PR No.194 PRESS RELEASE Islamabad, March 21, 2011 Federal Minister for Science & Technology Mir Changez Khan Jamali has said that the incumbent government will work in collaboration with the SAARC countries and is committed to take all necessary steps to save our region from climate disaster. This was stated by the federal minister while addressing in his inaugural speech at the SAARC workshop on Science & Technology Issues on Climate Change here today. The two day workshop was organized by the Ministry of Science & Technology in collaboration with the Pakistan Meteorological Department. DG Pakistan Meteorological Department Mr. Arif Mahmood, DG SAARC Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr. Hasan Wazir, Advisor on Met & Climate Dr. Qamar-uz-Zaman Ch. also addressed the meeting and apprised the audience of the dire consequences of the changing weather patterns in the regions and the strategies to mitigate the disastrous affects of climatic changes. Scientists and researchers from the National Meteorological Services and related research organizations of the SAARC member states are attending this workshop. Mr. Jamali expressed his heart-felt condolences and extended his sympathies to the people and government of Japan on the precious loss of lives and infrastructure due to the post earthquake tsunami. He assured Pakistan’s sincere cooperation and cordial support to people of Japan in the relief and rehabilitation activities. He said that climate change is irrevocably harming the region with all its social, environmental and economic impacts. He said that the recent example of climate change is 2010-floods in Pakistan, which was one of the worst flooding in the history and resulted in a great loss to life and property. This was the result of exceptionally heavy monsoon rains, backed by climate changes in this region. We need to address all these issues through the applications of Science and Technology which can do miracles if applied properly. The minister expressed his hope that the workshop will come up with useful and practicable recommendation for policy makers to keep an eye on causes of climate changes and resulting effects of it, thus helping in the mitigation of natural disasters. He said that climate change is a global issue and there is a need to address it with united and concerted efforts. He extended his confidence in the workshop and said that it will be a great source of learning and knowledge-sharing among the scientists of member states. He hoped that the fruitful deliberations and discussions among the researchers on the use of science and technology to diminish the harms of climate change will lead us to formulate well conceived strategies to make this region safe and secure.   PR No.195 PRESS RELEASE Ambassador of Cuba calls on the Prime Minister Islamabad:  March 21, 2011 Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has thanked the leadership and Government of Cuba for its generous relief assistance provided in the aftermath of devastating earthquake of October 2005 by deploying the largest contingent of doctors and paramedics of 2465 personals for a period of more than six months in Pakistan.  He also appreciated the Cuban gesture of offering 1000 fully paid medical scholarships for Pakistani students and for Cuba’s instrumental role for securing the UN Award in the field of human rights for Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed in 2008. The Prime Minister was talking to Mr Jesus Zenen Buergo Concepcion, Ambassador of Cuba who called on him at the PM’s House here today. The Prime Minister urged that both the countries should add substance to their bilateral ties particularly in the economic and commercial fields by capitalizing over the huge reservoir of goodwill that exist among their people.  While noting that Bilateral Cooperation Agreement, signed in 2009 between Pakistan and Cuba, had provided a framework for enhanced economic and trade ties, the Prime Minister called for both sides to look into the possibilities of selective border trade. The Prime Minister said that fighting the menace of Hepatitis-B in Pakistan was his personal initiative and Pakistan and Cuba can cooperate through joint ventures in production of vaccine for the Hepatitis-B as well as joint ventures in the fields of bio-technologies.  The Prime Minister also called for early formation of a Joint Economic Commission which he hoped would facilitate the commencement of formal trade between the two countries.  The Prime Minister underlined the importance of people to people contacts and exchange of Parliamentarians as well as high level contacts between Pakistan and Cuba and proposed to the Cuban Ambassador of formation of Friendship Groups of Pakistan and Cuba in the Parliaments of both countries. The Prime Minister expressed the hope that Agreement of Bilateral Cooperation between Pakistan’s Ministry of Sports and Cuban Institute of Sports, Physical Training and Recreation, would be signed in the near future.  He informed the Ambassador that business and investment delegations from Pakistan will be sent to Cuba to look into the practical possibilities of increasing trade and investment ties.  He assured the Ambassador that his government will lend full support to him for his efforts to bring Pakistan and Cuba ever closer. The Ambassador of Cuba thanked the Prime Minister for his government’s full assistance to him in carrying out his duties.  He informed the Prime Minister that he was working for the visit of Pakistan’s Minister for Sports to Cuba for signing of Agreement on Cooperation between Pakistan’s Ministry of Sports and Cuban Institute of Sports, Physical Training and Recreation.  He also sought Prime Minister’s support for visit of Pakistan’s trade and investment delegations to Cuba in the near future particularly to focus on cooperation in the areas of bio-technologies, production of Hepatitis-B vaccine as well as sharing of technology in the pharmaceutical and medical equipment.  