KARACHI, Feb 13 (APP): Following were the Opening Rates of foreign currencies in kerb market issued by the Exchange companies Association
of Pakistan, here on Tuesday.
F.C. BUYING SELLING
INTER BANK 279.30 279.40
USD 279.25 281.25
EURO 300.00 304.00
GBP 351.50 355.50
JPY 1.85 1.95
AED76.40 77.20
SAR74.50 75.20
CAD 206.00 209.00
AUD 180.00 183.00
ISLAMABAD, Feb 13 (APP): Pakistan Railways has generated revenue worth over Rs 6.84 million through utilizing its 23 saloons and inspection coaches for commercial purposes, during the last four years.
“At present, Pakistan Railways has only 23 saloons and inspection coaches with different dignitaries of the country who are entitled to use these saloons when needed,” an official in the Ministry of Railways told APP.
Giving the details, he said, “Two highly luxurious coaches have been allocated for the Prime Minister’s Secretariat while four coaches have been allocated for the Minister for Railways, Secretary/Chairman of Railways, and another senior official in the ministry.”
The official said, “Only one saloon has been allocated to the federal government while one each has been allocated to the Governors of Sindh, Balochistan, Punjab, and the provincial governments.”
In addition, eight saloons had been allocated for the Railway Headquarters Lahore, in which one each would be marked to Chief Executive Officer/General Manager (BS-22), Additional General Manager BS-21, Inspector General Railway Police, Federal Government Inspector, and four salons were allocated for Principal Officers, he added.
The official said six saloons had been allocated for Divisional Superintendents of Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Quetta, Sukkur, Lahore, and Karachi.
He said that the Principal Officers of Pakistan Railways were entitled to travel at these saloons or inspection coaches only when they were on duty.
Above all, they said luxury saloons were also available for private travel on a rental basis.
The official said the saloons were very luxurious and had two rooms, a bath, a dining area, and a kitchen like a tiny house on wheels with the availability of every facility.
He said some of these saloons were inspection coaches and their back wall was made of glass from where officers could view the track and surrounding area.
“Pakistan Railways officers are not entitled to use this facility other than duty and all these salons are mostly 40-50 years old,” he added.
To a question, he said Pakistan Railways has launched an awareness campaign to educate the public about the risks associated with trespassing, crossing railway tracks, and carrying prohibited items such as gas cylinders, weapons without a license, cartridges, drugs, and daggers.
“The campaign is launched on the directives of Minister for Railways Shahid Ashraf Tarar and Secretary Syed Mazhar Ali Shah which will not help the department to control accidents but also win the confidence of the passengers of the rail” he said.
The official said, “Pakistan Railways will use all the social media platforms including print, electronic media, Twitter, Facebook, poster and pamphlets to create an awareness among the citizens about a safe train journey.”
He said the department has also asked all the divisional superintendents to ensure checking of luggage of passengers at entry points with scanners, metal detectors and walkthrough gates.
The official said Pakistan Railways had always given importance to the safety of citizens and its passengers.
“It has been directed to discourage and stop those passengers who are carrying prohibited products. It is suggested to install emergency doors and auto-lock doors in coaches in case of any emergency,” he added.
The official urged the citizens to stop at the level crossing before crossing the track, look on both sides of the track and wait for the train to pass if any train was coming.
He said that double whistle boards had been provided at most level crossings where train drivers were bound to play horns to warn the road users about train arrival.
MUZAFFARGARH, Feb 13 (APP): About 1642 power pilferers were held red-handed from September 7 2023 to 10 February 2024,
According to a statement issued by Multan Electric Power Company (MPECO) on Tuesday, the drive against power stealing was launched at the direction of the Prime Minister which is yet going on in MEPCO divisions of Muzaffargarh, Kot Addu, Layyah, Alipur, and Khan Garh.
A total fine worth Rs. 80,314,285 was imposed on the consumers hailing from across the circle.
First Investigation Reports (FIRs) against 1642 electricity thieves were also registered with the respective police stations.
About 1414 electricity thieves were arrested by MEPCO teams in the circle during the given period.
1569 domestic consumers were found involved in electricity theft in different parts of the circle.
More than 59 commercial, eight tube wells and six industries were caught stealing electricity and fined
PESHAWAR, Feb 13 (APP): FIA Commercial Banking Circle Peshawar, on Tuesday arrested three illegal money exchangers and recovered 2500 Saudi riyals and Rs 1.52 million.
