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PAKISTAN’S FIRST INDEPTH NEWSPAPER ON CUSTOMS
Daily
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Karachi, Sat September 30, 2017
ISLAMABAD
M FAIZAN
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he campaign is going on against the illegal trade of smuggling and the menace of narcotics in the country by the Directorate General Customs Intelligence and Investigation, Federal Board of Revenue Islamabad. In this regard, Directorate Customs Intelligence and Investigation Peshawar has frustrated
an attempt of smuggling of huge quantity of drugs in the country and recovered 13.7 kilogram of heroin from a car. The value of the drug in the international market is Rs130million. On a tip-off given by Director General Customs Intelligence Shaukat Ali that a huge quantity of drugs would be attempted to smuggle into the country. The Directorate Customs Intelligence and Investigation set up a picket on Motorway near Nowshera Rashakai Interchange. The anti-smuggling team sig-
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naled a suspicious Suzuki Swift Car Registration No: LEH 14-4080 to stop but the driver accelerated the speed by offending the picket. The anti-smuggling team started chasing the car. After a while, the driver abandoned the car and Iled the scene. On the search of the car, anti-smuggling team detected the secret boxes made inside the Iloor of the car. The car was shifted to the regional ofIice for a thorough search. The anti-smuggling team recovered 13.7 kilogram heroin from the secret boxes of the car.
Customs Intelligence intensifies drive against smuggling & drugs
Hyderabad ASO seizes 180,029 smuggling sachets of Indian Gutka
FBR collects only Rs 232b out of Rs 344 billion target of Sep
Taiwanese man arrested for sm uggling milita ry equipme nt
MCC Islamabad collects Rs109.37m more duties & taxes
The campaign is going on against the illegal trade of smuggling and the menace | SEE PAGE 01 |
ASO Hyderabad, has confiscated the foreign origin contraband 24 cartons | SEE PAGE 02 |
The FBR is doing hectic efforts to meet the tax collection targets | SEE PAGE 05 |
A 31-year-old Taiwanese man was arrested by Vietnamese officials | SEE PAGE 07 |
The MCC Islamabad generated additional revenue of Rs109.37million | SEE PAGE 08 |
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E&T dept impounds 132 vehicles Saturday, September 30, 2017
National
SARGODHA: The Excise and Taxation (E&T) department impounded 132 vehicles for being default of token tax and bearing illegal number plates from various points in the district. According to a spokesman for the E&T department, during the operation almost 380 vehicles were checked and impounded 132 un-registered and bearing illegal number plates vehicles while 200 defaulters in token taxes vehicles were given warnings.
Hyderabad ASO seizes 180,029 smuggling sachets of Indian Gutka
BHAKKAR
HYDERABAD
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ASLAM ANJUM QURESHI
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he Field Investigation Unit (FIU) of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Sara e Muhajir has seized huge quantity of non duty paid ladies shoes worth Rs6,00,000. Sources told Customs Today that following the instructions of Deputy Director Muhammad Azam Khan a team of Sara e Muhajir FIU took action against the smugglers and intercepted a trailer bearing registration no: TLW-244 near Sarae-Muhajir district Bhakkar. During the search of the vehicle the FIU team recovered shoes from the trailer and asked the driver Javaid Iqbal son of Gul Mahi to show documents regarding legal import of the items on which he produced a receipt booked by M/s A to Z Cargo Lahore. But he could not produce any document regarding legal import of the item. Therefore, the oďŹƒcials impounded the traileralong with loaded items under the customs laws and registered a case. The Customs Intelligence team comprising Deputy Director Muhammad Azam khan, Intelligence OďŹƒcer Mansoor Nasir, Muhammad Saleem Driver Ashiq Hussain and Sepoy Muhammad Musaddiq participated in the raids.
