E paper pdf 30th april (isb)

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Monday, 30 April, 2018 I Shaban 13, 1439 I Rs 19.00 I Vol VIII No 302 I 64 Pages I Islamabad Edition

DAY OF RALLIES

PTI, PPP hOld ‘hIsTOrIc’ POwer shOws

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imran’s 11 points Uniform education system International standard health system; global health coverage by ‘Sehat Sahulat’ cards 3 Tax collection to be Rs8,000 billion; to pull country out of debt 4 Fight against corruption and bringing laundered money back 5 Courts to be independent, including nAB 6 Youth employment 7 Promoting tourism; 4 new spots to be developed every year 8 Agriculture emergency for welfare of farmers 9 Strengthening federation by merging FATA with KP and giving equal rights to all provinces 10 10 billion trees to be planted across the country to improve environment 11 Women empowerment; de-politicising police; women police stations across the country 1 2

LAHORE/KARACHI/mARdAn SAMIULLAH RANDHAWA/STAFF REPORT

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n the day referred as ‘Siyasi Sunday’ (political Sunday), four separate rallies in different parts of the country were held with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) flexing its political muscle at the historic Greater Iqbal Park in Lahore, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) permeating in Karachi’s Liaquatabad area, which is considered as Mutahidda Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) stronghold and Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), under the banner of Mutahidda Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), staging presence in Mardan in a political gathering.

Separately, Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) also held a rally at Swat’s Kabal ground despite odds and hurdles, as a part of their nationwide political mobilisation campaign for the rights of Pashtuns of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) as well as the release of missing persons.

While terming its jalsa (rally) as ‘mother of all jalsas’, PTI managed

to gravitate a large number of people coming from different corners of the country. However, a close estimate of participants has not been ascertained yet.

With the slogan ‘peaceful Karachi, sub ka Karachi (everyone’s Karachi)’, PPP slammed both Pakistan Muslim League-nawaz (PML-n) as well as MQM, calling the latter as ‘Mustakil Qaumi Movement’ (permanent national scourge).

MMA meanwhile took a different approach as JUI-F’s Fazlur Rehman said that his party will not allow USA to implement western agenda in Pakistan. He added that given the chance they will change the form of government in Pakistan.

IMRAN KHAN’S ADDRESS: Addressing a large crowd at Minare-Pakistan, Lahore, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan said on Sunday that education will be the top priority of his government because no country can be survived without investing on education. He vowed to keep on putting efforts for the betterment of Pakistani nation till the last drop of blood in his body.

Prior to address, Imran Khan had announced it as one of the important speech of his life.

Delivering his emotional speech, Khan said that the basic purpose of Pakistan was to provide fundamental rights to its citizens.

While declaring Quaid-e-Azam a greatest leader of last 500 years, he said that he was initially in favour of such a homeland for all nations living in Hindustan but later he put his efforts for a separate homeland for Muslim.

Khan Said, “Quaid-e-Azam was a generous person who foresaw that Hindus will deprive Muslims from their rights as they had set to establish Hindu Raj. Quaid-e-Azam wanted such a homeland where all human being could enjoy equal rights.” The country was formed with a concept of a state like Medina where everyone was provided with equal rights regardless their ethnicity, religion and colour, he said.

“Medina’s was world’s first welfare state which was formed on the basis of justice and humanity and that was reason which made the Muslims to govern over a vast

more inside

Another US envoy runs over motorcyclists in Islamabad

STORIES ON PAGES 10, 02 & 03

PPP CHAIRMAn BILAWAL BHUTTo ZARDARI SAYS HIS PARTY WILL FRee KARACHI FRoM ‘MUSTAQIL QAUMI MUSIBAT’ MMA LeADeR FAZLUR ReHMAn SAYS THAT THeY WILL noT LeT THe WeSTeRn AGenDA Be IMPLeMenTeD In PAKISTAn area for over seven hundred years,” he said.

Calling Quaid-e-Azam a Sadiq and Amin, Khan said that he struggled for forty years for the rights of the people of sub-content and he remained fair throught his life. “The dream of the country was to establish its dignity in the world but unfortunately it rulers have destroyed its badly,” he said while comparing the Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasiwith General Ayub Khan as how PM Abbasi was treated at Washington DC’s airport but there was time when USA had more used to give protocol to Pakistan’s head of state as General Ayub Khan received from John F Kennedy.

He said, “Due to corruption of rulers, Pakistan has reached at the verge of destruction as today Pakistan’s foreign debts have been exceeded than Rs27,000 billion while these were only Rs6,000 billion a ten years ago. To back this debt, the state will be forced to increase taxes and so it will lead to inflation and price hike in the country.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 02

in today’s issue

Despite hurdles, PTM gathers thousands in Swat rally

Hazara community’s hunger strike in Quetta continues

PTI CHIeF IMRAn KHAn ADDReSSeS A CHARGeD CRoWD In LAHoRe, PReSenTS HIS 11-PoInT AGenDA To ReBUILD PAKISTAn

KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari waves at his supporters during public gathering held at Liaquatabad on Sunday, April 29, 2018. The PPP held this public gathering in Liaquatabad, the stronghold of the MQM, nearly 44 years after its last political show in the city. PPI

02 NEWS

Monday, 30 April, 2018

ISLAMABAD’S ATTEMpT TO ISSUE ARREST WARRANTS FOR HAQQANI BLOCKED BY INTERpOL

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HE International Criminal Police Organisation, commonly referred to as Interpol, on Sunday blocked all attempts launched by Islamabad to issue arrest warrants against Pakistan’s former ambassador to the United States (US) Husain Haqqani.

Earlier Interpol had refused to honour warrants against Haqqani issued by the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) on the grounds that charges against him were political.

“The General Secretariat of the International Criminal Police Organisation, Interpol, hereby certifies that as of today (April 18, 2018), Husain Haqqani is not subject to an Interpol Blue Notice or diffusion and is not known in Interpol’s data basis,” a letter released by Interpol’s office of legal affairs read. The certificate was issued on the request of Haqqani’s

lawyer amid newspaper reports in Pakistan that Federal Bureau of Investigation (FIA) director general went to Interpol headquarters in Lyon to seek warrants for his arrest.

Interpol had also rejected attempts

by FIA for circulation of warrants against Haqqani.

On SCP’s insistence that Haqqani be brought back to Pakistan within a specified timeframe, the FIA registered a first information report (FIR) against him for embezzlement and other crimes, hoping it would get Interpol’s acceptance.

Talking to Pakistan Today, Haqqani said, “I feel vindicated in my belief that the proceedings against me in the so-called Memogate case are irrelevant in the eyes of the world.”

“A media frenzy has been cooked up in Pakistan with the backing of some elements that have specifically targeted me for my strong views and efforts towards bringing a change in the country,” he added.

Haqqani also said that he had not received any legal notice, court summons or arrest warrants from any authority in Pakistan through any legal channel.

Another US envoy runs over motorcyclists in Islamabad iSLamaBad staff report

At least two people were injured when a vehicle driven by the US envoy, Chad Rex Ausburn, rammed into a motorbike near Secretariat on Sunday. This is second such incident wherein a US diplomat was involved in a road accident. Earlier this month, a local resident was killed and another injured after a vehicle belonging to the US envoy had ran over motorcyclists.

According to initial details, the incident took place at Secretariat Chowk. One of the two injured were identified as Nazakat who works at Motamar Al-Alam Al-Islami, an Islamic organisation. Following the accident, he was hurried to PIMS hospital in the capital.

Hospital sources said Nazakat got a head injury while his fellow Waseem received an internal injury. Both Nazakat and Waseem are currently under medical treatment

at the hospital.

Second Secretary Chad Rex Ausburn at the US Embassy in Islamabad was reportedly behind the wheel at the time of the accident. Media reports indicated the Ausburn was using his phone and talking to someone while driving a Toyota jeep (QN-734) at Constitution Avenue. Police officials told media that they had taken Ausburn and his vehicle into custody. Further action will be taken after receipt of report compiled by the traffic police, they added.

Earlier this month, a local resident was killed and another injured after a vehicle belonging to the US Embassy in Islamabad rammed into a motorcycle. According to details, the accident occurred in the Daman-e-Koh area of the capital in the afternoon when the defence and air attache Col

Joseph Emanuel’s vehicle, bearing no. QM-058 (64-48) hit the bike bearing no. ARM900. The impact of the accident killed Muhammad Ateeq Baig, son of Muhammad Idrees on the spot, while his cousin Raheel, son of Changez, was injured. On April 4, the federal government informed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that the American diplomat who killed a motorcyclist in Islamabad cannot stand trial in Pakistan because of diplomatic immunity. Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Raja Khalid said the US diplomat can neither be arrested nor tried, adding that his name has been put on ‘blacklist’ to stop him from leaving Pakistan.

PTI, PPP hold ‘historic’ power shows in Lahore and Karachi continued from page 01 He said that Pakistan was the second largest country in the world with children out of schools which is due to lack of previous government s interest toward this issue. Punjab government is spending Rs350 billion annually only for the development of Lahore while the sum of Khyber Pakhtunkhawa s total budget is Rs110 billion. Shaukat Khanum Peshawar was constructed with an amount of rupees billion but Shahbzaz Sharif could not make a single hospital where his family could get treatment.

I decided to make a state of the art cancer hospital when I was accompanied with my mother for her treatment of cancer in United Kingdom where I saw people were being equally treating in that hospital, he said while lamenting that in our society rich and poor are even treated differently in hospitals.

Rich can easily get outclass facilities in hospitals while poor are deprived of medicines.

Addressing the gathering, PTI spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry said his party, once in power, would make a unified one Pakistan, not two Pakistans .

We will make a Pakistan where thousands others like Maryam [Nawaz] can access [quality] healthcare like she is able to ensure for her [ailing] mother, said Fawad.

PTI vice-chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi called on the people to give a chance to the party for once, and see the difference. This country saw dictatorship, all kinds of ups and downs. People gave a chance to PPP four times, elected Nawaz Sharif three times, but is there any change?

Did people s lives get any better after repeatedly giving a chance to PPP or PML-N? Now for once, give a chance to PTI and see the difference, he said.

Only Imran Khan can help change this country for the better, he added.

ThE PUBLic haS SPOkEN: PTI leader Senator Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar, during his address, congratulated the nation for ensuring a successful and historic congregation. The public has spoken: Lahore, Punjab and Pakistan belongs to PTI, he said. The public has spoken: Imran Khan is the next prime minister of Pakistan.

Today, we are laying the foundation of a new Pakistan. We want a Pakistan where everyone is equal before law, he continued.

He added that in Imran Khan s Pakistan, all the power would lie with the municipal institutions, and called on the public to ensure PTI s success. iMraN khaN WiLL rESTOrE cOUNTrY S DiGNiTY: PTI leader Shireen Mazari vowed that Imran Khan

will restore Pakistan s dignity and avenge the harm Nawaz Sharif has inflicted on the country. Indian occupying forces are killing innocent Kashmiris, and what did Nawaz Sharif do? [He threw parties] at Jati Umra, he let the blood of the innocent spill.

Imran Khan will avenge it, she said.

ThE LahOrE YOU SEE iS NOT ThE WhOLE PicTUrE: PTI leader Aleem Khan said when in power, the PTI will work to ensure an exemplary education and health system across the country. The Lahore you see is masked Lahore. The image [Nawaz] shows of Lahore is not the whole picture, he criticised.

We ll bring a health system in Pakistan just like Shaukat Khanum s, where there s no difference between the rich and the poor. The schools will be on the pattern of NAMAL university where deserving students will be given scholarship, Aleem vowed.

Nawaz, you looted more than Zardari, he alleged, promising the people that the day Imran Khan is PM, we ll drag both Zardari and Sharif on the streets of Gawalmandi and bring back all the looted money of Pakistan. iMraN khaN WiLL BriNG SYSTEM OF JUSTicE: PTI senior leader Asad Umar said Imran Khan will bring a system of justice to the country where millions of children won t be out of school and youth won t need a reference to get a job.

The looters who made properties abroad have been asked to pay only 2% tax, while our middle class will pay more than 50% tax on basic utilities, he lamented.

ShEhBaZ FaiLED TO TakE carE OF FarMErS: Speaking about agriculture, senior leader Jahangir Khan Tareen said Shehbaz Sharif s government in Punjab failed to take care of the farmers. iMraN khaN’S 11 POiNTS: 1. Education No country can ever flourish without emphasizing on the education...all the Asian Tigers educated their children, the men, and the women, said the PTI chief.

3.5 crore children study in government schools. Half of Punjab s budget is being spent on Lahore [alone]. I ask Shehbaz Sharif who s ruling Punjab for 10 years, how many international-level universities did he establish?

Countries don t flourish because of the roads and bridges, but when you spend on human development, Imran lashed out at the present government, adding that the PTI will invest maximum on the development of the people, on one education system in Pakistan.

2. health The second point is about reforming the health system, he said. When I can make SKMCH without government, I

‘WILL FREE KARACHI FROM MUSTAQIL QAUMI MUSIBAT’ karachi: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that his party will free Karachi from ‘Mustaqil Qaumi Musibat’. Taking a jibe at his party s arch-rival Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), he said that the mandate of Karachi has always been hijacked with the help of guns. PPP is not the party of target killers and sector commanders.

We don t run the city on directions from London. The PPP chairman said that the MQM-PIB faction leader Farooq Sattar says that Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar is reluctant to be accountable for Rs 5 billion. Bilawal also paid tribute the to the martyrs of the party while addressing a party rally at the Liaquatabad s Tanki Ground. He said that certain forces did not like the relationship between the people of the city and the party. Seeds of hatred were put to stop PPP. You have seen what happened in last 30 last years, he said. Only those who love Karachi can resolve the issues of this city. Karachi is my home. No matter where I go Karachi is my introduction. We are the ones who brought peace to this city as we couldn t tolerate lawlessness in the city. We launched the Karachi Operation under Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah which solved the city s crime problems, claimed the PPP chairman. Bilawal said that if the politics of MQM-founder s and his associates are questionable. We were against the politics of MQM-founder from day one but those who can t be loyal to their leader, how can they be yours? They may have left him, but are still pursuing his politics. The PPP chairman appealed to the people of Karachi to vote for him because even though his party s mandate was stolen, he works for the city s development day and night. Earlier, CM Murad Ali Shah also praised PPP for establishing peace in the city and said that the people of the metropolis will never forgive those who torched the Baldia factory. Each and every developmental work of Karachi happened under the PPP s tenure, he said. People of Karachi should support PPP, we will serve them more. Taking a jibe at the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf s (PTI) leader, he said that Imran Khan can t serve the country because Bhuttoists are the only ones with the capability to serve the people. Imran Khan is a cricketer, he should play cricket, he advised. He said that Bilawal takes proud ownership of a city which the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, doesn t even like staying in for a day. Moreover, party leader Sherry Rehman while addressing the rally said that Liaquatabad had come a long way from the sound of firing to political slogans and songs. She added that the federal government is responsible for failing to fulfill its commitment to provide the citizens of Karachi basic facilities including water and electricity. She maintained that Karachi was Pakistan s economic jugular vein which had the lion s share in the country s economy, she added. Saeed Ghani said those who thought Karachi to be their property would have a restless night after watching such a resounding crowd.

Karachi had come out of their fear, he said. Those who were a symbol of fear in the megalopolis are themselves gone into hiding, he said adding that now the PPP would organise 10 more public gatherings in the District Central. Before the rally, Bilawal s sister, Aseefa Zardari tied an imam zaman on his arm for protection and blessings. staff report

MARDAN HOSTS MMA RALLY Mardan hosted a rally by Muttahida Majlis Amal (MMA) on Sunday where both Jamiat Ulema-e Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) president Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq addressed the gathering. While addressing the participants, Fazl said, We (MMA) will not let the agenda of West to be implemented in Pakistan. Our politics is based on Medina, not America. A large number of participants belonging to JUI-F and JI gathered in Mardan to attend the rally. The alliance gained support from local leaders as MMA leaders requested support in the upcoming 2018 general elections. The MMA was revived in December last year after Siraj ul Haq announced that the MMA will contest in the elections under a single symbol. In addition, parties not involved in the Panama Papers controversy will be invited to join their alliance, he said. news desk will [build] hospitals in Pakistan where the poor wouldn t have to worry about money and the rich wouldn t need to go abroad for treatment.

Imran vowed to introduce a health insurance system modeled on the Sehat Sahulat card in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the poor across Pakistan.

3. revenue generation Next up is how to generate revenue in order to rid the country of heavy debts, he said.

We don t have money to run the country, we are in heavy debt. I claim in front of you today that I will show you how to gather money from this nation, said Imran as he resolved to revolutionize tax collection system in the country.

4. corruption Citing the example of his decision to expel 20 MPAs from his party for selling votes in the Senate elections earlier this year, Imran promised the people he will eliminate corruption from the country. We will stop money laundering, we

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will strengthen the NAB and FBR. 5. investment Imran termed the overseas Pakistanis as the biggest investing potentials for the country and resolved to bring investments into Pakistan.

We will reduce the tax on electricity and gas for our industries so that they could compete with Indian market, he said.

6. Employment Promising the youth much better employment opportunities, Imran said he would especially focus on boosting the tourism industry of Pakistan.

7. agriculture Imran said he would improve agriculture and the lives of farmers on an emergency basis.

They work for the whole year and get nothing in the end. They are being exploited by the sugar mill mafia.

8. Federation The PTI chief resolved to strengthen the federation.

We know how the injustice is being

done to smaller provinces. I know more about Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said.

9. Environment Imran said the environment was a priority on the party s manifesto.

For the first time ever, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government paid special attention to the environment, he said, adding that the party plans to plant 10 billion trees across Pakistan. We can even clean the rivers, he said.

10. Police system He stressed the importance of justice and the police system.

Our Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police is totally depoliticized. There s no victimization via FIRs, there not a single extrajudicial killings in the province while in Sindh Rao Anwar killed 400 people.

11. Women Imran promised the women of Pakistan to educate them.

Whatever I am today, it s all because of my mother who made me a patriotic person and raised me to be a truthful person.

Monday, 30 April, 2018

NEWS

HAzARA COMMUNITY’S HUNgER STRIKE IN QUETTA CONTINUES FOR SECOND DAY quetta

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staff report

EMBERS of the minority Hazara community are protesting in Quetta against the targeted killing of members of the community by terrorist outfits. Angry members of the community launched the hunger strike after the killing of two Hazara men on Saturday.

The protest which took the shape of a hunger strike was being staged outside Quetta Press Club. Led by social activist Jalila Haider, the protest entered its second day on Sunday.

