Day: October 10, 2022

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Punjab University IMME organizes lecture 

Lahore, October 10, 2022 (PPI-OT):Punjab University Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering (IMME) in collaboration with The Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP) Pakistan Chapter has initiated the “Corrosion Technical Series 2022” for the benefit of undergrad students and young engineers. The series of lectures are being conducted by practicing experienced professionals who share solutions to industrial problems and experiences gained in executing different projects.

M/s SGS Pakistan is one of the Swiss companies to be set up in a newly born country, has evolved into a dynamic company having a team of specialists in various disciplines of quality verification, supported by state-of-the-art testing laboratories and advanced technology, over the years. In this context, Deputy Manager of SGS Pvt. Ltd Khurram Shehzad Zaka, was requested to deliver a lecture on the topic of the second technical session, “Pipeline Assets Management”.

In his lecture, Mr. Zaka explained the importance of Pipeline Asset Management and emphasized that the Pipeline operator’s objective is to continue providing safe and reliable delivery of oil and gas products to their customers without any adverse effect on employees, the public, and the environment. When pipeline integrity is compromised, the probability of pipeline leakage becomes high. Acting Director IMME Prof Dr Muhammad Kamran thanked the speaker for sharing his valuable knowledge and experience with the students.

He also thanked Engr Shafqat Ali from AMPP Pakistan Section for assisting and coordinating the session. He appreciated the efforts of Lecture at IMME Ameeq Farooq for organizing such an informative session. Engr Shafqat Ali highlighted the objective of AMPP in providing a platform for corrosion engineers and stressed the importance of acquiring international corrosion certifications, accepted globally in the corrosion control and mitigation sector.

For more information, contact:
Registrar,
University of the Punjab
Quaid-e-Azam Campus, Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-99231102
Fax: +92-42-99231103
E-Mail: registrar@pu.edu.pk
Website: http://pu.edu.pk/

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Mental Health Awareness Day

Karachi, October 10, 2022 (PPI-OT):Mental health is just as important as physical health and requires you to be aware of the signs, symptoms, and steps you can take to care for your mental health and seek medical intervention, if necessary. The important thing is to not suffer in silence and to seek professional help if you are suffering from deteriorating mental health.

Mental well-being at a population level requires access to the best standards of care, advocating for mental health issues, conducting research based in Pakistan, creating awareness, promoting education about mental health difficulties, and creating leaders in mental health.

Each year, October 10th is celebrated as Mental Health Day to focus on the warning signs of deteriorating mental health, signifying how it is essential to seek help and support those with mental health issues, which is considered taboo, still, in Pakistan. This year’s theme focuses on raising awareness regarding mental health and well-being as a global priority, because mental health problems impact everyone, regardless of geographical boundaries.

Warning Signs

If you fear you may have mental health issues, watch out for certain warning signs which may signal declining mental health. This may allow you to better understand why you’re feeling the way you feel, and more importantly what needs to be done to improve your mental health.

Warning signs of deteriorating mental health include changes in sleep patterns or appetite, changes in mood, and depressive feelings, losing interest in activities you normally enjoy, a drop in motivation or being able to function and perform daily tasks, and feeling disconnected from your surroundings, and feelings of apathy or nervousness.

How to Care for Your Mental Health Timely recognition and diagnosis of deteriorating mental health are essential in helping you understand how you can care for your health. Talking to someone you trust and opening up to them about anything that may be bothering you can help release negative emotions and feelings that may be consuming your mind.

Taking care of your physical health is also known to help your mental well-being. Staying active, be it with walking running, yoga, or other forms of exercise plays a key role in uplifting one’s mood and ensuring you remain both physically and mentally healthy. Regularly setting a time out to take part in activities you enjoy is essential in ensuring that you have an outlet to release the negativity that you may be feeling, which contributes to declining mental health.

Last, but not least, seek professional help from a certified mental health practitioner if you are suffering from deteriorating mental health, elevated stress levels, or any of the warning signs that may signal you are suffering from mental issues.

The Department of Psychiatry at the AKUH includes a vibrant team of experts, who deal with different aspects of mental health care for adults and children and collaborates with other specialties in the effort to provide comprehensive care to our patients.

For more information, contact:
Marketing and Communications,
The Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH)
Stadium Road, P.O. Box 3500, Karachi – 74800, Pakistan
Tel: +92-21-111-911-911
Email: akuh.information@aku.edu
Website: https://hospitals.aku.edu/pakistan/

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Rizwan and Kaur seal ICC Player of the Month crowns for September 

Dubai, October 10, 2022 (PPI-OT):More about the ICC Player of the Month awards is available here The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced the winners of the ICC Player of the Month awards for September 2022. Pakistan ace Mohammad Rizwan claims the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award, while India’s inspirational captain Harmanpreet Kaur is named the recipient of the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award.

