Sameer Nazir
KARACHI: March 18 The Government of Sindh under the visionary leadership of Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Chief Minister Sindh has been granted SEZ status for three industrial zones in the province namely Khairpur Special Economic Zone, Korangi Creek Industrial Park and Bin Qasim Industrial Park in 3rd meeting of Board of Approval of the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) chaired by Minister Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistic & Privatization, Government of Pakistan. It may be mentioned that all three (3) SEZs are located in Sindh province.
It is inspiring to have this landmark achievement which would reciprocate in setting up of various values addition enterprises within these zones. The upcoming industries will, not only, bring in more investment in the country but also enhance the socio economic upliftment in the area through job creation and poverty alleviation.
It is also mentioned here that being the Chairman of Special Economic Zone Authority, Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah Chief Minister Sindh had earlier approved the above three Industrial Zones to be recommended to Board of Approvals, Islamabad for the award of SEZ Status which will guarantee the benefits that are offered under the SEZ ACT 2012. The main fiscal benefits under the act of 2012 ensure a corporate tax holiday of ten years for investors and developers as well as duty free import of capital goods and machinery. The Korangi Creek Industrial Park is being developed on 240 acres of land that is located in sector 38 of Korangi Industrial Area, Karachi. The estimated project cost is Rs.3.8 billion. The project is visualized to bring PKR 20 billion direct investment and contribute PKR 40 billion to GDP and generate direct employment for 30,000 individuals. The park is divided into two zones: a low density zone for industries and a high density zone for commercial sectors. The low density zone will include industrial units of food and pharmaceuticals, garments and textiles, light engineering, packaging and printing, warehousing and logistics.
The high density zone will exclusively promote information technology, gems and jewellery and other ancillary and allied sectors. The Bin Qasim Industrial Park (BQIP) is spread over an area of 930 acres near Port Qasim, adjacent to Arabian Sea Country Club, Bin Qasim Town, Karachi. The estimated cost is Rs.9.8 billion. The project is envisioned to fetch PKR 50 billion direct investment, contribute PKR 100 billion to GDP and generate direct employment for 50,000 individuals. The project has been designed to cater to the needs of medium and large-scale entrepreneurs aspiring to invest especially in the engineering sector and the steel industry of Pakistan. The proposed industrial clusters under the zone include engineering and equipment, chemicals and food, logistics and consumer goods.
The engineering and equipment cluster includes auto vendors, foundries and steel fabricating units; the chemicals and food cluster consists of pharmaceuticals, food and beverages and chemicals, while consumer goods include plastics, electrics and consumer electronics. It is worth mentioned here that Sindh is the only province which will have three Industrial Zones with SEZ Status as the Federal government had already awarded the SEZ Status to Khairpur Special Economic Zone (KSEZ) which is the First Industrial Park in the country to have been awarded the SEZ Status under the Act of 2012. It is hoped that with this status to more SEZs, the economic activity in the province will get a booster for more job creation, support poverty alleviation and uplift the socio economic conditions for people.
Minorities Protest against Church Blast in Lahore.
KARACHI: A peaceful mass mobilized protest rally was organized by Upgrade Minorities for Integrated Development (UMID) at Press Club on Tuesday March 17, 2015. In the rally, a good numbers of Hindus, Christians, NGO activists and other members of civil society joined and strongly condemned the Yohenaabad Church blast and showed their sympathy and solidarity with victims.
The sovereignty of Pakistan is in more danger if we don’t stop such growing atrocious incidents of growing extremism and terrorism, said Avinash Hari from UMID. He said that minority community had a key role in the progress and prosperity of Pakistan and they had always played as front liners for the existence and integrity of the country. He said that some anti-state forces are conspiring to make the masses fighting each other on the basis of language, sect, faith and religious.
These church attacks are disclosed as attacked on our history and on Islamic ideology, said Bishop Aijaz Enayat. He said that Islam as well as the country’s constitution and law has given protection to the rights of minorities that is why the elements who are involved in such attacks on churches and temples are not able to be called Muslims and even mankind.
From Minorities Protection Network, Safeena Gill said if the federal and provincial governments would be serious and properly implemented Tasaduq Hussain Jilani’s judgment to form special task forces protecting minorities and their worship places, such unpleasant incidents would not be seen to be placed in Lahore yesterday and it could not be made public apathy is regrettable We are asking the government to immediately implement the decision of the former Chief Justice of Pakistan. She demanded to prime minister and chief minister of Punjab to take stern action against the accused extremists and truly ensure the safety of all religious and holy places of minorities.
