INAUGURATION OF GWADAR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, JANUARY 20, 2025 (2025-4)

 

New Gwadar International Airport was conceived in 2014 as an early harvest, high priority project of the 56 billion USD CPEC (China Pakistan Economic Corridor) which is part of China's BRI (Belt and Road Initiative). It was approved by ECNEC (Executive Committee of National Economic Council) in January 2015. The project was funded through a Chinese grant and the agreement was signed in May 2017. Soil testing on the project site was started in January 2018 and involved drilling of 300 boreholes at various locations. The groundbreaking ceremony was held in March 2019, with construction completed in August 2024. The airport is part of an overall infrastructure development of Baluchistan.

The airport is expected to stimulate the development in Gwadar peninsula and boost trade between Pakistan and China. It is the second green field airport of the country after Islamabad International Airport with all modern facilities for safe operations. The airport is located 26 km east of Gwadar in the Gurandani area, just off the Makran Coastal Highway. The Airport is capable of handling narrow body aircraft such as ATR, Airbus A320 and Boeing B737, as well as wide body aircraft such as Airbus A380 and Boeing B747. The airport presently has a single runway with provision for future second runway at a distance of 760 meter to the north. The present runway 25/07 has a length of 3,658 meter and width of 75 meter including paved shoulders, while the link taxiway is 23 meter wide with 10.5 meter paved shoulders on both sides. The terminal building has a floor area of 14,000m2 and features modern facilities for passenger comfort and convenience. The cargo terminal has an initial handling capacity of 30,000 tons per year. A modern ATC (Air Traffic Control) complex, FCR (Fire, Crash and Rescue) building, Fuel farm and other associated buildings are part of this airport. Gwadar airport is the biggest airport of Pakistan by land area and is built across 4,300 acres. In comparison, the land area of Karachi airport is 3,700 acres, Islamabad airport 3,600 acres and Lahore airport 2,800 acres. The airport will be operated as a joint venture between Pakistan, China and Oman and will be operated under open sky policy. The airport will not only benefit the country but will also provide the landlocked countries of central Asia access to international markets through a combination of air, sea and land routes. The airport is testament to China Pakistan friendship that is "higher than Himalayas, deeper than ocean, sweeter than honey and stronger than steel.

On the occasion of Inauguration of Gwadar International Airport, a Commemorative Postage Stamp of Rs. 30/- denomination and Souvenir Sheet (Value of Rs. 100/-) are being issued by Pakistan Post on 20th January, 2025.

ABDUR RAHΜΑΝ CHUGHTAΙ (1894 - 1975) 50th DEATH ANNIVERSARY, JANUARY 17th, 2025 (2025-3)

 

Abdur Rahman Chughtai (21 September 1894-17 January 1975) was a painter, artist, and an intellectual from Pakistan, who created his own unique, distinctive painting style influenced by a variety of sources that included traditional miniature, Mughal, Art Nouveau, Orientalist, and Islamic styles of painting. Chughtai's best-known paintings are his portraits, featuring their subjects existing in a flattened pictorial space painted in rich golds and pastels, and populated by metaphorical signifiers. Chughtai was lauded as one of the most important Muslim artists of the early 20th century and is considered to be the first significant modern artist from Pakistan and the national artist of Pakistan. Apart from paintings, Chughtai has the unique honour to be the designer of the official logos of Radio Pakistan and Pakistan Television and also one of the values of first Pakistan stamp set issued on 9 July 1948 to commemorate Pakistan's first independence anniversary. On Pakistan's Independence Day in 1951, he produced a set of 9 stamps, better known as 'Chughtai Art set'. At that time, this set was considered as the most beautiful stamps of the world. He went on to achieve widespread attention and honour for his work and was given the title of Khan Bahadur in 1934, awarded Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Crescent of Excellence) in 1960, and the Presidential medal for Pride of Performance in 1968.

In the 1920s, Chughtai created large watercolours in a modified Bengal-school style. By the 1940s his painting style was influenced by Mughal architecture, Islamic calligraphy, miniature painting and Art Nouveau. His diverse subject matter by now included heroes and heroines from Islamic history, Mughal kings and queens, and episodes from Punjabi, Persian, and Indo- Islamic legends and folktales. Throughout his six-decade career, Chughtai produced over 2000 watercolour paintings, countless pencil sketches, and nearly 300 etchings and aquatints. His work, characterized by its delicate yet powerful use of line and colour, reflected his deep connection to his heritage while also introducing modern elements. As a versatile artist, he also designed stamps, coins, insignia, and book covers. Some of his famous books include Muraqqai-i-Chughtai (1928), Naqsh-i- Chughtai (1935) and Amal-i-Chughtai (1960). The Muraqqai- Chughtai which is chiefly an illustrated version of Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib's Diwan-e-Ghalib, in which side by side with some selected couplets, Chughtai produced their artistic renditions in the form of watercolour illustrations. With a foreword by Sir Muhammad Allama Iqbal, it is regarded as the most significant work of Chughtai's career and in its time, was considered the finest achievement in book production in the country.

