QUETTA: Assailants threw a hand grenade at a bus station in volatile southwest Pakistan on Tuesday, killing a passerby and wounding two others, police said, in a sign of increasing violence in the region.
The attack happened in Dera Murad Jamali, a town in Balochistan province, said Aziz Baloch, an area police official.
No group claimed responsibility for the attack. It came hours after Prime Minister Imran Khan visited another region in the province to assure his support for troops who came under attack in the Naushki and Panjgur districts last Wednesday.
Nine soldiers and 20 assailants were killed in those twin attacks and subsequent clearing operations. The Balochistan Liberation Army, a group designated terrorist by the US in 2019, claimed responsibility.
Balochistan has witnessed a low-level insurgency by small groups who demand independence from the central government in Islamabad. Although authorities say they have quelled the insurgency, violence in province has persisted.
Grenade attack at bus station in Balochistan kills one, wounds two
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Grenade attack at bus station in Balochistan kills one, wounds two
- The attack came hours after PM Khan visited the province to meet with the troops who fought against militants last week
- No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack which took place in Dera Murad Jamali
Pakistan regulator amends law to facilitate capital raising by listed companies
- The amendments address challenges faced by listed companies when raising further capital from existing shareholders through a rights issue
- Previously, listed companies were prohibited from announcing a rights issue if the company, officials or shareholders had any overdue amounts
KARACHI: The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has notified amendments to the Companies (Further Issue of Shares) Regulations 2020 to facilitate capital raising by listed companies while maintaining adequate disclosure requirements for investors, it announced on Monday,
The amendments address challenges faced by listed companies when raising further capital from existing shareholders through a rights issue. Previously, listed companies were prohibited from announcing a rights issue if the company, its sponsors, promoters, substantial shareholders, or directors had any overdue amounts or defaults appearing in their Credit Information Bureau (CIB) report.
This restriction constrained financially stressed yet viable companies from raising capital, even in circumstances where existing shareholders were willing to support revival, restructuring, or continuation of operations, according to the SECP.
“Under the amended framework, the requirement for a clean CIB report will not apply if the relevant persons provide a No Objection Certificate (NOC) regarding the proposed rights issue from the concerned financial institution(s),” the regulator said.
The notification of the amendments follows a consultative process in which the SECP sought feedback from market stakeholders, including listed companies, issue consultants, professional bodies, industry associations, law firms, and capital market institutions.
The amendments are expected to enhance market confidence, improve access to capital for listed companies, and strengthen transparency within the rights issue framework, according to the SECP.
“To ensure transparency and protect investors’ interests, companies in such cases must make comprehensive disclosures in the rights offer document,” the regulator said.
“These disclosures must include details of any defaults or overdue amounts, ongoing recovery proceedings, and the status of any debt restructuring.”
The revised regulations strike an “appropriate balance” between facilitating corporate rehabilitation and enabling investors to make informed investment decisions, the SECP added.
