E-Paper PDF 13th December (ISB)

CMYK

Friday, 13 December, 2019 I 15 Rabi-ul-Sani, 1441 I Rs 19.00 I Vol X No 163 I 16 Pages I Islamabad Edition

250 lawyers booked over PIC ramPage g

two SeParate CaSeS fIleD

By PIC aDMIn, PolICe IMPlICate rIotInG lawyerS In terrorISM CaSeS

LAHORE

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shahab omer

unjab Police on Thursday booked over 250 lawyers for their involvement in an attack on government-owned Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC), resulting in the death of at least three patients as well as damage to government and private property.

The two separate cases registered at Shadman Police Station were filed by the PIC administration and Punjab Police, implicating the mob, comprising men and women lawyers, in terrorism cases under Section 7 of anti-Terrorism act (aTa) among other charges.

The FIR registered by Saqib Shafi on behalf of PIC include Section 322 (manslaughter), 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging their duty),186 (obstructing a public servant in discharge of public functions), 354 (assault or criminal force to a woman with an intent to outrage her modesty), 148 (rioting,

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zardari released a day after bail approval

fIr naMeS lBa General SeCretary MalIk MaqSooD kHokHar, VICe PreSIDent IJaz BaSra anD PreSIDentIal-HoPeful rana IntIzar for ProVokInG MoB

armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 337-H (2) (punishment for hurt by rash or negligent act) and 395 (punishment for dacoity) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

The complaint nominated Lahore bar association (Lba) General Secretary Malik Maqsood Khokhar, Vice President Ijaz basra and presidential-hopeful Rana Intizar and alleged the said lawyers were involved in provoking the mob to harm the hospital staff. according to the complainant, he was at his office on Wednesday when the station in-charge informed him via the telephone operator at noon that some 200-250 male and female lawyers were approaching the hospital. “approximately half an hour later, 200-250 lawyers, carrying weapons and sticks, forcefully entered the PIC by pushing the large contingent of police posted at the emergency ward gate, which they also broke,” the FIR alleged. as per the FIR, the lawyers divided into various groups entered the various PIC departments, including the intensive care unit, operation theatre and radiology department, where they tortured the security guards, medical staff

and doctors present in the vicinity.

They also broke valuable hospital equipment creating panic among the patients at the hospital and their families. as a result of the destruction, they caused at the hospital, the treatment of patients was suspended which led to the deaths of three patients. additionally, doctors’ cars in the parking lot were also damaged. Two security guards posted at the hospital were tortured by the lawyers and after their condition became serious they were shifted to Services Hospital for treatment. according to the FIR, one group of lawyers also entered and destroyed things inside the nurses’ hospital. The lawyer swore at and harassed the staff. The shirt of the nurses’ hospital in charge was torn and her locket was snatched.

When the situation got out of control, an additional contingent of police arrived at the site and when they attempted to vacate the lawyers from the PIC, some of them started firing. according to the FIR, the incident lasted approximately two hours. It added that information regarding injuries and damaged equipment will be shared later.

The FIR registered on the behalf of the Punjab police by Inspector Intikhab Hussain said implicated around 15 people.

STORY ON BACK PAGE

SC moved against stay in Musharraf case

STORY ON BACK PAGE

CONTINUED ON PAGE 02

naB files another reference in lnG case

Doctors, lawyers observe strike after PIC mob attack

STORY ON PAGE 02

PM Imran's nephew among lawyers who attacked PIC

Police arrest dozens, enforce curfew in Assam as thousands protest India's citizenship bill

Four more polio cases reported in KP

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SC tells SBP to remove hurdles in dam fund collection g

JuStICe Gulzar SayS ‘HuGe aMount’ of Money DonateD to funD HaS not Been tranSferreD to PakIStan Due to oBStaCleS STORY ON BACK PAGE

Modi moving 'systematically' with Hindu 'supremacist agenda', says PM Imran STORIES ON BACK PAGE & 02

STORY ON BACK PAGE

Switzerland to share banks data with Pakistan

CMYK Friday, 13 December, 2019

02 ISLAMABAD

Modi Moving 'systeMatically' with hindu 'supreMacist agenda', says pM iMran iSLAmABAd

NAB files another reference in LNG case iSLAmABAd STAFF REPORT

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday again filed reference of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) scandal. The anti-corruption watchdog has addressed the objections raised by the registrar office of the accountability court and re-filed the reference, nominating former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and nine others as accused. NAB judge Azam Khan will formally hear the reference in courtroom number 2. It is worth mentioning here that the apex court on September 10, 2018, had directed NAB to complete inquiry against Abbasi and others for alleged corruption in the LNG contract. As the minister for petroleum and natural resources, Abbasi has been accused of granting contract on LNG Terminal to ETPL, tri-partial agreement, LSA with EETPL and LNG import from Qatar etc. In June 2018, NAB approved inquiry against former premier Nawaz Sharif and Abbasi, who was the minister for petroleum and natural resources at that time, in granting contract of LNG terminal for 15 years to their ‘favorite’ company. It was also observed that this contract had allegedly caused a loss of billions of rupees to the national exchequer. According to NAB documents, the contract for the LNG import and distribution was awarded to the Elengy Terminal, a subsidiary of Engro, in 2013 in violation of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules and relevant laws.

Attock AC lands in trouble for calling for equal rights for minorities Attock Assistant Commissioner Jannat Hussain Nekokara was forced to apologise for her comments in support of equal rights for minorities. While speaking at an International Human Rights Day event in Attock, Nekokara had called for granting equal rights to all minorities regardless of religious divisions. “We should give due rights to non-Muslims Pakistanis, we should give them their due regard, we have unfortunately gotten stuck in these religious divisions, someone identifies as Shia, someone as Sunni, someone as an Ahmadi, someone as a Wahabi, we should dissolve these differences and instead identify ourselves only as Muslims and Pakistanis,” she said. Soon afterward, over a dozen protesters, most of them students, arrived at the district administration building demanding an explanation from the Attock AC over grouping Ahmadis with other Muslims in her speech. In her defence, AC Nekokara said that she did not in any way imply that Ahmadis were Muslims and said she accepted the constitution which declared them non-Muslims. “I talked about minority rights, I spoke about rights of non-Muslim Pakistanis, may be I should have not even mentioned the word Ahmadi in that, then I spoke about how we should stay united and not discriminate against anyone so that we can protect against external enemies,” she said. “They (Ahmadis) are non-Muslim according to the constitution and non-Muslim in my view as well,” she added. NEWS DESK

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RIME Minister Imran Khan on Thursday said that India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been “moving systematically with [its] Hindu supremacist agenda”.

The statement came in reference to the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, passed by India’s upper house, Rajya Sabha, amid protests on Wednesday. The bill will allow the Indian government to grant citizenship to millions of illegal immigrants, except Muslims, who entered India from three neighboring countries before 2015.

Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government — re-elected in May and under pressure over a slowing economy — has maintained that Muslims from neighboring Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan are excluded from the legislation because they “do not face discrimination in those countries”.

Taking to Twitter, Prime Minister Imran stated that the bill was the latest of Modi’s attempts to promulgate his supremacist agenda, “starting with illegal annexation and continuing siege of IOJK [Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir]; then stripping 2 million Indian Muslim in Assam of citizenship, setting up internment camps; now the passage of

Citizenship Amendment Law; all this accompanied by mob lynchings of Muslims and other minorities in India”.

He warned that bowing down to a “genocidal supremacist agenda”, propagated by Nazi Germany, had once before lead to World War II. “Modi’s Hindu supremacist agenda, accompanied by threats to Pakistan under a nuclear overhang, will lead to massive bloodshed and far-reaching consequences for the world,” he warned. “As in Nazi Germany, in Modi’s India dissent has been marginalised and the world must step in before it is too late to counter this Hindu supremacist agenda of Modi’s India [that is] threatening bloodshed and war.”

PM Imran's nephew among lawyers who attacked PIC VIDEOS MAKING ROUNDS ON SOCIAL MEDIA SHOW HASSAAN NIAZI THROWING STONES AT POLICE, DAMAGING POLICE VEHICLE A day after scores of lawyers stormed the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC), it has emerged that Hassaan Khan Niazi, the nephew of Prime Minister Imran Khan, was a part of the violent mob that attacked the health facility. In multiple posts shared on social media, Niazi is seen among the disgruntled protesters outside the PIC, throwing stones at people and even damaging a police vehicle. Interestingly the two FIRs registered against the violent lawyers do not mention Hassaan Niazi’s name.

However, as the protest turned violent, Niazi tweeted that the protest had ceased to be peaceful and blamed the ensuing chaos on the absence of the writ of the Punjab government. The lawyer further tweeted

LAHORE A day after scores of lawyers stormed the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC), both doctors and lawyers observed a strike on Thursday, with the former asking for action against the violent mob and the latter demanding the release of arrested lawyers.

PIC observed a virtual shut down as all of its Out Patient Departments (OPD) and other wards were non-operational after the mob attack on the facility. Patients, who were admitted at the hospital for treatment, were discharged and those in critical condition were referred to other nearby public hospitals.

Only a handful of patients are receiving treated at the Cardiac Care Unit (CCU). Patients with severe

PESHAWAR: The tally of polio cases this year in the country has reached 98, excluding 12 vaccine-derived cases, after four polio cases were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Lakki Marwat and Tank districts on Thursday. In Lakki Marwat, poliovirus was detected in a three-month-old boy and an 11-monthold girl in tehsil Sarai Naurang. The third case in the district was reported in union council Dara Tang involving an 11-monthold girl. According to the polio emergency operation centre, the cases were a result of the children not being administered polio drops. Meanwhile, in Tank, polio was confirmed in a 12-month-old girl.

According to an Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) for Polio: “Lakki Marwat and Bannu have become high-risk districts for polio cases in 2019. Out of the 98 polio cases reported in the country this year, 72 were reported in KP, 14 in Sindh, seven in Balochistan and five in Punjab. In addition, 12 VDPV2 polio cases were also reported across districts in Pakistan. In spite of tall claims by the government and several anti-polio drives, there has been no let-up in the polio cases across the country, with the cases being reported in regular intervals in Sindh and KP. These two provinces are among the worst-affected regions, witnessing a spike over the recent months. STAFF REPORT

250 lawyers booked over PIC rampage COuntinuEd fROm pAgE 01

that he felt ashamed of himself and that his support and protest was limited to the initiation of legal action against the concerned doctors.

At least three patients lost their lives and several others were injured after a mob of disgruntled lawyers stormed the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC), ransacked the hospital wards and operation theatres and tortured the staff and visitors. Report-

edly, the lawyers were protesting against a video that went viral on social media on Tuesday, in which a doctor is seen narrating an encounter with some lawyers in front of a group of medical and paramedical staff.

According to the doctor in the video, a group of lawyers had gone to the inspector general of police and told him to charge “two doctors” under Section 7 of ATA.

Doctors, lawyers observe strike after mob attack on PIC STAFF REPORT

Four more polio cases reported in KP

cardiac conditions that require continuous monitoring and treatment are referred to the CCU. Eight patients were shifted to Mayo Hospital and 10 were admitted to the cardiac ward at Jinnah Hospital. Other patients were referred to adjacent Services Hospital and Sheikh Zayed Hospital at Punjab University Avenue.

Government hospitals in Islamabad also observed a two-hour token strike to express solidarity with health professionals of PIC. On the other hand, the legal fraternity asked the government to release the arrested lawyers, claiming that they were not involved in attacking the hospital. On Thursday, Punjab police registered two first information reports (FIR), nominating more than 250 lawyers for allegedly torturing doctors and attendants, and damaging hospital

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property and police vehicles.

Meanwhile, Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) Secretary Muhammad Umair Baloch was served a notice by the court for “professional misconduct and contempt” as he was reportedly forcing lawyers not to appear before judges as the high court’s bar association was observing a strike against alleged offences against the legal fraternity in Lahore a day earlier.

The court also suspended Baloch’s licence “to practice before IHC” until the next hearing, which will be held on December 19.

It is worth mentioning here that at least three patients lost their lives and several others were injured after a mob of disgruntled lawyers stormed PIC, ransacked the hospital wards and operation theatres and tortured the staff and visitors.

According to the complaint, a group of lawyers approached his police mobile with sticks and weapons “to kill, directly fired on him”. However, his attempt to escape the scene failed and the lawyers surrounded his mobile and started damaging it. He said that one of the protesters said to set the police vehicle on fire and to kill the police officials, adding that the protesters fired on the police vehicle and set it on fire. The case was registered on Wednesday under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act and Section 290 (public nuisance), 291 (continuance of nuisance after injunction to discontinue), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 353 (assault), 324 (attempt to murder), 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house, etc) and 186 (obstructing a public servant in discharge of public functions) of the PPC. LAWYERS GO ON RAMPAGE: On Wednesday, at least three patients lost their lives and several others were injured after a mob of disgruntled lawyers stormed the PIC, ransacked the hospital wards and operation theatres and tortured the staff and visitors. The lawyers were protesting against a video that went viral on social media on Tuesday, in which a doctor is seen narrating an encounter with some lawyers in front of a group.

Passenger dies of cardiac arrest at Islamabad airport ISLAMABAD: A passenger, who had returned from Dammam in Saudi Arabia, lost his life due to a sudden heart attack at the immigration counter of the Islamabad International airport on Thursday.

Sources privy to the development said that the passenger, later identified as Muhammad Farooq, had landed in Islamabad via Pakistan International Airline flight PK-246. Farooq was rushed to a nearby medical facility after he fell down due to the attack at the FIA counter, but he could not survive. The deceased is said to be a resident of Bagh area in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. STAFF REPORT

CMYK Friday, 13 December, 2019

SC diSpoSeS of over 7,000 CaSeS in Seven monthS ISLAMABAD

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full court meeting of the Supreme Court (SC) was held under the chairmanship of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Asif Saeed Khosa, wherein it was noted that the apex court had decided 7,718 cases in the past seven months.

The meeting was held to take stock of the performance of the apex court in terms of dispersion of justice and disposal of cases. At the beginning of meeting, the chief justice welcomed newly-elevated judge of SC, Justice Aminud Din Khan, and said that the addition of another honorable judge will benefit the institution.

Deliberating on the issue of institution and disposal of cases in the apex court, the meeting noted that from April 27, 2019 to November 20, 2019, the court had decided 7,718 cases against

the institution of 9,485 cases, leaving the total pendency of 41,105 cases. The full court observed that larger benches were also constituted during the period for hearing of different cases but despite that, the disposal figure is encouraging.

The full court expressed satisfaction

LHC adjourns Rana Sanaullah's bail plea till Dec 17

over institution and disposal rate and discussed different ways and means for effective and smooth functioning of the court and underlined the need to make untiring efforts to improve dispensation of justice and resolved to work out different strategies to constitute benches at

ATC adjourns hearing of Mohsin Dawar case till December 18

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The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday adjourned hearing of a bail petition filed by Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah in a drug case till Dec 17. The bench comprising Justice Chaudhry Mushtaq Ahmad adjourned the petition without any proceedings due to the lawyers’ strike in the wake of the Punjab Institute of Cardiology incident. Rana Sanaullah, in the bail petition, submitted that the record of the Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) established his innocence and rejected the allegation of the prosecution narrated in the FIR. Besides questioning the delay in registration of the FIR, he pleaded with the court to set aside the trial court orders and release him on bail. On July 1, the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) officials arrested Rana Sanaullah from Islamabad-Lahore Motorway near Sukheki, while he was traveling from Faisalabad to Lahore. ANF had registered an FIR against the PML-N leader under 9-C, 15 and 17 of the Control of Narcotic Substances Act. It was alleged that ANF recovered 15 kilogrammes of heroin and other drugs from Sanaullah’s car, whereas the operation was conducted on a tip-off. The trial court had twice rejected the bail petition, filed by Rana Sanaullah in the case. However, the co-accused had been granted bail.

The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) here on Thursday adjourned the hearing of North Waziristan army check post attack case till December 18th as the accused, Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Mohsin Ali Dawar, could not appear before the court.

Earlier, Dawar had requested the Peshawar High Court (PHC) to transfer his case from Bannu AntiTerrorism Court to any other district as his life is under risk in Bannu after which the PHC ordered that the case be shifted to Abbottabad.

Dawar and MNA Ali Wazir had been detained after a shooting incident at the security checkpoint in North Waziristan in May. The two were present there to show solidarity with a protest at the time against the

Hamza’s judicial remand extended in NAB case

Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on Thursday claimed that former president Asif Ali Zardari will do a plea bargain deal in corruption cases “by the end of March”.

In a wide-ranging media talk at the Bahria University in Islamabad, Rasheed said: “If Bilawal doesn’t accept a plea bargain deal, his political career will be finished.”

He said the government has been taking steps to address the issue of

LAHORE: An accountability court in Lahore on Thursday extended the judicial remand of Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Hamza Shahbaz in a case pertaining to the accumulation of assets beyond known sources of income till Dec 23. Hamza did not appear before the court due to a lawyer strike following the attack on Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC). The court, while extending Hamza’s remand for 10 days, ordered NAB to present him before the court again on Dec 23. In the last hearing on Nov 28, the Bureau had submitted supplementary reference in the ongoing Ramzan Sugar Mills corruption investigations against the politician in the court. Hamza was handed over copies of the reference and was ordered to submit his response. Two approvers, Mahmood and Rafiq, had earlier recorded their confessional statements before a judicial magistrate under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). They confessed to having laundered millions of dollars for Hamza, his brother Salman Shehbaz and others through telegraphic transfers (TT) from abroad. INP

Branch Registries where there is high pendency to reduce the backlog in meaningful ways.

CJP Khosa thanked the judges and appreciated their commitment, devotion for the cause of dispensation of justice to the public at large so as to redress their grievances and to provide relief to them. The meeting also discussed different administrative and judicial issues related to the internal working of the court.

The meeting was attended by chief justice-designate Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Mushir Alam, Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Qazi Faez Isa, Justice Maqbool Baqar, Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik, Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Faisal Arab, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Amin Ud Din Khan. SC Registrar Arbab Muhammad Arif also attended the meeting.

detention of locals by security forces and the imposition of a curfew in the region when shots were fired.

The Pakistani Army had said some of the protesters were armed and opened fire first, however, protesters denied this and said the soldiers opened fire when they approached the checkpoint.

Giving details of his ordeal in the jail, the MNA said: “From May to Sept, we were kept first at Peshawar jail and then at Haripur [jail]. During this transition, the State decided to further increase its pressure, as in Haripur, we were kept in cells marked for terrorists. There was no mobility in jail and we had no access to news and other facilities.”

Speaking about the allegations levelled against the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) lawmakers, he said it was “hurtful” that “preachers of non-violence” were accused of vi-

olence. But, it still doesn’t dampen the lawmakers’ spirit.

“This will not deter us from our goal, which is to win peace and equal rights for our people and it will also not deter us from our path, which is the path of non-violence,” said Dawar.

He said: “We are willing to lay our lives for our people; jails are a very small price. I would like to thank all of those, including Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who raised their voice for our release.”

