PEC creates a new platform for engineers

on 21/03/2020

Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) has created a platform for the employer and job seekers. In this regard, PEC has created an online pool of engineers, who are seeking jobs. The engineers can be searched by clicking the following URL:
hireengr.pec.org.pk
It will assist in finding the required engineers suitable for your projects based on the following parameters;

  1. Discipline i.e. Civil, Electrical, Telecom, etc.
  2. Experience in number of years
  3. Engineers in particular province and city e.g. KPK, Mardan, etc.
    Wishing you success in your projects by hiring the right engineers on hireengr.pec.org.pk

Thar Energy’s 330 MW mine-mouth

on 21/03/2020

The powerhouse will be fed by the coal from Thar Coalmine Field’s Block – II. The documentation is already ready, reports say.
The Project costs US$ 497 million funded by China Development Bank and Habib Bank Limited.
Saleemullah Memon, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Thar Energy Limited and Shah Jahan Mirza, Managing Director PPIB signed documents in January 2020 in a ceremony in the federal capital.
The Implementation Agreement for the project had already been signed in November 2017.
The project is jointly sponsored by HUB Power Company Limited, Fauji Fertilizer Limited and China Machinery and Engineering Corporation under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework.
The plant will utilize local Thar Coal which will be supplied by the Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) from its mines to be opened in phase – II.
Following the implementation of the project, the overall coal price is said to be reduced from $64/ton to $44/ton and thus reduce the power tariff by Cents 1.6/KWh (i.e. around Rs. 2/KWh).
A report says after the commercial operation of this project, around Rs. 18 billion per year would be saved on account of foreign exchange while Rs. 260 billion per year would be saved by the year 2022 when all Thar coal-based projects of 5,000 MW would be operational. As a result, electricity tariff would be reduced to around Cents 5/KWh.
The Sponsors are very keen to complete this project by March 2021 and for achieving this target, they have already started construction activities ahead of financial close as a result so far, 40% work has already been completed. The project will be connected with the Matiari-Lahore Transmission Line for the transmission of electricity

Industrial automation

on 21/03/2020

Automation is the technology by which a process or procedure is performed with minimal human assistance.
Automation has been achieved by various means including mechanical, electrical, electronic devices and computers, usually in combination.
How automation started
The term automation was coined in the automobile industry about 1946 to describe in mechanized production lines.
The origin of the word is attributed to D.S Harder, an engineering manager at the Ford Motor Company at the time.
Types of automation system
Automation production systems can be classified into three basic types.

  1. Fixed Automation,
  2. Programmable Automation and 3. Flexible Automation
    Production automation
    Automation of production is a process in the development of mechanized production in which the control and monitoring functions previously performed by humans are transferred to instruments and automatic devices, as a rule, working production equipment is partially automated.
    Why automation needed Automation brings in necessary agility to testing and helps it to respond faster and more effectively to changes.
    Agility requires frequent code developments, which can also be automated. This frees testers from mundane repetitive tasks so that they can focus more on testing.
    How automation used today
    Automation or automatic control is used of various control systems for operating equipment such as machinery, processes in factories, boilers and heat treating and stabilization of ships, aircraft and other applications with minimal or reduced human intervention

Bio-saline agriculture in Thar

on 21/03/2020

Last year Thar Foundation planted Apple Ber over ten acres in Block – 2 of Islamkot, Tharparkar.
The experiment was part of Bio-saline agriculture by using underground water of the third aquifer at a depth of approx 200 meters.
These Bers were provided water of 3500 ppm TDS. Technical support was received from the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC). A number of 120 trees were planted per acre. Within one year, these plants have started yielding fruit. Every tree has yielded an average of 5-7 kilograms of Bers. The current market price of Apple Ber is approximately Rs2200 per maund. Hence 120 trees on an acre can earn around Rs. 35000 to 40000 in first harvest only. The experiment demonstrated the tremendous economic potential of bio-saline orchards in Tharparkar.

