FBR Issues Draft Amendments in Tracking and Monitoring of Cargo Rules

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has decided to relax the criteria for companies intended to provide GSM or GPRS or Satellite Communication services for monitoring and tracking of containers and vehicles carrying cargoes throughout the journey.

The FBR has issued draft amendments in the Tracking and Monitoring of Cargo Rules, 2012 here on Thursday.

According to the rules, the FBR has released a detailed procedure for the grant of a licence to the company to be engaged in tracking and monitoring of various types of cargo throughout the journey from the port of entry to the port of exit or from one warehouse to another, on a real-time basis.

The FBR has laid down detailed criteria for the companies who wanted to carry out tracking and monitoring of cargo including transit cargo, transhipment cargo and transportation of petroleum products to Afghanistan.

The FBR has specified many conditions for the companies who wanted to obtain a licence for such monitoring and tracking of cargo. One of the main conditions is the financial soundness of the company which has been relaxed and relevant amount has been reduced.

Under the criteria for grant of licence to the applicant, the company shall be in a financial position to undertake the project-minimum turnover of Rs 350 million and financial worth of Rs 200 million. After the relaxation of the condition, it shall be in a financial position to undertake the project-minimum turnover of Rs. 175 million and financial worth of Rs. 100 million.

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CCoE Directs Petroleum Division to Reform Gas Transmission System

A meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE) was held under the chairmanship of the Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Asad Umar, in Islamabad, on Thursday.

The Cabinet Committee on Energy discussed a proposal of the Power Division related to reform and restructuring of the gas transmission and distribution system.

The CCoE directed the Petroleum Division to prepare a comprehensive strategy for regulatory and policy reform of the gas sector. It was further directed that short-term measures for efficiency enhancement and loss reduction should be immediately implemented.

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The chairman said that for the longer term, a roadmap to a competitive gas market is required where the private sector would perform an active role.

The CCoE also set up a sub-committee for regular monitoring of the overall progress on the reform agenda and implementation of CCoE decisions.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Energy, Omar Ayub Khan, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Shibli Faraz, Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance, Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, SAPM on Petroleum, Nadeem Babar, and other officials of various divisions.

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SECP Revises Public Offering Regulations for Debt Securities

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has revised general conditions for the public offer of debt securities by “issuer” including companies, Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), or body corporate.

The SECP has proposed amendments in the Debt Securities Trustees Regulations, 2017 and Public Offering Regulations, 2017 through two notifications issued on Thursday.

The Public Offering Regulations, 2017 apply to a public limited company or body corporate proposing to issue securities to the general public; an ‘Offeror’ who intends to offer securities to the general public and sponsors of the public limited company or body corporate, the ‘Consultants’ to the Issue, the ‘Underwriter’, the ‘Book Runner’, the ‘Designated Institution’, the ‘Banker to an Issue’, ‘Investment Agent’ and ‘Issuing and Paying Agent’.

On the other hand, Debt Securities Trustees Regulations, 2017 provide a comprehensive regulatory framework under the Securities Act, 2015 for licensing and regulation of debt securities trustees (DSTs).

SECP officials ProPakistani that the commission has issued certain amendments to the Public Offering Regulations, 2017 to promote capital formation by facilitating issuers and safeguarding the interest of the general public.

According to the S. R. O.1229 (I)/2020, one of the revised general conditions for the public offer of debt securities is that in case of debt securities other than the commercial paper, it has an appointed Debt Securities Trustee or investment agent.

Previously, the condition said that in the case of debt securities, other than Commercial Paper and Sukuk, it has an appointed debt securities trustee licensed by the Commission.

The SECP has also revised the functions of the ‘Consultant to the Issue’. The Consultants to the Issue” means any person licensed by the Commission to act as a Consultant to the Issue which may also be called Lead Manager or Adviser.

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Pakistan’s E-commerce Market Grows Despite COVID-19

Pakistan’s e-commerce market is estimated to have expanded to Rs. 234.6 billion in the financial year 2019-20, showing a growth of 55.5 percent on a year-on-year basis, according to a report published by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

The transaction of the e-commerce comprises of Cash-on-Delivery (CoD), which stood at Rs. 140.7 billion, whereas payments through digital means stood at Rs. 93.8 billion.

