FARUKH SHEHZAD

ISLAMABAD, MAR 30 - AAA Associates, Pakistan's leading group of companies, launched their 8th real estate project, the luxury AAA OCTA in the heart of Bahria Town Rawalpindi. It includes Al Zarooni- Mall of streets, Five star Pearl Continental Hotel, Luxury Penthouses (Villas in the air) and the AAA Executive Club, providing exciting investment opportunities.

Suhail M. Al Zarooni launched the event by cutting the ribbon and prayers for the project. H.E. was accompanied by Vice Chief Executive Bahria Town, MPA Mr. Haji Amjad Chaudhary, Chief Operating Officer Hashoo Group Haseeb A. Gardezi, GM OperationsHashoo Group Mr. Jan Verduyn, Chief Architect of Malik and Malik Mr. Shoaib Malik and Board Members of AAA Associates.

Another major announcement of the event was that the permission was granted by His Excellency to name the Mall after his name, making it Al Zarooni – Mall of streets.

Member of Provincial Assembly and Vice Chief Executive Bahria Town, Haji Amjad Chaudhry, talking at the event, said, "Bahria Town was a dream that came true. We are happy that projects like these are benefitting the economy and bringing employment opportunities. It is good that RDA is now making rules to build high rises in Rawalpindi."

Speaking on the occasion Chief Operating Officer Hashoo Group Mr. Haseeb A. Gardezi said that, “Keeping in view the future potential of this area the Five Star Hotel Pearl Continental was visioned in AAA OCTA. Further talking to the gathering, he praised AAA Associates as a group of young, educated and energetic people.”

Shoaib Malik (Chief Architect) explained the complete concept of the project to the audience. "I am extremely grateful and overly joyed to see the launch of this exciting new addition to Bahria's skyline. Congratulations to everyone who is involved in this project - InshaAllah, we will continue to work on exciting new projects like these. We are a company of the people and for the people. We started with six team members and AlhamduLillah, we are around 400 members now." said MD, LT Col Shahzad Ali Kiani (Retd), speaking at the launch event.

AAA Chairman Mr. Shiekh Fawad Bashir, appreciated and thanked H.E. Suhail Muhammad Al Zarooni for coming to Pakistan on his invitation. He also thanked Member of Provincial Assembly, Vice Chief Executive Bahria Town, Haji Amjad Chaudhry for gracing the occasion. Chairman especially showed his gratitude to Mr. Malik Riaz, Mr. Ali Malik and Mr. Shahid Qureshi for providing a platform for everyone to prove himself. He appreciated DG planning Mr Ehsan for his continuous support to AAA. Chairman AAAA associates was extremely thankful to Mr. Murtaza Hashwani, CEO of Hashoo Group for showing trust in AAA Associates and associating the name of Pearl Continental with AAA OCTA. He also paid homage to Director Meerab Properties Mr. Ali Pervaiz for joining us from UAE.

AAA Associates - an amalgamation of a group of companies, aiming at a different niche, envisioned to implement innovative business practices. The organization has been exceeding the expectations in Real Estate, Construction, Aircraft Maintenance, IT Solutions and Marketing plans.

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ISLAMABAD, MAR 30: Pakistan Research Center for a Community with Shared Future and Communication University of China, Beijing jointly organized a Focus Group Discussion on “Dialogue of Civilizations”.

The session was commenced with the opening remarks by Prof. Li Huailiang, Dean, Institute of Community with Shared Future, Communication University of China, Beijing. He stated that the concept of “Clash of Civilizations” has led to numerous wars and killings of thousands of innocent lives. During his opening remarks, he stressed the importance of international communication and international cultural exchange.

Furthermore, he mentioned that to achieve sustainable prosperity and security, a peaceful inter-civilization co-existence is required.

Ms. Palwasha Nawaz, Project Executive, CGSS and Deputy Director, Pakistan Research Center for a Community with Shared Future, Islamabad briefly presented the concept of Dialogue of Civilizations. She also explained the concept, aim, and objectives of the Pakistan Research Center for a Community with Shared Future.

