APCNGA lauds FBR for taking right decision

FBR withdraws hike of tax on CNG sector

Dated August 19

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has taken back the recent hike of taxes on the CNG on the persuasion of the owners of the CNG stations.

FBR had recently increased ratio of taxes on CNG from 26 per cent to 32 per cent while the gas companies have included the increased tax in the gas bills.

However, the All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) persuaded the tax authorities to reverse the decision in the national interest.

Following some meetings the FBR authorities were convinced who reversed the decision and issued a notification in this regard.

The FBR has directed the gas distribution companies not to include the additional amount in the gas consumption bills for CNG stations which has been termed a success of masses by Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha, Chairman Supreme Council APCNGA.

He said that the decision has raised concerns among all the eighty million stakeholders who would have been suffered a lot if the decision was implemented in this era of double digit inflation.

Paracha lauded the FBR authorities for taking a right decision in the interest of masses. He said that FBR has provided interim relief and final decision in this regard may be taken in September.

He informed that CNG prices will remain the same after the decision. It may be mentioned that the 31 per cent sales tax on CNG outlets includes 17 per cent standard sales tax, 9 per cent value addition tax and 5 per cent extra sales tax imposed only for supplying electricity/gas.

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First-ever meeting of Pak-Thai Joint Working Group held

Close partnership to lift millions out of poverty agreed

Both sides agreed to boost trade and investment

Islamabad: August 21

The private sector of Pakistan and Thailand has agreed to boost trade and economic cooperation in various fields and hold meetings of Joint Business Council biannually for future growth and prosperity.

Noted Thai investors have lauded the investment policies and environment of Pakistan and decided to visit Pakistan next month to explore new avenues of investment and economic cooperation.

The development came during the first-ever meeting of joint working group comprising private sector of the two countries.

Pakistan side was headed by President FPCCI Zubair Ahmed Malik while Thai side was led by Mr. Isara Vongkusolkit, Chairman of the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking of Thailand and Chairman of the Board of Trade Thailand.

Both sides agreed to explore investment opportunities in energy, food processing, agriculture, pharmaceutical, auto parts, fisheries, marble, granite, tourism and health tourism and ensure significant progress.

Speaking at the occasion Zubair Ahmed Malik said that Pakistan market presents great opportunities to Thai investors and that we can help enhance their market access to Afghanistan, Central Asia, and some Gulf and Middle Eastern nations.

He said that Thailand is world leader in food processing, auto parts manufacturing while it is exporting fisheries worth 10 billion dollars per annum.

Thai investors can explore opportunities is Pakistan’s robust auto industry, food processing and agricultural sector, he said, adding that fish products of Pakistan match western standards.

The FPCCI President said that Pakistan’s marble and granite sector  exports to China and Hong Kong are picking up and he expects Thailand to consider this promising sector for investment.  

Mr. Isara Vongkusolkit took keen interest in the discussion and raised many question regarding reforms agenda, quality of Pakistani products including pharma and rice. He informed that Pakistan can export orange and its juice to Thailand where people prefer it over any other nectar.

He stressed preservation and processing of agriculture and fisheries products terming them important national resource of Pakistan. Thai side also took interest in Pakistan’s energy, gemstones and education sectors and offered scholarships to Pakistani students.

Vongkusolkit encouraged Pakistani businesses to look towards Thailand, a market of 70 million people for business expansion. Thailand can help enhance presence of Pakistan in whole ASEAN region, a market of 600 million people which will become a single market in 2015, he said.

The two sides agreed to forge close partnership to help lift millions of people out of poverty and build a stable, prosperous and democratic future for their respective countries.

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FPCCI chief lauds Chinese cooperation in various fields

China expresses renewed interest in expanding economic ties

High-powered Chinese delegation expresses interest in energy project

Islamabad:

Dated: August 19

China on Monday expressed renewed interest in increasing bilateral economic ties and vowed to resolve Pakistan’s energy crisis by investing the ailing sector.

The pledge was made in a meeting between officials of Policy Research Office, Kunmíng, the capital and largest city of Yunnan province in Southwest China and President FPCCI Zubair Ahmed Malik.

