LAHORE, Feb 12 (APP):Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) Monday initiated a nation-wide consultation process to solicit inputs for Federal Budget 2018-19 by approaching around 250 SME (Small and Medium Enterprise) stakeholders including SMEs, Chambers of Commerce and Industry, trade associations and sector development companies.
According to SMEDA officials here Monday, the stakeholders had been asked to send their recommendations by end of this month regarding taxation tariff, regulatory procedures and any other issue that may limit SME progress.
The received budget recommendations would be submitted to Ministry of Industries and Production (MoI&P), Ministry of Finance (MoF) and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for inclusion in the Federal Budget 2018-19.
Meanwhile, SMEDA CEO Sher Ayub said that Federal Budget and Trade Policy had become the most important policies reshaping the business environment landscape in instantaneous terms in Pakistan, therefore, it was now an established fact that jointly these two policies most profoundly affect SMEs and their growth pattern.
There had been an increased acknowledgement of the role of SMEs in the economy yet there remained lack of focus on SMEs in allocating resources and awarding incentives, which needed to be addressed prudently in light of the stakeholders’ aspirations, he added.
Sher Ayub said that SMEDA being the apex SME development body served as a bridge between SME sector and the government. In its efforts to support SME development in the country, he mentioned, various policy advocacy activities were undertaken for development of conducive business environment based on sound policy measures to accelerate SME growth.
It is notable that free economic analysts had observed that Pakistan’s financial policies generally tend to favour large scale industry by allocating significant portion of development funds and fiscal incentives to the large scale businesses. Therefore, SMEDA had planned to advocate the SME case convincingly through Ministry of Industries and Production, he concluded.
SMEDA starts consultation on SME budget proposals
Pak cyclists to depart for Malaysia on Wednesday
ISLAMABAD, Feb 12 (APP):An eight-member Pakistan cycling squad will depart for Malaysia Wednesday to participate in the 38th Asian Track Championship, scheduled to be held at Kuala Lumpur from February 16 to 20.
“The squad is consisted of five cyclists and three officials”,
Secretary Pakistan Cycling Federation (PSF), Syed Azhar Ali Shah said on
Monday.
The cyclists include Arsalan, Zahid Mehmood, Shakeel Jatt, Izatullah and Abdul Basit. They will be accompanied by President PSF Kokab Nadeem Warriach, Secretary PSF Syed Azahar Ali Shah and President Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa Cycling Federation, Nisar Ahmed.
“Our cyclists have undergone tough training at a camp in
Lahore and it is expected they would produce good results in the event,” Azhar
said.
The event will see participation of cyclists from 42 countries. It also offers cyclists
ranking points for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
The President and Secretary PSF would also participate in the
two-day meeting of Asian Cycling Confederation, taking place in Kuala Lumpur on
February 18 and 19.
Historian of Pakistan cricket Richard Heller delivers lecture at SMIU
KARACHI, Feb 12 (APP):The UK based historian of Pakistan cricket and renowned novelist Richard Heller has said that Master Aziz, a sports teacher and a coach of Sindh Madressatul Islam, had a great contribution
in promotion of cricket in early days of Pakistan.
Delivering the lecture on the subject of “Contribution of Sindh
Madressatul Islam and Master Aziz towards promotion of cricket,” as a
part of the international lectures, organized by SMIU at its auditorium
on Monday, Richard Heller said that Master Aziz was Durrani by clan and basically was hailing from Afghanistan.
Later, he came to Sindh from Afghanistan in 1930’s and was appointed
as a sports teacher at Sindh Madressatul Islam.
Heller said that Master Aziz had trained a number of the best
cricketers including Little Master Hanif Mohammad, his brothers and
others. While his son Saleem Durrani was the only and first cricketer
of Afghanistan and firstly played there.
Later Saleem had become a most important test player in India after
Partition, but Hanif Mohammad was a great player than him.
Richard Heller added that at that time cricket was encouraged at
school, college and university levels, and these were the institutions
that were producing good cricketers.
Adding to it, he said that today the situation has been changed
in Pakistan and even in England. “Cricket is also in trouble on school, college and university levels in England, due to the academic pressures
on students,” Heller said and maintained that the students of the England
mostly give preference to their study rather than the cricket; this is
why the situation has been changed in England too.
He suggested that Sindh Madressatul Islam University may get lead in
revival of cricket in schools, colleges and universities like its past.
He further said that security situation has improved mostly in big
cities of Pakistan; therefore the PCB may invite visiting cricket teams
from England and other countries to Pakistan to play in schools, colleges
and universities of the country.
