E-PAPER PDF 25 FEBUARY 2020 (LHR)

CMYK

Tuesday, 25 february, 2020 i 30 Jamadi-ul-sani, 1441 i rs 20.00 i Vol x no 237 i 16 Pages i lahore edition

‘Very good ties’ with Pakistan; $3bn military deals with india AHMEDABAD Agencies

U

nited states (us) president donald trump on monday appreciated pakistan’s efforts for peace and expressed hope for a reduction in tensions in the region, as he announced that his country will sign military deals worth more than $3 billion with india on tuesday. addressing a packed rally in ahmedabad after his arrival in india, trump said that the us has a very good relationship with pakistan. “us and india are committed to stopping terrorists and fight their ideology. for this reason, since taking office, my administration is working in a very positive way with pakistan to crack down on terrorist organisations and militants which operate on the pakistani border,” he said. “our relationship with pakistan is a very good one. thanks to these efforts, we are beginning to see signs of big progress with pakistan and we are hopeful for reduced tensions, greater stability and the future of harmony for all of the nations of south asia,” said trump on the first day of his whirlwind 36-hour visit meant to reaffirm us-india ties. more than 100,000 people packed into the world’s largest cricket stadium, giving trump the biggest rally crowd of his political career, for the pinnacle of the day’s trio of presidential photo-ops. the boisterous scene featured soldiers on camels, a mix of songs from bollywood hits and trump’s campaign rally playlist, including an elton John hit that seemed to puzzle most of the crowd. trump basked in the raucous reception that has eluded him on many foreign trips, some of which have featured massive protests and icy handshakes from world leaders. nearly everyone in the newly constructed stadium in ahmedabad in western india sported a white cap with the name of the event, “namaste, trump” or “welcome, trump”, and roared for the introductions of both trump and india’s prime minister narendra modi. trump opened his speech by declaring that he traveled 8,000 miles to deliver the

g

g

us president lauds pakistan’s cooperation against terror outfits and militants Hopes for reduced tensions, greater stability and Harmony between soutH asian nations

new ag refuses to represent govt in Justice isa case g

attorney general kHalid Jawed cites ‘conflict of interest’ wHile recusing Himself from presidential reference

ag khan seeks autonomy from law ministry message that “america loves india, america respects india and america will always be faithful and loyal friends to the indian people”. perhaps alluding to tough negotiations over trade, trump lightheartedly told the rally crowd, “everybody loves him, but i will tell you this. He’s very tough.” the two nations are closely allied, in part to act as a bulwark against the rising influence of nearby china, but trade tensions between the two countries have escalated since the trump administration imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum from india. india responded with higher penalties on agricultural goods and restrictions on us medical devices. the us retaliated by re-

moving india from a decades-old preferential trade programme.

MiliTAry DeAls: making a sales pitch for us military equipment, trump said,” we make the greatest weapons ever made. airplanes. missiles. rockets. ships. we make the best and we’re dealing now with india. but this includes advanced air-defense systems and armed and unarmed aerial vehicles.” last week, india’s cabinet cleared $2.6 billion purchase from lockheed martin corp. of 24 multi-role mH-60r seahawk maritime helicopters to indian navy.

CONTINUTED ON PAGE 02

At least four dead, dozens injured in Delhi clashes amid Trump visit STORIES ON BACK PAGE

STORIES ON PAGE 03

iHc tells govt to submit reply in plea against social media rules in 14 days STORY ON PAGE 02

bloodbath at psX, as index plummets over 1,100 points STORY ON PAGE 12

APTMA Announces counTrywiDe closure of TexTile Mills STORY ON PAGE 12

iranian lawmaker says 50 dead from coronavirus in Qom

Afghanistan finds first coronavirus case

STORIES ON BACK PAGE

Turmoil in Malaysia as PM Mahathir resigns

STORY ON BACK PAGE

Tuesday, 25 February, 2020

02 NEWS

PIA suspends flights to Beijing till Mar 15 amid coronavirus outbreak raWaLpindi STAFF REPORT

The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has decided to suspend its flights to Beijing till Mar 15 because of novel coronavirus that has left nearly 2,500 people dead in China. The national flag carrier operates its Islamabad-Beijing-Tokyo flight twice a week. According to PIA spokesman Abdullah Hafeez, the airline had decided to suspend its flights due to coronavirus, adding that the operation would be resumed keeping the situation in view. Earlier, Pakistan had suspended its flight operation to and from China on Jan 30 for three days.

IHC tells goVt to suBMIt rePly In PleA AgAInst soCIAl MedIA rules In 14 dAys iSLamaBad

t

STAFF REPORT

HE Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday issued notice to the federation, and law, information and technology ministries in a petition challenging Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government’s social media policy.

After hearing the arguments, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah clubbed the plea with an ongoing case pertaining to media and the scope of Article 19 and 19 (a) of the Constitution. Previously, a divisional bench had disapproved on-air discussions of sub-judice matters in a contempt case against talk show hosts for implying that a ‘deal’ had been made to accommodate Nawaz Sharif’s bail plea. The petitioner’s counsel Jahangir Khan Jadoon maintained that the Citizens Protection (Against Online Harm) Rules 2020 violated Article 19 and 19 (a) of the Constitution. He termed it an attempt by the government to stifle dissent and free speech.

Justice Minallah noted that most countries in the world have social media regulatory legislation.

Jadoon argued that the incumbent government’s policy empowered a national coordinator with more authority than even the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority

(PTA). “The coordinator can slap fines up to Rs500 million,” he informed the bench.

The counsel sought details of the criteria set for the appointment of the coordinator. He also lamented that the stakeholders were not consulted by the government before the drafting of the rules. Justice Minallah observed that Prime Minister Imran Khan had already said the government was revisiting the social media rules. To which, Jadoon requested the high court seek a status report from the relevant authorities. The bench issued notice to the federal government, and law and IT ministries clubbed the plea with a case on media regulation and adjourned the hearing till March 7.

Pakistan railways submits tezgam inferno inquiry report in IHC ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Railways has submitted an inquiry report on the Tezgam inferno incident which claimed the lives of 87 people and injured 40 others in the Islamabad High Court (IHC). The report compiled by the railways’ federal inspector states that of the total deceased, 58 have been provided financial assistance as 10 victims remain untraceable. Those injured in the incident have also been given compensation by the government. The Pakistan Railways sent the inquiry report to the Minister of Interior on Feb 18, the report said.

An FIR was lodged against private individuals who were found “directly/indirectly responsible” for the fire. The Railways police submitted an interim challan before Punjab Prosecution Cell Ahmad Pur Sharqia on Feb 11. The competent authorities ordered to take action against delinquent officials who are responsible for the incident, the report stated. On October 31, 87 people had lost their lives and 40 others injured when a fire engulfed three bogies of Tezgam Express due to a reported cylinder explosion near Liaquatpur in Rahim Yar Khan district. STAFF REPORT

No confirmed case of coronavirus in Balochistan iSLamaBad STAFF REPORT

Balochistan government Spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani on Monday said there are no confirmed cases of coronavirus infection in Balochistan yet but people who come across the border are being kept under constant observation. Talking to a private news channel, he said the Balochistan government in collaboration of the federal government has constituted special teams for safety and precaution against coronavirus, while all district headquarters hospitals in Balochistan have been directed to stay vigilant.

Pilgrims returning from across the border are being screened at entry points of the border, he added. The government is in contin-

uous consultation with the neighboring countries to bring back Pakistani nationals safe after complete screening and they should be issued them clearance certificates, he added.

He said isolation wards were also being established in hospitals were and screening on Airport and border is continued. He assured that the government would never allow any person to cross the border.

Shahwani urged the residents of Balochistan to stay vigilant against novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. He said joint teams had been constituted to protect pilgrims, traveling through across borders, from the coronavirus” with more specialist doctors. Furthermore, passengers were being screened at major airports in Karachi, Lahore and Quetta, he added.

Pakistanis to get Saudi visit visa on arrival neWS deSK Saudi Arabia has introduced one-year multiple-entry visit visas for Pakistanis, Indians and all other applicants who have a valid UK, US or Schengen visa stamped on their passports.

The new multiple-visa will be valid for one year and the visitors will also be allowed to perform Umrah. However, they are not allowed to perform Hajj.

Visitors can get a visa on arrival at any international airport in Saudi Arabia but they must have a credit card to pay a fee amounting to SR440 (Dh431) as cash is not accepted. They will be allowed to stay for 90 days at a stretch and can enter the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia multiple times during the validity period of their visit visa.

AMAZING EXPERIENCE: “It was an amazing experience when I visited Saudi Arabia last week,” said Ahmed Qureshi who went to perform Umrah with his family and landed at King Abdul Aziz International Air-

port in Jeddah. “I paid fee at the immigration counter using my credit card and now all my family members have multiple visit visas valid for one year. It took just 15 minutes to complete the procedure,” he explained.

A reservation agent at Saudi Airlines in Dubai told Gulf News that the new visa service started last month. “Anyone who has a valid UK, US or Schengen visa can obtain a visit visa to Saudi Arabia on arrival. However, the visa is issued to only those applicants who have used their US, UK or Schengen visa for at least once. You will not be given visa on arrival if you have US, UK or Schegen visa stamped on your passport but have never used it,” she explained.

One of the pre-conditions to get a visit visa on arrival is that the visitors will have to travel on one of the Saudi-based airlines including Saudi Airlines, Flynas or Flydeal.

This is mandatory only for first-time visitors.

Repeat visitors who already hold Saudi visit visa can use any other airline.

‘Very good ties’ with Pakistan; $3bn military deals with India Continuted from page 01 The State Department has also approved a potential sale to India of $1.8 billion in arms, including air-defense radars and missiles, rifles and other equipment, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced.

Trump also reiterated his pledge that the US would make a significant trade deal with India. “We are in the early stages of discussion for an incredible trade agreement to reduce barriers of investment between the United States and India,” he said.

“And I am optimistic that, working together, the prime minister and I can reach a fantastic deal that’s good and even great for both of our countries.” Trump gave no time

CMYK

line for a deal and speaking to reporters later he said he was in “no rush.”

Officials have tried to hammer out a modest trade deal opening up India to US agricultural products and medical devices in return for the restoration of preferential export status that Trump stripped from India in 2019.

“There has been comparatively less activity during President Trump’s first term so it’s important for the two sides to get a win in the arms sales arena, particularly since the trade deal that’s been under negotiations for over a year appears to be off the table for now,” Jeff M. Smith, research fellow at the Washington D.C.-based Heritage Foundation’s Asian Studies Center.

Tuesday, 25 February, 2020

NEWS

03

new Ag refuses to rePresent goVt In JustICe IsA CAse ATTORNEY GENERAL KHALID JAWED CITES FOROGH NASEEM REGRETS ‘CHOICE OF WORDS’ ‘CONFLICT OF INTEREST’ WHILE RECUSING HIMSELF USED AGAINST EX-AG ANWAR MANSOOR AS SC TO FROM PRESIDENTIAL REFERENCE MULL ACTION ON MAR 30 iSLamaBad

n

STAFF REPORT

EWLY-APPOINTED Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Khalid Jawed Khan on Monday refused to represent the government in the presidential reference against SC Justice Qazi Faez Isa, citing a “conflict of interest”.

Jawed asked the court to accept the government’s application for Additional Attorney General (AAG) Amir Rehman to argue the case.

“Additional Attorney General Rehman has been preparing this case,” Jawed told the court. However, Rahman told the court that he would be abroad for some official task till March 20, therefore the hearing should be set on a date after that. Justice Umer Ata Bandial — who was heading the full bench hearing the case — scheduled the next hearing for March 30.

“One of the judges on the bench will be away after March 20 and we will hear the case upon his return,” Justice Bandial

said, directing the government’s representative to ensure his presence in court on the given date.

Justice Bandial further announced that the request for action against Minister for Law and Justice Farogh Naseem will also be heard on March 30.

The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) had on Saturday urged Prime Minister Imran Khan to “expel” Law Minister Farogh Naseem from the federal cabinet in the “larger national interest” after the controversy over remarks by former attorney general Anwar Mansoor Khan against superior court judges.

“Your request has not been assigned a number,” Justice Bandial told PBC Vice Chairman Abid Saqi.

“This is a case regarding the justice system’s freedom. If I have an inkling that the case is against the justice system’s freedom, you will not see me here,” Attorney General Jawed told the court.

“We have no vested interest in this case,” the PBC vice chairman said.

FAROGH REGRETS REMARKS: Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Law and

Justice Farogh Naseem has said that he regretted the words he used when defending the government against allegations it had prior knowledge about the arguments former attorney general Anwar Mansoor

Ag KHAn seeKs AutonoMy froM lAw MInIstry ISLAMABAD: ttorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Khalid Javed Khan, who was recently appointed by Prime Minister Imran Khan, wrote a letter to the premier on Monday and sought autonomy for his office from the Federal Ministry of Law and Justice. Moreover, he wrote a letter to the ministry and sought clarification from Law Minister Dr Farogh Naseem over the new appointments of law officers. Citing a local newspaper’s report over the matter, he wrote, “You would recall that during our meeting earlier today you had clarified that no such action is in the offing and therefore no law officers are being terminated/appointed.” “We had agreed further that we shall be working within the prescribed constitutional limits of our respective office and that no appointments, transfers or other matters relating to the law officers would be taken by the law and justice division without the prior consent of the attorney general of Pakistan,” he added. Noting that the news story had “unnecessarily created confusion regarding the relationship between the law and justice division and the office of the AGP”, Khan requested Naseem to issue an “appropriate formal clarification”. STAFF REPORT

SHC seeks reply from Centre, Sindh over Karachi toxic gas leakage KaraCHi STAFF REPORT

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday issued notices to the federal and provincial government on a petition seeking an inquiry into the deaths of more than 10 people in Karachi's Keamari area due to a toxic gas leak.

A two-judge bench, headed by Justice Ali Mazhar, also issued notices to the federal and provincial law officers, directing them to submit replies on behalf of the respondents and adjourned the hearing till March 11.

There is still widespread confusion regarding the Keamari incident as authorities have been unable to ascertain

the exact cause of the mysterious incident that claimed more than 10 lives.

The petition, filed by Advocate Abdul Jalil Khan Marwat, sought direc-

Khan was going to make in court.

“Mansoor sahib [ex-AGP] is like my elder brother, he is also like an elder brother to Khalid [current AGP]. I regret my choice of words [against former AG

tives for the relevant authorities to investigate the incident, to take remedial measures and to compensate the families of those killed in the incident.

Naming the defence secretary, the minister of maritime affairs, Karachi Port Trust (KPT) Chairman Jamil Akhter, the provincial home secretary, and Sindh IGP Dr Syed Kaleem Imam as respondents, the petitioner contended that Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani had confirmed in the media the death of six people due to the gas leak.

However, the education minister had refuted the statement given by the KPT chairman, who had said that no gas leak had taken place within the port's walls. Ghani had added that a team from Bahria Town had collected samples, while a report would be submitted in this regard soon.

The petitioner said that the Sindh chief minister had also ordered the Karachi commissioner and the administrative staff of the hospitals to ensure the availability of doctors, while also directing the police to help those in need of assistance in the area.

PAF unveils wreckage of IAF MiG-21 it shot down last year iSLamaBad APP

The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Monday unveiled the wreckage of Indian Air Force (IAF)’s MiG-21 Bison, hit by a PAF fighter jet on February 27 last year, contradicting the Indian claim of shooting down a Pakistani F-16 aircraft.

The PAF’s Director Media Affairs flanked by Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Planning) Air Commodore Syed Omar Shah gave a detailed briefing to the media on the victory of “Operation Swift Retort” here at the Air Headquarters.

He also showed the missiles of MiG-21 Bison recovered from the wreckage of IAF fighter being piloted

by Wing Commander Abhinandan and shot down by the PAF fighter jets during the dogfight on February 27 last. Air Commodore Syed Omar Shah said the MiG21 Bison was equipped with two R-73 Archer missiles and two R-77 Adder missiles on its left and right wings, which were never fired. Since the aircraft after being hit fell on the left side that completely damaged the two missiles attached on the left wing. The two R-73 Archer and R-77 Adder missiles, which attached on the right wing of MiG-21, were recovered almost intact from the aircraft’s wreckage whereas the left wing missiles were

damaged, particularly the R-77 Adder whose rocket motor got burnt under the rubble, he added.

Air Commodore Shah noted that after analysis of the recovered missiles it was found that none of them was fired, rejecting the claim of IAF that Wing Commander Abhinandan had fired a R-73 Archer missile at the PAF jet before his aircraft was shot down.

“The rocket motor has been found attached with the missile launcher that clearly proves that the MiG21 piloted by Wing Commander Abhinandan did not fire any of its missiles and inflicted no damage on the PAF aircraft,” he maintained. The Operation Swift Retort, he said, would be remembered as a “chronicle of valour and heroism”, which gave a message to the international community that their quest for peace should not be misconstrued by the enemy as their weakness. He said though the independent sources had also denied the IAF’s claims of shooting down PAF’s F-16 fighter plane yet Wing Commander Abhinandan was awarded the highest military award by the Indian government. Moreover, the IAF chief’s claim of hitting an F-16 with a R-73 Archer missile was a question mark on the professionalism of his force, he added.

Air Commodore Shah said when the IAF tried to violate Pakistan’s airspace it was “unilaterally perceived to be challenging the sovereignty of Pakistan”.

In response to the the IAF’s violation of Pakistan’s airspace, four key targets had been locked, including Headquarters 80 Brigade Punch Sector, Headquarters 120 Brigade and two others. The PAF’s swift operation had surprised the IAF as they were unable to respond, he added. He said the main reason behind a year-long delay in making public the wreckage of MiG-21 Bison was a war-like situation which prevailed at the time of dog-fight. The PAF pilots avoided to hit the locked targets due to the rules of engagement decided by the country’s leadership, he added.

Mansoor] on the tv show,” Naseem said.

