LAHORE

CHAIRMAN, Standing Committee on Environment, Senator Humayun Khan Mandokhel has said the environment is the most important issue in the

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HAMILTON: Canada and Bermuda qualified for the semi-finals of the ICC World Twenty20 Cricket League here Sunday.

Bermuda defeated Bahamas by 11 runs to get semi-final berth while Canada ousted Argentina to reach the semi-final.

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Pakistan News

Islamabad

Minister In-Charge of Information Technology and Telecommunication Latif Khosa has suspended Electronic Government Directorate?s (EGD

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LAHORE: The Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman Memorial Society (MKRMS), in collaboration with the World Psychiatric Association and World Federation for Mental Hea

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LAHORE: Representatives of farmers? associations on Saturday expressed dismay over the budget speech, saying that it had little to offer to the agricu

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ISLAMABAD: The 53rd National Badminton Championship will be played from June 27 to July 3 at Islamabad.

Spokesman of the Pakistan Badminton Federation (PBF) said that more than 200 players from the affiliated units of the PBF will take part in the championship, to be held under the Islamabad Badminton Association.

Contests of men?s singles, men?s doubles, ladies singles, ladies doubles, mixed doubles, veteran singles and veteran doubles will be held in the event.

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KARACHI: Heavy rains accompanied by gusty winds have badly disrupted road, air and rail communication systems.

Almost all trains to and from Karachi are running far behind schedule.

According to Divisional Commercial Officer, Pakistan Railway Karachi Division, a number of trains left City and Cantonment Railway stations with a delay of 2-3 hours.

Allama Iqbal Express, which was scheduled to leave at 1400 hours left at 1600 hours while Millat Express departed at 1730 hours instead of 1450 hours.

Tezgam was due to leave at 1900 hours instead of 1600 hours while Bolan Mail, which was scheduled to leave at 1630 hours left at 1700 hours.

Karachi Express was due to leave at 2030 hours instead of 1800 hours.

Fareed Express was due to leave at 2300 hours instead of scheduled departure time of 2030 hours.

Zakaria Express was leaving at 1930 hours instead of 1800 hours.

According to DS Railway Aftab Ahmed Memon, all other trains operated right time.

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ISLAMABAD: An unprecedented increase of 50 per cent in salaries of government employees and 15 to 20 per cent raise in pension is the salient features of the Federal Budget 2010-11.

The budget also envisaged some new tax exemptions on food items besides providing relief in health and education sectors.

The budget, presented in the National Assembly by Federal Finance Minister Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh had a total outlay of Rs 3.259 trillion?a jump of 10.7 per cent over the last fiscal year. It offered scores of incentives to the working class at a time when the world was constantly in the grip of a sweeping recession.

A sizeable 50 per cent adhoc increase in salaries and 15 to 20 per cent raise in pension of government employees were among a host of people-friendly features of the third budget in row prepared by the PPP-led coalition government.

The budget envisaged employment opportunities for the youth and income-generating measures for laborers, workers and poor segments of the society.

Senator Hafeez Sheikh, who was inducted into the Federal Cabinet just hours before tabling the budget in the lower house of the Parliament, said the total budget deficit of an estimated Rs.685 billion would be met through internal and external resources.

The total size of the deficit is 4% of the GDP, the Minister said, adding that Rs.1033 billion would be transferred by the federation to provinces under the recently-adopted National Finance Commission (NFC) award.

In the current year, the provinces had been given an amount of Rs.655 billion under the same head, Hafeez Sheikh said, adding that according to the 7th NFC Award, the provinces would be paid their due share on quarterly basis, which would be released by the Federal Government automatically as per schedule.

?No big wig will have to visit finance department for the release of provincial share as now it will be released automatically,? he said.

He said the present government, in its efforts to revive the economy, has to strictly follow the policy of belt-tightening in its expenditures.

Now, he added, the current expenditures of the government had been frozen, with the exception of salaries, to the level of outgoing financial year as a major austerity step.

The Minister said that the recommendations formulated by the Pay and Pension Commission would be implemented during the next three years.

The minister said that despite severe financial constraints, weak and poor segments of the society were not forgotten as they have been provided cover under Benazir Income Support Programme, which provides financial assistance to 3.5 million households with Rs. 1,000 on monthly basis to each.

He said the incentives given this time include, a reasonable increase in medical and conveyance allowance.

In tax sector, he said, keeping in view the general consensus, the government decided to defer Value Added Tax (VAT) till October 1, 2010, he added.

The minister said that it has also been proposed that the rate of general sales tax would be increased from 16 per cent to 17 per cent from October 1 this year.

In order to minimise and discourage the use of electricity, he said, it has been decided to impose 10 per cent excise duty on air-conditioners and deep-freezers mostly used by the upper class.

Hafeez Sheikh further said that a one-rupee excise duty has been proposed on each filtered cigarette.

As a major step forward to reduce tax burden on salaried class, it has been proposed to enhance tax exemption slab from Rs.200,000 to Rs.300,000, whereas for the non-salaried class the exemption will be from Rs.100,000 to Rs.300,000.

In order to extend relief in the prices of essential food items, it has been decided to reduce import duty on palm oil to Rs. 9,000 per ton, he said.

The finance minister also announced an allocation of Rs.442 billion for defence sector. Where as the government has allocated Rs. 680 billion for repayment of loans and interests.

While announcing government determination and resolve, the minister said, maximum austerity measures would be adopted in all the government departments and ministries, reducing non-development sector expenditures.

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PRETORIA: There are five days to go as the World Cup Football is being opened in South Africa and fans? craze has reached its peak as festivities continue in the country.

A World Cup carnival was held in Soweto Town where thousands of people took part in a parade on the town streets.

Colourful floats and performance of artists made a beautiful scene on this occasion.

The carnival was attended by tourists in a large number besides local people.

The World Cup Football opens on June 11 in South Africa and a series of festivals continue all over the country.

South Africa declared itself ready Sunday to stage the first World Cup on African soil, with President Jacob Zuma saying the event had shown how the Rainbow Nation had finally come together as one.

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KARACHI: The Cyclone Phet has moved past Karachi without hitting the coast and now passing along the coastal line of Thatta, Meteorological Department said Sunday.

Meanwhile, DCO Thatta Manzoor Shaikh said the Cyclone has smashed into the coastal line of Thatta and Badin where gale winds and heavy rains are battering the region.

He said Ketty Bunder has been evacuated to avert any hazardous situation. All the arrangements have been put in place to deal with any eventuality, he added.

Downpour is also visiting Hyderabad, disrupting the power supply, Met Office said. More rains are also expected in Karachi, it added.

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