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Thursday, 20 February, 2020 I 25 Jamadi-ul-Sani, 1441 I Rs 19.00 I Vol X No 232 I 16 Pages I Islamabad Edition
Pakistan skiPs sliPPing into FatF blacklist g
No votINg wIll be doNe oN PaKIStaN’S exIt from grey lISt aS PerIod of Stay IN the lISt IS at leaSt two yearS ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
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eSPIte StroNg opposition from India, all chances of Pakistan getting into the financial action task force’s (fatf) blacklist have diminished as several key players have termed Islamabad’s performance in the implementation of the 27-point recommendations regarding the anti-money laundering and combating financing of terrorism mechanism as “commendable”, according to a report. reportedly, Pakistan has already obtained the support required to avoid the blacklist. however, during the meeting, no voting will be done on Pakistan’s exit from the grey list as the period of stay in the list is at least two years. earlier in January, media reports emerging both from Pakistan and India suggested “high chances” of Pakistan “exiting” the grey list at its plenary meeting.
according to India today, after heavy lobbying by China and with the help of a private consultant who is a fatf veteran, there is “a 75 percent chance of Pakistan exiting the grey list now”. as Pakistan is required to take appropriate measures for the implementation of 27 points by october 2020, reports observed that Pakistan has adopted an effective strategy in the financial sector to curb terror financing and enhanced cooperation between institutions to combat the transfer of funds to terrorists.
the staff of the non-banking finance sector was informed about measures taken by the state concerning fatf’s action points for aml/Cft. moreover, the efforts of the State bank of Pakistan (SbP) to effectively monitor financial institutions through audits and maintenance of passengers’ data at the airports have been hailed. the global illicit financing watchdog has also been informed of Pakistan’s strategic plan to restrict the smuggling of currency, jewelry and other valuables. In the light of the fatf recommendations, the tax laws (second amendment) ordinance, 2019, was issued to prevent the smuggling of currency and other valuables, which was made applicable from dec. 26, 2019. Under the ordinance, strict penalties were to be imposed on the smuggling of foreign currency, gold and diamonds.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 05
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Soybean vessel to be shifted to Port Qasim amid toxic gas outbreak STORY ON PAGE 03
SC rebukes AG for wasting court’s time in Justice Isa case STORY ON BACK PAGE
Imran seeks global intervention to fix Kashmir issue STORY ON PAGE 02
GIDC not implemented according to law, SC told STORY ON PAGE 03
Thursday, 20 February, 2020
02 NEWS
PPP ready to form judicial commission on journalist's murder: Bilawal PPP CHIEF BASHES GOVT FOR ‘FINANCIAL MURDER’ OF MASSES, KEEPS MUM ON KARACHI ‘SOYBEAN’ DEATHS
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NEWS DESK
AKISTAN People’s Party (PPP) chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday said the PPP government in Sindh was willing to form a judicial commission to probe the murder of a Sindhi journalist Aziz Memon, advising journalists not to become part of a “conspiracy” against democratic forces. Addressing a press conference in Lahore, In today’s press conference, Bilawal said if the family of the slain journalist wanted a judicial commission to be formed, the government will form one. “If the family wants a specific police officer, who they believe is credible, to investigate, we will assign that officer to the case,”
he added After the murder of Memon, who “exposed the train march” of PPP chief, fingers were pointed at the Sindh government led by PPP. However, the party denied such accusations. Bilawal also distanced his party from the murder and said the video about the train march was made a year ago. He advised journalists not to “unwillingly” become part of a conspiracy against “democratic forces” and work with its “allies” to strengthen the democratic institutions. “Our record is before you. Whenever you (journalists) are named in fake terrorism cases, whenever there are deadly attacks on your community, PPP always stands by you. Even if we suffer losses because of it, we tolerate that because we believe that constructive criti-
cism leads to improvement.” “We want justice to prevail. We want a police system that is not involved in politics,” he insisted. He did not, however, shine a light on the findings of the ongoing investigation into Memon’s death. He said the allegations on the PPP government was a part of a conspiracy and added that such tactics were being used against our journalists who do real reporting, whether in Pakistan or abroad. “But I want to make a request be-
fore you all: this story does not end with Aziz Memon. This story is not limited to one Aziz Memon. You should ask who filed terrorism cases against Sindh’s journalists. You should also ask if this is only happening in Sindh,” he added. Bilawal also condemned the government’s economic policies and accused the Centre of committing “financial murder of the public”. He did not, however, comment on the soybean dust allergy that has killed 14 people in three days.
Pml-n asks fazl to postpone anti-govt drive till shehbaz’s return ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Wednesday asked the Jamiat Ulema IslamFazl (JUI-F) not to begin its anti-government movement till the return of Shehbaz Sharif to Pakistan. The request was made during a meeting between PML-N leader and former National Assembly speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman at the residence of Fazl’s son Asad Mehmood, who is the parliamentary leader of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal in the National Assembly. Sources in the JUI-F told Pakistan Today that Sadiq asked Fazl to postpone the anti-government campaign till Shehbaz’s return. However the JUI-F chief said he could not trust the PML-N leader anymore and was prepared to launch the movement on his own, they added. “Sadiq explained the circumstances that had compelled Nawaz Sharif to leave the country. Fazl was a bit reluctant at first but later agreed to consult his party leadership before taking a final decision in this regard,” they added. Talking to reporters after the meeting, the NA speaker said that the opposition was playing its role in parliament and would not resort to any civil disobedience movement. “The government allies are already distancing themselves from the regime’s failure and it is now walking on thin ice,” he said. Commenting on PML-N’s participation in the “Movement for Preservation of the Constitution” announced by the JUI-F, Sadiq said that the party’s leadership would take a decision after consulting their workers. STAFF REPORT
Imran seeks global intervention to fix Kashmir issue UK PARLIAMENTARY GROUP VISITS AZAD KASHMIR; SLAMS INDIA FOR RIGHTS VIOLATION, CURFEW IN OCCUPIED REGION ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday underscored that the international community must play a role in raising awareness about India’s crimes against humanity in Kashmir and force the country to comply with the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution concerning the occupied region. He was talking to a cross-party delegation of UK parliamentarians led by Debbie Abrahams, Chair of All-Parties Parliamentary Kashmir Group (APPKG), which called on him at Prime Minister’s House. The prime minister said Pakistan believed that a just and lasting solution of the Kashmir dispute was essential for peace, security, and stability in South Asia. He reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to continue supporting the Kashmiri people in their struggle for justice and inalienable right of self-determination. Imran Khan commended the Group’s consistent focus on Kashmir and noted the important contribution made by its earlier reports on the
human rights situation in the region. The prime minister apprised the delegation of dire human rights and humanitarian conditions and underlined that eight million Kashmiris were under a military siege for the last six months, with all their rights and freedoms taken away. The prime minister also highlighted the threat to peace and security posed by the Indian leadership’s belligerent rhetoric and aggressive actions on the ground. The prime minister also highlighted that India could resort to a “false flag” operation in order to divert international attention from its unacceptable actions in the IOJ&K. Earlier in the day, All-Party Parliamentary Group on Kashmir in UK Parliament Chairperson Debbie Abrahams slammed the Indian government for not allowing the group to visit Kashmir. Addressing media briefing along with Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in Islamabad on Wednesday, she said the purpose of group’s planned visit to Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Indian Occupied Kashmir was to review human rights situation there.
She said Islamabad extended all-out cooperation to the UK Parliamentary Group for visiting Azad Kashmir, but New Delhi did not allow the group to visit held Kashmir. Debbie Abrahams further said the head of UN Human Rights Commission will soon visit Pakistan and India to collect documentary evidence about the prevailing situation in Kashmir. She expressed hope that India will cooperate with the Commission just like the Pakistani government. Speaking on the occasion, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi regretted that the situation in Kashmir was getting deteriorated following Indian illegal and unilateral actions of August 5 last year. He urged the UK Parliament Group to brief the United Nations on the human rights situation in the held region. Qureshi appreciated the United Nations Secretary General’s remarks in which he called for implementing UN Security Council’s resolutions on Kashmir. Speaking on the occasion, Group’s Senior Vice-Chair Imran Hussain said the Kashmiri people are facing communication blackout and that they were are unable to get access to the essential commodities, including medicines owing to continuous curfew. He said we are here to explore the human rights situation on the both sides of the Line of Control.
PIA plane 'taken' to Germany by former CEO sold for $1.4m, SC told ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
The Pakistan International Airlines airplane, an Airbus-310, which was allegedly taken to Germany by its former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Bernd Hildenbrand, was sold in $1.4 million, the national flag-carrier stated in its response in the Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday. “The plane was not missing but sold as it completed its tenure in 2016,” the PIA’s response submitted in the apex court stated. The response was submitted during the hearing of an appeal moved by Air Marshal Arshad Malik against the Sindh High Court (SHC) order which had restrained him from carrying out any function as CEO of PIA. The petitioner had contended before the high court that Arshad Malik was a serving officer of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and his appointment as PIA chief was made in utter disregard of law laid down by the apex court in its judgment of Aug 3, 2018, against the appointment of the then CEO. Reportedly, a British company had chartered PIA’s Airbus A-310 in 2017 for the purposes of a film, which was shot in Malta, following which the aircraft flew to Germany and then sold for Rs190 million. The film company had also paid PIA over $200,000 as rent for the plane. From Malta, the Airbus flew directly to the Leipzig Halle Airport museum in Ger-
many, the media reports had suggested. The reports also said that the aircraft had already completed its flying hours and was no longer airworthy since it was a 30-yearold aircraft and had already been grounded. In the previous hearing of the case on Feb 12, the mysterious sale of the airbus caught the attention of the Supreme Court when it questioned whether the sale of the plane — a public property — amounted to national offense or not. Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed expressed surprise over the casual attitude on part of the national flag carrier to pursue the matter and asked whether such incidents have ever happened in other airlines of the world where the CEO sells off a plane “just like that”. The airline, in its reply, further stated that the PIA administration is cooperating in the investigation as the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) were already investigating the matter before the takeover of the new management.
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un chief concludes Pakistan trip ISLAMABAD: United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who arrived in the capital on Sunday, spent three busy days in Islamabad and Lahore. On the first day of his visit, Guterres gave a special talk on climate change in Islamabad. He also met with Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi, President Arif Alvi and various other members of the government. On Monday, Guterres spent his day at the Refugee Summit in Islamabad, where he spoke highly of Pakistan’s commitment to the Afghan cause and said that Pakistan’s hospitality towards Afghan refugees over the past 40 years has been remarkable. On the same day, the UN secretary general also met with PM Imran Khan and expressed his concern for the Kashmir cause. Starting his engagements in Lahore on Tuesday, Guterres administered polio drops to children at a kindergarten in Lahore’s Defence neighbourhood. He then interacted with students’ representatives at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). Later in the day, the UN chief visited the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in the Kartarpur, before returning to Lahore to see Badshahi mosque and Shahi Qila in the evening. To end his official engagements, Guterres was hosted at Shahi Kitchen by Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar. STAFF REPORT
Thursday, 20 February, 2020
NEWS
SoybeAn veSSel to be Shifted to PoRt QASim Amid toxic gAS oUtbReAk KARACHI
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STAFF REPORT
VESSEL carrying a soybean shipment will be shifted from Karachi Port to Port Qasim, Karachi Port Trust (KPK) spokesperson Mohammad Shariq said on Wednesday after the government was advised to consider the “exposure to soybean dust” as a cause for breathing difficulties being faced by the residents of Karachi’s Keamari area. So far, 14 people from different areas of Keamari have died and over 400 have been taken to different hospitals for treatment after reportedly inhaling toxic gas. Residents have also complained of experiencing breathing difficulties, “burning sensation in the nose”, watery eyes and itching in the throat. A letter sent to Karachi Commissioner Iftikhar Shallwani by the International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) Director Dr Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary on
Tuesday had said that the lab had examined blood and urine samples of people “exposed to toxic aerosols” as well as soybean dust samples collected from the port area. He had said that while the ICCBS was still “extensively engaged in deciphering the cause of this toxic exposure”, the findings so far suggested that the symptoms being experienced by
coUSin ARReSted foR SexUAlly ASSAUlting, mURdeRing minoR giRl PESHAWAR: The Hangu police on Wednesday claimed to have arrested the alleged molester and killer of a nine-year-old girl Madiha. Speaking to the media, Hangu DPO Shahid Ahmad Khan said that the police succeeded in arresting the killer of the minor girl. The suspect has been identified as Ilyas, son of Rehman Gul, the cousin of the victim. He said that police also recovered a pistol from the possession of the accused which he used during the crime. “During the initial investigation, the accused confessed to the crime and has been shifted to Kohat for further interrogation,” the DPO said. Madiha went missing on Saturday, and later her body was found in the bushes near her village. The initial investigation confirmed that the minor girl was shot at from the back after being molested. The brutal murderer had also strangled the minor girl which was evident from scars on her body. Meanwhile, a grand jirga was held at Hangu which demanded public execution of the accused and otherwise warned that the house of the accused would be bulldozed. The jirga agreed that no one would be allowed to commit such brutal and anti-human crime in Hangu in the future. STAFF REPORT
US announces Rs55m grant for Pakistan’s heritage sites KARACHI: The United States (US) on Wednesday announced a Rs55 million grant for preserving heritage sites in Pakistan. The announcement was made by US Ambassador to Pakistan Paul W Jones during an event at Indus Valley School. The US envoy said that the grant was aimed at restoring the cultural and heritage sites in the country. “There are many cultural sites in the country and it is important to safeguard these places,” he added. He further said that the US has extended cooperation with Pakistan in many sectors. In December 2019, the Sindh government has declared Karachi’s Banyan trees as “protected heritage of the city”. Sindh Chief Minister’s Adviser on Law and Environment Murtaza Wahab tweeted, “#SindhGovt has declared the old Banyan Trees in Clifton & other areas of Karachi as Protected Heritage of the city of Karachi.” APP
Keamari residents were a result of “overexposure to soybean dust”. The KPT spokesperson said authorities had decided to move the ship during the morning but decided against it due to the low tide. “Currently, preparations are underway to shift the ship later in the day, during high tide,” he said, adding that the container should be moved by 8 pm.
A police official requesting to remain anonymous said the situation in the area is now “normal”. “The severity of the reactions and the number of patients have reduced ever since authorities halted unloading activities,” he said. From Tuesday morning till late night on Wednesday, approximately 90 people were affected but none of them were serious, he maintained, adding that the situation was now subsiding. Meanwhile, Dr Ziauddin Hospital spokesperson Amir Shehzad on Wednesday said that at least 82 patients were brought to the hospital’s Keamari campus over a 12-hour period, lasting from 8 pm on Tuesday to 8 am on Wednesday. “None of the patients were in critical condition and were discharged after being treated,” he said. He said the patients came to the hospital from various parts of Keamari, including Jackson Market, Railway Colony, Majeed Colony, Shireen Jinnah Colony and Sikanderabad.
Police arrest nine students in crackdown on protest against fees MOHSIN DAWAR, PPP CHIEF BILAWAL CONDEMN HIGHHANDEDNESS, DEMAND RELEASE OF STUDENTS NEWS DESK Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police on Wednesday cracked down on students who held a demonstration in Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan, to protest the fee hike and arrested at least nine students. The students were arrested under Sections 147 (punishment for rioting), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) and 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint) of the Pakistan Penal Code on the request of the university administration, according to reports. The alleged baton-charge by police was condemned by politicians, including Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and North Waziristan lawmaker Mohsin Dawar. In a tweet, Dawar termed police violence against peaceful protesters at the university and arrest of activists belonging to student organisations as “very
condemnable” and a “shameful act”. He called for the immediate release of those who have been arrested. PPP’s media cell also tweeted that the party’s chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has backed the protest and stance of Gomal University students. He said that instead of solving the students’ problems, the police violence and retaliatory activities against them and the move to close the university were “unjustified”. He also said that the valid demands of the students should be recognised and the academic process at the university resumed without delay. A First Information Report (FIR) against the students had been registered on February 14 after the university wrote a letter to the police requesting it to take action while a second FIR was registered on Tuesday night, the source said.
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no confirmed case of novel coronavirus in Pakistan: Pm's aide ISLAMABAD: State Minister for Health Dr Zafar Mirza on Wednesday said that there were no reported cases of coronavirus in Pakistan. Chairing a meeting of Coronavirus Emergency Core Group, the health minister said the National Institution for Health (NIH) received 89 samples, which have tested to be negative – confirming that there are no coronavirus cases in the country. He further maintained that a National Action Plan (NAP) is being fully implemented to keep the country safe from the coronavirus, and the core group is constantly monitoring the situation. Dr Mirza also said separate rooms have been allocated in 18 hospitals nationwide. He also said a strong mechanism has been put in place at all airports to ensure proper screening of passengers travelling from other parts of the world, adding that 400,000 people have been screened so far. Federal secretary health executive director NIH, Pakistan Army representatives and other experts were present during the meeting. CORONAVIRUS CASES IN CHINA: The death toll from China’s new coronavirus epidemic jumped past 2,000 on Wednesday after 136 more people died, with the number of new cases falling for a second straight day, according to the National Health Commission. This brings the total number of confirmed cases in mainland China to 74,185. The death toll rose to 2,004 with most of the deaths in central Hubei province, where the virus first emerged in December before spiraling into a nationwide epidemic. In its daily update, the National Health Commission reported 1,749 new cases of people infected with the virus nationwide, the lowest number of new cases this month. STAFF REPORT
Shujaat advises imran to be wary of hypocrites Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Wednesday advised Prime Minister Imran Khan to be wary of hypocrites. In a statement, the PML-Q chief said that he was giving the incumbent prime minister the same advice he had given to his predecessor Nawaz Sharif but the latter had done the opposite and lost his rule. “The premier should be careful about the hypocrites which roam around him. Unlikely, these elements are included in the present government as well,” he added. NEWS DESK
GIDC not implemented according to law, SC told ISLAMABAD APP
The Supreme Court (SC) was informed on Wednesday that Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC) was not implemented according to law. A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Mushir Alam and comprising Justice Faisal Arab and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah heard the case. During the course of proceedings, a private company’s counsel, Anwar Kamal, said that GIDC was not implemented according to law. Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said GIDC was discussed in the parliament. The counsel said that the gas issue in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)
and Sindh was bigger than in Punjab. Justice Faisal Arab said that the effects of the projects would be all over the country. Anwar Kamal said that the high courts of the four provinces had announced different decisions. The courts of Islamabad, Peshawar and Sindh issued stay orders on petitions while the Lahore High Court did not issue stay orders on petitions, he added. Rashid Anwar, a counsel for a private company, said that the purpose of these projects was to provide an uninterrupted gas supply. He said that the uninterrupted gas supply was continuing due to Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). The case was then adjourned till Thursday.
