University of Karachi to open flowers museum

Wednesday, June 6th, 2007

Herbarium is a dried plant museum in the University of Karachi (KU) which has opened new dimensions in the study of Botany by collecting specimens of more than 150,000 dried plants and compiling a directory on flora from around Pakistan and abroad.

The plants are continuously collected in the Herbarium and studied. It has been observed that some plants showed different characteristic after a period of 50 or more years, for instance a plant, may begin its flowering process in March this year, but half a century later this same species may commence its flowering process in January, this shows that a variation in climatic changes has altered the flowering and other processes of the plant.

University of Karachi Department of Botany

The information is useful to researchers, town planners, environmentalists and students in calculating climatic changes and in planning new towns after considering the detailed studies and the knowledge gleaned from plants of different species from time to time.

Prof. Pirzada Qasim, the Vice Chancellor of KU had laid the foundation stone of this Herbarium, a two-storey building on a covered area of 10,000 square feet, in 2005.

The Department of Botany is also preparing a ‘ Data List’ of more

than 300 to 400 plants found in Chitral to preserve their floral identity in the country.

Approximately, 500 plant species abundantly grow in Pakistan, with a majority of these found in Chitral.

Dr Mohammad Qaisar, former Dean Faculty of Science and incumbent Director of Herbarium said that the objective of preparing the “Red Data List” was to provide guidelines for further conservation and research.

“Pakistan is the only country in the region where scientists and researchers have obtained information about the country’s floral resources and prepared valuable documentation. While Japanese researchers have prepared documentation on Afghan flora and the British on India and Nepal, the Americans provided their services to China and the Europeans worked with Iran in this regard,” he claimed.

He said that four plants, namely Abitinlon Alii, Sepalum, Asparagus and Acacia nilotica SubSP Hemispheric, are abundant in Karachi. He said that Acacia nilotica SubSP Hemispheric plant is found along the coastline of the city, but this plant is fast becoming extinct due to oversight and development work at some specific coastal sites of the city.

The Flora of Pakistan is compiled by Dr Syed Irtifaq Ali and Dr Qaisar, and is available on the Internet with the active collaboration of the Missouri Botanic Garden, USA.

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Monday, June 4th, 2007

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Private airline AirBlue Pakistan Sets-off Flights to UK

Saturday, June 2nd, 2007

LONDON (UK): Pakistan’s new generation private airline AirBlue launched flights to UK on Friday by making Manchester as the first destination from capital Islamabad to the empires of Europe. It was a historic day – filled with emotions of Pakistanis – living in Britain when they saw the landing of AirBlue flight at the Manchester airport – in a way as smooth as silk.

Significantly, AirBlue is the first private airline of Pakistan in the aviation history to start long haul operations between Pakistan and the United Kingdom.AirBlue’s performance in Pakistan is an evidence of the success story of the airline, said Syed Nasir Ali.

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Snow leopard kills livestock in Kalash

Monday, May 21st, 2007

CHITRAL, 03 May 07:   A snow leopard has killed several goats in the Kalash valley of Bumburait during the last couple of days.

Bumburait is the buffer zone of the Chitral Gol National Park, which is home of the snow leopard, one of the most endangered species.

Local resident Gul Mohammad said the leopard had attacked 19 goats on the pastures of the valley. He said local people could not shoot the animal because of prohibitions under the wildlife laws, although their own lives were at risk.

 

The wild life department aparently is absent most of the time.

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Islamabad-Chitral direct flights to begin from 25 May

Monday, May 21st, 2007

CHITRAL, 21 May 07: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will operate Islamabad (ISB)-Chitral (CJL) direct flight four days a week ie on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 25 May 2007. This was learned thru PIA sources and Chitral News.

 

The Islamabad -Chitral flight, PK 664 will leave Islamabad at 0720 hrs and arrive Chitral at 0820 hrs The Chitral Islamabad flight PK 665 will depart Chitral at 1340 hrs and arrive Islamabad at 1440 hrs.

