United States and Pakistan Announce Funds for Pakistan-U.S. Science and Technology Cooperation

U.S. Charge d’ Affaires Ambassador Richard Hoagland announced $4 million in new grants for Pakistani and American researchers to collaborate on projects in science and technology. Together with Executive Director Sohail Naqvi of the Higher Education Commission and Secretary Akhlaq Ahmad Tarar of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Ambassador Hoagland praised the successes of over 70 joint projects funded over the previous four phases, and encouraged Pakistani scientists and researchers to apply for the Pakistan-U.S. Science and Technology Cooperation funds before the November 30, 2012 deadline, with on goal in mind: improving life for Pakistani people throughout the country.

“The U.S.-Pakistan Science and Technology Cooperation Program is one of the highlights of the U.S.-Pakistan bilateral relationship. This opportunity will not only support joint U.S.-Pakistan research across a wide range of topics, but will also help bring the fruits of research into the hands of the private sector, increasing technology transfer opportunities and supporting broad-based economic growth in Pakistan,” Ambassador Hoagland stated.

During the event, a select cadre of scientists shared their innovative work with the U.S. Embassy guests. Ambassador Hoagland was impressed to see the impact of a telemedicine project at Holy Family Hospital in Rawalpindi that brings doctors to remote areas of Pakistan through the use of teleconference technology. Speaking to scientists working on a solar energy project housed at COMSATS Institute of Information and a sewage treatment project at Quaid-e-Azam University, the Ambassador praised these projects for improving access to energy and clean water for residents of the community.

Please visit http://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/dsc/pakistan/index.htm for more details on the cooperation program and how to apply for funding. The program welcomes proposals across a wide range of topics, including but not limited to education, health, nutrition, water and sanitation, agriculture, democracy and governance, environment, energy, social sciences, and economic development. Proposals focused on technology transfer, entrepreneurship, innovation, and commercialization will be given special consideration.

U.S EMBASSY ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN

UK aid: 37 new schools and 49 bridges rebuilt after earthquake

10,000 students back in school (UK-Pakistan partnership)

The last of 37 new schools and 49 new steel bridges funded by the UK have been rebuilt and are now in use by thousands of people, thanks to a successful partnership between the UK Government’s Department for International Development (DFID) and the Government of Pakistan.

The schools and bridges replace those destroyed by the devastating 7.6 magnitude earthquake in 2005, which marks its seven year anniversary next month. More than 73,000 people were killed, including 850 teachers and 18,000 students. Another 128,000 people were injured and 3.5 million left homeless.

Today George Turkington, the Head of DFID in Pakistan, inaugurated Ali Akbar Awan boys high school in Muzaffarabad, which houses 1650 students and has been completed in time for the new school year. Mr Turkington also inaugurated Majohi Steel Bridge, and met with students from the Government Girls High School Madina Market, both built with funding from the UK Government. All are designed to withstand future earthquakes up to 8 on the Richter scale.

Speaking in Muzaffarabad, George Turkington, Head of the UK Government’s Department for International Development in Pakistan, said:
“With more than 73,000 people’s lives lost and up to two-thirds of infrastructure destroyed, the damage and disruption caused by the 2005 earthquake was immense. The UK worked closely in partnership with the Government of Pakistan first to provide vital lifesaving aid, then to rebuild schools and bridges, to help bring back stability and normality to the region.

“Our long term support over the last seven years has helped people who survived the disaster to build a better future for themselves and their families. This warm partnership is testament to the deep and long ties between our two countries, bound together through family, history, and business.”

The UK Government also contributed to a larger fund, working closely with the Government of Pakistan, to help rebuild more than 750 schools, nearly half-a-million family houses, and 850 government offices across areas affected by the earthquake.

Seven years ago, the UK was the first to scramble an emergency search and rescue team to the worst hit areas after the devastating earthquake shook northern Pakistan.  Tents, helicopters, medical care, clean water and toilets, air support, and other lifesaving aid followed within days for millions of people.