04 ISLAMABAD
Thursday, 20 February, 2020
WEATHER UPDATES THURSDAY
220C 090C
FRIDAY
250C 100C
SATURDAY
250C 080C
SUNDAY
260C 090C
32 stations handed over to trans Peshawar; citizens to travel on Brt from aPril PESHAWAR
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APP
HyBeR Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Information Shaukat yousafzai has said that Peshawar BRT was in the final stages of completion, civil work and building work have been completed on February 15 and 32 stations including command and control system have been handed over to Trans-Peshawar. The minister said "electricity power connections have been completed, ticket booths are being built and 50 buses are being drive daily from Hayatabad to Chamkani for rehearsal drive so that if any error is left then that can be removed". Talking to the media here, the minister said "It is great news for Peshawar that the BRT project was going to be completed under the leadership of Chief Minister Mahmood Khan". "The opposition has strongly criti-
Madiha’s killer arrested, jirga demands exemplary punishment PESHAWAR: The Hangu police on Wednesday claimed to have arrested the alleged molester and killer of a 9-year-old girl, Madiha who has confessed to his crime before the police during initial investigation. DPO Hangu, Shahid Ahmad Khan while talking to media said police have succeeded in arresting the killer of Madiha who has been identified as Ilyas son of Rehman Gul, the cousin of the minor rape victim. Police have also recovered a pistol from the possession of the arrested accused which he used during the crime. APP
cized the BRT that it has corruption and it cannot be completed but by the grace of Allah, the project is about to be completed and would become operational in April this year,” he said. He said, "Work on the ITS installation is underway which will be completed by the end of March.” He said "BRT is planned to facilitate poor people in traveling and we will invite those who criticize the project to travel with us in it in April". Shaukat yousafzai criticized former Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for his tweet in which he said,"The price of BRT is higher than Lahore, Multan and Islamabad metro".He said if Shahbaz Sharif was true then he should have prove it. "Peshawar BRT is Third Generation Metro while Lahore is Second Generation Metro and facilities are also higher in BRT but still BRT, per kilometer is cheaper than Lahore Metro,” he informed. Shaukat yousafzai said,"Lahore Metro
PHC suspends KP govt’s decision increasing retirement age from 60 to 63 PESHAWAR APP
A division bench of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) headed by Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and Justice Naeem Anwar on Wednesday suspended the decision of KP government increasing retirement age of government employees from 60 to 63. The bench announced a short judgment after conclusion of arguments by council for defence and prosecution represented by Advocate General Shumail Ahmad Butt. The court ruled that the KP has been made experimental laboratory adding that Punjab province and the Centre did not implement the decision increasing retirement age of the employees. The court further ruled that former KP Chief Secretary Saleem Khan had also raised serious objection over the government's decision in this regard and mentioned the same in his summery to the government. The Advocate General told the court that the provincial government has the power to increase the retirement age of employees. He argued that the
decision would lessen financial burden on the province besides increasing volume of development programs. He further told the court that after three years the situation will be become normal. The councils for petitioners Advocate Muazam Butt, Noor Alam Khan and Malik Zahirudidn in their arguments maintained that 1,23000 government posts are vacant which could not be filled due to rise in the retirement age by the government from 60 to 63 years. In all nine writ petition were filled in PHC against the KP government decision by Qaiser Khan, Shabina Noor, Azizullah Khan, Sultanur Rehman, Fatima Malik, Dr Muhmmad Naeem Arbab, Abdul Ghaffar, Ijaz Hussain and Muhammad Ajmal Wazir. The petitioners had made the KP government as responded in the case. Its merit mentioned here that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly had passed an amendment bill in July last year to increase the retirement age of employees from 60 years to 63 years. The opposition had rejected the bill arguing that the law is being amended to facilitate a small number of officials, who are on the verge of retirement.
Two dead, eight injured as jeep plunges into ravine BALAKOT APP
At least two people Wednesday died and 8 others injured when a passenger jeep fell into a deep gorge at Charian when the driver lost his control. According to the police spokesman, a passenger jeep which was heading towards Alari from Ghari Habibullah carrying more than 10 people fell into a deep gorge at Charian when driver lost his control over the vehicle.
Two passengers died at the spot, locals and Balakot police recovered the injured and dead bodies from the gorge and shifted them to Balakot hospital. Six patients were declared critical and referred to King Abdullah Hospital Manshera. The dead bodies were identified as Muhammad Hussain son of Shahzaman and Khanqa daughter of Sher Zaman while the injured were later shifted to Ayub Medical Complex Abbottabad.
is built at around Rs 40 billion eight years ago while Peshawar BRT is being built at around Rs 35 billion in 2020 and the Lahore Metro is just one road while the Peshawar BRT covers the entire city from Chamkani to Hayatabad, which will reduce traffic congestion in the city". "The Lahore Metro is really a jungla bus because junglas have been set up on the common road while Peshawar BRT is Third Generation Metro which is considered to be one of the world's latest metro",he said. He said "Due to parking facility in Chamkani, people coming from Mardan, Swabi, Malakand and Abbottabad can park their vehicles there and travel on this bus which will reduce the traffic in the city". He said that the credit goes to the Chief Minister Mahmood Khan who despite of all the criticism,continued to work on the project day and night and there was no justification left for criticism on BRT with opposition.
KP govt finalises draft for lifetime imprisonment of child abuse convicts PESHAWAR INP
The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Tuesday drafted rules for the imprisonment of the child abuse convicts for a lifetime period until they meet a natural death. A special committee of the provincial government has drafted rules in this regard and it says that a person convicted for child abuse should be incarcerated for his lifetime. It also recommends a 14-year imprisonment and a five million rupees fine for filming the child abuse act. “Those who are found guilty of sexually assaulting children would not be able to acquire any job,” the draft said. The draft would be tabled before the provincial cabinet for approval and after that it would be laid before the provincial assembly for its nod.
Police arrest robbers, recover valuables and weapons ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Golra and Shalimar police Wednesday arrested two gangs of house robbers/snatchers and recovered stolen jewellery, weapons, motorcycle and other items, a police spokesman said. According to the details, the IGP of Islamabad, Muhammad Aamir Zulfiqar Khan, has issued order of crackdown against the criminal elements in the federal capital. Following the orders of the DIG (Operations), Waqar-ud-Din, Syed had directed all zonal police officers to intensify their efforts to curb anti-social elements. Following these directions, SP (Sadar) Omar Khan constituted special police teams. STAFF REPORT
Met Office forecasts rain ISLAMABAD INP
The Met Office has predicted rainfall with wind or thunderstorm in upper parts of the country from Wednesday evening to Thursday. Met Office in a statement said that a westerly weather system is likely to enter the upper parts of the country on Wednesday. Light to moderate rain with wind-thunderstorm or hailstorm is expected in Chitral, Swat, Dir, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Peshawar, Charsadda, Swabi, Mardan, Kuram and Kohat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under the influence of fresh westerly wave. Moreover, federal capital Islamabad, Punjab’s Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Chakwal, Attock, Mianwali, Sar-
godha, Khushab, Faisalabad, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Gujrat, Sialkot districts, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan will likely to receive rainfall during Wednesday evening to Thursday. According to the Met Office, the windstorm is also expected in Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Rahim yar Khan, Sahiwal, Sukkur and Larkana districts during the period. Light to moderate snowfall is also expected in Mountainous areas of Upper Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan during the period, according to the weather department forecast. Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has in an advisory to district administrations of the
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province has directed precautionary measures to meet any emergency situation. The PDMA has also advised tourists to observe precautions dur-
ing their travel. “The emergency operations centre of the PDMA has been activated to address any emergency situation”, the statement added.
Thursday, 20 February, 2020
NEWS
Pakistan is now viewed as ‘Part of solution’ over afghan issue: fM iSLamaBaD
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APP
oreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday said that Pakistan had played its due and sincere role in facilitating the Afghan peace talks and now it was being regarded as part of the peace solution. Speaking to a local TV channel, the foreign minister said that contrary to the country’s past image when it was branded as part of the problem, Pakistan has emerged as the major leader for peace and stability in the region. He said that the peace process in
Afghanistan should not be derailed as it would not be in the interest of Afghan people, who strongly deserved it. To a question, Qureshi replied that US President Donald Trump had openly expressed his desire to exclusively visit Pakistan after elections and not merely as a stopover, which had been a practice in the past. To a query about the situation in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK), the minister said that United Nations (UN) Secretary General Antonio Guterres and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during their recent visits, had reaffirmed their strong positions, besides the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) had
also firmly reiterated its support to Pakistan over the issue. Qureshi said that Pakistan has successfully fulfilled the requirements and guidelines of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). The present government took sweeping steps to check terror financing and money laundering with effective legislation, he said, regretting that the previous regimes had failed to move on these issues. He maintained that the steps were also acknowledged during the recently concluded meetings of the FATF body. Pakistan took serious actions and implemented a plan of action. “India had miserably failed in its sin-
HBL’s profit rises 25pc to Rs15.5 billion KaraCHi MEIRYUM ALI
The Board of Directors of Habib Bank Ltd met on Wednesday to review the bank’s performance and announce its financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2019. According to the financials, the bank reported a profit after tax increased to Rs15.5 billion for the year ending December 31, 2019, as compared to Rs12.44 billion for the corresponding period last year, showing a growth of 25pc. The bank declared a final cash dividend of Rs1.25 per share, or 12.5pc. This is in addition to the interim dividend already paid at Rs3.75 per share, or 37.5pc. This brings the cumulative divided to Rs5 per share, or 50pc. The bank’s earnings per share (EPS) clocked in at Rs10.45, which is a small increase from Rs8.22 during the same period last year. The bank’s profit before tax stood at Rs 28.9 billion for the year ended December 31, or a growth of 34pc over 2018. Its profit before provisions increased 21.1pc to Rs32.2 billion. The bank’s net interest income stood at Rs101.3 billion, or an increase of 21.1 percent. According to HBL, this marks the first time that any bank’s net interest income has crossed the Rs100 billion mark. The fee income rose by 13pc over 2018 to Rs 20.4 billion, while the total non-fund income grew by 21pc to Rs24.2 billion. The asset quality of the bank
improved to 6.6pc, while the coverage ratio further improved to 93.2pc. The bank’s consolidated Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) as of December 31, 2019, stood at 15.4 percent, while the Bank’s Tier 1 CAR improved to 12.5 percent. According to HBL, both those ratios remain ahead of regulatory requirements. ANALYST EXPECTATIONS: There has been a mixed reaction among analysts regarding the earnings results. According to Faizan Kamran, an analyst at brokerage firm Arif Habib Ltd, the earnings were ‘above’ expectation. “The healthy jump in net interest income, alongside a significant gain on FX operations helped the bank post an impressive surge in yearly earnings,” he said. He also noted that the drastic improvement in earnings on a quarterly basis, which showed a growth of 36 percent, was due to a surprising decline in OPEX, which witnessed a decline of 4 percent on a quarterly basis. According to a AKD Securities report, the results were ‘in line’ with expectation. The report noted that the quarterly growth in earnings were due to the 3.5pc increase in net interest income, non-funded income jumping 7.2pc, and non-markup costs being relatively contained (down 4pc QoQ). However, Taurus Securities took a less optimistic view, and said the bank’s earnings were ‘slightly below’ expectation.
ister designs to push Pakistan on the FATF blacklist,” he added. About another question, he said that Pakistan had already demanded justice for the victim families of Samjhauta Express blasts. “It was the duty of the international community to exert pressure on India to act and bring the culprits to justice. There should be no dual standards when it came to India to fulfil its global obligations,” he stressed. The foreign minister said that there were about 28,000 Pakistani students studying in China and the government was making all-out efforts for their wellbeing. To a query about the government’s
05
ongoing reforms, he replied that institutions in the country had degenerated because they were politicised with rampant nepotism, favoritism and violations of merit. He said that the country was passing through a transitional period and the reforms would take some time to bear fruition. "When you introduce such reforms or take corrective measures against a rotten system, generally there has been resistance," he said, adding the government was confronting all such things as for good governance there should be an efficient delivery system. The foreign minister said that the government had faced enormous and acute economic challenges as the country was heading towards default. “If the government had not signed agreements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) where would have been the country now,” he wondered. Responding to a question, he said that the government and the army were on the same page and they enjoyed intense coordination and support on the foreign policy, which was not a case in the past.
Pakistan skips slipping into FATF blacklist Continue from page 01 The government, through a presidential ordinance, introduced significant changes to tax laws to implement concessions promised to traders, reduce the duty on import of low-value mobile phones, and penalise currency smugglers. The 24-page ordinance was notified on Dec 28 last year. The amendments were also applied to income tax, sales tax and customs duty. The ordinance was issued in order to enable the sharing of information between the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and Financial Monitoring Unit (FMU) to facilitate the latter to perform its functions as laid down in the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010, and to ensure compliance with the FATF regulations. As per the details issued by the FBR, necessary amendments have been made under this Ordinance in Customs Act 1969, Income Tax Ordinance 2001, Federal Excise Act 2005 and General Sales Tax Act 1990. The ordinance prohibited carrying currency more than $10,000 and has ordered confiscating the amount being carried more than that, and the imposition of penalty according to the value of the currency. To penalise persons found illegally carrying foreign currency ranging between $10,000 and $200,000 or above, varying degrees of penalties have been proposed, from a mere fine to imprisonment of up to 14 years. Carrying precious metals, gold more than 15 tolas, silver, diamonds and jewelry has also been prohibited, and if caught in smuggling, not only
the valuable(s) will be confiscated by the authorities but fine equal to the value of the object being smuggled will be imposed. To penalise individuals found illegally carrying gold ranging between 16 and 500 tolas or above, varying degrees of penalties have been proposed, from a mere fine to imprisonment of up to 14 years. The standard rate of minimum tax is reduced from 1.5pc to 0.5pc in the case of traders having a turnover up to Rs100 million for the tax year 2020. However, traders having a turnover up to Rs100m who have filed their returns for the tax year 2018 will be obliged to pay tax equal to or more than the tax paid for the tax years 2018, 2019 and 2020. Traders being individuals and having a turnover up to Rs100m will not be required to act as a withholding agent under Section 153 of the ordinance. The condition to qualify for a Tier-1 retailer has been amended so as to increase the threshold of electricity consumption from Rs600,000 to Rs1,200,000. The customs duty was reduced from Rs730 to Rs100 per mobile phone having a value between $30 and $100. Sales tax on mobile phones up to the value of $30 has been reduced from Rs130 to Rs100 and on phones having value up to $100 from Rs1,320 to Rs200. The government has introduced several amendments to the Income Tax Ordinance for encouraging investment in the local debt market and simplifying the tax regime for non-resident companies.
