Tag: Asad Umar

  • Govt to reduce taxes on food items: reports

    The government has reportedly decided to reduce taxes on the prices of food items, Ayaz Akbar Yousafzai reported for Geo News.

    According to sources, a meeting was held in Islamabad under the chairmanship of Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan to review the rising inflation and the overall economic situation in the country. The impact of the rising prices of petroleum products was also discussed in the meeting. 

    During the meeting, PM Khan issued orders to the federal ministers to take steps for the implementation of Price Control Committees.

    The premier also directed the ministers to keep an eye on the artificial price hike in their constituencies and to take strict measures against hoarders 

    Commodity prices have gone up in recent weeks.

    Addressing a news conference on Monday, Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar said the government had decided to reduce GST rate and customs duty by half to 8.5 per cent and would abolish 2 per cent additional customs duty to cut cooking oil prices by Rs45 per kilo.

    He said that the decision would be implemented on the return of Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin.

  • All educational institutions to start normal classes from Monday: Asad Umar

    All educational institutions to start normal classes from Monday: Asad Umar

    Educational activities across the country will resume from Monday (October 11) next week. Due to Covid, educational activities across the country were affected for over a year.

    Asad Umar announced that the decision has been taken in view of a drop in the Covid-19 cases and a stepped-up national vaccination campaign by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC).

    “Based on the reduced level of disease spread and the launch of the school vaccination program, it has been decided in today’s NCOC meeting to allow all educational institutions to start normal classes from Monday the 11th of October” tweeted Umar.

    The country reported less than 1,000 daily coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours for the first time in over three months.

    The latest data from NCOC shows that Pakistan reported 912 cases after 45,619 tests. The country last recorded a daily case count below 1,000 on July 6 at 830 cases.

  • NCOC asks for cooperation as pilgrims return from Iraq, refuse to quarantine

    NCOC asks for cooperation as pilgrims return from Iraq, refuse to quarantine

    The National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) has advised the pilgrims coming back from Iraq to undergo mandatory quarantine for their own safety.

    The statement has come after pilgrims refused to follow the Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) upon their arrival.

    Deputy Secretary-General of Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen Allama Nasir Abbas, previously warned that if the quarantine restriction of those returning to Pakistan from Karbala was not lifted, then the party would go and welcome them at the airports.

    At the airport, pilgrims caused panic that other passengers had to face as well. As a result, the administration was forced to call the police to maintain the law and order situation.

    The NCOC mentioned that Iraq was placed in Category C as the spread of coronavirus was rapid there.

    “On the occasion of Arbaeen, people from across the world gather in [Karbala], therefore, the pilgrims coming back from there are a high-risk group,” NCOC stated.

  • Govt to vaccinate 12-year-old children

    Govt to vaccinate 12-year-old children

    National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has decided to vaccinate 12-year-old children. The decision was taken in a meeting on Tuesday (today).

    Federal Minister for Planning and Development, Asad Umar, took to Twitter to announce the news.

    “In today’s NCOC meeting decided to start vaccination of all 12 years and older. Special drive will be run for vaccination at schools to make it easier for children to be vaccinated,” the minister wrote in a tweet.

    Pakistan has reported 1,400 coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total tally to 1,241,825 cases. The country has reported 27,638 deaths so far.

  • SAPM for power Tabish Gauhar resigns due to problems in ministry

    SAPM for power Tabish Gauhar resigns due to problems in ministry

    Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Power and Petroleum Tabish Gauhar has reportedly stepped down from his position after almost one year of his appointment.

    According to sources, Prime Minister Imran Khan asked for the former’s resignation as he [Imran Khan] and the Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar weren’t evidently happy with his performance, reports Samaa News.

    “After a year of public service, I’ve decided to call it a day to return to my family. It’s been the privilege of a lifetime to serve the country, to the best of my abilities, in an honorary capacity. I shall remain indebted to the PM for giving me this opportunity,” Gauhar tweeted.

    While publicly accepting the numerous challenges in the energy sector, he added: “No doubt that under the able leadership of Azhar, the MOE [Ministry of Energy] team will continue to stay the course on structural reforms.”

    According to Geo News, the development comes after Gauhar and Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Zaidi developed rifts on the controversy sparked over the Engro LNG terminal’s dry-docking. Other disagreements included the Pakistan Stream Gas Pipeline (PSGP) project and Gauhar’s stance in favour of laying down the North-South Pipeline with the help of local gas companies.

    Last month, he had written a letter to Hammad Azhar, pointing out multiple challenges in the energy sector.

    Gauhar had resigned from his post earlier this year but at the time his resignation had not been accepted. Later, Gauhar had lodged a complaint with the premier, pleading that two cabinet members were interfering in the affairs of the Ministry of Energy.

    After this news, a total of 11 Special ministers have resigned so far.

    Zulfi Bukhari as SAPM on Overseas Pakistanis

    Dr Ishrat Hussain as SAPM on Institutional Reforms and Austerity 

    Tabish Gauhar as SAPM on Power and Petroleum

    Lt Gen Asim Bajwa as SAPM on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) affairs

    Firdaus Ashiq Awan as Special Assistant to Punjab Chief Minister on Information

    Dr Zafar Mirza as SAPM on Health

    Tania Aidrus as SAPM on Digital Pakistan

    Shahzad Qasim as SAPM on Coordination of Marketing and Development of Mineral Resources

    Dr Waqar Masood Khan as SAPM on Finance and Revenue

    Iftikhar Durrani as SAPM on Media Affairs.

    Yousaf Baig Mirza as SAPM on Media Affairs.

