17 October 2004 Sunday 02 Ramazan 1425 National unity key to economic stability: PM ISLAMABAD Oct 16: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Saturday that Pakistan needed unity and stability to achieve its full economic potential. "These requirements are being met and will be met," the prime minister told entrepreneurs at the launch of a corporate brokerage house ... Cotton may touch 15m bales mark this year: Crop body meeting delayed KARACHI, Oct 16: While cotton picking is at its peak in Sindh and Punjab, the government for its own reasons is not holding the meeting of the Cotton Crop Estimation Committee which is keeping all the stakeholders guessing on the final size of the crop. ... 1.092 million returns filed by Oct 15 ISLAMABAD, Oct 16: As many as 109,206,2 taxpayers have filed income tax returns till October 15 this year against the projected target of 120,000,0 returns to be received for the tax year 2004, indicating a decrease of 8.99 per cent. ... CBR to have unit for project management: Tax reforms ISLAMABAD, Oct 16: The government will set up a special Project Management Unit (PMU) in the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) for the smooth functioning and effective implementation of the proposed tax administration reform programme (TARP). ... Flashlight on savers and depositors KARACHI, Oct 16: "It is a wake-up for all of us to begin looking after the interest of the vast majority of small savers and mobilize and utilize their funds in much better way than we have done so far." ... Remittances reach $981m in 3 months KARACHI, Oct 16: Pakistan received $981.53 billion net workers' remittances during the first quarter of this fiscal year, up 10 per cent from $890.31 billion received a year earlier. ... Industrial products fairs ISLAMABAD, Oct 16: Business leaders of Rawalpindi and Kashgar have agreed to hold exhibitions of their industrial products in the two cities to enhance bilateral trade between Pakistan and China. ... Sugar mills to start crushing from 20th KARACHI, Oct 16: Pakistan Sugar Mills Association on Saturday announced that sugar mills in Sindh would start crushing from October 20. ... Two new cotton varieties KARACHI, Oct 16: The Sindh Seed Council on Saturday approved two new high-yielding varieties of cotton under the names of CRIS-134 and CRIS-467. ... Imports from Germany rise by 8.77pc ISLAMABAD, Oct 16: Pakistan's imports from Germany increased by 8.77 per cent to $611.838 million during the year 2003-04 as against $562.501 million a year earlier. ... Pakistan, Russia to enhance trade cooperation KARACHI, Oct 16: The open economy policies of Russian Federation has opened new avenues of cooperation between Pakistan and Russian Federation and both countries will ensure taking maximum benefit from it. ... WTO-compliant industrial policy urged KARACHI, Oct 16: The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry has called for making domestic industrial policy compliant with international trading laws of the WTO. ... Revival of CLCV wake-up call for farm scientists LAHORE, Oct 16: Discoloured and withered leaves seen in a plant in cotton fields these days sounds an alarm to growers that the dreaded Cotton Leaf Curl Virus (CLCV) has staged a comeback in Pakistan. ... Accountancy profession discussed ISLAMABAD, Oct 16: The coordination committee of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) held its first meeting here on Friday. ... Taxation treaty ISLAMABAD, Oct 16: Pakistan and Belarus have signed a convention for the avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to tax on income between the two countries. ... Spinners and exporters remain active buyers KARACHI, Oct 16: The cotton market finished the weekend session on a relatively improved note as spinners and private sector exporters remained active buyers at the prevailing prices. ...

© The DAWN Group of Newspapers, 2004