FARUKH SHEHZAD

ISLAMABAD, JAN 19 /DN/ - The Embassy of Azerbaijan in Pakistan in cooperation with Sargodha University organized a webinar for students of a number of Pakistani universities on "From Martyrdom to Victory" dedicated to January 20 - Martyrs' Remembrance Day.

Ambassador of Azerbaijan, Ali Alizada explained students about events and the sacrifices of the Azerbaijani civilians during the webinar on Martyrs Remembrance Day.

Ambassador told that Martyrs' Day is a national holiday in Azerbaijan. It may also be known as 'the Day of the Nationwide Sorrow'. It is observed on 20 January every year.

Students of Sargodha University discussed various important matters of higher education with Ambassador of Azerbaijan Ali Alizada during the online discussion.

Students also shared their experience of university life with Azerbaijan ambassador.

Later in the discussion the Ambassador of Azerbaijan, Ali Alizada advised Sargodha University students to focus on their studies to achieve bigger goals in life ahead.

Ali Alizada further said that it is utmost important for the students to complete their education because that is the only way you thru which you can play a positive role in development of the country.=DN

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ISLAMABAD, JAN 19: PATCO is an agri-business company of PARC to promote its R&D products and services and in connection with its agri-business growth PATCO-PARC is establishing a chain of its display centers across the town.

Recently setting up of its 4rth display center under public private partnership at Ghori Town Phase-I Islamabad on 17 January 2021 is successfully achieved.

At its opening ceremony Chairman PARC Dr. Azeem Khan started the ceremony by cutting the ribbon in the presence of CEO PATCO-PARC Dr. Amjad and other high officials.

Being determined to seek growth of research based and multi grain food products with the high nutritional value in the country Dr. Azeem Khan is playing key role in scaling up agricultural R&D through its agri-business. 

While inauguration Chairman PARC resolved to bring forward such interventions more and more and maximum 10 branches will be opened in future.

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COURTESY pakobserver

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• Says anti-graft body gave rise to ‘tortuous liability’
• Aug 2016 award released by govt following Moussavi controversy

ISLAMABAD, JAN 19: A deliberate decision was made by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to disregard the known risk of economic harm to the Broadsheet LLC, as the claimant submits, to turn a blind eye to damages that would or might be caused to the Broadsheet by entering into May 20, 2008 Settlement Agreement with Jimmy James and his Colorado companies or in making payments to them, stated Sir Anthony Evans through his Aug 2016 final award determining the liability issues.

“I hold, that was reckless conduct by NAB which give rise to tortuous liability, as alleged,” held Sir Evans, adding that evidence establishes that those who took the executive decision on behalf of NAB to enter into the settlement agreement believed that the Broadsheet was in liquidation and that the liquidator was not a party to the negotiations by accepting Jimmy James explanation that Broadsheet LLC had been reconstituted in the form of Broadsheet LLC in Colorado, which at best was a doubtful legal concept and if correct, could only mean that Broadsheet had ceased to exist.

The judgement also noted that senior lawyer Ahmer Bilal Soofi who acted on behalf of NAB as its consultant paid an agreed amount of $1.5 million in London by two cheques to Broadsheet LLC Gibraltor (a misnomer) or Broadsheet LLC (Colorado) and Jimmy James.

The consultant was informed in Feb 2008 by Jimmy James that the Broadsheet was or had been in liquidation in the Isle of Man and that the company had been somehow reincorporated in Colorado and that in SA James did not claim that he was acting for a liquidator.

By the time the settlement agreement was executed, both Ahmer Bilal Soofi and NAB believed that Broadsheet was in liquidation proceedings though both also knew that the supposed liquidator was not involved in the negotiations nor a party to the settlement agreement.

While holding that the claimant Broadsheet LLC was entitled to recover damages for the wrongful repudiation of the ARA, the award declared that Jimmy James had no authority from the claimant after March 2005 to enter into a settlement agreement.

