E-Paper PDF 20th December (ISB)

CMYK

Friday, 20 December, 2019 I 22 Rabi-ul-Sani, 1441 I Rs 19.00 I Vol X No 170 I 16 Pages I Islamabad Edition

Shocking verdicT callS for MuSharraf’S hanging … dead or alive g

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pHc cJ waqar SeTH orderS To ‘draG ex-preSidenT’S corpSe To d-cHowk and HanG iT THere for 3 dayS’ if He’S foUnd dead before arreST

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VerdicT STaTeS MUSHarraf’S accoMpLiceS wHo SUpporTed HiM THroUGHoUT MUST SHare reSponSibiLiTy for HiS deedS

No compromise on military’s honour, says ISPR DG

UrGeS inVeSTiGaTion aGainST THoSe inVoLVed in HeLpinG MiLiTary rULer eScape froM coUnTry in 2016

File photo

ISLAMABAD

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staff report

he special court released its detailed verdict in the high treason case against General (r) Pervez Musharraf on Thursday, wherein it was stated that the former president must be arrested and hanged to death and if he dies before the sentence is executed, his body must be dragged to D Chowk of the federal capital and hanged for three days.

Musharraf was tried in absentia for high treason handed a death sentence under Article6 of the Constitution two days ago. The verdict was split 2-1, with Justice Shahid Karim of the Lahore high Court agreeing with Peshawar

high Court Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and Justice Nazar Akbar of the Sindh high Court dissenting. The 169-page detailed judgement authored by Peshawar high Court (PhC) Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth stated, “A dictator stays in power only as long as he manages to subvert the will of his people. The usurpation of the functions of government and other organs of State established by the Constitution tantamount to subversion of the Constitution. exercise of undue influence over judiciary (such as making them cease office and/or take fresh extra-constitutional oath) do tantamount to subversion of the Constitution.

The verdict stated that “as a necessary corollary to what has been observed we find the accused guilty as per charge. The convict be

therefore hanged by his neck till he dies on each count as per charge”. “We direct the Law enforcement Agencies (LeA) to strive their level best to apprehend the fugitive/convict to ensure that the punishment is inflicted as per law and if found dead, his corpse be dragged to the DChowk, Islamabad, Pakistan and be hanged for 03 days,” read the detailed verdict.

Justice Seth, along with Justice Karim, said that the evidence presented had proved that Musharraf committed a crime. Justice Karim concurred with the findings and punishment, with the exception of paragraph 66 which mentions “dragging the body to D-Chowk”. “I dissent with the president […] it has no basis in law and will be ultra vires for this court to do so. In my opinion it is enough to sentence the accused to death,” said Justice Karim.

“Indeed, this portion of the judgement and execution of the sentence is nowhere defined but since it is first impression case and the sentence of death is announced in his absence after declaring the convict as proclaimed offender therefore the sentence is supposed to be executed and in case of his death a sentence, to this extent para 65 prescribes the mode of execution.”

STORY ON PAGE 03

Justice waqar Seth ‘mentally unfit’ to be a judge, govt says STORY ON BACK PAGE

Two civilians martyred, three soldiers injured in LoC firing

CONTINUED ON PAGE 02

STORY ON BACK PAGE

Legal fraternity trashes ‘unethical, illegal’ judgement against Gen Musharraf STORY ON PAGE 03

Trump impeached by US House on charge of abuse of power STORY ON BACK PAGE

CMYK Friday, 20 December, 2019

02 NewS

EyE for an EyE, Pakistan army tElls india ISPR DG SAYS INDIAN ARMY CHIEF’S REMARKS ON LOC A BID TO DISTRACT ATTENTION FROM CITIZENSHIP PROTESTS RAGING IN INDIA raWaLpindi

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STAFF REPORT

day after Indian Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat said that the situation along the Line of Control (LoC) can escalate any time, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor on Thursday termed the statement as an “effort, as usual, to divert world attention from widespread protests” over the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).

“We (Indian army) have to be prepared for the spiraling of the escalatory matrix,” Rawat was quoted as saying on Wednesday.

“Provocative statements and preparations for escalation along LoC by Indian COAS appear to be an effort, as usual, to divert

world attention from widespread protests in India against CAB,” Ghafoor tweeted.

“Pakistan Armed Forces shall befittingly respond to any Indian misadventure

or aggression.”

Gen Rawat’s statement came two days after a teenage boy was martyred after Indian troops shelled two different sectors along the LoC in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Two other civilians were injured from the indiscriminate shelling.

India is currently facing widespread protests after the Bharatiya Janata Party passed the controversial CAA. The Act makes it easier for non-Muslims from the neighboring countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who settled in India prior to 2015 to gain Indian citizenship.

Thousands of people have protested, saying the law is antiMuslim and the latest in a series of measures by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government to marginalise the community. At least six people have died in clashes between protesters and security forces. The government, in order to quell the protests, imposed internet bans and curfews.

India moving towards racial supremacist ideology: PM iSLamaBad INP

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday shared an article of Indian diplomat Khushwant Singh and said that he has foreseen where India was headed with its racial supremacist ideology. According to the article, Singh said every fascist regime needs communities and groups it can demonize in order to thrive. “It starts one group or two but it never ends there.

A movement built on hate can only sustain itself by continually creating fear and strife,” the article stated.

Khushwant Singh said those of us today who feel secure because we are not Muslims or Christians are living in a fool’s paradise. “The Singh is already targeting the Leftist historians and Westernized youth.

7 new polio cases take national tally to 111 KARACHI: Seven new cases of polio have been reported from across the country, taking the overall tally of polio cases in the country this year to 111. Of the seven cases that were reported on Wednesday, four emerged from KP — three from Laki Marwat district and one from Tank. The remaining three cases include one from Badin district in Sindh, one from Nasirabad and one from Mastung in Balochistan. Of the 111 cases to have been reported this year, 79 are from KP, 17 from Sindh, nine from Balochistan, and six from Punjab.Meanwhile, a countrywide anti-polio campaign is underway amid tight security measures. During a five-day campaign in Punjab 19 million children under the age of five years are being administered the antipolio vaccine. In Sindh over 2.3 million children while in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan over six point seven million and 2.5 million children up to five years of age would be administered anti-polio drops respectively. STAFF REPORT

Suicide blast in Lakki Marwat PESHAWAR: A suicide bomber blew himself up in Lakki Marwat District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Thursday.

Lakki Marwat District Police Officer (DPO) Qasim Ali Khan said that there was a rally protesting the death sentence given to former president Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf for high treason as well as a polio team in the vicinity, adding that it was unclear who or what the bomber wished to target. He said that investigations to ascertain the motives of the attacker have begun. On the other hand, Lakki Marwat Deputy Commissioner Jehangir Azam Wazir said the polio team was at a distance of three kilometers from the blast. STAFF REPORT

Don't mistake our wish to remain peaceful Shocking verdict calls for Musharraf’s hanging … dead or alive as a sign of weakness, FM warns India Continued from page 01

iSLamaBad STAFF REPORT

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, in a video message on Thursday, warned India against mistaking Pakistan’s wish to remain peaceful as a sign of weakness.

Commenting on the UN Security Council meeting on Kashmir raised by China on Pakistan’s request, he stated that issue was raised at the right moment.

“It is deeply concerning that missiles are being deployed in the occupied valley. Moreover, missile tests being conducted since August illustrate India’s true intentions which can harm regional peace. There is a pattern emerging in India’s actions.

“Keeping these developments in mind, we request the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to conduct independent verification so that the facts may be presented before the Security Council. “Extreme measures are being taken to suppress the rights of the Kashmiris. There is a communication blackout, the media cannot travel to the valley and even diplomats are barred.

“Take the Babri Masjid verdict. These

things are raising feelings of being secondclass citizens among the 200 million Muslims living in India.”

Commenting on the passage of the contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill in India, he said that West Bengal state’s Chief Minister Mamta Banarjee herself has denounced the legislation. “Slowly, there are protests [against the Citizenship amendment Bill] emerging in every city and every state.”

India’s opposition has vehemently opposed the bill and considers it contrary to their constitution, he added.

“However, in order to take the eyes of these protests, we anticipate that India is planning something.” Further, signals picked up by our intelligence point towards an “extraordinary amount of movement and deployment at the Line of Control”.

“All these things lead us to believe that India’s intentions are not peaceful.

“On behalf of the people of Pakistan, I would like to make it clear to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that we are a peaceful nation. But do not make the mistake of forgetting the events of February 27.” Our army is ready to give you a befitting reply if you use an excuse to attack, he underlined.

NAB files assets reference against PPP’s Shah SuKKur STAFF REPORT

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday filed assets beyond means reference against Pakistan People’s Party leader Syed Khursheed Shah.

Shah has been accused of financial irregularities of worth 1.4 billion rupees, the sources within the NAB said.

As many as 18 people including Syed Khursheed Shah have been named in the reference. The NAB has nominated two wives of the PPP stalwart, his two sons, Nisar Mughal, Saqib Awan and others in the reference.

On December 17, an accountability court

had granted bail petition of the former leader of opposition Syed Khursheed Shah in assets beyond means reference. Meanwhile, The National Accountability Bureau has challenged the decision of his release in Sindh High Court.

Shah talking to media had said that he had cooperated in the NAB inquiry and will continue to do so in future. He said he will fight his case with legal means.

Last week, the NAB had decided to form a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to probe into the case against Syed Khursheed Shah.

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader is facing charges of corruption in assets beyond means of income reference.

The verdict also stated that Musharraf had “persistently and stubbornly” tried to delay the trial. “The accused facing trial… has persistently and stubbornly strived ever since the commencement of this trial, to delay, retract and in fact evade it. It has been his plea throughout that either on account of ill health or for security hazards he could not reach up to this Court to face trial,” added the judgement.

SHARED RESPONSIBILITY: The judgement also stated that the military officers who were guarding the accused were also accomplices in his deeds. “If for a moment it is presumed that military high command including Corps Commanders were not involved then why they failed to defend and protect the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973 by not restraining a man in uniform […] the then Corps Commanders Committee in addition to all other uniformed officers who were guarding him each and every time, with boots on, are equally and fully involved in the act and deeds of the accused person,” the verdict read.

“The trial of high treason is the requirement of the Constitution against those individuals who undermine or attempt to undermine the Constitution by any means. This court after presentation of undeniable, irrefutable and unimpeachable evidence by the prosecution against the accused reaches to the conclusion that indeed the accused is guilty and deserves exemplary punishment. As a necessary corollary to what has been observed we find the accused guilty as per charge. The convict be hanged by his neck till he dies on each count as per charge,” the verdict added.

The verdict also called for investigation into the ‘criminal acts’ of those who facilitated Musharraf’s escape from the country. “It would be in the interest of justice that all those involved (if any) in facilitation of the

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escape of the fugitive accused may also be brought in the net of due course of law and their criminal acts (if any) may be investigated and tried in accordance with law,” it read.

JUSTICE AKBAR DISSENTS: Justice Akbar dissented with the opinion of the other judges. He pointed out that the definition of high treason was updated after passage of the 18th constitutional amendment in 2010, which he said was not intended to be applied retrospectively. “I have respectfully gone through the proposed judgement authored by my brother Waqas Ahmad Seth J […] with my humble comprehension of law and justice, I happened to dissent with majority view of my learned brothers,” he said.

He was of the view that Musharraf’s actions of imposing emergency on November 3, 2007, could not be seen as “attracting provisions of Article 6 of the Constitution” on the said date. “[Counsel] has failed to appreciate that on the date of offence [2007] except ‘abrogate’ and ‘subvert’ no other act of any person was considered as an offence under Article 6 of the Constitution. Only the act of ‘abrogation’ and ‘subversion’ of Constitution was considered as an act of high treason,” he noted.

“In the offence under Article 6 of the Constitution, the charging word is ‘high treason’, therefore, without properly appreciating what does it mean, this court cannot pass a just and fair verdict. But for this reason, both the learned counsel for the prosecution and my learned brothers have referred to the definition of ‘high treason’ by relying on the meaning of ‘high treason’ given in the Oxford Dictionary (Tenth Edition),” he added.

It is worth mentioning here that the words ‘suspension’ and ‘abeyance’ were not used in the language of Article 6 of the Constitution until April 20, 2010, when they were introduced through the 18th Amendment — almost after two and a half years of

Musharraf imposing emergency. The judgement further ordered to keep the record inclusive of the case properties under lock and key with the registrar of the court till further orders.

HISTORICAL SENTENCE: The special court’s verdict marks the first time in Pakistan’s history that a military chief has been declared guilty of high treason and handed a death sentence.

Following the verdict, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government had termed the trial against Musharraf “unfair”. Addressing a late-night joint press conference the same day, Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Anwar Mansoor Khan had said that he “will defend the law in the case but not any individual”.

The armed forces stood by Musharraf. Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Asif Ghafoor, in a statement, had said that the “decision given by special court has been received with [a] lot of pain and anguish by rank and file of Pakistan Armed Forces”.

“An ex-Army Chief, Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee and President of Pakistan, who has served the country for over 40 years, fought wars for the defense of the country can surely never be a traitor,” he had said. “The due legal process seems to have been ignored including [the] constitution of [the] special court, denial of [the] fundamental right of self defence, undertaking individual specific proceedings and concluding the case in haste,” he had added. He had further said, “Armed Forces of Pakistan expect that justice will be dispensed in line with Constitution of [the] Islamic Republic of Pakistan.”

The former military chief is currently in Dubai. He was admitted to a hospital following the deterioration of his health earlier this month.

In a video statement from his hospital bed, he called the treason case “absolutely baseless” and rooted in “personal vendetta”.

CMYK Friday, 20 December, 2019

NewS Choice of words in Musharraf verdict ‘barbaric’, ‘inhumane’, says senior bishop LaHore STAFF REPORT

The senior leadership of Pakistani Christians has condemned the detailed judgement in the Pervez Musharraf treason case, especially the choice of words, used for the former president and the institution of the army. Commenting on the detailed verdict, National Council of Churches in Pakistan President Bishop Dr Azad Marshall said that he was shocked to read the detailed verdict, particularly paragraph 66 penned by the president of the Special court, Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth. The excerpt of the verdict directs law enforcement agencies to hang Musharraf ’s corpse in Islamabad’s D-Chowk for 3 days if he passes away before being arrested and administered the death sentence. Dr Azad said the choice of wording is beyond the basic values of all religions, humanity and civilization. “The choice of words is barbaric, unconstitutional and completely unacceptable,” said Bishop Dr Azad, adding that this has severely dented the credibility of the judgement. The senior most bishop of Pakistan said that branding the former president and chief of the army staff as a ‘traitor’ did not bode well for the country. “We have huge respect for the former president and the Pakistan Army. As president, General Musharraf gave the Christians the right to vote and also made efforts to hand over the Christian educational institutes to the church, including the Forman Christian College University,” he said, adding that his services to the community could never be forgotten. Bishop Azad said that Pakistan’s Christian community demanded a fair chance for the former president to defend the charges against him.

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no comPromisE on military’s honour, says isPr dG MAJ GEN GHAFOOR SAYS NOBODY WILL BE ALLOWED TO REVERSE HARD-EARNED STABILITY iSLamaBad

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STAFF REPORT

OURS after the special court released its detailed verdict in the treason case against former president General (r) Pervez Musharraf, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Asif Ghafoor said that the Pakistan Army knows how to defend its honour.

Addressing a press conference, the ISPR DG said the military had expressed its reservations after Musharraf was sentenced to death by a special court for high treason. He said that after Thursday’s detailed judgement in the case against Musharraf “those reservations are proving to be true”.

SAYS VERDICT IN MUSHARRAF TREASON CASE AGAINST RELIGION, HUMANITY AND MORALITY

“The Pakistan Army is not just an institution, it is a family. We know how to defend the country and how to defend the honour and dignity of our institution,” he added.

The military spokesperson said that the detailed judgement of the special court, especially the selection of language and words, is beyond the basic values of religion, humanity and civilisation. “Pakistan’s Armed Forces are an institution and all servicemen are on oath to sacrifice their lives in the defence of the country, and we have practically proven this over the past 20 years by achieving with the help of Pakistani nation what no military, no power could achieve in the world,” he said.

The ISPR DG told the media that he had repeatedly talked about the chang-

ing nature of war in his previous news briefing. “After fighting conventional and sub-conventional war, today we are facing hybrid warfare,” he said. “So, we are fully cognisant of the changing nature and character of war. We also fully understand the designs of the enemy, its operatives and facilitators,” he added.

He also said that “some people want to provoke us through internal and external attacks into fighting amongst ourselves in the current circumstances, and are dreaming of defeating Pakistan in this manner”.

“This will not happen. If we are aware of the threat, our response too is in place,” he added.

Major General Ghafoor quoted Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa as saying that the

country has covered a long journey and rendered countless sacrifices to achieve its present stability. “We will not let this stability be reversed in any situation,” he said.

The military spokesperson further said that following the release of the verdict, the army chief held a meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan. “The government will inform you about the details of the meeting,” he added.

Earlier in the day, the special court that sentenced General (r) Musharraf released its detailed verdict in the high treason case, wherein it was stated that the former president must be arrested and hanged to death and if he dies before the sentence is executed, his body must be dragged to D Chowk of the federal capital and hanged for three days.

Politicians criticise special court's verdict against Musharraf LaHore STAFF REPORT

Politicians from across the board have criticised the split verdict announced by a special court in the high treason case against former president General (r) Pervez Musharraf on Thursday.

Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said that judges who had delivered the verdict had questionable knowledge and credibility. “After the restoration of Iftikhar Chaudhry, some people with questionable knowledge and credibility became judges,” he added.

He said that people, who were attempting to play with fire, didn’t know that they could get burnt. “They neither have the capability to select words nor issue statements,” he said. He said that

it was not surprising that people did not learn lessons from history.

The federal minister’s remarks came a few hours after a three-member bench of the special court headed by Peshawar Chief Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth and comprising Justice Shahid Karim and Justice Nazarullah Akbar in its verdict announced the death penalty for the former president.

Of the three judges, Justice Seth and Justice Karim gave the death sentence while Justice Akbar wrote a dissenting note saying that the prosecution team could not prove treason case.

However, the judgement authored

by Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth directed for the “corpse” of the former president to be “dragged to D-Chowk” and “hanged for 3 days” in paragraph 66, making

the case controversial.

Speaking on the issue, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) Chairman Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said that the special court’s verdict has hurt the sentiments of every solder standing on the border.

“Besides Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf, we should also be concerned about sentiments and feelings of the soldier who is countering every trick of the enemy army on every border, including Siachen, in the defence of the motherland and offering sacrifice of his life. We should also be caring about that soldier when he is performing his duties in far flung areas and he comes to know that his commander-in-chief is being termed as traitor, then what will he feel. Army chief of any country does not become easily,” He also said

that judges who had been administered oath by the former president were now lashing out against him.

“Today those people are raising hue and cry of treason against him who had taken oath from him. People should be watchful of misled people and safeguard their defenders from such false people,” he said. Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad also criticised the verdict and called it, “illegal and immoral.”

Sheikh Rasheed, who has served as federal minister in the government led by Musharraf, said that state institutions were also raising questions over the judgement.

Reacting to the judgement, Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari said that she was “aghast” at “the language of a senior judge”.

Legal fraternity trashes ‘unethical, illegal’ judgement against Gen Musharraf iSLamaBad MIAN ABRAR

The legal fraternity on Thursday rejected the judgment of the special court bench against former president General (r) Pervez Musharraf and questioned the merit and legal flaws of the judgment.

Even those jurists who had been demanding severe punishment for Musharraf reacted strongly to the verdict, terming paras 66 and 67 as being in violation of the Constitution and legal, ethical and moral norms. Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan said that he personally opposes the death sentence and believes that life imprisonment should be handed down to the convict instead. He said that para 66 has raised serious questions over the intellectual capacity of these judges.

