The Hollywood production team thanked the minister for the cooperation and hospitality they received in Pakistan. They said they were inspired by the great cultural heritage and people of Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, May 08 (DNA): Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said on Wednesday that the production of Hollywood film on Pakistan’s culture will give people around the world an opportunity to know more about the country and highlight its soft and positive image.

This he said during a meeting with the members of the Hollywood production team visiting Pakistan to shoot an international film on Pakistani culture.

He said the film produced by the Hollywood production team will be an important milestone for the Pakistani film industry.

 In the meeting, discussions were held regarding the great cultural heritage and history of the country, including the preparation of a film based on Pakistani culture.

The minister also apprised the Hollywood production team about the progress in the film industry in the country.

He thanked the Hollywood production team for deciding to produce a film on Pakistani culture.

“It is a great honour for our culture and people,”  he said adding Pakistan was a country with a great cultural heritage.

“Our history, literature, music, and art are unique and appreciated worldwide,”  Attaullah Tarar maintained.

The minister said he believed that this film would give the world a new opportunity to see the beauty and diversity of Pakistan.

While throwing light on the measures taken by the government for cinema revival, he said it was the only industry in Pakistan that enjoyed tax amnesty.

“The government under the leadership of Shehbaz Sharif restored the film policy in its previous term,”  he said and added that the film sector had been given the status of an industry so that the youth could get an opportunity to enter this sector.

He said a film finance fund had been established at Rs 1 billion in the budget of 2022-23. Moreover, he said medical insurance for artists and tax incentives for the film industry had boosted the film industry and its related sectors.

He said in the budget 2022-23, five years of tax exemption was given to filmmakers.

Similarly, income tax exemption of five years has been given on the establishment of new cinemas, production houses, and film museums whereas a tax exemption has been given for ten years on the export of film and drama.

He said that foreign filmmakers were also given concessions on joint film and drama projects with local producers.

 For this, the condition of shooting 70 percent of the film in Pakistan was applicable to promote business activities including tourism and culture.

He said through screen tourism, Pakistan has conveyed its narrative to the world.

 The minister assured to provide full support and cooperation to the Hollywood production team from the government and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

The Hollywood production team thanked the minister for the cooperation and hospitality they received in Pakistan.

They said they were inspired by the great cultural heritage and people of Pakistan.

 “Pakistan has huge filmmaking potential, we are committed to helping the local industry to grow”, they remarked.

They thanked the government, the people of Pakistan, and the local film industry for the cooperation provided to them during their stay in Pakistan.

They said they were fully enjoying their visit and they were highly impressed by the beautiful locations and heritage of Pakistan.

 The delegation comprised  James MC Milan, Andrew James Fiero, Luisa Iskin, Sadia Ashraf, Badr Ikram, and Mashal Saqib.

ISLAMABAD, MAY 8 /DNA/ – The Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan Bakhtiyor Saidov, currently on a two-day visit to Pakistan, called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif today. Congratulating the Prime Minister on his re-election, the Uzbek Foreign Minister also conveyed the invitation of President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev for Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif to undertake an official visit to Uzbekistan at his earliest convenience. The Prime Minister expressed his gratitude to President of Uzbekistan, Mr. Shavkat Mirziyoyev and said that he was looking forward to meeting him.

The two sides discussed enhanced cooperation between Pakistan and Uzbekistan in the fields of trade and economy, security and defense, connectivity and people to people contacts. The importance of peace and development in Afghanistan for regional connectivity was also discussed.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif expressed Pakistan’s commitment to working with Uzbekistan to speed up and complete all bilateral trade and connectivity projects. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s readiness to provide access to Uzbekistan to Pakistani Ports. He also emphasized the importance of Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Railway Project and Pakistan’s commitment to its early completion.

ISLAMABAD, MAY 8 /DNA/ – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar warmly received Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today.

They will hold in-depth talks to lend a positive impetus to Pakistan-Uzbekistan relations and explore avenues of bilateral cooperation with a special focus on trade, connectivity and investment.

