STRENGTHENING TIES WITH IRAN KEY TO BORDER, ENERGY SECURIT Y: SENATOR MUSHAHID

ISLAMABAD s ta f f r e p o r t

THE Senate Standing Committee on Defence met here on Tuesday with Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed in chair to discuss and address important issues pertaining to national security and the well-being of the citizens Senators Walid Iqbal, Hidayat Ullah, Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, Dr Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur Engr Rukhsana Zuberi Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan and Mover; ex-Senator Muhammad Zahid Khan attended the meeting Secretary Ministry of Defence Lt Gen (Retd) Hamood Uz Zaman HI(M), Additional Secretary Ministry of Defence, Major General Khurram and DG, Military Lands & Cantonments Major General Tariq and CEO Rawalpindi Cantonment also participated in the meeting

The meeting offered Fateha for the souls who lost their lives in the Greece boat tragedy and extended their heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and expressed solidarity with them during this difficult time

The Senate Body discussed in detail the unauthorized commercial activities in

Westridge Rawalpindi Cantt The Director General Military Lands and Cantonments (ML&C) delivered a detailed presentation highlighting the steps taken to address the issue He informed the committee that the department has been actively combating illegal activities and commercialization However due to a Supreme Court order issued on 5th January 2022 the ML&C has been restrained from taking action against school premises The DG ML&C assured the committee that once the Cantonment Board (Amendment) Act 2023 is passed by the Parliament stringent measures including heavy fines and property sealing will be implemented to ensure compliance with the directions Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed assured the petitioner that he would expedite the process in the Senate, aiming for the prompt enactment of the act to resolve the long-standing concerns of the residents Following a comprehensive discussion the Chair disposed of the matter after ensuring the satisfaction of the petitioner

The Committee was also briefed on counter-terrorism operations conducted by the Pakistan Army in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well as the se- curity situation on the borders with Iran and Afghanistan Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed commended the recent meeting between the Pakistan Prime Minister and the President of Iran at the Pak-Iran border, considering it a positive step forward in strengthening ties between the two nations He also welcomed the recent high-level visits to Iran by senior Pakistan security and diplomatic officials which would yield positive results for peace, border security and economic connectivity Senator Mushahid termed close ties with Iran as pivotal for Pakistan’s border and energy security

The Committee also discussed in detail the security situation on the PakAfghan border and expressed satisfaction over the steps taken by the government towards ensuring peace on the border They also underlined the need for a proactive and consistent CT strategy that should focus on a pro-people approach with no quarter or compromise with any terrorist group The members of the Defence Committee expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Defence for their comprehensive and candid briefings and continuous support and underlined the commitment to safeguarding national security addressing public concerns and

A sad Umar, S hah M ahmood Q ureshi, A sad Q aiser ’s bail petitions rejec ted

ISLAMABAD s ta f f r e p o r t

Dramatic scenes were witnessed in the district and sessions court in Islamabad on Tuesday as the central leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Qaiser and Asad Umar slipped from the courtroom after their pleas seeking bail in cases related to the May 9 riots were dismissed

Additional Sessions Judge Tahir Abbas Supra while pronouncing the verdict dismissed the bail petitions of the PTI leaders

As per details Qureshi and Umar moved the court seeking bail in a case filed against them at the Tarnol Police Station in the federal capital Qaiser, however, sought bail in a case registered against him at the Sangjani Police Station

The PTI leaders reached the court separately In a bid to avoid arrest and make sure of their successful escape Qureshi and Umar heard the verdicts while standing at the doorstep of the courtroom

As soon as the judge rejected their bail pleas, the duo hurriedly moved to the same vehicle and managed to run away from the scene Qaiser however left the courtroom moments before the judge pronounced the verdict which was reserved earlier

It is pertinent to mention here that PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s arrest in the Al-Qadir Trust case on May 9 and subsequent violent protests during which unruly supporters and workers stormed and torched state installations almost across the country, unleashed a mass exodus of leaders from the former ruling party The nearly three-day-long protests also claimed at least 8 lives and injured dozens of others with the incumbent coalition government suspending internet services and deploying army troops to maintain law and order situation

