E-Paper PDF 24th December (ISB)

CMYK

Tuesday, 24 December, 2019 I 26 Rabi-ul-Sani, 1441 I Rs 19.00 I Vol X No 174 I 16 Pages I Islamabad Edition

NAB NeTs PML-N’s AhsAN IqBAL g

SeNIor PoLItICIaN arreSted IN NarowaL SPortS CIty ProjeCt

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ISLAMABAD

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staff report

he National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Monday arrested senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ahsan Iqbal from its Rawalpindi chapter’s office where he had appeared to record his statement in a case regarding alleged corruption in the Narowal Sports City (NSC) Project.

In a statement following the arrest, NAB said that the PML-N MNA will be produced before an accountability court on Tuesday for seeking his physical remand.

Iqbal is accused of using funds of the federal government and the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) for a sports city being established in Narowal — a multi-billion project.

The PML-N leader had said he had submitted documents related to his income and expenditures to NAB Rawalpindi, and that he had already replied to a questionnaire given to him by the bureau in connection with the same case.

Speaking to the media before heading to NAB, Iqbal said that when PML-N came into

IqbaL SayS NSC ProjeCt waS 90PC ComPLete but ‘PtI govt haS turNed It INto ruINS’

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power in 2013, he, as planning minister, had taken up several projects that were incomplete and NSC was one of them. he said that the funds spent on the project were approved by the cabinet, parliament and the National economic Council. he explained that the amount of money spent on NSC had exceeded its original cost because when the project was taken up again, the plan was revised and the project was expanded.

On Sunday, he had said that before the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) came into power, the NSC project was 90 percent complete, but the present government had turned it into ruins. he said that the AstroTurf (artificial grass) was imported for the ground in the sports city.

It was to be laid within six months.

PML-N SLAMS ARREST: PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif condemned Iqbal’s arrest and termed it as “proof of NAB-Niazi nexus”.

“The arrest of a man who strengthened PakChina friendship and CPeC is condemnable and regrettable,” he said in a statement.

“The arrest of Ahsan Iqbal for completing an incomplete project, which should have earned him praise, is the worst example of political revenge.

‘Innocent until proven guilty’: IhC Cj allows bail to miftah in LNg case

PmL-N PreSIdeNt Shehbaz SharIf SLamS IqbaL’S arreSt, termS It ‘Proof of Nab-NIazI NexuS’ “We will continue to unveil the government’s anti-CPeC, anti-Pakistan and anti-public policies.”

Following Iqbal’s arrest, party spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb lashed out at the government and NAB and said that the party will “continue to speak like this”. She said that Iqbal’s “fault is that he is Nawaz Sharif’s companion, speaks the truth and loves the people of Pakistan”.

“Do what you want to do. Arrest someone else, threaten someone else. PML-N is Nawaz Sharif’s party. It does not bow, it doesn’t get scared and doesn’t sell [itself].”

“All those who are capable and truthful are in jail today,” she said. She demanded NAB to look into the Peshawar BRT project, which is lying in the doldrums.

“If anyone has misused authority, it is Imran Khan,” she declared.

“PML-N will not hand over this country to incompetent people. This country belongs to the 220 million people of the country.”

In response to a question, Aurangzeb said: “Cooperating with NAB means to stay quiet, to not speak the truth about this government […]

Yes, Ahsan Iqbal did not cooperate, will not cooperate. PML-N will not cooperate.”

Ahsan Iqbal is a PML-N stalwart who serves as the party’s secretary general and previously held the post of minister of interior and minister for planning and development, under the premiership of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

Iqbal has been associated with prestigious educational institutions such as Government College Lahore, University of engineering and Technology (Lahore), University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown University and harvard University. he has been elected as an MNA five times — in 1993, 1997, 2008, 2013 and 2018.

Iqbal has held other key government positions in the past as well, serving as deputy chairman Planning Commission, chairman Pakistan engineering Board and chairman of the National Steering Committees on Information Technology and IQM and Productivity.

STORY ON PAGE 02

Bilawal dares NAB to arrest him, says won’t appear over ‘illegal’ call-up notice

STORY ON PAGE 02

LhC tells govt to inform maryam about eCL decision STORY ON PAGE 02

PM assures provinces of getting fair share of funds during CCI meeting

No compromise on Kashmir, Gen Bajwa says during LoC visit

STORY ON PAGE 03

Pakistan defeat Sri Lanka in homecoming Test series

STORIES ON PAGE 15

STORY ON PAGE 03

Sri Lankan captain says Pakistan is 200 per cent safe

CMYK Tuesday, 24 December, 2019

02 NEWS LHC tells govt to inform Maryam about ECL decision LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday directed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government to inform Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz about its decision regarding the removal of her name from the Exit Control List (ECL). A two-member bench of the high court, comprising Justice Ali Baqar Najafi and Justice Anwarul Haq Pannu, took up Maryam’s second petition seeking the removal of her name from the nofly list and one-time permission to visit London to inquire after her ailing father, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. The LHC on December 9, had disposed of her earlier petition and directed the government’s review committee to decide on the matter “within a week”. The court asked how long it had been since its earlier order was issued, in response to which Maryam’s lawyer Amjad Pervez said that it had been two weeks since the directive was issued to the government and no decision had yet been taken on the matter. Pervez added that Maryam’s representative Atta Tarar had also appeared before the government’s review committee but still no decision was taken. The court asked Additional Attorney General Chaudhry Ishtiaq if the government had taken any decision on removing Maryam’s name from the ECL. To which, Khan said the review committee presents its recommendation to the cabinet, which then decides on the matter. Justice Pannu noted that though the government has yet to decide on the matter, he had read in the newspaper today that the government would not allow her to go abroad. “The government has to take a decision, and they should do so. How are they giving a statement before the decision is taken?” he asked. STAFF REPORT

Govt won’t allow any convict to leave country: Babar Awan ISLAMABAD: PTI senior leader and former law minister Dr Babar Awan on Monday said that the government will never allow any convicted person to leave the country. Addressing a press conference, he said that those who take bail on medical grounds become health when they arrive in foreign states, adding that PTI has not done any politics on the matter of Nawaz Sharif. The PTI leader said that disallowing Maryam Nawaz from traveling abroad shows supremacy of the law. Talking on the special court verdict, Awan said that the federal government will adopt constitutional and legal stance on treason case against former president and top military official Pervez Musharraf. STAFF REPORT

BiLAwAL dArEs nAB to ArrEst HiM, sAys won’t APPEAr ovEr ‘iLLEGAL’ CALL-uP notiCE KARACHI

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STAFF REPORT

AKISTAN People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Monday termed the call-up notice issued to him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) as “unconstitutional and illegal”, and dared the accountability watchdog to arrest him “if they have any courage”.

Addressing a press conference in Karachi, the PPP chief said that he will not appear before the anti-graft body on December 24 and accused the government of hatching conspiracies to thwart his party’s plans of observing the death anniversary of slain party leader Benazir Bhutto.

“I have been repeatedly announcing that the party would ob-

serve Benazir’s death anniversary on December 27 in Rawalpindi but despite this the ‘government-NAB nexus’ issued a call-up notice,” he said, adding that the government is preventing a son from observing the death anniversary of his mother. He said that the government has not issued permission for the ceremony on December 27 but obstacles are already in place to hinder the efforts of the party workers trying to make the necessary arrangements. “I will reach Liaquat Bagh on December 27 and observe Bibi’s death anniversary in every condition,” he announced, saying the nation needed to be shown a way out of its current state of despair.

Speaking about the fake accounts case, Bilawal that he was cleared in the case when the former CJP, upon receiving the JIT report, had said that

Govt dEniEs PPP PErMission to HoLd EvEnt At LiAquAt BAGH The government has denied permission to observe Benazir Bhutto’s death anniversary at Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh, according to Pakistan People’s Party leader Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar. According to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto’s spokesperson, the Liaquat Bagh administration denied written application to hold the jalsa on December 27. Bilawal Bhutto’s spokesman said that the government is resorting to cheap tactics, and repressing any voice against it. Khokar said that the rally will be held at Liaquat Bagh at any cost, adding that they will utilise every legal option to hold the jalsa. Bilawal Bhutto earlier said the party will observe the death anniversary of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto at Liaquat Bagh Rawalpindi on Dec 27. The Sindh government has announced a public holiday on December 27 (Friday) on account of the death anniversary of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. NEWS DESK he had nothing to do with the case.

“Despite this, I appeared before NAB to respond to their queries,” he said, adding that “he did not come under pressure then and would not come under pressure now”. The PPP chief also said that his lawyers have informed the anti-graft body that he would not be appearing before it on Tuesday.

He said that the NAB chairman had revealed earlier this month that references were ready to be filed in the Peshawar BRT and Malam Jabba resort projects cases, but questioned whether any minister from the PTI-led KP government was issued a call-up notice. “Despite my objections, I will continue to appear before the bureau because I respect the rule of law of this country and can face all these illegiti-

mate accusations,” he added. Lashing out at the government for “targeting” opposition parties and keeping their members incarcerated for months without a charge, he appealed to the judiciary to intervene for the protection of fundamental rights.

Responding to a question, the PPP chief said that he was not scared of any arrest and there was no chance of one either because he would be “more dangerous for them if they arrest me”. It is worth mentioning here that this is the second time Bilawal has been summoned by NAB in the fake bank accounts case and the money laundering case. The accountability watchdog claims that Bilawal had 25 per cent shares in a private firm, Opal-225, a joint venture of the Zardari Group.

‘Innocent until proven guilty’: IHC CJ allows bail to Miftah in LNG case ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday granted bail to former finance minister Miftah Ismail in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) case.

A two-member bench comprising IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Mian Gul Hassan approved the bail plea filed by the PML-N leader against surety bond worth Rs10 million.

During the hearing, the IHC chief justice observed that there is no need to keep an accused behind bars until the crime is proved.

Ismail, who has been detained in Adiala Jail on judicial remand, was

taken into custody by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Aug 7 when the IHC declined his request to extend his interim bail in the said case. Ismail filed the bail petition after the high court granted bail to former managing director of Pakistan State Oil (PSO) Sheikh Imranul Haq, a co-accused in the same case. In his petition, Ismail nominated the NAB and the law secretary as a party.

THE CASE: The apex court in September last year, directed the anti-graft watchdog to complete inquiry against Abbasi and accomplices for the alleged corruption in the LNG contract.

According to NAB documents, the contract for the import and dis-

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tribution of the LNG was awarded in 2013 to the Elengy Terminal (Pvt) Ltd. — a subsidiary of Engro Corporation — in violation of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules and relevant regulations.

In June 2018, the NAB approved inquiry against former premier Nawaz Sharif and Abbasi, then the minister for petroleum and natural resources, in granting contract of LNG terminal to their ‘favorite’ company for a period of 15 years.

According to NAB documents, the existing chemical terminal of Engro Group was rented out by the PMML-N government at “an astronomical cost” of Rs27 million per day

for 15 years — with a total amount of Rs15bn; the rent was paid by Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL) and PSO to Engro, a company owned by business titan Hussain Dawood, for the purpose of handling LNG imported from Qatar on behalf of the government and PSO. The rental amount, according to the document, is being paid to Engro regardless of whether Engro’s terminal is used or not. It said that an existing, underutilised, state-owned (SSGCL) petroleum liquid gas (PLG) terminal was already available at Port Qasim, which was equally capable of being retrofitted and used for the import and handling of LNG, at a cost of Rs30-40m only.

CMYK Tuesday, 24 December, 2019

no CoMProMisE on KAsHMir, CoAs dECLArEs durinG LoC visit ARMY CHIEF SAYS PAKISTAN’S QUEST FOR PEACE MUST NOT BE MISTAKEN AS ITS WEAKNESS RAWALPINDI

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STAFF REPORT

HIEF of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Monday said that Pakistan’s quest for peace must not be mistakes as its weakness as there would be no compromise on Kashmir.

According to the military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the army chief visited the Line of Control (LoC) where he also spoke to the troops deployed on duty. “Our quest for peace must never be misconstrued as weakness. There will never be a compromise on Kashmir whatever the cost. We are capable and fully prepared to thwart any misadventure/aggression for defence of our motherland,” ISPR quoted the COAS as saying.

Last week, amid heightened tension with India and increased LoC violations, Prime Minister Imran Khan had said that Pakistan

would give a befitting response to any Indian “false flag operation” aimed at diverting attention from its domestic problems. PM Imran had said that the Indian government wanted to whip up war hysteria and mobilise nationalist sentiment in India by vilifying Pakistan.

“I have been warning the international community of this for some time and am reiterating again: if India does such an operation to divert attention from its domestic chaos plus whip up war hysteria to mobilize Hindu nationalism, Pakistan will have no option but to give a befitting response,” he had said in a series of tweets. He had said that over the last five years the Indian government led by Narendra Modi had been using the virulent Hindutva ideology to establish a Hindu Rashtra. Now with the Citizens Amendment Act, all those Indians who want a pluralist India are beginning to protest and it is becoming a mass

movement, the PM had observed.

At the same time, he had said the siege by Indian occupation forces in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) continued and a bloodbath could be expected when it was lifted. “As these protests are increasing, a threat to Pakistan from India is also increasing. Indian Army Chief’s statement adds to our concerns of a false flag operation,” the prime minister had remarked.

The prime minister’s remarks ame days after the Indian army had claimed to have thwarted a cross border attack on the LOC by Pakistan. Indian Army Chief Bhipin Rawat, in a statement to Indian media, had said that the situation on the LOC could escalate at any time and that the people should be prepared to go to war. “The situation along the LoC can escalate any time. We have to be prepared for the spiraling of the escalatory matrix,” the Indian army chief said.

Earlier, in response to the Indian army chief’s statement, the ISPR DG had tweeted, “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.” “Pakistan Armed Forces shall befittingly respond to any Indian misadventure or aggression,” he had added. Pakistan has repeatedly alerted the international community that India will possibly stage a “false-flag operation” to “divert attention from massive human rights violations” in occupied Kashmir.

However, India accuses Pakistan of training and arming insurgent groups that have been fighting since 1989 for Kashmir’s independence from India or its merger with Pakistan, a charge Islamabad denies.

Pakistan says it only provides moral and diplomatic support to these groups. On August 27, India’s Ministry of External Affairs had said Pakistan was trying to infiltrate militants into the country to carry out attacks amid rising tensions over New Delhi’s decision to abrogate the autonomy of IOK. Its spokesman Raveesh Kumar had told reporters that Indian security forces were prepared to deal with any eventuality.

But, Pakistan had binned the reports, saying it was a responsible state and “we would be insane to allow infiltration” across the LoC.

PM assures provinces of getting fair share of funds during CCI meeting ISLAMABAD INP

Chairing a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) after a year-long hiatus, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday said that all provinces would be given their fair share of funds. According to details, talks on nationallevel issues between centre and provinces were held in 41st CCI session which met with a 16point agenda. All four chief ministers and provincial chief secretaries attended the meeting.

“Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab would be given their fair share of the money,” the premier said while adding that the government would resolve the complexities pertaining to the issue of funds’ allotment.

Rules dictate that the CCI should meet at least once every 90 days, however, it had not been convened since November 2018. In its last meeting, CCI members had expressed concern over the rapid population growth and decided to constitute national and provincial task forces to be headed by the prime minister and chief ministers. The agenda also included a discussion on the amended petroleum policy and Liquefied

Natural Gas (LNG) import, amendment to the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) Ordinance 2002, and the issues of a no-objection certificate (NoC) for the installation of a 25MW hydropower project located on Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal, as well as the distribution of natural resources under Article 158 and 172.

Sindh has opposed the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) issuing a no-objection certificate for the installation of a 25 megawatt hydropower plant on the CJ link canal.

The province believes that CJ link canal is neither a perennial canal nor a flood canal, therefore, a hydropower power plant could not be built on it. It also argues that IRSA is not a competent forum to issue the NOC. Sindh is also against the amendment to the Petroleum Policy 2012 under which the provincial government would have to pay 5 per cent of the expenditures of the exploration work even if it did not succeed.

A summary about the privatisation of the Haveli Shah Bahadur and Balloki Power Plants has also been sent to the council for a decision.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) deducting withholding tax at source from the

provinces’ accounts was also on the agenda.

Balochistan would raise the province’s stance over its claim on its natural resources in light of the 18th Amendment as well as its water issue with Sindh under the 1991 IRSA treaty.

Further, the Alternate Energy Policy 2019 was also to be presented for approval, while a discussion on the appointment of the Water and Power Development Authority’s (WAPDA) chairperson and members was also on the agenda. As per the December 23 meeting’s agenda, the CCI’s annual reports would be submitted in the next session for approval.

On December 18, President Arif Alvi had reconstituted the CCI on the prime minister’s advice. According to the notification, the new council would comprise seven members and be chaired by the PM. Members of the council would include chief ministers of the four provinces and nominees of the federal government including, Planning Minister Asad Umar, Inter-Provincial Coordination Minister Fehmida Mirza, and Power Minister Omar Ayub.

An earlier session of the CCI meeting scheduled for December 11 was postponed owing to the excess agenda shared by Sindh.

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Pakistan committed to sAArC objectives, says PM imran LAHORE: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday said that Pakistan attaches great importance to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and remained committed to principles and objectives of its charter. In his message, Prime Minister Imran Khan congratulated veteran trader Iftikhar Ali Malik for his nomination for the slot of President of SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry and said his appointment brought laurel for the country. He expressed hope that Malik is a seasoned trader and would utilize his best abilities to bring closer the SAARC member states besides promoting regional trade. He said Pakistan had always strived to make the regional body a vibrant vehicle for mutual cooperation based on the principle of sovereign equality. He said that SAARC had immense potential for strengthening the economies of the member countries and to promote collaboration in various areas of mutual significance.

“The organisation needs to work towards achieving economic, cultural and social growth of the region,” he said, calling for an increased level of connectivity among the SAARC member states for a prosperous region. Malik thanked Prime Minister Imran for his message and responded that he would do his best to promote regional trade. “Pakistan believes that a secure and peaceful environment in South Asia was crucial for the advancement of the region’s development and prosperity,” he said. He assured that he would play a positive role in further strengthening regional cooperation. He said holding any such position meant renewing impetus amongst the member states and therefore was significant. Iftikhar Malik said Pakistan had all resources to become an economic giant but only need is to set directions with zeal, courage and sincerity. He said Pakistan’s huge mineral resources could help get rid of the economic ills. INP

in first case as CJP, Justice Gulzar dismisses patwari's appeal ISLAMABAD: Two days after Justice Gulzar Ahmed was sworn in as the 27th chief justice of Pakistan (CJP), he, on Monday, heard his first case on his new post and dismissed patwari Muhammad Nawaz’s appeal. A two-member bench headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed conducted the hearing. The chief justice said in his remarks that the patwari was found guilty of misconduct as it has been proven that he violated the court order. The patwari’s counsel congratulated Justice Gulzar Ahmed on assuming his charge and said he considers himself lucky that the new chief justice is conducting the hearing of his case. The lawyer argued that gardawar (village accountant) and tehsildar were also involved in the violation but only his client was being accused which was unfair. Justice Mansoor remarked that the court will not intervene in the executive matters while directing the counsel to only present arguments regarding the patwari’s case. The apex court dismissed patwari Muhammad Nawaz’s appeal. He was terminated from service in 2012. INP

sHC suspends Khursheed shah’s bail SUKKUR: The Sindh High Court (SHC) Circuit Bench Sukkur on Monday suspended the bail granted to Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) leader Syed Khursheed Shah in assets beyond means case.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 had challenged the decision of his release in Sindh High Court.A two-member bench of the SHC Circuit Bench Sukkur suspended bail of Khursheed Shah after hearing arguments from NAB Prosecutor and the lawyers of the accused.Further hearing on the NAB’s plea was adjourned till January 19.The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday had 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. STAFF REPORT

India’s secular state rhetoric buried after controversial citizenship act: Qureshi ISLAMABAD INP

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Monday that the theory of a secular state was buried by the present Indian government after it approved the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.

