E-Paper PDF 25th November (LHR)

CMYK

Monday, 25 November, 2019 I 27 Rabi-ul-Awwal, 1441 I Rs 20.00 I Vol X No 145 I 16 Pages I Lahore Edition

PTI crIes foul In foreIgn fundIng case g

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ISLAMABAD staff report

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He ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday raised questions over the way the election Commission of Pakistan (eCP) was treating its foreign case as it urged the latter to hold all political parties accountable with regard to funds being transferred from overseas.

Addressing a press conference after the meeting of PTI’s core committee, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said that the opposition was using television shows to propagate a “baseless and false propaganda” about the foreign funding case.

She said that the core committee meerting chaired by Prime Minister Imran expressed apprehensions over the issue and it has been decided to bring facts before the public through the media as the opposition parties were trying to mislead people.

She said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed the legal team of the party to present facts about the party’s case in order to curb “disinformation and fake news”. In this regard, Babar Awan, who heads the party’s legal team, will hold a

press conference on Monday.

“PTI pioneered the art of generating funds from the general public and it spearheaded electoral and political reforms in the system,” she claimed, adding that the Pakistani diaspora considered PTI a “saviour of Pakistan”.

“If Pakistani companies and diaspora support the party it cannot be called foreign funding,” she added.

Firdous said that the party has no objection in going through the legal process of the eCP because it would only ensure its credibility, dignity and rule of law and justice. She stressed that there were serious allegations against other parties and the electoral watchdog should hold hearings.

The commission should carry out an audit of the political parties, she added.

The special assistant said that the premier wanted to ensure the independence of the eCP in order to strengthen it as an institution.

She also took a jibe at the opposition lawmakers for demanding daily hearings of the case, saying they were making a hue and cry that the eCP did not hold the polls in a free and fair manner, but now they wanted the commission to hold daily hearings of the PTI funding case.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 02

US statements will have no impact on CPEC: FM Qureshi STORY ON BACK PAGE

PTI defeats PML-N in LA-III by-polls in Mirpur STORY ON PAGE 03

Australia win by an innings despite Babar Azam's century

STORY ON PAGE 15

FIrdoUS UrGES ECP to ProBE ForEIGn FUndInG oF All PolItICAl PArtIES PM MEEtS BUzdAr, hIntS At ChAnGES In PUnjAB AdMInIStrAtIon

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BABAr AwAn to hold PrESS ConFErEnCE todAy to rEMovE ‘MISConCEPtIon’

Govt to APProACh oIC AGAInSt dESECrAtIon oF holy QUrAn In norwAy

CMYK Monday, 25 November, 2019

02 NEWS

PM To launch clean Green PaKIsTan Index Today ISLAMABAD

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RIME Minister Imran Khan on Monday will launch the country’s firstever barometer that will measure green character and cleanliness of the cities, a flagship environmental conservation and protection plan of the present government, said Malik Amin Aslam, the adviser on climate change, here on Sunday.

The top key political and non-political representatives of provincial

governments, including GilgitBaltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, federal and provincial ministers, senior federal and provincial government officials, ambassadors of various countries, teachers, students and senior representatives of local and international non-governmental organisations will attend the grand ceremony of the CGPI launch. Talking to media, Aslam said that the barometer called the Clean Green Pakistan Index (CGPI) aimed to improve overall green and clean outlooks of the Pakistani cities by kicking off competition among them on various

indicators, including sustainable public access to clean drinking water, safe sanitation, effective solid waste management and tree plantation.

At the grand launching ceremony, the prime minister would also announce the start of the first phase of six-month competition among 19 cities of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces would made by the prime minister, Aslam added.

He said that the country’s socioeconomic, health and environmental damages to the tune of around Rs700 billion rupees annually because of

environmental degradation, deforestation, poor access to clean and safe drinking water and sanitation and lack of solid waste management and wastewater treatment facilities.

“Tackling these challenges by initiating competition among Pakistani cities, which are witnessing the growing exodus from rural areas, to improve green and clean outlooks is the pivotal objective of the CGPI rolled out in consultation with relevant government and non-governmental and international stakeholders,” he told media.

Candidates for VU top slot asked to declare their ‘virtuousness’ ISLAMABAD HAmId KHAN WAZIr

In an unprecedented and much-needed development, the shortlisted candidates for the slot of Virtual University (VU) rector have been asked to provide an undertaking, declaring that they have never been convicted by the courts and have never been charged with plagiarism. The search committee constituted for interviewing the candidates has

asked the shortlisted candidates to appear for an interview on December 10, besides providing an undertaking on a stamp paper. The committee’s decision has been hailed by academic bodies across the country as this would reduce corruption and discourage plagiarism in varsities.

Speaking to Pakistan Today, a senior COMSATS University (CU) Islamabad official said that this step should be replicated by other universities, including COMSTATS. “This requirement should be made mandatory for other universities. The names of all candidates should be sent to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to check whether they are free from

plagiarism and corruption, respectively,” the official added. It is pertinent to mention here that the Academic Staff Association-COMSTATS University Islamabad (ASA-CUI) wrote a letter to Search Committee Convener Zohair Ashir to ensure transparent and merit-based appointment on the prestigious post at CU which has been devoid of any permanent appointment since April 1, 2017.

The association demanded that the appointment of any controversial person may deteriorate the environment of the university. According to sources, former HEC chairman Dr Muhammad Mukhtar, CU acting rector, faculty deans, directors and some army officials are among those running for the top slot.

Peshawar’s Namak Mandi: A place known for its delicious taste PESHAWAR APP

The aroma of mutton grilled on skewers, thick white smoke coming out of smoldering charcoal and clattering of spoons against black woks are characters exemplifying ambiance of Namak Mandi or Salt Market, a foodies’ dreamland and hallmark of Peshawar cuisine because of its inimitable taste of lamb karahi and BBQ tikka. Peshawarites swank over the taste of traditionally cooked Namak Mandi food as `irresistible’ and even mouth watering having no match with items offered by renowned eateries set up in the width and breadth of the country. “Succulent mutton barbequed on charcoal or fried in lamb fat, the meal is rarely found in any other part of the country with same savor,” claims Salman Qureshi, a city dweller who works as Medical Representative with a multinational Pharmaceutical company.

“Being working as Medical Rep I travel to different parts of the country, but could not find the taste and ambiance prevailing at Namak Mandi,” Salman shares his viewpoint. “Once who visits and dines in Namak Mandi keeps on yearning of revisiting the place to enjoy food that forces eaters to lick fingers for enjoyment till the last morsel,” Salman told APP. “The recipe of our dish is very simple, we barbeque fresh meat with only sprinkling salt over it or fry it in wok by adding only tomatoes, green chillies, garlic and animal fat instead of cooking oil,” apprises Muhammad Iqbal a shopkeeper in Namak Mandi who inherited this business from his father. “The uniqueness of taste is because of the culinary skill and dexterity of our chefs working in Namak Mandi from the last several decades,” Iqbal added. A number of people tried to replicate Namak Mandi type food in other

parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan, but could not succeed in developing the taste being enjoyed by people here in Peshawar, Iqbal claimed. There are around 40 shops in Namak Mandi of Karahi-Tikka and all of them are selling around 45 mounds (1800 kg) of meat on daily basis to customers coming from different parts of the country, Iqbal revealed.

He said, “the price of per kg of mutton nowadays is Rs. 1400 and the total cost of per month consumption of lamb meat in Namak Mandi on the basis of 1800 kg sale on daily basis is around Rs. 200 million.” Iqbal also informed that about 60 years back price of per kg of mutton at Namak Mandi was Rs. five and with the passage of time it started increasing. Even in late 80’s and early 90’s the price of per kg lamb meat was Rs. 100 per kg, he went on to say. Iqbal said increase in price of wheat had dented their business and also affected customers who reduced visits to Namak Mandi for enjoying their favorite dish. “Earlier we

used to visit Namak Mandi with friends and contribution per head on american system basis was hardly around Rs. 150 to 200,” said Muhammad Shakil, a businessman and a meat lover.

“Now we cherish that time to come back so that we can frequent Namak Mandi for satiating our hunger for unique barbeque and traditional karahi,” Shakeel expressed his inner feelings. He said, “now per head contribution for a dinner with friends has jumped to Rs. 700 to 800, compelling us to reduce our enjoyment of gathering over a sumptuous feast.” With return of peace and visits of international bloggers to Peshawar to see rich culture, traditions, architecture and food of the ancient city has also catapult popularity of Namak Mandi at global level.

People from across the globe are expressing their desire of visiting Peshawar to enjoy the taste of Namak Mandi’s feast.

In comments on websites related to visits of different bloggers to Peshawar, people express their sentiments of being impressed by the environment of Namak Mandi and their wish of visiting the place. “That is incredibly delicious, it’s seasoned perfectly with salt and natural fat flavor,” comments Trevor James, a canadian born food and travel blogger who is also known as “The Food Ranger” on Youtube.

Famous for his street food tours that were viewed over 410 million times on Youtube, Trevor James said about Namak Mandi food during his visit to Peshawar in 2019, `amazing that was fantastic’. Realizing increase in visits of food lovers to Namak Mandi, the district government of Peshawar in August 2019 established a `Food Street’ comprising small wooden huts with old architectural look having a traditional touch of sitting on cotton rugs with bolster for back support.

CMYK

PM constitutes 13-member body for Kamyab Jawan Programme ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has constituted a 13-member Steering Committee for Kamyab Jawan Program being run under the Prime Minister’s Youth Affairs initiatives. Prime Minister as head will chair the committee. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Youth Affairs Usman Dar and federal ministers from education, economic affairs and IT Board are part of the committee. Advisors on Finance and Commerce as well as Federal Minister for Planning have also been nominated as committee members. The committee will present suggestions of new government projects to Prime Minister regarding youth. The committee has been delegated authority of strategy planning and program monitoring. It will assist projects starting under Kamyab Jawan Program. The SBP and the NADRA have been entrusted with the task of devising a feasible strategy to launch “Kamyab Jawan Youth Card.” The card will be aimed at ensuring financial inclusion and economic empowerment of youth in the country. INP

PTI cries foul in foreign funding case Firdous said that people come and go but institutions were there to stay and nobody should act in a hurry.

“Why is the opposition in a hurry to get a decision against a political party?” she asked.

GOVT TO APPROACH OIC: According to details, the core committee, in its meeting, decided to approach the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) against the desecration of the Holy Quran by few individuals in Norway. The PM directed Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi to write to OIC to highlight the issue at the international forum. He said that such activities against Islam will not be “tolerated by the entire Muslim community”. It is pertinent to mention here that on Friday, a man named Lars Thorsen, who belonged to the anti-Islamic group Stop the Islamisation of Norway (SIAN), attempted to burn the Holy Quran in the Muslim-majority Norwegian city of Kristiansand, but was stopped by a man. The police later arrested both the attacker and the perpetrator. Advisor to the Prime Minister on Commerce, Textile, Industries & Production and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood said that Pakistan’s furniture industry was performing well, however, the duty structure needs improvement in order to improve the country’s furniture exports. Dawood told the premier that the country’s exchange rate against dollar has improved and stabilised and for the first time in the past few years, Pakistan’s current account deficit had turned into surplus. He also told him that the projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) umbrella were heading in the right direction. The premier and the attendees also exchanged views on the country’s political and economic situation. The core committee decided that the party will focus on implementing its manifesto in order to realise the government’s vision. The core committee also discussed administrative issues in Punjab, on which some members expressed concerns over the way things were being dealt with in the province. After the meeting, PM Imran held a meeting with CM Punjab Usman Buzdar and directed him to bring administrative changes in the province. Earlier in the day, the party directed all members of the core committee to ensure their attendance in the meeting held to analyse political and economic situation of the country.

NEW LG SYSTEM: Meanwhile, in his remarks on social media, the prime minister said that the government is introducing a local government system which will ensure provision of funds to villages, Radio Pakistan reported on Sunday. He said that Pakistan Clean and Green Index will be launched on Monday to make every city of the country green and clean.

According to facilities, the ranking is being arranged of 19 cities, he added. He also said Pakistan has been put on the right path and now dollars are pouring in for the first time. “For the first time in the last four years, the current account deficit has become surplus,” he concluded. –coNtINued from PAge 01

CMYK Monday, 25 November, 2019

NEWS

ZaFarul haq To head PMl-n deleGaTIon To aPc: MarrIyuM ISLAMABAD

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AKISTAN Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has decided to join the allparty conference summoned by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Nov 26.

In a statement, PML-N Information Secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb said party president Shehbaz Sharif named senior leader Raja Zafar-ul-Haq to represent the PML-N delegation at the APC. The delegates will include Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal, Ayaz Sadiq, and Amir Muqam. The opposition’s APC will be held on November 26th at 11 am, she said, adding the

venue has yet to be decided. The APC was called by Fazl to chalk out a future strategy against the Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf (PTI) government. Marriyum Aurangzeb also lashed at the government for incarcerating Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Hamza Shehbaz without any proof.

She said Hamza has been in the “illegal custody” of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for half a year because there have been no charges framed, no plausible evidence or witnesses presented. Marriyum said Imran should be ashamed of himself for even mentioning the name of Medina while locking up opposition leaders into deathrow cells without any conviction. She paid rich tribute to Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Rana Sanaullah, Khawaja Saad

Rafique, K h a w a j a Salman Rafique, Miftah Ismael, Ahad Cheema, Fawad Hassan Fawad and others being held against the law.

The PML-N spokesperson said the vengeful, incompetent, inadequate, inept and lying selected Prime Minister has tainted national image in the civilised world and international committee of nations and has destroyed Pakistan’s economy.

She demanded that all political prisoners be freed with immediate effect and the PTI regime must publicly apologise to them.

PTI defeats PML-N in LA-III by-polls in Mirpur cPec first priority of Pakistan, us concerns baseless: Firdous Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan Sunday termed China Pakistan Economic Corridor ( CPEC) as the topmost priority of Pakistan. In a series of tweets, she said this great corridor will open new vistas of economic development and prosperity for not only Pakistan and China, but also for the whole region. Not concurring with the US concerns on the project, she said. CPEC is a guarantor to our economic development, she added. She said China is a long-standing and deep friend and it has always supported Pakistan in every hour of need. Awan said Pak-China friendship has assumed a proverbial status and it is sweeter than honey, higher than the Himalayas and deeper than oceans. The special assistant said economic zones to be established under CPEC will generate job opportunities for the people. She said the commercial loans taken from China will witness a remarkable reduction in the months and years to come. NeWS deSK

Policy on the cards ensuring women’s ownership in housing scheme ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division (PASSD), Dr Sania Nishtar Saturday said government would formulate a policy to ensure women have joint ownership of homes built in each of the new housing schemes. She further informed under Ehsaas housing scheme for marginalized people of the society government would also provide interest-free loans for housing and also establish Panah Gahs for women in major cities of the country. Shortage of affordable housing was one of the major challenges in the country the inability to afford decent housing affects marginalized and vulnerable groups the most and exacerbates their poverty, she told APP. To provide housing facility to particular marginalized groups through targeted schemes, the government envisions a multitier approach, she said. APP

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Barrister Sultan Mahmood Khan defeated the candidate of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Chaudhry Sohaib Saeed, in the by-polls held in LA-III in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Sunday, according to unofficial results. As per unofficial results of 119 polling stations in LA-III, Mirpur-3, Khan bagged 17,617 votes while Saeed clinched 14,819 votes.

While there here were 14 candidates on the ballot paper, the real competition was between the PTI and PML-N nominees. 59,494 voters were registered in the constituency as per the AJK Election Commission and out of them 27,004 were women but the voter turnout was low. PML-N was supported by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) because both parties had an agreement that they would support

the party that had clinched victory in the constituency in the general elections. Jamat-e-Islami (JI) had also supported PML-N in the polls.

Earlier, reports claimed that some activists of PPP had either refrained from supporting anyone or had put their weight behind PTI and PML-N too had to suspend the membership of a few leaders for supporting Mahmood. One hundred and nineteen polling stations were set up, out of which 61 had been declared sensitive. According to police, over 2,700 police personnel perform their duty into eight zones and 20 sectors of the constituency to maintain law and order.

With Mahmood's victory in the by-poll, the strength of PTI in the 49-member AJK legislature has risen to three. The other two PTI lawmakers were elected in the general elections from the constituen-

Parveen shakir remembered on 67th birthday ISLAMABAD: Parveen Shakir The poet is remembered to this day for her contributions to Urdu literature with works like Khushbu and Khud Kalami Parveen Shakir may have left us in 1994 but her memory lives on in her unforgettable poetry.

Google remembers the poet on what would’ve been her 67th birthday with some beautiful artwork that

cies of Pakistan-based Kashmiri refugees. Among the other opposition parties in AJK, PPP and Muslim Conference have four and three lawmakers respectively, while Jammu Kashmir People’s Party has one and one is an independent lawmaker. The ruling PML-N has 35 and its ally JI has two lawmakers.

The seat became vacant after the AJK Supreme Court disqualified PML-N lawmaker and cabinet member Chaudhry Muhammad Saeed after a Mirpur resident filed a complaint, alleging that he had encroached upon the state land which “amounted to contempt of a previous apex court judgment.”

Despite his unconditional apology, the court sent him packing.PML-N candidate who contested the election today is Saeed’s son, who came face to face with a veteran politician on Sunday. NeWS deSK

depict her best works. We love the creative tribute as each panel illustrates a volume written by the poet; , Khushbu (Fragrance), Sad-barg (Marsh Marigold), Khud Kalami (Talking To Oneself), Inkaar (Denial), Kaf-e-Aina (The Mirror’s Edge), and Mah-e-Tamaam (Full Moon). Said the bio for the work, “Writing from a young woman’s perspective, Pakistani poet Parveen Shakir had an exceptionally decorated career. Her distinguished contributions to Urdu poetry earned her one of the highest civil awards in Pakistan.” Parveen Shakir was awarded the Adamjee Literary Award in 1976 for Khusbu. She later received the Pride of Performance award for her outstanding contribution to literature. INP

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Bilawal stresses need to implement legislation for women protection ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari Sunday said Pakistan could not progress at its full potential until there was a strong implementation of legislation for women protection. In a statement in connection with International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women being observed on Monday all over the world, the PPP chairman said honor killings, domestic violence, harassment at workplaces and other crimes against women were a real daub on the countries continuously failing in protection of their womenfolk. Bilawal pointed out that Sindh was leading other provinces in carrying out legislation for providing legal protection to the women. “I am told that Sindh is the only province where violence against women has been declared a criminal offence and courts are bound to decide such cases within 90 days,” he added while pinpointing the reports that conviction ratio in cases of violence against women was merely 2.5 percent in the country. He further said PPP was the pioneer of the struggle for women rights and it even elected a woman – Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto as Prime Minister of Pakistan, the first-ever directly elected woman prime minister in the Muslim world as well. She inducted women in judiciary, established First Women Bank and separate police stations for women besides exclusive welfare and health programmes for women. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said he had been informed that key legislation tools for ensuring protection to women were in the process in Sindh province which included Dowry Act, marriage related issues, acid throwing and harassment at work places. Sixty cases have been registered in Sindh province under the early-age child marriages. The PPP chairman stressed that federal as well as other provincial governments needed to give priority to practical steps to stop violence against women so that our country was no more among the list of most dangerous countries in the world for women besides creating an environment of security and safeguards for them to work shoulder to shoulder with men in the nation building. StAff rePort

ahsan warns PTI against making cPec controversial ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal has warned Planning Minister Asad Umar to avoid giving factually inaccurate statements regarding China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as the PTI regime’s mishandling of the project has already created severe problems for the landmark initiative. In a statement, Ahsan said had Prime Minister Imran Khan and his cabinet not turned CPEC into a controversial project with their uninformed and misplaced criticism it would not have fueled the barrage of international misunderstandings that benefitted those looking to demonise the project. Ahsan said that the total volume of Chinese loans under the CPEC is not $18 billion but actually $5.8 billion. “The duration of this loan's return is between 20 to 25 years and its average interest rate is a mere 2 per cent, and all energy projects under the CPEC are investments, not loans,” he said, adding that this is a special concession by China for its brotherly country Pakistan. StAff rePort

An environmentally sustainable method found to block dengue virus transmission ISLAMABAD APP

An international team of scientists have reported an effective and environmentally sustainable way to block the transmission of mosquito-borne dengue virus, in trials carried out in Malaysia.

