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PAKISTAN’S FIRST INDEPTH NEWSPAPER ON CUSTOMS
Daily
Vol 1 Issue No. 158
Karachi, Wed August 12, 2015
LAHORE
M HAYAT
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ederal Board of Revenue (FBR) member IT Raana Ahmad on Monday held a seminar on Withholding Tax Module Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS).and trained the withholding tax agents of the Large Taxpayers Unit and Regional Tax OfPice- II. A large number of companies, that are being dealt by LTU, RTO-I and chief commissioners participated in the seminar. Oth-
Price Rs. 14.00
ers who attended the seminar, including LTU Chief Commissioner Chaudhry Safdar, Lahore Tax Bar Association President Munsha Sukhara and General Secretary Ch Qamaruz Zaman . The member IT said that monthly statement will be Piled by the withholding companies through new system of “IRIS” which will be launched by August 31, 2015. She said that after the launch of new system both withholding agents and FBR IT ofPicials will have to go through various odds situations which would extend both the sides an opportunity to learn about the system new system.
Multan Customs Intelligence confiscates items worth Rs 3.75m
Multan ASO confiscates 1,036 cell phones, 40,392 memory
US Ambassador Olson hails economic stability in Pakistan
Faisalabad Customs collects Rs 250m taxes in July
Expansion of tax net is need of the hour, says CEO TADP
The Customs Investigation Multan has seized the smuggled goods | SEE PAGE 02 |
The Customs ASO Multan has seized 1,036 sets of new cell phones | SEE PAGE 03 |
US Ambassador to Pakistan Richard G. Olson congratulated for Ishaq Dar | SEE PAGE 04 |
The MCC Faisalabad has collected Rs 250.354 million in wake of taxes | SEE PAGE 03 |
Chief Executive of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) SM | SEE PAGE 09 |
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Punjab Revenue Authority seals six marriage halls in Lahore Wednesday, August 12, 2015
National
LAHORE: Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA), in a drive against unregistered marriage halls, has sealed six banquets halls of Lahore in order to collect sales tax from 2012 to-date, sources told Customs Today. Sources said that according to a survey, around 500 marriage halls are working across Punjab out of which 100 unregistered halls were working in Lahore. The marriage halls which have been sealed by the PRA authorities includes Ahmad Marriage Hall, Norat Marriage Hall, Crystal Marriage Hall, Look Look Wedding Hall, Garden, Charagh and Shadi Darbar halls in Samnabad.
Multan Customs Intelligence confiscates items worth Rs 3.75m
Pakistan’s cement exports to India via Wagah falls by 32pc in July LAHORE
M IMRAN MEHAR
MULTAN
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IMRAN ALI
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he Customs Investigation and Intelligence Multan has seized the smuggled goods and vehicles valued at Rs 3.75 million in various actions during the Pirst month (July) of current Piscal year 2015-16. Directorate of Customs Intelligence has formed Pive seizure cases during the said period against the unscrupulous elements. Multan, Sadiqabad and Dera Ghazi Khan all the three region fall in the jurisdictions of the Customs Intelligence Multan. Customs Intelligence has impounded two smuggled vehicles in the region of Dera Ghazi Khan during different operations. Both vehicles were smuggled from hidden routes into the country without paying leviable duty/taxes. The value of two seized vehicles was estimated by Customs Intelligence at almost Rs 1.8 million involving duty/taxes amounting to Rs 1.6 million. It also seized the goods amounting to Rs 1.95 million from Dera Ghazi. Meanwhile, Customs Intelligence and Investigation Multan Range office has found another tax evasion of Rs 831, 232 in the imported parts of industrial oven against SM Food Makers Company
ndia is a largest importer of Pakistani cement and Pakistan is earning huge revenue through export of cement and clinker to India through sea and land routes. During the last fiscal year of 2014-15, Pakistan exported, 696337 metric ton of cement to India and Wagah is the main trade route for Pakistan to export cement to India as it is the cheapest route between the two neighboring countries. During 2013-14, exports to India was standing at 677305 metric tons mean it was on boost from 2013 to 2015. Sources told Customs Today that exports of cement and other relevant items to India is decreasing after the announcement of the federal budget for the fiscal year of 2015-16. The Federal government has imposed a tax termed as “super tax”on cement sector in Pakistan which has plunged the exports of Pakistan. Ratio of the super tax is 4 percent which is increasing the rates of cement in local market and also affected exports as well. Only Pakistani cement export has fallen to 32 percent in first month after the implementation of this tax. During July 2015 exports to India was standing at 43000 metric tons which is 32 percent low than the same period of the last fiscal year.
during investigation. Customs Intelligence and Investigation Multan had detected tax evasion of Rs 4.7 million against Saim Mobeen Food Makers Company through under invoicing on the import of Varbon steel sheets on dated 20-6-2014. Saim Mobeen food makers company is registered as manufacturer, importer and wholesaler in Regional Tax OfPice Multan Customs Intelligence and Investigation Multan has learnt through their sources that the actual transaction value of imported goods between supplier Berndorf Band GMBH Aus-
tria and Saim Mobeen Food Maker was euro 120,700/- whereas Saim Mobeen Food Maker have forged the actual invoice value declaring transaction value as euro 12,700/-.The allegations of under invoicing against S.M Food Makers Company were proved to be true as evident in the Order in Original No.167/2015 given by Collector Adjudication Saleem Ahmad Ranjha in the seizure case no.37/2014 Customs Intelligence and Investigation has found that in the course of investigation of seizure case no.37/2014, S.M Food Makers had
got cleared the industrial parts of oven including stainless steel belts committing under invoicing during the period 2012-2013 from MCC Appraisement, Karachi. Customs Intelligence and Investigation Multan has scrutinized the import record provided by the Additional Collector –I, MCC Appraisement (West) with regard to import of similar products. During investigation of import documents it reveals that importer S.M Food Maker imported carbon steel sheets, carbon 13 (parts of Industrial oven) and declared unit transaction value as euro 3/ per kilogram.
