ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa called on Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday.
The meeting was part of the ongoing consultation process between the Prime Minister and Chief of Army Staff about the timing of change of command in ISI and selection of the new DG ISI.
During this process a list of officers was received from ministry of Defence. Prime Minister interviewed all the nominees.
A final round of consultation was held between the Prime Minister and Chief of Army Staff today.
After this detailed consultative process, name of Lt. Gen. Nadeem Anjum was approved as new DG ISI.
The designate DG ISI shall assume charge on 20th November, 2021.
The president upheld the orders of the Wafaqi Mohtasib to pay the death insurance claims to the widows of policyholders in two separate cases and rejected the representations of SLICP in this regard.
According to the details, Mst. Nagina Fatima’s late husband had purchased non-medical life insurance policy for Rs 1 million and paid annual premium amounting to Rs 54,890 on December 31, 2018.
After his death in February 2019, the widow, being the nominee of the deceased policyholder, approached the SLICP for the payment of death insurance claim.
The SLICP repudiated her insurance claim without issuing her any notice, thereafter, the widow approached the office of the Wafaqi Mohtasib for the redressal of her grievance.
Similarly, the husband of Mst. Rehana Kosar had purchased a policy for Rs 410,000 and after paying annual premium in July 2019 he died. Mst. Kosar’s claim was also rejected without issuing any notice to her after which she approached the Wafaqi Mohtasib to seek justice.
Subsequently, Wafaqi Mohtasib, in both the cases, passed the orders directing SLICP to redress the grievances of the complainants by paying them death insurance claims, taking disciplinary actions against the delinquent officers/officials under the relevant laws and reporting compliance or intimate the reasons for not doing so within 30 days in terms of the Article 11(2) of P.O. 1 of 1983. SLICP, thereafter, filed appeals to the President assailing the orders of the Wafaqi Mohtasib. While rejecting the representation of SLICP, the President noted that under the Article 32 of the Establishment of the Office of Wafaqi Mohtasib Order 1983 read with Section 14 of the Federal Ombudsmen Institutional Reforms Act 2013, any person aggrieved by the order of the Mohtasib may file a representation within 30 days before the Honourable President.
He stated that in both cases, the orders of the Mohtasib were forwarded to the agency on 26.05.2021 whereas both the instant representations of SLICP were field on 07.07.2021.
The President observed that the extant law didn’t empower the condonation of delay to entertain a representation which is time barred, adding that it is liable to be rejected out rightly as incompetent and time barred. He remarked that the agency did not challenge the declarations made by the deceased policyholders about their good state of health and treated the insurance policies as “good risk” and a valid contract since the date of issuance of policies till their deaths for all intents and purposes.
He ordered to estop the agency to assail the policy after the death of policyholders as the agency repudiated the claim without issuing any notices and without providing the complainants the opportunity of being heard. The President in his decision wrote that the agency did not fulfil the requirements of natural justice which is one of the most sacred principles and its violation is always considered enough to vitiate even the most solemn proceeding.
“Therefore, the representation is rejected at it is time barred and the Agency must consider the matter further, redress the grievance of the complainants by paying them death insurance claims, take disciplinary actions against delinquent officers under relevant laws and report compliance within 30 days”, he ordered.
ISLAMABAD: President of Pakistan Dr. Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday congratulated the Pakistan cricket team for a comprehensive 10-wicket victory against India in T20 World Cup.
In a tweet the Prime Minister said, “Congratulations to the Pakistan Team & esp [especially] to Babar Azam who led from the front, as well as to the brilliant performances of Rizwan & Shaheen Afridi. The nation is proud of you all.”
Congratulations to the Pakistan Team & esp to Babar Azam who led from the front, as well as to the brilliant performances of Rizwan & Shaheen Afridi. The nation is proud of you all. pic.twitter.com/ygoOVTu37l
President of Pakistan Dr. Arif Alvi in his tweet congratulated the team with words: “Tremendous batting by Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam. What a pleasure to see total dominance. Going towards a good ending.”