Qureshi, while giving a statement regarding the anti-Muslim legislation in India, said that tensions in India have

risen following the controversial lawmaking by Modi-led government.

He said that no country is supporting New Delhi over its illegal steps taken on August 5 in the occupied Jammu and Kashmir. “The present government has buried theory of secular India by the imposition of ideologies of Hindu Rashtra [Hindu polity] and Hindutva,” he said.

The foreign minister said it seems that India has planned to disrupt peace along the Line of Control (LoC) as cease-

fire violations have increased and border fences were removed by the neighboring side. He added that Indian military troops are also making unusual movements along with the border areas.

Qureshi said that we have observed new deployments at LoC, as well as the installation of heavy artillery and spike anti-tank guided missiles. He termed the latest development alarming for peace.

The foreign minister praised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and

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Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad over giving categorical support to Pakistan over Kashmir as well as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) which took notice for the usage of pellet guns in the occupied valley.

Earlier on Sunday, Qureshi had urged the international community to take notice of the Indian government’s dangerous steps which are playing havoc with peace in the region.

Tuesday, 24 December, 2019

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WEATHER UPDATES TUESDAY

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Govt to tAke Action AGAinst missinG AnnuAl reports of previous fiscAl yeAr

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Dense fog disrupts air, rail and road traffic across province

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LAHORE: Dense fog has blanketed several cities of Punjab on the night between Sunday and Monday, paralyzing routine life and disrupting rail, road and air traffic. The thick fog has badly affected the flow of road traffic in several cities of Punjab. According to a Motorway spokesman, the Motorway sections from Darkhana to Samundri (M3), Motorway section from Shamkot to Faisalabad (M4) and Motorway section from Shersha to Sukkur (M5) have been closed as visibility was down to zero. A similar situation exists at several places on the National Highway in Lahore, Kasur, Sargodha, Jhang, Gojra, Chishtian, Zafarwal, Ooch Sharif, Chichawatni, Mian Chanu, Lodhran, Bahawalpur, Vehari, Pakpattan, Burewal and adjoining areas. The fog has also disrupted flight operations at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport and Multan airport as thick fog dropped visibility down to 20 metres. Dense fog has also affected railways schedule in most cities of Punjab and departure of several trains was delayed. STAFF REPORT

Verdict on Rana Sanaullah’s bail plea to be announced today

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number of departments, authorities and public bodies of Punjab government have failed to publish, submit and upload their annual reports of fiscal year (2018-19) for public information whereas the Punjab Information Commission (PIC) has sent its recommendations to take actions against these public bodies to the Punjab government, Pakistan Today learnt on Monday.

This scribe learnt that according to the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013, “A public body shall publish in electronic form or otherwise an annual report of its activities under this Act during the previous financial year by 31 August each year in such manner as may be prescribed and make the report available for public inspection free of charge and for purchase at a reasonable cost”.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Punjab chief secretary had also issued a letter upon the PIC chief commissioner’s recommendation to

implement the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013, however, the letter states, “The Competent Authority has desired that Head of Department (HOD) of each Public body may immediately designate and notify a chief Public Information Officer (PIO) to liaise with PIC on behalf of the department concerned, ensure issuance of list of notified PIOs at least one for each administrative unit/office, arrange their regular trainings through PIC and to ensure provision of necessary facilities and support to PIOs to perform their duties efficiently and effectively. The chief secretary will address all chief PIOs in a seminar being arranged by PIC during the first week of March. The salient obligations of public bodies under the subject Act are as under ‘Proactive Disclosure of Public Information” (PIO) Section4 of Right to Information (RTI) Act 2013’, ‘Designation and Notification of PIOs, at least one for each administrative unit/office, to make RTI request forms available and facilitate filling thereof, to respond to requests forms and to maintain computerised and indexed data which can be electronically re-

trieved” Section 7 of RTI Act 2013’, ‘Establishment of RTI specific webportal by each public body to carry out both forgoing obligations’ Section 6 (5) (g) of RTI Act 2013.”

The same letter further states, “It has further been desired that the statutory obligation of each public body under Section 9 of RTI Act 2013 to electronically publish its Annual Report, be complied with necessarily (proforma enclosed). It has been further desired that chief PIOs be designated and notified by HODs at the earliest and copies of such notifications along with copies of letters to PITB may be forwarded to Chief Information Commissioner Punjab up-till 15 February 2019 Chief PIOs so designated will ensure the issuance of detailed list of notified PIOs of all administrative units/offices of their respective departments with their necessary particulars latest by 28th February 2019,” letter concluded.

The sources in different departments of Punjab Government has also confirmed this scribe that most of the department are so negligence and even they don’t know about the awareness of RTI and they have not started to prepare

the annual reports of their departments.

Sources added that the Punjab Police, Punjab education department, Punjab livestock and dairy development department, Punjab information and technology board, communication and works department, Punjab archaeology, Lahore development authority (LDA), excise taxation and narcotics control department and many other autonomous bodies and departments are still failed to even prepare their annual reports.

The chief commissioner of Punjab Information Commission, Mehboob Qadir Shah while speaking to Pakistan Today on the same issue said, “According to the Act it is the responsibility of every public body to submit their annual report for public information and the deadline of submission and uploading of the report is 31 August of every year. We had meetings with the other commissioners and other officials of different departments and given them directions to enforce the said Act. We have also sent our recommendations to Punjab government to take immediate actions against such public bodies who are still failed to meet the deadlines,” he concluded.

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday reserved verdict on the bail petition filed by PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah in the drug possession case against him. After hearing arguments from both sides, the LHC reserved its verdict and will announce it on Tuesday. An anti-narcotics court on Dec 11 had extended Sanaullah’s judicial remand till Jan 4, 2020, in the heroin smuggling case. INP

SC adjourns hearing on Khawaja brothers’ bail pleas for indefinite time LAHORE: The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday adjourned the hearing of PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Khawaja Salman Rafique’s bail pleas without any proceeding. According to details, a twomember bench headed by Justice Ijazul Ahsan heard the case. During the hearing, assistant of Khawaja brothers’ lawyer Ashtar Ausaf appeared before the court and informed that the counsel was feeling unwell due to which he skipped the proceedings. On April 26, the NAB Lahore had approved filing of a reference against the Khawaja brothers and Nadeem Zia for the alleged corruption. Qaiser Amin Butt, the director of Paragon Housing Society, was also included in the inquiry initiated by the NAB, and arrested in November last year.

Later, he agreed to turn approver against the Khawaja brothers and Zia. On December 11, 2018, Khawaja brothers were detained by the accountability watchdog after the Lahore High Court rejected their bail plea. STAFF REPORT

ANF foils heroin smuggling bid at Lahore airport LAHORE: The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) team on Monday foiled bid to smuggle heroin abroad from Allama Iqbal International airport.

As per details, the ANF team recovered heroin from a Doha-bound flight passenger named Iqbal Khan at the Allama Iqbal International airport in Lahore. The heroin was concealed in the luggage by Iqbal Khan, a resident of Charsaddah. He was taken into custody by the ANF for further investigations. STAFF REPORT

LAHORE: Passengers gather at the train station as fog delays the arrival of trains in the provincial capital. ONLINE

Modi govt has destroyed regional peace: CM Buzdar LAHORE STAFF REPORT

Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Monday said the whole of India is agitating against the most controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, adding that Indians have completely rejected this worst law.

In a statement, the chief minister said that this law has exposed the black face of so-called secular India again. Modi is transformed as Hitler of today and his fascist designs of Muslims’ genocide have revived the painful memories of Nazism, he added.

He regretted that the Modi government has made the lives of the Indian Muslims a living hell. He emphasized that so-called claimants of democracy have ruined all the democratic norms as well as human rights. Even the conscious Indians are agitating against this controversial law, he added. The Modi govern-

ment is playing with fire and it will succumb to the fire of hegemonic fanaticism. Every civilized society has strongly condemned this controversial Indian law, he added and further said that Modi’s agenda is leading India towards destruction and devastation.

The chief minister regretted that Kashmiris are going through the most difficult phase and are living a most miserable life due to continued lockdown in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) which is continued for the last 141 days. India has made the lives of oppressed Kashmiris a living hell through state-sponsored terrorism, he added. He lamented that India is trying to enslave the people of Occupied Kashmir by using undemocratic tactics but the Kashmiris have continued the freedom struggle with their blood while facing worst oppressions, barbarity, and torture.

He emphasized that all Indian tactics have failed in silencing the Kashmiris’ voices. The whole world

knows that India illegally occupied Jammu & Kashmir through military aggression, he added.

The chief minister regretted that Kashmiris are facing a shortage of medicines and essential items due to continued curfew as India has made their lives a living hell. He made it clear that no one can alienate Pakistan from Kashmir and the government will never leave the oppressed Kashmiris alone. The whole nation is firmly standing with their Kashmiri brothers and sisters and the government will continue to provide all moral and diplomatic support to them, he said. The sacrifices of the Kashmiris will bear fruit soon. The humanity is in pain in Occupied Kashmir and the silence of the international community is deplorable, he added. There is no justification of the international community’s silence over Indian gruesome brutalities and international conscience will have to be awakened against blatant human rights violations in Occupied Kashmir, he said.

Punjab to benefit from latest research, best practices against dengue: Dr Yasmin LAHORE STAFF REPORT

Punjab Health Minister Dr. Yasmin Rashid has directed best possible arrangements for International Anti-Dengue Conference 2020 to be held in the provincial capital in the second week of January 2020.

Chairing a high-level meeting in the Committee Room of the Primary and

Secondary Healthcare Department here on Monday, Dr Yasmin directed that International Conference must be made completely successful and best possible arrangements for the local and international participants must be made.

The meeting was attended by Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Captain (Retd) Muhammad Usman, Special Secretary Ajmal Bhatti, DG Health Services

Punjab Dr. Haroon Jehangir, Director CDC Dr. Shahnaz, Project Director PMU Asad Naeem and other government officials.

Secretary Primary and Secondary Health Care Dept. Capt (retd) Usman shared the details of the guests, topics and arrangements of the Conference.

The Health Minister said Punjab will learn best practices from other countries battling Dengue. International experts on

CMYK

public health, epidemiology and virology will participate and interact with local experts about the latest developments. Experts from Public and private universities, related organizations, other stakeholders as well as prominent figures from all walks of life will attend the Conference.

The Minister directed that local experts must be engaged in Group Discussions with the international experts so that

Punjab can devise its strategy accordingly. Cooperation and joint strategies with other countries facing dengue epidemic will also be discussed.

Dr. Yasmin Rashid also emphasized that local institutions engaged in research may also be invited in the conference. It was also decided that the services of late Professor Faisal Masood will be acknowledged in the Conference.

Tuesday, 24 December, 2019

NEWS

05

SHAHEED BENAZIR BHUTTO

BASHIR RIAZ

i

N December 2019, as we mark the twelfth death anniversary of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, the essence of her principles and ideals have been etched into our collective memories just like the memory of our favourite fragrance. Once you experience it, it becomes a part of your memory forever. December is also the same month when thirty years ago, Shaheed BB took oath as the first female Prime Minister of the Muslim World. She showed us a glimpse of a progressive and democratic Pakistan.

Even during her life as a student, she was setting precedent as the first Pakistani woman who became the President of the Oxford Union. Today, the Benazir Bhutto Memorial Lecture has been establishedat Oxford to honour the life and legacy of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto. Last month, the former British Prime Minister, Theresa May, delivered the inaugural Benazir Bhutto Memorial Lecture. Different European countries and American institutions acknowledge Shaheed BB’s contributions towards democracy, rule of law and human rights. I still remem-

A bright shining stAr on the politicAl lAndscApe of pAkistAn

ber that in June 1984, during a visit to Denmark, two renowned newspapers wrote detailed articles on Shaheed BB and gave her titles akin to “Princess of the East” and “Iron Lady”.

There is no doubt that Shaheed BB represented the bright side and a positive image of Pakistan in the world and even after her loss, her name continues to live on.

When we lost her, it was not any political party’s loss but it was the loss of our country, it was Pakistan’s loss who lost her biggest champion of democracy. She represented the federation and was the face of unity among the provinces.

Only the enemies of Pakistan, lurking within as well as outside the boundaries, benefited from this act of terror. Shaheed BB always kept national interest at the forefront of her decisions. She continued her father’s vision to ensure Pakistan became a strong nuclear power.If she were still with us, the political landscape would be different from what we have today. She would have dealt with the terrorists with an iron fist and no one would have been allowed to threaten the sanctity of the state. The whole world understood this

as she had raised her voice for the people of Palestine and Kashmir on various platforms.

She highlighted the Kashmir issue on various international forums. In a conference by the OIC held in Morocco, the then Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto spoke about Kashmir and helped the All Parties Huriyat Conference to become a member organization. Shaheed BB had a clear stance on the Kashmir conflict.

She believed that the people of Kashmir should have the right to decide their future. In line with the UN resolution on the subject, she suggested a “soft border” between Azad Kashmir and Occupied Kashmir to give relief to the Kashmiris.

This would allow the two sides to mingle together, discuss their problems, and eventually, reach a consensus on the Kashmir issue. Today, Bilawal Bhutto has been following in the footsteps of his mother and grandfather and speaking out for the Kashmiri people against the injustice meted out by the Modi government, demanding that the curfew should be lifted. The great political legacy of the Bhutto family always has been to fight all kinds of undemocratic forces, anywhere in the World.

Mounting concerns!

MARINA PERVAIZ In the world full of bitter and twisted people with betrayal thoughts and negativity all around, we had chocolate which became the only hope of satisfaction that soothes the soul, the bitterness of people can be unheeded if there is love of chocolate alive in our hearts which not only gives peace to our soul but also if eaten in the right amount it also heals many problems and diseases but it breaks my heart to know about what is happening in Pakistan?

What are we consuming actually? In recent activities occurring in Punjab we got to know about sweetness of chocolate being mixed with the corruption and hazardous adulterants by adulteration mafia. Nothing we consume is safe these days.

I as a layman love chocolate for many right and wrong reasons but nobody has the right to play with the purity of “chocolate”; it’s a genuine feeling of all chocolate lovers.

Many authorities have concerns regarding the hygienic elements and adulterants being used in the food items we are consuming. In the past years we have seen many raids, seals, fines on different food corners being local or high-end eatery places. One concern which still remains is that why the adulteration mafia is still moving so freely with all the adulterant materials available to them so easily. The check and balance is an ongoing process which needs full attention of all “government and the food authorities”. Punjab Food Authority on the other hand has placed a clear statement on banning

loose milk, loose spices, banaspati ghee and many other food products/items but every person needs to know that adulteration is found in all the food products being sold unless somebody has the fear of going to jail or more; the fear of God Almighty. We see that food authorities have been very vigilant on sealing, fining, sending a clear message to the adulteration mafia with several warnings and many other strict measurements have been taken. But still we cannot trust anyone before we on our individual parts work for our own betterment which is to look for such adulteration mafia and contact the authorities or file complaints against them and if the authorities still do not do anything we can surely file complaints against the authorities as well.

The chocolate lover alive feels dead after hearing the news about adulterants being found in the process of making chocolate. Mr. Irfan who is the new DG Punjab Food Authority raided at a chocolate factory which was producing fake chocolates that included hazardous adulterants which are not seen by the eye of common people. As it is the season of winters which caters all kinds of chocolates and wakes up all the sweet taste buds of people where we consume hot chocolates, chocolate pudding, cakes etc. we are deprived of the blessing of chocolates, we cannot taste the true essence of chocolate as the adulteration mafia has not even left the mixing of chocolates with adulterants which causes harmful disease as it’s consumption does not

decreases in any time of the year but does increases in the season winters.

When we are talking about the world being bitter and twisted another food item which is extremely famous between both adults and children is noodles.

Question; has the adulteration mafia also mixed perilous adulterants in it too, the answer is yes. Food authority raids another food item which is noodles production factory which was producing a food item which cannot be consumed by a healthy person and can directly send us to hospitals. We are paying millions of money to our hospitals not as tax or as it is our duty but the bills we pay to save ourselves, to stay healthy and to build up a secure future for us we are paying high amount of money; which is a complete wastage of our hard earned money. The authorities on the other hand are building up an environment where we do not have to eat food which is directly affecting our health due to the hazardous materials including in it. But as we all know nothing can work out unless we do not thrive for it.

Every single day we hear news about war in our country which is due to are clashes with other countriesbut the real war in in between us the culprits whom we called adulteration mafia.

We have a fight which is unstoppable unless we all don’t have the fear of God Almighty. We should have faith in ourselves and in our authorities for our better healthy future we need to stand with each other and root out the mafia who is hiding in our society with hidden faces.

Shaheed BB favoured dialogue and believed in conflict resolution through discussions rather than violence. Certain forceswho subscribe to nothing but the ideology of anarchy and clash of cultures, were not happy with Shaheed BB as a symbol of unity. Her personality is also reflected in her writings.

She used to say that life is short and therefore, we should build bridges and stay positive. She wanted to change the life of the people on the grass roots level, championing her father’s slogan of roti, kapra, makaan to fight poverty and make a difference in the lives of the poor people. She wanted to bring peace to her people, to her country, and to the world.

On Quaid-e-Awam, Sha-

heed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s sixth death anniversary, Benazir Bhutto addressed a gathering in Birmingham and said, “I am the daughter of Shaheed Bhutto! Today, I am making a promise to Shaheed Baba and the people of Pakistan that I will fight evil and will dedicate all my skills and energies for the victory of the good. I will make any sacrifices required to help our motherland get rid of the martial law.” She kept true to her words and fought the martial law with great determination, until her last breath.

Shaheed BB loved her people and in return, the people of Pakistan doted on their brave leader. This bond threatened and terrified certain forces who then decided to remove Benazir Bhutto

and severe the bond. Little did they know that this bond is not easy to break. As long as Bilawal Bhutto continues his mother’s vision, the bond between the Bhutto ideology and the people of Pakistan will remain intact.

Every year, December 27 is marked as her death anniversary in GarhiKhudabaksh. This year, the event will take place at LiaqatBagh, Pindi, on the site where she last addressed her people.

In 2007 when Shaheed BB had decided to return to Pakistan, I felt anxious and in our farewell meeting, I asked her for forgiveness in case of any lapses on my part and she reciprocated then said, “You must continue my mission—you will

live longer than me.” On December 27, 2007, I truly understood her message.

She had already decided that her life was not her own; it belonged to the people of Pakistan.

