Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said the purpose of celebrating National Voters’ Day is to highlight the importance and utility of vote among the public. His message on the eve of National Voters’ Day read: “Opinion of the voters is very pivotal in any democratic system. Importance and utility of public vote is very pivotal in any democratic system and the states progress speedily where public opinion is given importance.” He said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz is the “custodian of democratic norms and it has always followed such norms and principles”. “Today we should reiterate our commitment to highlight the importance of the vote,” he concluded. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow and grief over the death of former MS Punjab Institute of Cardiology Lahore Dr Javid Rasheed. In his condolence message, he prayed to Almighty Allah to rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant courage to the bereaved family to bear this loss. Qul of late Dr Javid Rasheed will be held on Thursday after Asar prayer at House No. E1-113, WAPDA Town. –Staff Reporter
Another accused nabbed in customs duty corruption scam
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday arrested another Betel Leaf importer Farid Hussain for causing a loss of Rs30 million to government exchequer by evading duty taxes in a custom duty corruption case, a spokesman said. He said that accused remained involved in import of Betel Leaf in the name of BSJ Traders Company under Pak Sri Lanka Trade agreement and evaded customs duty by Rs30 million. The spokesman said the bureau so far has arrested 12 accused including officers, customs clearing agents and importers The Lahore NAB was probing the Rs2.6 billion import scam. –APP
International Anti-corruption Day to be marked on 9th
The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) will mark the International Anti-corruption Day on December 9. The ACE will organise various events at regional level to create awareness among the masses against corruption besides accelerating efforts for its eradication. This was decided in a meeting of regional directors led by DG ACE Brig (retd) Muzaffar Ali Ranjha held the last day. –APP
Kuwait expats visit Overseas Pakistanis Commission
A delegation of overseas Pakistanis from Kuwait visited office of the Overseas Pakistanis Commission (OPC) Punjab here on Wednesday and held talks with Vice Chairperson OPC Shaheen Khalid Butt and Commissioner Afzaal Bhatti. Speaking on the occasion, Shaheen Khalid Butt and Afzaal Bhatti said the OPC had emerged as an effective platform to help and facilitate expatriates. On the special instructions of the chief minister Punjab, the OPC was working on a fast track and so far half of received complaints of Overseas Pakistanis had been redressed, they added. They also apprised the delegation about investment opportunities in different sectors of the province and said the Punjab government had introduced business-friendly policies to promote foreign investment in the province. They informed the delegation that overseas Pakistanis could, anytime, contact OPC for the solution of their complaints. Member of the delegation included Nazar Hussain Jasal, Rana Munir Ahmed and Ijaz Rasheed. –APP
Saad condemns attack on workers
Pakistan Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique has strongly condemned terrorist attack on labourers working at a railway bridge in Harnai of Balochistan.
In a statement on Wednesday, he expressed his determination that culprits would be punished at any cost. Saad said that development work in the province would continue. He said coward terrorists attempted to halt development and progress of the province by attacking on the innocent people. He said that labourers were working for the restoration of destroyed track at Sibbi-Harnai section which was in the last phase of completion under the supervision of the National Logistic Cell. He said that restoration of the Sibbi-Harnai section would open new era of the progress and prosperity in the area. –APP