Day: June 23, 2014

Islamabad, June 23, 2014 (PPI-OT): In compliance with the directives of Prime Minister, disbursement of cash assistance to IDPs of NWA has been started since 21/6/2014 evening and so far an amount of Rs. 14 million has been disbursed amongst the IDPs.

Government is undertaking all measures to ensure relief for the IDPs of NWA and Ministry of SARON is managing the relief activities for the IDPs in coordination with World Food program, NDMA, Armed Forces, PDMA and FDMA.

As per report of office of the Commissioner, Bannu Division, the total number of IDPs registered from 18th June, 2014 morning till 23rd June, 2014 is 450,681 persons. Out of those 118,753 were male, 142,113 were female and 189,815 were children. The total number of families registered was 36,392.

After the announcement of Operation Zarb-e-Azb on the night of 16th June 2014, a meeting on IDP’s of North Waziristan agency was held on 17th June, 2014 under the Chairmanship of Minister for SAFRON and senior officials of ministry which was also participated by Chairman, NADRA, Chairman NDMA, Director General ERC, Director NACTA, Chief Commissioner, Afghan Refugees and Director, MO Directorate, GHQ participated in the meeting.

The meeting took many decisions regarding the facilitation of IDPs; initially the decision was made to appoint focal persons and coordinators among all concerned departments. Decision was made to register all IDPs through NADRA database which will ensure a transparent mechanism for the payment to IDPs.

NDMA was given task to ensure provision of tents and other non food items to IDPs. The NDMA had released two thousand family tents and have been placed at the disposal of FDMA for the shelters of IDPs. More tents are available with NDMA and PDMA will ensure provision of one thousand tents.

The Ministry of SAFRON has also established a Control room to coordinate with the Crisis Communication Cell for IDPs of Press Information Department. The Control Room is being updated from The Commissioner Bannu on daily basis about the total number of registered IDPs in different points.

With support World Food Program family food baskets have been distributed to IDPs at sports complex Bannu. The relaxation in curfew has been extended for another day to allow maximum people to leave the area of operation.WFP has made available 15,000 food baskets and has a further 45,000 available for distribution on demand. Pakistan Army has also setup 34 centers for collecting donations and has also donated one day salary to the DPs of NWA.

For more information, contact:
Haji Ahmed Malik
Principal Information Officer
Press Information Department (PID)
Tel: +9251 925 2323 and +9251 925 2324
Fax: +9251 925 2325 and +9251 925 2326
Email: piopid@gmail.com

Islamabad, June 23, 2014 (PPI-OT): Ambassador of Pakistan to UAE, His Excellency Mr. Asif Durrani called on His Highness Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Interior of the United Arab Emirates in the latter’s office on Sunday afternoon, says a press release received from Dubai here today.

His Highness described Pakistan-UAE relations as very strong which were gaining strength with the passage of time. He particularly conveyed his full support to the Government of Pakistan’s action against extremist and terrorist elements in the tribal areas of Pakistan.

Ambassador Durrani appreciated the support extended by the UAE to the Government of Pakistan’s action against extremists. The Ambassador also thanked the UAE leadership for extending assistance to the Government of Pakistan in its campaign against polio. Ambassador Durrani also discussed with His Highness matters pertaining to consular issues between the two countries.

For more information, contact:
Haji Ahmed Malik
Principal Information Officer
Press Information Department (PID)
Tel: +9251 925 2323 and +9251 925 2324
Fax: +9251 925 2325 and +9251 925 2326
Email: piopid@gmail.com

Islamabad, June 23, 2014 (PPI-OT): The exports from Pakistan to European Union (EU) during the first two months of implementation of GSP Plus have showed northward trend, said the Minister for Commerce Engr. Khurram Dastgir Khan in a statement while revealing the statistics of trade.

According to sector-wise trade analysis of exports to EU during January-February 2014 there has been a substantial increase of 30.68 % in textile garments from last year’s exports in January-February. The total exports of textile garments during the first two months of last year stood at $342 million while they jumped to $ 446.91 million during the same period this year posting an incredible increase of $104.91 million.