But the law minister went on to add that despite his regret over his choice of words, “Our perspective on the matter is the same,” implying that they [government] did not have any prior knowledge of what Mansoor said in court.

Former attorney general Mansoor had stirred up controversy when he made serious allegations against the Supreme Court judges hearing a case concerning the presidential reference against Justice Isa. The remarks, which were expunged from the record after the apex court restricted reporting on them, had led to the former attorney general’s resignation from his position.

After resigning from his post, Mansoor had — on various television channels — claimed that the government, specifically law minister Naseem, had prior knowledge of the arguments he made in court, including the now expunged comments.

Defending himself and the government against these allegations on a news channel, Naseem had said: “This is a lie.

We did not have any knowledge about what he was going to say […] It was his own argument and he said it on his own.

The government has nothing to do with anything he said and we did not know about it either. You tell me; if the government really knew what he was about to say, would we have let him say it?”

PM Imran says govt trying to provide affordable electricity iSLamaBad STAFF REPORT

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday said the provision of electricity to the domestic and industrial consumers at reasonable rate, energy reforms and checking its losses were the foremost priorities of the government. Chairing a meeting, the prime minister pointed out that the energy sector was facing multiple challenges owing to the agreements signed by previous governments, which also neglected the timely administrative reforms and losses in the transmission and distribution system. As a result of the previous government’s policies, the people were bearing the burden today, the premier remarked, adding that the government was providing relief to the weaker segments of society and consumers for using up to three hundred units. The prime minister further said the government was aware of the problems faced by the masses. “It is our utmost effort to stabilize the power prices and provide every possible relief to the people,” the premier said.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Planning Asad Umer, Minister for Power Omar Ayub, Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Haider Zaidi, Adviser on Finance Hafeez Sheikh and Special Assistant Nadeem Babar. According to reports, the government is likely to approve a tariff reduction plan for industrial electricity and introduce seasonal gas tariff with the view to give an impetus to industrial activities and provide relief to gas consumers.

04 LAHORE

Tuesday, 25 February, 2020

WEATHER UPDATES TUESDAY

260C

130C

WEDNESDAY

270C 150C

THURSDAY

270C

150C

LHC moved AgAinst AurAt mArCH PETITIONER’S LAWYER SAYS ‘VARIOUS ANTI-STATE PARTIES ARE FUNDING AURAT MARCH WITH SOLE PURPOSE OF SPREADING ANARCHY AMONGST THE MASSES’ LAHORE STAFF REPORT

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday issued notices for February 27 to the federal government and others concerned on an application against the Aurat March which is scheduled to be held on March 8, internationally celebrated as Women’s Day.

LHC Chief Justice Mamoon Rashid sheikh heard the civil miscellaneous application filed by Munir Ahmed in a pending petition for regulating social media.

Lawyer Azhar siddique, on behalf of the petitioner, said that “there are various anti-state parties present who are funding this Aurat March with the sole purpose of spreading anarchy amongst the masses”.

The petition also termed the march “against the very norms of Islam” and that its hidden agenda is to spread “anarchy, vulgarity and hatred”. “During last year’s Aurat March, women were holding placards that had objectionable messages,” said siddique, adding that “participants would again march with placards displaying various messages that manifest anarchy and vulgarity while his intention is to stop that from happening”.

He submitted that, by openly displaying their aspirations, some people are daring to create an environment that is traditionally, culturally and morally less binding upon them.

He contended that purpose of

Women’s Day was simply to recognise women for their achievements and not to cross their limits or criticise and abuse men.

“Aurat March is nothing but an antistate activity aimed at tarnishing the dignity of women. The main motive of this is to create lawlessness, anarchy and vulgarity in our society,” he said, adding that heavy funds had been collected from antistate elements.

Warning that ‘the event would be broadcast on social media, if not regulated properly’, the senior lawyer submitted that the federal government had recently approved a set of rules for regulating social media which could now be used to curb ‘such anti-state activities’.

PMS officers protest hegemony of federal officials PMS/PCS OFFICERS ALLEGE FEDERAL PAS OFFICERS HAVE ENCROACHED 715 POSTS AGAINST ALLOTTED NUMBER OF 47 LAHORE SHAHAB OMER

A

s many as 1000 Provincial Management services (PMs)/Provincial Civil services (PCs) officers across Punjab requested the chief minister (CM) to resolve the conflict between federal PAs officers and provincial PAs officers through a written application on Monday.

In this regard, the association of PMs/PCs officers also wrote about the existing illegal arrangement in the province of Punjab.

“However,

presently, establishment division is not only applying the federal rules but also placing officers on almost all important slots in the provinces making provincial government & assembly weak in their own sphere of governance. PAs are federal officers and their terms & conditions of service are determined by the Establishment Division, therefore, they do not fall under the direct control of provincial chief minister, Cabinet or Assembly, unlike PMs officers who are answerable to the aforementioned being provincial civil services,” the letter read.

The letter further states, “Performance of federal PAs officers cannot be evaluated by the provincial government.

Provincial administrative law is not applied to federal PAs officers. Chief Executive of the province, chief minister, cabinet or Punjab Assembly, cannot initiate the proceedings against federal PAs officers or hold them accountable for their performance. Punjab government can only send them back to the Establishment Division. Federal PAs officers are holding almost all the slots of chief secretary, secretaries, deputy commissioners and others".

The letter goes on to state, "It is a great contradiction that policies are formulated by the provincial government & executed by federal PAs officers and provincial government cannot hold them accountable.

Their financial & administrative assignments are not accountable to provincial administrative law. The performance evaluation vacuum makes the political government weak to implement the policies. Even if, impugned Civil service of Pakistan (CsP) rules are applied, their number of allotted posts is 47 but they have encroached 715 posts.

Presently, their numbers are 301 against their allotted number of 47. It's a humble request that PAs officers should be restricted to their allotted number of 47 and the legal-

ity of those numbers under CsP, rules are determined by provincial cabinet & assembly".

They also requested through a letter that law and constitution be applied on civil services and PAs vs PM5 issue be resolved in line with the law and in the first phase PAs officers may be restricted to their 47 posts.

“Federal task force on civil service reforms is encroaching upon provincial posts against lawful authority and this proposition may be taken up with the federal government to ensure law and constitution.

PMs officers may be allowed to present their case to the exalted chief minister and provincial cabinet please as implementers ore most important organ of good governance and their structural quality determines the quality of political governance,” the letter concluded.

Punjab PMs Association President Tariq Mehmood Awan while speaking to Pakistan Today said, “We have requested the CM to resolve our issue and government. Now our issue can be resolved through the political executives and legislative and we will go to court if both these offices will not resolve our issue."

FRIDAY

240C

150C

He further argued that Punjab Red Zone (Establishment and security) Act, 2018 needs to be promulgated not only for Lahore Zone but throughout Punjab so as to regulate protests in the sense that fundamental rights should be safeguarded and protected. The counsel argued that various representations were forwarded to departments concerned in this regard but no action had been taken yet.

He pleaded with the court to direct the federal government and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to place on record the subordinate law known as Against Online Harm Rules, 2020, besides a mechanism for implementing the same in order to regulate social media so that Aurat March is silenced once and forever.

The court after hearing the arguments issued notices to the respondents for February 27 and sought their replies.

Govt targeting opponents by holding institutions hostage, says Sanaullah LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Punjab President Rana sanaullah Khan on Monday said that the federal government is targeting political opponents by holding the institutions hostage. sanaullah, in a statement, said that the incumbent regime is using the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) against political rivals. He said that PML-N President shehbaz sharif will return to Pakistan in March. Former premier Nawaz sharif is to undergo surgery which is the reason behind shehbaz’s stay in London, sanaullah said. He recalled Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry shujaat Hussain had claimed that no one will be willing to become prime minister after six months. STAFF REPORT

Tuesday, 25 February 2020

tourism will strengthen eConomy, Create jobs: pm ISLAMABAD

The prime minister told the meeting to lay down a policy about the promotion of tourism, keeping in view the environmental, natural beauty and local values and traditions. He directed to formulate an advance policy and necessary measures regarding provision of facilities to the tourists on their arrival in the Northern Areas in coming months.

Imran Khan also directed to complete process of preparing a master vision plan in next six weeks regarding the promotion of tourism at four coastal areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one each in Punjab and Balochistan provinces. The master vision plan would prove to be helpful about foreign investment in the tourism sector and the construction

of infrastructure in the country.

The prime minister directed the KP chief secretary to complete the process of revival of the government rest houses in the province and its handing over to the private sector for the promotion of tourism in the province.

The officials informed the prime minister that work of zoning about tourism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been completed, adding that three zones had been completed at Ghizar, Astore and Shigar in Gilgit-Baltistan for promotion of tourism.

The prime minister was told that help was being sought from Agha Khan Foundation about protection and renovation of old buildings for the promotion of tourism in Northern Areas.

IHC clubs govt's appeal against PMDC with plea challenging eight ordinances

filed for restoration of PMDC which had been accepted by the single member bench. He prayed the court to attach the federation’s appeal with another petition regarding eight presidential ordinances as it was being heard by the same bench.

The court accepted the request of additional attorney general and chief justice remarked that the bench would conduct hearing March 12, on the two petitions together.

APP

p

RIME Minister Imran Khan on Monday said there was a lot of tourism potential in Pakistan and promotion of that sector would not only strengthen the economy but also create business and job opportunities to numerous local people.

The prime minister stated this while chairing a meeting about the promotion of environmentfriendly tourism in the country. The meeting deliberated upon the promotion of tourism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, coastal areas of the country, and protection and renovation of historic buildings in Northern Areas.

ISLAMABAD APP

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Monday clubbed the appeal of Ministry of Health against Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC)’s restoration with another petition challenging eight presidential ordinances moved by Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N)’s lawmaker.

The court would conduct hearing on the identical petitions on March 12.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Lubna Saleem Pervaiz heard the appeal of Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination against the single member bench decision dismissing the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) Ordinance and restoring the terminated employees of PMDC. At the outset of hearing, additional attorney general adopted the stance that a total of six petitions were

Continuing despite Climate Change CITY NOTES M A NIAZI

t

he reports of a plague of locusts in Africa made me think of the locusts in Punjab and Sindh. Is something happening to the climate? They say the African locusts got to work because of the greater availability of moisture because of climate change. Hmmm. We had another import from East Africa, dengue. Now do not tell me that it is not moisture-related.

Of course, as the US president has told us, climate change is basically a Chinese conspiracy to stop America from being great again. Like the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak, which was probably a Chinese attempt to make the world economy collapse, which is in turn meant to make the US economy stutter, which will hurt Trump in this election year. That no American has died so far does not mean anything. So Trump will have to do more to get his pals off.

One pal who he has to face is Michael Bloomberg, he is a billionaire who was the mayor of New York in his last foray into politics. Trump does not have anything on him, though he would probably like to.

Bloomberg is running a strange campaign for the Democratic nomination, missing the Iowa and Nevada caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, going straight into Super Tuesday, when several states hold primaries. Bloomberg has already spent $350 million on advertising, which is more than anybody.

The Democratic frontrunner is Bernie Sanders, and though he is the Senator from Vermont, he is a New Yorker who moved there. Trump is not the best of advertisements for New Yorkers, actually, for he is neither a Jew, like Blumberg or Sanders, nor an Italian, like his lawyer Rudy Giuliani.

Perhaps it is the New York influence which makes him so inclined to make people offers they cannot refuse.

Sanders won in Iowa and New Hampshire before Nevada, which makes him the frontrunner, with only Bloomberg to challenge. Look, with Trump set to lose to whichever person the Democrats put up, so long as he can walk, rich people need the Democrats to nominate somebody who does not call himself a democratic socialist.

Another billionaire who will protect all of those tax breaks Trump enacted.

Of course, Bloomberg has got a couple of skeletons in the cupboard. There are all the #Metoo complaints at the Bloomberg Group, including many against Bloomberg personally. Such complaints did not stop Trump winning, did it? And then there is the racism Bloomberg as Mayor of New York presided over the ‘stop and frisk’ policy, which let the cops stop and frisk anybody they thought was a suspect. Invariably, it seemed, they always suspected blacks. Trump thinks white supremacists are good people. So if it is Tump versus Blumberg in November, the US will have a racist president.

Whoever is elected, will probably take steps to encourage events like the Hanau shooting in Germany, at a shisha bar, which left 10 dead. Well, not encourage, but maybe turn a blind eye to. Maybe he’ll be tough on trade with China, making it take more soybeans. Hopefully, not like the soybeans at Kemari, whose fumes killed 14 people. One suspect is not the soybeans themselves, but a pesticide used on them.

Of course, the prime minister was busy working out who to make attorney general after Anwar Mansoor resigned. He said something about the members of the bench hearing the Justice Qazi Faez Isa case, and almost got slapped with contempt. The law minister was in court, as was the PM’s special assistant on accountability. Were they there just for fun or were they there as solicitors, watching how the barrister pleaded the case. The government says it did not ask him to resign, but he was not pleading very well.

Anwar Masood does have a history of resigning. He resigned his commission from the army and went into the law. He resigned as a Sindh High Court (SHC) judge, as attorney general, and now again as attorney general. He will go back to private practice, though I am not sure I would engage him.

It is as risky as Fawad Chaudhry’s asking the National Assembly (NA) speaker about Shahbaz Sharif. Chaudhry is supposed to have done so after failing to detect Shahbaz through his moonsighting app.

“Tussieid da chanbangai” is the usual phrase — “you have ve quite become the Eid moon”. I am sure that his Science and Technology Ministry has got numerous other detectors, all of which failed to find Shahbaz.

CMYK

NEWS

05

‘modi avoided rally in new delhi because of protests’ NEWS DESK Renowned foreign policy analyst Ahmed Rashid on Monday said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi avoided holding a public gathering in New Delhi during United States President Donald Trump’s visit because of the mass protests against the controversial citizenship law. He said this while speaking to veteran journalist, senior analyst and Pakistan Today Editor Arif Nizami on Channel 92’s programme ‘Ho Kya Raha Hai?’. Rashid said that Modi wanted to bring in 1 million people for the US president’s public appearance in India but he could barely gather 0.1 million. He added that people started leaving the stadium in Ahmadabad during Trump’s speech, a gesture that speaks of the declining popularity of the Indian premier. He also said that there is a perception that the US president wants to elevate India against China as part of a regional strategy.He further said that during his India visit, Trump would avoid passing any controversial comments which could possibly annoy Pakistan.

Speaking about peace in Afghanistan, he said that Pakistan is playing an important role in the Afghan peace process.

Tuesday, 25 February, 2020

06 WORLD VIEW

What a good afghan peace deal Will look like A BAD DEAL IS THE MOST LIKELY OUTCOME OF AFGHAN PEACE TALKS WITHOUT THESE PRINCIPLES, AND THE REGION COULD AGAIN DESCEND INTO THE TYPE OF ANARCHY

usa today SaaD MoHSeni anD MicHael o’Hanlon

c

OULD it really be that the war in Afghanistan, now nearly two decades old for Americans and more than four decades old for Afghans themselves, may be coming to a close?

Reportedly, the first part of a deal that could eventually bring peace to Afghanistan, and GIs home to America, may be close. Negotiated by Afghan-born U.S. diplomat Zalmay Khalilzad, as well as the Taliban, it would begin with a week-long reduction in violence nationwide — not a ceasefire proper, but a temporary cessation of large-scale attacks. It would also include an irreversible (and already ongoing) U.S. drawdown, from about 14,000 American troops to 8,600. For their part, beyond the ceasefire, the Taliban would have to sever links to al Qaeda and affiliates — even though one such affiliate, the Haqqani network, is an instrumental part of their current leadership. So these steps would require some real decisions and changes, even though

they would not end the war or bring all American troops home.

Thus, a second phase of a peace accord would be essential. This time, America’s role would be secondary to that of Afghans on both sides of the conflict. The general goals of phase two would reportedly include a complete, or at least nearly complete, U.S./NATO troop departure, as well as a real Afghan power-sharing agreement between the Taliban and a broad team including the current government as well as other supporters of what might be called a republican, constitutional Afghanistan.

This phase would also feature, naturally and necessarily, an end to the violence. This will be a daunting proposition at a time when Afghanistan’s government, as well as the Taliban both, consider themselves in the driver’s seat in terms of legitimacy and power — and when they have not found a way even to talk to each other yet.

KEY COMPONENTS FOR GOOD DEALS: Still, there might just be ways to cajole and coerce the Taliban to reasonable power-sharing, if the United States is patient and resolute in the process, and avoids sending signals of abandoning the Ghani government. Good deals would have the following components and characteristics: 4 The Taliban would stop trying to control who on the government side they negotiated with, and accept the legitimacy of the other party, even as President Ghani also promised an inclusive ne-

How India’s Modi is playing on Trump’s ego to his advantage

CounterPunCh M K BHaDRaKUMaR

One thing about US President Donald Trump is that he can be brutally frank. Trump recently picked up the phone and called British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to convey his displeasure over the latter’s decision to allow Huawei to operate in the United Kingdom despite Washington’s repeated urgings not to do business with the Chinese tech company.

Washington even threatened that London would be expelled from the Five Eyes (intelligence-sharing arrangement between the U.S., Canada, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand) if it had anything to do with 5G developed by the Chinese company.

But Johnson stuck to his guns—rightly so, since the post-Brexit British economy hopes to get substantial blood transfusion from China to sustain its future growth and prosperity.

After a “furious” call from Trump, which ended abruptly when the U.S. president “slammed down the phone,” Johnson has since postponed his planned visit next month to Washington.

Therefore, Trump’s frank remarks about his forthcoming India visit on February 24-25 to Ahmedabad, Gujarat, should not come as a surprise. In response to a query from the media, he said on February 18: “Well, we can have a trade deal with India, but I’m really saving the big deal for later on. We’re doing a very big trade deal with India. We’ll have it. I don’t know if it’ll be done before the election, but we’ll have a very big trade deal with India.