Brigadier Zahoor-ul-Haq (Retd), PhD Scholar, National Defense University, Islamabad in his speech, under the concept of Dialogue of Civilizations, stressed upon Muslim and Chinese Civilizations. According to him, the major challenge being faced is the lack of homogeneity in the Muslim civilization. Furthermore, he mentioned that there are various sub-civilizations under the umbrella of Islam.

During his speech, he also explained the commonalities present between the Muslim and Chinese Civilizations. They include the system of governance, the requirement of an egalitarian society, the agenda of reforms, and the distribution of wealth. Prof. Zhang Yanqiu, Vice Dean, Institute of Community with Shared Future, Communication University of China, Beijing highlighted the need for Cultural Inclusiveness through the promotion of global communications.

According to Prof. Zhang, the absence of dialogue between civilizations and states has led to armed conflicts all around the world. Furthermore, she added that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the cooperation and negotiations have led to improved bilateral relations between China and Africa. Additionally, Prof. Zhang mentioned that for the promotion of the concept of “Dialogue of Civilizations”, China’s international communication needs to be improved.

Prof. Zhang also stressed the importance of Constructive Journalism as a means of Public Diplomacy.

Prof. Dr. Iram Khalid, Chairperson, Department of Political Science, University of Punjab, Lahore, and Head of Program “Dialogue of Civilizations”, Pakistan Research Center for a Community with Shared Future mentioned that the steering of the changing world is in the hands of China. At present, the agenda provided by China for the world is based on Peace, Cooperation, and Security.

Furthermore, she mentioned that the concept of Dialogue of Civilizations mainly provides opportunities for inter-civilizations cooperation. During her speech, she stressed two fundamental areas. They are challenges and solutions in the process of Dialogue of Civilizations. Additionally, Dr. Iram highlighted the need to involve academia in the promotion of the concept of Dialogue of Civilizations.

Dr. Imran Ashraf, Assistant Professor, National Defense University, Islamabad during his speech, mentioned that without the Dialogue of Civilizations, there can be no lasting peace and prosperity. Explaining the concept, he stated that full understanding and development of any civilization can only be achieved if the respective civilizational community not only takes into account but also positively interacts with other civilizations based on equality.

Furthermore, he mentioned that the concept of Dialogue of Civilizations creates hope which enables humankind to thrive under the most adverse of conditions.

Ms. Li Han, Associate Lecturer, Institute for a Community with Shared Future, Communication University of China (CUC), Beijing at the start of her speech, briefly explained and countered the concept of Clash of Civilizations presented by Samuel Huntingtin. According to Ms. Li, the Clash of civilizations is responsible for deepening divisions and divergence, and not convergence and commonalities.

According to Ms. Li, Dialogue of Civilizations is a visionary principle of global governance, world order, equal sovereignty, and lasting peace to all nations regardless of dissimilarity in forms of geopolitical systems, religion, race, transnationality, and transcultural.

She suggested that choosing common grounds and commonality in shared interests and duties for comprehension and collaboration is important.

Mr. Shakeel Ahmed Ramay, Member Advisory Board, CGSS and Director, China Study Center, Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Islamabad highlighted that for a successful Dialogue of Civilizations, China and Pakistan must recognize common indicators of development. He further elaborated that the Chinese Theory of empathy and mutual coordination is similar to that of the Chinese concept of empathy.

Mr. Ramay also emphasized that the Dialogue of Civilizations must be based on common grounds of interest for maximum benefit.

Mr. Nawaz Ali, Member Advisory Board, CGSS briefly explained the concept of Dialogue of Civilizations. Furthermore, he explained the positive impacts of Dialogue of Civilizations on the world community especially in the bilateral relations of Pakistan and China.

Additionally, he elaborated on the challenges and solutions in the process of Dialogue of Civilizations.

The Focus Group Discussion was moderated by Mr. Khalid Taimur Akram, Executive Director, CGSS, and Director, Pakistan Research Center for a Community with Shared Future, Islamabad. The discussion was attended by the members of the Institute of Community with Shared Future, Communication University of China, Beijing.

