January 13, 2023 – Page 4 – PPI News Agency

January 13, 2023

Khanna Police arrested accused involved in blind murder case

Islamabad, January 13, 2023 (PPI-OT):Islamabad capital police Khanna and investigation wing teams have traced a murder case, a police public relations officer said. He said that, on 10th January, 2023 Khanna police team received information about a woman’s dead body at Bilal Town. Upon receiving the information, the Khanna Police immediately visited the crime scene and shifted the dead body to hospital for autopsy. Police also registered a case FIR no. 20 under section 302 PPC.

Following the incident, a special investigation team was constituted. Police team utilized all available technical and human resources and arrested the accused involved in it. The accused was identified as Imran who was the victim’s husband. During the preliminary investigation the accused confessed that he strangled his wife to death. Further investigation is underway.

IGP Islamabad appreciated the performance of the police team and further directed all officers to intensify the crackdown against the criminal elements. “Safety and security of the citizens is our foremost priority and no laxity will be tolerated in this regard.

For more information, contact:
Islamabad Police
Data centre H-11, Admin Block,
Police Head Quarter, Islamabad, Pakistan
Tel: +92-51-9258371 Ext (160)
Fax: +92-51-4443180
Email: webmaster@islamabadpolice.gov.pk
Website: https://islamabadpolice.gov.pk

January 13, 2023

Chairman CDA inaugurated the rainwater rechargeable well

Islamabad, January 13, 2023 (PPI-OT):Chairman Capital Development Authority Captain (R) Muhammad Usman Younis on Tuesday inaugurated the rainwater rechargeable well-constructed in PMD Sector H-8/2. On this occasion, DG Water Management and other officers were also with him.

Chairman CDA told that 100 recharge wells have been constructed at different places in the city. In which 60 rechargeable wells have been completed while work on 40 rechargeable wells is going on rapidly and soon all these rechargeable wells will be completed.

Chairman CDA was further informed that more than one million gallon of rain water has been saved from these recharge wells. These wells are built in a place where rain water stand for 12 to 14 hours, which was lost by flowing into the rivers. These water rechargeable wells also have a special filtration system that keeps the water clean from polluted elements.

The depth of these wells is about 150 to 160 feet. This water gets absorbed into the underground layer which helps in raising the underground water level. Chairman CDA further informed that flow meters and other devices have been installed at the rechargeable wells which help in monitoring the amount of groundwater and the amount of water absorbed into the ground.

The Chairman CDA further informed that it has been observed that even a little rain increases the level of underground water. In the first phase, 100 rechargeable wells have been built at different locations, and in the light of the results, they will be built in all government buildings and schools in Islamabad.

Chairman Capital Development Authority issued instructions to the officers of the concerned departments and said that maintenance of these rechargeable wells should also be done on a daily basis so that the level of underground water can be maintained.

For more information, contact:
Public Relations Directorate
Capital Development Authority (CDA)
Main Office, G-7/4, Islamabad
Tel: +92-51-9252614
Email: getreply@cda.gov.pk
Website: www.cda.gov.pk

January 13, 2023

SBP issues NOCs to five applicants for establishing Digital Banks

Karachi, January 13, 2023 (PPI-OT):State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has issued no objection certificates to the following five (05) applicants for establishing digital banks: (i) Easy Paisa DB (Telenor Pakistan B.V and Ali Pay Holding Ltd.)1 ; (ii) Hugo Bank (Getz Bros and Co., Atlas Consolidated Pte. Ltd. and M and P Pakistan Pvt. Ltd.); (iii) KT Bank (Kuda Technologies Ltd., Fatima Fertilizer Ltd. and City School Pvt. Ltd.); (iv) Mashreq Bank (Mashreq Bank UAE); (v) Raqami (Kuwait Investment Authority through – PKIC and Enertech Holding Co.).

In January 2022, SBP introduced a Licensing and Regulatory Framework for Digital Banks in line with international best practices and decided to issue up to five (05) digital banks’ licenses. The Framework was the first step towards introducing full-fledged digital banks in Pakistan.

The digital banks are expected to provide all the banking services through digital means without any need for their customers to visit the bank branches physically. In response to SBP’s Licensing and Regulatory Framework for digital banks, SBP received twenty (20) applications from a diverse range of interested players such as commercial banks, microfinance banks, electronic money institutions and Fintech firms by March 31, 2022.

Further, a number of foreign players including venture capital firms already operating in the digital banking space also expressed their interest to venture into Pakistani market directly or in collaboration with local partners.

The five (05) applicants were selected after a thorough and rigorous assessment process as per the requirements of the Framework. Applicants were assessed on various parameters that included fitness and propriety, experience and financial strength; business plan; implementation plan; funding and capital plan; IT and cybersecurity strategy and outsourcing arrangements, etc.

Further, all the applicants were given the opportunity to present their business case to SBP. Going forward, each of these five (05) applicants will incorporate a public limited company with Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan.

Afterwards, they will approach SBP for In-Principle Approval for demonstrating operational readiness and for commencement of operations under the pilot phase. Subsequently, they will commercially launch their operations after obtaining SBP’s approval. SBP expects that after commencement of their operations, these digital banks will promote financial inclusion by providing affordable/cost effective digital financial services including credit access to unserved and underserved segments of the society.

For more information, contact:
Chief Spokesman,
State Bank of Pakistan (SBP)
Central Directorate
I.I. Chundrigar Road, Karachi, Pakistan
Tel: +92-21-111-727-111
Tel: +92-21-39212562
Fax: +92-21-39212433 – 39212436
Email: chief.spokesperson@sbp.org.pk
Website: www.sbp.org.pk

January 13, 2023

Workers’ Remittances in December 2022

Karachi, January 13, 2023 (PPI-OT):1. Workers’ remittances recorded an inflow of US$2.0 billion during Dec 22.