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he Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO), Customs Preventive Hyderabad, has confiscated the foreign origin contraband 24 cartons or 180,029 smuggling sachets of Indian Gutka of different brands worth Rs1.5million along with duties and taxes. Following the direction of MCC Hyderabad Collector Akhlaq Ahmad Khattaq, the ASO team is carrying out various operations in the region to frustrate the smuggling bids. Sources told Customs Today that Collector Hyderabad Akhlaq Ahmad Khattak received a tip-off regarding the trafficking attempt. He formed an ASO team under the supervision of Additional Collector Aamer Nawaz Hamid. Other subordinate staff comprised In-Charge Inspector Shakeel Khan, Inspector Abdul Majeed Barich, Inspector Muhammad Iqbal Mughal, Inspector Muhammad Abid, Inspector Mushtaque Ali Lakho, Sepoys Siddiqui Ali Khaskheli, Nenomal, Ghulam Sarwar and a Driver. The ASO team intercepted a trailer with registration No: JU4213 near Bypass Hyderabad and recovered the said contraband items. The ASO made a seizure report and deposited the contraband Gutkas of different brands into Hy-
Sara-e-Muhajir FIU seizes huge quantity of non duty paid goods
derabad State Warehouse. Meanwhile, Model Customs Collectorate Hyderabad, Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO), also impounded Non-Duty-Paid vehicles including four oil tankers filled
with170,000 liter of smuggling Iranian High Speed Diesel (HSD), foreign origin Non-Duty-Paid cigarettes of different brands including Pine Light of Korea, Reds Virgin of England, foreign origin cloths
and other contraband items. Collector Akhlaq Ahmad Khattaq said our team is showing brilliant performance in frustrating the smuggling attempts in the region during three months of 2017-18.
Food exports surge over 30% to $512.32m in two months T
ISLAMABAD
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he food exports from the country surged by 30.06 percent during the Iirst two months of the current Iiscal year compared to the corresponding period of last year. The country earned $512.321 million by exporting various food commodities during July-August (217-18) compared to the exports of $393.926 million in July-August
(2016-17), showing growth of 30.06 percent, according to the data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). The food products that contributed in positive growth in trade included Rice, exports of which grew by 40.36 percent from $159.543 million last year to $223.937 million current year. Among the rice products, the exports of basmati rice increased by 10.35 percent, from $$56.857 million to $62.741 million while the exports of other rice commodities in-
creased by 56.98 percent, from $102.686 million to $161.196 million. The exports of Iish and Iish preparations increased from $29.486 million to $35.273 million, showing growth of 19.63 percent while the exports of vegetables went up from $18.888 percent to $20.538 percent, an increase of 8.74 percent. Tobacco exports expanded by 27.29 percent from $0.700 million to 0.891 million while the exports of wheat witnessed cent percent growth as its exports were recorded at $0.323
million during the Iirst two months of current year compared to zero exports of last year. Pakistan export oil seeds, nuts and kernals worth $0.5.410 million during the Iirst two months of current year compared to $3.468 million, showing an increase of 56 percent, while the sugar exports witness hundred percent growth as Pakistan exported the commodity worth $32.313 million against zero exports of last year. Meanwhile, the food products that witnessed negative growth trade during the period under review
included fruits, the exports of which decreased by 18.24 percent, from $60.981 million to $49,861 million. The exports of spices decreased by 21.28 percent from $9.753 million to $7.678 million while the exports of meat and meat preparations decreased by 3.46 percent, from $31.625 million to $30.530 million. It is pertinent to mention here that overall merchandise exports from the country witnessed positive trend for the second consecutive month and grew by 11.80pc during the Iirst two months.