“We’re not treated very well by India, but I happen to like Prime Minister Modi a lot. And he told me we’ll have 7 million people between the airport and the event. And the stadium, I understand, is sort of semi under construction, but it’s going to be the largest stadium in the world. So it’s going to be very exciting. But he says between the stadium and the airport, we’ll have about 7 million people. So it’s going to be very exciting. I hope you all enjoy it.”

There is virtual certainty now that Trump won’t cancel the visit, as he’s wont to doing at the last minute if his attention wanders away to something more exciting.

Prime Minister Modi did a smart thing indeed by enticing Trump with the alluring

prospect of 7 million people lining up the streets from the Ahmedabad airport to the newly built Motera Stadium in the city.

What can be more seductive to lure a populist politician than a mass rally? Modi understands Trump well like few people can.

Trump treats politics like a reality show.

He is the very antithesis of a cerebral, erudite politician. Ideas don’t matter; words and showmanship are all that matter to him.

Trump derides intellectuality, has a flair for fake news, speaks untruths freely (even in his State of the Union speech), and is a living example of what Abraham Lincoln once said, “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”

But how come such a hugely successful businessman like Trump can be so naive as to believe that Modi will produce a human chain of 7 million Gujaratis?

Some Indian analysts estimate that something like 300,000 Gujaratis might actually line up to witness the nearly 14-mile-long Trump-Modi roadshow on February 24 from the airport to Motera Stadium.

Trump would have calculated that even if just about 10 percent of the people Modi promised actually show up for the roadshow, that would present a breathtaking image to be broadcast back to American TVs. The overpowering impression that the spectacle would create in the American public will be that Trump is an immensely popular leader among mankind, contrary to how half of Americans speak of him.

To be sure, the Modi government is leaving no stone unturned. The government hopes to arrange 120,000 people to attend the rally at Motera Stadium. Three thousand buses will be deployed to ferry people from the districts to the stadium. The state government is expected to spend nearly US$15 million on road renovation, security cover, cultural shows, decorations, etc., alone to give a fresh look to the Gujarat model of development.

Trump didn’t waffle on the reason why he is coming. He hinted that a trade deal remains elusive. His remarks also belied some annoyance with Delhi—presumably, for not being more helpful for his America First project or his family’s business interests in India.

But then, he happens to like Modi himself “a lot.” Suffice it to say, this visit needs to be seen as a favor he’s doing for Modi, whose invitation once as chief guest on Republic Day he’d turned down.

Trump sounded like the badshah (king) out to enjoy himself on an exciting hunting trip and is looking forward to much self-gratification, all arranged at no personal cost to himself.

What can the lowly subjects expect in return? In ancient times, the badshah would have thrown gold coins at the poor people lining the streets.

4

4

4

4

gotiating team on the government side that transcended his own finite presidential term.

Many foreign forces would not leave until a peace deal was reached and then implemented over a period of at least a couple years, allowing the foreign forces to remain in a strategic overwatch role (it is very doubtful foreign forces would return to enforce a deal once a withdrawal was complete, so timing would be crucial).

The departure of NATO might be succeeded by an international UN peacekeeping force that, while not mandated to impose peace through force of arms, could help monitor an accord as a way of determining if the future government should continue to receive international aid as promised. Other foreign specialists working in areas of development would also have to be allowed sustained access to the country.

Not only human and gender and religious rights, but elections of some sort, together with protections for free speech must be part of any future Afghan political system. The Taliban should not be allowed simply to rule the country by force or to muzzle core elements of the new Afghan democracy.

Rather than dismantle either the Taliban’s fighting forces or the current Afghan army/police, any peace accord should allow them all to remain intact (and be paid). Over time, they could gradually be brought under regional coordination

commands that deconflicted their respective roles, rather than integrating them quickly or requiring one side or the other to disband.

Beyond these central principles, the international community can and should be very flexible over matters like sharing of cabinet positions, revisions to the Afghan Constitution that would decentralize power to the regions, and other matters where the Afghan negotiators might find ways to compromise. Washington could also offer greater aid and trade privileges to Pakistan — but conditionally, based on its willingness to show real support for any such deal.

Absent insistence on such fundamentals, however, a bad deal is the most likely outcome of Afghan peace talks. America might find a way out of this war, at least temporarily — but Afghanistan most likely will not, and the region could again descend into the type of anarchy that allowed al Qaeda to establish a foothold there more than 20 years ago. That is not an experiment that anyone should want to run.

For all the frustrations of the Afghanistan war, for Afghans as well as Americans, the core goals of protecting the American homeland and providing a better life to the Afghan people have been at least partly achieved. They should not be squandered.

Saad Mohseni is the chairman of MOBY Group, the largest media company in Afghanistan. Michael O’Hanlon, a member of USA TODAY’s Board of Contributors.

Foreign mercenaries are flocking to Libya Middle east Monitor StaSa Salacanin

Thousands of foreign mercenaries — “private military contractors” — are flocking to Libya, adding fuel to the fire of the civil war while further complicating the efforts to resolve the bloody conflict. In recent years, the North African state has become a paradise for hired guns from all over the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, Turkey and Russia.

While the use of such contractors has been common practice since the 9/11 attacks across the Middle East, their utilisation has been particularly popular in Libya, which falls into that class of countries in which distances are huge, the population density is low, political power is local, and the troops-to-space ratio makes decisive military victories difficult. That is the view of Dr David Chuter, a lecturer at Sciences Po in Paris, and a former defence and security advisor of the British and French governments in the area.

Foreign powers like Russia, Turkey and the UAE have also realised the benefits of using the services of mercenaries. Hiring fighters allows them to lower the political and military costs of achieving their objectives, and they can easily distance themselves if things go wrong. According to Chuter, the countries involved in Libya want to make sure that they have a voice in any future arrangements: “The point here is not to win a military victory, but to qualify for a seat at the table, and because of the forces you control or influence, you can obstruct a peace settlement, so your wishes have to be taken into account.”

He added that there’s a tendency to assume that a unit of military contractors is uniform across all theatres of operation, but in his experience he has noted several different types fighting in Libya.

Ideologically-driven combatants, who engage in war tourism, such as European jihadi volunteers, have played an important role in the region, he pointed out, although experience in Syria and Iraq suggests that most of these combatants, with very little training, are simply cannon fodder.

Chuter adds that the numerous militias deployed in areas where the central government can’t or won’t go, have been used increasingly in Libya. Sudanese militias, for example, fight essentially for money on a contract basis; they seldom have advanced military skills, and usually just dominate an area by having arms when nobody else has. Verifiable data on the numbers of private military contractor units in Libya is hard to come by. Since late last year, many reports have confirmed the presence of Wagner, a notorious Russian paramilitary unit, supporting renegade General Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army. Sergey Sukhankin, a researcher at the Jamestown Foundation, told me that the “number of Russian mercenaries might be between 1,500 and 2,500, although the higher figure might be a Turkish exaggeration.”

According to Nathan Vest, a Middle East specialist at the RAND Corporation, “It’s important to keep in mind that they are not solely serving a tactical frontline purpose, Russian contractors are also providing logistical support and force protection, and bring with them antiaccess/area denial equipment to hinder Turkish drones’ ability to operate.”

There has been much debate about the extent to which this group is controlled by the Kremlin and its Libyan strategy, or if it is a more autonomous corporation chiefly controlled by the owner of the Wagner company, Yevgeny Prigozhin, who has private deals with Haftar.

Sukhankin is convinced that “neither Wagner nor

Prigozhin are independent players; all their actions are (and have always been) coordinated from above.” Nevertheless, the Kremlin denies any connection between private military contractors and Moscow.

However, John Rugarber, a former US Army Captain and analyst at Encyclopaedia Geopolitica, pointed out that similar denials could be heard in the case of Russian troops fighting in Ukraine when Russian officials said that they were there “on vacation”. He told me that it is hard to imagine that Wagner could operate logistically without purchasing arms and material from Russia, whether directly or indirectly.

The fact that Russia chose to support Haftar shows that the “siloviki” faction not only includes the Ministry of Defence, but also the oligarchs and tycoons with a KGB background, apparently lured by economic promises from Haftar, and so Moscow has decided to bet on him. By doing so, explained Rugarber, Russia seeks to strengthen its foothold in Libya and thus the Mediterranean, preclude other — primarily European — players from capitalising on Libyan resources, and expand its export capabilities.

Prior to Turkey’s own injection of thousands of Syrian mercenaries into the battle for Tripoli, speculation was that Russian contractors would prove to be the decisive factor in Haftar’s offensive. In Sukhankin’s opinion, though, it looks highly dubious that Russian mercenaries – at least in their current number and capabilities – are able to tip the balance in Haftar`s favour. This appears to be even more unlikely given the increasing involvement of Turkey.

Recent reports also claim that some 2,000 Syrian fighters, mainly from the Free Syria Army have been sent to Libya to join pro-government forces. Some of these reports highlighted close links between the Turkeybacked forces and Islamic radicals, raising the question of their motives and the ideological impact that they may have in Libya. Nathan Vest thinks that financial incentives are the prime motivation for Turkish-backed Syrian mercenaries in Libya: “The reported salary of $2,000 per month and promises of Turkish citizenship are huge incentives for fighters who have few prospects and a bleak future in Syria.” For Chuter, the Turks may simply have wanted to get them out of Syria and let somebody else worry about them. In Vest’s opinion, though, there’s no indication that the Syrian fighters are driven by the same ideological factors that saw more than 40,000 individuals travel to join Daesh.

Dr Chuter shared an interesting comment made by a Turkish diplomat a few years ago, who suggested to him that, “Erdogan sees himself as restoring the Ottoman Empire, at least in the immediate region.” He noted that we don’t need to believe that this is Ottoman Empire 2.0, so much as that, by sending fighters to Libya, the Turks are sending a message that they are important players with an interest in the region and will not be kept out of any peace negotiations if and when they happen.

Besides Russian and Turkish contractors, Sudanese and Chadian armed groups have also sent thousands of combatants to fight in Libya. According to Vest, African mercenaries are primarily driven by economic interests — salaries and benefits from Libya’s lucrative smuggling and extortion economies — although the Sudanese fighters’ importance in the Libya conflict is often understated. They provide essential force protection for Haftar’s oil facilities and serve as a force multiplier on the ground, freeing the general’s eastern Libyan fighters, who are limited in their coverage, numbers and capacity to fight in Tripoli.

Tuesday, 25 February, 2020

FOREIGN NEWS 07

P

AGENCIES

alestinian Islamic Jihad says two of its fighters killed in Israeli bombing in Syria as air raids are reported in Gaza.Six people have been killed in an Israeli air attack on Damascus, a war monitor said on Monday, as Israel confirmed raids on the Syrian capital as well as on the besieged Gaza Strip.

A statement from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) armed group on Monday said two men, who were members of the group, were killed during the "Zionist bombing in Damascus", which took place late on Sunday night.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based war monitor, later confirmed that four additional pro-al-Assad, Iran-backed fighters died in the attack. At least one of the Iranbacked fighters was Syrian, while the nationalities of the others remained unknown, SOHR head Rami Abdurrahman told AFP news agency.

"This cowardly aggression in Damascus was a reflection of the enemy's failure to confront our fighters inside occupied Palestine," the PIJ said.

An AFP correspondent in Damascus heard several loud explosions shortly before the midnight local time (22:00 GMT). The SOHR said the attacks were "near the Damascus international airport". The Syrian state news agency SANA said "most of the enemy missiles were shot down before reaching their targets", stressing that "no air-

Six killeD iN iSraeli air raiD oN DamaScuS

port" was struck. Earlier, SANA said anti-air defences were activated against attacks "in the Damascus area".

Israel said it launched the attack south of Damascus following rocket fire from the Palestinian territory, Gaza.

"In the Adeliyah region, outside of

Damascus, an Islamic Jihad compound was struck, used as a hub of Islamic Jihad's activity in Syria," the Israeli army said in a statement while confirming several other attacks in Gaza.

It is rare for Israel to claim such attacks directly. Al Jazeera also received

Britain starts hearing US case for extraditing Assange LONDON AGENCIES

Britain on Monday began hearing Washington’s extradition request for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, in a test case of media freedoms in the digital age and the limits of US justice.

A ruling against the 48-year-old Australian could see him jailed for 175 years if convicted on all 17 US Espionage Act charges and one count of computer hacking he faces.

The charges relate to the release in 2010 by the whistleblowing website WikiLeaks of a trove of classified US government files detailing the realities of the military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.

One video from 2007 showed an Apache helicopter attack in which US soldiers gunned down two Reuters reporters and nine Iraqi civilians in broad daylight in Baghdad. But the US extradition case is only the latest stage of a long-running legal saga that has seen Assange in some form of detention since the documents’ release.

He spent years holed up in Ecuador’s London embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden to face allegations of sexual assault — since dropped — that he and his supporters argue were politically motivated.

Protesters gathered outside Woolwich Crown Court in south-east London for the first day of the US extradition hearing on Monday, holding up banners reading “Free Assange”.

His father John Shipton, who attended the hearing with Assange’s brother Gabriel Shipton, decried the “ceaseless malice” of the authorities against his son. “We’re all here to vigorously and firmly support Julian in this 10-year long oppression and political action,” he told reporters.

Assange, wearing a dark grey blazer and sweater over a white shirt and flanked by two security personnel, appeared calm inside the packed court room. Free speech and media freedom campaigners have also decried the US charges against Assange. The Committee to Protect Journalists said in December: “For the sake of press freedom, Julian Assange must be defended.”

TRUMP CLAIM: WikiLeaks initially worked with a string of high-profile newspapers to publish details from the leaked State Department and Pentagon files.

But after falling out with their editors, the site released hundreds of thousands of documents in their original form — including the secret identities of diplomats and locals who worked with the US authorities.

The US Justice Department said last May that the “human resources” compromised by Assange “included local Afghans and Iraqis, journalists, religious leaders, human rights advocates, and political dissidents from repressive regimes”. In a new twist last

independent confirmation about the air raids in Gaza. According to a statement by the Israeli army, "Israeli military planes targeted Islamic Jihad targets in Gaza" including the Khan Younis headquarters of the group and several storage sites in the southern city of Rafah.

Images received by Al Jazeera showed a ball of fire lighting up the night sky in one Gaza neighbourhood, as thick smoke rose. According to the Palestinian news agency, Maan, four people were injured. The PIJ, which operates in the occupied Palestinian territories and Syria, fired more than 20 rockets from Gaza throughout Sunday.

The intense bombardment resumed on Monday, as the Palestinian armed group fired a fresh volley of rockets and mortars towards southern Israel.

Israel's army said in a statement that 20 "projectiles" had been fired from the Palestinian enclave on Monday, 18 of them intercepted by its air defence systems. The rockets came in response to the killing of Mohammed Ali al-Naim, a Palestinian member of the PIJ's armed wing, east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip earlier on Sunday. week, Assange’s defence team claimed US President Donald Trump promised to issue a pardon if Assange denied Russia leaked the emails of his 2016 election rival’s campaign. “In August 2017, Donald Trump’s administration tried to pressure Julian Assange into saying things that would be favourable to President Trump himself,” defence coordinator Baltasar Garzon said. “When Julian Assange refused, he was charged and an extradition request was issued alongside an international arrest warrant.” The White House called the allegation “another neverending hoax and total lie” but a judge agreed to add it to the case file.

INTERNATIONAL FUGITIVE: Assange was in Britain when the allegations of sexual assault and rape in Sweden emerged in 2010, and was ordered by a London judge to be extradited there. But he said he feared onward transfer to Washington, which had been outraged by the WikiLeaks files, and so sought and received asylum in Ecuador’s embassy.

A political realignment in Quito toward the United States saw Assange fall out of favour, however.

In April 2019, Assange was dragged out of the embassy, where he was promptly arrested for breaching his UK police bail. He has since served a jail term for that but remains in custody in the high security Belmarsh prison, next to Woolwich Crown Court, awaiting the US extradition case.

The court will consider whether “the conduct described (by the US Justice Department) amounts to an extradition offence”.

Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service says the court must also weigh whether “extradition would be disproportionate or would be incompatible with the requested person’s human rights”.

Hamburg voters punish Merkel’s party HAMBURG AGENCIES

Voters in German city-state Hamburg punished Chancellor Angela Merkel’s crisis-racked conservatives in a regional election Sunday, while the incumbent centre-left held off a challenge from the Greens according to exit polls.

It was a “bitter day” for Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU), party general secretary Paul Ziemiak said.

According to the Infratest exit poll and estimates from public broadcasters ARD and ZDF, the centre right was ground down more than four percentage points, to just over 11 — managing just third place with its second-worst score ever in a regional vote.

Turmoil in the federal party, as

Merkel’s designated successor stepped down following a scandal over cooperation in an eastern region with the far right, had been “anything but a tailwind” in Hamburg, Ziemiak said.

The biggest winners in Sunday’s vote marked by high turnout were the progressive, ecologist Greens.

They more than doubled their score to over 24 percent after climate change shot to the top of Germany’s political agenda in 2019. The Hamburg result was “a great success”, Greens national coleader Robert Habeck told ARD. “We have a very challenging situation for democracy in Germany, and the CDU is tied up in its own problems… It will be up to us to give the land direction and trust.” There was good news too for the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), for-

merly the main challengers to the CDU for the chancellorship but recently overtaken by the Greens. With just over 39 percent, incumbent SPD mayor Peter Tschentscher, 54, will likely remain in office as head of a “red-green” coalition in party bastion Hamburg.

Meanwhile far-right party AfD and the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) were both flirting with the five-percent hurdle needed to enter parliament.

Early exit polls showed the far-right squeezed out, but updated totals from ARD and ZDF later Sunday pointed to AfD just clearing the threshold.

With the Greens on the rise and CDU and SPD support eroding, Hamburg’s results reflect the broader political picture of fragmentation visible in Germany-wide polls.