“Hanging the dead body of the accused at D-Chowk for three days is not possible under the law. This would destroy the entire judgment. This is not Taliban rule in Pakistan. You cannot disfigure, drag or hang a dead body,” he said, adding that that high treason’s definition is not in the Constitution but it is in the dictionary.

When asked whether the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) supports the judgment, he said that he cannot answer that question yet but the party is undoubtedly against the death penalty. “I think the party would reject the death penalty. It would discuss it in detail,” he said.

He also said that Musharraf is staying abroad and he cannot appeal without surrendering. The judgment is effective but it cannot be upheld against an appeal, he added. He added that in his view, an appeal should be filed immediately by Musharraf.

“The Supreme Court (SC) must take suo motu notice of this judgment. There

is only one precedent in the history and that is that the Taliban had hanged Afghan President Najibullah,” he added.

He said that the special court is not a court under the Constitution. “These judges have delved into politics by mentioning my name in the judgment and directing for Musharraf to be hanged in D-Chowk,” he added.

Senior Advocate Hamid Khan, while speaking to Pakistan Today Editor Arif Nizami on Channel 92’s programme ‘Ho Kya Raha Hai?’, said that judges cannot be taken to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) on the basis of their verdicts.

Attorney General Anwar Mansoor Khan, while speaking to a local news outlet, said that the sanity of the author of the detailed verdict in the Musharraf treason case is "questionable" and called for his trial and removal under Article 209 of the Constitution. He said that the verdict was "unconstitutional, unethical, inhuman, and was given by an individual whose sanity is questionable". "He must be tried under Article 209 and I will take appropriate measures for immediate action against him," he said."This is a judgment which I strongly condemn,” he added.

The attorney general said that the law provides for any person to be able to move a petition with the supreme judicial council and he intends on undertaking the requisite measures to put such a petition forward.

He remarked that the judgment was based "on personal enmity and vengeance".

In further criticism, he said that the judgment had also "attacked the army" in mentioning the fact that army officials have taken an oath and that Musharraf's actions were against the oath.

"A person who acts against Islam, the law and the Constitution can never be allowed to remain a judge,” he added.

Senior lawyer and law expert Salman Akram Raja said that the apex court can exempt Musharraf from appearing in court to file a plea.

Referring to the controversial paragraph 66 of the verdict against the former army chief by the special court, Raja said that it was not possible to hang Musharraf's corpse at D-Chowk as the verdict lacked consensus. Raja said that paragraph 66 was controversial and that he did not expect the court to state an observation in the tone that it was mentioned.

He said that the dissenting note from a judge did not mean that the case was weak.

He added that it was not possible for the government to withdraw from the case.

Former attorney general Irfan Qadir said that SC must take a suo motu notice of the verdict and strike it down immediately. He said that the judges should be suspended forthwith and their psychological assessment should be ordered. He added that the language used in the verdict reflects bias and personal vendetta and therefore it cannot be upheld in the appeal too. He further said that the detailed verdict had brought a bad name for Pakistan and the mention of D-Chowk and hanging reflects some personal prejudice.

Senior lawyer Advocate Malik Ahmed Ali said that the judgment was faulty and in violation of the procedures and reflected an indecent haste by the bench. He said that under CrPC, no punishment can be given to the accused in absentia.

Moreover, he added, evidence has not been recorded by prosecution, something which was totally against the law. He said that the basic fact was that the judgment was about the emergency declared by Musharraf in 2007 while the Constitution had been suspended. “Special clauses were added in 18th Amendment in year

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2010 and clauses were added on purpose to target Musharraf,” he added.

“Retrospective effect cannot be made of Article 6 and Musharraf cannot be punished as when the Constitution was suspended in 2007, it was not a crime.

Moreover, the reference cannot be carried after a delay from 2007 to 2013,” he said.

Senior jurist Advocate Kamran Farooq said that there were major lacunae in the judgment as the cabinet did not approve filing of the reference and rather it was only filed on the direction of the prime minister. He said that Mustafa Impex judgement of the apex court, the reference must be filed after endorsement by the federal cabinet and not the prime minister.

Farooq said that under the law, the prime accused cannot be prosecuted and abettors and facilitators must also be prosecuted along with the prime accused.

He said that the judgement reflected some personal vendetta as is reflected in paras 66 and 67. “I believe that these judges should be hanged and not the accused as these judges have brought a bad name to judiciary. This is totally a biased judgment and in violation of constitutional provisions,” he added.

Advocate Khwaja Shahid Rasool said that basic legal facts had been ignored in the judgment. He said that the basic flaw in the judgment is that the reference had been filed without approval of the cabinet.

“This is a violation of high treason act and special law CLA 1976. The constitution of prosecutors, constitution of Special Court – all are illegal as no sanction or approval from cabinet was sought,” he added.

He said that the aiders and abettors mischievously had been excluded from the prosecution. “Instead of following 512 CrPC and putting case to rest till arrest or appearance of Musharraf, the court pro-

ceeded with the trial. The statement of accused is mandatory which is bypassed by the court. Musharraf was denied the right to be represented by the defence council of his choice. Application to form the commission and application to hear defence evidence was dismissed,” he added.

Advocate Faisal Chaudhry said that this judgment would incite reactions from human rights organisations from all over the world. “This verdict cannot be upheld.

This judgment would be remembered as a black judgment in our history,” he added.

Advocate Ashtar Ausaf said that the November 3 act was not high treason and rather it was violation of the oath taken

by Musharraf. Referring to a reported judgment by a bench headed by Justice Tasadduq Jilani in 2014, Ashtar Ausaf said that the bench had rejected the notion of abrogation of the Constitution. He said that the federal government has said that they want to try aiders and abettors along with the prime accused. He further that Prime Minister Imran Khan has a principled stance that aiders and abettors also needs to be tried. “I do not think PM Imran has been defending Musharraf.

Yes, no one can defend the violation by Musharraf but I think hanging the accused is not right,” he added.

Justice (r) Shaiq Usmani said that there is no legal or moral or religious justification for dragging and hanging the dead body of Musharraf. “This would destroy the judgment. This is very weak judgment and there is no application of mind in this judgment.

There is no legal basis for making such a judgment,” he said.

When asked if there is a mention of high treason in the constitution, Usmani said that there is no definition of high treason and an appeal must be filed immediately against the judgment.

04 LAHORE

Friday, 20 December, 2019

WEATHER UPDATES FRIDAY

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Forest Department Fails to set up Bahawalpur Forest park Despite oBtaining FunDs LAHORE

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SHAHAB OMER

HE Punjab Forest department has failed to set up the forest park in Bahawalpur despite obtaining Rs190 million from the provincial government in this regard, Pakistan Today learnt.

According to details, the project titled “Establishment of Forest Park Bahawalpur 89 Acres” began in 2017 with a gestation period of two years and with the objective of beautifying the south Punjab city.

The project also sought to mitigate air and water pollution.

Pakistan Today learnt that the approved cost for the project was Rs190 million while only 5.42% (Rs10.296 million) of the total budget was utilised for the period of 2017-19 The monitoring report issued by Directorate General Monitoring and Evaluation (DGM&E) for the project states, “No activity for beautification

of the area was done. There was not a single facility for physical activity and there was no activity done for mitigation of pollution.”

While giving its observations, the report states, “Aesthetic area (20 acres) was not developed properly in the park and it was not being maintained. Weeds were present in the area. Survival rate of the aesthetic plants (Pilkin, Melaleuca, Takoma and Calliandra) was very low (ranging between 50% and 63%). Water channels, of the aesthetic area, were full of weeds. Electrification was incomplete in the project area. Transformers were not installed on electric poles. Lack of proper monitoring mechanism during project implementation was observed.”

The report in its recommendations states, “Aesthetic area (20 acres) should be maintained properly. Weeding should be done on regular basis.

Restocking should be done in the aesthetic area to increase plant popula-

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ONLY A FRACTION OF THE AMOUNT RELEASED BY THE GOVERNMENT WAS SPENT ON THE PROJECT tion. Water channels should be cleaned on regular basis to minimize water losses. The forest department should also inquire into the facts for the failure of the intervention to avoid such incidents in future.”

The report while giving its conclusion states, “The project has substantial relevance due to significance of the project regarding local and national requirements. The project is not effective in achieving the objectives and targets. Efficiency of the project is poor due to no achievement of targets during the project period and within the approved cost. This project has no impact based on the target achieved. Considering the financial progress and social impacts, the project has no sustainability. According to the progress of the project and nature of targets, there is very high risk involved in the project. On the basis of collected data, observations and beneficiary survey, the project is unsuccessful.”

ATC grants bail to 17 lawyers in PIC attack case LAHORE STAFF REPORT

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Thursday granted bail to 17 lawyers arrested in the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) clash case.

According to details, the court announced the decision after hearing the arguments of all the parties.

Earlier, seven lawyers – who were arrested in the case pertaining to the riot at the PIC – have been declared

cleared after they were examined by the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA).

A forensic report was prepared by the PFSA which examined the seven lawyers who were detained by the Punjab Police. The report clearly stated that the accused lawyers have nothing to do with the PIC incident.

It was stated that the police should apprehend those who were actually involved in the matter. All of them were found innocent stating that they did not take any part in the hospital clash nor did they enter the premises of the PIC.

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WCLA begins conservation of Deewan-e-Khaas, Shah Jahani Khwabgah and Kala Burj in Lahore Fort LAHORE STAFF REPORT

The Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) has taken up preservation work of the Shah Jahani Quadrangle at the Lahore Fort, which would involve the renovation of the Deewan-e-Khaas, Shah Jahani Khwabgah and Kala Burj areas and would be completed in a span of two years.

The cost of the project is estimated at Rs32.07 million.

Preservation work at Deewan-e-Khaas and Shah Jahani Khawabgah would include the restoration of marble pillars, arch, mudakhal, inlay work, marble brackets, lintels, and fresco lining work.

Restoration work will also include consolidation of the structure, roof treatment incl. steel pins, installation of epoxy, steel sheets, replacement of missing marble, removal of graffiti, installation of signage and plaques, floor treatment, walkways for visitors and Illumination of the entire quadrangle.

Adnan Saleem, a frequent visitor to the fort said that owing to neglect the Shah Jahani Quadrangal does not attract as much tourists as the Dewan-e-Aam or Sheesh Mahal, hence WCLA should pay more attention to it.

“This is a beautiful place but not as appealing for tourists as the Deewan-e-Aam or the Sheesh Mahal. There should be signage

and detailed history plaques installed here for tourists to be able to visit. WCLA should also hold Dastan Goi at the Quadrangle and include it in history by night tours,” he said.

“WCLA should also devise mobile apps related to the Lahore Fort to further maximise the site’s tourist potential,” he added According to the Deputy Director Media and Marketing of WCLA Tania Qureshi, “Shah Jahan’s Quadrangle is a work of stunning art where you can see constructions in white marble. On the east of Shah Jahan’s quadrangle is the Deewan-e-Khas (Hall of Private Audience) which was used for private meetings by the Mughal monarchs where courtiers and ambassadors were received with royal protocol,” she said.

“This place is an exemplar of the Mughals’ taste for the exquisite and the restoration aims to bring it back to life,” she added.

WCLA Director Conservation and Planning Najamusaquib said, “The preservation process of Shah Jahan’s Quadrangle would include consolidation of structure, roof treatment incl. steel pins, epoxy, steel sheets, replacement of missing marble, removal of graffiti, installation of signage and plaques, floor treatment, walkways for visitors and Illumination of the entire quadrangle. The structures of Kala Burj, Deewan-e-Khas and Khawabgah which were the sleeping chambers of the emperor will also be preserved so will the white marble used extensively in the quadrangle.”

Saudi Arabia has always stood with Pakistan: Buzdar ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Ambassador of Saudi Arabia in Pakistan Nawaf Bin Said Al-Malki called on Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar at the Punjab House, Islamabad, on Thursday and discussed with him matters of mutual interest.

Speaking on the occasion, Usman Buzdar said that Pakistan-Saudi Arabia relations are linked in deep-rooted religious and socio-cultural norms adding that Saudi Arabia has always stood with Pakistan. On the other side, he pointed out that Pakistanis have a deep-rooted attachment with Saudi Arabia and the people are conjoined in the bonds of brotherhood and harmony.

The hearts of the people of both the

countries beat in unison, people also share each other’s joys and agonies, he said, adding that it is sanguine that Saudi Arabia has always extended full support to Pakistan on the diplomatic front.

The chief minister expressed the satisfaction that relations between PakistanSaudi Arabia are touching new heights during the incumbent government.

Saudi Ambassador Mr. Nawaf Al-Malki said, on this occasion, that Saudi Arabia gives special importance to its relations with Pakistan and added that friendly relations are being strengthened with every passing day. Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have sided with each other like brothers and this relation will be further strengthened.

He also appreciated the steps taken for public welfare in Punjab.

Dense fog likely to prevail in Punjab ISLAMABAD: Dense fog is likely to prevail in plain areas of Punjab and upper Sindh during morning hours on Friday. According to National Weather Forecasting Centre Islamabad, cloudy weather is expected in most parts of the country while, light rain/drizzle may occur at few places. During past 24 hour, weather remained dry and cold in most parts of the country while very cold in upper areas. However, rain occurred at few places in Kalat, Nokundi, Dalbandin and Gilgit Baltistan. Snowfall is also recorded in Skardu during the period. Rainfall(mm) were recorded at Gilgit Baltistan: Skardu 04, Balochistan: Kalat 01 and snowfall at Skardu: 02 inches.

Today’s lowest minimum temperatures (°C) were recorded at Skardu 11°C, Astore -10°C, Gupis , Bagrote -08°C, Parachinar, Gilgit, Hunza -05°C, Rawalakot , MalamJabba and Dir 02°C. According to synoptic situation, a westerly wave is present along western parts of the country and likely to persist during next 24 hours. APP

Friday, 20 December, 2019

NEWS

Edwardes College Peshawar principal shown the door BOG APPOINTS PROF MUHAMMAD ZAKI AS ACTING PRINCIPAL IN PLACE OF BRIG (R) NAYYAR FARDOWS RIFT BETWEEN KP GOVT AND DIOCESE OF PESHAWAR OVER PRESTIGIOUS COLLEGE HAS DESTROYED REPUTATION OF INSTITUTE PESHAWAR: The Edwardes College Peshawar Board of Governors (BoG) on Thursday decided to replace Brigadier (r) Nayyar Fardows as the college principal with a more able person from the Christian community.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shah Farman, who is chairman of the Edwardes College BoG, reiterated during the meeting that the Christian identity of Edwardes College would not be disturbed by any means. “Our purpose is to retain the glory and historic identity of Edwardes College and we have to take concrete steps for restoration of its educational quality and standard,” he told the board members. The BoG approved the appointment of retired Professor Muhammad Zaki as acting principal of the college till the appointment of a permanent principal. The board meeting also decided to hold a third party audit of Edwardes College’s financial affairs and conduct an inquiry in overall irregularities in the college. The rift between the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and Diocese of Peshawar of the Church of Pakistan over the prestigious Edwardes College has destroyed the reputation of the institute. Peshawar Diocese Bishop Humphrey Peters fears that the government is taking possession of the college from Christians and has announced of launching a protest campaign against interference in the college after Christmas. The issue dates back to 2016, when Malik Naz, a candidate for the post of the college’s principal, went to the Peshawar High Court against the appointment of the incumbent Principal Nayyar Fardows. The court decided against the applicant and also declared the college a private entity. In light of the court’s decision, the Diocese Committee formed its own Board of Governors (BOGs) for the college headed by the Bishop of Peshawar Diocese. It also stopped the BOG headed by the KP governor from holding meetings and managing administrative affairs of the college. Some faculty members had turned against the current principal and started a movement against him. Students also joined in the protests. Rallies were held against the principal and faculty members held press conferences asking the KP government to intervene and save the college from getting ruined. In an unprecedented move, students boycotted classes for two weeks. In the meantime, the Bishop of Diocese moved a petition in the Peshawar High Court, asking the court to stop the KP government from intervention in the affairs of the college, which was a private entity. Faculty members also filed a petition, asking the court to revisit its decision from 2016 in which it had declared the college a private entity. They asked the court to declare the college an autonomous educational institute with its BOG headed by the governor, as was the arrangement prior to the court’s 2016 order. Shah Farman chaired a meeting of the college BOG after the court’s order. It was boycotted

by Christian members of the board. The court was told that the college had been taken over under the Privately Managed Schools and Colleges (Taking Over) Regulations 1972 and it had a BOG headed by the governor. Last month, the court dismissed the Bishop’s petition and declared the college an autonomous body.

The court also directed the authorities concerned to restore the past glory of the college. STAFF REPORT

ISLAMABAD

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APP

HE Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday was informed that Article 209 bars a president from holding an inquiry against judges and as the only institution mandated to do this is the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC).

A 10-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 Sajjad Ali Shah, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed heard the case regarding proceedings of the SJC against Justice Qazi Faez Isa. The reference filed against Justice 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, Advocate Iftikhar Gillani, counsel for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council (KPBC) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa High Court Bar Association (KPHCBA), said that the whole legal fraternity was involved in the reference. The bench and the bar were two wheels of a cart, he added.

He said that the term of a judge was linked to the independence of the judiciary. It was the request that all the lawyers should collectively plead to the court, he added. He also said that Article 209 did not authorise the president to inquire into the matter before sending it to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC). Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Mi-

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ArTIClE 209 bArs PrEsIdEnT froM holdIng InquIry AgAInsT JudgEs, sC Told

ankhel asked whether the president used his own mind in the reference.

Iftikhar Gillani said the complainant did not even provide a single page proof in this case. No person could play with the dignity of the court, he added.

He asked whether anyone could question the dignity of 17 persons out of the 220 million population, who were judges of the apex court, without any proof. If the court was not given honour then there would be no respect

for the whole society, which was ultimately associated with the court, he added. He said that the case was giving a bad impression. It had eroded the people’s confidence in the judge, he added. Iftikhar Gillani said that the public was also surprised at the reference and the press conference held by the attorney general on it.

He said that neither the government nor the president had the authority to conduct an investigation under

Article 209 on the reference. The president could only ask the SJC for an inquiry, he added. Justice Faisal Arab said that the representatives of lawyers and bar councils were arguing against one another. Hamid Khan has given different arguments, he added.

Iftikhar Gillani said that his job was not to win a case but to settle the matter with the help of court. Justice Umar Ata Bandial said that according to Iftikhar Gillani, the reference came from the Prime Minister’s Secretariat and the recommendation of the prime minister in the reference were irrelevant. Iftikhar Gillani said that the government had no authority for providing information.

The reference stated that the complaint was being sent to the SJC on the recommendation of the prime minister. He asked what was the reason that an inquiry matter was only given to the SJC. He said that the basic point in the reference was to authorise judges to conduct an inquiry against a judge. He said that the term of a judge had been defined by the apex court. It was a matter of independence of the judiciary. The inquiry against a judge could only be conducted by the SJC and not by the president, he added. The case was then adjourned till after winter vacation.

Maulana Tariq Jameel inaugurates auditorium at PIA Training Centre

ISLAMABAD: An aesthetically pleasing view of leafless trees in the federal capital. ONLINE

KARACHI: Renowned religious scholar Maulana Tariq Jameel visited the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Head Office in Karachi and inaugurated the recently-renovated auditorium at PIA Training Centre.

The religious scholar was welcomed and received by PIA CEO Air Marshal Arshad Malik and other senior officers of the airline. Tariq Jameel addressed the airline employees at the inaugural ceremony. He prayed for the revival of PIA and advised the employees to keep working hard for the betterment of the airline under the leadership of PIA CEO Air Marshal Arshad Malik. The auditorium has been named after Air Marshal Asghar Khan, who had served the national flag carrier as its President in the 1960s and who ushered PIA into its golden period.

SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK: Meanwhile, PIA Engineering has initiated a Safety Awareness Week, including fire safety training sessions and safety procedures to be adopted during work at Engineering Hangars. On the first day of Safety Week, safety awareness session was held followed by a fire extinguishing and evacuation drill at PIA Engineering Hangar Karachi. PIA CEO Air Marshal Arshad Malik, sharing his views on the occasion, said that safety is PIA’s foremost priority and all steps are being taken to further improve and sustain the safety standards. PIA Chief Technical Officer Aamir Ali and engineering personnel were present at the safety session. PIA conducts regular trainings on various safety aspects to regularly inform and update its employees on current practices in aviation industry. PRESS RELEASE

Forced conversions continue unabated in Sindh KK SHAHID Cases of underage girls from religious minorities being married off to Muslim families continued to surface in the country throughout 2019.

A vast majority of the cases were reported from Sindh, with most of the victims belonging to the Hindu community.

An estimated 4.5 million Hindus live in Pakistan, majority of them in Sindh.

The latest prominent case of forced conversion in the province came from a Christian family, with 14-year-old Huma Masih having been kidnapped on October 10. The abduction of Huma, an 8th grade student at a private school in Karachi’s Zia Colony, was brought into the limelight last month, with Sindh Governor Imran Ismail taking notice of the case on November 29.

On Dec 1, Huma released a video on social media claiming that she hadn’t been kidnapped, had converted to Islam and got

married by her own will. Even taking the statement at face value would mean the case violates the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act, which establishes 18 years as the legal minimum age of marriage.

Legislation against forced conversion was shot down in 2017 despite the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) led Sindh Assembly passing the bill to check forced conversions in November 2016. The proposal that no one under the age of 18 should be legally allowed to convert outraged the Islamist groups. The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) dubbed it ‘un-Islamic’, as Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq pushed PPP Cochairman Asif Ali Zardari to withdraw the bill.

The Hindu Marriage Act was passed in 2017, which in addition to providing regulation of Hindu marriages was also designed to cater to forced marriages and conversions. However, question marks remain over its implementation.

Critics argue that the case of Huma Masih highlights that even the legislation in place cannot be implemented owing to Islamist pressure groups. This has resulted in a growing number of cases of forced conversion in Sindh.

“Many madrassas in interior Sindh are actively involved in undertaking forced marriages. They are given patronage by political parties and influential figures in the province which further render the minorities helpless,” says Dr Mehdi Hasan, chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP). After continued debate over the legislations surrounding forced conversions over the past two years, a bill was once again presented in the Sindh Assembly in October to counter the involvement of certain influencers facilitating the crimes. The PPP rejected it again. “All communities are affected by violence against women. Victims of rape, child marriages belong to all com-

munities,” Senator Krishna Kumari says.

“Many [cases of forced conversion of Hindu girls’] come under child marriages, for which we have the so Child Marriage Restraint Act is applied. What we are trying to ensure is that the laws in place are implemented while working on the other needed legislations,” she adds. According to this year’s HRCP report, at least 1,000 girls are forcibly converted to Islam annually, the majority of them being Hindus. The lack of exact data on conversion cases is owing to the fact that a vast majority of the instances aren’t reported.

Before being elected to power Prime Minister Imran Khan vowed to prevent forced marriages, maintaining that he had personally received complaints from the Hindu community. Some reports reiterate that in Umerkot district alone 25 forced marriages take place every month.

While these cases largely devoid of mainstream media coverage, it is the local

media that manages to highlight some of the more prominent incidents. Sindhi publication Daily Ibrat extensively reported on 50 of the cases last year.

Similarly, critics argue, much of the noise generated against the practice is usually covered by the international media. “Most of the [religious] minorities’ issues are highlighted by international media, only after which does the mainstream media in Pakistan cover it,” says Peter Jacob, the Executive Director at Centre for Social Justice (CSJ).

On November 21, a joint parliamentary committee was formed, led by the Senate chairman and National Assembly speaker, to take action against forced conversations. The committee features 22 parliamentarians including eight Hindu and Christian lawmakers. “Hopefully, this will result in an increase in security and protection of life and liberty for the religious minorities in the country,” says Jacob.

Friday, 20 December, 2019

06 WORLD VIEW

From impeachment to death sentences: how countries punish wayward leaders THE WORLD LEADER IN IMPEACHMENT IS NORWAY, WHICH MODELED ITS SYSTEM AFTER THE UNITED STATES’ AND HAD INVOKED IMPEACHMENT EIGHT TIMES BEFORE 1927 Politico

u

RYAN HEATH

S President Donald Trump thinks he’s suffered more injustice than the alleged witches of Salem, but it could be worse.

Pakistan’s former president Pervez Musharraf faced possible impeachment in 2008, leading to his resignation. In the end — earlier this week — Musharraf was sentenced to death for treason.

At the other end of the spectrum, Trump isn’t even the first leader to face impeachment this month. That (dis)honor belongs to Carrie Lam, the chief executive of Hong Kong. Lam survived a Dec. 5 impeachment vote by a margin of 36 to 26, but need not have worried too much.

The vote was an intermediate step and the Communist Party hierarchy in Beijing would likely have stepped in to end the process if she had lost. That’s a luxury Trump won’t have if his impending Senate trial goes unexpectedly awry.

The travails of Trump, Musharraf and Lam raise the question of how countries around the world offer lawmakers and citizens the chance to remove high-office

holders from their positions. In parliamentary systems, a national government leader can typically be replaced for any reason if they have lost the confidence of a majority of members of the lower house of parliament (the equivalent of the U.S. House of Representatives).

American-style presidential impeachment exists in countries including India, Brazil, Russia, France, Germany, South Korea, Philippines, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria and Ireland. While American lawmakers now have impeached a president three times, the world leader in impeachment is Norway, which modeled its system after the United States’ and had invoked impeachment eight times before 1927, until the constitutional mechanism fell into disuse following a failed attempt to impeach the prime minister and six members of his Cabinet.

Brazil offers the most recent example of a successful presidential impeachment: Dilma Rousseff in 2016. The Brazilian lower house of Parliament started an impeachment process over budgetary management questions, following a procedure nearly identical to the one used in the United States. Rousseff was removed from duties and her vice president took

over while her impeachment was pending in the Brazilian Senate. The first European head of state to be removed via impeachment was Rolandas Paksas, Lithuania’s president. The 2004 impeachment of Paskas — an erratic populist with links to Russian business figures — took place amid public concern about Russian meddling in Lithuania’s political process. But the similarities with President Trump end there: Paskas was contrite when he appeared, unsuccessfully, before Parliament to defend himself.

While the French president enjoys immunity from regular criminal prosecution while in office, they may be impeached under reforms passed in 2014, for any “breach of their duties that is clearly incompatible with the exercise of their mandate.” For impeachment to begin, 10 percent of senators and 10 percent of lower house deputies must sign a

resolution. To move forward two-thirds of senators and deputies need to agree to impeachment, an act which then triggers the formation of a special Republican High Court to consider the charges. The Czech Republic follows a similar model.

Italy has one of the most innovative impeachment systems. The cause of presidential impeachment needs to be high treason, and if a majority in Parliament agrees, the President then faces a jury of

the Constitutional Court and 16 ordinary citizens. It’s not only Western democracies that have impeachment systems.

Trump’s sworn enemies in Iran also have an impeachment procedure. Abolhassan Banisadr, Iran’s first president, was successfully impeached in 1981. Iranian cabinet members may also be impeached

by Parliament, and the current president, Hassan Rouhani, faced open calls for his impeachment in 2019.

The decade big power politics returned

Slate FRED KAPLAN

In 2010, the Cold War had been over for 20 years, and superpower tensions seemed a figment of the past. President Barack Obama’s “reset” policy with his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, was spurring major initiatives in cooperative diplomacy. Obama’s “pivot” away from the ancient conflicts in the Middle East to the dynamic opportunities for commerce and peace in the Pacific seemed promising. Threats to our security came less from rival nations than from shadowy terrorist groups, which our former rivals opposed as well. The few wars we were fighting involved local insurgencies and hadn’t metastasized into the wider proxy battles of earlier times.

Now, as the decade roars to a finish, the world seems a very different place. Russia is once again a geostrategic foe. We’re locked in a trade war with China, whose expansionist aims—long a matter of concern—are clearer than ever.

Regional conflicts, especially in the Middle East, are serving as chessboards for the competing ambitions of outside powers.

When Putin invaded eastern Ukraine in 2014, Obama’s secretary of state, John Kerry, blasted the move not merely as immoral and illegal but also as anachronistic, saying, “You just don’t, in the 21st century, behave in 19th-century fashion by invading another country on completely trumped up pretext.” But, apparently, some countries do. Land grabs and power plays didn’t begin in the 19th century. (Read Thucydides on the war between Athens and Sparta in the

5th century B.C.) Nor, it seems, are they just yet relics of history.

What specifically caused the relative calm at the decade’s start to slide into turmoil? That calm, at least among the world’s big powers, was real. In 2010, Obama and Medvedev signed the New START nuclear arms-reduction treaty.

Obama also persuaded Medvedev to cancel a lucrative contract to sell Russia’s most modern air-defense missiles to Iran—a move that stiffened the pressure on Tehran’s rulers to negotiate what became, five years later, the Iran nuclear deal. China seemed ready, at least in principle, to join in counterterrorism campaigns and to pressure its ally, North Korea, to stop developing nuclear weapons.

The chance of war with a major power seemed so remote that, for the first half of the decade, the U.S. Army suffered an existential crisis. Small-scale units, mainly special operations forces, were fighting insurgencies and advising allied militaries around the world, but the notion of large battles with tanks and artillery seemed absurd. Many serious officers wondered: What do we do with—and do we really need—a standing army of more than a halfmillion active-duty soldiers?

Then two things happened: Medvedev’s conciliatory leanings went too far, and Putin—who had stepped down from president to prime minister but had never fully relinquished power—stepped back up. A former KGB officer with a hankering for the glory days of the Soviet Union, Putin had long been nursing resentments over the West’s socioeconomic occupation of Russia and its shattered empire—the flood of Western companies, economists, and cultural artifacts—in the aftermath of the Cold War. President Bill Clinton had already gone too far in “enlarging” NATO right up to Russia’s borders. Ukraine, which Putin regarded as part of Russia, was drifting toward the European Union.

Then, in 2011, Medvedev voted to abstain from, rather than veto, a U.N. Security Council resolution to condemn Libyan leader Muam-

mar Qaddafi, one of Russia’s only stalwart allies in the Middle East.

As a result, the West intervened and toppled Qaddafi, who, amid the chaos, was killed by rebels.

Putin ran for president again in the next election; Medvedev stood aside to let him win; and Russia, which had regained much of its oil wealth since the USSR’s implosion, set about rebuilding its military and cracking down on dissent at home.

The Soviet empire was forever vanished, but Putin was determined not to succumb any further to what he saw as American-led imperialism.

In 2014, after Ukraine’s proMoscow president, Viktor Yanukovych, fled Kyiv and Western-leaning politicians moved in, Putin annexed the Crimean peninsula—which Nikita Khrushchev had given to Ukraine in 1954. Soon after the annexation, Putin roused a secessionist movement in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbass, even moving Russian forces across the border to help the rebels.

Both of those moves marked the end of Obama’s “reset.” They also cheered many American officers. The Army once again had a familiar mission. The NATO alliance, which was experiencing its own identity crisis (its new post–Cold War mission, to serve as a global expeditionary force, hadn’t gone too well in Afghanistan), returned its gaze to deterring and preparing for possible conflict in Europe.

The upshot was this: The United States and Russia could still carve out areas of mutual interest—arms control, counterterrorism, nuclear nonproliferation—but the two nations were never cut out to be partners. Their conflicts of interest—suppressed or submerged during the years of Russian weakness just after the end of the Cold War—were too numerous and too deep to avoid, and after a while, the tensions spilled over to diplomatic forums as well.

But this was not a revival of the Cold War. Neither the United States nor Russia dominates an entire sphere of the planet. Nor do their armies face each other, in vast garrisons, across a contested border.

Putin has gained strength mainly by

exploiting fissures within the West, most notoriously through the “information warfare” of influencing public opinion during elections.

China too has built up its power through nonmilitary means, stealing high technology from the West, infusing it into its own products, and selling them— while, at the same time, investing, mining, and manufacturing— around the world: in short, by pursuing a purely mercantilist foreign policy, which President Xi calls the Belt and Road Initiative.

Xi has also built up China’s air force and navy, not to conquer distant lands (he hopes his economic policies will do that), but rather as an “area-denial” strategy—i.e., to keep others, especially the U.S. military, from dominating the area around its borders. To extend the reach of its defenses, China has even constructed artificial islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and turned them into air bases.

In ordinary times, all this could have redounded to America’s benefit. Russia’s rumblings, earlier in the decade, roused European unity. China’s did the same with our allies in the Asia Pacific.

Obama—like Clinton and the two Bushes before him—struck a balance, trying to lure Beijing into the global economy while containing its expansionist tendencies. In 2016, he and 11 other leaders negotiated the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade deal that would have solidified the U.S. alliance in the region and formed a bulwark against China’s practices.

But Donald Trump has squandered these opportunities. In a way that has flabbergasted his own officials, alienated the allies, and filled our revived adversaries with glee, he has eviscerated America’s influence in the world.

For reasons that no one has fully explained, he has often served Moscow’s interests: badmouthing NATO almost as intensely as any Kremlin commissar ever has, downgrading relations with Ukraine (even before the famous phone call with President Volodymyr Zelensky), and with-

drawing the small contingent of U.S. troops from northeastern Syria. This last move allowed Russia to solidify its control over Syrian territory and set the stage for a power contest involving Russia, Syria, Turkey, Iran, and various jihadist and Kurdish militias that could intensify the region’s wildfires.

Yet for all his cooing over Putin, Trump has never come up with a strategy to leverage their putative friendship to America’s benefit. He could have worked out a deal to extend the New START treaty (which expires in 2021) or to tighten the accords struck in the early part of the decade to lock up loose nuclear materials. But Trump is hostile to any treaty that was negotiated by Obama. So we all must deal with the consequences.

Trump also did the opposite of exploiting the chance to cement alliances in Asia, not just in canceling the Trans-Pacific Partnership but also in launching the trade war against China, which has wound up hurting American farmers and manufacturers at least as much as it’s hurt China. (A tougher economic policy against China was justified, especially in fighting intellectual property theft, but wholesale tariffs are misguided; Trump seems unaware of the interlaced supply chain, in which many U.S. products contain Chinese parts.)

And, as with Russia, Trump has no strategy for competing with China—economically, diplomatically, or militarily. Meanwhile, Russia and China are doing all they can to extirpate themselves from the dollar-dominated global economy. (This will take years, but they’re off to a good start.) And large American companies, bereft of guidance from Washington and unable to do long-term planning in the face of Trump’s erratic tactics, are conceding to Chinese demands in order to preserve their bottom line. High-profile American emblems, from software firms to Hollywood studios to the NBA, are making these concessions. And the rest of the world watches; they see which way the wind is blowing.

TEN YEARS AGO, GEOPOLITICAL HEAVYWEIGHT COMBAT SEEMED A FIGMENT OF THE PAST. NOW IT SHAPES EVERYTHING So where does this leave us?

The Cold War, which lasted roughly from 1947 to 1991, was a time of dreadful danger and destructive “small wars.” But it was also a system of international security, at least for the nations that allied themselves, by choice or by force, with one of the two superpowers. When the Cold War ended, that system broke down with it. The first two presidents of the new era, Clinton and George W. Bush, didn’t do much to create a new system. Bush and his team didn’t think they needed to: America was “the sole superpower,” and it would reshape the world in its image. That proved to be fantasy.

At the start of this decade, Obama seemed aware of the need to construct a new system, and Medvedev seemed a plausible collaborator in the project. But its foundations were flimsy. A new system would have required new rules on permissible behavior, new treaties of cooperation, maybe the drawing of some new borders or power blocs, and much more lavish spending—a new Marshall Plan of sorts—to foster security and stability in areas that were no longer protected by a superpower and that might, therefore, relapse into the territorial and sectarian disputes that gripped them in decades and centuries before.

None of that happened. It would have taken visionaries, the likes of which we’ve rarely seen, to make it so. Instead, as we enter the third decade of the 21st century, we see the old, familiar patterns and ploys of international politics— which John Kerry decried as “19thcentury fashion” but which, in fact, date back to antiquity. Only this time, they’re unspooling in a world that is as hyperconnected and lethal and disorderly as any that’s ever been seen.

Friday, 20 December, 2019

Political deadlock delays choice of new PM to steer iraq out of crisis BAGHDAD

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AGENCIES

RAQI lawmakers said on Thursday that deadlock in parliament was holding up the selection of an interim prime minister, meaning leaders would miss a deadline to name a replacement for Adel Abdul Mahdi and prolong nationwide unrest.

More than 450 people, mostly unarmed demonstrators but also some members of the security forces, have been killed since a wave of popular unrest began on Oct. 1.

Protesters, most of them young, are demanding an overhaul of a political system they see as profoundly corrupt and keeping most Iraqis in poverty.

The protests have shaken the country out of two years of relative calm following the defeat of Islamic State insurgents.

Infighting between political parties who are clinging onto power has fueled the crisis and threatens to cause more unrest as protesters lose patience.

Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi resigned last month under pressure from the streets but has remained in office in a caretaker capacity. The constitutional deadline to name a replacement expires on Thursday.

“Until this moment no candidate has been agreed on by the political parties. We have multiple nominees but their partisan affiliations prevent them from having the job,” said Shi’ite Muslim lawmaker Naeem al-Abboudi.

Two blocs of political parties, one backed by Iran and the other populist and anti-Iranian, are closely involved in back-

room deals to agree on a candidate before Salih presents them.

President Barham Salih this week asked the largest bloc in parliament to nominate a new premier to form a government. The two main blocs dispute who has the most seats because this was never made clear in the current parliament, and some lawmakers have frequently switched allegiance.

“Differences are everywhere and it will not be easy to agree soon on a new election law inside parliament,” said Hassan Khalati, another Shi’ite lawmaker.

Lawmakers and politicians said Salih could now delay the nomination to Dec. 22, based on a federal court ruling allowing na-

tional holidays to be excluded from the runup to the constitutional deadline.

That would create breathing space for the political factions to strike a deal, with Abdul Mahdi remaining as caretaker premier until then, legal expert Tareq Harb said.

But any agreement on thorny political issues looks unlikely.

The house failed on Wednesday to pass a new electoral law, a key demand of protesters, which would make elections fairer after each round in recent years has been marred by allegations of fraud.

Protesters demand a new electoral law and committee, but also the removal of the entire political class, and a prime minister with no party affiliation.

Hezbollah-backed candidate Diab on course to be Lebanese PM BEIRUT AGENCIES

Former minister Hassan Diab looked set to be named Lebanon’s new prime minister on Thursday with backing from the Iran-backed group Hezbollah and its allies, a move that could complicate efforts to secure badly needed Western financial aid.

Lebanon, wrestling with the worst economic crisis since the 1975-90 civil war, has been in dire need of a new government since outgoing Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri resigned on Oct. 29, prompted by protests against the ruling elite.

But efforts to reach a deal on a new premier have been mired in divisions that reflect long-standing tensions between Hariri, who is aligned with Western and Gulf Arab states, and the heavily armed Shi’ite Muslim

group Hezbollah. Washington regards Hezbollah as a terrorist group and has imposed sanctions on it.

President Michel Aoun, a Hezbollah ally who has also been at political loggerheads with Hariri, began consultations on Thursday with deputies to designate the new premier, who under the country’s sectarian political system must be a Sunni Muslim.

Aoun, a Maronite Christian, is required to designate the candidate with the most support.

The move to nominate Diab signaled a decision by Hezbollah and its allies to abandon efforts to forge a consensus with Hariri and to install a candidate of their choosing, drawing on the parliamentary majority they secured in a 2018 election.

But even as Diab appeared set to become premier, it was not clear how quickly

a government would be formed. Until the new government is formed, Hariri, Lebanon’s leading Sunni politician, will stay on as caretaker prime minister.

