Category: National

Save The Children commits $50 million for flood response

KARACHI: Save The Children has committed to provide $50 million for rehabilitation of schools in flood hit areas in Sindh.

Save the Children and provincial government planned to set up 600 Temporary Learning Centers (TLCs) because of damaged schools infrastructure across Sindh.

The TLCs are provided in four districts of Dadu, Sanghar, Shikarpur and Khairpur with an aim to resume students’ educational activities stalled following the devastating floods. In order to ensure the smooth and effective relief and rehabilitation process, Save the Children has committed USD 50 million for the floods response 2022.

In this regard, Save The Children has signed a Letter of Understanding with Sindh Government’s Sindh Education Foundation (SEF) and Legal Rights Forum (LRF) to establish 600 Temporary Learning Centers (TLCs) besides scaling up the response and support for flood affected children on immediate basis.

To witness the development and ensure continuous support, Country Director Save the Children, M. Khurram Gondal, Global Humanitarian Director Save the Children, Gabriella Waaijman and Director Advocacy, Policy and Government Liaison, Usman Aslam visited temporary learning centers and children friendly spaces being managed in Dadu and also provided Food/ Non-Food Items, dignity kits and other necessary relief items to the flood affected communities in district Dadu.

“We are ensuring resumption of students’ education despite the damage caused to the schools due to the recent flood,” Khurram Gondal said on the occasion.

Gabriella Waaijman expressed deep sorrow and offered her condolences over the losses and expressed solidarity with Pakistani government. She said that Save the Children is putting in all resources and efforts so that students’ education activities are resumed to recover education loss as much as we can.

The Sindh government has already declared Save the Children as its strategic partner for the Pakistan Flood Response 2022, following the permission by federal interior ministry to carry out humanitarian activities in all floods-affected districts of Pakistan, in coordination with NFRCC, NDMA, and respective PDMAs.

Main objective of this partnership is to strengthen public private partnership for Education in Emergency in Sindh. All the three signatories will initially work together to respond to the education needs during the current flood emergency as a short term objective and work for the improvement of education in the province in the long term.

They will also collaborate for development, implementation, assessment and oversight of the formal and non-formal education projects in the province, including establishment of TLCs in Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Sanghar, Dadu and Khairpur and expansion in other flood affected districts.

October 12, 2022
Uber halts operation in major cities of Pakistan

KARACHI: Uber announced to halt operations in Karachi, Multan, Faisalabad, Peshawar and Islamabad. The subsidiary brand of Uber, Careem will continue to operate in these cities. The Uber services will be continued in Lahore.

The press release issued by Uber stated that we have made the decision to no longer operate the Uber App in Karachi, Multan, Faisalabad, Peshawar and Islamabad as of October 11, 2022. Riders and driver partners may use the Careem app in these five cities.

The Uber app will continue to be available in Lahore with new product launches to support earners during these difficult times.

We will communicate with riders and driver partners who use the Uber app in Karachi, Multan, Faisalabad, Peshawar and Islamabad about how they can use the Careem app in their city.

READ MORE: Careem customers donate Rs10.3 million

When we acquired Careem, it was always our belief that the two companies could come together to complement each other’s strengths and better serve the region through tailored experiences.

We know this is a difficult time for the teams who have worked incredibly hard to build this business over the past few years.

We greatly appreciate everyone’s contributions and our priority is to minimize the impact to our employees, drivers, riders, and Hero partners who use the Uber app during this change in Karachi, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Multan and Peshawar.

READ MORE: SBP issues electronic money license to Careem Pay

October 12, 2022

FBR collects Rs196 billion as income tax from salaried class

ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has collected a huge amount of Rs196.25 billion as income tax from salaried class during tax year 2022.

A report issued by the FBR revealed that the collection of tax on salaried income recorded significant growth of 29 per cent, which compared with the collection of Rs151.84 billion in the preceding tax year.

Salaried tax is major revenue spinner in the collection of withholding tax. The collection of income tax on salaried income has been ranked third in the table of top revenue spinner under the withholding taxes.

The collection of withholding taxes from contracts and imports are on the first two slots. The FBR collected Rs341.42 billion with growth of 25.5 per cent from contracts and Rs281.61 billion with a growth of 29 per cent from imports during tax year 2022.

The recent revision in tax slabs in for the salaried class has been aimed to boost the revenue collection during the current fiscal year 2022/2023.

