Latest news with #CitizenActionCommittee
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
New garbage tax sparks outrage
A hefty garbage tax is being imposed across all cities and villages in Punjab from tomorrow (July 1), drawing ire of citizens and social organisations. This tax will be collected monthly with forceful implementation by Waste Management Companies, Municipal Corporations, Municipal Committees, Town Committees, and District Councils. Official bills will be issued, and non-payment may lead to police action upon report. The Punjab government has also issued a detailed fee structure for urban and rural areas, sparking public outrage. Even daily wage labourers living in rented accommodations will be required to pay the garbage tax. Monthly garbage tax rates for rural areas will be Rs200 for two to five marla houses, Rs400 for 10 marla and above, Rs300 for small shopkeepers, Rs700 for medium businesses, and Rs1,000 for large businesses/factories/industries. For urban areas, Rs300 will be charged per month for up to 5 marla houses, Rs500 for five to 10 marla houses, Rs1,000 for 10 marla to one kanal houses, Rs2,000 for one to two kanal houses, and Rs5,000 for over two kanal houses. Under commercial areas, authorities will charge Rs500 for a single shop, Rs1,000 for medium businesses, and Rs3,000 for factories/industries. Social organisations and citizens have strongly condemned the garbage tax, demanding that the government curb its lavish spending instead of burdening the public with endless taxation. Citizen Action Committee Chairman, Malik Zaheer Awan, has criticised the extravagance of the Punjab Chief Minister's office, stating it consumed biscuits worth Rs2.14 billion in a year, excluding food bills. He demanded that this money be redirected toward cleanliness in Punjab. He further suggested that the alleged Rs10 trillion lost to corruption in Punjab in a year be recovered and used to resolve issues related to cleanliness, drinking water, and sewage. Malik Saleh Advocate, a senior member of the Rawalpindi District Bar Association, announced he is obtaining a copy of the notification and will challenge the Garbage Tax in the Lahore High Court (LHC). Meanwhile, MNA Engineer Qamarul Islam, convener of the District Development Committee, supported the tax, stating it would upgrade Punjab's sanitation system and help transform the province into the "Paris of South Asia" in terms of cleanliness. The development comes just days after the National Assembly approved the Rs17.6 trillion worth budget along with Rs463 billion new taxes, bringing the digital economy under the purview of tax laws but almost nullified the single largest enforcement measure to ban economic transactions by ineligible persons. The National Assembly approved the second budget of the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with a comfortable majority. During a voting on one clause, the coalition government mustered the support of 201 Members of the National Assembly as against 57 votes of the opposition parties.
CBC
5 days ago
- General
- CBC
Nearly 2,000 households in need of new home as Quebec's moving day nears
Social Sharing With Quebec's moving day fast approaching, more than 2,000 households across the province are still searching for housing — 320 more than at the same time last year, according to the province's housing corporation. Advocacy groups say they are bracing for more emergency calls. "There's been a lot more evictions, cases of repossessions," said Lyn O'Donnell, with the Citizen Action Committee of Verdun. "People are not only dealing with eviction. They're also dealing with the fact that they've received rent increases that, you know, like your average person just can't afford." In Montreal alone, some 270 have asked for help, the Société d'habitation du Québec (SHQ) says. Advocates warn the number is misleading. "That's just what's reported, right? So there's so much invisible homelessness involved in that. That even includes families with children," O'Donnell said. The city says help is available by calling 311. "We have enough resources, enough budget to help you find a new dwelling," said Philippe Sabourin, City of Montreal spokesperson. "We can also offer temporary resources or a temporary dwelling. We also have some resources for the storage if it's required." Help is out there — but not enough Help is also available through the SHQ and some people may be eligible for a rent supplement. But housing advocates say these resources are far from enough. "Housing is scarce, first of all. And also the program is mostly for low-income households," O'Donnell said. "And you have to have lived on the island of Montreal for the past 12 months and you have to have used up all of your own resources." O'Donnell said all of these measures are only temporary. The real solution is making more affordable housing available. Housing advocacy group Le Front d'action populaire en réaménagement urbain (FRAPRU) says the increasing number of households in search of a home is due to the scarcity of affordable housing in the province. The SHQ says that of the 1,989 households at risk of homelessness, 473 are already in temporary accommodations, such as with family, friends or in a hotel. WATCH | How to get help: Struggling to find a place to live by moving day? Here's how to get help 1 day ago Duration 1:57 The City of Montreal and the provincial government say they have resources for people who can't find an affordable place to live, with a housing crisis making July 1 a particularly difficult date for some. The regions with the highest number of cases include Lanaudière (294), Montreal (269) and Montérégie (235). Véronique Laflamme, spokesperson for FRAPRU, said people are often hoping for a solution up until July 1, and then come forward looking for help soon after. She said some end up in their cars