Epaper – November 1 KHI 2020

CMYK

1 November, 2020 I 14 Rabi-ul-Awwal, 1442 I Rs 25.00 I Vol XI No 122 I 36 Pages I Karachi Edition

Pakistan exPects ‘even-handed treatment’ from Us, imran says g

premIer SayS SecurIty forceS muSt be dealt wIth through govt, not medIa

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

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ayS after the united States and India signed an agreement allowing the latter to access the former’s satellite data crucial for targeting missiles and other military assets, prime minister Imran Khan on Saturday said that Islamabad expected an “even-handed treatment” from washington with respect to new delhi. referring to the Kashmir dispute in a wideranging interview to a german publication, der Spiegel, the prime minister noted the South asian region was a hotspot that could flare up at any time, saying the long-standing dispute needed international attention. pm Imran, while observing that India has territorial disputes with almost every neighbour, said, “India is a threat to its neighbours, to china, bangladesh, Sri lanka and to us [pakistan].”

“It has the most extremist, racist government on the subcontinent. It is a fascist state, inspired by the nazis in the 1920s and 30s,”

Pakistan

CONFIRMED CASES:

332,993

LAST UPDATED AT 7:33 AM ON OCTOBER 31 2020

11

RECOVERED:

NEW CASES:

807

DEATHS:

314,066 6,806 SINDH:

145,475 KP:

39,458

PUNJAB:

104,016 BALOCHISTAN:

15,896

AJK/GB: ISLAMABAD: 4,082/4,248 19,818

SlamS IndIan govt, SayS the ‘faScISt State’ poSeS a threat to ItS neIghbourS

he added. “that’s why,” the premier said, “we [pakistan] expect the uS, as the strongest country in the world, to be even-handed, whoever becomes president.” he also called out the uS’ push for a global alliance against china. during his recent trip to India and Sri lanka, Secretary of State mike pompeo, who was flanked by Secretary of defence mark esper, accused the chinese communist party of being a “predator”, ensnaring small countries into debt traps and making irredentist claims on territory that fall within the boundaries of other nations. “the uS thinks India will contain china, which is a completely flawed premise,” pm Imran said. when asked if he was drawing an “extreme comparison” between the Indian government and the nazi regime in germany, he mentioned the writings of the rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, “the intellectual forerunner of prime minister narendra modi’s party”. “they openly admired hitler,” he observed. “the nazis wanted to get rid of the Jews. the rSS wanted to rid India of the muslims.”

coronavirUs in

DAY'S DEATH TOLL:

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discussing his recent meetings with afghan politicians, the premier said that pakistan did not have any favourites in the wartorn country. “our only interest is that the future government in Kabul does not allow India to operate from there against pakistan,” he added. referring to the american war against terrorism, he said that pakistan had “nothing to do with the terror attacks on 9/11”. “al Qaeda was in afghanistan. after 9/11, we should not have allowed our army to become involved in the war. I opposed it from day one. the uS put pressure on us, and the military dictator general pervez musharraf succumbed to that pressure,” he added. when the interviewer pointed out that, at the time, pakistan, Saudi arabia and the united arab emirates (uae) were the only countries supporting the taliban, pm Imran recalled, “don’t forget, osama bin laden was a hero in the 1980s. he supported the mujahideen against the Soviets in afghanistan, and he was backed by both the cIa [central Intelligence agency] and pakistan.”

“It was pakistan’s right to recognise the taliban but pakistan had no control over the taliban. when pakistan asked the taliban to hand over bin laden to the americans, they refused,” he added. the premier said that he admired china’s governance model since it had helped beijing take 700 million people out of poverty within a span of 40 years. “this is the model I want to emulate in pakistan,” he said. “despite not having electoral politics, they are good at bringing the best people to the top in their country. It’s a system based on meritocracy.” he also noted that beijing had put 450 ministerial-level officials in jail on corruption charges. “countries aren’t poor because of a lack of resources,” he said. “It’s because of corruption among the leadership.”

