CDWP approves 8 projects Weather Surveillance Radar to be installed at Sukkur

on 01/07/2020

Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has approved 8 projects worth Rs. 35.32 billion. The moot deferred 10 projects including ML-I.
Of these, CDWP gave a nod on 7 projects costing Rs.24 billion. However, one project worth Rs. 11.35 billion was referred to the Executive Committee of the NEC.
Secretary Planning, senior officials from Planning Commission, and federal ministries/divisions participated in the meeting while representatives from provincial governments participated through video conference.
Projects related to energy, environment, governance, and ICT were on the agenda of the meeting. Three projects related to energy were presented in the meeting. They include Additional Sources of Supply to Jaranwala Road Grid station worth Rs 5787.32 million, 30.4 MW Jagran-1 Hydropower project, District Neelum, AJK” worth Rs 4306.875 million and Strengthening, Up-gradation and ISO certification of Karachi Laboratories Complex at HDIP Operations Officer, Karachi worth Rs 440.812 million which were finally approved in the meeting.
A project related to the environment titled “Installation of Weather Surveillance Radar at Sukkur in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan” worth Rs. 2522 million was approved in the meeting.
A project related to governance namely “Pakistan Single Window” was referred to ECNEC. The main objective of the project is to facilitate trade, simplification, and integration of the regulatory authority’s process/system for reducing barriers of cross border trade-related activities without compromising required control.
A project related to ICT was presented in the meeting titled “Blended Virtual Education Project for Knowledge Economy” worth Rs. 5990.26 million that was approved by CDWP.
One project presented by the Ministry of KA & GB namely “Rehabilitation of Affected Population Residing along LoC Phase-1” worth Rs 3614.980 million was approved by CDWP. Another project presented by the Ministry of Climate Change titled “Capacity Building on water Quality Monitoring SDG 6” worth Rs. 1275.913 million was also approved in the meeting

PSM: Are we right on track?

on 01/07/2020

The federal government finally approved retrenching 9,350 employees of the Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM). This lay-off means there is no one left from the old faces now.
However, no one knows if the removals would help achieve the objective as the decision has failed to respond to many questions as regards the revival of the mills.
The government would spend Rs20 billion in one-go on this retrenchment. Only 250 employees would stay for 120 days to complete important tasks.
The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet gave a go-ahead to what government terms human resource rationalization plan for the mills employees.

The government says the decisions are in accordance with the judgments and observations of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Earlier, the government wanted to lay off 8,000 employees but the plan was revised and a fresh summary was carved out before it received a nod in the moot.
Now after the approval of the federal cabinet, the mills would stand 100 percent retrenched which the experts believed was one of the main obstacles before reviving the mills through a consortium.
The financial impact of the plan works out at Rs19.657bn to be released in a single tranche to pay gratuity and provident funds.
The employees will get one month salary from the approved supplementary grant on account of salaries of PSM employees. Thus, the average payment per employee comes to Rs2.3 million.
The summary of the Ministry of Industries and Production said that due to the poor financial condition of the mills, the government had been paying net monthly salaries to employees since 2013. The situation led the mills to a point where all commercial activities in the units were stopped in 2015. At that time, the mills had a strength of around 15,000 employees.
The decision of the government has surprised many experts from many respects. For instance, the people who have been informed of the issues relating to the mills and its management wonder how Rs20 billion would solve the issue as many service utilities owe millions of rupees to the mills.
An official says that not less than Rs40 billion are required as there are around 6000 ex-employees of the mills who are supposed to get their dues also.
Moreover, the mills have to pay to the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC), KWSB, and many other suppliers. This amount may be not less than Rs300 billion, one official claims.
But outstanding dues and payments are not the only issues to deal with. There are issues that are also linked to the land of the mills as the Sindh government has its claim also. This issue also needs to be resolved.
PSM, besides its other land properties, has a residential colony—Pakistan Steel Town—and also colonies in its vicinity.
One official says since the relevant ministry which deals with the mills falls in the ambit of Council of Common Interests (CCI) and there is a probability that this issue may come on the agenda too.
The government’s experts have completed the due diligence of the mills and reports claim there are over 13 parties interested to invest in the revival of the mills.
In sum, there are two targets, one to resolve the issues of employees and two, the revival of the mills. ‘Both are huge challenges, says an official.
Laying off around 10,000 in the times of Covid 19 would create a reaction and also with vulnerable conomies around the world, reviving the mills will emerge as a gigantic task.
The Pak-China Investment Bank had declared in 2015 that with an initial investment of $289m (about Rs29bn), provision of uninterrupted electricity supply, and new management, the PSM had the potential of becoming a profitable enterprise given its ideal location, market, and facilities.
Not only this, but the country`s largest industrial complex could also generate the funds required for expanding its production capacity to three million tonnes, the bank said and proposed a development and expansion plan with a capital investment of $288.77m in the first phase, $300.4m in the second and $296.62m in the third phase. The total investment required was $885.8m, or approximately Rs100bn.

UK Manufacturing Unite (#UkMfgUnite) has been launched in response to the national effort to produce more critical components and essential equipment at home!

on 01/06/2020


Created and run by manufacturers for manufacturers, the movement is urging more firms to come together to collaborate, share practice and find practical solutions for developing domestic supply chains.

Over 35 companies – including AW Precision, Brandauer, Bruderer UK and Photofab – have signed up to the online platform that will act as the focal point for sourcing supply solutions or getting answers to issues businesses are facing.

“We wanted an idea that would bring the manufacturing community together by simply asking, ‘what do you need help with and are you in a position to help others?’ Why? Because as a nation, we need something to happen, right now,” said Garry Myatt, Collaboration Director at #UkMfgUnite.