In an international conference in Portugal, a writer from Middle East gave tribute to Shaheed BB and described her as the only bright shining star amidst a galaxy full of stars. Justlike the light of the stars that continues to reach us years after the star has faded away, the light of Shaheed BB’s ideology continues to brighten the political landscape of Pakistan.

The writer is the former press secretary of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and adviser to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto

Tuesday, 24 December, 2019

06 WORLD VIEW

the BJp wants to sIlence us. But our voIces wIll only grow louder GuarDian

h

Amit ChAudhuri

UgE nationwide protests, involving people of various religions, professions, castes and classes, such as haven’t been seen since the freedom struggle, took place in India last week. To understand this outpouring of rage and euphoria connected specifically to the recent Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), and more broadly to what it means to be an Indian, we must look to the re-election of the rightwing Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) in May with an overwhelming majority.

Absolute power became for the BJP a licence to initiate one draconian change after another, all of them in some way to do with the status of Muslims in India, and, umbilically connected to this, with the status of democracy. Among these was the implementation of a national register of citizens (NRC) in the state of Assam, ostensibly to uncover illegal migrants from neighbouring Bangladesh. The real motive seemed to be to identify Muslim migrants. The government made a promise: once this was complete, it would happen in the rest of India.

The exercise resulted in almost 2 million people in Assam being deemed illegal migrants, despite many of them being genuine citizens: poorer people mostly lack the required papers. However, it went wrong for supporters of a “Hindu rashtra” (Hindu nation): 60% of those who failed to make the register were Hindus. Many were sent to detention camps that the government had built, and is still busy building. On 2 October, a seemingly emollient comment made by Amit Shah, the home minister, was reported in the Times of India: people who’d been displaced by the NRC needn’t worry, he said. Every refugee – Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Jain, Christian and Parsi –

THE BACKLASH AGAINST THE CITIZENSHIP AMENDMENT ACT SHOWS THAT INDIANS WILL NOT ACCEPT THE PARTY’S DISTORTED VISION FOR THEIR COUNTRY would be granted citizenship under a new bill, called the citizenship amendment bill.

Those who read this would have done a double take without quite knowing why. Litanies of religions and names have been common in testimonials to India’s diversity: the national anthem is an example. What felt wrong about this glowing reassurance and the accompanying list? It was the absence of a word: “Muslim”.

If the bill became law, refugees would be granted citizenship on the basis of religion for the first time in India’s history. One faith, followed by 200 million Indians (the third-largest Muslim population in any nation), was to be rendered invalid by studied amnesia.

After the shock of absorbing what felt like an unadorned expression of a fascistic vision, citizens’ groups, the press and opposition parties began to raise fundamental objections and point out the bill’s absurd inconsistencies. For one, it pretended the sentence in the constitution’s preamble that said “India is a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic” didn’t exist. Also, why was the government saying citizenship would be offered to “persecuted refugees” from three nearby Muslim-majority countries (Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan) but not, say, to Rohingyas from Myanmar?

Once the bill had been passed in the lower and upper houses of parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi insisted that no Muslim citizen would be affected by what had now become the CAA. It’s worrying when a governing party makes as many reassuring noises as the BJP does. Reassurances are the domain of those who diagnose terminal illnesses. What’s being put to death here with the omission of a single word

is what it means to be Indian: part of a fraught but great experiment that has no parallel anywhere in the world. Every Indian has contributed to creating India, and we – not just Muslim refugees – are suddenly being denied access to what we’ve created.

The act was challenged in the supreme court by several litigants for its unconstitutionality and legal arbitrariness. But the Modi government’s second term has seen an exceptional departure from predictability in the judiciary. So the beginnings of the mass protests last week in Assam and Tripura were looked upon by those who opposed the CAA with conflicted absorption. Assamese protesters weren’t opposing the CAA for secular reasons; they felt they were going to become minorities in their own state once Bengali Hindu migrants were granted citizenship. The protests reminded the nation of the extreme complexity (beyond the Hindu-Muslim binary) of India’s ethnic grievances. They were evidence, despite the violence and the by-now characteristic punitive response (such as the suspension of the internet), of the chaos and untameable nature of Indian democracy. Then swiftly, as if emboldened by the Assamese rioters, came student protests at two universities – Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi, which has a Muslim provenance but where there’s a substantial mix of Hindu and Muslim students; and Aligarh Muslim University in Uttar Pradesh.

While it has been appalling to look upon footage of police brutality during these protests, it has been deeply moving to see Indians regain their voice. As has been pointed out, there are undeniable correspondences between the phases leading to the creation of

IndIa’s Internet shutdown shows normal practIce for sovereIgn countrIes The internet cannot be independent of national sovereignty. It is a routine operation for governments all over the world to manage the internet based on national interests PeoPle’s Daily online Qing Qiu

India recently ordered a shutdown of the internet in the states of Assam and Meghalaya to control protests over the controversial new Citizenship Amendment Bill. It means that shutting down the internet in a state of emergency should be standard practice for sovereign countries.

Since the 1950s, America has seen India as an example of democracy in Asia. In the so-called Indo-Pacific Strategy Report released by the U.S., India is viewed as an important geopolitical partner of the U.S., as the two countries share a common ideology and similar political system.

India, meanwhile, is the world’s second-largest internet market with more than 650 million connected users; the states of Assam and Meghalaya alone boast 32 million netizens.

India did not hesitate to shut down the internet in these two states to cope when there is a significant threat to national security.

When China’s Xinjiang region faced a similar national security threat a few years ago, the Chinese government responded with a similar strategy. However, it attracted sharp criticism from mainstream media in Europe and the U.S. The internet shutdown in India has once again proved that the necessary regulation of the internet is a reasonable choice of sovereign countries based on national interests, and a natural extension of national sovereignty in cyberspace.

The internet was first adopted in developed countries within Europe and America, which determines that these countries inevitably have a different cognitive concept from others. They strive to spread their jurisdiction online and squeeze the sovereignty of developing countries.

Threats to the core interests of sovereign states spread unevenly throughout different historical periods, and developed countries in Europe and the United States are confident that they can be “immunize” themselves to threats and challenges arising online.

However, that is not the case. India will not hesitate to shut down the internet if it is necessary to safeguard national security. In the U.S., the birthplace of the internet, deleting content, shutting down accounts, and conducting extensive surveillance in response to national security concerns have become routine operations.

The internet cannot be independent of national sovereignty. It is a routine operation for governments all over the world to manage the internet based on national interests, including shutting down the internet in a state of emergency.

inDePenDent AniQAh Choudhri

When I was a teenager, several years after the bombing of the Twin Towers, I often travelled alone by plane to see my dad on internal flights. On one flight, I got up to go to the toilet. When I got back the air steward was searching through my hand luggage. I had been gone less than 10 minutes. The grown man sitting next to me had reported me.

I then had to sit awkwardly beside him – The Man who Thought I was a Terrorist – for the whole flight, in silence. Why had he reported me? Had I been doing anything suspicious? I highly doubt it. getting racially profiled at the airport by security guards has now become a scary inside joke for many people of colour but it adds an extra element of danger when members of the public are encouraged to get involved.

Prevent, the government counter-terrorism strategy which, among other measures, encourages teachers to report students they believe to be radicalised to the police, was launched in 2006 under New Labour. Since the expansion of the strategy, however, there have been reports that it is ineffective at best, and counterproductive at worst, in addition to mounting evidence that it disproportionally targets Muslim children.

A growing concern in education, the National Union of Teachers voted in favour of scrapping Prevent in 2016 over its role in causing suspicion in the classroom. With cases such as a primary school child having their details on the Metropolitan Police’s anti-radicalisation records and only 1 in 10 Prevent referrals receiving further support, the scepticism is hardly surprising. Remember, as well as issues of unfair targeting, this is a system that stores incredibly sensitive personal information in a secret database, which suggests that suspicions against children may well be used against them in later years, whether action is needed or not.

But it doesn’t stop there. Lord Carlile, who was appointed as an independent reviewer after a probe into Prevent was launched (despite calling it “completely unnecessary) has just been removed from the Prevent pro-

Nazi germany and what’s been happening in India – but there are major differences. given how hugely constitutive Muslims are of India’s present and history, or how intricate the facets of Indian identity are, the fantasy of a “Hindu rashtra” is an unfeasible one.

We must love one another or die.

In the past week, Indian politics has seen the return of a federalism that the BJP is even more bitterly hostile to than Indira gandhi was. Six states – West Bengal, Kerala, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha – have refused to participate in Delhi’s plan for a nationwide NRC. Many individuals have begun to go into the civil disobedience mode that Indians adopted under the British, saying they would either not furnish papers for the NRC or that they would declare themselves Muslim. Mass protests on 19 December happened despite restrictions under colonial-era section 144 (proscribing a gathering of more than four persons) being declared wherever the BJP has control of law and order. TV channels showed a student stopping the policeman who was kicking her friend with ferocious fingerwagging admonishment alone; on 19 December, the historian Ramachandra guha was dragged away by police mid-sentence in a peaceful protest. It is a time for shame and sadness; a time of pride and joy. The “climate of fear” that hung over India, which I wrote about in these pages two months ago, is lifting. When will the BJP stop being afraid – of disagreement, criticism, political opposition, coexistence?

Amit Chaudhuri is a novelist and professor at the University of East Anglia.

This counter-terrorism police course for citizens is terrifying I KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE THOUGHT OF AS AN EXTREMIST SIMPLY FOR EXISTING. ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO EFFECTIVELY SPY ON THEIR NEIGHBOURS IN A CLIMATE LIKE THIS IS CHILLING gramme. But the police have now called on the public to take an online Counter Terrorism training course for the first time, enabling them to become Counter Terrorism (CT) Citizens.

Elements of the course include spotting “signs of suspicious behaviour” which would then be reported to the police. The course is 45 minutes long, which is apparently all the training you need to be given police approval to report your Muslim neighbours for, say, “inspecting CCTV cameras in an unusual way”.

A new poll has illustrated that 45 per cent of the general public believe Islam “threatens the British way of life.” Our current prime minister, Boris Johnson, has stated that “Islam is the problem”, in the past. What happens when you couple this prejudice with the state encouraging you to report anyone you find suspicious to the police? History has shown us that the public will often report each other for personal reasons or vendettas and 45 minutes of an online course will not negate that. According to Counter Terrorism Policing UK, 12,000 “CT Citizens” have now signed up to the course.

Regimes have often used the public to spy on each other, reporting back bits of gossip or suspicious neighbours. In 30’s germany, you had the Blockleiter and in East Berlin from the 1970s until the 90s, you had the Stasi. People aren’t exactly strangers to reporting their neighbours because of grudges or just out of plain malice. And with Islamophobia and racism already embedded in the fabric of this country, it’s likely this happens more often than we realise. Just look at the number of peo-

ple who have shared shocking and hurtful stories of racism and prejudice directed at them since the election.

I don’t know why that man reported me all those years ago, but I can guess. Although he’s the only member of the public who has done such a thing, I have been body searched or had my things “randomly checked” too many times at the airport to think his suspicion that I was a terrorist was a one-off. I’ve also personally been called a “traitor,” asked how I feel about 9/11, seen my mother asked the same question.

I’ve had “jokes” aimed at me in the workplace about chopping people’s heads off and I know other British Muslims, especially women who wear the hijab or burqa, have had it much worse. Islamophobia is not just limited to the EDL or Britain First, eight years ago Baroness Warsi commented that Islamophobia had passed the dinner table test. It is normalised in the UK. The fact that this seems to have been ignored in the call to train up the public as “CT Citizens,” is very worrying.

If more and more people are encouraged to report other members of the public to the police for “suspicious behaviour,” it will encourage an atmosphere of fear and suspicion in daily life and not just for British Muslims. A 45-minute course is not enough to dispel ingrained prejudices many people have about race, sexuality, religion or class. If this course becomes widespread, I fear that like Prevent, it will not be effective in actually tackling terrorism and instead encourage an atmosphere of suspicion where your neighbour can report you simply because they don’t like the way you look. What a terrifying prospect.

Tuesday, 24 December, 2019

FOREIGN NEWS 07

us-north KorEa talKs 'MorE iMportant than anything', south KorEa tElls china BEIJING

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AGENCIES

T is “more important than anything” to keep up the momentum for talks between the United States and North Korea, South Korean President Moon Jae-in told Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Monday.

North Korea has set a year-end deadline for the United States to change what it says is a policy of hostility amid a stalemate in efforts to make progress on their pledge to end the North’s nuclear program and establish lasting peace. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump have met three times since June 2018, but there has been no substantive progress in dialogue while the North demanded crushing international sanctions be lifted first.

On Saturday, state media said the United States would “pay dearly” for taking issue with the North’s human rights record and said Washington’s “malicious words” would only aggravate tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

China is North Korea’s most important diplomatic backer and trading partner, and Moon took his message about the significance of talks straight to Xi. “It is more important than anything to keep up the momentum for dialogue

between North Korea and the United States,” Moon said, according to his spokeswoman Ko Min-jung who was present at the meeting in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People.

Ko cited Xi as saying that many people are concerned about the tense situation on the Korean peninsula.

“China and South Korea should gather strength to help North Korea and the United States sustain the momentum for dialogue,” she cited Xi as saying.

Earlier, Moon’s office quoted him as saying that the suspension of U.S.North Korea talks and rising tensions was not beneficial for South Korea, China or North Korea.

EightEEn prisonErs dEad in nEw honduras jail clash TEGUCIGALPA: Eighteen people were killed in Sunday afternoon violence between prisoners at a jail in central Honduras, less than two days after another 18 died in unrest at a separate facility, a military spokesman told local media. The spokesman for the combined national security force known as Fusina released a list of names of the 18 dead and two injured, saying that “firearms, knives and machetes” were used in the clash in El Porvenir prison north of the capital Tegucigalpa. The violence followed overnight unrest earlier in the weekend at a facility in the northern port town of Tela that killed 18 inmates and wounded 16 others.

Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, grappling with a recent wave of prison killings, had ordered the army and the police on Tuesday to take full control of the country’s 27 prisons, which are badly overcrowded with some 21,000 inmates. On Saturday, top military officer General Tito Livio Moreno indicated that the military would be deployed in 18 penal centers identified as “high risk.” Hernandez announced the crackdown after the killings on December 14 of five members of feared gang Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) by a fellow detainee at the high-security prison in La Tolva, east of Tegucigalpa. That came just a day after Pedro Idelfonso Armas, the warden of El Pozo — the country’s main high-security prison, in the western city of Santa Barbara — was shot dead in the south of the country. The Ministry of Security had suspended Armas shortly before that amid an investigation into his presence during the October 26 killing by prisoners of Magdaleno Meza, a drug kingpin whose confession and notebooks linked him to a brother of the president, Juan Antonio “Tony” Hernandez.

DRUG TRAFFICKING, GANGS, VIOLENCE: Meza’s account books were entered as evidence in the New York trial of Hernandez, who was subsequently convicted on four counts of drug trafficking. He faces sentencing — possibly for life — in January. President Hernandez condemned the conviction of his younger brother, saying it was based on “the testimony of confessed assassins.” A video circulating on social media shows the 52-year-old Armas talking with Meza when prison guards opened a locked gate, allowing a dozen inmates to burst in and stab and fatally shoot the drug trafficker.

In addition, a lawyer who had represented Meza and other members of the Valle Valle drug cartel, Jose Luis Pinto, was killed in an attack on December 9 in a town northwest of Tegucigalpa. AGENCIES

NEW IMPETUS: Xi told Moon that China supports South Korea’s efforts to improve ties with North Korea and inject new impetus into promoting peace talks, China’s Foreign Ministry said.

China and South Korea both advocate that the Korean peninsula issue be resolved through dialogue and consultation and are a “firm force for maintaining stability and promoting talks”, the ministry paraphrased Xi as saying.

Moon is visiting China for a trilateral meeting between him, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in the southwestern city of Chengdu.

Though various economic matters

will also be on the agenda – as well as tensions between Seoul and Tokyo – North Korea appears likely to dominate the agenda.

US special envoy for North Korea Stephen Biegun met with two senior Chinese diplomats during his two-day visit to Beijing last week, following a similar meeting in South Korea and Japan days earlier, as diplomats make last-ditch attempts to prevent new confrontation.

Beijing, jointly with Russia, proposed last week that the United Nations Security Council lift some sanctions in what it calls an attempt to break the current deadlock and seek to build support.

But it’s unclear whether Beijing can convince Seoul and Tokyo to break ranks from Washington, which has made its opposition clear and can veto any resolution. Though South Korea sees China as instrumental in reviving negotiations, it has so far sidestepped questions on whether it supports the new proposal by Beijing and Moscow.

For its part, Japan has historically been a staunch supporter of sanctions against North Korea. Japan Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Naoki Okada, speaking to reporters after Abe held his own meeting with Xi in Beijing, said Xi had asked Japan to support the joint Chinese-Russian proposal. But Japan considers easing sanctions on North Korea “still premature”, Okada said.

India bids to bust citizenship law 'myths' with cartoon Muslims NEW DELHI AGENCIES

India’s ruling party launched a video with animated Muslim characters on social media Monday in a publicity blitz to try to bust “myths” around a new citizenship law that has sparked deadly protests.

The law has stoked concerns that Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government wants to marginalise India’s Muslim minority. The short video clip shows two bearded men in traditional Muslim clothing discussing the legislation before concluding that the country can only progress if there is “peace and brotherhood”.

Twenty-five people have died in protests so far, but demonstrations took place Monday in Chennai, Bangalore and Delhi with no violence reported. In Kolkata, there was a march in favour of the law.

The video was released by Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party on its Twitter handle. On Sunday Modi said Muslims “don’t need to worry” about the new law.

The ruling right-wing govern-

ment also carried an advertisement across all national dailies with a “myths vs facts” explainer saying the law was not against India’s 200 million Muslims.

The advert also stated that there were no immediate plans to roll out a nationwide register of citizens, which has stoked fears of Muslims and others unable to prove they are Indian becoming stateless.

Even if the register would be rolled out, “the guidelines would be framed such that no Indian citizen would face any harassment whatsoever”, the advertisement read.

HINDU NATION: The wave of protests across the country marks the biggest challenge to Modi’s government since sweeping to power in the world’s largest democracy in 2014.

Further bad news for Modi came on Monday with indications that the BJP was set to be kicked out of office in the eastern state of Jharkhand following elections.

Last month it also lost power in Maharashtra, home to Mumbai, in a major setback. The citizenship law, passed by parliament earlier this month, allows people of six reli-

gions from Muslim-majority Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan an easier path to citizenship.

Muslims are excluded, however.

Islamic groups, the opposition and others at home and abroad fear this forms part of Modi’s aim to remould the country as a Hindu nation, something his government denies.

Demonstrations have been largely peaceful but protesters have also hurled rocks and torched vehicles, while heavy-handed police tactics including the storming of a Delhi university a week ago have fuelled anger.

Indian authorities have cut mobile internet access in places and imposed emergency laws banning assemblies.

In a speech on Sunday Modi sought to reassure the Muslim community, saying they “don’t need to worry at all” and laying emphasis on India’s diversity.