The protestors were irked by the ineffectiveness of the law enforcement and security agencies in preventing the unabated killings of Hazaras in the provincial capital. They demanded that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa should visit the city and meet the widows of the deceased men.

Talking to reporters, Jalila Haider said that the hunger strike would not end until and unless the state provided security to

the persecuted Hazara community. In another part of the city, Balochistan Shia Conference held a protest rally at Shuhada Chowk, Alamdar Road. The neighbourhood mostly houses members of the Hazara community.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) lawmaker Nasir Shah, while addressing the gathering, said, “The people of Balochistan do not want roti (bread), kapra (clothes) and makaan (house) if they do not have the right to life.” The

gathering was also attended by members of Hazara Democratic Party, Balochistan National Party, Jamhuri Watan Party and other political outfits.

He added, “When the state starts showing signs of weakness, social peace is the first to suffer. He said the “wrong policies” of the state had exposed the people of the province to the dangers they faced today.

According to another speaker, namely Zair Agha, all neighbourhoods

that are dominated by Hazaras have transformed into orphanages. “It seems that our blood has become cheaper than water,” he added. In the past few years, more than 2,000 Hazaras have been killed while another 3,000 have been injured in different incidents of targeted violence. The recent killing of two Hazara men in Quetta, which provided the impetus for the protest, was the fourth targeted attack on the community this month in the provincial capital.

Earlier, two members of the community were killed while one was injured in an attack in the Western Bypass area of the city last Sunday. On April 18, a Hazara shopkeeper was killed when unknown assailants opened fire on him while another was killed in the beginning of the same month. The Shia Hazara community had been largely targeted by sectarian outfits in Balochistan due to their easily identifiable facial features.

According to National Commission of Human Rights (NCHR) report released last month revealed that around 509 Hazaras were killed in terrorist hits in Quetta in the last five years.

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THREE KILLED, TWO INjURED IN QUETTA FIRINg quetta staff report

At least three people were killed and two others injured in a firing incident at Quetta’s Jan Mohammad Road on Sunday, late night media reports stated. According to police, unidentified attackers opened fire at people sitting inside a shop. The assailants managed to escape unhurt after the attack, police said.

The injured were rushed to nearby Civil Hospital, Quetta, for medical treatment. Police are suspecting it to be an act of target killing, however, the actual motive behind the attack remains unknown so far as police are carrying out investigations into the matter. The identities of those killed and injured in the attack are yet to be ascertained. A state of emergency has been imposed at the hospital where the injured have been shifted.

Moreover, shops in the area were closed following the incident.

CJP censures dig for trying to Minister lashes out at bureaucrats influence the judicial process for ignoring Kashmir issue CJP’s soN-iN-law tElls Court tHat tHE PoliCE offiCEr waNts His wifE, CHildrEN to rEMaiN oN No-fly list JustiCE Nisar sEEKs dEtails of salariEs of PKli EMPloyEEs LaHore staff report

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Sunday lashed out at DIG Ghulam Mehmood Dogar for seeking undue favour from him through his son-in-law.

The chief justice had summoned the police chief at top court’s Lahore Registry to explain why he had approached his family members.

The CJP asked the police officer who advised him that he could seek undue favours from his family members.

“How dare you approach my son-in-law to seek a favour from me? How dare you think that anyone can ask the chief justice of Pakistan for an undue favour? CJP remarked, adding that he is doing Jihad.

Later, the chief justice

then summoned his son-inlaw Khalid Rehman to appear before the court and record his statement.

Rehman told the court that the police chief, who is currently fighting a custody case for his children against his ex-wife, sought his favour pertaining to the case. “DIG Dogar wants the name of his ex-wife and children to stay in Exit Control List (ECL),” Rehman told the court.

Subsequently, the DIG and son-in-law submitted an unconditional apology to the court. The CJP then ordered that further proceedings will be held in his chambers.

Last year, DIG Dogar’s ex-wife, Mirjam Aberras Lahdeaho, had filed a petition in the Lahore High Court (LHC) seeking recovery of her sons from Dogar’s

custody.

TakES NOTicE OF hEFTY SaLariES: Furthermore, the chief justice took notice of hefty salaries being paid to the doctors at the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI). Taking notice, the CJP ordered the PKLI to submit details of all doctors and staff employed at the hospital along with records of their salaries.

The chief justice also ordered the chief secretary to hand over a detailed staff structure of the hospital employees by evening. “It has come to the notice of the court that doctors were being hired at the hospital for salaries as high as Rs 1.5 million per month, the CJP said. He also demanded the details of the head of PKLI. The chief secretary who was present in the court at that time told the bench the head of the institution, Dr Saeed Akhter, is out of the country to perform Umrah.

Last month, the PKLI came under criticism after comparisons were drawn between doctors who worked at government hospitals and at PKLI.

Nawaz forms committee to win ‘disgruntled’ members back LaHore staff report

Ousted prime minister and PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif during a meeting on Sunday constituted a three-member committee consisting of Hamza Shahbaz, Ashfaq Sarwar and Malik Nadeem and entrusted them the task to convince the displeased members of the party.

The meeting took place at the former premier’s Jati Umra residence in Lahore. The top PMLN leadership discussed a wide range of issues including the prevailing political situation in the country, the upcoming general elections, corruption trial, mass-contact campaign and distribution of tickets among the candidates.

According to the details, the meeting was also attended by Senator Pervez Rashid, Railway Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique and Hamza Shahbaz. They exchanged views on the present scenario of the country and party matters. On this occasion, Nawaz Sharif directed the key leaders of the party to accelerate

the public contact campaign and by addressing their reservations bring back the disgruntled leaders again into the fold of the party.

Earlier, Shehbaz Sharif said his party will emerge victorious in the upcoming general elections on the basis of its public service and uplift projects. In a statement, the PML-N chief said the party has won a place in the hearts of people because of its performance, adding that the masses have become aware of political illusionists. Slamming the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which has been in power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since 2013, he said the people of the province had been cheated in the name of change. He said the performance of those whose rallying cry was making a new Pakistan and bringing a change is evident to everyone. He added political opponents created hurdles in the way of development of the country. The PML-N chief said no project worthy of mention has been launched by the PPP and PTI governments in Sindh and KP provinces, respectively.

BarristEr usMaN iBraHiM Calls iNtErNatioNal HuMaN rigHts CoNfErENCE iN islaMaBad a CoMPlEtE failurE iSLamaBad MIan aBrar

In a rare show of fury over the performance of his ministry, a sitting Minister of the incumbent government lashed out at the top babus of his own ministry over poor performance and lack of seriousness regarding the Kashmir issue, Pakistan Today learned on Sunday.

In a letter, Minister of State for Human Rights Barrister Usman Ibrahim has stated that the International Human Rights Conference held on February 1921 was a “complete failure” as it did not serve the national cause. “It was doomed to be a failure due to non-inclusion of Kashmir issue in the agenda which was a big blunder. It was appreciated or acknowledged by international or diplomatic circles because it might have served their agenda,” the minister wrote in a note referred to Federal Secretary, Ministry of Human Rights, Ms Rabia Javeri Agha and Director General (DG) Kamran Azam Khan, asking both to explain why Kashmir Issue was not included in the agenda of the international conference. The detailed note is also being submitted to the federal minister of Human Rights for information by the minister of state arguing why Kashmir issue was not included in the Agenda.

Usman Ibrahim also declared the igno-

rance either a big blunder or intentional move and asked the concerned officers to clear their position in this regard.

Ministry of Human Rights (MOHR) had reportedly spent Rs 30 million for holding the International Human Rights Conference on February 19-21, 2018. Interestingly, the human rights violation in Indian Occupied Kashmir and brutality was not included in the conference agenda. The minister declared it either a big blunder or deliberate attempt owing to international pressures. “The conference was appreciated and acknowledged by international or diplomatic circle because it might have served their agenda,” the paper reads. A detailed note on it is being submitted to Federal Minister separately, he said.

According to the document available with Pakistan Today, the Minister of State for Human Rights Barrister Usman Ibrahim also sought out the details of the expenses worth Rs 30 million during the International Human Rights Conference. A source at the ministry told this scribe that Usman Ibrahim might move the matter to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for investigation on grounds of possible corruption charges. When contacted, the minister said that public money was misused and hence he had sought an explanation from concerned officials and directed them to submit a detailed reply why Kashmir issue was not included on agenda. He further alleged that top ranking bureaucrats had tried to fulfill western and Indian agenda in this regard.

PM urged to probe plagiarism charges against former HEC chairman iSLamaBad staff report

Creative Society Pakistan President Dr Tahir Rasheed, who is a candidate for the post of Higher Education Commission (HEC) chairman, wrote a letter to Prime Minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and requested him to take notice of plagiarism committed by former HEC Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed and to direct the commission to form an unbiased/competent inquiry committee to investigate the allegations against the former chairman.

The letter stated that HEC, constituted in 2002, was the supreme body established primarily for funding, overseeing, regulating, and accrediting the higher education institutions in Pakistan. It further stated that the higher education in Pakistan was passing through a turbulent time mainly due to irregular appointments of incompetent leadership in the commission and in universities.

The letter also said that appointments at top positions

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by disregarding merit have already destroyed the higher education sector in the country. The role of HEC chairman was vital for the well-being of the education sector and along with many other functions, he was responsible for implementing the plagiarism policy of the commission, it added.

Unfortunately, the former HEC Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed, currently facing a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) inquiry on corruption and misconduct charges, had been allegedly involved in plagiarism, it stated.

The letter also said that page seven of the experience history submitted by Dr Ahmed to the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training during ongoing selection process for the slot of HEC chairperson and page 10 of previous experience history submitted to the federal education ministry in 2014, clearly mentioned that four books/manuscripts were written, vetted and published by the former HEC chairman, including Human Resource Management, Principles of Marketing, Organisational Behaviour and Leadership and Team Management.

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CADD minister terms PTI MPs attitude during budget ‘pathetic’ ISLAMABAD: Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry has said that attitude of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) parliamentarians during the fiscal budget 2018-19 was pathetic. “I have seen many peaceful protests during the budgets in my political career but PTI MNA Murad Saeed tried to attack Finance Minister Dr Miftah Ismail when he was presenting the budget on Friday,” he said talking to a private news channel. The minister said this was not a decent gesture of lawmakers. Being public representatives, they should set an example in Parliament for others. He said Parliament is a forum to show their power of intelligence but not force. “We already knew that PTI members will create hurdles through violence during the budget speech.” He said PTI leadership had always shown their non-seriousness on national issues. Tariq Fazal said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government had successfully presented six budgets and termed budget 2018-19 a people friendly to provide relief to the masses. He said the present government would continuously deliver for uplift and prosperity of the country and people. APP

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PsyChIATRIC PATIenTs suffeR govT’s APAThy, Money-MInTIng BusInessMen CJ NISAR’S RECENT VISIT TO A PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL HAS ONCE AGAIN BROUGHT THE PLIGHT OF PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS IN LIMELIGHT ISLAMABAD

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sHAH NAWAZ mOHAL

LTHoUGH the plight of psychiatric patients has largely remained absent from public debate, the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar’s recent visit to a state-run psychiatric hospital in Lahore was able to shed a little light on the plight of psychiatric patients.

The CJP expressed concerns over the state of affairs and blatant mismanagement. Pakistan Today decided to go beyond the headlines and hullabaloo to report what life really is in scores of private ‘rehabilitation centres’ in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Many rehabilitation centres that offer treatment for drug abuse, psychiatric disorders, alcohol addiction, stress management, and other mental ailments are located in the twin cities. Many of them are situated in rented or owned houses in densely populated residential areas like Chak Shahzad, Bani Gala, Khana Pul, Ghori Town, Satellite Town, Chaklala, Khyabane-Sir Syed and CDA sectors. It is normal practice for these rehabs offer different ‘packages’ ranging from 1000 rupees a day to as much as 10,000 a day. The packages depend on the financial capacity of the pa-

tient’s guardian and offer facilities like a separate room, better food and an individual caretaker.

Interestingly, the number of psychiatric patients in these rehabs is far less than drug addicts, a majority of whom hail from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The number of heroin and hashish (charas) addicts outnumber alcoholics and psychiatric patients in every single rehabilitation centre Pakistan Today visited.

Psychiatric patients are involuntarily interred by either their parents, friends, children or spouses. Patients suffering from depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, suicidal thoughts and a history of self-harm are admitted to these rehab centres on the recommendation of a psychiatrist as most government and private hospitals are devoid of psychiatric wards.

These rehabilitation centres make money by taking advantage of poor governmental regulations, lack of check and balance by the concerned governmental bodies, and the lack of rehabilitation facilities at government hospitals. In the capital’s territory, these rehabilitation centres are issued licences from the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSRC) and in provinces, the provincial health regulatory bodies are the ones who issue these licenses. Furthermore, before the issuance of a license these rehabs have to register themselves in pursuance of the Companies ordinance, 1984.

“The menace of drug addiction is on the rise for the past many years. In the past, a majority of addicts were from poor, working-class segments of society. However, now I have many patients who belong to well-todo families. The most worrying aspect is students of elite schools and colleges who turn to drugs like heroin and hashish,’ said Dr Naveed, a psychotherapist with 8 years of experience in the field, while talking to Pak-

RAC craft competition proves venerable for young artisans RAWALPINDI: The first ever craft competition organised by Rawalpindi Arts Council (RAC) under the banner of Talent Hunt Craft Competition with the motive to mobilise and encourage the artisans, proved venerable for young artisans of the region.

Senator Najma Hameed and legislator from Punjab Assembly Lubna Rehan Pirzada flanked by Naheed Manzoor and RAC Director Waqar Ahmed graced the prize distribution ceremony as guests of honor.

The artisans from different fields like modern art, wood carving, zari work, stone carving, motikaari, embroidery, Multani glass work, paper machine, doll making, gabba making, truck art, pottery making, glass work and many others which were adjudged by Ex-ED Lok Virsa Khalid Javed, Saleem Ullah and Zobia Sultana.

The artisans who won the competition included Hina Kaleem, Shazi Khalil,Saira & Shireen, Marium Mushtaq, Samra Hassan, Irsa Iftikhar, Syeda Noor ul Ain, Nida Tahir, Attiqa Gulfraz, Sajida Ishfaq, Yumna, Mahnoor, Attiqa Noor, Aziz ur Rehman, Neelam Sadrdar, Mohammad Jawad Ahmed, Nasir Hafeez, Saba Imran, Irfan Ghulam Nabi, Mohammad Ahsan, Ghulam Hussain, Sadaf Nisar, Bushra Pasha, Hina Tahir, Tanveer Bibi, Shaista, Ambreen Fatima, Ijaz Mughal, Inam & Ibrahim and Robina Zufiqar. Addressing the prize distribution ceremony, Senator Najma Hameed said that the work of artisan was recognised by the government which was appreciable. She said that the talent which emerged as a result of the craft competition was wonderful. MPA Lubna Rehan Pirzada said that these artisans are bright future of the country who will create it’s the soft image.

Naheed Manzoor said it was necessary to encourage of those artisans who didn’t had platform. RAC Director Waqar Ahmed said that the competition brought genuine artisans and unique art came into being. INP

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istan Today. operating in tiny rented houses in suburban areas, these rehabilitation centres provide services to both psychiatric patients and drug addicts at exorbitant prices. The staff hired at these rehabilitation centres are under-qualified and paid poorly. However, the most suspicious thing is that the in-patient facilities they offer are neither registered with the social welfare agency nor the health directorates in their respective provinces.

Up till 2001, the Lunacy Act of 1912 regulated both the medical treatment meted out to psychiatric patients in Pakistan and the rehabilitation centres—both in private and public sector—came under its purview.

It took 54 years to replace the outdated, colonial-era legislation with Mental Health ordinance 2001 that aimed to bring about the necessary changes that took place in mental health practices over a century.

The new legislation was applicable all over Pakistan and carried provisions related to mental health care, voluntary treatment for such illnesses, and dealt in detail with the installation and outs of involuntary admission in severe cases. Additionally, provisions related to appeals against involuntary detention was also provided which was, however, rarely used. The state of affairs in KP and Balochistan are such that both provinces have yet to pass mental health regulating acts, even after a lapse of seven years since the 18th amendment.

“The situation of mental health is hopeless in Pakistan. There is already scant awareness about various mental ailments. The social stigma and ostracism that follows a diagnosis, exact a huge cost to an individual.

There is much need for awareness and acceptance.

Proper laws, their legislation and most importantly their implementation will improve things for such individuals, as well as, the society,” said CDA Hospital Islamabad’s Psychiatry Head Dr Anwaar-ul-Haque.

‘Pakistan Zindabad’ rally held at Batkhela MALAKAND: Peace Jirga arranged a Pakistan Zindabad rally at Batkhela here on Sunday. The people were holding placards inscribed with slogan in favour of the Pakistan Army. Speaking on the occasion, the speakers said that they will stand by with the army, adding that they would not let anyone to “defame” the army. They said that the army has rendered matchless sacrifices in the war against terror and for establishing peace in the area. APP

Death anniversary of famous comedian Munawwar Zarif observed

PESHAWAR: A labourer works at the constriction site of the Metro Bus Service in Peshawar ahead of the Labour Day. INP

ISLAMABAD: Death anniversary of famous Pakistani comedian and film actor Munawwar Zarif was observed Sunday. Munawar Zarif was a versatile actor and comedian best known for his work in the Pakistani cinema of the seventies. Zarif was regarded as one of the finest comedians of the subcontinent. Born on 2 February 1940 in Gujranwala, he started his film career from a Punjabi film ‘Dandian’ in 1961 and got breakthrough from film ‘Hath Jori’ in 1964. After a marvelous film career as a top comedian, he became film hero — first as side-hero in film ‘Pardey mein rehney doe’ and then in the title roles and hero in the same year ‘Banarsi Thugg’ (1973) and ‘Jeera Blade’ (1973). He appeared in more than 300 films in just 16 years from 1961-76. He was also famous for his out of script dialogue delivery.

Munawar Zarif died on April 29, 1976 in Lahore. APP

Lassi – Pakistan’s most popular summer drink ISLAMABAD APP

The rising temperature has led to an increase in sales of the traditional yogurtbased drink of the subcontinent lassi in Pakistan. It is probably one of the most popular and loved cold beverages during the hot summers.

Lassi was originally made salty, however, a sweeter version of the drink

was later developed in urban areas. People in many parts of Punjab still prefer drinking salted lassi. “Salted lassi is a traditional Punjabi drink but it is popular across the country.”

“There is a variety of flavours of the drink in Punjab including paira lassi, barfi lassi and now fruit flavored lassi as people have started adding mangoes and strawberries to the drink,” said an owner of a milk and lassi shop.