Crackdown against smuggling to provide relief: Firdous
ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to PM on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Wednesday said that crackdown against smuggling on the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan will provide relief to the masses. In a series of tweets, the special assistant said hoarding is an enemy of transparent economy and exploitation of people, and hence cannot be allowed. She said the PM has sought proposals from the provincial governments to reduce the prices of wheat. Dr Firdous said people of Pakistan had to bear the burden of the previous governments’ decisions regarding electricity and gas. She said the premier has directed for the preparation of a roadmap of reducing prices of petrol, diesel and gas. She said our basic aim is to provide relief to people and redress their grievances. APP
Thursday, 20 February, 2020
06 WORLD VIEW
AheAd of Modi-TruMp MeeT, A look AT The ongoing TrAde Tussle beTween us And indiA
CounCil on Foreign relations
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ALYssA AYres
RADe between the United States and India has grown steadily ever since India’s economy began to take off in the mid-1990s and its information technology sector shot to prominence in the early 2000s. From 1999 to 2018, trade in goods and services between the two countries surged from $16 billion to $142 billion. India is now the United States’ eighth-largest trading partner in goods and services and is among the world’s largest economies. India’s trade with the United States now resembles, in terms of volume, U.S. trade with South Korea ($167 billion in 2018) or France ($129 billion). But as trade between Washington and New Delhi has increased, so too have tensions. U.S. and Indian officials have disagreed for years on tariffs and foreign investment limitations, but also on other complicated issues, particularly within agricultural trade. Concern for intellectual property rights has preoccupied the United States for thirty years, while issues concerning medical devices and the fast-growing digital economy have more recently emerged. On top of this, the Donald J. Trump administration has exacerbated tensions by creating new dilemmas, including a focus on bilateral trade deficits and the application of fresh tariffs, prompting retaliation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. The Trump administration’s approach to trade resulted in three new areas of friction that had not previously been on the already extensive menu of economic tensions with India. BILATERAL TRADE DEFICITS: Previously not a top U.S. trade concern, these became a major focus when Trump issued an executive order in 2017 requiring a study of the United States’ most significant trade deficits. India has slightly narrowed the trade deficit in goods with the United States, which went from $24.3 billion in 2016, the tenth-largest that year, to $23.3 billion in 2019, the eleventh-largest. Indian negotiators have proposed reducing the deficit via major purchases of products including liquefied natural gas and aircraft. TARIFFS: The Trump administration began applying new tariffs in 2018 on steel and aluminum imports from dozens of countries, including India, using a national security exemption in U.S. trade law. In response, New Delhi drew up a list of retaliatory tariffs and filed it with the World Trade Organization (WTO), but held off on applying them. GENERALISED SYSTEM OF PREFERENCES (GSP): Following a public review process, the Trump administration removed India from the GSP program, a special trade treatment for developing countries. One qualification of the program is “equitable and reasonable” access to that country’s markets for U.S. goods and services, and the administration noted still-significant trade barriers in India. Shortly after the Trump administration pulled India from the GSP, India pulled the trigger on its retaliatory tariffs, after which the United States filed a dispute at the WTO. These retaliatory tariffs remain in place. AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS: Although agricultural products are not the largest component of U.S.India trade, tensions over them are long-standing and remain among the most difficult to resolve. The United
States exported around $1.5 billion worth of agricultural products to India in 2018 and imported $2.7 billion. exports to India include fruit, nuts, legumes, cotton, and dairy products, which are important to the economies of California, Montana, and Washington. Spices, rice, and essential oils are the top agricultural items imported from India to the United States. India’s 2019 retaliatory tariffs included U.S. almonds, walnuts, cashews, apples, chickpeas, wheat, and peas—and came on top of globally applied tariff hikes by New Delhi. India imposed a retaliatory tariff of 20 percent on in-shell walnuts, added to a 2018 global duty hike to 100 percent. U.S. in-shell walnuts now carry a duty of more than 120 percent in India, according to the California Walnut Board and Commission. Apples, an iconic product of Washington State, were hit with a 20 percent tariff, on top of an existing 50 percent duty for all countries. Tariffs on in-shell almonds went from 35 rupees per kilogram to 41 rupees (from about 50 to 60 cents), with the tariff determined by weight rather than value. India is the largest market for California almonds, accounting for about $600 million in 2018 exports according to the California Almond Board. Chickpeas, of which India is one of the world’s largest buyers, were hit with a 10 percent tariff on top of a 2017 globally applied tariff of 60 percent. The USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council described pulse exports as “devastated” by trade wars underway since 2017. Negotiations over U.S. dairy products have gone on for years. It is difficult for U.S. dairy farmers to sell their products in India, according to the International Dairy Foods Association, because India requires that dairy products are “derived from a dairy cow that has been fed a vegetarian diet for its entire life.” India defends its position on religious and cultural grounds, whereas the association calls these requirements “scientifically unwarranted.” India rejected U.S. proposals in 2015 and 2018 for consumer labels indicating the diet of dairy animals. Frustrated, the National Milk Producers Federation and the U.S. Dairy export Council sought India’s removal from the GSP program. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS: Intellectual property rights in India have been a chief U.S. concern since at least 1989, the year of the first “Special 301 report” mandated by Congress to identify intellectual property issues in trade. Concerns include piracy of software, film, and music and weak patent protections, among others. In that first report, India was one of eight countries placed on a priority watch list. India has remained on the watch list, despite some progress. To comply with its obligations as part of the WTO’s Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, India amended its patent act to recognize product rather than process patents, meaning that replicating a product using a different process would qualify as an infringement. This came into force in 2005. However, the United States has sought further improvements. By 2018, Washington still cited insufficient patent protections, restrictive standards for patents, and threats of compulsory licensing. Other U.S. concerns include India’s copyright regime and whether current approaches can deliver “pro-innovation and -creativity growth policies.” INVESTMENT BARRIERS: India has limited foreign investment in sectors such as insurance and banking for decades. While India has substantially liberalized foreign direct investment (FDI) procedures, issues remain. The insurance industry has an FDI limit of 49 percent and a requirement that companies be Indian-controlled. In banking, foreign ownership is capped at 74 percent. Media also face foreign investment limits: 49 percent for cable television, 26 percent for FM radio, 74 percent for direct-to-home satellite broadcasting, 49 percent for television news, and 26 percent for print newspapers and periodicals. In single-brand retail, which comprises companies such as Nike that sell only their own goods, In-
dian rules permit 100 percent FDI but have some local sourcing requirements. Multi-brand retail is permitted up to 51 percent FDI, however Indian states can opt in or opt out of allowing this type of foreign investment; currently, only around nine of India’s twenty-nine states permit it (plus a small union territory). Additional requirements for multibrand include at least $100 million in infrastructure investment, as well as local sourcing conditions. These are just a few sectors that illustrate the complexity and density of the limitations to foreign services operating in India. Reflecting the continued importance of investment, the U.S.-India Strategic Policy Forum and the U.S.-India Business Council have prioritized the removal of investment limits as a chief policy issue. HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLES: President Trump has often bemoaned India’s high tariffs on motorcycles—they stand at 50 percent for some Harley-Davidson models. However, Trump is not the first U.S. president to focus on market access for America’s iconic bike. In 2007, during the George W. Bush administration, trade negotiators agreed to a deal under which Harley-Davidsons would be able to enter India in exchange for Indian mangoes gaining access to the U.S. market. However, the mangoes-for-motorcycles deal wasn’t about tariffs, and instead worked through issues over emissions regulations and a pest-control irradiation process for mangoes in India to open up new trade. It turned out that high Indian duties on large-engine motorcycles made Harleys too expensive for Indian consumers. To make the bikes more affordable, Harley-Davidson built an assembly plant in India for less expensive models, which were imported unassembled and subject to much lower duties. The managing director for Harley-Davidson India told CNN at the time that assembly in India would bring down duties by around 40 percent. When Trump raised the issue of India’s motorcycle duties in 2017, tariffs were at 75 percent for the largest engine imports. Harley-Davidson sold fewer than 3,700 units in India that year, and most were cheaper models assembled in India. The tariffs on these more expensive, larger motorcycles fell to 50 percent after Trump discussed the issue with Modi in 2018, but Trump has said that 50 percent is “still unacceptable.” MEDICAL DEVICES: The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) expressed concern for years about customs duties on medical equipment and devices, and tensions were exacerbated in 2017 when the Indian government applied new price controls on coronary stents and knee implants. The following year, USTR explained the impact of the price controls in its National Trade estimate report (p.235). U.S. manufacturers sought permission from the Indian regulatory authority to pull these devices from the market but were denied, forcing U.S. suppliers to “sell their products at a loss in the Indian market for up to eighteen months.” AdvaMed, a trade association of medical device manufacturers, petitioned for the United States to review India’s eligibility for the GSP program and testified at the public hearing on the matter, like the dairy groups. DIGITAL ECONOMY: With the rise of the digital economy, and with India’s growing heft as a hub for information technology services and for digital businesses, new frictions have emerged over data localization, data privacy, and e-commerce. Unlike China, which largely operates on its own digital systems, India uses many U.S. platforms, and many U.S. companies have back-office operations in India. These platforms, enjoyed by India’s half a billion internet users, generate enormous data flows, and Indian leaders are well aware of the tremendous value of this data. Prime Minister Modi has called it the “new oil” and “new gold.” But the United States is concerned about how India has handled this new resource. In 2018, India’s central bank ordered companies “that operate a payment sys-
tem in India”—meaning credit card companies and digital payment platforms such as PayPal—to store all data on local servers. This at first led to confusion about jurisdiction for cross-border transactions, and then a clarification that such data could be processed abroad but must ultimately be stored in India. In the e-commerce sector, long-standing rules prohibit foreign investment in platforms that sell directly to consumers, so foreign e-commerce operators in India use a marketplace model. That means they provide the technology platform to connect buyers with sellers. A midstream change in December 2018 to e-commerce rules about subsidiaries of foreign-owned platforms earned mention in the 2019 U.S. National Trade estimate about limiting access to India’s market. Finally, India is developing a comprehensive data protection policy. Digital economy experts say a new bill introduced in Parliament in December 2019 is similar to the european Union’s General Data Protection Regulation. The current draft offers provisions for individual data protections, provides carve-outs for specific government requests for data, and creates a new identity verification proposal for social media. Much could change as legislators review and debate the bill, but given the size of India’s digital economy, these issues will only become more central to U.S.-India trade relations. VISAS IN SERVICES TRADE: Most of the above flash points center on U.S. concerns about the Indian economy, mostly because the U.S. economy presents fewer barriers. Yet, the Indian government has continued to highlight services trade and the “movement of natural persons,” or procedures typically involving a visa regime by which a citizen of one country can perform services work in another country. For India, this falls squarely in the world of trade, but for the United States, these are immigration matters that cannot be negotiated in trade deliberations. In the United States, H1B and L1 visas permit highly skilled workers from other countries to be employed, with an annual limit of sixty-five thousand regular applications and another twenty thousand for those who have earned an advanced degree in the United States. Due to its large pool of highly skilled workers, India is extremely competitive in services, and its professionals work around the world. Of the top ten companies with H1B-approved petitions in 2018, four are Indian firms, three of which are at the very top. Over the past fifteen years, the proportion of approved H1B petitions from India went from just under 40 percent to more than 70 percent. India’s negotiating posture has long prioritized further opening other countries’ visa regimes for services workers; this was an unmet ambition, for example, of India’s in talks on the Regional Comprehensive economic Partnership, a trade pact of fifteen countries, including China, that India opted out of after years of negotiations. The Indian government continues to object to U.S. laws passed in 2010 and 2015 that apply higher fees on companies with more than fifty employees if more than half of those employees are in the United States as non-immigrants. In 2016, India filed a trade dispute at the WTO over these visa fees, arguing that the higher fees “raised the overall barriers for service suppliers from India.” The WTO dispute is ongoing. India has also expressed concerns over visa processing delays, including more requests for evidence, which prolong review times, and increased rejection rates under the Trump administration.
The BJP is not India, and every Indian is not a Modi-devotee
CounterPunCh NYLA ALI KHAN
Rational people cannot gloss over the arbitrary exercise of authority in Indian held Kashmir (IHK), nor can they legitimize the lack of accountability in the union territory. Subsequent to the revocation of the autonomous status of IHK, the BJP made sev-
eral tall claims to legitimize its decision. One of those claims was that the integration of IHK into mainland India would expedite the growth of democracy and development in the union territory. Contrary to its claims, the BJP-led federal government has extended detentions of several detenus under the Public Safety Act (PSA). A couple of days ago, Shah Faesal, former Civil Services officer and budding politician, was booked under the stringent Act. Like the other political figures being held under PSA, Shah Faesal‘s incarceration has been extended without valid reason. Prime Minister Modi’s government has also charged Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti under the draconian Public Safety Act (PSA). Both Omar and Mehbooba, former heads of government, have been in detention since August 5,
2019. And now their detentions have been extended by another three months, without formal charges. An amendment made to the Public Safety Act in 1990 made it non-obligatory for the federal government to provide the detainee with reasons for his/ her arrest. In their quest to portray IHK as a religious issue and not a political one, Prime Minister Modi’s government is shrinking the political space for those who chose the route of electoral politics to make their voices heard. The brazen muzzling of those political voices that are antithetical to the BJP is absolutely ridiculous. With the continued detention of several elected legislators and parliamentarians in the union territory, any potential opposition to the revocation of the autonomous status of IHK is being nipped
in the bud. Indigenous political institutions, which were already eroded, are now being decimated. While regional political parties in IHK might have had eroded mass bases, it cannot be denied that they are cadre-based. A democracy should be about strengthening grass-roots institutions, which are not limited to Village Councils and Block Development Councils. Much to the BJP’s chagrin, Village Councils and Block Development Councils cannot replace cadrebased political parties. Nor can legitimate political dissent be stifled forever. Democracies thrive on differences of opinions, not on gagging those who might not be on the same page. Instead of deterring the growth of democracy and depoliticizing the people, the goal should have been to empower the populace of
IHK. The creation of a “third-front,” comprising carpetbaggers, will not fill the enforced political vacuum in IHK. The people of IHK should be sufficiently empowered to induce satisfaction with the Kashmir constituency’s role within current geopolitical realities, such that a disempowered populace does not succumb to ministrations of destructive ideologies. Amidst the pandemonium, I need to remind myself that the BJP is not India, and every Indian is not a Modi-devotee. Nyla Ali Khan is the author of Fiction of Nationality in an Era of Transnationalism, Islam, Women, and Violence in Kashmir, The Life of a Kashmiri Woman, and the editor of The Parchment of Kashmir.
Thursday, 20 February, 2020
FOREIGN NEWS 07
Quarantined passengers disembark ship in Japan; new China Coronavirus Cases fall TOKYO
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AGENCIES
UNDREDS of people began disembarking a quarantined cruise ship off Japan on Wednesday as the death toll from the new coronavirus in mainland China passed 2,000 and the number of new cases in the country fell for a second straight day. Around 500 passengers were due to disembark the virus-hit Diamond Princess docked at Yokohama near Tokyo, public broadcaster NHK said, ending an ordeal that began when the ship was quarantined on February 3 after a former passenger was diagnosed with the virus in Hong Kong. There were also more promising signs out of China, where the National Health Commission reported the lowest daily rise in new infections since January 29, or 1,749 new confirmed cases. Hubei province —the epicentre of the outbreak — reported the lowest number of new infections since Feb 11. The latest figures bring the total number of cases in China to over 74,000 and the total death toll to 2,004, three quarters of which have occurred in the Hubei provincial capital of Wuhan. Six people have died outside mainland
China, including a new fatality announced on Wednesday in Hong Kong. The biggest concentration of infections outside of China was aboard the Carnival Corp-owned Diamond Princess, with more than 540 people infected out of about 3,700 passengers and crew on board when the quarantine was imposed. The United States has already flown back over 300 American evacuees from the ship and other countries are queuing up to collect their citizens, including an Australian flight due to arrive in Japan later on Wednesday. “We were lucky. We booked a room with a balcony and a lounge area, but
after being confined to this cabin I am very keen to get off this ship,” Australian passenger Vicki Presland told Reuters. Only passengers who had tested negative for the virus and did not show symptoms during quarantine period would be allowed to leave the ship. Those who tested negative but were in cabins with infected people would remain on board for additional quarantine, Japanese officials said. Japanese officials defended the decision to quarantine the ship and test people on board. “Unfortunately, cases of infection have emerged, but we have to the extent possible taken appropriate steps to pre-
vent serious cases, including sending infected people to hospital,” NHK quoted Health Minister Katsunobu Kato as saying. FEVER MEDICATION CHECKS: On top of steps already taken to isolate Hubei, where the flu-like virus originated late last year in a market illegaly selling wildlife, state media reported the province was stepping up efforts to track down anyone with fever. The province will check records of all fever patients who have visited doctors since Jan. 20, and people who have bought over-the-counter cough and fever medications at both brick-and-mortar and online drug stores, Xinhua reported. Several Chinese cities have declared that a shortage in blood supply for clinical use was imminent, state media reported on Tuesday, as travel curbs keep potential donors at home. Chinese officials have said the apparent slowdown in infection rates is evidence that strict measures are working to bring the virus under control, but global health officials say it is too early to predict how the epidemic will play out. The number of new cases in mainland China excluding Hubei has now fallen for 15 straight days. The number of new infections ex-Hubei totalled 56 on Feb 18, down from a peak of 890 on Feb 3. The head of a leading hospital in Wuhan, where the virus is believed to have originated, died of the disease on Tuesday, the seventh health worker to have succumbed to the disease, known as COVID-19. The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) emergencies programme chief, Mike Ryan, said China had success with “putting out the fire” first in Hubei and ensuring that people returning to Beijing from the Lunar New Year holiday were monitored.
Russia warns against Turkey operation in Syria MOSCOW AGENCIES
Turkey and Russia were engaged in a fresh war of words on Wednesday after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened an “imminent” operation in Syria to end the regime’s brutal assault on the last rebel enclave. It came as Syrian aid workers issued an urgent call for a ceasefire and international help for nearly a million people fleeing the regime onslaught in the country’s northwestern Idlib province — the biggest wave of displaced civilians in the nine-year conflict. The Syrian NGO Alliance said displaced people are “escaping in search of safety only to die from extreme weather conditions and lack of available resources”. “We are facing one of the worst protection crises and are dealing with a mass movement of IDPs (internally displaced persons) who have nowhere to go,” it told a press conference in Istanbul. The group said a total of $336 million was needed for basic food, water, shelter. Education resources were also needed for 280 million displaced school-aged children.
