AKU in collaboration with Sindh Govt conducts training of doctors under PLSP

KArACHI pr

Mr. Asim Ahmad, Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has appreciated the role and contribution of Pakistan Customs towards the development of national economy in areas of revenue collection, prevention of smuggling, protection of local industry and enforcement of safe goods for public health. He said this while addressing an elegant ceremony held to celebrate the International Customs Day-2023 at Custom House, Peshawar on Thursday which was also attended by Mr. Mohammad Saleem, Chief Collector Customs (KP), Mr. Faiz Ahmed Chadhar, Director General Intelligence & Investigation Customs, Mr. Aqeel Ahmad Siddiqui, Chief Commissioner RTO Peshawar, Mr. Ejaz Khan, CCPO Peshawar, Collector, Collectorate of Customs (Enforcement) Peshawar, Dr. Moin-Ud-Din Ahmad Wani, diplomats, officers of the Collectorates/Directorates of all field formations of KP Customs, Clearing Agents and representatives from trade bodies and media. Proceedings of the day began with laying of floral wreath at Yadgar-e-Shuhada at Custom House, Peshawar followed by Guard of Honor. Addressing the ceremony, the Chief Guest, Chairman FBR deliberated upon this year’s World Customs Organisation’s theme i.e “Nurturing the Next Generation: Promoting a Culture of KnowledgeSharing and Professional Pride in Customs.” pr

Dr Shahida Wizarat’s book on ‘Alternative to IMF and Other Out of Box Solutions’ launched

Islamabad: The book launch ceremony of “Alternative to the IMF and Other Out of the Box Solutions” by Dr. Shahida Wizarat was held on Thursday, January 26, 2023. Mr. Bashir Janmohammad, Chancellor IoBM was the honorary Chief Guest at the occasion. He was accompanied by some distinguished speakers including Ambassador (Retired) Syed Hasan Javed, Pakistan's Former Ambassador to Germany, Singapore and Mauritius; Engineer Abdul Jabbar, VP FPCCI; and Mr. Azhar Jamil,Chairman Citizens Alliance and Qaumi Mahaz-e-Azadi. During his welcome address, Mr. Talib Karim, President IoBM said that the IMF has been in the news, particularly with regard to Pakistan’s economy. He urged the need to develop a short-term strategy on how to repay debts that Pakistan owes. “I hope that the right people will read this book and implement the ideas presented,” he added. Expressing his opinion on the facts and perspectives provided in the book, Ambassador Hasan Javed said, “This book is a remarkable addition to the literature available on this subject. pr

Aga Khan University, today, completed a 2-day training session of over 90 doctors from across 30 districts of Sindh, on life saving interventions, including CPR and Bleeding Control. The training was conducted under the ambit of the Pakistan Life Savers Programme (PLSP) hosted in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Government of Sindh, who identified and nominated the participating doctors for the programme.

The training, conducted by the PLSP Secretariat based at AKU’s Centre of Excellence for Trauma and Emergencies (CETE) was designed to equip the participants with essential skills that will help them to effectively train community members in life-saving skills. The participating doctors will now be tasked with disseminating the information further and implementing the programme, particularly in educational institutions, across the province of Sindh. Established in 2020, the Pakistan Life Savers Programme is a collaboration between leading healthcare organizations and the Government of Sindh, with a vision to empower the youth with life-saving skills. The collaborative effort aims to train 10 million citizens over its course of efforts.

To mark the completion of the 2-day training session, AKU hosted a private ceremony with the participating doctors and dignitaries from the Government of Sindh. Those attending included the Honorable Minister of Health, Dr.Azra Pechuho, Parliamentary Secretary of Health, Mr. Qasim Siraj Soomro, and Director General of Health Services, Dr. Jumman Bahoto.

The chief guest of the event, the Honourable Minister of Health, Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho stated "Through an MOU with the AKU's Pakistan Life Savers Programme and with help from PLSP's Master Trainers, we will prepare a force of trainers from the Health Department, Government of Sindh. These trainers will then go on and train the people of Sindh in life-saving skills, districtwise." Assuring full support for the programme, the Minister continued, "We will also be proposing budgetary allocation for the dispensing of life-saving skills in our upcoming budget and will try our best to enforce bystander protection laws".

Court orders government to remove online defamatory content against actors

KArACHI Staff report

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has ordered the federal government, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to inform it of the progress made in removing online defamatory content against actresses Mehwish Hayat and Kubra Khan.

The actresses had moved the court against a slanderous social media campaign motivated by insinuations made by a military critic who apparently accused actors Sajal Ali, Khan, and Hayat of being used as “honey traps” by the top brass of the Pakistan Army.

Adil Raja earlier this month claimed in a YouTube video that some of the nation’s female actors were used by the military to trap politicians. He didn’t name any actors but he ended up revealing the actors’ initials. Soon after the video went viral, social media users were quick to make assumptions that the actors in question are Ali, Khan, and Hayat. During the hearing on Thursday, the court inquired about the progress made in removing the said content.

Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto asked: “The court had issued directives for the removal of content, has [the content] been removed?” tions of the People's Bus Service should be started in Sukkur by January 29.

The federal government, FIA, and PTA officials submitted their replies to the pleas. The government’s lawyer maintained that Hayat’s statement has been recorded while Khan’s statement has yet to be recorded.

He also directed the Managing Director Sindh Mass Transit Authority to visit the remaining routes of the People's Bus Service in Karachi and inspect the ongoing repair work of the routes.

He said that operations of people's bus service bus should be started on routes 4, 5, 6 and 7 of Karachi as soon as possible, so that more and more citizens of Karachi should have access to modern public transport facility.

Secretary Transport Abdul Haleem Sheikh, Managing Director Sindh Mass Transit Authority Zubair Chana, Operations Manager NRTC Abdul Shakoor attended the meeting.

SBP & FBR disconnected from PM's IT Vision Zohaib Khan: Chairman P@SHA

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Zohaib Khan, Chairman of Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), has expressed his profound concerns that despite being fully-backed by the prime minister, the IT export growth initiatives are not being supported by State Bank and FBR.

He added that the seriousness of the Prime Minister lies in the fact that he himself is heading the high-level committee on the country's digital economy and has made Chairman P@SHA part of it. Zohaib Khan stated that PM, on

P@SHA’s request, had advised SBP to ensure commercial banks allow 35 percent retention of foreign currency into special foreign currency accounts (FCYs). This facility was made mandatory for the banks to remove any discretion exercised by the banks; however, commercial banks have made the facility mandatory for the companies as well even if companies do not wish to retain forex.

This has created panic in the industry once again about the uncertainty of policy and its implementation.