Sardar Muhammad Ishaque Khan, Deputy Director General SERRA, said:
“The UK’s support immediately after the earthquake and in the seven years since has been exceptional.  Schools are essential to our State’s future prosperity. And bridges keep the arteries of our State flowing. The UK has played a major role working side-by-side us to help rebuild this vital infrastructure after the huge damage done by the devastating earthquake in 2005.

“The Government and the people of AJ&K will remember the sizable support and fraternity shown by the Govt. and people of the United Kingdom in the post-earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Program in AJ&K.”

Total funding for people affected by the 2005 Earthquake from the UK Government comes to some £139 million (approx. 20 billion rupees).

In addition to this earthquake support, the UK is working in partnership across Pakistan to help get millions more children in to school and learning more; prevent thousands of women dying in childbirth; enable millions more of the poorest to access microfinance and banking services; and provide expert advice to improve delivery of government services to the public.

The UK Government also provided immediate lifesaving support to millions of people after the devastating floods in 2010 and 2011, and has since helped millions more to rebuild their houses and get back on their feet.

U.S. Treasury’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes Luke Bronin Meets with Senior Pakistani Officials

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deputy assistant secretary, politics, rehman malik, state bank of pakistan

U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Treasury for Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes Luke Bronin visited Pakistan to consult with senior Pakistani finance, banking, and security officials.

On September 6, Bronin visited Karachi and met with leaders from the State Bank of Pakistan as well as with private Pakistani banks.  On September 7, Bronin visited Islamabad and met with Minister of Interior Rehman Malik, Minister of Finance Hafeez Shaikh, and senior officials from the Federal Investigation Agency and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Bronin’s discussions focused on disrupting sources of terrorist financing to terrorist organizations. Bronin also emphasized the importance of implementing UN 1267 Committee sanctions on terrorists and terrorist entities, and the international sanctions effort against Iran.

 

 

 

U.S.-funded Study Tour Offers New Ideas for Addressing Gender-Based Violence

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gender equity program, politics, violence recovery, violence survivors

A group of 13 Pakistani professionals working on gender-based violence gathered today to share lessons learned during their recent study tour to Kenya. The study tour was funded by the U.S. government through U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in support of Pakistan’s first country-wide strategy to end gender-based violence.

“Violence against anyone, anywhere, is neither a private matter nor a local issue. While the blows may fall on an individual woman, it is the entire community that is degraded,” said USAID Deputy Mission Director Karen Freeman. “The United States is proud to support Pakistani institutions and communities working to address gender-based violence issues.”

Participants in the tour came from the judiciary, crisis centers, civil society organizations, and the USAID-funded Gender Equity Program. These specialists will now serve as Master Trainers and work to introduce best practices across Pakistan in handling cases of gender-based violence.

“This USAID-funded study tour has helped us understand how to build effective systems for helping the survivors of gender-based violence,” said Madiha Latif, Incharge Panah Shelter. “We also saw how important it is to combine the efforts of all the organizations working to end gender-based violence.”

During the study tour, Pakistani specialists visited the ministries of Public Health and Medical Services, hospitals, violence recovery centers, and safe houses to learn how these institutions organize and coordinate their services for the victims of gender-based violence. The tour also included a series of meetings and discussions with gender-based violence survivors, community elders, judiciary, police officers, and other professionals working on gender-based violence issues.

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United States and Pakistan Announce Funds for Pakistan-U.S. Science and Technology Cooperation

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climate, environment, higher education commission, science, solar energy project, technology transfer opportunities

U.S. Charge d’ Affaires Ambassador Richard Hoagland announced $4 million in new grants for Pakistani and American researchers to collaborate on projects in science and technology. Together with Executive Director Sohail Naqvi of the Higher Education Commission and Secretary Akhlaq Ahmad Tarar of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Ambassador Hoagland praised the successes of over 70 joint projects funded over the previous four phases, and encouraged Pakistani scientists and researchers to apply for the Pakistan-U.S. Science and Technology Cooperation funds before the November 30, 2012 deadline, with on goal in mind: improving life for Pakistani people throughout the country.

“The U.S.-Pakistan Science and Technology Cooperation Program is one of the highlights of the U.S.-Pakistan bilateral relationship. This opportunity will not only support joint U.S.-Pakistan research across a wide range of topics, but will also help bring the fruits of research into the hands of the private sector, increasing technology transfer opportunities and supporting broad-based economic growth in Pakistan,” Ambassador Hoagland stated.

