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Murad inaugurates five new sections at Arts Council of Pakistan

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KARACHI, Jan 16 (APP): Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Monday visited the Arts Council of Pakistan, here and inaugurated its five new sections, namely Josh Malihabadi Library, Studio- I, Studio- II, Ahmad Parvez Art Gallery, and Cafe D’Art.

He was accompanied by Provincial Minister for Education and Culture Syed Sardar Shah.

Speaking at the oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected governing body of the Arts Council, the chief minister said that the Arts Council had woven together the people of Pakistan with art and literature. “This assimilation can only be made with art, dance, poetry, and interaction which promote mutual respect and love,” he said.

The chief minister appreciated the role and hard work of President of the Arts Council Ahmed Shah in promoting literary activities.

Ahmed Shah said that Pakistan Literature Festival would be held in Lahore from February 10 to 12, after which “it will be held in Gwadar and other cities of Pakistan. Then, such festivals will be held in other countries, including the United States, London, and Dubai.”

Sardar Shah said that the provincial government had established Arts Councils in all the divisional headquarters of the province and their affiliation with the Karachi Arts Council would help promote literary activities, all over Sindh.

Earlier, the chief minister administered oath to the newly elected office bearers of the Council and congratulated them on their success.

Vice President of the Arts Council Munawar Saeed, Secretary Ejaz Farooqui, Joint Secretary Noor-ul-Huda Shah, Treasurer Qudsia Akbar, Members Governing Body Ghazi Salahuddin, Dr Jafar Ahmed, Shahnaz Wazir Ali, Nusrat Haris, Amjad Siraj Memon, Akhlaq Ahmed, Syed Shehzad Raza Naqvi, Dr Huma Mir, Dr Ayoub Sheikh, Saadat Jafri, Farrukh Shahab, Chand Gul Shah, Najia Ashar, Ambareen Haseeb Ambar, Dr Qaiser Sajjad, Asjad Bukhari took oath of their respective offices.

ECP suspends membership of 271 parliamentarians

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 16 (APP): The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday suspended the membership of a total of 271 lawmakers due to their failure to submit details of their assets and liabilities.

According to details, the ECP suspended the membership of 271 lawmakers after they failed to submit mandatory statement of their assets and liabilities that is required to be filed at the year-end.


The parliamentarians suspended by the ECP include 136 members of the National Assembly, 21 from the Senate, 54 from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly, 48 from the Sindh Assembly and 12 from the Baluchistan Assembly.


As per the notification, the suspended members include Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Ahsan Iqbal, Khawaja Asif and Mohsin Ranjha, and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui.


The election commission has forwarded the lists of the members to the respective speakers of the houses, asking them to ensure the listed members stop working.


The ECP said that lawmakers cannot participate in parliamentary proceedings and their membership will remain suspended until they submit their respective statements.


The ECP seeks asset details under Section 42A of the Representation of the People’s Act, 1976, and Section 25A of the Senate (Elections) Act, 1975.


Earlier in January, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had given a deadline to the parliamentarins for submitting the details of their assets by January 15.


The ECP released a list of parliamentarians from the Lower and Upper Houses, as well as from the provincial assemblies who failed to submit asset details.


The commission stated in a notification that some lawmakers did not submit their statements of the assets despite the expiry of the December 31 deadline. It asked the lawmakers to submit the details of their assets to the ECP by January 15, otherwise, their membership will be suspended on January 16.

A view of leafless of trees along road in G7 during winter season

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A view of leafless of trees along road in G7 during winter season
APP27-160123 ISLAMABAD

China condoles over loss of lives in Nepal plane crash

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BEIJING, Jan 16 (APP): China on Monday condoled over heavy casualties caused by the passenger plane crash in Nepal, and expressed deep condolences and sympathy with the bereaved families of victims.

“This tragic incident is deeply saddening. At this moment of grief, as Nepal’s close neighbour and long-standing true friend, China offers its thoughts to the people of Nepal,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said during his regular briefing.

“We mourn for the victims of the crash and offer our heartfelt sympathy to the families who have lost loved ones,” he added.

According to reports, a Nepalese passenger plane carrying 68 passengers and four crew members from Kathmandu to Pokhara crashed and caught fire on Wednesday.

Barrick Gold sets 2028 as target for first production from Reko Diq

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 16 (APP): Barrick Gold Corporation Chief Executive Mark Bristow said that the company had set 2028 as the target for starting the first production from the giant copper-gold mine Reko Diq in Balochistan.

It was also planning to complete the Reko Diq feasibility study update by the end of 2024, said Mark Bristow in a news release on Monday.

The chief executive’s statement came in the backdrop of the completion of the legal processes and definitive transaction agreements last month.

