and Pakistan Democratic Movement head Maulana Fazlur Rehman had announced that PDM will hold a rally in Karachi on July 29.
While addressing a press conference in Peshawar, the JUI-F chief had said that PDM will hold a “massive” public gathering in Karachi on July 29.
He had also announced that a public rally would be held in Swat against the government on July 4. The JUI-F chief also criticised the federal budget presented by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government. The federation created rumpus in the National Assembly (NA) to hide its lies about the budget 2021-22, he added.
A Protected geographical indication (PGI) is part of the European Union (EU) awarded exclusive rights and tags under the geographical indications quality scheme system on food, agricultural products and wines’ imports into the European markets.
Having this PGI tag means that the name of that product has a particular quality, reputation or any characteristic that is essentially attributable to its geographical origin and thus it cannot be imitated by any product grown or prepared in any other part of the world.
Basmati rice has a traditional culinary history in the Indo-Pak region not only limited to its long and aromatic grain but it being featured in classic Indian folklores as well, making this region the sole rightful candidate for the GI.
Its use is extensive in the forms of biryani to pilau – dishes whose principal ingredient is rice and for which the basmati variant of rice is most preferred, across Pakistan and India’s shared culinary landscape.
Basmati Rice is a household name in what was once the Indian subcontinent and now split among three sovereign countries, and now it is the centre of the latest tussle between the bitter rivals as well.
Since India applied for an exclusive trademark seeking sole ownership of the basmati title and all the intellectual rights in the EU, Pakistan didn’t flinch in disputing this claim setting off a controversy that has so far seemingly fared in favor of Pakistan as the two neighbouring countries have now come to grips with the fact that a joint recognition of basmati branding rights may be the only way forward.
ISLAMABAD: The Government of Pakistan has decided to approach the management of United States TV HBO Axios for editing part of PM Imran Khan’s interview in which he had talked about sexual abuse, ARY News reported on Tuesday.
According to details, HBO edited PM Imran’s interview – especially a part of his interview in which he voiced his thoughts on the rising sexual violence in the country.
The prime minister’s statement about the situation in India caused by Hindutva was also censored by Axios on HBO.
Prime Minister Office (PMO) yesterday released its own footage of PM Imran’s full interview in which the prime minister gave a detailed narrative and solutions to tackle the rising sexual violence.
“ہمیں بحیثیت معاشرہ جنسی جرائم کی حوصلہ شکنی کرنا ہو گی،”
— Prime Minister’s Office, Pakistan (@PakPMO) June 21, 2021
In an interview with a US TV HBO Axios, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan had said Pakistan would not allow the United States (US) to use its bases for cross-border military actions after American forces’ withdrawal from Afghanistan.
When asked if Islamabad would allow the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to conduct cross-border counter-terrorism missions in Afghanistan, he replied: “Absolutely not.”
He had said that more than 70,000 Pakistanis were martyred during the war against terror after 9/11 attacks. “Islamabad is not interested to become part of any other conflict.”
MOSCOW: In a horrific incident, a wild brown bear attacked a tourist group and killed a 16-year-old boy at Ergaki national park in Russia.
According to the details, a holiday group went to the nation park for a wildlife tour. The boy was working as a “sherpa” for the group when he was attacked and killed at around 11 am on Monday.
WARNING: This footage contains graphic images that some viewers may find upsetting.
After he did not return for a while, the tourists started searching for him. The two men were confronted by the bear nine hours later when they left their tents to check for him.
The beast half ate the teenager when they reached there. Meanwhile, the bear attacked on them and one of the tourists stabbed the bear with his pocket knife while his companion fled back to camp where they raised the alarm. The tourist suffered scratches, cuts and bruises from his fight with the bear.
Inspectors at Ergaki National Park in the Sayan Mountains rushed to the scene where they found the bear lying on the devoured remains of the teenager some 500 yards from the tourist camp.
They shot and wounded the wild bear, which then fled. Early next morning they tracked and killed beast, Mail Online reported.
‘After hours of tracking, the man-eating bear was killed by the park staff,’ said a statement from the national park.
KARACHI: A Pakistani expert has introduced three varieties of sugar-free mangoes ideal for diabetics with having 4 to 6 per cent sugar level, ARY News reported.
