Expo Pakistan 2005 begins here on Wednesday, with the participation of over 600 dignitaries from over 80 countries. The event is expected to be a trend setter for future trade fairs and exhibitions in the country.

The Expo will provide an opportunity to business and opinion leaders from different countries to interact and work out arrangements for joint ventures. Its performance includes a variety of cultural shows.

The main objective of the event is to project Pakistan as a moderate, progressive and dynamic nation.

The first ever mega event -- Expo Pakistan 2005 - being held for five days beginning Wednesday, will prove as a showcase for country's industrial progress and also provide over 600 foreign dignitaries an opportunity to closely watch the historical and cultural richness of a people which is now transforming into moderate, progressive and dynamic nation to reap the bounties of industrial development.

Foreign trade minister, commerce minister, opinion leaders and those who could be instrumental in expanding trade volumes between nations and are major players in world trade are expected to pour in from over 80 countries to witness this even which could be a trend setter for years to come and deeply carve out the tradition of trade fairs and exhibitions in the country.

The Expo-2005 will give an opportunity to business and opinion leaders of different nations to interact and do brain storming in an investment conference, match making for joint ventures, relocation of industry, and collaboration.

Events to provide entertainment and fun-fair to the guests will also be held which may include musical, cultural shows and evenings. A dinner will be hosted in honour of foreign guests.

Out of the estimated guests of over 600, half of them will be special guests of the government of Pakistan and will be given full cover expenses at the state cost. There will be sight seeing tours which may also include visits to Northern areas and Lahore to see historical structures.

But the most fascinating and attractive event would be participation of some high profile guest in the 'Basant' in Lahore. Despite the elaborated arrangements it would be premature to throw any negative or positive comments on this mega event which could become a trend setter or a sheer waste of funds.

Therefore, Expo Pakistan 2005 is being organized as mega event with a global dimension on international scale. Being held at the Karachi Expo Centre on February 2-6, it will be the biggest ever exposition of Pakistan's industry, manufacturing and exports.

As the first mega event of this magnitude, it will show-case all export sectors. The exhibit profile covers fabrics and apparels from textile sector, home and décor that include home textiles, bed wear, towels, kitchen linen, drapery, carpets, handicrafts, furniture, kitchen and bathroom accessories, lights and lamps, antiques , pottery etc.

Other traditional exhibits are sports goods, gems and jewellery, surgical and pharma and food products like fisheries, fruits and vegetables, milk and dairy products, canned, bottled and packed foods.

The industrial goods on display will cover chemicals, pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, POL products, electronics, plastics, passenger vehicles, and auto parts. The exhibition would also highlight achievements in information technology and IT products like software, hardware, communications, cables and peripherals, data processing devices and IT services.

Planned as a regular annual event on calendar of exhibitions, Expo Pakistan is envisioned as an ideal one-stop sourcing event, displaying the best of products manufactured in Pakistan, serving as a global market place, where buyers and sellers will meet together and avail unlimited opportunities for business alliances for trade, joint ventures, technology transfers, buy-back arrangements, relocation of industries, acquisition and franchising of reputed foreign brand names. To that end, there will be business to business match-making sessions on Feb 3 to 5.

On Thursday, February 3, along with the product displays continuing, there will be a day-long Conference on Investment and Trade Opportunities which will be inaugurated by Commerce Minister, Humayoun Akhtar Khan and world renowned scholars will address the conference.

It will also be addressed by Governor State Bank. He would give an economic overview of Pakistan, and the Minister for Investment and Privatization Hafiz Sheikh would deliberate on investment climate in the country. Minister of State and chairman EPB will give a talk on the export potential of Pakistan.

After the conference, Product Workshops will be held on selected export sectors. In these workshops, trade and industry leaders in each sector will respond to questions from the participants, both foreign visitors and local entrepreneurs, on various aspects of exports.

Expo Pakistan will be an overall composite economic activity event. The objective is to brief the participants on the economic turn-around achieved by Pakistan in the last 4-5 years, based on consistent and continuing economic and financial reforms, GDP growth, increases in exports, production and employment.

The country's image as a potential exporter and as a promising destination for foreign investment will be projected. There are four big halls in the Expo Centre, Karachi where the event is being held.

Due to lack of sufficient space, two temporary halls have been set up in specially designed marquees which will be centrally air-conditioned like the permanent halls.

More than 500 exhibitors are expected to display their quality products. These include all the ten core sectors, namely, textiles, leather, food products, technology, carpet and furniture.

According to the EPB sources, the response from foreign countries is highly encouraging and most promising. More than 20 trade and economic ministers from all over the world are expected with large delegations.

Final confirmations have been received from around 15 trade ministers including Japan, Bosnia, Jordan, Mauritius, Sri Lanka and Sweden. Similarly, trade delegations from 52 countries have confirmed their participation.

Besides, leading business entrepreneurs from Asia (247), Middle East (138), EU (151), North America (21), South America (08), Africa (105) and Australia (09) have shown interest to participate in this mega event.

Furthermore, over 200 buyers are enthusiastic about our cotton fabrics, clothing, home décor, auto parts, processed foods, surgical and pharma, gems and jewellery, IT products, sports goods and tourism, EPB sources added.

For foreign buyers and guest, assistance service will be arranged at immigration and customs counters at all international airports in the country. Shuttle bus service will be provided between major hotels and Karachi Expo Centre for convenience of the foreign buyers and guests.

Special hospitality desks have been established at airports, hotels, and Expo Centre. City tours will be arranged for the official guests during their stay in Karachi. About 150 volunteers from major education institutions will assist and guide the foreign visitors.

The EPB is very much hopeful of obtaining spot orders of around $25 million from the visiting foreign buyers, but the major objective will remain 'Image Building' of the country.

KSE sets up Stall at Expo 2005
KARACHI: Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) has setup a stall at Expo Pakistan 2005 in order to highlight the capital market performance, said Moin M. Fudda, managing director KSE, in a press statement Wednesday. He said the KSE taking the opportunity of Expo-2005 being organized by the Export Promotion Bureau, in Karachi from February 2 to February 7, 2005 has setup a stall at the Expo Center. The KSE stall will provide an opportunity to highlight the capital market performance in Pakistan. Since the year 1999 to the year 2004, the Karachi stock market was amongst the best performing market of the world and market capitalization was increased by 370 percent and at the same time the KSE-100 Index increased by 341 percent.

Polish Trade Team Seeks Pakistan Trade Agreement
KARACHI, Feb 3 Asia Pulse - A team from the Polish Northern Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI), participating in Expo 2005, said Tuesday that Pakistani goods were being sold in Poland by a Dutch company as Dutch product.
President of the Polish Chamber of Commerce and Industry Dariusz Wiecaszeki, briefing newsmen at the Consulate General of Poland, said it would be wise for Poland and Pakistan to enter into trade agreement and promote each other's products rather than a third country marketing Pakistani products under its patronage.

He said the Dutch company selling Pakistani products has more than 350 outlets in Poland and it would be impossible to counter its business activities. He said the NCCI was in Karachi to meet Pakistani businessmen and investors willing to find business partners in Poland, areas for investment and offering business proposals to Polish businessmen.

Makles said in the eleven months of 2004, turnover in trade between Poland and Pakistan was US$94.6 million. Pakistan exported $61.1 million goods to Poland while Poland exported $33.6 million to Pakistan.

"In 2005, we wish to double the turnover in trade between our countries," he added.

He identified food processing, beverages, cold storage, food packaging, domestic appliances, engineering and allied industry, plastic industry, textile and textile manufacturing, textile supply technologies, consumer electronics, building materials, granite and marble, clothing industry and furniture industry as areas of immediate co-operation.

goood shit!

this will most definetly help us

Any update or pics?!

I had the website for EXPO 2004 but I am still trying to find for EXPO 2005!

here u go cntower.

http://www.expopakistan.com/

Super work pakboy!

I recently heard in the news that this event (expo 2005) is going very successfully, I think we should have these kind of events on a regular basis as these events help in increasing exports and bringing foreign investment to a country.

bapu your wish has been answered, this event will be held in feburary every year now. would really improve pakistans image around the world and boost exports.

'Expo Pakistan' to be made annual event

KARACHI: Overwhelmed by the tremendous response at 'Expo-2005', the Ministry of Commerce has decided to make it an annual event. A permanent 'Expo secretariat' would be set up for the purpose. This was stated by Minister of Commerce Humayun Akhtar while addressing a press conference at Expo Centre here on Friday.

He said that despite negative travel advisories, ministers, business and opinion leaders from 77 countries had come to attend the Expo, which constituted a big boost for the country's exports. It would also help in correcting the image of Karachi city tarnished due to bad law and order situation.

The Minister said that among the foreign guests and buyers the majority was from new companies and buying houses from USA and Europe, which would definitely have a positive impact on exports.

He said that he had been meeting trade delegations during the last two days. The French trade delegation informed him that they were impressed to see the progress Pakistan had made in the textile sector. The South Korean business group said that it wanted to set technology upgradation centre for manufacturing surgical instruments in Pakistan for export.

Humayun dismissed the suggestion that majority of 1152 foreign visitors were either Chinese or overseas Pakistanis. He said that the number of Chinese visiting the Expo was only 60 and the figure was not very high in view of close friendly relations with China. He praised the efforts of Pakistani commercial offices and embassies to arrange visit of 1152 buyers from 77 countries.

He said that signing of as many as 17 MOUs by the FPCCI, KCCI, and SITE Association was enough proof of the success of the show. "We have brought the buyers and exporters under one roof and now it was up to them to enter into business deals," he said, responding to a question about the amount of business expected from 'Expo-2005'.

The Minister pointed out that some buyers were refused invitation to the Expo because people from major markets were preferred over buyers from small markets due to shortage of hotel accommodation for the show.

Humayun said that he had informed the Kenyan trade delegation of the seriousness of the problem created from increase in import duty on rice from Pakistan. They have promised to release 200 rice containers stuck up due to change in duty structure.

Secretary Commerce Tasneem Noorani told the press conference that response was more than what was expected by the stall holders. He said that he collected the information by visiting various stalls and those who missed the display chance were regretting.

How many countries are participating?

check out this football at expo 2005

http://cache.gettyimages.com/comp/52131236.jpg?x=x&dasite=MS_GINS&ef=2&ev=1&dareq=347FB299BA24962B1958F53A60E4EF84A9C30E9B9B114CE8

How many countries are participating?

77 counties, and 1100 delegates.

It has Musharraf's picture on it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Damn the Mullah's would be kicking the ball around now ...

I dont know if any of you guys have noticed this but there is another Expo fair coming up in Karachi. It'll be held from 26 - 28 March 2005, and its called International Spring Fair Asia 2005.


The International Spring Fair Asia 2005, to be held at the Karachi Expo Centre from 26 - 28 March 2005, offers the International and Pakistani business community a strategic launch-pad to access the vibrant Pakistani, Afghanistan, Central Asian Republic and Middle East markets. The Exhibition would serve as a comprehensive showcase of the latest in technology, equipment and machinery as well as allied services, providing investors opportunity to meet their prospective counterparts and business partners.

The main objective of the International Spring Trade Asia 2005 is to boost & amplify the investment, privatization and trade between International countries and Pakistan through information exchange and business interactions between high ranking Government officials, VIPs, heads of financial institutions, investors, business players and prime members of the trade and business communities from the participating countries.

http://www.springfairasia.com/istfa.htm

http://www.springfairasia.com/index.html

^^ Good news

Yeah this month is Expo month, There's also an Auto Exibition soon

Pakistan and Bahamas Establish Diplomatic Ties

LONDON: Pakistan and the Bahamas on Thursday established diplomatic relations by signing a joint communiqué at Pakistan’s high commission in London.

The joint communiqué was signed by Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan’s high commissioner to the UK and Basil O’Brien, the Bahamas high commissioner to the UK. The Bahamas Foreign Minister Fredrick A Mitchell and senior officials of the Pakistan High Commission were also present.

Dr Maleeha Lodhi said that Pakistan was delighted to establish diplomatic relations with the Bahamas and looked forward to promoting bilateral relations between the two countries. The Bahamas foreign minister said that he would soon visit Pakistan and meet his Pakistani counterpart Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri. app

LINK (http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_11-2-2005_pg7_52)

Akram’s Reebok store opens

By Shahnawaz Khan

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/images/24_2_2005_P1011639.jpg
LAHORE: Wasim Akram’s Reebok sportswear store was opened at popular business hub MM Alam Road in grandeur by cricket legend-turned politician Imran Khan on Wednesday.

A smiling Akram, dressed in red and blue and surrounded by dozens of youngsters, mingled with the crowd chatting with friends, family and business partner and brother-in-law Amir Saeed.

The whole building was illuminated with lights and huge posters of Rebook sporting Akram on the front were put on display. A number of shop officials also wearing red t-shirts and black trousers with the help of police maintained tight security. The shop also has on display a few pairs of the shoes that Akram wore in cricket matches.

Imran’s arrival at the spot brightened up the crowd’s mood and people rushed the hero in the hopes of shaking his hand. The scene was spiced up with the presence of Ramiz Raja, Inzamamul Haq, Waqar Younas, Arshad Khan, Shoaib Malik, Yousaf Youhana, Bob Woolmer, Sobindher Singh, the managing director of Reebok South Asia, and film star Resham. After the inauguration, Khan told the media, “I would like to congratulate Wasim and wish him all the success in this new venture.” A thankful Akram replied, “I am glad that people of Lahore have supported me in all my ventures, and I am sure that this new project will also be patronised.”

Singh was full of praise for his company’s role model Akram, “It was the love of Akram which compelled us to start a business outlet in Lahore. Later on, the sportswear giant will branch out to other cities. I met Akram a year ago and after a detailed negotiation I convinced him to franchise an outlet.”

Ali Abbas, an ardent fan of famous cricketer Waseem Akram, became the first customer at Akram’s Reebok shop after making purchases of Rs 3,400 just three hours after the shop opened.

An Indian Muslim charity has laid claim to the ownership of the world's most famous monument to love, the Taj Mahal.
The Sunni Waqf Board controls all Muslim graveyards in the state of Uttar Pradesh, where the spectacular marble monument is located.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40925000/jpg/_40925261_tajabody203ap.jpg

It says the Taj Mahal houses several Muslim graves other than those of the Moghul royalty and thus falls under its jurisdiction.

Millions seeking romance flock to the Taj Mahal every year.

The monument was built by the 17th century Moghul emperor Shah Jahan for his beloved queen Mumtaz Mahal and has since become a Mecca of sorts for amorous couples.

Deadline

The Sunni Waqf Board (SWB), a Muslim trust, was given ownership of Uttar Pradesh's Muslim graveyards by the Indian government itself.

The board has issued notices to the Archaeological Survey of India as well as the central government, seeking their reply to its demand by the end of March.

Speaking to the BBC, SWB chairman Hafiz Usman said that other than the graves of the emperor and his wife, several other Muslim graves were also located within the Taj Mahal's boundary.

The presence of a mosque and a tomb within the complex clearly brings it under the board's jurisdiction, he says.

The board has quasi-judicial powers and has threatened to take an ex parte decision if its end March deadline is not met.


Controversy

Mr Usman said once the ownership issue had been decided, the board would demand that 7% of the total earnings from tickets should be transferred to its coffers.

The board also wants the power to regularly audit the accounts of the monuments and ensure that the money is not frittered away but used properly for the maintenance of the building.

He said the board did not stake a claim to the monument earlier as it had not wanted to enter into any controversy.

But it seems that nearly 350 years after it was built, the Taj Mahal again stands mired in controversy.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4348663.stm


Muslim American: A new identity?

Islam is one of the fastest growing religions in the US, yet one in four Americans regard Muslims living among them with suspicion. What does it mean to be both Muslim and American?

Salman Ahmed uses music to reach out to young Muslim Americans
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40923000/jpg/_40923095_salman203.jpg
Touring the US with his band Junoon, rock star and Muslim American, Salman Ahmed, wanted to find out how the aftermath of 9/11 continues to shape the lives of Muslim Americans in 2005.

"Following the attack," he says, "there were human rights abuses against Muslims, using immigration violations as a weapon. Thousands have been detained and others deported."

One month after the attacks on New York and Washington, Congress rushed the Patriot Act into law to help track down terrorists.

"The Act gave the FBI the right to spy on American citizens, to look into our lives, our email, and even our library records," he says.

Even though the hijackers who attacked the Twin Towers in September 2001 represented a militant fringe, some Americans have blamed the entire Muslim world.

And the claims made by terrorists, that they acted in the name of Islam, have outraged many Muslims.


Attacking fear

Salman met Shereef Akeel, a contracts lawyer whose life had been "turned upside down since 9/11."

Shereef says he has been defending students and people who have lost their jobs and been intimidated just because their name is Mohammed, or because they are Pakistani or simply Muslim.

"This is my country, but it is a difficult time. It's a sad time. It's difficult to be a Muslim here - for all of us," he says.

So, how should the Muslim American community challenge suspicious minds in the US?

Currently touring the US with the show Allah Made Me Funny, Azhar is convinced that many Americans want to hear from moderate voices.

"The more mainstream America hears the moderate voices, the less suspicious they'll be," he says.

"We as American Muslims must stand up, be proud of who we are, and be people who say unequivocally and enthusiastically, that we're American Muslim."

However, he is also critical of his own community. He says: "Our problem as a community is that we're very isolationist. We don't want to get out there and make bridges with people, connect with people."

Polarised America

There is a stirring in Muslim communities. A new breed of activists driven by anger and injustice against Muslims, both at home and abroad, is on the move.

The war on terror at home, the invasion of Iraq and the Abu Ghraib scandal are just some of the issues that drive them.

In the aftermath of the terror attacks, Muslims retreated from local and state politics to an astonishing degree: more than 90% of Muslim politicians were no longer in office by 2002.

However, the US election in 2004 captured the attention of this community like never before and brought them back into politics.

Mosques and Islamic organisations were urging Muslims to exercise their right to vote.

Traditionally, Muslims have voted Republican because of their emphasis on moral values, but in 2004 many considered switching to the Democrats, hoping they would be less of a threat to Muslims both in America and abroad.

Identity
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40922000/jpg/_40922965_bush_seeme203.jpg

Dr and Seeme Hasan have some powerful friends in Washington

Salman decided to visit his aunt, Seeme Hasan. Seeme and her husband Dr Hasan remain staunch supporters of President Bush.

Not only do they get personal birthday wishes from the president, but they are also regular guests at his ranch in Texas.

So strong are their convictions for Bush that they set up Muslims for Bush, a website that encouraged Muslims to vote Bush into office for a second term.

While most Muslims were unhappy with Bush's war in Iraq, Seeme believes that Bush is good for Muslims and unquestioningly supports his actions.

"Personally I wanted to invade Iraq," she tells Salman, "because I think if there is a country that will not allow us into its borders and it has the money and the reasoning to attack the US, then we have to go in."

Salman believes that courage, determination and hard work is where the future lies for Muslim Americans, no matter where their political allegiances lie.

"Unlike some other parts of the world where Muslims seem to see themselves just as victims," he says, "Muslim Americans are fighting for their rights and blending Islam with a modern American identity.

"They don't want to be tolerated in their adopted country, they want to be accepted for what they are, Americans who just happen to be Muslims."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/this_world/4347061.stm

http://www.sbg.com.sg/Exhibition/images/textile.jpg
Textile Asia 2005 Exhibition
19-21 March 2005 at Karachi Expo Centre

Friday that Textile Asia exhibition was being organized by textile commissioner’s organization and federal ministry of investment and privatization in collaboration with E-Commerce Gateway Pakistan limited.

Textile Asia will cover major industries including textile machinery, garments machinery, embroidery machinery and knitwear machinery and accessories. It will play an instrumental role in offering a platform for joint ventures and collaborations among the local industry and international entrepreneurs.

The exhibition is designed to act as a platform to highlight the products and services of textile industry not only of Pakistan but also of the international forum.

The Textile Asia exhibition also incorporate a one-day conference to be held on March 20 aimed at highlighting “Challenges and opportunities for business growth”. The conference will reflect the technologies progress achieved in the machinery field and provide a platform for the international exchange of products and ideas to increase export of domestic generated products by value addition.

The main objectives of these seminars is to create awareness among selected audience that include heads of textile and garments industries, corporate heads, leading industrialists, consulate generals and members of textile related associations of the opportunities which are available for the textile industry of Pakistan at Textile Asia 2005. —APP

Cotton is the cash crop of Pakistan. The ever-growing textile industry of the country has shown consistent expansion and stability over the last many years. Pakistan is at the center of a rapidly developing textile and garments manufacturing region.
ECommerce Gateway (ECG) Consortium in collaboration with the Ministry of Investment and Privatization, Ministry of Production, Ministry of Commerce and Board of Investment will hold Textile Asia, during International Trade and Industry Fair (ITIF) Asia 2004 on April 9-12, 2004 at Karachi Expo Center, Karachi, Pakistan. ECG Consortium comprises of Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ICCI), CommerceNet Singapore, U.S. Publishers (Pvt.) Limited and ePatterns (Pvt.) Limited, all of which are private sector organizations. ECG is emerging as one of the leading conference and exhibition organizing companies in Pakistan. Currently, it is involved in organizing events related to different industry sectors. It is successfully organizing its annual ITCN Asia trade fare in the Information Technology sector, since the last three years in Pakistan.

Textile Asia aims to focus on the immense potential of textile machinery, accessories, chemicals and products. This event is expected to be the most successful exhibition at ITIF Asia. It will reflect Pakistan's economic strength and backbone industry in an unconventional way. A large number of international trade visitors and delegates are expected to visit Pakistan for availing and exploring business opportunities in the textile industry.
Since Textile Asia 2004 is among the three other exhibitions in engineering, construction and leather sectors being held at ITIF Asia, local and international manufacturers and dealers in these industry sectors are also expected to attend the event. Textile Asia 2004 features:

A truly international event covering the almost entire spectrum of textile industry including textile products, machinery, readymade garments and accessories.
A most cost effective method of entering this lucrative market as there is no other matching cost effective medium in the region.
An exhibition that offers comprehensive services before, during and after the exhibition that minimizes marketing expenditure for maximum benefits.
An exhibition that attracts a large number of local and international trade visitors with a huge potential buying power.
The event will take place at the Karachi Expo Center, which is easily accessible from all over the city. It comprises of three independent linked halls measuring 8850 Square meters each, while the third hall measures 1270 Square meters on its two mezzanine floors. The second floor is available for conferences and seminars for a sizeable audience. The whole complex is centrally air-conditioned. Adequate warehouse and parking facilities are available within the total area of 5000 Square meters. The following are the participation rates:

Bare Space (minimum 18 square meter) 250.00 USD per square meter
Bare Space - corner (minimum 36 square meter) 250.00 USD per square meter
Shell Scheme Stand Package (minimum 9 square meter) 300.00 USD per square meter
Prospective participants should contact the following for further information on the exhibition:

ITIF Asia Secretariat Karachi.
Ecommerce Gateway Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd.
18 C.P. Berar Housing Society
Karachi, Pakistan
Tel: 92-21- 4536321; 111-222-444.
Fax: (92-21) 4536330; 4549293.
Email: itifasia@ecgateway.net.pk
Web: http://www.ecgateway.net.pk
http://www.itifasia.com

http://www.urbanpakistan.com/modules/4nAlbum/album/album3/moazzam_karachi/expo_center.jpg
http://www.textileasia.com.pk/

http://www.buildasia.net/images/build_asia_logo.gifhttp://www.buildasia.net/images/top_image_1.gifhttp://www.buildasia.net/images/top_image_2.gif

Build Asia 2005 Exhibition & Conference, the exclusive event in Pakistan with a focus on international construction industry, is scheduled to be held on March 26 – 28, 2005 at Karachi Expo Centre.

Build Asia 2005 Exhibition aims to focus on the immense potential of the building and construction industry and will display latest technological advancements of equipments, materials, services and techniques in the related fields. The Exhibition would host the key players of the construction industry from different parts of the world to showcase their state-of-the-art products and services to a high profile audience expected to congregate from all around the globe.

Build Asia 2005 will also incorporate a one-day international conference that would be an ideal platform to identify the emerging business opportunities in the building and construction materials sector of Pakistan and the region. The participants of the conference would be able to initiate future collaborations and joint ventures with the right partners to capitalize from the openings that are available in line with government policies and initiatives.

Build Asia 2005 Exhibition and conference is being organized by the Federal Ministry of Investment and Privatization in collaboration with Ecommerce Gateway Pte. Ltd. Singapore and Engineering Development Board.

The International Build Asia 2005 Exhibition, one of the most promising and enduring Exhibition to be held at the Karachi Expo Centre from 26- 28 March, 2005, offers the International and Pakistani business community a strategic launch-pad to access the vibrant Pakistani, Afghanistan, Iraq, China, Middle East and Central Asian Republic Markets. Build Asia would showcase emerging technologies developed in Pakistan and abroad in the Building & Construction Sectors. Build Asia Exhibition aims to focus on the immense potential of the building and construction industry and will display latest technological advancements of equipments, materials, services and techniques in the related fields.

http://www.buildasia.net/

Great to see an international conference of this type being held in Pakistan, hopefullly we can use the opportunity to secure some FDI aswell !!

DA Country & Golf Club to be
turned into ‘crown jewel of Karachi’

By Khalid Hussain

KARACHI: The Defence Authority on Wednesday announced plans to transform their golf club into the ‘crown jewel of Karachi’, saying that the facility would be upgraded to world class standard and would be ready to host international competitions within the next three years.

Brigadier Maqsood Hussain, Defence Authority said at a press conference that the DA Country and Golf Club would be converted into a complete resort with a reshaped golf course and several additional features at an estimated cost of Rs1.6 billion with the help of Malaysian investors.

"We intend to turn the club into a project that would add value to our city and help in attracting investment. It would be a world class facility where we intend to hold PGA or its subsidiary events," said Hussain.

The Brigadier revealed that holding Asian Professional Golf Association (APGA) tournaments was one of the priorities for the club’s management and added that the first of such events should take place by 2007.

Pakistan have been a part of the APGA Tour for a short while in the past but were unable to retain their place after local golf organisers failed to raise ample sponsorship.

But Hussain was confident that generating funds for the hosting of international competitions would not be a problem once the club is ready to hold APGA and major national tournaments.

With the help of Sysmax, a Malaysian company that specialises in building resorts, the Defence Authority expects is ambitious project to be completed within the next 20 months.

The project includes the designing of the golf course to meet international standards, construction of a new driving range, completion of a new water hole, replacement of grass, construction of water bodies, reshaping of the fairways and

landscaping of the course by introducing a variety of flora with an aim to add colour and beauty to the already spectacular setting of the club alongside the Arabian Sea coast.

The course, which was criticised by golfers for being in a bad shape at a national tournament earlier this year, would also get an under water sprinkling system which would make the task of its maintenance much easier.

The project also includes the addition of lights all over the course to make night-time golf possible for members.

"The club is beautifully located at the water front but unfortunately that advantage has not been exploited fully. We have been planning this new project for a year and are confident that once it gets completed, the club would turn into a top-class facility for sports and recreation," said Hussain.

For the benefit of the club’s members and families, the new resort would also include swimming pools, festival plaza, gymnasium, convention hall, cineplex, squash courts and an open-air arcade. Around two dozens specially designed chalets would also be added to the facility.

Sysmax chief Anuar Adam said that once completed, the club would set up the benchmark for a resort club in Pakistan. He said that 65 percent of the Rs 1.6 billion would be spent on the new course.

--------------------------


this is an old article from last year, but construction on this project is in full flow and would be completed soon.

Nice to hear this, Im sure it will be the "Crown Jewel" of Karachi!

Thanks for adding this!

Food Street to be revamped in next few months

LAHORE: The look of Lahore Food Street in Gowalmandi will change entirely in the next couple of months, Khawaja Shakeel, the Food Street chairman, told reporters on Tuesday.

He said that the food street administration has decided to revamp its look. He said that the street was popular for its unique style and this would be improved further.

The food street chairman said that initially all electricity and telephone wires would be shifted underground. He said that there was a plan to install two big screens at both entrances. He said that the street floor would be carpeted with ceramic tiles and all shops would be decorated according to a European colour scheme.

Shakeel said that during the last two months, Lahore Electricity Supply Company officials had dismantled all 17 electricity poles and had shifted all cables under ground at a cost of Rs 109 million. He said that the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited has promised to dismantle all its poles in the next couple of months.

Shakeel said that revamped new food street would be a treat to watch and would be a big attraction for tourists. He urged that the whole city be decorated properly on special occasions. staff report

Sounds good, hope they do carry on with it!

I remember going at that place during my tour to Lahore. It was quite good, lots of people, lots of shops etc. But when we ordered some food, it took them like 40 mins just to get it! I mean not many people would want to wait that much..

well when i went food street it was fast, but there is alot of rush there.

yeah i know lot of people there but they gotta meet the supply and demand which means getting more employees to work there so food can be cooked faster and served faster.

3 more food streets coming to lahore, in Shahdara, Township and Shad Bagh.

shad bagh?

are you sure?

its terrible up thier!

European contemporary look will be great.

i was just surfing the net and came across this, its not that old, its from aug 2004.


One of a kind

The city administration has decided to develop an infotainment park on a vast area of over 92 canals near Kalma chowk


http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/aug2004-weekly/nos-08-08-2004/images/6a3.jpg Infotainment has become a widely used word in modern lexicon. It is a fairly recent neologism for dispersion of information by combining information with entertainment.

The city administration has decided to capitalize on this method of spreading entertainment by developing an infotainment park on a vast area of over 92 canals on a prime spot between Hameed Latif Hospital and Masood Hospital at main Ferozepur Road near Kalma Chowk.

The Parks and Horticulture Authority and C&W (Communication and Works) Department will jointly build the new recreational park in the city which they say is going to be one of its kind.

According to the plan, the development work will be done in three phases. First, the PHA will put an iron fence on the boundaries of the park and level its surface; in the second phase the construction of two I-Max theatres, shopping malls, food shops, skating rings, lake and car parking tower etc. will be done by the C&W department.

All the finishing steps regarding beautifying the park such as plantation, benches and dustbins will be done in the third phase by the PHA department.

"Basically, it's the chief minister's idea -- of making a theme park for family entertainment, the work on which is going to start soon," says Taimoor Azmat Usman, Secretary Information.

Explaining the project at length he said all the initial preparations including maps and planning are almost finalised and we hope that the project will be finished within a year. The project has an estimated cost of Rs 45 crore of which Rs two crore and forty lacs will be given to the PHA for beautification of the park.

Describing the main features, an official of the C&W said, "after its completion, the project will be considered to be the first of its kind in Pakistan, introducing for the first time I-Max theatre technology."

The official also claims that the idea will be a matter of pride for us because Pakistan will be the second country in Asia after Japan to have this 3-D advanced technology. The infotainment park project is especially needed in a city like Lahore to offer some moments of relaxation for the tired lot.

Some films based on 3-D technology, shown in Lahore cinemas in the mid-eighties, had been greatly appreciated by the people. However, the present idea of making an I-Max theatre involves much advanced technology. The idea might fascinate those movie-buffs who cannot take their families to the cinemas owing to their pathetic state.

The infotainment park will certainly be an addition to the city parks enhancing the scenic beauty presently on offer. It will be a great optical relief to the passersby from the rush of Ferozepur road.

The place will be full of entertainment opportunities fulfilling all the requirements of the visitors -- from serving food to shopping and from watching movies to taking a walk.

http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/aug2004-weekly/nos-08-08-2004/she.htm

yeah, that's the site in the pic I was talking about and believe me those construction equipment are still there like this. Nothing, I repeat NOTHING has happened since then. Infact, there's no sign of any construction on the new site (MM Alam rd) aswell!

is this a different project to the one on mm alam road or the same one.

i will check this out next month. :)

I think this news article is old - plans have been changed altogether.

its from aug 2004, but i thought imax site changed from gadafi stadium to mm alam road, but recently my cousin just went to fortress and said imax is coming there and construction is in full swing.

^ I believe your cousin is mistaken... that Fort-like structure in Fortress Stadium isn't an I-Max theatre, its an expo centre. Exhibitions used to take place in Fortress in open air, that's why they've now built an expo centre there. This expo centre is different from the one to be built in Johar Town by the government (Waqas, any update on it?)

its U/C. Its ground breaking was done last year and the thing i find really funny is that abt 2 months after the ground breaking there was a notice by LDA in the newspaper saying "Proposals required for international class Expo center in Lahore" LOL!.

It is U/C though and will be completed within 1&1/2 years.

This 92 Kanal plot was later sold to some investor and he is going to build a 5 star hotel there.

^ Can you give me an exact location where in Johar Town are they constructing the Expo centre?

Something seriously needs to be done about Model Town Link Rd., that wide green belt in the middle needs to be done away with! Anyhow, Pace on Link Rd. is opening on 23rd April (Saturday). I can foresee more traffic congestion on Link Rd. from Sat onwards.

pace on link road is very small, smaller then old one and has only 320 shops.

this is the same one or another one???

Elahi okays Shaikh Zayed Commercial Centre

* Centre will be built on Ferozepur Road, cost Rs 15 billion
* Groundbreaking for Pakistan’s tallest building in May

Staff Report

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has approved the construction of a commercial centre, Shaikh Zayed Complex, on Ferozepur Road. The centre, consisting of a basement and three towers, will house a shopping mall, hotels, corporate offices and mini cinemas. Its construction will start next month.

The DHABI Group of United Arab Emirates will construct the tallest building in Pakistan over an area of 91 kanals at a cost of Rs 15 billion.

Chairing a meeting on Monday, the chief minister said that the centre would promote trade and recreational activities in the provincial metropolis and generate around 30,000 jobs.

The meeting was informed that the centre’s banquet hall would have a seating capacity of around 5,000 and its four parking basements would have space for around 4,000 vehicles.

The chief minister said that the Punjab government and the DHABI Group would soon sign an agreement to form a company, named Taawan, to execute the project. He said that the company would have directors both from the Punjab government and the DHABI Group.

Elahi said that Shaikh Zayed Complex would play an important role in generating economic activity in the province and would improve the living standard of the people.

Bashir Tahir, the DHABI Group chief executive, Kamran Rasool, the Punjab chief secretary, Salman Siddique, finance secretary, Sibtain Fazal Haleem, communication and works secretary, and Pervaiz A Shahid, the Bank Alflah executive incharge, attended the meeting.

Tahir said that his group was launching several projects in telecommunication, banking and other industries in Pakistan. He said that Shaikh Zayed Complex would give an impetus to trade and business activities.


http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_26-4-2005_pg7_15

^ This is what is going to be built on that 91-Kanal plot on Ferozpur Road.

The patrolling was started by the Pakistan Aquatic Lifesaving (PALS), an NGO founded a year ago with the help and contributions from the international community. It has about 150 lifeguards for Sands Pit, Hawkesbay, French Beach, Paradise Point, Cape Montes and Mubarak Village. The Defence Housing Authority (DHA) allowed PALS to start patrolling along the Sea View beach that is four kilometers long and where a large number of picnickers arrive everyday. “The DHA administrator, Brig Maqsood Hussain, allowed PALS to start patrolling along the beach. We have stationed twenty well-trained lifeguards with a speedboat and other latest equipments including swimming and diving kits,” said Reza Samad, the president of PALS. He said that the Sea View beach was unsafe in the past and now the PALS stationed its lifeguards for protections of the visitors. PALS patrolled the beach on Sunday and asked the visitors not to swim in the sea, he said. PALS also plans to start patrolling the Clifton beach. Several meetings have been held with the sponsors to provide the funds. PALS has decided to establish a comprehensive lifeguard infrastructure and has been generating funds in order to sustain the established unit. staff report

anymore info?

no more info.......but to go to seaside is ban for 2 months.

China has a new growth challenger, Pakistan

The world's second-fastest growing economy after China is no longer India. It's Pakistan.

According to figures released over the weekend by Pakistan's Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, the $110 billion economy is estimated to have grown 8.4 percent in the current fiscal year that ends June 30. That compares with 9.5 percent expansion in China's gross domestic product last year, while India recorded 6.9 percent GDP growth in the 12 months ended March 31.

Now that Pakistan is within striking distance of China's growth, it aims to catch up. The growth target for the next fiscal year, as set out in the nation's annual budget yesterday, is as much as 8 percent, the same as Beijing's goal for the year.

That may be a trifle over optimistic. Pakistan isn't yet ready to sustain 8 percent growth year after year -- not until it can push up its savings rate, which is languishing at 14 percent of gross domestic product.

Inflation is at an eight-year high of 11 percent, a clear indication of an economy overheating from too much consumption. (China's problem is too much investment.)

Still, another year of strong growth is eminently achievable in Pakistan, provided the central bank can maneuver deftly to suppress inflationary expectations, even as the government goes ahead and steps up investments in public works.

Even a slightly less rapid expansion than this year would go a long way in boosting personal incomes, which have risen a very impressive 27 percent in U.S. dollar terms in the past two years.

Sept. 11 'Windfall'

Sure, Pakistan's retreat from the brink of a balance-of- payment crisis in 1999 had a lot to do with its Sept. 11 "windfall," as some commentators termed it. Pakistan received grants and debt waivers and additional textile quotas from the Bush administration for helping it topple the Taliban in Afghanistan.

That was in 2001.

In 2005, what's helping sustain growth isn't U.S. largesse, but a revival of investor interest, which is evident from the list of bidders short-listed by the government for a proposed sale of 26 percent in state-owned Pakistan Telecommunication Co.

Bidders for the phone service provider, whose market value is about $5.5 billion, include telecom companies from Singapore, China, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

Yesterday, the benchmark Karachi Stock Exchange 100 Index plunged 1.5 percent after the government said it would delay the stake sale in the phone company because of pressure from labor unions. The government said it isn't scrapping the sale, which it now expects to go through by end-June.

2007 Election

The risk of such setbacks will remain, though the broad outlines of an investor-friendly regime should stay intact at least until 2007 when President Pervez Musharraf will, according to news reports, shed his army uniform and seek re-election as a civilian. Musharraf, an army general, took power in a coup in October 1999, and appointed himself president in June 2001.

While poverty still remains endemic, and only 18 percent of women aged 35 to 44 are part of the workforce (compared with 96 percent for males in the same age group), a new middle class has started to emerge in Pakistan.

Private consumption is up 17 percent from a year earlier in the 12 months ending June 30. Per capita income has surged to $736. Once Pakistan crosses the $1,000 threshold, like China did last year, it'll become a middle-income country with a lucrative domestic market of 154 million consumers.

Further income growth in Pakistan will require new jobs. And there's no sign yet of a reduction in urban unemployment, which has risen almost 3 percentage points in the last nine years to reach 9.7 percent. For now, GDP growth appears to be driven by more productive use of domestic capital, supplemented lately by an inflow of foreign savings. The current account now has a full- year deficit equal to 1.2 percent of gross domestic product.

Selling Bonds

Capital flows have been buoyant, as Aziz, a former executive at Citibank NA, has made good use of easy global liquidity conditions to raise cheap money from bond sales.

From investor such as Temasek Holdings Pte, the Singapore government's investment arm that bought 25 percent of a Pakistani bank in April, it helps that Pakistan's relations with India are improving as businesses in the two fast-growing economies press for closer ties. The neighbors have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir, a half-century-old dispute that remains unsettled.

There's help coming from another quarter. Raw cotton, yarn, cloth and garments account for three-fifths of Pakistan's overseas shipments. Along with China and India, Pakistan is widely expected to gain from the new quota-free system of global textile trade.

Yesterday's budget scrapped a 15 percent tax on materials imported by the country's textile industry.

A textile windfall would be a big bonus for an economy brimming with optimism, and quite deservedly. After all, it has been two decades since it last grew as fast as this year. Mimicking China's growth may be a tough act to follow, but Pakistan seems determined.

click for the link (http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-06/07/content_449299.htm)

----------------------------

I really hope they can keep this up. If they can hold this growthrate for the next ten years, we'll be seeing a new Pakistan, a second Malaysia I prefer.

Btw where is the subforum for domestic affairs?

There is none, we usually post in Gup Shup forum.

I have tried to push for a Economic News subforum but we havent even gotten a 2nd mod so what can we expect?

With the Gwadar port being structured the future of Pakistan is looking real nice.

So ACCORDING TO figures released by PAKISTAN'S PRIME MINISTER Shaukat Aziz, the $110 billion economy is ESTIMATED to have grown 8.4 percent in the current fiscal year that ends June 30. I see. Strong point you have there.

So ACCORDING TO figures released by PAKISTAN'S PRIME MINISTER Shaukat Aziz, the $110 billion economy is ESTIMATED to have grown 8.4 percent in the current fiscal year that ends June 30. I see. Strong point you have there.
Someone ban this dumbass fucking asshole :bash:


HASAN GET YOUR ASS ON AND GET HIM BANNED.

and its a CHINESE website!!!

and its a CHINESE website!!!

The news is written in a Chinese website, but the facts are according to pakistan's prime minister, and are an estimate...

Someone ban this dumbass fucking asshole :bash:


HASAN GET YOUR ASS ON AND GET HIM BANNED.

So that's what you do? When someone disagrees with you, you just ask a mod to ban that person because you can't handle it yourself? I haven't done anything that gives you justification to ban me...(notice how you are the one who used curse words, and seem to hate me personally for some reason. if anyone should be banned, it's you)

have a nice day..

HAHA!

This idiot is funny i think he read the thread where me and ooga Booga had a fight. Dude get a life trolling is not cool. And me getting banned lol that like a wet dream!


and yes you are a troll

The news is written in a Chinese website, but the facts are according to pakistan's prime minister, and are an estimate...
:bash: great i see lots of logic in you MASTER NAMANTRA :hilarious

Three things I have to correct:

1. China is not the fastest growing country in the world, but the fastest growing major economy in the world
2. Pakistan is not a major economy so cannot be classified in the same class as China.
3. In the fastest growing country (big or small), Pakistan ranks at best 10th.

:bash: great i see lots of logic in you MASTER NAMANTRA :hilarious

how did that not make sense? the chinese website simply repeated what the prime minister of pakistan estimated.

And I thank you for not using curse words and getting angry in that post. You're known for stuff like that :)

how did that not make sense? the chinese website simply repeated what the prime minister of pakistan estimated.

And I thank you for not using curse words and getting angry in that post. You're known for stuff like that :)
how could you possibly know?
Join Date: Jun 2005

This month has been quiet

i suggest you leave you have no future here troll saab

Three things I have to correct:

1. China is not the fastest growing country in the world, but the fastest growing major economy in the world
2. Pakistan is not a major economy so cannot be classified in the same class as China.
3. In the fastest growing country (big or small), Pakistan ranks at best 10th.

Do you have any figures where this is based on?

I agree with Zulqi Pak
LacLongQuan Do you have any figures where this is based on?

how could you possibly know?
Join Date: Jun 2005

This month has been quiet

i suggest you leave you have no future here troll saab

I based that statement on the fact that ever since I have arrived, you have cussed at me/been extensively rude to me/personally attacked me in nearly every reply you have made to my posts.

Namantra........read ur posts

Why do people get so jealous? http://images.fok.nl/s/nopompom.gif

I based that statement on the fact that ever since I have arrived, you have cussed at me/been extensively rude to me/personally attacked me in nearly every reply you have made to my posts.
Haha

he still thinks he has a future here! :bash:

This is really great news for Pakistan!

The priorities of Pakistan should be:

1. Economy
2. Literacy
3. Defence

What good is strong defence without a strong economy? President Musharraf completely understands this dilaema and is making alot of progress for Pakistan.

Congratulations!!! :cheers:

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Sunday held one-on-one meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai before the announcement of $100 million additional grant for the reconstruction of Afghanistan, enhancing air and overland links between the two countries and reiterating his commitment to have more coordination and cooperation in the ongoing war on terror.

The prime minister was on a daylong visit to the Afghan capital. Shaukat said he had a broad and vibrating interaction with President Hamid Karzai on issues concerning the two neighbourly countries. "Pakistan and Afghanistan share a common heritage, have a deep sense of togetherness in history and a share destiny," he said, adding that both countries were striving for peace, raising the standards of living of the people, fighting terrorism and extremism, building of our economies and building a better future for the people.

"Our discussion today has been broad, deep and vibrating. The president (Karzai) and I spent almost two hours alone discussing the issues of common interest," Shaukat said. There were official level talks between the two sides followed by parleys by the joint economic commissions.

The prime minister said Pakistan believes that a strong, stable, vibrant and prosperous Afghanistan is good for its people, neighbours and for the region. He said both sides have agreed to have seamless cooperation, be it in diplomacy, be it in security matters, be it economic issues and all other subjects, which exist between the two countries.

"This seamless cooperation will take our relations, which are already strong, which do face challenges at times, to greater heights and better sense of togetherness," the prime minister said, urging that Pakistan has always felt about the further development of Afghanistan.

He said Pakistan had announced a $100 million grant when President Karzai took charge to build infrastructure and have joint projects. The road project is moving ahead, so are the schools and hospitals and "today we are exchanging the keys for many ambulances, books and school bags." The prime minister handed over keys of ambulances to the Afghan authorities.

"I feel privileged to announce another 100 million dollars of projects, which will be driven by the needs of the Afghan government and the people. You will decide and these are grants which we will give for common projects so that the brothers and sisters can see the improvement and a better future for themselves," he announced.

He said both sides have agreed to increase flights between Kabul and Peshawar and Kabul and Quetta, which will have two flights a week.

"Pakistan has offered and the President (Karzai) has accepted immediate start of a construction of a railway line between Chaman to Spin Boldak," the prime minister said, adding the construction of the railways line would be a historic link, which should go on to Kandahar and other parts of the country and could be linked up with other railway systems in Afghanistan.

He said that this was a first step and goods arriving in Karachi and eventually to Gwadar would be transported by train to reach Spin Boldak in a very short time.

The two governments, the prime minister said, have signed an investment protection treaty, which will create an atmosphere for investors to invest in both the countries. Already, Shaukat Aziz said Pakistan was host to three and half million Afghan refugees and many of them were actually economic migrants, they invest a lot, they are active in business.

"We welcome them because we are open as an economy and every body is welcomed to participate in Pakistan’s economic activities," Aziz said adding that Pakistan was looking to increase cooperation in many other areas.

He said the trade volume between Pakistan and Afghanistan is about $100 million a month, which would be slightly acceding as was discussed between him and Karzai last year setting the target of about a million dollars a year. He said that trade would bring prosperity to both the countries and would be a win-win for the traders and people of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

"We did talk about the role of the Muslim Ummah and the role of the OIC and talked about the UN and other issues of common interests between the two countries," he said.

In reply to a question about the trading of accusations between the countries on dealing with terrorism, President Hamid Karzai said he has discussed the issue in detail with the prime minister because his country was deeply interested in having close and friendly relations with Pakistan.

"Afghanistan and Pakistan are like twins joint somewhere in the body. And any one of them who gets hurt will definitely hurt the other. The question of terrorism is that if it affects Afghanistan it would also have consequences for Pakistan," Karzai said, adding that the issue has been discussed and it was agreed to further build the confidence between the two countries.

"We have suffered in the past at the hands of terrorism, attacking our mosques, our schools, our clergy, our candidates for elections and our women and children. The same has happened in Pakistan," he said. Shaukat Aziz to a question said that terrorism knows no borders and if there is trouble in Afghanistan so it affects Pakistan and vice versa.

About Pakistan’s role in enhancing security during the Afghan parliamentary elections, the prime minister said that the share objective was that whatever Pakistan could do to impact the security situation in Afghanistan, it would be done. Pakistan had never had as many security forces on the border between the two countries and the fact was that close to 80,000 troops have been deployed, backed by helicopters ad other military arsenal to prevent flow of people who are undesirable on either side.