Talking on the history of Pakistan cricket, Richard Heller said that
a lot of the material of cricket in Pakistan has been lost. No one had preserved it except a few pictures and some stories, but young generation should collect the history of Pakistan cricket and upload it online for the world.
Earlier, Dr Muhammad Ali Shaikh, Vice Chancellor of Sindh Madressatul
Islam University, in his welcome address thanked Richard Heller for
delivering lecture to the students of SMIU.
He said that in just after the establishment of Sindh Madressatul
Islam in 1885, in addition to the education Sindh Madressah was making
all efforts to familiarize and encourage students to take up cricket, tennis, hockey and other such sports which had been introduced in the subcontinent only recently and were not much popular.
Top priority amongst these sports was given to cricket and a Cricket
Club was established in Sindh Madressah.
Dr Muhammad Ali Shaikh said that the institution went to the extent
that once a fortnight the whole Madressah was used to get a half holiday
for cricket.
He said that Jacob, an Education Inspector in Sindh was not satisfied
with the performance of the club. Later the efforts were made by Sindh Madressah to popularize cricket among its students, which bore fruit and
several students took up cricket as their favorite sport.
Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah was one of them who gave up playing
marbles and took up cricket.
Dr Muhammad Ali Shaikh said that, in later days Master Aziz, a sports
teacher of SMI, upheld the said tradition of SMI and produced good
cricketers like Hanif Mohammad.
In the end a question-answer session was held where a student of SMIU
suggested that a lesson about the services of Master Aziz rendered for
promotion of cricket in the country should be included in the school syllabus.
Thailand an excellent destination for Pak exports: LCCI president
LAHORE, Feb 12 (APP):Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) President Malik Tahir Javaid has said that potential to export goods Thailand from Pakistan was far more diversified and sizeable than the current one.
He was speaking at Thai Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Board of Trade of Thailand, where Deputy Secretary General Kasemsit Pathomsak, Section Project Manager Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited Kulkanlaya Kritnoi, Managing Director MICAP Machineries Limited Mingpant Chaya, Thai businessmen and the LCCI delegation members also spoke on the occasion and showed keen interest in partnership with their Thai counterparts, according to Lahore Chamber’s spokesman here Monday.
The LCCI president said that Pakistan was already exporting cotton, fish and other sea food, knitted fabric, meat, raw hides and skins, machinery, medical & optical apparatus and pharmaceutical products etc to Thailand, however, more efforts needed in this direction. Pakistan and Thailand, he said, had very strong credentials to give new strengths to their respective economies as both the countries had good geographical locations making them a safe heaven for investment.
Malik Tahir Javaid mentioned that volume of trade between the two countries was much below their respective potential in various sectors of economy and lack of dissemination of business-related information could be one of the biggest reasons. The import and export profiles of the two countries indicated that there was a potential of increasing Pakistan’s export to Thailand, while Pakistan also had huge potential of importing goods from Thailand. He said that business-to-business contacts and one-to-one meetings were the most productive means of marketing country’s products.
He said that Pakistan of its location was a gateway to markets of Central Asian Republics and the Gulf countries, citing that any investment made in Pakistan would find markets in the entire region. Industrial parks development would be a good choice for Thai business tycoons as they would surely be supported by Pakistan government as well.
Malik said that Thai investors, who were interested to weigh up the energy sector of Pakistan especially untapped potential of coal and renewable/alternate energy, would be facilitated all the way. LCCI was desirous of developing a close linkage among business support organizations to ensure continuity in mutual efforts of both the countries to increase bilateral trade volume.
“It is necessary that Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Boards of Investment of the two countries play their due role to further expand economic and commercial ties. Trade fairs and single country exhibitions can be arranged on reciprocal basis to achieve this goal,” he suggested.
On this occasion, Mr. Kasemsit Pathomsak said that Pakistan had made substantial progress over the years and bilateral trade and diplomatic relations between the two countries had further strengthened. He pointed out that there was immense potential to enhance trade as major exports from Pakistan to Thailand including yarn and fibre, chemicals, finished oils, edible meat etc but there were plenty of other products which could also capture share in Thai market, however, these needed effective marketing and promotional activities. He urged the business communities of both the countries to explore more avenues of enhancing trade and look for opportunities for joint ventures.
700,000 volunteers begin Beijing patrol after mall attack
BEIJING, Feb 12 (APP):Over 700,000 security volunteers started to patrol Beijing streets on Monday as the capital stepped up security following Sunday’s shopping mall knife attack.
The security volunteers, including residents wearing red hats and armbands, would strengthen patrols at traffic hubs and densely-populated areas, including business districts.
