
PDWP approves three schemes worth Rs16bn
The approval was given in the 79th meeting of the fiscal year 2024–25, chaired by Chairman P&D Board Barrister Nabeel Ahmad Awan. The meeting was attended by Secretary P&D Board Dr. Asif Tufail, Chief Economist Masood Anwar, members of the P&D Board, and other senior officers.
The approved schemes, according to a spokesman of the Board, gave a go-ahead to Rs 9 billion community empowerment and expansion of healthcare access through Maryam Nawaz Health Clinic.
The second project worth Rs 2.5 billion was CM stunting reduction programme which will be carried out in 11 districts of South Punjab.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Business Recorder
4 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Number plates with Ajrak design: only Excise-issued plates are valid, says minister
Sindh's Excise and Taxation minister Mukesh Kumar Chawla has emphasised the necessity of new car and motorcycle number plates, stating that the Safe City Project could not succeed until the security-enhanced number plates issued by the government were fully implemented. Talking to Business Recorder, the minister clarified that only Excise offices could issue the new Ajrak design number plates and those issued by outside agents or shops would not be considered valid. 'So far, we have issued 2 million number plates for vehicles and bikes in Karachi,' the minister said. He explained that Sindh government had first introduced these number plates in 2011 by floating tenders, in which both local and international companies participated. However, certain political parties obtained a stay order, which remained in effect until 2013. After the 2013 elections, the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) formed the government in Sindh again, and the process was resumed in 2014. However, another stay order was obtained by political parties, which continued until 2018. Chawla stated that the stay order remained in place until 2021. After that, the provincialngovernment decided not to float new tender but to continue the process on a government-to-government level. Subsequently, the contract for manufacturing the number plates was awarded to NRTC (National Radio & Telecommunication Corporation), which had already worked in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. He added that the work on Safe City Project began in 2018. 'So far, 12,000 cameras under safe city project have been installed.' Chawla stressed that unless vehicles and bikes were registered and properly transferred in the name of the rightful owner, crime in the city could not be effectively controlled. Describing the features of the new number plates, he said the plates included threads in the background, 3D holograms, and barcodes. 'They are also camera-readable, even at night.' He said plates made in the open market did not possess those security features and could not be read by cameras, making them unacceptable under the new system. The minister stated that the Excise Department had launched three different colored number plates: white plates for private vehicles and bikes, yellow plates for commercial vehicles, and green plates for government vehicles. He mentioned that the fee for vehicle number plates—whether government or commercial—was set at Rs2,450, while the fee for bike plates is Rs1,850. Chawla added that the registration process was not limited to cars and bikes but those with trucks and dumpers could also apply He said the Excise Department had integrated its data with the Police and Traffic Police departments. 'Through this data linkage, authorities can determine which vehicles have paid taxes and which have not.' According to conservative estimates, around 5 million vehicles and motorcycles exist in Karachi, many of which are very old or no longer functional. With the implementation of the new system, the Excise Department believes it would have accurate data on the actual number of vehicles. Around 2 million vehicles and bikes had been registered since 2023, and number plates had been issued to their owners, he added. In the first batch, as per data provided by the minister, 800,000 plates were manufactured by NRTC, while in the second batch, 1.2 million plates were produced and delivered. Chawla also revealed that the Excise Department achieved a revenue target of 20 billion rupees in the fiscal year 2025. When asked about the third-party agents or 'agent mafia' active outside Excise offices, Chawla said strict action would be taken against them. He emphasised that the entire process was being conducted under a one-window operation and advised the public to directly approach Excise offices instead of dealing with agents. Meanwhile, a car owner Muhammad Danish told Business Recorder that he had paid an agent Rs10,000 to get his car registered, and he had received the number plate within a month. Sohail Khan, a bike owner, said he had applied for a number plate three months ago but hasn't received as yet, despite several visits to the Excise office. Another Motorcycle rider Muhammad Faiz Ahmed said he had a duplicate number plate made from the market and was managing with it. He expressed his lack of trust in the system, saying he believed deadlines would continue to be extended and things would remain the same. Earlier this week, leaders of the All Pakistan Organisation of Small Traders and Cottage Industries Karachi urged the Chief Justice of Sindh to take suo motu notice of what they term a 'broad daylight robbery' of Rs8 billion, being extracted from Karachi's citizens and traders under the pretext of replacing motorcycle number plates with newly designed Ajrak-themed ones. 'The new number plate campaign has turned into an excuse for bribery and exploitation by police,' they said in a joint statement.


