PPP ~ Development projects and modernisation of Sindh

[Qalandari]

‘I am Karachi’ festival ends on a high

KARACHI: The seven-day youth festival, organised under the banner of ‘I am Karachi’, ended on Saturday with an exhilarating ceremony at the Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi. The festival was organised by the Arts Council to provide an opportunity to aspiring singers, artists, photographers and speakers from Karachi.

This year’s campaign incorporated competitions in singing, photography, painting, drama, quizzes, debates and essay writing in both English and Urdu. The closing ceremony was chaired by Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan, who urged the participants to own the city and work together to make it a better place to live in. “Karachi is the economic hub of Pakistan,” said Dr Ebad, in his address to the participants. He urged the youth to stay committed to their goals. The governor also sang a patriotic ghazal, ‘Ye Watan Tumhara Hai’and then played the famous Bollywood song, ‘Tum hi ho’, on the guitar.

Karachi Commissioner Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, Arts Council president Prof Aijaz Ahmed Farooqui, its secretary Mohammad Ahmed Shah, Youth Festival project director Dr Fauzia Khan and Youth Affairs secretary Laeeq Ahmed also attended the closing ceremony.

According to the organisers, around 20,000 young citizens from all over Karachi participated in the festival this year. The top three contestants in each category were awarded cash prizes while all the entrants were given participation certificates. The organisers claimed that this year, the number of participants was much higher as compared to that of previous years.

According to Muhammad Ahmed Shah, the ‘I am Karachi’ campaign has given a new identity to the city.

 

[Qalandari]

ICCBS-KU sets up halal testing laboratory

KARACHI: International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi (UoK) has set up a special laboratory at its Industrial Analytical Centre, dedicated to the testing of Halal products (food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals).

This was stated by Director ICCBS-UoK, Prof.Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Chaudhry, while talking to a delegation of scientists at ICCBS-UoK, says a statement on Sunday.

He said that the objective of the establishment of this laboratory is to provide the industry and the government a platform to assist in fulfilling the role of an authentic halal testing laboratory and a certifying body.

The laboratory is working under experienced and qualified scientists, including Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Bhanger, Dr. Kamran Azim, Dr. Syed Ghulam Musharraf and Dr. Shakeel Ahmed, he said and added that the ICCBS had strong academic and research strength and conducive environment for working on this front.

“ICCBS is the institution of higher learning, which imparts highest quality research training to its students in frontier fields of science and technology. Centre for Bio-equivalence Studies and Clinical Research (CBSCR) is also one of new research facilities, which is offering for the first time in Pakistan a unique facility of certified reference laboratory that conducts bio-equivalence evaluation and development of generic pharmaceutical products in full compliance with the regulatory authorities in Europe, USA and Japan.

The ICCBS also aims to provide future leaders in the Halal industry arena as well as the required well-trained human capital to cater the needs of the Halal industry in the research, development, innovation and commercialisation of Halal food, pharmaceuticals and consumer products as well as various Shariah-compliant service industries like tourism and hospitality etc.

ICCBS is the only research establishment in the country where the scientists are working day and night on various sciences fronts,” Dr Iqbal Chaudhry said.

ICCBS-KU sets up halal testing laboratory

 

[Rasengan]

 

[Qalandari]

The carnival committee has prepared digital plans of how they will decorate the venue, Port Grand, during the nine-day festival to celebrate the city’s diversity. PHOTO: COURTESY JAVED JABBAR

Grand Karachi Carnival kicks off on ‘World Happiness Day’

KARACHI: Walk into the rich history of Karachi, cherish the tales of our heroes, enjoy music, taste the finest cuisines, experience the best street shows, witness the latest trends in fashion and much more at the nine-day-long carnival for the people of Karachi.

The Grand Karachi Carnival is ready to kick off on World Happiness Day that falls on March 21 at Port Grand Karachi, announced former federal minister Javed Jabbar, who is also the chairperson of the carnival’s advisory council. Jabbar told The Express Tribune that they are working on the theme ‘It’s all about happiness’. “The carnival will bring together the entire town to celebrate happiness on one platform,” he hoped.

The event is specifically geared towards celebrating Karachi due to the diversity this city embodies. “Everyone living in this city has the same share of misery and we are gifting a little ounce of happiness,” he said. Our motive is to honour the people of Karachi for their decency, hard work and varied customs, he added.

