Latest news with #Ashfaq
NDTV
5 days ago
- NDTV
Man Beaten To Death Over Suspicion Of Mango Theft In Gujarat, 5 Arrested
Surat: Five persons were arrested on Monday for allegedly beating a farm labourer to death over suspicion of theft of mangoes worth Rs 50,000 from an orchard in Gujarat's Surat district, a police official said. Suresh Verma (48) was brutally assaulted by the five accused, who then dumped his body in a canal on May 21, Bardoli Deputy Superintendent of Police HL Rathod said. "Ashfak Rayan, Vinod Agrawal, Mohammed Umar, Dashrath Maurya and Yakub Abdul Gaffar have been arrested for murder. Ashfaq and others had taken a mango orchard on lease in Akoti village of Bardoli some time back and hired Verma and another villager as labourers. Recently, the accused grew suspicious that Verma had stolen mangoes worth Rs 50,000 from the farm and sold them in the market," Rathod told reporters. "On the night of May 21, they tied Verma to a tree in the farm and thrashed him till he fell unconscious. Later, Ashfaq called Verma's wife on phone and demanded Rs 50,000 for the loss her husband had caused to them by stealing mangoes. On realizing Verma had died due to the beating, the accused transported the body in their car and dumped it in a canal in Kamrej taluka," he said. When Verma did not return home, his family approached Bardoli police and lodged a missing person complaint and also told police about Ashfaq's demand of Rs 50,000, the Deputy SP informed. "An unidentified body was recovered by Kamrej police from the canal. After Verma's family confirmed it was his, a murder case was registered on May 31, leading to the arrest of the five persons," Rathod said
Business Recorder
05-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Taxation: BQATI urges govt to withdraw new Ordinance
KARACHI: The Bin Qasim Association of Trade & Industry (BQATI) Monday issued a strongly critical statement condemning the Government of Pakistan's newly promulgated Tax Laws (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 and calling for its immediate repeal. BQATI President Shakil Ashfaq warned that the ordinance – which allows tax authorities to instantly recover tax liabilities once a case is concluded by the High Court or Supreme Court – undermines due process and creates an environment of coercion and uncertainty for businesses. The trade body stressed that while effective tax collection is important, it must not come at the cost of fundamental legal safeguards and business confidence. In its statement, BQATI highlighted several alarming provisions of the ordinance that it says will gravely hurt law-abiding businesses and investors: • Immediate, Forced Recoveries: By amending Sections 138 and 140 of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, the new law empowers the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to bypass standard procedure and recover taxes immediately after an adverse court judgment, without any formal notice or grace period for compliance. This means as soon as a High Court or the Supreme Court rules against a taxpayer, the FBR can freeze bank accounts, attach assets or even seal business premises without warning, leaving the taxpayer no time to appeal or arrange payment. 'Such sweeping powers to enforce instant recoveries trample on taxpayers' right to due process,' Ashfaq said, adding 'and ignore the reasonable timelines that were previously available under the law for compliance or further appeal.' • Nullification of Legal Safeguards: BQATI noted that the ordinance overrides established legal protections upheld by Pakistani courts. A recent Islamabad High Court judgment in the Pakistan LNG case had mandated that tax officials must issue a notice (with at least a seven-day window for voluntary payment) before taking coercive action under Section 140. 'By explicitly legislating that 'notwithstanding any court decision' tax must be paid at once, the government has effectively nullified the High Court's safeguard that promoted fair play and transparency,' Ashfaq observed. 'This ordinance sends a message that even if a court of law provided relief to a taxpayer, it would be ignored– a move BQATI finds utterly unacceptable.' • Intrusive On-Site Monitoring: The ordinance authorizes the FBR to station Inland Revenue officers at factories and commercial premises to monitor production, supplies, and inventory in real time. BQATI cautions that deploying tax officials directly on factory floors and business sites will disrupt operations and intimidate businesses. 'Planting tax officers in manufacturing units is an unwarranted intrusion into lawful business activity,' said Shakil Ashfaq. 