Smuggling of Iranian tiles: Court to announce verdict on Sept 12 KARACHI
MUHAMMAD YOUSAF www.customsbulletin.com
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he Custom and Taxation Court on Monday reserved its judgment in an Iran origin tiles smuggling case. Judge Syed Faiz Rasool Rashdi reserved the judgment after hearing Pinal arguments from both sides and
set September 12 for its pronouncement. According to the prosecution, following a tip-off Anti-smuggling Organization had caught a parked trailer loaded with Iran origin tiles near Karachi Superhighway in January 2015. The ASO had arrested an alleged smuggler, Muhammad Arif, who was asleep in cabin of the trailer. Subsequently, a case was registered against Arif and absconding driver under Section 2(s), 16, and
157(2) of the Customs Act 1969. The prosecutor said that the Iran origin tiles were imported through an unauthorized route. The accused had failed to produce the legal documents regarding import of the consignment at the time of seizure. Refuting the allegations of smuggling, the counsel for accused said that no offence of smuggling is made out as tiles were not notiPied item under Section 2 (S) of the Act. Moreover, he said that the consignment of tiles was imported through
Gawadar Port legally. Meanwhile, The Customs and Taxation Court reserved its judgment in a long–drawn gold smuggling case. Judge Syed Faiz Rasool Rashdi reserved the judgment after hearing Pinal arguments from both sides and set August 29 for its pronouncement. According to the prosecution, in February 1996, the Anti-Smuggling Organization had seized 12000 tolas of gold worth Rs 600 million from a boat coming from International wa-
ters. Four suspects — Hussain, Dawood, Abbass and Muhammad Umer, who were on the boat, were arrested. Subsequently, the custom authorities had registered a case against the accused under Sections of Customs Act 1969. The accused were later released by the court on bail. Sources told Customs Today that it is a long-drawn smuggling case in the history of such cases as it suffered inordinate delays because of frequent transfers of investigation ofPicers and prosecutors.
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FBR forms teams to check bogus invoices KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has decided to stop the practice of bogus invoices. It has already formed two teams to scrutinize the invoices.Sources told Customs Today that the Regional Tax OďŹƒces have brought into the notice of the high-ups that only 76 units are registered after adopting legal procedure, while remaining 254 units were registered without getting any relevant SRO. Sources said that some persons prefer to get registration directly as this practice saves them from physical examination of the unit and obtains sales tax registration.
ANF foils attempt to smuggle heroin to UK ISLAMABAD
Wednesday August 12, 2015
National
M/s Descon to face action, PCA issues contravention report
SHAHID MINHAS
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he Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) has foiled an attempt of smuggling heroin to Birmingham (United Kingdom) at Bainazir Bhutto International Airport Islamabad and arrested the accused on the spot. According to details, the Anti-Narcotic Force has recovered one kilograms of heroin from Muhammad Nawaz, who is a resident of Birmingham (U.K). He had concealed the drug in his shoes. During checking passengers of Pakistan Airlines flight no PK- 791, the authorities found the heroin in his possession. The ANF sources said that the accused wanted to smuggled heroin to U.K and he looked a skillful smuggler as he put the heroin in his shoes very intelligently.
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SC plans to form special benches to solve pending cases of FBR ISLAMABAD
SHAHID MINHAS
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he Supreme Court has decided to establish special tax benches in the apex and high courts for early resolution of the pending cases following the request of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in this regard. The FBR oďŹƒcials claimed that the number of total pending cases of the FBR in courts is more than 2000, in which revenue of millions of rupees is involved, adding that the number of cases is increasing. They said that, in most of the pending cases people, have taken stay orders from courts against the decisions made by tribunals in favour of the department. The FBR has been paying to the lawyer for proceedings of the cases, costing the department millions of rupees. Seeking the early decision of the cases, FBR Chairman Tariq Bajwa had requested the SC for adopting a policy in this regard.
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KARACHI
AFTAB CHANNA
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he Pakistan Customs Post Clearance Audit (PCA) Karachi has issued a contravention report against M/s Descon Engineering Limited for causing loss to the national kitty by evading Rs 1,080,088 duties/taxes. M/s Descon Engineering Limited had imported machinery parts and spares etc by taking undue benePits of SRO 575(I)/2006. The scrutiny of the import data revealed that importer had imported consignment of machinery parts and spares and got them cleared from Model Customs Collectorate-Preventive availing inadmissible exemptions of Customs Duty as in excess of 5 percent under Sr No 21 of SRO 575(I)/2006 dated 6.5.2006 while the imported goods did not fall within the ambit of plant, machinery, equipment spares and accessories required for manufacturer or production of any good. Hence, the importer M/s Descon Engineering Limited evaded Rs 1,080,088 including Customs Duty Rs 606,351.8, Sales Tax Rs 440,089.8 and Income Tax Rs 33,647.1. The evasion of customs duty/tax on account of availing inadmissible benePit of Sr.21 of SRO 575(I)/2006 dated 5.6.2006. Therefore, violated the provision of Section 32(1)(2) and (3A) of the Customs Act, 1969
punishable under clauses 1 and 14 of Section 156(1) of the Customs Act, 1969 read with Section 33 of the Sales Tax Act, 1990, chapter X of the Sales Tax special procedure Rules 2007 (special procedures for payment of sales tax by the importers) and Section 148 of Income Tax Ordinance. Meanwhile, The Customs Post Clearance Audit has prepared a contravention report against M/s
Muller and Phipps (Private) Lim-
Model Customs CollectoratePreventive availing inadmissible exemptions of Customs Duty as in excess of 5 percent under Sr No 21 of SRO 575(I)/2006 dated 6.5.2006
100,000 new people added in tax net: Jam Kamal
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inister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources Jam Kamal informed the Senate that government took various steps to broaden tax net adding that 100,000 new people were brought into tax net. Concluding discussion on a commenced motion moved by Shibili Faraz regarding steps taken by the government to broaden the tax net
in the country, the minister said national data base was set up in Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) and data was being collected from various departments. He said that owing to NADRA integrated data, such people were identified which helped broaden the tax net. The minister said that non-expenditures had increased due to un-necessary employments in past in various department. Regarding, agricultural tax, the minis-
ter said that the provincial governments were responsible for imposing agricultural tax and the provinces had already taken some steps in this regard. Earlier, speaking on the adjournment motion, Shibili Faraz said that our expenditure had increased than income. He said that no government took un-popular decision to broaden tax net. He said that FBR mostly focused on indirect taxes rather than direct tax.
ited for tax evasion of Rs 2.323 million by taking inadmissible benefits under SRO 1125(I)/2011. While scrutinizing data of the importer, the PCA Karachi found that M/s Muller and Phipps imported consignments of Latex Surgical Gloves Powdered vide GD No KSCIHC-68655/24.5.2012 and had illegally availed benefits of concessionary rate of sales tax and income tax.