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ISLAMABAD M FAIZAN www.customsbulletin.com
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he Federal Board of Revenue is doing hectic efforts to meet the tax collection targets. However, despite all sincere efforts, the FBR has collected Rs 232 billion till September 27 against the target of Rs 344 billion for the month of September 2017. The FBR is likely to face a shortfall of Rs 60 billion which is not a healthy sign in the current situation of the economy. According to the FBR sources, the FBR will have to review the revenue targets. There are still two days left to end the current month of September and the FBR is hoping to generate up to Rs 85 billion more revenue. This is the first quarter of the current financial year and taxpayers are submitting their tax returns but, due to unrealistic annual revenue targets, the FBR can face a shortfall in meeting the targets. According to FBR sources, Chairman FBR already has told Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar that it will be hard to meet the annual revenue targets for the current financial year. Former Chairman of FBR Dr. Muhammad Irshad also proposed Rs3750billion for the revenue targets for the current financial year
Saturday, September 30, 2017
date in September 2016. This was revealed by FBR Chairman Tariq Pasha during a meeting with Finance Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar. The FBR chairman also briefed the finance minister regarding the awareness campaign being run by FBR to educate and convince taxpayers to fulfil their legal tax obligations. The finance minister appreciated the successful awareness campaign of FBR and the resulting increase in compliance by taxpayers. The finance minister chaired the meeting on Thursday at the Ministry of Finance to review the progress of revenue collection, return filing and awareness campaign undertaken by the FBR. FBR Members and senior officials of the Ministry of Finance were also present in the meeting. Pasha briefed the finance minister on revenue collection in the month of September 2017 and the first quarter of FY 2018, i.e. JulySeptember 2017. He apprised the minister of that FBR is oncourse to achieve the tax revs all of R f enue target for FY 2018. The t r o h as n e g c i a Finance Minister expressed s f y o h t lt likely satisfaction over the revt a hea o n s FBR is i ich f the h o enue collection efforts bew n n o i o i situat 60 bill ing made by FBR. urrent he FBR
(2017-18) but the finance minister ignored the proposal and set the target of Rs4030b on the pressure of the IMF which is not achievable in the present situation. It is expected that the shortfall of revenue can be increased further in the coming months. Meanwhile, The income tax return filing for tax year 2017 has increased by 230 percent due to awareness campaign launched by Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). The number of returns received up to September 28, 2017 increased to 178,945 compared with 54,086 returns received till the same
c ot in the ding t r iew o c c A to rev my. e v o a n h o c l l e BR wi ets , the F s e c r e targ u u so n e v the re
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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
Question of external debts
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ccording to the latest data released by the State Bank of Pakistan, the total external debts and liabilities of the country have shockingly increased to $83 billion a t the end of fiscal year 2016-17. A sum of $9.1 billion was added to the debt in June this year alone, indicating the imminent danger of financial crisis where debt servicing could come as major issue for the nation. With regard to the size of the economy, the debt and liabilities have increased to 78.7 percent of the gross domestic product, which is more than the bench mark of the world financial institutions for developing countries, including Pakistan. In a report issued earlier, the International Monetary Fund had assessed the external debt at $79.1 billion, but the government has failed to apply brakes on acquiring loans. In rupees terms, the country’s total debts and liabilities have increased to Rs25.1 trillion, exposing the ability of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar as fund manager. Mr Dar takes credit for stability of rupee, but in financial terms, he is a total failure and his claim of financial stability also remains a myth than reality. The debt burden on average Pakistani has also increased from Rs91,000 in 2013 to Rs120,381 in 2017, showing an increase of 32 percent in four years. The growth in total debt and liabilities was 11 percent last year, showing only one fact that economic situation is going from bad to worse. The bank data suggests the total debt is now equal to 75 percent of the gross domestic product while the gross public debt has increased by Rs1.732 trillion in one year. Instead of bringing reforms in the financial sector, the government allegedly opted to revise the definition of public debt. The current public debt is itself a violation of the law and original limit set under the Fiscal Responsibility and Debt Limitation Act, 2005. The burden of loans is again pressuring the government to rationalize the rupee value. If rupees is devalued, the external debt would phenomenally grow to an alarming proportion. It is the classic example of financial failure and blind acceptance of loans is another example administrative failure. It time the government policymakers should stop lip service and take some practical steps to save the country from a possible default.
Issue of Chinese investment T
LAHORE
DR AFTAB AFZAL
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he best offer from China is to relocate its small and medium manufacturing units to Pakistan, but the hinge side of the offer is that we are not prepared for it. Despite close economic and political relations, the two countries are far apart by distance, cultural and language barriers. The long journey of goods transactions is covered by the highest mountains of the world and deep rivers, creating hurdles in access and connectivity to each other. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has brought the two countries closer, but Pakistan needs funds
to develop infrastructure to its side of the borders. Pakistan is also not in a hurry to improve its industrial and labour laws as well as to fulfill the basic requirements of the potential investors. The country also needs to develop or improve its financial procedures to facilitate bank to bank transactions between the two countries. Most of the plans for industrial and export processing zones are on papers which need proactive approach of the government to give them a practical shape. The Chinese investment is knocking the door of the country, and we have to open the door as soon as possible otherwise there are several other contenders in the region
which are eager to accept the foreign investment with open arms. According to experts, Pakistan should improve its infrastructural facilities and prepare ground for the Chinese investment. Pakistan has skilled and cheap labour which can be a matter of attraction for the Chinese investors. Most of the Chinese companies are shifting from small manufacturing to heavy manufacturing sector and labour cost is also getting higher day by day in that country. The small units are a burden on Chinese economy and the entrepreneurs are looking to relocate their manufacturing units to Pakistan. The problem in this country is that there is a lack of
coordination and cooperation between the government functionaries and the business community. Rather, there is trust deficit between the two which only breeds more troubles than anything good. On its part, China has invested heavily in infrastructural projects in the country, but the Pakistani government also needs to resolve some critical issues. Special arrangements should be made to protect Chinese nationals and electricity supply also needs to be improved. Mere lip service will not serve to operate the wheel of industry. The government should also revise customs laws and tariffs specific to the Chinese products.