The reduced working hours and restricted mobility made it challenging for people to access avenues such as general stores and shopping centers. Therefore, consumers shifted towards e-commerce, mainly since the authorities allowed logistic services to operate under the standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Besides, various megastores and shopping centers have either shifted to or expanded their e-commerce platforms for providing their services to customers while maintaining the social-distancing.

However, it seems that the e-commerce industry was not ready to cater to a sudden surge in customer demand due to the COVID-19 crisis.

As a result, a large number of orders were reportedly canceled, and refunds were either not processed on time or were indefinitely delayed.

Since digital payment-based orders are processed on a pre-payment model as opposed to a post-payment model in the case of COD, customers have swayed away from digital payments and towards cash settlement, as they could minimize their risk by holding the payments until order completion.

On the other hand, most of the existing non-retail e-commerce players with digital payment options had to suspend their operations due to restrictions in major cities.

For instance, restaurants had to suspend operations in the initial days of lockdowns, which might have caused a dip in food deliveries.

Likewise, there were restrictions on pillion-riding and ride-hailing services in some cities, causing the overall volume of digital e-commerce sales to fall.

The e-commerce market has shown impressive growth over the past few years. Increasing digital penetration, lower costs, and increased awareness about electronic commercial platforms have led to a significant shift in consumer purchasing patterns over the years.

While similar infrastructure exists for business-to-business (B2B) exchanges, such interactions have so far been rather confined to logistics services. In overall terms, the estimated e-commerce sales in Pakistan have grown at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 62 percent during FY17-19.

Furthermore, the focus of e-commerce platforms on enhancing the customer experience via feedback and rating mechanism has helped build customers’ trust while forcing sellers and vendors to improve their service delivery and product quality.

Although cash on delivery remains the most preferred mode of payment, the use of debit and credit cards and IBFT has also increased in both volume and value terms during this period.

This progress has continued during FY20 as well, whereas a significant development during the first three quarters was a notable surge in Mobile wallet payments with e-commerce merchants.

Anecdotal evidence also points towards marketplaces as well as one-to-many digital outlets leveraging on the expanding mobile wallets ecosystem to attract customers by occasionally offering special discounts.

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Bob Hearts Abishola Cast in Real Life 2020

Bob hearts Abishola is an American drama-comedy sitcom television series created by Chuck Lorre, Eddie Gorodetsky, Al Higgins, and Gina Yashere. The first season of this remarkable comedy show was released on September 23, 2019, particularly liked by viewers and critics. In May 2020, the series reiterated for a second season, which recently premiered on November 16, 2020. The star cast of this high profile comedy series shines with Hollywood’s most prominent comedian actors. The story of Bob Hearts Abishola is based on the life of a middle-aged man Bob from Detroit, who gets heart surgery in a hospital and falls in love with his cardiac nurse, Abishola, unexpectedly. Despite the difference in their backgrounds and her absence of initial interest, he is determined to win her heart.

Let us have a gleam look into the real lives of the Bob Hearts Abishola cast, to have a better sense of their career, characters, and achievements in life. Stay tuned!

Billy Gardell (Bob)

Billy Gardell portrayed the role of Bob in the series. Billy is an American stand-up comedian, actor, voice artist, and game show host. He was born in Pennsylvania and then moved to Florida with his mother and younger siblings after his parents’ divorce.Billy is known for his comedic roles and is influenced by Jackie Gleason. In 2002, he made his film debut, appearing as a guest role in the movie Avenging Angelo.

After that, he continued to make appearances in some television series. In 2006, Billy released his first comedy album, which earned him recognition among the audience. He is best known for his recurring role as Billy Colivida on Yes, Dear and appeared in a dozen episodes of My Name Is Earl as a police officer. He also did the voice roles in some movies and drama series. Billy has been married to Patty Knight since 2001, and together they have a son, William III.

Folake Olowofoyeku (Abishola)
Folake Olowofoyeku played the role of Abishola in the series. Folake is a well-known Nigerian actress and musician. She grew up in Nigeria as the youngest child of 20 children. At the age of 18, Folake moved to the United States, where she came to live with her sister. After graduating from college, she began her career, working at an off-Broadway theater in New York City.

After that, she has appeared in guest roles in some Television series, including 30 Rock, How to Get Away with Murder, Modern Family, Westworld, and White Collar. In 2017, she made her film debut with a starring role in the movie Death Race 2050 as Minerva Jefferson. Aside from acting, Folake also had a broad music career. Her other credentials include roles in the film When They Could Fly, Central & Broadway, The Bride, Hellbenders-3D, Female Fight Club, and The Child Within.