Turkey, which backs some rebel groups in Idlib, has been pushing for a renewed ceasefire in talks with Russia, eager to prevent another flood of refugees into its territory adding to the 3.7 million Syrian refugees it already hosts. But Erdogan said talks with Moscow over the past fortnight had so far failed to achieve “the desired result” and warned that Turkey would launch an offensive into Syria unless Damascus pulled its forces back by the end of the month. “An operation in Idlib is imminent… We are counting down, we are making our final warnings,” Erdogan said in a televised speech. He called for Syrian forces to retreat behind Turkey’s military posts in Idlib, which were set up under a 2018 deal with Russia designed to hold off a regime advance. The Kremlin quickly responded to Erdogan’s threat, warning that any operation against Syrian forces would be “the worst scenario”. INDISCRIMINATE VIOLENCE: Earlier this week the United Nations said the displaced were mainly women and children and warned that babies were dying of cold because aid camps are full. The Syrian NGOs called for the warring parties to allow safe access
for humanitarian groups and for a “complete ceasefire and end to human rights violations”. The regime offensive has killed more than 400 civilians since it began in December, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. “The violence in northwest Syria is indiscriminate. Health facilities, schools, residential areas, mosques and markets have been hit,” the UN head of humanitarian affairs and
emergency relief, Mark Lowcock, said earlier this week. Moscow has repeatedly vetoed Security Council resolutions. The head of the World Health Organization said Tuesday that out of nearly 550 such facilities in northwest Syria, only about half were operational. “We repeat: health facilities and health workers are not a legitimate target,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told journalists in Geneva.
no verdict as weinstein rape trial jury ends day one deliberations LOS ANGELES AGENCIES
Jurors in ex-Hollywood titan Harvey Weinstein’s high-profile sex crimes trial ended their first day of deliberations Tuesday without reaching a verdict in the case seen as a watershed in the #MeToo movement. The disgraced movie mogul, 67, faces life in prison if the jury of seven men and five women convict him of a variety of sexual misconduct charges in New York. They began considering their verdict just before 11:30 am (1630 GMT) and adjourned five hours later. They will reconvene on Wednesday at 9:30 am. More than 80 women have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct since allegations against him ignited the #MeToo global reckoning against men abusing positions of power in October 2017. But the jury is considering charges related to just two: ex-actress Jessica Mann and former production assistant Mimi Haleyi, with many claims too old to prosecute. Mann, 34, says Weinstein raped her in March 2013, while Haleyi alleges he forcibly performed oral sex on her in July 2006. The trial, which began hearing testimony on January 22, threw up complicated issues surrounding consent and abuse of power for the jury. Under cross-examination, both Mann and Haleyi acknowledged at least one consensual sexual encounter with Weinstein after the alleged assaults. Defense lawyers presented dozens of emails and text messages in court that appeared to show both Mann and Haleyi on friendly terms with Weinstein years after the alleged attacks. His team said the relationships were consensual and transactional, arguing that the accusers used sex with the defendant to advance their own careers. BURDEN OF PROOF: Prosecutors said he was an aggressive and manipulative career sexual predator who took advantage of his powerful position in the American film industry to prey on aspiring young actresses. Weinstein, the producer of “Pulp Fiction” and “Sin City,” is the first man accused of abuse in the #MeToo movement to face a criminal trial. In closing arguments Thursday, lead attorney Donna Rotunno urged the 12 jurors to make themselves “unpopular” by acquitting him, telling them his innocence had been clear from the start. She stressed that prosecutors had failed to present any forensic evidence or witness accounts.
Iran dissidents urge vote boycott as leaders eye high turnout TEHRAN AGENCIES
Opponents of Iran’s theocratic leadership are urging an outright boycott of its parliamentary elections, arguing that it is anything but democratic and that casting a ballot serves only to bolster the country’s Islamic rulers. The country’s supreme leader has urged Iranians to “disappoint the enemy” by participating en masse in the vote on Friday, which coincides with one of the most testing periods for the country since the ousting of the pro-US shah in 1979. “Participating in elections and voting… is a religious duty” that will strengthen the Islamic republic against the “propaganda” of its enemies, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Tuesday. Analysts say Iran’s leaders want to see a high turnout to bolster their legitimacy as they battle an economic crisis spurred by crippling American sanctions imposed after Washington abandoned the 2015 deal curtailing Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. The
crisis prompted some of the most potent protests since the Revolution and the ferocious crackdown that followed. The elections have been overshadowed by mass disqualifications of over 7,000 mainly moderate and reformist candidates by the Guardian Council oversight body. The council threw out more candidates than it allowed in, including most incumbent MPs. In a message from her jail cell, posted on her husband’s Facebook page, Iranian rights activist Narges Mohammadi said a boycott of the elections was the only peaceful means of protest left now that demonstrations are no longer being authorised. “We need to rise up in the most civilised way and launch a strong boycott campaign to respond to the repressive policies of the government,” wrote Mohammadi, who is serving a 10-year sentence for “forming and managing an illegal group.” STAGE MANAGED: Opponents outside Iran argue that the government’s
pressure on citizens to vote means that anyone who casts their ballot is effectively legitimising the system. Masih Alinejad, a former journalist who has left the country and leads a campaign against the enforced Islamic headscarf for women, has issued a viral video on social media warning that voting overlooks the memory of those killed in the protests. While officials tell everyone to vote for the sake of the country, “the day after the election, it’s back to normal — the establishment claims the votes gave the Islamic regime legitimacy, and all promises of greater freedoms are forgotten,” she told AFP from New York. “The candidates are pre-selected, no opposition views are tolerated and even the turnout is stage-managed,” she said, adding that instead of voting, people should demand a UN investigation into the November protests. Amnesty International has confirmed the deaths of 300 people in the crackdown that followed those protests, and some estimates are far higher. Iran rejects the re-
ports but has yet to give its own figures. Tehran’s admission that it accidentally shot down a Ukrainian airliner in January, killing all 176 on board, sparked more protests, at the very moment when the authorities were seeking to consolidate national sentiment following the US killing
of top commander Qasem Soleimani. Underlining the importance of mass participation, Khamenei said in a speech on February 5 that “the enemies who threaten the country and the nation are more afraid of popular support than our armaments.”
Thursday, 20 February, 2020
08 COMMENT Leaving social media alone The government realises control is beyond it
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y directing the Information Technology Ministry to take aboard stakeholders before implementing the social media rules recently approved by the federal Cabinet, Prime Minister Imran Khan reversed an earlier decision which had perhaps not been implementable at all, and which could have well led to another set of rules which would be ignored. However, though this step of Mr Khan may be popular, it does throw a worryingly lurid light on the decisionmaking process of his government. While the PTI claims it is interested in taking the country into the digital age, it seems to have thought of it as foreign exchange earnings by start-ups, without realising that those startups require a society which is familiar with the digital marketplace, which is not bound by the kind of restraints familiar to governments. The speed with which the government has given up may well show the social media companies how vulnerable this government is to arm-twisting. also, the government should have realised that this was not a move to win over its base, who still rely on the social media to spread the party’s message. It is not clear how this proposal got through first the IT Ministry, and then the full Cabinet, without any questions asked about whether the rules had any stakeholder input. Indeed, the process of getting something onto the Cabinet agenda by a ministry is supposed to be rigorous process, and even if the Ministry had no one raise the question of consultation, surely the vetting process of the Cabinet Secretariat would have caused the question to be raised. The Prime Minister can ex officio change a Cabinet decision, but doing so should be an embarrassment for someone. There is the disturbing prospect raised of there being a decisionmaking process where such a thing might happen. What if the social media platform companies had not been strong enough to make a fuss? If it is possible to sneak in a one-sided set of rules, without consulting the stakeholders, on social media, is it not a possibility that other decisions might be slipped past the Cabinet in similar fashion? The Prime Minister should not only congratulate himself on a lucky escape, but must examine how such a flawed decision could get taken. There might not be squawking by powerful interests in future cases to save him.
Ehsan’s escape Answers required
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ederal Interior Minister ejaz Shah has confirmed that former Tehrik Taliban Pakistan spokesman ehsanullah ehsan had indeed escaped, as he had claimed in an audio message recently. However, Mr Shah did not confirm that Mr ehsan was in Turkey as he had claimed, or that he had taken his wife and family with him. Mr Shah’s information did not provide any answer to the questions raised in a petition by a father of one of the victims of the army Public School Peshawar killings. The father filed the petition because Mr ehsan had admitted his involvement in the aPS massacre, and was to stand trial after information had been extracted from him after his 2017 surrender. The perpetrators have not all been identified, and Mr ehsan’s trial was the victims’ relatives’ only hope of closure. Mr Shah did not address the issue of Mr ehsan’s surrender. Mr ehsan’s own audio message was not clear, though it included hints at revelations not only about his surrender, but about the conditions for that surrender. did those conditions include an immunity from prosecution? are his claims that he would identify his interlocutors meant to provoke anyone to begin covering his tracks? The escape itself raises a multitude of questions, most noticeably about the security of custody. The chilling possibility that the escape itself was connived at, even that it had originally been part of the surrender agreement. In either case, it would show a mindboggling cynicism towards the aPS slaughter, in which no less than 147 students and staff were killed. Mr ehsan does not just have the aPS massacre to answer for, but also a number of other terrorist incidents, in all of which several people lost their lives. Mr ehsan was a terrorist, and should have been made to answer for his crimes before a court. He may have been a valuable source of information about other terrorists, but that did not mean that he should have been let off the hook, nor that the conditions of his imprisonment should have been so lax as to allow him not just to escape, and that too to a foreign country, and with his family accompanying him.
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Problems of Pakistani doctors Long hours mean sleep deprivation and poor training shahjehan saRwaR
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oCTorS in Pakistan face the stumbling block of high duty hours exceeding their intrinsic abilities to work. a great number of doctors are made wretched by the burden of regular routine chores. Pakistan, being a hub for producing numerous doctors in manifold fields after MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) is unable to make provision of better training systems and management of duties in a non-iniquitous manner. Medical officers don’t get facilities congruous to their services, yet they save lives of people. In fact, doctors have become just material being used as a pawn for interests of Senior registrars and Medical Superintendents who consider themselves superior officers or medics. one could call them ward-fodder. Postgraduate trainees are savagely incorporated into the hub of devils and difficulties. Postgraduate trainees cannot enjoy mental peace and remain fighting with bacteria and viruses. Focusing upon less tergiversating, affirming low or negligible reverence for postgraduate trainees in training medical institutions is like the moon suddenly appeari g a black night. yet, it is not the headway towards right medical professionalism or ethics. Postgraduate trainees work exceedingly long, far more than normal duty hours prescribed on paper. although doctors raise a voice for this clandestinely, yet they are more oppressed, as they have little authority of freedom of speech. If they speak about this overtly, it becomes a nightmare for their medical career. a doctor carries out a duty of 36 hours at a stretch on call. If you search for an elaboration of training, it is like “Teaching a person about something or any skill or behaviour”. It does not mention any obligatory excessive duty hours or hard work. In a call of 24-36-hours in postgraduate trainings, doctors feel a fish out of water. “No criteria for capacity building yet want work,
work and work” is senior registrars’ psyche. The emphasis on work is a pressure on a doctor to be an active participant in the senior registrar’s or medical superintendent’s personal interests. “Sanctimonious shows being played in hospitals with postgraduate trainees” is more transparent than water. Clumsy senior registrars merely order postgraduate trainees to search and diagnose patients themselves as far as the majority of difficulties are concerned. I have personally seen a senior registrar asking a postgraduate trainee to display the diagnosis of a person whom he himself could not diagnose. Postgraduate traineess find only eight hours at the most as free time. It’s up to them in that time either to hit the books or the sack. difficulties of doctors include health problems, insufficient relaxation, and sometimes an unpaid training process, the lower importance of sleep and a veritable storm of bulky books. The practice of long work-hours has made common the existence of lamentable conditions-producing risks for postgraduate trainees, ultimately resulting in the decline of their physical and mental health. Patient of hypertension cannot carry out postgraduate training successfully. Postgraduate trainees suffer painful hours with little provision for sleep. lThese lng work hours just cause anguish to doctors, severely hitting hard their efforts in the medical profession. When is the solution of problems by authorities going to occur? one might say, “When pigs fly”. The irresponsibility of senior registrars, medical superintendents and trainers is ubiquitous in the whole of Pakistan. There is no helping hand behind the PGs scenario. doctors learn from their senior registrars by paying the cost of paying them uncommon praise or favour. This was the philosophy in postgraduation by the senior registrars in their time. Now, they are repeating the same with their own juniors. This has become the cry of the day and the powder keg of sheer intricacies for doctors. It might have been noticed that more trainees fail in membership or fellowship examinations of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan as there is no theoretical work
found for successful post-graduation completion. Candidates enrolled are commonly in the thousands, and those who qualify are about 30 to 40 percent of overall enrolled doctors in postgraduation trainings. There is more practical work in fetching patients from hospitals where trainings are carried out, towards private clinics. This bears outcomes in the absence of fruitful results of post-graduation trainings. doctors are thus in a quandary, finding themselves caught between the devil and deep blue sea. In Japan, in 1999, research showed that long work hours cause hypertension. Surely, managing hundreds of patients is not possible. even, it is not secret that postgraduate trainees treat patients at senior registrars’ clinics for winning their favour or trust to get their postgraduate training completed. This is not done secretly, and there is integration of doctors in referring patients to one and other for lucrative business of private clinics. This powder keg for doctors has remained unsolved since the very beginning of the medical profession in Pakistan. The decision-making bodies evolve the solutions and issue utterances most commonly in society. although their sanctimony is apparent, yet they are caught up the non-seriousness of their duties and responsibilities. The CPSP (College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan) is an institution for fellowships and memberships of 73 and 22 specialties respectively. The problems are burgeoning without timely cumulative minor or major uplift in the management of postgraduate training. The Higher education Commission could play a fruitful in Medics-relaxation-and-sleep development, but does not. Pakistan is a developing country-which requires the meeting of basic needs, including the best health system. a health system without the best postgraduates is unattainable. doctors getting miseries and problems of badly-organized systematic postgraduate training will not produce fruits for Pakistan as they are themselves unhappy, wretched and suffering a disjuncture of theory and practical work. So, it is incumbent upon all healthrelated authorities to look into matter and reconcile doctors’ sleep and relaxation, so they can save the nation of 220 million people. Shahjehan Sarwar is a freelance columnist
Lizards– killers or pets? The reality behind the myths Rafaqat MasRooR
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Here are many tales associated with lizards that are widely spread not only in Pakistan but throughout the world. Unfortunately, these myths and beliefs are not restricted to rural folk and the illiterate class, but also include a large proportion of educated people. you will normally find people saying that lizards, commonly called geckos, are deadly poisonous. These people relate the yellowish color of the common House Gecko (Hemidactylus flaviviridis) to poison, and believe that it is poison which makes the animal yellow (sometimes Tiger Frog is also included in this category). They further believe that almighty allah has not permitted the poor animal (lizards) to bite human beings. But the fear still remains because they assume that the animal may disobey the order of the almighty at any moment. The narrators support their point of view by citing the examples of several families who died because of taking cooked food or boiled milk which was later on found to contain dead lizards. In the majority of the rural areas of Sindh, you will frequently come to know about a story of a lizard called ‘Hann Khann (In Sindhi, hann means ‘bitten’ and khann means ‘died’). Further to increase and propagate fear in the masses, people strongly believe that the person who is bitten by this lizard turns into liquid. The myth is so common and widespread that almost every rural Sindhi firmly believes in it. In KPK, the majority of the inhabitants of the southern districts and inhabitants of the Federally administered Tribal areas (FaTa) name this aforementioned lizard “Zar-o-Zang” and deem it to be lethally poisonous. In one another form, there is a common belief that a person may suffer from leprosy if a gecko spits on it and this is why in some areas of Pakistan people call such lizards “Korh Kirli” (in the locl language, a lizard [kirli] capable of afflicting leprosy[korh]). This is another example which allegedly supports the poisonous nature of lizards. The common Garden lizard (Calotes versicolor) is considered poisonKarachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9
