E-Paper PDF 13th February 2020 (KHI)

CMYK

Thursday, 13 February, 2020 I 18 Jamadi-ul-Sani, 1441 I Rs 17.00 I Vol X No 225 I 16 Pages I Karachi Edition

JuD chief hafiz SaeeD convicteD in two terror-financing caSeS g

AtC SEntEnCES Jud ChIEf to fIvE And A hAlf yEARS ImpRISonmEnt, RS15,000 fInE In EACh CASE

LAHORE staff report

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n anti-terrorism court here on wednesday found proscribed religious outfit Jamaatud dawa’s (Jud) chief hafiz muhammad Saeed guilty in two terror-financing cases and handed him five and a half years and a fine of Rs15,000 in each case, ahead of a crucial meeting of the financial Action task force (fAtf).

AtC Judge Arshad hussain bhatta further announced that the sentences of both cases will run concurrently. the court also granted him the benefit of Section 382-b of the Code of Criminal procedure (CrpC) which states: “the length of any sentence of imprisonment imposed upon an accused person in respect of any offense shall be treated as reduced by any period during which he was detained in custody for such offense”.

Saeed was convicted under the Antiterrorism Act Section 11-f(2) — pertaining to membership, support and meetings relating to a proscribed organisation — and

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JudgE oRdERS govt to KEEp pRoSCRIbEd outfIt’S ChIEf In CuStody ‘untIl fuRthER oRdERS’

11-n [punishment under Sections 11-h (fund-raising) to 11-K (money laundering)]. malik Zafar Iqbal, the secretary of Al-Anfaal trust, has also been convicted in the same cases and has been awarded similar punishment. After delivering the verdict, the court directed authorities to keep hafiz Saeed, who was present in court, under custody until further orders. the Jud leader was found guilty of “being part of a banned terrorist outfit” and for “having illegal property”, his lawyer Imran gill said. the court had reserved its verdicts in the two cases on february 6. Saeed is nominated in multiple cases pertaining to money laundering, terror financing and land grabbing. It merits a mention here that the decision comes ahead of a meeting of the plenary group of the financial Action task force (fAtf) which is scheduled to held on feb 16 in paris. following the announcement, the court directed authorities to keep Saeed under custody until further orders. the court had reserved its verdicts in the two cases on feb 6. Saeed is nominated in

multiple cases pertaining to money laundering, terror financing and land grabbing.

THE CASE: Cases pertaining to terror financing and money laundering were filed against Saeed by the Counter-terrorism department’s (Ctd) lahore and gujranwala chapters. the case filed by Ctd’s gujranwala chapter was initially being heard in a gujranwala AtC, but in September last year, it was shifted to lahore on the directions of the lahore high Court (lhC). during the trial of both cases, the court recorded the statements of 23 witnesses. the Jud chief was arrested by Ctd in July last year, while he was traveling from lahore to gujranwala. prior to his arrest, 23 fIRs [first Information Report] had been registered against Jud leaders, including Saeed and Jud naib Emir Abdul Rehman makki, at Ctd police stations of lahore, gujranwala, multan, faisalabad and Sargodha in July 2019.

According to the Ctd, Jud was financing terrorism from the massive funds collected through non-profit organisations and trusts including Al-Anfaal trust, dawatul Irshad trust, muaz bin Jabal trust, etc. these non-profit organisations were banned in April last year as the Ctd, during detailed investigations, found that they had links with the Jud and its top leadership. the crackdown on Jud last year followed a warning by paris-based financial Action task force (fAtf) to pakistan to deliver on its commitments to curb terror financing and money laundering.

CRUCIAL FATF MEETING: the court decision is of significant importance for pakistan as it is heading off to a crucial fAtf meeting. In the last meeting in January this year, key fAtf players including the uS, germany, united Kingdom, Japan, france in addition to Islamabad’s all-weather ally China gave pakistan the much-needed pass to avoid being blacklisted. the meeting had observed that pakistan was compliant on the 22-point agenda it was given to improve its performance for combating money laundering.

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Cabinet approves new rules to regulate social media g

SoCIAl mEdIA CompAnIES wIll hAvE to REgIStER In pAKIStAn wIthIn thREE monthS, SEt up offICES In ISlAmAbAd STORY ON BACK PAGE

IMF tells Pakistan to sign more FTAs to boost exports Remittances drop 9.9pc to $1.9bn in Jan STORIES ON PAGE 11

PIA rebounds in revenue but still in loss STORY ON PAGE 11

Amid power tariff controversy, textile sector mulls leaving export business STORY ON PAGE 12

US-Taliban breakthrough appears closer as Ghani reports progress

NA session ends after PPP, govt lock horns over 'Mr 10pc' remarks STORY ON PAGE 03

STORY ON PAGE 02

SC gives Pakistan Railways deadlines to complete ML1, KCR projects CMYK

STORY ON BACK PAGE

European diplomats check India's loosening of occupied Kashmir clampdown STORY ON BACK PAGE

Thursday, 13 February, 2020

02 NEWS

SC gIvES PakIStaN RaIlwayS dEadlINES to CoMPlEtE Ml1, kCR PRoJECtS CouRt ASkS SHeIkH RASHeed to oveRSee kCR pRojeCt HImSelf, SAyS doeSn’t wAnt It to end up lIke kARACHI’S tRAnSpoRt SyStem ISLAMABAD

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STAFF REPORT

HE Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday ordered the Ministry of Railways to complete the Karachi-Lahore-Peshawar track – known as the Main Line 1 project (ML1) – in two years and the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) project in the next three months.

The directive came by a three-member bench — comprising Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan and Justice Sajjad Ali Shah — who heard a case pertaining to the losses incurred by the railway department.

During the proceedings, the court warned Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed of dire consequences if the timeline given for the completion of the railway projects is not followed strictly. To which, he told the court that 85 percent of the track for KCR has been

Elahi refuses to reveal details of secret deal with JUI-F's Fazl LAHORE: Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervez Elahi on Wednesday refused to disclose the agreement reached with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to end his sit-in in Islamabad. The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader said that the agreement reached with Fazl is a secret and he will seek his permission to reveal it.

The Punjab Assembly speaker advised the government to focus on its work of providing relief to people and said that no one supports opposition’s movement as the job of the opposition to make noise outside and inside the House. On Tuesday, JUI-F leader Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri had said that the Chaudhry brothers should break their silence and inform the nation about the promise made with his party.

Talking to the media, Haideri had said, “Our movement is still continuing, when required we will give a call for Islamabad again.” “The sit-in in Islamabad will be the end of this government,” he had added. On Sunday, Fazl had claimed that he had ended the Islamabad sit-in on the assurance that Prime Minister Imran Khan would immediately step down and new elections would be held three months after his resignation. STAFF REPORT

cleared.

“We carried out an operation last night as well and razed a few buildings to the ground,” Rasheed said, assuring the court that work was being done to make KCR functional again.

Rasheed also thanked the court for taking interest in the case, “We are grateful to you, a lot of work has been done in the past 12 days,” he said.

“We are grateful to you, the whole nation is grateful,” Justice Gulzar said in response while adding that the KCR is a “project for the people and not one individual. We want to bring good to people.”

“Do not give the KCR project to Sindh government, keep it with yourself,” Justice Gulzar told Sheikh Rasheed while adding that KCR will end up like the Karachi transport system.

“We were hoping to even run trams in Karachi,” the chief justice said.

He also asked the railways minister why the KCR was made part of ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

and Special Initiatives Asad Umar, who had been summoned to present the business plan for railways to the court, said that completing the project in three months will not be possible.

“You are saying that this can’t be done […] the project will be faced with delays while people are waiting for it [to be finished],” said the chief justice, adding: “Pakistan Railways should not let its people sleep and order them to work.”

“Sheikh sahib when will the ribbon

“We added it to CPEC because of [our] financial situation,” Rasheed responded.

“China will give an expensive loan for KCR,” the chief justice observed.

“If railways sells off some of its land, it will be able to fix its own financial situation,” the chief justice said. “Selling a single property from Karachi will fix the railway’s financial system. But the court has put a stay on selling these properties,” Rasheed responded.

Minister for Planning, Development

Court says can’t ask Afridi to submit footage against Rana Sanaullah LAHORE APP

A special court on Wednesday released a five-page detailed verdict on Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah’s plea for access to footage in a drug trafficking case.

While dismissing the plea, Special Court for the Control of Narcotics Substances Judge Shakir Hasan noted that Rana Sanaullah’s lawyers had requested access to footage as per the statement of Minister of State for Narcotics Control Shehryar Afridi in the matter.

The court held that Shehryar Afridi and Director General Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) were not witnesses of prosecution in the matter.

Hence, as per Section 265 of CRPC, the court could not ask Shehryar Afridi to provide the footage, it added.

The court also noted that the ANF had not mentioned any footage of arrest and monitoring of the PML-N leader, in its first report.

The court had further observed that the prosecution had attached all relevant documents with challan (chargesheet) and the accused could get the verified copies of all the documents.

It is pertinent to mention that the court had also dismissed Rana Sanaullah’s plea for handing over of his vehicle on last Saturday, besides plea for access to footage. The court had summoned Sanaullah for indictment on the next date of hearing, March 7. On July 1, ANF officials arrested Rana Sanaullah, who served as the Punjab law minister during the

former PML-N government, from Islamabad-Lahore motorway near Sukheki, while he was travelling from Faisalabad to Lahore.

The 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 the ANF recovered 15 kilogram heroin and other drugs from Rana Sanaullah’s car, whereas, the operation was conducted on a tip-off.

The Lahore High Court had granted bail to Rana Sanaullah in the case against two surety bonds.

IHC dismisses govt's plea against Abidi's acquittal STAFF REPORT ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday dismissed the federal government’s petition against the acquittal of former senator Faisal Raza Abidi in a contempt of court case pertaining to the use of hate speech against the Supreme Court (SC). A two-member bench presided by IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah announced the verdict after deliberating the arguments presented by the prosecution and the defence.

CM YK

be cut for the project?” the chief justice asked about the KCR project.

“The country’s financial situation is not too well at the moment. The real issue is that a large amount of funding is required for this project,” Umar told the court in response.

“The Japanese people have been asking you over and over again about this project,” the chief justice said to which Umar responded that the Sindh government will have to provide an answer for that.

Hearing this, the bench summoned a reply on the matter from the Sindh government in the next hearing. Umar also asked the court to tell the Sindh government to ensure action on the KCR project.

“Asad Umar, you are very respectable for us but you are not doing anything for railways,” the chief justice said.

“We will present the 1,880 kilometers-long ML-1 project in front of the CDWP on March 10,” Umar responded while adding that the project will also be approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on April 12,” Umar told the court in response.

The court then inquired about the timeline for the completion of the project.

“From the day that it starts, the project will be finished in five years,” Rasheed told the court while adding that the Chinese will also be “satisfied with this project.”

The hearing of the case pertaining to losses incurred by railways was adjourned for two months.

The hearing on KCR was adjourned until Feb 21; the next one will be held at the SC Karachi registry, where the railways minister and the Sindh chief secretary have been summoned.

No confirmed case of novel coronavirus in Pakistan: PM's aide ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza declared on Wednesday there has not been a single confirmed case of the novel coronavirus in the country. Mirza disclosed this during a meeting held to discuss arrangements made in the wake of coronavirus that has claimed over 1,000 lives in China. The meeting was attended by the Federal Secretary Health Dr Allah Baksh Malik, NIH Executive Director Dr Aamer Ikram, director general of Health, representatives of the Pakistan Army and other field experts. The meeting briefly discussed the preventive measures taken by Pakistan with regard to coronavirus epidemic. Dr Zafar Mirza said all samples sent to NIH were negative and no case of the deadly virus reported in Pakistan. He said the passengers are being thoroughly screened at the various airports of the country and we are ready to face any emergency situation.

Last week, the NIH received 43 samples of suspected novel coronavirus cases, all of which have tested negative. According to Mirza, the government was making arrangements to ensure every individual is protected from the virus and is ready to deal with any emergency. STAFF REPORT

Thursday, 13 February, 2020

NEWS

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Na SESSIoN ENdS aFtER PPP, govt loCk hoRNS ovER 'MR 10PC' REMaRkS HAfeez SHAIkH SAyS opp CAn’t CRItICISe ptI govt foR goIng to Imf AS It HAS done tHe SAme ISLAMABAD

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STAFF REPORT

HE National Assembly session on Wednesday was adjourned after the remarks uttered by Energy Minister Omar Ayub Khan, wherein he stated that corruption is “in the genetic makeup of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)”, caused pandemonium in the House.

In a speech laden with criticism, the minister called out the performance of the previous governments, stating that there was an unprecedented price hike during the tenure of the PPP. In an apparent reference to PPP co-chief and former president Asif Ali Zardari, he also alluded to “Mr 10 per cent” in his speech.

The remarks were bashed by PPP and they asked Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri to ask the minister to refrain from making such comments.

However, when Khan continued his tirade against the opposition, PPP lawmakers led by Agha Rafiullah surrounded the energy minister and started tearing copies of the agenda, prompting treasury members to step in to prevent an altercation.

While Ayub and Rafiullah engaged in a verbal clash, treasury members, including Minister for Economic Affairs Hammad Azhar and Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry, stepped in to pacify the PPP lawmakers.

HAFEEZ SHAIKH MINCES NO WORDS: In his speech, Special Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh lashed out at the opposition leaders for criticising the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government and said that those who had themselves approached the International Monetary Fund (IMF) should not be criticising the government for doing the same.

Addressing the session, Shaikh responded to what he dubbed was “undue” criticism from opposition benches. Shaikh said that the governments that came to power both in 2008 and 2013 had gone to the IMF. “This is a national problem that our development isn’t at the pace that we don’t go to the IMF. No one goes to the IMF happily, whether it be the previous governments or the current one. “The situation leaves us no choice [but to do so],” he added.

“Some people have claimed that in negotiations with the IMF, individuals from both parties are representatives of the IMF,” the advisor said, adding that

it was disappointing that people like Reza Baqir – who is the incumbent governor of the State Bank of Pakistan — were being discarded for having worked in the IMF earlier.

“We should be proud of Reza Baqir.

He went on to study in the best American universities after having completed his initial studies from Lahore. He went on to join the IMF solely on the basis of his capabilities,” Shaikh said, adding that those who did not have the credentials to even enter the halls of IMF were critising the SBP governor for having worked there.

Summarising the situation that was steering the government, the premier’s special assistant said there was a loan of Rs95bn, Rs5,000bn to be returned in the next two years, highest current account deficit in Pakistan’s history and nosedived reserves alongside an upward trajectory in the fiscal deficit.

He said that the other “dangerous situation” inherited by the government, which needs to be focussed on, is regarding exports.

“The crisis in Pakistan is that our country doesn’t have dollars […] We are going on depleting dollars and increasing our liabilities in dollars. And what is happening to exports? Because there is only one way to increase dollars, that is exports.” Shaikh said that over the past five years the rate of growth in exports was zero.

“A system in which the dollar was purposely kept cheap [was in place],” he said, adding that imports were growing in the country, during this time and this affected industrialisation and exporters were disadvantaged.

“This is an issue we have to think about as a country. My main purpose is not to criticise but to present facts.

“This is also a challenge for the government.”

He said that other concerns were the slow rate of development in agriculture as well as the electricity sector.

“We as a country have been unsuccessful in solving this problem and what manifests this is the circular debt.”

In summary, Shaikh said that when the PTI government came to power, it could see the country entering into a crisis and no one was ready to give Pakistan a loan.

“When people raise questions that you didn’t do this or that, the fundamental reason for that was that dollars had been depleted and nobody was ready to give us a loan.”

Shaikh said that under all conditions they had to save the country from defaulting.

“Why? Because it was be very dangerous for Pakistan.”

He said various allies of Pakistan had assisted it and another important step was going to the IMF. With regards to managing expenditures, he said that a strict budget was set.

“I want to tell you that taxes in the first seven months, the target was around 2,200 [billion] and we achieved around 2,100,” Sheikh said.

Additionally, he said that borrowing from the SBP over the past seven months was at zero, as they had decided not to borrow from the State Bank because such borrowing tends to be inflationary.

The premier’s special assistant said that when they sat down to make a budget they decided that if they were to spend money on anyone it would be on two groups — the weakest segment of society and those who are supporting the government in increasing exports.

He said that the impact of the measures taken to benefit exporters was that exports had increased.

“After a zero per cent growth in five years, in the first seven months exports grew,” Shaikh said, adding that this had occurred at a time when countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam had also been unsuccessful in increasing exports.

According to Shaikh, a big danger was the current account deficit, which he said had been reduced from Rs20bn to Rs13bn in the first year. He added that there was a primary surplus for the first time in ten years.

“I am not saying anything political, I am simply stating the facts,” he said.

With regards to fiscal deficit, Shaikh said that it had also seen a downward trend.

Coming to revenues collected by the

government, the adviser on finance said non-tax revenue had been increased by 170pc. He added that the target of nontax revenue was Rs1,100bn, however, he said that it would Rs1,500bn.

Sheikh shared that the exchange rate also appeared to be at a stable level.

Earlier in his address, Energy Minister Omar Ayub stated that the opposition continue to cry crocodile tears, but are forgetting about the ground realities during their tenures.

Reading aloud from a report, the minister said: “[In 1974] the measures and the price situation were so acute that despite the measures outlines above, there was a higher rate of inflation in the economy.”

Coming to the current situation, Ayub said that the PML-N had also pointed fingers at the government for the current deteriorating economic situation.

“They talk about different things, but when it comes to figures […] in five years there was a 101pc increase in the circulation of currency notes during the PML-N government. Who had to face this, Imran Khan and the PTI government.

“What Hafeez Shaikh had said previously, they ran the rupee into the ground, Miftah Ismail started it and we had to face the consequences,” he said.

“They played with the country and picked up a mountain of debts. In the first 60 years of this country’s history, our debt was Rs7,000 bn. Then came the PPP which took it up to Rs15,000 bn.

The PML-N took it one step further by making it soar to Rs30,000 bn,” he explained.

“They are scared because the PTI

government is moving towards success.

We will overcome the obstacles they have left behind. Their workers themselves are coming to us asking how to join the party as their leaders are missing in action,” he added.

The policies drafted by the previous governments are like a noose around our neck, he said.

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, responding to Shaikh, questioned “If there was a shortage, why didn’t the minister for food security enforce wheat emergency in the country?” He alleged people will not be provided any relief [by the current government].

“Why don’t the ministers here apprise us of their performance over the past 1.5 years? Other than banning plastic bags, nothing concrete has been done.

“While the minister has spoken about the national government, nobody here has mentioned the role of the Punjab government and questioned why this problem [wheat] was created.”

He added that the problem is not a shortage of wheat and sugar but rather the prices. The government should assure the people that prices will be reduced and the [profiteer and hoarder] mafia will be exposed, he added.

