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Tuesday, 17 December, 2019 I 19 Rabi-ul-Sani, 1441 I Rs 19.00 I Vol X No 167 I 16 Pages I Islamabad Edition

CloCk TiCking on army Chief’s exTension maTTer g

detAILed SC verdICt StAteS OnLy SImpLe LegISLAtIOn IS requIred FOr extendIng COAS’ tenure

ISLAMABAD

staff report

he Supreme Court (SC), in its detailed verdict on the army chief’s term extension, has rested the responsibility on the government to get the legislation passed in order to provide clarity for all times to come and added that no constitutional amendment is required for the purpose. In the 43-page judgement, the three-member bench which heard the case stated that the “crucial matter of the tenure of COAS [chief of army staff] and its extension, which has a somewhat chequered history, is before the parliament, to fix for all times to come”. “It is now for the people of Pakistan and their chosen representatives in the parliament to come up with a law that will provide certainty and predictability to the post of COAS, remembering that in strengthening institutions, nations prosper,” the verdict added. As per the verdict, the government is just required to pass simple legislation, which would only require a simple majority, to give legal cover to the army chief’s job extension. On November 26, the apex court suspended the notification issued by Prime Minister Imran

FAILure tO CArry Out LegISLAtIOn wIthIn SIx mOnthS wOuLd LeAd tO gen BAjwA’S retIrement, COurt wArnS

Khan for the army chief’s extension in August over technical irregularities. The issue went on for three days and on the third day the SC issued a short order, stating that the army chief’s tenure would be extended for six months during which the responsibility for the required legislation would be on the parliament. The detailed verdict states that both Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel and Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Asif Saeed Khosa agreed with Justice Shah’s judgement, with Justice Khosa saying in his additional note that it had been a “shocking revelation” to the bench that the terms and conditions of service of the army chief, the tenure of his office, extension in the tenure of his office or his reappointment to that office “have remained unregulated by any law so far”. SC judge Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, while authoring detailed judgment, said that the court exercised judicial restraint and gave an opportunity to the government after the attorney general’s assurance to carry out “appropriate legislation through an act of parliament within a period of six months”. “This assurance has tempted us to exercise judicial restraint in the matter, so that people of Pakistan may decide this the question through the parliament,” he said.

Justice Shah also said that the exercise of judicial restraint may not be mixed up or confused with the infamous and unpopular application of the ‘doctrine of necessity’, which amounts to going against the law of the land to attain a political or another goal. “This is not so in the present case where there is no law; in fact, there is a total legal vacuum regarding the tenure of a general. It is also instructive to refer to the spirit of Article 203D of the Constitution whereunder the court can direct the federal government to initiate process for making appropriate legislative amendments in the relevant law and can grant reasonable time for doing the need,” the verdict stated. The court also noted that judicial restraint in its substantial approach urges judges considering constitutional questions to give deference to the views of the elected branches and invalidate their actions only when constitutional limits have clearly been violated “The power of judicial review is a great weapon in the hands of Judges, but the judges must observe the constitutional limits set by our parliamentary system on their exercise of this beneficial power, namely, the separation of powers between the parliament, the executive and the courts. Judicial review must, therefore, remain strictly judicial and in its exercise judges must take care not to intrude upon the domain of the other branches of government. Judicial restraint, in this perspective, is essential to the continuance of rule of law, and for the continued public confidence in the political impartiality of the judiciary and the voluntary respect for the law as laid down and applied by the courts,” the verdict added.

OGRA approves up to 191pc increase in gas prices STORY ON PAGE 03

Imran cancels malaysia visit, qureshi to represent pakistan in summit STORY ON PAGE 02

CJP Khosa urges nation to learn from its tragedies

CONTINUED ON PAGE 03

Legal experts see relief for govt in SC’s detailed verdict on COAS’ extension

King Hamad confers Bahrain's highest civil award on PM Imran

STORY ON BACK PAGE

pm, COAS say 'won't forget' ApS attack martyrs STORIES ON PAGE 03

India protests rage over 'anti-Muslim' citizenship law

1 dead, 2 injured in Indian firing across LoC STORIES ON BACK PAGE

CMYK Tuesday, 17 December, 2019

02 NEWS

IMrAn cAncElS MAlAySIA vISIt, QurEShI to rEPrESEnt PAkIStAn In SuMMIt ISLAMABAD

PM IMRAN TO CO-CONVENE FIRST GLOBAL REFUGEE FORUM IN GENEVA

STAFF REPORT

RIME Minister Imran Khan has cancelled his scheduled visit to Malaysia and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi will be representing Pakistan in his place at the Kuala Lumpur Summit scheduled for December 18-20. Among the most notable Muslim leaders who are expected to attend the summit include Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim Hamad Al Thani, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Sources in the government informed Pakistan Today that the premier has cancelled the visit following his meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman in Riyadh. “Saudi Arabia raised serious concerns over the statement of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad who had recently said that the Muslim countries at Kuala Lumpur Summit would form a new platform to replace the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) which he said had failed to deliver the goods on issues faced by the Muslims

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan will visit Geneva, Switzerland, to co-convene the first-ever Global Refugee Forum (GRF) commencing on Tuesday. “The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Switzerland are cohosting the GRF. Prime Minister Imran Khan, along with President Erdogan, and leaders from Costa Rica, Ethiopia and Germany, have been invited to co-convene the Forum in recognition of their exemplary role for the protection and wellbeing of refugees,” the Foreign Office said in a statement on Monday. “The Prime Minister will articulate Pakistan’s perspective, experience and contribution to the Afghan refugees. Co-convening of the GRF is recognition of Pakistan’s generosity, humanitarian leadership, and compassion of the people of Pakistan towards their Afghan brothers and sisters for the past 40 years.” PM Imran will also have bilateral interaction with his counterparts and with the UN leadership, and attend a luncheon hosted by the UN Secretary General. The GRF is the first major meeting on refugees of the 21st century and is being jointly hosted by UNHCR and Switzerland on December 17-18. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will also address the event. “The Forum is expected to galvanise political support and solidarity and broaden the base of commitments from States, international organisations, private sectors and civil society to deal with the growing number of refugee situations across the world,” read the FO statement. STAFF REPORT across the world,” sources said. Sources also said that Saudi Arabia and its allies, including United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait and Bahrain are perturbed over the expected presence of Qatari emir, Turkish president and Iranian president at the summit and fear a new but parallel leadership forum is being developed to undermine Saudi Arabia and its allies. It merits mention here that the Turkish president and Qatari emir have sided with the Iranian president and are considered ri-

Judicial probe report on APS attack to be announced ‘soon’ PESHAWAR: The investigation of the judicial commission – formed to probe into the Army Public School (APS) Peshawar carnage – has entered the final stages, a spokesperson of the commission announced on Monday. In a statement,

vals to the Saudi leadership. Sources further said that UAE has also raised its concerns over Mahathir’s statement and has requested Pakistan to avoid the Kuala Lumpur Summit which may trigger a new controversy among the Muslim Ummah. “PM Imran was also conveyed concerns by Bahrain’s King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa over the intentions of the Kuala Lumpur Summit. The premier assured the royals of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain that he would not be a part of any

scheme being planned to undermine the Gulf leadership,” sources added. They said that UAE’s Emir Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan had raised his concerns with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa two days ago on December 14. Sources added that it is likely that UAE and Saudi Arabia may turn $6 billion they provided to Pakistan as foreign currency support into soft loans to help Pakistan mitigate its financial crunch situation.

the spokesperson said that statements of 140 people have been recorded so far. The commission will submit its report within “a month or two” in the Supreme Court, he said, adding that it has started to examine the statements. In 2018, then chief justice Saqib Nisar, accepting the demanding of the heirs of APS martyrs, had ordered judicial inquiry of the incident in which 144 individuals lost their lives. On Dec 16, 2014 six terrorists stormed the school and martyred around 150 students and teachers. Following the tragic incident, the government chalked out the National Action Plan (NAP) to eliminate terrorism from the country. STAFF REPORT

Ex-premier Abbasi, Miftah Ismail's remand extended ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Monday extended the judicial remand of former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former finance minister Miftah Ismail till Jan 6 in a case pertaining to their alleged involvement in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) scam. During the hearing, the court also summoned all the nominees in the reference. Earlier, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed another reference in the scam after addressing the objections raised by the registrar office of accountability court. On September 10 last year, the Supreme Court had directed NAB to complete inquiry against Abbasi and others for the alleged corruption in the said contract. As a former minister for petroleum and natural resources, Abbasi is accused of granting an LNG import contract to Elengy Terminal (Pvt) Ltd. – a subsidiary of Engro Corp – while bypassing the relevant regulations. In June 2018, the NAB approved inquiry against former premier Nawaz Sharif and Abbasi. The Bureau had said that the contract caused a loss of billions of rupees to the national exchequer. In January, the NAB interrogated former finance minister Miftah Ismail in the same case. STAFF REPORT

Countrywide anti-polio campaign begins

LAHORE: Members of the civil society hold a vigil in remembrance of the martyrs of Army Public School Peshawar as the nation observes fifth anniversary of the tragic incident. ZUBAIR MEHFOOZ

IHC seeks more arguments from AAG in PRCS chief’s appointment case ISLAMABAD APP

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Monday granted time to the additional attorney general for arguments preparation till December 26, in a petition challenging the appointment of Ibra ul Haq as Chairman Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) known as Hila-e-Ahmer. Chief Justice IHC Athar Minallah heard

the petition challenging the appointment. Petitioner Doctor Saeed Elahi and Ibrar ul Haq appeared before the bench. During the outset of the hearing, the chief justice remarked that the appointment was an administrative matter, the court would view legal aspects regarding the matter. The petitioner’s lawyer pleaded that chairman PRCS’s tenure was three years in accordance with rules. He said that his client’s tenure was

going to expire on March 9, 2020. The chief justice noted that the chairman could handed over the charge after he resigned from his post. If the chairman commits any misconduct then a show-cause notice used to be issued to him and in inquiry could be initiated against him in accordance of the rules. Justice Minallah asked the Additional Attorney General (AAG) Tariq Mehmood Khosa that whether there was any other

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procedure to remove chairman PRCS from his post to this, Khosa said that the rules were silent in this regard. The chief justice remarked that the office of the President was authorised to take a decision only in accordance of laws. The chief justice said it was an important matter and asked the AAG to take more time for arguments. The court adjourned the hearing of the case till December 26.

ISLAMABAD: A five-day countrywide anti-polio campaign was formally launched on Monday under tight security measures. During the campaign, over 19 million children under the age of five years will be administered the anti-polio drops in Punjab. In Sindh, 2.3 million children will be vaccinated while in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan over 6.7 million and 2.5 million children, respectively, will be administered drops. Last week, Prime Minister Imran Khan urged parents to ensure that their children are administered with the antipolio vaccine not only for the sake of their health but also for the nation. While speaking at the launching ceremony of the Nationwide Polio Eradication Campaign in Islamabad, the premier pointed out that Pakistan is one of two countries in the world where polio continues to exist and termed it a “matter of shame”. “To the mothers who are watching this, I request you to go to the health workers and get your children vaccinated yourself if they haven’t been administered with polio drops,” he had said. The premier had said that around four million children under the age of five would be vaccinated in the ongoing campaign. STAFF REPORT

CMYK Tuesday, 17 December, 2019

cJP khoSA urGES nAtIon to lEArn froM ItS trAGEdIES CHIEF JUSTICE SAYS THERE ARE LESSONS REGRETS GOVERNMENT’S FAILURE TO TO BE LEARNT FROM FALL OF DHAKA IMPLEMENT MUCH-NEEDED POLICE AND APS PESHAWAR TRAGEDY REFORMS AS ENVISAGED IN NAP ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

S the nation observed the fifth anniversary of the tragic Army Public School (APS) attack and the 48th anniversary of the secession of Dharka on Monday, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Asif Saeed Khosa said there are some lessons to be learnt from both tragedies. Addressing a ceremony in the federal capital, the chief justice said that the fall of Dhaka reminds us that the state should take care of its citizens’ rights. “The freedom movement in West Bengal gained momentum because the state

had failed to take care of its people, and it eventually led to the separation of the territory from the rest of the country,” he said, adding that the incident itself reflects that the social contract between the state and its citizens was weak. The chief justice observed that the Constitution directs the state to ensure that the results of the governance are being delivered to the masses because a state, which comprises the government and the people, is responsible for ensuring the basic rights of the citizens. “A lack of provision of basic rights jeopardises the integrity of a state. The supremacy of the Constitution and the law guarantees the basic rights of citizens,” he added. Speaking about the

APS tragedy, the chief justice said that in the aftermath of the incident, the National Action Plan (NAP) was devised, which was adopted by the entire nation. “We can perform the best and achieve best results if we get united on the same agenda,” he added. “Unfortunately, a perception has been created in Pakistan that the police infringe on the rights of citizens rather than protecting them,” the chief justice said while regretting that the governments could not introduce the muchneeded police reforms as envisaged in the National Action Plan (NAP). Speaking at the lunch, CJP-designate Justice Gulzar Ahmad promised to continue the mission of his successor to

improve Pakistan’s judicial and police systems. “It is unfortunate to hear people say the police institution has become redundant. I believe they should have the capacity to provide security,” he added. On the APS carnage, Justice Khosa said it had shocked the nation and forced Pakistan to “reconsider our approach to deal with terrorism”. “We said enough is enough. The National Action Plan was formulated and the entire nation backed it,” he said. “While the judiciary has taken a number of steps to implement NAP, nothing significant has been done by the government in this regard,” he regretted. The 20-point National Action Plan has been chalked out by the National Counter Terrorism Authority, an administrative entity under the interior ministry, in consultation with all stakeholders and approved by parliament on December 24, 2014 to counter terrorism and extremism.

PM, COAS say ‘won’t forget’ APS attack martyrs ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

As the country mourns the horrendous attack on Army Public School (APS) on its fifth anniversary on Monday, President Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa in separate messages said that the “carnage will never be forgotten”. On Dec 16, 2014, six terrorists affiliated with the banned militant outfit Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) carried out the attack on the school and killed 132 innocent students, mostly aged between 12 and 19, and 17 staff members including APS Principal Tahira Qazi who refused to leave the school premises “until the last student was rescued”. In his message shared on Twitter, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that the “incident has united the nation against all forms of extremism, terrorism, violence [and] hatred.” “As we observe [the] 5th anniversary of #APSPeshawar Tragedy, our hearts go out to all the families & people who endured loss,” he said. According to a tweet by the Inter-

Services Public Relations (ISPR), General Bajwa stated: “Five of the involved terrorists have been hanged through military courts. Salute to martyrs and their families.” “We have come a long way in failing terrorism as a nation. United we move towards lasting peace and prosperity of Pakistan,” he said. President Arif Alvi, in his message, said the nation “cannot forget the massacre of little angels/teachers”. “Hard to commemorate this day without tears in one’s eyes. In its remembrance, we reiterate our pledge to root out terrorism and extremism in all its manifestations from our country,” he said. “A day that can never be forgotten — a tragedy so intense it shook the nation to its core — the APS terror attack that took away the lives of so many innocent children along with their teachers,” Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari said on Twitter. “Tears and prayers are all we have left alongside a resolve to ensure ‘never again’,” she said. Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari called it “a travesty” that the APS commission report hasn’t been released

NEWS

oGrA approves up to 191pc increase in gas prices ISLAMABAD AHMAD AHMADANI

In order to meet the revenue shortfall of the SNGPL and Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL), the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has approved 17pc to 191pc increase in the gas prices for the period starting from January 2020 till June 2020. This would be the third massive surge in gas prices under the rule of PTI government. According to details, the gas price for domestic gas consumers has been increased by 191pc, while that for the fertilizer sector has been hiked by 135pc hike. Similarly, a 31pc surge has been approved for consumers falling under the category of roti tandoor, commercial, industrial, zero-rated export industry, captive power plants, CNG, cement and power plants. Following the OGRA’s decision, SNGPL would earn a revenue of around Rs244 billion while SSGCL would earn approximately Rs275 billion during the said period. With effect to this increase, the price of local gas for CNG consumers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Sindh would be more expensive than imported gas. As per the documents, tariff for the first slab of domestic gas consumers has been increased from Rs121 per Million British Thermal Unit (MMBTU) to Rs232/MMBTU; second slab tariff has been increased from Rs300/MMBTU to Rs353/MMBTU; third slab tariff has been fixed at Rs530/MMBTU; fourth set at Rs706/MMBTU; fifth at Rs1273/MMBTU; while sixth tariff slab has been fixed at Rs1679/MMBTU.

lhc issues notice to federal govt on Musharraf's plea to halt treason trial LAHORE STAFF REPORT

even now. “It is a failure of the state that justice has not been served. Its inexcusable that the National Action Plan (NAP) still isn’t implemented,” he said.

“As a victim of terrorism, one who has yet to find justice, I know the pain of all those who lost loved ones. And to them I say, I am with you.”

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday issued a notice to the federal government on former military strongman General (r) Pervez Musharraf’s miscellaneous application urging the court to stay the high treason case proceedings pending before a special court in Islamabad. Musharraf in his application has asked the high court to declare the proceedings pending before the special court and all actions against him — from initiation of the high treason complaint to the appointment of the prosecutor and constitution of the trial court — as unconstitutional. The three-member special court is expected to announce its verdict in the long-drawn high treason case on December 17, despite an earlier Islamabad High Court (IHC) order stopping the special court from issuing the verdict it had reserved in the case last month. The IHC’s order had come on November 27 — a day before the special court was set to announce its verdict.

Clock ticking on army chief’s extension matter cOntInuED fROM pAgE 01 The court summarised its findings after exploring the scope of Article 243 of the Constitution — which governs the army chief’s appointment, reviewing the Pakistan Army Act, 1952, reviewing the Pakistan Army Act, 1952, the Pakistan Army Act Rules, 1954, and the Army Regulations (Rules). Some of the key points from the findings are: The Pakistan Army Act, 1952, falls deficient of the structural requirements for raising and maintaining an army under clause (3) of Article 243 of the Constitution. It does not provide for essential elements required to raise and maintain an Army, particularly the grant of commissions in the army and the terms of service of the commissioned officers, including tenure and extension of a general. No tenure or age of retirement for the rank of general is provided under the law. As per the institutional practice a general retires on completion of a tenure of three years. Although an institutional practice cannot be a valid substitute of the law re-

quired to be made under clause (3) of Article 243 yet in the absence of such law the said practice can be enforced to remove uncertainty as to the tenure of a general and to make the constitutional post of COAS functional. However, in the first instance, the matter should be allowed to be regulated by law, made by the legislature, as mandated by the Constitution. There is no provision in the law for extending service of a general for another tenure; nor is there any consistent and continuous institutional practice of granting such extension, which could be enforced in absence of the law on the subject.The summaries of the Ministry of Defence approved by the president, the prime minister and the cabinet for the reappointment, extension and fresh appointment of General Bajwa seem to be meaningless and of no consequence, in absence of the law prescribing tenure of a general and providing extension for another tenure. Regulation 255 of the Army Regulations (Rules), in its original as well as amended form, does not confer authority on the federal government to grant ex-

tension of another full tenure to a general. This regulation provides for only a temporary arrangement for a short term, if the exigencies of service so require in the public interest. Regulation 255 and other Regulations of the Army Regulations (Rules) on the subject of “retirement” appear to be ultra vires the Pakistan Army Act, as Section 176 of the Pakistan Army Act has assigned the subject of “retirement” to be regulated under the rules and not under the regulations. The regulations can be made only for the matters other than those which are to be dealt with under the rules. Section 176-A of the Pakistan Army Act and the regulations made under it appear to suffer from the excessive delegation of the essential legislative function, as neither that section nor any other section of the Pakistan Army Act provides the essential legislative policy guidelines for making the delegated legislation, viz the regulations, on the subjects mentioned therein. In view of the assurance of the attorney general given on behalf of the federal government to process the legislation

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for meeting the deficiencies in the Pakistan Army Act, in particular, the tenure, age of retirement and if deemed proper, the extension of tenure of a general, it is appropriate to leave the matter, at the first instance, to be decided by the chosen representatives of the people of Pakistan by making an appropriate legislation. In view of the legal vacuum regarding tenure and extension of a general and the assurance given by the attorney general to process legislation on the subject within six months, and also considering the importance of the responsibilities of the COAS regarding administration and organisation of the army, it is appropriate that the incumbent COAS may continue for a period of six months, in order to preserve continuity of the institution. The SC has clarified, however, that in case the federal government remains unable to regulate the tenure and terms of service of a general and as a consequence of the army chief through an appropriate legislation by the parliament within a period of six months, “the tenure of the constitutional post of COAS could not be left

totally unregulated and to continue forever” because “this would be inconceivable and amount to a constitutional absurdity.” In case of such failure of the federal government, the verdict says, the institutional practice of retirement of a general on completion of the tenure of three years “shall stand enforced” to regulate the tenure of General Bajwa and consequentially his tenure as COAS, from the date of his promotion to the rank of general and appointment as the army chief, i.e. November 29, 2016. In that scenario, “the president shall, on advice of the prime minister, appoint a serving general officer as the new COAS”, the judgement added. In his concluding remarks, CJP Khosa said, “I understand that democratic maturity of our nation has reached a stage where this Court can proclaim that, as declared by Chief Justice Sir Edward Coke of England in the Commendam case in the year 1616 regarding the powers of King James I, ‘Howsoever high you may be; the law is above you’,” he concluded.