HARIRI AND HIS PARTY BOW OUT: Hariri did not put forward anyone for the post of prime minister and MPs with his Future Movement told Aoun it would not take part in the next government, a source close to Hariri said.

Seeking to avoid a one-sided cabinet, Hezbollah and its Shi’ite ally Amal want to change Hariri’s mind so the Future Movement takes part in the cabinet, a political source familiar with the issue said. However, Aoun is expected to press for a rapid cabinet formation, the source said.

Hariri had seemed on course to be nominated prime minister himself but withdrew his candidacy on Wednesday.

FOREIGN NEWS 07 Masterminds of Philippines' worst political massacre jailed MANILA: The masterminds of the Philippines’ worst political massacre were found guilty Thursday of murder a decade after they led the killings of 58 people, rare convictions of powerful figures in a country notorious for its culture of impunity. However with dozens of other accused gunmen acquitted, and 80 suspects never having been caught, relatives of the victims as well as rights groups gave a mixed response to the verdicts. Leaders of the powerful Ampatuan family dynasty orchestrated the November 23, 2009, killings in a remote part of the conflict-plagued south of the Philippines in a bid to quash an election challenge from a rival clan. Thirty-two journalists, travelling in a convoy to report on the filing of an Ampatuan rival’s election candidacy, were among those murdered, making the killings one of the worst ever globally of media workers. A Manila court on Thursday found 43 people guilty as principals or accessories to 57 of the murders. They were found not guilty of the 58th murder because the body of the final victim was never recovered. Andal Ampatuan Jnr, who had been planning to succeed his namesake father by running for governor of Maguindanao province, was among those found guilty of murder. As principal suspects, Ampatuan Jnr and 27 others — including seven of his relatives — were each sentenced to at least 30 years in jail without parole. “Their acts were deliberate and obviously in pursuance of their plan to kill,” the court ruling read.

Fourteen members of the local police and a member of the Ampatuan family’s armed militia force were sentenced to between eight and 10 years in prison as accessories. However, two clan leaders and more than 50 other police officers and alleged members of the Ampatuan militia were acquitted. The cases against them had not been proved beyond a reasonable doubt, according to the court ruling. Eighty suspects also remain at large.

Saudi concert stabbing suspect took orders from al Qaeda in Yemen RIYADH: A man arrested for stabbing three performers at a live show in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh last month was operating under orders from al Qaeda in Yemen, state television said on Thursday without citing evidence. The trial of the suspected assailant, previously identified only as a 33-year-old Yemeni resident, had begun, the broadcaster added. The Nov. 11 attack occurred at King Abdullah Park, one of several venues hosting a months-long entertainment festival as part of government efforts to open up Saudi society and diversify its economy away from oil.

It sparked fears of a potentially violent backlash in the ultraconservative Muslim country against social reforms implemented

by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, including ending bans on women driving, gender segregation and public entertainment.

The victims of the attack, two men and a woman, sustained “superficial wounds” and were stabilized after receiving medical care, state media reported at the time. Saudi Arabia intervened in Yemen’s civil war in 2015 against the Iran-aligned Houthis.

The U.S.-backed military coalition it leads also carries out operations against al Qaeda’s Yemen branch known as al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).

Hong Kong protesters march to consulates Chinese students defiant as university to drum up support on rights charter cuts 'freedom of thought' HONG KONG AGENCIES

Hong Kong protesters rallied outside diplomatic missions on Thursday to urge foreign governments to follow the United States in passing human rights bills to raise pressure on Beijing and support their pro-democracy campaign.

Last month, US President Donald Trump signed congressional legislation requiring the State Department to certify, at least once a year, that Hong Kong retains enough autonomy from Beijing to justify favourable US trading terms.

About 1,000 people, most of them dressed in black and wearing face masks, marched on a route that took them by the consulates of Australia, Britain, the European Union, the United States, Japan and Canada, to drop off a petition.

British, EU and US diplomats came out to receive it, and to take photographs with the protesters.

“What happens in Hong Kong is not just a local issue, it is about human rights and democracy. Foreign governments should understand how this city is being suppressed,” said Suki Chan, who participated in the protest. “We need to continue to seek international attention and let them know this movement is not losing momentum.”

Anti-government protests have roiled the financial hub for more than six months as anger grows over what many see as Chinese meddling in the freedoms promised to the former British colony when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Beijing has blamed the unrest on “foreign forces” and said attempts to interfere in the Chinese-ruled city were doomed to fail.

The US legislation, which also threatens sanctions for human rights violations, came after similar “citizen diplomacy” petitions in Hong Kong this year and has been cheered by protesters waving the

stars and stripes flag.

Beijing denounced the US legislation and Hong Kong’s government said it sent the wrong signal to the demonstrators and increased economic uncertainty.

The marchers’ petition condemned police “brutality” and called on governments to “stand with Hong Kong” by passing legislation for visa sanctions and the freezing of assets of Chinese and Hong Kong officials.

The police say they have acted with restraint.

Police said separately on Thursday they had arrested four people suspected of money laundering in relation to the protests and had frozen HK$70 million ($9 million) in bank deposits.

Chan Wai Kei, from the police’s financial investigation and narcotics bureau, told reporters the four were part of a group asking for donations for arrested and injured protesters but used some of the money for personal investments.

BEIJING AGENCIES

A top Chinese university has removed references to “freedom of thought” from its charter, triggering a rare act of student defiance, while two other institutions added language stressing fealty to President Xi Jinping and the Communist Party.

A video circulating this week showed students at Shanghai’s Fudan University singing the school song — which extols “academic independence and freedom of thought” — in an apparent protest.

Fudan’s charter change was announced by the Ministry of Education on its website late Tuesday and criticism quickly trended on social media before China’s ever-vigilant online censors acted to delete posts and block discussion.

Besides removing “freedom of thought”, it adds “arming the minds of teachers and students with Xi Jinping’s new era of socialist ideology with Chinese characteristics”.

It also obliges faculty and students to adhere to “core socialist values” and build a “harmonious” campus environment — a code

phrase for the elimination of anti-government sentiment. The ministry announced similar pro-government changes for Nanjing University in eastern China, and Shaanxi Normal University in the north earlier this month, although neither institution had referenced freedom of thought previously.

Xi took office in 2012 and has implemented a campaign to increase the Communist Party’s grip and build a personality cult around himself that includes calls for adherence to a vaguely defined “Xi Jinping Thought”, recalling the days of Communist founder Mao Zedong.

Xi’s government has throttled activists and other critics while pushing Marxist dogma throughout Chinese society, from politics to culture and education. But even Marxist students have faced a backlash, as police cracked down on some who supported a labour rights movement last year.

The risks of defying Xi have prevented major public pushback. But Fudan, one of China’s most selective institutions of higher learning, is also among its most liberal, with a student body proud of its reputation for relative academic freedom.

Friday, 20 December, 2019

08 COMMENT Clash of institutions Provocative remarks should have been avoided

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INCE the Musharraf treason case verdict was announced, in which he was sentenced to death, there has been a to and fro between the Pakistan Army and the judiciary with the PTI government in between the thick of things. The Army has categorically stated in its official reaction to the verdict that someone who is a highly decorated ex-Army man with a career spanning 40 years simply cannot be a traitor and that the decision of the special court has been taken in haste without due process. The PTI government, which is the prosecution in this case, is strangely enough taking the same stance with the Attorney General saying that Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf had not been given a fair trial.

The same day Gen Bajwa visited SSG HQ to express solidarity with General Musharraf. The Supreme Court, in a strong worded response rejected a narrative being built by certain sections of the media that the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mr Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, had played a role in the conclusion of General Musharraf’s treason trial. As if this weren’t enough, in what can only be described as an excessively over-the-top and unnecessarily provocative statement, one of the judges who handed down a guilty verdict in the case directed law enforcement agencies to arrest the offender at once and “if found dead, his corpse be dragged to the DChowk, Islamabad, Pakistan and be hanged for three days”. There is no justification for the use of such strong language in any judgment, especially one that has already received a reaction such as the one from the Army and the government. There is a historical context to this: the rule, demise and exhumation of Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell in 1660, but that should not have been an inspiration for these words, given the sensitivity of the issues at hand in modern day Pakistan.

The conversation about an important judgment will now unfortunately revolve around the incendiary and avoidable comments made in the detailed judgment. What is more, it will further strain relations between two key institutions that have clashed in the past with disastrous effects for the country. The government has decided to file a reference against the judge in question, but it too should remain impartial rather than seen to be favouring a single institution. Ironically some of the bad blood happens to stem from a reference filed against a judge of the Supreme Court earlier in the year.

Gas price hike It will lead to inflation across the board

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NE of the main problems with raising the gas tariff is that does not mean just higher gas bills.

For the domestic consumer, that is bad enough. If approved by the government, the 136 per cent increase in the gas tariff, which has been recommended by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority, would go into effect in January, which would mean that the hike takes place in the depths of winter, when heating requirements are added to cooking, thus ensuring a bonanza for the government. This is the second blow the gas consumer has suffered since the present government came to office, with the increase in gas prices; one of the conditionalities of the IMF. But a gas tariff hike also means that the food we eat also increases in price. That is because gas is a feedstock for fertilizer, and it is predicted that urea fertilizer will go up Rs500 to Rs700 a bag. With the wheat crop sowing just round the corner, it remains to be seen whether the new tariff is used as an excuse to hike the price of fertilizer at once, or whether fertilizer manufacturers wait until the hike actually kicks in. However, the Kharif crop next year will definitely sown with the dearer fertilizer, which will mean that food price increases can be expected whenever that crop hits the markets.

Meanwhile, even if that delay happens, vegetable prices can be expected to go up sooner, as the dearer fertilizer will be used. That will in turn set in motion a broad-based demand for higher wages in industry, as workers struggle to make both ends meet. When staples go up later in the year, a fresh round of wage demands can be expected.

That of course assumes that those workers do not have to struggle with unemployment. Instead of growing, even at a sluggish rate, large-scale manufacturing actually contracted in the July-October period of this year, 6.5 per cent year on year. This indicates a malaise in the economy as deep as the foreign exchange crisis that the government spent the last year lamenting, with jobs being lost instead of created. Just as that was handled on war footing, this too should be similarly handled, not made worse by an ill-advised fidelity to IMF conditionalities.

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

Umar Aziz

Asher John

Joint Editor

Executive Editor

Deputy Editor

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

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The agenda is unfolded Whether Assam or Kashmir, it’s about Muslims

At Penpoint M.A. NIAZI

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T would almost seem that the BJP has bitten off more than it could chew. It first upset a precarious balance in the Northwest of India in August, by changing the status of the State of Jammu and Kashmir, reducing it to two Union Territories. This month, it has upset the Northeast, by the Citizenship Act (Amendment) Bill, in an attempt to act as the protectors of Hindus and Sikhs in South Asia, plunging into protests which saw six killed on Sunday alone, following three killed on Thursday, all in Guwahati, the state capital of Assam.

Delhi is also seeing protests, but those are motivated by relatively abstract fears, that the CAB would sound a death knell for Indian secularism, that Muslims would feel left out, while those in Guwahati are motivated by a more concrete fear, of an invasion by Bangladeshi Hindus.

The Bill fast-tracks citizenship applications by Hindus and Sikhs from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, but not Muslims. Hindu, Sikh and Jain applicants are supposed to be persecuted for their religion, but not Muslims. One result is that any East Pakistani Muslims who had fled to Assam while fleeing the unsettled conditions there in 1971 would have a lien on Indian citizenship, while Hindus who fled then, or later, would be able to make the claim.

The supposed invasion of East Pakistani Muslims was one of the main claims of the Assamese militants who had gone into rebellion in 1979, and made an accord with the Rajiv government in 1985. Assam has been associated with East Pakistan from even before a district of Assam was given to East Pakistan, because it had been part of the united Bengal province that had been partitioned in 1905, and was given povincial status when that partition was annulled in 1912.

The Indian government used the Register of Citizenship to identify Muslims and target them for expulsion. The Register was prepared in 1947, and updated only in Assam, where people were asked to show that they, or some elder, had been entered on the Register as a citizen. The idea was that those East Pakistanis who had sneaked across in 1971, and their descendants, would be exposed. However, the legislation indicates that

East Pakistani Hindus were also identified. It also seems that while the BJP government had no problem with those Muslims identified as East Pakistanis being rendered stateless, it not only wanted to give the Hindus a state, but wanted them absorbed into the fabric of India. It seems that a lot of Assamese sees such absorption was wrong enough for them to protest.

The first aspect that comes to mind is that the BJP seems to be revising the concept of citizenship. All of South Asia inherited the British concept, which was essentially Westphalian, and which did not really fit in with either the Hindu or Muslim concept. The Westphalian model presumed a commonality of race, language, culture, and all that went along with that, including history, cuisine and all other aspects of civilisation. Congress went along with that, as did the Muslim League, though the latter insisted that religion was a marker. The original Westphalian states, those of Europe, have thus got birth on their territory as a prime qualification, but are now struggling with the concept of shared values. Burma does not accept Rohingya refugees as the anti-immigrant parties are trying to raise race as a marker.

The BJP seems to agree with the League, though there is a big difference. The League may have adapted for Pakistan the Westphalian model, which assumes that all resident in its territory have a common citizenship, but it has also got part of the Muslim model, in having separate electorates. The Muslim model is based on religion, as is the Hindu model (which the BJP seems to espouse). The difference is that while Islam is a permeable religion, Hinduism is not. In Islam, all you have to do to attain full citizenship is to convert, and for that no ceremony is required (like baptism for Christianity), and thus no authority (like a Christian priest or a Sikh granthi).

On the other hand, there is no real conversion in Hinduism, only reversion (which was the basis of the Shudhi and Sangathan movement of the early 20th century) and that too of the Arya Samaj, which is essentially Punjab-based. The Sanathan Dharm (which the BJP follows) does not acknowledge conversion, mainly because the question would then arise which caste the convert would belong to. This is a key question for the BJP, because that could lead to caste pollution, for

if the convert was actually of a lower caste than he posed, then all his progeny would also not belong to the caste they thought they were in, and if they married in that caste, they would pollute it.

That has probably already happened, for the castes were based on race (the original word, varna, means colour), but there are plenty of darkskinned Brahmins and even a sprinkling of lightskinned Sudras. The only recent example is that of Shivaji, who was originally a Shudra, but who was given a Sisodia Rajput ancestry by a Brahmin pandit, Gaga Bhatia of Varansi, and he underwent purification ceremonies in 1674, which preceded his coronation. Those ceremonies involved spending about Rs 5 million. Muslims seeking purification would probably not have to spend as much, not even in present-day rupees, let alone 1674 rupees, but perhaps the only way the BJP would let them stay in India would be for them to revert. True, those of Mughal, Persian or Arab descent could not revert as no ancestry could be found for them. Maybe they could be targeted for expulsion or being declared stateless.

Pakistan has reacted negatively to the CAA. It can do nothing really, but it might well see that the ultimate goal of the BJP is to have one state in South Asia. At the moment, it would like to have separate states to throw people in. Those declared non-Indian by the CAA would have to declared Bangladeshi citizens. Bangladesh might well not want this, as it already has problems handling the influx of Rohingya. Burma does not accept the Rohingya as Burmese, and claims that they are the descendants of emigrants. It is a paradox that the BJP is not inclined to consider the views of the present Bangladesh government, which is so pro-Indian as to be virtually subordinate. However, Assamese Muslims might be too much for it to handle.

However, what fate it foresees for the future, cannot be predicted with any certainty. However, the CAA indicates that India intends to be the regional arbiter and hegemon, willing to protect Hindu minorities, including therein Sikhs and Jains. Apart from an expanded definition of Hindu, it has also expanded its sphere of influence to Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Pakistan will not find it simple to fend off this additional step.

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

Not defending the indefensible ZAeeM MuMtAZ BhAttI “The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis”.

– Dante Alighieri

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T the very outset, let me invoke the Constitution.

Article 5 casts an inviolable obligation upon every citizen to obey the law of the land. Article 9 stipulates that “no one shall be deprived of life or liberty save in according with law”. Above all, Article 4 holds aloft the banner of rule of law and states in no uncertain terms that it is the inalienable right of every citizen to be dealt with in accordance with law.

Shortly stated, “In accordance with law” is the leitmotif that resonates throughout the Constitution.

No amount of justification, arguments, interpretation, distortion of facts and damage control can explain away the assault made by the lawyers on the Punjab Institute of Cardiology. Since when have the lawyers become a law unto themselves? Those involved in the attack made a mockery of law of the land and trampled upon the fundamental rights of other citizens. They must be brought to book and justice.

Any lawyer having a smattering of law knows how to set criminal machinery into motion. Why the lawyers did take the law into their own hands and fall back on mob justice in the first place baffles all the sane persons.

Needless to say, a lawyer abides by the law and does not violate it.

It was a lawyer, Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, whose indefatigable efforts and heroic leadership translated the dream of another Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

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The country has been shaken by the PIC incident lawyer, Allama Muhammad Iqbal, into reality. Yet another lawyer, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, gave us the 1973 constitution and laid the groundwork for the atomic bomb. They all must be turning in their graves.

It all started with a video doing the rounds on social media. Standing on a bench, a doctor, Muhammad Irfan, was bragging about the way the leadership of the lawyers made a compromise with doctors over an incident that happened earlier, where PIC doctors and staff brutally thrashed the lawyers with metal rods, so that their faces were badly swollen. The video fanned the flames of indignation among the legal fraternity against doctors. However, the lawyers should have exercised restraint. But it was not to be. What happened afterward was an equally repulsively shocking incident, dealing a crushing blow to the image of lawyers and doctors.

The wholesale condemnation of the legal fraternity and doctors is unwarranted, to say the least. If assaulting the hospital is downright bad, calling both fraternities names is equally shocking. One might be remiss in not condemning the brutal treatment meted out to the lawyers by the police. What the media does not tell us is that the lawyers were put behind bars and subjected to extreme custodial torture at night in utter disregard of Article 14 of the Constitution.

One picture shows the lashes on the body of a lawyer. Empty-handed Barrister Saeed Nagra was bludgeoned unconscious. He was deliberately clubbed on the head by the police.

Later he was admitted to hospital in a critical condition. He had gone to diffuse the situation. Another video

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

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showed a senior lawyer being slapped by doctors while the police looked on.

Lawyer leaders complain the lopsided narrative constructed by the media is a calculated attempt by it to drag the whole legal fraternity through the mud. At the time of writing, 81 lawyers have been jailed. To add insult to injury, many were paraded in the Anti-terrorism Court in uniform with their faces covered. If this is not barbarity by the state with the Prime Minister backing it, not least when he gave the police the go-ahead to deal with the lawyers with an iron hand, what is? Perhaps Imran Khan is oblivious to what happened to PML-Q’s government and Musharraf back in 2007 when the lawyers were jailed wholesale. As the biblical saying has it, sow the wind, reap the whirlwind.

The need of the hour is to address the deeper malaise at the heart of this incident: intolerance and violence. Intolerance begets intolerance. Violence begets violence.

Social media has rendered us highly intolerant of each others’ views. Without understanding, digesting and learning from competing viewpoints, we are ready to pick holes in others’ arguments, to verbally assault another, let loose a volley of abuse and claim the moral high ground. Social media has been turned into a platform where no one is saved from another’s negative views. Our time and energy are spent on getting likes from others and making them envious of our achievements.

We are a nation of extremes.

We are not moderate. We either put a person on a pedestal or bash him so hard that he can’t stand again.

The helmet-wearing lawyer

Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

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standing on the vandalised police van must have the movie Joker at the back of his mind. Even if he didn’t, the Joker bears an eerie resemblance to him. Both represent wanton destruction. Both signify rejection by the whole society.

The cold-blooded manner the attack was carried out makes any person in his or her right mind hang his head in utter humiliation and regret. Remorse often becomes the torchlight.

Who will have the last laugh? One thing is for sure: Humanity has lost.

That doctors and lawyers are at each others’ throats is simply unimaginable.

The senior lawyers should not mince their words and call a spade a spade. They should not defend the indefensible, throwing their weight behind those who died and suffered grievously due to this incident.

That a yawning gulf has come about between doctors and lawyers is dangerous. They both serve humanity. In the end, if they don’t mend their ways, humanity will suffer.

United we stand, divided we fall.

The profound polarisation caused by this saddening incident may shake the very foundations of Pakistan. Doctors and lawyers are Pakistanis first.

Both would be doing a great disservice to Pakistan if they don’t sink their differences and rise above the interests of their groups. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that their leaderships will spare no efforts in bridging the divide, thereby ending the fissure.

Zaeem Mumtaz Bhatti is a practising lawyer and a columnist based in Lahore. He can be reached zaeem.bhatti89@gmail.com. He tweets @zaeem88225

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Friday, 20 December, 2019

COMMENT 09 Editor’s mail

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

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

Striking lawyers A lawyer was murdered in Mansehra and KP Bar called for strike. Doctors and Lawyers had a fight in Lahore and KP Bar called for a strike. Explosive material exploded in a rickshaw outside the PHC and KP Bar called for strike. ISPR gave a press statement against Musharraf death penalty and KP Bar again calls for strike by lawyers. Clearly this shows how lawyers and KP Bar are misusing Pakistan legal practitioners and Bar council rules 1976 for unnecessary strike calls. Therefore I pray that PHC declares such strike calls by Lawyers and their respective Bars illegal and unconstitutional in the petition filed by Advocate Ali Azim Afridi, who I believe is the only true Pakistani Lawyer as he is the only lawyer in over 44 years who took action to rectify rules that were creating hurdles for common Pakistanis and increasing court cases and litigation time unnecessary for millions of citizens. And I hope the Government also recognizes Ali Azim Afridi's patriotic intentions.

Engr Shahryar Khan Baseer Peshawar, Pakistan

Fall of Dhaka was inevitable-1 The carnage could have been avoided

SultAN M hAlI

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HE fall of Dhaka may have occurred on 16 December 1971 but the factors leading to it date far back.

The creation of Pakistan came about under extraneous circumstances. The departure of the British from the Indian Subcontinent had become imminent after they suffered the economic ravages of WW II while the “Quit India” movement spearheaded by Hindus became louder, reaching a deafening crescendo.

Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the undisputed leader of the Indian Muslims, was caught in a major dilemma. Initially a strong proponent of united independent India, he soon realised that for the Muslims of the Subcontinent, freedom would only mean a change of masters. Hindus would replace the British and seek vengeance from the Muslims for having subjugated them to centuries of Muslim rule. The other factor, unknown to all apart from his devoted sister Fatima Jinnah and his personal physician, was that the Quaid was suffering from a terminal disease and the clock was ticking fast. If the secret of the Quaid’s serious illness had leaked out, the British and Hindus would only have delayed the process of independence till the Quaid’s demise and there would have been no Pakistan. Thus, the Quaid was constrained to accept what many critics label as a “moth-eaten Pakistan”.

The biggest flaw in the partition plan was accepting the two wings of an independent Pakistan separated by a thousand miles of hostile Indian Territory, devoid of even a narrow corridor linking them. An aspect which proved critical when India surreptitiously stopped over-flight rights to Pakistani aircraft just prior to the 1971 Pak-India War, barring West Pakistan from transferring logistic supplies to its beleaguered Eastern wing; but that comes later!

Certain decisions taken by the now terminally ill Quaid— in the last throes of life because he had burnt the candle at both ends to gain Pakistan’s independence— may be faulted. The selection of Urdu as the national language sowed the initial seeds of discord because the Bengalis wanted recognition of their language too. Consequent language riots claimed numerous precious Bengali lives; around whose mausoleum (Shaheed Minar) later generation of Bengali freedom fighters would rally. Simultaneously, the national leadership’s obsession with ‘parity’ between the two wings (to offset the East’s numerical advantage) not only delayed the formation of Pakistan’s constitution but also widened the chasm of divide. An arrogant superiority complex shown by West Pakistani officials to-

wards their East Pakistani counterparts only vitiated relations. Cultural, linguistic, ethnic and mental disparity between the inhabitants of the two wings pushed them further apart.

Two facets acted as catalysts in expediting the final split. Firstly, the genuine grievances of the East Pakistanis were exploited by India in deepening the wounds and spreading rancour and acrimony. Secondly, certain West Pakistani politicians, faced with the possibility of an East Pakistani led leadership ruling Pakistan— as a result of the relatively free and fair 1970 elections— blocked the military government’s handing over power to the victors of the polls, forcing East Pakistan to declare its independence as Bangladesh.

Partings are always difficult, but it was perhaps worse between East and West Pakistan, where Bengalis were patriotic nationalists to the core, and had been the forerunners of the Pakistan Movement, and it must have been extremely painful to defy the very principles and values diehard East Pakistani leaders had aspired to uphold.

Hindsight is 20/20 but if good sense had prevailed with the West Pakistani leadership and the East Pakistanis, being volatile and emotional in nature, had not allowed their grievances to be exploited by the bloodthirsty Indians, the outcome would not have been gory. An amicable solution could have been reached without the carnage of which both sides accuse each other.

Bangladesh itself was not allowed to prosper and set itself on the path of progress by its neighbour India, which in the garb of supporting the cause of the liberation of Bangladesh, actually wanted to dismember Pakistan. India later supported strife, coup d’états and bloody revolutions since it demanded its pound of flesh for its purported role in the war of liberation, plotting to install a puppet government at Dhaka, which would dance to the tunes of its Indian masters; a fact corroborated by Narendra Modi recently.

Meanwhile, counter coups passed the baton albeit reluctantly to progressive Bangladeshi leaders, who wanted to bury the

hatchet with Pakistan and move on. Such a state of affairs was anathema to India, which desired an unstable Bangladesh with a government visibly and concertedly hostile to Pakistan. Meanwhile, in a bloody revolution, the founder of Bangladesh was assassinated along with his whole family apart from two daughters, who were abroad.

His elder daughter Sheikh Hasina Wajid was brought back in 1981 and nurtured to toe the Indian line. Her first stint as Prime Minister (1996-2001) was uneventful since she proved inefficient and inept. Groomed by her puppeteers, she was finally unleashed in 2009 to become the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

Her stint was marred by a revolt of the Bangladesh Rifles, which was countered with brute force and charges of acute corruption and poor governance, yet she won the next term in 2014, unopposed because the opposition boycotted the elections. This drama was allegedly choreographed by India since now Hasina was playing ball despite accusations of corruption and mis-governance.

She boycotted commercial, diplomatic and social moots with Pakistan, taking the plea that Pakistan must apologise for its alleged war crimes, including the genocide of three million Bengalis and the rape of thousands of Bengali women. To pour salt into the wounds, Sheikh Hasina levelled charges of treason against the Bangladesh Jamaat-eIslami for supporting the cause of united Pakistan during the 1971 war. Four leaders have been sent to the gallows by kangaroo courts and numerous others are on the death row despite calls by international jurists condemning the derision of justice.

The veracity of the charges of genocide and rape against the state of Pakistan and its Army will be examined in the next part of this article in the coming week.

Hasina boycotted commercial, diplomatic and social moots with Pakistan, taking the plea that Pakistan must apologise for its alleged war crimes, including the genocide of three million Bengalis and the rape of thousands of Bengali women. To pour salt into the wounds, Sheikh Hasina levelled charges of treason against the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami for supporting the cause of united Pakistan during the 1971 war

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

Rising suicide rates IN Pakistan 15 to 35 people take their life every day. Stress, financial issues, relationship problems such as breakups, or bullying are some of the major reasons of suicide and rural areas are the most affected where people are less educated and have less awareness.

In urban areas we often see news of suicide and most of them are students who have been victim of bullying, fail to get good marks or admission in a desired institution.

We have to take this burning issue seriously, suicides are preventable on both societal and individual level, the main issue with the students who attempted suicide was that they didn’t have anyone to share their problems. Parents should be frank enough with their kids so they don’t hesitate sharing their issues. They should frequently check if their kids are facing any issue or are in stress and they should work to reduce the communication gap.

MuHAMMAD HASSAN AMiN islamabad

Geriatric care ‘‘Nobody on earth can ever love you more than your parents’’.

In Pakistan, parents are considered as next to God. Here people respect their parents so much that they consider it as a sin to disobey their parents. Pakistani parents expect their children to look after them in old age. When their son gets married, they are overjoyed by the arrival of daughter in law, feeling more secure and comfortable. Most of the Pakistani families respect their parents and take good care of them but unfortunately there are people who treat their parents as liabilities and making them feel neglected. Of course, there are rare cases when parents themselves prefer the privacy of old age homes but in the majority of cases, it is the cold attitude of children that forces parents to move to old age homes. There is an unnecessary race for more and more money and luxuries which is intoxicating and shattering the Family System. The children think they are doing nothing wrong to keep parents in the elderly house that’s why demand for more old homes is increasing “Our society’s moral and religious values of taking care of old people are fading away and sooner or later it is feared that it may have moral breakdown and we too lose our great family system like West, In our society, the twilight years are generally considered to be spent in prayer. One often hears the adage “Yeh to Allah Allah karney ke din hain”, implying the elderly are only counting down their days. Such comments about thinking and feeling individuals who can still contribute much to society should be taken with a pinch of salt. Meanwhile, society itself needs to give serious thought to taking care of the needs of an elderly population who have given the best years of their lives contributing to it.

AiMAN AMJAD islamabad

Contaminated drinking water GUJRANWALA the fifth most populous city of Pakistan is deprived of clean drinking water. Industrialisation, urbanisation, and rapid population growth have placed huge stress on water resources. The people are forced to use contaminated water for drinking purposes which is affecting their health adversely. Gujranwala is an important industrial city and due to rapid industrialisation, drinking water quality is deteriorating day by day. The primary source of contamination is the disposal of toxic chemicals from industrial effluents into the canal polluting the underground water sources. The secondary source of water pollution is the sewerage which is extensively discharged into drinking water system supplies. The use of pesticides and fertilizers to increase the agriculture productivity is also deteriorating the drinking water quality. This water contamination is causing several water borne diseases. The need of the hour is to take immediate protective measures to prevent the unhygienic conditions of drinking water supplies in Gujranwala. The wastewater treatment plants should be installed to treat industrial effluents before the final disposal into water bodies. The environment Protection Agency should also take strict action against the industries disposing off industrial waste into water streams without proper treatment.

SAFiA M Gujranwala

Friday, 20 December, 2019

10 FOREIGN NEWS LONDON

P

AGENCIES

RIME Minister Boris Johnson unveiled what he called a radical government agenda on Thursday, setting his sights on a quick Brexit, future trade deals and on transforming Britain to repay the trust of voters who handed him a landslide election victory.

Just a week after he won the largest Conservative majority since Margaret Thatcher in 1987, the Queen’s Speech offers details of Johnson’s plans for Britain after more than three years of Brexit upheaval. Johnson showed he intended to try to satisfy the demands of voters in northern and central England who broke their tradition of backing the opposition Labour Party to support him.

Among pledges to boost funding for the state health service, increase sentences for violent crime and enhance workers’ rights, Johnson made his campaign slogan to “get Brexit done” his number one priority, confirming he would lead Britain out of the European Union on Jan. 31.

He said he would not allow any more “dither and delay”, ruling out any extension beyond 2020 to the transition period to negotiate a free trade deal with the EU, and suggesting he would hold trade talks with other countries at the same time.

“Our first task is to get Brexit done and we will leave the EU at the end of January,” Johnson said in the foreword to the Queen’s Speech, when Queen

UK-US treaty bans extradition of Assange, lawyer says LONDON AGENCIES Lawyers for Julian Assange said on Thursday they will argue that the WikiLeaks founder cannot be sent from Britain to the United States to face spying charges because a treaty between the two countries bans extradition for political offences. Assange, 48, faces 18 counts in the U.S. including conspiring to hack government computers and violating an espionage law. He could spend decades in prison if convicted. At London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court, his lawyer Edward Fitzgerald outlined some of the evidence Assange’s team will put forward at the full extradition hearing due to start on Feb. 24, saying they could call up to 21 witnesses to testify. “We say that there is in the treaty a ban on being extradited for a political offense and these offences as framed and in substance are political offences,” he told the court.

Other arguments would feature medical evidence, public denunciations by leading U.S. political figures, and details from the case of Chelsea Manning, an ex-intelligence analyst who was convicted by a U.S. Army court-martial in 2013 of espionage and other offences for leaking secret cables to WikiLeaks. There would also be information from an investigation led by a Spanish judge into “revelations about bugging of conversations with his lawyers” during Assange’s long stay in the Ecuadorean embassy in London. Assange, who appeared by videolink from prison on Thursday, is due to be interviewed by a Spanish judge when he appears in person at the same London court for a private hearing tomorrow over the allegations.

He spent almost seven years holed up in cramped rooms at the embassy where he fled in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden where he was then wanted for questioning over allegations of rape which were later dropped.

Elizabeth sets out her government’s programme at the beginning of a new parliament.

“We will release the country from the stranglehold of indecision, restoring confidence to people and businesses. We will

avoid the trap of further dither and delay – by ruling out any extension to the implementation period beyond 2020.”

On Friday, he plans to begin the process of passing legislation needed to ratify Britain’s EU exit on Jan. 31, after

which date the government department specially created to oversee Brexit will be closed.

RADICAL AGENDA: Calling his government’s programme the “most radical Queen’s Speech in a generation”, Johnson

Defying PM Johnson, Scottish leader steps up battle for independence referendum LONDON

SYDNEY Australia’s most populous state declared its second emergency in as many months on Thursday as extreme heat and strong winds stoked more than 100 bushfires, including three major blazes on Sydney’s doorstep.

A day after Australia recorded its hottest day on record, thick smoke blanketed the harbor city, shrouded the Opera House and brought many outdoor activities to a halt.

The state of emergency declaration gave firefighters broad powers to control government resources, force evacuations, close roads and shut down utilities across New South Wales, which is home to more than 7 million people.

Authorities said nearly 120 fires remained ablaze by late afternoon, more than half of which are uncontrolled, and with temperatures forecast

KIEV Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy appointed a former U.N. ambassador Volodymyr Yelchenko as next ambassador to the United States, the presidential decree showed on Thursday. The previous ambassador, Valeriy Chaly, was sacked this summer.

Eight-year-old is highest paid YouTuber, earns $26 million in a year TEXAS AGENCIES

organized without consent or recognition by the national government.

“In line with our values, we acknowledge that a referendum must be legal and that it must be accepted as legitimate here in Scotland and the rest of the UK, as well as in the European Union, and the wider international community,” she said.

Scots rejected independence by 55% to 45% in a 2014 referendum and Sturgeon said the case for Scotland to break away from the rest of the United Kingdom had not yet been won. She framed her strategy as a fight for Scotland’s right to self-determination.

Johnson, whose Conservative Party won a landslide in England in last week’s election but performed poorly in Scotland, winning only six seats there, has said he would not allow a second referendum to take place.

He says the 2014 vote settled the independence question and it would be divisive and bad for the economy to reopen the argument.

Sturgeon argues circumstances have changed since the 2014 vote, mainly because a majority of Scots voted to remain in the European Union in a 2016 referendum, while the United Kingdom as a whole voted to leave.

Australian state declares emergency as wildfires approach Sydney AGENCIES

Ukraine appoints former UN ambassador as next envoy to US AGENCIES

AGENCIES

Scotland’s nationalist leader Nicola Sturgeon will consider “all reasonable options” if Prime Minister Boris Johnson tries to stop her from holding a referendum on Scottish independence, she said on Thursday.

Sturgeon’s pro-independence, anti-Brexit Scottish National Party (SNP) won 48 of Scotland’s 59 parliamentary seats in last week’s UKwide election, which she said showed overwhelming support for her agenda to hold such a referendum.

As things stand, a referendum cannot take place without UK government consent. Sturgeon, who heads Scotland’s semi-autonomous government, said she would write to Johnson on Thursday asking him to enter negotiations on transferring the power to hold a referendum from London to Edinburgh.

“The question is often posed to me: ‘what will you do if Boris Johnson says no?’ As I’ve said before, I will consider all reasonable options to secure Scotland’s right to self-determination,” she said in a speech.

Sturgeon refused to be drawn on exactly what those options could be, although she signaled that she did not envisage a Catalonia-style referendum,

outlined plans to overturn the economic austerity the Conservative Party has overseen for the last nine years.

He promised to spend more on Britain’s much-loved but struggling National Health Service (NHS) by passing legislation to guarantee funding increases, rising to an extra 33.9 billion pounds per year by 2023-24. He also promised better education, better infrastructure and better technology, and pledged a review of Britain’s security, defence and foreign policy in the “most radical reassessment of our place in the world since the end of the Cold War”.

John McDonnell, Labour’s finance policy chief, said the government’s agenda offered “nothing new … for our NHS and public services or people struggling this Christmas”, describing the government as “out of touch”.

But with a majority of 80 in parliament, Johnson is pretty much assured of getting his programme passed by the House of Commons, allowing him almost free reign to set the agenda. And he even suggested he could win another term at an election due in 2024: “Just imagine where this country could be in 10 years’ time.”

On Tuesday, Johnson told his top team of ministers that they “ain’t seen nothing yet folks”, warning them that there was much to do to pay back the trust offered his government in the election on Dec. 12.

After more than three years of debate over Brexit, Johnson wants to move quickly to try to unite a country divided by disagreements over how, when or whether Britain should leave the EU.

to top 45 degrees Celsius (113°F) in some areas, officials warned residents to be on high alert.

“The firefront has been spreading very quickly and intensely,” NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons told reporters in Sydney, adding that two firefighters had been airlifted to hospital with burns to their faces and airways. “It’s still a very difficult and dangerous set of circumstances.”

Days out from Christmas, a time when many Australians head to the coast for the holidays, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian advised people to make sure “you are prepared to change your plans should circumstances change.”

In Shoalhaven, a popular coastal destination some 190 km (120 miles) south of Sydney, local mayor Amanda Findley said people were poised to evacuate.

“There is a large amount of smoke looming over the city, which shows how close the fire is,” Findley told Reuters by telephone. “It is extremely hot and windy now so we are all worried the fire could spread. People are really worried that they may lose everything.”

SMOKY SYDNEY: Australia on Wednesday broke all-time heat records for the second day running, with maximum temperatures reaching an average of 41.9 degree Celsius, the Bureau of Meteorology said.

Some 1,700 firefighters have been deployed across NSW, but officials warned that was still not enough to cover every potential danger and urged people in high risk areas to evacuate while it was still safe to do so.

The current state of emergency will last for seven days, while a total fire ban that has been in place since Tuesday will remain until midnight on Saturday.

Eight-year-old Ryan Kaji earned $26 million in 2019 on his YouTube channel, making him the highest-paid creator on the platform, according to a list published Wednesday by Forbes magazine.

Kaji, whose real name is Ryan Guan, was already the video platform’s highest earner in 2018, with $22 million, according to Forbes. His channel “Ryan’s World,” launched in 2015 by Ryan’s parents, is only three years old but already has 22.9 million subscribers. Initially called “Ryan ToysReview,” the channel mostly consisted of “unboxing” videos — videos of the young star opening boxes of toys and playing with them. Several of the videos have racked up more than one billion views, and the channel has received almost 35 billion views since its creation, according to data from the analytics website Social Blade. Recently, the channel was renamed after a consumer advocacy organization, Truth in Advertising, filed a complaint with the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) about it. Truth in Advertising accused the channel of not clearly denoting which videos had been sponsored, meaning brands paid for the video to feature their products. The channel has also evolved as Ryan ages, now offering more educational videos in addition to the toys. In Forbes’s ranking, Ryan Kaji surpassed the channel “Dude Perfect,” run by a group of friends from Texas who attempt seemingly impossible feats, such as launching basketballs into hoops from the tops of buildings or out of helicopters.