“Ours is a long struggle, and it is not only for the benefits of Pashtuns but for every victim of state oppression in this country. Pakistan’s biggest weakness is the silence of its good people. This status quo will end only when enough good people speak up,” the N Waziristan MNA said, calling upon people to join their “struggle”.

Zardari to sign plea bargain deal by March, claims Rasheed ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

inflation, adding that only Prime Minister Imran Khan can take people out of their problems.

“Those who are demanding fresh elections should be ashamed of themselves,” he said.

Replying to a question, the minister said Pakistan stands by its Kashmiri brothers and sisters.

Commenting on the controversial Indian Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, Rasheed said that Modi was turning India into an extremist Hindu state where Muslims were being denied citizenship.

“Modi is unaware that UP and

CP’s Muslims will also awake and his government is standing with the support of Muslims,” he said. He urged youth to play their role in the progress of the country. Rasheed asserted a strong economy was important to formulate independent policies and ensure a strong defence.

“Pakistan is rich in natural resources including oil and gas but regretted that the resources were not truly exploited,” he pointed out.

He also regretted the attack on the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) in Lahore by a disgruntled mob of lawyers.

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EOBI pension raised to Rs8,500 to achieve 'PM's vision of welfare state': Awan Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan on Thursday announced that pensioners entitled to the Employees OldAge Benefits Institution (EOBI) would now be getting Rs8,500 instead of Rs6,500. Taking to Twitter, she said that the increase in the pension was a “manifestation of Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s concern for the poor and downtrodden segments. This is a practical step towards the establishment of a welfare state on the model of the state of Madina,” she said while adding that the dream for an Islamic welfare state will be realised when the state takes care of its indigent classes “like a mother”. “The prime minister is working towards the completion of this very mission,” Awan added. Last month, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Zulfiqar Bukhari had vowed to increase the EOBI pension by two-anda-half times within four years. “Currently, per month Rs6,500 is being given to pensioners but I am determined to increase the amount to Rs15,000 during the term of the current government so that pensioners would get a little breather,” he had said while speaking to the participants of an EOBI event. NEWS DESK

Housing scheme scandal: Khawaja Asif’s wife, son summoned by NAB LAHORE: The investigators of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) have summoned Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) central leader and former defence minister, Khawaja Asif’s family members on Friday in connection with Sialkot housing scheme scandal case. The anti-corruption watchdog has made progress in a case related to financial irregularities in a private housing scheme of Sialkot against Khawaja Asif and his family. The investigators have asked them to bring concerned records, whereas, former mayor of Sialkot, Chaudhry Tauheed Akhtar was summoned at 11:00am. The accused persons are facing charges of illegal trade of the plots of a private housing scheme.NAB sources said that the accused persons possessed 150 canals of leased land but 400 canals were sold out by them. INP

Gen Bajwa lauds international standards of PAC complex RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Thursday visited Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) in Kamra to review ongoing projects. According to a press release of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), during the visit, General Bajwa was briefed over the ongoing projects in the PAC Kamra. COAS Bajwa lauded achievements of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) towards attaining self-reliance and international standards in all its projects.

Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) is an organisation which comprises of four co-located factories which virtually take care of the maintenance of all operational assets of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) for the purpose of effective control and efficient working. STAFF REPORT

KP govt to collaborate with FIA in BRT case probe PESHAWAR INP

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has announced to extend its full cooperation to the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) in a case pertaining to the probe into the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). In this regard, KP Government Spokesperson Ajmal Wazir on Thursday said that the provincial government has no intentions to halt the inves-

tigation, adding that filing a plea in the Supreme Court (SC) is aimed to present the provincial government’s stance.

He clarified that the KP government did not move the apex court against the decision of investigation.

The spokesperson also said that several questions had been raised in the court’s verdict whereas the provincial government’s stance was not listened properly by the Peshawar High Court (PHC).

On November 14, the PHC while

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issuing a detailed verdict on the BRT project had directed the FIA to probe the project and submit the report within 45 days. The detailed decision stated that the PTI government launched the BRT project without vision and planning. “Why was the chief executive officer (CEO) of Trans Peshawar removed from his post?” it read.

The PHC’s detailed decision stated that the BRT contract was given to a blacklisted company in Punjab. “What

was the need for such a large loan for the project?” it was asked. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government, in the month of October, had announced a new date for the completion of Peshawar’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.

The provincial government admitted its mistake for making another delay in the fictionalization of the BRT project.

The project would now be completed by the end of 2019, said KP’s Information Minister Shaukat Yousafzai.

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Friday, 13 December, 2019

WEATHER UPDATES FRIDAY

PM phones chohan, praises his courage LAHORE: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday telephoned Punjab Information Minister Fayyaz ul hassan Chohan, and praised his efforts in confronting the mob of angry lawyers who had stormed into the Pakistan Institute of Cardiology (PIC) the day before. A group of over 200 lawyers, who are locked in an ongoing clash with doctors of the PIC doctors had broken into the hospital, vandalized property and damaged dozen of vehicles.

Chohan, who had arrived at the scene to mediate, was also attacked by the mob. PM Imran lauded the provincial information minister for reaching the site of attack on time and performing his duties as an official. In a statement after the incident, Chohan said that anti-national elements had tried to aggravate the situation and that workers of the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) were behind the attack on him. “The list has surfaced on social media of those PML-N workers who attacked me. Those PML-N workers have their pictures with hamza Shehbaz and Maryam Nawaz,” he said. STAFF REPORT

yasmin reviews all dimensions of Pic incident LAHORE: A high-level meeting was held at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) in Lahore on Thursday with Punjab health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid in the chair to review all dimensions of the tragic incident that took place at the hospital on Wednesday.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said that the government is standing with all victims, including the doctors of the institute. Yasmin said that the government will estimate the loss and damage of vehicles of doctors and compensate them. She also condemned the attack by legal community on herself. STAFF REPORT

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Lawyers Lay siege to Pasrur hosPitaL, causing doctors to fLee PASUR STAFF REPORT

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he conflict between lawyers and doctors intensified on Thursday as lawyers laid siege to a government hospital in Pasrur, Sialkot causing doctors and staff members to flee for safety.

According to reports, following the attack on Punjab Institute of Cardiology, lawyers surrounded the Tehseel headquarters hospital (ThQ) in Pasrur. however, being aware of the attack beforehand, doctors man-

aged to flee the hospital, leaving the patients on their own. Reports claim that the protest erupted after Young Doctors Association President Dr Waleed announced a rally against lawyers in the wake of the attack on the Punjab Institute of

Cardiology in Lahore. As of Thursday, security personnel have been deployed outside the hospital. Meanwhile, ThQ staff and doctors have called for the government to deploy rangers outside the hospital to provide security.

Former policeman charged with electricity theft LAHORE STAFF REPORT

A former police officer on Thursday was charged with electricity theft in Lahore’s Allama Iqbal Town area.

According to reports, a First Information Report (FIR) in the case was registered against former police officer Rai Ahsan at the request of the Lahore electric Supply Company (LeSCO) Canal Road Sub Division Officer (SDO). Police said that several other inquiries pertaining to corrupt practices are pending against the

accused who was booked 18 times for violating the law and was sent on forced retirement.

On September 13, Federal Minister for Power Omar Ayub Khan told the National Assembly that an additional amount of Rs192 billion was recovered as a result of the government’s campaign against power theft. The minister added that over 3,364 megawatts of power had been added to the national grid during the tenure of the present government and that no load shedding is being carried out on 80 percent feeders across the country.

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Bride-to-be commits suicide over dowry LAHORE: A bride-to-be committed suicide on Thursday following a quarrel over dowry. According to details, the incident happened in Chuhang, where 20-year-old Mahwish, after a quarrel with her parents for not giving her dowry, ate poisonous pills two days prior to her wedding. Every year, the inability to arrange dowry drives many poor to end their life. INP

gas awareness walk to be held in rawalpindi LAHORE: A Gas Conservation Awareness Walk will be held by Sui Northern Gas Pipelines (SNGPL) on Friday from 11AM in Bahria Town Phase 2, Rawalpindi. The walk is aimed at promoting efficient use of natural gas.

The SNGPL spokesperson requested the residents of Rawalpindi/Islamabad to participate in the awareness walk to help raising awareness about gas conservation. Federal Minister for energy Omar Ayub Khan will be the chief guest of the walk. STAFF REPORT

Friday, 13 December, 2019

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PAkistAN cAlls for eArly sAArc summit

eight passengers of ill-fated tezgam express still missing ISLAMABAD APP

The Senate's Committee on Railways was informed on Thursday that eight passengers of the ill-fated Rawalpindi bound Tezgam Express, which caught fire on October 31, were missing. Their details were provided to the committee by the Madrassah (religious seminary) administration, who were traveling in groups to attend a religious gathering in Raiwind.

The missing passengers might be burnt to ashes and that was why their bodies could not be identified, the officials told the committee.They said two dead bodies were buried as 'Amanatan” as their heirs could not be traced. The committee observed that the list of missing passengers had been endorsed by seven members of the Shura of Madrassah. The committee meeting which was chaired by Senator Muhammad Asad Ali Khan Junejo, recommended that a forensic analysis of the ashes collected left and right of the track must be conducted once again for DNA and the local police verification must be pursued as well. As regard the train fire's inquiry, the committee was informed that the report had been submitted to the ministry three days ago, which would be submitted it.

Earlier, the Pakistan Railways, in its report, informed the committee that a major accident and 10 minor ones had taken place from November to December 2019, whereas those on account of negligence of road users were four. Regarding commencing of freight train service, especially with regard to the Afghan trade transit route, the committee was informed that the service between Karachi and Chamman would start soon. Deliberating over budget and expenditure of Pakistan Railways, the committee took strong notice of exorbitant TADA bills of the officials while directing the Ministry of Railways to present details in its next meeting.

meera says her life is in danger, demands protection Film actress Meera in a video message that went viral on Thursday said that she is receiving threatening phone calls and proceeded to request the government for providing her security. “I am receiving threatening phone calls. I want the government of Pakistan to give me protection,” she said while adding “my life is at risk”. The actress said that she wanted to promote her film Baaji, which is due to be released again in Pakistan but was unable to travel to the country due to threats to her life. She, however, did not give any further details of the calls. NEWS DESK

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AKISTAN has expressed the desire for an early holding of SAARC Summit to promote regional cooperation. At his weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal said all the other South Asian countries except one have also expressed the desire of early happening of the summit.

He said the 19th SAARC summit will be held in Islamabad and it is to be seen whether India wants to move forward on SAARC. When asked about the contentious Indian citizenship legislation, the spokesperson said Pakistan and other regional countries have condemned it. He said this act of India is driven by a toxic mix of extremist Hindutva ideology and hegemonic ambitions in the region. He noted that voices are also being raised within and out-

side India against the discriminatory legislation.

Voicing concerns over the situation in occupied Kashmir, Dr Muhammad Faisal said the humanitarian nightmare is worsening in the valley with continued military lockdown and complete communications blackout. This, he said, is affecting the life and property of millions of Kashmiri people who have been cut off from the rest of the world.

Dr Muhammad Faisal said India should immediately restore internet and mobile phone services, release all the prisoners and remove all the draconian laws. He said India should allow international media and human rights observers to visit Occupied Kashmir to independently observe the situation there.

When asked about the blacklisting of former Malir SSP Rao Anwar by the US, the spokesperson said Rao Anwar is under trial for

the crime he has committed. He, however expressed his surprise that the US treasury department failed to hold anyone responsible for the most egregious, extensively reported and independently verified human rights violations in Indian Occupied Kashmir.

Responding to a question, the spokesperson said Pakistan has welcomed the resumption of direct talks between the United States and the Afghan Taliban. He said Pakistan has always held that there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan. We hope the peace process is concluded soon and leads to an intra-afghan dialogue and reduction of violence in Afghanistan.

He said Pakistan will continue to support all peaceful efforts there. He however said it is important to remain watchful of the role of spoilers who do not want to see an end to the conflict in Afghanistan.

The spokesperson strongly denounced the assassination of Japanese physician and devoted aid worker Tetsu Nakamura in Afghanistan. He said Nakamura changed the lives of thousands of Afghan people and his work has been recognized internationally. He said we share the grief and pain of the Afghan and Japanese people in this tragic incident. He said at this critical juncture, it can only be the work of spoilers who do not want to see a peaceful and stable Afghanistan.

When asked about Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s visit to Saudi Arabia, the spokesperson said it was a scheduled visit and focused on bilateral matters and regional developments. He said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have brotherly relations deep rooted in history and based on mutual trust and understanding. NEWS DESK

NA body on climate change abruptly ends meeting ISLAMABAD INP

PM reviews affairs of PWD, housing ministry ISLAMABAD INP

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting to review affairs of Public Works Department (PWD) and Ministry of Housing and Works (MOHW).

The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Housing and Works Tariq Bashir Cheema, secretaries of housing finance and other officials.

A briefing was given to PM Imran Khan over steps being taken to bring improvements in the institution besides apprising

him regarding the issues of financial crisis and employees’ salaries. The premier was informed regarding the effective usage of labour-power and PWD’s performance.

The officials said that the institution has started the e-tendering system for contracts to eliminate corruption besides introducing the e-procurement process.

They added 46 projects are currently progressing under Public Sector Development Programme out of which 36 will be completed by the second quarter of the financial year.

The ministry’s officials have also briefed PM Imran Khan over expensive properties in Karachi and Murree.

The participants of the meeting have also held consultations to overcome the shortage of houses for the government employees besides discussing appropriate usage of government residences situated in different cities including the federal capital Islamabad.

The PM directed the housing authorities to immediately compile data related to the salaries of employees and ordered to ensure resolutions of issued to the workers.

The 10th meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Climate Change was held at Parliament House Islamabad on Thursday with Member of National Assembly (MNA) Munaza Hassan in chair for comprehensive briefing by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Climate Change Division. The committee expressed serious concerns over the absence of Advisor to the Prime Minister on Climate Change, Minister of State for Climate Change and Secretary, Ministry of Climate Change from the committee meeting. Further the committee unanimously decided to end the meeting without any further discussion on the agenda due to the absence of CDA Chairman, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Mayor, Secretary Petroleum Division, Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) Chairman and heads of other departments. The meeting was attended by MNA’s Dr Seemi Bokhari, Afreen Khan, Khial Zaman, Haider Ali Khan, Tahir Sadiq, Rai Muhammad Murtaza Iqbal, Muhammad Alamgir Khan, Andleeb Abbas, Rubina Irfan, Shaista Pervaiz, Zahra Wadood Fatemi, Romina Khursheed Alam, and Syed Mustafa Mahmud beside Parliamentary Secretary and senior officers from the Ministry of Climate Change and other departments.

Is there any need for pasteurised milk?

SHAZA SAQIB People are unsure about the true essence of it or is there still time where we can be saved and have the basic necessity nature has given to us. What is the hype about Pasteurized Milk when we don’t even know how the milk actually tastes like, has the time already come where we don’t know about how the milk tastes?We are hearing news about our governmentworking on stopping the adulteration mafia who is eating our nation like a termite.

According to news these days Punjab Food Authority started an initiative about banning loose milk and making pasteurized milk the only milk we drink. It was in no time that the law passed in 2017 about pasteurized milk coming into exis-

tence. PFA being a vigilant food authority started working on it but we still could not halt adulteration mafia and now in 2019 when we see Prime Minister Imran Khan giving us high hopes on removing all kinds of corruption in Pakistan, we expected him to solve food safety issues as well. And in the record time of 14 months we have seen that they have initiated the process of pasteurized milk.

We have seen food authorities working on providing pure milk under the instructions of PM Imran Khan and on experimental level they have also made the sale and preparation of pasteurized milk possible in the provincial capital but it is on experimental basis only as they also did not ban loose milk fully and to ensure the provision of pure milk pasteurized milk seems to be the right choice for our nation.

Lahore which is known for its eatery places and as Lahori’s are also famous for eating adulterated food such as Donkey, Frog etc. the best step to shut everybody’s mouth could not be better

than starting pasteurization process from Lahore itself. In a recent survey conducting by PFA and with PM Imran Khan instructions, it was examined in Lahore, township around 93% of general public is willing to accept pasteurized milk regardless of its high prices as they want to provide the best for their children they are eager to help government at every step they will take in the development of Pakistan and by removing food adulterants in however manner. PFA went door to door to ask common people about their viewpoints about what milk should be provided to people and as the percentage shows; pasteurized milk got its win. But this is only one town of one city there is still a long way to go for the government; what we can do is that hope for the best and believe what the authorities are doing for our nation.

We as a nation are not sure about what food we are consuming and when somebody tries to help us, we snub them in whatever manner we can. This is not

CMYK

any political fight where we are divided between parties; this is a fight we all have been fighting in hospitals, homes, schools etc. on individual level and now when we have authorities who are actively eradicating the adulteration mafia, we should play our role as being part of this nation on individual level and have a stance together for once.

Media on the other hand is providing us with daily updates on how any government or the current government is performing, we are being aware by our media and through that pasteurization of milk seems to be a decision well drafted after seeing all the ups and downs we are assured by all the details any layman could be provided with. We are not unaware about the current scenario of Pakistan as we only hear about politics and that is the only news around us; there are many issues other than politics and due to it we are neglecting the basic thing which is food safety.

It is an ongoing process which needs full attention in order to have pure milk

provided to children of Pakistan. The pace that government is on needs to stay as it is; it can be fast but not slow. It is expected from CM government of Punjab Usman Buzdar and PM Imran Khan to work vigilantly for the betterment of our nation and also after we have seen Mr. Irfan Nawaz Memon in the past in Health sector and as the new DG of Food Authority it is assumed that he will surely do much better in order to provide healthy food to the people of Punjab and like other countries are developed we are also in the list of developed countries. Punjab Food Authority claims that they will impose a ban on the sale of loose milk in 2022 and reduce the adulteration in milk at least.

Lahore has become the model city by PFA to implement the law of pasteurized milk and it is expected that it spreads in all over Punjab and in Pakistan asthe implementation of the law would be helpful for authorities to meet international standards and to curb the sale of adulterated milk.

Friday, 13 December, 2019

06 WORLD VIEW

Kashmir crisis calls for Us engagement KASHMIR IS NOT JUST AN INTERNAL MATTER FOR ONE OR THE OTHER COUNTRY TO MANAGE. THE SITUATION DESERVES A MULTILATERAL APPROACH LED BY THE UNITED STATES rCW CHrIs sHAys & GeOrGe HOCHbrueCkNer

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AkISTAN and India have jointly administered the Jammu and kashmir region since 1948, when the United Nations negotiated a cease-fire between the two South Asian countries and decreed that the kashmiri people would determine their own future. That there is a hotly disputed region adjoining two nuclear-armed adversaries should be momentous enough to engage the United States in resolving the matter.

Not only could the conflict go nuclear, but American security and economic interests are also at risk. Both India and Pakistan are important trading partners, and Afghanistan -- once a source of terrorist attacks against the United States and today the scene of America’s longest war -- lies at the heart of the region.

