Sindh Government organizes Career Counselling Seminar

Sindh Youth Minister
Syed Faisal Ali Subzwari

By Mohammad Nazakat Ali

The Youth Affairs department of the Government of Sindh has been working proactively for the benefit of the youngsters and they organized yet another successful programme, this time with the collaboration of the Federal Public Service Commission at the University of Karachi on July 22.

The Career Counselling Seminar held at the Auditorium of the Faculty of Arts turned out to be quite an enlightening session and it was a morning to remember for all those present on the occasion.

The Sindh Youth Minister, Syed Faisal Ali Subzwari, who was the chief guest of the ceremony, noted with satisfaction the growing number of programmes being held by the provincial government to enlighten the youth.

He told the audience that the Youth Affairs department of the Government of Sindh has planned to hold a record number of career counseling programmes during the current year to guide the youngsters towards a better future.

Suhail Safdar Member Federal
 Public Service Commission

He described the University of Karachi as a model institution that has been serving the cause of the country for a number of years.

Faisal Subzwari, who delivered yet another inspirational speech, advised the students as well as the professionals not to forget their Alma Mater while pursuing their career goals.

Suhail Safdar, Member, Federal Public Service Commission, Government of Pakistan, gave a presentation in which explained in detail the procedure of applying and the process after the submission of the applications. He also took questions to clarify matters to the satisfaction of the participating students.

He observed that there’s a decline in the interest of people taking to civil service in the urban parts of Sindh.

He disclosed that the Federal Public Service Commission had organized such seminars in the various universities located in the rural of Sindh and the response had been phenomenal.

He was of the opinion that the youngsters of Karachi, possessing enormous talents, would do well if they turn towards civil service.

Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui
Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs
Government of Sindh

Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, Secretary, Sports & Youth Affairs to the Government of Sindh, said it’s always a privilege and pleasure to hold a programme at the University of Karachi, having produced numerous luminaries.

He pointed out that civil service is a huge avenue and the youngsters can play a proactive role in serving the country by taking to it.

“You get an opportunity of serving in and out of the country. It’s quite a challenging job and you should think getting on board if you have the passion to play your part in the service to the nation,” he added.

Shoaib Siddiqui, addressing the youth, made the point that they had reached the age from where they should now start thinking of themselves, their families, the community, the province and the country.

“The Federal Public Service Commission is one of those institutions of our country that has maintained high standards throughout,” he complimented.

The welcome address was delivered by Prof Dr M Abuzar Wajidi, Dean, Faculty of Management & Administrative Sciences, University of Karachi.

MQM for opening of Indian Consulate in Karachi

Welcoming Pak-India talks, Mutahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has emphasized that all outstanding disputes between two countries should be discussed.

A delegation of MQM led by Federal Minister, Dr Farooq Sattar called on Foreign Minister, SM Krishna here on Friday.

The meeting between delegation of MQM and Indian Foreign Minister, discussed ambit of issues including that of bilateral relations and elimination of menace of terrorism. MQM in the meeting also demanded to Indian FM for setup of Indian Consulate in Karachi.

Talking to media men here after conclusion of the meeting, Dr. Farooq Sattar said that the talks between Pakistan and India should be comprehensive and result oriented.

He said that issues related to enhancing trade relations between Pakistan and India were also discussed in the meeting. He said that talks were held to further activate Forum of SAARC countries.

The federal minister said that the Indian FM informed him that there is no deadlock on Pak-India talks.

The minister said that the issues of problems related to issuance of visas were also raised in the meeting and the MQM delegation demanded to Indian FM to setup Indian Consulate in Karachi.

On terrorism, the minister said that it (terrorism) is a joint problem of the region and India should also play its due role.

Dr. Farooq Sattar said that Indian Foreign Minister invited him to visit to India.

Naila Wajid Khan presented the budget documents to the CDGK administrator

Administrator Karachi Lala Fazlur Rehman while exercising the powers of City Council Karachi vested in him under the rules gave approval of City District Government Karachi’s Rs53, 958.40million tax free budget for fiscal year 2010-2011. Earlier EDO Finance & Planning Naila Wajid Khan presented the budget books and other documents to Administrator Karachi on Tuesday and the same was finally approved by Administrator Karachi in the form of Resolution. The draft budget was already approved by the city council Karachi via its Resolution No.4 on 7th May 2010.

