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Friday, 28 March, 2025 I 27 Ramazan, 1446
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PM SHEHBAZ LAUNCHES PM’S DIGITAL YOUTH HUB TO EMPOWERING YOUTH WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY
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ISLAMABAD
SAYS ALL NECESSARY RESOURCES WILL BE ALLOCATED TO PROVIDE BEST TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES TO YOUTH
STAFF REPORT
RIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday reaffirmed his commitment to equip the country’s youth with advanced technological skills, underscoring their role as the driving force behind the country’s development and prosperity. “All necessary resources will be allocated to provide the best training opportunities to the youth to enable them to become productive contributors to the society”, PM Shehbaz stated at the launch of PM Digital Youth Hub here on Thursday. The prime minister said that as a Chief Minister Punjab, he disbursed 400,000 laptops among the students who were high achievers in their schools and colleges. “This was the vision for which he worked hard,” he remarked.
The prime minister emphasized that youth of Pakistan was a challenge as well as a great opportunity. “If we provide train-
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ing of Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) led modern technology, they can contribute a lot for the
development and prosperity of Pakistan.” “If the youth were provided with right opportunity, they could play positive role in making the country one of the leading economy of the world”, the PM emphasized. Expressing his resolve to provide the best training to the youth, he said the government will ensure all possible resources for their training by cutting down other expenditures. “Youth are the biggest assets of Pakistan, and we can serve this great asset by equipping them with the best state-ofthe-art technologies.” Referring to the recent staff level agreement with International Monetary Fund (IMF), the prime minister said through IMF programme, the country had achieved stability, but this should be kept in mind that this was the loan ‘which we have to get rid of’.
Pakistan pushes for stronger trade, investment ties with US ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
Pakistan has reiterated its commitment to strengthening trade and investment ties with the United States, as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi engaged in high-level meetings with key US officials in Washington, D.C. During his visit, Fatemi held discussions on advancing bilateral relations, with a particular focus on enhancing economic cooperation. He met with Senior Bureau Official and Acting Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Lisa Kenna, as well as Senior Director for South and Central Asia at the National Security Council Ricky Gill. Additionally, he met with Ranking Member Congressman Gregory Meeks, Chair of the Sub-Committee on South and Central Asia of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Congressman Bill Huizenga, and Senator Jim Banks. Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Rizwan Saeed Sheikh was also present during these engagements. Fatemi underscored Pakistan’s economic priorities and highlighted the government’s ongoing efforts to improve economic indicators. He stated that the recent acknowledgment of Pakistan’s economic progress by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank was evidence that the country’s economy was on a positive trajectory. Emphasizing trade and investment as key areas of focus in Pak-US relations, Fatemi noted the vast potential for expanding economic cooperation between the two nations.
Deadly explosion rocks Quetta’s Double Road; three killed, 21 injured QUETTA
STAFF REPORT
A powerful explosion on Double Road killed at least three people and injured 21 others, including security personnel, shopkeepers, and bystanders. The blast, which targeted a police van on routine patrol, left officers inside the vehicle severely injured. Rescue teams and law enforcement rushed to the scene, shifting the injured to Sandeman Hospital. According to Police Surgeon Dr Ayesha Faiz, three people lost their lives, while several victims remain in
critical condition. Dr Abdul Hadi, the Medical Superintendent (MS) of Sandeman Hospital, confirmed that four patients are fighting for their lives, while Dr Arbab Kamran, Managing Director of the Trauma Centre, said emergency medical aid is being provided to all injured. Authorities declared an emergency at Sandeman Hospital, calling in all medical staff to handle the situation. Security forces immediately cordoned off the area and launched an investigation into the attack. Balochistan has seen a sharp rise in terrorist attacks in recent months, with security
forces frequently targeted. The attack comes amid heightened security concerns as militants have stepped up their activities in the province. President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the blast, expressing deep sorrow over the loss of lives. He stated that such attacks, particularly during Ramazan, reflect the nefarious designs of terrorists. The president prayed for the elevation of the ranks of the deceased and extended condolences to the bereaved families. He also wished for the swift recovery of the injured.
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Five passengers killed after ‘identity check’ in Gwadar bus attack GWADAR
STAFF REPORT
Five people were gunned down, and one other was injured after being offloaded from a Karachi-bound bus on Coastal Highway in Gwadar’s Kalmat area. Gwadar Deputy Commissioner
Hamoodur Rehman confirmed the incident, saying it occurred in Kalmat area of Coastal Highway where gunmen offloaded passengers from a Karachi-bound bus after checking their identity cards and executed them. “One passenger was injured in the incident”, the DC added.
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