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Kabul gets 121 cold storage units for onions Saturday September 30, 2017
World
KABUL: Char Asyab farmers said they harvest on average 100,000 tons of onions a year but of this at least 40 percent rots before being sold. Over 100 cold storage units have been established in five districts of Kabul for onions, officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) said. According to Assadullah Zamir, minister of agriculture, irrigation and livestock, 121 units have been built in Kabul province, which will boost the sector and ensure a decrease in spoiled onions. “Establishing the cold rooms was part of our plan for this year that has now been implemented in Kabul’s districts.
Taiwanese man arrested for smuggling military equipment
IDB lends Kabul $74 million for ring road KABUL
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TAIPEI
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31-year-old Taiwanese man was arrested by Vietnamese ofIicials on Sunday in a case involving the alleged illegal smuggling of military equipment. According to a report from VnExpress.net, local police and airport security at Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport discovered abnormalities with the luggage of a Taiwanese national Ilying to Kaohsiung City. Upon opening the bag for inspection, authorities found 79 brand new pistol grips, 2 military communication devices, gas masks, the shells of M79 and AR15 bullets, grenade shells and old North Atlantic Treaty Organization military outIits and backpacks. All of these are on a list of items the import or export of which is pro-
Iraqi farmers fight against imported goods, corruption he Tureibil crossing, or more commonly known as the Karameh border crossing, between Jordan and Iraq reopened in early September in tandem with the opening of another border crossing with Saudi Arabia. This means that more foreign goods are likely to flow into the Iraqi market, which already lacks national products, especially food and agricultural goods. The prospects for increased imports, which is not good news for the local production industry in Iraq, prompted parliament’s Agriculture, Water and Marshlands Committee on Aug. 14 to accuse the Ministry of Agriculture of mismanagement and confusion in supporting these foreign goods, which caused the local market to become flooded with imported products. –CB Report
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hibited, according to Vietnamese ofIicials. The online report conIirmed the 31 year-old-man has been arrested though his name has not been made public. Meanwhile, Police recently seized 70 kilograms of hydroxylimine hydrochloride, a substance used to make the recreational drug Ketamine, foiling an attempt to smuggle it into the country, prosecutors in Yilan said. The raid was
carried out Sept. 5 based on a tip off in June 2016 about a drug smuggling operation in Yilan, the county’s District Prosecutors’ Office said in a press release. In a joint operation by Luodong precinct police, and customs and the coast guard officers, the hydroxylimine hydrochloride was found hidden in water filters being imported into Taiwan in shipping containers, according to the statement.
Cigarette smugglers get caught despite hajj pilgrim disguise
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mugglers, in their latest innovative endeavour to succeed, dressed up as hajj pilgrims. But the constant vigilance maintained by Customs Intelligence and airport police poured water all over their plans. On Thursday, customs officials at Shahjalal International Airport seized a total of 1,309 cartons of cigarettes from passengers arriving from Saudi Arabia claiming to be hajj pilgrims. Assistant Com-
missioner Saidul Islam, with the Dhaka Customs House, said the smugglers first travelled to Dubai to purchase the products. Then, they would fly to Saudi Arabia, disguise themselves as pilgrims and then fly back to Bangladesh to dispel any notions of suspicion. Some of the passengers fled when their bags were identified as to have been carrying contraband cigarettes. –CB Report
inistry of Finance (MoF) ofIicials said the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) has provided government with $74 million USD for the construction of Kabul’s ring road as a long-term loan. According to Iinance ministry ofIicials, the money will be invested in the Iirst phase of Kabul’s ring road to start from Maidan Shahar city, the capital city of Maidan Wardak province and end in Logar province. Kabul’s four lane ring road will extend 95km and all of Kabul’s neighboring provinces will be connected to this highway. “This is one of the most important projects in the country,” Mustafa Arya, head of the donation coordination department of the Iinance ministry said.
