آر ایل این جی پاور پلانٹس فعال ہونے میں تاخیر : جرمانہ عائد

on 02/06/2018

ملک میں ایل این جی درآمد کرنے والی پاکستان ایل این جی لیمیٹڈ نے انکشاف کیا ہے کہ پیجاب میں 36 سو میگا واٹ کے تین آر ایل این جی پاور پلانٹس جو پہلے ہی تاخیر کا شکار ہیں اورمستقبل قریب میں بھی دستیاب نہیں ہوں گے جبکہ اپریل میں صرف ایک کام شروع کرے گا جس کے باعث رواں سال شدید گرمیوں کے دوران کو لوڈ شیڈ نگ فری بنانے کا خواب پورا نہیں ہو سکے گا۔  پاور ڈویژن، پٹرولیم ڈویژن اورپاکستان  ایل این جی کے حالیہ خطوط سی انکشاف ہوا۔ یہاں تک کہ ماہ اپریل میں پاور ڈویژن اور آر ایل این جی کی جنوری کی کھپت کے لیے تینوں آر ایل این جی پاور پلانٹس کی اعلیٰ انتظامیہ کے وعدے پورے نہیں ہوئے جس کے نتیجے میں جرمانے ، ہرجانے اور ایل ڈ یز (لیکویڈ یٹڈ ڈیمیجز) ہو سکتے ہیں۔

  مارچ 14 کو  مینیجیگ ڈائیریکٹر  پی ایل ایل عدنان گیلا نی کے ڈی جی آئل کو حالیہ خط میں واضح کیا گیا کہ36 سو میگا واٹ کے 3 آر ایل این  جی پاور پلا نٹس جنہوں نے جنوری 2018 میں پی ایل ایل کو پختہ یقین دہانیان کرائں کہ وہ بجلی کی پیداوار کے لیے آر ایل این جی استعمال کریں گے تاہم اب وہ ان وعدون سے پھر گئے، کیونکہ ان میں سے دو اب بھی کمبائنڈ سائیکلپر توانائی کے لیے تیار نہیں۔

بھکی پر گیس ٹربائن کی ڈیلیوری میں، ایک ٹربائن کی کمبسشن سیل لیک اور وائیبریشن کے ساتھ کیلیبریشن کے معاملات کے ساتھ حویلی بہادر شاہ میں ایک ٹربائن کو شدید نقصان  بڑی وجوہات ہیں جو کمرشل پیداوار میں التواء کا باعث ہیں۔

بھکی ( شیخوپورہ) بلوکی ( قصور) اور حویلی بہادر شاہ (جھنگ ) کے 3 پاور پلا نٹس کی بجلی کی پیداواری استعداد 36 سو میگا واٹ سے زائد ہے۔ پہلے دوپلانٹس  کو دسمبر 2017 کے آخر تک نیشنل گرڈ کو بجلی کی فراہمی شروع کرنا تھی۔

Modern IT Infrastructure in Academia

on 01/06/2018

Ideal Autonetics organizes workshop, Awards luminaries

Under Corporate Social Responsibility, Ideal Autonetics organized a one day workshop on “Modern IT Infrastructure in Academia” on 14th March, 2018 at Movenpick Hotel, Karachi with the support and collaboration of Higher Education Commission (HEC), Dell EMC, Mindware and VMWARE.

Speakers from the world leading IT solution providing companies delivered keynote speeches. Ideal Excellency Awards were also presented to various academicians and IT professionals. Prof. Dr. S. M. Qureshi was honored with Living Legend Award.

Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Senior Minister and also minister for ‘Food and Parliamentary Affairs’ was the Chief Guest of the event. Celebrity of Nation Awards were presented to M. Ajmal Khan (VC, Karachi University),

Prof. Dr. Manzoor Hussain Soomro (Founder President, ECO Science Foundation), Dr. Saifuddin Junejo (Collector, Model Customs, Port Qasim), Dr. Syed M. Tariq (Founding VC, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi), Brig. (R) Engr. Muhammad Amin (VC, Balochistan University of Engineering & Technology, Khuzdar) Dr. Abdul Qadeer (Chairman, Charter Inspection and Evaluation Committee, HEC, Sindh), Dr. Fateh M. Burfat (VC, Sindh University, Jamshoro), Prof. Dr. Aslam Uqaili (VC, Mehran University, Jamshoro), Prf. Bikha Ram Devrajani (VC, Liaqat University of Medical & Health Sciences, Jamshoro), Dr. Mujeeb-u-ddin (VC, SAU, Tado Jam), Dr. B.S Chawdhry (Dean Electrical, Electronics & Computer Engineering, MUE&T), Pro. Dr. Amanullah Abbasi (Registrar & Professor, Dow University of Health Sciences) and Prof. Dr. Iftikhar Hussain (VC, UE&T, Peshawar).  Sajeel Khaled, from Dell EMC spoke on ‘Modern Infrastructure Technology & its Benefits, Syed Waqar uddin Solution Architect from VMWARE delivered a heart touching presentation on “Software driven Infrastructure in Modern IT World” and Pireh Pirzada CTO of Ideal Autonetics (Pvt) Limited, spoke on “Automation & e-Governance in Public Sector”.