"We have assured the president that like we did before, we will make more extra efforts so that the security of Afghanistan is not jeopardised in any way," he said.

The prime minister was accompanied by Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao, Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri, PML’s Secretary-General Mushahid Hussain and Khalilur Rehman and Owais Ahmad Ghani, governors of NWFP and Balochistan respectively.

The prime minister was accorded warm welcome by Hamid Karzai government on his arrival at Kabul’s Khauja Rawash Airport and a guard of honour was presented to him at the Presidential Palace, which was attended by the Afghan President, Afghan Foreign Minister, Abdullah Abdullah and others.

Karzai in his welcome remarks said, "We are very happy today to have our brother, the prime minister of Pakistan among us. He is not only a good friend of Afghanistan and good prime minister for Pakistan but also a good scholar and a good manager of worldwide institutions."

He said that both the leaders discussed today in a very friendly manner various issues and the friendship between the two countries in a fact that millions of our refugees are still housed in Pakistan and that the people of Pakistan looked after them very well.

"The two nations have the only way to go forward and that is the way of friendship and cooperation and hoped that leaders of both the countries will be facilitators and promoters of these good relations."

APP adds: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz also called on former Afghan King Zahir Shah and discussed Pakistan-Afghanistan ties and measures being taken to make the relationship more beneficial and strong.

The prime minister said, "We have common challenges of security and there is a need of further cooperation to face these." He said Pakistan was proud to be a part of reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan and said the two countries could enhance cooperation in economic and other fields to promote bilateral relations.

He said there was also a need to face challenges posed by the Western media against Islam and called for initiating joint efforts to remove the misperceptions and promote interfaith harmony. He said Afghanistan could play a very important role in projecting the true image of Islam.

Former King Zahir Shah said Afghanistan needed to emulate the example of Pakistan to progress in many areas. He particularly noted the country’s economic turnaround and complimented Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz for pursuing a prudent economic policy, leading to unprecedented high growth rates.

Recalling his last visit to Pakistan the king said the country felt like a home to him and added he had great regard for its people. The prime minister extended the king an invitation to visit Pakistan and conveyed best wishes and greetings from President Pervez Musharraf.

Pakistan will provide another 100 million dollars grant for Afghanistan's reconstruction and building of roads, schools and hospitals. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz announced this during a joint briefing to journalists with Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Sunday here at the presidential palace after they held extensive two-hour one-on-one talks, which was later joined by ministers and senior officials from both sides.

Islamabad and Kabul also signed Pak-Afghan investment agreement to boost bilateral investment and to protect private investors.

Senior officials also concluded the two-day Pak-Afghan Joint Ministerial Commission proceedings the same day.

Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao, Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, Minister for Tourism Dr. Ghazi Ghulab Jamal and Communications Minister Shamim Siddiqui, Governor NWFP Khalilur Rehman, Governor Owais Ghani and Premier's Advisor on Finance Salam Shah were also present on the occasion at the press briefing.

Shaukat Aziz and Karzai termed the Pak-Afghan relations as strong but conceded they faced challenges at times, adding there was a need to consolidate mutual trust and coordinate efforts to fight out terrorism and extremism.

Both the leaders also exchange views on the issues confronting the Ummah and the future of Organisation of Islamic Conference and the reforms in the United Nations.

Premier Aziz described his meeting with President Karzai as 'wide-ranging, broad-based and result-oriented', and both reiterated to expand cooperation in economic field, investment, fighting the menace of extremism and terrorism.

It was decided that PIA would initiate flights to Kabul from Quetta and Peshawar, besides early construction of the rail track from Chaman to Spin Boldak and to Kandahar afterwards.

Both sides also agreed on expansion of cooperation in road transport, as Pakistan gifted another ambulances to Kabul. Already, such vehicles have been handed over to Afghan government.

The Prime minister said that Pakistan and Afghanistan shared destiny and commonalties and both were keen to do more for the welfare of their peoples.

"Pakistan wants broad and deep relations with Afghanistan in all spheres of common interest. In this connection, the JMC meeting was highly productive," he said.

Shaukat Aziz made it clear that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan was key to Pakistan's betterment and was in the interest of whole region.

He said that Islamabad was strongly in favour of seamless cooperation with Kabul in security, economic and other fields. However, Shaukat Aziz conceded that they were confronted with challenges at times, which they could only tackle together.

"We feel that a prosper and peaceful Afghanistan is our strength. Therefore, we earlier announced 100 million dollars grant for the country and today announce another $ 100 million for its reconstruction to help ensure a better future for Afghan nation."

The Prime Minister said the meeting with Karzai, among other issues, focussed on enhancement of bilateral investment and in this connection, they signed an investment protection treaty.

Shaukat Aziz pointed out that bilateral trade was registered at 100 million dollars each month and hence it was to cross the $ 1 billion mark annually, saying it was a win-win situation for both countries.

Later, replying to questions, Afghan President Karzai said that there had been significant increase in terrorist attacks in three months and added Afghanistan had very deep interest in its relations with Pakistan.

"Strong relations between the two countries are of utmost benefit, as in case one suffers due to terrorist attack, the other also feels hurt. Terrorism hurts both of us," he remarked.

The Afghan president called for building more trust on each other and expressed hope that with coordinated efforts they could tackle the terrorism issue effectively.

To a question, Shaukat Aziz underlined need for increasing the level of information-sharing to defeat terrorism. "The people of both countries want peace and prosperity and are against any elements trying to destabilise them".

He said Pakistan had been making all-out efforts to eliminate terrorism and doing whatever it could to help Afghanistan fighting the menace. In this context, the Prime Minister said Pakistan never in history deployed some 80,000 troops along Pak-Afghan border, supported by aerial surveillance, posts and reconnaissance helicopters.

Karzai to another question said that Islam had nothing to do with the acts of terrorism, taking place in London or elsewhere. "Whosoever, takes life of an innocent in the name of Islam, harms our religion".

Shaukat Aziz said that Islam is a religion of peace and harmony and it never promotes or propagates extremism in any form, adding the Muslims were weary of ongoing acts of terrorism.

Pakistan government handed over 2 million books, 40,000 school kits and 12,500 tonnes of food and 2000 tents to the Afghan government, besides 15,500 flour bags.

Meanwhile, a round of Kabul revealed that either no reconstruction was taking place or its pace was very slow and also on a limited scale. However, there was routine rush in Kabul's markets and bazaars, as Afghanistan observes holiday on Friday.

Pakistan to continue its aid to Afghanistan for the betterment of Afghan people up till now Pakistan had provided more than $2Bn aid to Afghanistan, Pakistan also urges its investors to invest in Afghanistan, Pakistani investors had made first 5 star Serena hotel in Kabul and many schools and hospitals. Pakistan's Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) funded $50 million worth from the government for arranging guarantees and collaterals for the construction companies aspiring to participate in the gigantic task of reconstruction of the shattered roads and buildings in Afghanistan.
Still many Afghan people are living in Pakistan, they came to Pakistan after 9/11 Pakistani people had provided them money, clothes and also give them blue collar jobs and houses on rents. still many of them live in camps. Afghan still wants to stay in Pakistan. Most Afghan children still came to Pakistan specially to study. One afghan children said ''Pakistan had constructed school in Kabul but it's so far from our house, we want to study that's why we came to Pakistan especially to study''. Consequently, education became the goal for the first step in the recovery process. During the past summer, three month long courses were taught. There were 43 people who attended these short courses offered just across the border at the NWFP Agricultural University in Peshawar, Pakistan. Plans are under way for several more short courses to be taught at the university in Pakistan as well as at a university in the recovering Afghan city of Kabul.
“It’s a great humanitarian effort as well as an opportunity to share,” Santas said. Aga Khan University has provided medical services to the Afghan people since the end of the war in 2001, committing a total of $75 million to providing health care. Aga Khan University also wants to develop an Allied Health curriculum, adding the allied health curriculum is a critical piece in rebuilding the country’s health care system.

Hundreds of affluent Pakistanis have made a hefty initial investment (down payment) of more than 3 billion rupees in just two real estate schemes in Dubai. About 1800 Pakistanis have invested over 2.5 billion rupees in International City scheme in Dubai through their authorised local agent ARY while half a billion rupees investment had been made in Gold Crest Views by another 400 Pakistanis through their Karachi-based authorised dealer “Talents and Taste”.

This had been disclosed in a confidential report of the Central Board of Revenue (CBR). The report also carries details of initial probe about recent investment by Pakistanis in residential and commercial real estate schemes in Dubai. The report had been prepared to guesstimate the trend of outflow of capital from Pakistan, patterns of investment, identify the investors, their sources of income and to keep a strict vigilance on the outflow of capital from Pakistan.

Last year the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and the federal government observed a pressure on the foreign exchange reserves of the country. During initial probe by the central bank and federal government, it came to light that several rich Pakistanis are making investment in the real estate schemes in Dubai and this factor was putting strain on the foreign exchange reserves. This situation alarmed the federal government and in one of the cabinet meetings, held in Islamabad, the top economic and finance managers of the government decided to probe the matter to find out the factual position.
Resultantly, during preliminary investigation it had come to light that several Pakistanis have made down payment worth over rupees three billion in just two real estate schemes in Dubai. The International City is offering single bed apartment for 499,000 UAE Dirhams (Rs 8.13 million when calculated at the existing rupee-UAE Dirham parity of Rs 16.30, while 199,000 Dirhams (Rs 3.243 million) are being charged for studio apartment. The company is charging 30 percent as down payment for booking of the apartments.
Meanwhile, Gold Crest Views is receiving 6,15,000 UAE Dirhams (Rs 10.02 million) as total cost for the apartment and booking is being done with 10 percent down payment of the total cost of the unit. Interestingly, it had been pointed out in the CBR report that the real estate companies in Dubai are offering very lucrative incentives like residential visas, loans’ facility, money-back guarantees and airfare to the investors.
Another important aspect that Dubai has emerged as an international state in the Gulf and one of the most safest, secure place on this planet that seems free from political turbulence unlike Pakistan. Consequently, the Pakistanis having enough financial resources preferring to make investment in Dubai keeping in mind one aspect that the investment would attract quick and hefty dividend with bright chances of settlement in the heart of Gulf.
The Nation learnt that the tax authorities are seeking a precise record from the authorised agents of both the Dubai-based real estate companies to identify the investors, their sources of income, total size of investment and to ascertain the most important thing whether or not the investors are taxpayers.

It was learnt that so far most of the Pakistanis have just paid the initial down payment and total investment in the said schemes is likely to exceed 10-12 billion rupees. However, tax authorities might face problem in tracking down a complete record of investors as the existing Income Tax law does not empower them to seek record from those cases where tax had not been imposed.

According to 176 section of the Income Tax Ordinance, the Income Tax Commissioner may, by notice or in writing, require any person, whether or not liable for tax under this ordinance:
(a) Furnish to the commissioner or an authorised officer, any information to any tax imposed under this ordinance as specified in the notice. or
(b) To attend at the time and place designated in the notice for the purpose of being examined on oath by the commissioner or an authorised officer concerning the tax affairs of that person. And, for that purpose, the commissioner or authorised officer may require the person examined to produce any accounts/documents or computer-stored information in the control of the person.

Explaining the implication of section 176, a tax expert said that the existing IT law is almost dumb about those cases where the countrymen are making investment in overseas cases. The IT law only empowers the tax authorities to obtain information only in those cases where the tax had been imposed. However, in this classical case of investment in Dubai, the federal government appears hapless, as there is no tax on overseas investment by the countrymen.

It, however, appears that the federal government is now going to make an amendment in the Income Tax Ordinance to extend tax authorities powers to such cases which involve outflow of capital from the country for investment or other purposes and by individuals and unregistered companies, etc.

Jchoudhry63@yahoo.com
http://nation.com.pk/daily/apr-2005/18/bnews5.php

No change in condition of 51.5pc households: PSLM survey 2004-05

By Mubarak Zeb Khan

ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: More than 51.5 per cent households in the first round of Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement (PSLM) survey have reported no change in their economic condition during the last year.

The PSLM survey report 2004-05, conducted by the Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS), a copy of which was obtained by Dawn here on Wednesday, covered 76,520 households across rural and urban communities for collecting information on a range of social sector issues — education, health and household satisfaction by facilities and services.

The finding of the report showed that in response to a question to compare their economic situation with last year, 51.5 per cent households reported no change in their economic situation, negating the government’s claim about any worthwhile economic change in people lives during the last year of the present government.

Moreover, 23.9 per cent of households reported that their economic conditions had become worse or much worse and only 24.2 reported better or much better improvements in their lives during the last year.

However, when asked to compare with the economic situation of the community where they live, 59 per cent reported no change in their economic condition, 9.6 per cent reported worse or much worse and 25.2 per cent reported better or much better.

The province-wise statistics showed that 62.28 per cent households in Balochistan reported no change in their living standard, followed by 55.63 per cent in Sindh, 49.62 per cent in Punjab and 42.39 per cent in NWFP. Around 23.1 per cent households in NWFP reported that their economic condition have become worse, followed by 20.58 per cent in Sindh, 18.81 per cent in Punjab and 17.30 per cent in Balochistan.

The report showed that the gross enrolment rate (GER) for primary schools, aged five to nine, had increased from 72 per cent in 2001-02 to 86 per cent in 2004-05. The net enrolment rate (NER) was 42 per cent in 2001-2, substantially lower than the GER because of the enrolment of coverage children in primary schools. However, it increased significantly between 2001-02 and 2004-05 — from 42 per cent to 52 per cent.

The PSLM round showed a decrease in the share of primary enrolment in government schools. The overall share declined from 74 per cent in 2001-02 to 72 per cent in 2004-05. The GER, aged 10-12, for middle level increased from 41 to 46 per cent, whereas the NER rose moderately from 16 per cent to 18 per cent. There remained a vast difference between urban and rural areas in middle level enrolment rates.

In the matric level, aged 13-14, the GER increased to 44 per cent from 42 per cent and the NER from nine per cent to 11 per cent in 2004-05, which was moderate but the real impact would be observed after four/five years when the existing primary level cohort would reach the matric level, the report added.

The report says that there was an increase in the proportion of persons — 10 years and above who reported that they were literate. This has risen from 45 per cent in the Pakistan Integrated Household Surveys (PIHS) 2001-02 to 53 per cent in the PSLM 2004-05. This increase has taken place in both for men and women and across all provinces. Adult literacy — 15 years above — has been worked for the first time and it has increased from 43 per cent in PIHS 2001-02 to 50 per cent in PSLM 2004-05.

In health, the PSLM report includes sickness, injuries, immunization, diarrhoea and the use of pre- and post-natal services. Sickness and injuries showed the prevalence rate of 7.10 per cent, and in 93.38 per cent cases these people visited health consultants.

The study revealed that there was a significant decrease in trend in urban and rural areas to consult government hospitals, which declined from 42 per cent to 25 per cent during the last year.

The analysis of housing units by tenure revealed that 86.6 per cent of households had their own house and seven per cent live on rented accommodation. There has been an improvement in tap water supplies from 25 per cent to 39 per cent between 2001-02 and 2004-05.

this is not good news for the government. for all the talk of an improving economy, our economic managers must focus on removing this disparity in income and the overall malaise of poverty. the average man MUST see improvement in his condition in the next ten years, otherwise pakistan is set for a very dark future. i am sure though of the capabilities of this government. i hope they succeed.

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s president said on Friday that Islamabad had proposed setting up a barbed-wire fence along the border with Afghanistan to help keep Islamic insurgents from crossing the rugged area.

But Gen Pervez Musharraf told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview that Pakistan couldn’t afford the major undertaking through mountainous terrain and deeply conservative tribal regions “by itself”. “We could do selective fencing,” he suggested as an alternative to an unbroken barrier.

Musharraf praised Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s efforts to unite a country with no history of national unity and ravaged by decades of war, but said the military needed to improve security.

President Musharraf praised Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon as “courageous” for ordering the withdrawal of Jewish settlements from Gaza, but said he didn’t plan on following up a recent diplomatic breakthrough between the countries by meeting him at the United Nations this month.

“Why should there be a rush?” Musharraf said. “We are clear in our stance. We want to progress towards resolution of the Palestinian dispute, and as progress is made, Pakistan would like to keep reviewing its diplomatic stance.”

“I think such actions need courage and boldness,” Musharraf said. “(From) what we have seen on the TV, Israelis not wanting to leave, being forced out, is a courageous thing to do. We hope that he shows (an) equal amount of courage in the final creation of a Palestinian state.” “I can’t really give a (dead) line,” he said about when formal ties could be established, “but I’m always a believer in reacting before events, of foreseeing events and reacting accordingly ... I don’t believe in reaction, I believe in action.”

Despite calls by a hard-line Pakistani Islamic coalition for protests against his initiation of contacts with Israel, Musharraf said the response in Pakistan to the Turkey meeting had been good. “I see a positive response on the domestic side,” he said.

The president said that Pakistan and India were both optimistic about resolving their bitter dispute over Kashmir, and he hoped for a settlement while both current leaders were in power.

Musharraf said he had established a good personal rapport with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The two leaders will meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York later this month. “We will discuss Kashmir,” said the president.

“I feel there’s optimism on both sides,” Musharraf said. “There’s a positive response towards the resolution of the dispute on both sides. We need to achieve this within our tenures. That’s the time frame.”

The president confirmed for the first time that one of the suspects in the July terror bombings in London briefly visited a Pakistani Islamic school linked with militants.

But he dismissed suggestions that the trip to a madrassa in Lahore influenced the beliefs or motivations of Shahzad Tanweer, saying it was too short and that Tanweer’s “indoctrination” was likely the result of his lack of assimilation into British society.

The president praised former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto’s main opposition Pakistan People’s Party, but said she could not become premier again. “Benazir (Bhutto) has had two tenures,” he said. “According to the Constitution of Pakistan at the moment, she is not eligible to become prime minister again.”

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_10-9-2005_pg1_1

-------------------------------

If you people remember I purposed that Pakistan build a "Great Wall Of Pakistan" similar to the Israeli wall all around Pakistan, although that would have cost $7bn this seems to be a smaller yet much needed barrier to prevent the inflow of drugs, terrorists, economic refugees and so on.

Musharraf I salute you!

:)

This is great better yet we should make it electrified haha

This is great better yet we should make it electrified haha

Better yet make it electrified with land-mines to the front and rear of the fence, backed up with pill-boxes equiped with thermal imaging and inter-locking fields of fire and some Cobra attack helicopters.

Barbed wire does not like wire clippers :guns1:

I dont see it being any effective. Anybody desperate enough to escape would easily get past barbed wire.

Like Guantanomo bay in cuba???

lol

Like Guantanomo bay in cuba???

lol

I didnt really think prisoners were supplied with wire clippers

This news has made my day!

$1m donated for hurricane victims

ISLAMABAD, Sept 7: Pakistan on Wednesday announced a donation of one million dollars to the American Red Cross for the victims of hurricane Katrina. “This contribution is a gesture of the solidarity and sympathy of the government and people of Pakistan with the government and people of the United States who have been affected by a massive natural calamity,” a statement from the Foreign Office said.

Pakistan had offered assistance to support the relief operations by the US government following the death and destruction caused by the hurricane in southern USA. Pakistan is also sending a consignment of goods amounting to $500,000 for the relief activities in areas affected by the hurricane.—APP

Pakistan offers help for hurricane victims

WASHINGTON, Sept 4: Pakistan on Sunday offered to send a team of doctors and paramedics to the hurricane-hit region of the United States to support the relief agencies. “The embassy of Pakistan in Washington is in constant contact with the task force established by the US Department of State to assist foreign governments in reaching their citizens evacuated from New Orleans,” said a Pakistan embassy statement.

The embassy was also working with the Office of Crisis Management Support, which is the focal point for all the disaster relief efforts, to provide help to the affected members of the Pakistani community.

“The embassy is working closely with the members of the community and the community organizations,” the statement said.

The embassy has also established an emergency response unit to assist Pakistani nationals who are affected by the hurricane.

Information about the affected Pakistanis may be e-mailed to katrinaresponse@embassyofpakistan.org.

The information will be shared with the relatives of the affected people, and the victims wishing to inform their relatives could also contact the embassy or the consulate general at Houston, the statement said.

The embassy is coordinating the Pakistani-American community’s relief efforts with the American Red Cross.

Contributions to the disaster relief fund may be sent to the local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Online contributions can also be made by visiting www.redcross.org

Ambassador Jehangir Karamat has appealed to the Pakistani community to reach out to the affected members of the community who are in desperate need of help.

He has called upon the Pakistani immigrants to create temporary jobs for the affected community members to provide them relief in this moment of distress and despair.

There were around 2,700 Pakistanis and Pakistani-Americans in the areas affected by Katrina. Several of them have lost their homes and are now in temporary shelters, the embassy statement said.—APP

US appreciates Pakistan’s assistance for Katrina victims




By Our Reporter

ISLAMABAD, Sept 8: The people of the United States are deeply grateful for the generous assistance provided by Pakistan for the victims of hurricane Katrina, says a press release issued here by US embassy. Pakistan has donated $1 million to the American Red Cross as a gesture of solidarity and sympathy by the government and the people of Pakistan to the government and people of the United States, who have been affected by this massive natural disaster.

The Government of Pakistan also plans to send a consignment of goods with a value of $500,000 to support the relief work in the areas affected by the hurricane.

“On behalf of the people of the United States, President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the US Mission in Pakistan takes this opportunity to express its heart-felt appreciation for this gracious assistance.

“Such an outpouring of generosity provides both material and moral support, which mean a great deal to the victims of this terrible natural disaster and to all Americans,” the press release said.

I think this is a positive thing. And giving a million dollars worth of aid doesnt necessarily mean giving cash. America has allot of that it doesnt need money. Our government can provide life sustaining goods to the US, they can offer their doctors, rescue teams etc. this is definately a good thing.

@ Skyscraperguy

You should remove that smiley, it is an open invitation for trolls.

yeah. I saw the initial list of countries that offered aid, and India was also one of them. I felt kinda bad going thru that list with my american roommate that Pakistan wasnt one of the countries that stepped up with anything at all.

Its called 'Public relations'.. Creating a better image.

1m $ is peanuts! a 5-marla commercial plot in DHA costs more than that!

Fourth Pakistan Date Show in DI Khan

PESHAWAR: The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) and DI Khan Chamber of Commerce and Industry would organise a three-day exhibition of dates called "Pakistan Date Show - 2005" from today in Dera Ismail Khan.

The organisers have invited some 60 exhibitors from across the country including date growers, processors, exporters, marketing professionals and packers to display their products at the show.

Pakistan is the 6th largest producer of dates in the world as the total production of dates is 63 lakh tons cultivated over an area of 78,000 hectares. There are over 30 known varieties of dates cultivated in the country.

NWFP produces 8100 tons dates and Dera Ismail Khan for its hot climate is most suitable for the crop.

Fencing of Afghan border opposed

By Zulfiqar Ali

PESHAWAR, Sept 13: Political parties have opposed President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s offer to fence the Pakistan-Afghanistan border to curb cross-border infiltration.

The Awami National Party (ANP), an opponent of the Durand Line agreement, suggests that both the governments should resolve issues through political means instead of fencing the border.

The Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) termed the offer is tantamount to officially accepting the Afghan government that Islamabad facilitated cross-border terrorism in the region.

Secretary Information ANP Zahid Khan said the party never recognised Durand Line as international border between the two countries and would never support such a move.

“Durand Line divides Pukhtuns living on both side of the border and the party opposes the fencing proposal,” the ANP leader said.

Talking to this correspondent, Mr Khan said that fencing Durand Line would generate new issues as the border had not been properly demarcated at various places, mostly in Mohmand Agency.

