In this regard, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by UAF Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan and Nestle Pakistan Limited Managing Director Ian James Donald. Nestle will also invest in internship and general scholarships for the UAF students to develop their skill sets and equip them with state of the art education.

On the occasion, the UAF Vice Chancellor said that nutrient food is one of the areas in which country is lagging behind. Tangible steps on the part of farming community and scientists are required to meet the challenge. He showed his concern that per animal milk production in the country was very low compared to other countries despite the fact that the country has 50 million livestock animals.

He said that Pakistan was self sufficient in food but water issues are disturbing the equilibrium. He called for devising a roadmap to produce and provide nutritious food to the people of the country with the help of researches and giving awareness to the masses.

Nestle Pakistan Ltd Managing Director Ian James Donald urged the university scientists to give them suggestions to meet the challenges of food security and nutrient food across the country to redress the sufferings of the common man. He showed Nestle’s commitment to step up efforts in this regard. He added that the economic growth in Pakistan was less than India that must be expedited to meet the challenges of the growing population.

Donald said that milk production per animal in Pakistan was many fold below the other countries and that is a serious concern. He stressed the need to join hands in order to redress the suffering of farming community by taking initiative to increase the productivity that will not only result in increasing the income of farmers but will also help earn foreign exchanges for the country.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2012.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Ambassador to the United States, Sherry Rehman has said that Pakistan is looking at a ‘positive’ conversation about reopening of Nato supply routes but it will be pre-mature to say when the trucks will resume supply.

“Pakistan is still demanding US President Barrack Obama’s apology over Pakistani soldiers death in US air strikes,” she told CNN in an interview.

About crossing over of four trucks into Afghanistan, she said,”we are allowing diplomatic cargo, and as far as I know, trucks, cargo and lorries are suspended, ban on some humanitarian supply may have lifted but no serious materials have been crossing over and all have been suspended for six months.”

On the eve of the Chicago summit, Ambassador Rehman spelled out Islamabad’s position on various issues including the November 26,2011, cross-border drone strikes, reopening of Nato supply routes, Pak-US ties after Salala incident, the May 2 incident and Haqqani network issues.

About the Chicago summit, she said this is a big summit where all leaders especially Pakistan and Afghanistan will be conferring to bring stability and peace to the region. She added that Pakistan had a role in the region and the alliance’s summit presented an opportunity to redefine it.

“We have joint goals that can converge, but you know that the relationship is in a bad place for over six months,” she pointed out.

About the formal apology from the US over November 26 Nato air strikes, the ambassador said this issue is not going off the table — 24 coffins draped in our national flag, killed at the hands of not an enemy, but a friend has caused national furor in Pakistan.

She said a joint sitting of the Parliament has asked for a formal apology from the US and Pakistani people seek restriction over air strikes’ deaths.

“This unconditional invitation to Pakistan is a very positive breakthrough. We don’t want interference in Afghanistan, but want to support peaceful security transition, which can also bring stability to the region,” the envoy said.

On the issue of Osama bin Laden, Sherry Rehman said that there is an Abbottabad Commission that is investigating it. “No body wanted to see OBL in Pakistan, we have helped hunt down al Qaeda,” she said.

About the Haqqani network, she said, it has become a catch word to judge the Pak-US relationship, however, she cautioned that the entire relationship could not be predicated on this spin. She pointed out that the Pak-Afghan border is a porous border and it needs policing on both sides to stop the free movement of terrorists across it.

In a statement on Friday, he said the five-day workshop was scheduled to begin from June 15 and will focus on good clinical practices and clinical trials.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2012.

KARACHI: Sindh’s education department has extended the deadline for applications for the jobs of primary, junior and high school teachers up to June 20.

Previously, the last date was May 20. The decision which was taken by the education minister, Pir Mazharul Haq, was announced by an official on Saturday.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2012.

