ence and technology Pakistan Turkiye and Pakistan have previously held trilateral consultations at the level of Foreign Ministers Speakers of Parliaments and Defence Personnel PM invites Tajikistan to avail facilities of Pakistani seaports for transit trade Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has invited Tajikistan to “avail the facilities of Pakistani seaports” for transit trade a joint statement issued by the two countries said on Wednesday as the premier concluded his two-day official visit to the Central Asian country
Ex-senator, three others killed in Damadola IED attack
was on the way for by-election campaign in Damadola he was targeted KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur condemned the incident and summoned a report from police authorities “All aspects of the incident should be investigated and a report should be submitted he was quoted as saying in a statement
attack Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi too strongly condemned the lives lost in the blast
senator went to Tehsil Mamond for election activities in connection with the by-poll Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Bakht Munir confirmed the incident, saying that a remote controlled device hit the car of ex-Senator Hadayat Ullah while travelling with his companions Malakand Regional Police Officer Muhammad Ali Khan Gandapur also confirmed the deaths, saying the former senator s car was targeted with an IED attack in Bajaur ’s Damadola area
The RPO said that no one had claimed responsibility for the attack as of yet Bajaur District Police Officer Sajjad Ahmad said that the bomb disposal unit was carrying out investigation and the situation would be made clearer after its report He added that the former senator
KP government spokesperson Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif offered prayers for the deceased and said: “Such cowardly attacks cannot dampen our spirits ” CONDEMNATIONS POUR IN President Asif Ali Zardari expressed his deep grief and sorrow over the deaths of former Senator Hidayatullah and other people who lost their lives in a remotecontrolled bomb blast in Bajaur
While strongly condemning the terrorist incident the president expressed condolences with the bereaved families President Secretariat Press Wing said in a press release President Zardari also prayed for the departed souls and for the bereaved families to bear the losses with fortitude
Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani Deputy Chairman Syedaal Khan house leader Ishaq Dar and opposition leader Shibli Faraz also condemned the
KP Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry condemned the attack, saying that it was very unfortunate “We will not be discouraged by such cowardly attacks The martyrdom of the former senator and others will not go in vain, he said, extending his condolences to the relatives of the three “Ending the monster of terrorism should be the agreed agenda of all the democratic parties of the country ” PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said while responding to the attack Senator Hidayatullah always highlighted the problems of former Fata in the House Tribal areas have been deprived of a strong voice The PPP stands in solidarity with the family members of senator Hidayatullah and we are with them in their demand for the end of terrorism and justice, said PPP Senator Sherry Rehman Awami National Party (ANP)
President Aimal Wali Khan also condemned the attack and criticised security agencies asking if they would answer for the incident
Just a few days before the by-elections, such incidents are a question mark
on security in Bajaur and a complete failure of the security agencies ANP strongly condemns the cowardly attack and demands that the perpetrators and facilitators involved in the incident be strictly punished ” he said in a post on X Hidayatullah joined the PTI in 2018 a move which was resented by local party activists His father was former MNA Haji Bismillah Khan while his elder brother was former KP governor Shaukatullah Khan
According to the Senate website he was an independent senator from March 2018 to March 2024 CTD POLICE FOIL ‘MAJOR’ TERROR PLOT IN KP
Meanwhile, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and police thwarted a major terrorism plot in the Orakzai district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Wednesday
According to a CTD spokesman the suspects were planning to carry out terrorism activities in the region, but the timely operation prevented a potential catastrophe The CTD said that the joint operation resulted in the seizure of a large cache of weapons ammunition and explosives including rocket launchers RPGs, hand grenades, and bullets
Petition in LHC seeks to over tur n tax exemption for bureaucrats, militar y personnel
LAHORE
privatisation of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is expected by August 2024 while the sale of House Building Finance Company Limited (HBFCL) is targeted for completion by the end of July 2024 Additionally, the privatisation processes for the Roosevelt Hotel (RHC) in New York City and First Women Bank Limited (FWBL) are also in advanced stages As per a news report out of the 24 entities set for privatisation the 10 prioritised for completion within a year include Pakistan International Airlines Corpora-
