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Tag: Pakistan Floods

  • National Foods donates PKR 60 million for flood relief activities

    National Foods donates PKR 60 million for flood relief activities

    KARACHI: ATC Holdings and its subsidiary National Foods Limited have announced to donate PKR 55 million for flood relief activities. Additionally, the group has created a dedicated account for employee contribution, leading to additional collection of PKR 8 million so far, taking the tally to over PKR 60 million.

    “Pakistan contains more glacial ice than any other country outside the polar regions. This combined with heavy rains has severely impacted Pakistan in terms of climate change. In the spirit of being truly National, I urge both local and international communities to come together and help the nation in this unprecedented crisis,” said CEO ATC Holdings & Chairman National Foods, Zahid Majeed.

    The group is executing relief efforts through partnerships with multiple organizations including Karachi Relief Trust (KRT), Hisaar Foundation, TCF & ChildLife Foundation.

    The Group aspires to reach all affected communities of our country. Immediate response included supplies to communal kitchens in the province of Sindh; namely Sukkur, Sakrand, Mirpurkhas, Nawabshah, Mehrabpur, Khairpur and providing ration packs, household goods in Balochistan.

    We are collaborating with experts to support the medical camps set up for affectees. Equipment and insecticides for tackling the immediate danger from mosquitoes have also been donated.

  • Experts stress rehabilitating education infrastructure in floods hit areas

    Experts stress rehabilitating education infrastructure in floods hit areas

    ISLAMABAD: The educationists and experts had conversation on September 16, 2022 to stress on rehabilitating and rebuilding the education infrastructure destroyed in the floods.

    The conversation was organized virtually by the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training’s STEAM Policy Unit.

    The senior education expert and author of “Teachers, Bureaucracy, and Politicians,” Javed Ahmed Malik said: “From our conversations with the Punjab Education Department, we know that it takes around Rs12 million to rebuild one school. This means we need a whopping Rs216 billion to rebuild 18,000 schools destroyed in the recent floods.”

    READ MORE: Sindh exempts tax on services provided for flood relief

    Strong public-private partnership models, development and implementation of a comprehensive remedial and accelerated learning program, and international commitment to rebuild the destroyed educational infrastructure on war footing were some of the solutions put forward by the experts to ensure nimble access to education for the displaced children.

    Focusing on the infrastructural damages and the looming specter of learning losses, international Education Activist, Moiz Hussain shared, “From the initial reports, over 3.5 million children have been affected by the floods. The biggest challenge we faced during the Covid-19 pandemic was the learning losses due to prolonged school closures. We are once again facing the same challenge since most school buildings are in no condition to accommodate students anytime soon.”

    Drawing from past precedents of rehabilitating and rebuilding the education infrastructure after a natural calamity, Head of the STEAM Policy Unit, Salman Naveed Khan pointed out that the process was often considerably slow and even staggered. He said that, “The reconstruction of the last lot of schools destroyed in the 2005 earthquake was completed only last year in 2021. If we take this as a benchmark, it will take us 16 to 17 years to rebuild the 18,000 schools which were destroyed in the recent floods.”

    READ MORE: SBP allows flood relief donations through home remittance channel

    Multi-media journalist Amber Shamsi lamented the system’s inability to learn from the past. “It seems we haven’t learned anything at all from the earthquake in 2005 and the floods in 2010-11. We are once again racking our brains to reinvent the wheel when so many solutions can be extracted from the calamities that we went through less than two decades ago.”

    The need to include climate education in the curriculum also came under discussion as an important long-term strategy. “If we do not teach our children about climate change, problem-solving and decision-making skills from an early age then we will never be able to protect ourselves from the catastrophic impacts of climate change,” commented television anchorperson Zarrar Khuhro.

    Fozia Parveen, Assistant Professor at The Agha Khan University, however, stressed that climate education should not merely be taken as information about natural disasters, and pollution, but should come hand-in-hand with practical skills which can effectively help a community protect itself during a crisis caused by climate change.

    READ MORE: FBR directs speedy clearance of flood relief goods

    Adding to this, Arooj Khalid, Senior Project Officer at Science Fuse shared, “During our science activities in schools in Balochistan, female students eagerly told us about the impact of climate change on their lives. If provided the right information and skills at the school level, these students can help their communities rise above the challenge.”