Faisalabad Customs collects Rs 250m taxes in July he Model Customs Collectorate (MCC) Faisalabad has collected Rs 250.354 million in wake of taxes during first month of current fiscal year 2015-16, however it has not been assigned revenue target by the Federal Board of Revenue so far. As per details, Faisalabad Customs has collected Rs 220.012 million under the head of sales tax, Rs 12.474 million as income tax and Rs 9.868 million.
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Remittances up by 0.86% to $1.6b in July Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Business
KARACHI: The country recorded 0.86 per cent increase in remittances as the overseas Pakistanis sent $1663.61 million in the month of July as compared with $1649.39 million of the same period in the previous year. The country wise details for the month of July 2015 show that inflows from Saudi Arabia, UAE, USA, UK, GCC countries (including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman) and EU countries amounted to $474.42 million, $367.51 million, $255.32 million, $232.33 million, $197.86 million and $32.5 million respectively compared with the inflow of $454.47 million.
US Ambassador Olson hails economic stability in Pakistan ISLAMABAD
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S Ambassador to Pakistan Richard G. Olson congratulated Federal Minister for Finance Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on the economic stability achieved by Pakistan. The Finance Minister discussed with Olson the details of the recent round of talks with the IMF on the conclusion of the 8th Review under the Extended Fund Fa-
Remittances up by 0.86% to $1.6b in July KARACHI
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he country recorded 0.86 per cent increase in remittances as the overseas Pakistanis sent $1663.61 million in the month of July as compared with $1649.39 million of the same period in the previous year. The country wise details for the month of July 2015 show that inflows from Saudi Arabia, UAE, USA, UK, GCC countries (including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman) and EU countries amounted to $474.42 million.
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cility here on Monday. The Finance minister said that with the successful completion of the 8th review would lend further impetus to the drive for economic development. He said the government had now embarked on consolidation of the gains it had made so far and from a position of economic stability it desired to move on to the state of economic prosperity. The minister also discussed with Olson that Prime Minister likely visit to US for which he may accompany the PM. There was also discussion on the preparations for the SAARC Finance Ministers’ meeting on the occasion. Meanwhile, A high level meeting
chaired by Federal Minister for Finance, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar reviewed progress of Development Policy Credit-II (DPC-II) on energy sector. The minister was informed that major reform effort had been undertaken to complete benchmarks of DPC-II and that all key prior actions had also been completed. Finance Minister, Ishaq Dar inquired about the progress of establishment of CPPA (G). Chairman Nepra apprised the minister that consultations on market rules had been initiated and a public hearing would be held next week in this regard after which the consultative process would be completed. The
Fluctuation in prices of vegetables due to gap between supply, demand: AMIS
Minister also asked about the progress on formulation of circular debt plan. He was informed that the plan had been chalked out and would be placed on the website of the Ministry of Water and Power shortly. The Minister on this occasion said that successful completion of all prior actions of DPC-II would pave the way for disbursement of funds from the World Bank, JICA and ADB for energy sector. He appreciated the efforts of concerned ofPicials of Ministry of Water and Power, Ministry of Finance and NEPRA for major reforms under DPC-II including establishment of CPPA(G) which had been pending for a long time.
11% growth: 386 new companies registered in July ISLAMABAD
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he registration of new companies increased 11 per cent in July this year as the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) registered 386 new Pirms during the corresponding month. The commission registered 348 companies during the correspon-
ding period last year. Out of 386 companies registered during July 2015, around 86 percent of companies have been registered as private limited companies, while around 9 percent were registered as singlemember companies. Five percent of the companies were registered as public unlisted, non-proPit associations, trade organisations and foreign companies. The services sector took the lead with the incorporation of 58 companies, followed by trading with 48, information technology with 38, tourism with 27, construction with
26, engineering with 14, corporate agricultural farming with 13, textile with 12, communications and education with 11 each and power generation with 10 companies. Moreover, 4 foreign companies were also registered by the CROs in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore. Foreign investment has been reported in 20 new companies. These companies have foreign investors from Afghanistan, Australia, China, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Libya, New Zealand, Norway, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, Tunisia, the US and UK.
LAHORE
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he prices of vegetables in the province are fluctuating mainly due to gap between supply and demand, however, there is no shortage of commodities in the market, said Agriculture Marketing Information Service (AMIS). Regarding prices of tomatoes, sources in AMIS told the state-owned news agency said that in this season the tomato supply comes from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, which had been disturbed due to heavy rains in Chitral and FATA. The quarters concerned had taken effective steps to overcome the problem by importing tomatoes from neighbouring country, sources added. Sources further said the government was continuously monitoring the prices of vegetables to ensure the provision of quality vegetables to consumers at reasonable rates. According to market rate Potatoes (New) are being sold at minimum Rs 28 and maximum Rs 30 per/kg, Onion minimum at Rs 33 and maximum at Rs 35 per/kg, Tomato minimum Rs 57 and maximum Rs 60, Brinjal minimum Rs 21 and maximum Rs 23 per/kg, Lady Finger minimum Rs 50 and maximum Rs 53 per/kg, Peas minimum Rs 120 and maximum Rs 126 per/kg, Cauliflower minimum Rs 40 and maximum Rs 46 per/kg.
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Hashoo Group announces 300-room addition to 5-star hotel in Gwadar ISLAMABAD
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ashoo Group has announced to build another 300-room accommodation along with its Pive-star hotel and started feasibility of the building.
