ISLAMABAD, Mar 14 (APP):Minister of Water & Power, Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari on Wednesday said the government is set to submit National Electric Policy next month in Council of Common Interests to get its approval.
The policy, finalized in collaboration with provinces would help determine demand, supply and future sources of power generation, he said this while addressing a Lighting Pakistan Conference on Solar Off-Grid Opportunities here.
“The policy will play a major role in reducing tariff, which will be based on international competitive bidding,” Awais Leghari said.
The Conference was organized by International Finance Corporation (IFC) – World Bank Group in collaboration with Pakistan Microfinance Investment Company Limited (PMIC), Lighting Asia and Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB).
He said supplying electricity to off-grid areas is one of the priority areas on which work is already in progress.
The Minister said there has been improvement in electric transmission system but emphasized to improving a distribution system for which efforts are being made to achieve better results.
He said, the government has been working to reduce load-shedding for on-grid population, adding that “We are trying no load-shedding in those areas where feeders are in less losses and we are hoping in current year power supply would improve as compared to last year.
Awais Leghari said, “We can save Rs. 150 billion annually in case tubewells in Balochistan are shifted on solar energy.
He said there is also need to introduce solar tube wells in Southern Punjab.
The Minister said Alternate Energy Development Board, IFC and PMIC have to play their role and need to work together for enforcing quality standards for solar Photovoltaic products.
He said off-grid solar solution is very successful in many countries and “We should also adopt Solar Power System solutions for better results.”

The event aimed to provide a platform for manufacturers, distributors, retailers and financial institutions to forge synergies and increase the availability of high quality solar lighting solutions.

The Lighting Asia/Pakistan programme supports the emergence and growth of the modern market for modern, affordable and high quality off-Grid solar energy products in Pakistan.

Lighting Asia/Pakistan also aimed to ensure that 1.5 million Pakistani have access to modern energy services for lighting and associated services and has reached half of its impact goal after three years of operation.

ISLAMABAD, Mar 14 (APP):Minister for Water Resources Syed Javed Ali Shah on Wednesday apprised the National Assembly that water was being provided to Sindh as per 1991 Water Accord.

Replying to a Calling Attention Notice raised by Nawab Muhammad Yusuf Talpur and others regarding non-compliance of the Water Accord 1991, the minister said 36 per cent water shortage was estimated for the current season.

He said more water was provided to Sindh than its share. A total 9.13 Million Acre Feet (MAF) against 8.70 MAF share was provided to Sindh while 11.9 MAF against 12.09 MAF share was provided to Punjab.

The minister said both Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa did not utilize their share and more water was provided to Sindh.

He said the Speaker National Assembly had also set up a committee to settle grievance of the members.

ISLAMABAD, March 14 (APP):The Supreme Court on Wednesday appointed two chartered accountants Syed Shabr Hassan Rizvi and Mahmood Mandviwala as amicus curiae in a case regarding bank accounts of Pakistanis abroad.
The three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and comprising Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Ijazul Ahsan heard the suo moto notice case pertaining to laundered money in bank accounts of foreign countries.
The chief justice observed that if the money was sent abroad without justification then it would be disastrous for the country.
He observed that the government could not get benefit from the amnesty scheme due to flaws in the laws.
During the course of proceedings, Additional Attorney General Rana Waqar informed the court that a three-member committee had prepared a report on formulation of guidelines.
The chief justice after reviewing the report asked the Secretary Finance that it was not a affective report rather it was an ambiguous one.
He remarked that the government should take steps to bring back the looted money from foreign countries within 15 days.
He observed that several people had looted the public money and sent it abroad that caused the destruction of the country’s national exchequer. He also asked why the people, who were included in the Panama and Paradise scandals, were not being traced.
He also asked the Secretary Finance to inform the court about properties owned by Pakistanis in abroad.
The Finance secretary told the court that the government was pondering over change in the Finance Act to halt the people to send money abroad and the parliament would likely to take steps in that regard in a few days.
Justice Umar Ata Bandial asked Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Tariq Mahmood Pasha that whether the FBR was going to offer two to five percent amnesty. The FBR chairman said that it was not correct.
The court remarked that the court would hear the case daily after next hearing on March 20 which was scheduled at the Karachi registry.

