Epaper_16-04-2023 KHI

P M A S KS N AT I O N T O D E C I D E I T S F

T U R E C O U R S E S A N S F O R E I G N D E B T S

g SAYS COUNTRY WA S NOT CREATED TO MOVE ON DEBTS AND ACT LIKE BEGGAR

PR I M E Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said that there existed economic challenges but the nation would have to decide whether they would live on foreign debts or to stand on its feet by carving a niche among the comity of nations with honesty dedication and hard work

The prime minister expressed the optimism that despite different challenges, Pakistan would be soon out of all difficulties

“If the chronic issue of load-shedding the scourge of terrorism could end free medicines could be provided to the poor road infrastructure could be laid, then surely, the country could move on the path of progress and prosperity he added

The prime minister was addressing a ceremony after reviewing the construction work on six-lane overhead bridge of Imamia Colony railways crossing –Shahdra N-5

He said that those nations always achieved milestones that took lead with definite decisions over their future The country was not created to move on debts and act like beggar because their forefathers and different generations had given

g SAYS THEY MET HARSH CONDITIONS, MADE EVERY EFFORT FOR LOAN AGREEMENT WITH IMF

Naqvi, parliamentarians, Chief Secretary Chairman National Highway Authority and concerned authorities

The prime minister said that inflation and price hike, no doubt, had made the lives of ordinary people difficult, but the coalition government was cognizant of these affects

He urged the nation to work hard by day and night to transform the country into the visions of Quaid and Allama Iqbal

The prime minister cited the pace of development and uplift projects across Punjab province during Nawaz Sharif s tenure, regretting that during the last four years of PTI’s tenure, brakes were applied ending a number of public welfare-oriented projects besides putting other vital projects into the cold storage

sacrifices for the motherland, he added

The prime minister referred to the terms of International Monetary Fund (IMF) for seeking loan agreement and said that they did every effort to implement them

Even they sought bilateral financial support from the friendly nations including China that realized their problems and provided a rollover of $2 billion loan besides, returning back previous debt

Gov t jacks up petrol price by Rs10 per litre

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

The Federal government Saturday night announced an increase of Rs10 per litre in the price of petrol fro next

15 days taking the price to Rs282 per litre

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar announced the increase of Rs10 per litre in the price of petrol

In a televised address late Saturday night the finance minister said the rationale behind the hike in the price of petroleum products is the increase in petroleum prices in the international market and exchange rate variation

The minister also announced that the prices of diesel and light diesel oil would remain unchanged at Rs293 and Rs174 68 respectively He however added that the price of kerosene was being increased by Rs5 78 to Rs186 07 The minister said the new prices will be effective from 12am on Sunday

At the outset of his address the minister said the prices of petroleum products had increased in the international market in the past 15 days

As a result, price of petrol has been increased to Rs282 per litre, while high-speed diesel (HSD) and light diesel oil rates will remain stable at Rs293 per litre and Rs174 68 per litre respectively Earlier on March 31

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar announced that the prices of petrol and diesel will remain unchanged for the next 15 days The federal government decided to maintain the petroleum products prices for the next 15 days

On March 15 the government increased the prices of petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs5 and Rs13 per litre Meanwhile, Pakistan tehreek-i-Insaf rejected the hike in the petrol price, saying it would further add to the miseries of the common man already sobbing under the burden of inflation

PR OFIT REPORT

i S l a m a b a d

No matter what the current government tells people, the IMF mission is still waiting for confirmations of necessary bilateral and external financing sources as per the IMF mission chief The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Saturday that it is looking forward to obtaining the necessary financing assurances as soon as possible to pave the way for the successful completion of the 9th EFF review

IMF Mission Chief to Pakistan Nathan Porter through his representative in Pakistan in a statement said that “We welcome the recent announcement of important financial support to Pakistan from key bilateral partners During the meetings between the Pakistani delegation and IMF staff and management, there was agreement on the need to maintain strong policies and secure sufficient financing to support the authorities implementation efforts

The IMF is supporting these efforts and looks forward to obtaining the necessary financing assurances as soon as possible to pave the way for the successful completion of the 9th EFF review the statement added IMF’s 9th review in retrospect:

The IMF delegation came to Pakistan on the 1st of February which was already pretty late in the context of the 9th review of its Extended Fund Facility (EFF) The visit was a

amount paid back by Pakistan

The prime minister also expressed his gratitude to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates The UAE had committed a loan of $3 billion

He lauded the efforts of Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and the chief of army staff for making efforts in this regard

The ceremony was attended by Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin

Recounting the public welfare projects initiated during Nawaz Sharif ’s tenure in the province he said some of them included the greater Iqbal park metro bus service, cricket ground, power projects to overcome 20 hours loadshedding which was ended in 2018 and that was a huge achievement

But during 2018 he said through a fraud and fake election , polling results were rigged and the results were changed

of impending power crisis due to forex shor tfall

ISLAMABAD a h m a d a h m a da n i

The country s power sector is facing a potential crisis due to a shortage of foreign exchange, with Independent Power Producers (IPPs) warning of potential power plant shutdowns in the near future due to non-payment of approximately $710 million

According to sources in the power sector, IPPs have sent letters to the federal government expressing their concerns about outstanding payment issues and the risk of severe financial loss if these issues are not addressed Adding to the problems facing IPPs, their power engines require overhauls, and spare parts have not been delivered due to non-payment As a result the production of electricity has come to a halt resulting in significant losses for the companies IPPs have warned that non-payment through the State Bank of Pakistan is a breach of contract and that they will take strict action if the situation does not improve IPPs have requested the federal government to address their issues with the delay in dividend remittances to foreign shareholders, nonpayment by banks to foreign suppliers against Letters of Credit (LCs) and the availability of foreign exchange through the State Bank of Pakistan

As per sources Atlas Power CEO Razi ur Rehman, has written to the MD of Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB) requesting urgent intervention while Attock Gen Limited CFO Adil Farooq

long anticipated one by the government at that time and the government reassured the people, time and again about the arrival of the said visit

Weeks turned into months, days turned into weeks but when the IMF team finally arrived on the 1st of February Pakistan was still not able to secure the Staff Level agreement The two week long visit was followed by negotiations that were supposed to happen virtually Since the IMF team has left Pakistan Pakistan has made a considerable number of changes in its tax collection targets, its exchange rate and trade policies and expenditures In lieu of the IMF agreement the government has been able to impose Rs 170 billion in additional taxes The exchange rate has dropped to a historic low, levy on petroleum products and electricity tariffs have been increased and subsequently the interest rate and inflation are at also at a historically highest level But still the IMF agreement seems far away What is the delay?

According to media reports, the IMF wants an external financing assurance of around $6 billion dollars from Pakistan which is necessary to bridge Pakistan s external financing needs It is reported that the government is still trying to secure the remaining $3 billion

Recently the Finance minister Ishaq dar claimed that UAE has given assurance to the IMF for a $1 billion loan to Islamabad, similarly, State Minister for Finance and Revenue

Ar my top brass vows to pursue goals set by NSC to eliminate ter rorism

Qureshi, has highlighted the GoP’s obligation to make foreign exchange available through the SBP Orient Power Company CEO Kashif Bashir Rana has requested that the matter be taken up with the State Bank of Pakistan to expedite the resolution of pending dividend payments, restore the confidence of foreign investors and attract much-needed foreign investment to the country In response the MD of PPIB has asked the State Bank of Pakistan to facilitate IPPs with their foreign payments to fulfill their contractual obligations and prevent potential breaches of commitments and obligations made under Implementation Agreements/Power Purchase Agreements said the sources Available correspondence of IPPs with Managing Director (MD) of Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB) disclosed that country’s power sector might face a worst crisis in the near future due to shortage of foreign exchange as power plants of IPPs are about to stop power production as overhauling of their power engines has been not made despite passing many days to the due date in this regard And in this regard the IPPs named as Attock Gen Limited Atlas Power Limited and Orient Power Company (Private) Limited have asked the federal government to take immediate notice of non-payment of $710 million as the situation has gone from bad to worse and IPPs have not been able to remit their profits abroad for the past ten months to their shareholders due to which IPPs are facing severe financial loss

Ayesha Pasha informed the Parliamentary committee last week that Saudi Arabia has already given assurance for a $2 billion loan

Sources said that the Finance minister on Friday requested the World Bank to disburse loan under the RISE program as the federal and provincial government has met the conditions related to sales tax Pakistan is expected to receive an estimated amount of $600 million from the world bank and other multilateral flood-relief commitments Earlier Pakistan was banking on a higher commitment from its bilateral partners However, as of now, the government is once again looking at commercial loans for the remaining amounts It is also important to note that once the SLA is reached Pakistan will also receive a tranche of $1 1 billion from the IMF

It is pertinent to note that the Pakistani delegation

A conference of corps commanders on Saturday expressed Pakistan Army s determination to eliminate terrorism, extremism, and instability in the country, said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a statement The 257th Corps Commanders’ Conference in Rawalpindi reviewed the nation’s internal and regional environment including its external and internal security challenges Under the leadership of the army chief, Gen Asim Munir, the forum reiterated its commitment to shoulder its constitutionally mandated responsibilities with the support of the resilient people of Pakistan reported the military s media wing According to the statement, the conference affirmed that the military leadership is cognisant of the full spectrum of the challenges” and it resolved to “shoulder its constitutionally mandated responsibilities with [the] support of the resilient people of Pakistan The meeting also emphasised the need for a whole-of-the-nation and whole-of-the-government approach to eradicate the menace of terrorism on a long-term basis ” It further expressed its assurance to pursue the objectives set by the National Security Committee (NSC) through the coordinated application of all elements of national power The forum also highlighted the intelligence-based operations (IBOs) undertaken by the security forces in areas along the western border and reiterated the security forces commitment to fully support national responses against internal and external threats The conference to discuss Pakistan’s security challenges came after the army chief gave an in-camera briefing to the parliament on Friday Gen Munir acknowledged during the briefing that the strategy of engaging with terrorists had enabled them to regroup in the tribal areas This observation was made in response to a surge in attacks by the proscribed Afghanistan-based Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant group The authorities have yet to disclose any further details on their plans to combat the growing threat of terrorism in the region Following the briefing, no statement was issued regarding the plans to combat terrorism and militant groups in the country

IPP ’s war n

g COUNTRY ’S POWER SECTOR IS ON BRINK OF CRISIS WITH PAYMENTS WORTH $710M DUE

C o u n t r y ’ s p o p u l at i o n r i s e s t o 2 3 4 m a s

d i g i ta l C e n s u s e x t e n d e d f o r t h i r d t i m e

Initiatives Prof Ahsan Iqbal here on

Earlier on Monday the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) extended the date for the census completion till April 15 on the recommendation of the provincial governments

In a statement the PBS spokesperson said that Pakistan s total population has reached 234 million (23 4 crores), increasing by 8 06 percent as compared to 2017 The spokesperson noted that the country’s population swelled by 10 71 million as compared to the statistics of 2017

staff level agreement with imf still awaited

COntInuED fROM pAgE 01

Finance Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar shared the current economic outlook of the country and apprised him of the economic policies and reforms of the government for sustainable economic development The Finance Minister thanked the President AIIB for his generous support in rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in the flood affected areas in Pakistan The President AIIB lauded the relationship between Pakistan and the AIIB and appreciated the economic policies and reforms of the present government for social uplift of the masses He highlighted the role of AIIB in infrastructure development projects and investment and extended AIIB s complete support and cooperation to Pakistan

The Finance Minister thanked the President AIIB for his continuous support to Pakistan for the sustainable economic development of the country

ipp’s warn of impending power crisis due to forex shortfall

COntInuED fROM pAgE 01

The IPPs in its correspondence has requested the federal government to resolve their problem arising out of delay in dividend remittances to foreign shareholders nonpayment by banks to foreign suppliers against Letters of Credit (LCs) etc while due to non-arrival of spare parts the production process of electricity is affected and companies are suffering heavy losses The IPPs also declared that non-remittance of funds through State Bank of Pakistan is a breach of contract and if the situation does not improve IPPs will be forced to take strict action as per the agreement This is of utmost importance now as without our

He informed that 100 percent census work has been completed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Kashmir 99 percent in Punjab 98 percent in Sindh 90 percent in Islamabad and 82 percent in Balochistan

