KARACHI: Heavy rains and winds lashed Karachi on Sunday as Cyclone Phet swirled along Pakistan’’s coastline after claiming the lives of 15 people in Oman.

Tens of thousands of people have already been evacuated from vulnerable coastal villages in the southern province of Sindh, of which Karachi is the capital, officials said.

“Cyclone Phet is expected to landfall near Karachi sometime Sunday evening packed with maximum winds of 100 kilometres (60 miles) per hour,” chief meteorologist Mohammad Riaz said.

He added that the cyclone could generate waves of up to four metres (over 13 feet).

President Asif Ali Zardari has ordered lawmakers in Sindh to speed up relief work in areas expected to be battered by torrential rains, according to an official statement.

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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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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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DG KHAN/MULTAN: While the prime minister?s brother, Syed Ahmad Mujtaba Gilani, won the by-polls from PP-206 Jalalpur Pirwala, a Pakistan Muslim League

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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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KARACHI: The tropical cyclone that brewed at Arabian Sea, after wreaking havoc in Omani Sultanate, barreled towards Pakistani coastline and is still raging 70 kilometers away from Karachi, Geo News reported Sunday.

The cyclone would hit coastline between Karachi to Thatta around 10:00 pm near Keti Bunder, DG Dr Qamar uz Zaman told Geo News. Heavy rainfall is also expected during next 24 to 36 hours.

Media and rescue teams are also advised to leave the area.

The cyclone Phet (a Thai word that means Diamond) is feared to hit District Thatta, Keti Bandar, Shahi Bandar, Bhimbhor, Jati, Mirpur Sakro.

Director General of Meteorological Department Qamaruz Zaman Chaudhry told that the cyclone is present 70 kilometers from Karachi, adding it would smash into the Sindh coastal areas with a pace of 100 kilometers per hour.

Qamar said the cyclone would cause 3 to 5-meter high waves in Thatta’’s coastal areas.

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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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KARACHI: Karachi received the first heavy spell of rain on Saturday night and in afternoon due to tropical cyclone PHET, while the next spell is expected to hit later in the evening.

At least nine people including two women died due to rain related incidents mostly due to electrocution. Many areas were without electricity. Rescue teams were busy in restoring civic facilities.

Hospitals of Sher Shah, Baloch Colony, Bin Qasim Town, Nazimabad, City Railway Colony and Burns Road areas received many of the bodies.

According to Met Office, its observatory at PAF Base Masroor recorded a downpour of 133 millimeters, Faisal Base 92 mm, Saddar 84 mm, North Karachi 86 mm and Karachi Airport 77.1 mm.

Meanwhile, the sanitary staff of City District Government Karachi has started the efforts to flush out water from low lying areas in the city. CDGK teams were seen busy in various parts of city on Sunday morning along with water suction trucks and de-watering pumps to siphon out rainwater at the roundabouts, beneath underpasses and overhead bridges.

However, water was still stagnated in large part of the city as intermittent downpour continued in the metropolis.

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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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HUNZA: The accident-accelerated lake in Ata Abad is receiving and discharging the same amount of water, which stalled the spread of water of the Lake in low-lying areas of Gojal tehsil, Geo News reported Sunday.

According to government sources, the inflow and outflow at the Lake has reached 4800 cusecs.

Meanwhile, helicopter and boat services, which were suspended on bad weather, have been resumed partially today.

The Hunza-Gilgit section of Karakoram Highway, which was closed owing to bad weather conditions, was kept open till 4pm yesterday.

Zonal Manager Utility Stores Corporation Majid Swati told that the edibles have been dispatched to the affected areas.

Meantime, Advisor to Prime Minister Asima Alamgir arrived in Gilgit. DC Hunza Zafar Waqar Taj said the Lake situation was under control and hence, the spillway breakdown was out of question.

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