Imran makes four new demands

 

BAHAWALPUR: The Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, on Friday presented four demands before the government and gave one month’s time for acceptance of the same.
He threatened that if the demands were not met, one million people would march on Islamabad on August 14 for a ‘Naya Pakistan’ and strengthening of democracy through reforms.

Addressing a big public gathering at Dring Stadium Bahawalpur, he asked the government who was behind Nawaz Sharif’s victory speech on May 11 after announcement of the only 15 percent results, what was the role of then Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry in the elections, who was declared winners through rigging in 35 constituencies and who had made changes in the electoral roll and why there were so massive number of rejected votes in the elections.

He said that the time was not far when he would mend the Punjab police. He said if any policeman fired at or tortured activists of the PTI, he would hang them with his own hands.He invited all the political parties to join hands with him for real democracy and ‘Naya Pakistan’ through electoral reforms.

The PTI chief said it was shameful that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) did not resign despite ‘massive rigging’ in May 11 polls. He claimed that results were changed in at least 90 constituencies under a massive rigging plan.He also attacked the Punjab Police over the Lahore incident and asked whether they were the servants of Sharif family or the Punjab government.

Discussing the IDPs issue, Imran Khan asked Nawaz Sharif not to play politics on the issue. He said the prime minister had invited him just for a photo session with IDPs in Bannu which he rejected because it was not time for politics, adding that situation required practical service for the IDPs.

He said the IDPs issue would become a huge problem for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, if all the Pakistanis did not support them.Imran demanded the Punjab and Sindh governments for removing the ban on the entry of IDPs in their respective provinces.

Earlier, Makhdoom Javed Hashmi in his address asked Imran Khan to support the demand of Bahawalpur and Seraiki provinces.It is important to note that although it was a big gathering but not as much as being claimed by the PTI leadership, especially by the south Punjab organisation.

Agencies add: Imran said if the prime minister was actually concerned about the IDPs, he would have informed him about the operation beforehand.Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the days of PML-N government were numbered adding that he had to convey three important messages and the first one was for the PML-N government.

“The one, who was in power, is gone and the one, who is in now, will be removed very soon.”Hashmi described southern Punjab as the most neglected region and said Imran should recognise the sense of deprivation among the locals. Pakistan would progress with the creation of new provinces, he remarked.

New houses to be built on IDPs return: PM

 

BANNU: Pledging full support to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from North Waziristan on Friday, Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif said that new houses would be constructed on the return of the IDPs.
Addressing the IDPs in the Bakkakhel area in Frontier Region, he said, if required, billions would be spent for the rehabilitation of the NWA’s displaced persons. He said the entire nation stood by them. “The whole nation appreciates your sacrifice.to leave one’s abode in this scorching heat. The government is striving hard to provide you basic facilities,” Nawaz Sharif said.

The camp is sparsely populated as the displaced people have avoided staying there due to its unsuitable location and inadequate facilities.The prime minister said the government would reconstruct the houses of the IDPs after the completion of the military operation.

He said that the government had decided to increase the monthly cash compensation of the IDPs from Rs12 000 to Rs20 000 a month including Rs3 000 for the monthly house rent and Rs5,000 for the non-food items. Therefore, the IDPs would be given Rs40,000 as cash compensation for the month of Ramazan which included Rs20 000 Ramazan package.

“We will utilise all available resources to facilitate you,” he said.The prime minister told the IDPs that he was aware of their difficulties and sentiments because leaving native homes was not an easy task. He said that he was confident that this problem would be resolved soon and the IDPs would return to their homes with honour and dignity.

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif said that his government was well aware of the problems of dislocated people of NWA and reaffirmed the government commitment to utilise all the available resources for provision of speedy assistance and rehabilitation and ensure their early resettlement in their houses.

The prime minister said that there was no dearth of resources and the government would ensure provision of assistance, rehabilitation and relief and early settlement process. The prime minister said the IDPs were passing through difficult time and their sacrifices would not go waste. He hoped that their hard period in this harsh weather would come to an end soon.

The prime minister said that the government was working day and night to provide all the basic amenities of life to dislocated people to lessen their difficulties. The government and Army, he said, were working together day and night with the prime objective to provide comforts and relief to their tribal brethren. “This is not a kindness to them but we are fulfilling our duties,” he said.

Nawaz Sharif said the IDPs would be helped in reconstruction phase once the situation had improved in NWA. He said that the government would repair and improve the basic infrastructure including roads, health, clean drinking water facilities, schools and hospitals etc once law and order situation improved in the area. Nawaz Sharif said rebuilding and reconstruction phase in North Waziristan would not only generate employment opportunities for tribal people but would open up areas for trade and investment. It would alleviate poverty and bring progress and prosperity. He said the entire nation was united against the menace of terrorism and militancy and time was not far when complete peace would return to the agency.

Nawaz Sharif said that the government was left with no option but to launch massive military operation after failure of peace talks to establish its writ and protect the lives and properties of the people.The prime minister said that he held a detailed meeting with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) governor and chief minister besides Army officials to review arrangements for the IDPs. He prayed to Allah Almighty to help the government in its efforts to eradicate terrorism and extremism to bring peace to North Waziristan.

He said peace was vital for progress and development of Pakistan. With prayers of IDPs, he said, peace would soon prevail in North Waziristan Agency. He said effective arrangements had been made for the provision of fodder and shelter to livestock brought by the IDPs. He lauded Pakistan Army and other departments for extending full support to IDPs. In addition to medicines, he said, doctors and paramedics had arrived in sufficient number to treat and vaccinate their brethrens. Later, the prime minister distributed relief goods and food packages among the IDPs and assured full support in future. He also shook hand with the IDPs on the occasion and inquired about their well being.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif publicly praised Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif and highlighted the role of his troops in offering sacrifices in the North Waziristan operation. Lauding the efforts of the Pakistan Army, Nawaz Sharif said the soldiers were playing a crucial role in facilitating the displaced people.

Earlier, General Raheel Sharif, Corps Commander Peshawar Lt Gen Khalid Rabbani and other senior military and civil officers received the prime minister. He was given a briefing by the military officials about the services being offered to the IDPs.