Dude Perfect came in second, up from third the year before, having earned $20 million between June 1, 2018 and June 1, 2019. In third place was another child star’s channel, that of Russia’s Anastasia Radzinskaya. At only five years old, she earned $18 million. Her channels “Like Nastya Vlog” and “Funny Stacy” boast nearly 70 million subscribers in total, with videos in Russian, English and Spanish.

Friday, 20 December, 2019

BUSINESS 11 FATF condiTions

CORPORATE CORNER

MoF PRoPoSeS AML/CFT RuLeS FoR NATioNAL SAviNGS

KARACHI: Khushhali Microfinance Bank Limited (KMBL) has signed an agreement with Pakistan Microfinance Investment Company (PMIC) for arranging Tier-II privately placed term finance certificate of Rs1,400 million. Press releAse

KARACHI: Faysal Bank Limited (FBL) was among the lead sponsors and participants in this year’s IFN Forum Pakistan conference. The day-long conference was held in partnership with the State Bank of Pakistan. Press releAse

ISLAMABAD: Pak Suzuki recently donated sewing machines, machine stands, cutting tables, cabinets, fabric rolls, stitching related items, stationery, medicines, promotional Material etc. to BasicNeeds Pakistan. Press releAse

ISLAMABAD

i

GHUlAM ABBAs

N a bid to meet the Finance Action Task Force (FATF) conditions, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) has proposed draft rules regarding Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) for National Savings, which holds Rs4 trillion deposits of four million Pakistanis.

The draft of National Savings Schemes (AML and CFT) Rules, 2019, has been placed at the ministry's official website for feedback and suggestions from the concerned people within next seven days. As per the documents, “The proposed rules shall apply to all offices and persons responsible for the issuance, management, marketing, registration, replacement, sale and discharge of the instruments issued by and the accounts opened at and maintained with the National Savings centres, Pakistan Post and any other office designated as offices of issue.”

The ministry has also decided to scrutinise all the existing account holders of Central Directorate of National Savings (CDNS) within six months and complete the risk profiling by December next year aimed at meeting the FATF requirements.

The move will, for the first time, open four million accounts having Rs4 trillion deposits (as at the end of October) for the scrutiny of a private party. The prospective third party will screen

ISLAMABAD

LAHORE: Nippon Paint (Pakistan) Limited once again took the initiative of bringing the year’s biggest design competition ‘Asia Young Designer Award (AYDA)’ to Pakistan. Press releAs e

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has registered 1,387 new companies in November, indicating an increase of 30pc when compared with the corresponding period of last year.

The substantial increase is a result of SECP's recent reforms to simplify the registration processes and reduce incorporation and regulatory forms tariffs, according to a statement issued by the commission.

Among new incorporations, around 72pc companies were registered as private limited companies, while around 25pc were registered as single-member companies.

Three per cent companies were registered as public unlisted companies, not for profit associations, foreign companies and Limited

Liability Partnership (LLP), whereas 96pc companies were registered online.

During the month under review, 130 foreign users completed their registration processes from overseas.

Trading sector took the lead with 237 incorporations, services was next with 165, followed by IT with 159, construction with 151, tourism with 77, real estate with 66, education with 65, food and beverages with 51, corporate agricultural farming with 39, engineering and pharmaceutical with 35 each, marketing & development with 33, textile with 27, transport with 25, chemical with 24, auto and allied 21, healthcare 19, mining and quarrying 16, electric goods and logging with 12 each, broadcasting & telecasting and fuel & energy with 11 each, while 96 companies were registered in other sectors.

Gold imports drop 4.8pc in five months ISLAMABAD APP

KARACHI: Engro Polymer and Chemicals Limited (EPCL), the sole manufacturer of PVC resin in Pakistan, recently showcased a diverse line of innovative PVC downstream products at the three-day 15th Build Asia 2019 Exhibition, held at the Expo Centre. P r e s s r e l e A s e

these accounts and make their risk profile on the basis of Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) 2010, Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 and the United Nations Security Council Act 1948.

The FATF has placed Pakistan on its grey list with effect from June 2018 and the next review on the implementation of the FATF Action Plan will take place in February next year. Before that, the Joint Review Group of the Asia Pacific Group will review Pakistan’s compliance in the third week of January.

As per the proposals, CDNS shall undertake measures to identify and assess the money laundering/terrorist financing (ML/TF) risks that may arise in relation to the development of new products and new business practices, including new delivery mechanisms, and the use of new or developing technologies for both new and pre-existing products. CDNS shall undertake risk assessments prior to the launch or use of such products, practices and technologies and take appropriate measures to manage and mitigate these risks.

SECP records 30pc increase in new incorporations sTAFF rePOrT

LAHORE: The launching ceremony of Enchanteur Handbag EDT was held recently at a local hotel. The event was attended by many renowned personalities like Hadiqa Kayani, Qasim Ali Shah, Nimra Mehra and many more. Press releAse

FINANCE MINISTRY TO CONSTITUTE SUPERVISORY BOARD TO ENSURE IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW RULES

The import of gold into the country decreased by 4.81pc during the first five months of the current financial year (201920) as compared to the corresponding period of last year.

Pakistan imported gold worth $7.443 million during July-November FY20 compared to the imports of $7.819 million during July-November FY19, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

In terms of quantity, the import of gold declined by 8.50pc, from 200 kilogrammes in 5MFY19 to 183 kilogrammes in

5MFY20.

Meanwhile, on a year-on-year basis, gold imports into the country during November 2019 witnessed a nominal increase of 1.76pc to $1.796 million when compared with $1.765 million worth of imports during November 2018.

On a month-on-month basis, the gold imports during November 2019 witnessed an increase of 53.11pc, when compared with the imports of $1.173 million in October 2019.

It is pertinent to mention that the country’s merchandise trade deficit plunged by 33.04pc during the first five months of the FY20 as compared to the same months of last year.

Regarding Customer Due Diligence (CDD) and Know Your Client (KYC), a third party shall identify the occasional customers and walk-incustomers and verify their identity using a reliable and independent source of information i.e.

NADRA verification system or biometric identification system.

The third-party shall adopt counter-measures, including, but not limited to, enhance due diligence proportionate to the risks to the business relationship and transactions with natural and legal persons belonging to such countries for which this is called upon to do so by FATF and independently of any call by the FATF to do so.

As per the draft, CDNS or third party shall maintain all necessary records on transactions, both domestic and international, including the results of any scrutiny or analysis for a minimum period as specified but not less than ten years from completion of the transaction.

Under the proposed rules, the National Savings shall develop and implement training programmes for officers and employees concerned with AML and CFT measures, on an annual basis, in order to effectively implement such measures.

Apart from the new rules and in order to provide independent oversight of implementation of the rules and take necessary enforcement actions against violations thereof, the Ministry of Finance will also constitute National Savings AML and CFT Supervisory Board.

SNGPL puts gas supply on hold for general industry, CNG sector BUSINESS DESK The Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) has decided to temporarily discontinue gas supply to general industry and CNG sector. However, zerorated industries would not be affected. “In the wake of increasing gas consumption of domestic sector due to the current cold wave in the country, SNGPL has decided to temporarily discontinue gas supply to general industries and CNG sector,” said a statement issued by the company on Thursday. According to an SNGPL spokesperson, the decision has been taken on temporary basis owing to the current weather situation and that supply to general industries and CNG sector would be restored as soon as the situation gets normal.

Pak Suzuki to increase car prices by up to Rs90,000 from Jan 1 BUSINESS DESK Pak Suzuki Motor Company (PSMC) is set to mark the new year by increasing the prices of its car from January 1, 2020. According to media reports, the PSMC cars would witness a minimum Rs49,000 to a maximum Rs90,000 increase for different variants. It is pertinent to mention that the local auto manufacturers are constantly increasing the prices of their vehicles, which has caused a significant reduction in the sales of brand-new cars. Pak Suzuki has already increased the prices of its vehicles for five times in the year 2019. On Dec 2, PSMC had hiked the prices of motorbikes by Rs8,000 (with effect from December 2019). Apart from Pak Suzuki, Atlas Honda had also increased the prices of its products.

China says in touch with US on signing of Phase 1 trade deal BEIJING AGeNCIes

China and the United States are in touch over the signing of their Phase 1 trade deal, China’s commerce ministry said, which will see lower US tariffs on Chinese goods and higher Chinese purchases of US farm, energy and manufactured goods.

The Phase 1 deal was announced last week after more than two years of onand-off trade talks, although neither side has released many specific details of the

agreement.

Both the Chinese and US trade teams are in close communication, Gao Feng, a spokesman at the Chinese commerce ministry, told reporters at a regular briefing on Thursday, adding there is no specific information on the deal to disclose currently.

“After the official signing of the deal, the content of the agreement will be made public,” Gao said.

US officials say China agreed to increase purchases of US products and services by at least $200 billion over the

next two years.

According to Washington, that would include additional purchases of US farm products of $32 billion over two years.

That would average an annual total of about $40 billion, compared to a baseline of $24 billion in 2017 before the trade war started.

Chinese officials have so far not publicly confirmed much of Washington’s version - especially on goods purchase commitments. But China said on Friday when the deal was announced that it will

import more US wheat, rice, corn, energy, pharmaceuticals and financial services.

Earlier on Thursday, China unveiled a new list of tariff exemptions for US imports, mostly chemical products, days after the world’s two largest economies announced the Phase 1 deal. China said the second part of the waiver list will be released at an appropriate time.

Washington said the deal also includes stronger Chinese legal protections for patents, trademarks, copyrights, including improved criminal and civil pro-

cedures to combat online infringement, pirated and counterfeit goods.

The two countries have reached a consensus over the protection of trade secrets, guarding intellectual property rights for pharmaceutical products, and cracking down on counterfeits and pirated goods on e-commerce platforms, Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Wang Shouwen said on Friday.

China will step up protection of intellectual property but at its own pace, Wang said.

Friday, 20 December, 2019

12 BUSINESS MArkeT dAily

KSe-100 nosedives 948 points following Musharraf verdict KARACHI sTAFF rePOrT

Bears ruled the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Thursday, as profit-taking was witnessed across all major sectors in the early trading hours. But major dent came in the afternoon after the news that came from the judicial end. Over 50 scripts ended at their lower circuit breakers. On the political front, the detailed verdict in the high treason case against former military ruler retired Gen Pervez Musharraf was released today, two days after the special court found the former president guilty of treason and handed him a death sentence. The bench was headed by Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and comprised Justice Nazar Akbar of Sindh High Court and Justice Shahid Karim of the Lahore High Court (LHC). The verdict, 167-page long, was authored by Justice Seth. Justice Karim and Justice Seth agreed – on the basis of the evidence presented – that Musharraf had committed a crime.

However, Justice Akbar wrote a dissenting note. The verdict was split 2-1. The KSE-100 Index slipped over 2.94pc or 1,189 points to touch its intraday low at 40,414.36. It ended lower by 948.34 points at 40,655.37. The KMI-30 Index failed to sustain gains and flushed 2.64pc to reach 65,409.33. The KSE All Share Index showed a similar pattern, falling by 2.32pc.

Only 34 companies managed to stand their ground while 310 declined. The overall market volumes contracted by 6.15pc to 260.07 million, while the total traded value was recorded at $73.20 million, well below its five-day average of $86.19 million. Unity Foods Limited (UNITY -2.97pc) was the top pick of the day, followed by Right Shares of Hascol Petroleum Limited (HASCOLR1 -8.22pc) and Fauji Foods Limited (FFL 5.97pc). The scripts had exchanged 26.40 million, 13.22 million and 12.57 million shares, respectively.

The refinery sector lost 5.16pc in its cumulative market capitalization, while engineering sector lost 4.00pc, cement 2.84pc, oil & gas exploration 2.75pc and commercial bank by 1.97pc. On the economic front, the country's large-scale manufacturing contracted 6.50pc in July-October 2019 compared to the same period last year. The decline came due to low demand, which was adversely affected by the rising cost of production and working capital. A constant increase in the cost of energy, raw material and working capital due to the doubling of interest rate to 13.25pc affected the production cost as well as the profits of firms.

export of readymade garments increases 13pc in five months ISLAMABAD APP

The export of readymade garments during the first five months (July-Nov) of FY20 increased by 13.19pc to $1.156 billion, as compared to $1.021 billion worth of exports during the same period of last year. According to the latest data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, textile group exports from the country, during the period under review, increased by 4.68pc to $5.763 billion as against $5.506 billion during the corresponding period of last year. Meanwhile, on a month-on-month basis, textile exports from the country grew by 7.03pc, from $1.099 billion in November 2018 to $1.177 billion in November 2019. However, the exports were down by 3.10pc when compared with the month of October 2019. The export of knitwear fetched $1.320 billion during the five months of FY20 as compared to $1.215 billion in the same period of last year. During the period under review, bedwear worth $1.013 billion was exported from the country, as against $968.151 million worth of exports during the same period of last year. Furthermore, towels worth $317.484 million were exported during the period under review, as against the exports of $314.348 million in the same period of last year.

'PAKiSTAN wiLLiNG To ACCoMModATe NeiGhbouRiNG CouNTRieS iN CPeC' ASAD UMAR STRESSES NEED FOR INTRAREGIONAL TRADE, SAYS PAKISTAN COMMITTED TO TIMELY COMPLETION OF CPEC PROJECTS ISLAMABAD INP

P

LANNING and Development Minister Asad Umar has said that there was "nothing to hide about the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)”, adding that neighbouring countries were welcome to reap the benefits of the mega project.

"Pakistan has a serious debt problem and the issue can be tackled through an increase in exports. China gave Pakistan loans worth $4.9 billion under the CPEC," he said while speaking at a seminar on the 'Role of Parliaments in Cementing Regional Integration'.

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing also participated in the seminar, which was organized by the Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services.

Asad Umar said intraregional trade was important for economic growth and that at present, the East Asian countries have an intraregional trade of

CHINESE ENVOY SAYS MOST OF THE CPEC PROJECTS WERE INVESTMENTS BY CHINESE COMPANIES 'AND NOT LOANS TO PAKISTANI GOVT'

27pc of their gross domestic product (GDP).

He said Pakistan was committed to completing the CPEC projects on time and was willing to accommodate neighbouring countries.

National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, who presided over the seminar, noted that economic, trade and cultural ties among the countries in the region were spread over centuries.

"Immense opportunities are available to promote cooperation among regional countries in trade and other sectors," he added.

The NA speaker said that Pakistan was in a war-like situation for the last 30 years, adding that the country's economy suffered a lot due to Afghan war and the war against terrorism.

"Regional economy can be improved with the completion of CPEC," Asad Qaiser said. "I wish that Central Asian states are included in CPEC, which is a guarantee for future generations."

He assured of complete cooperation to regional countries for the success of CPEC, saying that the parliament could play a vital

role in strengthening bilateral ties between the countries.

Speaking on the occasion, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing said special economic zones would be established in Pakistan under the next phase of CPEC. "China will now invest in building vocational and training centres, besides investing in the research for agriculture in and livestock sectors," he added.

The Chinese envoy noted that most of the CPEC projects were investments by Chinese companies "and not loans to the Pakistan government".

CPEC was launched because of the friendship between Pakistan and China, he asserted, adding that China wanted development across Pakistan.

Parliamentary Committee on CPEC Chairman Sher Ali Arbab said Pakistani population was huge and it was a challenge as well as an opportunity.

"We have to take a lead in achieving prosperity for people of Pakistan and for the region.

Pakistan cannot develop without gender empowerment and equality," he added.

SBP reserves surge 18pc, surpass $10bn mark FOREX RESERVES HELD BY SBP INCREASE BY $1.65BN TO $10.89BN; SUCH LEVELS WERE LAST SEEN IN MAY 2018 BUSINESS DESK The foreign exchange reserves held by the central bank surged 18pc on a weekly basis, according to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Thursday.

On December 13, the foreign currency reserves held by the SBP were recorded at $10,892.9 million, up $1,659.3 million compared with $9,233.6 million in the previous week. Such levels were last seen in May 2018.

The overall liquid foreign currency reserves held by the country, including net reserves held by banks other than the SBP, stood at $17,655.5 million.

Net reserves held by banks amounted to $6,762.6 million.

“This increase is attributed to multilateral and other official inflows including the $1.3 billion received from the Asian Development Bank (ADB),” said the SBP in a statement.

“A major improvement in the foreign exchange reserves came from a significant contraction in the current account deficit,” Taurus Securities’ Deputy Head of Research Mustafa Mustansir said, citing a statement issued by the SBP a couple of days ago.

“The bulk of the increase in the net reserve buffers is ac-

counted for by the continued current account improvement,” the SBP reported on Monday.

The current account deficit dropped 73pc to $1.82 billion in first five months (Jul-Nov) of the current fiscal year compared to $6.73 billion in the same period of previous year, according to the central bank. Foreign investment in sovereign debt instruments like treasury bills and Pakistan Investment Bonds (PIBs) “accounts for less than one-fifth of the increase in SBP’s net reserve buffers at current levels”, the central bank said.

Mustansir added that foreign investment in the debt market and loans received from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and ADB also played an important role in building up the reserves.

Last week, the SBP also made a massive repayment of $1 billion for the maturing international Sukuk of Pakistan.

PM Imran calls for early redressal of builders’ woes ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Syed Shabbar Zaidi to ensure the facilitation of builders and constructors on a priority basis.

Chairing a meeting of the government’s economic team on Thursday, he said the promotion of the real estate sector would not only be beneficial for 40 other allied industries but would also create numerous job opportunities for youth.

The PM maintained that the removal of construction-related was among the top priorities of the government. He directed the officials concerned to accelerate the process of utilising government lands for Naya Pakistan Housing Project.

The meeting also discussed proposals to increase remittances; incentives to overseas Pakistanis who send money to their relatives.

“The government wants to provide all possible facilities to the overseas Pakistanis so as to ensure legal movement of money.” The PM formed a committee to finalise proposals for the promotion of remittances and facilitation of overseas Pakistanis.

The committee, comprising Advisor to PM on Finance Hafeez Sheikh, Special Assistant Zulfikar Bukhari, former finance minister Shaukat Tareen, foreign secretary and representatives of the State Bank of Pakistan, would prepare recommendations on the basis of these proposals. PPI

oil hovers near three-month highs on trade progress, lower inventories LONDON AGeNCIes

Oil prices hovered near three-month peaks on Thursday, buoyed by falling US crude inventories and thawing trade relations between the United States and China.

Brent crude futures edged up $0.1 to $66.27 a barrel by 0957 GMT, heading for a sixth straight day of gains if prices on Thursday end in positive territory.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude gained $0.06 to $60.99 a barrel.

Trading volume was thin before the Christmas holiday with news of President Donald Trump’s impeachment by the US House of Representatives failing to stir the oil market.

“A resilient performance in the coming two weeks will flip the monthly technical picture unreservedly positive for next year,” PVM oil market analysts said, although they added prices were still likely to be volatile. Oil prices are on track for a third consecutive weekly rise, surfing momentum from this month’s an-

nouncements about deeper output cuts by major crude producers and the phase one deal between Washington and China that has eased trade tensions.

The deal between the world’s two largest economies has improved the global economic outlook, lifting prospects for higher energy demand next year and underpinning oil prices.

In a further sign of thawing relations, China’s finance ministry on Thursday published a new list of six US products that will be exempt from tariffs starting

December 26. A week earlier, the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC producers such as Russia agreed to deepen production cuts by a further 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) from January 1 on top of previous reductions of 1.2 million bpd.

Offering a further lift to oil prices, weekly data from the Energy Information Administration showed US crude inventories dropped 1.1 million barrels in the week to December 13, while gasoline and distillate stockpiles rose.