On April 5 the bureau said that more than 90 per cent of work was completed in Punjab Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa However, according to official data released, Islamabad and Balochistan lagged significantly behind, with 72% and 62% of work completed so far, respectively The fieldwork of the census in Karachi will also be extended for the third time A

meeting in this connection has been convened under the chair of the chief census commissioner According to a third-party audit the census is yet to be held in 30% area of the city Sources said that the PBS officials agree that the fieldwork must be continued in areas where the census has not been completed yet ‘ m i n i s t e r c h a i r s 11 t h m e e t i n g o f c e n s u s m o n i t o r i n g c o m m i t t e e ’:

Meanwhile, Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal chaired the 11th meeting of Census Monitoring Committee on Saturday to

review the progress of field operation of digital census and other allied matters

Chief Census Commissioner Dr Naeemuz

Zafar presented the progress of the census operation He apprised the forum that out of 156 districts, 100 percent work has been completed in 122 districts while over 90% work has been completed in remaining districts

Overall 230 million population has been enumerated and 40 million households have been geo-tagged Zafar apprised that the extension proved to be very successful, enumerating an additional 5 million people in 80 thousand households

It was also informed that after conducting an in-depth analysis to identify the reason behind undercount, teams of officers from PBS Headquarter are facilitating DCS and ACS by visiting big cities like Karachi Hyderabad Lahore Faisalabad and Peshawar etc to ensure complete coverage of all structures/houses and leftover structures

C TD nicks four terrorists of banned outfit; Levies foil terror bid

LAHORE S ta f f R e p o R t

The Punjab Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) claimed to have arrested four alleged terrorists belong to banned outfits during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) while Levies Forces foiled a terror bid along Pak-Afghan border in Chagai district

The CTD arrested the militants during IBOs conducted in Multan, Rawalpindi and Sargodha

A c c o r d i n g t o t h e C T D s p o k e s p e r s o n o n Saturday, the Punjab CTD conducted 26 intelligence based operations in different districts of the province t o e ff e c t i v e l y d e a l w i t h a n y u n t o w a r d i n c i d e n t o f t e r r o r i s m i n w h i c h 2 6 s u s p e c t e d p e r s o n s w e r e interrogated and four alleged terrorists were arrested w i t h w e a p o n s e x p l o s i v e s a n d o t h e r p r o h i b i t e d materials

The arrested terrorists include Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Al-Qaeda members identified as: Ayaz K h a n Ya s i n M u h a m m a d S a l i m a n d M u h a m m a d Asad, he added

The spokesman said that 1,414 grams of explosives, five detonators, 12 3 feet of safety fuse wire, 4 92 feet of prima card, four pistols 30 bore with ammunition four prohibited magazines 22 pamphlets and Rs4 520 in cash were recovered from possession of the terrorists He added that the terrorists wanted to target important installations and religious places

The police have registered four cases against the arrested alleged terrorists in Rawalpindi Mianwali Sargodha and Multan and shifted them to an unknown location for further investigation he added

The spokesman said that 419 combing operations were conducted during this week with the help of local police and security agencies, in which 21,897 persons were checked, 94 suspects were arrested, 63 FIRs were registered and 40 recoveries were made The CTD was diligently pursuing its goal of a safe Punjab and no stone would be left unturned in its efforts to bring terrorists and anti-state elements behind bars he concluded

In Hyderabad the Sindh CTD arrested a suspect allegedly associated with the banned outfit in a raid in

PM asks nation to decide its future course sans foreign debts

COntInuED fROM pAgE 01

With such move the development pace was snatched which also saw a height of corruption in the province during PTI s government Whereas the PML-N government had strived to eliminate the curse during its terms, he added

He reminded the people that during his tenure as provincial chief minister, the Mall and Gulberg roads were washed but now, these roads had been left in dilapidated condition by the former rulers

He said during his 12 years term as the chief minister, he had provided flour to the people at subsidized rates but for the first time in the country’s history about 80 to 100 million people were being benefited from the free flour scheme for which Rs 65 billion rupees were spent in the month of Ramazan alone

A b o u t t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f f l y o v e r s h e s a i d t h a t o n e e a c h f l y o v e r I m a m i a c o l o n y w a s b e i n g c o m p l e t e d b y t h e f e d e r a l g o v e r n m e n t a n d t h e o t h e r a t S h a h d r a b y t h e p r o v i n c i a l g o v e r n m e n t H e s a i d t h e m e t r o b u s p r o j e c t f r o m S h a h d r a w o u l d b e e x p a n d e d t o K a l a S h a h K a k u , a d d i n g a l l t h e s e p r o j e c t s w e r e m e a n t f o r t h e p u b l i c b e n e f i t s T h e p r i m e m i n i s t e r s a i d t h a t h e h a d d i r e c t e d f o r c o m p l e t i o n o f t h e w o r k i n t h r e e m o n t h s T h e p r i m e m i n i s t e r a l s o c r i t i c i z e d f o r m e r c h i e f j u s t i c e o f P a k i s t a n J u s t i c e S a q i b N i s a r f o r s t a y i n g d i ff e r e n t p r o j e c t s i n t h e p r o v i n c e i n c l u d i n g the issue of 56 companies

He said in these proceedings not a single penny of corruption was proved

The Orange line was a gift of China for the people of Lahore he said adding after a lengthy proceeding of 11-month over a case moved by PTI, the high court gave a clean chit But the PTI people then took the issue to the Supreme Court, where the former chief justice delayed the decision for months, with clear intentions to cause harm to PML-N and public uplift

schemes

The prime minister also accused former chief justice Saqib Nisar of causing loss to PKLI and questioned what he was doing in the constituency of Shaikh Rashid

Speaking on the occasion Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Rana Tanveer Hussain said that the project was being completed which had been pending for construction for long

During the last PTI government s tenure such development schemes were halted causing irreparable loss to the country

‘ e a r Ly c o m p L e t i o n o f i m a m i a c o L o n y r a i Lway c r o s s i n g f Ly o v e r ’: Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited the site of Imamia Colony Railway Crossing Flyover project in Lahore on Saturday, where he was given a detailed briefing about various aspects of the project

The Prime Minister directed to accelerate the pace of work on the project and ensure its completion in three months He also directed to extend the Metro Bus service to Kala Shah Kaku at the earliest p m v i s i t s s h a h d r a h o s p i ta L t o r e v i e w m e d i c a L fa c i L i t i e s : Meanwhile Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday visited Shahdra hospital to review the medical facilities provided to the patients The prime minister, accompanied by the authorities concerned, took a round of different departments and inquired about the issues He also met with a number of people and talked to them j i c h i e f s i r a j u L h a q c a L L s o n p m s h e h b a z : Meanwhile a three-member delegation led by Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI)

Sirajul Haq here on Saturday called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif

During the meeting the current political situation in the country and judicial crisis came under discussion the PM Office Media Wing said in a press release

Sehrish Nagar area of Qasimabad in the wee hours of Saturday

An official of the CTD identified the arrested suspect as Sarkash Bhatti alias Sunny He claimed that the CTD recovered cash and other evidence which give credence to his involvement in raising funds for the prescribed outfit

He said Bhatti s name was also added in the Fourth Schedule last year while he was also booked in multiple FIRs

L e v i e s f o r c e f o i L s m a j o r t e r r o r i s m b i d : In Chagai, Levies force claimed to have recovered mortar, rocket and bomb in an operation conducted on tip off near Pak-Afghan border in district Chagai of Balochistan province on Saturday According to levies force, Chagai, two mortars, one rocket and one bomb, which had been hidden in a deserted place were recovered in an operation conducted on a tip off along Pak-Afghan border in district Chagai The recovered arms were shifted to levies station Chagai for taking further legal action

Further investigation into the case was underway

gandapur granted three-day remand over suspected firing on police

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Sargodha has granted a three-day physical remand of Ali Amin Gandapur, a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader, in connection to a case related to the firing on Bhakkar police at a picket Judge Khawar Rashid heard the case on Saturday and ordered Gandapur to be remanded to Sadr Bhakkar police custody for three more days The police took Gandapur with them The judge further directed the police to present the accused before the court on Tuesday and complete the investigation within three days Gandapur was arrested last week on charges of two criminal cases registered against him by local police He was taken into custody on Thursday night outside the building of the Dera Ismail Khan bench of Peshawar High Court (PHC) and sent to the central jail on a six-day judicial remand The charges against the former minister include using derogatory language against the ruling coalition in an audio leak that was aired on a private news-TV station, according to the first information report (FIR) filed against him ppp committee

to bring par ties together for constitutional progress: minister

ISLAMABAD

Financial Market and Reserve Management SBP has requested that requisite payments applications submitted by Atlas Power Limited for foreign currency payments may be processed by banks at the earliest to avoid any serious implications and unnecessary litigation for the GoP It is pertinent to mention here that the ongoing situation has put Pakistan s power sector on the brink of a major crisis and urgent measures are needed to address the concerns of IPPs and ensure the availability of foreign exchange for the smooth functioning of power plants

COntInuED fROM BACk pAgE

He urged the government to apply laws uniformly to the entire industry, implement track and trace across all companies and provide a business

environment in which an organized tax-paying industry can thrive The implementation of the track and trace system could help bring illegal cigarettes under the law and the government can cover the revenue deficit more easily

S ta f f R e p o R t Minister for Commerce Syed Naveed Qamar has announced on his Twitter account that a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) committee is continuing its efforts to bring all political parties to the negotiation table The committee, which was recently created by party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, is following the PPP s policy of dialogue with political parties to move the constitutional process forward According to the tweet, the PPP committee recently visited BNP-Mengal and received wholehearted support for their efforts The BNP-Mengal is committed to helping with the process In another tweet, the minister expressed his gratitude to his fellow parliamentarians for electing him as the chairman of the parliamentary committee on electoral reforms He reiterated his commitment to bring the law in consonance with the Constitution The PPP s policy of dialogue with political parties is a positive step towards promoting a democratic and inclusive political culture in Pakistan, he said The efforts of the committee to bring all political parties to the negotiation table will be crucial in resolving the challenges faced by the country, he added

S hehbaz S harif ’s mass transit projec ts providing relief to commuters amid high fuel costs

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

The mass transit system of Pakistan has witnessed a significant transformation during the one year of the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with launch of several projects aimed to facilitate the general public

The Metro Bus Service and the Green Line train services, launched during his tenure, are accommodating the commuters who are already facing the brunt of inflation and high fuel prices

With the inauguration of Islamabad Metro Bus Service by prime minister Shehbaz Sharif in April last year as his first development project the country s journey of progress resumed after the four-year rule by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)

The Islamabad Metro Bus Service project, which was due to become operational by 2018, faced a massive delay by the PTI government and was launched within five days after PM Shehbaz Sharif assumed his office

Shehbaz Sharif during his tenure in Punjab as chief minister had also successfully initiated the mass transit projects in Lahore Rawalpindi and Multan

For this reason he is regarded by the general public as the pioneer of the mass transit system in Pakistan

This public bus system is providing a comfortable travel to commuters with regard to cost-efficiency and reduced time

The Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus is 83 6 km-long bus system operating between the twin cities It consists of four routes, namely the Red, Orange, Blue, and Green Lines The Red and Orange Lines have dedicated lanes with proper stations built along them while the Blue and Green Lines currently run along the Islamabad Expressway and Srinagar Highway respectively with regular traffic

The Metro Bus network s Red Line stretches 22 5 kilometers between Pak Secretariat in Islamabad and Saddar in Rawalpindi The second route the Orange Line stretches 25 6 kilometers between the Peshawar Morr Interchange and the

Islamabad International Airport In July

2022 the Green Line and Blue Lines were added to this Metro Bus network

This mass transit system uses e-ticketing and an Intelligent Transportation System where the Red Line is managed by the Punjab Mass Transit Authority while the rest are being managed by the Capital Development Authority

The commuters are getting facilities with an easy access to the buses coming after every five minutes and the shuttle by every 25 minutes

On the directives of PM Sharif, the establishment of a metro bus station on the motorway for better connectivity is also in progress to enhance the benefit of service to a maximum number of people

As per his vision Shehbaz Sharif describes the mass transit systems a way forward to provide citizens with dignified inexpensive and environment-friendly transport service

He has termed the capital s first four-line interconnected bus service a big relief for commuters of the twin cities dealing with

high fuel prices

“A decent and on-time transportation service on regular basis is a service to common man ” he said at the launch of the metro bus service in Islamabad last year

The Metro Bus service is largely accomodating the common man particularly students and workers plying on the routes