According to the spokesman of FIA, the suspects identified as Haseebullah, Muhammad Saqib and Zabihullah were arrested from Chowk Yadgar, Ashraf Road and Nishtarabad areas here.
During the raids, hundi references and records related to foreign currency exchange were also recovered from the accused.
SARGODHA, Feb 13 (APP): Eight people were arrested over driving without a license, here on Tuesday.
According to official sources, traffic police teams checked vehicles and motorcycles by setting a blockade at Lahore road,46-NB,Pull111-SB and found Shahbaz,Ghulam Sarwar,Muzaffar Khan,Abdul Razzaq,Shahid, Muhammad Nisar,Yaqoob and Suleman over driving without a license.
Cases were registered against the violators and their vehicles were also impounded.
SARGODHA, Feb 13 (APP):Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO) task force team caught six power pilferers during an ongoing crackdown launched here on Tuesday.
According to official sources, the task force teams raided various areas and caught six accused involved in electricity theft from main lines and meter tampering.They also imposed a fine of Rs351,321 on them.
On a report of FESCO, police concerned registered cases.
PESHAWAR, Feb 13 (APP):Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday granted protective bail to former PTI ministers Atif Khan and Shahram Khan Tarakai.
The court has granted bail to both provincial ministers in all cases till the next hearing on February 19.
ISLAMABAD, Feb 13 (APP):The Central Directorate of National Savings (CDNS) has achieved a target of Rs 1020 billion in fresh bonds in the current fiscal year, from July 1 to February 09th, 2023-24.
The CDNS surpassed the annual target and achieved the target of Rs 1.6 trillion in fresh bonds in the current fiscal year, the senior official of CDNS told APP here on Tuesday.The senior official said this was a Rs 200 billion additional annual target than the target of Rs 1300 billion for the previous financial year 2021-22. “The CDNS has set a reviewed saving target of Rs 1.4 trillion for the current financial year (2021-22) which will promote savings culture in the country,” he said.
Given the current market trend in the country, the ambitious target had been set to improve the savings culture further, he said.
The official said that work was being done on institutional reforms in CDNS and new reforms and innovations were being introduced.”At this time Automated Teller Machine (ATM) has also been introduced in CDNS which will provide enough facilities to the users,” he added.
Replying to a question, he said the CDNS had collected an investment of Rs 55 billion by January 9, 2023-24, through Islamic investment bonds. The official added that the directorate had set a target of Rs 75 billion for the new financial year 2023-24 for Islamic finance bonds.
Replying to a question; he said the CDNS aimed to introduce new dimensions in the Islamic finance sector.
He informed the directorate that it had reviewed and set a target of Rs 60 billion in the fiscal year (2022-23) for Islamic investment to introduce new products in the market.”Islamic finance has a very important role in the global financial sector at this time, and a large part of the economy of many major countries currently includes Islamic finance,” he added.
ISLAMABAD, Feb 13 (APP): In the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, the prices of fruits and vegetables have increased by 28 per cent in the last two weeks.
According to the market survey conducted by APP here on Tuesday, the prices of vegetables and fruits, especially onions and tomatoes, peas, cabbage, apple gourd, garlic, ginger, beans, cucumber, carrots, and fruits including apples, pomegranates, bananas, citrus, and oranges, have increased by 28 per cent from the last two months.
Since last week, various varieties of fruits, including apples, have been sold at Rs 250 to Rs 280, pomegranates at Rs 350 to 380, bananas at Rs 140 to Rs 160, citrus at Rs 220 to 250, and oranges at Rs 250 per kilo/ dozen.
Similarly, among vegetables, peas cost Rs 200 to 250, cucumbers Rs 120, apple gourds Rs 150, onions Rs 200 to 210, and garlic and ginger cost Rs 580 to 600 rupees per kg.
According to the survey, the price of poultry chicken reached Rs 400 to 420 per kg, and the price of poultry eggs reached Rs 420 per dozen in the open market in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
The meat of the poultry chicken has reached Rs 770 per kg in the open market. The prices of poultry items have increased by 15 per cent in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
During the last three months in the twin cities, a 13 per cent increase was witnessed in the price of poultry chicken, while there was a 15 per cent increase in the price of poultry eggs in the same period.
Meanwhile, talking to APP, the Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) has also called for a further increase in the prices of chicken, and there was an increase observed in the prices of poultry items in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
On this occasion, poultry feed industrialists and the ex-president of the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr Sarosh, said that soybeans are included in the basic ingredients of poultry feed.
A government servant, Saeed Ahmed, said that at present, the middle class is worried about current inflation, and the administration should create a price control mechanism
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