lahore - At a time when the business community is striving to accelerate economic activity in the country, the bureaucracy is all out to decelerate it and a Punjab Local Government notification dated April 5, 2013 is a classic example to this regard.The LCCI President Farooq Iftikhar said that an ...

ISLAMABAD - The government has planned to keep Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) at Rs 450 billion for the upcoming financial year 2013-14 that would be 25 percent higher than the allocation of the outgoing fiscal year 2012-13.Sources said that Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance and ...

LAHORE - FIdA HUSSNAIN - The Punjab Ombudsman directed on Tuesday Finance Department to raise 50 percent pension for those pensioners crossing 75 years of their age, perusing order of the Supreme Court and Lahore High Court Lahore.  Punjab Ombudsman Javed Mehmood announced this order after ...

LAHORE - Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) student council has raised Rs1.5 million for Student Endowment Fund. LCWU head girl Sidra Aziz presented a cheque to Vice Chancellor Dr Sabiha Mansoor during a function organised in this regard. Punjab Education Minister Saleema Hashmi was the ...

LAHORE - The business community has opposed the decision of substantial raise in withholding tax on import of industrial raw material from one per cent to five per cent without talking business community into confidence and without realizing the impact on trade imbalance of the country.Raising ...

Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) Thursday sent a request to National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) to increase electricity rate by Rs1.36 per unit for December bills under fuel adjustment.According to sources in Nepra, cost of electricity made during December from diesel was ...

DAVINDER KUMARMany sneak out discreetly under the cover of darkness. Some make their way to the fields while some hide behind shrubs and bushes. Then there are those living in some of the world’s most crammed urban slums. Privacy or space is not an option here. They take to public spaces, ...

LAHORE - Business community has showed grave concern on Rs 1.51 per unit hike in the electricity tariff on the pretext of fuel adjustment and summary of Rs 2 per unit further increase in the name of subsidy removal and said that these steps would push trade and industry to destruction, so ...

ISLAMABAD  - A large number of private schools in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi have enhanced their fee with the start of new academic year, perturbing the parents already worried owing to price hike, increase in electricity charges and other services.There may be some rules and ...

ISLAMABAD - Managing Editor of Nawa-i-Waqt Group Majid Nizami has said that during his 50-year professional career as Editor he unflinchingly faced dictators in the country from President Ayub Khan to Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf and raised the voice for the truth.He expressed these remarks at a ...

LAHORE–Punjab Chief Minister, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that the role of media is of great importance in the society. Therefore, media should raise voice for the deprived and oppressed, he added. He said that objectivity and balance is the essence of reporting. He said media can fight ...

The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority has finalised its recommendations for raise in petroleum prices, a private TV channel reported Tuesday. The OGRA has recommended enhancing the price of petrol by Rs2.75, diesel by Rs1.20, high octane by Rs8.50, kerosene oil by Rs4.50 and light diesel by Rs3 per ...

LAHORE – Despite lowering of the General Sales Tax by the Federal Government on tractors from 16 per cent to only 5 per cent, the manufacturers and assemblers, instead of passing on the relief to buyers and reducing the rates, have increased the prices of tractors up to Rs80,000 per unit. ...

MOSCOW - A host of celebrity musicians and actors have lined up to endorse Vladimir Putin’s election campaign, raising questions over their motives and rumours of pressure on stars to back the Russian strongman. Putin’s campaign team has broadcast advertisements on television featuring ...

SIALKOT - The participants of a provincial workshop passed a unanimous resolution demanding security of home-based workers’ rights, and urging the government to endorse ILO Convention C177 and set up an independent commission in this respect.The participants of the conference titled ...

KARACHI  - Pakistan’s exports to the European Union (EU) can surge by at least 30 to 40 per cent or $700 million to $ 1 billion in value if we fully utilize our existing potential and capacity in 75 items, now enjoying duty-free access to the EU for two years.This was stated by the chief ...

LAHORE – Participants of a meeting have expressed concerns over payment of meagre wages to bricks-kiln workers despite a massive increase in bricks price and without any legal or moral justification. Bonded Labour Liberation Front Pakistan organised the event. BLLF Secretary General Syeda ...

KHANGHAR - The South Punjab Farmers Board (SPFB) has criticised the management of Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limit for unilaterally increasing the mark-up rate from 8 per cent to 14 percent on agriculture loans.Talking to media persons here, SPFB President Rana Amjad Ali Amjad, former district council ...

ISLAMABAD - Petroleum Minister Dr Asim Hussain Saturday came under fire in the senate for his early announcement on increase in prices of petroleum products which the lawmakers said would promote hoarding and black-marketing of the commodities.The minister has said on Friday that the prices of ...

LAHORE – Cash-strapped Pakistan Railways (PR) in order to overcome its financial crisis has decided to increase passenger trains fares by 10 to 20 per cent, The Nation learnt on Wednesday. Sources said that notification in this regard would be issued within two to three days.The Railways ...

ISLAMABAD - The inflation stricken-masses should get ready for another economic jolt, as the beleaguered government is all set to jack up the POL prices up to Rs 6 per litre for the upcoming month of February, it has been learnt here on Monday.‘Owing to the rising differences of US and Iran, ...

ISLAMABAD - Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) on Saturday observed that no work has been done for the reduction of tax gap in the country that needs special consideration by the authorities concerned, which would ultimately help to increase the tax-to-GDP ratio. “The tax gap ...

LAHORE –1800 doctors working in the Punjab Social Security hospitals have been deprived of the pay raise announced by the Chief Minister Punjab despite a lapse of six months.  The general body meeting of the Social Security Doctors Association Punjab would be held today (Saturday) at PMA ...

AHMAD AHMADANIISLAMABAD - NEPRA has rejected 20 per cent monthly increase in electricity price sought by the Ministry of Water and Power under the off head ‘fuel adjustment’ thus ending the Ministry’s plans of rubbing more salt on consumers’ wounds in smoke.While declining ...

TOBA TEK SINGH - The Social Welfare Department arranged here on Sunday a child forum in collaboration with the Unicef.District Officer Social Welfare Ch Muhammad Irfan, Deputy District Officer Fazal Abbas, Child Rights Committee District Coordinator Tahir Zeeshan, Azlan Iqbal Butt, Ijaz Iqbal, ...

LAHORE - The devolution of drug regulations has resulted in serious financial implications as it has increased the input cost of drug manufacturing manifold. While the world is going towards more cautious and centralised approach towards regulation of drugs to ensure uniform and top quality ...

ISLAMABAD - Much to the dismay of gas consumers, the federal government on New Year has jacked up the gas prices from 13 to 207 percent for all users along with imposing gas infrastructure cess (GIC) on five different sectors.This shocking disclosure to the over-burdened gas consumers is certain to ...

ISLAMABAD - The cash starved government has jacked up the gas prices from 13 to 207 per cent along with imposing infrastructure development surcharge (IDS) on five different sectors including the power sector.Sources privy to the development informed TheNation on Wednesday that this time a record ...

LAHORE – Prices of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) is expected to increase by Rs 14 per kg from January 1st after the imposition of the newly legislated Petroleum Levy on local LPG production.The levy which would add 16 per cent to the price being charged by LPG producers would ultimately be ...

LAHORE – The business community has outrightly rejected government decision to jack-up gas prices by 14 per cent from January 1, 2012.The PIAF Executive Committee met on Wednesday and took a strong exception to a decision that would give a deadly blow to the entire industrial sector that had ...