Sameer Nazir
KARACHI: Chief Executive TDAP and known businessman S M Muneer has urged government to immediately pay sales tax refund to business community which were delayed for last 2 years. This is a great hurdle in the economic growth of country. “If government pays this refund to all business community, he takes responsibility to take export to US$5 billion during this year,” he added.
He was speaking at the First International Textile Conference & Awards 2015, organized by Publicity Channel in collaboration with TDAP, Ministry of Textile, GOP, All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) and Towel Manufacturers Association Pakistan (TMAP).
“Economy is now stabilizing as status of GSP Plus for Pakistan was a blessing. This will double exports in next 3 years. But the issue of sales tax refund is still there which should be addressed at priority. I salute business community for keeping wheel moving despite so many odds,” S M Muneer acknowledged.
He told that they can convert the mud into gold as Pakistan is very rich in natural resources. Situation is improving now but government should also support this industry, he urged.
Guest of honor Chairman Board of Investment Dr. Miftah Ismail talked about investment prospects in textile sector and told that economy is moving forward in Pakistan. “We are included in IMF program since last one and half year and 6 reviews have been done so far very successfully. Government is doing all those tasks promised by Mian Nawaz Sharif before general elections in manifesto of Pakistan Muslim League,” he emphasized.
Pakistan was not able to enter in euro bound for 7 years but now economy is stabilized and Pakistan has already taken off on road of prosperity. Everyone now should play its part and pool his/her share. There should not be any objection on Pakistanis investment in foreign countries. Government has itself allowed cement sector to do business abroad. This all should be under legal provisions and will help economy to grow further, Dr. Miftah Ismail told.
Chairman Towel Manufacturers Association Pakistan Mehtabuddin Chawla were upset with issues of non-provision of energy and water on regular basis. “Media is also spreading wrong perceptions about Pakistan. I will request media houses to report issues on domestic television not on international TV due to which foreign buyers and investors don’t come here,” he said.
After claiming status of GSP Plus, government is engaged to sign understandings with countries like Singapore, Malaysia and Turkey which will allow zero percent custom duty on our exports. Assurance by Prime Minister to solve facilitate investments is an encouragement for business community. Now, people should make investments here, he said.
Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Baig was critical on media saying it is portraying wrong perception about Pakistan which is preventing international investments here. “Pakistan during last 15 years has become hub of denim. Foreign investors should also come and do business with complete peace of mind with Pakistanis,” he told.
Former Advisor to Prime Minister on Textiles, Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Baig gave an overview of textile sector and briefed that this sector account for 55 percent of total exports with volume of US$13 million. This sector provides 38 percent jobs with contribution of 10 percent in GDP. “We are fourth top country in production of cotton but unfortunately share of our textile industry exports in the world is just 2 percent,” he lamented.
Government should focus on industrialization as this will not only boost economy but will also creat jobs. India is offering 30 percent equity on purchase of machines for export units while rest of 70 percent amount will be paid back during 10 years with no interest. Whereas we have to pay 9 percent interest, so how can we compete in this situation,” Mehtabuddin Chawla asked.
Advisor Publicity Channel Kaiser Waheed said that economy has always played very crucial role in the history of countries. We are lucky to have rich reservoirs of natural resources in country. Textile industry can play a key role in providing job opportunities if facilitated,” he added.
Ceremony was followed by question-and-answer session. Panelists were Mahmood Rangoonwala, Chairman TMA, Ishtiaq Baig, Mehtabuddin Chawla, Mian Zahid Husain, Amna Gul of Italian Development Committee, Mehmood Rangoonwala and Naeem Qureshi, CEO Publicity Channel.
Responding to participant questions, panelists agreed that due to security situation in Pakistan, their cost is increased but still this industry can compete at international level if provided uninterrupted supply of water and energy every day and night.
They urged government to give this industry a top priority and provide gas supply first to such export units. There should be less financing markup. Pakistani companies should also introduce their brands and do marketing on local and international level besides investing in research and development, they added.
16th Children’s Literature Festival (CLF) concludes in Karachi with even higher expectations for next time!
Sameer Nazir
KARACHI:The 4th Teacher’s Literature Festival (TLF) and the 16thChildren’s Literature Festival (CLF) in the country and 2nd one in Karachi was successfully concluded by Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) and Oxford University Press (OUP) at the Arts Council of Pakistan in Karachi. This year CLF is being held in support of the ‘I am Karachi’ campaign that aims to inculcate a sense of hope, pride and ownership in the citizens of Karachi to collectively strive for a peaceful city.
