Sunday, December 25, 2011

Pakistan passport fee

Fee structure for those who want to get new Pakistani passport and to renew their existing passport
Directorate General of Immigration and passport,
Ministry of Interior,
Govt. of Pakistan.

Fee
          72 pages             Rs. 5500
          100 pages           Rs .12000
          Renewal fee        Rs. 400
          Renewal urgent   Rs. 800

Policy of Directorate
Machine Readable Passport System is replacing the existing manual system . Every Citizen of Pakistan will have the relevant passport for traveling abroad.

Process for the applicant
The applicant will go through the following stages at Regional Passport Office (RPO) in order to get the Machine Readalbe Passport (MRP): 
  • Arrival of Applicant at Customer Service Counter at RPO.
  • Token Counter.
  • Biometric Data Capture.
  • Photograph Capture.
  • Data Entry.
  • Verification as per Office Record.
  • Interview and Decision by Assistant Director.
  • Collection of Passport.

Monday, December 19, 2011

Sugarcane production in Pakistan

Pakistan Sugar Mills Assosiation Central Chairman Muhammad Javed Kiayani, said "sugarcane production is expected to be around 55 million tons and production of sugar is forecast to be around 5.05 million tons" . “With a carry-over stock and after meeting the local  requirement of the country of 4.21 million tons, there would still be a surplus sugar of over 1 million tons in the country and it is necessary to dispose it off in order to make payments to the growers in need immediately. We have around 0.8 million tons of sugar surplus also in the next season,” he said .
Mr. Kiyani urged the federal govt to timely purchase the 0.20  million stock of cane  and if the government does not intend to buy  from the millers, they should be allowed to export the surplus which is their legitimate right without which the growers would be deprived of their payments. He said that the government has to take such a decision, which does not kill the local industry and make them defaulters of the banks. Besides, the govt should also keep in mind that the million of growers, who rely on sugarcane crop, would also suffer due to the illogical ban on surplus sugar export. According to him, at present there is no level-playing field for the industry because the government has imposed restriction on the export of sugar and the industry is not in a position to continue its operations.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Sindh Stone Development Company

The First Board meeting of Sindh Stone Development Company (SSDC), was held in the Committee Room of the Sindh Board of Investment (SBl) office , here on Saturday.
Chairman of Sindh Board of Investment , Zubair Motiwala informed the participants that the primary objective of this effort is to enhance the export potential of valuable marble and granite sector of Pakistan by focusing on increased competitiveness and modernisation of existing marble practices, said a statement issued.
Sindh Secretary Investment , Mr. Younus Dagha highlighted the objectives for the establishment of an independent company under the auspices  of Sindh government to promote this sector.
He said that the Sindh Government has allocated 300 acres of land near an ideal location of Deh Mithaghar, District West Karachi with availability of fresh water canal from Hub Dam right in the middle of allocated land.
Motiwala told that the project is based on a cutting edge technology, common facility, training institution and most sophisticated and technologically advanced industrial park for marble and granite sector in Karachi and Sindh.

Quail farming

Avian Research and Training Centre of the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) has completed a project farming to upgrade of a quail farm, establishment of a modern quail meat processing plant and has started selling quail meat at the varsity’s farm house.Department of Poultry Production Chairman Prof Dr Muhammad Akram told media today and added that it was completed at the cost of Rs 30 millions.

He further told  that the UVAS, in collaboration with SMEDA had arranged a training programme for quail farmers. 

“The purpose of the programme is to introduce quail farming as a source of earning and livlihood and means of alleviating poverty by creating employment opportunities, especially in rural areas of the country, ” he said. Quails produced in the farm are organic and fulfil international standard of hygiene and bio-security, he told.