Govt hints at proceeding against Ayaz Sadiq under high treason NANKANA SAHIB STAFF REPORT

a day after Information minister Shibli faraz hinted at legal action against former national assembly (na) speaker ayaz Sadiq over his controversial claims regarding the circumstances surrounding the release of Indian air force wing commander abhinandan varthaman, Interior minister brigadier (r) Ijaz Shah on Saturday said that the federal government has received several petitions seeking charges under article 6 on the constitution, which defines the crime of high treason. addressing a ceremony in nankana Sahab, Shah said that the petitions, received in Islamabad and lahore, have been sent for legal review. “ayaz Sadiq has passed a very wrong statement

LAHORE: after his comments sparked public outrage and compelled the military to issue a rebuttal, former national assembly (na) speaker and pakistan muslim leaguenawaz (pml-n) leader ayaz Sadiq on Saturday said that he stood by his statement that the decision to release the Indian pilot was in february last year was taken out of the fear of an “imminent attack”. ayaz, while addressing a session of the lower house earlier this week, had claimed the government had released wing commander abhinandan varthaman — the Indian air force pilot who was captured in february last year after the pakistan air force shot down his intruding jet during a dogfight — in “capitulation”, fearing an attack from India.

Qadir Baloch, Sanaullah Zehri to part ways with Sharifs MIAN ABRAR

the pakistan muslim leaguenawaz (pml-n) suffered a major blow on Saturday when former federal minister and pml-n balochistan president lt general (r) abdul Qadir baloch decided to resign from the party along with the former chief minister and baloch tribal chieftain Sardar Sanaullah Zehri and several others. the resignation comes amid reports of internal rifts within the pml-n after hard-hitting statements by party’s top leaders — nawaz Sharif, maryam nawaz and Sardar ayaz Sadiq — targeting the military establishment and the ruling pakistan tehreek-e-Insaf (ptI).

Sources told pakistan today that baloch was heading a meeting along with Zehri at his Karachi residence to take future decisions along with a powerful group of the party.

“Sources close to the pml-n leaders have divulged that baloch and Zehri are likely to join the balochistan awami party (bap) along with their group. they are likely to make a formal announcement in a press conference soon,” the source said,

adding that baloch is very close to Zehri whose provides the former with his main voter base.

“Since Zehri is chief of Jhalawan, his supporters are the backbone for general Qadir’s success in elections. hence, both are set to part ways with the pml-n against the autocratic attitude of maryam nawaz who has preferred akhtar mengal over own party chief and chief minister. this has left the party’s senior leaders feeling that they should align their future with some other party,” sources added. baloch had decided to part

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Sadiq says Indian pilot statement blown out of proportion

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ISLAMABAD

about Indian pilot abhinandan and the army chief,” Shah said. Slamming the opposition party, pakistan muslim league-nawaz (pml-n), the interior minister dismissed the allegations levelled against the pakistan army “from abroad”, and swore that all this was an attempt to secure the opposition’s looted wealth. two senior pml-n lawmakers had earlier accused the pakistan tehreek-e-Insaf (ptI)-led government of taking the decision to release Indian pilot abhinandan under pressure. “foreign minister Shah mehmood Qureshi was present in the meeting, which Imran Khan had refused to attend,” ayaz had said in parliament on wednesday, adding that Qureshi had “begged the opposition to release abhinandan or else India would attack pakistan at 9 pm”.

ways with the pml-n after developing serious differences with maryam, who had decided against inviting Zehri in the recent Quetta rally of the 11-party opposition alliance, pakistan democratic movement (pdm).

Zehri was not allowed to attend the party rally due to differences between him and mengal, the leader of his own faction of balochistan national party-mengal (bnp-m). according to sources, former prime minister and pdm Secretary general Shahid Khaqan abbasi had refused to invite Zehri to Quetta after consulting the party leadership, arguing that the baloch politician has not been in the country for the last two and a half years, therefore, he could not be part of the meeting. another source told pakistan today that after baloch’s decision to part ways with the party, maryam has directed to appoint party’s senior leader Sardar yaqub Khan nasir in his place. “the purpose of making yaqub nasir a provincial president is to make pml-n a dynamic and active party in balochistan. nasir would be tasked with making the opposition movement a success,” sources told.

