ISLAMABAD: A larger bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday granted more time to Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif for filing a reply over a petition filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), seeking his disqualification under Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution.

The bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb had issued the notices to Asif, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the secretary National Assembly with directions to submit replies and para-wise comments in the case.

When the case was taken up, the counsel for Asif submitted a power of attorney and sought time for filing a reply in the case. He said Asif was abroad and needed more time to submit the reply. Subsequently, the bench directed him to file the reply by November 13.

Khawaja Asif had not just one but three Iqamas

The bench issued notices and sought reply on the petition filed by PTI’s Usman Dar, who contested against Asif in the 2013 general election on NA-110 seat. Dar’s counsel argued that Asif should be disqualified as he hid the fact of holding an Iqama, or work permit, in his nomination papers.

The petitioner, through his counsel Sikandar Bashir Mohmand, nominated Asif, the ECP, and the NA secretary as respondents and sought relief under Article 199(1)9b)(ii) read with Article 63(1)(f).

During the previous hearing, the counsel argued that in his nomination papers, Asif mentioned himself as a businessman whereas his Abu Dhabi Iqama proved that he was and still is an employee of a company in a different capacity.

The counsel said Asif was not entitled to hold the office of an MNA or that of a federal minister under the ‘Unlimited Term Employment Contract’ between him and the International Mechanical & Electrical Company (IMECL), a limited liability company located in Abu Dhabi and existing under the UAE’s laws.

He claimed that Asif “has been continuously employed as a full time, salaried employee of IMECL since at least 2-7-2011” and held various positions, including that of ‘Legal Adviser’ and ‘Special Adviser’. Asif, he added, was to receive a monthly basic salary of AED35,000 along with monthly allowance of AED15,000, making the aggregated payment of AED50,000 per month.

“[This amount] is currently being received by, and to which the Respondent No. 1 [Asif] is entitled [as a receivable and assets] whilst acting as the Foreign Minister of Pakistan and MNA from NA-110,” said the counsel.

He added the salary and allowances amounting to Rs17,211,816 per annum at the prevailing current exchange rate have never been properly and specifically disclosed in Pakistan by Asif, “betraying his dishonest intent and non-ameen and non-righteous character”.

He said the documents attached with the petition regarding Asif’s employment period in the UAE reveal that he remained a fulltime employee at the IMECL since 2011 (or even before that time) till date.

The documents prove that the latest ‘Labour Card’ from the Ministry of Labour of the UAE was issued on 29-6-2017 and is stated to have an expiry date of 28-6-2019.

Iqama allegation: Larger IHC bench to hear Asif’s disqualification case

“This, inter alia, establishes that in spite of being the foreign minister and MNA, Asif intends to surreptitiously and secretly continue with his fulltime employment with IMECL, in violation of his oath, his obligation of fidelity and no conflict to the office of the federal minister and his continuing obligation under the provisions of Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution,” he added.

The counsel argued that Asif has secretly been a fulltime, salaried employee of an ‘offshore company’ from which he was, and is, entitled to receive substantial salary and allowances.

“Such an individual is not fit to lawfully continue to hold the office of Federal Minister or of MNA,” he said. In the wealth statements, he added, Asif failed to declare the actual balance of each account.

He requested the court to declare that Asif is neither of good character in terms of Article 62(1)(d), inter alia, nor is honest, righteous or sagacious. He asked the court to declare him ineligible for holding a public office.

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Source: Tribune News | Asif given time to file reply in disqualification case

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed on Tuesday the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) authorities to submit a progress report on an inquiry into the alleged misappropriation of Rs340 million in the foreign-loan funded water supply schemes in several districts, including former chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah’s constituency.

A two-judge bench, headed by SHC Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M Sheikh, directed the NAB special prosecutor to submit the report by November 15, when the identical matters will be taken up again. The judges were hearing bail applications filed by an accused to avoid arrest by NAB in connection with the inquiries into development funds’ misappropriation.

A private contractor, Mir Shaukat Ali, had sought bail in a scam relating to the alleged misappropriation in connection with an inquiry into water supply development scheme in Khairpur district, the former CM’s constituency.

Investigation: ACE looks into alleged misappropriation of public funds

The applicant’s lawyer alleged that the anti-graft watchdog had nominated 112 persons in the inquiry, including the petitioner.

The lawyer claimed that his client, Ali, was a mentally handicapped person, who was malafidely implicated in the scam by NAB authorities despite not being mentally sound.

The proceedings took an interesting turn when Sheikh inquired about the total value of the contract allegedly obtained by the petitioner for the development work. He also inquired how many kids the petitioner had.

