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Category: Pakistan

Punjab signs two accords with Turkish firms

LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that Pakistani and Turk investors should benefit from the best opportunities of investment available in the province.

He was speaking on the occasion of signing of two agreements between Turk companies Al-Bayrak, Ozkartallar Compak and Lahore Transport Company here on Tuesday. Ahmet Al-Bayrak of Al-Bayrak Company and Muhibi Kartel and Abdul Qadir Turan of Ozkartallar Compak and Khawaja Ahmad Hasaan Chairman Lahore Transport Company singed the agreements. Mayor Istanbul Dr Kadir Topbas was also present.

Shahbaz congratulated the Istanbul mayor and his delegation as well as Pakistani and Turk business community. He expressed confidence in the Turk companies and said that they were associated with more than 100 institutions of Turkey and it was hoped that Pakistani business community would benefit from the opportunities of mutual cooperation and joint ventures and play their role for making the Punjab a role model for other provinces. Mayor Instanbul Dr. Kadir Topbas also spoke.

Talking to a Turk delegation, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said implementation of joint ventures between the Punjab and Istanbul would promote trade and economic cooperation between Pakistan and Turkey. He said that the recent visit of Mayor Istanbul Kadir Topbas to Lahore would open up new avenues of bilateral cooperation and relationship between the two countries.

He said the Daanish Technical University would be established in the provincial metropolis with the cooperation of Turkey. He said that cooperation of Turkey would also be acquired for the construction of parking plazas and training programmes of the Punjab Police.

Those who met the chief minister included Osman Askin, Chairman Albayrak Company Ahmet Albayrak, Haybaraccli, Qadir Noran and others. The Turkish print and electronic media has given extensive coverage to the visit of Mayor Istanbul to Lahore and shown keen interest in the engagements of the Turk delegation during the last two days.

The Turk media described the Punjab CM as a dynamic personality with reference to the important agreements signed with Turkey for various projects and observed that he was actively engaged in the development of the province and socio-economic uplift of the masses. The representatives of the Turk media before their departure for Turkey described the rousing welcome extended to them as memorable and said that it showed the wide popularity of Punjab CM and his team among the people. The Turk media paid growing tributes to the hospitality of Lahorites also.

via Punjab signs two accords with Turkish firms – The News.

March 14, 2012
Istanbul mayor gives 100 buses for Lahore

The visiting mayor drove a bus on the special bus-only lane built down the middle of Ferozepur Road. He was accompanied by Shahbaz Sharif.

LAHORE:

Mayor of Istanbul Kadir Topbas announced a gift of 100 buses and inaugurated the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system on Ferozepur Road on Monday, the second and final day of his visit to the provincial metropolis.

Topbas also laid the foundation stone for the girls campus of Pak-Turk International Schools and Colleges on Raiwind Road; inaugurated a monument in his name near Valencia Town on Raiwind Road; visited Mazar-i-Iqbal and Badshahi Masjid; and was conferred an honorary doctorate at Government College University.

After inaugurating the BRT, the visiting mayor drove a bus on the special bus-only lane built down the middle of Ferozepur Road from the Naseerabad bus station to Gulab Devi Hospital. He was accompanied by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, as he was a day earlier when driving a cleaning truck after inaugurating a new waste management system, as well as members of his delegation.

Speaking at the inauguration, Sharif said that the first phase of the bus project from Kahna to Kalma Chowk would be completed in April while the second phase for another 30 kilometres of bus corridor would be finished in December.

He said that the new bus service would give Lahore public transport of an international standard. He said that the project would be particularly useful to the disabled, senior citizens and women. He said that highly trained staff would operate the bus service and ticketing would be completely automated. He thanked Turkey for assisting the Punjab government with the solid waste management and bus projects.

At an earlier luncheon hosted by the chief minister, Topbas announced a gift of 100 buses for Lahore and pledged Turkish help to the Punjab government in any sector. The chief minister thanked the mayor for the buses and called Turkey a role model for Pakistan.

At the school foundation stone ceremony, the chairman of Pak-Turk International Schools and Colleges said that the new girls campus would have the capacity for 900 students. He said that the foundation was educating more than 5,000 children in 18 schools in Pakistan. He thanked the chief minister for providing land for the campus.