Using a strain of the bacteria Wolbachia, which inhibit mosquitoes from transmitting viruses to humans, researchers at the Universities of Melbourne and Glasgow and the Institute for Medical Research in Malaysia were able to successfully reduce cases of dengue at sites in Kuala Lumpur.

Their data published in -- Current Biology -- shows that mosquitoes carrying the wAlbB strain of Wolbachia, when released into the wild, had the ef-

fect of reducing the incidence of dengue cases by 40 per cent.

Previously, scientists including Professor Ary Hoffmann from the University of Melbourne, have carried out successful mosquito releases using a different strain of the Wolbachia bacteria, but while this strain was able to invade wild populations in some conditions, it did not appear to be suitable for use in the very hot conditions experienced in equatorial countries such as Malaysia.

Now, this international team of researchers from Melbourne, Glasgow and Malaysia has shown that the wAlbB strain of Wolbachia is stable and effective, even in daily peak temperatures of 36Celsius and higher, as commonly experienced in areas of Malaysia

CMYK

where dengue is prevalent, Science Daily reported .Prof Hoffmann, from Melbourne University's Bio21 Institute, said the findings could make a difference to a number of countries who have dengue."This study provides us with a new Wolbachia strain for field release and highlights disease impact within a complex urban setting where dengue incidence rates are high," he said.

"The intervention succeeded despite ongoing pesticide applications and other challenges that can make it hard for the Wolbachia to become established. The approach holds promise not only in Malaysia but also in other countries," he added.Researchers released batches of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes carrying the wAlbB strain of Wolbachia into the wild, in six different sites in greater Kuala

Lumpur with high levels of dengue transmission.The Wolbachia carrying mosquitoes -- both male and female -then went on to mate with the wild mosquito population, resulting in the spread and establishment of the virus-inhibiting bacteria.In some sites, Wolbachia-carrying mosquitoes were measured at over 90 per cent frequency more than a year after the mosquito releases ended.The success of lowering dengue cases at these sites has led to a cessation of insecticide fogging in these areas, highlighting both the environmental and economic benefits of this method.

Prof Steven Sinkins, from the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, said the breakthrough is promising news for countries that endure mosquito-borne diseases.

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Kid injured after Kite string slits throat LAHORE STAFF REPORT

A 7-year-old boy suffered critical injuries after a kite string slit his throat in Lahore on Sunday. The boy, identified as Abu Bakar, was travelling on a motorcycle with his father when a kite string slit his throat near the Wahadat Colony. The boy was immediately shifted to a nearby hospital for medical treatment where his condition was said to be out of danger, said rescue officials. Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has taken notice of the incident and sought a report from administration.

However, it seems that the Punjab government has failed to control such accidents and has taken to issuing mere statements. Last Sunday, a stray kite string claimed the life of a 40year-old man in the provincial capital, prompting the chief minister to say that local police would be held responsible in case of any future incident. However, any let-up these violations is yet to be seen. In Lahore alone, at least four people have lost their lives in Oct after coming into contact with a stray string. The number of people dying due to kiterelated incidents has witnessed an increase due to repeated violations of the ban on kite flying and related activities. As per the ban, kite flying and selling can lead up to three years imprisonment in addition to fines.

lahore: A smoke-emitting vehicle on Queen Mary Road violates Section 144 imposed by the Punjab government to curb pollution caused by vehicular emissions. ONLINE

hed female officer transferred under questionable circumstances LAHORE

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UNjAB government has transferred the Punjab Higher Education Department’s (HED) female officer who had levelled workplace harassment allegations against the HED Deputy Secretary (Staff) Dr Haider Ali. According to the notification available with this scribe, HED Deputy Secretary Rahimeen Akram is hereby transferred with immediate effect and posted as Punjab Institute of Management and Professional Development (PIMPD) deputy director admin against a vacant post and a grade 17 officer Muhammad Kashif has been posted on her place.

Yasmin visits residence of Pti worker LAHORE APP

Provincial Health Minister Dr Yasmeen Rashid on Sunday visited the residence of a PTI worker Capt (retd) Zaheer in union council number 48 and expressed condolence with the family. Chairman Abdul Ghafoor Pappu and other party workers were also present. Dr Yasmin also reviewed progress on ongoing development projects in the constituency as well. She said that Prime Minister is a great leader who came to power to bring about a real change in the county. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government will fulfill all its promises made with the public. She said the public had rejected the politics of corruption and loot. The government is playing its role for betterment of public, she added.

Earlier in the month, Rahimeen had levelled allegations of workplace harassment against Dr Haider Ali, pointing towards continuous harassment and discrimination against women at higher education institutes.

In her complaint to the Punjab HED secretary, she had detailed incidents of harassment in which Dr Haider had targeted her, her personal staff and the section officers of her office. She had complained about his use of immoral language, shouting and creating unnecessary problems in daily office work. She had also mentioned that Dr Haider instigated her staff to disobey her, telling them to not take her seriously and asking them to sit in front of him while working.

“Dr Haider came to my office a

couple of times and asked for the Wifi password in a threatening way; however, on refusal, he tried to get the password from my staff by using immoral language,” a part of the application had stated.

Moreover, she added that a senior citizen Muhammad Kamal Mansoori came to her office repeatedly despite the fact that his issue was related to the male deputy secretary. “I sent him to the relevant office, but Dr Haider misguided him thrice for the sake of wasting my time, in a bit to frustrate me”.

She also lamented that Dr Haider tried to seek her personal information from her staff. On their refusal, he again used abusive language while threatening them that he would be the “one staying in the department while she

would be removed soon, implying that they would suffer the consequences of not obliging him”.

She concluded the application by requesting that Dr Haider be directed to mend his ways as his behaviour was unprofessional, sexist and unethical.

Interestingly, a few days back, HED Secretary Sajid Zafar Dal told Pakistan Today that matter has been sorted out as Rahimeen had withdrawn her application, hastily adding no inquiry was needed whereas now, the female officer has been transferred to another department.

It may be mentioned here that Dr Haider is an assistant professor at the Agriculture College of the University of Sargodha and is working on attachment with the HED.

Those hatching conspiracies against CPEC are enemies of Pakistan: Sarwar LAHORE INP

Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar has said that those hatching conspiracies against China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) are enemies of Pakistan’s development and they will not be let succeeded.

He said that Pak-China friendship is stronger than rock.

This he said while talking to PTI central worker Hamid Zaman, and Sheraz Cheema, Shoaib Salman, Mian Waheed and Asima Bajwa from PTI Youth Wing and more than 15 delegations from various districts of Punjab here at Governor House on Sunday.

Ch Sarwar said that China has always sided Pak-

istan in time of difficulty, and the second phase of CPEC will expedite the pace of economic development of Pakistan as millions of people will get jobs in economic zones. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the PTI has always done the politics of principles and ideology and will continue with this mission in future to make Pakistan a developed and prosperous country. The Governor said that provision of maximum relief to people is top priority of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf for which federal and provincial governments have launched the projects like Ehsas Programme and Insaf Sehat Card, and now PTI will also fulfill its promise of empowering the youth through Youth Card Programme. PTI is also introducing a his-

toric local bodies system for devolution of power at grass root level. After the local governments’ elections, people’s problems will be resolved at their doorstep.

Ch Sarwar added that today Pakistan is faced with numerous challenges but no world power can hinder its way forward because Prime Minister Imran Khan is working with all sincerity and commitment for his country and every coming day is bringing prosperity and progress to Pakistan. He vowed that Pakistan will also get rid of problems such as price-hike and un-employment. He said that people have rejected the opposition parties in the general election 2018 and even now, the opposition will meet failure as the people are standing with PTI.

People throng flea markets to buy warm clothes LAHORE APP

With the onset of winter season, a great rush of people was observed at Landa Bazaars (Flea markets) in various parts of the provincial capital to buy warm clothes.

After the weather turned a bit chilly in the central Punjab,the sale of winter clothes was gaining momentum,especially in Landa Bazaars. Shops in Landa markets were seen displaying old and new warm clothes to attract customers.

Old Landa Bazaar, Borhwala Chowk, Mayo Hospital Landa Bazaar, Chungi

Amar Sadhu Landa Bazaar as well as Anarkali and other markets were thronged people to buy warm clothes.

Landa Bazaars offer sweaters, coats, quilts, blankets,trousers, shirts, woollies, children's wear and jackets.

When asked a shopper Zahid Baig by this scribe about the purchasing at Mayo Hospital flea market, he said that inflation couple with poverty were forcing people to do winter shopping from Landa bazaars. He said that new clothes were very expensive and not affordable to buy so he had come to buy second hand clothes for his children and himself.

He observed that warm clothes in the

flea markets were also expansive as compared to previous years.

Raheela Khurram, a woman customer who was a teacher at a local school, said that purchasing power of the salaried people was decreasing and the clothes that she bought last year for the winter from main shops were no more affordable this year.Several poor customers thought a considerable increase in prices at the Landa Bazaars. The prices of clothes were higher as compared to the last year, said Tahir Khalil Sheikh, a shopper at Old Landa Bazaar.

"New warm clothes are beyond the purchasing power of poor people while

Landa Bazaars are providing comparatively affordable second-hand imported garments and that's why I came here for shopping, another visitor of Mayo Hospital Landa Bazaar Moazzam Chaudhry said.Shafiqa, a housewife was happy with her shopping at the flea market of Borhwala Chowk as she got stylish and quality woolen sweaters and jackets for her children at reasonable price. She said that the Landa Bazaar was a blessing for the people like them as she was unable to afford costly clothes.

Gulrez Khan, a vendor at Mayo Hospital Flea Market said that a large number of citizens visited these markets of used

warm clothes as it were cheaper than the new ones.

Wali Khan, another shopkeeper of Landa Bazaar said that it was not true that only poor people came to the flea markets, adding that he said several rich people also visited these markets to buy major European Brands old clothes which were better than the local products.

Saleem Ahmad, a vendor of warm clothes, said that no doubt, prices were a bit higher than the last year but even then they it were affordable for everyone.

According to the MET department, weather was expected to colder and the demand of warm clothes would increase.

Monday, 25 November, 2019

NEWS

Govt, people to carry forward CPEC for prosperity of region: FO Spokesman ISLAMABAD APP

Foreign Office Spokesperson, Dr Muhammad Faisal on Sunday said people of Pakistan and the government would carry forward the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), projects for prosperity of the region. The CPEC was a colossal engine for generating employment, alleviation of poverty and betterment of economy, he stated while talking to a private news channel programme. In reply to a question about reservations of the United States over the project, he said Pakistan would never become the part of economic wars of two global powers. He said the entire nation would contribute in the development process of CPEC. "We will not move back regarding CPEC at any cost," Dr Muhammad Faisal stated. To another question about South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), he said India was the main hurdle in conducting the summit. He said without the cooperation and interest of the neighboring country, the objectives of the organization could not be achieved.

Another day, another faux pass: PTI minister advises people to give up tomatoes Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Information Minister Shaukat Yousafzai on Sunday gave his two cents on the issue of continuously rising tomato prices by directing people to stop buying the costly commodity altogether and use yoghurt as its replacement in their daily meals.

“We have stopped using tomatoes in our curries … we use yoghurt instead. You should also stop using it as well until the price comes down to a normal level,” he said in a video that is doing the rounds on social media. It may be mentioned here that the price for fruit recently crossed Rs300 per kg in the domestic market whereas it is a core and important ingredient in almost all local cuisine items. Further, the price of tomatoes has reached its highest-ever mark and price control committees have failed to enforce government-approved rates throughout the country. “Look, it all depends on demand and supply, prices will go up due to increased demand and when you stop using it altogether then automatically prices will reduce,” Yousafzai explained.

“Problem with Pakistanis is we always cry over increasing prices of beef, mutton and chicken but refuse to quit using these commodities resulting in their soaring prices … it’s better to get rid of them and the prices will automatically come down,” he added. Earlier in November, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Abdul Hafeez Shaikh drew public ire for his ignorance about tomato prices. In a video shared widely on social media platforms, Shaikh was seen dismissing reporters’ concerns over the rising prices of tomatoes and claiming that they were being sold at a mere Rs17. NEWS DESK

05

Past and Present of Kashmiri disemPowerment ISLAMABAD

m

AGENCIES

USLIMS, who constitute 70% of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state, had been disempowered politically and administratively even before the Indian government scrapped its residual autonomy on August 5, data and historical facts reveal.

Since 1954, out of a total of 30, only six Muslims of the state have been elevated to the post of the chief secretary, the highest-ranking civilian official.

At present, out of the 66 bureaucrats running the civilian administration, only 17 are Muslims from Jammu and Kashmir, including Shah Faesal, who resigned his post earlier this year and joined politics. He is one of the dozens of politicians jailed by Indian authorities currently. His resignation from government services is yet to be accepted. “These Muslim bureaucrats no doubt served the interests of the state as they are supposed to but a Muslim face in a predominantly Muslim region does instill confidence among the people,” said a former bureaucrat, who requested anonymity.

“Unlike Indian bureaucrats who looked at Kashmir only from the prism of Indian state’s interests, these Muslim officials were instinctively familiar with the place and hence nuanced, ” he added.

At present, out of the total 22 district civilian administrative heads, 11 are Muslims.

The 100,000-strong police force, which has been used as the most potent controlling mechanism since 1947, presents an interesting picture.

Comprising mostly of Muslim foot soldiers, it has been largely managed by non-Muslim officers.

Since 1913, out of a total of 17, only two police chiefs have been Kashmiri Muslims.

Out of a total of 37, only four Muslims have headed the police’s intelligence wing, the CID. Of the 25 police districts, Muslim officers from the state currently head only seven. Muslim officers head six of the 13 police districts in the Kashmir Valley, which is about 96% Muslim and is the epicenter of the anti-India insurgency.

At present, out of the 66 Indian Police Service officers who hold key positions in the police, only nine are Jammu and Kashmir Muslims.

Police and civilian officials apparently worked either under elected

governments or, in their absence, a governor appointed by the government of India.

The governor of Jammu and Kashmir, unlike the rest of the Indian states, had powers to make laws.

None of the governors deputed to Jammu and Kashmir so far has been a Muslim or belonged to the region.

Since they wielded significant powers in a sensitive state, two were former army generals and another India’s former intelligence chief.

Many have had their share of political troubles and political disempowerment of the state.

Satya Pal Malik, the last governor – Jammu and Kashmir is now a Union Territory that has a lieutenant governor instead of a governor –actually signed off on the special legislation Aug. 5 on behalf of the region’s Assembly.

That fateful day, the region was without an elected government because the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had withdrawn support to its coalition partner, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), a Kashmir-based party, and imposed governor rule in 2018.

In the absence of an elected government, which means 87 lawmakers in the case of Jammu and Kashmir, the governor functioned like one.

While the Indian parliament scrapped legislations, it was legally bound to seek consent from the region’s elected representatives.

However, the ruling BJP interpreted Malik as the equivalent in stature to an Assembly elected by 12 million people. It declared in the parliament that the governor’s consent to the scrapping of the region’s autonomy has been received. But a day earlier, when asked whether all emergency measures, such as the deployment of 40,000 soldiers, was a prelude to the abrogation of special laws, Malik denied knowledge about any such move and “what might happen the next day.”

Thus a governor, who had hardly

ever visited Kashmir before his posting in 2018 and who claimed no knowledge of a political development of far-reaching consequences hours before its unfolding, signed off on the fate of 12 million people, throwing the insurgency-wracked region, a nuclear flashpoint, into further uncertainty.

The governor not only consented to the abrogation of the laws but also stalled a move that could have saved them. Realizing the Indian government was adamant on doing away with special constitutional status of the state, three unionist parties, NC, PDP and Congress, having a sufficient number of lawmakers to form a coalition government, staked claim to the government in November 2018.

The governor promptly rejected it, paving the way for the BJP government to scrap the laws that, inter alia, prevented Indians from buying properties in Jammu and Kashmir.

A governor is assisted by a clutch of advisers, who assume the role of ministers in absence of an elected government. Out of Malik’s five advisers, only one was a Muslim from the state for the most part of his tenure.

Since the state has been downgraded to the status of a Union Territory, it will now be ruled by a lieutenant governor, whose sphere of influence outweighs that of elected representatives.

The BJP government in New Delhi plans to redraw Assembly constituencies in a way that gives the Hindu-majority Jammu region a marginal edge in elections.

Counting on an electoral sweep in Hindu constituencies and a few seats in the Muslim-majority Kashmir, the Hindu nationalist BJP could easily form a government.

“The BJP could sell an electoral victory at this stage as an endorsement of the abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35 (A),” said journalist Moazum Bhat. In this systematic dis-

empowerment of Muslims in the region, Unionist Muslim politicians have played a key role.

This is because they were supposed to sell Indian sovereignty over the disputed region to a rebellious population. But they only ended up destroying their own political legacies.

Most of them are in jails.

For example, in 1953, Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, the first prime minister of Jammu and Kashmir – until 1974 Jammu and Kashmir had a prime minister, not chief minister – was arrested by a low-ranking police official and jailed for 22 years.

Between 1953 and 1974, while Abdullah’s party, National Conference, led a movement for the right to self-determination, the Indian state obliterated the semi-sovereign status of Jammu and Kashmir with the help of comprador governments led by Kashmiri Muslim politicians who were installed in power by rigging elections or subverting democracy.