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3.5 m and is the largest lizard species and predator on Komodo Islands of Indonesia. Geckos are the most innocent lizards. The smaller ones do not even make any attempt to bite, or, if they do, their jaws are too weak to inflict any injury. The bigger ones may bite but can ous and generally feared by the locals. This never be fatal or dangerous. The yellow colour of lizard is commonly called kirarr qazi, imaama house geckos is not even persistent and when the da chhor, shyee” or “Saana” or “Girgit” in vari- animal move from light into dark, its colour auous localities. This species is particularly ab- tomatically darkens. The change in colour is quite horred, because the reptile’s habit of bobbing is common in several lizards and is carried out beconsidered a mockery of Muslim prayer. It is cause of biochemical changes in their skins. sometimes also called “Kafir-girgit” (Infidel Whenever a lizard has fallen into the food lizard), and it is particularly meritorious to kill during cooking process, the death caused by the them on Fridays. food poisoning is not due to the poison of the The terms venomous lizard. It is now best and poisonous are often known that food poisonused interchangeably, but ing due to any reason can incorrectly. The difference result in a severe allergic The story of hann khann reaction between the two terms incalled anaphyvolves the delivery mechlaxis. It is rapid in onset ia only a myth. anism of toxins/chemicals. and may cause death. Both venomous and poiScientifically, the lizard is This sort of poisoning sonous animals produce a may occur with any dead eublepharis macularius, toxin that is injurious or animal. For that matter, if even lethal to another oryou do not slaughter a the most docile, harmless ganism. Venomous organhen properly and cook it isms deliver or inject in an uncleaned manner, and beautiful nocturnal venom into other organthe result will be similar lizard, also called the Fat- to that of death caused by isms, using a specialized apparatus of some kind lizard poisoning. Various tailed Gecko. In many (usually fangs or a parts of lizards like blood, stinger). Poison is a toxin parts of the world, people viscera, and faeces in the that is found inside an ordigestive tract are suffiganism that has no means love to keep it as a pet. In cient to poison the food to inject the toxin into a and in severe cases could general, many geckos can cause victim. Poison must be inthe death of any haled, ingested, or delivone. even expired food or be easily tamed and learn ered via touch. the rotten meat could There are still many to take food from the hand cause the same result. more fictions related to The story of hann the lizards and are quite khann ia only a myth. common in different parts Scientifically, the lizard is of Pakistan. They are used eublepharis macularius, the most docile, harmto pass on from chest to chest and from one gen- less and beautiful nocturnal lizard, also called the eration to other or may be through non-scientific Fat-tailed Gecko. In many parts of the world, literature or story books. people love to keep it as a pet. In general, many What the reality is!: There is absolutely no geckos can be easily tamed and learn to take food poisonous lizard in the world except the truly from the hand. venomous Gila Monster, Heloderma, which is restricted only to arizona (South-West USa) and Rafaqat Masroor is a research associate at Mexico. Some lizards could pose danger if they the Pakistan Museum of Natural History, are of bigger size, an example being set set by Islamabad and can be reachrf at: the Komodo dragon which has a length of about rafaqat.masroor78@gmail.com
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Thursday, 20 February, 2020
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
Social Media: A blessing in disguise
Child abuse and police reforms The police has to be reformed before it can handle child abuse cases Malik aslaM awan
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large number of aspirants to join the police take it as an enterprise to boost their profiteering ends and to enjoy an edge over the general public to establish the writ of their dynastic hegemony and their personal whims. Such sickened elements should be kept away from the force of law enforcement, and devoted, dedicated, and well-groomed youth having the candescent passion to serve the nation be assimilated into the police structure, who may deliver to serve and who are capable of upholding the writ of law. Police officers making the ruling offices a rendezvous must be severely discouraged by secret psychological scrutiny and their immediate expulsion from the key posts must be ensured, to save the country and people from their plundering of the national exchequer. The raison d’être of the police structure is to serve the humanity, not to put the peace of society in jeopardy. Child abuse cases are alarmingly increasing day by day, and to stall this obnoxious crime and to save the children from sexual wolves, a law has been unanimously passed that those found guilty in child abuse cases will be awarded the punishment of death and the guilty will be hanged in public. Wise voices have accumulated to praise the decision of deterrent enactment and legislators were, also, applauded to encourage them in their ethical valour to evolve unanimity in the need to curb the heinous crime and the criminals. People were amazed at the social stalwarts who were critical of the law. Sane minds remained stunned at the dissenting voices, especially those having the highest caliber, and knew how people were sick of the rampant crimes of child abuse and awaiting a law providing deterrent punishment to be evolved to stop the crime, causing nightmare amongst the people. Lawmakers and others responsible to make law are fully aware of the gravity of the issue, which is embroiling the minds of the masses. Due to unknown reasons, the previous governments failed to gauge the public sentiment about such crimes, which were simmering and causing ripples in every sane mind. Maybe it was due to their mindset that their children remain in tight security zones and if for a short while they would remain out of the power corridors, then too, their children were quite safe, due to the high-alert security fence, which they always enjoyed by virtue of being an integral part of the privileged layer of society; even a creeping insect cold not dare to trespass into their security zone, so how a criminal dare to stare at their children? Due to the foregoing reason, the higher echelons and privileged classes never resorted to introducing a deterrent punishment. Their incisive minds had a margin of hundreds and thousands
of years of advancement over the poor fright- unheard, and due to these frequent visits to poened minds, always worried about their chil- lice officers’ offices, relinquish the ever cherdren, vulnerable to becoming easy victims of ished desire to avail justice. There is a most publicized outcry, almost criminal assault. It has been observed that a child, male or since the creation of Pakistan, that police refemale, once the victim of criminal assault, forms be carried out in the police structure to was not able to come out of the resulting fear make it a friendly organ of state to dispel the even till his or her late 60s or even 70s. The widespread fear amongst the general public mind once shocked by the sad incident cannot that in case they go to the police to report an accept the faces surrounding him as human injustice done with them, they will be humilibeings. He or she always remains under the ated and mocked by the police officials. Someimpression that there may be second, third or times the influential criminals get registered a incessant attempts on his or her innocence. fake counter-case against the victim to impliPolice behaviour before registration of the cate them to their long travail. Sincere, devoted, dedicated case and during investiaspirants, who have also gation, has been reported got solid characters, as derogatory towards should be encouraged to the victim and his or her join the police service parents. Awkwardly A police commission and those having crimibrought up and recruited comprising retired judges nal habits be discourto the police, despite the glaring fact that the permust be constituted, having aged from joining the police force. The invesson could not succeed in the jurisdiction to hear tigation process must be qualifying for even the made transparent and lower cadre, by unfair complaints against the trustworthy. Youth havand foul means they jump over the deserving police and, if any are found ing the zeal to serve be inducted into the service and occupy a high guilty, award severe and those who harbor pedestal in the service. I had witnessed those ocpunishments to them. The the intrinsic lust to give anchorage to their cupying high posts and police must be made free of whims and authority be even in the DMG/PSP vehemently. structure, who possessed political influence and the discouraged The police is a vital poor knowledge and know-how to deliver to police chief as well as the organ of state responsible for maintaining law the people, and whose whole structure must be and order and viceegotistic behavior tohaunted minds, if they wards the victims of made responsible to the succeed in becoming a heinous crimes was such police commission part of the police, will as to further discourage further aggravate the them instead of making grievances of the already them realize that they, oppressed and victims of the victims, were an ingrave injustices. Police alienable part of society and that justice would surely be delivered to reforms must be brought without a further them without delay, so that they could lead a waste of time to serve and deliver to the nation who is spending heavily on the police, instead safe and peaceful life. Due to such derogatory behaviour, the vic- of the government using it as a tool to spread tims and their relatives become afraid and re- panic amongst the general masses. Political main reluctant to report the grave injustice to stalwarts should be cautious enough not to the police. It is an obnoxious and well devel- make a mockery of themselves by passing oped practice of police high-ups, even SPs and inane remarks. They must now grow out of DIGs, to engage themselves in gossip with the this childish attitude to exhibit political matuhabitual visitors, who visit the police stations rity to make the police efficacious enough to and higher offices only to make themselves kill the crimes, not the innocent masses. A police commission comprising retired prominent public figures, or with those who are heading mafias and who daily remain in judges must be constituted, having the jurisdictouch with police officials to give a leverage tion to hear complaints against the police and, to their relations with police black sheep. Their if any are found guilty, award severe punishmain objective to visit police stations or higher ments to them. The police must be made free of offices is to give anchorage to their illegal political influence and the police chief as well deeds. Police officials give respect to those as the whole structure must be made responsible hooligans who earn for them and promote their to the police commission. vested interests. The victims of grave injusMalik Aslam Awan can be reached at tices remaind standing outside the offices of high police officers, and return to their homes mlkaslamawan@gmail.com
In the Pakistani society it is not unprecedented to feel that internet based life is a threat which has spread especially among youths to destroy their lives. Frequently seen as the best issue of our age, web-based life is intensely scrutinised. However, there are sure benefits of online networking which can refute this manner of thinking. This conviction springs from what online life sites have been named as. Destinations, for example, Facebook and Twitter have gotten incredible analysis starting late normally being seen as a path for youngsters to squander their days on their electronic gadgets. This to a degree can even be viewed as obvious yet just in the event that one contemplates over the outside of the ocean that is present day media. While indeed, web based life may have expanded the utilisation of electronic gadgets, the benefits accompanying it are much more than that of a silver coating. In the electronic age of the 21st century, online life is the best stage to make mindfulness. We would now be able to see works pioneers, scandalously Donald Trump, running their administration of web-based life locales, for example, Twitter. This mass mindfulness has demonstrated to really be a gift. The #BlackLivesMatter and #WeAreThe1% for the Fergeunson and Occupy Wall Street Movement individually have been more prominent occasions of social developments which did make mindfulness about critical issues as well as tackled these issues. However, the two issues conflicted with the standards which had been set a state as incredible as the United States, when mass familiarity with an issue becomes even the best countries need to pay regard. Along these lines, internet-based life costs to be a crucial resource. Internet-based life has additionally allowed each person to voice their conclusion. The #MeToo is the best case of this where not just have ladies at long last had the capacity to talk about a predominant issue in the public arena yet have had the capacity to join to neutralise it. Through thusly a solitary post via web-based networking media makes numerous ladies feel less alone. Thus, the ongoing down disorder displaying programme on Facebook have made it conceivable to maintain kids with the affliction and not make them feel segregated. Obviously the best course to embrace, as in each part of life, is balance. A reasonable utilisation of media, in the correct ways will permit to utilise it appropriately as an extraordinary stage. Issues emerge regular. Where better to talk about their gravity and need to talk facing them then a medium through which our each word can achieve a huge number of individuals by the dash of a catch? Henceforth, before naming online networking as an “instrument of the fiend”, we should contemplate over its benefits and how it has helped fill in as a mode of increasing essential data and crating mass mindfulness. Along these lines it might genuinely end up being a surprisingly positive turn of events. ALY RASHID Lahore
Learning the right way IT is scientifically approved and stated that the mind needs refreshment and relaxation during study and any other work for having better working capacity and absorbing or remembering things. Enjoying a working and studying mind must be having some rest and any other enjoyable task for regaining the sense working and tired neurons. In other countries like Finland, whereabout say students are having various kinds of refreshment activity from nursery class to ten class for mind. They enjoy and entertain themselves after reading and studying in class even if they are allowed to sleep if someone wants. Their literacy rate is higher than our country’s students. They think a little and do more. but in our country students are not having any kind of refreshment activities. They are not allowed to go out of class, They are not allowed to eat and drink during class because they think more and do a little. Being behind In any field because of not having relaxation and comfortability .Therefore, I heartily request the highest educational authorities to give a chance to students for enjoyment in order to make them happy. AMEEn QAMAR Karachi
Grey skies? THE Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is unlikely to blacklist Pakistan during its annual meetings in Paris but may keep it on its watch list, says a US scholar of South Asian studies. The meetings began on Monday but the plenary session, which will decide whether to keep Pakistan on its watch list, also known as the grey list, begins on Feb 19. “It’s too early for Pakistan to be removed from the grey list — that will be decided at a meeting later in the year,” says Michael Kugelman, a scholar of South Asian affairs at the Woodrow Wilson Center, Washington. “What is clear to me is that Pakistan will not be blacklisted.” Meanwhile back in October, 2019 FATF formally announced that Pakistan will remain on it’s Grey list till February 2020. At the time the Global Watch Dog while recognizing Pakistan’s Progress towards money laundering and terror financing and said: The FATF strongly urges Pakistan to complete its action plan by February 2020. Otherwise, should significant and sustainable, Progress not be made across. SYED TAHIR RASHDI Shahdapur
Thursday, 20 February, 2020
10 FOREIGN NEWS
DeSpIte tRaDe waRS, tRump SayS uS 'open FoR buSIneSS' WASHINGTON
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AGENCIES
RESIDENT Donald Trump said Tuesday that he wants to avoid policies that make it difficult for other countries to do business with the United States — even as his administration has done precisely the opposite. Trump has imposed tariffs on billions of dollars in goods and launched disputes with most key US trading partners over the past three years, but in a lengthy Twitter thread, the president said, “We don’t want to make it impossible to do business with us. That will only mean that orders will go to someplace else.” “The United States cannot, & will not, become such a difficult place to deal with in terms of foreign countries buying our product, including for the always used National Security excuse, that our companies will be forced to leave in order to remain competitive,” he tweeted.
Trump appeared to be directing his tweets at hardliners in his White House, referring to a proposal to block General Electric from selling jet engines to China. “I want China to buy our jet engines, the best in the World,” he said. “I have seen some of the regulations being circu-
lated… and they are ridiculous.” US officials are considering denying a license to CFM International, a joint venture between GE and France’s Safran SA, to export more of its jet engines to China, the Wall Street Journal reported over the weekend, citing people familiar
US takes aim at Russian oil giant Rosneft to press Venezuela WASHINGTON AGENCIES
The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions against a subsidiary of Russian state-controlled oil giant Rosneft over its key role in Venezuela, stepping up international pressure to break leftist President Nicolas Maduro’s grip on power. Rosneft Trading SA, which has helped sell Venezuelan oil despite unilateral US sanctions, and Rosneft vice president Didier Casimiro were targeted by the US Treasury Department. “As the primary broker of global deals for the sale and transport of Venezuela’s crude oil, Rosneft Trading has propped up the dictatorial Maduro, enabling his repression of the Venezuelan people,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement. Pompeo added in a tweet: “Those who prop up the corrupt regime and enable its repression of the Venezuelan people will be held accountable.” The sanctions will block any assets of Rosneft Trading or the Belgian-born Casimiro that come through the United States. It also makes transactions with them a crime for anyone under US jurisdiction. Opposition leader Juan Guaido, who recently returned from a global tour that included a White House meeting with President Donald Trump, hailed the new US pressure on
Maduro’s regime. “This news is a victory!” Guaido tweeted. “Whoever supports the dictator, no matter who they are or where they come from, must bear the consequences,” he said. Russia denounced what it described as a US attempt to “bend the world to its will” as well as Washington’s “banal desire to create advantages for American businesses that cannot stand up against fair competition from Russian companies on the world stage.” “The destructive US policy of sanctions is increasingly undermining global freedom of commerce, which the Americans say they defend, and raises
international tensions,” the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza, whose government espouses socialism, said the sanctions “violate the rights to free trade and free enterprise.” The United States and about 60 other countries recognize Guaido as Venezuela’s interim president and not Maduro, who presides over a crumbling economy that has sent millions fleeing for lack of basic staples. But US pressure has failed to oust Maduro who still enjoys the support of the Venezuelan military as well as Russia, China and Cuba. Washington has already imposed multiple sanctions
with the discussions. The report said the aim was to cripple development of China’s Comac airliner. NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT: But Trump has freely used the national security justification in his confrontational trade strategy, imposing tariffs on steel and aluminum worldwide to protect key American industry, and threatening to do likewise for cars from Europe. In the most costly trade conflict, Trump announced tariffs on virtually 100 percent of goods imported from China. A truce signed in January suspended the most damaging of those, but the majority remain in place. US trading partners have not stood idly by as Trump imposes tariffs, retaliating with punitive duties on American goods like bourbon, motorcycles and farm products, which obliged the government to provide millions in aid to farmers. In the latest dispute — a 15-year-old case over European government subsidies to Airbus — Washington hit out with 25
aimed at toppling Maduro’s regime, particularly by cutting his government’s oil revenue. Maduro on Monday accused Trump of plotting an invasion and said “we are not afraid of military combat and we are going to guarantee peace.” Elliott Abrams, who is leading the US effort to topple Maduro, voiced hope the latest step would make a significant dent on Maduro’s most important source of revenue. “Today’s sanctions are another step in the policy of pressuring the Maduro regime to allow Venezuela to escape from its terrible crisis through free and fair presidential elections,” Abrams told reporters. “There will be more steps and further pressure in the coming weeks and months,” he warned. Abrams said Rosneft handles around 70 percent of Venezuela’s oil and that the country’s top importer has been India, followed by China. Delhi has promised to cut down purchases because of its strong ties with the United States. Abrams voiced confidence that the global oil market would remain stable, pointing in part to rising US production. “We’re not trying to raise oil prices. We’re trying to diminish the amount of money available to the Maduro regime,” Abrams said. The sanctions are the latest dispute between Washington and Moscow, with Pompeo speaking out forcefully against Russian support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s devastating assault on the rebel bastion of Idlib. The United States in 2014 already imposed sanctions on Rosneft, one of Russia’s largest companies, over Moscow’s backing of separatists in Ukraine and takeover of Crimea, although the measures were limited to curbing US financing for the oil giant.
percent tariffs on a host of goods, including Scotch whisky, French and Spanish wines, and English cheeses. Trump also slapped penalties on French goods in response to a digital tax. Nonetheless, he said, “I want to make it EASY to do business with the United States, not difficult.” ‘THE UNITED STATES IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS!’: In fact, US companies have been forced to shift operations or find new sources for components, or plead for exemptions from the trade policies. Likewise, foreign buyers of American goods have gone elsewhere in many cases. “With each round of cascading tariffs, Trump has bullied more American companies into becoming protectionist,” Chad Bown, trade expert at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said in a recent paper. “For many Americans, the higher costs resulting from his tariffs mean they can no longer compete with foreign firms in either the US or global market.”
