National

By Salman Bashir At the critical and defining juncture the OIC has, once again, stepped in to lead the way for assisting, defining and influencing global opinion in favor of the Afghanistan and her people. On the joint initiative of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, an extraordinary session of the Foreign Ministers of OIC states was held in Islamabad on 19 December 2021 to mobilize global assistance to mitigate the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.  Besides the 57 member states, the Conference was attended by the representatives of the United Nations Secretary General, China, the U.S., the U.K., France, Russian Federation, Japan, Germany, Italy, European Union, Economic Cooperation Organization, League of Arab States, and the Gulf...

March 22, 2022 at 7:32 am | Economic Affairs

By Masood Khalid The growing assymetary in conventional strength of Pakistan & India, with Kashmir issue simmering in the backdrop, is a potential for a bigger conflict in the South Asia. Kashmir has been a source of at least three full-fledged wars between India and Pakistan and today it is a ticking bomb in nuclearized South Asia. When India and Pakistan became independent countries in 1947, there were over 500 princely states constituting the British Empire. The partition plan envisaged that the princely states will either join India or Pakistan, taking geographical, religious, cultural factors into account. By that token, Muslim majority Kashmir should have joined Pakistan. History, however, bears witness to the fact that ...

March 22, 2022 at 7:14 am | Economic Affairs

By Tehmina Janjua Causes of Islamophobia are complex and differ in various countries and regions. In the West, the roots of Islamophobia lie in an often contentious history between Christianity and Islam, which was aggravated by the colonial experience. Islamophobia is an existential issue for Muslim countries. Discrimination, hate speech and outright incitement to violence against Muslims have become entrenched and pervasive in many societies. This poses a direct threat to the Islamic identity of communities, and to the physical security and lives of Muslims. Islamophobia has become a matter of life and death for a large number of our co-religionists. The OIC has adopted a working definition of Islamophobia as a “contem...

March 22, 2022 at 7:06 am | Economic Affairs

By Zafar Mirza On economic loss, one credible estimate put the cost to the global economy at $82 trillion over five years due to the global pandemic. The devastating effect of the global pandemic due to SARS-CoV-2 on human health and national economies will be felt for decades to come. Everybody on earth has been directly or indirectly affected, close to 437 million tested positive (we would never know the real number which would run into billions) and nearly 6 million could not survive the severity of the disease and passed away. On economic loss, one credible estimate put the cost to the global economy at $82 trillion over five years. Though it can never be said with certainty but hopefully after the omicron-wave the wor...

March 22, 2022 at 6:57 am | Economic Affairs

By Naghmana A. Hashmi Detecting corruption and finding the right policy initiatives is, however, not always easy or inexpensive. There is a growing worldwide concern and increasing realization that irrespective of the cause, scope and scale of corruption. It has serious negative effects on the economic growth of a country and the protection of the basic human rights. Corruption erodes trust, weakens democracy and hampers economic development further exacerbating inequality, poverty, social division and the environmental crisis. Many now feel that corruption should receive priority attention in a country's development agenda. Countries of the OIC are also very apprehensive about this problem and are in agreement that corrup...

March 22, 2022 at 6:41 am | Economic Affairs

By Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary Over the years, COMSTECH has pursued a number of initiatives and projects for Science & Technology Capacity Building in OIC member states. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) represents the aspirations of the nearly 2 billion Muslims of the world in the political as well as social and intellectual spheres. The OIC operates through its various bodies, each focusing on some specific domain where they harness the collective energy of the Muslim nations for general improvement of the member states and their peoples. While a multitude of problems confront the Muslim countries in general, none is probably as crucial to our dreams of development and economic and social betterment than...

March 22, 2022 at 6:30 am | Economic Affairs

Islamabad: March 15, 2022(Press Release)The Embassy of Japan held two Japanese Calendars Exhibitions 2022 in Islamabad in cooperation with the MEXT Alumni Association of Pakistan (MAAP), the Quaid-e-Azam University and the National Skills University.The exhibition at the Quaid-e-Azam University was inaugurated by H.E. WADA Mitsuhiro, Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan together with the Vice-Chancellor of the Quaid-e-Azam University Dr. Muhammad Ali and other guests on March 15th. Another exhibition was inaugurated by Mr. IWASAKI Ryuji, Cousellor, the head of Cultural Section together with the Vice Chancellor of the National Skills University Dr. Muhammad Mukhatar and other guests on March 8th. Dr. Zabta Khan Shinwari, the President of the MAA...

March 15, 2022 at 7:01 pm | Economic Affairs

By Naghmana A. Hashmi, Commenting on the role and contribution of women in the development of a nation, founder of Pakistan Mr. Jinnah, reminded the people that, “No nation can ever be worthy of its existence or can rise to the height of glory that cannot take its women along with the men. No struggle can ever succeed without women participating side by side with men. There are two powers in the world; one is the sword and the other is the pen. There is a great competition and rivalry between the two. There is however a third power stronger than both, that of the women.” Chairman Mao had very aptly said that, ‘women hold half the sky’. Two important policy decisions taken by Chairman Mao just after the establishment of New Ch...