“People want sweet lassi and a kulcha or paratha stuffed with chicken or mince for breakfast. Many people have salted lassi with all three meals during the summers,” he added.

A customer Usman Ikram said lassi is rich enough to substitute a meal.

The modern version of lassi includes many fruits like mango lassi, strawberry lassi but they are like smoothies, said another customer. Ac-

cording to nutritionist Huma Usman, lassi is a healthy summer beverage as it is good for the digestive system.

“As it is prepared from yogurt, it helps soothe the digestive tract, promotes digestive enzymes and aids in digestion,” Huma said.

“Lassi, being rich in nutrients, works as a probiotic, helps reduce cholesterol and improves metabolism,” she added.

FOREIGN NEWS 05

Monday, 30 April, 2018

north Korea offers to shut nuclear test site in may SEOUL

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AGENCIES

ORTH KOREA promised to close its atomic test site next month and invite United States weapons experts to the country, Seoul said on Sunday, as Donald Trump expressed optimism about securing a nuclear deal in his summit with the secretive regime.

The reported pledge from the North's leader Kim Jong Un follows weeks of whirlwind diplomacy that saw Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in agree to pursue the complete denuclearisation of the peninsula during a historic summit on Friday. “Kim said, during the summit with President Moon, that he would carry out the closing of the nuclear test site in May,” Seoul's presidential spokesman Yoon Young-chan said.

Kim said he “would soon invite experts of South Korea and the US as well as journalists to disclose the process to the international community with trans-

parency”, Yoon added.

Tension has been high on the flashpoint peninsula since last year when the North carried its sixth — and most powerful — atomic test and test-fired missiles capable of reaching the US mainland. “Kim said 'the US feels repelled by us, but once we talk, they will realise that I am not a person who will

fire a nuclear weapon to the South or the US or target the US,” according to Yoon. “If we meet often (with the US), build trust, end the war and eventually are promised no invasion, why would we live with the nuclear weapons?'”

Kim also slammed speculation during his meeting with Moon that the Punggye-ri test site was already unus-

PoPe Praises Korea leaders’ ‘brave commitment’ to Peace able after an underground tunnel there reportedly collapsed. “As they will see once they visit, there are two more tunnels (in the test site) that are even bigger... and they are in good condition,” he was quoted as saying. The remarks are likely to be seen as a sweetener ahead of Trump's own planned summit with Kim, which the US president said would take place “in the next three or four weeks”.

Trump touted his ability to achieve a nuclear deal with the regime at a campaign-style rally in Michigan to cheers and chants of “Nobel! Nobel!”. The US leader has been eager to play up his role in achieving a breakthrough with Pyongyang through his “maximum pressure” campaign involving tough rhetoric, strengthened global sanctions and diplomatic efforts to further isolate the regime. “Months ago, do you remember what they were saying? 'He's going to get us into nuclear war, they said,'” Trump told supporters in Washington Township, north of Detroit.

UN Security Council team visits Rohingya in Bangladesh camps KUTUPALONG AGENCIES

three people killed in a military cargo plane crash in southern libya TRIPOLI: A Russian-made military cargo plane crashed on Sunday afternoon near an oil field in southern Libya, killing three people on board, according to a local official. "Shortly after taking off from the runway of the oil field, the plane fell suddenly and crashed in a desert area where there is no civilian or oil sites," an official in Al-Sharara oil field told Xinhua. "The plane was on a mission to transport goods and supplies to the field workers. According to preliminary information, only a crew consisting of a pilot and assistants were on board," the official added. The official also said the plane was headed to M'etiga airbase in Libyan capital Tripoli, confirming that three crew members are dead and fate of the fourth member has remained been unknown so far. Al-Sharara is the largest oil field in Libya, producing 270,000 barrels of oil per day, more than a quarter of Libya's daily oil production. The oil field was reopened in December 2016, after being closed by the oil installations guards for more than two years.

The field is operated by the Libyan stateowned National Oil Corporation in partnership with a consortium of Repsol, Total and OMV. AGENCIES

A UN Security Council team visited Rohingya refugees trapped in the no man’s land along the border between Bangladesh and Myanmar Sunday, as it weighs its response to one of the world’s worst refugee crises.

Myanmar has faced intense international pressure since the start of a military campaign in August that has driven some 700,000 Rohingya Muslims over the border into Bangladesh, where refugees have provided harrowing testimony of murder and rape by security forces and local mobs. The UN delegates will interview refugees in the Bangladeshi camps before travelling to Myanmar and meeting civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has

been denounced in the West for her failure to speak up for the Rohingya.

The council is urging Myanmar to allow the safe return of the Rohingya and take steps to end the decades of discrimination that the stateless Muslim minority has suffered in the Buddhist-majority country.

Bangladesh refugee commissioner Mohammad Abul Kalam told AFPthat the UN team — with 26 diplomats from 15 countries — first visited Konarpara camp, where some 6,000 Rohingya have been trapped on bleak scrubland since the bloodshed began last year.

The camp’s Rohingya leader Dil Mohammad said the UNSC delegation met and spoke with some women victims of the violence in Rakhine, as well as community elders. “We told them that we’re staying here to save

our lives. We’re very much eager to go back to our land, provided our security is ensured by the UN,” Mohammad told AFP. Later, the council will also head to the Kutupalong camp where hundreds of Rohingya staged a protest ahead of the visit, holding banners demanding the restoration of their rights in Myanmar. Police dispersed the protesters peacefully, an AFP correspondent at the scene said.

“We want restoration of our citizenship under Rohingya ethnicity.

We want security and return of our confiscated land and properties,” said Rohingya leader Mohibullah, adding that they would present the delegation with 14 conditions for their repatriation to Rakhine. Myanmar has said the military operation in Rakhine is aimed at rooting out extremists and has rejected nearly all allegations that its security forces committed atrocities in the state.

Led by Kuwait, Britain and Peru, the four-day Security Council visit is expected to include a meeting with Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, as well as a helicopter flight over Rakhine to allow delegates to see the remains of villages torched during the violence. Kuwait’s Ambassador Mansour al-Otaibi said the visit was not about “naming and shaming” Myanmar, but that “the message will be very clear for them: the international community is following the situation and has great interest in resolving it.”

VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis on Sunday praised North and South Korean leaders for their "brave commitment" to peace after they agreed to work towards the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. The pontiff hailed the "positive outcome" of their historic summit in Seoul on Friday, when Kim Jong Un promised to close North Korea’s atomic test site next month and invite US weapons experts to the country, according to Seoul. Francis said Kim and his southern counterpart Moon Jae-in had shown a "brave commitment... to follow a sincere path to peace towards a Korean peninsula free of nuclear weapons." The pontiff, speaking during the Regina Coeli prayers at St Peter’s Square, said he prayed for the "cooperation to continue, bearing fruit that will benefit the beloved Korean people and the entire world." AGENCIES

russia ready to Promote interKorean cooPeration, Putin tells moon

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin told his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in during a phone call Sunday that Russia is willing to promote cooperation between the two Koreas as Seoul and Pyongyang are seeking reconciliation. During their phone conversation, Moon informed Putin of the detailed outcome of his meeting with top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un on Friday in the border village of Panmunjom, the Kremlin said. Putin and Moon positively assessed the agreements reached at the meeting, it said in a press release. The Russian president confirmed Russia's readiness to promote the establishment of practical cooperation between South Korea and the DPRK, in particular through the implementation of major tripartite infrastructure and energy projects. Putin stressed the importance of continuing the efforts of all parties involved toward a political and diplomatic settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue following a roadmap proposed by China and Russia. The roadmap suggests that the DPRK suspend its nuclear and missile tests and the United States and South Korea stop their joint annual military drills on the peninsula. It also proposes a dual-track approach involving the establishment of a peace mechanism while achieving denuclearization. AGENCIES

London elections on May 3 set to leave British PM Theresa May down, but not out LONDON AGENCIES

Voters in London are expected to punish Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservative Party at local government elections this week which could embolden critics of her Brexit strategy, but are not expected to trigger her downfall.

London and some other regions will on Thursday (May 3) elect the local officials in charge of day-to-day public spending - a vote as much about issues like refuse collection and road repairs as it is about the national debate on immigration and Mrs May's plan to take Britain out of the European Union after a 2016 referendum. The elections are seen as a bellwether of public sentiment and polls show voters are ready to deliver a critical verdict on both Mrs May's leadership and her party's eight years spent pursuing a policy of public spending cuts to shore up

Britain's finances. "A government that's been in power for eight years with an austerity programme is naturally going to suffer at elections,"said Mr Robert Hayward, a former Conservative lawmaker who now sits in parliament's upper house and specialises in polling analysis.

A YouGov survey published on April 26 gave the opposition Labour Party, led by Mr Jeremy Corbyn, a 22 percentage point lead over the Conservatives in London, putting it on course for its best performance in the capital for 40 years. Thursday's vote will come less than a year after a snap parliamentary election splintered the previously rock-solid foundations of Mrs May's position, stripping her party of its majority in a vote she had expected to win easily.

The result of that general election has been a weakened leadership, open dissent among Conservative lawmakers over exiting the EU and a nagging fear for some investors that her government could fall

and be replaced by socialist-led Labour.

Thursday will not directly affect Mrs May's practical ability to govern: the vote does not cause seats in parliament to change hands and the slim working majority she has, thanks to a deal with a smaller party, will be unaffected.

But a below-par performance will embolden critics in her party and could then complicate the already-difficult task of executing her Brexit plan without making concessions to pro-EU factions, such as agreeing to stay in the EU customs union. "Politicians always look at the last set of election results and by definition they're going to look at what happens on May 3 and make a judgement on that," Mr Hayward said.

"It will have an impact on what has to happen in the budget,'Do I take a more militant view in relation to the Customs Union, or Brexit, or nurses, or numbers of policemen?'" The key results in Lon-

don will be Wandsworth and Westminster, both boroughs with a strong Conservative tradition that are now within reach of Labour. However, anything short of a total Conservative wipeout is not expected to generate renewed calls for her

to quit. Although her party is deeply divided over Brexit, neither the faction that seeks a clean break from the EU nor those who favour a closer relationship have shown an appetite for a leadership contest before Britain has left the bloc.

06 FOREIGN NEWS

Monday, 30 April, 2018

nuclear deal fails to modify iran's behaviour: PomPeo RIYADH

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AGENCIES

S Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Sunday in Riyadh that the nuclear agreement failed to modify Iran's behaviour that supports violence in Yemen by training and arming militias.

The US official accused Iran of being the largest supporter of terrorism, citing the readiness of Washington to stand with Saudi Arabia to combat terrorism, Al Arabiya local news reported.

He also said that Iran disturbs the security of the region through arming the Houthi rebels in Yemen, highlighting that the nuclear deal had failed to correct Iran's violating moves in Yemen.

He asserted that Saudi Arabia's secu-

rity is a priority for the United States.

Meanwhile, His Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir told a joint conference that the two countries agreed on many issues, stressing the need to impose more sanctions on Iran for its continuous violations.

"We support (US President Donald) Trump's policy toward Iran, especially with regard to the nuclear agreement," the Saudi foreign minister said.

Pompeo arrived in Riyadh on Saturday as the beginning of a regional tour.

He will also visit Jordan and Israel.

Trump is due to decide on May 12 whether to reimpose nuclear-related sanctions on Tehran, putting in peril the landmark 2015 nuclear accord, which most world powers see as key to preventing Tehran from getting the bomb.

But Trump and America’s Middle

india says electrified all villages ahead of Pm's deadline

East allies argue the deal, approved by Trump’s predecessor Barack Obama, was too weak and needs to be replaced with a more permanent arrangement and supplemented by controls on Iran’s missile program. Pompeo set off on his first diplomatic trip within two hours of being sworn in on Thursday and on Friday — after talks with the NATO allies in Brussels — he appeared to suggest that Trump plans to nix the deal.

“Absent a substantial fix, absent overcoming the shortcomings, the flaws of the deal, he is unlikely to stay in that deal past this May,” Pompeo told reporters in at NATO headquarters. Perhaps the last chance to fix these supposed shortcomings came from talks between Washington and its European allies Britain, France and Germany on a supplemental agreement to

sanction Iran’s missile program.

But both President Emmanuel Macron of France and Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel left Washington this week after talks with Trump having failed to secure any promise that he might keep the core deal alive. That may be music to the ears of the Saudi and Israeli leaders, who both support a tougher line on Iran.

“This administration has made it a

Iraq sentences 19 Russian women to life for joining Islamic State BAGHDAD AGENCIES

MUMBAI: India has electrified all its villages 12 days ahead of a deadline set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government said on Sunday, which could give the ruling party a boost ahead of a general election in 2019. Asia’s third-largest economy has been held back for years by a power shortage, with industries having to cope with blackouts and hospitals forced to rely on diesel-run generators for backup. But Modi said on Sunday that April 28, on the evening of which a remote village in the northeast became the last to be connected to the grid, would be remembered as a “historic day in the development journey of India”.

“Yesterday, we fulfilled a commitment due to which the lives of several Indians will be transformed forever!” Modi wrote on Twitter, as various ministers in his government took to social media to congratulate him. Government data showed that all of India’s 597,464 census villages have now been electrified. AGENCIES

buddhist community in b’desh celebrates buddha Purnima

Iraq on Sunday sentenced 19 Russian women to life in prison for joining the Islamic State group, the latest in a series of heavy verdicts against foreign women linked to the militants.

The head of Baghdad's Central Criminal Court, which deals with terrorism cases, said the women were found guilty of “joining and supporting IS”, according to an AFP journalist at the hearing.

Six women from Azerbaijan and four from Tajikistan were also condemned to life in prison on Sunday on the same charge. The women, who have the right to appeal against the sentences, entered the court oneby-one dressed in black headscarves and pink blouses, most of them accompanied by their children.

They addressed the court through a translator, a Russian-language professor at Baghdad University hired by their embassy for the trial. “We will contact the parents to inform them of the verdict,” a Russian diplomat at the hearing told AFP. IS took over nearly one-third of Iraq in a blistering 2014 offensive, seizing control of the coun-

try's second-largest city, Mosul, among others. Baghdad declared military victory over the militants in December, after expelling them from all urban centres.

It has detained at least 560 women and 600 children identified as militants or relatives of suspected IS fighters, and is wasting no time in putting them on trial. Most of the women on trial on Sunday claimed they were tricked into going to Iraq.

“I did not know we were in Iraq,” said one of the accused.

“I went with my husband and my children to Turkey to live there,

6 injured in bomb attack near election registration centre in afghan town JALALABAD: At least six people, including a child, were injured in a bomb attack near a voter registration center in Jalalabad, capital of eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar on Sunday, a provincial government spokesman said. "Six civilians were injured after an improvised explosive device (IED) planted in a rickshaw went off at around midday near a mosque in Police District 4 of the city," Attaullah Khogyani told Xinhua. The injured were shifted to hospital where two of the wounded remained in critical condition. A poll registration center was set up inside the mosque for locals to visit the site and receive voting card. The blast also damaged several nearby buildings. No group has claimed responsibility for the incident yet. The Afghan election officials have slated Oct. 20 as the date for the upcoming parliamentary and district councils elections. Over the past few months, Afghanistan has witnessed waves of terror attacks by the Islamic State (IS) and Taliban insurgents opposing the elections. AGENCIES

thais rally against officials building homes on sacred mountain

‘Palestinians won't be part of Trump's deal’ RAMALLAH AGENCIES

DHAKA: Bangladesh's Buddhist community Sunday celebrated "Buddha Purnima," in a befitting manner, which marks holy Gautama Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death. As the biggest religious festival of the Buddhist community, the festival's daylong celebration started with the lighting of lamps and hoisting of national and religious flags atop the monasteries and other religious organizations. The community also arranged other celebration programs including blood donation, "sangadana" (presentation to the monks), discussions and "panchashilla" (prayers).

Special prayers were also offered at all monasteries across the country, seeking peace, progress and prosperity of the nation.

Since Sunday morning, hundreds of Buddhists were seen to throng monasteries in Dhaka. They brought out a colorful rally in Dhaka on Sunday morning. They also took part in various rituals and offered fruits, flowers and candles to statues of Lord Buddha who was born on a full moon day in 563 BC, attained the enlightenment and passed away on the same date.AGENCIES

and then I suddenly discovered that I was actually in Iraq.”

Experts estimate that Iraq is holding 20,000 people in jail over suspected IS membership. There is no official figure.

Iraqi courts have sentenced to death a total of more than 300 people, including dozens of foreigners, for belonging to IS, judicial sources said earlier this month.

Iraq's anti-terrorism law empowers courts to convict people who are believed to have helped militants even if they are not accused of carrying out attacks.

priority to address Iran’s missile programs,” a senior US official told reporters in Riyadh, condemning the latest Huthi volley of missiles, themselves in part a response to Saudi air strikes.

“Iran supplies the missiles that the Huthis fire into Saudi Arabia, threatening civilians,” he said. “Today alone the Saudis shot down four Huthi missiles, the latest in a string of such attacks.”

Secretary General of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Saeb Erekat said Sunday that the Palestinians will not take part in any peace deal presented by US President Donald Trump.

Erekat made his statement on the official radio Voice of Palestine, hours ahead of the expected arrival of US State Secretary Mike Pompeo in Israel on Sunday.

The top PLO official reiterated that Trump has isolated himself from the peace process by recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital and his attempt to drop the

issue of Palestinian refugees off the table.

He added that "the United States cannot be a partner or a mediator in the peace process unless it changes its position of recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel because it is meaningless to have a Palestinian state without East Jerusalem as its capital."

Friday night, Israeli media reports said that Trump might present his Middle East peace deal after the inauguration of the US Embassy in Jerusalem in May. The deal may include financial compensation for Palestinians. In response to that, Erekat said that "this is morally unacceptable and Palestine is neither sold nor bought with money."

CMYK

BANGKOK: Around 1,000 people rallied in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai on Sunday to protest the construction of homes for officials on forested land flanking a revered mountain, in one of the largest shows of dissent under junta rule. Public frustration has been mounting over the project since aerial images of several dozen officials’ homes — carved into the green foothills of Chiang Mai’s Doi Suthep mountain — started circulating on social media earlier this year. On Sunday a huge crowd of protesters, many wearing green ribbons, called for the demolition of the buildings as they marched through Chiang Mai, the biggest city in Thailand’s mountainous north. “About 1,000 people gathered… since 7.30am (0030 GMT) to protest against the houses,” Chiang Mai police officer Jirasak Sriprasert told AFP. Protesters say the mountain, which looms over Chiang Mai and hosts a hugely popular temple believed to hold a relic of the Buddha, is a sacred site and conservation area. But officials have defended the housing project for judges and other court officials, saying it was carried out legally on a patch of government-owned land adjacent to the national park that covers the rest of the mountain. AGENCIES

WORLD VIEW 07

Monday, 30 April, 2018

Macron’s speech on nationalisM is a wake-up call A READING OF MACRON’S WORDS WILL REVEAL SHAMEFULLY TO US HOW NARROW A PEOPLE WE HAVE BECOME

timeS of india

o

aakaR Patel

Ne hundred and eighty years ago, a Frenchman visiting the United States wrote a text describing American democracy.

That man, Alexis de Tocqueville, warned of the ‘tyranny of the majority’ in his book Democracy in America. It is a work that Americans have taken seriously for generations (it was required reading in their high schools when I attended one 30 years ago).

Usually the French are at the receiving end of cultural contempt from the US. The Simpsons, that brilliant television show on working-class Americans, coined the phrase ‘cheese-eating surrender monkeys’ for the Parisians’ role in the Second World War, branding them as useless sophisticates with no grasp of reality.

But this month it was the French dishing it out to the Americans, and from the halls of Congress, no less. President emmanuel Macron stood and spoke to Amer-

icans, and to his friend President Donald Trump, a few home truths. He didn’t mention de Tocqueville but after softening up the Congressmen and Senators and other grandees with stories of Franklin, Lincoln, King, Chateaubriand and Voltaire (one wonders what Trump made of any of this), Macron said what he really thought of the way that the world was going: “Personally, if you ask me, I do not share the fascination for new strong powers, the abandonment of freedom, and the illusion of nationalism… The United States and europe have a historical role in this respect, because it is the only way to defend what we believe in, to promote our universal values, to express strongly that human rights, the rights of minorities and shared liberty are the true answer to the disorders of the world. I believe in these rights and values.”

On nationalism, in particular, Macron really nailed his colours to the mast: “We can choose isolationism, withdrawal, and

nationalism. This is an option. It can be tempting to us as a temporary remedy to our fears. But closing the door to the world will not stop the evolution of the world. It will not douse, but inflame, the fears of our citizens. We have to keep our eyes wide open to the new risks, right in front of us. I am convinced that if we decide to open our eyes wider, we will be stronger. We will overcome the dangers.

We will not let the rampaging work of extreme nationalism shake a world full of hopes for greater prosperity.”

When was the last time we had a leader saying such things? Our understanding of globalisation is that we should get the world’s outsourcing work and we have a right to H-1B visas and iPhones but we don’t want refugees.

Calling nationalism an illusion (which of course it is) and a danger is the sort of aggressive, head-on challenge to it that we need so desperately in our parts. Unfortu-

nately for us, in these times what we are getting instead is strong doses of more nationalism (Bharat mata ki jai). It is an irony that the lesson comes from the leader of the nation that invented nationalism in 1789. And of course our nationalism is worse than the one Macron is recoiling against because it is a greater danger to our own people, against whom it is turned. I don’t need to explain what I mean, but can you imagine our leader saying that “the rights of minorities are the true answer to the disorders of the world”? I confess I cannot picture him mouthing those words, and I’m trying at this moment particularly hard to do so. What we have come to expect after the word ‘minority’ is bile.

I should also admit that I was taken by surprise by another of Macron’s references. He said: “The most indestructible, the most powerful, the most definitive knot between us is the one that ties the true purpose of our peoples to advance, as Abraham Lincoln said, the ‘unfinished business’ of democracy.” What is this unfinished business? Macron describes it as ‘human rights for all’.

The positive reference to human rights sounds quaint and out of place in our times.

What you need to know about the Koreas summit and the Trump-Kim summit Center for StrategiC and international StudieS VictoR cha

Q1: What was accomplished in this summit compared to the past? Is this truly a historic meeting?

A1: This meeting is historic in its timing in two ways. First, the summit represents an aggressive attempt at diplomacy, engineered primarily by South Korea, to avoid the collision course that the United States and North Korea appeared to be on until the end of 2017, with 20 ballistic missile tests by North Korea and threats by the Trump administration to rain “fire and fury” on North Korea. The inter-Korean summit, and the upcoming North Korea–U.S. summit, have cooled tensions considerably, but for how long is uncertain.

The inter-Korean summit is an integral piece in a network of summits and high-level diplomacy springing up across the region.

While the North Korea–China summit in March 25–28 and North Korea–Russia foreign ministers’ meetings in Moscow on April 10, and the Japan-U.S. summit at Mar-a-Lago last week (April 17–18) were all arguably prompted by President Trump’s surprise decision to meet with Kim Jong-un, the inter-Korean summit constitutes an important midway point and the most significant indicator thus far of whether the Trump-Kim summit should be approached with optimism or pessimism. In this sense, while past inter-Korean summits had operated in a vacuum, unconnected to broader geostrategic currents in the region, this one holds broader regional significance.

In terms of substance, the 2018 inter-Korean summit probably earns an “A” on optics and atmospherics and a “B+” (i.e., better than average) on substance. There were two previous summits (Kim Daejung/Kim Jong-il in 2000 and Roh Moo-hyun/Kim Jong-il in 2007); moreover, there have been five inter-Korean high-level joint statements (1972, 1992, 2000, 2007, 2018). Three consistent and key themes echoed in those agreements and reaffirmed in 2018 are: (1) the aspiration for peaceful reunification through the independent efforts of Koreans and without external influence or intervention; (2) modalities for building trust and reducing mutual misunderstanding; and (3) recognition of the need to turn the armistice on the peninsula into a peace treaty. Previous agreements (particularly 2007) had more specific statements about economic cooperation (Kaesong Industrial Complex, railways, shipbuilding, and tourism), but these were harder to elucidate formally in 2018 because of the heavy UN sanctions regime in place that is restricting nearly 100 percent of North Korea’s trade today.

Q2: What will happen next?

A2: South Korean president Moon Jaein will likely have calls with other capitals following his meetings with Kim Jong-un. Regional discussions of the implications of the summit will take place on May 9 when the leaders of Japan, China, and South Korea will gather in Tokyo for the first trilateral summit meeting since 2015. It is likely that Moon will visit Washington, after marking the one-year anniversary of his government’s election on May 10, to personally brief President Trump on his meetings with Kim. Q3: What is the significance of the inter-Korean agreements?

A3: Despite the positive atmospherics of the meeting, what is missing from this summit is any clearer indication of where Kim stands on denuclearization and whether he is willing to give his nuclear weapons up this time, or whether he is interested in temporarily “renting out” a freeze in return for sanctions relief, interim energy assistance, and reduced pressure.

Q4: What takeaways might President Trump have gained from the Moon-Kim meeting?

A4: His North Korean interlocutor likes to carry a conversation and take long walks.

Kim Jong-un values international validation, as evidenced by this recent turn to the outside world from North Korea’s normal hermitlike, inward focus. In this regard, Kim probably values the upcoming meeting and photo op as much, if not more, than President Trump.

North Korea and South Korea may view tension reduction and proclamations of peace on the peninsula as a crisis-avoidance measure and to tie the hands of U.S. hawks who might want to consider military actions against North Korea. In this regard, the United States’ signaling of possible military action may create the exact decoupling dynamic it seeks to avoid on the peninsula.

Q5: Should we be optimistic or pessimistic looking ahead?

A5: The summit between the two Koreas is another positive step in diplomacy that keeps the situation around the Korean peninsula peaceful, moving away from last year’s atmosphere of crisis. The positive atmospherics of the meeting, and North Korea’s continued adherence to a weapons testing moratorium should also be welcomed. However, the inter-Korean summit t perhaps raises more questions than it answers. There is clear agreement between the two Koreas that there should be no war on the Korean peninsula anymore. But it is still unclear whether the North Korean regime defines denuclearization in the same way as the United States (CVID—complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization).

It is still unclear whether there will be an attenuation of the U.S. alliance commitment to South Korea as a condition for North Korea’s denuclearization. And it is still unclear whether North Korea still believes that it can have its cake and eat it too (that is, keep its nuclear weapons while receiving economic and energy assistance for tension reduction).

Victor Cha is a senior adviser and holds the Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.

Like the words ‘secular’ and ‘liberal’, the simian forces of India’s religious nationalism have managed to make ‘human rights’ an outrage on the populace rather than what it is, the guarantor of their existence.

There is a lyricism to the words of the French president that tells us that this is a speech that will not be forgotten the way many others have been that were delivered here before (not one phrase comes to mind from the 2016 address that our leader gave from the same place). Certainly it was covered in the US in a way that few such speeches have been.

A reading of Macron’s words will reveal shamefully to us how narrow a people we have become. The really strange thing is: the themes and the grammar of Macron’s speech are aligned to those of our Constitution. What he is saying is in no way different from what we promised ourselves at that midnight hour.

Aakar Patel is a writer and columnist based in Bangalore. Why I Write, Patel’s book translating Saadat Hasan Manto’s non-fiction from Urdu to English was published in 2014.

the supreme court is equally responsible for the mess THE REQUEST OF JUSTICE KURIAN JOSEPH ON APRIL 9 TO TAKE UP THIS MATTER ON THE JUDICIAL SIDE, NAMELY THE RECOMMENDATION OF THESE TWO NAMES, WAS ITSELF SOMEWHAT BELATED SINCE THE RECOMMENDATION WAS ALREADY THREE MONTHS OLD Hindu Raju RamachandRan

“Government snubs Supreme Court,” said a headline last week, and one cannot call it a distortion. The fate of Justice KM Joseph will now depend on what the collegium does this week (and let us hope it does meet). If the five judges, including the Chief Justice of India, Dipak Misra, reiterate their recommendation, the government will have no option but to appoint him. If the government still dithers, it will be another big challenge. But even if one member of the collegium changes his mind, the recommendation will fall through, in accordance with the Third Judges case of 1998, in which the SC responded to a question of law regarding the collegium system.

The real reasons for the government’s reservations about him are too obvious to be stated again. In an earlier NDA dispensation, the elevation of Justice BN Srikrishna to the Supreme Court went through with great difficulty (the Srikrishna Commission report on the Mumbai riots was unpalatable to an NDA constituent). Unfortunately, the inconsistent policies followed by different collegiums over the years on matters such as seniority, merit and due representation to different high courts and sections of society have made it easy for the government to raise plausible-sounding objections.

But this is also the occasion to ask the SC and the collegium some troubling questions. At the beginning of this year, the number of judges of the SC, including the CJI, was 25, which meant that there were six vacancies. Yet on January 10, the collegium recommended only two names: Justices Indu Malhotra and KM Joseph. Justice Kurian Joseph’s letter of April 9 to the CJI indicates that it was decided to send the names in a “phased manner”, citing “past practice” to avoid any “administrative or other difficulty”.

This doesn’t sound convincing since several recommendations and appointments have been made in one go, the most recent instances being of four appointments made together in mid-2016 (Justices AM Khanwilkar, DY Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and LN Rao) and five in early 2017 (Justices SK Kaul, MM Shantanagoudar, SA Nazeer, Navin Sinha and Deepak Gupta). When judges of the Supreme Court have chambers, bungalows, cars, transit accommodation and staff, this is puzzling. For a court weighed down with arrears like every other court in the country, the collegium needs to give us a better answer.

Having made its recommendation, matters were allowed to linger though the government was unresponsive. The fact that the government had reservations on the name of Justice KM Joseph was reported in the media in early February, and yet there was inaction. Justice Malhotra, who had suspended her practice in deference to a hoary tradition, was left with no option but to return to it. And now, a fait accompli is presented to the court with the appointment of Justice Malhotra and the return of the name of Justice KM Joseph.

The question here is not whether the government has the right or the power to segregate names sent in a single recommendation. Justice Chandrachud gave the good example of a recommendation to a large High Court like Allahabad, where 30 names can be sent together. The question is the need for interinstitutional courtesy in doing so. That is the point which former Chief Justice RM Lodha made when the name of Gopal Subramaniam was segregated without his knowledge and consent. The consent of the collegium ought to have been sought to process one name while returning the other for reconsideration.

And this is where the lack of harmony in the court has led to the present unhappy situation. The request of Justice Kurian Joseph on April 9 to take up this matter on the judicial side, namely the recommendation of these two names, was itself somewhat belated since the recommendation was already three months old.

If this request had been acted upon by the court taking up the matter suo motu, the government would have been compelled to disclose its stand. It was at that stage that the court could have judicially granted or refused permission to segregate the names. If only this had been done, the court would not look as diminished as it does today.

Raju Ramachandran is a senior advocate, Supreme Court of India.

08 COMMENT The Miftah effect

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Monday, 30 April, 2018

No woman would speak up if it weren’t true, would she?

Making the right headlines

T is one thing say that the PML-N government has no plans to knock on the Fund’s door ‘before the end of its tenure’ and quite another to claim that the economy does not need foreign aid, and a lot of it.

The finance ministry did not contradict recent claims in the press, after all, that they would go begging for $13b, at least, just to pay back loans due next year.

That, of course, does not include the money Islamabad is going to need for ‘operational expenses’ as just about everything of the government machinery is run on borrowed money.

And the mysterious $1b loan – so secret that he could not divulge any details, even though the press learnt soon enough that it was from China and repayable in three years – seems like something out of the same closet that Dar pulled the Saudi one billion from a few years ago. Squeezing the odd billion here and there from the new budget is admirable, but not nearly enough to keep the fiscal deficit from exploding. Rs300b by jacking up the petroleum levy, expecting the devaluation to boost exports, hoping remittances will stay stronger, and recent duties on luxury imports is all the government seems to count on.

Miftah did mention, in some detail, just why this particular budget was of such an expansionary nature – even though he tried to rule out election concerns, etc. That, on top of the deficit, underscores the need for urgent measures to support the current account. If the government sidesteps loans in the immediate term, it will likely float more bonds – that too if it survives the FATF scare. But, considering the environment, they are likely to accept even more ridiculous interest rates than last time. The new finance minister should not mislead the public. The government might make the right headlines for the two more months it has left, but the economy will not survive as it is for much longer.

China-India progress

And two other questions hasan aftab saeed

‘T

hAT Meesha Shafi decided to raise her voice in the face of such huge social and professional ramifications says a lot, doesn’t it?’ After duly congratulating her for her courage, this is the commonest feminist/liberal response to Meesha’s recent decision to join the #MeToo ranks by making sexual harassment allegations against Ali Zafar. The liberal pundits are careful to say that thorough investigations should be carried out (our standard response to all problems ranging from sexual harassment all the way to the Fall of Dhaka), but in the same breath they point out the all-too-real consequences for a woman if she dares to make such allegations against a man in a society like ours. ‘No woman would speak up if it weren’t true, would she?’ they ask rhetorically.

Well, wouldn’t she? Not to say, of course, that Meesha isn’t telling the truth. But is it as simple as that?

For starters, what consequences are we talking about here? There are a lot of serious ramifications of such allegations in a middle-class environment, but there’s nothing middle-class about Meesha’s friends, her family, and even her fame. She is not someone like a Salman Khan whose fame, despite his enormous wealth and stature, still depends heavily on the masses. Yes, there

has been some backlash from some sections of the society but that hardly matters to Meesha, whose support base solely comprises the upper classes; and for that elite demographic this sort of allegation is about independence, courage of conviction, equality of the genders, and therefore something to be proud of. And sure enough, she has been praised and assured of support from people around her for her decision to speak up.

Again, this is not to say that Ali Zafar didn’t indulge in conduct unbecoming of a gentleman. It’s a foolish man indeed who would vouch for the behaviour of another man around ladies. To paraphrase the legendary Je Gordon: the way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent upon a rock, the way of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the way of a man with a lady are difficult to predict analytically. So, while Ali may very well have been guilty, the point is that the ‘argument’ employed to show why that appears to be the case is simply not good enough.

Tumhein kya? In the days leading up to and following Khawaja Asif’s disqualification by the Islamabad high Court, there have been all sorts of debates for and against the judgment. There have been the legal discussions regarding whether the punishment (disqualification for life) fits the crime; there have been the usual cries of witch-hunting against the forces of democracy; there have been arguments about whether (and when) the income from the foreign firm was declared

Setting an example

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days: the activism and over-reach of the courts. They are incessantly asking rhetorically whose job it is to run the country: the elected representatives’ or the judges’. The provision of clean drinking water and health and education infrastructure is the job of the government and not of the judges, who should instead focus on the enormous backlog of cases pending in the different courts of the country, they add.

This sounds like a reasonable position, and it’s not easy to refute it academically. Which puts the common man in some difficulty.

Where is he to turn to if the judges shouldn’t, and their elected representatives won’t focus on the above because of being too busy in their different business ventures, and in defending their bosses against corruption charges?

Ours is a country where the politicians are busy amassing huge assets abroad. The lawmakers are busy in their housing societies and general property dealing. Singers and cricketers are preaching. The military is making feature films.

Serving ministers are providing consultancies to foreign firms. The prime minister says he is not the prime minister.

And now the courts are trying to do the government’s job for it.

Well, why the hell not?

Hasan Aftab Saeed is a connoisseur of music, literature, and food (but not drinks).

He can be reached at www.facebook.com/hasanaftabsaeed

Kim-Moon handshake

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hINA and India deserve credit for handling the fallout of last year’s eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation in the disputed Doklam area with great maturity. Firstly, they did not let the accusations and counter accusations infringe upon commerce. Secondly, they kept up diplomatic engagement instead of calling it off, like India does with its other neighbour. And now that some time has passed and temperatures have cooled further, President Xi and Prime Minister Modi have promised to keep border tensions under control after a very friendly, comfortable and informal set of meetings.

Incidentally, this comes just as the leaders of North and South Korea met in a historic meeting that ended 70 years of hostility. Chinese President Xi, it turns out, was the difference-maker in the Korean thaw as well. There are encouraging trends, then, in the Asian region that other countries, locked in disputes since forever, should follow. Governments in this day and age can no longer hold people hostage to grievances of a bygone era. everybody would be a lot better off, of course, if New Delhi brought the same maturity it exhibited in China to the negotiating table with Pakistan as well.

For starters, why should trade relations continue to suffer because of the politicians’ inability to hammer out solutions to outstanding issues? And what purpose does calling off diplomatic back-and-forth really achieve? For the last few years the Modi administration has also gone on a rampage in Kashmir; blinding half a generation in its attempt to crush a hundred per cent indigenous uprising.

