Day: May 14, 2023

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Miracle Saltworks Collective Inc. to invest $200 million in Pink Salt industry in Pakistan

WASHINGTON: Miracle Saltworks Collective Inc., an American leading company in import, manufacture and supply of sea salt, on Saturday apprised the Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States Sardar Muhammad Masood Khan, about its plans to invest nearly $200 million in curating, processing, distributing and importing Pink Himalayan Salt. The investment would be made in preparing feasibility, reserve report, upgradation of mining procedures and processes, construction of world class processing and packaging facility and community development programs.

During a briefing by top leadership Miracle Saltworks Collective Inc. (MSCI), it was informed that Pakistan, with its geographical monopoly of the resource, has a huge reserves of Pink Salt with a potential earning of $12 billion annually. According an estimate, the country possesses approximately 22.22 billion tons of the natural resource, concentrated mostly in Salt Range areas of Kala Bagh, Warcha, Khewra and Bahadur Khel, with an immense potential of kick-starting massive economic activity.

The delegation included President and CEO Ahmed N. Khan, Vice President Tad M. Ballantyne, CCO/Board Member Muhammad M. Khan, Director & Board Member Jeffry Meilander, M. Shamsher Khan, Martyn Element (Vancouver Canada), Nasim Tyab (Vancouver Canada), Dan Terret (Vancouver Canada), Rana Rehan Anwar (Saint Louis), Tony Garson ( London England) and Attiq Rana (Saint Louis).

It was informed that currently Pakistan was retaining $70 million only in lieu of export of this unique natural resource due to lack of policy framework and adequate facilities for processing, packaging and world-wide distribution.

Briefing the Ambassador, President MSCI Ahmed N. Khan informed that a multi-pronged solution featuring public private partnership under a clearly defined policy was being worked out to assist the government in regulating and encouraging private sector to take a lead role in exploiting the existing potential.

It was informed that the company was undertaking joint venture with Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation. The company plans to raise market awareness globally and reach 10 million tons of verified extraction by 2030. Two world class processing and distribution facilities would be established in Doha and China to fulfill global demand for Pakistani product.

Ambassador Masood Khan welcomed MSCI’s interest in making investment and promoting Pink Salt industry in the country. He said that the government was committed to provide every possible facilitation to international investors and business community intending to invest in traditional and non-traditional sectors of the economy.

Highlighting various steps taken for promoting ease of doing business and restoring confidence of the investors, the Ambassador said that Pakistan due to its unique geostrategic location was poised to serve a vast market of Central and West Asia, Middle East and North Africa. He said that there was a huge market of Pink Salt not only in the region but across the world which guaranteed profitable business venture in the sector.

Ambassador Masood Khan assured leadership of Miracle Saltworks Collective Inc. of every possible support of the Embassy in facilitating early finalization and implementation of their business plan in the country.

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Holding of G-20 meeting in Srinagar by India violation of international law’

SRINAGAR: In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Jammu-based All Parties Hurriyat Conference leaders, Devinder Singh Behl and Mir Shahid Saleem, have said that Narendra Modi-led Indian government is committing a flagrant violation of international law by holding the G-20 meeting in Srinagar.

Devinder Singh Behl and Mir Shahid Saleem in their statements issued in Jammu said Jammu and Kashmir is not India’s part but an internationally-recognized disputed region whose future is yet to be decided by its people. They said the holding of an international event in a disputed territory is violation of the UN Charter.

The APHC leaders pointed out that in a grave contravention of the international law and UN resolutions India repealed the special status of IIOJK on August 05, 2019 and now wants to mislead the world about the ground situation of the territory by holding this event. They said that the Kashmiri people will never allow the Modi regime to succeed in its nefarious designs. They said that the G-20 countries must relies the Indian government’s ulterior motive behind the move and skip their participation in the meeting.

The Hurriyat leaders appealed to the Kashmiri people to observe a complete strike in the territory on May 22 to convey the message to the international community that they reject illegal occupation of their homeland by India. They maintained that the Kashmiris will continue their peaceful and just struggle till the Kashmir dispute was resolved in accordance their aspirations and the relevant UN resolutions.

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Supremacy of the parliament will be ensured at all costs: Amir Muqam

PESHAWAR: Advisor to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Engineer Amir Muqam says the federal government is making all out efforts for restoration of Radio Pakistan Peshawar's building on priority basis.

Addressing a news conference in Broadcasting House Peshawar on Saturday, he strongly condemned the attack on this historical building by the PTI miscreants.