The launch of the Green Line train service between Islamabad and Karachi in January this year is another feather in the cap of Shehbaz Sharif which adds to his list of development projects for the ease of the general public

The train, comprising modern coaches imported from China, stops at the stations of Rawalpindi Chaklala Lahore Khanewal Bahawalpur Rohri Hyderabad and Drigh Road Karachi The turnaround time of the Green Line is 22 hours which saves a plenty of time for the travelers

The ticket covers breakfast lunch hitea and dinner besides Wifi Apart from this a high-quality bedding and utility kits are also provided to the passengers

According to estimates, the train benefits

around 2,200 passengers on daily basis from Islamabad to Karachi

The Green Line project which was initiated in 2016 during the tenure of the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif was delayed by the PTI government

Overall the mass transit system launched by PM Shehbaz Sharif is providing services to the people in congested areas ensuring frequent and fast routes

Under his vision, his government plans to expand the network of mass transit system in other parts of the country with the sole aim to serve the masses

In near future, the people of Islamabad will be able to avail the facility of electric buses for an intra-city commute

Initially the electric buses will be run on six different public transport routes

The extended mass transit system in the country is expected to build thriving communities create jobs ease traffic congestion and promote a cleaner environment Also investment in public transportation will spur both local and the national economy

After PTC, Philip Morris also shows concerns over smuggling, sale of illicit cigarettes

ihC stops sCse from taking aCtion against nfml management

their administrative control against the petitioner company its board of directors its CEO and its management on account of any directions or instructions issued by the Parliamentary Committee on Sacked Employees Barrister Umar Riaz and Umer

Ijaz Gilani invoked the jurisdiction of Islamabad High Court (IHC) on behalf of the Managing Director of the NFML Petitioner made Federation of Pakistan, through Secretary, Ministry of Industries and Production, Special Committee on Affected Employees, through its Secretary, National Assembly Secretariat, Establishment Division, through its Secretary, Pakistan

police: three children killed while playing with bomb

QuEttA t h e a S S o c i at e d p R e S S

Three children were killed on Friday while playing with an unexploded bomb at an abandoned house in Balochistan near the Afghan border police said According to police official Shabir Ahmed the explosion took place in the border town of Chaman some 150 kilometres (90 miles) from the provincial capital of Quetta Afghan refugees had previously lived in the house but it was unclear how the bomb got there, he said Police were investigating, Ahmed said Several children are killed every year by unexploded ordnance and land mines left from years of fighting and conflicts in the region and elsewhere in Pakistan Millions of Afghans fled to Pakistan during the 1979-1989 Soviet occupation of their country creating one of the world’s largest refugee populations According to a recently conducted UN-backed survey 1 3 million registered Afghan refugees are still residing in Pakistan where authorities often arrest those living without valid documents Scores of Afghan Taliban members had also stayed in the region before returning home after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021

mufti shakoor's demise, big loss for whole nation: marriyum

ISLAMABAD a p p Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb on Saturday expressed deep grief and sorrow over the demise of Religious Affairs Minister Mufti Abdul Shakoor who had died here in a road accident Demise of Mufti Shakoor Sahib is not a loss of one party but for the whole nation the minister said while talking to media persons outside the Poly Clinic Hospital Flanked by Federal Minister for Communications Asad Mehmood and Inspector General of Police Dr Akbar Nasir Khan Marriyum said she did not have words to speak about such a big loss for the entire nation The minister lauded the services of Mufti Shakoor for religion, nation, Constitution and democracy She said Mufti Shakoor always disseminated knowledge of religion "When I arrived here in the hospital I saw a large number of people from his party were present here and praying for him," she said while urging the nation to pray for his "Maghfrat" She also prayed to the Almighty to rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant courage and fortitude to the bereaved family to bear the irreparable loss with equanimity Speaking on the occasion the IGP Islamabad said apparently Abdul Shakoor got died after he sustained a head injury in a road accident He said Minister Mufti Shakoor was travelling from Mariott towards the Secretariat Chowk when a vehicle collided with his car The IGP said the persons, who were in the vehicle which hit the minister's car, had been arrested, while the investigation was underway

Secretariat and Ministry of Law and Justice through its Secretary Pakistan Secretariat Islamabad as respondents in the matter

After hearing preliminary arguments the Court restrained the Establishment Division and other federal government bodies from taking any adverse action against the Board CEO and management of NFML on account of the Special Committee directions Appearing before the single-member bench of the IHC comprising Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan in the matter, petitioner s counsels apprised the Committee headed by MNA Qadir Mandokhail had directed NFML to regularize the services of a large

number of past and present employee They also informed the court that the Committee had also threatened the MD of the company that his services would be terminated if he failed to comply Umer Ijaz Gilani argued that neither the Constitution nor the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007 grant any powers on parliamentary committee to issue directions of an executive nature to any state entity including the petitioner Umer Ijaz Gilani referred specially to Article 66 and Rules 214 to 244 and contended that a holistic review of the entire Rules shows that nowhere do they make any mention of the power of committee to issue “directives” to state officials regarding executive matters ” Counsel further argued that the directors and the officers of the company owe a fiduciary duty to the principal shareholder the Government of Pakistan It was against the interest of the government to pack state-

owned corporations with redundant employees Courageous civil servants who put up a stand on account of fiduciary duties should not be penalized for resisting the political pressure of a parliamentary committee

According to a 2-page order of the IHC copy of which available with TLTP Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan said Pending the next date of hearing no coercive action shall be taken by the respondents or by any other agency under their administrative control against the petitioner company its board of directors, its CEO, and its management, on account of any directions or instructions issued by the Parliamentary Committee on Sacked Employees”

After hearing preliminary arguments of counsel of the petitioner, the Court issued notices to the respondents and restrained them from taking any adverse action against the Directors CEO and management of the petitioner Company The matter was adjourned till April 27

PM Shehbaz to be in jeopardy in case of elec tion delay: Aitzaz

LAHORE S ta f f R e p o R t

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Aitzaz Ahsan on Saturday said if Prime MInister Shehbaz Sharif did not allow election in Punjab on May 14 he would stand disqualified Addressing a round table conference of lawyers and jurists he said election in Punjab would be held on May 14 at every cost adding that anyone violating the Supreme Court s (SC) order directing the elections in Punjab on May 14 would be disqualified

He went on to say that the country was witnessing a

historic conflict between the parliament and the judiciary adding that political parties were at daggers drawn to each other right now We need to think whether the constitution reigns supreme or not, he added

The constitution binds elections within 90 days [of the dissolution of assemblies],” he said He added that our country was reeling under debt

Mr Ahsan said that the verdict issued by the apex court was final adding that PM Shehbaz and his brother Nawaz Sharif said they rejected the bench hearing elections case I have been saying since day one that the court s order needs to be followed he added

Cour t adjourns S heikh Rasheed ’s indic tment in Z ardari conspirac y c ase elephant noor Jehan critically ill at karachi Zoo after fall

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

District and Sessions Judge Abbas Shah on Saturday adjourned Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rasheed’s case filed against him for accusing former president Asif Zardari of conspiring to kill Pakistan Tehree-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan

The hearing of the case was presided over by Judicial Magistrate in the District and Sessions Court of Islamabad on Saturday

During the hearing Sheikh Rasheed s lawyers submitted the copies of applications filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to nullify the case against him to the court

As a result, the hearing of the case was adjourned until June 3, as the matter was already being heard in the IHC

On February 27, Sheikh Rasheed had accused Asif Zardari of conspiring to kill Imran Khan

Following these allegations, cases were registered against him in Islamabad, Murree, Karachi, and Quetta On February 1, Sheikh Rasheed was arrested from Rawalpindi but was later released on bail

Year of Pakistan- China tourism exchanges highlighted by Gandhara ar t exhibition

B E I J I n g a p p T h e P a l a c e M u s e u m a n d t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f A r c h a e o l o g y a n d M u s e u m s o f P a k i s t a n h a v e j o i n t l y o rg a n i z e d a n e x h i b i t i o n t h a t h a s b e e n ongoing for three months now and it has attracted a v a r i e t y o f v i s i t o r s i n c l u d i n g s c h o l a r s professionals, and art enthusiasts T h e e x h i b i t i o n , w h i c h o p e n e d l a s t m o n t h , f e a t u r e s 2 0 3 a r t i f a c t s , w i t h 1 7 3 f r o m s e v e n m u s e u m s i n P a k i s t a n a n d 3 0 f r o m t h e P a l a c e M u s e u m T h e e v e n t a l s o i n c l u d e s i n t e r a c t i v e a c t i v i t i e s , a r t i n s t a l l a t i o n s , a n d m u l t i m e d i a presentations aimed at helping visitors understand the cultural history of the region The exhibition highlights Ancient Gandhara’s cultural history a bustling trade centre along the S i l k R o a d T h i s e x h i b i t i o n i s o n e o f t h e m a j o r events being held to celebrate 2023 as the Year of China-Pakistan Tourism Exchanges P a k i s t a n s a m b a s s a d o r t o C h i n a M o i n u lH a q u e s a i d t h e e x h i b i t i o n h a s g e n e r a t e d s i g n i f i c a n t i n t e r e s t a m o n g C h i n e s e p e o p l e , promoting cultural and people exchanges between P a k i s t a n a n d C h i n a H e f u r t h e r s a i d t h e exhibition, initially scheduled for three months, i s e x p e c t e d t o c o n t i n u e f o r m o n t h s d u e t o t h e public’s interest N a t i o n a l H e r i t a g e a n d C u l t u r e D i v i s i o n Secretary Fareena Mazhar who led the Pakistani d e l e g a t i o n i n t h e o p e n i n g c e r e m o n y s a i d t h e e x h i b i t i o n w o u l d p r o m o t e s h a r e d h e r i t a g e a n d e n h a n c e p e o p l e - t o - p e o p l e c o n t a c t b e t w e e n Pakistan and China

The event would benefit not only the general p u b l i c b u t a l s o C h i n e s e s c h o l a r s a n d p r o f e s s i o n a l s t o u n d e r s t a n d P a k i s t a n s c u l t u r a l h e r i t a g e S c h o l a r s f r o m b o t h c o u n t r i e s c a n

e x c h a n g e v i s i t s t o h i s t o r i c a l s i t e s a n d t r a i n experts, she added Museums Deputy Director Dr Mahmood ul H a s s a n p r e s e n t a t t h e e x h i b i t i o n l a u n c h suggested that Pakistan should learn from China’s s u c c e s s f u l e ff o r t s t o p r e s e r v e a n c i e n t a r t B y s t u d y i n g C h i n a s p r e s e r v a t i o n m e t h o d s a n d a p p l y i n g s i m i l a r t e c h n i q u e s t o P a k i s t a n i s t o n e crafts Pakistan can preserve its ancient art Dr Hassan highlighted that Chinese culture h a s a l o n g h i s t o r y o f p r e s e r v i n g t r a d i t i o n a l a r t s a n d c r a f t s t h r o u g h m o d e r n t e c h n o l o g y a n d t e c h n i q u e s , a n d P a k i s t a n i a r t i s a n s c o u l d l e a r n from China s example The exhibition showcases the artistic charm o f G a n d h a r a c u l t u r e a n d i t s i n f l u e n c e o n C h i n a a n d E a s t A s i a T h i s c u l t u r a l e v e n t a i m s t o promote cultural exchanges between Pakistan and China and it is a significant step in celebrating the Year of China-Pakistan Tourism Exchanges

The exhibition which runs until June 15 is an opportunity for visitors to learn about the rich cultural heritage of Pakistan and its ancient art

kARACHI R e u t e R S

Noor Jehan an elephant in Karachi Zoo is critically ill after the 17-year-old fell in a pond on Thursday in a small enclosure

Right after the fall Four Paws, a global animal welfare organisation, recommended lifting Noor Jehan with a crane, ropes and belts She has since been lying visibly weak with limited motion on a mound of sand, propped up against the only tree inside the enclosure

“Her condition is very critical at the moment We are trying everything to save her ” Four Paws spokeswoman Katharina Braun said by email “It is very important that she gets up as soon as possible laying too long on the ground [ ] can be life-threatening Noor Jehan is suffering from a huge hematoma or pool of clotted blood inside her abdomen in addition to intestinal issues Four Paws member Dr Amir Khalil said during his visit to treat her last week The veterinarian from Egypt had then given Noor Jehan a strong chance of survival

Khalid Hashmi was removed as director of Karachi Zoo on April 8 over complaints of negligence

His successor, Kanwar Ayub, said he was unsure if the complaints were true in the week following the vet’s visit “However, there has been no negligence in the three days I have been appointed guaranteed ” he said on Friday noting possible negligence over time

In 2020 American singer Cher arrived in Pakistan to send off Kaavan an elephant in Islamabad Zoo she had spent years trying to free before his move to a Cambodian sanctuary

Animal rights advocates had campaigned for the 36year-old Asian elephant to be rescued from grim conditions

aCe issues another summon notice to usman dar

LAHORE S ta f f R e p o R t

Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE)

Sialkot has issued another summon notice to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf

(PTI) leader Usman Dar

As per details ACE summoned the PTI leader Usman Dar on April 15 to cooperate in the inquiry

The PTI leader Usman Dar has confirmed receiving the anti-corruption establishment notice saying the anti-corruption is registering fake cases against him on the behest of Khawaja officer and the person who is involved in registering the case is close aide to Khawaja Asif The new administration of the anticorruption is specially tasked to carry out targeted operations against PTI leaders but he is ready to pay any price for PTI chairman Imran Khan

Additional D istric t Judge uses C hatGPT tool to strengthen cour t decision

w r o t e “ T h e s e p o i n t s f o r m u l a t e d b y t h e

case Ta k i n g u p a n a p p e a l a g a i n s t C i v i l Judge dismissal order in response to stay a p p l i c a t i o n i n a m a t t e r, t h e A d d i t i o n a l D i s t r i c t & S e s s i o n s J u d g e M u h a m m a d Amir Munir decided to infer more grounds and sought ChatGPT4 response by asking a q u e s t i o n “ W h a t a r e p r i n c i p l e s t o g r a n t injunction in civil cases in Pakistan?

