In This Issue

EMERGING PAKISTAN February 2019 NEWSLETTER Volume 3 Issue 2 EMBASSY OF PAKISTAN BRUSSELS

In this issue

Prime Minister Visits Turkey P.2-3

President UNGA Visits Pakistan P.4

CJCSC Attends NATO Meeting P.5

Sneessen’s Exhibition on Hunza P.6-7

CM Balochistan Participates in WEF P.8

Bio-Bus Project in Karachi P.9

Atletico’s Academy in Pakistan P.10

International Skiing in Pakistan P. 11

Supreme Court of Pakistan & Prime Minister’s Fund For Building Dams in Pakistan P. 12

Prime Minister Imran Khan Visits Turkey

The Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Imran Khan travelled to Turkey on a two-day official visit onth 4 to 5th of January. During his visit the Prime Minister said it was high time that Pakistan and Turkey took their bilateral trade to a high level, citing Pakistan's ideal geo-strategic location and its huge potential for investment in infrastructure and tourism. He was accompanied by a high level delegation. Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a tete-a-tete meeting followed by delegation level talks on 4th January.

Having exchanged views on the entire spectrum of Turkey - Pakistan bilateral relationship as well as on issues of regional and international importance, the leaders of the two countries, re-affirmed that the unparalleled fraternal relations between the peoples and the governments of the two countries date back for centuries and are embedded in a common cultural and religious heritage, as well as a shared vision for the future, based on complete mutual understanding and trust.

“As Pakistan was undertaking huge connectivity projects under Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the issue of huge distance impeding Pak-Turkish trade would be resolved” said Prime Minister Khan.

Pakistan and Turkey to Develop Joint Economic Strategic Frame Work

Addressing a joint news conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on 4th January Prime Minister Khan said Pakistan wants to learn from Turkey's experience in housing, health, and education sectors for the benefit of common people.

President Erdogan and Prime Minister Imran Khan agreed to develop a joint economic strategic framework. This five year Framework would identify potential areas of economic and trade interests to the two countries, identify obstacles in the way of enhanced trade and investment and remove obstacles, so that the economic relationship reflects the extremely close strategic and historic ties between the two countries. Turkish Vice President Fuad Ouktay and Finance Minister Asad Umer will meet soon to finalize the agreement which will be signed at the next Summit meeting of the Pakistan Turkey High Level Strategic Cooperation Council meeting to be held in the first half of this year in Pakistan.

President UN General Assembly Visits Pakistan

President of UN General Assembly, Ms. Maria Fernanda Espinosa called on President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister of Pakistan Mr Imran Khan in Islamabad on 18th January 2019.

President of UN General Assembly, Ms. Maria Fernanda Espinosa, visited Pakistan on five days official visit from 18th to 22nd January 2019. She met with the President, Prime Minister and Foreign Minis- ter of Pakistan. In her meeting with Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi the two dignitaries discussed a range of issues including recent trends and developments at the global and regional lev- els. Both agreed that the United Nations remained an indispensable institution for advancing dialogue, cooperation and pursuing collective solutions to global challenges.

The Foreign Minister briefed Ms. Espinosa and conveyed Pakistan's deep concern over the systematic human rights abuses in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, while underscoring the need for the United Nations to ensure implementation of Security Council resolu- tions. The two sides had useful discussions on the on-going process of UN Security Council reform and the need for this process to be led by Member States and consensus-based way forward. This was her first visit to a country in the Asia-Pacific region after her election as UNGA president in September 2018. Apart from official engagements, the President of the General Assembly also met members of the Women Parliamentary Caucus, Chairperson of the Benazir Income Support Programme, and visited Pakistan's Peacekeeping Training Center. She also addressed members of academia, think tanks and students during her visit.

Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Attends NATO Military Committee Meeting

Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Zubair Mahmood Hayat attended the 180th NATO Military Committee meeting in Brussels on 16th January. The meeting focused on peace and security matters with special focus on Middle East and Afghanistan. During the meeting, JCSC chief shared Pakistan’s contributions and efforts to- wards regional peace and stability, especially in Afghanistan. On the sidelines, Gen Hayat also held meetings with United States Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph F Dunford, Chairman of the European Union Military Committee General Claudio Graziano and Chief of General Staff Turkish Armed Forces.