Speaking at the occasion, Director of Policy Research Office Mr Yuan Peiwen, having expertise in solar and wind power, said that they have come to Pakistan to have direct communication with business community to explore ways and means to enhance economic cooperation which include

We are here to improve understanding and to resolve problems of the local exporters, he added.

He said that two-way trade has picked up to 12 billion dollars in last five years Pakistan’s exports registering 48.2 per cent growth in one year. He hoped that target of 15 billion dollar of bilateral trade would be met by 2015.

The biggest increase in Pakistan’s exports to China in 2012 were textiles, vegetable products, ores, mineral products, base metals, marble products etc., said Peiwen adding that Pakistani business community will be provided every possible facility in China.

Speaking on the occasion, President FPCCI Zubair Ahmed Malik said that China is now Pakistan’s biggest trading partner.

He lauded Chinese government and business community is expansion of Pakistani business community in their country saying that opportunities being provided will go a long way in cementing ties.

China is on way to become the largest energy consuming country of the world in which Pakistan is fully cooperating through proposed energy corridor, said Malik.

He said Chinese economic policies are based on partnership and political equality which is highly encouraging.

Lauding the recent pledges by Chinese companies to invest heavily in Pakistan’s energy sector, the leader of the business community said that maximum resources should be utilized for controlling energy crisis for the development of the country.

He said that government is attaching top priority to resolving energy problem and all out encouragement is being extended to local and foreign investors.

China is a trusted friend of Pakistan and has played a commendable role in its development.

Pakistan is a poor country which needs to generate power at minimum cost to cope with the energy problem which has compromised growth, said Zubair Ahmed Malik.

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Govt asked to promote new investments in energy sector

No poverty reduction sans ample energy

Provision of energy imperative to transform lives

Energy enables people to work their way out of poverty

August 19

The Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW) on Sunday asked the government to promote new investments in the energy sector by introducing better regulations as poverty cannot be reduced in presence of energy scarcity.

Access to energy is imperative to transform lives which is not getting proper attention on the national and global level as majority of Pakistanis as well as a third of the world’s population has no access to modern energy services, it said.

Tens of millions in Pakistan and 1.3 billion people worldwide are still without any form of electricity and 2.7 billion people still cook over open fires despite availability of solutions, said Dr Murtaza Mughal, President PEW.

Estimates say in the next seventeen years three billion will cook with traditional fuels, more than 30 million people will have died due to smoke-related diseases and hundreds of millions will be confined to poverty due to lack of energy, he informed.

Of those who don’t have access to modern energy around 70 per cent are women who spend significant time and money to obtain energy that is not only unpredictable, expensive, unsafe, and highly polluting, he said.

Dr Murtaza Mughal said that lack of access to electricity also prevents the development of key social programmes like education, health, sanitation and provision of clean drinking water, continuing a cycle of poverty that is very difficult to break.

He said that energy is vital to escape poverty but unfortunately lack of interest on the part of governments has left a third of the world’s population has no access to modern energy services which is impeding global growth.

He said that Pakistan government should boost efforts to tame energy crisis and promote new investments as provision of electricity is linked to development of agriculture, industry, trade,  jobs, medicine, sanitation and water purification.

Every dollar invested in a solar energy generates more than $46 in economic benefits in the first year alone; it results in a stronger economy, a healthier population, and enables parents to ensure a bright future for their families.

He said that energy enables people to work their way out of poverty, it provides better access to basic services while improving health and wellbeing of everyone, especially that of women and children.

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Gas companies penalising innocent to hide inefficiency, losses: APCNGA

Ogra, district administration being misguided to protect big fish

Gas utilities playing judge, jury and executioner which is intolerable

Petroleum ministry should stop on-going abuse of power, ensure transparency

Dated: August 16

The All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) on Friday expressed serious reservations over role of gas distribution companies in the on-going campaign against electricity and gas theft.

Gas utility companies have been victimising innocent to hide their own inefficiencies, corruption and UFG losses, it said.

The gas companies have been misguiding district administrations and Ogra to safeguard the interests of big gas fish involved in massive theft, said Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha, Chairman Supreme Council APCNGA.

He said that gas companies install faulty metres by themselves, their staff gets the reading from metres and they decide about theft and action. The utilities have been playing 'Judge, jury and executioner' which is not acceptable, he added.

