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PR. No. 260. Federal Tax Ombudsman Justice ® Munir A. Sheikh has asked Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to take appropriate action against the taxation officer, Hyderabad. This decision was taken by the FTO on the complaint of M/s Jugnu Match Industries, Tando Adam against the order issued to the complainant relating to the for tax year 2006 passed by taxation officer of Income Tax Department, Hyderabad, which was passed after the expiry of limitation of time under Income Tax Ordinance 2001. The FTO has ruled that the impugned order was not passed within the statutory limit of time as provided under the Income Tax Ordinance. The FTO has observed that maladministration has been established on the part of Taxation Officer, Hyderabad. He has recommended to the FBR to take appropriate action against the Taxation Officer within 60 days of the receipt of this order who failed to pass the refund order within the statutory limit of time and compliance in this regard be reported within a week. FK/AR. REVISED In continuation of this Division’s notification of even number dated May 10, 2008 and in pursuance of Cabinet Division’s Notification No.3-4/2008-Min.I dated May 13, 2008 and Establishment Division’s Notification No. 41/95/89-E-I dated May 13, 2008, Mr. M. Salman Faruqui, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, is granted the status of Federal Minister and MP-I Scale on standard terms and conditions w.e.f. 09.05.2008, says a notification issued by Planning Commission (Planning & Development Division). MA/AR. PR. No. 262. A nine member United Kingdom (UK) defence delegation, led by the UK Secretary of State for Defence, Mr. Rt Hon Des Browne MP, is arriving tomorrow (25.5.2008) on three days visit to Pakistan to hold defence related talks at Ministry of Defence. During its stay in Pakistan, the delegation will hold meetings with Federal Minister for Defence, Ch. Ahmad Mukhtar, and other senior military and defence officials of Pakistan. The visit of UK defence delegation to Pakistan will help in further expanding and strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries. AM/AR. PR. No. 263. The Chairman Senate, Mr. Mohammedmian Soomro and Acting Chairman Senate, Mr. Jan Muhammad Khan Jamali have expressed their deep grief and sorrow over the sad demise of the wife Editor, Daily Jang, Rawalpindi, Rana Tahir Muhammad, who breathed her last in Faisalabad on Friday. In their separate condolence messages to the Editor, they prayed that the Allah Almighty may rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant courage and fortitude to the members of the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss with equanimity. QAM/AR. PR. No. 264. PAKISTAN’S
HIGH COMMISSIONER TO INDIA CALLS ON THE PRIME MINISTER Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has expressed the confidence that with the election of the new government Pakistan’s relations with India will improve allowing both countries to grow, develop and prosper in an atmosphere of peace and amity Peace, he said, hinges on an early and just settlement of all outstanding disputes including the Kashmir issue in keeping with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. The Prime Minister said both countries need to move from the phase of dispute management to dispute resolution so that our region can also benefit from the peace dividend. The Prime Minister said this while talking to Mr. Shahid Malik, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India who called on him at the Prime Minister’s House this afternoon. The Prime Minister said that Pakistan is committed to the peace process with India and wants to improve and strengthen relations with it. Mr. Shahid Malik briefed the Prime Minister about the status of ongoing composite dialogue with India in the context of overall relationship between the two countries. DSG/AR. PR. No. 265.
Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that present government is determined to face the economic, constitutional and judicial challenges and will redeem all pledges made to the people. The Prime Minister said this while talking to a delegation who called on him at the Prime Minister’s House this morning. The Prime Minister said that people have pinned high hopes from the government and they want it to take urgent measures to redress their problems. The Prime Minister said that the government has taken all necessary measures and has already imported 2.5 million metric tons of wheat which will be sufficient to prevent recurrence of wheat shortage in the country. The Prime Minister said that shortage of electricity cannot be removed overnight but as a result of the conservation measures taken by the government situation will considerably improve by the end of next year. The Prime Minister has said that people have voted moderate and progressive political forces into power to resolve the judicial crises and rid the nation of the wheat, electricity shortage and to ensure the supply of other basic necessities of life. The Prime Minister said that we are fully mindful that we are accountable to the people and answerable to the parliament. He said that the government and its coalition partners are fully committed to restoring the constitutional balance as enshrined in the 1973 constitution. DSG/AR. PR. No. 266. Syed Naveed Qamar Federal Minister for Privatization, Investment, Finance, Revenue & Economic Affairs has expressed his deep grief and sorrow over the brutal killings of Express TV journalist Mr. Muhammad Ibrahim Khan and provincial vice president of PML (N) Mr. Tariq Khan. He also expressed his condolences over the death of the wife of Rana Tahir Mehmood Editor daily, Jang. In his separate messages to the families and the colleagues of the deceased he prayed to the Almighty Allah to shower His blessings over all those departed souls and to give courage and fortitude to the members of the bereaved families to bear this irreparable loss with patience and equanimity. MA/AR. PR. No. 267. Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that the Ministry of Housing & Works should focus on providing shelter to the poorest of the poor in all its housing plans besides its assigned task for the provision of housing for the federal government employees and asked them to forward a summary in this regard to the Federal Cabinet for approval at the earliest. The Prime Minister expressed these views while attending a briefing by the Ministry of Housing & Works and CDA at the Prime Minister’s House today. The Prime Minister asked the CDA to prepare a separate summary for the Cabinet for the relaxation of ICT Zoning Regulations 1992 for housing scheme in Islamabad in order to facilitate the allocation of the required land for proposed housing scheme to the Ministry of Housing & Works to provide residential facilities, in the first phase, to government employees as well as the general public. The Prime Minister said that the proposed action plan for the provision of housing to the federal government employees should also target the deserving shelter-less people and directed the concerned departments to sort out modalities for ensuring the availability of low cost housing facilities for the needy. Earlier, the Prime Minister was briefed by the Secretary Housing & Works that Pakistan Housing Authority (PHA) has been tasked to provide a house to every government employee on retirement. He was apprised of the recommendations finalized by the sub-committee of the Cabinet already constituted for this purpose. The Prime Minister was also informed that the proposed housing scheme is catering to housing needs of government employees besides construction of large number of apartments for the poor and needy sections of the society other than the government servants. The chairman CDA informed the meeting about the availability of land in Islamabad. He solicited the approval of the Prime Minister to empower CDA Board to review the Zoning Regulations 1992 to incorporate new planning and development parameters. In this regard, the Prime Minister directed that a detail summary be prepared and put up before the Cabinet for approval in the minimum possible time. DSG/AR. PR. No. 268. Pakistan Manpower Institute has organized a Training course on “Projection Techniques for Employment & Manpower Planning” from 26th – 29th May. 2008. The objectives of the Training Course are to foster understanding of the concept of Human Resources and its importance in the economic development of the country. Participants of the Course will be acquainted with the projection techniques for employment and manpower planning. Participants from Federal/Provincial Government Departments, Public Corporations, Academic Institutions and Private Sector Organizations will attend the course. The course will be inaugurated by Mr. Mazhar Hussain, Director General, Pakistan Manpower Institute on 26th May, 2008 at 10.00 am in the premises of the Institute. SG/AR. PR. No. 269. The Ministry of Women Development will launch a five point programme named after Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed. In this programme the government will move the long overdue Domestic Violence Bill in the Parliament; all government land allotment will be done in the name of the woman of the house; the number of crisis centres for women will be increased from 25 to 55; Women’s quota in the public service will be increased to 20%; female prisoners across the country will be housed in separate