2. During Dec 2022, remittances decreased by 3.2 percent on m/m and by 19.0 percent on y/y basis.

3. With cumulative inflow of US$ 14.1 billion during H1FY23, the remittances decreased by 11.1 percent as compared to the same period last year.

4. Remittances inflows during Dec 2022 were mainly sourced from Saudi Arabia ($516.3 million), United Arab Emirates ($328.7 million), United Kingdom ($314.2 million) and United States of America ($230.5 million).

January 13, 2023

Prime Minister Shehbaz departs for home after two-day UAE visit

Islamabad, January 13, 2023 (PPI-OT):Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has left Abu Dhabi for home after completing his two-day official visit to the United Arab Emirates. At the airport, UAE Minister for Economic Affairs, Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri and officials of the Pakistani Embassy bid him adieu.

For more information, contact:
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
Government of Pakistan
4th Floor, Cabinet Block, Pak. Secretariat, Islamabad, Pakistan
Tel: +92-51-9103557
Email: info@moib.gov.pk
Website: http://www.moib.gov.pk

January 13, 2023

Provinces not releasing the required amount of wheat stocks to the flour mills is causing crisis: Cheema

Islamabad, January 13, 2023 (PPI-OT):Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Tariq Bashir Cheema in a press conference on Friday said that the unnecessary crisis of wheat in the country was mainly because of less than required release of wheat by the provinces to the flour mills. He said that after hue and cry, the Punjab government has now increased the release of wheat to the mills. “On 10 Jan 2023, the Punjab Government released 26,000 metric tons to the flour mills in Punjab, and instantly the price of wheat flour fell by Rs 800,” he added.

He questioned why the provincial governments are not releasing the wheat stock when the Federal Government is providing them with the required quantity. Federal Minister Tariq Bashir Cheema said that the Punjab government requested the Federal government to provide them with wheat to meet the shortage. Punjab Food Department has lifted only 37% of the quantity allocated from PASSCO (Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation), he added.

He said that there are enough reserves and there is no shortage of wheat, but slow lifting of wheat stocks from PASSCO warehouses by the provincial governments is causing this crisis. He added that PASSCO is expected to carry forward 1.5 million metric tons of wheat stock this year.

He said that there will be a surplus stock of wheat in the county when harvesting of the crop will start in April. If provinces do not lift the demanded stock by that time from PASSCO warehouses, then the imported wheat on the demand of provinces will be of no use, he said. He added, precious foreign reserves were spent to import this wheat on the request of the provinces. “We have offered to the provinces to lift the wheat from port as well,” said Federal Minister Tariq Bashir Cheema.

He highlighted that after the 18th Amendment, it is the responsibility of the provincial governments to ensure availability of essential items in the market and control prices, but provinces have failed to do so. Federal Minister Tariq Bashir Cheema said that the provinces have the required infrastructure and resources but they have failed to maintain check and control on the prices.

“It is their responsibility; blaming the Federal government is unfair,” he said. He urged them to avoid political point scoring and work together to ensure supply of wheat to the public. He said that the subsidized wheat which is provided to flour mills is being sold further at a higher price without grinding by the mills. He demanded that provincial governments should take strict action against smugglers, profiteers, and hoarders.

He questioned the performance of District Food Controllers and other officials on the ground. He said that people know who is creating this situation and what they are doing. Federal Minister Tariq Bashir Cheema said that when he asked the provinces about the reason for not releasing enough wheat stocks, they had no answer.

He said that the prices of wheat have gone down since the provinces have increased their release. This year, $4.6 billion of edible oil and $2 billion of wheat was imported; the provincial governments should tell us whether they have tried to increase the cultivation area of edible oil and wheat, he said.

Federal Minister Tariq Bashir Cheema said that the decision to import 2.6 million MT wheat was made after consultation with the provincial government. He said that 1.3 million MT has already reached Pakistan, 400,000 tons is lying on the port and 800,000 MT wheat will be delivered within a month.

For more information, contact:
Principal Information Officer,
Press Information Department (PID)
Tel: +92-51-9252323, +92-51-9252324
Fax: +92-51-9252325, +92-51-9252326
Email: piopid@gmail.com
Website: www.pid.gov.pk

January 13, 2023

Pakistan, UAE agree to further strengthen strategic partnership in diverse fields

Islamabad, January 13, 2023 (PPI-OT):Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates have agreed to intensify consultation and coordination to strengthen strategic partnership and cooperation particularly in the field of information and communication technologies.

In a joint statement issued at the conclusion of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s two day official visit to UAE where he held a bilateral meeting with President of UAE Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, it has been started that the two sides agreed to developing tangible and meaningful bilateral cooperation in key areas. The two sides agreed to work together for bridging the digital divide.

During talks, Pakistan and the UAE reaffirmed their historical and brotherly ties, rooted in shared religion, culture, values, and pursuit of regional and global peace and security. Both sides expressed satisfaction at the convergence of views on a host of regional and global issues. Based on their decades-old fraternal ties, both countries expressed solidarity with each other in efforts to preserve their sovereignty and territorial integrity.

According to the joint statement, the Prime Minister and the President of the UAE held detailed discussions on concrete measures to strengthen the bilateral relationship while also exchanging views on regional political and security matters. They also discussed specific initiative to enhance cooperation in political, defense, economic, commercial and cultural areas, developing joint ventures, and strengthening collaboration in the human resource sector.

The Prime Minister thanked President of the UAE Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for UAE’s generous assistance during the recent floods in Pakistan, particularly through an air bridge established for this purpose. The two sides signed Memoranda of Understanding in the field of combating human trafficking, information exchange, and between the diplomatic academies of both countries.