Board Meeting Postponed of Loads Limited

Karachi, Loads Limited informed Pakistan Stock Exchange that the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company which was scheduled to be held on March 18, 2020 at Karachi, to consider and approve the issue of Right Shares, has been postponed till further notice in light of the prevailing economic / market conditions related Read More ...

Debrief of Pakistan Navy Maritime Exercise SEASPARK-2020 held at Karachi

Islamabad, March 16, 2020 (PPI-OT): The Debrief Session of Pakistan Navy’s Major Maritime Exercise SEASPARK-2020 held at Karachi. Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi graced the Session as Chief Guest. The exercise was conducted in North Arabian Sea to validate operational plans of Pakistan Navy involving naval assets/ platforms, Special Forces and Pak Marines Detachments. Besides, elements of Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA), Pakistan Army and Pakistan Air Force also participated in the exercise.

 

During the debrief session, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (Operations) presented Overview of the exercise. Subsequently, conduct of the exercise was discussed threadbare to draw pertinent lessons. Towards the end, recommendations were presented to refurbish war plans and strategies.

 

Later, Chief of the Naval Staff in his concluding remarks highlighted that challenges of grey hybrid warfare necessitates utmost vigilance and constant review of operational plans through extensive war gaming and exercises. The Admiral expressed utmost satisfaction over operational readiness of Pakistan Navy to withstand multiple challenges and appreciated the professionalism displayed during the exercise. Chief of the Naval Staff asserted that Pakistan Navy was fully prepared to give a befitting response and thwart any aggression posed by our Adversary. He reiterated the resolve that Pakistan Navy stands fully prepared to ensure seaward defence and safeguard national maritime interest at all costs.

 

Exercise SEASPARK-20 was aimed to assess the combat readiness and operational preparedness of Pakistan Navy. The exercise also afforded valuable opportunity to validate various operational concepts and enhance professional skills to achieve synergy at tri-services level. The de-brief session of the exercise was attended by high ranking officers from the Services and notable representatives from various Ministries.

 

For more information, contact:

Directorate of Public Relations,

Pakistan Navy

Naval Headquarters, Islamabad, Pakistan

Tel: +92-51-20062326

Cell: +92-300-8506486

Website: www.paknavy.gov.pk

WAPDA, PEPCO departmental promotion exams postponed

Lahore, March 16, 2020 (PPI-OT): In the wake of impending Coronavirus alert and the measures advised by the Federal Government, the Departmental Promotion Examinations of Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO), Power Information Technology Company (PITC), DISCOs, and GENCOs have been postponed for three weeks.

 

The examinations were scheduled to be held from March 16, 2020 to March 20, 2020 at Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Islamabad, Tarbela, Peshawar, Hyderabad, and Quetta simultaneously. The WAPDA Examinations Directorate in its notification has mentioned that the revised schedule of said examinations will be announced later on.

 

For more information, contact:

Public Relations Division,

Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA)

G-32, WAPDA House, Sharah-e-Quaid-e-Azam, Lahore, Pakistan

Tel: +92-42-99202633

Fax: +92-42-99203144

Cell: +92-333-4515923

Email: wapdapr@gmail.com

Website: http://www.wapda.gov.pk/

Chief Justice of Pakistan administers oath to Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi as Judge Supreme Court of Pakistan

Islamabad, March 16, 2020 (PPI-OT): Hon’ble Mr. Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Chief Justice of Pakistan administered the oath of office to Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi Judge, Lahore High Court, Lahore, as Judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan today i.e. 16.03.2020 at Supreme Court of Pakistan, Islamabad, in a simple and dignified ceremony.

 

Hon’ble Judges of Supreme Court of Pakistan, Attorney General for Pakistan, senior lawyers, law officers and officers of Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan attended the ceremony. Registrar Supreme Court of Pakistan conducted the proceedings of oath taking ceremony. Officers and staff of the Supreme Court of Pakistan were also present on the occasion.

 

For more information, contact:

Supreme Court of Pakistan

Constitution Avenue, G-5/2,

Islamabad, Pakistan

Tel: +92-51-9220581-600

Fax: +92-51-9213452

Email: mail@supremecourt.gov.pk

Website: http://www.supremecourt.gov.pk

A special meeting of Concept Clearance Committee

Islamabad, March 16, 2020 (PPI-OT): A special meeting of Concept Clearance Committee / CDWP was convened to initiate precautionary measures and approve the concept paper of “Pakistan National Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan for COVID-19” in Islamabad. The meeting was chaired by Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Dr. Muhammad Jehanzeb Khan. Secretary Planning Mr. Zafar Hasan and senior officials from EAD ministries also attended the meeting.

 

The Project was presented by Chief Health and informed that the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination have come up with a proposal to enhance country capacity for preparedness and response to COVID-19 pandemic. The project aims to establish functional coordination mechanism at the national and provincial levels for preparedness and response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

 

Government of Pakistan is working to strengthen preparedness to identify, diagnose primary cases, effectively respond to minimize impact of COVID-19 through surveillance strengthening, case management, infection prevention and control, risk communication and coordination.

 

Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Dr. Jehanzeb Khan stated that strong surveillance would help in prevention of the outbreak. He also noted that Pakistan already has a law named “Emergency Diseases Control Act” that supports immediate measures against outbreak of any diseases. He further noted that such situations are dealt at national level and federal government will fully support the provincial governments to control the pandemic.

