Category: Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The compulsory/forced retirement of dozens of senior bureaucrats is likely to be put on hold at least for the time being as the establishment division has expressed willingness to review the cases recommended for `directory retirement` in the light of restraining orders of superior courts. The issue was taken up by the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Division. The committee examined the recent scrutiny of senior bureaucrats under the Civil Servants Directory Retirement Rules, 2020. The government has under these rules constituted the Director Retirement Board (DRB) to review cases of civil servants of BS-20 and above. The Retirement Board in its meetings on April 19, 21 and 22 reviewed cases of 1,383 civil servants in BS-20 and above.  However, according to the documents of the establishment division, `recommendations of DRB have not yet been finalised` Establishment Secretary Afzal Latif briefed the Senate committee on this issue as well as structure of the establishment division. He consumed most of the time on introduction of the establishment division and his attached departments and talked about `forced`retirement for less than 10 minutes during an hour-long briefing. The secretary also appeared to be unaware about the litigation against the DRB`s proceeding. Several officers likely to be hit by the Directory Retirement Rules have filed petitions before the high courts and the Supreme Court and some of them have even obtained restraining orders. When committee chairman Ahmad, who is also a retired bureaucrat, asked Mr Latif how the DRB would proceed while the matter was sub judice, the latter replied that he was not aware of any restraining order issued by any court against the `directory retirement`. Mr Ahmad handed over the secretary an order issued by the Supreme Court along with the press clipping since the order was widely published in the national media.He told the establishment secretary that the apex court while granting leave to appeal had also issued a restraining order.

LAHORE: The Punjab Masstransit Authority (PMA) is likely to receive 64 new buses for Lahore Metro Bus System by the month`s end, as some of them are at the Karachi port after being shipped by the Chinese authorities. The new fleet will replace the existing one as the PMA has started necessary arrangements in this regard. All the buses have been manufactured in China, Dawn has learnt. `We will put the new buses on the track Gajjumata-ShahdaraGajjumata removing the old ones,` a senior official in the PMA said. `We have already awarded the project (metro bus operation) to a leading firm that is currently making necessary arrangements on its part under PMA guidelines,` he added. The Lahore Metro Bus System -which is called as Green Line, is the first ever project of its kind in Pakistan completed in December 2012 under a f ast track project execution policy. It was completed within 11 months and launched in February 2013.

LAHORE: Poor service delivery has multiplied miseries of power consumers, who have been left high and dry as a result of indifferent attitude of Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) during prolonged breakdowns.

Widespread failure of power supply in the provincial metropolis for extended duration of 12 to 18 hours has made the lives of the people a living hell. Similar situation forced people in Kabirwala and Toba Tek Singh to stage a demonstrations against the Multan Electric Power Company (Mepco) for conducting hours-long power outages.

The problem of overloading and tripping of system have become so frequent, making it a continuous source of stress for the people. People complained that billions of rupees worth Lesco augmentation plan has ignored this area, which is sheer injustice to consumers and demanded an inquiry. When contacted, Lesco management was not available for comment.

LAHORE: Lahore High Court (LHC) has ordered Punjab government for free burial of bodies in the grave yards besides imposing ban on collection of money for burial in the grave yards. The court has also ordered the government to make amendments in the respective laws. Chief Justice (CJ) LHC Muhammad Qasim Khan issued 8 page written decision on Saturday. CJ LHC has made Hadith and international laws part of the decision. It has been said in the order citizen pays tax to the government in entire life on buying different goods. Charges are received from him on the occasion of his death in the name of grave and other things. This is responsibility of government to incur burial expenses of respective citizen. The court ordered in the decision that amendment be made in the law so that the administration provides free transport till grave yard in connection with burial of body. The administration should also make arrangement in connection with look after and tree plantation in grave yard.  The court has also ordered LDA for compulsory allocation of land for grave yards in the private housing societies. The decision said that model grave yards should be set up in four cities of Punjab forthwith. Shahr e Khamoshan Authority (SKA) should be activated with full powers. Educated people be appointed in SKA on merit. Government as Muslim should take steps in the light of Islamic norms and laws with regard to grave yards.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has categorically rejected the inclusion of its name in the US State Department s Child Soldiers Prevention Act List .  In a statement Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said we categorically reject the unsubstantiated and baseless inclusion of Pakistan in the Child Soldiers Prevention Act List   published under a domestic US legislation in the US State Department s Annual Trafficking in Persons Report 2021. He said Pakistan does not support any non state armed group nor any entity recruiting or using child soldiers. He said Pakistan s efforts in fighting non state armed groups including terrorist entities are well recognized. Foreign Office Spokesperson said the inclusion of Pakistan in the CSPA List depicts a factual error and lack of understanding. He said no State institution was consulted by the US prior to the publication of the report. Nor were any details provided of the basis on which the conclusion was reached. He said overall on the issue of Trafficking in Persons Pakistan is committed to fighting this scourge both at the national and international levels. We have taken a range of legislative and administrative actions in that regard during the last one year.Foreign Office Spokesperson called upon the authorities concerned in the United States to review the baseless assertions made in the TIP Report especially with regard to the unwarranted inclusion of Pakistan in the CSPA List

ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) on Friday notified quarterly tariff adjustments of power distribution companies (DISCOs) for 4th quarter of fiscal year 2019-20 and 1st and 2nd quarters of financial year 2020-21.The DISCOs had submitted petitions with the regulator for quarterly adjustments in the tariff. The Authority determined quarterly adjustments of XWDISCOs for the 4th quarter of FY 2019-20 with a uniform rate of Rs. 0.8276/kWh. Similarly for the 1st & 2nd quarters of FY 2020-21, the Authority determined a uniform rate of Rs. 0.8966/kWh, said a notification. The consumer end tariff would only increase by around Rs. 0.08/kWh while Rs. 0.11/kWh for commercial with effect from 30.09.2021. This increase would not be applicable on Life Line and residential consumers having consumption upto 300 units. Ministry of Energy (Power Division) vide request dated 21.05.2021 filed reconsideration request on the above decisions of the Authority, requesting that these adjustments be made applicable from October, 2021, instead of date of notification, once the periodic adjustments already in field cease to be effective, and be notified as such after incorporating surcharges as proposed. The Authority accepted the request that the effectiveness of the recommended periodic adjustments, be made effective from October, 2021 i. e. after the lapse of the existing quarterly adjustments i. e. 30.09.2021, and would remain applicable till 30.09.2022.

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Friday underscored the need to further strengthen bilateral economic and investment cooperation between Pakistan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). He said that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoyed strong fraternal ties, based on shared faith, culture, tradition and mutual good-will that needed to be further expanded for the mutual benefit of the two countries. The President expressed these views while talking to Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Pakistan, Nawaf bin Saeed Ahmad Al-Maliky, who called on him here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr. He reiterated Pakistan’s desire to further intensify cooperation in all areas of mutual interest including energy, science, technology, agriculture and culture. The President highlighted that the people and government of Pakistan had deep respect for the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the leadership of Saudi Arabia. He remarked that Pakistan wanted to broaden bilateral relationship in the field of media and culture by building institutional linkages. The President said that Pakistani Diaspora was contributing to KSA’s socio-economic development and expressed the hope that the Saudi government would ease travel restrictions on Pakistani nationals as the situation of COVID-19 had improved considerably in the Kingdom. He deeply appreciated KSA for supporting Pakistan at difficult times and also lauded its role in promoting unity in the Islamic world as well as its efforts for regional and international peace and security. Ambassador Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Maliky underlined the need to further broaden bilateral cooperation in the fields of economy, trade and culture for the mutual advantages of the two brotherly countries.