Technologies developed by PARC must reach farmers

ISLAMABAD : Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan said on Friday that technologies developed by the PARC must reach farmers so they could contribute to the economy and food security. He sated this while visiting the NARC Chak Shahzad here. Seerat Asghar, Secretary, Ministry of National Security and Research (NFSR&) and Malik Zahood Ahmed, Director General, National Animal, Plant and Health Inspection Services (NAPHIS) and other high officials of the ministry were also accompanied the Minister.


 during this visit.
Bosan stressed the scientists that an effective mechanism must be devised in collaboration with provincial agricultural institutions for dissemination of new knowledge to end users to get positive results of our efforts.
He also urged the agricultural scientists that olive cultivation and its extraction will play a tremendous role in the economy; therefore the scientists should work hard for production of Olive.
Bosan while inspecting the cotton and other crop experiments farm field area at NARC appreciated the agricultural scientists' efforts for producing various varieties of crops including horticultural crops.

 

The Nation

A New Islamabad across Margallas, linked by a tunnel

 

ISLAMABAD: On the direction of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the CDA is presently working day and night on an estimated US$12 billion "dream project" that includes building a twin capital across the Margalla Hills, connecting the twins with a tunnel and copying Dubai's Shaikh Zayed Avenue, a major business and tourist attraction, writes Ansar Abbasi.

 

Official sources revealed that the construction of two ring roads in Rawalpindi-Islamabad and a new airport at Rawat, Rawalpindi, are also part of this mega project which, as soon as finalised, would be announced by the prime minister himself.

 

The recent story of The News talking about the CDA's campaign to acquire 25,000 acres of land for the establishment of an "Economic Zone and Multipurpose Zone", is also part of the same mega project.

 

The sources said that the incumbent chairman CDA had been asked by the prime minister to work on this project on a war footing to ensure that this huge project materialises at the earliest.

 

Talking about the salient features of the project, these sources said that there was a proposal to build a new Islamabad across the Margalla Hills and then connect both the new Islamabad and the old Islamabad through a tunnel.

 

The Islamabad Highway starting from the Blue Area to Rawat would be widened to eight to 10 lanes with commercial multistoreyed buildings on both sides as is the case of Dubai's Shaikh Zayed Road. The new international airport would be built at Rawat. It would also be connected with the Lahore-Islamabad Motorway.

 

The sources said that the government expects to earn billions of dollars by offering commercial plots on both sides of the proposed widened Islamabad Highway, which would serve as key economic and multipurpose zone.

 

Similarly, it is expected that the new Islamabad plots would also earn billions of dollars. The sources said that foreign investors, particularly the overseas Pakistanis, would be wooed to invest in this project. of Rawalpindi and Islamabad two ring roads are also proposed to be constructed.

 

This huge project would be implemented through a limited company- Pakistan Avenue Development Company- recently approved by the CDA Board.The CDA has started acquiring 25,000 acres, almost equal to 42 villages of Rawalpindi, for the establishment of "Economic Zone and Multipurpose Zone at public expense," which as reported by The News recently would cost more than Rs70 billion to the civic authority.

 

For the same purpose the Punjab government also issued a notification on August 15, 2013, stating: "Office of the Collector of District Rawalpindi. Notification u/s 4 of The Land Acquisition Act 1984. Whereas it appears to the collector of District Rawalpindi that land is likely to be taken by the Capital Development Authority (Chairman's Secretariat), Islamabad, through its company—"Pakistan Avenue Development Limited"— for public purpose, namely, for the Establishment of Economic and Multi-purpose Zone at public expense. It is hereby notified that the land described below is likely to be acquired for the said purpose."The collector of District Rawalpindi has already authorised survey of the land and other necessary acts required for the proper execution of this work.

 

Traders pay about Rs4.5m as extortion money: IG informs IHC

Islamabad: Inspector General (IG) of Islamabad Police here Monday informed Justice Shaukat Aziz Sidddiqui of Islamabad High Court that the Fruit and Vegetable Market (Sabzi Mandi) traders pay approximately Rs4.5 million as extortion money to at least two different groups for running their business. The most astonishing revelations of collecting extortion money in the federal capital came up when IHC Justice Siddiqui resumed hearing in the writ petition of a fruit and vegetable trader Aman Ullah Sheeno who had stated before the court that the Sabzi Mandi Police Station registered fake cases against him after he refused to pay the extortion money. IHC bench on September 6 had issued notices to the IG Islamabad, the CDA chairman and deputy commissioner Islamabad directing them to appear before the court. IHC Justice Siddiqui directed the IG, CDA chairman and deputy commissioner Islamabad to work out a collective effort to eliminate the menace of extortion from the vegetable market otherwise the place would turn as ‘Sohrab Goth’. While hearing the case IHC judge observed that if the appropriate measures would not be taken, the evil of extortion would spread to the other business markets of the city. IG Islamabad Sikandar Hayat told the court that he already ordered a secret inquiry into the matter and it came to his knowledge that there were two groups collecting extortion money from the traders of Sabzi Mandi. He further told the court that the petitioner Sheeno has links with a group that collects extortion money. Justice Siddiqui of IHC, however, directed the IG Islamabad to appear before the court on September 18 and brief the court about concretive steps being taken. Justice Siddiqui also ordered the IG Islamabad to investigate whether some local politicians, officials of CDA or Islamabad administration are backing the extortion mafia and if found their involvement then to proceed against them in accordance with the law. The petitioner through his counsel Malik Saeed Khan advocate adopted before the court that Sabzi Mandi Police Station due to non-payment of monthly extortion money has registered fake case against him including encroachment and some others.Counsel for the petitioner argued before the court that if his client is involved in any crime, the case may be shifted from Sabzi Mandi Police circle to some other police circle. Source