Abbasi said that there was an economic meltdown in the country and if the finance minister believed what he was saying, then he could only sympathise with Shaikh, the government and the people of Pakistan because none of it was based on facts. He claimed that if the PTI-led government completes its five-year term, the country’s debt will be doubled.

jud chief Hafiz Saeed convicted in two terror-financing cases CONTINUED ON PAGE 01 It is in this background that the crackdown on JuD was initiated last year followed a warning by the anti-terror watchdog to Pakistan to deliver on its commitments to curb money laundering which is a potential source of terror financing.

The government had announced a ban on JuD and its charity wing Falah-e-Insanyat Foundation (FIF) to partially address the concerns raised by India that Pakistan supported these and six similar organisations, including Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) or at least considered them low-risk entities.

Law enforcement agencies over the next few

weeks had intensified their crackdown on JeM, JuD, FIF and other banned outfits, and arrested more than 100 activists. Nearly 200 seminaries besides hundreds of other facilities and assets associated with them across the country were taken over by the government.

Saeed, who in November 2018 was set free from a 300-day-long house arrest, has been repeatedly ac-

cused by the US and India of masterminding the 2008 attacks on the Indian financial capital that killed 166 people.

Saeed was declared a global terrorist by the US and UN over his alleged role in the Mumbai attacks.

JuD is considered by the US and India to be a front for LeT, the militant group blamed for the attacks.

04 KARACHI

Thursday, 13 February 2020

WEATHER UPDATES THURSDAY

300C 160C

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SATURDAY

CM MuRAD oRDeRS PRePARAtIon of neW tRAffIC MAnAGeMent PlAn KARACHI

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APP

INDH Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that the traffic jams and poor traffic flow on important roads in the city during rush hours is the manifestation of poor traffic planning and management, therefore a new plan to manage traffic in Saddar, Metropole, Clifton and I.I.Chundrigar Road is need of the hour.

This he said while presiding over a meeting regarding Traffic Management in the city here on Wednesday at the CM House.

The Commissioner Karachi gave presentation to the chief minister in which different options of one-way, removal of signals and installation of new signals were suggested.

The chief minister said that only declaring the Club Road as one-way was not enough and solution of the problem.

He said that we will have to adopt holistic approach by removing traffic congestion and jams from the entire areas right from Chundgrigar Road to Shaheen Complex, Shaheen Complex to Fuwara Chowk, Fuwara Chowk to Metropole corner towards Shahrah-e-Faisal and towards Clifton and at Avari Towers.

Syed Murad Ali Shah said that there are different options of one way of different roads.

He suggested that the choking points at Metropole, Avari, I.I Chundrigar Road have to be removed with best traffic engineering. The construction of flyover and under passes were not the appropriate solutions, he said.

The chief minister said that from Shaheen Complex there were two roads leading to Fawara Chowk and both the roads, Governor House Road and PIA office road have been allowed two ways. Therefore, both the roads remain choked at rush hours. Similarly, the traffic coming from Fuwara Chowk and Saddar gets choked at Avari, he said.

He raised questioner that why traffic from Shaheen Complex to Avari via Fuwara Chowk and Saddar towards Avari has been allowed to create mayhem at Avari and Metropole hotel. Why some traffic of saddar could not be diverted towards Army selection Center towards Shahrah-e-Faisal from Regent Plaza Area, he said.

He questioned that why traffic coming from Fuwara Chowk is not allowed to go directly towards

Clifton without moving around Metropole.

A separate presentation was also given by PD Karachi Package Khalid Masroor and Baber Sani and they also discussed different plan.

Finally, it was decided that Commissioner Karachi, Additional Inspector General of Karachi, DIG Traffic and Khalid Masroor and KD Engineering Bureau Chief would visit entire area and asses the situation of the traffic and study the roads which could be made one way and what other option could be adopted to remove unnecessary traffic diversion and congestion.

Syed Murad Ali Shah gave three months to the team not only work out a feasible plan of traffic management but implement it from June 2020 when schools go on summer vacation.

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Registration of two schools suspended over non-cooperation in anti-polio drive KARACHI STAFF REPORT

The director private schools on Wednesday suspended registration of two private schools in Karachi over non-cooperation during anti-polio drive. The action was taken after it was revealed that private schools in Karachi are not cooperating in anti-polio campaign underway in the city with joint collaboration of the health and education departments. The DG private schools said notices were served to forty other schools over non-cooperation with the anti-polio vaccination teams. Meanwhile, the officer-bearers of the All Sindh Private Schools and Colleges Association have shunned the impression of non-cooperation during anti-polio campaign.

All schools are extending their support to the teams during this campaign to eliminate the crippling disease of polio. Polio vaccination drive is currently underway in Karachi. The drive will that kicked-off from February 10 will continue till 16th of this month. The drive is underway in all six districts of Karachi and is targeting children less than five years of age. According to the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme website, 144 cases of wild polio virus (WPV) reported in Pakistan in 2019. In comparison, only 12 and eight cases had emerged in 2018 and 2017, respectively. Meanwhile, seven cases of WPV reported across the country so far in 2020.

Missing citizen case: SHC seeks comments from government, Rangers DG, IGP KARACHI STAFF REPORT

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday sought comments from Sindh government, Director General Rangers and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sindh on petition filed against disappearance of a citizen. A SHC bench heard a petition filed by Aijaz Hussain, father of a missing citizen, Waqar Hussain. The petitioner stated before the court that his son Waqar Hussain was taken away from Malir City Muslimabad area on 27th January 2020. He stated that some plainclothes entered his house at night and apprehended his son. Aijaz Hussain also informed the court that a vehicle without number-plate took away his son. Usman Farooq, the counsel of petitioner, urged the court to take legal action against those kidnappers and recover Waqar Hussain.

SHC ISSueS notICe to nAB SukkuR DG In MAnzooR WASSAn ASSetS CASe

karachi: Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah visits a stall during a ceremony marking National Women s Day 2020. INP

KARACHI

ATC reprimands police officials for failure to arrest absconders in Naqeebullah case KARACHI STAFF REPORT

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Wednesday reprimanded police officials for their failure to produce absconders before the court in Naqeebullah Mehsud murder case. During the hearing, the court questioned the law enforcement authorities if it had the means to ensure that it could arrest the absconders in the case.

The court had declared SHO Shoaib shooter, Amanullah Marwat as absconders in the case.

While, the main suspect in the case former SSP Malir Rao Anwar is out on bail. The court also or-

dered the DIG East to personally appear before the court on February 20 and explain the police’s failure to arrest the absconders.

Since the beginning of the trial in March last year, the court has so far heard six witnesses. The father of the slain youth, Muhammad Khan, who had lodged the complainant, passed away recently.

Before his death, he had expressed his distrust in the judicial system and the authorities, as he had allegedly been receiving death threats for pursuing the case.

Twenty-three policemen, including former Malir SSP Anwar, have been charged with the murder of Naseemullah Mehsud, alias Naqee-

STAFF REPORT

bullah Mehsud, who along with three others — Sabir, Nazar Jan and Ishaq — was killed in a fake encounter on the outskirts of the city on January 12, 2018.

Anwar had claimed that the 27-year-old was a terrorist and was killed with his accomplices during a shootout with law enforcers in the jurisdiction of the Shah Latif Town police station.

Contrary to Anwar’s repeated claim, the investigation did not find any evidence of Mehsud’s involvement in any terrorist activity, but observed that his social media profile portrayed him as a liberal and fun-loving young man with a penchant for modelling.

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday issued notices to Director General National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Sukkur and the case officer in the assets case against People’s Party leader Manzoor Wassan. Manzoor Wassan and other accused were present during hearing of the case. The court also extended protective bail of Wassan until March 11.

NAB prosecutor informed the bench that 42 properties have been traced during the inquiry against Manzoor Wassan. “What is evidence that proves ownership of properties by Manzoor Wassan,” the court asked the NAB lawyer. “We knew everything what NAB is doing in Sindh,” Chief Justice Sindh High Court Ahmed Ali Shaikh remarked. The inquiry against the accused has been in progress, the prosecutor said and pleaded to the court for more time to submit final report of the inquiry. “The DG NAB will appear before the court in the next hearing to inform on the case,” the bench remarked.

Court issues notices in plea challenging CM’s powers to appoint ombudsman KARACHI STAFF REPORT

A bench of Sindh High Court (SHC) here Wednesday issued notices to Sindh government and other respondents on a petition challenging a new law that has given powers to chief minister to appoint provincial ombudsman.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Yusuf Ali Saeed heard the constitutional petition filed by Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Altaf

Shakoor against Establishment of the Office of Ombudsman for the Province of Sindh (Amendment) Act 2020, and prayed the court to declare it as unconstitutional, illegal, void abs initio and of no legal effect.

Petitioner Altaf Shakoor, making province of Sindh through chief secretary, Sindh provincial assembly through its speaker, Sindh chief minister and governor respondent, had maintained that respondent chief minister and his government has targeted the Provincial Ombudsman office as it is the hurdle in

the way of corrupt practices and mal-administration of various departments under the government of Sindh.

He maintained that the respondent Chief Minister has targeted and jeopardized, and taken over the powers of respondent Governor for the appointment of the Provincial Ombudsman under the umbrella of Provincial Assembly by malafidely misusing the majority of political seats and representation in the Assembly without any debate and giving chance to the opposition to raise objections.

CMYK

He maintained that respondent Chief Minister has delegated the power to himself to appoint the Provincial Ombudsman to check corruption of in departments under his administration, which is against the principle of law, constitution, principle of natural justice, general clauses act, and thus is illegal, unconstitutional, void abs initio. It is submitted that it is the golden principle of law that nobody can be judge of his own cause, and getting power to appoint ombudsman means that accused has become a judge against allegations

leveled to him.

He said the theme and scheme of Institution of Ombudsman is to eradicate the corruption and mal-administration amongst the Provincial Government offices by impartial person appointed by the Respondent Governor to discharge the duty.

He said that the Provincial Legislative Assembly has no lawful power and authority to pass the impugned Act without debate and with incomplete quorum and without fulfilling the lawful and constitutional formalities.

Thursday, 13 February, 2020

NEWS

05

President Alvi urges exporters to focus on developing their own brands SIALKOT APP

P

RESIDENT Dr Arif Alvi on Wednesday urged the Sialkot exporters to focus on developing and promoting their own brands in sports goods and surgical instruments which would eventually open up a new era of exports promotion.

Addressing the exporters at Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), he said that Sialkot exporters have great potential to explore and capture the untapped international trade markets, adding the government had already focused on 'ease of doing business' in the country. He vowed to continue the process of economic stability.

President Alvi said the government would continue its economic development agenda by taking the business community on board. He highlighted the government's economic develop-

ment agenda.

He said that Sialkot exporters were backbone of the national economy, as they had been playing a pivotal role in strengthening the national economy by earning foreign exchange to the tune of US$ 2 billion annually.

The president said the government was fully aware of the problems of business community and making all-out efforts to resolve them amicably.

He said that major issues and problems were being resolved and redressed smoothly, adding the government would not disappoint the nation in this regard.

The continuity of business-friendly policies was vital for national economic stability, development and prosperity, he added.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said that Sialkot exporters were playing their role for strengthening national economy.

Lauding the unique export culture of Sialkot, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Youth Affairs Usman Dar said that investment in the area would be en-

Buzdar orders probe into small dams' construction during previous regime LAHORE APP

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has directed to hold inquiry into alleged embezzlement in the construction of small dams in Photohar during the tenure of previous government.

He also directed that Chairman Chief Minister's Inspection team would undertake investigation and submit its report to the CM Office.

The chief minister said this while chairing a meeting of the national and provincial assembly members from Rawalpindi division

here, said a handout issued here on Wednesday.

The legislators apprised the chief minister about the problems of their respective constituencies. Ongoing progress about development projects being taken in Rawalpindi division also came under discussion. The assembly members also put forth their recommendations with regard to annual development programme for next fiscal year.

Buzdar directed to take legal action against such housing schemes being setup without getting NOC. Addressing the participants, he said that land mafia grabbing state

40 beds with ventilators to be added to PIMS ICU, NA told ISLAMABAD APP

Parliamentary Secretary for National Health Services Dr Nausheen Hamid informed the National Assembly that 40 beds with ventilators in Intensive Care Units (ICU) and 154 beds in other wards will be added to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). Responding to a query during “Question Hour”, she said that PIMS had 86 ventilators in various departments and presently all were functional. She said that there were 21 beds in children hospital ICU ward, 11 in cardiac ICU ward which had been equipped with ventilators. She said that in case of non-availability of bed in ICU ward, patients were counseled and informed about the status and then referred to the other sister public organizations like federal government polyclinic and army hospital. She said that strengthening primary healthcare was the top priority of the government. She said reforms were also being introduced in important departments such as Drug Regulatory Authority.The secretary said that expansion of Mother Care Hospital and neonatology department with the assistance of JICA was under process. She said that to overcome the shortage, about 184 doctors had been appointed while process to appoint 101 more was in progress. Nausheen Hamid said that policies had been revisited to ensure one hundred coverage of anti-polio vaccine to the children. She said that missed and refused children had also decreased due to efforts of the government.

lands would be taken to task and operation against such elements would continue without yielding to any pressure.

He also announced that construction of ring road project would soon be initiated in Rawalpindi and also directed C&W Department to settle necessary matters regarding Rawalpindi ring road project. Setting up Ghandhara University in Taxila would also be reviewed, he added.

The project of setting up new vegetable market in Rawalpindi would be launched in Annual Development Programme of next fis-

couraged to further enhance exports.

He said the government was fully aware of the problems of business community and making all out efforts to re-

cal year.

He further said that he had already directed to take indiscriminate action against hoarders and profiteers and district price control committees had been made active and vibrant in this regard. "We will go to the last extent for providing relief to the masses," he asserted.

The construction work on Fateh Jhang-Pindi Gheb Road would soon be started. Project of Mother and Child Hospital would be included in the next budget while trauma center would also be setup in Attock.

A100-bed hospital and project of postgraduate college in Kahota would also be included in the new budget while Trauma Center in Gujjar Khan would also be made functional. The government has formulated concrete strategy for resolving problems of the masses of every district, he maintained..

CDA launches operation to remove encroachments from capital ISLAMABAD APP

Enforcement Directorate of the Capital Development Authority, Islamabad Administration and police jointly carried out several anti encroachment operations and removed encroachments and construction from different areas of the city. Enforcement Directorate conducting operation on service road from Zia Masjid to Khana Pul and removed several encroachments and confiscated encroachment material from the vicinity while construction on seven illegal structures in Ghouri Town was also stopped,besides demolish a two Chapper Hotel located in sector I-8 Markaz and Blue Area Islamabad. Enforcement team also demolished 06 chapper hotels in sector I-11 Mandi Morr area while 01 illegally established mechanic shop in front of sabzi mandi gate was also dismantled.

Similarly, during another action, teams of Enforcement Directorate demolished 15 jhuggies in sector G-10/2 while encroachments comprising upon 07 rooms, fences, 04 boundary walls, 07 bird sheds, 01 kiosk, 02 sheds and 01 canopy constructed illegally on

a plot reserved for park in sector G-11/2 were demolished. Furthermore, during another operation 01 tea stall and a boundary wall constructed illegally near Aabpara Petrol pump, 01 illegally established tea stall on Embassy Road and 01 kiosk in Barri Imam areas were also demolished. Similarly, teams of Enforcement Directorate also stopped the construction work on 03 under construction plazas in Jinnah Garden Society. During another operation staff of Enforcement Directorate also removed three construction material depots established outside of Sawan Garden Society while encroachments on plot No.264 of Humak Model Town were also removed.

JV partners to assist KP for repair road in gas producing area PESHAWAR STAFF REPORT

The joint venture (JV) partners of TAL Block would provide financial assistance of Rs400 million to the provincial government for repair and rehabilitation of a 40 km operational road between Gurguri and Banda Daud Shah.

In this connection, an agreement was signed between the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the JV partners of TAL Block here at Chief Minister Office in Peshawar.

On behalf of the KP Chief Secretary Kazim Niaz, Secretary Communication & Works (C&W) KP

Mohammad Shahab Khattak signed the agreement. MNA Shahid Khattak and Ali Murtaza Abbas, Group Regional Vice President for Middle East Africa & Pakistan of MOL Group also signed the agreement.

KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, Adviser to KP CM on merged districts Ajmal Wazir and others dignitaries witnessed the signing ceremony.

Speaking on the occasion, Ali Murtaza Abbas said that he was pleased to be part of this operational initiative in the Tal Block and believe that it will immensely benefit the local population.

MOL Pakistan on behalf of the

TAL JV has committed Rs400 million for this special initiative as part of our shared corporate values. He also wished success to the KP government for this important operational project. He added that such a special, one-off initiative will go a long way, and will have lasting benefits for the people of the province.

He also thanked Federal Minister for Petroleum Omar Ayub Khan and Secretary Petroleum Asad Hayauddin for his personal interest in the project.

Gurguri, Banda Daud Shah Road is 40-Kilometer that passes through various villages of TAL Block. This road is not only used as an alternate

transit route to Afghanistan, it has strategic importance as far as local transit trade is concerned.

In addition to this, it benefits the people on a daily basis, when children have to go to schools and patients have to be taken to hospitals.

The road will have a very highly positive impact on the economic development and promotion of local businesses, the transport industry.

According to the agreement, the TAL JV partners will provide Rs 400 million to the KP government and the Communication and Works Department of KP will take charge of the project for its earliest possible completion.

solve them amicably.

He said that investment in the area would be encouraged to further enhance exports of the country.

15 scorched in Khanewal house fire KHANEWAL INP

At least 15 people suffered burn injuries when a house caught fire after a gas cylinder explosion here early Wednesday morning. Rescue sources said that a gas cylinder exploded inside a house located in Chak No 10 of Makhdoompur in district Khanewal.

As a result of explosion, the mud-stone and woodmade house caught fire due to which 15 people were scorched. The rescue teams reached the scene and fire fighters extinguished the blaze after efforts of more than an hour. The house remained safe of caving in and the scorched people were shifted to Civil Hospital for treatment.

KP GOVT APPROVES RS8.8M FOR TWO KILLED POLIO WORKERS SWABI APP

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Wednesday approved Rs8.8million for two lady health workers killed during anti-polio campaign last year. On the recommendations of KP Health Department Swabi and local administration, KP Finance Department has approved compensation amount of Rs3.3 million cash and 1.1 million each would also be given to their heirs under the head of plot. Both the anti-polio workers including Shakeela Naz and Ghuncha Sartaj were gunned down at Mirali-Shewa Road on January 29 during administering polio drops. The compensation amount would be handed over to families of polio workers after completion of formalities by KP Health department.

Punjab EPD to introduce new policy on polythene bags, says minister LAHORE APP

Provincial Minister Environment Protection Department (EPD) Punjab Muhammad Rizwan said on Wednesday that the government was going to introduce a new policy about the use of polythene bags in the province. He was addressing at a seminar jointly organised by the EPD and an NGO, Agahee, on the topic of: no plastic bag campaign: under the clean and green Pakistan initiative at Town Hall here. MPA Uzma Kardar, Chairman Wasa Sheikh Imtiaz, CEO Agahee Mubarak Ali and others attended the seminar.

