PDMA directs farmers to immediately harvest wheat crops before new rain spell

HARIPUR, Apr 17 (APP):The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Monday issued an advisory for farmers in various districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including Haripur to harvest standing wheat crops during the current week as a spell of heavy rainfall is likely to enter the region from Monday which can damage the crop. 

According to the PDMA notification, the spell of heavy rainfall can trigger flash floods, collapse mud houses, damage roads and standing crops including wheat and fruit orchards.

PDMA also directed farmers to immediately harvest their standing wheat crop which is ready in district Haripur otherwise heavy rain can damage it.

Tourists were also advised not to visit the upper parts of the Hazara division keeping in view of land sliding which can block roads.

50,000 wheat bags recovered in Bahawalpur division

BAHAWALPUR, Apr 17 (APP):On the direction of Commissioner Bahawalpur Division Dr Ehtesham Anwar, the district administrations, Food Department and police have launched joint action in the three districts to stop the illegal movement of wheat.

According to police sources, as many as 50,000 wheat bags were recovered during the last 20 days, whereas, 51 FIRs had been registered against those involved in wheat smuggling and 53 vehicles were handed over to the police.

As many as 22,329 bags of 50 kg wheat and 32 vehicles were seized in the Bahawalpur district, 2,009 bags of 50 kg wheat and four vehicles were seized in the Bahawalnagar district, and 26,100 bags of 50 kg wheat and 17 vehicles were seized in Rahim Yar Khan district.

DNA

KARACHI: Veteran journalist and analyst Mujib-ur-Rehman Shami will be heading the Govt-Press Relations Committee of the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS). While another veteran journalist Aslam Kazi shall head the Arbitration/dispute resolution committee.

Earlier, “The President, Nazafreen  Saigol  Lakhani and the Secretary General, Sarmad Ali of the All Pakistan Newspapers Society have requested Mr. Mujib-ur-Rahman Shami to head the Government Press Relations Committee of the APNS as Chairman.

They have also requested Mr. Muhammad Aslam Kazi to be  Chairman of the Arbitration / Dispute Resolution Committee. The members nominated on the committees are as under : 

1) Government Press Relations Committee

1          Mr. Mujib-ur-Rehman Shami     Chairman      Daily Pakistan

2          Mr. Sarmad Ali        Vice Chairman         Secretary General, APNS

3          Mrs. Nazafreen Saigol Lakhani   Member        President, APNS

4          Mr. Imtinan Shahid           Member        Sr. Vice President

5          Mr. Muhammad Aslam Kazi       Member        Vice President

6          Mr. S.M. Munir Jilani        Member        Joint Secretary

7          Mr. Shahab Zuberi Member        Finance Secretary

2) Arbitration / Dispute Resolution Committee

1          Mr. Muhammad Aslam Kazi       Chairman      Vice President

2          Mr. Asif Zuberi        Vice Chairman         Daily Business Recorder

3.        Ms. Nazafreen  Saigol  Lakhani  Member        President, APNS

4          Mr. Sarmad Ali        Member        Secretary General, APNS

Islamabad, /DNA/ – Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry said that Pakistan Railways can play a key role in the development of the economy and stressed that the government should focus on revival of railways to revive the economy. He said that the Pakistan Railways, once a much cheaper and effective source of transportation of goods, has lost its competitiveness to road transport, and now handles only about six per cent of the freight traffic. He urged that Pakistan Railways should improve the quality of its cargo service and work with the private sector to increase its share of freight traffic in the short term to at least 20 percent that would help its better growth. He said this while talking to Saqib Iqbal Butt, Senior Superintendent Goods, Pakistan Railways, Islamabad Dry Port during his visit to Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari said that railways should establish bonded and non-bonded warehouses, stocking, storage & loading/unloading facilities in Islamabad in consultation with ICCI to facilitate the business community in import and export of goods. He said that Pakistan can reduce USD 5 billion in oil import bill by developing Pakistan Railways. He further said that Pakistan can also pay all debt of the country by selling lands of Pakistan Railways.

Speaking on the occasion, Saqib Iqbal Butt, Senior Superintendent Goods, Pakistan Railways, Islamabad Dry port said that Pakistan Railways is ready to provide cargo service to the business community as per their needs. He said that new cargo coaches will reach Pakistan soon from China that would provide better freight service to the private sector. He said that Pakistan Railways need the support of the private sector to improve its share of cargo service and said that the business community should work with Pakistan Railways for transportation of goods that would help its revival.

Faad Waheed, Senior Vice President ICCI said that the business community is ready to construct stocking sheds on BOT basis in Islamabad to stock imported goods and railways should facilitate them in this regard.

Zafar Bakhtawari, Secretary General UBG said that Pakistan Railways should extend its rail network to Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia that would help Pakistan to improve trade and exports with these countries.  

ISLAMABAD, APR 17: State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Acting Governor Sima Kamil on Monday informed the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Finance that the regulator has allocated Rs21 billion for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to conduct polls in Punjab on the directives of the Supreme Court, however, it does not have the authority to release funds directly.

The Supreme Court on April 14 directed the central bank to release funds worth Rs21 billion for elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and send an “appropriate communication” to this effect to the finance ministry by Monday (April 17).

A special meeting of the NA panel was summoned today as the deadline given to the SBP for releasing funds to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) ends today.

The bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar, conducted an in-chamber hearing last week regarding the non-implementation of its April 4 order to the federal government to release the funds.

The directives came after the electoral body submitted a report informing the apex court that the Ministry of Finance has failed to release funds as directed by the three-member bench on April 4.

Law Minister Senator Azam Nazir Tarar informed the panel that Ministry of Finance had already said that it does not have sufficient funds to hold elections in Punjab on May 14.

“Spending twice on elections is not in the country’s interest”, the law minister said, adding that the apex court had directed the central bank to manage the funds.

He maintained that the trustees of government funds are elected representatives of the people.

It should be noted that Finance Minister Ishaq Dar was also summoned; however, he would not be available today as he is in Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah — according to sources.

PML-N leader Barjees Tahir added that if SBP releases funds directly to the electoral body it will be against the law.

“How can the Supreme Court direct the SBP to release funds?” Tahir questioned, adding that if elections are held in Punjab separately it will affect the results of the general elections of other three provinces later.