The Dec 17, 2018 determination by Sir Anthony Evans on the quantum award in the Broadsheet LLC litigation mentions, according to the evidence, that the total value of the assets attributed to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s was $805.9 million. At the same time the award also acknowledges that the figure being gross do not necessarily relate to the current value of the alleged properties owned by the Sharifs. Of the total value of assets, $622 million was in Pakistan, $54 million in Saudi Arabia, $24.5 million in the UAE besides $105 million in the United Kingdom.

Finally the quantum decision held that Pakistan and NAB were jointly liable to pay $21.58 million plus interest to the Broadsheet LLC as damages for the Oct/Dec 2003 breach and repudiation of June 2000 ARA (asset recovery agreement).

The award summarizes the damages recoverable by the claimant (Broadsheet LLC) for the breach of contract with compound interest at the appropriate deposit rate. According to the table, a total of $21.58 million has to be recovered and given to Broadsheet of which $1.5 million had to be recovered from the Sharifs on account of Avenfield flats, $19 million for other assets from Sharifs, $48,760 from Schon Group, $25,000 from Sultan Lakhani, $85,600 from Fauzi Kazmi, $381,600 from Lt Gen (retd) Zahid Ali Akbar, Aftab Sherpao $210,000 and $180,000 from Jamil Ansari etc.

Broadsheet LLC was incorporated in the Isle of Man on May 28, 2000 and its registered shareholders were two Panamian companies namely Oxford International Holdings and Berkshire International Holdings while its common beneficial owner was Colorado-based businessman Jimmy James.

There was an evidence, the award held, in 2001-02 former chief minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif made substantial payments to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) amounting to Rs440 million ($7.35 million) and there was some dispute at the liability hearing as to whether these were assets recovered by NAB for the purposes of the Asset Recovery Agreement (ARA) between the Broadsheet LLC and NAB in 2000.

But after ending exile and the return of the Sharif family from Saudi Arabia, the payments together with different assets had been surrendered to NAB were returned to him and his family on the Lahore High Court (LHC) order which was also upheld by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

“It seems, therefore, that these payments and assets are no longer relevant for present purposes,” the quantum award said, adding that in 2015 the files of Mossack Fonseca – a firm of Panama lawyers – became public knowledge thus disclosing the affairs of clients and former clients, including Nawaz Sharif and family members.

In Pakistan, proceedings were instituted by the leader of another political party, headed by Prime Minister Imran Khan, that resulted in the establishment of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) on April 20, 2017 under the Supreme Court orders, with a task to inquire into the business affairs of Nawaz Sharif and members of his family in relation to certain allegations of corruption.

The reasons why the inquiry was not delegated to NAB was also explained in the SC order which stated that in normal circumstances, such exercise could be conducted by NAB but when its chairman appeared to be indifferent and even unwilling to perform his part, “we are constrained to look elsewhere and therefore constitute JIT” with six members including a NAB representative.

The NAB chairman at that time held office under Nawaz Sharif who had been the prime minister since 2013, the award said, recalling that the SC after the final JIT report disqualified the then prime minister on July 28, 2017 from being member of the parliament who resigned accordingly.

The apex court also directed NAB to file three references in the accountability court at Islamabad against him relating to four apartments in the Park Lane London known as Avenfield Flats.

The award also mentioned on July 3, 2018 first revised expert report of Stroz Friedberg (SF) – a consulting firm – engaged to carry out a forensic audit of the JIT report to identify potentially recoverable assets of the Sharif family. This resulted in a list of 76 items of property in three overseas jurisdictions the revise value of which was $820 million, the award said, adding the SF list did not purport to identify assets currently held by the Sharif family rather it lists items of property which have been held by or attributed to them over a period of 20 years.

The award also held that the evidence regarding receiving $160 million as bribe money from the contractors for the construction of the Islamabad-Lahore Motorway by the Sharif family, does not support the claim that an asset worth $160 million in his possession which NAB could have recovered from him or could recover now without further evidence linking that the cash or property asset which can or could have been seized.

ISLAMABAD, JAN 18: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday said purported WhatsApp conversations of an Indian anchor published in Indian media prove that the Modi government used the Balakot incident for electoral gains — a point he had already revealed to the world in the 2019 UNGA session.

