The visiting dignitary acknowledged and appreciated Pakistan Army’s contributions for peace and stability in the region 

Navid Miraj

RAWALPINDI (DNA): Deputy Prime Minister for Investment and Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan, Sardor Umurzakov, called on General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) at GHQ.

During the meeting matters of mutual interest with special emphasis on regional security situation and connectivity were discussed. The visiting dignitary acknowledged and appreciated Pakistan Army’s contributions for peace and stability in the region. Both pledged to support the vision for the better regional connectivity and improved security.

Earlier on Thursday, The Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, Sardor Umurzakov arrived in Islamabad on an official visit. Advisor to Prime Minister on Commerce, Abdul Razak Dawood received him at Nur Khan Airbase.

Talking to the media on the occasion, Razak Dawood said Pakistan desires to strengthen its relations with the Central Asian States in diverse fields.

He expressed the confidence that the visit of the Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister will help further promote trade between the two countries.

It may be mentioned here that Pakistan and Uzbekistan enjoy excellent relations. Both countries have strengthened their cooperation in various fields.

Uzbekistan is a high tech country when it comes to agriculture. Uzbek cotton industry is also well known in the world. The Uzbek cotton cutting machines are simply matchless. Pakistan and Uzbekistan have discussed on a number of occasions to deepen bilateral cooperation in agri sector.

ISLAMABAD : The Islamabad High Court (IHC) ruled on Thursday that it will decide on September 15 whether former prime minister Nawaz Sharif will get any relief or not.

A two-judge bench comprising Justice Aamir Farooq and Mohsin Akhtar Kayani was hearing appeals filed by the PML-N supremo against his conviction in the Al-Azizia and Avenfield cases. He had filed a plea seeking exemption from personal appearance in today’s hearing the other day.

During the hearing, Justice Kayani remarked, “Nawaz Sharif didn’t surrender, the game is over.”

The bench questioned how can the court proceed with his plea without his surrendering before it and directed both his lawyer Khawaja Haris and the NAB prosecutor to forward their arguments in this regard on next hearing.

Justice Kayani observed that Nawaz Sharif’s bail has been rejected while he has been declared a proclaimed offender in a graft case, asking if he deserves any relief in this situation.

The NAB prosecutor informed that Sharif can’t get any relief after being declared a proclaimed offender.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the ex-premier’s medical report, the court said he is in London while the medical certificate he has placed on record has been issued by a doctor who lives in the US.

Adjourning the hearing Until September 15, the judges observed that they will pass a detailed judgement in the case.

On September 9, the PML-N supremo through his lawyer Khawaja Haris today moved two miscellaneous applications in the IHC seeking exemption from personal appearance before it on medical grounds. He stated that he was unable to appear in court because of his ill-health.

At the previous hearing, the IHC had directed Sharif to appear before it on September 10 and warned that it will declare him an absconder over failure to turn up.  It also warned of action against those who acted as guarantors to secure the bail for the PML-N leader.

“We deem [it] appropriate that an opportunity be granted to the appellant [Nawaz] to appear before the court and surrender to the authorities before the next date of hearing,” the court had said in its order.

“Failing this, proceedings would be initiated against him in accordance with law including but not limited to the provisions of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Ordinance, 1999,” it said, adding:  “Admittedly, the appellant [Nawaz Sharif] is not on bail and is also not present in the court but has made an application for exemption from appearance due to medical reasons.”

LAHORE : Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif, reacting to the gang-rape of a woman in the Gujjarpur area on the motorway, called on law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to work together to arrest the culprits and ensure the victim family gets justice.

Terming the incident deplorable, shameful, and saddening, he wrote in a Twitter post: “This [incident] is national disgrace and the proof of the breakdown of the entire system of implementation of the law.”

He demanded that investigators set the bar high for investigation into the case on the pattern of one carried out into the Zainab rape-cum-murder case in order to ensure that the culprits are punished for the felony.

PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz tweeted: “The tragic rape incident on motorway is as traumatising & heart-rending for me as it is for the entire nation.”

“Such incidents are indicative of a deeper malaise that warrant a national response so as to put an end to the curse that stems from a culture that encourages impunity.”

ISLAMABAD : Prime Minister Imran Khan has summoned a meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) on Housing Development and Construction today (Thursday).

The NCC meeting is convened to brief the prime minister on the changes in the master plans of big cities. Formation of a digital portal related to construction is also on the agenda of the meeting.

The premier will also be briefed upon action taken against unregistered and fake societies.The development made on affordable housing and construction project for low-income segments under the Naya Pakistan Housing Programme will also come under discussion.

The meeting will be attended by the federal minister, SAPMs, secretaries, Federal Board of Revenue officials and others.