In a highly competitive field, Rizwan secures his first ever ICC Men’s Player of the Month crown after a remarkable spell of scoring throughout September, and sees him overcome fellow nominees Cameron Green (Australia) and Axar Patel (India) to the prize.

The Pakistan star amassed a mammoth 553 runs from ten T20Is, covering performances in the Men’s Asia Cup and the subsequent home T20I series against a touring England side. With an eye-catching batting average of 69.12 during the month, the talismanic opener also registered seven half-centuries to illustrate why he sits atop the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s T20I batter rankings.

Rizwan will be a key figure for Pakistan heading into the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in six days’ time, and he emphasised his importance during Pakistan’s surge to the Asia Cup Final, registering three half-centuries in the latter stages of the tournament, including scores of 71 against India and 55 in the Final against eventual winners Sri Lanka. He carried his impressive form into the series against England, notching four further half-centuries, the highlight being his unbeaten 88 in partnership with captain Babar Azam as his side claimed a ten-wicket victory in the second T20I chasing down an imposing target of 199.

Reacting to claiming the latest ICC Men’s Player of the Month crown, Rizwan commented: “I would like to thank Almighty Allah and express my heartfelt delight to all that enabled me to achieve this award. “I want to give my high appreciation to all my teammates as they made things easy for me. These achievements boost your confidence. I am happy with my performance and I would like to take this momentum forward in Australia.

“I would like to dedicate this award to the people in Pakistan who are affected by the floods and climate change. Hopefully this will bring smiles on their faces.” Former South Africa international and ICC Player of the Month voting panel member, JP Duminy added: “Mohammad is an outstanding performer and his consistency has been amazing. He is a player that continues to inspire many around the world.”

Harmanpreet Kaur becomes India’s first winner of the ICC Women’s Player of the Month thanks to her leading role in her team’s first ODI series victory in England since 1999. The India skipper was at her brilliant best during the ODI series, scoring 221 runs across the three matches, maintaining a strike rate of 103.47 and only being dismissed once. She displayed control and poise in the first match of the series at Hove, and her 74 not out helped her side chase down England’s total of 228 at a canter to win by seven wickets.

While that was impressive, without doubt the highlight of her month came in the second showdown. Batting first, she led from the front with a thrilling 143 not out from 111 balls. Smashing 18 fours and four maximums, the full repertoire of her stroke play was on show, and as England faltered in pursuit of the 334 target set by the tourists, Kaur and her teammates wrote themselves into the history books.

Kaur claims her inaugural win by overcoming compatriot Smriti Mandhana and Bangladesh skipper Nigar Sultana in the global vote conducted among media representatives, ICC Hall of Famers, former international players, and fans registered at icc-cricket.com.

On winning the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award for September, Kaur commented: “It was great to be nominated for the award, and to win it is an amazing feeling. To come out as winner when being nominated alongside Smriti and Nigar is very humbling.

“I have always taken immense pride in representing my country and achieving the historic ODI series win in England will remain a landmark moment for me in my career. “The game of cricket is blessed to have some of the finest athletes on the sporting circuit and to be chosen the ICC Women’s Player of the Month amongst them is a special recognition for me as an individual and the captain of the Indian cricket team.”

ICC Hall of Famer and member of the voting panel Lisa Sthalekar added: “Since taking over the captaincy in all three formats, Harmanpreet has taken her game to another level. Not only providing consistency but adding her usual fireworks at the end of the innings.”

Fans can continue to vote every month for their favourite male and female cricketers across all formats of international cricket as part of the ICC Player of the Month initiative by registering at www.icc-cricket.com/awards.

For more information, contact:
Headquarters,
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Street 69, Dubai Sports City,
Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +97-143828800
Fax: +97-143828600
E-mail: enquiry@icc-cricket.com
Website: www.icc-cricket.com

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Capital punishment in Pakistan amounts to torture 

Lahore, October 10, 2022 (PPI-OT):On this year’s World Day against the Death Penalty, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) reiterates its stance against capital punishment, not only on the grounds that the state’s duty is to protect the right to life, but also that the death penalty is incompatible with Pakistan’s international obligation to prohibit torture and the use of cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment.

In a briefing note co-authored with the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), HRCP observes that the use of torture exists at all stages of the death penalty process: from the practice of custodial torture to coerce confessions from persons accused of capital crimes, to squalid conditions on death row – including the mental anguish of anticipating execution to the act of execution by hanging itself. HRCP also notes that there is no official data on the incidence of botched executions in Pakistan and therefore no accountability. This represents a serious flaw in the criminal justice system.