“Covid-19 has underlined the need for engineers to pull together, to innovate as allies and to build our networks closer to home so we can mitigate supply chain risk. Ultimately, what we need are collaborating engineers – ‘sharing networks, disciplines and advice’.

“Collaborationeers, if you like, are a new breed of manufacturer evolving day by day to tackle the critical challenge of helping to care for a nation, to build economic stability, to increase UK productivity, encourage reshoring and ultimately lay down a foundation for future generations to come.”

The ukmfgunite.co.uk website is now live and offers an online directory where companies can find suppliers, opportunities and answers to manufacturing concerns.

Each company will have a listing and a description of what they do, with the opportunity to post thought leadership articles, best practice blogs, and enter a dialogue with other users in an interactive forum.

“With any new initiative, it’s great to get off to a positive start with a few ‘wins’,” Myatt said in a statement. “We got this immediately when a request was tabled for a UK manufacturer of cable looms in high volumes to support the Ventilator Challenge UK consortium. PP Control & Automation successfully tendered and is now in the process of manufacturing 50,000 units in just four weeks.

“This was quickly followed by two members working together to source and manufacture vital PPE, whilst another six enquiries have been logged this week alone.”

#UkMfgUnite is looking to get to 100 members by the end of June and is open primarily to all manufacturers regardless of size, sector, or specialism. There is an additional option for associate supporters to join who are passionate about the future of UK manufacturing.

A down to earth person

on 11/05/2020

Inna-Lillah-Winna-Ilaihe-Rajeoon. I had great regards for him. He also always kept me close. My prayers for Riaz and all family members.
Both brothers had very special liking for technology development and that’s why they visited me to discuss how to address technology development in Karachi and Pakistan.
Mr Riaz ul Hassan was a very simple and down to earth person. He was a loving young brother and extremely loyal family member. His approach in addressing national issues was to support indigenous
manufacturing and that is what he tried to promote through this magazine. Venturing in publishing magazine forty years back was enormous initiative and he deserves best compliments Riaz.

Making My Life Meaningful! Asad Ali Hasan (Son)

on 11/05/2020

To make our lives meaningful, we always look at many people like our mentors and draw inspiration. For me, it was my father who I found in him a source of inspiration. Late Mr. Riaz Ul Hasan!
His determination, a great level of consistency towards his job and honesty to fulfill his responsibilities, inspired me to be just like him. He was an exceptional personality full of life, colossus human being, caring husband, devoted father, passionate worker and above all, a humble Muslim and patriotic Pakistani.
Unfortunately, his childhood was not so ideal as it should have been. Just at the age of five, he endured misery and a great struggle to survive, when he started the migration by foot at the time of Independence from Indian Punjab, in the hope to reunite with his father who was already posted in Karachi.
During this heart throbbing journey, he witnessed his mother being martyred, witnessed one of his sisters being kidnapped, losing a toddler among his brothers during the journey, and accidentally got separated from the rest of his family, eventually ended himself all alone in a Mohajir Camp in Qasoor. It was a never-ending misery that, when he woke up one morning sleeping under a tree in the jungle, he could not open his left eye and consequently lost his left eye for lifetime. From the Mohajir Camp, one of the couples

who did not have any kids at that time adopted him and started to take care of him. After about six months, his father Mr. Nazr Ul Hasan (my grandfather) found his name in the newspaper and immediately traveled to Qasoor to bring him back.
My father possessed an incredible sense of humor leaving everyone guessing about the pain of hardships behind his smiling face, as all his life, he bravely conquered all the hurdles and challenges that came through his way. He spent 4 years of his education at Hasan Abdal Cadet College, that helped him to have a solid foundation for his successful career ahead. After graduation, he started with a remarkable career in Sales & Marketing in Zulfiqar Industries Limited (ZIL), makers of Capri Soap product.
In the later part of his career began in 1977, my uncle, late Mr. Najm ul Hasan welcomed him in his team as a chief Editor for his newly launched magazine ‘Engineering Review’, first of its kind (like a MEED Magazine of that period). My father remained associated with this esteemed organization for almost 37 years and earned a lot of respect, gratitude from engineering fraternity including all Pakistani engineering councils and associations, associations of consultants, engineering universities, etc.
Being an upright journalist, he dared to write the truth and facts related to construction and engineering activities in Pakistan and never compromised in exposing reality.
He was a true and loyal Pakistani and devoted all his life to the betterment of the country. He was from the generation that has sacrificed their loved ones for independence. To enlighten the importance of independence amongst the next generation, he with his other brothers one time invited all family members on the occasion of Golden Jubilee of Pakistan’s Independence Day Celebrations, to share their stories of struggle and hardships. Further, talking about his understanding of Islam, he once attempted to do the Urdu to English Translation of Quran Tafseer, but somehow was not able to complete it.
He proved to be the wonderful companion of my mother and both had spent over four decades of a happy relationship together before my mother passed away in 2016. He used to call my mother ‘Aali Jaa’, the most adorable way to respect your partner.
Talking about his life as a father, my elder brother at the age of two, his hearing adversely affected due to high fever, leaving my elder brother short of listening and speaking. This was a challenging time for my father and mother, but even at those tough times, he never gave up and did everything he could do to regain my brother’s hearing and speaking.
In 1979, he even left Karachi and shifted to Islamabad for five years, where he started treatment of Acupuncture from the first Pakistani Acupuncture doctor available in Rawalpindi. This was the toughest time for my parents, leaving behind everything including work and fighting for the recovery of their child.
It was their untiring efforts that my elder brother Fahad Ali Hasan is successfully living an independent life without relying on others.
My father was very frank and open to all of us and for me, he was more like a friend. Today where I am now, would not have been possible without my father’s contribution, support and wisdom. We all owe him a lot of prayers in return and I am truly going to miss him. May Allah bless his soul in peace.