Planning Commission releases Only 9 pc funds in the first quarter

on 28/11/2018

Country’ planning commission says faulty planning has played havoc with PSDP projects in the country.

This has resulted in dismal reimbursements for the projects. Planning ministry told a Senate Committee in mid-November that more than 90 percent development projects were facing cost and time overruns indicating faulty planning.

The commission disbursed only Rs94 billion (9pc) against budgetary allocation for development projects in the first quarter of the current fiscal year against the required 20pc target.
The ministry officials said the government`s decision to rationalize PSDP caused delay in disbursement during the current year.

Islamabad slashed PSDP to Rs675bn, including Rs531bn of local funds and Rs144bn of foreign exchange component instead of budgeted allocation of Rs1,001bn.

The total disbursements amounted to Rs94.1bn, including Rs63bn of rupee component, Rs30.336bn in foreign exchange and stood at 14pc of the revised Rs675bn PSDP.

Gwadar City Master Plan was also discussed in the moot. Delays in finalization of the plan have caused issues including a restriction on constructing houses as the local people now need NOC for such purpose.

More unfortunate was the fact that Gwadar has not been given Rs25bn during the past 15 years.

Also, Balochistan’s four approved HEC projects were chopped off from the PSDP at rationalization stage.

IMF mission appreciates CPEC for energy production

on 28/11/2018

The IMF Mission which visited Pakistan reportedly appreciated China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) for increasing energy production in its initial phase saying that the fund would aid in achieving sustained economic growth.

IMF Mission led by Harald Finger met with Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Reform Makhdum Khusro Bakhtyar during his visit.

Bakhtyar said the economic and social objectives of the present government were to protect and provide relief to marginalized segments of the society by prioritizing human resource development, social security and job creation.

He told the mission head that the PSDP had been rationalized and the throw forward liability of PSDP was brought down to a manageable level.

An emphasis is being laid on attracting investments in areas where it can lead to a direct impact on exports or reducing the import bill. New ways of financing were also being explored. The projects that are run on imported fuel will not be encouraged.

Also, the government was also paying attention to improving electricity transmission system in the wake of increased power generation capacity, he said.

The mega projects under CPEC have now entered into its second phase with a focus on industrialization, socio-economic initiatives, and joint ventures, especially in the agriculture sector to increase productivity as well as improve irrigation network system.

26th HVACR & Building Services Expo 2019 from Feb 13

on 28/11/2018

Having launched on 16th August 2018 and sold over 95% space in one-hour online session, the whole HVACR and allied services industry are now gearing up to display innovative products and technologies at 26th edition of Pakistan HVACR and Building Services Expo & Conference which will take place on 13, 14 & 15 February 2019 at Karachi Expo Centre.

Karachi being the financial hub of the country attracts all leading international and national manufacturers, exporters, distributors, and professionals to come under one roof to display latest trends, tools, and technologies that allow HVACR professionals to continue with the rapid pace of change in the industry. With thousands of professional visitors joining from all parts of the country and neighboring regions, the Event provides a unique platform to the whole industry to share ideas, foster relationships and experience revolutions being made in HVACR.

The Expo presents a cross-section of the industry with its comprehensive range of innovations, components, systems, and applications for Heating, AC & Ventilation, Refrigeration. Also, for the very first time Pakistan HVACR Expo, Karachi is featuring exclusive Energy Efficiency and Solar Products and Building Services display areas as well.

The event also proposes a perfect learning center to young and experienced professionals. Pakistan HVACR Society, in collaboration with The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Global Training Centre – UAE, is also presenting “International Training Course on VRF System”. The course will be held in parallel on 14th February 2019 at the Expo Centre, Karachi.

The 26th Pakistan HVACR Expo will be a significant business and engineering event in the city which will help to boost the economy and engineering sector in Pakistan. – PR

ISK-SODEX 2019 to open int’l trade doors

on 28/11/2018

ISK Hannover Messe Sodeks Fuarcılık General Manager Alexander Kühnel said: “The air-conditioning industry occupies an important place in Turkey’s exports. Growing by 11.8 percent last year, the industry targets exports of 12 billion Dollars by 2023. It is very important that the sector displays this potential at international exhibitions.”

The International “ISK-SODEX” Exhibition, which brings together all components of the HVAC&R, Pumps, Valves, Fittings, Fire Prevention, Water Treatment, and Insulation will be held at the TÜYAP Exhibition and Congress Centre between 2 – 5 October 2019. Hannover Messe Sodeks Fuarcılık General Manager Alexander Kühnel said, on the economic size of the industry:

“The air-conditioning industry occupies an important place in Turkey’s exports. Growing by 11.8 percent last year, the industry targets exports of 12 billion Dollars by 2023. It is very important that the sector displays this potential at international exhibitions. As ISK-SODEX, we too are taking important steps to drive the air-conditioning industry forward. The exhibition we held in 2018 was very successful for both the industry and the country. We saw a significant increase in the number of foreign participants and visitors. Every year we renew ourselves with the aim of increasing this success. New demands have risen during interviews we held with industry representatives. Along with new fields, we aim at increasing the number, and developing the contents, of forums and panels.”

The Doors of Foreign Trade will open with ISK-SODEX between 2 – 5 October 2019!