The United States is at last showing

interest, precipitated by a crisis. Recently, the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and Nonproliferation held a hearing on the state of human rights in Indian held kashmir (IHk). The hearing follows an Aug. 5 announcement by India that it would no longer adhere to the articles that gave IHk its special independent status. India then deployed tens of thousands of troops to the region. It imposed a communications lockdown and curfew on the nearly 8 million kashmiris living in the disputed region. More recently, India has begun breaking up the region into smaller areas and annexing them.

Since then, even though no foreign or independent media are allowed to visit the region, stories of human rights violations, the arrests of thousands of kashmiris, and torture have still trickled out, causing understandable concern -- including on Capitol Hill.

At the hearing, Amnesty Interna-

tional's Francisco Bencosme noted, "It's completely unthinkable that you will detain children, political leaders and youth adults, close down all communication, put people under a curfew to bolster tourism in the region."

Many of the members of Congress at the Oct. 22 hearing expressed concern and outrage at the situation. Chairman Brad Sherman conceded that kashmir was “the most dangerous geopolitical flash-point in the world.” Yet, escalating tensions on the Line of Control separating Indian and Pakistani administered kashmir, including Indian troops firing across it, continue unabated.

When we served in the U.S. Congress, the United States understood the meaning and value of promoting and protecting freedom, democracy, and human rights. If these values are weak anywhere, they are weak everywhere. The situation in IHk represents a breakdown in those values.

In fairness, President Donald Trump

and members of Congress from both sides of the aisle have encouraged a peaceful solution. President Trump has made it known more than once -- including during meetings this summer with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran khan and with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi -- that he was ready to help de-escalate tensions and mediate a settlement of this longstanding issue. kashmir is not just an internal matter for one or the other country to manage. kashmir has already sparked wars between India and Pakistan. It can easily animate another one -- but this time a conflict between nuclear-armed nations.

This at a time when our own presence in the region is in flux as we try to end the war in Afghanistan. The situation in kashmir -- and its long-term solution -deserves a multilateral approach, led by the United States.

The recent hearing in Congress at least gets a toe in the water. But many questions

remain, perhaps the most critical and urgent being whether the Trump administration has undertaken a serious analysis of the implications of an armed conflict between Pakistan and India. Pakistan has already stated its willingness to defend kashmiris, while India has made statements regarding its first-use policy of nuclear weapons. Are we really going to ignore the most militarized region on earth?

We hope not. America’s leadership is under threat and being questioned. Our diplomatic, moral, economic and political leadership is being undermined by a thousand little cuts. As The New York Times noted in its recent editorial on kashmir, one reason behind the United Nations’ lack of action on kashmir is an overall decline in American leadership.

Let’s hope kashmir becomes a symbol of America’s moral influence on the world, not another example of the failure of our leadership.

First elected in 1987, Representative Chris Shays served as the Congressman for the Stamford, Conn., area for more than 20 years. Representative George Hochbrueckner first served as Congressman for New York’s First District in 1986.

Is Amazon killing the Who to vote for in the general election Israeli economy?

AFTER A TAWDRY CAMPAIGN OF LIES AND RACISM, THE CHOICE IS CLEAR – ANYONE BUT JOHNSON

WHAT’S BAD ABOUT FREE SHIPPING AND NO TAX?

JErusalEm Post JONATHAN FeLDsTeIN

Amazon might succeed doing something in mere months that Israel’s Arab neighbors have not done in decades: conquer the entire country. Free shipping and no taxes are their weapons.

Then again, what’s bad about free shipping and no tax? It’s not like its driving Israel into the sea amid a bloodbath that the Arabs have threatened since the 1940s.

Heck, even Israel’s tax authorities are part of it.

The confluence of opportunities may be too good to be true. Or is it?

Amazon is offering free shipping on orders over $49, which is not hard to do given the vast quantity and quality of products that they are known for. Unlike the old days when packages being shipped to Israel, even birthday and wedding gifts, had to have a customs form and yet still could have taxes assessed, today the tax authorities are waiving tax on orders under $75.

No tax in Israel is no little thing.

Virtually every good or service has a 17% VAT (value-added tax) added. Saving that alone on such mundane products as coffee beans, garbage bags, diapers, contact lens solutions, granola bars and more will add up quickly.

So Israelis are lining up virtually to find the sweet spot between $49 and $75. If we could order everything that way, we probably would. However, while I am not an economist, there are things that don’t add up.

In not charging tax, Israel loses tax revenues on a growing volume of basic consumer items sold in grocery stores, malls and mom-andpop markets that are still prevalent.

If that happens, look to Israel to consider reversing the no-tax deal.

It is possible that any jobs which might be added as Amazon tests the waters to open in Israel will be lost in businesses that are forced to close or lay off staff.

It’s understood that Amazon is just luring us in with free shipping for now to test the market and see what we want, and to get us hooked

on the ease of their model. When free shipping ends, will Amazon fade into the graveyard of American imports that didn’t make it, like Blockbuster Video and Borders Books?

Then again, most people don’t ask “Is it good for me?” or “What will be the consequence?” or “How much will this really cost me?” when they are getting addicted to any substance or habit.

An overriding question is whether it is really easier. Of course, shopping online is easier than going to a mall or store and finding parking, or needing a fiveor 10-shekel coin to use a grocery cart. Israel has a unique challenge compared to the US, where Amazon packages are not delivered to one’s front door directly, but to the post office. Post offices in Israel are the unique place where you can buy stamps and toys and phone plans.

You can send a package while paying your car registration or a parking ticket. There’s very little you can’t do in a post office.

As lines extend out the door in smaller branches, someone will ask if this is worth it. Post offices are challenged to keep up with the volume, and if that continues, they may find themselves in a situation where the answer is no. Service will drop.

Customers will become more frustrated. Boxes will pile up in spaces that were intended for letters. To keep up just with the volume, some may have to hire extra staff, an expense not calculated into the Amazon invasion.

Returns are also complicated and expensive. My wife ordered the wrong phone case by mistake.

Amazon is happy to take it back.

Score a point for customer service.

But in order to return it, we were told we had to bring it to Airport City, an hour away. Just the cost of gas (which Amazon does not sell for less) makes it not worthwhile.

Another American import is Black Friday, which used to be American Week. Stores would import American products as specials to get people in the door for things they couldn’t get elsewhere. Now it’s all-American, all the time.

That’s certainly a good thing for Israel in that not only is Amazon not boycotting Israel, but they are bringing in products from countless companies that now access the Israeli market.

Editorial Observer

This is a historic election, the most important choice voters have faced in decades.

The result will determine whether Britain as we know it exists in a generation or whether the union will have splintered beyond repair.

It will shape the nation’s economic wellbeing: whether we make countless lives harder by cutting ourselves off from our biggest trading partner or maintain our close relationship with the EU. It will influence the type of society we are: whether the number of children who grow up in abject poverty and the number of people sleeping rough – stains on our collective conscience– will continue to rise. It will decide the sustainability of the world we bequeath to our children and grandchildren.

Yet there is no disguising that this is an election of last resort, the product of an unedifying journey through months of parliamentary gridlock. None of the options inspires enthusiasm; the campaign has been underwhelming and uninspiring. But the gloomy sense it leaves – that our politics is unequal to the tests that lie ahead – must not obscure the momentous nature of the decision voters must make.

He has been prime minister for less than five months, but Boris Johnson’s record in office is dire. His Brexit withdrawal agreement paves the way for, at best, a bare-bones free trade relationship with the EU that would necessitate a customs border in the Irish Sea and would impose more of the same economic pain Britain has suffered through a decade of austerity, while turning us into a rule taker. It is the culmination of the hard Eurosceptic right’s ascendancy within the Tory party. A vote for Johnson is a vote for its vision of Britain: a low-tax, low-regulation state in which worker and consumer rights are sacrificed in the name of corporate profit.

At the heart of Johnson’s appeal is the myth that a vote for the Conservatives is a vote to “get Brexit done”, as if our exit would not be followed by long and tortuous negotiations about the final relationship. But the worst of it lies in the casual indifference a prime minister has shown to a peace process that ended decades of bloody conflict in Northern Ireland.

The Stormont assembly chamber has sat vacant for years, putting the principle of governing by cross-community consent in grave jeopardy. That Johnson would endanger it further by imposing a customs border on Northern Ireland in order to enhance his re-election prospects is reprehensible.

Reprehensible, but perhaps unsurprising, given his record. Long happy to deploy racist stereotypes and dogwhistles when he has judged them to benefit his career, he shrugs them off under questioning as irrelevant relics from the past. His hypocrisy is breathtaking: compare his vile comments on single mothers with his evasiveness about whether he takes parental responsibility for the child he fathered while married to some-

one else. His rank incompetence at the Foreign Office has had tragic consequences for Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who languishes in an Iranian jail.

EVADING DEMOCRATIC SCRUTINY: Johnson has defined his campaign by running against the record of a government of which he was part; a government that delivered billions in tax cuts for more affluent families while cutting tax credits to support children living in poverty; that starved schools and hospitals of the resources they needed, with little thought for the young and the seriously ill. The Tory manifesto stops far short of reversing the cuts of the last decade, despite what Johnson would have us believe: he lied about the number of extra hospitals a Conservative government would fund and misled voters about the number of extra nurses it would train.

The Conservatives have also fabricated figures about the cost of Labour’s policies.

While Labour has also put out misleading numbers, it was joining a race to the bottom initiated by the Conservatives. Johnson has thought nothing of refusing to subject himself to the scrutiny of set-piece interviews the other leaders have faced. But perhaps the lowest moment of the campaign was Johnson’s disgraceful politicisation of a terrorist attack, deliberately deploying inaccuracies in order to blame Labour.

This is the sort of campaign we could expect from a man who has gone to such lengths to evade democratic scrutiny. He has cancelled numerous appearances before parliament’s liaison committee and unlawfully tried to shut down parliament. MPs had to force Johnson to comply with the will of parliament by passing the Benn act. The Conservative manifesto threatens to strengthen the executive in relation to parliament and the courts, risking fresh disruption to our constitutional principle of parliamentary sovereignty.

Despite a poor campaign centred around a widely unpopular pledge to revoke article 50 without a second referendum, the Liberal Democrats have started the painful process of recovery from their disastrous spell in coalition government. They have strong policies in particular on the critical issue of the climate crisis. But our first-past-the-post electoral system is unforgiving. In our twoparty democracy, ejecting Johnson from Downing Street almost certainly means Jeremy Corbyn will become prime minister.

We have made no secret of our reservations about his character and capacity to lead Britain. His tenure as Labour leader has been mired in factionalism and division. His re-energising of Labour’s membership has not been matched by his capacity to inspire the wider electorate. Opinion polls rank him the most unpopular opposition leader for decades. He has abdicated leadership by not being straightforward about an obvious truth – that Brexit would make delivering Labour’s agenda for Britain so much harder.

But the party is at least in favour of a confirmatory referendum on our place in Eu-

rope; in many constituencies, a vote for Labour is the best chance of delivering such an outcome. The Observer has expressed reservations about aspects of Labour’s manifesto: we cannot understand why it prioritises the needs of affluent pensioners over children living in poverty; we are concerned about its faith that any nationalised industry or service run by the state will be unfailingly excellent; we do not believe that the cost of restoring first-class public services and a humane welfare state can be met solely by the wealthiest 5%. But there is no question that Labour’s manifesto envisages a kinder, greener, fairer Britain and that there is much within it that deserves our support.

But Labour’s gravest failing lies in the way Corbyn has handled the antisemitism crisis in his own party. Over three years, evidence has mounted of the institutional antisemitism, as defined by the Macpherson inquiry, that afflicts the party from the top down. The Jewish Labour Movement’s leaked submission to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) includes sworn statements from more than 70 former staff members and details a series of horrifying allegations, including interference in the disciplinary process by Corbyn’s office. Corbyn himself has questioned the removal of an antisemitic mural and Jewish MPs have been bullied out of the party. During this campaign, Corbyn has made assertions about Labour’s processes that leaked documents appear to contradict. Corbyn has displayed a staggering lack of contrition or empathy.

Labour is, of course, not the only party to face the charge of institutional racism.

There has been far less scrutiny of the misleading statements from Johnson and his ministers that the Conservative party takes a “zero tolerance” approach to Islamophobia.

On the contrary, four ministers have gone campaigning with candidates facing accusations of Islamophobia. Conservative councillors suspended for posting Islamophobic content have been quietly reinstated, sometimes days later. Nearly half of Conservative members say they do not want a Muslim prime minister. The EHRC is in the process of assessing whether to launch an official investigation into the party on the basis of the available evidence. The Conservative government’s track record of racist policies speaks for itself, from the shocking deportation of members of the Windrush generation, who had lived legally in Britain for decades, to its “right to rent” policy that was ruled racially discriminatory by the high court.

It is disgraceful that more than 40 years after the Race Relations Act, both main parties are stained by charges of institutional racism. Many of our readers will be grappling with their consciences about voting for Labour. This is a sign that they take racism seriously, not that they care little about child poverty and homelessness.

Our political honour code is breaking down. This post-truth election is a taster of what could be to come; Johnson would take us further into the abyss. That is why he has succeeded in achieving the extraordinary: uniting a former Conservative prime minister, John Major, with his Labour successor, Tony Blair, in a call to voters to turf him out.

Friday, 13 December, 2019

US Senate Committee approveS tUrkey SanCtionS bill WASHINGTON

a

AGENCIES

U.S. Senate committee backed legislation on Wednesday to impose sanctions on Turkey after its offensive in Syria and purchase of a Russian S-400 missile system, the latest move in the chamber to push Republican President Donald Trump to take a harder line against Ankara.

The Republican-led Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted by 18-4 to send the “Promoting American National Security and Preventing the Resurgence of ISIS Act of 2019” for a vote in the full Senate.

“Now’s the time for the Senate to come together and take this opportunity to change Turkey’s behaviour,” said Senator Jim Risch, the panel’s Republican chairman, a lead sponsor of the bill with Senator Bob Menendez, the panel’s top Democrat. Another Republican, Senator Rand Paul, opposed the act. He said it would weaken the president’s power and could make it more difficult to negotiate with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on matters such as the NATO ally’s purchase of the missile system and fighting in Syria.

Other senators strongly disagreed.

Many lawmakers, Trump’s fellow Republicans as well as Democrats, are angry

about Turkey’s S-400 purchase, which they see as a threat to NATO defenses.

They also criticized Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from northern Syria, which cleared the way for Turkey’s offensive in the area against Kurdish militias, who until recently were fighting alongside American forces against Islamic State militants. “This is not some minor dustup with this country. This is a drift by this country, Turkey, to go in an entirely different direction than what they have in the past,” Risch said.

“They’ve thumbed their nose at us, and they’ve thumbed their nose at their other NATO allies,” he said.

FOREIGN NEWS 07

The Turkish Foreign Ministry described the latest initiatives in Congress as “a new manifestation of disrespect for our sovereign decisions regarding our national security.” “These initiatives do not have any function other than to harm TurkishU.S. relations,” it said in a statement overnight, calling on Congress to act with common sense. Turkey, which has not wavered from its plans to buy the Russian system despite Erdogan’s recent visit to the White House, earlier vowed to retali-

ate against any U.S. sanctions over its purchase of the S-400 and said they would not affect its use of the Russian systems.

“It is understood that members of (the U.S.) Congress have shut their eyes and ears to the truth,” Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said.

To become law, the legislation would have to pass the House of Representatives, which passed its own Turkish sanctions bill by an overwhelming 403-16 vote in October and be signed by Trump.

Trump impeachment debate opens with fiery partisan battle WASHINGTON AGENCIES

Democrats warned that US President Donald Trump was on the verge of dictatorship while Republicans fiercely defended his record at the opening of a stormy, historic debate on impeachment charges Wednesday.

The parties held tightly to diametrically opposed views of Trump as they weighed articles of impeachment at the beginning of a two-day debate.

Trump is alleged to have wielded the power of the presidency for personal and political gain by pressuring Ukraine to interfere in the 2020 US election. There is little question about the outcome in the House Judiciary Committee: by the end of the week the majority-Democrat panel is expected to approve the charges and send them to the entire House of Representatives for passage next week.

But lawmakers in the televised hearing appeared focused on speaking to voters, whose sentiment will be crucial if, as expected, Trump goes on trial in the US Senate in January. In a grave voice, Democratic committee chairman Jerry Nadler opened the hearing. “Today we begin consideration of two articles of impeachment against President Donald J. Trump,” he said. “Taken together, the two articles charge President Trump with placing his private political interests

above our national security, above our free and fair elections, and above our ability to hold public officials accountable,” he said.

“If the president can first abuse his power and then stonewall all congressional requests for information, Congress cannot fulfill its duty to act as a check and balance against the Executive — and the president becomes a dictator.” Doug Collins, the senior Republican on the committee, argued that Democrats have been seeking to impeach Trump ever since he came into office in January 2017, and have no clear case beyond “abuse of power.” “It’s just generic vague statements,” Collins said.

“You go home and pick something you don’t like about the president, and there’s your abuse of power.” “This is as much about political expediency as it is anything

else, and that should never be an article of impeachment.” Trump faces becoming only the third president in US history to be impeached and placed on trial in the Senate.

He is accused of pressuring Ukraine for help against his Democratic challenger Joe Biden ahead of next year’s national elections, and holding up military aid to the country which it needed to face Russian aggression, unless it did his bidding.

With the committee’s 40 members speaking one by one, alternating by party, Republicans were united in claiming there was no evidence to support the charges. Jim Jordan said Democrats were simply refighting their 2016 election loss and hated Trump. “This is about one basic fact: the Democrats have never accepted the will of the American people,” he said. “They don’t like the 63 million

people who voted for this president.”

But Democrats clung to statements of principles, warning not to let Trump get away with inviting foreign interference in a US election.

“Will we hold the president accountable, or will we serve as his accomplices?” asked Hank Johnson.

Most indications are that the Republican majority in the Senate will ultimately protect Trump from conviction and removal. But impeachment could mar his record as president and affect his reelection chances in November 2020. At a political rally in Hershey, Pennsylvania on Tuesday, he ridiculed the charges.

“Everybody said, ‘This is impeachment light,’” Trump said, adding “there are no crimes” and Democrats are just trying to win the next election.

After nearly four hours, the debate was adjourned late Wednesday until Thursday morning at 9:00 am (1400 GMT), when they will discuss possible amendments to the charges.

Nadler’s opening statement earlier in the evening said three questions should frame the members’ debate: “First, does the evidence show clearly that the President committed these acts? “Second, do they rise to the level of impeachable high crimes and misdemeanors? “Third, what are the consequences for our national security, for the integrity of our elections, and for our country if we fail to act?”

More Americans are dying at home rather than in hospitals For the first time since the early 1900s, more Americans are dying at home rather than in hospitals, a trend that reflects more hospice care and progress toward the kind of end that most people say they want. Deaths in nursing homes also have declined, according to Wednesday’s report in the New England Journal of Medicine.

