FARUKH SHEHZAD

ISLAMABAD, JUN 23: AAA Associates has signed Imran Abbas, a renowned showbiz celebrity as their brand ambassador. AAA is a famous business group of twin cities and the actor is all set to be the face of the upcoming campaigns of the company.

Imran Abbas is a leading actor who has also worked earlier with the brand when he appeared in the first ever TVC of AAA - a star-studded affair where Imran Abbas featured alongside other top celebrities of Pakistan.

Imran Abbas shared his views by saying, “I’ve been associated with AAA for quite some time now and I have also been a part of their social welfare cause like the recent joint venture with JDC to provide Free Meal Mobile services in Islamabad.

I feel honored to be the Brand Ambassador of AAA, as the company upholds an acclaimed image in the industry by offering state-of-the-art leisure facilities, unique architectural structures, customized investment plans, and solutions for diverse clients, ranging from small to large investors.

It is a matter of great pride to be associated with the AAA who surely is a trendsetter in offering integrated single-source solutions for all real estate needs of their customers.”

The achievements of the renowned actor, Imran Abbas are known to all. He has made Pakistan proud through his contributions to promote the country on both national and international platforms. Recently, he has been selected by the Government of Turkey as the goodwill ambassador from Pakistan to visit Tanzanian and African countries along with other leading Turkish actors to provide water, food, education and other basic necessities of life to the people of these countries.

Recently the actor has faced the controversy of a fallacious marriage scandal on internet with his co-star. Earlier also, a YouTube channel had spread rumors that Imran Abbas and Ushna Shah had married and now the same channel is claiming that the actor has tied the knot with his co-star Urwa Hocane.

The rumor apparently came after the duo was seen crooning to a song on the set of their ongoing project. However, AAA Associates strongly condemns baseless and false news and this time around, Imran Abbas has also taken a firm stance to denounce such attacks which are only aimed to defame actors.

The MD of AAA Associates, Lt.Col (Retd) Shahzad Ali Kiani expressed, “We are so excited to have Imran Abbas as our Brand Ambassador for our upcoming projects.

This joint venture will be a valued addition to our Group of Companies as we embark on the journey in diverse fields like Technology, Real Estate, Construction and Marketing.”

The Chairman of AAA Associates, Mr. Shiekh Fawad Bashir shared his thoughts by saying, “AAA Associate is all set out to lead the Real estate business in Pakistan, so we wanted a leading celebrity like Imran Abbas who can exuberate the same energy and enthusiasm that is manifested by our organization itself.

With the addition of Imran Abbas, I’m confident that AAA Associate will achieve new heights of fame as he truly represents the image of our company.”

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WASHINGTON, JUN 23: A senior US senator, Lindsey Graham, on Tuesday described American President Joe Biden’s reluctance to reach out to Prime Minister Imran Khan as ‘stunning,” and warned that ignoring Pakistan while withdrawing from Afghanistan could lead to a disaster.

“Stunning to hear that President Biden hasn’t reached out to the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan regarding the US-Pakistan relationship and Afghanistan,” the South Carolina Republican wrote on his Twitter.

Senator Graham, who supports continued US engagement with Kabul and Islamabad, reminded President Biden that his planned withdrawal from Afghanistan requires Pakistan’s cooperation.

“How do we expect our withdrawal from Afghanistan to be effective without coordinating with Pakistan? Clearly the Biden Administration believes that our problems in Afghanistan are behind us,” he wrote.

The Republican lawmaker who also influenced the Trump administration’s Afghan policies warned that the Biden administration’s “decision to withdraw all forces and not stay engaged with Pakistan is a major disaster in the making, even worse than the blunder in Iraq.”

President Biden’s reluctance to engage with Pakistani leaders was highlighted in an interview the prime minister gave to an American television channel earlier this week when the interviewer asked him if he had spoken to Mr. Biden since he took office. “No, I have not,” the prime minister said.

“Is there a reason for that?” the interviewer asked. “Whenever he has time, he can speak to me. But now, clearly, he has other priorities,” the prime minister said.

Pakistan’s key role in a post-withdrawal Afghanistan echoed at several recent hearings in the US Congress as well. At one of these hearings, lawmakers also referred to a recent statement by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, stating that Pakistan will now play a decisive role in determining Afghanistan’s future and the United States will only have a minor role now in the country after the troop pullout.

Congressman Ted Lieu, a California Democrat and a former US Air Force colonel, asked if Pakistan was so important for the success of the Afghan peace process, why was it not being treated accordingly.

