The establishment of the agency as an autonomous authority will empower officers to take significant steps in tracing and apprehending perpetrators.
LAHORE: The Punjab Forensic Science Agency is poised to become an autonomous institution, according to Interior Secretary Noorul Amin Mengal. This transition will eliminate the agency’s reliance on other departments, enhancing its operational efficiency.
Mengal announced that the draft law for this change will be presented to the Punjab Assembly for approval. Once granted the status of an authority, the agency’s officers will gain the ability to independently inspect crime scenes and collect evidence, including photographing crime scenes themselves.
The establishment of the agency as an autonomous authority will empower officers to take significant steps in tracing and apprehending perpetrators. The Punjab Assembly’s approval of the draft law is the next crucial step in this transition, aimed at bolstering the agency’s effectiveness in forensic investigations.
Govt to collect Rs 24 Billion Fertilizer Subsidy from Industries and Power Sector
ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to collect the Rs 24 billion subsidy provided to two Punjab-based fertilizer plants from industrial and electricity consumers which may increase the cost of consumer goods and electricity generation,
Sources indicate that during a recent meeting, a summary was presented to extend the period of subsidized imported gas supply to Fatima Fertilizer and Agritech. Despite opposition from the Petroleum Minister, the proposal was approved. Previously, this subsidy burden was passed onto household consumers, but the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) has now shifted it to industrial and electricity sectors.
This decision follows an earlier ECC ruling to recover Rs 25 billion from domestic consumers for the subsidy provided to the same plants from October 2023 to March 2024. However, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) did not approve this measure, leaving the amount pending collection.
The ECC meeting, chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, reviewed a five-point agenda, approving a technical supplementary grant of Rs 23.63 lakh for expenses, subsidies, and allowances. Additionally, Rs 20 crore has been allocated to the Intelligence Bureau Division.
Read More: SNGPL Intensifies Crackdown on Gas Theft Across Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Islamabad
Significantly, the ECC approved a technical supplementary grant of Rs 4.05 billion to the Strategic Plans Division, SPARCO, for the Pakistan Multi Mission Communication Satellite System project.
Furthermore, the ECC sanctioned the Ministry of Industries and Production’s proposal to allow SNGPL-based plants to operate from March 31, 2024, to September 30, 2024, ensuring a smooth supply of urea fertilizer for the Kharif season.
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