SC suspends by-polls results: 28 lawmakers disqualified

TrendPK.com
ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court (SC) suspended the membership of 28 members of the Parliament, as the government fails to get 20th Amendment passed, TrendPK reports Monday.

It should be mentioned here the court, in its previous hearing, set February 6 as the deadline to the government to give legal cover to the by-polls and warned the government of disqualification of the lawmakers elected in by-polls.

There are nine MNAs and three senators who were disqualified by the apex court, one from Balochistan and two MPAs from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The members disqualified by the apex court are Federal Finance Minister Dr. Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr. Asim Hussain, Jamshed Dasti, Owais Leghari, Khuda Bux Rajar.

The suspended lawmakers also include Asghar Ali Jutt, Akhtar Kanju, Shafqat Hyat Khan, Tasadduq Masood Khan, Sardar Mumtaz Khan, Khadija Amir Yar Malik.

A four-member SC bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry heard the case regarding the voter lists on the petition filed by Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan against fake electoral lists of the Election Commission of Pakistan.

Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, Justice Tariq Pervez and Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmani are the other members of the bench. 

The suspended members include eight from Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and nine from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

Punjab Assembly’s nine lawmakers and Sindh Assembly’s four members were declared ineligible to continue as lawmakers.

It should be mentioned here the apex court stayed the process of by-elections on the present electoral rolls and held that the by-polls under an incomplete Election Commission are unconstitutional and illegal; hence, legislation is needed to afford legality to these by-elections.

Meantime, the court gave time till today to the Parliament to endorse the by elections results.

National Assembly will meet today after an interval of two days to make an attempt for the passage of Twentieth Amendment. The government needs support from its coalition partners as well as the opposition parties for the purpose. TrendPK

ECC approves to pay off circular debts in power sector

TrendPK.com
ISLAMABAD: Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet Friday approved to immediately pay out circular debt worth Rs.160 billion in the power sector.

The ECC moot chaired by Federal Finance Minister Dr. Abdul Hafeez Sheikh also approved to purchase 100,000 tonnes of sugar from the local factories. This sugar will be bought from Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP).

Also, the GST on sale of tractors has been whittled down to 5 percent from 16.

The committee also approved in principle the gas policy; but, the Council of Common Interests (CCI) will be approached for its final grant.

The cabinet’s economic body has also given go-ahead to the energy efficiency project worth $200 million, under which gas usage will be put to audit in various sectors. TrendPK

23 elected members to get protection with 20th Amendment Bill

TrendPK.com

ISLAMABAD: The government has tabled 20th Amendment Bill in the National Assembly this day which is meant to provide protection to 23 elected members of the Senate, NA and provincial assemblies, TrendPK reported on Wednesday.

The key beneficiaries of this 20th Amendment Bill are Federal Finance Minister Hafiz Sheikh and federal Petroleum Minister Dr. Asim Hussain.

Those who will be benefitted and protected by this bill are included three senators, 10 MNAs, 12 MPAs and three minority members.

Amongst the senators are included Dr. Asim, DR. Hafiz Sheikh and Sajid Hassan Zaidi; the MNAs are Ch. Asghar Ali Jatt, Jamshed Dasti, Muhammad Akhtar Kanjo, Sardar Muhammad Shafqat, Hayat Khan, Haji Khuda Bux Chachar, Khadija Amir Yar, Ch. Tassaduq Masood Khan, Sardar Mumtaz Khan and Owais Laghari.

The MPAs include Ghulam Qadir Khan Betni, Arshad Khan, , Maulvi Muhammad Sarwar Mossa Khel, Basit Ahmad Khan, Muhamamd Ajmal asif, Saifuddin Khalid, Ahmad Mujtaba Gilani, Malik Saiful Malook Khokhar, Ajaz Ahmad, Malik Ghulam Raza, Humaira Owais Shahid and Mrs. Rana Rizvi.

The minority members are Rasheed Bhai, Chetan Mal and Tariq Masih. TrendPKA

PM expected to announce reduction in POL prices today

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani is expected to announce on Thursday (today), in the National Assembly, the reduction of POL prices after talks with the leaders of the parliamentary leaders prior to the start of assembly session.

The Prime Minister, Federal Finance Minister Hafiz Sheikh, Federal Minister for Petroleum Naveed Qamar, Federal Finance Secretary and Federal Petroleum Secretary will give briefing on the possibilities of petroleum products’ price decrease to the parliamentary leaders of all political parties.

The Petroleum Ministry is expected to present different suggestions for the reduction in POL prices including the withdrawal of January 1 price hike of the petroleum products.