    The recent floods that have left almost 70 per cent of Pakistan’s landmass submerged under water, displaced close to 33 million people, and taken thousands of precious lives have also left the country’s fragile education system in tatters.

    STEAM Pakistan is an initiative of the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, which aims to enhance secondary-school-aged students’, especially girls’ access to science, technology, engineering, arts, and maths education across the country.

  • Karachi Chamber urges allowing imports from India

    Karachi Chamber urges allowing imports from India

    KARACHI: Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Thursday urged the government to open borders for allowing imports from India, especially in the wake of flood devastation.

    Chairman Businessmen Group (BMG) Zubair Motiwala and President Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) Muhammad Idrees have appealed the government to immediately allow imports of raw cotton and food items including vegetables, fruits, grains and other essential products from India through Wagha border as Pakistan faces severe shortages of all these products because of the devastation caused by flashfloods which completely washed away all the agricultural crops.

    READ MORE: FPCCI rejects central bank’s claim of ‘no import restriction’

    Chairman BMG Zubair Motiwala pointed out that in addition to the devastation caused and losses of up to billions of rupees suffered, food crises have also triggered as the agricultural crops, livestock, and agricultural land have been completed damaged and remain inundated to date.

    “As raw cotton, dates, chilies, cauliflower, onions, and other fruits and vegetables in Sindh and Balochistan have been destroyed, therefore, it has become inevitable to open up the Wagha border and allow imports of agricultural crops from India so that our country’s food needs and also the industry’s agricultural input requirements could immediately be surmounted by importing food supplies within the shortest possible time at competitive rates from our neighboring country,” he added.

    READ MORE: KCCI managing committee candidates elected unopposed

    He stressed that the government has to act promptly and sensibly in this regard to avert food crises as according to estimates, 65 percent of Pakistan’s main food crops including 80 percent of its wheat, rice and raw cotton etc. have been completely swept away during floods, and more than 3 million livestock have also died.

    “In this scenario, the wisest move would be to go for importing all these products from India with lower logistic cost and time instead of other countries with heavy logistics expenses and a lot of time. Importing from India will have a bearable impact on the country’s balance of payment as compared to others hence, the lawmakers must take this important step in the larger interest of the country,” he said.

    Chairman BMG warned that Pakistan’s recovery from the damages caused to the agricultural crops could take several months and if the raw cotton imports from India were not allowed on time, the textile exports would go down due to lower production as raw cotton was the basic and most important raw material of textile production. “Reduced textile exports would worsen the situation for the already ailing and overburdened economy.”

    READ MORE: APTMA demands immediate release of textile machinery

    President KCCI Muhammad Idrees stated that Pakistan heavily relies on the local production of agricultural products but now it was obvious that wheat, rice, raw cotton, grains and vegetables etc. have to be imported so it was better to import from India which produces plenty of these agricultural products and also the livestock.

    He was of the opinion that the prices of vegetables and other commodities have risen sharply in the local markets, making them unaffordable and beyond the reach of poor segment of society hence, the government without wasting any time must immediately allow agricultural imports from India so that prices could stabilize and the countrymen could be saved from hunger and starvation.

    READ MORE: Date extension demanded for electricity bills payment

  • Sindh exempts tax on services provided for flood relief

    Sindh exempts tax on services provided for flood relief

    KARACHI: Sindh government has allowed whole of sales tax on services provided or rendered for flood relief operations.

    In this regard, Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) issued a notification dated September 13, 2022, stated that the government of Sindh exempted the whole of sales tax payable on such taxable services as are certified by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) or Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Sindh to be meant for flood relief operations carried out in Sindh Province.

    READ MORE: SBP allows flood relief donations through home remittance channel

    The province allowed sales tax exemption on the following services:

    01. Services provided or rendered by restaurants for free distribution as donation or charity.

    02. Services provided or rendered by caterers, suppliers of food and drinks for free distribution as donation or charity.

    READ MORE: FBR directs speedy clearance of flood relief goods

    03. Advertisements for charity and donations in the Prime Minister’s Flood Relief Fund or in the Chief Minister Sindh’s Flood Relief Fund.

    04. Renting of machinery, equipment, appliances and other tangible goods acquired and used for rehabilitation and reconstruction.

    READ MORE: USC to disburse ration bags worth Rs540 million to flood victims

    05. Labor and manpower supply services provided in the course of flood relief operations.

    06. Services provided or rendered by persons engaged in inter-city transportation or carriage of flood relief goods by road.