They will work with police departments to report any suspicious moves and contribute to a peaceful festival environment, according to official sources.
Beijing upgraded its security control to the highest level starting 9 pm Sunday, and about 200,000 security guards, including community Party officials and patrolling teams, took to the streets to conduct night patrols. They targeted areas such as traffic hubs and business venues at night.
The upgraded security measures were taken after a man killed one person and injured twelve others with a knife at the Beijing Joy City shopping mall in Xidan, Xicheng district on Sunday.
The suspect has been identified as a 35-year-old man, surnamed Zhu, from Xihua county, Central China’s Henan Province. Police said he has confessed that he intended to vent his personal grievances by committing the violent acts, according to a notice released by the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau on its Sina Weibo account on Sunday.
Govt particularly focused on women empowerment, girls education: PM
ISLAMABAD, Feb 12 (APP):Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Monday said the Pakistan Muslim League-N government, was
particularly focused on women empowerment and girls’ education through PM’s Youth Programme.
In a meeting with a group of students from Husamiyah School and Saifiyah School of Karachi
at PM Office here, the prime minister said that educating girls was of utmost importance as they
were responsible for raising the future generation.
Special Assistant to PM Ali Jehangir Sidiqui, Parliamentary Secretary Ministry of Climate Change
Romina Khurshid Alam and schools’ faculty were also present on the occasion.
Responding to a question, the prime minister said there was no shortcut to success and students
must work very hard to achieve a position where they could serve Pakistan significantly.
Earlier, SAPM Ali Jehangir Sidiqui held an interactive session with the students and briefed them
regarding the working of executive branch of the government.
Iranian Ambassador calls on COAS
RAWALPINDI, Feb 12 (APP):Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan, Mehdi Honardoost called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Qamar Javed Bajwa
Monday here at General Headquarters (GHQ). According to a statement issued here by
Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), during the meeting matters of mutual interest
and Pak-Iran border management were discussed.
Pakistan pays condolences over Russian plan crash
ISLAMABAD, Feb 12 (APP):The Foreign Office Monday expressed deep condolence over the tragic crash of a Russian
passenger aircraft.
It said “Government and people of Pakistan express their deep condolences over the
tragic crash of a Russian passenger aircraft, resulting in the loss of seventy-one precious
lives.”
Pakistan has conveyed its deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to the
bereaved families, according to a statement issued by Foreign Office.
The people and the Government of Pakistan share the pain of the people
and the Government of the Russian Federation and stand by them in this hour
of grief, it added.
Pakistan always stands with world for peace, prosperity : Nasser Janjua
ISLAMABAD, Feb 12 (APP):A German delegation consisting 22 participants of Course for Senior Officials-2018 from Federal Academy of
Security Policy, Germany, along with German Ambassador called on National Security Adviser, Lt. General (Retd)
Nasser Khan Janjua on Monday.
Nasser Janjua gave a presentation on regional security situation with a particular reference to Pakistan focusing
on challenges and opportunities in prevailing scenario.
Talking to the delegation, he said Germany was a great country with resilient nation and highlighted role of Pakistan in recent history and sacrifices rendered by Pakistani people and its Armed Forces in on-going war against terrorism.
He said Pakistan had always stood with world for peace and prosperity.
Discussing situation in Afghanistan, he stressed upon the fact that there was a dire need to end sufferings of Afghanistan and its people, saying that instead of “Winning the War” in Afghanistan, the world must cooperate to seek closure of this conflict which could be made possible by way of political processes.
The presentation was followed by a brief question and answer session.
The Federal Academy for Security Policy is a Federal German Government Research Institution responsible for providing comprehensive and advance training to current and future executive personnel both from Federal and State institutions and from Private Sector for relevance of Security Policy.
Turkish, Netherlands’ ambassadors call on Defence Production Minister
ISLAMABAD, Feb 12 (APP):`Ambassador of Turkey to Pakistan, Mustafa Yurdakul called on Federal Minister for Defence
Production, Rana Tanveer Hussain here on Monday.
The minister said that defence industrial and technical cooperation was integral part of strategic relationships between the countries.
He expressed the satisfaction on the ongoing cooperation in defence technical field.
In a separate meeting with Ambassador of Netherlands, Ardi Stoios-Braken, the minister discussed the existing cordial relationship between the two countries.
He said that the existing relations could be translated into an active interaction in the field of defence. He expressed the desire to identify the avenues for establishing joint ventures related to the defence products.
He suggested that exchange of visits at various levels would explore the avenues of prospective collaboration in the spheres of defence and defence production industry.