Local journalists in Bannu weren’t allowed to cover the visit of the prime minister.The prime minister was accompanied by Minister for Safron Lt Gen (R) Abdul Qadir Baloch and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rasheed.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan, Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Nasir Khan Durrani and Bannu Commissioner Syed Mohsin Shah, who is the focal person for the IDPs, were also present on the occasion.

Williamson, Taylor steady New Zealand

BRIDGETOWN: Kemar Roaoch is known to spray the ball around in search of extra pace. On the first morning of the series decider at his home ground in Barbados, he employed a full length and coaxed just enough swing to push New Zealand on the back foot.

After the openers fell, however, the hosts' five-man bowling attack was safely negotiated by Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor. Their 12th half-century partnership was the primary reason for a session run-rate of 3.65 and in the end, like most of this series, both teams headed into a break on rather even ground. West Indies would not be slouching just yet as Sulieman Benn and his high-arm action extracted some turn and bounce with the Test only an hour and a half old.

There seems to be a jinx on the opening partnership for New Zealand. Three different combinations have been attempted in the past 15 months, discounting Brendon McCullum forced promotion in at Port-of-Spain, and only once has the 100-run mark been crossed.

Hamish Rutherford had contributed to that stand, against England in March 2013, when he made 171 on Test debut. However since that breakthrough innings, he has fizzled away. He was tempted onto his front foot with an inswinger and the half-hearted chip was pouched by mid-on. That began a spell of concerted pressure from West Indies.

Debutant quick and another hometown boy Jason Holder beat Tom Latham's outside edge twice in his first over. Only seven runs could be scratched out in the five overs before Roach struck again. His skiddy action lent itself quite nicely to the fuller length he concentrated on and with the wind aiding him in darting the ball back into the left-hander, he beat Latham for pace and the late swerve in trapped him plumb in front. The batsman had escaped a previous leg before appeal by virtue of DRS, but this time he had no hope.

Taylor and Williamson eased their side out of trouble with caution early on. But they were not indifferent towards scoring opportunities. Sixteen fours were hit in the session, with the pair contributing 13 of them. Jerome Taylor was the leak - he floated a half-volley that was caressed to the boundary to kick the match off and conceded five further fours. The discipline that has him at the top of the wicket-taker's chart for the series was absent as he flitted between short and wide and full and on the pads.

There was one instant where he showcased the spite of a typical West Indian quick. A well-directed short ball in the 16th over rammed into Taylor's shoulder while he was still deciding whether to fend it off or take evasive action. But such moments were few and far between as the ball lost it's shine. Williamson, as is his wont, played as late and as close to his body as he could. Taylor was a little more expansive and New Zealand would hope they have only just punched in to work.

New coach vows turnaround in Bangladesh woes

DHAKA: New Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusinghe said Tuesday he wanted to turn international cricket´s whipping boys into match-winners at home and abroad as he took up one of the toughest jobs in the game.

The Sri Lankan, who previously coached the Sydney Thunder Twenty20 team, has taken over from Australian Shane Jurgensen and his first assignment is this Sunday with the start of a three-match ODI series against India.

Jurgensen quit in April after presiding over a disastrous run at home, which saw Bangladesh thrashed by Sri Lanka in a limited-over series and humbled in the Asia Cup and ICC World Twenty20 despite being hosts.

The former opening batsman is the ninth foreigner to coach Bangladesh since it gained Test status in 2000, a period in which it has won just four out of 83 Test matches and has been defeated 68 times.

Hathurusinghe, who has been handed a two-year contract, told reporters that he was targeting an improvement in all departments.

"There should be continuous success, not one or two series wins," he said at a press conference in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka where all three of the 50-over matches against world champions India are taking place.

"My main goal is to make sure that when my two years is finished, Bangladesh are in a good position to win matches at home and away," he added.

Bangladesh are currently rooted to the bottom of the league table of the 10 Test-playing nations and are ninth in the rankings for 50-over cricket.

Hathurusinghe however insisted that there was reason for optimism."As long as we improve as a team, and if we train properly and keep the right environment for players to develop as individuals as well as players, I think the results will take care of itself," he said.

Hathurusinghe is taking up his position just eight months from the start of the next 50-over World Cup, being held in Australia and New Zealand.

Despite its poor record overall, Bangladesh has pulled off some notable shock World Cup victories and beat England last time round in 2011.

Hathurusinghe said that there was no reason why Bangladesh could not deliver more bloody noses in next year´s tournament. "If we prepare intelligently enough or specifically enough, we will go far. I am happy to be in the second round, that´s my first goal." (AFP)

Ukraine readies for new president amid glimmers of hope

KIEV: Ukraine will swear in its new president Saturday, amid glimmers of hope for a solution to a crisis that has pitted it against its giant Russian neighbour.

Ukraine´s new leader, Petro Poroshenko, will take the oath in Kiev´s parliament the day after he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, widely seen in Ukraine as the country´s nemesis, during World War II commemorations in northern France.

"The dialogue has begun, and that´s a good thing," Poroshenko said on Ukrainian television after the brief encounter.

He added that a Russian representative would travel to Ukraine for talks Sunday amid the first bilateral steps towards resolving their differences.

Putin and Poroshenko on Friday also jointly called for a ceasefire in the troubled southeast of Ukraine in a potential breakthrough in a crisis that has poisoned Moscow´s relations with the West.

Poroshenko, a 48-year-old billionaire, was elected with 54.7 percent of the votes in presidential elections on May 25.His inauguration ceremony will be attended by a range of foreign VIPs, including US Vice President Joseph Biden and European Council President Herman Van Rompuy.

Poroshenko will assume the presidency as the formal successor of Viktor Yanukovych, who was ousted in February after bloody street fighting in downtown Kiev and who is now living in exile in Russia.

Heavy task ahead
Ahead for Poroshenko lies the tough task of bringing his country closer to Europe, a crucial issue for many who took part in the movement that brought down the previous administration.

He must also try to end the recession that has plagued the country for the past two years, but above all he must unite his country even as it teeters on the brink of civil war.

A step in that direction may have been taken in France, when he shook hands with Putin.

