Lahore: Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafiq and Chief Minister's Special Assistant on Political Affairs Zeeshan Malik inaugurated the door-to-door waste collection programme in the provincial capital on Monday. Secretary Local Government Shakeel Ahmed Mian, Chairman Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) Bilal Zulfiqar Khokhar and CEO Babar Sahib Din were also present during a ceremony held at Nishtar Town. Addressing the ceremony, the provincial minister said that initially the collection of waste from houses had been started from the relatively backward area of Nishtar Town. "The scope of door-to-door waste collection will be extended to all areas in a phased manner. I congratulate the LWMC for carrying forward the vision of the chief minister", he said. He added that door-to-door waste collection had started in 25 union councils of Lahore. " The LWMC will add 2 or 3 union councils every day", he pledged. He expressed his determination t hat 100 union councils will be brought under th is scope by January 31 and the whole city by mid-March. Zeeshan Rafiq said that Clean Punjab was not a campaign but the name of an organized cleanliness movement. He emphasized that no movement could succeed without the support of citizens. "Zinda Dilan Lahore are requested to support the government's efforts to make the city ideal," he added. On this occasion, Special Assistant to Chief Minister Zeeshan Malik said that Suthra Punjab programme was a game changer for which credit went to the chief minister. "We all have to beautify the city along with our homes", he added.
CO2 mixing in LPG a deadly hazard: Spokesperson LPG association
Islamabad: Spokesperson for the LPG Distributors Association, Irfan Khokhar, has raised serious concerns over the dangerous practice of mixing carbon dioxide (CO2) with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
Talking to a private news channel on Monday, he appreciated the efforts of OGRA in addressing the issue and drafting legislation to curb this malpractice.
He explained that the standard pressure of an LPG cylinder is 540 PSI, but adding CO2 increases it to 900-1200 PSI, significantly raising the risk of cylinder explosions.
He revealed that CO2, being cheaper than LPG, is being used illegally by profiteers to generate billions of rupees.
He warned that LPG is highly flammable, and mixing it with CO2 not only poses severe safety risks but also causes adverse environmental impacts.
Additionally, he noted that the high-pressure CO2 can lead to malfunctioning of LPG equipment, which is not designed for such pressure levels.
Khokhar called for strict regulatory action to eliminate this hazardous practice and ensure public safety.
Around 26 missing children recovered via Zara Alert App in Dec 2024
Islamabad: Around 26 missing children were found through the Zara Alert app by the Ministry of Human Rights (MoHR) in December 2024.
Speaking to reporter on Monday, an official from the Ministry of Human Rights stated that from December 1 to December 31, 2024, the Zara Alert service received a total of 75 cases nationwide. The gender-wise distribution included 52 boys and 23 girls. Among the cases, 20 involved children aged 1 to 5 years, 9 involved those aged 6 to 10 years, 23 were in the 10 to 15-year age group, and another 23 cases involved children aged 16 to 18 years.
Around 44 open cases were received, and 25 preliminary examinations were conducted, he added. A total of 5 FIRs were registered, and 9 verification cases were also received.
He further mentioned that five cases are under investigation, and 31 cases have been closed. Additionally, three duplicate cases and two fake cases were reported, he added.
He further mentioned that three duplicate cases and two fake cases were reported. He stated that the Ministry of Human Rights is actively working to address evolving threats and aims to make the country the safest place for children through its helpline services.
He further mentioned that individuals can contact the Ministry at [email protected], and the ministry will ensure service delivery. Approximately 450 cases were related to reminders or follow-ups: 77 in the first week of December, 96 in the second week, 122 in the third week, and 155 in the last week of December.
SSP organizes farewell ceremony for retiring Police officers
Sukkur: A grand farewell ceremony was organized by SSP Naushahro Feroze, Sanghar Malik, to honor 13 retiring police officers and personnel from Naushahro Feroze district on Monday. The ceremony was attended by Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Police, Shaheed Benazirabad Range, Captain (R) Parvez Ahmed Chandio, as the guest of honor.
The retiring officers and personnel include SP Abdullah Lakho, DSP Abdul Hafiz Abbasi, Inspector Nazar Hussain Mallah, Inspector Bashir Ahmed Ujan, Sub-Inspector Liaqat Ali Khoso, Sub-Inspector Muhammad Jaleel, Sub-Inspector Ghulam Nabi Rajpar, ASI Zulfiqar Rajpar, Head Constable Mahboob Ali Sial, Head Constable Mukhtiar Lohar, Constable Anwar Ali Khoso, Constable Ghulam Qadir Chandio, and Constable Atta Muhammad Tragar.