According to a press statement, the setting up of the Economic Corridor between Pakistan and China will be of immense benePit for both the countries and owing to ideal location of its deep Sea Port Gwadar is expected to develop into a regional hub, serving the incoming, outgoing commercial trafPic, and also facilitating in transit and intra-transit trade
from many countries. Hashoo Group, realising very early, the importance of Gwadar and for the interests of the country at the foremost, has invested over Rs 2 billion including construction of ‘five star hotel in the region by the name of Zaver Pearl Continental Gwadar to cater to the needs of its customers who are mostly government officials, foreigners,
businessmen, bankers, tourists etc. Located on the cliff-top of the Koh-e-Batil in the beautiful surroundings of Arabian Sea and clear beaches, the hotel has 114 bedrooms equipped with modern facilities, 3 restaurants offering variety of cuisines, coffee shop, banquet facilities, health club & SPA, 24 hours business centre, and car rental facilities
available for both in-house and walk-in clients. The statement said that keeping in view the recent increase in economic activity in the area and the promising future prospects of the Gwadar, the Hashoo Group is planning expansion of its existing 5-star Hotel initially by adding 40 deluxe rooms by complete phase II of the Hotel for which drawings, founda-
tion and piling work is ready. This will not only provide additional accommodation but will also be instrumental in uplifting the economic situation in the region. Further the Hashoo Group is also planning to add another 300 rooms accommodation by putting up Hotel Apartment Building on the adjacent Hotel Land for which initial studies are underway.
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he Customs Anti-Smuggling Organisation Hyderabad, Sukkur and Larkana have seized contraband items worth Rs 28.122 million collectively in July 2015 in different operation against smuggling activities. All the three regions work under the Model Customs Collectorate Hyderabad. The ASO team, following the instructions of Collector MCC Hyderabad Dr Ahmad Mujtaba Memon, foiled a number of smuggling bids in the region saving the national exchequer. The ASO team of the three regions confiscated different items including nonduty paid vehicle, cell phones and its accessories, tyres and tubes, foreign origin cloth, electronic goods, black pepper, Iranian juice, tiles, cigarettes and gutka during the said period. The teams impounded a vehicle, Toyota Land Cruiser bearing Registration No. BD-3773 worth Rs 1 million, 10,600 yards smuggled cloth valued at Rs 722,000, 819 set of mobile phones having value estimated to Rs 8.1 million, Indian origin gutka and foreign origin cigarettes worth Rs 10.6 million. Besides, 149 sets of tyres and tubes and
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
others goods including black pepper, juice, tiles and cell phone accessories worth Rs 7.7 million were also clutched by ASO team in their respective regions. Meanwhile, The Customs Anti-Smuggling Organisation (ASO) has seized 495 kilograms smuggled gutka worth Rs 2.3 million involving duty/taxes amounting to Rs 1.2 million in an operation. Following a tip-off received through Model Customs Collectorate Hyderabad Collector Dr Ahmed Mujtaba Memon, the ASO team conducted raid at Hyderabad Railways Station to foil the smuggling bid. Under the supervision Additional Collector Omer Shafique, ASO team comprising Inspector Waqar Ahmed Baig, Shafi Mohammad Jamali and others conducted search operation of Khyber Mail train and recovered 495 kg of smuggled gutka being smuggled from Rahem Yar Khan to Hyderabad. Official said that after making the seizure report the confiscated contraband item would be deposited to the state ware house in Hyderabad. Meanwhile, Additional Collector MCC Hyderabad, Omer Shafique while talking to Customs Today said that department was striving to increase the surveillance of suspects in the region as more check posts has been established to foiled the smuggling bids.
Sadly, a Hyderabad Customs driver Zia Hussain died in operation against smugglers as he received serious injuries when smugglers showed resistance. Meanwhile, The Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) Hyderabad has been granted seven-day judicial remand of the four accused allegedly involved in smuggling of 130,000 litres of Iranian diesel into Pakistan. As per details, ASO Hyderabad on the instruction of Collector Ahmed Mujtaba Memon in joint operation with rangers intercepted five oil tanker loaded with 130,000 litres of diesel bearing Registration Nos. TUA-840, NAk-796, CH-9291, TKY-696, TUA-579 in its jurisdiction and asked the drivers to produce legal documents of this Iranian diesel but they could present any document. Therefore, ASO team impounded all the five oil tankers under the customs law and also arrested the drivers named Fazal Mohammad, Bashir Ahmed, Mohammad Ishaq and Muhammad Anwar. Officials claimed that total value of seized diesel was Rs 9.7 million in market. Under the supervision of Additional Collector Omer Shafique and Assistant Collector Shahid Iqbal ASO team comprising Deputy Superintendent Sikandar Akbar Pahnwar, Mohammad Ali Lohar, Inspector Mohammad Pathan.
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Founder & Chairman Zulfiqar Ali Editor Rahil Yasin editor@customsbulletin.com.pk For advertising & subscription marketing@customsbulletin.com.pk www.customsbulletin.com Phones: 042-35781643-4, Fax: 042-35781645 Address: 627, Siddiq Trade Centre, Gulberg, Lahore
EDITORIAL
Piling up loans
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news report appearing in the media largely went unnoticed. The secretary of the Economic Affairs Division has informed the Senate Standing Committee on Finance that Pakistan obtained $11.2 billion foreign loans during the last 10 years just for debt servicing. This is a joke with the nation in the name of development. The total loan amount acquired during the decade stands at $47.8 billion whereas the country on the average has been paying $ 2.4 billion per annum to the lenders. The meeting of the committee, which held under the chairmanship of Saleem Mandviwala, was also informed that the government has taken $ 5.2 billion loan for the development of energy sector and $2 billion loan for governance, research and statistics. No statistics are available to question the utility of the loan under this head, but the committee demanded the government share the details of the loans to ascertain whether they were taken on merit or not. The government had taken another $2.9 billion loan to upgrade the transport and communication sector, $1.7 for natural disasters, including earthquake, $1.5 billion for education and $1 billion loan for the agriculture sector during the last 10 years. Pakistan survived four years without any foreign assistance from 1947 to 1951 despite seriously damaged economy. The country obtained the first loan form the World Bank after Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan visited the United States. The country opened the floodgates of loans as a result of which every citizen of this country is now drenched in foreign debts. The problem of this country is not finance, but financial indiscipline; the problem is not economy, but the economic mismanagement; problem is not industry, but corruption and red-tape which is hindering the growth of this sector; the problem is not in obtaining loans, but imprudent usage of the loan money in non-productive sectors. According to reports, the Senate committee has expressed no confidence over the working of seven joint working companies set up with the friendly countries. Strangely enough, the committee has asked these companies not to invest in the government securities and bonds. The committee suggested that professionals from the private sector should be engaged so that they should make eorts to attract foreign investment in the country. Pakistan is the sixth largest populated country in the world and every individual of this country needs housing, cloths and food. These are the basic human requirements which promote business and trade. The country can be turned into a paradise of business, trade and investment if the government deems the population as an asset and not as a burden.
