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GB Council approves Timber, Tourism policies; annual budget

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GILGIT, May 19 (APP): The Gilgit Baltistan Council Thursday gave approval to the much-awaited policies to promote tourism, enhance the forest cover in Gilgit Baltistan and discourage illegal tree cutting.

The working plan of the timber policy was presented by GB’s Secretary Forest, Sajjad Haider in the Council session held here under the chair of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif as chairman council.

Besides taking up other agenda items, the House also approved the Council’s annual budget for fiscal year 2015-16 with a total outlay of Rs 831.925 million.

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan jointly working to achieve peace in region: Envoy

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ISLAMABAD, May 19 (APP): Saudi Arabia Ambassador to Pakistan Abdullah Al Zahrani on Thursday said Pakistan and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) are working closely to achieve peace in the region.

He expressed these view during a meeting with Pakistan KSA
Friendship group here at the Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services (PIPS).

“Relation between Pakistan and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is
heart to heart which needs no words for expression,” he said.

Consensus on ToRs to be develop soon for independent accountability: MNA

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ISLAMABAD, May 19, (APP): Member National Assembly (MNA) of PML-N, Dr. Ramesh Kumar Thursday hoped that the consensus on accountability system would be developed soon like all political stakeholders agreed on elections reforms.

Talking to newsmen outside the Parliament House, he said the politicians who were hurling allegations against his party leadership were found involved in Panama scandal.

Those people, he was of the view that now wanted to run from their accountability.

Special Economic Zones (Amendment) Bill passed in NA

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ISLAMABAD, May 19 (APP): The National Assembly on Thursday passed the Special Economic Zones (Amendment), Bill, 2016 aimed at making the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) regime more investment and business friendly and encourage development of SEZs in vaiours parts of the country.

State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmed moved the bill to further amend the Special Economic Zones Act, 2012 [The Special Economic Zones (Amendment) Bill, 2016] in the House.

“The statement of objects and reasons says that Special Economic Zones Act, 2012 was promulgated to encourage industrial infrastructure in the country. The purpose was to facilitate domestic and foreign investors to invest in manufacturing sectors of Pakistan offering them special exemptions and inventive leading to reduced cost of doing business with efficient infrastructure.”

NHA operates 75 total plazas, collecting Rs 96,376.11 million upto financial year 2015-16

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ISLAMABAD, May 19(APP) Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab said Thursday presently there were a total of 75 total plazas built on national highways, collecting Rs 96,376.11 million from financial year 2001-01 to 2015-2016 across the country.

Answering a question in the Senate, the minister said the total toll plazas included 65 manual and added the length of National Highway Authority (NHA) network had gradually increased from 8,690 km (year 2000) to 12,131 km at present.

He said the NHA was maintaining 33 national highways, motorways, strategic roads.

Pak policy contours rooted in peace, prosperity: Fatemi

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ISLAMABAD, May 19 (APP): Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi has said that the Government of Pakistan’s domestic and external foreign policy contours are embedded in the objectives of maintaining peace, security, social cohesion and economic prosperity.

He was addressing Geneva Center for Security Policy (GCSP), a leading think-tank, on the topic ‘security dimensions of Pakistan’ Foreign Policy and the regional context’, said a message received here from Geneva on Wednesday.

Fatemi elaborated Pakistan’s relationship with all its
neighbours and the important world powers and focussed in particular on Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif’s commitment for a peaceful neighbourhood and regional connectivity.

British High Commission thanks Pakistan for extradition of Zubair

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ISLAMABAD, May 19 (APP) British High Commission to Islamabad Thomas Drew Thursday thanked Pakistan for extraditing of Mohammad Zubair who was accused of double murder in the United Kingdom.

“I am delighted that the hard work of the Pakistani authorities, West Yorkshire police and at the British High Commission has paid off.

The first extradition from Pakistan to the UK for ten years is an important achievement, and shows the value of British-Pakistani cooperation,” said Drew according a statement of the British High Commission issued here.

Yousaf vowes ensuring same day start of Ramzan-ul-Mubarik across country

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ISLAMABAD, May 19 (APP): Minister for Religious Affairs and
Interfaith Harmony Sardar Muhammad Yousaf Thursday vowed starting consultation process with Ulema and scholars for ensuring same day celebration of Ramzan-ul-Mubarak and Eid-ul-Fitr.

Talking to reporters, after distributing cash prizes and merit
certificates among the winners of 32nd Hifz-o-Qirat competition, he said a meeting of Ulema and scholars would be convened before Ramazan-ul-Mubarik for evolving consensus on same day starting the holy month across the country.

He said the next meeting of Ruet-e-Hilal committee should be held in Peshawar.

Matter of MQM representation in Parliamentary committee to be resolved soon: Ishaq Dar

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ISLAMABAD, May 18 (APP): Minister for Finance Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar Wednesday said that matter of inclusion of MQM representative in Parliamentary committee would be resolved soon as the government gives regard to the mandate of MQM.

Talking to a private news channel, he said no member from MQM was included in six members list for the said committee by the opposition but the government have contacted them to sought out the matter.

He said that Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif was ready to present himself first for the accountability on Panama papers if the commission asked him.

Dar chairs meeting to review proposals on improvement in laws regulating flow of foreign exchange

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ISLAMABAD, May 18 (APP): Finance Minister Senator
Mohammad Ishaq Dar Wednesday chaired a high level here to review proposals and recommendations on bringing about improvement and changes in the laws regulating the inflow and outflow of foreign exchange in the country, as well as disclosure of assets held abroad by Pakistanis.

State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Securities and Exchange
Commission of Pakistan(SECP), and Federal Board of
Revenue(FBR), submitted their separate reports, in the context of Finance Minister’s instructions given earlier on evolving the methodology to plug loopholes in the system that allow tax evasion and illegal transfer of foreign exchange from the country.

The three institutions also made presentations on the
progress with regard to the Finance Minister’s directives for cross verification and investigation in cases of persons having resident status and holding interest in off shore companies as disclosed in the Panama Papers.