Topbas also inaugurated the renamed Kadir Topbas Chowk on Raiwind Road near Valencia Town, where a 40-feet tall replica of Istanbul’s famous Blue Mosque is being built. The monument is being renamed after the mayor in view of his active role in promoting Pak-Turk ties.

Earlier, the mayor and his wife Ozleyis Topbas and their entourage visited historical sites in Lahore. They laid a wreath at the tomb of Allama Iqbal and a Rangers contingent presented them a guard of honour. They also visited the Badshahi Masjid.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 13th, 2012.

via Pak-Turk friendship: Istanbul mayor gives 100 buses for Lahore – The Express Tribune.

March 13, 2012
Istanbul mayor arrives to warm welcome

Inaugurates new waste management system, hails Lahore as second home.

LAHORE:

The Mayor of Istanbul Dr Kadir Tobpas was given a warm welcome here on Sunday as he arrived for a two-day visit to inaugurate waste management and bus transport projects that are being conducted in collaboration with Turkish companies.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony for the new solid waste management system at the Town Hall, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said that he hoped that the new system would revive Lahore’s beauty and that it could later be introduced in other cities

He said that the same model would be replicated in Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Multan, Peshawar and Karachi and scores of clean cities like Istanbul would emerge in Pakistan.

Dr Tobpas said that the project would give Lahore a clean environment and a healthy atmosphere. He said that the projects with the Punjab government were not commercial ventures but aimed at serving the Pakistani people. That was why the Turkish companies had reduced the cost of the project, he said.

He said that Istanbul produces 15,000 tonnes of garbage a day which it recycles or uses to produce electricity. He said that Istanbul was cleaner than New York.

Dr Tophas drove a cleaning truck, with the chief minister in the passenger seat, after cutting a ribbon to inaugurate the project. He earlier also inaugurated a monument at Istanbul Chowk in front of Town Hall, and is to inaugurate the Bus Rapid Transit system as well as a replica of the Blue Mosque dome in Valencia Town.

The chief minister said that this was the first comprehensive solid waste management project in Pakistan. He said Lahore produced more than 5,000 tonnes of garbage every day.

Sharif said that during his first term as chief minister in 1998, he had made plans with a French company for a solid waste management system, but his government was toppled and the project was shelved.

He said that he was pleased to see this project inaugurated 13 years later with the cooperation of the brotherly Islamic country of Turkey. He said that Pakistan and Turkey had forged strong bonds and that was why the Turkish companies involved in the project had reduced their costs. He said that when they had conducted a survey in Lahore 18 months ago of the facilities needed, they had charged the government a tenth of what they would normally charge on international tenders.

Earlier, the Istanbul mayor was welcomed upon his arrival at the airport by the chief minister. Sharif said that the visit would promote trade as well as brotherly relations between the two countries. Dr Topbas said Pakistan was his second home and he was very pleased to be in Lahore.

A Punjab Police contingent presented a guard of honour to Dr Topbas at the airport. The national anthems of Turkey and Pakistan were played while people shouted slogans for Pak-Turk friendship. The government brought in 225 folk dancers from Jhang to perform at 14 different points along the route.

Portraits of the president and prime minister of Turkey, the mayor of Istanbul, Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif were displayed on main roads all over the city.

The mayor also visited a special exhibition on Turkey arranged by the Information and Culture Departments at the Lahore Museum. Members of the Turkish media in his entourage went on a shopping trip to Neela Gumbad and Anarkali.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 12th, 2012.

via Diplomatic relations: Istanbul mayor arrives to warm welcome – The Express Tribune.

March 12, 2012
Visit to Turkey opened new avenues of cooperation: Shahbaz

LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that service to the masses is a form of worship and a comprehensive programme of public welfare and rapid development of the province is being pursued.

Talking to the MPAs belonging to various districts here on Sunday, he said protection of life and property was the foremost priority of the Punjab government and all possible steps would be taken for further improving law and order in the province.

Shahbaz said every effort was directed towards the progress of the country and it would put on the road to prosperity after being taken out of the current crises under the leadership of PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif. He said corruption had shaken the foundations of the country and every person would have to play his role for purging the society of the menace. He said merit, good governance and transparency had been promoted in the province and the development projects of present era were unprecedented regarding quality and transparency.