Pakistan, at least in the outgoing electoral cycle, has made repeated attempts at re-engagement, offering talks on all issues, especially core points, so definitive progress can finally be made. Unfortunately, the Indian side seems reluctant to break out of the status quo for the moment. The maturity it seems is restricted to China.

in the relevant documents, and whether it was a neglectful omission or a deliberate act. The constitutionalists have been discussing what the constitution says (or doesn’t say) about the matter. The democrats, after a comfortable amnesia of thirty years, have suddenly been reminded of the horrible fact that articles 62 and 63 were introduced in the constitution by a military dictator.

While lawyers, democrats and the constitutionalists grappled with these (and other) questions, another question of a different ilk was also doing the rounds: ‘What’s wrong in the country’s foreign minister (earlier the minister for defence, and the minister for water and power) being on the pay-roll of a foreign firm?’ some innocent souls have naively been demanding. This is of course a variant of the ‘Tumhein kya?’ question, made famous by none other than Nawaz Sharif a few months ago.

Although it sounds rather foolish, this is the sort of question that challenges the wits of even the best among those trained in the art of rhetoric. No mean rhetorician myself (if for a moment I am immodest enough to acknowledge the fact), I too was stumped by this question recently, and on more than one occasion. After much deliberation, I guess the only reasonable response to it is the one given by Louis Armstrong when asked what Jazz was: ‘If you have to ask, you’ll never know.’

Whose job is it anyway? The intellectuals have a new worry these

Of negotiated peace

Remshay ahmed

T

he world woke up to what seemed like a new, and more peaceful world on 27th April 2018 – the two Koreas had reached an agreement to negotiate peace and put an end to the Korean War. The armistice for the Korean War had been reached during 1953, after the war had prolonged for three years, however, a cold peace had persisted between both Koreas since then.

How peace has been negotiated?

Since gaining presidency last year, US President Donald Trump raised the stakes for any diplomatic exchanges between the democratic world and North Korea. Through a series of heated statements which ensued, the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ensured that the world understood North Korea’s ability of launching its nuclear weapons “anywhere in the US”, while the US was adamant in calling on the world to internationally isolate this rogue state.

Countries like China, which had previously held close economic relations with North Korea, also favoured the imposition of these sanctions which further severed North Korea’s relations in the international arena. President Trump’s statement that North Korea would meet with ‘fire and fury’ should it choose not to abandon its nuclear weapons programme further fuelled North Korea which then raised its stakes by calling on the US “…to learn to coexist with our country that has nuclear weapons and should wake up from its pipe dream of our country giving up nuclear weapons which we have developed and completed through all kinds of hardships.” With the US approaching the United Nations and passing a round of sanctions against the country, North Korea was adamant to Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

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showcase that it could take on such adverse actions as it had the appetite and capability of doing so.

This continuous hostility and matched violent threats raised the stakes for any kind of diplomatic relations between the international community and North Korea. The US committed to ground, naval and aerial forces along with South Korea in a war theatre to exhibit the armed might of the two countries. In a nuclear stand-off, North Korea twice launched ballistic missiles over Japan that landed in the Sea of Japan, with no damage. Thereafter China and Japan, as per the directions of the US, resorted to increasing the economic sanctions.

Now with a nuclear stand-off like this, one would expect that the sanctioned would subsequently cede to international norms, because of attaining a greater leverage for bargain, and/or the rogue state would start crumbling from within. With the historic Kim-Moon handshake it has become apparent that for North Korea, both of the pre-requisites for bringing a rogue state to a negotiating table were actualised.

What to expect? however, it is important to note that before this happened, and the US and the international community has proceeded to embrace this ‘negotiated peace’, a formal agreement has yet to be signed, detailing on how peace would actually be reached and maintained. So far, we’ve heard that North Korea is willing to give up its nuclear weapons, however, details on the procedure for this remain to be discussed and detailed. This also points our attention towards the fact that we still can’t be sure if North Korea would actually stand by its denuclearisation stance, to what extent, and whether or not it will be another one of North Korea’s approach at provocation and rapprochement.

Further talks between Kim and Trump will be the decisive factor for this, and until these are held (expected to be later in May or early June), we can’t be sure what course of direction would be taken, i) to formalise negotiated peace into a peace treaty, ii) de-nuclearising North Korea, iii) de-militarising Korean peninsula, iv) limiting or eliminating economic sanctions on North Korea, and v) North Korea’s standing in the international community.

The historic summit has detailed nothing on either of these, and it remains to be seen how the international community would fare up in the wake of this. With these important questions

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unanswered, two conclusions can be drawn, i) the historic Kim-Moon handshake was a mere ceremonious act, signifying the ease of tensions, and ii) Kim and Trump’s meeting during next month would be the decisive factor in determining North Korea’s role in the international community, and the development of new narratives surrounding ‘a rouge state ceding to international norms in a post-globalised word’.

Where is China?

In all of this, we have heard nothing from China. When reviewing North Korea’s international standing, we have to understand and recall that almost a month ago, Kim Jong Un went to Beijing, ahead of Boao economic Forum and announced that the state was eager to denuclearise itself. In another statement, Kim said, if US and South Korea “…respond with good will and create an atmosphere of peace and stability the issue of denuclearisation can be resolved.” This highlights a certain validation and assistance needed by Kim for setting North Korea on a path of internationalisation. This when taken together with how Kim embraced Moon, points towards the idea that for Kim that validation has been achieved. however, we still have to hear from China as Beijing is the platform that Kim used to approach the world. China is building an economic empire in Asia by way of its One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative, and how far this route can extend to, was highlighted by President Xi Jinping’s resorting to historic ties with North Korea. however, we all know that Trump is wearing the crown for the historic Kim-Moon Summit, we have yet to see how China responds to it.

Perhaps, an economic giant like China will let the US take this one, while resuming its trade with North Korea, and subsequently penetrating into the state as well. For the survival of the Trump administration this historic handshake is enough validation for now, however, the true win for US lies in the upcoming summit between Trump and Kim. This would be decisive in determining how the power vacuum would be filled by regional powers and how this balance of power would ultimately shift.

Remshay Ahmed is a political realist by profession and a pessimist by choice. She can be reached at remshayahmed95@gmail.com

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COMMENT 09

Monday, 30 April, 2018

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Iqama Ltd Who remains at fault?

syed KaswaR GaRdezi

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eSS than a year after the ‘landmark’ judgement disqualifying Nawaz Sharif was rendered, another one of his closest aides has been sent packing in the same humiliating manner. Though this time with a heavy heart, a high Court displayed immense levels of judicial activism and authored yet another one of the ongoing political judgements.

Although the judgement has been welcomed by many quarters, not many people succeed in realising the repercussions of such dictates. Constitutional courts assuming political jurisdiction is one of the biggest stains on the jurisprudence being developed nowadays.

Non-disclosure of assets or even misdeclaration of the same is a pertinent issue, especially when it comes to members of the parliament. however, a separate mechanism should be made to take care of such issues.

Who remains at fault?

Unfortunately, the political leadership itself is to blame. It’s a seed they themselves planted; one which is ripe enough to bite them sharply. Failure to legislate for such situations has cost them their political careers to judicial dictates. A stroke of their lordships’ pen and the decades-long career of seasoned politicians enters the world of history.

Now the question arouses how is this form of activism their fault?

Maybe if the parliamentarians considered foolproof legislation on election matters then only they might have averted such decisions.

Obviously, if a member of the parliament is misrepresenting in his nomination papers he has to be held accountable.

That still does not mean that an elected member should be sent home in such a manner. There

should be a mechanism which enables the eCP to investigate all potential candidates and subject them to extreme scrutiny.

Not the one which the returning officers currently employ — making politicians sing the national anthem in a court room.

But rather a system where iqamas could be revealed before a candidate entered the arena.

Why else was the eCP constituted in the first place? It should only be in their domain to adjudicate upon issues pertaining to elections, nomination papers and all other related matters.

The UAe “assets” were filed with the eCP in 2015. Not exactly nondisclosure.

Lordships might disagree though.

Political disputes should best be kept away from courts. Certain questions do require judicial intervention, however, a proper forum (the eCP) should have the jurisdiction to settle such matters.

A bill before the parliament extending jurisdiction of the eCP might be of help. In the absence of any legislative instrument on the subject matter, the courts of law have a free hand to intervene. And a mighty pen to justify their decisions as well. No matter how heavy the heart of the judges was, while penning down Khawaja Asif’s disqualification, they did strike off his political career.

Another angle to look at the judgement, however, is that a foreign minister of the country was an employee of an international company. This does give rise to a question of conflict of interest and even goes on to touch upon national security, as Imran Khan alleges. For this very reason a judicial intervention maybe justified, though I would reiterate that the proper forum should deal with this matter and not the high Court in its constitutional jurisdiction.

Moreover, guidelines should also be set for certain omissions.

That is another point which the parliament should consider rather than exchanging blows during budget sessions.

One fact which has been established over the past few months is that if Nawaz Sharif and Company are not backtrack-

Non-disclosure of assets or even misdeclaration of the same is a pertinent issue, especially when it comes to members of the parliament. However, a separate mechanism should be made to take care of such issues.

ing on their tirade against the judiciary, and the latter doesn’t seem to be bending either. Through its new found judicial activism the judiciary is bent upon taking an eye for an eye. Such precedents will not be forgiven by history. More so when those determining the test of Sadiq and Ameen themselves do not have a test to fall upon the same criteria. how can a man deciding the honesty of another not be honest himself? I dare not say that the hon’ble judges are not honest, however, a degree of the same tests must be applied to them as well. Maybe then these decisions might seem justifiable.

Deciding the merits and demerits of any politician should not fall within the domain of the judiciary. It simply creates more problems.

These judgements give rise to further accusations against the judiciary for being biased and intervening. Maryam Nawaz’s tweet of a fixed match is given a lot more air than it normally would have. A lot many people dislike the establishment’s interference in political matters. Then why the double standards when it comes to another institution of the state? With statements such as a holistic interpretation of the contempt law, being issued by the chief justice, the thin fine line between the separation of powers remains further blurred.

Unquestionably, the judiciary has the power and mandate to keep the executive in line when the latter toes over it, however this power should be exercised with the utmost caution and restraint.

No one institution should be powerful enough to over-ride others. Maybe Khawaja Asif got what he deserved, no defending his self. however, it would have been a lot more beneficial if this would not have been at the behest of the courts. even though I hold my reservations against the judgement rendered this past week, then again something has to be done when it comes to such matters. With a ‘heavy heart’ I have to concede that till such a time that the parliament empowers itself to avoid an Iqama holder from contesting the election in the first place, the judiciary will act and unfortunately there doesn’t seem to be another option.

An employee of a foreign company cannot be allowed to hold a cabinet post in his own country. Though the least that can be done is to learn from Asif’s example and make laws which send only truly honest men in the parliament. That might save the politicians humiliation at the hands of the robed gentlemen.

No one institution should be powerful enough to over-ride others. Maybe Khawaja Asif got what he deserved, no defending his self.

However, it would have been a lot more beneficial if this would not have been at the behest of the courts.

Syed Kaswar Gardezi is a lawyer and a columnist. He can be contacted at kaswargardezi@gmail.com

IT is a well-known fact that diabetes is one of the leading factors for cardiac vascular diseases and it is good to note that Pakistan’s largest state of the art diabetes centre has been set up at Phulgran Islamabad where treatment of all the diabetes related complications will be provided under one roof and it all will be free for around 70 per cent of patients at least.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi inaugurated this modern and much needed health care facility and announced a donation of Rs100 million for the centre in the presence of Federal Minister for National health Services Saira Afzal Tarar among others.

According to the reports in the media, PM Abbasi on the occasion expressed the confidence that the centre will be a pioneer institution in management and treatment of diabetes in the country and will be providing quality care to the most deserving people of the society, there is need to support the centre as it will be providing diagnostic, care and treatment facilities besides also creating awareness against the hidden disease.

Federal Minister Saira Afzal Tarar said diabetes is one of the leading factors for cardiac vascular diseases , public private partnership has proved to be very beneficial in many health initiatives and her ministry in partnership with the private sector is working on the National Diabetes Action Plan stressing prevention strategies must be included in the action plan focusing on avoiding being overweight or obese, eating healthy food, remaining physically active, quitting smoking and going for regular medical check-ups.

Needless to mention that the people need most modern healthcare facilities for their ailments and if these are provided more efficiently and promptly nearer to their residences through public and private partnership then it is well and good and quite appreciable, please. Thanks.

ASIM MUNIR Rawalpindi

Nobel for Trump?

The President of the United States is an infamous figure. his voter base and the alright aside, he has managed to draw the ire of the international community, whether it be in Pakistan or somewhere else. ever since being elected, and even before that, his ability as both a statesman and an administrator has been constantly under question. he has no experience as a politician for one. his business has mostly been an inherited one, as he infamously mentioned in his comment that “I started out in New York when my father gave me a small loan of 1 million dollars.” even the business ventures he has taken part in on his own accord have been resounding failures. Trump streaks? Ground to a halt. Real estate? Crashed and burned. Trump university?

Currently facing legal challenges.

But now he is staring at what May be his greatest achievement yet, and perhaps ever, as president of the United States. The south Korean leader has declared that the crossing of Kim Jong for talks across the border were orchestrated by Trump.

There are of course indications towards this other than the south Korean claims. For one trump was set to meet with Kim. his secretary of state already has. And if indeed he was the force that tipped things towards negotiations, he is to be given credit. After all, the armistice has finally turned into a peace agreement.

If indeed trump is recognised as the reason for this peace, he will be in line for the peace prize. Already it is being suggested. Could the experience and caution filed hillary Clinton have done the same? Maybe, maybe not. But what remains is the fact that trump has done it.

If he does indexed erin the prize, he will be a deserving winner. This will be a conundrum for the liberals, and a guarantee to re-election. Liberals will also be scratching their heads because the award will be more warranted than Obama’s was.

Fascinating times to be alive.

EHTISHAM KHAN Lahore

Asia Cup is coming The Asia cup is upon us! This time the venue is changed and UAe will be host the matches for the first time in a while.

The United Arab emirates has been awarded the 2018 Asia cup that was originally slated to be held in India. The tournament will be played between September 13 and 28, in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Political tensions between Pakistan and India has been cited as the reason for the change. The biggest match of Asia cup will be played between Pakistan and India. We all know that the hype and the expectation of the people is very high.

Last time the clash of two kings was in champions’ trophy final.

And Pakistan outclass Indian team in all form of play. In this time Pakistan team and the people of Pakistan is more confident to play with India and the venue is something especially for Pakistan cricket there is a lot of memories of Pakistan in this part of a world. PCB chairman Najam Sethi is responsible for changing the venue from India to Dubai. hopefully next time Pakistan will be host at least short number of matches in Lahore as well as Karachi. PSL make a strong impact in the world. We all Pakistani hoped that this time Pakistan will beat their opponents and grabbed the cup Inshallah.

MUHAMMAd SAAd Karachi

10 NEWS

Monday, 30 April, 2018

DesPiTe hurDles, PTM gaThers ThousanDs in swaT rally yOuth Accuses ptm Of bArring OrgAnisers sAy ALLegAtiOns A pLOy his entry with pAkistAni fLAg tO mALign the mOvement PESHAWAR

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Shamim Shahid

HE indigenously emerged Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), despite opposition and hurdles, succeeded in holding a well-attended rally at Kabal ground of Swat district on Sunday whereas Manzoor Pashteen and his aides reaffirmed their stance of continuing struggle till resolution of security-related and administrative problems for Pakhtuns in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and throughout the country.

The rally was attended mostly by young Pakhtuns from all over the country, but the majority of the participants belonged to scattered areas of Swat and other districts of Malakand division. The organisers complained that the rally’s participants arriving to Swat from all four sides – Malakand, Dir, Shangla and Buner – were stopped for prolonged checking and complete search before allowing the entry. According to one organiser, the most hectic search was registered at Dagai Malakand and Karakar Buner where entry of each and every person along with their vehicle was noted down before entry into Swat valley.

Dr Said Alam Mehsud, an active member of PTM, informed that around 200 vehicles, mostly hiaces and coaches, remained in long queues for hours at Dargai. Whereas Zahid Wazir, another PTM stalwart, said that each person and the vehicle remained in Dar-

gai for around two hours. The situation turned tense when a group of PTM workers assembled on a check-point and staged a protest by chanting slogans against the security forces personnel and government. And as a result, the security checking and registration process became expedited.

At a military check post in Behrain, the activists of Pakistan Zindabad Movement and Pakistan Tahaffuz Tehreek blocked a convoy of the PTM activists from Kalam. The situation got intense when slogans were raised against each other. Abdullah Nangayal alleged that the civil administration and law enforcing agencies had attempted to diffuse the PTM rally but their plans were foiled as around 20 thousand people turned up at the rally.

pAkistAni fLAG not ALLoWeD? During the rally, a youngster accompanied by two of his fellows made an attempt to enter the PTM’s Swat rally while holding the national flag. However, he was denied the entry and during this period, he made a video which went viral over the social media.

It enabled the PTM’s rivals of levelling allegations of being anti-national against the movement and its leaders like Pashteen as well as his aides.

However, PTM leader Abdullah Nangyal, while addressing from the stage, clarified the situation, saying that it was a move to damage the image of the movement. The rivals created a preplanned opportunity to malign the tehrik, he added. He made it clear that they are patriotic citizens of the country

and had established the PTM to get their rights according to the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan.

Meanwhile, a large number of women turned to the rally and narrated tales of their close relatives including sons, brothers, husbands and others before media persons. Many of these women reached Swat from Islamabad and Peshawar. On numerous occasions, participants – mostly youngsters – chanted slogans against the government and security forces.

Beside Manzoor Ahmad Pashteen, the rally was also addressed by a number of other PTM stalwarts like Mohsin Dawar, Ali Wazir, and Dr Said Alam Mehsud. The speakers maintained that all their demands were in accordance with the Constitution, complaining about the ‘baseless allegations’ levelled against them. They urged the government to take early steps for the acceptance of their demands, and warned the authorities to continue their protest in case the demands were not addressed.

The participants voiced their concerns, the right of survival and issue of enforced disappearances and missing persons. Except Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) of Mehmood Khan Achakzai, remaining political parties kept their distance with the Swat rally. Mukhtyar Yousafzai, President of PkMAP Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, led a party delegation and delivered a brief speech supporting the PTM struggle. The nationalist Awami National Party having a stronghold in Swat and its surrounding district neither opposed nor supported the rally. However, a large number ANP workers turned up at the rally.

Lawyer alleges sexual harassment against Ali Zafar's in-law's firm LAHORE Staff RepoRt

Lawyer and owner of Lahore’s leading bookstore The Last Word, Aysha Raja in explosive op-ed has alleged that she was sexually harassed at Ali Zafar’s fatherin-law, Ali Sibtain Fazli’s firm and that Fazli did nothing to help her or support her.