After his release, Abdullah returned to power in 1974 after giving up the struggle for right to self-determination and reconciled to a downgraded status of chief minister.

In 1984, two years after Abdullah’s death, his son, Farooq Abdullah’s government was overthrown in a coup that is believed to have New Delhi’s blessing. India was then ruled by the Congress. Realising that staying in the Indian government’s good books, not public support, was the key to power in Jammu and Kashmir, the younger Abdullah aligned with the same Congress during the infamously rigged election of 1987.

When the insurgency erupted in 1990, he quit and fled to London, returning to power in 1996 after the Indian government persuaded him to fight elections, promising him restoration of autonomy.

For the first time in history, his party lost power in 2002 to PDP. Autonomy was not restored.

His son, Omar Abdullah, led the party to success in the 2008 elections but again lost to PDP in 2014.

All these years, though it played second fiddle to successive Indian governments, NC’s seat tally kept falling and cadres diminishing.

Farooq Abdullah is a member of Indian parliament but currently in jail under an infamous law called the Public Safety Act, which allows authorities to detain a person without a trial. * Opinions expressed in this article are the author’s (Hilal Mir) own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Anadolu Agency.

Now the dollar’s turn CITY NOTES M A NIAZI

I

suppose we should begin celebrating. Asad Umar is back in the federal cabinet as planning minister, which is a sign that our economic woes are over. Now all we have to do is wait for the dollar to plummet against the rupee, until their value is briefly par, and then the dollar settles somewhere 20 to the rupee. Of course, his removal as finance minister in the first place had been a great disappointment to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) core.

That core seems to be developing a mind of its own, that has to be placated. It did not like Asad Umar losing his job, because Imran Khan used to point him out as a pre-selection: he was to be finance minister, and solve the mess left behind by the looters and plunderer. Well, the PTI got into office, Asad Umar duly became finance minister, but the International Monetary Fund (IMF) felt it would like to deal with someone else. Dr Hafeez Sheikh, for instance. No sooner said than done. In a U-turn of Napoleonic proportions, Asad Umar got the axe.

He has been brought back, and we can presume that the economy will get well, and we will be able to

tell the IMF bad things. Meanwhile, can Asad Umar give his snake oil to Makhdum Khusro Bakhtiar to sell, or will he have to hold on to his stock until he has to resume selling it?

Khusro was the previous planning minister, but he has not been chucked out of the cabinet, just had his portfolio changed, to food security. His predecessor, Khwaja Mehboob Sultan, has been moved to the vacant portfolio of Kashmir and Frontier Re-

gions. Remember, the charges against Assange are what drove regions. That meant Shehryar Afridi has finally found a boss. He had held interior as a minister of state, and then Kashmir and frontier regions, also as minister state, both times in-charge. But this time, he has got a boss.

I assume the dropping of rape charges against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in Sweden had nothing to do with Asad Umar. There is the very tangential relationship that the institution that did not like Asad Umar, was once headed by Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who had to give up the job after being accused of raping a New York hotel maid. I doubt if Asad Umar has anything to fear from a rape accusation. He should fear either the traditional cattle-theft charge, or he should worry about the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arresting him, which it has been doing pretty liberally these days.

Asad Umar’s boss, Imran Khan, is not bothered by rape charges. However, he takes corruption charges more seriously. Remember, he has developed a new economic theory: stop corruption, and economic indicators become healthy. Of course, after his triumphs in economics, he has now turned to medicine. He has the ability to diagnose a patient by looking at him. That is how he was able to tell

CMYK

that Nawaz Sharif was faking his illness. And then there was the unseemly debate over who let Nawaz go, the judiciary or the government. May I suggest the Lahore CCPO as the culprit? The Lahore CCPO? I hear incredulous readers gasp. Well, yes, why not? He has absolutely nothing to do with all this, but he has a certain name recognition, so why not? And since when, under the PTI, does one have to be guilty before being held responsible?

Imran might have noticed that things are hotting up in Israel, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been indicted for corruption without anyone holding a sit-in, and without any speeches from the top of any container. Of course, maybe he is responsible for the poisoning of Nawaz, which his son Hussain said had been done. Had he been poisoned as a result of corruption? Well, I suppose that is one explanation, of how he got sick in NAB custody.

Another person lining up to get involved in corruption is Sri Lankan PM Mahinda Rajapakse, who has also become finance minister. He is gathering all these posts after his brother Gotobaya became the president. Mahinda is himself a former president. But Gotobaya is cause for celebration among all the retired colonels of the Subcontinent.

Because he is one too, which Imran would probably find very satisfactory.

Monday, 25 November, 2019

06 WORLD VIEW

HEROES OF TORTURE REPORT MOVIE ARE LAUDED FOR DODGING REPORTERS THE MOVIE SURFACES ANOTHER STORY ABOUT HOW AND WHEN CONGRESSIONAL STAFFERS DECIDE TO LEVERAGE JOURNALISM FOR THEIR OWN PURPOSES, AND HOW WHISTLEBLOWING IS VIEWED IN THE CULTURE OF THE CAPITAL

inTercepT

S

NAUsIcAA RENNER

TANDING in line for a movie screening at the Newseum, I overheard a conversation — the kind I’ve come to realize is banal in Washington, D.C. Two Capitol Hill staffers behind me were lamenting the risks of inviting their journalist friend to parties. “I couldn’t believe I had to tell him he couldn’t report on what he heard at the party,” one said. “Yeah,” replied the other, “We agreed long ago that our house was off the record.” “And then when I told him,” continued the first, “he stopped coming to my parties.”

We were waiting to see the D.C. premiere of “The Report,” the new movie written and directed by Scott Z. Burns that chronicles the struggle within the government to release the Senate Intelligence Committee’s five-year investigation into the CIA’s use of “enhanced interrogation techniques” — i.e., torture — following 9/11. The inquiry had roots in a prior investigation, beginning in 2005, into the destruction of CIA tapes showing the waterboarding of detainees.

In 2009, the committee voted to initiate an expanded investigation into the CIA’s program. Five years later, the committee released a summary of the report that was heavily redacted and a tenth as long as the full report. The Obama administration and the CIA pushed to remove any details that would lead to real accountability, keeping the CIA officers involved anonymous and blacking out the names of the countries where torture had occurred.

Around 8 p.m. on Tuesday night, after over an hour of open bar and a red carpet expressly set up for Instagramming, Burns — known as the screenwriter for “The Bourne Ultimatum” and “The Informant!” — introduced the

movie. He began by thanking Daniel J. Jones — the Intelligence Committee staffer detailed to the investigation into black sites, rendition, and “enhanced interrogation” — and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., chair of the Senate committee, both of whom were in the audience. When Burns addressed Feinstein, the packed house in the Newseum auditorium burst into applause. Annette Bening (who plays Feinstein in “The Report”) “sends her regards,” Burns said.

“She wants you to know you’re her hero.”

I watched the back of Feinstein’s head bob up and down in acknowledgement.

For many in the room that night, the movie was a celebration of the bureaucratic government work that too often doesn’t make it into the limelight. But opening in the midst of an impeachment inquiry sparked by a whistleblower, “The Report” is also a rumination on the internal calculus of government employees who want to revolt against official secrecy — as Jones did — and whether the public’s right to know is best served by revealing illegal government activity through official channels or sharing it with the press.

“The Report” begins, like Spencer Ackerman’s 2016 rendition for The Guardian, with Jones breaking the law.

Jones, played by Adam Driver, had been tasked by the Intelligence Committee with sifting through millions of documents, cables, and emails related to the CIA’s interrogation techniques in a windowless room designed to contain sensitive material. One file in particular caught his attention: an internal report prepared by the CIA for former Director Leon Panetta that seemed to corroborate the Senate’s findings. Worried about losing access to this file when it became clear that the CIA was intent on preventing the Senate from releasing anything about the torture program, Jones illegally removed it from the building. That document became a critical piece of leverage in countering the CIA’s resistance to the release of the Senate’s torture report.

The existence of the public Senate report, albeit in its limited form, is something of a bureaucratic miracle. The CIA’s own investigation into the matter,

the document produced for Panetta, was deep-sixed, and President Barack Obama made an explicit decision when he came into office not to pursue the investigation. He wanted to appear, as the movie notes, “post-partisan.” Without Jones’s relentless work, we might never have known the depths to which the CIA fell in the years after 9/11.

“The Report” is a useful reminder of the inhumanity and ineffectiveness of torture and of the key fact that no one was held accountable. The graphic reenactments of torture scenes with blaring music, nudity, and physical abuse are second only to the fullthroated embrace by a CIA officer of everything from imposing “learned helplessness” to waterboarding.

But the movie surfaces another story about how and when congressional staffers decide to leverage journalism for their own purposes, and how whistleblowing is viewed in the culture of the capital. It’s the same thing those Hill staffers in line were wrestling with, at a different level: A sense of both the value and the danger of the press is instilled from above. A choice moment in the film comes when Feinstein, meeting with a frustrated Jones, asks him what he thinks of Edward Snowden. Jones is silent. “I think he’s a traitor,” Feinstein says.

According to the movie, Jones, who was notoriously reticent when it came to talking to reporters, leveraged the press to his and the report’s benefit only once: when he himself became the subject of CIA intimidation. After having removed the Panetta report, he gives a reporter a cryptic clue, telling him to look into computer hacking targeting the Senate. The reporter asks for more information.

“You’re the New York Times national security reporter, you should be able to figure it out.” Jones walks away, leaving the Times reporter incredulous. The crowd in the Newseum giggled.

The movie, here, elides the fact that reporter who actually broke this story was Ali Watkins — then a reporter at McClatchy who only later worked a stint at the New York Times. “The Report” is an insider’s movie: It doesn’t name most of the characters, some because they’re

CIA officers who were given pseudonyms in the summary that was released, some because they’re staffers who worked with Jones. (I overheard someone wondering out loud, before the movie began, how the composite character that included his friend would be portrayed.) Like the report itself, the story is unwieldy, and giving it a Hollywood treatment necessitates the lionizing of some and the sidelining of others.

At another crucial moment — in December 2014, when Feinstein is in her last week as chair of the committee, as the Republicans come to power during Obama’s second term — Jones again weighs the prospect of talking to the press. A moody Jones puts his entire report into his bag and drives to meet the same reporter in a parking garage. “If the Times had your report, we would print it tomorrow,” the reporter says. Jones struggles for a moment before reaching his conclusion: “No. If it’s gonna come out, it’s gonna come out the right way.”

This approach ultimately pans out.

The Democratic caucus in the Senate pressures Obama’s chief of staff, Denis McDonough (played by John Hamm, the perfect hotshot), to get the redacted summary of the Senate report out. The movie nails this moment as a crucial indictment of the Obama administration for wanting to move beyond what happened, rather than own up to it. But pause on Jones’s dramatized decision for a moment. He took a leap of faith; he chose to believe in the importance of the process. That time, it paid off. What if it hadn’t? Jones is something of a unicorn in having moved against the government via official channels and emerging relatively unscathed.

And what does it mean to put something out “the right way” anyways? The implication is that the report gained some kind of authoritative status because it was condoned by the Senate and the White House. The government publicly admitted that it tortured people, and promised never to do it again, even in the fog of the war. But imagine an alternate history, in which an unredacted summary had been released — a version that didn’t eviscerate the details. If that had happened, there would have been a chance at something

Will Tokyo’s ‘deep state’ strike back?

Japan Times KUNI MIYAKE

A long-awaited American political extravaganza began last week in the U.S. House of Representatives. Two highranking U.S. diplomats, Ambassador William B. Taylor, Jr. and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State George P. Kent, testified under oath in an impeachment hearing at the Intelligence Committee.

U.S. President Donald Trump, as always, tried to ignore this lethal revolt by a group of defiant career diplomats. He might call it fake news, a witch hunt or an attempt by the “deep state” to destroy his administration. Trump supporters believe that he is fighting day and night against the vested interests of the secret establishment in Washington.

The U.S. mainstream media were literally in frenzy of excitement. Although

the witnesses’ testimonies didn’t indicate any smoking gun, CNN televised the entire hearing all day long. By contrast in Tokyo, the Japanese media were rather sober and didn’t seem to understand why Trump’s phone call to Kiev really matters.

The Asahi Shimbun, for example, almost nonchalantly reported that “House hearings begin over Trump’s Ukrainian scandal,” in which “the U.S. president allegedly pressured his Ukrainian counterpart to investigate Mr. Trump’s political enemy as ‘quid pro quo’ for resuming military assistance to Ukraine.”

Friends of mine in Tokyo often asked me what’s wrong with Trump’s phone conversation with his counterpart in Kiev.

Since this kind of irregularity seldom happens in Japan, many were surprised when I told them that Trump’s behavior could constitute a bribery case in the U.S. I tried to explain the concept of “bribery” in plainer language for ordinary citizens. Suppose, I said, Japan decided to extend economic assistance to a developing nation in Africa. If a Japanese politician or Cabinet minister interfered and said “I would suspend the aid program if I didn’t get a kickback money.”

Of course that would be a crime and then, what if the minister said, “I only say yes if the recipient government does my Japanese friend a special favor”? I also told my friends that bribery is one of the reasons for presidential impeachment as stipulated in the U.S. Constitution. The fol-

lowing is my take on this political episode.

First, Japan’s domestic politics are helplessly stable but ridiculous. Upon my return from Bangkok last week, the breaking news of the day was the “florid spending” for the annual cherry blossom party hosted by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Critics say the occasion to honor good citizens “turned into an event of political patronage.”

As the Guardian reported last Thursday, quoting the Asahi, “Voters from Abe’s local constituency have even been offered bundled travel packages to go to Tokyo and enjoy river cruises on the weekend of the festivities.” Japan’s opposition parties threatened to suspend Diet deliberations for this scandal. But why?

Abe’s supporters paid an appropriate amount for the travel package. Although politically incorrect, this is a kind of favor every parliamentarian in Japan does to his/her constituents everywhere. I am not trying to defend the Abe administration but just saying that the impeachment inquiry in Washington dwarfs Tokyo’s cherry blossoms party “scandal.”

Second, now that America’s deep state is striking back, what about Japan’s, if it exists? For the past few years, the Trump administration has targeted the State Department as a symbol of Washington’s establishment or what Trump calls the deep state. Sadly, the department has been literally demoralized and virtually destroyed.

To Trump, the two American career diplomats who appeared in the House Intelligence Committee must be typical warriors of the deep state. Kent’s snobbish bow tie or Taylor’s quiet yet arrogant storytelling must have irritated the president and many of his supporters in the socalled swing states.

The Foreign Ministry, Japan’s counterpart to the U.S. State Department, had experienced something similar but less horrifying in the past. The first time was when the Liberal Democratic Party lost its majority in the general election in 1993. Fortunately, the new reformist prime minister’s pressure on the Foreign Ministry was not destructive.

The second was more serious when the Democratic Party of Japan won the election in 2009. The new DPJ administration didn’t trust the Japanese bureaucracy and the Foreign Ministry in particular. It tried to declassify top-secret diplomatic documents and to appoint non-diplomat ambassadors to Washington or Beijing.

The administrations of Yukio Hatoyama and Naoto Kan, for example, not only endangered the Japan-U.S. security arrangements in 2009 but also appeased Beijing and sent it the wrong message when the drunk captain of a Chinese fishing boat rammed a vessel off the Japan Coast Guard near the Senkaku Islands in 2010.

Damage was done to Japan’s national interests but the Japanese diplomats at that time were silent. Unlike now in

more than symbolic justice.

The movie portrays Jones as a hero for turning away from the temptations of journalism. As a viewer who is immensely skeptical of official process, I believe that sharing evidence of government malfeasance with the press is a legitimate and often necessary check on power. But how will Americans respond to this movie after months of headlines about cover-ups, whistleblowers, and leaks?

The best-case scenario is that “The Report” helps viewers understand the powerful forces working against transparency. For the room in D.C., the film felt like a salve on a difficult time, a reassurance that the system can work as it’s meant to.

The depressing thing is that getting the truth out there doesn’t always result in change. On my way out, I picked up a free copy of the almost 600-page summary of the Senate’s torture report, reprinted by Melville House. On the back, one line seems to say it all: “The book that inspired the major motion picture.” Oh God, I thought, is this the fate of all that work? A new cover plastered with Driver’s face? After all, Gina Haspel, who played a key role in the destruction of the torture tapes, is now the director of the CIA, as the movie wryly notes in its end cards. Abu Zubaydah and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, two of the victims of U.S. torture and the subjects of the destroyed tapes, are still being held in Guantánamo Bay. Not even the Newseum will be around that much longer.

Washington, there were no impeachment inquiries or Diet hearings at which incumbent career diplomats could testify.

Diet committees did not subpoena Foreign Ministry officials, either.

Having said that, Foreign Ministry officials, and the Japanese bureaucracy in general, now face the third and most serious threat from the Prime Ministers’ Office. The office has the authority to appoint and dismiss every senior bureaucrat, including vice minister and directors-general, at ministries and agencies.

The new authority, the Cabinet Personnel Affairs Bureau, which was established in 2014, has dramatically changed the status and power of Japan’s bureaucracy. With this, the prime minister and his staff have an absolute authority over the bureaucracy, the Tokyo version of the deep state.

Japan’s foreign service officers have not been as vocal as Taylor or Kent. It is probably because Japan, unlike the U.S., has no diplomatic bribery or misdemeanor case at the top of the administration. This, however, doesn’t mean that Japan will never have such a possibility.

The real question is whether the Japanese bureaucrats will or can revolt or speak out, when necessary, against the incumbent prime minister of the day. If this happens, will the prime minister call them “agents of the deep state” or will the Japanese media protect the anonymous whistleblowers? That remains to be seen.

Kuni Miyake is president of the Foreign Policy Institute and research director at Canon Institute for Global Studies.

Monday, 25 November, 2019

FOREIGN NEWS 07

proTesTs drIve record poll TurnouT In hong Kong HONG KONG

h

Agencies

ONG Kong’s voters turned out in record numbers Sunday for local council elections that the city’s pro-democracy movement hopes will pile pressure on the Beijing-backed government to heed their demands after months of violent protest.

Lengthy queues snaked out of polling stations across the territory in the election for 18 district councils, where high turnout is expected to benefit democratic forces.

The Electoral Affairs Commission said a record 56 percent of the 4.13 million citizens registered to vote had cast their ballots by Sunday evening.

It was already the highest turnout in Hong Kong’s history of district council elections post handover from British rule, with five hours of voting still to go.

The selection of 452 councillors — handling community-level concerns such

as bus routes and garbage collection — traditionally generates little excitement, but has taken on new significance following months of political unrest.

Hong Kong has been battered by months of mass rallies and violent clashes pitting police against protesters who are agitating for direct popular elections of the semi-autonomous Chinese territory’s government, as well as a probe into alleged police brutality.

District councils have long been dominated by the pro-Beijing establishment, and voters seeking change hope that weakening that grip will give their movement fresh momentum.