He said that the matter regarding material, size and thickness of plastic bags had been settled with the manufacturers’ association. However, technical and scientific panel was also being formed for further recommendations on the subject, he said, adding that plastic bags in their existing form were posing a grave risk to the environment and human health. Chairman Judicial Commission Justice (r) Ali Akbar said, in his address, that the Lahore High Court had banned use of plastic bags at all mega stores in the provincial metropolis and gave them a 15-day deadline to comply with the order by switching to alternative shopping bags. DG EPD Tanveer Warraich said that as per the latest research of local and international organisations, the polythene bags were found to have been a cause of major environment disasters.

Thursday, 13 February, 2020

06 WORLD VIEW

Terror cells: how BriTain’s prisons Became finishing schools for exTremisTs THEY ARE FUELLING RADICALISM RATHER THAN FIGHTING IT

Spectator

s

IAn AcHeSon

oMETIMES it appears as if, over the past ten years, the government has been actively trying to destroy the whole criminal justice system. It’s like an evil experiment: impose a 20 per cent cut in the prisons budget, meaning a 26 per cent reduction in the number of operational front line staff — then sit back and see what happens. What happened was predictable, with disastrous consequences for both inmates and the public. As a previous Conservative home secretary once said, our prisons became places that ‘make bad people worse’.

Imagine a young man like Sudesh Amman arriving in prison after his first offence. He was already a drug user, known to have a cannabis habit. He was mentally unstable and radicalised by Islamist propaganda. He entered a prison that’s usually overcrowded, frequently filthy and with too few staff struggling just to keep people alive (themselves included) from one end of the day to the other.

Inside, all of his problems are not addressed but exacerbated. In most prisons there’s a rampant drugs economy that destroys lives and drives much of the violence. It makes the task of reforming offenders near impossible. The money to be made from drugs inside is extraordinary. The predators can access their

customer base without leaving their cells. Mobile phones actually designed and sold for their ability to be stored where the sun don’t shine have handy apps to transfer the cash to the dealers. It’s also convenient for the dealers that many of the captive consumers have huge unmet needs with mental health problems.

Finally, charismatic hate preachers are in close proximity to credulous, violent, addicted young men in search of meaning and excitement.

The details of Amman’s incarceration and early life are slowly emerging and they suggest a loner and a misfit, infatuated with death, who was eager for martyrdom to make sense of a failed and futile existence. This is a depressingly familiar profile for lone actor terrorists the world over, and it is often associated with mental illness. And this matters.

The relationship between mental or developmental disorders and terrorism is frequently drowned out — either by commentators who see conspiracy to obscure the ideological origins of the crime, or by those who fear all mentally ill people will get labelled as dangerous.

Such concerns are understandable — but those killed by insane terrorists are just as dead as those dispatched by ‘rational’ killers. Amman’s former cell mate at HMP Belmarsh has described him as someone who was ‘definitely insane and he never hid his intentions, so it’s crazy how he even got out of jail’.

Amman’s mother has claimed that her son was effectively brainwashed by material he viewed online in prison. It’s still possible to be astonished at this. HMP Belmarsh is a relatively modern high-security prison housing a number of terrorists. It has a permanent presence of counter-terrorism officers within its security and intelligence department. It is relatively well-resourced. But as ITV’s Welcome to Belmarsh documentary showed, it needs the full attention of staff to struggle to contain 68 street gangs and entrenched use of psychoactive drugs.

Who the hell would work in a place like this?

Good question. While the gigantic Grayling-sized

hole in the staff bucket has lately started to fill with emergency recruitment of new staff, they emerge from one of the shortest training courses in Europe to work in one of the most hostile environments outside a war zone. An Afghan veteran prison officer recently said that he had felt safer in Helmand.

Little wonder then, that on the latest figures, over half of all prison officers hanging up their keys have less than two years’ service. When stacking shelves pays more than being the state’s punchbag, it’s not hard to understand why.

When I wrote my review of Islamist extremism in the criminal justice system in 2016, my team and I were unanimous that a prison solely for terrorists was not the answer to the threat we identified. We took the view that the only extremists who should be separated were the hate preachers: those likely to inspire others with extreme ideology. We recommended they should be cut off from their targets for as long as they persisted in their activities. We were mindful of the lessons from the past from Northern Ireland, but not hamstrung by them.

Now, I’m not so sure. We need secure and stable prisons that are fully in the control of the state: and too many prisons now fail this test. We cannot have environments where people like Usman Khan and Sudesh Amman degenerate into killing machines. We can’t tolerate a system where the sole product of their time behind bars is the dehumanisation of themselves and others. It is increasingly hard to make the case for a ‘good prison’ that puts brawlers and gangsters up in close proximity to death cultists.

What would a terrorist prison look like? There are plenty of examples around the world to draw from. Many aren’t good. The main argument for dispersing terrorist prisoners across a number of reinforced prisons (as we currently do) is that this reduces the potency and capability of the most dangerous. But dispersal was designed to deal with serious organised crime syndicates, not networked

21st-century jihadists with hinterlands of supporters in each of the six prisons they are likely to end up in. Metastasising the cancer of violent extremism across our prison system doesn’t seem to be the right response to a movement whose modus operandi is global revolution through recruitment of new blood.

But in the current environment, it’s unlikely we will move to jihadi jails anytime soon. In the meantime, we must deal with things as they are. We need a framework for sentencing and releasing prisoners and this is in progress. The quantity of years given to an extremist is less important than the quality of the incarceration. of the 82,000-odd prisoners, only about 220 are terrorists, with hundreds more screened after being deemed at risk of radicalisation. We need to be more assertive in managing the challenge they pose — from the start of their custody to their resettlement in the community.

All the various arrangements for the supervision of terrorist offenders ‘in the community’ (i.e. outside of prison) use structures and agencies that are philosophically and organisationally unsuitable for the management of this threat. There should be one terrorist prisoner management service, covering individualised treatment programmes, risk assessment, release decisions and resettlement supervision. People who go into the streets and stab strangers with impunity are in no conventional way rational. So we need to step up the surveillance, treatment and protection of those whose psychological disorders may predispose them to strike. No more generic, psychosocial interventions invented by well-meaning professionals.

And finally: you can’t defeat Islamism without Islam. We need an urgent step change in the recruitment, deployment and involvement of moderate and modern Islamic scholars to take on this fight.

Indeed, we need to seek the support of communities when terrorists are released from prisons, working in partnership with the various protective services.

It needs to be a joint effort.

What of those who can’t (or won’t) surrender ideas that are completely antithetical to our national values, even to what it is to be human? We must find ways to keep the door open for them to change.

We’ve no clear idea about the relationship between time and desistence for this new generation of terrorists. But let’s be straight: that open door needs to be behind high walls and in the confines of prison custody. If necessary: for ever.

Ian Acheson is an ex prison officer and senior adviser at the Counter Extremism Project.

Modi cheerleaders are abusing a well-intentioned American refugee law for anti-Muslim ends THEY WANT TO SCRAP THE CITIZENSHIP RIGHTS OF INDIAN MUSLIMS BECAUSE AMERICA HELPED SOVIET JEWS AND CHRISTIANS

Week SHIKHA DALMIA

America’s harsh anti-immigration policies under the Trump administration are hardly a good example for the rest of the world. But leave it to the supporters of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to distort a well-intentioned American law for nefarious ends.

They have dusted off something called the Lautenberg Amendment, an obscure Cold War-era law, to justify Modi’s anti-Muslim Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Modi’s law has sparked massive protests in India and condemnation around the world. But his supporters claim there is no functional difference between America’s Lautenberg Amendment and India’s CAA. A recent piece in News18, CNN’s Indian news site, dismissed the West’s reaction to the CAA as “illinformed” because it “ignored the similarities to the U.S.’s Lautenberg Amendment.” Likewise, the HAF (the Hindu American Foundation), a U.S.-based outfit dedicated to fighting Hinduphobia, advises U.S. critics to read the Lautenberg Amendment before criticizing the CAA. Meanwhile, Modi supporters in the Indian-American community are petitioning the Seattle City Council to reject the “severely misguided, misinformed” anti-CAA resolution floated by one of its members because CAA is India’s Lautenberg.

But this is pure posturing meant to confuse the world.

It is true that America passed Lautenberg, named after the Democratic Jewish senator from New Jersey who sponsored it, in 1990 to hand Jews and Christians in the Soviet Union and some Southeast Asian countries—Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos—an expedited pathway to gain refugee status in America. Typically, prospective refugees have to individually prove they are facing persecution to gain admission (and they have to flee to another country and apply through in-

ternational organizations like the United Nations).

But Lautenberg created a presumption of persecution for Jews and Christians because of concerns that the political turmoil generated by the collapse of the Soviet Union might make them even more vulnerable to persecution than usual. So they had to show merely a generalized—not individualized—fear to be considered for admission. (Also sometimes they could apply directly from their home countries without fleeing first.) When Lautenberg was passed, International Refugee Assistance Project’s Betsy Fisher told The Week it created additional pathways to expand America’s relatively generous refugee program at the time (before the current administration gutted it).

What does the CAA do?

It fast-tracks citizenship for Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, and Parsees from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who arrived in India before December 2014—but leaves out persecuted Muslims such as the Ahmaidyas from Pakistan or the Rohingya from Myanmar. In other words, it imposes a religious test for citizenship.

CAA’s supporters argue this is functionally similar to Lautenberg because just like Lautenberg, the CAA creates special channels for some groups without eliminating existing channels for any group. Muslims who are left out of the CAA can still access normal channels for admission, just like refugees not covered by Lautenberg can apply through usual channels.

But this analysis strains the truth at every level.

For starters, unlike the CAA, Lautenberg is a flexible, ongoing program, not a one-time deal. Its underlying purpose is to create a mechanism to rescue the most vulnerable religious groups in the world at any given time. Hence, the law has to be reauthorized every year at which point lawmakers have the option of revising the list of groups needing help. In 2004, Lautenberg was extended to Iran—and not just the Jews and Christians in the country but also the Baha’is, a religious sect that is considered heretical

by Iran’s mullahs.

In other words, Lautenberg cuts against dominant prejudices while the CAA caters to them. Moreover, Lautenberg, laudably, aimed to admit more refugees into America, not create a discriminatory citizenship standard for those inside the country.

When it comes to U.S. citizenship, one uniform standard applies to everyone regardless of race, caste, creed, religion, or nationality.

But the biggest lie that CAA supporters tell is that refugees not fast-tracked by the law can still avail normal channels, just like Lautenberg.

Lautenberg relaxed standards for some refugees to admit more in. The CAA admits not a single extra refugee. Furthermore, once admitted, refugees in America have a pretty straightforward path to citizenship. But India’s existing refugee and citizenship channels are a sick joke.

Unlike much of the world, India has studiously refused to sign the United Nations convention on refugees or other similar protocols. So it is under no obligation under international law to extend even minimal care or assistance to those fleeing to its shores. Moreover, note Ipsita Chakravarty and Vijayta Lalwani of Scroll.in, one of the few unafraid and honest publications left in India in the Modi era, India has no dedicated law that guarantees basic due process rights to refugees. It relies, instead, “on a thicket of other laws” and vague operating procedures to determine who has a “well-founded fear” of persecution. This basically leaves refugees to the tender mercies of bureaucrats. The upshot unsurprisingly is that those groups the CAA targets for favoritism already get better treatment than the others from the Indian system.

Even before the CAA, note Chakravarty and Lalwani, Hindus fleeing Pakistan and Bangladesh were able to obtain driver’s licenses, bank accounts, and PAN cards (the equivalent of Social Security cards).

They even got access to education and health-care facilities and can buy “small dwelling units for selfoccupation and self-employment.” This is not a lot but it is a lot more than what the Rohingya or the Ahmadiyas get.

These groups have been herded into filthy camps and can’t even obtain SIM cards for cell phones. More shockingly, two years ago, when tens of thousands of Rohingyas were desperately trying to escape Myanmar because of the unspeakable brutality of the security forces, Modi declared the Rohingya refugees in India a “terror threat” and wanted to deport them back to their country to be slaughtered. Indeed, thousands of Rohingyas live in just five Indian cities but only 500 have been granted long-term visas.

In other words, referring these folks to “normal channels” means consigning them to either a sub-human existence in camps or certain death back home.

But the biggest lie that CAA supporters peddle is that the law won’t leave these groups any worse off. What the law’s proponents conveniently don’t acknowledge is that the CAA is only one arm of Modi’s pincer to disenfranchise Muslims on India’s soil. The other is the National

Registry of Citizenship (NRC).

This registry, which Modi’s Muslim-baiting home minister has declared will be implemented nationwide by 2024, would require India’s 1.3 billion individuals to prove to the government that they are citizens. Every man, woman, and child in India will have to arrange papers showing, for example, that they have ancestors going back to a specified cutoff date, along with other requirements.

This is a near-impossible task for India’s poor and illiterate especially given the notoriously bad record-keeping at the municipal level—and the Modi government knows this. Indeed, if the pilot program in the province of Assam is any indication, the upshot of this exercise will be that hundreds of millions of Indians of all faiths will be unable to come up with the proper paperwork to make the cut.

The whole point of the CAA is to hand Hindus and other select groups who don’t make it on the NRC a way out while stripping citizenship rights from an untold number of India’s 140 million Muslims, not just recent refugees but also those with ties going back generations. The Modi government is reportedly building detention camps all over the country for those excluded from the NRC. This is the opposite of Lautenberg—both in letter and spirit.

To be sure, Lautenberg has never fully lived up to its promise. Like the rest of the refugee program, it’s become hostage to competing special interests and the foreign policy whims of the sitting administration. And, shamefully, phony national security considerations have prevented the law from being extended to groups like the Iraqi Yazidis who were facing genocide by ISIS. India has invoked bad American immigration laws for its nativist ends in the past. For example, a 2005 Indian Supreme Court ruling actually quoted from the U.S. Supreme Court’s notorious and largely discarded 1889 Chinese Exclusion decision to declare that “the highest duty of a nation” is to “give security against foreign aggression and encroachment” including from “vast hordes” of foreigners “crowding in upon us.”

But turning a well-intentioned American law on its head to justify the Modi government’s sinister designs is obscene. The world should see this insidious comparison by Modi cheerleaders for the disinformation campaign that it is: A new low.

Shikha Dalmia is a senior analyst at Reason Foundation, a nonprofit think tank advancing free minds and free markets.

Thursday, 13 February, 2020

FOREIGN NEWS 07

China's new Coronavirus Cases drop, but world still on alert BEIJING

C

AGENCIES

HInA reported on Wednesday its lowest number of new coronavirus cases in nearly two weeks, lending weight to a forecast by its foremost medical adviser for the outbreak to end

by April – but a global expert warned it was only beginning elsewhere.

The 2,015 new confirmed cases took China’s total to 44,653. That was the lowest daily rise since Jan. 30 and came a day after epidemiologist Zhong nanshan forecast the epidemic would peak in China this month before subsiding.

His comments gave some balm to public fears and to markets, where global stocks surged to record highs on hopes of an end to disruption in the world’s second largest economy.

But the World Health Organization (WHO) has likened the epidemic’s threat to terrorism and one expert said that while it may be peaking in China, this was not the case beyond.

“It has spread to other places where

it’s the beginning of the outbreak,” Dale Fisher, head of the Global Outbreak Alert and Response network coordinated by the WHO, said in an interview in Singapore. “In Singapore, we are at the beginning of the outbreak.”

Singapore has 47 cases. Its biggest bank, DBS (DBSM.SI), evacuated 300 staff on Wednesday after a case at head

office. Hundreds of infections have been reported in dozens of other countries and territories, but only two people have died outside mainland China: one in Hong Kong and another in the Philippines. China’s latest figures also showed that the number of deaths on the mainland rose by 97 to 1,113 by the end of Tuesday.

But doubts have been aired on social media about how reliable the data is, after the government last week amended guidelines on classification.

QUARANTINED CRUISES: The biggest cluster of cases outside China is on the Diamond Princess cruise ship quarantined off Japan’s port of Yokohama, with about 3,700 people on board. Japanese officials on Wednesday said 39 more people had tested positive for the virus, taking the total to 175.

One of the new cases was a quarantine officer. There was a happy ending in sight for another cruise ship, the MS Westerdam, which Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Guam and the Philippines had refused to let dock over fears one of its 1,455 passengers and 802 crew may have the virus.

Cambodia finally agreed to let it land, the Holland America Line said.

Passengers have been whiling away time playing chess and doing puzzles.

“The staff has tried to bolster spirits but you can only play so many games of trivia,” American passenger Angela Jones told Reuters in a video.

Japan cruise ship coronavirus cases climb to 174 AGENCIES A further 39 people on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship off the Japan coast have tested positive for the new coronavirus, authorities said Wednesday, as thousands more steel themselves for a second week in quarantine.

The ship that originally had over 3,700 passengers and crew on board has become the largest single cluster of the newly named COVID-19 disease outside its origin in China, where it has killed more than 1,100 people.

“Out of 53 new test results, 39 people were found positive,” Japanese Health Minister Katsunobu Kato told reporters, bringing the total of cases on board to 174. In addition, a quarantine officer was also found to be infected with the virus.

Kato added that: “At this point, we have confirmed that four people among those who are hospitalised are in a serious condition, either on a ventilator or in an intensive care unit.”

The Diamond Princess has been in quarantine since arriving off the Japanese coast early last week after the virus was detected in a former passenger who got off the ship last month in Hong Kong.

Those who remain on the ship have been asked to stay inside their cabins and allowed only briefly onto open decks — as long as they wear face masks.

Passengers have also been asked to keep a distance from each other when outside, and given thermometers to regularly monitor their temperatures.

When the boat arrived off Japan, authorities initially tested nearly 300 people of the 3,711 aboard for the virus, gradually evacuating dozens who were in-

fected to local medical facilities.

In recent days, testing has expanded and so far 492 people have been tested, mostly those showing symptoms or who have had close contact with a confirmed positive case.

“Currently we have the capacity to conduct up to 300 tests per day, but we are working… so that by the last day of the incubation period, February 18, we will be able to test up to 1,000,” government spokesman Yoshihide Suga told reporters at a regular briefing.

‘ANXIETY UPRISEN’: The ship is expected to remain in quarantine until February 19 — 14 days after the isolation period began. Officials do not expect new cases to affect this schedule.

Aside from the cruise ship, Japan has identified 28 cases, including at least nine from evacuation flights that brought Japanese citizens out of the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the virus originated.

Some of the passengers evacuated from Wuhan are expected to be released soon from self-quarantine — possibly by Wednesday evening.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced that Japan was expanding its ban on travelers to the province of Zhejiang. Previously, a ban was imposed only on passengers from Hubei region, where the disease originated.

On board the ship, the captain told passengers in a message live broadcast via social media: “This is an ever-changing situation and decisions are being made daily to ensure we are following the latest and best public health guidelines from the authorities.”