 

The Islamabad-Chitral direct service is a win-win step for both Chitrali passengers, for intending tourists and last but not the least for the PIA itself.  It may however be pointed out that with just three days left for this service to commence commercial operations, the PIA has yet to advertise it, which speaks volumes about efficiency of this organisation.

 

The existing Peshawar Chitral flight will continue to operate as usual.

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Buddhist Monks and scholars Visit Taxila & Peshawar

Sunday, April 1st, 2007

The monks from Japan, China, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Korea visited Taxila Peshawar & Takht bhai to take part in the `Sound and Light Show’ of the Gandhara Week that kicked off on Wednesday the 28th March 2007 by the ministry of tourism.

Taxila is one of the sacred places for Buddhists where Emperor Ashoka preached the Lord Buddha’s message of peace, love and brotherhood in the 1st century AD.

Holding lotus-shaped lanterns, the Monks and participants recited verses in chorus at the front of the stupa and made offerings of tea leaves and lotus flowers.

In Buddhism, lotus flower holds particular significance for its symbolic representation of different aspects of human life.

The plant growing in mud produces clean leaves on surface depicting purification and its beautiful flower suggests enlightenment.

While the lotus flower lantern symbolises the lighting before the Buddha and praising his benevolence with bright, clear and untrained heart and pledging to take the compassion on the road to one’s enlightenment.

The flowers signifies the practice of the generosity and represents moral ethics or discipline.

In the last leg of their rituals, the monks wearing yellow gowns walked around the stupa.

The ritual of going around the stupa for three times originated during the lifetime of the Lord Buddha when his disciples paid him a visit and first bowed in front of him and then went around him three times clockwise.

Meanwhile, during the religious ceremony, a dozen of girls wearing colourful dresses stood around the Dharmarajika stupa with lotus flowers in their hands.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief priest of Enmanji Temple, Japan, Ryoko Nishioka said this (Taxila) was the land where centuries ago monks from across the Gandhara came to seek knowledge of Buddhism and offered rituals for peace, harmony, love and brotherhood. Now once again the Buddhists from across the globe assemble here to pray for peace in the world.

He said by restoring the stupa and its cells for monks to provide proper boarding facilities, the Pakistani government could attract monks from across the globe.

The Dharmarajika stupa is the oldest Buddhist monument in Taxila valley.

Later, Federal Minister for Tourism Nilofar Bakhtiar along with more than 82 monks and at least 100 participants of the Gandhara Week celebrations and SAARC car rally attended joint prayers for peace.

MINISTER’S MESSAGE: Nilofar Bakhtiar said Pakistan was emerging as a major tourist destination because of the present government’s aggressive tourist policy under which around 70 events had been arranged this year.

Talking to newsmen at the `Sound and light show’ at the Dharmarajika stupa, she said the Destination Pakistan 2007 programme would help in the development of the tourism sector.

She said due to recent initiatives, the flow of tourists to Pakistan had been increased manifold.

“Our history is powerful and important and this is the first time in the country’s history that a government has initiated a marketing strategy in the tourism sector to promote it”, she said.

Rejecting the western media’s propaganda that foreign tourists are not safe in Pakistan, she said: “No foreign tourist has even been slightly injured in Pakistan’s history.”

The federal minister said marketing of cultural, religious and adventure sites was on the top of the agenda. It would not only promote the history of Pakistan but also attract tourists from all over the world, she added.

“Ranging from snow-covered mountains in the north to vast lush fields and forest resorts southwards, Pakistan is also a destination for religious tourism,” she said.

The Monks and participants of the Gandhara Week also Visited the Peshawar museum where a lecture on Art and religion of Gandhara Art was delivered by Prof: Fidaullah Sehrai ex director of Peshawar museum who now delivers lectures for tourists in Peshawar on regular basis.

The Buddhist art of Gandhara influenced not just the art of united India but that of the entire Buddhist world. So said Prof Fidaullah Sehrai

Members of the delegation included Buddhist monks, tour operators, journalists and travel writers from China, Korea, Japan, Thailand, Bhutan, Nepal, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. Prof Sehrai, an expert on the Buddhist art and architecture of South Asia, said the first Buddha image of the world was created in Gandhara which was its greatest gift to the world of Buddhism.