The meeting, on the sidelines of the events in Normandy to mark the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings, was the first between the two men since Poroshenko won Ukraine´s presidential election.

Moscow had previously said it was ready to work with the new president but stopped short of explicitly recognising him as the legitimate leader of the Ukrainian people.

US President Barack Obama, who also met with Putin in France on Friday, told NBC Nightly News that Russia has to recognise Poroshenko as legitimate if it wants to resolve months of crisis.

"Mr. Putin should be working directly with Mr. Poroshenko and the government of Ukraine to try to resolve differences between the two countries," Obama said.

Russia also needs "to stop financing and arming separatists who have been wreaking havoc in the eastern part of the country," Obama added.

Tensions in southeastern Ukraine have mounted in recent days with the government admitting on Thursday that it had lost control of three border posts that were being routinely attacked by the rebels.

On Friday, insurgents shot down a Ukrainian military cargo plane near Slavyansk, a hotbed of rebel activity. The crew reportedly managed to eject before impact.

Also near Slavyansk on Friday, one police officer was killed and two others injured in a mortar attack.

 

Amla new South African Test captain

JOHANNESBURG: South African star batsman Hashim Amla was named the country´s Test cricket captain on Tuesday, replacing retiring Graeme Smith who led the side for a decade.

A "glad and humbled" Amla said he would give all his heart to the role, as the Proteas try to rebuild after the departure of opener Smith and legendary all-rounder Jacques Kallis. "Throughout the years I have concentrated mainly on my batting, trying to become the best batsman possible and hopefully I can still get there," Amla said. "But now I do feel it is time to act, to contribute in a team environment."

Amla, 31, who made his test debut against India in Kolkata 10 years ago, praised the work done by his predecessor, whose legacy looms large. "I have to pay tribute to Graeme and his leadership over the 10 years that I have been involved, there was certainly a lot of value that he added."

Smith had captained South Africa in a world-record 109 Tests before announcing his retirement during the third and final Test against Australia last March.

Selectors said his replacement had been seen as a choice between three world class batsmen -- Amla, AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis. "There were some strong contenders," said selector Andrew Hudson.

But it was Amla, a devout Muslim who has often shied away from the public eye, who won out. While praising Smith, Amla said he would be his own man."One thing I have learnt in international sport is that you don´t try to copy anybody, generally you find that the guys who try to copy are not as successful," he said. "The way I try to approach my game is to try to be as natural as possible, to find what intrinsically works for me."

He said this focus would be on putting together a "winning combination" that can return South Africa to the top of the Test rankings.

Amla captained the South African team at the Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand in 2002 and was appointed captain of the Dolphins franchise early in his first-class career.

He resigned as captain after one season to concentrate on his batting. Amla was appointed De Villiers´ vice-captain of the South African ODI team in 2011 and led the side in three matches, but gave up the job last year.

Amla was reappointed to that position on Tuesday and his first assignment will be to lead South Africa in two Tests in Sri Lanka during July."A two Test series in Sri Lanka, make no mistake about it, is quite a challenging series," said Amla. "Not many teams go to Sri Lanka and dominate, they are a very resourceful team and play really well in their conditions."

The 14-man Test squad for that tour was also announced.

Alviro Petersen, Dean Elgar, Hashim Amla (captain), Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers (wicketkeeper), JP Duminy, Stiaan van Zyl, Vernon Philander, Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn, Imran Tahir, Kyle Abbott, Quinton de Kock, Dane Piedt.

A one-day international squad was also announced.

Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers (captain), JP Duminy, David Miller, Wayne Parnell, Ryan McLaren, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir, Vernon Philander, Faf du Plessis, Aaron Phangiso, Beuran Hendricks.(AFP)

New tax rates on cars, vehicles

ISLAMABAD: The government has slapped increased tax rates as well as advance tax on motor cars in the budget 2014-15.

Up to 850cc, the proposed advance tax stands at Rs10,000 for both return filers and non-filers.For 851cc to 1000cc, the proposed tax rate is Rs20,000 for filers and Rs25,000 for non-filers.

For 1001cc to 1300cc, the government has proposed tax rate of Rs30,000 on filers and Rs40,000 for non-filers.For 1301cc to 1600cc, the proposed tax rate is Rs50,000 for filers and Rs100,000 for non-filers.

For 1601cc to 1800cc, the proposed tax rate stands at Rs75,000 for filers and Rs150,000 for non-filers. For 1801cc to 2000cc, the government has proposed tax rate of Rs100,000 for filers and Rs200,000 for non-filers.

For 2001cc to 2500cc, the government has proposed tax rate of Rs150,000 for filers and Rs 300,000 for non-filers.

For 2501cc to 3000cc, the government has proposed tax rate of Rs200,000 for filers and Rs400,000 for non-filers.

For above 3000cc, the government has proposed tax rate of Rs250,000 for filers and Rs450,000 for non-filers.

In case of private cars, the government has slapped Rs1,000 tax for filers and non-filers up to 1000cc cars.

Up to 1001cc to 1199cc, the proposed tax rate for filers will be Rs1,800 and non-filers Rs3,600. For cars from 1200cc to 1299cc, the proposed tax rate for filers will be standing at Rs2,000 and for non-filers Rs4,000.

For 1300cc to 1499cc, the proposed tax rate stands at Rs3,000 for filers and Rs6,000 for non-filers.

For 1500cc to 1599cc, the proposed tax rate for filers will be standing at Rs4,500 and non-filers Rs9,000. For 1500cc to 1999cc, the proposed tax rate for filers stands at Rs6,000 and for non-filers Rs12,000.

For 2000cc and above, the tax rate for filers will be Rs12,000 and for non-filers Rs 24,000.

Where the motor vehicle tax is collected in lump sum, the tax rate will be standing at Rs10,000 for filers and non-filers.

For 1001cc to 1199cc, the proposed tax rate for filers will be standing at Rs18,000 and non-filers Rs36,000. For 1200cc to 1299cc, the proposed tax rate is Rs20,000 for filers and Rs40,000 for non-filers.