T h e A I t o o l C h a t G P T- 4 r e s p o n d e d v e r y w e l l A f t e r g a t h e r i n g a l l t h e information relating to Pakistani laws and jurisprudential approach in the matter the ChatGPT-4 response provided six grounds to grant stay order saying injunctions are a n i m p o r t a n t r e m e d y i n c i v i l c a s e s i n Pakistan that can be granted by courts to prevent harm or to preserve the status quo S u c h s i x g r o u n d s i n c l u d e ; p r e s e n c e o f irreparable harm, balance of convenience, p r i m e f a c i e c a s e , p l a i n t i ff ’s g o o d f a i t h , importance of public interest and equitable c o n s i d e r a t i o n s a s t h e p l a i n t i ff h a s c o m e with clean hands to seek remedy A u t h o r i n g a 2 1 - p a g e v e r d i c t i n t h e a p p e a l i n h a n d t h e J u d g e A m i r M u n i r

ChatGPT-4 are very impressive as our law o f C i v i l P r o c e d u r e ( C o d e o f C i v i l P r o c e d u r e 1 9 0 8 ) d e v e l o p e d o v e r t h e y e a r s h a s a l s o g u i d e d t h e c o u r t s t o d e l i b e r a t e o n t h e s e d i m e n s i o n s w h i l e d e c i d i n g s u c h a n a p p l i c a t i o n i f circumstances so justify H e f u r t h e r e x p r e s s e d w h i l e c i t i n g a n u m b e r o f j u d g m e n t s o f t h e S u p r e m e Court of Pakistan saying, Generally, for deciding an application for Injunction, we f o r m u l a t e t h r e e p o i n t s f o r d e t e r m i n a t i o n , i e , arguable case, balance of convenience and irreparable loss – The remaining three p o i n t s s h o w n b y t h e C h a t G P T- 4 a r e a l s o w i t h i n t h e d o m a i n o f o u r s t a t u t o r y l a w s

and precedents developed over the years” T h e J u d g e A m i r M u n i r w a s o f t h e v i e w that nothing suggested by the ChatGPT-4 is violative of our laws adding instead it i s h e l p f u l i n c r a f t i n g a q u a l i t y o r d e r o r judgment by a judge Dismissing the appeal in the matter the Additional District & Sessions Judge Amir Munir sent a copy of the verdict to Lahore H i g h C o u r t a n d L a w a n d J u s t i c e C o m m i s s i o n o f P a k i s t a n I d e e m i t n e c e s s a r y t o s e n d a c o p y o f t h e s a m e t o Hon’ble Lahore High Court as well as to t h e L a w a n d J u s t i c e C o m m i s s i o n o f P a k i s t a n t o c o n s i d e r d i s c u s s i o n o n A r t i f i c i a l I n t e l l i g e n c e ( A I ) i n t h i s C i v i l

as a law reform

Assault on the Supreme Cour t

nSteAD of the taliban takeover of Kabul proving to lead to the terhrik taliban Pakistan becoming tamer, it merely coincided with a resurgence of terror in KP and the Punjab the attacks taking place after the ttP called off its ceasefire, after large numbers of operatives returned from Afghanistan to Pakistan and many were released from Pakistan’s jails not only showed that the ttP was back in business but its targeting also showed that it was not so much trying to spread terror as trying to break the will of the state forces opposing it, especially the police the inability of the taliban government to stop the ttP has led Pakistani Defence Minister Kh Asif to say that Pakistan would act unilaterally if necessary this seemed ominous for Afghanistan especially after the national Security committee in its latest meeting had sanctioned an operation against militants the nSc meeting indicated that at long last the establishment had agreed that its policy which it made sure was implemented, was misconceived, and that the threat now hd to be dealt with with an iron hand the USA, in its agreement to withdraw, had got the taliban to commit to two things: that they would not allow Afghan soil to be used by terrorists, and that they would refrain from oppressing women the way they had done during their previous stint in power the complaints by Pakistan indicate that they are allowing the ttP to use its oil for terror their treatment of women was not particularly different to begin with and has rapidly worsened this may be seen as the country s internal affair, but does not take into account the taliban s eagerness to gain recognition, and to be given aid Pakistan is on the side of the taliban, but for how long can it continue to do so? the joy of having those it backed back in power in Kabul can only be sustained if the taliban stop damaging Pakistan’s national interests the taliban made Afghanistan an international pariah and almost made Pakistan one too after 9/11 Whatever they might bdo with their own country they must not be allowed to drag down Pakistan with them Pakistan has already suffered enough trying to get the international community to accept Afghanistan is a tough enough task, without gettin driven out onself

Dedicated to the legac y of late

Toxic Textiles

Synthetic textiles are a significant source of microplastics in the environment which pose a severe threat to the environment and human health

Microplastics are small plastic particles that are less than 5mm in size and can be released from synthetic textiles during washing these particles are too small to be captured by wastewater treatment plants and end up polluting the environment causing significant environmental damage

Synthetic textiles, such as polyester, nylon, and acrylic are made from petroleum-based materials that do not biodegrade During the manufacturing, use, and disposal of synthetic textiles, small fibres can break off and be released into the environment as microplastics the release of microplastics from synthetic textiles can occur in several ways, including shedding from the fabric during washing during the production of the textiles or from the disposal of textile waste A significant source of microplastics from synthetic textiles is the shedding of fibres during washing Research has shown that up to 700 000 microplastic fibres can be released from a single load of synthetic clothing during washing

Several scientific studies have documented the contribution of synthetic textiles to microplastic pollution in the environment One study estimated that microplastics from synthetic textiles contributed up to 35 percent of all microplastics in the world s oceans the study found that polyester, a common synthetic textile was the most significant contributor to microplastic pollution in the ocean

Another study found that microplastics from synthetic textiles were prevalent in coastal waters around the world the study found that microplastic fibers from textiles were present in 93 percent of the samples collected from the seabed and 72 percent of the samples collected from the water column

Overall, there is strong scientific evidence that synthetic textiles contribute significantly to the release of microplastics into the environment particularly in aquatic ecosystems the release of microplastics from synthetic textiles during washing is a significant contributor to the pollution of our oceans and water-

AKey principle of democratic governance is the preservation of the constitutional scheme of “separation of powers” the constitution prescribes the manner and method of establishing the three organs of the state - legislature, executive, judiciary - and apportioning the powers of governance amongst them this is precisely what has been provided by the c o n s t i t u t i o n o f P a k i s t a n t h u s , t h e l e g i s l a t u r e makes laws, which are enforced by the executive (Government) and conflicts and disputes if any are resolved by the judiciary through proper application and interpretation of laws By defining the role and functions of each organ the constitution implicitly places checks and limits on their powers and prohibits them from travelling beyond or interj e c t i n g t h e m s e l v e s i n t o t h e d o m a i n o f t h e o t h e r organ or organs Such a system of governance based on the principle of trichotomy of powers , is regarded as a civilized system of governance As a result, the citizens enjoy fundamental rights including right to life liberty dignity property and equality of status opportunity and before law this being the constitutional scheme of governance let s examine the Supreme court (Practice and Procedure) Bill 2023 ( Bill ), as to whether it is in accord with the constitution or otherwise the key provisions of the Bill are: (i) constitution of benches by three-Member committee comprising the chief Justice and two most senior judges; (ii) cases under the original jurisdiction under Article 184 (3) shall be placed before the said committee to determine their admissibility and placement before a bench; (iii) right of appeal (with retrospective effect) is made available to the aggrieved party; (iv) right to choose counsel of choice in review jurisdiction; and (v) application for fixation of urgent matters to be heard within 14 days

Quite obviously the Bill seeks to repeal and supplant the existing provisions contained in the Supreme court Rules 1980 ( Rules ), relating to the internal working of the court the Rules were framed under Article 191 of the constitution and are old and time tested thus the clause relating to the constitution of benches is dealt with by Order Xi of the Rules which stipulates that every cause ap-

ways these microplastics can be ingested by marine life causing physical harm and leading to reduced growth and reproduction rates in addition, microplastics can absorb and concentrate toxic chemicals, which can then be transferred up the food chain this means that humans who consume seafood may be exposed to harmful chemicals, which can cause health problems such as cancer, reproductive disorders, and developmental problems

Furthermore microplastics can also cause damage to terrestrial ecosystems When synthetic textiles are disposed of improperly they can end up in landfills where they do not biodegrade and release microplastics into the environment these microplastics can then be transported by wind or water and end up in our soil, water, and air this can have negative consequences for wildlife and ecosystems, and potentially also impact human health

Microplastics can also have adverse health effects on humans inhalation of microplastics has been shown to cause respiratory problems, and ingestion of microplastics can lead to damage to the digestive system Furthermore microplastics can absorb and concentrate toxic chemicals, which can then be transferred up the food chain this means that humans who consume seafood may be exposed to harmful chemicals which can cause health problems such as cancer, reproductive disorders and developmental problems there are several solutions to address the issue of microplastics from synthetic textiles

One solution is to reduce the use of synthetic textiles and switch to natural alternatives such as cotton, linen, and wool there are several natural fibres that can be used as alternatives to synthetic fibres that have similar properties and are cost-effective B a mb o o is a f a s t- g r o w in g p la n t th a t c a n be harvested in just a few years making it a s u s t a i n a b l e a l t e r n a t i v e t o s y n t h e t i c f i b r e s i t is soft, durable, and moisture-wicking, making it ideal for clothing and bedding Another example is hemp which is another fast-growing plant that requires little water and pestic i d e s i t i s s t r o n g d u r a b l e a n d h a s a n t i b a c t e r i a l p r o p e r t i e s m a k i n g i t a n i d e a l

The release of microplastics from synthetic textiles during washing is a significant contributor to the pollution of our oceans and waterways, causing severe environmental damage and potentially impacting human health The use of synthetic textiles must be reduced, and alternatives such as natural materials should be encouraged Additionally, washing machine filters, wastewater treatment upgrades, and regulations can be put in place to reduce the release of microplastics into the environment It is crucial that we take action to address this issue to protect our environment and safeguard human health

peal or matter shall be disposed of by a Bench comprising judges to be nominated by the chief Justice the clause is therefore unnecessary and unwarranted and an undesirable interference in the internal working of the court Similarly the clause relating to the original jurisdiction is equally superfluous, since it too is covered by Order XXV of the Rules, which prescribe the manner and method of filing petitions for enforcement of Fundamental Rights and detailing also the number of judges to sit in every such bench the only problematic issue had been the suo motu exercise of authority by the chief Justice which had been taken exception to by the bar; and from time to time, was also raised by individual judges it is a failure on the part of the Supreme court to bring about necessary changes in Rules for the purpose the gap needs to be filled by suitable amendment in the Rules to check the discretionary powers of the chief Justice in taking up suo motu cases there is no need for interference by the Parliament the clause providing for right of appeal is a welcome development, since one right of appeal is a universal principle of jurisprudence the constitution was silent about it and the gap or deficiency persisted it could not have been covered under the Rules; hence legislation was required however giving it retrospective effect is problematic and will have serious implications and complications it will open a pandora box as scores of cases already decided and judgments executed, will reopen! these being settled and closed transactions need not be revived Seemingly the provision is inserted to pave way for the return of a convict the PML(n) supremo! it is unfortunate that the august Parliament could stoop so low, so as to facilitate the process But this is nothing new history is witness to the fact that convicted and undertrial political figures run abroad to avoid trial and escape punishment they return at the opportune time to get a clean slate from the courts the Government and Judiciary share the blame for lending a helping hand the provision for engaging a counsel of choice” in review cases is equally available under the Rules Order XXVi states that the counsel who argued the appeal shall appear at the review stage this is so, because review is not trial or appeal; its scope is extremely limited: requiring the counsel to point out errors mistakes or blunders in the verdict no other grounds can be quoted or justification given this function is better performed by the

material for clothing and accessories Organic c o t t o n i s g r o w n w i t h o u t h a r m f u l p e s t i c i d e s and chemicals making it a more sustainable a l t e r n a t i v e t o t r a d i t i o n a l c o t t o n i t i s s o f t breathable, and easy to care for, making it a popular choice for clothing, Another example is linen which is made from the fibres of the flax plant and is known for its strength, durability, and breathability it is also moisture-wicking and has anti-bacterial properties making it a popular choice for clothing and bedding tencel can also be a good example, it is made from wood pulp and is known for its softness and breathability it is also moisture-wicking and has anti-bacterial properties making it ideal for clothing and bedding Wool is a natural fibre that is known for its warmth, durability and moisture-wicking properties it is also a renewable resource, as sheep can be shorn multiple times throughout their lives these natural fibres have properties similar to synthetic fibres, but are more sustainable and eco-friendly they can be used in a variety of products, including clothing, bedding and accessories and are becoming increasingly popular as consumers demand more sustainable options Another solution is to use washing machine filters which can capture microplastic fibres before they are released into the environment in addition, wastewater treatment plants can be upgraded to capture microplastics, and regulations can be put in place to limit the use of microplastic materials the release of microplastics from synthetic textiles during washing is a significant contributor to the pollution of our oceans and waterways, causing severe environmental damage and potentially impacting human health the use of synthetic textiles must be reduced and alternatives such as natural materials should be encouraged Additionally washing machine filters wastewater treatment upgrades, and regulations can be put in place to reduce the release of microplastics into the environment it is crucial that we take action to address this issue to protect our environment and safeguard human health

counsel, who earlier argued the case, because he is familiar with the law and facts of the case A new or fresh counsel is ill-suited to appear and argue Again not even one percent of review petitions are admitted and relief obtained thus, the fee paid to counsel is wasted As such, the clause is misleading, indeed an attempt to cheat! the Government needs to inform the litigant public in this regard rather than letting them be swindled by unscrupulous elements Finally the clause dealing with fixing applications for urgent matters , is uncalled for and unwarranted All such applications are examined by the chief Justice in chambers who decides as to whether or not priority be accorded to them as against other pending cases in short, except for the clause providing for appeal the Bill suffers from major defects and shortcomings it seeks to supplant the Supreme court Rules 1980 and is an undue interference in the internal working of the court it is a supreme example of colorable legislation and a blatant intrusion into the judicial domain it violates the principle of separation of powers

The impression of rift within the Court is unfortunate Judges may let go of their ego for a while and show unity to forestall the attempt to undermine the autonomy and independence of the judiciary, and maintain public trust and confidence in the system of administration of justice in the country If enacted, the Court may strike down all its provisions, except the clause providing for right of appeal

Seemingly the Bill is the Government response to the order of the threemember Bench for holding elections in Punjab the Prime Minister, cabinet Members and other parliamentarians criticized the Bench, even threatening them with references for misconduct to be filed against them in the Supreme Judicial council it was certainly violative of the safeguard under Article 68 of the constitution which prohibits discussion in Parliament on the conduct of judges it is an assault on the chief Justice of Pakistan (head of the Judiciary) and the justice sector it violates the autonomy and independence of the judiciary guaranteed by the Preamble, read with Article 2A of the constitution t h e B i l l i s c h a l l e n g e d i n t h e S u p r e m e c o u r t and an eight-member Bench constituted for hearing the chief Justice may add the 2 most senior judges to the Bench the impression of rift within the court is unfortunate Judges may let go of their ego for a while and show unity to forestall the att e m p t t o u n d e r m i n e t h e a u t o n o m y a n d i n d e p e n dence of the judiciary and maintain public trust and confidence in the system of administration of justice in the country if enacted, the court may strike down all its provisions, except the clause providing for right of appeal ( T h e a u t h o r s e r v e d a s R e g i s t r a r, S u p re m e C o u r t a n d S e c re t a r y L a w & J u s t i c e C o m m i s s i o n o f P a k i s t a n )

E d i t o r ’ s m a i l

S e n d y o u r l e t t e r s t o : L e t t e r s t o E d i t o r Pakistan today, 4 - S h a a re y F a t i m a J i n n a h L a h o re P a k i s t a n E - m a i l : l e t t e r s @ p a k i s t a n t o d a y c o m p k L e t t e r s s h o u l d b e a d d re s s e d t o Pakistan today e x c l u s i v e l y

Students have rights

A private school in Karachi recently came under the spotlight after one of its teachers reportedly painted a student’s face with black ink for speaking in Urdu instead of english the matter started when the teacher heard the student concerned speak to the class fellows in Urdu instead of english, and asked other children to make fun of the student for not speaking in english in general it is not appropriate for schools to force the students to speak exclusively in english, particularly if it is not their language of choice the students should be encouraged to use and develop their first language as well as learn english as a second language the exact response of the government in such a situation would depend on the country and its policies however, in many countries, there are laws and policies that protect the rights of the students to use their native language in schools and ensure that schools provide appropriate language support to non-native english language learners the government s response to schools that force students to speak in english should focus on ensuring that the students are able to use their native language and receive appropriate language support while also promoting multilingualism and language diversity in schools and communities

SABIHA ARIF KARACHI

The search for a system overhaul

PAKiStAn is going through a serious financial crunch and this is time to define our priorities and be disciplined enough to follow them with sincerity and due intent the crisis is grave enough to make us think long-term the public transport system is a necessity for every big and small city While for the individual, it will be an inexpensive and convenient way to commute for the country it would mean the world because it will reduce the import bill related to petroleum products substantially currently every individual has to use a motorcycle or car for commute, adding to the burden at both individual and collective levels efficient public transport will surely replace a number of vehicles that are seen on the roads today the private sector should also be encouraged and facilitated to share the government responsibility in this regard On the social side, we should move away from the habit of using one’s own vehicle as a status symbol the problems in the energy sector are numerous and crippling Adopting renewable energy is the need of the day the government may support local manufacturing of solar panels and let the public switch to solar energy it will lessen the government burden in terms of an everincreasing demand of electricity infrastructure and a lot more Government-owned solar companies can facilitate the installation and maintenance of solar systems Besides, industry-academia collaboration may produce meaningful results with respect to the manufacturing of solar panels and other equipment locally As known to all we need to reduce imports and increase exports to apply some kind of brakes to the national economy s journey downhill Putting a ban on letters of credit (Lcs) may not serve the purpose as the local industry needs imported items in addition to locally available raw material in order to manufacture essential products and to retain their employees they import raw material only due to non-availability or quality issues in a few cases the imported items are preferred as they are more cost-effective compared to the local ones the government may conduct a survey and new industries could be launched with the help of local and foreign investors to meet the demand of local manufacturers who are importing items due to any of the above reasons the availability of good quality raw material locally at competitive rates would be a win-win situation for all it would be a step towards reducing the unemployment rate in the country, too trustworthiness and impeccable integrity are characteristics of an exemplary nation Any amount of investment not supported by ethical values will always raise question marks on the credibility front As Pakistanis, it is time we learned that honesty is not the best policy; it is the only policy We all are responsible for playing our part in handing over a better Pakistan to our generations to come

S PA C E X W I L L T R Y T O L A U N C H M O

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P O W E R F U L R O C K ET E V E R M O N D AY

WASHINGTON: a f p

SPA C EX plans to carry out its first test flight on Monday of Starship the most powerful rocket ever built, designed to send astronauts to the Moon and eventually beyond

The launch is scheduled to take place at 7:00 am (1200 GMT) from the sprawling Texas base of the private space company owned by billionaire Elon Musk Fallback times are scheduled later in the week if Monday’s attempt is postponed

The US space agency NASA has picked the Starship capsule to ferry its astronauts to the Moon as part of the Artemis III mission set for late 2025 at the earliest Starship consists of a reusable capsule that carries crew and cargo and the first-stage Super Heavy booster rocket

The 164-foot (50-meter) tall Star-

ship spacecraft sits atop the 230-foot tall Super Heavy rocket SpaceX conducted a successful testfiring of the 33 Raptor engines on the first-stage booster of Starship in February

The Super Heavy booster was an-

Bizenjo decides against use of bomb-and-bullet proof vehicle

f f R e p o R t

S ta

Issuing directives to the concerned authorities to park all bomb-and-bullet-proof vehicles he said that if life was very dear to someone he should also have arranged the facility of bomb-and-bullet-proof vehicle for their squad and other personnel deputed for their security, adding, “We manage to protect on bomb-and-bullet-proof vehicle leaving the security staff to target” He said in many incidents security personnel deputed for security of the VIPs had been targeted by the terrorists “Life and death are in the hand of Almighty Allah and bomb-and-bullet-proof vehicle could not save life “ said Bizenjo Henceforth no traffic route will be planned for any vip including me as routes for vip creates problems for the people said he

Judiciar y will win constitutional, legal battle with people’s suppor t: Sh Rashid

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid

Ahmed said on Saturday Asif Ali Zardari wanted

Shehbaz Sharif to be disqualified

He said Pakistan was fighting constitutional and legal battle and hopefully the judiciary would emerge victorious

Talking to the media at the District and Sessions Court of Islamabad Sheikh Rashid said that Asif Ali Zardari claimed Imran Khan was not a popular leader

He said Pakistan was fighting a war of constitution and law and judiciary will win this war because nation was standing by the judiciary The judiciary had upheld the constitution with foresight he added Sheikh Rashid said the sword of NAB law was hanging on the rulers “We are not going to be afraid of the cases ” Mr Rashid maintained “They say that the politicians are going to a closed street Hopefully the judiciary will win

The rulers have assumed power to close their cases but NAB will not spare them This nation will take decisions on the streets You will not be able to run away from the country added the AML chief

chored to the ground during the test-firing called a static fire to prevent it from lifting off The rocket has never flown in its full configuration powered by the first stage “Success maybe, excitement guar-

anteed!” Musk tweeted late Friday NASA will take astronauts up to lunar orbit itself in November 2024 using its own heavy rocket called the Space Launch System (SLS), which has been in development for more than a decade Starship is both bigger and more powerful than SLS

It generates 17 million pounds of thrust, more than double that of the Saturn V rockets used to send Apollo astronauts to the Moon SpaceX foresees eventually putting a Starship into orbit, and then refueling it with another Starship so it can continue on a journey to Mars or beyond

The idea of a reusable launcher Musk s broad strategy is to reduce the price Each Starship flight could eventually cost “less than $10 million,” he said early last year

Other super heavy rockets under development include Blue Origin s New Glenn, China s Long March 9 and Russia’s Yenisei

IIOJK authorities slammed for disallowing Jumatul-Wida prayers at Jamia M asjid S rinagar

SRINAGAR

S

Auqaf Jamia Masjid Srinagar has condemned the authorities for once again imposing restrictions and disallowing Friday prayers on the auspicious occasion of Jumatul-Wida at the historic mosque

According to Kashmir Media Service, the Anjuman in a statement said that administration officials and Indian police personnel locked the gates of the grand mosque without giving any reason It said one fails to understand the logic behind this abrupt and arbitrary restriction

The statement deplored that this was the 4th consecutive year that the Jumatul-Wida prayers were disallowed at the historic mosque by the occupation authorities