The FBR said that target for 2022-2023 is challenging given the fact that government is focusing on controlling the current account deficit and rising inflation which would result in import contraction and slowdown in the overall GDP growth.

Nonetheless, FBR is confident that its team has the ability and the resolve to accomplish this gigantic task as an upward revised target has already been achieved for the financial year ended on June 30, 2022.

To achieve the target several efforts are being made at policy as well as operational levels.

“There is focus on enhanced use of technology and a policy shift towards taxing the high-income groups through direct taxation such as the imposition of Super Tax, Poverty Alleviation Tax, revision of individual tax slabs including salaried class, increase in FED on international air travel, increased tax on luxury motor vehicles etc.,” the FBR added.

FOLLOWING IS THE TAX CARD FOR SALARIED PERSONS FOR TAX YEAR 2022-2023

Taxable Income	Rate of Tax
Up to Rs600,000	0%
Rs600,001 –1,200,000	2.5% of amount exceeding Rs600,000
Rs1,200,001 –2,400,000	Rs15,000 + 12.5% of amount exceeding Rs1,200,000
Rs2,400,001 –3,600,000	Rs165,000 + 20% of amount exceeding Rs2,400,000
Rs3,600,001 –6,000,000	Rs405,000 + 25% of amount exceeding Rs3,600,000
Rs6,000,001 –12,000,000	Rs1,005,000 + 32.5% of amount exceeding Rs6,000,000
Amount exceeding Rs12,000,000	Rs2,955,000 + 35% of amount exceeding Rs12,000,000

The rate of tax in the table above are applicable where the income of an individual chargeable under the head ‘salary’ exceeds seventy-five per cent of his/her taxable income.

October 12, 2022

Pakistan amends baggage rules; now $1,000 require declaration

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has amended baggage rules to make currency declaration of an amount $1,000 while taking out of the country to Afghanistan.

However, new slabs of currency declaration on the basis of age have also been announced.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) issued SRO 1864(I)/2022 dated October 10, 2022 to make changes in the Baggage Rules, 2006.

READ MORE: PTBA raises objections to amendments proposed by FBR

As per the new changes to the baggage rules, the outbound passenger, for all countries except Afghanistan, without prejudice to his entitlement of taking out of Pakistan $1,000 up to the age of 5 years, $5,000 above 5 years, up to 18 years and $10,000 above the age of 18 years, while taking out of Pakistan foreign currency exceeding $5,000 or equivalent, or any other prohibited or restricted item, shall file a declaration before or on departure, electronically in the WeBOC or pass track or manually at the airport.

READ MORE: Pakistan’s tax to GDP ratio improves to 9.2 per cent in FY22: FBR

The FBR said that the persons travelling to Afghanistan, while having entitlement of $1,000, shall file a declaration of currency in their possession.

The incoming passenger when in possession of foreign currency exceeding $10,000 or equivalent, or any other prohibited or restricted item, shall also file a declaration.

READ MORE: Pakistan customs seals over 1,600 illegal petrol pumps during FY22

The FBR said that the declaration is also must for passengers carrying: Prohibited or restricted goods such as arms & ammunitions, narcotics, psychotropic substances or satellite phones etc; and gold and precious metals, jewelry, precious or semi-precious stones.

The declaration of foreign currency in US $/ Bearer Negotiable Instrument or equivalent is mandatory for outbound passengers to all countries except Afghanistan, taking out amount exceeding $5,000 or equivalent;

READ MORE: FBR directs IR offices to avoid recovery in pending appeals

For passengers traveling to Afghanistan, taking out cash foreign currencies US $ or equivalent; and Incoming passengers bringing into Pakistan amount exceeding $ 10,000 or equivalent.

October 12, 2022
Pakistan may sharply cut petroleum prices from Oct 16, 2022

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan may announce a sharp reduction in petroleum prices for next fortnight starting from October 16, 2022 owing to massive gain in value of local currency and lower prices of oil in international markets.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has also hinted to reduce the oil prices significantly in order to stabilize the economy and ease the burden of high prices.

READ MORE: Pakistan sharply reduces petroleum prices from October 01, 2022

The Pakistani Rupee (PKR) has recorded massive gain during past 12 sessions against the dollar.

A day earlier, the local currency gained PKR 21.74 against the dollar during the last twelve straight sessions. The exchange rate reached to near record low of PKR 239.71 on September 22, 2022 to the dollar but ended at PKR 217.97 on October 10, 2022. Dar recently claimed that the actual value of the dollar is below PKR 200 and he vowed to bring it down.