In the coming few days, his party says it will contact more than 30 million families, organise countrywide rallies and hold over 250 press conferences to dispel doubts over the new law.

china denies allegations of forced labour at shanghai prison BEIJING: China Monday denied allegations that prisoners were being used for forced labour, after a British newspaper reported that a London schoolgirl found a message in a Christmas card claiming to be from inmates at Shanghai’s Qingpu Prison.

Supermarket giant Tesco said at the weekend it had stopped production at a factory in China after one of its charity cards was found to contain a cry for help from a prisoner who made it, according to the Sunday Times newspaper. Beijing has rebuffed the claims, which it said were “made up”. “I can tell you responsibly that, after seeking clarification from relevant departments, Shanghai Qingpu prison does not at all have … forced labour by foreign convicts,” said foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang at a regular press briefing in Beijing. Geng also attacked former journalist Peter Humphrey who wrote the article and was himself detained in Qinqpu prison until his release in 2015, saying he had invented a “farce” to “hype himself up”. The note in the card asked the person who found it to contact Humphrey, who then took the story to the Sunday Times. “We are foreign prisoners in Shanghai Qingpu Prison China,” said the message, in a charity card featuring a kitten in a Santa hat. “Forced to work against our will. Please help us and notify human rights organisation.” Humphrey told AFP he had never met the girl who found the card or her family, but when they got in touch and showed him a copy of the note, “I absolutely knew it was true, in my gut, because I know the handwriting.” He also dismissed Beijing’s denial of forced labour as “lies”. “This is really completely to be expected, because nothing except lies ever comes back to the world when any such issue arises,” he said. AGENCIES

Malta suffers second nationwide power cut in a month VALLETTA: Malta suffered a nationwide power cut on Monday, the second in less than a month, shutting off electricity to all homes, businesses and factories and causing rush-hour road chaos as traffic lights went dark. State-owned energy provider Enemalta confirmed that there was no power anywhere on Malta and said a problem with a cable supplying power from Sicily to Malta appeared to be the cause. Power was lost shortly after 8am (0700 GMT) and began being restored in parts of the island shortly after 11 am. Another recent power outage, on Nov. 26, was also caused by a fault in the Sicily-to-Malta undersea cable. Malta’s own power stations have enough capacity to meet demand, but Enemalta usually relies on most of its supply from Sicily because it is cheaper. Turning on power generators when the undersea cable fails takes several hours. The latest blackout, two days before Christmas, left shopkeepers unable to operate credit card machines and, in some cases, they were not even able to open their shop shutters. Malta airport said it was operating normally, using generators. AGENCIES

40 years on, veterans still grapple with Soviet-Afghan war KABUL AGENCIES

At his home in the mountains north of Kabul, former mujahideen fighter Shah Sulaiman closed his damaged eyes, took a sip of green tea and thought bitterly of Afghanistan’s war against the Soviet Union that started four decades ago.

“When we fought against the Soviets, we were expecting a good future,” said the 62-year-old father, who was blinded in one eye and suffered a leg wound when he trod on a landmine during the conflict in 1985.

“Unfortunately things turned out for the worst.” This month marks the 40th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s “intervention” — or invasion — of Afghanistan, the beginning of a decadelong guerilla war that killed up to two million Afghans, forced seven million more from their homes and led to the deaths of more than 14,000 Soviet troops. “(It) brought only misery and de-

struction to Afghans and Afghanistan,” recalled Sulaiman, who commanded a unit of 12 men in the Panjshir valley, a heartland of mujahideen resistance north of the capital. In the decades since the war, which ended in 1989, Afghan veterans like Sulaiman and former Soviet soldiers have had to grapple with the physical and emotional wounds of a bloody conflict whose purpose and consequences remain angrily contested.

While the war was a mujahideen victory, what came next saw Afghanistan plunge deeper into misery and fighting, with veterans blaming the conflict for the rise of the Taliban and the ongoing violence that besets the country to this day. In Russia, former Soviet soldiers are still trying to make sense of a war the public condemned at the time and that observers say hastened the collapse of the Soviet Union. “We defended our southern borders, and I still think our presence in Afghanistan was essential,” said Ilias Daoudi, 52, a

former Soviet intelligence official who lost a leg in a 1986 landmine blast in Herat, in western Afghanistan. “A big country like ours has to control what is happening in neighbouring regions.”

RIGHT DECISION: Regular Soviet soldiers began arriving in Afghanistan after Moscow’s December 24, 1979 deployment order to support a pro-Soviet regime in Kabul and quell a nationalist Islamist insurgency that was pushing back against the atheist communists and their reforms. More than 600,000 troops from the USSR would eventually cycle through Afghanistan, playing a part in a Cold War proxy conflict that also saw the United States arm and fund mujahideen fighters including Osama bin Laden.

“It was my religious duty to do Jihad (holy war) against the Soviets because our country was invaded by them and they were spreading communism and infidelity in Afghanistan,” Sulaiman said.

In Russia, veterans seek to recast the war as a necessary step to counter the threat

of rising Islamism in Afghanistan and Muslim-majority Soviet republics. The decision to send troops in 1979 was the “right” one — not just for the communist bloc but on a personal level too, said Vladimir Vchivtsev, 58, who spent 16 months in Afghanistan as a Soviet reconnaissance officer. “War is the best school of life, where you learn to think quickly and find the best solutions”, said Vchivtsev, who was blinded in an explosion in Khost province in 1987. The conflict was extremely unpopular with the Soviet public at the time and was officially condemned in 1989 at the height of leader Mikhail Gorbachev’s policy of “glasnost”, or transparency. But as part of an overall re-evaluation of the war’s legacy, Russia’s parliamentary defence committee has — under pressure from veterans — backed a draft resolution saying Soviet troops helped Afghan authorities fight “terrorist and extremist groups” and curbed the growing security threat facing the USSR.

Tuesday, 24 December, 2019

08 COMMENT

WhatsApp?

Afghan elections Though results are in, the winner is still not clear

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fghAnistAn’s independent Election Commission (iEC) has finally declared the result of the country’s presidential election, held on september 28. With its declaration that incumbent President Ashraf ghani had won 50.64 per cent of the votes cast, he avoided the second round that had to be held in 2014. however, he did so by a narrow margin.

With only 12,000 votes being changed, the election would go into a second round, providing runner-up Abdullah Abdullah another chance. Mr Abdullah was also the runner-up in both rounds in 2014, and his claims that the polls were rigged persuaded the UsA enough to broker a deal in which he was appointed Chief Executive. however, it is highly unlikely that his claims of rigging, would get him more than another round of voting, for he was beaten by over 200,000 votes, or just over 11 per cent. this was worse than 2014, when he actually led in the first round. he failed to increase his share of the vote, and Ashraf ghani attracted all the other candidates’ votes.

Be that as it may, Pakistan has no real interest in who wins, for both candidates have a bent towards india, and a corresponding prejudice against Pakistan. Of course, Pakistan would hope that all sides abide by the result of the election. President ghani has hinted at the direction he fears trouble may come, by saying that no one should think of acquiring power by military means. if indeed there is a civil war because of the election, the most logical destination for refugees is Pakistan. that is the main reason why Pakistan must hope for a peaceful resolution, and an acceptance of the democratic process. the relationship with Afghanistan should be made to take a new direction under the second ghani term (though that is by no means a foregone conclusion, given Mr Abdullah’s swift decision to contest the result, and the iEC’s saying it will take 39 working days to process the complaints), and for that it must be handled by the body with the most expertise in doing so, the foreign Office. it is time that Pakistan stop looking at Pakistan through the prism of security and defence, and the dominance gained in the Zia years by the Army, and kept ever since, should be changed.

Gas crisis PTI government finally wakes up on the issue

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PECiAl Assistant to the Prime Minister on information Dr firdous Ashiq Awan has clarified that the recent summary forwarded by Oil and gas Regulatory Authority (OgRA) recommending a 214% gas price hike was merely a recommendation the federal government received from the regulator that the PM, being aware of the people’s troubles, would not enforce. that the previous two massive gas price hikes have come on the back of the same OgRA recommendations inspires little confidence in the government’s ability to control energy prices. the same can be said about gas supply which has been severely compromised since the temperature dropped. this is not a new phenomenon as winters bring with them an increased household usage of gas that even previous governments have had a problem dealing with who would also offer the same ‘assurances of uninterrupted gas supply’ as Dr Awan has, now that the situation has gotten worse. the total shortfall has reached the untenable level of 600 million metric cubic feet a day (MMCfD) that will have to be plugged by curtailing gas to sectors other than households. this would mean that industries already dealing with the higher cost of doing business will be forced to rely on alternative, more expensive, sources of energy. the Cng sector, that has been facing supply-side issues for months, will be further compromised. had the Pti government foreseen these problems and made adequate arrangements to combat this crippling shortfall, perhaps some of the damage could have been mitigated. if some attention was paid to the theft and leakages of gas or a better lng import strategy, this crisis could have been managed. Pti has been in power in KP for the better part of six years, which is where half of the 400 million MMCfD gas produced in the province is stolen by those closest to the gas fields. this is to be expected when the owner of an iPP who is a significant defaulter of the sui northern gas Pipelines ltd (sngPl) is special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Petroleum Products. the government must revise its energy policy to provide much-needed relief to the people. Winters will only get worse in the years to come, so it would suit the government that propagates itself on being the party of ‘change’ to be better prepared and act pre-emptively in such sensitive matters.

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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Thanks, but no thanks

haSaN aFTaB SaEED

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lAshBACK to the days when i was a member of seven work-related WhatsApp groups and innumerable family and friends groups:

I A particularly raunchy joke has been shared in one of the casual groups. suddenly i have this sinking feeling that Mr shah, who is a fellow member of a semi-official group too, may have yielded to the temptation of sharing it there. gripped by panic i go through the chatlog but am relieved to find out that my fears were unwarranted. i rebuke myself for so underestimating Mr shah, even if he has a somewhat questionable track-record. Every saint has a past, i remind myself. Before the hour is out however, the joke has been shared; by none other than Mr shah. for a while, everybody starts missing the pre-WhatsApp days. Everybody, except Mr shah, that is.

II it’s my practice to leave my phone home when i leave for the morning prayer. today, however, i forgot to do it. i have only realised this during the jamaat when there’s a notification alert. i spend the remainder of the prayer bracing myself, for surely it can’t be good news at 3:30 am. it turns out that the boss has chosen this saturday morning to assign to me a task that i can do absolutely nothing about before Monday. i try, in vain, to pretend to myself that i know nothing about it. from experience, it’s entirely possible that come Monday morning the task will have ‘evolved’ into something very different, or rendered unnecessary by other developments, making all this fretting even more useless. still i can’t help thinking

about it all weekend. i wonder what Jan Koum and Brian Acton were thinking?

III An extremely popular senior colleague has passed away, triggering an outpouring of genuine grief on WhatsApp. there’s message after message full of fond memories of the deceased, who was a mentor to many and a warm and friendly figure to all. this is when Dr Danish (who happens to be quite a philosopher) decides to make his unforgettable entry. Without any fanfare, he chips in with the photograph of a grave with a tombstone that reads (in Urdu): ‘Main bohat ehem tha; mujhe ye wehem tha.’

Under ordinary circumstances, no doubt an apt reminder of mortal man’s inconsequential station in the cosmos; but as an expression of condolence the rhyme obviously leaves much to be desired, obviously for all, except for philosophers apparently. the silence that ensues is deafening.

IV i am struggling to find a file that has purportedly been shared on one of the official groups, something i must have either ignored or missed amidst all the traffic. this is an unenviable task, for in such groups a lot of information keeps travelling to and from all directions; and it’s not always clear for whom a certain message is. i try to mitigate this by constantly deleting the outdated/irrelevant posts. Being a distinguished exponent of multitasking, i have taken to utilising my time in the loo for this purpose, but often i struggle to keep pace with the constant deluge of posts. it’s still months before i will figure out that i can save much more time by not using WhatsApp at all.

V i have reluctantly come down to the kitchen table for breakfast sans my phone, which is charging upstairs. though i am going through the motions, my mind is elsewhere, wondering what is going on in the world. After breakfast i hurry upstairs, only to find recycled memes and messages that i can’t for the life of

me know how they concern me. is it for this that i can’t even eat in peace anymore? i toy with the idea of deleting WhatsApp but for some reason fail to follow through on the thought.

VI An almighty WhatsApp war is being fought between two cousins. What had started as harmless banter has escalated spectacularly. taunting of each other’s favourite politician has now given way to a no-holds-barred insults competition between the two. it’s fun while it lasts, with the silent spectators secretly backing one party or the other; but it leaves a bad taste in the mouth when one party, who happens to be the group admin, kicks the other one out of the group. Just when i am considering leaving the group, i realise that i have been added to a new cousins group created by the kicked-out party, along with all other cousins (except his nemesis, of course). We now have two cousins groups where we only had one. * flashforward to the present: today, i am the proud owner of a features phone, and life is considerably less complicated. My WhatsApp days are long gone, hopefully never to return. some well-wishers have warned me that with this attitude i will never make it big in life. that’s quite all right because with a height of six feet and an ample girth, i am more than satisfied with my size.

Disclaimer: intellectual honesty behooves the writer to come clean about the fact that he has never owned a smartphone, leave alone ever having used WhatsApp. these ‘flashbacks’ are second-hand, if you will. for what the author misses out on the personal-experience front, he more than makes up for with his powers of observation and a fertile imagination.

Hasan Aftab Saeed is a connoisseur of music, literature, and food (but not drinks). He can be reached at www.facebook.com/hasanaftabsaeed

The sordid story of two neighbours And why beating war drums and jingoism peaks and falls sporadically

Shah Nawaz Mohal

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hEn in trouble, escalate. When things at home seem bleak, escalate. When a distraction is desperately needed, escalate. When stuff goes south, escalate. Escalations at the borders have come to serve many purposes for both india and Pakistan. On the one hand it seems to endanger the lives of billions, on the other it serves to deflate the tensions at home.

And the sordid saga continues. the places change, the aftermath does not. the body count goes up and down, the suffering refuses to subside. the strength, or lack thereof, of Pakistan and india’s relationship can be gauged by the fact that all it takes is a single suicide bomber to bring lives of more than a billion people under the pall of fear and hatred. the irony of Pakistan and india relationship is that columns, stories, editorials written decades

Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

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back need a little tweaking here and there and they are good to go to the press again. there is an abysmal theatre of the indo-Pak relationship, where 1.5 billion actors live to stage the same show with little variation in an old script. things go right only to take a horribly wrong twist. What both Pakistan and india fail to realise and refuse to acknowledge is that in their bid of erecting empires of hatred they’ve reduced themselves to brats bragging about the bully they’ve befriended, China in former and UsA in latter’s case.

UsA, once Pakistan’s mentor and foremost ally, has been won over by Modi sarkar. sensing the winds of change, America abandoned, rather betrayed Pakistan forcing the latter to find comfort, solace, support and economic promise in the mighty Chinese Dragon. for many it is an omen of prosperity, for others a mere change of lap. the promise of CPEC has blinded the country and its rulers to adverse effects that will soon prop up. india, once famed for not aligning itself in shackles of alliances has recently found bonhomie in America. the former founding member of non-Aligned Movement has finally realised that in our bad world it is always good to have a hyper power, although having waning influence, on one’s side. never having been comfortable with and around both China and Pakistan, india has made pals across the seven seas and it has military presence in almost all of them. Considering Pakistan a per-

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

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manent nuisance and China as a competitor to reckon with, india aims to draw Afghanistan, the socalled graveyard of civilisations, and iran, the flag bearer of one of the most ancient civilisation, nearer. Bangladesh, the old East Pakistan is definitely not a friend that Pakistan presently has in the region.

We, Pakistanis have brother China, our neighbour has shri America. May the Almighty let the puppets practice the illusion of choice in hopes of eyeballing each other to perdition.

Regardless of the fact that many of us share the fate of our beloved motherlands we have to put up with misery in all its gory forms because the ‘husbands’ (read leaders) of our land are either posing as mythic titans or busy in one-upmanship. All of this should better end as we have too many ‘weary’ generations before us. Pakistan and india have barely lost any opportunity to teach each other ‘lessons’. the recent Pulwama attack is just another episode in the endless saga of the indo-Pak soap opera.

Both neighbours revel in a schadenfreude that was cultivated over time and has become so extreme that it’ll take years before Pakistanis and indians think of each other as regular human beings, capable of basic human emotions for in their bid to loathe, they’ve dehumanised each other. they have lost empathy, because it has been ages that an ordinary lad from islamabad sat with a young bloke from Delhi and dis-

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cussed the hidden frustrations and shared fantasies that describe the youth of either country.

And what is the main bone of contention? no prize for guessing. it is Kashmir. Kashmir, that daughter of Eve both Cain and Abel are willing to do anything for. Be it Akhand Bharat or ‘Kashmir banay gaa Pakistan’, the solution lies not in slogans yelled with all the might of our lungs.

Rather than playing to the local and international galleries for empty applause and/or pat on the back both, Cain and Abe need to talk about Eve on a negotiation table. As by force none will have her or retain her. Moral of the story: it is better to behave like good neighbours rather than archetypal characters from scriptures of yore.

While paying heed to the unshakeable realities, both india and Pakistan share more than borders. they share languages that sound familiar even if they don’t understand one jot of them, they share common heritage that is engulfed in haze, they share echoes that go unheard in minarets, temples and mosques, they share nightmares that came to be known as ‘slices from history’, they share idols they no longer believe in and gods who have forsaken them when they needed them the most. the story of Midnight’s Children is far from over.

Shah Nawaz Mohal is a law graduate and journalist based in Islamabad. He can be reached at mshahnawazmohal@gmail.com

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Tuesday, 24 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

Honouring the pioneers of freedom siR, a nation that distorts its history is bound to become a victim of confusion and fail to achieve ideals and goals set by the founding fathers. Quaid and other leaders of the AiMl waged a political struggle to create modern democratic welfare, but instead it has become a country ruled by dictators and they corrupt politicians they nurtured. Unfortunately, framing a constitution which MAJ set as a priority for first Constituent Assembly was delayed till 1956. intrigues by the civil uniformed bureaucracy created by the Raj were successful in derailing the vision of Jinnah’s Pakistan. iskander Mirza, a serving officer of indian Political service, and Ayub, who was superseded by three junior officers during life of Jinnah, were promoted and became part of this intrigue. Pakistan’s history was distorted and doctored and heroes were created out of zeros.

A recent report on private tV Channels showed lahore’s underpasses being decorated with pictures of political leaders who actively participated in the independence movement led

by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, liaquat Ali, Abdur Rab nishtar, Qazi issa, haji haroon Abdullah, Malik Barkat Ali, Maulana Zafar Ali Khan, Khawaja nazimuddin and numerous others.

Muslim student federation leaders like hameed nizami played a pivotal role. i fail to understand why Ch Rehmat Ali’s picture should be placed next to Allama iqbal. While he was a student at Cambridge, he published a pamphlet in 1933 titled “now or never” and coined the word ‘Pakistan’. All his adult life he chose to live in England and did not participate in active struggle which was waged in undivided india. Men like J Mandal and his group of 21 other legislators voted for the merger of Bengal into Pakistan and supported Quaid more than these absentee individuals. let us honour the true pioneers of our struggle for independence.