“Even though one ballot can only help a little, I still hope it can bring change to society and support street protests in some way,” 19-year-old student Michael Ng, voting for the first time, told AFP. The vote is the closest Hong Kongers get to direct representation.

The territory’s top-level legislature is elected by a mix of popular vote and seats

reserved for industry groups stacked with China loyalists, which ensures Beijing’s control of the city of around 7.5 million.

The pro-democracy camp is calling Sunday’s vote a referendum on Chief Executive Carrie Lam and the pro-Beijing government, who have resisted the movement’s demands.

“We are voting to give our judgement on what has happened… we’re also voting to make a choice for what is yet to come,” said Jimmy Sham, a pro-democracy candidate and a prominent figure in the largely leaderless protest movement.

But the polls are not entirely symbolic: some candidates for next year’s legislative elections will be drawn from district councillors, and the bodies also will contribute 117 members to the 1,200strong Beijing-controlled electoral college that chooses the chief executive.

Protests have been muted in recent days after pro-democracy figures urged citizens to cease disruptions to avoid giving the government an excuse to delay or suspend the polls.

No major disturbances were reported.

“I’m pleased to say that… we should have a relatively peaceful and calm environment to conduct these elections successfully,” Lam said after voting in her constituency on Hong Kong island.

The political unrest kicked into high gear with giant rallies in June against a bill backed by Lam that would allow extraditions to China’s

opaque justice system.

The bill was eventually withdrawn as public pressure grew, but the anger that it unleashed sparked wider calls for democracy.

Chinese state media also ground into gear for election day, trotting out editorials urging Hong Kong residents “to vote to end violence” — which Beijing blames on rioting youths.

Israel's Netanyahu faces court, party challenges after indictment JERUSALEM Agencies

Britain's Labour promises millions of women pension compensation LONDON: Britain’s main opposition Labour Party has promised to hand more than three million women compensation for the loss of years of state pension payments when their retirement age was raised if it wins power at a Dec. 12 election. Labour’s finance policy chief, John McDonnell, said pay-outs of up to 31,000 pounds, with an average payment of 15,000 pounds, would be made to those women who had been expecting to retire at 60 but then were told they would have to wait longer. Labour said the total cost of such a proposal was estimated to be 58 billion pounds before tax, but that it could be paid in instalments. “The next Labour government will compensate women who were unfairly hit by the rise in the state pension age and give them the respect they deserve,” Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said in a statement. “The powerful and wealthy want you to believe that real change is impossible, that it’s not realistic. But it is possible with Labour. Because Labour is not on the side of the billionaires and the bankers, we are on the side of the people.” The move is part of Labour’s generous spending plans, but it was not costed in its manifesto. McDonnell told Sky News it would be funded by a “very special arrangement, a contingency”. Agencies

Two dead after massive floods hit southeastern France ROQUEBRUNE-SUR-ARGENS: Two people were found dead on Sunday after massive flooding that has hit southeastern France since Friday, causing major damage in the region, local authorities said. One person was found dead near Muy, between the towns of Nice and Marseille, the police prefecture of the Var department said in a statement. The statement did not say whether that was the person it had earlier reported as missing after falling off a rescue boat near Muy late on Saturday. Another body was found in a car in Cabasse, a village nearby, it added. In its earlier statement, the prefecture said a 77-year old man was also missing since Saturday morning in Saint-Antonin-du-Var. Several rivers burst their banks in southeastern France, causing major damage as homes were flooded and trees, cars and boats were swept along by the waters. Agencies

A watchdog group asked Israel’s top court on Sunday to order Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to step aside after his indictment on corruption charges, adding to pressure he is facing from within his ruling party.

Netanyahu, a four-term conservative leader, has denied the charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust and said he will stay in office and defend himself.

His indictment on Thursday came amid unprecedented political disarray in Israel, after elections in April and September in which neither Netanyahu nor his main challenger, centrist Benny Gantz, secured a governing majority in parliament.

In its petition to the Supreme Court, the Movement for Quality Government in Israel said the first-ever criminal charges against a sitting Israeli prime minister constituted “the crossing of a red line and a grave blow to public trust in ruling institutions”.

The court should force Netanyahu to resign or temporarily recuse himself from prime ministerial duties, the movement said.

It was not immediately clear when the court might rule on the petition.

Gantz’s mandate to form a government – after an unsuccessful attempt by Netanyahu to do so – expired on Wednesday. The next day, Israel’s president declared a three-week period in which lawmakers can nominate one of their own to try to put together a ruling coalition.

Should that fail, a new election – Israel’s third in a year – will be triggered.

Netanyahu’s hope of securing that parliamentary nomination was challenged by Gideon Saar, a rival within his Likud party.

Saar said on Saturday Netanyahu would not able to win a third election and called on Likud to hold a leadership ballot.

“There is only one way in which we can save the country, extricate it from the crisis and ensure the Likud’s continued rule – and that is if we go to snap primaries today,

within these 21 days,” Saar told Israel’s Channel 12 television. Saar has previously said he would consider running for the top Likud slot.

While voicing appreciation for Netanyahu’s record-long term and noting he was innocent until proven otherwise, Saar criticized the premier’s attempts to cast his criminal prosecution as a “coup attempt” involving police, prosecutors and the media.

“Not only is it wrong to say that, it’s also irresponsible to say that. It’s completely out of touch,” Saar said.

The Likud party spokesman dismissed the challenge.

“It is sad to see that while Prime Minister Netanyahu keeps Israel safe on all fronts and works to preserve Likud rule, Gideon Saar, as is his wont, is displaying zero loyalty and maximum subversion,” the spokesman said.

Opening the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu made no mention of the political crisis or his legal woes, speaking about Israeli security issues.

UK's Johnson promises Brexit for Christmas in manifesto TELFORD Agencies

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will promise to bring his deal to leave the European Union back to parliament before Christmas when he launches his Conservative Party’s manifesto on Sunday.

Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrives for the Conservative party’s manifesto launch in Telford, Britain November 24, 2019. REUTERS/Phil Noble With less than three weeks before Britain heads to the polls on Dec. 12, the governing Conservatives and opposition Labour are trying to tempt voters with different visions but several pledges to spend more on public services.

Johnson’s manifesto aims at drawing a distinction with Labour, which has promised to raise taxes on the rich and businesses to fund a big expansion of the state, by promising not to increase taxes if the Conservatives win the election.

Opinion polls show Johnson’s Conservative Party commands a sizeable lead over the Labour Party, although large numbers of undecided voters means the outcome is not certain. “My early Christmas present to the nation will be to bring the Brexit bill back before the festive break, and get parliament working for the people,” Johnson will say, according to excerpts of his speech that he will make at an event in the West Midlands region of England.

Arriving at a conference center in Telford, Johnson was welcomed by supporters chanting “Boris” but a little further away, protesters shouted: “Liar, liar, pants on fire”.

Contrasting with Labour’s unabashed tax-and-spend approach, Johnson’s manifesto – titled “Get Brexit Done, Unleash Britain’s Potential” – will pledge to freeze income tax,

value-added sales tax and social security payments. Johnson will also announce a 3 billion pounds ($3.85 billion) National Skills Fund to retrain workers and an extra 2 billion pounds to fill pot-holes in roads. He will also pledge to maintain the regulatory cap on energy bills.

SPEND: Finance minister Sajid Javid told Sky News that the Conservatives’ plan will be accompanied by a very detailed financing document and that the governing party would balance day-to-day spending and keep debt low.

But Labour spokesman Andrew Gwynne said Johnson’s plans were “pathetic”. “This is a no hope manifesto, from a party that has nothing to offer the country, after spending ten years cutting our public services,” Gwynne said.

To try to win over voters, Labour an-

nounced another spending commitment, promising to compensate more than three million women who lost years of state pension payments when their retirement age was raised.

Think tanks like the Institute for Fiscal Studies have raised questions about the credibility of plans to fund investment from both the Conservatives and Labour.

Held after three years of negotiations to leave the European Union, the December election for the first time will show how far Brexit has torn traditional political allegiances apart and will test an electorate increasingly tired of voting.

In a heated campaign where the Conservatives have been criticized for disseminating misleading social media posts, Johnson, 55, will say he will “turn the page from the dither, delay and division” of recent years.

Monday, 25 November, 2019

08 COMMENT Leaving well alone If Imran didn’t let Nawaz go, who did?

Travel and tourism competitiveness of Pakistan The potential of tourism is untapped

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he rather plaintive statement by PM’s Information Adviser Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, that former Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif had not reported back on his health, is a little puzzling.

While Prime Minister Imran Khan appears to want the credit of being a great humanitarian in letting Mian Nawaz go abroad for treatment, it seems he wants to avert the negative feedback that is coming from his base, which sees letting Mian Nawaz go as a betrayal of the PTI’s promised crusade over corruption. The attempts to throw doubt on Mian Nawaz’s illness make Imran able to satisfy his diehard supporters by implying that he did not want to let him out of jail, and get in a position where his own commitment to fighting corruption would be thrown in doubt. however, this approach itself raises more questions. If Mr Khan did not authorise Mian Nawaz going abroad, who did? Mr Khan had originally tried to shift the blame to the judiciary, but this was quickly scuttled by the Chief Justice of Pakistan, who commented with some asperity that Mr Khan sent him abroad, and the judiciary had merely examined the modalities.

Who is more powerful than the Prime Minister?

There should be no one, but there have been accusations aplenty, the latest coming only recently during the JUIF’s Azadi March, that Mr Khan is not entirely free, that he is beholden to the military for his position. There are already many takers for the view that Mian Nawaz could only have gone abroad if he had got a wink and a nod from the concerned quarters. The PTI’s temper tantrums merely indicate that there may indeed be more than meets the eye, and indeed the government has been obliged to take a decision that it did not want to.

The only way the PTI can dispel this impression is by owning the decision, and instead of persuading its base that Mr Khan wasn’t responsible, persuade it that he was responsible, and that he took the decision in the best interests of the country and the party. Mr Khan should have trust in the people who voted for him in droves in the 2018 election.

Empty seats 135 organisations and departments lack heads

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he establishment Division has reported that 135 heads of state organisations and departments have to be recruited, because they are being run in ad hoc arrangements for the time being, despite Prime Minister Imran Khan having in July given three months for the making of the appointments. Of the 135 organisations, 14 were close to making an appointment, while it was recommended that 14 posts not be filled, because the departments concerned were slated for merger, liquidation, restructuring or privatisation. As for the rest, a common complaint was that it was difficult to attract appropriately qualified individuals from the private sector at the sort of compensation packages available. It would therefore be essential to find ways of giving such packages to qualified individuals however, that carries its own difficulties. The first is that the packages may be astronomical, but still far from what prevails in the private sector. Which would mean that the main motive for taking up the job would be to add government service to one’s cv. however, having been in government service might not mean more than being liable to enquiries by NAB. even NAB enquiries are merely just a potential deterrent; what really proves hurtful enough to keep the best people away is the possibility of an ill-prepared news report in the media, that leads to the destruction of a professional reputation built over decades. One of the attractions of working for the government is the honour of the thing. The overenthusiasm of the government for accountability, has meant that that honour has been transformed into the risk of disgrace at NAB hands. Combined with a poor pay package, the job would not be worth the candle. however, perhaps worse is the future to which recruitment is to be carried out. If a qualified professional does put in time and energy making the government organisation profitable and efficient, what will happen? The organisation will be privatised, most likely, and the professional will be out of a job. There are so many negatives to government service that it seems no wonder that professionals are staying away.

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

Umar Aziz

Asher John

Joint Editor

Executive Editor

Deputy Editor

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Dr OMer JAveD

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he PM routinely mentions about the potential of tourism in Pakistan, given its diverse topology, immense cultural depth, and rich visual history. having said that, multiple factors, mainly with regard to level of security and economic development, have contributed to the low level of tourism that the country has seen for many years now; not to mention that the tourism sector has historically as well performed well below the country’s potential.

It is, therefore, important for policy-makers to understand as to where the country currently stands, with regard to the competitiveness of the travel and tourism (T&T) sector, not only in terms of its various dimensions, but also in the comparative sense with regard to other countries. here, one important resource to gain this perspective is in the shape of the ‘Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index’ (TTCI) produced by the World economic Forum (WeF) in its biennial report ‘Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report’; with the most recent one published in September 2019, covering 140 economies, including Pakistan.

According to the Report, it ‘...provides a strategic benchmarking tool for business and governments to develop the T&T sector. By allowing cross-country comparison and benchmarking countries’ progress on the drivers of T&T competitiveness, it informs policies and investment decisions related to T&T business and industry development. The report provides unique insight into the strengths and areas for development of each country to enhance its industry competitiveness, and a platform for multistakeholder dialogue at the country-level to formulate appropriate policies and actions.’ here, TTCI is composed of four sub-indexes, 14 pillars, and 90 individual indicators– a) enabling environment, and within it, i) business environment, ii) safety and security, iii) health and hygiene, iv) human resources and labour market, v) ICT (information and communications tech-

nology) readiness; b) T&T policy and enabling conditions, which include, i) prioritization of travel and tourism, ii) international openness, iii) price competitiveness, iv) environmental sustainability; c) infrastructure, and which include the following pillars, i) air transport infrastructure, ii) ground and port infrastructure, and iii) tourist service infrastructure; and d) natural and cultural resources, and within it, i) natural resources, and ii) cultural resources and business travel.

This is indeed a very comprehensive way to measure the strength of a country to attract and sustain travel and tourism, and focuses on the performance of involved institutions, governance structures, and performance of markets. Sadly, the situation of Pakistan’s T&T sector is very weak as per the TTCI 2019, which ranks the country at 121, out of a total of 140; although a thin silver line is that the country’s rank improved by three positions from that of TTCI 2017, when it was 124th.

The Report indicates that Pakistan with regard to its T&T sector falls in the bottom 25% (or quartile) of countries, most of which belong to ‘...low to lower-middle income economies, with 26 coming from Sub-Saharan Africa. Lower levels of economic development do translate into particularly poor competitive conditions for T&T. even compared to the third-lowest quartile, the bottom 35 countries score significantly lower on most pillars– in particular, overall infrastructure, international openness, ICT readiness and health and hygiene. Also similar to the third-lowest quartile, nations in this group score below average for natural and cultural resources.

As a result, the bottom 35 economies account for just 1.8% of T&T GDP and 2.5% of tourist arrivals of the economies ranked in this report.’

In the Asia-Pacific region, Pakistan is the lowest ranked country overall at 121 as per TTCI 2019; whereas among other countries in the region, India is 34th among the 140 countries, Vietnam 63rd, Sri Lanka 77th, Nepal 102nd, and Bangladesh 120th. In this regard, the Report indicates that ‘Pakistan... remains the least competitive country in South Asia when it comes to T&T, including the region’s least favourable safety and security (134th) conditions.’

In terms of four sub-indexes, Pakistan’s performance is overall quite poor as per the TTCI 2019, where for a) enabling environment, it is ranked at 119th position, b) travel & tourism policy and enabling conditions, it holds the 122nd position, c) infrastructure, it is at the 99th position, and d) natural and cultural resources, it is ranked 87th; hence its position in all sub-index, is either close to 100th rank, or above it.

Gauging the performance of the T&T sector of Pakistan, ia deeper examination of the level

For God’s sake The Babri decision allows the country to move on MJ AkbAr

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he Supreme Court did India a historic favour. It took emotionalism off the political table. The people will be relieved now, after the Babri Mosque decision.

The political class, some exceptions apart, will grasp the full ramifications only a bit later.

The past is a dangerous place. Its vast landscape of nostalgia is interspersed with minefields of trauma. Something in our psychology keeps us transfixed to the danger zones. When the mines are infused with faith their explosive force multiplies. Given our complex inheritance from history, and the life-sapping infections injected by nearly two centuries of colonial policy, religion has often become a reason for internal conflict rather than a source of social harmony.

But emotions cannot always be scissored out of public discourse. There is a way of dealing with them based on our civilisational sense of what is the right thing to do. Mahatma Gandhi underlined this before our first nationwide mass upsurge in 1920 when he took a commitment from Muslim imams and leaders that they would support an end to cow slaughter. This was his condition for the merger of his non-cooperation movement with Khilafat. Gandhi did not want Muslims to believe in a ban on beef; he expected them to respect the sentiments of fellow Indians on a core aspect of hinduism. It was, in multiple ways, an article of faith in Gandhi’s philosophy of unity.

A significant step away from a troubled past, towards a common future, was taken on November 9. The road map was finalised by a bench that will command a place of honour in our annals.

Three faiths were represented among the five jus-

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tices who reached a unanimous verdict: Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and Justices SA Bobde, DY Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and Abdul Nazeer. If this was a fortuitous coincidence, then so be it. If this was a conscious decision to get all Indian perspectives, then wisdom has prevailed.

The unanimity of the bench was itself an extremely powerful message. Indians accepted the integrity of this judgment without a murmur.

It was fitting that the verdict was read out by Chief Justice Gogoi, a man who has done more than anyone else to bring closure. We should not be misled into thinking that the Ram temple issue had lost its deep resonance. Mr Justice Gogoi surely knew that familiar saying: nothing is as dangerous as the fire you think has gone out.

Those who dismiss religion as irrational do not get the point. Religion too is based on reason. It answers those fundamental questions which are beyond the comprehension of the human mind. It gives meaning to life and death. Birth is transformed from an accident to a cyclical miracle. No religion believes in death as the end of life, only as a transition to another form of existence. Marxists reject religion as a human invention; believers view God as the architect of a universe far beyond the limitations of human knowledge. Religion places life on earth as some infinitesimal part of infinity, outside the contours of time and space as we experience them in the brief whiff of our mortality.

There is no rational evidence for the existence of God but 99 percent, if not more, of India is certain that there is God the Creator. hindus and Christians believe that God took human form and came down to earth to guide us towards eternal salvation, whether as Lord Ram, Lord Krishna or Christ the Lord. Muslims and Jews accept the concept of tawheed, or the indivisible unity of God. But all of us believe in some

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of pillars within each of the four sub-indexes, reveals very useful detailed information. here, with regard to the first sub-index of enabling environment, the position of Pakistan, in terms of the involved pillars, as per the TTCI 2019, is as follows: business environment (93rd), safety and security (134th), health and hygiene (101st), human resources and labour market (135th), and ICT readiness (123rd). hence, clearly the enabling environment lacks tremendously, in turn, identifying the institutions as a very weak link in the overall performance of T&T sector.

The second sub-index, T&T policy and enabling conditions, the ranking on the involved pillars for Pakistan is as follows: prioritization of travel & tourism (119th), international openness (122nd), price competitiveness (37th), in which the country performs relatively a lot higher than other pillars, and is based on the following indicators, i) ticket taxes and airport charges, ii) hotel price index, iii) purchasing power parity, and iv) fuel price levels, and environmental sustainability (129th), indicates a very weak state of affairs by related government authorities and the private sector in this regard, and also points to a high level of environment-related vulnerability in which the country finds itself, and is based on the following indicators, i) stringency of environmental regulations, ii) enforcement of environmental regulations, iii) sustainability of travel and tourism industry development, iv) particulate matter concentration, v) number of environmental treaty ratifications, vi) baseline water stress, vii) threatened species, viii) forest cover change, ix) wastewater treatment, and x) fish stock status.