For cars from 1300cc to 1499cc, the proposed tax rate is Rs30,000 for filers and Rs60,000 for non-filers. The tax rate will be Rs45,000 for 1500cc to 1599cc for filers and Rs90,000 for non-filers.

For 1600cc to 1999cc, the proposed tax rate is Rs60,000 for filers and Rs120,000 to non-filers.

For 2000cc and above, the proposed tax rate for filers will be standing at Rs120,000 and Rs240,000 for non-filers.

Direct taxes to account for 66pc of new revenues

 

ISLAMABAD: The Nawaz Sharif government has slapped additional tax measures to generate Rs231 billion in the budget 2014-15 through withdrawal of Statutory Regulatory Orders (SROs), tax exemptions and enhancing the tax burden on different sectors of the economy.
Almost 2/3rd or 66 percent revenue measures taken in the budget are related to direct taxes.In order to achieve a highly challenging tax collection target of Rs2,381 billion in 2014-15 against the revised estimates of Rs2,275 billion for the outgoing fiscal, the government requires a growth of over 25 percent in the next year for achieving its set tax targets.

Of the total revenue measures of Rs231 billion, the FBR will fetch Rs103 billion through the withdrawal of SROs and removal of tax exemptions in all the three major taxes. The tax machinery has estimated that it will collect Rs32 billion through withdrawal of SRO/exemptions from the Customs Duty, Rs35 billion in Sales Tax and Rs36 billion in Income Tax side.

Other revenue measures will fetch Rs128 billion as increasing the tax rates through income tax will yield additional revenues of Rs108 billion, Sales Tax Rs16 billion and Customs Duty Rs4 billion. In major revenue measures, the government has brought retailers, air tickets for Club and first class travelers, plots transactions and registration of cars into the tax net. The tax rate for tobacco has also been enhanced.

The government has introduced two tier systems for bringing retailers into the tax net. In the first tier, those retailers will be brought under the normal regime by imposing 17 percent GST who are operating under the command of national/multinational chains, in air-conditioned malls, having debit/credit cards and consuming electricity in excess of Rs50,000 per month.

The government has imposed 5 percent GST on those retailers who are paying electricity bill up to Rs20,000 and 7.5 percent GST on those who are paying bills exceeding Rs20,000 per month.The government has imposed advance tax in adjustable mode on air tickets for travelers of first class/Club Class as 3 percent tax rate is proposed for registered persons and 6 percent for non-registered persons.

The government has also slapped adjustable advance tax on purchase of immoveable property with 1 percent for registered persons and 2 percent for unregistered persons into tax system. For domestic electricity consumers, it is proposed to collect adjustable advance tax at the rate of 7.5% on the monthly bill of above Rs100,000.

The government has slapped an extra 5 percent adjustable advance income tax on interest income (over Rs500,000) and dividend income for non-compliant.The government has proposed adjustable advance tax on purchase/registration of new private vehicles; the rate for non-compliant is double of the compliant.

By removing the tax exemptions, the government has proposed in the Finance Bill 2014-15 discontinuation of reduced rates of tax deducted from advertising agencies, which has now been enhanced from 5 percent to 10 percent.

The government has slapped withholding tax on payment to foreign news agencies from earlier 0% to 20% in the budget.The government has removed tax exemption enjoyed by large trading houses to withhold tax from their suppliers, withdrew tax exemption to commercial income of Hamdard laboratories, rationalising the exemption of mutual funds by making it mandatory to distribute profits in cash as dividends, withdrawn exemption to bonus shares and their taxation at the rate of 5% in the budget.

The sales tax (ST) on steel melters/re-rollers has been increased from Rs4 to Rs7 per unit of electricity, ST payable by ship-breakers increased from Rs5,862/MT to Rs6,700/MT and rate of tax on import of re-meltable scrap increased from Rs1,600/MT or 5% (whichever is higher) to Rs5,600/MT.

By removing the SROs, the government has withdrawn SRO 549/2008 for zero rating on crude oil, etc. The government has withdrawn the SRO 551/2008 for general exemptions.Through withdrawal of SRO 727/2011, the government has imposed reduced tax rate of 5 percent on machinery.

Through the removal of SRO 501/2013, the government has removed exemption on dairy and stationary, etc.Replacement of capacity tax on aerated waters has led to excessive litigation and the Lahore High Court has passed an order against the scheme. Therefore, the existing scheme shall be reverted to the normal tax regime.

The Federal Excise Duty on the cement sector is being replaced from specific basis (Rs400 per MT) to 5% on retail price. It will be enforced through the Finance Bill, 2014, effective from 01.07.2014.

The government has imposed 5 percent regulatory duty on luxury items in order to discourage imports. The general tariff slabs were reduced from 8 to 6, minimum slab of zero has been replaced with 1 percent while socially sensitive items will be maintained at zero percent such as oil, tomatoes, onions, pulses, beans, fertilisers, etc.

To minimise chances of mis-declarations, delays due to lab tests and to eliminate discretions, customs duties on items proposed has been rationalised, which include alloy steel, generators above 110 kvs, dyes, CDs, UPS and convertors, flavouring powder, liquid paraffin, dryers and networking equipment. The government has also rationalised the duty on hybrid vehicles and upward revision by 10% of fixed amount duty and taxes on used vehicles. Treating the tax withheld from sports persons at the rate of 10% as final tax has been announced in the budget.

Tax relief measures in the budget 2014-15: To encourage industrialisation and to promote fruit processing in Gilgit-Baltistan, Balochistan and Malakand Division, exemption of customs duty and sales tax on import of plant, machinery and equipment.

For industrialisation in Fata, plant, machinery and equipment for industries in Fata, exemption has been granted from customs duty and sales tax. In order to reduce the input cost for industries, customs duty on PET coke as an alternative fuel to coal to be reduced from 5% to 1%.

The government has exempted from customs duty and sales tax import and supply of high efficiency irrigation equipment and greenhouse farming equipment for agriculture sector. The government has reduced the rate of sales tax on local supply of tractors from 16% to 10%.

The government has reduced the rate of FED on telecommunication services from 19.5% to 18.5% and has withdrawn FED from the provinces where the GST on telecom services has been levied. The rate of the withholding tax on telecom services has been reduced from 15% to 14%.

