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PArLIAMEnT CAPAbLE InSTITUTE TO LEAd TALKS wITH TTP, SAYS rAbbAnI
IsLAMABAD
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PAKISTAN People’s Party (PPP) Senator Mian Raza Rabbani on Monday stressed the need for making talks with the Tehreek-eTaliban Pakistan (TTP) as part of a national debate comprising parliament, experts, military commanders who fought against them and civil society. “Two tribal jirgas sent for negotiations with theTTPcannot be a replacement for the collective wisdom of parliament, ” he pointed out in a statement issued here on Monday. Rabbani emphasized that peace talks and subsequent agreement with the TTP will have far-reaching consequences on the constitutional boundaries of the federation within, on the creation of a parallel justice system, the rule of law and the constitution. The PPP senator declared that the parliament has always risen beyond party lines from evolving terms of engagement withtheUSoroperationsagainstterroristsin Swat, Khyber and Waziristan. Rabbani was of the view that Pakistani people have the right to decide their future, adding that let a consensus decision be arrived at through a debate in which the parliament leads. A day earlier, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari formed a three-member committee to liaise with political parties on the recent developments related to talks with Afghan Taliban and the banned outfit TTP. The three-member committee comprises PPP’s senior leaders Sherry Rehman, Farhatullah Babar and Qamar Zaman Kaira, and will take other political parties on board over the matter.The development came after a series of meetings were held between representatives of Pakistan and the outlawed TTP in Kabul to broker a peace deal. The Afghan Taliban are acting as a mediator. A tribal jirga, comprising elders, politicians and others from erstwhile tribal areas, also visited Afghanistan and met the TTP leaders. The flurry of meetings led to the banned outfit announcing an indefinite ceasefire.
neither public nor IMf happy with budget: Asad Umar
sHAHzAD PARACHA
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Central Secretary GeneralAsad Umar expressed that the budget created a ‘Doomsday scenario’as the finance minister himself admitted that the budget neither met the expectations of the people nor of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In a statement issued from the Central Media Department (CMD) on Monday,Asad said that the imported government’s hurriedly presented budget caused widespread despondency in the country. He mocked that the government presented a wonderful budget, as people were angry, a bearish trend persisted in the stock market and rupee continued to lose its value further.Asad Umar said that the Federal Finance Minister Miftah Ismail accepted that the proposed budget failed to meet expectations of the people and the financial body. However, he raised a question that then who was happy with the budget except the candy making companies? On the other hand, PTI Central Secretary Information Farrukh Habib said that the ‘gang of corrupts’ was hell-bent to paralyze Pakistan economically and to make life of all and sundry a hell through flawed economic policies and wrong priorities. Reacting to Information Minister MaryamAurangzeb’s press conference, Farrukh Habib said that the imported government was badly exposed during a short span of two months, as the gang of corrupts snatched all facilities from the people. He said that the imported government created a cost-of-living crisis in the country, as prices of daily used items skyrocketed, a flour bag was selling at Rs1300 in the market but the imported ministers were trying to mislead the people by presenting a rosy picture.
Sindh govt unveils budget for fY 2022-23 today
KARACHI
Staff RepoRt
The Sindh government will present budget for fiscal year 2022-23 on Tuesday with an allocation of Rs459.68 billion for the development projects in the province.According to the budget documents, the province will start 1,652 new development projects while it will continue executing 2,506 ongoing projects. Last year, the provincial government had earmarked Rs329 billion for the development programme. The budget proposes to set aside Rs332.16 billion under the head ofAnnual Development Programme (ADP). For districts, Rs30 billion have been allocated. The budget documents also include Rs51.50 billion in the ADP from foreign funding, the province is expected to receive. The federal government will provide Rs6.2 billion to the province under the head of PSDP. The budget proposes to allocate Rs253 billion for the ongoing 2506 projects while suggesting to set aside Rs79 billion for new 1652 development programmes.