Hall of fame awards were presented to Prof. Dr. Bashir Ahmed (Dean, QUEST, Nawabshah) , Dr. Faisal Ahmed (Dean, BUITEMS, Quetta), Prf. Dr. Muhammad Akram Shaikh (DG, PS&TIC), Prof. Dr. Syed Asif Ali (Dean, IT, SMI, University, Karachi), Prof. Muhammad Tufail (Pro VC, NED University, Karachi, Dr. Waqar (IT Chair, Director, KICS, UET, Lahore), Dr. M. Sadiq Ali (Chairman, CS Dept. KU), Dr. Abdul Shakoor (UET, Peshawar), Prof. Dr. Ab Rehman, Faisal Riaz, Engr. Javed Ali, Imran Batada and Ayaz Ahmed.

The goal of organizing workshop was to create strong linkages between academia and industry, increase awareness regarding modern technologies. And the objective of presenting Ideal Excellence Awards to the distinguished persons was to recognize their contribution, efforts rendered for the betterment in relevant fields. Encourage and promote deserving professionals and their parental organizations in their respective field of excellence and get a great recognition and a position of their stature. The Ideal Excellence awards will surely help in moral boosting and more inspiration to the winners and their colleagues.

As many as 21 universities of the country participated in the event. Various Vice Chancellors, Pro-Vice Chancellors, Registrars, Deans and IT professional from all over the country were present at the workshop.The Presenters spoke on innovation transitioning from academia to industry, a subject of vital importance in a developing country like Pakistan as geospatial technology and diversified industries. And provided information on how new demands for geospatial-enabled solutions are continuously emerging and creating business opportunities. With the right strategy, entrepreneurial approach with scalable innovations will enable to prosper in this fast-transforming world of technology.

Ideal Autonetics has been in the IT business since 1996 and has been proudly serving many satisfied customers, providing IT solutions to Enterprise customers from Financial and Commercial sectors. It operates in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. Ideal Autonetics (Private) Limited runs a software-house, provides consultations, providesdata centers solutions, disaster recovery sites, networking and surveillance solutions. It has affiliation with world leading IT Solution providing companies such as Dell EMC, VMWARE, and Microsoft.

Free trade with China may Dampen Investment in SEZs?

on 01/06/2018

Pakistani Manufacturers start selling Chinese-made products with ‘Made in Pakistan’ tags!

Beijing’s push for further trade liberalization under second phase of the Pakistan-China free trade agreement (FTA) may severely dampen prospects of Chinese investment in prioritized special economic zones (SEZs) being set up under  (CPEC).

It would be convenient and cheaper for Chinese companies to manufacture in China and import products into Pakistan at zero duties, which would render the SEZs useless, officials in the Board of Investment (BOI) fear.This will also dash Pakistan’s hopes of starting a new wave of industrialization as almost 60% of the national output is contributed by the services sector which is not job-oriented. This means Pakistan is en route to becoming a trading nation.

Another worrisome aspect of the proposed second phase of the FTA, called FTA-II, is that it is shrouded in secrecy. Both Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the BOI were not aware of the tariff lines on which the commerce ministry wanted to slash duties to zero.

The timing of the FTA-II is also a matter of concern for some government agencies as Pakistan is not yet ready for further open trade due to a lack of product diversification and high cost of doing business.The Commerce Ministry says it will not sign the FTA unless every stakeholder is on board including the BOI and FBR.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will visit Beijing next month and the government intends to sign the expanded FTA with China. Pakistan has reportedly agreed to offer zero duties on 75% of tariff lines, which constitute roughly 5,340 out of total 7,120 tariff lines. About 35% of tariff lines were already subjected to zero duties, which have caused huge losses to the domestic industries.

It was unearthed in a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance that Pakistani manufacturers have even started importing goods from China and selling them as ‘Made in Pakistan’ products by placing their stamps on them.The FBR is concerned that the proposed 75% reduction in customs duty will adversely hit its revenues. However, the government said it did not care about the revenue loss because the FTA-II would help increase Pakistan’s exports to China from the current $1.5 billion to $9 billion. – ER Monitoring Desk

Transfer of Asrit Kedam Hydropower Project to Korean firm stopped

on 30/05/2018

Yunus Brothers claim they deserve it, transfer unlawful

Peshawar High Court has restrained Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government from handing over 215 MW Asrit Kedam Hydropower Project to Korean South East Power Company (KSEPC) in violation of rules and asked the government and Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization (PEDO) to comment within fortnight.

