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SAUDI ARABIA TO INVEST $25B IN PAKISTAN OVER NEXT 5 YEARS: KAKAR
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Tuesday, 5 September, 2023 I 18 Safar, 1445
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Rs 40.00 | Vol XIV No 66 I 40 Pages I Islamabad Edition
VOWS TO COME UP WITH ‘OUT-OF-BOX’ SOLUTION g DIRECTS IMMEDIATE, STERN ACTION ON POWER SECTOR FOR PUBLIC RELIEF AGAINST POWER STEALERS, DEFAULTERS
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ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
ARETAKER Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Monday said that Saudi Arabia will invest up to $25 billion in Pakistan over the next two to five years in various sectors, caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar said on Monday, adding his government would also revive a stalled privatisation process. The prime minister, in an interaction with foreign media representatives, assured that his government was exploring realistic options to come up with “outof-box” solutions to provide relief to electricity consumers. Kakar, speaking to journalists at his official residence, said Saudi Arabia’s investment would come in the mining, agriculture and information technology sectors, and was part of a push to increase foreign direct investment in Pakistan. He said the government would make informed decisions to satisfy the masses on the issue of electricity bills without deviating from the country’s commitments with the international financial institutions. Mentioning the issues of circular debt, power theft and taxes, the prime minister said the government would introduce
short-term solutions to the issue without undermining the agitating people. He assured that the caretaker government was mandated to facilitate holding the general elections as early as possible while observing the constitutional obligations. He said the Constitution called for carrying out the delimitation of constituencies following the population census. Prime Minister Kakar said without redesigning the government structure, the interim setup was mainly focused on rearranging the fiscal and monetary policies
IMF seeks additional details on power sector from Pakistani side g
PM HAD RECENTLY SAID THAT GOVT WILL SOON ANNOUNCE RELIEF MEASURES WITHOUT DEFYING INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENTS PROFIT
SHAHZAD PARACHA
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has sought additional information related to the power sector’ circular debt as well as taxes on electricity bills to decide on the possible relief to the masses. Sources said that the ministry of Finance shared an electricity bill relief plan with the Fund last week. The MoF claimed in the submitted plan that the relief in electricity bills will have a Rs6.5 billion impact but reportedly the IMF point of view was opposite to the ministry of finance view. The Fund officials think that the relief could be around Rs15 billion and they questioned from the Pakistani side how the latter one will cover this Rs15 billion gap. The Pakistani side has also asked the Fund to delay the monthly and quarterly adjustment for a few years besides giving consumers upto 400 units to pay bills in installment.
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to build an edifice for economic revival. Calling the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) a strategy for economic revival, he said it focused on agriculture, mines and minerals, defence production and information technology. However, he also spelled out the economic reform agenda of his government, saying that the imminent steps included the privatization of two or more power distribution companies. He said the reforms needed in taxation and power sectors, and his government would leave behind a basis for
mid-level reforms. Kakar said the government was pursuing a policy of doing the doable and providing a strategic direction to economic planning. To a question, he said all the registered political parties would be provided a level playing field to contest the general elections without any discrimination. However, he said in certain instances, political behaviour turned into vandalism and the country’s law was already in vogue to deal with such conduct. Talking about the terror attacks by the TTP, the prime minister drew attention to the leftover military equipment by the United States and allied forces back in Afghanistan, which, he viewed, were becoming a threat to peace thus necessitating a coordinated approach to deal with the challenge. He said the foreign forces left Afghanistan after losing interest but “we are here to defend our home, children, mosques and places of worship.” He said the Pak-Afghan ties were deeply rooted in cultural and faith-based linkages as well as social integration. Pakistan showed magnanimity to the Afghan refugees and the government was coming up with a policy to address the challenge of illegal immigrants, he added.