“I am just curious about what happened earlier this year when 40 world leaders were invited to the climate summit, including the leaders of India and Bangladesh. And the leader of Pakistan was not invited, even though Pakistan is the fifth most climate vulnerable country. Even though 35 of the 40 countries invited have populations smaller than Pakistan’s,” he said.

“It seems to be disrespectful to not have invited the Pakistani leader to this climate summit when the leaders of India and Bangladesh were invited.”

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COURTESY dawn news

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ABU DHABI: Peshawar Zalmi have produced a dominant display and thrashed Islamabad United in the second Eliminator by eight wickets to secure a place in the final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2021 in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

After being asked to bat first, United had a poor beginning and at one stage were reduced to 110 for the loss of eight wickets.

However, a record 62-run partnership between Hasan Ali and Mohammad Wasim helped the side in posting a competitive total of 174 for the loss of nine wickets in their allotted 20 overs.

Hasan finished the innings with the top score of 45 off just 16 balls with the help of five fours and three sixes.

For Peshawar, captain Wahab Riaz and right-arm pacer Umaid Asif claimed two wickets each.

In reply, Zalmi lost veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal in the first over.

However, a 126-run partnership for the second wicket between Hazratullah Zazai and Jonathan Wells eased the side to a comfortable win in the 17th over at the expense of just two wickets.

The left-hander finished with 66 off 44 balls with the help of six fours and four sixes. Wells, who was playing his maiden PSL game, scored a brilliant 55 not out off just 43 balls, which included six fours and three sixes.

Malik also played a handy cameo of 32 not out off just 10 balls, which included five fours and a six.

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COURTESY Samaa

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ISLAMABAD, JUN 22: (Raja Furqan Ahmed) - Pakistani tech startup RemoteBase which recently raised $1.4 million from Silicon Valley investors is redefining the recruitment process in Pakistan through its latest virtual event, RemoteBase HireFest which will take place on 26th June. Usually, employers take a few weeks to finalise new hires in their company but this Pakistani startup has shortened the time to 4 hours with no need for candidates to physically go to their offices! As a fully remote company, RemoteBase offers all of its employees to work from home so that they can fully focus on their career rather than wasting time and money on transport.

RemoteBase also provides complete flexibility for employees to choose the timing of their work providing them with a greater work-life balance.

Commenting on the development, US Billionaire and one of RemoteBase’s investors, Tim Draper said: "I'm amazed by what RemoteBase has achieved in such a short time and how innovative they have been with their growth strategy.” Tim added: ”I wish Qasim and Talha the best for the Hirefest. They have been successfully adding top talent to the company over the last few months and the Hirefest will just add fuel to the fire."

In an exclusive conversation with (news outlet), the founder of RemoteBase, Qasim Asad Salam said: “Enabling our employees to work remotely has greatly benefitted our company. Some female employees found it hard to physically come to the office every day.

There is also immense talent in the rural areas of Pakistan which didn’t have access to tech companies but with remote working, we’re getting close to eradicating this problem.” According to Qasim, such hiring events have seldom been held in the history of Pakistan which offered a job on the same day, that too without any physical interview.

RemoteBase aims to hire over 200 engineers in the next 12 months and in its first HireFest, it aims to tap into the top Pakistani talent and enable them to work for some of the most innovative companies in the world. Pakistan’s top software developers are expected to compete in RemoteBase HireFest which also offers cash bonuses of up to 50,000 rupees for the top candidates.

Speaking from San Francisco, Qasim further added that RemoteBase offers a chance for its employees to directly work with and get exposure to some of the most innovative companies in Silicon Valley, where the top leadership of RemoteBase is now based. “Many of our employees are currently doing projects with some of the biggest companies in the world, including some of the most innovative Silicon Valley startups.

The experience and training they get whilst working with those companies are invaluable and inevitably improves the skill set of Pakistan’s top talent,” Talha Masood, the Chief Technology Officer of RemoteBase said. Talha said that RemoteBase HireFest represents the inclusive and remote nature of the company which acts as an equal opportunity employer.

“We’ve hired few software developers from all across Pakistan and I can confidently say that some of the talents in remote areas are at par with the big cities like Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad,” Qasim said in an exclusive conversation with (news outlet). Wajahat Zia, who works for RemoteBase remotely from Multan said: "Working remotely has provided me the luxury of giving more time to my family, growing at my own pace and putting in more effort to my work." Over a thousand candidates are expected to participate in RemoteBase HireFest, a first of its kind virtual hiring event.