Sanders wins big in Nevada but some Democrats worry LAS VEGAS AGENCIES Bernie Sanders’ landslide victory in Nevada’s Democratic nominating contest has scattered his moderate challengers and injected his White House campaign with a fresh burst of momentum as he drives into the next crucial battlegrounds. With his strong result Saturday, the Vermont senator demonstrated an ability to broaden a coalition beyond the narrow limits of leftist voters, undercutting the argument from several moderates that he would not be able to bridge the divide between progressives and centrists. “He showed last night that he can energize our core base,” Howard Dean, a former presidential aspirant himself and former head of the Democratic National Committee, told CNN. As of Sunday evening, Sanders was comfortably ahead in Nevada with 72 percent of precincts reporting. The 78-year-old senator was leading the Democratic pack with 47.1 percent of the vote, followed far behind by former vice president Joe Biden at 20.9 percent and Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, at 13.6 percent. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar trailed at, respectively, 9.7 percent and 3.9 percent.

INCREDIBLY IMPRESSIVE: Sanders was quick to claim victory, saying his “multi-generational, multi-racial coalition” was “going to sweep this country.” Dean said the senator’s result in a state far more typical of America’s demographic variety than the two earlier-voting states was “incredibly impressive.” But he quickly added that a more definitive result will come only after voters in 14 states cast ballots on March 3, or “Super Tuesday.” Before that comes South Carolina, which votes on February 29. Biden’s once-strong prospects had faded sharply for weeks, but he said Saturday that he felt “really good” about his second-place showing in Nevada and shouldn’t be counted out. His team is banking on a strong showing in South Carolina, where Biden has enjoyed support among a majority-black Democratic electorate. But Biden’s lead over Sanders in that state is evaporating quickly. On Sunday, a RealClearPolitics average of national polls gave Biden just a 3 point lead over Sanders at 24.5 percent, compared to 12.5 points 10 days ago. After Sanders came in virtually tied for first in Iowa and then won in New Hampshire, his undeniable victory in Nevada places him squarely in the driver’s seat, at least for now.

Tuesday, 25 February, 2020

08 COMMENT

What does the seventh blade do?

US, Pakistan and India Spin and reality

D

eSpITe sharp difference between the US and India on trade issues, president Trump considers pM Narendra Modi as a strategic ally while relations with pakistan are seen important but at the same time transactional. Among other things this explains why president Trump is in India for two days while he is to visit pakistan “soon” as promised by FM to the nation.

For president Trump, India is a big foreign market for the US as well as for the Trump organisation. US-India bilateral trade is worth $160b and India is seen as a big purchaser of US weapons systems. To crown it all, India is taken as a hedge against China. The US and India are wary of the increasing influence of China in the region and oppose Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and its marque project, the China pakistan economic Corridor (CpeC).

The US administration needs pakistan mostly to help it extricate itself from Afghanistan.

For president Trump the Indian visit also has importance because close relations with the so-called biggest democracy can be touted to seek votes in the forthcoming presidential elections. With a large number of Indian expatriates coming from Gujrat, Ahmedabad was selected for the public gathering where the US president delivered his address president Trump’s visit comes at a time when pM Modi faces internal protests and external criticism against CAA and repression in Kashmir. India also faces a weak economy and rising unemployment. The US president’s visit, even if there is muted criticism of BJp government’s policies, will be presented as an endorsement of the regime.

After the Davos meeting between president Trump and prime Minister Imran Khan, FM Qureshi waxed lyrical as he talked about several “important” issues having come under discussion in an hour-long meeting.

These included a promise to speak to Indian prime Minister Narendra Modi about the Kashmir issue. “We’re talking about Kashmir [...] if we can help, we certainly will be helping. We’ve been watching that and following it very, very closely,” president Trump was reported to have said. One expects president Trump to talk about peace on LoC, joint efforts to end terrorism, even respect for dissent and other human rights. It remains to be seen if he calls for an end to atrocities in IHK also.

Dr. Death Organ trafficking claims a life yet again

On the evolution of safety razors

haSaN aFTaB SaEED

I

T’S not clear when and who shaved his face for the first time in history. And why. Since most everything has a habit of starting in ancient egypt or China, it’s a safe bet that the first act of shaving also took place in one of those places. Razors of sorts have been found from archeological sites as old as 30,000 BC, and the phenomenon of shaving could easily be even older. Be that as it may, the tool employed on the historic occasion of the first shave had a single cutting blade. And this remained so up until the latter part of the 20th century. With technology, the materials of the blade kept on changing – flint, clamshells, bronze, copper, carbon-steel, and ultimately stainless steel – but the one solitary blade remained a fixture. In all the intervening millennia, nobody thought of adding another blade to the razor. Before mid-1970s that is, when the twin-blade razor was introduced.

Now we have razors with as many as seven

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

I

the average razor customers more gullible than they previously were, many of whom fell for the ‘new’ technologies with increasing number of blades; hook line and stinker. For good measure, admen ensured that there was always a pretty lady around who approved as the shirtless protagonist went ahead with his shave.

But that’s probably not the whole story. The author has it on good authority that seven-blade cartridges are not without their passionate advocates, who know from their personal experience that these razors are better than their predecessors.

Well, there’s no arguing with anybody’s personal experience (the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and all that sort of thing). Here, the author is reminded of a twenty-five-years-old incident. On a cold January night in Lahore, it was decided by a group of cousins to get outside fried fish from the famous Mozang Chungi. A party of three (including the author) set out on the errand with explicit instructions to buy from the legendary Bashir Darul Mahi and not from any of his numerous competitors. Once at Mozang Chungi, it was clear that Bashir, with a mile-long queue, was the last proprietor anybody with any sense would take his business to on such a chilly night. Fish was duly bought from one of the rivals (who was sitting idle), the wrappers carefully thrown away in the kitchen, and presented to the gathering as fresh from Bashir’s giant pan. It was a hit. Connoisseur after connoisseur observed how Bashir had that extra something none of his rivals could provide no matter how much they tried. It will be interesting to subject some of the fans of the seven-blade razors to a blindfold test where they are asked to guess the number of blades on the razor judging from the shave’s comfort and quality.

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

Elections and democracy

vote as per the dictates of their conscious (Including myself). Multiple factors like irrational love of personality, caste, biradari, peer pressure, group think, and herd mentality, an innate desire to please a friend or family member override even the basic reasonable consideration of choosing the lesser evil for an individual voter.

Since an individual voter considers his vote as who are contesting elections ‘requesting’ fellow an instrument for petty, short term gains, those black coats to kindly vote for them and give them who dabble in electoral politics of any kind and an opportunity to serve and become their voice. at any tier steer him accordingly.

At the same time, journalists are sharing aggresevery passing day, there are fewer takers of sively colorful pictures of their ‘panel’ in all and democracy all over the world. After the Brexit every Whatsapp group they are part of with the referendum in UK and an election that made a same ‘request’ advocate sahibaan are making on certain Mr. Donald Trump pOTUS, democracy texts and in person. has become pariah in the very territories it was Since elections provide an opportunity to sift once considered inviolable and invincible. The friends from foes while having some halla- bigot and the zealot, once shunned in the develgulla, on the side, only a oped world, have not only fool can hate them. In the made a comeback but also election season, battle lines scored true believers for are drawn, alliances are their causes.

Since elections provide an made, campaigns are unIn a world where dertaken, symbols are allotopportunity to sift friends everybody with a smartted, speeches are made, phone and social media from foes while having allegations are hurled and presence is a microscopic as the polling day nears a celebrity, where almost some halla-gulla, on the warm sense of purpose enevery jobless lad is either gulfs the individual who is side, only a fool can hate a motivational speakers or convinced that he is part of a budding entrepreneur, them. In the election something massive, somewe have droves of charisthing meaningful, and matic folks from every season, battle lines are something historic. Well, walk of life who believe drawn, alliances are made, that becoming a leader is the ultimate ‘epiphany’ kicks in the very next mornan end in itself rather than campaigns are undertaken, the ing when he returns to the means to attain an same old, dull routine ideal through the sweat of symbols are allotted, called life in which he has one’s brow. speeches are made, to balance work and life. He Let’s us wrap this silently yells in his heart; allegations are hurled and week’s column with a disStatus quo is dead, long live tinction I learned during as the polling day nears a my bachelors. What sepathe status quo and leaves the bed. rates an autocracy from a warm sense of purpose The common man, republic? Many things, who remains just another engulfs the individual who you may say, like freedom number, another statistic in speech, liberty, rule of is convinced that he is part of multiple surveys year in law, accountability of year out, all of a sudden rulers, so on and so forth. of something massive, becomes an individual Well, dearest sirs and something meaningful, and ma’ams, the defining difvoter with a unique identity no one can snatch or ference between an autocsomething historic. replicate. In first-past-theracy and a republic is that post electoral system the in a republic people by candidate contesting genvirtue of their votes decide eral elections, local bodies who’ll rule over them, polls or any other election need to bag more while in an autocracy, the usurper or a tyrant devotes than their respective rivals. And to win the cides the fate of his people. About time, we inhearts and minds of voters, something a little culcate a tad bit respect for democracy that more concrete than future prosperity, something allows us to vote whether we are black coats, to alleviate the present misery and something to journalists or shopkeepers hellbent to change redress the past wrongs has to be offered. That destinies of our fellow mortals. ‘something’ is offered and accepted. No points for guessing what that ‘something’ is.

Shah Nawaz Mohal is a law graduate and Let’s put our thinking hats on for a minute. journalist based in Islamabad. He can be reached people, at least in our part of the world, hardly at mshahnawazmohal@gmail.com.

Merely voting does not mean participating in the democratic process

U

p until 2007 pakistan was considered one of the premier destinations in the world for procuring a kidney illegally due to the absence of any law restricting the trade and an abundance of supply owing to crippling poverty in the country. That year, Senate passed the ‘Transplantation of Human Organs and Human Tissue Ordinance’ (THOTO) that became a law in 2010. Among its other features, the law makes it mandatory for the donor to be a blood relative of the recipient, providing genuine consent to donate his or her kidney. In punjab, for example, where most of the transplants in the country take place, hospitals have government approved panels that check the bona fides of the parties involved in each case. These new restrictions naturally gave birth to a black market for organ transplants, especially since private and government run hospitals had to start following strict procedures before allowing any transplant surgeries to take place. This is evidenced by the recent case of famous comedian Umar Sharif’s daughter’s death at the hands of Dr Fawad Mumtaz who is notorious for performing illegal transplant surgeries and running an organ trafficking racket; he has since fled and is in hiding to avoid arrest.

Dr Mumtaz is no stranger to the legal authorities who had arrested him previously for the same offence that carries a 10-year prison sentence. An inefficient legal system provided him bail in that case after which he has continued his deadly practice. The surgery on Sharif’s daughter was performed somewhere in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, which shows that although there is a vigilant eye of the FIA and Human Organ Transplant Authority on the activity, it is still taking place in relatively more remote, less surveilled areas in the country.

It is imperative that the legal system provides no opportunity to organ traffickers, especially those who violate their Hippocratic Oath to profit off of helpless patients, to escape justice. perhaps there needs to be a debate on the strictness of the laws in place so that the legal route to organ transplant is easier to take. At the moment it seems desperation is the reason patients seek out people like Dr Mumtaz, not fully understanding the risks involved. That pakistan ranks eighth globally in kidney diseases does not help matters either.

blades, which has prompted many a thoughtful soul to wonder what exactly the seventh blade does that the first six can’t.

Of course there are ads explaining with the aid of impressive computer graphics, how the first blade gets chummy with the hair, the second one holds the skin, the third one cuts the upper part of the hair, the fourth one removes the remaining part of the hair, the fifth one tells the skin to hang in there as there are only two more blades to follow, and so son. Of course, all such explanations belong to the ‘If it says so in the description, it must be true’ category of advertising.

There have only been two revolutions in shaving technology: The advent of disposable blades (with which the ‘straight’ razor gave way to the ‘shavette’); and the invention of the ‘safety’ razor.

The rest, including the expendable cartridge and the disposable razor, has pretty much been an evolution comprising variations of these. electric shavers did at one time threaten to replace the manual ones altogether; but unless we are in for a surprise in future, they will merely be a footnote in the history of shaving. The story of trimmers is different though, but more on that later.

The world was content with the twin-blade device till the late 1990s when market competition forced the addition of another blade. Incidentally, the introduction of the triple-blade razor coincided with increasing numbers of men opting for designer or lazy stubbles. These men naturally favoured electric trimmers. The ‘clean and fresh’ look that the razor manufacturers had been selling since time immemorial now faced stiff competition from the ‘casual and manly’ look.

The competition therefore got that much fiercer, and with it the desperation of the manufacturers soared. Luckily for them, it so happened that the group that opted for the beard/stubble was on average more intelligent than those that stayed clean-shaven. The departure of the former left

Shah Nawaz Mohal

W

e are an election-loving nation.

Whether in schools, market committees, bars, press clubs, union council level, provincial assemblies or national legislature, we love to cast our votes and be counted. Yet, democracy evades us. It evades us for many reasons. Let us try to look and make sense of what those reasons could be.

‘Kindly Vote and Support Advocate so-andso in the upcoming bar elections and play your role in breaking the vicious cycle of status quo,’ reads one of a text messages out of hundreds I received during past many months. However, lawyers are not at all the only creed intensely in love with elections. Journalists, traders, members of housing societies, even engineers get enthralled whenever election season is around the corner.

‘Once again vote for Splendid Hack panel’ reads a banner near press club. ‘Defy the Splendid Hack panel by voting for Freedom Fighters Group’ says the banner by a splinter faction of Splendid Hack panel. And thus, stands the electoral politics of press club in many cities of pakistan, hegemony of a well-established, well-rooted ‘panel’ being challenged by a splinter ‘group’ comprising of disenchanted, sidelined former members.

No one, even politicians, can beat the folks they look down upon; I am talking about traders and shopkeepers who too hold elections with other groups to ‘serve’ fellow traders and shopkeepers in their respective markets and localities.

Words like Unity, Welfare, and Friend are aptly placed between Trader and Group. even the election symbols like crescent, rose, and lamp smell of brotherhood, fresh yogurt, unity and rice.

Welcome, dearest sirs and ma’ams, to the time where elections are ubiquitous. Visit any district court, you’ll see the humble black coats Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

I

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

I

Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

I

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Tuesday, 25 February, 2020

COMMENT 09 Editor’s mail

Send your letters to: letters to Editor, pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey fatima jinnah, lahore, Pakistan.

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

India's Super-power Ambition

The mediocrity of CSS in 2020 Examiners repeating past question papers aNwar ali

M

eDIOCRITY is a hallmark of the Federal public Service Commission (FpSC), which is assigned with the task of conducting a countrywide yearly competitive examination, the Central Superior Services (CSS), for recruitment in Basic pay Scale 17.

On February 12, the FpSC commenced the CSS examination for the year 2020. To facilitate mediocre candidates to traverse the field of national competition, whereas the papers of english essay, and english precis and comprehension introduced mediocrity by lowering the english testing standards, a paper of international relations reinforced mediocrity by repeating the questions asked in the immediate past.

On February 15, the FpSC conducted the CSS-2020 examination of international relations through two papers, paper I and paper II. Of them, paper I expressed a dismal state of affairs, when the CSS candidates taking the exam found that the examiner failed to introduce fresh questions to invite novel ideas and trenchant analyses. Instead, to make up six subjective questions, the examiner preferred to pick up four questions from paper I of international relations for CSS-2018.

The four repeated questions were these: Q.1: What are the points of convergence and divergence in Neo-Realist and Constructivist approaches to the study of state behavior in contemporary international politics? Q.2: Define the concept of strategic culture and highlight the major determinants of pakistan’s strategic culture. Q. 3: explain the concept of economic Liberalism and relate its core interests with the concept of Neo-Imperialism or creating economic Dependency? Q.4: Describe the concept of pre-emptive self-defence in the context of International Law and critically evaluate the legitimacy of US’ use of force against Iraq.

That is, in paper I of international relations for CSS-2020, the examiner repeated exactly not one but four questions from paper I of international relations for CSS-2018. even a board examination of intermediate level avoids such a practice and the consequent ignominy. Nevertheless, the invidious practice of repeating questions, in substance or content, points out to the underlying six-pronged strategy of the FpSC. First, the FpSC enjoys no control over the examiners that it engages for setting papers and checking the resultant answer sheets. The examiners revel in discretion in setting papers not by using their own minds but by preferring to copy and paste questions from the past papers.

The implication is simple to understand: when an examiner despises originality and deplores freshness in asking questions, the candidates also follow suit. Answer sheets get replete with parroted banal and hackneyed ideas.

Second, the FpSC promotes ordinariness by forcing the CSS candidates to solve question papers of the past exams to prepare for attempting papers of the next exam. When the examiners counted on the past papers, the candidates would also bank on the past papers. An examiner sets a trend through the question paper. To follow the trend, the prospective candidates for next year would not prepare for new knowledge

but they would look for trite concepts to master is known to all and sundry. For instance, of many, the present. The FpSC is complicit in letting an one manifestation of the link is the leaking out examiner set such a malicious trend favouring of the list of names, addresses and contact nummediocre candidates and deprecating the bers of the candidates who passed the written expreparatory efforts of studious candidates. The amination of CSS-2019. Understandably, the FpSC officials cannot disodious trend snatches an close the list to CSS acadopportunity from brainy, emies without seeking brilliant candidates to sursome financial reward. pass mediocrity.