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more inside

FBR misses revenue target for third consecutive month STORY ON PAGE 02

govt slashes petrol price by rs1.57 per litre STORY ON PAGE 09

Rescue efforts underway after deadly earthquake in Turkey, Greece STORY ON PAGE 12 in today’s issue

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Sunday, 1 November, 2020

NEWS

COvID POSITIvITy RATe juMPS TO 3.72PC; 11 MORe DIe ISLAMABAD

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STAFF REPORT

HE coronavirus positivity rate continues to increase in the country and reached 3.72pc, as 807 more people tested Covid positive after the tests of 21,688 over the last twenty-four hours, according to the data shared by the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) on Saturday.

Pakistan reported 11 more coronavirusrelated fatalities during the past 24 hours, taking the death toll from the disease to 6,806. According to the National Command

and Operation Centre (NCOC), 807 fresh infections emerged during this period, lifting the national tally of cases to 332,993.

There are a total of 12,121 active cases of the coronavirus as 314,066 patients have so far recuperated from the disease.

Thus far, Sindh has reported 145,475 cases, followed by Punjab reporting 104,016 cases while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported 39,458, Balochistan 15,896, Islamabad 19,818, Gilgit Baltistan 4,248 and Azad Jammu and Kashmir 4,082. As many as 669 of the patients under treatment in hospitals across the country are said to be in critical condition.

Senior journalist Saleem Asmi passes away in Karachi Senior journalist Saleem Asmi passed away in Karachi on Saturday. Confirming his demise, the family said Asmihad been suffering from some serious ailment for several days. The senior journalist was a former editor of Dawn and ex-president of the Karachi Press Club. In his long career, Asmi also served as a news editor at Dubai-based Khaleej Times and launched Dawn’s Islamabad edition. The veteran journalist was a staunch advocate for freedom of expression and believed societies should be run freely without restrictions. Condolences to his family were offered on all media outlets as friends and colleagues paid tribute to the veteran journalist. NEWS DESK

Court approves plea bargain of housing fraud accused An accountability court approved plea bargain petition of a fraud accused Asad Manzoor Wattoo, and issued orders for his release. Asad Manzoor Wattoo, who was accused of fraud with the public at large, had filed a petition in the accountability court of Judge Shaikh Sajjad Ahmed seeking his acquittal on the grounds of plea bargain. A plea bargain amounting Rs133.7 million has been finalized with the NAB, accused told the court. The court approved the petition and ordered release of accused Asad Manzoor Wattoo. Earlier, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor informed the court that the accused has paid the entire amount of the plea bargain deal to the NAB authorities. The accused was charged of cheating the public of several millions of rupees in a housing society fraud, NAB prosecutor added. NEWS DESK

Sloganeering at Quaid’s tomb: Safdar granted exemption KARACHI: Granting one time exemption from personal appearance before court in sloganeering case at Quaid-e-Azam mausoleum on Saturday Session Judge Karachi asked counsel for retired Captain Safdar to ensure his presence during next date of hearing. A Sessions Judge granted exemption from personal appearance to retired Captain Muhammad Safdar, the son-in-law of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, in a case pertaining to sloganeering at Quaid-e-Azam’s mausoleum.

Appearing on behalf of his client, the counsel requested the court to exempt Safdar Awan from personal appearance on the grounds that he was out of the city to which the Judge allowed application of Safdar Awan amid issuing directives to the investigation officer to submit an interim charge sheet in the case within three days. TLTP

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Saturday said that a total of 376 cases of Covid-19 detected in last 24 hours in the province.

“Two people also lost their lives owing to Covid-19,” the chief minister said during a routine daily briefing on the virus as the overall death toll in the province has reached up to 2,627.

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said that 7479 samples were tested in 24 hours in the province, adding that as many as 241 more patients of the coronavirus recuperated during the past 24 hours, bring the total recoveries to 138,669. Currently,

4555 patients have been under treatment across the province, Chief Minister Shah said. He further urged the people of the province to observe SOPs strictly.

Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar, who heads the NCOC, today tweeted: “With the arrival of the 2nd wave & continued wide scale violation of SOP’s, NCOC has decided to seek citizens’ help for SOP compliance.” He asked people to take a picture wherever they see any SOP violations, including those of mask-wearing and social distancing rules, and send it on Whatsapp number 0335-3336262 along with its location for authorities to take legal action.

‘Involvement in Pulwama’: Pakistan rebukes Modi for 'twisting' Fawad's words NEWS DESK The Foreign Office (FO) has criticised Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his attempt to "twist" recent comments made by Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry in order to suggest Pakistan's involvement in the attack in occupied Kashmir's Pulwama last year.

In a statement, the FO spokesperson asked the BJP-led Indian government to "stop dragging Pakistan into India’s domestic politics", saying New Delhi had failed to provide any credible evidence of Pakistan’s alleged involvement in the Pulwama attack.

The February 14, 2019, attack on Indian paramilitary troops had killed at least 40 soldiers. India accused Pakistan of being behind the attack from the get-go — a charge vehemently denied by Islamabad — and the tensions that followed brought India and Pakistan to the brink of an all-out war.

Fawad's recent reference to the Pulwama attack was construed by the Indian media as a "sensational admission" of Pakistan's alleged involvement in it.

"Humne Hindustan ko ghuss kay mara hai (We struck India in their home)," the minister said in the National Assembly on Friday while referring to the Pakistan Air Force's response to India's violation of its airspace on February 26 last year. "Our success in Pulwama is the success of this nation under [Prime Minister] Imran Khan's leadership."

As other lawmakers sought for the minister to explain his words, Fawad said: "The way we hit India inside their territory after the Pulwama incident [...] India's own media and political leadership is embarrassed over that."

The minister's remarks came while he was responding to PML-N leader and former speaker Ayaz Sadiq, who had caused a political storm by suggesting a day earlier in the parliament that the PTI government had released Indian pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman in capitulation, fearing an imminent attack from India.

Although Fawad had stressed that only a part of his speech was being used to misinterpret his remarks, Indian Prime Minister Modi too referred to his statement as being a "confession" by Pakistan of its involvement in the Pulwama attack.

Speaking at a ceremony in the Indian state of Gujarat on

Saturday, Modi suggested that Fawad's comments had "exposed" elements in the country that questioned the Pulwama attack and allegedly played politics on it.

“The country will not forget those distasteful comments and accusations during the Pulwama attack. I silently endured the allegations, but I had a deep wound in my heart for my brave soldiers who had laid down their lives. But today, there has been news from the neighbouring country, which has exposed these divisive forces who questioned the Pulwama soldiers,” Modi said without naming Pakistan, according to the Indian Express.

Reacting to his claims, FO spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said Pakistan "categorically rejects" the Indian prime minister's insinuation of Pakistan’s involvement in the Pulwama attack "by alluding to remarks made by a minister in the National Assembly".

"This is a brazen attempt to twist the remarks of the federal minister, who was referring to the befitting response given by the Pakistan Armed Forces in broad daylight to India's ill-conceived misadventure of February 26, 2019, in violation of the UN Charter and international law," he added.

Zahid said it was the BJP leadership’s "incurable obsession with Pakistan" that drove them to invariably blame Pakistan for their own failings and shortcomings, noting that "it has been a part and parcel of the BJP’s electoral strategy to raise the Pakistan ‘bogey’ in the attempt to galvanise voters’ support, while seeking to divert public attention from their domestic and foreign policy failures."

According to the spokesperson, Pakistan firmly believed that the "biggest beneficiary" of the Pulwama attack was the BJP government, "as it resulted in BJP’s landslide victory in Lok Sabha elections following their virulent anti-Pakistan electoral campaign".

He said India had failed to provide any credible evidence about Pakistan’s alleged involvement in the attack to this day.

"The BJP regime is advised, once again, to stop dragging Pakistan into India’s domestic politics, especially at the time of elections in India," Zahid said.

Instead of mobilising its electorate by stoking anti-Pakistan sentiments, the FO spokesperson asked the BJP to "win voter support by demonstrating actual performance in meeting the expectations of the Indian people".

