Singer Ali Zafar’s ‘idol’ since childhood, his grandfather (Nana) Mohammad Amin died on Saturday.
The Laila O Laila singer took to Twitter and shared the sad news with the fans.
Ali Zafar posted throwback photos of his grandfather and tweeted, “My Nana, Mohammad Amin, who I was very close to & has always been my idol since childhood- a self made man, who taught us the importance of hard work, honesty, compassion and care for others passed away today.”
He also paid rich tribute to grandfather, saying “His life can’t be summed up in a few lines.”
The singer also urged his millions of fans to pray for his Nana. “Plz pray for his soul”.
Ali Zafar’s ‘idol’ since childhood, his grandfather Amin dies
LAHORE: At least 465 officers and officials have tested positive for liquor use while 235 for the use of heroin, charas and ice, sources said on Saturday. The list of drug-addict officers and officials of the Punjab Police surfaced on the world anti-drugs day. It showed that most of the officers who had to control the drug-dealers were either themselves drug-addicts or were patronising the heinous business.
The report showed that 98 officers were confirmed alcoholic, including 26 DSPs, 15 inspectors, 17 sub-inspectors, 9 ASIs, 10 head constables, and 24 constables.
The report showed that 35 officers were addicted to heroin and ice. The drug tests of officers and officials of all ranks including the additional inspector general of police (AIG) would be conducted and strict action would be taken against those who would be found addicts, the Punjab IGP earlier said.
465 cops test positive for liquor, 235 for other drugs
RAWALPINDI: Over 400 newly passed out constables have been posted at different police stations of Rawalpindi district, said a police spokesman on Saturday. He informed that as per the instructions of City Police Officer (CPO) Rawalpindi Muhammad Ahsan Younas, SDPOs and SHOs welcomed the newly posted constables and had lunch with them. They were also briefed about law and order duties, he said. The SDPOs and SHOs, while talking to the newly posted constables at the police stations, said the trained constables could play an important role in serving the citizens. Earlier, the CPO while addressing the constables in police line headquarters said, “You have been given new responsibilities which should be fulfilled in the best possible way. ” The police are striving to change ‘Thana culture’ and young constables are the future of this force, CPO said adding, senior officers should further impart training to them to increase their capacity so that they could serve the citizens with more dedication and commitment. Newly trained constables are hope for the police department, the CPO said and expressed the optimism that their conduct would be exemplary. The constables should also be provided residential facilities at the police stations, CPO directed the authorities.
Newly-passed 400 constables posted at different stations
KARACHI: Sindh Governor Imran Ismail Saturday chaired a meeting of Sindh Industrial Liaison Committee (SILC) here at Governor’s House. Besides, MPAs Haleem Adil Shaikh and Khurram Sher Zaman, SSG MD, SIDCL CEO, Karachi Electric CEO, CPLC Chief and representatives of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) and presidents of different associations of industrial areas in Karachi attended the meeting. The issues of industrial areas including power and gas supply came under detailed discussion during the meeting. The members of the committee/ industrialists informed the Governor that the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) has suspended the gas supply to the industries, as a result, the gas crisis has intensified and the production activities have been slowed down. The SSG MD apprised the participants that, due to acute maintenance reasons at KPT gas terminal, the gas supply to non-export industries had been stopped, followed by 50 per cent cut in supply to captive power plants, to ensure gas availability to residential customers; and Stakeholders had been informed already about this step in advance. “The KPT gas terminal maintenance issue will be resolved during the first week of July and the gas supply to the industrial units will be restored, as per the schedule, by July 10th”, he added. He also undertook to circulate the maintenance schedule, if any in future, to the industries before hand in order to rule out any possible difficulty to the industries. The governor assured the members of the committee that federal government would be consulted on the gas issue and provision of furnace oil & RLNG to industries in order to extend maximum possible support to industrial sector. The forum agreed upon to introduce the ‘staggering holiday system’ so as to bridge the shortage of gas as a short term measure.
ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin Friday announced that there would be no increase in the power tariff, while Rs5,800 billion tax collection target would be met through automation and bringing changes in the tax system.
Winding up debate on the federal budget, Tarin said the government will focus on growth strategy to create new jobs and enhance the people’s income level.
“We have achieved stability and are heading towards an inclusive and sustainable growth to create job opportunities and increase income level,” he said, adding that the IMF had also been conveyed that the government would not increase the power tariff. He said the government would address the issue of circular debt by improving recoveries and controlling line losses through better management. Tarin said the tax imposed on medical bills and GP fund of employees was also being withdrawn, while tax imposed on milk had also been waived off.
However, he said there would be no tax on internet and SMS, while the users would be charged only 75 paisas for a call exceeding five minutes.
