Islamabad: Minister for Planning Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal has said that China invested in Pakistan under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project when the country was passing through difficult times, which helped to turnaround the local economy and put it on the sustainable growth and development trajectory.

“When China decided to invest $25 billion in Pakistan, this is [in] 2013, when we had 18 hours of power shortages and frequent suicide bombings at that time they decided to come to Pakistan and support Pakistan,” he stated in an interview with VOA.

 This shows they have trust and confidence in Pakistan, he said adding that recent bullish performance of the country’s stock exchange showed that the local investors had full confidence in the direction the government was following.

 “I think it is the same sense of confidence that Chinese investors and Chinese government has in this government,” he said adding that “China considers Pakistan as a strategic friend and has confidence in Pakistan,”.

Regarding the security of the Chinese nationals, the minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment for ensuring security of Chinese nationals and said that a special security unit as well as local law enforcement were tasked with ensuring their safety.

To another question regarding issues of security threats, the minister maintained that when you were fighting terrorism, the terrorists always tried to find a way somewhere.

Ahsan Iqbal said that the Chinese government had made it very clear that such cowardly incidents would not deter them from pursuing CPEC.

The minister further informed that Pakistan was not opposed to Afghanistan’s inclusion in a Chinese-funded mega-development project, but would like Beijing to persuade Kabul to crack down on terrorist groups operating on its soil.

Islamabad: The Pakistan Institute of Development Economics hosted a one-day conference titled ‘Revitalizing Pakistan’s Automobile Industry: Moving towards Consumer Welfare, Global Integration, and Sustainable Mobility.

Representatives of automobile companies in Pakistan, automobile parts manufacturers, policymakers, and academicians participated in the conference, said a statement issued on Sunday.

The participants shared their experience and knowledge regarding the issues and the future outlook of the automobile industry in Pakistan.

The conference was attended by a large number of students from the local universities as well.

The discussion in the conference was focused on three sub-themes: localization obsession and supply chain constraints; policy, reforms, and industry development; and electrification and the future of mobility.

Extensive and in-depth analysis and views were shared on all the themes by the experts, while students also actively participated in the discussion sessions as well.

Dr. Nadeem Ul Haque, Vice Chancellor, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), said, “The primary agenda of this conference is to explore why Pakistan’s automobile industry is not progressing and to discuss strategies for its revitalization.”

“The aim of our institution is the economic prosperity of Pakistan, and this conference is a step towards achieving that by focusing on the automobile sector.”

“The key issues to address include the reasons behind the lack of exports from the automobile industry, the delayed introduction of hybrids and EVs, and the future of the industry in terms of research and development,” he added.

“Despite 50 to 70 years of protection, the sector has failed to export, which is a significant concern given the country’s economic crisis.”

He further added, “The discussion will focus on why the industry has not kept pace with global advancements, such as driverless cars and hybrid cars, and why there is a lack of local R&D.”

He said, “The objective is to have a constructive dialogue to develop policies and understand issues that will drive the development of Pakistan’s automobile industry.”

Dr. Nadeem concluded his remarks by reaffirming PIDE’s efforts towards always taking new steps forward, aiming to conduct research and stimulate debate on important topics, as the goal was to foster real, productive conversations that lead to actionable outcomes for the sector’s growth and integration into the global market.

Later, the PIDE team presented the findings of their ongoing research on the state of the automobile industry in Pakistan and the future outlook.

A second presentation focusing specifically on the potential of electric vehicles in Pakistan as well as the challenges in their adoption was also presented by the PIDE team at the conference.

The participants lauded the work done by PIDE and also the organization’s efforts to bring together all stakeholders for the development and promotion of a unified reform plan for the revitalization of the automobile industry in Pakistan.

Karachi:  In an important development for the college students, the Intermediate examination has been postponed till May 27 in Sindh due to heatwave alert.

The intermediate examinations originally were due on May 22 but the authorities changed the schedule due to the threat of heatwave.  The Sindh government also issued a notification in this regard.

HEATWAVE:

The heatwave alert has been issued by the Pakistan Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) for the citizens.

The heatwave is likely to hit the different parts of the country from May 21 to May 27.

Heatwave is a period of unusually hot weather that typically lasts two or more days.

WHAT ARE CAUSES OF HEATWAVE?

Climate change, de-forestation and urbanization are the main causes of heatwaves in any part of the world. The situation in Pakistan is adverse as all three factors including climate change, de-forestation and urbanization exist here.

Heatwaves form when a high-pressure area in the upper atmosphere strengthens and remains over a region.

EFFECTS 

The heatwave badly affect the animals and birds, agriculture and it brings draught. The heatwave also badly impacts human health. Heat stress, heat exhaustion and heat stroke may be the major effects.

PRECAUTIONS

The health experts say that staying hydrated and covered and wearing light-color clothes can be very helpful during the heatwaves. The use of hats and umbrellas are also strongly advised during this period for safety. Suspension of outdoor activities is also important to avoid bad impact of heatwaves.

Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Dera Ghazi Khan, and Multan are likely to experience particularly severe conditions.  The temperatures may go up to 46 degrees Celsius during the upcoming week.

The local administrations have been directed to establish heatwave counters in hospitals and ensure the availability of necessary medications for treating heatstroke patients.