ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s pavilion for Expo 2020 Dubai was inaugurated on Sunday, the commerce ministry said, as construction works on the site have been completed.
Expo 2020 was originally scheduled to open in October 2020 but had to be postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic. It will start on Oct. 1, 2021 and run through March 31, 2022, expecting to see at least 25 million participants and visitors from all over the world.
In October 2018, Islamabad signed a participation contract with Expo 2020 authorities. Pakistan’s Expo 2020 pavilion was built with $14 million funding support from the United Arab Emirates in the Opportunity District of the exhibition area on 35,000 square feet.
The pavilion themed “Pakistan: The Hidden Treasure” was inaugurated by the Pakistani prime minister’s adviser on commerce and investment, Abdul Razak Dawood, Commerce Secretary Sualeh Farooqi, officials from the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), Pakistan’s consulate general in Dubai, as well as UAE government representatives.
“I would like to thank all the stakeholders who helped us in building this beautiful Pakistan Pavilion,” Dawood said, as Emirati officials handed over the pavilion to the Pakistani delegation.
“I would also like to appreciate the efforts of the Ministry of Commerce and the TDAP for their hard work. I would also like to thank the government of the UAE for their support and cooperation,” he said, as quoted in a statement by the ministry.
“It will serve as the hub of business opportunities and promoting our 7,000 years old culture,” Dawood said, as the ministry expects Expo 2020 to give the Pakistani business community “access to networking with the international market and investors.”
Pakistan inaugurates Expo 2020 pavilion in Dubai
https://arab.news/8mpcz
Pakistan inaugurates Expo 2020 pavilion in Dubai
- Pakistan’s Expo 2020 pavilion was built with $14 million funding support from the United Arab Emirates
- Expo 2020 in Dubai is expecting to see at least 25 million participants and visitors from all over the world
Australia says father and son carried out Sydney beach attack as Pakistan condemns violence
- Australian authorities say at least 15 people were killed in the shooting, including a 10-year-old girl
- Pakistan says it stands in solidarity with Australia, condemns terrorism in all forms and manifestations
ISLAMABAD: Australian authorities said on Monday a father and son carried out a mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach during a Jewish festival, as Pakistan expressed solidarity with Australia and condemned the attack that claimed at least 15 lives.
Police said the 50-year-old father was shot dead at the scene while his 24-year-old son was wounded and taken into custody after the gunmen opened fire on crowds gathered for a Hanukkah celebration at the popular beach.
“We want to get to the bottom of this,” New South Wales police commissioner Mal Lanyon said on Monday. “We want to understand the motives behind it.”
A 10-year-old girl was among the 15 dead in Australia’s worst mass shooting for almost 30 years, while 42 more were rushed to hospital with gunshot wounds and other injuries.
Pakistan’s government said it stood with Australia following the shooting, reiterating its opposition to such incidents amid renewed militant violence at home.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed condolences to the victims and said Pakistan condemned “terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.”
President Asif Ali Zardari also conveyed sympathy to the victims’ families and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
“Pakistan itself a victim of terrorism, stands in solidarity with & condemns violence against innocent civilians,” he said.
Pakistan has faced a resurgence in militant attacks in recent months, particularly in its northwest. On Sunday, Sharif praised security forces after they killed 13 militants in two separate operations in the Mohmand and Bannu districts, according to a statement from his office.
Australian police said the attackers fired from a raised boardwalk overlooking the beach, sending people fleeing in panic. Authorities later discovered what they described as an improvised explosive device in a vehicle parked near the scene, which they believe was linked to the attackers.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said tougher gun controls may be needed, including limits on the number of firearms an individual can own, after police confirmed the father held licenses for six weapons believed to have been used in the attack.
Mass shootings have been rare in Australia since sweeping gun law reforms were introduced after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, but Albanese said the latest attack required authorities to reassess whether existing controls remained sufficient.
With input from AFP