04 LAHORE

Tuesday, 17 December, 2019

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THURSDAY

lawyers continue strike over arrest of Pic rioters LAHORE

STAFF REPORT

He strike of the legal fraternity, started on the call of Punjab Bar Council (PBC) against the arrest of lawyers in the backdrop of a mob attack on Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) last week, continued on Monday. Last Friday, lawyers across the country boycotted courts to protest against the registration of cases against those lawyers who were arrested for their involvement in the PIC rampage. Reportedly, the PBC had also issued a “warning” prohibiting the entry of police and government officials in court premises. In a statement

lhc bench sends back Petitions against lawyers’ arrest to cj LAHORE: A bench of the LHC on Monday sent the petitions challenging arrests of lawyers in attack on the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC), to the chief justice for transfer of the case to another bench. The division bench of the high court headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, summoned president of the high court bar Hafeez-ur-Rehman in chamber. The Bar’s leader requested the bench to transfer the case to another bench of the high court. The bench on the plea of the high court bar sent the case to the chief justice for hearing in another bench of the court. STAFF REPORT last week, the Supreme Court Bar Association said that the body, “through a unanimous resolution, strongly rejects and condemns the unlawful allegations posed on [the] legal

Portions of motorway closed as fog hits road in Punjab LAHORE: Sections of the motorway – from Lahore to Kala Shah Kaku and Pindi Bhattian to Kot Momin – have been closed as dense fog engulfed parts of Punjab on Monday night. Fog also disrupted the flow of traffic at the highway connecting Lahore, Pattoki, Phool Nagar, Okara, Manga Mandi and adjoining areas as visibility was very low. The motorways police also issued an advisory asking drivers to switch on fog lights while driving. It also requested the citizenry to unnecessary commuting. INP

four bogies of jinnah express derail near mughalpura LAHORE: The Karachi-bound Jinnah express met an accident on Monday as four bogies with many passengers on-board derailed near Mughalpura. The passenger train was travelling on 32-down track derailed near Mughalpura after leaving the Lahore Junction. However, no casualty was reported in the incident. The accident led to delay in arrival and departure of other trains from Lahore railway station. earlier on December 9, a Lahore-bound train had ploughed into a dumper at a railway crossing, leaving an assistant engine driver dead in the mishap. STAFF REPORT

111th NMC participant officers with NSPP Rector Azmat Ranjha and faculty. PRESS RELEASE

fraternity.” “SCBAP discards the allegations regarding direct involvement of lawyers community attacking the said hospital rather the lawyers’ community gathered outside the PIC

building to record peaceful protest against the unwarranted speech from the goons that have been hiding in the ranks of medical community that was the root cause of the reaction which provoked the whole legal fraternity,” the statement had read. At least three patients, admitted in the facility, lost their lives when hundreds of charged lawyers attacked PIC, allegedly tortured doctors and attendants and damaged hospital property and forced the critical patients to rush for life, according to police and eyewitnesses. The outraged attackers, mostly young faces dressed in black suits and sporting neckties, spared no one present on hospital premises, where several serious cardiac patients are under treatment at any given time.

LHC asks NAB to file its reply in Maryam Nawaz passport case till Dec 24 LAHORE STAFF REPORT

The Lahore High Court (LHC), hearing Maryam Nawaz’s plea to get back her passport, on Monday asked the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to submit its reply till December 24. A two-member bench of the LHC headed by Justice Ali Baqir Najfi heard the case. In Monday’s hearing, NAB prosecutor Faisal Bukhari pleaded the court to grant time for filing reply in the case. The court, accepting NAB’s plea adjourned the hearing of the case till December 24 and asked the anti-graft watchdog body to submit its reply within the due date.

The PML-N stalwart Maryam Nawaz in her plea, has requested the court to pass orders for the return of her passport. “My father is seriously ill, want to fly to London to look after him,” the plea states. earlier on last Monday, the Lahore High Court (LHC) had directed the federal government’s review committee to decide Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz’s application for removal of her name from the exit Control List (eCL) within seven days. Maryam, had moved the Lahore High Court (LHC) seeking its directives for the government to strike her name off the no-fly list so she can travel abroad to take care of her ailing father Nawaz Sharif.

Dr Yasmin chairs 15th syndicate meeting at FJMU LAHORE APP

Provincial Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid on Monday chaired the 15th syndicate meeting at the Fatima Jinnah Medical University (FJMU) Lahore. On the recommendations of selection board, approval was granted for appointment of officers and doctors from Grade-16 to 20; appointment to Dermatology Department of Ganga Ram Hospital, appointment of a specialist for Mother and Child Block, Assistant Professor for Neurosurgery of the university and members of selection committee for the Nursing College. The syndicate meeting also approved enhancing of private nursing institutions' fee

for the courses at the FJMU as well as appointment of Consultant Planning to Government Teaching Hospital Shahdara. Dr Yasmin Rashid said that a circular should be forwarded to the Finance Department for up-gradation of the post of Assistant Audit Officer from Grade-16 to Grade-17, asserting that paperwork should also be completed for granting six-month extension to more than 100 officials of the FJMU. She said that representatives of Finance Department should submit their recommendations for giving pension fund to the FJMU officials. The minister also inaugurated a new children ward at Ganga Ram Hospital and reviewed medical facilities being provided over there. She also administered anti-polio vaccine to children.

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aPs tragedy most painful incident in recent history: cm LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar said on Monday that Army Public School (APS) tragedy was the worst and painful incident in the recent history. He said this during a ceremony held in the main Mosque of Chief Minister's office on the fifth anniversary of APS Peshawar tragedy which was attended by Auqaf Minister Saeedul Hasan Shah, who also led the prayers for the martyrs. The chief minister said wounds of APS Peshawar were still alive as innocent children and their teachers were mercilessly butchered. The nation fully share the pain of bereaved heirs, he added. Usman Buzdar said APS Peshawar carnage united the nation in war against terrorism and memories of this tragedy would forever remain alive. APP

Production orders issued for hamza, salman LAHORE: Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz elahi has issued production orders for opposition leaders Hamza Shehbaz and Khawaja Salman Rafique to attend the session. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) requested the Punjab Assembly speaker to issue production orders of both arrested members. The Assembly Secretariat has also issued a notification regarding the issuance of production orders. The PML-N leaders will attend the Punjab Assembly meeting starting on December 18. STAFF REPORT

Tuesday, 17 December, 2019

NEWS

NA resOlutION CONdeMNs INdIA Over dIsCrIMINAtOry CItIzeNshIP lAw ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

HE National Assembly (NA) on Monday unanimously passed a resolution condemning the Narendra Modi government in India for the discriminatory legislation against Muslims and human rights abuses in occupied Kashmir. Tabled by Federal Minister for Special Education Shafqat Mehmood, the resolution condemned India for passing a controversial citizenship act that grants nationality to persecuted Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians who fled Muslim-majority Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan prior to 2015. The passage of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill led to violent demonstrations across India, as protesters said it would convert thousands of illegal immigrants into legal residents. Muslims also protested against the law as it does not give them the same rights to citizenship as members of other faiths, a move critics say undermines the secular constitution. At least six people have been killed and more than 100 injured since the passage of the bill. The enactment of the citizenship law was a key election promise of Prime Minister Modi, re-energising his nationalist Hindu support base. Talking about the matter in the National Assembly, PML-N leader Ayaz Sadiq said it was time to tell the entire world about the mindset which is “no longer confined to Kashmir but is

plaguing the whole of India”. He stressed the need for a diplomatic offensive and said that Prime Minister Imran Khan should highlight the issue all over the world. Khurram Dastagir, another PML-N MNA, said that India annexed occupied Kashmir 134 days ago and the Pakistani government did nothing practically for the people of the region. He said the government seemed to be paralysed at the diplomatic level.

“It seems that the government has accepted the annexation of Kashmir by India,” he said, adding that the people of Pakistan have not accepted the alleged move. Dr Darshan of the PML-N said the entire Hindu community of Pakistan condemned Modi’s recent actions. PPP leader Hina Rabbani Khar also called for convening a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to discuss the two issues.

Modi govt at war with Muslims, says Alvi President Arif Alvi on Monday expressed outrage at the brutal tactics being adopted by the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to crush student protests in the Indian capital New Delhi after a controversial citizenship bill was passed by the parliament last week, sparking riots and violence. In a message posted on Twitter, the president shared a video of an unidentified girl who narrates the ordeal of a group of girls beaten with sticks by the police on Sunday at a mosque inside the Jamia Millia Islamia university. Violent protests have spread across India after the successful passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, in the Indian parliament. According to the new law, India will grant citizenship to people of numerous faiths fleeing persecution from neighboring countries, except those who are Muslims. On Sunday, more than 100 activists protesting against the new law were injured in Delhi as they clashed with police who used tear gas and baton charges to disperse demonstrators. By Monday morning, the protests had spread to several university campuses across India, suggested reports. In the message shared on Twitter, President Alvi wrote: “Out of 1000s of messages that have come out of India since y/day, I am tweeting this one particularly as this girl cries & narrates the brutal police action on girls inside the mosque at Jamia Milia Univ in Delhi.” “Modi Govt is at war with Muslims using fascist Hindutva barbarism,” the president added, echoing the comparisons made by top Pakistani leadership to describe the actions of the Indian premier. Last week, Prime Minister Imran Khan had also compared Modi to former German chancellor Adolf Hitler. NEWS DESK

Ministers discuss amendment in NAB Ordinance with Opp leaders ISLAMABAD

PML-N to hold conference on economic situation, says Iqbal ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

Two key federal ministers on Monday held a meeting with the opposition leaders over the issue of the amendment in the NAB Ordinance. The ministers suggested the opposition leaders that the legal draft of amendment in NAB Ordinance 1999 presented by exlaw minister and the PPP leader Senator Farooq H. Naek in Senate should be passed from both houses through consensus. However, the opposition hasn’t given positive response to the government over the suggestion. Sources said that during the National Assembly session two federal ministers held an informal meeting with PML-N leaders Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Khurram Dastagir Khan and Rana Tanveer Khan and discussed with them the NAB Ordinance amendment. The ministers told the opposition leaders that if the bill regarding NAB Ordinance presented by Farooq H. Naek in Senate was also presented in the National Assembly and Opposition extends cooperation, the bill could also be get passed through mutual consensus. The Bill tabled by Naek for amendment in NAB Ordinance last month suggests curtailing the power of NAB chairman, shortening 90-day remand duration, presenting issues of arrest of accused to a special committee and giving power to judge of the accountability court to issue bail to any accused. The bill was under consideration in Senate’s Parliamentary Committee for Law.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) Secretary-General Ahsan Iqbal on Monday said that an economic conference on current financial challenges being faced by country will be held in Islamabad on Tuesday (December 17). In a statement on Monday, he said that causes of deteriorating economic situation in the country would be discussed in the conference, adding that political leaders and economic experts would attend the conference and they would give suggestion to improve the economy. Ahsan Iqbal said that the incumbent government has taken the strong economy into ICU ward. The situation would worsen further if the emergency measures were not taken, he added. The PML-N leader said that the facts about the increase in prices of daily used

items, electricity and gas as well as unemployment would come under discussion in the conference. He said that the nation would be informed about the one-year performance of PTI led government over the economic disaster in the country. He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan continues to seek more loans from the world powers despite of his government had already acquired record huge loans during last one year. Ahsan Iqbal said that the countrymen were worried about the where the loans acquired from the foreign countries were spent as no improvement is economy was a witness. He said that all sectors of the country including agriculture, industries and business were depreciated, adding that the government was only alive on socials media. A national strategy would be devised to tackle the prevailing economic challenges in the conference, he maintained.

PIC to help ensure good governance, says Firdous ISLAMABAD APP

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan Monday said the PTI government had fulfilled another promise by launching Pakistan Information Commission’s website and making it functional. Speaking as a chief gust at the launching ceremony of Pakistan Information Commission website www.rti.gov.pk here which was developed in collaboration with Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO), she said the commission would prove a milestone in the reformation of the government institutions and help ensure good governance as per the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan. She said first information commission in the country was launched by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in 2014 and later on, the idea was followed by other provinces and the federation. She said so far the information commission had received about 220 applications out of which approximately hundred had been entertained. Dr Firdous said its budget worth Rs70 million had been allocated and added the media persons and the general public could get information from the newly-launched website. She said the booklet published by the commission would be distributed among the parliamentarians and also translated in Urdu. About the fifth anniversary of the tragedy of Army Public School (APS) Peshawar, she said the memory of young martyrs and their sacrifice would always remain in the minds of the nation. She said this was the day of renewal of the pledge that the nation would completely root out the menace of terrorism. She said the terrorists responsible for the APS tragedy had been eliminated as Pakistan armed forces, police, Frontier Constabulary and law enforcement agencies offered great sacrifices for restoration of peace in the country. The special assistant along with Chief Information Commissioner Muhammad Azam Khan formally launched the website of the commission. Later replying to media persons questions, she said Prime Minister Imran Khan was currently in Bahrain, then he would visit Switzerland and on his return, media would be given update about his visit and participation in Malaysia summit. About removal of Maryam Nawaz’s name from the Exit Control List, she said the decision could not be made till reading detailed verdict of the Lahore High Court (LHC). To a question about the return of Nawaz Sharif after the completion of four weeks, she said the copies of his medical tests in London had not been provided to the government yet. And any comment on this issue could only be made after knowing about doctors recommendations, she added. Clarifying that Asif Zardari was given bail and he was not declared innocent by the court, she said cases about misdeeds of 35 to 40 years could not be decided within few months. She said in the past the rulers and opposition collided to weaken the institutions but now for the first time status quo was being challenged and despite hurdles and challenges, the government was determined that the accountability process would reach its logical conclusion.

In open letter, senior SC lawyers condemn 'deplorable' PIC attack NEWS DESK Senior members of the legal fraternity on Monday issued an open letter to the Pakistan Bar Council unequivocally condemning the December 11 riots at the Pakistan Institute of Cardiology (PIC). In their letter, advocates and senior advocates of the Supreme Court underscored their anguish at the “inconceivable and unconscionable” move “to attack a hospital irrespective of reasons, provocations or motivations”. Recalling the legal community’s obligation to respect and abide by the law as well as due legal process, they denounced the “degeneration of a conflict leading to violence” and regretted how it “brought disrepute to the legal profession as a whole and humiliated the legal fraternity”. The letter’s signatories, which include some of the most recognisable and respected names in the legal fraternity, underscored that although everyone enjoys the constitutional right to protest, demonstrations and strikes by bar councils and bar associations that hinder court proceedings undermine Pakistani citi-

zens’ constitutional right to justice and the lawyers’ obligation to their clients as well as the judicial system. “We also note with regret that the Pakistan Bar Council and different bar associations have not condemned this incident in clear and unequivocal terms,” the statement noted. “We expect that strict disciplinary action will be taken immediately against all licensed lawyers who participated in this unfortunate incident and are penalized by the Pakistan Bar Council as the apex regulatory authority of the legal profession for having grossly breached canons of professional conduct.” The advocates also called upon the PBC, the bar councils, and other lawyers’ associations to take affirmative steps to introspect and engage in immediate selfaccountability. “We must not become apologists for those amongst us misconducting themselves but to hold them to account and set the standards by seeking legal recourse in respect of any injustice we perceive is done to members of our fraternity but not by way of acting as a mob,” they added in the letter.

