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Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi observes black day to support Kashmiris
ISLAMABAD, Nov 30 (APP): High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit on Wednesday said that Pakistan was ready to hold unconditional dialogue with India, however made it clear that “holding talks would be Pakistan’s strength, not weakness”. “After fought wars [with India], we want resolution of issues through dialogue. If we re ready for dialogue, it is our strength, not weakness,” the High Commissioner said in an interview with BBC Urdu’s Facebook Live. Abdul Basit said that Pakistan in last many decades had worked out several frameworks to hold talks with India on all issues. “The basic thing is that dialogue should be a comprehensive one, including all issues,” he said. On Indian External Minister Sushma Swaraj’s statement that dialogue and terrorism cannot go side by side, the High Commissioner said that Pakistan could also put up similar conditions such as situation in Jammu and Kashmir and withdrawal of troops from Siachen. However, he said problems could only be resolved at the dialogue table. Basit said due to confrontation, both Pakistan and India were not making progress. “Negotiations are the need of South Asia and the entire world…We waited for it earlier and would continue to do so,” he said. To a question on Hafiz Muhammad Saeed and Maulana Azhar, the High Commissioner said the cases were in the courts, adding that Pakistan was ready to take action if provided any proof against them.
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DHAKA, November 30, 2016 (BSS) - A leading environmental organization today said a middle class family of capital Dhaka now has to spend an extra amount of up to Taka 10,000 per month due to acute dust pollution in the mega city.
"A middle class family in capital Dhaka is now compelled to spend Taka 4,000 to Taka 10,000 per month in order to manage the havoc caused by the ongoing winter dust pollution," said Engineer Mohammad Abdus Sobhan, general secretary, Poribesh Bachao Andolon (POBA), referring to an informal survey done over city households recently by his organization.
Sobhan continued: if the reservoirs of the dust- left over concrete materials, black smoke, poor quality fuel and solid wastes- remained unaddressed, the dust pollution problem might lead Dhaka to a situation identical to Paris, New Delhi and Beijing in near future.
Asked about immediate solutions, Sobhan, also a former executive of government's department of environment, said the two city corporations and Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) have to play a key role in this regard. The three polluted cities- Paris, New Delhi and Beijing- have taken immediate steps that include: reducing car movements, water spraying and special drive to clean city roads.
He said Dhaka city lanes and bi-lanes should be cleaned immediately, while debris from building demolition as well as mud and earth generated from utility service expansion works should be removed and dumped to selected places within hours. The BRATA, on the other hand, can force vehicles to use right filer to control black smoke.
According to POBA statistics, an estimated 90 percent of city dwellers are suffering from this year's dust pollution, worst ever apparently, while 40 percent of children admitted in hospitals are found with lung problems, mostly associated to dust pollution.
Former Vice Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) and noted pediatrician Professor Mohammad Shaidullah said dust pollution in recent years became a major cause of health concern for city dwellers, especially children, who suffer from infection and asthma. The situation needs to be tacked in advance, he added.
"The ongoing dust pollution has not only been affecting lung health of children and adults but also compelling families to employ extra time, money and energy to keep clothes, houses and furniture clean," Sobhan told BSS over phone.
DHAKA, November 30, 2016 (BSS) - A leading environmental organization today said a middle class family of capital Dhaka now has to spend an extra amount of up to Taka 10,000 per month due to acute dust pollution in the mega city.