Despite a welcome drop in the number of executions and death sentences since 2020, poor and vulnerable prisoners remain disproportionately likely to be sentenced to death. It is also a matter of grave concern that a wide range of offences that do not meet the threshold of ‘the most serious crimes’ still carry the death sentence.

HRCP demands that the state immediately establish an official moratorium on executions and ensure that law enforcement who rely on torture to obtain evidence are held strictly accountable. The right to fair trial for those accused of capital crimes must also be respected, while conditions on death row, especially for persons accused of blasphemy, must be improved. HRCP also urges the government to ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty.

For more information, contact:
Chairperson,
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP)
Aiwan-i-Jamhoor, 107-Tipu Block,
New Garden Town, Lahore-54600
Tel: +92-42-35864994
Fax: +92-42-35883582
Email: hrcp@hrcp-web.org
Website: www.hrcp-web.org

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PCB unveils details of New Zealand’s two Tests, eight ODIs and five T20Is in Pakistan

Lahore, October 10, 2022 (PPI-OT):New Zealand will be the third high-profile side to tour Pakistan this year after Australia played a full series in March/April and England competed in seven T20Is in September/October; England will return to play three Tests in December Zakir Khan: “Three Tests against England followed by two Tests versus New Zealand over six weeks will give us a chance to strengthen our claims for a place in the ICC World Test Championship final”

David White: “The recent tours from Australia and England have left us in no doubt regarding the quality of the Pakistan side across all formats, and the extent of the challenge that awaits us” Urdu version of the media release is attached here Lahore, 10 October 2022: The Pakistan Cricket Board today announced match schedule of New Zealand men’s cricket team’s dual tours of Pakistan. The BLACKCAPS will play two Tests as part of their ICC World Test Championship title defence and three ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League fixtures from 27 December to 15 January, before returning for five T20Is and five ODIs from 13 April to 7 May.

On the first leg of the Pakistan tour, Kane Williamson’s side will play Tests in Karachi (27-31 December) and Multan (4-8 January). They will return to Karachi for the three ICC Super League matches on 11, 13 and 15 January.

The Karachi Test will be New Zealand’s first in the metropolitan city since October 1990 when Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis shared 15 wickets between them and Shoaib Mohammad scored 203 not out, and first in Pakistan since the May 2002 Test in Lahore in which Inzamam-ul-Haq scored a memorable 329 and Shoaib Akhtar recorded first innings figures of 8.2-4-11-6.

It continues to be a memorable year for Multan as well. After hosting three ODIs against the West Indies in May, they will stage the second Test between Pakistan and England (9-13 December), before holding the second Test between Pakistan and New Zealand. Multan has also been announced as one of the four venues of the HBL Pakistan Super League, which will be held from 9 February to 19 March.

New Zealand will begin the second leg of the Pakistan tour in Karachi with four T20Is (13, 15, 16 and 19 April), followed by the fifth T20I and two ODIs in Lahore (23, 26 and 28 April) and last three ODIs will be played in Rawalpindi (1, 4 and 7 May).

Zakir Khan, PCB Director – International Cricket: “We had promised our passionate fans that we will deliver high-quality home international cricket in 2022. Today’s announcement of New Zealand’s double visit to Pakistan is part of that commitment.

“New Zealand is one of the high-performing sides and the more we will play against the top teams in our backyard, the better we will get as a unit, which is crucial to our objective of featuring inside the top-three across all formats. The New Zealand matches will also provide opportunities to our youngsters to continue to watch and follow their favourite players in action, something they have missed when we were forced to play our international cricket offshore.

“Three Tests against England followed by two Tests versus New Zealand over six weeks will give us a chance to strengthen our claims for a place in the ICC World Test Championship final. The eight ODIs will help us to prepare for September’s Asia Cup and October’s 50-over ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. As such, the series against New Zealand will not only be from the top drawer but will also have context, making it something to watch out for.”

David White, New Zealand Cricket Chief Executive: “The BLACKCAPS are very much looking forward to the dual tours. New Zealand and Pakistan share a terrific history in international cricket and there is genuine respect between the two teams as well as the two boards.

“I know our players can’t wait to arrive and savour the experience of playing in Karachi, Multan, Lahore and Rawalpindi -places that carry a great cricketing heritage. “The recent tours from Australia and England have left us in no doubt regarding the quality of the Pakistan side across all formats, and the extent of the challenge that awaits us.”