ISLAMABAD, March 14 (APP):Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar Wednesday said he had received another letter from absconding Sindh police officer Rao Anwar, requesting the court to unfreeze his bank accounts.
A three-member SC bench headed by the CJP and comprising Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Ijazul Ahsan heard the case regarding extrajudicial killing of Naqeebullah Mehsud in Karachi by a police party led by former Malir Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rao Anwar.
During the course of proceedings, the chief justice observed, “I do not know whether the letter is real or fake.” He expressed dissatisfaction over the progress in the murder case. Reports were being presented in the court but there was no progress, he added.
Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Sohail Mehmood informed the court that all the suspected individuals had switched off their mobile phones.
The Inter-Services Intelligence had said that it was providing technical assistance to Sindh police while the Military Intelligence said that it had limited technical means to trace the suspects but it was still aiding the civilian law enforcement agencies, the DAG added.
The CJP asked Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) A D Khowaja whether he was being assisted by the intelligence agencies.
The IGP responded in the affirmative, saying the initial first information report (FIR) of the incident, claiming Naqeebullah and three others killed in the encounter were militants, had been dismissed.
Advocate Faisal Siddiqui, representing Naqeebullah’s father, said questions were being raised on the authority of the state as only 10 of the 24 accused had been arrested so far.
The chief justice ordered the Sindh police chief to give the court an in-camera briefing on the next hearing regarding Anwar’s escape from the Islamabad airport.
Later, hearing of the case was adjourned till Friday.

ISLAMABAD, Mar 14 (APP):Pakistan has been elected as member of the governing boards of Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Subsidiary Organs during the 41st session of the Islamic Commission for Economic, Cultural and Social Affairs (ICECS) being held in Jeddah from March 13-15, 2018.
The OIC subsidiary organs include: i) Islamic Centre for the Development of Trade (ICDT), Headquarters; Casablanca ii) Islamic University of Technology (IUT), Headquarters; Dhaka iii) Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA), Headquarters; Istanbul, said a press statement issued here on Wednesday.
Pakistan’s election to these organs reflects its deep engagement with the OIC and its endeavours to enhance cooperation in various fields among the Muslim countries. It also makes manifestation of the trust and confidence that Pakistan enjoys among the OIC member countries.
Pakistan would play an active role in these bodies to promote intra OIC trade, excellence in education and development in Islamic art and culture. The country is host to the OIC Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH).

ISLAMABAD, Mar 14 (APP):The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has declared Pakistan as the largest country for giving shelter to refugees in the world and most of them refugees were belonging to Afghanistan.
As per the UNHCR report, Pakistan hosting the largest number of refugees in the country and as many as 1.45 million were hailing from Afghanistan.
Report added that Pakistan unconditionally hosted the millions of refugees and provides best possible facilities to these affected people of different countries especially Afghanistan citizens when the war on the peak in its country and still 1.45 million are living in Pakistan.
Pakistan continued hosted Afghan refugees for more than three decades, it added. Similarly, the voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan to their own country was also the largest in the world, report stated.
Since March 2002, UNHCR has facilitated the return of approximately 4.1 million registered Afghans from Pakistan, it added.

ISLAMABAD, Mar 14 (APP):Federal Minister for Human Rights, Mumtaz Ahmed Tarar on Wednesday said National Commission for Human Rights
(NCHR) must focus its research and advocacy efforts to counter the regressive trends of bigotry, hate speech and intolerance in the country.
“Religious extremism and intolerance must be combatted and thwarted in unison by the state, civil society and the masses”, he commented.
While addressing the officers and staff of NCHR at its head office, the minister vowed that for the cause of protection of human rights, the financial and administrative independence and autonomy of NCHR will be supported, said a news release.
Chairman NCHR Justice (R) Ali Nawaz Chowhan thanked the minister for steadfast support to NCHR to fulfill its statutory mandate of promotion and protection of human rights.
He said NCHR will compile a comprehensive report on rebutting the false narrative of obscurantism and the promotion of fundamental constitutional rights and universal human values.
On the occasion, Justice Chowhan presented the 2017’s Annual Report and 24 research reports of NCHR on various human rights issues to the federal minister.
Mumtaz Tarar reiterated his disapproval for the superficial analysis of human rights issues, manufactured by pseudo-intellectuals and stressed the significance of genuine research at the grass-root level, particularly in impoverished rural areas of Pakistan.
The Minister was particularly keen about the advocacy and sensitization program for rural women, one of the most neglected and vulnerable segments of our society.
He also encouraged NCHR to organize and publish credible research on the socioeconomic problems of rural women.

ISLAMABAD, Mar 14 (APP):Federal Minister for Defence Production, Rana Tanveer Hussain met with the Prime Minister of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani
on Wednesday at the Diwan Emiri.
The Pakistan delegation headed by minster, included Sardar Mansab Ali
Dogar, Parliamentary Secretary Defence Procurement, Maj General Tariq
Ghaffor, Additional Secretary Ministry of defence Production and Shahzad Ahmad, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the State of Qatar, said a message received here from Qatar.
The Pakistan delegation is on a visit to Doha to attend the Doha International Martime Defence Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX) from March 12-14, 2018.
The minister discussed various issues pertaining to the defence production and the current level of cooperation between Pakistan and Qatar.
Issues of mutual interest in the realm of defence cooperation also came under the discussion.