To this, the petitioner, Mir Shaukat, quickly replied that the value of the contract was Rs10,000. He added that he had a minor son.

The SHC chief justice told the lawyer that his client was acting very cleverly, as he did not sound like a ‘mentally-challenged’ person.

The judges directed the NAB prosecutor to produce in court complete details relating to funds meant for 613 development schemes launched in Khairpur district till November 15.

NAB arrests man in embezzlement 

Meanwhile, the NAB prosecutor informed the bench that an amount of Rs340 million funds had been misappropriated in water supply and sanitation development schemes launched under the defunct North Sindh Urban Services Corporation (NSUSC) with a loan from the Asian Development Bank.

The prosecutor informed that three major schemes were launched in Larkana, Shikarpur, Sukkur and Khairpur districts. He told the judges that the actual amount that had been misappropriated could run into billions of rupees after further inquiry.

Sheikh observed that from the value of the funds, it appeared as if the authorities were going to develop upper Sindh on very modern lines.

Food and forestry departments: Audit reveals misappropriation of over Rs10b

The top judge expressed his dismay over the state-of-affairs, observing that even the funds meant for the supply of potable water, which were meant to benefit the accused persons’ own children, were being misappropriated.

The bench directed the prosecutor to complete the inquiry and submit a report into the alleged scam by November 28.

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Source: Tribune News | SHC seeks report on NAB inquiries into water supply schemes’ funds misappropriation

ISLAMABAD: A high-powered panel on the implementation of Fata reforms has decided to expedite the process of legislation regarding extension in the jurisdiction of superior judiciary to tribal areas as well as its merger with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

A bill to extend the jurisdiction of Supreme Court and high court to Fata has already been tabled in the National Assembly.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Implementation Committee (NIC) on Fata reforms held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Tuesday.

Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, States and Frontier Regions (Safron) Minister Lieutenant General (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch, Law Minister Zahid Hamid, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Sartaj Aziz, K-P Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, K-P Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and other senior civil and military officials attended the meeting.

Sources privy to the meeting said the conclave rejected the political opposition to the merger of Fata with K-P and decided to take practicable measures to implement the merger plan during the federal government’s current tenure.

Tribesmen stage rally in Islamabad seeking abolition of FCR

The reported development comes as significant in the backdrop of opposition to Fata merger shown by the JUI-F, the PML-N’s coalition partner.

The sources said the appointment of COO to replace political agents running the system in Fata was also deliberated upon and was still under review.

The appointment of COO was first envisioned in the previous meeting of NIC held on September 8 with Premier Abbasi in the chair.

A PM House statement after Tuesday’s meeting said the committee reviewed the progress on legal reforms and noted that a bill to extend the jurisdiction of high court and Supreme Court to Fata had already been tabled in the National Assembly.

It directed the law minister to expedite the passage of the bill through both houses of parliament and also initiate other legal and administrative measures so that the normal judicial system could be extended to Fata at the earliest and its people could enjoy the same fundamental and other rights available to the people in rest of the country.

The committee also directed that all administrative actions to set up agency courts and to expand the capacity of various law enforcement agencies in Fata should be taken expeditiously in consultation with the superior judiciary, the statement said.

FATA reforms per tribesmen, Nawaz’s wishes: Muqam

The committee noted that a high-level panel had already been set up to prepare a 10-year plan for the socio-economic development of Fata. In this context, it directed the finance minister to seek, on priority basis, the endorsement of the National Finance Commission to the proposal to allocate a share from the divisible pool for Fata for the next 10 years, it added.

The committee carried out an in-depth review of the issues raised and concluded that there was widespread support for the merger of Fata with K-P. However, many legal and administrative actions will be required before this important reform could be given a practical shape.

Separately, K-P Chief Minister Pervez Khattak called on PM Abbasi to discuss financial issues concerning the Centre and K-P.

“Matters pertaining to provincial finances and development were discussed during the meeting. The prime minister assured all possible support of the federal government to the provincial government. It was also assured to convene meeting at the working group-level between the officers nominated by the K-P government and the concerned officials in finance and power divisions at the federal level,” said the statement from the PM House.

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Source: Tribune News | FATA reforms: NIC expedites legislative process on judiciary’s jurisdiction

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has accused the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) of committing mega corruption to the tune of Rs3,200 billion.

“The FBR has pilfered Rs3,200 billion of Rs3,500 billion tax collection while NAB’s corruption costs the national exchequer Rs12 billion daily,” the PTI chief said while speaking on ‘leadership and good governance’ to the students at Malakand University on Tuesday.