The premier was referring to recently emerged transcripts of purported WhatsApp conversations between firebrand Indian anchor Arnab Goswami and Pratho Dasgupta — the incarcerated head of ratings company Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) — which suggest that the television host knew about Modi government's plan to stage a military strike in Pakistan days before the February 26, 2019 event occurred.

In a series of tweets, the prime minister recalled that in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly in 2019, he had told the international community that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had "used the Balakot crisis for domestic electoral gains".

"Latest revelations from communication of an Indian journalist, known for his warmongering, reveal the unholy nexus between the Modi govt and Indian media that led to a dangerous military adventurism to win an election in utter disregard for the consequences of destabilising the entire region," the prime minister tweeted.

He said that Pakistan had "averted a larger crisis by a responsible, measured response to Balakot". However, the Modi government's actions are turning India into a "rogue state", he added.

He said that the India's sponsorship of terrorism in Pakistan, the human rights abuse carried out by the Indian forces in occupied Kashmir and a 15-year long disinformation campaign to discredit nations in conflict with New Delhi, particularly Pakistan "all stand exposed".

"Now India's own media has revealed the dirty nexus that is pushing our nuclearised region to the brink of a conflict it cannot afford," the premier said.

"I want to reiterate that my government will continue to expose India's belligerent designs towards Pakistan and Modi government's fascism. Int(ernational) community must stop India from its reckless, militarist agenda before the Modi government's brinkmanship pushes our region into a conflict it cannot control."

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that India stood further exposed with the leaked chats revealing a "staggering new low".

"Staging ‘false flag’ ops, stoking hyper-nationalism, unholy BJP-crony media nexus and endangering regional security. RSS-BJP rogue regime have no credibility going to any lengths to get to and stay in power," he said.

'Bigger than a normal strike'

Last week, the Mumbai police submitted evidence in a case pertaining to alleged manipulation of television ratings. The evidence included transcripts of purported WhatsApp conversations between Goswami and Dasgupta which suggest that the former was aware of the Indian government's plans to stage a military strike in Pakistan.

According to excerpts of the purported conversations published by Scroll.in, Goswami texted Dasgupta on Feb 23, 2019, saying: “On another note something big will happen.”

After a few messages on other matters, Dasgupta asked, “Dawood?”, referring to a notorious gangster who is wanted in several cases.

The conversation continued:

Arnab Goswami: “No sir Pakistan. Something major will be done this time.”

Partho Dasgupta: “Good.”

Partho Dasgupta: “It’s good for big man in this season.”

Partho Dasgupta: “He will sweep polls then.”

Partho Dasgupta: “Strike? Or bigger”

Arnab Goswami: “Bigger than a normal strike. And also on the same time something major on Kashmir. On Pakistan the government is confident of striking in a way that people will be elated. Exact words used.”

Three days later, an Indian airforce plane invaded Pakistan's airspace and went back after dropping its payload in a forest in Balakot. The Indian media portrayed the incident as a major offence against Pakistan and the then BJP government claimed that "more than 250 terrorists" were killed in the air strikes in Balakot on "training camps of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM)". In reality, no casualties had occurred.

The incident brought both nuclear-armed nations on the brink of war. The next day, Pakistan responded by downing two Indian planes, one of which crashed within Pakistani territory. Its pilot was taken into custody but was released a day later as a gesture of peace.

A day after the episode, excerpts from the alleged chats show, Dasgupta texted Goswami asking whether this was what he was hinting at.

Answering in the affirmative, Goswami added: "More to come".

According to TheWire, these purported conversations, which cover topics from the Pulwama attack to Kashmir's annexation, are just a part of the mammoth transcript which shows Goswami was aware of the Indian government's plans well in advance.

Soon after the Pulwama attack on February 14, 2019, in which 40 soldiers were killed, Goswami allegedly wrote to Dasgupta acknowledging how the attack had helped his channel. “This attack we have won like crazy,” he allegedly wrote the same evening at 5:43pm, according to excerpts published by TheWire.