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Munaza Kazmi

Saladin the name that needs no introduction. The greatest of the warriors, the keeper of faith, the defender of Jerusalem, Sultan Saladin Ayyubi.

He was the man who unified the Arab and Muslim world for the holy cause, he with the grace of Almighty saved the Medina from the evil of infidels.

Although he died hundreds of years before, but the soil of Muslim land gives birth to him after each period for uniting the Muslim world to stand against the all wrongs of infidelity and for empowering the nations.

Pakistan, a South Asian country, a land once lush and beautiful inhabited by people with amazing intellect and skills, thawed by the tales of extremism, corruption which made its image as a horrified old black and white movie, and mostly known as a lonely planet.

However, the country shed its old torn clothes and emerged as a twinkling star from the darkest of mountains under the charismatic leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Imran Khan, born October 5, 1952, Lahore, Pakistani cricket player, politician, writer, philanthropist, and Prime Minister of Pakistan who became a national hero by leading Pakistan’s national team to a World Cricket Cup victory in 1992 and later entered politics as a critic of government corruption in Pakistan.

Here I relate him with Sultan Saladin since Sultan was the one who united the Arab and Muslim world to regain Jerusalem so here is our Imran Khan who’s striving hard to improve the image of Pakistan in the global community, also struggling towards the unity of the Muslim community not in Pakistan but around the world and not ignoring the Palestine cause.

The very next day of Palestine massacre Imran Khan had met the secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and called for the OIC to take a stand on it and raise the issue in the UN.

His call for unity with King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz of Saudi Arabia that "we should raise our voice regarding the injustice against Palestinians and what happened in Al Aqsa.

In the scenario of Pakistan Imran Khan’s voice like Saladin echoes in every corner that “He will never let his nation let down”. For youth Khan have initiated different empowering projects and scholarships which are helping in shaping Niya Pakistan.

In the time of early COVID, Khan have aided the community with a stipend in the flagship of the “Prime Minister Fund”. Early he has launched a project under the name of “EhsasProgram” for helping the poor community in the way that they become self-sufficient. Moreover, the fame of “Shokat Khanum Cancer Hospital” is a lot much familiar.

Imran Khan came with change, change of politics, change of the old norms with a new colour of transformation.

He is transforming Pakistan, to say the province of Gilgit-Baltistan, making the transportation and communication channels improved, digital library, safeguarding of eco-diversity and a lot more.

Khan is also known by people as Tsunami Khan reasoning his ruling of plantation of 10 billion trees that’s why Pakistan hosted World Environmental Day this year, according to the eye-witness he has transformed much weather and condition of the KPK which was his first spot.

More to say our Prime Minister had outdone the black and white picture of Pakistan by giving it a new colour of emergent Tourism, Pakistan came in the 2020 Best Holiday Destination then the recent royal visit from Cambridge, these all accompany in making a colourful and brighter picture of Pakistan.

People are coming and going back with a suitcase full of memories of hospitality and amazing tales to tell, much thanks to our today’s Saladin.

It is true that Pakistan is facing difficulties but as said by Almighty verily, that, along with every hardship is relief”. I believe if we forget about Punjabi, Sindhi, Pathan, Balochi or Kashmiri and stand together as Pakistani who could stand in front of us, in front of the league of Saladin.

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Munaza Kazmi has recently done Master of Philosophy from Bahria University Islamabad. Her debut novel is Unrequited Love.

She’s an author, columnist writing in different newspapers and a researcher having seven publications till yet, she’s been writing since 2016.

You can connect to Kazmi at twitter @munaza_kazmi or on research gate as munaza kazmi.

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ISLAMABAD, JUN 21: Ambassador of Japan Kuninori Matsuda met Federal Minister for Science and Technology Shibli Faraz in Islamabad, on Monday.

During the meeting, both leaders exchanged views on further enhancing bilateral cooperation in multiple sectors.

Matters relating to science and technology also came under discussion.

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Khalid Taimur Akram

Russia is among one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Progressive and sustainable in its development goals, the country has been constructively working to bring nations together via an enhanced regional integration. 

In contemporary times, Russia’s global outreach amid 2030 targets has been efficaciously adding for its socio-economic and political development. 

Russian foreign policy has been strengthening up to its present expansive phase. Moreover, its ambitions reflect through its foreign or regional policies, objectives and targets. 