READ MORE: Pakistan reviews petroleum prices on Sept 30, 2022 amid crash in global rates

Furthermore, the benchmark US Brent oil also fell to $95.62 per barrel on Tuesday owing to fears of lower demand globally.

Previously, the government announced a sharp reduction in oil prices effective from October 01, 2022, which are:

The rate of petrol has been reduced by Rs12.63 per liter to Rs224.80 from Rs237.43.

The price of high speed diesel has been cut by 12.13 per liter to Rs235.30 from Rs247.43.

The rate of Kerosene oil has been slashed by Rs10.19 to Rs191.83 from Rs202.02.

The price of light diesel oil has been reduced by Rs10.78 to Rs186.50 from Rs197.28.

READ MORE: New petroleum prices in Pakistan effective from September 21, 2022

The government has reduced the petroleum prices in the wake of massive decline in international oil prices.

The previous government of PTI had kept both the petroleum levy and sales tax at zero in order to provide relief to the masses. The PTI government also provided a huge subsidy on prices of petroleum products in order to lower the rates and provide relief to the masses.

However, former Prime Minister Imran Khan was removed through a vote of no-confidence motion on April 10, 2022. Since then the new coalition government led by PML-N increased the prices of petroleum products sharply on three different occasions.

READ MORE: New petroleum prices in Pakistan from September 01, 2022

The present government in the budget estimated to collect Rs855 billion as petroleum levy during the fiscal year 2022/2023. As this fiscal year is starting from July 01, 2022, it is likely that the government will opt to impose the levy from this date.

October 11, 2022
Women entrepreneurs organize breast cancer awareness seminar

KARACHI: Women entrepreneurs belonging to various chambers and associations have organized a seminar for awareness on breast.

Women Entrepreneurs Committee of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry and Karachi Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry Malir (KWCCI Malir) in collaboration with Samina Alvi Task force organized a seminar on Breast Cancer Awareness aimed at providing awareness to women about this disease.

In the seminar, President FPCCI, Irfan Sheikh, SVP Suleman Chawla, VP Shabbir Mansha Churra, VP Haji Yaqoob, VP Engr. M. A. Jabbar, VP Shaukat Omerson, Convener Women Entrepreneurs Committee FPCCI and Founder President, KWCCI District Malir, Nazli Abid Nisar, MNA Syma Nadeem, Member Samina Alvi Task Force Misbah Khalid, Dr. Kausar, Plastic Surgeon and Breast Cancer Specialist, South City, Shahid Khan, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce VP, FPCCI Rafat Alam, Dr Sana Mirza, Chairperson and associate professor, Lums, SVP KWCCI District Malir Afzala Shaheen , VP Yasmeen Arif and Farah khan were also attended the awareness session.

Irfan Iqbal, FPCCI President, said that it is very important for women to be healthy for the formation of a strong society. FPCCI provided 2 vans equipped with modern medical facilities to Cancer Care for providing healthy life to women, and 300 women were tested out of which 11 women were found to have breast cancer.

Nazli Abid Nisar, Convener FPCCI Women Entrepreneurs Committee and Founder President of Karachi Women Chamber of Commerce & Industry Malir, said that we have been organizing seminars with the support of Samina Alvi Task Force for 3 years and to prevent women from this disease. Providing awareness.

“If a woman is healthy and strong, then a strong society will be formed and women can work by sitting at home alongside men”, she said.

Nazli Abid was of the view that we want to reach the government from the platform of FPCCI to provide medical teams in cities and villages to prevent breast cancer so that women can be made aware of their health and provide treatment facilities.

October 10, 2022
Pact signed to promote STEAM education

ISLAMABAD: While transitioning from the exam-centred to learning based approach, the Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training’s (MoFEPT) STEAM Pakistan program is focused on improving conceptual understanding and analytical skills of school children across the country, with a specific focus on girls’ education.

Launched in early 2022, the program has already started its interventions in middle and high schools in the Islamabad Capital Territory.

As part of the program, MoFEPT signed a Letter of Understanding (LoU) today with the Federal Government Educational Institutions (FGEI) for a roll-out of STEAM interventions across all of its high schools.

FGEI’s Director General, Major General Muhammad Asghar, HI (M), stated that “STEAM Pakistan project will complement the various measures taken by FGEI to attain the objective of quality education and promote the conceptual learning and development of soft skills in youth”.