On the other hand, a resolution compiled by the Jammu and Kashmir Muttahida Majlis-eUlema headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was read by the ulema, khateebs, preachers and imams in large gatherings, mosques, monasteries, imambar-

China says it carried out successful ground based mid-course missile interception test

BEIJING ag e n c e S

China says it carried out a successful ground-based midcourse missile interception test in an apparent sign of progress in its ability to bring down weapons incoming from space

The Defense Ministry says the operation was carried out late Friday night within Chinese territory and achieved the desired test objective

The test was defensive in nature and not targeted against any country,” the ministry said, giving no other details such as whether it actually struck an object how many interceptors were fired and where they landed

Such systems which consist of ground-based interceptor missiles and a huge array of radars and fire control systems, aim to bring down ballistic missiles, including ICBMs carrying nuclear or other warheads while they are flying in space midcourse on the way to their targets

Referred to by the US as ground-based mid-course defense, or GMD, such systems are hugely complex and expensive to build, test and maintain, and China’s capabilities in the field are not well known

Previously the Defense Ministry issued a near-identical statement announcing it had conducted just such a test on Feb 4, 2021, which it said had also met its goals

Another Chinese test reportedly took place in 2018

Such “kinetic-kill” interceptors can also be used as antisatellite weapons and China sparked considerable criticism when it used such a missile to destroy a defunct Chinese weather observation satellite in early 2007 China did not announce the operation and the explosion left a massive debris field that continues to imperil objects in orbit including China s own space station, Tiangong China s military-run space program and missile development efforts are intimately linked and it is believed to have used satellite launch centers to conduct missile tests

gahs and shrines during the Friday prayers on the occasion of Jumatul-Wida The resolution strongly condemned Israel s occupation of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the recent aggression brutality and violence committed by Israeli forces against the Palestinian people during the holy month of Ramadan

It urged the Muslim world particularly the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to take steps to free the first Qibla from Israeli occupation so that Muslims can peacefully perform their religious duties in the AlAqsa Mosque

It protested against the prolonged illegal and arbitrary detention of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who has been under house arrest since 5 August 2019 and called for his immediate release in view of important Islamic events like Shab-e-Qadr and Eid-ul-Fitr, so that he can fulfill his religious duties

The resolution also asked the Kashmiri people to celebrate the upcoming Eidul-Fitr with simplicity in line with Islamic values and traditions And on this occasion, the poor and downtrodden sections of society should be taken care of at every level it said

China already has one of the world s largest arsenals of all types of missiles and is believed to be expanding it rapidly A Pentagon report released last year said China currently has about 400 nuclear warheads and that number could grow to 1 500 by 2035 GMD forms a major component of missile defense for the U S military, which has put it through additional testing in response to North Korea’s increasing number of missile tests

The US has 44 interceptors deployed at Fort Greely Alaska and Vandenberg Air Force Base, California intended to cover the entire American homeland, according to the U S Department of Defense’s Missile Defense Agency That s enough to counter a rogue attack from a country such as North Korea, which is developing missiles that could strike the continental United States, but would be easily overwhelmed by a large-scale attack from Russia or China

Japan PM safe af ter ‘smoke bomb’ at speech

TOKYO a f p

Japan s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was evacuated unharmed from the scene of a campaign speech Saturday after a blast sounded and white smoke filled the air local media reported

The incident in Wakayama came less than a year after the assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe, which traumatised the country and forced a security shake-up for public officials

Kishida was in the western city to deliver remarks in support of a ruling party candidate and had just finished sampling fish at a port when a disturbance rippled through the crowd gathered to hear him speak

Footage from national broadcaster NHK showed the prime minister turning to look backwards as a person was detained by security and people moved away, some shrieking

Seconds later, a blast was heard and white smoke filled the air

NHK said a man had been arrested at the scene on suspicion of obstruction of business

There was no immediate official confirmation of the incident, with local police declining to comment

People at the scene described moments of panic

I ran frantically and then 10 or so seconds later there was a loud sound and my kid started crying I was stunned, my heart is still beating fast, one woman told NHK

G ermany ends nuclear

BERLIN

a f p Germany will switch off its last three nuclear reactors on Saturday exiting atomic power even as it seeks to wean itself off fossil fuels and manage an energy crisis caused by the war in Ukraine

While many Western countries are upping their investments in atomic energy to reduce their emissions, Germany is bringing an early end to its nuclear age Europe’s largest economy has been looking to leave behind nuclear power since 2002 but the phase-out was accelerated by former chancellor Angela Merkel in 2011 after the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan

The exit decision was popular in a country with a powerful anti-nuclear movement stoked by lingering fears of Cold War con-

flict and atomic disasters such as Chornobyl in Ukraine

The risks of nuclear power are ultimately unmanageable, said Environment Minister Steffi Lemke who this week made a pilgrimage to the ill-fated Japanese plant ahead of a G7 meeting in the country

But the challenge caused by Russia s invasion of Ukraine, which put an end to cheap gas imports and the need to quickly cut emissions has upped calls in Germany to delay the withdrawal from nuclear power Greenpeace, at the heart of the anti-nuclear movement, organised a celebratory fete at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin to mark the occasion

Finally nuclear energy belongs to history! Let s make this April 15 a day to remember,” the organisation said

In contrast conservative daily FAZ

A man at the scene told the broadcaster that when we all stopped in front of the podium, someone started saying ‘culprit!’ or something or ‘an explosive was thrown so everyone started dispersing fast

And then about 10 seconds after the culprit was captured, there was a blast, he said ‘Unforgivable atrocity’ Reports said Kishida was unharmed and could still appear at campaign events scheduled for later in the day

That something like this happened in the middle of an election campaign that constitutes the foundation of democracy is regrettable It’s an unforgivable atrocity ” Hiroshi Moriyama the ruling Liberal Democratic Party s election strategy chairman told NHK Security at local campaign events in Japan can be relatively relaxed, in a country with little violent crime

and strict gun laws

But the country bolstered security around politicians after the assassination of Abe who was shot and killed while speaking at a campaign event in July 2022

His alleged assassin, Tetsuya Yamagami, reportedly targeted him over his links to the Unification Church, and the incident sparked revelations about the connection between the sect and political figures in Japan Yamagami was reportedly angry at the sect over large donations his mother made to the group that left the family bankrupt

The head of Japan’s National Police Agency resigned in the wake of Abe s assassination after an investigation confirmed shortcomings in the security for the former leader

The investigation slammed a system under which local police were given responsibility for the security of visiting senior officials

It concluded that areas south of Abe s podium were not properly guarded, leaving an open route for the shooter to approach

With proper security “it is deemed highly probable that this incident could have been prevented the report concluded

The head of Nara s local police also offered his tearful resignation after Abe’s death

The incident comes as Group of Seven climate and energy ministers meet in the northern city of Sapporo and a day before G7 foreign ministers arrive in Karuizawa in Nagano for talks

era as last reac tors power down

headlined its Saturday edition “Thanks nuclear energy as it listed benefits it said nuclear had brought the country over the years

‘A mistake’

Initially planned for the end of 2022

Germany’s nuclear exit had already been pushed back once

As Russian gas supplies dwindled last year, officials in Berlin were left scrambling to find a way to keep the lights on with a short extension agreed until mid-April Germany the largest emitter in the European Union, also powered up some of its mothballed coal-fuelled plants to cover the potential gap left by gas

The challenging energy situation had increased calls domestically for the exit from nuclear to be delayed Germany had to “expand the supply of energy and not restrict it any further” in light of

potential shortages and high prices the president of the German chambers of commerce

Peter Adrian told the Rheinische Post daily

The conservative leader of Bavaria

Markus Soeder meanwhile told the Focus Online website that he wanted the plants to stay online and three more to be kept in reserve

Outside observers have been similarly irked by Germany’s insistence on exiting nuclear while ramping up its coal usage with climate activist Greta Thunberg in October slamming the move as a mistake

‘Sooner or later’

At the Isar 2 complex in Bavaria, technicians will progressively shut down the reactor from 10:00 pm (2000 GMT) on Saturday severing it from the grid for good

By the end of the day, operators at the other two facilities, in northern Emsland and southwestern Neckarwestheim will have

taken their facilities offline as well

The three final plants provided just six percent of Germany s energy last year, compared with 30 8 percent from all nuclear plants in 1997

“Sooner or later” the reactors will start being dismantled Economy Minister Robert Habeck told the Funke group ahead of the scheduled decommissioning, brushing aside the idea of an extension

The government has the energy situation under control Habeck assured having filled gas stores and built new infrastructure for the import of liquefied natural gas to bridge the gap left by Russian supplies

corporate corner

LAHORE: Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) and ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a shared goal of advancing financial literacy among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) The MoU was signed by President LCCI, Kashif Anwar and ACCA’s Head of Pakistan, Assad Hameed Khan ACCA President, Joseph Owolabi, and senior management of both the organisations were also present at the signing ceremony The agreement sets out to raise awareness build capacity and enable knowledge exchange among SME professionals and entrepreneurs Both organisations will support initiatives to enhance financial literacy and help build a robust tax culture At the signing ceremony LCCI President Kashif Anwar said: I would like to congratulate not only LCCI and ACCA, but also all stakeholders, the business community, and member organisations on the signing of this agreement It will strengthen the existing collaboration between LCCI and ACCA and support the LCCI member organisations with their capacity building needs, particularly around taxation and financial acumen ’ ACCA president, Joseph Owolabi, commented: ‘We’re delighted to formalise our partnership with LCCI and support capacity building in Pakistan s SME sector We re committed to providing SMEs with the necessary tools and skills to navigate the complex financial landscape and make informed decisions underpinned by effective governance and driving sustainable growth I m certain the cooperation between ACCA and LCCI will bring positive change p r

PIAF opposes too many holidays on Eid as trade, industr y to suffer

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Industrial and Traders Associations Front (PIAF) while rejecting the government s notification of almost week-long holidays for Eid appealed the authorities to withdraw the decision as the nation cannot afford this luxury amidst poor economic growth and serious financial crisis in the country He observed that the national economy is already in distress and can ill afford such a luxury PIAF Chairman Faheemur Rehman Saigol expressing grave concern over the long period of holidays on Eid said that the government has made it a precedent to declare long holidays to please the government employees who already do not have tendency to work seriously He said that in the view of the present economic condition of the country, the decision should be reviewed, adopting a pragmatic approach which suits the national interest He urged upon the policymakers to refrain from allowing such a long spell of holidays which the nation cannot afford both economically and socially Due to long holidays spell during Eidul Fitr together with weekly holidays, the country will remain cut off from the rest of the world for almost one week having halted all kinds of trade and exports with foreign countries He regretted that due to these long and unnecessary holidays the country has had to bear an irreparable monetary loss Mr Saigol said that the country would remain disconnected with the world for almost a week and it will cost the economy of billions He said that long closure of banks would lead to delays in the opening of LCs and making payments p r

Chinese seed company star ts trial of single and triple gene cotton in Pak varieties

BEIJING: Chinese seed company Jinghua started trial of single and triple gene Chinese Bt cotton varieties in the farms of Central Cotton Research Institute (CCRI) Multan to assess how these high yielding, long staple and disease resistant varieties respond to the Pakistani soil and climatic conditions Cooperation between Pakistani and Chinese agriculture scientists would benefit Pakistani cotton economy in a big way, said CCRI Multan Director Dr Zhid Mahmood in a statement Earlier Dr Zahid Mahmood accompanied by other scientists witnessed the seed trial of Chinese seed company Jinghua along with company representative Mr Li

On this occasion Mr Li said that the trial of single and triple gene Chinese varieties was aimed at promoting mechanized farming high density planting and producing best quality fibre cotton in Pakistan, China Economic Net (CEN) Detailing characteristics, Mr Li mentioned that these varieties were Glyfosate free, and have resistance against bollworms particularly the pink bollworm Moreover, the varieties also possess resistance against Cotton

Leaf Curl Virus, he added Dr Zahid Mahmood in his remarks said that trial was aimed at studying the characteristics of these single and triple gene varieties in the Pakistani weather conditions hit by climate change phenomenon and their data would be compiled throughout the season by Pakistani scientists He informed that trial plants have a rowto-row distance of 75cm and plant-to-plant distance maintained at just 4 cm It is a kind of crop with a five-month growth cycle, he remarked As part of continuing cooperation with Pakistani scientists, Mr Li maintained that the company intends to begin trials of three fully virus-free varieties at CCRI