quarters and looked after by female staff. This was stated by Ms Sherry Rehman, Minister for Women Development while reviewing the performance of Women Development Ministry. Giving details of the five point programme the minister said that the long overdue Domestic Violence Bill needs to be moved in the parliament as it has already been sent to the cabinet division for opinions of the divisions and departments concerned. All government land allotment (for lease or home sites) will be made in the name of the woman of the house. This will be an important step towards the empowerment of women as a large section of women remain deprived of ownership rights. There will be a review of the administrative and monitoring mechanism of the crisis centres. The government is committed to setting up a women crisis centre in every district of the country, the Minister added. Ms Rehman said that Women’s participation in the public bodies will be increased to 20% (from 10%), on merit, as a part of the Affirmative Action Job Quota for Women in public service. It merits a mention here that it was Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s government that initiated a 10% Affirmative Action Job Quota for Women in public services. The minister ordered the Ministry of Women Development to immediately hold a stakeholders’ conference to involve civil society organizations, women bodies and other stakeholders in the process of legislation.” Civil society has done commendable work for the cause of women in Pakistan. The government appreciates the efforts of all those organizations and individuals who have worked for the amelioration of women and we will make them our partners in all initiatives for women”. Inamullah/AR. PR. No. 270. Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said Pakistan attaches high value to its strategic relationship with the US and expressed the confidence that it will further improve and expand with Mr. Husain Haqqani’s appointment as the country’s ambassador to the US. The Prime Minister expressed these views while talking to Mr. Husain Haqqani who called on him at the Prime Minister’s House here this afternoon before proceeding to join his new assignment. The Prime Minister said that the democratic government looks forward to building a strategic partnership with the US that can be sustained over a long period of time. This will be a relationship between world’s most powerful nation and an emerging democracy, he added. The two countries will fight the menace of global terrorism together, as they have done for several years, he declared. The Prime Minister said Pakistan will seek greater market access for its textile products while maintaining the current aid relations. The Prime Minister further said that the strategic partnership between Pakistan and the US will go beyond immediate concerns of either country. The US, he added, is the world’s sole super power and Pakistan has been an ally of the US since 1950’s. We intend to break the previous cycle of infusion of US Aid followed by the period of sanctions and lack of engagement, he said. The Prime Minister said that Mr. Haqqani enjoys wide experience of dealing with the US academia, media and administration which will stand him in good stead during the tenure of his assignment in the US. He gave policy direction to the ambassador designate and wished him well. DSG/AR. PR. No. 271. Pakistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan Tariq Azizuddin called on President Pervez Musharraf here today. The President enquired after his health and congratulated him on his safe return. The Ambassador thanked the President for all efforts made by the Government to ensure his safe return. MA/AR. PR. No. 272. Governor Punjab Salman Taseer called on President Pervez Musharraf here today. The President congratulated him on assuming the charge of his new responsibilities as Governor Punjab and hoped that he would work for the development and socio-economic uplift of the people of Punjab. The Governor Punjab thanked the President for reposing confidence in him and assured the President that he would do all in his power to come up to the expectations of his countrymen. MA/AR. PR. No. 273. The Senate Standing Committee on States and Frontier Regions met at the Parliament House under the Chairmanship of Senator Engr. Rashid Ahmed and has underlined the need for complete repatriation of the Afghan refugees as their presence was creating several social and economic problems. It observed that a complete data of the refugees living in camps and outside the camps should be prepared. The Members of the Committee expressed the view that most of the Afghan refugees in Pakistan were involved in criminal activities which makes it necessary that the refugee camps should be closed and the repatriation process should be expedited. The Committee taking serious note of the deteriorating law and order situation in FATA, stressed the need for making collective efforts to bring lasting peace in the region. It called upon the Parliamentarians, Ulemas and tribal elders to come forward to restore normalcy in FATA and provide relief to the people of the area. It was suggested that the issues of social and economic discrepancies need to be addressed immediately to remove the sense of deprivation among FATA people and more development schemes should be launched in the region to bring them at par with the developed areas of the country. The Committee observed that peoples’ representatives should be taken into confidence before launching any development scheme in FATA and that release of funds should