ECNEC approves 4 projects costing over Rs448 bn

on 17/01/2023

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved four development projects, mostly in Punjab province, involving an estimated cost of Rs448.36bn.
Three of the four schemes costing Rs322bn are based in Punjab
The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) had already cleared these projects on technical grounds and recommended to Ecnec their formal approval.
The Ecnec approved Punjab Arterial Roads Improvement Programme (PARIP) at a total estimated cost of Rs129.944bn.
The project, sponsored by the Punjab government, envisages the construction of 535-km of dual carriageway highway sections between various cities in Punjab.
The PARIP is to be spread over Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Layyah, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Vehari, Okara, Pakpattan and Sahiwal in Punjab.
The executing agency of the project is Planning and Development Board, Punjab.
About Rs14.164bn funding for the project would be arranged by the Punjab government. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) would provide Rs64.972bn while Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) would finance the remaining part of Rs50.808bn.
The project involves construction of 535-km section of a dual carriageway highway between various cities in Punjab.
The project would involve rehabilitation of existing carriageway as well as new construction of a second carriageway within the ‘Right of Way’ available and acquired where needed. It is meant to improve the transportation system through upgrade and dualisation of the highway network.
The meeting also conditionally approved Punjab Rural Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation Project (PRSWSSP) amounting to Rs96.202bn ($553 million) to be executed by Punjab Rural Municipal Services Company in 16 tehsils of mostly southern Punjab with directions to reduce its implementation time and carry out it initially as pilot project in some tehsils and submit its report to Ecnec for further consideration.
The project has been designed to provide basic civic amenities such as water supply, sanitation and solid waste management in rural areas of selected tehsils of Punjab.
The World Bank has already approved $442 million financing to projects to be mostly implemented in southern districts of Punjab and support vulnerable rural communities in Punjab through improved water supply and sanitation infrastructure services.
The project prioritises rural settlements, where water contamination and poor sanitation practices are more prevalent, causing high levels of illness and child stunting.
The World Bank expects the project to help more than six million rural residents in the poorest districts of Punjab to reduce child stunting and address areas at high risk to droughts and water scarcity.
Ecnec also approved Kharian-Rawalpindi Motorway project to be executed on build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode at a total cost of Rs95.81bn.
The project envisages construction of 4-lane access-controlled 117.20-km in length motorway from Kharian to Rawalpindi.
Ecnec also approved Greater Karachi Bulk Water Supply Scheme K-IV, 260 MGD Phase –I at a revised cost of Rs126.405bn. — ERMD

China’s machinery giant makes contribution in wind power

on 17/01/2023

China’s machinery giant, Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science and Technology has made another contribution to Pakistan’s wind power construction as its crane completed lifting of the largest wind turbine in Pakistan.
Zoomlion’s ZCC5800 crane lifted largest wind turbine (2.5 megawatts) having weight of nearly 90 tons at a central height of 90 meters.
The mobile crane has carried out numerous wind construction projects in Pakistan so far including Indus Wind, ACT 2 Wind, Lakeside Energy, Din Energy, Tricom Wind and Liberty Wind.
Up to now, as the largest crane manufacturer in wind power construction in Pakistan, Zoomlion has built more than 500 megawatts of renewable capacity for Pakistan, said Simon, Country Manager of Zoomlion Concrete Machinery Overseas Marketing Company, in an interview.
Driven by the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Pakistan has started to develop wind power projects to promote the concept of green economy. Wind power makes up more than 6% of the total electricity production in the country. At present, there are nearly ten ZCC5800W active in Pakistan helping the development Pakistani green energy, CEN reported.
Zoomlion entered the Pakistani market for the first time in 2004. For more than ten years, it has been helping Pakistan’s economic and social development by registering local subsidiaries for in-depth localization development, exporting high-quality products to participate in local construction.
So far, the number of products and equipment of the company in the Pakistan market has reached nearly 2,000. Besides, its Pakistani subsidiary has also developed into a fully localized platform with multiple functions such as product and technical training for local employees and clients and developed local partners.
“With the development of the Belt and Road Initiative and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), we will continue to promote the localization strategy by further enhancing the localization construction and the function construction of subsidiaries, making greater contributions to the friendship and economic development of the two countries,” Simon concluded assuredly. — ERMD