The examiners revel in The CSS academies in IsThird, the FpSC constrains the CSS candidiscretion in setting papers lamabad and Lahore are the major beneficiaries of dates to stay blinkered. not by using their own such a favour that enables Instead of encouraging them the sucthe candidates to study minds but by preferring to cessfulto contact candidates for latest published books and journals on ever copy and paste questions conducting their mock inThe mock interevolving international refrom the past papers. The terviews. views offer a lifeline to lations, the FpSC is obligthese academies, which ing the candidates to implication is simple to would claim that their sturefrain from any such exunderstand: when an dents clinched positions ploratory activity. The when the final result were FpSC is making the canexaminer despises declared. didates rely on stale rotSixth, the FpSC is ting knowledge. The originality and deplores discouraging adventure message is this: instead of freshness in asking and challenge in the canexploring new avenues of knowledge, prepare the questions, the candidates didates. The fear of unknown keeps CSS past trite questions to be also follow suit. candidates on their toes to successful in the future. visit libraries, read books, Fourth, the FpSC acts and learn new concepts to as an equalizer by obscurbrace for an unforeseen ing the line of distinction between studious and mediocre candidates. The challenge. The fear dissipates when the practice latter keep their knowledge circumscribed by of repeating questions is introduced, though the seeking answers to the questions given in the practice is not new and exclusive to CSS-2020. past papers. The former felt forced to mediocrity Mere changing the CSS syllabus, as happened when the knowledge they imbibed through gen- in 2016, cannot serve the purpose of reforms.

In short, the FpSC’s examination policy is eral preparation is not tested. Such a question paper leaves studious candidates with the feeling short of meeting the challenges of time. The policy needs a serious review. Through the of their knowledge being under-expressed.

Fifth, the FpSC facilitates the Urdu bazar agency of the FpSC, a creed of mediocre canpublishers to churn out books claiming to have didates burgeons to the disadvantage of society, solved the past papers. The repetition of ques- which yearns for brilliant officers to run the adtions is like a windfall for local publishers to sell ministrative affairs. The FpSC is supposed to their books. Apparently, the FpSC has been re- tell the public the reasons for promoting mediduced to a textbook board having connections ocrity. The FpSC also needs internal reforms to with local publishers to print guess papers and sever the contact of its officials with the CSS bespoken answer books. By the way, the rela- academies and local publishers. tionship existing between the officials of the Anwar Ali is a freelance columnist FpSC and the CSS exam-preparatory academies

MODI 2.0 wants India to become a US$ 5 trillion economy, and a master of Indian Ocean, pax Indica. But, to become a superpower, India needs to shed its binary hyphenating with pakistan bogey. India is getting isolated in the comity of nations because of its hostility towards pakistan.

India is faced with a multitude of problems at home and abroad. India’s hegemony forced Nepal to veer towards China.

Modi dictated to Nepal that it should craft Nepal’s Constitution to protect the interests of Hindus in that country. In Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, as well as Maldives, India’s fortunes depend on the ebb and flow of governments in power. For now, Myanmar is balancing India and China. In Afghanistan, if the ongoing US negotiations with Taliban succeed and the group becomes a partner in the government in Kabul, New Delhi’s strategic interests and influence in that country would dwindle.

Washington has threatened to impose sanctions on India if it continues to buy Iranian oil and goes ahead with the already signed deal to acquire the S-400 missile system from Russia.

Washington’s hostility may lead to disintegration of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, the group linking the US, Japan, Australia and India to counter China’s expansionism.

Already, Washington has removed India from the Generalized System of preferences (GSp), a preferential trade programme offering lower tariffs to exports from developing countries.

The myth of India’s superpower status explodes spectacularly in the multilateral arena as the country continues to remain excluded from major institutions of global governance. Despite being Asia’s third largest economy, India is still not a member of the influential Asia-pacific economic Cooperation. Although it is a major donor of development aid across South Asia and Africa, a membership in the Organisation for economic Co-operation and Development still eludes India. It is also not a member of G7, a central institution of the world’s leading democracies. India is the world’s largest democracy, with the third-largest military in the world. It is a top troop-contributor to UN peacekeeping.

Still, it is not a permanent member of the UN Security Council. At the UN General Assembly, too, India’s heft has suffered due to New Delhi’s steadily dwindling support of the palestinian cause amidst soaring ties with Israel. But it appears that Modi 2.0 looks upon his election victory as due to Hindutva. But, not all the 335 million (38% of the 67% turnout) who voted for Narendra Modi did so as Hindus. Yet, Indian parliament resonates with Hindu slogans. To become a super-power, it should stick to its secular constitution.

MAryuM MAlIk rawalpindi

The Sad Condition of Schools in Kiken KIKeN is a small helpless village, located 45 kilometers from Turbat city in Balochistan. However, the village population is increasing rapidly. Although, there is a middle school, unfortunately it lacks many facilities such as good classrooms, electricity, and many more. Apart from this, the teachers do not take their classes seriously and are just wasting the time of students. Due to this condition, the people of our village encounter many difficulties. It is my humble request to the Government of Balochistan to facilitate us in this regard.

HANIf PHullAN kiken, Turbat

Inflation and the Poor INFLATION is the most common issue in pakistan, creating a bunch of difficulties for the population. Since most of the citizens are poor, they might not be able to deal with such a situation. The poor cannot afford to buy goods at high prices.

It is tough for them to feed their children. If inflation continues increasing at the same rate, the poor will suffer more. Thus, the government should take strong action against this issue and must not burden the citizens more.

ZAkIrA PullAN kech

The Debt Origins MR. Z. A. Bhutto came to power in the age of control and regulations. He nationalized all private industries, banks, and big businesses, a decision that caused huge damage to the economy in the long run. private sector was affected negatively, either marginalized or pushed back, giving way to inefficiency, entitlement, and corruption in government owned businesses. These state enterprises were ineffective and inefficient because employees had secure jobs with no sense of accountability or customer reactions. Most big industrialists closed their businesses and moved to other countries to invest their money. The institutions owned by the nationalized government were running in loss due to corruption and mismanagement. Due to malpractices and inefficiencies, the economy of the country eroded, and the government had to borrow heavily from various international sources. Since then, every government that assumed power, democratic or dictatorial, did not adopt a simple and parsimonious way of living with the aim to clear debt, but borrowed more to spend more in order to perpetuate their rule. The politicians who have ruled the country in one party or the other have not been able or willing to rid the country of debt trap. rAjA SHAfAATullAH Islamabad

Tuesday, 25 February, 2020

10 FOREIGN NEWS

South korea oN froNtliNe aS DeaDly coroNaviruS SPreaDS arouND globe SEOUL

t

AGENCIES

h e deadly coronavirus epidemic spread further outside China on Monday as a surge of infections in South Korea made it the biggest hotspot abroad, while authorities in Europe and the Middle East battled to curb outbreaks. Kuwait said three people, including a Saudi national, who returned from Iran were infected by the new coronavirus, state news agency KUNA reported. The three cases, the first in the Gulf state, were among the 700 people evacuated from the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad last week, KUNA said. The first case of the new coronavirus was also detected in Bahrain, the state news agency said on Monday, citing the health ministry.

The Ministry of Health added that it was a Bahraini citizen arriving from Iran.

The number of fatalities in China also continued to soar, with 150 more confirmed deaths taking the official death toll to over 2,600.

Chinese authorities insist they are making progress in containing the virus, citing slowing in-

fection rates thanks to unprecedented travel lockdowns and quarantines in or near the outbreak’s epicentre. But a rising number of new cases and deaths in other parts of the world have deepened fears about a potential pandemic, with South Korea, Italy and Iran emerging over the past week on the frontlines.

South Korea has seen a rapid surge in infections since a cluster emerged from a religious sect in the southern city of Daegu last week. Another 161 infections and two more deaths were reported in South Korea on Monday, bringing the total cases to more than 700 people — the most outside China.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Sunday raised the country’s virus alert to the highest “red” level, to strengthen the government response to the spiralling outbreak. The government has extended kindergarten and school holidays by one week nationwide and plans to enforce tighter two-week monitoring of arrivals from China.

FIFTH DEATH IN ITALY: Italy reported Monday its fifth death from the new coronavirus, as the number of people contracting the disease continued to mount and officials called for calm.

The death of an 88-year-old man was the fourth

in the northern Lombardy region, where villages have been put under lockdown and security measures enforced in a bid to stem the spread of the disease.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has said that residents could face weeks in lockdown in an effort to sit out the virus. Angelo Borrelli, head of the country’s civil protection agency, said 219 people had now tested positive in Italy, which has the most confirmed cases in Europe.

Five people have died of the virus in the past four days, including one in the Veneto region.

An Alitalia flight from Rome was being held in Mauritius Monday, after 40 people from Lombady and Veneto were told they could not disembark unless they consented to being placed in quarantine.

Alitalia said it was arranging for their immediate repatriation instead, despite none of the passengers showing any symptoms.

Eleven towns — 10 in Lombardy and one in neighbouring Veneto — are under lockdown, with some 50,000 residents prohibited from leaving. Regional authorities have ordered gathering spots, such as bars, restaurants, cinemas and discos to close.

The spread of the virus has disrupted high profile

events including Milan Fashion Week and the Venice Carnival, while Serie A football matches have been postponed. Operas have also had to be cancelled at Milan’s famed La Scala. Masses in churches across the affected regions have been cancelled and funerals limited to immediate relatives only. The stock market in Milan was down nearly 5.0 per cent on Monday in a broad-based sell-off over virus fears.

ECONOMIC TOLL: The virus is taking an increasingly heavy toll on the global economy, with many factories in China closed or subdued due to quarantines, and global travel choked.

Stock markets in Asia fell on Monday following the surge in infections in South Korea and weekend developments across Europe and the Middle East.

canada warns indigenous rail blockades could cripple economy

TORONTO AGENCIES

The Canadian government warned Sunday that indigenous protests that have blocked rail lines for more than two weeks could cripple the economy, and urged a swift resumption of dialogue to end the crisis.

The main blockades — which were set up around the country 18 days ago to protest a natural gas pipeline being built across indigenous lands in British Columbia — were still in place Sunday, two days after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called for their immediate lift. What had started as a localized protest by members of the Wet’suwet’en tribe opposed to the pipeline quickly spread across the country as others joined efforts to “shut down Canada.” On Saturday, leaders of that tribe reiterated their conditions for restarting talks: complete withdrawal of federal police from their ancestral lands and suspension of work on the pipeline by the company Coastal GasLink. “We are working at the federal level to try to resume dialogue, for hereditary leaders to accept the fact that we agree to their demand for the withdrawal of the GRC from their territory,” Transport Minister Marc Garneau told Radio-Canada, referring to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. He said tribal leaders “should immediately put out the message that while this dialogue is under way, the barricades should be lifted.”

“This could go on for a long time” because it has a huge impact on the Canadian economy, Garneau said. “It could even affect our GDP if it continues.” The rail blockades, especially on an important east-west line, have forced the Canadian National Railway to suspend much of its freight traffic and lay off 1,000 people temporarily. This is a delicate issue for Trudeau, who has made reconciliation with Canada’s indigenous peoples a top priority of his second term in office.

BEIJING: An employee cleans a key component of a temperature screening machine at a company in the Electronics Town Science and Technology Park of Zhongguancun Science and Technology Park in Chaoyang District of Beijing. Some enterprises in the Electronics Town Science and Technology Park have resumed work amid strict prevention and control measures against the novel coronavirus. AGENCIES

Stocks, oil prices tumble on pandemic fears as gold soars PARIS AGENCIES

World stock markets and oil prices tumbled Monday, with Milan and Seoul falling hardest on growing fears of a coronavirus pandemic, as gold hit a seven-year peak on safe-haven buying, dealers said. In late morning deals, Milan’s stock market dived almost five percent following reports of a fourth death amid the COVID-19 epidemic, an 84-year old man in the northern Lombardy region.

It was the third death in Lombardy, where villages have been sealed off and security measures enforced to stem the spread of the disease.

Traders’ screens were awash with red elsewhere in Europe too, with Frankfurt falling 3.7 percent, London losing 3.5 percent, Madrid down 3.3 percent and Paris shedding 3.8 percent.

Brent oil prices slumped four percent as the burgeoning crisis sparked global energy demand worries.

Conversely, on the London Bullion Market gold surged to $1,689.31 per ounce — a level last seen in January 2013 — as investors snapped up the precious metal as a safety measure

amid the market turbulence.

EQUITIES ‘DEEPLY IN THE RED’: “Fears over an escalation of the coronavirus outside of China have caused a major retreat in global markets and prompted wild swings in commodity prices,” said AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould.

“Italy’s lockdown, as the country tries to control the worst outbreak of the virus in Europe, has caused investors to panic about how business and society will be affected. A large spike in coronavirus cases in South Korea has also added to market concerns.

“The result is a large sell-off in equities with… Europe and Asia deeply in the red,” Mould added.

Seoul nosedived 3.9 percent as South Korea announced a surge in COVID-19 infections, while Hong Kong erased 1.8 percent but Shanghai retreated by only 0.3 percent. With the outbreak showing little sign of easing, investors are increasingly concerned it could have a much longer-term impact on the world economy.

Traders had been broadly optimistic that the virus — which has killed nearly 2,600 and infected 80,000 — was being contained outside China but a spurt of

CMYK

infections and deaths in other countries including South Korea, Italy and Iran has fanned fears of a global outbreak.

VIRUS ‘CAN SPREAD RAPIDLY’: “It would appear the coronavirus has finally caught up with the markets,” OANDA analyst Craig Erlam told AFP. “As we saw in China, this can spread rapidly and be very difficult to contain (and) it is those fears that are weighing on markets.”

On Monday, South Korea said it had 833 cases, making it the world’s worst-hit country outside China, with seven people now dead. while President Moon Jae-in raised the virus alert to the highest “red” level.

Shanghai stock market losses were

tempered by a series of economy-boosting measures. The global losses followed Friday’s selloff on Wall Street, where the S&P 500 and Nasdaq each gave up more than one percent, while US 30-year Treasury yields hit an alltime high as traders scooped up other haven investments.

Travel and tourism linked firms continue to take a heavy hit with Sydney-listed Qantas plunging more than seven percent, while in Hong Kong, Air China lost nearly six percent.

British low-cost airline EasyJet saw its share price crash by almost 12 percent in London, while Germany’s Lufthansa lost almost seven percent in Frankfurt.

Tuesday, 25 February, 2020

BUSINESS 11

CoRonaviRus impedinG paK-China tRade: dawood

CORPORATE CORNER

ISLAMABAD

ISLAMABAD: Zarai Taraqiait Bank Limited is financing 24 employees, including its subsidiary Kissan Support Services Limited, to perform Hajj. ZTBL President Muhammad Shahbaz Jameel announced the names of the lucky ones through a computerized draw.

FBR tightens noose around Karachi marriage halls BUSINESS DESK The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has squeezed the net around marriage halls in Karachi over tax evasion worth billions of rupees during the past four years. According to media reports, FBR’s Intelligence and Investigations Directorate have found that the marriage halls in posh areas of the city have evaded a total of Rs9.46 billion in taxes. It said that at least 660 first category marriage halls received taxes from the organizers but never paid it to the authorities. The tax authority said that notices were issued to the marriage halls and a real time monitoring of the events was being carried out. “The owners are now directed to submit a one-month prior record of their events.” It is pertinent to mention that the marriage halls are bound to pay five per cent of the amount charged for their place to the tax authorities. The FBR said that the halls have only submitted taxes of up to Rs41 million during the past four years with some of them reporting that not even a single event was held at their premises. On the other hand, some of the top marriage halls in the city had only submitted a tax of up to Rs10,000 during the past four years.

Gold at a high as oil slips lower KARACHI ARIBA SHAHID

Gold hit a seven-year peak as fear regarding coronavirus does not seem to be off the radar. While gold saw safe-haven inflows, world stock markets and oil prices took a dive based on dampened sentiments owing to the epidemic. Gold prices in Pakistan climbed Rs2,000 in the local market to Rs96,300 per tola, an all-time high as per the Jewelers Association of Sindh.

The price of 10 grams increased to Rs82,562 after a jump of Rs1,715. This is owing to the investor flight towards gold as a safe haven amongst dampened economic sentiments. On the London Bullion Market, gold rose to $1,689.31 per ounce, last witnessed in January 2013. It later eased to $1,676.50 as investors placed their concern in the precious metal as a safety measure amidst turbulence within the market. Brent oil fell by approximately 5pc as the medical crisis fueled concerns regarding global energy demand. In addition, analysts believe that the global oil market is faced with further weakness owing to Russia’s refusal to agree to an emergency OPEC+ meeting to curb oil production.

a

GHULAM ABBAS

S coronavirus outbreak has badly affected economic activities in China, its impact was also being felt by Pakistan, as the latter imports bulk of its products from the former.

This was stated by Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce and Industries Abdul Razak Dawood while talking to a group of journalists in Islamabad on Monday.

“Since the bilateral is largely in favour of China, imports from the neighboring country have largely been affected.”

He said the ministry was monitoring the possible effects of coronavirus on domestic production and exports.

Talking about the decline in exports in the month of January 2020, the adviser claimed that the global price index and recession were the reasons behind the decrease in ex-

ports. He, however, claimed that exports would see an increasing trend in the coming months.

Justifying the reduction in exports, he also said that the global impact was also visible in exports of regional countries like India and Bangladesh.

Talking about his government’s focus on the emerging market of Africa, the adviser said that the ministry had last year prepared a ‘Look Africa Policy’ to exploit the African market. “We recently conducted a successful conference in Nairobi and more of the same will be arranged in the near future to stay increase our engagement with the African countries,” he added.

The adviser said Pakistan was opening six new trade wings at its embassies in African countries, including Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Senegal, Sudan, and Tanzania. This has increased the number to 10, while they would also be granted accreditations to cover the whole

continent, he added.

“The existing trade with African countries is not more than $1.2 billion which would be enhanced to $3 billion through the initiatives being taken by Pakistan. There is potential of exports to Africa especially for the products including tractors, deep freezers, refrigerators, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, electrical appliances, apparel, pharmaceuticals, sports goods, surgical instruments, cutlery, furniture, textile, leather, rice and engineering items.”

Under the Look Africa initiative, the adviser said, an Egyptian consultant was being hired to educate exporters and businessmen in Pakistan about the trade opportunities and regulatory formalities for trade with African countries like Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Sudan etc.

He said Pakistan would also hold single country exhibitions in African countries and the foreign

countries from the region would also be invited to hold similar exhibitions in Pakistan to open more doors for trade. He said another conference would be organized in Kenya or some other countries in Africa next year.