Oscillating between hopes and despairs T
LAHORE
DR AFTAB AFZAL
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he IMF has projected 4.5 percent growth in the Pakistani economy during the current Piscal year, thanks to macroeconomic stability, improvement in electricity supply and fall in the petroleum prices in the international market. According to Harald Finger, an ofPicial of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the economy of Pakistan is improving and inPlation has been dropped to 1.8 percent in July. Pakistan is seeks IMF waiver on two counts – the government missed the target of Piscal dePicit by 0.4 percent against the budgetary target of 4.9 percent during the last Piscal year. A statement issued by the Finance Ministry says that the government achieved a Piscal dePicit of 5.3 percent of the GDP for 201415, but was unable to achieve Rs 1,865
billion ceiling target on net budgetary borrowing from the State Bank by the end of June this year. In a press release, the IMF says that Pakistan continued to implement the economic programme. The country has missed some targets but achieved those with a signiPicant margin which were related to monetary policy. At the end of June 2015, the government missed the performance criteria on the budget dePicit and borrowing from the SBP with a small margin. Pakistan needs to enhance exports, attract local and foreign investment and create jobs to curtail unemployment. Structural changes in the system and reforms should be the priority areas, but the government is facing challenges in its efforts to enhance tax net. The government also needs to restructure lossmaking public enterprises through strategic partnerships with the private sector. According to the IMF, the government should advance the energy sector reforms,
Internation al Monetary Fund (IMF), the economy of Pakistan is improving and inflation has been dropped to 1.8 percent in July.
improve business environment and expand coverage of the vulnerable segment of society. A decisive action, involving the ofPicial and private partnership will help strengthen the economy as Pakistan has the potential to emerge as dynamic and progressive economy in the world. No doubt the country’s economy is improving despite all odds, but the IMF conditions are pushing the life of citizens from bad to worse. According to Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Pakistan and the IMF have completed negotiations on the eighth review, which will lead to release of ninth tranche of over $500 million under the $6.64 billion Extended Fund Facility program. The talks between Pakistan and the donor agency concluded in Dubai a couple of days ago. Though the macroeconomic situation has been improved during the last two years, all hopes are on the construction of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to further boost economic activities.
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Saudi firm buys NPCC for Rs2.49 billion ISLAMABAD: Mansour Al Mosaid, a Saudi company, Tuesday bought the National Power Construction Company (NPCC) for Rs2.49 billion by claiming the highest bidding for the privatisation of the national entity. Privatisation Commission Chairman Muhammad Zubair said that other organizations including Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Steel Mills would also be privatised in coming months. Mosaid offered Rs1,420 per share. The government had offered 80 percent of company’s shares to potential buyers while the remaining 12 percent are owned by the employees.
Pak-Belarus businessmen to discuss mutual cooperation prospects usinessmen of Belarus and Pakistan will discuss cooperation prospects in Minsk on Tuesday, the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry said. The Belarusian-Pakistani Business Forum is included into the programme of the meeting of the Belarusian-Pakistani Business Council and bilateral talks with Pakistani business circles. It is expected that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will take part in the opening of the business forum, Belarusian news agency ‘BelTA’ reported on Monday. Businessmen of the two countries will get an opportunity to discuss trade and economic cooperation as well as the ways to expand cooperation and implement joint projects in the most promising areas. Pakistani companies are interested in establishing business ties with Belarusian companies in the chemical and textile sectors, and industry (cotton, fabric and materials sales), mechanical engineering.
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FCCI pushes govt to reduce electricity tariff for industrial sector rime Minister should immediately intervene and direct Ministry of Water and Power to reduce electricity tariff, especially for industrial sector to give a kick start to the dampened industrial activities and help private sector create new job opportunities in addition to enhancing national exports, said engineer Rizwan Ashraf, president of the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI) here. Quoting statistics, he said that during May 2014, generation cost of electricity was Rs 7.2359/kWh which recorded a phenomenal decrease this year and now the cost of energy has been determined at Rs 4.7228/kWh. He said that if transmission and distribution losses are also added, the electricity cost will hardly stand around Rs 6/unit. He said that contrary to the actual price, the industries are paying approximately Rs 14.60 per unit for electricity.
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Wednesday August 12, 2015
Chambers
Govt urged to give priority to public interests in new auto policy ISLAMABAD
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he local business community has urged the government to keep the public interest in view, while designing the new auto policy. Islamabad Chamber of Small Traders Patron Shahid Rasheed Butt in a statement said that the government should discourage those manufacturers who are exploiting the masses. He said that local manufacturers have been receiving incentives while their output is unsatisfactory as far as the quality, safety, consumption, expansion, technology up-gradation and price of vehicles is concerned. The quality of locally manufactured cars has gone down to an extent that some models of second-hand imported cars are costly in the market as compared to the new models of same cars being manufactured locally, he added.
He said that government should not ban import of used
cars as it will end competition and hurt millions of people di-
rectly or indirectly associated with this business.