With regard to the third sub-index, infrastructure, the rankings on the involved pillars is as follows: air transport infrastructure (96th), ground and port infrastructure (73rd), and tourist service infrastructure (112th), and which includes the following indicators, i) hotel rooms, ii) quality of tourism infrastructure, iii) presence of major car rental companies, and iv) automated teller machines per adult population.

The ranking on the pillar included in the fourth sub-index, natural and cultural resources, is as follows: natural resources (110th), and cultural resources and business travel (56th).

This Report should serve as a wake-up call for the policy makers with regard to the poor state of affairs in an important sector of the economy; especially also since the country is the lowest ranked in the countries covered in the Asia-Pacific region.

Dr Omer Javed holds PhD in Economics degree from the University of Barcelona, and previously worked at International Monetary Fund. He tweets @omerjaved manifestation of God as the lord of the universe.

Those who believe that God was born on this earth revere, logically, the birthplace. hence Bethlehem, where Jesus was born, is on the apex of Christian pilgrimage, on a par with Jerusalem, where Christians believe Jesus was crucified. For the last millennium and a half, both places have been ruled by Muslims or Jews, except for the Crusader interregnum. But no one has ever stopped this pilgrimage. To do so would be barbaric, outside the code of civilised co-existence.

Indeed the bloody wars collectively known as the Crusades were fought for the control of ‘holy places’ and not to expand empires.

The compulsion of pilgrimage to the birthplace of the Lord is an elemental journey in every relevant religion. The Supreme Court, by adjudicating on the legality of the deity and granting an unfettered right to the deity’s birthplace, has created space for India to move on.

If an emotional issue becomes a focal point of electoral gravity, then it squeezes out what should be the dominant factor in any election: good governance. This is true of any democracy, including its most stiff-lipped version a few thousand miles away from India. The basic truth is simply this: if we do not exhaust emotionalism through an acceptable and credible process, then emotionalism will exhaust a nation.

Indian democracy can now revolve around the core competence of governments, which is excellent news for the citizen.

Interfaith conflict has inflicted a heavy body blow on the unity of India in the past. It retained the potential of becoming the chief obstacle to the future of modern India, and a threat if not to India, then certainly to modernity.

Gandhi’s Ramrajya was based on the equality of every faith, the freedom and dignity of every individual, economic emancipation of the poorest of the poor and gender reform. That is the scripture of modernity. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi said after the Supreme Court verdict, “This decision should not be seen as a victory or defeat of anyone.

Be it Rambhakti or Rahimbhakti, this is the time for all of us to strengthen the spirit of Bharatbhakti.”

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Monday, 25 November, 2019

COMMENT 09 Editor’s mail

Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan.

E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively

Campaign against democracy

Falling apart The government has not achieved the purposes for which it was elected

SyeD kASwAr GArDezi

“M

ere Pakistaniyo, apne ghabrana nahi hai” warned Imran Khan whilst assuming charge as the chief executive of the country. The decades-old quest for the top political office materialized as Khan finally managed to satisfy his lust for the Prime Minister’s office. The supporters were made to believe that all the country’s woes would be over now that the ‘right’ party was in power. A fresh start with a ray of hope was promised. All predicamif ents would be dealt with and Pakistan would begin its journey towards prosperity, or so we were made to believe.

Swaying upon the prayers of many and with a pat on the back by the concerned quarters, Imran’s PTI made its way into the corridors of power with countless promises of development, jobs, cheaper utilities, safety and security, good governance and accountability amongst others.

While the PTI made itself comfortable on the other side of the benches, certain teething problems, which were otherwise unavoidable, ensued. The benefit of doubt was duly extended to the government as the general perception was to allow them to settle in before embarking upon a journey to salvation.

But when the likes of Usman Buzdar are handed over the keys to the heart of the country, the fate of the people is already sealed. As opposed to rooting out incompetence, the same is nurtured and encouraged. A man alleged to be unable to read the files presented before him cannot provide comfort and relief to the citizenry. On the contrary, the people remain tense and the confidence in the system further deteriorates.

Imran Khan, though a firebrand speaker, is bent upon convincing the masses that all remains under control and the country is sailing towards prosperity. however, mere display of immaculate oratory skills is insufficient to actually steer the general populace out of their everyday woes. The election campaign is over and the significance of bold speeches is lost with it. The people require practical improvements which remain unheard of. With the ex-

ception of a selective accountability process ing to stand beside them, let alone behind.

The purported accountability drive in the that stands upon faulty prosecution, no material progress which would put the minds at ease has country has also failed to yield any material rebeen seen. The rupee has seen its worst, costli- sults. NAB arrests have at most become a deness continues to haunt the common man, eco- terrent to the civil servants from carrying out nomic instability remains hovering over their duties. As opposed to rooting out corrupbusinessmen, tax collection persists in being tion, the activism of NAB has brought the bulimited and yet the government wants us to be- reaucracy to a standstill. Officers are reluctant to affix their signatures on any document for the lieve that all is well.

In the minds of the ruling party, the worst fear of baseless allegations and subsequent may be over but the morale of the common man NAB proceedings against them. The mighty corrupt, or rather the alis falling apart. The leged corrupt, are also working class cadre sufunnerved by the process. fers the most as their The promised billions salaries are insufficient Notwithstanding the are yet to be recovered. to cater to their necessiThe swindlers of the naties. The emoluments rehazardous air, costly tion’s wealth are still to main the same, but with utilities, joblessness, languish in prisons for little or less value. No their deeds. more benefit of settling inflation and the fact that Amidst all of the in can be extended to the commercial activity of above, the people in government as it has Punjab breathe in hazbeen over more than a most sorts remains at a ardous air every second year since they assumed standstill, the government of the day and all the charge. By now, the illitcan do is erate common man excontinues to put on a bold government shut down schools so as pects to see some sort of front and offers its to limit the exposure of change. The promised the children to the disaschange they voted and reassurances to the trous effects of the air pinned their hopes on. A they so innocently political government general public. The all-isbreathe. It is despicable whose own bureaucracy well notion is easily and unfortunate that the is uncooperative has no hopes of succeeding. Indispelled when a common state has to put on hold the education of its chileffective governance is man steps out to buy dren in order to keep unlikely to bring about them safe and healthy. the desired change. simple groceries for his Nature might be beyond Despite criticism, house. In order to actually the government’s conBuzdar’s predecessor had but certain pertinent his own way of obtaining appease the citizenry, it is trol, measurers can be work from the bureauimperative that the PTI adopted to avoid or at cracy. even though his least reduce the effects kingly tactics were not government rethinks its of smog in the air. Deappreciated, if a task was spite smog being an anrequired to be done, it strategy towards nual issue, the would be done. Maybe governance. Patience is government has failed to some, if not all, measures take any material steps employed by Shehbaz running out and the clock to overcome the same.

Sharif were to be adopted remains ticking Notwithstanding the by the incumbent governhazardous air, costly ment, it might help foster utilities, joblessness, inthe attempts being made flation and the fact that to govern. The ‘Naya Pakistan’ has only brought chaos in the country. commercial activity of most sorts remains at a Instead of job creation, more people find them- standstill, the government continues to put on a selves out of a job than before. A general uneasi- bold front and offers its reassurances to the genness prevails over the minds of the public and eral public. The all-is-well notion is easily disnone remain at ease. Those eagerly awaiting pelled when a common man steps out to buy change continue to be disappointed by the sort of simple groceries for his house. In order to actually appease the citizenry, it is imperative that governance on display.

The entire system is falling apart and is on the PTI government rethinks its strategy tothe verge of a total collapse even though the gov- wards governance. Patience is running out and ernment might not see it yet. One more trudge in the clock remains ticking. the wrong direction and the people might actuSyed kaswar Gardezi is a lawyer and a ally take to the streets. Political inclinations aside, even the PTI’s own supporters and voters columnist. He can be contacted at are unhappy. Unlike others, their party isn’t will- kaswargardezi@gmail.com

TheRe is a systematic campaign in electronic media by few anchors and selected analysts who blame democracy for ills that afflict this country, thereby negating Quaid’s vision.

Pakistan was created through democratic constitutional struggle waged by politicians with calibre of Quaid-e-Azam and many others who rose up through political process and were not implanted by British Raj. It were men like Sikandar hayat, a bureaucrat on payroll of hM Government, serving as Member Reserve Bank of India, who was implanted by Raj to take over Unionist Party in Punjab after untimely death of Sir Fazal-i-hussain, a politician in his own right, on 29 June 1936. The British Raj excelled in “Divide and Rule” through intrigues using paid civil and uniformed bureaucracy as tools. They controlled both hindus and Muslim, through civil bureaucracy run by DC and Commissioners (There is no post of DC etc in UK), a uniformed security service to quell local population through intrigues and use of brute force such as Jallianwala brutality. It is unfortunate that MAJ vision of a modern democratic welfare was deliberately derailed, the Constitution delayed and country became hostage to vested interests. Quaid succeeded in the words of Wolpert - modify the map of world- creating a nation-state; but within a year of his death his vision was derailed. If Quaid’s democratic Pakistan was allowed to function, Kashmir would have been liberated in 1948 or latest by 1962, there would have been no military action in east Pakistan and this country would not have been engaged in proxy war under Zia. Pakistan would have emerged as an economically powerful state, with its people enjoying fruits of development instead of miseries that they face today.

MaLIk TarIq aLI Lahore

Jinnah’s ‘Purana Pakistan’ MARTIN Luther King Jr once said ‘almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world a better place’. Jinnah wanted the Pakistanis to respect our minorities. I want to reiterate that Prime Minister Imran Khan had promised to give minorities their due rights. he envisioned following the model of the state of Medina. Mr Khan’s zeal was witnessed when he proposed that Dr Atif Mian was the panacea for the economic calamity of Pakistan. he desired to see Dr Atif as the Finance Minister in his ‘Naya Pakistan’. The desire was a rhetorical.

Nevertheless, Mr Khan coerced Dr Atif to resign from the economic Advisory Council, owing to his faith; which is indifferent to our economy. Consequently, Dr Imran Rasul resigned in protest. This robbed our economic Council of competent members. however, Jinnah would have daunted the government’s decision because he guaranteed justice, equality, and opportunities for the minorities. Jinnah was a protagonist of minority rights. he stood for the Muslims when they were a minority in the colonial India. Jinnah must have been disenchanted following this inauspicious decision.

The premier idealises Jinnah and pledged to withhold the values of the father of our nation. The white part of our flag denotes Pakistan’s minority. One need not be a Muslim to serve this country. Any person regardless of their religion is capable of serving his/her state without prejudice.

Unfortunately, our government has unceasingly disdained almost every other Pakistani, who had the audacity to choose a dissimilar trajectory since the demise of Mr Jinnah. Pakistan loses her chance to prosper when every Joginder Nath Mandal, Sir Zafarullah Khan, Abdul Salam and in this case Dr Atif is left to the mercy of the bigots in the country. This is a startling moment for our homeland. The food for thought is that can our nation flourish with this myopic attitude and is Pakistan alike India when it comes to minorities? Ostensibly, those who claim to be the harbinger of revolution, need to aspire for the Pakistan of 1947 i.e., ‘Purana Pakistan’.

BarrISTEr arSaLan CHaUDHry narowal

Banning plastic bags PLASTIC bags had been a huge indication of apocalypses since 1950s and it is very much notorious of being the fountainhead of enhancing the mortality rate of people in Pakistan. Plastic bags are being manufactured with various hazardous chemicals which are very much dangerous for every individual surviving in Pakistan, because in every corner of Pakistan plastic bags are being used to carry out the eatable goods without being aware the causes and health risk and sometimes it is very much spoiler for the lands because the plastics would make a timber land into a barren land.

According to the expert scientists that plastic takes more than 500 years to break down in a landfill. Moreover, the scientists have claimed that the plastic bags have been the source of numerous deadliest diseases such as cancer endometriosis, neurological damage, endocrine disruption, birth effects and developmental disorders, immune damage, asthma, and cause multiple organ damages. Furthermore, the Minister of Climate Change Senator had evaluated that more than 55 billion plastic shopping bags are being used in Pakistan where the utilisation had been increased to 15 per cent per annum. In Pakistan approximately 8,021 production units are available whose production of average is nearly 250-500 kilograms per day and the result more investigated that more than 160,000 were directly and 600,000 were indirectly dependent on the industry. I request to the government to conduct surveys to create awareness among the residents about the health risks of applying plastic bags.

MEHraJ aLTaF Turbat

Monday, 25 November, 2019

10 FOREIGN NEWS

Two IraqI proTesTers shoT dead as unresT InTensIfIes

BAGHDAD

T

Agencies

WO Iraqi protesters were shot dead overnight in the southern city of Nasiriyah, where anti-government demonstrators shut down schools and blockaded bridges, a medical

source told AFP on Sunday.

At least 47 other people were wounded in clashes with security forces as protesters burned car tyres on roads and outside many public offices in the city, some 300 kilometres (200 miles) south of the capital Baghdad.

An estimated 350 people have been

Protesters tear-gassed in Bogota as Duque starts 'national conversation' BOGOTA Agencies

Security forces tear-gassed protesters who filled the streets of Bogota on Saturday for a third straight day, as President Ivan Duque announced the start of a “national conversation” to assuage popular anger.

Duque, a conservative who is deeply unpopular 18 months after his election, had proposed the talks on Friday in response to nationwide protests a day earlier that descended into violence, leaving three dead.

“Tomorrow, with Mayors and Governors elected from all over the country we will start the National Conversation,” he wrote on Twitter on Saturday evening, referring to officials who won October polls. Duque said he would meet Monday with the ministers of finance, labor and trade, along with representatives of business owners and workers, while dialogue with “different social sectors” would take place next week.

Following an overnight curfew in Bogota, demonstrators returned to the streets on Saturday as crews cleared debris from earlier clashes and looting.

“We woke up. Change is underway and it won’t stop,” protester Juan Sebastian Patino, 32, told AFP. Protesters are demanding, among other things, a crackdown on drug trafficking and violence, more flexible labor market conditions and improved retirement benefits.

TEAR GAS, RUBBER BULLETS: Duque, 43, has been criticized for his eco-

nomic, social and security policies, as his administration deals with hosting 1.4 million refugees from neighboring Venezuela’s economic meltdown as well as the complex fallout of a 2016 peace deal with FARC rebels.

Hundreds of thousands took to the streets in Bogota and other cities on Thursday as part of a nationwide general strike.

There were arrests and clashes as trade unions, students, opposition parties and the South American country’s indigenous organizations vented their anger.

Three people have died and nearly 300 were wounded in the unrest.

Demonstrations on Friday were marked by people banging pots and pans in a clamorous protest known as a “cacerolazo,” common in parts of Latin America but only a recent phenomenon in Colombia.

Protests grew Saturday in Bogota, as well as Cali and Medellin, as indignation spread over reports of security forces dispersing peaceful crowds with tear gas and rubber bullets. In Bogota, some 13,000 soldiers and riot police kept watch over sensitive neighborhoods in the city of seven million.

“These patrols are necessary and ensure tranquility,” said Duque, who did not indicate how long the armed patrols would continue.

Bogota, known for its mammoth traffic jams, had taken on the feel of a ghost town overnight as it came under a curfew, the first in the city since 1977.

killed and thousands wounded in the protest movement that erupted on October 1 calling for a total overhaul of a government widely seen as corrupt and inefficient.

In Iraq’s mostly rural south, schools and public offices have been severely affected with many students and teachers leading rallies and sit-ins outside public offices.

The education ministry has issued a directive that classes resume on Sunday, the first day of the school and work week in Iraq.

But protesters in Nasiriyah defied the ministry and shut down schools anyway, AFP’s correspondent said.

In the oil-rich southern city of Basra, demonstrators blocked main roads just before dawn, including those leading to the ports of Umm Qasr and Khor al-Zubair.

The ports, which bring in food and medicine to Iraq but also export fuel products, have seen some delays in loading and offloading due to the unrest in recent weeks.

Clashes also pitted protesters against security forces in Karbala, one of Iraq’s two holy cities.

Iran should punish 'mercenaries' for recent unrest: Guards commander

Bolivian lawmakers approve new elections, bar ex-president LA PAZ: Bolivian lawmakers on Saturday unanimously approved a measure calling for new presidential elections that would exclude former leader Evo Morales — a key step toward pacifying a nation rocked by unrest since an Oct. 20 marred by reported irregularities.

The bill was first approved by the Senate and then later in the day by the lower house, both of which are dominated by Morales’ Movement Toward Socialism party. Interim President Jeanine Áñez tweeted that she would promulgate the bill into law Sunday morning. “I want to thank our parliamentarians for having understood and heard the demands of the Bolivian people,” Áñez wrote. The Supreme Electoral Tribunal will set the date for the new elections. Bolivia’s lawmakers must still select new members to the tribunal. The measure forbids reelection of anyone who has served the last two terms consecutively as president, effectively ruling out Morales, whose refusal to accept such term limits was a key issue in protests against him. Morales’ claim of victory and a fourth term in the election prompted massive protests that led him to resign on Nov. 10 at the army’s suggestion. An audit by a team from the Organization of American States found widespread irregularities in that election. Agencies

US urges social media platforms to block Iran officials WASHINGTON DC: The US State Department called on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to suspend the accounts of Iranian government leaders until Tehran re-establishes internet coverage throughout the riot-torn country. The government imposed a near-total Internet blackout more than a week ago amid violent protests. “It is a deeply hypocritical regime,” Brian Hook, special US representative for Iran, said in an interview with Bloomberg posted on the official State Department Twitter account. “It shuts down the internet while its government continues to use all of these social media accounts. “So one of the things that we are calling on are social media companies like Facebook and Instagram and Twitter to shut down the accounts of Supreme Leader Khamenei, the Foreign Minister Zarif and President Rouhani until they restore the internet to their own people.” Demonstrations erupted in Iran on November 15, a few hours after the shock announcement of a decision to raise gasoline prices at the pump by up to 200 percent in the sanctions-hit country. Agencies

GENEVA Agencies

A senior commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards has urged the country’s judiciary to mete out harsh sentences to what he described as “mercenaries” involved in protests against a fuel price hike last week, the judiciary’s Mizan news site reported.