tion Limited (PIACL), Roosevelt Hotel (RHC), First Women Bank Limited (FWBL), House Building Finance Company Limited (HBFCL) Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) Pakistan Engineering Company Limited (PECO) Sindh Engineering Limited (SEL) Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO), Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO) and Gujranwala Electric Power Company (GEPCO) In June 2024 the Privatisation Commission pre-qualified six parties as bidders for the PIACL privatisation process The buy-side due diligence is underway,
Prime
ity and integration would remain key components for sustainable long-term socio-economic development of the region
Emphasising the importance of regional ties in the South Asian and Central Asian region, the prime minister suggested that Pakistan host a regional connectivity summit to provide trade corridors to Central Asian countries and promote regional trade
The prime minister welcomed the recent start of international flights between Pakistan and Tajikistan and emphasised increasing the number of flights He said that religious and cultural values were common between the Tajik and Pakistani people and called for further expansion of social relations between the two countries
Prime Minister Shehbaz also reiterated the need for enhanced cooperation in culture, education, sports, and people-to-people contacts
about the operationalisation of Gwadar seaport and offered Tajikistan the opportunity to avail the facilities of Pakistani seaports,” the joint statement said “It was highlighted that the Pakistani seaports offer the most efficient shortest and economic route for the Central Asian countries including Tajikistan to the markets in the Middle East and beyond Both leaders also signed the Strategic Partnership Agreement between the two nations the joint statement highlighted calling it a true reflection of growing mutual trust and partnership that would pave a new way for further enhancement of bilateral cooperation
The two sides also noted the progress in operationalising the Agreement on Transit Trade which was signed during the visit of the Tajik president to Pakistan in December 2022
The joint statement said that while
noting the current level of bilateral trade, it was underlined that there was a “vast potential that needs to be tapped through mutual efforts”
To enhance trade ties the two sides also agreed to explore the provision of preferential market access for each other s goods including through negotiations of a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA), the statement highlighted It stated that President Rahmon welcomed Pakistani entrepreneurs and the business community to contribute to the countries bilateral economic ties by investing in free economic zones of Tajikistan
Underlining the importance of a reliable electricity supply for sustainable economic growth, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to early completion“ of the Casa-1000 power transmission line Pakistan and Tajikistan leaders also touched upon regional security issues, condemning terrorism in all its forms and manifestations
According to the statement, both nations emphasised the need to enhance ongoing cooperation at the bilateral level as well as within international and regional organisations in counterterrorism combating transnational organised crimes and human and drug trafficking “On Afghanistan, the two sides agreed that a peaceful, prosperous interconnected and stable
Afghanistan is fundamental to regional prosperity and progress, the statement said, stressing the need for an “inclusive government” in Kabul
The two sides also discussed the existential threat of climate change the rise of Islamophobia worldwide and the promotion of people-to-people linkages by recognising literary figures and enhancing educational cooperation Thanking Rahmon for his “heartfelt and warm hospitality” PM Shehba invited him to visit Pakistan at a convenient time the statement noted SHEHBAZ MEETS TAJIK COUNTERPART: Earlier today, PM Shehbaz met his Tajik counterpart Kokhir Rasulzoda, Radio Pakistan reported During the meeting the premier emphasised that Pakistan would continue to pursue enhanced cooperation with Central Asian countries including Tajikistan as part of its Vision Central Asia policy
The prime minister described the signing of the Strategic Partnership Agreement as a historic milestone in bilateral relations expressing hopes that it would lead to new areas of mutual economic cooperation PM Shehbaz also stressed that
IMF package in sight
Stock market keeps rising, reflec ting high hopes