  • PTI leads in Cantonment Board polls, PML-N in second place

    PTI leads in Cantonment Board polls, PML-N in second place

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) emerged as the biggest winner in the Cantonment Board elections held across Pakistan on Sunday, reports Radio Pakistan.

    According to the unofficial results, PTI got 58 seats, while the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) scored 51. Independent candidates claimed 49 seats.

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has managed to win 14 seats and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) got 10 seats. Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) won five seats while Balochistan Awami Party (BNP) got two seats.

    Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry in a tweet said the Cantonment Board election results show that the Opposition has left with no standing following a crushing defeat.

    Reacting to the ruling party’s victory, federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar said: “Cantonment elections once again show the PTI not only as the largest party but also the only national party.”

    PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif called party leaders and congratulated them on their success in the cantonment polls.

    Province wise results:

    PTI won the most number of seats in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) — 18 — followed by 28 in Punjab, 14 in Sindh, and three in Balochistan.

    PML-N won big in Punjab, bagging 51 seats, managing only five in KP, three in Sindh, and none in Balochistan. In Lahore, the PML-N bagged 15 of 19 wards.

    PPP was surprisingly unable to defeat PTI in Sindh, instead of tying with them for 14 seats. The remaining three seats were won in KP, meaning none were won in either Punjab or Balochistan.

    Independent candidates scored big in Punjab, bagging 32 seats. They secured nine in KP, seven in Sindh, and four in Balochistan.

    MQM won all of its 10 seats in Sindh, whereas JI won five in Sindh and two in Punjab.

    ANP won two seats in KP, whereas BAP won two in Balochistan.

  • Pakistan lowers Covid vaccination eligibility age to 15

    Pakistan lowers Covid vaccination eligibility age to 15

    The government has officially decided to further lower the Covid vaccination eligibility age to 15 years, reported Geo News.

    Children between the ages of 15 and 18 will be vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine, the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) said.

    According to the NCOC, Pfizer vaccine will be available at all central vaccination centres across the country. Moreover a registration certificate will be required for children up to the age of 18 to be vaccinated.

    In combating the pandemic, the NCOC has also taken another step by sending mobile vaccination teams to visit schools and colleges for vaccination.

    Meanwhile, NCOC has said that all those people whose second dose against Covid-19 has become due are not required to wait for the sms message and can visit any vaccination centre throughout the week.

    A day earlier, NCOC head Asad Umar had announced on Twitter that more than 20 million people in Pakistan are now fully vaccinated against coronavirus.

    Pakistan has administered at least 66,456,245 doses of Covid vaccines so far. Assuming every person needs two doses, that’s enough to have vaccinated about 15.3 per cent of the country’s population.

  • ‘Hospital inflow & critical care patients at highest level’, says Asad Umar

    Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Asad Umar has said that critical patients admitted in hospitals due to covid-19 are at “highest level.”

    “As seen globally, impact of indian delta variant in Pakistan also shows that it spreads faster & increases chances of patients to need hospitalization,” wrote the minister in a tweet.

    “Right now both hospital inflow & critical care patients at highest level since start of covid,” he added.

    Asad also requested people to, “please follow sop’s & vaccinate.”

    Read more- No public transport after Oct 15 unless fully vaccinated: Asad Umar

    As per the National National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), Pakistan recorded 4,103 cases of Covid-19 on September 2 in the country.

  • No public transport after Oct 15 unless fully vaccinated: Asad Umar

    Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar has said those who have not been fully vaccinated will not be allowed to use public transport from October 15.

    Asad Umar while addressing a press conference with Dr Faisal Sultan said that that all passengers, domestic and international, travelling by air must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 by September 30.

    Asad Umar further said that school teachers and staff will not be allowed to work after October 15 if they are not fully vaccinated. Meanwhile, students aged 17 and above were also given a deadline to get at least one dose of the vaccine by September 15 and the second dose before October 15.

    Full vaccination has been also made compulsory to use public transport after October 15.

    He also added that only fully vaccinated people will be allowed to attend marriage ceremonies, go to shopping malls and hotels after September 30.

    As per the National National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), Pakistan recorded 4,075 cases of Covid-19 in the country.

  • CPEC Authority chief Gen Asim Bajwa resigns

    CPEC Authority chief Gen Asim Bajwa resigns

    Lieutenant General (retired) Asim Saleem Bajwa on Tuesday resigned from his position as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority’s chief, as he thanked the government and Prime Minister Imran Khan for their support.

    Bajwa took to Twitter and said, “I bow my head before Allah Almighty for giving me an opportunity to raise and steer the important institution of CPEC Authority as one window for all CPEC projects, charting the future direction.”

    Bajwa further tweeted that he wished the best for Khalid Mansoor, who has replaced him as the special assistant to the prime minister (SAPM) on CPEC Affairs.

    He said Mansoor was fully equipped to take CPEC forward. “CPEC is a lifeline for Pakistan; it will transform us into a progressive and fully developed country.”

    Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Asad Umar thanked Bajwa for his services in moving CPEC forward and playing a vital role in broadening the project’s scope.

    The federal minister welcomed Mansoor to the team as SAPM for CPEC Affairs.

    According to Engro website, Khalid Mansoor was the Chief Executive of The Hub Power Company Limited (Hubco) since May 20, 2013.

    He holds a Degree in Chemical Engineering with Distinction and honors. Mansoor is also the Chairman of Laraib Energy Limited, a subsidiary of (Hubco).

    He has over 32 years of experience and expertise in the Energy & Petrochemical Sectors in leading roles for mega-size Projects Development, Execution, Management and Operations.