To encourage Foreign Direct Investment, the corporate tax for foreign investment has been reduced from 33% to 20% for five years in the budget.

Instead of imposing normal tax rate on gains through stock market share, the government has imposed 12.5% for holding period up to 12 months, 10% for holding period of more than 12 months and up to 24 months. The rate of corporate tax has been reduced from 35 percent to 34 percent. The tax burden on the disabled persons has been reduced by 50 percent.

The government has repealed the Income Support Levy Act, 2013. The taxation of joint venture in which one member is a company - Company is to be taxed separately from the AOP in its corporate capacity, reduction of advance tax on functions/gathering from 10% to 5%, exemption from Income Tax to Sindh Pension Fund and income tax relief provided to airline pilots. The government has reduced initial depreciation allowance on buildings from 25% to 10%.

New allergy tablets offer alternative to shots

TRENTON: For decades, seasonal allergy sufferers had two therapy options to ease the misery of hay fever. They could swallow pills or squirt nasal sprays every day for brief reprieves from the sneezing and itchy eyes. Or they could get allergy shots for years to gradually reduce their immune system's over-reaction.

Now patients can try another type of therapy to train their immune system, new once-a-day tablets that dissolve quickly under the tongue and steadily raise tolerance to grass or ragweed pollen, much like the shots.

"It's been several decades since the last big breakthrough," Cleveland Clinic allergy specialist Dr. Rachel Szekely said.

The downside: The pills must be started a few months before the grass or ragweed pollen season. That means it's too late for people with grass allergies, but the time is now for ragweed allergy sufferers.

The Food and Drug Administration in April approved two tablets from Merck, Grastek for grass pollen and Ragwitek for ragweed, plus a grass pollen tablet called Oralair from Stallergenes.

The tablets could become popular with people who dislike pills that can make them drowsy or don't provide enough relief. They'll likely appeal even more to patients with severe allergies who fear needles or can't make frequent trips to the allergist, key reasons that only about 5 percent of U.S. patients who would benefit from allergy shots get them.

Meanwhile, new treatments for other types of allergies, including to peanuts and eggs, are in various stages of testing and could turn out to be big advances.

Drugmaker Merck & Co. has a tablet for house dust mite allergies in final patient testing that could hit the market in two or three years, and it's considering other therapies. France's Stallergenes SA is testing a tablet for birch tree allergies and, with partner Shionogi & Co. Ltd. in Japan, tablets for allergies to dust mites and Japanese cedar pollen. Britain's Circassia Ltd. has a cat allergy treatment in final testing and six others in earlier testing.

A handful of companies also are looking at possible new ways to administer immunotherapy, including drops under the tongue, capsules and skin patches, said Fort Lauderdale, Florida, allergist Dr. Linda Cox, former president of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

The new tablets are not right for everyone, particularly patients with allergies to multiple substances, Szekely cautioned.

That was the case with one of her patients, 10-year-old Samantha Marshall of Mentor, Ohio, who has been getting allergy shots since last fall.

"She's not loving them," said her mother, Rachel, who recently asked Szekely about switching to the tablets. Szekely explained that shots are more effective because Rachel is also allergic to weeds and dust mites, and the shots she receives are a customized mix of extracts to all those substances.

The tablets are also pricey: Merck, based in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, is charging about $8.25 per daily tablet and Stallergenes about $10. Insurers are expected to cover most of the cost, as they usually do with allergy shots. Those generally cost only $15 to $25 per visit without insurance, because they're given by a nurse.

Allergy tablets are less likely to trigger a dangerous allergic reaction than shots, which have been used for a century, Cox said.

In Merck's testing, about 5 percent of patients experienced tingling, itching or swelling in the mouth or tongue, said Dr. Sean Curtis, Merck's head of respiratory and immunology research. Less than 1 percent had serious reactions, nearly all after the first dose.

Longtime hay fever sufferer Kim Steen of Sidman, Pennsylvania, participated in one of Merck's studies last year.

"After the second, maybe third week, I started noticing a difference in the symptoms," said the 41-year-old contracts administrator. "It was pretty significant, not feeling like you have a cold all the time."

Prevalence of hay fever in the U.S. has declined slightly since 2000, according to National Center for Health Statistics data. In 2012, about 17.6 million adults, or 7.5 percent, reported having hay fever, as did about 6.6 million children, or 9 percent. Millions more don't see a doctor and get by with nonprescription medicines like Benadryl or Claritin.

Treatment can be tricky because of body chemistry differences and the complexity of the immune system, which is still poorly understood.

"You can't just have one size fits all," Szekely said.

For people with mild hay fever, inexpensive pills that suppress immune chemicals called histamines work well. Allegra, Benadryl, Claritin and Zyrtec are available without prescription, often competing with store brands.

Other patients fare better on prescription pills or nasal sprays. But for patients with severe allergies, those aren't enough. They suffer - though hardly in silence - or try allergy shots.

Rarely, the shots cause systemic allergic reactions, from hives and itching to dangerous airway narrowing, because small amounts of allergen circulate in the bloodstream. That's why patients must be observed by a nurse for a half-hour after each shot.

With the new tablets, as they dissolve, the grass extract inside drains into lymph nodes in the neck, which produce protective antibodies against the effects of pollen that's inhaled or gets in the mouth. Since the extract is unlikely to enter their blood, patients need only be watched the first time, then can take the pills at home.

Typically, patients get allergy shots of gradually increasing dosage two or three times a week initially, then once a week for up to nine months, then monthly. After three years, at least two-thirds have minimal symptoms, while most of the rest have reduced symptoms.

With the tablets, patients start at the top dose, at least three months before allergy season, and continue through the season or even year-round.

The grass pollen tablets aren't likely to take off until next spring, although Stallergenes' U.S. marketing partner, Greer Laboratories Inc. of Lenoir, North Carolina, made Oralair available and began promoting it to allergy specialists in May.

Merck has followed study participants through three years of treatment and then two years after that, when patients still reported significantly reduced symptoms.

