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Thursday, August 20, 2020

Pakistan’s role in ensuring regional peace lauded


By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Chinese Ambassador, Yao Jin, has highly lauded Pakistan's role in ensuring regional peace and stability. 

Addressing a webinar organized by Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies, Ambassador Yao Jin pointed out that priority was being given to socio-economic development in the second phase of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). 

It is pertinent to note that in the second phase basic emphasis is to be paid to poverty alleviation, industrial development and basic health services. 

Ambassador Yao Jin said that the two-way exchange of delegations and CPEC scholarships played an important role in human resource development.

US-China ties on path of recovery?

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

It appears that after verbal skirmishes, now USA and China are in the the process of settling towards their previous ties.

The tensions in the relationship had begun when President Donald Trump faced big criticism from Americans in his policy towards COVID-19 pandemic. 

The American were at the top of the list of counties that had the highest death toll from the deadly virus. 

The war of words began when President Trump fired the first shovel against China accusing of delay in notifying the world about the Wuhan Coronavirus that led to pandemic. 

However, as per analyses the ice has started melting as a major step that can be termed as damage repair between the two countries when they decided to resume their flight schedule to maximum enabling stranded citizens to fly to each other countries with ease. 

The US Transport Department has announced that China and the United States will each allow air carriers to double current flights to eight per week between the world’s two largest economies, an international wire news network reported. 

At the same time the department said it will allow four Chinese passenger airlines currently flying to the United States to double flights to eight weekly round-trips, as China has agreed to allow US carriers to double flights to China. 

The US-China agreement allows both countries to operate more than 100 weekly flights between the two nations. In May, the Trump administration had asked Air China, China Eastern Airlines Corp, China Southern Airlines Co, Hainan Airlines Holding Co and their subsidiaries to submit their flight schedules. 

These latest developments between two largest economies would bring sigh of relief to smaller counties worried of the present situation, it can be observed.

90 percent local laborers to be recruited in CPEC projects: Ambassador




By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Yao Jin, has declared that as many as 90 percent local laborers will be recruited in projects under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). 

China fully supports Pakistan's government human resource development programs, he said. 

The Chinese Ambassador expressed these views when he met with the Federal Education Minister, Shafqat Mahmood, who was also thrilled with the success of the CPEC which was further strengthening the friendship between Pakistan and China. 

The Education Minister stated that the National Vocational and Training Commission will establish liaison through the CPEC Authority with the Chinese companies for recruitment of Pakistani workforce.

Pakistan's future linked with China: Imran Khan


By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Prime Minister Imran Khan has forcefully declared that Pakistan's future was linked with China as it remained steadfast with Islamabad at times of weals and woes. 

In a television interview, marking the completion two years of his government, he divulged upon the achievements and accomplishments besides shedding light on the challenges being faced and steps taken to address the issues. 

The Prime Minister categorically told the interviewer that it was China that always came out and defended Pakistan. 

The Pakistani nation received with jubilation the Prime Minister's announcement that the Chinese President, Xi Jinping will be visiting Pakistan later this year.

Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Primary school students, parents saddened in Punjab


By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The school students of primary classes and particularly their parents were jolted on August 18 when the Punjab government announced that even if schools are to be reopened next month then only the students from class six and above would be allowed. 

"This year students of class one to five will not be allowed to go to schools, the provincial Minister, Murad Raas, declared. The schools, besides other educational institutions, have remained shut since the pandemic of coronavirus (COVID-19) broke out earlier this year. 

He went on to state that if the schools are reopened from September15, only the students from class six to 10 would be allowed to attend. 

The announcement has saddened the primary students who eagerly awaited taking classes in the environment of their schools rather than undergoing the torture of online classes locked in their homes, which they have generally found boring and mindless. 

The parents of the primary school students in particular have been vocal in condemning the school management for engaging their kids in online classes and activities which were proving counterproductive besides inconveniencing all family members at home.

China grants first patent for COVID-19 vaccine


By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services) 

In a big breakthrough on fight against pandemic, China's National Intellectual Property Administration has granted its first patent for a COVID-19 vaccine. 

The patent was jointly applied for by a research team with the Academy of Military Sciences and CanSino Biologics Inc, a Chinese high-tech biopharmaceutical company, People's Daily reported. 

The team led by Chen Wei, a researcher at the Institute of Military Medicine under the academy, has developed the recombinant COVID-19 vaccine, with the modified defective adenovirus as the vector. 

As per findings the vaccine can induce strong cellular and humoral immune response in a short period of time. It can be produced quickly on a large scale to cope with a COVID-19 outbreak. The vaccine has now finished phase-1 and phase-2 clinical trials, which have verified its safety and immunogenicity, the newspaper report added.

Green bus service may start in Karachi next year


By Masood Sattar Khan 
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

In rather tense and difficult political environment, good news has emerged for Karachiites that the Green bus service may be operationalized from next year. 

MPA Khurram Sher Zaman, in a television interview on August 18, disclosed that he had a meeting with the President of Pakistan, Dr Arif Alvi, in which he briefed him about the problems being faced by the populace of the mega city. 

He shared having highlighted to the President, who also hails from the same city of Karachi, that public transport, power, water and sanitation issues needed to be addressed on priority. 

Dr Arif Alvi, a longtime resident of Karachi, had also won the National Assembly seat from the city in the 2018 general election. Therefore he’s thought to be well conversant of the civic problems of Karachi in particular and Sindh as whole.

Pakistan to procure armed drones


By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Iron brother China is helping Pakistan to boost its firepower by supplying it with state-of-the-art defence items, including armed drones, even as it is engaged with India at the borders in Ladakh. 

Pakistan is procuring medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), Cai Hong-4 (CH-4), from China in bulk, according to a media report. 

The CH-4 has a take-off mass between 1,200-1,300 kilograms depending on the variant. It can also carry a wide range of payloads. The UAV is now in service with military forces including the Iraqi Army and the Royal Jordanian Air Force. 

To cope with routing skirmishes from India, Pakistan plans to deploy these UAVs at the Line of Control in Jammu & Kashmir.

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

Pakistani traders to participate in CIFTIS


By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Responding positively, the Pakistani traders have decided to actively participate in China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) scheduled to be held next month in Beijing. 

The Pakistani companies have expressed the willingness to tap the potential of enhanced trade prospects by participating in this mega trade event to be organized at the China National Convention Center in Beijing. 

The CIFTIS is one of the major trade and business events in China ahead of the China International Import Expo (CIIE) to be held in Shanghai. 

At present hectic preparations were underway at the venue as so far, 141 international organizations, embassies in China, chambers of commerce, business associations and institutions have confirmed their participation in this year’s CIFTIS. 

More than 2,000 domestic and foreign companies will also attend the event, during which more than 100 forums and discussions will be taking place. Pavilion construction, guest reception, epidemic prevention and control are currently in progress.

Prime Minister reviews ML-1 progress


By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Prime Minister Imran Khan on August 17 reviewed the progress made so far on the Pakistan Railways ML-1 project, one of the major components of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). 

The meeting deliberated upon the timelines set for its implementation and the benefits to be reaped from the project. 

The high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan was attended amongst others by Minister for Railways, Shaikh Rasheed Ahmad, Minister for Planning, Asad Umar, Adviser on Finance, Abdul Hafeez Shaikh. and Chairman, CPEC Authority, Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa.