CA qualification instils leadership qualities: CM
Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, addressing the Members' Convocation Ceremony for the Winter Batch 2024 of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP), stated that the rigorous journey to obtaining Chartered Accountant qualification instils discipline, ethics, and leadership qualities, transforming these professionals into trusted advisors and visionary leaders beyond mere numbers crunchers.
The event, held at a local hotel, celebrated the achievements of the newly qualified Chartered Accountants and highlighted their vital role in the country's economic and professional landscape.
Addressing the gathering, the CM expressed his honour and privilege to stand among Pakistan's brightest young minds. He described the convocation as more than a formal event - a joyous celebration of talent, perseverance, and the promising future these professionals represent for Pakistan.
Murad emphasised the prestige of ICAP, calling it a national institution with a stellar reputation both domestically and internationally. He noted that ICAP has consistently produced exceptional professionals who have become finance leaders, auditors, CEOs, advisors, and entrepreneurs, contributing significantly to economic growth and stability.
Highlighting the rigorous journey to becoming Chartered Accountants, the CM acknowledged that the qualification instils discipline, ethics, and leadership qualities that transform these professionals into trusted advisors and visionary leaders beyond mere number crunchers.
Murad praised the elected governing Council of ICAP for safeguarding the profession's independence, championing innovation, and maintaining the highest standards to keep the institute aligned with global best practices. This, he said, prepares members to compete and lead on the world stage.
To the newly qualified Chartered Accountants, the Chief Minister conveyed a powerful message: their success is not just about passing exams but about demonstrating dedication, consistency, and self-belief to achieve extraordinary milestones. He reminded them that their journey is just beginning and that their prestigious title carries worldwide respect and great responsibility.
The Chief Minister called on these professionals to lead with integrity, sound judgment, and courage, whether in boardrooms, public service, or entrepreneurship. He underscored Pakistan's need for honest and capable leaders who set trends and drive meaningful change, especially in the public sector.
He also lauded ICAP's commitment to merit, innovation, and professional excellence, recognising its crucial role in nurturing ethical and future-ready professionals.
Acknowledging the families present, the Chief Minister appreciated their sacrifices and support, stating that this achievement belongs to them as much as to the graduates.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
3 days ago
- Business Recorder
Budget 2025-26: Senate panel opposes tax on imported solar panels
The Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue opposed on Tuesday the government announced 18% tax on imported solar panels, calling for immediate withdrawal of the proposal made by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb in his budget 2025-26 speech last week. Aurangzeb proposed the budget for the financial year 2025-26 on June 10, revealing the government's intention to impose 18% sales tax on imported solar panels, arguing that the decision would help the local industry. However, the Senate panel strongly opposed the proposal in Tuesday's meeting chaired by Senator Saleem Mandviwalla. The meeting was also attended by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, Chairman FBR Rashid Mahmood Langrial, and senior officials of attached departments. 'The committee strongly recommended withdrawing the proposed 18% GST on solar panels. Members observed that ahead of the budget, certain stakeholders had imported and dumped solar equipment in anticipation of the tax hike. The chairman emphasised the discriminatory nature of the move, saying the committee rejects the sudden imposition of GST on solar imports and urges immediate withdrawal,' a statement released by Senate Secretariat read. Such debate also took place in the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue's meeting on Tuesday, according to sources. However, an official statement from the NA was awaited till the time of filing this report. Earlier, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has also condemned the federal government proposal to impose 18% tax on solar panels, calling that 'unjustified'. He presented the provincial budget for the fiscal year 2025-26 on Friday, with the budget size set at Rs3.45 trillion, representing a 12.9% increase compared to the estimated Rs3.05 trillion for the previous year (2024-25). 'This budget will play a key role in unleashing Sindh's untapped potential,' Murad Ali Shah said in the budget speech. 'It prioritises inclusive, sustainable, and robust development.' In the post-budget press conference on Saturday, the chief minister warned that the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) would withhold support for the federal budget if such regressive measures [tax on imported solar panels] were not withdrawn. Pakistan is rapidly emerging as a key leader in solar power deployment, and not just within emerging economies. The South Asian country has boosted solar electricity generation by over three times the global average so far this year, fuelled by a more than fivefold rise in solar capacity imports since 2022, according to data from Ember. That combination of rapidly rising capacity and generation has propelled solar power from Pakistan's fifth-largest electricity source in 2023 to its largest in 2025. Meanwhile, a recent research report stated that China exported more solar panels to Pakistan than to many G20 nations, with over 16 gigawatts (GW) imported in 2024 alone. The report titled 'Leader of One or Leader of None - China's Choice for Clean over Coal in Pakistan' published by think tank Renewables First said more than 39GW of solar panels, nearly all from China, entered Pakistan in the last five years.