“It’s a good thing. Death has become overly medicalized over the last century” and this shows a turn away from that, said the lead author, Dr. Haider Warraich of the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System. Betsy McNair, a tour guide who now lives in Mexico, is proud of the ending she helped give her father. Robert McNair was 83 when he died at home in Belle Haven, Virginia, in 2009, six weeks after learning he had lung cancer.

“I made him exactly what he wanted to eat, whenever he wanted it. He had a scotch every night, he had a very high quality of life. If he woke up at 2 o’clock in the morning and wanted to have coffee and pie, that’s what we did,” she said.

Warraich and Duke University graduate student Sarah Cross used government health statistics on deaths from natural causes, rather than accidents or homicides, from 2003 through 2017.

The portion that occurred in hospitals fell from 40% to 30% over that period and in nursing

homes from 24% to 21%. Deaths in homes rose, from 24% to 31%. Some assisted living centers may have been counted as homes; researchers had no way to tell. People who were younger, female or a racial or ethnic minority were less likely to die at home than those who were older, male or white. Cancer patients were more likely to die at home; people with dementia, in a nursing home, and people with lung diseases, in a hospital.

The type of illness matters, McNair said. Besides her father, she helped care for a brother who died of Lou Gehrig’s disease in his 50s, and her mother, who died at age 92 in a nursing

home after a long decline in health.

“They were all completely different experiences,” and sometimes it’s not possible to adequately care for a family member at home, McNair said. Allison Beach and her husband struggled to figure out how to get help for her mother, Kathryne Beach, who lived with them for three years before dying at their home in Hinesburg, Vermont, in 2016. She had lost her vision, had suffered a fall and then succumbed to heart failure at age 91. “We had to really reshuffle our lives. I was determined not to put her into a facility,” Beach said. “We were alone with her at the time of death and I wish we had had more support.”

The experience led Beach, who was a nurse, to seek special training in end-of-life care, hoping to help others in such circumstances. The rise of home hospice services has helped more people spend their last days at home, Warraich said.

“I have met many patients who just want to spend one day at home, around their dog, in their bed, able to eat home food,” he said. People are not only living longer, but they’re often spending more years at the end of life with chronic illnesses. “Ideally we’d like to see people live longer and with fewer disabilities,” he said. “We have work to do there.” AGENCIES

Human remains found in search for Chilean plane SANTIAGO: Rescuers have found human remains during the search for a Chilean air force plane that went missing en route to Antarctica with 38 people aboard, a provincial government leader said Wednesday. Search teams are combing waters off the southern tip of South America for any sign of the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, which disappeared late Monday. Chile’s military have yet to publicly announce the discovery but said earlier that search and rescue teams had recovered floating debris and personal items suspected to come from the plane. But Jose Fernandez, the governor of sparsely populated Magallanes region in Chile’s far south, said the air force had confirmed the find to him.

“They told us that they had found other airplane debris as well as human remains from those on board,” Fernandez told reporters in provincial capital Punta Arenas, where many family members were gathering to be close to the rescue effort. His comments came shortly after the air force issued a statement saying that, out of respect for family members, all information regarding remains will be “analyzed, validated and communicated” by the air force itself. Earlier, the Chilean-flagged vessel Antarctic Endeavour located debris that “could be part of the remains of the sponges of the internal fuel tanks,” Air Force Commander Eduardo Mosqueira told a press conference. He added that the wreckage was located 30 kilometers from the plane’s last known position when it disappeared from radar screens at 6:13 pm (2130 GMT) Monday, on the way to Chile’s Eduardo Frei base on the Antarctic coast.

Wreckage recovered so far would reach Punta Arenas “tomorrow or in the next few days,” Mosqueira said. A Brazilian navy vessel has also recovered suspected wreckage from the plane. “The parts of the plane and the objects were found approximately 280 nautical miles (520 kilometers) from Ushuaia in Argentina,” Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro wrote on Twitter.

“The Brazilian navy ship remains in the search area in coordinated actions with the Chilean authorities and two boats from the ship continue collecting remains,” he added. Search vessels and planes from the United States, Uruguay and Argentina were also combing nearly 1,000 square kilometers (385 square miles) around the plane’s last known position in the Drake Passage, a tempestuous body of water south of Cape Horn. Mosqueira said earlier that a decision had been taken to widen the search zone after improved visibility and weather conditions. “We still don’t have any new information, but we are making every effort to be able to find the plane,” Chile government spokeswoman Karla Rubilar told local radio on Wednesday. The Vatican said Pope Francis was following the situation closely and keeping the families of the missing in his prayers. Most of those on the missing plane are air force personnel, but also aboard were three people from the army, two from a private construction company and an official from a Chilean university. Many of them were traveling to carry out logistical support tasks at the base, Chile’s largest in the Antarctic. AGENCIES

Friday, 13 December, 2019

08 COMMENT

Condoning bad behaviour

Outrageous!

Hold an independent enquiry, take the culprits to law

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He attack by a band of lawyers on the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) lahore surpasses several earlier acts of lawlessness by members of the same community that include beating up petitioners, police, and media persons and attacks on the courtrooms including that of a former lHC CJ. In hourslong indulgence in mayhem, the group forced open the iron gate of the PIC, broke into the emergency ward, beat up doctors, and patients and vandalized costly hospital equipment. At least three patients admitted in the hospital lost their lives as a result.

The attackers had come in a large group exceeding 200 black coats. They came all the way from the Aiwane-Adl, traversed the Mall, then turned to Jail Road from the Governor’s House. They made no secret of their plans as they raised war cries that indicated PIC as their goal and wreaking vengeance on PIC doctors their target. Despite a significant presence of police on the Mall, there was none to stop them. even the police that guarded the hospital, or the other contingent that soon reached the venue, made little effort to stop vandalism.

With Punjab CM Usman Buzdar in Islamabad, the police high-ups were not seemingly willing to take any responsibility as they had already seen three IGPs transferred in little more than a year’s time.

The incident shows that when rulers routinely hurl harsh words and expletives on their opponents, aggressive attitudes start permeatng the society at large.

The highly serious incident is sad a reflection on CM Usman Buzdar’s competence. There is a likelihood of Mr Buzdar once again finding a scapegoat to cover up his lack of ability as an administrator. The hints thrown

by Punjab Information Minister and Prime Minister’s Special Advisor on Information implicating PMl-n activists in the incident, without holding any enquiry, is an attempt to paper over the PTI government’s administrative inadequacy. There is a need to hold an independent probe into the incident and take the culprits to law, seeking maximum punishment from the court.

India’s CAB Wreaking havoc on the Muslims of the North-East

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OTH Houses of Indian Parliament have passed the Citizenship Act (Amendment) Bill, which removes a vast number of Muslims from the purview of Indian Citizenship, but includes Hindus and Sikhs migrating from ‘neighbouring countries’ (primarily Bangladesh, but also Pakistan and Afghanistan).

Remarkably, the Bill explicitly differentiates between religious communities, thus shredding what little the BJP has left of India’s secular image.

The passage was clearly a high priority, as it passed the lower House one day, and the upper the next. This speediness was only exceeded, tellingly, by the singleday passage of the constitutional amendments ending Kashmir’s special status, and downgrading into two union territories. That India has not got over the protest movement there apparently did not discourage Union Home Minister Amit Shah from moving against Muslims in the northeast. It is perhaps paradoxical that the protest is the strongest in the northeast, but because people there fear that many Hindus who have migrated from Bangladesh will obtain citizenship in this manner, which will let them to make their place at the expense of locals.

The path along which the BJP is taking India goes back to the mob destruction of the Babri Masjid in 1992, and even earlier. It has as its object the destruction of the Muslim presence in India. Pakistan’s reaction encompassed a national Assembly resolution and a Foreign Office statement, but there has been a reaction within India as well, by people who are made uneasy by the shattering of the secularist dream with which India was led to independence by Congress. Congress itself cannot escape guilt, for it was in power when India started the Kashmir issue, but has so far avoided the blatant Hindu supremacism of the current bill, which is merely a precursor of worse to come. The move has drawn fire worldwide, and the USA’s Commission on religious Freedom has sought sanctions on Shah and other BJP leaders. The current bill is actually a finishing of the business of the previous term, for a CAB had been moved, but not fast-tracked like the present one, in the last Parliament. The action in Kashmir was also a sort of finishing. The next step is the ending of separate personal laws in some matters, in favour of a unified civil code.

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What is happening in the USA? At Penpoint M.A. niAZi

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eOPle in Pakistan do not see President Donald J, Trump as having done anything wrong, even if he did what he is supposed to have done. Isn’t that what politicians do, after all? Isn’t that what Prime Minister Imran Khan is doing, using state machinery to do down political opponents in the time-honoured fashion of his predecessors? However, whatever he has done, Trump is headed towards becoming only the fourth US President to have articles of impeachment approved against him, and will probably be the third to undergo the next step in the sequence, trial by the Senate. He is unlikely to use the expedient of resignation, which got off the only President to avoid the trial.

It is perhaps the vagary of the system that though there will be a trial, at which evidence will be presented and witnesses appear, at which the Chief Justice of the USA, presently Mr Justice John Roberts, will preside, the result is already known. The result of some trials is known, but that is so because the case is either so strong or so weak against the defendant, so as to make an open-and-shut case. However, the result of an impeachment is known because of the political affiliation of the jurors, because that is the role that Senators will play, that of jurors. However, these 100 ‘men (and women) good and true’ will not decide according to the evidence, but according to their political interests.

From the point of view of the President, it is important that they follow party lines. At present, the Republicans hold 51 seats. The Democrats hold 49, but need 67 to achieve the two-thirds majority. That means 18 Republicans have got to vote for impeachment. In 1974, when the US House of Representatives voted to impeach President nixon, the Democrats held 56 seats, and needed only 11 more to reach the magic number. nixon resigned when it became clear that he would be impeached, because enough Republican Senators would vote against him. By resigning, nixon not only became the first President to do so in history,

he also protected his generous pension and post-retirement perks.

While nixon faced Democrat majorities in both Houses, Bill Clinton faced Republican majorities. The one in the House impeached him over the lewinsky affair, in which he attempted to find a job for Monica lewinsky, the White House intern with whom he had had an affair, so as to keep her quiet. He was acquitted, and one result seems to be that it is now OK to misbehave with women and be President. At least that is how Trump seems to be positioned, as someone who was exposed a habitual groper, and someone who engaged in brief flings while his wife was expecting.

However, he also seems to have learnt that it was also OK to misuse his office. Trump is supposed to have asked Volodymyr Zelensky, during a call on July 25 to congratulate him on his election as President of Ukraine, to do two things in exchange for two things. He was to announce an investigation (not necessarily carry it out) into Hunter Biden and Burisma, the Ukrainian gas conglomerate on whose board he was, and into the allegations that it was Ukraine that had interfered in the 2016 US presidential election, not Russia.

In return, Zelensky would have a military aid package, already approved but held up, of $400 million, released. Trump would also grant Zelensky a meeting at the White House. The Trump Administration claimed that the money had been held up because of its concern about corruption in Ukraine. Corruption there is an important issue for the Trump Administration because it meant that first Joe Biden, while Vie-President, had played a role in the sacking of Vikto Shokin as Prosecutor General.

When Trump’s personal lawyer and former new York Mayor, Rudy Giuliani, was in Ukraine, Shokin convinced him that he had been sacked to stop him investigating Hunter Biden, Joe’s son. Joe at that time was (and still is) the frontrunner in the race to become the 2020 Democratic nominee for President. Trump is thus accused of using his office to do down a political rival.

The story does not end there. Giuliani was back in Ukraine in the first week of December, apparently to dig up more dirt on the Bidens.

Trump would like to claim Biden’s corruption as a defence before the Senate. However, what he

is accused of doing does not seem unfamiliar to Pakistani ears, though even to them, it does seem strange for a US President to be using such tactics. Of course, in Pakistan, hounding politicians is not simply a matter of digging dirt on them, but of sending them to jail. no need to go to Ukraine: nAB forever!

Another factor that Trump will have to deal with is the findings of the Muller Report on the charges that Russia had interfered on Trump’s behalf in the 2016 election. One of the issues that it raised was Trump’s refusal to cooperate with it. Did that slide into obstruction of justice? That is an issue that will be raised in the Ukraine investigation. That is also one of the grounds of impeachment.

A problem with acquitting Trump will be the implicit permission that will be extended to future US Presidents to use the leverage their office commands to ensure their re-election somehow. Trump does face an election, but it is now impossible that Biden will be unaffected by the whole affair in his seeking the Democratic nomination. If he fails to secure it, it will be Trump’s fault. If he wins it, but proceeds to lose the election itself, it will be because of Trump.

The only satisfactory outcome for Biden supporters would be his winning the nomination, and the beating Trump.

This whole affair is directed at the election cycle. If Trump was removed from office, the Republican party would be faced with a late nomination race in 2020, another incentive to Republican Senators not to break ranks. However, the Senate will have to face the prospect of condoning the kind of behaviour that constitutes misuse of office.

That means that the breakdown of the USA would have begun. What target more natural than a potential future opponent? And what more pressing item for a first-term President than reelection? The only thing stopping that was the President’s fear of impeachment, and belief that the law is supreme, not him. When Trump became President, he seemed to have the potential to begin the sort of breakdown that had led to the Roman Republic becoming the Roman empire.

He is fulfilling that potential. It remains to be seen what he might do in a second term if he is elected to it.

M.A. Niazi is a member of the staff.

Legal rationale for the COAS’ extension? the matter under discussion.

In the context of appellate jurisdiction, Article 185 states that the “Supreme Court shall have application. Otherwise, the federal government jurisdiction to hear and determine appeals from was not in dispute with any of its institutions or judgements, decrees, final orders or sentences.” the provinces. This was why the application filed In the matter under discussion, no one filed an was considered for hearing under the head of appeal against the decision of any High Court. public interest litigation and not under the This rules out the role of Article 185 in the matter purview of original jurisdiction outlined by Ar- under discussion. ticle 184 (1 and 2).

In the context of advisory jurisdiction, ArtiThe SC derives its suo motu power from Ar- cle 186 not only permits the President to refer a ticle 184(3), which leaves it to the discretion of question of law, which he considers of public imthe SC to see “if it considers that a question of portance, to the SC for its opinion, but it also public importance with refmakes it binding on the SC erence to the enforcement to consider the question and of any of the Fundamental report its opinion on it.

Rights” is involved– a preArticle 186 gives two It is not known, through preconditions: one, the Prescondition for the invocation of suo motu to enter sees a given question the short order, under what ident the domain of Article 199. of law as of pubic imporThat is, if the SC considers tance; and second, the SC law the SC offered an that a question of public can give its opinion only interim period of six importance to enforce funwhen the President refers to damental rights is not init such a question. To extend months of an extended volved, it is empowered to the argument further, Article service tenure to the let go an application or a 186 excludes two possibiliwrit petition filed as a pubties: first, the option of takincumbent COAS lic interest litigation. In the ing a suo motu notice; and matter under discussion, second, the option of conhowever, neither did the verting an application (filed issue of an extension in the by a member of the public) service tenure or the reappointment of the COAS into a public interest litigation. In the matter fall under the fundamental rights of the public to under discussion, and as mentioned in the short be enforced through suo motu powers nor was it order, the President did not invoke Article 186. the fundamental right of the COAS to claim ex- That is, the SC was not empowered to invoke its tension/reappointment. advisory jurisdiction unless requested in writing Regarding Article 184, a relevant question by the President who had to make a case that the could be this: can the SC take up in its original matter entailed a question of law which he conjurisdiction a case on its own? The answer is that sidered of public importance for the court to if the SC interprets a lingering/presented dispute opine. This rules out the role of Article 186 in the between the provinces, between institutions or matter under discussion. between a province and the Centre involving a In short, the short order of the SC issued on question of public importance to enforce funda- november 28 is silent on these points. It is not mental rights of the public, the SC can take a suo known, through the short order, under what law motu notice under Article 184(3), otherwise not. the SC offered an interim period of six months In the matter under discussion, neither was any of an extended service tenure to the incumbent question of public importance involved, nor had COAS. any fundamental rights of the public been infringed. This rules out the role of Article 184 in Email: anwarali_60@yahoo.com

Did the Supreme Court have jurisdiction AnwAr Ali

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n november 26, on the application of a member of the public, the Supreme Court (SC) took up the matter of the extension in the tenure (or the reappointment) of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa. On november 28, through a short order, the SC permitted the COAS to continue for another six months.

The SC also asked the government to take the matter to Parliament to carry out the necessary legislation to legalize the extension.

As per the short order, the federal government “has presented this court with a recent summary approved by the president on the advice of the prime minister along with a notification dated 28.11.2019 which shows that General Qamar Javed Bajwa has been appointed as COAS under Article 243(4)(b) of the Constitution with effect from 28.11.2019.”

Chapter 2 of the Constitution demarcates the SC’s three jurisdictions: original jurisdiction (under Article 184); appellate jurisdiction (under Article 185); and advisory jurisdiction (under Article 186).

In the context of original jurisdiction, Article 184 offers the SC two powers. First, to decide any dispute arising between the provinces and between a province and the Centre by pronouncing declaratory judgements only. Second, to have the discretion of taking a suo motu notice, if the SC considers that a question of public importance with reference to the enforcement of any of the Fundamental Rights mentioned in the constitution are involved.

The SC’s original jurisdiction is meant for settling disputes between the provinces, between institutions, or between a province and the Centre. Here, the SC acts as a constitutional court.

The precondition to invoke this article is the presence of a dispute. In the matter under discussion, however, a member of the public disputed the extension/reappointment issue by filing an Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

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Friday, 13 December, 2019

COMMENT 09 Editor’s mail

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

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Fake accounts case

CPEC update The CPEC is there, while US proposals of aid aren’t

SultAn MehMood hAli

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He China Pakistan economic Corridor (CPeC) is the hope of the region for a better future with peace, development and economic growth. As the year 2019 ends, CPeC, the flagship of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), showed progress which merits a review. CPeC is a major platform for comprehensive and substantive cooperation between China and Pakistan and is an important consensus reached by the two countries.

In May 2013, Chinese Premier li Keqiang proposed the CPeC initiative during his visit to Pakistan, while President Xi Jinping, in his April 2015 visit, signed the agreement for a “1+4” pattern of economic cooperation, featuring a central role for the CPeC and four key areas including the Gwadar port, energy, transportation infrastructure and industrial cooperation, so as to achieve winwin results and common development. Both sides agreed on the principles of scientific planning, step-by-step implementation, consensus through consultation, mutual benefit and win-win results, as well as ensuring quality, safety, and environmental protection. During Prime Minister Imran Khan’s maiden visit to China, the two sides reaffirmed their complete consensus on the future trajectory of the CPeC, timely completion of its ongoing projects and joint efforts for realization of its full potential with a focus on socioeconomic development, job creation and livelihoods and accelerating cooperation in industrial development, industrial parks and agriculture.

An overview of the mega project reveals that over the past 6 years, under CPeC, 11 projects have reached fruition, 11 are under construction. The total investment of the 22 projects is around 18.9 billion USD, with 20 more projects in the pipeline.