It relies on more advance and transforming goals. Since the adoption of 2030 goals, Russia has reaffirmed its commitment to fulfilling the targets and advanced its civil society through progressive measures. 

Russian President, Vladimir Putin has been stressing to actively work on 2030 goals, cooperating with regional countries, and implementing joint progressive projects to ensure sustainable growth,foster economic integration, and upgraded industrial & transport infrastructure. 

Moreover,Russia has been actively expanding its capacities through foreign assistance and facilitation to developing countries. Broader assistance is also one of the essential parts of the 2030 Agenda.

Therefore, the study essentially highlights Russia's startling policy framework for sustainable growth. The article also discusses the development strategies of Russia and its constructive input in sustainable development goals (SDGs).

The 2020 Strategy and May Decrees:

Russia has adopted a well-structured and cohesive policy framework. It can be envisaged that the country under its visionary leadership will continue to pursue efficacious strategies for industrial development, environmental sustainability, technological transformation and other priorities over the decade. 

While discussing Russia’s beneficial adapted strategies, it is significant to highlight theMay Decrees.  In 2018, Russian President, His Excellency, Vladimir Putin signed a decree setting the national development targets to 2024. 

The documents set certain significant goals to be adopted for the socio-economic well-being of the state.  The Decrees’ goals reflect some of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) as well. 

The ambition is amid achieving broader goals, i.e., to ensure economic growth rates above the world’s level while keeping macroeconomic stability. 

The 2024 goals also include stabilizing and securing Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure for high-speed transmission, processing and storage of data bank easily accessible to all organizations and households.

In this aspect, the government is highly ambitious to establish and strengthen the digital economy's legal regulation system, relying on a feasible approach in each domain.

The 2017 program of ‘’Digital Economy of the Russian Federation” was designed for 2024. It is based on five aspects, i.e., normative regulation, robust education program, cybersecurity, establishing research competencies and Information Technology (IT) infrastructure. 

Most of these initiatives and broader targets have been already implemented to empower Russian progressive civil society. 

Russia’s National Project is an exceptional roadmap of state-driven investment across 12 major areas. The outlined five development goals are as follows:

·         Maintaining the population (health and well-being)

·         Providing a safe living environment

·         Facilitating effective workforce

·         Ensuring feasible business climate and enhancing entrepreneurship 

·         Technological transformation

Integration of Trilateral Dimensions of Sustainable Development and Policy Coherence:

A well-functioning, modern infrastructure is a central requirement for inclusive economic development and sustainable growth.  

The three dimensions, i.e., social, environmental and economic,have been reflected by a profound analysis of the May Decree. In this regard, Russian federal ministries and agencies are well coordinated with one another and with regional authorities to execute the adopted programs. 

Russia is a social state and always endorsed and encouraged Human and civil rights and freedoms. Since 2012, many trends have been advanced in Russia for sustainable development. 

The country has been working hard to achieve the Global SDGs by 2030. Therefore, the structural reforms have given new impetus to many sectors, especially the agriculture sector, to sustain food security. 

Therefore, as the world’s leading strategic hub and growing economy, Hunger is not an issue for Russia.According to the estimation of 2014 onwards, domestic agriculture capacity and production has been growing. 

Therefore, the country ensures not only its food security but also provide other countries with massive assistance. According to the Federal Customs Service of Russia (FCS), in 2018-2019, vegetable products’ exports were approximately$14.5 billion, weighing more than 69 million ton. This ratio indicates that the export in this sector would be further increased in the near future.

One of the Sustainable development targets is to maintain plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. In this aspect, Russia has strong expertise. 

The genetic diversity of seeds is preserved due to the Vavilov seed bank and Kuban genetic bank of seeds. Russia has the world collection of plant genetic resources, including 400 thousand samples. 

Therefore, the research institute, Vavilov Institute of Plant Industry (VIR) facilitates the production of hundreds of new species and hybrids annually. Moreover, Russia has been assisting other countries with shared knowledge through its huge expertise in the research and development (R&D) sector. 

Certain accomplishments by the Russian federation are pertinent to highlight in this area:

·         Under the prudent and dynamic leadership of President Vladimir Putin, the federation has adopted robust legislative amendments ensuring societal well-being.

·         Allocating special grants for the industrial composting of food waste.

·         Providing pervasive assistance to farmers and rural communities and advancing the agriculture sector.

·         Establishing warehouse logistics and the industrial processing of agricultural commodities, construction of storage networks.