He said I am here on special directives from the Prime Minister to express solidarity especially with the staff of Radio Pakistan and generally the whole nation.

Amir Muqam said the PTI's attacks on the national institutions have badly damaged their image across the world.

He said all disturbance has been made on foreign agenda to achieve vested personal interests.

Criticizing the PTI Chief, the Advisor said that Imran Khan is a certified thief who has committed all sorts of corruption. He added that the court should have taken suo-moto action on the corruption of Imran Khan. The Advisor said that supremacy of the parliament will be ensured at all costs. He also denied the enforcement of an emergency in the country.

Earlier, Engineer Amir Muqam visited various sections of the Broadcasting House and inspected the damages done therein.

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Khawaja Asif expresses his apologies for the ‘humiliation’ faced by PTI’s women party workers in the past few days in Sialkot

SIALKOT: Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has expressed his apologies for the “humiliation” faced by PTI’s women party workers in the past few days in Sialkot, saying their privacy and honour were not maintained.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif addressing a press conference on Saturday in Sialkot said, “I want to apologise to every family who was humiliated during this period.” “I am even ready to go to their houses to apologise to them but I did not know anything about it,” he added. Khawaja Asif said that if permitted he is ready to visit the house of PTI leader Muhammad Usman Dar to seek apology from his mother, adding that he had old relations with Usman Dar’s family.

Khawaja Asif has said either the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan attacks the Pakistan Army General Headquarters or the PTI does.

Assailing the PTI, he further said that the party attacks “the nation’s memorials” that represented the country’s sacrifices and the courts give party chief Imran Khan “shelter”. “I’m willing to apologise to women who have been disrespected.

“I am not making this statement for any political reason. I am personally embarrassed, this has nothing to with politics, I have had personal relationships with these families before politics was involved and I respect their women like I respect the women in my own house.”

Khawaja Asif said his party wishes that they received the same courtesy and relief that was granted to Imran Khan. “And despite that relief they are receiving, I wish we had received the same relief as well. If this is justice, then where was it when we were going through the courts?

“When Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif was in court, Maryam Nawaz Sharif had to endure imprisonment just to meet him. They summoned entire families to court, including my family, my wife, and my son. They continued doing so until just two months ago” he said. He said that the houses of the daughters of PM Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif were besieged and cases were registered against them, adding that Asif Ali Zardari’s sister Dr. Faryal Talpur was arrested.

“People remember what has transpired over the past four years, and now a new precedent is being set. It appears that one person is receiving blanket protection, even shielding them from thoughts that have just crossed your mind. What kind of justice is this?”

Khawaja Asif said, “You are being presented in the court as a criminal and for you to welcome them — the chief justice of the apex court says that ‘I am very happy to see you’. Why don’t you just hug him then? “And with that, he said ‘wish you good luck’.” “If the courts say wish you good luck so from that court how can you expect justice?”

“And then he is saying that take 8-10 people with you to chatter with and then you can rest? Why don’t you just send someone to sing him lullabies?” “Such is the state of our highest courts.”

“Look when in 2017-18 an agenda was implemented upon Nawaz Sharif, so to facilitate that, establishment was involved and the courts were involved as well,” Khawaja Asif said.

“The courts and the establishment entered a joint venture to eliminate Nawaz Sharif from politics. Alhamdullilah all the people who were involved in this are now a disgrace, giving different explanations to save themselves” he said. “And with God’s grace, Nawaz’s brother is the prime minister of Pakistan. Time doesn’t stay the same” he said.

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Imran Khan is double faced: Former AJK PM

MUZAFFARABAD: PTI leader and former PM AJK Sardar Tanvir Ilyas has said Imran Khan is double faced and he uses people to serve his personal interests.

He said this in a statement issued here Saturday.

He went on to way " I will expose double faced Imran in coming days.

Imran Khan even did not attend funeral procession of his close friend.

Whatever is in favor of Imran Khan he gets ready to accept it, he underlined.

He alleged Imran Khan is attacking the national institutions in a way that even our enemy cannot do so. I condemn such attacks of Imran Khan and his tone and tenor.

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Imran Khan says his party workers were not involved in the violent incidents

LAHORE: In response to the recent countrywide violent protests and attacks on the military installations, including the Lahore Corps Commander House and the General Headquarters (GHQ) Rawalpindi, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan said his party workers were not involved in the incidents.

Addressing the nation via video link, PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday said that those who were escaping from the elections wanted to create unrest and chaos in the county but not his party.

