ANKARA, MAR 12 – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday unveiled a long-promised economic reform package that he hopes will boost the confidence of skittish foreign investors and temper inflation while boosting trade.

It included tax breaks for small business owners and a pledge to improve efficiency that could help export-driven growth.

“The package aims to grow the Turkish economy on the basis of investment, production, jobs, and exports,” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told the Economic Reforms Introductory Meeting at the Halic Congress Center in Istanbul.

Turkey will raise its potential growth through boosting production efficiency thanks to this reform package, Erdoğan noted.

“We aim for a domestic and national economy which break export records with fewer imported input and more value-added production,” the president said.

He identified the fight against persistent inflation as “one of the main objectives” with the goal of quickly “bringing it down to single digits“.

Turkey weathered the 2009 global economic crisis and post-2013 crises in both politics and the economy to keep its 2023 targets within reach, Erdoğan stressed.

“We will achieve our goals by working day and night to make Turkey one of the world’s top 10 economies,” he said.

Saying that macroeconomic and structural policies form the backbone of Turkey’s new economic reforms, Erdoğan said Turkey is focusing on public finance, inflation, the financial sector, current account deficit, and employment as part of macroeconomic stability.

Encouraging investments, easing domestic trade, competition policies, market surveillance and control are in the reform package as part of structural policies, he noted.

STRONGER PUBLIC FINANCE

Turkey’s first target is setting stronger public finance structure to guard against risks, with fiscal discipline the top priority, the president underlined.

The share of foreign exchange in the country’s total debt stock will be cut to reduce its sensitivity to external shocks, Erdoğan said.

He highlighted that savings in public administration will be expanded such as limiting vehicle rentals and hospitality costs, adding:

“In addition to the central government, we aim to create a thrifty perspective in local administrations as well.”

Noting that the government knows of the difficulties small business owners have been struggling with during the pandemic, Erdoğan said the reform package also includes a tax exemption for low-income tradesmen.

“We will be exempting approximately 850,000 tradespeople who are subject to small business taxation rules, such as hairdressers, plumbers, haberdasheries, carpenters, lathe makers, tea shop operators, tailors, and repairmen, from income tax, and we will remove their tax filing obligations,” he said.

EASING TAXES, PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS

A digital tax office will be established which will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week to enable the public to carry out their transactions in the digital environment without personally visiting a tax office.

“We have also included the tax problems faced by international investors within the reforms,” he noted, adding that the country is revising double taxation avoidance agreements to prevent possible problems that may arise.

As the country has praised public-private partnership projects, exemplified by city hospitals, Erdoğan said a public-private sectors cooperation law will be enacted.

“This will enable us to ensure that investors deal with a single law, to strengthen the legal infrastructure of projects, to introduce priorities among sectors and projects, and to make processes more foreseeable,” he said.

Stressing that one of the priority agenda items will be the fight against inflation, Erdoğan said Turkey aims to bring inflation down to single digits.

An early warning system will be established that will ensure the flow of data in order for the Food Committee to form policy recommendations and ensure that the market operates effectively.

In order to increase foreseeability in agricultural production and prevent price fluctuations, contractual agricultural mechanisms are being developed, he stressed.

Turkey is preparing uniform legislation that will accelerate the development of the participation financing sector, he said, adding: “A Central Advisory Board for the sector will be set up while the participation financing sector will be gathered under a single roof.”

A participation financing arbitration mechanism at international standards will be established, he underlined.

ISLAMABAD, MAR 12 (DNA) – The federal information minister Senator Shibli Faraz said Friday, as he talked to the media following the election of government-backed Sadiq Sanjrani as Senate chairman, that empowering Prime Minister Imran Khan is crucial to ensure the supremacy of law and order.

Shibli Faraz asserted the politics of joint opposition alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) is now dead and buried and since the country cannot afford to regress now, it is necessary that we support the prime minister.

The federal minister said their nominated Senate chairman candidate Sanjrani has won today even when the opposition perpetrated the propaganda of spy cameras installed in the upper house.

What they did in the National Assembly, happened to them in Senate, he said. Those who want progress for the country have won, Faraz said, adding that the PM with the sincerest intentions for the prosperity for Pakistan was blessed with divine support.