He said Buddhism in Gandhara had taken various forms from time to time. It had started with Hinayanism, which was introduced by Ashok Maurya, and changed into Mahayanism in the time of the Kushan Emperor Kanishka who ruled in the first century AD. It was Mahayanism which had given impetus to the growth of Gandhara art. Later, Mahayanism changed into Vairayana and Tantrayan forms of Buddhism in Swat which reached Tibet and become Lamaism, he said.

He said the Gandhara art reached the climax due to the royal patronage of Emperor Kanishka and prosperity which Gandhara achieved from foreign trade and commerce on Silk roads which connected it with Central Asia, Western countries and South Asia. He said the subject matter of the Gandhara art was life stories of the Buddha, written in Peshawar and carved by sculptors in their light stones.

He said the reasons for the decline of the art were the lack of royal patronage after Kanishka’s death and the disconnection of Silk roads by the Sassanian rulers of Iran.

 

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Gilgit Hunza Road opens after closure of several weeks

Thursday, March 29th, 2007

The road the Hunza one of the most scenic roads in the world has been recently closed due to glaciers and landslides. This was known from Mr. Asghar Khan Sales & Marketing Manager Gilgit Serena Hotel. He also sent this breathtaking picture of the block on the road.

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Americans visiting Pakistan.

Wednesday, March 28th, 2007

 

The ex US Ambassado Honorable Ryan C Crocker who remained US Ambassador of Pakistan since 2004 writes several positive action taken bu his office and the US Government to promote people to people contact between the two countries.

He writes in his article in the daily News of Karach:-

Over the past five years the United States and Pakistan have built an extraordinarily close relationship as allies and strategic partners at the government-to-government level. But relations between peoples are the cement that holds together the elements of a strategic partnership. During my tenure as US ambassador to Pakistan I have been very interested in promoting these human and cultural bonds between our two countries. Nothing better demonstrates the breadth and the depth of the long-term, strategic partnership between Pakistan and the United States than the rapid growth in education programmes between our two countries.

Our USAID programme has provided over $200 million to education programmes in Pakistan over the last five years, encouraging student learning in some of Pakistan’s most remote regions by training teachers in participatory learning, increasing parental involvement and supporting infrastructure improvements for primary schools. Regionally, these programmes have focused on Sindh, Balochistan, the FATA and the Islamabad Capital Territory. Since October, 2006, these programmes have been extended to the earthquake-affected areas of the NWFP and AJK.

These are the best known examples of the importance of education in the US-Pakistan partnership. But there are many more examples. We have developed a programme with Pakistani schools and NGO partners, called “ACCESS,” that encourages non-elite Pakistani youth to study English. ACCESS provides micro-scholarships to these students to attend English Literacy Centres at quality schools in Pakistan. To date, nearly 1,000 high school students in Lahore, Multan, Karachi, Peshawar, Islamabad and Gwadar have studied under the ACCESS programme. And we are now looking to extend this programme to provide opportunities for ACCESS graduates to attend universities in Pakistan.

The “YES” — Youth Exchange and Study — programme, funded in part by the US State Department and managed in Pakistan by the Karachi-based International Education and Resource Network, takes Pakistani students on year-long foreign exchange programmes in the United States during their high school years. As many as 158 Pakistani high school students have participated in the YES programme since it began in 2003.

Another State Department programme has partnered with Pakistan’s National Education Foundation and Eastern Washington University to provide in-service teacher training for 400 female teachers in the FATA. The FATA Female Teacher Training programme also provides micro-loans to parents of young girls to encourage families to keep their daughters in school. This program is benefiting some 300 schools in the FATA and NWFP.

Academic linkages between Pakistani and American institutions have been important since the beginning of the US-Pakistan relationship. The Institute for Business Administration in Karachi, one of Pakistan’s leading institutions of higher education, was founded in 1955 with technical assistance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Today, the US Department of Agriculture provides major funding support for agricultural and forestry programmes at the University of Faisalabad, the University of Peshawar and the Pakistan Forest Institute.

