HYDERABAD
Gypsy girls enjoy swing at site area
HYDERABAD
EC notifies names of candidates returned from PK-20, PK-21
PESHAWAR, Feb 20 (APP):The Election Commission (EC) of Pakistan has notified the names of candidates returned on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial assembly constituencies including PK-20 Bajaur II and PK-21 Bajaur III.
According to the notification, Anwar Zeb Khan and Ajmal Khan have been returned on Bajaur PK-20 and PK-21respectively.
Anwar Zeb Khan secured 12917 votes while Ajmal Khan secured 16712 votes. The number of votes polled in PK-20 is 40507 and 39827 in PK-21.
Both the candidates have contested elections as independents. The independent candidates may join a political party within three days of issuance of notification under clause 3 of Article 106 of the constitution, said the notification issued here Tuesday.
DCs directed to launch crackdown against polythene bags
PESHAWAR, Feb 20 (APP):Commissioner Mardan Division Shaukat Ali Yousafzai has directed the Deputy Commissioners of Mardan and Swabi to launch crackdown against on the use of polythene bags and its businesses in their respective districts.
He also directed to provide necessary facilities to transporters and passengers at Chamtar Bus Terminal and take stern action against illegal transport stands in the city and immediate transfer of all stands to the new bus terminal.
He issued these directives while addressing a monthly performance and revenue review meeting in his office on Tuesday.
Besides, Additional Commissioner Mardan Division Naeem Akhtar, Deputy Commissioner Mardan Muhammad Fayaz Khan Sherpao, DC Swabi Dr. Tariqullah, Assistant to Commissioner Fazlur Rehman, Assistant and Additional Commissioners of Mardan and Swabi and other relevant officials also attended the meeting.
In the meeting, collection of government revenue in Mardan and Swabi, visits to educational institutions, hospitals and Patwar Khanas by the officers and other issues were reviewed and important decisions were taken in this regard.
Addressing the meeting, Commissioner Mardan Division Shaukat Ali Yousafzai expressed his displeasure over the lack of interest of the concerned Assistant Commissioners in the campaign against polythene bags and directed them to play their role in eradicating this scourge that destroys the environment. He said that negligence in this regard will not be tolerated in any circumstances.
He directed the administrative officers to use all resources to establish the writ of law in their jurisdiction and provide relief to the people.
Shaukat Ali Yousafzai further directed that the officers to hold open courts on a regular basis and ensure that the problems faced by the people are solved at their doorsteps.
HFH becomes state-of- the-art health facility : Dr Jamal
RAWALPINDI, Feb 20 (APP):Caretaker Provincial Minister for Primary and Secondary Health Care and Population Welfare Dr. Jamal Nasir Tuesday said that after revamping Holy Family Hospital(HFH) had become a state-of-the-art hospital compared to any health facility of the country.
He said this while during his visit to HFH here.
Dr Jamal said that hospital was developed on modern lines and would be fully functional soon.
He said that the residents of Rawalpindi and its adjacent area would get the best health care facilities at the hospital.
The minister inspected the Emergency, Medical, Gynecology, Peads and private wards in detail and said that Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi had set examples regarding completion of development projects at fast speed across the province.
He said that apart from Holy Family ,Benazir Bhutto Hospital and District Headquarters Hospital had been restored at the cost of millions of rupee.
Promotion of latest technology imperative to increase agri productivity: Dr Iqrar
FAISALABAD, Feb 20 (APP):University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) Vice Chancellor (VC) Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that promotion of latest technology was imperative to increase per acre agri productivity in the country.
He was addressing the concluding ceremony of a two-day conference titled “emerging technologies for crop improvement” jointly organized by Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics; and Center for Advanced Studies (CAS), University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF).
He said that adoption of modern agricultural technology was indispensable for achieving food self-sufficiency. In the context of climate change, varieties of crops with more resistance will have to be introduced so that the dream of agricultural development can be achieved, he added.
He said, “By increasing per acre production, we can not only achieve food self-sufficiency but economic condition of the farmers would also be improved.”
Pro-Vice Chancellor UAF Dr. Muhammad Sarwar Khan said that the conference provided ample opportunities to implement coordinated efforts.
He said that agricultural golden chapter can be opened by making joint efforts of scientists at the international level.
Dr. Alex Johnson from the University of Melbourne Australia said that there was a dire need to harmonize biosafety laws which was imperative for food security.
Director CAS Dr Sultan Habib Ullah, Dr Shoukat Ali from Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Chairman Plant Breeding and Genetics UAF Dr. Azeem Iqbal Khan, Dr. Rizwana Maqbool, Dr. Raheela Rehman, Dr Aslam, and others were also present on the occasion.
HEC Sindh asks varsities to initiate intra-provincial exchange programs for students
KARACHI, Feb 20 (APP):Chairman of Sindh Higher Education Commission Professor Dr S.M. Tariq Rafi (TI) on Tuesday said that our universities should initiate intra-provincial exchange programs for the students so that they could learn from each other experiences and interact with faculty members of other provinces.
He expressed these views during an inaugural session of the first day of the two-day international conference on the transformation of ideas in Pakistan’s political culture.
The event was jointly organized by the Department of Political Science of the University of Karachi and the Institute of Business Management at the KU Chinese Teachers Memorial Auditorium here.
He said that universities are hub of enhancing skills, learning processes, and mindsets of youngsters and they, directly and indirectly, learn a lot from their faculty members. It is the responsibility of our teachers to interact with them for resolving problems of their students besides teaching them in the best possible way.
Chairman Sindh HEC Professor Dr Tariq Rafi, who was the chief guest in the conference also shared his views on the occasion. It was good to see that a leading public-sector university and a prominent private-sector university have joined hands and shared information among the masses, he said.
