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saturday, 1 april, 2023 I 10 ramzan, 1444 Notices issued for May 9: LHC refrains Punjab from handing over 45,000 acres to army
Fiscal deficit to GDP reduces, but external financing still falling short Story on Back Page
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rs 15.00 | Vol XIII No 273 I 8 Pages I Islamabad edition
Honda’s plant shutdown crosses one month mark, extension announced
PML-N threatening Chief Justice the way it attacked top court in 1997: Imran
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Kids Among 12 deAd in stAmpede during rAtion distribution in KArAchi KArACHi
A
staff report
S many as 12 persons, including three children and nine women, were killed in a stampede during free ration distribution in SITe industrial area of the port city on Friday. According to rescue workers, several people, including women and children, also fell unconscious during the stampede at the ration distribution centre of a private charity. The rescue workers informed that several people fell into a nullah at the site during the stampede. According to unconfirmed reports, an electricity power-line had fallen into the nullah, electrocuting some of the victims. A spokesperson for the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital confirmed that nine bodies were brought to the hospital from the stampede site, adding that six injured victims were also brought to the hospital. The Civil Hospital received two dead bodies after the incident, medical superintendent Sabir Memon said, bringing the death toll to 12. CM seeks rePort oN deadly staMPede: Taking notice of the stampede, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah directed the Karachi commissioner to submit a report on the incident. In a statement, the chief minister said the concerned administration of the area should have been informed
The SSP Kemari says that other members of the factory management will also be detained, legal action will be taken after the investigation of the incident is completed. Friday’s deadly stampede in Karachi is just one of several such incidents in recent weeks with the population struggling with rising costs of basic staples and food items as the country’s battles one of its worst economic crises in decades. Thousands of people have gathered at flour distribution centres set up across the country as part of the government’s efforts to ease the impact of inflation, which is running above 30 per cent, a 50-year high.
PM orders removal of hurdles in CNIC verification at free flour points IslaMabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday directed the authorities at the flour distribution centres to remove the hurdles faced by citizens in the verification of their Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs). The prime minister stated this during his visit to a flour distribution centre where the federal government is providing free-of-cost flour bags to needy persons. PM Sharif asked the relevant authorities to chalk out a facilitatory mechanism for the person who could only present the photocopy of his CNIC in case the original card was gone missing. The prime minister, in this regard, sought a report to be presented to him by evening suggesting an alternative way. He directed setting up a priority in the distribution of flour bags among aged persons and women. It was also decided to give away two flour bags instead of one so that the people do not need to visit the distribution centres frequently. Flanked by Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, the prime minister took a round of the flour distribution centre and interacted with the people waiting to receive the free flour bags. He lauded the commissioner and deputy commissioner of Islamabad for the excellent arrangements made at the flour distribution centre. He expressed satisfaction with the proper seating arrangement for the people to avoid making them stand in long queues. The prime minister lauded the Commissioner and deputy commissioner of Islamabad and expressed confidence that all related operational issues would be addressed on an urgent basis. staff report
Fuel cost adjustment hearing: power, but no power lines? g
the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader said, demanding a transparent inquiry and action against those responsible for the incident. According to Faisal edhi, all the dead bodies brought to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital are of women, including three girls. In this regard, SSP Kemari says that the factory management did not inform the police and the district administration about the provision of free ration, saying no prior information was given regarding the distribution of ration and zakat. “Seven people including the factory manager have been detained for investigation,” he added.
about the distribution of ration or any other charity work beforehand. He expressed sorrow over the loss of lives in the incident and issued directives to immediately transfer the injured to the hospital. “I am saddened to hear about the martyrs, most of which are women,” the chief minister was quoted as saying. Meanwhile, leader of the opposition in the Sindh Assembly Khurram Sher Zaman expressed grief over the incident, saying that such incidents were taking place daily across the country. “Due to the carelessness of the government, people are dying instead of being provided any relief,”
NTDC uNDer FIre For FAIlure IN lAyINg lINe To TrANSMIT eleCTrICITy FroM THAr CoAl-bASeD Power PlANTS profit islamabad
National electric Power regulatory Authority (NePrA) on Thursday expressed serious concerns over National Transmission and Despatch Company’s (NTDC) failure to build adequate infrastructure to transport electricity from coalbased power plants in Thar to the national grid. The NTDC came under fire during a public hearing conducted by NePrA regarding the February monthly fuel cost adjustment (FCA) of DISCos. The meeting was chaired by engineer Tauseef H. Farooqui, Chairman NePrA. other members from the authority present in the hearing included engineer rafiq Ahmed Sheikh, engineer Maqsood Anwar Khan, Muthar Niaz rana, and Amna Ahmed. During the hearing, NTDC was placed in the hot seat highlighting its failure to build infrastructure to add electricity from Thar coal-based power plants into the national grid, which could lead to a reduction in power bill by up to rs 80 billion. Due to this the NTDC had requested an adjustment of rs 6.7 billion. The authority rightfully expressed serious concerns in the company’s ability. The authority further questioned why it had not made proper planning and due diligence to lay transmission lines, keeping in view the construction timelines of Thar coal-based power plants. In the hearing the NTDC officials said that two transmission lines were in place to evacuate 1400 Mw electricity out of a total of 2400 Mw, and two more lines would become operational in April to add the remaining 1000 Mw of electricity from Thar coal-based plants. The public hearing was held on account of the Central Power Purchasing Agency’s (CPPA) earlier request for an increase of rs 0.85 on account of FCA for electricity produced in the month of February 2023. According to NePrA, the reduction amounts to 0.0006 per unit based on preliminary analysis of the data. However, the hike could go up to rs 0.85 per unit if NTDC is able to satisfy the authority on the adjustment. It will be applicable for one month only and will apply to all customers of DISCos except lifeline and electric vehicle charging stations. It will also not apply to consumers in Karachi. The authority will issue its detailed decision after further scrutiny of the data.