or camping. Assistance varies across province Although rehousing assistance is available throughout the province, the measures offered to tenants vary greatly from one region to another, said Laflamme. Not all municipalities offer the Quebec-backed rehousing assistance program like the one in Montreal, which provides temporary accommodations, moving and storage. The housing shortage is easing slightly across the province, with the housing vacancy rate at 1.8 per cent in 2024, up from 1.3 per cent in 2023, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). But this improvement does not translate into greater affordability, Laflamme said. In Montreal last year, the vacancy rate for units under $1,150 was less than one per cent. This compares to more than five per cent for units priced at a minimum of $1,675, which likely includes many recently built rental apartments, according to CMHC data. New data from Statistics Canada, released Wednesday, also shows soaring prices for available housing. The asking rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Montreal was $1,930 in the first quarter of 2025 — a 70.8 per cent increase from 2019. In Montreal, the average rent increase was 18.7 per cent in 2024 for apartments that changed tenants, compared to 4.7 per cent for dwellings where a lease was renewed, according to the CMHC. Since 2018, rents have jumped 47 per cent for all apartments in the province, according to a compilation by FRAPRU based on data from the CMHC. To address this unaffordability, FRAPRU urges Quebec to double the number of social housing units in the rental stock within 15 years, which would involve the construction of at least 10,000 new social housing units per year. The government has adopted a national housing strategy and set a target of 56,000 rental units per year — but no target for social housing, laments Laflamme. Even for tenants who are not moving this year, the situation is far from ideal, as many are facing steep rent increases, said Laflamme. The average rent increase suggested by Quebec's housing tribunal was 5.9 per cent for 2025. "This year's lease renewal period has been extremely difficult," said Laflamme, citing a large number of callers looking for ways to mitigate rent increases.
Express Tribune
6 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Selfies at Gawalmandi, silence elsewhere
With the pre-monsoon season underway, the district administration has once again designated the Gawalmandi Bridge — a high and secure vantage point — as the central monitoring site for flood damage caused by the 22-kilometre-long Nullah Leh and 15 tributary stormwater drains. Despite severe urban flooding on Wednesday that submerged 70pc of the city's Cantonment areas and major markets — such as Raja Bazaar, Moti Bazaar, and others — under 2 to 3 feet of water, no senior officials visited the affected neighbourhoods. Instead, key figures including the commissioner, deputy commissioner, RDA director general, WASA MD, and other officials arrived at Gawalmandi Bridge after the rain had stopped, took selfies, gave brief statements about drainage efforts, and left in vehicles. This location has unofficially become a "photo-op point" for flood assessment. The bridge is cleaned and freshly painted before each high-profile visit, and nearby traffic is halted during these inspections. Unlike other vulnerable bridges over Nullah Leh, which officials avoid due to potential public backlash, Gawalmandi Bridge remains the preferred spot due to its security and easy access. Sources indicate that all federal and provincial ministers, MPs, and department heads will be brought to this same site during the monsoon season. Even if Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz visits Rawalpindi for flood assessment, she is expected to be taken to this bridge. Local civic groups, including the Citizen Action Committee, have strongly criticised the practice. Chairman Malik Zaheer Awan has demanded that officials visit flood-affected areas and announce immediate relief of Rs100,000 per victim. District Bar Association President Sardar Manzar Bashir also condemned the symbolic monitoring from Gawalmandi, calling it inadequate for understanding the full extent of the disaster. Citizen Action Committee warned of a mass protest at Gawalmandi Bridge if this "selfie drama" does not end.
Express Tribune
06-04-2025
- Express Tribune
Toy gun claims life of seven-year-old boy
A boy is silhouetted against the sun as he holds a toy gun. PHOTO: REUTERS A 7-year-old child lost his life in Kahuta while playing with a toy gun when the firecracker inside the gun exploded for unknown reasons, injuring him severely. He was reportedly rushed to PIMS Hospital but he couldn't survive. The sale and use of toy guns surged during Eid, with children spending most of their Eid money on these dangerous toys. According to sources, the incident took place in Mohalla Ara, within the jurisdiction of Kahuta police station when Hatim Waqas, son of Muhammad Waqas, was playing with friends on the rooftop of his home using a toy gun. During play, an explosive firecracker went off, injuring the child. He was rushed to PIMS Hospital in Islamabad but, unfortunately, did not survive. Police have registered the case as an accidental death and have closed the file. The Citizen Action Committee has called the incident alarming and demanded a complete ban on the sale of dangerous toy weapons. Committee Chairman Malik Zaheer Awan stated that the purchase of such toys by children has a criminal undertone. He warned that toy weapons and firecrackers pose fatal risks, especially if they strike sensitive areas, and urged parents to prevent their children from buying them. The investigating officer of Kahuta police station confirmed that the toy weapons and firecrackers involved in the incident have been confiscated and destroyed.