شاباش گرین شرٹس۔ مکمل صفایا۔ دس وکٹوں سے میچ جیت لیا۔ ہمیں آپ پر فخر ہے۔ ایک اچھا میچ تھا مزا آگیا۔ پاکستنیوں آپ سب کو مبارک ہو۔ pic.twitter.com/sJVgINW4FU
Earlier, Pakistan smashed the Indian cricket team with a 10 wicket win; their first-ever win in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup against India.
Jubilant cricket lovers danced to the tune of music and the slogans of Pakistan reverberated across the country and abroad; wherever the Pakistanis reside.
Pakistani skipper Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan hit unbeaten half-centuries and successfully chased target of 152 runs set by India.
The Pakistani openers remained in control of the match throughout their innings and achieved a resounding victory ending the domination of India against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup matches.
Messages of felicitations poured in from the President of Pakistan, Prime Minister, ministers, and Pakistani crickets fans.
ISLAMABAD: A task force constituted by Prime Minister Imran Khan has initiated proceedings against individuals whose names were reported in the Pandora papers.
Consequent upon disclosures made by International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) regarding certain Pakistani individuals, their offshore companies, trusts and assets, the Prime Minister of Pakistan tasked Prime Minister’s inspection Commission (PMIC) to examine the matter and propose further action, said a press release received here on Wednesday.
PMIC has commenced its proceedings and has at the outset sought assistance from the lCIJ. Pakistani Journalists who were associated with 1CIJ investigations have also been requested to share information and data which is in their knowledge and possession, necessary cooperation is however still awaited.
Assistance from relevant government agencies has also been requested. PMIC will complete its task and formulate recommendations after a comprehensive review and analysis or relevant record/information.
It will be ensured that the exercise is concluded fairly and objectively. Individuals concerned will be afforded opportunity to clarify their position. PMIC believes in accountability, transparency, good governance and is committed to upholding these principles.
Any input, information and assistance from other organizations and whistleblowers in this regard will be appreciated.
ISLAMABAD: The government on Saturday increased the price of petrol to a record high at Rs137.79 per liter. The government announced to increase prices of all petroleum products with effect from October 15, 2021.
The price of petrol has been increased by Rs10.49 to Rs137.79 from Rs127.30 per liter. The price of High Speed Diesel (HSD) has been increased by Rs12.44 to Rs134.48 from Rs122.04 per liter. The price of kerosene oil has been enhanced by Rs10.95 to Rs110.26 from Rs99.31 per liter. Similarly, the price of light diesel oil has been increased by Rs8.48 to Rs108.35 from Rs99.51 per liter.
A notification issued by the Finance Division said at present, oil prices have risen around $85 a barrel, which is the highest since October 2018.
Importantly, entire energy chain prices have witnessed a strong surge in the past couple of months due to higher demand for energy inputs and supply bottlenecks.
In the current scenario, the government has absorbed the pressure and provided maximum relief to the consumers by keeping petroleum levy and sales tax to a minimum level. Therefore, prices worked out by OGRA have been approved, according to the statement.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday said that cadastral mapping will help in development of an authentic land record database.
Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired a meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) on Housing, Construction & Development to review the progress made on existing and new projects.
While receiving a briefing from Surveyor General of Pakistan Maj. Gen. Shahid Pervez, the Prime Minister remarked that Cadastral Mapping would help in development of an authentic land record database. It would help in clearly identifying demarcation of land and thereby eliminate illegal encroachments, added the prime minister.
Moreover, the authentic database would also contribute towards enhancing revenues received from lands, the prime minister said.
The Prime Minister further said: “Land-use changes need to be checked where green vegetation areas are being converted to urban projects.” He advised all the provincial and Azad and Jmmu and Kashmir governments to expedite legislation to put a stop to land-use changes.