Last week, a group of lawyers had stormed the PIC’s emergency ward in Lahore, vandalising public property, setting a police vehicle on fire, and attacking provincial minister Fayyaz ul Hasan Chohan. At least one woman had died due to lack of medical attention as the attack unfolded, while several patients were forced out of the building. Videos on social media showed police officials, clad in riot gear, rendered helpless as a swarm of lawyers outnumbering law enforcement personnel broke through the entrance to the hospital. A day later, Punjab police registered two cases under various criminal charges for allegedly attacking the PIC and ransacking the property in Lahore. A first information report (FIR) was registered against 200-250 unidentified lawyers on a hospital official’s complaint, while another was filed on the complaint of police in which 15 lawyers were nominated. SignatorieS: 1. Abid Hassan Minto – Lahore 2. Raza Kazim – Lahore 3. Dr. Parvez Hassan – Lahore 4. Makhdoom Ali Khan – Karahi 5. Ali Sibtain Fazli – Lahore

CMYK

6. Tariq Mehmood – Quetta 7. Muhammad Ali Raza – Lahore 8. Arshad Tayyebali – Karachi 9. Kazim Hassan – Karachi 10. Bilal Hassan Minto – Lahore 11. Qamar Afzal – Islamabad 12. Salman Akram Raja – Lahore 13. Sardar Ejaz Ishaq – Islamabad 14. Babar Sattar – Islamabad 15. Ijaz Ahmed – Karachi 16. Sattar Pirzada – Karachi 17. Zahid Ibrahim – Karachi 18. Sajid Zahid – Karachi 19. Afzal Siddiqui – Islamabad 20. Amir Javed – Peshawar 21. Chaundhry Umar – Lahore 22. Tariq Aziz – Islamabad 23. Khalid Ishaq – Lahore 24. Afzal Khan – Lahore 25. Azad Nafees – Islamabad 26. Arshad Mirza – Lahore 27. Munawar Ghani – Karachi 28. Farooq Amjad Meer – Karachi 29. Jamshed Malik – Karachi 30. Sana Minhas – Karachi 31. Murtaza Wahab – Karachi 32. Muhammad Anus Makhdoom – Karachi 33. Dr. Amjad Bukhari – Karachi

34. Naveen Merchant – Karachi 35. Mahmood Awan – Islamabad 36. Faisal Ghani – Karachi 37. Asim Mansoor – Karachi 38. Saman Imtiaz – Karachi 39. Khalil Khan – Peshawar 40. Mustafa Ramday – Lahore 41. Rashid Hafeez – Lahore 42. Omar Lakhani – Karachi 43. Chaudhry Muhammad Atiq – Lahore 44. Faisal Islam – Lahore 45. Shazib Masud – Lahore 46. Imran Muhammad Sarwar – Lahore 47. Mansoor Usman Awan – Lahore 48. Taffazul Rizvi – Karachi 49. Muhammad Ansar Awan – Lahore 50. Feisal Hussain Naqvi – Lahore 51. Uzair Karamat Bhindari – Lahore 52. Iftikharuddin Riaz – Lahore 53. Mian Muhammad Kashif – Lahore 54. Hina Hafeezullah Ishaq – Lahore 55. Abdur Rehman – Karachi 56. Shabbir Shah – Karachi

Tuesday, 17 December, 2019

06 WORLD VIEW

Religion, not Religious peRsecution: Why amended citizenship act is cleaRly unconstitutional FOR SOME YEARS, SC HAS DECLARED RIGHTS IN GRAND TERMS AND DEFENDED THEM WITH LITTLE ENTHUSIASM. THE CITIZENSHIP LAW IS A CHANCE TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT

MADHAV KHOSLA

HE recent amendments to the Citizenship Act 1955, have been the source of much political tension. With the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill or CAB having become law, the matter now involves not only India’s political branches but also the judiciary. The amendments dramatically alter India’s founding and longstanding approach to citizenship. As Niraja Gopal Jayal has argued, the changes (to be seen alongside the National Register of Citizens), mark a shift from “soil to blood as the basis of citizenship” as well as a shift from a framework that is neutral toward religion to one that explicitly adopts a religious-based test. Are such changes constitutional? A recent petition filed in the Supreme Court carefully outlines a range of consti-

tutional concerns with the changes to the Citizenship Act. The core concerns stem from Section 2 of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, under which “any person belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian community from Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan … shall not be treated as illegal migrant for the purposes”. There are several constitutional concerns with the changes; two in particular merit underlining. The first set of concerns relate to Article 14 of India’s Constitution that guarantees equality before the law – a guarantee that applies to persons and not only to citizens (and therefore applies in this case). There are two kinds of distinctions that are made in the impugned changes. First, there is a distinction based on the religion of the person involved. Certain religions are included, which means that both certain religions (most clearly, Islam) as well as irreligious individuals are excluded. Second, there is a distinction based on the countries to which the individuals belong – three countries are included (Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh) but other countries (in the region and elsewhere) are excluded.

Are these distinctions valid? All equality guarantees permit certain kinds of distinctions. The question is not whether a law makes a distinction, but whether it is permissible. The traditional approach to assessing Article 14 violations in Indian constitutionalism has been to ask whether the law makes a classification based on an intelligible differentia, and then to further inquire into whether there is a rational nexus between the classification and the objective of the law. The amendments to the Citizenship Act seem to fail each stage of the test. The classification made is both under-inclusive and over-inclusive with regard to the religions and the regions included in the provision. It is under-inclusive because, if the concern is religious persecution, then the provision cannot explain, as the Supreme Court petition notes, why, for example, Ahmadiyyas from Pakistan are excluded. And it is over-inclusive because it assumes that all persons who belong to the specified religions and regions, and who enter India, are religiously persecuted. By doing so, it ironically treats those who have actually been religiously persecuted differently, by lumping them in the same category as

Impeach President Trump Editorial Board USA TODAY

“Put your own narrow interests ahead of the nation’s, flout the law, violate the trust given to you by the American people and recklessly disregard the oath of office, and you risk losing your job.” USA TODAY’s Editorial Board wrote those words two decades ago when it endorsed the impeachment of President Bill Clinton, a Democrat. Now, in graver circumstances with America’s system of checks and balances at stake, they apply to another president facing impeachment, Republican Donald Trump. The current board has made no secret of our low regard for Trump’s character and conduct. Yet, as fellow passengers on the ship of state, we had hoped the captain would succeed. And, until recently, we believed that impeachment proceedings would be unhealthier for an already polarized nation than simply leaving Trump’s fate up to voters next November. Unless public sentiment shifts sharply in the days and weeks ahead, that is the likely outcome of this process — impeachment by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives followed by acquittal in the GOPcontrolled Senate. So why bother? Because Trump’s egregious transgressions and stonewalling have given the House little choice but to press ahead with the most severe sanction at its disposal. Clinton was impeached by the House (but not removed by the Senate) after he tried to cover up an affair with a White House intern. Trump used your tax dollars to shake down a vulnerable foreign government to interfere in a U.S. election for his personal benefit. In his thuggish effort to trade American arms for foreign dirt on former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter, Trump resembles not so much Clinton as he does Richard Nixon, another corrupt president who tried to cheat his way to reelection. This isn’t partisan politics as usual. It is precisely the type of misconduct the Framers had in mind when they wrote impeachment into the Constitution. Alexander Hamilton supported a robust presidency but worried about “a man unprincipled in private life desperate in his fortune, bold in his temper” coming to power. Impeachment, Hamilton wrote, was a mechanism to protect the nation “from the abuse or violation of some public trust.” APPROVE ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT: Both articles of impeachment drafted by the House Judiciary Committee warrant approval: 8 Abuse of power. Testimony before the House Intelligence Committee produced overwhelming evidence that Trump wanted Ukraine’s new president to an-

nounce investigations into the Bidens and a debunked theory that Ukraine, not Russia, interfered in the 2016 U.S. election. To pressure the Ukrainian leader, Trump withheld a White House meeting and nearly $400 million in congressionally approved security aid, funding that was released only after an unnamed official blew the whistle. To former national security adviser John Bolton, the months-long scheme was the equivalent of a “drug deal.” To Bolton’s former aide Fiona Hill, it was a “domestic political errand” that “is all going to blow up.” To Bill Taylor, the top U.S. diplomat in Ukraine, “it’s crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign.” And to Ukrainian soldiers, fighting to fend off Russian aggression in the eastern part of their country, the money was a matter of life and death. 8 Obstruction of Congress. Trump has met the impeachment investigation with outright and unprecedented defiance. The White House has withheld documents, ordered executive branch agencies not to comply with subpoenas and directed administration officials not to testify. Allowing this obstruction to stand unchallenged would put the president above the law and permanently damage Congress’ ability to investigate misconduct by presidents of either party. The president’s GOP enablers continue to place power and party ahead of truth and country. Had any Democratic president behaved the way Trump has — paying hush money to a porn star, flattering dictators and spewing an unending stream of falsehoods — there’s no doubt congressional Republicans would have tried to run him out of the White House in a New York minute. Twentyseven Republicans who voted to impeach or convict Clinton remain in Congress. If they continue to defend Trump, history will record their hypocrisy. Our support for Trump’s impeachment by the House — we’ll wait for the Senate trial to render a verdict on removal from office — has nothing to do with policy differences. We have had profound disagreements with the president on a host of issues, led by his reckless deficits and inattention to climate change, both of which will burden generations to come. Policy differences are not, however, grounds for impeachment. Constitutional violations are. Bill Clinton should be impeached and stand trial “because the charges are too serious and the evidence amassed too compelling” to ignore, the Editorial Board wrote in December 1998. The same can be said this December about the allegations facing Donald Trump. Only much more so.

those that have not. These concerns slide into the second stage of the test. The amendments say nothing of religious persecution – this is mentioned as the objective of the changes, but there is no provision that addresses the fact of religious persecution. This means that there is no rational nexus between the classification and the objectives of the law, because the law grants citizenship regardless of whether or not religious persecution has occurred. The second set of concerns relate to the objective of the law. This is partially a concern under Article 14 itself – which demands attention as to whether the objective of the law is legitimate. But it is also a concern more broadly, because it implicates a whole set of constitutional provisions, such as those pertaining to citizenship. In a series of judgments, including Kesavananda Bharti and S. R. Bommai, the Supreme Court has held secularism to be a part of the basic structure of the Constitution. This means that the secular foundations of the Constitution cannot be altered even by a constitutional amendment, let alone by an ordinary statutory enactment.

The changes challenge the constitutional principle of secularism because they use religion as a basis for the classification of persons. It is the fact of one’s religion rather than the fact of religious persecution (which might take place regardless of the fact of one’s religion) that has a role in the classificatory scheme that is drawn up. This is evident by a bare reading of the provisions, making them ex facie unconstitutional. The changes, as the petition mentioned above states, “treats refugees who belong to one religion as less worthy of equal concern and respect than refugees who belong to a different religion”. For some years, the Indian Supreme Court has declared rights in grand terms and defended them with little enthusiasm in specific instances. This is true across our jurisprudence from the right to life to the right to freedom of speech and expression. The changes to the Citizenship Act are a chance to set the record straight. The author is a lawyer and political theorist and has written India’s Founding Moment (Harvard University Press, 2020).

Economic growth is the answer ProjEct SyndicatE MICHAEL J BOSKIN

December is usually a time for looking back on the past year and forward to the year ahead. In 2019, we have witnessed rising political extremism (on both the left and right) and polarization, increased government instability, and growing tensions between central and subnational governments. Each trend will continue in 2020. Almost everywhere one looks, there is a growing gap between what people demand of governments and what governments can deliver. The reasons vary, but a significant underlying cause explains many of the grievances: sluggish economic growth. While rising inequality – a problem that the data suggest is real but overstated – has moved to the center of public debate, the key issue is that living standards are not improving fast enough among those who are falling behind. In the United States, the policies being proposed to address this issue include much higher marginal income-tax rates, a large tax on wealth, and massive new entitlements and subsidies, implying larger deficits and far more government control of the economy. Unfortunately, this policy mix promises to reduce, not increase, living standards. To expand the economic pie, allowing people and firms to interact freely in markets is a much better option than relying on government planners or bureaucrats. The government’s role should be limited to setting and enforcing fair rules of the game. In the US, per capita after-tax income is 50% higher than that of the Scandinavian social democracies, which fund their welfare states through high regressive consumption taxes on the middle class. Unwilling to accept that reality, commentators on the left claim that inequality itself is the cause of slow growth. Noting that the wealthy tend to save a greater proportion of their income, they argue that more downward redistribution would boost consumption and therefore growth. But this argument is a minor consideration applicable only in the context of a long-running recession. In a fully employed economy, savings are needed to finance investment, which in turn boosts productivity – output per work hour – and wages. Moreover, there are other ways to increase low incomes that do not impair the savings-investment engine; prime examples include investments in education and job training. President John F. Kennedy famously quipped that “A rising tide lifts all boats.” Obviously, that claim is somewhat hyperbolic; but even if growth cannot lift all boats all the time, it clearly lifts the most, and leaves the fewest stranded or sunk. In today’s context, stronger US growth has tightened the labor market, such that wages for low earners are rising faster than those of any other cohort. Unemployment is at a five-decade low, and at an all-time low for African-Americans and Hispanics. Nonetheless, we need even stronger economic growth to alleviate the pressure for radical economic and political reform. There is an ongoing debate about whether the slowdown in productivity growth of the past 15 years reflects long-term structural forces or something else. The pessimistic camp – which includes, most notably, Northwestern University economist Robert J. Gordon – argues that the productivity-enhancing effects of recent technological advances fall far short of those associated with earlier technologies such as electricity, indoor plumbing, and the au-

tomobile. Optimists, meanwhile, point to nanotechnology, precision biomedicine, and artificial intelligence as likely harbingers of a new era of technology-driven gains. The next “killer app,” they argue, may be impossible to predict, but history suggests that one will emerge, as it always has. Besides, the main commercial value derived from a new technology is not always what the inventor had in mind. James Watt’s original intention was not to usher in steam-driven railroads, but to create a method for pumping water out of coal mines. Guglielmo Marconi sought to compete with the telegraph in the domain of point-to-point communication, without envisioning that his efforts would lead to broadcast radio. Legend has it that Thomas Edison sued to prevent the phonograph from being used to play music (its original intended purpose was to help the blind). Another complication concerns the measurement of productivity, real (inflation-adjusted) GDP, and inflation. Consider the US, where an ever-larger share of the economy – 70% of the private sector – comprises hard-to-measure services, rather than goods production. For decades, well-documented changes in quality, new products, and substitution biases have understated growth and overstated inflation. And improvements by statistical agencies have only partly overcome this problem. The proliferation of (putatively) free services – social media, video calls, search engines, email – pose new measurement issues. GDP captures the total value of goods and services at market prices. But if the market price is zero, that value goes uncounted, unless one uses an alternative measure, such as the advertising revenue that subsidizes the service. What would consumers be willing to take as compensation for doing without a given free service? To answer such questions, Erik Brynjolfsson of MIT and Erwin Diewert of the Vancouver School of Economics conduct experiments in which participants are asked whether they would give up a service in exchange for a low-probability chance of winning some modest amount of money. In the case of Facebook, Brynjolfsson and his colleagues conclude that the value of the service – based on an estimated “marginal willingness to go without” – is three times the company’s advertising revenue. Obviously, such estimates are preliminary. Abstaining from a service for a month in exchange for something similar to a lottery ticket offers a reasonable approximation of value only under very strong assumptions. In the meantime, academics and government statistical agencies will continue working on methods to improve existing measures. In any case, it is still unclear whether the value of new technologies is being undercounted more than it was in the late 1990s, when a commission I led estimated that quality improvements and new-product biases accounted for about three-quarters of one percentage point (of a total of 1.1%) per year in overstated cost-of-living increases. Of course, one hopes that the optimists are correct. But if productivity gains are and will remain meager, as the pessimists warn, economic policymakers at the national and international levels should act accordingly. Achieving faster long-run growth must be the top priority. Michael J. Boskin is Professor of Economics at Stanford University and Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution.

Tuesday, 17 December, 2019

FOREIGN NEWS 07

LebaneSe ProteSterS cLaSh wIth PoLIce for a Second nIght BEIRUT

AGENCIES

EBANESE protesters clashed with police Sunday for the second consecutive night near parliament on the eve of much-delayed consultations to form a new cabinet needed to fix a deepening economic crisis. The renewed clashes in Beirut came as Interior Minister Raya El-Hassan ordered security forces to open a “rapid and transparent” enquiry after dozens were wounded on Saturday night. Undaunted by the violence, thousands of demonstrators flooded central Beirut Sunday ahead of the parliamentary consultations due to begin on Monday to appoint a new premier after weeks of largely peaceful street protests forced the previous cabinet to quit. The unprecedented rallies have swept Lebanon since October 17, demanding the overhaul of a political system deemed inept and corrupt and the formation of an independent government of technocrats. Clashes again erupted near parliament, with demonstrators throwing water bottles and firecrackers at the security forces who responded with tear gas and water canon, an AFP photographer said. There was no immediate reports of casualties. But the clashes threatened a re-

peat of scenes on Saturday evening that had seen dozens of people hurt when security forces used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse demonstrators who tried to breach metal barricades near the legislature. The Lebanese civil defence said they took 36 injured to hospital and treated 54 people at the scene on Saturday night. The Lebanese Red Cross said it ferried 15 people to hospitals, while 37 others were given first aid on site. The Red Cross said the injured included protesters

and security forces, with some affected by tear gas and others struck by stones. Lebanese security forces said about 20 from their ranks were hospitalised. An AFP photographer saw men in plainclothes hitting protesters on Saturday, while anti-riot police fired rubber bullets at protesters throwing stones. Hassan demanded the identification of those responsible for the most violent episode since the anti-government protests began in October. She warned against “infiltrators” seeking to use protests

to provoke “confrontations”. Amnesty International’s Diala Haidar decried the “excessive use of force” in response to “overwhelmingly peaceful protest”. “The intention was clearly to prevent protesters gathering,” she said, adding that masked men in civilian clothes joined security forces in “violently attacking protesters”. The clashes lasted until the early hours of Sunday, with demonstrators chanting slogans against outgoing prime minister Saad Hariri, who stepped down on October 29, and parliament’s veteran speaker Nabib Berri. The names of various potential candidates to replace Hariri have been circulated in recent weeks but powerful political parties in the multi-confessional country have failed to agree on a new premier. Last Sunday the Sunni Muslim establishment threw its support behind Hariri returning, further angering protesters. Parliamentary consultations are due to begin Monday at 10:30 am (0830 GMT). The UN insisted on the importance of the talks, with its Lebanon coordinator Jan Kubis urging politicians to “act responsibly”. “Tomorrow is the moment of truth. Either politicians will show at this critical moment of deep complex crisis they understand the needs of #Lebanon and its people and help steer a peaceful

China’s Xi vows support for Hong Kong leader during ‘most diﬃcult’ time HONG KONG AGENCIES

Chinese President Xi Jinping offered his support for Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam on Monday, praising her courage in governing the Chinese-ruled financial hub in these “most difficult” times after months of often violent antigovernment protests. His comments came after Hong Kong police fired tear gas in late night street clashes with antigovernment protesters as the former British colony’s worst political crisis in decades shows no sign of resolution. “The situation in Hong Kong in 2019 was the most complex and difficult since its return to the motherland,” Xi told local media in brief comments before a closed-door meeting with Lam in Beijing. “The central government fully recognizes the courage and assumption of responsibility you have displayed in these exceptional times in Hong Kong.” Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997 with the promise of wide-ranging autonomy under a “one country, two systems” formula, including a free press and independent judiciary, which the protesters say is being eroded by Communist Party rulers in

Beijing. China denies the charge. Hong Kong media have speculated that Lam’s talks with Xi could yield fresh directives on the crisis, including a possible cabinet reshuffle. Xi did not go into specifics, but reiterated his support for Lam despite some previous media reports suggesting she might be replaced. He added Beijing was “unwavering in supporting Hong Kong police in firmly upholding the law” and said Lam had continued to uphold the “one country, two systems” principle. Xi said last month that China was “unwavering” in defending national security and sovereignty, implementing the “one country, two systems” policy and opposing foreign forces interfering in Hong Kong. He stated on Monday that these were Beijing’s basic positions on Hong Kong affairs. Lam earlier met Premier Li Keqiang who said Hong Kong was not yet out of the “dilemma” facing the city’s ailing economy after months of sometimes violent protests. ‘RATHER SPECIAL’ YEAR: Late on Sunday, groups of masked youths blocked roads around the densely populated Mong Kok district of Kowloon, over the harbor from Hong Kong island, prompting police to fire multiple

rounds of tear gas and baton charge crowds. Lam said she was encouraged by Xi’s recognition of her efforts. “This year is of course a rather special one because in the last six months Hong Kong has been haunted by social unrest, disturbances and violence acts,” she said. “So I spent a bit more time to give them an account of where things stand.” Amid signs of the city’s growing economic woes, Lam said China had pledged to continue to offer favorable economic policies and its full support, including development in the Greater Bay Area in Guangdong province adjoining the city. The Com-

mittee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said in a report on Monday that press freedom in Hong Kong has come under an accelerating squeeze despite China’s pledges to maintain an open society. Large media companies had come under mainland Chinese ownership or influence, while targeted violence had underscored potential dangers for journalists who challenge China’s wishes, the report said. Asked about the report during a daily news briefing in Beijing on Monday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said he had not seen the report and that it was not worthy of comment.