TH E rise in the stock market to new heights reflects the market belief that the government will strike a deal with the IMF The confidence in government circles has reached the point where the Minister of State for Finance, Ali Pervez Malik, has hinted that the loan package might exceed the $6 billion mentioned so far, saying that the package would be ‘north of $6 billion’ Mr Malik felt that the government had done quite enough in the budget It might be remembered that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had come out with the admission that the IMF had been involved in the budgeting process This seems to have been good news for the stock market, which crossed 80,000 points on the KSE Index, a new high in a bull market which has been rising steadily since the present government took office, and which has gone up about 10 percent since the Budget was presented It seems everyone is on the same page The government has ordered certain measures the IMF has waited to see that they are implemented and the stockbrokers and other investors are looking on with approval
The KSE Index does not reflect the economy with large swathes still off it The powerful agriculture sector, for example, is almost completely out of it (though it is represented by fertilizer and tractor manufacturers) However, it does reflect the sentiment about the direction the economy is going Share prices of individual companies do reflect an estimate of how much profit they will make (and thus of how much of a dividend they will pay out ) No government should rely on the stock market rising as an expression of greater trust in the economy, but the temptation is usually too great to resist The restraint of the present government probably comes from the knowledge that the IMF package is a done deal, something which the stock market seems to assume Apart from its support for the government there is nothing else which explains this rise It cannot last forever because the brokers need dips as well as increases to make money
On the other hand the government will become even more anxious to have the deal delivered The alternative will be a puncturing of the stock market balloon, which will be an additional headache to handle for a government already panicked by refusal from the IMF A bourse bloodbath is something no one wants
M A Niazi
Astory used to do the rounds some decades ago: As part of preparation for the school inspector s impending visit it was a master s duty to get his pupils ready for a scripted questions and answers session
One student was chosen to answer the question Who created you?’ – the answer, of course, being, ‘God’ As it happened, though the pupil dutifully participated in all rehearsal sessions he had to absent himself on the D-Day on account of illness The master therefore had no recourse but to ask the pupil sitting on the next seat the same question The boy remained silent for a while, hesitated a bit, and finally said, The one whom God created is on leave today, sir The story is most probably fictitious (although one can never quite know) but like most amusing stories it accurately captures a facet of life that one sees around There are many things our teachers taught us when we were fast asleep in class or in Timbuktu (mentally, that is) But it would be unfair to single students out for their failure to learn when most of the teachers have hardly been inspirational for their pupils when it comes to knowledge and wisdom Therefore the things they taught were probably taught the way the aforementioned master taught his pupil the correct answer to Who created you? Any wonder then if our response to any question under the sun is rarely better than that of the second pupil The inimitable Shafiqur Rehman had a science professor in one of his short stories who expressed his conviction that the milk-yield of his favourite buffalo had dropped because of the evil eye While this gentleman was a fictitious character such specimens are everywhere in real life One of our national traits is to do our best to keep what we learn at school separate and isolated from what we are as persons In most cases therefore, the innocence going into any educational program has been successfully preserved till graduation University students majoring in literature rarely (if ever) read anything outside of the curriculum Sociology professors are terrified of black magic; while nobody is shocked when a mathematics major obsesses about bad omens on her way to the campus Depending on the observer, almost everything is taught atrociously at the educational institutes That, or the students are complete dunces Or there is a complete absence of interest and passion on their part for what they are supposed to study (This would not exactly be shocking considering that most of them end up in their respective programmes for all the wrong reasons: it was their parents dream , or they had the ‘merit’ for it, or somebody or the other had predicted that there would be great ‘scope’ for it four
Or maybe they did not bother