·         Mobilizing efforts to mitigate adverse impacts of climate change on socio, political and economic fabrics of society.

·         Ensuring implementation of SDGs and maintaining low carbon footprints.

·         Supporting funds that assist vulnerable social groups.

·         Facilitating working group and leading commissions

·         Monitoring the provision of societal well-being.

Russia, one of the leading ideas of state policy is the modernization of education. Education provides easy access to education and improves its quality and efficiency. Furthermore, society’s demeanor to the future changes is cooperative and optimistic. 

Thereby, the society has welcome to extend the sphere of the educational system, focusing on the best foreign practices while adhering to sustainable development goal four ‘quality education’.

Russia and Pakistan Broader Cooperation: Prospects for Achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

Since the start of the new millennium, the strategic graph of Russia-Pakistan bilateral relations has followed an upwards trajectory. Russia’s outlook towards South Asia has dramatically evolved in the past decade. 

Moscow has highlighted its “Pivot to Asia'' strategy as a central part of its Foreign Policy objectives. These objectives aim at diversifying diplomatic and economic relations with the Asian states. 

In the contemporary era, the global pendulum of the economy has shifted its course towards the Asian region.

The contemporary geopolitical setting appears to be immensely encouraging in terms of the Russia-Pakistan relationship. 

There are multiple sectors such as geo-economics, defense, information technology, counter-terrorism in which both countries can extend their cooperation and extract maximum benefits out of the alliance. 

Russia and Pakistan recognize each other's geopolitical significance, especially regarding the Afghanistan conflict's durable solution. 

Moreover, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) provides yet another opportunity to strengthen Pak-Russia relations. Russia has announced its full support for the CPEC program. By the above mentioned profound analysis of Russian global outreach and agenda 2030, it has been clear that the country can pave the way to attain common goals together and assist Pakistan in this regard.

Therefore, Pakistan can extend its partnership with Russia to achieve global SDGs and add constructively into global alignments and cooperation. Collaboration to achieve the sustainable development goals would provide a new impetus for Pakistan and Russia to enhance their bilateral ties and foster people-to-people connectivity. 

The result-orientated policies by the visionary Russian leadership have ultimately proved to be a driving force for the amicable resolution of common global challenges and move towards regional cooperation.

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Admissions Open in Bahria University 2021 Open For New Programs Fall 2021. MPhil Anatomy, Pathology, Pharmacology.

16 years of education with MBBS/BDS From PMDC/HEC recognized university/institution With Minimum CGPA 2.5/4.0 or 50% marks if CGPA is not given.

HEC attestation on the candidate’s local degrees (on the back of original degrees), HEC equivalency certificate for the candidate’s foreign degrees, GAT General score with minimum 50% cumulative score or BU Test (50% minimum passing marks) Result to be submitted at the time of application in case of GAT (General) or GRE (General).

Get Highly Demand Certificate by getting admission in Bahria University. Bahria Has best E-learning system and High Qualified staff .

How to apply

Admissions to Bahria University are advertised in the leading national dailies and on the same website, in the period of June/July and Nov/Dec every year for Fall Semester but for Engineering programs which are advertised in June / July for Fall Semester (only one intake per year).

Prospective students are required to fill the online application form and apply for the program before the closing date.

COURTESY smartjobs.pk

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Besides taking their own government to task over poor allocation for the agriculture sector, some treasury members also expressed concern over law and order situation, electricity loadshedding and price hike in the country.

Even Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed demanded that electricity charges should be reduced and steps must be taken to reduce price hike.

Most of the members made rhetoric and political speeches as the opposition members termed the budget a “fraud with the people of Pakistan” and the treasury members dubbed it “the best and growth-oriented budget” in the present scenario amid Covid-19 pandemic.

In their speeches, the members mostly talked about the issues of their constituencies and criticised the performance of each other’s governments in the provinces.

The opposition members belonging to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan lashed out at the governments of the two provinces whereas the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) members, mostly from Karachi, criticised the performance of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government in Sindh.

Lawmakers mostly raise constituency-related issues during budget debate

The most hard-hitting speech was delivered by the ruling PTI member from Rajanpur, Riaz Mazari, against his own party’s federal government and provincial government in Punjab. He said poor people had been “crushed” under price hike, adding that either it was because of the previous governments or because the incumbent government had no capacity to resolve the issue.

“I will request the government to bring down price hike,” he said.