Security forces of both the countries exchanged fire when Islamabad started delineating the border near Mohmand Agency in July 2003 following which a tripartite commission — comprising Pakistan, Afghanistan and the USA — was constituted to resolve the issue, he recalled.

“Fencing will not solve the problem of which we should find out a durable solution,” he said.

PPP Spokesman Senator Farhatullah Babar said that parliament and the nation should make such decision, and not an individual.

Senator Professor Mohammad Ibrahim Khan of the JI said that Gen Musharraf ‘has become approver’ by offering to erect fence along the border.

“The offer is unethical, unnatural and impossible. On the one hand, the government is talking about globalisation and, on the other, it offers to demarcate the border by barbed wire,” he said.

He said that the Afghan government was levelling baseless charges of infiltration from this side of the border and that Pakistan was facilitating Taliban and other elements.

5-day week proposed to reduce oil consumption
By Khaleeq Kiani

ISLAMABAD, Sept 15: The government has directed the ministry of petroleum and the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) to examine the impact of a proposal to observe two holidays a week to reduce oil consumption.

The directive was issued by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Dr Salman Shah during a meeting here.

Other proposals to be considered include a reduction in margin of oil marketing companies and dealers, conversion of buses and trucks to CNG and efficient running of thermal power plants.

The CBR and petroleum ministry were asked to jointly formulate recommendations after analyzing the impact of each option.

The petroleum ministry pointed out in a presentation that with the increase in oil prices, the margin of oil marketing companies and dealers had risen substantially.

The sources said the oil marketing companies and dealers could be involved in a dialogue to reduce their margins for an interim period given the extraordinary situation arising out of volatile oil market.

However, a unilateral reduction in margins was considered ill-advised “because it would send a wrong message to the industry”.

The sources said there would definitely be a positive impact of reducing weekly working days to five from six as it would provide saving in terms of fuel consumption, transportation and electricity utilization. The point to be examined was whether such a saving was higher than six-day working output.

The highest burden was that of diesel consumption, the sources said, which had been termed “killer fuel” in terms of its cost.

NWFP opposes fencing of Afghan border
By Our Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD, Sept 15: The NWFP government has opposed the president’s offer of fencing the 1,400km Afghan border, terming it an extremely harmful step for the centuries-old relations between tribesmen living on both sides of it. Provincial Senior Minister Sirajul Haq while speaking at a news conference at the Rawalpindi-Islamabad press club on Thursday, also discribed as unacceptable the new National Finance Commission formula presented in an informal meeting of the four provincial finance ministers, presided over by Prime Minister’s Adviser on Finance Salman Shah.

He said all the provinces had welcomed the proposals advanced by the president but the formula presented in the meeting was contrary to the offer of allocation of 50 per cent of resources to them. He asked the federal government to come up with a formula which covered the aspects of poverty, backwardness and under-development of provinces.

In reply to a question, he said the provincial government had a number of options on the Hasba bill, including taking it to the Supreme Court, and a decision in this connection would soon be taken in a meeting to be attended by top Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal leaders, including Qazi Hussain Ahmed and Maulana Fazlur Rahman.

He alleged that two MMA parliamentarians were being linked to terrorist groups to pressurize the alliance.

He said the tribal ulema had served as a bridge between tribesmen and the security forces and the maligning of Maulana Nek Amal and Maulana Sadiq was harmful for this relationship.

He said the people of Pakistan were against recognition of Israel or establishment of relations with it until all of the Palestinian territory under its occupation was vacated. He said that the country’s foreign policy towards Israel was part of its national ideology, which should not be compromised.

The minister demanded that the federal government should accelerate the work of the joint committee on the issue of provincial arrears of profit from hydroelectric power generation.

He claimed that the Water and Power Development Authority owed to the NWFP Rs18 billion as against the amount of Rs6 billion, which had been capped in 1991 under the A.G.N. Kazi formula.

Mr Haq criticized the federal government for trying to disqualify the local government representatives having seminaries’ certificates although a large number of parliamentarians were sitting in assemblies and the Senate with the same degrees.

He alleged that the move was aimed at undermining the MMA’s planned countrywide struggle against the government.

He said the NWFP government had taken steps like making education up to matriculation free, distributing books for primary schools and girls of up to matriculation free of cost introducing free emergency treatment in big hospitals and opening a Darul Kifala to discourage beggary.

KARACHI: The Rupali Bank, which is substantially owned by the Bangladesh government, and Pakistan’s Arif Habib group on Friday signed a formal agreement to set up a joint venture bank in Pakistan, a press release of the group said.

To be called Arif Habib Rupali Bank Limited, the joint venture bank will take over Rupali Bank’s Pakistan operation.

Rupali Bank with over 600 branches in Bangladesh, is listed on the Dhaka Stock Exchange. It is being prepared for privatisation and will be the first Bangladeshi bank to be privatised, the press release said.

Arif Habib Securities and its affiliates, which will own some 80 per cent of the bank, will now have commercial banking on its repertoire besides having controlling interests in a separate stock brokerage company (a wholly owned subsidiary to which it has transferred this business), an asset management company - namely Arif Habib Investments which is managing over 16 billion in assets.

The Arif Habib group also has major interests in multi-million-dollar industrial projects such as Pak Arab Fertilizer and Thatta Cement. Besides the group also has interest in industrial ventures like Essa Cement and Javedan Cement, housing projects like Sukh Chayn Gardens, in the outskirts of Lahore and Alhamra Hills in Islamabad. The group remains as a financial investor in all these ventures.

Arif Habib Rupali Bank will have a paid up capital of Rs1.5 billion as required by the State Bank currently. Rupali Bank under the new arrangement will have about 20 per cent stakes in Arif Habib Rupali Bank.

Mohammad Abdul Hamid Miah, MD Rupali Bank, Bangladesh and Hafeez Ibrahim, Director Rupali Bank, Bangladesh and also a sitting member of the Bangladeshi parliament represented Rupali Bank in the signing ceremony. Arif Habib, Chairman of Arif Habib Group signed the agreement on behalf of the Arif Habib Group.

The group has plans to establish a strong niche in the commercial banking market by focusing on services not being offered by most leading banks currently.

Anyway, State Bank governor said that Pakistan Banking system is the best in Asia

Yeah great...too bad there are some parts of that same border which man has never steped foot on!!!

How in the world can you fence the border with Afganistan? It's impossible; I wouldn't mind it but it's just a waste of money especially because there is terrain impossible to cross by foot let alone bringing in construction material!

not impossible... thats why so many militants from Afghan territory cross into Pakistan all the time.

True!

First the british drew an artificial line through pashtun areas and divided the pathans families and now Musharraf wants to create a wall.
Fencing the afghan border is not the solution. We will only receive the wrath of the pasthuns by creating a wall isolating families living in border areas from each other.
I am sure that Musharraf remarks is only a verbal offensive against afghan government, who blames Pakistan for giving free passage to talibans from Pakistan border areas. He knows that fencing is not a practically viable solution. It will only strengthen pashtun independence movements demanding either a separate Pashtunistan or they will opt for joining Afghanistan.

Fencing the afghan border is not the solution. We will only receive the wrath of the pasthuns by creating a wall isolating families living in border areas from each other.
I am sure that Musharraf remarks is only a verbal offensive against afghan government, who blames Pakistan for giving free passage to talibans from Pakistan border areas. He knows that fencing is not a practically viable solution.
TRUE!

Turkey also donates money to the US.. and it should...

The US helps us and we help them. We are all people Skyscraperguy..

** Article Removed due to disgusting, biased & untrue statements by swerveut **

And I am pretty sure 95% of them are in Karachi

We need to introduce a simple flat tax system...

The income tax system is pretty basic!
No one in any other place other than Karachi even bothers to document their buisness practices and just make stupid excuses for not paying tax.

The income tax system is pretty basic!
No one in any other place other than Karachi even bothers to document their buisness practices and just make stupid excuses for not paying tax.

agree

Oh, so we r lowest taxpayers in the world

This basically means that Karachiites pay for the development of Pakistan while the rest just make hay while the sun shines.

Pakistan among top 10 reformer countries

ISLAMABAD, Sept 29: Pakistan has been declared in a recent World Bank report as top 10 reformer countries in the world, and has been ranked 60th in case of doing business list among 155 countries by the International Financial Corporation (IFC).

“We have liberalized and opened up our economy for private sector investment and provided a level-playing field to both domestic and foreign investors,” said Board of Investment Chairman Waseem Haqqie at the launching ceremony of World Investment Report 2005 “Trans-national Corporation and Internationalization of R&D” at United Nations Information Centre here on Thursday.

Mr Haqqie said the government had adopted investment friendly policies for the promotion foreign direct investment (FDI). He said that Pakistan had attracted $152.2 billion FDI during the last financial year in five sectors of oil and gas, information technology and telecommunication, financial sector, pharmaceutical, power and construction.

Pakistan, he said, had been focusing on oil and gas, agriculture, power, telecommunication and infrastructure sectors for investment.

According to the World Investment Report 2005, FDI in South Asia has registered a 31 per cent growth in 2004.

The report said that with Asia and Oceania region breaking the records of higher FDI, South Asia attracted $7 billion in FDI inflows during the year 2004, showing an increase of 31 per cent over the last year.

The increase in FDI in South Asia was because of higher inflows to India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, according to the investment report launched by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) on Thursday.

FDI in the region of Asia and Oceania broke records in 2004, the report added. The region received $148 billion in FDI, making it the top recipient among developing regions.

Rapid economic growth, an improved policy environment, and increasing strategic commitments to Asian markets by trans-national corporations contributed to the surge.

China was again the largest recipient of FDI inflows, not only among all countries in the region but also among developing countries worldwide. FDI in China attained another record of $60.6 billion.

Flows to Hong Kong, China, amounted to $34 billion, an increase of 150 per cent and the highest investment growth rate among the region’s economies. Together, China and Hong Kong accounted for two thirds of all FDI in this part of the world.

Among the various sub-regions of Asia, East Asia remained the preferred target last year, with a 46 per cent gain in FDI inflows. Southeast Asia saw a further rise in inflows — from $17 billion in 2003 to $26 billion in 2004.—APP

Well I live and work in Karachi and I pay the Income Tax so I'm pretty much happy to be in that 1.5% List !

Here comes the Karachi earns Pakistan eats shit again.

Here comes the Karachi earns Pakistan eats shit again.

It bites, but its true!
This is a verified fact from an insider in the Income Tax system.

It bites, but its true!
This is a verified fact from an insider in the Income Tax system.

You and your nationalist remarks. Yet another sad but true thing is that Karachi is notorious for bombs, crimes, and besides money, it brings in a bad image too, thanks to MQM gunday.

It bites, but its true!

Btw, how would you know that 95% of the 1.5% of the people paying there income taxes are from Karachi ? Do you have any link or official statement to prove your claim ?

Yet another sad but true thing is that Karachi is notorious for bombs, crimes, and besides money, it brings in a bad image too, thanks to MQM gunday.
Thanks to Musharraff for opening Monabao and Khokrapar border for that

well actully over 50% of the tax payers are from punjab, islamabad has the highest percent of tax payers for a city,

swervenut is usally abit optimistic with karachi and goes over the top when its mentioned.


for this i would reccommed the gov to computerize all this and make sure everyones pays up.

One of my relatives is in a high post in the Income Tax Department and he knows all the statistics of the tax payment system and collection in the whole of Pakistan. This is a fact that he brought to my knowledge. I would not disclose the identity of the person for privacy reasons, but I was told that out of the total tax revenue that is received by the government, 95% of it is generated in Karachi. The agriculturalists of Punjab are quick to hurl abuses at the tax system and dont even bother to document their buisness practices in a formal way for the most part, let alone pay taxes.

As far as Karachi's crime situation goes, its rate is reasonable for a city of that size, and considering the amount of attention it got in the past 50 years from our government, it is expectable.

As far as political issues go, they are everywhere, and I would like to take an apolitical stance and not get into that discussion.

Zees: Are you saying that Musharraf should not have opened the Khokrapar Monabao link for the benefit of the lower Pakistani region and especially for Karachi? If this is what you mean then you do not hide your self-serving, people supressing instincts very nicely. Please move out of the medieval feudal world to a modern egalitarian one or you will be left behind.

This basically means that Karachiites pay for the development of Pakistan while the rest just make hay while the sun shines.

BS!!!

If this bashing goes on any further i will have to take action.

Consider this a last warning for everyone

One of my relatives is in a high post in the Income Tax Department and he knows all the statistics of the tax payment system and collection in the whole of Pakistan. This is a fact that he brought to my knowledge. I would not disclose the identity of the person for privacy reasons, but I was told that out of the total tax revenue that is received by the government, 95% of it is generated in Karachi. The agriculturalists of Punjab are quick to hurl abuses at the tax system and dont even bother to document their buisness practices in a formal way for the most part, let alone pay taxes.

As far as Karachi's crime situation goes, its rate is reasonable for a city of that size, and considering the amount of attention it got in the past 50 years from our government, it is expectable.

As far as political issues go, they are everywhere, and I would like to take an apolitical stance and not get into that discussion.

Zees: Are you saying that Musharraf should not have opened the Khokrapar Monabao link for the benefit of the lower Pakistani region and especially for Karachi? If this is what you mean then you do not hide your self-serving, people supressing instincts very nicely. Please move out of the medieval feudal world to a modern egalitarian one or you will be left behind.

And you think people would actually take your word ? Give an official link that claims Karachi pays 95% income tax, while others just save the money. No one cares if one of your relative works in the income tax department, and me, pakboy, or unitedpakistan are not even sure if you really do have a relative that works in the income tax department.

Until and unless you provide a solid official link, no one would believe you. As I said, your super nationalist when it comes to Karachi. You think Karachi does it all, but don't forget Punjab provides food to all of Pakistan, main exports of textitles come from Sialkot, Faisalabad. Punjab is landlocked and does not have a port, therefore it has to rely on Karachi for exports, and thats how Karachi generates revenue.

But please provide a solid link, or just hush up! :)

This basically means that Karachiites pay for the development of Pakistan while the rest just make hay while the sun shines.

Such comments won't earn you respect among the Pakistani forumers on here. Please think before you speak :)

Channel structure
With 140 million people, burgeoning telecoms and banking sectors and a government that firmly believes embracing IT in all its forms is one of the best ways to promote the development of the economy, it is little wonder that Pakistan’s star is rising.

Pakistan is attracting significant attention from major IT vendors and increasingly — due to its close economic and cultural ties to the Middle East — channel expansion and sales strategies are being handled out of this region. More and more vendors are on the lookout for quality partners in Pakistan.

Vendors from the networking, IT infrastructure, software and components sector are united on one simple fact: Pakistan represents a massive growth market with significant untapped potential for those that implement the right channel strategies.

http://www.itp.net/pictures/features/pakistanhafeez200.jpg
Hafeez Khawaja, Western Digital’s senior regional director for the Middle East, Africa and South Asia

The Pakistani IT market is developing fast and the move one year ago to scrap import duty on IT components coupled with the government’s clear enthusiasm to drive the development of a vibrant IT economy have acted as a catalyst for inward vendor investment and the rollout of structured channels.

“The channel is now getting organised in Pakistan,” explained Hafeez Khawaja, hard drive vendor Western Digital’s senior regional director for the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. “It had been scattered in the past when those importing products tried to avoid customs duties. There could never be accurate market sizing when that was the case.”

Removing duty on components scuppers one of the main advantages that grey traders rely on to sell at a cheaper price and allows vendors to accurately estimate the size of the national market. According to Khawaja, the current market for hard drives, which provides a solid insight into the scale of local assembly in Pakistan, currently stands at approximately 500,000 units per annum. The actual total addressable market for PCs is much higher with A-brand vendors importing finished units in significant numbers for both enterprise and government tenders.

As the market opens up and matures, vendors are increasingly looking to implement structured channels in Pakistan. UPS vendor APC, which currently works through two primary partners in Pakistan, is already examining closely the best way to evolve its existing in-country channel structure.

“APC works through two partners in Pakistan and we drop ship product to them directly,” said Erik Vossebelt, account manager at APC Middle East. “These partners sell to end-users but we are pushing them to build up a reseller channel. At the moment there is a trust issue in terms of pricing between the resellers and the first tier partners. This is because the distributors also sell to end-users. Many Pakistani resellers still prefer to purchase their product in Dubai.”

“The second tier channel is not properly structured yet and it is something that we are addressing,” he added. “There is a requirement for a genuine distributor on the ground in Pakistan and resellers would really value a truly independent supplier.”

Partner programmes
Networking giant Cisco has already dedicated time and resources to launch a structured channel in Pakistan. The vendor already has strong relationships with both global and national systems integrators operating in Pakistan, allowing it to penetrate the fast-growing service provider sector. Cisco has also appointed Marsons as its authorised distributor for Pakistan and is driving the development of a two-tier channel. At present, Marsons purchases from Cisco’s two Middle East stocking and logistics distributors: Tech Data and Logicom.

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Saeid Marashi, Pakistan country manager at business software behemoth Computer Associates

“Pakistan is a very complex market from a two-tier channel perspective,” admitted Tarek Ghoul, regional channel manager at Cisco. “There is still the battle against the grey market and there is the battle in terms of building reseller coverage in all the major cities. Logistics is also a challenge in Pakistan and it is in these areas that the local knowledge of Marsons is a real benefit.”

What is clear is that the Pakistani channel community is showing a strong appetite for the partner programmes put on the table by vendors. While there remains some way to go, the distinction between those players that want to focus on the distribution space and those that want to serve end users is starting to occur.

“The market has definitely matured,” said Saeid Marashi, Pakistan country manager at business software behemoth Computer Associates. “The distinction between resellers and distributors has been clearly defined in the market. Another noticeable development is the increasing levels of certification and training by resellers, which has given rise to increased efficiency and quality.”

The drive to develop a trained and certified channel in Pakistan is a priority for many vendors now working overtime to introduce partner programmes in the country and raise awareness of their product offering. Western Digital already has Petrosin and Roma Infotech on board as in-country distributors for Pakistan and has now turned its attention to reaching out to local assemblers and second tier resellers.

“It is now all about creating pull for Western Digital products,” said Khawaja. “We are looking at loyalty programmes and have already launched the Select WD partner programme. Partners in Pakistan will receive exactly the same tools and benefits that we give here in the Middle East.”

Local presence
For APC, creating the right balance between developing the market for its high-end solutions and its volume products is a channel priority in Pakistan. At present, APC estimates that 30% of its sales in Pakistan are derived from enterprise-focused solutions suitable for corporate datacentre environments with the remaining 70% from product-focused sales.

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Erik Vossebelt, account manager at APC Middle East

Vossebelt explains the strategy: “The demand exists at the low-end so we do dedicate resources to pushing the high-end. For APC it is all about pushing solution selling even further in Pakistan and simultaneously creating a healthy distribution channel to maintain our growth rates. It is a massive growth opportunity and the end is not in sight. There are five GSM operators in Pakistan

APC’s focus on high-end solutions in Pakistan is testament to the strength of enterprise IT demand driven by major vertical sectors including telecoms, banking and the public sector. It is a view echoed by Cisco, which has committed human resources to exploring these opportunities and is building strong delivery ecosystems with its partners.

“We are in the process of opening a dedicated Cisco office in Pakistan at the moment,” added Ghoul. “Cisco has probably got more people in Pakistan than we have in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman combined and we are committed to even more investment moving forward.”

Cisco plans to grow its revenues 88% in Pakistan next year, reflecting the rapid acceleration in IT spending that is being witnessed in the market. Ghoul firmly believes that if the current growth curve is maintained, the importance of the Pakistani IT market in a regional context will continue to soar.

“When we were planning last year we placed big bets on specific countries,” he continued. “Pakistan was one of them. The government understands that the economy has to be transformed and IT is a strategic asset when it comes to achieving this. Cisco is prepared to invest up front in that opportunity and this is something that other companies do not do. They win the deal and then think about the people they need. Our view was to work in a non-traditional sense, think outside the box and put people on the ground straight away.”

Computer Associates has also taken the plunge and allocated dedicated resources to Pakistan, setting up its operation in-country in September 2004. Recent estimates by research houses suggest that the value of Pakistan’s software and IT services market is already hovering around the US$300m mark per annum.

“My role as country manager is to ensure that our customers in Pakistan are getting the right solutions from CA and are able to effectively manage their IT environments,” said Marashi. “Things are moving very quickly for CA in Pakistan and we are receiving an increasing number of inquiries from leading Pakistani organisations that want to find out how CA can help them.”

Logical logistics
While the enterprise IT sector already appears to be in cruise control, the Pakistani government still has its work cut out to get the SMB sector firing on all cylinders. “I believe it will take another three to six months to start tapping into this sector,” admitted Ghoul. “We will focus, position Cisco well and sell business values. By building intimate client relationships we will be in a better position to understand the true nature of the SMB opportunity, but we believe it is huge. Like other governments around the world, the Pakistan government realises that the SMB sector will play a crucial role in fuelling economic growth.”

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Tarek Ghoul, regional channel manager at Cisco

It is not just the opportunities that exist within Pakistan that are grabbing the attention of ambitious vendors. From a product perspective, some vendors now claim that Pakistan is rapidly becoming a gateway for the flow of IT kit into Afghanistan. While Pakistan is undoubtedly a rising star, not all vendors have realised that it is best served out of the Middle East. Some vendors still prefer to manage Pakistan from Singapore or even India, despite the increased flow of product into the market from Dubai.

“The cost of freight is very high from Singapore,” said Khawaja. “Products can move from Dubai to Karachi by sea within a day or one hour by air. Dubai will be the hub that serves Pakistan. The cultural ties are there and there is strong investment ties between the UAE and Pakistan.”

The market in Pakistan is booming but some vendors still need to open their eyes a little bit wider to appreciate the true scale of the opportunity. With 140 million people, five GSM operators and a pro-IT government the potential is clear. To date, mobile phone, PC and internet penetration remains limited in Pakistan, but if the trends of the past year are an indicator of developments to come, vendors and distributors should get ready now.

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Ok now taxation must be increased I would think that atleast 15% should be paying them. That figure may seem low but considering its currently at 1.5% I think increasing the taxation net is the way to go.

Its disgraceful that people that can not afford it dont pay thier keep.

--

Well this 1.5% is from 150mn but not all Pakistanis are >18 years old.

Yes its true that many people dont pay taxes but most of the people that do pay taxes donot show their original income, they show just 10% of their original income (Because most people in large cities have 2 sources of income, they declare one (the source that is related to the Govt. and everybody knows how much the Govt. pays to its employees) and dont even mention the other (that is private), Take an example of a Physician, most physicians work in a Govt. hospital in the morning and practice privately in the evening, the pay from the Govt. is just around 6,900 (Grade 17) and they can earn upto 100,000/mth from private practice but Im sure if a survey is done it will be found out that most of the physicians show their pay around 10-15 thousands. .

A survey was done in which it was found out that none of the shop-keepers of up scale Shopping malls in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad pay taxes. Also a beauty saloon on M.M.Alam road that charges 600 for a facial wasnt even listed.

Considering that the USA has given several billion in Aid to Pakistan, giving $1 million back is the least of what we can do when they are in need!!

Nadra offers e-polls, car tracking system: Eliminating bogus votes
By Our Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD, Oct 4: National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) can provide an electronic system to the Election Commission of Pakistan for ensuring transparency in the 2007 general elections by eliminating bogus voting, Nadra’s chairman Brig (retired) Saleem Ahmed Moeen told Dawn on Tuesday.

“So far, the Election Commission has not desired to have the system to hold electronic elections but we can provide the system whenever required,” said chairman Nadra.

Under the e-election system no other document would be required except the voter’s Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) which would just have to be swiped to cast a vote.

E-election system was being used in many countries, including India, where polls were held in phases, the Nadra chief said.

“Electronic polls cannot be held simultaneously in each and every part of the country because holding of e-polls in one day requires bulks of equipment and staff to operate them,” he said.

Brig Moeen said because of the features built in the CNIC the e-system would not let anyone cast his or her vote twice.