GuLL ZAMAN Peshawar

Defiance Bhutto versus Sharif

Dr FariD a Malik

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hE 1965 war proved to be disastrous for Viceroy-iii of Pakistan (ghulam Muhammad Viceroy-i, iskander Mirza Viceroy-ii). Ayub Khan’s dashing foreign minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto left the cabinet soon after in 1966. he then started to test the waters of defiance. finally, in november 1967 he launched his People’s Party at YMCA hall lahore. incidentally, i was there for my daily sports practice. Dressed in a white double-breasted suit he was beaming with confidence. he asked the crowd ‘Awami or sarkari’ the unanimous chant was ‘Awami’ which meant that ‘sarkari Muslim league’ (PMl-Convention) was rejected after the creation of Pakistan.

PPP was the first ‘Awami Party’, in the formation of which ghQ had no role.

Bhutto belonged to a landed family of sindh. his father sir shahnawaz Bhutto was a respected politician of his times. he studied at the prestigious Cathedral school in Bombay and then proceeded abroad for higher education. graduated with honours from University of Berkeley, followed by graduate studies at Oxford University and finally trained as a Barrister at lincoln’s inn. he returned to his motherland and started teaching at a law college in Karachi. in 1958 he joined the iskander Mirza (Viceroy-ii of Pakistan) cabinet as Minister of Commerce. there was some nepotism in this appointment as his wife nusrat ispahani and the first lady nahid Mirza both had iranian origins and were closely related.

Bhutto continued to be an important cabinet member of the Ayub regime (Viceroy-iii of Pakistan). in 1963 he was appointed foreign minister, in this capacity he performed exceptionally well. he was the architect of the sino-Pak relationship. Under his direction, Pakistan started to move out of the UsA camp in its national and regional interests. in comparison, nawaz sharif’s father Mian Muhammad sharif was an ordinary artisan in foundry works. After partition the family moved from Jati Umra (Amritsar) to lahore and started a small foundry business behind lahore hotel in the fleming/Dil

Muhammad Road area. Mian sharif was a Justice nasim hasan shah. in a great judicial very ambitious and hardworking individual. victory, a first of its kind in the country, his this group was a beneficiary of the Ayub era’s government was restored. he now stood face ill-conceived industrialisation and established to face with Viceroy-Vi. fearing civil war as their first major venture under the name of ‘it- the President and PM clashed, general Watefaq foundries. Compared to BECO (Batala heed Kakar intervened and both were sent Engineering Company) another such venture packing under a compromise deal.

With his large stints in power and a masof the era, which was next door, ittefaq was primitive. Cow dung was used for mould sive financial empire, built mostly through mismaking to cut costs. it took days to get rid of use of authority, the house of sharif was now a the smell after making a few moulds. Adho- force to be reckoned with. his defiance was not based on intellect or service to the people or an cism and quick money was the approach.

During their senior school years both ideological base. it was a grand evil alliance nawaz and shehbaz were admitted to the that continues to seek personal gains for itself saint Anthony’s school in lahore. nawaz was and its supporters. nation building is not part a below average student while shehbaz was of their agenda. After a very treacherous politslightly better. nawaz was then admitted to ical journey he is now raising all the right isthe government College on a wrestling seat. sues but with no credibility or credentials. the During his stay there his interest was to wres- sharif financial Empire is currently finally tle in the nearby ‘Akhara’ (Wrestling Arena) under scrutiny. there is no money trail to jusof Bholu brothers. As a junior i always found tify this phenomenal and unprecedented growth him in Malik sahib’s fruit shop in the com- after entering politics. general Jilani’s words pany of non-serious students like ‘Arshad of ‘Muk-Muka’ ring in my mind.

Bhutto’s defiance had an ideological base Pedal’ and the ‘Malik brothers’. the now late ‘Pedal’ was a unique character, he earned this combined with solid professional credentials. title because he seldom used his mind was he was a skilled individual who was trained mostly found moving on his feet. nawaz on as a Barrister. People’s power was his apthe other hand had an old scooter and some- proach, he authored six books. Myth of independence that he penned is a well-regarded times drove his father’s car to college. and cited publication.

After completing there were no cases of my education, i profinancial irregularities ceeded to UsA for against him till today higher education. Upon despite political differmy return in 1992, i ences he is regarded as found nawaz sharif as In 1993 Nawaz Sharif a great leader by all the Prime Minister standards who served (PM) of the country. i decided to be his own man his country and its was told that general when he defied his mentor fledgling democratic ghulam Jilani Khan had order. his party has discovered and proGhulam Ishaq Khan won five elections, demoted him. i had the (Viceroy-VI) who then spite the Zardari hijackopportunity to meet Jiing they are still in lani sahib; he was an promptly dismissed his power in sindh. astute individual and a government, which was then Defiance calls for street-smart soldier. On struggle and a clean my inquiry about the challenged in the Supreme slate which sharif. does discovery of nawaz not have. Zardari has sharif he replied that he Court headed by Justice succeeded in destroying had forwarded three Nasim Hasan Shah. In a Bhutto’s movement for names to general Zia social equality yet his (Viceroy-V of Pakistan) great judicial victory, a first legacy has survived. who picked up his of its kind in the country, his Despite his credentials name. Based on my his defiance resulted in memory of nawaz durgovernment was restored his judicial murder. iming government Colposed, fabricated and lege days, i asked him if corrupt leadership can sharif sr could write a ill-afford confrontation paragraph in any lanwith the forces that creguage or read or underated them in the first stand a page of text or speak extempore on any topic for a few min- place. Where Bhutto, the trained Barrister utes, his answer was ‘no’. But he went on to failed, sharif the trained wrestler and hustler say that he is a ‘People’s Person’ with special cannot succeed, history is not on his side. Pakistan needs an Erdogan to first deliver and skills of consensus building. (Muk-Muka). in 1993 nawaz sharif decided to be his then defy the forces of status-quo. own man when he defied his mentor ghulam Dr Farid A Malik is ex-Chairman, ishaq Khan (Viceroy-Vi) who then promptly dismissed his government, which was then Pakistan Science Foundation. He can be challenged in the supreme Court headed by contacted at: fmaliks@hotmail.com

Congratulations team Pakistan WhEn be blame and curse the management and the tram for loses, it is only fair that we appreciate when we win. therefore, i am gratified to congratulate the management of the Pakistan Cricket Board as well as the chief coach and selector for picking a well-balanced team for the sri lanka tour. the captain also deserves congratulations for the win and for regaining his form. not only we won the second test by a huge margin, our top four players scored centuries in the second innings, which only has happened once before in the history of cricket. it was a treat to watch our batsmen doing well. Abdi Ali played extremely well on his debut and i enjoyed every shot he executed. though we have won the series and our players regained form, we must not forget to keep working on our weaknesses. fielding is one area we always have struggled, and this still seems our weakness. similarly, consistency in bowling and batting is critical. Our bowlers are the best attack on any given day but tend to lose steam and fury in wake of resistance. the sri lankan spin attack edged ours. however, naseem shah, the new find made the difference on the fast bowling front. similarly, our batsmen must learn how to be patient and stay on wickets, the way they did in the second innings of the second test. Overall, our team must work hard and try to keep up good performance in future. finally, we must appreciate sri lanka for agreeing to play in Pakistan when other international teams are hesitant to visit. they played positive cricket and put up a very good show. it was only because of them that we were able to watch international cricket played at home grounds. i wish, hope and pray that we will have more action to watch in future in our homeland.

RAJA SHAFAAtuLLAH Islamabad

Women’s rights in Pakistan PAKistAn is one of the islamic countries of the world. in islam women and men enjoy equal rights, unfortunately in Pakistan women have no value or importance. they are treated just as wives of houses but their emotions, feelings and happiness are not understood. Women should be allowed to make their own decisions but generally families deem it fit to make most decisions for females. the women in Pakistan have been constantly complaining of having being isolated from mainstream society. Women feel disillusioned on being maltreated by the male-oriented set up in Pakistan. they strongly claim that if they are given a chance, they can contribute more positively towards the development of all social aspects. however Pakistani society usually adopts a hostile attitude towards the women. their development in society is hindered due to many factors.

Particularly the rural woman has to tolerate unbearable dominance by the other sections of society. Doesn’t islam allow her to move? is this the way to behave with women? Don’t they have emotions, feelings and happiness? Don’t they want to enjoy their lives? Are they not equal to men? Yes, they are equal to men and we need understand their emotions. however, women are thought to be nothing. Until women and men are working together, shoulder to shoulder, this country wouldn’t develop or progress. Women were not accorded with such legal status in other cultures until centuries later. According to Professor William Montgomery Watt, when seen in such historical context, Muhammad “can be seen as a figure who testified on behalf of women’s rights”.

DANyAL AKRAM Islamabad

Tuesday, 24 December, 2019

10 FOREIGN NEWS

protEstErs rally nEar hong Kong harBour, MorE dEMos plannEd ovEr christMas HONG KONG

M

AGENCIES

ORE than 1,000 protesters, many in surgical masks and balaclavas, filled a harborside plaza near Hong Kong’s financial district late on Monday to demand full democracy and an independent inquiry into alleged police brutality.

As Hong Kong gears up for Christmas celebrations, the protesters plan wildcat gatherings in prime shopping malls and a ‘silent night’ rally on Tuesday evening. The demonstrators gathered at the harborside on Monday sang “Glory to Hong Kong”, a protest anthem, and shone lights from their mobile phones.

Henry, a 28-year-old banker, said he was in the plaza to protest a recent police

shutdown of Spark Alliance, a fund-raising platform for protesters. He wore a Guy Fawkes mask from the movie “V for Vendetta”, which glowed green in the dark. “The Hong Kong government is ruining our reputation as a financial centre.

How can they say we are a place for finance if they can shut down the fund so unreasonably?” he said.

The protests, now in their seventh month, have lost some of the scale and intensity of earlier confrontations. Police have arrested more than 6,000 people since the protests escalated in June, including more than 52 over the past weekend. Many Hong Kong residents are angry at what they see as Beijing’s meddling in the freedoms promised to the former British colony when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997. China denies interfering and says it is committed to the ‘one

saudi court sEntEncEs 5 to dEath for jaMal Khashoggi’s Killing

country, two systems’ formula put in place at that time and has blamed foreign forces for fomenting unrest.

MALL PROTESTS: On Sunday, a peaceful protest ended in clashes when black-clad, masked demonstrators attacked police with kicks and punches and threw bricks and bottles. Police responded with bursts of pepper spray. One officer drew his pistol and pointed it towards a crowd but didn’t fire, Reuters witnesses said.

Protesters plan to gather in five malls on Christmas Eve and will count down to Christmas near the harbor front in the bustling Tsim Sha Tsui district, social media posts say. More protests are planned for Christmas Day on Wednesday. The Civil Human Rights Front, which has organized some of the biggest marches involving more than a million

Turkish team to discuss Syria, Libya conflicts in Russia ANKARA

RIYADH

AGENCIES

AGENCIES

A Turkish team was in Russia on Monday for talks on the conflicts in Syria and Libya, following reports that tens of thousands more Syrians were heading to Turkey, which is already host to the world’s biggest refugee population.

President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday more than 80,000 civilians in Syria’s northwest Idlib province were migrating towards Turkey, after Russian and Syrian forces intensified their air strikes in the area in recent days. Turkey-based Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) said 120,000 Syrians in south Idlib were fleeing towards the border. The visit to Moscow by the Turkish delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal, was taking place before Russian President Vladimir Putin visits Turkey, a member of the NATO alliance that has angered the United States and other Western allies by buying a Russian missile defense system. Turkey already hosts about 3.7 million Syrians, the largest refugee population in the world. It worries about a new influx.

“We are putting up every effort with Russia for the attacks to stop, and we will continue to do so. In fact, we are sending a delegation to Moscow,” Erdogan said in his comments on Sunday.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has vowed to recapture the Idlib region, the last significant area of Syria still under rebel control after 8-1/2 years of civil war.

A court in Saudi Arabia on Monday sentenced five people to death for the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul last year by a team of Saudi agents.

Saudi Arabia’s state-run Al-Ekhbariya TV channel reported that three others were sentenced to prison. All can appeal the verdicts.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman drew international condemnation for the killing because several Saudi agents involved worked directly for him.

After initial denials, the official Saudi narrative blamed the murder on rogue operatives. The public prosecutor said the then-deputy intelligence chief ordered the repatriation of Khashoggi, a royal insider who became an outspoken critic, but the lead negotiator ordered him killed after discussions for his return failed.

The kingdom has carried out the trials of the accused in near-total secrecy.

people, has also applied to stage another march on New Year’s Day. Some people taking part in Sunday’s protest called for Hong Kong’s independence from China and removed a Chinese flag from its pole, drawing condemnation from the government. Both the Beijing and Hong Kong governments have made clear such separatist rhetoric will not be tolerated. “Advocating Hong Kong independence … is not conducive to the overall and long-term interest of Hong Kong society.

It is also contrary to the established basic policies of the People’s Republic of China

Turkey has backed Syrian rebels fighting Assad, while Russia and Iran support Assad’s forces. Ankara, Moscow and Tehran have been working on a political solution to the conflict.

The Turkish delegation will also discuss Turkey’s potential troop deployment and military support to Libya, after Ankara and Tripoli signed a military cooperation accord last month. Russia has said it was concerned about any such deployment.

Erdogan said on Sunday that Turkey could increase military support to Fayez al-Serraj’s U.N.-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), which has been fighting off an offensive by east Libya forces led by Khalifa Haftar. Russia, alongside Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, have backed Haftar’s forces.

After Ethiopia crash, victims' relatives say they were hounded by US law firms NAIROBI/ADDIS ABABA AGENCIES

Days after the March 10 crash of a Kenya-bound Ethiopian Airlines’ Boeing jet that killed all 157 people on board, strangers began calling or visiting bereaved families, saying they represented U.S. law firms.

They showed up uninvited at memorials and at homes full of weeping relatives. They cold called. They left brochures. In one case a grieving husband was offered money for an appointment. One woman offered counseling and another said she was creating an emotional support group, without disclosing they were working for lawyers.

Reuters interviewed 37 relatives of the victims, or their representatives, and found that 31 complained of inappropriate approaches by those saying they represented U.S. law firms.

In some instances, the behavior may have been illegal or unethical under U.S. laws and rules barring solicitation and deceptive practices, several legal ethics experts said.

Six firms were particularly aggressive in courting prospective clients after the Boeing (BA.N) plane nosedived into an Ethiopian field: Ribbeck Law Chartered and Global Aviation Law Group (GALG) of Chicago; The Witherspoon Law Group and Ramji Law Group from Texas; and Wheeler &

Franks Law Firm PC and Eaves Law Firm of Mississippi. Witherspoon, Wheeler and Eaves denied any wrongdoing. Ribbeck, GALG and Ramji did not respond to requests for comment.

Ribbeck Law and GALG have jointly filed two lawsuits against Boeing seeking “all damages available under the law” without being specific about the size of the claims. Three suits filed by Ramji have been dismissed.

The other firms haven’t filed any suits.

By Thursday, there were 114 cases filed against Boeing in Chicago federal court on behalf of 112 crash victims, according to lead counsel for the plaintiffs, Robert Clifford. More than three dozen law firms are representing them.

No trial date has been set.

Boeing has said it is “cooperating fully with the investigating authorities” and said that safety is its highest priority.

It has acknowledged errors in failing to give pilots more information on 737 MAX software involved in a Lion Air crash that killed 189 in Indonesia in October 2018 and the Ethiopian crash five months later, but Boeing has not admitted any fault in how it developed the aircraft. The 737 MAX is currently grounded. Boeing declined to comment on the lawsuits.

UNINVITED GUEST: An uninvited stranger turned up at Paul Njoroge’s family home in Kenya just hours after a memorial service for his wife, his three small children, and his mother-in-

law, who all died in the crash.

Njoroge said the visitor gave him prom.otional materials for the law firm Wheeler and Franks. “I said, I don’t know who directed you to this place.

Everyone here is praying,” Njoroge told Reuters. Two other families said they received visits around the time of memorial services from Wheeler’s lawyers or people who said they represented the firm.

James Ndeda, who Wheeler represented after he was injured in the 1998 embassy bombing in Kenya, said he visited Njoroge. The firm’s partners, Bill Wheeler and Jamie Franks, asked Ndeda to help the firm connect with crash victims’ families, Ndeda said.

Wheeler sent him literature featuring his firm and another Mississippi firm, Eaves Law Firm.

Ndeda said he went to visit victims’ families either by himself, sent employees or accompanied Bill Wheeler or Jamie Franks, and sometimes Leo Jackson, an investigator with Eaves. Jackson declined to comment.

Wheeler and Franks, and Eaves, said in a joint emailed statement they only met families if invited.”The story you have been told is completely wrong,” they wrote. “We contacted no families without an invitation.” They declined to answer further questions.

MANY OVERTURES: Ethiopian Bayihe Demissie, whose flight attendant wife Elsabet was a victim, told

CMYK

Reuters a man who said he was from The Witherspoon Law Group called him three days after the crash. Bayihe said he was too upset to speak.

People saying they represented more than 30 firms contacted him over the next few months, including Witherspoon again, and GALG, said Bayihe.

The constant calls about compensation hurt because it felt like people were suggesting he could benefit from his wife’s death, he said. Witherspoon denied the allegations. “This firm does not solicit or engage in any illegal practices. We do not represent any of the families involved in the tragic crash,” Witherspoon’s founder Nuru Witherspoon said in an email.

REJECTED APPROACHES: A woman named Mihret Girma sent a Kenyan victim’s family a message in August, inviting them to attend a meeting with a grief counselor and the Law Society of Kenya. At that time, she did not reveal she had ties to the firms GALG and Ribbeck, according to the family, who shared messages received from Mihret. Mihret was in a WhatsApp group with GALG staff and U.S. lawyers Manuel Ribbeck and Monica Ribbeck Kelly within three weeks of the March crash, other messages reviewed by Reuters show. Dozens of the messages show GALG staff and the Ribbecks discussing how to reach bereaved families.

regarding Hong Kong,” the city government said in a statement overnight.

While police, including the leader of a major police union, have referred to the protesters as cockroaches, protesters routinely call the police dogs.

On Monday, public broadcaster RTHK broadcast a video of a police public relations officer playing down the significance of the term cockroach. The officer said the term should not be “overinterpreted” because while it may be negative, another way to understand it was that cockroaches were “full of vitality”.

hundreds rally against Myanmar police over child rape case YANGON: Hundreds of people joined a protest on Monday against Myanmar’s police after the force broke the law by revealing the name of the child victim of a high profile rape case following the acquittal of a suspect. The case of the threeyear-old girl – known to the public by the nickname ‘Victoria’ – has become a focus for accusations of police misconduct in Myanmar, where the force remains under the control of the army under a transition to democracy. Lawyers and journalists had tried hard during the trial to conceal the identity of the child and her family to protect their right to privacy. Around 400 people holding the signs of “Shame on you Myanmar Police Force” and “Justice for Victoria” marched through the center of Yangon under a hot sun. The child was allegedly raped at a nursery school in Myanmar’s capital, Naypyidaw, in May. After a court ruled that a suspect arrested in the case was not guilty, police announced the name of the victim. A police spokesman did not respond to requests for comment on the accusations of misconduct against the force. AGENCIES

'Bull's-eye' landing caps Boeing's faulty astronaut capsule test mission WASHINGTON: Boeing Co’s (BA.N) Starliner astronaut spacecraft made a “bull’seye” landing in the New Mexico desert on Sunday, a successful ending to a crewless test mission that two days earlier failed to reach the orbit needed to dock with the International Space Station. The 7:58 a.m.

