Day: October 2, 2021

KARACHI:Pakistan’s comedian king, actor, director, producer and television personality, Umer Sharif, passed away due to severe ailment on Saturday at a German hospital. He was 66.

On Wednesday, he was being shifted to the US through an air ambulance along with his wife Zareen Ghazal when he his health condition deteriorated. However, he was admitted to a hospital in Germany’s Nurembergon during his flight to the US. Germany had allowed the emergency landing on humanitarian basis and approved a 15-day visa for Sharif and his wife. His wife confirmed his death today.

On 11 September 2021, government formed a medical board to decide whether or not to send him abroad for treatment. He was granted US visa for medical treatment on 16 September 2021. The Sindh government had approved Rs40 million for his treatment. Umer Sharif, whose real name was Mohammad Umer, was born on April 19, 1955, in an Urdu speaking family in Liaquatabad area of Karachi.

In 1974, Sharif started his career from Karachi as a stage performer at the age of 14. He joined theatre, using the stage name Umer Zarif but later renamed that to Umer Sharif. Some of his extremely popular comedy stage plays were 1989’s Bakra Qistoon Pe and Buddha Ghar Pe Ha.

Sharif became a very popular star during this period. Much of the success came from the fact that he started to record his stage shows and his videotapes were rented out in a similar manner to movies. Yes Sir Eid and No Sir Eid were among the first stage plays to come out on video.

In October 2009, Sharif started hosting his own late-night talk show, The Shareef Show, on Geo TV. He interviewed many actors, entertainers, musicians, and politicians on the show. He also appeared as a guest judge on the Indian stand-up comedy show The Great Indian Laughter Challenge, alongside Navjot Singh Siddhu and Shekhar Suman.

In 2006, the Umer Sharif Welfare Trust was formed with the stated goal of creating a state of the art health center that provides services free of cost. Sharif has received National awards for Best Director and Best Actor in 1992 for Mr. 420. He has received ten Nigar Awards. Sharif is the only actor to receive four Nigar Awards in a single year. He received three Graduate Awards. Sharif is also a recipient of Tamgha-e-Imtiaz. Referred to as the “King of Comedy”, Sharif is considered one of the greatest comedians of Indian subcontinent. Popular Indian comedian Johnny Lever hailed him as “The God of Asian Comedy”.

KARACHI:Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW) on Saturday criticized the interference of the Government of Sindh in the federally-controlled hospitals of Karachi which is damaging these important institutions.

Under the 18th amendment the control of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) and some other important hospitals was handed over to the provincial government in 2011which resulted in rapid deterioration, it said in a statement.

The federal government took back partial control of three major hospitals in Karachi a year ago which included JPMC, National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, and National Institute of Child Health Karachi.

The decision didn’t go down well with the Sindh government and it started conspiracies and started to appoint doctors on a political basis in the hospitals located in Karachi, said Dr. Murtaza Mughal, President PEW.

He said that dirty tactics are being employed to get full control of JPMC which has put the future of doctors and health staff at stake.

He said that there is a 20 percent quota of Sindh in JPMC while 80 percent quota goes to the students of Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, erstwhile Fata and Pata but efforts are underway to allocate the whole quota to Sindh to promote the interests of a political party which is destroying the institution.

He noted that Jinnah faculty is being run on an ad-hoc basis for a decade, forty important posts are kept vacant for a decade, doctors in grade 18 are working as professors of grade 20 which amounts to playing with the future of students.

The political interference is destroying the biggest hospital of Pakistan as 61 medical officers out of which 35 are postgraduate have been deprived of promotions for ten years.

An insider said that the provincial government wants to make circumstances unbearable for the doctors so that they leave and politicians can appoint their cronies in their place.

Dr. Mughal said that the federal government should act to save the hospitals by taking full control of these hospitals before it’s too late.

He said that the budget of JPMC and other important hospitals should have been enhanced but it has been reduced by Rs1.26 billion which is unjustified and a violation of the rights of the people of Karachi.

LORALAI:Loralai police claimed to have seized 28kg hashish from a truck in an operation conducted on Quetta-Loralai road near WAPDA colony area of District Loralai in Balochistan province on Saturday.

Following the directions of SSP, Loralai, Irfan Bashir, police force, Loralai under the supervision of Inspector Karim Mandokhail, Station House Officer (SHO), Police Station, Loralai seized 28 kilo Hashish from an abandoned truck No.C-2035 in an operation conducted on Quetta-Loralai road near WAPDA colony area of Loralai. A case was lodged against unidentified accused and further investigation into the matter was underway.

KARACHI:Special Assistant to Chief Minister Sindh on Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Sindh Sadiq Ali Memon said Saturday that effective measures were being taken by the Sindh government for the expected effectees of rains and no one would be left helpless, especially in coastal areas.

“The news for Katti Bandar, Shah Bandar, Kharo Chan, Jati and other surrounding areas should be ignored. All the relevant agencies of Sindh government were monitoring the situation and he had visited the coastal areas along with the concerned officers and inspected the rain water and there was no danger while sea storm Gulab had almost broken,” he said while presiding over a high level meeting at Deputy Commissioner Office, Thatta.

The meeting was also attended by Commissioner Hyderabad Ghulam Abbas Baloch, Member Sindh Assembly Syed Riaz Hussain Shah Shirazi and other officers. He added that PPP government would never leave the people alone and share their sorrows. He said: “We know how to protect our people and special attention is being paid to their care, especially in the coastal areas.

Addressing the meeting, Commissioner Hyderabad Ghulam Abbas Baloch apprised Memon about the arrangements made to cope with the situation and said that the situation was under control and there was no danger.

He further said that rain water had been drained out from the low lying areas of Thatta city while all preparations, including machinery by Public Health Department, Local Government, Irrigation, had been arranged and if water accumulated due to rains, it would be drained out soon.

Qadri said that the concerned officers were on alert to deal with the whole situation while the elected representatives were also with the officers day and night for the help so that no untoward incident could take place. He said that the situation was under control due to precautionary measures. Officers of relevant departments were also present in the meeting.

KARACHI:The severe cyclonic storm Shaheen moved west-northwestward during last 12 hours with a speed of 10km per hour and now lies centred near latitude 24.0N and longitude 62.5E at a distance of about 125km south of Gwadar, 250km southwest of Ormara and 470 km west of Karachi. Rain-wind/thundershower (with isolated heavy falls) is expected in upper/central Punjab, Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and lower Sindh and Balochistan

Estimated maximum sustained surface wind is 110-120km per hour with sea condition very rough/high around the system centre. The system is likely to keep moving west-northwestwards till today evening and then recurve southwestward towards Oman northern coast.

Under the influence of this weather system, rain-wind-thunderstorms with few heavy (isolated very heavy) falls are likely in Gwadar, Lasbella, Awaran, Kech and Panjgur districts of Balochistan till tomorrow, 3 Oct (Sunday).

Possible Impacts: Sea conditions would remain rough/very rough with high surge at times till Oct 3 (Sunday). Fishermen have been advised not to venture in the sea till 3rd October (Sunday).

Heavy rains may generate urban flooding in Lasbela, Ormara, Pasni, Gwadar, Turbat and Jiwani. Windstorm may cause damages to vulnerable structures. PMD Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre, Karachi is closely monitoring the system and updates will be issued accordingly.

All concerned authorities of Balochistan have been requested to remain alert during the forecast period and keep them abreast for update through PMD website.

KARACHI:Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health, Dr Faisal Sultan, has said that the availability of quality medicines at the most affordable price is the first and foremost obligation of the Pakistani pharmaceutical industry.

The PM’s aide on Health stated this as he was addressing the concluding ceremony of the 1st Pharma Export Summit and Awards-2021 organized by the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Association, according to a statement issued on Saturday.

“Always keep in mind that your main stakeholder is patient as availability of quality medicines at cheap rates to the patients is your business, obligation, and also honour,” Dr Sultan said while addressing the audience of the summit comprising all leading names of Pakistan’s drug industry.

He said that a mechanism of best and competitive pricing should be adopted to ensure that the public should get access to the essential medicines in the country. He urged the Pakistani pharmaceutical industry to adopt a set of ethical guidelines for the marketing of its medicinal products as doing so would manifold its credibility and respect in the eyes of the public.

Dr Sultan also urged the Pakistani drug producers to invest more in research and innovation so that the country would be able to produce medicines and introduce medical interventions required in future to treat the patients. He gave the example of globally renowned pharmaceutical companies that earned trillions of dollars as profit owing to their extensive hard work in the field of research and innovation.

“We do believe that the Pakistani pharmaceutical industry has the potential of making much more progress and advancement as compared to where it stands today. The industry has the potential of increasing Pakistani pharmaceutical exports to surpass the present target of US $ five billion,” he said.

He said the government had made up its mind that a reform process would be launched to upgrade the working of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan to enhance its capacity to regulate all therapeutic goods, medical equipment, and devices being sold in the country.

