Thursday, 10 December 2020
ISLAMABAD, DEC 10 - Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday appealed to the opposition to postpone its rallies in an effort to stem the spread of the coronavirus amid a second wave of the disease.
Speaking during a televised addressed, the premier said 64 per cent of the beds allocated for coronavirus patients were now occupied in Multan where the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) held a rally on November 1.
"When people gather [in one place], the virus spreads. Some days after, because there is a timeline, approximately a week or ten days after, you begin seeing patients at hospitals."
He added that 40pc of beds allocated for Covid-19 patients were also occupied in Peshawar, where the 11-party opposition alliance had staged a public meeting on November 22.
"Approximately 50pc of the beds are occupied in Islamabad. The national average of Covid-19 beds currently occupied is approximately 40pc. The point of stating this is that coronavirus cases are increasing."
The premier maintained that with the onset of winter, it will become more difficult to curb the spread of the virus.
"Corona spreads ... more quickly when people are in rooms as opposed to when they are outside. So as the colder months progress, and people gather around heaters, chances of the virus spreading will increase."
If the virus keeps spreading at the current rate during the second wave, then our hospitals will fill up, he said.
"This is the time for the entire nation to take precautions and follow SOPs.
"Which means that the biggest SOP to follow is covering your face. When you cover your mouth, chances of the virus spreading rapidly decrease," he said, urging the nation to use face masks.
The premier also appealed to political parties to rethink its plan for holding rallies. "These rallies and demonstrations will not make any difference to the government but you are putting people's lives in danger.
"Who has done bigger rallies than us? Will they succeed in ousting the government?" he asked. He stated that when rallies are organised, people come close to one another, increasing chances of the virus spreading.
"So when we already know that the virus is spreading [...] then these rallies can be held after two or three months so that we can save people's lives."
He added that the entire world was facing a problem in implementing SOPs during the second wave. "Look at Europe, the people are tired and are resisting. They had enforced a lockdown for a very long time."
PM Imran concluded his address by reiterating that the opposition's rallies would endanger people's lives. "[The opposition] thinks it can put pressure on me by holding these rallies. That is not the case. But it will endanger people's lives.
"Winter is coming [...] we need to save our people. Otherwise our health workers will be affected. It will put pressure on our hospitals and will affect the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions."
Despite the government's warning, the opposition is bent on staging the next rally of its anti-government campaign in Lahore on December 13 and has accused the government of using the virus as an excuse to suppress its voice.
Moments before the prime minister's address, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz, invited Lahore's residents to "support Nawaz Sharif" by showing up at Minar-i-Pakistan on Sunday. She was speaking at a PML-N rally in Lahore.
"Someone used to say, I won't give Nawaz an NRO [...] You, who robbed the people, Nawaz will not give you an NRO," she said.
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COURTESY DAWN NEWS
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KUALA KANGSAR, Dec 10 ― Five state lawmakers were sworn-in as Perak state executive councillors (exco) today.
The assemblymen took their oaths in front of Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah at the Istana Iskandariah here.
The new exco line up consists of four Umno assemblymen and one Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) assemblyman.
The Umno assemblymen are Datuk Mohd Zolkafly Haru (Lintang), Datuk Shahrul Zaman Yahya (Rungkup), Datuk Dr Wan Norashikin Wan Noordin (Kampong Gajah) and Khairul Shahril Mohamed (Bota).
The sole Bersatu assemblyman is Datuk Zainol Fadzi Paharudin, who is also the party’s state secretary.
The four assemblymen from Umno were previously excos under the leadership of former Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu, while Zainol has served as the latter’s special advisor.
Earlier, Perak Umno liaison committee chairman Datuk Saarani Mohamad was sworn-in as 14th Perak Mentri Besar at Istana Iskandariah here.
Following the appointment, Saarani said his first order of business was to form a new government in order to table the state’s budget for 2021.
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COURTESY malaymail.com
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Iqbal Khan
Police in northern India have arrested 10 men for allegedly compelling women to change their religion after getting married, under a new controversial anti-conversion law satirically called the “Love Jihad” law. Last month, Uttar Pradesh state became the first Indian province to pass the law.
At least four other Indian states are drafting laws against “love jihad”. The law has prompted outrage, with critics calling it Islamophobic.