Business Recorder
5 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Balancing the books and the battlefield: Pakistan's fiscal strategy for FY2025–26—I
On June 10, 2025, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb unveiled Pakistan's federal budget for FY 2025–26, presenting a masterful exercise in fiscal restraint. Total expenditures have been trimmed by 7 percent to Rs 17.57 trillion (USD 62 billion), while defence spending has been augmented by a 20 percent, rising to Rs 2.55 trillion (USD 9 billion). This recalibration reflects the heightened military posture following recent India–Pakistan tensions and is widely perceived as a well-deserved recognition of the Pakistan Army's recent victory in the conflict. Their strategic acumen and operational excellence not only safeguarded national sovereignty but also elevated Pakistan's regional stature. Despite the defence surge, the budget maintains a tight rein on the deficit — targeting around 3.9 percent of GDP, with a forecasted primary surplus of 2.4 percent. Growth is projected at 4.2 percent, a significant recovery from prior stagnation. Inflation is expected to settle between 7–7.5 percent, supported by targeted subsidy removals, fiscal tightening, and administrative price controls. To meet its revenue objectives, the government has committed to robust tax reforms. These include phasing out the non-filer category, digitizing the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), and expanding the withholding tax regime. The goal is to enhance the tax-to-GDP ratio from its current 9.5 percent to a more sustainable 14 percent in the coming years. Muhammad Sheroz Khan Lodhi (Karachi) Copyright Business Recorder, 2025


Business Recorder
10 hours ago
- Business Recorder
EOBI gains global recognition at ILO conventions: minister
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, emphasized that social protection is not a barrier but a cornerstone for sustaining the IT industry's global reputation. He noted that the Employees' Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) has gained international recognition and has been commended at International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions in Geneva — underscoring its credibility and importance. The Minister made these remarks at a high-level seminar titled 'Ease of Doing Business for the IT Industry,' held at the Prime Minister's Office. The event was jointly organized by EOBI and the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), and brought together key government officials and leaders from Pakistan's tech ecosystem. Among the attendees were Federal Minister for Information Technology & Telecommunication Shiza Fatima, Secretary OP&HRD Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry, Director General SIFC and his team, as well as representatives from the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA). In his opening remarks, Dr. Jawaid Ahmed Sheikh, Chairman EOBI, highlighted the institution's central role in providing pension benefits and long-term financial security to workers in cases of retirement, disability, or death. He reaffirmed EOBI's commitment to evolving alongside the dynamic needs of the IT sector. Sajjad Mustafa, Chairman of P@SHA, thanked EOBI for initiating this important dialogue and proposed the formation of a joint working group to collaboratively address challenges related to contribution recovery and compliance. Echoing this sentiment, Ali Hasani, Secretary General of P@SHA, welcomed the establishment of a dedicated help desk for the IT sector, viewing it as a model that could inform consistent policy implementation across other industries. A technical presentation by Muhammad Amin, Deputy Director General Operations at EOBI, provided an overview of the organization's comprehensive social protection framework—which includes support not only for retirement, but also in cases of disability and death, tailored for the needs of the modern workforce. Federal Minister for IT & Telecommunication Shaza Fatima stressed the need for digital transformation, responsive service delivery, and regulatory agility to keep pace with the fast-changing tech landscape. She endorsed the proposal for a joint working group, recognizing its potential to close the gap between policy and execution. The seminar concluded with a shared commitment to strengthening institutional collaboration and aligning policies to create an enabling business environment for IT companies—while upholding internationally recognized standards of worker protection in Pakistan. Certificates of appreciation were awarded to key IT sector employers in recognition of their contributions to EOBI. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025