These latest reports are particularly damning for Goswami, who is known for aggressively backing up Modi and his Hindu nationalist policies during his nightly shows, often shouting down opponents.

Critics have long accused Republic TV of pandering to Modi's agenda at a time when other media channels say press freedom is under threat.

India's disinformation campaign

Last year, Brussels-based EU DisinfoLab in an investigation titled The Indian Chronicles, exposed an Indian disinformation network operating since 2005 that aims to reinforce pro-Indian and anti-Pakistan (and anti-Chinese) feelings in India.

The network is working internationally 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 UN.

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.

The network also used letterhead of the European Parliament, registered websites under avatars with fake phone numbers, provided fake addresses to the United Nations and created publishing companies to print books of the think tanks they owned.

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.

The revelations came a year after the same group uncovered a network of obscure NGOs and think tanks that assist over 200 ‘fake’ news outlets managed by an Indian network to influence the EU and UN with content critical of Pakistan.

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COURTESY DAWN NEWS

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During the initial years of the civil war in Syria, many described it as a sectarian proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Even though restricting the complex nature of the war to this narrow view is misguided, ten years on, it is clear that Saudi Arabia has lost. 

With the inauguration of the Trump administration and the changes within the Saudi dynasty, Saudi Arabia counted on the United States to act on its behalf and lined up behind the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia has now lost in Yemen, Lebanon, and Syria. Now with an end to the Qatar blockade and a possible rapprochement with Turkey, Saudi Arabia could come back into the game.

With the announcement of the ‘maximum pressure’ campaign against Iran, Saudi Arabia put their faith in words over actions and reduced its efforts to limit Iran. The belief in the Kingdom was that Trump will succeed in reversing Iranian expansionism alone and they could focus on internal matters and follow the UAE's lead. 

Four years later, this policy outlook from Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman proved to be devastating. Trump’s strategy managed to limit further Iranian expansion, but it could not hold it or even reverse Iranian progress on the ground. 

A withdrawing Saudi Arabia, an increasingly influential UAE that focused on Turkey and Qatar, and the continuing Russian-Iranian cooperation made Saudi Arabia the primary loser of the geopolitical chess game in the Middle East. From Syria to Yemen, Saudi Arabia’s role was relegated to a footnote.

At one point Saudi Arabia was the primary supporter of the biggest armed rebel union in Syria, the Islamic Front, and was on the doorsteps of Damascus with its favorite local rebel group, Jaysh al-Islam, now the Saudi role has no signifcance. 

The Saudi foreign minister used to openly threaten toppling the Assad regime if it did not implement political reforms and actively engage Iran in a proxy war. The Saudi-supported rebel groups in Syria were some of the fiercest anti-Iran groups.

Today, Iran is listed among the main actors in Syria, but Saudi Arabia is not. The Kingdom reversed its support for the Islamic Front which collapsed and Jaysh al-Islam, once the second-largest single armed group, is now one of many armed groups in the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army. 

Moreover, while Saudi Arabia would actively use tribal links to encourage engaging Iran-linked Shia militias, now they arbitrarily send envoys to calm tribes and convince them to cooperate with the YPG terror group.

Saudi Arabia has always been regarded as the main protector of Lebanon's Sunni Arabs and has enjoyed huge sway over the politics of the country. However, since the abduction of Saad Hariri, their influence has consistently waned. 

For a long time now, it has been Turkey, not Saudi Arabia, that is enjoying growing influence and support among Sunni Arabs and the Lebanese people in general. Iran has manifested its grip on the country via Hezbollah. The entire Syrian-Lebanese border is now controlled by Hezbollah, where once Syrian rebels held that territory.

When Saudi Arabia first intervened in Yemen, most of the Middle East supported the armed intervention as a move to counter Iranian expansionism. Among others, Turkey and Qatar were outspokenly supportive. However, this support was short lived.

Saudi Arabia has committed several crimes and failed to tackle the Iranian-backed Houthis. Over the years, Saudi Arabia has been backstabbed by the UAE’s support of a separatist movement in the south. Saudi efforts to secure its borders in the south have also failed miserably.