Christine Ebersole (Dottie)
Christine Ebersole is part of Bob Hearts Abishola’s cast and played Dottie’s role in the series. Christine is an American actress and singer, born on February 21, 1953, in Chicago. She has appeared in multiple roles in films, on television, and the stage. In 1972, she started her career and had won a Tony Award for her performance in a Broadway production of 42nd Street.

Christine has stared in the TBS sitcom Sullivan & Son as Carol Wash and in One Life to Live, which earned him an Emmy award nomination. Ebersole has been married twice. From 1976 to 1981, she was married to her first husband, actor Peter Bergman. Since 1988, she married Bill Moloney, with whom she has adopted three children, Elijah, Mae Mae, and Aron.

Maribeth Monroe (Christina Wheeler)
Maribeth Monroe portrayed Christina in the series. She is an American actress, writer, and comedian. In 1998, Monroe made her acting debut in the film All of It. Since then, she has done a lot of work in the movies and drama series, and most of it has been loved by critics and fans. Maribeth is best known for portraying Alice Murphy on Comedy Central’s sitcom Workaholics and the role of Mindy St. Claire on NBC’s sitcom The Good Place. She has also featured in movies including, The Back-up Plan, Keeping Up with the Joneses, Downsizing, and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. Most recently, she has starred in the drama series Bob Hearts Abishola.

Matt Jones (Douglas)
Bob Hearts Abishola cast features Matt Jones for the role of Douglas in the series. Matt is an American actor and singer. He was born in Sacramento, California, and raised in Pomona, California, one of ten children between his mother and stepfather. At the early stage of his career, Matt was the singer/primary songwriter of the ska band Faculty Four and has appeared in 20 commercials. In the acting career, his breakthrough came when he landed the role of Brandon Mayhew on the drama series Breaking Bad. He also did the voice roles in several movies including, Home: Adventures with Tip & Oh and Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020). Matt is married to Kelly Daly, and together they have a son, Jasper.

Shola Adewusi (Oluwatoy)
Shola Adewusi is part of Bob Hearts Abishola cast and played the role of Oluwatoy in the series. Adewusi is 57 years old British actress who has enjoyed a career in stage, television, and film work. She has also acted in a number of radio productions. Adewusi is one of the few performers to garnered acclamation widely for his famous supporting role in the television series including, My Hero, The Bill, Casualty, Bad Girls, Family Affairs, Emmerdale, and Chewing Gum.

Barry Shabaka Henley (Babatunde)
Barry Shabaka Henley portrayed Babatunde in the series. Barry is an American character actor. His real name is Barry Joseph Henley, but he chose the stage name Shabaka. Shabaka was a Pharaoh of Egypt from the 25th Dynasty that ruled the country between 721 and 707 BC. He has appeared as a regular in some television series and has numerous film credits. At the age of 37, Barry made his first screen appearance in the unsold television pilot Clippers. In 2019, Henley joined the cast of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise. He is best known for his television series roles such as The Royal Family, Roc, Robbery Homicide Division, Close to Home, Flash Forward, and Bosch.

Vernee Watson (Gloria)
Vernee Watson is part of Bob hearts Abishola cast and played the character of Gloria in the series. She is an American actress, author, and voice artist. At the age of 17, she began her career by performing recurring roles in the theatres. He made his first film appearance in 1970 with the movie Cotton Comes to Harlem. After that, she appeared in multiple movies and television series and played voice roles in several movies. She is famously known for her starring roles as Vernajean Williams on Welcome Back, Kotter, and as Viola Smith on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Ai. She has been married twice. Her first marriage was to Joe Duckett from 1976 until 1977 and was last married to photographer Van Johnson from 1979 to 1991.

Gina Yashere (Kemi)
Gina Yashere played the role of Kemi in the series. Gina is a British comedian and actor, born on 6 April 1974. Before getting involved in the field of acting, she started her career as a comedian. She has made many appearances on British and American television. As a stand-up comedian, Gina has performed at both live venues and for television series. She uses the surname “Yashere” due to encountering common mispronunciation of her original surname.

