Latest news with #MazharIqbal
Business Recorder
20-06-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
FAPUASA for 25pc tax rebate for university teachers & researchers
LAHORE: A delegation from the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Associations (FAPUASA), led by President Prof Dr Mazhar Iqbal, former President Prof Amjad Abbas Magsi, and Central Information Secretary Dr Muhammad Jadoon Khan, participated in a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance. The session, chaired by Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, was attended by Federal Minister for Finance Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kiyani, Chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Rashid Mehmood Langrial, and other distinguished committee members. The FAPUASA delegation was invited to present its stance on the federal higher education budget and the continuation of the 25% tax rebate for university teachers and researchers. The representatives argued that this rebate serves as a crucial incentive to retain top academic talent, attract young scholars, and prevent brain drain from Pakistan's universities. They warned that removing this benefit would demotivate academics and weaken the country's research capacity. Additionally, the delegation stressed the need to increase the Higher Education Commission's recurring grant to at least PKR 86 billion, as currently requested by the HEC, and gradually raise it to PKR 200 billion to ensure sustainable funding for higher education. The Senate Standing Committee on Finance acknowledged FAPUASA's concerns and unanimously recommended the approval of their demands. The delegation expressed gratitude to the committee for providing a platform to address academic issues at the parliamentary level. Continuing their advocacy efforts, the FAPUASA delegation held further meetings with key policymakers on the following day. They met with Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarian (PPPP) MNA Mir Amir Ali Khan Magsi, presenting their case and seeking his support. Magsi assured the delegation of his full backing and committed to raising their concerns in Parliament. Meanwhile, FAPUASA delegation, comprising Central President Prof Dr Mazhar Iqbal, former President Prof Dr Amjad Abbas Magsi, Islamabad Chapter President Dr Muhammad Iqbal Jatoi, and Central Information Secretary Dr Muhammad Jadoon Khan, engaged in discussions with senior government officials and political leaders. They met with Federal Minister for Education Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and Federal Minister for Science and Technology Nawabzada Khalid Hussain Magsi. The delegation also held talks with prominent Pakistan Peoples Party leaders, including Syed Naveed Qamar, Mir Ijaz Khan Jakhrani (Chief Whip, National Assembly), Dr Nafisa Shah, Syed Agha Rafi Ullah, Syed Abrar Hussain Shah, and Pullain Baloch of the National Party, Balochistan. Additionally, they met with MQM representatives Farooq Sattar, Amin-ul-Haq, and Javed Hanif. During these meetings, FAPUASA highlighted the declining state of higher education in Pakistan and called for urgent measures to protect the sector. The delegation reiterated the necessity of maintaining the 25% tax exemption for university faculty and researchers, warning that its abolition would have severe repercussions. They also emphasized the need for increased financial support for higher education institutions to ensure accessibility for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The delegation urged the federal government to raise the recurring budget for higher education to at least PKR 200 billion and commended the Sindh government for its consistent funding of the sector. The parliamentarians endorsed FAPUASA's demands, particularly regarding the tax rebate, and assured the delegation that they would advocate for these issues in Parliament and other relevant forums. The meetings concluded with the FAPUASA delegation thanking the lawmakers for their support in safeguarding Pakistan's higher education system. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
NYC man falls to his death when FDNY ladder gives way as he tries to escape Brooklyn blaze
A 53-year-old Brooklyn man plunged to his death when an FDNY ladder suddenly gave way as he evacuated a Monday morning blaze at a Sunset Park apartment building, shocking video reviewed by The Post shows. Footage taken by a bystander of the fire at 3902 Ninth Ave. shortly after 7 a.m. shows the man climbing out of a third-story window as smoke billowed out behind him — while a firefighter waited at the top of a retractable ladder to help him escape the flames. As the man stepped onto the first rung, the top section of the ladder suddenly retracted, and the man went into a spinning free fall onto the awning of a deli below before hitting the sidewalk, the video shows. The man, identified by the Daily News as Uber driver Ashiq Hussain, a native of Pakistan, was rushed to Maimonides Hospital Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, an NYPD spokesperson said. The firefighter who was atop the ladder was able to maintain his grip and stay on it while it retracted into itself, the video shows. Police said two other residents were treated for smoke inhalation and a firefighter was taken to the hospital for a leg injury suffered while battling the blaze. FDNY officials are investigating the cause of the fire, cops said. Hussain's family, meanwhile, is demanding answers to how the ladder could have shot back so quickly and questioned if it was properly locked. 'I blame the Fire Department in this,' Hussain's cousin Mazhar Iqbal, 52, told the Daily News. 'They did really wrong. They took the head of the family. They ruined the family's life.' The FDNY is investigating the incident and the ladder used in the rescue has since been taken out of service. 'We are aware of an incident that took place at an all-hands fire in Brooklyn earlier this week,' a spokesperson for the department said. 'As is standard practice, we began a proactive investigation of the facts and circumstances surrounding the tragic death of a civilian immediately, inclusive of our Fire Marshals, Fire Operations, and our Division of Safety.' No firefighters have been disciplined or taken off duty.