‘Facebook’s Libra lacks solid plan for launch’ LONDON AGeNCIes

Facebook’s Libra project has no solid plan yet for how or where it will be launched next year, a member of the board that will oversee the cryptocurrency told Reuters on Thursday. The scope of Libra’s introduction, due by the end of June, depends on talks with regulators, said Patrick Ellis, one of five board members of the Geneva-based Libra Association that will issue and govern the digital currency. “At this stage, there is no strategy set in stone for the markets or the product, or how it will actually get rolled out,” Ellis said in a telephone interview from Singapore.

The prospect of Libra gaining traction among Facebook’s nearly 2.4 billion users has raised concerns among regulators around the world, who are nervous that it could radically alter the global financial landscape. Officials running the project, including cocreator David Marcus of Facebook, have said regulatory hurdles could see the launch delayed beyond the planned June launch date. Asked if the cryptocurrency would launch in 2020, Ellis said: “Yes. Yes, it’ll launch.”

Regulators have expressed concerns about Libra’s potential to erode countries’ control over their monetary policy and upset financial stability across the world. US Federal Reserve Governor Lael Brainard launched the latest broadside against the project on Wednesday, saying it faced a “core set of legal and regulatory challenges” and that its “stablecoin” concept remained unproven. Libra will be backed by a reserve of assets such as bank deposits and government debt, held by a network of custodians. The structure is meant to foster trust and avoid the price swings that plague other cryptocurrencies. Brainard’s remarks highlight the challenges facing Libra.

“It’s just too early to put a solid strategy in place,” Ellis said. “We have still got so much to solve with the regulators in order to be able to then refine the strategy for launch.”

Artists Are the true Asset of the society

Mumtaz Hussain is an artist, a filmmaker and a writer. We closely talked about painting, film making and writing. According to Mumtaz Hussain, being an artist is the most underrated profession, when in fact, these are the ones who draw the true and positive picture of the society and the country.

Let’s see how he started off and what are his future plans regarding film making.

1

Tell us about your journey up till now?

I belong to a very small town in Punjab, Jhang, which is culturally very rich like Vienna in Europe. My home town is the town of Heer. My initial education started from Jhang and led me to New York via Europe. I am a painter, film maker and a writer, and the journey continues. Made seven films, art shows in several museums and art galleries, three urdu books and one in English. One of my books is being used to teach MPhil classes. I will keep writing, keep painting and keep making films until my hands start trembling.

2

Where did you get your education from?

Initial education from Jhang then NCA Lahore.

I studied few art courses from London. And, i also studied Graphic Design and Film Making from NY.

3

HOLLYWOOD BOLLYWOOD

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

While I was studying film, I had so many ideas of film. The first step of film making is to write a script. I always asked writers to write my script, but no one could read my mind properly, I was frustrated. My film teacher advised me to write my own script. He gave me assignments to write short stories. I was very successful in my assignments. I had so many films in my mind, but making films is hard, Writing my thoughts in short stories (afsana) was like heaven to me and that was the beginning of my writing career.

5

By Rohama Riaz

4

What’s integral to the work of an artist and what role does the artist have in society?

An artist has a responsibility because he represents his country and his culture history and the image which he can present. I feel my job being an artist is as important as any other profession like doctor or lawyer, but no one takes us seriously, everyone thinks only one angle that’s aesthetic but artist’s power of communication is more impactful than any other profession. Creating country’s soft image, my one series of paintings are based on Indus Valley civilisation and it has been showed all over the world which’s creating a positive Image of Pakistan that we come from an old civilisation, and we don’t belong to tribal culture or barbarians. I present an art which’s pure from this land and has no foreign influence. Every other art comes from somewhere else wither Europe Middle East or Persia. My responsibility is to tell the truth that Pakistan’s cultural history never started from 1947 or Mohammad bin Qasim, but it starts way back from Mahargarah, Harappa and Mohanjadaro.

When inspiration is waning when you feel creatively sapped, what do you do? How do you stay fresh?

Inspiration and creativity are two different thing. Inspiration is a spark exactly like match stick.

Creativity is like food how good or creative dish you bring on the table. Creativity comes from heaven. Two things come from heaven prophesy and creativity. It’s God gifted to be creative. This world is full of inspiration you can never run out of inspiration. Creativity starts giving you metaphors like emotion, love, hurt, betrayal, happiness, sadness. These emotions inspire us to pick brush, pen or camera. Every moment inspires me to create.

In 1997 a Louisville woman left actor Charles Bronson all of her money in a handwritten will—a total of about $300,000. She'd never met him; she was just a fan.

6

How much do you have to compromise as a filmmaker because of financial restrictions or business?

You really touched my nerve. It’s the most difficult job to convince financier to do something creative, but on the other side I want to make films people that will make people come out of homes and watch. Compromising, most of the time is killing the creative element.

Carly Simon's dad is the Simon of Simon and Schuster. He co-founded the company.

7

What is the idea behind the ‘Frozen Frame’ which is being displayed this December?

In my mind always there’s film reel running. I freeze few frames .If I pick up brush, it’s painting .If I pick up pen, it’s a short story (afsana). If camera, then its a film

8

Any advice you would like to give to aspiring artists/writers?

This is a very important and sacred profession because this is the only profession which is connected to heart. Do anything with passion and love, and you will find God, you find God you will find yourself through your art.

Star Wars: 'JJ Abrams Is Over Party' Trending On Twitter

Black Widow, Eternals Said Not To Have 'Big Global Opener'

The "JJ Abrams Is Over Party" hashtag is currently trending on Twitter, as Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker premiered last night, which also follows those initial mixed bag reactions.

No spoilers will be found below, but apparently fans aren't happy with what they are hearing about, which not only includes the Fandom Menace but also those that favored Rian Johnson's The Last Jedi, so it seems a majority of Star Wars fans aren't too happy. I have been trying to avoid spoilers myself, but the notion that Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker doesn't live up to expectations isn't a surprise, as that basically sums up all of Disney Star Wars, except for The Mandalorian, which I am really enjoying.

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker gets released December 20, 2019 directed by J.J. Abrams and stars Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Anthony Daniels, Naomi Ackie, Domhnall Gleeson, Richard E. Grant, Lupita Nyong’o, Keri Russell, Joonas Suotamo, Kelly Marie Tran, and Billy Dee Williams.

Both Marvel's Black Widow and Eternals are predicted to have relatively soft openings, with both said to not be big global openers, at least compared to previous flicks from 2019 and prior that have made north of $400 million worldwide for their opening weekends.

In Deadline's report about the tracking for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, it is mentioned that Skywalker may be the last event-pic mega global opening until 2021 which could net around $450 million, similar to The Last Jedi, but less than The Force Awakens' $528.9 million.

One possibly flick that could do it is Universal's Fast & Furious 9, which gets released May 22, 2020, but it is said it is dependent on the film getting released in 63 territories plus China, as it did with The Fate of the Furious, which delivered a $541.9M opening global weekend.

Black Widow gets released May 1, 2020; Eternals gets released Nov. 6, 2020, both of which kick off Marvel and Kevin Feige's Phase 4 approach to diversity.

CMYK

The annual number of worldwide shark bites is 10 times less than the number of people bitten by other people in New York.

Shraddha Kapoor was upset as Street Dancer 3D wasn’t originally offered to her, says Varun Dhawan Actor Varun Dhawan on Wednesday said co-star Shraddha Kapoor was destined to come on board Street Dancer 3D and she was even upset when she wasn’t originally the offered the film. Earlier, actor Katrina Kaif was supposed to star in the dance film, directed by Remo D’Souza, but left the project. Varun said before Katrina’s exit, Shraddha told him she wanted to be a part of Street Dancer 3D. “Before all this happened, a week ago, Shraddha and I had gone somewhere and she told me ‘I was very upset with Remo and you because you all didn’t offer me this film.’ The script was something else then, which is why sir didn’t think about it.

She genuinely was emotional about this. But I think it’s destiny,” the actor told reporters at the trailer launch of the film.

The trio earlier collaborated on 2015’s ABCD 2. Remo said Katrina left the project due to scheduling issues with Bharat.

“We keep thanking Shraddha and say she has saved us.

Friday, 20 December, 2019

14 SPORTS

DozeNS iNjuReD iN claSheS outSiDe camP Nou StaDium DuRiNG claSico BARCELONA

m

AGENCIES

ASKED protesters set bins on fire and threw rocks and glass bottles at police who responded with foam bullets in a street near Barcelona's Camp Nou stadium as Barcelona and Real Madrid faced off Wednesday in the first Clasico of the season.

Forty-six people were lightly injured in the clashes, including eight who needed to be taken to hospital for extra care, local emergency services said. Nine people were arrested, Catalonia's regional police force said. They face charges of affront to authority and causing public disorder.

The protesters, many of them carrying Catalan separatist flags, began setting up barricades in the middle of the street, which they then set on fire after police arrived in dozens of vans, according to an AFP reporter at the

scene. Demonstrators rocked a police van and took down street signs that they added to the barricade, while some people sought shelter inside a bar.

Calm returned to the street as fans began to leave the stadium at the end of

the match, which ended in a 0-0 draw.

Police closed the south exits of the stadium leading to the street where the clashes took place and asked fans to leave the venue through the north exits for "security reasons".

These were the first violent incidents in Catalonia since October when Spain's top court jailed nine Catalan separatist leaders over their role in a failed 2017 bid for independence, triggering days of protests that sometimes ended in clashes with police.

The original fixture in October had to be postponed due to the violent demonstrations across the wealthy northeastern region.

Inside the stadium thousands of fans held up blue banners with the words 'Spain, sit and talk' which were given to supporters outside the grounds and also carried the words, 'Freedom, rights, self-determination', as well as the slogan of Democratic Tsunami, the protest group promoting the cause of Catalan independence that organised the demonstration.

Protesters had begun gathering at the four corners of the stadium, blocking traffic, four hours before kick-off.

Nearly 5,000 people surrounded the stadium, according to police.

Djokovic says he was moved by 'amazing warrior' Murray BELGRADE AGENCIES

Russia to contest doping ban, Putin defiant MOSCOW: Russia decided on Thursday to contest its ban from major sporting events over doping violations, as President Vladimir Putin slammed its sidelining as unfair and insisted athletes should be able to compete under the national flag. Russia's RUSADA anti-doping agency "made a decision not to agree" with the four-year ban by the World Anti-Doping Agency's decision, the head of RUSADA's supervisory board, Alexander Ivlev, told journalists. The decision will have to be communicated to WADA before the end of the month, triggering the appeal process in the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport. WADA on December 10 banned Russia for four years from major global events, including the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, over manipulated doping data. Putin appeared to indicate a lengthy legal battle loomed, as he addressed a throng of journalists in his annual press conference.

"We will have to calmly await all the relevant decisions, including the decision by the arbitration court, then we will understand what position we're in," he said when asked about the prospect of cancellation of events on Russian territory. AGENCIES

Novak Djokovic has described his longtime rival Andy Murray as a "warrior" and says he is "inspired" by the former world No.1's journey back from a career-threatening injury.

Djokovic watched Murray's recently-released documentary that chronicled the Brit's two-year battle with a hip issue that required multiple surgeries and was moved by what he saw.

Just 11 months ago, a tearful Murray told reporters at the Australian Open that he might never be able to play tennis again but the 32year-old has since undergone a hip resurfacing operation that saved his career. He returned to singles action in Cincinnati in August, and remarkably lifted his first trophy in two and a half years in Antwerp in October.

While his preseason preparations have been hampered by a groin injury sustained late in the year, Murray is planning on contesting next month's Australian Open – something that seemed highly unlikely when he bid farewell to the tournament in Melbourne last January. "I've seen his documentary about four, five days and it was tough to watch to be honest, as a tennis player, and as someone that knows him for a long time," said Djokovic, who is exactly one week younger than Murray, and has competed against him since they were 12 years old.

"To see what he has been through, I think it was a great insight into his last couple of years and the struggles he had, mental, emotional, physical. "Just amazing warrior that he is in life really, to be able not to give up after everything that has happened and all the recovery and preparations and trying to heal and play a couple of matches in the whole season and still after everything he's been through in his career and having family at home, not give up on that and have support of the close ones, it's really impressive and inspiring."

Addressing the press in Abu Dhabi, where he is contesting the Mubadala World Tennis Championship exhibition this weekend, Djokovic will face the winner of the clash between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev in his opener on

Cummins sold for record $2.17m at IPL MUMBAI AGENCIES

Australia paceman Pat Cummins became the costliest overseas buy in Indian Premier League history Thursday after Kolkata Knight Riders paid $2.17 million for him in the championship's auctions.

The winning bid in the cash-rich Twenty20 league, beat the previous record $2.16 million paid for England's Ben Stokes in 2007 by the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiants.

Aussies dominated the bidding war, with all-rounder Glenn Maxwell going to Kings XI Punjab for $1.51 million after recently returning to cricket from a short break due to mental health issues.

The IPL auction is an annual event held before the start of each season where teams buy players who sign central contracts. The players get around 75 percent

of the auction price -- effectively their salary for the season -- while the rest goes to their national board.

Other big foreign buys included South Africa bowler Chris Morris ($1.4m to Royal Challengers Bangalore), England's World Cup-winning skipper Eoin Morgan ($734,265 to Knight Riders) and Australia limited-overs captain Aaron Finch ($619,303 to Bangalore). But it was Cummins who initiated the biggest bidding war, with Bangalore and Delhi Capitals upping the ante before Kolkata swooped in to catch their former player, who has claimed 32 wickets in 25 IPL matches.

"Absolutely pumped to be back on board ... Can't wait to get over there," Cummins said in a video message posted on Kolkata's official Twitter site.

While best for a foreign player, the price paid for Cummins is still short of

the 160 million rupees ($2.3 million) that Bangalore paid for Indian batsman Yuvraj Singh in 2015. Explosive hitter Maxwell made his presence felt as he improved from his base price set at 20 million rupees ($282,000) to re-unite with his former team. "He has the capacity to really blast through on a good day," Punjab chief executive Satish Menon said after the big buy.

"He is the only guy we see as 'X factor' in the middle-order which we lack very badly. We couldn't have thought anyone better than him. He knows the ground, he Kings XI Punjab the way it has been."

Maxwell has scored 1,397 runs in the IPL at an average of 22.9 at a rapid strike rate of 161.13.

A total of 338 players are under the hammer at the auction for the 13th edition of the cash-rich league.

CMYK

Friday. The 21-year-old Tsitsipas, who owns two wins in four meetings with Djokovic, is coming off of a huge finish to his 2019 season, having clinched the ATP Finals title in London last month.

Tsitsipas told reporters in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday that he hopes to break the stranglehold of the 'Big Three' (Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Rofer Federer) on the Grand Slams and the top positions of the rankings, and Djokovic feels the Greek youngster, and his contemporaries, are getting dangerously close to achieving that. "I think it's a logical and a natural cycle. Roger, Rafa and I were saying that it's going to happen that we're going to be replaced in the top three spots and the new guys are going to start winning Slams," said the Serbian 16-time major champion.

Nadal not focused on Federer's Grand Slam record BARCELONA: Rafael Nadal insists he is not focused on chasing Roger Federer's record Grand Slam haul, but admits it would be "amazing" if he manages to eclipse the Swiss star's tally of 20 majors won. Nadal's heroics in 2019 saw him capture a 12th Roland Garros and fourth US Open and the Spaniard is now just one Slam shy of Federer's men's all-time record. At 33, Nadal became the oldest year-end No.1 when he secured that position last month, following a tremendous season that saw him scoop four titles on tour, along with the Davis Cup crown for Spain. "Happy to achieve these things, but I would love to have five years less," Nadal joked with reporters in Abu Dhabi on Thursday ahead of his 10th appearance at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship exhibition. "It has been a little bit of a magic year because it had been a good start, but then I went through a couple of very hard months in terms of injuries. "Then I came back and I came back well. I started to play at a very high level again. I enjoyed a lot of great moments on court, very emotional ones, Roland Garros, Rome, then New York, that final was amazing, and then of course ending the season with that Davis Cup title on home soil, so an unforgettable experience to finish that way." Nadal's Davis Cup participation meant he had to finish his 2019 season later than usual – on November 24 – and the Mallorcan says he just started hitting again a week and a half ago in preparation for 2020. He will get a taste of where his level is at when he takes on either Karen Khachanov or Chung Hyeon in the Emirati capital on Friday, before resuming his pre-season training back home ahead of the Australian summer. Asked if usurping Federer is a main target for him moving forward, the top-ranked Nadal said: "I can't say yes because honestly I just work on my diary basis. I have to do my things the best way possible and then to just give myself chances to keep being competitive at the highest level possible. "So if that happens, great, if not, I just gave my best all my career to be in the position that I am today. And obviously of course, increase the number of 20, or tying 20 would be something amazing, but I cannot complain at all.

"I'm super happy the way I am having my tennis career, I gave my best all the time and I'm proud about the way I worked and the way I enjoyed the tennis during all these years. "So I just really believe and hope that I can keep having the chance to keep going and keep having fun and keep giving myself chances to compete at the highest level." AGENCIES

Friday, 20 December, 2019

SPORTS 15

KARACHI

P

AGENCIES

AKISTAN fought back after being dismissed relatively cheaply Thursday as bowlers dominated the opening day of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Karachi.

Lahiru Kumara and Lasith Embuldeniya grabbed four wickets each to dismiss Pakistan for just 191 before the home team had the visitors at 64-3 at stumps at the National Stadium.

Pacer Kumara took 4-49 while leftarm spinner Embuldeniya finished with 4-71 after Pakistan won the toss.

But Pakistan staged a fightback with the wickets of Oshada Fernando (four), Dimuth Karunaratne (25) and Kusal Mendis (13) leaving Sri Lanka still 127 runs behind on the first innings.

Lanky pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi had Fernando caught behind before Mohammad Abbas removed Karunaratne and Mendis. At stumps, Angelo Mathews was eight not out and nightwatchman Embuldeniya unbeaten on three.

Pakistan were well set at 127-3 with Babar Azam (60) and Asad Shafiq (63) involved in a 62-run stand for the fourth wicket, but once Azam fell the home side lost their last six wickets for just 24 runs.

Azam was shaping well after scoring his 13th half-century before Embuldeniya had him stumped off a well-disguised delivery. Shafiq hooked Kumara tentatively to deep square-leg, ending Pakistan's hopes of a big total in their bid to win the series after the first Test ended in a draw due to poor weather in Rawalpindi.

PakiStaN FiGht back aFteR SRi laNkaN bowleRS ShiNe iN SecoND teSt

Kumara dismissed Mohammad Rizwan for four and Yasir Shah (nought) off successive deliveries in the first over

after tea before Embuldeniya removed the tail. Earlier, Sri Lanka left-arm pacer Vishwa Fernando dismissed opener Shan

Masood for five and skipper Azhar Ali for a duck to rattle Pakistan at 10-2 in the morning.

Fernando's new-ball partner Kumara dismissed first Test centurion Abid Ali for 38 to end a third-wicket partnership of 55, which had lifted Pakistan from a precarious 10 for two.

Fernando thought he had Azam legbefore on four, but TV referalls showed the ball hit the bat first.

Azam reached his fourth half-century in the last five innings with a crisp boundary to cover off-spinner Dilruwan Perera, but could not match his hundred in the first Test. Azam's 96-ball knock contained eight boundaries and a six while Shafiq's 126-ball stay had six boundaries.

It was Fernando who provided Sri Lanka with early breakthroughs.

He angled one in to Masood to hit his off stump before clean bowling skipper Azhar with a full-length delivery.

That left Azhar without a fifty in 13 innings, including nine scores of under 10. Pakistan brought in leg-spinner Yasir Shah for ailing paceman Usman Shinwari, while Embuldeniya came in for unfit Kasun Rajitha. The two-match series is the first in Pakistan since a militant attack on the Sri Lankan team bus killed eight people in March 2009, leading to the suspension of international cricket in the country over security fears.

Archer, Broad, Leach still in doubt as illness lingers in England camp Navdeep Saini replaces injured Deepak chahar for third oDi MUMBAI: Navdeep Saini is in line to make his ODI debut after replacing the injured Deepak Chahar for the decider of the threematch ODI series in Cuttack on December 22. Chahar "felt mild pain in his lower back" after the second ODI in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday, according to the BCCI. "The BCCI medical team examined him and has suggested that the fast bowler needs some rest in order to fully recover," a release said.