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OfIicials from the Islamic Development Bank said they are also trying to fund the solar power project in Kabul’s Naghlo area. According to IDB ofIicials, in addition to funding Naghlo solar power project, they want to launch an Islamic Small Loans Project and based on the project, entrepreneurs and farmers will have access to Islamic loan packages. “In the near future we will fund many projects in Afghanistan including the solar power project in Naghlo which in the Iirst phase will produce 30 megawatts of electricity and then will produce 100 megawatts of power and also we will launch the Islamic small loans project,” Ali Aqa, IDB deputy head said. AndkhoyAqina road up to Turkmenistan border, extension of parts of power lines of imported power from central Asia to Afghanistan and also irrigation projects in Herat’s Pashton Zarghon district are other key projects that have been implemented by the Islamic Development Bank.
Qatar, France naval drill concludes
atari Emiri Naval Forces (QENF) have concluded the marine exercise, which was conducted in partnership with their French counterparts in the territorial waters of the State of Qatar , The Directorate of Moral Guidance at the Ministry of Defence has announced. In a press statement, the Directorate said that the two-day exercise was conducted alongside the Qatari Emiri Naval Forces (QENF), by both the Qatari Emiri Air Force and the Special Naval Force of the Joint Special Forces and used a number of rocket-laden boats, along with the French Frigate “Jean Bart”.
Lt. Colonel Falah Mahdi Al Ahbabi, Commander of the Maritime Formation, said the marine exercise included two stages, the Iirst conducted at Hamad Port featuring the preparation and sailing for 48 hours, and the second at sea and focused on several objectives such as combating terrorism and piracy, and the protection of facilities , marine shipping lines, regional and economic waters. For his part, Lt. Col. Nawaf bin Mubarak bin Saif Al Thani, Director of the Directorate of Moral Guidance, said that the joint exercise between the armed forces in the State of Qatar. –CB Report
Credit Suisse cuts forecast on Swiss growth in 2017
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GENVENA
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wiss banking giant Credit Suisse revised down its forecast of Switzerland’s GDP growth for 2017 to 1.0 percent from 1.5 percent, while leaving unchanged its forecast for 2018 at 1.7 percent, according to its quarterly report on Swiss econ-
omy published on Tuesday. According to the latest version of “Monitor Switzerland”, Swiss gross domestic product (GDP) after the Iirst half of the year was just 0.3 percent above its prior-year level, and economic growth in the second quarter once again proved modest. The report warned that while consumption growth should remain roughly within the framework of the preceding years (1.5
percent) in 2018, the potential slowdown in immigration is reducing the growth potential of consumption. Net migration in July 2017 was at its lowest level since the introduction of the full free movement of persons back in 2007. Meanwhile, employment growth is stumbling. After no jobs were created in net terms in 2016, the number of employees in the Iirst half of 2017 rose by a meager 0.2
percent, according to the report. The report suggested that while the core growth drivers, such as immigration and property cycle, are expected to lose weight, productivity boost in the domestic economy is needed for sustained prosperity gains. Productivity must be driven either by investments in forward-looking projects and sectors or by efIiciency enhancements, the report added.
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Hazara Customs Station collects Rs74.28m as duties & taxes HAZARA: The Customs Station Hazara got Rs74.28million of all duties and taxes from 1st to 15th of September Financial Year (FY) 2017-18. According to details explained by sources of Customs Station Hazara, which is working under the jurisdiction of Model Customs Collectorate (MCC) Peshawar, collected Rs22.13million as Customs Duty (CD) during initial 15 days of September FY17-18 whereas the said station did Rs1.90million of miscellaneous duties and taxes.
