ISLAMABAD, NOV 2 (DNA) – Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) has agreed to offer the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) exclusive discount packages for seamless telephone and internet services for all ICAP members.

Muhammad Shehzad Yousuf, Chief Business Operations Officer PTCL, presented offer pertaining to PTCL services to Syed Masood Akhtar, Secretary, ICAP, at a special ceremony organized at ICAP office in Karachi. Khalilullah Shaikh, President ICAP and Hina Usmani, Vice President ICAP, attended the ceremony, along with Abdul Zahir Achakzai, EVP Business Zone South PTCL, Azhar Saeed, GM Sales South PTCL and Omair Jamal, Senior Director, Education & Training ICAP.

This offer will include Managed IT & Telecom services such as Voice, High Speed Internet, International connectivity, Static IP and GSM consumer solutions. Ufone, being a subsidiary of PTCL, plans to offer state-of-the-art Call Center solution to ICAP. Through the establishment of an in-house Call Center at ICAP, Ufone will also be offering expert technical support. Moreover, this facility will enhance ICAP’s connectivity with all its stakeholders.

Speaking on the occasion, Muhammad Shehzad Yousuf, Chief Business Operations Officer PTCL, said, ‘We are delighted to partner with ICAP where the community of chartered accountants will experience high quality telephone, internet and managed digital services across Pakistan. We are at the forefront to serve our nation through concerted efforts in line with the vision of Digital Pakistan. Through such partnerships, we endeavor to support organizations such as ICAP that is a part of the education sector and the regulator of the accountancy profession in Pakistan to play a pivotal role in nation building.”

Khalilullah Shaikh, President ICAP said, ‘Academic excellence demands better connectivity these days. PTCL, being the national telecommunication service provider, has vast infrastructure and expertise to support our increasing demand of internet and telecom services. We believe that the establishment of ICAP Call Center will enhance capacity building and is aimed to improve service delivery to our members and students, along with the provision of hi-speed internet services to fulfill their digital needs. We are sure that PTCL will be an enabler for us as we aim to add value to businesses and economy. We look forward to building a strong relationship with PTCL.”

Through such initiatives, ICAP and PTCL will lead the digital transformation by enabling the development of IT-based infrastructure. This collaboration will provide cost effective connectivity solutions equipped with the latest ICT services. It will empower the Institute to focus on their ideas and execute them seamlessly with the help of pioneering ICT solutions.=DNA

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

DNA

Islamabad, Nov 02 – Justice (RETD) Javed Iqbal, Chairman, NAB chaired a meeting to review the latest progress on the implementation status of the decisions and measures taken by the present leadership of NAB.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Chairman NAB, Prosecutor General Accountability (PGA) DG Operations, DG NAB Rawalpindi and other senior officers of NAB including all Director General of Regional Bureaus via video link at NAB Headquarters.

While chairing the meeting, Honorable Justice Mr. Javed Iqbal, Chairman NAB said that NAB is absolutely determined to eradicate corruption to make Pakistan corruption free. NAB’s Anti-Corruption Strategy has started yielding excellent results.

He said that NAB has prescribed efficient, effective and expeditious disposal of white collar crimes cases putting a maximum limit of 10 months which is a record as compared to other Anti-Corruption Organizations. He said that NAB has established a state of the art Forensic Science LAB in Islamabad which has facilities of Digital Forensics, Questioned Documents and Fingerprint Analysis.

During the meeting, Honourable Chairman NAB directed that performance review of NAB headquarters and all the Regional Bureau’s of NAB would be conducted at the end of the year at a given criteria under Quantified Grading System in order to further improve the performance of officers/officials of NAB as with better quantitative and qualitative improvements in Operational Efficiency Index, rationalized workload, clearly drawn job descriptions and institutional support and supervision.

Honorable Justice Mr. Javed Iqbal, Chairman NAB said that NAB is an apex anti corruption organization of the country which has assigned a gigantic task of eradication of corruption and to recover looted money from corrupt elements. Chairman NAB said that taking mega corruption cases/white collar crime cases to logical conclusion is top most priority of NAB. NAB strongly believes in conducting the inquiries and investigations of white collar crimes on scientific lines that too after collecting solid evidence as per law. During the meeting, it was informed by DG operations, that out of 179 mega corruption cases, NAB had filed 97 corruption references in different accountability courts, while 57 references had been taken to logical conclusion.

Currently, out of 179 mega corruption references, 10 inquiries and 15 investigations are under process. He said that NAB attaches great importance to its Human Resource Management. A comprehensive yearly Training Plan for 2020 was approved in order to enhance capacity building of NAB officers/officials. He said Training Cells were created at all Regional levels as primarily responsible to liaise and carry out the planned activities in their respective Regional Bureaus in coordination with T&R Division NAB Headquarters who had successfully conducted training programs besides a Training of Trainers (ToT) program was also organized at NAB Headquarters. Honorable Justice Mr. Javed Iqbal, Chairman NAB said that the figures of complaints, inquiries and investigations have increased as compared to the same period of 2019 to 2020. The comparative figures of previous two years are indicative of the hard work being put in by all ranks of NAB officers/officials in an atmosphere of renewed energy and dynamism, where fight against corruption is being taken as a national duty.

