Day: May 20, 2022

Posted on

LHC allows Awais to continue work as AG Punjab

LAHORE: Lahore High Court chief justice on Friday allowed Ahmad Awais to continue his work as Punjab Advocate General and directed the provincial authorities not to stop him from doing his job.

LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti was hearing a petition filed by Mr Awais challenging the notification of the Punjab government which stopped him from doing his job. The chief justice sought a written reply from all the concerned parties including Punjab chief secretary to ensure that no facility would be taken back from Advocate General Ahmad Awais.

Additional advocate general Ch Jawad Yaqoob appeared before the court on behalf of the Punjab government. Shafqat Mehmood Chohan advocate and other lawyers appeared in the court to represent the advocate general.

Then the CJ asked the additional advocate general whom he was representing? AAG Yaqoob said that he was representing the Punjab government. Chief Justice Bhatti asked him under which law he was appointed to the office of advocate general.

On this, Mr Yaqoob said that it was an internal mechanism through which he was given the responsibilities. The CJ wondered how on earth the law secretary could assign him this charge. Mr Yaqoob, however, told the court that Mr Awais is still the advocate general ‘but my clients do not repose confidence in him’. The AAG contended that Advocate General Awais did not consider the interests of the Punjab government.

Mr Chohan told the court that Mr Awais was forcefully removed from his office and his security was withdrawn. Visibly annoyed by this, the chief justice asked the AAG to get a written reply from all concerned secretaries that AG Ahmad would be having all facilities and no benefit that came with the job would be withdrawn.

Posted on

PM to appear before FIA Court tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has decided to appear before the Federal Investigation Agency Court in Lahore tomorrow.

Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar on Friday informed the media that Prime Minister Shehbaz had decided to appear before the FIA court tomorrow adding that the premier had directed all other party leaders and ministers to face cases against them in courts.

He said that Prime Minister Shehbaz had expressed his full confidence in judiciary and believed that he would get justice from courts. The law minister also made it clear that no high-profile case had been rescinding.

The Supreme Court on Thursday barred the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) from withdrawing the high-profile cases from courts. The apex court also slapped a ban on new appointments and transfers of officials involved in high-profile cases, NAB cases as well as those being heard by special courts.

Posted on

IHC allows protective bail to PTI leader Haleem

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday granted a protective bail to Leader of the Opposition in Sindh Assembly and PTI leader Haleem Adil Sheikh, and barred the police from arresting him.

The PTI leader, in his petition, had said that the coalition government had started targeting his party ever-since it took office. He stated that he had learnt from credible sources that the government had plans to teach him and other PTI leaders a lesson. “Although I am not nominated in the Masjide Nabawi case, still I am afraid that I might be arrested in some other case,” read the petition.

Sheikh prayed to the court to bar the authorities from harassing him and order them to present the record of all the FIRs registered against him at different police stations. “I request the court to the IHC to accept my plea for protective bail,” the PTI leader stated in his petition.

Posted on

Oil subsidies equal to defence budget: Mian Zahid Hussain

Karachi, May 20, 2022 (PPI-OT):Chairman of National Business Group Pakistan, President Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum, and All Karachi Industrial Alliance, and former provincial minister Mian Zahid Hussain on Friday said the deadly combination of political and economic instability is destroying the economy.

Successful negotiations are necessary as the country will go bankrupt if the IMF loan was not received immediately, he said. Mian Zahid Hussain said that a government which is in power for a few months cannot save the economy as an absence of political stability is very dangerous. Talking to the business community, the veteran business leader said that political stability is necessary to save the country, for which the ruling coalition must be provided with an environment for difficult decisions.

He said that elimination of wastage of resources, abolishing tax concessions, sale of loss-making enterprises, reforms in the power sector, reduction in non-development expenditure, and complete elimination of policies promoting the elite are necessary to save the country. He said that controlling imports and obtaining loans from the IMF are very important issues that need to be addressed.

At present, Pakistan is the only oil-importing country which is giving subsidies of Rs45 on petrol and Rs80 on diesel, the total volume of which is equal to the defence budget which is not sustainable. Mian Zahid Hussain said that the stock market has been steadily declining, the rupee has depreciated sharply while the appreciation of the dollar may significantly increase remittances and exports from Pakistanis.

In the case of sales tax and customs duty, an additional tax of about Rs300 billion will be collected which should be used to provide targeted subsidies to the vulnerable. Mian Zahid Hussain further said the government should consider increasing allocations to the BISP to save the poor from price shocks. He that the previous government had caused irreparable damage to the economy by delaying the IMF program in 2018 and bad governance despite political stability in the country.

The previous government was called inexperienced by the opposition and economists, now we have experienced leaders in the government but it is not being allowed to function and its immediate election is being demanded. The ruling circles need to understand why a government that is in power for a few months will tarnish its image by making tough decisions.

For more information, contact:
President,
Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum (PBIF)
Tel: +92-343-2226888
Tel: +92-300-8233364
Email: ceo@kenlubes.net

Posted on

Wives of Diplomats assure to play role for Women Entrepreneurs in Pakistan

Islamabad, May 20, 2022 (PPI-OT):Madam Albana Planeja, wife of Ambassador of Italy and Ms. Mariana Neves Pochino, wife of Ambassador of Portugal visited Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry to discuss matters for promoting women entrepreneurs in Pakistan. They interacted with women entrepreneurs of various sectors including IT, automobile, real estate, fashion designing, handmade products, health, education and discussed with them various options for better promotion of women entrepreneurs.

Speaking at the occasion, Muhammad Shakeel Munir, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that women are half of our total population and without bringing them in the mainstream of economy, it is not possible for Pakistan to realize its full economic potential. He said that ICCI has always been raising a strong voice for the economic empowerment of women so that they could achieve a prosperous career and play a more effective role in the economic development of the country. He briefed the wives of diplomats about the various initiatives of ICCI to promote women entrepreneurs in the region.

Ms. Fatma Azim former Senior Vice President ICCI, Dr. Afshan Malik, Irum Pirzada, Zaibun Nisa, Arifa Liaquat, Safeena Shah, Nasira Ali, Nageena Khaleeq and others briefed the wives of diplomats about the products being produced by women entrepreneurs in the region and their potential in international market. They also highlighted the key issues being faced by the businessmen in Pakistan. They said that Pakistani women are very talented and have great potential to excel in the business field.

However, lack of easy access to finance, stringent collateral requirements of banks and lack of supportive measures from the government side were major barriers for women start-ups and stressed that the government should address these issues to promote women entrepreneurs. They said that women entrepreneurs needed support to connect them with the international market and emphasized that the diplomatic sector should play a role to provide them opportunities in potential world markets.

Madam Albana Planeja, wife of Ambassador of Italy and Ms. Mariana Neves Pochino, wife of Ambassador of Portugal appreciated the resilience and entrepreneurial spirit of businesswomen, who are doing successful businesses despite many challenges. They assured that they would positively play a role for women entrepreneurs in every possible manner so that they could further grow in business and contribute more effectively towards the economic development of Pakistan.

Jamshaid Akhtar Sheikh Senior Vice President and Muhammad Faheem Khan Vice President, ICCI thanked the wives of diplomats for visiting ICCI and hoped that diplomatic sector would cooperate in promoting women entrepreneurs in Pakistan.

For more information, contact:
Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI)
Chamber House, Aiwan-e-Sanat-o-Tijarat Road,
Mauve Area, G-8/1, Islamabad, Pakistan
Tel: +92-51-2250526, 2253145, 8432676
Fax: +92-51-2252950
Email: icci@brain.net.pk, info@icci.com.pk
Website: www.icci.com.pk