He assured the Prime Minister that he will focus upon further strengthening of political as well as economic and commercial ties during the tenure of his duties in Islamabad. The meeting was also attended by senior officers. **PMMO/Ahmad** NOT TO BE PUBLISHED/BROADCAST/TELECAST BEFORE THE MORNING OF 22ND MARCH 2011 PR No.196 PRESS RELEASE MESSAGE of president ON THE OCCASION OF WORLD WATER DAY ON 22ND MARCH 2011 Islamabad, March 21, 2011. World Water Day is celebrated every year on March 22nd, to increase awareness about importance of quality and quantity of water throughout the world. The theme this year “Water for Cities: Responding to the Urban Challenges”, focuses on the quality and the quantity of water for urban use. Water is one of the Nature’s most precious gifts for sustaining life on our planet. This gift, however, is getting depleted both qualitatively and quantitatively due to human negligence and over exploitation. Fresh water is not only an exhaustible resource it is also susceptible to degradation. Its preservation is fast becoming the most pressing environmental challenge for Pakistan. Partly because water is regarded as an inexhaustible and cheap resource, there is not enough appreciation of the challenges to water supply to our cities and urban areas. The stress on water resources is from multiple sources. The growth of urban areas, increased industrial activities and dependence of the agricultural sector on chemicals and fertilizers has led to the overcharging of the carrying capacity of our water bodies and also contamination of lakes, rivers and ground water aquifers. We need to adopt state-of-the-art methods for making available safe drinking water to our people. I am pleased to note that the Ministry of Environment has developed National Drinking Water Policy and Drinking Water Quality Standards. In collaboration with provincial Governments it is actively working to provide adequate and safe drinking water to the people throughout the country in an equitable, efficient and sustainable manner. I call upon the people to conserve and promote efficient use of water and treat it as a precious resource that not only belongs to us but also to our future generations.             NOT TO BE PUBLISHED/BROADCAST/TELECAST BEFORE THE MORNING OF 22ND MARCH 2011 PR No.197 PRESS RELEASE Makhdoom Shahab asks Pak PWD to construct Federal Lodges in Islamabad Islamabad, March 21, 2011 Federal Minister for Housing and Works Makhdoom Shahabuddin has asked the Pak-PWD to work for construction of visitor’s accommodation in Islamabad for the benefit of the Federal Government officers and senior officials of the provincial departments come to Islamabad on a short visit. This would provide them affordable cost accommodation like PWD guest houses in other cities. He expressed these views while presiding over meeting to review the performance of Pak-PWD a vital organization of the M/O Housing & Works here today. The Minister said that it was need of the hour to reactivate the Pak-PWD as this being the important construction organization could play a meaningful and significant role in the boosting and development of housing sector of the country. The Minister said that under the Prime Minister’s Housing Program for All, development activities in the constriction sector has grown up un-precedently and Pak-PWD has the potential to augment these efforts. He said that the government would take all steps to make the PWD a profitable organization which now has been facing acute financial constraints. The Minister said that workers’ welfare was the prime responsibly of the government and it would leave no stone ventured for their well being. The Minister said that concrete steps would be taken to bring the PWD engineers and skilled manpower at par with the other organizations in order to provide than incentives and rapid promotions. DG, Pak-PWD Shah Din Sheikh briefed the meeting about the performance and said that schemes under PWP-II, PWD has completed 5814 schemes out of 6350 from 2007 to 2010. He informed that during 2010-11, 300 schemes under PWP has been targeted. Secretary Housing & Works Raja Muhammad Abbas and senior officials of the Ministry attended the meeting. **MN/Ahmad** PR No.198 PRESS RELEASE PRIME MINISTER MEETS LEADERS OF COALITION PARTIERS IN THE PARLIAMENT Islamabad, March 21, 2011 Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has said that it is rightly a moment of pride for the democratic forces of the country as the fourth Parliamentary year would start with the address of the President of Pakistan to the Joint sitting of the Parliament tomorrow. He said that it is a manifestation of the fact that democratic norms are gaining strength in the country. It was most unfortunate, he added, that during the previous regime in almost nine years the President did not address the Parliament which was a constitutional requirement. The Prime Minister expressed these views while addressing the meeting of Parliamentary leaders of coalition parties both from the Senate and the National Assembly at the Prime Minister’s House here today. The meeting was attended by Minister for Commerce, Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Minister food and Agriculture, Senator Israr Ullah Zehri (BNP), Leader of House in Senate, Senator Syed Nayyer Hussain Bokhari, Senator Shahid Hussain Bugti (JWP), , Senator Haji Muhammad Adeel (ANP), Engr Malik Rashid Ahmed Khan(FATA), and MNAs, Mr. Asfandyar Wali Khan(ANP), Dr. Farooq Sattar (MQM), Mr. Jahangir Khan Tareen (PML-F), Mr. Sajid Hussain Turi (FATA) and Mr. Yaqoob Bizanjo (BNP-A). The Prime Minister while highlighting the importance of the address of the President to the Joint sitting, said that it accords an opportunity to place before the Parliament the agenda and the future policies of the government for the welfare of the masses.  