Probes into New Zealand volcano tragedy to take months and carry criminal penalties WELLINGTON AGENCIES

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday that official inquiries into last week’s fatal volcano eruption could take up to a year, and will carry potential criminal penalties of up to five years in jail. Ardern also announced a NZ$5 million ($3.2 million) fund to help small businesses affected by the eruption, after New Zealanders held a minute of silence to honor the victims a week on from the tragedy. The official death toll from the surprise eruption on White Island, also known by its Maori name of Whakaari, stands at 16. Two people whose bodies are believed to be in the waters around the island are still officially listed as missing. A further 26 people remain in hospitals in New Zealand and Australia, many in critical condition with severe burn injuries. “There remains now questions to be asked and questions to be answered,” Ardern told

reporters in Wellington after she led the country in a minute of silence for the dead and injured, who included tourists from United States, Germany, China, Britain and Malaysia. There has been growing criticism that people were allowed on the island, a popular destination for day-trippers, given the risks of an active volcano. That has led to speculation the tragedy could foretell major changes for New Zealand’s thrillseeker tourism economy. WorkSafe, New Zealand’s primary regulator for workplace related incidents, has opened a health and safety investigation, Ardern said, while the coroner is conducting a separate inquiry. Worksafe can prosecute individuals and companies for breaches of health and safety laws, with penalties including fines of up to NZ$3 million and jail terms of up to five years, Ardern said. A coronial investigation is automatically triggered in the event of a sudden, violent or unnatural death. A coroner can also make recommendations to prevent similar deaths in the future. Ardern said the

Worksafe investigation could take a year, while the coronial inquiry was “also likely to continue for some time.” The NZ$5 million support fund is expected to be distributed among businesses in Whakatane, the mainland coastal town that serves as the jumping off point for trips to Whakaari. Asked if operators of tours to the island would be among the beneficiaries, Ardern said that specifics had not yet been determined. SEARCH ONGOING: At White Island, recovery teams again conducted aerial searches in a bid to locate the bodies of the last two people known to have been on the island. Six bodies were retrieved from the island on Friday, and officials believe the remaining two bodies are now likely to be in the surrounding waters. Naval divers are scheduled to continue the search on Tuesday. “We will continue the operation for as long as we have a chance of recovering those bodies,” New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush told Radio New Zealand.

way forward, or that they remain captive of their traditional habits and attitudes,” Kubis tweeted. ECONOMIC WOES: Sunday’s demonstration in Beirut began peacefully with protesters waving Lebanese flags and chanting “Hariri will not return”. “Change needs time and patience and we will not stop until we achieve our goals and remove this regime completely,” said 23-year-old protester Carla. “We don’t want Hariri because he is a partner in (official) corruption”, she added. “I am opposed to Hariri returning as head of the government and I don’t understand why they can’t find anyone else,” said Nour, a pharmacist. “There are many competent people… who are independent,” she added. The head of the Internal Security Forces, Brigadier Imad Othman, spoke to protesters in Beirut Sunday, urging them to remain peaceful and let security forces carry out their duties unhindered. The process of forming a government will take place as Lebanon’s debt-burdened economy has been sliding towards collapse. The country is facing a dollar liquidity crisis, with banks limiting the withdrawal and transfer of the greenback, which has been selling for more than 2,000 Lebanese pounds on the parallel market for the first time since it was officially pegged at 1,507 in 1997. The international community has urged a new cabinet to be formed swiftly to implement key economic reforms and unlock international aid. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Sunday urged Lebanese leaders to push to resolve the crisis paralysing the country, warning of a “dramatic situation”.

Pentagon chief urges Iraq to stop attacks on bases housing US forces BAGHDAD: US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper on Monday urged Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi to take steps to prevent bases housing US troops from being shelled, a statement from the premier’s office said. Esper’s call came after a senior US military official warned last week that attacks by Iranian-backed groups on bases hosting US forces in Iraq were pushing all sides closer to an uncontrollable escalation. Rocket strikes targeting Iraqi bases where members of the US-led coalition are also stationed have increased in past weeks with no claim of responsibility from any party. However, the US military official said intelligence and forensic analyses of the rockets and launchers pointed to Iranian-backed Shi’ite Muslim militia groups. Esper “expressed his concerns over the shelling of some installations and the necessity to take procedures to stop it,” a statement from Abdul Mahdi’s office quoted the Pentagon chief as saying during a phone call. AGENCIES

Indian court finds lawmaker from Modi's party guilty of rape LUCKNOW: An Indian court found a former state lawmaker from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party guilty on Monday of raping a teenager, the politician’s lawyer said, in a high profile case that had helped fuel public anger over sexual violence against women. Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who was a legislator in India’s most populous northern state of Uttar Pradesh, was convicted by the court in Delhi under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, lawyer Tanveer Ahmed Mir said. Sengar had pleaded not guilty. Sentencing is expected later in the week. The case was thrust into the spotlight last year when the accuser, who was a teenager in 2017 when she says she was raped, tried to kill herself, accusing the police of inaction. In July, a truck crashed into the car of the woman who had accused Sengar of rape. Two of her relatives were killed in the crash and she was injured. Since then the family has been provided with security. AGENCIES

Tuesday, 17 December, 2019

08 COMMENT

Media with no mind

Five years on Are we on the right track?

eSTeRDAY marked the fifth anniversary of one of the deadliest terrorist attacks to take place in Pakistan, the APS Peshawar massacre, where 149 people were brutally killed by six terrorists out of whom 132 were schoolchildren. It was an incident so profoundly horrific that it plunged the entire nation into a deep state of mourning, sadness, confusion and anger. There was demand for action, not words, leading to both the government of the time and opposition parties to set aside their differences temporarily and sign off on a National Action Plan (NAP) to combat terrorism and extremism together. The attack was in retaliation to Operation Zarbe-Azb that had been launched earlier in the year when it had become clear that the TTP could not be reasoned with through dialogue. It was subsequently intensified to clear the infested northern areas of militants. There has been a steady annual decline in casualties and terrorist incidents in the country, dropping by 81% and 77% respectively in 2018, compared to when the impact of terrorism in these terms was at its peak in 2013. These are impressive numbers and an incredible achievement but the country is still a ways away from claiming complete victory. The enemy still exists, looking for opportunities to attack, and although attacks on the scale of APS are rare, they have happened since, the latest one taking place at a BAP election rally last year where a suicide bombing claimed 150 lives. even more needs to be done on the extremism front as the NAP remains largely unimplemented while most of the measures taken to curb terrorism financing have come in the last year after the country was placed on the FATF grey list and the possibility of being black listed remains. The APS commission report has still not been released that could identify where there were serious security lapses to possibly provide a modicum of solace to the families who lost their loves ones. Instead, the same families have to live with the reality that TTP spokesperson, ehsanullah ehsan, who was actively involved in the APS attack planning, lives in state custody in relative comfort and was even afforded some airtime when he first surrendered. Surely there are some immediate measures the state can take to ease the pain of those families who irreversibly lost everything five years ago.

Saving the NeelumJhelum Dam The PM’s stepping in shows technical competence is missing

Undiscovered talent as a result of bad and outdated production ideas aMNa KhaN

look at the globe and find Pakistan less than cozily situated between a mixture of both frenemies and mortal enemies. There’s Iran and Afghanistan to the west cohabiting an even more distressing media climate than us. Then there’s China to the north where there is nothing but sunshine and rainbows charitably allowed on behalf of their benevolent Communist government. Finally there’s India to the east, a bully to us but rightfully regarded as a bulwark of ‘media manipulation’ the world over. Proving that strength is not only in numbers, (otherwise China would’ve outshone everyone) it lies in the use of those numbers to freely express the belief - ‘Incredible India’. An incredibleness born out of being open to critique and having avenues to express criticism reflecting varying points of view. Our maturity and ability to self-reflect on the silver screen falls short of this belief in our heritage. It fell short since the early 80’s and hasn’t ever really recovered since, affirming the proverb that it takes decades to build a kingdom and only a moment to lay waste to it. The most demoralizing factor is that we are bursting with potential, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy has not only proven that once but twice! First in 2012 (Saving Face) and then in 2016 (A Girl in the River; the price of forgiveness) but we still can’t seem to stop being addicted to problematic storylines. Denying one’s history and culture isn’t winning awards, acknowledgment or even the masses over. Seems wasteful really, for rich producers to fund substandard projects when the economy is in the gutter, when they could simply choose to be useful instead and just pay off the IMF for every time they have a bad movie idea, which I’m guessing is always. When will these influential yet unfortunate minds learn that if what they’ve been taught isn’t working that’s the cue for revising their thought process? The first Netflix original series produced in India was Sacred Games based on a novel by Vikram Chandra, her best and most inventive work. Just incase the funders for Jawani Phir Nahi Aani, Parwaaz hai Junoon and Teefa in Trouble forgot we have authors like Bapsi Sidhwa, Tariq Ali, Kamila Shamsi and Mohammed hanif - who have written some exceptionally no-

he tremendous mess being made of the NeelumJhelum hydropower Dam can be seen in the fact that it was only the Prime Minister’s intervention that led to the decision for the signing of a Power Purchase Agreement between the Central Power Purchasing Agency and the Neelum-Jhelum hydro-Power Company (NJhPC). Though the NJhPC had reached full generation capacity of 969 MW in August, it had not been paid for any of the six billion units it had supplied since then. The failure to sign the PPA had not only meant the approaching financial collapse of the NJhPC, but the addition of Rs 75 billion to the circular debt. That one of the main renewable energy projects, financed out of WAPDA’s own resources, should be reduced to meeting its salary bill from the Rs 100 billion raised from banks, is cause for grave concern, for it reflects the incompetence which went into this whole affair. Apart from that, delay would ultimately force the government to raise the tariff to pay the backlog of Rs 75 billion. With consumers already forced to pay higher tariffs because of IMF conditionalities, the government can ill-afford such a hike, especially one so easily avoidable. Obviously, the affair exposed a lot of incompetence. One of reasons for the present mess is that while there was an interim tariff notified in March, and NePRA announced a new tariff in August, which was not notified. No payments have been made. One reason is probably the fear of government servants that they could face a NAB enquiry, and perhaps prosecution, if they signed off on any payments. After all, ex-PM Raja Pervez Ashraf is still under trial over IPPs that came up while he was Water and Power Minister. The Prime Minister must consider whether it is worth it having to make the sort of heroic intervention he did just because somebody failed to make the right decisions lower down the ladder. Getting a PPA signed is hardly efficient use of the Prime Minister’s time and energy. The matter is not over. The PPA has still to signed, though the only remaining stage is vetting by legal experts. Still, after this PPA will come more. The government must be ready to process them efficiently without dragging in the PM.

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

table work. Books Filmable enough that their profits might be accounted for in dollars. The world fortunately sees the potential that we don’t in these authors which is why it took an Indian Filmmaker like Mira Nair to make a feature film out of Mohsin hamid’s book ‘A Reluctant Fundamentalist’. If any of you are looking for suggestions ‘Moth Smoke’ is still up for grabs but it won’t be for long - keen storytellers will spot that gold mine a mile away. The silver lining remains to be the standards of story-telling these Pakistani authors embody. They are truly our saving grace since the weight of the entire country’s intellectual standards rests on their shoulders. Isn’t it convenient that only the broadcast standards have become intolerable & the standards of written literature being adapted by foreign stakeholders have become increasing phenomenal? Perhaps because they know and value quality when they see it, or maybe they understand the true price of peddling false narratives to shape a country’s youth. Narratives like radical reactionary orthodox Islamism peddled by the one and only famous Twitter fiend whose conservative tweets and condescending wedding announcements show the ‘us & them’ division prevalent in society. Pseudo-Islamic men like that can only exist in Pakistani show business, who need to have a PDA session with their religious beliefs for public validation. Are you really even Muslim until you show it in every Facebook post? The only silver lining from this could be a new and improved way for a guy to proposition a girl, which has now become suggesting they have a platonic relationship. My bad I guess; that’s how they make marriage proposals now. Laughing about it however does not extinguish the fact that shaming people for living their lives is detrimental. This encourages everyone to cohabit differing worldviews and what better way to spread Islam than creating discord in the name of it? There is no shame in not having a platonic relationship with the person you choose to marry or doing things that make you happy because you know God essentially just wants you to be happy. he doesn’t need you to do things for him or be preachy about him or make a point about your lifestyle by shaming others for him. I know to many this might sound like a news flash but the priorities for our generation have drastically evolved. I feel for all the ethical & unprejudiced minds

trying to live in this country, those trying to inculcate self-esteem in a country that has taught them to turn on the TV & loathe their genetic roots & ethnically profile each other. how fair do you think it is to impose european sensibilities on us? For it not be normal to be tanned, broad shouldered or gawky. To be forced to clap for women and call them brave when they are fearless while inviting unfair scrutiny for being dark complexioned or overweight while on screen. I dare say so many Nawazuddin Siddiquis must have been born in Pakistan, possibly rotting somewhere in the wrong professions with a shattered self-esteem, not following through with their passions with which they could’ve brought pride to their land. entertainment should be compelling and personal - we are provided with the very best opportunity to engage people in this cyberspace world. Being deprived of resources needed to achieve this lets others expropriate compelling television from us. even in Sharmeen’s first endeavor she won a combined award with Daniel Junge because she required resources & hBO was willing to give it only with their man on the ground. The younger generation knows these blind spots and is waking up to the truth because the Chernobyl level lies our government is peddling aren’t translating into the reality around us. We are competing against globalized media that has always given Pakistani’s better TV for the value of their time! The excuse that complacency is woven into our national fabric has become unworkable. A complacency with which the previous generations conceded to stay mediocre and not fight for exceptionalism. Both Lal Kabootar and Gully Boy have been picked by their respective countries to contest at the Oscars for best feature film (foreign category). Both these movies are stories about Muslims fighting to make their dreams a reality. You can see the reality of their worlds in the dreams they have. Where one wishes to leave his country, the other fights to achieve greatness in an already thriving industry. A person unfamiliar with both films would be surprised to learn that the protagonist born in a Muslim majority country is the one who’s frantically desperate to leave because he sees no future here. he’s the one fighting to escape because there’s no home amongst his own. Whereas a Muslim in India knows he’s still luckier than the Muslim in Pakistan even while living under the threat of being lynched. The truth of these countries is embodied in the reality of these mens’ pursuits. As I look at the map I wonder if living amongst our own really helped with representation, when in the land of strangers Muslims’ are freer to express their sense of self and in countries like Iran, Pakistan or Afghanistan they are disenfranchised. Amna Khan is a freelance columnist.

The mad world of lawyers How certain lawyers came to not give a fig about anything or anyone

Shah Nawaz Mohal

heY are indifferent, violent, hell bent on being aggressive and all set to destroy whatever finds itself in their way. The hooliganism of black coats has reached new heights with the recent episode where they have waged war against doctors. What does a man wearing a black coat, white shirt, black tie, and black pants look like? Well, a man dressed as such looks like a penguin. But since, we’ve been conditioned by exposure and are used to seeing black-and-white clad men around quite often, we recognize them as serious, law-abiding, respectable lawyers. Unfortunately, of late, they have lost their marbles. In theory, at least, we see them as lawyers, at times more proud than Lucifer himself, in their profession’s signature attire and going to fight the battles between good and evil in courtrooms. Many of them equate their uniform with armour, necessary to shield themselves and their clients in a perennial war where one has to contend and overcome lost causes, ubiquitous pressure, and endless tribulation, day in, day out. The life of a young practicing lawyer: Fresh out of Law College, a

Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

young lawyer starts his or her apprenticeship at district courts. Clean shaved, wearing knock-off Ray Ban aviators bought from a trusted pathan vendor, wearing a crisp white shirt, wrinkle-free coat, black pants and a sleek black tie, they seem all set to conquer the Islamabad katcheri, and then Islamabad high Court and eventually the Supreme Court of Pakistan with their unrivalled legal acumen, matchless logical prowess and simply flawless command of english language. Sooner rather than later, they realize that the whole thing wasn’t working out as they are stuck in a rut learning nothing and running from pillar to post, seeking adjournments, holding mammoth files, trying their best to make sense of all the nonsense that is around them and in their free time (which was most of the time) they are either spending time sipping tea in Bar room with other fellow black coats going through more or less the same stuff. The Importance of Bar Elections: The year was 2014. The months were October and November. The city was Lahore. The location was high Court and Aiwan-e-Adal (where lower courts are located). The campaign for elections of Punjab Bar Council was in full swing, thousands of young and old lawyers were busy canvassing for the dozens of candidates, brochures were distributed with sheer force and abandon, almost every black coat had a badge of one or the other candidate, the atmosphere was charged with emotions, the slogans were deafening and the whole thing had an ominous feel of

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

a battleground. For those of you who haven’t heard of what slogans in bar election sound like, following are couple of examples: Jeet payala peevay Gondal. Jeevay Gondal, Jeevay Gondal. (May Gondal be successful, long live Gondal, Long Live Gondal) Yeh jo Kaala coat hai, Rai tera vote hai. (This black coat that you see, Rai it is your vote) Rajay teri Jeet shala. InshaAllah, InshaAllah. (Raja Ji, by the grace of God, you’ll be successful) From 8 in the morning till late night, the canvassing continued. It was fun, sweat, slogans, free meals, sprained ankles and meaning for lawyers. The idle folks had some reason to leave their beds in the morning. What lawyers thrive on?: Campaigns, elections, strikes, and protests; these events test the grit and loyalty of an advocate. The regularity and rabid frequency of the aforementioned happenings punches a young lawyer in the gut within first few weeks of practice. he finds himself part of an array of campaigns in succession. Winners barely stop celebrating their success that campaigns for next elections start. The regular strikes and protests keeps one mindful of the fact that Justice for alive can be delayed a day or two but first they need to mourn the injured ego of their colleague. Add to the above the following and you’ll have a more clear vision of the mad world lawyers live in. A volatile clientele, cut throat competition in lower courts, hegemony of

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senior, well-established lawyers, class divide, impact of social connections and standing in the society, and a plethora of other reasons make it tough for a budding lawyer to grow into an established lawyer to survive. If things go well Bar and bench see eye to eye in most cases. every time, when things go south, there are casualties. This time around, their Lordships decided to teach lawyer leadership a lesson in ethics. Well, the pupils were in no mood for a lecture and the pedagogue went into overdrive. The stick of contempt of court failed to bring home the bacon, and the few, dignified, robed and trained Lordships decided to not put up with the antics and acrobatics of the lawyers. Couple of years back, the Punjab Bar Council, Pakistan Bar Council and representatives of various District Bars of Punjab demanded that Chief Justice Mansoor Ali Shah hang his robe, leave his gavel and go home because he has ‘committed misconduct’ and has taken ‘administrative decisions on political grounds’. In other words, the bars are uneasy with the head of a bench and demands that he be removed. This time around, however, they demanded only one thing that is ‘Izzat’ (respect) and nothing else. ‘We don’t want any relief, we want respect and we’ll get respect, come what may,’ one hears a lawyer leader reiterating. Once again, they are demanding respect. Shah Nawaz Mohal is a law graduate and journalist based in Islamabad. He can be reached at mshahnawazmohal@gmail.com