Chughtai's works are displayed at President House Islamabad, Governors' Houses in Lahore and Karachi, the British Museums Victoria and Albert, Peace Palace Hague, United Nations Headquarters New York, Kennedy Memorial Boston, US State Department Washington D.C., President's House Bonn, Queen Juliana's Palace Netherlands, Emperor's Palace Bangkok, Andhra Pradesh State Archaeology Museum and the National Art Gallery, Islamabad. Many of his works are at the Chughtai Museum Trust in Lahore.

As an apt tribute to the maestro, each stamp incorporated in the souvenir sheet figures a distinct inscription of Pakistan in Urdu crafted by Abdur Rahman Chughtai on Pakistan's first stamp set issued in 1948. Furthermore, all stamps on the souvenir sheet have backgrounds of a different Pakistan stamp designed by Abdur Rahman Chughtai which are as following (top to bottom):

• 1st Independence Anniversary - 1948 (1 Rupee)

• 4th Independence Anniversary - 1951 (4 Annas)

• 4th Independence Anniversary - 1951 (6 Annas)

• 4th Independence Anniversary - 1951 (3 Annas, Service)

Following paintings of Abdur Rahman Chughtai have been used in this souvenir sheet (clockwise):

• Princess by the Terrace

• Portrait of Ghalib (from Muraqqa-i-Chughtai)

• Doe-Eyed Beauty

• Noor Jehan and Jahangir

• Lady with Bulbul (from Muraqqa-i-Chughtai)

• The Mughal Princess

On the 50th Death Anniversary of Abdur Rahman Chughtai, a Commemorative Souvenir Sheet of Rs. 120/- denomination is being issued by Pakistan Post on January 17th, 2025.

70th Anniversary of Pakistan international Airlines. January 10, 2025 (2025-2)

 

Pakistan International Airlines rose from humble beginnings. In June 1946, when Pakistan was still in the offing Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the Founder of the upcoming nation, instructed Mr. M.A. Ispahani, a leading industrialist, to set up a national airline, on a priority basis. With his singular vision and foresight, Quaid-e-Azam realized that with the formation of the two wings of Pakistan, separated by 1100 miles, a swift and efficient mode of transport was imperative. Four Douglas DC-3s were purchased from Tempo of Texas in February 1947 and Orient Airways operated it's first flight on 4th June 1947 on Calcutta-Akyab-Rangoon route. After Independence, Orient airways transferred its base to Pakistan and established a vital link between Karachi and Dacca, the two capitals of the two wings of Pakistan with a skeleton fleet of just two DC-3s, three crew members, and twelve mechanics. With an objective to provide better air services, the Government of Pakistan decided to form a state-owned airline "PIA" and orders for three L-1049C Super Constellations were placed with Lockheed. On 7th June 1954, ΡΙΑ operated first direct nonstop flight between Karachi and Dhaka. The government invited Orient airways to merge with PIA and the outcome of the merger was the birth of a new airline, through PIAC Ordinance on January 10, 1955.

In February 1955, first international services were inaugurated from Karachi to London via Cairo and Rome. By 1960, Vickers Viscount and Super Constellations were operating trunk routes. When the jet age dawned, PIA was quick to lease a Boeing 707-321 from Pan American World Airways and in March 1960, PIA became the first Asian airline to operate a pure jet aircraft. The Karachi London New York service commenced on 16th June 1961. In 1964, PIA hit world headlines by becoming the first noncommunist airline to launch flights to Canton (Guangzhou) and Shanghai. The same year it achieved the distinction of being the first international airline to operate a service through Moscow to other destinations in Europe. PIA also held reservations on two Boeing 2707 Supersonic (SST) aircrafts. A new Jet Hangar for Boeings with a supporting airframe overhaul shop was completed and commissioned in 1968. In 1970, PIA set up its own Flight Kitchen in Karachi, which caters, even today, to the national airline as well as other carriers. DC10-30 wide body aircrafts were introduced in March 1974 and two Boeing 747-200 joined PIA fleet in April 1976. Airbus A300s joined the fleet in March 1980. In 1980, Ispahani Hangar was inaugurated which is capable of housing two wide body aircrafts simultaneously. PIA became the first airline in Asia to operate the modern Boeing 737-300 in May 1985.