“We caught all the mercenaries who openly confessed they were doing mercenary work for America and, God willing, the judicial system of the country will give them maximum punishments,” Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi, a deputy Guards commander, was quoted as saying. Iran has blamed “thugs” linked to exiles and foreign foes – the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia – for stirring up unrest which has led to some of the worst violence in a decade. Fadavi said several people were killed after being shot at from behind with a handgun from a close distance during the protests, which he said indicated the shooters were among the crowds. Rights group Amnesty International said in a release earlier this week that security forces shot into crowds of protesters from rooftops and, in one case, from a helicopter. Amnesty said at least 115 people have died in the unrest.

Iran has rejected death toll figures as “speculative”. Iranian authorities have said about 1,000 demonstrators have been arrested.

The Center for Human Rights in Iran, a New York-based advocacy group, said on its website that a tally based on official figures and credible reports suggested that “a minimum of 2,755 people have been arrested with the actual minimum number likely being closer to 4,000”.

Plane crashes into busy DR Congo city, killing 24 KINSHASA: Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) - At least 24 people were killed, including some on the ground, when a small plane crashed into a densely populated neighbourhood in the city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday, a local lawmaker and a rescue worker said. The aircraft, which was operated by local company Busy Bee, crashed shortly after take-off en route to the city of Beni, about 250 km (155 miles) to the north, North Kivu Governor Carly Nzanzu Kasivita’s office said in a statement. The company said the 19-seater Dornier 228-200 had 16 passengers and two crew members on board. There was no word yet on what might have caused the accident. Jean Paul Lumbulumbu, the vice president of North Kivu’s parliament, said 24 bodies had been recovered from the rubble, including those of several people hit by falling debris. A rescue worker, who asked not to be named, said 26 bodies had been recovered.At the crash site in Goma’s Mapendo neighbourhood, residents threw water from buckets and cooking pots onto the smouldering wreckage. The rear section of the plane rested sideways, propped up by a wall, videos posted on social media showed. Agencies

Pope urges abolition of nuclear weapons at Japan's ground zeros HIROSHIMA Agencies

Pope Francis brought his campaign to abolish nuclear weapons to the only two cities ever hit by atomic bombs on Sunday, calling their possession indefensibly perverse and immoral and their use a crime against mankind and nature.

Francis visited the ground zeros of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, both seared in the world’s collective consciousness after the bombs dropped there by the United States three days apart in August 1945 in an effort to end World War Two. “Here, in an incandescent burst of lightning and fire, so many men and

women, so many dreams and hopes, disappeared, leaving behind only shadows

and silence,” Francis said at Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial after standing in silent

prayer and listening to a harrowing account by a survivor.

Yoshiko Kajimoto, who was 14 at the time, recalled “people walking side by side like ghosts, people whose whole body was so burnt that I could not tell the difference between men and women, their hair standing on end, their faces swollen to double size, their lips hanging loose, with both hands held out with burnt skin hanging from them.”

“No one in this world can imagine such a scene of hell,” she said.

More than 100,000 people died instantly in the twin attacks and about 400,000 others died in subsequent months, years and decades of radiation sickness or illnesses.

“With deep conviction, I wish once more to declare that the use of atomic energy for purposes of war is today, more than ever, a crime not only against the dignity of human beings but against any possible future for our common home,” the pope said in Hiroshima.

While his words in Hiroshima struck emotional, almost poetic notes, earlier in Nagasaki he issued direct denunciations and demands.

He restated his support for a 2017 treaty to ban nuclear weapons that was agreed by nearly two-thirds of U.N. members but opposed by big nuclear powers who say it could undermine nuclear deterrence, which they credit with averting conventional war.

Monday, 25 November, 2019

bUsiNess 11 Serious steps needed to cut loan dependence as debt servicing crosses $3bn figure: BMP LAHORE INP

The Businessmen Panel (BMP) of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) has asked the government to take serious measures to get rid of its dependence on foreign loans, as the country's external debts and liabilities have increased by $543 million in the first quarter of this fiscal year while external debt servicing has soared to over $3 billion.

BMP Chairman Mian Anjum Nisar said that Pakistan’s medium-term debt repayment capacity has been weakening due to government’s absolute dependence on loans. Due to the high external debts and liabilities stocks, its servicing has surged to a massive $3.07 billion in the first quarter of this fiscal year, showing an increase of 25.36 percent annually, he added. He warned that the government will have to borrow on a large scale during the current year to meet the huge gap of current account deficit of about $20 billion, though it was reduced to $12 billion against the government target of $7 billion. If the quarterly debt servicing maintains this trend and magnitude, overall FY20 figure could be around $12 billion, limiting the SBP reserves to $8.3 billion level. Mian Anjum Nisar, who is also presidential candidate for the FPCCI upcoming election, said that the government is mostly depending on non-tax revenue and borrowing to generate surplus budget, in an effort to minimize the budget deficit during the current fiscal year. The budget deficit had recorded at Rs476 billion in the first quarter of the year 2019-20, which was Rs738 billion in the corresponding period of previous financial year. He said that the government had agreed with the IMF to bring down the primary deficit to only 0.6% of the GDP or Rs255 billion but this budget deficit touched the all-time high of Rs3.44 trillion (8.9 percent of the Gross Domestic Product) as the government failed to enhance tax collection and reduce expenditures despite announcing two mini budgets in the last fiscal year and so-called austerity measures. With a view to contain the current account deficit and improve foreign exchange reserves the government has now introduced import curbs which gave it some relief on the external front, he said and added that the same strategy has adversely impacted economic growth as decline in imports have hurt business activity in the country. Quoting the data of the State Bank of Pakistan, he said the country’s external debts and liabilities rose to $106.89 billion by September end, as compared to $106.34 billion on Jun 30.

According to the figures, external debts and liabilities as a percentage of GDP fell to 38.3 percent as of Sept 30, versus 45 percent on June 30 while the debts and liabilities recorded a jump of $10.78 billion from $96.11 billion in Sept 2018. The debt servicing amount comprises of long-term principal repayment worth $1.87b, short-term $402m and total interest of $798m.

The government can use only SBP foreign currency holdings to meet expenditures like debt servicing, which was recorded at $11.58b in FY19. Due to the government’s halt on borrowing from the central bank, most loans have been channelled towards short-term treasury papers and the longer duration investment bonds, which have noticed a healthy demand due to the high key policy rate of 13.25 percent. He said that the recent annual report of SBP on economy also suggested that activity witnessed negative impact of lower imports.

He called on the authorities to strengthen fiscal discipline through additional revenue measures and efforts to contain current expenditure while protecting pro-poor spending.

PakiStan cancelS licenceS of over 25,000 nPoS to Meet fatf conditionS ISLAMABAD

a

GHULAM ABBAS

S it needed to submit another progress report by February 2020 for next review by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Pakistan has taken various steps so far to address the tasks especially related to terror financing and money laundering. It has cancelled cancels licenses of over 25,000 Non Profit Organizations (NPOs) besides categorizing 140 NPOs as high-risk under further scrutiny.

According to available documents, the govenrment has speeded up the process of cash seizure by 220% while taking number of steps at ports and entry/exit point of the country. Besides, the process/cases of investigation into suspected terror financing have also been jumped by 300%.

As per the official documents, over 170 convictions were made in the terror financing category, which, according to officials, is an increase of over 300%. Besides, the concerned authorities have also seized more than 1000 properties and assets of listed individuals and entities. Around 150 properties have been seized for investigation related to suspected terror financing.

As per FATF assessment, Pakistan has largely addressed five of 27 action items and urged Pakistan to swiftly complete full action plan by February 2020. The Asia Pacific joint Group in its analysis indicated that only 5 of the 27 action items have been assessed as largely completed.

According to documents released in February 2018, FATF had decided to list Pakistan on

joint nomination of USA, UK, France and Germany in the wake of weaknesses of supervision and enforcement of Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) by financial institutions, including money service businesses, illicit cross border transportation of currency, inadequate terrorist financing investigations and prosecutions and lack of financial sanctions and weaknesses in coordination between provincial and federal LEAs to identify and freeze properties related to UNSCR-1267 and 1373.

This decision was confirmed by FATF in June 2018 when Pakistan agreed to a time bound Action Plan and provided high level political commitment to FATF on implementation of Action Plan.

As per the documents since June this year, there has been unprecedented political commitment and support at the highest levels towards implementation of FATF Action Plan. Solid measures have been put in place to coordinate and improve legal, supervisory and law enforcement coordination mechanisms, policies and capacities and increase resources. This strategic reorientation has resulted in significant operational results particularly in relation to terrorist financing.

The primary focus had been towards terror financing (TF) Risk Assessment, update of National Risk Assessment, understanding of TF and transnational risks at all levels, effective interagency coordination structures, review of Risk Based Supervisory Polices, establishing dissua-

sive Sanctions Regime, actions by LEAs against Entities of Concern (EOC), mapping and supervision of NPOs, effective enforcement actions by LEAs and our supervisors, investigations leading towards prosecution and convictions into assets of EOC taken over and development of effective management plan for managing the assets.

Since June 2018, Pakistan has submitted four progress report to APJ Group. The last progress report was submitted in August 2019 in the face to face meeting with the APJ Group in September. The APJ presented its analysis report on Pakistan's progress report in International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meeting held on October 15, 2019. After detailed discussion in the 1CRG meeting on Pakistan's progress report, the ICRG decided to maintain the status quo for Pakistan. The FATF in its plenary also reaffirmed ICRG decision and maintained same status for Pakistan.

According to officials, Pakistan is likely to remain on the FATF grey list for a protracted period, as it may be handed over yet another action plan for implementation for one to three years on the basis of a recently-approved Mutual Evaluation Report (MER). As a result of the MER carried out by the APJ Group, Pakistan was under observation till October 2020.

The FATF plenary met last month and gave Pakistan four more months to completely implement the 27-point Action Plan after Islamabad was found fully compliant only on five points.

The FATF Plenary will again review Pakistan’s case in February next year.

AIIB approves $ 511.81 million for Pakistan’s infrastructural projects ISLAMABAD APP

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will finance $511.81 million for four projects for the infrastructural development in Pakistan, mainly related to roads, energy, sanitation and mass transit.

The amount has been approved for the projects including National Motorway M-4 of $100 million, Tarbela Hydropower Extension Projects $ 300 million, Karachi Water and Sewerage Project $ 40 million and $ 71.81 million Karachi Bus rapid transit projects, Chief Programming Officer and Senior Adviser to the President, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) Konstantin Limitovskiy told APP here on Thursday.

The Senior Adviser to AIIB President said two more proposed projects are in the pipeline including Lahore Water and waste-water management project of worth $ 400 million and $ 402 million Rawalpindi Ring Road project, adding AIIB would also provide special grant of $ 0.5 million for

preparation of the Lahore Water and Waste-water management.

He said that AIIB had rapidly enhanced investment portfolio in Pakistan, which was closely aligned with the country’s national development priorities.

To a question, he said that AIIB had owned the capital wealth power worth of $ 100 billion, in which $

20 billion paid to the banks and the bank had investment in 53 approved projects as amount of $ 10.2 in different member countries.

Konstantin said that AIIB is a multilateral development Bank having mandate of faster economic development and providing transnational connectivity to the people for economic integration in

the regional countries.

“We are supporting the economically, socially and environmentally supported sustainable infrastructural growth in member countries according to their economic vision, he said.

The bank has been financing infrastructural connectivity globally to connect people for engaging them with vision of economic and trade integration, he said.

He said the Bank that began its operations in January 2016 had now grown to 100 approved members all over the world.

Chief Programming Officer and Senior Adviser to the President, AIIB said that by investing in sustainable infrastructure and other productive sectors in Asia and beyond, the bank will better connect the people, services and markets that over time will impact the lives of billions and build a better future.

He said the bank would continue to strengthen efforts to improve institutions, services and infrastructure, with a potential to have a positive impact on economic growth and people’s livelihood.

UN spotlight depths of danger in fishing industry ROME APP

More needs to be done to improve working conditions in the seafood industry which remain dangerous for fishers, a senior official of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), a Rome-based U.N. agency, has said.

“Every hour fishers die doing their job – not just men, women too,” Maria Helena Samedo, chief for Climate and Natural Resources at FAO, told a major conference organized by the agency in Rome, coinciding with World Fisheries Day on Thursday.

“Human rights violations and unacceptable practices at different stages of the value chain are increasing in fisheries and aquaculture,” she added.

Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing leads to overexploitation of fish stocks, already drained by pollution and climate impacts, and financially burdens honest fishers and the communities that depend on them, FAO and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) said in a joint statement at the conclusion of

the International Symposium on Fisheries Sustainability.

Beyond injuring biodiversity and economies, IUU casts a dark shadow on already physically-taxing sea labour, with many IUU fishers engaging in transna-

tional crimes, such as human and drug trafficking and piracy.

Around the world, one in ten people depend on fishing to make a living and feed their families, and often, they are some of the poorest in society, according

to FAO. An estimated 95 per cent of those relying on the seafood business to provide for their families, live in Africa and Asia, often enduring gruesome working conditions. In 2019, fishing was ranked the second most dangerous job in the world, just behind logging.

Vulnerable youth and migrants often find casual jobs aboard vessels with working and living conditions well below acceptable standards.

Crew members are notoriously denied previously agreed wages, if they get paid at all, while some captains and boat owners ignore basic human rights, forcing fishers to endure extended periods at sea, under dangerous conditions.

Transnational fishing operations entangled with organized crimes pose additional challenges for law enforcement; with frequent border crossing, fishers reporting to criminal captains therefore have little or no protection, ILO reports.

FAO has been working alongside governmental and international partners to tackle the scourge of IUU, a lucrative industry valued at an estimated $10 to

$23 billion every year.

Speaking at the Symposium’s conclusion in Rome, Monsignor Bruno Marie Duff ‘e , Secretary of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, noted that Pope Francis has spoken of the need for a more integral approach to ecology, and the Holy See has called for greater synergy between governments and maritime authorities to protect human rights in this sector.

FAO has developed a number of international instruments designed to promote dialogue and policy processes to achieve sustainable fisheries management, in line with UN Sustainable Development targets.

By the Symposium’s end, participants are expected to present a technical document that synthesized the information and debate in each of the event’s sessions, to be table at the 34th session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries, set for July 2020.

The document will form the platform for a high-level policy statement on the role, value and sustainability status of global and regional fisheries.

Monday, 25 November, 2019

12 bUsiNess

export of ready-made garments increase 12pc to reach $906 million ISLAMABAD: The exports of ready-made garments during the first four months of current fiscal year grew by 12 percent as compared to the exports of the corresponding period of last year. During the period from July-October 2019, about 19.54 million dozens of ready made garments worth $906.663 million exported as compared to the exports of 15.119 million dozens valuing $809.520 million of same period of last year. Meanwhile, the country exported about 40.246 million dozen of knit wear valuing $1.054 billion against the exports of 37.790 million dozen worth of US $ 962.862 million of same period of last year, which was up by 9.49 percent, according the data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. During the period under review, 172,547 metric tons of bed wear worth $817.665 million also exported as compared to the exports of 144,574 metric tons valuing US $ 773.447 million of same period of last year. The exports of above mentioned product witnessed 5.72 per cent growth in the first four months of current financial year. In the first four months of current financial year, about 58,030 metric tons of towels worth $251.647 million exported as compared to the exports of 60,041 metric tons valuing US $ 249.651 million of same period of last year, it added. According to the data, textile group exports during the first four months (July-October) of current financial year witnessed an increase of 4.10% as compared to the exports of the corresponding period of last year, where as textile sector exports witnessed about 7.44% growth in the month of October, as against the exports of the same month of last year. During the period from July-October, 2019, textile products worth over US $ 4.586 billion exported as against the exports of US $ 4.406 billion of same period of last year, showing an increase of 4.10 percent, it said. On month on month basis, the textile products over US $ 1.214 billion exported in the month of October, as compared to the exports of US $ 1.130 billion of same month of last year. The exports of raw cotton during the period under review increased by 0.78 per cent, cotton carded or combed 100 per cent and yarn other than cotton yarn grew by 21.24 per cent respectively, the data revealed. However, in the last four months of current financial year, the exports of textile products observed decline in their respective exports included cotton yarn decreased by 2.14 per cent, cotton cloth 4.83 per cent, tents, canvas and tarpulin by 1.58 percent, it said.

However, exports of raw cotton came down from US $ 392.948 million in first four months of last financial year to US $ 384.553 million in the same period of current financial year. It may be recalled here that country's merchandise trade deficit plunged by 33.52 percent during the first four months of the current fiscal year (2019-20) as compared to the deficit of the same month of last year. According to the data the trade deficit during July-October 2019 was recorded at US $ 7.776 billion against the deficit of US $ 11.696 billion during July-October (2018-19). The exports during the period increased from US $ 7.270 billion during last year to US $ 7.547 billion during the current fiscal year, showing growth of 3.81 percent. On the other hand, the imports of the country witnessed decline of 19.21 percent by falling from US $ 18.966 billion last year to $15.323 billion during the current fiscal year, the data revealed. Meanwhile, on year-on-year basis, the exports of the country increased by 6.75 percent by growing from US $ 1.896 billion during October 2018 to US $ 2.024 billion in October 2019. On the other hand, imports declined by 15.14 percent by going down from US $ 4.801 billion in October 2018 to $4.074billion in October 2019. On month-on-month basis, the exports of the country increased by 14.41 percent in October 2019 when compared to the imports of US $ 1.769 billion in September 2019. On the other hand, the imports into the country witnessed increase of 7.64 percent. APP

PakiStan failS to get $14 Billion loan froM donor agencieS owing to negligence of Bureaucracy ISLAMABAD

P

SHAHZAD PARACHA

AKISTAN could not receive around $14 billion loan from major donor agencies such as World Bank (WB) and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in the last five years due to the negligence of the bureaucracy.

Documents available with Pakistan Today show that major donors agencies have committed to provide $28 billion to Pakistan in 178 different projects, but the money has not been disbursed owing to negligence of WAPDA and provincial governments.

Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) had signed the Dasu Hydropower (Phase-1) project with World Bank in August 2014 with a Rs510,980.2 million total outlay.

Under this project, WAPDA had to develop the 2169 MW hydro power plant but there is a serious problem from WAPDA side as documents reveal that authority has acquired 740 out of 1987 acres despite getting $213.36 million and interestingly the price of land acquisition has also been revised from Rs19.163 billion to Rs.36.914 billion.

Other problems include building a reservoir on 7888 acres apart from hiring revenue staff and making additional security arrangements.

Sources said that the Prime Minister had directed WAPDA and KP revenue board last week to immediately complete land acquisition and ensure deployment of necessary revenue staff as well as to strengthen security at project site within two weeks. Another 1410 MW Tarbela5 Extension HydroPower Project is facing delay, as WAPDA has failed to hire the consultant in this project, earlier, the authority had annulled the consultancy services in July 2017 due to technical and legal issues.

WAPDA had signed this project with WB and AIIB in 2017 upto the Rs82,361.6 million.

Documents state that owing to non-executing of project, government has paid $4.12m commitment charges to donor agency.