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Tuesday, 17 December, 2019

COMMENT 09 Editor’s mail

Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively

A gentle reminder

Ending US-Iran impasse rests only on face-to-face negotiations

Global warming in Pakistan

Other measures have serious pitfalls Dr aloN-BeN Meir

VeN a cursory review of the turmoil sweeping the Middle east points to Iran as one of the main culprits behind most of the conflicts that have and continue to destabilize the region. We find Iran directly involved in the civil war in Yemen, it equips and supports hezbollah in Lebanon, and it exerts huge political influence in Iraq, significantly contributing to the unrest in that country. Moreover, Iran maintains a strong military presence in Syria, opening a third front to threaten Israel, and it is beefing up hamas’s arsenals and defenses against the Jewish state. Finally, Iran enlists, finances, and trains militias and an array of jihadist and terrorist organizations to do its bidding on all fronts. There is no doubt that ending the impasse between the US and Iran would markedly reduce tension and mitigate some other conflicts in the region, as the discussion between the two sides, according to US sources, will not be limited to Iran’s nuclear program. The US will insist on discussing some of Iran’s nefarious activities, such as its support of jihadist groups and missile development, albeit on a separate track, with linkages to ensure that the benefits Iran acquires from a new nuclear deal are compensated by Tehran’s demonstrable actions as a constructive regional player. The question is how we go about finding such an accord and what will in fact bring the Iranian government back to the negotiating table without losing face in the eyes of its own public. To that end, we need to explore five different scenarios; through a process of elimination we will definitively conclude that face-to-face negotiations between the US and Iran remains the only viable option that both sides will be prudent to carefully pursue if they want to avoid a potentially disastrous conflagration. War: There are those who suggest that waging a war against Iran and destroying its nuclear facilities will bring Tehran to heel. This scenario is fundamentally flawed because of its ominous repercussions. even under the best of circumstances, whereby Iran’s nuclear installations are completely destroyed, Iran will still be in a position to unleash much of its conventional military arsenal against any real or even perceived enemies, especially Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the US. Yes, under a war scenario, Iran can be devastated, but Iran will still be capable of inflicting incalculable damage on the attacker. We must remember that the clergy, with the backing of the military, will be fighting for their survival. And contrary to the views held by some American and Israeli hawks, there is little to no chance that such a war would bring an end to the mullahs’ rule in Tehran. Whereas a significant portion of the Iranian population rejects the reign of the clergy, as they seek more freedom and better job opportunities, they will not tolerate a foreign onslaught. Regardless of how a war ends, Iran is there to stay. Given time, Iran will become even more belligerent and resolute to acquire nuclear weapons

while bolstering its determination to become the region’s hegemon. Maximum Pressure: The second scenario, which the Trump administration is currently pursuing, is to keep the crippling sanction in place and impose new ones until Iran gives up in despair, as its economy continues to deteriorate and the public becomes increasingly restive. The worsening US-Iran relations since Trump withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) are only deepening the rift between the two sides. Nevertheless, although Iran is hurting badly from the effect of the sanctions, no one should underestimate its resiliency and capacity to cope under the worst of circumstances. Iran has vast human and natural resources and the government can mobilize the masses in support of the government. It is also capable of ruthlessly cracking down on the demonstrators, as it is doing now and has done before. The Revolutionary Guard is committed to the clergy and will not falter to take brutal actions against any opponent to preserve the integrity of the regime, which best serves the Guard’s interests. Regime Change: The third scenario is regime change. Perhaps there is nothing more appealing to the US, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and others in europe and the Middle east than to effect regime change in Tehran. Conversely, there is nothing more frightening to the clergy than forcible regime change. The Trump administration has and continues to consider regime change in Tehran through a variety of means, including the support of public unrest, sanctions, and clandestine operations. In July 2017, when John Bolton was still the National Security Advisor, he called for regime change, stating that “the declared policy of the United States of America should be the overthrow of the mullahs’ regime in Tehran.” The problem here is that no one, including the CIA, knows what will follow a sudden foreign-induced regime change, how the loyalists will react, and what the domestic and regional ramifications will be. Besides, there is no doubt that there will be a serious disruption in oil supplies, as the Iranian government is perfectly capable of closing the Straits of hormoz through which an average of 21 million barrels flow each day. That’s the equivalent of about 21 percent of global petroleum liquids consumption — making it the world’s most important oil chokepoint. To be sure, forcible regime change is extremely risky, and the result may well be much worse than the conduct of the current one. Containment: Iran is just about everywhere in the region—in Yemen, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon—with a widespread network of extremist/terrorist organizations that are willing to follow Tehran’s dictates and can cause havoc at a time and place of their choosing. The US military presence in Iraq and its meager remaining forces in Syria are not focused on Iran’s entrenchment, but on fighting jihadist groups, especially ISIS and al-Qaeda. even under the harsh sanctions, Iran still is maintaining and further augmenting its presence in Syria by establishing permanent military bases and a strong foothold in the country, as they see it as central to their geostrategic objective to

ThIS is to draw attention of Federal Science and Technology Minister Ch Fawad hussain through these columns to be watchful and careful about what he is doing and saying in public. It has been noticed that he often talks outside his domain without realising that he was Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister but he has since long been replaced by Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan as the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on I & B. he should also differentiate between what is to be said in public, before the media and in tweets and what, particularly something which is drastically outside his domain, in the cabinet and party meetings. Lately, he has been talking and saying in public what should strictly be pointed in the cabinet and party meetings to be discussed at these appropriate platforms and only said outside before the media or in the public. There are many instances to be quoted regretfully and painfully in this regard reflecting on ill-advised and out of domain by the Federal Science and Technology Minister. Just for instance, the other day Prime Minister/ PTI Chairman Imran Khan tweeted about formulation of practical code of ethics prior to the possibility of students unions revival. The Federal Minister said publicly, as reported on the electronic media, that the students unions be revived immediately without realising in saying so he is trying to bypass the prime minister. In accomplishing the desire to be on the electronic media channels on every relevant and irrelevant issue/matter most of the time, one should not forget that as the federal minister one is bound to follow the government as well as the party policies, please. Thanks. M Z RIFAT Lahore

maintain a direct land corridor from Tehran to Lebanon. The Iraqi government still feels indebted to Tehran for providing a refuge to many Iraqi political leaders when they belonged to opposition groups fighting Saddam hussein. At the present, no Iraqi politician can become prime minister without Iran’s consent, and successive Iraqi governments have done nothing to reduce Tehran’s influence in the country. The desire for containment remains elusive at best. Other than imposing increasingly severe sanctions, and recent talks about a prospective US-Israel mutual defense treaty, which could conceivably inhibit Iran from attacking Israel directly, there are no articulate plans for containing Iran in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, or Lebanon. The effort to contain is certainly not foolproof, as one single major miscalculation could lead to regional war. Thus, the inability to contain Iran has serious pitfalls, as Tehran feels free to destabilize the region to advance its national interests. Face-to-face negotiations: The fifth and the only practical option that will spare blood and treasure by all sides is direct good-faith negotiations between the US and Iran. By now, both Israelis in the know as well as Americans have concluded that it was a bad mistake to withdraw from the JCPOA. Nearly a year and a half later, Iran has not been cowed; instead, it became increasingly aggressive while openly and purposely violating certain elements of the original deal in retaliation against the US withdrawal. French and German efforts to arrange for new negotiations between the US and Iran have not borne much fruit. A eU diplomat noted in November that any window to bring Iran and the US back to the table is now very small, stating “We’re now entering a phase where Iran’s actions have a serious impact on the breakout time”. But then, however small the prospect is to bring the US and Iran to the negotiating table, it must be continued. The original Iran deal must still form the basis of new negotiations. The idea here is to build on that deal by addressing especially the sunset clauses, which were troublesome for Israel, and with which Trump agrees. In the search for a solution to the conflict, all major players must recognize the indisputable reality on the ground and make a realistic assessment of the assets that each player can bring. The fact that the enmity and distrust between the US and Iran has lasted nearly two generations, and the fact that the US after more than two years of arduous negotiations withdrew from the JCPOA, makes the search for and reaching a new agreement all the more difficult and complex. But then, there is no other sane and practical option. A new deal with Iran would inhibit proliferation of nuclear weapons in the region, pave the way for finding a solution to the war in Yemen, and generally create a new positive atmosphere conducive to settling other regional conflicts. Dr Alon Ben-Meir is a professor of international relations at the Centre for Global Affairs at NYU. He teaches courses on international negotiation and Middle Eastern studies. alon@alonben-meir.com

PAKISTAN makes small input to total global greenhouse gas (GhG) emissions, less than 1 per cent but it is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change. Pakistan has very low technical and financial capacity to overcome its adverse impact. The emission in the country from refineries, industries, ad thermal power plants are causing heart diseases, lung disorder and cancer. Coastal areas bordering the Arabian Sea in the south of Pakistan will be at greatest risk due to increased flooding from the sea and in some cases rivers. In himalayas, the glacier melt is projected to increase flooding will affect water resources within the next two to three decades. This will be followed by decreased river flows overtimes as glaciers recede. Availability of fresh water is also predictable to lessen which will lead to biodiversity loss and reduce of availability of fresh water for the population. Being a mainly agriculture economy, climate change is estimate to decrease crop yield in Pakistan, which in turn will affect livelihood and food production. Combining the decreased yield with the current rapid growth and urbanisation in the country, the danger of hunger and food security will remain high. Due to droughts and floods, endemic mortality and morbidity because of diseases are predictable to high. Cholera will also aggravate due to increase in costal water temperatures. The change in climate will also exacerbate the existing social inequalities of resource use and intensify social factors leading to displacement, conflicts, instability of people and changes in migration pattern. HADIA AZIZ Islamabad

Extension controversy The graveyards of the world are proof if any is needed that nobody is indispensable. even during two World Wars, British Army commanders were relieved of their command at the end of tenures and PM would select his replacement keeping seniority in consideration. We have seen that there are limits (Two Tenures) even on number of tenures of elected constitutional public office holders like PM or President in developed democracies. The Father of Nation Quaid-e-Azam in his address to Staff College Quetta in 1948 elaborated on the role of paid civil and uniformed servants of state. earlier on 11 August 1947 while addressing First Constituent Assembly, MAJ emphasised the importance of finalising constitution on which a modern democratic welfare state was to be built. Unfortunately, his vision and advice was not followed with disastrous consequences for this country. Pakistan remained a dominion of British Raj till 1956 because of this deliberate delay in approving constitution. This concept of an individual being indispensable is confined to monarchies and dictatorships. It is discretionary power of PM, subject to norms and regulations, to appoint a serving senior officer to assume command of three arms of our armed forces, within laws and procedures laid down. With the exception of General Kayani who was given an extension by a civilian elected President, all others were given by military dictators to themselves. There should therefore be no surprise when a prominent lawyer from this political party, who is known for representing controversial clients involved in land and LPG scams comes up with his own interpretation, although this is the sole privilege of the judiciary. The national security of a country with trained professional disciplined army cannot be so fragile that it is compromised by the retirement of one person. GULL ZAMAN Peshawar

Tuesday, 17 December, 2019

10 foreign newS

WASHINGTON

AGENCIES

onald Trump’s relations with his own intelligence services have never been so fraught: the US president doesn’t listen to his spy chiefs, doesn’t seem to rank his sources and makes snap decisions without giving them any warning. The two sides have clashed repeatedly, including in May when, as part of efforts to defend himself against collusion accusa-

tions, Trump agreed that files on the investigation into Russian election meddling in 2016 could be declassified.a few weeks later, director of national Intelligence dan Coats announced he would step down as head of the 17 agencies that make up the intelligence community. Trump proposed as Coats’s replacement John Ratcliffe, a member of Congress known for repeating conspiracy theories on Fox news. Under withering criticism, Ratcliffe withdrew his nomination. But the president passed over

china lodges stern representations with US over expelling chinese officials BEIJING: China has lodged stern representations with the United States over the expelling of Chinese officials, foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a regular briefing in Beijing on Monday. The U.S. government covertly moved to expel two officials from the Chinese embassy earlier this year after they drove onto a military base, the new York Times reported on Sunday. one of the two Chinese officials is believed to be an intelligence officer operating under diplomatic cover, the report said. “The U.S.accusations against Chinese personnel severely disregard reality,” said Geng. The Chinese officials breached security at a base in Virginia this fall, and only stopped driving after fire trucks were used to block their path, the Times said. AGENCIES

burglars nab jewelry worth $64 million from british celeb tamara ecclestone

US intel agencieS DiStrUSt UnpreDictable preSiDent

Coats’s deputy Sue Gordon, who was in line to serve as acting director. Gordon, who spent a quarter-century in the CIa, told the Women’s Foreign Policy Group this month that Trump was the first president “in my experience that had no foundation or framework to understand what the limits of intelligence are, what the purpose of it was and the way that we discuss it.” She said Trump’s typical response in briefings was, “I don’t think that’s true.” Her experience was borne out by a former CIa analyst who now works at a prestigious institution in Washington. “When I was in the CIa, the big thing to do was to get an article in the presidential daily brief. It was always a big thing. That was gold, professionally speaking,” he said. The former analyst, who served under both George W. Bush and Barack obama, added that “I

tis resigned over Trump’s plan to pull troops from Syria. While Trump called the battle-hardened ex-Marine general Mattis the “world’s most overrated general,” it was the entire intelligence and military services that felt insulted. “People are exceptionally frustrated,” said Brian Perkins, a former navy signals analyst who is now with the Jamestown Foundation think tank. “They are putting forward what they think their bigger concerns are, and how to go about things, and they’re being completely ignored,” he said. Many members of the intelligence community have left, he said, alarmed particularly by the frustrations that Mattis confronted on Syria and afghanistan. “Intelligence is meant to be objective, but if things are not going to be actually consumed and listened to with an open mind, what is the point?” said Perkins. In Janu-

ary, the president branded his intelligence services “naive” about the danger posed by Iran. “Perhaps Intelligence should go back to school!” he tweeted, but later assured that he was in agreement with them on the major issues. More recently, Trump abruptly decided in october to pull US forces from the TurkishSyrian border, leaving Washington’s Kurdish allies to face a Turkish offensive. The result was total disorder. aside from torpedoing a major alliance, US disengagement reinforced the regional position of Washington’s strategic rival Russia. Kurds played a crucial role in fighting the Islamic State group and tracking down its leader abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. In the fight against terrorism, information-sharing between powers is of vital importance. But Trump’s outbursts are taking their toll.

Britain’s Johnson sets oﬀ on post-election Brexit mission

aimed at striking a comprehensive trade agreement by the end of 2020. EU officials caution that such deals usually take years to complete. Johnson has warned repeatedly that he will not seek an extension that would keep Britain tied to EU rules without having a say in how the bloc is run. Failure to reach a compromise deal will have unknown repercussions for financial markets and

economic growth. But Johnson’s immediate focus is on a new government agenda that Queen Elizabeth II will read out in parliament Thursday. The programme is expected to focus heavily on social spending aimed at locking in the future votes of traditional labour supporters who switched sides and backed the Tories this time around. Johnson tore up the Conservative rulebook and committed himself to heavy social spending during the five-week election campaign. Those promises blunted the impact of labour’s own message on traditional election issues such as healthcare. The government source said Johnson’s new programme will include Britain’s first legal commitment to boost spending on the state-funded national Health Service (nHS) by a set amount. The pledge is at least partially aimed at dispelling concerns that the principle of free care for all will be ended and that the nHS will be opened up to “Big Pharma” as part of a post-Brexit trade deal with US President donald Trump. labour leader Jeremy Corbyn claimed to have evidence that Johnson’s government has conducted secret talks about the nHS with Washington.

governments must act quickly to rapidly and deeply reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which we know are driving climate change.” Prime Minister Scott Morrison last week made a rare admission that climate change is one of the “factors” behind the fires, but defended australia’s record on emissions reduction and failed to announce further measures to address the issue. Six people have been killed, more than 700 houses destroyed and at least three million hectares (7.4 million acres) of land burned this bushfire season. More than 100 fires are currently burning in new South Wales, where efforts to contain a 400,000-hectare blaze near Sydney

using backburning are believed to have sparked another fire that destroyed an estimated 20 homes. a new South Wales Rural Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman told aFP the fire was “likely the result of embers from the backburning operation” but that work had been “absolutely critical” and many more homes could have been lost without it. The devastating fires have focused attention on climate change, with scientists saying the blazes have come earlier and with more intensity than usual due to global warming and a prolonged drought that has also caused towns to run out of drinking water and forced farmers off their land.

LONDON AGENCIES

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will unveil a new government Monday that wields a sweeping mandate to take Britain out of the European Union after years of acrimonious debate. Johnson’s simple promise to “get Brexit done” resonated in a snap election Thursday that became a re-run of Britain’s 2016 EU membership referendum. a narrow majority had then opted to quit the European project. UK leaders have been arguing about how — or even whether — to cut ties with the other 27 nations in the bloc ever since. The arguments were settled when Johnson’s Conservative party secured its biggest majority in the House of Commons since the heyday of Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s. The main opposition labour party was relegated to its worst defeat since before World War II. Parliament will now be free to approve the divorce deal Johnson struck with Brussels so that Britain can leave without any more delays on January 31. “The first piece of legislation new MPs will vote on will be the (EU-UK) With-

drawal agreement Bill,” a government source said. “We must repay the public’s trust by getting Brexit done.” LOckING IN LaBOur vOtEs: Johnson is only expected to tinker around the edges of his current government and conduct a real overhaul once the first stage of Brexit is safely out of the way. london and Brussels will then have to set off on yet more negotiations

Toxic Sydney bushfire haze a ‘public health emergency’ SYDNEY AGENCIES

LONDON: Tamara Ecclestone, the daughter of former Formula one boss Bernie Ecclestone, has had an estimated 50 million pounds ($64 million)-worth of jewellery stolen from her home on a london street known as Billionaire Row. a spokesman said the 35-year-old had been left “angry and shaken” over a raid which evaded both the 24-hour security teams that patrol the street and Ecclestone’s own internal security system. The second daughter of Formula one’s former commercial supremo lives on Kensington Palace Gardens, amongst the residencies of the French and Russian ambassadors and close to the Kensington Palace home of Prince William and his wife Kate. The average property price for the street stands at 36.5 million pounds, according to online portal Zoopla, and a police presence can be seen at all times. AGENCIES

knew that both of them took that thing extremely seriously. “now, I really get the impression that whatever is presented to (Trump), he doesn’t care about it, and really he’s getting his briefing from ‘Fox and Friends’,” one of his favorite TV shows. Still, Mike Pompeo, the current Secretary of State, was Trump’s first CIa director. He became a central figure in the administration and regularly visited the White House for briefings, which Trump appreciated. But the president counts the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which opened the Russia inquiry into 2016 electoral interference, among his adversaries. last week, Trump suggested the FBI director whom he appointed, Christopher Wray, “will never be able to fix” the “badly broken” agency. The disdain has its effect. at the end of 2018, defense Secretary Jim Mat-

australia’s biggest city is facing a “public health emergency” over the bushfire smoke that has choked Sydney for weeks, leading doctors warned Monday after hospitals reported a dramatic spike in casualty department visits. Hundreds of climate change-fuelled bushfires have been raging across australia for months, with efforts to contain a “mega-blaze” burning north of Sydney destroying an estimated 20 homes overnight and fires near Perth threatening towns. More than 20 medical groups including the Royal australasian College of Physicians — which represents 25,000 doctors and trainees — released a joint statement Monday calling on australia’s government to address the toxic air pollution. “The air pollution in nSW is a public health emergency,” the Climate and Health alliance said. “Smoke from

bushfires has produced air pollution of up to 11 times the base ‘hazardous’ level in parts of Sydney and new South Wales. “Bushfire smoke is particularly hazardous because of the high levels of tiny particles (PM2.5).” The new South Wales state health department said it recorded a 48 per cent increase in the number of people visiting hospital emergency rooms with respiratory problems in the week ending december 11 compared to the five-year average. Visits spiked 80 per cent on december 10, when air quality plummeted across Sydney prompting up to 20,000 residents to march in protest the following day. The Climate and Health alliance called on the government to take urgent action to curb emissions, saying climate change is worsening bushfires that are having “devastating impacts on human health”. “The air pollution events resulting from bushfires will become more and more frequent and are a result of climate change,” it said. “our

CMYK

Tuesday, 17 December, 2019

busiNess 11

PFMA sLAPPeD with Rs75M Fine FOR ‘MAniPuLAtinG FLOuR PRiCes’

CORPORATE CORNER

ISLAMABAD LAHORE: AkzoNobel’s flagship brand Dulux has donated 48,000 euros to SOS Children’s Village Pakistan with an aim to uplift the lives of young people. P R E S S R E l E A S E

LAHORE: The fourth edition of Beaconhouse International Student Convention (BISC 2020) offers a unique experience to students from all Beaconhouse schools to participate in competitions on an international level. BISC 2020 will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on February 12-13, 2020. P R E S S R E l E A S E

KARACHI: Bank Alfalah and Mobilink Microfinance Bank Limited (MMBL) have entered into an agreement for cash management, under which the former will support the latter’s agent in cash collections through Bank Alfalah’s network. PRESS RElEAS E

STAFF REPORT

HE Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has imposed Rs75 million fine on the Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) for being involved in "anti-competitive market practices". According to a statement issued by the commission on Monday, "PFMA violated Section 4 of the Competition Act, 2010, by 'fixing the price of wheat flour', providing a platform to share commercially sensitive information and fixing the quantities of production." Taking notice of various media reports that signalled towards an unusual price hike in the prices of wheat flour across the country, the CCP had carried out dawn raid of PFMA premises, the statement read. "The inquiry in the matter concluded that PFMA is providing a platform to its members to settle wheat flour prices so that any form of competition could be avoided. This is in violation of Section 4 of the Act." As per the details, a CCP bench, comprising its chairperson Vadiyya Khalil and members Dr Muhammad Saleem and Dr Shahzad Ansar, passed the above-mentioned order after hearing the parties.