Following the unprecedented attacks on defence and public properties the crackdown was launched on the PTI to detain the suspect involved in the vandalism with the country s top civil-military leadership vowing to try rioters under relevant laws of the country including the Army Act Hours after his release from Rawalpindi s Adiala Jail on the Islamabad High Court s (IHC) order Umar on May 24 quitted the party positions "Given the current situation [ ] after May 9, it is not personally possible for me to continue performing my party leadership duties " the former federal minister had said I am resigning as the secretary general of PTI and as the core committee member One of the reasons why is [ ] I am outspoken and I cannot issue personal statements if I hold an office " The PTI vice chairman who was taken into custody in the wee hours on May 11 after the police raided Gilgit-Baltidstan House in Islamabad was released on June 6 on the court’s order "I want to tell PTI workers that the 'flag of justice is in my hands and I am still part of this movement he said while addressing the media outside the Adiala Jail soon after being released However, Qaiser s status was unclear with confusion around whether he has quit the party or not after former PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa president Pervez Khattak announced quitting party positions in a joint presser during which the former speaker was also seated but remained silent Khattak cited May 9 mayhem as the reason behind his decision

Chief of Naval Staff Amjad Niazi message on World Hydrography Day-2023

KARACHI s ta f f r e p o r t

World Hydrography Day (WHD) is observed on June 21st each year to raise awareness about the importance of hydrography and its contribution to the safety efficiency and sustainability of maritime navigation and related activities

Every year a specific theme related to contribution of hydrography in the maritime domain is articulated by the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO) Theme of WHD for this year is Hydrography Underpinning the digital twin of the ocean

The theme aims to highlight that hydrography (the science of measuring and mapping the physical features of bodies of water) is elemental in developing and maintaining a digital representation of the ocean A digital twin of the ocean aims to model the ocean s multiple components, provide understanding of the past as well as present to make informed predictions about its future behaviour WHD serves as an opportunity to highlight the significance of hydrographic services in various areas, including safe navigation, maritime security, environmental protection, disaster prevention & response and marine resource exploration

Since the oceans and seas are rich in natural resources including fish stocks minerals and hydrocarbons the hydrographic data is crucial for all these activities which reflect the contribution of hydrographers in world s economy

As per United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) Pakistan like other coastal states is responsible for hydrographic surveys and production of nautical charts/ maps of its waters to provide accurate nautical information to the mariners In order to discharge national/ international hydrographic obligations with appropriately vested authority Pakistan Navy approached the GoP for re-designating Pakistan Navy Hydrographic Department (PNHD) as National Hydrographic Office (NHO) and Hydrographer Pakistan Navy (HPN) as Hydrographer of Pakistan (HOP) fostering harmonious relations with neighboring countries

The Committee will continue to monitor the progress made on these issues and take appropriate actions to ensure the well-being and security of the Pakistani people

Senator Mushtaq Ahmed condemned the recent brutal murder of Haji Sher Muhammad a grandson of the legendary Faqir of Ipi in North Waziristan and the arrest of Ali Wazir MNA Senator Mushahid Hussain concurred with the views of Senator Mushtaq, saying that the arrest of Ali Wazir at this time would be detrimental to security of the borderlands while it was also a violation of the law passed by Parliament that explicitly stated that no member of parliament should be arrested without Speaker s permission He called for the release of Ali Wazir He also hailed the Faqir of Ipi as a famous anti-imperialist freedom fighter The Chairman of the Defence Committee referred these two issues to the Senate Human Rights Committee whose Chairman Senator Walid Iqbal readily agreed to put it on the HR Committee s agenda for consideration The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to the Chair Secretary of the Senate Defence Committee Major (r) Hasnain Haider was also present on the occasion

A A A A s s o c i ate s u nve i l s i c o n i c p r o j e c t : A A A O C TA 2

KARACHI s ta f f r e p o r t

Over the weekend AAA Associates unveiled its most ambitious project to date - the AAA Octa 2 Karachi

This state-of-the-art development located on the strategic M9 Karachi Motorway, was launched in a grand event including a dazzling array of celebrities from the entertainment industry These celebrities included Mehvish Hayat Mikal Zulfiqar Faisal Qureshi Bushra

