Pakistan court cuts new oil tax: BBC

Pakistan's Supreme Court has slashed a new carbon tax imposed on oil by the government, bringing down oil prices by more than 10%.

The court order is temporary, pending a decision on petitions opposing the tax and withdrawing of power subsidies.

If the order is upheld, the government will lose $1.52b in revenues during the fiscal year ending this June. The budget deficit will also widen.

The court order has renewed a debate on "judicial activism" in Pakistan.

The BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad says the debate is over the extent to which the judiciary can intervene in the affairs of the executive without undermining the latter's ability to perform its functions.

Shortfall

Tuesday's Supreme Court order slashing the tax was issued by a three-member bench of the court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

The order came a day after it issued another temporary injunction preventing the government from withdrawing over 50 billion rupees ($625m) worth of subsidies on electricity.

Together, the two measures will create a revenue shortfall of nearly 200 billion rupees in the current budget.

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Pakistan's Yousuf moves to number one on return: Reuters

CHENNAI, India (Reuters) - Pakistan's Mohammad Yousuf moved to the top of the official test rankings for batsmen this week after his first test since being recalled on quitting the unofficial Indian Cricket League.

Yousuf struck 112 and 12 to give his side the upper hand against Sri Lanka before they dramatically collapsed to lose the opening test by 50 runs on the fourth day at Galle on Tuesday.

Yousuf toppled countryman Younis Khan to move to the top of the rankings for the first time in his career, a statement from the International Cricket Council said on Wednesday.

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WB paints gloomy picture of Pakistan power sector: The News

By Ansar Abbasi

ISLAMABAD: The World Bank presents an extremely gloomy picture of Pakistan’s power sector that is marred by corruption and inefficiency but sells electricity to the public for a price that is 60 per cent higher than that of India and 40 per cent more than that of Bangladesh.

A draft report on “Pakistan’s Investment Climate” issued in March this year by the World Bank reveals that Pakistan has become the worst performer in the world after Egypt in respect to the waiting period for a new connection. Regarding massive corruption in the provision of electricity connections, the report disclosed: “A stunning 84 per cent of firms that applied for connection had to make informal payments in order to obtain electricity services.”

The governmentís claims and the ever-increasing loadshedding apart, the Bank says with only about 65 per cent of Pakistan’s population having access to grid-connected electricity, poor access to power has assumed serious dimensions, justifying firm perceptions that electricity is the most important impediment to growth.

Instead of taking remedial measures and keeping its own house in order, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) is poised to hit the consumers with another increase. The decision has, however, been put on hold following the Supreme Court’s intervention. The court seeks review of the decision, which, according to a source, the Nepra had taken without following the laid-down procedures for tariff determination.

The WB draft report presents a sorry picture of power sector reforms and the inadequacy of regulation in enforcing efficiency by the Nepra despite being in formal existence since 1997. The Nepra law required a regulatory framework of which 90 per cent has not been put in place by it despite the Nepra law stipulation to issue these rules within 18 months.

Some interesting portions of the World Bank report are reproduced as below:

Electricity price: The price of electricity is on the higher side relative to other South Asian countries. Even with the subsidies, system losses and supply quality problems, electricity tariffs in Pakistan are 60 per cent higher than in India and about 40 per cent higher than in Bangladesh.

Losses: Technical and collection losses impose a severe strain on the financial sustainability of Pakistan’s power sector. The country’s electricity system loses more power than all comparators, apart from India, which lost a quarter of its generated electricity in 2006/07.

Access to power: Access to power supply is a serious challenge for firms although the pattern differs across location, type and size.

Delays in getting electricity connections have become worse for firms and this barrier to entry and constraint on expansion. The waiting period for a new connection went up to from around 37 to 41 days from 1999-2002. The average waiting period in 2006 deteriorated to 92 days, placing Pakistan among the worst performers in the world, second only to Egypt amongst its comparators.

Corruption in the electricity sector: In addition to technical issues, other factors impede low-cost access to power supply. A stunning 84 per cent of the firms that applied for connection had to make informal payments in order to obtain electricity services — a startling increase from the 25 per cent firms that reported making such payments in 2002.

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Overseas Pakistani footballers willing to play for country: APP

ISLAMABAD, Jul 6 (APP): Overseas football players of Pakistan origin are willing to play for their country to promote the game, it was stated by Muhammad Raza Hayat Hiraj, MNA, former Minister of State for Information Technology and Overseas Pakistanis Division, during his meeting with Pakistan Football Federation (PFF)’s Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat, MNA.

He appreciated the football promotion work under the leadership of Faisal Saleh Hayat and said that the time is near when Pakistan will be among top playing nations of Asia. He is convinced that standard of the game in Pakistan has improved in recent years and in its pursuit to achieve the aim setforth in Vision Pakistan, the standard of football will further improve in Pakistan.