Facebook faces off with IRS in big-ticket tax case SILICON VALLEY: A multi-billion dollar dispute between Facebook and US tax authorities over profits shifted to an Irish subsidiary began playing out in front of a judge on Tuesday. The Internal Revenue Service contends that Facebook dodged about $9 billion in taxes, while the leading social network says it is actually owed a refund, according to US media reports. “This trial is about transactions that took place in 2010, when Facebook had no mobile advertising revenue, its international business was nascent, and its digital advertising products were unproven,” spokesperson Bertie Thomson said in an email response to an AFP inquiry. “We look forward to presenting our case in court and putting an end to this years-long dispute.” The judge is to hear from an array of Facebook executives during the course of proceedings. Shifting profits to low-tax countries is a routine practice by international companies, and the judge’s decision in this case is seen as a possible harbinger about whether that tactic will become less effective. The tax period involved dates back nearly a decade to before Facebook became a publicly traded company and smartphones became primary devices for engaging with social media. The IRS contends that Facebook undervalued technology it licensed to its Irish subsidiary, thereby cutting the amount of money that came to the US for taxation here. Facebook has countered that it should have valued the technology even lower, further reducing the amount paid by the subsidiary and, therefore, the amount subject to taxation in the US. AGENCIES
Every child under 'immediate threat' from climate, poor diet: UN NEW YORK AGENCIES
The world is failing to protect children from the health dangers posed by climate change and poor diet, a landmark UN report said Wednesday, warning that every child is under “immediate threat”. According to more than 40 of the world’s pre-eminent child and adolescent health experts, not one country on Earth is adequately protecting the next generation from the impacts of carbon emissions, the destruction of nature and high-calorie and processed foods. They said that excessive carbon emissions, produced overwhelmingly by wealthier nations, “threaten the future of all children” and will burden them with additional health dangers, from deadly heatwaves to the increased spread of tropical diseases. The report, commissioned by the World Health Organization and UNICEF, also highlights the threat children face from harmful marketing of fat- and sugar-
laden foods, alcohol and tobacco. “The big message is that no single country is protecting children’s health today and for their future,” said Anthony Costello, professor of International Child Health and Director of the Institute for Global Health at University College London. “When you look at the damage being done to children’s lungs by air pollution, we’ve got a very limited time to sort this out,” he told AFP. “We have the solutions, what we don’t have is the political leadership and will to make it happen.” The report, published in The Lancet medical journal, ranks the performance of 180 countries when it comes to child survival, education and nutrition rates. Under these criteria, less-developed nations such as Central African Republic and Chad perform particularly poorly compared to rich countries such as Norway and the Netherlands. However the rankings are largely reversed when the impacts of air pollution
from per capita carbon emissions were assessed. “The world’s decision makers are failing today’s children and youth: failing to protect their health, failing to protect their rights, and failing to protect their planet,” said WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. 11 FOLD OBESITY SURGE: Around 250 million under-fives in low- and middle-income countries risk being stunted due to malnutrition and other impacts of poverty, the authors said. At the same time, the number of obese children worldwide has surged 11fold since 1975 to stand at 124 million. Children in some countries see as many as 30,000 adverts on television in a single year. And despite industry self-regulation, one study showed that children in Australia were exposed 51 million times to alcohol adverts in just one year of televised sport. “Industry regulation has failed,” said Costello. “And the reality could be much worse still: we have few figures about the huge expansion of social
media advertising and algorithms aimed at our children.” The authors called on governments to radically reduce carbon emissions in line with the Paris climate goals and to tighten regulation of harmful marketing.
Current emissions pledges put Earth on course to warm more than 3C by 2100, which “would lead to devastating health consequences for children”, from rising sea levels and heatwaves to disease and malnutrition.
Thursday, 20 February, 2020
business 11
NA pANel recoMMeNds rs50bN for psM revivAl
CORPORATE CORNER
LAHORE: The Bank of Punjab, Honda Atlas Cars (Pakistan) Ltd and Atlas Insurance Ltd recently synchronized forces in providing best in class leasing solution to its customers. p re ss r el ea se
ISLAMABAD: Amid rising Pakistani interest in US higher education, representatives from 13 US universities met thousands of Pakistani students during visits to schools, universities, and college fairs in Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi as part of Education USA’s 16th South Asia Tour. p r e s s r e l e a s e
ISLAMABAD: A memorandum of understanding was signed between Allied Schools and Spirit of Math International to encourage and promote academic cooperation with respect to further enhance students’ mathematical skills and teachers’ pedagogical skills. press release
KARACHI: Following the recent launch of their new corporate brand identity, EBM participated in the Gulfood 2020 Exhibition held in Dubai. The overall response received from the buyers present at the exhibition has helped create multiple opportunities for EBM to expand their reach. p re ss rel ea s e
ISLAMABAD
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GHUlaM aBBas
HE Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) chairman on Wednesday informed the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Industries and Production about the details of huge losses and liabilities of the mills. The mill had owed Rs22.9 million by the end of 2019. He said that a number of engineers left the PSM during the last five years and that only 131 engineers were presently working with PSM. The committee expressed its grave concerns on the worst condition of PSM and its employees and recommended an immediate release of Rs20bn for the retired employees of the PSM. The committee further recommended that PSM hospital conditions must be improved. The chairman of the PSM said if the government would issue $50m to the mills, he would be able start the few specific parts of the PSM and would able to meet the salary requirements of the employees to some extent. The NA panel chairman assured full cooper-
COMMITTEE PRAISES PAK SUZUKI FOR PRODUCING QUALITY VEHICLES ation to the PSM chairman and recommended that the government must allocate Rs50bn for the revival of PSM. Meanwhile, in contrast to the previous criticism on local manufacturers/assemblers of vehicles, the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Industries and Production praised Pak Suzuki Motors for producing quality standard vehicles in Pakistan during its visit to plant. As per the official statement issued after a meeting of the committee in Karachi on Wednesday, the members of the parliamentary panel appreciated the role of Pak Suzuki Motors for providing standards products in Pakistan,” the statement said. Some of the members of the committee in its previous meeting had shown their concerns about the quality of locally assembled vehicles which risk the lives of customers despite paying huge prices. The committee members had even
Current account deficit shrinks 36pc YoY in Jan KARACHI: The current account deficit for January 2020 clocked in at $555 million as opposed to $865 million in January 2019, signifying a 36pc year-on-year decline. However, on a month-onmonth basis, the CAD witnessed an uptick of 77pc in Jan 2020, as compared with Dec 2019. The monthly decline could be attributed to a 10pc YoY plunge in exports and 11pc decrease in imports during January. KASB Securities Managing Director Arsalan Soomro said, "Whether it was the trans-
porters' strike, axle-load implementation issues, increase in power tariff for exporters or general global slowdown, this decline was not expected." Soomro continued, "The run-rate of CAD is still in line with IMF's target for FY20 that shall be comfortably met. For monetary easing, exports need to grow." The decline suggests that the country's economy was not ready for currency depreciation, as imports have reached its bottoming point, leaving little to no room for further compression.
There has been a 9pc increase in remittances during January 2020. "We expect further growth in remittances, despite subdued growth in developed markets over the outlook period, because of technological advances and the Pakistani authorities’ focus on remittances and digitization, which will further reduce the cost of repatriating funds,” Moody’s had said in a statement on Monday. The CAD, as a percentage of GDP, has gone from -3.7pc in January 2019 to -2.4pc in January 2020. arIBa sHaHID
24 dress designers served notices for alleged tax evasion ISLAMABAD: University of Peshawar Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Asif Khan, Amal Academy COO Ali Siddiq and PepsiCo Public Policy and Government Affairs Head Syed Khurram Shah sign a memorandum of understanding to support PepsiCo and Amal Academy’s collaboration on youth skills development. p re ss r el ea se
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Wednesday sent notices to 24 bridal dress designers for allegedly being involved in tax evasion. According to a notification by the bureau, some bridal dress designers paid 'meager' tax or were not even on the tax roll despite making millions from a single dress. The FBR said that it was surveying for new taxpayers when the bureau came to know about the alleged tax evasion. The names of famous designers include Wardha Saleem, Sania Maskatiya, Amna Chaudhry, Natasha Kamal etc. "Their declared income does not commensurate with their receipts," read the notice.The FBR said that the designers' tax returns were being analysed and a desk audit was being conducted. The bureau said that the information about the designers' income will be matched with their declared Income and Wealth statements filed. "It is estimated that a huge loss of revenue would be detected," read the notification. BUsINess DesK
MoIT demands Rs34bn under next PSDP ISLAMABAD sYeDa MasOOMa
The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication has put in a request for Rs34.128 billion funds under the upcoming Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for 2020-21. The said amount would be divided among 22 approved or in-progress schemes by the ministry and its attached departments, as well as 16 new schemes pending approval. The NA Standing Committee on IT and Telecom meeting was held on Wednesday to discuss and scrutinize the budgetary proposals related to PSDP in respect of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication and its attached departments for the financial year 2020-2021. The first agency to present its proposals under the umbrella of MoIT was Special Communciation Organization (SCO) – the primary telecom service provider for AJ&K and GB regions. SCO Deputy
Director Brigadier Khalid Butt gave his presentation to the committee outlining current and upcoming projects. The first project concerns NGSM [next generation mobile spectrum] services across Karakorum Highway and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB). This project is already approved and under implementation phase and is likely to be completed by July or August 2020. SCO has demanded Rs1.522 million from PSDP for the said project. The second project by SCO is of expansion of broadband in AJ&K and GB regions and requires Rs1 billion from PSDP. “The broadband infrastructure in the area has not been updated since 2007, and now it has become so dilapidated that it needs to be replaced,” informed Brig Khalid. Expansion of cellular services in AJ&K and GB regions is another project on SCO’s list for which the company has demanded Rs1,081 million. Another proposition by SCO is of fiber optic project, which due to its real estate related issues is under litigation at the moment. “We have requested to be at least
given permission to continue with the construction of the SCO technical training institute that comes under this project, because we can start to contribute approximately 25pc of the original cost to the government in revenues within six months once the project is completed,” the deputy director said. For this project, SCO demands Rs 34 million from PSDP. In addition to the above mentioned projects, SCO also has eight more, yet unapproved, projects including Pak-China optic fiber cable (OFC) project across the country costing approximately Rs29,318 million; implementation of PECA and DIRBS that will require Rs235 million; upgradation and replacement of OFC costing Rs800 million; upgrading of terrestrial microwave link and expansion of cellular services in AJ&K and GB regions, each needing Rs1,000 million; establishment of content delivery network requiring Rs1,140 million; and protection and upgrading of Pak-China OFC link (which has already contributed around $11.4 million to the national exchequer in
gone so far as to allege that the officials of the Ministry of Industries were favoring the local companies in return for bribes. However, it seems the impression of the members was changed after their visit to the assembly plant/units of Pak Suzuki where they witnessed the manufacturing of different vehicles in the plant. According to the statement, the managing director of Pak Suzuki responded to the questions raised by the members regarding quality of products and their higher prices. To which, the Pak Suzuki official said high markup rates, over-taxation and Automotive Development Policy(ADP) 2016-21 were the major reasons for low production in the automotive sector, resulting in price fluctuation in the market. Additional Secretary, Ministry of Industries informed that taxation matters were taken up earlier with Ministry of Finance and Revenue but they have yet to respond. The committee then decided that an exclusive meeting may be convened with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), and Ministry of Finance to resolve the problems of ACD, FED, shortly.
Millat Tractors' consolidated profit falls 42.44pc LAHORE HassaN NaQVI
The Board of Directors of Millat Tractors Limited (MTL) met on Wednesday to review the company's performance and announce its financial results for the 2nd quarter ended December 31, 2019. The tractors manufacturing company declared an interim cash dividend of Rs20 per share for the quarter under review. According to the consolidated financial results, the company reported a profit after tax of Rs291.873 million for the quarter under review, as compared to Rs507.128 million for the corresponding period of last year, showing a decline of 42.44pc. As per unconsolidated financial results, the company reported a PAT of Rs452.201 million as compared to Rs701.603 million for the corresponding period last year, showing a decline of 35.5pc. The company's consolidated earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter ended December 31, 2019, were recorded at Rs5.86, which is a decline of 42.4 from Rs10.18. Its unconsolidated EPS for the 2nd quarter were recorded at Rs9.08, which is a decline of 35.5pc from Rs14.08. As per the company's consolidated financial results, the finance cost for the period under review was recorded at Rs138.558 million, as compared to Rs37.931 million last year, showing a jump of 265.2pc.
THE SAID AMOUNT WILL BE DIVIDED AMONG 22 APPROVED AND 16 NEW SCHEMES six months). The second presentation was given by the National Information Technology Board (NITB). This organization is already working on demand-driven industry quality and capacity enhancement program as well as transforming federal ministries into e-offices. The latter is at 57pc completion as of today. For 100pc transformation of government offices into e-offices, completely equipped with iPads and document free procedures, NITB requested Rs572.8 million from the PSDP. In addition, the capacity building project also needs Rs604 million. Another project by NITB is ‘Digital Lockers’, an initiative to be provided to general public where they can keep their important and attested documents and can share the key while applying for university admissions or job applications instead of having to print dossiers for every application. This project will need Rs 200 million in funding. One Patient One ID is
the third proposal by NITB for which they have asked for Rs 95 million, and Presidential Initiative for Cyber Efficient Parliament has been told to need Rs 600 million to be completed in three years. Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) presented its demands next, but since they had come without a prepared power point or detailed presentation, the committee expressed disappointment at their inefficiency. MNA Makhdoom Zain Hussain Qureshi brought to committee’s notice that PSEB had also been functioning without a chairman of the board for several months and the process of hiring a new board chairperson is also being delayed. In response to this, Ministry of IT Joint Secretary Taimur Khan said that the process of finalizing the next board chairman had been completed up till the decision of the Minister-in-Charge and the complications on that matter would be resolved soon, now that Khalid Maqbool has re-taken the charge.
Thursday, 20 February, 2020
12 BUSINESS MARKET DAILY
Bulls stage comeback as KSE-100 gains 400 points KARACHI
Govt coMMittEd to incrEASinG pHArMA ExportS to $5Bn: dAwood ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) turned around its fortunes on Wednesday as the indices recovered losses made in the previous session and closed in the green. Foreign investors also gave up on the selling trend and closed Tuesday’s session as net buyers, with a net inflow of $0.671 million. On the economic front, foreign direct investment in the country has surged by 65.7pc to $1.56 billion in the first seven months of the current fiscal year, as compared to $943.6 million received during the same period of last year. On a month-on-month basis, FDI increased 52pc to $223.1 million in January 2020 as compared to $146.8 million in Jan 2019. Gaining 468.71 points, the benchmark KSE-100 Index recorded its intraday high at 40,644.06. It settled higher by 399.17 points at 40,574.52. The KMI-30 Index appreciated by 836.23 points to end at 64,416.18, while the KSE All Share index accumulated 256.75 points, closing at 28,063.85. Out of the total traded scripts, 198 advanced and 91 declined. Sectors that brought positivity to the KSE-100 Index included oil & gas exploration (+75.53 points), banking (+66.01 points) and cement (+54.89 points). Among the companies, Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDC +52.07 points), United Bank Limited (UBL +32.56 points) and Hub Power Company Limited (HUBC +23.83 points) remained the top positive contributors. The overall market volumes improved from 91.64 million in the previous session to 142.96 million. Shares worth rs6.50 billion were traded on Wednesday. Unity Foods Limited (UNITY +5.25pc), Hascol Petroleum Limited (HASCOL +3.82pc) and D G Khan Cement Company Limited (DGKC +4.42pc) topped the volume chart, exchanging 21.64 million, 10.08 million and 9.51 million shares, respectively. On the market front, Indus Motor Company Limited (INDU -1.55pc) declared a 46.9pc decline in its revenue for the second quarter of FY20. The company's gross profit margins shrunk from 12.2pc in 2QFY19 to 7.97pc in 2QFY20. It posted a cumulative earnings per share of rs29.32 for the period under review. Meanwhile, Habib Bank Limited (HBL -0.69pc) announced an EPS of rs10.27 for FY19 as compared to rs8.04 a year earlier. The company also declared a final cash dividend of rs1.25. Also, United Bank Limited (UBL +1.81pc) EPS increased from rs12.44 in FY18 to rs15.63 in FY19. The company declared a final cash payout of rs4.00 per share.
Husein Sugar Mills’ profit plunges 94.88pc LAHORE HASSAN NAQVI
The Board of Directors of Husein Sugar Mills Limited (HSM) met on Wednesday to review the company’s performance and announce its financial results for the 1st quarter ended December 31, 2019. According to financial results, the sugar manufacturer reported a profit after tax of rs5.360 million for the 1st quarter ended December 31, 2019, as compared to rs104.790 million for the corresponding period last year, showing a decline of 94.88pc. The company’s earnings per share (EPS) were recorded at rs0.15 for the period under review as compared to rs4.19 for the corresponding period last year, showing a decline of 96.4pc. The company’s profit before tax for the 1st quarter clocked in at rs11.064 million, as compared to rs113.395 million in the corresponding period last year (-90.2 pc). The sugar manufacturer’s finance cost for the quarter under review was recorded at rs47.597 million as compared to rs28.298 million in the corresponding period last year, showing a surge of 68.19pc. The company also witnessed a decline in net sales, from rs688.444 million in the first quarter last year to rs383.459 million in the first quarter ended December 31, 2019, showing a decline of rs44.3pc.
STAF REPORT
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DVISEr to Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul razak Dawood said on Wednesday that the government was committed to removing all obstacles in way of the pharmaceutical sector's growth, as it intends "to increase pharma exports up to $5 billion". "Special focus is being laid on increasing the [pharma] export volume through tariff rationalization, trade-related investment, institutional reforms and easing of business regulations," the adviser said while addressing that 5th Pharma Summit organized by the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers' Association (PPMA). Although textile was leading the country's export, new sectors, including pharma, have now been identified which could enhance the country's exports manifold, Dawood noted. He said the pharma industry was very important for the country's development and that a strategy was being developed to reform it on modern lines. The adviser urged the pharma sector to look towards the African countries and try to capture their markets. "African countries have a popula-
EXPORTERS URGED TO LOOKS TOWARDS AFRICAN COUNTRIES, WHERE GOVT INTENDS TO DOUBLE ITS TRADE VOLUME tion of around 1.3 billion people with $2.7 trillion Gross Domestic Product (GDP). We [govt] also wants to double its trade with Africa during the next five years." He said a special 'pharmaceutical export promotion committee' has also been set up to encourage the production and exports of medicines and medical products. "We are faced with debt crisis...and the only answer id more and more exports." Speaking on the occasion, Adviser to PM on National Health Dr Zafar Mirza said that the government has already completed its work on the 'National Medicine Policy' which would be announced within the next two weeks. The adviser reiterated the government was committed to reforming the pharma sector and that all bottlenecks were being removed in this regard.