The carnival does not limit itself to a particular age group and hopes to cater to all the people. The kids’ world, book world, dance and film theatre, and the fashion world will attract people from all walks of life. The organisers had paid attention to choosing the perfect venue as well. “The venue [Port Grand] represents the various dimensions of Karachi: the sea, the railway tracks, the feel of the port,” he said. “All of this under one roof will make people enjoy the diversity of this city, which lies in every citizen.”

Choreographer Joshinger Chaggar and her team will be performing free-of-charge on the weekend during the carnival, pointed out a member of the advisory council, Pervez Iqbal. “There are specific programmes for children, such as storytelling sessions, jumping castles, shooting balloons and face painting,” he added.

The carnival will also feature fireworks from a group of Lyari residents, along with a Carnival Bazaar, Food Numaish, a wall of fame called ‘Stars of Karachi’ and several cultural performances. The carnival will start at 5:30pm every day and will go on till midnight. The entry ticket for the Grand Karachi Carnival will be Rs500 for all adults and children but Rs200 of it will be utilised inside on food and other activities.

 

[Qalandari]

7000 policemen to be recruited for city's new security project
7,000 policemen to be recruited for city`s new security project | ePaper | DAWN.COM

 

[Qalandari]

2 Lakh youth benefitted from PPP's Youth Development Scheme

 

[Qalandari]

Meanwhile Clean and Green Sindh campaign continues in full swing

 

[Qalandari]

Sindh govt kicks off intercity transport project with Daewoo

KARACHI: Sindh government has kicked off mega transport project under ‘Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Intercity Bus Service and Terminal Project’ aiming to bring at least 100 out of 500 new buses to establish transport net between Karachi and divisional head quarter of Sindh in its first phase.

This facility will be extended to each district headquarters in subsequent phases by signing accord with Daewoo Express under Public Private Partnership mode of investment.

According to accord Daewoo Express agreed to bring 100 buses on route between Karachi and divisional headquarters-Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Sukkur, Nawabshah and Larkana in first phase at a cost of Rs 2 billion. The Sindh government would share Rs 645 million and Company would also be responsible to bring 100 buses, build terminals, terminal ancillary facilities i-e tuck-shop, waiting lounge, segregated washroom, mosque, maintenance and operation of buses for period of 10 years.

The Daewoo would be responsible to receive government’s notified fare from passengers. Company has been asked practically launch this project by bringing at least 50 buses on route on March 23, 2015 and also to complete this phase of project within a year.

Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah said intercity communication ply would play vital role in economic prosperity as such government has conceived many projects of intercity and intracity transportation to facilitate common man especially working class of the society.

He said this bus service would not only to create transportation facilities but job opportunities to local people.

He said Sindh government also initiated other intracity transportation projects under BRT in Karachi to facilities people and asked Daewoo Express management to take interest in these projects for which they would be provided all facilities.

Sindh Transport Minister Mumtaz Jakhrani, provincial Secretary Transport Taha Farooqui and Chief Executive Officer Daewoo Pakistan signed the accord.

Sindh govt kicks off intercity transport project with Daewoo

 

[Sugarcane]

Class V-VIII candidates being made to pay Rs50 each for answer sheet, paper - Pakistan - DAWN.COM

 

[Rahatullah]

Your p.p (rip) has gone , with the kind hands of mr. 10% . It was the magic of z.a butto who created the party from thin air .The magic party survived many struggles from opponent to destroy it but Zardari did the job better than any enemy .good luck .

 

[Qalandari]

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah watches on as the signing ceremony of land allotment to Dawood Wind Power Project for 50Mw wind power plant at Gharo wind corridor. PHOTO: APP


Pakistan, China investment: Sindh plays host to $130m wind power project
By Our Correspondent

KARACHI: An investment of $130 million is being made for setting up a 50-megawatt wind power project near Gharo, Sindh. Two private companies – HydroChina and Dawood Power Limited – are working on the project as part of a joint venture.

A state-owned Chinese bank will handle finances for the clean energy project while the Sindh government has allocated 1,720 acres of land. Dawood Power has got a Letter of Intent from the Alternative Energy Development Board.

The investors have acquired a no-objection certificate based on the Initial Environment Examination report from the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency, along with a generation licence and upfront tariff from the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority.

They have also entered into an energy purchase agreement with the National Transmission and Dispatch Company.

