DNA

ISLAMABAD, Oct 13, 2020: Justice (RETD) Javed Iqbal, Chairman NAB chaired a meeting to review overall performance of NAB at NAB Headquarters. During the meeting, it was informed that Operation and Prosecution Divisions of NAB are working closely in order to have legal assistance to NAB’s Operations Division and all Regional Bureaus of NAB in conduct of complaint verifications, inquires, investigations as per law and pleading cases of NAB in respected Courts.

During the meeting, it was informed that the directions of the Chairman NAB, Prosecution Division have been revamped by inducting experienced legal consultants/special prosecutors. Due to constant deliberations, monitoring and performance analysis of Operations and Prosecution Division, the overall conviction ratio is approximately 68.8 percent in the respected Accountability Courts which is one of the best conviction ratios as compared to other anti corruption organizations in Pakistan. NAB has not only recovered Rs. 466 billion since its inception but deposited in the national exchequer as per law.

NAB is an apex national anti corruption organization which has no affiliation with any party, group or individual. NAB’s only affiliation is with the state of Pakistan. NAB will not come under any pressure/criticism of any accused person and will continue to work transparently, fairly, professionally and independently on the basis of solid evidence against the accused persons as per law. As per a report of the Gillani and Gallop survey, 59 people have shown confidence upon NAB.

Pakistan is considered as a role model for SAARC Countries in eradication of Corruption due to NAB’s efforts. The World Economic Forum and Transparency International Pakistan have appreciated NAB’s efforts against corruption. Pakistan is the first Chairman of SAARC Anti Corruption Forum which is a great achievement for Pakistan due to NAB efforts. He said that NAB is the focal organization of Pakistan under United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) which is pride for Pakistan due to NAB efforts. NAB is the only Organization in the world to which China has signed an MOU to oversee CEPC projects in Pakistan.

NAB has introduced a Combine Investigation Team (CIT) system in order to benefit from the collective wisdom of senior supervisory officers.

This system is not only lending quality. NAB has established its own forensic science Laboratory in NAB Rawalpindi which is helping in improving the quality of investigations on a scientific basis. NAB has received more complaints in 2020 as compared to the same period of 2019 which shows that people have shown trust upon NAB.

NAB has established more 50 thousands character building societies in Universities and Colleges in collaboration with HEC in order to aware youth about the ill effects of corruption at an early age besides establishing prevention committees in order to identify and to plug loopholes. The Chairman NAB directed all bureaus of NAB to use all available resources to nab corrupt and arrest of proclaimed offenders and absconders so that they could be brought to justice and to recover looted money and deposit in national exchequer which is our national duty.

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Tuesday announced a Rs5 million reward for the provincial police chief and his team for arresting Abid Malhi, the prime suspect in the motorway rape case.

He felicitated IG Punjab police Inam Ghani and the investigation team for tracing the suspect.

Earlier today, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore sent Abid Malhi to jail on 14-judicial remand. Police produced the suspect before the court amid tight security. SP CIA Asim Iftikhar submitted an initial report regarding the arrest of the suspect to the court.

The Punjab police arrested Abid Malhi during a raid at Manga Mandi, some 111 kilometers away from Faisalabad. Sources had said the police initially conducted a raid at Tandlianwala Tehsil of Faisalabad to arrest the key suspect but he managed to escape moments before the police party reached there.

Later, acting on information about the presence of Malhi at his relative’s house in Manga Mandi, the police conducted a raid at the house and finally apprehend him.

DNA

ISLAMABAD, – Former President ICCI Shahid Rasheed Butt on Tuesday said draconian measures directed by the IMF would destroy the economy that has recently shown some signs of recovery.

IMF’s insistence on increasing power tariff to ensure full cost recovery and boost taxes as per the agreed target of Rs4.9 trillion will reverse the recent economic gains, discourage investment and open floodgates for inflation, he said.

He noted that World Bank has already cautioned that Pakistan’s GDP growth in FY21 will be lowest in the region at 0.50 percent while inflation will be higher in the region at 12 percent which is worrying.

Shahid Rasheed Butt said that continued inflation has already eroded the buying power of masses while the government cannot afford to implement unpopular decisions but ignoring the IMF would keep the Extended Fund Facility programme suspended which is a very difficult option at this juncture.

He said that successive governments have ignored tax and power sector reforms for three decades and now the power sector circular debt has risen to around 2.3 trillion rupees posing a serious threat to the economy while tax administration has become dysfunctional.

Additionally, the government has not been unable to meet the tax targets it agreed with the IMF because it was unrealistic while the pandemic also made it difficult and strict measures on the behest of IMF will help the cash economy.

Severe contractionary monetary and fiscal policies contracted GDP most in the last 52 years but IMF would insist on tax targets which is amazing.

An attempt to energy raise tariffs and taxes would imply a further reduction in disposable incomes of households and would compromise the quality of life of the middle and lower middle income people and push millions more into poverty, he warned.

The government must find a way to access the next IMF tranche without hurting masses and economy as it would send a positive signal to concerned circles.

DNA

Islamabad, October 13, 2020: COMSTECH and Pink Pakistan Trust have agreed to work towards the achievement of shared objectives of good health and wellbeing of women in OIC region. Particularly, they will work together for spreading awareness to reduce the mortality rate of breast cancer and promote women wellbeing and empowerment. The MoU between the two organizations signed by Coordinator General, COMSTECH, Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary and the President Pink Trust Pakistan, Dr. Zubaida Qazi, here on Thursday at COMSTECH headquarters, Islamabad.

