PM appoints Wilson as acting Chairman CCP
ISLAMABAD (Staff Reporter): The Prime Minister of Pakistan has appointed Dr. Joseph Wilson as Chairman of Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) on acting charge basis with immediate effect and until further orders. With over 21 years experience of public service, law practice, teaching and research in regulatory laws, Dr. Joseph Wilson has been serving as a founding member of the Competition Commission of Pakistan since the Commission’s establishment in 2007.
He has supervised Monopolies and Trade Abuses, Mergers & Acquisitions, International Affairs, Strategic policy, Research and Exemptions Departments at the Commission.
Prior to joining the Commission, he was an Associate Professor of Law at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Pakistan, where he taught “competition law” in addition to other courses. He has presented at various international conferences, published in international law journals and authored a book titled “Globalization and the Limits of National Merger Control Laws (published by Kluwer Law International).
Before joining LUMS, Dr. Wilson taught at McGill Faculty of Law, Montreal Canada, from where he earned Doctor of Civil Law (D.C.L.) with Deans Honour List and Master of Laws (LL.M.) degrees. He also holds an LL.M. from the University of Georgia, USA. He is a member of the State Bar of New York, USA and Lahore High Court Bar, and also serves on the International Advisory Board of the Loyola University Chicago’s Institute for Consumer Antitrust Studies, USA.

Govt asked to review fertilizer subsidy decision
ISLAMABAD (Online): The Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW) on Thursday asked the government to revisit decision to continue subsidising fertilizer sector. The Economic Co-ordination Committee of the cabinet has recently decided to continue subsidising fertilizer sector which may not bring the desired outcome, it said. Continued subsidy to the fertilizer sector will not benefit the farmers but the industrialists who have pushed country into high food inflation, said Dr Murtaza Mughal, President PEW.
He said that a reason behind reduced wheat output which has threatened the food security in country is the unjustified hike in the prices of fertilizer leaving many farmers unable to buy the vital input.
Mughal said that fertilizer prices are already more than that in the international market which call for a review of the recent subsidy decision.

POL prices likely to be scaled up from Sep 1
ISLAMABAD (Online): Petroleum products prices are likely to be jacked up by Rs 4 per liter from September 1.  As per media reports, Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) will send summary on enhancement of prices of petroleum products to ministry of petroleum on August, 29 through which recommendations will be made to increase the price of petrol by Rs 3 per liter, kerosene oil Rs 3.15 per liter, High octane Rs 4 per liter, high speed diesel Rs 2.40 per liter and light diesel Rs 1.80 per liter.
Following the approval of this summary by ministry of petroleum the prices of petroleum products are likely to be scaled up  from September, 1.

Food exports increase 22.43pc growth in July
ISLAMABAD (APP): Food group exports from the country during the first month of the current financial year posted growth of 22.43 percent as compared to the same month of last year. Different food commodities worth US$ 389.319 million exported during the month of July 2013 as compared to US$ 317.997 showing an increase of 22.43 percent. According to data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), rice export from the country increased 33.98 percent in month of July 2013 as compared to the same month of last year.
During the period under review 292,564 metric tons rice worth US$ 173.814 million was exported as against 196.819 million valuing US$ 129.72 million in month of July 2012.
However, the exports of basmati rice witnessed negative growth in July 2013 as it went down by 20.30 percent and reached to US$ 57.61 million from US$ 72.288 million in the same month of previous year.
Meanwhile,the data revealed that exports of rice other than basmati increased by 102.30 percent in month of July 2013 as compared to same month of last year.
About 232,109 metric ton of rice costing US$ 116.198 million exported in last month as compared to 117,632 metric tons worth US$57.43 million of the same period of last year.
   The other food commodities including fish and fish preparations, fruit and eguminous vegetable recorded respective growth of 11 percent,78.89 percent and 100 percent during the month of July 2013, the data added.
   The country earned US$ 19.985 million by exporting about 9,393 metric tons of fish and fish preparations, while US$ 31.122 million by exporting 42,242 metric tons of fruits and US$ 0.667 million from leguminous vegetables in first month of the year in progress, it added.