Favouritism ‘ruling the roost’ in Petroleum Division ISLAMABAD AHMAD AHMADANI

LAHORE: Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF) on Monday organized a contract distribution ceremony for service providers that qualified under its “Employability Skills for Non-Muslim Youth” scheme. P R E S S R E l E A S E

ISLAMABAD: Indus Motor Company (IMC) has been awarded the Commendable Kaizen Award in the seventh cycle of Customer Satisfaction Kaizen Evolution (CSKE). PRESS RElEASE

LAHORE: PepsiCo organised an event titled ‘With Purpose’ to showcase PepsiCo’s sustainability efforts in four key areas; next generation agriculture practices, access to safe water, women empowerment and youth employment. PRESS RElEASE

KARACHI: BankIslami entered into an agreement with Decagon Pakistan Pvt Ltd (Golootlo) which shall allow the bank’s customers a hassle-free access to all the Golootlo discounts available nationwide. PRESS RElEASE

In its order, the CCP observed that under Article 38 of the Constitution, the state is responsible to ensure the provisions of food and basic necessities at fair prices along with other social and economic benefits to its citizens. Accordingly, provincial food departments set a maximum cap of the wheat flour price under the foodstuffs (Control) Act, 1958, as wheat is Pakistan's dietary staple used by consumers belonging to all socioeconomic groups. Wheat flour currently contributes 72pc of Pakistan's daily caloric intake with per capita wheat consumption of around 124 kg per year, one of the highest in the world. The CCP observed that having a maximum cap in essential food items benefits the consumer to bargain for a lower price and prevents retailers from overcharging consumers. This also enables retailers to offer discount on their product in order to increase sales. "PFMA, in complete derogation of the aforesaid objective, deliberately fixed the rates of wheat flour by conducting meetings and discussing the prices as well as the quantities to be produced and supplied by flour mills in violation of Section 4 of the Competition Act," the CCP stated. The commission further observed that fixing of prices by competitors is one of the most egregious and serious violations of the competition

Petroleum Division has allegedly violated certain rules and regulations by appointing "blue-eyed officials" on lucrative positions, it was learnt on Monday. Sharing the details of violation of rules and regulations, sources revealed that following the alleged assurances of Director General Petroleum Concession (DGPC) Imran Ahmed, a blue-eyed consultant, Ishaq Saqi, continued with his job even after the expiry of his contract. "Saqi also attended important meetings of the Planning Division." Sources alleged that the DGPC had strived hard for Saqi's extension, forwarding a summary to the acting petroleum secretary for approval in this regard. However, the acting secretary took cognisance of the matter, rejected the summary and launched an inquiry into the matter. Meanwhile, sources said, a summary was forwarded to PM Imran Khan seeking an ex-post facto approval for the appointment of an executive director general (the PM is the competent authority to give approval for the appointment of EDG, a post of MP-1 scale). However, the PM Office sent back the summary to the establishment secretary for his comments. The secretary, in his response, pointed out many flaws in the summary, including the absence of a panel of

three candidates as required under the rules. He further noted that the assessment sheets of the candidates were without the signatures of the assessors i.e. those officers who interviewed the candidates did not append their signatures on the score sheets. This chaotic situation led the ministry (Petroleum Division) to withdraw the appointment notification of EDG. Moreover, contrary to the PM's order that no retired person would be appointed in ministries, a retired official was appointed as the Oil director general. The incumbent DG Oil is a retired person and has no experience of oil pricing and monitoring, sources said. Talking to this scribe, Petroleum Additional Secretary Dr Ta n v e e r Qureshi clarified that Ishaq Saqi was shown the door this morning and I have sought an explanation from DGPC about the continuity of his job/ work after the expiry of his contract. "I have asked PC as to how was Saqi working as a consultant when his contract had expired and no extension was given to him." On a question regarding the violation of rules, he said, "I am taking serious action against those who have allowed him to work beyond the expiry of his contract. I am striving to bring discipline [in the division]." He continued, "Let me make it loud and clear, everything would be taken care under the rules and nothing would be undertaken by setting aside the regulations."

law. "In fact, it disturbs the central nervous system of the economy, hence cannot be tolerated at all." Disposing off the matter, the CCP, with reference to the role of associations, observed that rule of thumb is not to allow discussion, deliberations or sharing of sensitive commercial information that may allow members, who are competitors, to coordinate business policy. "Further, it is not the association's role to ensure that each and every member of the association has a profitable business." The CCP also observed that discussion, deliberation and decisions regarding purely business concerns, like current and future pricing, production and marketing, are anti-competitive and should be avoided at all costs by the associations. "Associations have a responsibility to ensure that their forum is not used as a platform for collusive activities," it said. "Given the seriousness of the violation as discussed above and the importance of wheat flour in our daily life and the continued practice of price-fixing since 2009; a maximum fine of Rs75 million was imposed on PFMA." The CCP is mandated under the Competition Act to ensure free competition in all spheres of commercial and economic activity, to enhance economic efficiency and to protect consumers from anti-competitive practices including prohibited agreements.

OGDCL begins shale gas drilling operations BUSINESS DESK The Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) recently commenced drilling operations for first Shale Gas Well, KUC-1, in Hyderabad, Sindh. OGDCL has technically planned to drill KUC-1 well in two phases. The first well is planned to be drilled in vertical section and frac operations will be carried after reservoir evaluation. Based on the outcome of the reservoir evaluation and frac job, further technical evaluations will be carried out that will decide entering the second phase which will include drilling a horizontal well section and further frac operations. This is the first well being drilled to explore unconventional shale gas and estimated chance of success (COS) for commercial hydrocarbon production at this point in time is about 10pc.

Deadline to file income tax returns extended till 31st ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

In order to facilitate the taxpayers, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has extended the deadline to file income tax returns till December 31st. The previous deadline in this regard was December 16th (Monday). According to sources, the FBR has received as many as 1.89 million returns so far (until Dec 16) for the tax year 2019. Last year, they added, the revenue board had received more than 2.5 million returns owing to several extensions in the deadline. "In exercise of the powers conferred under Section 214A of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, the Federal Board of Revenue is pleased to extend the date of filing of Income Tax Returns/Statements for the Tax Year 2019," FBR's official notification read. "Individuals and associations of persons who were required to file their income tax returns for the tax year 2019 first by Sept 30 and then by an extended deadline of December 16, but failed to do so will now be able to file their income tax returns by Dec 31."

Finance adviser can’t chair NFC meeting, clarifies law ministry ISLAMABAD GHUlAM ABBAS

Despite a notification empowering the prime minister's finance adviser to the level of a federal minister, Dr Hafeez Shaikh cannot chair the meeting of the National Finance Commission (NFC), the Ministry of Law clarified in its ruling. According to sources, the law ministry has given its final ruling over the issue of finance adviser's powers, saying that he cannot chair the constitutional body "since he is not a minister".

Earlier, the 9th NFC meeting, scheduled to be held on 29th April 2019, was deferred for an indefinite period since Dr Hafeez Shaikh took charge of the finance ministry after the resignation of Asad Umar on 18th April 2019. Not a single meeting of NFC was held for the last seven months as the "legality issue" with the finance adviser remained unresolved. "To empower the adviser chair such a constitutional body, the federal government had issued a notification granting Hafeez Shaikh all powers enjoyed by a federal minister," a finance ministry official informed. "But the same could not

satisfy the Law Division." He said the law ministry, in its final ruling given a couple of days ago, has made it clear that only holding the power of a minister would not enable him [Shaikh] to chair the NFC meeting and make decisions. However, the law ministry also informed that the finance adviser could be made an NFC member in consultation with the governors of all four provinces. As per Article-160 (1) of the Constitution, "The president shall constitute an NFC consisting of federal finance minister, provincial finance ministers and

other such persons as may be appointed by the president after consultation with the governors of the provinces." According to the finance ministry official, "In case Hafeez Shaikh becomes member of the NFC after approval of four governors, he, being the senior most member in the commission, could chair the meeting." He added that the prime minister, being the minister in charge, could later sign the papers related to any decision made in the meeting. The Ministry of Finance may now consult the governors of four provinces

to make Hafeez Shaikh member of NFC in order to resume the commission's meetings, which are pending since April 29. According to the official, another way out for the government is to appoint the adviser as a federal minister through a presidential order under Article 91/92 of the Constitution. "With the cabinet's approval, the president can appoint the finance minister for six months, subject to the election of the minister. The government can also make him a senator during the same period," he added.

Tuesday, 17 December, 2019

12 busiNess MARKET DAILY

Bulls maintain control as Kse-100 gains 728 points

iMPLeMentAtiOn AGReeMent FOR 1,320Mw COAL-BAseD POweR PROjeCt siGneD

KARACHI

ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

Bulls controlled the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on the first trading session of the week, as the indices headed north right from the word go, helping with the KSE-100 Index surge over 700 points. Foreign investors closed the previous week (Dec 9-13) as net sellers with a net outflow of $9.05 million. Appreciating by 782.45 points, the KSE-100 Index flew to its intraday high at 41,699.04. It ended higher by 728.29 points at 41,644.88. The KMI-30 Index surged by 2.55pc or 1,661.71 points to close at 66,811.60, while the KSE All Share Index accumulated 551.75 points, settling at 29,871.91. Out of the total traded shares, 255 advanced, 100 declined while the value of 22 remained unchanged. The overall market volume was recorded at 357.79 million, while the total traded value stood at Rs13.99 billion. Hascol Petroleum Limited Right Shares (HASCOLR1 +7.90pc), Unity Foods Limited (UNITY +2.93pc) and Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGC +4.86pc) were the volume leaders of the day, exchanging 53.28 million, 31.39 million and 16.07 million shares, respectively. Sectors that added maximum points to the benchmark KSE-100 Index included oil and gas exploration (+221.40 points), banking (+162.38 points) and cement (+57.04 points). Among the companies, Pak Petroleum Limited (PPL +96.84 points), Habib Bank Limited (HBL +79.36 points) and Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDC +66.07 points) remained the top contributors to the index. The oil and gas exploration sector emerged as the top gainer (+3.67pc) on Monday. Pak Petroleum Limited (PPL +5.00pc), Pakistan Oilfields Limited (POL +3.23pc) and Mari Petroleum Company Limited (MARI +2.19pc) closed with decent gains. Meanwhile, the technology sector added 1.45pc to its cumulative market capitalization. Avanceon Limited (AVN +4.98pc), Systems Limited (SYS +2.47pc), TRG Pakistan Limited (TRG +1.24pc) and Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTC +1.24pc) landed in the green zone.

Malaysia's Mahathir gifts ‘Proton X70’ to PM imran ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Prime Minister Imran Khan has received the all new ‘Proton X70’ as a gift from his Malaysian counterpart Mahathir Mohamad. The car the first premium sports utility vehicle by the Malaysian automotive brand. The vehicle was handed over to Abdul Razzak Dawood, the PM’s commerce adviser, at a ceremony held at the Malaysian High Commission in Islamabad. In a tweet, Dawood said the gift was “a demonstration of the love & respect between the two countries and will further consolidate the excellent bilateral relations.” In his address at the ceremony, Dawood reaffirmed Pakistan’s desire to boost trade and bilateral relations with Malaysia. “Malaysia’s progress over the past 30 years is remarkable. Today, it is the only Muslim country in the world with a booming automotive production industry,” he said. The PM’s adviser acknowledged that the current volume of trade between Pakistan and Malaysia was below par. “At present, there is not enough trade between our two countries. It needs to be enhanced and we remain committed to achieving that aim over the next few years,” said Dawood. In his address, Malaysian High Commissioner Ikram Mohammad Ibrahim spoke of the brotherly ties between the two countries. “Our relations have grown even stronger under the present Pakistani government. Our prime ministers have met five times over the past year which is a testament to the positive trajectory of our bilateral ties.” The diplomat expressed Malaysia’s willingness to help Pakistan develop its automobile sector and hoped for an increase in trade between the two countries. “Lastly, I hope PM Imran Khan enjoys his new Proton car,” he said.

HE Implementation Agreement (IA) for Pakistan's largest Thar coal-based power generation project (1,320MW capacity) has been signed at the Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB). "PPIB Managing Director Shah Jahan Mirza and Thar Coal Block-I Power Generation Company Limited (TCB-I) Chief Executive Officer Meng Donghai signed the agreement to materialise the financing of $1.912 billion as the cumulative project cost," according to a statement issued on Monday. "The Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) of the project has already been signed." The 1,320MW Shanghai Electric Thar Block-1 Coal Project is being developed under the umbrella of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) through TCB-I while Shanghai Electric Group Company is the main sponsor of the project. The project would utilise Thar coal supplied by Sino Sindh Resources Limited, which is executing coal mining operations for extraction in the Thar coalfield Block-I. The letter of support has already been issued to the project by PPIB while financial closing is expected to be achieved very soon. It is anticipated that Shanghai Electric Thar Block-1 Coal Project would start generating electricity from March 2021. Latest advancements by this project would pave the way for timely commissioning of the project. The project will be connected with the 660KV+ Matiari-Lahore HVDC Transmission

Line Project for power transmission. Being fully compliant with the World Bank and International Finance Corporation (IFC) standards, the addition of 1,320MW of indigenous, affordable and reliable electricity would not only energise the national grid, but would also result in savings of foreign exchange of around Rs75 billion annually on account of fuel cost, generate economic activities and employment opportunities for the people of Thar in particular and would also entail improvement of the basic infrastructure in the vicinity of these projects. Further, this will boost the confidence of the investors who are interested in thar coal mining and power generation. Speaking at the occasion, PPIB Managing

Director Shah Jahan Mirza said that the board, under the guidance of Energy Minister Omar Ayub Khan, is acting as the lead organization of the government in developing indigenous resources like Thar coal and hydro for power generation and has so far achieved considerable success which include commissioning of Pakistan’s first Thar coal-based 660MW Engro Powergen and two hydro IPPs namely 84 MW New Bong and 147 MW Patrind. "Exploration of Thar coal is opening a new chapter in the energy history of Pakistan and PPIB has been successful in implementing another six Thar coal-based power projects of 4,290MW which are at different stages of development," he added.

WB to provide $700m additional financing for Dasu power project BUSINESS DESK: The World Bank will provide $700 million additional financing for Dasu Hydropower Project’s transmission line, a private media outlet reported on Monday. World Bank Country Director Patchamuthu Illangovan conveyed this decision in a letter sent to the water resources secretary, sources said. The World Bank plans to negotiate the matter in the last week of January 2020. The project’s PC-1 has already been approved. The World Bank has appreciated all stakeholders for extending support in getting approval for the revised land rates and compensation for the Dasu land acquisition, which was approved by the federal cabinet on October 29, 2019. Dasu Hydropower Project is a run of the river project with total installed capacity of 4,320MW, comprising two phases of 2,160MW each. The project is being constructed on the Indus River, 74 kilometres downstream of Bhasha Dam in district Kohistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Carrefour Pakistan enters into strategic partnership with Daraz THE ALLIANCE WILL ENABLE DARAZ’S ONLINE SHOPPERS TO SHOP FROM OVER 3,000 PRODUCTS OFFERED BY MAJID AL FUTTAIM’S CARREFOUR STORES LAHORE STAFF REPORT

Majid Al Futtaim, an Emirati holding company that owns Carrefour Pakistan, recently signed a partnership agreement with leading online marketplace Daraz at the latter's head office. “This collaboration is a strategic alliance enabling Daraz's online shoppers to shop from over 3,000 products offered by Majid Al Futtaim's Carrefour stores, across numerous categories,” said a statement issued on Monday. The agreement was signed by Carrefour Pakistan Country Manager Jean Marc Dumont and Daraz Managing Director Ehsan Saya. Talking to this scribe, an official from Daraz said, "This is a win-win situation for both the partners, but for us it is also a

success in the sense that now Daraz has reached to the point where big brands wish to become part of our platform." In practical implications, Carrefour would be like just another brand using Daraz's platform to connect with customers, but the strength of Carrefour brand itself would obviously be beneficial to Daraz to attract more customers for both partners, the official explained. Daraz has a customer base of more than 5 million monthly users. The combination of Carrefour’s extensive product range and Daraz’s marketplace would ensure variety for shoppers. Carrefour Pakistan Country Manager at Majid Al Futtaim Retail Jean Marc Dumont commented, "Our strategic alliance with Daraz, being a renowned online shopping platform, is exciting news for the ever-growing com-

munity of online shoppers in Pakistan. Majid Al Futtaim is on an ambitious digital transformation agenda and we have now brought this to our Carrefour operations in Pakistan, allowing local customers to choose from more than 3,000 FMCG products." Daraz Pakistan Director Commercial Imran Saleem said, "We are very proud of our new partnership with Carrefour. Their official store on DarazMall will give customers across the country access to a much larger assortment of groceries and other items, making their shopping experience at our platform much more convenient." Meanwhile, industry experts said that the market data shows that the online market for Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) is growing in doubledigits, which means that Carrefour took a step in the right direction in partnering up with Daraz. However, they showed concern that for some of the brands that Carrefour sells, a user can easily find counterfeits of those brands on Daraz, at cheaper prices of course. But nonetheless, it's a win for both the brands.

sBP governor says good times ahead as tough decisions bearing fruit BUSINESS DESK State Bank of Pakistan Governor Reza Baqir has said that “the tough part” regarding fluctuations in the exchange rate and inflation adjustments has already gone. “We take difficult and non-popular decisions, our strategy was to give bad news as early as possible since bad news in installments makes it hard for the people to get optimistic about the future,” he said while interacting with members of the American Business Forum. The SBP governor said Pakistan has the lowest savings rate in the region. “The real return on savings accounts currently is zero; anyone who has a savings account is getting 11-12pc return whereas inflation right now is 12pc.” He said that the savings rate is important for Pakistan because it is a big reason why the country has a balance of payments problem. “If we have to finance a higher rate of investment, then we either have to borrow from abroad or domestic pool of savings. This is the reason why we habitually have balance of payments problems because our savings are not enough to meet our investments,” Baqir said. “How can one expect people to save when they are getting zero return in actual, this has triggered informal means of savings by people like in the real estate sector, which we now want to bring under the banking network.”