He apologised for the “periodic service disruptions” to the internet, adding: “Diamond Princess has more bandwidth than any ship in the world and at the

erdogan threatens to attack syrian forces 'everywhere' ANKARA: Turkey will strike Syrian regime forces “everywhere” if its soldiers come under renewed attack, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Wednesday and accused Damascus ally Russia of committing “massacres” in Idlib. “I hereby declare that we will strike regime forces everywhere from now on regardless of the Sochi deal if any tiny bit of harm comes to our soldiers at observation posts or elsewhere,” Erdogan told a meeting of his ruling party in parliament. The latest threat comes after more than a dozen Turkish soldiers were killed in regime shelling in the northwestern province of Idlib — the last rebel bastion in Syria. Syrian regime forces, backed by Russian air strikes, have pressed ahead with an offensive to retake the province from rebel groups despite the 2018 Sochi ceasefire deal agreed between Turkey and Russia.AGENCIES

iran rejects us claims on satellite programme, says it has no military dimension

same time, more mobile devices than ever before connected on a ship.”

British passenger Sally Abel said in a video streamed on Facebook that: “You sit out on the balcony and you hear people coughing all the way along.”

“It is nothing like a holiday but it is complete relaxation,” she added.

Another passenger on the ship, Yardley Wong, tweeted: “Anxiety uprisen” from the new cases, adding that she did not know when it would be her turn or that of her family.

But another cruiser said the captain’s actions were keeping stress levels on board the ship manageable.

“One reason why a panic has not occurred among passengers is the captain’s leadership. Regular announcements of information, answering passengers’ requests by consulting quarantine officers, walking on the deck, apologising for delayed medicine distribution,” the passenger tweeted. “I want this kind of man to be our country’s leader.”

TEHRAN: Iran’s government on Wednesday rejected US allegations that the Islamic republic’s satellite programme has a military dimension, days after the failed launch of its latest satellite. “The subject of satellite launch vehicles and satellites is a civilian matter,” Defence Minister Amir Hatami was quoted as saying by state news agency IRnA. “We could use a satellite for defence purposes, but the satellite launcher is a completely non-defensive subject and it’s the definite and absolute right of the Iranian nation. “There is no prohibition in the world” against this satellite programme, he said. Iran attempted on Sunday to launch a satellite dubbed the Zafar — Farsi for “Victory” — but it failed to reach orbit. Washington on Tuesday accused Tehran of using satellites as a cover to develop its missile programme. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the technology involved to launch satellites was “virtually identical” to the know-how for long-range ballistic missiles. But Hatami said Iran was only doing the same as “all other countries” with satellite programmes. Iran would press ahead with its satellite programme and planned to launch a new version of the Zafar by early next year, he added. AGENCIES

Biryani sales rise after BJP's defeat in Delhi elections NEW DELHI AGENCIES

Biryani sales in India’s capital new Delhi soared after Prime Minister narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) suffered a devastating loss in a key state election to the Aam Admi Party (AAP), reported The Economic Times on Tuesday.

The report credited the surge in sales to previous comments made by senior BJP leaders, including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, about the AAP serving the dish to anti-citizenship law protesters gathered at Shaheen Bagh.

“The Kejriwal government provides biryani to the people sitting at protests at Shaheen Bagh and other places,” Adityanath had said at some election rallies he had addressed in Delhi, it added.

Earlier in the week, Amit Malviya, head of the BJP’s IT cell had tweeted, “Proof of biryani being distributed at Shaheen Bagh!”

Hundreds of women have been blocking Shaheen Bagh for weeks in protest of the Indian government’s Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the national Register of Citizens (nRC). The women have inspired thousands across India to replicate their challenge to the Hindu nationalist government.

Social media platforms were flooded with posts about citizens announcing celebrations featuring the delicacy after the AAP’s win. Meanwhile, restaurants scrambled to offer discounts to cash in on the moment, the publication added.

Speaking to The Economic Times, Raymond Andrews, the co-founder of a biryani chain in Delhi, said: “We have seen a higher uptake on our orders.

Biryani as the cuisine is celebratory by nature, be it a birthday, an anniversary or friends celebrating.”

Vishal Jindal, another restaurant owner, stated that they witnessed a pickup in sales despite it being a Tuesday, the report said, adding that many Indian citizens

refrain from consuming non-vegetarian food on Tuesdays for religious reasons.

INDIA’S CoNTENTIoUS NEw lAw: Critics have said that India’s new law is discriminatory as it singles out Muslims, who make up nearly 15 percent of the country’s population. Under the law, persecuted Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians who fled Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan prior to 2015 will be granted citizenship.

The Indian government says that Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh are Muslim-majority countries, therefore Muslims cannot be treated as persecuted minorities, which is why they have been excluded from the citizenship offer.

Critics, however, have lambasted the BJP-led government for including religion as a criterion for citizenship, arguing that it goes against secular principles, India’s constitution and the country’s international obligations to prevent the deprivation of citizenship on the basis of race, color, descent, or national or ethnic origin.

Thursday, 13 February, 2020

08 COMMENT The government in confrontation mode If you’re in a hole, stop digging

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eit is sad that the government is unwilling to accept that the country faces an economic crisis of unprecedented magnitude. it is more interested in blaming the opposition than in rectifying its course. the government’s blunders in its dealings with the iMF have led to a situation where, according to a former Finance Minister who is also a prominent conomist, the country’s net revenues will not be able to cover anything including debt servicing, armed forces expenses and development expenses which will have to be financed through loans. the Opposition parties do not critcise the government for taking recourse to iMF, as maintained by PM’a Finance Adviser dr Abdul Hafeez shaikh on Wednesday. the opposition however points out the two blunders committed by the government. First, the government delayed taking the critical decision to go to the iMF for 10 months. By the time it decided to approach the iMF the government was in a weaker position. second, the Pti government gave a carte blanche to the iMF. it accepted a rise in power and gas charges, brought down of the currency by 40 percent, included additional taxation in the budget and carried out 30 percent reduction in development spending. Had the government tried to persuade the iMF to drop some of the measures, or delay them till next year, the floodgates of inflation would not have opened so wide. this has led the opposition to hold that the Pti government is incompetent. the situation in the country further worsened when mafias were allowed to freely indulge in malpractices that led to sudden increases in the prices of commodities of everyday use, including wheat and sugar. On tuesday, members from the PPP and PML(n) were on the offensive while speaking in the national Assembly over the rise in prices, the government’s failure to cope with the situation and the presence of mafias enjoying the protection of the government. But it was made clear by Kh Asif that the opposition would not be part of any conspiracy against the government and it favoured government change only through constitutional ways instead of indulging in confrontation with the opposition, the government should realize the gravity of the situation, and take measures to improve the economy.

The problem of legislation Another ordinance is struck down

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President Arif Alvi might complain that he is badly served. there have been three major debacles, with which he has been involved intimately, and where he has had the supreme Court overturn a document he has signed. First was the notification of the appointment on two members of the election Commission of Pakistan, in which his having signed off on their appointment did not stop the supreme Court stopping their taking office and referring the matter back to Parliament. similarly, in the imbroglio over the Chief of Army staff’s extension, he signed more than one notification, none of which satisfied the supreme Court, which then mandated Parliament to pass legislation to allow the extension. the most recent example is that the Pakistan Medical Council, which replaced the Pakistan Medical and dental Council by virtue of an ordinance signed by President Alvi. the iHC found that the ordinance had been issued to avoid having recourse to Parliament.

President Alvi might well claim that he was bound to act on the advice tendered to him by the Prime Minister, or indeed any member of the Federal Cabinet, but the pattern is unmistakable: the judiciary does not see why it should accept constitutionally dubious steps just because it suits the federal government. the government itself, which also put forward Mr Alvi for the Presidency, does not seem to realise that it only got executive authority in the 2018 election, not legislative competence. that would only have only been available if the Pti had had a majority in the senate, which it does not, and for which it must wait until 2021.

President Ali should try persuading his party leader, Prime Minister imran Khan, to be more circumspect in his actions. the supreme Court seems to be seeing Parliament as having to perform the functions of a legislature as prescribed for it by the Constitution, even if it includes those whom the Prime Minister sees as corrupt and thus unworthy of notice. When tendering advice to the President, all should make sure that it does not try to undermine the legislature. true, the present government was elected on a reform agenda,but that should not be interpreted as a mandate to tear things down.

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

Umar Aziz

Asher John

Joint Editor

Executive Editor

Deputy Editor

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

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Finding meaning in a post-hope Pakistan a wobbly table, or a ceiling that won't stop leaking. What's faulty is the foundation itself on which the house is built; or rather, the foundation ters, and then returned. i didn't need to return, on which we continue to build. the struggle is but i wanted to. i've begun to question my deci- not to fix one 'issue' or the other, but to challenge sion, as many others in my position probably do the basic order of things. to keep the rich from every now and then. getting richer, even when it's supposedly legal. i've decided to pardon myself for feeling this to keep the poor from getting poorer, even when way. some days when one wakes up to the news it's supposedly inevitable. of another child mistreated at a madrassa, or By the end of January, the left was protestgrave injustice at the courthouse, or the unbridled ing PtM leader Manzoor Pashteen's arrest. A concentration of wealth and power by an elite week later, the left was protesting Manzoor few, one feels less willing to rise for the national Pashteen's arrest as well as the arbitrary arrests anthem in a cinema. relentless positivity can be of activists and artists of the Awami Workers a bit exhausting.

Party. Most of the activists were eventually reYes, we are grateful to Quaid-e-Azam leased on bail, and we were asked to be grateful Muhammad Ali Jinnah and we're cognizant of the for marginal victory in a fight we shouldn't even sacrifices that went into the creation of this is- have been fighting. How do we change the founlamic republic. How could we not? it's peculiar dation when the crooked house keeps adding a that our Pak studies lessons new storey every week? We have not precluded the flight couldn't change the foundaof 10,000 engineers, 3500 tion last year. How do we doctors, 2500 pharmacists, change the foundation now and 9500 accountants out of that our country is 10,000 I will do my part of the land of pure towards engineers short? As we fly greener pastures. if only we 3000 km a second towards a reaching out for the could pay our bills with our north Korean model of austars, and I forgive infinite reserves of patriotism. tocracy, how do we keep the the afternoon i read about existential dread from overmyself for not being Junaid Hafiz's punishment, i whelming us? able to snag one and found myself once again quesAt the age of 15, i gave tioning my decision to return up hope of witnessing interput it in my pocket to Pakistan. What is love withgalactic travel. But in this out trust? What's love without post-hope state, this youth a sense of security in my science-enthusiast found country's embrace? What becomfort in an old cliché: comes of those unused rethe journey is the destinaserves of patriotic love once the lover disappears tion. We will not succeed today, or tomorrow. in the back of a mysterious van? six years of soli- We will write our placards every morning and tary confinement followed by a death sentence, march in the sun every afternoon with the foreis what might happen to a Fulbright scholar who knowledge that, come evening, we'll return returns to serve his country. the citizen is re- home empty-handed. We will however, return quired to love his state, but the state appears to with our collective conscience thoroughly be under no obligation to reciprocate. cleansed. We walked in line with our values of every 'issue' that you can think of– from fairness and human decency. i will do my part poverty to patriarchy– comes down to a fight be- of reaching out for the stars, and i forgive mytween those with way too much power, and those self for not being able to snag one and put it with far too little. An 'issue' is a broken window, in my pocket.

The brain drain makes the escape from poverty impossible

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FaraZ TalaT

t's okay if you're not feeling positive. i'm not either. When i was younger, i was obsessed with astrophysics and the possibility of intergalactic travel. At the age of 15, i learned something that flooded me with existential dread. the galaxies are moving away from us. By the time you finish reading this sentence, one of our closest galaxies would be roughly 3000 km further than it was at the start of this sentence. As i learned this, my heart sank into a newly opened abyss. in this dark and uncharted expanse, our small mohala of stars was are growing lonelier by the second. the longer we take to reach our goal, the farther it gets from us.

About a half a million countrymen left Pakistan in 2019 for better work and living opportunities abroad. Most of them are fresh graduates from local universities. emigration has increased, but the pattern is hardly unusual. Most reputable Pakistani universities are adept at preparing their students for work abroad. Certain medical colleges, for example, are dedicated to maximizing their students' chances of clearing the United states Medical Licensing exam (UsMLe); service to the homeland set aside as a consolation prize for those unable to succeed. i cleared a similar exam a few years ago. i went to england, dipped my toes in walayti wa-

Angry and vindicated

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Dr. James J. Zogby

n January, the israeli daily newspaper, Haaretz, ran an article, “secret israeli document reveals Plan to Keep Arabs Off their Lands” i found the piece unsettling for several reasons.

Given the headline, at first i thought the story was going to be about israel’s policies in the West Bank where israel’s military administration has, since the beginning of the occupation, set aside large areas of the territories as “closed” to Palestinians, presumably for reasons of “security.”

Other areas were designated “green spaces”– which, while appearing to be an environmental designation, simply meant that Palestinians couldn’t build on or otherwise make use of these lands.

Over time both the “closed” and the “green spaces” gave way to settlements– since that had been israel’s intention in the first place. For example, the massive israeli settlement called Har Homa was built on a hill of Palestinian-owned land between Bethlehem and Jerusalem, called Jabal Abul Ghnaim. early on, israel zoned the Jabal “a green space.” their concern wasn’t to keep it “green;” it was to keep Palestinian owners from using the land until israel was ready to build a Jewish-only settlement on that same location.

As i began to read the Haaretz story, however, i realized that it wasn’t about israel’s current practices in the territories occupied in 1967. rather, it was about the israeli defense establishKarachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

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ment’s decades-long effort to bury or suppress documentation of the very same land-grab practices that the israelis had implemented during the first few years of their state.

Haaretz, to its credit, has been running quite a few of these historical pieces exposing the outrageous policies israel used to “ethnically cleanse” Palestinians from their land in order to insure that the new state was “more Jewish and less Arab.” As i’ve read each of these articles, i must say that my reactions have ranged from anger to indignation to vindication. i’ve felt angry and indignant because 40 years ago, when i first wrote about these same practices in a little book titled Palestinians: the invisible Victims, i was denounced by major pro-israel and American Jewish organizations for my anti-israel views. Back then, these mainstream groups were operating in much the same way as today’s shadowy Canary Mission or Campus Watch. they created defamatory and threatening background briefs on Arab American writers and activists. And they would use these briefs to pressure colleges, radio, and tV programmes to disinvite us. they accused us of distorting history, fabricating lies, and being motivated by an anti-Jewish animus. Of course, we were doing none of the above. We were merely reporting on the history of what israel had done and was still doing to remove Palestinians from their lands and to deny them their rights.

When i now read the very same history in an israeli newspaper, i can’t help think of the price so many Arab American intellectuals and activists were forced to pay for simply telling the truth. so, yes, i am angry and indignant. At the same time, i feel somewhat vindicated that despite the heavyhanded efforts of major American Jewish groups to silence our voices, the truth is finally coming out.

One final aspect of the article that i found intriguing was the effort expended and the means used by israeli authorities to bury the historical record that would prove the grave injustices they committed in establishing their state. According to the Haaretz article, this record includes evidence of “the looting and destruction of Arab villages during the independence War

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

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Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

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[and]...evidence of acts of expulsion and testimony about camps set up for captives.”

What the article makes clear is that the “coverup” was not only designed to hide the truth, but to provide israeli propagandists the opportunity to disingenuously “question” whether these thing even happened or to simply deny that they happened at all and then discredit those who said otherwise. As one official quoted in the article says about the imperative of hiding any documentation of what israel had done to the Palestinians, “if someone writes that the horse is black, if the horse isn’t outside the barn, then he can’t ever prove that it’s really black.” the lesson: if you hide the records or destroy, no historian can prove it ever happened. the israeli plan in a nutshell: first, whitewash history denying all the claims made about the repressive policies put in place; then denounce anyone who refuses to accept this fictional account of “history”; and finally, hide from the public as much of the real history is possible– so that it becomes difficult to counter the “whitewashed” fictive historical narrative. in the end, what is especially disturbing about this israeli practice, is that it is still their modus operandi. they continue to dispossess Palestinians of their lands using the same tactics which they used to “Judaize the Galilee.” in the early 1950’s, israelis used the emergency defense regulations they inherited from the British to declare any Palestinian area “closed.” they did so “as a means to control the “state’s lands...until their permanent status could be regularized and ...Jewish settlement could begin in formerly Arab areas.” this is exactly what the israelis have done throughout the West Bank with “closed” and “green zones.” And precisely what the trump “peace plan” has done is formalize, in israel’s favor, “the permanent status” of the seized Palestinian lands.

For decades, israel’s apologists hid their intent and the evidence of their crimes. the truth is now coming out. And yes, those of us who’ve been telling this story can feel vindicated.

The writer is President of the Arab American Institute

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Thursday, 13 February, 2020

COMMENT 09 Editor’s mail Kashmiris’ call for help remains unanswered

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

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

thousands of British Kashmiris staged an anti-india protest to mark a ‘black day’ on the eve of india’s republic day against the rising human rights violations in occupied Kashmir.

Protesters from across southern and northern part of the United Kingdom gathered in front of indian High Commission in London and shouted “One slogan, one track, go india, go back” and “We want freedom”.tehreek-e-Kashmir (teK) UK President raja Fahim Kayani pointed towards the high commission building and said, “this building is the symbol of slavery and violent face of so-called indian democracy.” He added that india is not a democracy but has certainly put democracy in danger since the abrogation of Article 370 which gave special status to the disputed territory. He further said that narendra Modi’s government is trying to convert the only Muslim-majority state of india into a minority to accommodate outsiders in occupied Kashmir.

As a representative of 700,000 British Kashmiris, he urged the British prime minister to immediately call on india to lift the curfew and reinstate Articles 370 and 35A, and permit independent United nations observers unrestricted access to Kashmir.

His call for international intervention was necessary because india has ruled out any third-party mediation on Kashmir, maintaining that the dispute is a bilateral issue. it is unfortunate that our foreign policy advisers and experts seem to be relatively ineffective on this issue when Kashmiris across the world are calling for outside assistance to relieve them of their trouBLes.

Biological warfare The most lethal way of fighting

abDur rasool syeD

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He coronavirus has sent chills down the spine of the populace across the globe. it is the most lethal forum of virus which, despite the untiring efforts of Chinese biological scientists, still remains an incurable epidemic. On the other hand, conspiracy theorists have now started advancing their self-concocted theories about the spread of this devastating pandemic.

One such theory is that the coronavirus is not a natural phenomenon but a human-made biological weapon, used by China’s adversaries to weaken her military and economic muscle. it may be a conspiracy theory, nonetheless its veracity needs to be ascertained and should not be repudiated outright. However, it is axiomatic that bio-weapons have been used extensively in wars to subject the rival forces to a humongous human catastrophe.