LAHORE: UNHCR Representative Ghazala Mirza, Hammad Latif, Kamal Zeb, CLI Syed Muntazir, CEO Mudassir Javed and a large number of police officers in a group photo after a workshop on rights of immigrants at Police Training College Chung. Staff photo
FCA of April: NEPRA jacks up power tariff by Rs3.99 per unit
AHMAD AHMADANI
The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has increased the power tariff by Rs3.99 per unit on account of fuel cost adjustment (FCA) for the month of April 2022 and issued a notification to this effect. According to NEPRA notification, this power price hike of Rs3.99 per unit shall be applicable to all the consumer categories except lifeline consumers of all the power distribution companies (DISCOs). The said adjustment shall be shown separately in the consumer’s bills on the basis of units billed to the consumers in the month ofApril 2022 by the DISCOs. The DISCOs shall reflect the fuel charges adjustment in respect of April 2022 in the billing month of June 2022, said NEPRA notification of power tariff hike on account of FCA for the month ofApril 2022. While effecting the Fuel Adjustment Charges, the concerned DISCOs shall keep in view and strictly comply with the orders of the court notwithstanding this order, the NEPRAnotification added. According to sources in power sector, the Rs3.99 per unit increase in power tariff will put a burden of around Rs58.5 billion on consumers, including the General Sales Tax (GST) which is charged at 17%. Earlier, the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA), on behalf of DISCOs, requested the NEPRAto jack up the power tariff by Rs4.5 per unit as FCA of April 2022 for the consumers of DISCOs. And, the Authority (NEPRA) conducted the hearing in the matter on May 31, 2022 and disagreed with the CPPAdemand and approved a hike of Rs3.99 per unit. Actual Fuel Charge Component for April 2022 was recorded at Rs10.6010 per kilowatt hour (kWh) while corresponding reference fuel charge component was already fixed at Rs6.6087 per kWh. On the date fixed for hearing, representatives from CPPA-G, National Power Control Center (NPCC)/NTDC, Media and General Public were present. However, no representation was made from WAPDAPower Privatization Organization (WPPO), Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL), Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and Ministry of Finance despite serving the hearing notice, said NEPRA decision. During the hearing, theAuthority also observed that energy from costlier RFO based power plants was generated to the tune of over Rs.44,094 million during the month of April 2022. The Authority has been directing NPCC/NTDC & CPPA repeatedly to provide complete justification in this regard, to the satisfaction of the Authority and submit complete details for deviation from Economic Merit Order (EMO), showing hourly generation along-with the financial impact for deviation from EMO, if any, and the reasons, thereof. As per additional note on decision of the Authority regarding Fuel Charges Adjustment of DlSCOs for the month of April, 2022, the data submitted by NPCC, the average RLNG allocated to power sector during the monthofApril,2022was552MMCFDagainstademand of 690 MMCFD that resulted in indicative financial impact of Rs2,379 Million during the aforesaid month. During the FCA hearing of DlSCOs for the month of April, 2022, the reason for not utilizing the efficient RLNG power plants appears to be non-availability of RLNG. One reason for shortage of RLNG was lesser demand by NTDC/NPCC i.e. requisition of around 690 mmcfd against the actual demand of around 800 mmcfd (as apprised by the system operator to the Authority) another reason is less supply of RLNG by concerned quartersagainstthedemandedquantityofRLNG.Efforts should have been made to improve the supply chain of RLNG to fully utilize the most efficient RLNG power plants and avoid the part load adjustment charges. As the RLNG is imported fuel and its availability can be ensured through better supply chain management, accordingly, such mis-management into the availability of required RLNG can’t be passed on to the consumers, said the additional note on decision of theAuthority regarding Fuel ChargesAdjustment of DlSCOs for the month of April, 2022. It is pertinent to mention that NEPRA’s decision of hike in power tariff will place an additional burden of billions of rupees on the power consumers while this price hike will not apply to K-electric and lifeline users who use upto 100 units a month and fall under protected category of the power consumers of all 10 DISCOs. However, this hike in power tariff will add additional burden to the already burdened masses/power consumers.
