PAK TECHNOLOGIES NEWS
Daily Times reports that the Central Board of Revenue has widthdrawn the 40 percent import duty imposed on telecom equipment.
In its latest Customs General Order 22/2006, the CBR had announced the removal of two telecom equipment from the list of other products that could be imported without paying a penny as duty, industry sources said.
Before this order only imports from China were considered duty free by CBR. Here are some interesting sections from the article that point to whyonly Chinese imports might have been allowed duty-free imports previously:
“It appeared that the government privileged the Chinese products on grounds that some of the Chinese companies are manufacturing telecom components locally and duty-free import would not hurt the local industry’s business scope.”
“Before the fresh order, only China’s ZTE remained the main beneficiary of the duty concession, which has been operating as vendor for the PTCL (Pakistan Telecommunication Company) for the past two years and fulfilling its almost all telecom equipment supply orders.”
“The PTCL has hired a Chinese firm to computerise its billing and customer care operations at a cost of Rs 1.8 billion almost a year ago,” said the source. “Under that contract, ZTE will be responsible to automate the whole system within 18 months and complete the task in accordance with international telecom standards.”
Production of tissue culture vaccine soon
November 30th, 2005
ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to produce tissue culture vaccine (TCV) against rabies and give up the current simple sheep brain vaccine.
The decision was taken at a meeting of provincial health secretaries and director-generals, with Federal Health Secretary Syed Anwar Mahmood in the chair, on Tuesday. The meeting was informed that the TCV was more potent, efficacious and stable. Rabies, an almost invariably fatal viral disease, is transmitted to human beings through animal bites, dog being the most common animal. A research project is already in place and the Central Development Working Party (CDWP), in its last meeting, had asked the Ministry of Health to seek consensus from the provinces in this regard, the meeting was told. The provincial secretaries and DGs, representing the provincial health departments, supported the production of the high quality rabies vaccine. After the approval of the project, it would require 12 to 18 months to put the necessary infrastructure in place and start supply to the provinces.
The meeting discussed in detail the introduction of the tetravalent vaccine, which is used to provide protection against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and hepatitis. After intensive discussions, it was decided that the programme would continue to use monovalent vaccine, as the tetravalent vaccine was expensive. staff report
Edited to add by Mod: No source given by Anon poster for this article.
The decision was taken at a meeting of provincial health secretaries and director-generals, with Federal Health Secretary Syed Anwar Mahmood in the chair, on Tuesday. The meeting was informed that the TCV was more potent, efficacious and stable. Rabies, an almost invariably fatal viral disease, is transmitted to human beings through animal bites, dog being the most common animal. A research project is already in place and the Central Development Working Party (CDWP), in its last meeting, had asked the Ministry of Health to seek consensus from the provinces in this regard, the meeting was told. The provincial secretaries and DGs, representing the provincial health departments, supported the production of the high quality rabies vaccine. After the approval of the project, it would require 12 to 18 months to put the necessary infrastructure in place and start supply to the provinces.
The meeting discussed in detail the introduction of the tetravalent vaccine, which is used to provide protection against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and hepatitis. After intensive discussions, it was decided that the programme would continue to use monovalent vaccine, as the tetravalent vaccine was expensive. staff report
Edited to add by Mod: No source given by Anon poster for this article.
PTCL to close telegraph system
November 30th, 2005
MULTAN: The Pakistan Telecommunication Company’s General Managers Conference held in Lahore on November 21 and 22 recommended to close centuries old telegraph system, which is running in loss. Similarly, telex and trunk calls, which are also running in loss, will be closed, sources said.
Being a member of the International Telegraph Union (ITU), Pakistan cannot close telegram service without the ITU’s permission. PTCL will have to inform the armed forces, courts, banks, national and international institutions before closing telegram service because these agencies still use the system for calling soldiers or approval/ rejection of clemency appeals, court orders etc.
The conference recommended closing telegram services, instead of improving and modernising the system to meet the requirements of the 21st century. Telegrams to rural areas or small towns are being delivered by post that takes three to four days and several Teleprinter circuits had been closed permanently in Sialkot, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh, Faisalabad, Rahimyar Khan, Sahiwal, Okara, Sukkur, Hyderabad, Larkana, Bunnu, Kohat, Sargodha, Mianwali, Attock, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Chakwal, Mandi Bahauddin, Nawab Shah, Bhakkar, Dera Ismail Khan, Loara Lai, Kalat and others. staff report
Edited to add by Mod: No source given by anon poster for this article
Being a member of the International Telegraph Union (ITU), Pakistan cannot close telegram service without the ITU’s permission. PTCL will have to inform the armed forces, courts, banks, national and international institutions before closing telegram service because these agencies still use the system for calling soldiers or approval/ rejection of clemency appeals, court orders etc.
The conference recommended closing telegram services, instead of improving and modernising the system to meet the requirements of the 21st century. Telegrams to rural areas or small towns are being delivered by post that takes three to four days and several Teleprinter circuits had been closed permanently in Sialkot, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh, Faisalabad, Rahimyar Khan, Sahiwal, Okara, Sukkur, Hyderabad, Larkana, Bunnu, Kohat, Sargodha, Mianwali, Attock, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Chakwal, Mandi Bahauddin, Nawab Shah, Bhakkar, Dera Ismail Khan, Loara Lai, Kalat and others. staff report
Edited to add by Mod: No source given by anon poster for this article
KESC control given to Hassan Associates
November 30th, 2005
ISLAMABAD - The government Tuesday handed over the management control of Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) to the Consortium of Hassan Associates after receiving the remaining payment of bid.