    The SRB said that the notification, if not rescinded earlier, shall stand rescinded on and from January 01, 2023.

    READ MORE: Pakistani fintech enables individuals to donate flood victims

  • ekaterra donates 100 tons of tea to flood victims

    ekaterra donates 100 tons of tea to flood victims

    ISLAMABAD: ekaterra, world renowned company, has donated 100 tons of tea to one million families displaced by the devastating floods, according to a statement issued on Tuesday.

    As part of the national plan of providing maximum relief to over 33 million flood-affected people across Pakistan, the company pledged to donate 100 tons of tea to one million families displaced by the devastating floods.

    The relief assistance will be provided through its partner NGOs, Indus Hospital, The Citizens Foundation Al-Khidmat Foundation, and Roshan Academy, ekaterra said in a press release issued here on Tuesday.

    Tea is not only a part of the staple diet in Pakistan but also it’s an essential item that helps people get a sense of community. It is a ritual to have tea and sit together in open spaces, reminiscing the good times.

    “The flood devastation in Pakistan is of an unimaginable magnitude: almost 20 per cent of the world’s 5th most populous country is submerged under water. Pakistan emits less than 1 per cent of the greenhouse gases in the world and yet it is still reeling from the effects of intense climate change. It’s not a matter of “if” but “when” we’ll all be affected for mistreating Mother Earth,” said Farheen Salman Amir, President BSPAN and GM Pakistan, ekaterra, while announcing the tea donation.

    She said that Ekaterra believes in giving back more than it takes from nature. “We’re announcing our commitment to the flood affected by donating 100 tons of tea to one million displaced families, that’s 100% of the displaced families as per the latest UNHCR data.”

    Pakistan continues its relentless battle against the floods triggered by the heavy monsoon rains which have claimed 1,400 lives and injured over 2,000 people. Over 33 million have been affected and one million families have been displaced, while over 218,000 houses have been destroyed, and a further 500,000 damaged. More than 750,000 livestock, which is the most critical source of sustenance and livelihood, have died and around 2 million acres of crops have been impacted.

  • SBP allows flood relief donations through home remittance channel

    SBP allows flood relief donations through home remittance channel

    KARACHI: State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Tuesday allowed foreign remittances related to donations and charity for flood relief through home remittance channel.

    The SBP said through FE Circular No. 11, dated October 22, 2018 and related instructions issued on the subject, from time to time, regarding receipt of foreign remittance from Business to Customer (B2C) and Customer to Business (C2B) transactions through home remittance channel.

    With a view to facilitate the stakeholders in providing relief and rehabilitation support to the affectees of torrential rains and flash floods across Pakistan, it has been decided to allow the foreign remittances on account of donation and charity through home remittance channel with immediate effect. Accordingly, the following amendments have been made in the relevant sections of Annexure-A to the above stated FE Circular No. 11 of 2018:

    Consumer to Business: there shall be no limit for inflows under donation/charity, if the same is received by: Donations/charity received in designated Federal, Provincial, Local Government bank accounts; Donations/charity received in bank accounts of NGOs/NPOs/Charities permitted to receive contributions from abroad in accordance with applicable law and/ or policy.

    Business to Business: there shall be no limit of donation / charity if: Donations/charity received in designated Federal, Provincial, Local Government bank accounts; Donations/charity received in bank accounts of NGOs/NPOs/Charities permitted to receive contributions from abroad in accordance with applicable law and/ or policy.

    The SBP updated the terms and conditions for home remittance services:

    a) ADs / banks shall obtain approval from SBP before finalization of addition in agreement or entering into a new agreement with the foreign correspondent entity.

    b) ADs shall ensure foreign correspondent entities have a robust infrastructure and the capacity to comply with legal/regulatory requirements pertaining to AML/CFT.

    c) Payments from/to reputed and well-known foreign organizations/entities shall be accepted and processed by the ADs. ADs shall ensure screening of all sending/receiving persons/entities against relevant resolutions of United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Schedules of Anti- Terrorism Act, 1997 etc.

    d) ADs shall receive payments related to abovementioned transactions in existing Non-Resident PKRˇAccount of overseas tie-ups.

    e) All transactions shall be account credit only, which shall be disbursed in PKR only. Cash disbursement is not permissible for any of these transactions.

    f) All payments, except freelance payments as mentioned in clause (g) below, shall be on non repatriable basis without any exceptions.