The presiding officer in charge of Senate chairman polls Friday has convened Sadiq Sanjrani to take oath as Senate chairman for the second time but house members from the opposition alliance cause commotion over wasted votes.

As the oath-taking took place, the house experienced a row raised by Pakistan Peoples Party’s Farooq H Naik who argued against discarding seven votes which could have meant a win for joint opposition alliance’s candidate Yousuf Raza Gilani. = DNA

===========================

LAHORE, MAR 12 (DNA) – An accountability court in Lahore has extended the judicial remand of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) lawmaker Khawaja Asif in assets beyond income case.

Judge Jawadul Hassan conducted the hearing of assets beyond income case against PML-N central leader Khawaja Asif today. The lawmaker did not appear in the hearing.

During the hearing, the jail officials presented the medical report of the accused lawmaker which stated that Asif was admitted to Jinnah Hospital for hernia operation. The judge remarked that platelets of the patient dropped within a minute here.

 He said that each accused would give an excuse for not appearing in the courtroom. Khawaja Asif’s counsel told the court that his client will be discharged from the hospital after undergoing operation within 10-15 days.

 The court asked the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor whether the judicial remand could be extended in the absence of the accused. The prosecutor said that it could be extended in an untoward situation.

Later, the court extended the judicial remand of Asif for 14 days and adjourned the hearing till March 26. Moreover, the court summoned a detailed report on the reference from the investigation officer (IO) of the anti-corruption watchdog.

The anti-graft watchdog accused that a bank peon in Lahore had submitted over Rs28 million to the bank account of Khawaja Asif following the orders of senior officers. It stated that the nephew of Khawaja Asif, Khawaja Sultan, had submitted Rs20 million to his bank account after being told by his paternal uncle.

A senior political worker Rana Abdul Waheed had submitted Rs30 million to Asif’s account and told the NAB that the money was given to him by Asif. Another political activist Sarmad Ijaz had withdrawn Rs5 million from Asif’s bank account and handed him over the money.

 The documents stated that Asif had failed to respond to the NAB’s query regarding the money from where it was earned. = DNA

====================

ISLAMABAD, MAR 12: Two days International Seminar on “Seismicity, Seismotectonic, Seismic Hazards Including Geological & Geophysical Aspects” was jointly organized by COMSTECH and Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), Islamabad under COMSTECH Consortium of Excellence.

H.E. Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, Coordinator General, COMSTECH welcomed the chief guest, guest of honor and all the distinguished speakers and participants to the event. During his welcome address, he shared the ongoing and upcoming capacity building activities and programmes of COMSTECH.

Prof. Muhammad Ali Shah, Vice Chancellor, Quaid-i-Azam University was invited as the Chief Guest, and Prof. Muhammad Shahid Baig, Chairman, Pakistan Science Foundation as the Guest of Honor. The event was moderated by Prof. Dr. MonaLisa from Quaid-i-Azam, University.

The seminar was aimed to discuss the issues and challenges faced pre and post natural disasters such as earthquakes occurring in different OIC Member Countries.

Pakistan and many other OIC Countries such as Afghanistan, Iran, Indonesia, and Turkey are situated on the margins of active plates who have the history of major destructive earthquakes of magnitude 8 and above.

In 2005, one of the most destructive earthquakes in Pakistan (death loss of about 80,000 persons) was a wakeup call for educationists, researchers, civil and structural engineers, government officials and policy makers alike.

Recently an Earthquake Seismology Lab has been established in Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad to support research activities and programmes at under graduate and graduate level. Such initiatives will help researchers within OIC Countries to collaborate with each other to resolve similar challenges.

Resource Persons from China, Italy, Iran, Pakistan and USA contributed to the seminar. Over 400 participants from Afghanistan, Belgium, Canada, Central Asia, China, France, Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UAE, and Yemen participated in the seminar, which indicates the interest of participants to listen to the findings of the most renowned speakers of the seminar.

Such events help in building the most needed capacity in such areas. There is a dire need to strengthen a linkage of field experts within OIC countries. Few experts have suggested to formulate a working group of experts on Earthquake Disasters at OIC Level. The aim of the working group would be to work collectively to mitigate such disaster.

The leading news outlet,”Times of India” (TOI) has published a news item on 6 March 2021 that a scuffle between gentlemen cadets (GCs) at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) has left three GCs admitted to Military Hospital with injuries. It is alleged that a few GCs – some from Central Asian countries and others who were Indian Cadets – got into a physical fight after a heated argument on Wednesday night (3 March 2021).