The Prime Minister stated that protection of green spaces and agricultural lands is essential for environmental considerations and to safeguard food security. However, construction projects would be allowed under regulations.
The NCC meeting was briefed that, under Phase-I of the mapping exercise, 90 per cent digitization of State Lands has been completed in Punjab, 96 per cent in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 50 per cent in Balochistan.
Chairman CDA informed that with the help of Cadastral Maps, CDA has started imposition of fines on encroachers and the amount collected is being used for compensation of general masses who were defrauded by illegal housing societies.
The NCC meeting was attended by Federal Minister Fawad Ahmed, Minister of State Farrukh Habib, SAPM Dr. Shehbaz Gill, SAPM Malik Amin Aslam, Minister Local Govt. Punjab Mian Mehmood ur Rasheed, MNA Aftab Siddiqui, Chairman Naya Pakistan Housing & Development Authority Lt. Gen. (R) Anwar Ali Haider, Chairman FBR, Surveyor General of Pakistan, and senior officers. Chief Secretaries of Punjab, Balochistan, Sindh and AJ&K; and ACS Khyber Pakhtunkhwa joined the meeting via video link.
Earlier the Prime Minister also chaired a meeting to review progress on Ravi Urban Development Project and Central Business District Lahore.
The Prime Minister directed the concerned authorities to expedite progress as these projects are very important for attracting Foreign Direct Investment in the Country.Deputy Governor State Bank of Pakistan and Chief Secretary Gilgit Baltistan also joined the NCC meeting via video link.
ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet in a meeting on Tuesday has approved the abolition of visa fees for Pakistani visas for Afghans coming into Pakistan.
Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired the meeting of the federal cabinet.
The cabinet approved the inclusion of Afghan businessmen in the list of Pakistan Business Visas for their convenience.
It also approved in principle a code of conduct for issuing Pakistani visas to Afghans. The regulation will issue all visas online and will minimize the duration of the administrative process for obtaining a visa.
At the beginning of the meeting, the Cabinet offered Fateha for late Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan. The Cabinet was briefed on the progress regarding introduction of electronic voting machines (EVM) and empowerment of Overseas Pakistanis to vote.
The cabinet directed to celebrate Eid Milad-un-Nabi in a grand manner. The federal cabinet decided to have a look at the comparative prices of essential commodities in all its meetings.
The meeting approved the renewal of Charter License Class-II (Domestic) of M/s K2 AIRWAYS (Pvt.) Ltd. The Cabinet approved the issuance of Charter Licence Class-II (Domestic & International) for M/s AIR SIAL Ltd.
The Establishment Division briefed the Cabinet on the vacancies of CEOs and Managing Directors in various Ministries and state owned companies under their supervision. The Cabinet was informed that at present a total of 80 posts are vacant. Out of which 44 posts will be filled by following the due process, whereas posts in 18 institutions are being abolished. The Cabinet directed that the procedure of appointments should be completely transparent and merit-based.
The federal cabinet approved the reconstitution of PEMRA Council of Complaints Islamabad and approved the appointment of Syed Muhammad Ali Bukhari as its Chairman. The council will consist of 6 members, including three women members.
The Cabinet approved the establishment of a special riot police force to protect the lives and property of citizens of the federal capital Islamabad and to maintain law and order.
This decision has been taken keeping in view the increase in urban population of Islamabad, the sensitivity of the federal capital and the needs of police. The force will be equipped with the latest technology and equipment to help prevent crime. Force personnel will be trained according scientific standards.
The Cabinet approved the provision of Pakistan Online Visa facility for foreigners working on CPEC projects.
The Cabinet approved the criteria and regulations for admission on merit in government medical and dental colleges run by the federal government. Following this decision, 50 per cent marks will be given to the marks obtained in the entrance test and the remaining 50 per cent marks will be given to the marks obtained in the intermediate examinations.
The decisions taken at the meeting of the Economic Co-ordination Committee of the Cabinet on October 7, 2021 were partially ratified.