    g) Exporters of Freelance services shall be allowed to repatriate upto 35% of the export earnings through their PKR denominated bank account in Pakistan for outward remittances. ADs shall ensure that these proceeds would be utilized only for payment of commission/discount to the overseas agents/buyers and to use the same to meet other expenses such as promotional publicity, import of Hardware/Software, foreign consultant’s fee etc.

    h) Under no circumstances, should an AD resort to netting off inflows and outflows with entities both within and outside Pakistan.

    i) Transactions under above mentioned categories shall not be claimed under ‘Reimbursement of TT Charges Scheme’. All such transaction shall be on “Fee-Based Model”.

    j) All such transactions will be reported under the Schedule and Purpose Codes to be assigned by Statistics & Data Warehouse Department (SDWHD) for International Transaction Reporting System (ITRS).

    k) Banks should not execute transactions which fail to fulfill KYC/CDD/CFT/AML requirements and develop systems/controls to determine whether an STR has to be filed with FMU or not as per existing defined procedures.

    Essentials of the Agency Agreement:

    a) The addition in agreement should be for payment of the above mentioned remittances in PKR only.

    b) All funds against aforesaid remittances should be received in advance in foreign correspondent entity’s Non Resident PKR Account/Vostro accounts maintained with banks in Pakistan.

    c) Foreign correspondent entities shall include the following information in the message or payment instruction which should remain with the funds/wire transfer throughout the payment chain:

    i. name of the originator;

    ii. originator’s account number (or unique reference number which permits traceability of the transaction);

    iii. name of the beneficiary;

    iv. beneficiary’s account number (or unique reference number which permits traceability of the transaction).

    d) ADs and their foreign correspondent overseas shall be fully responsible to conduct scrutiny of all transactions from AML/CFT/KYC perspective and ensure that each transaction is as per laws/regulations of respective jurisdictions.

    e) The agreement should not compromise State Bank’s right to revoke the agreement at any time.

    All ADs shall enter into separate agreements with commercial entities to ensure efficient execution of responsibilities and mechanism to resolve disputes between customers and businesses in case of delay of payments etc.

    Transactions received on behalf of foreign entities may be transferred from one AD to another AD through MT-103/RTGS without prior approval of SBP.

    6. In case where the amount of remittance is not credited/paid to/on behalf of the beneficiary, the beneficiary shall be entitled to a compensation of sixty five (65) paisa per thousand rupees per day for the number of days credit/payment on account of delay. The banks are, therefore, directed to ensure that the amount of remittances is credited/paid to/on behalf of the beneficiary within time frame laid down in FE Circular No. 04 dated August 22, 2009.

  • FBR directs speedy clearance of flood relief goods

    FBR directs speedy clearance of flood relief goods

    The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has issued directives to customs authorities, emphasizing the need for expeditious clearance of goods related to flood relief operations.

    (more…)
  • USC to disburse ration bags worth Rs540 million to flood victims

    USC to disburse ration bags worth Rs540 million to flood victims

    ISLAMABAD: Utility Stores Corporation (USC) will disburse 113,700 ration bags worth Rs540 million to the flood affected people across the country.

    In this regard the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet on Thursday approved the grant in favor of the USC.

    Ministry of Industries and Production presented a summary for release of funds for Utility Stores Corporation for provision of essential commodities in flood affected areas.

    READ MORE: OTP requirement abolished for USC purchases

    The meeting was apprised that the Utility Stores Corporation, in collaboration with provincial governments, is actively participating in relief operation for supply of essential food items in flood affected areas across Pakistan.

    Due to emergency situation and based on the preliminary need assessment, 113,700 ration bags amounting to Rs. 540 million would be disbursed. Considering emergency situation, the ECC approved Supplementary/ Technical Supplementary Grant of Rs. 540 million in favour of Utility Stores Corporation (USC).

    READ MORE: ECC approves Ramzan relief package worth Rs8.28 bn

    Finance Mnister Miftah Ismail chaired the ECC meeting. Federal Minister for Commerce Syed Naveed Qamar, Federal Minister for Power Khurram Dastgir Khan, Federal Minister for Industries and Production Makhdoom Syed Murtaza Mehmood, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, MNA/ex-PM, Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Dr. Aisha Ghous Pasha, Dr. Muhammad Jehanzeb Khan, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Government Effectiveness, MD USC, MD PASSCO, Federal Secretaries and senior officers attended the meeting.

