Category: General

The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Tuesday that at least two Pakistani nationals were taken into custody during a raid against drug peddlers in the Madina region.

According to the Saudi media, the Pakistani nationals were arrested for their involvement in trading methamphetamine. Following the completion of preliminary legal procedures, they were handed over to the public prosecution.

In a series of raids targeting drug peddlers and smugglers, numerous individuals have been arrested across Saudi Arabia. The Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority reported on Tuesday that attempts to smuggle narcotics hidden in luggage through various ports were thwarted.

In a recent incident, authorities intercepted a truck entering the Kingdom through Duba Port with 93,750 narcotic tablets hidden in goods. Furthermore, at Jeddah Islamic Port Customs, a consignment containing 356,559 other tablets was discovered.

Moreover, at Al-Haditha Port, a stash of 201,600 Captagon pills was recovered from a concealed cavity in the
floor of a vehicle.

Following the discovery of the narcotics consignments, the Customs Authority collaborated with the General Directorate of Narcotics Control to arrest seven suspects linked to the intended delivery of the shipments.

In a separate operation in Jeddah, the General Directorate of Narcotics Control arrested two individuals, one Pakistani and one Filipino, who were attempting to sell 2.6 kilograms of methamphetamine. Law enforcement authorities detained a Pakistani national in Hafr Al-Batin city for his involvement in the sale of methamphetamine in another incident.

Source: Pro Pakistani

The federal government has tentatively decided to announce a four-year state of education emergency across the country to address the issue of out-of-school children and other critical concerns in the sector.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to declare the education emergency in the upcoming days. Sources revealed that the Prime Minister was scheduled to preside over a conference on Tuesday, but it was postponed on Monday night due to his prior commitments.

Pakistan currently grapples with 26.2 million out-of-school children (OOSC) and a low literacy rate of 62%. Additionally, the government’s meager expenditure of 1.7% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on the education sector is a cause for concern. Disparities in the availability of essential facilities such as toilets, clean water, and boundary walls in schools across different regions further exacerbate the situation. Many schools, especially in rural areas, lack basic amenities like potable water.

Last month, Federal Education Minister Dr.
Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, following a briefing on OOSC and educational facilities nationwide, announced plans to urge the Prime Minister and the federal cabinet to declare a national education emergency.

The recent Pakistan Education Statistics report for 2021-22 highlighted that 39% of children in Pakistan are out of school, with Punjab accounting for 11.73 million, Sindh 7.63 million, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 3.63 million, Balochistan 3.13 million, and Islamabad 0.08 million.

The Ministry of Education, in a press release issued before the postponed meeting on Monday, emphasized the commitment to ensure education for every child. The National Conference on Education Emergency, initially scheduled for April 30, aims to address issues like out-of-school children and learning poverty, particularly in lagging districts.

The conference, chaired by the Prime Minister, will be attended by chief ministers, development partners’ country heads, diplomats, foreign delegates, and global educationists. It aims to foster coll
aborative efforts to devise effective strategies and initiatives for inclusive and quality education nationwide.

Due to the Prime Minister’s engagement in Saudi Arabia, the proposed conference has been postponed for a week. Secretary of Education Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani emphasized that improving the education sector remains a top priority for both federal and provincial governments. He stated that the education ministry, in coordination with all stakeholders, is actively working to implement necessary improvements, as directed by the Prime Minister and the education minister.

Source: Pro Pakistani

After years of resistance, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has given the green light for the local production of sildenafil citrate, a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). According to according to a national daily, officials confirmed on Monday that the DRAP Policy Board has decided in principle to allow both local and multinational pharmaceutical companies to manufacture the drug within Pakistan.

During the 151st meeting of the DRAP Policy Board held last month, chaired by former federal health secretary Iftikhar Shallwani, representatives from all provinces, industry stakeholders, and DRAP officials extensively discussed the issue. Finally, a consensus was reached to grant registration to pharmaceutical companies interested in producing sildenafil citrate, commonly known as Viagra worldwide.