In her op-ed published on Daily Times, Raja wrote, “I myself spent half my 20’s in employment in London and the other half in Lahore. Of the three positions I held in Lahore, I was sexually harassed at two. In London, not once. My career as a lawyer in Lahore was severely disrupted when I was forced out of my place of employment after relentless sexual harassment. My then boss Ali Sibtain Fazli failed to take any steps to protect me from the unwanted attention of an associate at the firm, and after a particularly har-

rowing incident, my husband intervened, telling Mr Fazli how he let me down and escorted me out of the office, never to return. I have never spoken to that associate again, and it makes me furious to this day that my career suffered for his misbehaviour.”

“I forgave Mr Fazli (which in retrospect he never actually sought), under the assumption that the incident had left an impact. His recent decision to represent Ali Zafar — his son in law- in a defamation case against Meesha makes me suspect I was mistaken in my assumption,” she added.

Earlier this month, Pakistani singer-actor Meesha Shafi accused singer Ali Zafar of sexually harassing her “on multiple occasions.” The revelation sparked a sort of #MeToo movement in Pakistan as a debate on sexual harassment stirred up.

On April 19, Ali Zafar issued a statement to refute the allegations of sexual harassment levelled against

him. He said, “I categorically deny any and all claims of harassment lodged against me by Ms Shafi.”

Furthermore, Zafar also sent a 10million rupees defamation notice to Shafi, through his lawyer Fazli, asking her to retract her accusations and publicly apologise or prove it in a court of law.

British Pakistani men blackmail 15 wives over 'intimate videos' MIRPUR inp

In Mirpur, a press conference was held at the Kashmir Press Club where young Pakistani girls revealed how they became victims of a traumatic marriage scam by British Pakistani men who threatened them with blackmail after shooting first-night wedding videos featuring intimacy. Mirpur is dubbed as ‘Little England’ due to the huge influence and heritage of British Pakistanis from this region. Many of the girls from areas like Mirpur in Pakistan are being easily wooed by British nationals to marry and live a better life abroad. The families of these girls are more than willing to marry their daughters hoping to give them a better future. Sadly, there are scrupulous men who take advantage of the vulnerability of such girls. An example being this British Pakistani gang of men.

The lead man of the gang known as Mumtaz aka ‘Taja Pehlwan’, is said to be from Halifax in West Yorkshire, UK. He also has residency in New Abadi Sangoot, Mirpur, Pakistan. It was in Mirpur where Mumtaz developed relationships with the girl victims and eventually convinced them to marry him after alluring them to have a ‘dream life’ with him in the UK. Each of the girls was trapped at different times by Mumtaz without the others knowing he had done the same to the victims. Mumtaz ‘Taja Pehlwan’ married seven women in total in this way. They included Asma, Mumtaz Begum and Misbah, all residents of Mandi Bahauddin; Tahira, from Sanoogt, Mirpur and Maria who is from sector F-2 Mirpur. It was revealed by the victims at the press conference that Mumtaz spearheaded a drug-dealing gang.

Members of the gang also included two of his nephews from the UK. Namely, Muhammad Ali and Anzar Ali, who are the sons of Waliyat Hussain. The girls stated that they were forced and used by the men to participate in the illegal activities of this drug gang. Mumtaz’s nephews also married a number of the girls. Muhammad Ali married three of them including Bushra Bibi from Kharak and Kiran Mehmood who lives in Khaliqabad, Pakistan. His brother, Anzar Ali married five of the victims. Namely, Nazreen Bibi from Sangoot, Mirpur, Sonia from Jatlan and Rifat, Arooj and Nabeela who were actually from the UK. Another five girls were also conned into marriage by two other members of this family and gang.

Ansar Bashir married Sumaira and Nazia, whilst Muhammad Bashir wed Mahnoor, Naeema and Naheeda. In total, the British Pakistan men married about 15 young women and these wives were then targeted by blackmail to keep them silent. Intimate videos of their wedding nights were filmed by the men and the girls were constantly threatened that these would be released online. The videos would have huge implications for the victims so they did as they were told and kept quiet.

Facebook's new privacy update to limit some political campaigns MENLO PARK agencieS

Facebook’s new focus on protecting private user data is likely to change the game for many campaigns, making it harder to deliver highly targeted, personal political messages.

The changes unveiled by the huge social network following an outcry over the hijacking of data on 87 million Facebook members by Cambridge Analytica could be significant for campaigns. The new privacy effort could limit “microtargeting” using the social network, a technique used successfully by Donald Trump’s campaign in 2016 and others.

“Microtargeting is a big deal for campaigns because they have to decide how they spend money and who they target,” said Joseph Hall, chief technologist for the Centre For Democracy and Technology. He is leading a research project on election privacy and security. “Any clamping down on data collection is going to have a large effect on campaigns.” Microtargeting is not new — marketing specialists used public records before the internet era — but the trove of

data from social networks, often combined with that of data brokers, has made it easier to identify population segments based on income, political affiliation and other factors.

Hall said that if Facebook clamps down on its user data to campaigns, “they won’t be able to target on a granular basis.

That’s not a bad thing, but campaigns hate it because it costs more money.” Campaign consultants note that Facebook is not a source of voter data — with the major exception of Cambridge Analytica — but instead a targeting tool for ads based on data collected from other sources.

Less precision: Facebook appears to be making it harder to use software tools to automatically match members of the social network with other affiliations.

“I can target women between the ages of 21 and 35 who like Planned Parenthood, but I can’t target Mary Smith,” said one Democratic political operative who asked to remain anonymous. “It’s not clear if we’ll be able to target voters as accurately and cheaply as in recent years.” Even with a stricter privacy environment, digital is expected to account for 20.1 percent of the $8.8 billion spent

this year in the United States on congressional and state election ads, according to the consulting firm Borrell Associates.

That compares with less than one percent in the 2014 elections, according to Borrell. But it’s down slightly from an estimate earlier this year, the firm said, because of “shyness about Facebook use following the Cambridge Analytica scandal.” Facebook has announced it would verify the identities of anyone placing political ads on its platform and follow procedures in a bill called the “Honest Ads Act” for labelling of candidate messages.

It remains unclear how Facebook will adapt the new EU privacy rules for the US market, such as the ability to easily opt out of targeted ads.

“I think Facebook will provide as much incentive to opt-in as possible,” said Mark Jablonowski, chief technical officer of DSPolitical, an ad tech firm that works with Democratic candidates.

“If Facebook users do opt out (in large numbers) that would have a major impact on Facebook revenue and targeting capabilities. It would have fairly farreaching implications for the whole advertising industry.” Jules Polonetsky,

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CEO of the Future of Privacy Forum, said that “it’s not just a Facebook issue,” because consultants and candidates can obtain detailed voter data from other, sometimes “sketchy” sources.

Polonetsky said some political consultants are advertising ways to reach “angry” voters, which may lead to incendiary ads, whether via social media, email or other methods.

“I fully expect candidates will do everything possible to win, using any available data they can hoover up, and apologise for it later,” Polonetsky said.

Like netfLix or spotify: Chris Wilson, CEO of the political consulting group WPAi, which works with Republican candidates, warned against going too far in restricting social media data use.

“Facebook has given Republicans an important resource that allows candidates to go directly to voters with messages on issues they care about,” Wilson said.

“If we push too hard and Facebook changes their rules so that we can’t do the same things as Netflix or Spotify at the individual level, that would be sad for the future of democracy.”

Michael Cornfield, a George Wash-

ington University political scientist who leads a research project on social media in campaigns, said the public focus on Facebook and privacy is probably transitory and will have little impact on upcoming elections. “Data privacy has not been a big issue because few people see it costing them personally,” he said.

Cornfield said he expects campaigns to use the Facebook Live video platform and increase use of artificial intelligence to target voters.

Facebook has also promised labels and verification for ads on hot-button political issues which are not for specific candidates. But it may have trouble living up to that pledge, said Young Mie Kim, a University of Wisconsin professor who led research on 2016 Facebook political ads.

Kim said many disputed 2016 ads were “dark” posts by anonymous groups, shown only to small numbers of users without mentioning a candidate’s name.

“It is incredibly difficult to define an issue ad — even policymakers do not completely agree on this,” she said.

“Facebook will have a very difficult time defining what are political ads.

Monday, 30 April, 2018

NEWS

PakisTan seT To launch sPace PrograMMe To keeP an eye on inDian siDe ISLAMABAD

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inp

AKISTAN is set to launch an ambitious space programme during the next fiscal year with an aim to keep an eye on the Indian side and reduce its dependence on foreign satellites for civil and military purposes, according to a media report.

Several projects will be initiated to develop self-reliance capacity and reduce dependence on foreign satellites, mainly the US and French satellites for civil and military communications.

The budget of the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Organisation (SUPARCO) for the upcoming fiscal year 2018-19 is Rs 4.70 billion which includes Rs 2.55

billion for three new projects.

Suparco has been regularly conducting activities each year to increase awareness of space technology and to promote its peaceful usage amongst students and the masses in Pakistan since 2005.

The funding includes allocation of Rs 1.35 billion for Pakistan

PM abbasi to inaugurate new islamabad airport tomorrow isLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will inaugurate new Islamabad International Airport on Tuesday, while it will be fully operational from Thursday. According to Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the first incoming flight of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) from Karachi will land at the new airport at 11 am on the same day, while first flight of the national airline will depart for Karachi at 12.30 pm. The complete operation will commence from next Thursday. CAA said that domestic and foreign airlines have been conveyed directives in this regard. Earlier on April 7, the first mock flight of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) had landed at the New Islamabad International Airport. PK-9001 had departed from Benazir International Airport at 1:00pm and landed at the new airport around 1:30pm. The new airport is going to be the country’s biggest international airport for its frequency of landing and the number of passengerhandling services. The new airport is located 30 km away from the central Islamabad, for which the construction work started in April 2007. inp

Multi-Mission Satellite (PakSatMM1) and the country is also planning to establish Pakistan Space Centre in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad with the allocation of Rs 1 billion.

The third project is establishment of Space Application Research Centre in Karachi with the

budget of Rs 200 million in 201819, the report said.

The total cost of PakSat-MM1 is Rs 27.57 billion and that of the space centres is Rs 26.91 billion, it added. Advanced space programme is the need of time not only due to growing demand from the civil communications, including the GPS, mobile telephony and the internet but due to changing scenario in the region also, analysts have said.

“There are two unusual developments in the region effecting the strategic situation — first of all Pakistan has to keep an eye on Indian side and previously their programme had limited quality advancements but now the US has active cooperation with the Indian satellite programme,” Maria Sultan, a defence analyst said.

Navy rescues stranded Indian fishermen in Gulf of Aden ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Pakistan Navy Ship (PNS) ALAMGIR (Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigate) while conducting Maritime Security Operations (MSOs) in Gulf of Aden on Sunday undertook successful rescue operation of a stranded Indian fishing dhow “ST MARYS”.

The boat which sailed from Indian port of Colochel was reported to become non-operational due to loss of engine propulsion in open sea near Salalah (Oman) for last 08 days with 12 crew men onboard.

On receipt of information and request for help about the fishing dhow, a PNS was promptly dispatched which through its technical team rectified the defect in the boat and made it operational and seaworthy.

Rectification of defect required miscellaneous repairs including gearbox removal and refixing followed by alignments and repairs through improvised solutions by technical team onboard the Indian boat.

The stranded boat crew was dehydrated and also required medical care and edibles. PNS rescue team provided edibles and medical care to the crew members of the Indian fishing dhow.

Master and crew of the stranded boat thanked for the kind gesture and swift response of Pakistan

11

Pakistan-us need to work together to achieve peace in afghanistan: aizaz chaudhry WAsHinGton: Pakistan ambassador to the United States Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry says Islamabad and Washington need to work together to achieve peace in Afghanistan. Speaking at a lecture session titled “Diplomatic Encounters Series” at the University of Chicago, he said both countries must also work together to resolve the problems they currently face. Terming the US and Pakistan relations very crucial, the ambassador said there are some misunderstandings between the two countries and putting on hold or cutting off bilateral relations would not solve anything. Aizaz Chaudhry said the partnership between Islamabad and Washington has yielded positive results and there is a need to continue talks in order to work out the disagreements. inp

Pakistan welcomes historic summit between two koreas isLAMABAD: Pakistan has welcomed the historic summit between President Moon Jae-in of South Korea and Chairman Kim Jong Un of North Korea at Panmunjom on Friday. In a statement, the Foreign Office (FO) said that Pakistan hopes the step will lead to lasting peace, prosperity, stability, and cooperation between the two Koreas, as well as, in the region. It said that Pakistan has always encouraged South Korea and North Korea to resume meaningful negotiations and supported all efforts for a smooth reunification of the Korean Peninsula, including the two summits between North and South Korea in June 2000 and 2007. The statement further said that it has been Pakistan’s consistent position that all relevant parties should pursue the path of dialogue and diplomacy to reduce tensions, refrain from any action that is inimical to peace and stability in the region, and work towards achieving a comprehensive solution to the Korean Peninsula issue. ppi

rangers send ‘indian who crossed border’ home rAWALpinDi: A 23-year old Indian national, Dalwinder Singh, who had inadvertently crossed into Pakistan in March 2017 at village Ballanwala, Kasur has been returned to the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) by Punjab Rangers at Wahga Check Post after the necessary legal process. Dalwinder was thankful to Pakistan Security Forces (PSF) for the treatment and care meted to him during the time he spent in Pakistan and also for his return. Staff RepoRt

10,000 sikh pilgrims to visit Pakistan for religious rituals Navy Ship. The fishing dhow thereafter shaped the course to India port. Pakistan Navy Ships are active participants of Multinational Task Force150 and Task Force-151 which are mandated to conduct Maritime Security Operations (MSOs) and anti-piracy respectively.

Since 2004, Pakistan Navy has been a major contributor of ships and aircraft in these multinational Task Forces. Role and contribution of Pakistan Navy to maintain peace and order at sea have been widely acknowledged in the world.

The rescue operation by Pakistan Navy also manifests the strong commitment and resolve of the government of Pakistan to promote and safeguard peace in the region.

LAHore: Over 10,000 Sikh pilgrims are expected to visit Pakistan on the occasion of 550th birthday celebrations of their spiritual leader Guru Nanak. According to media reports, the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) decided that the number of pilgrims would be increased from 3,000 to 10,000, in accordance with the 1974 Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines. However, the final decision on the matter would be taken by the federal government and interior ministry. Although Guru Nanak’s birthday is in November later this year according to the Roman calendar, the Sikh community will celebrate the occasion according to the Nanak Shahi calendar in November 2019. Earlier, the Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Sardar Muhammad Yousuf had announced plans to issue a memorable coin commemorating the 550th birthday anniversary of Guru Nanak. inp

Thrifty at 50: Pakistan keeps ageing fighter jets flying KAMRA agencieS

The sprawling complex at Kamra, west of Islamabad, reverberates at the thundering take-off of a Mirage Rose-1, the latest ageing fighter jet to have been gutted and reassembled by the Pakistani Air Force.

Fifty years after Pakistan bought its first Mirages, many planes in the venerable fleet are still being patched up, overhauled and upgraded for use in combat, years after conventional wisdom dictates they should be grounded.

That includes one of the first two planes originally purchased from France’s Dassault in 1967, which was in a hangar at Kamra after its record fifth overhaul when AFP visited recently.

The techniques they have developed are reminiscent of—but far more hightech and lethal than—the improvised methods used to keep classic American cars running on the streets of Havana.

“We have achieved such a capability that our experts can integrate any latest system with the ageing Mirages,” says

Air Commodore Salman M Farooqi, deputy managing director of the Mirage Rebuild Factory (MRF) at the Kamra complex. Pakistan bought its first Mirages to diversify its fleet, which in the late 1960s largely consisted of US-built planes: F-104 Starfighters, T-37 Tweety Birds and F-86 Sabres.

The Mirage became a popular choice, with the Air Force buying 17 different variants in later years, eventually owning the second-highest number of the fighter jets after France. They performed bombing missions during Pakistan’s failed war with India in 1971 — one of the shortest conflicts in history, lasting just 13 days and leading to the creation of Bangladesh.

But Mirages flew on, also carrying out reconnaissance missions in India, and intercepting and shooting down Soviet and Afghan planes that violated Pakistani airspace during the Soviet war.

Usually the jet has two or three life cycles, each spanning around 12 years.

But overhauling them abroad was expensive for Pakistan, a developing country whose budget is already disproportion-

ately tilted towards its military and which has historically received billions in military assistance from countries such as the US. So, with the help of experts from Dassault, the air force decided if you want something done for the right price, you’ve got to do it yourself.

MAkeoVer: The Mirage Rebuild Factory was established at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) in 1978, and in the years since has saved “billions” of dollars for Pakistan, according to Group Captain Muhammad Farooq, in charge of one of the maintenance hangars—though he said the exact figure was difficult to pin down.

The planes take some seven weeks to be overhauled and repainted, he said, adding that usually the MRF has the capacity for more than a dozen planes a year. Its calendar for the next decade or so is already booked up. At least eight different Mirage variants, including the Mirage 5-EF, Mirage III-DP and Mirage-III Rose-I, were in one of the maintenance hangers when AFP visited.

Engineers and technicians were dis-

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mantling cockpit instrument panels and landing gear while undertaking a “nondestructive inspection”, essentially an Xray to detect faults in the wings and airframe. Dozens of engines awaiting overhaul were piled in one hangar. Even planes that had suffered accidents such as fires breaking out have been patched back together at the facility.

Pakistan has also been buying up discarded Mirages from other countries to bring through the facility, said retired Air Marshal Shahid Lateef. The most important technological improvement, developed with the help of South Africa, is the ability to integrate air-to-air refuelling, Farooqi said. The “identification of friend and foe” (IFF) system, which detects when a Mirage has been locked on to by the system of another plane, was also a key development, he said.

GrAnD DAMes: But even with the improvements and cost-saving measures, the ageing planes are becoming more difficult to maintain. “They have outlived their lives… after their overhauls (they) have become highly unreliable, we even

met with lots of accidents,” Lateef said.

The best option to replace them would be the Rafale, as neighbour and arch-rival India—which has also flown and maintained Mirages for decades—is doing, signing a deal with Dassault in 2016. The price tag is too much for Pakistan, however, retired Air Commodore Tariq Yazdani said. Instead Pakistan plans to replace them with the JF-17 Thunder aircraft that it co-developed and co-produced with China, the original manufacturer.