    Ministry of National Food Security & Research tabled a summary for allocation of PASSCO’s local and imported wheat sock among recipient agencies.

    READ MORE: USC, NBP complete integration for Ehsaas Rashan

    It was briefed that PASSCO serves as a strategic organization to procure wheat from Punjab, Sindh and Baluchistan to build strategic reserves and to supply wheat to recipient agencies in case of emergency.

    Every year, on the request of recipient agencies, PASSCO makes allocation of wheat from its stocks. PASSCO held wheat stock of 2.499 MMT, including 1.232 MMT carry forward stocks.

    In view of above, the ECC allowed to supply PASSCO’s wheat among all recipients at 50 per cent local and 50 per cent imported.

    However, USC will be provided wheat at 75 per cent local and 25 per cent imported.

    All recipients including USC would pay full cost of wheat (local + imported) and incidental charges to PASSCO.

    READ MORE: USC automation to ease provision of targeted subsidy

    Ministry of Industries and Production presented a summary on Urea Fertilizer requirement for Rabi season 2022-23. The meeting was briefed on the demand and supply situation of Urea fertilizer for the Rabi season 2022-23.

    After detailed deliberation, the ECC allowed Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) to initiate the process for import of 300,000 MT of Urea on G2G basis and decided the provinces to bear their subsidy share.

    The ECC approved funds amounting to Rs. 3 billion to NDMA to meet its growing expenditure on account of procurement of rescue, relief and rehabilitation of the calamity stricken population across Pakistan.

    NDMA briefed the meeting that in the aftermath of devastation caused by floods across the country, millions of people have suffered in terms of loss of life, property, livestock and standing crops.

    NDMA was tasked by the Prime Minister to coordinate with PDMAs and to proactively undertake rescue and relief operation in the affected areas.

    The ECC also approved funds requirement of Rs. 1,009,480,191/- in favour of Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation & coordination for further transfer to Government of Afghanistan through approved mechanism for running cost/salary of the staff of three Pakistani hospitals in Afghanistan.

  • Mari Petroleum stops production from Zarghun, Bolan fields

    Mari Petroleum stops production from Zarghun, Bolan fields

    KARACHI: Mari Petroleum Company Limited (MPCL) on Thursday announced suspending production of oil and gas from one of its facility located in Balochistan due to torrential rains and flash floods.

    In a communication sent to Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), the company announced the suspension of production from Zarghun South Gas Fields and Bolan East Oil Field, Balochistan.

    MPCL is the operator of Zarghun South Gas Field and Ziarat Block in Balochistan with 35 per cent and 60 per cent working interest, respectively.

    Annual 10 MMCFD of gas is produced from Zarghun South Gas Field, which is supplied to SSGCL, while around 500 BPD of oil is produced from Ziarat Block (Bolan East – 1), which is mainly transported to Attock Refinery Limited through bowsers.

    The company said: “The ongoing torrential rains and flash floods in Balochistan have severely impacted the gas pipeline and road infrastructure around Zarghun South Gas Field and Ziarat Block.

    “Resultantly, the company is unable to continue production operation of these sites for the time being.”

    The company is taking all possible measures for early commencement of production after rehabilitation of the pipeline and roads network, according to the communication.

  • Pakistani fintech enables individuals to donate flood victims

    Pakistani fintech enables individuals to donate flood victims

    KARACHI: ABHI, a Pakistani fintech company, along with its clients, employees, users, and investors is channeling donations using its robust platform to support the bigger cause by partnering up with leading NGOs like JDC, Al-Khidmat, and Saylani who are at the forefront and are actively providing relief to flood victims on the ground.

    For the first time ever in Pakistan, employed individuals who are ABHI users can empower families that have been affected by floods, by donating from their earned but unpaid salary directly from the mobile app within 30 seconds through ABHI Dost – this feature enables them to transfer the donation money directly to JDC, Al-Khidmat, or Saylani’s bank account.

    In this time of urgent need, ABHI is determined to give its generous support to afflicted families and communities as they struggle to sustain themselves and rebuild their lives. With the help of the gathered donations, our partner NGOs will provide emergency support like shelter, household supplies, and food items to the ones in need.

    ABHI is here to support its fellow Pakistani brothers and sisters in these tough times. Donate, to financially empower people nationwide.