The decision marks a significant shift in policy, as sildenafil citrate was previously illegal in Pakistan. Despite the ban, it’s estimated that over a million tablets of the drug are sold
illegally in the country, mostly smuggled from various countries including India, China, Thailand, Turkey, Egypt, England, and the United States.

Interestingly, Viagra and its variants are among the most sought-after items at pharmacies across Pakistan. Surprisingly, in many instances, store owners are not prosecuted even if only Viagra or its different brands are found in their possession, claimed the DRAP official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Notably, DRAP had already approved the registration of sildenafil citrate in syrup form for children suffering from pulmonary hypertension. With this latest decision, local production of the drug is expected to meet the demand while also curbing the illegal trade of sildenafil citrate in the country.

Source: Pro Pakistani

Small businesses are increasingly becoming targets for cyberattacks. With limited resources and expertise, these businesses often struggle to defend against sophisticated threats.

A study conducted by Kaspersky at the end of 2023 found that 76% of small businesses around the world and 88% in the META (Middle East, Turkey, Africa) region experienced at least one cyber incident in the past two years. The consequences of those attacks were severe and resulted in leaks of confidential data, reputational damage, loss of customer trust, and more.

Around 9% of small companies worldwide including META had to suspend certain areas of their business operations. Examining the reasons for these cyber incidents, it’s clear that one of the main causes was the use of weak passwords or failure to perform regular password updates. This reason accounts for almost a quarter, second only to downloading malware.

For World Password Day, Kaspersky is unveiling simple but crucial cybersecurity measures for password protection in
a small business environment.

Kaspersky suggests strengthening small businesses’ password policies which are both robust and unique for each corporate service. Weak and reused passwords are easy targets for cybercriminals, who leverage automated tools to crack them and gain unauthorized access to sensitive information.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to provide additional verification beyond just a password. While small businesses may perceive MFA as complex or unnecessary, it is a critical security measure that can protect against various cyber threats, such as password theft and unauthorized account access.

Hafeez Rehman, Technical group manager at Kaspersky says:

Our Kaspersky Small Office Security, tailored specifically to the needs of small businesses, offers a hands-off security solution with ‘install and forget’ protection, and allows for saving companies’ budget, particularly crucial in the early stages of business development. It provides compr
ehensive protection against malware, phishing, ransomware, weak passwords and much more,’ comments.

Kaspersky recommends small business owners should encourage employees to change their passwords periodically and enforce password expiration policies to prevent the reuse of old passwords.

Employee awareness also is crucial for effective password protection and overall online safety within small businesses. By fostering a culture of cybersecurity awareness, small businesses can empower employees to play an active role in protecting sensitive information and mitigating cyber threats.

Source: Pro Pakistani

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has vowed to eliminate corruption in the investigation system.

Chairing a meeting in Lahore today, she directed for the improvement of legal standards.

The meeting was briefed about the Prosecution Department Recommendations and suggestions. The meeting decided to implement Punjab Integrated Public Prosecution System.

Source: Radio Pakistan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has appreciated the keen interest shown by Saudi Arabia in exploring ways and means to increase economic partnership between the two brotherly countries.

He expressed these remarks during his meetings with the Ministers of Energy, Economy, and Planning, and Environment, Water, and Agriculture of Saudi Arabia on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Special Meeting in Riyadh.

During the meeting with Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al-Saud, the Prime Minister highlighted the initiatives undertaken by the government of Pakistan to facilitate and streamline processes for investments in the energy sector of Pakistan.

He underscored various avenues available for energy cooperation between the two brotherly countries, which included building new and improving existing energy infrastructure, increasing focus on renewable energy, and bringing efficiencies across the entire energy ecosystem.

The Energy Minister of the Kingdom acknowledged the deep historic frate
rnal ties between the two countries and highlighted the important role played by Pakistanis in the development of the Kingdom.

The Saudi side showed keen interest in developing energy projects identified by the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister welcomed the interest shown by the Kingdom to enhance economic partnership with Pakistan.

He said that following his meeting with Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, both sides are pursuing the economic cooperation agenda with renewed vigor and commitment.

He expressed hope that the technical teams of the two countries would complete their work and many mutually beneficial projects would be launched soon.