years down the line ) Probably the sad state of affairs is the result of a combination of all of the above I have written in the past about the hilarity one gets to hear from laymen as well as from participants at events arranged by energy think tanks The tripe believed and spoken on the subject of energy is staggering to say the least Most of it is on account of not understanding the laws of thermodynamics There is a minimum amount of science everybody must know; or else risk looking like a fool or worse How does ignorance of science on the part of laymen matter, you may be wondering The abstract, philosophical response would be: Can ignorance ever not matter? On the practical level it would be fitting to cite things such as bikers reluctance to wear helmets car drivers and passengers aversion to fastening seat belts and kite flyers insistence on using life threatening strings, examples where lack of understanding of basic science directly translates into loss of life and limb Or taking another familiar example the many people that die or sustain injuries every year as a result of celebratory gunfire The major factor behind such accidents is lack of understanding not of sophisticated quantum mechanics concepts, but of high-school physics, namely how fast a vertically shot bullet moves upon its return just prior to hitting the ground This is a question I often ask folks at weddings and other gatherings Rarely (if ever) do I get the correct
Failure to appreciate just how fast a bullet travels has other infuriating results as well: in action sequences of motion pictures, for example , where the protagonist routinely dodg es bullets by tracking their trajectories Film directors present such screenplays because they typically suck at physics Those of them who know better believe (for the most par t justifiably so) that their viewers do not, and will therefore lap it all up. W h a t t h e y t a u g h t a t s c h o o l b u t y o u f o r g o t
The writer is a freelance columnist T h e b a t t l e o f s h i e l d s
control centre which identifies that either the object is their own or related to the enemy then first thing is determined is how much came near the target and where to intercept it after learning this from launch vehicle the appropriate missile range is fired and engagement radar guides the launched missile to set its trajectory The Russian missile defence system is better than Iron Dome and Patriot Israel’s missile defence system is in different layers In which the first one is the arrow its range is more than 2000 km but it is made to intercept long-range ballistic missiles then David slings targets medium to long range and a range of 300 km then comes the Iron Dome which is capable of making to engage the short-range targets which have the range of upto 70 km The S-400 missile defence system can detect and engage drones missiles and stealth fighter jets with different ranges To operate different types of systems more manpower is needed as compared to the S-400 missile defence system For different threats, the USA had different types of missile defence systems For very long-range intercontinental callistic missiles US had a Ground base defense midcourse system (GMD) but for medium-to-long range Terminal high altitude air defense system (THAAD) is present and its range is 200 km, while the Patriot defence system had a range of 160 km This defence system is also in layers as Israel and is proved to be disadvantageous
S-400 is an upgraded version of S-300, which had a range of 150 km In the new defence system working began in the 1980s while the USSR was still extant and the first successful test of the system happened in 1999 and in 2007 it was officially approved to be used Russia in 2021 developed an Advance air defence system and inducted the S-500 into its service It had an operational range of 500-600 km but Russia claims that this system is capable of intercepting every type of hypersonic missile Other than Russia four other countries have S-400 missile defence systems installed In 2014 China showed interest in purchasing this missile defence system and delivery started to China in 2018 The second one is Turkiye which purchased this defence system, India also purchased five squadrons and Belarus had the system KSA Qatar UAE Iran Egypt Iraq and Serbia had shown interest in purchasing the S400 missile defense system The USA disliked the purchasing of S-400 by other countries, and started to threaten sanctions on that particular country It passed the CAATSA federal law, which gives the US president the right to sanctions on a country that country The loss Turkiye made by purchasing the S-400 is that the USA kicked it out of purchasing F-35A planes The USA adopted a similar behaviour to India, but India was saved from US sanctions In the US the Indian American congressman, Ro Khanna presented the bill which suggests that neutralizing China’s aggressiveness in the region The S400 missile defence is very important so sanctions should not be imposed Pakistan in 2021 had purchased a surface-to-air missile defence system from China, the HQ9P, which is specifically designed for Pakistan It has a 125 km range to intercept any target
The USA disliked the purchasing of S-400 by other countries, and star ted to threaten sanctions on that par ticular countr y It passed the CAATSA federal law, which gives the US president the right to sanctions on a countr y that countr y. The loss Turkiye made by purchasing the S-400 is that the USA kicked it out of purchasing F-35A planes.
A new threat
ZZS-400 versus Patriot versus Iron dome
Haseeb-Haroon
IN
DR ZaFaR Khan SaFDaR
Pakistan’s economic outlook and government policies in 2024-2025
ment Social welfare programmrs have been implemented to support vulnerable populations and improve access to healthcare and education These examples illustrate diverse approaches to tackling common socio-economic challenges in South Asia, promoting inclusive growth improving living standards and fostering resilience in the face of global economic uncertainties A major contributor to the economic strain on Pakistani households is the rapid increase in prices of goods and services The price hikes across various sectors have outpaced income growth leaving families struggling to afford basic necessities Addressing price stability requires comprehensive strategies including enhancing agricultural productivity, reducing reliance on imports, and fostering competition in markets to mitigate monopolistic practices that drive up prices The issue of low incomes is intricately linked to Pakistan s economic structure where informal employment and underemployment prevail Many Pakistanis work in the informal sector, lacking job security, social protections, and adequate wages Formalizing the informal economy through policy incentives promoting entrepreneurship and investing in skill development can create opportunities for decent work and improve income levels for the marginalized segments of society
The high cost of utilities, including electricity, gas, and water, poses another significant challenge for Pakistani households
tem to make it more progressive, broadening the tax base and curbing tax evasion are critical steps to ensure equitable distribution of fiscal burdens Moreover simplifying tax procedures and reducing bureaucratic hurdles can enhance compliance and promote a culture of tax honesty among citizens
The deteriorating law and order situation in Pakistan, exacerbated by criminal activities and terrorism has necessitated stringent security measures including military operations against culprits While security operations are crucial for maintaining public safety, sustainable peace and stability require holistic approaches Strengthening law enforcement agencies, enhancing intelligence capabilities and promoting community engagement are essential components of a comprehensive security strategy
In addition to economic and security challenges, Pakistan faces pressing social issues such as education, healthcare, and environmental degradation Access to quality education remains limited, particularly in rural areas perpetuating socio-economic disparities and hindering human capital development Investing in education
tributed
social welfare programmes to reduce poverty and improve healthcare and education outcomes Bhutan’s commitment to Gross National Happiness (GNH) and environmental conservation has made it a regional leader in renewable energy production Sri Lanka has focused on infrastructure development and regional connectivity as key drivers of economic growth, with the Colombo Port City project aiming to create a financial hub and attract foreign invest-
Inefficient governance inadequate infrastructure and subsidy mismanagement contribute to the soaring utility bills that strain family budgets Investing in renewable energy sources, improving transmission and distribution networks, and rationalizing subsidy mechanisms can help stabilize utility costs while ensuring sustainable energy access for all Taxation policies are regressive in nature and put a constant burden on the middle and lower-income groups Reforming the tax sys-
S u f i s m g o e s W e s t
Gaulle was said to have been ‘directly influenced by Sufism’
SSPECTATOR
the wire
Meanwhile the Tories say some areas are truly dreadful when it comes to the reception on the door: Suffolk and Derbyshire come up regularly as such examples But more generally it does not feel quite as bad as the polls suggest The Tory hope is that their attacks on tax and warnings of the dangers of a big Labour win mean that voters will think twice in the polling booth If so, the result could be a less bad loss than expected ‘The polls just don’t feel right to me ’ says a Tory candidate I may be in denial but I don t see it
Another factor that could skew things is the number of independent candidates In the local elections, independents running on pro-Palestine platforms ate into Labour ’s vote share in areas with a high Muslim population There are seats where this could have an impact in this general election, such as in Birmingham (including that of the shadow justice secretary Shabana Mahmood) and Yorkshire As the Guardian reports, local community WhatsApp groups means that messages are being shared quickly and spreading fast in a way that could hurt the main parties Starmer s suggest in the final BBC election debate that people coming from countries like Bangladesh are not being removed because they’re not being processed’ was quickly shared on WhatsApp around the Bangladeshi community When it comes to the Reform party, one less noticed aspect of the party’s appeal is with younger voters, particularly young men The party believes it is winning over the youth vote as the campaign goes on – partly helped by its social media game If the party manages to start a mini youthquake of its own it could have a surprise impact on the result in some seats This is why there remains plenty of uncertainty across the parties as to what the exit poll will say at