Our land, culture and history are symbols of peace, love and brotherhood but some elements wants promoting hatred are enemies of humanity and Pakistan, told Ahetshamulhaq from Jamait-e-Islami. If we want violence free society, so we have to widely teach peace and tolerance to our future generation, he concluded.
5th Fire & Safety Convention & Award 2015 on March 18
Karachi: Fire Protection Association of Pakistan (FPAP) in collaboration of National Forum for Environment & Health (NFEH) is organizing 5th Fire & Safety Convention & Award on March 18, 2015 at local hotel. Commissioner Karachi Shoaib A. Siddiqui will inaugurate the conference. Minister Local Govt. Sharjeel Memon will be chief guest in safety award ceremony.
Engr. Nadeem Ashraf, project head of the event told the objective of the convention is to promote safety and awareness among all industry, corporate sector, builders, owners of commercial building, NGO’s and fire & safety professionals, he said.
Around 30 companies will be awarded through a evaluation and professional criteria, the objective of safety award to recognize companies on best efforts, investment, training, awareness and use of modern technology to control fire accidents and save human lives, he added.
Engr. Nadeem said experts and professionals Fawad Ateeq Bari, MD, Haseen Habib, Muhammad Imran, Director, Envirograf, President Karachi Chamber of Commerce, Iftikhar Bohra, Dr. Kaiser Waheed, Chairman KATI Rashid Siddiqui, Saeed Jadoon, Representative Saylani Welfare Trust, Alamgir Welfare Trust, President NFEH M. Naeem Qureshi and Hussain Sabz Ali, Fire Chief, Habib Bank, Engr. Khalid Nadeem will address on the occasion.
KARACHI: Despite the paucity of funds the cleanliness campaign to keep Sindh green and peaceful will be continued and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has assured to release funds to local government department and funds would be released soon.
This was stated by Sindh Minister for Local Government & Information Sharjeel Inam Memon while talking to media during continued campaign of greener and peaceful Sindh launched under the auspices of Bohra community on Tuesday here in North Nazimabad near Hishamia Mosque .
Minister personally took part along with spiritual leader of Bohra Community Sayedna in cleanliness and planted a sapling inside the mosque.
Minister said this campaign was launched for a week but now it looks this will take years to clean Sindh and this will continue.
He said 12000 metric tons of garbage is generated daily in Karachi and out of it only four tons is lifted and other remain on roads. He termed this as a pathetic situation and said government was fully alive to lift this garbage.
Sharjeel Memon said at present there was lacs of tons garbage is in Karachi and government was working round the clock to lift the garbage.
He thanked Bohra community to own this campaign and adopt a road in North Nazimabad.
He said that It was now high time that reward and punishment for the officers of KMC and said any complaints received against any official he would be penalized.
Memon reiterated that he would not sit idle till the ghost employees are not removed from the local government department.
He said Sindh Chief Minister has the power to make reshuffle in the cabinet however he refuted the reports that he was being given the portfolio of Sindh Home Department and said such reports are baseless and unfounded.
Minister said he came here on a request made by Bohra community who had pledged to own a road, thus he came here.
He said the clean, green and peaceful Sindh campaign is being appreciated not only at government level but also at community level.
Minister said officers have been issued last warning to rectify the complaints of the people or face the dire consequences.
He said at present in Sindh including Karachi police, Rangers and law enforcement agencies have launched operation against the terrorists and we are getting good results.
He said at the moment no person has been abducted for ransom and those pointed out have been recovered by police and Rangers. He said hundreds of criminals have been arrested due to untiring efforts of police and Rangers.
He expressed his determination to weed out all ghost employees in local government department and said they are not in hundreds but in thousands and they have to go home, he stressed.
Present on the occasion was Commissioner Karachi Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqi, Administrator Karachi Saqib Soomro, Metropolitan Commissioner Masood Alam, Director local government Robina Asif, Administrator Central Kamal Ahmed, Municipal Commissioner Central Mustafa Kamal and senior members of Bohra community including Aamir Mansoor Bhaee, Ali Asghar Bhaee & others..
PRELIMINARY TEST FOR THE POST OF ADDITIONAL DISTRICT AND SESSION JUDGE ON 29TH MARCH 2015.
KARACHI: The preliminary test of two Hours for the post of Additional District and Session Judge is scheduled to be held on Sunday, 29th March, 2015 at 02:30 pm at the lawn of Sindh high court, Karachi, which will be conducted by National Testing Service (NTS). The reporting time is 01:30 pm. No candidate shall be permitted to enter in the examination hall after 02:00 pm. The test call letters have been issued to all the eligible candidates. Lists of all the eligible candidates are available on the internet at the Sindh High Court website www.sindhhighcourt.gov.pk. The eligible candidates, who do not receive the said test call letters, May obtain the duplicate thereof from the office of the Addl. Member Inspection Team-I, High Court of Sindh ,Karachi during office hours from 24th to 28 March,2015.