On this occasion Administrator Karachi said that the budget of city government Karachi has been prepared under the directive and policies of Government of Sindh. “We have tried to carry on the journey of progress and development in Karachi despite of present financial crisis in the country”, he said, adding that the budget allocations for different sectors were made on equal basis and the education and health sector received maximum amount. No new tax has been imposed even in tough current financial condition and huge amount was allocated to development works in the city. He expressed hope that the journey of development would be made continue by improving the current receipts condition.

According to the budget documents, the total receipts of City Government during fiscal year 2010-2011 are expected to stand at Rs53958.40million while the total expenditure has been estimated at Rs53874.02 million, leaving an amount of Rs84.38million as surplus.

The Revenue Department has been given topmost slot in the revenue generation list which is expected to collect Rs7648.34million in the year 2010-2011. Grants /Releases from Government of Sindh are listed next which are Rs5981.72milliion. The total dues of defunct KMC/KDA against KESC are Rs1983.06million. The other major revenue sources include Rs1512million from Municipal Services, Rs1266.32million from Master Plan, Rs1000million from KBCA as transfer of income, Rs805.33million from Works & Services, Rs814.92million from Finance & Planning, Rs567.30million from Enterprise & Investment Promotion, Rs135.55million from Coordination, Rs129.10million from Transport & Communication, Rs85.49million from Community Development, Rs54.37million from Health, Rs46.43million from Karachi Mass Transit Cell, Rs14597.80million from Water & Sanitation Department(KW&SB). Funds for Devolved Departments of Government of Sindh through Single Line Transfer System (Salary, Non Salary &I ADP) are Rs17, 329.96million.

City Government has for the first time set aside an amount of Rs120million for Circular Railway which is more than its share for this project while other handsome allocations are also made for Landhi Korangi Cottage Industry, Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases, Cardiac Care Emergency Units, Storm water drainage system, procurement of emergency fire extinguishing equipments and vehicles and construction of oil tankers terminal in Zulfiqarabad. A total of Rs24,137.16million has been allocated for development projects in the city government budget for 2010-2011.

City Government has allocated major amount of Rs11, 285.06million for Education and Rs9156.09million for Health Budget. The total amount allocated for Education and Health is 30 percent of the total budget while Rs9156.09million has been set aside for the budget of Works & Services. The other allocations in budget include Rs3400million for Annual Development Program(District), Rs1156.46 for Municipal Services, Rs556.34million for Community Development, Rs506.25million for Information Technology, Rs533.20million for Transport & Communication, Rs367.09million for Agriculture, Rs225.64 for Karachi Mass Transit Cell, Rs205.88million for Master Plan, Rs39.82million for E&IP, Rs1349.89 for departments of Coordination Group and Rs22.09million for Literacy

Afterwards Administrator Karachi Fazlur Rehman along with EDO F&P Naila Wajid Khan and other officers of finance department called on Governor of Sindh Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan at his office and briefed him about the city government budget…

SHO Nasirul Hassan , guard killed in attack near German Chowk

SHO Nasirul Hassan

A station house officer (SHO) associated with the Brigade police, and his guard, were gunned down on Thursday night in an incident reported merely yards away from the cops’ station of responsibility.

SHO Nasirul Hassan and and Head Constable Khurram Butt had completed a round of snap checking and were on their way back to the police station when they were attacked, narrated Deputy Inspector-General (DIG)-South Iqbal Mehmood.

Around 10.05pm, however, some armed men riding on motorcycles intercepted their vehicle near German

Chowk — about 200 yards away from the Brigade police station — and opened fire at the two men, before fleeing the scene of crime.

Inspector Hassan and Head Constable Butt were taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), where they were pronounced dead.

Relatives of SHO Nasirul Hassan mourning over his death.

The DIG said told The News that 48-year-old Hassan was one of the officers who had taken part in the Karachi operations during the decade of the 1990s.

Hassan had also conducted an operation against a gang of criminals in Lyari, and had worked under the now-defunct Lyari Task Force, the DIG said.

Mehmood said that more than 240 officers who had taken part in the Karachi operation of the 1990s had been killed so far, but none of their killers could be arrested.

The DIG said that the deceased had received multiple bullet wounds. He said that the assailants had used Kalashnikovs, TT and 9mm pistols.

The inspection of the vehicle of the deceased policemen was telling: about 10 bullets were fired through the front windshield, and a number of others through the side doors.

Inspector Nasirul Hassan, who hailed from Gujrat, left behind a widow and seven children.

In yet another incident of targeted killing, an activist of the banned religious outfit Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) was gunned down in Khokrapar police limits.