The ceremony was also attended by Deputy Commissioner Naushahro Feroze, Arslan Saleem, SP Jails, District Chairman, all Sub-Divisional Police Officers, SHOs, all Heads of Branches of SSP Office, and other police officers and personnel posted in the district.
The retiring police officers and personnel were praised for their services to the police department, and they were paid tribute for their dedication and hard work.
Chairman PTC urges urgent policy to safeguard textile Industry
Islamabad: Chairman of Pakistan Textile Council, Fawad Anwar on Monday issued an urgent appeal to the Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Muhammad Aurangzeb, emphasizing the critical need for immediate policy intervention to prevent for the revival of Pakistan's textile industry.
In a letter addressed by the Chairman of PTC, Fawad Anwar, the Council highlighted the severe financial strain faced by the textile sector, which contributes nearly 60% of Pakistan's export earnings and employs over 15 million people, said in a statements issued here.
'We believe a calibrated policy approach which can safeguard Pakistan's textile sector from irreversible damage while still aligning with the country's macroeconomic goals,' Fawad Anwar, Chairman of Pakistan Textile Council said.
He said that despite the positive impact of structural reforms under the IMF program, their implementation has resulted in unsustainable financial challenges for the textile industry, requiring immediate policy recalibration.
Key Concerns Raised by PTC is crippling energy Costs and industrial electricity tariffs have reached 16-18 cents/kWh, nearly double the rates in Vietnam, Bangladesh, India, and China, he said.
Chairman PTC said that as prices for captive power have surged above $13-14/MMBtu compared to $5-8/MMBtu in regional economies, with additional capacity charges and surcharges further inflating costs.
He said the working capital rates have jumped from 2% to approximately 14%. And recent IMF-driven tax policies, including minimum turnover taxes and super taxes, have increased effective tax rates to over 50%, significantly impacting profitability in this low-margin, high-volume industry.
The investment in industrial re -investments, crucial for sector survival, has become difficult due to soaring short-term interest rates, he said.
PTC also warned that the continued financial stress could result in the closure of textile mills, sparking mass unemployment, civil unrest, and long-term economic instability.
He said that giving recommendations for Sustainable Sector Stability and urged the government to adopt a balanced and calibrated approach that ensures economic stability without compromising the long-term viability of Pakistan's key foreign exchange-generating industries. Key recommendations include:
Balancing proposed reforms with global competitiveness considerations for export sectors and gradually phasing out subsidies while enhancing public infrastructure for sustainable energy pricing, he said.
He proposed reducing capacity charges by negotiating lower tariffs with power producers, especially for imported fuel-based plants and revisiting levies on captive power and ensuring regionally competitive gas rates for industrial use.
He proposed implementing a more balanced taxation framework that ensures industry viability and retains critical foreign exchange inflows.
The Pakistan Textile Council remains committed to working collaboratively with the government to ensure sustainable growth for Pakistan's textile industry, which is vital for the nation's economic stability and long-term prosperity.
PM desires implementation of faceless assessment system in other cities
Islamabad: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said that after functioning in Karachi, the faceless assessment system should be broadened and implemented in other cities as soon as possible, so that all imports across the country could benefit from this system.
The prime minister chaired a review meeting on the matters related to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
The meeting was attended by Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Ali Pervez Malik, and other senior officials, Prime Minister Office Media Wing said in a press release.
The prime minister observed that significant progress had been achieved in the digitization and reforms within the FBR in previous months, adding for the first time in history, a system with a faceless digitization system had been introduced in the customs process, marking a significant milestone in the digitization of the FBR.
The prime minister directed the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication and FBR to work together to further improve the faceless customs assessment system.
He desired that the system should be shifted to artificial intelligence by minimizing human intervention. He also directed the development of a comprehensive strategy for the implementation of the track and trace system in various industrial sectors.
The meeting was briefed on the recent FBR reforms. The faceless customs system at all Karachi port terminals would be made fully operational by the end of February 2025, it was told.
Besides, efforts were underway to ensure its operation nationwide soon. A central control room was being established to monitor the faceless customs system, it was further added.
The meeting was apprised that body cameras and tablets would be used to make the inspection recording system more transparent. Whereas mobile signal jammers and CCTV cameras were also being installed at all terminals to enhance the transparency of the inspection system.
A transparent recruitment process for the new customs system had been initiated while a track and trace system had been implemented in all industrial units of the tobacco, fertilizers, sugar, and cement industries, the meeting was briefed.
The implementation of the track and trace system led to a significant increase in revenue from the tobacco, sugar, cement, and fertilizer industries in the fiscal year 2023-2024 compared to the previous corresponding year. Further improvement in revenue from these industries was expected with the full implementation of the track and trace system this year, it was added.
The meeting was told that under the prime minister's directive, the upgradation of the web-based One Customs began and its design was expected to be completed by the end of March.