Page 11 - Pakistan Link - January 20, 2023

PAKISTAN PAKISTAN LINK - JANUARY 20, 2023 - P11
Traders Give SBP Chief a Tough Ambassador Blome Meets Aminul Haq,

Time for Curbing Imports Discusses IT & Telecom Related Issues

ISLAMABAD: US Ambassador to
Pakistan Donald Blome on Wednes-
day called on IT and Telecommuni-
cation Minister Syed Aminul Haq
and discussed several matters re-
lated to the IT and telecom sector.
The meeting, which lasted for
about an hour, had conspicuous sig-
nificance in the wake of the politi-
cal situation in the country. How-
ever, Haq insisted no political topic
came under discussion.
“It remained confined to pro-
fessional matters as we had our
teams present in the meeting,” the
minister told The News, terming State Bank of Pakistan Governor Jameel Ahmad - Dawn
the meeting very productive.
He said the US envoy showed cussed matters of mutual interest, forwarded to relevant forums for
interest in meeting the MQM-P IT and telecom sector. The minister approval within three to four weeks.
leaders so that he could have a bet- informed the envoy there were nu- The US ambassador said
ter view of the political situation in merous opportunities for US tech that Pakistan was getting an
the biggest city of the country. The companies in the IT and telecom important place in the technol-
State Bank of Pakistan Governor Jameel Ahmad - Dawn US had always taken keen interest sector in Pakistan, it added. ogy world. He also emphasized
in the progress and development of The minister said there was closer cooperation in the IT and
KARACHI: Traders declared open where importers line the pockets of Karachi, he said. a dire need of enhancing Pak-US telecom sector between the two
season on State Bank of Pakistan officials for getting their foreign pay- Aminul Haq extended an invi- cooperation in the IT and telecom countries. The sources said that
(SBP) Governor Jameel Ahmad ments cleared, he alleged. The gov- tation to the US envoy for visiting sector besides boosting business matters related to Google and
on Wednesday, hurling barbs that ernor took offence, but the business- the central secretariat of the MQM- ties. some other networks also came
sometimes bordered on outright man shot back by saying he kept the P in Karachi, which he accepted. He noted that work on 70 con- up for discussion.
insults for imposing import restric- “proverbial receipts”. However, the US ambassador did nectivity projects worth Rs65 bil- Meanwhile, US Consul Gen-
tions. Repeating the views that the not give an exact date or schedule lion was underway for ensuring eral in Karachi Nicole Theriot had
Members of the Karachi Cham- SBP governor expressed earlier in for visiting Karachi. It is likely that connectivity across the country. an important meeting with another
ber of Commerce and Industry the day at the Federation of Paki- he would undertake the visit early Aminul Haq said that the Per- top leader of the MQM-P Nasreen
(KCCI) spared little mercy for the stan Chambers of Commerce and next month. sonal Data Protection Bill and social Jalil in Karachi at her residence re-
central bank chief in a town-hall Industry, he said the country would The ministry stated that the media rules are business-friendly, cently, where other party leaders
meeting for letting 5,700 containers receive fresh inflows of dollars in US envoy and federal minister dis- adding that both the bills will be were also present. – The News
laden with food, medicine and in- the coming weeks and the liquidity
dustrial raw materials waste away at situation would improve going for-
Banks are refusing to open let- to provide the SBP with granular NA Speaker Defends Decision to Accept
port for months on end. ward. He asked the KCCI leadership
ters of credit (LCs) for a majority details about the withheld imports
of imports under explicit directives and sector-wise values of pending Resignations of PTI Lawmakers
from the SBP as the country fights a payments.
serious shortage of dollars. He reiterated the SBP’s official
Minimizing dollar outflows has position that LCs of food products, ISLAMABAD: National Assem-
brought a wide section of import- energy-related imports and indus- bly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on
dependent industrial activity to a trial raw materials will have a higher Thursday defended his decision to ac-
standstill across the country. priority than all other categories. cept the resignations of PTI lawmak-
Based on K-Electric billings, There’s a total backlog of around ers, saying he only did so after they
power consumption by Karachi- 11,000 cases of import payments — were able to “satisfy him” by proving
based factories has gone down by down from 33,000 pending cases in that it was a “voluntary decision and