Expansion of tax net is need of the hour, says TADP chief executive
Tevta graduates to get Rs 500m interest-free loans
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hief Executive of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) SM Muneer has given a well designed and well tailored recipe to enhance exports in the quickest way. He was speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The LCCI President Ijaz A. Mumtaz presented the address of welcome while senior vice president Mian Nauman Kabir, former LCCI presidents Iftikhar Ali Malik, Syed Mohsin Raza Bukhari, Mian Misbah-ur-Rehman, former senior vice presidents Sheikh Muhammad Arshad, Mian Tariq Misbah, former vice president Aftab Ahmed Vohra
and executive committee members also spoke on the occasion. The TDAP chief said that that authority has worked out a strategy to increase exports as Pakistan has the potential to win the global market.“Exports would get a jumpstart once issues of energy shortage and stuck-up refunds worth billions of rupees are resolved”, TDAP Chief Executive said. He said that TDAP has organized around 118 exhibitions in a short span of time while the trade delegations are being supported to the maximum. S.M. Muneer said that presently the TDAP is working on creating awareness among the businessmen about right market places in the world. He said the TDAP is a facilitator and would extend maximum facil-
itation to the entrepreneurs who are the torchbearers and need all the encouragement. He said that the government is quite alive to the issues and challenges being faced by the business community and taking necessary measures to overcome these problems. To a question, S.M. Muneer said that expansion of tax net is need of the hour as it would not only bring progress and prosperity Speaking on the occasion, the LCCI President Ijaz A. Mumtaz stressed the need for market and product diversification to give a jumpstart to the declining exports. Ijaz A. Mumtaz suggested that TDAP should focus on exploring the new markets for Pakistan especially for value added items.
he Board of Technical Education & Vocational Training Authority (Tevta) decided to disburse Rs500 million to 8,000 Tevta pass-outs through Akhuwat foundation’s self-employment scheme. According to the scheme, the Tevta pass outs will be able to get interest-free loan from 50 thousands to Rs0.1 million in selected districts during the current financial year and after successful launching of this scheme. The decision was taken in Tevta Board meeting chaired by its Chairman Irfan Qaiser Shaikh and attended by Board Members Syed Yawar Ali, Cah. Hamid Malhi, Rehmat Ullah Javed, Muhammad Ismail Khurram, Ayub Sabir Izhar, Nilopher Sikandar, Executive Director Akhuwat Dr Amjad Saqib.
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OPP officers seize meth, drug trafficking materials at Verona Wednesday August 12, 2015
World Alimak Group wins SEK 10 million order in Korea limak Group (Alimak), the vertical access solution company, has received an order from Garam Industrial Co. LTD in Korea with an order value of SEK 10 million regarding 16 construction elevators to be delivered during the third and fourth quarter of 2015. The order from Garam Industrial includes 16 high-speed construction elevators. “We are very excited about this new cooperation with Garam Industrial regarding safe, reliable and efficient vertical access solutions tailored for their specific needs”, says Fredrik Betts, Executive Vice President and Head of Business Area Construction Equipment. All of Alimak´s construction hoists are based on modular designs, which provide them with flexibility in size and capacity for use in a variety of applications, including construction and refurbishment of high-rise buildings, bridges, chimneys and façades. The modular design decreases assembly time and maintenance costs. Alimak is a global market leader and pioneer in designing, developing, manufacturing, distributing and servicing industrial vertical access solutions. The company provide high quality hoists, elevators and platforms primarily for the industrial and construction sectors.
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TORONTO: Members of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau (OCEB) Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) and Emergency Response Team executed a Controlled Drug and Substances Act (CDSA) search warrant at a residence in the Verona area of South Frontenac Township. Officers seized methamphetamine and drug trafficking materials. Sandra Snyder, 48, and Tyler Bulach, 27, have been charged with Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking of a Schedule One substance and will appear in Ontario Court of Justice, Kingston in October 2015.
Russian imports drop by 39.5 percent in June 2015 MOSCOW
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ussian imports between January and June 2015 have dropped 39.5 percent in comparison with the same period in 2014, the Russian Federal Customs Service said Friday. Imports for the January-June 2015 period stood at $87.7 billion. Russian exports also dropped by 28.8 percent and currently stand at $183 billion year-on-year. According to the Federal Customs Service’s Pigures, Russia’s foreign trade turnover stands at $270.7 billion for January-June of this year, dropping by 32.6 percent for the same period in 2014. In particular, US-Russia trade turnover shrank 29.4 percent in the
Pirst quarter of 2015 against the same period in 2014, while US exports to Russia fell 31.8 percent over the same time, according to the US Census Bureau data. Meanwhile, trade between the European Union and Russia sank 12.6 percent in 2014 year-on-year, and EU exports to Russia dropped 13.5 percent over the same period, according to the European Commission. Sputnik provides a detailed story on Russian food embargo. Find out history, details and consequences of Russia’s embargo on import of food from Western countries. The trade turnover indices, to a great extent, rePlect the current state of Russia-West relations. In 2014, the European Union, the United States and their allies imposed several rounds of sanctions against Russia citing its alleged involvement in the Ukrainian crisis. Moscow has repeatedly denied the
claims, and, in August 2014, responded by imposing a year-long ban on certain food imports from countries that imposed the economic restrictions.
KSA to accelerate bond issuance programmes S
RIYADH
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audi Arabia is set to accelerate its bond issuance programme in the second half of 2015, as the kingdom faces a potential $130 billion dePicit this year, equivalent to about 20 percent of economic output. Reports in both Arab News and the
Financial Times quoted sources in the banking community suggesting that the Saudi government plans to issue between SR90-100 billion ($24-27 billion) in the remaining Pive months of the year. The reports said that this would equate to between SR15 billion and SR20 billion ($4-5.3 billion) a month, with tenors of Pive, seven and ten years. Highly liquid Saudi banks are
expected to be the main purchasers of the bonds, according to Arab News. The kingdom’s central bank, the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA) has already issued $4bn worth of bonds in the Pirst half of this year but the abrupt increase in the bond-selling programme is a major indicator of the effect the continuing low oil price is having on the Arab world’s largest economy.
Italy keen to invest in Iran’s car industry: trade minister
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TEHRAN
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talian Economic Development minister Federica Guidi hailed Iran-Italy trade relations as long-standing, saying that Italy would invest in Iran’s car industry in the near future. Federica Guidi, who accompanied a delegation, met with Iran’s Industry, Mining, and Trade Minister Mohammad-
Reza Ne’matzadeh on Tuesday. “we would certainly invest in Iran’s car industry in the near future as a high number of cars is manufactured in the country and this production level will not certainly be limited to the domestic market”, the official remarked in reply to a question on how Iran-Italy car industry cooperation would like in the future. Bilateral relationships between the two countries should
not be confined to heavy industries and small and mediocre industries should be constructed as well, Guidi added. According to Guidi, the two countries has a long history of close bilateral economic and industrial ties, totaling more than €7 billion prior to the sanctions. Guidi referred to the historical moments following the nuclear accord and said that the agreed upon contracts benefit
both Iran and the European Union. Guidi emphasized that her country is reconsidering its economic and industrial ties with Iran and emphasized a focus shift from small, traditional markets to broader scales. A long-term trade relation should be defined on a win-win basis and we attempt to provide financing mechanisms for establishing new trade relations, Guidi highlighted.
