Category: Lahore

Lahore: The Punjab Excise and Taxation (E and T) Department has initiated a significant crackdown on property tax defaulters across the province. Between March 1 and 5, over 9,700 commercial and semi-commercial properties were sealed due to non-payment of dues, with outstanding amounts totaling over Rs 3 billion.

Director General Excise and Taxation Punjab, Umar Sher Chattha said that more than Rs 550 million has been recovered from over 3,000 property tax defaulters during the period.

The DG has instructed all district and zonal Excise and Taxation Officers (ETOs) to conduct daily operations against defaulters. He emphasised that sealed properties will only be restored upon payment of the outstanding dues. Chattha set a deadline of March 25 for district officers and inspectors to complete property tax recoveries, with the ongoing crackdown expected to continue until June 30 to ensure full tax compliance.

The E and T department is actively working to achieve its Rs. 57 billion revenue target for the current fiscal year, having already collected Rs. 38.8 billion by the end of February. Umar Sher Chattha expressed determination to meet 100% of the annual tax target and urged citizens to pay their dues on time to avoid legal action.

For more information on property tax regulations and payment procedures, you can visit the official Excise and Taxation Department website.

Lahore: Punjab Livestock Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani said on Thursday that the Punjab government had launched various programmes under the dynamic leadership of Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz to strengthen livestock sector and these programmes were yielding positive results.

He presided over the meeting here which reviewed progress of livestock card, distribution of assets among divorced and widow women of South Punjab rural areas besides others projects.

Till now 13,451 farmers had received livestock cards, he said and added that negligence with regard to timely delivery of livestock cards to farmers would not be tolerated at all.

Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani directed the relevant authorities to improve vaccination production capacity to reduce effects of foot-and-mouth disease.

Lahore: Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (Punjab Zone) spokesman said here Wednesday that ex-mill price of sugar has not increased abnormally as it keeps fluctuating on the basis of demand and supply.

PSMA spokesman denied the news circulating in media that the industry is increasing the sugar prices. He explained that the price mechanism is dependent on market forces. Real beneficiaries of artificial price hike of sugar in retail market are Satta Mafia, hoarders and profiteers who after taking stock of the situation, spread rumours to influence the interplay of market forces to gain undue profits on sugar available with them, he claimed.

He mentioned that sugar mills are already providing sugar at a concessional rate of Rs. 130 in all districts and tehsils through Ramadan Package discount stalls during the holy month in collaboration with Federal/Provincial governments and District Administrations.

Moreover, he said, sugarcane rates have also gone up to Rs. 650 per maund in the current crushing season. Other factors of rising costs of production of sugar include increased taxation on sugar industry, expensive imported chemicals and wage increases.

It is an established fact that when expense on raw material increases, price of final product will ultimately rise for industry to survive and to recover the cost of production.

He further said that in the current crushing season rates of sugarcane have risen considerably due to effects of global warming and pest attacks on the sugarcane crop. At first, last year the summer temperatures went very high which damaged the sugarcane crop. Later, when farmers had to fertilise the cane crop heavy rains started in September and October which badly affected the crop. The sugar recovery and per acre yield of sugarcane drastically came down which has affected the farmers and sugar industry.

Lahore: Newly-appointed additional judges of the Lahore High Court (LHC) took the oath of office, here on Wednesday.

LHC Chief Justice Aalia Neelum administered the oath to four newly appointed judges in a simple but impressive ceremony held at the judges' lounge. LHC Registrar Amjad Iqbal Ranjha conducted the proceedings.

The additional judges include Justice Raja Ghazanfar Ali Khan, Justice Tanveer Ahmad Sheikh, Justice Tariq Mehmood Bajwa, and Justice Abher Gul Khan, all of whom have been elevated from the district judiciary.

LHC judges, including Justice Shujaat Ali Khan, Justice Ali Baqir Najafi, and Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh, along with federal and provincial law officers, office bearers of the Lahore High Court Bar, senior lawyers, LHC officers, and the families and friends of the newly appointed judges, also attended the ceremony.

After the elevation of these judges, the number of judges at the LHC has reached 47.

Lahore: Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) in collaboration with the Embassy of Ethiopia, successfully organized Pakistan-Ethiopia Business Forum here at FPCCI Regional Office on Wednesday.

The forum was presided over by H.E. Dr. Jemal Beker Abdulla, Special Envoy and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, along with senior officials from the Ministry of Commerce, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) and office-bearers of FPCCI.