The LoU intends to support FGEI’s efforts on targeting students in middle schools across its network, with MoFEPT providing technical support for systems, teacher training, and STEAM content.

Additional Secretary Waseem Ajmal Chaudhry at the signing ceremony remarked, “It is important that we focus on our children’s learning, and today is a great opportunity for the Ministry of Federal Education to collaborate with another Ministry for this purpose. The Ministry looks forward to providing similar technical support to provinces on STEAM”.

FGEI currently manages 190 high schools in 45 districts across all provinces and AJ&K, and a total of 311 schools (including 13 higher secondary schools) and 47 colleges across Pakistan with over 8,000 teachers and 200,000 students. FGEI operates under the aegis of Ministry of Defence.

STEAM Pakistan is a collaborative project through which Malala Fund and partners are providing support to the Federal Ministry of Education and Professional Training to advance secondary school-aged girls’ access to science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics education in Pakistan.

October 4, 2022
SNGPL to distribute 100,000 LPG cylinders to meet energy shortage

KARACHI: Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has approved the supply of 100,000 cylinders of LPG gas to meet energy needs in coming winter.

In a material information shared with the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Monday, SNGPL said in view of potential gas shortfall in the forthcoming winter, the Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division) has advised to explore all possible options to meet energy needs of consumers, including supplying LPG cylinders.

Accordingly, the Board of Directors of SNGPL in their meeting dated September 28, 2022, has approved the project of LPG distribution with 100,000 Cylinders.

The estimated initial investment for the venture is up to Rs 1,200 million. The return on investment is not subject to present ROA regime and will be determined as per market dynamics.

October 3, 2022
President Alvi awards ‘dismissal from service’ to DG PEMRA

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has awarded major penalty of ‘dismissal from service’ to Director General of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA).

While upholding the decision of the Federal Ombudsperson for Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace (FOSPAH), the President awarded the major penalty of “Dismissal from Service” to a Director General of PEMRA (the Appellant) and also enhanced the fine from Rs. 2 million to Rs. 2.5 million.

READ MORE: President Alvi bars retrospective effect to profit rates on saving certificates

He held that it had been established beyond any reasonable doubt that the female employee was harassed by the accused with verbal, vulgar, sexual, and demeaning comments and demands by the Appellant.

The President observed that he took a strong exception and used the full force of the law when such matters were brought to light and were proven beyond doubt to ensure a safe working environment for the female gender.

This, he added, was aimed at unleashing their great economic potential which remained unexploited due to their fear of harassment at the workplace.

The President ordered that the amount of compensation shall be recovered from arrears of pay (if any), pension emoluments or any other source (property) of the Appellant as per Section 4(i)(d) of the Protection Against the Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2010 and be given to the complainant as compensation in lieu of the hardships faced by her at the hands of the Appellant.

READ MORE: President Alvi directs State Life Insurance to pay compensation

This landmark decision was announced after the President gave personal prolonged hearings to the accused, the complainant and their counsels on 22.07.2022 and 25.07.2022, besides factoring in the evidence and recording the statements of the witnesses on record and minutely perusing the entire proceedings of the case.

In his decision, the President noted that the accused continued harassing the complainant unabated even during the proceedings of the case by FOSPAH, in his suspension period, by filing applications against the complainant to IG Police, Islamabad and to DG (FIA), Cyber Crime Wing, Islamabad, thus, inflicting grave mental torture to the complainant and putting her repute at stake.

The President added that the said act of the accused was a flagrant violation of the laws of Pakistan, particularly the Protection Against Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2010, and a blatant example of how women were discouraged, even those brave ones who come forward risking their reputation, to file cases of harassment. “The statistics with reference to the number of cases are infinitesimal as compared to the anecdotal discussion of the frequency of harassment in our society”, he added.

READ MORE: President Alvi rejects Habib Bank plea, orders to pay victims

In his order, the President wrote that women, who were more than 50% of our society, were unable to work freely because of possible harassment. “Public spaces are reduced for them; educational opportunities which is their right have been denied to them by their parents in certain cases because of the fear of harassment at the educational institutions as they look for “girls/women only institutions”.

As a result, women in our society are mostly undereducated, severely underemployed, financially constrained, denied proper inheritance and discriminated against at the time of promotions.