For the execution of CPeC, both countries have set up a ministerial-level Joint Cooperation Committee on CPeC long Term Planning (JCC). There are 7 joint working groups (JWG) under JCC, namely Planning, energy, transportation infrastructure, Gwadar port, industrial cooperation, social economic development and international cooperation. JCC is responsible for overall planning and coordination under CPeC, while the JWGs are responsible for the detailed planning and implementation of the projects. The two secretariats are responsible for communicating and coordinating with the line ministries re-

lated to the projects of CPeC. Until now, the JCC has convened nine meetings and since 2015 they are held on an annual basis. The ninth meeting was held in Islamabad on 5 november 2019.

The major avenues of focus of CPeC include energy, Infrastructure, Gwadar Port and Industrial Cooperation. energy is the driving force for economic development and a key factor to ease load-shedding and improve the lives of millions of people. Fifteen energy projects, highlighted as the priority sector under the CPeC framework, are planned as a priority with a total generation capacity of 11,110MW, among which seven have been completed and are in operation while eight are under construction with a total capacity of 6,910MW. At present, Zonergy 300MW Solar Park, 50MW Dawood Wind Farm, Jhimpir UeP wind power project, Sachal 50MW Wind Farm, Sahiwal 2×660MW Coalfired Power Plant, Port Qasim 2×660MW Coalfired Power Plant and Three Gorges Second and Third Wind Power Projects have been completed. These projects have added 3240 MW to the Pakistani national grid, amounting to more than 11% of the total installed capacity of 29,000 MW in Pakistan. The project also includes alternate energy sources, while the total package is aimed at providing affordable energy to Pakistani consumers in a diversified manner.

In the infrastructure section, an efficient transportation network is key to economic development. Currently, KKH Phase-II (Havelian-Thakot section), Karachi-lahore Motorway (SukkurMultan section) and lahore Orange line are three projects under construction. The information highway for laying of optical fibre cable (OFC) from Rawalpindi to Khunjerab is in operation. These ongoing projects are funded by preferential loans from the Chinese government at an interest rate of two percent interest rate with a total amount of $5.874 billion. The upgradation of Ml1 railway and the KCR are under discussion.

According to an agreement between China Overseas Ports Holding Company (COPHC), Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) and Singapore Port Authority in 2013, the development and operation of Gwadar Free Zone was handed over to the COPHC. Up to now, COPHC has invested $250 million in the port renovation. Five new quay cranes, a 100,000m2 storage yard, a seawater desalination plant with a capacity of 220,000-gallons pure water/day, two sets of sewage disposal systems and cargo handling equipment have been installed and 80,000m2 green space has been added to the port area. 400,000 tons of cargo have been handled by Gwadar Port in 2017.

The Gwadar Free Zone is in the northern part of Gwadar, about 7km away from the port.

The planned development period is from 2015 to 2030 and is divided into four phases.

The Gwadar east Bay expressway was agreed by China and Pakistan during President Xi’s 2015 visit. The project’s ePC contract was signed in September and construction commenced in november 2017. The construction period is 36 months with the designed speed of 100 kilometers per hour, being implemented by the China Communications and Construction Company (CCCC). After inauguration, the project will become the main channel for the cargo distribution of Gwadar Port and a vital communication line to connect the Free Zone in Gwadar’s southern and northern areas.

As for industrial development, the federal government and each province have attached paramount importance to the construction of SeZs. The work has been in progress with the joint efforts of both sides.

The mega-project tries to create job opportunities and social responsibility. According to preliminary statistics, CPeC projects have created more than 75,000 direct jobs for Pakistanis.

To promote Pakistan’s economic development and employment, Chinese companies also subcontract many projects to local Pakistani companies. This also develops relevant upstream and downstream industries, such as raw material processing, catering industry which also provide more employment opportunities for local people.

China and Pakistan signed the long-Term Plan at the 7th JCC after obtaining the consent of both federal and all provincial governments.

The plan provided the macro-guidance for implementation of CPeC in the next phase, which could be adjusted based on the real situation as well as the consensus between the two parties in implementation in future.

There has been much misreporting about CPeC being a debt trap. nothing could be further from the truth. The Chinese Government provided Pakistan concessional loans of $5.874 billion for major transportation infrastructure projects, with a composite interest of around 2 percent with repayment in 20-25 years. The Pakistani government provides sovereign guarantees with repayment starting from 2021. Chinese companies and their partners invested $ 12.8 billion in energy projects in Pakistan. Among them, Chinese companies provide $3 billion from their own equity. The remaining $9.8 billion is raised from commercial banks at about 5 percent. The repayment period is 12-18 years.

All the CPeC energy projects are investments in nature, which is independent business behaviour by these companies. China provides interest-free loans for expressway east Bay in Gwadar and grant for some livelihood projects.

Pakistan provided funding for the feasibility study of Ml-1 upgradation. Therefore, Pakistan will repay only $ 6.017 billion (Category I $5.874 billion and Category III $ 0143 billion) and their interests to China. China and Pakistan are discussing how to use Chinese grants to implement new projects such as the new Gwadar international airport, Gwadar vocational training centre and friendship hospital.

This scribe called on Syed Fakhar Imam, Chairman Kashmir Committee and asked for his opinion on the progress on CPeC, especially in the Kashmir region. He expressed satisfaction. When asked if the tense situation in Indian Kashmir is affecting the progress on CPeC, his answer was that everything was under control.

I asked him about US Assistant Secretary of State Alice Wells’ negative comments about CPeC. He said that the Chinese Ambassador, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson and Pakistani Foreign Minister had all refuted it. His opinion was that the USA had offered assistance but there were no concrete proposals from the USA, unlike China’s strong support.

Sultan Mehmood Hali is a retired Group Captain and author of the book Defence & Diplomacy. Currently he is a columnist, analyst and TV talk show host.

THIS is reference to report that nAB has arrested key suspect Ijaz Haroon, in fake accounts and money laundering case. Ijaz Haroon was Chairman Overseas Cooperative Housing Society, who has previously served as MD PIA from 2008 to 2010 and has a history of being involved in controversies, yet managed to get clearance for such executive assignments.

What were the qualifications of this controversial individual that he was allowed to become Chairman of Overseas Cooperative Housing Society? Those responsible for appointing him to head national airline PIA, in spite of never having got education beyond school i.e., O-level are as much responsible for irregularities committed and assets beyond means that he owns in Pakistan and UK etc. From his involvement in Kidney Hill scam to investigation ordered by Ministry of Defence and conducted by late AM Mushaf Ali Mir for gross financial misappropriation in recruitment of pilots, to allegations involving him in the case of smuggling rare artifacts abroad PIA cargo allegedly destined for Surrey Palace. All state institutions and agencies responsible for background checks need to be probed who gave his security clearance to become MD of PIA. The national airline, which was once a profitable stateowned enterprise has been driven to technical insolvency by appointment of cronies over the years by successive political and dictatorial governments. When the State chooses to overlook glaring conflicts of interest of individuals appointed to head key state-owned enterprises, then they share responsibility for losses incurred. A Catering company located in europe owned by family of Ijaz Haroon was designated as sole vendor for all flights that transit or terminate in europe. no wonder PIA aircraft are searched for smuggling drugs at major airports.

GuLL ZAMAN Peshawar

Curse of unemployment UneMPlOYMenT due grave economic recession and poor governance has caused frustration and anger among educated youth. Successive government policies, instead of addressing these issues have been captive to vested interests, rehiring retired civil or uniformed officers and judges making matters worse. Can anybody justify hiring retired paid state employees receiving pension and other benefits like allotment of real estate plots etc, including free medical coverage, on contract whilst more qualified and educated youth, with specialised professional qualifications and skills, remain unemployed.

This has contributed to brain drain, growing discontent and frustration. The acute economic crisis that Pakistan faces is testimony, if any is required, that unless state employs highly qualified individuals who have specialised in economics, technology, medicine and science this country will not recover from the mess. British Raj trained civil and unformed bureaucracy was to run an occupied country, for the sole benefit of HM government. In the UK, USA etc the state employs best qualified specialists at key assignments where policies are made, whilst civil service officers are confined to administrative posts only.

If Pakistan wants to develop, it must invest in development and optimum utilisation of talent to keep at pace with fast technological changes. Our Civil Service is outdated and not trained to serve people as public servants but have decadent mindset for which they were trained by the Raj to serve as agents of occupation forces. They continue to live on islands of prosperity in gated housing societies in palatial villas spread over acres, instead of modest houses at state expense, surrounded by a sea of people living in misery, denied even basic necessities like clean drinking water, with garbage dumps serving as breeding grounds for mosquitoes and an outdated sanitation system infected with polio virus, typhoid and blocked gutters. This is certainly not Jinnah’s Pakistan.

ALi MALik TAriq Lahore

Ayub Park TODAY I visited Ayub Park in Rawalpindi after about 20 years and was very pleasantly surprised. I had expected things to be run down like most things that people complain about, but it was neat and clean; the staff was polite and respectful and knew what to do; the foliage looked well cared for. All in all, it was a very nice experience. The only thing maring the serenity of this lovely park was the constant noise from the highway. What I’ve noticed in other parts of the world with similar problems is that they build ramparts around the place where they wish to have some noise insulation. If one had a lot of money to spend, one could use industrially produced ramparts with special noise insulation properties. However I’ve seen quite a few places where the insulation is provided with a simple dirt wall, which works wonders. Considering that labour is cheap in Pakistan, I would think building a dirt hillock along the wall that borders the grand trunk road should be cheap and sufficient to provide the much-needed insulation. I’m sure better minds than mine can investigate the possibilities here, but not knowing who to mention this to, I thought I could write it in a letter to the editor, and hope that it reaches someone who has the will and the power to investigate what is possible.

OMEr qAdir rawalpindi

Friday, 13 December, 2019

10 FOREIGN NEWS

North KoreA sAys Us hAs NothINg to offer regArdINg ANy NUcleAr deAl SEOUL

N

AGENCIES

ORTH Korea said on Thursday the United States had nothing to offer it in possible renewed talks aimed at getting Pyongyang to give up its nuclear and missile programs after Washington said it was ready to take “concrete steps” toward securing a deal.

It criticised the United States for convening a U.N. Security Council meeting on Wednesday, calling it a “foolish thing” which would help Pyongyang to make a clear decision on which path it would take.

“The U.S. talks about dialogue, whenever it opens its mouth, but it is too natural that the U.S. has nothing to present before us though dialogue may open,” North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in a statement carried by the state news agency KCNA. The 15-member Se-

curity Council met as concerns grow internationally that North Korea could resume nuclear or long-range missile testing, suspended since 2017, because denuclearization talks between Pyongyang and Washington have stalled. The U.S. envoy to the United Nations, Kelly Craft, said the United States was ready “to simultaneously take concrete steps” toward a deal on North Korea’s nuclear and

missile programs but she added that the Security Council must be prepared to respond to any provocations.

“The U.S. talked about a ‘corresponding measure’ in the meeting.

However, as we already declared, we have nothing to lose more and we are ready to take a countermeasure corresponding to anything that the U.S. opts for,” the Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.

North Korea also defended its right to missile and weapons tests, while calling the United States “bandit-like” in the statement. U.S. Special Representative for North Korea, Stephen Biegun, is expected to visit Seoul next week to meet South Korean officials, leading to speculation he could try to salvage talks by reaching out to North Korea ahead of the deadline. Meanwhile, China’s U.N. ambassador, Zhang Jun, said on Wednesday it was imperative the Security Council ease sanctions on North Korea in a bid to support talks between Pyongyang and Washington and “head off a dramatic reversal” of the situation. North Korea has said it will wait until the end of the year for the United States to drop its “hostile policy” toward Pyongyang, and to offer something other than demands for unilateral disarmament. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said he could decide to take an unspecified “new path” if the United States fails to offer a compromise.

NZ military set for risky mission to retrieve bodies from volcano WELLINGTON AGENCIES

New Zealand’s military will embark on a risky dawn mission to retrieve eight bodies from the still-active White Island volcano, officials said Thursday, as pressure from distraught victims’ families mounted. Teams will move in “shortly after first light” on Friday, deputy police commissioner Mike Clement said, despite volcanologists warning that the chances of another significant eruption in the next 24 hours had risen to 50-60 percent. “They will go on to the island and they will make every effort to recover all of the bodies” and transport them to military frigate HMNZS Wellington anchored off the coast, he said.

With the help of drone flights and helicopter pilots who were near the volcano immediately after the eruption, authorities have located six of the eight bodies on the island. Recovering the six will be a priority, Clement said. A geologist will be on hand sifting data in realtime to determine whether another eruption is imminent and whether the mission needs to be aborted.

“The risk is not gone,” Clement said. “Of course I’m going to worry tonight.”

“People are putting themselves on the frontline to do the right thing… our thoughts and our prayers and our love will be with them.”

The number of people believed to have died in Monday’s disaster now stands at 16.

That includes the eight people thought to be still

on White Island — among them New Zealand tour guide Hayden Marshall-Inman. His brother Mark Inman has epitomised families’ frustrations with stalled recovery efforts, putting the delay down to “red tape, bureaucracy” and failed leadership, while offering to go to the island himself. A visibly anguished Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern earlier expressed empathy with the families but insisted “everyone is desperate to get those victims back”.

“We are all in exactly the same place and wanting to make sure that as soon as possible, as soon as we can, that recovery operation begins.”

After days of caution and focusing on the risk to rescuers, police have indicated they now see the recovery as a race against time, and the longer the operation is delayed, the less chance there is of returning identifiable remains to grieving families. On White Island poisonous gases are still billowing from the volcanic vent and the island is blanketed in a thick layer of acidic ash.

GeoNet vulcanologist Nico Fournier said the dangers facing recovery teams if an eruption occurred included magma, superheated steam, ash and cannonball-like rocks thrown from the caldera at supersonic speed.

While officials weighed how to recover bodies of the dead, some 29 people — mostly tourists who had been on a day trip to see the natural wonder — are still being treated in hospitals across New Zealand and Australia, many in a critical condition suffering severe burns. The survivors’ injuries were so severe New Zealand doctors initially estimated they would need to import 1.2 million square centimetres (185,000 square inches) of skin for grafts — although that was likely to be revised down as victims were moved overseas to ease the strain on hospitals. Police said two people died in hospital overnight, taking the confirmed number of fatalities to eight.

India’s top court rejects pleas for review of Ayodhya verdict NEW DELHI: India’s Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed 18 petitions seeking a review of its recent ruling in favour of the building of a Hindu temple on a disputed site in northern India where a 16th-century mosque was torn down by Hindu hardliners in 1992. The petitioners, representing the Muslim litigants, had said they were aggrieved by the court’s decision and sought reconsideration of the verdict. The November ruling was seen as a major victory for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, which has promised to build a Hindu temple at the demolished site as part of its election strategy for decades. The court said Muslims would be given five acres (two hectares) of land at an alternative site. The dispute over the site of the Babri Masjid in the town of Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh state has lasted more than a century. Hindus believe Lord Ram, the warrior god, was born at the site and that Mughal Muslim rulers built a mosque on top of a temple there. A December 1992 riot following the destruction of the mosque sparked communal violence in which about 2,000 people were killed, mostly Muslims. AGENCIES

Malaysia seizes Vietnamese oil tanker that was tracked in North Korea

KUALA LUMPUR: A Vietnamese oil tanker which Reuters reported visited North Korea in February has been seized by Malaysia after it was found adrift off the Malaysian coast, maritime agency officials said. Refinitiv shipping data quoted by Reuters showed the Viet Tin 01 arrived just outside the harbour of Nampo on North Korea’s western coast on Feb. 25 carrying 2,000 tonnes of gasoline, shortly before talks between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump in Hanoi.

It was not clear whether the tanker unloaded cargo at Nampo. Under sanctions imposed by the United Nations, North Korea is heavily restricted in its imports of crude oil and refined petroleum products. The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said a team of officers boarded the tanker on Sunday after it was found anchored without authorization just off the southern Malaysian state of Johor. “Earlier, the agency’s vessel and boat assets… assigned to the site had attempted to contact the tanker via radio and speakers, but no response was received and the vessel was suspected to have been abandoned,” Johor MMEA director Aminuddin Abdul Rashid said in a statement posted on the agency’s Facebook page. The agency said the only person aboard the tanker was its 61year-old Vietnamese chief engineer, who said the vessel had drifted from its original position. The crew member detained for further investigations, Aminuddin said, but did not say whether the vessel was being investigated for its links to North Korea. An MMEA spokesman said the authorities were waiting for the tanker’s owners to claim it.

He declined further comment. Calls to Ho Chi Minh Citybased Viet Trust Shipping Corp., the registered owner of the Viet Tin 01, went unanswered. Since February the tanker has parked near China’s coastline, first at the port of Shidao and then Shanghai, before stopping to transmit location data from its automatic identification system (AIS) between March 20 and July 9, shipping data showed.

On July 9, the tanker made a brief stop in Taiwan’s Kaohsiung port before heading toward waters in southeast Malaysia where it arrived on July 20 and remained until at least Aug. 21, the data showed. The Viet Tin 01 last transmitted AIS location data on Aug. 21. AGENCIES

World’s oldest artwork uncovered in Indonesian cave JAKARTA AGENCIES

An Indonesian cave painting that depicts a prehistoric hunting scene could be the world’s oldest figurative artwork dating back nearly 44,000 years, a discovery that points to an advanced artistic culture, according to new research.

Spotted two years ago on the island of Sulawesi, the 4.5 metre (13 foot) wide painting features wild animals being chased by half-human hunters wielding what appear to be spears and ropes, said the study published in the journal Nature on Wednesday. Using dating technology, the team at Australia’s Griffith University said it had confirmed that the limestone cave painting dated back at least 43,900 years during the Upper Palaeolithic period.

“This hunting scene is — to our knowledge — currently the oldest pictorial record of storytelling and the earliest

figurative artwork in the world,” researchers said. The discovery comes after a painting of an animal in a cave on the Indonesian island of Borneo was earlier determined to have been at least 40,000 years old, while in 2014, researchers dated figurative art on Sulawesi to 35,000 years ago. “I’ve never seen anything like this before,” Griffith University archaeologist Adam Brumm told Nature.

“I mean, we’ve seen hundreds of rock art sites in this region, but we’ve never seen anything like a hunting scene,” he added. For many years, cave art was thought to have emerged from Europe, but Indonesian paintings have challenged that thinking. There are at least 242 caves or shelters with ancient imagery on Sulawesi alone, and new sites are being discovered annually, the team said.

In the latest dated scene, the animals appear to be wild pigs and small buffalo, while the hunters are depicted in reddish-

brown colours with human bodies and the heads of animals including birds and reptiles. The human-animal figures, known in mythology as therianthropes, suggested that early humans in the region were able to imagine things that did not exist in the world, the researchers said.