The chief minister said the transparent utilisation of every penny of the public money was being ensured and all resources were being utilized for the public welfare. He said the credit for materialising the dream of labourers, farmers, widows, martyrs and a common man of having their own shelter went to the PML-N, which, for the first time in the history of the country, had provided facilities to the poor in Ashiana Housing Scheme more than the residential schemes of the elite.

Shahbaz said steps were being taken for the provision of quality and comfortable transport facilities to the people. He said that after the provincial metropolis, a plan had also been made for extending the scope of Ashiana scheme to other big cities of the province.

Mentioning his visit to Turkey, Shahbaz said that besides accelerating the pace of implementation on various agreements, his visit had also helped seek new avenues of cooperation with Turkey in other sectors. He said the way Turkey had made progress rapidly and had become a strong economic force was a role model for Pakistan, adding that we could also put our country on the road to progress by working hard.

The CM said Allah had given rich resources to Pakistan and we could not only achieve self-reliance by developing them but also get rid the menace of charity of foreingers. He stressed upon the elected representatives to spare no effort for ensuring transparent and timely completion of welfare projects.

via Visit to Turkey opened new avenues of cooperation: Shahbaz.

January 9, 2012
42 Pakistanis deported from Turkey

By IANS,

Islamabad : At least 42 Pakistani nationals deported from Turkey reached Pakistan Friday and were taken into custody, a media report said.

Immigration officials from the Federal Investigation Agency said the people illegally tried to enter Greece via the Iran-Turkey route without passports and other documents three months back but were held by Turkish police, the Online news agency reported.

They were taken into custody by the interrogation cell of Turkish police and sent back to Pakistan through a special flight Friday.

The detainees were taken into custody by Pakistani passport cell officials following their arrival at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport.

The deported people include 28 from Gujrat in Punjab province, two from Islamabad, six from Faisalabad and the rest from Peshawar and Lahore.

via 42 Pakistanis deported from Turkey | TwoCircles.net.

December 19, 2011
Phool raises funds for Turkey quake victims

OUR STAFF REPORTER

LAHORE – Monthly “Phool”, a famous children magazine of Nawa-i-Waqt Group, on Saturday organised a ceremony to show solidarity and to generate donations for the victims of Turkey earthquake.

The ceremony was addressed by Pak-Turk Foundation Director Saadi Yaldarer, Akkas Harmain Sharifain Azmat Sheikh, Editor Monthly “Phool” Mohammad Shoaib Mirza and the other speakers. Mehral Qamar, Shanza Shoaib, Mehak Sabir, Malaika Sabir, Minahil Naeem, Rehan Ahmad, Sufian Ahmad and others donated money and gifts for the earthquake victims.

Speaking on the ceremony, Pak-Turk Foundation Director Saadi Yaldarer said “Both Pakistan and Turkey help each other in every need of hour. We are two countries but one nation”. He also applauded the spirit of “Phool” children team who donated their pocket money for the good cause that, he said, was a good omen.

The children of Pakistan, he applauded, are eager to make a contribution to help alleviate the sufferings of the earthquake victims.

Akkas Harmain Sharifain Azmat Sheikh said that the Muslims around the world are united. He also appreciated the efforts of “Phool” team, adding the ceremony had delivered a message of goodwill to the world.

Editor “Phool” Mohammad Shoaib Mirza said on the proposal of Anisa Fatima Qadri, a student speaker of first rank, this ceremony was planned.

He showed pleasure on the donations worth Rs 50,000 and hoped that these children would not borrow money in future. The Muslim world should rely on its own resources instead of looking for others’ assistance, he stressed. Anisa Fatima Qadri in her speech said that ties between the two countries would be made stronger.

A letter from a student of DG Khan was also delivered on the occasion that read “I feel pleasure to send my entire saving of Rs 1,000 to the earthquake victims of Turkey”.

The students of New Crescent School Samanabad sang National anthem on the occasion. The ceremony was concluded with the national anthems of both the countries.

via Phool raises funds for Turkey quake victims | Pakistan | News | Newspaper | Daily | English | Online.

December 19, 2011