Day: May 30, 2023

Pakistan and Belarus have aspired to build a comprehensive and mutually beneficial partnership that contributes to the prosperity and wellbeing of the people of both the countries.

Addressing a joint press conference along with his Belarusian counterpart Sergei Aleinik, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that we are mutually agreed to undertake practical measures in transforming the profound goodwill shared between our governments and people into a tangible cooperation across various domains.

The Pakistan Foreign Minister said the long term goals for Pakistan-Belarus partnership include strengthening economic ties, expanding trade and commerce, fostering scientific collaboration, enhancing defence cooperation, promoting cultural exchanging and deepening people to people contacts.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said one key outcome of this visit is the signing of an agreement between the governments of Pakistan and Belarus on the abolition of visas for the holders of diplomatic and official passports. He said this landmark agreement will facilitate travel and exchanges between our countries. He further said that an agreement was also signed between the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad and Belarus Institute of Strategic studies.

The Pakistan Foreign Minister was of the view that such agreements facilitate exchanges and research and lay the foundation of stronger academic cooperation between the two nations.

He said Pakistan is committed to maintaining high level engagements and visits with Belarus to further strengthen our bilateral relations and building trade as economic ties remains a priority area for us. He recalled that the two countries recently held sixth ministerial commission, which explored cooperation in a number of areas, particularly industrial production and agricultural equipment and science.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the two countries continue to build on these discussions to add more substance to their relations.

He said in 2024, both Pakistan and Belarus will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and to commemorate this momentous occasion we will collaborate on the development of the comprehensive plan of actions. He said these planned events will be held in both Pakistan and Belarus, offering an opportunity to celebrate the bond between our two nations, while fostering relations in diverse spheres.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also expressed the confidence and the resolve to move forward in fostering cooperation and friendship between the people of Pakistan and Belarus

Speaking on the occasion, Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergei Aleinik said enhancing trade and economic cooperation is of utmost importance for both the countries. He said Pakistan has great potential for investment and business activities.

Sergei Aleinik said Belarus is committed to further develop and fortify the existing sustainable relations with Pakistan. He said Belarus is ready to extend cooperation in the agricultural sector.

He also commended Pakistan’s role for peace and stability in the region. He said Pakistan is our reliable partner and this partnership will definitely grow further in future.

On the occasion, different agreements and Memorandums of Understanding, including visa exemptions for holders of diplomatic and service passports, were also signed.

Earlier, Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergei Aleinik during his visit to Foreign Office Islamabad planted a sopling in the garden.

Source: Radio Pakistan

As a gesture to honor mothers and celebrate Mother’s Day for a cause, Confiz, a leading name in tech, embarked on a mission to support mothers in need.

Organizing a dedicated Mother’s Day drive, Confiz aimed to raise 150,000 PKR in donations to empower mothers facing hardships during the journey of delivering and nurturing their newborn babies.

Recognizing the profound impact of essential maternity health support, Confiz employees rallied to show their love and generosity toward the cause. The call resonated globally, as employees from Pakistan, USA, and UAE played an instrumental role in surpassing expectations. Their collective efforts resulted in a milestone of 175,000 PKR in donations!

To ensure the efficient distribution of donations and make a lasting impact, Confiz collaborated with Transparent Hands to channel all collected donations toward supporting mothers and infants in need.

“We are immensely grateful to everyone who contributed to our Mother’s Day drive,” said Mahnoor Imitiaz, Process Audit Specialist at Confiz.

He added: “The outpouring of support showcases the compassion and kindness that exists within our community. With these funds, we will be able to make a real difference in the lives of mothers and their newborns by offering them the care and support they deserve.”

Misha Mahmood, Assistant Manager of Employer Branding and Corporate Communications, expressed her joy over surpassing the goal by saying: “We are grateful and overjoyed to surpass our fundraising goal during our Mother’s Day drive. This employee-led donation drive has filled us with pride! It truly showcases the incredible generosity and support of our community.”

Confiz has previously collaborated with Transparent Hands to support their noble cause of providing healthcare to the underprivileged through a generous donation of 250,000 PKR.

Furthermore, the tech giant also took the initiative to fund Transparent Hands’s efforts in organizing a free medical camp for the community residing in Kot Lakhpat, whose people were adversely affected by inadequate waste and water management.

In light of Confiz’s success, it is eagerly anticipated to witness similar stories of impactful CSR initiatives from other organizations within the IT sector.

As more companies recognize their responsibility and potential for positive change, a future is envisioned where collaborative efforts drive significant transformation and uplift communities across Pakistan.

Source: Pro Pakistani

Pakistan, the Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Syrian Arab Republic are ‘hotspots with deteriorating critical conditions’.

According to the United Nations report, ‘Hunger Hotspots FAO-WFP early warnings on acute food insecurity’, all these hotspots have a high number of people facing critical acute food insecurity, coupled with worsening drivers that are expected to further intensify life-threatening conditions in the coming months.

The deterioration of acute food insecurity in the hunger hotspots occurs in the context of a global food crisis. As a result, the countries and situations covered in this report highlight the most significant deteriorations of hunger expected in the outlook period but do not represent all countries with high levels of acute food insecurity.

A likely worsening of the economic and political crises could further reduce households’ purchasing power and ability to afford food and essential goods in Pakistan, where 6 percent of the rural population across the 43 districts analyzed are assessed to be in an emergency between April and October 2023.

Acute food insecurity is likely to further deteriorate in Pakistan over the coming months, if the economic and political crisis further worsens, compounding the effects of the 2022 flooding.

Mounting public debt amid the current global economic slowdown has exacerbated the ongoing financial crisis. Authorities will have to repay USD 77.5 billion of external debt between April 2023 and June 2026, a substantial amount considering a GDP of USD 350 billion in 2021. Growing political instability and lagging reforms prevent the release of a crucial new credit line from the International Monetary Fund and additional support from bilateral partners.

The political crisis and civil unrest are likely to worsen ahead of general elections scheduled for October 2023, amid growing insecurity in the northwest. Shortages of foreign reserves and a depreciating currency are diminishing the country’s ability to import essential food and energy supplies, driving steadily increasing food inflation and causing nationwide energy cuts.

The situation is compounded by the effects of devastating floods between July and September 2022, which caused damages and economic losses to the agriculture sector estimated at USD 30 billion.

Over 8.5 million people (43 percent of the analyzed population of 19.8 million) were likely to experience high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) between September and December 2022. Food insecurity and malnutrition within and beyond the analyzed regions are likely to deteriorate in the outlook period, as economic and political crises are reducing households’ purchasing power and ability to afford food and essential goods.

Source: Pro Pakistani