Multan next year CCRI Multan scientists Dr Muhammad Naveed Afzal, Dr Fayyaz Ahmad, and technology transfer head Sajid Mahmood were also present S ta f f r E p o r t

PESHAWAR

a p p

Like other fruit items the business of dates (Kajoor) has also shined during the holy month of ramzan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Owing to its delicious taste numerous health and nutrition benefits, date is an integral part of almost every Dastarkhwan and a prime choice of the rozadars (fasting people) during iftar parties the business of imported and locally produced dates (Kajoor) have get upward boom during ramzan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including seven merged tribal

NOT-BY- PROFIT

S lo w d o w n i n v e n t u r e c a p i ta l f u n d i n g

N A S C E N T V C - B AC K E D S TA R T U P E CO S Y S T E M I N PA K I S TA N AT R I S K A S F U N D I N G D R I E S U P 07 Business-16 APRIL_Layout 1 4/15/2023 11:20 PM Page 1

ISLAMABAD

N E W S D E S K

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Layoffs began to appear in the industry with Airlift announcing layoffs just nine months after announcing an $85 million round Other well-funded players such as retailo and truck it in also cut their workforces significantly Funding also began to decline, falling below pre-Covid levels by Q4-2022 While the deal flow has somewhat recovered from those lows in the first

r i t i n g for Dawn author Mutaher Khan explains that the startup ecosystem in Pakistan was thriving just over a year ago, with investment surging more than 5 times in 2021 this led to optimism all around whenever people from the startup ecosystem were asked about their outlook for the industry the ecosystem was flush with a high and it seemed like the moment was here to stay However by the second quarter of 2022 there were glaring signs of troublequarter of 2023 the outlook is still quite bleak Daraz and Foodpanda two of the biggest platform-based tech companies operating in Pakistan recently laid off more than 10% of their staff Market reports suggest that there might be more layoffs in the offing things aren t any better at relatively smaller startups, as Jabberwock Ventures reportedly fired five to six people, including a change of guard at its Swyft Logistics while Byte slashed its workforce by 30% the situation is not unique to Pakistan as the US has also experienced mass job cuts and declining venture capital for five consecutive quarters According to Crunchbase tracker around 131 000 workers in US-based tech companies have been laid off in mass job cuts in 2023 Pitchbook data shows that venture capital (VC) in the United States fell for the fifth quarter straight this slowdown could have serious consequences for Pakistan’s nascent VC-backed startup ecosystem if

Asian economies with consistently high growth rates and far better risk profiles are seeing massive declines in investments what chance does Pakistan stand considering that most of the funding into the country was from foreigners? t h i s s l o w d o w n i s c o n c e r n i n g b ec a u s e v e n t u r e c a p i t a l w a s p r a c t i c a l l y t h e o n l y f o r m o f c a p i t a l a v a i l a b l e t o new businesses Banks are not likely to lend to small and medium enterprises, a n d e v e n i f t h e y d o t h e m a r k u p s c a n exceed 25% All is quiet on the subsidized K amyab J aw an P rogramme because the country is sleepwalking into sovereign default Meanwhile net foreign direct investment during 8MFY22 was just $784 million down 40 4% compared to $1 32 billion in the same period of the previous fiscal year Similarly, both equities and debts have seen outflows from international investors Even the gulf money is becoming hard to come by now in this bleak scenario, local businesses have few options at their dis-

E i d s h o p p i n g p i c k s u p i n L a r k a n a

LARKANA S ta f f r E p o r t

Eid shopping is gaining moment u m i n t h e m a r k e t s o f L a r k a n a with each passing day amid strict security

SSP Larkana Dr Muhammad imran has deployed police force in and out shopping centers and markets to protect to avert any untoward incident

Police camps have been set up at various places of the City where police officers and constables on duty round-the-clock the jubilant mood of young girls women and youth is in full swing and shopping is gradually gearing up Eid stalls have been set up, offering cosmetics, earrings, bangles, jewelry and colorful dresses the people of all age groups, including women and children, are busy in Eid shopping Main focus of the people is towards the purchase of clothes and footwear

A larger number of makeshift shops have sprung up on almost all

pavements of the city Shopkeepers have raised the prices but many have displayed Sale signs to hoodwink customers

Women of all ages started visiting bazaars and shopping centers after iftar their choicest shopping is clothes shoes and bangles these days city’s markets and shopping centers are flooded with the people from the rural areas who came to the city for Eid shopping they remain busy in shopping till late night and then people return to their villages on bikes

and other modes of transport

H e a v y r u s h c a n b e s e e n p a rt i c u l a r l y i n t h e s h o p s o f s h o e s , c l o t h s , g a r m e n t s , b a n g l e s a n d c o s m e t i c s n o w t h e s h o p s r e m a i n o p e n i n t h e m a r k e t s a n d b a z a a r s t i l l l a t e n i g h t a m i d t i g h t s e c u r i t y a r r a n g e m e n t s

Patrolling has been intensified in the city to avert any untoward incident in order to ensure security police have stopped to entry of vehicles into congested markets and bazaars

L argest- ever Canton Fair kicks off in Guangzhou, C hina

the China import and Export Fair commonly known as the Canton Fair officially kicked off with an opening ceremony in guangzhou South China s guangdong and is expected to be the largest ever after fully resuming its offline exhibitions for the first time since the outbreak of the COViD-19 pandemic the Canton Fair, China s time-honoured biannual trade fair which started in 1957, has become a reliable barometer of China’s foreign trade With the exhibition scheduled to officially open on Saturday traders said that they were excited to participate in the event on-site and expressed confidence in China’s foreign trade given the strong competitive supply chain and products backed by advanced technologies global time reported the historic scale and excitement among traders highlighted the resilience of China s foreign trade despite external challenges and suggested stable exports and imports going forward that will greatly contribute to the world economy, which is facing growing downward pressure, participants and traders said

Speaking at the opening ceremony via video link, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng said that this session of the Canton Fair is of great significance to deepening trade between China and other countries and promoting the recovery and development of the global economy and trade

“We will take the initiative to expand imports and continue to use China s new economic development to provide new opportunities for the world economy

s

districts where the commodity was being sold like a hot cake

All the fruits markets of Peshawar including gul Bhar Firdus Hasthnagri Chamkani Faqirabad Boards tehkal Cantonment Pishtakhara Kohat Dalazak roads etc are flooded with different varieties of dates attracting buyers despite it s high prices Muzafati date is being sold at rs380-400 per kilogram this year compared to rsrs360-380 last year Similarly, iranian dates are being sold at rs260-280 this year as against rs220-240 per kg last year and its price is quite high this year that needed to be checked by the district

he said Companies from 226 countries and regions have confirmed their plans to attend the Canton Fair onsite or online, and 47 global business organizations will attend as groups Fortune 500 and Fortune 250 retailers confirmed that they will send buyers to the trade event

A total of 53 leading multinational companies, including Walmart, Auchan, Carrefour and Metro, will also be taking part according to the organizer the scale of exhibitions for imports at the Cant o n F a i r h a s a l s o e x p a n d e d t h i s y e a r c o v e r i n g 30 000 square meters up 50 per cent from 2019

A large number of participants are from countries such as the US Japan South Korea germany France the UK and india there will be 508 companies from 40 countries and regions participating in the import exhibition, 73 per cent of which are from countries and regions involved in the China-proposed Belt and road initiative (Bri)

administration Dhaki Di Khan’s dates are also almost out of reach of poor people as it is being sold at rs420-440 this year against rs360-380 last year “Despite its high prices Dhaki dates are my favourite and my iftar party cannot be complete without it said Qaisar Khan a retired Wapda employee while talking to APP Qaiser said he prefers Dhaki dates due to their better taste and numerous nutrition and health benefits Besides my family, he said most of his friends liked Dhaki dates during iftari as helping in the restoration of blood sugar levels after fasting all day

posal Amid all this doom and gloom the only solace could potentially be sought in some signs of mergers and acquisitions For example Portugal-based S4 Digital bought stakes in two local companies Bramerz and Hr Ways while fintech Abhi raked up 20% of logistics player BlueEx More importantly, two Pakistani software bigwigs, 10Pearls and Arbisoft, have also recently announced acquisitions of foreign entities this is an encouraging sign and is part of the growing shift in the homegrown it services industry to show some ambition for scale

However in a pit of uncertainty and worsening economic indicators these feel-good stories may not be enough to keep the top talent from moving abroad even the ones who were staunchly against the idea a year ago the industry needs a fundamental change in order to thrive in the current economic climate

To read the full article visit www dawn com

world creativit y, innovation day to be marked on april 21

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f r E p o r t

World Creativity and Innovation Day will be marked on Friday, April 21 across the globe including Pakistan

The concept is open to interpretation from artistic expression to problem-solving in the context of economic, social and sustainable development

Therefore, the United Nations designated 21 April as World Creativity and Innovation Day to raise the awareness of the role of creativity and innovation in all aspects of human development The creative economy too has no single definition It is an evolving concept building the interplay between human creativity and ideas and intellectual property knowledge and technology Essentially it is the knowledge-based economic activities upon which the creative industries are based Creative industries which include audiovisual products, design, new media, performing arts, publishing and visual arts– are highly transforming sectors of the world economy in terms of income generation, job creation and export earnings Culture is an essential component of sustainable development and represents a source of identity, innovation and creativity for the individual and community At the same time, creativity and culture have a significant non-monetary value that contributes to inclusive social development to dialogue and understanding between peoples Today the creative industries are among the most dynamic areas in the world economy providing new opportunities for developing countries to leapfrog into emerging highgrowth areas of the world economy Creativity drives our ideas and emotions, as well as our ability to connect, to question and to be understood But culture and creativity are a lot more than an expression of our identities, they are livelihoods, careers, and economic opportunities for millions of people around the world, especially women, youth, and vulnerable groups The creative economy has the power to drive sustainable development On World Creativity and Innovation Day, the world is invited to embrace the idea that innovation is essential for harnessing the economic potential of nations Innovation creativity and mass entrepreneurship can provide new momentum towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) It can harness economic growth and job creation while expanding opportunities for everyone including women and youth It can provide solutions to some of the most pressing problems such as poverty eradication and the elimination of hunger Human creativity and innovation, at both the individual and group levels, have become the true wealth of nations in the twenty-first century Culture and creativity account for 3 1 percent of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 6 2 percent of all employment Exports of cultural goods and services doubled in value from 2005 to reach US$389 1 billion in 2019 Besides being one of the youngest and the fastest growing economic sectors in the world new and ongoing challenges also make the creative economy one of the most vulnerable sectors that is often overlooked by public and private investment The 2022 UNESCO report Re-shaping Policies for Creativity addressing culture as a global public good offers insightful new data that shed light on emerging trends at a global level, as well as putting forward policy recommendations to foster creative ecosystems that contribute to a sustainable world by 2030 and beyond

Punjgor dates are also attracting consumers in large number in local markets due to it’s better quality and nutritious level

and recommended people commence iftar by eating at least five dates because it provides the body with necessary sugar and helping in the restoration of blood sugar level after fasting all the day O n e o f t h e m o s t c o m m o n r e a s o n s f o r h e a d a c h e s o r d i z z i n e s s d u r i n g r a m z a n i s l o w b l o o d s u g a r t h a t i s w h y e a t i n g d a t e s i s v e r y b e n e f i c i a l a t t h e s t a r t o f i f t a r t o m a i n t a i n s u g a r l e v e l h e s a i d H e s a i d i t i s e a s y t o d i g e s t s o t h e y d o n t e x h a u s t t h e f a s t i n g p e r s o n s s t o m a c h , a d d i n g r e s e a r c h studies proved that having dates after fasting has got great benefits for nutrition and h e a l t h o f p e o p l e

LCCI, ACC A collaborate to boost SMEs in Pakistan

AFTER PTC, PHILIP MORRIS ALSO SHOWS CONCERNS OVER SMUGGLING, SALE OF ILLICIT CIGARETTES

ISLAMABAD

G h u l a m a b b a s

THE Pakistani tobacco industry is facing major challenges as the sale of illicit cigarettes has spiked following a massive increase in federal excise duty

The concerns of the industry were highlighted by Pakistan Tobacco Company (PTC), and now Philip Morris, the country’s second major tobacco company has also raised its voice against the smuggling and sale of illicit cigarettes