ET (1258 GMT) landing at the White Sands desert capped a turbulent 48 hours for Boeing’s botched milestone test of an astronaut capsule that is designed to help NASA regain its human spaceflight capabilities. A software problem on Friday caused the capsule to fail to attain the orbit needed to rendezvous with the space station, another unwelcome engineering black eye for Boeing in a year that has seen corporate crisis over the grounding of its 737 MAX jetliner following two fatal crashes of the aircraft. Officials from the aerospace company and NASA breathed sighs of relief following the landing, a highly challenging feat. “Today it couldn’t really have gone any better,” Boeing space chief executive Jim Chilton told reporters on Sunday, adding that experts would need weeks to analyze the data from this mission before determining if Boeing could move forward with its plan to send a crewed mission on the craft in 2020.

The landing, which tested the capsule’s difficult reentry into the atmosphere and parachute deployment, will yield the mission’s most valuable test data after it failed to meet one of its core objectives of docking to the space station. AGENCIES

Tuesday, 24 December, 2019

BusiNEss 11

ECC APProvES rS6Bn SuBSIdy For utIlIty StorES CorPorAtIon

CORPORATE CORNER

ISLAMABAD

KARACHI: Osaka Batteries Director Mustafa Bin Talha gives ‘winner’s trophy’ to Pakistan’s cricket team captain Azhar Ali. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ehsan Mani is also present on the occasion. P r E S S r E l E a S E

KARACHI: Faysal Bank Limited and the Central Depository Company of Pakistan Limited (CDC) have entered into an agreement for implementation of CDC’s Efficient Payment Mechanism (EPM) through cash management payment services of Faysal Bank. PrESS rElEaSE

STaFF rEPOr

t

HE Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) on Monday approved a grant of Rs6 billion as subsidy for the Utility Stores Corporation. The approval to the proposal submitted by the Ministry of Industries and Production was granted by the ECC in its meeting held with Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh in the chair.

The ECC’s decision was in pursuance of the prime minister’s directive (dated 8th November 2019) regarding the facilitation of USC in the procurement of essential commodities, including flour, sugar, ghee/oil, pulses and rice.

The ECC also constituted a committee, to be headed by Adviser to PM on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, to monitor the disbursement of subsidy and ensure the provision of commodities at a fair price to the poor segment of the society through a transparent and effective mechanism.

Meanwhile, the committee approved a technical supplementary grant equal to Rs4.05 billion worth funds, which were lapsed during the financial year 2018-19, under the Sustainable Development Goals Achievement Programme (SAP).

As per the proposal, submitted by the Cabinet Division, the reallocated funds would be used under the SAP to make specific interventions as per the demand of the community in line with the UN Conventions.

The ECC also granted ex-post facto approval to a proposal by the Ministry of Interior for a technical supplementary grant amounting to Rs100 million for making security arrangements in the federal capital during October 2019. However, the committee expressed its concern on the manner in which ad hoc arrangements were made as they were costly and disruptive for the business sector and for the perception of the country.

Approving a proposal submitted by the Ministry of Narcotics Control for a technical supplementary grant of Rs7.904 billion as operational

cost for Anti-Narcotics Force, the ECC instructed that such proposals involving transfer of money from external sources should be taken up by the Ministry of Finance itself instead of the ECC and that the release of money should be ensured in a smooth manner.

Moreover, the committee approved a Finance Division proposal for the submission of a supplementary budget statement (addendum), amounting to Rs170.418 billion, from the Federal Consolidated Fund to the National Assembly, as per Article 84(a) of the Constitution.

The ECC approved another proposal from the Finance Division for laying before the National Assembly the supplementary demands for grants and appropriations for the financial year 2018-19.

The committee also took up a proposal by the Ministry of National Food Security and Research for exemption of 5pc sales tax on cottonseed cake and after a detailed discussion on the issue, referred the matter to the Finance Division for examination.

Govt, stakeholders fail to reach consensus on urea price ISLAMABAD KARACHI: Iftekhar & Company (IAC), the topmost exporter of fresh fruits, has established its first retail brand store “go4fresh” in Defence Housing Authority. PrESS rElEaSE

KARACHI: Bank Alfalah, one of Pakistan’s leading banks, recently organized first-of-its-kind Supply Chain Finance Roundtable Conference, a platform for interactive discussion with corporate clients from across the industries. PrESS rE l E a S E

‘World Bank willing to invest in PIA’ ISLAMABAD INP

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Air Marshal Arshad Malik said on Monday that the World Bank was willing to invest in the PIA. In a meeting of the airline's board of directors, Arshad Malik said the PIA administration the has managed to drop down the losses of the national flag-carrier, adding that two more aircraft have been added to the PIA's fleet. "The World Bank has shown its consent to invest in the PIA, while the airline has already signed several pacts of collaboration with different banks," he stated. During the meeting, Arshad Malik was briefed by the officials about the reforms process in the airline. The meeting also approved the audit report and accounts of the airline for 2018. Earlier, PIA and other private airlines had jacked up their fares for their domestic passengers. After the revision of fares, a one-way trip from Karachi to Lahore-Islamabad was Rs35,000, while fare from Lahore to Karachi-Quetta was increased by Rs10,000 and Rs15,000, respectively.

GHUlaM aBBaS

A high-level meeting was held on Monday among the members of a committee formed recent by the cabinet to deliberate the supply and price of fertiliser in the country.

Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Planning & Development Minister Asad Umar, National Food Security & Research Minister Khusro Bakhtiar and Special Assistant to PM on Petroleum Nadeem Babar represented the government on the occasion, while the senior management of the fertiliser companies presented their stance on behalf of the sector.

The meeting deliberated on the prevalent availability and pricing of urea in the country with special focus on the recent gas price increase recommended by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) and its impact on the cost of urea production.

The industry representatives updated the committee

over the high urea inventory buildup and current market pricing. They maintained that the OGRA-proposed gas price increase would have a direct impact on the cost of urea production and therefore translate into increased selling prices for the farmers.

The government acknowledged the update but remained firm on its stance that this increase was necessary and that continuous subsidies in gas prices were not sustainable. "These subsidies have to be borne by the government and therefore cause ever-present losses to the government earnings."

The stakeholders were further briefed that this increase was premised on the additional revenue requirements of the two gas companies namely Sui Southern Gas Company and Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited.

Multiple facets of this argument were presented but no conclusion was reached over the gas price increase and the related urea prices. The meeting was adjourned with the notion that a similar meeting

would be scheduled in the upcoming weeks for the closure of the subject matter.

Meanwhile, according to officials at the planning ministry, the meeting considered various ways to ensure sufficient supply of commodities while making the prices of the fertiliser affordable for the farmers.

"While the government is providing massive subsidies to keep the fertilisers affordable for the farmers, it seems that the mechanism of subsidy needs more thinking. Direct subsidy to the farmers will be more cost-effective for the government and more beneficial for the farmers," Planning Minister Asad Umar said. "The government will also consider removing GIDC in the future in order to bring down the fertiliser prices."

Asad Umar said that the government believed in deregulation of various sectors of the economy, including the fertiliser sector. In this regard, he also solicited proposals from the representatives of the fertiliser industry.

BASF’s construction chemicals business sold at €3.17bn Lone Star Funds, a global private equity firm, has signed a purchase agreement for the acquisition of BASF’s construction chemicals business. The purchase price on a cash and debt-free basis is €3.17 billion.

The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2020, subject to the approval of the relevant competition authorities. “Our aim was to find a new home for our construction chemicals business where it can leverage its full potential,” said Saori Dubourg, member of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE and responsible for the construction chemicals business. “Under the umbrella of Lone Star, the construction chemicals team can focus on a growth path with an industry-specific approach.” “BASF’s Construction Chemicals business fits very well with our portfolio, complementing our investments in the construction materials industry,” said Donald Quintin, President of Europe at Lone Star. “We highly value the industry-wide recognized knowledge and competence of BASF’s Construction Chemicals experts, backed by a strong track record in innovative products and a compelling R&D pipeline. We look forward to jointly pursuing a growth-oriented business approach.” With more than 7,000 employees, BASF’s Construction Chemicals business operates production sites and sales offices in more than 60 countries and generated sales of about €2.5 billion in 2018. BUSINESS DESK

Boeing CEO ousted as 737 MAX crisis deepens WASHINGTON: Boeing Co has ousted Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg, following a year of intense scrutiny and industrial setbacks set off by twin fatal crashes of its 737 MAX jetliner. The departure comes as the world’s largest planemaker struggles to win regulatory approvals for its grounded best-selling jetliner while trying to repair trust with passengers and airline customers. “The board of directors decided that a change in leadership was necessary to restore confidence in the company moving forward as it works to repair relationships with regulators, customers and all other stakeholders,” the company said. The company’s shares, which have fallen more than 20pc since March, rose more than 2pc to $335.24 in early trading. Chairman David Calhoun will take over as CEO and president, effective January 13, the company said. The 737 MAX grounding was the biggest crisis of Muilenburg’s 34-year tenure at Boeing, where he started as an intern in 1985, rising through the company’s defence and services ranks to the top job in 2015. The company said this month it would suspend production of the MAX in January. Speculation that Muilenburg would be fired had been circulating in the industry for months, intensifying in October when the board stripped him of his chairman title. Board member Lawrence Kellner will become non-executive chairman of the board effective immediately, the company said. Chief Financial Officer Greg Smith will serve as interim CEO during the brief transition period. aGENCIES

Crackdown on income tax defaulters from March 2020, NA body told ISLAMABAD GHUlaM aBBaS

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has issued notices to over 200,000 income tax defaulters and that the board would initiate its crackdown on defaulters from March next year.

This was stated by FBR Inland Revenue (IR) Member Dr Hamid Ateeq during a meeting of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs, which was chaired by MNA Faizullah.

Dr Ateeq said that the board had re-

frained from taking action against the tax defaulters owing to its commitment to the traders' organizations. However, he added, following the expiry of the agreement signed with traders and after analyzing the tax returns till March, FBR would launch a crackdown against defaulters.

"We don't want the traders and other taxpayers to go through difficulties. Our efforts are aimed at facilitating them. Currently, we are not taking the action despite knowing the details about defaulters."

Meanwhile, an FBR official informed the committee that over 700 market committees have been constituted to facilitate

traders regarding the submission of turnover tax and registration.

However, a traders' representative from Karachi claimed that they were facing difficulties in submitting returns as the condition of CNIC was still there in the system despite an agreement with FBR. On this, the FBR official clarified the agreement was to avoid any action against the violators of CNIC condition till January 31, 2020.

Moreover, as the exporters of five selected sectors claimed that FBR could not achieve the desired results after abolishing the zero tax system, FBR officials claimed

that the abolition added Rs55 billion (Rs23.3 billion local sales and Rs37.7 billion through exports/imports) to the board's revenue during the past five months.

The FBR further informed that tax refunds worth Rs98.78 billion were released to the exporters from 1st July 2019 to 18th December 2019 which included Rs18.49 billion of adjusted refunds and Rs80.283 billion issued refunds.

According to FBR, the refunds included Rs22.34 billion under the head of income tax, Rs51.56 billion sales tax, Rs21 million FED and Rs 6.35 billion customs.

Earlier, the committee discussed the

taxation issues being faced by the exporters, importers and retail sectors. The committee members expressed apprehensions with regard to the targets set by the FBR after removing the SRO 1125 related to zero-rated regime.

Discussing the tax exemptions being given to Chinese companies investing in Gwadar under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the committee members asked the FBR officials to prepare a detailed report its implications on the Pakistani market. They also directed the FBR to share with them the exempted taxes in details.

Tuesday, 24 December, 2019

12 BusiNEss

FBr dIrECtEd to tAKE ACtIon AgAInSt oFFICIAlS ISSuIng ‘BoguS rEFundS’

MARket DAily

KSE-100 sheds 824 points amid lack of positive triggers KARACHI: It was a dull start to the week at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), as the indices crumbled with the benchmark KSE-100 Index breaking below the 40,000-mark.

According to analysts, shabby market performance on Monday was due to the absence of positive triggers and possible carryover from last week's jump in political noise. The KSE100 Index remained under the control of bears throughout the session, touching its intraday low at 39,931.78 after losing 901.21 points or 2.26pc. It settled lower by 824.70 points at 40,008.29. Only 6 out of the 100 companies managed to end in the green zone. Habib Bank Limited (HBL -3.53pc) pulled the KSE-100 Index down by 93.43 points, while Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL -4.36pc) clinched 90.93 points from the index. Among the sectors, commercial bank and oil & gas exploration dented the index the most, taking away 224.76 points and 174.33 points, respectively. In the overall market, the refinery sector lost 4.43pc from its cumulative market capitalization, while oil & gas marketing sector was down by 3.14pc and oil & gas exploration sector by 2.80pc.

Out of the total traded scripts, only 41 scrips advanced while 263 declined. The overall trading volumes shrank to 179.10 million on Monday. Worldcall Telecom (WTL -5.47pc) remained the top pick for investors, followed by the Right Shares of Hascol Petroleum Limited (HASCOLR1 -9.49pc).

The scripts had exchanged 13.64 million and 12.69 million shares, respectively. Meanwhile, Noon Sugar Limited (NONS -4.96pc) and Shahmurad Sugar (SHSML -5.00pc) announced their financial results for FY19. Sales contracted by 9.60pc to Rs5.67 billion for NONS, while it expanded by 31.54pc to Rs9.45 billion for SHSML. Earnings per share for NONS was recorded at Rs13.64, 7pc higher than last year.

On the other hand, profits for SHSML recoded a 101pc rise, converting into an EPS of Rs57.08. STaFF rEPOrT

PPl discovers oil & gas deposits in Sindh, Balochistan

ISLAMABAD

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SHaHZaD ParaCHa

HE Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) has directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to initiate disciplinary action against tax officials involved in sanctioning bogus sales tax refunds.

According to the FTO report, the FBR's Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation (DG I&I) had identified different field formations issuing Rs64.041 million worth bogus sales tax refunds to various companies.

A sum of Rs46.916 million sales tax refund was issued to M/S Crescent and Yasdan Traders International, while M/S AZ International received sales tax refund amounting to Rs7.507 million. Similarly, M/S Silicon International and M/s Amharic Traders were issued Rs5.458 million and Rs4.120 million,

"Also, there was no action proposed against the related bank officers who opened the bank accounts through which refund cheques were drawn."

As per the FTO report, "FBR's failure to sleep over such an important anti-tax evasion exercise car-

CPPA proposes Rs1. 73 per unit hike in power tariff ISLAMABAD aHMaD aHMaDaNI

The state-owned Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) has announced two oil and gas discoveries in Sindh and Balochistan. In a letter to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Monday, the PPL informed about two discoveries of oil and gas deposits in Sindh and Balochistan. It stated that gas and condensate was discovered from its exploratory well in Khairpur, Sindh, in a joint venture with other companies. "The well has tested 152 barrels of oil (per day) and 28.6 million cubic feet of gas reserves." PPL also announced a major discovery of oil and gas in the Markand area of Balochistan.

"Around 10.07 cubic feet gas reserves have been discovered at Markand well with 132 barrels oil per day." In April this year, Mari Petroleum Company Limited (MPCL), along with its joint venture partner PPL, had found oil reserves at Dharian-l ST-3 well located near Gujar Khan, Punjab. BUSINESS DESK

respectively, in sales tax refunds.

The FTO noted that although the DG I&I had issued "red alerts" to the concerned field formations in this regard, no action was initiated against the fake claimants as well as their connivers in FBR and Pakistan Revenue Automation Ltd (PRAL).

The Central Power Purchasing Authority (CPPA) has asked the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) to increase power price by Rs1.73 per unit on account of fuel price adjustment for the month of October 2019. NEPRA is likely to take a decision regarding fuel price adjustment on 26th December 2019 at its headquarter.

Sources in the power sector said that if NEPRA approves the requested hike in power tariff, the consumers would face an additional burden of approximately Rs16 billion.

NEPRA, in a public notice,

has invited all the interested/affected parties to raise written/oral objections, as permissible under the law, during the course of NEPRA's public hearing regarding fuel price adjustment.

According to documents, 25.48pc electricity was produced from hydel sources; 24.62pc was generated from coal; 0.20pc from residual furnace oil; 12.17pc from natural gas; 25.41pc from re-gasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG); 9.23pc from nuclear power; 0.14pc from mixed sources; 0.06pc from bagasse; 0.64 from solar while 0.14pc electricity was imported from Iran to meet the energy needs during the month of October 2019.

As per CPPA, total energy generated in October stood at 9,572.06 gigawatts, while the energy delivered to power distributing companies (DISCOs) was 9,296.60GWh (97.12pc).

"Pursuant to section 31 (7) of the NEPRA Act (XL of 1997) and the mechanism for monthly fuel price adjustment prescribed by the authority in the tariff determinations of ex-WAPDA distribution companies, the authority may on monthly basis make adjustments in the approved tariff on account of any variations in the fuel charges and policy guidelines as the federal government may issue and notify the tariff so adjusted in the official gazette," NEPRA stated.

Japan agrees to employ trained Pakistani labourers BUSINESS DESK Islamabad and Tokyo have signed a memorandum of cooperation, under which trained Pakistani labourers would be provided with employment opportunities in Japan.

The agreement was signed in the presence of Special Assistant to PM on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Zulfiqar Bukhari, Japanese Ambassador to Pakistan Kuninori Matsuda, Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood and other highlevel officials.

"The newly signed memorandum will help the trained Pakistani labourers get employment in Japan," said a statement issued by the ministry. "This is a major milestone that will further enhance bilateral ties between both countries."

Addressing the ceremony, the Japanese envoy

TOKYO AND ISLAMABAD HAVE SIGNED A MEMORANDUM OF COOPERATION TO FACILITATE PAKISTANI LABOURERS IN JAPAN termed the agreement a "special occasion" for both nations, saying that it would play a key role in strengthening the existing ties between Pakistan and Japan.

"Japanese language and technical expertise are essential for employment in Japan; the country needs approximately 340,000 trained labourers," he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Zulfiqar Bukhari highlighted that 65 per cent of the Pakistan population was below the age of 35, adding that employment oppor-

tunities were present in 14 sectors of Japan.

He urged the youth to especially focus on the information technology sector citing future needs.

On December 20, the Japanese ambassador had met Zulfiqar Bukhari for a pre-discussion on the agreement which is signed on Monday (today).

According to a statement issued by the ministry, the two sides had discussed a wide range of issues related to trade, tourism and manpower.

The envoy had informed that Japan would build a network, in collaboration with language universities in Pakistan, and carry out 3 to 6 months language proficiency course with e-learning facilities for far-flung areas so as to accommodate the maximum number of Pakistanis to work in Japan.

Acknowledging their diligence and social conduct, the ambassador showed his highest gratitude towards 25,000 Pakistanis residing and working in Japan.

ried out by the I&I led to serious instances of maladministration on account of certain acts of omission and commission, reflecting improper motives, jeopardizing good governance and transparency in tax administration."