Reduce Global Warming By Planting Trees

Reduce Global Warming By Planting Trees How does planting trees help the environment? Why planting trees is important to reduce global warming? This is what we are precisely going to talk about. Read on and find the answers about the many benefits of planting trees. According to the environmental protection agencies, planting trees is a must if we want to save our planet. Trees not only remove harmful chemicals from the soil, but also help reduce the greenhouses leading to global warming. Go on and see how planting trees helps the environment. Advantages of planting trees in reducing global warming 1. An average size tree creates sufficient oxygen in one year to provide oxygen for a family of four. 2. Planting trees in the right place around buildings and homes can cut air-conditioning costs up to 50 percent. 3. Planting trees for the environment is good as they are renewable, biodegradable and recyclable. 4. If we plant 20 million trees, the earth will get with 260 million more tons of oxygen. 5. Once acre of trees can remove up to 2.6 tons of Carbon Dioxide each year. 6. During photosynthesis, trees and other plants absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. 7. Trees keep in cheek the air and water pollution. 8. Why planting trees is important is evident as they are the natural habitat of the animals and birds, as well as many endangered species. 9. Planting trees means more wood and paper products which can be easily recycled. 10. A newly planted whole forest, can change tones of atmospheric carbon into wood and other fibrous tissue, thus reducing global warming. So, start digging immediately if you have the means to plant a tree. There are still too few of them to fully offset the changes brought about by global warming. Automobile traffic, manufacturing and other human activities are playing havoc with our environment. Reduce global warming simply by planting trees for the environment. Source

79 killed, 202 injured in bomb blasts across Pakistan in August

At least 79 people were killed and 202 others got injured in 19 bomb blasts including one suicide attack that took place across Pakistan during the month of August, according to official statistics. The official data revealed that the suicide blast that targeted police in southwest of Pakistan killed 39 and injured 40 others. August was the only month this year, in which less than one hundred killings took place in the bomb attacks by the militants. Since the Pakistan's incumbent government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif hinted to hold peace talks with militants, especially Pakistani Taliban, a drop was seen in the number of lethal attacks in the country. Out of 19 attacks, only three were of serious nature that targeted security forces, police and civilians. The worst one of them was witnessed on Aug. 8, when a suicide bomber attacked a mosque located in the Police Lines in the southwestern provincial capital of Quetta where hundreds of policemen and civilians were gathering to attend the funeral of their colleague who was shot dead by militants. At least 39 people including 16 policemen and five police officers were killed and 40 others injured in the attack that was later claimed by the Pakistani Taliban. One day before the Quetta blast, a remote controlled bomb explosion targeted the spectators who were leaving a football stadium after watching a match in the southern port city of Karachi, killing 11 and leaving 26 others injured. During the period, 16 occasions civilians were the direct target of the militants' bomb attacks in 16 occasions that killed 40 people and injured 154 others. Security personnel and policemen came under attack three times directly in which 25 personnel lost their lives while 48 others sustained injuries. Militant conducted two direct attacks at security forces during the month and killed four personnel besides leaving eight others injured. On Aug. 22, at least four security personnel were killed when a roadside bomb blast targeted an army convoy when security personnel were returning to their unit after conducting peaceful by-elections in Karachi. Pakistan's northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that was always the soft target of the militants remained unhurt as there was no causality reported in any blast. South Western province of Balochistan was the worst hit province with nine attacks followed by five blasts in northwestern tribal regions and four in southern province of Sindh. The country's most populated eastern province of Punjab, that contains 60 percent of total population, was hit once when a bomb ripped through a train cabin in the Toba Tek Singh district of the province. Majority of the bomb blasts were carried out with Improvised Explosive Device (IED) by planting it on roadsides or fixing it in vehicles. Most of the attacks remained unclaimed. Experts believed that less number of bomb attacks would be seen in September as the government has postponed the execution of Taliban prisoners and has been working to start dialogue with militants. In August, Pakistani government ordered a temporary stay of executions of prisoners days before they were due to be hanged and the decision was welcomed by Taliban.

by Jamil Bhatti