Ministry of petroleum of should take note of the situation and stop the gas companies from this exploitation of the business community, he demanded.

Ghiyas Paracha said that gas companies are bent upon failing the drive of the government to nab the influential partly responsible for the energy crisis to ensure continuity of their undocumented income.

On the other hand, he said, innocent are being squeezed to hide inefficiency and corruption and to boost the annual income.

Paracha said that it is amazing that many gas theft cases have been registered in last few months but not a single official involved in it has been brought to the book despite the known fact that a consumer cannot steal energy without consent of officials concerned.

He said that those who took gas connection to run their mills but started generating electricity illegally are also gas thieves but not a single of them has been arrested and no one of the would ever be questioned.

APCNGA demanded gas meter reading through a third party and completion of all the process according to the provisions of law.

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MoU signed to provide free healthcare facilities to masses

MoU signed to provide free healthcare facilities to masses

August 15

Tehreek-e-Sehat Pakistan (TSP) and Minsa Clinic Bahria Town have entered into a deal to provide free healthcare facilities to masses through free medical camps in Rawalpindi.

In this regard a MoU was signed between TSP and Minsa Clinic Bahria on the Independence Day.

Speaking to the MoU signing ceremony Dr Murtaza Mughal, President TSP said that allopathic system of medicine is costly while may ends up catching additional diseases while attempting to cure one.

He said that homeopathic system of medicine has no side effects but it is also costly for poor. Therefore, he said, some doctors in the TSP have decided to provide free healthcare facilities to masses using their own resources.

Dr Murtaza Mughal said that we will use homeo and biochemic system of medicine to cure ailing masses.

People of the twin cities can avail free healthcare facilities while those who are away can get free advice through phone or email.

He said that our experts, some of them with MD and PhD degrees from foreign countries in alternate medicine can cure diabetes, arthritis, jaundice, hepatitis, kidney and gall stones, piles, viral warts, dyspepsia, diarrhoea, and child problems including intestinal worms, teething troubles and atopic dermatitis.

He informed that patients can come to Rise School Building, Lane No 3 near Govt. Girls High School, Gulishatn Colony Rawalpindi from 5 to 6 pm or contact on 0300-9898552 or minsaclinc1974@gmail.com for free advice.

Dr Murtaza Mughal said that nation and economy cannot progress in presence of an ill nation as government has not been focusing on provision of affordable healthcare facilities to the masses.

Pakistan can tackle problems of health and education if rich consider earning for six days and returning on the seventh, he said.

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APCNGA demands gas quota to ensure continued supply to masses

Preventing gas theft, misuse to reduce energy crisis by 25 pc: Paracha

Govt to back APCNGA LNG import plan: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

Govt to consider increasing gas supply to CNG sector, abolish double taxation

Dated August 12

Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Monday said Government will extend all possible help to The All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) to realise its plan to import LNG which will mitigate energy crisis.

He said that government will seriously consider allocation of gas quota to CNG stations, reduce gas loadshedding in Sindh and Pun jab, stop theft and misuse of natural gas, hiring third party to reduce complaints of overbilling, and bringing an end to practice of double taxation.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said this while meeting a high-powered delegation led by Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha, Chairman Supreme Council APCNGA and Central Chairman Abid Hayat. Regional Chairmen APCNGA hailing from all provinces were also present on the occasion.

Federal Minister asked the delegation for implementable suggestions for a new gas load management schedule and assured resolution of all just demands of the CNG sector.

He said that gas is being sold at highest prices to the SNG sector which is paying highest taxes which government will consider reducing.

Earlier, Ghiyas Paracha briefed the meeting about problem faced by the CNG sector, issues regarding gas loadshedding in Sindh and Punjab, issues with Ogra and gas companies and matters pertaining to taxation.

He said that some influential get gas connection for one purpose and use it for another which if barred would reduce gas crisis by 25 per cent.

The leader of the CNG sector said that allocating gas quota to the CNG filling stations across the stretch of country will reduce losses of operators and save masses from waiting for hours in queues.

The minister heard all the demands of CNG association patiently and assured resolution of all the outstanding issues of the CNG sector.

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