ISLAMABAD, Feb 20 (APP):Federal Minister for Defense, Engineer Khurram Dastagir Khan Tuesday reviewed defence budget preparations for the financial year 2018-2019 here at the Defence Ministry on Tuesday.
Additional Secretary Ministry of Defence and other top officials briefed the minister about the defence budget, a spokesperson of the ministry said.
The minister was given a comprehensive briefing about the recent trends in defence budget as well as the need of funds for replacing various types of equipment for the armed forces.
He was told that preparations for the next fiscal year are on schedule.The minister appreciated the high-level automation in budget surveillance.
He also lauded ministry’s subordinate departments, inter-services institutions and armed forces for regularly updating the budget usage.
The minister reiterated the government’s commitment to provide full cooperation to armed forces for safeguarding national frontiers.
Dastgir reviews budget preparations for year 2018-19
1.238 mln tax returns filed up to Feb 15: Senate panel informed
ISLAMABAD, Feb 20 (APP):The Senate Standing Committee on Finance, and Revenue, was informed here on Tuesday that up to February 15, a total of 1.238 million tax returns were filed against filing of 998,000 returns during same period year of last year.
An official of Federal Board of Revenue told the committee that filing of tax returns during the period recorded a growth of 24 per cent.
The meeting was held here under the chairmanship of Senator Saleem H Mandviwala, while it was attended by Senators Mohsin Aziz, Kamil Ali Agha, Nasreen Jalil, Ilyah Bilour, and officials from the concerned departments.
The meeting was informed that total number of tax returns filed during July-June (2016-17) was 1.39 million, while during 2015-16, 2014-15, and 2012-14, the number of active tax payers was recorded at 1.26 million, 1.103 million and 935,776 respectively.
The FBR officials said even after passing of deadline for filing tax returns, more than 100,000 tax returns were filed and more returns will be filed in next month when the FBR will update the tax payers’ list.
Earlier, the committee also discussed further consideration of Private Member’s Bill further to amend the protection of Economic Reforms Act, 1992 (The Protection of Economic Reforms (Amendment) Bill, 2016), introduced by Senator Saleem Mandviwala.
The officials from Finance Ministry proposed that the ministry should be allowed to present the amendment bill after detailed deliberation of the bill.
The committee directed the ministry that in next meeting it should come up with its own amended bill and then compare the both drafts.
Briefing the committee on confiscation of non-custom paid vehicles in Quetta, Peshawar and Karachi, the FBR informed the committee that during last four years 3,363 vehicles were confiscated by the Custom authorities, out of which around 3,100 vehicles had been disposed off.
It was informed that the FBR ensures the process of auction of the vehicles very quick and transparent.
PDCA announces selection committee for England tour
ISLAMABAD, Feb 20 (APP):Pakistan Disabled Cricket Association (PDCA) Tuesday announced a four-member national selection committee to select the national team for the upcoming tour of England in July.
The committee was announced by PDCA Secretary Amiruddin Ansari with the approval of PDCA President Rashid Latif, a press release said.
The committee will be headed by former first class Cricketer,
Head Coach of Hyderabad Region and Director of PDCA Iqbal Imam. The members include Head Coach Rawalpindi Region and Director of PDCA Sabih Azhar, former first class cricketer and Director of PDCA Mohammad Javed and first class umpire Director of PDCA Javed Ashraf.
The committee will also monitor the selection of regions and
will work for the development of disabled cricket as well.
First Lady urges religious education for youth for better upbringing
ISLAMABAD, Feb 20 (APP):First Lady Begum Mehmooda Hussain on Tuesday called the need for imparting religious education to youth particularly girls and also introducing them with traditional values to ensure upbringing of new generation in a better manner.
Addressing girl students of schools here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, the First Lady said grooming of youth on these lines would save the nation’s future.
Begum Mehmooda said to promote righteousness in society, there was a need to adopt practices of “Namaz” (prayers) and “Sadqa” (charity for Allah’s will) as guard against evil deeds.
She said “Sadqa” was the best way to avert difficulties in ones’ life and could be given away in any form.
She mentioned the sayings of Holy Quran emphasizing on offering of “Namaz “and giving alms to those who deserved, which was a good way to please Almighty Allah.
She said these practices developed spiritual purity and helped shun mutual hatred, which resultantly produced a spirit of positivity in the society.
The First Lady interacted with the students and also replied to their queries related to the topic.
IESCO claims to make Roshni sms service error free in one month
ISLAMABAD, Feb 20 (APP):The Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) claims to make Roshni sms service error free in one month in a meeting contemplated to find out a solution of public complaints for receiving irrelevant messages of maintenance and billing through Roshni sms service.
The meeting headed by CEO was unanimous to ensure 100 per cent accuracy of the intimation system to its subscribers and correction of the relevant data to reach out actual and genuine consumers.
People are continuously receiving unwanted messages since the start of an SMS-based service (ROSHNI) aimed to provide information regarding their bills, repair maintenance and load-shedding.
Deputy Manager Public Relation IESCO Asim Nazir Raja,while talking to APP, Tuesday informed that Basit Zaman Ahmed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) directed Director General Information System(DGIS) to resolve the issue within one month.
He further told that IESCO had registered 2,754,000 people under “ROSHNI” service out of which 2,623,000 were active customers and only 10 percent’s data required to be revisited for correction.
“The department had to reexamine the entire data after consistent public complaints and soon it will be made error free”, he pledged.
He said sometime data is feed-ed as provided by the complainants on behalf of actual subscribers.
A citizen Hassan Raza compIaining on the issue said, “I’m a permanent resident of Islamabad and there is no single electric meter in my name but I still receive updates about Company Bagh’s Murree Feeder and billing information on a connection.
Another complainat Shahid Qamer said he also receives messages from Roshni about a Kotli Sattiyan’s feeder maintenance and billing. “How my number was added to that locality while I am a permanent resident of Islamabad, he questioned. He asked IESCO to correct the data and ensure whether fake meters are not installed in-connivance of company’s black sheeps.
Finance ministry clarifies news report on loan offer from Japan
ISLAMABAD, Feb 20 (APP):Ministry of Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs Tuesday rebutted a news report appeared in a section of press regarding rejection of cheaper loan offer from Japan by Pakistan on February 18, saying that the impression that Pakistan refused Japanese offer of financial assistance is totally misleading.
“Negative reporting of this nature would discourage our bilateral partners who are thinking to enhance their assistance for Pakistan,” a spokesman of the ministry said in a statement here.
The spokesman said Japan has been one of the biggest development partners of Pakistan for the last over six decades.
Pakistan highly values Japan’s economic assistance in the form of loan, grant and technical assistance. Currently, there are more than 20 projects in education, health, energy, infrastructure, environment, security and water sectors for which both loans and grants are being provided by the Government of Japan.
The government of Pakistan desires to further strengthen development cooperation with the government of Japan. In this regard, the 5th Japan-Pakistan High Level Economic Policy Dialogue (HLEPD) was scheduled on February 15, for enhancement of economic cooperation between the two countries, he added.
He said inter ministerial preparatory meetings were also conducted in which senior officer from the Prime Minister Office also participated.
However, the said dialogue has been postponed due to an emergency in the family of the head of the Japanese delegation. The new dates will be mutually agreed soon.
NA passes two bills regarding health services on Tuesday
ISLAMABAD, Feb 20 (APP):The National Assembly on Tuesday passed two bills including The Health Services Academy (Restructuring) Bill, 2017 and the Islamabad Healthcare Regulation Bill, 2017.
According to details, the National Assembly passed two bills including The Health Services Academy (Restructuring) Bill, 2017 and Islamabad Healthcare Regulation Bill, 2017 both presented by the Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination.
The Prevention of Drugs in Educational Institutions Bill, 2018 presented by the MNA Shahida Rehmani and The Compulsory Drug Test of Students Bill, 2018 regarding the students of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) both were clubbed and deferred for further deliberation.
Minister for Education Engr Muhammad Baligh ur Rahman speaking on the said above bills told the assembly that it is impossible to take drug test of all students and it is not happening in any country.
While, The Minorities Access to Higher Education Bill, 2018 presented by the MNA Asiya Nasir was referred to the standing committee for further consultation on the request of the minister for education.
The National Assembly also adopted the six motions in the house presented by the different Members of National Assembly.
According to details, the motions regarding the Federal Witness Protection Bill, 2015 and the Religious Scholars, Ulema and Pesh Imams (Prayer Leaders) Welfare Bill 2017 both moved by the Chairman Standing Committee on Interior, Rana Shamim Ahmad Khan were adopted.
The motion regarding the Criminal Law Amendment Bill 2017 moved by the Rana Shamim was also adopted.
While, the motion regarding the Protection of Journalists Bill, 2014 moved by the MNA Pir Muhammad Aslam Bodla was adopted.