Anthony Okungbowa (Kofo)
Bob Hearts Abishola’s cast features Anthony Okungbowa for the Role of Kofo in the series. Anthony is an English-American actor, film producer, and DJ. He was born in Nigeria and then moved to the United States to pursue his acting career. His acting roles include guest spots on The X-Files, NYPD Blue, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and NCIS: Los Angeles in 2014. Most recently, he has starred in the drama series Bob Hearts Abishola.

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Hassan Ali Wife | 50 Lovely Pictures

Hassan Ali is one of the most popular cricketers and in a very short span of time has earned a good name for himself in the sports world. The young cricketer got married not very long ago. The news of the marriage was a surprise since Hassan had kept it private and was apparently single. Hassan Ali is now happily married to the love of his life, namely Samiya Khan. Here are a few things about the beautiful wife of Hassan Ali followed by photos of Samiya Khan.

Samiya Khan, like our Sania Mirza, is an Indian national. She is from the city of Hariana which is located in the Indian state of Punjab. In terms of her education and profession, Samiya is an engineer and has completed her degree in engineering from a university in England. She is currently working for a private airline company. The 24-year-old spouse of Hassan Ali loves to cherish every moment with her husband. The two of them give us major couple goals and make us believe in true love again. We have collected fifty photos of Hassan Ali’s wife Samiya Khan for you to see.

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Bakhtawar Bhutto To Re-create Benazir Bhutto Nikkah look On Her Dholak

Bakhtawar Bhutto’s engagement ceremony is due to take place on the 27th of November at Bilawal House, Karachi.

The pictures of invitation cards are making rounds on the internet and we all have read the rules and regulations that all the attendants will have to follow.

Bakhtawar Bhutto’s fiance to be Mehmood Chaudhry is a US-based business Tycoon. According to sources, Bakhtawar Bhutto will re-create the nikkah look of her late mother, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.

Bakhtawar Bhutto will be wearing her mother’s nikkah dress on her dholak. Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto wore this beautiful green and pink assemble on her nikkah. This dress was designed by Resham Revaj.

We believe that Bakhtawar will look archetypal in her mother’s dress, because of the sentimental values attached to the dress as well as the regalness the dress carries.

Did you guys find this news interesting? Share your views with us through the comments section!

(Source: Something Haute)

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Flour Prices Decline With the Improved Supply of Wheat: Ministry of National Food Security

With the arrival of imported wheat, the price of wheat has started to decline in the retail markets, claimed the Ministry of National Food Security and Research.

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet allowed the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) to import 1.50 MMT of wheat on 4th August 2020. On the request of provinces, the Federal Government enhanced the quantity of imported wheat up to 2.2 MMT to ensure an uninterrupted supply of wheat at affordable prices.

The import of wheat is being made through TCP and PASSCO on behalf of recipients, which are PASSCO, Punjab, KP, and Sindh. Out of the total allocation of 2.2 MMT, 280,000 MT wheat has already arrived in the country, whereas seven more ships carrying around 400,000 MT of wheat are expected to arrive in November 2020.

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Furthermore, 20 ships carrying 1.4 MMT have been booked and are scheduled to reach in December, January, and February.
Provincial Food Departments have reported downward trends in the retail market prices of wheat and wheat flour. The prices of local and imported wheat have decreased around Rs. 200 per 100 kg.

The price of imported wheat in Karachi has reduced from Rs. 4900 per 100 kg to Rs. 4700 per 100 kg. In the Rawalpindi area, the wheat price has decreased from Rs. 2400 per 40 kg to around Rs. 2200 per 40 kg. The prices of wheat flour are controlled by the respective local administration.

Provincial Food Departments of Punjab, Sindh, and KP have fixed the release price of wheat at Rs. 1475 per 40 kg. The controlled price of flour in Punjab and KP is Rs. 43 per kg (Rs.860 per 40 kg) while Rs. 52 per kg in Sindh. The superfine wheat flour is being sold at Rs.60 per kg in Punjab, Rs. 58 per kg in Sindh, and Rs. 65 per kg in KP.

Furthermore, Provincial Food Departments have enhanced the release of wheat to flour mills from 30,000 MT in the previous week to 40,000 MT as of today. However, this quantity varies as per the requirement of the flour mills. It is expected that due to the arrival of more wheat in the upcoming months, the prices of wheat and fine flour will be further reduced.

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