But Cox, the Florida allergist, expects that benefit to last at least eight years after treatment ends, nearly as long as with allergy shots.

It won't be clear whether the tablets will be a hit with patients or big moneymakers for their manufacturers until next spring, when patients and more doctors will be familiar with them.

New Apple software brings Macs and iPhones closer

SAN FRANCISCO: Apple on Monday unveiled new operating software it hopes will create a seamless experience for users flitting between its coveted mobile devices and popular Macintosh computers.

A next generation operating system called "Yosemite" and new iOS 8 software for iPads, iPhones and iPod devices were unveiled before 6,000 developers at a sold-out conference here.

In a keynote presentation, chief executive Tim Cook said this would make it easy to start tasks on one Apple device and to continue on another: "a seamless experience unparalleled in the industry."

Alongside the operating system updates, the California company -- the world's largest by market value -- unveiled HealthKit software to manage personal healthcare and HomeKit for home appliances.

Apple played to its audience at the conference of third-party developers, hoping to keep them enthused, informed and devoted when it comes to designing hip, fun or functional apps.

Cook devoted a chunk of the keynote to a software development kit he billed as the biggest release since the launch of the App Store.

Apple also debuted a programming language called Swift, to allow developers write programs that are faster, modern, safer and more interactive than they would be under its predecessor Objective C.

Psy's new music video to be unveiled June 8

SAN FRANCISCO: Fresh from conquering YouTube by surpassing two billion views with his mega-hit "Gangnam Style," handlers for Psy say the release of a follow-up video is just a week away, according to a report Saturday.

The Wall Street Journal said the music star's next song -- a collaboration with rapper Snoop Dogg -- will get its worldwide release during a June 8 live broadcast of America's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" late-night talk show.

The new song -- "Hangover" -- will be "completely different," displaying Psy's hip-hop side, his handlers told the newspaper.

The South Korean pop phenomenon galloped into the record books Saturday when his "Gangnam Style" mega hit smashed through the two-billion views mark on YouTube.

It was a first at YouTube, where "Baby" by Canadian pop singer Justin Bieber in February became the only other video in the billion-view club.

"Gangnam Style" turned into a global sensation and fueled a South Korean "K-Pop" trend after it was uploaded to YouTube in July 2012.

New opening´ for US-Taliban talks possible: Hagel

WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel expressed hope Sunday the release of US Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl would lead to direct US talks with the Taliban.

"It could, it might and we hope it will present an opening," Hagel said in an interview from Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan with NBC´s "Meet the Press.

"Hagel noted that the United States had engaged in talks with the Taliban before, until they were broken off in 2012, and that it strongly supported an Afghan-led effort to reach a peace agreement with the Taliban.

"So maybe this will be a new opening that can produce an agreement," he said.Bergdahl, 28, was released Saturday near the Afghan-Pakistani border after nearly five years in Taliban captivity, in a surprise development that came as the United States is winding down its 13-year intervention in Afghanistan.

Hagel credited Qatar and its emir with Bergdahl´s release in a trade for five high-level Taliban militants held at the US prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Hagel denied that the United States had negotiated with terrorists, as Republican critics are charging, and defended the trade as an effort to save Bergdahl´s life.

"This is a guy who probably went through hell for the last five years," he said. "And let´s focus on getting him well and getting him back with his family."

New projects to generate power, jobs, says Nawaz

 

SAHIWAL: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday, inaugurating the first coal-fired power plant in Punjab, said that new projects will generate electricity and create scores of jobs in the country. He opened a landmark coal-fired plant that would generate 1,320MW of electricity and help the country meet its energy shortage.
The project comprising two units of 660MWs each will be operational in two years and will start adding electricity to the national grid by 2016. The PM said the project would not only help meet the electricity shortage but also create employment for the people of the Sahiwal district and contribute to the national gross domestic product.

The PM recalled the love of the people of Sahiwal. “You are being duly rewarded for standing by the PML-N,” he said and added he was grateful to the people of Sahiwal for their support. He said the people of Sahiwal would again benefit from the soon-to-be inaugurated Lahore-Karachi Motorway. He said Rs55 billion had been allocated for acquisition of land for building the motorway. The PM mentioned the efforts and commitment of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif in making the dream of a developed Pakistan come true.

The PM said the government was toiling day and night to meet the energy shortfall. He regretted that despite 23,000MW installed capacity in the country, the operational capacity was only around 13,000MW and vowed that in the next eight to 10 years his government would10 years his government would double the power generation.

He recalled the inauguration of a similar power project to generate 1320MW electricity at Port Qasim a few weeks back and would be inaugurating the Nandipur power project on Saturday. He mentioned the Pakistan-China trade corridor project and termed it a “game changer” for both the countries as the 2,700km long link from Kashgar to Gwadar. He said the highway passing through all the provinces of the country would open up new vistas of development and progress.

He said Rs35 billion had been allocated for acquisition of land for the Bhasha Dam and the money had already been released. He said the project would generate 4500MW, while the Dasu Dam would also generate an equal amount of electricity and added that with the completion of the Neelum-Jhelum Project, the total installed capacity would almost double from the current generation.

The PM said he had a dream of turning the Gwadar Port into a Dubai, Singapore or Hong Kong and it would have a modern shipping port and an international airport.The PM mentioned that 10 power units would be set up at Gadani, six in Punjab, 10 at Thar and hoped the country’s energy needs would be fulfilled.

Nawaz said the economic indicators of the country were positive and GDP had risen to 4.1 percent, manufacturing up by 5.5 percent while foreign exchange reserves had gone up enormously.

Our Correspondent adds from Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said the most modern coal power project of 1320MW in Sahiwal would be completed in record time period. He said it was the first coal-based power project, being installed with the cooperation of Chinese companies in Punjab. He said loadshedding would be eliminated under the leadership of PM Nawaz Sharif and more coal power plants of this kind would be set up in the province.

Shahbaz Sharif said in order to stabilise national economy and promote agriculture and industrial sectors, Nawaz Sharif accepted this challenge and evolved a comprehensive strategy for resolving energy crisis. Similarly, he said, the cost of electricity produced from fuel is very high. He said with regard to medium-term planning, generation of power from coal costs almost half compared to fuel while this project can be completed in a comparatively shorter period of time.