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COURTESY CGSS

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OSLO, MAR 30: For many people, one year in “home office mode” has left its mark. In a survey, four out of ten people answered that they had gained weight. Just as many believe that their health has deteriorated.

A total of 38% answered that they had gained weight during the home office corona year. Furthermore, 42% believe that the past year has had a negative impact on their health, while 23% answered that the home office period has been positive for their health.

The survey was conducted by YouGov for the insurance company If.

Almost half answered that they got in less everyday training due to work from home.

At the same time, gyms have been closed for a long time in parts of Norway. In addition, the coziness that was previously reserved for holidays and weekends has also taken over everyday life under corona.

Harder to live healthily

“The study is part of a series of studies that show that people have experienced that it has been difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle through the many months with a lot of staying at home,” researcher Annechen Bahr Bugge at the Consumer Research Institute (SIFO) told news bureau NTB.

She believes that this is due to the fact that people’s movement patterns have changed a lot, as well as changes in their daily food.

“Usually, most people eat one or more meals in a canteen, café or restaurant. Now, these meals have been moved home.”

Work, family, and home school have become mixed up. In the survey, 50% answered that it has become more difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

“We believe the lockdown and isolation have led to a greater need to enjoy what you can,” communications director Lars Galtung in If noted.

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COURTESY norwaytoday

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RIGA, MAR 30: airBaltic has begun to accept cryptocurrencies – including Bitcoin Cash, Ether and Dogecoin, among others - for bookings made on its website.

The Latvian carrier was the first airline to accept Bitcoin payments for its flight tickets, in 2014.

The new service will be offered in cooperation with provider BitPay.

Martin Gauss, chief executive of airBaltic, said: “As an innovative airline, we always strive to search for ways to improve the customer experience starting from the booking process.

“Over the years around 1,000 clients have used the payment option, which may not seem like a lot, but still offers passengers a unique payment option hard to find elsewhere.”

The ticket prices on the website are displayed in euros.

When airBaltic customers pay for their flight, their crypto currencies are converted into euros automatically at the current exchange rate by the payment system operator BitPay.

Availability of payments in other cryptocurrencies are subject to the cryptocurrency wallet the customer uses.

airBaltic accepts Bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Ethereum (ETH), Dogecoin (DOGE) and 4 USD-pegged stablecoins (GUSD, USDC, PAX, and BUSD) as a payment for tickets sold on its website.

The crypto currency payment option is available when purchasing airBaltic Green tickets.

Payments are free of airBaltic transaction fee and are available for flights booked at least five days ahead of the scheduled departure.

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COURTESY BREAKING TRAVEL NEWS

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BEIJING, MAR 30: CPEC needs enhanced SinoPak cooperation in field of earth sciences, said Prof. Cui Peng, the Director-General of China-Pakistan Joint Research Centre on Earth Sciences (CPJRC).

He told Gwadar Pro in an exclusive interview that the “CPEC, located at the tectonic junction of the western Himalayas, is a natural museum and laboratory for earth sciences. Thus, research on geological conditions of this region is crucial for the construction of CPEC projects.

What we are doing with Pakistani scientists is aiming to ensure the security and efficiency of CPEC projects construction,” he added.

Cui emphasised that research on earth science can support CPEC projects and local people’s well-being in four respects: providing solutions for adverse engineering and technical conditions; early warning of natural hazards; efficient utilization of mineral, marine, solar, and other natural resources; sustainable development and tackling climate change.

“Pak-China academic cooperation in earth sciences is not an impractical project and far from daily life.

Actually, it’s closely related to people’s well-being and economic development of the two countries,” Prof. Su Lijun, Deputy Director-General of CPJRC, said.

Su also cited a case of landslide on Karakoram Highway in 2010. The landslide blocked 25 kilometers of the main road and people had to cross a dammed lake with height of 118 meters by boat.

In order to cope with the dilemma, scientists of CPJRC designed an advanced plan which was reckoned as impossible to implement.