Security forces foil major terrorist activity in Balochistan: ISPR NEWS DESK A major terrorism activity was averted in Balochistan’s Kech district after security forces successfully conducted an intelligence-based operation (IBO) on a militants’ hideout, said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

The military’s media wing said that one hardcore terrorist was killed during the operation in Kech district, while a soldier of the Pakistan army was also injured during the exchange of fire. According to ISPR, the wanted terrorist was involved in the killing of innocent people, extortion and attacking security forces.

A large cache of arms and communication equipment have also been recovered from their hideout, said the military’s media wing.

Earlier in the month of September, Security forces had killed at least two terrorists during an encounter in the Kech district of Balochistan.

According to the military’s media wing, the security conducted an intelligence-based operation on a terrorist hideout in Mazaband mountains in Kech. At least two terrorists had been killed during an exchange of fire with the security forces. ISPR said the terrorists had been involved in killings of civilians, extortion and attacks on the security forces.

PTI to mobilise public to counter PDM’s narrative ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to hold public rallies to mobilise its own supporters in a bid to counter the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) narrative. Sources told Pakistan Today that the decision was taken in a meeting of party’s spokespersons, and PTI will hold its first rally on November 7 in Bhalwal, a town near Sargodha, or Hafizabad, following Prime Minister Imran Khan’s approval. Sources said that the premier is also likely to address the rally. Furthermore, he is also expected to visit Hafizabad to lay the foundation stone of the University of Hafizabad and might even announce the construction of a hospital in the city. According to sources, party leaders have been advising the prime minister to go to the public instead of meeting the spokespersons, to remind the people of the performance of previous rulers from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). On the other hand, the opposition parties have also decided to hold individual protests to mobilise the people against the incumbent government over rising inflation. MIAN ABRAR

OGRA increases LPG price by Rs114.05 per 11.8kg cylinder ISLAMABAD: The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) on Saturday issued a price-revision notification of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) for the month of November. According to the notification, the authority increased the locally produced LPG price by Rs114.05 per cylinder of 11.8 kilogramme. After the revised price, the cylinder would be sold in the open market at Rs1,530.34, which was available at Rs1,416.29 during the month of October.

Meanwhile, OGRA has fixed LPG rate has been fixed at Rs129,689.49 per metric tonne (MT) for the month of November. The commodity sale price per MT was Rs120,024.19 during the month of October. The new price will be effective from November 1. APP

FBR misses revenue target for third consecutive month ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has missed the revenue collection target for the third consecutive month in October. According to sources, the tax officials collected Rs335 billion in October as against the monthly target of Rs352 billion, registering a shortfall of Rs17 billion. The tax department had missed the September target

by Rs10 billion and August by Rs15 billion.

However, the tax department’s overall collection during the first four months (JulyOct) of the current fiscal year (FY21) stood at Rs1,342 billion, which was Rs53 billion more the target of Rs1,321 billion. The government has set the tax collection target at Rs4,963 billion for the current fiscal year. It may be noted that the International Monetary Fund has estimated a tax shortfall of around Rs300 billion during the ongoing year. Meanwhile, FBR on Saturday also asked people to submit their tax return till December 8, 2020. The spokesman said that FBR “will not extend the return filing date”, adding that the department has introduced a simplified return form for tax year 2020 to facilitate the people. SHAHZAD PARACHA

Sunday, 1 November, 2020

NewS

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PM IMRaN tO vISIt GB tOday deSPIte OPPOSItION’S cONceRNS ISLAMABAD

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PPP WRITES TO CEC TO STOP PREMIER, MINISTERS FROM VISITING THE AUTONOMOUS REGION

GHULAM ABBAS

ESPITE Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) showing serious concerns over Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Ali Amin Gandapur ahead of elections in the autonomous region, Prime Minister Imran Khan go ahead with his Gilgit visit on Sunday.

However, the premier will not attend any political gathering in the region as the local election commission has already restricted

him, along with other ministers, speaker of the National Assembly, and chairman of the Senate, from participating in the election campaign, under the Election Act, 2017. PM Imran will attend the National Day celebrations in the region. GB celebrates its Independence Day on November 1 every year to mark the area’s liberation from Dogra Raj in 1947.