Ambassador Hashmi Hosts Dinner for CJCSC NATO and EEAS Officials

Exhibition of Photographs on Hunza By Benoit Sneessens

HUNZA: An exhibition of photographs by Belgian photographer Benoit Sneessens took place in Ateliers des FUCAM, in the city of Mons in Belgium from 11th January to 3rd February. Benoit Sneessens visited Pakistan six times between 2006 to 2009 and re-visted after a gap of 8 years in 2017. He covered hundreds of kilometres on foot on the steep paths of the Karakoram Mountains. The exhibition covers mythical valleys in northern Pakistan, its vast landscapes and its proud mountain populations. Sneessens started going to Pakistan in 2006 when he was a student of Photography at Namur and needed photographs for his project. Fascinated by the mountains from his childhood he decided to go to capture beauty and culture in Himalyas and choose Pakistan when he came to know that Himalayas originated from this country.

He found Pakistan safe and friendly country. “I never felt insecure as nobody ever tried to harm me. Now the country has become even more secure. With the CEPEC, now you see police cars patrol at Kara- karam and other highways regularly”, says Sneessens. He never found himself alone in Pakistan, as he was always surrounded by people, who would talk to him, guide him, offer tea and food to him. Along with spectacular scenic beauty he enjoyed warmth of Pakistani People and wishes if more people could visit the country to connect with the human side. ”In fact I experienced cultural shock when I came back to Belgium.”

Sneessens : “I always felt safe in Pakistan”

Benoit Sneessens explains context and details of photographs of Hunza to the visitors at the exhibition in Mons, Belgium.

This project of Mr Sneessens was focused on winter migrations in Hunza and surrounding valleys. His photographs are comprised of landscapes, people and their animals particularly yaks and goats. He photographed valleys and villages around Karakorram Highway including Shamshaal, Chapursan, passu and Sost. He also visited cities of Pakistan including Lahore, Karachi and the capital, Islamabad. He enjoyed Pakistani culture and cuisines, Chicken Tikka and Peshawari Naan being his favourite food. Sneessens is interested in completing his photographic project of old architectural heritage of Pakistan. He has taken some photographs of old buildings but the project is not complete yet. Sneessens is also concerned with preservation of envi- ronment of the scenic valleys of Pakistan as he has observed that natural places are being littered by irresponsible tourists, which he says must be addressed appropriately.

CM Balochistan Participates in World Economic Forum

Leaders from South _Western province of Pakistan, Balochistan have offered the global elites to invest in the deep seaport of Gwadar and mines and mineral sectors of the province which, they believe, has the potential to bring prosperity to the whole region. Balochistan Chief Minister CM) Jam Kamal and Quetta Corps Commander Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa highlighted the future economic prospects of the strategically located province at the traditional Pakistan Dinner arranged by the Pathfinder Group on the sidelines of Annual World Economic Forum on 23rd January.

Balochistan CM said the province is abundant with natural resources and now it can bring prosperity to the region also. He said China Pakistan Eco- nomic Corridor can really bring up new business ventures from economi- cally growing China. Other countries are also showing interests in the project. Kamal assured that the foreign investors will be facilitated, and prom- ised them good governance and transparent systems.“Balochistan government will be accountable to its people,” he said.

The Chief Minister further said Reko Diq is open for foreign investment. The 700 kilometers coastal line is also open for tourism and transshipment facilities. He said both the federal and provincial governments have huge responsibilities to turn around Balochistan. The success of Pakistan’s econ- omy depends very much on Balochistan and it is very important that both the governments come up with investment friendly opportunities for people.

The Corps Commander said the province offers unique economic opportunities. There was also collaboration between the civil and military leader- ships to take Balochistan forward, he added. He said Balochistan remained victim of terrorism because of turbulence from across the border. Pakistan ultimately realised that it had to manage its own borders and started constructing fence on border with Afghanistan. The border is becoming stable and Pakistan is constructing a five-kilometre-long fence every day to fully fence the border by end of this year.