“The responsibility of NAB is to grab big fish that loot the national exchequer, and not the poor,” he said.

Khan claimed that only the PTI government could strengthen and make FBR and NAB autonomous.

Imran to ‘voluntarily’ appear before ECP on October 26

“We have to strengthen the institutions of Pakistan for merit to prevail,” he said, adding that in four years, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government’s main focus was to strengthen institutions, make them transparent and free of political interface.

Lauding the role of K-P police, the PTI chief said that the force had become a role model for the police in other provinces. “Incidents of terrorism declined by 70 per cent in the province last year,” he added.

Due to bad governance, Pakistan had drowned in foreign loans while its own revenue was being swallowed up in corruption, he said.

“Pakistan is among the countries having worst governance, even lagging behind Bangladesh,” said Khan, adding that Pakistan International Airlines, which was once considered one of the best airlines in the world, had accumulated losses worth Rs330 billion.

“A country is destroyed when its institutions do not properly work…  only good governance and merit can make a country economically and socially strong,” he added.

Mocking at the ousted prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, the PTI chief said when the law gripped him, he said mujhe kyun nikala (why was I ousted?).

Double whammy for Imran Khan as both ECP and ATC order his arrest

Turning his guns towards Sindh, he said, “When the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) killed 50 people in Karachi, I openly condemned the brutality while people and leaders could not even speak a single word against the party.”

He said several leaders stood against him and also filed defamation suits. “It is a sign of doomsday that a person like PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari filed Rs1 billion defamation suit against me,” he criticised.

Khan said the Quaid-e-Azam was the only true leader in Pakistan as he fought for the rights of the people till the end.

Targeting the current PML-N government, he said, “Large buildings, roads and orange trains cannot bring change in the country, only investment in human development can.”

On the education system, he said the PTI government would build universities in each and every district for both males and females in order to build an equal education system.

He said currently there are three types of education in Pakistan – English medium for the elite class, Urdu medium for the general public and madrassas for religious people. He said the PTI would introduce a uniform education system for all.

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Source: Tribune News | FBR, NAB involved in mega corruption, says Imran

ISLAMABAD: Forty-two districts of Pakistan have been identified as being highly vulnerable to food insecurity coupled with high to medium levels of natural disasters. It was revealed in ‘Integrated Context Analysis (ICA) Report’ on ‘Vulnerability to Food Insecurity and Natural Hazards’ launched on Tuesday.

The study has been compiled by the World Food Programme (WFP) in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

Integrated Context Analysis (ICA) is a globally adopted and proven programmatic tool to support strategic planning of safety net, disaster risk reduction, early warning and preparedness.

To oversee the whole process, steering committee as well as technical committees were formed having representatives from the Planning Commission of Pakistan, the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, the Ministry of Climate Change, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), SUPARCO and other agencies.

‘Govt committed to ensure food security’

Addressing participants at the launching ceremony, NDMA Chairman Lt Gen Omar Mahmood Hayat said, “Food is a basic human need, essential for sustaining life under all circumstances. While, ensuring appropriate nourishment remains a challenge in itself, especially during natural disasters.”

The report identifies and ranks all 156 districts of the four provinces and three regions of Pakistan by the level of recurrence of two main natural hazards, flood, drought and additional contextual information on population density, land cover. Districts have been divided into five main categories indicating different levels of vulnerability to food insecurity and natural hazards. However, due to lack of data, study could not be carried out in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) and Azad Jummu and Kashmir (AJK).

According to the study, out of these 42 districts, 19 were identified in Balochistan, 13 in Sindh, seven in Khyber-Pakhtunkha (K-P) and three in Punjab.

43% Pakistanis remain ‘food insecure’

While sharing the findings of the report, NDMA spokesperson Brig Mukhtar Ahmed told The Express Tribune that some districts in central and western parts of Balochistan, in southern Sindh and few in K-P province were identified as being highly vulnerable to food insecurity and natural calamities and needed special attention.

“Besides, 20 districts including seven in Sindh, five in K-P, four each in Punjab and Balochistan were identified as being moderately vulnerable to food insecurity coupled with high or medium levels of natural disasters,” he said.

“It was a technical study in which 50 to 60 years’ old data was analysed and the findings will help address core issues regarding food insecurity and infrastructure development on priority basis in order to avoid maximum human and property loss,” said Ahmed.

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ISLAMABAD: In a bid to contain the ballooning bill of imported goods, the federal government has enhanced by up to 350% the regulatory duties on 356 essential and luxury items. However, there are slim chances that the move will have any meaningful impact on the import bill.