Russian envoy backs Imran Khan’s claim on Moscow visit
News DesK
RussianAmbassador to Pakistan Danila Ganich has said that former prime minister Imran Khan’s visit to Moscow earlier this year could be one of the reasonsbehindhisousterfromthepower. He made these remarks while respondingtoaquestionrelatedtotheexPM’s allegations that a “foreign conspiracy ” was hatched against his government after his visit to Russia. In an interview with a local TV channel, the envoy said it was a “sheer coincidence” that the former premier visited Moscow on the day Russia launched the invasion of Ukraine on February 24. “I think that was one of the factors but I also know that it was a sheer coincidence that he happened to be in Moscow on that very day. ” Theambassador said had former PM Imran known about the Ukraine invasion, conspiracy ’claims, Ganich said: “As an ambassador of a foreign country I would prefer not to interfere in your internal affairs. I do know that there was the conclusion that there was no conspiracy. So here I would say period. ” On the ousted PM’s claims that Russia offered his government oil and wheat at discounted rates, the ambassador said no memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the two sides in this regard. “I can confirm that we did not conclude any MoU. But Imran Khan did not say that we conclude any MoU but as for what kind of discounts could have been offered I cannot comment as this is indoor negotiation. ” Earlier inApril, the Russian foreign ministry had said the ongoing political developments “leaves no doubt” that the US intended to punish the “disobedient” PTI chief. In a statement, the Russian foreign office criticised the US for being involved in an alleged conspiracy to overthrow the then Pakistani premier, stating that the opposition was colluding with the Western superpower.
OGrA’s enforcement team unearths three illegal oil agencies
AHMAD AHMADANI
TheOiland Gas RegulatoryAuthority (OGRA) Enforcement (North) teamhas discovered threeillegaloilagencies and asked theChief Secretary Punjab to takeappropriateaction againsttheillegaloilbusiness being carried outin different areas of southern Punjab.As per details, OGRA’s Enforcement(North) teamhas inspected around 40 petrol pumps in south Punjab to check theaccuracy of the measurements of oil, and their quality and prices, and to ensuresafety standards atdifferentoutlets.And, OGRA’s Enforcementteam, during theinspection process, has found threeillegaloilagencies againstwhomappropriateaction has been recommended to theChief Secretary Punjab.
Punjab govt employees to get 30pc pay raise
stAff RePoRt
The Punjab cabinet onTuesday approved up to 30 per cent increase in salaries of govt employees in the budget for the fiscal year 2022-23.The special cabinet meeting, headed by Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz,approvedthebudget proposalsforthenextfiscalyear2022-23.Theprovincial cabinethasapproveda15percentincreaseinsalariesand pensionsofgovernmentemployeesanda15percentspecial allowance.Accordingtodetails,theemployeeswillget15 percentincreaseinbasicpayand15percentdisparity allowance.However,thedisparityallowancewillbelimitedto selecteddepartmentsoftheprovincialgovernment.According tosources,nonewtaxwillbeimposedinthebudgetwhile existingspecialconcessionsandincentiveswillcontinue. Moreover,Rs683.5billionhasbeenproposedfordevelopment schemes,Rs56billionforeducationsector,Rs173billionfor thehealthsectorand11.95billionwillbegiventothe‘Saaf Pani’project.PunjabhasallocatedRs6.2billionfor governanceandIT,Rs500millionforlabourandHR development,Rs6.3billionfortransportandRs1.8billionfor emergencyservice(1122),accordingtoofficialdocuments.
KP earmarks hefty amount for combating climate change
APP
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has earmarked a hefty amount in billions of rupees for combating impacts of climate change with focus on creating awareness among public and promotion of solar power generation.According to budget documents, in the upcoming fiscal year 2022-23, four billion rupees have been earmarked for solar energy generation through installation of panels in 11,300 mosques in the province, Rs15.8 billion is reserved for investment in hydel power generation in the province, reads the budget document. In addition an amount of Rs1.2 billion is reserved for TESCO (Tribal Electricity Supply Company) for launching of hydel projects in merged districts. For promotion of eco-friendly tourism, an amount of Rs15.5 billion is reserved out of which Rs14.6 for developmental budget, Rs800 million for establishment of Special Developmental Institutions and Rs100 million for tourism police. Similarly for increasing plantation, Rs1.8 billion has been reserved for Billion Tree Tsunami, Rs150 million on Climate Smart Farming, Rs100 million forAir Quality Test and Rs100 million for Climate ChangeAction Plan.