Noting that they would make Istanbul the heart of the air-conditioning industry in 2019 with their national and international participants, and providing information on important target markets for Turkey, Kühnel said:

“For 2019, the air-conditioning industry included Latin American countries in its roadmap for exports. We are aware of how important these countries are for Turkish exporters.

We intensified our efforts to ensure their participation in the exhibition. We also see that developed countries such as Germany, Britain, and Italy are strategic markets for Turkey. ISK-SODEX 2019 will prove to be an exhibition in which we will bring together specialized participants and visitors from all strategic markets. Throughout the exhibition we will conduct supporting programmes and provide participants and visitors with new opportunities to meet each other, establish business contacts, and share knowledge and experiences, as well as putting weight on B2B meetings.”

ISK-SODEX exhibition, organized by Hannover Messe Sodeks Fuarcılık, the Turkish subsidiary of Deutsche Messe, will be held at the Beylikdüzü TÜYAP Exhibition and Congress Centre by cooperation with ISKAV, DOSIDER, İSKİD, İZODER, TTMD, POMSAD, SOSİAD, ESSİAD, MTMD, and KBSB.

About Hannover Messe Sodeks Fuarcılık Hannover Messe Sodeks Fuarcılık A.S. (HMSF) is the partner company of Hannover-Messe International İstanbul which is a subsidiary of Deutsche Messe AG, one of the leading exhibition organizers in the world. As the strong international connections of Deutsche Messe AG, having its offices in 6 countries and over 60 representatives around the world the success of the organized exhibitions will reach to higher ranks in the international area and supply the needs of the related sectors much better. The exhibitions that bring all the demands and innovations together will serve Europe, Asia, and the Middle East as well as Turkey.

IEP at the center of gravity, BY MANZOOR SHAIKH

on 28/11/2018

Major contenders of power intend to bring about a critical change Of 50 thousand registered engineers, only 15 thousand to decide about new leadership. IEP

Rising engineering demands be it huge technological transformation around the world or changes at home have affected each and every institution and among them, the Institution of Engineers Pakistan (IEP) is the one where many senior engineers seem resolute to respond to the demands of the day. The elections of the institution only have given them a platform.

IEP has over 50 thousand registered engineers and an overwhelming majority is dormant. The total number of voters is only 15 thousand. Karachi and Lahore, the two largest cities of Pakistan have a major concentration of voters with 5,000 and 3,000 voters respectively.

This time, the institution has three of its senior engineers vying for the top slot and have their plans for bringing about the change that they believe is necessary for engineering profession as well as education in Pakistan. They are Engr Farhat Adil, the sitting senior vice chairman, Javed Uppal, and Iqbal Qureshi.

Engr Farhat Adil claims they will bring about a critical change in the institution which has a long history of contribution to Pakistan’s engineering sector.

“I and my friends have reached a conclusion that the institution should play its due role in the changing circumstances. One of the demands is to help engineers for enhancement and modernization of engineering education. “To achieve this goal, I intend to launch engineering educational institutions all over Pakistan,” Engr Farhat revealed.

An NEDian and having over 35-year working experience with NESPAK, now in EA Consulting, Adil believes that a lot has changed since the institution came into existence. “IEP is like a nongovernmental organization (NGO) which was initially aimed at giving non-conventional education to the engineers and also to diploma holders for bringing them at par with engineers.
In Ayoob Khan era, Pakistan Railways diploma holders were doing engineering works and they were protesting for their upgradation. Thus, the IEP decided to give them unconditional training to bring them at par with engineers. It was a success at that time. Later on, many changes and modernization in engineering took place and thus the process could not continue.

Farhat recalled IEP tried to open its own educational institutions but could not do it for various reasons.

This time, I am resolute to open IEP University or IEP Engineering colleges in various cities.

This will not be a commercial venture as we do not want to earn money, but intend to give quality engineering education. Retired engineers and engineering professionals will teach there and also own the institutions. These institutions could be run under IEP foundation like Bahria and other foundations are running their institutions. This is a doable target, Engr Farhat says.

Like Farhat Adil, his fellow engineer Javed Uppal who is also a candidate for the office of the central chairman of the institution and strongly feels there must be a change. However, he says the IEP is in the sleeping mode and is unable to play its due role in the changing world. “IEP has become a club of engineers and is not serving the engineers”, he said while talking to Engineering Review.

“We should have begun training our engineers after Pakistan entered into International Mobility Group (IMG) and getting due share in the international job market for our engineers.” Since we did not, more jobs are going to Indians and Malaysians, he said.

Engr. Uppal claims he would do it after winning the elections as Pakistani engineers need a jump. “We would organize training at all IEP centers in Pakistan”, he resolved.

Why IEP is in the sleep mode? “Internal polarization has done such a damage”, he responded. The infight has diverted the attention of IEP from young engineers. I would try to bring such an antagonism to an end, he says.

“IEP can be effective if all groups should gather on a common ground and our group intends to give a serious try, he said. It is imperative because of two reasons, One that our industry is passing through a crisis and second that we need more efficient engineers for China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

Uppal is satisfied with the response he is getting from IEP voters who participated in the elections through the ballot.

Engineering Review tried to contact Iqbal Qureshi but failed to talk to him