“We don’t know what it means, but it seems to be about hunting and it seems to maybe have mythological or supernatural connotations,” Brumm was quoted as saying. A half-lion, half-human ivory figure found in Germany that was estimated to be some 40,000 years old was thought to be the oldest example of therianthropy, the article said. The Sulawesi painting, which is in poor condition, suggests that a highly advanced artistic culture existed some 44,000 years ago, punctuated by folklore, religious myths and spiritual belief, the team said. “(The scene) may be regarded not only as the earliest dated figurative art in the world but also as the oldest evidence

for the communication of a narrative in Palaeolithic art,” researchers said.

“This is noteworthy, given that the ability to invent fictional stories may have

been the last and most crucial stage in the evolutionary history of human language and the development of modern-like patterns of cognition.”

Friday, 13 December, 2019

busINess 11

ECC APProvES rS459.5m tEChNiCAl grANt to ComBAt loCuStS

CORPORATE CORNER

ISLAMABAD

KARACHI: Telenor Microfinance Bank (TMB) and Pakistan Baitul Mal signed a memorandum of understanding for the promotion of financial knowledge among women. TMB CEO Mudassar Aqil and Pakistan Baitul Mal MD Aon Abbas Buppi were present during the signing ceremony. pres s r e l e a s e

KARACHI: Pakistan Mercantile Exchange (PMEX) on Thursday signed an agreement with HashMove. Under this agreement, HashMove will provide a digital multimodal logistics platform for PMEX. p r e s s r e l e a s e

A

GHUlaM aBBas

S the desert locusts have become a threat to the country's agricultural sector, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) on Thursday approved a technical grant of Rs459.5 million to deal with the emerging threat.

Approving the technical supplementary grant, the ECC directed the Ministry of National Food Security & Research to brief in its next meeting measures taken so far, including the areas treated with spray and pesticides, to control the threat of desert locusts in different parts of the country.

The meeting was held in Islamabad with Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance & Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh in the chair.

The ECC was informed that nine districts of the country were affected by locusts and that the Department of Plant Protection has been given the responsibility to deal with the threat. "So far, 170,000 hectares have been cleared while the ministry is provided with updates on a daily

ISLAMABAD

ISLAMABAD: Sanofi Pakistan has signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Education Foundation (NEF) to launch the 3rd wave of its international CSR programme ‘Kids and Diabetes in Schools’ (KiDS). press r e l e a s e

The Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) was involved in alleged tax evasion worth Rs221.7 million, as it wrongly claimed an exemption on customs duty during the import of seamless pipes from China, Pakistan Today has learnt.

As per the documents available with this scribe, the Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation-Customs (Islamabad), upon scrutiny of goods declaration (GD), has recovered a huge amount of Rs221.7 million from OGDCL on the import of seamless pipes (GD number KEWB-HC-2414) and has duly deposited the said amount in the government's treasury.

"The pay order(s) amounting to Rs221,715,659 (Rs221.7 million) submitted by the importer were sent to the clearance collectorate for deposit in the government treasury,” said a letter issued by Customs Islamabad.

According to details, OGDC in 2017 had imported seamless pipeline from China and got

them cleared under the Harmonized System, claiming an exemption under serial No.1 of SRO-678(1)/2004. The GD was assessed and cleared by the collectorate under the claimed exemption on customs duty at 5pc and additional customs duty at 4pc. This amounted to Rs71,778,451 against the total assessed value of Rs797,538,341.

Documents further revealed that the exemption was wrongly claimed/availed as it was not admissible on the goods being locally manufactured.

Talking to Pakistan Today, an OGDCL spokesman said that the comapny was the biggest taxpayer of the country as its contributions to the exchequer were in excess of Rs164 billion in FY2018-19. "It is unfortunate that a dispute on applicable rate of duty is being portrayed in a different way."

He maintained that it was a question of applicability of concessionary customs duty allowed to exploration and production industry.

"Our position will be formally communicated to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) so that corrective action with regard to its duty regime is taken," he added.

SECP issues ‘Regulatory Sandbox Guidelines’ to facilitate startups ISLAMABAD INp

KARACHI: Karachi Premier League (KPL) CEO Moiz Bin Zahid, Patron-in-Chief Zeeshan Altaf Lohya and KFC Chief Marketing Officer Muhammad Noor Alam address a media conference during an MoU signing ceremony between KPL and KFC. p r e s s r e l e a s e

first project reaches closure, ISGS should be financially self-sustaining and it should put forward a business plan in order to return the loan it has taken,” the ECC directed.

The committee also approved the placement of the ‘Annual Report’ of the National Economic Council (as required under Article 156 of the Constitution) before the cabinet after the chair was briefed that the points raised regarding the report had been duly addressed.

The Ministry of Energy got approved a proposal for the extension and rehabilitation of gas network in oil and gas producing districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (phase 1).

On the Ministry of Interior's proposal, the ECC approved the allocation of Rs300 million through Technical Supplementary Grant (TSG) to raise special wing of Pakistan Rangers for (protection of) Kartarpur Corridor on the recommendation of General Headquarters. The ECC directed that a three-member committee, consisting of Adviser to PM on Institutional Reforms and Austerity Dr Ishrat Hussain, shall look into the details of the proposal and further rationalise the costs.

Customs recovers Rs221.7m tax money from OGDCL aHMaD aHMaDaNI

KARACHI: Pakistan International Airline (PIA), in collaboration with Afzaal Memorial Thalassemia Foundation, organized a one-day blood donation camp at its head office on Thursday. press release

basis," the committee was told.

Meanwhile, the ECC approved the "Enactment of Pakistan Single Window Bill, 2019" in order to "facilitate businesses in Pakistan".

The ECC was apprised that 42 government agencies were involved in granting approvals for different businesses. Through this single window, all parties involved in trade and transport could lodge standardised information and documents with a single-entry point to fulfil all import, export and transit-related regulatory requirements.

The FBR's Customs Wing had developed a National Single Window Roadmap and Implementation Framework in April 2018 with the help of international experts. This initiative was expected to improve Pakistan's ranking in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business Index. It was expected that the project would be completed in December 2021.

Moreover, the ECC allowed Gas Holding Private Limited to continue with the funding facility for Interstate Gas Systems (Private) Limited for another two years. “There would be a provision in the agreement that as soon as the

In order to promote innovation in the financial sector and to encourage startups, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has issued Regulatory Sandbox Guidelines, 2019.

This would be Pakistan's first regulatory sandbox in the financial services industry.

"The guidelines are aimed at reducing regulatory obligations by allowing testing of new products, business models and services in the regulatory sandbox," said a statement issued by the commission. "The regulatory sandbox will be available for all the regulated sectors of the SECP

i.e. insurance, capital markets, non-banking financial services and overall corporate sector."

The sandbox is a tailored regulatory environment to conduct limited scale, live tests of innovative products, services, processes, and/ or business models in a controlled environment. Such tests will be conducted under close supervision of the regulator for a specific period so as to assess the viability and compatibility and conducive regulatory environment for the innovative solutions.

Regulatory sandboxes are becoming increasingly popular regulatory tools internationally. As of now, more than 50 countries have introduced their respective regulatory sandboxes with similar objectives.

SBP reserves increase $120m to $9.23bn BUSINESS DESK: The foreign exchange reserves held by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) increased 1.32pc on a weekly basis, according to data released by the central bank on Thursday. On December 6, the foreign currency reserves held by the SBP were recorded at $9,233.6 million, increasing by $120.7 million compared with $9,112.9 million in the previous week.

According to SBP, such levels were last seen on April 26, 2019. "During the week ending December 6, SBP made a repayment of Pakistan International Sukuk of $1 billion," the central bank stated.

"After accounting for multilateral and other official inflows during the week, SBP reserves increased by $121 million." The central bank also received inflows worth $1.3 billion from the Asian Development Bank on December 9. "These funds will be part of the SBP weekly reserves data as of December 13, 2019, to be released on December 19," the statement added.

Overall, liquid foreign currency reserves held by the country, including net reserves held by banks other than the SBP, stood at $16,048.1 million. Net reserves held by banks amounted to $6,814.5 million.

Apple's China iPhone shipments fall 35pc in November Apple Inc’s iPhone shipments in China fell more than 35pc in November, marking their second straight double-digit decline as sales of the cheaper iPhone 11 remained sluggish, brokerage Credit Suisse said on Thursday.

Shares of the company fell more than 1pc to 267.67 in early trading. Total iPhone shipments in China in the SeptemberNovember period dropped 7.4pc from a year earlier, Credit Suisse analyst Matthew Cabral said, citing data from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The latest iPhone 11 range hit stores in China in September, with short queues of die-hard fans contrasting with the hundreds who camped out ahead of some previous launches. aGeNCIes

India’s November retail inflation jumps to 40-month high NEW DELHI aGeNCIes

India’s retail price inflation in November jumped to a 40-month high on higher food prices, reducing the likelihood of the central bank cutting interest rates in the next policy meeting in February.

Food inflation rose sharply as unusually heavy rains at the end of the monsoon season hit crop yields and caused a spurt in prices of vegetables such as onions.

This is the second month in a row when the retail inflation has remained above the central bank’s medium-term target of 4pc.

Annual retail inflation increased to 5.54pc last month, faster than the 4.62pc rate in October and ahead of 5.26pc forecast in a Reuters poll of analysts.

Increasing inflation and the growth rate slipping to a more than six-year low of 4.5pc in the July-September period could make policymakers and the Re-

serve Bank of India walk a tight rope in the coming months.

Already concerns on the inflation front prevented the Reserve Bank of India from cutting its key lending rate for the sixth straight time earlier this month, despite slashing its growth rate forecast for 2019-20 to 5pc, which would be the lowest since the 2008 financial crisis.

Economists said that the central bank would continue to hold the rates.

“With the likely bottoming of growth

and elevated inflation as well as concerns on large fiscal slippages, the policy rate (by RBI) may remain in hold in FY20,” said Sujan Hajra, chief economist at Anand Rathi Securities.

Retail food prices, which make up nearly half of India’s inflation basket, increased 10.01pc in November from a year earlier, against 7.89pc in October.

Four analysts said November core inflation, which strips off food and fuel prices to reflect the demand in the econ-

omy, remained flat at 3.40pc-3.6pc against 3.44pc-3.60pc in October.

Weak demand is reflected in the power, fuel, real estate and sales of vehicles, which have resulted in hundreds of thousands of job losses in some industries.

Economists expect the government to loosen its fiscal deficit target to further provide stimulus for the economy by cutting tax rates for individuals, having already cut corporate tax rates to increase investment in the economy.

Friday, 13 December, 2019

12 busINess

NA BoDy oPPoSES Bill ProPoSED to mEEt FAtF CoNDitioNS

MaRkEt Daily

KSE-100 falls flat after range-bound session KARACHI sTaFF repOrT

Continuing with the trend from the previous session, the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) ended a range-bound session flat on Thursday. Foreign investors ended as net sellers for the second consecutive session on Wednesday.

A net inflow of $0.826 million was recorded with major selling witnessed in the banking sector. On the economic front, the country’s exports grew by 9.35pc to $2,011 million in November 2019 as compared to the same month last year. Imports decreased by 14pc to $3,940 million over the corresponding month last year. This helped the trade deficit to decline by 29.65pc. Gaining 238.46 points, the benchmark KSE-100 Index recorded its intraday high at 40,769.88. The index then slid to day’s low at 359.10 after losing 40,172.32 points. It closed lower by 17.25 points at 40,514.17. The KMI-30 index added 23.69 points to end at 64,211.99, while the KSE All Share Index clenched 104.30 points, settling at 29,041.75. The overall trading volumes shrank from 305.03 million in the previous session to 227.02 million. Shares worth Rs8.41 billion were traded in Thursday’s session. Unity Foods Limited (UNITY +1.64pc) turned out to be the volume leader of the day, followed by TRG Pakistan Limited (TRG -3.96pc) and Fauji Foods Limited (FFL -1.33pc).

The scripts had exchanged 37.75 million, 12.90 million and 11.01 million shares, respectively. Sectors that drove the south included oil and gas marketing (-24.62 points), banking (-24.54 points) and cement (-21.26 points). On the other hand, oil and gas exploration (+53.14 points), tobacco (+31.61 points) and investment banking sectors (+27.11 points) remained the top positive contributors.

The refinery sector lost 2.28pc from its cumulative market capitalization. Pakistan Refinery Limited (PRL -3.79pc), National Refinery Limited (NRL -2.85pc), Attock Refinery Limited (ATRL -2.18pc) and Byco Petroleum Pakistan Limited (BYCO -1.86pc) ended in the red zone.

trade deficit contracts 33pc to 9.7bn BUSINESS DESK Pakistan's trade deficit contracted 33pc to $9.7 billion in first five months of the current fiscal year (FY20) on the back of significant compression in imports and a nominal increase growth in exports. As per the figures released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), exports fell in November over the preceding month (October 2019) while average increase in exports in July-November was less than 5pc. The PTI government may again miss the annual export target until monthly shipments are increased to $2.5 billion in the remaining seven months of the current fiscal year. Cumulatively, the exports grew 4.8pc or $436 million to $9.54 billion in the JulyNovember FY20. Overall, the trade deficit, which stood at $14.5 billion in 5MFY19, shrank to $9.7 billion in the same period of the current fiscal year. In absolute terms, there was a reduction of $4.8 billion in the trade deficit and 91pc improvement came from the import side.

Imports during the period under review dropped 18.4pc to $19.2 billion. In absolute terms, imports contracted $4.3 billion, which provided some relief for the government that was struggling to enhance exports. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected that the trade deficit of Pakistan in the current fiscal year would narrow down to $24.8 billion. The projection is based on 8.2pc increase in exports and 4.7pc contraction in imports.

GOVT PROPOSES INCLUSION OF ‘ECONOMIC CRIMES’ AND ‘ILLEGAL MONEY TRANSFERS’ IN ANTI-TERRORISM ACT ISLAMABAD

t

GHUlaM aBBas

HE National Assembly's Standing Committee on Interior has opposed an amendment bill introduced mainly to meet the conditions set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

The committee members showed annoyance over the government's move to include "economic crimes" and "illegal money transfers" in the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), saying that the new law "could be used by the government for political victimisation".

Earlier, the NA body was informed that amendments in the ATA 1997 have been proposed to facilitate certain requirements of FATF so that those accused of terror financing could be tried in anti-terrorism courts.

Briefing the NA committee, an interior ministry official stated that certain amendments [in ATA] were essential in the wake of FATF requirements, which were earlier included in the anti-money laundering laws.

OPPOSITION MEMBERS FEAR THAT AMENDED ATA WILL BE USED BY GOVT FOR ‘POLITICAL VICTIMISATION’

He said the ATA lacked the definition of "agent", "economic terrorism" as well as provisions regarding "detention of those involved in economic crime for inquiry”.

The committee was informed that the proposed amendments would further enhance the applicability of ATA in cases pertaining to the transfer of money through informal channels, including hawala and hundi.

"Besides, a new section 9 (A) has been inserted that allows federal and provincial authorities to detain any accused person for inquiry as well as to review the applications of aggrieved persons against the detention orders," the official informed.

Explaining the amendments, the officials of FATF cell in law ministry told the committee that the definition of "economic terrorism" meant transfer of money or funds from Pakistan to destinations abroad through any informal channel, including hundi or hawala, where the total amount transferred by an agent, through a single or multiple transactions within one month, was equal to or exceeds Rs50 million.

The amendments highlighted that detention

FBR officers deployed at sugar mills to curb tax evasion

of those accused of "economic crime" would be authorised through a specific or general order passed by the interior secretary or the home secretary of the province.

As per the officials, the amendments allowed detention up to three months, and that a police officer, equivalent to the rank of SP or senior, could conduct the inquiry.

Following the briefing on the amendments, the first objection was raised by PPP MNA Abdul Qadir Patel, followed by PML-N's Pervaiz Malik. They believed that the amendments could be used for political victimisation.

While the officials requested that the amendments may be approved as it were the requirements of FATF, committee chairman Raja Khurrum Shazad deferred the bill and directed the interior ministry to club all the ATA-related amendments.

Meanwhile, the committee approved a private member bill moved by Sanaullah Khan Mastikhel to abolish interest-based loans by nonregistered persons. The jurisdiction of the bill was within the limits of Islamabad district only.

Draft of int’l transshipment rules framed BUSINESS DESK

ISLAMABAD sHaHZaD paraCHa

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has deployed its officers at sugar mills to monitor the commodity's production, sales and stock position.

According to sources, the tax department has deployed Inland Revenue (IR) officers at 20 sugar mills under Section 40B of Sales Tax Act, 1990. "Sugar mill owners were not providing accurate information about the production, sales and stock position to the FBR," sources added.

The sugar mills where the officials have been posted include Darya Khan Sugar Mills Limited, Popular Sugar Mills Limited, Deharki Sugar Mill Limited, Adam Sugar Mill Limited, Baba Farid Sugar Mill Limited, Digri Sugar Mill Limited, Mirpurkhas Sugar Mill Limited, Faran Sugar Mills Limited, Mehran Sugar Mills Limited, Dewan Sugar Mills Limited, Al-Abbas Sugar Mills Limited, Ansari Sugar Mills Limited, Bawany Sugar Mills Limited, Larr Sugar Mills Limited, New Dadu Sugar Mills Limited, Rani Sugar Mills (Pvt) Limited, Al-Noor Sugar Mills Limited, Tando Allahyar Sugar Mills Limited, Habib

Sugar Mills Limited and Sindabadgar Sugar Mills Limited.

It is pertinent to mention that FBR had recently conducted a thorough analysis of sugar production for the fiscal year 2018-19, which revealed huge tax evasion by sugar mills.

The outcome of the analysis showed that FBR and the cane commissioners of three provinces had a sugar production difference of 641,000 metric tonnes, signalling towards underreporting of stock by the mills.

The FBR had noted that local supplies during the tax period of July 2019 fell by 255pc due to enhancement in the tax rate (from 8pc in June 2019 to 17pc in July 2019).

The analysis further revealed that the stock holding

last year ending June 2018 was 3,147,000 metric tonnes, whereas the closing stock of the year ending on June 2019 was only 2,230,778 metric tonnes, depicting a decline of 29pc.

It was also pointed out that the sugar manufacturers had declared a high quantity of supplies during June 2019 to evade sales tax, knowing that the rate was to increase in July 2019.

According to per the FBR analysis, "Sugarcane is the biggest raw material of sugar industry.

The undocumented/under-documented nature of this agriculture sector poses a great challenge to accurately gauge the quantity of sugarcane produced and supplied to a particular mill."

In line with the federal government's policy to create an investment and trade-friendly environment in the country, a dedicated team was constituted to draft the International Transshipment Rules. "The team, keeping in view the emergent China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)-related trade and to facilitate transit trade in general, has drafted the rules in the shortest possible time," said a statement issued on Thursday. "After vetting by the Law Division, these rules are being published for a review by the public and if any feedback is received, the same will be incorporated." It may be added that the Gwadar Port was already included in the “transit rules” framed under the Afghanistan–Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA) 2010. As per the statement, Prime Minister Imran Khan has been paying special attention to the development of Balochistan; a dedicated body namely National Development Council was created for the uplift of the province. In the first meeting of the National Development Council on 26th August, infrastructure development of Gwadar Port was given special preference. The agenda of the meeting included improvement of security in the border regions, budgetary support, recruiting locals in public sector jobs, improving road infrastructure, development of coastal areas, establishment of special economic zones at hub, development of Gwadar Port, and exploration of oil and gas.