“If a person is a voter in Karachi he or she cannot cast vote in Hyderabad because when the CNIC of the voter is matched the first digit of the card shows city of the card holder, second and third digits represent district and the fourth and fifth town or Tehsil,” he explained.

Asked about the expenses on holding electronic elections, he said: “They would not only be more transparent but cost effective also. Cost is not the problem. As e-elections can’t be held in one day in the whole country, they are conducted in phases under which the entire country is split into parts and polls are held in them in phases,” the official said.

He claimed Nadra has one of the best systems in the world to hold electronic polls.

“Electronic polls were held in Venezuela recently on the basis of finger prints. For that purpose 12,000 laptop computers were purchased. But fortunately we already have complete system to hold electronic elections by using our CNIC in which finger print and photo of voter can be matched with the same available in the CNIC,” he said.

COMPUTERISED DRIVING LICENSE: Brig Moeen said Nadra has the technology to make computerised driving licenses.

He said the government of Punjab had shown interest in introducing computerised driving licenses but it dropped the plan for unknown reasons. “The cost of our computerised driving license was Rs100, whereas another firm offered to provide the same facility at cost Rs350 for each license,” he maintained.

CAR TRACKING SYSTEM: Nadra also had successfully developed a software for car tracking in the country, he said.

In this connection, Nadra has launched pilot projects in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad but unfortunately not a single province of the country is ready to get this system implemented.

Under the system cameras are installed in different places and a chip is attached with the wind screen of vehicles which helps detecting the vehicle, its registration numbers and monitoring its movement.

“We can curb terrorism, car-theft incidents and other crimes by implementing the system. But on the other hand the system would expose malpractices of police and therefore, it is being discouraged by them,” said Nadra chairman.


Should we have epolls in 2007?

The N.I.C number in Pakistan is like the social security number in the USA. Why is that people provide this number on resumes and are so willing to give it up....do you think they will have problems later on when financing and lending becomes more common?

it is NOT like the Social Security Number in US...

oh definitely, if it helps reduce the election frauds, we should have e-polls.

Edit: In fact we should have an e-poll here to see what the majority wants..e-polls in 07 or the conventional form. :)

^ Agreed

Reforms to help reduce poverty to 18pc: Ishrat

LONDON, Oct 4: State Bank Governor Dr Ishrat Husain has said Pakistan is back on a trajectory following introduction of structural economic reforms which will enable it reduce the current 33 per cent level of poverty to 18 per cent.

Speaking at a reception hosted by the Pakistan Society here late Monday, the SBP chief updated a select gathering of bankers, economists and businessmen of the structural reforms introduced in last five years to not only pull the country out of its economic crisis in 1999 but also to revive its economy.

“This was done by bringing in a new monetary policy which helped both stimulate the economy and achieve 8.4 per cent growth rate this year,” he added.

Pakistan’s envoy to London Dr Maleeha Lodhi was also present on the occasion. A senior member of the Pakistan Society Yasin Anwar organized the reception on behalf of the society which was sponsored by the United National Bank here.

Giving a comparison of the past and current state of the economy, he said Pakistan, with just a $100 million in its kitty was at the verge of bankruptcy five years ago. But now it had not only won back credibility from the international lenders like World Bank, but had over $12 billion in its foreign exchange reserves.

The World Bank, he said, had declared Pakistan as one of the top 10 reformers which was a great achievement. The country which had 160th rating for doing business was now rated as the 60th country in the world.

He said the country had reduced debt burden and had in place an investor friendly regime as a result of wide-ranging economic reforms implemented during this period by the government.

Pakistan, Dr Ishrat said that was one of the few countries where 80 per cent banks were now in the private sector which had generated a competition. The banks had given $7 billion loans in last two years alone and people now could borrow for buying cars, motorcycles etc. The car production in the country had gone up from 30,000 to 150,000 while sale of motorcycles soared from one million to five million to cater to the rising demand. “This has generated more employment opportunities,” he said.

Explaining the rationale behind reforms in all sectors of the economy and the government’s drive for privatization, he said, the government had no business to be in business. “Now there is no restriction on the investors either to bring in the capital or take out their dividends.”

Fielding a question on the existence of the black economy, Dr Ishrat said that no country could totally control it as even in Sweden there was a large black economy. However, the government had already initiated a raft of measures to deny incentives to the black marketeers, as for instance, it had cut the tariff rate from the past 22pc to 12 per cent.

Asked about the corruption in the country, Ishrat said, it was non-existent on the top which had been acknowledged by the Transparency International. But he said corruption did exist at the middle and lower level and the government had slashed the discretionary powers of income tax officials to check it. Now no SRO was issued for an individual rather it would be either sector-based or for a group of companies.

He told another questioner the biggest problem in Pakistan had been fiscal indiscipline. But with the autonomy of the State Bank and a strong media, he said, would work as the restraining influence over any government not to exceed its budgetary powers. —APP

Bill Machines - Coming Soon in Lahore

The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) is planning to install “Bill Machines”, where consumers would pay their gas bills directly to the machine. This is a joint venture between NADRA and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), and Initially 50 such machines would be installed in Lahore (similar plans are there for Karachi, Islamabad and Rawalpindi). According to NADRA the system is customer friendly and would enable consumers to pay their utility bills at the machines in cash, which is being introduced in Pakistan for the first time.

There is one thing that I have to mention though. I am already using Citi Phone Banking 'utility bills payment facility' for sometime now. Its really useful and saves time. You just have to make one phone call from home, give in your credit card number and there it's all done. Perhaps NADRA should come up with a mixture of both, paying in cash at the machines or through credit card from home.

But in any case its still better than waiting in long queues.

what exactly is gas bill? Don't you guys use LPG cylinder?

No we have underground natural gas pipeline network throughout Pakistan, except for the far flung areas. This network supplies the whole country with Natural gas from the Sui area in Balochistan.

Does anyone know when the underground network was completed?

No we have underground natural gas pipeline network throughout Pakistan, except for the far flung areas. This network supplies the whole country with Natural gas from the Sui area in Balochistan.

oogabooga:
You mean you just switch on the gas in the kitchen, and don't have to buy cylinders? If it is so, then it is really great for Pakistan. Atleast, I am not aware of it, but this is something we don't have in India. Maybe, because we don't have that much natural gas, or the distances are too long to construct such piped networks.

^ yup, that's what he meant and that's how it is.

oogabooga:
You mean you just switch on the gas in the kitchen, and don't have to buy cylinders? If it is so, then it is really great for Pakistan. Atleast, I am not aware of it, but this is something we don't have in India. Maybe, because we don't have that much natural gas, or the distances are too long to construct such piped networks.

So wait, your telling us that everyone in India uses LPG cylinders? Even in Mumbai and Delhi? If such is the case then thats bad because I think there should atleast be underground pipeline in Big cities, wouldnt you agree? because with cylinders theres always a chance of it exploding.

But yeah thats how it is in Pakistan. In Pakistan the Gas network is in Sindh, Punjab and some of NWFP. But Pakistan is small as compared to India. I can imagine what kind of nightmare it would be to construct a pipeline in all of India.

I dont think its because of Natural Gas not being in abundance though. Because, if memory serves me right, there arent any pipelines for Gas in Saudi Arabia either and they have abundant oil and we all know that if theres oil then theres gas.

NIC # in PK is exactly like SS# in US. If you apply for credit card in PK all the ask you is your nic # and home address. But most people don’t now about the sensitivity to NIC so they don’t care I guess

^ they don't ask for the NIC #, they ask for a photocopy!!! and when you apply for a Passport/Driving License/Birth Certificate - they still ask for a photocopy!

It is infact similar to the SS. The NIC # is how the Government knows who you are and where you live etc.

Plus I do encourage people to "Mark" their NIC Photocopies for whatever purpose their giving it out for (Credit Cards, Financing ETC.). I always tell them to mark it so that it cannot be used for any wrongfull means.

so whoever posted this article, i have got a food for thought for u

USA donated $50 Million to Pakistan, maybe you were forgetting that Humanity is Humanity thats what Islam teaches us. We should help the needy in times of calamity no matter who it is.

Even of there was an earthquake in Israel, Pakistan should be the first one to help, this is what Islam has taught us. You should have thought twice before posting this article. Dissappoined.

Such Narrow Minded thinking is also the reason, I don't want the Mullahs n power in Pakistan.

although our muslim brotherly countries have all given aid...but in helping to resuce to victims and bringing them to cities for treatment ...NATO, japan, germany, britain and the US were the only ones to bring in choppers. without their logistical support MANYYY would have died as we firstly dont have enough helicopters, and the ones we have cannot even carry a familyy....it is always good to help!!!

although our muslim brotherly countries have all given aid...but in helping to resuce to victims and bringing them to cities for treatment ...NATO, japan, germany, britain and the US were the only ones to bring in choppers. without their logistical support MANYYY would have died as we firstly dont have enough helicopters, and the ones we have cannot even carry a familyy....it is always good to help!!!

Do bit more study mate befor you say anything .. There has been Turkey aswell China too allso Sudi Army is helping out and many more muslim countrys say something befor you know it thank you bro .. :bash:

i did not say that the muslim countries are not helping. AFCOURSE they are helping...and helping a lot. but the countries who have sent in helicopters are most if not all non muslim....that was the point i was trying to make.... :sleepy:

Muslim countries have given the cash and non muslims countries have given assitance in releif and choppers. There is nothing wrong with that.

I dont understand what you're trying to prove Sher-e-Lahore? Every country is helping in whichever they can. Saudi's have money therefore they are donating money, Turkish have expertise in rescue and relief operations because their country faces major earthquakes very often therefore they are offering help in relief and rescue operations (among other things) and the US has the technological advantage therefore they have donated most of the helicopters flying over Kashmir they have also setup the Mobile hospital with the most modern technological medical equipment at their disposal.

They have also sent a whole engineering battalion to rebuild roads and level ground shifted by the earthquake. Without their Chinook helicopters (which can hold upto 54 people or 10 tonnes of cargo as compared to the 10 people or a couple of hundred pounds of cargo the MI-17 can hold) I can surely say that the rescue and relief effort would have been much more difficult and allot more people would have died.

Infact as we speak, there are approximately a 1000 US rescue personnel on Pakistani soil helping our Kashmiri's, saving lives and bringing hope to those who have lost everything.

So I dont understand what we are trying to prove in this thread? Instead of having a thread stuck to our general section thanking every country for their assistance, here we are arguing over why Pakistan donated a million dollars to the US and how little the US has done for us! I know that if I was an American, I would seriously be pissed after seeing this thread.

And its not only the US that has helped us but allot more countries, more than 30 I think. We should be thanking them not criticizing them.

nvm

Rich countries are failing to respond generously to the UN South Asian Earthquake appeal and must announce new donations at the donor conference starting today (Wednesday), said international agency Oxfam. Oxfam has compiled figures showing that many rich countries have so far given much less than their fair share according to the relative size of their economy as a proportion of the OECD total.

As donor governments meet today (Wednesday) in Geneva to discuss the situation, Oxfam's figures show that:

Despite Kofi Annan's urgent call for more aid last week, the UN appeal remains only 19 per cent funded and if pledges are included (which are often not delivered) this only brings the total to 30 per cent. (US$90 million has been pledged out of the $312 million the UN requested).
Only four countries (Sweden, Luxembourg, Netherlands and Denmark) have so far given more than their fair share to the appeal.
Governments that have given less than one fifth of their fair share include, Japan (17 per cent), Germany (14 per cent), the US (9 per cent) and Italy (7 per cent). Seven rich country governments have so far given nothing at all to the UN appeal - Belgium, France, Austria, Finland, Greece, Portugal and Spain. By contrast much poorer countries such as Poland and Chile have given contributions to the appeal. While some of these governments may have given resources outside of the UN appeal, Oxfam said that ensuring the UN appeal is met is vital to ensuring the aid effort is successful.

"Governments are once again failing to respond to an emergency appeal. The logistical nightmare in Pakistan is bad enough without having to worry about funding shortfalls as well. Governments meeting in Geneva today must put their hands in their pockets and pay their fair share. The public will be shocked that so many rich governments have given so little," said Oxfam's Policy Director Phil Bloomer.

According to Oxfam's research, while high profile emergencies are generously funded (i.e. the UN appeal for Iraq in 2003 was over 90 per cent funded and the Tsunami appeal received 80 per cent of funding within ten days) the low amounts pledged for this emergency are not exceptional:

In 2004 donor governments provided less than two thirds of what the UN's emergency appeals asked for - leaving a black hole in emergency programmes of US$1.3 billion. A similar shortfall existed in 2003.
Most UN emergency appeals receive less than 30 per cent of required funding in the first month.
Other current UN appeals such as the one for Malawi remain similarly under funded.
"The slow response to the UN South Asia appeal is depressingly familiar. These delays can cost thousands of people their lives. What will it take for rich countries to learn this obvious lesson?

"The UN urgently needs a properly resourced global emergency fund that can plug these gaps and deliver aid immediately. Until a US$1bn fund exists, the chaotic passing of the begging bowl will go on and people who survived disasters will continue to die while they wait for aid," said Bloomer.

The UN has put forward proposals to establish such a global emergency fund by revitalising an existing fund formally called the UN Central Emergency Revolving Fund (CERF). Yet donor pledges to the fund currently total only $187 million. This is less than 20 per cent of the US$1 billion target of additional aid that Oxfam estimates donors should commit to the fund to ensure that the UN can respond immediately to future disasters.

Only seven governments - UK, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, Ireland, Switzerland and Luxembourg - have pledged money to date. Rich donor governments including the US, Belgium, Italy, France, Canada and Australia have so far failed to pledge a cent to the new emergency fund.

ENDS


For media interviews and enquiries ONLY:
Brendan Cox on + 44 1865 47 2498 in the UK
Caroline Green in the US on +1 202 321 7858

General enquiries:
0870 333 2700

> Download the full list of government contributions to the UN appeal and the comparisons with their fair share

Oxfam calculated how much each government should contribute to the fund and to the UN South Asia appeal according to the relative size of their economy (as a proportion of the OECD total).

The UN Global Emergency Fund, already approved by world leaders at the U.N. summit in mid-September, will go before the 191-member General Assembly for final ratification in mid November. The UN expects the fund to be operational by early 2006.

...

@ Skyscraperguy

First of all, I am at work right now otherwise I would have given you a comprehensive analysis of your post, but not to worry I'll get home in 7 hours. But why are you going offtopic? This post was originally started for the hurricane Katrina and then it became for the October 11 Earthquake. So we should stick to the point and discuss the matter at hand.

I removed it from my post but how come it's still there

Thankyou for understanding. I dont know why its still there. PM UP.

We should not be over-awed by the amount of aid received by foreign countries .... in fact considering the scale of this disaster it is pathetic .... it is about half of what one individual in the UK paid himself as a bonus last week ....

By contrast some muslim countries have been extremely generous .... e.g. Turkey, Saudi, UAE, Kuwait ...

We should not be over-awed by the amount of aid received by foreign countries .... in fact considering the scale of this disaster it is pathetic .... it is about half of what one individual in the UK paid himself as a bonus last week ....

By contrast some muslim countries have been extremely generous .... e.g. Turkey, Saudi, UAE, Kuwait ...

Yes, but we should atleast be thankful for whatever help we have recieved. Like I have said before, the people worst affected by this disaster are the Kashmiri's and the people of NWFP and I think that if you ask one of those people then they would say the same instead of criticising them.

But yes the developed world should definately do more. In such a situation, whatever is done for rehabilitation will still be insufficient simply because the scale of the disaster is so massive.

I cant get rid of the smilie sadly as you have requested.

world pledges another %580 million. total aid recieved crosses $1 billion

I cant get rid of the smilie sadly as you have requested.

The Smiley right next to the topic name? If thats what your referring to then I removed it just now.

About 70 percent of the Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) has been diverted to Iranian port of Bandar Abbas due to unavailability of adequate transportation facility at both the ports in Karachi, causing huge losses to the national exchequer.

Since August, both the Pakistani ports have witnessed a sharp decline in their ATT cargo handling, which presently, slipped to only 30 percent from its peak of 80 percent.

The only reason behind this sharp decline is unavailability of railway wagons. As a result, most Afghan importers are now reluctant to use Pakistani route. Due to transportation problems, over 4,000 ATT containers had been awaiting clearance for final journey.

Importers are keen to opt for alternative mode of transportation for clearance of their consignments and to save themselves from demurrage and other charges, which they have to pay if they failed to clear their goods within a free time period.

The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) has directed the collectorate of customs (appraisement) at Port Qasim to allow transportation of ATT cargo through National Logistics Cell (NLC) till the backlog is cleared.

Sources told Business Recorder on Thursday, there are still a number of containers lying at both the ports in Karachi. Presently, around 431 containers are lying at the Port Qasim Authority (PQA), and even after four days of hectic efforts the freight service of Pakistan Railways (PR) was unable to provide sufficient number of railway wagons. The railways had provided only 55 wagons against the demand of 431 to transport ATT cargo.

Around 1,382 containers are lying at the Afghan and other transit sheds at East Wharf and 2,221 containers at the West Wharf.

Sources said the average arrival of non-commercial cargo, which mostly belongs to diplomatic, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and others stood at around 5,000 containers through Pakistani ports.

When contacted, Pak-Afghan Transit Trade Clearing Agents Group General Secretary Amir Atif told Business Recorder the group wrote a letter to the Commerce Ministry on September 28 for the provision of alternative mode of transportation for ATT consignments.

The letter suggested the CBR to provide the facility that if Pakistan Railways fails to supply wagons for transportation of Afghan trade cargo within 48 hours of its arrival, Afghan importers should have the option to lift their cargo through NLC.

The letter also said the supply of railway wagons for Afghan transit cargo is very poor for the last six months. The supply is far lesser than the demand, especially for 40-ft containers. The demand of railway wagons is increasing rapidly due to fast growth in Afghan economy, but the railways has no plan to cater to future growth of the ATT.

The railways never gives priority to ATT consignments. As the Afghan trade has no other option of transportation, it has adopted a monopolistic attitude.

Due to delay, Afghan importers are annoyed to pay huge demurrage, container detention and other charges and diverted their cargoes to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas where adequate facilities are available.

And thats why Gwadar is being counstructed!

yup that is y we are building gwadar

But I think works on major motorway and rail projects linking Gwadar to north of country should be started as soon as possible too.

Work on Gwadar - Rato Dero - Quetta - Islamabad highway was initiated earlier this year. It would not be done till another 2 - 3 years. Other highway and rail projects were launched simultaneously, so it'll take another 2 years minimum for Gwadar to be well connected to central, and northern Pakistan.

yup Gwadar is very important, but for now it's a very bad news because we earn a lot by importing/exporting stuff from Landlocked Afghanistan and other Oil rich central Asian states, there is also an Oil refinery in Karachi. there are so many Afghans working here and thay send all there money back home not by money tranfer services but by people so its bad for economy it will be same again that whatever we earn from sea (fishes) goes to Bangladesh in the form of remittances.

Gwadar isn't an excuse for KPT, PQA or Pak railways to not do their job properly.

Our railway system is a mess currently and will always remain so unless we start putting some serious money and thought into that sector.

British Pakistanis bring fish and chips to Kashmir's 'Beverly Hills'
By Isambard Wilkinson in Mirpur

MIRPUR, AK -- A construction boom fuelled by money from Britain is transforming what was once one of Pakistan's poorest towns into its "Beverly Hills".

The skyline of Mirpur, in the State of Azad Kashmir, once boasted nothing more than two-storey brick houses and mud huts.

All that has changed since British Pakistanis returned to invest money earned in the UK in their ancestral town. Now soaring doric columns jostle with gilded porticos at the entrances of huge houses.

The result is the region's most spectacular mix of architectural styles since the British Raj introduced "disappointed gothic" to the subcontinent.

And, in a striking example of reverse cultural influence, returnees are bringing such British institutions as greyhound racing and fish and chips back to Mirpur with them.

"The United Kingdom has greatly helped improve our economy", said Mohamed Chaudhry Saeed, the British honorary consul in Mirpur and the owner of three car showrooms.

Noor Hussein spent 25 years in Birmingham working as a taxi-driver but is now a Mirpur estate agent.

"The boom has changed the face of the town," he said. "People are building bigger and more decorous houses. It is a sort of status symbol. Property prices have gone up like in London. But compared to terrace houses over there, the houses here are luxurious."

Mirpuris form about 70 per cent of the British Pakistani population of 800,000.

When David Blunkett, the former home secretary, lifted visa restrictions last year he made the announcement in Mirpur, the home town of the Labour peer Lord Ahmed.

Migration to Britain from this poverty-stricken area, known as "Little England", began in the 1880s when Mirpuris worked as stokers on British merchant ships.

Another wave of migrants from the district headed to England when the nearby Mangla dam was constructed in 1969. The project displaced 100,000 people and 5,000 took up a government offer to move to Britain.

In the 1980s remittance wages began to flow into Mirpur, starting an explosion in demand for electric household goods such as televisions and fridges.

Today's housing boom is accompanied by an increase in internet cafes, satellite dishes, microwaves, car showrooms and shopping malls.

At a rough-hewn dog-racing track, Mohamed Tabariq, 54, said he moved from the area to Preston when he was 15. He owns a take-away restaurant and two hotels in Lancashire but has moved back to Pakistan.

"It's an easy life here, no stress," he said. "We have built up a farm on 20 acres and I have imported these greyhounds from England to keep me busy".

On one Mirpur boulevard stands Qureshi Palace, a garish medley of towers, tiles and columns. Its owners seldom visit. Like most of the ostentatious houses, it is used mostly for only three months of the year when British Pakistanis take extended holidays.

Nevertheless, according to the World Bank, the remittances from Britain have not filtered down to local farmers and the young will continue to migrate to the UK.

"In the beginning people had the idea that they would earn money in the UK and then retire here," said Mr Saeed. "However, people are staying there now because of pensions schemes and the health service.

"The next generation, which has less attachment to Mirpur, does not want to come back as their social lives are now different to ours."

were are they gona get the cash from, 90% of british kashmiris live on welfare.

were are they gona get the cash from, 90% of british kashmiris live on welfare.

Any link to back that up?

i live here m8.

Thats just great...

were are they gona get the cash from, 90% of british kashmiris live on welfare.

now come on...you know thats way not true.

whta you guys think abt the future of the cities of sindh, exluding matropolis karachi.like hyderabad, nawabshah, Mirpurkhas, sukkur,larkana and jacobbabad. 2nd biggest city of sindh hyderabad doesn't have required infrustucture of roads no amusement park (rani bagh is appealing for renovation and upgration) unopen airport and doesn't have any five star hotel.
Mirpurkhas with opening of new railway links between pakistan and india at khokhraparkar-monaba this city will play a major role.THis needs a renovated railway station, and one thing is that this city even doesn't have zero-star hotel so this industry also needs proper attention because our railways are always late, so we should preplane these things other wise this create problem for the passengers.As most of the people want to visit india from pakistan belong to sindh.
There is an airport call sindhri airport in this city but i think this is only on papers not on ground.If pakistani govt give proper attention to this airport it will be as like johar baru airport (Malaysia), people fly from alover malaysia to JB then by train or by bus to singapore, there many other examples.People will fly from all over sindh, may be from alover pakistan to mirpurkhas then by train to india.
one more reason why this city need good infrustructure, thar coal project during installation of plant. Many foreiners and engineers and technicians from alover pakistan will be coming for their accomodation it's necessary.
likewise, other cities espeically sukkur and nawabsha are also need proper attention. if anyone among you guys know about any project going to start in this city. please upload here.

I think Sukker probably has more potential than any of the other cities in Sindh as far as the current situation goes.

Hyderabad could be renovated, and should be made proper, but due to its close proximity to Karachi, most buisness tends to ignore the city in favor of the bigger one. Most Hyderabadis (as far as my knowledge goes) also have lots of relatives and even have houses in Karachi so they do not end up spending more time in Hyderabad.