Even as it becomes more urgent to phase them out, Mirages’ status as the grand dames of Pakistani military aviation cannot be dismissed, Yazdani, who has logged 1,500 hours flying them, told AFP. It is a “very agile aircraft capable of penetrating deep into the enemy’s territory without being detected by radar, which makes its sole mission—to drop bombs on the enemy’s position—quite easy,” he said. “It is an old aircraft,” said aviation writer Alan Warnes, author of two books on the Pakistani air force. “But Pakistani pilots have been flying this plane with the utmost accuracy and expertise.”

12 BUSINESS

Monday, 30 April, 2018

PakIstan tO Pay Rs1,620 bILLIOn In InteRest Payments In 2018-19 ISLAMABAD

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SHAHZAD PARACHA

AKISTAN will pay Rs1,620 billion in interest payments for the next fiscal year 2018-19 against the estimates of borrowing loans from external and internal sources.

Documents show that Pakistan will pay Rs1,391 billion as interest to domestic banks and Rs229 billion to foreign institutions in 2018-19.

The government has paid Rs1,526 billion as the interest payment to both domestic and foreign lenders during the ongoing year 2017-18. An amount of Rs1,332 billion paid in servicing of domestic and Rs194 billion of foreign debt.

In addition to this, Pakistan has to repay an amount of Rs21,905 billion to domestic and foreign lenders in the upcoming year.

The country will repay Rs21,129 billion to those domestic banks and other institutions from which the government took loans in previous years.

Meanwhile, an amount of Rs601 billion will repay to foreign lenders including countries and institutions.

Furthermore, the finance ministry will repay Rs174 billion on short-term foreign credits in the next fiscal year.

The government had paid Rs23,448 in the ongoing fiscal year as a huge amount of Rs22,928 billion paid to domestic sources, Rs428 billion to foreign countries as well as institu-

tions like ADB, WB, etc and an amount of Rs93 billion under the head of short-term foreign credits.

Documents indicate that the government has estimated to borrow an amount of $11.6 billion from external sources such as from bilateral, multilateral, euro bond and commercial

banks in the next fiscal year 2018-19.

“Total inflows of external financing are expected to be $11.6 billion during 2018-19 with project loans of $4.8 billion and programmer loans of $1.8 billion” document stated.

The government will borrow $3.1 billion from countries like Germany, China, Japan, America, Saudi Arabia and others and $3.5 billion from multilateral sources. The government is estimated to collect $3 billion from raising bonds and $2 billion from commercial banks. While addressing a post-budget press conference on Saturday, the newly-appointed finance minister Dr Miftah Ismail informed that Pakistan has secured financing of $1 billion but he did not disclose the name of the country.

Pakistani reserves have decreased to $10,917 million during the week ending April 20, 2018. Pakistan’s economy has come under pressure with external account worries remaining the focus of economic managers which is why the government was lobbying for more loans from a friendly country in order to cover the threemonth import bill.

Relief for livestock, dairy, agri sectors to help increase production: ICCI president ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) President Amir Waheed has welcomed the sixth budget announced by the present government, providing relief to livestock, dairy, and agriculture sectors. Reducing custom duty on dairy, livestock and seeds would help increase production, he said while talking to a news channel. For the promotion of the agriculture sector, handsome relief was given to the farmers to achieve the objectives, he said. In the present circumstances the announced budget may be called a people-friendly and balanced budget, he said. Besides the corporate sector, different companies would also avail the relief as given in the budget, he added.

Commenting on the budget, former Finance Minister Dr Salman Shah said reducing taxes would help the business community and hence boost economic activities in the country. Burgeoning economic activity in any economy is a key indicator of growth. The announced budget, upon analysis, advocates business-friendly activity in the country while stressing the need to manufacture and export more goods and services to increase the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), shorten the current account deficit, and enable the common man to generate more income with fewer tax liabilities. While talking to the Traders Welfare Association (TWA) General Secretary Sardar Abid Yousaf in Islamabad here on Sunday, Senior Vice President Muhammad Naveed Malik said the government has presented a balanced budget as it has provided sufficient tax relief on the income of individuals by making significant enhancement in the tax threshold. On the occasion he assured that ICCI would fully cooperate with TWA in resolving key issues of traders. Speaking at the occasion, Sardar Abid Yousaf said that Capital Development Authority (CDA) was paying no attention to the development works in markets due to which the condition of basic infrastructure in markets has deteriorated. APP

RAWALPINDI: A flute vendor plays the instrument to attract customers. INP

Local POL production up by 10.26 per cent in eight months ISLAMABAD: The production of petroleum products has witnessed a 10.26 per cent increase during the first eight months (JulyFebruary) of the current fiscal year, as compared to the corresponding period last year.

According to the latest data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the petroleum products that contributed in a positive growth included motor spirits, the output of which grew by 15.60 per cent during the period under review. The production of high-speed diesel grew by 11.09 per cent, diesel oil by 27.34 per cent while the output of furnace oil witnessed a growth of 5.01 per cent. Similarly, the production of Jute batching oil increased by 17.02 per cent, Solvent Naphtha by 8.48 per cent, and the production of LPG increased by 39.49 per cent. The petroleum products which witnessed a negative growth in production included jet fuel, the output of which decreased by 1.78 per cent, Kerosene oil by 13.96 per cent, while the production of lubricating oil declined by 16.41 per cent. Meanwhile, on a year-on-year (YoY) basis, the production of petroleum products increased by 16.28 per cent during the month of February 2018, compared to the corresponding month last year. APP

China eases restrictions on foreign ownership of securities ventures BEIJING: China’s securities regulator has released new guidelines for foreign investment in Chinese security joint ventures in which it eased some restrictions and launched an application process for more foreign ownership. The consultation period for the new rules that began in March is now over and the final regulations have been officially released for immediate implementation, the regulator said in an announcement on its website late on Saturday. During the review, restrictions limiting single foreign investors to a 30 per cent stake in securities ventures, either directly or via a partner, were removed, according to the state-backed China Securities newspaper.

Foreign bankers had expressed concern over this particular restriction, saying it might have required Western banks to include a third partner in deals which might stymie broadening international participation in China’s domestic securities markets. Foreign firms that wish to make changes to their equity ownership in local securities joint ventures or that wish to establish a new joint venture can now apply to the regulator, it said in a question-and-answer published online. The move is one part of China’s pledge to ease foreign ownership curbs to allow major international banks to bolster their presence in the securities business – from underwriting to trading - in the world’s secondlargest economy. Previously, Western banks could only own up to 49 per cent of their Chinese securities joint ventures. That lack of control and limited contribution to revenue have long been a source of frustration. The regulator also said that applications for owning up to 51 per cent of local fund management companies are already being accepted, though added that this was unrelated to the changes in securities guidelines. It was unclear from the statement whether such applications are currently being accepted for all different types of Chinese fund management companies. AGENCIES

Budget lauded as pro-people, pro-business, pro-Pakistan ISLAMABAD APP

People from all segments of society including economists, professors, students, journalists, and citizens have hailed the federal fiscal budget 2018-19 and termed it as balanced and pro-people, and said it would make a positive impact on the living standards of the common man.

Economic analyst Mirza Ikhtiar Baig said the government has provided relief to the masses especially in the agriculture sector. Subsidies have been provided to farmers on fertilisers and seeds, while the agricultural sector has seen significant growth in this season. He said the government has allocated two per cent sales tax on fertilisers and also earmarked Rs800 billion to provide loans to farmers in the country.

Economist Dr Shakeel Ahmed Rai lauded the efforts of the present govern-

ment in decreasing taxes on salaries, and the corporate sector. He said due to hectic efforts of the government, a number of people have been included in the tax net.

Assistant Professor in Peshawar Farooq Malik appreciated the government for allocating a huge amount in developmental projects and the energy sector

which would pave the way to meet the growing energy demands of the country.

He said this budget was also beneficial for government employees because their salaries had increased up to 10 percent and those who were earning Rs1,200,000 annually, were free from tax liabilities.

Analyst Fareed Ullah termed the budget balanced and people friendly. He said earmarking a hefty amount for education, health, energy and agriculture was commendable. Being an agrarian economy, he said loans would be provided to farmers on fertilisers and seeds.

Student Abdul Qadeer said the government presented an appreciable budget with limited resources. The government’s focus has been on education, health and other sectors, he said and added that the immense amounts allocated for highways and roads infrastructure, would provide comfortable travelling facilitates to com-

muters. He also added that the basic infrastructure of a country is a basic necessity, and a raw platform, that can be used by the masses to further increase their own value to the economy by being in a better position to generate income, and hence increase the GDP and GNP of the country. He rejected the suggestion of opposition parties to present the budget for three to four months.

A citizen Raja Asghar said the government has presented a friendly budget and as per the aspirations of people. The massive amount allocated for Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) and youth programme to provide relief to the masses was an instrumental step in the right direction, he added. He said the allocation of Rs1,100 billion for the defence sector was what was required to create a stronger Pakistan, that can deter its enemies outside and within.

BUSINESS 13

Monday, 30 April, 2018

ISLAMABAD

t

SHAHZAD PARACHA

HE Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has decided to establish the ‘directorate of immovable property’ in order to enable the transfer of land on the open market rate.

The government has inserted a new provision 230F in the Income Tax Ordinance 2001 which stated that the tax department will establish a Directorate of Immovable property. One official told that government is going to end DC rate of provinces from the next fiscal year and the tax department is negotiating with provinces on this matter.

Currently, the tax officials have not been able to agree on an open market rate for immovable properties. If the provinces agree, then the tax department will end the FBR’ rate of property from the next fiscal year. The official told that the FBR has introduced a one per cent withholding tax on immovable property and this would be adjustable.

The directorate shall consist of a Director General (DG) and as many Directors, Additional Directors, Deputy Directors, and Assistant Directors who will initiate proceedings against those people who will not disclose the purchasing and selling rate of their land.

FbR advOCats tRansFeR OF Land On OPen maRket Rate

“The acquisition of property for the reasons to believe that any immovable property of a fair market value has been transferred by a person to another person in less than the fair market value of the immovable property in order to avoid or

reduce the withholding tax obligations, concealment of unexplained amount, and avoidance or reduction of capital gains” The official said that if these proposals become the law than the non-filer cannot purchase land exceeding from Rs4

million and the filer has to show the original value of land, and if he does not show that, the tax department will confiscate the property by paying the double rate.

The Prime Minister had instructed FBR to prepare a mechanism regarding the immovable property. He had stated that if someone purchases a property exceeding Rs4 million and he does not show the actual price, then the tax department will confiscate the property after paying the double market value rate.

Documents indicate that the Directorate General may appoint any valuer or expert as it considers necessary for the purposes of determination of valuation including a fair market value of an immovable property. The valuation made by the transferee under and reasons that consideration is less than the fair market value shall be recorded in writing.

“No proceedings shall be initiated in

respect of any immovable property after the expiration of a period of six months from the end of the month in which the instrument of transfer in respect of such property is registered, recorded or attested”, Under the new law. Documents further indicate that the proceedings shall not be initiated unless the transferee is provided with an opportunity of being heard and where the objection by the transferee, if any, is rejected by the Directorate-General, it shall record in writing the reasons for rejection through an order.

If the Directorate General is satisfied with the objections or reasons furnished by the transferee or the transferor, it shall, by order in writing, declare that the property shall not be acquired under this section. There shall be established an Appellate Tribunal of Immovable Property to exercise the powers conferred on the Tribunal under this section.

Iran local cryptocurrency project on track despite ban by central bank

DERA GHAZI KHAN: A vendor sells watermelons at New Sabzi Mandi. oNlINE

Budget to expand economy, encourage businesses: Miftah ISLAMABAD APP

Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs Miftah Ismail Sunday said the budget for the fiscal year 201819 will expand the economy by more than six per cent, facilitate taxpayers, encourage the growth of businesses besides financially helping vulnerable sections of society, and building infrastructure in backward areas like FATA. Speaking at a National Budget Seminar organised by the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) here, he said, “With this budget, I want to make life easier for people and promote businesses by increasing the speed of economic growth.”

He said this year, GDP growth rate was at 5.8 per cent while before that it was 5.4 per cent and the target for 2018-19 was set at 6.25 per cent. Pakistan needs to consistently grow faster as was done by Japan, Korea and China which maintained higher growth rates for decades.

“Our growth is slower than the growth of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

We intend to take our growth beyond 7 per cent.” The 5.8 per cent growth figure was estimated by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) and verified by the World Bank (WB), International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB),

(FBR) collected 52 per cent of its taxes from imports arriving at ports.

He said the IMEI numbers of all legally imported handsets would be matched with those that would be active on the networks of telecom operators. The step will stop the theft of phones and smuggling and increase revenue. Sales tax on import and purchase of different items had been cut to 5 per cent.

The minister told that no questions will be asked from 99.8 per cent of persons receiving remittances from abroad but those who will get remittance above Rs100 million will have to explain the sources of funds. He explained that the Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had asked him to become a federal minister months ago.

He said there was no option but to devalue the dollar as it was kept artificially low for three years during which the exports were decreasing against rising imports. Pakistan’s exports were $24 billion and $12 billion of these imports were oil imports.

“We need to encourage investment and capital formation and increase our exports faster than imports to control the current account deficit.”

Miftah said, “The government will introduce measures to ensure that 100 per cent children are enrolled in schools. Rs10 billion have been allocated for a programme to end stunting which has affected 40

he noted. Miftah said according to the proposed budget, the taxes were lowered but it was made mandatory for people to become tax filers if they wanted to buy expensive property and cars. This step was taken to make them part of the white documented economy. “Anybody wanting to buy property worth Rs4 million, or purchase new and imported vehicles has to become an active taxpayer. These measures will change nature of the Pakistani economy.”

He assured that the procedure for filing tax returns would be made more simple. He said tax rates for the present taxpayers particularly the salaried class were reduced.

People were encouraged to accurately report buying price of a property by bringing down tax rates.

He informed that Pakistan had received a $1 billion long-term loan from the commercial bank of a friendly country. He said it was estimated that Rs3,935 billion in taxes would be collected in the current year which would be higher than 18 per cent of last year, while the target for the next year was Rs4,435 billion, 11 per cent more than this year. “When the economy expands, revenues also increase. The economy is set to grow at 6.25 per cent against the inflation which is below six per cent.” Explaining the measures to generate revenues despite a reduction in tax rates, he said the Federal Board of Revenue

per cent of children in the country.”

Moreover, Rs100 billion were proposed for building of schools, hospitals, roads and other facilities in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), he added.

Taxes in the real estate sector have been rationalised in order to encourage people to declare the real worth of their properties, he said.

Speaking on the new tax slabs recently announced by the Prime Minister, Ismail said the tax procedure has not only been simplified but its rate has also been reduced to facilitate the taxpayers. On a question regarding increasing the petroleum levy, the finance minister said the government will pass on the reduction of international oil prices as it did in previous years. Talking to the media, Miftah commented that the although the economy has been doing well, it certainly has not fallen to such a point that the government will impose a financial emergency.

The minister said that Pakistan was the 25th biggest economy on the basis of purchasing power parity and in the last five years, in line with the vision of former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, the PMLN government has added 12000MW of electricity to the national grid, built an extensive network of roads, and made gas available for industrial, commercial, and domestic consumers.

DUBAI: Iran has developed an experimental local cryptocurrency, a government minister said on Saturday, days after the country’s central bank banned trading in digital currencies including bitcoin. Iran’s central bank last week prohibited local banks from dealing in cryptocurrencies due to concerns about money-laundering as the country tries to halt a currency crisis ahead of a possible return of crippling sanctions. However, the Information and Communications Technology Minister Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi said the local project would not be affected. “The central bank’s (ban) does not mean the prohibition or restriction of the use of the digital currency in domestic development,” he was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA. “Last week, at a joint meeting to review the progress of the (local cryptocurrency) project, it was announced that the experimental model was ready,” Azari-Jahromi added. Azari-Jahromi, Iran’s youngest minister and known as an innovator, said in a tweet in February that his ministry’s Post Bank had been working with local experts on an experimental cryptocurrency model that would be presented to the country’s banks for review and possible approval. Several countries’ central banks have called for regulations to control cryptocurrencies while others are considering whether to introduce their own digital currency. Iran moved this month to formally unify its official and open market exchange rates and banned money changing outside of banks, after its currency, the rial, plunged to an alltime low on concerns about a possible return of sanctions if the United States exits a multilateral nuclear accord. U.S. President Donald Trump will decide by May 12 whether to restore U.S. economic sanctions on Tehran, which would be a severe blow to the 2015 pact between Iran and six major powers. He has pressured European allies to work with Washington to fix the deal. AGENCIES

CORPORATE CORNER

Finance minister stresses need to privatise non-profitable organisations ISLAMABAD PPI

The newly appointed Finance Minister of Pakistan, Miftah Ismail has said that the government has provided relief to the masses by reducing taxes on agricultural products, and by increasing pensions and house rent allowance for employees.

Speaking to a private news channel, he said that without promoting the agriculture sector in the country, the economy of Pakistan will not be able

to grow. About reducing the deficit in the budget, he said that there is a need to privatise non-profitable organisations like Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM), and DISCOs. To a question, he said the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) would achieve the targets set by the govt through the tax amnesty scheme.

He stressed the need to revisit National Finance Commission Award which advocates for an equal distribution of revenues between the federal and four provincial governments of the country.

CMYK

ABBOTTABAD: Chinese Ambassador in Pakistan Yao Jing in a group photo with ‘Friends of China’ after the cake cutting ceremony to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Kashgar-China and Abbottabad-Palistan sister city relationship. PR

14 SPORTS

Monday, 30 April, 2018

JUventUs gAIn cRUcIAl tItle edge AfteR lAte fIghtbAck downs InteR MADRID

J

aGeNCieS

UVENTUS battled past 10-man Inter Milan with two late goals giving the champions a 3-2 win in the San Siro on Saturday to reopen a four-point lead at the top of the Serie A table.

Inter looked as if they would pull off an unlikely victory as the hosts led until three minutes from the whistle despite playing more than 70 minutes a man down after Matias Vecino was sent off.

But Milan Skriniar turned the ball into his own net after 87 minutes with Gonzalo Higuain heading in the winner two minutes later.

"I have to congratulate the lads, it was an important step towards the Scudetto," said Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri. "It was a beautiful night of football between two teams who had to win.

"Winning at San Siro is very complicated, they did very well at 10. We know that to win the championship we have to win all of our games."

Juve's lead had been cut to one point

after their defeat by Napoli in Turin last week. Maurizio Sarri's Napoli travel to Fiorentina on Sunday bidding to match the champions and keep their push for a third title after 1987 and 1990 alive.

Saturday's defeat damages Inter's hopes of Champions League football next season as they stay fifth behind Roma and Lazio with just three games

to play. "It will be hard to put this defeat behind us," said Inter coach Luciano Spalletti. "This match meant a huge amount to us and the team deserved a different result.

