Briefs

Briefs

Ministers to attend meetings in US

By our correspondent

ISLAMABAD: The federal minister for climate change Zahid Hamid on Tuesday left for Washington DC to participate in high-level meetings being held by Sanitation and Water for All (SWA).

SWA, a global partnership of over 170 countries, working for sanitation and water for everyone, has scheduled Sector Ministers’ Meeting (SMM) on April 19 and 20, and a Finance Ministers’ Meeting (FMM) on April 20, 2017.

The climate change minister Zahid Hamid will represent Pakistan in these meetings, whereas federal finance minister Ishaq Dar will also attend the FMM, convened by the World Bank on behalf of the SWA partnership.  The SMM, convened by UNICEF, would involve those ministers responsible for water, sanitation and hygiene who have accompanied their finance counterparts.  At these ministerial meetings, participants would have the opportunity to engage in policy debate, exchange lessons learned and hold each other mutually accountable for progress on improving access to sanitation and drinking water for all.

 

LCCI calls for natural gas to industries

By our correspondent

LAHORE: The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has demanded of the Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) to shift back the industrial connections from temporary RLNG to the Sui gas, a statement said on Tuesday.

LCCI president Abdul Basit, senior vice president Amjad Ali Jawa and vice president Muhammad Nasir Hameed Khan said that a large number of the members have approached the LCCI and complaint that their industrial gas connections were shifted to the RLNG for a specific time due to gas shortage with the assurance that they would be shifted back to the Sui gas after March 15, 2017.

Unfortunately, even after lapse of the deadline, the industrial connections have not been restored to the old Sui gas, which is causing huge financial problems to the industrialists. The LCCI office-bearers said Pakistani merchandise were already facing tough challenges in the international market because of high input cost and are in a dire need to a helping hand from the departments like SNGPL.  They said RLNG is 40 percent more costly as compared to the natural gas and industries cannot afford to continue with costly fuel.

 

Power plant to start generation in May

LAHORE: Sahiwal coal-fired power plant would start its generation in the third week of May this year, a Punjab Power Development Board spokesman said on Tuesday.

The first unit of the plant would start generating 660MW next month, while the plant would be fully operational with the total capacity of 1,320MW in June 2017, he said, while talking to APP.

The spokesman said power would be evacuated through 500kV grid stations each in Yousafwala and Lahore. The plant was inaugurated in May 2014 and was to be completed in 30 months; however, it would start its generation six months before its scheduled time, he added.

The National Transmission and Despatch Company Ltd (NTDC) has also made all arrangements to connect 1,320MW Sahiwal coal-fired power plant with the national grid through a 500kV transmission line under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework. According to an NTDC spokesman, the construction work on the 5km long transmission line was completed in November 2016, ahead of its deadline.

 

Pakistan CIO Summit held

By our correspondent

KARACHI: The 5th Pakistan CIO Summit began on Tuesday at a local hotel, a statement said.

The show brings together over 300 CIOs, IT heads and technologists from across the country under one platform to share knowledge and information about the latest IT trends, it added. The summit was inaugurated by Dr Irfan Ali, executive director of (BP&RG), State Bank of Pakistan.

The chief guest appreciated the efforts of the organisers and said shows like this would bring a positive image of the country and are important to highlight the issues that the IT industry is being faced.  He also said it is imperative for the companies to have a board of directors in which at least one person is tech savvy to give the strategic direction on how companies’ objectives can be met using technology, the statement added.

 

Chinese to invest in stone industry

By our correspondent

ISLAMABAD: A Chinese delegation visiting the Ministry of Industries and Production on Tuesday said the Hebei Jianxin Architectural Group was prepared to invest in Pakistan’s stone industry and real estate sector.

Talking to the federal minister for industries and production Rais Ghulam Murtaza Khan Jatoi, Chinese investor LI Jianxin said the group would introduce new technology, modern style marble polishing, flooring, roof selling, and wall gilding in the country.

The federal minister welcomed the delegation and said Bin-Qasim and National Industrial Park have space for this project. Murtaza Jatoi also suggested going for a joint venture with Pakistan Stone Development Company (PASDEC) for this project, and assured of the ministry’s support. “CPEC has opened new horizons of industrial opportunities between China and Pakistan,” the minister added.