Sukkar on the other hand is located more towards the interior of the country, and therefore has the potential to become a major transit hub for regional trade, therefore it should be developed that way.

Thatta shoud be developed for tourism for its Makli graveyard, the Shah Jehan Mosque and the Keenjhar Lake

Unfortunately, the problem with Sindh is the Waderas and Wada Saeens. They tend to be fairly backward even when educated, and very self serving like all the other feudals that afflict Pakistani society. They usually do stuff for their own good and could hardly care less about the people in their villages and mandated areas.

yeah i totally agree with, sukkur needs renovation few years back i've travelling in pakistan railway i found " Date palm" as especialty of sukkur many types of dates are there.so Govt can also expand this crop by giving incentives to export it internationally.
One more thing i want to clear here is that jamshoro there is very num,ber of students studeing in different university taking different courses.but what i saw on my visit over there.The student studying in jamshoro are not sincere with their studies except few students. same thing i observed in sindh agriculture university down to hyderabd in the way of mirpurkhas.Then how this type of student can change the environment of the province.post what u observe or what u think?

I wud love to see pics of mirpur, and how it has changed

i live here m8.

That does not constitute as any kind of proof.

I wud love to see pics of mirpur, and how it has changed

im sure i will go there in the near future, and will deffo take some pics.

were are they gona get the cash from, 90% of british kashmiris live on welfare.

That's not true, 90% are tax dodging taxi drivers like the guy in the article who move their money to Pakistan so that the Inland Revenue in the UK can't find it :jk: :runaway:

:lol: :lol: taxdodgers

Pervaiz for conservation of historical heritage

LAHORE (APP) - Punjab Chief Minister Ch Pervaiz Elahi has directed implementation of a comprehensive programme for the restoration, conservation and renovation of cultural and historical heritage of Lahore and different areas of the province.
He also sanctioned a grant of Rs 40 million for the rehabilitation schemes of Lahore Fort and Shalimar Garden. He issued orders for free entry of women and children in Shalimar Garden w.e.f. January 01, 2005.
The Chief Minister was presiding over a meeting held in connection with conservation of cultural heritage of Lahore and other districts, here Thursday. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Kamran Rasool, Chairman P&D, Salman Ghani, Secretary Finance, Salman Siddique, Secretary Information & Culture, Taimur Azmat Osman, DG PHA, Shabbir Ahmed and heads of concerned departments.
Ch Pervaiz Elahi said concerted efforts are being made to finalize the programme for further highlighting the cultural and historical identity of Lahore, which would help promote tourism in the province.
He said that cultural heritage of Lahore has an international significance and efforts for its conservation and beautification would attract a large number of local and foreign tourists.
The Chief Minister directed to carry out a survey for the rehabilitation of all archeological sites in the province and said that museums would be established in the cities of historical importance.
Ch Pervaiz Elahi said natural beauty of Shalimar Garden would be maintained at all cost and proper arrangements would be made for lighting, landscaping and parking.
He directed Archeology Department to undertake immediate measures to ensure cleanliness in Shalimar Garden, Lahore Fort and other historical places. The Chief Minister also accorded final approval to the agreement between Punjab Government and UNESCO for the conservation of cultural heritage of the province.

KARACHI, Dec 15: The Federal Minister for Population Welfare, Chaudhry Shahbaz Hussain, has said the government would create 1,200 to 1,500 jobs for doctors and paramedical staff of population welfare centres in Sindh.

He stated this during a meeting with the Provincial Minister for Population Welfare, Pappu Shah, on Thursday, said an official statement. It said that Mr Shahbaz further pointed out that the federal government would provide funds while the provincial government will implement the orders.

To a question, he said that sufficient funds were available and would be provided to the Sindh government and that its requirements would be fulfilled. Mr Shahbaz also said that he, accompanied by the provincial minister for population welfare, would visit the interior of Sindh soon.

http://www.dawn.com/2005/12/16/local15.htm

I hope they make plenty of jobs for radiologists!

^^ :D

I hope they make plenty of jobs for radiologists!

If you are a radiologist and comign back to Pakistan, you are going to be facing competition from my Super-radiologist-Aunt. :)

If you are a radiologist and comign back to Pakistan, you are going to be facing competition from my Super-radiologist-Aunt. :)
Ohhh nooo!!! The auntie jee is going to make me lose my career in Pakistan. :hahaha: :tongue3:

Emaar appoints Mohammed Al Falasi as Pakistan head to drive country operations
Emaar Properties, the world's largest property development company by market capitalization, has appointed Mohammed Al Falasi to head its operations across Pakistan.

http://www.ameinfo.com/images/news/9/21349-falasi.jpg
Mohammed Al Falasi.


'As a highly qualified rising businessman in the community, Mohammed Al Falasi is well placed to lead Emaar's growth in Pakistan. In Al Falasi, we have acquired a country head who is ambitious, resourceful and knowledgeable in the ins and outs of this company," said Emaar Chairman Mohamed Ali Alabbar.

Prior to his appointment as Managing Director of Pakistan, Al Falasi worked across the board at Emaar in everything from sales to property management. In 1998, he began his career with the organization as a sales representative promoting one of Emaar's first properties, Emirates Hills, then left to help launch the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) where he was responsible for monitoring, managing and analysing market performance. Upon rejoining Emaar in 2002, Al Falasi took on much wider responsibilities that encompassed property, retail and even facilities management.

In December of 2004, Al Falasi took charge of Emaar's projects in Karachi and Islamabad.


"With its population boom and overall economic growth, Pakistan is key for Emaar's master planned developments encompassing housing, commercial and retail. With a population of over 150 million people, we believe Emaar can be the largest real estate developer in Pakistan in the near future. I am proud to help lead the company's expansion within this growing nation and ensure that we work in close collaboration with government institutions across the country,"



said Mohammed Al Falasi.

Al Falasi, who was educated in the United States with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Eastern Washington University, is part of a growing number of highly skilled UAE nationals within Emaar in senior positions.

"I enjoy the challenges and speed of working with a company like Emaar," said Al Falasi. "It is my great honour to work so closely with the Chairman who I believe has a great vision for this organization. Emaar's expansion across the Middle East, North Africa and Subcontinent region allows us to replicate what we have do so well within our home market - offer a variety of lifestyle options for people throughout the community," said Al Falasi.

This recent appointment is part of a newly launched initiative called "Afaq," meaning 'horizon' in Arabic. The initiative will channel UAE National talent into key positions throughout Emaar, in both the UAE, and abroad.

http://www.ameinfo.com/76723.html

Why couldnt we put a Pakistani in this position?

Because the it's an Emirati company... they get to choose who they want to appoint!

^^^^ Huit is right. They get to chose. This guy looks young but he might be better than the pakistani in the sense of financial management. A Pakistani "Passay($) khaata aur khilaata"! :cheers:

Why couldnt we put a Pakistani in this position?
Who gives a crap man?? As long as he/she works I don't care if he/she is from Greenland or Antarctica. :)

Because the it's an Emirati company... they get to choose who they want to appoint!
I know that but why wouldnt they appoint a Pakistani? Obviously a native would know much more about the infastructure and finances of Pakistan as well as the people.


Who gives a crap man?? As long as he/she works I don't care if he/she is from Greenland or Antarctica.
It is better to have a native gain expertise from such a position than a foreigner who will eventually go back home.

i am glad UAE is investing in pakistan a lot, it is really great for the ties of the 2 countries

which projects in karachi and isloo did they invest in?

the only emaar project i remember was 55 story shiek zayed tower in lahore, which is also in doldrums

which projects in karachi and isloo did they invest in?

the only emaar project i remember was 55 story shiek zayed tower in lahore, which is also in doldrums


i guess they might be planning huge projects for future, pakistan can be one of their main real estate investments, this is amazing. may be they will build the tallest building in pakistan :eek2:

i heard Emaar will be making something similar in housing like "Arabian Ranches in Dubai"
for DHAI

TRIPOLI (Libya): The shipping industry of Greece has shown interest to import manpower in this field from Pakistan.

Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping Babar Khan Ghauri Thursday said in Tripoli that the representatives of Ministry of Shipping and Ports of Greece and private sector would soon visit Pakistan to finalise the import of manpower.

Referring to his meeting with the Minister of Ports and Shipping of Greece, Babar Ghauri said the talent of Pakistanis working the ports and shipping industry was highly appreciated in the meeting by the Greece minister.

He said aspects of joint ventures in shipping and ports were also discussed in the meeting by both the ministers.

Babar Ghauri said Pakistan has trained manpower in the shipping and efforts are being made to send this trained manpower to other countries and main concentration is Greece because this industry has achieved success in this country.

He said the Greece officials have also appreciated the introduction of Machine Readable passports by Pakistan.

Replying to a question Babar Ghauri said the Minister of Shipping of Greece has assured his full help and cooperation to get the insurance claim of Tasman Spirit case.

The Minister also held meetings with the representative of Greece Shipping Association to promote business activities between the two countries.

Federal Minister for Privatization and Investment Zahid Hamid said the business community of Greece has shown interest to invest in shipping, petroleum, refinery, construction, mega projects, oil and gas sector, agriculture and tourism.

He said during his meeting with the Minister of Investment of Greece, both the countries agreed to start negotiation for joint ventures in these departments between the two countries.

Appreciating the decision of America to lift economic restrictions on Libya, the Minister said, it would promote development in Libya.

During his meeting with Minister of Economic Affairs of Libya, the Federal Minister Zahid Hamid also discussed the matters of enhancing trade and economic ties.

Libya has started privatisation process, and showed the interest to seek guidance and cooperation from Pakistan in this regard particularly in the banking sector.●

http://www.pakistantimes.net/2006/05/19/top15.htm

ANCHORAGE, AK. June 22, 2006 - LeadDog Consulting, LLC today announced the release of geographic databases of city streets for the Pakistan cities: Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Lahore, and Karachi to support asset-tracking, government, military, and commercial GIS applications.

Designed to help companies track their assets and provide accurate base level mapping, LeadDog's product provides numerous vector layers and attributes such as:

- Streets at 1:10,000 scale
- Street names
- Street classifications
- Extensive Points of Interest (government ministry offices, banks, hotels, etc…)
- Park, Water, and Landmark polygons

Pakistan City Streets are available in all major GIS formats. An Pakistan Major Roads and Highways product is available at a 1:250,000 scale.

LeadDog Consulting, LLC is a leading global provider of GIS street maps for Iraq, the Middle East, Africa, Mexico, and the rest of Latin America.

--------------------------------
http://www.directionsmag.com/press.releases/?duty=Show&id=14603

Probably a boring article on the surface for most but this will be a tremendous help in development related issues and land use planning.

PESHAWAR: Humayun Akhtar Khan, minister commerce said on Thursday an Expo center, similar to the one in Karachi, would be established in Peshawar to promote trade with Central Asia and Afghanistan.

The federal government wants to develop NWFP industry and the Expo Center at Peshawar, a gateway to Afghanistan and Central Asian states, that would greatly benefit industrialists in the province, said the minister during his visit to Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI).

Mr Khan said chief minister Akram Khan Durrani agreed to the proposed Expo Center and assured him of providing land for the same. The minister said the federal government would hire professionals for the speedy construction of the center.

http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\07\07\story_7-7-2006_pg5_8

I hope the provincial government of NWFP realizes the huge business & tourism potential of their region and actually start producing results fast than just talk about it, as the world is watching that area quite closely. Any progress there now would sure be noticed and encouraged. People in that region are dragging way behind than they need to. Lets give them a reason to be chest thumping Proud Pakistanis too.

IF YOU GUYS PREFER YOU CAN READ IT HERE. (http://www.ccc.nps.navy.mil/si/feb03/southAsia.asphere) Its much easier to read directly from the website.

Note: This article is a bit dated.

Introduction
During the 1990s Pakistan's economy suffered on two accounts. One, lack of vision by the civilian ruling elites to make efficient use of public financial resources to boost economic growth, contain poverty, and develop human resources. Two, the inability of these governments (B. Bhutto and N. Sharif) to check unbridled corruption and cronyism. This failure resulted in the political use of public resources, the bending of rules and regulations to benefit a selected few and the erosion of any institutional accountability. Four key economic breakdowns evolved out of this environment: (1) high fiscal deficits; (2) an unsustainable public debt (domestic and foreign); (3) a sharp deterioration in the distribution of income; and (4) a disturbing rise in the level of poverty.

Under the Musharraf Administration, considerable progress was made in correcting the first and second problems, but possibly at the expense of a further sizeable increase in the numbers of people below the poverty line. In part, economic performance under Musharraf stems from the emphasis placed over the last three years on macroeconomic stabilization as a key to fighting poverty. The strategy hinges on the premise that stability will result in higher rates of investment and eventually the restoration of rates of growth of over 6% (Malik 2003) per annum achieved during the 1960s, and through most of the 1980s. In turn high growth will pull large segments of the population up over the poverty line. The hope is that in the near future sustained rates of growth of over 6% will again be the norm.

The question that immediately arises is whether this is a realistic goal for the economy. Historically, Pakistan grew faster than the South Asia average by an average of 2 percent in the 1960s and 1970s, and at similar rates through the 1980s. Since 1993, Pakistan's growth has been below the regional average. In contrast, after starting slowly, growth in South Asia as a whole has been steadily accelerating for the four decades. In short, with the exception of a spurt in the 1980s, trends in growth in Pakistan have been steadily slowing from initially very high levels since the 1960s. At that time, many observers thought the country had taken off (Burki, 2003) in the Rostow (1960) sense— industrialization was proceeding rapidly and the agricultural sector was experiencing a revolution in productivity gains. To a lesser extent, the 1980s also represents a failed take-off.

The December 2002 Strategic Insight "IMF Stabilization Programs and the War on Terrorism: Conflicting or Complementary Objectives in Pakistan?" examined some short-run challenges facing the economy. It concluded that if growth does not materialize soon there is the real danger that Parliament is likely to modify the current set of orthodox IMF-type economic policies to be more populist/inward oriented. If this occurs, it may be extremely hard for the country to attract the foreign capital it needs to restore rates of growth in the 6% range. Continuing with the IMF's macro-stabilization program is probably the best thing the country can do in the short run to restore investor confidence, and in this regard there are some encouraging signs of increased investor confidence in the country (The News, January 20, 2003). However, in the longer term, Pakistan must address its domestic terrorism problem if it is to receive high, sustainable amounts of foreign investment. This Strategic Insight now turns to the longer-term challenges facing the economy—even if foreign investment picks up, will the country be able to sustain rates of growth in the 6% range required to make a significant dent in the country's massive poverty?

In short, this essay addresses the following: (a) What factors appear to limit rapid, sustained growth in Pakistan? (b) Have these changed significantly over time? (c) Is the increase in domestic terrorism and wide-spread sympathy for terrorist groups (Bokhari 2003) related to past patterns of economic growth and development? and (d) If so, is it possible or the United States and other donor nations to construct an aid strategy for Pakistan capable of simultaneously attacking the country's two greatest contemporary problems: escalating terrorism and an underperforming economy?

Factors Underlying Pakistan's Patterns of Failed Take-offs and Decline
The main factors underlying the country's growth are increased supplies of labor and capital, along with overall efficiency or total factor productivity (TFP). Changes in TFP represent increased efficiency brought about by market oriented economic reforms, more competition, increased globalization, innovation, and technology transfer brought about by increased foreign direct investment. Conversely, declines in TFP can come about because of such factors as erosion in governance, increased protectionism, slow-down in globalization and corruption. As a standard for comparison, about half the growth in the industrial democracies stems from TFP. On the other hand, economies isolated from the global economy such as the former Soviet Union and the Latin American economies at the height of their phase of import substitution in the 1960s derived no growth from TFP.

A recent study (IMF 2002) of total factor productivity in Pakistan paints a telling picture. The IMF found that for 1961-2001 as a whole, Pakistan experienced only moderate TFP growth (0.5 percent annually). This finding suggests that most of the country's growth can be accounted for by increased amounts of labor and capital, with efficiency gains playing a relatively minor role.

Looking at sub-periods, an interesting pattern emerges. In the 1960s, Pakistan's TFP experienced negative growth (on average -2.2 percent). Beginning in the 1970s, TFP growth became positive, peaking in the 1980s (2.4 percent), only to become negative again in the second half of the 1990s when it declined to -0.4 percent per annum.

The IMF attributes Pakistan's strong growth performance of 6.6 percent per annum in the 1960s to rapid increases in investment, both physical and human. Many observers point to the 1960s as a period of the country's greatest economic success resulting in a Rostow-type take-off. Clearly, however there were forces at work that would eventually constrain and decelerate growth (Looney 2001, p. 203). In addition to low rates of domestic savings forcing an eventual decline in investment the rapid growth during the 1960s was not broad-based. More telling, it generated a great deal of economic tensions: regional and class inequalities increased, while large segments of the population experienced falling standards of living. The concentration of incomes was particularly disturbing. Twenty-two families owned 66 percent of industry, 97 percent of the insurance sector and 80 percent of banking. A mere 0.1 percent of landlords owned 15 percent of the country's total land.

The 1970s were a turbulent time in Pakistan's history as the first Bhutto administration attempted to correct some of the distortions noted above. Perhaps because of such an uncertain time, there were declines in the growth rates of GDP and almost all factor inputs.

The country's economy expanded again in the 1980s, with the average annual rate of GDP growth of 6.1 percent only slightly below that of the 1960s. Total factor productivity expanded up to an average of 2.5 percent. The country's initial attempts at market-oriented reforms including deregulation and privatization no doubt contributed to increased efficiency.

Despite rapid growth, the economy showed an increasing number of structural weaknesses toward the end of the 1980s. These included (Looney, 2001, p. 210): (1) heavy regulation of economic activity through price control, industrial licensing, and Government ownership; (2) a trade regime that provided a high level of protection and created distortions, thus inhibiting competitiveness and export growth; (3) a weak public resource position due to a narrow and inelastic revenue base, high consumption expenditure, and inadequate development expenditure, resulting in excessive budget deficits; (4) an inefficient financial sector with mostly public ownership, directed credit and weak commercial banks; and (5) a high and growing debt service burden resulting from the country's heavy reliance on external borrowing to finance its economic growth..

No doubt as a result of these distortions, economic growth decelerated again in the 1990s with average trend GDP growth of 3.9 percent per year for the period 1991-2001, but only 3.2 percent during the 1996-2001 period. The fall in total factor productivity was particularly dramatic, declining to negative 0.5 percent per annum during 1996-2001. The rate of growth of the physical capital stock also decelerated somewhat to average 4.4 percent. Human capital growth also decreased to 3 percent despite the acceleration in labor force growth. The economy was simply not able to sustain the high rates of growth needed to "take off" and eradicate poverty.

Summing up, it appears that Pakistan had what might be called two failed takeoffs—the 1960s and the 1980s; periods where growth and investment (and in the 1980s total factor productivity) accelerated only to run into constraints imposed by low savings rates, macroeconomic imbalances, and a lack of supporting institutional development and proper governance structures.

William Easterly (2001) has termed Pakistan's experience "growth without development". Easterly contends the country's poor social indicators have lowered the productive potential economy and its ability to service its high debt. His observations along with the patterns of total factor productivity are suggestive of possible explanations for Pakistan's failed take-offs, despite a fairly respectable overall growth rate of 5.4% over the 1961-2001 period: a certain degree of development and growth was attainable with a skilled managerial elite and unskilled workers, but over time, this strategy ran into diminishing returns, as human capital did not grow at the same rate as the capital stock. Adding in weak governance and limited economic reforms aids in explaining slowdown in growth from the late 1980s to present.

More bluntly, Shahid Husain (2001) has attributed the country's inability to sustain high growth to the following factors:

1. An increase in the role of the state has coincided with a decline in governance.

2. Non-competitive regimes politically and economically have resulted in rampant corruption and stagnation—the subversion of competitiveness was the central feature of Pakistani governments.

3. There has been a continuous redistribution of wealth in favor of privileged groups

4. A hard crust of economic monopoly has stifled new growth and creativity.

5. An erosion in the provision of public services has resulted in a decline of the public's trust in government which is seen a predatory. This, in turn, is linked to non-payment of taxes, the corruption in tax administration, and the massive increase in borrowing.

6. The quality of the civil bureaucracy is falling rapidly. A majority of civil servants are not even paid a living wage and this is tantamount to an incentive to corruption.

7. The irrelevance of the state in the lives of the people is exemplified by the total breakdown of law and order.

8. The inability and unwillingness of the state to discharge its social services has meant a vacuum in social services. Pakistan's literacy rate has remained almost unchanged since independence. The dependence on madrassahs (religious schools) is hence understandable.

From this, Husain correctly concludes that little economic progress, let alone a take-off is possible until the government is able to re-establish its presence in the political, social, and economic lives of the people.

These factors can all be grouped into a system characterized by the dominance of diversion over production. As Kazmi (2003) notes:

This dominance results in the unfettered exploitation of the real producers of goods and services and unchecked accumulation of wealth and resources by the 'diverters' in the society. The chief characteristics of the diversion based societies can be identified as the unjust property rights, the outdated judicial and legal framework, powerlessness of the working classes, the ascendancy of feudalistic norms and a highly inefficient and corrupt government machinery.

Finally, there is empirical support that the diversionary economy suffers from low productivity capable of stifling long periods of high growth. Hall and Jones (1996) have developed an index of anti-diversionary policy consisting of five main components. Two of the categories relate to the government's role in protecting against private diversion: (1) law and order, and (2) bureaucratic quality. Three categories relate to the government's possible role as a diverter: (1) corruption, (2) risk of expropriation, and (3) government repudiation of contracts. They find that an equal weighted index is highly correlated with output per worker. Bureaucratic quality, law and order along with corruption remain a problem in Pakistan with the other two elements presenting a lesser challenge.

For its part, the Musharraf administration initiated reforms to improve not only the country's economy, but its governance and key institutions as well . The agenda for improving governance is based on the devolution of power, improved public financial management/accountability, fighting corruption and civil service, judicial, and police reforms.

The Musharraf reforms appear sound and well intended, although it is too early to gauge their progress. One thing is certain, however: the country has a long way to go before high rates of growth can be restored. A recent World Bank report on Pakistan, notes that despite the general perception prevailing among the public that governance has improved in the last few years, Pakistan still ranks 74th out of 102 countries in the CPI (Corruption Perception Index).

Sources of Terrorism/Terrorist Support in Pakistan
One thing is clear. The progress made in implementing the Musharraf reforms will have tremendous implications for terrorism in Pakistan. Burki (2002) notes that the important question is not what kind of presence Al Qaeda has established in Pakistan. "The real issue is how some segments of society can be weaned away from the type of thinking represented by Al Qaeda. Unless that is done, Pakistan will not be able to achieve either economic or political stability." At issue then is what objectives should the reforms be focused on? Does terrorism breed in an environment of dire poverty as is now quite prevalent in Pakistan? Or is it more likely to take hold in an environment of dashed expectations and limited opportunity of economic success for not only the common man, but the educated as well—an environment that is also felt by many Pakistanis. Or is terrorism simply a reflection of militant Islam stemming from the rapid expansion of the madrassahs or religious schools? (Looney, 2002) In 1947 around 150 madrassahs existed in Pakistan. By 1971 this number had increased to 562. Another thirty years later in 2002 there were about 20,000.

As for the underlying causes of terrorism, initial post-9/11 speculation focused on poverty and low educational attainment as critical elements. With time and more rigorous research a different picture has emerged. Krueger and Maleckova's detailed and in-depth review of the evidence provides little reason for optimism that a reduction in poverty in and of itself or an increase in educational attainment, would meaningfully reduce international terrorism. Their main finding is that any connection between poverty, education, and terrorism is indirect, complicated, and probably quite weak. Instead of viewing terrorism as a direct response to low market opportunities or ignorance, they suggest terrorism is a response to political conditions and long-standing feelings (either perceived or real) of indignity and frustration.