Dawood said the Pak-Africa Trade Development Conference, held in Nairobi (Kenya) last month, was very successful as the event brought together businessmen from Africa and Pakistan under one roof to explore and open up new frontiers for enhancing trade. Pakistan and African countries, he said, needed to accelerate export diversification and product sophistication which ultimately would enable them to shift from over-dependence on commodities to higher value added products and services.

Earlier, the adviser tendered his apology to media persons over a derogatory remark passed by the Utility Stores Corporation managing director against the media.

Zardari’s aides to appear in benami companies reference today ISLAMABAD SHAHZAD PARACHA

The Benami Transactions Adjudicating Authority (BTAA) will hold on Tuesday (tomorrow) a hearing against the close aides of PPP Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari in the benami companies’ reference filed by the anti-benami zone of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

The anti-benami initiative-III Karachi had filed the reference against Anwar Majeed, Abdul Ghani Majeed, Younus Kedwai and others in connection with six benami companies- Plaza Enterprises, Al-Miftah Holding, Park View Stock and Capital, Sky Pak Holding, Golden Globe Holding and Quice Food industries.

Sources said the lead member and member (branch-III Karachi) of BTAA would hold adjudication proceedings for the above cases in Karachi.

The FBR chairperson had directed the Chief Commissioner Corporate Regional Tax Office Karachi to issue necessary directions to the concerned officers for necessary arrangements involving room reservation and secretariat-level support, they added.

Sources claimed Anwar Majeed, Abdul Ghani Majeed, Salam Younus and others were the beneficial owners in the Plaza Enterprises’ reference as they had been accused of keeping benami properties of more than 3,000 square feet in the Civil Lines quarters in Karachi on benamidars Plaza Enterprises, Imran Khan, Azam Wazir Khan and Aurangzeb Khan.

In Sky Pak Holding’s reference, Majeed and family and Younus Kedwie had been accused of keeping more than 2.2 million shares of the Thatta Cement on Sky Pak Holding and other benamidars.

In one another reference filed by the anti-benami zone-III against Park View Stock and Capital, Younus Kedwai, Aslam Masood, Hussain Lawai and others are the beneficial owners and have been accused of keeping 30 million shares

of Summit Bank on benamidars such as Park View Stock and Capital, and Muhammad Arif.

Sources said the FBR’ benami zone had also filed a reference against Abdul Ghani Majeed, Younus Kedwai and others of the Omni Group in the Golden Globe Holding scandal.

They have been accused of keeping more than 0.8 million shares of Thatta Cement on Golden Globe Holding and other benamidars, they added.

High energy cost hindering investment in spinning sector LAHORE HASSAN NAQVI

The spinning industry in Pakistan has seen little investment in spindles (spinning machinery) in the last decade or so as the business is currently no longer viable due to high energy cost, power outages, and inflated markups as compared to the regional competitors like Bangladesh, India, Vietnam and China.

Sources in the industry fear that there are serious threats to the country’s spinning mills, the majority of which is based in Punjab (70pc) as the millers had failed to increase its capacity since 2013.

According to latest figures released by the International Textile Machinery Federation (ITMF), there are 13.4 million spindles (machinery used in spinning mills to make yarn) in Pakistan, whereas Bangladesh has surpassed Pakistan with 13.5 spindles.

As per the latest figures, there are 92 million spindles in China, 53 million in India and 12.25 million in Indonesia.

Sources said in the year 2000, there were no spindles in Bangladesh. But now they had surpassed Pakistan, which is one of the largest producers of cotton in Pakistan, they added.

Bangladesh doesn’t produce cotton and rather imports it from Pakistan, Vietnam and other countries yet their spinning industry is thriving because of competitive energy pricing, sources maintained.

Naveed Gulzar, a leading spinning miller from Faisalabad, told Pakistan Today that there was negligible investment in spindles because of high-energy cost and inflated markup rates.

“The energy cost is one of the major expenses for the spinning mills as it accounts for almost 3540pc of the total costs incurred by a mill. Our regional competitors are getting raw material like polyester fibre at Rs125 while the same in Pakistan costs in Rs175,” he said.

Agreeing with Gulzar, APTMA Punjab Senior Vice Chairman Abdul Rahim Nasir said there was no investment in the sector because it was not viable.

“Pakistan is getting electricity at 13cents/kWh, whereas China, Bangladesh, Vietnam and India are

paying 7.5cents/kWh, 9cents/kWh, 8cents/kWh and 8cents/kWh, respectively,” he added.

Aamir Sheikh, another spinning miller, told this scribe that Pakistan’s textile industry had been facing crisis since 2013 and that there was little or no investment in spinning machinery due to power outages and energy shortage in the country.

He recalled that load-shedding was at its peak with power outages spanning up to 16 hours a day during those days. “In fact in Decembers of those years when dams were closed, power was usually turned off for the textile sector completely due to which no investment could be made in the spinning sector,” Sheikh remembered, and said 100 spinning mills were closed down due to this factor.

He said though the power available in the second phase, but it was unaffordable for spinning mills in Punjab. Sheikh, who is also APTMA Punjab Vice Chairman, added that spinning mills in Sindh were producing electricity while using gas at Rs786/mmBtu, which had resulted in electricity cost of Rs9/kWh. “The PTI government was providing electricity to the Punjab mills at 7.5cents/kWh (Rs12/kWh)

since January 2019 that led to the opening of spinning mills previously closed during the PML-N’s tenure,” he recalled.

But unfortunately, the government decided in January this year to increase power tariff retrospectively to Rs18/kWh from January 2019, he lamented.

“The step will lead to a disaster for the industry and cause great financial problems for textile exporters who will have to pay arrears of 12 months of 2019 as they had sold goods on the cost based at 7.5cents/kWh. The exporters are now being charged at 70pc higher tariff.”

The APTMA office-bearer was of the view that if the textile industry in Punjab couldn’t even compete with Sindh or Khyber Pakhthunkhawa (KP), how it could join the race with Bangladesh, India, Vietnam or China.

“Just imagine around 100 mills closed down in Punjab during the PML-N’s tenure when the price difference was just Rs3 (Rs7 in Sindh and Rs10 in Punjab), but now it is Rs9 (Sindh) versus Rs18 (Punjab) during the PTI’s tenure…we have lost hope,” he added.

Tuesday, 25 February, 2020

12 BUSINESS MARKET DAILY

‘UNJUSTIFIED TARIFF’

aptma announCes CountRywide ClosuRe oF teXtile mills LAHORE

Bloodbath at psX as index plummets over 1,100 points KARACHI STAFF REPORT

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) had a forgettable start to the trading week, with the indices crumbling amid concerns over rising coronavirus cases and an overall decline in global growth forecasts. Foreign investors closed the previous week (Feb 17-21) as net sellers, recording a net outflow of $8.57 million. Losing over 1,169.44 points, the benchmark KSE-100 Index touched its intraday low at 39,079.78.

It settled lower by 1,105.49 points at 39,143.73. The KMI30 Index plunged 2,026.23 points or -3.19pc to close at 61,515.55, while the KSE All Share Index dropped 646.85 points, ending at 27,248.30. Out of the total traded scripts, 44 advanced and 258 declined. Sectors responsible for KSE100’s fall included banking (-311.02 points), oil & gas exploration (-187.83 points) and fertilizer (-109.39 points).

Among the companies, Pak Petroleum Limited (PPL -86.11 points), Habib Bank Limited (HBL -77.64 points) and Hub Power Company Limited (HUBC -67.45 points) dented the index the most. The overall market volumes improved from the previous week and were recorded at 144.28 million, with Hascol Petroleum Limited (HASCOL -6.43pc), Unity Foods Limited (UNITY -7.01pc) and K-Electric Limited (KEL 3.93pc) topping the volume chart. The scrips had exchanged 14.36 million, 11.55 million and 10.63 million shares, respectively. On the financial side, Rafhan Maize Products Limited (RMPL +4.48pc) announced that its revenue inflated by 19.27pc YoY to Rs35.26 billion in FY19. The company’s earnings per share increased from Rs516.62 in FY18 to Rs610.77. Meanwhile, Pakistan Tobacco Company Limited (PAKT -4.06pc) released its financial performance for the second quarter of FY20. Despite a 2.14pc reduction in sales, the company’s gross profit margin improved from 43.84pc in FY18 to 50.40pc. It’s EPS increased from Rs40.46 in FY18 to Rs50.45 in FY19.

work on CpeC’s 2nd phase in full swing: asim Bajwa ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority Chairman Lt Gen (r) Asim Saleem Bajwa said on Monday that work on the second phase of the corridor is currently underway. Addressing an energy seminar, Bajwa said coronavirus has not halted progress on the CPEC. “Development work is underway at full pace,” he said.

Bajwa said the need for energy is increasing with every passing day and arrangements have been put in place to cater country’s energy needs under the CPEC umbrella.

He said with the completion of Karachi-Peshawar motorway, the travel distance between both the provincial capital cities will be shrunk up to 50pc. Soon the development will be witnessed at the western route of the CPEC. Bajwa said matters related to exploration and transportation of coal from Thar have been finalized sooner cheaper electricity will be generated. Last month, China hailed Prime Minister Imran Khan’s remarks about the CPEC. In a statement, the Chinese foreign ministry had said since the launch of the CPEC, significant positive progress has been made. It said at least 32 projects have yielded early harvests, playing an important role in promoting Pakistan’s economic and social development and improving people’s well-being.

t

HASSAN NAQVI

HE All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) has decided to close down all textile mills across the country's in protest to the Ministry of Energy's (Power Division) decision to charge surcharges over the concessionary rate of Rs7.5cents/kWh with retrospective effect from January 2019.

As per details, after Monday's hearing in the Lahore High Court, Justice Ayesha A. Malik did not give interim relief (stay order) to the 50 textile exporters who had last week moved the court against a power distribution company (LESCO) for charging arrears with retrospective effect.

It is pertinent to mention that the Power Division, in contrast to the federal cabinet’s decisions, had last month increased electricity tariff to almost 13cents/Kwh for the export-oriented sector through inefficiency surcharges, including financial cost (FC) surcharge, Neelum Jhelum

(NJ) surcharge, taxes, fixed charges and positive fuel adjustments (PFA) etc., applied retrospectively from January 1, 2019.

On Monday, Justice Malik adjourned the case against the retrospective charging of surcharges till 4th March 2020 and issued notices to all the concerned parties in this regard.

Talking to this scribe, a senior APTMA official, who did not wish to be named, said, "Unfortunately, our electricity cases are being heard by only one judge [in the country] and she is against giving any stay order… we feel that the honourable high court judge has not served us with justice." He said the industry in Punjab would suffer badly if the Power Division did not take back its Jan 13th letter, which was written to power distribution companies (DISCOS), asking them to charge power tariff surcharges to the export sector over and above the competitive rate of Rs7.5cents/kWh. "Textile mills in Sindh are getting stays but mills in Punjab are not getting the same from LHC," the APTMA official deplored. "Since the

US company to manufacture biomedical equipment in Pakistan LAHORE STAFF REPORT

For the first time in the country's history, a US biomedical engineering company would set up a manufacturing unit of biomedical equipment in the Allama Iqbal Industrial City, a prioritized Special Economic Zone of Faisalabad Industrial Estate Development and Management Company (FIEDMC) under China Pakistan Economic Corridor.

The company director Dr Usman Mustafa had called on FIEDMC Chairman Mian Kashif Ashfaq on Monday.

At the early stages, this American company will manufacture only those biomedical products or disposables which are being used for heart surgery or its treatment and later, in next stage, heart stents and other latest medical equipment will also be manufactured here to meet the local needs.

Speaking on the occasion, FIEDMC Chairman Mian Kashif Ashfaq said, "Pakistan will be in a position to save millions of rupees worth foreign exchange in the wake of import of biomedical equipment and this will also ultimately lead to self-reliance in

medical sector besides enabling our industry to export it to other countries too."

He said after installation of this unit, the price of biomedical equipment would be slashed remarkably in the local market which will greatly help the needy patients.

He said a research centre will also be established in FIEDMC with the collaboration of this company which will open new doors of medical research in Pakistan.

"FIEDMC will also provide all available facilities to the said company for installing its unit and the objective behind offering free-of-cost land is to lay the foundation of biomedical engineering in Pakistan so that it will help develop the country's medical sector to meet the challenges both at local and international levels."

Mian Kashif maintained said investors from across the globe will pump investment in different projects of FIEDMC in days to come.

Later, Dr Usman visited Allama Iqbal Industrial City where he expressed his satisfaction over the pace of its development undergoing and congratulated Mian Kashif Ashfaq for materializing the dream of this mega project.

KARACHI Farrukh Hussain Khan assumed charge as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Monday.

In a notification posted on the PSX website, the was stated, "Please be informed that Farrukh Hussain Khan, who was appointed by the Board of Directors of the Pakistan Stock Exchange with the approval of Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan as Chief Execu-

Banks to remain open this weekend: sBp KARACHI MEIRYUM ALI

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has directed 13 authorised banks to keep all their designated branches in the country open from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. this Saturday and Sunday (February 29 and March 1, 2020). This decision has been made in order to facilitate intending pilgrims for Hajj 2020 to deposit their application forms, along with their dues. The 13 banks include the National Bank of Pakistan, Habib Bank, United Bank, MCB Bank, Allied Bank, Bank of Punjab, Bank Alfalah, Zarai Taraqiati Bank, Faysal Bank, Askari Bank, Bank Al-Habib, Habib Metropolitan Bank and Meezan Bank. The decision is part of Pakistan’s Hajj Policy 2020, which was released by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony on February 19. The ministry had earlier authorized the above 13 banks to collect application forms, along with dues, from intending pilgrims between February 25 and March 6. Hajj is expected to fall between July 28 and August 2 this year, though dates may vary according to the Islamic calendar. This year, the ministry has set the quota at 179,210 pilgrims. About 60pc of the pilgrims will perform Hajj through the government scheme, while 40pc will perform it through private Hajj tour operators.

KCCI seeks policy to save importers from coronavirus losses KARACHI PPI

Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) President Agha Shahab Ahmed Khan on Monday requested the Ministry of Maritime Affairs (MoMA), Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to introduce a “special policy” to safeguard the importers from coronavirus losses following a ban on imports from China.

In a statement, the KCCI’s office-bearer said the importers of various goods and commodities have been facing certain challenges owing to the ban. Khan urged the relevant authorities to issue a notification in which the port authorities and all terminal operators must be advised to refrain from imposing demurrage and detention charges on those consignments which

had already arrived at the Pakistani ports from China but were not being cleared.

“Any demurrage or detention charges already applied on such consignments must immediately be waived off”, he added.

Khan said many importers, while seeking the KCCI’s assistance, had informed that their imported consignments from China had been put on hold at some ports in order to prevent the deadly

Farrukh Hussain Khan assumes charge as PSX CEO MEIRYUM ALI

PTI government is not fulfilling its promises, it seems that strike is the only way forward."

He said that earlier today, APTMA had written a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan, warning him against Special Assistant to PM on Petroleum Nadeem Babar and Power Minister Omer Ayub Khan. "We have appealed the prime minister to save the exports sector, which is on the verge of collapse. If the decision regarding retrospective arrears is not reversed, then the country will witness massive unemployment.

Besides, it will also have an adverse impact on the country's shrinking trade deficit which was registered in FY20." He maintained that the textile millers cannot pay the arrears with retrospective effect from January 2019 and that they have decided to close their mills "since it was not feasible to work under these circumstances".

"The government is expecting us to pay arrears against past or closed transactions and this is not possible for us. We cannot pay billions of rupees in arrears for the mismanagement on part of the Power Division."

tive Officer of PSX, has assumed charge with immediate effect from today.”

Khan replaces Muhammad Rafiq Umer, who had been acting as the acting CEO until today, the notification added.

Khan's appointment was previously announced by the PSX on December 24, 2019. "The PSX warmly welcomes the new CEO and wishes him all the best in taking the exchange to new heights of prosperity for the exchange itself, its stakeholders and the investors," said a separate statement released by the PSX.

WHO IS THE NEW CEO? In a separate statement, the PSX said that Farrukh Khan has over 30 years of senior management and board-level experience.

Previously, he had been the Country Director and CEO of Acumen Pakistan.

He has also served in various senior positions at Acumen in both Pakistan and the UK, including Senior Director Business Development, Chief Business Development Officer and member of the Management Committee.

coronavirus outbreak in Pakistan, which had terribly affected the capital of Hubei province, Wuhan and resulted in casualties in hundreds.

“Many import related documents have also not been received by the relevant importers as no parcels are arriving from China and other affected countries, making it impossible for the importers to timely fulfill all the documentation formalities which are required for the clearance of imported good,” he said, adding their consignments remained blocked at the ports were resulting in additional demurrage and detention charges. “We fully understand the sensitivity of the issue and support the government’s moves to save Pakistan from the outbreak, but the importers should not be penalized and relief has to be provided to the perturbed traders by waiving the demurrage and detention charges,” the KCCI president maintained.

Khan was also the founding partner and CEO of BMA Capital Management Ltd. Under him, BMA established itself as the leading investment banking group in Pakistan and received the 2010 Euromoney award for the best investment bank in Pakistan.

Khan also managed the $813 million GDR offering and London listing of Oil and Gas Development Co, Pakistan’s largest listed company. As an adviser, he also helped with the $2.6 billion acquisition of Pak Telecom, which was the largest merger and acquisition transaction, and the largest foreign direct investment in Pakistan’s history.

Other transactions include the $1.5 billion privatisation of KotAddu Power Company and the $898 million GDR offering for Pak Telecom. In fact, he also advised, either on the buy or sell side, on almost 50% of all successful privatisations in Pakistan, totaling over $4 billion in value.

Additionally, he was the President of the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce & Industry (OICCI). He was also chairman of the Young Presidents’ Organization (Pakistan Chapter). In addition, he was associated with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) as the member of its policy board from 2018 to 2019.