KU Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi said that it is important that we promote intercultural harmony in our social and political system so that people of different cultures, languages, and backgrounds can be accepted by all.
He mentioned that creating an environment where diversity is valued will be of great benefit to society.
He said that increasing the participation of women in the national stream is not only a matter of their rights but a need of a progressive society. Emphasizing the presence and voice of women can add more inclusiveness and diversity of perspectives to our decision-making processes, which are essential for social and political progress, he added.
He shared that two-way communication in the education system needs to be strengthened to create an environment where education can truly become a means of imparting knowledge and understanding.
KU VC Prof. Dr Khalid observed that strengthening democratic values and growth of partnerships are very important in the political and social development of Pakistan.
He believes that by following the principles of democracy, we can build a society where everyone has equal rights and every person can have a voice. It is also important to promote democratic values to end intolerance in society so that a healthy and progressive society can be established.
Meanwhile, President of the Institute of Business Management Karachi Talib S. Karim said that universities can play a key role in achieving the majority of sustainable development goals mentioned by the United Nations.
He mentioned that IoBM considers the KU as its elder brother and looks at it to learn and improve in the fields and disciplines that are not offered by the IoBM.
Earlier, the KU Dean of Arts and Social Sciences Professor Dr Shaista Tabasum said that transformation of political ideas is undeniably a pivotal aspect in the evolution of societies, especially in the context of Pakistan’s political landscape.
This conference is a timely and essential endeavor to explore and understand the shifts, challenges, and innovations within the political culture of our state. He said that Pakistan’s political culture is continuously evolving, and it is imperative that scholars, policymakers, and thinkers engage in interdisciplinary discussions to comprehend and contribute to these transformations.
KU chairperson of Department of Political Science Prof. Dr Samina Saeed while sharing views said that political culture is a tapestry woven from the threads of diverse perspectives, historical backgrounds, and cultural nuances. Pakistan, with its rich tapestry of cultures, languages, and historical legacies, is experiencing a continuous evolution in its political thought. She narrated that our goal is to foster a multidisciplinary dialogue that transcends borders, bringing together a diverse group of minds to discuss and share insights on the ever-changing landscape of Pakistan’s political culture.
By promoting top-tier research, we aim to contribute to the global discourse on political transformation and to enhance the international competitiveness of the quality research presented during the conference, she added.
The Conference Secretary Dr Muhammad Ali mentioned that this conference serves as a vital platform for exploring the evolving political landscape of Pakistan.
FBR collections grow by 30% to Rs.5.1 trillion till mid February
ISLAMABAD, Feb 20 (APP):The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) collected Rs.5.150 trillion since July 2023 to mid of February 2024 against Rs.3.973 trillion over the same period last fiscal year, showing growth of 30 percent.
During the course of this period, tax refunds grew by more than 28 percent, according to press statement issue by Finance Ministry here Tuesday.
Overall growth in the domestic taxes has been around 40%, while import duty and related taxes grew by 16% over July 2023 to January 2024 period. The growth in revenues gained momentum as GDP has revived and FBR collection has come under tighter scrutiny.
Notwithstanding, growth in import taxes fell largely due to downward adjustments in import tariffs over the years, and more recently restrictions on import licenses imposed by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to contain balance of payments position in the wake of foreign exchange constraints.
The revenue collection from imports however incorporate the impact of the improvements in the valuation of imports that yielded Rs 151 billion collections as well as anti- smuggling drive that witnessed almost 69 % growth during the current fiscal year compared to last year.
According to the statement, there was scope to enhance anti-smuggling efforts by looking into increasing customs force in Baluchistan which has currently only 378 anti-smuggling staff compared to 20,000 personnel.
The statement termed the revenue mobilization from domestic taxes as a welcome shift, which was now over 64% of the total revenues collected during the current financial year. Concurrently the import taxes shared has declined to 36% from more than 50% just 3 years ago.
This revenue growth was predominantly driven by various sources of taxation. Income tax collections surged from Rs. 1,751 billion to Rs. 2,447 billion, marking a significant 40% increase. Major contributors to income tax included banks, petroleum and oil lubricants (POL) sector, textile industry, power sector, food industry, and various service sectors.
Sales tax collections also experienced notable growth, rising from Rs. 1,480 billion to Rs. 1,766 billion, representing a 19% increase. Key sectors driving this growth were the POL industry, power sector, food sector, automotive industry, iron and steel sector, and chemical industry.
Federal excise collections saw a substantial increase of 61%, climbing from Rs. 190 billion to Rs. 307 billion. This surge was primarily attributed to taxation on tobacco products, cement industry, beverages, airlines, fertilizers, and automotive sector.
Customs duty collections expanded from Rs. 552 billion to Rs. 629 billion, marking a growth rate of 14%. Major contributors to customs duty included the POL sector, automotive industry, iron and steel sector, electronics industry, and food industry.
CM calls cabinet meeting on Feb 23
LAHORE, Feb 20 (APP):Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi has called a farewell meeting of the cabinet on February 23.
Provincial ministers, chief secretary, IG police, Chairman Planning & Development, Senior Member Board of Revenue and secretaries will attend the meeting. This will be the 42nd cabinet meeting.
CM inaugurates new building of Iqbal Town’s OCU
LAHORE, Feb 20 (APP):Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi inaugurated the new building of the Iqbal Town’s Organized Crime Unit (OCU) and reviewed various sections besides commending the quality of the rooftop cafe.
CM Naqvi also inspected model police station Ichra and praised the high standards of the upgradation. He extended congratulations to ASP and her team. The CM emphasized the importance of initiatives for the welfare of the police department and underscored the responsibility of treating citizens well at police stations. IGP apprised about the facilities provided for the citizens.
Secretary (Home), CCPO Lahore, DIG (Operations) and others were also present.