Mr Mazari said that his constituency had become a “no-go area” as though five IGs of Punjab police had been changed, the robbers were still roaming the area freely. He said a number of operations had been conducted in the area, but without any result. He said even the Rangers had conducted an operation, but the people of the area were still at the mercy of the robbers.

Mr Mazari said he had taken up the issue with Prime Minister Imran Khan and Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar in the presence of the inspector general of police, but to no avail. He said the IG was even unable to provide information about the arrest and killing of robbers.

“There is no writ of government in the area,” he said. “Feeling insecure, the people have started migrating from the area.”

He then made a very interesting suggestion, that the money to be spent on operations should be given to the robbers so that they did not loot the people.

PTI MNA from Charsadda Fazal Mohammad Khan blasted his own party’s government in KP, saying the local officials had issued him completion certificates of 10 development projects in his constituency, but on ground only three projects had been completed.

“Where has the construction material of these projects gone?” he asked.

Mr Khan said the government had announced setting up of a medical college and a cadet college in his constituency but no funds had been allocated for them.

PTI MNA from Peshawar Arbab Sher Ali asked the government to take notice of the sit-in by the people in Janikhel area, saying that “these are faultlines.”

Agriculture

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Bashir Virk regretted that except Yaseen Wattoo in 1980s, no person affiliated to agriculture sector had become the country’s finance minister. He said Mr Wattoo had eliminated power theft by fixing tariff for tube-wells.

“This is the house of agriculturists. But we make decisions after taking dictation from bureaucrats and technocrats,” he said.

PTI MNA from Multan Rana Qasim Noon endorsed Mr Virk’s views and said Rs12bn allocation for agriculture in the budget was insufficient. He called for imposing “agriculture emergency” in the country.

“Regrettably the government has done nothing for agriculture. The nation is awaiting an agricultural policy,” Mr Noon said. Speaker Asad Qaiser had formed a committee on agriculture, but there was no outcome, he said.

“The policy makers are requested to please abandon anti-farmer policies. Enmity with the farmer means enmity with Pakistan,” he added.

Mr Noon said the farmers were not given loans and they had now stopped cultivating cotton. He also called for increasing the budget for health and education and said there must be the trickle-down effect of the budget on the masses.

The PML-N’s Nadeem Abbas said the government’s policies would force the farmers to commit suicide.

Khurram Dastagir of the PML-N said what kind of bumper crop of wheat the country had produced when flour price was going up and up and the government was now planning to import wheat. He alleged that wheat was being smuggled out of the country, saying the government was a “combination of incompetence and mafias.”

“The government claims that we have bumper crop of sugarcane but the price of sugar is constantly increasing,” he added.

The PPP’s Hassan Tariq regretted that no subsidy had been announced for seeds and fertilisers.

The National Assembly will meet again on Monday noon.

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 COURTESY DAWN NEWS

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ISLAMABAD, JUN 19: Iqra University planning to create 25,000 jobs and 2,500 startups in the next 10 years. The university has a fund of half a million dollars in venture capital to assist its student entrepreneurs and young start-ups in growing their businesses.

This announcement was made at a virtual online launch of Iqra University’s Business Incubation Centre held on Saturday.

The inauguration saw panel discussions about the challenges young entrepreneurship face including copyrights, seed financing and the importance of venture capital investors for pioneers.

“Our Business Incubation Centre’s vision is to change the lives of people. By supporting young businesses through their early and fragile stages of growth, we believe that our fund, as well as our technical expertise and physical facilities, will create a domino effect on the incubation and startup space,” said Dr Wasim Qazi, the vice-chancellor of Iqra University.

Panellists at the launch event included Zouhair Khaliq, member of the Prime Minister’s Task Force on IT and Telecom; Jehan Ara, founder and CEO Katalyst Lab; Asim Sheryar, CEO Ignite, Misbah Naqvi, co-founder Invest 2 Innovate; Omer Ghani, head of commercialization and startups HEC; Omer Abedin, director National Incubation Centre; and Zeeshan Hasib Baig, CEO Careem

“The Incubation Centre is going to be working at the very intersection of innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship.

Pakistan has a creative and entrepreneurial youth that needs to flourish. We plan to be there for just that, by helping our youth improve their skills, increase their access to finance and markets, and foster their sustainable growth.” said Dr Wasim Qazi.

According to a 2019 global entrepreneurship survey conducted by Gallup Pakistan, 55% of people from Pakistan agreed that there were good opportunities for starting a business in their area.

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