He said the credit to motivate expatriate Pakistanis to represent Pakistan Faisal Saleh Hayat who is making all out efforts for the cause of soccer. Pakistan soccer has become a source of interest for foreign players and for this very reason Usman Gondal, Zeshan Rehman, Kashif Siddiqi, Amjad Iqbal, Atif Bashir, Adam Luke Karim, Adnan Farooq Ahmed, Fouzal Azeem Bashir, Assad Ahmad, Suffean Mahmood, Faraz Ahmad and Iltaf Ahmed etc came to from 2005 to 2009 to earn honor of wearing National color.

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Pakistan to resume aviation collaboration services to SL: Daily Times

By Muhammad Yasir

KARACHI: Pakistan will resume provision of collaboration services to Sri Lankan airports with its advanced aircrafts system after a gap of two years, official sources in the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) told.

Sources told Daily Times the aviation authority is likely to conduct its commercial operations in Sri Lanka from October to September this year.

The defense ministries of two countries have signed their contracts a couple of months ago to continue their services trade, official told. However the schedule and other terms of services have yet to be decided by the aviation authorities of two countries through their ministry, they added.

According to the contract signed by S Lanaka, CAA will update the airport communication systems, landing, navigation and visual aids, for safe operation of air traffic as per the guidelines defined by International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). These systems direct the landing and flying positions to pilots who arrive and depart from an airport.

The ICAO recommends every country to test all its communication, navigational, visual landing and other safety systems in accordance with a given time schedule in order to regulate air traffic with the minimum risk of any accident.

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Pakistan cement exports growing despite global recession: Steel Guru

Daily Times reported that despite global economic slow down around the world the local cement exports continued to exhibit growing trend, as the cement exports to Afghanistan jumped to 23% MoM in June 2009 as compared with April.

According to the latest cement exports break down released by the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association for the month of June 2009, exports to Afghanistan were up by 23% MoM and 54% YoY which can be put down to improving law and order situation in Afghanistan’s border adjoining areas of NWFP region.

However, the exports to India dropped 14% MoM and 28% YoY to the Middle East and African region remained flat on a MoM basis though were still up 34% YoY as planned capacities are yet to come online in the Middle East.

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Pakistan’s first mobile commerce initiative launched by Atlas Bank: Regional Times

KARACHI: For the convenience of its patrons, Atlas Bank Limited, in collaboration with Mobilink GSM, recently launched Pakistan’s first mobile commerce initiative, named Mobilink Genie.
The new service allows the customers of Atlas Bank to pay their utility bills, mobile phone bills and top-ups and even procure insurance products from the comfort of their homes. Gone are the days of endless queues in order to pay your home utility bills. With Genie, all Atlas Bank customers with Mobilink connections can now pay their KESC, LESCO, GEPCO, IESCO, SSGC, SNGPL and PTCL bills, 24 hours of the day, seven days of the week.
Atlas Bank customers can also pay their Indigo bills and do Jazz top-ups for themselves or other friends and family. They can also procure Personal Accident Insurance products from Adamjee Insurance.

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Aussies boost Pakistan's farms: Science Alert

Despite operating in a volatile part of the world, a Charles Sturt University (CSU) led project to drive efficiencies in Pakistan’s dairy industry has achieved results and has been re-funded for a further four years.

Results from an ongoing longitudinal study of the Australian government-funded Improving Dairy Production in Pakistan Through Improved Extension Services demonstrate the project is having a real impact on the ground, according to Pakistani-based coordinator Mr David McGill.

“Around 40 per cent of the farmers we’re working with have taken positive action that’s come about due to our project’s initiatives. Examples include a farmer providing their animals with free access to water by untying the animals, or increasing the feed available to the animal,” he said.

“These may seem like small and minor changes but they can lead to real increases in milk production and reduce the amount of labour required to feed and water the animals each day. This means that the farmers can use the time saved for other tasks like improving crop yields, or it may free time for children to attend school.”

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Mobile technology growing in Pakistan: WB: Pakistan Observer

Islamabad—In recent times, there has been a rapid increase in the use of new technologies to increase access to financial services in many countries including Pakistan, reports World Bank in its annual book let said.

According to Express tv report, that this has included the widespread use of smart cards and of mobile telephone network. In Pakistan, mobile phone penetration has increased at a rapid pace recently.

Half of Pakistanis including women have access to a cell phone together with rural areas (two-thirds in urban areas) while more than 86 percent of men have their own cell phone, 40 percent of women do.

These figures suggest a much higher access to cell pone (available in the household or within the extended family) than the figures for regular usage.