For the first time in last many years, government has also imposed regulatory duties on all types of imported cars, including the hybrid vehicles. The decision to enhance regulatory duties on cars is in violation of the automobile policy, approved by the federal cabinet, and could affect the new investments in the sector.

The move to impose duties on 356 tariff lines is not expected to make a big dent on $53 billion import bill that the country recorded last year but it will generate at least Rs40 billion in additional revenues for the government.

FBR refuses to disclose cash rewards paid to officers

Except for vehicles, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet on last Friday gave approval for enhancing the duty rates on the imported goods. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) lately decided to include cars in the list and got Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s approval this week.

The Commerce Ministry had estimated the additional impact of the regulatory duties at over Rs22 billion. Due to inclusion of vehicles, the impact will be far more than Rs25 billion.

Since the government charges the sales tax and withholding taxes by including all kinds of duties into the goods prices, the total impact of change in duties rates will be over Rs40 billion, according to FBR officials.

The authorities are estimating that the additional duties may help contain the import bill from around $300 million to $400 million during the current fiscal year. Some items will still be imported due their high demand, which will have inflationary implications.

Dar steps in to end tiff on economy

Of the 356 tariff lines, 136 have been targeted for the first time while rates on 220 items, which were already subject to high regulatory duties, have been further jacked up, according to the FBR’s notification. These regulatory duties are in addition to up to 20% custom duties rates that the federal government charges on their imports.

The government has issued a notification with effect from Tuesday, carrying a list of 731 items. There was no change in the regulatory duty rates of 375 items but due to merger of eight different notifications into one, the total number of tariff lines stands at 731.

The goods like sunglasses and wrist watches have also been brought under the regulatory regime for the first time. The baby wipes have been slapped with 30% regulatory duties for the first time.

After imposition of new duties, the firearms have attracted lower duties (20%) than fruits and juices that have been slapped with 50% regulatory duties. Nonalcoholic beer also attracted 20% regulatory duties than aerated water that has been slapped with 40% regulatory duties.

As many as 223 tariff lines of imported dairy, vegetable and fruit products have been targeted to contain the import bill.

Pakistan’s external account has come under tremendous pressure after the expiry of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme in September last year.

Revenue collection: With elections around the corner, FBR misses tax target

The country booked $12.1 billion current account deficit in the last fiscal year due to a historical ever trade deficit of $32.4 billion. The high deficit was because of sharp increase in imports and constant decline in exports that had plunged to $20.8 billion in the last fiscal year.

The external sector remains under pressure during the new fiscal year 2017-18 as well, prompting the authorities to expand the list, subject to regulatory duties.

However, the IMF is of the view that such administrative measures would not yield the desired results and the government may have to review its import policies.

In January this year, the federal government had also enhanced the cash margin requirements for import of the goods but that too proved ineffective.

The government increased the regulatory duties on dairy products up to 166%. The products like yogurt, butter, cheese, curd and honey have been targeted with the additional regulatory duties, going up to 40% of the import value. As many as 203 vegetables and fruits have also been targeted with up to 350% increase in their existing duties rates.

Revenue shortfall: FBR misses tax collection target by over Rs250b

The regulatory duties on shelled items were increased from 10% to 45% – a net additional burden of 350%.

The regulatory duties on most of the fruits have been increased by additional 166% to 40% of the import value. Despite shortage in the local market, the regulatory duties on potatoes have been increased from 15% to 50% – a net addition of 233% in tax burden. The regulatory duties on frozen fruit and juices have also been increased by 233% to 50%.

The regulatory duties on aerated water are increased by 166% to 40%. Duties on all types of cosmetics have gone up by 233% to 50% of their import value. The duties on marbles have been up further by 125% to 45% of the value.

Vehicles 

The government also brought drastic changes in duty structure of all types of vehicles and targeted 55 tariff lines with up to 100% additional duties. It has imposed 15% regulatory duty on new cars of up to 1800cc including the hybrid vehicles.

The new mini vans and buses have been targeted with 15% regulatory duties. The duty rates on new sports cars have been increased by 60% to 80% of the import value. The old and used cars duty rates have been increased from 50% to 60%.

The duty rates on all-terrain vehicles have been increased from 50% to 80% of the value, putting additional burden of 60% on the importers. The regulatory duties on imported furniture have been doubled to 40%. All the sports goods have been slapped with 30% to 50% regulatory duties.

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Source: Tribune News | Regulatory duties on 356 items enhanced