ArmAni showcAses new collection behind closed doors due to coronAvirus feArs THE LABEL WILL HOLD THEIR MILAN FASHION WEEK RUNWAY SHOW IN AN EMPTY THEATER AND STREAM THE EVENT FROM INSIDE THE ROOM

i

n a last-minute change, Giorgio Armani is holding his Milan Fashion Week runway show behind closed doors Sunday due to concerns raised by the coronavirus, and in-

stead stream the event from inside the empty showroom.

The fashion house said in a statement early Sunday that ’’the decision was taken to safeguard the well-being of all his invited

guests by not having them attend crowded spaces.″ A dozen towns in northern Italy have gone on effective lockdown after the deaths of two people infected with the new virus from China. Milan is the capital of Italy’s Lombardy region, which reported 54 confirmed cases.

Milan’s mayor on Saturday shuttered public offices. But runway shows continued apace for their fourth day, with most of the fashion crowd taking an analytical attitude to the rapidly spiking infections.

“For the moment the situation is under control,” said the president of the Italian national Fashion Chamber, Carlo Capasa. He added it was up to government officials or fashion houses themselves to decide if additional measures were needed.

Sunday is the fifth day of womenswear previews for next fall and winter, with eight other shows scheduled, including Dolce&Gabbana. It was not clear if the other shows would go on as scheduled.

What vitamin should you take for hair loss?

HOLLYWOOD BOLLYWOOD

Imagine watching day by day as your hair begins to fall out while brushing, and there does not appear to be much replacing it on your head. Slight thinning becomes apparent and you realize you are losing your hair. So what type of vitamins can you take to keep your hair, whether it's to prevent it from falling out or help it grow back?

Or better yet, if your hair has not yet started to shed excessively, what vitamins can you take for hair loss now that may help stave it off?

VITAMIN A: Vitamin A is an antioxidant that aids in scalp oil production. It's important to note that excess amounts of vitamin A can have undesirable effects, by inhibiting hair growth, and can even be toxic. The daily recommended dose is 5,000 IU however the Linus Pauling Institute of Oregon University has noted increased risk of developing bone diseases such as osteoporosis associated with 5,000IU intake, and therefore some supplement manufacturers have

reduced content to 2,500IU. B-COMPLEX: Just as the name suggests, the Bs are complex...there are many of them, and some of them depend on one another in order to function. B12 can be responsible for hair loss by itself simply due to a deficiency.

Frequently injections of B12 can resolve hair loss issues. It is not stored well by the body and is required for the body's use of oxygen and for metabolism. It is needed for activation of B6 and helps in creating niacin. B12 is most absorbable when taken with vitamin C and the daily recommended dose is 50mg. B6 is also thought to prevent hair loss. It also aids in hair coloring and has a major role in creation of niacin, which is needed for healthy circulation.

B6 must be entirely obtained through diet or supplementation because the human body cannot synthesize it by itself. The daily recommended dose ranges from 1.3 to 2mg. B3, also

Several shows were also scheduled Monday morning, before the fashion world moves on to Paris, where shows start Monday afternoon.

Armani was forced to show behind closed doors one other time, in Paris in 1998, when officials said there were insufficient safety exits inside a huge tent being used as the venue to allow the public to attend. Only his team and one video camera was present, and a video of the show was later distributed to fashion editors. Armani later showed the entire collection in new York in protest, claiming that fashion world politics and not just safety concerns had led to the officials’ call.

On Saturday, MIDO, the world’s largest eyewear industry fair, announced that it would postpone the gathering scheduled for Feb. 29-March 2 until June due to concerns over the virus.

“The evolution of this health crisis under way in our country does not leave any doubt over our decision,″ MIDO president Giovanni Vitaloni said in a statement.

known as niacin, is thought to reduce cholesterol in the scalp, which inhibits hair growth. It is also essential for healthy blood circulation to the body and scalp. The daily recommended dose is 16 to 18mg.

BIOTIN: Biotin deserves special mention. It is also a B vitamin but its importance in the role of hair growth cannot be overstated. While it can be consumed, it was once said by clinical researcher Andrew Lessman that thousands of calories would have to be eaten to get the amount of biotin needed to make a difference. It promotes hair growth and is crucial to prevent hair dryness. The daily recommended dose is 30mcg.

VITAMIN C: Vitamin C is a natural antioxidant and helps maintain healthy hair. It aids in synthesis of collagen and is readily available in the diet. The daily recommended dose is 90 to 120mg.

VITAMIN E: Vitamin E is vital to scalp circulation and cell regeneration, both necessary for hair growth. The daily recommended dose is 15 to 19mg.

The first oranges were not orange.

Scotland has 421 words for snow.

McDonald’s once made bubblegum-flavored broccoli.

Hira Mani pens down heartfelt note for husband

Hania Aamir shares hilarious post for Asim Azhar

Amir Khan and Faryal Makhdoom welcome third child

Sharing loved-up photos, Pakistani leading actress Hira Mani has penned down an emotional note for husband Salman Sheikh on Instagram. The photos have taken the internet by storm. Hira, who recently returned to the country from Maldives, took to Instagram and shared the pictures. She wrote, “Tumhare saath sub Golden Kion lagta hai jese ye dunia golden color ki hai or hum Urh rahey hain jese sub magic hai jese shiny shiny bright bright (Why it feels like Golden with you? The world is golden and we are flying, like it’s all magic, shiny shiny bright bright)”.

Pakistani actor Hania Aamir has shared a hilarious post for best friend singer Asim Azhar after Quetta Gladiators defeated Karachi Kings in PSL 2020 match on Sunday.

Quetta Gladiators defeated Karachi Kings by five wickets. Asim Azhar, who was part of official anthem for PSL 2020, had challenged Hania after Karachi Kings had crushed Peshawar Zalmi in their second match of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2020 on Friday.

The singer is supporting Karachi Kings while Hania is supporting Peshawar Zalmi.

Faryal Makhdoom and Amir Khan are parents once again. The couple, who already have two beautiful daughters are ecstatic to welcome their third! Khan took to Instagram to announce the news to his fans and well-wishers.

Previously, Makhdoom expressed her excitement as she flaunted her baby bump right before she gave birth to the bundle of joy. "Hey guys! This will probably be my last baby bump picture before I give birth. I’m so nervous and excited at the same time...I can’t wait to meet my prince". #9months #readytopop.

CMYK

Tuesday, 25 February, 2020

14 SPORTS

DeFiaNt MeSSi GiveS troUBLeD Barca hoPe oF chaMPioNS LeaGUe GLory barceLona

L

Agencies

IOneL Messi has said Barcelona are not playing well enough to win this season's champions League but his four goals against eibar on saturday were a reminder that with him there will always be hope.

Barca play napoli in the first leg of the last 16 on tuesday and will be expected to go through, even if their opponents are on a strong run, having won six out of their last seven matches, including victories over Juventus and Inter Milan.

Yet despite a whirlwind couple of months of political wrangling, remarkably Barcelona approach this tie sitting top of La Liga and with a spring in their step, in large part due

to Messi. his quadruple in the 5-0 rout at camp nou on saturday was cathartic and not only because real Madrid, whom Barca face in the clasico on sunday, failed to regain first place after losing to Levante a few hours later. "It was a win we needed," said coach Quique setien.

Messi has scored seven quadruples in his career but none executed amid such an intense time of pressure, with the spotlight on the argentine.

While other players might have sulked or crumbled, Messi delivered with another breathtaking performance that underlined his ability to drag this troubled team through even the most turbulent of periods. "he's been in this form for 14 or 15 years and he keeps performing like this," said setien.

Fernandes has lifted the mood at Man Utd, says Solskjaer Manchester: Ole Gunnar solskjaer says Bruno Fernandes has lifted the mood at Old trafford, comparing the January signing to a mix between former Manchester United players Paul scholes and Juan sebastian Veron.

Fernandes arrived for an initial 55 million euros (ÂŁ46 million) and, while that could rise to 80 million euros if a variety of targets are reached, United look to have struck a good deal. the Portugal international has impressed in all three United starts to date, following up fine displays against Wolves and chelsea with a goal and an assist against Watford. successive wins have lifted United into fifth place in the Premier League table as they push for champions League qualification. "he's given everyone a boost," solskjaer said of the 25year-old Fernandes. "It means more than just getting a player in. You can see the supporters, they're used to players with that personality, mentality and quality so he's been a big plus. "he's come in from day one, the first minute, and felt like a presence in the group.

First training session, demanding the ball. "some players take some time in warming up but he felt confident straight away. "he's a bit of a mix between (Paul) scholes and (Juan sebastian) Veron, to be fair. he's got the temperament maybe of Veron and a lot of the quality of him and scholesy." solskjaer said Fernandes was a "big piece" in the team that United are looking to build, while anthony Martial has shown that he too can be a key component of the attack. Monday's header at chelsea was followed by a fine goal at club Brugge in the europa League and a clever clipped finish past Ben Foster on sunday. "I am delighted with the week anthony's had," solskjaer said. "he has got his critics and I am one of his biggest probably because I keep demanding different stuff from him."

"he's a guarantee for any club and for any coach and that's what makes him the best player in the world. he can do things that others can only dream about."

Messi could have had many reasons to feel upset but he hasn't let them affect his performances.

Barcelona's board sacked ernesto Valverde last month, despite Messi's public backing three days before, and failed to sign a striker in the transfer window with Luis suarez and Ousamane Dembele both out injured.

NO MARGIN FOR ERROR: the club's technical secretary eric abidal then said the squad were the main reason for Valverde's departure while the president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, has been accused of hiring a Pr company that criticised key players, including Messi, in a bid to

improve his image online.

Barcelona have denied the allegations but when asked in an interview with Mundo Deportivo last week if he was convinced, Messi said he would wait to see if they were true. he also admitted, "the way we are at the moment, I don't think it's enough to win the champions League" and identified real Madrid, Juventus, Paris saint-Germain and Liverpool as greater threats. setien was more optimistic on Friday. "there are things that I agree with and others evidently... I have seen every year how champions Leagues are won and I think we could have the same chance as other teams," he said.

"It is true that there is no margin for error and there are things we have to try to improve and do better. We are not happy with everything but I think we are growing little by little and we are reaching levels that will allow us to challenge."

Yet if Messi were to win the champions League this season, it would surely represent one of his most impressive achievements.

With the likes of Frenkie de Jong and arthur Melo in midfield and the excellent Marc-andre ter stegen in goal, they do not lack for talent but weaknesses in defence remain, not to mention a fragility against the counterattack. and by appointing setien, a coach devoted to a very particular style, Barcelona are having to change mid-season, with setien admitting this month that it would take time for the players to understand his methods.

"It's not easy," said Messi. "We come from playing under Valverde to playing differently now and being asked to do something else. the truth is we are learning and we still have a lot to learn."

But with in-form napoli fast-approaching and then Madrid to come at the santiago Bernabeu, time is not on Barcelona's side. For now, they will look to Messi.

Djokovic, Nadal return and mum's the word: Tennis talking points doHa Agencies

novak Djokovic and rafael nadal return to action for the first time since the australian Open while Qatar saw the latest tennis mum return to action. aFP sport looks at three tennis talking points this week: DJOKOVIC: NOT YOU AGAIN! World number one novak Djokovic plays on Monday for the first time since lifting the australian Open for the eighth time. however, his opponent in the Dubai first round, Malek Jaziri, was left wishing the 32-year-old serb had stayed away a little longer. the tunisian, who made the semi-finals in the Uae in 2018, lost to Djokovic in the second round two years earlier when the serb won his fourth title at the event. the 36-year-old, now ranked outside the top 200, has also had to face roger Federer, andy Murray and Grigor Dimitrov in Dubai.

Before the draw was made saturday, Jaziri even said: "hopefully this year the draw will be good for me. Usually I play a seeded player always here. I've played roger, I've played novak, I've played andy. I played Grigor as well two years ago."

Djokovic, too, saw the funny side. "he is a super nice guy and we train a lot. It is unfortunate. It is very odd that that happened."

NADAL AND KYRGIOS: LOCO IN ACAPULCO? rafael nadal takes top seeding in acapulco, 12 months after being knocked out in the second round by nick Kyrgios in a match which sparked angry exchanges between the two. nadal, a two-time champion at the Mexican event in 2005 and 2013 when it was still played on clay, accused the combustible australian of "lacking respect" for serving underarm in the 2019 match which Kyrgios won in three sets.

Kyrgios described the spaniard as "super salty". nadal went on to win a bad-tempered Wimbledon duel in which Kyrgios speared a ball at the 19-time

Neymar sent off as PSG beat Bordeaux in seven-goal thriller Hamburg Agencies

edinson cavani scored his 200th Paris saintGermain goal and Marquinhos netted twice as the Ligue 1 leaders bounced back from their champions League defeat by Borussia Dortmund to beat Bordeaux 4-3 on sunday, but their victory was marred by neymar's late sendingoff. after losing 2-1 in Germany in their champions League last 16 first leg in midweek, PsG's defensive weaknesses were again exposed as south Korean international hwang Uijo gave Bordeaux the lead at the Parc des Princes. PsG turned it around thanks to goals by cavani and Kylian Mbappe either side of a Marquinhos brace, but at the other end there was a bizarre goal credited to the Brazilian defender Pablo and a ruben Pardo strike had the home side hanging on at the finish. the evening concluded with neymar being sent off in stoppage time for a second yellow card for grappling with Bordeaux's Yacine adli, leaving the world's most expensive player facing a suspension. along with the shortcomings at the back, it is another problem for coach thomas tuchel to think about, even if his team are now 13 points clear atop Ligue 1 from Marseille, who lost 3-1 to nantes on saturday. "he is human too and he was angry. the guy who fouled him just before was not even booked, so it was a bit bizarre," said tuchel of neymar's sending-off.

"We have let in seven goals in the last two league games and that is not normal. It is difficult to get back confidence, but the best thing for us was to win.

Farah caught up in controversy over 2014 London Marathon injection London Agencies

major winner and criticised what he perceived to be his rival's pedestrian pace of play. this time around in acapulco, the two are in separate halves of the draw with nadal starting against compatriot Pablo andujar and Kyrgios facing Ugo humbert of France.

MUMS NET: SHVEDOVA JOINS TENNIS MOTHERS Multiple Grand slam title winners serena Williams, Victoria azarenka and Kim clijsters are probably the best known of tennis mums on tour. they have now been joined by Kazakhstan's Yaroslava shvedova who returned to the Wta tour in Qatar on sunday after an absence of almost three years in which she gave birth to twins. the 32-year-old was a top 30 player in 2016 and won two Grand slam women's doubles titles. her comeback in Doha was short-lived, losing to Germany's Laura siegemund 6-3, 6-2 but there plenty of other mums on tour from whom to take encouragement. as well as Williams, clijsters and azarenka, India's sania Mirza, Mandy Minella of Luxembourg and former Us Open and Wimbledon runner-up Vera Zvonareva have all returned to the pro ranks after starting families.

CMYK

Mo Farah repeatedly denied to the United states anti-Doping agency taking a legal supplement prior to the 2014 London Marathon, before changing his account once he learned the doctor who injected him had told the investigators he had taken it, the BBc reported on Monday. the four-time Olympic champion had been asked by UsaDa whether he had been injected with L-carnitine, a naturally occurring amino acid, as part of its investigation into his former coach alberto salazar. the supplement had been obtained through a contact of salazar's in switzerland. as a result of the overall investigation, salazar has been banned from athletics for four years over doping violations. two of salazar's violations relate to using a banned method to administer an infusion of L-carnitine. the Us coach, who is appealing against his ban at the court of arbitration for sport, led the nike Oregon Project training group, where Farah was a star name from 2011-2017. according to the BBc, Farah -- who finished eighth in what was his first London Marathon in 2014 -- was questioned by UsaDa officials investigating salazar for nearly five hours a year after the injections took place.

"If someone said that you were taking Lcarnitine injections, are they not telling the truth?" asked a UsaDa investigator.

Farah replied: "Definitely not telling the truth, 100 percent. I've never taken L-carnitine injections at all."he is then asked: "are you sure that alberto salazar hasn't recommended that you take L-carnitine injections?"

Farah responds: "no, I've never taken Lcarnitine injections."

Tuesday, 25 February, 2020

SoUthee BaGS Five aS New ZeaLaND Beat iNDia iN FirSt teSt

oman's yousef abdulrahim al Balushi banned for seven years muscat

WeLLington

t

SPORTS 15

Agencies

Agencies

he world's top-ranked team crashed to a 10-wicket defeat in the first session of day four to snap a nine-test unbeaten streak dating back to the 2018 Boxing Day test in Melbourne.

It was tim southee’s sharp spell of bowling that set up the victory for new Zealand before lunch on Monday. he took four wickets for 20 runs on the final morning as he raced through the India tail to leave them all out for 191.

It left the Black caps a mere nine runs to beat the world's top-ranked side, with tom Latham and tom Blundell taking just 10 deliveries to knock off the target and give new Zealand their 100th test victory.

It was a remarkable turnaround for new Zealand in their first test since being swept 3-0 in their series in australia less than two months ago. India resumed the day at 144 for four and lasted only 14 deliveries before they lost their first wicket when trent Boult removed ajinkya rahane for 29. the new Zealand quick went around the wicket and fired a missile at rahane that angled in at the batsmen then seamed away to take an edge and he was caught behind.

In the following over, southee produced an outswinger that beat hanuma Vihari before bringing the ball back into the batsman with his next delivery to collect the off stump.

India, having started the day intent on occupying the crease long enough to give new Zealand a testing target, were instead after just four overs fighting to avoid an innings defeat with both

New Zealand 348 (Williamson 89, Taylor 44, Jamieson 44, Sharma 568, Ashwin 3-99) and 9 for 0 beat India 165 (Rahane 46, overnight batsmen gone.

Jamieson 4-39, Southee 4-49) after southee and 191 (Agarwal 58, had ravi ashwin trapped in front for Southee 5-61, Boult 4-39) four, India tasted a little luck when Ishant trail by 10 wickets sharma was dropped twice on six.