Pakistan To Use Cow Poo to Power Buses

In a bid to freshen its air and cut planet-warming emissions, the Pakistani port city of Karachi will introduce cleaner cow poo powered buses. With funding from the international Green Climate Fund, Pakistan’s biggest city Karachi will launch a zero-emission Green Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network, with 200 buses fuelled by bio-methane. The new bus system - due to start operating in 2020 - would help reduce air pollution and street noise. After management problems forced the Karachi Transport Corporation to fold some two decades ago, Chinese-imported buses running on com- pressed natural gas fell into disrepair and were taken off the road, worsen- ing public transport woes, he noted.

Malik Amin Aslam, advisor on climate change to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, said the BRT system was the first transport project the Green Climate Fund had approved, and would bring "multiple environmental and economic benefits". It would not require operating subsidies, he added. The cheap, clean bus network will cater for 320,000 passengers daily, and will reduce planet-warming emissions by 2.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent over 30 years, according to project documents.

The BRT will consist of a 30-km (18.6-mile) corridor that will benefit 1.5 million residents, adding 25 new bus stations, secure pedestrian crossings, improved sidewalks, cycle lanes and bike-sharing facilities. The Green Cli- mate Fund, set up under U.N. climate talks to provide finance to developing countries to help them grow cleanly and adapt to a warming climate, will provide $49 million for the Karachi project out of a total cost of $583.5 million. The other major funders are the Asian Development Bank and the provincial government of Sindh, where Karachi is located.

The project will prevent about 3,200 tonnes of cow manure entering the ocean daily by converting it into energy and fertiliser at a biogas plant, and will save more than 50,000 gallons of fresh water now used to wash that waste into the bay, Aslam said. The BRT system, to be rolled out over four years, will have a fleet of 200 hybrid buses that will run on bio-methane produced from manure excreted by Karachi's 400,000 milk-producing water buffaloes, and collected by the authorities.

Atletico Madrid Opens Football Academy in Pakistan

The ten-time Spanish champions of football Atletico Madrid has become the first ever European organization to set up a football academy in Pakistan. Coach Javier Visea said "Our goal is to improve football here". “There are many football fans in Pakistan and video games dedicated to football are a hype in the country” , he added. The Spanish coach claims to promote football, sport and health in the country, without really try- ing to find a ‘gold nugget’ in a country with a very young and passionate population.

Atletico Madrid is thus entering a virgin football land with a population of 207 million. A country full of "promises", said former football star Luis Figo of Portugal in mid-January, who came with another Golden Ball, Brazilian Kaka, to promote football in Pakistan. On its website, Atletico Madrid, which has academies in Egypt, Romania and Mexico, boasts an "ambitious international expansion plan, which includes the creation of schools in several strategic markets". https://www.rtl.be/sport/football/football-etranger/l-atletico-madrid- ouvre-une-academie-de-foot-au-pakistan-terre-de-cricket-1093708.aspx

International Ski Competitions in Pakistan

The international Ski competitions took place on Ski slops in North- Western Pakistan from 28th January to 2nd Februuary. Thirty-eight skiers from 12 countries participated in the events on Naltar ski resort. Located in the Karakoram Range, Naltar is the oldest ski resort of Pakistan at 10,500 feet. It is situated 25 kilometres from Gilgit town, the capital of Gilgit-Baltistan. Sports competitions are organised on the Naltar snow during the winter season every year. Different categories of international ski races were organized at the picturesque Pakistan Air Force Ski Resort in Naltar. High-ranking international skiers from 12 countries including the United Kingdom, Greece, Turkey, Ukraine and Hong Kong, participated in slalom and giant slalom categories of the event. The Winter Sports Federation of Pakistan, in collaboration with the Pakistan Air Force, is working for the promo- tion of winter sports in the country.

Pakistan Needs Dams To Overcome Acute Water and Power Shortages

Pakistan is faced with acute water shortage. In absence of dams $22 billion worth of water is wasted in Pakistan annually and there are high risks of drought in many areas. Besides enhancing water storage capacity, dams are also essential for power generation.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan and The Prime Minister of Pakistan Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand Dams Fund Contribute Generously For the Construction of Dams Pay Directly in A/C BE35-3631-7797-5337 Swift Code BBRUBEBB Currency : Euro

Designed and Edited by Syeda Sultana Rizvi Minister Press Embassy of Pakistan Avenue Delleur 57, 1170 Watermael - Boitsfort Brussels, Belgium Tel +32 (0)2 673 80 07 Email [email protected]