Biological warfare, also known as "germ warfare,” involves the use of toxins or infectious agents that are biological in origin. this includes bacteria, viruses, and fungi. these biological agents are used to incapacitate or kill humans, animals, or plants as part of a war endeavor.

Biological warfare is the use of non-human life to disrupt— or end— human life. Because living organisms can be unpredictable and incredibly resilient, these are difficult to control, potentially devastating on a global scale, and prohibited globally under numerous treaties.

War chronicles are replete with myriad events in which bio-weapons were used to debilitate the adverse army. Attempts to use biological warfare agents date back to antiquity. its maiden manifestation surfaced when scythian archers infected their arrows by dipping them in decomposing bodies or in blood mixed with manure as far back as 400 BC. Persian, Greek, and roman literature from 300 BC quotes examples of dead animals, employed to contaminate wells and other sources of water. Further, King eumenes ii of Pergamon was beaten when the enemy fired earthen vessels full of venomous snakes into his ships. during the battle of tortona in the 12th century, Barbarossa used the bodies of dead and decomposing soldiers to poison wells. then, during the siege of Kaffa in the 14th century, the assailant tatar contingent hurled plague -infected corpses into the city in an attempt to cause an epidemic within enemy forces. this

lethal exercise was repeated in 1710, when the russians, besieging swedish forces at reval in estonia, catapulted dead bodies of people infected with plague.

Additionally, during the French and indian Wars in the 18th century Ad, British forces under the patronage and command of sir Jeffrey Amherst provided the native Americans with blankets that had been used by smallpox victims in a bid to spread the disease.

Furthermore, allegations were also made during the American Civil War by both sides, but especially by the Union Army against the Confederate Army, of the attempted use of smallpox to cause disease among enemy forces. in 1900, Biological warfare became more sophisticated and advanced. during World War i, the German Army developed anthrax, glanders, cholera, and a wheat fungus specifically designed to be used as biological weapons. they allegedly spread plague in st. Petersburg, russia, infected mules with glanders in Mesopotamia, and attempted to do the same with the horses of the French Cavalry.

However, in order to discourage the practice of using biological agents in war, the Geneva Protocol of 1925 was signed by 108 nations. this was the first multilateral agreement that extended the prohibition of chemical agents to biological agents. Unfortunately, no method for verification of compliance was addressed. therefore, spread of the use biological agents in the wars could not be halted.

Hence, during World War ii, Japanese forces operated a secret biological warfare research facility (Unit 731) in Manchuria that carried out human experiments on prisoners. they exposed more than 3000 victims to plague, anthrax, syphilis, and other agents in an attempt to develop and observe the disease. some victims were executed or died of their infections.

Autopsies were also performed for greater understanding of the effects of these germs on the human body. in 1942, the United states formed the War research service. Anthrax and botulinum toxin initially were investigated for their use in wars as weapons. sufficient quantities of botulinum toxin and anthrax were stockpiled

by June 1944 to allow unlimited retaliation if the German forces first used biological agents. the British also tested anthrax bombs on Gruinard island off the northwest coast of scotland in 1942 and 1943 and then prepared and stockpiled anthrax-laced cattle cakes for the same purpose. the UsA continued research on various offensive biological weapons during the 1950s and 1960s. From 1951-1954, harmless organisms were released off both coasts of the UsA to demonstrate the vulnerability of Us cities to biological attacks. this weakness was tested again in 1966 when a test substance was released in the new York City subway system.

Besides, during the Vietnam War, Viet Cong guerrillas used needle-sharp punji sticks dipped in feces to cause severe infections after an enemy soldier had been stabbed.

Moreover, in 1979, an accidental release of anthrax from a weapons facility in sverdlovsk, Ussr, killed at least 66 people. the soviet government claimed these deaths were due to infected meat and maintained this position until 1992, when russian President Boris Yeltsin finally admitted to the accident. in september and October of 1984, 751

people were intentionally infected with salmonella, an agent that causes food poisoning, when followers of the Bhagwan shree rajneesh contaminated restaurant salad bars in Oregon. in 1985, iraq began an offensive biological weapons programme, producing anthrax, botulinum toxin, and aflatoxin. during Operation desert storm, the coalition of allied forces faced the threat of chemical and biological agents.

Besides, following the Persian Gulf War, iraq disclosed that it had bombs, scud missiles, 122-mm rockets, and artillery shells armed with botulinum toxin, anthrax, and aflatoxin. they also had spray tanks fitted to aircraft that could distribute agents over a specific target. in 1994, a Japanese sect of the Aum shinrikyo cult attempted an aerosolized (sprayed into the air) release of anthrax from the tops of buildings in tokyo and in 1995, two members of a Minnesota militia group were convicted of possession of ricin, which they had produced themselves for use in retaliation against local government officials.

Furthermore, in 2001, anthrax was delivered by mail to Us media and government offices. there were about five deaths as a result.

Further, in december 2002, six terrorist suspects were arrested in Manchester, england; their apartment was serving as a "ricin laboratory." Among them was a 27-year-old chemist who was producing the toxin.

Later, on 5 January 2003, British police raided two residences around London and found traces of ricin, which led to an investigation of a possible Chechen separatist plan to attack the russian embassy with the toxin. then on 3 February 2004, three U.s. senate office buildings were closed after the toxin ricin was found in a mailroom. in the light of preceding facts and figures, it becomes quite evident that biological warfare is more lethal than conventional war, for once it started becomes, unrestrained, undetectable and all-pervasive. inter alia, biological warfare has also engendered the fear of bioterrorism. According to biological scientists and war affairs luminaries, non-state actors (terrorists) can also resort to the use of bioagents to further their interests, since this type of weaponry is relatively cheaper as well as more devastating than conventional armaments.

While highlighting such scenario, a renowned professor of biological sciences and applied physics at stanford remarks that biological weapons are "the poor man's atom bomb”. if rogue politicians or terrorists were to get hold of the bio-weapons, "the consequences could be disastrous," he warns.

He further adds that conventional biological agents-- including anthrax, ebola and typhus-plus an unknown number of genetically engineered organisms, if acquired by the terrorists, could unleash colossal destruction in the world.

He further contends that “the time to act is now before disaster strikes. We should not have to wait for the biological equivalent of Hiroshima to rally our defenses.” the coronavirus may or may not be a bio-weapon, but we must unite and raise a voice against the use of bio-weapons in wars since it is a question of not only our survival, but also that of our posterity. Finally, let me quote the famous lines of John F. Kennedy who once remarked “Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind”.

AROOJ MUSHTAQ Lahore

The youth betrayed the Pti is a ruling party which has most of its support base in the youth, but it has been unfair with it's own youth after coming into power. in current situation when we look around, we find youth in more of a crisis than ever before.

As Pti government excluded the educational budget then Higher education Commission HeC has cut few educational stipends of universities. similarly universities are extending the amount of fees due to having low budgets, which is also affecting Pti's youth.On the other hand Chinese government is excluding the number of scholarships for Pakistani students due to slow working of CPeC projects. And PM khan's promise of jobs is also not looking to be fulfilled. But according to some traders and economists 1 million people lost their jobs during this Pti government and 4 million became poor.

Meanwhile it is requested Prime Minster Khan to please don't disappoint your youth as they are behind your party's rise.

SyEd TAHIR RASHdI Karachi

A strong economy According to Buddha a man should first direct himself in a way he should go, and only then should he instruct others. this means that we first have to put our deeds in place and fix ourselves before preaching to others. As in planes they say, help yourself first before helping others. that also suggests that a person must first stand strong before deciding to lead others out of a problem. Unfortunately, in our country every person worth a name without knowing or giving roadmap pretends himself to the be savior of the declining economy. Wish our leaders could learn from Goethe’s saying that a man who believes he can do without world deceives himself, but the one who believe world can’t do without him is still more mistaken. Our ruling class from all sectors and the elite services failed to setup a system which could meet demands of every segment of society. things only move when people resort to sit-ins and violence, direct or implied. it is imperative for us as a nation to realize that without a robust economy, neither democracy nor any kind of theocracy can bring prosperity. in the end in the modern world, bombs, jingoism, and rhetoric doesn’t take a nation far. We all must work together toward developing a strong economy. the government must sit with opposition to develop policies that encourage investment. enough of beating the drum of corruption by past governments and assigning blames. it is now time for action. they must work to show what they can do to change things around.

RAJA SHAFAATULLAH islamabad

Injustice with students the sudden decision of the education department of conducting 8th grade annual examination in education board has surprised the students and teachers of private schools. it has been almost two months that the 8th classes have begun and we have almost covered half of our textbooks. it is strange and shocking when suddenly we are asked to change our textbooks for the annual examination. However , to this notification, we 8th graders are totally depressed of having wasted our two months whereas our preparation went all in vain. the education department no doubt, has failed to give our due rights. it is confusing that why were we not informed before the starting of our classes? Why everyone is silent and not taking any action over this? What can students do and how can they cover the other textbooks for the annual examination's preparation. On the other hand, purchasing new textbooks is not affordable for all of us . there too are poor students studying. the textbooks that they bought in great expense are now further not going to be taught. is the education department really doing good for us ? We students need justice and want our elders to raise voice for us .

SAHAR AbdUL KARIM turba

Thursday, 13 February, 2020

10 FOREIGN NEWS

BeRnie SandeRS winS new HampSHiRe pRimaRy CONCORD

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AGENCIES

ENATOR Bernie Sanders won New Hampshire’s Democratic primary on Tuesday, according to US network projections, leaving rivals including party stalwart Joe Biden in his wake as he staked his claim to challenge President Donald Trump in November.

Sanders, the flag-bearer for the party’s progressive wing, had 26 per cent of votes with most of the count complete in the northeastern state, where he routed Hillary Clinton in 2016.

“Let me take this opportunity to thank the people of New Hampshire for a great victory tonight,” Sanders told cheering supporters after NBC and ABC called the result in his favor.

“This victory here is the beginning of

the end for Donald Trump,” the senator from neighboring Vermont added as raised the roof with his rallying cry for fairer taxes and health care reform.

Indiana ex-mayor Pete Buttigieg finished in second place at 24 per cent as he readied for the more difficult battlegrounds ahead, while fellow Midwestern moderate Amy Klobuchar maintained a late surge to place third on about 20 percent. Liberal Elizabeth Warren finished in fourth place at about nine per cent.

“Now our campaign moves on to Nevada, to South Carolina, to communities across our country. And we will welcome new allies to our movement at every step,” Buttigieg said.

After months atop the pack, Biden had already conceded he expected to do badly in New Hampshire, as he did a week earlier in Iowa — and the former vice president’s worst fears were begin-

ning to materialize as he languished in fifth with just over eight percent.

The performance will be a body blow to the 77-year-old Biden, who has failed to generate the fundraising numbers or the enthusiasm levels of his rivals for the top spot on the Democratic ticket.

White House hopefuls had been seeking clarity in the Granite State after the first-in-the-nation Iowa count devolved into chaos, with Sanders and Buttigieg eventually emerging neck-and-neck.

For tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang and Colorado Senator Michael Bennet, that meant facing reality and bowing out after they failed to make an impact on Tuesday.

“You know I am the math guy, and it is clear tonight from the numbers that we are not going to win this race,” Yang said.

‘NOT THE CLOSING BELL’: The 78-year-old Sanders went into

the race as the newly anointed national frontrunner and was expected to win New Hampshire.

Buttigieg’s camp will be happy with a solid result that could provide voters on the fence with much-needed reassurance after he won narrowly in Iowa.

The Afghanistan veteran is languishing at 10 per cent in the latest national polls and has negligible support among African-Americans in upcoming states with more diverse populations.

Pundits believe this vital constituency

will start to take a serious look at Buttigieg, a virtual unknown a year ago, after his impressive top-two finishes in the opening races. Klobuchar’s popularity in New Hampshire surged after a strong debate on Friday, moving her ahead of Warren, whose performance will do nothing to revitalize a wounded campaign.

“Elizabeth Warren, sometimes referred to as Pocahontas, is having a really bad night,” Trump tweeted with around half the count completed. “I think she is sending signals that she wants out.”

Investors charge back into stocks on signs coronavirus spread is slowing LONDON AGENCIES

A drop in the number of new coronavirus cases and the Federal Reserve chairman’s optimistic view of the economy lifted world stocks for a third day on Wednesday and sparked a 2% rally in oil prices, on hopes the epidemic’s effects would be contained. China reported its lowest number of new coronavirus cases since late January, lending weight to a prediction from its senior medical adviser that the outbreak might be over by April.

Those reports encouraged investors to get back into equities at the expense of bonds, gold and the Japanese yen — safe-haven assets that benefited as the virus death toll mounted.

“If you look at the share indexes and other risky assets it seems like people now believe all will be okay with the coronavirus situation,” said Francois Savary, chief investment officer at Swiss wealth manager Prime

Partners.

MSCI’s global equity index rose 0.2% to stand just off Tuesday’s record highs. A pan-European equity index rose to a record as automobile stocks — which depend on exports to China — jumped 1.2%.

Futures indicated Wall Street would extend gains from Tuesday, when the S&P 500 and Nasdaq posted record closing highs Riskier, higher-yielding bonds also rallied. Yields on 10-year Greek governments bonds slipped under 1% for the first time ever.

Earlier, mainland Chinese shares rose almost 1% and the offshoretraded yuan reached two-week highs.

Currencies such as the Thai baht and Korean won, reliant on Chinese tourism and trade, gained 0.3% to 0.5%.

But the yen slipped 0.3% to a three-week low against the dollar.

Brent crude futures rose from 13month lows , though they are still

down almost 20% from their peak in early January.

Many analysts caution against complacency over the economic fallout. Some Chinese firms have reported job cuts caused by damage to manufacturing supply chains.

Savary at Prime Partners agreed, noting the dollar is near four-month highs, 10-year U.S. yields are some 30 basis points below early-January levels and demand for Swiss francs is high.

“Investors are not completely convinced the coronavirus is under control ... they are trying to hedge their equity bets by taking exposure to safe-havens at the same time,” he said.

US RESILIENCE: Yields on U.S. Treasuries and German Bunds rose around 2 basis points. Ten-year U.S. yields are now 12 bps off the four-anda-half-month lows reached in late January.

Yields rose on Tuesday after U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the U.S. economy was “resilient”.

Pope dismisses proposal to ordain married men as priests in Amazon VATICAN CITY AGENCIES

Pope Francis, in one of the most significant decisions of his papacy, on Wednesday dismissed a proposal to allow some married men to be ordained in the Amazon region to ease an acute scarcity of priests.

The recommendation, put forward by Latin American bishops last year, had alarmed conservatives in the deeply polarised 1.3 billion-member Roman

Catholic Church, who feared it could lead to a change in the centuries-old commitment to celibacy among priests. Francis delivered his response in an Apostolic Exhortation, three months after the proposal passed by 128 votes to 41 at a contentious Vatican assembly, or synod, of Roman Catholic bishops.

Apostolic Exhortations are used to instruct and encourage the Catholic faithful but do not define Church doctrine. Wednesday’s 32-page document did not even mention the proposal, which was for

Powell also said he was monitoring the coronavirus, because it could lead to disruptions that affect the global economy.

The dollar rose to four-month highs against a basket of currencies, then slipped on Wednesday.

U.S. markets also got a boost from signs President Donald Trump might be re-elected in November, since centrist candidates for the Democratic nomination appear to be struggling.

“Trump had a great start into the U.S. election season. After the early end of the impeachment trial in the Senate and the Iowa caucus chaos for the Democrats, betting markets suggest that Trump has a 58% probability of winning re-election on 3 November,” Berenberg said.

The day’s big currency mover was the New Zealand dollar, which rose 0.8% for its best daily gain since December, after the central bank dropped a reference to further rate cuts, suggesting its easing cycle might be over.

older married deacons who are proven leaders of remote Catholic communities and have stable families to be ordained as priests.

Conservatives balked, fearing that even a circumscribed change would be a slippery slope leading to a married priesthood throughout the Church. They branded a pre-synod working document as heretical.

In what some viewed as a strategically timed appeal to Francis not to approve the Amazon proposal, a book published last month by Church conservatives defended the tradition of priestly celibacy.

“From the Depths of Our Hearts” was co-authored

by Cardinal Robert Sarah and Former Pope Benedict, though Francis’ predecessor subsequently disassociated himself from the project.

Vatican officials said the pope completed the document on December 27, before the book controversy, and handed it in for translations. They said no changes were made after that.

In the Exhortation, the 82-year-old Argentine pope wrote, new ways must be found to encourage more priests to work in the remote region, and allow expanded roles for lay people and permanent deacons, of whom the Amazon needed “many more”.

Deacons, like priests, are ordained ministers. They can preach, teach, baptise and run parishes, but they cannot say Mass. Married men can become deacons.

Because only priests can say Mass, people in at least 85% of Amazon villages cannot attend the liturgy every week and some cannot do so for years.

“This urgent need leads me to urge all bishops, especially those in Latin America… to be more generous in encouraging those who display a missionary vocation to opt for the Amazon region,” he wrote.

He used the first three chapters of the document to defend the rights and legacies of indigenous people and the environment in the Amazon, which had to be protected because of its vital role in mitigating global warming. Conservatives feared that if Francis had taken up the proposal, other areas with a shortage of priests would follow, even in developed countries such as Germany, where the issue is being discussed.

Trillion tree project may help fight global warming, Republicans say WASHINGTON: Republican lawmakers on Wednesday will propose legislation setting a goal for the United States to plant a trillion trees by 2050 to fight global warming, a plan intended to address climate change by sucking carbon out of the air instead of by cutting emissions. The proposed legislation reflects an acknowledgment in the Republican party of rising voter demand for action on climate change, even as it seeks to preserve the economic benefits of a historic drilling boom that has made the US the world’s biggest oil and gas producer. President Donald Trump — who has repeatedly cast doubt on the science of climate change and even referred to environmentalists as “perennial prophets of doom” — had expressed support for the idea of a massive tree-planting campaign during a speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos last month. “I’m working on legislation that would do just this: plant 1 trillion trees by 2050, with the goal of sequestering carbon and incentivising the use of wood products,” said Arkansas Congressperson Bruce Westerman, a member of the House natural resources committee, which is expected to unveil the bill. Other elements of the plan, which will be released in additional bills over the coming weeks, will focus on sequestering carbon from power plants, recycling plastics, and boosting “clean” energy, including natural gas and nuclear, according to congressional staff.

