Day: April 18, 2022

Changan Automobile is making swift headway in the electric vehicle (EV) market in China by launching several new models. Its recent offering for the EV market is Lumin Corn.

This tiny EV is a direct competitor to SAIC’s Wuling Honguang Mini EV, which is currently the best-selling car in China. Changan will market and sell the little EV under the marque Avatr Technology — a Joint Venture between Changan, Huawei, and CATL.

Changan is yet to launch Lumin Corn, however, spy shots have revealed its styling and some of its features. Unlike Wuling Mini EV, Lumin Corn’s profile is rounded and smooth. It has circular headlights and taillights, smooth bumpers, and subdued overall styling.

Lumin Corn has two powertrain options — one makes 41 horsepower (hp) while the other makes 48 hp. The 41 hp variant has a Lithium Ferrophosphate (LFP) battery from Gotion Hightech, while the 48 hp variant has an LFP battery from CATL.

According to reports, the 41 hp variant will have a range of about 150 kilometers while the 48 hp version will have a range of 210 kilometers. The speed limit of both variants is 101 km/h.

The Mini EV market has gained another interesting addition in China. Time will tell if Changan’s answer to Wuling Mini EV will grab a substantial market share or not.

Source: Pro Pakistan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will inaugurate Metro Bus Service from Peshawar Morr to New Islamabad International Airport today [Monday].

On the occasion, the Prime Minister will travel in Metro Bus and also address the inaugural ceremony.

After assuming the office of Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif had directed for resumption of work on the project and its completion on priority basis.

The bus service will provide international standard travel facilities to thousands of passengers daily.

Later, the Metro Bus Service will be extended to Rawat.

Source: Radio Pakistan

Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Dr. Muhammad Ashfaq Ahmed will receive a presentation during the current week on a new reform plan to revamp the Inland Revenue Service (IRS), improve the overall compliance with taxation laws and increase revenue collections.

Sources told Propakistani that a group of senior Inland Revenue officials has chalked out a new strategic plan for the IRS. The draft of the plan will be shared with the FBR Chairman during an internal event of the FBR to be held at a local hotel during the current week.

The detailed plan has covered all aspects of the IRS which would be shared with the tax authorities during the current week. The draft of the reform plan would be further improved following the input of the FBR Chairman during the upcoming event.

Sources said that the reform plan is not related to the customs side but purely focused on the IR-related issues including improvement in the electronic services to the taxpayers. One of the key aims of the plan is to redesign IRS processes for improving tax compliance and better electronic services to the taxpayers.

The FBR will also introduce taxpayer surveys to establish what is working well and where we need to improve our service to taxpayers. The FBR has implemented different plans from time to time for strengthening the tax administration, but none of the plans have effectively worked. The new plan would specifically focus on strengthening the tax administration.

The Inland Revenue Service of the FBR has set the reform agenda for the period 2021/22 through to 2024/25 to improve tax administration in the four strategic reform areas and 11 supporting strategic objectives. Collectively these reform areas and objectives aim to improve the overall revenue collected by the FBR and contribute to funding services provided by the government of Pakistan.

The ambitious set of reforms actions that have been developed will build on the important steps already taken on the path to reforming tax administration in Pakistan. The strategic reform areas, strategic objectives, and reform actions have been distilled from an analysis of internal and external drivers for reform.

Importantly, the Inland Revenue Service has analyzed its strengths and weaknesses and sought an independent assessment of the performance of the FBR’s administration relative to international good practice, it added.

Source: Pro Pakistan

Balochistan National Party Chief Akhtar Mengal and Balochistan Awami Party's parliamentary leader Khalid Magsi called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Sunday.

Congratulating the Prime Minister on assuming the office, they pledged to work with the federal government for the socio-economic development of the country.

The Prime Minister thanked Akhtar Mengal and Khalid Magsi for their determination to work together for the stability of democracy and welfare of public in the country.

Source: Radio Pakistan

Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly meets in Muzaffarabad today to elect a new Prime Minister of the state for rest of the constitutional period, ending in June 2026.

The office has fallen vacant due to resignation of AJK Prime Minister Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has nominated Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, Member of the Legislative Assembly from Poonch Division, as candidate of the party for the office.

The opposition parties in AJK Legislative Assembly, comprising PPP and PML (N) have announced to boycott the election.

Talking to APP, leader of the opposition in Legislative Assembly and PPP leader Chaudhry Latif Akber said PPP and PML-N will boycott the election of the new Prime Minister because the session of the Assembly is unconstitutional.

Source: Radio Pakistan