Balochistan is the least served (still, a third of the population have access to mobile phones). According to survey, cell phone usage in 35-4 percent in Sindh about 44 percent in NWFP and Azad Jammu and Kashmir and highest in Punjab at 51.5 percent.

For more on this article, please click on the following link: Mobile technology growing in Pakistan: WB: Pakistan Observer

UAE to give Pakistan another 300 MW plant: GEO

DUBAI: The 320 MW thermal power plant gifted by UAE to Pakistan will reach in August while the UAE government will give Pakistan another thermal power plant of 300 MW.

Chairman Abu Dhabi Water and Electric Agency Shahzada Sheikh Diyab Bin Nahyan stated this during a meeting with Federal Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf.

For more on this article, please click on the following link: UAE to give Pakistan another 300 MW plant: GEO

‘Pakistan the worst-hit country by brain drain’: Daily Times

LAHORE: Hardly any country has suffered more from the ‘brain drain’ than has Pakistan. Nearly 3,500 (annual) graduates of Pakistan’s medical colleges are jobless; most go abroad.

This was stated by the Chairman Denmark Pakistan Chamber of Commerce (DPCC) and Research Economist Abid Ali Abid while delivering a lecture ‘the impact of brain drain on Pakistan’s economy’ to the members of Lahore Economic Journalist Association (LEJA).

President LEJA Mansoor Ahmad, Vice president Itrat Bashir, General Secretary Muhammad Sudhir Chaudhry and Treasure Imran Adnan also spoke on the occasion.

Abid said that those that consider flight of highly skilled human resource of the country as source of remittance fail to realise that absence of highly qualified doctors, engineers and scientists is playing havoc with the long-term economic growth of the country. He said even the low skilled labour force of the country should be nurtured to improve their skills and play their role in the local economy.

He said Pakistan seems to have nothing but problems. He said the endemic poverty of British Raj pales compared with the current poverty rate in Pakistan. He said high skilled workforce badly needed in Pakistan is going abroad in search for jobs. He said educated see their future not in their home country but in other countries.

He said all economists agree that every doctor who leaves a poor nation leaves a hole that cannot be filled. That creates enormous problems for the source country and the educational and health leaders in the country who are attempting to provide healers, he added. He said no nation can achieve long-term economic growth by exporting human resource.

Chairman DPCC said according to official estimates of Pakistan’s Overseas Employment Corporation, close to 36,000 professionals, including doctors, engineers and teachers, have migrated to other countries in the last 30 years. Interestingly, this number is indicative of only a small proportion of actual migration, since the majority of emigrants do not register. He said his research indicates that the number in recent years has increased around 45,000.

For more on this article, please click on the following link: ‘Pakistan the worst-hit country by brain drain’: Daily Times

The road between China and Pakistan: Financial Times

By Alice Albinia

In the customs hall at Tashkurgan, the last town on the road from China’s Xinjiang province into Pakistan, I felt a by-now familiar sense of trepidation.

Over the past six years I have travelled through Pakistan at least eight times – from the fertile valleys and snowy peaks of the north, to the deserts and shrines of the south – crossing in and out of neighbouring Afghanistan, India and China. I have friends from Karachi to Kalam, a salwar kameez (traditional dress) for every occasion, and an array of choice Urdu swear words. There are parts of the country I know better than the land I grew up in.

And yet standing on the outside, looking in, I feel afraid. And if the thought of travelling to Pakistan affects me like this, it is understandable why the number of foreign visitors has halved since 2007. The World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2009 placed Pakistan in the top 25 per cent of global destinations for its World Heritage sites, which range from the mangroves in the Delta, to the 5,000-year-old cities of Mohenjo-daro and Harappa. Yet it was also named the nation worst affected by terrorism.

Despite the jihadis who dominate the airwaves, however, Pakistan has a proud tradition of hospitality to outsiders. It is prudent to show some reserve in dress and behaviour, especially for lone women. But this restriction of personal freedom is amply compensated. Pakistan is a land of breathtaking beauty, rich in the interleaved histories of cosmopolitan cultures. And for the nervous traveller who fears becoming part of an international news item, nowhere is better than Hunza, Pakistan’s northernmost valley on the border with China.

Outside the Chinese customs office, I get chatting to my Pakistani Jeep driver and soon he is boasting about the improvements being made to the road that links China to Pakistan, the Karakoram Highway.

This road traces an epic route from the Muslim city of Kashgar in north-western China, through a tangle of mountains, and down into the plains of the Punjab. Work on the highway began in 1966 but it took intrepid Chinese engineers more than a decade to blast their way through the mountain rock, open up the Khunjerab Pass, and pour Tarmac on to goat paths. Locals like to repeat the macabre fact that almost one worker died for every kilometre of road constructed. Most of them were from ....

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