Indiaunder the rule of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is destroying the remnants of secular democracy, crushing Muslim rights and placing Kashmir under a vicious brutal rule, Professor Noam Chomsky, one of the greatest living intellectuals, stated on December 07. India is a natural member of the “reactionary international” most bitterly attacking and destroying democracy,” Chomsky said.He warned that the world at the moment is at confluence of four severe crises: threat of nuclear war; environmental catastrophe, deterioration of democracy worldwide;and, Covid-19.
Due to obstinate and eternal Human Rights violation, anti-India sentiment runs deep in Illegally Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K).Reports by a number of Human Right Watchdogs, over the recent years, have significantly helped in highlighting the gross human rights violations in Kashmir, including the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
After the UN Human Rights Commission reports of 2018 and 2019, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Physicians for Human Rights, European Parliament and the All-party Parliamentary Kashmir Group of the UK Parliament have also issued separate reports on human rights violations by the Indian troops in occupied Kashmir. Most of these reports acknowledge that Indian army is using rape as an instrument of war against the Kashmiri women.
Moreover, in violation of the United Nations resolutions, India is settling Indian Hindus in the internationally recognized disputed territory of Kashmir in order to turn the Muslim majority state into a Hindu majority region.India has deployed more than half a million military troops in Kashmir – home to 12 million people – making it one of the most militarised zones in the world.
New Delhi says its troops are stationed to quell the ongoing popular indigenous armed rebellion, whose latest spell erupted in 1989.
Most recently, the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) has also condemned “in the strongest possible terms” the human rights violations perpetrated by Indian occupation forces in the occupied territory alongside other numerous instances of Indian State sponsored terrorism that have been the source of unspeakable suffering for the innocent Kashmiri people.
The OIC is the second largest inter-governmental organisation after the United Nations, with 57 members and five observer states spanning over four continents.
The OIC resolution also deplored the state-sponsored terrorism and crimes against humanity by Indian occupation forces against the people of IIOJK. This alliance of Muslim countries censured extra-judicial killings during fake ‘encounters’ and ‘search-and-cordon’ operations and demolition of homes and private properties “as a form of collective punishment.” It denounced the renewed use of pellet guns by the Indian occupation forces against innocent civilians and condemned the harassment of Kashmiri women by the Indian troops.
The OIC condemned that India has callously exploited the current Covid-19 pandemic to intensify its military crackdown for further advancing its unlawful occupation in IIOJK. The resolution also appreciated the visit of OIC Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
It also reaffirmed the sentiments expressed in the unanimously adopted Communiqués of the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir in its Ministerial meetings held on 25 September 2019 and 22 June 2020.This indicates that the OIC countries remain steadfastly committed to the Kashmir cause.
The meeting of foreign ministers of Muslim countries have urged India to adhere to its international human rights obligations and allow the OIC special representative on Jammu and Kashmir and the OIC Fact-finding Mission to visit IIOJK. It also “strongly” urged India to implement recommendations of the two Reports of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Jammu and Kashmir and called upon international community to review their engagements with India— the occupying power— as it is violating and disregarding the international law, the international humanitarian law, and international resolutions.
The OIC emphasised that the question of Kashmir is of utmost importance for the Muslim Ummah and recognised that Jammu and Kashmir is the core dispute between Pakistan and India, and its resolution indispensable for realisation of the dream of peace in South Asia.
Indian Army has violated the ceasefire line and targeted the civilian population along the Line of Control (LoC) more than 2,700 times during the current year alone. As a consequence, dozens of people, mostly non-combatants,mostly innocent women and children, were martyred, scores were injured, and the civilian house-hold properties damaged/destroyed. Pakistan Army in response to India’s aggression, targeted only Indian military positions while avoiding the Kashmiri brethren living on the other side of the LoC.
The OIC in its resolution categorically rejected illegal and unilateral actions taken by the Indian government in occupied territory since August 5, 2019. “The [OIC] Resolution demands that India cancel the issuance of domicile certificates to non-Kashmiris as well as other unilateral and illegal actions, including ‘Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Order 2020’, ‘Jammu & Kashmir Grant of Domicile Certificate Rules 2020’, ‘Jammu and Kashmir Language Bill 2020’ and amendments to the landownership laws”,said the resolution passed during a session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the OIC held in Niamey. Rejecting the draconian policies being pursued by the ruling RSS-BJP regime, the OIC asked India to refrain from taking any steps to alter the existing demographic structure of the disputed territory.
Saudi Arabia has always supported Pakistan’s stance on Kashmir from the platform of OIC. In Niger, the KSA once again robustly explained its stand on the dispute and helped highlight it on the global level. Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal Bin Farhan, in his address to the Niamey conference, stated in unequivocal terms that peace and security of South Asia was not possible without the settlement of the Kashmir conflict.