not be delayed. Members of the Committee were of the view that people of North and South Waziristan Agencies, Kurram Agency and Bajwar etc have suffered a lot and therefore it was the need of the hour to make efforts to restore peace and to improve the law and order situation in the area. It was pointed out that “Pak Afghan Shahrah” is one of the shortest road link to Afghanistan and suggested that security needs to be beefed up to ensure free movement of the people. The Committee also condemned the brutal murders of the close relatives of Senator Hafiz Abdul Malik Qadri and Muhammad Ibrahim, a reporter of a private news channel. It also offered Fatiah for the departed souls of deceased and sympathized with the bereaved families. Earlier, the Committee was given a detailed briefing on the working and performance of SAFRON division and its attached departments. It was informed that over 4.4 million afghan nationals sought refugee in Pakistan from 1979 to 2001. The Chief Commissioner Afghan Refugee stated that a regular census was carried out in 2005 which confirmed the presence of 3.49 million Afghans in Pakistan. He said that efforts are underway to repatriate the refugees under a tripartite agreement and that 3.334 million Afghan refugees have voluntarily repatriated from 2002 to 2008. He said that 4 refugee camps have so far been closed and steps were being taken to complete the process as soon as possible. He however admitted the fact that the process of repatriation was too slow and the strategy needs to be reviewed completely. He drew the attention of the Committee towards the fact that lack of conducive environment in Afghanistan, the insecurity and lack of opportunities were the main factors which hindered the smooth repatriation process. Representatives of the FATA Secretariat, NWFP also briefed the Committee about the law and order situation prevalent in the FATA region and steps taken by the political administration to restore peace. The Committee assured all out support to the ministry and its attached departments to overcome the hurdles in the way of smooth implementation of the policies aimed at bringing peace and prosperity in FATA. The meeting was attended by Senators Abdul Raziq, Ms. Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli, Sardar Mehmud Khan, Dr. Muhammad Ali Brohi, Abdul Ghaffar Qureshi, Muhammad Saleh Shah and Haji Muhammad Adeel. Secretary SAFRON and senior officials of the SAFRON Division and FATA Secretariat were also present. QAM/AR.
PR.
No. 274. Islamabad, May 24, 2008. Federal Minister for Environment Mr. Hameed Ullah Jan Afridi has said that Pakistan greatly values its relations with the African countries and is committed to develop stronger ties with them. He expressed these views while addressing a ceremony held here today in connection with celebration of the Africa day. The Minister said that Pakistan has continued with the Special Technical Assistance Programme (STAP) since 1987. Under STAP, which is free of cost for participants, Pakistan has trained over one thousand five hundred nationals belonging to 47 African countries. Foreign Service Academy has imparted twelve weeks advance courses to 223 African nationals while 112 have obtained training in 22-weeks long specialized courses. He said that the principle stand against colonialism was supported by successive Pakistani Governments in the international fora, especially in the United Nations. Pakistan has also participated in peace keeping operations under the aegis of the UN in several African countries beginning with Ghana in 1965 to Somalia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Western Sahara and Southern Sudan. Pakistan is today one of the largest troop contributors for the UN Peacekeeping Operations which is providing support to achieve enduring peace, normalcy and development in Africa. Mr. Hameed Ullah Jan Afridi said that the establishment of the African Union is a great leap towards more integration, good governance and the rule of law in the African continent. Pakistan is convinced that sustainable peace can only be assured by evolving a comprehensive conflict prevention strategy, addressing the root causes of conflict, strengthening long-term capacities for peaceful settlement of disputes, and mobilizing resources for post-conflict peace-building, reconstruction and development; the Minister added. He said that our country is willing to help Africa tackle its serious problems, ranging from poverty and un-employment to epidemics and ethnic wars. “We all agree that freedom, prosperity and sustainable development can only be achieved in a secure environment. We must therefore not only resolutely confront insecurity and violence but also root out their causes; the Minister maintained adding that Pakistan appreciates the formation of regional economic blocs to promote regional economic integration. He said that Pakistan is confident that the African Union would able to achieve its cherished goal of accelerating the process of building regional integration in Africa and would be able to play its rightful role in the global economy to the benefit of the African people. Pakistan enjoys Observer Status with the African Union. This association is manifest of the importance Pakistan accords to its relations with the African countries. Pakistan is prepared to be a reliable partner to accomplish the aim of a self reliant and confident continent. Earlier Ambassador of Eritrea and Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps delivered the welcome address. DKK/wh
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