"We used up a lot of energy being a man down and in the final moments it hurt us." Douglas Costa fired in the opener for Juventus after 13 minutes fol-

lowing a cross from Juan Cuadrado.

Minutes later Vecino was shown red for a foul on Mario Mandzukic.

Juventus thought they had scored a second just before half-time but the video assistant referee (VAR) showed Blaise Matuidi was offside when he found the net.

Mauro Icardi headed in the equaliser for Inter seven minutes after the break for his 27th goal this season, and the hosts took the lead when the ball bounced in off Juventus defender Andrea Barzagli.

But in a late flurry a Cuadrado shot across goal took a deflection off Skriniar and Higuain headed in from close range off a Paulo Dybala free-kick.

In a bizarre finish, Allegri was sent to the stands for coming onto the pitch to celebrate.

"It looked as if it was over, like against Napoli it looked as if it was going to end in a draw and we lost," said Higuain in reference to last week's 1-0 loss to second-placed Napoli.

"It's a very important win and a great confidence booster."

Ancelotti turns down Italy coaching job RoMe aGeNCieS

Pakistani MMA fighter Mehmosh Raza overthrows Ukraine's Igor ShAnghAi: Pakistan's mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Mehmosh Raza defeated Ukraine's Igor Grytskiv in their featherweight fight on the main card of Rebel FC 7 in Shanghai China on Sunday. With that victory, Raza aka The Renegade improves his career record to 7-2 and cements his status as arguably the most exciting talent in the country's MMA circuit. In this fight, Raza was up against a 37-year-old opponent who, with a listed height of 6'2, was three inches taller and riding a seven-fight winning streak. However, the 23-yearold Pakistani fighter managed to pull an upset victory over Grytskiv. aGeNCieS

Carlo Ancelotti has turned down the offer to take over as Italy coach, according to press reports on Sunday.

Italy have been without a permanent coach since Gian Piero Ventura was sacked after the four-time champions failed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in 60 years after losing to Sweden in a two-legged playoff in November.

Ancelotti, who was sacked by Bayern Munich last September, had met with Italian Football Federation (FIGC) officials in Rome last week.

But Corriere dello Sport reported that despite the 58-year-old being offered the job he had decided to turn it down after taking a few days to consider his decision.

Ancelotti has also been linked with taking over as Arsenal manager when Arsene Wenger steps down at the end of the season.

The Italian coach, who has also managed Chelsea, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Juventus, Roma and Paris Saint-Germain, has three Champions League titles to his name as a coach.

He has also won the league in Italy, France, Germany and England.

FIGC sub-commissioner Alessandro Costacurta -- who was coached by Ancelotti at AC Milan in the 1980s --

has been appointed to find a successor to Ventura and has said said the deadline for the appointment remained May 20.

Among the other names being touted are Zenit St Petersburg coach

Roberto Mancini, Chelsea boss Antonio Conte and former Leicester coach Claudio Ranieri, now in charge of French club Nantes. Italy's under-21 coach Luigi Di Biagio has been filling the position on an interim basis.

ZIdAne cAlls on MAdRId fAns to cReAte ‘best AtMosPheRe eveR’ AgAInst bAyeRn MAdrid: Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane called on his club´s supporters to be at their noisiest against Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday as the Spanish side aim to reach the Champions League final for a third year in a row.

Real rode their luck in the Allianz Arena and lead 2-1 in the semi-final tie after grabbing a crucial victory in the first leg and Zidane expects another demanding game from the Bundesliga champions in the return fixture. "We´re going to have to produce a huge performance so I ask the fans to make more noise than they´ve made in the club´s history because we´re going to need them to get to the final," Zidane told reporters after beating Leganes 2-1 in La Liga on Saturday. "It´s our game of the year and the supporters know it. We want the fans to be behind us from the first minute to the 90th." Double Champions League holders Madrid were also ahead of Bayern by the same scoreline in last year´s quarter-final but lost the return leg 2-1 at the Bernabeu and needed extra-time to finally knock the Germans out. They also suffered an almighty scare in their last European home game in the quarter-finals falling 30 behind to Juventus before a last-gasp, disputed penalty scored by Cristiano Ronaldo sent them through 4-3 on aggregate. "I don´t know if what happened against Juve and Bayern will help us, all I know is we have to produce a massive performance," Zidane added. "But we´re prepared and we´re determined. We´ll have to play like we never have before this year: we need concentration, determination, commitment, to win battles. "We need to do everything you can think of in football and give everything to reach our objective which is to reach the final." Zidane heavily rotated his squad against Leganes in preparation for the game with Bayern, leaving out a host of regular starters including top scorer Ronaldo, captain Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane, Luka Modric and Marcelo and starting without Toni Kroos and Marco Asensio.

Gareth Bale scored the opening goal against Leganes after not playing against Bayern, while Borja Mayoral made the most of a rare start by scoring the second goal right before halftime. Darko Brasovic pulled one back for Leganes in the second half. Madrid will be without defenders Nacho Fernandez and Dani Carvajal and influential midfielder Isco against Bayern due to injuries. aGeNCieS

Muhammad Adnan emerges as champion of Naval Chief Amateur Golf Cup 2018 ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Muhammad Adnan of Western Wind Golf Club won the Chief of the Naval Staff Amateur Golf Cup 2018 that concluded here on Sunday, at Margalla Greens Golf Club (MGGC). Chief of the Naval Staff (CONS) Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi graced the prize distribution ceremony as chief guest.

The three-day event was held from April 27 to April 29 and around 300 enthusiast golfers participated in various categories which included amateurs, seniors, ladies, and juniors. Additionally, an invitational match was also played. Zafar Mahmood Abbasi congratulated all the prize winners for their well-earned success and commended all the participants for their spirited participation in the championship.

The prizes were distributed amongst the winners whereas, the main trophy was given to the best amateur in the net category, Muhammad Adnan from Westron Wind Golf Club.

Pakistan Navy besides its primary role of safeguarding the country’s sea frontiers, is cognizant of the need for promoting healthy sports activities in the country and among these, Golf has always remained one of PN’s foremost priority. The conduct of this championship would usher young golfers to the national scene, as well as, hone the existing golfing talent.

The results of all categories of the championship are as under: Amateur Category scores are as under: S No amateur Category Handi Cap 6 and Below Score Result 1.

Mr Zubair Hussain (paf) -3 Winner Net 2. Mr tariq Mehmood (MGGC) +1 Runner up Net 3. Mr Muhammad Sharif (WWGC) +9 Winner Gross 4. Mr Ghazanfar Mehmood (BtG) +12 Runner up Gross aMateuR CateGoRy HaNdi Cap 7 – 12 aNd BeloW

1.

2.

3.

4.

Mr Muhammad adnan (WWGC) -9 over all Winner Net Mr ehtisham abbasi eVeN paR Runner up Net Mr Muhammad arsalan (pannu aqil) +24 Winner Gross Mr adeel Shafqat (MGGC) +27 Runner up Gross

Senior Amateur Category final score are as under: S No 1.

2.

S No 1.

2.

Senior amateur Category Gross Result lt Col Waqar ahmed (lGGC) 159 Winner Gross Col Shahid Warraich (RGC) 159 Runner up Gross Senior amateur Category Net Result Rear admiral (R) Saleem akhtar (MGGC) 144 Winner Net Col Jehanzeb (RGC) 145 Runner up Net

Ladies Category scores are as under: S No 1.

2.

3.

4.

ladies Category Handicap Ms Nobuko 29 94 Mrs Hussain Bano 28 101 Ms ami Qin 6 77 Ms tehmina ahmed 10

Gross Net Result 65 Winner Net 73 Runner up Net Winner Gross 85 Runner up Gross

Junior Category final score are as under: S No 1.

2.

S No 1.

2.

Junior Category Naveed Khan (paf Golf Club) Basil Rehman (lGC) Junior Category laraib Rehman (lGC) adam Khan (MGGC)

Gross Result 80 Winner Gross 92 Runner up Gross Net Result 67 Winner Net 76 Runner up Net

CMYK

SPORTS 15

Monday, 30 April, 2018

MAn cIty ReAch 100 PReMIeR leAgUe goAls by beAtIng west hAM LoNDoN

M

aGeNCieS

ANCHESTER City manager Pep Guardiola hailed the "incredible" numbers produced by his side as they reached 100 Premier League goals for the season with a 4-1 win at struggling West Ham. The champions' emphatic victory at London Stadium left the Hammers in a precarious position above the relegation zone. "The numbers are a consequence of what we have done," Guardiola said.

"We are so happy to be getting close to history. We will try to surpass the number of goals and points. "We wanted to win today so that we can get the record of 96 points at home when we get the trophy in front of our people next week." City - who are now on 93 points - took the lead when Leroy Sane's shot deflected off the head of Patrice Evra and wrong-footed Hammers goalkeeper Adrian.

A series of West Ham defensive mishaps culminated in a Pablo Zabaleta own goal which gave City a two-goal advantage and saw them reach the landmark century.

Aaron Cresswell gave the Hammers a foothold in the game shortly before the break when he curled home a free-kick inside Ederson's near post. However, inspired by a brilliant performance from Raheem Sterling, City reasserted their control of the contest early in the second half. Having

earlier teed up Sane, Sterling claimed a hat-trick of assists after the break when he set up Gabriel Jesus and Fernandinho to finish clinically from inside the box. West Ham are three points clear of 18thplaced Southampton, who occupy the final relegation place. nErVOUS TiMES FOr ThE hAMMErS: West Ham kept City at bay for nearly an hour when the sides met at Etihad Stadium last December, as Guardiola's side came from behind to win 2-1. In this encounter a slick City team possessed the creativity to open the Hammers up at will, with the home side's defenders left dazed and confused. David Moyes' side did not help themselves with an errorstrewn defensive display, epito-

mised by City's second goal, which bordered on slapstick.

Adrian rushed off his line but failed to win the ball, Angelo Ogbonna botched a headed clearance and then Declan Rice and Zabaleta contrived to put the ball into their own net. West Ham had nine players in the penalty area yet still conceded. Moyes, arms folded with a furrowed brow, cut a nervous figure on the touchline, aware of their position in the table. "When we came in here, we were in the bottom three. We're not now. There are other teams who would rather be in our position," said the Scot.

"We are good enough to win another game at least and let's hope we can do that." Hammers fans will also be tense, especially given this

is the second 4-1 defeat in as many weeks to damage their goal difference. West Ham (-23) have worse goal difference than relegation rivals Southampton (-19) and are only two better off than Swansea (25). With things so tight at the bottom of the table could it prove crucial in the final reckoning?

CEnTUry OF gOALS FOr CiTy: City's second goal took their tally to 100 goals in 35 games this season as they became the fastest team to the milestone since Everton achieved it in 32 games in the 1931-32 season. It was perhaps a little unfortunate the landmark moment came courtesy of some shambolic West Ham defending rather than a piece of City play.

Guardiola said in the wake of City's 5-0 thrashing of Swansea that chasing records would keep them focused on the remainder of the season. City's players were true to his word as they continued to play with swagger and determination despite the title being won. The margin of victory could have been greater, with Sterling denied what looked a clear penalty after a mistimed challenge from Cresswell.

Two more goals and three more points and City will break two of Chelsea's Premier League records.

Equally sweet for Guardiola will be the fact he takes them from two of his managerial rivals. Jose Mourinho's Chelsea won 95 points in 2004-05 while Carlo Ancelotti's Blues netted 103 goals in the 200910 season. At London Stadium, City showed no signs of easing up.

Pakistani batting line will face difficulty in england: shoaib Akhtar rAwALpindi: Former Pakistani speedster Shoaib Akhtar on Sunday predicted that Pakistani batsmen will face difficulty during England tour. “It takes almost 15 days for players to get accustomed to conditions of another country,” Akhtar said, adding the English conditions will prove highly tricky for Pakistani batsmen. He, however, expressed high hopes that green shirts will come on top. The former pacer cautioned national team not to take Ireland lightly and play against them like any other team. Talking to media at National Highways & Motorway Police (NHMP) awareness seminar, the fast bowler recalled the time when he got severely injured in a road accident in 2004. The accident made him realise the importance of the helmet. The Pakistani team kicked off the tour with a four-day match against Kent on Saturday. This will be followed by second tour match against Northamptonshire on May 4. The national team will take on Ireland, which will be playing its first ever Test match on May 11, before playing against England on May 24 and June 1. This will be followed by two T20 internationals against Scotland on May 12 and 13. aGeNCieS

sunrisers' attack aces another tight defence

Diana Edulji declines BCCI lifetime achievement award DUBAI aGeNCieS

Diana Edulji has chosen not to accept the BCCI’s lifetime achievement award since she is part of the Committee of Administrators which is currently overseeing the work of the board. The 62-year old former India captain was nominated by a threemember committee on Saturday for a career that

spanned from 1976 to 1993, during which she played 20 Tests and 34 ODIs, reported Cricinfo.

In a statement, she said: “I have learned that the BCCI awards committee has conferred the award on me. Neither me, nor any other member of the Hon’ble Supreme Court appointed Committee of Administrators were part of this awards committee. “However, since I am a member of the Hon’ble Supreme Court appointed committee of administrators of the BCCI, I do not think it is appropriate for me to accept this honour at this juncture. I have discussed my decision with my family, friends, and well-wishers who wholeheartedly support my decision not to accept the award during my tenure as a member of the CoA. In fact, I had made my decision very clear last year as well when my name was suggested for this honour.

“Nevertheless, I would like to thank the

members of the BCCI awards committee for considering me worthy of this prestigious honour.'”The CK Nayudu lifetime achievement award will go to two people: former India batsman and two-time coach Anshuman Gaekwad and the late Pankaj Roy, who went down in history as one half of the biggest partnership for India in Test cricket. Roy and Vinoo Mankad put on 413 against New Zealand in 1956, a firstwicket record that stood until 2008 when South Africa’s Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie broke it. Gaekwad, a gritty opening batsman who played 30 Tests in the 70s and 80s and scored two hundred, was India’s coach during the 1999 World Cup and was also the manager when India beat Australia in back-to-back matches in Sharjah the year before.

Former India women’s batsman and coach Sudha Shah will also be felicitated with a lifetime achievement award for a 15-year career between 1976 and 1991. She played 21 Tests and 13 ODIs to score 601 and 203 runs in each format. A committee comprising BCCI acting president CK Khanna, the acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary and journalist N Ram have also recommended Abbas Ali Baig, the late Naren Tamhane and the late Budhi Kunderan for the BCCI Special award.

Pakistan Star wins Queen Elizabeth II Cup HoNg KoNg aGeNCieS

Pakistan Star clinched the Queen Elizabeth II Cup for jockey William Buick in Hong Kong on Sunday, the highlight of three Group One spring races with a total purse of HK$58 million ($7.4 million).

Known for being unpredictable, the five-yearold stormed to victory by a large margin in the final strides and finished the 2,000-metre course in just over two minutes. "He's quite a famous horse for his antics so I was aware of him and I was aware of what he can do," Buick said after the race, adding Pakistan Star "felt beautiful today".

"When I found out that I was riding him, I took on board all of the information I knew about the horse and also thought it was quite important to ride him with a fresh mind and just be very positive about the horse," the winning jockey said.

The prize money for the Audemars Piguet QEII Cup had been boosted up from last year's HK$20 million to HK$24 million. Italian jockey Alberto Sanna finished second on Gold Mount,

while Australian Hong Kong-based jockey Brett Prebble rode Eagle Way to finish third.

Australian jockey Zac Purton was another star of the day, riding four-year-old gelding Ivictory to triumph in the 1,200-metre Chairman's Sprint race. "I was fortunate enough to get on him and at the right time," he said of Ivictory.

Purton claimed his first Hong Kong Cup last year in the city's Longines International Races, one of the world's richest race meetings. Already on a winning streak, Purton snapped up the 1,600-metre Champions Mile with Beauty Generation, surging from a relatively slow

start to seal its victory.

"He's just so honest, he goes out and runs the same race every time. When he gets the circumstances to suit him, you get to see how good he is," Purton said of the horse.

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JAipUr: After Rajasthan Royals limited Sunrisers Hyderabad to 151 for 7 on a two-paced pitch, Ish Sodhi, who was making his IPL debut, said the total was "a little under par". However, this was plenty for the Sunrisers attack that had defended 118 and 132 in their previous two matches. Another successful defence, another win for Sunrisers, this put them on the top of the points table. That Sunrisers had plenty in the bank, despite losing 6 for 52 in their last 6.3 overs, was down to their captain Kane Williamson's masterful innings on a pitch where every other batsman struggled. Williamson made 63 off 43 balls at a control percentage of 100 against every Royals bowler except K Gowtham and Jofra Archer, who claimed combined figures of 8-0-44-5. Royals captain Ajinkya Rahane batted through the chase and scored a fifty of his own, but he never looked comfortable at any point. Basil Thampi, who had leaked 17 runs in his first over in the Powerplay, returned to defend 20 in the final over to show why Sunrisers' attack is the best in the IPL. In his first tournament since joining the redball exodus, Alex Hales watched Luke Ronchi blaze away and held his end up for Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). At the IPL for Sunrisers, he was expected to blaze away in the absence of David Warner. After putting all their eggs in their bowling basket for the first half of the season, Sunrisers finally handed Hales an IPL debut in place of Mohammad Nabi. But with the ball not coming onto the bat and Gowtham finding slow turn, Hales sensibly chose to bide his time. aGeNCieS

chahar out for two weeks with hamstring injury nEw dEhLi: Chennai Super Kings fast bowler Deepak Chahar could be out of action for at least two weeks with a hamstring strain sustained during Sunday's match against Mumbai Indians in Pune. Chahar pulled up injured after bowling the first ball of his third over. He left the field after that delivery and did not return for rest of the match. Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming confirmed the injury during his post-match press conference. "He (Chahar) has had hamstring injuries in the past, he has a pretty good idea when he is in trouble," Fleming said.

"Conservatively, it's probably a couple of weeks, which is a bit of a blow." Fleming also confirmed that Lungi Ngidi, who had flown back to South Africa following the death of his father, has rejoined the squad. Chahar has played in all seven Super Kings matches so far this season, and has picked six wickets at an average of 25.50, including a match-winning 3 for 15against Sunrisers Hyderabad. He is also one of only two Super Kings bowlers with an economy rate of less than eight an over. aGeNCieS

Monday, 30 April, 2018

Published by Arif Nizami at Plot # 7, Al-Baber Centre, F/8 Markaz, Islamabad. Ph: 051-2204545. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk

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