Author: dailybalochistantimes.com

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Documented tobacco sector paid Rs41bn more in taxes after enforcement drive: FTT


Islamabad: The documented tobacco sector contributed an additional Rs41 billion in taxes during fiscal year 2025-26, bringing total collections to Rs357 billion, following intensified enforcement against illegal cigarette manufacturing and smuggling, Fair Trade in Tobacco (FTT) said on Wednesday.



The FTT, an industry body, said the increase in tax receipts reflected stronger enforcement by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and other authorities against tax evasion and the sale of unstamped cigarette products, a news release said.



FTT Chairman Muhammad Amin said the documented tobacco sector contributed Rs357 billion in federal excise duty (FED), general sales tax (GST) and income tax during FY2025-26, compared with Rs315 billion in the previous fiscal year.



According to figures released by the organization, collections from FED and GST alone increased to Rs329 billion from Rs284 billion a year earlier.



The organization said Pakistan Tobacco Company paid Rs260.7 billion in taxes during FY2025-26, up from Rs222 billion in the previous year, while Philip Morris Pakistan contributed about Rs52.2 billion.



Amin attributed the increase in revenue to enforcement measures, including the deployment of officials at Green Leaf Threshing Units, implementation of advance tax requirements, action against undeclared production and provincial operations targeting unstamped cigarette packs.



He said enforcement efforts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been particularly significant, claiming that a substantial share of Pakistan’s illegal cigarette manufacturing and tobacco diversion was concentrated in the province.



Despite the improvement in tax collections, FTT estimated that illegal and smuggled cigarettes continued to account for a significant portion of the domestic market, resulting in annual revenue losses of around Rs400 billion.



Amin also urged the authorities to examine financial flows linked to cross-border cigarette smuggling, saying undocumented transactions could have implications beyond tax evasion.



The organization called on the government to sustain its enforcement campaign and priorities bringing illegal manufacturers, distributors and retailers into the tax net instead of increasing the tax burden on compliant companies.



Amin said stricter monitoring of tobacco-processing facilities, manufacturing units, transport routes, warehouses and retail outlets, coupled with coordinated action by provincial governments and the FBR, could increase tobacco-sector tax revenues to between Rs575 billion and Rs600 billion in the coming years.



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Punjab govt, religious scholars reaffirm commitment to peace, madrassa reforms


Lahore: Punjab Minister and Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Law and Order, Khawaja Salman Rafique, on Wednesday termed the Chief Minister Punjab’s honorarium programme for imams a highly commendable initiative, saying the government is committed to working closely with religious scholars to maintain peace and strengthen public order across the province.



He expressed these views while addressing a meeting with a delegation of Ittehad Tanzeem Madaris, led by Secretary General Wifaq Al-Madaris Al-Arabiya Pakistan, Maulana Qari Hanif Jalandhari, at the Home Department. The meeting was held as part of an ongoing series of consultations with religious scholars on the directions of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.



The meeting reviewed the overall law and order situation in Punjab and discussed the registration of madrassas.



Khawaja Salman Rafique said consultations with scholars from all schools of thought are continuing under the leadership of the Chief Minister. He described the meeting with the senior leadership of Ittehad Tanzeem Madaris as highly productive and expressed optimism that further progress would be made in the next round of discussions in light of the recommendations presented regarding madrassa registration.



He said religious scholars from all schools of thought have demonstrated unity for the sake of peace and stability in Punjab. Stressing the need for national unity, the minister said all differences must be set aside to work collectively for the security and prosperity of Pakistan, adding that scholars across all schools of thought are on the same page regarding the country’s security.



Punjab Home Secretary Dr. Ahmed Javed Qazi said the provincial government is maintaining close coordination with all stakeholders to ensure lasting peace. He acknowledged the significant role of religious scholars in promoting harmony and appreciated their full cooperation during Muharram in maintaining law and order across the province.



Speaking on the occasion, Maulana Qari Hanif Jalandhari assured the Punjab government of continued cooperation for safeguarding the country’s peace and security. He said scholars from all schools of thought would continue to promote unity and ensure compliance with the law. He also appreciated the Punjab government’s measures aimed at strengthening public order.



Special prayers were offered at the conclusion of the meeting for the peace, security and prosperity of Pakistan and its people.



The meeting was attended by Punjab Home Secretary Dr. Ahmed Javed Qazi, Special Secretary Faisal Farid, Syed Tahir Raza Bukhari, Director General Auqaf Hafiz Anisur Rehman, Chief Coordination Officer Ghulam Saghir Shahid, Additional Secretary Special Initiatives Abdul Rauf, senior officers of the Special Branch and Counter Terrorism Department, along with representatives of major religious boards, including Director General Tanzeem Al-Madaris Ahl-e-Sunnat Pakistan Sahibzada Muhammad Mustafa Hazarvi, Maulana Muhammad Yasin Zafar of Wifaq Al-Madaris Al-Salafiya, Hafiz Syed Qutab of Rabitat Al-Madaris Al-Islamiya Pakistan, Maulana Lal Hussain Tohidi of Wifaq Al-Madaris Al-Shia Pakistan, Hafiz Muhammad Amjad, Hafiz Asad Obaid of Jamia Ashrafia and other scholars.



