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Portuguese ambassador to Pakistan visits AKDN programmes in GB

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Fredrico Silva, the Portuguese ambassador to Pakistan, recently visited various programmes of the Aga Khan Development Network in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Accompanied by Akhtar Iqbal, CEO of the Aga Khan Foundation, the ambassador saw 15 projects in Skardu, Hunza, and Gilgit, including water and sanitation, education, early childhood development, community forestry programmes, women entrepreneurship, agriculture and food security, natural resource management, infrastructure development, youth employability, land development, health and hygiene, disaster preparedness and mitigations, climate change action, tourism, and cultural preservation.

Ambassador Silva expressed his deep admiration for the comprehensive approach of AKDN towards protecting the environment and mitigating climate change, whether through generating clean energy, operating climate-friendly hospitals, and health centres, working to reduce the risk from climate-induced disasters, or promoting environmentally conscious tourism.

Fredrico Silva, the Portuguese ambassador to Pakistan, during his visit to GB. — Provided
Fredrico Silva, the Portuguese ambassador to Pakistan, during his visit to GB. — Provided

Whilst speaking about the region’s uniqueness, the ambassador noted that Gilgit-Baltistan is home to the highest summits and is at the crossroads of civilisation with a rich cultural heritage.

The diverse communities reflect strong traditional values of unity and a deep sense of respect.

While appreciating the overall quality, approach, and impact of the development programmes, a unique part of the ambassador’s visit was his meeting with a local woman resident of Skardu, Farzana, who owns a solar-passive greenhouse supported by the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme.

The greenhouse produces green vegetables in the winter and seedlings earlier in the season in the greenhouse tunnel, which provides nutritional support for the local population and input for other women farmers.

Fredrico Silva, the Portuguese ambassador to Pakistan, during his visit to GB. — Provided
Fredrico Silva, the Portuguese ambassador to Pakistan, during his visit to GB. — Provided

Observing the impact of the initiative, Ambassador Silva commented: “Women entrepreneur are change makers and indeed with good training and greater perseverance, there can be significant improvement in the quality of lives of the local communities.”

The ambassador also interacted with students, women groups, and community-led organisations and admired the participatory approach of AKDN programmes where the communities take an active part in the development process and later become the owners of the programmes. 

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Combating Terrorism: Twelve Terrorists Destroyed in Separate Operations by Security Forces

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Eleven terrorists and Kharijis were killed in two separate intelligence-based operations in Balochistan’s Miran Shah District and North Waziristan. One of the victims was Sana Alias Baru, a high-value target.

In the vicinity of Miran Shah in North Waziristan, security forces successfully fought the Khwarij, leading to the death of eight and injury of six.

The general region of Balgatar, Kech District, Balochistan was earlier the scene of an Intelligence-Based Operation that resulted in the deaths of four terrorists, one of them was a high-value target.

Authorities in Kech District were actively seeking Baru, who had a pivotal role in recruiting members of the so-called Majeed Brigade, particularly suicide bombers.

Among the terrorists’ possessions were weapons and ammo.

In order to eradicate any lingering terrorists in the vicinity, a sanitation operation is currently under progress.

With unwavering resolve, the Pakistani security forces will eradicate the terrorist threat from the nation.

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Constitutional Bench Gets to Work: Petitions Dismissed, Fines Slapped on Frivolous Petitioners

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As of today, pending matters are being heard by the Supreme Court’s Constitutional Bench, which was established under the 26th Amendment to the Constitution.

On its first day of operation, the six-judge Constitutional Bench presided over by Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan dismissed several frivolous petitions, including one challenging legislation enacted by the PDM government, and fined the petitioner twenty thousand rupees for bringing the case.

Justices Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Musarrat Hilali, and Naeem Akhtar Afghan make up the Constitutional Bench, along with Justice Amin.

The bench rejected the appeal challenging the decision of the Supreme Court to appoint Qazi Faez Isa, a former chief justice of Pakistan, to the position of chief justice of the Balochistan high court.

In addition to upholding the Registrar Office’s objections, the Constitutional Bench rejected a petition asking for a change to the general election date on 8 February.

It has become an infructuous affair, the bench said, regarding the review of the Supreme Court’s decision on the review of judgment and order.

Justice Amin Uddin told the Attorney General that the Supreme Court has acknowledged parliament’s involvement in legislation in response to his claim that the verdict has commented on parliament’s position as legislative.

The bench found the petitioner’s claims to be baseless and fined them 20,000 rupees, dismissing their request to outlaw marriages between government employees and foreign nationals.

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Ahsan says all available resources should be used to eradicate smog at the air pollution meeting.

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According to Ahsan Iqbal, the country’s minister of planning and development, a non-traditional approach is required to address the pollution problem, and every available resource would be used to eradicate this grave issue.

Children are disproportionately affected by pollution, the Planning Minister stated during a special meeting on smog and air pollution in Islamabad.

He claimed that cooperation between the federal government and the provinces is urgently needed to address the various problems that climate change has caused in Pakistan.

Smog is interfering with everyday activities, the Minister added, and it has grown to be a serious threat to our future.

Burning crop residue is the cause of smog, he claimed.

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