Qari Noor Muhammad, 35, a Peshimam of a mosque, and his friend Muneer, also 35, received bullet wounds when four armed men riding on two motorcycles opened fire at them in Khokrapar No-2 while they were sitting outside the mosque.

After the incident, residents of the area and the police shifted the injured to JPMC, where Qari Noor Muhammad breathed his last.

According to the police, the deceased was an SSP activist, while the murder is believed to be a targeted assasination.

Later on, supporters of the SSP blocked the main road of the area, and ordered shop owners to close their businesses in protest against the killing.

However, the police and personnel of the Rangers rushed to the spot and controlled the situation.(TN)

Major Customs gang busted, 25 officers arrested

By Ikram Hoti

An international smuggling syndicate was busted by the Customs Intelligence on Monday and over 25 Customs officials, besides members of the gang, had been arrested, officials said.

As many as 13 officials are under the police custody, 21 Customs officials have been booked in Karachi (now allowed back on their jobs after a week-long suspension), 12 arrested in Peshawar and two in Lahore.

They had ganged up to evade duties and taxes of over Rs 230 billion in the past two years but those arrested were now exerting pressure to get the top Customs Intelligence officials removed from their posts and get the cases withdrawn.

At the Customs House, Karachi, as sources privy to the entire episode revealed, the suspected gang members were not just those booked but higher officials, too, who supervised clearance of the ISAF and Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) goods on fake papers (the containers never crossed Pak-Afghan border).

“These are influential officials and the gang they operate is well entrenched in the state machinery. They are not just making efforts to get the Customs Intelligence officials at the top and middle levels removed but have also launched a campaign through the FIA and other channels to get the Directorate General Customs Intelligence (DGCI) offices in Lahore vacated by exerting pressure on the owners of the buildings.”

In order to obtain the FBR version, this correspondent called its spokesman Israr Rauf repeatedly on Monday evening, but there was no response. The following SMS message was sent on his cell number (0300-8444212): “Why were Customs men booked in Karachi let off the hook? They were suspected of abetting the ISAF-container smuggling.”

DGCI, Lutfullah Virk, flatly refused to say anything. “Please, do not make calls to me again”, he said. Sources in Karachi and Peshawar, however, pointed out that the international syndicate of smugglers that operated in connivance with the Customs officials was actually busted when three tribal boys were caught from Torkham on the Pak-Afghan border about a month ago on suspicion of stealing the Customs computer user ID that helped access to the documentation operation of the ISAF and Transit Trade shipments from overseas to Afghanistan through Pakistan.

These three boys were the sons of tribesmen killed in a Customs-smuggler shootout about four years ago and were given Customs jobs under a government-jirga agreement as compensation.

They were working as helping staff and were frequent to the Customs offices at the border check-post where the computation of ISAF-ATT shipment-clearance documentation was routinely conducted.

As these boys sang to the investigators and coughed up the names of the technical staff that gave them out the user IDs, more arrests were made, as confirmed by Directorate General Customs Intelligence (DGCI), Islamabad.

Simultaneously, the DGCI was frustrated by the Karachi Customs as it was refused the relevant files helping its investigation on how more than 10,000 imported containers slipped off the records, mostly carrying banned items like liquor, auto-parts and other heavy-duty goods.

These were (40-ft) containers, which imported ISAF shipments from Western destinations, the UAE and Monaco ports.

The ISAF-declared consignments started disappearing about two years ago, and the sources said that the efforts to abort the investigation were also going on as they were approaching FBR high officials to ensure that the entire exercise of detecting the missing containers and export of banned items was suspended so that the big and the small fish in this racket might not be touched.

The DGCI took up with higher authorities the issue of refusal by the Karachi Customs to provide records on these containers and also shared its conclusions of the investigation conducted into the missing containers so far. This activity coincided with three other important events:

a) The tribal boys revealed that most of the missing containers were ISAF-declared in Karachi, then Afghan Transit Trade shipments in Nowshera (on fake documents). These containers were shown having been transported outside Pakistan, while they were seal-opened, offloaded and the goods were sold out in the Pakistani markets.

b) An internal audit was conducted by the Peshawar Customs, which revealed that there existed a syndicate of smugglers that had penetrated into the department’s sensitive shipment-handling (duties-taxes collecting) data-monitoring-computing offices in Karachi, Peshawar, Nowshera and Torkhum, to ensure that the forged ISAF-shipment plus ATT-shipment papers of goods declaration were accepted as legal.

c) A committee of investigators was formed by the FBR.