Foreign investment in Pakistan debt markets should be seen positively: SBP KARACHI STAFF REPORT

The increase in investment by foreign investors in debt instruments is an encouraging sign for the Pakistani economy, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said on Monday. “Recently, international investors have started investing in debt instruments issued by the Government of Pakistan. This is largely a manifestation of their growing confidence in the positive outlook for the economy. As endorsed by international financial institutions, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank, and

rating agencies, our reform programme is beginning to show results,” the state bank said in a statement. The current level of such investment stands at $1.2 billion, according to the SBP. Foreign inflow in bonds is expected to reach $3 billion at the end of the fiscal year. “This rise in international investors is due to combination of factors, including a market-base exchange rate, and an improvement in Pakistan’s balance of payments. This rise is despite the fact that interest rates were higher in the past than the current 13.25 per cent policy rate,” according to the SBP. The central bank further stated that taxation for investment has also been simplified, which will promote interest

in investments in longer dated maturities as well. Monday’s statement was an attempt to allay fears and clarify ‘misconceptions’ about the investments in Pakistan’s debt markets. To bolster its case, the SBP said that the international investors have been investing in Pakistan’s equity markets for a long time. “Such investors have been able to move capital in and out of our financial markets without problems for the Pakistan economy,” the statement read. The SBP outlined that there were few risks associated with the investments, saying that it was less than 2 per cent of total government securities and less than 0.5 per

cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The investments also account for less than one-fifth of the increase in SBP’s net reserve buffers, since the bulk of the increase is due to an improvement in the current account. “There are several emerging market economies that have attracted investments from international investors in much greater amounts on a sustainable basis in their local currency debt markets and have used them as a major stimulus in their macroeconomic development,” the SBP said. The central bank also argued that foreign investment in government securities provides benefits to the economy. “First, such investment helps to

deepen capital markets by increasing the pool of funds available in the local market and diversifies the investor-base. Second, such investment helps to allow banks to deploy available funds for lending to the private sector since there is growing competition from international investors for placements in government securities. Third, such interest by international investors raises the demand for government securities and accordingly lowers yields and reduces the cost of borrowing for the government.” It also added that a rise in international investors will have a positive effect, whereby international best practices will be introduced in local practices and institutions.

International Luxury Brand Spa Ceylon Opens its 98th store in Karachi

By Rohama Riaz

he world’s largest Ayurveda Wellness chain opened its 98th international store with the opening of an exclusive Wellness Boutique at Defense housing Society’s Bukhari Commercial Area located in the heart of the city of Karachi. Speaking at the sumptuous launch, master franchisee and Spa Ceylon Pakistan’s CeO Saeeda Mandviwalla, said, “It gives me great pleasure to be able to bring Spa Ceylon to Pakistan because for me it is more than just a brand; it is a brand affiliated with my heritage & identity. Being from Sri Lanka originally, it is with pride that I bring a piece from my birthplace to my current home; and the benefits of this brand will be felt by all age groups of the population.” Spa Ceylon now produces over 500 all-natural Ayurveda inspired personal care, wellness, make-up and home aroma products. The com-

plete range comprises prestige skin, body, bath, scalp and hair care preparations, oils, balms and potions, colour cosmetics, home aroma blends, candles, diffusers, incense, herbal infusions and gourmet teas, handmade stoneware, bath accessories and a range of tropical resort wear. Attending the opening, the co-founder director Shalin Balasuriya explained, “The continued growth of the international wellness market to over US$ 4.2 trillion signals a strong shift in consumer preferences towards wellness. Spa Ceylon occupies a unique lifestyle space where personal care meets wellness. Given its brand attributes of high-performance authentic formulations, Ayurveda origins, environmental activism and ethical sourcing, it will continue to resonate with the modern consumer to drive further growth. I have spent the past few days in Karachi meeting industry professionals, media & consumers that reviewed the range & am delighted by their overall response to Spa Ceylon,

from packaging to product quality & functionality, giving us confidence that the store roll-out in Pakistan will be a great success.” Also attending the glamorous event was h.e. Mr. Noordeen Mohamed Shaheid the high Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Pakistan. “There is a great sense of pride in seeing this esteemed Sri Lankan brand bring its presence to Pakistan, and through its success, we can only see strengthened trade relations between the two nations.” Noor Mandviwalla, the young executive Director of Spa Ceylon, Pakistan, said, “Spa Ceylon’s brand philosophy greatly resonates with me because of its unique emphasis on natural beauty & wellness. Beauty is no longer focused on making people meet a particular standard of the way one should look; rather, it now looks towards highlighting one’s natural beauty, on the outside as well as within. This is why I feel that this brand is truly revolutionary in its take on beauty care and wellness; using the principles of Ayurveda to live a fuller & healthier life.” Spa Ceylon captures the romance of old Ceylon combined with ancient Ayurveda wisdom to create their range of majestic spa rituals and Royal spa formulae designed to soothe, calm and relax the body, mind and soul. The Spa Ceylon Flagship Store in Karachi opened its doors with a wide selection of the master wellness and beauty ranges to cater to all moods, seasons and needs. Whether you want to Detox, De-stress, find Peace, Comfort, Sun Care or Sleep, Spa Ceylon has a range of enticing ingredients like Pink Lotus Almond, White Jasmine, Aloe Mint, White Tuberose, Water Lily, Cardomon Rose, Neem and Tea Tree, Virgin Coconut, Neroli Jasmine, Margosa Lime, Sandalwood Vetiver and Sandalwood Spice, Lemongrass and Lavender Neroli that will cater to every mood and occasion.

The manchineel tree is nicknamed the "Tree of Death" for good reason: Touching it can leave chemical burns on your skin, its fruit is toxic, and its bark—when burned—can cause blindness.

If drivers adhere to the 45 mph speed limit on a stretch of Route 66 in New Mexico, the road's rumble strips will play a rendition of "America the Beautiful."

HOLLYWOOD BOLLYWOOD

Russian cosmonauts used to pack a shotgun in case they landed in Siberia and had to fend off bears.

Sam Mendes ‘can’t wait’ to watch James Hrithik Roshan’s Super 30 likely to be Bond film No Time to Die remade in Hollywood Filmmaker Sam Mendes says he is really forward to watching the latest James Bond film, No Time To Die. Mendes is no stranger to the world of 007, having directed the previous two entries -- Skyfall (2012) and Spectre (2015) -- in the long-running franchise. The director is currently receiving critical acclaim for the war drama, 1917. During an interview with CinemaBlend’s ReelBlend podcast, Mendes was asked about the latest entry in the Bond franchise, No Time To Die, directed by Cary Fukunaga. “Am I going to be able to enjoy it? Absolutely, yeah yeah. No, totally. I think doing this movie (1917) -- I think if I hadn’t done another movie it would be weird. Not that I wanted to do it, but it would seem very odd that there I was. “But I’d gone so far into another world, you know, and so immersed in it, that to me it just seems like, I can’t wait (for No Time to Die),” the filmmaker said. Mendes also revealed that he will be attending the movie’s global premiere.

hrithik Roshan’s film Super 30 may soon become Bollywood’s first film to be remade in hollywood, reports suggest. The film also starred Mrunal Thakur and Pankaj Tripathi in important roles. An Asian Age report quoted a source as saying, “Super 30 is one of the finest subjects that has come out from India in the recent past. And with Indian stories finding worldwide acceptance, this subject too is expected to work globally. A hollywood major has shown interest in the subject, and writer Sanjiv Dutta is expected to pen the film in english once the casting for the central character is finalised after the studio hires the director. Anand Kumar is expected to be a part of this film too because it is based on his life.” Directed by Vikas Bahl, Super 30 told the story of mathematician Anand Kumar who runs a coaching centre for underprivileged kids in Bihar and helps them qualify the entrance exams for the much-coveted IITs. The response that I have been receiving from the audience has been extremely overwhelming.”

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Taapsee Pannu’s Thappad to release on Feb, director Anubhav Sinha complains ‘no one told me’ The release of Thappad, the film that reunites actor Taapsee Pannu and director Anubhav Sinha, has been brought forward to February 28. Taapsee announced the change of release date and tweeted, “#Thappad Reuniting with the man who has taken ‘reinventing’ to some other level.... @anubhavsinha, looking forward to show you all on 28 Feb 2020. Produced by @itsBhushanKumar & @anubhavsinha Thappad will release on 28 Feb,2020 @tseries #BenarasMediaWorks.” Anubhav claimed he was not informed about the change, “Arre???? No one told me... 28th Feb???? Chal theek hai Phir.” When a Twitter user wondered how the heroine got to know before the filmmaker, Anubhav responded with, “Arre wo charitra se malkin hain (her character is that of an owner).” Anubha has also produced the film. The film was previously scheduled to release on March 6, 2020.

Tuesday, 17 December, 2019

14 SPORTS

Juventus bACk JOint tOp in serie A As inter held in FiOrentinA TURIN

AGENCIES

RISTIANO Ronaldo scored twice as Juventus beat Udinese 3-1 to join Inter Milan at the top of the Serie A table on Sunday after Antonio Conte’s side were held 1-1 at Fiorentina. Dusan Vlahovic snatched a point for Fiorentina two minutes into injury time to frustrate Inter Milan who had led following Borja Valero’s opener after eight minutes in Tuscany. Both Juventus and Inter Milan have 39 points from 16 games, with Antonio Conte’s side ahead on goal difference. Ronaldo struck twice in the first half to make it five goals in four games as the reigning champions got back winning after last weekend’s first defeat of the season to Lazio. “That’s how we have to play, with confidence,” said Ronaldo. The Portuguese star tapped in a Paulo Dybala rebound after nine minutes at the Allianz Stadium, and burst through to finish off a Gonzalo Higuain cross on 36 minutes. Leonardo Bonucci sealed the three points just before the break when he headed in from close range. Ignacio Pussetto pulled a goal back for 17th-placed Udinese four minutes into injury time.

“It is the first time after a Champions League match that we managed to attack the game well,” said Juventus coach Maurizio Sarri. “We played very well for 60 minutes.” In Florence, Valero scored off a Marcelo Brozovic cross against his former club. But the visitors failed to kill off the game. Lautaro Martinez had the ball in the net after 39 minutes but it was disallowed because of Romelu Lukaku’s offside position. And Fiorentina goalkeeper Bartlomiej Dragowski did well to deny Lukaku minutes later at full stretch.

But just as it looked like Fiorentina were set to fall to a fifth consecutive defeat, 19-year-old Serb Vlahovic broke through from his own half, outpacing Milan Skriniar to rifle in from an angle. It condemned Inter to their second consecutive stalemate after Roma last weekend, and follows their Champions League exit to Barcelona on Tuesday. “It’s the third game where we did not get what we deserved,” said Conte. “We weren’t good at taking our many chances. “Maybe we’re paying for fatigue. We’ve had seven games in 21 days, with Lautaro and Lukaku playing

constantly.” The pressure remains on coach Vincenzo Montella with Fiorentina’s last win on October 30, and their next game against in-form Roma. ROMA MOVE FOURTH: Roma moved up to fourth and into the Champions League places after three secondhalf goals sealed a 3-1 win over rock bottom SPAL. Andrea Petagna had put SPAL ahead from the spot just before the break after Aleksandar Kolarov clumsily brought down Thiago Cionek in the box. But Lorenzo Pellegrini pulled the hosts level eight minutes after the interval with a shot that took a deflection off Nenad Tomovic. Diego Perotti put Roma ahead with a 66th-minute penalty before substitute Henrikh Mkhitaryan sealed victory seven minutes from time. Roma are one point behind thirdplaced city rivals Lazio, who play fifthplaced Caglairi on Monday. “Today it was important to win,” said Roma coach Paulo Fonseca. Napoli drop to eighth — 11 points off the top four — after last season’s runners-up lost 2-1 to Parma on Saturday. Atalanta are sixth after falling 2-1 at Bologna just days after the Champions League newcomers sealed their place in the competition’s last 16. Rodrigo Palacio opened the scoring after 12 minutes for Bologna off a rebound after a Riccardo Orsolini effort came off the post.

Anxious coaches settle down for Champions League draw PARIS AGENCIES

As the coaches of the 16 qualifiers for the Champions League last 16 prepare to watch Monday’s draw, they might ask: what price success. Five of the clubs who have made it to the knockout stages did so even though they axed the men who were in charge when the draw for the group stage was made. Valencia started the trend by giving Marcelino the boot six days before their Champions League opener at Chelsea, bringing in Albert Celades, who had never been a club head coach. They then beat the Blues and went on to top tight Group H, dumping out Ajax on the final day. Even though Mauricio Pochettino had guided Tottenham Hotspur to a first ever Champions League final last season, he was in danger as soon as Spurs lost 7-2 at home to Bayern Munich. What is more remarkable is that the winning coach that day, Niko Kovac, has also gone. Sylvinho led Lyon to a 20 victory at Leipzig on the second matchday, but when he lost at home to derby rivals Saint-Etienne in Ligue 1 four days later, the club said “au revoir”. Napoli finished Group E with a 4-0 route of Genk to qualify behind Liverpool and promptly fired a multiple Champions League winner Carlo Ancelotti. Even among the eight top-seeded group winners,

only Reds boss Jurgen Klopp can feel that he is at a club that he wants to continue managing and which is equally committed to him. Even a favourable draw might not be enough for coaches whose seats are growing warm. And good results may only encourage moves by those whose feet are growing itchy. The unpredictable way some of the groups played out means that there are more potential traps than usual in Europe’s toughest club competition. Most of the usual suspects are seeded: Barcelona, Bayern, Liverpool, Manchester City, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain. But the top pot also contains outsiders Leipzig and Valencia. The two Madrid clubs, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund and last year’s runners up Tottenham, now under “serial winner” Jose Mourinho, lurk in the second pot. Mourinho, as ever, insists he is confident. SPURS ‘ONE OF THE STRONGEST’: “We are one of the strongest teams from the second group,” Mourinho said. “I think the teams that finished first will wish they don’t play against us.” Teams from the same country, or who played in the same qualifying group, cannot meet. That narrows the permutations and Zinedine Zidane, Real Madrid’s permanently under-pressure manager, has already been asked about the possibility of a rematch of the 2018 final, a 3-1 victory over Klopp’s Liverpool. “If we play in Liverpool, we’ll eliminate them.

There is nothing we can do about the draw,” Zidane said last Wednesday. Klopp, meanwhile, just wants fewer games as his team heads off to Qatar for the World Club Cup. After Liverpool edged Watford in The Premier League on Saturday, the German was more concerned with the Champions League format. “Today I read the top clubs want more games in the Champions League — I am not involved in these plans but that is absolute bollocks,” he said. “The fixtures are like they are. You all like watching us suffering. We have to do what we do and are quite positive about it.” The two pots for the Champions League last 16 draw (1100 GMT): SEEdEd: Barcelona (ESP), Bayern Munich (GER), Juventus (ITA), Leipzig (GER), Liverpool (ENG), Manchester City (ENG), Paris Saint-Germain (FRA), Valencia (ESP) UNSEEdEd: Atalanta (ITA), Atletico Madrid (ESP), Chelsea (ENG), Dortmund (GER), Lyon (FRA), Napoli (ITA), Real Madrid (ESP), Tottenham Hotspur (ENG)

Chinese media warns Arsenal of ‘serious implications’ over ‘clownish’ Ozil BEIJING AGENCIES

Chinese state media warned Monday that Mesut Ozil’s criticism of the country’s treatment of its Uighurs will have “serious implications” for Arsenal, stirring a backlash that saw the English football club’s weekend match pulled from Chinese TV. A Global Times editorial slammed what it called a “clownish performance” from Ozil, describing him as “confused” and “reckless” and saying he had abused his position as a public figure. Ozil, a German national of Turkish origin, condemned China’s crackdown on Muslim minorities in the western region of Xinjiang in a tweet on Friday and criticised Muslim countries for failing to speak up about the alleged abuses. Arsenal has distanced itself from his comments. The row, which has potential repercussions for Arsenal and the Premier League in the lucrative Chinese market, follows the opprobrium heaped on basketball’s NBA in October after Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey tweeted his support for Hong Kong prodemocracy protesters. The response to Ozil’s criticism has been swift in China. On Sunday, state broadcaster CCTV pulled the live Premier League game between Arsenal and Manchester City from its programming. Leading streaming service PPTV also appeared to have cancelled its screening of the match, which Arsenal lost 3-0. In its editorial, the Global Times — one of the ruling Communist Party’s mouthpieces — accused the 31-year-old Ozil of being “a person who is confused, reckless in abusing (his) influence, easily incited and willing to incite others”. “Ozil’s move has ruined his image among Chinese fans and will have serious implications for Arsenal,” warned the newspaper. “Chinese people should see clearly that what Ozil did this time was a ‘clownish performance’.”

Everyone welcome? Gay football fans prepare for Qatar DOHA AGENCIES

World Cup 2022 host Qatar has given the clearest indication yet that LGBT fans will be welcome, engaging with gay supporters as it hosts the Club World Cup — despite criminalising homosexuality. Organisers of the 2022 soccer spectacle travelled to Britain in recent months to meet Liverpool fan clubs including the side’s gay supporters’ group, individuals briefed on the meeting have told AFP. Paul Amann, founder of Liverpool’s LGBT supporters’ club Kop Outs, then undertook a fact-finding mission to Doha along with his husband in November at the invitation of the World Cup organisers. “I’m very satisfied that their approach is to provide an ‘everyone is welcome’ ethos that does include respect, albeit through privacy,” he told AFP. “I’m not sure if rainbow flags generally will ever be accepted ‘in-country’, but maybe in stadia.” Amman said he felt “paranoia is not needed as people will not pry into

your personal business”. “There was clearly some apprehension, indeed my husband said on the eve of flying that he wished he had not agreed to go,” the 50-year-old council worker wrote in a report for Kop Outs that he shared with AFP. BEING GAY IS HARAM: The Kop Outs boast 150 full members and thousands of followers on social media. It is unclear how many LGBT fans from Liverpool and the other six teams participating in the Club Cup will make the journey to the Gulf for the tournament. Club chief executive Peter Moore said in November that Liverpool had “received a number of assurances” on the issue from Qatari authorities. There are no openly gay or bisexual players in the English men’s Premier League, but major clubs have implemented zero-tolerance policies for homophobia and embraced the “rainbow laces” campaign against discrimination. Openly LGBT players are well represented in the English women’s game however, with

former Lionesses captain, the defender Casey Stoney, the best known. The chief executive of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Nasser al-Khater said in September that “any fan, of any gender, (sexual) orientation, religion, race (should) rest assured that Qatar is one of the most safe countries in the world — and they’ll all be welcome here”. However, he stressed that “public displays of affection are frowned upon, it’s not part of our culture — but that goes across the board to everybody”. Amann said that “if people basically observe the no PDA advice, then I can’t see them being necessarily identifiable”. Though there are no openly gay venues in Doha, a handful of bars are known to be more gay-friendly and attract a loyal clientele of airline staff, hospitality workers and other expatriates. Web users do not face restrictions accessing gay dating apps like Grindr in Qatar, unlike other Gulf countries, although users rarely display identifiable pictures. “We are living in a society where gay

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people are not recognised yet. Being gay is haram to their religion,” said a gay barman from the Philippines living in the conservative Muslim country who spoke on condition of anonymity. “I think Qatar is not ready for it yet.” During a recent visit by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, three independent experts did however

warn that at least one transgender person had been detained “until they changed their behaviour”. The experts, who are independent of the UN, also reported the detention of individuals because of crimes linked to their sexuality. “No one should be detained because of who they love,” said group member Elina Steinerte, a Latvian human rights expert.

