Muhammad Sarfraz Abbasi

Gas curtailment affects fertilizer offtake 12/27/2011 5:38:45 PM KARACHI : Total fertilizer offtake in 11MCY11 witnessed a decline of 5 percent YoY to 7.42 million tons in comparison of 7.78 million tons in the corresponding period last year, National Fertilizer Development Centre (NFDC) has released monthly offtake and production numbers of the fertilizer sector on Tuesday. During the 11MCY11, Urea offtake witnessed a decline of 5 percent YoY to 5.22 million tons as against the offtake of 5.50 million tons in the same period last year. Similarly, DAP offtake were also seen declining substantially by 18 percent YoY to 1.01 million tons in 11MCY11 over offtake of 1.24 million tons in the same period last year. On monthly basis, total fertilizer offtake declined by 11 percent MoM to 0.72 million tons during the month of November’11 in comparison of total offtakes of 0.81 million tons in the previous month. Urea offtake in November’11 fell by12 percent to 0.56 milli...

Dark days for fertiliser industry continue Published: December 28, 2011 Sales of urea, the most widely used fertiliser, declined by 5% in the period from January to November 2011 due to persistent gas outages faced by manufacturers which has led to a drop in production levels. The four plants which are on the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited network remained the main victims of the chaotic situation due to gas shortage. The dark days are expected to continue as the government in a new gas load management plan has agreed to cut-off gas supply to the four plants on the SNGPL-based pipeline. The four plants include Engro Corporation’s Enven, Pak-Arab Fertilizer, Agritech Fertilizer and Dawood Hercules Fertilizer. Similarly, another fertilizer, di-ammonia phosphate (DAP) witnessed a decline in sales by 18% to 1.01 million tons on a yearly basis against 1.24 million tons in the same period last year, according to data released by National Fertiliser Development Centre on Tuesday....

Six Thousand Years of Failed Governments  By Dorothy Anne Seese           Human history records approximately six thousand years of failed governments.   Humans have tried everything imaginable to find a system that "works" to the satisfaction of the people.   The leaders are never satisfied with ever-increasing power and the people are never satisfied if they have to be participative (a relatively new concept) and work at maintaining what liberties they have.   Then, when all is lost, people finally wake up to the fact that change happens, and it isn't always good.   The Bible records the post-flood "age of conscience" as some call it, with no formal laws, but just four generations down from Noah, one Nimrod appears (who is known by various other names in the Sumerian and Babylonian civilizations he founded as city-states).   Humans are building government, not by the desire of the peop...

An unforgetable inivitation… By: Muhammad Sarfraz Abbasi From past many days it has become a talk of the town that that people of Karachi are receiving phone calls or say it telephonic invitation from the Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). PTI has the 16 years long journey of struggle against the political status quo and evils who have made life of the common citizen miserable. The party was in quest of coming into mainstream politics however owing to incapability of present government due to poor governance and devastating corruption people have made up their minds to stand against political mafia and support the PTI which has emerged as the single substitute available with the difference. After a successful gathering in Lahore which was attended by above five hundred thousand people on 30 th October, general public, students, electable politicians and people from all walks of the life have started joining the PTI. PTI has staged dozens of gatherings...

An attitude of intolerance and unacceptability needs a shift! By: Muhammad Sarfraz Abbasi A few days back in a television program a renowned anchorperson blamed the supporters of a political party by stating that they were abusing her and some other anchorpersons in various social forums on internet. However, it was strange to see that the anchorperson showed some proves of the comments posted by the “arguably” some supporters of an emerging political party namely, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI). The party claims to be the youth’s envoy in the political landscape of the country with the slogan of “change” against the status quo. The leader of this political party is known for his aggressive personality traits. The Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Mr. Imran Khan has also said in quite a few interviews that he was a determined person since his childhood he has always believed in doing something extraordinary in his life. It is a universal truth that the only positi...

Public, political status quo and some distorted facts! By: Muhammad Sarfraz Abbasi It is a famous quote of a great philosopher Aristotle, “Anyone can become angry. That is easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose and in the right way... that is not easy”. Keeping this quote in mind when I think over the political history of the country and contribution of the common man in it, I feel so thwarted. I see, emotional admirers who support to some particular political parties for some indefinite reasons and do not like reviewing their purpose of support to them. I see, women of the country with “not my business” attitude towards political system of the country and a  very aggressiveness youth. Being aggressive is not bad in fact it is positive factor which has been considered as a vital trait seen among the renowned achievers. However, being “negatively aggressive” is of course something that is a gr...