Democrats, including all the top presidential hopefuls in this year’s election, have made proposals for a rapid shift away from fossil fuels to help the US and other countries avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

Environmentalists argue that focusing on planting trees while ignoring emission cuts from fossil fuels is counterproductive. An overwhelming majority of scientists believe emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels are the main driver of climate change. “Planting trees is good of course, but it is nowhere near enough of what is needed, and it cannot replace real mitigation and rewilding nature,” Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg said in Davos last month. AGENCIES

Thursday, 13 February, 2020

busIness 11

IMF TellS PAkISTAn To SIgn MoRe FTAS To BooST exPoRTS

CORPORATE CORNER

ISLAMABAD

KARACHI: California Southern University (CALSouthern) President Dr Gwen Finestone and CALPAK Founder Anila Ali met JS Bank Chief of Staff Imran Haleem Shaikh to discuss collaborations to augment education sector in Pakistan. pRess ReLeAs e

ISLAMABAD: The 3rd season of Pakistan’s biggest food and music event, SOUL Festival (Previously Cokefest) kicked off in Lahore, moved to Karachi & reached Islamabad on the 7th, 8th & 9th of February. pRess ReLeAse

T

sHAHZAd pARACHA

HE International Monetary Fund (IMF) has advised Pakistan to make efforts to increase the volume of its exports by inking Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with more countries, said National Assembly Finance Committee Chairman Faizullah Kamoka.

The lawmaker made the statement after the IMF mission visiting Pakistan till Feb 13 briefed the members of the finance committees of both houses of parliament in an in-camera meeting, wherein health, education, water and sanitation and five Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were discussed.

Speaking to the media after the in-camera meeting, the NA committee chairman said that the government would not announce the minibudget and added the talks with the delegation were fruitful.

Farooq H Naik told reporters that the IMF team was briefed by the committee members concerning SDGs.

KARACHI

Auto sector sees growth in January sales karachi: Despite a grim economic picture, the auto sector seems to have found some relief as Honda and Indus Motor Company (IMF) saw a massive increase in sales in January 2020. Honda’s saw a 120 per cent increase in sales as 2,210 units were sold in the first month of 2020 compared to 1,005 units sold in December 2019. Similarly, IMC’s sales increased by 72 per cent as it went from selling 2,332 units in December 2019 to 4,022 units in January 2020. However, Pak Suzuki’s sales declined despite the fact that it is currently the largest player in the auto sector. Its sales decreased by 36 per cent as it went from selling 8,732 units in December 2019 to 5,555 units in January 2020. Other than the sales of the Suzuki Cultus, every other vehicle, including WagonR, Alto, Swift and Ravi saw a decline in sales. Explaining the situation, AKD Securities’ Investment Analyst Shahrukh Saleem said that the decrease in sales is due to the depleting demand for LCVs in January 2020.

“The company announced that it would increase the prices of its cars from January 2020, which led to higher than usual prebookings in December 2019. The price of Suzuki Cultus, however was increased on January 31, 2020, which explains why its sales grew by 85 per cent,” he added. Nissan Gandhara is another major contributor to the slight improvement in auto sector’s performance in the first month of 2020. Its sales went up from 176 units sold in December 2019 to 253 units in January 2020, recording an increase of 47 per cent. Despite the temporary respite, Standard Capital Securities suggests, the sales cannot match the figures from FY17-18 because of the current economic outlook, though the increasing sales may carry some of the momentum for a few months. FURQAN MALIK

There are 27 SDGs, including poverty alleviation, education, health, climate change, environment as well as peace and justice. The Fund asked the Pakistan government to do better regarding the SDGs to remain eligible for the Fund's programme.

The mission also suggested that the government provide incentives to exporters as well as importers, saying that the import tariffs were high, said the lawmaker. The visiting team was also briefed on imports and exports, sales tax in addition to the value-added tax issues, he added.

Lawmaker Ayesha Ghous Pasha said that the NA body discussed the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) with the team, with the members expressing concerns over an increase in inflation and unemployment due to the IMF programme.

Overseas Pakistani workers remitted $1.9 billion in the month of January 2020, a drop of 9.9pc when compared with $2.09 billion worth remittances received in December 2019.

However, when compared with the $1.744 billion received in Jan last year, remittances increased by 9.3pc or $163.2 million in Jan 2020.

According to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan, workers' remittances received during the first seven months of FY20 amounted to a cumulative total of $13.3 billion.

This is an increase of 4.1pc, or $528.1 million, over remittances received during JulyJanuary FY19, which stood at $12.74 billion.

When comparing remittances received during January 2020 and that received in December 2019, almost all countries witnessed a decline.

Remittances received from Saudi Arabia, UAE, USA and UK stood at $433.4 million, $395.5 million, $335.1 million and $299.1 million, respectively.

This is a decline of 8.4pc, 7.5pc, 6.3pc and 7.9pc respectively, as compared to December 2019.

Remittances from GCC countries (including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman) and EU countries for the month of January stood at $185.86 million and $47.22 million. This is a decline of 9.6pc and 16.3pc, respectively, as compared to December 2019.

KARACHI Pakistan International Airline (PIACL) on Wednesday announced its half-yearly results for the period ending June 30, 2019, after a meeting of the Board of Directors on Tuesday.

As per the financials, the PIA has reported a 41 per cent increase in revenue in PKR terms, whereas a 17pc increase in USD. The PIA was also able to increase its other income to $7,587,000 by a $5,392,000 increase over the same period last year.

However, despite that, PIA is standing at an operating loss of Rs7,121,568,000 or $47,640,000 for the six-month period

SBP raises Rs274.5bn from T-bill auction KARACHI

Govt simplifying procedures to facilitate businesses: Dawood Advisor to the Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razzaq Dawood on Wednesday said the government had aimed to provide friendly environment to the business community.

“We want to make procedures easy to invite more investments,” the minister said while chairing a second meeting of the Steering Committee on Pakistan Regulatory Modernization Initiative held at the Ministry of Commerce to review the progress and discuss a way forward.

Speaking on the occasion, Advisor to the PM on Institutional Reforms and Austerity Ishrat Hussain said the aim of the meeting was to identify difficulties in the areas related to business and hold dialogue to find solution.

Board of Investment Chairman Zubair Gillani said: “We need to gain the confidence of investors. The board is here to coordinate among the provinces to facilitate the process of creating business friendly environment.”

A representative of the Khyber Pukhtunkhawa government said the KP chief minister had held a meeting on January 7 to

discuss easing of business procedures.

A committee had been formulated to see duplication and reduce number of taxes, he said, adding the KP government had also mapped the regulations and many other related issues.”

A Sindh government’s representative informed the participants that their meeting was held on 8th February which was aimed to develop simple, modernized and automated regulation system for businesses.

The representative of the Punjab government said their government had gone through the entire mapping of businesses in 2018 and added that in order to carry out a process of guillotine, the provinces needed to have steering committees as well. The representative of Baluchistan government said the World Bank was helping in developing terms of reference.

“Baluchistan will benefit from other provinces to expedite this process.” During the meeting, the representative from Azad Jammu and Kashmir said their government had recently passed the Board of Investment Act and formed a unit through PC-1. bUsINess desK

PIA rebounds in revenue but still in loss ARIbA sHAHId

Furthermore, a local media outlet claimed that talks between both sides have concluded and there would be no hike in taxes till June. The report said the mini-budget would also be not introduced as per the talks.

TaX aMENDMENT BiLL rEJEcTED: Separately, the Senate Standing Committee on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affair division rejected the Tax Amendment Bill 2020, saying most of the amendments in the bill were related to Customs instead of taxes, hence the bill didn't qualify as the money bill. The committee members discussed the customs-related provisions of the bill, especially the proposal that allows the Customs officials to shoot suspects.

Questioning the proposal, committee member Sherry Rehman said how can the government allow someone to shoot at people as she rejected the proposal. The rejection was endorsed by the body chairman, Farooq H Naik, as well.

At the outset of the meeting, Committee Chairman Senator Farooq H Naik said that this was a very important bill but the secretaries of finance and law were not present on the occasion.

Remittances drop 9.9pc to $1.9bn in Jan MeIRYUM ALI

KARACHI: As a part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives, FINCA Microfinance Bank Pakistan participated in this year’s ILMATHON 2020, pledging to sponsor oneyear education of 18 students in collaboration with The Citizens Foundation. pR e s s R e L e A s e

SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE REJECTS TAX AMENDMENT BILL, SAYS IT HARDLY TALKS ABOUT TAXES

ended June 30, 2019. This means that losses are down by approximately 59pc as compared to the same period last year.

The company further witnessed an increase in finance, taxation, and exchange losses, which resulted in the loss for the period to amount to Rs37,892,369,000 or $253,481,000.

The loss per shares for the A-class ordinary shares of Rs10 each clock in at Rs7.24 as compared to Rs6.19 for the six months ended June 30, 2018; whereas the loss per shares for the B class ordinary shares of Rs5 are at Rs3.62 as compared to Rs3.10 in the previous period.

As for the financial position of the company, the PIA has been able to bring up its non-current assets. The balance

sheet, however, shows that no additional capital is being raised using long-term financing, while PIA no longer has liabilities in the form of term finance and sukuk certificates in the recent period. Moreover, the company has managed to keep its borrowing in check. On an overall basis, the company has managed to bring up its equities and liabilities to Rs150,751,814,000 and $941,894,000 after a 19pc increase.

Umer Farooq, AKD Securities says, "While there is a marked improvement in operational performance, financial position remained weak, with interest-bearing liabilities increasing by 20pc over the year." Farooq further says, "Principal repayments against long term loans in the

MeIRYUM ALI

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has reported that the government raised Rs274.5 billion through T-bills, against the target of Rs300 billion. The SBP conducted the auction for the sale of 3-month, 6-month and 12-month Government of Pakistan Market Treasury Bills (MTBs) and received bids amounting to over Rs1,061 billion. Bids worth Rs778.7 billion were received for 3-month T-bills, Rs129.9 billion for 6-month T-bills while 12-month government papers fetched bids amounting to Rs152.4 billion. Out of the received bids, the federal government raised Rs142.5 billion from 3-month bids, Rs1.7 billion from 6month T-bills and Rs130.7 billion from 12-month T-bills. The total acceptance in the auction, including non-competitive bids, was Rs293.1 billion. The cut-off yield for 3-month bids was 13.41pc, whereas for 6-month bids, it was at 13.29 percent and 13.51 percent for 12month. As for the last three auctions of MTBs, most of the bidding was concentrated in the short term 3-month T-bills. Previously, this bidding pattern had indicated a possible anticipation of a policy rate cut. But the current interest rate has remained stubbornly at 13.25pc since July 16, 2019. The next auction date for T-bills is set for February 26, with a target amount of Rs300 billion.

next twelve months have risen to Rs91 billion (30pc of the total interest-bearing liabilities), posing a serious rollover risk to the company."

Fahad Hussain Khan, deputy head of research at Adam Securities commented, “Possible reasons for the double digit growth in topline could be a significant improvement in cargo utilization, increase in flights to Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Kuwait, improvement in seat factor, along with better reliability of scheduled flights.”

Prior to the results, on February 7, 2020, Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan said that the income of PIA has increased, adding that the expenses have recorded a sharp decrease. In September last year, former PIA CEO Air Marshal Arshad Mahmood Malik had said that the PIA’s revenue increased by 41pc between March and September last year.

With effect from January 27, the PIA was removed from the defaulters’ list of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX). The national flag carrier was placed on the list in October 2018 for failure to hold an annual meeting and submit a statement of audited accounts for the year ending December 2017.

As for the future, Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan said earlier this year that under the new ‘Aviation Policy’, five new planes were being added to PIA fleet this year. The minister was of the view that the addition of new aircraft would improve the working and flight operations of PIA. With Chief Operating Officer (COO) Syed Ijaz Mazhar in January assuming charge as the acting chief executive officer (CEO) of the national flag carrier, the future financial performance of PIA is under question.

Thursday, 13 February, 2020

12 busIness 30mmcfd gas from Badin IV South Fields enters SSgCl system ISLAMABAD

AMId PoweR TARIFF ConTRoVeRSy, TexTIle SeCToR MullS leAVIng exPoRT BuSIneSS LAHORE

AHMAd AHMAdANI

The 30mmcfd high-qualitygas has recently been injected into the distribution system of the Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL). The gas has been injected into the distribution system without fixing the gas price for the Badin IV South Gas Fields in the name of national interest, sources claimed on Wednesday. As a result of the gas induction, sources said the Sindh government would receive royalty while the federal government would earn a billion of rupees in taxes. This will eventually prove beneficial for the country, as annual import bill would be reduced, they added. Sources said although gas was discovered from the Badin IV South Gas Fields almost seven months ago, Directorate General of the Petroleum Concession (DPGC) Imran Ahmed delayed the signing of gas sales and purchase agreement with the exploration and production (E&P) company. As a result, cheap gas could not be injected into the system. The country has allegedly suffered a loss of around $50 million due to the “inefficiency and incompetence” of the DPGC, sources said, adding that the only pending matter was the approval of marginal price incentive for Badin fields by the DGPC in accordance with guidelines. The E&P company was claiming additional premium of $0.25 per mmbtu for gas fields production under the Marginal/Standard Gas Fields-Gas Pricing Criteria and Guidelines, 2013, against what it said has already been declared marginal in nature. But the Petroleum Division’s DGPC was not willing to award the additional premium per Mmbtu to the company and allegedly ‘pressurized’ it to start gas production. Even without resolving the controversy of an additional premium by the DGPC, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Petroleum Nadeem Babar asked the E&P company, which had spudded the gas fields earlier, to commence gas production from the fields and then request for reconsideration of price.

Pepsico among highest taxpayers in Pakistan, PM told ISLAMABAD ppI

Pepsico Africa, Middle East and South Asia CEO Eugene Willemsen, who met Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday, claimed that his company was among the highest taxpayers in Pakistan. Adviser to PM on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood and Board of Investment Chairman Syed Zubair Haider Gilani were also present during the meeting. Eugene Willemsen apprised the PM of Pepscico's existing investment portfolio in Pakistan; employing around 60,000 individuals directly as well as indirectly, and a network of approximately 700,000 retailers across the country who rely on Pepsico products to make a living.

Highlighting Pepsico's recent investments, including the successful inauguration of a new snacks plant in Multan, the CEO said that the company has made investment to increase the capacity of its bottling plants and expanded its retail, distribution networks that have increased the number of jobs, generated additional economic activity and increased revenue for the government. Sharing his company’s commitment to the social development of Pakistan through various social projects, Willemsen expressed willingness to bring projects aimed at enhancing employment opportunities for Pakistan's talented youth. Willemsen especially expressed his interest in the development of potato crop in Pakistan through an efficient irrigation system and water conservation. Recalling Queen Maxima of Netherlands' visit to Pakistan last year, the CEO also highlighted the company's efforts for women empowerment and their financial inclusion aimed at uplift of society. Imran Khan appreciated the existing business venture of Pepsico as well as its proposed future investment plans in Pakistan. He observed that the investment-friendly policies of the present government offered immense opportunities for foreign investors to expand their businesses in diverse fields.

T

HAssAN NAQVI

HE textile sector was seriously mulling to leave export-oriented businesses in Pakistan if Prime Minister Imran Khan's commitment to providing energy at the competitive price of 7.5 cents/KWh was not fulfilled, industry leaders said.

Talking to this scribe on Wednesday, the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) Group Leader Gohar Ijaz said that the textile sector could not endorse an inefficient policy regarding energy prices.

"If PM Imran's commitment is not honoured by the government, the export-oriented industry will not be able to survive," Ijaz warned, adding that the textile millers couldn't enhance their exports "owing to the inefficiency and corruption in the energy sector".

A senior APTMA member, who wished not to be named, feared that if the Power Division's ill-advised turn on the matter of all-inclusive 7.5cents/kWh electricity tariff for the export sectors was not corrected, they (the industry) would head towards premature deindustrialisation, massive unemployment, a precipitous fall in exports and a bleak economic future.

He informed that surcharges were being applied retrospectively as a result of the division's letter to the distribution companies (DISCOs) on January 13. "The charges are being levied backdated from January 2019." aLTErNaTiVE ENErGY: Another senior industry leader told this scribe that the textile sector was also considering to partially switching to

alternative ways of energy – solar and captive energy (gas, fuel etc).

He added that solar energy costs 3 cents/KWh, which made it cost-effective. "It also involves huge investments; captive energy involves high storage costs."

APTMA Punjab Chairman Adil Bashir said he had already installed solar power in his industry. "It is cost-effective but you can't use it as the primary source in large scale manufacturing," he added.

Agreeing with him, APTMA Punjab's Senior Vice Chairman Abdul Rahim Nasir said the textile sector couldn’t completely switch to solar energy due to space constraints.

"Textile sector can't switch 100pc to solar energy but a smaller percentage like 10pc could be done."

APTMA Punjab Vice-Chairman Aamir Sheikh stated, "Let's say if my load is 5MW, I can get around 1MW from solar due to space limitations involved with solar energy.

"It requires huge investment and I have already invested in getting WAPDA connection, diesel generators, gas generators, HFO generators etc.

"Had we spent that much additional amounts on our factories' machinery, Pakistan's exports would have been doubled by now," the vicechairman added.

He was of the view that in China and other countries, the government provides cheap and reliable energy at doorsteps and one does not have to invest in any energy resource.

'POWEr MiSMaNaGEMENT': Talking to this scribe, former WAPDA chairman Syed

Tanzeem Hussain Naqvi said the country’s industry was in a highly volatile condition owing to frequent electricity tariff hikes, which were due to mismanagement of the power sector.

"The energy mix of generation has led to this situation which is devastating for the industry as well as general consumers," he added.

Naqvi said that even if the textile sector moves to solar energy for 8 hours, it would bring down their average energy cost to 6 cents/kWh. The power sector expert added that if the government revives redundant state-owned power-generating plants of WAPDA, which were in Lahore, Jamshoro, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and other locations, it would help the country to produce electricity at a much lower cost.

"If the government replaces WAPDA’s power generation plants and produces 40pc electricity from hydro and 40pc electricity from the thermal, the country would be able to produce electricity at a much lower rate," Naqvi added.

In that way the government would be easily able to provide electricity to the export-oriented sector at the concessionary rate and also to the masses, he said.

Sources in the power sector agreed that it was the best option in public interest but unfortunately the government didn’t have the resources to revive or replace state-owned power plants.

"If these plants are revived there is absolutely no doubt that the country would be able to produce electricity at a lower cost.

"The Asian Development Bank (ADB), World Bank and other financial institutions are also not willing to fund it," sources added.

MARKET DAILY

Stocks extend rally with 816-point gain KARACHI sTAFF RepORT

Indices of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) rallied for the second consecutive session on Wednesday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index back above the 40,000 mark.

Foreign investors closed the preceding session (on Tuesday) as net sellers, with a net outflow of $1.67 million.

According to latest figures released by the Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association (PAMA), passenger car sales declined by 48pc to 10,095 units in January 2020 as compared to 19,353 units in January 2019. However, on a month-on-month basis, car sales witnessed a recovery of 1.08pc.

Gaining 923.33 points, the KSE-100 Index touched its intraday high at 40,637.79. It settled higher by 816.67 points at 40,531.13. Among other indices, the KMI-30 Index accumulated 1,667.36 points to end at 64,954.89, while the KSE All Share Index added 444.19 points, settling at 28,309.35. Out of the total traded scripts, 235 advanced whereas 79 declined.