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Journalists Colony Phase-II shifted to Chahar Bagh Scheme


Lahore: It has been decided to relocate Journalists Colony Phase-II from Katar Band Road to J Block of the Chahar Bagh Scheme, where the project will be developed in accordance with the previously approved master plan.



The decision was taken at a high-level meeting held at the Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) on Wednesday, jointly chaired by RUDA Chief Executive Officer Imran Amin and Punjab Information Secretary Tahir Raza Hamdani. The meeting reviewed the proposed relocation, assessed progress on the project and took key decisions to ensure its timely completion.



Lahore Press Club President Arshad Ansari, General Secretary Afzal Talib, Punjab Journalists Housing Foundation (PJHF) Deputy Managing Director Adnan Rashid, PJHF Assistant Director (Admin) Asad Hussain, RUDA Director Public Relations Colonel Abid Latif and other senior officials attended the meeting.



To expedite implementation, it was decided that the PJHF would immediately provide RUDA with a list of journalists eligible for Phase-II plots. Upon receiving the list, RUDA will formally notify the eligible journalists, enabling the next stages of the project to proceed without delay.



The meeting further decided that the project in J Block of the Chahar Bagh Scheme would be executed under the previously approved master plan. Advance payments and instalments would be collected in accordance with the existing agreement, while development charges would be collected directly by RUDA. The rules and regulations applicable to Journalists Colony Phase-II would continue to apply to all eligible journalists.



Secretary Information Tahir Raza Hamdani thanked RUDA CEO Imran Amin for his efforts to provide housing facilities to journalists in line with the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. He expressed confidence that RUDA would complete the development work, hand over possession of the plots and finalise all remaining stages of the project within the stipulated timeframe, enabling journalists to construct their homes.



Lahore Press Club President Arshad Ansari also thanked Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari, Secretary Information Tahir Raza Hamdani and RUDA CEO Imran Amin.



He said the Punjab government has fulfilled its commitment to the journalist community and that the Phase-II project announced for Lahore Press Club members is now moving rapidly towards completion.



He welcomed the relocation of Journalists Colony Phase-II to Chahar Bagh, describing it as a beautiful location within the city, and said the entire journalist community appreciated the Punjab government’s initiative. He also congratulated all journalists included in Phase-II.



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I-8 Markaz fire brought under control; cooling work continues


Islamabad: A fire that broke out on the top floor of a commercial building in I-8 Markaz was brought under control after a rescue operation by the fire brigade, according to the district administration.



Firefighters responded quickly and remained at the site until the flames were extinguished. Cooling work is now underway to prevent the fire from spreading again.



The district administration said the fire started on the top floor of the commercial building. Fire brigade vehicles were sent to the scene and worked to control the blaze. During the operation, the Assistant Commissioner I-9 remained present at the site and monitored the response.



After the fire was brought under control, the district administration confirmed that the cooling process had started. Officials said the cause of the fire is being investigated, and a detailed assessment will be carried out after the site is declared safe.



The rescue operation was supervised by the Assistant Commissioner Industrial Area, who remained in contact with emergency teams throughout the operation.



Authorities have not reported any casualties or injuries so far. Further updates will be shared after the investigation into the cause of the fire is completed and the final inspection of the building is carried out.



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PFA shuts down murabba unit, discards 1,500kg fungus infested fruits. substandard murabba


Lahore: An enforcement team of Punjab Food Authority discarded 700kg of fungus infested carrots and ash gourd, 800kg of Murabba Ashrafi and other substandard food items while suspending the production of a murabba manufacturing unit during a raid in Bhagat Pura, Lahore.



Operation was conducted on the order of Director General Punjab Food Authority Raja Mansoor Ahmad.



Food safety team raided the murabba production unit and found murabba being prepared from insect infested and fungus contaminated fruits. PFA took action after detecting serious violations of food safety regulations and ordered the immediate suspension of production.



Director General Raja Mansoor Ahmad said that poor sanitation arrangements and heavy insect infestation were observed throughout the unit. He said that fungus-infested ash gourd, carrots and other raw materials were being stored for use in food production.



He said that the unit owner was using prohibited chemicals to remove foul odours, insects and fungus from fruits and vegetables before processing. Non-food-grade blue plastic drums were also being used for storing fruits and vegetables.



He said that the unit failed to maintain proper storage conditions and could not produce mandatory expiry date records or food-grade certification. He said that the substandard murabba products were intended to be marketed across Punjab in attractive packaging to deceive consumers.



He further stated that strict action is being taken against the food fraud mafia that endangers public health for the sake of higher profits.



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KP police announces major reshuffle of senior officers


Peshawar: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police Department has announced a reshuffle involving senior officers, with several key appointments and transfers aimed at improving administrative and training affairs within the force.



Under the new postings, BS-20 officer Shaukat Abbas has been appointed as Commandant of Police Training College (PTC) Hangu.



He will oversee matters related to professional training and capacity building of police personnel at the institution.



Meanwhile, BS-20 officer Sher Akbar has been transferred from the position of DIG Welfare and assigned new responsibilities.



He has also been given the additional charge of Director General Coordination Unit.



In another development, BS-20 officer Rizwan Manzoor has been relieved of his duties as Commandant PTC Hangu and directed to report to the Central Police Office (CPO) Peshawar for attending the 125th National Management Course (NMC).



The latest changes are part of routine administrative adjustments within the KP Police aimed at ensuring effective management and strengthening institutional capacity.