Concern over Indo-Pak trade decline at Wagha
ISLAMABAD (INP): Harvest Tradings Chief Executive Office Ahmad Jawad has expressed grave concerns over decline in India-Pak trade across the Wagha-Attari border which registered decrease of around 25pc as Indian rupee falls below 64 against dollar.  Talking on Thursday, Ahmed Jawad said that not only downward trend in the trade has been registered but Indian importers are also apprehending a sharp hike in the rates of dry fruits, including dry dates and Peshawari almonds, besides cement from Pakistan.
As per Indian buyers point of view they said there is instability in the market. We are not making any deal with our Pakistani counterparts.
Jawad said that till the normalisation of peace on the Line of Control (LoC) it is difficult for the business community to continue trade when our armed force officers & jawaan’s were being martyred.
Despite the fact if trade takes a front seat, automatically, other issues would get pushed to back seat, but trade should be based on equality, integrity and solidarity.
It is time that both countries should promote regional trade on the pattern of Asean, EU, Nafta to boost bilateral trade, but with open minds.

Financial closing of 26 wind, solar projects in 2013-14
ISLAMABAD (APP): The extended assistance of present government would result in expected achievement of financial close of 16 more wind power projects of around 1230 MW capacity during 2013-14. Promotion and development of alternative energy (AE) is prime focus of the current government as numerous measures have been adopted in field of alternate energy from June, 2013 till date.    A brief of Ministry of Water and Power reveals on Thursday that wind power projects are encouraged in Gharo Keti Bandar Wind corridor.
   The progress so far been made included one project of 54.4 MW by Zorlu Enerji achieved commercial operation on July 25,2013 while one project of 50 MW by Foundation Wind Energy-II Limited has started construction at site.
   Two projects of 100 MW (50 MW by Foundation Wind Energy-I Limited and 50 MW by Three Gorges First Wind Farm Pakistan have achieved financial close.
   The government has announced energy policy in which solar, wind, biomass/bagasse based power projects are the priority areas. The wind projects expected to achieve financial close during 2013-14 are Sapphire Wind Power Company 50 MW, Metro Power Company 50 MW, Hawa Holding 50 MW, Sachal Energy Development 50 MW, Master Wind Energy 50 MW, Tenaga Generasi 50 MW, Lucky Energy 50 MW,Tapal Wind Energy 30 MW, Fina Enerji Holding 50 MW, Hydro China Dawood Power 50 MW, United Energy Pakistan 100 MW, GuI Ahmed Wind Energy 50 MW, two projects of Wind Eagle of 50 MW each, and two projects of NBT Wind Power of 250 each.
   Similarly, solar power has also been brought as one of the mainstream choice for generation of electricity and projects of more than 67 MW capacity are going to achieve financial close by 2013-14 and 185 MW more are in pipeline.
   Land is being offered to the solar power projects in Cholistan at relatively cheaper rates and within investment conducive policies. Similar measures are being undertaken in other provinces for setting up Alternate Energy (AE) based projects.
   The ten solar projects expected to achieve financial close during 2013-14 are First Solar 02 MW, DACC Associates 50 MW, Techaccess FZ LLC 10 MW, Wah Industries 5 MW, Avelar Solar 50 MW, Sunlux Energy 5 MW, Sapphire Solar Power Company 10 MW, Transtech Pakistan 50 MW, Solar Gen 50 MW and Realforce Ruba Pakistan Power 20 MW.
   Private sector has been encouraged to invest in AE based power projects and in this regard, Alternate Energy Development Board (AEDB) has issued Letters of Intent (LoIs) for 420 MW to 9 companies.
   There are a number of more applications received in AEDB for setting up AE based power projects. AEDB is facilitating these projects in completion of their modalities for issuance of LoIs.
   Sugar industry has been persuaded to put up power plants on bagasse and sell electricity more than their requirement to the national grid.
   Moreover, the government is also promoting remote area electrification through AEs and instructions in this regard have been forwarded to related departments.
   The government is promoting use of biogas plants, solar street lights, solar home systems and other off-grid applications and programmes in this regard have been launched. Financing scheme of Bank of Punjab is one example of such initiatives.