Statement by Prince Faisal assumed more significance because Saudi Arabia is the current chair of the OIC. The people of Pakistan, and Jammu and Kashmir had expected that the brotherly country of Saudi Arabia would adopt a strong position on the situation of Kashmir, KSA obliged. Though UAE representative did not speak much, however, with KSA back on track, return of the UAE to its traditional stance on Kashmir is only a matter of time.
As usual, New Delhi has rejected the OIC’s unanimous resolution. Nonetheless, the OIC Resolution is further proof that India can neither hide its gross and systemic violations of human rights of the Kashmiri people and denial of their inalienable right to self-determination nor can it escape international censure about its egregious behaviour.
RSS-BJP is certainly on the wrong side of history, with a snowballing India-wide farmers’ revolt, it’s hey days may already be over. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and several American congressmen recently voiced support for the peaceful farmers’ protests in India, the first of which elicited a strong condemnation from the Indian government. It remains to be seen whether New Delhi will lash out at Washington as well. More than likely, India will not do so. Modi knows well which side of the bread is buttered. He does not have the choice of getting on the bad side of Biden.
Writer is a freelance columnist; e-mail: Iqbal.khan9999@yahoo.com
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LAHORE, DEC 10 - The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is having talks with former wicket-keeper batsman Rashid Latif and former speedster Shoaib Akhtar to become chief selector of the national team.
According to sources, Rashid was not taking the role due to his commitment with the state TV but now his and Akhtar’s contract terminated a few days ago.
PCB contacted both individuals after they lost jobs on state TV and the final agreement is likely to take place in the upcoming days.
It must be noted that Misbah-ul-Haq’s tenure as chief selector ended on November 30th and PCB is in search of his replacement.
The national selection committee comprising of provincial coaches has also come to an end and the PCB has decided to change selection policy.
PCB has opted to form a traditional selection committee again and it will consist of three to four members along with the chief selector. Former Test cricketer Mohammad Akram is also a strong candidate for the new chief selector.
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ISLAMABAD, DEC 10 /DN/ - Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) said that due to the lockdowns in the past and the spike in the 2nd wave of Covid-19 pandemic, business activities have declined significantly. However, in these tough conditions, the district administration has issued a notification banning indoor dining in restaurants, while open dining in restaurants has been prohibited after 10 pm, which was not understandable.
Therefore, he demanded that the said notification should be withdrawn immediately to save the businesses from further troubles. He said this while addressing a gathering of traders in F-10 Markaz, Islamabad. He visited F-10 Markaz Islamabad leading a delegation of ICCI and congratulated the newly elected Office Bearers of Traders Welfare Association on their remarkable victory in the election.
Vice President ICCI Abdul Rehman Khan, Founder Group Chairman Mian Akram Farid, Muhammad Ijaz Abbasi, Zafar Bakhtawari, Khalid Chaudhry, Naveed Malik, Mehboob Ahmad Khan, Rana Qaiser, Saeed Khan, Chaudhry Javed and others.
Ahmad Khan was elected as President, Waqar Bakhtawari Senior Vice President, Chaudhry Farooq Hussain Vice President, Mian Safdar Ali Coord Secretary, Kashif Sabri Finance Secretary, Asghar Abbasi Information Secretary, Chaudhry Ziaullah Hinjra Joint Secretary and Malik Sultan Ijaz Additional Secretary of Traders Welfare Association F-10 Markaz, Islamabad. Tahir Abbasi Group Chairman and Akbar Siddique Patron Chief were also present on the occasion.
Ahmad Khan, President of Traders Welfare Association F-10 Markaz and Tahir Abbasi, Group Chairman thanked the ICCI delegation for visiting their market to congratulate the new team of TWA F-10 Markaz. They said that ICCI has always been cooperating with the market association of F-10 Markaz and hoped that it would continue to cooperate with it in resolving the key issues of traders.
They expressed displeasure over the notification issued by the district administration to ban the indoor dining at restaurants and prohibition on open dining after 10 pm and demanded that the ICT Administration should immediately withdraw the notification in question, otherwise, the business community would face more problems.
ICCI Vice President Abdul Rehman Khan, Founder Group Chairman Mian Akram Farid, Mohammad Ejaz Abbasi, Zafar Bakhtawari and Mian Maqbool also congratulated the newly elected Office Bearers of TWA, F-10 Markaz and said that ICCI has always been playing a positive role for the development works in markets.
They said that Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan President ICCI along with the Chairman CDA was visiting various markets to assess the conditions of markets so that CDA could start the required development works in markets on priority basis to facilitate the traders.=DN
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ISLAMABAD, DEC 10 - On 10 December the British High Commission hosted a virtual roundtable discussion to demonstrate the UK’s support on Media Freedom and the latest trends in the media freedom landscape in Pakistan, with a particular focus on women journalists.
The event, chaired by the Deputy High Commissioner Alison Blackburne, brought together prominent journalists and media freedom activists.
The list of those attending were: Miss Mehmal Sarfaraz, Miss Benazir Shah, Miss Tanzeela Mazhar and Miss Nighat Dad.
Deputy High Commissioner Alison Blackburne raised concerns around censorship and self-censorship and the roundtable discussed journalists’ safety and the particular challenges faced by female journalists.
Deputy High Commissioner Alison Blackburne said:
“A vibrant media is an essential element of a vibrant democracy.Women have an important role to play in the media, and should be able to do so on an equal basis with their male colleagues.
The UK has long promoted and defended media freedom, both at home and in supporting the development of a strong and independent media around the world, including in Pakistan.We remain strongly committed to media freedom, and to championing democracy and human rights.”
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ISLAMABAD, DEC 10 - The Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday condemned what it described as India’s systematic tactic of a mass propaganda campaign to malign Pakistan and international institutions.
The condemnation comes a day after a report was published by Brussels-based EU DisinfoLab, which according to the FO, uncovered a “vast network of fake media outlets, think tanks and NGOs serving Indian interests”.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, FO spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri denounced India's actions outlined in the report as “mischievous”, adding that they reflected a “pre-occupation with maligning Pakistan”.
He added that all such attempts were “doomed to fail [because] Pakistan has already put forth irrefutable evidence, extensively documenting India’s active planning, promoting, aiding, abetting, financing and executing terrorist activities in Pakistan.”
The report is a vindication for Pakistan and “substantiates Pakistan’s position in front of the International community”, said Chaudhri.
The FO spokesperson also urged the Indian government to “eschew the use of false propaganda” as part of its state policy towards neighbouring states. “By spreading such falsehoods, India can neither cast a shadow on the international stature of Pakistan nor can [it] divert the attention of the international community from India's horrendous human rights record.”
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi also addressed the report in a tweet, saying the neighbouring country's actions were powered by "fascist ideals" that "even put Goebbels to shame",
Indian 'fake' news network exposed
On Wednesday, the EU DisinfoLab published its latest report, titled "Indian Chronicles", which describes an Indian disinformation network operating since 2005 to discredit nations in conflict with Delhi, particularly Pakistan. The network aims to reinforce pro-Indian and anti-Pakistan (and anti-Chinese) feelings in India.
Internationally, the network is working to consolidate the power and improve the image of India and damage reputation of rival countries so that ultimately India may benefit from more support from international institutions such as the European Union and the United Nations.
To do so, the network used fake personas of a dead human rights activist and journalists, and also tried to impersonate regular media and press agencies such as the EU Observer, the Economist and Voice of America.
Overall, an entire network of over 500 fake local media outlets in 95 countries helped reproduce negative iterations about Pakistan (or China). In total, the operation has covered 116 countries and nine regions.
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COURTESY DAWN NEWS
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LONDON, DEC 10 - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson invited strong criticism from members of the UK parliament after he termed the ongoing protests by Indian farmers as a matter between India and Pakistan.
During the question and answer hour in the UK parliament on Wednesday, Johnson was responding to a question by Sikh MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi regarding the ongoing protests by farmers in India against laws passed by the Bharatiya Janata Party government.
Dhesi had expressed concern over the use of force by the Indian state against peaceful protesters and had asked if Johnson would "convey to the Indian prime minister our heartfelt anxieties, our hopes for a speedy resolution to the current deadlock".
"Does he (Johnson) agree that everyone has a fundamental right to peaceful protest?" Dhesi had questioned.
"Our view is that [...] of course we have serious concerns about what is happening between India and Pakistan but these are preeminently matters for those two governments to settle and I know that he (Dhesi) appreciates that point," responded Johnson as Dhesi watched, taken aback.
Dhesi expressed his disappointment in a two-part tweet, saying "it might help if our PM actually knew what he was talking about".