Imran Khan, in meeting held last week also directed WAPDA to expedite implementation on the above-mentioned issues, sources added.

Balochistan Integrated Water Resources Management and Development Project, a Rs21,954.5million WB funded project was delayed since August 2016 due to poor project implementation as provincial government had terminated the services of consultant due to which $90 million has been cancelled despite WB advice, in addition to this, there are fiduciary issues such as asset recording, ineligible expenditure and ghost employees.

Moreover, there is also a delay in the finalization of revised implementation plan, documents added.

Under this project, the WB had to strengthen the provincial government capacity for water resources monitoring and management and to improve community-based water management for targeted irrigation schemes.

Sources stated that Economic Affair division in meeting requested PM to direct CM Balochistan into smooth implementation of the project as per signed agreement to ensure timely completion as well as securing partially cancelled $90 million.

In addition to this, documents state that $236 million Punjab Cities Program has also been delayed for last one year, as provincial government is reluctant to take ownership..

The PM has also directed CS Punjab to ensure timely implementation of project by Finance and LG&CDD Department through participating local urban governments, sources added.

The objectives of this project were to strengthen performance of participating (16) urban local governments in urban management and service delivery and building systems in participating Municipal Corporations for provision of improved municipal services.

Presently, sources told that Pakistan is to receive $5 billion annually from donor agencies as loan for the development projects and if this amount releases, work can be started on these projects.

Govt lauded for controlling external deficit ISLAMABAD INP

The Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW) on Sunday lauded the government for efforts to contain external deficit which has resulted in a surplus after four years.

Apart from government efforts, there are other important reasons which have played their role in improving the situation which include the highest interest rate in the region which is luring some foreign investors, it said.

The foreign investors will lose interest once the government decide to trigger economic growth by reducing interest rates, said Dr. Murtaza Mughal, President PEW. He said that telecom companies have also paid heavy fees for the renewal of licenses while discourag-

ing imports, a contraction in the economy and sight improvement in exports have also played their role.

Dr. Murtaza Mughal said that contraction in the economy has also reduced demand for oil which has

saved foreign exchange used to buy the oil which has helped the government overcome the current account deficit. A dip in oil imports has helped constrict the trade deficit more than anything else which also indicate the economic situation which is far from satisfactory, he noted.

He said that maintaining such a position will be very difficult when economic activities started to pick up therefore long delayed reforms should not be delayed any more as the country needs a sustainable foundation on which to build the external sector’s strength.

The current state of revenue collection indicate that the country will face over 650 billion rupees shortfall and the government will have no option to burden the masses through a mini-budget which will break the back of the poor.

E-commerce creates jobs, reduces inequality in developing countries: report ISLAMABAD APP

E-commerce can flourish in developing countries and in rural areas and be a powerful instrument to create employment for semi-skilled workers, women and other groups, according to a new report.

The report, jointly released by the World Bank and Alibaba Group, titled “ECommerce Development: Experience from China”, is based on data and analysis of the structures and development of ecommerce in China and related government policies and private sector initiatives.

“China’s experience shows that developing countries can harness digital technology and e-commerce to create jobs and improve people’s lives,” said Victoria Kwakwa, World Bank Vice President for East Asia and the Pacific.

China’s e-commerce trade volume

reached 31.63 trillion yuan (about 4.5 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2018. The number of people working in e-commerce amounted to 47 million by the end of last year, China Global Television Network reported.

The report showed a clear link be-

tween e-commerce development and household welfare improvements, especially in rural areas.

Data from the Ministry of Commerce showed that online retail sales in rural areas totaled 777.1 billion yuan in the first

half of the year, increasing 21 percent year on year.

In Taobao Villages, a concept trying to help rural online entrepreneurs do businesses, households that participate in ecommerce have incomes 80 percent higher than households that do not participate, said the report .

The number of “Taobao Villages”, has exceeded 4,000 from only three villages in 2009 when the concept was first introduced, said Alibaba in August. The villages are now located in 25 Chinese municipalities, provinces and regions.

China has one of the largest and fastest-growing e-commerce markets in the world, accounting for more than 40 percent of the total value of e-commerce transactions worldwide. More than 5 percent of total employment in China is in ecommerce. Online purchases have become part of daily life for many Chi-

nese households.

“The rapid development of rural ecommerce in China has proved that innovative business started by grassroots entrepreneurs in rural areas of developing countries can thrive through the e-commerce platform,” said Wen Jia, Partner and President of the Public Affairs of Alibaba Group.

The report also pointed out challenges that need to be tackled in e-commerce development, including counterfeit products, technical concerns as well as imbalances in competition.

“The achievements China has made in e-commerce can be explained by the country’s substantial investment in infrastructure over decades and the rapid improvement of its business climate in recent years,” said Gong Sen, Executive Vice-President of China Center for International Knowledge on Development.

THE SUPER ADORABLE CHILD STAR SENSATION ‘AHMED SHAH’ MADE THE AUDIENCES AT BACHAA PARTY LAUNCH EVENT, GO CRAZY!

Coke Studio releaSed epiSode Five oF SeaSon 12 Coke Studio released the fifth episode of Season 12 on 22nd November 2019, featuring Balma by Fariha Parvez, Heeray

by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Aima Baig, Daachi Waaliya

by Hadiqa Kiani, and Mram Mram by Shamali Afghan.

BALMA: Fariha Pervez re-

B

by Rohama Riaz

HOLLYWOOD BOLLYWOOD

ACHAA Party, the biggest kids retail store in Pakistan, launched its first ever outlet in Lahore, at a newly renovated space on the 3rd Floor of Emporium Mall. It is a one-stop shop where you can get each and every essential for your kids, from trendy outfits to cozy ones, from quirky accessories to cool ones, from the most stylish boots and shoes to the most comfy ones, and not to forget all the playable toys your kids have ever wanted, are now available, all under ONE ROOF! The brand’s first-ever concept store was launched back in 2016, in Karachi, the success of which resulted in further expansion within the city. Currently, this top-notch brand has 3 stores in Karachi and the fourth one is now in Lahore!

This label ensures the comfort of shopping for mommies and daddies by stocking everything for their kids under one roof. With around 30,000+ SKUs the brand proudly caters almost 5000+ customers at each store every day with an average of 400,000 + customers monthly! And this figure is growing day after another.

To celebrate, Bachaa Party hosted an amazing open for the public, launch event at Emporium Mall. The audience turnout was so good,

everyone seemed super excited!

Beautifully hosted by the one and only ‘Rj Sophie and special appearances of the star Ahsan Khan, the handsome Wahaj Ali, the ever gorgeous

Juggun Kazim and the child star sensation, Ahmed Shah added to the excitement and they all seemed pretty much happy about the launch too!

However, the super adorable Ahmed Shah was literally considered as the cherry on cake for this launch event. Everyone enjoyed his presence so much; the kids along with their parents were so overwhelmed when they got to see him coming. Each and every gesture that he portrayed was Super Cute, that’s what made him stand out as the center of attention!

For all the style and quality conscious parents and their little ones, ‘Bachaa Party’ is surely a must-visit store as it provides anything and everything, from head to toe, from tiny to teen!

However, this brand is on a mission to provide an unparalleled shopping experience for customers, including fashion and lifestyle products, in a unique, fun, interactive environment—all at a great value for money! Not to forget Bachaa Party has been thoroughly loved by both kids and mothers since its inception.

This funky and awesome brand has just stepped in Lahore at the very right time because winters are in full swing and you all would be definitely looking for cool outlets to shop from.

Do check out their collection and enjoy a happy shopping spree, everyone!

The Batman: John Turturro Cast As Carmine Falcone

Lou Ferrigno Hates Hulk In Avengers: Endgame, Too: Blames Ruffalo, Disney

Matt Reeves has found his Gotham City crime boss in the form of John Turturro who will play Carmine Falcone in The Batman.

Reeves took to Twitter Friday to reveal the news.

John Turturro is known for Michael Bay's Transformers movies, he won an Emmy for Monk, and Golden Globe nominations for Quiz Show and The Night Of. The character was previously played by Tom Wilkinson in Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins and by John Doman on Gotham.

News of John Turturro playing Carmine Falcone in The Batman follows rumors that Matt Reeves may in part be adapting "The Long Halloween" DC Comics comic book storyline which sees Falcone pressuring Bruce Wayne to help him launder money, so Bruce leaves the party with Selina Kyle, where they discover a beaten Harvey Dent and help him escape from Falcone's mob.

Zoe Kravtiz is playing Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman, in the flick, with rumors offering Matthew McConaughey may play Harvey Dent and then go on to appear as Two Face in sequels.

Similar to a lot of fans out there, Lou Ferrigno also didn't like the goofy direction the Hulk took in The Avengers: Endgame.

I previously wrote how the Hulk was the worst character of the flick, as the Hulk went from incredible to basically a puddle, as The Avengers: Endgame revealed that Banner and the Hulk merged to become some sort of carbon copy version of Shrek, which is much, much different than what happened in the comic books.

Lou Ferrigno went on to talk about how he has voiced the Hulk in various Marvel films and how he brought the character to life, but again, he didn't like what they did with The Avengers: Endgame.

"Now in this new film the Hulk having dialogue, conversation, I think, it basically just spoiled it," he said.

Things look to be getting even worse for the Green Goliath in the MCU as Mark Ruffalo's latest idea is actually worse than Endgame and is just plain dumb.

“Maybe be like a guru to some of the younger ones.”

CMYK

turns to Coke Studio after an extended hiatus with Balma, a thumri that speaks of firaaq, the pain that comes with the absence of one’s balma (lover). A genre of neem-classical music, thumri music revolves around romantic poetry and expresses the many emotions that are felt in the way of love, be it the joy of union or the sorrow of separation. On this Season, Balma’s poetry gives words to a woman’s plight, as she weeps in memory of an absentee beloved, her heart restless to be united with him. Composed in Khamaaj Thaat, the poetry of Balma comes to life in the melodies of Fariha Pervez’s voice in an ambient soundscape that shares the unique feeling of sadness that comes with separation ¬¬¬and estrangement.

“When instruments, played beautifully, come together with poetry, the union is such that it can soothe your soul.” said Fariha Parvez.

HEERAY:

Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan brings the story of Heer and Ranjha to the canvas of Coke Studio this season, with a rendition that represents new avenues both for him, musically, and for the timeless love saga that has come to us through the poetry of Waris Shah. Heer and Ranjha are a metaphor for selfless love that survives in the face of tragedy and the pain that comes from separation. In his epic poem, Waris Shah recounts how, centuries ago, Ranjha and Heer met in Punjab and their love grew in the forest and fields that surround the river Chenab. Faced with society’s ideas of caste and morality, the lovers were torn from each other only to be brought together by fate. Their love was meant to be tragic, even in union – society could not bear to see them together and, ultimately, the two lovers could only be reunited in death. The story of Heer and Ranjha has survived through centuries, recounted in poetry, music and art – a lesson depicting the strength of love. Khan Sahab brings new hues to the tale this season, with a modern rendition of the saga, featuring Aima Baig as the voice of Heer. In retelling the story with contemporary sounds and harmonies, Khan Sahab hopes that the message of Heer and Ranjha’s love will reach the young Heers and Ranjhas of today.

Taapsee Pannu on gender pay gap in Bollywood: ‘When I’m paid only 5-10% of my heroes, of course it bothers me’ Actor Taapsee Pannu has claimed she has been paid mere five to 10% of what the male lead in the same film would have got.

Taapsee has headlined a few big projects and continues to spearhead female-oriented scripts and films in an erstwhile maledominated Bollywood. In a candid chat with Neha Dhupia on her podcast No Filter Neha, Taapsee opened up about the pay gap, not being credited enough for her work and more.

Asked if the pay gap bothers her, Taapsee told Neha, “Of course it does! When I’m paid only 5% to 10% of my heroes, of course it bothers me. The success at the box office will make sure the next film I get paid a lot which is slowly moving towards equalizing that difference. Rules are quite unfair, not just in our industry but maybe in every other industry. Because we are here, we see it more. But rules are different everywhere. And that’s what the fight is for, that’s what the struggle is right now, the whole issue of gender equality is that let’s make the rules equal.

Monday, 25 November, 2019

14 SPORTS

nadal-insPirEd sPain to facE canada in davis cuP final MadrId

r

Agencies

AFAEL Nadal inspired Spain into their first Davis Cup final since 2012 as he teamed up with Feliciano Lopez to secure a dramatic last-four victory over Britain in Madrid.

The hosts trailed 1-0 after Lopez's singles defeat by Kyle Edmund on Saturday, but Nadal thrashed Dan Evans before partnering Lopez in a 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (10/8) win in the deciding doubles over Jamie Murray and Neal Skupski.

Spain will face Canada in Sunday's final after the North Americans won their semi-final against Russia, which was also decided in the doubles rubber.

"It was a very special moment for us, a very unique opportunity," said the 38-year-old Lopez. "We have a great opportunity to win this tournament here at home." Denis Shapovalov and Vasek Pospisil sent Canada into their maiden Davis Cup showpiece by edging out Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev.

Five-time champions Spain were indebted to world number one Nadal for a virtuoso display as the 33-year-old continues his hunt for a fifth Davis Cup crown, having first lifted the title himself in 2004.

"This competition is always dra-

matic, especially with the new format," said Nadal. "It's really, really special.

Thank you to Feli (Lopez) and to the crowd who were amazing as well."

Spain lost their last Davis Cup final to the Czech Republic six years ago.

Edmund had earlier justified the decision of British captain Leon Smith to select him ahead of three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray by seeing off Lopez 6-3, 7-6 (7/3).

But Nadal swatted aside Evans 6-4, 6-0 to set up the doubles showdown.

Murray and Skupski more than held their own in the face of a partisan home crowd and a pumped-up Nadal at the Caja Magica, but saw a break point come and go in the 11th game of the first set before losing a tie-break.

The Britons saw four set points pass them by in the second set, including three in the breaker, with Nadal saving one by producing an incredible lob on the stretch. A place in the final was sealed on a second match point.

"Rafa (Nadal) plays like this from the first round in every tournament. It's one of his powers," said Spain captain Sergi Bruguera.

Earlier on Saturday, the 20-year-old Shapovalov had drawn Canada level by beating Khachanov after Rublev's win over Pospisil in the opening match.

The Canadian pair then edged out Khachanov and Rublev in a thrilling deciding-set tie-break. "I thought both teams played phenomenal," Canada captain Frank Dancevic said.

"The Russians threw everything they had at us, it was just a matter of

who came up with the better shots.

There was no room for error today -– they went for their shots, went big in the big moments, and here we are into the final." It was their third Davis Cup semi-final, after previous last-four defeats in 1913 and 2013.

"We've got a huge day, a historic day for us tomorrow, and we're going to leave it all out there," said world number 150 Pospisil. Canada secured a 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5) victory on their second match point to finish a tie which lasted six and a half hours.

Earlier, Shapovalov had seen off Khachanov, Russia's leading player in the absence of world number four Daniil Medvedev due to exhaustion, in a dramatic match. The left-handed rising star, who reached his maiden Masters final in Paris earlier this month, saved three successive break points while serving for the match. The inform Rublev had made it four singles wins from as many matches this week by brushing aside Pospisil 6-4, 6-4.

Canada have reached the final despite being without the injured Felix AugerAliassime, the world number 22, with Pospisil stepping up instead.

"I'm at a loss for words," Shapovalov said. "It's incredible how far we've come this week, with me and Vasek playing on a different level.

Boxer Muhammad Waseem returns home to hero's welcome Lahore APP

ISLAMABAD: Former CNS Admiral Mohammad Asif Sandila awards the CNS Amateur Golf Cup’s mini trophy to Ali Bangash in Islamabad. PR

Pakistan’s top professional boxer Muhammad Waseem returned to a hero's welcome on Sunday after clinching his 10th professional bout of his career after he downed Ganigan Lopez of Mexico in Dubai.

"I am very happy for the win and will continue to make my country proud in future as well," Waseem said.

The boxer who was received by the Pakistan Sports Board’s (PSB) officials, said he had been training and under the PSB during his career and was well taken care of. "I am thankful to the Federal Minister for Inter Provincial Coordination Fehmida Mirza and PSB Director General Amna Imran Khan for the warm welcome," he said.

Waseem said he would be going to Spain for a short training camp after a one week stay in Pakistan.

"After Spain I would be joining my training camp in England," he said. Waseem credited his mother and coach Muhammad Tariq behind his success.

"The prayers of my mother and the whole Pakistani nation is the reason behind my success," he said.

The boxer revealed that he had been in talks with

his management MTK Global to introduce the company to Pakistan with hopes of promoting the sport.

"Our aim is to promote boxing and hold leagues in Pakistan," he said. The 32-year-old has so far appeared in 11 fights in his pro career, winning all but one — a unanimous decision loss to South Africa’s Moruti Mthalane in a world title bout.

ExtrEmE surfErs catch rEcord wavEs in PortuguEsE town Nazare: Big wave surfers have been flocking to a formerly sleepy Portuguese fishing town, chasing monster waves that are some of the highest ever surfed.

Earlier this month the news broke that a set of fearsome 20-metre (65-feet) waves were coming to the small town of Nazare on Portugal's Atlantic coast. The message spread like wildfire and soon extreme surfers and sports fans -- as well as keen photographers -- arrived at the town's Praia de Norte beach. They gathered on the roof of a red lighthouse, listening to the deafening roar and watching in awe as the waves smashed against the cliffs. From the viewing point you cannot see where the waves end, giving the illusion the colossal walls of water could engulf their audience. But the masses just missed out on seeing French surfer Justine Dupont have the ride of her life on November 13. It could be a new surfing world record set by a woman. "I began riding the wave, I felt I was going faster than usual, and that it was steeper," the 28year-old surfer tells AFP. "I had the feeling it was never ending... I could fly away!" The massive wave has not been measured yet, but is expected to be at least 20 metres high. It will have to exceed the 2018 mark of 20.72 metres set by Brazilian surfer Maya Gabeira, also in Nazare, to become a record. The verdict, judged by the governing body the World Surf League, will not be given until spring next year. Dupont has spent four winters chasing the extreme waves in Nazare. She said the seaside town with a population of 15,000 has become a surf haven over the last few years. "It's mad!" she said. "Two years ago we went to see the sea by the lighthouse, there were no cars parked -- now, you can't drive." The monster waves have always crashed at the town's beach, but surfers had previously ignored Portugal and gravitated towards beaches in California and Hawaii. Nazare was put on the surfing map in 2010 when the town's mayor launched an initiative to attract surfers during the winter. "We were looking for someone who could develop big wave surfing" said Pedro Pisco, a local sports minister. Agencies

Pakistan table tennis team hopeful of winning medal after training in China BeIJING APP

After the successful training at one of China’s top table tennis training centres, Pakistan’s top-ranked paddlers are hopeful to finish on the podium at the forthcoming South Asian Games scheduled to be held from December 1 to 10 in Nepal.

