National
April 4, 2021
KARACHI: Federal Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar Saturday backed the Sindh government’s decision to keep the commercial centres and markets shut for two days a week in view of alarming spread of coronavirus cases in the country.
He was talking to media persons and businessmen during his visit to the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry here.
Asad warned that a decision could be taken to shut the entire economy if timely steps were not taken for protection against the coronavirus infection. He said the government had promised to supply 900MW electricity to Karachi in the current year but now 1,000MW power would be supplied to the city.
Daily Times Minister says projects relating to agriculture, industry and employment are being planned in second phase of CPEC
April 4, 2021
Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Asad Umar has said scope of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has expanded as various important projects enter into advanced stage.
Talking to media persons during visit of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) here on Saturday, the federal minister said that in the second phase of the CPEC projects relating to agriculture, industry and employment were being planned.
In the first phase of CPEC basic infrastructure, energy sector particularly hydro-electrical power generation were given priority, he said and added that a multibillion dolor railway project ML-I was in advanced stage and remarkable progress has been achieved in lieu of financing of the project. The joint committee on CPEC would consider the project in its next meeting, he informed.
The writer is a security analyst.
A SERIES of recent events has led many to speculate that winds of change pertaining to the national security paradigm may be blowing in Islamabad’s policy corridors. From the Pakistan army chief’s calling on India and Pakistan to bury the past and move on, and the exchange of letters between the two countries’ prime ministers, to the renewed discourse on bilateral trade despite the subsequent backtracking it reflects Pakistan’s apparently changing and intertwined national security and economic diplomacy outlooks. And this is happening at a time when an initial draft of the long-awaited national security policy is expected to be soon submitted to the prime minister.
Daily Times
April 4, 2021
Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong on Saturday called on Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Syed Ali Haider Zaidi in his office here. During the meeting, they discussed bilateral cooperation in the maritime sector, said a press release. They were keen to best utilize blue economy concepts to further strengthening economic ties between both the countries under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) umbrella. Matters related to make Gwadar port fully operational, were also discussed in detail. Ambassador Rong thanked Minister Zaidi for receiving him.