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LHC issues show-cause notice for contempt of court to Islamabad IG PARVEZ ELAHI’S ARREST
LAHORE
STAFF REPORT
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday issued a show cause notice to the Islamabad inspector general (IG) of police for contempt of court in a habeas petition filed for the production of former Punjab chief minister Pervaiz Elahi. As the proceedings resumed, Justice Muhammad Amjad Rafiq issued the show cause notice and directed the district and sessions judge to produce Elahi before the LHC tomorrow. The petition was filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-iInsaf (PTI) president’s wife Qaisara Elahi seeking the court’s direction to the deputy inspector general (DIG) investigations to produce her husband before the LHC. It also sought the ex-minister’s release if found that he had been kept in ‘unlawful custody’ and requested the high court to direct the home secretary and IG Punjab to take strict action against the DIG investigations over the unlawful act. Earlier, Justice Rafiq directed the IGP, DIGs investigations and operations, CCPO Lahore, SP Model Town Division and SP security LHC to appear in person at 2pm. Separately, the judge warned of
issuing a notice or a show cause notice to DIGs investigations Imran Kishwar and operations Ali Nasir Rizvi in a contempt plea against them for arresting Elahi despite court orders. The plea was filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) president’s wife Qaisara Elahi, seeking contempt proceedings against the DIGs for allegedly disobeying LHC’s order restraining the National Accountability
Bureau (NAB), or any other authority, agency and office from arresting or detaining Pervaiz Elahi. As the proceeding for the contempt plea commenced, the petitioner’s counsel Tahir Nasrullah Warraich argued that there were hundreds of cops either in police uniforms or plain clothes who had “forcefully taken Elahi” despite the court’s order.
Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi’s health ‘deteriorates’ in jail
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ATTOCK: Former Punjab chief minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi’s health condition has deteriorated in the Attock Jail on Monday sources said on Monday. Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi is being transferred to the PIMS Hospital for his medical examination under strict security. It may be noted that Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi was rearrested by Islamabad police under 3-MPO soon after his release on the orders of Lahore High Court. The LHC had ordered the additional registrar for security, DIG Operations, and other senior police officials to ensure that Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi returned safely to his home. Soon after he was shifted to Islamabad, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Islamabad ordered his detention for a period of 15 days under the Pakistan Maintenance of Public Order (MPO). Elahi is among several PTI leaders who have been booked under the MPO amid the crackdown against the party in the aftermath of the May 9 riots. It is pertinent to mention here that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested Elahi over failing to provide information to the accountability bureau in assets beyond the means case against him, his son Monis Elahi and other family members. STAFF REPORT
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President Alvi lauds PM’s statement of abiding by SC order on polls ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
President Dr Arif Alvi has appreciated Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar’s statement that the interim government would abide by the judgment of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on the matter of general elections in the country. He expressed these views during a meeting with Caretaker Federal Minister for Law and Justice Ahmed Irfan Aslam who called on him here at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Monday, a statement said. The meeting discussed many issues related to the holding of general elections in the country. The president emphasised the need for upholding the supremacy of the Constitution, adding that decisions should be taken in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution. A media report claimed that the president was contemplating announcing the date for the next general elections. The report added that the president might make the announcement as soon as he had completed consultations with his legal aides. It said it was expected that the president would write another letter to the ECP, suggesting a date in November for the elections. The report said that President Alvi had been advised by his legal team that an act of parliament could not override the provisions of the Constitution and that parliament might have amended the Election Act 2017 but the Constitution was clear that polls would have to take place within 90 days. “Based on that opinion, the president will communicate the election date to the Election Commission soon,” the report added. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) earlier announced that it would be reducing the time required to complete the delimitation of constituencies and that its publication would now be final by Nov 30. “To complete the consultation and feedback process with political parties and delimitation of constituencies as early as possible, the ECP has further reduced the timeframe for delimitations,” a statement released by the supervisory body read. “Now, the final publication of constituencies will be on November 30, 2023. The purpose of reducing the duration of delimiting constituencies is to ensure holding elections as soon as possible.” The statement also added that under the purview of the revised date for the finalisation of constituencies “the election schedule will also be announced”. Former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif had dissolved the National Assembly on August 9, three days ahead of its mandated period. The 90-day limit for the ECP to hold elections under the Constitution ends on Nov 9. On August 17, the election supervisor announced that it would revamp all the national and provincial assemblies’ constituencies in light of the digital census within 120 days. On the other hand, with the apex court having dismissed the ECP’s review petition against its April 4 order of holding polls for the Punjab Assembly on May 14, pressure is mounting on the electoral body either to hold the general elections within 90 days or to approach the court to seek guidance on the question of conducting new delimitation based on the 7th Population Census.