The six-member table tennis team comprising men and women attended a training camp at Zhengding Pingpong Training Centre, in China’s Hebei Province under supervision of Chinese coaches – Yue Yun Long and Wei Shuo as part of its preparations for the next SAF Games.

The training camp was sponsored by the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad in collaboration with Pakistan Table Tennis Federation (PTTF). Sabah Kawar, Coach of Pakistan Table Tennis Team, who travelled with the team and stayed with the players during their three-week training camp said on Sunday that the Pakistani players learned new techniques and improved their game after the training held under world class facilities.

“Our paddlers played with some of the best players and learned new skills under the supervision of Chinese coaches

at a fully equipped center, which helped polish their talent and improve their game,” he added.

He said all these players, came here for training, were selected on the merit through a trial and they are confident that they would compete and win medals for Pakistan in the forthcoming regional event. Faizan Zahoor, a member of the team from Toba Tek Singh said, “After the training under the Chinese coaches, we are confident of making it to the

podium at the SAF Games.”

He said there is now a possibility that Pakistani team would clinch silver or bronze medals at the SAF Games in Nepal, a feat the team wants to achieve in presence of some good teams like India and Sri Lanka during the games. He opined that Pakistani players have a talent and they need better facilities and coaching to compete at the regional and world levels.

Perniya Khan, a young and rising player from Lahore, regards training and

CMYK

fitness equally important for winning the matches said all the players were trained under a disciplined atmosphere. This training will be vital for their performance in the SAF Games.

“I am way better player than what I was before coming to China. I have learned a lot of skills in the last 20 days. I am now able to invest more timing into training,” she said. She said after attending the training camp at one of the top training bases in China, there is a good chance of

winning a medal at the SAF Games.

Khan opined that such training camps should continue in future and proposed that the duration of training camp should be between two and six months.

Another promising player from Peshawar, Fahad Khawaja shared that ahead of the SAF Games, they thought that there was only a slim chance. But, they were more confident now and hoping for a good result after the training.

He appreciated the Chinese government’s support for arranging the training camp and said it is benefiting the players.

He also favoured for longer training in China in future and said, “We got a chance to play with Chinese paddlers which has improved our game.”

Fahad opined that exposure to the Chinese top table tennis center, will pay rich dividends and help win medals at the SAF Games. The 2019 South Asian Games, officially the XIII South Asian Games, is a major multi-sport event which were originally slated to be held from 9 to 18 March, 2019 in Kathmandu and Pokhara, Nepal.

However, the dates have been postponed and the event will now be held from 1 to 10 December 2019.

Monday, 25 November, 2019

SPORTS 15

BrISBaNe

a

Agencies

uSTRALIA were made to work harder than appeared likely in securing an inningsand-five-run victory on the fourth day at the Gabba as Babar Azam scored a magnificently classy second Test hundred and Mohammad Rizwan fell five runs short of his first before the tail went down swinging.

When Pakistan were reduced to 5 for 94 in the morning session - the same position they found themselves in the first innings - the prospect of Australia needing the second new ball or coming close to batting again seemed far-fetched. However, Azam and Rizwan added 132 for the sixth wicket then Rizwan was joined by Yasir Shah to put on 79 for the seventh.

The loss of Rizwan for 95, moments before the second new ball was taken, ended the resistance and the Pakistan fast bowlers were in for a good time, not a long time. Josh Hazlewood finished with 4 for 63 in what was Australia's 13th straight victory at home against Pakistan.

Azam played an outstanding knock, a fine response to the poor stroke in the first innings which left Pakistan in trouble. He barely put a foot wrong this time, scoring freely around the wicket, with the driving standing out as so often in a typical Azam innings. There were no nervous nineties for him as he pulled Pat Cummins through midwicket before driving wide of mid-off to bring up his first overseas hundred off 160 balls.

Nathan Lyon brought his innings to a halt when a quicker delivery found the edge and Tim Paine took a sharp catch, but that was not a prelude to a swift conclusion as Rizwan matched Azam stroke for stroke only to upper cut Hazlewood to third man moments before the second new ball.

Significant damage had been done to Pakistan's top order on the third evening and they resumed on 3 for 64. There were promising signs in the first hour as Azam

australia win by an innings dEsPitE babar azam's cEntury

Australia 580 (Labuschagne 185, Warner 154, Burns 97, Wade 60, Yasir 4-205) beat Pakistan 240 (Shafiq 76, Starc 4-52) and 335 (Azam 104, Rizwan 95, Hazlewood 463) by an innings and five runs and Shan Masood repelled the Australia quicks, although Masood was challenged by considerable seam movement Cummins extracted from the fourth-day wicket.

It was Cummins who struck first when Masood got a thin top edge on a hook and in the next over Hazlewood produced a peach to take a nick from Iftikhar Ahmed. Pakistan have had no

contribution from two of their top six in this match - Ahmed and Haris Sohail and it will give them plenty to ponder ahead of the Adelaide Test on Friday.

Australia sensed an early wrap-up but then hit the roadblock. A sweetly-timed drive off Mitchell Starc took Azam to his half-century; his judgement of length against pace and spin was a standout feature

of the innings. There was moment of mild concern on 75 when Australia reviewed an lbw shout from Hazlewood which was umpire's call on trimming the bails.

Azam's Test career has been on an upward curve over the last 12 months and he tuned up stylishly with a hundred against Australia A, but this could yet be a crucial moment in the career of a batsman who is

India crush Bangladesh in day-night Test to sweep series

KoLKata Agencies

Paceman umesh Yadav claimed five wickets as India thrashed Bangladesh in just over two days of their first day-night Test to sweep the series 2-0 on Sunday.

Bangladesh were bowled out for 195 in less than an hour of the first session on day three in Kolkata, as India won by an innings and 46 runs to record their 12thstraight Test series triumph on home soil.

It was a memorable pink-ball international debut for India, who become the only team to win four consecutive Tests by

the Bangladesh batting that fell for 106 in their first innings of the opening day.

"With the way these guys are bowling now, they can pick up wickets on any surface -- whether we play at home or we play away," a victorious Kohli said.

"I think it is all about the mindset... these guys are very hungry, they are at the top of their game.

"I feel that we are in the right kind of space right now to capitalise on opportunities and everyone is enjoying playing in this team and I think that's the standout feature about us."

Ishant was named man of the match and the series for his 12 wickets in two Tests. Yadav also claimed 12 scalps in the series, while Shami took nine.

Kohli played a key part with his 136 in India's 347 for nine declared on Saturday as they managed a lead of 241 runs.

The tourists were in early trouble at 13 for four in the final session on day two when Mushfiqur resisted India's persistent pace attack. Ishant trapped Shadman Islam lbw for nought and then India claimed skipper Mominul 347 for 9 dec (Kohli Haque, who got a pair of ducks. The spearhead quickie, 136, Pujara 55, Rahane 51, claimed five wickets in Al-Amin 3-85, Ebadot 3-91) beat who the first innings, bowled at a lively pace as one of his risBangladesh 106 (Ishant 5-22, ing deliveries hit MohamUmesh 3-29) and 195 (Mushfiqur mad Mithun on the helmet.

74, Umesh 5-53, Ishant 4-56) Bangladesh were forced to take two concussion substiby an innings and tutes in Mehidy Hasan and Taijul 46 runs Islam for Liton Das and Nayeem Hasan who were hit on the helmet by Shami on day one. an innings margin.

Mushfiqur was also at the receiving Virat Kohli's side -- which has now won seven Tests in a row -- consolidated end of a nasty hit from Yadav, but went on their top position in the world Test cham- to play a fighting knock.

Kohli completed his 27th century bepionship with three successive series fore falling to a stunning catch by Taijul off sweeps.

Mushfiqur Rahim made a valiant 74 be- Ebadat Hossain. "Definitely, the gap before falling to Yadav, and the innings soon tween the two teams is concerning," folded as Mahmudullah did not return to bat Mominul said after the drubbing. "We've after he had retired hurt on 39 on day two. got to learn from these two matches and India took 8.4 overs to wrap up the game at follow up what happened. I think the pink Eden Gardens with Yadav taking all the ball was challenging especially because it moved a lot with the new ball." India won three wickets to fall Sunday afternoon.

Ishant Sharma led the pace charge with the opening Test also inside three days, as impressive match figures of 9-78 to flatten well as the preceding Twenty20 series 2-1

CMYK

earmarked as one who can join the elite.

Rizwan, in his second Test, had shown his feisty qualities in the first innings before edging a Cummins delivery which was a borderline no-ball that many felt should have been called. He played second fiddle to Azam for the first part of his innings but became more aggressive during the afternoon and evening session.

His duel with Lyon - whom he slog-swept to bring up his maiden Test fifty from 86 balls - was especially absorbing. The offspinner targeted the footmarks created by Starc and Rizwan was keen to use his feet, highlighted by a wonderful drive through the covers that almost brought applause from the bowler himself.

On 92 it appeared he may have fallen to one of the great short leg catches when Marnus Labuschagne moved with a paddle sweep, the ball lobbing behind square with Labuschagne flinging himself full length to get the ball in his fingertips but the third umpire ruled it had been grounded. Subsequent replays suggested it hadn't hit the bat in any event. Perhaps keen to reach three figures before the new ball, Rizwan's eyes lit up when Hazlewood's first ball back was short outside off and he sent it straight to Lyon at third man. The only question then was whether the final three wickets would make Australia's openers pad up. Yasir whose batting was encouraging for Pakistan in both innings - missed a maiden Test fifty when he got a leading edge to mid-off and three overs later Matthew Wade's catch at long-on was the final act in another comprehensive Gabba victory for Australia.

Watling's double ton, Santner's triple burst have England reeling

England Zealand were 197 353 and 55 for 3 for five before Agencies (Denly 7*) trail New Watling's marathon effort England were Zealand 615 for 9 declared kept them in the battling for sur(Watling 205, Santner 126, field for a tiring vival after 201 overs.

Mitchell Santner de Grandhomme 65, "That's a big took three cheap Williamson 51) by learning point for wickets following a us. Just when you 207 runs match-turning double MouNt MauNGaNuI

century by BJ Watling in the first Test against New Zealand on Sunday.

After New Zealand declared at 615 for nine on day four in Mount Maunganui, England were 55 for three at stumps, needing a further 207 on the final day if they are to make the Black Caps bat again.

Watling swung the match firmly New Zealand's way with his Test best 205 and a record-breaking partnership with Santner who scored a maiden century and then capped his remarkable day by taking three wickets for six runs. "It's not going to be easy to get seven wickets on that (pitch)," Santner said. "It's nice to get some footies (footmarks) and the cracks are starting to open.

"It's nice to see some spin now and hopefully get a roll tomorrow."

England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler blamed scoreboard pressure for the tourists' predicament after they had held the upper hand when New

think you're getting to the place you need to be, and doing the hard work, there's a lot more hard work to come," he said.

"New Zealand played a very patient game with the bat and showed us how to play that patient game of batting on flat wickets and setting your sights high." After more than two days in the field, much of it watching Watling and then Santner take the game away from them, England had an uncomfortable two hours batting with openers Dom Sibley (12) and Rory Burns (31) as well as nightwatchman Jack Leach (nought) all falling to Santner. Sibley's wicket was the first by a New Zealand spinner on home soil since March 2018 with 101 consecutive Test wickets in 11 innings in between having all fallen to seamers. Watling shared a 116-run partnership with Colin de Grandhomme and then put the home side firmly in charge as he rewrote the record books with Santner.

Monday, 25 November, 2019

NEWS

US StatementS will have no impact on cpec: Fm QUreShi FM SAYS PAKISTAN WILL CONTINUE TO RAISE KASHMIR ISSUE AT INTERNATIONAL FORUMS MULTAN

Queen Maxima to arrive today Queen Máxima of the Netherlands is arriving here today (Monday) for a three-day visit in her capacity as the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development. During the visit, the Queen will call on the President and the Prime Minister, besides engagements with a range of stakeholders from the public and private sectors. It may be added that inclusive finance for development is one of the key priorities of the Government of Pakistan for which it has taken a number of steps. Queen Máxima will also attend the launch of the Micro Payment Gateway, an initiative of the State Bank of Pakistan aimed at reducing cost of small payments and boosting digital transactions to benefit people and promote financial inclusion. The Queen has been the UN Secretary General's Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development since 2009. In this capacity, she is actively engaged worldwide in promoting access of individuals and enterprises to financial services at a reasonable cost, with the aim of improving economic and social development opportunities. Queen Máxima had earlier visited Pakistan in February 2016. NEWS DESK

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STAFF REPORT

orEIGN Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Sunday reiterated that the United States’ stance on the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would have no impact on the project. Speaking to reporters in Multan, Qureshi said that Pakistan does not agree with the views expressed by United States (US) diplomat Alice Wells.

He was referring to a recent statement

by Wells, the US State Department South Asia affairs in-charge, in which she had warned that CPEC would further add to Pakistan’s debt burden.

She had also added that the multi-billiondollar CPEC would take a toll on Pakistan’s economy at the time of repayments and div-

idends in the coming years.

“Pakistan does not agree with that view.

We have rejected that view,” Qureshi said, adding that “we do not think that the burden of CPEC will increase our debt burden. Pakistan’s total debt burden is $74 billion of which CPEC is $4.9billion”.

“To say that CPEC is increasing our debt servicing is incorrect whereas the second phase of the development project has been launched,” he further added.

Speaking about Kashmir, FM Qureshi said India was violating human rights in occupied Jammu and Kashmir. It had imposed curfew and other restrictions for the last 112 days and people had no access to food, medicines, internet and other items of daily use. Pakistan would continue to raise the issue at international forums, he added.

Qureshi said the Jammu and Kashmir’s situ-

ation was analysed in a meeting of Kashmir Cell at the Foreign office and different stakeholders, including Kashmir Committee Chairman Fakhar Imam, participated in the meeting.

FM Qureshi said another meeting would be held soon in which some recommendations would be presented. Prime Minister Imran Khan would chair the meeting.

The foreign minister maintained that they would invite opposition parties in the meeting as all political parties had a unanimous stance on Kashmir. There would be engagements on diplomatic, legal and political fronts in the future, Qureshi added.

The incumbent government would come up with a new strategy to highlight human rights violations in occupied Jammu and Kashmir before the international community.

Qureshi said the issue of Jammu and Kashmir was raised at House of representatives and the US Congress by rashida Talib.

In a resolution, presented in the US Congress, it was demanded that curfew in occupied Jammu and Kashmir should be lifted immediately, violation of human rights should be stopped, and detained political leaders and workers should be released immediately.

Bloomberg formally announces US presidential candidacy Michael Bloomberg confirmed Sunday that he is running for president, joining the crowded field of Democrats seeking to take on his fellow New York billionaire, President Donald Trump. His 11th-hour entry highlights the fluid nature of the Democratic contest just three months before the first primary. “I'm running for president to defeat Donald Trump and rebuild America,” Bloomberg, 77, said on his website as a $30 million Bloomberg ad campaign hit US airwaves. The announcement ended weeks of speculation that the former New York mayor was preparing for a run at the White House. He had prepared the groundwork for a possible bid for the Democratic nomination in recent weeks by registering as a candidate in primary voting states and filing paperwork with the Federal Election Commission. “We cannot afford four more years of President Trump's reckless and unethical actions,” the billionaire businessman said. “He represents an existential threat to our country and our values. If he wins another term in office, we may never recover from the damage,” Bloomberg added. With a personal fortune of $50 billion, Bloomberg's candidacy will likely shake up the open race, with 17 candidates already vying to be the Democratic nominee to take on Trump next year. AGENCIES

ISLAMABAD: Japanese and Pakistani musicians perform during an Islamabad Art Festival 2019 even titled “Celebrating a Month of Japanese Culture”, organised by Japan Embassy at Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA) in the federal capital. ONLINE

Rape an 'intolerable cost to society', must be universally criminalised: UN executive director

NEW YORK AGENCIES

The United Nations has called for rape — which it has termed “an intolerate cost to society” — to be made universally illegal, noting that “most perpetrators of rape go unreported or unpunished”.

A statement by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka on the International Day

for the Elimination of Violence against Women reported that currently “more than half of all countries do not yet have laws that explicitly criminalise marital rape or that are based on the principle of consent”.

It was recognised that to hold rapists to account, the capacity of law enforcement officials to investigate such crimes will have to be strengthened. Additionally, a support mechanism for survivors through the criminal justice process must be provided “with access to legal aid, police and justice services as well as health and social services, especially for women who are most marginalised”.

The executive director, in her statement, said that if she could have one wish, it would be for the world to see “a total end to rape”. “That means a significant weapon of war gone from the arsenal of conflict, the absence of a daily risk assessment for girls and women in public and private spaces, the removal of a violent assertion of power, and a far-reaching shift for our societies,” she said.

Mlambo-Ngcuka called to attention the fact that rape is never “an isolated brief act”. “It damages flesh and reverberates in memory. It can have life changing, unchosen results — a pregnancy or a transmitted disease. Its long-lasting, devastating effects reach others: family, friends,

partners and colleagues.”

She said that the act forms the basis for women to decide to move from communities for “fear of attack or the stigma” that survivors have to face. In such a situation, women and girl refugees “risk unsafe transport and insecure living conditions that can lack locked doors, adequate lighting and proper sanitation facilities”. on the other hand, young girls married off while still being children in search of increased security, “can get caught up in legitimised conditions of rape, with little recourse for those wishing to escape, such as shelter and safe accommodation”.

Her statement noted that in the vast majority of countries, the most risk of sexual violence comes from a current or former husband, partner or boyfriend”. For millions, “home is not a safe place”.

The crime more often than not remains “unreported and unpunished” because it requires, on the victim’s part, “a great deal of resilience to re-live the attack, a certain amount of knowledge of where to go, and a degree of confidence in the responsiveness of the services sought” — if there are any.

“In many countries, women know that they are overwhelmingly more likely to be blamed than believed when they report sexual assault, and they have

to cope with an unwarranted sense of shame.” owing to this “stifling of voices”, there is “continuing impunity for perpetrators”, said the statement.

According to the statement, “only a small fraction of adolescent girls who experience forced sex seek professional help”. of these, less than 10 per cent contact the police.

To counter this, the UN entity has recommended an increase in number of women in the police workforce.

“Having more women in police forces and training them adequately is a crucial first step in ensuring that survivors begin to trust again and feel that their complaint is being taken seriously at every stage of what can be a complex process.”

Additionally, the many institutional and structural barriers, patriarchal systems and negative stereotyping around gender that exist in security, police and judicial institutions, will have to be tackled, according to the statement.

“Those who use rape as a weapon know just how powerfully it traumatises and how it suppresses voice and agency. This is an intolerable cost to society. No further generations must struggle to cope with a legacy of violation. We are Generation Equality and we will end rape!” the statement concluded by saying.

Published by Arif Nizami at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore. Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk

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