KARACHI, SEP 10 (DNA) – Giving a nod to the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) plea for upward readjustment in the fuel prices, the federal power regulator has Friday approved making unit of power Rs1.38 costlier in September bills.

The revision of unit prices is limited to Sep. bills alone and is carried out against the fuel adjustment for the month of July, National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) said.

Power regulatory NEPRA said the CPPA asked for a Rs1.47 per unit increase in electricity prices but it was only given Rs1.38. The notification said the regulatory had held a fuel cost adjustment public hearing on Sep 1 as well.

Separately in its rulings earlier, NEPRA slapped a fine worth Rs28 million on Sukkur Electric Power Company (SEPCO) after holding it responsible for the deaths of 11 citizens from electrocution between July 2019 and November 2020.

A fine worth Rs28 million has been imposed on Sukkur Electric Power Company (SEPCO) by NEPRA due to 20 electrocution deaths between the period of July 2019 and November 2020. = DNA

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ISLAMABAD, SEPT 10 (DNA) – Pakistan Telecommunications Company Limited (PTCL), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The City School to offer premium ICT services including telephone and high-speed internet to thestudents, alumni and staff members of the institution.

PTCL will offer exclusive discounted packages with unlimited datato facilitate effective teaching and learning at one of the leading educational institutions of the country. 

Nauman Durrani, Executive Vice President (EVP) Sales, PTCL and Raza Hasnain, Regional Director North Region – The City School,signed the MoU in presence of Aasif Inam, Executive Vice President (EVP) Business Operations North Zone, PTCL and other senior officials from both sides during a signing ceremony organized at PTCL Zonal Office North in Islamabad.

On the occasion, Nauman Durrani, Executive Vice President (EVP) Sales, PTCL, said, “We are glad to partner with The City School and contribute to the education sector by providing students and staff members with discounted packages to enjoy seamless ICT service. With this collaboration, PTCL strives to provide cost-effective connectivity solutions equipped with the latest ICT services that will empower students to focus on nurturing their ideas and execute them for a better future of Pakistan. Through such partnerships, we endeavor to further strengthen educational institutions across Pakistan that play a pivotal role in grooming of the students for nation-building.”

Onthe occasion, Raza Hasnain, Regional Director North Region – The City School, said “We are delighted at this partnership with PTCL that will enable our education system to efficiently serve all stakeholders with access to quality ICT services. With advancementin technology, better connectivity has most certainly become a prerequisite for academic excellence.Tapping into PTCL’s vast infrastructure and expertise, it will certainly support our increasing demand for internet and telecom services that would most certainly benefit our students and teachers in a multifaceted way.” PTCL has always been at the forefront to provide latest and innovative solutions to cater to the ever-growing demand for best-in-class internet services in Pakistan.

Islamabad : Prime Minister Imran Khan says the government is focused to provide conducive environment and formulate pro-business policies to enhance exports of the country.

He was chairing a review meeting on the government’s steps to increase the volume of exports in Islamabad on Friday.

The Prime Minister said it is a priority of the government to diversity the market and products to increase exports.

He said the government has been preparing policies in consultation with the business community. He said exporters are being fully facilitated.

The Prime Minister directed the Commerce Division to set targets for the Trade and Investment officers deputed in foreign countries.

The meeting was informed that Pakistan’s exports could be increased by thirty billion dollars. For the purpose, nineteen priority sectors, including information technology, textiles, medicines, poultry, rice, vegetables, nuts, leather, salt, ceramics and surgical tools need to be focused.

The Executive Committee further stated that the proposal was unconstitutional  as any Federal legislation to regulate print media is beyond the power of parliament after the 18th constitutional amendment

Staff Report

KARACHI: “ The All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) has strongly lamented the perpetual efforts of the Federal Government to curtail the independence of the media, the latest being the proposed PMDA which, in the opinion of the APNS Executive Committee, is intended to strangulate and control the entire media of the country.

The Executive Committee of the APNS at its meeting held at Karachi on September 09, 2021 chaired by the President, APNS, Mr. Sarmad Ali was briefed by the President on different meetings with the stakeholders and the Federal Government on the establishment of Pakistan Media Development Authority. The members unanimously rejected the proposal and termed it as an attempt to tighten the Federal Government control over the media from one platform. The proposed PMDA appears as extension of PEMRA to all media with more regimental provisions as subjugate and take over the independence of free media.

The Executive Committee further stated that the proposal was unconstitutional  as any Federal legislation to regulate print media is beyond the power of parliament after the 18th constitutional amendment. The APNS out-rightly rejected the proposal to make it mandatory for all types of media to obtain licenses and renewal of registration. The proposal envisages the concept of media tribunal whose members were to be appointed by the Federal Government which is a form of direct control over the media. The Concept is contrary to the very notion of the justice and a fair hearing as it denies the right of appeal in the high courts. The tribunals have been authorized with the punishment up to 03 years imprisonment and a fine of Rs.25 million. The Committee observed that the Federal Government intends to tighten its control on media at large. The committee also noted that unless the proposed law to establish the PMDA is shared with stakeholders, no meaningful consultation was possible.

The Executive Committee considered the report of Advertising Committee and approved M/s. Advertising & Business Consultants (Pvt.) Ltd, Peshawar for confirmation of accreditation.  M/s. Marcom (Pvt.) Ltd, Islamabad and M/s. Wings Media (Pvt) Ltd , Lahore were granted provisional accreditation. The Committee also approved the restructuring of M/s. Zenith Advertising Communication (Pvt.) Ltd, Karachi.

The members offered fateha on the sad demise of Mr. Arif Nizami, a veteran editor and journalist, Mrs. Shamim Akhtar wife of Mr. Ghulam Akbar and mother of Mr. Inam Akbar and Mr. Nadeem Akbar. Sahibzada Zia-ur-Rahman Shami, elder brother of Mr. Mujeeb-ur-Rahman Shami, Chief Editor, Daily Pakistan, Lahore and aunt of Ms. Fauzia Shaheen, publisher, Monthly Dastak, Karachi.

The following attended the meeting :

Sarmad Ali, President, Shahab Zuberi, Vice President, Fauzia Shaheen (Monthly Dastak), Najamuddin Sheikh (Daily Deyanat), Muhammad Younus Mehar (Daily Halchal),

Adnan Faisal (Daily Jiddat, Karachi), Javed Mehr Shamsi (Daily Kaleem), Muhammad Aslam  Leghari (Daily Kawish), Muhammad Manzoor Rana (Daily Mashriq, Quetta), Zahida Abbasi (Daily Nau Sijj), S.M. Munir Jilani (Daily Paigham), Humayun Gulzar (Daily Sayadat) and Nasir Daad Baloch (Daily Sindh Sujaag)

The following attended the meeting on Zoom :

Jamil Athar, Sr. Vice President, Nazafreen Saigol Lakhani, Secretary General, Mohsin Bilal, Joint Secretary, Awais Khushnood, Finance Secretary, Syed Sajjad Bokhari (Daily Abtak), Mumtaz A. Tahir (Daily Aftab), Waseem Ahmed (Daily Awam, Quetta), Ansar Mahmood Bhatti (Monthly Centre Line), Kazi Asad Abid (Fortnightly Ibrat), Imtinan Shahid (Daily Khabrain), Umer Mujib Shami (D/Pakistan, Lahore), Faisal Zahid Malik (D/Pakistan Observer) and Dr. Waqar Yousuf Azeemi (M/Roohani Digest).