Finally, thanks to the plan, the landslide and dammed lake were dredged meanwhile saving $200 million as engineering cost. Furthermore, that place has turned into a scenic spot with a beautiful lake now.

Su believed that in addition to its contribution to the construction of infrastructure projects for people’s livelihood, earth science also plays a role in poverty alleviation.

Geoscience can be integrated with regional poverty alleviation, which is what China is doing, and the same can be done in Pakistan.

“There are two factors that lead to poverty, disease and disaster. Poverty due to disease is familial, poverty caused by disaster is regional and can be alleviated through our efforts.

Up to now, CPJRC headquarter (approximately 50 acres) located on QAU campus is preparing to construct. In addition, CPJRC is cultivating a batch of earth science talents and will enroll more Pakistani scholars to work in this field.

Meanwhile, the information system and sharing platform of CPEC has been designed and its prototype has been constructed, integrating the current data resources.

According to the 2021 plan of CPJRC, Su introduced that they will focus on: Deep lithosphere interaction from ocean subduction to continental; Climate change and environmental effects; Natural hazards and disaster risk reduction; Resources environment and green development.

The institution also is planning to establish field observation stations in Gwadar Port and Hunza.

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COURTESY THE NEWS

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ISLAMABAD, MAR 30: The government on Monday decided to remove Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh from the post of finance minister and replace him with Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar, Senator Shibli Faraz confirmed to Samaa TV.

According to Faraz, Prime Minister Imran Khan decided to bring in a new finance team in view of "the inflation that had taken place".

Azhar is the third finance minister to be appointed since the PTI came to power in 2018.

Prime Minister Imran "gave the portfolio of finance to Hammad Azhar who is a young and able minister so that he devises policies according to the ground realities of Pakistan and the poor get relief", said Faraz.

He said that he did not know about Sheikh's future in the government, adding that further likely changes in the cabinet will be disclosed by tomorrow.

The move comes weeks after Hafeez Shaikh, who enjoyed the status of minister since December last year, lost the bid for a Senate seat to PPP's Yousuf Raza Gilani, leading to questions about his status in the federal cabinet.

Shaikh, who is not a member of Parliament, was previously an adviser to the premier on finance and was appointed as finance minister in December last year. However, as per Article 91 (9) of the Constitution, he cannot remain a minister for more than six months until he is elected to one of the houses. Thus, it was necessary for him to be elected to the Senate this time around in order to continue as the finance minister after June.

Following his loss, Lahore High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan had questioned how Sheikh could be in the office as an unelected member of the cabinet despite losing the Senate election.

"In truly democratic countries people voluntarily resign from the public offices if [they are] not elected," the chief justice observed and added the establishment of the democracy warranted actions, not mere words.

"It seems Sheikh would hold his bag and just depart once the job is done," he remarked.

The CJ was hearing a petition challenging the appointment of all advisers and special assistants to Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Meanwhile, Azhar said he was "honoured to be entrusted with the additional charge of finance" by Prime Minister Imran.

He said the country's economy had made "significant gains towards stabilisation" since the PTI came to power in 2018.

"We shall continue to consolidate these gains and strengthen the growth momentum," he tweeted.

"We navigated [economic] fallout of covid-19 fairly well. The world is witnessing supply chain disruptions & rise in food prices. We shall endeavour to protect our ppl from these shocks," he added.

Reacting to the development, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari declared it a "victory of PDM".

"PTIMF minister needed to be elected to continue in post & senate defeat made that impossible," he added.

The month of February had seen a rebound in prices of consumer items as inflation edged up to 8.7 per cent from 5.7pc in January.

Non-food inflation has steadily been on the rise for the past few months due to higher energy prices.

With shortages in domestic production, inflation at the beginning of the current fiscal year stood at 9.3pc in July, easing down to 8.2pc in August before rebounding to 9pc in September. Since September, inflation has been on a downward trajectory, giving some relief to end consumers.

The opposition blames the government's mismanagement of the economy for having brought the GDP down to as low as 0.4pc from 5.8pc during the PML-N government and the inflation jumping to as high as 14pc from below 4pc.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has forecasted the economy to grow 1.5pc this year against the government's target of 2.3pc in the fiscal year 2020-21.

Who is Hammad Azhar?

In June 2019, Azhar had presented the PTI government's first annual budget in the National Assembly.

Azhar graduated with a bachelors degree in Development Economics from the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies.

He then completed his postgraduate diploma in law from the BPP Law School in London. He enrolled for the Bar Vocational Course in 2004 and was formally called to the Bar at The Honorable Society of Lincoln’s Inn in 2005.

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COURTESY DAWN NEWS

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• Asks the authority to consult local officials while formulating projects

• Restriction on use of power over lands outside scope of ‘specified area’

ISLAMABAD, MAR 28: The Supreme Court has allowed DHA Quetta to develop schemes in accordance with the provisions of the Defence Housing Authority Quetta Act, 2015, but at the same time barred it from exercising any power over the lands outside the scope of a “specified area” as defined in the act.

In a four-page order issued by a three-judge bench comprising Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Qazi Mohammad Amin Ahmed and Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, the court also directed the DHA Quetta to adopt a cooperative approach by consulting with local authorities concerned or the provincial government while formulating its development schemes.

On March 16, the Supreme Court had put in abeyance the Dec 16, 2020 order of the Balochistan High Court (BHA) in which several provisions of the DHA Quetta Act 2015 were held to be unconstitutional.

Earlier a five-judge full-court of the BHA had also held that since the DHA Quetta was like a non-government agency therefore acquisition of property by it would violate the constitutional right to property.

The high court had also declared that the DHA Quetta could not be allowed to develop its own master plan or perform other municipal functions. Besides the power of the authority to declare a specified area in which development could be carried out was also held to be unconstitutional. As a result of the high court judgement, development work in DHA Quetta had been paralysed.

Senior counsel Makhdoom Ali Khan had represented DHA Quetta before the Supreme Court while Advocate Naeem had appeared on behalf of the respondent Quetta Residencia Housing Scheme. The Supreme Court order said the concerns expressed about the DHA Quetta Act by the BHC might not have been precisely formulated, however, they did invited caution. “How can an acquiring agency conduct acquisition proceedings for itself without indulging in conflict of interest? Also such a power is lacking in the sister organizations of the petitioner (DHA) established in other urban areas of the country,” the order said. To examine these questions and the validity of the points raised, the court was inclined to grant leave to appeal to the DHA appeal, it added.

During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel had said that the BHC had wrongly presumed the Land Acquisition Act (LAA) 1894 to be a federal law and held that Section 6(b)(1) of the DHA Quetta Act 2015 which allowed the DHA Quetta to acquire land in accordance with the LAA violated Article 142 of the Constitution.

The counsel contended that DHA Quetta Act and the LAA were provincial laws and there was no encroachment by the Act upon the federal legislative field. He argued that the BHC judgement had also set aside Section 6(b)(14) and Section 14(b) of the DHA Act as these imposed restrictions on owning and holding land that were violative of Articles 23 and 24 of the Constitution — provisions that dealt with protection to the property rights.

The BHC finding had held that restrictions with respect to the specified area in the DHA Quetta Act applied to land that was intended to be purchased, procured, acquired or leased by the DHA. In other words, the restrictions governed such land in which the DHA had no legal interest as owner or lessee, the counsel contended.

On the other hand, Section 3(q) of the DHA Quetta Act defined specified area to mean land that was already purchased, acquired, leased or procured by the petitioner, he argued.

The constraints placed on the specified area in terms of the DHA Quetta Act related only to such land in which the petitioner had a legal interest and not to land that belonged to a third party, the lawyer said. Therefore, the BHC judgement had taken an erroneous view of law on this point.

In any event, he said that this condition was imposed on land (in a specified area) which belonged to the petitioner.

The DHA counsel also argued that the petition filed by the Quetta Resi­dencia Housing Scheme was sought to be withdrawn but permission to do so was declined by the BHC, adding that the petition was maintainable before the high court under Article 199 of the Constitution at the instance of an agg­ri­eved party. But after the aggrieved party sought withdrawal of its petition then any further proceedings would be in the nature of suo motu proceedings, the counsel argued while pointing out that the high court lacked jurisdiction to hold suo motu proceedings.