NeWS DeSK
THE first branch of China’s vocational college on electric engineering in Pakistan was inaugurated in Sindh recently. Sindh Technical Education and Vocational Authority (STEVTA), Government Monotechnic Institute (GMI), Mehrabpur, Tang International Education Group, andYantaiVocational College, China signed an agreement last week on joint training of talent and inaugurated the Sino-Pak international College on the ceremony.
This is the second Sino-Pak international College under “CCTE” model in Sindh Province.The first one was inaugurated in collaboration with Government Polytechnic Institute, Dadu on May 21, China Economic Net (CEN) reported on Monday.
“CCTE” , short for China-Pakistan Dual Diploma/Degree & China-Pakistan Cooperation, Chinese Language Courses&ChineseCommercialCulturalCourses,Technical EducationSubjects&TechnologyinEducationandFurther Education & Employment” , is a model developed by Tang InternationalEducationGroup.StudentsofCCTEprograms willlearninPakistanforthefirsttwoyearsandinChinafor the third year before obtaining degrees from both sides. Li Jinsong, President of the Tang International Education Group,saidontheinaugurationceremonythatpowershortage was a sore point in Pakistan’s economic development.
He expected the joint education program in Sindh, where there were many thermal and wind power plants, could cultivate more talent in electric engineering to meet the market demand, serve the long-term development of local enterprises, and promote people-to-people bond between the two countries.
Wen Jinxiang, president ofYantai Vocational College also attended the ceremony. He said that STEVTA, GMI Mehrabpur,Tang International Education Group, andYantai Vocational College would jointly develop the curriculum standards. He expressed his hope that the program could be sped up to produce professional, modern, and international talent for the development of Pakistan and China. Saleem Raza Jalbani, Chairman STEVTA, said that since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries in 1951, technological sector, especially technology education, had been one of the priorities in bilateral cooperation.
According to Dr. Ghulam Mustafa Suhag, Managing Director of STEVTA, STEVTArecognized the importance of learning from China’s experience, introducing Chinese technologies and disciplines, and collaborating with Chinese universities to train talents for CPEC construction and Pakistan’s development.
He informed that a Chinese language learning center has been set up in Karachi to improve the language capacity of local students and empower them to learn in the CCTE programs. He also anticipated more vocational cooperation between Sindh and China to enlarge the talent pool for the infrastructure, energy, socioeconomic and technological development under CPEC.
Civil society rallies, demands govt to ascertain reason behind wildfire incidents
SWAT
syed shahabuddin
Civil society and political parties on Monday started raising questions after alarming rise in wildfire incidence in forest and mountain across Swat region.
The Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) took to the streets to record their protest against the rising incidence of wildfire in the area, demanding the government set up a high-level commission to ascertain reason behind the unabated fire incidents.
Addressing the protest rally at Matta Chowk, PkMAP local leaders including Umar AliYousafzai and Sher Bahadur Khan said that wildfires incidents have been taking place continuously but reason for these incidents could not be ascertained yet. They said that several people were claimed to have been arrested for arson but the public did not know what action was taken against them. FRESH FIRE INCIDENTS: On the other hand، the incidents of fresh fires were reported in the mountains and forests of BabuzaiTehsil, KhwazaKhelaTehsil, BarikotTehsil and Kabal Tehsil here on Monday.
Rescue 1122 spokesperson Miss. Shafiqa Gul claimed to have controlled over 71 out of 73 blazes in various parts of Swat district since June 1st. However, the fire in the mountains of Marghazar valley could not be brought under control on the fourth day which extended to Amlook Dara and Ghalegay area of Barikot Tehsil.
