Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq called on President Asif Ali Zardari in Islamabad today and discussed parliamentary and legislative matters. The Speaker also felicitated Asif Ali Zardari on assuming the office of the President. Source: Radio Pakistan
PM directs to devise action plan to double country’s exports
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has directed the Commerce Ministry to devise an action plan to double the country's exports in next five years. Chairing a high level meeting in Islamabad today on development of export sector, he asked the Ministry to submit the action plan after consultation with leading entrepreneurs and stakeholders. The Prime Minister also directed to facilitate and solve problems of exporters in the e-commerce sector, who make their products in Pakistan and export them all over the world. He said steps are being taken for optimum utilization of Pakistan's export sector potential. Shehbaz Sharif also asked the authorities concerned to submit recommendations for development of industries which manufacture the export products of global value chain. He said stakeholders of export sector should be taken into confidence for promotion of exports of IT, household products, textiles and other sectors. Source: Radio Pakistan
CM KP Orders Separate Hospital Rooms for Transgenders
In a significant move towards inclusivity and healthcare accessibility, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province in Pakistan has announced plans to reserve separate facilities for the transgender community in District headquarters hospitals. The directive came following a meeting between Governor Haji Ghulam Ali and Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Sunday night, with the presence of Mayor Peshawar Haji Zubair Ali. In the meeting, Governor Haji Ghulam Ali and KP CM Gandapur deliberated on various issues confronting the transgender community in the province, resulting in several decisions being made. CM Ali Amin Gandapur directed the Health Department to allocate a separate room for transgender individuals to ensure they receive adequate treatment facilities at District Headquarters Hospitals. Furthermore, the Chief Minister agreed to provide land for the establishment of a separate graveyard dedicated to the transgender community. As KP continues to prioritize the welfare and rights of transgender individ uals, this progressive initiative serves as a beacon of hope for marginalized communities across Pakistan. It sends a powerful message of acceptance, respect, and equality, reaffirming KP's commitment to building a more inclusive society where every individual is valued and treated with dignity and compassion. Source: ProPakistani
NITB Approves Abolishment of MP-2 Positions
The National Information Technology Board (NITB) has approved abolishment of three MP-2 positions in the department. Sources said that the NITB board in the last meeting accorded approval of the proposed organogram with the direction that a position of Chief Operating officer will be introduced to oversee the general cadre of posts. The board agreed that the MP scale position would become redundant in the new organizational structure and therefore shall be abolished. In the first instance, the three MP-2 positions would be abolished with immediate effect, and the process of hiring as per the proposed organizational structure will be completed by the end of June 2024. Presently, two officials are working on an MP-2 grade position, while one position is a vacant in the department. Sources said that the tenure of one DG NITB will also expire in August this year. Sources said that the Ministry of ITandT attach department NITB failed to initiate a major project in the last two to three years due to incompete nce of high up of department. Source: ProPakistani
Punjab Excise and Taxation Department Cracks Down on Defaulting Vehicles
The Excise and Taxation Department of Punjab has announced its intention to crack down on tax-defaulting vehicles, with the process of canceling registrations commencing from April onwards. Director Excise and Taxation Lahore Region C, Muhammad Asif, emphasized that the department aims to cancel the registration of vehicles that have defaulted on taxes for three or more years, a figure estimated to exceed a thousand vehicles, by Eid ul Fitr. As part of the enforcement measures, red warning stickers will be affixed to these defaulting vehicles, serving as a preliminary indication of non-compliance. Furthermore, vehicle owners will receive reminders via the Excise Department's call center, offering them a final opportunity to settle their outstanding dues. Highlighting the department's proactive approach, Muhammad Asif outlined plans to dispatch reminders for token tax payments to an additional one million vehicle owners via mobile messages on Monday. He particularly underscored the need for vigilance regar ding bank-leased vehicles, noting instances where banks collect installments but fail to pay token taxes promptly. Expressing concern over potential inconveniences faced by non-compliant vehicle owners, Asif cautioned that vehicles found to be in default may be detained on the road until the outstanding taxes are settled. He urged citizens to fulfill their tax obligations promptly and advised drivers to ensure their vehicles were duly registered with the Excise Department before hitting the road. Source: ProPakistani
Fly Jinnah to Start Weekly Flights to Another Country From Two Local Airports
Fly Jinnah has received approval from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to commence flight operations from two airports in Pakistan. Beginning May 2, Fly Jinnah has been granted permission to operate three weekly flights between Karachi and Muscat, along with two weekly flights connecting Muscat to Islamabad. Fly Jinnah is a low-cost carrier (LCC) jointly owned and operated by the Lakson Group of Pakistan and the Air Arabia Group of the United Arab Emirates. It is headquartered in Karachi and currently operates flights to five domestic destinations within Pakistan. Fly Jinnah commenced its domestic flight operations on October 31, 2022, with its inaugural flight departing from Jinnah International Airport in Karachi and arriving at Islamabad International Airport. After completing one year of domestic flights in October 2023, Fly Jinnah received approval from the Pakistani government to expand its operations to international routes. These routes include destinations in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iraq, Mal aysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. Recently, Fly Jinnah inaugurated its second international route, connecting Lahore with Sharjah, following its inaugural flight from Islamabad to Sharjah a month earlier. Source: ProPakistani