ISLAMABAD, May 7 (DNA): The Faculty of Economics of Chulalongkorn University, Thailand has established the “Undergraduate Scholarship Program for International Students” to provide financial assistance to qualified non-Thai students who wish to study in Thailand through the competitive international EBA program.

According to the Higher Education Commission (HEC), the EBA program is Thailand’s most important and innovative program in the field of economics.

“With a vision to be an internationally competitive program that aims to produce economists who are highly qualified to contribute to society with ethical and social responsibility”, its primary objective is to produce outstanding undergraduates.

To fulfill its vision, the EBA program pursues the mission of equipping students with excellent and in-depth knowledge that meets international standards of excellence.

It was also intended to emphasize the development of basic competencies for lifelong learning, such as skills and personal attitudes, and to consider this as an integral part of a high-quality undergraduate education in economics.

The latest curriculum in the EBA program focuses on private-sector economics, a field that meets students’ general interests and career goals.

Multilateral and bilateral exchange agreements with several leading institutions in the European Union and Asia have provided excellent opportunities for EBA students to study abroad for one or two semesters.

The EBA program was awarded the AUN-QA (ASEAN University Network Quality Assurance) certification in 2015.

Furthermore, EBA is increasing the number of its partner institutions in every corner of the world. Our exchange number of incoming and outgoing students has been raised to promote an international atmosphere in the program, the sources added.

ISLAMABAD, MAY 6 /DNA/ – A delegation of International Investors called on Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb to delve into the economic dynamics and investment prospects of Pakistan at Finance Division, today.

The meeting, organized by Standard Chartered Bank, was attended by Chief IR Ops. FBR Mr. Ijaz Hussain, Special Secretary Finance and other senior officers from Finance Division. Senior officials from the bank were also present in the meeting.

The Finance Minister welcomed the delegation and assured that the present government has taken all pragmatic measures to facilitate the business environment in Pakistan. During the session, he highlighted the macroeconomic stability in terms of reduced inflation and surge in stock market signaling burgeoning investor confidence.

Moreover, Senator Muhamamd Aurangzeb shed light on the government’s tax initiatives, emphasizing the agenda to broaden the tax base and expedite the digitalization process of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). Privatization endeavors, commencing with Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), were also delineated, with a commitment to extend privatization efforts to additional sectors in the near future.

The Minister for Finance and Revenue shared that Pakistan is gradually moving toward economic stability and it is high time to invest in Pakistan. He stressed upon the potential of IT and Agriculture sector in Pakistan and the need for local as well as international investment in these sectors to boost the country’s economy.

The delegation discussed the economic situation and outlook of the country with the Finance Minister. Investors held a comprehensive discussion with the Finance Minister regarding IMF program, upcoming budget targets, market perception and outlook, as well as the situation of foreign reserves.

Reaffirming the commitment to fostering economic growth, the Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue pledged to streamline processes, provide necessary incentives, and ensure a stable regulatory framework. Investors were encouraged to explore opportunities with confidence, as the government remains dedicated to facilitating their ventures and contributing to the nation’s prosperity.

In conclusion, the meeting underscored the collaborative efforts between Pakistan and international investors in fostering economic resilience and sustainable growth. The dialogue served as a testament to Pakistan’s commitment to fiscal prudence, investor-friendly policies, and inclusive economic development.

DNA

Islamabad – Pakistan has made significant progress in raising tobacco taxes but the country still falls short in fully implementing World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations aimed at both saving lives and curbing tobacco use.

The WHO recommends that the tobacco excise taxes should be at least 70 percent of the retail price.

According to details, there is a two-tiered system of Federal Excise Duty (FED) on cigarettes. Following the increases during 2022-23, current FED share in retail prices stands at 48 percent and 68 percent respectively for low and high tiers.

The Global Tobacco Index said that Pakistan has been a Party to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) since 2005. Progress has been achieved in enforcing tobacco control measures; however tobacco industry interference has resulted to weakened policies.

The Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index 2023 has ranked Pakistan at 32 position and noted that tobacco taxes, as a percentage of the retail price, stood at 61 percent whereas the global standard is at 70 percent.

“We urge the government to align its policies with WHO recommendations and save lives,” said Malik Imran Ahmed, Country Head of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK).