'Such constant surveillance creates a climate of harassment, making it difficult for industries to function normally or with peace of mind.' • Overlapping Enforcement Powers: The ordinance further extends tax enforcement authority to provincial officials under the Federal Excise Act, 2005. By empowering officers of provincial governments to act as federal tax enforcers, it blurs jurisdictional lines and risks conflicting or inconsistent application of tax laws across different regions. BQATI warns that this overlap will sow confusion and encourage arbitrary actions, as businesses could be answerable to multiple authorities pursuing aggressive recoveries simultaneously. President Shakil Ashfaq emphasized that Pakistan's business community fully supported fair tax collection, but criticized the ordinance's heavy-handed approach as 'counterproductive and draconian.' He stated that these measures bypass due process, undermine the rule of law, and cast every taxpayer as a defaulter, thereby eroding public trust in the tax system. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
The Star
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Star
Pakistani truck art elevates heavy transport into mobile masterpieces
Driver Farrukh Sana peers from a newly refurbished truck at a workshop yard in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Photo: AP Trucks thunder along Pakistan's dusty highways and through bustling city streets, like rolling canvases ablaze with color and poetry, transforming heavy transport into mobile masterpieces and offering a window into the country's folk culture. The roots of Pakistani truck art go back to British colonial rule, when owners began adorning their vehicles with intricate floral patterns, calligraphy, and cultural motifs. What started as modest embellishments has evolved into artistry. Painters, welders, electricians, and metalworkers collaborate to elevate commercial trucks into personalised symbols of pride and regional identity. Trucks decorated with artwork drive along a highway on the outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan. Photo: AP There are camel bone inlays in Balochistan, intricate wood carvings in Peshawar, and disco-inspired detail in Rawalpindi. Muhammad Ashfaq, a 55-year-old from Rawalpindi, has been painting trucks for over four decades. "Each client comes with their own vision and budget,' said Ashfaq. "We ask which style they prefer: Peshawar, Hazara, Swat, Pindi, Mandi Bahauddin, or Karachi.' Pindi style is considered the most flamboyant, characterised by vivid colours, elaborate stickers, mirror work, and dense layering of design elements. An artisan paints birds on a truck at a yard for workshops in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Photo: AP "Pindi style is like a bride getting ready for her wedding,' says Farrukh Sana, a truck driver who recently upgraded his vehicle with the vibrant design. "We feel happy when people admire our truck. It's a symbol of hard work and beauty.' Styles vary according to cost and components, as well as colour and complexity. A full refurbishment of a truck can cost between US$7,000 (RM30,212) and US$17,790 (RM77,000), depending on the materials used and if major elements like the tires and the chassis are replaced. A vendor displays metal pieces painted in the style of traditional art used to decorate trucks at a shop in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Photo: AP But, beyond mere decoration, the trucks also bear poetry, religious messages, and personal slogans, reflecting the aspirations, humour, and emotions of their drivers. Truck art has transcended cargo vehicles, finding its way onto rickshaws, buses, and even household decor. It first caught global attention in the 1970s, when foreign tourists started photographing the unusually bright vehicles. Since then, truck art has inspired international exhibitions and influenced contemporary fashion and product design. The distinctly South Asian tradition endures despite Pakistan's economic hardships. Artisans like Ashfaq remain devoted to the craft, while drivers like Sana view their trucks as more than a livelihood. They are seen as roving cultural ambassadors. "Every driver dreams of making his truck look unique,' Sana says with pride. "When we drive it out and people turn their heads, we know we've created something special.' - AP
Arab News
01-05-2025
- Automotive
- Arab News
Pakistani truck art elevates heavy transport into mobile masterpieces