The financial close of the project is expected to be achieved by the end of 2014 and development work is scheduled to begin from January next year. It will be completed in 18 months and commercial operation will start before July 2016.

This project, which will generate employment opportunities, is a high priority for the Pakistan-China Economic Corridor.

Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, while speaking at a sub-lease (land) signing ceremony at the CM House here, said Sindh had a lot of potential to utilise wind energy to its maximum.

“The government has developed a comprehensive energy policy to meet growing energy needs through cheap domestic resources, especially wind and coal,” said Shah. “The government of Sindh highly appreciates the Chinese investment for exploitation and exploration of resources.”

Officials of the provincial energy department said more than 40 companies were engaged in the province to produce 3,000MW from the wind corridor. They said another 50MW project was being executed by China Three Gorges Company, which would start supplying electricity to the national grid in two months.

 

[Interceptor]

Thats exactly the thought that came to my mind.

The word PPP is not synonymous with development or modernization. It is synonymous with corruption, nepotism and severe incompetence.

It is heartening to see that the Party has been rejected by the Masses. It is only a Regional Party, their Jalsa in Karachi showed just how weak they are. They cannot even win a single seat from Punjab now, they have been wiped out.

Thats why pakistan wasnt able to conduct nuclear tests in 1998 missle range tests and major rebuilds of airframes etc? The people who support this party are the builders of pakistan and its defenders, what you take for granted sleeping they gave with their blood a constitution that has been battered for over 40 years and still continues to be the corner stone for freedom.

 

[Qalandari]

An approximate 130 gigawatts-hour per year is expected to be added to the national grid. STOCK IMAGE

In Sindh: French agency to invest $20m to support wind farm
By Our Correspondent

ISLAMABAD: Proparco – the private sector arm of the French Development Agency (AFD) – is investing $20 million to support a new wind farm in Sindh, part of efforts to support renewable power generation and drive economic development across Pakistan.

Proparco’s investment in Gul Ahmed Wind Power, an independent power producer, will help the company build and operate the 50-megawatt facility northeast of Karachi.

The project is expected to bolster electricity supplies in Pakistan, where frequent power cuts hamper social and economic development, and cost the country the equivalent of 2% of gross domestic product. An approximate 130 gigawatts-hour per year is expected to be added to the national grid.

The new plant will create jobs (more than 500 during the construction phase and 50 on a long term basis) and help spur growth. The plant will make its greatest contributions during the high-demand summer months, when wind farms generate most of their electricity. It will provide an environmentally-friendly source of power, helping Pakistan cut back on the use of polluting and expensive fossil fuels by reducing the carbon footprint of the country by an approximate 60,000 tons of CO2-equivalent per year.

Proparco Chief Executive Officer Claude Périou welcomed the joint operation with the Infraco Asia, International Finance Corporation and local Pakistani banks, which was fully in line with AFD group’s strategy against climate change. “This project will contribute not only to reducing pressure on the country’s power grid, but also encourage the development of strong, reliable and clean energy in the region. It is the third investment of Proparco in the energy sector in Pakistan.”

 

[Qalandari]

Class V-VIII candidates being made to pay Rs50 each for answer sheet, paper - Pakistan - DAWN.COM

Minister takes notice of ‘answer sheet, paper charges’

LARKANA: Sindh Minister for Education Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has asked school heads not to charge students any extra fee on the pretext of buying answer sheets and question papers and warned if anyone was found collecting it, they would have to face action.

The minister has taken notice of reports that Rs50 each are being taken from students of class V to VIII for the examination, starting from March 16, and directed the secretary of education to immediately release funds to district education officers for the exams-related expenses, according to a statement e-mailed to Dawn on Wednesday by Shakeel Memon, press secretary to the minister.

The minister asked the secretary to ensure funds were released in time so that question papers could be prepared and printed in time and answer copies could be arranged, he said.

He said the minister expressed concern over non-utilisation and lapse of ‘school specific budget’ for two years and asked the secretary to check as to why the budget lapsed and who was responsible for it.

Mr Khuhro said that action would be taken against the delinquent and observed the current year’s ‘school specific budget’ should be spent adequately till April 30 to bring improvements in schools and asked the officers concerned to send him progress reports daily to show how the budget had been spent, said the statement.

 

[salarsikander]

sindhi parrot, mindless troll