Increase in the number of complaints also reflects enhanced public trust in the NAB. The Chairman NAB said that NAB officers are considering eradication of corruption as their national duty. Serious efforts to combat corruption are being made with the realization that eradication of corruption from Pakistan. He directed all officers of NAB to demonstrate absolute fairness and transparency as per law in discharge of their national duties.=DNA

===========

The development comes hours after Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar said the government was deliberating over additional measures

Shujaat Hamza

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday summoned a National Coordination Committee meeting tomorrow to discuss the growing trend of COVID-19 infections in the country.

The premier will be briefed by the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) on the coronavirus situation.

The development comes hours after Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar said the government was deliberating over additional measures to contain the rising spread of coronavirus in the population.

Taking to Twitter, Umar said the NCOC discussed additional measures today to control the rising spread of COVID-19.

“Recommendations will be tabled in the NCC being called for tomorrow,” he continued. “Need to take immediate measures which have the most impact on disease spread without curtailing economic activity.”

Pakistan’s positivity rate surged past 4% on Sunday – the highest since August. The country recorded 1,123 new Covid-19 cases in a single day – highest in over three months. At least 12 people succumbed to the virus.

The federal authorities have issued multiple warnings in the past few days on the ignorance towards implementation of Covid-19 SOPs as a second wave hits the country.

Last week, NCOC issued fresh rules regarding the closure of wedding halls and shopping malls and made the wearing of face masks mandatory.

“NCOC has tightened restrictions on some high-risk public activities but the rising spread of the disease can only be controlled if people believe in the need for precautions,” said Umar

DNA

RAWALPINDI – Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation called on General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) at GHQ.

Regional security situation, Afghan peace process with particular reference to border management and way forward for lasting peace in Afghanistan were discussed during the meeting.

Visiting dignitary appreciated Pakistan’s untiring efforts for facilitating the process towards the mutual objective of peace in the region.

KARACHI : The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Monday banned the entry of visitors to all airports across the country to stem the second wave of the coronavirus.

According to the CAA, drivers will be allowed to drop passengers at the airports’ drop lines and those coming to pick travellers up will be required to wait in their vehicles until flyers’ arrival.

Moreover, the CAA has made it mandatory for people to put on masks on the premises of the airports.

It said these measures are aimed at addressing the coronavirus pandemic.

Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar had recently stressed for strict implementation of precautionary measures to ward off the second wave of novel coronavirus pandemic in the country.

In a meeting of National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) the federal minister said that the use of face masks is mandatory adding that enforcement of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in educational institutions and banquet halls will be strictly monitored.

ISLAMABAD : Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar on Monday said a meeting of the National Coordination Committee has been summoned to deliberate over additional measures to contain the rising spread of coronavirus in the population.

Taking to Twitter, Umar said the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) discussed additional measures today to control the rising spread of COVID-19.

“Recommendations will be tabled in the NCC being called for tomorrow,” he continued. “Need to take immediate measures which have the most impact on disease spread without curtailing economic activity.”

COVID-19 resurge

Pakistan’s positivity rate surged past 4% on Sunday – the highest since August. The country recorded 1,123 new Covid-19 cases in a single day – highest in over three months. At least 12 people succumbed to the virus.

Increased restrictions

The federal authorities have issued multiple warnings in the past few days on the ignorance towards implementation of Covid-19 SOPs as a second wave hits the country.

Last week, NCOC issued fresh rules regarding the closure of wedding halls and shopping malls and made the wearing of face mask mandatory.

“NCOC has tightened restrictions on some high-risk public activities but the rising spread of the disease can only be controlled if people believe in the need for precautions,” said Umar.

Wedding halls, restaurants ‘high contributors’

Early this month, NCOC said that it has observed wedding halls and indoor restaurants to be “high contributors” to the spread of the contagious disease.

Following the observation, on October 9, the body issued new guidelines for wedding halls, saying that it was officially restricting the number of guests and limiting functions till 10pm.

For indoor events, a maximum of 300 guests has been allowed and for outdoor events, a maximum of 500 guests, with the gathering to only last 2 hours.

The statement said that if wedding halls are found to be in violation of the SOPs then they will be closed off at a “specified time” and a heavy fine will also be imposed. It further said that the closure of SOPs-defying wedding halls will come into effect two weeks after the notices are served so people get “sufficient time” to search for alternate venues.

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry announced on Monday that the government is studying a proposal to run an “electric automatic train from Islamabad Airport to Murree”.

“The next major project is the electric automatic train from Islamabad Airport to Murree. The study of which has started and a meeting has been held with the planning ministry in this regard,” said Chaudhry in a tweet.

The science minister made the revelations while reacting to a Radio Pakistan news regarding his comments to a private TV channel on electric buses, saying the project has now reached the Express of Interest level.

Fawad said the electric train project “will change the face of tourism and travel” in the country.

‘ Electric buses to start in Islamabad by December’

Chaudhry has said that Islamabad will be the first city in Pakistan to have environment-friendly electric transport by December this year.

Speaking to a private news channel after the signing ceremony of a strategic alliance agreement between the government and a German company, Fawad said that under the new MoU, the German company will invest in three phases; installations of its manufacturing plants, bus operations and technology transfer to Pakistan.

“Introduction of electric vehicular technology will expedite work on the government’s policy to check environmental pollution,” said the minister.

He added that the government has decided to install electric vehicle charging stations on motorways across the country in the next six months.

“Introduction of electric vehicles will help in flourishing an eco-friendly system and mitigate the effects of global warming,” said the minister.

He assured that the government was giving special emphasis to science and technology, education and future technologies to unleash the potential of the youth.