According to the forest officials, wildfire broke out in the hills of Shamelai in Babuzai Tehsil, Muhammad Baig and Shalhand of Kabal Tehsil, Manyar of Barikot Tehsil, Toha in Charbagh tehsil and Chinkolai of Khwazakhela Tehsil of Swat District on Monday, adding that an operation is underway to control the fire.
Local residents of Marghazar valley Fazal Amin and former Nazim Amjad Ali said that the fire almost burnt all the vegetation on the hill to ashes and was reaching the residential areas.
They blamed the government and other departments for not taking part in fire-fighting operation, adding that locals are carrying out efforts to extinguish the fire and prevent its spread to save residential areas.
Death anniversary of Shahenshahe-Ghazal Mehdi Hassan observed
NeWS DeSK
The 10th death anniversary of renowned singer known as Shahenshah-e-Ghazal Mehdi Hassan Khan was observed here on Monday. He was born on July 18, 1927.In 1957,hewasgiventheopportunitytosingon Radio Pakistan, primarily as a thumri singer.
He was honored with numerous awards including Nishan-e-Imtiaz, Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, Pride of Performance and Hilal-e-Imtiaz by the Government of Pakistan.
He sang for over 300 films during his music career.
He breathed his last on June 13, 2012 after a protracted illness in Karachi.
Court sends train gangrape accused to jail on remand
KARACHI
staff RepoRt
Alocal court sent all accused of Bahauddin Zakaria Express gang-rape case to jail on judicial remand on Monday.
The Judicial Magistrate-South sent the accused to jail and directed the investigation officer (IO) to submit case challan in the next hearing of the case.
In an earlier hearing of the train gangrape case, the investigation officer had revealed that the suspects had also filmed the gang rape. He added that the investigators need to retrieve videos from the mobile phones of the criminals and recover their uniforms.
The court had extended the physical remand of the five arrested suspects including: Muhammad Zahid, Aqib Muneer, Zohaib, Amir Raza andAbdul Hafeez.
Police said that the railway staffers had allegedly gang-raped the lady, when she was returning to Karachi from Multan. A case had been filed at the City Railway police station, whereas, the victim identified two suspects during the identification parade.
It was learnt that a ticket-checker had offered a seat in the air-conditioned compartment of the train to the woman who was travelling alone in an economy class and later he and four other railway staffers gangraped her.
On Thursday, the victim had identified two of the suspects during an identification parade held in the court of the judicial magistrate Karachi South.
The victim had testified in court that the accused had gang-raped her on the Zakaria Express on May 27, after which the court made the identity parade report part of the case. According to FIR, the incident occurred on May 27 when the victim, who hails from Karachi’s Orangi Town, boarded the train from Multan railway station for .
President asks taxpayers to approach FTO for cost-free, speedy justice
APP
President Dr.ArifAlvi on Monday urged the taxpayers and business community to approach the office of the Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) through its complaint system for the redressal of their taxation grievances on a priority basis.Addressing an awareness seminar on the services of FTO here at theAiwan-e-Sadr, he said the FTO was ensuring prompt dispensation of justice regarding the tax-related petitions at the doorsteps of the complainants. PresidentAlvi said that engaging business entrepreneurs and the general public to increase awareness about the FTO services and expanding the outreach with the aim of creating a fair, just, and equitable tax system. He mentioned that FTO was effectively endeavoring to implement its mandate of providing cost-free justice to taxpayers within around 60 days, and even without the obligation upon the complainant to engage a lawyer. He expressed satisfaction that FTO disposed of 2,867 complaints out of the 3,371 received during the year 2021 and added that the significant increase in numbers of complaints indicated the enhanced trust of taxpayers in the FTO office. He lauded that the average disposal time of complaints was also reduced from 68.43 days in 2020 to 57.29 days in 2021. He said it was the responsibility of all institutions under the government to improve their performance and emphasized that immediate redressal of taxpayers’problems would promote tax culture in the country. PresidentAlvi said FTO was acting as a public relief-oriented institution with the introduction of a fast system for the registration of complaints and formulation of strategies for quick resolution of the tax-related problems.