During the event, a select cadre of scientists shared their innovative work with the U.S. Embassy guests. Ambassador Hoagland was impressed to see the impact of a telemedicine project at Holy Family Hospital in Rawalpindi that brings doctors to remote areas of Pakistan through the use of teleconference technology. Speaking to scientists working on a solar energy project housed at COMSATS Institute of Information and a sewage treatment project at Quaid-e-Azam University, the Ambassador praised these projects for improving access to energy and clean water for residents of the community.

Please visit http://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/dsc/pakistan/index.htm for more details on the cooperation program and how to apply for funding. The program welcomes proposals across a wide range of topics, including but not limited to education, health, nutrition, water and sanitation, agriculture, democracy and governance, environment, energy, social sciences, and economic development. Proposals focused on technology transfer, entrepreneurship, innovation, and commercialization will be given special consideration.

U.S EMBASSY ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN

U.S. and Pakistani Scientists Work Together to Combat Cotton Disease

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pakistani scientists, principal crops, productivity enhancement program, science

Five American scientists traveled to Pakistan to help Pakistani scientists and farmers combat cotton disease, which has infected cotton throughout Pakistan’s cotton belt and can substantially reduce yields and incomes for farmers.  American and Pakistani scientists, in coordination with Pakistan’s Ministry of Textiles and Industry and the International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA), launched a workshop to develop solutions to the Cotton Leaf Curl Virus (CLCV) problem in Pakistan.  This workshop is part of the U.S. government sponsored Cotton Productivity Enhancement Program.

In his remarks, Todd Drennan, U.S. Agricultural Counselor, said “Agriculture touches so many lives in Pakistan and is a vital part of Pakistan’s economy.  The United States wants to help enhance the productivity of Pakistan’s agricultural sector, especially small farmers.  This cooperation between U.S. and Pakistani scientists on cotton is an example of that commitment.”

The workshop completes a ten day visit by the American technical team.  The team met Pakistani cotton scientists to discuss the results of research on CLCV.  The team also visited cotton breeding trials in Faisalabad and Multan.  As a result of these trials, which are funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the team reported good news that some new varieties of cotton are showing preliminary signs of resistance to CLCV.

Small farmers are especially vulnerable to the economic impacts caused by this disease.  Because of this, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has designed the cotton disease research project to help Pakistani farmers.  American agricultural scientists continually visit Pakistan to collaborate on research to combat disease affecting Pakistan’s principal crops, especially cotton and wheat.

DiplomacyPakistan

Media Note on Terrorist Attack in Peshawar

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american diplomats

U.S. Embassy Islamabad released the following statement by Charge d’affaires Ambassador Richard Hoagland:

“I am grateful for the humane professionalism of the local Pakistani security forces who saved the lives of the two American Diplomats and two Pakistani local staff of the U.S. Consulate General Peshawar by pulling them to safety after their vehicle was attacked. In this dangerous world where terrorists can strike at any moment, we must all work together – Pakistanis and Americans alike – because we have a strong mutual interest in defeating terrorism.”

 

 

 

U.S funding helped build School in Fateh Jang Pakistan

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education, human-rights, science

U.S. funding recently helped build the 1st and 2nd floors of Tameer-e-Millat Model School for Girls (TMMSG) in Latwal. A grand opening was held last Thursday.

“School building completed with the financial assistance of USAID will help eradicate poverty of illiteracy from this remote village of Tehsil Fateh Jang and aid in the economic development of the region,” said Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ata Chancellor Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, at the school opening ceremony.

 

 

 

USAID supports the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) Pakistan

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science, transportation

USAID supports the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO). USAID recently delivered 8 rickshaws and network maintenance equipment to improve the performance of PESCO linemen in Peshawar’s city division.

U.S Ambassador Hoagland Visit to Lahore Pakistan

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cuckoo, hoagland, travel

Ambassador Hoagland visited a must-see for all visitors to Lahore since its opening, Cuckoo’s Den. The restaurant is the project of local artist Iqbal Hussain.