Sectors that painted the KSE-100 Index green included banking (+199.57 points), oil & gas exploration (+138.98 points) and cement sector(+93.86 points). Among the companies, MCB Bank Limited (MCB +62.13 points), Engro Corporation Limited (ENGRO +61.95 points) and Lucky Cement Limited (LUCK +57.45 points) remained the top positive contributors of the day.

The overall trading volume was recorded at 180.33 million, with Hascol Petroleum Limited (HASCOL +3.40pc), Maple Leaf Cement Factory Limited (MLCF +3.59pc) and Unity Foods Limited (UNITY +2.87pc) leading the volume chart. The scripts had exchanged 16.24 million, 12.13 million and 10.55 million shares, respectively.

On the market front, Pakistan International Airlines Corporation Limited (PIAA +4.49pc) reported its financial performance for the second quarter of FY19. The airline reported a loss of Rs37.89 billion for the first half of FY19 as compared to Rs-32.41 billion in the same period last year. On a quarterly basis, it recorded a loss of

Rs-26.04 bn for 2QFY19 as compared to Rs18.72 billion last year.

Meanwhile, Meezan Bank Limited (MEBL +0.53pc) announced its financial results for FY19. The bank's revenue surged by 94pc to Rs94.27 billion, increasing its gross profit by 65pc YoY. The bank's earnings per share improved from Rs6.97 in FY18 to Rs11.84.

Also, Cherat Cement Company Limited (CHCC +3.18pc) published its financials for 2QFY20. the company's EPS decreased from Rs3.07 in 2QFY19 to Rs-1.14 in 2QFY20.

NetSol Technologies Limited (NETSOL +0.17pc) announced an EPS of Rs1.55 for 2QFY20 as compared to Rs-0.56 last year.

sbP announces five-fold increase in payment limit for freelancers KARACHI MeIRYUM ALI

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has dramatically increased payment limits for freelancers working in the digital and IT sector, and other freelance jobs, in a statement released on Wednesday.

The five-fold increase in limits has been taken to broaden the scope of both Business to Customer (B2C) and Customer to Business (C2B) transactions through home remittance channels, according to the SBP. The original limit stood at $5,000, or around Rs772,125 per individual per month. This has now been increased to $25,000, or around Rs3.86 million, per individual per month.

The SBP said that the new limit will help freelancers to “route greater value of

funds through a more economical and efficient channel of home remittances”. It will also help in receiving foreign exchange flows through the formal banking channels in Pakistan.

“This would also enable freelancers to expand their business/operations and engage new freelancers to join the workforce. This is expected to create employment opportunities and increase foreign exchange earnings of the country,” said the SBP. The state bank also said that the move will help accelerate growth in export of services, noting that the export of services witnessed a 10.5pc rise in January 2020.

In conjunction with the statement, the SBP released Circular Letter No. 03 of 2020, in which it clarified the transaction limits to authorized dealers.

The SBP advised authorized dealers

to develop “risk-based standard operating procedures” or SOPs, for the much larger value of transactions that can now effectively take place.

In particular, the advice was aimed at freelance transactions which are above $5,000 per individual per month, or the old limit for freelancers.

In those cases where it is greater than $5000, the SBP has directed banks to conduct appropriate due diligence of the transactions, and that transactions are in line with customer risk profiles.

“Banks shall obtain details of the underlying services that are provided against receipt of funds in Pakistan. These details, to be obtained from the customers, shall be inclusive of but not limited to the portal’s name (if any) through which services are acquired, counterparty acquiring the services, nature of the serv-

ices etc.” the State Bank said.

It also directed banks to maintain a record of these transactions.

This is not the first time the limit has been increased. On November 27, 2019, the SBP had increased the limit on freelancers to $5,000, or around Rs772,125 per individual per month. The original limit was $1,500, or around Rs231,637 per individual per month.

“In order to broaden the scope of business to customer transactions through home remittance channel, the central bank has enhanced payment limits against freelance services from 1500 US dollar per individual per month to 5000 US dollar per individual per month,” the SBP said in a statement in November.

The decision to increase the payments limits to $25,000 was first an-

nounced on January 18, 2020, in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan on e-commerce.

That announcement came from Abdul Razzak Dawood, advisor to the Prime Minister for Commerce & Textile, Industry & Production and Investment.

In another meeting chaired by the prime minister on February 8, the Secretary of Information Technology, Shoaib Siddiqi emphasized government incentives for freelancers. An SBP representative also confirmed that the process for increasing the monthly limit was to be completed in two days.

In that particular meeting, it was also reported that freelancers will be given maximum incentives on the received amount, and that the exchange of foreign currency into local currency will be at interbank rate.

Pakistan eqUestrian Usman khan rides azad kashmir to olymPics At Tokyo 2020, Pakistan's first rider to qualify for the Games will compete with horse named after the disputed region.

Sara Haba First Lady To Reach Makkah on Bicycle

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HOLLYWOOD BOLLYWOOD

sman Khan was seven when he first started horse riding. His father, a military officer at the time, would take him and his younger brother, salman, for lessons at the Cavalry Ground army riding school in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore.

"Growing up, I always wanted to do something as an athlete for Pakistan," Khan, the country's top equestrian athlete, told al Jazeera in a phone interview from melbourne, australia, where he resides.

"I wanted to be able to compete at the Olympic level, but motivation has always been about Pakistan," the equestrian holding dual nationalities said.

Equestrian is considered an elitist sport in Pakistan, unheard of by many. Yet, it is one of a handful of sporting events in which the cricket-loving south asian nation will be represented at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, which kick off in the Japanese capital in July.

Khan and his horse, azad Kashmir - named after the muslimmajority Himalayan region administered by Pakistan - secured their maiden Olympic spot in the individual eventing discipline in December, becoming the first Pakistani to do so.

For the 38-year-old rider, it was a culmination of a 15-year struggle that has taken a physical and financial toll on him.

The challenges have been countless, he said.

"When you choose a very unpopular sport in Pakistan, and it's a very expensive sport ... When you make a decision like that, you have to do it all by yourself."

Khan went to a university in adelaide and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Geographical Information system, but soon after switched gears and picked up eventing - an equestrian discipline which combines dressage, crosscountry and show jumping.

In 2005, the Lahore-native left his master's research scholarship in Geography and Environmental sciences at melbourne's monash University to focus on his riding career, which was only brought to an abrupt halt in 2006 when he broke his leg, forcing him out of the sport for two years.

He resumed riding in 2008, but was broke and without any sponsors to support him.

For almost 15 years, the overseas Pakistani juggled riding with a day job working as an IT consultant to keep his Olympic dream alive.

a Tunisian female, sara Haba, recently formed a record of the first cyclist to reach makkah using a bicycle. In the past, only three muslims, having the urge of visiting makkah, opted bicycles, cycles, their animals or walked through all the way towards makkah. some of them selected these mediums as they are cost savvy when compared to the cost of travelling through air.

Others wanted to make and feel their efforts they would do for allah (sWT). Yet, we were observing only “men” in such decisions. now this year, we woman appeared and become the first lady to reach makkah by using bicycle, the nontraditional method of transportation. sara Haba is a Tunisian Cyclist. she completed her journey in 53 days. she documented herself about her traveling and became famous. she emphasized on #CyclingTomakkah hashtag for her posts. she opted for the deserts of sudan and Egypt as her travel route. she further stated that she formed her cycle e merzouga which means “grace with blessing” in maghrebi arabic. she also shared on her Instagram that she had a fear to stop while travelling. she wasn’t aware of how much her physical health would support her on fulfilling her wish. she just hoped that her physical health would accept and support her wish. as she was alone, she also had a fear of getting stopped from entering the Holy Place of makkah. However, she didn’t focus on her fears and continued to paddle and crossed her path. The brave and young woman, sara Haba reached makkah and throughout her path, she received immense prayers and blessings. she also collected thousands of messages requesting her to pray for them at the Holy Place, makkah.

Amul smears butter on vegan Joaquin Phoenix’s face in ad celebrating Oscar win, gets slammed by PETA People for the Ethical Treatment of animals (PETa) India has slammed dairy company amul for a tribute ad to Hollywood star Joaquin Phoenix and his Oscar-winning title role in the film Joker. Oscar winner Phoenix made a moving acceptance speech on monday where he spoke of the importance of animal rights and against dairy cruelty.

"I think we've become very disconnected from the natural world. many of us are guilty of an egocentric world view, and we believe that we're the centre of the universe. We go into the natural world and we plunder it for its resources. We feel entitled to artificially inseminate a cow and steal her baby, even though her cries of anguish are unmistakeable," Phoenix said in his Oscar speech.

Do the cows a favour and switch to making soya, almond, oat or other plant milk," a tweet from teh official handle of PETa India read.

THE TERM "ASTRONAUT" COMES FROM GREEK WORDS THAT MEAN "STAR" AND "SAILOR."

THE CALCIUM IN OUR BONES AND THE IRON IN OUR BLOOD COME FROM ANCIENT EXPLOSIONS OF GIANT STARS.

THE NILE CROCODILE CAN HOLD ITS BREATH UNDERWATER FOR UP TO TWO HOURS WHILE WAITING FOR PREY.

Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor pose with Mohit Suri happy with Malang’s makeup artist Pompy Hans on his birthday success, says ‘feeling is less ecstatic and more of a relief’ actors aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan are currently shooting Laal singh Chaddha at an undisclosed location. On Tuesday, the team celebrated the birthday of hair and makeup artist Pompy Hans. Pictures and videos from the celebration have been shared online. now, he has shared a fresh picture, this time featuring Kareena as well as aamir. sharing the picture, he wrote: “Birthday Celebration with #lalsinghchaddha #onsetbirthday” It looks like they are at a cold location; Kareena is all wrapped up in a thick and warm multicoloured jacket. aamir, in a totally different look from what we have previously seen, sports a really short hair style. He is wearing what appears to be a rather ordinary blue and white striped T-shirt, a pair of black high pants and a pair of spectacles. It is not clear if it is a look from the film but it is a departure from his bearded sikh look from the film’s earlier shooting schedules in Chandigarh and Jaisalmer. Laal singh Chaddha is the official Hindi remake of Hollywood classic, Forrest Gump. It will be aamir’s next release after the debacle of his last, Thugs of Hindostan.

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Filmmaker mohit suri is happy that his latest film malang has worked at the box office but says the feeling with a successful movie is always that of a relief. starring aditya Roy Kapur, Disha Patani, anil Kapoor and Kunal Kemmu, suri says malang involved all the actors stepping out of their comfort zone, which is why its success feels “wholesome”. The film has earned Rs 33.20 crore in India in five days, as per trade analysts. “What I’m happy about is that everyone moved out of their comfort zone to do this. For a film like this, to be accepted at such a big level is quite thrilling. It’s aditya’s biggest release, people are talking about Disha’s performance. “anil has reinvented his arch with the kind of roles he was doing, Kunal is ecstatic too. Overall it was a good experience,” suri told PTI. The director, who has helmed films like aashiqui 2, murder 2 and Ek Villain, says when a film is about to release no amount of experience can calm a filmmaker.

Thursday, 13 February, 2020

14 SPORTS OPPO becomes a proud partner of PSL 2020

Man United seek permission for 1,500 'safe standing' seats LONDON Agencies

A Manchester United fans’ group says it welcomes the club’s application to have 1,500 rail seats installed at Old Trafford, intended to allow supporters to stand in safety.

The club applied for permission to the local Safety Advisory Group (SAG) in December and hopes to be given the go-ahead to introduce a safe standing section.

United have experienced long-running problems with fans refusing to sit down in parts of their all-seater Old Trafford ground but rail seats are designed to lock into a folded position, giving fans space to stand.

“We hope to see this progress as quickly as possible as we have long argued that rail seats are a safety enhancement as well as popular with many fans whether they prefer to stand or indeed prefer to remain seated throughout the game in other areas with an unobstructed view,” a statement from the Manchester United Supporters Trust (M.U.S.T) said on Tuesday.

“The North East Quadrant (lower) was selected initially as it has been an area where persistent standing has been established dating back over more than six years.”

Rail seating is hugely popular in Germany’s Bundesliga and used by Scottish club Celtic but

while Tottenham Hotspur’s new stadium is adapted with rail seating and Wolverhampton Wanderers installed some in a stand at Molineux, they are not allowed to operate safe standing areas.

Standing is an option that followers of Premier League and Championship (second-tier) clubs have largely been denied since the 1990 Taylor Report ordered clubs in the top two tiers to convert to all-seater stadiums by 1994 in the wake of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster in which 96 Liverpool fans

lost their lives in a crush during an FA Cup semifinal. However, many decry the loss of atmosphere at grounds as well as the dangers of fans standing in seated areas.

“POSITIVE IMPACT” A report from the Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA) recently said rail seating could have a “positive impact on spectator safety” while the government said it would work with fans’ groups to introduce safe standing areas.

Surf Excel joins hands with Karachi Kings for PSL 2020 Surf Excel, Pakistan’s biggest detergent brand, is the Platinum Sponsor of Karachi Kings for the upcoming power-packed edition of PSL 2020. Karachi Kings, owned by Salman Iqbal CEO ARY group is the most popular team of PSL and this year will be featur-

ing some local class-acts like Imad Wasim ©, Mohammad Amir, Babar Azam along with International acts like Alex Hales, Cameron Delport & Chris Jordan. With this partnership, Surf Excel aims to continue to project, for the first time on the stage of PSL, its message of cele-

brating & embracing dirt as well as the true spirit of cricket!! The MOU was signed today at the Unilever Head office between Salman Iqbal Founder & CEO ARY Group & Nosherwan Ali Director Home Care Unilever Pakistan. Also present at the occasion were Tariq Wasi

CEO Karachi Kings Wasim Akram, President Karachi Kings & Uzma Khan, Head of Media Unilever Pakistan.

Speaking about the partnership, Nosherwan Ali, Director Home Care, Unilever Pakistan said “Surf Excel believes ‘Dirt is Good’ & in the importance of outdoor

play towards holistic childhood. Cricket happens to be the most loved sport in Pakistan and with this partnership with arguably the most exciting PSL team Karachi Kings, our message to the team and to Pakistani kids watching everywhere would be to unabashedly play their best game of cricket “Aur Khel ke Daagh lagtay hain tow lagen.. Surf Excel hai na!” Salman Iqbal, Founder & CEO ARY Group also shared his views on this occasion saying “Karachi Kings is excited to welcome Surf Excel on board as laundry partner. Press releAse

The camera expert and leader in mobile technology, OPPO is thrilled to be the official smartphone partner of Pakistan Super League 2020. Pakistan’s No. 1 smartphone brand has a lot of exhilarating offers for its customers with this collaboration which will be announced once the tournament officially kickstarts. OPPO has always been tapped on touchpoints that resonates with the ever-evolving audience’s in Pakistan and globally with entertainment and sports globally. The company was a global partner of the ICC cricket world cup 2019 and has now set a benchmark again in the field of cricket with this partnership with PSL 2020.

Reiterating the significance of cricket in Pakistan, CEO OPPO Pakistan George Long said, “We are proud to partner with PSL 2020. As a brand, we support the youth and it is our mission to develop and promote everything that the youth is involved and interested in. We continuously aim to associate ourselves with platforms that enable us to connect and engage with customers and PSL is a perfect example of such a platform as we as a nation are very passionate about this sport”. This PSL season will be jam-packed with a lot of fun and exciting activities for all the smartphone users as OPPO is all set to take cricket and digitization to a whole new level. Pakistan Super League will officially begin on 20th February and the matches will take place in various cities of the country with the finale on 22nd March 2020 in Gaddafi Stadium Lahore. Press releAse

Bangladesh snub PCB’s offer of day-night Test SpOrtS DESk The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Tuesday turned down Pakistan’s proposal of the playing the second and final Test in Karachi under floodlights. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had proposed that the second Test of two-match series at the National Stadium from April 7 to be played with a pink ball under lights. The proposal was aimed at raising spectator interest in the match.

However, a top BCB official said that his board had turned down the proposal as Bangladesh were not prepared to play under lights. Nizamuddin Chowdhury, BCB’s CEO, said the Bangladesh team management was of the opinion that the team was not ready for a day-night Test and the challenge should not be taken without ample homework.“We have spoken with our team management and they are not ready to play a day-night Test at the moment, due to lack of preparation,” Nizamuddin told reporters. “The board understands their [team management’s] point of view and, after taking everything into consideration, we have decided not to play day-night Test matches in Pakistan,” he said. Bangladesh have only played one pink-ball Test in their history. India has thrashed Bangladesh by a huge margin in the match last November. The second and final Test will conclude Pakistan’s home series against Bangladesh. It will be the third and final phase of the series.v Due to security concerns, Bangladesh refused to send their team for a tour of Pakistan stressing that the visitors will not stay in the country for a long duration.

Tiger Woods still in shock more than two weeks after Kobe Bryant's death LOS ANGELES Agencies

More than two weeks after Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash, Tiger Woods is among those who find the shock may have worn off but disbelief remains.

"It´s hard to put into words what transpired and the fact that it´s a reality," 15time major golf champion Woods said Tuesday at Riviera Country Club, where he is preparing to tee off Thursday in the Genesis Invitational.

"Part of me thinks that it´s not real."

The 41-year-old Bryant, a retired NBA legend with the Los Angeles Lakers, and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were among nine people killed in the January 26 crash in the Santa Monica Mountains west of Los Angeles.

They were on their way to a girls´ basketball tournament at Bryant´s Mamba Sports Academy in suburban Thousand Oaks -- not far from Sherwood Country Club, which hosted Woods´s Hero World Challenge tournament for years.

Woods learned of Bryant´s death just after he completed his final round at Torrey Pines that Sunday. The 15-time major champion, who said he grew up a "diehard Lakers fan," noted that he turned pro the same year that Bryant was drafted into the NBA to start a 20-year career that would include five titles with the Lakers.

"I don´t really know what I said postround," Woods said Tuesday. "I was in shock just like everyone else, trying to put it in words going forward.

"The reality of the situation is Kobe and

CMYK

Gigi are not here, but it´s hard to accept," Woods continued.

"People who are close him and all the families, it´s just hard to accept that reality."

Bryant´s widow, Vanessa, has announced a public "celebration of life" for Kobe, Gianna and the other crash victims will be held on February 24 at Staples Center arena.

The date - 2-24-20 - honors the jersey numbers 2 and 24 worn by Gianna and Bryant and the 20 years Bryant was in the NBA. But even as such plans go forward, Vanessa Bryant took to Instagram on Monday to express her own struggle to come to terms with her family´s loss.

"My brain refuses to accept that both Kobe and Gigi are gone," she wrote. "I can´t process both at the same time. It´s like I´m trying to process Kobe being gone but my body refuses to accept my Gigi will never come back to me. It feels wrong ... I´m so mad. She had so much life to live."

Thursday, 13 February, 2020

NAB OkAyS ILLEgAL APPOINTMENT rEFErENCE AgAINST Ex-PM ABBASI ISLAMABAD

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APP

HE Executive Board Meeting (EBM) of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Wednesday accorded approval of filing three corruption references against various personalities, including former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, for inflicting Rs138.96 million to the national exchequer.