A source familiar with the development told the Times of India (TOI) “that a fight started with few GCs, and drew attention when many others also got involved. It is not clear as to what precipitated the fight”.

IMA officials on Friday refused to give any confirmation about the health conditions of the cadets. An inquiry has been initiated, and the matter is under investigation. Indian authorities havedeclined to share any further reports.

As a matter of fact, India is maintaining diplomatic, economic, and trade relations with most of the Central Asian countries. And they are getting substantial economic benefits and favors as trade concessions, market access. Indian trade with most of them is in surplus and favors India. On the diplomatic front, India avails their support and votes in UN and other international forums in Indian favor. Most Central Asian countries are rich in natural resources but lack industrialization, so it depends on imports. India avails their cheaper and abundance of natural resources and exports industrial products to them- a net beneficiary.

On the other hand, India hates Muslims as Muslims rule India for almost 800 years before the British colonialized India. Most Muslim rulers came from Central Asian countries. From the core of heart, India hates them but exploits their strength in its own favor only. In the most recent event of a conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, India supported Armenia and supplied military assistance and advanced weapons to Armenia against a Muslim country – Azerbaijan.

Extremist Indian groups supported by BJP Government are determined to establish a “Pure Hindu State” and demanding that all non-Hindus, either convert to Hinduism or leave India. They have asked all no-Hindus – Muslims to go back to Middle-East, and Christians to Europe.

While getting training in India, the Muslim Cadets has witnessed that the state is killing, torturing, suppressing Muslims, especially raping Muslim women, damaging their businesses and properties, cannot keep silent, but argued.

The arguments got heated, and a physical hand scuff started. As they were in small numbers and Indian cadets, with authorities’ help, suppressed them, the fight resulted in injuries. The Indian authorities are shay of revealing all the facts, and status of injuries, by giving a lame excuse that the matter is under investigation. But, it can be imagined that a few foreign cadets, if attacked by a charged mob of Hindu extremists, with the support of authorities, the injuries can be fatal.

A country thatMuslims ruled for almost eight hundred years, and now Muslims cannot live a peaceful life there. Their lives, property, and honor is under threat by extremists; the irony is that the law enforcement institutions are biased and supporting the extremist openly. Sometimes they help the extremist and sometimes keep silent as spectators and facilitate them to kill, torture, and damage Muslim’s properties and business.

It is hoped that the Indian Authorities may conduct an impartial inquiry and identify the criminals involved and punish them with the strictest rules and regulations. Such incidents should be avoided in the future, and an anti-Muslim campaign may reach an end.

We all are human beings and must think above religious differences. We should respect human lives, and the state is responsible for providing full protection to human lives and their property, belongings, and businesses.

Author:  Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan, Sinologist (ex-Diplomat), Editor, Analyst, Non-Resident Fellow of CCG (Center for China and Globalization), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan. (E-mail: [email protected]).

ISLAMABAD, MAR 12 (DNA) – The administration of Capital Development Authority (CDA) successfully countered an effort to occupy the government’s land at Dhoke Chaudhrian, Malpur here on Friday.

Land Mafia tried to occupy very important land of CDA, but the timely action of the administration of CDA successfully stopped the land mafia from occupying the land. CDA demolished newly constructed home, boundary walls, rooms, and other constructions and retrieved the government’s land.

On the other hand CDA’s campaign against encroachments and illegal constructions is also underway. In an operation against illegal construction the administration of CDA demolished an illegal building at sector I-12. Whereas 150 road side setups, 10 huts, 7 markets of construction material, and other illegal constructions were demolished during the operation at Mandi Mor and IJP road. Recovered goods have been captured.

Prior to this, the Enforcement department of CDA conducted an operation against encroachment at Faizabad. During the operation 30 stalls of fruit and vegetables were demolished. 02 trucks of goods were recovered and captured from the spot.

Environment staff handed over a person to police who was involved in using the green belt for cattle. The department has asked the concerned people time and again not to use green belt for cattle before taking action. The department received fine of Rs 100,000 from culprit at the occasion.

Green belt was retrieved during the operation by demolishing the illegal constructions and encroachments.