But it was a short-lived respite, as he added only six further runs before he was out leg before wicket to colin de Grandhomme. southee came back when the new ball was taken to polish off the innings with the wicket of Jasprit Bumrah to finish with five for 61 to go with his four for 49 in the first innings. the second test starts in christchurch on saturday.

KOHLI MAKES NO EXCUSES: It was also India's first loss in eight games in the World test

the Icc has banned Oman player Yousuf al Balushi from all cricket for seven years after he accepted four charges of breaching the Icc anti-corruption code. the charges relate to attempting to influence team members to engage in corruption during the 2019 t20 World cup Qualifier, played in the Uae. Balushi had been suspended last month for the same offence, and has now been formally slapped with the sanction after he "chose to admit the charges and agreed the sanction with the Icc in lieu of an anti-corruption tribunal hearing," an Icc release said. While alex Marshall, the Icc's general manager for Integrity, called Balushi's offence "very serious", he also revealed that the ban could have been "significantly longer" had Balushi not cooperated with the investigation and admitted his guilt. he added that the player has also indicated that he is willing to contribute to future integrity education programmes on our behalf to help younger players learn from his mistakes." championship, although they remain at the head of the table, while new Zealand lie fifth with two wins from six matches.

"We did not show enough competitiveness," Kohli said as his batsmen failed in the face of new Zealand's three-pronged seam attack of senior bowlers.

"We let ourselves down massively in the first innings with the bat," Kohli said.

"You could say the toss played a big role in this test match but it's an uncontrollable so you can't really focus on that and take that as a massive factor.

"We don't want to make too much of this pitch and what conditions were like. the simple truth is we did not play good enough cricket and that's why we lost. "some people might want it to be the end of the world but it's not. For us it's a game of cricket we lost and we move on, we keep our heads high."

ICC events proposal 2023-31 may push players away from internationals: FICA London Agencies

cricket's global governors risk increasing the rate of player drain from internationals to the domestic twenty20 league circuit should they push ahead with an Icc proposal to pack the cricket calendar with at least one major men's event every year from 2023 to 2031, according to the global players' body FIca. after the boards of India, england and australia all expressed varying degrees of reservation about the proposal, details of which were revealed by esPncricinfo last week, FIca's chief executive tom Moffat has questioned how discussions about the future schedule of the game "appear to be taking place purely through the commercial lens". ahead of a critical round of meetings for the game's governing body next month where a host of scheduling and governance issues are to be thrashed out, Moffat also queried whether the proposed creation of a new twenty20 "champions cup" to be played over 48 matches by 10 teams would detract from the World cup as the game's foremost international white-ball event.

"We question the way that this is being done. simply adding events to the calendar without looking at the global playing schedule in a holistic way isn't going to solve many of the existing incoherencies and imbalances," Moffat told esPncricinfo. "that requires looking at Icc events, but also at the rest of the game, including the leagues landscape, bilateral cricket, and how they balance with one another. We are supportive of measures that are taken with a view to protecting and growing the global game in a holistic way. "the game desperately needs an easier to follow global structure. at the moment it's difficult to see how it's all going to fit, particularly when all of these discussions appear to be taking

place purely through the commercial lens, and without the proper engagement of the players collectively. We question why the Icc and Boards aren't sitting down with us/the players and developing some fundamental principles, agreed with all key stakeholders, which should underpin the global cricketing calendar, before proceeding to fill it up.

"Decisions made by players, especially in regard to club v country, are a key factor in driving the future direction of the game, and yet the players aren't included in the discussion. FIca also won't be supporting proposals, which only look after the interests of a few of the bigger countries." as for the champions cup, which alongside a smaller, 50-over equivalent of similar dimensions to the defunct champions trophy, is geared at creating a more stable flow of Icc events revenue to member nations in each year of the broadcast rights cycle, Moffat said that specific player feedback was being sought.

"We will be getting player views on that specific issue," Moffat said. "the devil is in the detail and we need to understand what these may look like in order to have informed

discussions with them on this. We know that players want events that mean something, have relevance and importance, so if additional events don't do that, or detract from events that do, that needs to be looked at.

"We have been engaged in a pretty token way. We have had some surface level discussions but haven't been provided with the detail of proposals. the players should be properly engaged and a critical part of these discussions. they are ultimately the ones who put on the performances that make the game great. their views should be taken seriously. We will be continuing to get player views, including on how they want us to approach these issues in light of the way the Icc continues to approach them."

While numerous key administrators have cited player workload as among their thoughts during this round of discussions - which have also featured debate over whether or not to move to mandatory four-day test matches to clear additional room in the calendar - Moffat said that the game needed a more rigorous approach to the matter. he also stated that the Icc and its members needed

to look closely at stronger measures to retain players in international cricket, including the possibility of revenue pooling for more equitable player pay from country to country.

"We have seen some comments around player workload as a potential reason not to have additional Icc events," he said. "We question whether that is in fact a genuine concern of either the boards or the Icc. If it is a genuine concern for them, they would proactively work with us/players to develop enforceable global minimum standards around player health, safety, and security, which would include player workload.

"One of the key risks for the global game, which we have identified over a number of years, is flight of talent away from the international game, now that there is an alternative domestic leagues market for players to play in. there are numerous ways to address that, including looking at more coherent scheduling, and scheduling windows to prevent scheduling overlay, as well as ensuring an economic ability for more countries to retain their best talent, and keep international cricket strong and growing.

CMYK

Bangladesh's Mushfiqur hits double ton to corner Zimbabwe dHaka Agencies

Mushfiqur rahim hit his third test double century as Bangladesh declared their first innings with a lead of 295 Monday in their one-off match against Zimbabwe.

Bangladesh ended their innings on 560 for six in the final session before spinner nayeem hasan then claimed two wickets in two balls in the first over in Dhaka. the visitors reached nine for two at stumps on the third day, still needing 286 runs to make Bangladesh bat again on a wearing pitch at the sher-e-Bangla national stadium.

Mushfiqur, who became the became the highest runscorer for Bangladesh in tests, hit an unbeaten 203, while skipper Mominul haque made 132, after the hosts resumed on 240 for three. Mushfiqur and Mominul added 222 for the fourth wicket, while wicketkeeperbatsman Liton Das made 53 to give the hosts their highest-ever total against Zimbabwe. Mominul declared the innings soon after Mushfiqur reached the 200-run mark after ainsley ndlovu past extra cover for a boundary. nayeem struck with the second ball of the innings, bowling Prince Masvaure for a duck, before dismissing nightwatchman Doland tiripano. Bangladesh made Zimbabwe wait until the second session of the day for their first success, when ndlovu took a brilliant reflex catch off his own bowling to dismiss Mominul. Mominul had brought up his ninth test hundred off 156 balls, joining teammate tamim Iqbal as Bangladesh's most prolific century-makers in the five-day format. Mominul, unbeaten on 79 overnight, struck 14 fours in his 234-ball innings -- his first hundred since becoming Bangladesh test captain in november. Mushfiqur, who resumed on 32, was one run short of his century at lunch but did not take long after the break to bring up his hundred, cutting ndlovu for a boundary through cover point. ndlovu removed Mohammad Mithun for 17 to give Zimbabwe hope and slow the Bangladeshi scoring rate. Mithun got a bottom edge as he tried to cut ndlovu as wicketkeeper regis chakabva took his fourth catch of the innings. Liton fell to off-spinner sikandar raza trying to cut a ball that was too close to his body as Zimbabwe wicketkeeper regis chakabva completed his fifth catch in the innings. after Liton's dismissal, it was Mushfiqur all over as the senior Bangladesh campaigner attacked in pursuit of his double century. at 195 runs he also overtook tamim to become Bangladesh's highest run-getter. he now has 4,413 runs from 70 tests, with tamim scoring 4,364 from 59. Zimbabwe skipper craig ervine top-scored with 107 in the visitors' first innings of 265, while Bangladesh paceman abu Jayed and nayeem claimed four wickets each.

Tuesday, 25 February, 2020

NEWS

At leAst four deAd, dozens injured in delhi clAshes Amid trump visit NEW DELHI AGENCIES

AT least four, including a policeman, were killed while dozens of people injured amid clashes in New Delhi on Monday as thousands demonstrating for and against a new citizenship law rioted for several hours before US President Donald Trump’s maiden visit to the city.

Police used tear gas and smoke grenades but struggled to disperse the crowds, as both sides hurled stones and turned a wide boulevard into a rockstrewn battle zone, about 11 miles from where Trump will meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for talks on Tuesday.

One police constable was killed, a police official told Reuters, declining to be named since he isn’t authorised to speak to media. An official at Delhi’s GTB Hospital said more than 35 people injured in the clashes were undergoing treatment.

Reuter’s reporters saw multiple vehi-

Afghanistan finds first coronavirus case KABUL

cles set on fire, metal barricades torn down and thick smoke billowing as supporters of the new law clashed with opponents. A small contingent of police was vastly outnumbered.

India’s capital has been a hotbed of protests against the law, which eases the path of non-Muslims from three neighbouring Muslim-dominated countries to gain Indian citizenship.

This has led to accusations that Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are undermining India’s secular traditions. The BJP denies any bias against India’s more than 180 million-strong Muslim minority, but objectors have been holding protests and camping out in parts of New Delhi for two months.

Monday’s clashes were among the worst seen in New Delhi since the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) began in early December. The latest round of violence came as Trump began his first visit to India as US

Iranian lawmaker says 50 dead from coronavirus in Qom DUBAI AGENCIES

AGENCIES

Afghanistan has detected its first novel coronavirus case, the country’s health minister said Monday, involving a patient who had recently travelled to Iran, where 12 people have died from the outbreak.

“I announce the first positive coronavirus (case) in Herat,” health minister Firozuddin Feroz told a press conference, calling on citizens to avoid travel to the western province which borders Iran. Afghan authorities had earlier announced a suspension of suspending air and ground travel to Iran, as fears mount across the region over a jump in new coronavirus infections. Iran has registered the highest number of fatalities outside China, the epicentre of the epidemic. Feroz said the patient had travelled to the Iranian holy city of Qom.

president, addressing a rally in Modi’s home state of Gujarat. Trump landed in New Delhi late on Monday.

GO AHEAD AND THROW STONES: The clashes stretched over a nearly kilometre long road and lasted from early afternoon until well into the evening, leaving at least half a dozen people injured. Police on Monday imposed an emergency law prohibiting any gatherings in the violencehit areas. The protesters appeared to be divided along religious lines.

A Reuters witness saw at least one Muslim man and a burqa-clad woman beaten by dozens of pro-law protesters with sticks and iron rods. Earlier on Monday, local politician Yogendra Yadav described the violence as “communal” and urged police to intervene. But for several hours, witnesses saw the outnumbered policemen mostly stand beside those backing the citizenship law, a majority Hindu group, and do little to quell the violence. The police also stood by as a mob vandalised a store with a Muslim name,

A staggering 50 people have died in the Iranian city of Qom from the new coronavirus this month, a lawmaker was quoted as saying on Monday, even as the Health Ministry insisted only 12 deaths have been recorded to date in the country. The new death toll reported by the Qom representative, Ahmad Amiriabadi Farahani, is significantly higher than the latest number of nationwide confirmed cases of infections that Iranian officials had reported just a few hours earlier, which stood at 12 deaths out of 47 cases, according to state TV. Health Ministry spokesman Iraj Harirchi rejected the Qom lawmaker’s claims, insisting the death toll from the virus remains at 12.

However, he raised the number of

confirmed cases of those infected by the virus to 61, and added that some 900 other suspected cases are being tested. “No one is qualified to discuss this sort of news at all,” Harirchi said, adding that lawmakers have no access to coronavirus statics and could be mixing figures on deaths related to other diseases like the flu with the new virus, which first emerged in China in December.

Still, the number of deaths compared to the number of confirmed infections from the virus is higher in Iran than in any other country, including China and South Korea, where the outbreak is far more widespread.

Neighboring countries have reported infections from travelers from Iran in recent days, prompting several to shut their borders to Iranian citizens. Authorities in Iraq and

pulling out vehicles and setting them alight. “Go ahead and throw stones,” one policeman shouted to protesters backing the law, during one of the running battles.

On side streets, young boys drained fuel from motorcycles to make petrol bombs, and protesters pulled up paving stones and flung construction material at opponents. “We are in support of the CAA. If they want to protest, they should go somewhere else,” said a protester who gave his name as Amit. India’s jun-

Afghanistan, which closed their borders with Iran, on Monday announced their first confirmed coronavirus cases. Kuwait also announced its first case.

The virus has infected more than 79,000 people globally, and caused more than 2,600 deaths, most of them in China. The World Health Organization recently named the illness caused by the virus COVID-19, referring to both coronavirus and its origin late last year.

Iraq said the virus was confirmed in an Iranian student in the Shiite holy city of Najaf who had entered the country before Iraq barred Iranians from entering last week. Separately, a person in Afghanistan’s western province of Herat who had returned from Iran tested positive for the virus, the health ministry there confirmed.

Farahani, the Iranian lawmaker from Qom, was quoted in local media as saying more than 250 people are quarantined in that city, which is a popular place of religious study for Shiites from across Iran and other countries.

Turmoil in Malaysia as PM Mahathir resigns KUALA LUMPUR AGENCIES

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad resigned Monday in a shock move after his political allies sought to bring down the government and block the succession of leader-in-waiting Anwar Ibrahim. It came after months of rising tensions in the “Pact of Hope” coalition, which stormed to a shock victory in 2018 against a corruptionplagued government that had ruled Malaysia for six decades.

But there were calls for Mahathir, the world’s oldest leader at 94, to stay in office from allies who insisted he had not backed the formation of a new government and had quit in disgust at the plot.

The political drama began on Sunday when Anwar’s rivals from the ruling coalition and opposition politicians held a series of meetings around Kuala Lumpur, stoking speculation a new alliance was taking shape.

That coalition would reportedly have excluded Anwar, Mahathir’s presumptive successor and a former opposition icon who was jailed for years on questionable sodomy charges, blocking his ascent to the premiership.

With the fate of the government still uncertain Monday, Mahathir submitted his resignation to the king. The monarch accepted it, but appointed him interim leader until a new premier is found, according to an official statement. Anwar — who has famously stormy relationship with Mahathir — said the premier assured him “he played no part” in attempts to form a new government, and was “very clear that in no way will he ever work with those associated with the past

regime”. The proposed new coalition was reportedly set to include the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) — the party of disgraced ex-leader Najib Razak, which was ejected from office two years ago.

Anwar and Mahathir put their differences aside and joined forces to take on a corruptionplagued government at the 2018 polls. Mahathir, who previously served as premier from 1981 to 2003, had made a pre-election pledge to hand power to Anwar but has repeatedly refused to fix a date. Shortly before his resignation, Mahathir’s Bersatu party quit the ruling coalition and several lawmakers resigned from Anwar’s party, leaving the Pact of Hope in tatters and fuelling suggestions efforts could be underway to form a new alliance.

Mahathir also quit as Bersatu chairman.

NEFARIOUS PLOT: There was initially speculation Mahathir was behind the drive to form a new government, but Anwar and other allies quickly denied that. Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng — a senior member of the Democratic Action Party, which formed part of the “Pact of Hope” — said that Mahathir had resigned in protest at the “nefarious attempt” to topple the government.

“Mahathir clearly stated that he cannot work with UMNO when we worked so hard to reject UMNO successfully in the 2018 general elections,” he said, adding his party would nominate Mahathir to continue as prime minister. Ibrahim Suffian, who heads independent polling firm Merdeka Centre, said Mahathir could come back as premier and the crisis may work in his favour.

“It gives him an opportunity to reshape the ruling coalition,” he told AFP.

Published by Arif Nizami at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore. Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk

CMYK

ior home minister G. Kishan Reddy said the violence was a “conspiracy to shame India globally” during Trump’s visit.

“We have deployed additional forces, and we will do everything to bring law and order under control,” he told Reuters partner ANI. In Gujarat, Trump told a gathering of more than 100,000 people that “India is a country that proudly embraces freedom, liberty, individual rights, the rule of law, and the dignity of every human being”.

harvey Weinstein guilty of sexual assault, rape NEW YORK AGENCIES

Disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein was convicted Monday of sexual assault and rape but cleared of the most serious predatory sexual assault charges. The jury of seven men and five women found the producer guilty of criminal sexual acts in the first degree and rape in the third degree, a partial victory for the #MeToo movement that considered the case a watershed moment. The 67-year-old was found not guilty however of first-degree rape and predatory sexual assault charges that could have seen him jailed for life. The verdict marks the most high-profile sex assault conviction in the United States since Bill Cosby was found guilty in 2018 of drugging and sexually assaulting a woman 15 years ago.

trump's pronunciation of names of indian cricket greats lights up social media NEW DELHI AGENCIES

The vast crowd lapped it up, but reaction around the world was one of more amusement as United States President Donald Trump had a bit of a tongue twisting problem with the names of two of India’s greatest cricket stars. Trump was addressing thousands of people packed into the Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad as he kicked off his first official visit to India on Monday.

Standing on a glass-fronted dais in the 110,000-capacity venue, Trump praised India’s Bollywood movie industry before moving on to the sport of cricket, which is like a religion across India. To the crowd’s delight, he singled out Sachin Tendulkar, India’s most revered cricket star and one of the world’s greatest batsmen, and captain Virat Kohli, who is also an icon in the country. “This is a country where your people cheer on some of the world’s great crickets players from ‘Soo-chin Tendulkerr’ to ‘Virot Ko-lee,'” the president said to a huge roar. But the reaction on social media was more mixed about his pronunciations. Even the governing body of world cricket joined in, with a tweet poking fun at Trump’s lessthan-perfect grasp of their names. “Sach-, Such-, Satch-, Sutch-, Sooch-, Anyone know?” the tweet read. It’s not the first time Trump has had pronunciation difficulties, with Namibia, Tanzania, Nepal and Bhutan providing tricky for the president in the past. Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi were speaking at the “Namaste Trump” event at the start of his 36hour visit to India.