DAE, FSc candidates declared at par for admission in engineering programs

on 17/01/2023

The apex court of Pakistan has declared as ultra vires the quota fixed for Diploma of Associate Engineers (DAE) for admission in the BSc (Engineering) program.
The Supreme Court said FSc and DAE holders were at par for admission into BSc (Engineering).
The PEC, in its 15th governing body meeting held on March 25, 2015, reserved 2 percent seats in the BSc (Engineering) program for the DAE holders, instead of allowing them to apply on open merit like the candidates holding an FSc degree.
The court has ruled that Diploma of Associate Engineers (DAE) are eligible for getting admission into the BSc (Engineering) program through merit-based open competition with those having passed the FSc degree.
Led by Justice Umar Ata Bandial, a three-member bench declared that the decision of the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) to fix 2 pc quota for the DAE holders in admission to the BSc (Engineering) program as ultra vires of the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) Act, 1976.
“The best way forward is to allow admissions to BSc (Engineering) on open merit and through open competition amongst the FSc and DAE holders,” said the judgment.
“Such a level-playing field encourages competition and allows the best of the best amongst the FSc and DAE to be admitted to the BSc (Engineering) Program.”
The petitioners, who are holders of DAE with more than 81 percent marks, took the plea that the PEC did not have such power under the PEC Act. The Supreme Court said that the FSc and DAE holders were at par for admission into BSc (Engineering).
The decision which set aside the judgment of the high court says “The learned Division Bench of the High Court has failed to appreciate the scope and extent of Sections 8 and 25A of the Act and the unlawful imposition of reserved seats for DAE holders through the decision dated 25.03.2015 and through Article 2 (C) of the regulations.”
“In the absence of any power to reserve seats for admission to the BSc (Engineering) program, both the set of candidates with FSc and DAE have to be treated at par. This parity is created by equal eligibility of DAE for admission,” the judgment added.
“Therefore, the decision of PEC dated 25.03.2015 fixing 2 percent reserved seats for DAE holders is not only unsustainable under the Act but is also discriminatory. Since PEC cannot reserve seats for any program, the condition of “reserved seats” by the Governing Body under Article 2(C) of the Regulations is also illegal and ultra vires the Act.”
The court also said that another dimension of the case was that on the one side, the regulations allowed both the FSc and DAE holders to be eligible to apply for BSc (Engineering) program, subject to meeting the requirement of 60 percent aggregate marks, yet on the other hand, the regulation put a clog on the admission of DAE holders by imposing the condition of reserved seats.
“Other than the fact that the PEC or the Governing Body has no such power to impose such a condition, it is also ex-facie discriminatory against the DAE holders, especially when they are considered eligible for the BSc (Engineering) Programme along with the FSc degree holders,” the order said. — ERMD

Engineers, technologists in same basket: IHC stays HEC notification PEC, HEC to work together for separate ‘Service Structures’ for engineers, technologists

on 17/01/2023

Islamabad High Court (IHC) has stayed the notification of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) which decided to recognize technologists at par with engineers registered with the Pakistan Engineering Council.
A PEC communication said: Honorable Mr. Justice Babar Sattar of Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued a stay order on the unlawful notification issued by Higher Education Commission (HEC), which describe that Engineering degrees issued by accredited engineering universities are at par with B-Tech/ Technology degrees issued by the institution for recruitment, pay, scale and grade.
The said notification, says the council created chaos and unrest among the engineering community of the country.
Pakistan Engineering Council immediately challenged through an official letter dated December 09, 2021, to HEC to rectify the decision.
Later PEC again sent a reminder to HEC for cancellation/ withdrawal of the same notification on December 17, 2021, however, no response was received.
This issue was discussed in the PEC Management Committee meeting held on December 28, 2021, wherein serious reservations were recorded towards the suitable way forward.
PEC delegation met the Executive Director, HEC on the same day and categorically explained PEC’s professional and legitimate stance.
The PEC team comprised of Engr Dr. Niaz Ahmed Akhtar, VC Punjab University, and Dr. Nasir Mahmood Khan (Registrar, PEC) updated on the decision that HEC will convene a meeting at the earliest to resolve the matter amicably in academic terms.
In the light of this meeting, PEC kept on waiting for but no action was taken from HEC annnd then PEC consulted a few law firms to take up the matter in Court.
Meanwhile, PEC wrote a final letter to HEC for reviewing the notification on December 31, 2021 and to share the meeting records for verification purposes, but all in vain.
Subsequently, on January 03, 2022, a Legal Counsel Barrister Raheel Ahmed was engaged/ tasked to prepare a PEC petition to file in Islamabad High Court (IHC).
On January 18, 2022, HEC informed that they cannot withdraw the notification at this stage.
Pakistan Engineering Council, as per direction and guidance of Engr. Muhammad Najeeb Haroon MNA and Chairman PEC, filed a petition on January 25, 2022, against unlawful HEC notification regarding the equal status of ‘Graduate Engineers and B. Tech/Technology Graduates for employment, trying to mislead the Employers to occupy engineering positions by non-engineers.
During these efforts, Chairman PEC Engr. Najeeb Haroon also met Chairman HEC Dr. Tariq Banuri who resumed his charge on January 19, 2022, to amicably resolve the issue professionally within the jurisdiction of the Act and Bye-laws of HEC/PEC.
The meeting concluded with the good agreement by both the heads of organizations to work jointly for separate Service Structure of Engineers and Technologists so that both streams of engineering profession could play their due role in their defined domain for the betterment of society.
The petition was submitted by Dr Nasir M. Khan, Registrar PEC, Engr. Mir Masood Rashid, Advisor to Chairman through Baristor Raheel with the approval of Chairman PEC.
Chairman PEC has taken this decision in consultation with the PEC Management Committee comprising Engr. Nayyar Saeed, SVC, Engr. Dr Niaz Ahmed Akhter, VC Punjab, Engr. Sheikh Mukhtar Ahmad, VC Sindh, Engr. Nasir Majid, VC Baluchistan and Engr. Ejaz Ansari, VC KPK. — PR

27th HVACR Expo Rescheduled, Now it will be on 9-11 June, 22

on 17/01/2023

President of Pakistan HVACR Society Mr. Ahmed Nawaz along with the organization committee and chapter chairman of Lahore Mr. Ahmad Naeem Chughtai, visited the expo center to secure the expo dates but unfortunately as per NCOC new policies for covid restrictions the Society is not allowed to arrange the expo.
Pakistan HVACR Society is also receiving requests from exhibitors to reschedule the dates as their principals are unable to attend the expo.
In light of the current scenario and ongoing situation as described by the government authorities, along with the request by exhibitors, finally the decision has been taken by organizing committee of 27th Pakistan HVACR International Expo & conference 2022, is to reschedule it on 9th 10th 11th June 2022 .n