The Cabinet postponed the agenda of the decisions taken at the meeting of the Committee on Transport and Logistics on October 4, 2021. The Cabinet set up a sub-committee comprising Minister of Energy and Minister of Maritime Affairs to review the matter and re-submit it to the Cabinet.
The Cabinet approved the procedure for online verification of Power of Attorney documents for the convenience of overseas Pakistanis. The move will enable Pakistanis abroad to quickly verify legal documents, previously, it involved a lengthy waiting time.
The Cabinet approved the establishment of a Real Estate Regulatory Authority to regulate the sale and purchase of land under the Islamabad Real Estate (Regulations and Development) Act, 2020.
The Cabinet approved the establishment of Rehmat-ul-Ulameen Authority. The authority will include world-renowned Muslim scholars. The authority will conduct research on various aspects of Prophet’s life. The authority will propose a curriculum for the training of children in the light of teachings of Seerat-un-Nabi. The authority will also take steps to highlight true identity of Islam in the world. The authority will work to prevent the rise of sexual crimes, and will ensure tolerance in society.
The Cabinet appreciated and commended the Prime Minister’s initiative and reiterated the great commitment of all members of the Cabinet to participate in the promotion of this great cause.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday said that taxpayers’ money should be returned to Pakistan from those whose names were revealed by the Pandora papers.
The prime minister has chaired a meeting of the federal cabinet.
The cabinet was informed that initially, the Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission will meticulously review the record of all those Pakistanis which are named in Pandora Revelations and decide about legal proceedings according to the outcome of such investigations. “The taxpayers’ money should return to Pakistan,” the Prime Minister remarked.
The meeting was briefed on the introduction of electronic voting machines and giving voting rights to Overseas Pakistanis.
In this lieu the process of taking opposition on board is underway. Emphasizing the importance of EVMs the Prime Minister said that for the country’s greater good, the government wants to bring transparency in election process.
Effective awareness campaign should be launched to highlight the usefulness of electronic voting machines, he added.
SAPM for National Health Services Dr Faisal Sultan gave a detailed briefing to the Cabinet on admission test in medical colleges. The meeting was told that the admission test is conducted to produce professionally competent doctors and dentists. High standards of medical education are necessary as doctors have to save human lives.
In this regard, a uniform entrance test at par with prevalent international best practices is set up which is marked with the help of modern technology. The purpose of the entrance test is to test the actual intelligence and not to merely pass the exam on the basis of the rote learning. Each student’s exam is different from the other so that the chances of copying are eliminated.
About 200,000 students take the medical admission test every year for 20 thousand seats. Due to lack of resources, it is not possible to arrange computers or laptops for 200000 students at the same time during admission tests. The pool of questions for the exam is made in accordance with the syllabus in which different questions are included in the questionnaire.
The Supreme Court has directed that medical entrance tests be conducted uniformly across the country. The cabinet agreed that Effective and transparent admission test system is of great importance and is necessary as these individuals, later on, have to save human lives by becoming doctors.
The cabinet allowed the MetLife-Alico company to move abroad its capital (received in lieu of its sale proceeding) in accordance with Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan’s regulations.
The Cabinet approved a reduction in the punishment of prisoners on the auspicious occasion of Eid Milad-ul-Nabi. The Cabinet directed that Eid Milad-ul-Nabi (PBUH) be celebrated on a grand scale. Moreover, it was decided that the ten days from 3rd Rabi ul Awwal to 13th Rabi ul Awwal will be dedicated to Rehmat al Alameen (PBUH).
The Cabinet approved the appointment of experts in committee on drug research under Drug (Research) Rules, 1978. These experts posted hail from Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. These experts will help in research on medicines in Pakistan.
The Cabinet allowed the promotion of important and life saving drugs in light of the recommendations of the Drug Regulatory Authority.