The Prime Minister also applauded the vision of the Kingdom and the remarkable transformation that has taken place, making Saudi Arabia a hub of economic growth and development.

Later, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif held meetings with Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Al-Ibrahim and Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture
of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen Al-Fadley.

He highlighted the potential of the Pakistani agriculture sector and underscored that Pakistan can become a breadbasket for the Kingdom and could play a critical role in ensuring food security not only for the two countries but for the entire region.

The Saudi Minister for Environment, Water, and Agriculture briefed the Prime Minister on the fruitful discussions that he and his delegation held in Islamabad.

He said that the Saudi agriculture companies are looking at Pakistan with great interest and hoped that both countries would benefit from joint ventures for improving the value chain of the agriculture economy.

He underscored that the Kingdom values Pakistan’s strategic and competitive advantages in the field of agriculture and considers the Pakistani agricultural sector as a significant area of cooperation.

The Minister of Economy appreciated the Prime Minister’s personal attention to elevating economic cooperation between the two coun
tries.

The Prime Minister congratulated the Minister of Economy and Planning for successfully hosting the Special Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh.

He lauded the Kingdom’s role in acting as a thought leader and taking forward the global economic and development agenda amidst mounting global instability and crises.

Source: Radio Pakistan

Huawei Pakistan hosted a Digital Week in Islamabad, showcasing the cutting-edge technologies and solutions unveiled at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, which is known as one of the biggest tech expos in the world.

The event showcased technology that envisions a fully connected world including physical infrastructure for greener, sustainable, and scalable tech, and digitalization through Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cloud, and 5 and 5.5G.

Huawei’s vision is to bring digital connectivity to every person, home, and organization for a fully connected, intelligent world. With a global workforce of more than 207,000 in 170+ countries and regions, Huawei has dedicated 55% of its personnel to research and development. The focus on RandD has resulted in more than 140,000 active patents worldwide.

Key organizations from telecom, financial, government, and commercial sectors, attended the Digital Week and took the opportunity to have discussions on Cloud adoption, 5G transformation, and AI proliferatio
n.

Having showcased the extensive portfolio of 5.5G, F5.5G, and Net5.5G products and solutions for multiple scenarios at MWC Barcelona 2024, the visitors experienced how this diverse offering empowers operators to build ubiquitous, efficient, and collaborative networks.

Yu Shaoning, Vice CEO of Government and Public Affairs at Huawei said:

In Pakistan, our objective is to support the Government in building a robust ICT talent ecosystem and accelerate the digitalization progress. We work closely with our partners to create solutions that optimize the outcomes for them.

The attention to green solutions and low-carbon and carbon-neutral alternatives of physical infrastructure drew the attention of many stakeholders as Pakistan is deeply affected by climate change.

According to Huawei, Green antennas will help build efficient 5.5G networks especially as there are no limits to deployment with optical and electromagnetic transparency, which reduce the site acquisition time and increase capability. Moreover, th
ere is improved coverage and energy saving.

New solar power solutions optimized to limit the effect of shadows due to congestion are being developed as well.

With customer-centricity as the core value proposition, Huawei aims to deliver cutting-edge and innovative, highly reliable, low-latency, and secure cloud services. Huawei Cloud will be used for delivering innovative, resilient, and trustworthy cloud services and industry solutions across different sectors.

Held at the Huawei Smart Office, with automation and green technologies, the Digital Week gave visitors a sense of the workplaces of the future. As investments are made in solutions that reduce latency and waste, space and services will be optimized.

The displays and presentations set up for the visitors provided a clear directional overview of the progression of technologies and the rapid acceleration in development in recent years. The presentations looked at the Gigabit Experience Network, Green Sites, the Connectivity Network, and the Digital
Experience.

Source: Pro Pakistani

Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates have agreed to increase cooperation in the field of Information Technology and Telecom.

The understanding was reached at a meeting between Minister of State for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja and the UAE Ambassador to Pakistan Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi in Islamabad.

During the meeting matters relating to IT and Telecom sector, digitalization, cyber security and innovation were discussed.

Source: Radio Pakistan