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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday established a fund namely ‘Afghanistan Relief Fund’ to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.
According to a notification issued by the Finance Division, all proceeds on account of ‘Afghanistan Relief Fund’ and payment into the aforesaid fund will be received at all branches of State Bank of Pakistan, all treasuries and branches of National Bank of Pakistan and all other scheduled banks.
The finance division said that the fund may receive donations from both domestic, international donors and contributions from aboard which will be received at all the branches of above referred banks where such branches are existing. “In other foreign countries contributions will be received at Pakistan missions and remitted to the State Bank of Pakistan, which would prescribe necessary procedure for their accounting.”
All proceeds received in the name of the fund will be credited to the public account of the federal government under following head of account:
Major object: G12: Special deposit fund
Minor Object: G121: relief fund
Detailed Object (New): G12163: Afghanistan Relief Fund
The finance division said that accounts of the fund would be maintained by Accountant General of Pakistan Revenue, Islamabad and Fund will be administered by the ministry of economic affairs in consultation with the finance division.
ISLAMABAD: A deal has been signed on Sunday by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia for certification and employment of Pakistani skilled workforce through Takamol and NAVTTC.
The agreement was signed by Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training, Shafqat Mahmood from the Pakistan side, and Dr. Ahmad Jabbar Al Yamni, from Saudia Arabia Takamol side.
The Agreement signing ceremony took place at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, Saudi Arabia and it was witnessed by senior officials of both countries.
This important cooperation between both countries has a far-reaching impact for enhancing the employment opportunities for the skilled Pakistani workforce by joint certification and testing by Takamol Saudi Arabi and NAVTTC National Vocational and Technical Training Commission Pakistan.
This will also safeguard the existing Pakistani workforce in Saudi Arabia. In order to facilitate the Pakistani expatriate workforce, NAVTTC under the leadership of Shafqat Mahmood, Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training, Chairman NAVTTC Syed Javed Hassan and Executive Director NAVTTC Sajid Baloch worked hard to achieve this hallmark far-reaching Agreement between NAVTTC and Takamol.
It is expected that millions of Pakistani skilled workers will get gainful employment opportunities with higher earning as a result of the efforts of the Government of Pakistan.
Under this partnership, NAVTTC, National Vocational and Technical Training Commission Pakistan and Takamol, a subsidiary of the Government of Saudi Arabia are establishing the testing regime under the Skills Verification Program, by exchanging the NOS (National Occupational Standards) and facilitating skill verification of candidates through competency-based assessment (Theory & Practical) at exam Centers in Pakistan for candidates desirous of working in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
This will enable the Pakistani skill workforce to have authentic and internationally recognized joint certification by both Takamol Saudi Arabia and NAVTTC Pakistan, through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) assessment.
The Ministry of Human Resource and Social Development of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has introduced Skill Verification Program (SVP) implemented from July 2021 in order to regulate its labor market. After the implementation of SVP in KSA, skill verification has become necessary for the Pakistani skilled workers, who intend to have employment in Saudi Arabia.
It is important to note that the largest number of Pakistani expatriate workforce is based in Saudi Arabia, who contribute substantially to Pakistan’s economy through foreign remittances.
Most of the present Pakistani workforce in KSA fall in the category of un-skilled or semi-skilled labor, which means reduced remunerations and it also impacts remittances negatively.
Moreover, in the changing scenario of labour laws and dynamics of the labor market overseas, a large number of Pakistani skill workforce require skills certification as presently they face non-recognition of their qualifications, skills and certification.
This cooperation will help a large number of these workers, also leading to national productivity and development.
The Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Division (EAD) Omar Ayub Khan chaired the ECC meeting and took several important decisions.
Federal Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar, Abdul Razak Dawood Advisor to Prime Minister on Commerce, Textile, Industries & Production and Investment, Federal Secretaries and other senior officers participated in the meeting.
The ECC considered the summary submitted by the Ministry of National Food Security & Research approved the proposal for the donation of 50,000 M. Tons of wheat to Afghanistan. ECC further directed the Finance Division to provide funds for the purpose on an actual cost basis.
The ECC also recommended relaxation of the ban on the export of wheat/wheat flour to Afghanistan to the extent of the instant proposal with the direction that the Ministry of National Food Security and Research may inform the Federal Cabinet of the ratio for mixing of local and imported wheat in case export of wheat flour is required.
On a Summary tabled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding “Extraordinary Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) in Pakistan” the ECC approved two Technical Supplementary Grants (TSGs) for the purpose during CFY 2021-22 i.e., (i) Rs.233.342 million in favor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and (i) Rs 64.2 million in favor of the Interior Division.
ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia has allowed direct entry from Pakistan with effect from December 01, 2021, according to a report.
The nationals of Pakistan are now eligible for direct entry without spending 14-day quarantine in a third country.