However, he conceded that there were more difficulties due to the presence of "interest groups". Dr Mirza said efforts were also being to ensure merit at the regulatory authority [DrAP]. He urged the pharma sector to shun the practice of unethical promotion of their certain products. Earlier, in his opening remarks, PPMA Chairman Mian Zakaur rehman said that Pakistan has a strong pharma industry in all Muslim countries and 98 per cent of country's requirements were being fulfilled locally. The pharma sector has witnessed 20pc growth in the last two year, he noted. "We could fulfil the requirements of the entire region as the country is blessed with raw materials used in manufacturing medicines." He said the summit would discuss in detail issues related to functioning, regulation, control, growth, and advancement of the Pakistani pharmaceutical industry. Former state minister and Trade Development Authority of Pakistan CEO Tariq Ikram said Pakistan has potential to produce and export quality phamra products. The current export volume of the phama sector could easily be enhanced to $5.4 billion from $300 million, he added.
PM meets VEON co-CEO, highlights Pakistan’s investment potential ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Thursday that the government was focused on ensuring ease of doing business through liberal investment policies, which have already been acknowledged by international financial institutions. The PM was talking to VEON Group (parent company of Jazz Pakistan) co-chief operating officer in Islamabad on Wednesday. The PM highlighted the investment potential of Pakistan’s communication and energy sector and appreciated the long association of VEON with Pakistan -- $9 billion investment and 60 million subscribers. PM Imran said that the government has recently launched "Digital
Pakistan" initiative to provide a platform to the Pakistani youth to become independent and drivers of economic growth. He said under the digital policy, the government was committed to increasing the size of Pakistani ICT
industry to $20 billion dollars in the next few years. Sergi Herrero on the occasion thanked the prime minister for providing a competitive and transparent working environment to the telecom companies.
He informed that Jazz Pakistan has launched "Internet for all" campaign that includes affordable mobile phones with internet connectivity for social media, Jazz Cash and the Prime Minister's Citizens Portal.
Punjab bags £36m funding for women empowerment LAHORE SHAHAB OMER
In order to ensure economic empowerment of women, the United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DFID) would provide up to £36 million to the Punjab government under the Women's Income Growth and Self-reliance (WINGS) Programme. A memorandum in this regard was signed between the Punjab government and DFID on Wednesday. Planning & Development Board Chairman Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh, DFID Head of Economic Growth Group Anqa Butt, P&D member Khalid Sultan and Punjab Social Protection Authority CEO Shahenshah Faisal witnessed the signing ceremony. The WINGS programme aims to support the
transition of extremely poor women, from social protection to sustainable livelihoods, prosperity and self-reliance. Under the programme, several governmentled delivery channels would be developed while policy reforms would be introduced to enable the women rely on social safety nets and to ensure their engagement in income-generating activities. The programme fits within the wider transition of DFID Pakistan’s portfolio for social protection, poverty alleviation, gender equality and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Talking to this scribe, a P&D official informed that the said project would be launched in the Multi-Dimensional Poverty Index areas, which includes Bahawalnagar, Bhawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Layyah, Lodhran, Mianwali, Muzaffargarh, rahim Yar Khan and rajanpur.
Addressing the ceremony, P&D Board Chairman Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh said that DFID would fund up to £36 million, including £28.5 million as financial assistance and £7.5 million as technical assistance. "The programme will be operated through a challenge fund managed by the Punjab Social Protection Authority (PSPA)." Speaking on the occasion, DFID Economic Growth Group Head Anqa Butt said, "WINGS [programme] complements the fourth pillar of the Ehsaas Programme, i.e. jobs and livelihood for low-income households. "As employment generation is one of the major objectives of the broader economic reform agenda of Punjab Ehsaas Programme, WINGS also targets the provision of opportunities to the vulnerable groups for income generation."
UBL earnings clock in at Rs15.6 per share KARACHI ARIBA SHAHID
The Board of Directors of United Bank Limited (UBL) announced a 40pc final cash dividend, equivalent to rs4 per share for the year ended 31st December 201, in addition to the interim dividend of rs8 per share, paid earlier this year. UBL reported a 27pc increase in earnings per share with the EPS clocking in at rs15.6 for 2019. Due to a change in policy rates, UBL experienced an increase in both interest earnings (by 34.62pc YoY) and interest expenses (59.51pc YoY), thus bringing the net interest income to rise by 9.32pc YoY to rs63 billion.
Speaking to this scribe, Faizan Kamran, Analyst at Arif Habib Limited, said, "We see the impact of rate hikes coming through on net interest margins. Net interest income improved 6pc QoQ with interest expense reducing 16pc which we attribute to deleveraging of the balance sheet, as banks had increased repo borrowings last quarter." The total non-markup/interest income shrank for the year by 9.43pc to rs23 billion as opposed to rs26 billion in 2018. UBL was able to turn its loss from derivatives into income, however, fee & commission income, dividend income, and securities income contracted. Hamza Kamal, Analyst at AKD Securities Ltd, said, "Against the expecta-
tions, UBL recorded a capital loss on securities. These were partly offset by better performance from associates." Other income grew by 82.66pc for the year. Total non-markup/interest expenses increased by 11.58pc despite a 65pc decrease in other charges. This is due to a significant increase in worker’s welfare fund that has increased by rs2.9 billion. Profit before provisions decreased by 3.61pc, however, due to a 41.24pc YoY decrease in provisions (owing to reduced provisioning on the gulf books), profit before taxation increased by 39.84pc to rs35.73 billion. Kamran further said, "Earnings re-
bound of the bank has been led by 41pc YoY lower provisions primarily due to a cleaner international book with international coverage in excess of 90pc (including FSV benefit)." Taxation expense increased by 48.85pc, and thus profit after taxation from continuing operations increased by 33.67pc to rs20.273 billion in 2019 as opposed to rs15.167 billion in 2018. Loss from discontinued operations for UBL Tanzania grew by 9 times its value in 2018, from rs117 million to rs1.225 million, thereby bringing final profits to grow by 26.67pc to rs19.048 billion in 2019. UBL shares have been trading at rs170.75 after rising by 1.32pc as of
1309. The share price returns are up by 12.51pc over a year, whereas price returns for the month are down by 5.82pc. UBL is operating at a higher Price Earnings ratio of rs8.68 for the sector, and has clocked in with one of the highest earnings per share. It is to be noted that 68.48pc of shares in UBL are owned by foreign companies. In the last five years, UBL gave out dividends in five financial years with an average dividend amount of rs12.4 per share. The TTM dividend yield is 7.15pc. UBL is also the only bank to win the Pakistan Stock Exchange “Top Companies of the Year” Award for three consecutive years (2016-2018).
The Man Behind The MaesTro Rahat Fateh Ali Khan produces magical music and without a doubt he’s amongst the most sought-after world artists
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By Hasan Kazmi
HOLLYWOOD BOLLYWOOD
amed Pakistani music maestros Ustad Rahat Fateh ali Khan’s producer and global manager Salman ahmed has said that the 3 UK concerts had sold out completely showing the popularity of Pakistani artist across the South asian communities. Speaking to media, the veteran talent promoter and producer said that Rahat Fateh ali Khan produces magical music and without a doubt he’s amongst the most sought-after world artists. Salman ahmed has been managing Rahat Fateh ali Khan for about 10 years. The music maestro was well known in Pakistan because of his strong vocal skills but ahmed turned around everything for the artist and had made him a household name in millions of homes in South asia and beyond. Three months ago, the University of Oxford awarded the music doctorate degree to Khan – a huge personal honour for the musician and for his country of origin. “When I look back to nearly a decade long association with the maestro, I must admit that what a journey it has been on a global platform, cities across Vancouver all the way to auckland. achievements like the Noble Peace Prize Performance conceptualisation, United Nations, music Room at the Oxford University, Honorary doctorate for the maestro and hundreds of concerts all over the world. Thank you to all our associates, promoters and most importantly to my Pme family who has made this happened with their devotion. I especially thank to our families, who have sacrificed the most perhaps and to all the audiences who have attended our concerts in huge numbers.” Salman ahmed said that credit for the success of Khan goes to his entire team who worked hard throughout the year on the shows and on the brand of Rahat Fateh ali Khan “Behind every show, there’s sweat, blood and toll. We work hard all the time to maintain the highest of standards in what we promise and produce. Ustad Rahat performs for a few hours on the stage but thousands of hours of hard work are invested in the production of his shows and that hard work has worked to make him a mega hit. as a way of example, for our concerts starting this weekend at Wembley arena more than 35 band members will be touring with the singer. There is a team separately working in an international office here in London on logistics, concepts, arrangements, production and marketing. Once these shows are over, we will start working on the next round of events. There is no break.” In North america, due to India and Pakistan tensions at the government level, Salman ahmed accepted that attendance at Rahat’s
THE BEAGLE BRIGADE, USED IN 21 INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS IN THE U.S., KEEPS A YEARLY AVERAGE OF 75,000 ILLEGAL ITEMS OUT OF THE COUNTRY. shows was slightly less, however he clarified that all the UK concerts were sold out. “You cannot deny that Rahat is loved by Indians, Pakistanis and other ‘Urdu-understanding’ communities. There is no alternative to him.” Salaman ahmed is one of the most experienced asian art promoters, who has been in the field of entertainment from the age of 16 and started his business in London in 1987. By playing a big role in music maestro Rahat’s international success, he has now known as a global promoter and music producer. His alliance with the showbiz commenced some 32 years ago when he started organizing Bhangra nights and small British asian concerts when British asian singers had started making their mark. There was no social media and no asian channels around. The BBC covered one of Salman’s first
concerts at that time with a report to showcase how the second generation of British asians was growing with a fusion of British and asian culture. Salman was then just a teenager. So far Salman ahmed has worked with some of the top Indian artists including, Kumar Sanu, Udit Narayan, alka Yagnik, Sonu Nigham, mika Singh as well. “You should only do what you are good at. You can do excellence only in your job if you are devoted to it with full passion and commitment. I believe in total commitment and nothing else.” Unlike the maverick ways of some, ahmed believes in treating his clients as a product. “my clients are my products. I promote products in the market. We invest in our products. We take risks and we inject our life into our products to make them a phenomenal success,” said Salman ahmed acknowledging that Ustad Rahat Fateh ali Khan has been the biggest hit for him as a producer. He says he believes in promoting Pakistani talent before the world and for Rahat’s London shows he is introducing around a dozen Pakistani musicians for the first time. “These are young, educated and dynamic musicians who have been playing at the Basement Café and in the underground scene in Karachi and Lahore. They are doing an outstanding job. For the fusion part of Khan Saheb’s shows these musicians will be used. They will be performing in front of the international audience numbering in the thousands and this will bring a unique kind of confidence in them.” Salman ahmed said he was very excited about the latest round of shows because Ustad Rahat ali Khan will be doing fusion, using instruments and sounds not tried before.
Abhishek Bachchan wraps first schedule of Bob Biswas
Yami Gautam reacts to Filmfare snub, says ‘don’t need validation from anyone’
Bollywood actor abhishek Bachchan wrapped up the shooting for the first schedule of his upcoming film Bob Biswas and shared a picture of the crew on Twitter. The picture captures the crew of the film posing for the camera. “It’s a wrap on the 1st schedule!!! #BobBiswas @sujoy_g @IChitrangda #diyaannapurnaGhosh @RedChilliesent @iamsrk,” abhishek wrote as he shared the image. Previously, abhishek shared a glimpse of his character Bob which featured his eye-glasses and a motorola flip mobile phone. directed by diya annapurna Ghosh, Bob Biswas is touted to be a spin-off from Sujoy Ghosh’s hit, Kahaani. One of the most mysterious characters in the movie was named Bob Biswas, a cold-blooded murderer. The upcoming film is about the character. The role was essayed by Saswata Chatterjee in the film. The spin-off also features Chitrangada Singh in a pivotal role. Helmed by debutant director diya Ghosh and written by Sujoy Ghosh, the film will be produced by Gauri Khan, Sujoy Ghosh and Gaurav Verma.
actor Yami Gautam has shared a statement on being snubbed at the recent Filmfare awards, for her performance in Bala. She wrote in an Instagram post that she felt compelled to say something in response to the ‘countless messages’ that she has been receiving, “for getting overlooked and not being nominated for (her) performance in Bala.” “Honestly, winning an award does feel like a strong sense of achievement and confidence,” she wrote. “But more than that, a nomination in itself, is a mark of acknowledgment, love and respect towards your hard work and talent. Having said that, the esteemed jury are some of the most noted and senior members of the fraternity who have made important contributions in cinema. Hence, I shall respectfully accept their perspectives.” Yami wrote that the snub only made her “even more self assured and determined in life.” She continued, “It re-instates your faith, in the fact, that you don’t need to seek validation for your work or yourself from anyone.
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SOME APPLES CAN WEIGH ABOUT AS MUCH AS A HALF GALLON OF MILK.
CORN IS GROWN ON EVERY CONTINENT EXCEPT ANTARCTICA.
Ben Affleck reveals why he stopped playing Batman, says was afraid of drinking himself to death actor Ben affleck has said that his crumbling marriage and drinking problems were partially the reason behind his decision to stop playing Batman on screen. affleck spoke candidly about his demons in a new New York Times profile, ahead of the release of his upcoming Netflix film, The Last Thing He Wanted, and Warner Bros’ The Way Back. “I showed somebody The Batman script,” affleck told the Times. “They said, ‘I think the script is good. I also think you’ll drink yourself to death if you go through what you just went through again.” The actor was supposed to star in and direct a solo Batman film set in the dC extended Universe, before dropping out of the director’s chair to focus on his performance. matt Reeves was hired to replace him, but affleck dropped out of the role entirely a few months later. Robert Pattinson has been cast as The Batman.
Thursday, 20 February, 2020
14 SPORTS
LiverPooL Seek Home comfortS after atLetico wake-uP caLL LiverPooL
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Agencies
iverpool's return to the scene of their Champions League triumph last season was not a happy one. A 1-0 defeat by Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their last-16 tie on Tuesday leaves the European champions relying on another Anfield comeback to progress. Jurgen Klopp's men famously thrashed Barcelona 4-0 in their last knockout tie at home to overturn a 30 deficit in last season's semi-finals. There is no need for such a dramatic turnaround when Atletico visit on March 11. But after being frustrated by how an intense atmosphere at the Wanda Metropolitano affected the performance of Polish referee Szymon Marciniak, Klopp is keen to harness the power of Anfield. "We speak from time to time (about) the power of Anfield and the power of a stadium and what a stadium can have, tonight we saw it," said Klopp. "The whole stadium only wanted a result, the stadium was not here for seeing sensational football. They wanted a result and they got the result, so they are now happy in this moment and we are not." Liverpool were unhappy at the award of a throw-in which led to Saul Niguez's fourth-minute opener, while
Klopp replaced Sadio Mane at halftime for fear Atletico's play-acting would earn the Senegalese star a second yellow card. Defeat was just the Reds' second all season with a senior team. A near flawless Premier League campaign has them 25 points clear at the top of the table and romping towards a first league title in 30 years. The Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup have also been won along the way, but there is a pattern in the European champions struggling to hit top form on the road in the
Champions League. Liverpool have lost seven of their last 11 away games in Europe's premier club competition -- more than they have lost in their last 106 Premier League games. For all its TV-revenue fuelled wealth, that raises questions of the overall quality of the Premier League, particularly with the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Arsenal at a low ebb. Yet, even amidst that run, Liverpool have reached back-to-back
Champions League finals and have never lost a two-legged European tie in four seasons under Klopp. If travel sickness has been a problem, fortress Anfield has always more than made amends. Roma and Manchester City were also blown away in the latter stages in recent years before the miracle of Barcelona. "The second half will be played in a different stadium, in our stadium, and that will be different as well," added Klopp. "Atletico will feel that and that's what we are looking forward to." Three weeks from now Liverpool will also be fully up to speed. They were also sluggish in a 1-0 win at bottom-of-the-table Norwich City on Saturday after a two-week winter break. A similar 11-day break last year due to an early exit from the FA Cup allowed Klopp to take his players on a warm-weather training camp. On their return, they drew five of their next seven games, which ultimately cost them the title. However, they finished the season in supreme form, winning 14 of their last 15 matches to be crowned champions of Europe and register a club record Premier League points tally of 97. As long as they find their groove in time, Klopp's men will be confident of breaking Atletico's resistance on home soil.
Tragic gay trailblazer Fashanu honoured as United fans shamed Manchester Agencies
Justin Fashanu, who in 1990 became the first English professional footballer to reveal he was gay, will be honoured on Wednesday by being inducted into the National Football Museum Hall of Fame. Fashanu will be honoured on what would have been his 59th birthday -he hanged himself in May 1998 -- an occasion also marked by a reminder from Manchester United that homophobia still exists in football. United issued a statement Wednesday lambasting a section of its own Old Trafford fans for homophobic chants during Monday's Premier League match with Chelsea. Anti-gay chants "directed against Chelsea FC - or any other club -- by some of our fans runs counter to our values," read the statement from United. "We were the first club to sign up to the TeamPride coalition and continue to collaborate with Stonewall and other anti-discriminatory organisations in this area." Fashanu's niece Amal, who recalls
all too well her uncle's tragic death when she was aged nine, will accept the award in Manchester. Fashanu had a sublime talent and a penchant for scoring spectacular goals -- one for Norwich against Liverpool in February 1980 was voted goal of the season. Such goals earned him a one million pound move to Nottingham Forest in 1981 -- the first black player in
British football to break that barrier -but he failed to click with the manager Brian Clough. For Amal -- who through the Justin Fashanu Foundation combats homophobia, racism and mental health problems in football -- the award is long overdue. "It is something quite important that is happening," she told the Daily Mirror.