Imran Khan blamed the Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif for attacking the judiciary. He maintained that the PML-N supremo "destroyed the judiciary".

The former prime minister thanked the judiciary for saving him from going to prison in “fake cases”.

Imran Khan also clarified that the allegations were directed against a person who wanted to see a strong army. "I am not doing any drama here. My wealth is not hidden in some foreign country. I had 145 cases against me but I did not escape. Put me on ECL if you want as I am not going anywhere."

The former prime minister further highlighted that he had been the recipient of the most charity because people trusted him. "You're saying Imran is lying. You should be ashamed of yourself. I have been given the most charity because they trust me."

Imran Khan emphasised the need for tolerance for criticism, saying that any society which criticises progresses.

Lashing out at the treatment against his party leaders and workers, he said that such crackdown had been carried out in East Pakistan, adding that such actions could have dire consequences. "You will not listen to me, but I advise you to think big. You should see where the country is heading."

Imran Khan called on judges to refuse orders from the "handlers" and choose freedom, urging them to question the legality of such orders and refuse to follow them.

"I ask judges to refuse to obey the orders of these handlers. Say I will not follow your orders. Under what law are you ordering me?" he said. "The time has come to choose freedom."

Imran Khan also urged media outlets to reject orders from them and follow the Constitution. He encouraged journalists to listen to their conscience and not be controlled by fear.

"I also ask the media to refuse their orders. Say to them that you will follow the Constitution. Follow your conscious. They only use your fear," he added.

The former premier also called for an investigation into the protests and vandalism that occurred following his arrest on May 9, asking Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial to lead the investigation and personally chair the panel.

"I want investigation for the ransacking of government buildings but not from them (government). I want the chief justice to create a panel which he should chair by himself," he said.

Imran Khan also questioned the motive behind the protests, asking why people did not react in a similar manner when he was shot in Wazirabad. "In the Supreme Court, I came to know about the protests. When I was shot, why didn't people react in such a way?" he questioned.

Imran Khan expressed his gratitude to the judiciary for taking a stand, saying that it is the only avenue left to get justice. He accused the police of illegally attacking his residence and looting his property while his wife Bushra Bibi was alone at home during a raid earlier in the year.

He stated that he had instructed his supporters never to cause chaos as it is not how his party operates. He claimed that he was willing to give himself up to the authorities if there was a warrant against him.

He went on to say that when he came to power in 2018, he decided to promote Seerat-un-Nabi based morality and technology through establishing the Al-Qadir University to help build honest leadership. “A sponsor came and agreed to establish the university,” he added.

He stated that it was his intention to promote Seerat-e-Nabvi and build the university. He denied having any personal benefit from the university, and the whole drama was created based on a “fraud case”.

Imran Khan continued by saying that he inaugurated the university’s groundbreaking ceremony on May 15, 2019 as PM adding that the NCA case they [the government] were talking about surfaced seven months later in December 2019. “The PTI government was given choice that if it agreed to the confidential agreement between property tycoon and the NCA, the money will be repatriated to the country,” he added.

Otherwise, he went on to say, the PTI government had to approach the court. "We were told that we had wasted $100m in litigation so we decided to adjust the money to the SC. “SC is also a part of the country,” he added.

He accused the government of trying to create chaos and throwing PTI leaders and workers in jail. He also accused "unidentified persons" of firing straight shots at young protesters and instigating violence.

"Our supporters in Peshawar reported that they had never seen these individuals before. When they tried to stop them from causing trouble, they were attacked. The same situation occurred at Liberty Chowk in Lahore, where some individuals were instigating people. We observed unidentified individuals in civilian clothing present during these incidents, similar to what we had seen during the Wazirabad incident."

Lastly, he expressed his concern over senior journalist Imran Riaz Khan, who went missing from the airport as he was trying to leave the country yesterday, fearing he would be tortured.

He claimed to know his whereabouts and warned that the same people responsible for assassinating senior journalist Arshad Sharif would be held responsible if anything happened to Imran Riaz Khan.

Imran Khan also called on people particularly women across the country to join a peaceful protest against the government, urging them to step out of their homes at 5:30 PM today (Sunday) with hand-written placards that read "Haqeeqi Azadi" (true freedom) and "Aayin bachao, Pakistan bachao" (save Constitution, save Pakistan).

"I am particularly addressing the women because I am seeing a revolution in our homes," Imran said. "Stand with these placards outside your homes for just one hour, from 5:30pm to 6:30pm." He further said that this peaceful protest is aimed at demanding true freedom and saving the constitution.