Nothing better demonstrates the deepening relationship between Pakistan and the United States than the recent, rapid growth in academic exchanges. When I arrived in Pakistan in 2004, about a dozen Pakistani students were studying in the US on Fulbright scholarships. Today there are over 200, with 150 new Pakistani participants in the Fulbright programme each year.

The Pakistan Fulbright programme is now the largest Fulbright programme in the world. It has active Pakistani participation on its board of directors and its executive staff. Pakistani funding also makes an important contribution to the Fulbright programme in Pakistan. In the coming academic year we expect to re-initiate the reciprocal part of the Fulbright programme by bringing American senior scholars to Pakistan.

In the last six months we have seen many more American scholars travel to Pakistan. The US embassy has encouraged this growing interchange between American and Pakistani scholars and researchers. All of us involved were particularly pleased that the American Institute of Pakistan Studies held its annual scholarly convention this year in Islamabad.

The need to encourage people-to-people relationships led us to undertake another important initiative. The embassy’s consular staff has worked very hard to streamline the visa process to encourage Pakistanis to travel to the United States. We’ve made remarkable progress. Visa issuance was 30 per cent greater in 2006 than in 2005, including an increase of 55 per cent for issuance of student visas. The numbers of Pakistani visitors to the United States are now returning to pre-9/11 levels.

These are strong examples of deeper and stronger ties between the American and Pakistani people. As I take my leave from Pakistan, I take those strengthening ties as one of my fondest and most important memories of my tenure as US ambassador to Pakistan.

 

The writer has served as US ambassador to Pakistan since 2004. His next assignment, which he will be taking up soon, is American ambassador to Iraq.

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Gawadar Fort keys handed over to President of Pakistan

Tuesday, March 20th, 2007

GWADAR, March 20 (APP):  President General Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday said Pakistan was a cradle of ancient civilization and called for wide-ranging measures for the preservation of national heritage for future generations.He was speaking here at a ceremony also attended by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, at which the Kingdom of Oman handed over keys of an ancient fort built in 1783 and located at Gwadar to the President. The fort was restored by the Ministry of Heritage and Culture of Oman and was once used as palace by Omani leaders when they ruled over Gwadar.

President Musharraf thanked the government and people of Oman, particularly Sultan Qaboos, for this gesture and the remarkable restoration work done to bring the Gwadar Fort to its past glory.

He said Pakistan was a cradle of ancient civilization, dating back to the 8^th century and said all faiths flourished here before the advent of Islam in the sub-continent.

The President stressed the need to preserve the rich past and said, “The nations that do not look after their past cannot look after their future.”

He said Pakistan has rich tourist potential and natural beauty that can attract tourists from across the world.

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President Musharaf inaugurates Gwadar Port