Maulan Fazal-ur-Rehman’s Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) has announced to boycott the NA session while demanding the reduction in

Rehman Malik claims no deadlock with MQM on RGST

Staff Report

KARACHI: Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik has claimed that there is no deadlock with Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on the Reformed General Sales Tax (RGST) issue.

Last night, Malik and Federal Finance Minister Hafiz Sheikh held a seven hour long meeting with MQM leaders in Sindh Governor House to convince them for the approval of RGST, but failed to get any result as the meeting ended without any progress.

According to sources, a 15-member MQM delegation, besides Governor Dr. Ishratul Ibad Khan held a discussion with Interior Minister Rehman Malik and the Finance Minister.

The sources added that MQM not only refused to move from its declared position, but also demanded support for its Land Reforms Bill in parliament, along with a few other demands including a cut in the government’s expenditure.

After the meeting, Malik

Karachi: KESC assures of reduced power outages

The governor Sindh Dr. Ishrat Ul Ibad Khan has directed the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) to work on emergency basis to ensure continuous power supply to the industrial zones of the city while the industrial zones have postponed tomorrow’s strike, Dunya News reported on Tuesday.
Expressing his discontent and displeasure over the lengthy power outages in the industrial areas the governor directed the KESC officers and other concerned authorities to work on emergency basis to provide the industrial zones with uninterrupted power supply. the governor said during the meeting that the matter of electricity shortage should be resolved in order to save the country from incurring huge economic losses. the governor also directed the KESC to present next six months plan for power supply, keeping in view all the needs. The MD of SSGPL, who also participated in the meeting, assured the governor of enhanced supply of gas to the KESC on priority basis whereas the MD KESC also assured the governor of reduced power outages in the industrial as well as in the residential areas. During the meeting the governor also contacted the federal petroleum minister and the federal finance minister for increased supply of furnace oil to the KESC so as to make it sure that the length of the power outages is curtailed. The federal ministers also assured the governor of immediate and effective steps in this regard.

Provinces to get five ministries next week: Sheikh

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Federal Finance Minister Dr. Abdul Hafiz Sheikh has said that the federal government will transfer control of five of its ministries to provinces next week in line with the 18th constitutional amendment.

Speaking at a seminar here on Saturday, Federal Minister Sheikh said five more ministries will be transferred to provinces by December.

He said that a new State Bank of Pakistan legislation will soon be tabled in Parliament.

“The reformed GST will be in line with the real spirit of value-added tax,” he added.

He added that Ministries of Local Bodies, Special Education, Zakat and Ushr, Population Welfare and Youth Affairs will be handed to provinces.

Sheikh said those working in these ministries will be offered options of a golden handshake, transfer and deputation.

The Finance Minister feels

Hafiz for imposition of more taxes on rich

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Federal Finance Minister Dr. Abdul Hafiz Sheikh on Friday said that more taxes needed to be imposed on capitalists, feudalists and owners of large properties to ensure provision of basic services to people.

Speaking to the media in Islamabad, he said an agreement has been reached with all four regarding the imposition of reformed GST.

He said that 1.6 million flood-hit families would get Rs. 100,000 each to build their homes. Trend Pk

Agreement finalized for monitoring US aid: Hafeez Sheikh

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Federal Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh has said that an agreement with the United States has been finalized to monitor aid which is to be received under the Kerry-Lugar Bill.

The Finance Minister, addressing a seminar organized by Transparency International Pakistan in Islamabad, said that amended sales tax will be implemented from October 1.

He added that the flood caused devastation has plunged the country into severe difficulties and it is need of the hour that philanthropists come forward to provide aid for the flood affected people.

“The usage of the flood relief fund will be made fully transparent,” Abdul Hafeez Sheikh added. SAMAA

Commission for 8th NFC awards formed

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday formed the 8th National Finance Commission (NFC). The nine-member commission will now oversee the implementation of the 7th NFC Award, Geo news reported.

According to the notification issued by the Ministry of Finance, President Zardari has appointed Federal Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh the new NFC chairman, while the finance ministers of the four provinces are its other members.

After consultation with their respective governors, the provincial governments would appoint one private member each from their province.

The commission has been mandated to oversee the distribution of total revenues from taxes between the federation and the provinces.

The commission will also deal with making of grants-in-aid by the federal government to the provincial governments, the borrowing powers given by the constitution to both the federal and provincial governments, as well as any other financial issue that is referred to the commission by the president.

The meetings of the NFC will be convened regularly on a quarterly basis to monitor the implementation of the award. The Finance Division will provide the secretariat-level support to the commission.

Under Article 160(1) of the 1973 Constitution, the NFC has to be appointed at intervals not exceeding five years. The last commission was formed on July 21, 2005.

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