"The world is watching, issue is a huge one with hundreds of thousands protesting globally (including in London, reported on by BBC) and the usual Boris Johnson bluff and bluster heaps further embarrassment onto our nation. Absolutely clueless! So disappointed with his response," the MP added.
The gaffe was also criticised by other MPs including Sharon Hodgson, Afzal Khan and Zarah Sultana.
Responding to Dhesi's tweet, Hodgson said: "This is so embarrassing Tan! Does he really not know what you are referring to?"
MP Khan reminded his followers that Johnson was the former British foreign secretary and said: "A new low even for @BorisJohnson. My friend @tandhesi asked an important question at #PMQs about the peaceful protests by farmers in Delhi. The PM responded with a rehearsed and unrelated answer about India and Pakistan. The issue has nothing to do with Pakistan. Incredible."
MP Sultana said: "Is it too much to ask for a PM who knows the difference between Kashmir & Punjab?"
Indian farmers' protest
Farmers across India, but especially in the states of Punjab and Haryana, have been out on the streets to protest against laws passed by the BJP government in September. According to the farmers, the agricultural legislation will devastate crop prices and threaten their livelihoods.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, however, says that the new laws are meant to overhaul antiquated procurement procedures and give growers more options to sell their produce.
The blockades and strikes have taken on a political dimension with the ruling BJP accusing opposition parties of opportunism by rejecting measures they had called for when in power.
Though the Indian government has invited farmers to hold talks, they have so far been fruitless.
Farmers have long been seen as the heart and soul of India, where agriculture supports more than half of the country’s 1.3 billion people. But farmers have also seen their economic clout diminish over the last three decades.
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COURTESY DAWN NEWS
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Adnan Mughal
Women around the world are increasingly using technology and adapting it to their needs. E-commerce can particularly help entrepreneurs, especially women in developing nations’ to overcome the usual market access and network challenges as internet-based enterprises can be operated at a very small scale. Moreover, e-commerce also reduces the cost associated with geographic distances, which implies potential gains for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) (including women owned/led enterprises) as they can go global more easily.
With digital technology, women have been able to expand economic activity and increase outreach at a minimal cost. However, gender disparity in Pakistan has a significantly low ranking in the Global Gender Gap Index 2020, only ahead of Iraq and Yemen – with limited economic opportunities for women. Despite improvement over time, only half of the female population is literate, compared with 72.5 percent of male population.
Female labour force participation stands at only 20.1 percent. Only 1 percent of women are engaged in entrepreneurial activities as opposed to 21 percent of men. Majority of women entrepreneurs are operating in the informal (MSMEs) space, and the concentration of women led businesses is confined to traditional female sectors such as textiles, beauty, food, agriculture and vocational training.
In the tech startup space, women entrepreneurs continue to face discrimination in opportunities and benefits offered by ICTs due to lack of access, resources, skills, and education. A key barrier for women entrepreneurs in the tech space is under-representation in tech knowledge and education. Currently, gender disparity is worst for women in digital/STEM careers in Pakistan. Only 16 percent of female computer science graduates are working versus 83 percent men. However, the rise of women-led startups in the last few years in the tech-space is a silver lining.
Technology is enabling women entrepreneurs in Pakistan. With the rising variety of women-led small and medium enterprises seen operating online, many women-led startups are creating opportunities by using digital technology. These startups are mostly focusing on areas like e-commerce and retail – particularly clothing, fashion, accessories, food and catering, salon services, event management, health, and education services. While there is no social data to show the number of women-led startups, the startup.pk directory shows that 20 percent of the startups are founded or co-founded by women. Also, the rising engagement of the stakeholders is an indication of growth. Competitions, awards, donor-led challenges, investment by multiple national and international corporations are examples of these interventions bearing fruit.
Also, the share of women tech startups in raising investment is improving, albeit slowly. Most women-led startups that have attracted investment belong to the e-commerce sector, health and health-tech, and education and ed-tech. There is also a rise in international as well as private sector initiatives to support women entrepreneurs especially in the tech space.
SheLovesTech (2019) a global platform for international tech companies, investors, entrepreneurs, startups, and consumers to promote technology for women and by women. It recently held a competition in Pakistan and provided winning business grants, and an opportunity to compete in a global challenge. SheLovesTech has till date disseminated 350+ hours of training and more than 100 hours of mentorship.
#SheMeansBusiness Programme (2019) launched by Facebook in partnership with Lahore Women’s Chamber of Commerce is to provide women entrepreneurs with tools, resources, training, and guidance to run a successful online business. WeCreate Center: It is a community center in Islamabad for women interested in entrepreneurial ventures. The center provides mentoring, training, a networking platform, access to media, markets, and capital along with the technological tools and resources needed for developing businesses.
