STAFF REPORTER ISLAMABAD Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information, Broadcasting Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan on Saturday said that Pakistan’s positive and peaceful image stood promoted as a result of efforts and vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan. She said that Pakistan was a peaceful country and restoration of international cricket was its manifestation. Talking to media persons at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, she said that sports were playing a big role in creating healthy minds, adding that sports activities promoted healthy societies. The government also wanted to restore other sports in the country and reforms were being brought into other sports including Football, Khabadi etc, she remarked. The SAPM said that reforms were introduced in Pakistan Sports Board to improve its performance. She said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had restructured cricket structure in the country which had started paying dividends. She said that sports teams from the whole world would come to Pakistan and it was good omen that world countries were changing the travel advisories for Pakistan. She also thanked Bangladesh Cricket team and its Cricket Board for coming to Pakistan. Dr. Firdous said that she specially came to endorse the efforts of media and people who played great role in revival of sports in the country. She said that credit went to all stakeholders who played great role in revival of sports in the country. Sports were being improved at domestic level, she added. Dr. Firdous said that Inter Provincial Coordination Ministry and concerned departments were working on tasks assigned by the government to further improve sports activities in the country. She said that natural talent would come up with these initiatives. She said that long term planning was done and priorities were set to bring stability in the country. She said that improvement would come step by step. The SAPM said that Sialkot produced sports goods including cricket bats and it was desire of the people that international cricket matches should also be held in the city again. She said the government was committed to exploit the potential and talent of their youth in different sports. Responding to a question, she said the current situation in occupied Kashmir where innocent Kashmiri people were being subjected to worst form of atrocities by Indian forces, the cricket ties between Pakistan and India were not possible. She demanded India to immediately lift curfew in the occupied valley. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information, Broadcasting Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan on Saturday said that a resolution drawing attention towards blatant human rights violations in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir has been delivered to the office of the United Nations Secretary General (UNSG). The resolution was submitted to the UN Resident Coordinator in Pakistan, Julien Harneis on the occasion of Kashmir Solidarity Day by the people of Pakistan, she said in a statement. Firdous Ashiq said the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Islamabad had dispatched this resolution for the UN Secretary General Office that has been subsequently delivered to the UNSG. “The UN Coordinator Julien Harneis has confirmed through an email that was received by the UN Secretary General Office,” the SAPM said. She thanked UN Resident Coordinator Julien Harneis to convey the voice of innocent Kashmiris to the world’s biggest form. She said the government has fulfilled another commitment made to the nation and the Kashmiri people about raising their voice at all international fora. Pakistani people and the government are firm to their pledge to keep standing besides Kashmiri people daring the worst brutalities and violations of human rights in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, she added.