In order to provide winter relief for domestic consumers and keeping in view the paucity of Natural gas, the Cabinet approved usage of electricity instead of gas on the recommendation of the Cabinet Committee on Energy. In addition to the above, the domestic electricity customers will also have the facility that if they use more units this winter than the previous year, they will be charged additional units at a lower price.
The decisions taken by the Economic Coordination Committee in the meeting held on 30 september 2021 were also ratified. The decisions taken by the Cabinet Committee on Legislation in the Meeting of 30 September 2021 were also ratified.
The Cabinet directed all ministries to use E-Procurements System. All the tenders should be run in a completely transparent manner and the procurement process should eliminate corruption. The Cabinet directed to form a three members committee that will make a comprehensive assessment of electricity and construction contracts entered by the previous governments, especially road construction contracts and will present the report to the cabinet. The committee will comprise Federal Ministers Fawad Ahmed Chauhdary and Hammad Azhar.
The Cabinet approved submission of the recommended Code of Conduct by Census Advisory Committee to the Council of Common Interests for the Seventh Census.
The Census Rules contain the following recommendations:
-The census will be conducted in accordance with the Constitution and law.
-Adherence to the principles laid by United Nations for Census.
-Setting up of a census-specific unit and master plan.
-Updation of maps.
-Taking on board all Stake Holders.
-Questionnaire for census
– Conducting Pilot exercise for Census
– Census Awareness Campaign
-Training of Personnel
-Code for Data Collection
– Monitoring of Field Teams
-Security arrangements for field teams
– An after census Survey for verification
-Establishment of National Census Liaison Centre
Keeping in view the security reasons, the Cabinet approved the appointment of Security personnel for by-elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
The Cabinet approved the allotment of land in Islamabad for the construction of purpose-built buildings for Panahgahs.
The government on Thursday announced a significant hike in the price of petrol, increasing it by Rs 4 per liter, bringing the cost to an all-time high of Rs 127.30 per liter. This marks the highest petrol price in Pakistan’s history. The new prices, along with adjustments to other petroleum products, will take effect from October 1, 2021.
ISLAMABAD: The federal government has announced a reduction of sales tax rate by 31.5 per cent on supply of High Speed Diesel (HSD). The rate sales tax on HSD has been reduced in order to lower the impact of higher prices pass on to the consumer.
In the latest SRO only sales tax rate on HSD has been reduced. The sales tax rates on other petroleum products have been kept unchanged. The sales tax rates on petroleum products are: Petrol 10.54 per cent; HSD 11.64 per cent; Kerosene oil 6.70 per cent; Light Diesel Oil 0.20 per cent.
With the announcement the petrol prices have gone up to the all-time high level. However, it is even more important that the sales tax rates are on the lowest side when compared with the rates applicable during year 2015.
The government has increased latest prices owing to fluctuations in petroleum prices in the international market and exchange rate variation.
Following are the rates of petroleum products, which will take effect from September 16, 2021:
The rate of petrol has been increased by Rs5 to Rs123.30 per liter from Rs118.30.
The rate of high-speed diesel has been increased by Rs5.01 to Rs120.04 per liter from Rs115.03.
The rate of kerosene oil has been increased by Rs5.46 to Rs92.26 per liter from Rs86.80.
The rate of light diesel oil has been increased by Rs5.92 to Rs90.69 from Rs84.77.
In the latest SRO 1225(I)/2021 dated September 18, 2021, the sales tax rates on petroleum products are: Petrol 10.54 per cent; HSD 11.64 per cent; Kerosene oil 6.70 per cent; Light Diesel Oil 0.20 per cent.
The present sales tax rates on petroleum products are much lower when compared with sales tax rates prevailed about six years ago. The FBR issued SRO 963(I)/2015 dated September 30, 2015. The sales tax rates under this SRO are: Petrol 26 per cent; Kerosene 30 per cent; High Speed Diesel 50 per cent; Light Diesel Oil 29.50 per cent.