Why Seeking NRO for jailed abroad cricketers is Justified! By Muhammad Sarfraz Abbasi The nation can not forget one of the biggest crimes of Retired General Musharraf who had passed an ordinance ''national reconciliation ordinance'' on October 5, 2007 before scheduled presidential elections. It is also talk of the town that at PPPP and Musharraf had developed consensus on this commonly known as black-law which was implemented with an intention to fool the Public of Pakistan. It was one of the biggest stupidities of the Musharraf that he gambled on an assumption that he would win the support of PPPP in winning legitimacy in disputed election. However, Musharraf remained greatly successful in it as after introducing the NRO, PPPP extended legitimacy for disputed elections as they did not resign from assemblies contrary to expectations. The black-law was introduced and implemented not for the nation or for its any benefit, in fact intention behind introduction ...

Urea sales up 3pc, DAP down 19pc Our Equities Correspondent   | Business |  From the Newspaper November 26, 2011 (1 week ago) In the face of greater demand in the Rabi season, gas issues were feared to cause a shortfall in supply. - File photo KARACHI: Fertiliser sector is in the eye of the storm regarding availability and pricing of urea for the Rabi season. On Friday, the National Fertiliser Development Centre (NFDC) released monthly off-take and production numbers. In January-October 10 months (10MCY11) overall indutry off-take showed a sharp drop of 10 per cent to 5.896 million tons, from 6.570 million tons in the corresponding period of the previous year. Urea off-take witnessed an upsurge of 3 per cent to 4.760 million tons from 4.618 million tons in the same period last year. On the other hand, DAP off-take dipped by 19 per cent to 0.849 million tons over 1.052 million tons. On monthly basis, total fertiliser off-take improved by 3 per cent in October to 0.803 mill...

Hitting the wall: Fertiliser sales hit by low gas supply Published: November 26, 2011 Sales improved by meagre 3% to 803,000 in October on a monthly basis against 776,000 tons sold in the previous month. ILLUSTRATION: SAMAD SIDDIQUI KARACHI:  Fertiliser sales were under pressure in October due to prolonged shut down of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited-based plants and persistently low gas supply to urea manufacturers, according to Summit Capital. Sales improved by meagre 3% to 803,000 in October on a monthly basis against 776,000 tons sold in the previous month. Top two fertiliser products showed mixed numbers as urea sales declined by 1% to 518,000 while di-ammonia phosphate surged 65% to 204,000 in the period under review, said Summit Capital analyst Sarfraz Abbasi. Among listed players, Engro posted a substantial decline of 46% to 65,000 tons in urea sales. Fauji Fertilizer Company jumped 8% to 218,000 tons while Dawood Hercules posted highest decline of 40% to 190,000 due to...

Cruise control: Automobile sales continue to drive upwards Published: November 15, 2011 Lower taxes and prices in current fiscal year act as turbocharger. KARACHI:  Automobile sales showed an upsurge of 24% during July to October 2011 due to lower taxes and price decrease. Sales stood at 58,576 units in the first four months of fiscal 2012 compared with 47,143 units in the same period last year, according to data released by Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association on Monday. The government removed 2.5% special excise duty on imported and locally manufactured vehicles coupled with reduction in general sales tax to 16% from 17% in June, which drove up demand for vehicles, said Summit Capital analyst Sarfraz Abbasi. Followed decrease in taxes, car makers decreased car prices Rs10,000 to 40,000. Market leader Pak Suzuki Motor Company Limited led from the front with sales rising 38% to 34,877 units during the period under review. Apart from the low base effect, the growth was als...

Home  »  Business  » FFC profit almost doubles FFC profit almost doubles Published: November 01, 2011 LAHORE - The Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited profit has become almost double in nine months of the calendar year 2011 as the company continued to raise urea rates despite constant gas supply to its plants due to political interference, sources said.  As per the figure of industry, the FFC has announced its 9MCY11 financial result on Monday, reporting a profit after tax of Rs13.84 billion in 9MCY11 which is almost double in comparison of profit of R7.02 billion the company had recorded in the same period last year.  On QoQ basis, earnings posted a jump of 38 percent to Rs5.65 (EPS: PKR6.66). In addition to this, the company has also announced a cash dividend of Rs5.50/share in 3QCY11 taking cumulative 9MCY11 dividends to Rs14.75/share. According to experts, monetary sale witnessed an increase of 35 percent YoY to Rs38.54b as against the sales of Rs20.51b 9...