30-35 per cent in recent months, 2022 — that the SBP is trying to re- not under pressure”.
which reflects declining industrial solve at the earliest, Mr Ahmad said. In an apparent bid to scuttle the
activity, according to the KCCI lead- Earlier, KCCI President Mo- PTI’s purported plan to bring a confi-
ership. hammad Yousuf Tariq suggested that dence motion against Prime Minister
In a visual demonstration of the SBP do away with the priority list Shehbaz Sharif, Ashraf on Tuesday
the closure of industry, one over- because it leaves room for favoritism had accepted the resignations of 34 National Assembly Speaker Raja Perviaz Ashraf talks to Dawn News at the Marriott Hotel in
enthusiastic KCCI representative and manipulation. LC quotas should PTI lawmakers alongside Awami Islamabad — Screengrab
handed the SBP governor a giant key rather be assigned based on the pre- Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid,
in a velvet box. Visibly embarrassed, ceding year’s turnover, he suggested. resulting in their de-notification by day, the NA speaker said he had ac- person resigning made the decision
Mr Ahmad squirmed in his seat and Former KCCI president Zubair the Election Commission of Pakistan. cepted the resignations of those law- according to their own will and con-
refused to accept it without making Motiwala urged the SBP governor to The ECP communiqué regard- makers who had satisfied him that science.”
eye contact with the KCCI represen- get all the 5,700 containers released ing the de-notification of the mem- they had tendered the resignations He said, “There is a hue and cry
tative. on an urgent basis. He also demand- bers, mostly the top brass of the voluntarily as well as those who had when I don’t accept resignations, and
Similarly, an importer of the ed that the government play its part PTI and former members of Imran made their stance on the matter clear a hue and cry when I do.”
perfume used in soap manufactur- in getting detention, container and Khan’s cabinet, came as a surprise in the media. Ashraf rejected the claim that he
ing told the governor that his prom- customs charges either waived or for the PTI as well as political ex- Ashraf said that several PTI law- accepted the resignations due to PTI
ise of better days meant little more reduced. “There’re 75 containers of perts as only two weeks back, the makers had contacted him, saying Chairman Imran Khan hinting at the
than a lollipop. onions stuck on port. speaker had refused to accept the they were still pondering over the de- party’s return to the assembly.
“It’s not an issue of the dollar Their demurrage is now higher resignations. cision to resign from the lower house “There is nothing as such. The
shortage. The issue is of your intent,” than the cost,” he said, referring to Meanwhile, PTI leader and for- of parliament. process of accepting the resignations
he said, curtly. The businessman said the penalty imposed on failing to mer NA speaker Asad Qaiser had “Many PTI members spoke to was initiated when the PTI delegation
banks aren’t processing his import discharge a ship on time. Speak- termed Ashraf’s move to be a “grave me on the phone and said they were visited me,” he said, referring to the
documents even though his long- ing to Dawn on the sidelines of the injustice” to the speaker’s office. still thinking about it. They also told meeting held last month.
time overseas supplier has extended town-hall meeting, an importer of “When you occupy a consti- me that they were initially told that “We went over their media state-
credit for one year. foodstuff said his imports worth tutional position, then you should tendering resignations was only a ments, their tweets, and their signa-
“I don’t need your dollars at all. $160,000 have been stuck on port make decisions keeping in mind the pressure tactic.” tures before taking a decision regard-
What’s the hold-up then?” Another since Dec 27, 2022. law and the Constitution. You have to Ashraf said he became doubtful ing their resignations.”
businessman looked the governor in “I’m losing money every day as act in accordance with the law [rath- after hearing such statements and did He said that the lawmakers
the eye and said he paid a bribe of the daily demurrage is $80-100. It’s er] than fulfilling the wishes of politi- not accept the resignations till he was whose resignations had not yet been
$2,000 to SBP officials to get clear- an incompetent bunch,” he said in cal people,” Qaiser had said. completely satisfied. “Before I accept accepted should return to the assem-
ance for a dollar payment. The SBP an apparent reference to government Speaking to the media on Thurs- any resignation, I make sure that the bly. - Dawn
has become an “auction house” and central bank officials. - Dawn
www.Pakistanlink.com