The forum was also graced by Abdul Karim Memon, Director General of TDAP, Ibrahim Khalid Tawab, Chairman of Pakistan-Ethiopia Business Council of FPCCI, Manzoorul Haq Malik, former FPCCI Regional Chairman and Vice President, and Mr. Mokonnen Hailu, Senior Investment Promotion Team Lead at the Ethiopian Investment Commission. There was huge participation from 26 business chambers of Punjab.

The event provided a platform for discussing key trade opportunities between Pakistan and Ethiopia, focusing on the 5th Pakistan-Africa Trade Development Conference (PATDC) and the Single Country Exhibition (SCE) to be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in May 2025.

The forum emphasized the potential for collaboration in sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing and technology.

Addressing the forum, Ambassador Jemal Beker invited the business community of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to connect and build their network in Africa through Ethiopia, a gateway to the African continent which is a future and hub of business, trade and investment opportunities.

He briefed the business community about political, foreign policy, legal and economic reforms undertaken by the Government of the FDR Ethiopia that has created conducive environment for doing business and making investment. He particularly highlighted extraordinary business, trade and investment opportunities generated in the five major sectors including agriculture and agro processing, manufacturing, mining, tourism and ICT as a result of the home grown economic reforms carried out especially.

The business community of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan has comparative advantage for investment in Ethiopia especially in terms of cheap, clean and green energy, a large population, skilled labour and connectivity not only with Africa but also the entire globe.

'Whatever you produce in Ethiopia can easily be sold out in the entire Africa,' he said, noting that the FDR Ethiopia is a member of the African Continental Free Trade Area, and also has the largest Airlines in Africa.

The Ambassador urged the business community to be part of the Single Country Exhibition in Addis Ababa which would eventually give a major boost to the bilateral trade between the two countries. He appreciated the Government of Pakistan for implementation of the Look Africa and Engage Africa Policy in effective way, highlighting the critical role being played by the Ethiopian Airlines to connect the Africa with Pakistan. He said the Ethiopian Airlines started flying from Addis Ababa to Karachi and soon its operation would be commenced from Lahore.

ln his welcome address, Manzoorul Haq Malik highlighted the importance of this forum in strengthening bilateral trade relations, noting the commitment of FPCCI to facilitate new opportunities for Pakistani businesses in East Africa. He also expressed gratitude to His Excellency Jemal Beker Abdulla for his leadership in promoting the ties between the two nations.

The forum marked a significant step towards fostering deeper economic ties between Pakistan and Ethiopia with further collaboration anticipated at the upcoming PATDC and SCE in May 2025.

Lahore: Punjab's Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani chaired a consultative meeting on the Chief Minister's High-Tech Farm Mechanisation Programme at Agriculture House, Lahore.

The meeting was attended by Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture Usama Khan Leghari, Secretary Agriculture Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahoo, and the President of Bank of Punjab, who participated via video link.

Minister Kirmani stated that the Chief Minister is committed to transforming the agriculture sector, with over Rs. 400 billion allocated under the 'Transforming Punjab Agriculture Programme'. He emphasized that promoting agricultural mechanisation is a top priority to enhance productivity and support farmers.

During his recent visit to China, the Chief Minister expressed a keen interest in agricultural mechanisation, highlighting that Pakistan's mechanisation level stands at only 35%, compared to 70% in Europe. To bridge this gap, the Punjab government plans to launch agri-rental services at the tehsil level under the Green Pakistan Initiative Programme.

To support small and medium-scale farmers, the government is considering interest-free loans of up to Rs. 50 million under the Chief Minister's High-Tech Financing Programme. These loans will be offered to service providers, importers, manufacturers, and farmer groups for purchasing agricultural machinery. Stakeholders are being consulted to incorporate practical suggestions into the upcoming budget.

Secretary Agriculture Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahoo stressed that achieving production targets is impossible without modern machinery. Under the new programme, 25 types of agricultural machinery will be made available for rent through service providers to promote mechanisation.

Additionally, agricultural universities and the Agricultural Extension Department will collaborate to offer practical training for machinery operators and farmers.

The meeting was attended by Special Secretary Agriculture Agha Nabeel Akhtar, Additional Secretary Agriculture (Planning) Captain (retd) Waqas Rasheed, Deputy Secretary Planning Kashif Bashir, and other officials, along with agricultural machinery importers, service providers, and manufacturers.