Ansari Yunas Khan Sheharyar Munwar Ijaz Aslam

Hira Mani Shehroz Sabzwari Jannat Mirza Ahmed Ali

Akbar Nida Yasir Syed Jibran Muneeb Butt Momal Sheikh and Fatima Hassan The shows were hosted by Ayesha Omer, Syed Shafat, Amna Malik, Ahmed Ali

Butt, Zainab Abbas and Dino The launching event had performances by Pakistan’s globally renowned names as Ali Azmat Ahmed Jahanzaib Hadia Hashmi Aima

Baig & Faisal Kapadia AAA Octa 2 Karachi brand ambassador Shahid Khan Afridi was also spotted on both days Apart from the celebrities of tinsel town, it was attended by a diverse mix of people from all walks of life

The files were given to the nominees by their favourite actors who also interacted with the attendees at the event “We are proud to announce the launch of AAA Octa 2 Karachi a testament to our commitment to not only enhance the living standards of the people but also contribute to the economy of our beloved city Chairman AAA Associates Sheikh Fawad Bashir expressed his gratitude to the attendees and assured that AAA Octa 2 Karachi will redefine premium living standards in Pakistan "Karachi is the vein of Pakistan a city that pulses with life and contributes significantly to the nation s GDP

Our goal with AAA Octa 2 Karachi is to reflect that energy and contribute to the city s prosperity, he quoted

SCO all set to revolutionize digital landscape of Mirpur in A JK

MIRPUR s ta f f r e p o r t

Special Communications Organization (SCO) a leading telecom organization in Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJ&K) and Gilgit Baltistan (GB) is committed to ushering Azad Jammu & Kashmir into a new era of innovation by driving digitization efforts across the region

With a focus on digitalization SCO is actively working in over 35 tehsils in Azad Jammu & Kashmir spearheading the transformation Mirpur stands fortunate as the first tehsil to experience the benefits of digitization through high-speed optical fiber internet Currently, the fiber cable work has been completed 100% in all the districts of Mirpur This initiative is set to revolutionize education foster online businesses and open up opportunities for online jobs bringing the region on par with global standards In the initial phase 40% of all villages in Azad Jammu & Kashmir will be provided with reliable digital infrastructure

This development holds immense significance for the local population and it marks a pioneering endeavor in

Faulty air- conditioning system leaves Sindh governor, CGs of different countries sweating at inauguration of 15th Food Asia exhibition

KARACHI s ta f f r e p o r t

Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) seems unable to fix the airconditioning system of the Karachi Expo Center or install a new system despite receiving crores of rupees from the organizers of the exhibition at the Karachi Expo Centre Delegates from foreign countries expressed disbelief and said that the condition of Karachi Expo Center is

Iqbal in his statement He said that there was a shot circuit in Karachi Expo Center yesterday due to faulty electrical system Fortunately the organizers of the exhibition quickly brought the situation under control Kaukab Iqbal said that exhibitions are held all over the world to promote trade Dubai is a prime example of this where various exhibitions are held throughout the year under the auspices of the government Traders from all over the world set u p t h e i r s t a l l s a n d d i s p l a y t h e i r p r o du c t s a n d t a k e o r d e r s w o r t h c r o r e s t o e x p o r t K a r a c h i E x p o C e n t e r a l s o o r- g a n i z e s m a n y e x h i b i t i o n s e v e r y y e a r b u t c o m p a r e d t o L a h o r e E x p o C e n t e r K a r a c h i E x p o C e n t e r i s i n t h e w o r s t c o n d i t i o n Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) seems not to be interested even though the CEO of TDAP belongs to a business community when he took charge it was expected that as a businessman from Karachi he would be the first to do this and will pay attention to this issue but instead the condition of Karachi Expo Center is going towards decline It seems that the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) is not ready to do anything except collecting hefty money from the organizers of the exhibition Kaukab Iqbal said that Consumers Association of Pakistan is with the organizers of Food Asia Exhibition as a strategic partner F o o d A s i a E x h i b i t i o n w a s l a rg e l y a t t e n d e d a n d a p p r e c i a t e d b y t h e f o o d related people in Karachi we are tryi n g t o i m p r o v e t h e e c o n o m i c c o n d it i o n s o f K a r a c h i h o w e v e r t h e r e i s a need for the government to pay special attention to the condition of the TDAP K a r a c h i E x p o C e n t e r s o a s t o e n s u r e the organization of a world-class trade exhibition here