Tuesday, March 20th, 2007

  GWADAR, Mar 20 (APP):  President General Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday said the operationalization of the country’s first deep-sea port would turn Gwadar into a major industrial, trade and energy hub of the region and will usher in an era of progress and prosperity.Inaugurating the Gwadar Port, the President also announced plans for setting up the country’s fourth port at Somiani with a resolve to undo the neglects of the past by the previous governments, by launching several mega development projects for the province. The President, along with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and in presence of several other cabinet members, pressed a button to operationalize the huge 40 tonne capacity cranes at the port to start removing containers from one of the three ships anchored at the berths. The President warned the handful of miscreants in Balochistan not to interfere with the government plans of development and vowed to lift the province out of backwardness. “You must lay down your weapons, do not interfere in Balochistan’s development and if you persist I warn you that you will be dealt with sternly,” he said and added that such people do not want to see their people improve their economic condition as they felt it would erode their authority. The President said that nations cannot progress if they oppose development. He said in the days to come the people of Balochistan will see more facilities and infrastructure development. “I derive my power from the people and since you are with me, I have nothing to worry and to fear those who are against development,” President Musharraf told the large gathering here at the Gwadar Port, including women and children. President Musharraf said that it was the first time that so many cabinet ministers gathered at Gwadar and recalled that there was only “bellowing dust and sand” when he came six years back. “Just see this development, the beautiful buildings that have cropped up, the road, electricity and water that are now available,” he said and added that a new airport will be built with the Chinese assistance. The President also spoke to the gathering in Balochi, to which the large crowd responded with enthusiasm. He said there were some people who said that the jobs at Gwadar will be handed over to “outsiders” and said he stood with the deprived people of the province. “I am with you and will always stand by the deprived,” he said and added that no one needed to worry and added that “no one can ever take their place as they were the sons of the soil having their due share.” He said a study was underway for the Gwadar-Dalbandin and Kandhar railway link, besides a 950 km long Gwadar-Turbat-Khuzdar-Ratodero road which was being constructed to facilitate movement of goods and people with the rest of the country. The President said the government has lined up development projects worth Rs 130 billion for the province that were far more than those in other provinces. He said there were some people who complained that Punjab was not happy with Balochistan’s progress. “Nothing could be far from truth. The people and government of Punjab have no objection to the huge  spendings in Balochistan and measures to lift it out of poverty and depravation,” he added. He said progress and development of Balochistan was the progress of Pakistan and said the government will continue with its efforts to bring about a positive change in the lives of the common man. The President said that the Coastal Highway was being extended up to the border of Iran while Gwadar was being linked with road, rail and air to the rest of the country and beyond. He said in future the government visualized Gwadar Port to be used as a route for trade and energy for China, Afghanistan and other Central Asian Republics and added that all trade routes will pass through here. The Mirani dam will irrigate 35,000 acres of land. In addition the Subakzai, Bolan and Nolang dam and the Kacchi canal will irrigate 0.7 million acres and will help meet agricultural needs of the local farmers. The President said similarly the government was undertaking bricklining of water courses and will spend Rs five billion in the province over a period of two years. The President announced setting up of a Marine College at Gwadar, to be funded equally by the provincial and the federal governments, Rs 10 million for improvement of health, education and sewerage system of Gwadar, besides another Rs 50 million for its rural areas. He also announced a Fishermen Colony, having all basic amenities of life, besides a Fisheries Training Centre to impart modern skills to the fishermen. Addressing particularly the large number of women present at the inauguration, the President asked them to concentrate on imparting education and skills to their children and said eight cadet colleges were being set up in the province, besides 1000 scholarships would be awarded to outstanding children. He also announced a gift of 2000 sewing machines for those who came from far away to attend the gathering. The President also mentioned the national internship programme and the technical schools being set up by the Army to train youth in different skills. He said the POF, HIT and other organisations have also been directed to train and acquire the services of youth from Balochistan. The President also mentioned the issue of Chief Justice and said the matter will be addressed under the law and the constitution of Pakistan. He warned against politicizing it and said “no one should use it for hatching political conspiracies.” “Such political conspiracies will be overcome with the help of the people of Pakistan . . . the people of Pakistan are with us . . . and I have full faith that anyone daring to conspire against the country will be crushed with the help of the people of Pakistan,” he said and added that no such conspiracy will be allowed to succeed. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in his remarks described the inauguration as a historic day that will change the destiny of the people of Balochistan and said from the dusty dunes of Gwadar a modern landscape was emerging. He urged the people of Balochistan to work hard, for the development and progress of their province and the country so that everyone benefits from the economic gains. “Let those who are against progress know that they cannot succeed,” he said and urged the people to vote for those who favour development in the next general election. The Prime Minister said the coastal highway will be extended up to Iran and bring in more economic opportunities for the people of the area. He said the new airport will operate under the open skies policy and bring in tourists from all over the world to enjoy the rich natural beauty. The President, along with the Prime Minister also visited the memorial of those Chinese workers who were killed during the construction of the Gwadar Port. He paid rich tributes and said his dream would not have materialized without the help of Chinese people and government. He said it was the deep friendship between Pakistan and China that has turned his vision into reality and helped the country enter a new era of economic prosperity.

Last Updated ( Tuesday, 20 March 2007 )

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