The growth and productivity patterns noted above are certainly suggestive that Pakistan is a classic example of a country fulfilling Krueger and Maleckova's description of a terrorist breeding ground. Clearly, large segments of the population have become weary and frustrated with the country's lack of economic progress, especially now that the Indian economy is pulling away with a much higher and accelerating rate of growth. The country's patterns of growth, productivity and institutional failure noted above, seem to fit in well to a more formal model of terrorist development recently devised by Bremer and Kasarda (2002).

Failed Transitions and Terrorism
Bremer and Kasarda's main conceptual construct is what they term "The New Second World". This is a group of around three dozen countries that have reached middle-income status over the past two decades and that are now in the midst of the critical economic and political transitions from third world to the first.

The New Second World transition has three phases (Figure 1). The first, or early phase, typically begins when a low-income country starts to industrialize rapidly, launching an agrarian-industrial transition and the complex transformations—urbanization, income growth, economic diversification—that accompany it. In a process similar but not identical to Rostow's, take-off occurs if growth continues for a decade or more. In that case the country reaches the middle New Second World phase.

http://www.ccc.nps.navy.mil/images/si/2003/NewSecondWld.JPG

In the second phase, industrial production per capita may now be around three times what it was when the transition started, and growth in low-value-added manufacturing is rapid and sustained. Incomes rise and a middle class begins to emerge. Bremer and Kasarda note that if this middle phase continues for 10 to 20 years, the country would likely reach the advanced phase, often a time of recurring economic crisis and political turmoil. Countries currently in this advanced phase include Brazil, Poland, Russia, and Turkey.

Since Pakistan is in the first stage (along with countries such as Egypt, Iran and Saudi Arabia—Figure 1), our attention is focused mainly on the problems encountered by that group. This group has failed to move forward to the middle stage largely because of growth-limiting policies and institutional rigidities. As Bremer and Kasarda note: "History suggests that failure to make steady progress through the New Second World transition's early phase to the middle period is extremely dangerous. If the transition stalls here—as it did in post-World War I Russia, and as it has now in much of the Middle East—failure can lead to revolution and Al Qaeda-style international violence."

The one thing that the nations stuck in the early phase have in common is slowness in adopting choice based systems. Bremer and Kasarda define "choice-based" systems as encompassing both market-based economies and democratic political institutions and organizations.

No indexes of the degree of choice-based systems exist. However, the annual publication of an Economic Freedom Index by Gwartney and Associates (1995) is no doubt a good proxy. Stripped to its essentials, economic freedom is concerned with property rights and choice. It follows that to measure freedom one must find appropriate measures of the way in which these elements are restricted by governments.

Gwartney et al choose 17 such measures in four broad areas: (1) money and inflation; (2) government operations and regulations; (3) takings and discriminatory taxation; and (4) international exchange. Indexes vary based on the weights given the 17 components. On their index countries are ranked from 0 (no freedom) to 10 (extremely high levels of freedom). On this basis, Pakistan improved from a very low 2.3 in 1975 to 5.4 or mid-range by the mid 1990s. The improvement in the country's ranking was not based on across the board improvements but to improvements in just a few components in the index (Looney 1997): marginal tax rates were reduced, the black exchange premium was eliminated. There were no appreciable improvements in the government operations components.

In sum, there has been some movement toward increased economic freedom in Pakistan over the last several decades. However, it is clear that if the country is to escape from its initial stage of transition it must not only attack corruption but also improve its bureaucratic capabilities, regulatory environment, and legal system. Historically, the unfortunate fact is that despite the high pay-off to economic liberalization the process in Pakistan has proceeded unevenly across the various sectors. Clearly shaky governments and powerful interests have caused the reform process to proceed at an uncertain pace.

Implications for U.S. Aid
While the analysis above makes a strong case for Pakistan's terrorism problems being an outgrowth of widespread frustration and anger over the country's inability to break out of the first phase of the New Second World, the two other commonly cited sources of terrorism, poverty and militant Islam no doubt are also contributing factors and need to be addressed. However, it is unlikely that focusing on them exclusively will significantly reduce the attractiveness of terrorism.

Instead, assistance needs to focus on the policy changes and institution building needed to navigate out of the first development stage currently trapping the country. Here, U.S. aid can make a significant contribution by assisting the Pakistani Government's attack on the root causes of terrorism—those elements that define the diversionary economy and currently suppress economic freedom. In targeting these areas (Figure 2), contributions (dotted lines in Figure 2) toward reducing poverty and the numbers of Islamic militants would occur simultaneously.

Ordinary aid towards institution building, anti-corruption and the like might face strong domestic obstacles. However, in Pakistan's case, the Musharraf anti-corruption and institutional strengthening reforms are already in place and appropriate for the war against terrorism—they simply need to be adequately funded and implemented. As a result, the United States would not be perceived as trying to impose a foreign set of institutions on the country. The overall guideline for allocating assistance should be simple and direct: is this program assisting the country in moving towards a choice based system?

Figure 1 New Second World Transitions

This approach is also consistent with the objectives laid out in the country's new Five Year Plan to raise the GDP growth rate to 6 percent by June 30, 2005 (Naqvi, 2003). To achieve this the government has targeted six key areas: (1) political stability; (2) regional stability; (3) law and order; (4) the continuance of fiscal responsibility—tight control over budget deficits; (5) economic policies have to remain consistent and transparent; and (6) the structural reforms program must actually be ahered to and completed.

The key remaining issue surrounds the type of assistance—should it be in the form of aid, with a stipulated rate of interest, or an outright grant? An earlier Strategic Insight (Looney, September 2, 2002) suggested that the United States should also consider substituting grants for aid as a more effective means of monitoring projects and providing performance incentives to the recipients.

For the type of institutional loans under consideration here, the situation is more complicated because output is harder to measure and there would be no real scope for competitive bids to provide the contracted outputs. Traditional aid often failed in these situations because there was no means to enforce penalties for failure to perform and often no real incentives on the part of the recipient country to continue or even start the reform process. One alternative in the current context would be to make short-term concessional loans conditional on institutional reform. Progress (as judged by annual independent audit) could be rewarded with an extension of the concessional loan. Poor implementation would trigger immediate repayment. Because the grant element of a concessional loan increases as the loan's maturity increases, the Pakistani government would have a real incentive to follow through to successful implementation. As an added incentive a clause could be included converting the concessional loan into a grant upon successful completion of the reform.

Pakistan's post-9/11 economic boom
By Adnan Adil
BBC News, Lahore

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42078000/jpg/_42078086_lahoreedentowers.jpg
Lahore is in the midst of a middle class building boom

While the events of 11 September 2001 created an atmosphere of fear and suspicion among Pakistani expatriates living in the US, the benefits back home are becoming increasingly noticeable.

Many wealthy Pakistanis in America have responded to increased monitoring of wealth and assets, particularly owned by Muslims, by sending a substantial part of their savings back home.

And areas like the up-market Defence Housing Authority in Lahore have benefited enormously.

A recent ballot to allocate 300 residential plots in this area received nearly 70,000 applications.

Affluent middle class

The huge interest of investors in this and other well-to-do areas is typical of the unprecedented surge in real estate businesses in big cities like Lahore and Karachi following the attack on the World Trade Centre.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41265000/gif/_41265169_pak_lahore_map203.gif

Since then, the value of one plot in the Defence Housing Authority has shot up from about $65,000 before 11 September to in excess of $1.5m after it.

In the town of Johar, another affluent middle class locality, average prices have risen on an equally spectacular basis - from about $35,000 to more than $132,000.

The boom has led to a mushrooming of Pakistan's middle class housing suburbs, often at an unprecedented speed.

The growth of Lahore's Defence Housing Authority is so phenomenal that it has announced five new building phases since 2002.

Rags to riches

"The property boom in Lahore would not have been possible had 9/11 not occurred," says Sahir Chaudhary, a real-estate developer in Lahore, "The price of the real estate went up by as much as 1,000% in the city in the last five years."

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42078000/jpg/_42078092_lahorestreetscene.jpg
Lahore is being transformed by money from the US

The rocketing real estate prices in Lahore have resulted in hundreds of rags-to-riches stories.

Poor farmers with small pieces of land in the villages close to the municipal limits could hardly make ends meet. But with the fast expansion of the city's frontiers, they sold off their property, pocketing millions of rupees overnight.

The city's roads are now clogged with brand new four-by-fours - the names of BMW and Lexus are becoming increasingly common on the streets.

The cars are just one sign of the ostentatious new rich, showing off money which was unheard of a few years back.

More than 30m cellular phone subscribers is another signpost of the upturn.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42078000/jpg/_42078082_karachitraders.jpg
It is not only the property market which is booming

Pakistan's electricity company chief Tariq Hameed says there have also been record sales of refrigerators, washing machines and split air conditioners which have caused a sudden surge in electricity demand. Not surprising then that this summer there were many power cuts in peak hours.

All this is all the more amazing when one considers that just five years ago, Pakistan was on the verge of bankruptcy, with only a little more than $1bn in foreign exchange reserves and its stock market teetering at 1,000 points.

Massive remittances

Two months after 9/11, the forex reserves went up to $4bn as Pakistan joined the US coalition against the "war on terror". The forex reserves now stand at more than $12bn.

And there is little doubt that the catalyst for this growth has been the massive amount of remittances sent back by non-resident Pakistanis in the US and later from Europe.

In 2001, the remittances totalled a little more than $1bn.

But since 2002, Pakistan has received nearly $4bn in remittances every year.

That means an additional inflow of $14-15bn has been returned to the country since the 2001 attacks.

No wonder, then, that the once ever-declining rupee has been stable at around 60-61 to a dollar since then.

The wealth flowing in to Pakistan now is second only to the boom created by money sent back to the country by its blue-collar workers in the Middle East in the 1980s.

The difference is that the 1980s money created a lower middle class, whereas today the principal beneficiaries are upper middle class people in big cities.

They brandish credit cards and drive Mitsubishis. Their children go to grammar schools, eat burgers and pizzas and celebrate Halloween and Valentine's Day.

Strange then that the vast majority still have few kind words for the US - even though it is arguably the source of their new-found prosperity.

LAHORE, Nov 19 (APP)- A Pakistani industrialist Iftikhar Ali Malik, Chairman Pak-US Business Council has been given due recognition in the widely published latest edition of “The International Who’s Who” 2006.

The International Who’s Who since its first publication in 1935 has become the standard reference work on the world’s most famous and influential personalities.

Following is the text reproduced as published: “ Malik Iftikhar Ali; Pakistani industrialist and trade union official; 30 Dec 1944, Lahore; employee with Auto spare parts, Auto filter, Chairman Executive committee, Pakistan Automobile Spareparts Importers and Dealers Association (PASPIDA), Member executive committee Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 1980s, former President, Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry,1990, Vice President, Zonal Chairman and life member of Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry 1994. Former President Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and life member also. Life member of SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Pak-Indo Chamber of Commerce and Industry and ECO Chamber of Commerce and Industry”.

The federal government in recognition of his meritorious services rendered for the promotion of private sector, has appointed Iftikhar Malik as member of the Board of Director of National Bank of Pakistan while federation had nominated him as first Chairman of Pak-US Business Council for two year.

Economy of Pakistan to lead world economies in 21st Century
By Shoaib Jabbar 'Pakistan Times' Special Correspondent

ISLAMABAD: Goldman Sach, one of the leading investment banks of world has predicted that Pakistan’s economy would dominate world’s economies in 21st century, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Finance, Dr Salman Shah said on Sunday.

He said, the same bank is used to advise world’s top business organisations about the potential countries where they should invest.

Goldman Sach, a leading investment Bank of the world has included Pakistan’s economy among 11 most fastly growing economies of the world, saying that Pakistan is set to take control of the world’s economy in next 40 years.

These economies of several countries especially of Pakistan will surpass the economies of even G-6 countries in 21st century, the investment bank report said.

They have invented a new term (BRIC) consisting of Brazil,Russia, India and China five years ago predicting that Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt will progress faster than the BRIC countries.

He said the bank has particularly appreciated population mixture of Pakistan terming it most vibrant.

Out of a population of 160 million almost 55 percent consist of under nineteen years of age.

Youngsters of Pakistan will play key role in economic dynamics of next 40 years.

The young manpower of Pakistan will come into arena when labours of other countries already retired.

They will provide Pakistan demographic dividend, he remarked.

These people not only help enhance production but also create demands of consumer goods.

Currently country’s per capita income is at $ 850.

Personal Income

When the personal income increases upto $ 3000 accelerating consumer goods production to meet increasing demands, he remarked.

Pakistan’s middle class is emerging fast while its industry will also move from textile to high tech goods production in the next 25 years, he said.

Responding to a question he said import of surplus wheat have been allowed to private sector for creating space for next crop adding said that due to good rains Pakistan expects a bumper wheat production this year.

He said that government is also checking the prices of the commodity in order to maintain their prices.

Dr.Shah said that Petroleum prices in country are still lower than India and other South Asian countries.

Core inflation ratio is upto 5.6 percent.The focus of the government is to bring down food inflation ratio from 10 percent to a lower level, he added.●

http://www.pakistantimes.net/2007/01/08/top6.htm

OK..So This thread is for discussion and debate on Pakistan's economy. Recently, we have seen a rather booming economy after the not-so-good 90s. Hopefully, the future will be even more bright and we can build on this turnaround and go places. But that is a long vision that would require a good policy, consistent efforts and total dedication.

We can also use this discussion thread to analyse our economic history perhaps in terms of 5 year plans or decades and semi-decades to see what our policies had been and where they took us.

I would like everyone to participate in the discussion but to keep it fruitful, lets have some rules:
Please don't.
- use this thread for political rants/debates
- one word or one line comments like "xyz was shit" , " I hope he/she dies".
- base your comments on facts and sources to prove.


Now that we have the rules, c'est partie.

At the time of its independence in 1947 from the British Empire, Pakistan was a very poor and predominantly agricultural country. Pakistan's average economic growth rate since independence has been higher than the average growth rate of the world economy during the period. Average annual real GDP growth rates were 6.8% in the Sixties, 4.8% in the Seventies, and 6.5% in the Eighties. Average annual growth fell to 4.6% in the Nineties, with significantly lower growth in the second half of that decade.

Industrial-sector growth, including manufacturing, was also above average. In the late 1960s, Pakistan was seen as a model of economic development around the world, and there was much praise for the way its economy was progressing. Later, economic mismanagement in general, and fiscally imprudent economic policies in particular, caused a large increase in the country's public debt and led to slower growth in the 1990s. Two wars with India in 1965 and 1971 adversely affected economic growth[7] – in particular, the latter war brought the economy close to recession, although economic rebounded sharply until the nationalizations of the mid-1970s.

Economic resilience

Historically, Pakistan's overall economic output (GDP) has grown every year since a 1951 recession. Despite this record of sustained growth, Pakistan's economy had, until a few years ago, been characterized as unstable and highly vulnerable to external and internal shocks. However, the economy proved to be unexpectedly resilient in the face of multiple adverse events concentrated into a four-year period —

* the Asian financial crisis;
* economic sanctions — according to Colin Powell, Pakistan was "sanctioned to the eyeballs";
* global recession;
* severe rioting in the port city of Karachi;
* a severe drought — the worst in Pakistan's history, lasting four years;
* heightened perceptions of risk as a result of military tensions with India — with as many as a million troops on the border, and predictions of impending (potentially nuclear) war;
* the post-9/11 military action in neighboring Afghanistan, with a massive influx of refugees from that country;
* the 2005 Pakistan earthquake

Despite these adverse events, Pakistan's economy kept growing, and economic growth accelerated towards the end of this period. This resilience has led to a change in perceptions of the economy, with leading international institutions such as the IMF, World Bank, and the ADB praising Pakistan's performance in the face of adversity.

http://www.answers.com/topic/economy-of-pakistan?cat=technology

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h53/kbboy101/growthrate.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h53/kbboy101/povertygrowth00-06.jpg

Right now it seems Pakistans greatest hurdle is that of polical instability... Im cautiously optimistic, but as we all know, lack of political stabilty means lack of economic stabilty in the long run.

100 small dams to be built in Balochistan: CDWP meeting on April 26
FIDA HUSSAIN

ISLAMABAD ( 2008-04-20 05:32:57 ) :
The government will build 100 small dams in Balochistan as a plan of constructing first 20 dams, costing over Rs 2.15 billion in the province has been finalised by the Water and Power Ministry, sources told Business Recorder on Saturday.

This will be the first step in line with Prime Minister's announcement of constructing small dams for water conservation and power generation. Sources said that Punjab, Sindh and NWFP have also been directed to present their plan, of constructing small dams, to the Planning Commission (PC) as early as possible.

The Water and Power Ministry's plan of constructing 20 small dams in Balochistan will be taken up by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) in its meeting to be held on April 26.

The CDWP will take up total 36 development projects, costing around Rs 43 billion. The concept clearance of three development projects worth Rs 11.7 billion would also be taken by the meeting, which will be chaired by PC Deputy Chairman Dr Akram Sheikh.

In the energy sector, total four projects, valuing Rs 8.6 billion, are on the agenda of the meeting. Two projects, namely establishment of 500 MW combined cycle power plants at Faisalabad and Dadu will cost Rs 2.85 billion and Rs 2.92 billion respectively. The other two hydro-power projects with a capacity of 16 and 14 MW will be executed by the Kashmir and Northern Areas (Kana) Division. These will be established in Gilgit at a cost of Rs 2.8 billion.

In the water resources sector, six projects, costing around Rs 16 billion, will come for consideration of the CDWP. The World Bank (WB)-assisted project of water Indus water sector capacity building costing Rs 3.28 billion, construction of Shadi Kaur storage dam, Pasni, Gwadar worth Rs 2.63 billion, Balochistan effluent disposal valuing Rs 6.53 billion, revamping of irrigation and drainage system in Sindh costing Rs 0.92 billion are some of the important projects in the sector.

The CDWP will take up two projects costing over Rs 18.8 billion in information technology sector. Suparco has demanded an amount of Rs 18.81 billion for setting up Pakistan communication satellite system.

In industries and commerce sector, three projects costing Rs 2.32 billion will also be considered by the CDWP. The important scheme in the sector has been forwarded by Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) that wants to conduct a new mineral survey by spending more than Rs 1.35 billion.

The CDWP will take up four projects worth Rs 6.85 billion in governance sector. The revised project of raising Balochistan constabulary costing Rs 5.95 billion is the most important scheme to be considered. In food and agriculture sector, five projects worth Rs 2.6 billion will be taken up. The most important development scheme among the projects is national pesticides monitoring system in Pakistan costing Rs 1.21 billion.

In devolution and area development, Payara Kashmir programme costing Rs 11.11 billion will be taken up by the CDWP. The Balochistan government will give concept clearance (CC) on local services delivery and governance programme costing Rs 4.8 billion to the CDWP. This project is likely to be assisted by the WB and UK's Department for International Development (DFID). The other CC on Chitral Area Support Project costing Rs 2.77 billion has been submitted by the NWFP government.

http://www.aaj.tv/news/news.php?pg=2&show=detail&nid=101133

^^ very good news. i read an article that said Hydel is still one of the cheapest form of energy production and the u.s. were sharing technology with us, presumably to keep us from building nuclear powerplants. but its very nice to hear the plans to materialize, usually they just keep talking about it and nothing happens.

NAWABSHAH, April 29: The special industrial zone of Nawabshah would be renamed as Shaheed Benazir Bhutto special industrial zone. This was decided at a meeting which discussed ways and means to revive special industrial zone Nawabshah at circuit house here on Monday.

District nazim Faryal Talpur told the meeting that the industrial zone was established during Peoples Party government back in 1993-94 but unfortunately the successive governments did not pay any attention to it due to which the province incurred economic losses.

She said that its revival would not only promote industrialisation but also provide job opportunities to the skilled and unskilled locals. Besides, all other benefits, the revival would boost the economy of Pakistan and stop migration to urban areas.

She said that the government would also be approached for the activation of Nawabshah airport to provide maximum facilities to the business community as well as local people.

Briefing the meeting, Abdul Rasheed Solangi, Managing Director of Sindh Industrial Trading Estate, said that federal government had launched 12 special industrial zones in the country in 1993-94.

He said that in Sindh, three zones i.e. Larkana, Keti Bundar in Thatta and Nawabshah were approved out of which only Nawabshah could be executed.

He informed that SIZ Nawabshah has all basic infrastructure and facilities which included road, sewerage lines, oxidation pond, raw water channel, gas, grid station for electricity, telephone and it was close to main railway line, airport as well as the National Highway.

He said that an area of 239 acres was acquired by SITE by paying Rs10.313 million in 1993-94 out of which 141 acres were allocated for various industries and only 78 acres was left which was insufficient and the zone required an additional land of at least 1,000 acres.

He said that SITE has prepared and got approved schemes of Rs78.57 million, including completion of filter plant (Rs34.69 million), establishment of fire station (Rs10.23 million) and construction of open channel and culverts (Rs33.65 million) from the Sindh government in ADP-2007-08 and an amount of Rs30 million was released for which tenders were also invited.

The meeting decided to approach the federal government for special grant of Rs2,000 million for provision of infrastructure facilities to the proposed extension of zone. It was also decided that fiscal incentives and policies would be announced through the federal, Sindh and district governments regarding tax holidays to attract the new investors.

The meeting also discussed the security issues pertaining to foreign and local investors and arrangements would be made to provide all facilities to them.

An investment conference would also be called in Nawabshah under the chairmanship of prime minister or the chief minister Sindh to attract leading businessmen and industrialists to set up their units here. The meeting also decided to rename the zone as Shaheed Benazir Bhutto special industrial zone.

ISLAMABAD (May 01, 2008): Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has directed the Ministry of Water and Power to seek fresh approval from him on construction of small and big dams approved by the former government, including the construction of Kala Bagh dam. This has effectively led to scrapping all past approvals of big and small dams with immediate effect, sources told Business Recorder here on Wednesday.



no idea if this includes the 100 dams purposal in Balochistan.

ISLAMABAD (May 01 2008): The Central Development Working Party (CDWP), which met here on Wednesday, referred 12 development projects costing Rs 157.5 billion to Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec), and approved 21 schemes worth Rs 6.30 billion.

The CDWP revised the cost of Mangla dam raising project from Rs 62 to Rs 101 billion. The main portion of the upward revision has been allocated to the project's resettlement plan, the cost of which has been increased to Rs 60 billion from earlier estimated Rs 26 billion, said Planning Commission (PC) spokesman Muhammad Asif Sheikh. However, he did not explain reason for heavy enhancement in the cost of resettlement plan.

Briefing media persons after the meeting, Asif said that Mangla dam raising project would be completed by the end of this year. Despite the fact that the project would be completed in December, the dam has already additional capacity of storing some additional water in the coming monsoon season, he said. He, however, admitted that the project has been delayed for about six months.

The CDWP, which met for the first time after the formation of the new government, approved 15 projects costing Rs 138.8 billion with foreign exchange component (FEC) of Rs 2.3 billion in infrastructure sector. In social sector a total of 12 schemes worth Rs 22.6 billion with FEC of Rs 17.5 billion have been approved.

As many as 18 projects costing Rs 30 billion were approved on all Pakistan level. Four projects costing Rs 1.2 billion have been approved for Punjab, one project costing Rs 16 billion for Sindh, three projects costing Rs 0.9 billion for NWFP and three projects costing Rs 11.3 billion for Balochistan. Two projects costing Rs 101.6 billion for Azad Kashmir, and two costing Rs 2.8 billion were approved for Northern Areas.

Asif said that 31 projects costing Rs 163.3 billion would be financed by the federal government. Of the four projects located in Punjab, two projects costing Rs 0.6 billion will be financed on 50:50 cost sharing basis between provincial and federal governments. Of the 33 projects, seven projects have been revised and their net addition in total cost is Rs 53 billion. The major revision has been done in the cost of Mangla dam raising project, he said, and added that the new project's total additional cost, to be met through fresh allocation, has been estimated at Rs 67.3 billion.