The prime minister put together the NCC on Housing, Construction, and Development back in July in order to expedite the progress on the government’s Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme project.

The NCC members include chairman, who is also the convener of the committee, secretary housing and works, secretary planning, secretary finance, secretary power or his representative, secretary petroleum, secretary law and justice, SBP deputy governor, representatives of the central bank governor, chief secretaries of all provinces, AJ&K, and the Gilgit-Baltistan area are also a part of the forum.

September 10, 2020

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh chaired the second meeting of the FBR Policy Board here at the FBR Headquarters.

Chairman FBR briefed the Adviser on the efforts the institute has been making to improve the abilities and expertise of its human resource and on the progress of the automation drive of FBR/Customs.

Chairman FBR briefed the Adviser on measures taken and future course planned to improve skills and competence of its staff by providing different in-house and foreign trainings to improve managerial competence and adopt a culture of performance based incentives including promotions. He also briefed the Adviser on the work being done on the IRIS (software) side to consolidate various application platforms into one to improve efficiency and performance. The Chairman further informed that a technologically advanced sales tax registration verification mechanism is introduced whereby officers with tablets will be sent to capture real time information and pictures including GPS coordinates of businesses requiring verification. Details of data sharing arrangements agreed to by 12 other organizations with FBR were also discussed in the meeting.

The Adviser stressed on the need to establish a link between NADRA and FBR for data sharing and data analytics. He created a subgroup of members to point out and sort the difficulties that are hindering the progress on the data sharing issue between the two organizations. This subgroup consists of Mr. Hammad Azhar, Dr. Ishrat Hussain,  Mr.Faiz Kamoka, Chairman FBR and Chairman NADRA; the subgroup will share its report with the chairman in a week. The Adviser took a special notice of the difficulties the traders are facing due to stoppage of containers at the Torkham Border. Member customs informed that necessary steps have been taken and the issue will be resolved within the coming weeks. Mr.Syed Javed shared his recommendations on PRAL and told that CEO PRAL has been appointed. The next meeting of the policy Board will be held by the end of this month and the ToRs of the policy Board will be presented for approval. Mr.Hammad Azhar and Mr.Abdullah Yousaf shall prepare the said ToRs.

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has formed a seven-member committee for reviewing the arrangements of local bodies elections across the province.

CM Usman Buzdar chaired a session for the organisation of local government polls in Punjab. However, the participants of the session failed to make a final decision regarding the local bodies’ election.

During the meeting, Usman Buzdar said that the new local government system will empower citizens at the grassroots level. He said that the provincial authorities have restored funds for the local governments which will begin a new era of development in every city and village after the appropriate distribution of resources in accordance with the public needs.The chief minister vowed that the government will ensure transparency in the utilisation of funds, whereas, the local government institutions should not neglect to fulfil their responsibilities.

He said that modern machinery is being provided to LG institutions by the Punjab authorities for maintaining cleanliness situation in all cities and tolerance will not be shown over negligence in the clearance of drainage nullahs.

The chief minister formed a seven-member committee for finalising the schedule of the LG polls. The committee headed by Punjab law minister Raja Basharat will comprise two provincial ministers, additional chief secretary interior, secretary local government and concerned officers.

The committee will present its recommendations to the Punjab CM Usman Buzdar next week.

LAHORE : Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif and his daughter Javeria have appeared before an accountability court in Lahore in Ramzan Sugar Mills case.

An accountability court’s administrative judge Jawadul Hassan conducted the hearing of Ramzan Sugar Mills case today.

Shehbaz Sharif appeared at the court’s rostrum and said that he had saved billions of funds belonging to the people of Punjab during his 10-year tenure without taking any benefit for him and his family businesses.He continued that Sindh government had reduced the rates of sugarcane but the decision was not followed by the Punjab authorities. Sindh High Court (SHC) had set the rates of sugarcane up to Rs172 per 40 kilograms besides ordering to provide Rs11 subsidy.

He added that he had faced pressure from the family for reducing the rates and provision of subsidy, however, he had neither cut the prices nor approved subsidy which resulted into financial loss to the sugar mills belonging to his family.

Sharif told the court that he was also facing allegations of possessing benami properties. The PML-N president said that if he was possessing undeclared properties then why would he generate losses to it.

To this, the judge remarked that he will be given a chance for his defence in money laundering case.

Shehbaz Sharif said that his daughter was currently sitting in the car. The judge remarked that it is necessary to appear in the courtroom for confirming the accused person’s attendance. Sharif’s daughter Javeria also arrived in the courtroom after the judge asked Shehbaz to ask her daughter for appearing in the courtroom.

The judge permitted Shehbaz Sharif and her daughter to leave the courtroom and directed to distribute assets beyond income reference’s copies among the accused persons.

Later, the accountability court adjourned the hearing till September 14.