By entrusting its interests to others, namely the Trump administration, the Saudi Kingdom has compromised its position, lost its influence and failed to counter Iran. Iran is stronger than before and the incoming Joe Biden administration will not inspire much hope in the House of Saud. 

Turkish-Saudi cooperation on the horizon?

The recent Turkish-Saudi rapprochement and the end of the Gulf crisis clears a path out of the current debacle for the Kingdom. Depending on the Saudi monarchy's sincerity, Turkey and Saudi Arabia can effectively work together where interests overlap. As history and the present show: where Turkey is, Iran isn’t.

With the exception of Yemen, Turkey has increased its role and influence where Saudi Arabia has reduced its role. Turkey has huge soft-power assets in Lebanon and a standing army as a local partner in Syria. Seeing this opportunity, Saudi Arabia can enter the game through Turkey. Moreover, Saudi Arabia can use the results of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to increase its presence next-door to Iran.

In Syria, the Syrian National Army provides Saudi Arabia with a golden opportunity. Saudi Arabia can renew its support to the political Syrian opposition, invest in the army, and upgrade its role in the conflict. 

Knowing that the Syrian people have suffered heavily from Iran and are in fierce opposition to the Islamic Republic, increasing their role in the political process and the future of the country will function as a natural bulwark against Iran. 

Nonetheless, it has yet to be seen if Saudi Arabia will pursue its interests by its own means, bandwagon behind the UAE or through new US policies containing empty promises for the Kingdom.

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COURTESY TRT WORLD

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Tashkent, Uzbekistan -- On 15 January 2021, the Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Afghanistan Ismatulla Irgashev met with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Pakistan Sayyid Ali Asad Gilani.

A thorough exchange of views took place on the current situation in Afghanistan and the efforts of the international community, as well as the two countries to expand cooperation in the Afghan direction, in particular, to launch a peace negotiation process in this country.

The Ambassador of Pakistan especially emphasized the significant role of Uzbekistan in establishing long-term and sustainable peace in Afghanistan, as well as involving the country in regional integration processes.

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COURTESY uz daily

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ISLAMABAD, JAN 16: The government is confident of acquiring the anti-Covid vaccine by the first quarter of the current year but is adopting a ‘look-before-you-leap’ strategy to ensure procurement of a medicine of the highest efficacy.

On the other hand, 45 more people succumbed to the virus during the last 24 hours while 2,417 new patients surfaced in the country.

“Our target is to procure the vaccine in the first quarter of the current year, and we are confident of doing so. But it is quite difficult to say on which date we will acquire the vaccine,” Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan told Dawn on Friday.

He said the government was under close contact with a few international firms manufacturing the Covid-19 vaccine.

“We will get the vaccine from the firm which prepares it the earliest,” he added.

A source in the health ministry said the government was eager to procure the vaccine but not in haste. It aims to get a “cost effective and best result oriented” vaccine that could be administered to people, he added.

PM’s aide insists govt hasn’t delayed procurement

The source quoted an example of Brazil where a vaccine was tested but its efficacy was found to be only 50 per cent, whereas the vaccine with 70 to 80pc efficacy was considered successful.

Dr Sultan negated an impression that the government had delayed the procurement of the drug and said it was a matter of days before orders to purchase the vaccine would be placed.

He said trials of the vaccine produced by the Chinese firm, Cansino, were near completion and if its tests were found to be successful, the government would register the medicine with the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) for procurement.

The special assistant said although the country had a population of 200 million, 100 million were under the age of 18 years, and therefore would not be vaccinated.

“As 100pc population cannot be vaccinated in any country, we need to target 70pc of the vaccineable population, which is 70 million,” he said.

Dr Sultan said in the first phase, two categories of people would be administered the vaccine - the frontline healthcare workers and people over 65 years of age.

“There are seven million people in the age bracket of 60 and 65 years who will be vaccinated in the second phase along with the remaining healthcare professional,” he said.