In June 1991, Airbus A310-300 and in April 1999, Boeing 747-300 were added to the fleet. In November 2002, orders were placed with Boeing to acquire state of the art B777 aircraft comprising of three B777-200 ER, two B777-200 LR and three B777-300 ER. To modernize the turboprop fleet, order for seven ATR 42- 500 were placed in November 2005. In June 2014, first Airbus 320 aircraft joined the fleet. At present, PIA operates four Boeing B777-300 ER, two Boeing B777- 200 LR, six Boeing B777-200 ER, seventeen Airbus A320-200, two ATR 72- 500 and three ATR 42-500 in its fleet.

To Commemorate the 70th Anniversary of creation of P.I.A, Pakistan's National Flag bearing Airlines, Pakistan Post is issuing a set of Commemorative Postage Stamps of Rs. 30/- denomination each and a Souvenir Sheet Valued at Rs. 100/-.

SOS CHILDREN'S VILLAGES PAKISTAN. JANUARY 01, 2025 (2025-1)

 

INTRODUCTION:- SOS Children's Villages Pakistan is a private social welfare organization dedicated to providing homes for orphans and abandoned children. It is registered with the Directorate General of Social Welfare, Government of the Punjab, Lahore vide Registration No. DSW (Pb) 75-812 dated September 10, 1975.

The special feature of SOS Children Villages is that these are not traditional orphanages: they provide children with a warm, family-type environment. Every effort is made to enrich children with strong moral values, sound education, and skills that will enable them to become productive and  dependable citizens.

OBJECTIVES:- The primary need of children deprived of their natural parents is to be placed in a situation that is as close as possible to a natural home.

SOS Children's Villages meet this need by providing them with security and loving care. They are enabled to live normal lives and be instilled with a sense of confidence so that they can develop  to  their  ful l potential.

SOS Children’s villages play the role of their family and provide them with higher education or job training according to their aptitude. SOS Children's villages are working towards the day when it will be able to provide shelter to every deserving child in the country. SOS Childern's villages consider this a realistic target as it admit only those children who are either complete orphans or, those we categorize as 'social' orphans, i.e. those whose mothers cannot keep them because they have remarried or they have an incurable disease such as cancer or mental illness.

AFFILIATION:- SOS Children's Villages of Pakistan is affiliated with SOS International, which is the umbrella organization, with its head office in Innsbruck, Austria. It is one of 130 member associations in different countries, many of them being in Asia, Africa, and South America. SOS International is the largest child welfare organization in the world and has so far established over 2800 projects.

PHILOSOPHY:- The philosophy of SOS Children’s villages is simple and very basic. Every child has the right to good nurturing. To provide the children with a normal environment, four principles are adhered to, and form the basis of all the work of the organization.

These are:

•             A Mother

•             Brothers and Sisters

•             A Home

•             The Village

The Mother is the person with whom the ultimate responsibility rests for meeting the child's physical and emotional needs, and for providing essential love and care. In the final analysis, the quality of care provided by the mother determines the success of our efforts. The SOS 'mothers' are selected with great care. They are usually single women, often widows without their own families, and are thus able to commit themselves completely to the responsibility of being in an SOS Village.

Brothers and Sisters are essential in any family pattern. Boys and girls of various ages grow up together as brothers and sisters. Real brothers and sisters are not separated and are always accommodated in the same house. On reaching adolescence the boys are shifted to a Youth Home.

The Home is the focal point of the Village. Here the children find security, a feeling of 'belonging' and having their place in the world. An SOS home is a self-contained unit and is as close as possible to a normal home in all respects. Every house consists of a living area, kitchen, separate bedrooms for girls and boys, and a small room for the mother. A kitchen garden is maintained by the family.

The Village is the community in which the child lives and finds shelter and support from other members of this 'family'.

An SOS Village is generally comprised of 15 family homes, a community hall, an administration office, a mosque, a director's residence, a grocery shop, a workshop, a  dispensary , essential  staff  residences,  and  adequate  playgrounds.

Religious instruction is an integral part of the children's routine. Extracurricular activities are also organized in which the children enthusiastically participate. Scouting, Girl Guides, games, cooking classes, art classes, and sewing are some of the many diverse activities available to them.

A special feature of SOS Children's Villages is that the organization takes responsibility for the children in its care till they can support themselves. After matriculation, both boys and girls receive career counseling. Higher education is provided to those with merit and, otherwise, technical education. The boys remain in our care till they are capable of earning their livelihood and the girls till such time as they are married. The marriages of the girls are arranged by the organization.

SOS PAKISTAN PROJECTS:- SOS Children's Villages of Pakistan was founded in 1975. The first project to be opened was the SOS Children's Village in Lahore and since then over 64 projects have been established nationwide, of which 35 are exclusively for orphans.

SCHOOLS:- SOS Children’s villages consider that a good education is the greatest gift we can give to our children and for this purpose schools are established in conjunction with every SOS Children's Village. These schools provide quality education, not only to our children but also to other underprivileged children. Outside children far outnumber the SOS children and thus these schools serve a dual purpose - they enable our children to integrate with the community and also contribute to the vital sector of education.