He said that Islam kept women in high esteem and provided them with the right to pursue gainful occupations and employment by ensuring a safe, secure, dignified and respectful workplace environment.

He said that due to these reasons, Bibi Khadija (RA), the wife of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), was a businesswoman and Hazrat Umar (RA) appointed Al-Shifa’ bint Abdullah as the custodian of the market who was entrusted with the portfolio of the Accountability Court and Market Administration.

READ MORE: HBL ordered to compensate bank fraud victim

The President further added that Hazrat Umm-e-Kulsum bint Ali was sent on a diplomatic mission to the court of the Queen of Rome and many women took part in battles including Hazrat Ayesha (RA), Umm-e-Salim (RA), Umm-e-Ammara (RA) and Umm-e-Saleet, Safiyya bint Abd al-Muttalib, Umm-e-Atiya al-Ansar (RA) Rufaida Al-Aslamia and Asma bint Yazid ibn Al-Sakan who protected the prophet in battles, treated the wounded soldiers and provided them logistic support and served them with water and food.

The President quoted a recent judgment of the Supreme Court in a case of harassment wherein it was noted, “It is time to pave the way towards the actualization of robust and unwavering constitutional ideals and values by embracing the participation of women in all spheres of life with honour and dignity”, and that “No nation can rise to the height of glory”, in the words of the Founder of our Nation, Muhammed Ali Jinnah, “unless your women are side by side with you. We are victims of evil customs. It is a crime against humanity that our women are shut up within the four walls of the houses as prisoners.

READ MORE: FBR directed to bring entire sugar supply chain into tax net

There is no sanction anywhere for the deplorable condition in which our women have to live.” Keeping in view the established facts of the case, the President directed the relevant authority to implement the order in letter and spirit and furnish compliance to Registrar FOSPAH within the stipulated period.

October 2, 2022
Pakistan sharply reduces petroleum prices from October 01, 2022

ISLAMABAD: The government on Friday announced significant reduction in petroleum prices for next fortnight starting from October 01, 2022.

According to the new prices, effective from October 01, 2022:

The rate of petrol has been reduced by Rs12.63 per liter to Rs224.80 from Rs237.43.

READ MORE: Pakistan reviews petroleum prices on Sept 30, 2022 amid crash in global rates

The price of high speed diesel has been cut by 12.13 per liter to Rs235.30 from Rs247.43.

The rate of Kerosene oil has been slashed by Rs10.19 to Rs191.83 from Rs202.02.

The price of light diesel oil has been reduced by Rs10.78 to Rs186.50 from Rs197.28.

The government has reduced the petroleum prices in the wake of massive decline in international oil prices.

READ MORE: New petroleum prices in Pakistan effective from September 21, 2022

According to Reuters news agency oil prices fell $2 a barrel a day earlier, settling at nine-month lows in choppy trade, pressured by a strengthening dollar as market participants awaited details on new sanctions on Russia.

Brent crude futures for November settled down $2.09, or 2.4 per cent, to $84.06 a barrel, plunging below levels reached on January 14. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for November delivery dropped by $2.06, or 2.3 per cent to $76.71, the lowest since Jan. 6.

Previously, the government revised the petroleum prices on September 21, 2022, which was scheduled to be announced on September 15, 2022.

READ MORE: New petroleum prices in Pakistan from September 01, 2022

The previous government of PTI had kept both the petroleum levy and sales tax at zero in order to provide relief to the masses. The PTI government also provided a huge subsidy on prices of petroleum products in order to lower the rates and provide relief to the masses.

However, former Prime Minister Imran Khan was removed through a vote of no-confidence motion on April 10, 2022. Since then the new coalition government led by PML-N increased the prices of petroleum products sharply on three different occasions.

READ MORE: New petroleum prices in Pakistan from August 16, 2022

The present government in the budget estimated to collect Rs855 billion as petroleum levy during the fiscal year 2022/2023. As this fiscal year is starting from July 01, 2022, it is likely that the government will opt to impose the levy from this date.

The exchange rate has seen massive decline in rupee value during past week despite inflows received from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Pakistani Rupee (PKR) has plunged by PKR 20 against the US dollar since the country received tranche from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The country received a tranche of $1.16 billion from the IMF under Extended Fund (EFF) loan program on August 31, 2022.

The government was hopeful of improvement in economic indicators once the money is received from the IMF. However, in contrast the PKR fell sharply since the IMF funds transferred to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

September 30, 2022