“We believe procurement of vaccine for the second phase will start in May as we have been negotiating with five Russian and western companies,” he said, adding that, “around 10 million people will be vaccinated in the first two phases while the remaining 60 million in the third phase”.

Dr Sultan said an international coalition Covax had announced that it would provide Pakistan 50 million free doses (for 20pc population).

“We have set a target to achieve herd immunity by vaccinating 70 million people by the end of the current year, however, we are hopeful of achieving the target by November,” he added.

Asked why Pakistan did not pre-book the vaccine, Dr Sultan said countries like United States, Canada and United Kingdom were investing in science for the last 100 years and would not allow pharmaceutical companies, registered there, to sell the vaccine until their requirements were fulfilled.

“Pakistan would not have allowed companies - if we had such firms - to export the vaccine till our needs were met. There is no issue of funds as Prime Minister Imran Khan has given the assurance that they will be provided for procurement. We have also established the Electronic Information System to administer the vaccine smoothly,” he added.

On the other hand, former health minister Saira Afzal Tarar was of the view that although announcements were made, unfortunately funds were not released.

“I suggest that the issue be discussed in the Council of Common Interests (CCI) to ensure transparency in the procurement of the vaccine,” she said.

Opposition leader Syed Naveed Qamar said policies should come from the parliament and CCI given importance.

A prominent microbiologist, Prof Dr Javed Usman, said it was next to impossible for countries like Pakistan to vaccinate their entire population at one go.

“Even the United Kingdom has made a priority list in which elderly people and frontline workers had been included. Similarly in Pakistan it has been decided to vaccinate frontline workers and elderly people first,” Dr Usman said.

He said in the next few months, the vaccine would be available in the market so people, who can afford it, would be able to buy it from the market.

“However, I assume that once the vaccine is available, a large number of people will prefer to wait and see rather than immediately go for the vaccination,” he added.

NCOC data

According to the NCOC data, another 45 people died of coronavirus during the last 24 hours with 2,417 getting infected.

Sindh reported 1,443 new cases, taking the provincial tally to 233,396, said Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in a statement. The province also recorded 14 more deaths, after which the toll has reached 3,769. A total of 13,340 tests were carried out in the province during the last 24 hours.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan have collectively reported 369 new cases and 11 deaths, the data revealed.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported 342 cases and 10 deaths, while 27 cases and one death were recorded in Balochistan.

So far, 62,719 people have contracted the virus in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 1,762 dying of it.

Balochistan has so far seen 18,515 people getting infected and 189 losing their lives.

Islamabad and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) have collectively recorded 152 new Covid-19 cases, the NCOC data revealed, with one patient succumbing to the virus in AJK.

Islamabad saw another 125 patients getting infected in the last 24 hours while 27 cases and one death were recorded in AJK.

Gilgit-Baltistan has not reported a single new case or death for three consecutive days.

According to the official Covid-19 portal’s figures, Punjab has reported 661 new cases and 22 deaths. The province now has 147,953 confirmed cases while the number of casualties has reached 4,370.

About 2,072 people were reported to have recovered from the virus over the past 24 hours, the NCOC data showed.

The total number of recoveries in the country has now reached 469,306.

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COURTESY DAWN NEWS

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ISLAMABAD, JAN 2021: Fouzia Ali, Director, Regional Integration Center (RIC), University of the Punjab, Lahore visited the Center for Global & Strategic Studies (CGSS), Islamabad, and met with Palwasha Nawaz, Project Executive, CGSS.

During the meeting, various activities of the Regional Integration Center (RIC) established by the University of the Punjab, Lahore were discussed.

The Center is established to enhance academic cooperation between the universities of Pakistan and Eurasian region. Center for Global & Strategic Studies, Islamabad is a collaborative partner of the RIC.

It was also decided that CGSS and the University of the Punjab, Lahore under Regional Integration Center (RIC) will initiate customized training programs and internships for the capacity building of the students. Furthermore, specialized exchange programs for the students and academic experts of Pakistan and the Eurasian region were also discussed.