Both the Parties will jointly organize awareness sessions, seminars, conferences, workshops and training research and counseling support for eradicating breast cancer to the women of the marginalized communities of the OIC member countries.

COMSTECH through its various Inter-Islamic Networks and programmes shall partner with the Pink Foundation towards spreading awareness regarding breast cancer and early detection of breast cancer purely on voluntary basis for the welfare and wellbeing of marginalized communities to work for the noble cause.

ISLAMABAD : The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday took the K-Electric to task over unannounced load-shedding in Karachi, observing that half of the port city is having sleepless nights due to power cuts.

“Karachi is experiencing a heatwave and people don’t have electricity,” Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed remarked while hearing a case pertaining to prolonged power cuts in the Sindh province.

He asked why should the managing director of the port city’s sole power distributor not be sent to jail with a heavy fine.

The chief justice also slammed the federal government saying it was not fulfilling its duty properly.

The attorney general informed the apex court that Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar and Power Minister Omar Ayub wanted to brief the court on the issue and sought permission for the purpose.

Both ministers will brief the court in coming two weeks. Meanwhile, the bench directed the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) and the K-Electric to submit a detailed report within four weeks.

The court adjourned the hearing for a month.

LAHORE : An accountability court in Lahore on Tuesday extended the physical remand of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Shehbaz Sharif until October 20 in money laundering and assets beyond means references.

AC Judge Jawadul Hassan heard the case in which Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz appeared. Strict security measures were taken by the administration to deter any untoward incident.

At the outset of the hearing, the NAB prosecutor requested the court to hand over Shehbaz Sharif to them on 15-day physical remand stating that investigation in the matter related to receiving and giving away expensive gifts still remains.
During the proceedings, Shehbaz Sharif stated that he is suffering from back pain and facing hardships in offering prayers. “I’m being punished on the guidelines of the PM and Shehzad Akbar”, Shehbaz alleged before the court.

The court reserved the judgment in NAB’s plea of granting physical remand of Shehbaz Sharif, which was announced later.

The opposition leader in NA was handed over to the NAB on physical remand until October 20.

Last month, the NAB arrested Shehbaz after the Lahore High Court (LHC) denied him further extension in his interim bail. A NAB team arrested him from the courtroom and took him to the NAB Lahore headquarters amid tight security.

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar on Tuesday emphasised that “risk mitigation” is important to stop the second wave of the novel coronavirus in the country.

The minister stressed the importance of risk mitigation in the morning session of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC). The meeting was also attended by all the chief secretaries of the provinces via a video link.

“Actions have consequences and so far we as a nation and all stakeholders have taken right steps which helped us in saving precious lives and contain the disease spread,” Umar told the officials. He also attributed the people’s “proactive response” for the country’s successful control of the coronavirus.

“The people of Pakistan have shown great maturity and responsibility to not only protect themselves but following guidelines to ensure other’s safety and wellbeing,” said the minister. He also lauded media for their “effective messaging” for behaviour change and help in reaching out to masses.

Asad Umar, who also oversees Pakistan’s COVID-19 response, observed that the people of Pakistan and media are two important pillars which made the entire effort against coronavirus a success. However, the minister emphasised, that in light of the National Coordination Committee meeting yesterday, there is a need to ensure safety measures including wearing of face mask and following health guidelines.

Meanwhile, the chief secretary Sindh informed the forum that the provincial government was “monitoring education institutes and marriage halls”.

He also assured the participants that the provincial government was ensuring that administrative measures are followed “in line of health guidelines issued by NCOC”.

On the other hand, chief secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa told the meeting that they have taken administrative measures against certain restaurants and marriage halls for violations of coronavirus protocols.

While chief secretary Balochistan told the NCOC that the government’s trace, test and quarantine strategy has led to a “positive improvement” in coronavirus cases in the province.

The NCOC was also informed that 3,497 smart lockdowns have been imposed in 103 districts of the country. It was also informed that 52% of the coronavirus tests were being done due to proactive TTQ strategy.

PESHAWAR, Oct 13 (DNA):United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), with assistance of the Livestock Department, has started vaccination to cattle in merged districts against fetal diseases of foot and mouth and peste des petits ruminants (PPR), (Kata).

According to Representative of FAO for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Waleed Mehdi, during the campaign, 457000 doses of the vaccine would be administered to different small and big cattle. Among the doses 275000 will be administered against foot and mouth while over 200000 will be against PPR disease.

The campaign will be carried out in free medical camps by strictly following the SOPs for COVID-19.

Waleed said the livelihood of almost 97 percent of people from merged districts depended on agriculture, livestock and other natural resources.

He said the FAO with assistance of the Livestock Department was busy in providing better possible healthcare facilities to the cattle in merged districts to save this important source of income from different diseases. The campaign, he said, would benefit around 390000 households.

KARACHI : The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to submit their comments on a petition seeking his disqualification as a member of the Sindh Assembly for lifetime for allegedly being dual national.

Headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, a division bench was hearing the case. The court expressed displeasure over the official respondents over failure to submit their response to the petition despite being issued notices.

The court asked a state counsel why he was not submitting a reply on behalf of the ECP.

The Sindh government’s lawyer informed the bench that the Supreme Court (SC) had already cleared the chief minister in the dual nationality case and requested the court to dismiss the petition for being non-maintainable.

Rejecting his request, Justice Mazhar directed the ECP and the Sindh CM to submit a written reply by next hearing on November 17.