"It's just like 'wow', he's finally getting recognised and it is very, very impressive. "People forget just how talented he was at football because he was gay. "I was there at the museum four years ago and in my mind, I know this is bad, I was thinking, 'Why isn't Justin here?' "It is a big move and a big step because they are recognising Justin on a whole new level now." Amal says there is still no appetite for her friends who play football and are gay to come out publicly. "It would have to be a tough footballer. He would have to have a thick skin," she said. "It is still great, but I can't lie and say it will be a rosy path and they are going to throw flowers at you." One person who found Fashanu's coming out difficult to handle at the time was his younger brother John, Amal's father, who accused Justin of being an "attention seeker". John -- a muscular striker who was part of the 'Crazy Gang' Wimbledon side which stunned Liverpool in the 1988 FA Cup final -- has changed his views and is now a trustee of the foundation.
PSG still 'dangerous', warns record-breaker Haaland ParÂÂis Agencies
Teenage record-breaker Erling Braut Haaland warned Borussia Dortmund still have it all to do to reach the Champions League quarter-finals even after his two goals sank Neymar's Paris Saint-Germain. Haaland netted either side of a Neymar equaliser on Tuesday as the Brazilian superstar scored on his return from injury as the French champions crashed to a 2-1 defeat at Dortmund in the last 16, first leg, tie. "We want to go through, it's going to be a hard game," Haaland said of the return leg in Paris on March 11, "but we are a good team. "The result is quite a dangerous one, as Paris has a very strong team and can still go through in the return leg." Haaland's team-mate Emre Can, who alongside Axel Witsel worked tirelessly in Dortmund's midfield to contain Neymar and France striker Kylian Mbappe, said the home side's defence had been key. "It was a big statement from the team how we defended today. We know it's not over -- it's just half-time," said Can, whose permanent transfer from Juventus was confirmed Tuesday. However, the night belonged Haaland who has 11 goals in his first seven games for Dortmund and warned there is more to come. "I feel like I still can do a lot better," said Haaland. "I have to work hard to improve to play better at this level." Having also scored eight goals for Salzburg in the group stages before his 20 million-euro ($22 million) transfer to Dortmund, Haaland made Champions League history on Tuesday. His tally of 10 goals in his first seven Champions League matches is now a new record in the competition and makes him the joint top-scorer alongside Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski. The teenage goal-machine has so far scored 39 times in 29 games this season for Salzburg and Dortmund. The 19year-old had already sent records tumblng since arriving in Dortmund last month when he became the first player to score a hat-trick off the bench on his Bundesliga debut. His incredible strike for his second goal on Tuesday overshadowed Neymar's return from a rib injury with PSG desperate to break their last 16 jinx having exited at this stage in the competition in each of the last three seasons. Paris defender Marquinhos said Neymar's away goal could prove crucial in the home leg. "We weren't intense enough with or without the ball and did a lot of things badly, however the goal we got is important for the second leg," he said. The presence of the world's most expensive player was a major boost for his team, after Neymar missed last season's surprise last-16 loss to Manchester United with a foot injury. He also sat out the second leg of their defeat by Real Madrid at the same stage in 2018. PSG's German coach Thomas Tuchel admitted Neymar's lack of match fitness had been a factor in the away defeat, but said his team still has time to find their form. "Neymar hadn't played for a fortnight, but he is very important for Kylian (Mbappe), there is harmony between them and if Neymar lacks rhythm, it's immediately noticeable," said Tuchel.
From wrestling royalty to MMA for India's Ritu Phogat MuMbai Agencies
An Indian wrestler whose family story was immortalised by Bollywood is hoping to create a blockbuster of her own by becoming her country's first world champion in the high-octane sport of mixed martial arts. Ritu Phogat, who initially followed her father and two elder sisters into wrestling, is now charting a new path after making an explosive MMA debut in November. Phogat's father Mahavir, and her sisters Geeta and Babita were the subject of 2016 movie "Dangal", telling the story of the wrestling
coach who raised his daughters to become Commonwealth champions. But Ritu, 25, is forging a different career. After winning her first MMA fight in less than three minutes, she will face China's Wu Chiao Chen at this month's ONE Championship fight night in Singapore, which will be held behind closed doors because of the coronavirus. The youngest Phogat daughter is trading an attempt at an Olympic medal to tackle MMA, but she said she was attracted by the lure of making history in her new sport. "I got a chance to train with the best in Singapore and there was no looking back," she told AFP during a promotional event in New Delhi.
"There was the 2020 Olympic Games but I thought that I would do well in mixed martial arts. I have come with an aim of becoming the first girl from India to become a world champion in mixed martial art." 'One has to take risks': The nimble but strongly built Phogat said wrestlers were a good fit for the fastgrowing contact sport, which is yet to take off in India. "Top seven champions in mixed martial arts are wrestlers, so I believe that wrestlers have an edge in this sport with their ability to take down the opponent," she said. "It is all a matter of skill. You just have to practise hard. I think
MMA is not much different from wrestling in terms of preparation." Phogat, who said she was inspired by watching Russia's Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor of Ireland, admitted she was running a risk by switching sports. "I had a good career in wrestling so this decision was a big risk for me. But I did not want to miss the opportunity," she said. "One has to take risks to do something new and as an athlete I am ready to embrace every challenge." She added: "Without the support of my father and sisters I would not have been where I am. My father always taught me to be farsighted, hard-working and with strong resolve.
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Thursday, 20 February, 2020
SPORTS 15
Hosts target fiftH title at woMen's t20 world Cup Melbourne
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Agencies
ighty Australia go into their home Twenty20 World Cup this week as overwhelming favourites as they look to cement their superiority in women's cricket and draw a world-record crowd in the process. Meg Lanning's defending champions, and four-time winners, were rarely tested through the second half of 2019 when they whitewashed an injury-ravaged West Indies and a developing Sri Lanka team in the short format. Giving a glimmer of hope to their rivals, they surprisingly slumped to defeat against major rivals India and England this month, before rallying to win the warm-up tri-series. "To be put under pressure like this heading into a World Cup is extremely good preparation," Lanning insisted. Despite the recent losses, Australia are widely expected to contest the March 8 final at the Melbourne Cricket Crowd, where organisers are hoping to draw a world-record attendance for a women's sporting fixture.The cavernous MCG holds 100,000 fans, while the record stands at 90,185 for the 1999 football World Cup final when the United States beat China on penalties in Pasadena, California. It is hard to look past Australia -- who are paid as much as the men's national team, and play domestic T20 cricket in the popular Women's Big Bash League -as one of the potential finalists. Along with Lanning, Australia boasts wicketkeeper-batswoman Alyssa Healy, all-rounder Ellyse Perry and bowling sensation Jess Jonassen, all among the
world's best. They have been dominant since the World Cup was introduced 11 years ago, winning four of the six tournaments so far and crushing England by eight wickets in the 2018 final in the West Indies. The only other teams to lift the trophy were England on home soil in 2009 and the West Indies in 2016. Lanning's side open the 10-team tournament on Friday in Sydney against an Indian side boosting teen batting sensation Shafali Verma. "We play some very different teams in this World Cup who have very different styles of play, so for us it'll purely come down to what we feel the best combination is," Lanning said on how the side might line up. "But I'm extremely confident anyone we put out on the park will do well." Australia and India are 2-2 across their last four meetings and Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur said her side had improved markedly since the last World Cup, when they lost to England in the semi-finals. "If I look back two years, India's 50over side was doing well and our T20 was struggling. But in the past two years, we have transformed as a T20 team and are very positive going to Australia," she wrote in a column. "All of the teams have strengths -- but so do we. Our strength is spin," she added, with the dangerous Radha Radav and Poonam Radav among their ranks. Seasoned West Indies skipper Stafanie Taylor knows what it is like to win a World Cup, having led her team to victory in 2016, when she was player of the tournament. The 28-year-old, who recently notched up her 100th T20 cap and has
played at every World Cup, believes her side can repeat the feat, particularly with fellow veteran Deandra Dottin back from injury, along with Shamilia Connell and Shakera Selman. "It's going to be a challenge, we as a
team know that, but we need to make sure that we focus on ourselves and not what is going on around us," she said ahead of their opener against debutantes Thailand in Perth on Saturday. "That will be the way for us to be suc-
cessful over the next few weeks." England, who play South Africa on Sunday, are also candidates for the knockout phase, with skipper Heather Knight warning: "From 1-15, we've got a squad that can win games of cricket."
Cricket's coming home: Pakistan hosts star-studded T20 league
Karachi Agencies
Cricket-crazy fans in Pakistan will be able to enjoy the whole of their Twenty20 league on home soil for the first time when the star-studded fifth edition begins Thursday in Karachi. The month-long Pakistan Super League (PSL) will see top internationals such as Dale Steyn of South Africa, Shane Watson and Chris Lynn of Australia, West Indian Carlos Brathwaite and England's Alex Hales and Jason Roy among 36 overseas players in six teams.
Matches will be shared between Karachi, Rawalpindi, Multan and Lahore after security concerns had caused most games in previous years to be played in the United Arab Emirates, with only the final stages of the last three editions being held at home. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ehsan Mani believes the willingness of overseas stars to sign up illustrates how security has improved in a country where the army has fought a militant insurgency for years. "So many players touring Pakistan shows the confidence they have in playing in Pakistan," said Mani,
who took over last year with the aim of bringing cricket home. "For the fans, this will be a longawaited opportunity to see their cricketing heroes live in action and reinforce their love for this great game after being left deprived." A generation of Pakistan's youth had not watched top-flight cricket at home since a deadly attack on the Sri Lankan Test team's bus in 2009 prompted international sides to shun the country. Security improved enough by 2015 for limited-overs internationals to be hosted but Test cricket returned only in December after a decade's
exile. "It's important that it goes off well, for the future of Pakistan cricket," said former Australian batsman Dean Jones, who is the coach of Karachi Kings. "All the big boys, who are here from overseas, must bring their countries here and play." Since hosting Zimbabwe in 2015, Pakistan has provided teams with security normally reserved for visiting heads of state, with hundreds of police guarding stadiums and hotels and the PSL is no different. Roads to stadiums will be blocked and fans will have to go through multiple security cordons. Pakistan hosted only the tournament final in 2017, expanding to four matches in 2018 and eight a year ago. "I am delighted to see the PSL fully staged in Pakistan," former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed told AFP. "I welcome all the foreign players and hope they take a good message .. so that in the coming years we have more international teams coming." Australia's limited overs legspinner Fawad Ahmed was born in Pakistan but fled to his adopted country in 2010 after Taliban threats. "Hopefully it goes safe and sound to bring joys for the whole nation, and youngsters get inspired," said Ahmed, who will play for the Quetta Gladiators Six teams -- Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalanders Lutan Sultans, Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators -- will play each other twice in a round-robin phase with the top four contesting playoffs beginning on March 17. The final will take place in Lahore on March 22.
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sri lanka's gunathilaka out of windies odi series coloMbo Agencies
All-rounder Danushka Gunathilaka will miss the three-match one-day international series against the West Indies due to injury, the cricket board said Wednesday. The 28-year-old was excluded from the 15-member squad as a recurring back injury had worsened, a board official said. He is replaced by Shehan Jayasuriya. The first ODI is on Saturday in Colombo, while the second takes place in Hambantota on February 26. The final will be held on March 1 in Kandy. After the ODI series the sides will play two Twenty20 matches. The Sri Lanka squad for the ODI series: Dimuth Karunaratne (captain), Avishka Fernando, Kusal Perera, Shehan Jayasuriya, Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Thisara Perera, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lakshan Sandakan, Isuru Udana, Nuwan Pradeep and Lahiru Kumara
Thursday, 20 February, 2020
NEWS
SC rebukeS AG fOr wAStinG COurt’S tiMe in JuStiCe iSA CASe TOP COURT TELLS TOP LAWYER TO SUBMIT WRITTEN APOLOGY IN CASE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT RECORD ISLAMABAD
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STAFF REPORT
HE Supreme Court on Wednesday took the attorney general to the task for being ill-prepared in the case, saying the case was ongoing for the past six months but the top lawyer was still putting forward arguments without due preparation. A ten-member larger bench of the apex court headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Maqbool Baqar, Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik, Justice Faisal Arab, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Yahya Afridi, and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed heard the case regarding proceedings of the Supreme
Judicial Council (SJC) against Justice Qazi Faez Isa. The reference filed against Justice Qazi Faez Isa alleges that he acquired three properties in London on lease in the name of his wife and children between 2011 and 2015, but did not disclose them in wealth returns. During the course of proceedings, the court expressed annoyance over Attorney General Anwar Mansoor Khan for appearing court without preparation. Justice Bandial asked the AG that he was not prepared for what he had to say and told him that he was wasting court time. The court asked the attorney general to submit a written response for what he had said yesterday (Tuesday). He asked the AG to submit a record regarding his statement about the bench and if he failed to present record then
he should submit a written apology. He said if the AG did not find the content available, apologise in writing. He asked whether this was a presidential reference case or FIR. He said that the presidential reference should be based on a solid material.
Addressing the attorney general, Justice Umar Ata Bandial said that neither he was making legal reference nor arguing about the central case. He asked the attorney general to legally prove the case to maintain reference. It was necessary to disclose foreign property, he added.
‘WE’RE NOT TREATED VERY WELL BY INDIA’
Trump raises doubts on trade deal before India visit WASHINGTON AGENCIES
US President Donald Trump said the United States and India were working on a major trade deal, but he was not sure if it would be completed before the presidential election in November. As Trump heads to India on his first official trip on Monday, negotiators have been trying for weeks to put together a limited accord giving the US greater access to India’s dairy and poultry markets and lowering tariffs on other products. But no breakthrough has yet been announced and a planned trip by United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer was canceled, underlining the difficulties the two sides face in narrowing differences ahead of Trump’s visit. “We can have a trade deal with India, but I’m really saving the big deal for later on,” Trump told reporters on Tuesday, outside Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. “We’re doing a very big trade deal with India. We’ll have it. I don’t know if it’ll be done before the election, but we’ll have a very big deal with India,” he said, in a transcript of remarks released by the White House.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has tried to build a personal rapport with Trump, is pulling out all the stops for his visit, hosting him next week in Modi’s western home state of Gujarat for a reception in a cricket stadium. “We’re not treated very well by India, but I happen to like Prime Minister Modi a lot. And he
told me we’ll have 7 million people between the airport and the event,” Trump said, referring to a roadshow ahead of a “Hello Trump” rally in Ahmedabad, the main city in Gujarat where he will begin the trip. The United States is India’s second largest trade partner after China, with their goods and services trade hitting a record $142.6 billion in 2018. Last year, the United States had a $23.2 billion goods trade deficit in 2019 with India, its 9th largest trading partner in goods. Since Trump took office in 2017, long-standing trade differences between the world’s biggest democracies have come to the fore, with Trump calling India the tariff king. The two have warred over everything from tariffs on farm goods to Harley Davidson motorbikes and price caps on medical devices and India’s new rules on local data storage. India and the United States have built close political and security ties in recent years, with New Delhi turning to Washington as a top arms supplier, edging out traditional partner Russia. Modi’s cabinet was meeting on Wednesday to give formal clearance for a $2.6-billion deal for two dozen military helicopters from U.S. defense firm Lockheed Martin.
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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Onion exports banned till May 30th ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet on Wednesday imposed a ban on the export of onions till May 30, 2020. Considering the summary of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, the committee, which met under the chair of Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, gave approval to ban the export of onion for three months and ten days. The ministry had presented the summary in a meeting on the instructions of the Prime Minister's Office. As per the documents available with this scribe, Punjab had requested the PM Office to impose a ban onion and red chilli export last week as they had a fear that prices of these items can escalate due to possible shortage. Meanwhile, the ECC gave approval to a technical supplementary grant of Rs451.681 million for Naya Pakistan Housing and Development Authority and Rs110 million in favour of the planning ministry for Afghan projects. The forum also approved the TSG of Rs5.9 million for capacity building of teachers training institutes and training of elementary teachers in former FATA, Gilgit Baltistan, AJK, Islamabad. The meeting approved for provision of Rs636.05 million as TSG to National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to cope with the locust. The committee, while making amendments in Import Policy Order 2016, also directed Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to clear the Halal logo items till April 30, 2020. In another summary, the ECC has asked the Finance Division to give a subsidy on ‘Nomenclature of export-oriented Industries clarified’ within 14 days on the receipt claimed by petroleum Division. In the summary of the commerce ministry, ECC allowed import of controlled chemicals through commercial importers. This includes acetone, anthracitic acid, ethyl ether, hydrochloric acid and sulphuric acid. In another summary of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, ECC allowed public sector procurement of 8.25 million tonnes of wheat at Rs1,365 for the coming season. If need arises, 0.5 million tonnes will be imported around the year to cater for any shortages. Furthermore, on a summary moved by the Ministry of Energy, the committee allowed GSA to be signed by SNGPL for “1263.2 MW RLNG based power generation project near Trimmu Barrage”. SHAHZAD PARACHA