It is pertinent to mention that the names of officials that allowed them to use their ID, have not been listed properly by the relevant authorities. They included the deputy collector level Customs officials, superintendents and more than 10 inspectors. They form part of the smuggling syndicate but investigations are yet to be completed about them.

The story does not end here. DGCI officials recorded after cross checking of the export documents over the past couple of years that 70 containers out of 10,000 were confirmed to have been cleared on fake ISAF-ATT papers. Others too were allowed clearance by succumbing to the same trick applied by the international smugglers’ syndicate, which had penetrated into the fabric of Pakistan Customs.

The officials cleared more than 70 containers — 36 confirmed with fake papers — carrying poppy-seed (khashkhash) for export to European destinations. There was no news if these shipments were intercepted on the high seas or at the ports of delivery (most of them are believed to have touched the shores of Turkey), as the exporters’ (a bogus Karachi company) records reveal.

A manager of the company has been arrested and several others booked, while the relevant Karachi Customs staffs were suspended. They went on strike and the FBR capitulated allowing them back on their jobs with a warning when the investigation was completed and indicated their involvement, they would be arrested and charged for allowing export of a dangerous banned item under the declaration papers of rice and pulses. (The News)

Karachi Transporters refuse to cut down fare

Despite a fall in the prices of petroleum products, the transporters have refused to lower fare vexing citizens all over the country, SAMAA reported Thursday.

Transporters in Karachi said that the fuel prices are not so low that the fare can be decreased. They said that the fuel prices have to come down by Rs 13 in order for them to lower fare.

For July, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority had decreased the price of petrol by Rs 1.9 and of diesel by Rs 4.14.

The price cuts were announced by OGRA spokesperson Jawad Naseem in a news conference in Islamabad.

The price of petrol stands at Rs 66.95 after a decline of Rs 1.9, and that of diesel is now Rs 71.58 after a decline of Rs 4.14.

The price of kerosene is slashed by Rs 0.11 only. The price of light diesel is now Rs 61.68 after a decline of Rs 0.95.

Karachi Press Club's Summer Sports Festival set to kickoff

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

All is set for the KPC Summer Sports Festival 2010 to kickoff at the Karachi Press Club on June 30 with Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, Secretary Sports & Youth Affairs to the Government of Sindh, to inaugurate it in a colorful ceremony.

The festival is being organized by the Sports Committee, with the collaboration of the Indoor Games Committee, at the Karachi Press Club from June 30 to July 24.

As many as five games, snooker, chess, scrabble, badminton and table tennis, will be contested during the festival being supported by the sports department of the Government of Sindh.

The festival, offering cash awards to top performers, will commence with the snooker tournament from June 30 to July 3 to be followed by chess and scrabble (July 5 to 10), badminton (July 12 to 17) and table tennis (July 19 to 24). It will be open to the members of the KPC only and the entries will be closing two days before the start of every tournament.

The Mind Sports Association of Pakistan (MSAP) has volunteered to offer technical assistance for the chess and scrabble tournaments while the Pakistan Billiards & Snooker Association (PBSA) and the Karachi Table Tennis Association (KTTA) will be providing technical support to the competitions of snooker and table tennis respectively.

The involvement of the respective professional bodies in conducting the various events will add value to the festival besides allowing the Sports Committee to concentrate on administrative matters.

The Karachi Press Club has actually revived the tradition of holding sports tournaments for its members. The senior members of the club like S M Fazal and A Majid Khan have often been heard recalling those sports events of the yesteryears in which the members of the club used to participate very enthusiastically.

Talking about enthusiasm there is greater response already than was being anticipated from the members and the number of entries in the snooker tournament went into double digits within an hour of the announcement appearing on the club’s notice board.

The KPC President, Imtiaz Khan Faran, is thrilled by the response and the build-up for the upcoming event and he didn’t mince words in stating that the club is actually meant for such activities that could provide recreation to the members and their families.

“Yes the club should be a place where the members and their families could come over for spending time nicely. We have been trying to develop more facilities in order to serve the purpose,” he added.

Imtiaz Faran feels that the club should be having a swimming pool besides facilities for other indoor games.

The KPC Secretary, A H Khanzada, is also ecstatic with the buzz around the club created by the sports festival.

“We have provided an opportunity to our members to demonstrate their sporting prowess. By the look of things the word has already spread and there is a talk about it among the members that’s very heartening indeed,” he observed.