The CDWP also conceptually cleared five schemes, namely rational use of irrigation water for agriculture of Rs 18 million, mechanised concrete lining of channels in Sindh through Japanese grant of Rs 660 million, extension of water resources and development of sanitation infrastructure for Faisalabad costing Rs 2.82 billion, Punjab strategic provincial environmental assistance of Rs 12 million, and local services delivery and governance programme of Rs 3.9 billion. The scheme of local delivery system is being funded by the World Bank and the Department for International Development (DFID).

In water resources, the CDWP approved seven projects costing Rs 130.9 billion. Construction of 20 small dams in Balochistan costing Rs 2.154 billion, land and water monitoring of Indus plain costing Rs 0.42 billion, revamping of irrigation and drainage system in Sindh province costing Rs 1.6 billion, construction of Shadi Kaur storage dam in Pasni, Gwadar costing Rs 2.63 billion and Indus water sector capacity building and advisory services worth Rs 1.80 are some of the projects in water resources sector.

Other projects which were approved were establishment of National Forensic Science Agency at a cost of Rs 3.59 billion and conducting of new mineral survey costing Rs 1.05 billion. Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) is the sponsoring agency of the project.

Economic Progress (Part II) (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=294602)

:cheers: for the part 3

KARACHI: The national currency gained strength against the dollar in the interbank. The American dollar commenced new week’s trading at Rs 68.71 for buying, depreciated and was changing hands at Rs 68.44 for buying and Rs. 68.49 for selling on Saturday. Thus, the local currency incurred a gain of 27 paisas versus the dollar.

The euro posted major gains against the rupee. The single currency started off the week’s trading at Rs 106.19, posted gains and changed hands at Rs 107.61 for buying and Rs 107.81 for selling. Thus, the euro gained Rs 1.42 verses the local currency. The British currency also appreciated versus the rupee. The pound sterling commenced new week’s trading at Rs 133.82, posted gains and changed hands at Rs 135.44 for buying and Rs 135.64 for selling on Saturday. During the week, the British currency gained Rs 1.62.

Open Market: Decline in dollar’s demand helped the rupee make some recovery on the local desks this week. The American currency started off new week’s trading at Rs 69.30, shed grounds and was trading at Rs 69 at close of markets on Saturday. Thus, the local currency recovered 30 paisas versus the dollar.

Demand of the single currency continued to soar as the local currency lost Rs 2.40 this week. The euro kicked off new week’s trading at Rs 106.40, continued to rise and was changing hands at Rs 108.80 at close of markets. Thus, the rupee ended the week on a negative note versus the 15-nation currency.

The pound sterling continued to soar against the rupee. The cable set off new day’s trading at Rs 133.75, posted gains amid rise in its demand and was changing hands at Rs 136.75 at close of markets on Saturday. Thus, the rupee lost Rs 3 versus the British pound.

Our loss against the Euro and the Pound must have to do with them gaining against the Mighty Dollar, since we're pegged to it.

Our loss against the Euro and the Pound must have to do with them gaining against the Mighty Dollar, since we're pegged to it.


ummm....we're pegged to the dollar? :nuts:

Our loss against the Euro and the Pound must have to do with them gaining against the Mighty Dollar, since we're pegged to it.

Pegged?? I didn't realise....please elaborate.

I should kill myself. We became free-floating in 1999, and I just found out. I've always been under the impression that we were pegged to the Dollar.

I should kill myself. We became free-floating in 1999, and I just found out. I've always been under the impression that we were pegged to the Dollar.

You dimwit! :laugh:




*offers Siamu "Suicide for complete idiots" book*


*(Hardcover)*

You dimwit! :laugh:




*offers Siamu "Suicide for complete idiots" book*


*(Hardcover)*
I wonder what was the book doing with you? :naughty:

Why don't the oil countries sell their oil in euro's?

Non-textile products export up by 32.8pc

By Mubarak Zeb Khan

ISLAMABAD, May 24: The export of non-textile products witnessed a substantial increase of 32.86 per cent during the first 10 months of the current fiscal year over the same period last year mainly on account of rice exports.

Official figures compiled by the commerce ministry showed that in absolute terms the export value of these products enhanced to $6.606 billion in JulyApril this year from $4.972 billion last year, mainly due to substantial increase in the export of food commodities.

On the other hand, the export of textile products witnessed a decline of 2.54 per cent to $8.649 billion against $8.875 billion last year. This decline is despite the fact that government has dolled out billions of rupees subsidies to the sector, besides increase in dollar’s value against the rupee.

Export of food products witnessed a substantial increase of 22.38 per cent to $2.007 billion during the July-April period against $1.640 billion over the last year.

Of these, export of rice rose by 28.55 per cent to $1.210 billion against $942.01 million over the same period last year. Increase in rice export occurred despite announcement of a minimum export price.

Major rice-producing countries have imposed a ban on exports to curtail rise in domestic prices of the commodity. But Pakistan is the only country in the region to have promoted export of rice while domestic market witnessed more than 200 per cent increase in prices.

Seafood export increased by 4.87 per cent, fruits by 33.71 per cent, vegetables by 4.17 per cent, sugar by 100 per cent and meat by 22.31 per cent. The export of spices went up by 6.64 per cent, oilseeds by 155.12 per cent, and all other food items 10.87 per cent.

Export of carpets declined by 5.68 per cent over last year.

Export of sports goods went up by 4.46 per cent, but export of footballs declined by 5.18 per cent, while that of gloves rose by 52.70 per cent.

Export of leather goods (garments and gloves) increased by 23.74 per cent. Export of leather garments went up by 39.58 per cent and leather gloves by 6.28 per cent.

Export of footwear increased by 1.99 per cent, but leather footwear dipped by 11.41 per cent and canvas footwear by 57.42 per cent. However, export of other footwear went up by 105.94 per cent.

Export of surgical goods and instruments increased by 33.18 per cent, gems by 38.18 per cent, jewellery by 408.43 per cent, molasses by 52.57 per cent, cement by 170.05 per cent and gur products by 43.35 per cent.

DAWN Business (http://epaper.dawn.com/ArticleText.aspx?article=25_05_2008_009_010)

WTF! Siamu's comment about us being pegged to the US Dollar got me confused too. :? We ain't China!

I wonder what was the book doing with you? :naughty:

I bought it for him!































HA!

Why don't the oil countries sell their oil in euro's?

They will over time. It takes time for the reserve currency of the world to change.

Also, there are political reasons. Many of the biggest oil producers and most influential OPEC members are close American allies.

I should kill myself. We became free-floating in 1999, and I just found out. I've always been under the impression that we were pegged to the Dollar.

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

In recent news, Chaudhry Iftikhar has said at his Faisalabad address that the value of the rupee is falling because people's lack of confidence in the judiciary :tongue3:

IM SERIOUS!

In recent news, Chaudhry Iftikhar has said at his Faisalabad address that the value of the rupee is falling because people's lack of confidence in the judiciary :tongue3:

IM SERIOUS!

LOL! :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Ah yes! This is why the rupee has been sliding, because the people have no faith in the judiciary! :lol:

Stuff like this, could have only come out from Pakistan! :ohno:

Rupee gains three percent, overnight call money at 25 percent, 10-year PIB yield at 13 percent
RECORDER REPORT
KARACHI (May 26 2008): Reacting to the measures taken by the SBP to tame mounting inflation, the stock market plunged. The six-month Kibor jumped 190 basis point to 13.25 percent. Liquidity is likely to be squeezed by roughly Rs 45 billion.

Overnight call money borrowing climbed in the interbank market to trade between 20 to 25 percent. Five-year PIB yield jumped from 10.35 percent to 12.25 percent and 10-year PIB was offered at 13 percent yield with no bidders.

Prior to Central Bank's surprise move, Rupee which was trading at 62.95 in the interbank market on April 8, 2008 lost 11 percent till May 22, 2008 and had traded at an all time high of 69.85-95 responded well to the measures taken by SBP. In two days Rupee has so far gained almost three percent to close at 67.80 on Saturday.

The hike in discount rate also resulted in a surge in forward premiums, due to widening interest differential gap, one month forward premium gained 25 paisa to trade at 50 paisa and six-month forward premium took a jump of 80 paisa to trade at 290 paisa.

A treasury head of a foreign bank says that an instruction to banks to pay a minimum of five percent profits on PLS account is a good though a very belated step. We are not bothered as we are already offering attractive profit to our customers. So called, big five network banks will take the hit as they are the ones that have been enjoying 7.1 percent spread for quite a while and had refused to change their lend back behaviour pattern to professionally look at their balance sheet composition.

Truly speaking 2.1 percent profit on savings account less 2.5 percent Zakat deduction was a mockery for depositors and for the country, which is striving hard to better the savings ratio.

It is also one of the causes of inflation. Based on overall commercial banks savings deposit of Rs 1.2 trillion and with banks paying an average of 2.1 percent to their PLS depositor, now banks are instructed to pay their PLS depositors five percent. This means that banks will have to share Rs 25 billion to 35 billion from their profit earnings with the PLS savers.

An analyst at a leading brokerage house, liked some of the steps taken by the Central Bank, but not all as they may not reap the desired result. He said that Discount rate hike of 1.5 percent certainly means business, as it could have been hiked in bits and pieces. But the Central Bank has sent a clear message to the fiscal managers preparing the budget that they have done enough on their part.

It is more desirable to have prudent fiscal policies and now it is their turn to design better strategies by taking administrative measures to bring down the prices and help in providing relief to the common man. Suggest ways to generate revenues and cut down unnecessary spending. Reduce dependency on bank borrowings and to concentrate on government bonds and activate NSS. To put a curb on export of food and essential items by imposing high taxes and rebates so that domestic demand is met comfortably and allow import of essential on easy terms to reduce burden on both individuals and the industry that is suffering.

He was of view that the increase in Cash Reserve Requirement (CRR) and Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) would help in moping excess liquidity, but sharp hike in Cash Reserve Requirement (CRR) would have been a better choice not only to drain funds, and also help in stabilising the Rupee. Hike in discount rate also adds to government's borrowing cost.

He said that it was possible for SBP to wait and see the steps in FY09 Budget and then take appropriate review of its measures. Rupee stability would largely depend on forex inflows. The price trend of oil, food and essential commodities in the international market is very disturbing. Hence, managing exchange rate is not an easy task. Slowdown in forex inflows could again put pressure on the Rupee and Cash Reserve Requirement (CRR) is the only tool left in Central Banks armour.

Bank deposits total Rs 3.6 trillion of which Rs 1.2 trillion are in savings account and a little over Rs 850 billion or 24 percent (Approx) is placed with banks in current account. These funds are at zero percent cost. This is a high percentage. Therefore, there is cushion for a further hike in CRR.

While 35 percent margin will slowdown imports, however banks will benefit from SBP's move in terms of risk and free funds. This negates SBP's tight policy stance. The 35 percent margin means based on 50 percent of the non-essential imports, it will result in injection of Rs 15-17 billion liquidity on monthly basis. SBP may reverse this measure once the Rupee parity is stable.

Meanwhile, on Saturday in the early session, Rupee continued to make gains for the second consecutive day to hit two weeks low of 67.40, but buyers emerged on dips fearing New York weekend close may see short supply of dollar, hence, Rupee made gains at the closing hour to close at 67.80.

While, interbank money market reacted sharply on hike of Cash Reserve Requirement (CRR), Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) and discount rate. Being first day of averaging of the week, estimates are that market is short by a little under Rs 45 billion. Central Bank injected Rs 23.45 billion at a cut off yield of 11.61 percent against market participation of Rs 36 billion. There was discounting of Rs 1.69 billion.

Banks that are reported to be short in securities rushed to borrow overnight call money ranging between 20 percent to 25 percent. On Monday, banks short in funds are likely to call back their funds. The situation is likely to prevail until new liquidity is injected in the system.

On Thursday, May 22 in an interim move the State Bank of Pakistan took number of measures using its monetary tool in order to bring the inflationary conditions prevailing in the country under control, which is unprecedented in the recent history of Pakistan. The timing is very surprising, since the Budget is due on June 7 and then follows the monetary policy, which suggests that the Central Bank can still hike Cash Reserve Requirement (CRR) if further need arises.

At a time when the newly elected government is finding ways to mend the fast deteriorating economic conditions, the Central Bank has done the maximum that it could do. It is now for the policymakers to focus and act on taking stringent fiscal measures in the coming Budget so that the economy could once again get back on track.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2008

Good I think we need to come down hard this year. The economy has overheated a bit.

We need to raise interest rates, tighten monetary policy, remove all excess liquidity from the system.

End all unnecessary subsidies and spending on things like PIA and petrol and diesel and other useless crap.

Cut the size of the PSDP.

Tighten this years budget.

Offer special targeted relief subsidies such as those on wheat and other food items aimed specially at the poor.

All these steps will sort out the economic challenges. The fiscal deficit will be reduced, the money supply will shrink, the inflation will be brought under control and the temporary slowdown in the economic growth should be kept to a minimum and within 12 months the economy should again grow around 7% to 8% (given political stability is maintained)

Yeah, I agree. We really need to tighten monetary policy and raise interest rates. But I dunno if cutting subsidies to PIA and fuel would help.

yea we need to cut all useless subsidies and rein in govt. spending.

no way in hell should pakistan subsidise petrol at $130+ and growing.

Video on the N-11

The N-11 specifically refers to: Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, South Korea, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Turkey and Vietnam.

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/n11/1153186265

PESHAWAR, May 23: Several business groups from three countries have shown interest in establishing cement factories in the Frontier province to tap local resources and capture booming reconstruction market in the country and neighbouring Afghanistan.

“During the last three months, investors from Canada, UK and UAE have visited different cities of the province and have expressed willingness to install cement factories,” said Riffat Pervez, provincial director Board of Investment.

Despite political instability and lack of allocation of funds for public sector development programmes, the local cement industry faced recession phase but still recorded an average annual growth rate of 2.96 per cent from 1990 to 2002 that further shot up to 20 per cent between 2003 to 2007.

“The boost in cement sector is due to the rising construction activities locally and reconstruction activity in Afghanistan, and soaring development expenditure by the government,” he said, adding that the NWFP had seven cement manufacturing units, while there were total 29 units in the country, which contributed 25 per cent of cement productivity.

NWFP has a disadvantage of being far away from the sea-ports due to which cost of production in the province is higher as compared to rest of the country. However, the province has a great potential in the mineral sector. It has abundant raw material including limestone clay and gypsum in Kohat, Karak, Lachi, Lakki Marwat and Dera Ismail Khan.

Cement and marble/granite are two important sectors which attracted a lot of investment in the province despite law and order problems. A number of local and overseas Pakistanis and foreign investors are showing keen interest in the cement sector.

Presently, the cement industry of Pakistan is heavily burdened with taxes in the face Rs750 per ton as federal excise duty and 15 per cent general sales tax. In addition to these taxes, the industry also pays provincial levies, including royalty and excise duty on acquiring of raw material.

A comparison of taxation and retail prices with other regional countries shows that taxation in Pakistan was highest while cement retail prices were the lowest as compared to other cement-producing countries of the world.

ISLAMABAD, May 23: The Centre and the Sindh government have agreed, in principle, to evaluate a suggestion by the Competitiveness Support Fund for bringing in an internationally renowned fish harbour management through a competitive bidding process to upgrade the Karachi Fish Harbour.

The CSF -- a joint initiative of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Ministry of Finance -- would provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock and the Sindh Fisheries Department for a better management of the harbour.The harbour has faced problems regarding fish quality and maintenance of sanitary and hygienic standards.

Last year, the CSF had conducted an analysis of various stakeholders’ needs and management options and it was agreed that the cost of interventions would be split between the Centre and the province.

As part of its assistance to Balochistan, the CSF is also preparing a brief for the fisheries department concerned on development of fish exporting and processing industries, particularly in Gwadar and Pasni regions.

The support for CSF is part of the $1.5 billion in aid that the US is providing through USAID to Pakistan over five years to improve economic growth, education, health, governance and for earthquake reconstruction.

Pakistan has a fish and seafood industry worth approximately $1.2 billion and exports alone were worth nearly $200 million while more than 800,000 people rely on the industry for their livelihoods.

The industry, however, is suffering from over-fishing that is reducing the resource base and yields, and from poor quality control that is reducing the catch value.

RIYADH - The visiting Minister for Industries & Commerce in Pakistan’s Sindh province, Rauf Siddiqui, has encouraged overseas Pakistanis to invest in developmental projects in Pakistan.
Siddiqui was speaking at a select gathering of distinguished Pakistanis at a dinner thrown in his honor by Pakistan Investors Forum (PIF) here on Monday.
The visiting minister sounded upbeat over the industrial growth in his province. Siddiqui meticulously laid out his vision before an enthusiastic audience. He said he was in fact addressing a larger audience of the overseas Pakistanis throughout the world. According to him, the time was ripe and right for the Pakistanis to act fast and bring home investments, which would pay dividends in future.
He informed the gathering that new industrial zones in and around Karachi have been planned, especially in the Northern Bypass area where about 30 percent of the estate has been earmarked for women entrepreneurs.
In Nooriabad Industrial Estate area, some additional lands have been allocated for new allocation and once otherwise dead estate has now 117 industrial units fully functioning day and night. In Dhabeji, in Thatta district, a new industrial estate has also been planned and the work on its master plan was in progress. Elsewhere in the interior of Sindh, a large industrial zone was also being planned which would be given a 10-year tax holiday in order to encourage potential Pakistani and foreign investors.
He also informed that in this particular industrial zone, the priority was to encourage setting up of the agro-based industries. He also added that a 5,000 acre land has already been earmarked for a brand new and modern industrial estate in the city of Sukkur in the north of Sindh.
Sukkur is in close proximity to two other provinces namely, Punjab and Balochistan and that such an industrial estate would encourage and motivate industrialists to invest there as the finished products could be easily marketed and transported to these two neighboring provinces.
To a question as to how his vision of industrial growth would see the light of day when electricity situation was awful in the province, especially in Karachi, the minister said his priority was to set up power producing industries which would not only meet their own requirements but also sell to the needy industries in the area. He said there would be an exclusive quota in these industrial zones for the overseas Pakistanis.
Earlier on Shamshad Siddqiui - the general secretary of PIF presented a brief mission statement of his organization to the minister. Others from PIF who also spoke on the occasion included Asghar Qureshi, Arif Mirza and Tariq Soomro. At the end, a memento shield was also awarded to the minister by PIF.

Thank god, the Rupee gained something. Please come back to 62. Pleaaaaaaase...........................

And thank you SBP!

Rauf Siddiqui? He's such an failure :hilarious

The biggest problem are the high oil prices of the economy slump.

Could not find a thread on the textile industry

http://epaper.dawn.com/Web/Article/2008/05/27/016/27_05_2008_016_004.jpg

Pakistan non-textile exports increase 33 per cent to $6.6b
By a correspondent

25 May 2008




ISLAMABAD — Pakistan's export of non-textile products rose by 32.86 per cent during the first 10 months of 2007-08 over the same period last year mainly on account of rice exports.

Official figures compiled by the commerce ministry showed that in absolute terms the export value of these products enhanced to $6.606 billion in July-April this year from $4.972 billion last year, mainly due to substantial increase in the export of food commodities.

On the other hand, the export of textile products witnessed a decline of 2.54 per cent to $8.649 billion during the period under review against $8.875 billion last year. This decline is despite the fact that government has dolled out billions of rupees subsidies to the sector besides devaluation of rupees.


Analysts said the government should revise its trade policy to work out measures for promoting export of traditional products. They said government should also announce taxation measures in the budget 2008-09 for increasing production of these products.


Official figures showed that export of food products witnessed a substantial increase of 22.38 per cent to $2.007 billion during the July-April this year against $1.640 billion over the last year.


Of these export of rice rose by 28.55 per cent to $1.210 billion during the July-April period of the current fiscal against $942.01 million over the same period last year. This increase in export of rice occurred despite the announcement of minimum export price.


Major rice producing countries have imposed ban on rice exports to curtail rise in domestic price of the commodity and Pakistan is the only country in the region to have promoted export of rice while domestic market witnessed more than 200 per cent increase in price.


The export of seafood increased by 4.87 per cent, fruits by 33.71 per cent, vegetables by 4.17 per cent, sugar by 100 per cent and meat by 22.31 per cent. The export of spices went up by 6.64 per cent, oilseeds by 155.12 per cent, and all other food items 10.87 per cent.


The export of carpets declined by 5.68 per cent during the July-April period of the current fiscal year over last year.


The export of sports goods went up by 4.46 per cent, but export of footballs declined by 5.18 per cent, while of gloves rose by 52.70 per cent.


The export of leather goods (garments and gloves) increased by 23.74pc during the period under review. Export of leather garments went up by 39.58 per cent and leather gloves by 6.28 per cent. The export of footwear has increased by 1.99 per cent. Export of leather footwear dipped by 11.41 per cent and canvas footwear by 57.42 per cent. However, export of other footwear went up by 105.94 per cent. Export of surgical goods and instruments has increased by 33.18 per cent, gems by 38.18 per cent, jewellery by 408.43 per cent, molasses by 52.57 per cent, cement by 170.05 per cent and gur products by 43.35 per cent.


Source: http://khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/business/2008/May/business_May868.xml&section=business&col=

i hate the god damn textile industry

it has recieved billions in aid and subsidies but it still keeps crying and it hasnt delivered anything

theyre useless

I used to see a lot of 'Made in Pakistan' clothes at high end clothing stores in the US. Now most shirts are 'Made in India' :(

^^ strange I have never seen it here. Its mostly Made in china/bangladesh/vietnam/pakistan in roughly the same order. But Levi's jeans have always been 'Made in Pakistan' whenever I have checked.

Well here in the US a lot of clothes come from South Asia, especially Pakistan and India.

Otherwise they're made in China or from a few Latin American countries.

I'm barely seeing any Pakistani made clothes now.

Pakistan non-textile exports increase 33 per cent to $6.6b

Reading the title made me so happy that we're finally decreasing our dependance on Textiles.

Official figures compiled by the commerce ministry showed that in absolute terms the export value of these products enhanced to $6.606 billion in July-April this year from $4.972 billion last year, mainly due to substantial increase in the export of food commodities.

On the other hand, the export of textile products witnessed a decline of 2.54 per cent to $8.649 billion during the period under review against $8.875 billion last year. This decline is despite the fact that government has dolled out billions of rupees subsidies to the sector besides devaluation of rupees.

Source: http://khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/business/2008/May/business_May868.xml&section=business&col=

But then reading this made me said as we're still stuck on exporting low value , high bulk goods like "food commodities". If thats what's reducing our dependance on textiles, then I'm not happy at all! :no:

I used to see a lot of 'Made in Pakistan' clothes at high end clothing stores in the US. Now most shirts are 'Made in India' :(

This reminds me of something that happened 3 years back in college, during my As-level Maths class. Two of my friends (P@ki girl, Sikh Guy) were wearing Nike hats and they just had a thought to check where the hats were made. Ironially the hat worn by the P@ki girl was made in Pakistan and the one worn by the Sikh guy was Made in India. That pissed him off so much, that "our people are being used as slave labour by these companies". Looking at his reactions cracked all of us up! It was hilarious! :hilarious. He would have been fine if it had said "Made in China".

^^ strange I have never seen it here. Its mostly Made in china/bangladesh/vietnam/pakistan in roughly the same order. But Levi's jeans have always been 'Made in Pakistan' whenever I have checked.

This reminds me again of something that happened 3 years back, when we were studying about developing countries. We studied about how many countries were involded in making a pair of Levi's jeans. It involded about 25 countries. It started off with Burkina Faso and ended at Ireland. Starting from the basic to high end stuff. Pakistan was one of the countries. It was the 1st time we studied anything about Pakistan. That made me so happy! :happy:

^^ What is this trappy...your flippin life story between the ages of 13-16?? There's a get to to know you thread for that :lol: