ISLAMABAD, Nov 23 (APP): Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources Jam Kamal Khan Wednesday said the government was mulling over a mechanism to provide gas connections to domestic consumers.
Speaking in the National Assembly during Question Hour, the minister
the LNG (liquefied natural gas) imported to Pakistan was being provided to CNG (compressed natural gas), fertilizers and power sectors. By the time it was not provided to domestic consumers, he added.
He said it was under consideration of the government to provide new connections to the consumers but the gas shortage was the major hurdle. “Therefore, a mechanism is under consideration and a framework is expected within next couple of months.”
Answering a supplementary question, the minister informed the House
that companies working in gas sector had been directed to facilitate local people in their areas of operation with appropriate jobs.
However, in some cases where the expert professionals were not
available in respective areas of operation, they were recruited from other areas, he added.
He said as far as routine labour or technical staff was concerned,
they were hired by nearby areas of the place of operation by the gas exploration companies.
Responding to another question, Law Minister Zahid Hamid said the information required about dual nationality of superior courts judges
was still awaited and as soon as it was received, it would be placed before the House.
When the Deputy Speaker questioned about the reasons of delay, the minister said the government has sent them a reminder and “that is all
we can do in this regard.”
Govt mulling over framework for gas connections to domestic consumers
PTI has no respect for institutions: Musadik
ISLAMABAD, Nov 23 (APP): Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr Musadik Malik Wednesday said Pakistan Tehreek i Insaf (PTI) leaders had no respect for state institutions.
They maligned the institutions, but they were always ready to accept their decisions, if the same were in the PTI’s favour, he said while talking in a PTV programme.
He said the PTI leadership was in the habit of levelling ‘baseless’ allegations but they tried to find ways for escape when asked for evidence.
They had earlier hurled electoral rigging charges and were now engaged in politicking on the Panama Papers, but they had nothing to prove the same, Musadik said.
The Adviser said the PTI was blaming the government for delaying the Panama Papers case in the Supreme Court but in fact the party’s counsel were adopting delaying tactics and and taking time from the court.
He said the prime minister had presented himself and his family for investigations on the Panama Papers on the PTI’s demand and now they should also face the cases filed against them.
There had been a lot of contradictions in the statements of PTI chief Imran Khan about his assets as he should clarify his position, he added.
Musadik said the government was determined to further strengthen accountability process through legislation and it would be carried out in consultation with all the stakeholders.
Cabinet approves increase in basic salaries of MPs: Dar
ISLAMABAD, Nov 23 (APP): Minister for Finance Mohammad Ishaq Dar Wednesday informed the Senate that the federal cabinet had approved
increase in basic salaries of members of parliament (MPs) with effect from October 1, 2016.
Speaking in the House, the minister said today he had fulfilled his commitment made in the National Assembly during the budget session that salaries of the parliamentarians would be revised once the Prime Minister returned from London after heart surgery. The total financial impact would be Rs 450 million, he added.
Dar said with revision, the basic salary of a senator and member
of the National Assembly would be Rs 150,000, Senate Chairman and NA Speaker Rs 200,500, and Senate Deputy Chairman and NA Deputy Speaker Rs 185,000.
Similarly, he said the basic salary of a federal minister would be Rs 200,000 and minister of state Rs 180,000.
The minister said the provision for salary raise was incorporated
in the Finance Bill 2016 17.
AJK President strongly condemns unprovoked Indian firing at various sectors on LoC
MIRPUR (AJK), Nov 23 (APP): President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Masood Khan has strongly condemned the continued
unprovoked Indian firing at various sectors on the Line of Control (LoC) in AJK including targeting a civilian vehicle in Neelum valley near Dhudnial causing in the deaths of four civilians and critical injuries to seven on Wednesday.
In a statement issued here on Wednesday, the president denounced
Indian aggression in Khuiratta, Nikyal and Bhimber sectors that resulted in casualties and paid tribute to the martyrs citizens.
Sardar Masood Khan said international community should take serious notice of Indian violations of the LoC and protect civil population from its aggression.
Expressing deep sense of shock and sorrow over the martyrdom
of civilians, he also condoled with the families of the martyrs.
He emphasized the United Nations Military Observer Group for India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to investigate these incidents and assign responsibility for these violations of ceasefire.
Sardar Masood Khan also called upon the UN Security Council to deliberate on the situation in Indian Occupied Kashmir and along the LOC on the basis of the UNMOGIP reports.
FO terms story about committee misleading
ISLAMABAD, Nov 23 (APP): The Foreign Office spokesperson Wednesday said a news story appeared in a leading English daily tilted ‘New Committee to hammer out India Policy’ created a misleading impression.
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz had informed the Senate yesterday, in response to a recommendation
by the “Committee of the Whole” of the Senate that a Committee
chaired by the Secretary Foreign Affairs and including the representatives of the concerned Ministries and Departments would
“regularly brief the Standing Committees on Defence and Foreign
Affairs,” a press release issued here said.
Promoting SME sector helpful for impressive economic growth: Leila
ISLAMABAD, Nov 23 (APP): Chairperson Prime Minister’s Youth
Programme (PYP), Leila Khan Wednesday said promoting small and
medium enterprises (SMEs) sector would be beneficial for better
economic growth of country.
“We can achieve impressive economic growth by promoting SME sector in the country”, she stated while chairing a meeting on Prime Minister’s Youth Business Loan Scheme with a team of Ministry of Finance and State Bank of Pakistan.
She appreciated efforts of State Bank of Pakistan for introducing
online data sharing portal for all executing banks of Prime Minister’s Youth Business Loan Scheme to avoid duplication of applicants or guarantors in applying for loans under this initiative.
All the 18 executing banks of the scheme including National Bank of
Pakistan, First Women Bank Limited, Habib Bank Limited, Habib Metropolitan Bank, Bank Al Habib, Sindh Bank, Summit Bank, Soneri Bank, Meezan Bank, Al Baraka Bank, Dubai Islamic Bank, Allied bank Limited, Muslim Commercial Bank, JS Bank, United Bank Limited, Askari Bank, Faysal Bank, and Bank Alfalah can verify data of applicants or guarantors by punching in their Computerized National Identity Cards (CNIC) number in the online portal, she said.
This step would greatly enhance transparency of the scheme and
ensure its outreach to the maximum number of beneficiaries.
So far, more than 9000 loans worth over Rs 9
billion had already been disbursed under the scheme, she informed.
Eradication of corruption vital for strong economy: Chairman NAB
ISLAMABAD, Nov 23 (APP): Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Qamar Zaman Chaudhry Wednesday said eradication of
corruption was vital to make country economically strong and stable.
The bureau was committed to making Pakistan corruption free and has prioritized education, awareness and prevention over enforcement to bring a positive change in society, he said this while addressing a ceremony organized here by Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI).
President FPCCI Abdul Rauf Alam, Chairman, United Business Group (UBG), Iftikhar Ali Malik, UBG’s candidate for presidency of Apex Chamber, Zubair Tufail and others were present on occasion.
The chairman said corruption is mother of all evils and it has a very negative effect on people, society and economy and added NAB has chalked out a comprehensive National Anti Corruption Strategy (NACS) for eradication of corruption while Rs 279 billion have been recovered and deposited in national exchequer.
He said corruption is more prevalent in developing countries as compared to developed ones and it badly impacts society, governance and youth. It is a big challenge to cope with, he said.
He said Transparency International has rated Pakistan in Corruption Perception Index (CPI) from 175 to 126 in 2014 and in 2015, CPI decreased from 126 to 117 which is a great achievement for Pakistan while the CPI of other regional countries remained static or declined.
On the occasion, Abdul Rauf Alam, President FPCCI said corruption makes production, imports and exports costly, resulting in trade deficit.
He paid glowing tributes to Chairman NAB for his efforts to eradicate corruption and hailed MOU with China to ensure transparency in China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and offered unconditional cooperation to NAB.
Abdul Rauf Alam said the trust of international community in our economy is returning for which credit goes to government as well as efforts of anti corruption initiatives of NAB.
He lauded the NAB’s Awareness and Prevention campaign on “Say
no to Corruption” which can now be seen on driving licenses, National Identity Cards, ATMs etc.
India targets civil bus across LoC; 4 embrace shahadat
RAWALPINDI, Nov 23 (APP): At least four boarders of a civilian passenger bus embraced shahadat while seven others sustained
injuries when the vehicle came under attack of Indian forces across
the Line of Control (LoC) in Neelum Valley on Wednesday.
The bus was targeted near Dhudnial town along LoC, according to Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).
Meanwhile, the Indian troops resorted to unprovoked firing and shelling on LoC in Shahkot, Jura, Battal, Karela, Bagh, Bagsar, Hot Spring sectors.
The Indians are targeting civilian population across the LoC.
In retaliation to unprovoked Indian firing and shelling Pakistani troops are targeting Indian posts.
Intense exchange of firing was continuing at the sectors where Indians have been targeting the civilian population.
Pakistan will become Polio free by the end 2016: UNICEF
ISLAMABAD, Nov 23 (APP): UNICEF Country Representative in Pakistan, Angela Kearney said on Wednesday that through coordinated and collaborative efforts of the international organisations and the government of Pakistan, polio will be eradicated from the country by the end of this year.
Talking to Radio Pakistan, Angela Kearny said that in 2014 there were 309 polio cases in Pakistan and the number has significantly reduced to 17 this year (2016).
She said in 2014, 500,000 children could not be accessed for giving polio drops, however, today this number has also been significantly dropped.
High Commissioner of Canada to Pakistan, Perry John Calderwood speaking on the issue said that efforts should be made for the allocation of right resources for the development of the children.
JETRO President extols Pakistan’s economic progress
ISLAMABAD, Nov 23 (APP): President Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Yasushi Akahoshi has written a latter to Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Minister for Finance in which he has acknowledged that the economic progress made by Pakistan provides confidence to Japanese companies for increased business collaboration.
Akahoshi appreciated the finance minister and the government
for pursuing economic policies which were geared towards “ensuring stable and strong economic prosperity” in Pakistan and expressed that JETRO is “fully committing all possible efforts toward deepening” the bilateral economic relationship, a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance here said.
President JETRO in his correspondence has further thanked the Finance
Minister for meeting the JETRO delegation which accorded an opportunity to discuss areas for more active economic cooperation between Pakistan and Japan.
Country Director JETRO, Osamu Hisaki while delivering the letter from
President JETRO said that JETRO was thankful to the finance minister, Board of Investment and Federal Board of Revenue for facilitating Japanese companies in doing business in Pakistan.
He said various issues faced by Japanese companies in Pakistan
were getting rectified due to “swift responses by the authorities” and strong pro investment policy of the government, which has created confidence for other Japanese companies to invest in Pakistan.
Country Director JETRO informed that a business exhibition by Japanese companies will soon be held in Karachi under the auspices of JETRO to promote future investment in Pakistan.