The PM’s aide acknowledged that the present drug regime had often proved to be too cumbersome for launching new medicines in the Pakistani market discouraging the concerned industrialists from such investment, which is otherwise necessary for the protection of public health.

He said the drug industry was included among three to four main sectors having the capability to enhance Pakistani exports. Dr Sultan appreciated the investment made by the Pakistani drug industry to match international standards of producing the medicines.

KARACHI:In response to Karachi Chamber’s concerns expressed over Amendment in tax laws through Tax Laws (Third Amendment) Ordinance 2021, Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin has assured that the Ministry for Finance would review the matter and look into the possibility of re-examining the term ‘non-filer’ and ‘under-filer’ in consultation with stakeholders whereas in the meantime, no one will suffer as FBR will not take the action directly.

FBR will share relevant data with Chambers and also upload the same on its website. The government intends to take help of artificial intelligence and assessment will be done through third party while appropriate time of 90 days will be provided to non-taxpayers for settlement, the Finance Minister added while speaking at a meeting with a delegation of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI).

Federal Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar, Advisor to PM on Commerce Abdul Razzak Dawood, Chairman Federal Board of Revenue Ashfaq Ahmed and other senior officials of Finance Ministry and FBR also accompanied Shaukat Tarin at the meeting while KCCI’s delegation, which was led by Chairman Businessmen Group and Former President KCCI Zubair Motiwala, comprised of Vice Chairmen BMG Haroon Farooki and Jawed Bilwani, General Secretary BMG AQ Khalil and President KCCI Muhammad Idrees.

Referring to Chairman BMG’s remarks about discrimination with export-oriented industries of Sindh with regards to supply of RLNG at $6.5 per MMBTU, Energy Minister Hammad Azhar agreed to supply RLNG at $6.5 per MMBTU to export-oriented industries of Sindh. In this regard, the Ministry of Finance will sanction subsidy and relevant notification will also be issued.

Hammad Azhar stated that the Ministry of Energy will also convene a meeting to discuss KCCI’s concerns over gas crises in winter season so that they could explore ways and means for smooth supply of gas to industries/ consumers of SSGCL in winter season. MD SSGC will also be advised to hold a meeting with KCCI in this regard, he added.

On the occasion, PM’s Advisor Abdul Razzak Dawood said that they were considering waiver of duty on import of cotton yarn. It was also concurred that KCCI’s proposal to reduce concessional rate of 0.1 percent to 0.01 percent on Traders/ brokers of Cotton Yarn under SRO.333 (I) 2001 dated 02.05.2011 has been taken into consideration in the larger interest of value-added exports.

Razzak Dawood, while appreciating KCCI’s idea of giving Industry status to “Warehousing / Cold Chain / Cold Storage”, said that the government will look into this matter. He reiterated that Drawback on Local Taxes and Levies (DLTL) will either continue with same rate or the government may increase the rate of drawback whereas the old income tax claims will also be refunded at the earliest.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Dr Ashfaq Ahmed assured that the Government will review the matter pertaining to CNIC requirement and 3 percent tax which KCCI believes should not be mandatory but optional as 3 percent tax on sales to unregistered persons was already being collected hence there was no need for demanding CNIC. He also promised to hold a meeting within next week via zoom facility to discuss the progress on various taxation issues.

In response to problems being faced because of the condition to put invoice and packing list inside imported container or consignment, the lawmakers assured to review KCCI’s proposal that the bank should only receive document when invoice and packing list is attached with the documents and consignment should be released with the provision of invoice and packing list from Customs.

It was also assured that the government will also look into KCCI’s proposals to amend provision under S. No.4 in which a new section 114B has been inserted in Income Tax Ordinance 2001, providing discretionary powers to FBR to issue General Orders to disable mobile phones/SIMS, disconnect electricity and gas connection etc. to enforce filing of returns by the persons not appearing on the ATL. The Karachi Chamber, in this regard, has proposed the provision may be amended to substitute the words “Persons not appearing on ATL” with “Unregistered Persons” to achieve the purpose of broadening of tax-base.

KCCI delegation, while conveying gratitude to Finance Minister for fulfilling his commitment of holding today’s meeting in Islamabad along with Hammad Azhar, Razzak Dawood and others, expressed confidence over the stewardship and seriousness being exhibited by Shaukat Tarin towards resolving the problems being suffered by the business and industrial community. Finance Minister, in his concluding remarks, said that he will keep on visiting KCCI after every three months while Chairman FBR also be visiting the Chamber on a monthly basis.