The share transfer documents for the privatization of KESC were signed and handed over by M. Tahsin Khan Iqbal, Secretary Privatization Commission to the authorized representatives of the consortium included Shan A. Ashary of Al-Jomaih Holding Company, Farooq Hasan of Hasan Associates, Haleem Siddique of Premier Mercantile Services here. Federal Minister for Privatization and Investment Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and Ashfaq Ahmed Secretary Ministry of Water and Power were also present on the occasion.
Talking to reporters on the occasion Shan A. Ashary of Al-Jomaih assured KESC employees that no employee of the corporation would be retrenched. He said the company needs the services of employees to make it customer- friendly.
Frank Scherschmidt, the new Chief Executive Officer of KESC said that the company was already under staffed. Our goal was to make Karachi again a city of lights and for this we would train and motivate the staff to make company much more customer-oriented by improving the power generation and reducing the losses.
The privatization of KESC will bring better services through professional management, new investment, and technology and employment benefits. The measures taken for the interests of the workers include offering of 20 per cent increase in salaries to the contract employees and 10 per cent shareholding of KESC to the employees, the new management announced.
Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh Federal Minister for Privatization and Investment, while talking to the mediamen said that the transfer of management control of Karachi Electric Supply Company to the consortium of Hassan Associates (Pvt) Limited would provide best service to the industry and reduce the cost of doing businesses.
Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said that after receiving the remaining amount for KESC, the PC has so far received 258 million dollars (in terms of Pak Rupees translates as Rs 15. 9 billion of the total bid offer of Rs 20.2 billion), which would also increase the FDI. The buyer will invest 500 million dollars in KESC over a period of three years while during the first phase the buyer will invest 75 million dollars.
The minister further said that the completion of KESC transaction would send strong signal to the investors and would speed up and also give impetus to the overall Privatization programme of Pakistan. Being a landmark transaction in the power sector, it would not only set the scene for a rapid turn around of KESC but also for the privatization of other electric utilities and for significant investment in the infrastructure of Karachi. It would convey to the world the government’s commitment towards the privatization process.
He added that all pervious governments had tried their best to improve the efficiency of the company in the larger interest of the consumers and this government was also motivated to bring the transaction to a concluding point with the support of President General Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, members of CCOP & Privatization Commission Board, PC Staff & Secretariat and Ministries of Water & Power, Finance.
Dr Shaikh said the experienced team and the newly constituted board of KESC, which included reputable persons from the private sector would protect the consumers’ rights.
After KESC, the process of completing PTCL transaction, pre-bid conference for the privatization of PSO and to further process the privatization of PPL, NIT and PSMC on fast track basis would be conducted. Privatization of Pakistan Steel would be completed by mid-January 2005, he told.
Edited to add by Mod: No source given by anon poster for this article
The share transfer documents for the privatization of KESC were signed and handed over by M. Tahsin Khan Iqbal, Secretary Privatization Commission to the authorized representatives of the consortium included Shan A. Ashary of Al-Jomaih Holding Company, Farooq Hasan of Hasan Associates, Haleem Siddique of Premier Mercantile Services here. Federal Minister for Privatization and Investment Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and Ashfaq Ahmed Secretary Ministry of Water and Power were also present on the occasion.
Talking to reporters on the occasion Shan A. Ashary of Al-Jomaih assured KESC employees that no employee of the corporation would be retrenched. He said the company needs the services of employees to make it customer- friendly.
Frank Scherschmidt, the new Chief Executive Officer of KESC said that the company was already under staffed. Our goal was to make Karachi again a city of lights and for this we would train and motivate the staff to make company much more customer-oriented by improving the power generation and reducing the losses.
The privatization of KESC will bring better services through professional management, new investment, and technology and employment benefits. The measures taken for the interests of the workers include offering of 20 per cent increase in salaries to the contract employees and 10 per cent shareholding of KESC to the employees, the new management announced.
Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh Federal Minister for Privatization and Investment, while talking to the mediamen said that the transfer of management control of Karachi Electric Supply Company to the consortium of Hassan Associates (Pvt) Limited would provide best service to the industry and reduce the cost of doing businesses.
Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said that after receiving the remaining amount for KESC, the PC has so far received 258 million dollars (in terms of Pak Rupees translates as Rs 15. 9 billion of the total bid offer of Rs 20.2 billion), which would also increase the FDI. The buyer will invest 500 million dollars in KESC over a period of three years while during the first phase the buyer will invest 75 million dollars.
The minister further said that the completion of KESC transaction would send strong signal to the investors and would speed up and also give impetus to the overall Privatization programme of Pakistan. Being a landmark transaction in the power sector, it would not only set the scene for a rapid turn around of KESC but also for the privatization of other electric utilities and for significant investment in the infrastructure of Karachi. It would convey to the world the government’s commitment towards the privatization process.
He added that all pervious governments had tried their best to improve the efficiency of the company in the larger interest of the consumers and this government was also motivated to bring the transaction to a concluding point with the support of President General Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, members of CCOP & Privatization Commission Board, PC Staff & Secretariat and Ministries of Water & Power, Finance.
Dr Shaikh said the experienced team and the newly constituted board of KESC, which included reputable persons from the private sector would protect the consumers’ rights.
After KESC, the process of completing PTCL transaction, pre-bid conference for the privatization of PSO and to further process the privatization of PPL, NIT and PSMC on fast track basis would be conducted. Privatization of Pakistan Steel would be completed by mid-January 2005, he told.
Edited to add by Mod: No source given by anon poster for this article
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thats good and usefull