Saturday, September 30, 2017
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MCC Islamabad collects Rs109.37m more duties & taxes in 23 days than yesteryear ISLAMABAD TARIQ DERYA
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he Model Customs Collectorate (MCC) Islamabad generated additional revenue of Rs109.37million during Iirst 23 days of September Financial Year (FY) 2017-18 under the heads of all duties and taxes against the same period of FY16-17. According to details explained by Shahid Jan, Acting Additional Collector MCC Islamabad, while giving an exclusive interview to Customs Today that, against the same period of corresponding year 2016-17, the performance of the MCC Islamabad has been satisfactory. The Collectorate of Islamabad worked hard to meet the assigned revenue target for 1st Quarter FY2017-18. The Federal Board of Revenue has allocated Rs1059.45million to MCC Islamabad the Customs Duty, Sales Tax, Income Tax and Federal Excise Duty. Shahid Jan has taken the acting charge of Additional Collector MCC Headquarters Islamabad in place of Additional Collector Muhammad Ishaque who left for a training of Senior Management Course (SMC).
Answering a query about the revenue collection during 1st to 23rd of September FY17-18, Shahid Jan said that, during said period, the MCC earned Rs109.37million extra rev-
enue under all the heads against the collection of same period of FY1617. During the initial 23 days of current month, the MCC Islamabad generated Rs269.82million of Customs
Duty (CD) while Islamabad Collectorate did Rs316.97million as Sales Tax (ST) whereas it collected Rs144.61million of Income Tax (IT). The collectorate received
Rs19.96million during 1st to 23rd of September FY17-18. The AntiSmuggling Organization (ASO) of MCC Islamabad also showed satisfactory performance as, during 3rd week of September FY2017-18, the ASO made big seizures against the tax evaders and smugglers. During said period, he told CT that the ASO impounded offending vehicles worth Rs5.6million while the ASO took into possession two bodychanged Non-Duty-Paid (NDP) vehicles valued at Rs1.7million. Additional Collector further told CT that, during said period of September FY17-18, the ASO conIiscated 5,506 yards of foreign origin smuggling fabrics priced at Rs3.01million whereas ASO Islamabad impounded 2000 packs of foreign origin fake cigarettes worth Rs1.05million. During 3rd week of September FY17-18, the ASO Islamabad seized various types of smuggling items valued at Rs3.81million. Collector MCC Islamabad Dr. Saeed Khan Jadoon remarked that the performance of the ASO has been excellent as it is making good seizures against the tax evaders and smugglers. Regarding the performance of the Car Cell of the MCC Islamabad, he added that it has become active and making crackdowns on the possessors of NDP vehicles within the jurisdiction of the MCC Islamabad.
Four new highways to be build under CPEC in Balochistan ISLAMABAD
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nder the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), four new highways would be constructed in the Balochistan that would link far-flung areas of province with the rest of the country and help bring about economic revolution. The CPEC Joint Working Group on Transport
Infrastructure has approved financial assistance for the construction of these roads, officials sources said. Initially, the decision to build these roads was taken during the 6th meeting of Joint Cooperation Committee, which was held last year, the sources said adding that this was followed by a feasibility study of the projects. On completion of the feasibility study, the Joint Working Group on Transport Infrastructure gave approval to financial assistance, the sources said
adding two of these projects would be initiated this year. They that the work on the road from Dere Ismail Khan to Zhob would be started this year with the financial assistance from China. The total cost of this 210 kilometer long four lane highway has been estimated Rs81 billion and work for acquisition of land for it has already been initiated. This road would bring about prosperity in several far-flung rural areas of Khyber Pakhtunkha and Balochistan
and bring about economic prosperity in these areas. Similarly, under the CPEC, work on 110 kilometer Khuzdar-Baseema road would also be initiated this year with total cost of Rs20 billion. This highway would link N25 and N85 and provide modern transport facilities to the people. In addition to these two important highways, Zhob Kuchlagh road is also an import component of the Western Route which would be the shortest road linking Islamabad to Quetta and this road
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would also be developed under CPEC. The land acquisition of the 305 kilometer four lane highway has also been initiated, sources added. It has also been decided to provide assistance to 290 kilometer long Nowkandi, Mashekhel Panjgore road which would link N40 with N80. In addition to the construction of highways, Gwadar Port and establishment and opportunities of investment in free zone would bring about economic revolution in the province, the sources added.