Two robbers killed in Faisalabad ‘encounters’

FAISALABAD: Two robbers were shot dead in separate alleged police encounters on Wednesday.

Bandits Shaban alias Shani of Chak 274/JB and Muhammad Ali Gujar of village Mujawran were wanted by police in dozens of cases of heinous nature.

Shani had also threatened to kill the SHO Thikriwala police to take revenge of the killing of his brother Rizwan alias Laung Gawacha, who was shot dead in a police encounter.

Muhammad Ali Gujar of Majawran was killed in a separate police encounter.

FCCI PRESIDENT LAUDS GOVT STEPS: Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI) president Engineer Hafiz Ihtasham Javed said cut in electricity rates for industrial and SME sectors will spur manufacturing activities in the country.

Talking to reporters, the FCCI president welcomed bold and industrial-friendly steps to offset the ill impacts of coronavirus on Pakistan economy.

He said the withdrawal of peak hours in addition to providing electricity at subsidized rate will encourage industrialists to give a quantum jump to the exportable surplus.

He said this step of the government will not only enhance pace of economic development, but also create job opportunities.

He said earlier State Bank of Pakistan had provided liberal loans to the industrial sector that retained their work force during the closer period because of coronavirus.

The FCCI president said industrialists were critical of the high cost of electricity which has been estimated as 35 percent of their total cost raw material. He said Pakistani exporters were getting electricity at high rates as compared to their regional competitors.

He said exports from India and Bangladesh were reduced to bear minimum due to coronavirus and maximum export orders were shifted to Pakistan. He said a second wave of coronavirus is also looming large in Pakistan and at this critical juncture the Prime Minister has

taken bold decisions to facilitate the manufacturing sector. He said the PM has decided that no industrial units would be closed in any case as it will render scores of workers jobless.

He said industrialists will get additional electricity at subsidized rates of 50 percent. He further said now our industrialists are in a better position to compete in the international markets as their cost of doing business has been curtailed considerably.

He further said that the industrial sector which was running at 40 percent of its installed capacity will now have sufficient orders to work round the clock in three shifts.

ANTI-DENGUE MEETING HELD: The meeting of District Emergency Response Committee for anti-dengue was held at DC office under Deputy Commissioner (DC) Muhammad Ali.

ADCG Umar Maqbool, CEO DHA Dr Mushtaq Sipra, District Coordinator Epidemics Control Dr Aurangzaib and other officers from different departments attended the meeting.

The DC asked Assistant Commissioners (ACs) to hold Tehsil Emergency Response Committee meeting on regular basis and review the performance of departments in connection with anti-dengue measures,.

He said the officers of departments concerned should be active in field to achieve the desire results of the anti-dengue campaign. He asked for submitting departmental performance reports regarding surveillance and prevention activities daily.

He said stern action would be taken against officials showing poor performance in this regard.

The DC said the strict monitoring of anti-dengue measures is being carried out by the District Administration to make the preventive and precautionary measures a success on durable basis.

He asked the departments concerned to take the dengue issue very serious and dengue surveillance, clinical & medical services awareness campaign and other departmental measures should be implemented with full responsibility.

During the meeting, District Coordinator for Epidemics diseases Dr Aurangzaib gave detailed briefing on indoor and out-door surveillance.

IMPORTED SUGAR’S PRICE FIXED: The district administration has fixed price of imported sugar in the wholesale, retail and Sahulat Bazaars till further order.

According to the notification issued by Deputy Commissioner (DC) Muhammad Ali, the price of imported sugar has been fixed at Rs 80.50 per kg in wholesale while the price of one kg of sugar has been fixed at Rs 81.50 in Sahulat Bazaars and retail price at Rs 83.50 per kg has been fixed.

The DC stated over charging of sugar would not be tolerated and price list should be displayed at prominent places besides record of sale of imported sugar should be kept.