Chahar went wicketless for 44 runs in seven overs in the second ODI, which India won by 107 runs to level the series 1-1. In the first ODI, he finished with 1 for 48 from ten overs but West Indies chased down the target of 288 with ease. Saini has played five T20Is so far and could make his ODI debut on Sunday unless India change their combination and don't field three quicks. AGENCIES

LONDON AGENCIES

Jofra Archer, Stuart Broad and Jack Leach all remain a doubt for England's final warm-up match against South Africa A at Benoni, starting on Friday, leaving the squad's plans for next week's Boxing Day Test in some disarray.

All three players were forced to sit out the low-key tour opener against a South Africa Invitational XI earlier this week, after a bug swept through the England camp, and according to an ECB spokesman, their fitness for this weekend's three-day fixture won't be confirmed until the morning of the match. Unlike the opening match, the South Africa A game is a designated firstclass fixture, featuring a strong opposition including regular Test-squad members Temba Bavuma, Theunis de Bruyn and Andile Phehlukwayo. Therefore, England will be unable to substitute the trio into the line-up

should they recover later in the contest, meaning that those players risk going into the first Test at Centurion with no match practice in South African conditions.

Speaking at the conclusion of the two-day game on Wednesday, Chris Woakes acknowledged the sickness in the England camp. "A few guys have gone down a little bit ill, so obviously they're back in the hotel trying to steer clear of everyone," he said. "Hopefully it's not too bad, hopefully it'll be a couple of days out and they'll be back on their feet." While the timing of the illness is not ideal for the squad as a whole, it is particularly problematic for Leach, who was omitted from England's most recent Test, against New Zealand in Hamilton last month, and then suffered a bout of gastroenteritis that would have ruled him out for much of the game anyway.

In his absence, England gave an outing to the legspinner Matt Parkinson in their opening tour game in South Africa, but he endured some rough treatment as Joe Root emerged as the most economical spinner on the day. With a range of allrounders in England's squad, including Ben Stokes, Sam Curran and Chris Woakes all of whom are currently fit for selection - England could yet decide to take the field in Centurion without a frontline spinner for the second Test in a row, especially at a venue that has traditionally favoured seam bowling.

Assuming he is fit in time for the Centurion Test, Archer seems guaranteed to take his place in England's starting XI - even though he endured a tricky first taste of overseas Test cricket in New Zealand, claiming two wickets at 104.50 in the series.

Bangladesh reluctant to play Tests in Pakistan, propose neutral venue DHAKA AGENCIES

Bangladesh's tour of Pakistan, scheduled for next month, is now facing uncertainty with the BCB offering to play only T20Is in Pakistan, while asking that the two-Test series be shifted to a neutral venue.

"We have had a round of correspondence with them [the BCB] and they are happy to play three T20s in Pakistan but they are slightly reluctant to play two Tests," Wasim Khan, the PCB CEO, told a press conference on Wednesday. "I have written back to them, being very strong in my response, and asked the reason why. We have our security plans signed off by ICC and it has been signed off for a while now.

"Sri Lanka are going to compete their series here and everything went very safely with all security provisions in place. So we are asking Bangladesh what is the reason for you not wanting to come. It (correspondence) is not finished yet and it doesn't mean they are not coming. They are talking about three T20s, but for us playing Test cricket in another country isn't an option now."

Sri Lanka are in the middle of a two-Test series in

Pakistan - the first Tests in the country since the terrorist attack on Sri Lanka's team bus in Lahore in March 2009 - with the second Test set to begin in Karachi on Thursday. The visiting players have given positive feedback about the security arrangements on the tour. An MCC team, led by Kumar Sangakkara, is also scheduled to tour Pakistan next year, and the PCB is set to host the entirety of the Pakistan Super League in Pakistan as well.

These moves are part of the PCB's plan to bring all of Pakistan's home cricket back to Pakistan, and away from neutral venues such as the UAE, which had been the primary "home" venue since 2009. ESPNcricinfo understands the PCB felt it was not financially viable to host lower-ranked teams like Bangladesh and Zimbabwe in the UAE. The Bangladesh tour of Pakistan comprises three T20Is, scheduled to be held in Lahore on January 23, 25 and 27, followed by two Tests, which were originally slated to be held in Rawalpindi and Karachi. Before the new offer to split the series, the tour was hanging in the balance with the BCB awaiting government approval on touring a country Bangladesh has not enjoyed friendly terms with historically.

Bangladeshi sides have toured Pakistan in the recent past, but the senior men's team hasn't done so since playing a five-match ODI series there in 200708. Since then, Pakistan have toured Bangladesh twice, in 2011-12 and 2015. . Seven years ago, they were close to deciding on a tour to Pakistan, only for the AHM Mustafa Kamal-led BCB to pull out shortly after the decision to tour was taken. The move aggravated relations between the PCB and the BCB. The PCB stopped communications with the BCB and barred Pakistan's cricketers - who had already been auctioned to various teams - from featuring in the Bangladesh Premier League. Relations later improved during Shahryar Khan's term as PCB chairman, and Pakistan invited Bangladesh for a two-match T20I series in 2017, only for the BCB to rebuff the invitation.

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First day of New zealand's tour match cancelled due to extreme heat WELLINGTON: New Zealand have cancelled the opening day of their scheduled two-day tour match against Victoria XI in Melbourne on Friday due to extreme heat that is forecast. Australia's Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting temperatures of 43C in Melbourne on Friday combined with hot north-westerly winds. New Zealand's first Test against Australia was played in 40degree temperatures each day in Perth and now, the visitors have opted to cancel the first day's play against Victoria. New Zealand did not play a warm-up game prior to the first Test and this was their only practice match outside of the three Tests on the tour. The game was scheduled to be a two-day red-ball match played on Friday and Sunday with a day's break in between. They will instead train on Saturday morning at the MCG when temperatures are expected to be a far milder 23C before playing at Scotch College in a single day game on Sunday when the temperature is forecast to be 21C, where it has already been agreed that New Zealand will bat first. New Zealand coach Gary Stead said it was a common-sense outcome with player safety at the forefront of their mind. "(We've) decided to cancel tomorrow's game just purely for player welfare and looking after the players," Stead said. "If it's going to be that hot then I'm not sure we're going to get too much out of it and there's just the danger element as well."

New Zealand's bowlers will get a work out on Saturday morning in the MCG nets. "The guys can bowl the overs then that they would have bowled on Friday and we'll still play the game on Sunday which will be a batting day for us," Stead said. "It's hard to underestimate the effect that Perth had on us as well. We were in 40-degree temperatures every day. The travel back from Perth to Melbourne is pretty gruelling as well and guys are still struggling a little bit to get their sleep patterns right. Having the extra day shouldn't do any harm for us at all. " New Zealand trained in warm conditions in Melbourne on Wednesday and fast bowler Trent Boult got through the session unscathed and looks likely to line-up on Boxing Day after missing the Perth Test with an intercostal injury. AGENCIES

Friday, 20 December, 2019

NEWS

jusTICe waqar seTh ‘MenTally unfIT’ TO be a juDge, gOvT says PM IMRAN KHAN SAYS TREASON VERDICT ‘IS AN ATTEMPT TO CREATE ANARCHY AND UNREST IN COUNTRY’ ISLAMABAD

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STAFF REPORT

RIME MINISTER Imran Khan on Thursday said that the special court’s detailed verdict in former military ruler General (r) Pervez Musharraf’s high treason case is an attempt to create “anarchy” and “unrest” in the country, as the federal government decided to move the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) against the judge who authored the decision.

The special court convicted Musharraf of high treason and sentenced him to death on Tuesday in an unprecedented trial delayed by the absence of the septuagenarian former military ruler, who has been out of the country since 2016. “The government will not allow any situation, which cre-

ates instability in the country or a clash between institutions, to arise,” said the prime minister while addressing a meeting of the Media Strategy Committee on Thursday. It was decided in the meeting that the government would file a reference in the SJC against Special Court President Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth.

The legal team informed the meeting that the sentence – hanging him (Musharraf) on D-Chowk – penned by Justice Seth crossed all legal boundaries. The legal team termed “unconstitutional”, “illegal” and “inhumane” the detailed verdict of the special court.

Announcing the government’s decision in a press conference after the meeting, Federal Minister for Law Barrister Farogh Naseem said they would approach the SJC for the restraining of and subsequent removal of Justice Seth.

The detailed written order has been

TwO CIvIlIans MarTyreD, Three sOlDIers InjureD In lOC fIrIng

widely criticised across Pakistan.

Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Waqar Seth directed for the “corpse” of the former president to be “dragged to D-Chowk” and “hanged for 3 days” in paragraph 66 of the verdict.“I do not understand the authority under which this sort of observation was given,” Naseem said while addressing a press conference here alongside PM’s Special Assistant on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan and PM’s aide on accountability, Shahzad Akbar.

Referring to a past judgement by Supreme Court Justice Naseem Hasan Shah in which the “universal declaration of human rights in Islam” had been referenced as well Article 14 which speaks of the “fundamental right of the dignity of man” was invoked, the law minister said that it was ruled that public hangings are in contravention to the Constitution and Islam. “There is no room in Article 6 of the Constitution; in the High Treason Act, 1973; in the Criminal Amendment Act of the special court, 1976; for a judge to have the authority to

present such an observation,” said Naseem. “With due respect, this is an unprecedented, despicable and completely wrong observation by the judge.”

The law minister then spoke of Article 209 under which the attorney general had announced his intention for a trial against the judge. He said that Article 209 comes into effect when there is misconduct due to “incompetence” or when there is “questionable mental capacity”.

“In Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry’s time ‘incompetence’ was added to the SJC rules as grounds for misconduct,” said the minister. “Keeping in view Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth’s observations, the federal government has decided to approach the Supreme Judicial Council and file a request stating that such a judge has no authority to be a judge of a high court or the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

He is unfit. “When such observations are given, not only is the court’s privilege tarnished, it becomes a test for the administration of justice. “Our request is, because he has proven himself to be mentally unfit and incompetent, he must immediately be prevented from working.

We request the Supreme Court judges to restrain him from any administrative or judicial work,” said the law minister.

Naseem said that any judge giving such observations is not only acting against the law but is proving himself to be counterproductive to the confidence that one must have in the judiciary.

Trump impeached by US House on charge of abuse of power

RAWALPINDI: At least two civilians were martyred and three Pakistan Army soldiers were injured when Indian troops targeted civilian population across the Line of Control (LoC), Inter-Services Public Relations said in a statement on Thursday. “Indian troops resorted to unprovoked fire in Laswa village of Neelum Valley across Line of Control( LOC), targeting the civilian population. Two civilians embraced Shahadat, while two other people including a woman were injured,” a statement released by the ISPR said. Those who were martyred have been identified as 14-year-old Shehryar and 29-year-old Naveed resident of Laswa village. The Pakistan Army’s troops effectively responded by targeting the Indian posts that attacked the civilian population after which bodies of Indian troops were seen being taken out of their posts. STAFF REPORT

One sOlDIer MarTyreD, fOur wOunDeD In IeD aTTaCk alOng pak-afghan bOrDer RAWALPINDI: One soldier was martyred and four others wounded in an improvised explosive device (IED) attack along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border on Thursday.

According to the ISPR, there was an “IED attack on troops busy in Fencing along Pak-Afghan Border near Kandao Sar Post in Landikotal”. The martyred soldier was identified as Lance Naik Taqdeer Ali Orakzai, the ISPR added. STAFF REPORT

WASHINGTON AGENCIES

President Donald Trump was impeached by the US House of Representatives Wednesday night, becoming only the third American chief executive to be formally charged under the Constitution’s ultimate remedy for high crimes and misdemeanors.

The historic vote split along party lines, much the way it has divided the US, over the charges that the 45th president abused the power of his office by enlisting a foreign government to investigate a political rival ahead of the 2020 election. The House was also voting on a charge that he then obstructed Congress in its investigation. The articles of impeachment, the political equivalent of an indictment, now go to the Senate for trial. If Trump is acquitted by the Republican-led chamber, as expected, he would have to run for reelection carrying the enduring mark of impeachment on his presidency.

Democrats led Wednesday night’s voting, framed in what many said was their duty to protect the Constitution and uphold the nation’s system of checks and balances. Republicans stood by their party’s leader, who has frequently tested the bounds of civic norms. Trump called the whole affair a “witch hunt,” a “hoax” and a “sham,” and sometimes all three.

SENATE TRIAL EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN JANUARY: The trial is

EMBATTLED TRUMP GIVES WITHERING REVIEW OF IMPEACHMENT VOTE

expected to begin in January in the Senate, where a vote of two-thirds is necessary for conviction. While Democrats had the majority in the House to impeach Trump, Republicans control the Senate and few if any are expected to diverge from plans to acquit the president ahead of early state election-year primary voting.

Pelosi, once reluctant to lead Democrats into a partisan impeachment, now risks her majority and speakership to hold the president accountable. “Today we are here to defend democracy for the people,” Pelosi said opening debate.

Later, an embattled President Donald Trump condemned the Democratic-led impeachment vote against him on Wednesday, irked that he made U.S. history in a bad way but

assured that Republicans in the Senate will save him from being ousted.

“This lawless, partisan impeachment is a political suicide march for the Democrat Party,” Trump told a rollicking rally for his re-election campaign in Michigan just as the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives voted to impeach him. He said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democrats had given themselves an “eternal mark of shame.” Tens of millions of people will show up next year to overturn Democratic control of the House and “vote Pelosi the hell out of office,” he said.

“They’re the ones who should be impeached, every one of them,” he said of Democrats. The rally was a convenient venue for Trump to address the matter at hand and let the rhetoric fly. He lashed out at many Democrats by name and went on various riffs that served as a greatest hits of his many grievances. He even suggested one former lawmaker from Michigan, Representative John Dingell, who is now deceased, did not go to heaven when he died.

That remark drew a rebuke from his widow, Representative Debbie Dingell, also a Democrat.

“Mr President, let’s set politics aside,” she wrote in a tweet. “I’m preparing for the first holiday season without the man I love. You brought me down in a way you can never imagine and your hurtful words just made my healing much harder.”

Malaysia, Turkey defend Muslim summit slammed

by OIC KUALA LUMPUR: Hosting a summit of Muslim leaders, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad bemoaned the state of Islam and defended the meeting that has been shunned by Saudi Arabia and criticised for undermining the bigger Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Divisions in the Muslim world were selfevident as only about 20 countries sent leaders, or delegations to the Kuala Lumpur summit, though all 57 members of the OIC had been invited. The Saudi king’s refusal to attend, and the late withdrawal of Pakistan from the event had left the hosts scrambling to soothe sensitive relations. In welcoming remarks, Mahathir said the Kuala Lumpur Summit was meant to understand why Islam, the Muslims and their countries were “in a state of crisis, helpless and unworthy of this great religion”. It was unclear to what extent the leaders would discuss major geo-political crises afflicting the Muslim world, ranging from the age-old disputes in the Middle East and Kashmir, to the conflicts in Syria and Yemen, through to the plight of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and the alleged persecution of Uighur Muslims in China’s Xinjiang region. Mahathir said the summit, which will end on Saturday, should address the world’s perceptions of Islam, the rise of Islamophobia, the decline of the Islamic civilisation and reforms in governance needed by Muslim nations.

“We are not discriminating or isolating anyone,” he said in his welcome speech, watched on by leaders including Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamid Al-Thani. “We are attempting to start small and if these ideas, proposals and solutions are acceptable and prove workable, then we hope to take it up to the larger platform for consideration. Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan struck a similar tone.

PAKISTAN’S PULLOUT FROM SUMMIT DRAWS CRITICISM: Pakistan’s last minute decision to pull out of the Kuala Lumpur Summit has drawn criticism with some defending the withdrawal by the cash-strapped Islamabad that financially depends on oil-rich Gulf states. “It’s an internal diplomatic failure,” said Abdul Basit, a former Pakistani ambassador told Anadolu Agency, adding that Islamabad should have done its homework before committing to such an initiative. He said Pakistan should not have skipped the initiative even if it meant sending a lower-level delegation. Retired Lt. Gen. Talat Masood, an Islamabad-based security analyst, echoed the view observing that the Kuala Lumpur initiative has upset Riyadh which views its as an attempt to replace the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. “It shows the lack of understanding on the part of the prime minister. He should not have committed what he could not do,” Masood told Anadolu Agency. Both analysts, Basit and Masood, said that Pakistan’s move would not affect its ties with Turkey, Malaysia and Iran, which support Pakistan’s stand on disputed Jammu and Kashmir following India’s scrapping of the region’s longstanding special rights in August. AGENCIES

Indian police ban protests amid citizenship law outrage, arrest more than 100 people MANGALORE AGENCIES

Police detained more than 100 protesters in key Indian cities on Thursday as they defied a ban on protests that authorities hope to stop widespread demonstrations against a new citizenship law that opponents say threatens the secular nature of Indian democracy.

Dozens of demonstrations were to take place around the country as opposition grows to a new citizenship law that excludes Muslims. The law has sparked anger at what many see as the government’s push to bring India closer to a Hindu state. Historian Ramchandra Guha, a biographer of India’s independence leader Mohandas Gandhi, was among those detained in Bangalore, the capital of southern Karnataka state.

When reached by the phone, Guha said he was in a bus with other detainees

and did not know where the police were taking them. In New Delhi, Yogendra Yadav, the chief of the Swaraj India party, was among those detained as protesters said they would go ahead with a demonstration at New Delhi’s iconic Red Fort and surrounding historic district.

Internet service was blocked in some parts of New Delhi, a tactic Indian authorities are known to use in other parts of the country, such as occupied Kashmir, to try to stop protests from being organised.

Such tactics are rare for the capital. The new citizenship law applies to Hindus, Christians and other religious minorities who are in India illegally but can demonstrate religious persecution in Muslim-majority Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. It does not apply to Muslims.

Critics say it’s the latest effort by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist-led government to marginalise India’s 200 million Muslims and a viola-

tion of the country’s secular constitution.

Modi has defended it as a humanitarian gesture. The law’s enactment last week follows a contentious process in northeastern Assam state intended to weed out people who entered illegally.

Nearly two million people in Assam were excluded from an official list of citizens, about half Hindu and half Muslim, and have been asked to prove their citizenship or else be considered foreign. India is also building a detention centre for some of the tens of thousands of people the courts are expected to ultimately determine have entered illegally. Modi’s interior minister, Amit Shah, has pledged to roll out the exercise nationwide. Some Indian Muslims fear it’s a means by which Hindu nationalists can put them in detention or deport them from the country. On Wednesday, authorities tightened restrictions on protesters, expanding a blockade of the internet and a curfew in Assam.

DelhI CuTs MObIles as InDIa prOTesTs rage naTIOnwIDe NEW DELHI: Indian authorities cut cellphone access in parts of Delhi on Thursday and fresh violence erupted elsewhere, as thousands of protestors nationwide defied bans on assembly in growing anger at a new citizenship law seen as anti-Muslim. Police and demonstrators clashed in Uttar Pradesh state as security forces bundled demonstrators including an internationally famous historian onto buses in Delhi and Bangalore, as 19 metro stations were shut in the capital and major roads blocked. The new law eases citizenship rules for people fleeing persecution from three neighbouring countries, but excludes Muslims, stoking accusations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to reshape India as a Hindu nation and creating unease abroad. Seven months after Modi swept to a second term, India has seen a week of protests in which four people were shot dead, dozens injured and hundreds arrested, while authorities have banned gatherings in areas that together are home to hundreds of millions of people. They included all of Uttar Pradesh and Bangalore, areas of the northeast and parts of Bihar, New Delhi, Hyderabad and Chennai. All of them have seen protests in recent days, and in the case of the capital, riots and police storming a university. AGENCIES

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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