The festivities of the day began and schools with students started coming in large numbers despite the rain.Later in the day, families started pouring in faster than the rain. The highlight of the day came forward at the very start of the day which was a theater performance, a re-adaptation of the story of Aladdin, given by NAPA. The hall filled to the brim as students kept coming in, and the actors did an excellent job of engaging as well as entertaining the students. Since cheers and laughter followed each dialogue. Along with NAPA, several theatre workshops and performances were also given out which Anwer Jafri’s theatre performance, ‘BuriyakiPitaari’, stood out.
Notable personalities from the field of Academia and Literary World includingRumanaHussain, AmraAlam, Zubeida Mustafa, and many others actively participated in CLF as contributors and moderators for all three days. Dr. FazlullahPechuho, Additional Chief Secretary, Education and Literacy Program, Sindh alsosupported the event with full fervor.
Dr. Ruth Pfau (born 9 September 1929) is a Germannun and a member of the Society of Daughters of the Heart of Mary who has devoted the last 50 years of life to fighting leprosy in Pakistan also joined the panel for the Launch of the book “Roshni key Meenar.”
Ayesha Omer and Musharraf Ali Farooqi conducted story telling sessions while Zambeel conducted dramatic reading.Along with dramatic reading and storytelling sessions, other interesting sessions were also conducted atday two of CLF. The festival provided the attendees with the opportunity to understand as well as celebrate their culture and heritage with sessions such as Compassionate Karachi by Charter for Compassion Pakistan; Learning from History by ShahaJamshed and Heritage Architecture and its relevance to the future of Architectural Identity in Pakistan. The message of peace, compassion and prosperity was carried on for all three days and on day two of CLF sessions like Positive Pakistan by Syed Nusrat Ali; Story on Five Fingers based on Human Values which to lead to peace by KhalidaSaadat; Let’s Sing for Peace by NimetEbrahim. Maria Memon conducted an interactive session for those hoping to become media persons, titled ‘What does it take to be a Journalist/ Broadcaster’. Sidra Iqbal conducted a thought provoking, titled ‘How to Dream a Bigger Dream – Nothing is impossible’.
A dialogue and action-protect titled ‘Talking Across Generations on Ending Child Marriages and Education for All’ was conducted to highlight the recent case of a 9 years old, ‘ShehzadiRustam’, who was kidnapped and then married to her uncle. The purpose of this session was to create awareness about the issue of child marriages as well as exploring the possible actions which can be taken to rescue Shahzadi.
CLF also hosted several book launches on the second day, including Roshni key Meenar;,City Tales and Village Tales and many others. For avid book readers, sessions like ‘Fun with Words’ and the ‘Joy of Reading’ generated a lot of interest.
The closing ceremony to mark the end of the three day festival, Teacher’s Literature Festival (TLF) as well as Children’s Literature Festival (CLF), was a phenomenal way to end the celebrations. The ceremony started with a dance performance by the students of SheemaKermani and a qawwali performance, Man KuntoMaula, was sung by students of Karachi High School. Awards for Best School Banners were handed out followed by the announcement of Anita Ghulam Ali Awards for the winners. The day came to an end with acknowledgements given by RumanaHussain in which she thanked the participants for their support and commemorated the resource persons for contributing and making the festival a success.
At the CLF, attendees also had a chance to learn about newly emerging media and technology that can be used to revolutionize the experience of classrooms for students, organized by Toffee TV and 3iLogic. Ilm Ideas, Dheree Bolo, HBL Money Club Money Maza, Sindh Reading Project, Sindh Education Foundation (SEF) and several other organizations set up multi-sensory stalls to introduce methodologies which can be used to make teaching a more interactive experience for children.
Several interactive and learning sessions such as Wings of Freedom by Zheela Ali Khan, Bacho say Tabdeeli and many others were also conducted to making CLF a wholesome experience.
Sameer Nazir
KARACHI: The Law Department, Government of Sindh, in compliance of orders passed by the Honable Supreme Court of Pakistan has imposed ban on publication of Provincial Statutes and other legal instruments privately with immediate effect. All the Publications are directed not to publish any Statute and other legal instruments without seeking permission of the Government of Sindh.