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COURTESY DAWN NEWS

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ISLAMABAD, MAR 28: Begum Samina Arif Alvi on Saturday has said Nowruz promoted values of peace and solidarity between generations and within families as well as fostered reconciliation and neighborliness.

Speaking at an event here to mark the celebrations of Nowruz, she said as it contributed to cultural diversity and friendship among peoples and different communities, Nowruz fitted closely with the UNESCO’s mandate.

“This day is the celebration of the intangible heritage of the world.”
The Nowruz celebrations were organized by diplomatic community of nine countries in Islamabad including Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan and Azerbaijan in collaboration with Serena Hotels.

Begum Samina said it gave her immense pleasure to attend Nowruz celebrations.

“I congratulate Serena Hotels and all the participating countries on this auspicious occasion. This is the beginning of the new year and a new hope to renew our commitments towards peace and humanity.”

She said Nowruz was a festivity marking the first day of spring and renewal of nature.

“It includes rituals, ceremonies and cultural events, as well as the enjoyment of a special meal with loved ones,” she said adding Nowruz was celebrated for over 3000 years in the Balkans, the Black Sea Basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East and other regions.

She said the participating countries had given a message of peace and a bright future awaited those countries.

“At this time, we also need to step up efforts to tackle the challenges of global warming. Climate change is already happening; temperatures are rising; drought and wild fires are starting to occur more frequently; rainfall patterns are shifting; glaciers and snow are melting, and the global average sea-level is rising.

To mitigate climate change, we need to reduce or prevent the emissions linked to human activities. Climate change will affect both hemispheres of the Earth.”
She emphasized that it was the moral obligation of the whole world to keep our planet cool and minimize the use of fossil fuels.

She told, “In Pakistan, the government has taken initiative of planting billion trees which is indeed a good step and we need to play our role in this regard. Similarly, we also need to utilize alternate sources of energy for power generation from solar and wind.”

Begum Samina said our festivity and celebrations had been restricted due to emergence of Covid-19 pandemic during the last year.

“I hope that the process of vaccination will complete soon and we will overcome this disease. We need to be vigilant at this time of crisis because carelessness can lead to problems.”

“Therefore, we should observe SoPs, wash our hands, use a mask and keep physical distance,” she stressed.

She wished everyone a prosperous and happy Nowruz by saying, “May its spirit of harmony, peace and respect towards humanity serves as inspiration to us all.”

Parliamentary Secretary for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Aftab Jehangir, Dean of Diplomatic Corps and Ambassador of Turkmenistan Atadjan Movlamov and Chief Executive Officer of Serena Hotels Aziz Boolani also spoke on the occasion.

Begum Samina Alvi visited the stalls set up by embassies of different countries which was followed by stage performances depicting cultures of the region.

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COURTESY app

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ISLAMABAD, MAR 28: PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz alleged on Saturday that PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari had offered a deal to the PML-N in a meeting of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), purportedly backed by the establishment, of regime change in Punjab.

Maryam made the allegation while speaking to the media outside the Lahore High Court, where she had gone to submit her bail bond of Rs1 million in a case concerning alleged illegal acquisition of land in Jati Umra. She is on interim bail till April 12 in the case.

She said Zardari had "made this offer inside the PDM that if PML-N wants, then we [PPP], because selectors also want this, want a [regime change] in Punjab".

Maryam said Prime Minister Imran Khan was backing Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar while the "selectors" wanted change in Punjab.

"They said if the PML-N and PDM accept, then we can bring change in Punjab though a vote of no confidence [against the Punjab chief minister] and make [Chaudhry] Pervaiz Elahi or someone else the chief minister."

She went on to say that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif had rejected the offer and given a "clear answer" that he would not sacrifice his principles or work together with the "selectors" to attain political power.

"His entire stance was based on our narrative that you should remain in the limits and boundaries of the law and Constitution, and don't interfere in politics," she said.