In late June, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree extending the countermeasures in retaliation to a similar move of the West.
UK Customs holds fake designer goods at Western airport WELLINGTON
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he suspected fake goods were seized at the Sunday market, in the car park of Western International Market, which operates separately from WIM’s daily marke. A huge haul of suspected fake designer goods has been seized in a raid on a west London market. Suspected knock-offs of brand names including Ralph Lauren, Luis Vuitton, Mulberry and Gucci were among more than 3,000 items seized at the Western International Sunday Market, in Southall, on July 26, according to the council.Three people were arrested under the Trademarks Act 1994 after police and Trading Standards officers from Hounslow Council swooped. Two properties in Southall were also searched, where more goods and cash were seized. Experts from the genuine brands have been drafted in to investigate the cache of clothing and accessories and, if they prove to be fake, the council says it will push for prosecutions.
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Japan overall bank lending up 2.6% on year in July TOKYO: Overall bank lending in Japan was up 2.6 percent on year in July, the Bank of Japan said on Monday, coming in at 489.397 trillion yen. That was in line with expectations, and up from the 2.5 percent increase in June. Excluding trusts, bank lending advanced 2.7 percent to 425.614 trillion yen – up from the 2.6 percent gain in the previous month. Lending from trusts added an annual 2.0 percent to 63.783 trillion yen, while lending from foreign banks tumbled an annual 12.9 percent to 1.829 trillion yen.
Canada’s Halifax Port Authority gets A+ credit rating ating agency Standard & Poor’s has affirmed investment-grade credit rating of A+ with a stable outlook for Canada’s Halifax Port Authority. The stable outlook reflects the agency’s view of the authority’s prudent financial management to date and the expectation that it will not issue significantly more debt in the next two years than it assumes in its current capital plan. Standard & Poor’s also expects that the authority will continue to record moderate cargo and revenue growth in the two-year outlook horizon, as well as produce strong annual debt service coverage ratios of about 15x despite its debt peaking in 2015. The ratings also reflect the agency’s opinion of a “moderately high” likelihood that the federal government of Canada would provide extraordinary support in the event of financial distress. ”The diverse revenue streams at the Port of Halifax help to provide long term stability,” said Paul MacIsaac, Senior Vice President, Halifax Port Authority.
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SLPA celebrates 36th anniversary ri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) celebrated the 36th anniversary recently. A special function was held at the ‘Sri Sambuddajayanthi Chaithya’ premises in commemoration of the event with the initiative of Ports and Shipping Minister Arjuna Ranathunga. Chairman of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Dr. Lakdas Panagoda said that as a Sri Lankan he was pleased to see SLPA making an enormous contribution to the economy and to the development of Sri Lanka. He said that the effort and the commitment of the employees in fulfilling this task was greatly appreciated. “We are very pleased that the SLPA, with the dawn of 2015 has been able to increase the salary of employees by 15 percent with an additional allowance of Rs. 9000,” he said. The Port of Colombo continues to meet the challenges in the maritime sector successfully and two new main shipping lines started using the Port this year.
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Ports & Shipping Wednesday August 12, 2015
Greece shipping industry extends its dominance
he first shipments of Tasmanian wool to a German manufacturer of high-end sports gear have been sent, in what has become a lucrative contract for a handful of wool producers. The farmers are receiving a premium price for their wool, which is good news in a sometimes-volatile wool market. For Will Bennett the deal to supply German adventure wear company Ortovox gave his farming business security. “It helps us plan for the future and we’ve decided to stick with merinos and now we can put even more emphasis on the breeding of these sheep and produce more wool,” he said. Stories of historic Tasmanian wool operations are a winning marketing tool, in the highly competitive European market. “They love the family farm situation, I suppose, and the country here that we’ve got, the way we look after our sheep,” Mr Bennett said. One of the key considerations is the fact the suppliers do not ‘mules’ the sheep. Mulesing is where wool-bearing skin is cut from a young sheep’s rear to prevent flystrike.
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ATHENS
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reece’s shipping magnates, having emerged largely unscathed from both the country’s ravaging Pinancial crisis and one the industry’s longest downturns, are extending their dominance by snapping up vessels from competitors who haven’t fared as well. The Greek owners, who operate almost 20% of the global Pleet of merchant ships, are paying rockbottom prices because assets once owned by bankrupt shipping lines are now in the hands of creditors, including German banks, who want to clear nonperforming loans from their portfolios. For years, Greece and Germany have been Europe’s shipping powerhouses. But while the Greeks stuck to a hands-on approach in which the owner arranged everything from Pinancing to chartering and operations, the so-called German KG system largely depended on scores of investors ranging from banks to the country’s wealthy middle class. Many of them put their money into shipping at the peak of the market, before the 2008 economic downturn. “As the global Pinancial crisis took hold and the freight market gradu-
Tasmanian wool grower starts shipments for lucrative German deal
ally collapsed, the Greeks stayed above water as they were not overly leveraged and stood on cash generated during the boom years before 2008,” said Basil Karatzas, a New York-based maritime adviser who works with some of the world’s biggest shipping Pirms. Meanwhile, Some shipyards are living a kind of ‘hand to mouth’ existence as orders become few and far between. However, there are a few contracts emanating from tanker owners. For example, Nantong Tongbao Shipbuilding was said to have won an order from Shanghai Dingheng Shipping and Xiamen Xiangyu Group to build eight stainless steel chemical tankers worth RMB1 bill ($160.95 mill), local media reports said. Tongbao Shipbuilding reportedly said that the yard will need
three to five years to build the eight ships, which range between 2,00015,000 dwt. Li Duozhu, chairman of Dingheng Shipping, a subsidiary of investment firm Dingheng Group, reportedly said that the chemical tanker shipping market had started to recover from a low. He added that in line with China’s growth, demand for chemical tankers will strengthen. Li predicted that over the next 10 years, demand for chemical tankers will increase by fivefold from the current levels, the media reports said. In comparison, Shenzhen-listed Sainty Marine was believed to have lost orders for 14 stainless steel chemical tankers placed by Celsius Shipping. They were to be built at its partnership yard Nantong Mingde Heavy Industry (NMHI).