RAWALPINDI: Trucks thunder along Pakistan's dusty highways and through bustling city streets, like rolling canvases ablaze with color and poetry, transforming heavy transport into mobile masterpieces and offering a window into the country's folk culture. The roots of Pakistani truck art go back to British colonial rule, when owners began adorning their vehicles with intricate floral patterns, calligraphy, and cultural motifs. What started as modest embellishments has evolved into artistry. Painters, welders, electricians, and metalworkers collaborate to elevate commercial trucks into personalized symbols of pride and regional identity. There are camel bone inlays in Balochistan, intricate wood carvings in Peshawar, and disco-inspired detail in Rawalpindi. Muhammad Ashfaq, a 55-year-old from Rawalpindi, has been painting trucks for over four decades. 'Each client comes with their own vision and budget,' said Ashfaq. 'We ask which style they prefer: Peshawar, Hazara, Swat, Pindi, Mandi Bahauddin, or Karachi.' Pindi style is considered the most flamboyant, characterized by vivid colors, elaborate stickers, mirror work, and dense layering of design elements. 'Pindi style is like a bride getting ready for her wedding,' says Farrukh Sana, a truck driver who recently upgraded his vehicle with the vibrant design. 'We feel happy when people admire our truck. It's a symbol of hard work and beauty.' Styles vary according to cost and components, as well as color and complexity. A full refurbishment of a truck can cost between 2 to 5 million rupees (about $7,000 to $17,790), depending on the materials used and if major elements like the tires and the chassis are replaced. But, beyond mere decoration, the trucks also bear poetry, religious messages, and personal slogans, reflecting the aspirations, humor, and emotions of their drivers. Truck art has transcended cargo vehicles, finding its way onto rickshaws, buses, and even household decor. It first caught global attention in the 1970s, when foreign tourists started photographing the unusually bright vehicles. Since then, truck art has inspired international exhibitions and influenced contemporary fashion and product design. The distinctly South Asian tradition endures despite Pakistan's economic hardships. Artisans like Ashfaq remain devoted to the craft, while drivers like Sana view their trucks as more than a livelihood. They are seen as roving cultural ambassadors. 'Every driver dreams of making his truck look unique,' Sana says with pride. 'When we drive it out and people turn their heads, we know we've created something special.'
Associated Press
01-05-2025
- Automotive
- Associated Press
AP PHOTOS: Pakistani truck art elevates heavy transport into mobile masterpieces
RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AP) — Trucks thunder along Pakistan's dusty highways and through bustling city streets, like rolling canvases ablaze with color and poetry, transforming heavy transport into mobile masterpieces and offering a window into the country's folk culture. The roots of Pakistani truck art go back to British colonial rule, when owners began adorning their vehicles with intricate floral patterns, calligraphy, and cultural motifs. What started as modest embellishments has evolved into artistry. Painters, welders, electricians, and metalworkers collaborate to elevate commercial trucks into personalized symbols of pride and regional identity. There are camel bone inlays in Balochistan, intricate wood carvings in Peshawar, and disco-inspired detail in Rawalpindi. Muhammad Ashfaq, a 55-year-old from Rawalpindi, has been painting trucks for over four decades. 'Each client comes with their own vision and budget,' said Ashfaq. 'We ask which style they prefer: Peshawar, Hazara, Swat, Pindi, Mandi Bahauddin, or Karachi.' Pindi style is considered the most flamboyant, characterized by vivid colors, elaborate stickers, mirror work, and dense layering of design elements. 'Pindi style is like a bride getting ready for her wedding,' says Farrukh Sana, a truck driver who recently upgraded his vehicle with the vibrant design. 'We feel happy when people admire our truck. It's a symbol of hard work and beauty.' Styles vary according to cost and components, as well as color and complexity. A full refurbishment of a truck can cost between 2 to 5 million rupees (about $7,000 to $17,790), depending on the materials used and if major elements like the tires and the chassis are replaced. But, beyond mere decoration, the trucks also bear poetry, religious messages, and personal slogans, reflecting the aspirations, humor, and emotions of their drivers. Truck art has transcended cargo vehicles, finding its way onto rickshaws, buses, and even household decor. It first caught global attention in the 1970s, when foreign tourists started photographing the unusually bright vehicles. Since then, truck art has inspired international exhibitions and influenced contemporary fashion and product design. The distinctly South Asian tradition endures despite Pakistan's economic hardships. Artisans like Ashfaq remain devoted to the craft, while drivers like Sana view their trucks as more than a livelihood. They are seen as roving cultural ambassadors. 'Every driver dreams of making his truck look unique,' Sana says with pride. 'When we drive it out and people turn their heads, we know we've created something special.'
