FBR’s data protection efforts commended by OECD assessment team

Fri, 26 Apr 2024, 8:24 PM

ISLAMABAD, Apr 26 (APP): An assessment team of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) global forum on transparency and exchange of information for tax purposes appreciated the efforts of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in upholding international commitments made for protection of exchanged data.

The assessment team of the OECD global forum on Transparency and exchange of information for tax purposes visited Pakistan from 23rd to 25th April, 2024 for onsite assessment of Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) confidentiality and data safeguards, said a news release her on Friday .

The delegation comprised of Tax Policy Advisor OECD Gudrun Jenny Jonsdottir, Technical Advisor Information Security Management OECD Jasmina Trajkovski Ruso, Senior Architect Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore Toh Ginn Shyong and Section Head Information Systems Department Mauritius Revenue Authority Ashwin Luckoo.

The assessment team held details meeting with FBR officials, led by Ms Aisha Farooq, Director General (International Taxes) which was also attended by officials of PRAL and IT Wing of FBR.

Aisha welcomed the delegation and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to exchange of information for mutual benefit as well as ensuring confidentiality and safeguard of exchanged data.

Three-day sessions were attended by the concerned officers for input and discussion of policies and Information Security Framework in place by FBR for maintaining data confidentiality.

The delegation also visited the data center, security operations centre and Automatic Exchange. of Information (AEOI) Centre at FBR (HQs) as well as AEOI Zone, Islamabad.

A joint session was also held with Member (IT) and DG (International Taxes).

Commissioner urges effective action against electricity thef

Waseem Iqbal

Fri, 26 Apr 2024, 8:19 PM

HYDERABAD, Apr 26 (APP): The Divisional Commissioner Hyderabad Ahsan Ali Qureshi on Friday directed the HESCO officials to nominate their focal persons in all the districts of the division so that effective legal action could be taken against the electricity thieves.

He also directed Deputy Commissioners and SSPs of the division to remain in close contact with the HESCO. He was presiding over a meeting regarding electricity theft at his main office here at shahbaz building Hyderabad on Friday.

The Commissioner asked DC to cooperate with the HESCO officers and help them in removal of illegal power connections and recovery of outstanding dues. He underlined the need of improving recovery process from consumers related to industries, agriculture and submit the report in this regard.

The DC Hyderabad Tariq Qureshi informed the meeting that 996 FIRs had been lodged in two circles of HESCO adding that further cooperation of the police was needed in this regard.

The HESCO representatives informed the meeting that the officers of the department were facing difficulties and legal complications for registration of FIRs against electricity thieves.

They assured that the operation against electricity theft would remain continued, while efforts were being made to control agriculture and industrial losses. DC of the division gave a detailed briefing regarding the implementation of the decisions made by the Enforcement Committee regarding recovery, electricity theft and line losses and details of FIRs.

The DC Hyderabad Tariq Qureshi, Superintendent Engineer HESCO and FIA officials attended the meeting while other Deputy Commissioners and concerned officers of the division attended the meeting through video link.

PAK-EPA’s clean lab boosts environmental analysis capabilities with advanced ICP-OES instrument

Waseem Iqbal

Fri, 26 Apr 2024, 8:15 PM

ISLAMABAD, Apr 26 (APP): Central Laboratory for Environmental Analysis and Networking (CLEAN) of Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA), known for its dedication to top-notch environmental analysis, announced the addition of advanced Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) technology here on Friday.

This new equipment upgrade and highlights Pak-EPA’s technical capability to monitor water quality of Islamabad and profile potential pollution sources, a news release said.

CLEAN is a leading environmental analysis facility in Pakistan, equipped with state-of-the-art analytical equipment, specializing in air, water, and soil analysis.

CLEAN Laboratory is committed to providing accurate and reliable environmental data to support regulatory compliance, research projects, and environmental management efforts.

ICP-OES is a powerful tool used to detect and measure small amounts of elements and metals in various types of samples. It helps to explore different environmental materials with great accuracy and speed.