Business Recorder
4 days ago
- Business Recorder
Pandemonium in Sindh PA as PPP, MQM MPAs trade allegations
KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly descended into chaos on Monday after a verbal clash broke out between members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), following allegations of nepotism levelled by MQM-P MPA Adil Askari against Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. Tensions flared when Askari, addressing the House, accused the Chief Minister of breaching good governance principles by appointing his brother-in-law as the Chief Secretary of Sindh. 'Murad Ali Shah is the Chief Minister of the province, and his brother-in-law is appointed as the Chief Secretary — this is clearly nepotism,' said Askari, triggering uproar from PPP benches. PPP's senior member Mukesh Kumar Chawla objected strongly to the statement, urging the acting speaker to expunge the Chief Minister's name from the proceedings. 'Such statements are not only provocative but unnecessary,' he asserted. As tempers rose, members of both parties stood up from their seats, exchanging sharp words and accusations, forcing the acting speaker to intervene. 'Do not address each other directly. Respect the sanctity of the House,' he warned, attempting to calm the heated atmosphere. The situation further deteriorated when another MQM member responded to PPP's Farooq Awan, referencing his past in the Sindh Police and questioning his silence during the early days of MQM's founder. 'If the MQM founder was a devil, as you claim, you should have shown courage back then instead of condemning him now when his politics has ended,' he remarked, adding fuel to an already combustible session. The confrontation overshadowed what was meant to be the start of a multi-day general debate on the provincial budget for fiscal year 2025–26. Earlier in the day, members from both treasury and opposition benches engaged in budget discussions, though political rivalries and deep-rooted grievances quickly dominated the session. Jamal Ahmed Khan of MQM highlighted critical civic issues in North Nazimabad, noting severe water shortages and dysfunctional waste management. He criticized the Karachi Mayor's claims about street cleaning. He also lamented that development schemes proposed by MQM had been discarded entirely from the budget. On the government's side, PPP's Shazia Kareem criticised the federal government for neglecting Sindh in the national budget, citing the exclusion of significant infrastructure projects like the Karachi and Hyderabad Motorways and the K-IV water supply scheme. 'Has Sindh become a slave of the federation,' she asked, further alleging that PWD schemes had been arbitrarily placed under federal control. Ejaz Shah Bukhari, another PPP lawmaker, invoked Karachi's past bloodshed, arguing that the PPP's dedication to public service had earned it a place in the people's hearts. He criticised the continuation of long power outages in Sindh and demanded the elevation of Tando Muhammad Khan Hospital to a district-level facility, as well as, the provision of a fire brigade to the local municipal committee. MQM's Abdullah Sheikh urged lawmakers not to incite ethnic tensions, referencing extortion-related violence in Surjani Town and warning against demonizing the Muhajir community. 'We have seen everything in Karachi,' he said, calling for calm and fair representation. PPP MPA Maliha Manzoor defended the budget, calling it a reflection of the party leadership's people-centric vision. She praised initiatives like the Sindh People's Housing Scheme, women's property rights for flood victims, and new public transport measures such as pink buses, electric scooters, and EV taxis. 'We are proud of the Sindh government,' she stated. On the opposition benches, MQM's Farah Sohail condemned the budget as 'anti-people,' arguing that even after 17 years in power, the PPP had failed to deliver. 'They boast about achievements in healthcare, but one of their own lawmakers took Rs 70 million from the government to seek treatment abroad,' she alleged. Ejaz-ul-Haq from MQM questioned the credibility of the PPP's development claims, saying, 'It feels like we're living in Japan — why don't we see any of this progress in Karachi?' He said there was nothing allocated for Orangi Town and repeated his long-standing demand for establishing a trauma centre at Qatar Hospital Orangi. PPP MPA Nuzhat Pathan said the federal government had completely sidelined Sindh, but despite that, a 'strong and balanced' provincial budget had been delivered — crediting the PPP leadership. She highlighted dysfunctional water services in Hyderabad and criticized WASA's poor performance. In a pointed remark, she claimed MQM had self-destructed. 