Official Blog Of Press Information Department

Courtesy:-   Malik M Ashraf WHILE it is hard to take an issue with the government claims that over the last three years the economy has been revived and all the economic indicators reflect positive trends and that despite failing to achieve the targets set for financial year 2015-16, the GDP growth stood at 4.71% which is the highest rate of growth in the last years, the negative growth in agriculture sector is quite worrisome. Pakistan is an agricultural country and agriculture is the mainstay of our economy. Equally bothersome is decline in the exports as compared with the previous year. As revealed in the economic survey, agriculture recorded negative growth of 0.19% as compared to 2.53 % last year. This development is attributable to the fact that growth of crops declined by 6.25% though the sub-components like Livestock, forestry and fishing posted positive growth of 3.63%, 8.84% and 3.25% respectively. The major contributing factor to the overall dismal performance of the ...

Courtesy:-  Malik Muhammad Ashraf Relations between Pakistan and China turned 65 on May 21, 2016. To commemorate the 65th anniversary of their ties in a befitting manner, the two countries have chalked out a weeklong (May 21-to May 28) programme of festivities and cultural activities. And why not celebrate a relationship that over the years has withstood vicissitudes of times, changing regional and global realities, has attained dizzying heights to the mutual advantage of the two, and is poised to remain on the upward curve in the future too.

Courtesy:-    S Rahman  Undeterred by any-justified or unjustified-difficulty coming in the way, Nawaz Sharif government has made it a point to continue taking forward steps in the direction of strengthening the country economically. It is rather a package of empowerment that Nawaz government is pursuing in all earnest and this package is not only confined to improvement of living standards or economic uplift. It is, instead, a range of activities that are being pursued vigorously at global level to meet deficiencies whatever including the energy deficiency.

Courtesy:-   MALIK MUHAMMAD ASHRAF Celebrating a multi faceted and enduring friendship The longstanding diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China established on 21 May 1951-in the wake of Mao Tse Tung’s take over – against the wishes of the western countries have withstood the test of time and grown into an enduring, multifaceted, deep-rooted friendship which would perhaps require a new diplomatic phrase to be described. Both the countries are celebrating 65 th  anniversary of relations between them this year – and rightly so. This friendship is underpinned by mutual trust and confidence. Close identity of views and mutuality of interests remains the hallmark of the bilateral ties. Despite the fact that Pakistan was a US ally, the development of relations with China has been the corner stone of its foreign policy. It was due to Pakistan’s alliance with US and strong ties with China that enabled it to facilitate the end of China’s isolation by orchestrating rapp...

Courtesy:-  Malik M Ashraf  Corruption is generally defined as misuse of entrusted power or authority by the rulers or appointed civil servants for private gains. It usually entails embezzlement of funds, nepotism, kickbacks, bribery as well as deliberate attempts to perpetuate a system with inbuilt avenues of corruption, graft and entitlement. Corruption has many forms but the major cause of concerns are the systemic corruption and political corruption which germinate other forms of corruption that eat into the social and economic fiber of a country besides generating social tensions and hampering its economic progress.

Courtesy:-    S Rahman  There is some uproar in the media about the so-called Panama Papers that revolve around the offshore companies that are being painted as property of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif although it is a proven fact that both the Sharif brothers do not own any business abroad.

Courtesy:-    Malik Muhammad Ashraf The two-day visit to Pakistan by Iranian President Dr Hassan Rouhani was very significant because of the emerging geopolitical situation in the region. Opportunities have opened up because of the removal of sanctions on Iran, as a result of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action between Iran and the P5+1 countries and recalibrating relations between the two countries to their mutual advantage, which have not been as enviable as one would have desired them to be.