 

Secretary Planning Mr. Zafar Hasan stated that the general public needs to be informed about the safety measures to effectually control Corona virus. Secretary EAD Dr. Syed Pervaiz Abbas stated that loan financing is made available by World Bank and ADB however, grant financing should be explored from other multilateral organizations. The CDWP forum approved the concept clearance proposal.

 

For more information, contact:

Ministry of Planning Development and Special Initiatives

“P” blocks Pakistan Secretariat,

Islamabad.

Phone: 051-9209442

Fax: 051-9201777

Email: webmanager@pc.gov.pk

Website: https://www.pc.gov.pk/

 

Supreme Court takes additional precautionary measures for corona virus

Islamabad, March 16, 2020 (PPI-OT): To minimize spread of Corona Virus, Supreme Court of Pakistan has been issuing circulars, guidelines and advisories from time to time for staff, lawyers, litigants and security personnel in Court offices all over Pakistan. Keeping in view the sensitivity and seriousness of the issue the following additional preventive measures in vicinity of Supreme Court Building have been taken with view to avert the potential threat of infection to Hon’ble Judges, staff, lawyers, litigants and security staff.

 

  1. To take stock of the preventive measures at High Courts, District Courts level, Hon’ble Chief Justice of Pakistan Mr. Justice Gulzar Ahmed has called emergency meeting of National Judicial Policy Making Committee (NJPMC) on Thursday, 19.03.2020 at 4:00 pm at Supreme Court Islamabad to discuss the issue at length and devise effective strategy for the Courts.

 

  1. As a part of additional precautionary measures, litigants represented by their counsels have been advised to avoid entering in Supreme Court premises to escape overcrowding. However, Respondents and in-person petitioners/ parties may attend the court as and when summoned.

 

  1. In Supreme Court Building, wash basins along with liquid soap dispensers have been installed at all entry gates so that people can enter into the building after washing/cleansing their hands.

 

  1. Fumigation has been done to dis-infect the building.

 

  1. Biometric attendance of the staff has been suspended.

 

  1. Medical Staff has been deputed at all entry points to monitor the temperature of every person regularly through Infrared Thermometers while entering in the Supreme Court Building.

 

For more information, contact:

Supreme Court of Pakistan

Constitution Avenue, G-5/2,

Islamabad, Pakistan

Tel: +92-51-9220581-600

Fax: +92-51-9213452

Email: mail@supremecourt.gov.pk

Website: http://www.supremecourt.gov.pk

A Delegation of Religious Scholars call on Chief Minister Punjab

Lahore, March 16, 2020 (PPI-OT): A representative delegation of renowned religious scholars of different schools of thought called on Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar at his office on Monday and announced to fully support the government for dealing with coronavirus. Addressing the delegation, the chief minister announced that mosques will not be closed in Punjab. The Punjab government took the lead to write to the federal government on January 03 about coronavirus and also set up a control room in the health department.

 

Similarly, a cabinet committee has also been established to monitor the steps being taken for controlling the coronavirus. This committee regularly holds its meetings while Rs 24 crore has been released to the health department for the procurement of necessary medical equipment, he added. The government has also allocated an amount of one billion rupees for the health department to cope with the possible coronavirus threat. The chief minister told that 41 high dependency units in DHQ hospitals have 541 beds capacity.

 

Special hospitals have been established in Muzaffargarh, Lahore and Rawalpindi for the treatment of coronavirus while quarantine facility has been established in DG Khan, Multan and Bahawalpur to monitor health conditions of the pilgrims, he said. The chief minister told that 760 pilgrims have reached DG Khan and they are being screened. Meanwhile, additional ten thousand kits are being procured to diagnose coronavirus, he added.

 

The chief minister said that Punjab cabinet has also given approval to public health emergency adding that corona treatment facility can be set up within one week for one lac people. He told that ban has been imposed on public gatherings under Section 144 in Punjab and public awareness campaign is also in progress. People should not be panicked and adopt precautionary measures, he told.

 

Nations go through sufferings and by the grace of Allah almighty, we will succeed, he added. The religious scholars should sensitise the people about coronavirus. The government appreciates religious scholars’ recommendations, he added. The religious scholars appreciated the steps taken by the Punjab government for safety from coronavirus.

 

Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat said that religious scholars’ cooperation with the government is a positive tradition while provincial minister Dr Yasmeen Rashid maintained that corona’s spread is fast and one should not go out of the home during holidays. Provincial minister Saeed-ul-Hassan Shah observed that people should avoid going to other places during the pandemic. The religious scholars were also given a briefing about precautionary measures and steps taken by the government.

 

Khateeb Badshahi Masjid led the prayer for safety from the corona. Maulana Sahibzada Fazal Raheem, Maulana Ghulam Muhammad Sialvi, Maulana Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, Hafiz Zubair Ahmad Zaheer, Allama Muhammad Hussain Akbar and other religious scholars also spoke on this occasion. Mussarat Jamshed Cheema MPA, Chief Secretary, ACS (Home), Secretaries of Information and Auqaf departments and others were also present.

 

For more information, contact:

Directorate General Public Relations,

Government of the Punjab

Lahore, Pakistan

Tel: +92-42-9201390-86

Website: www.punjab.gov.pk