He added that it would extend an excellent opportunity both to the treasury and opposition benches for productive debate in both Houses of the Parliament. He said that the present coalition government from the day one left no stone unturned for strengthening the Parliament and meeting the  constitutional obligations. The Prime Minister said that democracy is solution to the problems of our people and the only mean to strengthen institutions. While mentioning about the government’s policy of reconciliation and consultation, the Prime Minister said that it is a new trend in our national political culture and would go a long way in addressing the major issues of the people at large. He added that before meeting the coalition leadership today, he sought impressions about the President’s address to the Joint sitting form the Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, the Governor Sindh, Dr. Ishratul Ibad,  JUI Chief, Maula Fazal ur Reham, Chief Minister Punjab, Mian Shahbaz Shairf and Deputy Chairman Senate, Mir Jan Muhammad Jamali. The Prime Minister said the government would continue with its policy of reconciliation. The Prime Minister said that the all the parliamentary coalition parties/partners would also be taken on board before the address of the President. The meeting offered fateha for the victims of drone attacks and the Balochistan Mine blast. **PMMO/Ahmad** PR No.199 PRESS RELEASE President of Indonesia’s message on Pakistan Day Islamabad, March 21, 2011 President of the Republic of Indonesia Dr H. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has sent a message of felicitations to Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on the occasion of Pakistan Day, 23rd March, 2011. The President of Indonesia in his greeting message said:-   “On the occasion of the Pakistan Day, it gives me great pleasure to convey to Your Excellency my heartfelt felicitation and best wishes for Your Excellency and for the continued prosperity and progress of the brotherly people of your country. It is my firm belief that the close cooperative relationship existing between Pakistan and Indonesia will continue to flourish for the mutual benefit of both peoples in years to come.”   **PMCO/Ahmad** PR No.200 PRESS RELEASE National Workshop on World Water Day (22nd March, 2011) Islamabad, March 21, 2011 The Ministry of Environment in collaboration of United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), UN Habitat, Pakistan Institute for Environment-Development Action Research (PIEDAR), Water Aid and Water Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) is organizing a National Workshop to celebrate the WORLD’S WATER DAY (22ND MARCH) with the theme “Water for Cities: Responding to the Urban Challenge” on Tuesday 22nd March, 2011 at Islamabad. On this occasion, essay and poetry competitions and skits with reference to the theme would be presented. Children from different educational institutions and officials of the Environment Ministry and other related organizations and people from different walks of life would participate in these activities. PR No.201 PRESS RELEASE ALL DEMOCRATIC FORCES SHOULD DEMONSTRATE POLITICAL MATURITY: INFORMATION MINISTER Islamabad, March 21, 2011 Federal Minister for Information & Broadcasting Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan has congratulated all the democratic and political forces at the beginning of the fourth parliamentary year today in her statement.  She said that the present government is fully committed to strengthen democratic institutions and up hold the supremacy and sovereignty of the parliament. President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari is the part of parliament and its existence is in incomplete without his presence, the Minister added. She said that Asif Ali Zardari is the only President who has the honour to address the parliament for fourth time in the Span of three years which is unprecedented in the parliamentary history of Pakistan. Federal Minister said that address of President Asif Ali Zardari will not only ensure the supremacy of the Parliament but would also strengthen the roots of democratic and parliamentary practices in the country. Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan also said that the role of opposition is indeed imperative for the stability of the democratic institutions and expressed her hope that opposition will continue to play its constitutional role. Federal Minister said that President Asif Ali Zardari is democratically elected President of Pakistan and does not deserve to be greeted in unwelcoming manners and gestures in the Parliament. President Asif Ali Zardari represents Federation and symbol of integrity of the country.  She emphasized on the need that all democratic forces should demonstrate a greater degree of maturity, sagacity and responsibility for the progress and stability of the country. She also hailed the role and statesmanship of the Prime Minister in strengthening democratic institution and pursing the policy of reconciliation as envisioned by Motharama Benazir Bhutto Shaheed for the welfare of the people and stability of the country.   PR No.202 PRESS RELEASE Islamabad, March 21, 2011   Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has approved nomination of the following delegation of the Parliamentary Kashmir Committee to visit Brussels, Berlin and Warsaw to win their support on the Kashmir issue:- i)    Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman     MNA/Chairman Kashmir Committee ii)    Nawab Muhammad Yousuf Talpur     MNA/Member Kashmir Committee iii)    Dr. Attiya Inayatullah     MNA/Member Kashmir Committee iv)    Sardar Ayaz Sadiq     MNA/Member Kashmir Committee v)    Mr. Ramesh Lal     MNA/Member Kashmir Committee vi)    A Member of all Parties Hurriyet     Conference (Kashmiri Leader) The European Union is increasingly gaining political and economic importance in word affairs. The delegation of the Parliamentary Kashmir Committee will pro-actively highlight the Kashmir issue and Pakistan’s principled stance as supported historically by the UN Resolution.