Women in TechPk: Women community offering a platform to discuss professional and career-related issues, seek advice, find mentors and forge organizational alliances and individual collaborations. WE-NET: Pakistan Women Entrepreneurs Network for Trade (WE-NET) is a representative platform for women entrepreneurs in trade of goods and services being established with the support of World Bank Group Pakistan.
Karandaaz Women Ventures: Previously known as the Women Entrepreneurship Challenge – a flagship annual initiative of Karandaaz, provides growth capital and business development support to women led businesses to demonstrate their commercial viability for investment and making their portfolio bankable.
Financial Inclusion of Women Challenge (FIWC) & Digital Financial Solutions: Through this focused challenge, Karandaaz seeks to support solutions to address the critical issue of women missing out on opportunities otherwise possible through their financial inclusion such as having agency over money, savings, and access to credit. The program aimed at increasing use of tech by women to increase their economic participation.
The proportion of women having digital skills compared to men is perceived to be quite low in Pakistan, which prevents them from adopting technology in digital entrepreneurship. Presence of women in specialized areas that precondition higher level education will grow with increase in female graduates in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects. Developing the passion and introducing and exposing young women to STEM subjects and opportunities at an early stage and university level will help address some under representation.
Co-operation between IT universities and business enterprises, digital skills apprenticeships for women and mentorship, financial support, and other technical/non-technical support can potentially clear the path toward digital entrepreneurship for women. Women also have less access to other digital learning platforms. Facilitation in the form of dedicated programs can increase the uptake of technology, which can indirectly boost their responsiveness to entrepreneurial opportunities. For example, digital divide has been badly exposed during coronavirus, impacting females harder because of their limited access to the internet and smart devices.
In addition, new opportunities like digital health and remote learning/education have cropped up amid the pandemic, where women can monetize their skills better if they are better connected to digital technology. Government-focused programmers and schemes dedicated for women-led tech startups can also be an impetus in shifting women led businesses from conventional sectors into more technology related sectors. Tech startups and technology- enabled entrepreneurship both rely on digital tools like a website, smartphone app, telecom, online platforms or complicated management systems like ERP, supply chain management, payroll, funding etc.
Equal access to these facilities through workshops and training for the adoption of digital tools will give a push to digitally enabled entrepreneurship. Finally, the wider ecosystem support, including Karandaaz, will need to strengthen and increase the financial and technical support instruments available as well as promote women role models, women IT experts and IT leaders to encourage aspiring female entrepreneurs.
The writer is a student at QAU.
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RAWALPINDI, DEC 10 - Ambassador of Azerbaijan Ali Alizada delivered a lecture titled ‘”Settlement of international conflicts: Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, from diplomatic efforts to peace enforcement operation” dedicated to the death anniversary(December 12, 2003)of the National Leader of Azerbaijan.
The lecture was arranged by Rawalpindi Law College. The ambassador highlighted various aspects of the issue and how Azerbaijan armed forces valiantly fought and took its territory back from aggressor Armenia.
Later the staff of the college presented a shield to Ambassador Alizada and thanked him for gracing the occasion and sharing information with the participants.
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COURTESY DNA NEWS
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Documents related to the authorization application for the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech have been hacked during a cyber attack against the European Medicines Agency (EMA), Pfizer was quoted as saying by AFP on Wednesday.
"It is important to note that neither BioNTech nor Pfizer's system has been breached in connection with this incident and we have no knowledge of personal data being hacked ," Pfizer said in a statement.
" We are awaiting further information on the EMA investigation and will respond accordingly to European law, " the company continued.
" Given the essential public health considerations and the importance of transparency, we continue to provide clear elements on all aspects of vaccine development and the regulatory process, " Pfizer added.
The European Medicines Agency, which is currently deliberating on the issuance of authorizations for several vaccines against COVID-19, announced on Wednesday that it was the target of a cyber attack, without specifying exactly when the attack took place or by whom it was carried out. .
The EMA, which controls medicines in all 27 EU member states, is due to issue a decision on a conditional authorization of the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine, already approved in the United Kingdom, Bahrain and Canada, by 29 December at the latest.
The cyberattack on the EMA came after a series of warnings in recent months surrounding piracy and hacking attempts in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, targeting Western laboratories and pharmaceutical companies.
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COURTESY universul.net
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