According to the press release, Reko Diq will be operated by Barrick, which owns 50% of the project, with Balochistan holding 25% and three Pakistani state-owned enterprises sharing the remaining 25%. The shareholding structure is in line with Barrick’s policy of benefit-sharing partnerships with its host countries.

As part of a three-day project review that started in Quetta, Bristow, accompanied by senior Barrick executives, met with Balochistan chief minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo and other provincial leaders to brief them on the extensive social and economic development opportunities that would be generated by the mine, which is expected to have a life of at least 40 years.

The meeting was attended by a wide spectrum of provincial stakeholders and leaders, including opposition leader Malik Sikandar Khan (JUI-F) and leaders of the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Jamiat Ullema Islam (JUI-F), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and Awami National Party (ANP).

After the meeting, Bristow and the chief minister signed a memorandum of agreement which specifies the timetable for the disbursement of committed funds to the province, including advance royalties and social development funds, ensuring that the people of Balochistan start earning benefits from the project well before the mine goes into production. The agreement provides for an initial payment of $3 million this month.

Barrick is working to set up community development committees to identify priority projects focused on food security, environmental management, and access to education, healthcare, and potable water.

In Islamabad, Bristow met with Minister of State (Petroleum Division) Musadik Malik and reaffirmed Barrick’s goal to be a partner to Pakistan for decades to come and to contribute meaningfully to the development of the country’s highly prospective mining sector.

Implementation of CCP laws can cut prices by 30pc: Rahat Kaunain

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LAHORE, Jan 16 (APP): Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) Chairperson Rahat Kaunain said on Monday that complete implementation on competition laws would reduce the prices of essential items by 25 to 30 percent, end the cartel of different sectors and convert the Pakistan’s economy into a functional economy.

She expressed these views in a discussion programme with members of Lahore Economic Journalist Association (LEJA) here. LEJA Presidnt Muhammad Sudhir Chaudhry, other office-bearers and members were also present.


Rahat Kaunain added that since Pakistan was passing through difficult economic situation, the enforcement of competition laws was need of the hour.


The competition laws protected the consumers’ interests and made consumers day to day life easy, she said and asserted that an effective enforcement was the only way to protect the consumers. She called for making a National Competition Policy to create awareness among the stakeholders.

Furthermore, a regulatory tribunal should be established which would deal the cases related to the regulators, as this would speed up disposing of the cases with the regulators and improve overall investment and business environment, she added.


She also shared the details of different inquiries against the cartels and uncompetitive behaviors of various sectors, adding that commercial banks were cooperating with the CCP.


Rahat Kaunain mentioned that CCP could be more effective with the support of the other government regulators. Mutual cooperation of the all government regulators was vital for improved service delivery of government to the public, she added.


On cement sector inquiry, she said that for south region (Punjab and KP) cement plants were completed and for north region (Sindh and Balochistan), All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association took stay from the court, which was still not vacated.

The inquiry of power Distribution Companies (DISCOs) procurement of raw materials (transformers, steel structures, meters and cables) through tenders were underway. The court decision in poultry industry price cartel was very positive and it would pave way for future decisions, she added.


Similarly, the CCP had initiated an inquiry of six mega players of property and real estate of Islamabad-Rawalpindi on deceptive marketing for ensuring up to 400 percent returns to the investments made in their projects, she said and added that the CCP would expand the scope of this inquiry to other parts of the country after its completion.


Rahat Kaunain observed that people invested in the plots and properties with guaranteed growth and returns so that other sectors remained unattractive for investment. She suggested that government should facilitate and incentive the other sectors so the people made investments there and discouraged investments in real estate and property business through policy regulations.


She mentioned that price fixation in the fertilizer sector was possible which ultimately impacted positively all the agriculture produce and consumers. The inquiry of the automobile sector was also underway, and Pakistan was lagging far behind from India on safety regulations of automobiles. Indian automobile ensuring over 70 percent safety regulations in vehicles while Pakistan was still stood at 11 percent, she cited.


The CCP had recommended the provincial governments to review wheat regulations, procurement, and flour mills quota as there were loopholes in the whole process, she added.

PPP celebrates victory in LG polls

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HYDERABAD, Jan 16 (APP): Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has won a clear majority in Hyderabad division in the recent local bodies elections

held here on Sunday and as per the unofficial results.

The mayor of Hyderabad will be of the Pakistan Peoples Party.

After the preliminary results of the local government elections, the PPP has secured a clear majority in all nine districts of Hyderabad division and would be able to elect chairmen in each district council and the municipal corporations of the division.

PPP workers celebrated and congratulated each other in all cities of the division, including Hyderabad, after the declaration of results, announced by Returning officers of the relevant districts.

The biggest celebration was held here at the divisional headquarter which continued till late Sunday night.

Meanwhile, the victorious candidates of PPP along with hundreds of their workers reached Rawal House in Tando Jam and raised loud slogans of Jai Bhutto and thanked Sharjeel Memon for his support.