H O RT LY before his death in 1974, R C Zaehner, Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics at Oxford observed that young Westerners who had turned away from Christianity were more often drawn to the religions of India and the Far East than to Islam The young , the devoutly Catholic Zaehner stated, ‘are not interested in switching from one dogmatic monotheistic faith to another: hence they are little interested in Islam except when Islam itself is turned upside down and becomes Sufism which in its developed form is barely distinguishable from Vedanta Indeed he went on, that egregious populariser Idries Shah has gone so far as to claim Zen as a manifestation of Sufism ’ This, Zaehner declared, was historical ‘nonsense’ and academically ‘detestable’ Zaehner was referring to Shah’s The Sufis which since its publication in 1964 had become the most widely read book on Sufism in English Helped by an introduction by the poet Robert Graves, The Sufis had met with critical acclaim Writing in The Listener, the weekly magazine of the BBC, Ted Hughes described the book as ‘astonishing’ while in The Spectator Doris Lessing wrote that she couldn t remember being more provoked or stimulated Shah achieved further success with The Exploits of the Incomparable Mulla Nasrudin (1966) and Tales of the Dervishes (1967), collections of popular Middle Eastern teaching stories When in 1973 an Oxford symposium was held in Shah’s honour on the seven-hundredth anniversary of Rumi’s death (the implication being that Shah was the modern incarnation of the great Sufi poet) Mohammad Hidayatullah, a former chief justice of India, compared the experience of reading Shah to Keats’s feelings on first looking into Chapman’s Homer Not all were convinced however The Harvard scholar of Sufism Annemarie Schimmel advised readers of her Mystical Dimensions of Islam (1975) that Idries Shah The Sufis as well as his other books, should be avoided by serious students Julian Baldick, Nile Green s teacher at King’s College London, ‘insisted that none of us should read the books of Idries Shah’ Part of this may have been academic snobbery A more serious point of contention was Shah s interpretation of Sufism a mystical form of Islam that arose in 9th-century Iraq While the early Sufis sought direct experiential knowledge of God, they insisted on compliance with the Sharia ‘All paths are closed to God’s creatures,’ al-Junayd the leading Sufi of the formative period was quoted as saying except for those who follow in the footsteps of the Prophet This remained the dominant attitude within Sufism which in due course became a mainstream component of Islamic piety Idries Shah’s Sufis, by contrast, were only loosely connected to Islam The tone was set by Graves s introduction The Sufis he began are an ancient spiritual freemasonry whose origins have never been traced or dated If they call Islam the shell of Sufism, this is because they believe Sufism to be the secret teaching within all religions ’ For Shah, Sufism was an esoteric doctrine underlying Freemasonry, Rosicrucianism alchemy the troubadours the spirituality of St Francis of Assisi and the philosophy of Roger Bacon as well as the poetry of the freethinker Omar Khayyam Even Charles de
These assertions were rooted in the claim that while academic studies had some value (Shah relied heavily on Orientalist translations, after all), Sufism could only be properly understood when taught by a real Sufi guide On the jacket of The Sufis Shah was accordingly described as Grand Sheikh of the Sufis As Green details in this deeply researched dual biography Shah s claim to insights into Oriental mysteries can only be properly appreciated against the backdrop of the life and work of his equally fascinating if less successful father Ikbal
Born in 1894 Ikbal was the son of the Nawwab of Sardhana an aristocrat of Afghan heritage and a loyal servant of the British, who had given an ancestor, the Afghan warrior Jan Fishan Khan, the estate of Sardhana in northern India as a reward for his services during the First AngloAfghan War Educated first at the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College at Aligarh, Ikbal began and dropped out of a medical degree at Edinburgh, married a middle-class Scottish girl and became a prolific if less than trustworthy political journalist an anti-communist propagandist and a writer of esoterica biography and travel literature Concealing his Indian birth, Ikbal made his name as an expert on Afghanistan, presenting himself in lectures to the Royal Central Asian Society in London and correspondence with the India Office as an Afghan with a unique insight into the politics and culture of that country
Idries learned from his father the value of a good story (the Mulla Nasrudin stories are a great read) the appeal of