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China rolls over $2b loan to Pakistan, dar confirms g
ForMAl CoNFIrMATIoN oF reFINANCINg woulD be MADe AFTer CoMPleTIoN oF ProCeSS profit reuters
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday said China had rolled over a $2 billion loan that matured last week, providing relief during the country’s acute balance of payment crisis. locking in a rollover had been critical for the country of 220 million, where reserves have dipped to just four weeks’ worth of imports and talks over an International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout tranche of $1.1 billion have hit a stalemate. “I am happy to confirm that this had been rolled over on March 23,” Dar told parliament, referring to the maturity date. He said all concerned documentation had been completed. Neither the government in beijing nor the Chinese central bank responded to requests
for comment on the rollover. Dar’s comments were the first official announcement of the rollover after the loan matured. Dar did not give the new maturity date or other terms of the arrangement. A top finance ministry official told reuters on wednesday that a formal confirmation of the refinancing would be made after the process was completed. one of the IMF’s conditions for the release of the next tranche is the assurance of external financing to fund balance of payments. longtime ally beijing has provided the only help Islamabad has got so far, with a refinancing of $1.8 billion credited last month to State bank of Pakistan (SbP). In its monthly economic update and outlook, the Finance Division of the government noted that Pakistan was currently confronted with a shortage in external liquidity.
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sC turns down aGP’s request for full court in polls delay case iSLAMABAD staff report
The Supreme Court bench, reduced to three judges after Jamal Khan Mandokhail also recused himself from hearing the case — on Friday turned down the Attorney general for Pakistan (AgP) request for the formation of a full court to hear PTI’s petition against the election Commission of Pakistan’s decision to postpone elections to the Punjab Assembly till oct 8. Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) umar Ata bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar heard the case after the original five-member bench constituted for the matter was disbanded following the recusals of Justice Aminuddin Khan on Thursday and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail on Friday. The original bench comprised of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) umar Ata bandial; Justice Ijazul Ahsan; Justice Munib Akhtar; Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Justice Aminuddin Khan. However, the recusal of Justice Mandokhail, took everyone in the apex court by surprise, a day after Justice Aminuddin Khan recused him from hearing the case.
However, it was CJP bandial, Justice Ahsan and Justice Akhtar who conducted the proceedings. During the hearing, when the AgP usman Mansoor requested for the formation of a full court, Justice bandial remarked that the court had conducted proceedings into the case for three complete days and that the inclusion of new judges to the bench will further waste time. “It will take time for the new judges to understand the case,” he observed, adding that Article 184(3) of the Supreme Court rules 1980 was clear on the matter. Justice Akhtar also said that it was everyone’s right to request a full court but the government giving the impression that benches were formed on “favouritism” was a serious accusation. “The Supreme Court has said that the CJP is the master of making benches,” he added. ‘MoNday’s suN wIll brING Good News’: As the proceeding commenced today, the chairman of the executive committee of the Pakistan bar Council (PbC) appeared before the bench. However, the CJP said that the court will hear his arguments later.
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fiqah-e-hanfia lahore sehr: 4:30 aM iftar: 6:24 PM
islaMabad sehr: 4:32 aM iftar: 6:31 PM
karachi sehr: 5:08 aM iftar: 6:48 PM
fiqah-e-jafaria lahore sehr: 4:20 aM iftar: 6:34 PM
islaMabad sehr: 4:22 aM iftar: 6:41 PM
karachi sehr: 4:58 aM iftar: 6:58 PM
oGra notifies rs49 per kg cut in lPG price for april
profit monitoring desk
In a notification issued by oil and gas regulatory Authority (ogrA) the prices of liquefied Petroleum gas (lPg) have been reduced by rs 49 per kilogram for the month of April 2023. According to the notification, the new price of lPg has become rs 228.99 per kg for April 2023. The price of standard 11.8 kg domestic lPg cylinder has fallen by rs 576 and commercial cylinder’s by rs 2,214.The domestic cylinder can now be purchased at a price of rs 2,702 and commercial cylinder at rs 10,397 in the open market of the country. Previously, the 11.8 kg domestic cylinder was priced at a steep rs 3,278 and the commercial cylinder’s were sold at a rate rs 12,611,whereas the per kilogram price of lPg was set at rs 278. Meanwhile, the federal government has decided to maintain the existing prices of petrol and diesel for the next fortnight; however, the prices of light diesel oil and kerosene oil will be lowered by rs10 per litre from April 1. The existing prices will be maintained at rs272 per litre for petrol and high speed diesel (HSD) at rs293 per litre whereas lDo and kerosene oil will be available at reduced prices of rs174.68 and rs180.29 per litre, respectively.