FTO findings further revealed that fake persons were registered in connivance with the FBR staff; refunds were claimed on the basis of fake and flying vouchers that led to a massive loss to the already cashstarved exchequer.

"This is evidently a case of gross maladministration, where, except blacklisting the registered persons, FBR had failed to initiate proceedings for retrieval of bogus refunds. It also sounds strange that the Directorate General I&I, after conducting such laudable effort of detecting fraudulent activities and issuing letters of red alerts to the filed formations, did not pursue the matter to its fruition,” the report added.

dubai’s Emaar to sell view from world’s tallest tower DUBAI aGENCIES

Emaar Properties is selling the observation decks of the world’s tallest skyscraper the Burj Khalifa, four sources told Reuters, potentially raising $1 billion for Dubai’s biggest developer amid a real estate downturn. Two of the sources said Emaar had appointed Standard Chartered to advise it on the sale of the popular “At The Top” tourist attraction. Emaar, in which the Dubai government has a minority stake of 29.2pc, and Standard Chartered declined to comment. At over 828 metres, the Burj Khalifa is twice as tall as New York’s Empire State Building and nearly three times the height of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. ‘At The Top’ is a popular tourist destination in Dubai, which attracted 15.92 million overnight visitors in 2018. The viewing decks make about 600-700 million dirhams ($163-$191 million) a year, a banking source said. A financial source estimated they could be worth around $1 billion. The sales process began in November, both of these sources said, declining to be named as the deal is not public. Dubai is a regional hub for tourism, foreign trade and business services, but has faced a slowing real estate market for most of the decade. It set up a real estate planning commission in September to regulate projects and avoid competition between semi-government and private firms. Emaar has been divesting hospitality-related assets to finance existing operations and expansion, an industry source and a Dubai-based banker said. Emaar hired Standard Chartered earlier this year for the sale of its district cooling business, and last year for the disposal of five hospitality assets, which were sold to Abu Dhabi National Hotels.

China to lower import tariffs from January Beijing will lower import tariffs on more than 850 products from next month, the finance ministry said Monday, as authorities battle a severe shortage of the meat staple.

China’s pig industry has been hammered by African swine fever, which has led to the culling of more than a million animals, according to official statistics, and caused the price of pork to double.

Monday’s announcement said tariffs on frozen pork will drop from 12pc to eight per cent from January 1.

The move does not appear to be linked to the bruising trade war between China and the US, which has seen Wash-

ington and Beijing exchanging levies on goods worth hundreds of billions of dollars, dragging on global growth.

However, Donald Trump retweeted two press reports on the tariff reduction Monday, without any additional comment, and the list includes many items that Chinese companies purchase from the US such as pork and tech goods.

And analysts said the move was an indication of China’s desire to show it is opening up after this month’s mini deal with the US to reduce some levies and work towards a wider pact.

“The move in lowering import tariffs

reflects that the government wants to reaffirm its stance to the world on freer trade amid the trade war,” Gary Ng, an economist at Natixis, said. “Domestically, lowering import tariffs are helpful in reducing business and consumer costs.”

The Tariff Commission of the State Council said in a statement that the changes will optimise “the trade structure and promote the high-quality development of the economy”.

Levies will also be lowered on other foods such as fish, cheese and nuts, pharmaceuticals, parts for manufacturing smartphones and a range of chemi-

cal products.

With China’s pig herd down by about 40pc, authorities have launched a plan to restore pork production to pre-swine fever levels by 2021.

Imports of meat reached a record high in November in China, Bloomberg News said, citing customs data that showed pork imports are up 151pc from a year earlier.

From July 1, China will also further reduce tariffs on some technology products, the finance ministry said in a statement on its website. Those goods include printers, audio recorder parts and pacemakers.

Tariffs on certain types of satellite TV receivers will fall from 10pc to 5pc, according to the ministry’s statement.

Goods from countries including New Zealand, Peru, Costa Rica, Switzerland, Iceland, Australia, South Korea, and Pakistan will also be subject to even lower levies under re-negotiated trade agreements, according to the statement.

Last week, China issued a list of US chemicals that will be exempted from import tariffs, including certain types of industrial glue and adhesives, industrial polymers and types of paraffin, which can be found in cosmetics and food. aGENCIES

Kashmir through the eye of artists!

Kashmir through the eye of artist’s ’ featuring more than 45 artists from all over the Pakistan; displayed their artworks at hamail art gallery’s ’ new venture Orna furniture house, Lahore.

Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar on Monday inaugurated an exhibition and this exhibition was curated by flickering spirits team members, Mariam maneka, Sohail Siddiqui and Mahaa Ashraf, who is an independent curator, based in Lahore. While there were more 60 artworks on display. The most highlighted artwork was Beenish khan’s ’ work which is based on Kashmir’s ’ beautiful shawls and Maryam maneka’s ’ mud-podge artwork, which showed the beautiful valley of Kashmir. by Maha ashra

10th Junior Leader’s ConferenCe kiCk starts in karaChi

HOLLYWOOD BOLLYWOOD

The three-day 10th Junior Leaders Conference (JLC) has begun with a grand inauguration to empower teenagers with leadership skills, confidence and exposure, at Dream World Resort today. An annual event facilitated by the School of Leadership (SoL) for the past nine years, JLC brings together 200 youngsters between the ages of 13 and 16 years from across Pakistan. Hailing from various rural and urban areas and different socio-economic backgrounds, these young people are brought together under one roof over three days in an environment that is conducive to the discovery of self through different skill-based workshops. The theme for the 10th Junior Leaders Conference is Transformers – Gen-Z Leaders and focuses on instilling the transforming abilities in teenagers based on character, confidence and community during the 3-day journey. Day 1 of the conference primarily focused on Character Building. The day started with registrations as the participants arrived to the venue. In the grand inauguration with the representatives from the Cause Partner organizations, Waqar Ali, CEO at School of Leadership said “Teenagers are like free birds, and with Junior Leaders Conference, we are hoping to provide them a space to explore the heights, and learn how to lead.” Shireen Naqvi, Founder of School of Leadership said, “Teenagers are ready to lead! Today’s young people are the most diverse, connected generation in history. They have incredible aspirations for themselves, their communities and the world. JLC is providing them a platform where they can turn themselves into great aspirations for others.” In a session about Human Mind on day one; Anmol Zehra, added, “You can be as careful as possible and you still will have tears or anger at times, and these emotions are to be let out. JLC provides a platform to these kids to be themselves and grow into emotionally intelligent and skilled people.” The first day ended with a grand dinner where kids were also taught through subconscious learning how to think about others before themselves. The day was wrapped up at night with kids reflecting upon themselves and their identities.

'star Wars: the rise of skywalker' Box office Collapsing

'A Quiet Place 2' Teaser Trailer Shows Off Emily Blunt

national film awards 2019 highlights: Vicky, ayushmann win Best actor

Things continue to not look good for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker as it is now estimated to come in well under industry estimates for its weekend box office as Saturday's numbers have collapsed. Following the Thursday previews and Friday numbers, it was estimated that Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker would come in with a $193 million haul for the weekend.

However, Saturday's numbers came up severely short with estimates now pegging Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker to only bring in $179 million, a $14 million difference from estimates.

Comparing Skywalker's Saturday numbers to The Last Jedi and The Force Awakens also shows a huge difference: Skywalker brought in only $48 million for Saturday; TLJ had $63.9 million; TFA had $68.29 million.

That's a 24.88% drop from TLJ, and a 29.7% drop from TFA, for Saturday.

The drop from Friday to Saturday for Skywalker is also higher than its predecessors: Skywalker 46.66% drop; TLJ 38.9% drop; TFA 42.7% drop.

Paramount Pictures releases the first footage in the form of a teaser for the A Quiet Place 2 trailer which gets released on New Year's Day. The footage features a look at Emily Blunt with her children as they are about to take a step which may potentially make a fatal sound.

The film is described as: Following the deadly events at home, the Abbott family (Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe) must now face the terrors of the outside world as they continue their fight for survival in silence.

Forced to venture into the unknown, they quickly realize that the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats that lurk beyond the sand path.

A Quiet Place 2 gets released March 20, 2020 written and directed by John Krasinski.

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu distributed the National Film Awards at the Vigyan Bhawan this year. Among those honoured at the event are Bollywood actors Vicky Kaushal and Ayushmann Khurrana, who shared the Best Actor Award for their films Uri: The Surgical Strike and Andhadhun, respectively.

President Ram Nath Kovind will reportedly host a high tea for the winners on December 29. Amitabh Bachchan, who could not attend the ceremony on Monday, will be honoured at the event.

Chinmayi Sripaada congratulated Rahul Ravindran for winning the National Award for Best Original Screenplay for his directorial debut film, Chi La Sow. She wrote, “Rahul learned to speak, dubbed for all his films, wrote and directed and won awards - all in a language that he learned only 7 years ago. Proud!”

Neena Gupta congratulated her Badhaai co-star, Surekha Sikri for winning the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for the film. Surekha had played Neena’s mother-inlaw in the film.

CMYK

Tuesday, 24 December, 2019

14 SPORTS

AtAlAntA hAnd 'emBArrAssinG' AC milAn worst loss in 21 yeArs

ROME

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LOVENIA international Josip Ilicic scored two terrific goals as Atalanta demolished AC Milan 5-0 in Serie A on Sunday to climb up to fifth and hand the fallen Italian giants their heaviest defeat since 1998.

It was an "embarrassing" performance by

the seven-time European champions, said club manager Zvonimir Boban.

Atalanta fans even taunted Milan with shouts of 'Serie B, Serie B', confidently predicting relegation for their storied rivals this season. Atalanta captain Papu Gomez fired the hosts ahead on 10 minutes when he gathered the ball on the left wing and drifted into the area before blasting beyond Gianluigi Donnarumma. Mario Pasalic, on loan from Chelsea, added a second on the hour in Bergamo when he flicked in a flashing drive from Robin Gosens. Ilicic made it 3-0 with a clinical finish after a Pasalic assist and the Slovenian attacker struck again on 72 minutes when he curled a majestic strike into the top corner from 20 yards.

Luis Muriel then replaced Ilicic and scored with minutes of his introduction, pouncing on hesitancy from Donnarumma to round out a resounding victory. Atalanta have scored a league-best 43 goals this season and trail Roma by four points in the race for the final Champions League spot. The Bergamo side are competing in the Champions League for the first time this season and were drawn against Valencia in the last 16 after scraping through the group stage.

Government ignorant of powerlifting ‘super hero’ Ather Kamran Butt’s talent Lahore: A number of players of various games have proved to be the Pride of Pakistan by virtue of their outstanding performance and called “Super” Hero. But unluckily, one such person Ather Kamran Butt of Powerlifting is known to very few despite a good track record of winning during a period of over 16 years. He has 14 times won National Powerlifting Championship and has won 3 Gold Medals in Commonwealth Championship and 4 Gold Medals in Asian Classics Powerlifting Championship.

His latest conquest was in the Asian Classic Powerlifting Championship 2019, competing against 22 nations while representing Pakistan, on 8th December 2019. He won four gold medals in the Asian Classic Powerlifting Championship for Pakistan in all possible categories of the sport i.e. Squat – Bench Press and Deadlift. All that he has done has been without government or any other support or any pay.When he came back home, no news crew was in site. Yet he deserves to be called “Super Hero” and must be given due recognition on government level and in the media as well. Press release

African players in Europe: Mahrez punishes former team MANCHESTER aGeNCIes

Riyad Mahrez at Manchester City and Mbaye Niang at Rennes scored key goals for their high-flying teams while Seko Fofana at Udinese and Watford's Ismaila Sarr gave their struggling sides hope.

Meanwhile, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who reportedly wants to leave Arsenal, had a lacklustre day as Achraf Hakimi had another assist for Dortmund but could not stop his side suffering a costly late meltdown. eNGLaND rIYaD MahreZ (Manchester City): 'Beware the return of the ex' runs an old football saying and it proved correct when the Algerian scored City's equaliser in an eventual 3-1 win over former club Leicester.

Jamie Vardy put the Foxes ahead in the 22nd minute at the Etihad Stadium but he lead lasted just eight minutes before Mahrez, a persistent thorn in Leicester's side, levelled when his shot deflected off Caglar Soyunu and beat Kasper Schmeichel.

ISMaILa Sarr (Watford): The Senegal winger, who only joined the Hornets in pre-season, had a starring role in a 2-0 win at home to Manches-

ter United that gave the bottom-of-thetable side hope of beating the drop.

He opened the scoring when his tame shot early in the second half somehow found its way through the hands of United goalkeeper David De Gea and then, four minutes later he won a penalty that saw Troy Deeney double the lead after being brought down by Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

P I e r r e - e M e r I C K aUBaMeYaNG (arsenal): The Gabon striker was far from alone in being well below his best during a dire goalless draw at Everton, although he did have the clearest chance of the match when his goalbound shot was well parried by Toffees goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. A scuffed effort and a first-time shot over the bar followed before he was replaced by Alexandre Lacazette.

GerMaNY aChraF haKIMI (Borussia Dortmund): The Morocco dynamo conjured his sixth assist of the season when he set up Mario Goetze in Borussia Dortmund's 2-1 defeat at Hoffenheim. When Thorgan Hazard's pass played Hakimi into the area, the right winger quickly fed a pass into Goetze who fired home in a superb piece of place from the visitors.

FraNCe MBaYe NIaNG (rennes): The

Senegal attacker sent his side to third in the table with a late winner at home to Bordeaux. The 25-year-old's fourth goal in as many league games came after 82 minutes as he side-footed home smoothly on a rain-sodden surface in Brittany. haBIB MaIGa (Metz): The threetime Ivory Coast international lifted Metz out of the relegation zone with an injury-time equaliser against 16thplaced Dijon. Maiga, 23, has missed just one league game for the strugglers this season who he joined from SaintEtienne on a permanent deal in July. hIChaM BoUDaoUI (Nice): The Algeria African Cup of Nations winner, 20, was one of three goalscorers as Nice hammered bottom-side Toulouse.

The midfielder's first goal of the season came on just his second start of the camapaign for Patrick Vieira's outfit.

ITaLY SeKo FoFaNa (Udinese): The Ivory Coast international scored Udinese's winner in a 2-1 home victory over Cagliari to help ease his team's relegation fears. The 24-year-old, who spent part of his youth career at Manchester City, opened his account for the season when he was on hand to tuck away a close-range effort after the ball had come back off Fabio Pisacane five minutes from time.

Football racism inquiry call after Spurs-Chelsea clash halted LONDON aGeNCIes

The Professional Footballers' Association called for a government inquiry into racism in football after Chelsea's 2-0 Premier League win at Tottenham on Sunday was marred by alleged racist comments from the crowd, the latest in a string of recent incidents.

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard said the problem needed "to be dealt with strongly" and Tottenham promised "a thorough investigation" after referee Anthony Taylor halted play during the second half when Antonio Rudiger complained of hearing monkey noises from spectators.

Moments earlier the Chelsea defender had been involved in a second-half clash with Son Heung-min that saw the South Korean sent off.

Shortly after the stoppage, an announcement made over the public address system warned that "racist behaviour among spectators is interfering with the game" and Taylor spoke to both managers, Lampard and Jose Mourinho. Two further public address announcements followed after play was resumed. "It's just such a shame that racism still exists in 2019.

When will this nonsense stop?" Rudiger tweeted.

There MUST Be WITNeSSeS: "I really hope that the offenders will be found and punished soon, and in such a modern football ground like the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with dozens of TV and security cameras, it must be possible to find and subsequently punish them.

"If not, then there must have been witnesses in the stadium who saw and heard the incident."

The PFA said in a statement late Sunday: "We are disgusted and dismayed that once again, a Premier League fixture has been tainted by abuse from the stands towards players.

"It has become clear that football players are on the receiving end of the blatant racism that is currently rife in the UK, but they are not alone.

"Racist abuse in football is not just an issue for black and ethnic minority players, it is an issue for everyone who loves the game. "The PFA calls for a government inquiry into racism and the rise in hate crime within football." rISING ProBLeM: Two weeks ago a man was identified and arrested for an alleged racist gesture caught on TV cameras during the Manchester derby between City and United, while an Italy's Serie A apologised last week after an anti-racism campaign featuring posters with images of monkeys was widely condemned.

UEFA chief Aleksander Ceferin earlier this month pledged European football's governing body was working to tackle the rising problem after a spate of incidents across the continent including the hurling of racist abuse at England players during a match in Bulgaria. But Ceferin accused British Prime Minister Boris Johnson of fuelling the problem.

"When a politician that calls women with burqas post boxes or mailboxes then says publicly that he condemns you UEFA (for not tackling racism) -- do you reply to that? Do you believe it's honest? Come on," said Ceferin.

Former Manchester United player Gary Neville also accused top UK politicians. "We've just had a general election in this country with both main parties and the leaders of both main parties accused constantly of fuelling racism and accepting racism in their parties," said Neville on Sky Sports.

"If it's accepted in the highest office in the country, we're not talking at a micro-level."

"Maybe we have to empower the players to walk off the pitch and stop the entertainment while it is

happening," he added. aCCePTeD IN hIGheST LeVeL: The ugly scenes overshadowed the Willian double that gave Lampard a memorable triumph at the expense of his former Chelsea manager Mourinho.

Lampard insisted there was never any question of his team leaving the pitch in protest.

"Of course, we know there is a protocol," he said.

"It needs to be dealt with strongly."

Tottenham manager Mourinho condemned racism but still took a swipe at Rudiger, accusing him

CMYK

of play-acting by clutching his ribs to get Son sent off. "I hate racism in society, I hate racism in football.

I'm disappointed that things like that can happen. The club is a very proud club in this kind of situation and internally we will try to deal with it," he said.

Lampard outwitted his old boss so effectively that Chelsea dominated from start to finish.

Willian's superb opener was followed by a clinical penalty from the Brazilian as Chelsea held onto fourth place and moved six points clear of seventhplaced Tottenham.

Tuesday, 24 December, 2019

SPORTS 15

PAKistAn seAl triumPhAnt test CriCKet return with sri lAnKA win KARACHI

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AKISTAN celebrated the return of Test cricket for the first time in over 10 years with a convincing 263-run win over Sri Lanka in the second Test in Karachi on Monday, taking the series 1-0.

It took just 14 minutes and 16 ball for Pakistan to wrap up the win on the fifth morning as they took Sri Lanka's last three wickets without any addition to their overnight 212.

Pakistan had set a daunting 476-run target on Sunday and reduced the tourists to 212-7 at the close.

Teenage quick bowler Naseem Shah at 16 years and 307 days became the second youngest bowler to take five wickets in a Test innings as he bowled an express spell to finish with 5-31.

Fellow Pakistani and left-arm spinner Nasim-ul-Ghani holds the record and was just four days younger when he completed the feat against the West Indies at Georgetown in a 1957-58 series.

Naseem was aged six when interna-

tional cricket was suspended in Pakistan following an attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in 2009.

Pakistan were forced to play all their home matches at the neutral venues of United Arab Emirates, before improved security allowed them to begin hosting limited-over series over the past four years. The first Test of the series in Rawalpindi marked the return of Test cricket in Pakistan, but it ended in a draw after being spoiled by bad weather. a SPeCIaL TaLeNT: Pakistan skipper Azhar Ali thanked Sri Lanka for their part in allowing Test cricket to return.