According to Muhammad Zeeshan

Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director of Philips Morris (Pakistan), the major increase in taxes on legal cigarettes has caused a huge jump in smuggling and the sale of illicit cigarettes Pakistan is currently going through a very difficult period economically and Philip Morris Pakistan stands with the people of Pakistan with its

deep commitment and firm determination in these challenging situations

The government has imposed a ban on imports in order to reduce the pressure on foreign exchange reserves and to reduce the budget deficit tax rates have been increased in the supplementary budget Cigarettes are already highly taxed, and the recent increase in Federal Excise Duty (FED) has widened the gap

FED has been increased three times this fiscal year with the most recent increase being 150% in February, bringing the excise duty on cigarettes up to 200 percent

The impact of this significant increase in excise duty has started to set in on the legal cigarette industry, and the government itself will face the negative impact of this move in the form of reduced tax revenue from cigarettes

Zeeshan stated that whenever the tax on legal cigarettes increases in Pakistan, the sale of illegal cigarettes also increases The statistics for the first quarter

Karachi Police arrest

PTI leader Ali Zaidi over ‘fraud allegation’

The Sindh Police on Saturday arrested Pakistan

Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Sindh President Ali Haider Zaidi after a case was registered against him at Ibrahim Hyderi police station on charges of fraud

According to details, the first information report (FIR) was registered on the complaint of a property dealer Fazal Elahi against the PTI leader The FIR was registered under Sections 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of a common intention), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) 471 (using as genuine a forged document) and 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) of the Pakistan Penal Code

The complainant, in the FIR, claimed that Zaidi had taken a loan of Rs180 million from him in 2013 He said that as surety Zaidi had given him the papers of a property worth Rs16 7 million and promised to pay the remaining Rs12 5 million in next six months

Fazal Elahi alleged that he had asked Zaidi several times to transfer the plot in his name but he continued using delaying tactics He claimed that later it was revealed that the file of the property was fake He alleged that the suspect had abused his trust and committed fraud and also sought police protection from Zaidi for his family

Earlier in the day, Sindh police arrested the president of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Sindh chapter Ali Zaidi from PTI s Sindh house ‘Police vandalized PTI’s Sindh House’

According to details, the PTI senior leader Firdous

Shamim Naqvi confirmed that the Sindh police arrested Ali Zaidi – the president of PTI Sindh – from the party’s Sindh house on Saturday evening

Firdous Shamim Naqvi alleged that the Sindh police vandalized PTI s Sindh House prior to the arrest of Ali Zaidi while the police officials did not show any legal search warrant or First Information Report (FIR) before taking Ali Zaidi into custody

He said that the raiding party not only broke the cellphones of the party workers who were trying to record the arrest but also took some devices with them

However South Zone Police Karachi – in a statement –denied arrest of PTI leader Ali Zaidi while the police mobile of Ibrahim Hyderi police station were spotted during Ali Zaidi’s arrest Police have not issued any official statement on the matter yet

Earlier a video posted on PTI s official Twitter account showed a man thought to be Zaidi being escorted into a white automobile by men in civvies surrounded by uniformed police personnel

In another video from inside the PTI Secretariat officials can be seen pushing and dragging Zaidi by his arm

The party s provincial media department claimed Zaidi was arrested from the PTI Secretariat without a warrant

“The police entered the party office without any warrant ” the party’s Sindh spokesperson said “Zaidi was holding a meeting with district representatives [at the time] The spokesperson said the police and men in civvies moved Zaidi to an undisclosed location

“The police personnel also confiscated some mobile phones from the party’s office ” he said adding that the raid was illegal PTI condemns arrest PTI Chairman Imran Khan condemned Zaidi s arrest, reiterating his claim that it was part of the “London plan” “Strongly condemn the arrest of another of our senior leaders Ali Zaidi from Karachi All part of the London plan where Nawaz was given assurances that PTI would be crushed, he said in a tweet, claiming that over 3,000 PTI workers had been “arrested, abducted and terrorised”

prove that the sale of legal cigarettes has declined by 50% whereas the increase in excise duty has benefited illegal cigarettes The market share of illegal cigarettes was between 35 and 38 percent before the excise hike but has now reached 45 percent in just a month If the government does not take appropriate measures, the share may reach 50 percent The legal industry has never opposed taxes or excise However such a high increase will not be in the interest of the legal industry and the government itself The recent exorbitant increase in excise duty has doubled the price difference between legal and illegal cigarettes With the rapid increase in illegal sales, it is estimated that the government will not be able to achieve the tax collection target of Rs 260 billion from the tobacco industry The decrease in legal cigarette sales will result in a meager collection of Rs 170 billion, a figure that the government can easily observe by analyzing the taxes

collected in March Moreover the government is likely to miss the tax collection target by Rs 90 billion as a result of an abrupt increase in illicit tobacco sales following the increase in excise duty Pakistan has become the secondlargest country in Asia in terms of the sales of illicit cigarettes following Malaysia Malaysia currently holds a 50% market share of illegal cigarettes while Pakistan s share is 40% However there are concerns that Pakistan may surpass Malaysia and become the leading country in Asia due to the recent increase in federal excise duty Zeeshan said that without curbing the illegal cigarette trade, a significant increase in the federal excise duty rate will never be effective as the entire burden of taxes is being borne by the organized and legal cigarette industry which already contributed around 98% of taxes collected from the tobacco industry

B i l awa l c a l l s M u t t a q i a m i d p u s h to t a c k l e T T P t h re at

ISLAMABAD

n e w s d e s k

Foreign Minister Bilawal BhuttoZardari held a telephonic conversation with Acting Afghan Minister for Foreign Affairs Amir

Khan Muttaqi on Saturday as Pakistan presses the interim government to tackle the threat of banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)

The foreign minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to a stable peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan said a brief statement issued by the foreign office, adding that both leaders discussed a range of issues of mutual interest

No further details were provided but sources said the telephone call could be a prelude to the likely visit of Muttaqi to Islamabad

They said the acting foreign minister is expected to visit Islamabad as the two neighbours

are struggling to find a common ground on how to deal with TTP and its affiliates

As per sources, Islamabad and Kabul are in contact with each other to finalise the date of the Taliban’s chief diplomat’s visit which is likely to take place in the coming weeks

Muttaqi undertook a maiden trip to Islamabad in November 2021 months after the Afghan Taliban returned to power Pakistan had hoped that the Taliban takeover would improve border security and importantly the issue of terrorist sanctuaries would be sorted out But contrary to expectations, the TTPsponsored attacks have only increased causing friction in bilateral ties Efforts by the Afghan Taliban to mediate a peace deal between Pakistan and the TTP have failed

At a recent meeting of the

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs dies in capital road accident

ISLAMABAD s ta f f R e p o R t

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Maulana Abdul Shakoor on Saturday evening died in a road accident when a vehicle rammed into his car near Secretariat Chowk, police said The Police spokesperson on Twitter said that the minister ’s car was hit by a Hilux Revo while he was travelling from Mariott towards the Secretariat Chowk Maulana Abdul Shakoor was heading towards Secretariat Chowk from Marriott near Iftar timings when a Hilux Revo carrying five men hit his car Maulana Abdul Shakoor was shifted to Polyclinic Hospital but he could not survive and succumbed to his injuries It is not clear yet whether the minister was travelling alone or there were other passengers in his car Senior police officers rushed to the scene while the vehicle and occupants have been taken into police custody Further investigation is underway police added Political leaders have expressed their sorrow over the sad demise and condoled the family members of the deceased Five people were travelling in the Hilux Revo and they, along with their vehicle have been taken into custody police added C O N D O L E N C E S

National Security Committee

the country’s civil and military leadership admitted that a policy to make peace with the TTP had led to the rise in terrorism

The stance taken by the current government and establishment means that Pakistan would no longer seek any talks with the TTP

In February, a high-powered Pakistani delegation led by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif along with the DG ISI and other senior officials, visited Kabul to issue a stern warning to the Afghan Taliban to tackle the TTP threat

Pakistan confronted the Taliban government with evidence of TTP presence and their whereabouts The Afghan intelligence officials travelled to Islamabad following the Pakistani delegation s visit to sort out the issue

Against this backdrop, the likely visit of the Afghan interim FM would be significant

Ex-CJP hits back at allegations of meddling in PML-N gov t’s projects

LAHORE: Former chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar responded to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ’s allegations As per details, former chief justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar said that he never halted or banned the projects start by the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) government The allegations that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif made are not true and levelled merely for political gains he added The former CJP said that PM Shehbaz Sharif should not drag judiciary in politics Earlier Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the former chief justice Saqib Nisar had banned the projects started by the PML-N government Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif lambasted the former chief justice supreme court for banning and halting the projects started by the then PML-N government He said that in out of 56 companies corruption cases they did not prove corruption in even one company The Former premier and PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif also criticized the former chief justice of supreme court Saqib Nisar and other retired judges about the reasons for disqualifying him s ta f f R e p o Rt

Exclusive: S ri L ank a’s bondholders send debt rework proposal to govt

PR OFIT R e u t e R s

A committee of Sri Lanka’s international private creditors sent its first debt rework proposal to the country s authorities regarding over $12 billion in bonds outstanding according to three sources with direct knowledge of the matter

It is the first bondholder proposal after the island-nation of 22 million people defaulted on its debt a year ago It is a first formal step to engage with the country s authorities, said one of the people, who asked not to be named because discussions are private

Details of the proposal were

not immediately available Representatives for the government did not respond to a request for comment A spokesperson representing the creditor committee declined to comment The group of about 30 creditors includes global investment companies Amundi Asset Management BlackRock HBK Capital Management and T Rowe Price Associates Bondholders and government officials met in Washington this week with legal and financial advisers for both sides present said two sources Separately, the Paris Club of creditor governments said on Friday it aims to start negotia-

tions to restructure Sri Lanka’s bilateral debt after a committee was set up by French, Japanese and Indian finance ministers, and representatives of Sri Lanka China Sri Lanka’s biggest bilateral creditor did not join the announcement

After the COVID pandemic that ruined the tourist sector a spike in prices of imports following the start of the Ukraine war, and economic mismanagement, Sri Lanka fell into its worst financial crisis in more than seven decades

Sri Lanka secured last month a $2 9 billion program from the International Monetary Fund to tackle its huge debt burden

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed sorrow and regret over Mufti Shakoor s demise, a statement issued by the Prime Minister ’s Office said The premier extended his condolences to the deceased’s family and prayed for him the statement said adding that Shakoor was one of the dynamic and ideological leaders of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl and a good person PM Shehbaz praised his performance as the religious affairs minister

FO says in contact with Pakistanis in Khar toum

ISLAMABAD

s ta f f R e p o R t

The Foreign Office on Saturday said it was closely monitoring the security situation in Sudan and the Pakistani mission was in contact with Pakistanis living in Khartoum In a statement on Saturday Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said We are closely monitoring the security situation in Sudan “There are around a thousand Pakistanis in Khartoum Our Mission is in contact with them to ensure their safety the FO said The spokesperson said: We are closely monitoring the security situation in Sudan as there are around a thousand Pakistanis in capital Khartoum of war-hit Sudan ” According to latest reports, Sudan paramilitary chief on Saturday vowed to fight on until all army bases captured The head of the United Nations (UN) mission in Sudan called Saturday for an immediate end to fighting between the regular army and paramilitaries Sudan’s air force struck multiple paramilitary bases in Khartoum on Saturday the reports quoting army said as fighting raged on the streets of the capital between the rival security forces Both, Pakistan and Sudan, share the same religion as well as historical baggage of colonial rule Both countries are members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Group of 77 in the United Nations

Eight terrorists killed, two soldiers martyred in South Waziristan IBO: ISPR

RAWALPINDI staff RepoRt

As many as two soldiers of the Pakistan Army embraced martyrdom while eight terrorists were killed amid an intense exchange of fire during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) conducted in general area Zarmilan of South Waziristan on Saturday

According to the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) news release during the conduct of the operation intense fire exchange took place between own troops and terrorists The Army troops effectively engaged the terrorist’s location and resultantly eight terrorists were sent to hell Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the killed terrorists who remained actively involved in terrorist activities against security forces and the killing of innocent citizens The martyred soldiers were identified as Lance Naik Shoaib Ali (age 25 years resident of Parachinar District Kurram) and Sepoy Rafi Ullah (age 22 years resident of District Lakki Marwat) having fought gallantly embraced shahadat during an intense exchange of fire Sanitization of the area was being carried out to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area

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