Recently, some Afghan businessmen have shown their intention to utilise Gwadar Port for the transportation of Afghan Transit Cargo.

Both the international transshipments and transit rules would generate economic activities in Balochistan.

saudi Aramco hits Crown Prince’s $2tr goal RIYADH/DUBAI aGeNCIes

Saudi Aramco hit the $2 trillion target sought by de-facto Saudi leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Thursday as its shares racked up a second day of gains, despite some scepticism about the state-owned oil firm’s value.

Aramco’s initial public offering (IPO) is the centrepiece of the Saudi crown prince’s vision for diversifying the kingdom away from its oil dependence by using the $25.6 billion raised to develop other industries.

But that is well below his 2016 plan to raise as much as $100 billion via a block-

buster international and domestic IPO. Riyadh scaled back its ambitions after overseas investors baulked at the proposed valuation and only 1.5pc of Saudi Arabian Oil Co (Aramco) shares were listed on the Riyadh stock exchange on Wednesday, a tiny free float for such a huge company. Aramco shares hit 38.7 riyals ($10.32), lifting its market value above $2 trillion and closed at 36.8 riyals, a rise of 4.5pc from Wednesday’s close and valuing the company at $1.96 trillion, Refinitiv data showed.

While a 10pc jump in the stock on its debut, the maximum allowed by the Riyadh exchange, was hailed by the Saudi government as a vindication, sup-

port was largely from loyal Saudi and Gulf rather than overseas investors.

The IPO was frontpage news in mainstream Saudi media, with headlines such as “Aramco at the top of the world” and “A dream come true”.

But Bernstein analysts put Aramco’s value at around $1.36 trillion, which compares with U.S. energy giant Exxon Mobil’s market capitalization of less than $300 billion. “Saudi Aramco is the largest, most profitable oil company in the world – but size is not everything,” they wrote, flagging the risk of slow net income growth if oil prices stay flat.

An International Energy Agency (IEA) report pointed to pressure on oil

prices, predicting a sharp rise in global inventories despite an agreement by OPEC and its allies to deepen output cuts as well as lower expected production by the US and other non-OPEC countries.

Bernstein said Aramco should trade at a discount rather than a premium to international oil majors, with corporate governance “the key risk” as the Saudi government owns more than 98pc of it.

“For actively managed funds, one of the key considerations – aside from valuation – will be ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance) criteria,” said Tim Love, Investment Director for emerging markets equities at GAM. Some 15.9 billion riyals worth of

Aramco shares were traded by the close, with around 417.7 million shares exchanging hands, Refinitiv data showed.

This made up most of the total turnover of the whole Riyadh market which was 18.5 billion riyals.

“Initial price action has validated our thesis that Aramco discounted its IPO price to leave upside on the table and allow regional investors to benefit from the listing of its crown jewel,” Zachary Cefaratti, CEO of Dubai-based Dalma Capital, which invested in the IPO, said in a note on Thursday.

“The average institutional investor received less than 1/6th of the shares they bid for in the IPO, and have had to buy shares on the open market,” Cefaratti said of the Aramco deal, which became the world’s largest, topping the $25 billion 2014 listing of China’s Alibaba.

Misha, Asma & Hira

Aliya Khalid with Friend

Ali Abbas During World War I, a Canadian soldier made a black bear his pet and named her Winnipeg.

“Winnie” was later a resident of the London Zoological Gardens where she was an adored attraction, especially to a boy named Christopher Robin, son of author A.A. Milne. The boy even named his teddy bear after her.

Retainoo's Software Launch Retainoo an Australian based company launched their customer retention software for the beauty industry in Pakistan. Hosted the launch over a hi-tea at Mouthful, Gulberg and was attended by high end salons of Lahore including Asma T., Tony and Guy, Shumaila's London, NS Glam, IRIS, Andy Harrison, Cosme Studio, Amina Z, Alysian, Zara Gul, Misha Amir, Asma's Beauty Concept, Magnifique, Halcyon, De Woman, Picture Perfect by Zunaira and many others.

Aliya

Amna

Hira & Asma

Sleep literally cleans your brain. During slumber, more cerebrospinal fluid flushes through the brain to wash away harmful proteins and toxins that build up during the day.

Andy Harrison

HOLLYWOOD BOLLYWOOD

Laiba Cheema

Asma

Mahroosh

Shah Hussain, Hira, Shah Abdullah

Misha Amir

She-Hulk Writer F-Bombs Abrams; Loves The Last Jedi #RIPShe-Hulk, as the writer on the Disney Plus series reveals she is a big fan of Rian Johnson and Star Wars: The Last Jedi, as Dana Schwartz f-bombs director J.J. Abrams.

A recent article and interview put out by the NY Times sees Abrams, Boyega, Isaac, and Ridely offer up they don't like what Rian Johnson did with Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

“On the other hand,” Abrams said about The Last Jedi, “it’s a bit of a meta approach to the story. I don’t think that people go to ‘Star Wars’ to be told, ‘This doesn’t matter.’”

Boyega offered up he's glad Abrams returned to finish his story from The Force Awakens: “Even as a normal person in the audience, I wanted to see where that story was going."

Oscar Isaac also expressed his frustration: "The characters were very frustrated, and it felt that way. You felt the difficult energy of those scenes, figuring that stuff out." Daisy Ridley revealed she cried when she heard Abrams would be returning: “I cried [and breathed sighs of relief],” Ridley said, explaining that the director brought a comforting sense of structure and security.

Jahnazeb and Usman

Hassan Awan

Zunaira & Hira

Dave Bautista Teases Possible DC 'Dream' Role Dave Bautista takes to social media to tease a possible DC dream role, which may be for the Batman villains, Bane or possibly Clayface.

The WWE Superstar turned actor posted an image of himself on Monday in front of Warner Bros. studios.

Regarding why Dave Bautista may be teasing a DC role, the 50-year-old actor previously let it be known he wants to join the DCEU as Marvel doesn't see his worth as Drax.

"Point is I freaking love comic book characters and I want a stand-alone," Bautista tweeted back in August. "Marvel Studios doesn’t see worth in Drax or possibly myself or both but I’m not giving up. I missed out on a DC project because of scheduling conflicts but hopefully, there’s other characters and opportunities."

Regarding missing out on a DC project, it's thought that Dave Bautista is talking about James Gunn's The Suicide Squad, as Bautista was rumored for the role of Peacemaker, a role thought to have gone to fellow WWE Superstar John Cena, as Bautista had scheduling conflict while filming Zack Snyder's new Netflix movie, Army of the Dead.

CMYK

Neil Armstrong's astronaut application arrived a week past the deadline. A friend slipped the tardy form in with the others.

Happy Birthday Rajinikanth: Soundarya calls him ‘my everything’, Aishwaryaa says ‘will follow you forever’ Actor Rajinikanth, who turned 70 on Thursday, received special wishes from his daughters, Soundarya Rajinikanth and Aishwaryaa R Dhanush. The two took to social media to wish their father.

Aishwaryaa, who is married to actor Dhanush, posted a picture with her father and wrote on Instagram, “Will follow forever ... just to see that smile .. happy birthday Appa!” In the picture, Rajinikanth, sporting in salt and pepper beard walks ahead as Aishwaryaa is walking behind him. Soundarya, meanwhile, shared three pictures with her father and wrote: “Happy birthday my life my father... My everything!!” In one of the pictures, Soundarya is standing next to her dad, sharing a hug.

In yet another picture, both the daughters flank their parents, Rajinikanth and Latha as they pose for a family picture.

Many industry colleagues and young actors wished Rajinikanth on his birthday.

Friday, 13 December, 2019

14 SPORTS

ATleTiCo, ATAlAnTA reACH lAsT 16 As BAyern Cruise pAsT spurs MADRID

A

AGENCIES

TLETICO Madrid claimed the final spot in the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday with a 2-0 win over Lokomotiv Moscow, after Atalanta completed an impressive comeback in Group C to qualify.

Bayern Munich sealed consecutive victories over Tottenham with a 3-1 success at the Allianz Arena, while Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus also finished their group campaigns on winning notes. Diego Simeone's Atletico went into their game knowing defeat, coupled with a Bayer Leverkusen win against Juve, would see them dumped out. Kieran Tripper had a second-minute penalty brilliantly saved by Lokomotiv goalkeeper Anton Kochenkov at the Wanda Metropolitano, but Joao Felix made no mistake from the spot a

quarter of an hour later.

Atletico wasted a string of chances and Alvaro Morata had a goal ruled out

by VAR for offside. But their place in the knockout rounds was secured when centre-back Felipe volleyed home Koke's cross after a short corner routine.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his second Champions League goal of the season as Juve, who were already sure of top spot, saw off Leverkusen 2-0 in Germany in the other Group D game.

Substitute Paulo Dybala was the creator of the 75th-minute opener, crossing low for Ronaldo to tap in a record-extending 128th goal in the competition, before Gonzalo Higuain's injury-time clincher.

"Ronaldo and Higuain led by example, they were always the first to work hard for the team," Juve 'keeper Gianluigi Buffon told uefa.com.

Champions League debutants Atalanta claimed a famous 3-0 triumph at Shakhtar Donetsk to qualify with Man-

chester City despite having lost their first three games. The Italian outfit, who finished third in Serie A last season, conceded 11 goals in their opening three matches, but drew with City at the San Siro before beating Dinamo Zagreb to keep their hopes alive.

Timothy Castagne stabbed in the crucial first goal in the 66th minute, before Mario Pasalic found the net shortly after Shakhtar full-back Dodo was controversially sent off in Kharkiv.

Robin Gosens grabbed an injury-time third as Shakhtar tired, sparking wild Atalanta celebrations in front of the visiting fans. "It will remain in the history of football and of this club. I think it'll also stay long in the memory of everyone who was

in the stadium," captain Alejandro Gomez told Sky Sport Italia.

Atalanta's win ensured that all 16 of the sides in the knockout stage are from Europe's 'big five' leagues of England, Spain, Italy, Germany and France for the first time. Dinamo needed to beat English champions City to progress, but despite taking an early lead through Dani Olmo, were sent packing by a Gabriel Jesus hattrick before teenage midfielder Phil Foden wrapped a 4-1 win for Pep Guardiola's side. Jose Mourinho's Tottenham failed to exact revenge on Bayern Munich for their 7-2 humbling in London in the reverse Group B fixture.

Kingsley Coman put Bayern ahead as they looked to bounce back from succes-

sive Bundesliga defeats, although Ryan Sessegnon marked his first Spurs start with a goal to equalise.

But Thomas Mueller, on as a substitute for the injured Coman, and Philippe Coutinho ensured the Bavarian giants became the first German side to win all six group games. Youseff El Arabi's late penalty saw Olympiakos edge past Red Star Belgrade 1-0 and pip their opponents to a place in the Europa League last 32.

Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, Mauro Icardi and Edinson Cavani all scored as PSG thrashed Galatasaray 5-0 at the Parc des Princes. Thomas Tuchel's French champions had already wrapped up top spot in Group A ahead of Real Madrid, but ran riot in the capital.

Coman's knee injury not as bad as feared, say Bayern

Double trouble as Ronaldo rages at selfie-hunting pitch invader

MADRID AGENCIES

TURIN AGENCIES

Cristiano Ronaldo was confronted by two pitch invaders, including one seeking a selfie, after his goal helped Juventus defeat Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Firstly, the Portuguese star was warmly hugged in the middle of the pitch by a fan wearing a Juve shirt and hat.

Just moments later, a second supporter, dressed all in black, sprinted across the BayArena pitch to snap a selfie. An angry Ronaldo pushed the fan away before security staff intervened.

"I feel good, the annoyance I felt has

passed and the team is in good shape," said Ronaldo who appeared to hurt his shoulder in the incident.

"Today we played a good second half. We are all growing and even I personally felt better today, more confident and I hope to continue like this."

Ronaldo scored his second Champions League goal of the season for Juve who were already sure of top spot in Group D and a spot in the last 16.

Substitute Paulo Dybala was the creator of the 75th-minute opener, crossing low for Ronaldo to tap in a record-extending 128th goal in the competition, before Gonzalo Higuain's injury-time clincher for the Italian giants.

Five key facts about sumo, a sport like no other TOKYO AGENCIES

The quintessentially Japanese sport of sumo stops the country during the six big tournaments per year, with millions glued to the live action on TV. Here are five key facts about the roly-poly sport which dates back centuries, has links to the Shinto religion and plays a central role in Japanese culture.

NEARLY NUDE: Sumo wrestlers squeeze their bulky frames into a mawashi, which looks like a baby's nappy or diaper but is actually carefully designed sportswear. It is the only thing worn in the ring and also allows wrestlers to grip their opponent as they grapple. The belts can be more than nine metres (30 feet) long, made from cotton when training and silk for official tournaments or "bashos".

To slip into the belt, the naked wrestler first passes the mawashi between his legs. Then, with the help of assistants, he spins around so it fits snugly around the waist. It must be tightly tied at the back, both to ensure it stays on but perhaps more importantly to prevent opponents from being able to dig their fingers too far down in the belt, giving them a more solid grip.

THE RULES OF THE GAME: The winner is the wrestler who manages to shove his opponent out of the dohyo, the sacred clay ring 4.55 metres in diametre. The other way of winning is to

throw the opponent so that part of his body other than his feet touches the floor. A bout is steeped in Japanese traditions rooted in the Shinto religion, starting with wrestlers rinsing their mouths with purifying water and the sprinkling of salt before each match.

The contest begins with the boneshuddering "tachi-ai" where the two wrestlers come together in a noisy clash of flesh -- and frequently heads.

This is considered the most important part of the bout -- "if you fail in the tachi-ai, you have an 80 percent chance of losing. You have to work hard on it," Georgia-born sumo star Tsuyoshi Tochinoshin explained to AFP. Slapping is permitted to the body and

the face but hair-pulling and punching are strictly forbidden. Only the horizontal portion of the belt can be used as leverage. It is technically possible to dodge a collision in the hope of forcing an opponent to topple over under his own weight, but this tactic is frowned upon.

While it is true that the vast majority of wrestlers are enormous, there can be a huge difference in weight -- a 200kilo (440 pounds) fighter could easily lose to a 120-kilo opponent.

MEN ONLY: The dohyo is considered a sacred space and women, seen as "impure", are banned from entering. This reached farcical lengths in 2018 when female medics rushed to help an official who collapsed in the ring, only to be

CMYK

shooed away.

If women enter the ring, it has to be "re-purifed" with copious quantities of salt. The head of the sumo association Hakkaku did apologise to the medics in 2018, but accusations of sexism remain.

Sumo has also been dogged by multiple scandals in recent years including allegations of bullying, illegal betting and links to organised crime.

STABLE CAREER: Throughout their careers, wrestlers are housed in socalled "stables" run by a stablemaster under strict rules and a fierce hierarchy.

Trainee wrestlers sleep in a large dormitory on tatami mats, have to carry out a host of domestic chores and effectively act as servants to the more senior sumo professionals. There is a brutal training routine, fuelled by gargantuan portions of chankonabe, a calorific stew designed to pile on the pounds.

MORAL ENERGY: There remains a debate in sumo over which is most important: the "shin" (heart or spirit), the "gi" (technique) and the "tai" (physical force) but Tochinoshin is in no doubt -"it's the heart," he exclaims immediately.

Experts often claim to be able to predict who will win from the pre-bout rituals of stomping around the ring and eyeballing the adversary.

"In a fight between two opponents of equal strength, the only thing that can make the difference... is their moral energy," wrote Kirishima, a well respected fighter who reached the rank of ozeki, in his 1996 memoirs.

Winger Kingsley Coman scored the opening goal in Wednesday's 3-1 victory over Spurs at the Allianz Arena but had to be helped off midway through the first half after badly twisting his knee. It was feared he had torn the cruciate ligament, but tests showed the injury is not as serious although Bayern have given no indication how long he will be sidelined for. "The knee will be immobilised for a while by a splint," said a statement on the club's website. The 23-year-old France international has had a miserable run of injuries. He tore ankle ligaments two separate times last year which forced him to miss the 2018 World Cup finals. Bayern became the first German club to win all six of their Champions League group matches following their victory over Jose Mourinho's Tottenham.

Teen phenom Haaland in talks with Dortmund: reports BERLIN AGENCIES

Norwegian teenage striker Erling Haaland could be joining Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund from Austrian champions Salzburg in the January winter break, according to reports in Germany on Thursday. Several German media outlets reported the prolific 19-year-old forward landed at Dortmund's airport on a chartered plane and was met by a club representative on Wednesday. Aged 19 years at 58 days, Haaland became the third youngest player to score a Champions League hat-trick when he netted three times in a 6-2 victory over Genk in September. Only Wayne Rooney, England's record goalscorer, and Spain great Raul managed the feat at a younger age. Haaland, the son of former Manchester City midfielder Alf-Inge Haaland, scored in his first five Champions League matches, claiming eight goals in the group stage. Despite his impressive form Salzburg failed to reach the last 16 following a 2-0 loss to defending champions Liverpool in their final group game on Tuesday. Dortmund, currently third in the Bundesliga, are looking for a new striker with Mario Goetze and Spain international Paco Alcacer struggling for consistency this season. The German club reached the knockout stages of the Champions League this week with a 2-1 win at home to Sparta Prague which saw them finish second in their group behind Barcelona.

Friday, 13 December, 2019

SPORTS 15

rAin, BAD ligHT wipe ouT mosT oF DAy Two RAWALPINDI

o

AGENCIES

NLY 18.2 overs were possible on a dark, wet day two at Rawalpindi. During the 82 minutes of play - split across the morning and afternoon sessions - Dhanajaya de Silva moved to 72 not out, Sri Lanka added 61 to their day one score and lost just the wicket of Niroshan Dickwella.

Although the sun was not seen through the course of the day, play was able to begin at 9:45 am with the aid of floodlights, which even at that time were casting shadows. Perhaps partly due to the dim conditions, Sri Lanka's overnight pair of de Silva and Dickwella made tetchy starts to day two, finding themselves frequently beaten

by Pakistan's quicks, while also mistiming their shots on the occasions they did

make contact.

Nevertheless, de Silva in particular succeeded in keeping his account ticking over. His first boundary of the day came from a languid push through the covers off Naseem Shah's first delivery

of the day. He would pick up regular singles on the leg side through the remainder of the first session's play as well. He thought he had been dismissed on 48 when he poked at a Naseem away-seamer and sent an edge through

to the keeper, but although Pakistan celebrated that wicket, replays suggested the catch had not quite carried to wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan. De Silva was waiting for final confirmation of his dismissal at the boundary when, to his surprise, he was called back to the crease by the umpires.