According to NAB spokesman, the NAB-EBM chaired Chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal accorded approval of conducting seven inquiries against different personalities including former federal minister Barjees Tahir and others. The EBM okayed initiating two investigations on different charges.

According to details, the EBM accorded approval of filing reference against Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources, Sheikh Imran ul Haq, former Managing Director Pakistan State Oil (PSO), Yaqub Sattar, Deputy Managing Director PSO and others for inflicting

Rs138.96m losses to national exchequer due to abuse of authority and appointment of former MD, Deputy MD PSO in violation of rules and regulations.

The EBM accorded approval of filing another reference against Ghulam Ali Shah Pasha,former senior member Sindh Board of Revenue,Abdul Subhan Memon, former Secretary, Land Utilisation,Muhammad Salik, former District Officer, Revenue, Hyderabad, Gadda Hussain Abro, former Mukhtiarkar, Revenue, Imtiaz Solangi, former supervising Tapdar,Qadir Bakhsh and Muhammad Saleem on the allegations of illegal allotment of government land which inflicted Rs 120 million losses to the national exchequer.

The EBM inked its assent of filing yet another reference against Ghulam Mustafa Phal, former secretary Sindh, Land Utilisation,Qazi Jan Muhammad, former DC, Malir, Abdul Subhan, former secretary Sindh Land Utilisation,Ghulam Haider Chandio, former Assistant Commissioner, Muhammad Arif Kalvar, Assistant Commissioner, Bin Qasim Town, Malir, Tufail Ahmed, Zulfikar Ali Mangi,

former Mukhtiarkar and Muhammad Ayub. They have been accused of allotting state land illegally, inflicting Rs 40 million losses to national exchequer.

The EBM accorded approval of conducting seven inquiries against Barjees Tahir, former federal minister, Saleem Goraya and others,Makhdoomzada Basit Ahmed Sultan,MNA, Muzaffargarh and

Bilawal tells govt to renegotiate deal with IMF ISLAMABAD sTAFF rePOrT

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Wednesday every Pakistani demanded that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) should tear its current agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and renegotiate its term with the international money lender.

Speaking to media outside the parliament, Bilawal said: “We are not saying that don’t go back to the IMF, we are emphasising on the fact the government should renegotiate the deal, keeping in mind Pakistan’s economy and how it runs, they should not accept the terms of the IMF completely.”

The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics and State bank, the government’s own institutions, have said that a record inflation has hit the country, he said. “The State Bank has said that even if you add up the loan procured by previous governments, it is less than that of the incumbent government,” Bilawal said. “The FBR has informed that the tax collection is at a shortfall of Rs400 billion,” he said. Bilawal said that when the opposition questioned the government about the shortfall, all they received were personal attacks instead of answers.

“We can withstand their personal attacks but the people of the country belonging to every class, cannot bear the government’s economic policies.”

PBC, SCBA chiefs slam NAB summons for Bilawal NEWS DESk Two leading bars of the country have condemned the call-up notice issued to Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), and urged the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government to shun political victimisation of its opponents and focus on public welfare.

The anti-corruption watchdog has summoned Bilawal to appear before its investigators in Rawalpindi on February 13 in the fake accounts

case. NAB is investigating fake accounts cases against Bilawal’s father and PPP Co-Chairperson Asif Zardari, and aunt, Faryal Talpur, who also have the shares in the Zardari Group. They both are among the key accused in a multi-billion rupees money laundering scandal that surfaced last year.

Syed Qalb-e-Hassan, the president of Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan and Abid Saqi, the Pakistan Bar Council vice-chairman, in a joint statement, termed the NAB move as “act of personal victimisation, satisfying the political egoistic revenge of the incumbent government”.

others, Sardar Nasrullah Khan Dareeshak,MPA, Rajanpur and others,Khalid Sajjad Khokar,former MD,Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation and others, Kanal Garden Housing Scheme Yazman Road, owners of Bahawalpur and others,Pakistan Bio Energy, Company’s officials,officers and others, management, officers, officials of South

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Punjab Forest Company. The EBM accorded approval of conducting two investigations against Pehlaj Mal, former special assistant to Sindh chief minister, owners of Altamash Medical Society, officers of Sindh Building Control Authority and others. The EBM approved closing inquiry against Rehman Medical College, Peshawar and others owing to absence of evidence.

Pilot safe as PAF trainer jet crashes in Mardan rAWALpINDI sTAFF rePOrT

A Pakistan Air Force (PAF) trainer aircraft crashed on Wednesday while on a routine training mission near Takht Bhai in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Mardan district.

A spokesperson for the PAF said that the pilot ejected safely before the crash “A board of inquiry has been ordered by Air Headquarters to determine the cause of [the] accident,” the press release said.

CJP bashes PIA’s report in CEO appointment case ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) chided on Wednesday the Pakistan International Airline (PIA) for submitting a ‘biased’ report in the CEO appointment case. The reports submitted by the government and PIA are exactly the same, remarked Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed. It seems as if they have copy-pasted the same report, he added. They have conducted many experiments in PIA. They appointed a German CEO and he took a plane with him, said Justice Ijazul Ahsan. On January 21, the court ruled that PIA CEO Air Marshal (r) Arshad Malik won’t be resuming work anytime soon and dismissed his petition.

On January 1, the Sindh High Court barred Malik from performing duties as the airline’s chief executive while hearing a petition filed by the PIA Senior Staff Association’s general secretary, Safdar Anjum.sTAFF rePOrT

Senate body asks Aviation Division to reply on JIT formation or face privilege motion ISLAMABAD APP

The Senate Standing Committee on Aviation Wednesday asked Aviation Division to submit a formal reply regarding formation of Joint Investigation Team (JIT) on corruption in the newly built Islamabad International Airport (IIAP) in its next meeting or be ready to face a privilege motion in the House.

“The ministry [Aviation Division) must give a reply in next meeting on formation of the JIT as recommended by the committee and explain the reasons, if it is not constituted. Otherwise a privilege motion will be moved in the Senate,” Chairman Mushahidullah Khan observed during the committee meeting.

He said the body had got six extensions for this agenda item, but was still waiting for the compliance report after it recommended the JIT to avoid “conflict in findings of different committees.” The Upper House of the Parliament had referred the matter to the committee after Senator Behramand Khan Tangi, raised it on the point of public importance on November 13, 2018.

Senior officials of the Aviation Division in-

NEWS

This is the third PAF training aircraft to have crashed while on a routine training mission in less than two months.

Last Friday, a PAF Mirage aircraft, which was on a routine operational training mission, had crashed near the Lahore-Multan Motorway. The pilot had managed to eject safely in that incident as well. Earlier in January, a PAF aircraft had crashed while on a training mission near Mianwali. Both pilots, Squadron Leader Haris bin Khalid and Flying Officer Ibaadur Rehman, aboard the PAF FT-7 aircraft had lost their lives in the crash.

Court seeks NAB's reply in Pervez Ashraf's acquittal plea LAHORE An accountability court (AC) on Wednesday sought reply from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on a petition seeking acquittal of former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf in Nandipur Power Project (NPP) reference. AC-II Judge Azam Khan heard the petition moved by former prime minister under fresh amendments in NAB Ordinance.

The court ordered the anti-graft body to submit its reply till February 25, against the acquittal plea in NPP reference. It may be mentioned that Pervez Ashraf was facing charges of causing a delay in execution of Nandipur Power Project due to which the national exchequer suffered a loss worth Rs28 billion.APP

Quetta police briefly detain protesting students NEWS DESk Balochistan Police on Wednesday detained students and officials of Bolan University of Medical and Health Sciences for holding a “peaceful demonstration” in Quetta that called for the restoration of the varsity in its original state, a reduction in the varsity’s fees and the dismissal of the vice-chancellor.

However, the police rounded up dozens of protesters after an alleged clashed with the demonstrators at the GPO Chowk. Police said the demo caused a traffic jam which forced them to use force to disperse the protesters.

Officials said that the protesters were also shouting slogans against the Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal and the varsity’s Vice-Chancellor Dr Naqeebullah.

Four miners die in Duki coalmine landslide formed the parliamentarians that the Prime Minister had formed a committee on the issue.

Responding to a resolution moved by Senator Prof. Dr Mehar Taj Roghani regarding “re-employment of retired PIA employees”, the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) management apprised the committee that the Supreme Court had banned the recruitment in 2018.

PIA officials said the apex court had been approached seeking permission to recruit 100 employees including pilots, keeping in view future requirements of the national flag-carrier.

They said the PIA had reduced its financial losses considerably and expressed confidence it would emerge as an efficient and profit-earning entity soon.

CMYK

NEWS DESK: Four miners, including three real brothers, died when a landslide hit a coalmine here on Wednesday.

According to details, landmine hit coalmine in Tahir Lease area some 10 kilometer west of Duki. Four coalmines including three real brothers Kamal Khan, Adam Khan, Gula Khan and Sharafuddin hailing from Muslim Bagh area of Qila Saifullah died in the incident. The rescue teams of mines and Red Crescent pulled out the bodies from debris after hectic efforts of more than five hours and shifted them to Civil Hospital.

Thursday, 13 February, 2020

NEWS

CabinEt approvEs nEw rulEs to rEgulatE soCial mEdia ISLAMABAD

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STAFF REPORT

N a bid to regulate social media, the federal cabinet on Wednesday approved a new set of rules, imposing strict conditions on digital media companies. According to the document titled “Citizens Protection (Against Online Harm) Rules, 2020”, social media companies, including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, will have to register with the government within three months of the coming into force of the new rules.

They will be required to establish a permanent registered office in Pakistan with a physical address located in Islamabad within the same period.

Digital media companies will have to appoint in Pakistan, a focal person based in Pakistan for coordination with the National Coordinator and the concerned authority within three months of the date of coming into force of these rules.

They will have to establish one or more database servers in Pakistan within 12 months to record and store data and online content, within the territorial boundaries of Pakistan for citizen data privacy.

The companies will be required to remove, suspend or disable access to such account, online content

SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES WILL HAVE TO REGISTER IN PAKISTAN WITHIN THREE MONTHS, SET UP OFFICES IN ISLAMABAD of citizens of Pakistan residing outside its territorial boundaries and posts on online content that are involved in spreading of fake news or defamation and violates or affects the religious, cultural, ethnic, or national security sensitivities of Pakistan.

Moreover, if communicated by the authority that certain online content is false, the companies will be required to put a note to that effect along with the online content.

The social media company shall provide to the investigation agency designated or established under Section 29 of the act, any information or data or content or sub-content contained in any information system owned or managed or run by the respective social media company, in decrypted, readable and comprehensible format or plain version in accordance with the provision of the aforesaid act.

Authorities would be empowered to take action against Pakistanis found guilty of targeting state institutions at home and abroad on social media. The law would also help the law enforcement authorities obtain access to data of accounts found involved in suspicious activities.

It would be the said authority’s prerogative to identify objectionable content to the social media platforms to be taken down. In case of failure to comply within 15 days, it would have the power to suspend their services or impose a fine worth up to Rs500 million.

The legislation, in addition, defines terms such as social media, social media company, law enforcement, and the law in this context. Matters highlighted by the authorities may be taken up in high courts in all four provinces.

The document further highlighted that in case a social media company fails to abide by the provision of these rules, the national coordinator may issue instructions for blocking the online system, social media application or services or OTTA owned or managed or run by the said social media company.

It is worth mentioning here that the parliament’s approval would not be necessary for these rules to come into effect.

US-Taliban breakthrough appears closer as Ghani reports progress KABUL AGENCIES

Erdogan arrives today on crucial two-day visit ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is due to arrive in Pakistan on Thursday on a two-day official visit. The Turkish leadership is leading a high-powered delegation comprising cabinet ministers, senior government officials, as well as heads of CEOs of leading Turkish corporations.

The visit comes at a time when Pakistan is trying to control damage caused because of its absence from the Kuala Lumpur summit Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad hosted in December to discuss issues facing the Muslim Umman and suggest way forward. Prime Minister Imran Khan initially was to attend the summit but pulled out at the last minute citing concerns expressed by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over the gathering of leaders from Malaysia, Turkey, Iran and Qatar. Saudi Arabia viewed the summit as an attempt by certain Islamic countries to create a new bloc within the Muslim world. However, host Malaysia and Pakistan dismissed such perceptions.

Recently, Premier Imran visited Kuala Lumpur and expressed regret over not being part of the summit.

He also admitted that Pakistan stayed away from the gathering because of concerns expressed by some of its friends about the real objective of the Kuala Lumpur summit. He said that he would attend the next summit since he was convinced that the initiative was not meant for creating a new Islamic bloc. Observers believe that recent visit of PM Imran to Malaysia and the visit of Turkish president to Islamabad will help Pakistan put the relationship back on track with the two key Muslim countries, which have been providing Islamabad support on the longstanding dispute on Kashmir with India. A statement, issued by the Foreign Office ahead of the trip, said that during the visit, Premier Imran and President Erdogan will have tete-a-tete, after which they will co-chair the 6th Session of the Pakistan-Turkey High Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) in the joint cabinet format. At the conclusion of the session, a Joint Declaration will be signed. A number of important agreements and memorandum of understandings (MoUs) are expected to be concluded. The two leaders will have a joint press stakeout. President Erdogan will separately meet President Dr Arif Alvi. The Turkish president will also address a joint session of parliament.

Together with the prime minister, he will address the Pakistan-Turkey Business and Investment Forum which brings together leading investors and business-people from both sides.

The US and the Taliban appeared closer on Wednesday to a breakthrough in talks over American troops withdrawal from Afghanistan, after Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani said there had been “notable progress” in negotiations.

Washington and the militants have been locked in grueling discussions that have stretched over more than a year for a deal that would see the US pull thousands of troops out of war-torn Afghanistan.

In return, the Taliban would provide various security guarantees and launch eventual talks with the Kabul government.

In a series of tweets late on Tuesday, Ghani said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had called him to inform him of developments in the talks, which are taking place in Doha.

“Today, I was pleased to receive a call from @SecPompeo, informing me of the notable progress made in the ongoing peace talks with the Taliban,” Ghani said on his official Twitter account.

“The Secretary informed me about the Taliban’s proposal with regards to bringing a significant and enduring reduction in violence.”

“This is a welcoming development and I am pleased that our principal position on peace thus far has begun to yield fruitful re-

govt to encourage entrepreneurship in youth, says pm IMRAN URGES YOUTH TO FOLLOW THEIR DREAMS WITHOUT FEAR OF MAKING MISTAKES ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said that the government will provide opportunities to the youth to harness their full potential for the country’s development.

Addressing a ceremony held at the National Incubation Centre in Islamabad under Ignite programme, the premier said urged the youth to follow an independent approach with a freethinking mind to work on new ideas. He said that startup is the translation into reality of an idea and his government would back the youth in their entrepreneurial ventures and also encourage growth in the information technology sector. The prime minister said that success stories in the world can be traced back to brilliant ideas of a few dedicated individuals. He said that a successful person pursues the idea with full struggle without caring for the consequences. “When you critically analyse your mistakes and then retry, it only makes you stronger,” he added. He said that the mark of a vibrant society and an upwardly-mobile government is that they encourage and support their young people.

Offering advice to the budding entrepreneurs, he said, “Every big thing is preceded by a great idea,” while adding that a person only becomes successful after going through difficulties. “We have the second youngest youth population in the world. With the direction the world is taking with artificial intelligence and blockchain technology, all we have to do is encourage our youth,” said the premier. “I am happy about this initiative that Ignite has taken to support startups,” he added.

PM Imran was given a detailed briefing on various startup ideas on the occasion. He evinced keen interest in new ideas and interacted with the participants. Ignite, under the umbrella of the Ministry of IT and Telecom has launched a programme to build incubation centres across the country. The programme’s primary objective is to help aspiring startups become sustainable businesses by providing them with support and mentorship.

European diplomats check india's loosening of occupied Kashmir clampdown sults. Our primary objective is to end the senseless bloodshed,” he added.

A Taliban source told AFP that militant and US negotiators would meet again on Wednesday in Doha.

Citing Afghan and US officials, The New York Times reported that US President Donald Trump had given conditional approval to a deal with the Taliban.

The two foes have been on the brink of a breakthrough before, with a deal all but complete in September before Trump nixed it at the last moment amid continued Taliban violence.

The Times said Trump would only give final approval to the deal if the Taliban stick to a reduction in the violence of “about seven days later this month”. The

source said the group has agreed to the proposal.

He said to all intents and purposes, this would be a ceasefire, but it could not be named that because of various “complications”.

Despite ongoing talks between the US and the Taliban, Afghanistan’s war has raged on, with the number of clashes jumping to record levels in the last quarter of 2019, according to a recent US government watchdog report.

In his annual State of the Union address on February 4, Trump renewed his vow to negotiate a troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

“We are working to finally end America’s longest war and bring our troops back home,” he said, offering his blessing for the negotiations with the Taliban.

SRINAGAR AGENCIES

More than two dozen diplomats are visiting Indian-occupied Kashmir, New Delhi said on Wednesday, as the country tries to reassure foreign allies following several months of unrest in the contested territory. The group includes European diplomats, some of whom declined a previous invitation from New Delhi to visit the region. A proposed vote in the European Union parliament next month could chastise India for its actions in occupied Kashmir. The Muslim-majority Himalayan region has been in turmoil since New Delhi stripped it of special status and clamped down on communication and freedom of movement in August. India has since claimed to have eased those restrictions, and restored limited internet connectivity last month, ending one of the world’s longest such shutdowns in a democracy.

APS martyrs' families question mysterious escape of ex-TTP spokesman PESHAWAR STAFF REPORT

Families of students martyred during the Army Public School massacre staged a demonstration on Wednesday to protest reports of the mysterious escape of former Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan.

The demonstrators, led by Shuhada APS Forum President Advocate Fazal Khan, gathered outside the Peshawar Press Club, and shouted

slogans against the militant’s reported escape. They also demanded the government to address the questions surrounding Ehsan’s escape and launch an investigation into the matter.

“The news of escape has created a sense of deprivation among the APS victims,” Khan said. He added that the government’s silence over the matter has raised questions.

“How can a terrorist escape from a highly-guarded red zone area? It’s a good joke,” he said.

While addressing the protesters,

Khan said that the grieving parents have been struggling for justice but the government has refused to pay heed to their demands.

The victims’ parents said that news of Ehsan’s escape had reopened their wounds of losing their children to terrorists. The demonstrators were also carrying banners, inscribed with slogans calling for justice.

The demonstrators dispersed peacefully after recording their protest.

Last week, Advocate Khan had

filed a petition in the Peshawar High Court, seeking contempt of court proceedings against multiple government officials following reports of the militant’s escape.

On December 16, 2014, armed terrorists broke into APS building in Peshawar, killing more than 140 people, most of them children. The massacre, which was claimed by the TTP, had prompted the government and national institutions to draw up the National Action Plan and Operation Zarb-i-Azb was launched by the military.

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