'We are not eliminating them; they have already eliminated themselves,' she said. Another PPP lawmaker, Farzana Baloch, emphasised that the party's vote bank was growing steadily, which she saw as a sign of public confidence. She slammed K-Electric's over-billing practices, pointing out widespread illegal electricity connections in Karachi. 'People who pay are punished, those who don't are untouched. K-Electric has made life miserable. Whether acknowledged or not, PPP continues to serve.' From the PTI benches, Muhammad Owais criticised the arrest of his party's MPAs and workers during a recent youth rally, calling it political victimization. He also decried the exclusion of all opposition proposals from the budget and held the Sindh government responsible for K-Electric's ongoing failures. Despite repeated attempts by Acting Speaker Anthony Naveed to restore decorum, the session remained turbulent, reflecting the widening political chasm in the province. The assembly was ultimately adjourned until 10 a.m. Tuesday, leaving behind a day marked more by confrontation than consensus. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
6 days ago
- Express Tribune
CM outlines fiscal, development agenda
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah outlined a fiscal and development agenda for the province while highlighting serious financial challenges and federal shortfalls. Addressing a post-budget press conference on Saturday, the CM criticised the federal government for failing to meet its financial commitments, revealing that Sindh was informed just one day before the budget presentation that Rs105 billion in expected funds would be withheld. Sindh has received Rs1,478.5 billion from the divisible pool since last year, but Rs422.3 billion remains outstanding. He expressed hope that the withheld amount would be disbursed by the end of June. Despite being under an IMF programme that demands strict fiscal discipline, the Sindh government will allocate Rs590 billion for development projects this year, with a total budget of Rs3.45 trillion, Rs1 trillion for development and Rs2.15 trillion for current expenditures. Notably, Rs1.1 trillion is earmarked for salaries and pensions, leading to salary increases of 12 per cent for lower-grade employees and 10 per cent for higher grades. Sectoral budget increases include an 18 per cent rise in education funding and an 11 per cent increase in health. Funding for agriculture, irrigation, and local government projects has also seen significant boosts. Furthermore, Rs236 billion has been allocated for infrastructure projects in Karachi, including public-private partnership initiatives. CM Shah highlighted Sindh's social welfare achievements, particularly in housing for flood victims, with 500,000 homes built and another 850,000 under construction, totalling 1.3 million. To enhance rural living standards, the CM announced a Rs600-billion-project for rural water and sanitation, benefiting 4.5 million villagers. Regarding taxation, Murad noted that no new taxes were introduced in the budget, with some taxes eliminated or reduced, including the abolition of the entertainment tax and cuts to restaurant taxes. The stamp duty on third-party vehicle insurance has been reduced to Rs50, with a drop in the insurance tax from 15 per cent to five per cent. To modernise governance, the Sindh government is digitising land records through block chain for easier access. The CM claimed that free laser levellers will be provided to small farmers, with subsidies for larger ones, alongside the implementation of cluster farming technology. The CM said that improvements in education and health include the establishment of 34,000 new caste centres and expanded support for persons with disabilities. Cognitive Remediation The CM outlined the K-4 water project structure, where the federal government is responsible for sourcing water from Keenjhar Lake, while the Sindh government manages distribution and has allocated necessary funds. A total of Rs20 billion is earmarked for the K-4 feeder, alongside plans for a costly five-million-gallon desalination plant. The CM also noted 20,000 to 25,000 job vacancies in grades I to IV, with plans for recruitment via IBA-administered tests for BPS-V to VII and filling higher Grade 16 positions. The CM mentioned Sindh's conditions for supporting the federal budget, emphasising equitable distribution of development schemes and the detrimental cut of university funding from Rs4 billion to Rs2 billion, which has sparked protests. On the critical Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway, the CM expressed concern over the halving of federal funding from Rs30 billion to Rs15 billion. The CM emphasised that major projects are not included in the Federal Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) and criticised the 18 per cent tax on solar panels as unjust. He warned that the Pakistan Peoples Party would not support the federal budget if unresolved.
