ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Centre for Physics (NCP) is set to take another step towards allowing scientists to develop international linkages.
In collaboration with Italy-based Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), NCP is going to hold the first-ever “ICTP-NCP International College on Plasma Physics” from November 11-15, 2013, at its premises in the Quaid-e-Azam University campus in Islamabad. NCP Director General Dr Hamid Saleem said the aim of holding the international college is to promote research and collaboration among developing countries with a special focus on South Asia.
Islamabad to restart train
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways on the directions of Federal Minister Khawja Saad Rafiq has decided to revive the operation of Tourist Train from Rawalpindi to Khewra from November 23.
According to official spokesman, during the past tourist train which was inaugurated in October 2010 due to certain reasons stopped functioning.
However, now the railways minister has directed the railway authorities to revive the operation of tourist train from Rawalpindi to Khewra via Taxila, Rohtas Fort, Mangla Dam etc. Similarly, the spokesman said that the federal minister who is committed to revamp the Pakistan Railways has enforced number of positive steps over the last four months.
British soldier killed in blast
Kabul: A British soldier has been killed in a suicide blast while on patrol in Afghanistan, the British Ministry of Defence announced yesterday.
The “hugely experienced” soldier from the 3rd Battalion The Mercian Regiment (Staffords) died from an explosion during a vehicle-borne suicide attack, the Ministry said in a statement. He was taking part in a patrol in the Kamparak area, 40km north east of the provincial capital Lashkar Gah in Helmand Province.
Pakistan urged to tax the rich
ISLAMABAD: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has sought assurances to implement a plan of withdrawing tax exemptions granted to affluent people as the government buckles under the pressure from industrialists and traders — the traditional vote bank of the ruling party.
The visiting delegation of the IMF has asked Pakistan not to limit its on-going exercise to just identifying loopholes created in the tax system to appease various lobbies. It has, instead, sought the government’s concurrence of the plan to withdraw identified exemptions; otherwise Islamabad will have to levy more taxes.
Assurances were sought while discussing the first review of the $6.7bn IMF programme which began early last week and will continue for at least two more days.
Agencies