Shahbaz said Pakistan did not have oil or gas reserves like Middle Eastern countries, however, it is fortunate to have a leader like Nawaz Sharif who has extraordinary power of decision-making and determination. He said PM Nawaz Sharif worked day and night for power generation projects and in a meeting of Joint Economic Commission of China and Pakistan held on February 19, 2014 in Beijing it was agreed that power projects of 20 thousand megawatts will be set up in Pakistan during the next seven years and this has been made possible due to invaluable cooperation of Pakistan’s greatest friend, China.

The CM also thanked provincial ministers concerned especially Malik Nadeem Kamran, Walait Shah Khagga and his son as well as assembly members from Sahiwal, elected representatives, chief secretary, senior member Board of Revenue, additional chief secretary energy and other officials and said the entire team worked very hard to acquire land for the project in a transparent manner and it deserves all credit.

New projects to generate power, jobs, says Nawaz

 

SAHIWAL: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday, inaugurating the first coal-fired power plant in Punjab, said that new projects will generate electricity and create scores of jobs in the country. He opened a landmark coal-fired plant that would generate 1,320MW of electricity and help the country meet its energy shortage.
The project comprising two units of 660MWs each will be operational in two years and will start adding electricity to the national grid by 2016. The PM said the project would not only help meet the electricity shortage but also create employment for the people of the Sahiwal district and contribute to the national gross domestic product.

The PM recalled the love of the people of Sahiwal. “You are being duly rewarded for standing by the PML-N,” he said and added he was grateful to the people of Sahiwal for their support. He said the people of Sahiwal would again benefit from the soon-to-be inaugurated Lahore-Karachi Motorway. He said Rs55 billion had been allocated for acquisition of land for building the motorway. The PM mentioned the efforts and commitment of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif in making the dream of a developed Pakistan come true.

The PM said the government was toiling day and night to meet the energy shortfall. He regretted that despite 23,000MW installed capacity in the country, the operational capacity was only around 13,000MW and vowed that in the next eight to 10 years his government would10 years his government would double the power generation.

He recalled the inauguration of a similar power project to generate 1320MW electricity at Port Qasim a few weeks back and would be inaugurating the Nandipur power project on Saturday. He mentioned the Pakistan-China trade corridor project and termed it a “game changer” for both the countries as the 2,700km long link from Kashgar to Gwadar. He said the highway passing through all the provinces of the country would open up new vistas of development and progress.

He said Rs35 billion had been allocated for acquisition of land for the Bhasha Dam and the money had already been released. He said the project would generate 4500MW, while the Dasu Dam would also generate an equal amount of electricity and added that with the completion of the Neelum-Jhelum Project, the total installed capacity would almost double from the current generation.

The PM said he had a dream of turning the Gwadar Port into a Dubai, Singapore or Hong Kong and it would have a modern shipping port and an international airport.The PM mentioned that 10 power units would be set up at Gadani, six in Punjab, 10 at Thar and hoped the country’s energy needs would be fulfilled.

Nawaz said the economic indicators of the country were positive and GDP had risen to 4.1 percent, manufacturing up by 5.5 percent while foreign exchange reserves had gone up enormously.

Our Correspondent adds from Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said the most modern coal power project of 1320MW in Sahiwal would be completed in record time period. He said it was the first coal-based power project, being installed with the cooperation of Chinese companies in Punjab. He said loadshedding would be eliminated under the leadership of PM Nawaz Sharif and more coal power plants of this kind would be set up in the province.

Shahbaz Sharif said in order to stabilise national economy and promote agriculture and industrial sectors, Nawaz Sharif accepted this challenge and evolved a comprehensive strategy for resolving energy crisis. Similarly, he said, the cost of electricity produced from fuel is very high. He said with regard to medium-term planning, generation of power from coal costs almost half compared to fuel while this project can be completed in a comparatively shorter period of time.

Shahbaz said Pakistan did not have oil or gas reserves like Middle Eastern countries, however, it is fortunate to have a leader like Nawaz Sharif who has extraordinary power of decision-making and determination. He said PM Nawaz Sharif worked day and night for power generation projects and in a meeting of Joint Economic Commission of China and Pakistan held on February 19, 2014 in Beijing it was agreed that power projects of 20 thousand megawatts will be set up in Pakistan during the next seven years and this has been made possible due to invaluable cooperation of Pakistan’s greatest friend, China.

The CM also thanked provincial ministers concerned especially Malik Nadeem Kamran, Walait Shah Khagga and his son as well as assembly members from Sahiwal, elected representatives, chief secretary, senior member Board of Revenue, additional chief secretary energy and other officials and said the entire team worked very hard to acquire land for the project in a transparent manner and it deserves all credit.

New polio case detected in FR Bannu

BANNU: A new polio case has been detected from Frontier Region (FR) Bannu, increasing the total number of such cases to 68 in the country, Geo news reported.

According to Polio Monitoring Cell, the case was detected in a seven-month-old minor girl in Jani Khel, area of Bannu. It said the affected child was not administered polio drops not even once.

The cell further said a total of 53 cases of polio had been reported in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), while the number of cases reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh are 9 and 5 respectively.

Japan launches new satellite to survey disasters

TOKYO: Japan successfully launched a new mapping satellite on Saturday that will be used to survey damage from natural disasters and changes affecting rainforests.

The Advanced Land Observing Satellite-2 (ALOS-2) will be able to see scars left by catastrophes such as Japan's 2011 tsunami as well as monitor progress made in reconstruction, officials from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said.

"The satellite was successfully put in orbit," said an official from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, whose H-IIA rocket was used in the launch from a space centre on the southern island of Tanegashima.

The satellite will provide valuable data for Japan, which sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire and experiences 20 percent of all major earthquakes.

Memories are still fresh of the deadly 9.0-magnitude earthquake in March 2011 that unleashed a tsunami that devastated the northern Pacific coast, killing more than 18,000 people and triggering the Fukushima nuclear crisis.

The island nation is also routinely hit by typhoons while scientists say Mount Fuji could erupt at any time.