Over 25 public sector orgs asked to implement SC orders

on 19/03/2020

Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) has asked over 25 public sector organizations of the country that they should implement the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) for appointing PEC accredited engineers on all engineering positions.
The council through its letters signed by the registrar says the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of Pakistan are binding
on all state organs and thus the implementation of the above directions is required from the Federal Government including your organization. The heads of the organizations have been requested to please take all apt measures to ensure implementation of Hon’ble Supreme Court Order in its letter and spirit.
The letter says as under:
Pakistan Engineering Council, a statutory regulatory body for the engineering profession, would like to seek your attention towards the Hon’ble Supreme Court Judgment dated October 03, 2018, passed in Civil Petition No.78-K of 2015 reported as 2018 SCMR 2098 whereby the Hon’ble Supreme Court of Pakistan has been pleased to issue directions to the Governments as follows;
“23. . government shall not allow or permit any person to perform professional engineering work as defined in PEe Act, who does not possess accredited engineering qualification from an accredited engineering institution and his name is not registered as a registered engineer or professional engineer under PEe Act”.
In the judgment ibid, it was also observed by the apex court;
“5. It is common ground that neither Diploma nor B.Tech(Hons) degree are accredited engineering qualification for the reason that there is no reference to the Diploma and B.Tech(Hons) degree in the accredited engineering qualification provided in the first and second schedule of PEe Act. Thus, accredited engineering qualification is ascribed to those who hold bachelor’s degrees in engineering from accredited Engineering Universities/institutions in Pakistan and abroad”.

  1. The directions of the Supreme Court of Pakistan has been transmitted to the Government of Sindh for the submission of the compliance report, copy of which was also forwarded to the Chairman Pakistan Engineering Council vide the Registrar of Supreme Court of Pakistan letter No.C.P.78-K/2015-SCJ dated January 03, 2020. The Government of Sindh has already passed these Supreme Court directions to all Secretaries for immediate compliance within 24 hours positively vide letter No. SO(LEGAL-I)/SGA&CD/17(33)/2019 dated January 08, 2020.
    The Copies of the judgment viz: other referred letters have also been enclosed as annexure ‘A’, ‘B’ & ‘C’. with the letter.
    It further reads: It is noteworthy that the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of Pakistan are binding on all state organs and thus the implementation of the above directions is required from the
    Federal Government including your Organization. Your honor is requested to please take all apt measures to ensure the implementation of Hon’ble Supreme Court Order in its letter and spirit.
    The letters are addressed to the following organizations:
    Mr. Mohammad Wasim, Acting Managing Director, Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGC),
    Mr. Imtiaz Rastgar, Chief Executive Officer, Engineering Development Board (EDB), Air Marshal Arshad Mahmood Malik, Chief Executive Officer, Pakistan International Air Chief Executive Officer, Pakistan State Oil (PSO), Mr. Sajid Mehmood Qazi, Managing Director / Chief Executive, Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC), Mr. Muhammad Ali Gardezi, Chairman CAA Board, Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority, Amer Ali Ahmed, Chairman Capital Development Authority, Lieutenant General Muhammad Afzal HI(M), Chairman, National Disaster Management Authority, Chairman, Oil & Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), Chairman, Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Mr. Muhammad Naeem, Chairman,
    Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), Mr. Habib Ullah Khan, Chairman, Pakistan Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, Major General (R) Amir Azeem Bajwa HI (M), Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, Mr. Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui, Chairman, Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited, Arshad khan, Chairman, Pakistan Television Corporation Limited (PTV), Lieutenant General Muzammil Hussain (Retd), Chairman, Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority, Capt. (Retd) Sikander Qayyum, Chairman, National Highway Authority (NHA), Ms. Samina Waqar, Director General, Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation, Mr. Shah Din Sheikh,
    Director General, Pakistan Public Works Department, Managing Director, National Refinery Limited (NRL), Mr. Zafar Abbas, Managing Director, National Transmission & Despatch Company Ltd, The Managing Director, Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO), Mr. Tariq Rashid, Managing Director,
    Pakistan Housing Authority (PHA) Foundation, Moin Raza Khan, Managing Director, Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL), Mr. Amer Tufail, Chief Executive/Managing Director, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd (SNGPL), Dr. Naseem Ahmad, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Oil & Gas Development Co (OGDCL),