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Friday, 9 November, 2012
Determination of upfront tariff in national interest: PM g
cci approves recommendations for equitable distribution of electricity ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt
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RIME Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has said that the determination of upfront tariff was of national interest and would pave the way for investors to make investments in the power sector without wasting time. This was stated by the prime minister while chairing the 10th meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) convened after the passage of 18th Amendment on Thursday. The meeting also decided to constitute a standing committee of the CCI, which would be headed by the inter-provincial coordination secretary as its chairman, with the CCI joint secretary, law secretary and secretaries of inter-provincial coordination ministries of provincial governments as members. The committee would examine and scrutinize the cases enumerated in Federal Legislative List (Part II) which are to be placed before the CCI. While debating the working and functioning of National Electric and Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), the prime minister said NEPRA should have inhouse capability and expertise to determine up front tariff for power plants run on coal, wind, solar, bio-gas, gas, oil etc. The tariff should be such that it should provide incentives and attract investors.
The meeting was also informed that work on Draft Electricity Law needed to be expedited. The prime minister also directed the water and power secretary in her capacity as Cabinet Division secretary to coordinate with NEPRA for working out tariff. The meeting was informed that the governments of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had notified police officials and other staff to help distribution companies recover dues and check theft. The meeting also discussed the report of the committee constituted by the CCI for giving its recommendations for equitable distribution of electricity in the country. The meeting was informed that the committee held three meetings on August 11, August 15 and September 15 and had come up with the following recommendations:i. The existing formula of distribution of electricity between different distribution companies in practice since 2006 may not be changed. ii. KESC will use its idle capacity to reduce their 650MW import from National Grid by 300 MW. iii. For financing/investment in hydro power projects, where financing has not yet been committed by any source, the provinces may contribute as investor in financing through a SPV/Holding Company.
iv. The proposals and schemes prepared by federal government for conversion of street lights to solar mode, distribution of CFLs and UPS charging on solar mode will be looked into for further action after detailed study by the provinces. v. Open access policy and draft Electricity Act and conservation of energy law will be presented before CCI for further processing. vi. Provincial Police Departments will designate one DSP with 40 staff members at the disposal of each DISCO which can be deployed anywhere in the DISCO’s area for recovery of revenue/bills and for instituting theft cases. DISCOs will bear financial liability in this respect. vii. Energy projects including generation and conservation, should be duly budgeted as a defined share in provincial annual development programme. viii. Replacement of Incandescent Bulbs with CFLs/LEDs. ix. Phasing out of manufacture and import of Incandescent Bulbs. x. Gas fired geysers to be replaced by solar water heaters. xi. Introduction of Micro-solar grids for up to 10 households through micro financing. After development of model, it will be shared with the provinces.
Gilani illegally obliged with PAF transportation, Senate told ISLAMABAD online
State Minister for Defence Sardar Saleem Haider has disclosed that former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani was provided with Air Force transportation for PPP’s October 15 rally in Hyderabad in violation of rules. To a question during question hour in the Senate on Thursday, he admitted that the facility was accorded to the former PM on orders of serving Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, who had the prerogative to facilitate anyone. Sardar Saleem Haider was at a loss to explain the objections of opposition when asked according to what regulations was Gilani obliged with an Air Force plane in an unofficial capacity and purely for political purposes. He said that a CN-235 (CASA) aircraft was utilised from Islamabad, Hyderabad, Karachi and Islamabad. Entitlement of PAF special flights are arranged for the president, prime minister and ministers of Pakistan in accordance with relevant rules and instruction and in accordance with prevalent instructions of the government, flights authorised by president or PM are not charged by the PAF. Sardar Saleem Haider informed the House that PML-N’s former prime minister Nawaz Sharif also ‘obliged’ one of his minister with Air Force transportation earlier. To another question, the state minister said currently there were 42 airports in the country, of which 22 were functional, while
Govt seeks review of SC’s interim order in Balochistan case ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt
peSHaWaR: a police personnel looks at the damaged vehicle of a senior official after a suicide bombing killed 8 people on Wednesday. OnlinE
Over-the-counter sale of mobile phone SIMs to be banned: Malik g
interior minister says religious channels to be blocked during muharram ISLAMABAD StaRR RepoRt
Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Thursday that over-the-counter sale of mobile phone SIMs would be banned from next month, and the cellular companies would be required to dispatch the purchased SIMs at the customer’s address. Talking to reporters after a highlevel meeting at his office, Malik said a “third power” had planned to create conflict between Shias and Sunnis during the holy month of Muharram. He said that no one would be allowed to use satellite phones without
registering with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). Similarly, the PTA has been given the deadline of December 31 for registering prepaid SIMs, the interior minister said, adding that after the deadline, the unregistered SIMs would be blocked. He said that SIM portability, ie switching from one network to another, was being banned immediately. He said that in future, mobile SIMs would be issued against computerised national identity cards or utility bills. He further said that all religious TV channels would be suspended during Muharram. He said the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) should take necessary meas-
ures for enforcing these instructions. Malik said video-sharing website YouTube would be opened after the blasphemous content was removed. Responding to a question, he said that security would be beefed up in sensitive areas, besides air surveillance of those cities which were under threat of sectarian violence during Muharram. He said there was popular public demand for unblocking Youtube, adding that the video sharing website would be reopened only when all anti-Islam matter would be removed from it. However, he added that a committee under the interior secretary had been formed to procure software for blocking selected content.
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The federation on Thursday filed a petition in the Supreme Court requesting it to review its order in the Balochistan law and order case. On October 12, the SC had issued an interim order on a petition on the law and order and human rights violations in Balochistan, stating that the provincial government had constitutionally failed to curb human rights violations, targeted killings and kidnappings for ransom in the province. The order had stated that the provincial government had failed to establish the writ of law and had lost the authority to govern the province in accordance with the constitution. The federation’s petition stated that the order was “extremely dangerous” for the country and was based on assumptions, adding that through the ruling, an attempt had been made to revive the spirit of the 17th Amendment. The petition moreover stated that the judiciary’s involvement in the country’s politics was a violation of Article 5 of the constitution, adding that the judges could not violate their oaths, adding that the court’s order was not in accordance with the authority that the constitution had placed in the judiciary.
Published by Arif Nizami at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore.
Editor: Arif Nizami
others were redundant. He also informed the Senate that all maintenance of airports was handled by CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) by its selfgenerated funds. Earlier, Senator M Hamza of the PML-N raised the issue, questioning the rules and the amount spent on the trip. Senate Chairman Nayyer Hussain Bukhari deferred the interior ministries questions due to absence of the minister. Hamza criticised the government, saying it had raised an army of ministers and it was the collective responsibility of cabinet members to response to questions in absence of any of their colleague. In a written reply, Defence Minister Naved Qamar informed the House that his ministry had not made any agreement with any foreign government for permitting drone attacks in Pakistan. He said in the absence of any agreement, the exact date of the commencement of drone strike inside Pakistan was not available in records of the ministry. The written reply added that the drone strikes were being carried out without the consent of the government of Pakistan and its armed forces, therefore, no exact time limit could be given about their termination. The government of Pakistan and the army leadership have repeatedly raised the issue and the need for their immediate cessation with the US government and its military authorities.
At least 18 killed in Afghan bomb attacks kAbuL: At least 18 people, including 10 civilians, were killed in three attacks in Afghanistan’s south and east on Thursday, provincial officials said, the highest death toll in a single day since a spate of killings over the Eid festival last month. A roadside bomb killed 10 civilians who were driving to a wedding in the Musa Qala district of Helmand province, Helmand police chief’s spokesman Farhid Ahmad Farhang said. Another roadside bomb killed five soldiers in the Badpakh area of Laghman, a province in the east, said Sarhadi Zwak, a spokesman for the provincial governor. In the third attack, a suicide bomber on a motorbike detonated his explosives at a police station in Kandahar city, killing three policemen and wounding four, local officials said. app