SOS YOUTH HOMES:- SOS Youth Homes are opened wherever we have SOS Children's Villages and boys are shifted there upon reaching adolescence. They do not leave the care of SOS Childern's  villages  till  such time  as  they  are  able to  earn their  livelihood.

AFTER LEAVING SOS:- The ultimate proof of our success is the assimilation of our children into the mainstream. So far, several hundred children have passed through our hands and are generally well-settled in life.

They are working in diverse fields such as banking, computer companies, teaching, industry, the armed forces, and private enterprise.The girls are also encouraged to train for careers and their marriages are also arranged by us.

They return once a year for a reunion and, otherwise too, keep in touch. We are always available to applaud their success or lend a helping hand.

On the SOS Children's Villages Pakistan, the commemorative postage stamp is being issued by Pakistan Post of the value of Rs.50/- each denomination on 1st January, 2025.

50 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE COUNCIL OF ISLAMIC IDEOLOGY. DECEMBER 30th, 2024 (2024-16)

The Council of Islamic Ideology was established under the Constitution of 1973, and the concept of its creation is primarily derived from Allama Muhammad Iqbal's idea of parliamentary ijtihad. In his lectures, Allama Muhammad Iqbal proposed collective ijtihad through the parliament, instead of individual ijtihad, for the modern era. As envisaged , this process shall involve the significant role of Islamic scholars alongside the elected representatives of the people. Based on these ideas and concepts, the following institutions for reconstruction of religious thought were established after the creation of Pakistan:

In October 1947, an institution named as the Department of Islamic Reconstruction was established. Its mandate was to highlight and present the Islamic ideological concepts of state-building and societal development, which would serve as the foundational framework for the newly established political administration.

Subsequently, when the formal process of drafting of constitution commenced, Pakistan's first Constituent Assembly presented the Objectives Resolution on March 12, 1949. The Objective Resolution determined the fundamental framework for drafting an Islamic constitution for the state of Pakistan.

In light of the Objectives Resolution, a committee formed to chalk out basic principles for drafting the fundamental structure of the Constitution. To provide guidelines to this committee on the Objectives Resolution and to address, queries, a five-member Board named as the Board of Talimat-e-lslamia was formed under the chairmanship of Maulana Syed Sulaiman Nadvi. Additionally, on February 15, 1951, a Law Commission was constituted, tasked with reviewing the existing laws, in effect, at that time and bringing them in conformity with the Objectives Resolution.

In 1956, when the first constitution of Pakistan was promulgated, Article 197 thereof provided for the establishment of an Institute for Islamic Research and Instructions. The primary objective of this institution was to assist in the process of reconstruction of Muslim society on ideal basis through research and education. Additionally, Article 198 of the same Constitution provided for the creation of an Islamic Commission. The primary functions of this Commission included to ensure that no law shall be enacted which is repugnant to the Injunctions of Islam as laid down in the Holy Quran and Sunnah, and that existing laws shall be brought into conformity with Islamic Injunctions.

In the Constitution of March 1962, it was envisaged to establish the Advisory Council of Islamic Ideology. The functions of this Advisory Council included providing recommendations to the central and provincial governments to enable the Muslims of Pakistan to order their lives, in all respects, in accordance with the Islamic principles. During this period, the Council submitted reports spanning ten years of time containing recommendations on significant social issues and proposals for bringing existing laws in conformity with the injunctions of the Qur'an and Sunnah.

Council of Islamic Ideology

In the Constitution of 1973, the Advisory Council of Islamic Ideology was renamed as the Council of Islamic Ideology. The provisions of Articles 227 to 231 of the Constitution outlined the obligation to bring legislation in conformity with Islamic principles, as well as the composition of the Council of Islamic Ideology and its functions.

According to Article 230 of the Constitution of Pakistan, one of the obligations of the Council was to submit a final report on review of laws after seven years of its establishment. Clause (4) of this article also mandated that the Council's annual interim report or its final report shall be laid down before the Majlis-e-Shura (Parliament).

In 1996, the Council submitted a final report to Parliament, which reviewed, all laws up to 1973, in light of Islamic principles. Furthermore, under its constitutional obligations, the Council regularly submits its annual report to Parliament and the provincial assemblies every year. Since its inception the total number of the Council's publications exceeds 100, including both annual and thematic reports. In addition, the Council annually publishes a reputable academic and research journal titled "ljtihad."

On the occasion of the completion of 50 years of operations by the Islamic Ideology Council and in recognition of its excellence, a Commemorative Postage Stamp of Rs. 30/- denomination is being issued by Pakistan Post on 301h December, 2024.

148th Birth Anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. (2024-15)