The minister said the government had already introduced reforms in the Federal Board of Revenue (FBT) to change the system through automation of FBR and ensure transparency for achieving revenue collection targets.
He told the House that during the first 11 months of the ongoing fiscal year, a collection of Rs4.1 trillion had been made, while Rs4.7 trillion would be collected by the end of the current month.
The finance minister said Prime Minister Imran Khan had taken bold and difficult decisions to steer economy in the right direction adding that despite the COVID-19 challenge, the country achieved four percent growth during the current fiscal year due to the interventions made by him in different sectors, including industries, housing and construction and the agriculture.
“The measures taken by the government during the COVID-19 pandemic were appreciated by the world. The government opted for smart lockdown and avoided complete lockdown so that economy continues to move,” he said.
Tarin said the government itself projected 2.1% growth, the IMF 1.3% and World Bank 2% whereas the interventions made by Prime Minister Imran Khan resulted in 4% economic growth which had gone down to 0.5%.
He also announced a series of relief measures for different sectors.
He said the tax relief earlier given to the auto sector for vehicles up to 850 cc is being extended to 1,000cc vehicles, while the tax imposed on medical bills and GP fund was being withdrawn.
The minister said there would be zero tax on the registered IT platforms and only two percent for the unregistered ones.
He said there would be 17 percent tax on the value added products of gold, while tax on poultry was being reduced from 15 to 10 percent.
On textile products, the tax has been reduced from 12 to 10 percent. Similarly, tax rate on the real estate has been reduced. Under the construction package, the ratio of income tax has been reduced from 35 percent to 20 percent.
He said tax relief had also been given to oil refineries so that they could turn to Euro-5 fuel. The minister categorically stated that no tax had been imposed on flour and its products.
Tarin said the budget had given a hope to all tiers of the society. He said the budget envisaged a comprehensive plan for the uplift of four to six million poor households.
Under this plan, these households will be provided with affordable houses. The rural households will be given interest free loans of up to three hundred thousand rupees for the agriculture productivity besides two hundred thousand rupees for purchase of equipment.
He said five hundred thousand rupees of interest-free loans will be provided to each deserving household in the urban areas to start their businesses.
He said these poor households will also be provided with health cards. The minister said the allocation for Ehsaas Program had been enhanced to Rs260 billion to provide assistance to under-privileged segments of the societies.
He said the government will provide targeted subsidies to the low-income groups on power tariff, flour, ghee and sugar.
The minister said tax collection for the next fiscal year had been fixed at Rs5,800 billion.
“We are bringing changes in the tax system and introducing automation. He said 12 withholding taxes had been withdrawn as these were regressive in nature.
Tarin said the government had increased the annual PSDP by 40% from Rs630 billion to Rs900 billion.
He said projects pertaining to transport and energy as well as development of backward areas including Balochistan, Tribal Areas, Gilgit-Baltistan had been given priority in the development plan to bring prosperity and reduce poverty.
He said 1.1 billion dollars had been earmarked for purchase of anti-COVID vaccine, while Rs5 billion had been set aside for the development of E-voting system.
Taxes exemption on edibles, medical bills, GP fund
WASHINGTON: Prime Minister Imran Khan in an interview to The New York Times about Pakistan’s planned future strategy once the United States leaves Afghanistan said that in the past, the US kept expecting more from Pakistan, while previous governments “tried to deliver what they were not capable of”.
Replying to a question related to Pakistan’s future relationship with the US after the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, Imran Khan said that Pakistan has always had a closer relationship with the United States than neighbouring India.
“After 9/11, Pakistan again opted to join the US war on terror. Now, after the US leaves Afghanistan, basically Pakistan would want a civilised relationship, which you have between nations, and we would like to improve our trading relationship with the US,” he said.
When asked what he meant by a “civilised” relationship, the premier said that Pakistan expects an “even-handed” relationship which, for instance, the US holds with Britain or India at the moment. He said that Pakistan and the US shared a rather “lopsided” relationship during the war on terror. “It was a lopsided relationship because (the) US felt that they were giving aid to Pakistan, they felt that Pakistan then had to do US’s bidding,” he said.
“And what Pakistan did in terms of trying to do the US bidding actually cost Pakistan a lot in human lives,” he said, adding that Pakistan’s participation in the war on terror claimed the lives of 70,000 Pakistanis together with a loss of over $150 billion due to the ensuing bombings and suicide attacks.
“The US kept expecting more from Pakistan. And unfortunately, Pakistani governments tried to deliver what they were not capable of,” he said, adding, “What we want in the future is a relationship based on trust and common objectives. That’s actually what we have right now with the US — I mean, our objectives in Afghanistan are exactly the same today.”
When questioned about whether Pakistan will be able to retain its strategic importance to the US once it pulls out of Afghanistan, the premier said that he has “not thought about it in that way”.
As for the future of the relations pertaining to military and security concerns between Pakistan and the US, Imran Khan said that he does not know of that at the moment either.
“Post the US withdrawal, I don’t know what sort of military relationship it will be. But right now, the relationship should be based on this common objective that there is a political solution in Afghanistan before the United States leaves because Pakistan doesn’t want a civil war, a bloody civil war in Afghanistan,” he said.
“And I’m sure neither does the US, after it leaves, wants the country going up in flames after spending, God knows, $1 or $2 trillion. So that’s a common objective,” he said.
Want civilised relationship, no more ‘do more’ please, US told
ISLAMABAD: Despite implementing 26 out of 27 action plans, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has placed six new points actions plan for finding out deficiencies in Mutual Evaluation Report (MER), binding Islamabad to comply with these two plans simultaneously in order to come out from the grey list.
“Pakistan will be de-listed from grey list on implementing both action plans and accomplishing on-site visits” the FATF President Marcus Pleyer said when asked about implementing two action plans for Pakistan during his online press conference from Paris on Friday. Now Pakistan will have to implement seven points related to investigation and prosecution of those involved in terror financing and other six key points.
Top official sources said that it was unfair to undertake two different processes against Pakistan simultaneously. Now Pakistan has made progress to graduate from FATF’s grey list after implementing 26 points out of 27 action plans, but now another fresh plan is placed to implement six more points to keep Pakistan into grey list at least for next one year. “It’s unfair treatment,” said the official sources.
The FATF president said that since June 2018, when Pakistan made a high-level political commitment to work with the FATF and APG (Asia Pacific Group) to strengthen its AML/CFT regime and to address its strategic counter-terrorist financing-related deficiencies, Pakistan’s continued political commitment has led to significant progress across a comprehensive CFT action plan.
The FATF recognises Pakistan’s progress and efforts to address these CFT action plan items, and notes that since February 2021, Pakistan has made progress to complete two of the three remaining action items on demonstrating that effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions are imposed for TF convictions and that Pakistan’s targeted financial sanctions regime was being used effectively to target terrorist assets.
“Pakistan has now completed 26 of the 27 action items in its 2018 action plan. The FATF encourages Pakistan to continue to make progress to address as soon as possible the one remaining CFT-related item by demonstrating that TF investigations and prosecutions target senior leaders and commanders of UN-designated terrorist groups,” the FATF president said.
LAHORE: Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar and Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi had a meeting at the Speaker’s chamber on Friday and expressed satisfaction over completion of the budget approval process for the financial year 2021-22. Provincial Law Minister Raja Basharat, Punjab Assembly Secretary Muhammad Khan Bhatti and principal secretary to the chief minister were also present.
The chief minister appreciated the role being played by PA Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi to conduct the session in the best of manner.
“You have conducted the proceedings in the best of manner and in accordance with the parliamentary traditions,” the chief minister mentioned and added, “The cooperation extended by party members and allies is exemplary and I deem it fit and proper to thank you by visiting your chamber. “It was sanguine that the members took keen interest in approval of the public-friendly budget and the Punjab was moving forward on the road to development, he added.
He said the past governments left problems; however, the PTI government was moving the province forward towards prosperity. Ch Pervaiz Elahi said the assembly was the centre of hopes for the people and parliamentarians should focus on solving public related problems. “I have succeeded in best handling the session with the cooperation of the parliamentarians,” he added.
Buzdar, Pervaiz Elahi endorse budget approval process
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Navy Ship ZULFIQUAR with embarked helicopter visited the Port of Aqaba, Jordan, as part of Pakistan Navy overseas deployment to Mediterranean Red Sea. Upon arrival, ship was received by Head of Royal Jordanian Naval Force (RJNF) (Operations & Training Division), Defence Attaché of Pakistan in Jordan and RJNF Officers. During stay at port, Mission Commander Commodore Syed Rizwan Khalid along with Commanding Officer PNS ZULFIQUAR Captain Rao Ahmed Imran Anwar called on Governor Aqaba Mr Mohammed Al Rafalah, Commissioner Jordan Maritime Commission Mr Mohammed Al Salman, Commissioner Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, Nayef Al Bakeet and Director Aqaba Development Cooperation, Bashar Abu Rummani. During the interactions, matters of mutual interest were discussed and contribution of Pakistan Navy to regional peace and maritime security were acknowledged. The Mission Commander conveyed well wishes from Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi for the people of Jordan in general and RJNF in particular. During stay at Aqaba, Commander Royal Jordanian Naval Force Colonel Hisham Al Jarrah, Jordanian government Officials, Diplomats and RJNF Officers also visited PNS ZULFIQUAR. A smartly clad contingent of Pakistan Navy participated in centennial celebrations of the Kingdom of Jordan at Naval Base Aqaba.