In its latest policy paper, “Recovering Healthcare Costs and Saving Lives”, the Social Policy Development Centre (SPDC) has proposed a 37 percent increase in FED in the next fiscal year’s budget.

The SPDC estimates that the country can save 265,000 lives, generate an additional revenue of Rs 37.7 billion and push 757,000 people to quit smoking through increasing the FED by 37 percent.

Pakistan has already suffered a staggering loss of Rs 567 billion in revenue over the past seven years due to the influence of cigarette companies lobbying against tax increases.

“Pakistan direly needs robust implementation of WHO recommendations,” said Maryam Gul, Director, Center for Research and Dialogue (CRD).

He said that Pakistan still trails behind regional countries and the rest of the world, due to low cigarette prices.

Pakistan is among the country where smoking has high prevalence.  The data shows that a staggering 31.6 million adults—equivalent to nearly 20% of the adult population—use tobacco products in Pakistan.

Alarmingly, tobacco consumption is responsible for approximately 160,000 deaths annually, accounting for a considerable 1.4% of the country’s GDP in healthcare expenses each year.

This afternoon, the Ambassador of Italy, Marilina Armellin paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif at the Prime Minister’s House.

Welcoming the Ambassador, the Prime Minister stated that Pakistan deeply valued its multifaceted relations with Italy spanning over many decades, which had always been marked by goodwill and trust. He added that the two sides also shared similar views on a number of important regional and global issues.

Thanking the Italian leadership for the congratulatory message that he received on his re-election, the Prime Minister conveyed his sincere commitment to work closely with Italy to further cement bilateral ties in the days ahead.

Emphasizing the importance of high-level exchanges, the Prime Minister extended a cordial invitation to H.E. Ms. Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy, to undertake an official visit to Pakistan. He conveyed his appreciation for Prime Minister Meloni’s policies at home and abroad that had made Italy an important member of the EU.
Expressing satisfaction over the positive trajectory of Pakistan-Italy bilateral relations, the Prime Minister urged the two sides to enhance cooperation in the fields of education, trade and investment, legal migration, as well as cultural exchanges. He thanked Italy for hosting a large population of Pakistani diaspora who were acting as a bridge between both countries while also contributing to their economic growth.

The Ambassador thanked the Prime Minister for receiving her and assured him that Italy was keen to further enhance its ties with Pakistan. She said she would strive to promote stronger relations between the two countries.

ISLAMABAD, MAY 6: /DNA/ – An investigation by the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has provisionally concluded that M/s. Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited’s (PTCL) proposed acquisition of M/s. Telenor Pakistan (Private) Limited (TP) and Orion Towers Private Limited (OT) could lead to a substantial lessening of competition in the telecommunication industry.

PTCL is a public-listed company and specializes in providing various telecommunication services such as cellular mobile telephony service, Wireless Local Loop service, Direct-to-Home television service and financial services through its subsidiaries across Pakistan, Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit Baltistan (GB).

Telenor Pakistan (Private) Limited and Orion Towers Private Limited are wholly-owned subsidiaries of M/s. Telenor Pakistan BV (TPBV) and are engaged in providing cellular mobile and allied services in Pakistan, AJK and GB.

PTCL, which was founded in 1995, has already been declared as a Significant Market Power (SMP) Operator in Wholesale Domestic Leased Lines, Wholesale IP Bandwidth and Retail LDI Fixed-Line Telecommunication market by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). With existing overlaps, the CCP found that, should the deal go ahead, the merger is likely to reduce choice, options, and competition in markets where there are only very few competitors and could lead to worse outcomes for the customers.

M/s. Pakistan Mobile Telecommunications Limited acquisition of M/s. Warid Telecom (Private) Limited reduced the number of network operators in 2016. Through the proposed merger, one out of remaining four players would also be eliminated from the industry. The CCP is concerned that this lessening of competition may result in higher prices or a reduction in choice or quality for customers hence, the transaction will be referred for an in-depth Phase 2 analysis.

The CCP aims to provide better services and product to the consumers of Pakistan by increasing competition in the telecommunication industry.