According to Saudi Press Agency report quoting an official source at the ministry of interior, the directive will come into force from next Wednesday, December 01, 2021.
Saudi Arabia along with Pakistan also allowed direct entry from Indonesia, India, and Egypt. Brazil and Vietnam are the other countries that are included in the new list of countries allowed direct entry into the Kingdom.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has granted approval for transportation of 50,000 metric tons of wheat and medicine from India to Afghanistan, citing the goodwill and exceptional humanitarian gesture.
The transportation of wheat and life-saving medicine was allowed from India via the Wagah Border, a statement said on Wednesday.
“As a goodwill gesture towards the brotherly Afghan people, the government of Pakistan has decided to allow the transportation of 50,000 Metric Tonnes of wheat and life-saving medicines from India to Afghanistan via Wagah Border on an exceptional basis for humanitarian purposes,” the Foreign Office said.
The FO said the decision of the government of Pakistan was formally conveyed to the Charge d’ Affaires of India, here at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today.
Facebook at its annual developer conference announced to change the name to Meta. The company said it would better “encompass” what it does, as it broadens its reach beyond social media into areas like virtual reality.
According to BBC, the company, which announced the change at its annual developer conference, said it would better “encompass” what the firm now does. It also revealed plans for a metaverse – an online world where people can game, work and communicate in a virtual environment, often using VR headsets.
The name change follows a series of negative stories about Facebook, based on documents leaked by an ex-employee.
“The metaverse is the next frontier,” Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said in a presentation at Facebook’s Connect conference, held virtually on Thursday. “From now on, we’re going to be metaverse-first, not Facebook-first.”
Facebook’s name change is the most definitive signal so far of the company’s intention to stake its future on a new computing platform — the metaverse, an idea born in the imaginations of sci-fi novelists, according to Bloomberg.
In Facebook’s vision, people will congregate and communicate by entering virtual environments, whether they’re talking with colleagues in a boardroom or hanging out with friends in far-flung corners of the world.
KARACHI: Expo 2020 Dubai’s must-see aviation attraction is gearing up to open its doors to the public on October 01, 2021.
Located in the Opportunity District, and within walking distance of the Al Wasl Dome, the Emirates Pavilion offers a preview for the future of commercial aviation, reframing the role that science and technology will play in the next 50 years of air travel, as it welcomes visitors to experience two floors of interactive multi-sensory installations.
From today, visitors to Expo 2020 Dubai can plan their visit to the Emirates Pavilion and book their preferred date and time slots in advance.
Construction on the Emirates Pavilion began in March 2019 and was completed in June 2021. During its design and construction phases, the Emirates Pavilion followed a number of sustainability principles, using non-hazardous, regional, reusable and recyclable materials in its overall structure, and incorporated different design solutions to reduce energy and water consumption.
The Emirates Pavilion’s towering four storey design and façade are modelled around an aircraft’s wings taking flight, with 24 aluminium cladded fins that curve around two sides of the building structure. The Emirates Pavilion’s exterior lighting includes an 800 metre LED system, which illuminates in vibrant colours at night.
The interior’s bright, ultramodern design lets in ample natural light and serves as a backdrop for the immersive experiences, and can welcome 120 people an hour.
KARACHI: Gerry’s dnata, Pakistan’s leading ground services provider, has been awarded a multi-year contract by Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
The partnership will see Gerry’s dnata provide quality and safe ground, passenger and cargo handling services to the airline at six airports in Pakistan, including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Multan and Faisalabad.
Syed Haris Raza, CEO of Gerry’s dnata, said: “We are proud to be the ground handler of choice for Gulf Air in Pakistan. We consistently invest in infrastructure, cutting-edge technologies and training to deliver the best possible services for our customers.
“Our new contract is a vote of confidence in our quality offering, and a testament to our team’s hard work and commitment to safety and service excellence. We look forward to a long-standing partnership with the airline.”
In recent years Gerry’s dnata has significantly invested in facilities, equipment, training and technology, while continually expanding its operations in Pakistan. Gerry’s dnata’s investments include a state-of-the-art import cargo centre at Jinnah International Airport (KHI) in Karachi. The 72,000 square feet facility is equipped with the latest technologies ensuring safe and efficient handling and storage of all types of cargo. Offering uncompromised temperature-controlled handling and storage solutions to airline customers, the GDP-certified facility has played a key role in the safe handling of COVID-19 vaccines, rapid test kits and other essential goods.
Gerry’s dnata also expanded its operations at Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore (LHE) and opened a new export cargo terminal. The expansion nearly tripled the company’s cargo handling capacity in Lahore, supporting customers and their customers in increasing fruit export from the region.
The excellent quality of Gerry’s dnata’s services is underpinned by the constant growth of its customer base. Having won over 10 new contracts in the past 18 months, Gerry’s dnata now serves over 30 scheduled and unscheduled airline customers at seven Pakistani airports.