Similarly, the volume of exports of home textiles to EU in January-February 2013 was to the tune of $214.18 which increased to $274.47 million during the first two months of this year making a remarkable addition of 28.15 % in trade volume in this sector.

The leather and carpets sectors were also successful in making a strong mark and enhanced their share in the European market after the grant of GSP Plus since 1st January 2014 as they managed an increase of 15.20 % and 12.79 % respectively during January-February 2014 compared with the same period in 2013.

The leather sector exported goods worth of $25.46 million in Jan-Feb 2014 while they could manage exports of about $22.10 million in Jan-Feb 2013. Similarly, during the same period last year the carpet sector fetched $ 8.76 million of foreign exchange while they leapt to $9.88 million this year.

Commenting at this substantial increase in exports as a result of GSP Plus, Mr. Dastgir said that the fruits of successful economic diplomacy of the present government have become visible and the economic indicators have started to show positive trend.

The Minister was of the view that numerous opportunities have presented themselves to Pakistani exporters as a result of trade negotiations with different countries and trading blocs and the Government is encouraging Pakistani exporters to make the best use of them.

He said that the Government is working hard to enhance Pakistani exports to EU in the non-traditional sector as well. The Treaty Implementation Cell established on the directions of the Prime Minister shows Government’s earnest resolve to achieve maximum benefits out of such trade arrangements, the Minister said.

For more information, contact:
Haji Ahmed Malik
Principal Information Officer
Press Information Department (PID)
Tel: +9251 925 2323 and +9251 925 2324
Fax: +9251 925 2325 and +9251 925 2326
Email: piopid@gmail.com

Islamabad, June 23, 2014 (PPI-OT): Prime Minister’s 100% Fee Reimbursement Scheme (PMFRS) for more than 3300 post-graduate students studying in HEC recognized public sector universities of Azad Jammu and Kashmir will be launched tomorrow at Muzaffarabad under the auspices of Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP).

This was decided in a high-level meeting chaired by the Chairperson of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme Mohtarma Maryam Nawaz Sharif, here today. The meeting decided to disburse 100% educational expenses reimbursement cheques under the Prime Minister’s Fee Reimbursement Scheme of more than 85 million rupees among the students of AJK.

It merits mention here that the first ever 100% PMFRS was launched in Baluchistan by Finance Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on 21 May 2014 and successively by the Chairperson of PMYP, Mohtarma Mayram Nawaz Sharif, in Peshawar, Multan and Murree earlier this month. Post-graduate students of interior Sindh and Bahawalpur also availed the reimbursement of 100% educational expenses earlier this month.

The meeting also decided to expand both the demographic and geographic coverage of the PMFRS during the coming FY 2014-15 for the students hailing from the less developed districts in addition to Southern Punjab, entire Baluchistan, KPK, FATA, Interior Sindh, GB and AJK. The beneficiaries of the scheme will be those ones currently undertaking MA, MSc, MS, M Phill or PhD courses from the HEC recognized public sector universities.

The Chairperson said that out of total more than 40,000 post-graduate students belonging to less developed areas, so far more than 35,000 post-graduate students benefited across the federation from the 1.20 billion rupees scheme launched by the present democratic government to encourage the quest of higher education for the students facing financial constraints and added that the scheme would sponsor 100% educational expenses of the post-graduate students of less developed areas of the Southern Punjab, interior Sindh, entire Baluchistan, KPK including FATA, AJK and GB before the end of FY 2013-14.

The Chairperson maintained that under the scheme, the 100% reimbursement of educational expenses upto 100,000 rupees for the financially underprivileged students of the less developed areas of the country was a big leap forward towards the attainment of higher education.

For more information, contact:
Haji Ahmed Malik
Principal Information Officer
Press Information Department (PID)
Tel: +9251 925 2323 and +9251 925 2324
Fax: +9251 925 2325 and +9251 925 2326
Email: piopid@gmail.com