Formulation of fire safety laws stressed
KARACHI: Speakers at a fire safety convention urged government , concerned departments to lay down fire safety laws and asked industrialists, and owners, occupants of all residential or commercial buildings to implement fire safety guidelines immediately to minimize loss of life and property in case of fire.
They were speaking at 5th Fire & Safety Convention and Awards 2015 organized by National Forum for Environment and Health (NFEH) in collaboration with Fire Protection Association of Pakistan (FPAP) here at a local hotel. Speakers included President Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) Iftikhar Vohra, former Secretary Environment Sindh Shamsul Haq Memon, President FPAP Farhat Hussain, Fire Chief Karachi Port Trust (KPT) Saeed Jadoon, Chairman NFEH Dr. Kaiser Waheed, President Naeem Qureshi, MD Emba Anis Younus and others.
President KCCI Iftikhar Vohra said that city has witnessed very unfortunate fire incidents claiming lives of hundreds of people and loss of properties like Bolton Market, Baldia Factory etc. “After Bolton market fire, industrialists spared 1.4 billion rupees and gave this amount to government of Sindh for purchasing most modern fire tenders. But since then it is about 6 years now, no progress is made due to one or other reason. Government should purchase these tenders immediately to cope with such incidents,” he urged.
There must be multiple exits in each residential or commercial building for emergencies to save loss of life. Government should place most modern fire fighting system here. About 200 fire stations are needed for Karachi only whereas there are about 16 stations functioning at present. Out of these 16, in most of cases many fire tenders have no diesel, leaked pipes and without water. Malik Riaz of Bahria Town has also offered 4 modern fire tenders for city, Iftikhar Vohra shared.
“Business community of Karachi should be appreciated for their services in such conditions and now business situation is improving in city,” he added.
Former Secretary Environment Sindh Shamsul Haq Memon underlined the need of comprehensive fire fighting system. “Many cases have been reported due to poor quality gas cylinders and accidents of vehicles apart from industrial fires. We all should perform our roles and there should be SOP and proper legislation to overcome these issues,” he noted.
President FPAP Farhat Hussain stressed there should be fire protection systems placed in very building and existing systems be upgraded. “Industries are free here to take standard measures themselves which should be mandatory. Our neighboring countries have laws and fire codes but unfortunately we don’t have. We should promote fire safety culture,” he urged.
Anis Younus of Emba Corporation said that every building should have more than one fire exits, fire extinguishers installed and responsibilities be fixed in case of fire.
Dr. Kaiser Waheed said that insurance companies are here to compensate loss of properties but do they compensate human loss and of course not. “There should be an emergency action plan in the country to cope with fire incidents so precious lives could be saved,” he demanded.
President NFEH Naeem Qureshi told that fire incidents are rising in Karachi which warrants a joint action plan and strategy by all trade unions and groups like chamber of commerce. “Each shop, house or factory should have fire fighting system and be made safe from fires. Steps should be taken as an national emergency in this direction and NFEH is also striving to make buildings safe,” he stressed.
Referring Baldia factory fire, KPT Fire Chief Saeed Jadoon shared that a passerby student called him and informed about fire. “Student was real hero otherwise there were chances of more lives loss in case of further delayed response from fire departments. I informed city fire chief and he himself was unaware of that big fire,” he told.
“In Baldia fire, we helped other agencies and provided sea water to extinguish fire. We have an unlimited quantity of sea water which can be used to extinguish fires in any part of city or at least in city areas near to sea. KPT has also pipeline water supply in old city areas for such emergencies. Many years back, there used to be drills for this and people thought it an action to wash roads,” he told.
Fawad Barry, CEO Haseen Habib Trading talked about fire safety issues and stressed on own fire suppression system for buildings. “Major reasons behind fire incidents in buildings are lack of preventive measures, poor quality equipments, poor quality of electric wiring etc.” he told.
Technical session was addressed by Khalid Nadeem of K-Electric, Hussain Sabz Ali of HBL, Imran Taj of Envirograph, Fawad Barry of Haseen Habib Trading and Wajahat Ali Khan of FPAP. Speakers in other sessions were Malik Saleem Iqbal of PIA, Muhammad Ghazzal of Sylani Welfare Trust and Commissioner Karachi Shoaib Sidiqi.