Drizzle forced an interruption of almost three-and-a-half hours after only 40 minutes of actual play, and when the second new ball became available four overs after resumption, Pakistan had their best spell of play in the day. Naseem was intense through this period, repeatedly beating both batsmen, while drawing thick inside edges that missed the stumps. It was Shaheen Afridi who made the breakthrough from the other end, however, having Dickwella caught sharply at gully by Babar Azam for 33 to end a 67-run stand. Pakistan burned a review later that same over when Afridi thought he had Dilruwan Perera trapped in front, only for the ball to have been shown to have pitched outside leg stump.

Only 12 further deliveries were possible after Dickwella's dismissal, before the umpires took the teams off for bad light, and a round of drizzle subsequently wiped out the remote chance of resumption.

labuschagne's hat-trick of tons lights up first perth day-night test

PERTH AGENCIES

A hat-trick of Test hundreds for Marnus Labuschagne, sealed with a straight six, belied an otherwise fascinating battle between Australia's batting order and New Zealand's skilful and diligent attack, even as it was shorn of Lockie Ferguson by a calf strain that may cause increasing pain for the visitors the longer the Perth day-night Test goes on.

In front of a crowd of 19,084 who huddled in what shaded areas they could find on a day when temperatures hovered near 40C until the sun went down, New Zealand gave an exceptional account of themselves in the absence of Trent Boult and despite the looming threats of David Warner and Steven Smith.

Both Warner, before lunch, and Smith in a lengthy partnership with the ebullient Labuschagne, had some influence on proceedings. But in each case the tourists' discipline, fitness and commitment to the plans

gle from Tim Southee's first ball of the match, and while Ferguson neared 150kph in his first over, his lines and lengths were StumpS variable enough to allow scoring opAuStRAliA 4 FoR 248 portunities for both openers. (lAbuSchAgne 110*, Southee's frustration at not finding an early wicket was demonstrated WARneR 43, Smith 43, when he hurled a solidly defended WAgneR 2-52) v neW ball back at Joe Burns, prompting an exchange with Warner who rebuked ZeAlAnD him as "you're supposed to be Mr Nice Guy".

Ferguson's replacement by Wagner and the introduction of de Grandhomme brought some more pertinent questions for Burns and Warner, as the runrate was clamped. De Grandhomme's first ball to Burns was not the away swinger he evidently expected but a nip backer that won an lbw verdict from umpire Aleem Dar, even through ball-tracking would hatched by their captain Kane Williamson ensured show the ball comfortably missing leg stump as Burns that neither Warner nor Smith could get away from was batting well forward of his crease. them. In Smith's case it meant one of his slowest Test Labuschagne settled in quickly enough, but as tea innings, ended in the leg trap that the unstinting Neil beckoned, Warner misjudged a Wagner change-up and Wagner has set for so many international batsmen was on his way, allowing Steven Smith his earliest over a career that has surprised in much the same way entry to the Test batting crease this summer. Warner Labuschagne's now is. had looked set to maintain his commanding run of Warner had earlier seen a promising start ended form this summer, but six minutes before the interval by a superlative caught and bowled from Wagner, who he scooped back a low full toss to Wagner, who alongside Colin de Grandomme, Tim Southee and claimed the chance inches from the ground with his Ferguson formed a typically diligent New Zealand at- right hand as he followed through. tack - something all the more admirable in the prevailRuns did not accrue easily when play resumed, to ing conditions. the extent that both Smith and Labuschagne could be Williamson was unable to pick Trent Boult as he seen trying to force a few shots that did not necessarily continues his recovery from a side strain suffered lend themselves to the types of questions they were against England, meaning a debut for the speedy Fer- being asked. Wagner's angles and preference for the guson. Australia were unchanged for the third match short ball posed challenges for both batsmen, while in a row. They have not lost a series at home to New Ferguson had Smith flirting with balls well wide of Zealand since 1985. the off stump, breaking 149kph every now and then Warner made his intent known by hustling a sin- and gaining plenty of bounce from the surface also.

Former spAnisH soCCer plAyers senTenCeD To prison For rAping TeenAger MADRID AGENCIES

Three former Spanish soccer players were each sentenced on Thursday to 38 years in prison for gang raping a minor in 2017, the latest high-profile sexual violence case in Spain. The three men, who at the time played for fourth division club Arandina FC, knew the victim was underage when they raped her in their apartment in Aranda de Duero in northcentral Spain, the judge said. The issue of sexual violence has been thrust in the spotlight in Spain in the wake of several trials, including the so-called Wolf Pack case in which five men were sentenced for raping a teenage girl during Pamplona’s annual bullrunning festival. At issue in the Wolf Pack trial, as well as a string of others, was the fact that Spanish law currently does not legally recognize rape unless physical violence or intimidation is employed. The Socialist government has appointed a panel to review relevant parts of the penal code.

In the sentencing of the soccer players, the judge said the girl, who was less than 16-years-old at the time, was unable to react to the assault due to the disparity in age and physical strength between her and the attackers. The attack took place with the lights off, taking the victim by surprise and creating an atmosphere of intimidation, the judge added. Although the victim initially told friends and relatives on social networks that she was not raped, the court said it accepted her subsequent statement that she did not submit voluntarily to the men. The three men were convicted for rape and for helping the other two take part. Olga Navarro, the players’ lawyer, called the sentence “embarrassing” and said the court was imprisoning three innocent young men, who have denied any wrongdoing. The men insist the girl was lying. “We’re not rapists. We were naive and they’re trying to screw up our lives,” one of the men, Carlos Cuadrado, said after the sentence. Another, Victor Rodriguez, said the sentence was the result of social and media pressure. The sentence can be appealed.

maxwell, cummins, morris part of second set at ipl auction MUMBAI AGENCIES

Allrounders Glenn Maxwell and Chris Morris, as well as fast bowler Pat Cummins are all expected to fetch big money as part of the second set of players at the 2020 IPL auction, scheduled for December 19 in Kolkata. The auction, a one-day affair, will kick off with a set of seven batsmen which includes Aaron Finch, Chris Lynn, Jason Roy, Eoin Morgan and Robin Uthappa.

On Wednesday, the IPL sent the eight franchises the final list of players, which has been trimmed from the original 971 to 332, including 19 Indian capped players.

The final list also includes 24 new players that were added after those names were requested by the franchises. The twodozen strong new list includes West Indies pacer Kesrick Williams, senior Australian journeyman Dan Christian, legspinner Adam Zampa, former Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim, and 21-year-old Surrey batsman Will Jacks, who had smoked a 25-ball century in a pre-season T10 match against Lancashire in the UAE. The players have been grouped as per

their specialty, with the auction order starting with batsmen, allrounders, wicketkeeper-batsmen, fast bowlers and spinners.

The auction will commence with different sets of capped players followed by the uncapped players. A total of 73 slots are available for the eight teams to fill up, 29 of

which could be overseas players. Although most franchises would be aiming to plug some gaps and looking out for back-up for key slots, some of the bigger names will be optimistic about securing a hefty payday.

Maxwell tops that list. He was among the seven players - along with Cummins,

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Josh Hazlewood Mitchell Marsh, Dale Steyn, and Angelo Mathews - to list their base price at the maximum of INR 2 crore (US $279,000 approximately). In October, Maxwell had taken an indefinite break from international cricket to tackle mental health issues and made a success-

ful return to club cricket in November.

Maxwell, who has featured for three IPL franchises previously, opted out of the IPL auction last year to focus on the World Cup and the Ashes.

As far as the Indians are concerned, most of the attention will be on Uthappa, who has listed his base price at INR 1.5 cr ($209,000 approx). Uthappa has been part of the Kolkata Knight Riders for several years and had even been retained through the right-to-match card option during the 2018 auction. However, the diminishing returns from Uthappa, a 2007 World T20 winner, meant the franchise decided to release him.

One man who might fancy going for big money once again is Saurashtra and India left-arm fast bowler Jaydev Unadkat. This week, Unadkat led Saurashtra to victory in the first round of the Ranji Trophy with a match-winning performance against Himachal Pradesh. Unadkat became the most expensive Indian player at the last auction (December 2018) after Rajasthan Royals paid INR 8.4 cr. Incidentally Unadkat had a base price then of INR 1.5 cr. This time, he has listed his reserve price at INR 1 cr ($139,000 approx).

Friday, 13 December, 2019

NEWS

Zardari releaSed a day after bail aPProval ISLAMABAD

f

STAFF REPORT

ORMER president Asif Ali Zardari was on Thursday released from custody at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), a day after he was granted bail by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in the Park Lane and fake accounts cases on medical grounds.

Zardari was initially shifted to Zardari House in the capital, while preparations have been fi-

nalised at the Ziauddin Hospital in Karachi where the former president will be shifted for treatment.

The PPP co-chairman was accompanied by his children Bilawal and Aseefa when he was allowed to leave PIMS, which had been declared a sub-jail, after the completion of legal formalities. A large number of supporters gathered at the scene and threw rose petals on his car. The IHC had on Wednesday granted post-arrest bail to Zardari in the Park Lane and fake accounts cases on medical grounds against surety bonds

of Rs20 million and adjourned proceedings on the bail petition of his sister and lawmaker Faryal Talpur till December 17. Both Zardari and Talpur have been under detention for the past six months, until the former’s bail.

The court noted that the petitioner, who is one of the accused in a reference pending before an accountability court, “has not been convicted and, therefore, he is to be treated as innocent unless proven guilty”. PPP information secretary and MNA Dr Nafeesa Shah while commenting on

SC moved against stay in Musharraf case

Zardari’s release said today was a “good day” for the country and democracy. She expressed the hope that like Zardari, other PPP leaders who are incarcerated due to “NAB’s black law” will also be given relief. Shah said the court had granted bail to Zardari on medical grounds and merit after government-appointed doctors recommended his treatment at a specialist care facility.

SC tells SBP to remove hurdles in dam fund collection JUSTICE GULZAR SAYS ‘HUGE AMOUNT’ OF MONEY DONATED TO FUND HAS NOT BEEN TRANSFERRED TO PAKISTAN DUE TO OBSTACLES ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to “remove obstacles” hindering the transfer of donations by overseas Pakistanis to the dam fund and sought a report on this matter.

The observation was made by a fivemember bench during the hearing of a case pertaining to Diamer-Bhasha Dam. Justice Ijazaul Ahsan said the central bank should look into these complaints, as a number of expatriates were failing to submit money to the fund owning to banks’ refusal to collect donations.

Justice Gulzar Ahmed remarked that there were reports of a “huge amount” of money contributed to the dam fund had not

been transferred to Pakistan due to obstacles.

During the proceedings, the National Bank of Pakistan submitted a record of investments made by the bank using donations from the dam fund which totalled Rs12 billion. The bank’s representative informed the court that the profit from the investments is expected to come by February 2020.

The bench told SBP to submit a report on Supreme Court’s directions in the next hearing that has been adjourned until four weeks. The top court also reviewed a progress report submitted by an SC-mandated implementation committee on the issue of Diamer-Bhasha Dam. The bench noted that two tribes had raised a dispute over land, which was bought from them by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and was then handed over to the

Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) to work on the dam project.

To which, the counsel representing the tribes said that the government was not paying “right price” for the land, adding that “90 per cent of the land” belonged to their clients. WAPDA’s lawyer Saad Rasool told the court that the dispute was between the government and the tribes and WAPDA was not a party to it. He added that the government has already handed over 900 acres of land to the authority.

The bench advised that they shouldn’t ask the government for a price that is four times more than the actual price and added told the tribes to approach to go the relevant forum to resolve the matter.

The total land required for the project is 37,419 acres which included 19,062 acres of state and 18,357 acres of private land.

During the course of the hearing today, WAPDA told the court that the government had not yet released Rs200 billion.

The court directed the secretaries of the ministries of power and finance to release the funds.

A petitioner moved the Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday against the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) decision of barring the special court from announcing decision in the treason case against former military ruler General (r) Pervez Musharraf. The petition was filed by former Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) President Taufiq Asif to question whether the IHC has the jurisdiction to examine the proceedings of a special court comprising high court judges. The petition further questions whether IHC has the jurisdiction to act as an appellate court. The petitioner said that there were attempts to withdraw the case on the grounds that the federal cabinet’s approval was not sought when the case against Musharraf had been filed. He added that the Interior Ministry’s petition in the case may have been filed with “ulterior motives” and questioned the maintainability of such a petition. He further stated that the former army chief had been declared a proclaimed offender after he had failed to appear before the court. Arguing that the high court’s decision was in violation of the Constitution, the petitioner asked the court to dismiss it. On November 27, IHC had stopped the special court from issuing the verdict it had earlier reserved in the said case. In its decision, the IHC had ruled that its order of stopping the special court from announcing its verdict was binding on the special court bench regardless of the fact that it comprises three high court judges. Additionally, the high court had directed the government to notify a new prosecution team by December 5 as the government on October 24 had sacked the entire legal team engaged by the previous PML-N govt to prosecute the case.

THE CASE: The high treason trial of the former military dictator for imposing a state of emergency on November 3, 2007, has been pending since December 2013. He was booked in the case in December 2013.

Musharraf was indicted on March 31, 2014, and the prosecution had tabled the entire evidence before the special court in September the same year. However, due to litigation at appellate forums, the trial of the former military dictator lingered on and he left Pakistan in March 2016.

In September this year, a special court bench had decided to conduct the trial on a daily basis from October 8 to conclude the case. NEWS DESK

Switzerland to share banks data with Pakistan The Swiss parliament has approved the automatic exchange of bank data details with 18 additional countries, including Pakistan. Swiss media reported that the Senate followed the House of Representative’s lead and approved a new list of countries for automatic exchange of financial information (AEOI) which will provide the details of bank accounts held by their citizens (or those with a fiscal residence in Switzerland). These 18 countries include Pakistan, Albania, Azerbaijan, Brunei, Dominica, Ghana, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Macau, Maldives, Nigeria, Niue, Oman, Peru, Samoa, Saint Martin, Trinidad and Tobago and Vanuatu. Meanwhile, the Senate has decided to not consider Turkey for this process as it was not yet ready for automatic exchange. It is to be mentioned here that Switzerland authorities have received financial data from 75 countries so far, however, it has shared the data with 63 states. The Swiss government has further revealed that it had provided details of around 3.1 million bank accounts held by foreigners to their countries of origin. NEWS DESK

UK votes to decide the Police arrest dozens, enforce curfew in Assam as thousands protest India’s citizenship bill fate of Brexit, again GUWAHATI

LONDON

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Voters went to the polls on Thursday in an election that will pave the way for Brexit under Prime Minister Boris Johnson or propel Britain towards another referendum that could ultimately reverse the decision to leave the European Union.

After failing to deliver Brexit by an Oct. 31 deadline, Johnson called the election to break what he cast as political paralysis that had thwarted Britain’s departure and sapped confidence in the economy. The face of the “Leave” campaign in the 2016 referendum, 55-year-old Johnson fought the election under the slogan of “Get Brexit Done”, promising to end the deadlock and spend more on health, education and the police.

His main opponent, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, 70, promised higher public spending, nationalisation of key services, taxes on the wealthy and another referendum on Brexit. All major opinion polls suggest Johnson will win, though pollsters got the 2016 referendum wrong and their models predict outcomes ranging from a hung parliament to the biggest Conservative landslide since the era of Margaret Thatcher.

Seven eve-of-election opinion polls published on Wednesday showed the Conservatives ahead of Labour by an average of nearly 10 points although Labour narrowed the gap in four of them. “We could have a Conservative majority government which will get Brexit done and unleash Britain’s potential,” Johnson told campaigners. “This election is our chance to end the gridlock but the result is on a knife-edge.” Corbyn said the Conservatives were the party of “billionaires” while Labour represented the many.

“You can vote for despair and vote for the

dishonesty of this government, or you can vote Labour and get a government that can bring hope to the future,” he said. Polls opened at 0700 GMT and will close at 2200 GMT when an exit poll will give the first indications of the result. Official results from the bulk of the United Kingdom’s 650 constituencies begin to come in from 2300 GMT to 0500 GMT. While Brexit framed the United Kingdom’s first December election since 1923, the tortuous exit from the EU has variously fatigued, enthused and enraged voters while eroding loyalties to the two major parties.

BREXIT AND BORIS: A majority would allow Johnson to lead the country out of the club it joined in 1973, but Brexit would be far from over. He must negotiate a trade agreement with the EU in a self-imposed deadline of 11 months.

After Jan. 31, Britain would enter a transition period during which it would negotiate a new relationship with the 27 EU members.

He has pledged to do that by the end of 2020.

Sterling markets are pricing in a Johnson win and the pound was up against the dollar and the euro in early trading on Thursday.

But two historic referendums – on Scottish independence in 2014 and Brexit in 2016 – and two national elections in 2015 and 2017 have delivered often unexpected results that ushered in political crises.

Police arrested dozens of people and enforced a curfew on Thursday in several districts in India’s northeastern Assam state where thousands protested legislation granting citizenship to non-Muslims who migrated from neighbouring countries.

Groups of protesters defied the curfew in Gauhati, the state capital, on Thursday morning and burned tires before police dispersed them.

Soldiers drove and marched through the streets to reinforce police in violence-hit districts, which included Gauhati and Dibrugarh, said state police chief Bhaskar Mahanta.

The protesters in Assam oppose the legislation out of concern that migrants will move to the border region and dilute the culture and political sway of indigenous tribal people.

The legislation was passed by parliament on Wednesday and now needs to be signed by the country’s ceremonial president, a formality, before becoming law. “I want to assure them no one can take away your rights, unique identity and beautiful culture. It will continue to flourish and grow,” he said in a tweet. In a response to Modi’s message on Twitter, opposition Congress party said: “Our brothers & sisters in Assam cannot read your ‘reassuring’ message Modiji, in case you’ve forgotten, their internet has been cut off.”

The Press Trust of India news agency said the protesters uprooted telephone poles, burned several buses and other vehicles and also attacked homes of officials from the governing

Hindu nationalist party and the regional group Assam Gana Parishad.

Police used batons and tear gas to disperse protesters in 10 out of the state’s 33 districts. While those protesting in Assam are opposed to the bill because of worries it will allow immigrants, no matter their faith, to live in their region, others are opposed to the bill because they see it as discriminatory for not applying to Muslims.

The Citizenship Amendment Bill, seeks to grant Indian nationality to Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jains, Parsis and Sikhs who fled Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh because of religious persecution before 2015.

It does not, however, extend to Rohingya Muslim refugees who fled persecution in Myanmar.

Home Minister Amit Shah said it

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

CMYK

was not anti-Muslim because it did not affect the existing path to citizenship available to all communities.

Amnesty India said the legislation legitimised discrimination on the basis of religion and stood in clear violation of the India’s constitution and international human rights law.

“Welcoming asylum seekers is a positive step, but in a secular country like India, slamming the door on persecuted Muslims and other communities merely for their faith reeks of fear-mongering and bigotry,” the rights group said in a statement. Several opposition lawmakers who debated the bill in parliament said it would be challenged in court. “Today marks a dark day in the constitutional history of India,” said Sonia Gandhi of the main opposition Congress party.