During the meeting, it was also agreed that CGSS and the University of the Punjab, Lahore will closely work to discover new avenues of collaborations between Pakistan and the Eurasian region. Additionally, new academic projects to enhance Pakistan’s academic ties with Eurasian countries were finalized.

Ms. Palwasha Nawaz also presented the ‘CGSS Year Book 2020’ to Dr. Fouzia Ali, Director, Regional Integration Center (RIC), University of the Punjab, Lahore.

COURTESY cgss.com.pk

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The Diplomat’s Asia Geopolitics podcast host Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) speaks to Catherine Putz, The Diplomat’s managing editor, about the January 2021 elections in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

Click the play button to the right to listen. If you’re an iOS or Mac user, you can also subscribe to The Diplomat’s Asia Geopolitics podcast on iTunes here; if you use Windows or Android, you can subscribe on Google Play here, or on Spotify here.

If you like the podcast and have suggestions for content, please leave a review and rating on iTunes and TuneIn. You can contact the host, Ankit Panda, here.

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COURTESY thediplomat

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ISLAMABAD, JAN 14: The verdant spherical garden of the Turkish Embassy provided just the right ambiance for a joyful celebration of the combined history and values of Turkey and Pakistan with none other than Nurettin Sonmez and Ayberk Pekcan—better known as Bamsi and Artuk Bey as featured in popular Turkish television drama serial ‘Dirilis Ertugrul.’

The artists, who are visiting Pakistan as members of the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu’s entourage, interacted with select members of the media at a press briefing hosted by Turkish Ambassador Ihsan Mustafa Yurakul and his wife Zlatomira Yurdakul on a sunny winter afternoon here on Wednesday. The Foreign Minister also briefly graced the occasion.

Both the artists expressed their eagerness to promote people-to-people contacts and to foster cultural diplomacy by signing up for collaborative ventures with the film and drama industries of Pakistan. “Even though it is primarily the job of directors and producers in our two countries to formalize such initiatives, and we actors come at the end of the chain, we would still love to join forces with artists in Pakistan to create quality productions,” Nurettin Sonmez said in response to a query.

Referring to ‘Dirilis Ertugrul,’ both Nurettin and Ayberk thanked Prime Minister Imran Khan for publicly promoting the serial and particularly persuading youth to watch it to gain familiarity with the glorious Islamic history. “We are proud to have the Prime Minister of Pakistan as our fan,” Nurettin said, and hoped that the serial has inspired young people to brace values that craft great people and great nations. “In those times, peoples’ minds were pure, hearts were filled with ‘emaan’ and love for Allah, and spirits were free. This is where they derived their strength from,” he said, hoping that the warriors of ‘Dirilis Ertugrual’ also similarly inspired young viewers.

The Turkish Foreign Minister also highlighted the importance of being familiar with the true essence of Islam and implementing a fair justice system. “If Muslims could do it back then in the 13th century, there is no reason why we cannot emulate similar values today,” he commented.

The Turkish artists expressed how emotionally overwhelming it is to have a fan following across borders. “The appreciation that we receive from our fans creates an unbreakable bond, which is further strengthened when interactions are promoted at the governmental level,” Nurettin said.

Responding to a query, Ayberk said, ‘Dirilis Ertugrual’ is as popular in Turkey as it is in Pakistan. “It was a signature historical project that no one had produced in the past. It was a risky project but the resolve of the director, coupled with rigorous trainings and pre-planning, and massive investment in terms of time, collectively contributed to the success of the serial, which became way more popular than expected,” he said. Ayberk added, “Pakistan and Turkey have a combined history. Thanks to our strong ties of brotherhood, we just don’t feel away from home.”

The artists thanked all Pakistanis for their love and sincerity. They were particularly keen to explore Pakistan’s natural beauty, and to this end, expressed interest in producing a travel guide to promote tourism. Ayberk was keen to visit Lahore, given his penchant for Moghul history.

A young Pakistani girl Ramsha Mehmood, who has studied and worked in Turkey, proficiently moderated the event with her exceptional interpretation skills.

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COURTESY THE NEWS

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