December 18, 2005	Sunday	Ziqa’ad 15, 1426

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Why not grants instead of loans? KARACHI: Did Pakistan have the option to seek relief from donors in debt servicing instead of asking for condition-loaded ‘soft’ loans and grants? This is a question which many in Pakistan raised after the government claimed credit for securing $1.9...		Reforms led to boom in capital market: PM KARACHI, Dec 17: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said here on Saturday that reforms introduced by the government and coordination between the stock exchange and the government have led to an upsurge in the capital market....
G-20 cautiously welcomes steps in farm talks HONG KONG, Dec 17: G-20 member countries on Saturday cautiously welcomed the steps taken in agriculture negotiations and stressed upon the developed nations, especially the European Union and the United States,...		Government borrowing up by 23.4pc in five months KARACHI, Dec 17: The government borrowing for budgetary support in 5 months has reached almost 85 per cent of the limit earmarked for the whole year, 2005-06....
Larger phutti arrivals may depress prices KARACHI, Dec 17: The cotton market on Saturday witnessed with a bit surprise larger than expected arrival figures of phutti into ginneries and leading players tried to tilt the price balance...		Income Tax Rules amended ISLAMABAD, Dec 17: The Central Board of Revenue has amended various rules of the Income Tax Rules, 2001, including those related to approval of organizations, said an official announcement issued here on Saturday....
HKMC issues revised draft HONG KONG, Dec 17: The Chairman of the Hong Kong ministerial conference John C. Tsang on Saturday issued a revised draft text declaration in an attempt to conclude the ongoing ministerial conference with some degree of consensus among the members....		CFS rates move up KARACHI, Dec 17: After having fluctuated either-way, CFS rates on the Karachi Stock Exchange rose by 201 basis points at 17.5 per cent from the previous 15.4...
Government needs to involve all stakeholders KARACHI: People associated with the allied construction industry are still unclear if houses, hospitals and schools will be built using solid concrete or light materials after the reconstruction activity kicks off after winter....		Momentous task ahead... The trail of death and destruction left behind by the Oct 8 earthquake in northern Pakistan shook the world. The last count was more than a hundred thousand people dead with 3.3 million rendered homeless. Never before had the country seen human misery of such magnitude. And the nation''s response was spontaneous. Truckloads of relief goods lined up for miles heading to the affected areas...
General asks for public support ISLAMABAD: A vigorous reconstruction process in the quake-hit areas will commence in early April to construct more than 400,000 houses for those rendered homeless by the earthquake and to put in...		Movement of workers to alter labour market LAHORE: Economists expect rebuilding of quake-hit areas of Azad Kashmir and NWFP to considerably boost sales of construction material in Punjab and leave a positive impact on the provincial economy....
Opposition wants military to step aside KARACHI: The mainstream opposition parties have expressed serious reservations at the government’s fund raising effort and steps for the rehabilitation of earthquake victims. They have also expressed serious reservations over the...		Early revival of farm sector crucial MULTAN: The majority of the people affected by the October 8 earthquake were farmers with small landholdings, while rearing livestock was also their occupation. The tragedy of the families, suffering from...
Role of private sector not defined KARACHI: The private sector offers mixed view on reconstruction activities in the earthquake hit areas. Most people argue that the challenge is a most difficult one in which the public and private sectors and NGOs should join hands....		Zero tolerance for corruption ISLAMABAD: International donors put forth three common demands to Pakistan before they started providing and pledging financial assistance for reconstruction and rehabilitation of areas devastated by the October 8 earthquake....
Profiteering from tragedy? KARACHI: A preliminary damage and needs assessment report on the Oct 8 earthquake prepared by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank has put the figure of direct damages at Rs135 billion and indirect losses at Rs34 billion....		NGOs doubt govt’s ability to meet UN goals ISLAMABAD: Local and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are casting doubts over the government’s ability to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set by the United Nations, besides questioning its capacity to build an improved infrastructure in earthquake-hit areas....
Banks revived, business dull KARACHI: Banks were probably the first institution to be restored after the devastating earthquake of October 8, but business is reported to be far below normal....		Coal mining may pick up pace in Balochistan QUETTA: The widespread destruction caused by the October 8 earthquake in different parts of the NWFP and Azad Kashmir followed large-scale rehabilitation efforts in the affected areas....
‘Surge in steel demand likely’ KARACHI: The demand for long and flat steel products for reconstruction activities in the quake affected areas is going to be colossal because these are needed not only to provide shelters...		Many people still left out of relief net ISLAMABAD: The government has recently stated that no more than 25 per cent of the pledged $6.2 billion will be made available in the next three to four months by the...