Documentary highlights Alvi’s role in national, global issues

Islamabad : A documentary on Saturday highlighted the dynamic and leading role of President Dr Arif Alvi over various national and international issues during 2021, with overarching efforts to resolve them.

‘A 14:29 minutes 2021 and The Presidency’ - A documentary on activities of 2021 presents brief insight into the activities of the president on array of issues ranging from COVID-19 pandemic, economic, women education, skills development, IT education to Kashmir issue and Islamophobia.

During 2021, the country faced economic issues due to global coronavirus pandemic.

The president opined that COVID-19 remained a challenge for the economy.

But the nation showed to the world, a will to survive and overcome the challenge through intellectual talent.

Recounting government’s achievements during the last year, he said Prime Minister Imran Khan effectively raised the issue of blasphemy and Islamophobia, which also found way in the recent comments of Russian President Vladmir Putin, besides hosting of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation foreign ministers conference, which were the big achievements of the country in last year.

The documentary highlighted 1MW solar Green Presidency initiative which helped generate over 1.4 million units annually, thus saving Rs84.56 million.

The president commented that now the Presidency was running on surplus energy and earning.

The green initiative also earned ISO 50001 energy management system certification and became the first-ever presidency in the world to run on green energy.

Besides, 10,000 new saplings and Miyawaki jungle were planted in the Presidency, with introduction of the latest solid waste system.

The president and Begum Samina Alvi had been very vocal for the cause of women welfare during the last year, especially issues related to women’s inheritance, breast cancer, implementation of relevant laws and public awareness.

The president said they made hectic efforts for the women’s inheritance rights as the laws existed in the country, but were not implemented.

Besides, they stressed upon financial empowerment of women.

Skills training and Information Technology education were the other fields for females which were fervently advocated.

For the first time in country’s history, the president along with Begum Ali launched massive public awareness campaign over the breast cancer.

Due to these efforts, positive outcome was achieved.

During coronavirus pandemic, role of ulema, masque and pulpit was highlighted through convening of meetings and holding of regular events.

Friday sermon (Khutba-e-Jumma) has now become an important and regular feature of the presidency in which a number of notable religious scholars and ulema deliver sermons on significant topics on every Friday.

The president had also remained an ardent advocate for the promotion of IT education and knowledge in the county.

He stressed upon the adequate training and increased enrolment of students in the IT sector.

The president underlined that he was already cognisant of the IT significance and the role of online education.

Besides, after a number of meetings with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and vice chancellors, the HEC devised a policy to prevent and eradicate drug abuse issue in the universities.

President Dr Alvi through strenuous efforts at the Presidency created awareness for the issues confronted by the differentially abled persons.

In this connection, various events were arranged last year at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, while directives were issues for extending facilities to these people in the society.

Free education and scholarships for differently-abled persons were ensured through an effective policy.

As chairman of IT Task Force, the president also held different meetings in this regard and stressed upon skills development and training for the young people.

The president also remained in the forefronts for a free and transparent voting system in the country including use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) and the internet voting.

During last year, the president also undertook official visits to Turkey and Dubai whereas in Turkmenistan, he represented Pakistan at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit (SCO).

He also held important meetings with the senior leadership of different countries and highlighted vital issues like Kashmir, Palestine and Islamophobia.

A large number of people also benefited from the prompt functioning of the Federal Ombudsman office.

The president said any public complaint was being resolved within 58 days period.

He said that he felt satisfaction specially to pass directive over the cases of elderly people or illiterate people who often became victims of money scam.

Meanwhile, E-sports will involve Pakistani youth and will bring further investments in the country in future, said President Dr Arif Alvi, on Saturday, while welcoming the organisers of a two-day E-sports event in Islamabad

In his virtual message at the opening of the e-sports tournament organized by Galaxy Racer here, he said, “I am glad that the investment is taking place in the special technology zone and the fact that this investment is in the fastest growing industry of video gaming.”

He congratulated the patron of Galaxy Racer Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum and his entire team for their launch event in Pakistan.

This investment will harbinger a new era of cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan.

The president thanked Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum for his special interest in Pakistan.

He noted that there was a youth bulge in Pakistan and such e-sports events could be highlighted and started in Pakistan with tremendous youth involvement.

I am happy that the Galaxy racing event and subsequent events will be later generated in Pakistan.

There is talent in Pakistan for software writing and e-sports development.

The event showed that the youth bulge in Pakistan was going in the right direction, he added.

Our colleges, universities and our government are working hard to make sure that Pakistan is able to supply software resources to the entire world.

There is a tremendous need for this software talent within Pakistan and even throughout the world.

Everywhere I visited over the last few years the governments have been requesting Pakistan to support human resource development in their countries.

He observed that the Special Technology Zone Authority chaired by Amir Hashmi was a very good platform to invite investments.

I made a special effort when I was in Dubai to request investors to look in this area as there is a ten-year holiday from income tax, customs and duties.

He said, “All the special technology zones are the areas where investment in information technology can take place besides investments in brick and mortar.”

President Alvi remarked that virtual reality was an important part of artificial intelligence in future.

The chips made for virtual reality were the basic foundations for the mathematical calculations which were needed for neural networks and artificial intelligence, he explained.

The gaming chips in fact led to the ability to have tremendously broad and extensive neural networks through which artificial intelligence is taking over the world.

He thanked the investors and artist Fakhar Alam -- a great link and proponent of Pakistan throughout the world, for organising the mega event.

I must thank Amir Hashmi and must thank the participants who are here and the organisers for making a venture in Pakistan which will not only increase prosperity but the ability of Pakistan to become a player in the world in the field of gaming and software.

He wished good luck to the participants of the gaming event.

Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum of United Arab Emirates (UAE) inaugurated the Gamers Galaxy, Pakistan’s biggest e-sports festival, with a grand prize pool of Rs20 million.

Visitors gathered in huge numbers at the main arena to witness intense battles in the tournaments of PUBG Mobile Gamers Galaxy, Valorant, HER Galaxy Valorant Spike Rush 2v2 (Pakistan’s first-ever female esports tournament), and the community tournaments of FIFA 22, and Tekken.

The finalists will compete for a Rs20 million prize pool.