A statement said that the budget would be for the welfare of the people and that the focus would be on provision of drinking water and mega projects for road networks. Provincial ministers Syed Murad Ali Shah, Raza Haroon, Dr Sagheer Ahmed, Syed Sardar Ahmed and other officials attended the meeting.

The officials were informed that the province’s share of money would be allocated for the K-IV project for provision of water and the S-III sewerage project.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2012.

PESHAWAR: Asif Club beat Shah Club 3-2 in the Peshawar District Inter-Club Football Championship. Shah Club took a lead in the sixth minute before it was doubled in the 14th. However, Owais of Asif Club scored a brace to level the score. Muhammad Jabbar Khan then netted a fine goal in the 68th minute to put his team in front and with Shah Club failing to find the equaliser, Asif Club came out on top.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2012.

ISLAMABAD / LAHORE: Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik clarified on Saturday that some containers carrying items for the US embassy in Kabul, which had crossed over from Pakistan into Afghanistan on Friday, were not a sign of the Nato supply route being reopened.

Speaking after a meeting with the Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami, Syed Munawar Hassan at JI headquarters Mansoora, Malik said negotiations, on the guidelines proscribed by the Parliamentary review, were still underway, and no decision had been taken yet to reopen them.

Explaining the US containers which crossed over on Friday, the Interior Minister said containers containing goods go to Afghanistan through Pakistan under the Transit Trade Agreement TTA agreement between the two countries.

Malik said JI Ameer Hassan has been invited for talks with President Asif Zardari at Aiwane-e- Sadr on important national issues including the resumption of Nato supply line and law and order situation in the country.

He said the PPP and JI agree on the point that there should be no drone attacks in Pakistan. Both Houses of Parliament and all the provincial assemblies‚ through their resolutions demanded that drone attacks should not take place. This makes it the unified demand of the entire nation.

Parliament’s guidelines not a stumbling block

The vice president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), the largest coalition partner for the Pakistan Peoples Party in the Parliament said on Saturday that the recommendations of the joint session of Parliament provide broader prospect to the government to engage with the United States to renew its relationship for future.

A former senator and a leading lawyer, S M Zafar said in a statement, “I do not see the recommendations of the Parliament as a hurdle in negotiating and determining the strategic relations between these two old allies [Pakistan and United States]“.

He said it was important to steer through the delicate relationship between the US and Pakistan.

He said the points contained in the recommendations were the ideal to be ultimately achieved by proceeding step by step.

He said, accordingly, the Federal Government had the final authority under the Constitution by virtue of Article 97 read with Clause-3 of Fourth Schedule which deals with the external affairs and agreements with other countries, to devise the best strategy in the national interest.

Zafar suggested, “in the present circumstances, it will be appropriate that the Federal Government takes other stockholders into confidence by extending ex-officio membership ofthe Cabinet Defence Committee.”

PESHAWAR: Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Director General Shehzad Khan Bangash on Friday took notice of alleged embezzlement in collection and distribution of aid for the Internally Displaced Persons of Jalozai Camp.

The DG ordered the chief coordinator PDMA Faiz Muhammad to probe the corrupt practices and submit a report within 24 hours. Intelligence agencies had recovered the aid materials.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 19^th, 2012.

Three more shopkeepers were fined Rs15,000 for not following the prescribed rate list. AC Quratulain conducted raids and also imposed a Rs12,000 fine on a butcher selling unhygienic beef and a Rs3,000 fine on the owner of a large grocery store for overcharging.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 19^th, 2012.

Addressing a luncheon in honour of newly appointed accountants through the Punjab Public Service Commission, he highlighted the importance of qualified officers for timely and successful execution of development projects, saying mere availability of funds was not imperative for it.

Punjab Local Government Academy Lalamusa Director Tahir Zia said it was the first time that officers were being appointed in public departments through the commission.

He said with the absorption of specialised officers, ongoing development projects would be completed within the given schedule.

Finance TMO Raja Iftikhar Ahmed briefed the trainee officers about the workings of the municipality.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 19^th, 2012.