“Today marks a momentous occasion for Pak-EPA,” stated Farzana Altaf Shah, Director General of the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency, alongside Dr. Zaigham Abbas, Director of Lab/NEQS.

The acquisition of ICP-OES instrument revolutionizes our environmental analysis capabilities, enabling us to delve deeper into environmental samples and provide important information about pollution levels and environmental health.

ICP-OES is a versatile analytical technique for environmental analysis, detecting heavy metal contamination in soil, water, and air samples at levels as low as parts per billion (ppb). It also analyzes nutrient levels in agricultural and ecological samples and assesses metal content in industrial effluents. With its multi-element capability, low detection limits, and wide dynamic range, ICP-OES offers efficient and sensitive analysis, making it indispensable for environmental research and management.

In its inaugural operation, the ICP-OES instrument at CLEAN Laboratory analyzed a batch of 140 samples of wastewater from textile industry, further underscoring its efficacy in real-world environmental monitoring applications. Leveraging this technology, we are excited to announce that our new ICP-OES machine has successfully analyzed samples of wastewater from textile industries.

As Pakistan’s top environmental analysis facility, CLEAN Lab is dedicated to providing innovative solutions and scientific expertise to tackle environmental challenges. With the new ICP-OES technology, Directorate of Lab/NEQS continues to lead the way in environmental research and analysis, setting new standards for excellence in environmental monitoring..

IP rights crucial in achieving SDG : Jam Kamal

Waseem Iqbal

Fri, 26 Apr 2024, 8:12 PM

ISLAMABAD, Apr 26 (APP): Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan Friday emphasized the vital role of Intellectual Property (IP) Rights in driving innovation, creativity and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the country.

The minister reaffirmed the governments resolve to prioritize the development of a robust national Intellectual Property (IP) framework that fosters innovation and creativity for ensuring equitable access to the benefits of IP, especially for marginalized communities.

Addressing Seminar organized by Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) in collaboration with Intellectual Property Organization (IPO) to commemorate World Intellectual Property Day 2024, the minister said that Pakistan was blessed with huge natural resources and need to channelize these resources and streamline the direction.

This day holds special significance as we reflect on the crucial role of Intellectual Property in fostering innovation, creativity and ultimately advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), he added.

The theme of the event was IP and SDGs: Building our Common Future with Innovation and Creativity as the event was also attended by the senior officials from the Ministry of Commerce, IPO and businessmen and academia.

Jam Kamal said that government will promote partnerships and collaborations between government, industry, academia, and civil society to drive innovation and entrepreneurship, with a strong emphasis on technologies and solutions that support the achievement of the SDGs.

The minister stressed the need to focus on leveraging IP as a strategic tool to accelerate progress towards the SDGs and said that the Ministry of Commerce was committed to advancing policies that strengthen the IP ecosystem, particularly in relation to sustainable development.

The government was also intended to invest in capacity-building initiatives to enhance awareness and understanding of IP Rights among entrepreneurs, researchers and innovators for enabling them to leverage IP effectively for sustainable development, he added.

He said that the the country was passing through challenging time and stressed the need for bringing more innovation to enhance the competitiveness of local products to capture international markets and to enhance exports from the country.

The minister lauded IPO-Pakistan and the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the commemoration of this important day and expressed the commitment to promote IP Rights and raising awareness.

Highlighting the significance of IP Rights, the minister said that these rights are fundamental drivers of innovation and creativity. He said that it incentivize individuals and businesses to invest in research and development, which in turn leads to the creation of new technologies, products, and services.

This innovation, he said spurred by IP protections, plays a critical role in addressing the challenges outlined in the SDGs, from eradicating poverty and hunger to promoting sustainable economic growth and fostering inclusive societies.

In our pursuit of the SDGs, IP serves as a powerful enabler across various sectors, he said adding that it supports advancements in healthcare by facilitating access to clean water and life-saving medicines and treatments.

The minister said that the IP rights were also vital for sustainable agriculture through the protection of plant varieties and agricultural innovations, adding that it also encourages clean and affordable energy solutions by safeguarding technological developments in renewable energy.