A local company Yunus Brothers, who had received Letter of Intent (LOI) and conducted the feasibility study of the 215 MW Asrit Kedam Hydropower Project, has approached the court and challenged the decision of the KP government of handing over the project to KSEPC project in violation of the rule.

The petitioner pleaded that in anticipation of issuance of LOI for award of contract for establishment 215 MW Asrit Kedam Hydro Power Project to be located on the Swat river in District Swat KP, in April 2007, Private Power Infrastructure Board (PPIB) issued LOI for the project to Yunus Brothers. Following the LOI the petitioner conducted a feasibility study for establishing the project within one year instead of 24 months the date set by the PPIB. However due to deadly flood in 2010 and later turbulent situation in Swat everything come to halt in region and it was not possible for the company to continue with the execution of the project.

After situation slightly improved in 2014, the Yunus brothers has signed a non binding MoU and the company had submitted feasibility stage tariff petition in 2016. However Nepra termed the feasibility conducted in 2008 outdated and asked the company to update the same.

Meanwhile the MoU expired and PPIB started pressurizing the company to either strike a deal with the Korean Company or the LOI will stand cancelled. Despite the company spent a lot of finances over the feasibility study the PPIB issued cancellation to the company but it was challenged in Sindh High Court which issued restraining order against the cancellation.

Meanwhile the Korean Company illegally entered into a MoU with Ministry of Energy, KP, and PEDO under KP Hydro Power Policy 2016, in June 2017. Since the bankable feasibility of the project was done by the Yunus Brothers therefore under Hydropower Policy 2016 it was required to conduct an International Competitive Bidding (ICB). However in violation of the power policy, the KP governments entered into MoU wit Korean Company without ICB or advertising the project.

After signing of the agreement the KP government approached the Ministry of Energy and PPIB to give the project to the KP government for awarding the same to the Korean company as a foreign state owned company on the basis of G to G arrangement.The PPIB responded that though the power generation policy 2015 contains the provisions to entertain certain private sector projects based on bilateral agreement (G to G arrangements) but agreements with the state owned companies (either by GoP or foreign governments) don’t fall in the purview of such provision. Beside, the MoU was signed without the prior approval of the KP cabinet.

The petitioner pleaded that after failing in their illegal and nefarious design to award the project to the Korean company the KP government has covertly amended the Hydropower Policy 2016. Since the project was doll out in a non-transparent and covert manner and signing the impugned MoU with Korean company is illegal, unlawful, arbitrary, capricious, without jurisdiction and is violation of the petitioners right as guaranteed by the Constitution.

Since the KP government entered into agreement without any international bidding therefore the impugned MoU and all the subsequent action are in violation of Hydropower policy 2016 and the constitution of Pakistan.The court was requested to declare the impugned MoU signed between the KP and Korean Company and handing over of the project to respondent are arbitrary, capricious, unreasonable, illegal, and unlawful, without jurisdiction and void ab initio.

It was also pleaded to declare the impugned in the Hydro Policy 2016 being non-transparent, unfair and discouraging the concept of competitive bidding is ultra vires the constitution, without any lawful authority. As in interim relief Peshawar High Court ordered the respondents to restrain from handing over the project to the Korean Company and asked the KP government and PEDO to comment within fortnight.

NESPAK wins ‘DHA Medical City’ Project

on 29/05/2018

NESPAK has won consultancy services for the establishment of a state-of-the-art medical complex in Lahore through a competition. The landmark project, which has been named DHA Medical City, will be located on the prime location of main Barki Road on a 357-kanal plot in Sector S, DHA Phase – VIII.

NESPAK will be responsible for the master-planning, architectural design, topographic survey, infrastructure design and detailed engineering design for the entire complex. NESPAK Managing Director Dr Tahir M Hayat has congratulated the staff concerned on this achievement. The complex, which will be completed in phases, comprises a modern 600–bed general hospital, a medical & dental college, three–bed and two-bed apartment blocks, hostel blocks, daycare and gymnasium along with a number of other allied facilities.

DHA Medical City will be the most advanced hospital in Pakistan and will encapsulate within it an architectural finesse that embraces all the positive elements of nature, as spaciousness through the perfect play of light and nature which will nurture the well-being of visitors seeking world class medical services.The dynamism and fluidity of the architectural design has been incorporated which reiterates the efficiency of an environment through carefully planned vertical and horizontal circulation that will make access to all quarters of the hospital easy and convenient from centralized lobbies. — MD at ER