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Showing posts from December, 2013

Good news & bad

  Capital suggestion Our GDP grew by a handsome 5.1 percent in the July-September quarter compared to 2.9 percent in the corresponding period last year. What that means is that we managed to produce an additional trillion rupees worth of goods and services. What that means is that Pakistan is a trillion rupees richer. What that means is that each and every Pakistani is richer by Rs6,000 (all on an annualised basis). On June 5, the day Mian Nawaz Sharif took the prime ministerial oath, the Karachi Stock Exchange’s market capitalisation stood at Rs5.5 trillion. Over the past six months the capitalisation has gone up by a trillion rupees. What that means is that Pakistan’s listed corporate worth has gone up by a wholesome trillion rupees. What that means is that investors are a trillion rupees richer.

PM's mission

Courtesy:-  S RAHMAN Good governance one must learn from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who takes personal interest in each and every dimension of governance aimed at bringing relief in the lives of ordinary people as it is his utmost desire to provide an environment of economic and social security to the people of Pakistan with complete transparency and fairness. This fairness factor is in fact the hallmark of PML-N leadership in general and Nawaz Sharif in particular. It is not just the statistics released by Transparency International that stand testimony to this fact about Sharif's transparent and honest ways of doing things, it is rather a fact widely acknowledged in the public. The fact is that the people from all walks of life trust Sharif on his words and on his commitments. And this trust owes to the practical demonstration of honest governance by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government whose track record so far has remained unblemished.

PM’s indigenization plan takes off

Courtesy:-  S.Rahman  IT was Mian Nawaz Sharif who took the final decision, like a seasoned statesman and a visionary to take his country out of depression and weakness vis-a-vis a cunning and powerful adversary, by test-firing the atomic weapon at Chaghi in1998. Of course, the final decision was that of the chief executive, Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif although it is a known fact that the input and suggestions from the armed forces were quite encouraging and supportive leading to a prompt, positive decision by the government of the day. If one were to describe those optimum conditions prevailing in the entire framework of the state, it can be stated with authenticity that all the national institutions stood on one page and that it was an era of grand national reconciliation. The chief executive of the state must be credited for this big accomplishment. And now it is the same Mian Nawaz Sharif who has once again reassured the nation and the armed forces in categori

Aim high, at collateral gains

Courtesy:-  Mian Saifur Rehman Collateral is not always to be taken in the negative connotations like, for instance, collateral damage. It has a positive shade too. For example, collateral gains the mention of which was made the other day when PM Nawaz Sharif visited Pakistan Aeronautical Complex Kamra on the occasion of signing of trade and sales agreement with China, on JF-17 Thunder aircraft. Wonderful! Hitherto, we have been hearing about collateral damage only that too with reference to drone strikes although this seems to be a big misconception. The fact is that collateral damage is a natural sequel to a full-scale war or even a minuscule armed conflict. Those who want complete end to collateral end must work, instead of merely doing lip service, to bring bloody conflicts to a total halt. But, if these ugly things continue collateral damage will continue proportionately even if drone strikes cease to be operational from the very next moment.

Corruption genie can be pinned down but...

Courtesy:- Malik Muhammad Ashraf From the day one of its existence, Pakistan became afflicted with a common scourge called corruption, although it did not inherit it. The Colonial system – harsh and stern as it was – was largely free from it and cannot be blamed for that. Unfortunately during more than six decades of its history Pakistan has enjoyed the sordid distinction of being among the most corrupt countries in the world. Feudal character of its system of governance and bureaucratic red tape are just two main reasons why the menace has been thriving. An entire culture of graft and entitlement thrives because of the way our politics work; how ministers get things done is no secret and also the state of our state machinery and how much it has been corroded is more than obvious. Also it must not be forgotten that the country has remained under martial laws for more than half its existence. And instead of reforming the system, the dictators concentrated more on prolong

Youth revolution takes root

Courtesy:-  S Rahman  Visualize the scenario when a very large section of 60 per cent of Pakistani population i.e the youth, will become providers converting from their status of dependents. Quoting Maryam Nawaz, Honorary Chairperson of the PM Youth Programme, the hundred-billion-rupee package announced by prime minister for youth’s empowerment and financial independence will convert the youth from dependents to providers. Once that dream comes true, Pakistan will definitely acquire the status of an economic giant, free from the crutches of foreign aid. There can be no two opinions about this turnaround that is bound to materialize in the foreseeable future. For sure, the youth revolution has taken roots courtesy the wise and timely steps announced by PM Sharif. In fact, the PM has given serious thought to this most important facet of national development. Being already blessed with one of the biggest youth element that is not available to majority nations of the

PM’s rational plan to boost economy

Courtesy:- S.Rahman Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has come up with a wonderful plan not only for promotion of business but also for honouring the people who are contributing substantially towards national revenues. The beauty of this plan is that it is based on rational thinking and it has addressed the bottlenecks that had usually tended to multiply due to the failure of former governments and their planning teams to identify the real causes behind economic stagnation and decline.

Entrepreneur loan scheme: youth revolution takes roots

Courtesy:-   S Rahman Visualise the scenario when a very large section of 60 per cent of Pakistani population – youth - will become providers converting from their status of dependents. Quoting Maryam Nawaz, Honorary Chairperson of the PM Youth Programme, the hundred-billion-rupee package announced by prime minister for youth's empowerment and financial independence will convert the youth from dependents to providers. Once that dream comes true, Pakistan will definitely acquire the status of an economic giant, free from the crutches of foreign aid. There can be no two opinions about this turnaround that is bound to materialize in the foreseeable future. For sure, the youth revolution has taken roots courtesy the wise and timely steps announced by PM Sharif. In fact, the PM has given serious thought to this most important facet of national development. Being already blessed with one of the biggest youth element that is not available to majority nations of the world, Pakistan ca

PM launches Youth Business Loans programme

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Young people of 21 to 45 years of age are eligible to apply for one hundred thousand to two million rupees of loan. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has launched Prime Minister's Youth Business Loans' to help young entrepreneurs to initiate their own businesses. It is designed to provide subsidized financing at eight percent mark-up per annum for one hundred thousand beneficiaries through National Bank of Pakistan and First Women Bank. The total mark up rate would be fifteen percent but the Government would pay the remaining seven percent on behalf of applicants. Those falling in the age group of 21 and 45 years are eligible to apply for loans from one hundred thousand to two million rupees. Small business loans with tenure up to seven years plus one year grace period and a debt-equity ratio of 90:10 will be disbursed across the country including four provinces‚ Gilgit-Baltistan‚ Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Federally Administered Tribal Areas. Prime Minister Muhammad Nawa

Encouraging portents for Pakistan

Courtesy:-  Malik Muhammad Ashraf After a decade long confrontation between Iran and World powers supported by Germany over former’s nuclear weapons programme--- that witnessed repeated failure of the diplomatic efforts and imposition of sanctions against Iran---both sides have finally succeeded in clinching a breakthrough deal whereby Iran has agreed to cap its nuclear programme in exchange for partial relief in sanctions to the tune of US$ 7 billion. The agreement between five permanent members of the Security Council and Germany will initially be for six months and its implementation will be monitored by the UN nuclear inspectors. According to the agreement Iran will limit uranium enrichment in future besides neutralizing the entire stockpile of the already enriched uranium. In the meantime both parties will remain engaged in concluding a permanent solution to this irritant. The world powers deserve appreciation for their perseverance and steadfastness in pursuing