March 9, 2022 at 11:30 am | Economic Affairs

By Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan Prime Minister of Pakistan Mr. Imran Khan is scheduled to arrive Russia tonight.  It will be a significant breakthrough in the diplomatic efforts of both countries and a big achievement. The rapidly changing geopolitics has compelled both nations to work together to face the emerging challenges, and this will be in the best interest of both countries, as well as for regional and global peace and stability. Both countries are facing similar challenges and identical issues, therefore, it is natural to work together in close liaison. Common interests and shared views, as well as a convergence of interests, has brought two nations closer and the warmth of their relations has been very visible in r...

February 23, 2022 at 5:07 pm | Economic Affairs

February 18,2022Rawalpindi (ISPR)General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) is on an official visit to Belgium.During the visit, COAS called on Mr Stefano Sannino, Secretary General of the European External Action Services (EEAS) and General Claudio Graziano, Chairman of the EU Military Committee. During the meeting matters of mutual interest, overall regional security situation including current situation in Afghanistan and bilateral relations with EU were discussed. COAS said that Pakistan values its relations with EU countries and earnestly look forward to enhance mutual cooperation based on common interests.EU dignitaries appreciated Pakistan's sincere efforts for peace and stability in the region and pledged to play ...

February 18, 2022 at 11:03 am | Economic Affairs

February 14,2022Islamabad (Press Release)Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood met with German State Secretary for Economic Cooperation and Development Jochen Flasbarth at Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr.Flasbarth is visiting Pakistan from 14-16 February 2022, on his first visit to Pakistan and abroad, after recently assuming his office.During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on bilateral relations as well as regional issues. The Foreign Secretary stated that Germany was a valued, long-standing partner and Pakistan remained committed to further enhancing the bilateral relationship in all dimensions. In 2021, the two countries celebrated 70 years of establishment of diplomatic relations. He added that Pakistan enjoyed multi-faceted coo...

February 15, 2022 at 11:04 am | Economic Affairs

February 08, 2022 Islamabad ( Press Release)Federal Minister for Industries and Production Makhdum Khusro Bakhtyar met Mr. Najy Benhassine, County Director of World Bank in Pakistan in his office today. Both sides discussed the priority areas of engagement to strengthen the partnership with World Bank in Pakistan.The Minister appreciated the support of World Bank for covid response and health sector. While apprising the key features of industrial policy in pipeline, he urged that World Bank might provide expert advice on formulation of framework of policy. He said that new industrial policy would focus on enhancement of local production, exports bandwidth, and import substitution to step up the industrialisation in Pakistan. Mr. Najy, Coun...

February 8, 2022 at 9:02 pm | Economic Affairs

Prime Minister Imran Khan, concluded his official visit from 3-6 February 2022, to the People’s Republic of China. He visited China on the formal invitation from the Chinese leadership to attend the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games 2022, in Beijing. He attended the Winter Olympics to show solidarity with China and strong support for the Games. He is a sportsman and promotes sports as a tool to promote understanding and harmony for global peace. During the visit, the Prime Minister held talks with H.E. President Xi Jinping, and H.E. Premier Li Keqiang, Chinese entrepreneurs. Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, calling for more efforts to strengthen bilateral strategic cooperation. ...

February 7, 2022 at 11:58 pm | Economic Affairs

February 6, 2022Stockholm (Press Release)The Embassy of Pakistan in Stockholm Sweden organized a special virtual event, to commemorate Kashmir Solidarity Day. The key speakers of the event included Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry, President of AJK, Mr. Serkan Köse, Member of Swedish Parliament, Mr. Shehryar Khan Afridi, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Special Committee on Kashmir, Lord Wajid Khan, Member of the House of Lords in the United Kingdom, Mrs. Sara Kukka-Salam, the Mayor of the Opposition in Solna, Dr. Maria Sultan, Director General South Asia Stability Institute and Ambassador of Pakistan Dr Zahoor Ahmed. The event was also attended by journalists and members of the Pakistani and Kashmiri diaspora. 2.?Speaking on the occa...

February 7, 2022 at 2:52 pm | Economic Affairs

February 5,2022Oslo(Press Release) The Embassy of Pakistan organized a seminar at the Chancery on 4 February 2022 to observe the Kashmir Solidarity Day in Norway. Independently, seminars and webinars were organized by Pakistani community organizations, the Pothwar Welfare Society Norway, Jammu and Kashmir Solidarity Movement, Norway and Pak-Norway News forum, in which the Ambassador participated as keynote speaker. The Kashmiri and Pakistani organizations also announced to hold peaceful demonstrations in front of the Norwegian Parliament building in Oslo on 5 February, in which they intend to present letters to the President of the Storting and Chair of Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee calling for an immediate end to ongoing human rig...

February 5, 2022 at 10:22 pm | Economic Affairs

February 5, 2022Vienna (Press Release)The Embassy of Pakistan in Vienna organized an event today to observe the Kashmir Solidarity Day. Representatives of the Pakistani and Kashmiri expatriate community as well as Austrian nationals of Pakistani origin and local journalists attended the event. Messages of the President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and the Minister for Kashmir Affairs on the occasion of the Kashmir Solidarity Day were readout. A documentary film was screened highlighting the gross human rights violations committed by India against the people of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which continue to grow worse since India’s illegal unilateral actions of 5th August 2019. Pamphlets setting out...

February 5, 2022 at 10:17 pm | Economic Affairs