The new satellite, nicknamed "Daichi-2", will "conduct a health check mainly of the Earth's land areas in detail," JAXA project manager Shinichi Suzuki said.

The satellite will collect data related to deformation of the Earth's crust, but also the impact of floods and landslides, he said.

The satellite's predecessor was used to monitor damage caused by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. The device uses special radar to observe the planet's surface at night, during bad weather and even through vegetation.

JAXA plans to use the new satellite to regularly study tropical rain forests, which are difficult to observe because of the thick clouds that frequently cover them. It will also be used to observe snow and ice conditions in polar areas, officials said.

Japan launches new satellite to survey disasters

TOKYO: Japan successfully launched a new mapping satellite on Saturday that will be used to survey damage from natural disasters and changes affecting rainforests.

The Advanced Land Observing Satellite-2 (ALOS-2) will be able to see scars left by catastrophes such as Japan's 2011 tsunami as well as monitor progress made in reconstruction, officials from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said.

"The satellite was successfully put in orbit," said an official from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, whose H-IIA rocket was used in the launch from a space centre on the southern island of Tanegashima.

The satellite will provide valuable data for Japan, which sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire and experiences 20 percent of all major earthquakes.

Memories are still fresh of the deadly 9.0-magnitude earthquake in March 2011 that unleashed a tsunami that devastated the northern Pacific coast, killing more than 18,000 people and triggering the Fukushima nuclear crisis.

The island nation is also routinely hit by typhoons while scientists say Mount Fuji could erupt at any time.

The new satellite, nicknamed "Daichi-2", will "conduct a health check mainly of the Earth's land areas in detail," JAXA project manager Shinichi Suzuki said.

The satellite will collect data related to deformation of the Earth's crust, but also the impact of floods and landslides, he said.

The satellite's predecessor was used to monitor damage caused by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. The device uses special radar to observe the planet's surface at night, during bad weather and even through vegetation.

JAXA plans to use the new satellite to regularly study tropical rain forests, which are difficult to observe because of the thick clouds that frequently cover them. It will also be used to observe snow and ice conditions in polar areas, officials said.

Unusual new penguin flu found in Antarctica

WASHINGTON: A new kind of bird flu has been detected for the first time in Adelie penguins in Antarctica, though the virus does not seem to make them sick, researchers said Tuesday.

The virus is unlike any other avian flu known to science, said the report in mBio, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology.

"It raises a lot of unanswered questions," said study author Aeron Hurt, senior research scientist at the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza in Melbourne, Australia.

The findings show that "avian influenza viruses can get down to Antarctica and be maintained in penguin populations," he said.

The study is the first to report on live avian influenza virus in penguins, though previous research has found evidence of influenza antibodies in penguin blood.

But it remains unclear how often various strains of bird flu are introduced into Antarctica, whether the deadliest types could make it there, and which animals or ecosystems allow the virus to survive.

Hurt and colleagues collected samples from some 300 Adelie penguins at Admiralty Bay and Rada Covadonga during January and February 2013.They found live, infectious avian influenza virus in eight samples, or nearly three percent of the birds. The penguins did not appear to be sick.

All the samples were found to be H11N2 influenza viruses that were highly similar to each other.

But when researchers compared the genome sequences of four of the viruses to a publicly available database of animal and human viruses, "we found that this virus was unlike anything else detected in the world," said Hurt.

"All of the genes were highly distinct from contemporary AIVs (avian influenza viruses) circulating in other continents in either the Northern or Southern Hemisphere."

One well known kind of bird flu is H5N1, which is believed to be carried by migrating ducks. Some 650 people have been infected with H5N1, and about 60 percent have died, according to the World Health Organization. It is also highly lethal to domestic poultry. (AFP)

New tornadoes tear through US South, 17 dead

WASHINGTON: Fresh storms hit Mississippi and the US Southeast Monday, threatening tens of millions of people a day after tornadoes killed 17 and ripped up homes in nearby states.

A tornado swept through the northern city of Tupelo around 2.30 pm (1930 GMT), the National Weather Service said, adding that a crew was en route to survey the damage.

Parts of Alabama were also at high risk of severe storms, with a moderate risk affecting portions of Louisiana, Tennessee and Mississippi as the system traveled east, with numerous tornadoes expected.

The National Weather Service said more than 49 million people living in the watch areas were threatened by the storms, upwards of 1.4 million of them in high-risk areas.

In the hardest-hit parts of Arkansas, emergency crews intensified their search for survivors, as residents of the close-knit community of Vilonia surveyed the damage.

Dozens of Arkansas National Guard troops were assisting local authorities with medical evacuations, fresh water deliveries and search and rescue operations.Vilonia police chief Brad McNew said the town of 4,000 had been rendered unrecognizable.

"It´s houses completely down to the foundations," he told NBC television. Through the night, rescuers used searchlights in blacked-out areas, sifting through mountains of rubble in the hopes of finding someone alive.

The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management said 14 people had been killed in the state -- an earlier figure of 15 was revised as one victim was counted twice -- while an official in Oklahoma state said there were at least two tornado victims there.

Local media reported another fatality in the state of Iowa. McNew said more would have been killed if not for emergency sirens that warned people the twister was about to hit.

"I went to a tornado shelter myself with my family which was a couple miles away from where we were at.

A lot of people in the community were there. And so, it did work," he said."If you see the destruction that is here, even though we´ve lost some lives, there are many lives that was saved because of the storm warnings.

"Vilonia was struck three years ago by a tornado that took almost the same path, but Sunday´s twister was "a lot worse," McNew said.

Twisters also devastated large sections of the town of Mayflower, population 2,300, just northwest of the Arkansas state capital, Little Rock.

EU names 15 new Ukraine crisis targets for sanctions

BRUSSELS: The European Union has released the names of 15 new targets of sanctions because of their roles in the Ukraine crisis.

The list released Tuesday includes Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian General Staff, and Lt. Gen. Igor Sergun, identified as head of GRU, the Russian military intelligence agency.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak and pro-Russian separatist leaders in Crimea and the eastern Ukrainian cities of Lugansk and Donetsk were also on the list.