REVENUE DEPARTMENT GETS DIRECTIVE FOR ACTION AGAINST LAND GRABBERS

Administrator Karachi Fazlur Rehman has directed Revenue Department to take immediate action for implementation of recently promulgated Pubic Property (Removal of Encroachments) Ordinance 2010. He has instructed EDO Revenue to prepare all required infrastructure including establishment of offices and coordination among concerned departments so that effective action could be taken against the land grabbers.

City District Government Karachi has finalized all initial work to initiate action under the Public Property Ordinance 2010. The Revenue Department was also establishing a police station and anti encroachments force to arrest and lodge the FIR against the land grabbers. Under the ordinance any person found responsible of occupying government land would have to face 10 year imprisonment with fine equal to the value of occupied land while the government official helping the encroacher would have to face 5 year imprisonment.

Meanwhile Administrator Karachi Fazlur Rehman on Wednesday imposed immediate ban on the sale and use of over ripen, rotten fruits, sugar cane juice, all kinds of gola dundas, ice lollys and other syrups on the roads and footpaths within the jurisdiction of City District Government Karachi. The action has been taken to save the health and lives of citizens.

Sindh Govt launches Taxation Training Programme for yougsters

Sindh Youth Minister, Syed Faisal Ali Sabzwari, inaugurated Taxation Training Programme being held as part of the Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Youth Development Programme (BBSYDP), here at the ICAP the other day.

The five-month Taxation Training Programme is being organized by the Sports & Youth Affairs department of the Government of Sindh with the collaboration of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP).

It’s the second programme in a series of three designed and developed by the department. Earlier they had launched the Insurance Training Programme last month while the third and final related to the field of banking will be getting underway in near future.

“Our department has arranged three programmes under the BBSYDP for the career development of the youngsters of the province. Two of them have already been inaugurated and the third one will be starting soon,” the Sindh Youth Minister remarked.

“The kind of taxation training you will be provided at this institution (ICAP) will help you in improving your skills greatly and you will be able to get a head start to the profession,” Faisal Sabzwari observed while addressing the participants.

“You are really fortunate to be able to receive training at such reputed institutions. In our time there was no such facility provided by the government to train us. Therefore you should avail this opportunity and make the most of it by taking your lessons seriously which will open a lot of career opportunities for you,” he added.

“Everyone talks of the youth being an asset. Our department takes the responsibility of grooming the youngsters and safeguarding their future. Not all the talented youngsters could move to Canada for greener pasture. We have to invest on our youth and provide them the desired infrastructure here to let them polish their skills and contribute to the betterment of the society,” the Minister said.

Faisal Sabzwari, himself an Alumni of ICAP, spoke highly of his Alma Mater and did not mince words in stating that the education and training he received at the institution went a long way in boosting his career.

Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, Secretary Sports & Youth Affairs to the Government of Sindh, informed the 20 participants, selected from all over the province, that the certificate they would be receiving upon the completion of the course will help them immensely in their career in the taxation industry.

“Under the able guidance of Youth Minister, our department has taken the initiative of joining hands with the leading institutions and organizations like the ICAP, the Institute of Bankers of Pakistan (IBP) and the Pakistan Insurance Institute (PII) to provide training to the youngsters in the field of insurance, taxation and banking as part of the BBSYDP,” he added.

Shoaib Siddiqui urged the youngsters to work hard and avail the opportunity of getting training at the reputed and renowned institutions like the ICAP.

The Sports & Youth Affairs department of the Government of Sindh will be providing stipend to all the participants with the outstation trainees to get additional allowance for their boarding and lodging during the five-month period.

Mr Abdul Rahim Suriya, President of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan and Mr Pervez Muslim also spoke to the participants. Deputy Project Director BBSYDP Mr Saleem Ahmed Siddiqui and council members of ICAP were also present on the occasion.

Sindh Sports & Youth Affairs Department launches 5-month Cricket Coaches course

An extensive five month Cricket Coaches course to train and prepare the coaches from interior Sindh and Karachi was inaugurated at PCB Regional Academy Auditorium here on Monday.

Sindh Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs, Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui inaugurated the course which is being attended by 20 participants including four women. Sindh Sports and Youth Affairs Department is conducting the programme under Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Youth Development programme in collaboration with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). PCB Head Youth Development Haroon Rasheed with expert Ali Zia and Shahid Aslam of National Cricket Academy are jointly conducting the course.