"Special thanks to Sri Lanka from the bottom of our hearts," said Azhar. "They have given us immense happiness by playing in Pakistan, it was pretty emotional. "Naseem is a special talent and we can build on our bowling attack in the years to come."

Sri Lankan skipper Dimuth Karunaratne praised Pakistan.

"We dominated the first two days and then they batted very well and put pressure back on us and outplayed us. We couldn't build pressure with the ball de-

spite taking a lead of 80," said Karunaratne.

Pakistan turned the match on its head with a huge second innings 555-3 declared on Sunday, PAkiStAn 191 (ShAFiq with 174 from BABAr 60, kuMArA 4-49, 63, man-of-the EMBuldEniyA 4-71) And 555 For 3 match and manof-the series dEC (ABid 174, MASood 135, AzhAr Abid Ali, 135 BABAr 100*) BEAt Sri lAnkA 271 118, from Shan Masood, 118 from (ChAndiMAl 74, AFridi 5-77, Azhar and 100 ABBAS 4-55) And 212 (oShAdA not out from Babar Azam as the top four 102, nASEEM 5-31) all reached three figures.

Abid had also scored hundred in the first Test. The final day began in a dramatic manner when Naseem dis- aries.

Naseem wrapped up the match by missed Lasit Embuldeniya off the first ball, catching his gloves on the way to trapping Vishwa Fernando with the fifth ball of the next over, triggering jubilation wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan.

From the other end leg-spinner Yasir among the Pakistan players who were all Shah had Oshada Fernando caught in the playing in their first Test series at home.

It is Pakistan's first series win at slip for his overnight score of 102 after a 180-ball knock that contained 13 bound- home against Sri Lanka since 1992.

The win lifts Pakistan to third in the World Test Championship table with 80 points. Pakistan got 60 points from the win and 20 from the first Test draw.

India (360) and Australia (216) are currently first and second. Nine teams are competing in the Championship, with the top two contesting the final in June 2021.

Broad, Archer bowl at full pace in nets JOHANNESBURG aGeNCIes

England fast bowlers Stuart Broad and Jofra Archer bowled at full pace in the nets on Monday, raising hopes that they would both be fit for the first Test against South Africa, starting at SuperSport Park on Thursday.

"They're exactly where we hoped they would be," said England coach Chris Silverwood, who said both bowlers would be considered for selection if they continued to make progress.

Broad, Archer and left-arm spinner Jack Leach have yet to bowl in a match situation on the tour after falling ill and missing both the touring team's warmup match. Leach also bowled in the nets but may miss out on selection if England decide to field an all-seam attack on a ground which has not been receptive to spin in recent years.

Broad and Archer both bowled five overs at full pace in an optional practice attended by the three recovering bowlers as well as Craig Overton and Dom Bess, who arrived in South Africa on Saturday to be

on standby in case the originally-selected players were not fit. Silverwood said he did not believe it would be a gamble to pick Broad and Archer, provided they

came through the next two days in good health.

"If Broady tells me he's fit I'll believe him," said Silverwood. "He's got a lot of experience, he knows his body and he knows what he needs to do during the Test match. Jofra, too. He's had two good days and as long as his pace is up and he feels good and gets the practice he needs he'll be a serious contender."

Silverwood confirmed that there was a possibility that England would not pick a spinner. "You look at what is effective on this ground. We're not definitely going all-seam but we'll discuss it over the next few days." The England coach said a drawn three-day match against South Africa A, which ended on Sunday, had been encouraging despite the absence of the three front-line bowlers. "The opposition we faced was a really good side. I think both teams came away with something really positive."

The England coach said the batsmen had applied themselves to ensure the tourists posted a big first innings total. "We're continuing to build those methods and create good habits," he said. "From a bowling perspective, Jimmy (Anderson) and the others got overs in the legs and they all started finding rhythm."

CA plans for Sydney test to be hit by bushfire smoke SYDNEY aGeNCIes

Cricket Australia is preparing for the possibility that play in the New Year Test in Sydney could be halted by smoke from the bushfires that are devastating vast areas of New South Wales.

On Saturday, the BBL match between the Sydney Thunder and the Adelaide Strikers in Canberra was abandoned when heavy smoke drifted across the Manuka Oval with the game four balls short of being a result. The initial reason for the suspension was the reduced visibility caused by the smoke although the poor air quality was also an issue.

Sydney has suffered a number of days of thick smoke shrouding the city and earlier this month the Sheffield Shield match between New South Wales and Queensland was completed in a heavy haze which produced an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 170 which sits in the 'unhealthy' band.

An AQI of 300 and above falls in the 'hazardous' level and is when ICC guidelines say umpires can consider suspending play.

"We hope not, but potentially," Peter Roach, CA's head of cricket operations, said of the Test being possibly halted. "What we've seen in Sydney and Canberra is that it comes to a point where it becomes a challenge. Rules are in place, like rain, to add time for suspended play.

"What we are finding is that it can come in quick, but it can also go quick so it's unlikely it will be there for a full day. We might see some challenges across that day, but we'll play it like rain or adverse weather.

What we've seen is about one day in ten is proving a challenge, we hope it won't come during the Test but we also understand that it might.

"We have concerns when the smoke is around because it is a challenge on those two metrics: visibility and breathing." After the Sheffield Shield match, NSW spinner Steve O'Keefe said: "That air quality

Pakistan thank sri lanka for bringing test cricket home KaraChI: Pakistan thanked Sri Lankan Monday for helping them bring Test cricket back to the country for the first time since the 2009 attack on the same visitors led to international matches being suspended.

Pakistan's players went to the Sri Lanka dressing room to thank them soon after the home team posted a convincing 263-run win in the second Test of the their first home series in a decade. Pakistan captain Azhar Ali said his country owed a big thank you to Sri Lanka. "They have given us immense happiness by playing in Pakistan," said Azhar after his team wrapped up victory in just 14 minutes of play on the fifth day. Sri Lankan skipper Dimuth Karunaratne said his team had felt safe in Pakistan. "Security was 200 percent," said Karunaratne, one of ten players who withdrew from the limited over tour over security fears. "Security people were like fathers to us. They kept talking to us and they were right behind us every time. When we were going out to eat or shopping, they were there." Karunaratne urged other teams to consider touring Pakistan, but admitted they would need convincing. "They have seen us playing here and enjoying here. They will have something in their minds and they will decide (for themselves)," he said. aGeNCIes

Vernon Philander to retire after england test series was shocking. The doctor was all over it and speaking to us about it, and the fact the game wasn't going to go all day was considered, but in the future they need to look at it because it's not healthy - it's toxic. It got to the stage we weren't going to come off for quality, it was more about visibility. It was getting hard to pick the ball up. I'm sure they'll address it. It's a bit left field to have something as severe as this."

Peter Siddle, playing for the Strikers, was on the field when play was suspended in Canberra. "I'm feeling alright‌the smoke was thick, we'd dealt with it the night before at training, as you could see from TV it came in quickly - into that fifth over it changed dramatically," he said. "If you sit next to a camp fire, just imagine that, that's what it felt like in the field."

In statement issued at the weekend, CA said: "CA, alongside relevant state cricket associations and BBL Clubs, is closely monitoring the air quality and visi-

bility in areas impacted by bushfires.

"In line with ICC, Australian Institute of Sport and relevant government guidelines, we are maintaining vigilance on the ever-changing air quality in locations where games are impacted by poor air quality.

"As the safety of players, fans and staff is our number one priority, the guidelines state what needs to be measured and looked for. We will constantly monitor the situation and be prepared on the ground in the case of any circumstance, as we know conditions change very quickly in these scenarios.

"At BBL games played in areas impacted by bushfires, a discussion and assessment about air quality will be added to the pre-match medical briefing hosted onsite 60 minutes prior to the scheduled match time." In November a T20I between India and Bangladesh in Delhi was severely impacted by smog which led to an AQI of over 400.

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CaPe ToWN: Vernon Philander, the South Africa allrounder, has announced his impending retirement from international cricket. The upcoming Test series against England will be his final outing for South Africa, bringing to a close a career that began in 2007. Philander, 34, has taken more than 200 wickets in his 60 Tests to date, putting him seventh on the all-time list for South Africa. However, he has increasingly had to battle injury, making only six appearances in the last 18 months. He played in 40 ODIs, most recently at the 2015 World Cup, and also featured at the inaugural World T20 in 2007. "I would like to hereby announce that I will be retiring from international cricket at the conclusion of the Test series against England," Philandar said. "I feel that it is the appropriate time to conclude what has been an amazing journey. aGeNCIes

Tuesday, 24 December, 2019

NEWS

Modi’s party loses state election aMid protests over citizenship law NEW DELHI

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NDIAN Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party lost control of another state on Monday, adding to a string of electoral losses since last December amid protests that mark the biggest challenge to the Hindunationalist leader.

Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) conceded defeat in the eastern state of Jharkhand, with an alliance of the main opposition Congress party and a regional bloc slated to take control of the resourcerich province. “I dedicate this victory to the people of Jharkhand,” Hemant Soren, leader of the regional Jharkhand Mukti Morcha party, said after claiming victory.

The loss comes in the middle of a sometimes deadly wave of nationwide protests triggered by a new citizenship law, which critics say discriminates against Muslims and has brought thousands of people out on to the streets in opposition.

The polls in Jharkhand opened on November 30, before the demonstrations kicked off and do not represent the current public mood. However, the BJP’s defeat will be a shot in the arm for India’s opposition parties, some of which have used popular anger against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) to their advantage. The Modi government insists that the law is needed to help persecuted non-Muslim minorities

from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who came to India before 2015 by giving them Indian citizenship. And in a show of strength on Monday, the BJP staged a protest, attended by several hundred people, in Kolkata in support of the CAA. “Today, we have seen that Bengal stands with Modi ji and it welcomes the Citizenship Amendment Act,” said Jagat Prakash Nadda, the BJP’s national working president, using an honorific for the prime minister. But groups opposed to the law gathered in the southern cities of Ban-

Pakistan to witness historic solar eclipse tomorrow KARACHI: The Met Office has announced that there will be an annular eclipse of the sun on Dec 26 (Thursday) and it will be visible in Pakistan. It said that this was a rare and historical event happening after 20 years. This eclipse is said to be completely different from that of August 1999 due to the “albedo effect” when most of the radiation did not reach the ground and got deflected back into space because of mostly cloudy skies. However, this time around skies will be crystal clear hence there will be a direct impact of radiation.

People have been advised not to look at the sun with the naked eye during the eclipse on Dec 26 because it may cause permanent eye damage or even blindness. The solar eclipse will be visible in eastern Europe, much of Asia, northern and western Australia, eastern Africa, Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean, according to the Met Office. STAFF REPORT

Khashoggi’s son says justice has been achieved in his father’s case DUBAI: The son of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi said on Monday his family had achieved justice thanks to the verdict of Saudi Arabia’s public prosecutor. Earlier, the Saudi public prosecutor said five people had been sentenced to death and three more to jail terms totaling 24 years over the killing of Khashoggi in Istanbul in October 2018.

“Today we have been granted justice as the children of the deceased, God willing, Jamal Khashoggi. We affirm our confidence in the Saudi judiciary at all levels, that it has been fair to us and that justice has been achieved,” the slain journalist’s son, Salah Khashoggi, tweeted. AGENCIES

galore and Chennai, the capital New Delhi and northeastern Assam state, in the latest demonstrations against the CAA and the Modi government’s proposal to conduct a nationwide National Register of Citizens.

In Assam, protests have been held since December 10, initially turning violent but largely peaceful over the past week.

Assam’s finance minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, told reporters that since December 10, 393 people have been arrested for arson, violence and looting and 10 for “inflammatory” social media posts.

INDIAN MUSLIMS WAVE NATIONAL FLAG TO SHOW PROTEST IS NOT ANTI-INDIA NEW DELHI/BENGALURU: Indian Muslims protesting against a citizenship law which they say is discriminatory are carrying national flags and copies of the constitution, aiming to prevent supporters of the Hindu nationalist government from painting them as anti-India.

The protesters wear Muslim caps and many of the women wear the hijab headscarves, but they also sing national songs, read out sections of the constitution and carry pictures of independence hero Mahatma Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar, who led the drafting of the constitution.

“This tricolor is our symbol against fascism,” Asaduddin Owaisi, an MP who heads a Muslim party, said of India’s saffron, white and green flag during a rally in the southern city of Hyderabad at the weekend.

He also asked the crowd to recite the preamble of the constitution in both English and in the Urdu language spoken by many Muslims, and urged them to fly the Indian flag at their homes.

In a column on Saturday, prominent editor and political commentator Shekhar Gupta said the protests had led to what he called the “rise of a new Indian Muslim… Not afraid to look Muslim, and not shy of flaunting her nationalism”.

At least 21 people have died in the protests against the new citizenship law and a planned national register of citizens, which protesters say contravene the secular constitution and discriminate against Muslims. The law gives non-Muslim minorities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who fled to India before 2015 a pathway to citizenship. It does not apply to Muslims.

India’s Muslims, who form about 14% of the Hindu-majority country’s 1.3 billion people, say they are often called anti-national and Pakistani. Muslim Pakistan was carved out of British colonial India when the countries gained independence in their bloody 1947 partition and have since fought three wars.

Protesters say displays of patriotism help dispel the notion that protests are a Muslim issue. Tens of thousands of Hindus have also joined.

“Making this a Muslim protest just gives another stick to the government to delegitimize the movement,” said law student and protest organizer Hamza Tariq, 22, in the city of Bengaluru.

The demonstrations across India are the biggest challenge to Modi since he first came to power in 2014. Modi himself appeared to make a veiled allusion to Muslims resorting to violence during the protests.

“You can tell who these arsonists are by their clothes,” he said in an address last week, in comments condemned by Muslim leaders.

Muslim protesters at the Jamia Millia Islamia University in New Delhi said that police who stormed the campus on Dec. 15 with tear gas and batons called them “Pakistani citizens” and “Islamic militants”.

Prabhat Kumar, a Hindu student at Jamia, said: “This law is differentiating between communities which is against the constitution.

“When will Muslims speak if not now? This is the right time to speak and we will stand with them till the end.” AGENCIES

Taliban claim attack that killed US soldier in Afghanistan KABUL AGENCIES

The Taliban claimed responsibility for an attack Monday on American troops that killed one US soldier and, according to the insurgents, wounded several more.

The killing is likely to have consequences for ongoing talks between the US and the Taliban.

President Donald Trump in September declared negotiations “dead” after the Taliban killed a US soldier in a Kabul bombing.

Negotiations have since restarted in Doha, but were earlier this month put on a “pause” following yet another bombing, this time at the Bagram air base north of Kabul. In a WhatsApp message to AFP, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said insurgents “blew up an American vehicle in Char Dara district of Kunduz” overnight Sunday-Monday. He said “several” other US and Afghan forces were also wounded.

US Forces-Afghanistan said one American service member was “killed in action” on Monday. A US official told AFP that the service member had been inspecting a weapons cache when it exploded.

“This was not the result of an attack as the enemy claims,” the

official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Kunduz province is in northern Afghanistan and has been the site of repeated insurgent attacks and attempts to seize Kunduz city itself.

DEADLIEST YEAR: Depending on how one qualifies a combat-related death, about 20 American troops have been killed in action in Afghanistan this year following Monday’s announcement.

That makes 2019 the deadliest for US forces since combat operations officially finished at the end of 2014, and highlights the woeful security situation that persists across much of Afghanistan.

About 2,400 US troops have been killed in Afghanistan since the US-led invasion in October 2001.

Currently, the Pentagon has 12,00013,000 troops in Afghanistan.

Trump has said he wants to cut that number to about 8,600 or lower as he seeks to show voters he is making good on a campaign pledge to end America’s longest war.

The deal between the US and the Taliban had been all but signed before Trump nixed it at the last moment, though a relative improvement in Kabul’s security situation and the release of two Western hostages in a prisoner swap paved the way for a resump-

tion of talks on December 7.

Those talks were paused for a few days following the Bagram attack, but have since started again.

The initial version of the deal would have seen the Pentagon pull thousands of troops out of Afghanistan in return for Taliban guarantees they would tackle AlQaeda and the Islamic State group.

But some members of Trump’s own Republican party, including close confidant Senator Lindsey Graham, say the idea of the Taliban conducting counter-terrorism operations is risible.

Monday’s attack comes one day after officials announced preliminary results in Afghanistan’s presidential elections that put President Ashraf Ghani on track to secure a second term.

The Taliban have long viewed Ghani as an American stooge and have refused to negotiate with him.

Also Monday, a bomb explosion at a funeral ceremony in Laghman province east of Kabul killed three civilians and wounded nine others, interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said.

He blamed the Taliban for the blast that hit the crowd of mourners at a local tribal leader’s funeral.

The Taliban were not immediately available to comment.

Afghan election ‘runoff likely’ amid thousands of complaints KABUL AGENCIES

Afghanistan’s Electoral Complaints Commission said on Monday the election might go to a second round as it begins reviewing thousands of complaints a day after the preliminary result handed incumbent president Ashraf Ghani a narrow victory.

The Independent Election Commission (IEC) announced on Sunday a much delayed preliminary result of the September 28 presidential vote which was

marred by allegations of massive fraud, technical problems with biometric devices used for voting, attacks and irregularities.

IEC said the total turnout was over 1.8 million with Ghani securing 50.64 per cent to win the first round of voting, beating his main rival Abdullah who currently shares power with him in a unity government.

However, if a review by the complaints commission reduces Ghani’s vote share to below 50 per cent and no other candidate has a majority, a second round

will be held between the two top contenders.

Deen Mohammad Azimi, deputy head of the Electoral Complaints Commission, said there is a “strong possibility” the election would go to the second round. “Looking at the scope of complaints and objections that needs a thorough review, there could be a run-off,” Azimi said.

The review might take around five weeks, Azimi said, adding that thousands of complaints from candidates had already been filed.

According to the tally released by

IEC, the total turnout was 1,824,401 with Ghani winning 923,868 votes and Abdullah second with 720,099 (39.52 per cent).

“President Ghani avoided a run-off just by over 11,000 votes and the complaints commission might invalidate tens of thousands of votes from all candidates,” another election official said on condition of anonymity because he was not allowed to speak to the media.

Ghani welcomed the IEC decision and said the country was on the right path towards prosperity

but Abdullah dismissed the result as fraudulent as he called for a full review. “There is no doubt that based on clean votes, we are the winner,” Abdullah told a crowd of supporters on Sunday in Kabul.

The situation echoes 2014, when both Ghani and Abdullah alleged massive fraud by the other, forcing the United States to broker an awkward power-sharing arrangement that made Ghani president and Abdullah his chief executive.

Aides close to Ghani, a Western-educated former World Bank

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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official, said the incumbent was not ready for another power-sharing deal with Abdullah, a former medical doctor and three-time contender for the presidency.

Without a unifying leader accepted by all sides, Afghanistan could split further along tribal and ethnic lines which could deepen political instability.

Although Abdullah called for restraint, election result announcements in Afghanistan are typically followed by violent protests from supporters of losing candidates.