Three new varieties of sugar-free mangoes have been introduced in Pakistani markets after a scientific modification by a mango expert at a private agriculture farm in Sindh’s Tando Allahyar.
In local markets, the varieties of sugar-free mangoes are available by the names of Sonaro, Glenn, Keitt.
The varieties of sugar-free mangoes have ended the concerns for people with diabetes as most of the calories in the ‘King of Fruits’ come from sugar. The sugar-free mangoes were introduced by M H Panhwar Farms after the research and scientific modification that took a period of around five years.
While talking to ARY News programme Bakhabar Savera, M H Panhwar’s nephew and a mango expert Ghulam Sarwar told that his elder uncle, M H Panhwar was best known for his work on organic farming and he produced a wide range of research articles and manuals on fruits and others.”
“The Government of Pakistan had conferred Sitara-e-Imtiaz on Mr Panhwar for his research related to fruits including mangoes and banana. After his death, I continued his work and carried out modification after importing different genres of mangoes [from foreign countries] to test its growth in this atmosphere and soil.”
“This project is being run on a personal basis and we are not taking any assistance from the government departments. I just want to introduce these varieties on the national and international level. We think about national interests but not [using this project] for gaining profits for us.”
“There are 44 mango qualitative varieties are available on our 300-acre farm including late, mid and early varieties.”
Sarwar said that he focused to work on three aspects for finding out different techniques to improve the mango production for introducing new varieties, increasing the fruit’s shelf life and controlling the sugar level for diabetics.
“The purpose for these efforts are finding ways to increase the exports. The previous shelf life of mangoes was one week, while it is now increased up to two weeks.”
Regarding his fruitful research to grow the mango varieties ideal for people with diabetes, the expert said that the major varieties including Sindhri and Chaunsa have 12 to 15 per cent sugar. He continued that three to four varieties were now available in his farms with only 4 to 5 per cent sugar level.
“Keitt variety has the lowest sugar level up to 4.7 per cent while Sonaro and Glenn have sugar level up to 5.6 per cent and 6 per cent respectively,” he said. According to the farm’s website, the names of the varieties are named as ‘Keitt (Lal Badshah) Turpentine’, ‘Glenn – Originated from Florida’ and ‘Sonaro – Genetically modified and weighs over 2 kilograms.
He clarified that the diabetics could consume sugar up to 6 per cent in accordance with the medical point of view while nobody would prescribe zero sugar level for even the people with diabetes.
When questioned about the prices, the expert said that the prices of sugar-free mangoes are affordable for common people and it is available in local markets as well. The prices of sugar-free mangoes are equivalent to the normal varieties of mangoes available in Pakistan markets at the price of around Rs150 per kilogram.
Ghulam Sarwar said that the said mangoes are included in late varieties and it will take one week for meeting the maturity criteria. Elaborating about the season of these varieties, Sarwar said that the sugar-free mangoes will reach the local markets after Sindhri and Chaunsa’s season is completed and remained available till August.
According to the website, the agriculture farm had been established by Muhammad Hussain Panhwar, also known as Panhwar, for promoting horticulture fruits in Sindh and Pakistan in order to meet the national and international agriculture market.
It was later converted into a research farm in 1985 to introducing new fruit crops suiting the climate of Sindh and has developed many new varieties of fruit crops, which includes Mangoes, Lychee and many others which are rare in Pakistan.
The Kremlin said on Tuesday that people who were not vaccinated against COVID-19 or did not have immunity would be unable to work in all workplaces in Russia and that those people could be discriminated against.
“The reality is such that discrimination will inevitably set in. People without vaccination or immunity will not be able to work everywhere. It is not possible. It will pose a threat to those around them,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
President Vladimir Putin warned on Monday that the coronavirus situation in some Russian regions was getting worse as authorities began promoting the idea of regular revaccinations to try to halt a surge in new cases.
Russia reported 546 coronavirus-related deaths on Tuesday, the most confirmed in a single day since February, and 16,715 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the continuation of a dramatic rise authorities have blamed on the new Delta variant.
The authorities are trying to coax and compel people to get vaccinated, offering those who do the chance to win new cars and flats, while threatening others who don’t with loss of earnings and dismissal.
The Kremlin on Friday blamed the increase in cases on people’s reluctance to have vaccinations and “nihilism”.
Russia has approved four domestically-made vaccines and sold its flagship Sputnik V vaccine to many foreign countries.