Jam Kamal assured every possible support of the Ministry of Commerce in establishment of expo-center and industrial estate extension projects of the ICCI for strengthening it initiatives to promote trade and investment opportunities in the federal capital.

The minister also sought proposals from the business community to promote and develop business in the country, which he said would also be incorporated in upcoming federal budget for the financial year 2024-25.

Addressing the event, President ICCI Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari urged the need of a proper mechanism for the strict implementation of IP rights.

He also urged the for rationalizing the power tariff in order to make the local products more competitive and capture due space in global markets as well as increasing exports to achieve sustainable economic development and social prosperity.

Character building imperative for promotion of tolerance: Punjab governor

Waseem Iqbal

Fri, 26 Apr 2024, 8:09 PM

FAISALABAD, Apr 26 (APP): Governor Punjab Muhammad Baleegh-ur-Rehman has said that the teachers should concentrate on character building of their students as it is imperative to promote tolerance and brotherhood in society.

Addressing the 4th convocation of Government College Women University Faisalabad (GCWUF) here on Friday, he said that the Islam has made education compulsory for every individual as it boosts the hidden abilities and capabilities of the people. However, without character building, the education is not beneficial.

He said that the education without ethics has no value and we must focus on the character building of the younger generation to stabilize the economy by promoting our Islamic values.

He urged the students to focus on their study and create leadership ability as they would have to lead the nation in their practical life.

He also advised them to always follow truthfulness as it is the only key of success in this world and hereafter.

He said that Nawaz Sharif during his tenure promoted education by establishing new universities as he believed that Pakistan could only make progress through education. The developed nations always emphasized on promotion of education but unfortunately a government came in the near past reduced education budget in Pakistan, he added.

He said that the technology has totally changed the global scenario. Hence, our scientists should accelerate their efforts to introduce new inventions so that we could compete with rest of the world.

He said that the government has set its priority to eliminate corruption from every sphere of life as it was the root cause of crises and no nation could attain progress and prosperity goals without eradicating corruption.

Earlier, GCWUF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Zill-e-Huma Nazli presented welcome address and highlighted achieved of her university.

On this occasion, the governor Punjab also conferred degrees to the university graduates in addition to decorating the position holders with medals.

As many as 3560 university graduates including 10 PhD scholars, 142 M.Phil, 296 MA/MSc, 54 ADP/Bed, 2966 BS Degree program were awarded degrees whereas 43 position holders were decorated with gold medals, 51 with silver medals and 83 with bronze medals.

LHC CJ meets HCBA Multan delegation

Waseem Iqbal

Fri, 26 Apr 2024, 8:05 PM

LAHORE, Apr 26 (APP): A delegation from the High Court Bar Association (HCBA) Multan, led by President Malik Sajjad Haider Maitla, met Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan on Friday.

The delegation also included Secretary-General Syed Anees Mehdi and Senior Advocate Malik Masroor Haider Usman.

The delegation extended an invitation to the chief justice to visit the High Court Bar Association Multan at the earliest. The leaders of the lawyers apprised the chief justice of the issues faced by the bar associations in the Multan division and discussed matters of mutual interest.

They praised the initiatives taken by the chief justice for the convenience of lawyers and litigants and offered suggestions for the welfare of the bar associations.

President of the High Court Bar Association Multan requested the chief justice to increase the number of judges at the LHC’s Multan Bench, as the current shortage was causing a backlog of cases. He also suggested that lawyers from the Multan bar be considered for appointment as judges in the LHC.

Additionally, the delegation demanded air conditioners and 500 executive chairs for the High Court Bar Association Multan’s conference hall, adequate funds for lawyers’ welfare, and the establishment of a ladies’ bar room and day care center for female bar members.

The chief justice said that the provision of speedy and quality justice was the top priority of the LHC, and lawyers might support in making the justice system more effective. He promised to address the issues of the Multan division bar associations on a priority basis and utilize all available resources for the welfare of young lawyers.