The first leg of the tour for two Tests and three ODIs is part of the Future Tours Programme, while the 10 white-ball matches in April/May are to make-up for the abandoned September 2021 tour. New Zealand are presently eighth on the ICC World Test Championship, while Pakistan is sitting in fifth spot. In the ICC Super League, a qualifying tournament for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, Pakistan and New Zealand are fourth and sixth, respectively.

New Zealand will be the third high-profile cricket side to tour Pakistan in 2022. In March/April, Australia made their first tour of Pakistan in 24 years when they played three Tests, three ODIs and a T20I. Last month, England visited Pakistan for the first time in 17 years and played seven T20Is. They will return in late November for December’s Tests in Rawalpindi, Multan and Karachi.

Schedule of matches (Playing hours to be confirmed closer to matches):

Pakistan v New Zealand:

27-31 Dec – 1st Test, Karachi (ICC World Test Championship)

4-8 Jan – 2nd Test, Multan (ICC World Test Championship)

11 Jan – 1st ODI, Karachi (ICC Super League)

13 Jan – 2nd ODI, Karachi (ICC Super League)

15 Jan – 3rd ODI, Karachi (ICC Super League)

13 Apr – 1st T20I, Karachi

15 Apr – 2nd T20I, Karachi

16 Apr – 3rd T20I, Karachi

19 Apr – 4th T20I, Karachi

23 Apr – 5th T20I, Lahore

26 Apr – 1st ODI, Lahore

28 Apr – 2nd ODI, Lahore

1 May – 3rd ODI, Rawalpindi

4 May – 4th ODI, Rawalpindi

7 May – 5th ODI, Rawalpindi

Pakistan v England

1-5 Dec – 1st Test, Rawalpindi (ICC World Test Championship)

9-13 Dec – 2nd Test, Multan (ICC World Test Championship)

17-21 Dec – 3rd Test, Karachi (ICC World Test Championship)

For more information, contact:
Media Manager,
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)
Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore 54600, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-5717231-4
Fax: +92-42-5711860
Website: www.pcb.com.pk

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New Euro 7.6 million research centre launched to improve mental and physical health in Pakistan and Afghanistan

Karachi, October 10, 2022 (PPI-OT):The University of York and the Aga Khan University (AKU) in Karachi will jointly lead the establishment of a new research centre to improve mental and physical health in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Centre which will focus on tackling non-communicable diseases (NCDs) including depression and anxiety, heart conditions and diabetes, is one of a number of NCD research centres globally funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and Department of Health and Social Care, UK.

The NIHR Global Health Research Centre for Improving Mental and Physical Health Together will include collaboration with Rawalpindi Medical University, Pakistan, Khyber Medical University, Pakistan and international NGO HealthNet-TPO in Afghanistan. NCDs are rapidly increasing and are now responsible for 64% of deaths and disabilities globally. In Pakistan and Afghanistan, they account for almost a million deaths every year.

There is an urgent need for new interventions that are effective and can be delivered at scale in low-resource, conflict-affected settings. Researchers say the five-year £7.6m initiative provides new opportunities to develop, test and embed evidence-based treatments that address NCDs. The new Centre, which will be based at AKU and the University of York, will engage with patients and families through Community Advisory Panels, which will help design, conduct, and disseminate research findings. At least 60% of the new Centre’s research trainees will be women.

Professor Faith Osier, President of the International Union of Immunological Societies and Chair of the NIHR Global Health Research Centres Funding Committee, said: “These new Centres are truly ground-breaking – it’s the first time we’ve seen anything like this level of investment in non-communicable disease research in low-and-middle income countries and we’re excited to see the advances that the next five years will bring.”

Dr Zainab Samad, Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine at AKU and Director of the Centre for Impact said: “Contextual research for non-communicable diseases that is locally led is a priority for the Centre and necessary to the development of the next generation of research leaders in Pakistan and Afghanistan.”

Kamran Siddiqi, Professor in Public Health at the University of York and Co-Director of the Centre for Impact, added: “We will train researchers, particularly women scholars, to become tomorrow’s research leaders. Over time, we will develop strong, diverse academic leadership and our research will grow and get adopted, bringing wider health, societal, and economic benefits to the region.” The new centre will officially be launched at an event in Islamabad on 1 November 2022.

For more information, contact:
Media Executive
Department of Public Affairs
Aga Khan University (AKU)
Stadium Road, Karachi
Tel: +92-21-34930051
Fax: +92-21-34934294, +92-21-34932095
Cell: +92-301-8258028
Email: rasool.sarang@aku.edu, public.affairs@aku.edu​
Website: www.aku.edu