The fantastical nature of some of these insights is captured in a series of alarmist reports he submitted in the early 1920s on a network of roads and railways that the Bolsheviks were supposedly building across Central Asia and Afghanistan and into India ‘His railways cross mountain tops and 12 000 foot passes observed one India Office official with supreme disregard of such trivial obstacles No less imaginative was Westward to Mecca (1928), Ikbal s account of a highly roundabout pilgrimage to the sacred city of Islam H A R Gibb of the School of Oriental Studies described it as ‘a well-spiced Eastern revue featuring Afghan raiders alchemists enchanted walls watery blue-eyed Bolshevists singing dervishes and mysterious caves
In the years that followed, the indefatigable Ikbal kept churning out books at a remarkable rate: between 1932 and 1934 alone, twelve flowed from his pen At the same time he continued to send out a seemingly unending stream of letters to Downing Street the India Office the BBC and the League of Nations looking for regular work (money was always a problem) He adopted different personas too, variously presenting himself as leader of the regeneration of Islam a celebrated Afghan alchemist an Eastern T E Lawrence and ‘perhaps the world’s most famous journalist Later he appointed himself professor of oriental literature and philosophy at the University of Montevideo and claimed to have played cricket with distinction for Oxford
A Z A
Car ve Your Sanc tuar y in Hear t of Twin Cities: Taj Residencia
X i Jinping urges C hina, Russia to conser ve unique value of ties
guard their legitimate rights and interests and safeguard the basic norms governing international relations Xi said The two leaders last meeting took place from May 16 to 17, when Putin paid a state visit to China, his first overseas trip after the Russian leader was sworn in for a new term Experts said such high frequency of meetings signifies that under pressure from the West, Russia s determination to “turn to the East” is becoming more rocksolid This is especially important given today s complex and chaotic world situation And with the upcoming US presidential election, the international landscape is anticipated to become even more complicated Cui Heng a scholar from the Shanghai-based China National Institute for SCO International Exchange and Judicial Cooperation told the Global Times on Wednesday Echoing Cui Yang Jin, an associate research fellow with the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences said the close interaction between Xi and Putin is crucial for maintaining regional stability and peace as well as setting the direction for advancing regional development The issue of counter-terrorism is the focus of this edition of the SCO summit, and it will also very likely be discussed at bilateral levels Cui said Russia this year has experienced a number of deadly terrorist attacks, and the risk of terrorism resurging in the Eurasian continent is becoming increasingly evident The importance of counter-terrorism cooperation within the SCO for China and Russia is therefore becoming more prominent ” he noted Given the security deficit in the region and the lack of effectiveness for existing security mechanisms, the SCO has stepped up, taking joint actions to combat the “three evils” – terrorism separatism and religious extremism as well as in cross-border law enforcement cooperation, Cui said
SBP MANDATES 100% ADVANCE PAYMENT FOR SUGAR EXPORTS
CORPORATE CORNER
C ABI
organizes review validation workshop on organic standards, framework of accreditation
ISLAMABAD s ta f f r e p o r t
(PR&P PARC) CABI International an international inter-governmental non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing livelihoods through the application of scientific expertise in agriculture and environmental problem-solving, convened a significant workshop in Islamabad on July 2-3, 2024 The workshop, titled "Review and Validation of Organic Agriculture Standards and Framework Accreditation for Pakistan, brought together a diverse group of representatives from various organizations including MNFS&R PARC PNAC PSQCA academia BCI testing laboratories, NGOs, textile industries, OCA, WWF, Lok Sanjh Foundation Control Union GCL and Fair Trade
The primary objective of the workshop was to facilitate collabo-
ration among stakeholders and boost the organic agriculture sector in Pakistan by raising awareness and advocating for the necessary standards for accreditation and certification
The workshop yielded several key outcomes, including an enhanced understanding of the current landscape and potential of organic agriculture in Pakistan the establishment of a supportive stakeholder network dedicated to advancing organic agriculture, consensus on revised organic agriculture standards and an assessment of the feasibility