Tuesday, 17 December, 2019

SPORTS 15

lAbusChAgne, stArC breAk intO tOp Five in test rAnkings AFter perth herOiCs DUBAI

AGENCIES

ARNUS Labuschagne and Mitchell Starc have achieved their career-best ICC Test rankings, breaking into the top five of the batting and bowling charts respectively. For Labuschagne, the rise has been meteoric. He is just 12 Tests old, and had an unremarkable run in the first five of those, between October 2018 and February 2019. But after walking out as Steven Smith’s concussion substitute at Lord’s during the Ashes Test in August this year, he has been spectacular, tallying 893 runs in 11 innings and averaging 81.18 - he has centuries (185, 162 and 143) in each of his last three Tests too. His performance - 143 and 50 - in Australia’s first Test against New Zealand in Perth helped Labuschagne displace David Warner in fifth place. Starc, meanwhile, had match figures of 9 for 96

in Perth, where Australia won by 296 runs. Elsewhere, Babar Azam has entered the top ten of the Test batting rankings for the first time, moving four spots up to No. 9 after his century in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi. That made him the only one apart from Virat Kohli to be in the top ten among batsmen across formats - he is No. 1 in T20Is and No. 3 in ODIs. The bowlers’ table, which has quicks occupying all the top ten spots, saw Tim Southee climb three places to No. 10 after a nine-wicket haul in Perth, while Neil Wagner and Josh Hazlewood moved up a spot apiece to No. 3 and No. 7 respectively. Among other batsmen to make major strides, Ross Taylor moved up five places to the 11th position after scoring 80 and 22 in Perth, while Dhananjaya de Silva moved eight places up to 35th after making an unbeaten 102 in Rawalpindi. Kohli and Smith held on to their No. 1 and No. 2 positions respectively in the batting rankings, which is dominated by India and Australia taking up six spots, while Pat Cummins remained top of the bowlers’ list.

Ben Stokes crowned ‘Sports Personality of the Year’ after 2019 heroics LONDON AGENCIES

Ben Stokes has been crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year after playing a key role in the team’s World Cup win and producing one of England’s most remarkable Test innings of all time against Australia at Headingley. England’s World Cup side were also recognised in the team of the year category, while Jos Buttler’s run-out of Martin Guptill to seal the trophy in the final against New Zealand was voted moment of the year as cricket sealed a treble victory. Stokes’ nearest rivals were Lewis Hamilton, the Formula One driver, who came second, and Dina Asher-Smith, the sprinter, in third. His win ends a barren run for cricketers in the award, as he becomes the first to win the prize since Freddie Flintoff in 2005. Stokes is the fifth player to have claimed the title since its inception in 1954, following Jim Laker (1956), David Steele (1975), Ian Botham (1981) and Flintoff. “It’s an individual award, but I play in a team sport,” said Stokes. “The best thing about that is you get to share special moments with team-mates, backroom staff, management who make days like we had in the summer possible. I’m up here receiving this award not just by myself but without the efforts that you put in this summer, I wouldn’t be up here doing that. “Two years ago was a tough time for me in my life. I’ve had so many people help me through that.

Family to me is more important to me than what I do for a living... I come home from a good day or a bad day and they’re there for me no matter what.” The allrounder’s win will be seen a significant boost for cricket’s standing in England, not least given that not a single player had even managed a podium finish since the game went behind the paywall following the 2005 Ashes. While the sight of Andy Murray receiving the award poolside while in Miami has become a regular one in recent years - Flintoff himself heard the news of his victory in a Lahore hotel at 3am in 2005 - the ECB allowed Stokes to attend the ceremony in Aberdeen, despite the fact that the rest of the Test squad departed to South Africa on Friday evening. Stokes’ attendance at the prizegiving means that he will miss England’s first two-day warmup match in Benoni which starts on Tuesday, but that was seen as a price worth paying for the ECB as they attempt to return the game to public consciousness ahead of its return to free-to-air television next summer. “It’s been huge,” said Jason Roy - who attended the ceremony alongside white-ball captain Eoin Morgan of the World Cup win’s significance for the game’s public standing. “For us to work so hard for the four years and for it to come down to that moment, and to wake up the following day and keep getting messages... to inspire people like we did was incredible.” Ashley Giles, England’s managing director, said: “I’m so pleased for Ben. His exploits this summer

showed he is one of the finest cricketers in the world. I played alongside Andrew Flintoff when he won the award in 2005 and Ben’s feats this year place him in the same bracket as Freddie, and Ian Botham before him.” Tom Harrison, the ECB’s CEO, said that the award “confirms [Stokes’] place in the hearts of the British public”. “It’s wonderful news that Ben has been named the winner of Sports Personality of the Year,” Harrison said. “This is richly deserved and it puts the finishing touch to an amazing year for Ben and for English cricket. He is not just one of the greatest cricketers we have ever had, but someone who has shown what it means to face into adversity and come through it. “We’re also thrilled that the England team who won the men’s World Cup for the first time have been honoured too. No-one who was at Lord’s on July 14 will ever forget that extraordinarily dramatic win over New Zealand.” Earlier in the evening, host Gary Lineker had mistakenly introduced Stokes as the “main award winner” rather than “nominee” before the public vote had even opened, perhaps reflecting the fact that the allrounder was the odds-on favourite with the bookmakers. The rest of England’s Test squad watched the show from their hotel in Johannesburg, and were part of a huge social media push from the English cricketing world encouraging people to vote. Steve Smith’s 774 runs in seven Ashes innings earned him a nomination in the World Sport Star category, but he was beaten by Kenyan marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge.

From ‘ignored’ to adored: Abid turns hero in Pakistan’s homecoming Test RAWALPINDI AGENCIES

Abid Ali was once shunned by Pakistan selectors who thought he was overweight, but his persistence and patience paid off as he set a world first in the homecoming Test against Sri Lanka. Ten years after a militant attack on Sri Lanka’s team made Pakistan a nogo zone for foreign sides, Abid was the hero in an otherwise disappointing return for Test cricket to the cricket-mad nation. A weather-hit draw failed to set pulses racing but Abid completed the unique feat of scoring hundreds in both his ODI and Test debuts, hitting 109 not out in Rawalpindi following his 112 against Australia in his first one-day international in March. International success has come late for Abid, 32, who has persevered despite constant snubs by selectors and coaches alike. At one point Abid, who like legendary fast bowler Wasim Akram

comes from Lahore’s Mozang area, was even discarded by city selectors. He responded by playing out of the Islamabad region — and piled up the runs, 1,083 in the 2012-2013 season.

But despite his prolific batting, national selectors continually overlooked Abid, saying he was carrying too much weight and lacking in fitness. The most recent snub came at this

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year’s one-day World Cup, where Abid was left out of Pakistan’s squad after being dismissed for just five against England. It meant that Abid missed a rare chance to meet his idol, Indian batting great Sachin Tendulkar, to whom he is sometimes compared because of his skill and diminutive stature. “I had never grumbled on being ignored,” said Abid. “I could not meet Tendulkar because I did not play the World Cup,” he added. “I had patience and I had a belief that my time will come and then I will prove what I am capable off.” “I knew some day I will get a chance and I was always ready for it. Thankfully I got it and a hundred on debut game is what else you ask for,” he said. “I waited for long for this very day to come and here I am.” Abid is a similar height to Tendulkar and his batting is not unlike that of the Indian maestro, but despite his recent success he shies away from any comparisons. “I am an ordinary player and I can’t match those great players,” Abid said. “I am Abid Ali and please see me as Abid Ali only. He added: “I need to raise my game and with every chance I have to perform well. I have self-belief, I waited for my time and finally I got it.”

lungi ngidi injury a blow to sA ahead of tests against england JOHANNESBURG AGENCIES

South Africa have suffered a blow ahead of their Test series against England with fast bowler Lungi Ngidi not expected to play the opening match starting on Boxing Day because of a hamstring injury that has also ruled him out of the Mzansi Super League final. Ngidi is in doubt for the four-Test series against England after he suffered a “significant Grade 1 hamstring muscle tear” while warming up for Tshwane Spartans before the MSL play-off against Nelson Mandela Bay Giants in Port Elizabeth on Friday, in which Spartans won a place in Monday’s decider against Paarl Rocks. Set to name their squad for the first two Tests on Monday, South Africa now face the prospect of being a bowler short when the series gets underway at Centurion on December 26, with Cricket South Africa chief medical officer Shuaib Manjra saying Ngidi’s rehabilitation program would be geared towards a return to action in January. “Lungi Ngidi sustained an acute hamstring muscle injury during the warm-up prior to the MSL T20 play-off on Friday,” Dr Manjra said. “Scans done on Saturday showed a significant Grade 1 tear of his hamstring muscle and therefore he has been ruled out of the MSL T20 final. “He will commence his rehab and return-to-play program with the aim of getting him fit to play for the Momentum Multiply Titans in January 2020 and based on his progress, a decision will be made regarding his availability for selection for the Proteas team.” Ngidi had begun the MSL season with the aim of remaining fit throughout his home summer after a run of injuries over the past two years. He suffered a hamstring strain during South Africa’s defeat to Bangladesh at the World Cup and missed the next three games, although he recovered in time to play two more matches at the tournament. Ngidi’s most recent Test appearance was during South Africa’s tour of India in October, where he played only the last of the three matches. The Spartans are surprise MSL finalists after half of their pool matches were washed out. They edged into the final three and then denied the favourites, the Giants, the chance to challenge for the trophy with a 22-run victory in the play-off. Initially, Ngidi missing last Friday’s match was seen as a precautionary measure ahead of a busy international summer before scans revealed the extent of the damage.

Tuesday, 17 December, 2019

NEWS

IndIa PrOtests rage Over ‘antI-MusLIM’ cItIzensHIP Law NEW DELHI

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RESH protests rocked India on Monday as anger grew over new citizenship legislation slammed as anti-Muslim, with six people dead in the northeast and up to 100 reported injured in New Delhi. The law fast-tracks citizenship for non-Muslim migrants from three neighboring countries, but critics allege it is part of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist agenda to marginalise the 200 million Indians who follow Islam. In the country’s northeast, however, even allowing non-Muslims citizenship is opposed by many locals who fear their culture is threatened by Bengali-speaking Hindus. Modi, who insists he is not antiMuslim, said the citizenship law is “1,000 percent correct” and that Muslims from the three countries are not covered because they have no need of

India’s protection. Rahul Gandhi, former opposition Congress chief, tweeted on Monday that the law and a mooted nationwide register of citizens also seen as anti-Muslim were “weapons of mass polarisation unleashed by fascists”. On Sunday night in Delhi, police with batons fired tear gas and charged protesting students before storming a university. On Monday fresh protests took place in Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and Lucknow, where hundreds of students — most of them Muslims, television pictures indicated — tried to storm a police station, hurling volleys of stones at officers cowering behind a wall. In the east in Kolkata, capital of West Bengal, thousands gathered for a major demonstration called by state premier Mamata Banerjee, a firebrand opponent of Modi. In recent days empty trains were torched there and on Monday internet access remained suspended. In Kerala in the south, another state

whose government refuses to implement the citizenship law, several hundred people also protested. Kerala’s finance minister Thomas Isaac tweeted: “United action of all secular force is the need of the hour.” WEEKEND OF VIOLENCE: Protests were reported in Mumbai, West Bengal, Aligarh, Hyderabad, Patna and Raipur over the weekend. Authorities in northern Uttar Pradesh, meanwhile, have cut internet access in western parts of the state following demonstrations in Aligarh, home to a large university and a sizeable Muslim population. The main epicenter of the protests has been in India’s far-flung northeastern states, long a seething and violent melting pot of ethnic tensions. There, where protesters are mostly Hindu, late last week four people died from gunshot wounds, one in a fire and a sixth beaten to death. On Sunday night in Assam state — following days of rioting and clashes with police — around 6,000

people protested on Sunday evening, with no major incidents reported. Modi blamed the main opposition Congress party and its allies of “stoking the fire”, saying those creating violence “can be identified by their clothes” — a comment interpreted by some as referring to Muslims. The UN human rights office said last week it was concerned the law “would appear to undermine the commitment to equality before the law enshrined in India’s constitution”, while Washington and the European Union have also expressed concern. The new law is being challenged in the Indian Supreme Court by rights groups and a Muslim political party, arguing that it is against the constitution and India’s cherished secular traditions. Ashok Swain, a professor at Sweden’s Uppsala University said that the scale of the protests had caught Modi’s government, which is presiding over a serious slowdown in economic growth, off guard.

US senator discusses Afghan peace with PM Imran, Gen Bajwa ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

King Hamad confers Bahrain’s highest civil award on PM Imran MANAMA: Prime Minister Imran Khan was awarded Bahrain’s highest civil award by King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa during his trip to the Gulf country on Monday. The premier met the king at the Sakhir Palace. Prime Minister Imran was visiting on the invitation of King Hamad to attend the country’s National Day celebrations as a guest of honour. This was his first visit to Bahrain since he assumed office. Upon his arrival, the premier was received by Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa and accorded a guard of honour. The premier had earlier held a meeting with Crown Prince Salman during which discussions were held on Pakistan-Bahrain bilateral issues and the regional situation, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Office. They also witnessed the signing of multiple Memorandums of Understanding in the fields of higher education, scientific research, sports and medical sciences. During the visit, Prime Minister Imran held one-on-one meetings with the Bahraini king as well as delegation talks with the crown prince. During these meetings, the prime minister discussed bilateral relations between the two countries as well as matters concerning regional and international issues. In a statement, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) noted that the visit “will enable the two sides to explore ways and means to further deepen bilateral trade and investment ties”. STAFF REPORT

United States Senator Lindsey Graham held separate meetings with Prime Minister Imran Khan and army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Monday for discussions on the situation in neighbouring Afghanistan. The Republican senator and his delegation arrived in the federal capital early on Monday morning and held talks with the premier and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. While emphasising the value of peace and stability in Afghanistan for Pakistan’s development, Prime Minister Imran said Pakistan would continue to play its facilitating role in the Afghan peace and reconciliation process. He also apprised Senator Graham of the continuing atrocities in India-Occupied Kashmir (IOK) by the Indian forces and drew his atten-

tion towards the Indian government’s discriminatory policies against minorities. Senator Graham thanked the premier for Pakistan’s consistent support in the Afghan peace process. He reiterated his desire for a broader bilateral relationship with particular focus on economic cooperation, enhanced market access and increased investments. The US senator further appreciated Pakistan’s achievements in mainstreaming the tribal areas through development work. He also commended Pakistan on the border fencing initiative. Graham also called on Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Monday following a meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan. During their meeting, the two discussed the regional security situation including the Afghan reconciliation process. The visiting dignitary also acknowledged Pakistan’s efforts to-

wards regional peace and stability. Senator Graham is Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a senior member of the Armed Services, Appropriations and Budget Committees of the US Senate. This is his second visit to Pakistan in 2019. His visit comes in the backdrop of reports of an imminent US troops withdrawal from Afghanistan. It is seen as part of Washington’s efforts to seek Pakistan’s support for persuading the Taliban to agree on a ceasefire. The reports indicate the Trump administration intends to call back around 4,000 troops from the wartorn country as early as next week, which would reduce US military presence in Afghanistan to between 8,000 and 9,000 troops. Talks between the US and the Taliban resumed a week ago but were paused again by Washington on Thursday, after an attack near a key US airbase north of Kabul.

One dead, twO Injured In IndIan fIrIng acrOss LOc NEWS DESK A teenage boy was killed and another two civilians injured in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Monday after Indian troops shelled two different sectors along the Line of Control (LoC), officials said. The casualties occurred in Leepa valley of Muzaffarabad division and Battal sector of Poonch division where “unprovoked” shelling from across the divide started at about 8am, according to the officials. “The shelling was unrelenting and indiscriminate between 8am and 11am and intermittent between 11am and 4pm,” said Ahmed Subhani, assistant commissioner of Leepa valley where a 10th-grade student was killed and a 5th-grade student injured in Manda Kuli village. “When the shelling started, 16-year-old Jawad came out of his house that he considered vulnerable to shelling and rushed towards another structure located at the back but fell victim to the shelling in the courtyard,” Subhani said. “Splinters pierced his abdomen, leaving him dead on the spot.” The official said 10-year-old Ehsan was injured in another house, but his condition was out of danger. Residents said that at least eight houses were partially damaged in Manda Kuli and neighbouring Channiyan village. According to the assistant commissioner, the Pakistan Army had “befittingly responded to Indian shelling”. In Battal sector, a state-run primary school in Lachyal village came under firing and while taking students to safety, schoolteacher Faseeh-ul-Haq, 32, was injured, local police official Muhammad Hayat said. The school building was partially damaged and a house also sustained damage in Darra Sher Khan village of the same sector, he said.

deadlock persists over cec, ecP members’ appointment ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The government and the opposition parties on Monday failed to reach consensus over the appointment of the chief election commissioner (CEC) and members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The deadlock between the two sides over finalising names of the CEC and members of the ECP persisted and the meeting concluded without achieving any results. The meeting was held at the chamber of National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser. After no outcome of the sittings, sources said that Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani and the lower house speaker would submit a report in the high court over progress made in this regard. The two would seek further time from the court for the top appointments in the country’s electoral body. Earlier in the day, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser met with Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani at his chamber in Islamabad. Matters of mutual interest, appointment of new chief election commissioner and other members of the Election Commission of Pakistan, current political situation in the country and other issues were came under discussion in the meeting. Speaking on the occasion, Asad Qaiser said many formulas are under consideration for the appointment of new CEC and other members of the ECP.

Legal experts see relief for govt in SC’s detailed verdict on COAS’ extension AITZAZ AHSAN SAYS COURTS CANNOT DICTATE THE PARLIAMENT ISLAMABAD MIAN ABRAR

Legal experts believe that the detailed judgement of the Supreme Court (SC) has left no room for the government but to move a simple amendment in the Army Act to facilitate the extension in the tenure of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Senior jurist Advocated Hamid Khan said that the detailed verdict of the apex court has cleared some issues regarding the army chief’s term extension. Hamid said that even if the government goes to the court for a review of the verdict, it is very unlikely that it would change. “Although the incumbent chief justice is retiring, co-author of the verdict, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, will be available for a review if the government opts for it. However, I do not see any possibility of the government winning with a review petition,” he added. Advocate Kamran Farooq said that the detailed judgement has laid bare the law which does not allow the prime min-

ister or president to reappoint or give extension to the army chief. He said that the government is left with no choice but to move for amending the Army Act under which the government would add the provision of extension in services of the army chief. Barrister Ali Zafar said that the detailed verdict is an elaboration of the short order of the apex court bench. “There is no change in the detailed verdict. The court has said that there is no law which provides space for granting extension to the army chief. So, extension or reappointment without the backing of law is not possible. The court has said that the parliament may frame a law and failing to do so would render the reappoint-

ment null,” he added. He said that it is now clear that there is no need for a constitutional amendment, but rather a simple legislation to amend the Army Act.

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

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“Though the government has the required strength to amend the Army Act, I think they should amend ties with the opposition parties as well,” he added. Meanwhile, speaking to Pakistan Today Editor Arif Nizami on Channel 92’s programme ‘Ho Kya Raha Hai?’, senior jurist Aitzaz Ahsan said that a larger bench should have been formed in this case. He said that this issue should have been discussed in the court for at least 10 to 15 days. “The courts cannot dictate the parliament,” he added. Speaking about the government’s future course of strategy, he said that numbers will determine whether the government succeeds in getting the legislation passed or not.