Muslim World League Secretary-General Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa recently attended the closing ceremony in Islamabad to honor, under the patronage and in the presence of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the winners of a Qur’anic competition for young memorizers under the age of 10.
Sharif and Al-Issa then laid the foundation stone for a branch of the International Fair and Museum of the Prophet’s Biography and Islamic Civilization, an extension of its main headquarters in Madinah.
PM Shehbaz Sharif underscored Pakistan’s embrace of the forthcoming Museum of the Prophet’s Biography, recognizing its potential to advance Islamic principles worldwide and deepen understanding of Prophet Muhammad’s life.
“This museum will serve as a pilgrimage destination not just for Pakistanis, but for people worldwide,” Sharif said, affirming that the Pakistani people would deeply appreciate the museum, a gift from Saudi Arabia.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2493551/saudi-arabia
Baisakhi festival celebrations conclude in Hassan Abdal
The Baisakhi Mela festivities, a cherished tradition in the Indo-Pak Punjab region marking the onset of a new year, came to a close at Gurdwara Sri Panja Sahib in Hassan Abdal.
Sikh pilgrims from across the globe, including India, gathered to joyously observe their religious festival. Federal Defense Minister Khawaja Asif attended the occasion as a chief guest.
Thousands of devotees, hailing from India, Canada, the UK, and various parts of the world, participated in the colourful ceremonies of the Baisakhi Mela. Khawaja Asif extended goodwill and camaraderie to the visiting pilgrims.
The culmination of the event featured the solemn Palki procession at Gurdwara Panja Sahib, where the sacred scriptures were reverently carried to their designated place. Religious rituals, including the religious bath (Ashnan) and Panja Sahib rites, were meticulously observed by Sikh devotees.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2462579/baisakhi-festival-celebrations-conclude
Fly Jinnah is launching another affordable international flight to the Middle East
Fly Jinnah, Pakistan’s private budget airline, is set to launch a new non-stop route between Islamabad and Muscat, Oman from May 10th.
Initially, the service will operate twice a week. Fly Jinnah’s spokesperson expressed pride in the airline’s achievements, citing the successful launch of international flights linking Islamabad and Lahore to Sharjah.
Now, with the introduction of the Islamabad-Muscat route, Fly Jinnah aims to strengthen its global footprint and provide passengers with expanded travel choices.
”This expansion aligns with our commitment to providing our customers with new options for affordable and value driven air travel domestically and internationally,” the spokesperson stated.
The addition of the Islamabad-Muscat route will expand the airline’s international destinations, complementing the existing flight route to Sharjah, UAE.
Ganweriwala to be converted into tourism centre
The site of Ganweriwala, the ancient city of the Indus Civilisation in Cholistan desert, would be converted into a tourism centre. The excavation at the site, over 100km from Bahawalpur city, have started.
The announcement regarding the tourism centre at Ganweriwala was made by Bahawalpur Commissioner Dr Ehtasham Anwar Mahaar in the opening ceremony of the excavation.
He was flanked by Punjab Archaeology Director General Shozeb Saeed, Dr Rafique Mughal, Professor of Emeritus at the Boston University, and heritage expert Sajida Vandal.
After launching the excavation, the commissioner said the 7,000 years old Ganweriwala was buried across the area of over eighty hectares and it was the second largest city after Mohenjodaro. He described the day of excavation as historic and hoped that excavation would lead to the discoveries regarding the world’s oldest civilization of Hakra river.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1818379
Night Tourism being introduced in Peshawar for first time
Night Tourism is being introduced in Peshawar for the first time by Archaeology Department and Tour da Peshawar with the support of Pakistan Army.
Under this initiative, the public will have an opportunity to enjoy local cuisine and music along with a tour of Peshawar’s historical sites.
The introduction of night tourism will further strengthen the tourism sector in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has formally approved the renovation and decoration of Qissa Khwani Bazaar to protect the historical heritage of Peshawar.
Pakistan Army has started work on the restoration and decoration of historical places of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at several places of Khyber Trail.
https://www.radio.gov.pk/26-03-2024/night-tourism-being-introduced-in-peshawar-for-first-time
Azerbaijan Airlines starts direct flights to third Pakistani city
Azerbaijan Airlines made history with its inaugural direct flight from Baku to Karachi, landing at Jinnah International Airport last night.
This marks the beginning of regular air operations by Azerbaijan Airlines, with flights scheduled to operate twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays.
The Ambassador of Azerbaijan, Khazar Farhadov, was present to greet the inaugural flight upon its arrival in Karachi.
Azerbaijan Airlines recently revealed its plan to expand flight operations and network within Pakistan. The airline, also called AZAL, expressed its intention to “improve connectivity between the two nations” with this initiative.
AZAL announced that Karachi would be the third Pakistani city to have direct flights, joining Islamabad and Lahore, following the successful launch of flights from Baku.