and applicability of the accreditation framework Dr Babar E Bajwa, CABI s Senior Regional Director Asia, underscored the critical need for a well-defined and actionable plan to implement the accreditation process at the national level CABI reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the growth of organic agriculture in Pakistan and expressed its eagerness to continue collaborating with stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the revised standards and accreditation framework
PCJCCI keen to strengthen Academia-CPEC linkages, says Ghurki
Jazz, Google, Tech Valley mark milestone achievement with ‘D igital S afar ’
ISLAMABAD s ta f f r e p o r t Jazz, Pakistan's leading digital operator, in collaboration with Google and Tech Valley a social enterprise celebrated the remarkable success of their flagship initiative Digital Safar Launched in 2023, Digital Safar equips young minds in Pakistan with essential digital skills and online safety education through Google’s Be internet
S audi Govt eases access for Pakistani tourists with revised visa rules
ISLAMABAD s ta f f r e p
for defence manufacturers entrepreneurs, R&D specialists, financial experts, and top policymakers, fostering cooperation, knowledge sharing and ventures in defence collaboration The event unites national and international defence industries for synergistic business and cooperation The 12th Edition of IDEAS-2024 is set to take place from 19-22 November 2024 at the Karachi Expo Centre (KEC) To enhance the ongoing national preparations for this
the PTI leadership who had been embroiled in the legal battle following the registration of the case On June 13 a Islamabad session court acquitted former prime minister Imran Khan and PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi in Azadi March case Judicial Magistrate Malik Muhammad Imran announced the reserved verdict and acquitted PTI founder Imran Khan Shah Mehmood Qureshi and AML chief Sheikh Rashid The court also ordered acquittal of Sadaqat Abbasi and Ali Nawaz Awan from the Azadi March case Earlier the Islamabad High Court (IHC) acquitted former prime minister Imran Khan and PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi in Cypher case AT C S U M M O N S P T I F O U N D E R , L E A D E R S I N K A H N A P O L I C E C A S E S
Afridi Faisal Javed Raja Khurram Nawaz Ali Nawaz Awan and Asad Qaiser The acquittal marks a notable victory for
WASHINGTON N p The United States has declared that the security cooperation with Pakistan with chief focus on counterterrorism is ongoing Addressing a news briefing in Washington on Tuesday Pentagon Press Secretary Major-General Patrick S Ryer said that the US and Pakistan do share a security cooperation relationship, particularly focused on counter-terrorism “We have a long history of working together in that regard And so as opportunities present themselves in the future I m sure those conversations will continue to be ongoing he added A day earlier, US State Department principal deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel while briefing the newsmen in Washington said that PTI founder Imran Khan’s deten-
tion is Pakistan s internal matter When asked about the US House of Representatives resolution asking for a thorough and independent investigation into interference allegations in Pakistan s 2024 elections, Patel said that in the US democratic system Congress is a separate but coequal branch of government Patel said that we have consistently and privately and
Pakistan
Pakistan s ongoing economic challenges and political turbulence have continued to drive a significant exodus of its skilled
Cour t says to announce verdic t on Imran-Bushra Bibi ’s appeals in Iddat c ase by July 12
(mandatory waiting period for Muslim women between two marriages) case At the outset of the hearing Advocate Raja commenced his arguments as he cited Section 7 of the Muslim Family Law
Muhammad Afzal Majoka presided over the hearing while PTI founder s counsel Salman Akram Raja resumed his argument against the rejection of the suspension of the sentence Earlier on June 27 the court had rejected pleas seeking the suspension of sentences handed down to PTI founding chairman Imran and his wife Bushra Bibi in the iddat
To which Judge Majoka asked, Are you saying that Section 7 does not apply in this case?” Raja referenced various judicial decisions on Muslim law arguing that family law is part of personal law and falls under the jurisdiction of the Shariat Court
He contended that, according to the previous rulings by the country’s apex court, a divorce becomes effective even if the Union Council procedure is not completed
The court noted that Section 7 cannot be used to exert pressure
Judge Majoka observed that in one case, a woman claimed maintenance despite the lack of a Section 7 notice and the court granted her the right to maintenance Raja argued that a woman could marry without a Union Council certificate and that invalidating thousands of marriages annually would create numerous inheritance issues
He cited the Allah dad case where the court ruled that the Iddat (waiting period) restarts upon the husband s death Various interpretations of the Iddat period were discussed, including the acceptance of 39 days and three menstrual cycles
Judge Majoka questioned whether the trial court should have accepted these references or sought evidence
