Day: April 6, 2024

The third cohort has formally been inaugurated at the National Incubation Center for Aerospace Technologies in Rawalpindi under Special Investment Facilitation Council.

The incubation center has a capacity of one hundred start-ups who can start their business after one year of training.

The center helps startups and early-stage companies turn their innovative ideas into reality and grow their businesses.

The center provides access to state-of-the-art research and development facilities, mentoring, networking opportunities, access to manufacturing partners and investors, and a supportive environment for funding.

Source: Radio Pakistan

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has warned that heatwaves are expected to hit Punjab during the ongoing month of April.

The authority has urged the public to take necessary precautionary measures. Pakistan has been grappling with a variety of climate-related challenges and is considered one of the top 10 places in the world most vulnerable to unpredictable weather patterns.

According to the PDMA’s statement, there is expected to be a significant rise in the intensity of heat during April, with temperatures expected to rise slightly higher than the average recorded over the last 30 years.

‘There are chances of heatwaves in the plains of Punjab. The effects of heatwaves will be particularly high in major cities,’ PDMA stated.

Furthermore, the PDMA has warned that strong winds, dust storms, torrential rain, and hail are expected to affect the province. These downpours could potentially lead to flooding in rivers.

The statement added that PDMA Punjab Director-General Irfan Ali Kathia has
directed the local administration to remain vigilant regarding seasonal fluctuations.

‘Rescue organizations and district administration should buckle up now. Citizens should also be made aware of weather changes and precautionary measures.’

Source: ProPakistani

Azerbaijan has expressed desire to work jointly with Pakistan to boost action against global climate change and disaster resilience.

This was stated by Ambassador of Azerbaijan, Khazar Farhadov during his meeting with Secretary Ministry of Climate Change Ezaz A. Dar in Islamabad. Speaking on the occasion, Ezaz A. Dar acknowledged the close ties between the people of the two countries and assured all-out support of Paksitan in holding of 29th session of the Conference on Climate Change starting November 11 at Baku.

Source: Radio Pakistan

Following the federal government’s decision, the Punjab government has also announced Eid-ul-Fitr holidays across the province.

According to the announcement, offices operating six days a week will enjoy four holidays, while offices functioning five days a week will receive a three-day holiday.

The Punjab government’s notification stated that offices with a five-day workweek will remain closed from April 10 to April 12. It added that those with a six-day workweek will have public holidays from April 10 to April 13.

Previously, the federal government also announced Eid-ul-Fitr holidays. According to the notification from the Cabinet Division, offices with a five-day workweek will observe three public holidays from April 10 to April 12, while offices with a six-day workweek will observe four public holidays from April 10 to April 13.

Furthermore, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has announced that the central bank will be closed from April 10th to April 12th, 2024 (Wednesday to Friday) due to the public ho
lidays for Eid ul Fitr.

The Meteorological Office has predicted that the first day of Eid ul Fitr is likely to fall on April 10th as the Shawwal moon is expected to be sighted on April 9th.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the crescent moon will be born on April 8th at 11:21 pm, and it will be between 19 and 20 hours old the next day around the Maghrib prayer time.

The crescent will be visible for over 50 minutes around sundown. The PMD stated that the sky is expected to be clear in most parts of the country on April 9th, although there might be cloudy conditions in northern areas.

Source: ProPakistani

Pakistan has denounced the provocative remarks made by the Indian defence minister during a recent televised interview.

In a statement, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Pakistan stands resolute in its intent and ability to safeguard its sovereignty against any act of aggression, as demonstrated by its robust response to India’s reckless incursion in February 2019, which laid bare India’s hollow claims of military superiority.

The spokesperson said India’s ruling dispensation habitually resorts to hateful rhetoric to fuel hyper-nationalistic sentiments, unapologetically exploiting such discourse for electoral gains.

Such myopic and irresponsible behaviour not only undermines regional peace but also impedes the prospects of constructive engagement in the long term.

Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Pakistan has always demonstrated its commitment to peace in the region. However, our desire for peace should not be misconstrued. History attests to Pakistan’s firm resolve and ability to protect and
defend itself.

The spokesperson recalled that Pakistan has provided irrefutable evidence, elucidating India’s campaign of extrajudicial and transnational assassinations on Pakistani soil. She said India’s assertion of its preparedness to extra-judicially execute more civilians, arbitrarily pronounced as “terrorists”, inside Pakistan constitutes a clear admission of culpability. She urged the international community to hold India accountable for its heinous and illegal actions.

Source: Radio Pakistan

The spring vacation has been extended to cover the Eid holidays, and as a result, educational institutions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will reopen on April 15th.

The Elementary and Higher Education Department issued separate notifications, directing all government and private educational institutions to observe Eid holidays and remain closed until April 13th (Saturday).

As educational institutions were already closed for the spring recess from April 1st, the commencement of new sessions has been postponed due to the holidays.

The untimely spring recess is primarily due to the non-availability of free textbooks, as the provincial government has yet to provide them to students. Consequently, the scheduled start of the new academic year has passed.

Previously, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had notified spring vacations for all public and private educational institutions across the province from April 1st to April 8th.

The government had directed all principals, head teachers, and clerical staff to remain pre
sent during the vacations to oversee the distribution of free textbooks and ensure the continuation of the admission process for new students during the enrolment campaign.

Source: ProPakistani

Finance Division has refuted the misleading impression circulating on media that ECC has delayed the decision on wheat procurement targets.

In a press release today, it said there is no truth to these assertions.

The Finance Division said ECC of the Cabinet discussed the matters related to wheat procurement in its meeting held on Thursday.

After considering the views of the relevant Federal Ministries, the members of the ECC felt that it would be advisable to include the Provincial governments in the deliberations, as they would be responsible to implement the decisions on the ground.

The meeting was therefore reconvened yesterday and representatives of all the Provincial governments participated.

They provided updates to the Committee on the latest situation relating to procurement of wheat in their respective areas and apprised it of their requirements for bank credit for the purpose.

The Committee after detailed deliberations approved the procurement target proposed by the Ministry of Food Security
and the Provinces and the cash credit limits required for the purpose.

The relevant departments did not suggest any enhancement or reduction in targets presented by the Ministry of Food Security, neither did the ECC approve any such change.

The Government of Punjab informed the Committee that it is closely monitoring the wheat situation in the Province and had initiated procurement process. They further informed that the provincial government would continue to intervene to make sure that farmers are able to sell their produce at the support price level.

Source: Radio Pakistan

The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) recently discovered a significant gas theft operation in Karachi, valued at millions of rupees.

This discovery was made during a coordinated raid conducted by SSGC’s Central Revenue Department (CRD) and Central Gas Testing Organization (CGTO) in Gul Hasan Town near Sabzi Mandi.

Following the investigation, it was revealed that the network had been supplying gas to over 2,500 houses by directly tapping into the service line. The SSGC team immediately disconnected all 2,500 illegal connections, effectively putting an end to the operation.

As per SSGC’s estimates, the gas thieves were illegally extracting a staggering 2,400,000 cubic meters of gas each year, valued at an alarming Rs 75,000,000.

SSGC underscored the importance of gas as a national resource and reiterated its zero-tolerance policy towards theft. The company pledged to enhance its efforts in cracking down on gas theft and imposing fines based on the stolen gas volume.

Earlier this month, the Sui Northern Ga
s Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) dismantled a 4,500-meter illegal pipeline and disconnected 440 unauthorized connections linked to it in the Lower Dir district.

The SNGPL spokesperson revealed that the pipeline was supplying gas to several villages, including Damamo, Awlia Banda, Bandagai, Tangi, Nakhtaro, Koto, and Shagai. The spokesperson added that a total of 36 million cubic feet of illegal gas was being stolen.

Source: ProPakistani