OSG investors settle $16.25m suit against firm’s executives ATHENS
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nvestors in New York-based Overseas Shipholding Group (OSG) have come to a $16.25 million lawsuit settlement with the tanker operating company’s executives, underwriters and an auditor. The lawsuit relates to the Pirm’s 2012 bankruptcy and tax issues. OSG executives agreed to pay $10.5 million, underwriters (including Citigroup, Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs) will pay $4 million, and accounting Pirm PricewaterhouseCoopers will pay $1.75
million, according to papers Piled in a Manhattan federal court. Shareholders sued the company’s ofPicers as it headed towards Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late 2012. They accused the 21 defendants of making false and misleading statements about OSG’s operational status and Pinancial projections, including its outstanding tax obligations. The settlement follows an earlier deal in OSG’s bankruptcy case for the company to pay investors at least $15 million. Meanwhile, Greece’s shipping magnates, having emerged largely unscathed from both the country’s ravaging Pinancial crisis and one the industry’s longest downturns,
are extending their dominance by snapping up vessels from competitors who haven’t fared as well. The Greek owners, who operate almost 20% of the global fleet of merchant ships, are paying rock-bottom prices because assets once owned by bankrupt shipping lines are now in the hands of creditors, including German banks, who want to clear nonperforming loans from their portfolios. For years, Greece and Germany have been Europe’s shipping powerhouses. But while the Greeks stuck to a hands-on approach in which the owner arranged everything from financing to chartering and operations, the so-called Ger-
man KG system largely depended on scores of investors ranging from banks to the country’s wealthy middle class. Many of them put their money into shipping at the peak of the market, before the 2008 economic downturn. “As the global financial crisis took hold and the freight market gradually collapsed, the Greeks stayed above water as they were not overly leveraged and stood on cash generated during the boom years before 2008,” said Basil Karatzas, a New York-based maritime adviser who works with some of the world’s biggest shipping firms.
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ANF recovers heroin worth millions of rupees at KICT KARACHI: The Anti-Narcotic Force (ANF) Sindh has recovered 40 kilograms heroin of fine quality from a consignment being transported from Karachi International Containers Terminal (KICT) to Nigeria. The anti-narcotics team following a tip-off conducted an operation to foil the drug smuggling bid which was being smuggled to Nigeria from Karachi. In this successful operation, ANF conducted thorough research at KICT and recovered almost 40kg heroin from a consignments, besides arresting an suspect on the spot.
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
CUSTOMS BULLETIN
Fault in WeBOC system delays clearance of consignments at East and West Wharfs KARACHI
WAQAR AHMED ANSARI www.customsbulletin.com
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mporters are facing great hardships in clearance of consignments due to fault in WeBOC system. The business activities are suspended at East and West Wharfs. The WeBOC system was launched last year. Sources told Customs Today that those imported consignments which are at East Wharf are disturbed because their data is taking too long time to Pile in WeBOC system, that is why the importers have to wait for long in clearance of their consignments. Importers further said that they already brought the situation to the notice of high-ups but their response was still awaited. They were of the view that WeBOC system is creating problems for importers instead of facilitating them. They appealed to high-ups to take notice of this situation and do the needful in this regard. Meanwhile, The mandatory laboratory tests prescribed by the customs collectorates for clearance of various consignments from different designated laboratories like
Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR), Hussain Ebrahim Jamal Research Institute of Chemistry and KRC etc would soon be on WeBOC to ensure transparency in the system.
Moreover, the external/private labs would also be brought on WeBOC so that no importer could do forgery or misreporting in lab tests, insiders told Customs Today.The sources said, that in many
cases the importers had either changed the lab tests reports or temper for the sake of their goods clearance. There are certain labs including PCSIR, HEJ which are designated by the Customs for the
lab tests. In this regard, several meetings have been held with the management of the PCSIR, HEJ and other private labs and they all would be on WeBOC soon, sources added.
FBR staffers waiting for promotions since decades O
ISLAMABAD
SHAHID MINHAS
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ver a hundred ministerial staffers of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) are waiting for longstanding ‘service scale up-gradation’ which has not been provided to them in clear violation of the Federal Service Tribunal’s directives issued in 2012. As many as 111 employees in the FBR were waiting up-gradations which they were deprived of despite serving 20-25 years in the public sector. Many of them were serving on the same scale since decades, it is learnt here. Documents available with the Customs
Today revealed that the FBR and the Ministry of Industries’ employees had Piled petitions for up-gradation of the post of Assistant (Ministerial staff) from BPS-14 to BPS-16. The last petition was Piled in current year which yielded Federal Service Tribunal’s directives, on February 10, for immediate implementation of tribunal’s direction to decide the departmental appeals of the appellants issued in 2012. The FST comprising Dr Nazir Saeed, M Javed Iqbal and Ishtiaq Ahmad also directed the Establishment Division, Finance Division, Law and Justice Division and Federal Board of Revenue to decide the departmental appeals of the appellants within two months. However, the tribunal’s directives
had gone ineffective since none of ministerial staffers were up-graded to BPS-16. An inquiry into the matter disclosed that instead of pursuing the ways to their upgradation, the concerned departments tried to delay the matter as the Finance Division estimated Rs 7.66 million cost of assistants up-gradation to BPS-16. Following the Finance Division’s cost estimates, Establishment Division delivered the Pile to PM house along with Finance Division’s ofPice order mentioning cost of upgradation. FST’s decision also indicated the terms of engagement between appellants (petitioner employees) and respondents stating that the respondents were averse to the genuine demand of the appellants.
However, the order maintained clear direction in favor of assistants up-gradation to the BPS-16 mentioning senior auditors and stenographers of the same scale were promoted to BPS-16 whereas assistants were still languishing in BPS-14. The judgment stated that up-gradation of senior auditors and stenographers were an admitted fact, and issued directions to the concerned authorities to decide the departmental appeals within two months. The tribunal further referred the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government move in which it enhanced the scale of assistants to BPS-16. Amid growing concerns about their up-gradations, assistant staffers of FBR and other departments were curious about how PM House would deal the matter further.
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