She said Nawaz refused to leave his principles in exchange for political power.

Maryam rubbished a question when asked whether the slogan of aik Zardari sab pe bhari (one Zardari outweighs all) had prevailed yet again, saying: "If I today too sacrifice my principles and Mian Sahab sacrifices his principles then we can outweigh the whole of Pakistan."

"I think it is a moment of shame," said Maryam, adding that everyone knew how to throw around their political weight but "to walk on principles and be steadfast is the the way to go and the nation is watching."

'Sacrificed principles for small post'

Maryam lashed out at the PPP's decision to submit Yousuf Raza Gilani's nomination for the leader of the opposition in the Senate.

Gilani was successful in the bid — with 30 votes in his support compared to 17 for the PML-N-backed candidate Azam Nazeer Tarar — and was confirmed as the leader of the opposition in a notification issued by the Senate Secretariat on Friday.

She said that while she would wait for PDM chief Fazlur Rehman's stance on the issue, she herself was very "saddened by this — despite having an idea and having all understanding — that you [PPP] for a small position, dealt a very big loss to a democratic cause, democracy and the struggle for the supremacy of the people's rights".

She railed against the PPP and said in reality "this loss has been dealt to you [PPP] the most" since now the people were watching every single move and knew where everyone's true affiliations lay.

"This is not the defeat of the parties involved in the PDM including the PML-N. I understand this is the defeat of those people who sacrificed their principles for a small position."

Maryam said the office of the leader of the opposition in the Senate held no weight, was not an important position and "if the PML-N had gotten this position then it's not as if we were making the government".

She said the PPP, for a small and temporary benefit, had approached the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) for votes. "That BAP which doesn't support anyone without permission from its baap (father)?"

'Could have asked Nawaz'

Maryam said if the PPP "wanted this position and wanted it so badly then you should've asked Nawaz Sharif and he would've given it — like he had provided support for Gilani in the Senate elections and for the Senate chairman".

She alleged that the PML-N candidate, Tarar, had received a call from Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani six days ago and he [Tarar] had also been offered the help of the BAP but he refused to betray the PML-N, its stance and its struggle.

Maryam pointed out that for the first time in Pakistan's history "government members are electing or 'selecting' the leader of the opposition. Have you seen this before?"

"The opposition is the PML-N, JUI-F (Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl) and other parties and they voted for PML-N as was decided in the PDM. So I've seen for the first time that the leader of the opposition [in the Senate] is being made after meeting with government and officials."

Maryam said, alluding to the PPP, that if it thought people were naive or that it could make excuses then "I think you can may be a fool yourself but you can't fool the people".

"If you have to be obedient and be selected then you should follow [Prime Minister] Imran Khan who does that with great stubbornness and [despite] being exposed, [continues to] follow the words of the 'father'.

"This can't happen that sometimes [you are] in the opposition and sometimes in the government, you should openly admit that you listened to and accepted the orders of the 'father'."

Maryam claimed the PPP had lost the support of the people and and it no longer trusted its own ability to gain power from the people.

She said the PPP thought that there was no path available for it to attain political power except for being "selected", adding that now everyone could see who stood where and what their real positions were.

"The PML-N, Maulana (Fazlur Rehman) and other parties involved in the PDM — who are standing on principle — are enough to give a strong time to the government.

"Clearly, those who have the people's power with them, they trust the people, they trust the democratic system and they don't make a deal in the middle and exit."

Maryam also addressed a separate question and said the sentence given to former president General (r) Pervez Musharraf had forever set an example.

She said the sentence of the death penalty against him was "not just a decision against Pervez Musharraf but a decision against every person in the past who tried to attack democracy, trample on the power of the vote and this is also a great deterrence for future leaders who have such intentions".

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COURTESY DAWN NEWS

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ZEM Builders have taken the collaboration game to the next level by partnering with Islamabad United for PSL 6. It was confirmed that the real estate agency has sponsored the reds after the release of official statements by both organizations.

Official statements

It was finally confirmed much to the anticipation of the fans that ZEM Builders have risen to the occasion and sponsored the leading PSL franchise. Zeeshan Qureshi, the CEO of ZEM Builders in Bahria Town Rawalpindi, was pleased to announce that his real estate agency has joined hands with the greatest team that PSL has ever seen. He said “PSL is the most awaited T20 cricket event of the year, and we are proudly announcing our partnership with Islamabad United. Islamabad United is a prestigious team of PSL, and we’re delighted with this partnership. I feel that it is a pleasure for us to partner with Islamabad United that performed well in previous PSL seasons. It (Islamabad United) also shares our vision of the betterment of Pakistan, ensuring good quality. We wish them the best of luck for this season of PSL.”

The owner of Islamabad United, Ali Naqvi, was as pleased as everyone when announcing the partnership with one of the bests in the real estate industry. He said, “We are pleased to partner with one of the leading real estate companies in Pakistan. Their pursuit of excellence is one that we share.

He further complimented the ZEM Builders on the work they have done over the course of the last 15 years to make Pakistan a better place for future generations. He added, “Their (ZEM Builders) presence in the twin cities region of Islamabad and Rawalpindi makes them an obvious partner for us.”

About Zem Builders

ZEM builders are among the best Real Estate companies you will find in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The company has been at the forefront since the year 2005. Zem builders have brought new and exciting standards of living to the market that provides numerous facilities at your own doorstep.

ZEM builders are here to provide you with your favorite living space concepts. ZEM provides magnificent themed areas that are appealing for every woman and child, for every age and interest. ZEM builders have made sure that the people of the twin cities get what they have craved for their whole life. Since the last few years, Zem builders have signed dozens of deals to ensure that the living standard of the people of Islamabad reaches top quality. Some of their projects include Lake Vista, Skylark, Liberty Tower, ZEM Ark, ZEM Ark 2, and Urban Nest.

Islamabad United

Islamabad United is the best team in the history of PSL (Pakistan Super League). The team has won two out of five league titles, the most by any team in the league. So, how did Islamabad United manage to do that? Well, there are a few reasons why Islamabad United has been the most successful

team. One, Islamabad United availed every opportunity to win the games at the most important moments.

Secondly, the players Islamabad United chooses are the best the world has at the moment. Examples are Hassan Ali, Shadab Khan, and Alex Hales. These guys have done wonders for not only their national teams, but they have played T20 leagues all over the world.

How can the partnership benefit Pakistan?

Ever since the news of the collab broke out, there is hope among the people of Pakistan that it would represent a good image of the country on global media. There is also hope that both organizations would work hand in hand for the betterment of the country.

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ISLAMABAD, MAR 27: Huawei Pakistan organized an IdeaHub Golf tournament, an invite only tournament to promote the sport among the ICT sector. Federal Secretary of IT and Telecommunications, Shoaib Siddiqui was the chief guest of the event.

The tournament had 83 golfers, and was inaugurated by CEO of Jazz, Mr. Aamir Ibrahim. PTCL Group EVP Mr. Nadeem, Deputy CEO of Huawei Pakistan, Mr. Ahmed Bilal Masud was also present at the occasion, along with participants from different telcos and different ICT companies in Pakistan.

 83 golfers were divided into 21 groups. After a fierce competition, the golfers with the top three gross score, top three net score and one nearest to the pin were awarded with Huawei phones and watches as trophy.

In the award ceremony, Huawei demonstrated the Huawei IdeaHub: a sleek 4K screen with a contemporary, user-centric design, a minimalist stand that gives it the look of a next-generation product that fit for any office space.

The 4K screen has H.265 technology with 60fps that delivers a crisp, clear, smooth experience. The device has a touch feature that lets one make your presentations interactive with users.

The Federal Secretary Mr. Shoaib Siddiqui conclude the event by saying, “Huawei is a company which has strength, value, technology, commitment and knows how to stand up and how to tackle issues, resistance, problems and still remain in the field, while simultaneously promoting technology and developing an ecosystem with the government, society, youth and the tech sector.

Huawei IdeaHub is a wonderful discovery, the world in your room, the world on your fingertips.”

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