The National Assembly also adopted another two motions including the Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill, 2016 presented by the Dr Shezra Mansab Ali Khan Kharal and the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, (Amendment) Bill, 2016 moved by the Dr Hafeez-ur-Rehman Khan Drishak.
Shipping Activity at Port Qasim
KARACHI, Feb 20 (APP):Five ships, MSC Rachele, MSC Joanna,
Express Black Sea, Chemroute Sun and Golar Maria carrying Containers, Palm oil and LNG were allotted berths at Qasim International Container Terminal, Liquid Cargo Terminal and Pakistan Gasport Consortium Terminal respectively on Monday.
Meanwhile two more ships MSC Heidi and Daranee Naree
scheduled to load/offload Containers and Cement also arrived at
outer anchorage of Port Qasim during last 24 hours.
Berth occupancy remained at the port at thirty five percent
on Monday where a total of six ships namely, MSC Rachele, MSC
Joanna, Express Black Sea, Star Sirius, Golar Maria and Chemroute
Sun are currently occupying berths to load/offload Containers,
Canola seeds, LNG and Palm oil during last 24 hours.
Cargo throughput during last 24 hours stood at 121,682
tonnes, comprising 89,496 tonnes import cargo and 32,186 tonnes
export cargo inclusive of containerized cargo carried in 3,830
Containers (TEUs), (2,136 TEUs imports and 1,694 TEUs exports)
was handled at the port during last 24 hours.
Bulk cargo carrier Star Sirius sailed out to sea on Tuesday
morning, while three more container ships MSC Rachele, MSC Joanna
and Express Black Sea are expected to sail on same day in the
afternoon.
A total of five ships, MSC Heidi, Northern Magnum, Daranee
Naree, Panorama and Contantinos scheduled to load/offload
Containers, Cement, Soya bean seeds and Diesel oil are expected
to take berths at QICT, MW-2, FAP and FOTCO respectively on
Tuesday. while four more ships, Container vessel ‘Marie Delmas’
Gas carrier ‘British Emerald’, oil tanker ‘Al-Soor-II’ and Bulk
cargo carrier ‘Secon-7’ are due to arrive at Port Qasim on
Wednesday.
Tariq terms parliament a supreme national institution
ISLAMABAD, Feb 20 (APP):Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry Tuesday said that the parliament was supreme and mother of all national institutions.
Talking to a private news channel, he said that it was the right of the parliament to make legislation on all national issues, adding that the parliamentarian also have the right to discuss or debate the matters at this forum.
He said all national institutions were effectively working under the parameters of constitution and assured that no person-specific law would be made.
Replying to a question, he said former Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif was disqualified on having an Iqama and no corruption charges were proved against him.
He said bogus cases had been lodged against politicians in the past. He said that Nawaz Sharif knew how to struggle for stability of the country as he had launched China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to bring about revolution for the people of the country.
PSL final in Karachi will send a positive message to the whole world: Afridi
ISLAMABAD, Feb 20 (APP):Former skipper Shahid Afridi believes the Pakistan Super League (PSL) final to be held in Karachi will send a positive sign and message to the whole world.
PSL 2018 will kick off on February 22 in the UAE and finish off on March 25 in Pakistan. The two eliminators and the final of the tournament will be played in Lahore and Karachi, respectively.
Afridi said he has started to practice for the PSL. “I have reduced my other activities and I am focusing more on the PSL. Hopefully, the upcoming season will be good for me,” wisdenindia.com quoted him as saying.
He said the situation in Pakistan is much better now and it is good to know that cricket is returning to Pakistan.
“This year, there will be two playoffs in Lahore and then the final in Karachi. It’s going to be a huge moment for the people of Karachi,” he said.
Speaking about the Pak-India bilateral ties, he said sports can be used as a tool to improve relations between India and Pakistan. Afridi drew on his recent experience of playing alongside Indians in an exhibition Ice Cricket tournament in Switzerland, suggesting that cricket could play a role in melting the ice.
“Due to lack of international cricket between the two countries, we now play either in the ICC tournaments or the events such as Ice Cricket,” he said.
He said politics should be kept away from sports. “It should rather be used as a tool to improve relations between the countries. Sports is something which can play a big role in bringing peace,” he said.
Afridi captained the Royals in a series of two 20-over matches played at 1800 metres above sea level and in below zero degrees Celsius temperatures in St Mortiz, Switzerland. The Indian players who featured in the event were Virender Sehwag, Mohammad Kaif, Zaheer Khan, Joginder Sharma, Ajit Agarkar and Ramesh Powar. “It was nice to meet and play with players from India after a long time,” he said.