The premier will address an event being

PML-N leader Musadik Malik tests positive for coronavirus NEWS DESK PML-N leader Musadik Malik tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday and has gone into self-isolation. Malik, in a tweet, said: "I have just about received my COVID-19 result.

Unfortunately, I am coronavirus positive, and am going into isolation. Please keep me in your prayers." "Most regretfully, I would miss one of the most important family events - my loss," he added. Malik has become the latest politician to have contracted the virus. Earlier this week, Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan, who had tested positive for coronavirus on October 13, said that he had again tested positive for the virus. At least 108 Pakistani politicians, including PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif, ANP’s Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, and Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari have previously tested positive for coronavirus, most of whom went into selfisolation and recovered. Of the total, 42 belong to the ruling Pakistan PTI alone.

Opp’s stance against state to have dangerous consequences, Sh Rasheed warns

held in connection with the ceremonious occasion. The governor, interim chief ministers will be in attendance. Sources informed Pakistan Today that since the ruling party has lagged behind in its campaign in the region, the premier is expected to make an announcement regarding granting provincial status to the autonomous region, along with some projects, to boost his party’s image in the forthcoming

polls on November 15. It is worth mentioning here that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif visited Gilgit in February 2015 ahead of the last election and announced development projects for the region. He also announced the formation of a high-powered committee to grant constitutional rights to the people of GB. These announcements led to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) pocketing two-thirds majority in the GB Legislative Assembly. Interestingly, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership did not visit GB before the elections were scheduled. Sources say that the opposition’s campaigning in the autonomous region may have prompted the premier to go ahead

Court adjourns hearing of drug recovery case against Sanaullah till Nov 21 LAHORE STAFF REPORT

While adjourning the hearing of drug recovery case against Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah on Saturday, an anti-narcotics court asked prosecution to continue arguments on November 21.

The anti-narcotics court conducted the hearing of drug recovery case against Rana Sanaullah and others.

The accused persons appeared before the court. During the course of proceedings, the defence counsel requested the court to adjourn the hearing on the grounds that advocate Azam Nazeer Tarar was unable to attend the court as he was residing in Islamabad. The lawyer requested to fix the date of hearing post-election of Punjab Bar Council scheduled on November 28.

However, counsel for Sanaullah also pleaded to unfreeze bank accounts of his client whereas Rana Sanaullah submitted before the court that national identity cards of his family were also blocked. The prosecutor argued that the accused persons have always gotten the date of hearing of their own choice.

Later, the court directed the prosecution to continue arguments over the indictment of the accused persons in the next hearing and adjourned the hearing till November

21. Rana Sanaullah had been arrested last year in July by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) from the Islamabad-Lahore motorway near the Sukheki area. The ANF claimed that 15 kilograms of drugs were recovered from the PMLN leader’s car. He was released on bail on Dec 26. His name has also been placed on the Exit Control List (ECL) in drug recovery case.

with his visit on Sunday. Gandapur, who is currently in Gilgit, has addressed some political gatherings in Diamer district and Gilgit during the past three days. Former chief minister Hafeezur Rehman has given an ultimatum of 48 hours to oust the federal minister from the region, as his visit violates the Election Act, 2017. Meanwhile, in a letter sent to the chief election commissioner, PPP Central Election Cell in-charge Senator Taj Haider has lodged a complaint over the premier’s upcoming visit, drawing the official’s attention to the violation of the code of conduct for the GB polls, and requesting urgent action to ensure a free, fair and transparent election.

JUI-F leader slams Sadiq over abhinandan statement LAHORE:PML-N leader Ayaz Sadiq has come in for a lot of flak for his controversial statement on Indian pilot Abhinandan’s release. His accusatory remarks on the floor of the National Assembly have also caused rifts in opposition ranks. Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, a leader of the JUI-F part of the opposition’s Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), not only strongly condemned the statement but termed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif “aasteen ka saanp” (snake in the grass). Those who bring such people to power are equally responsible, he thundered. There is a limit to everything, he said, referring to the PML-N supremo’s critique of state institutions. Meanwhile, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman met Ayaz Sadiq at the latter’s residence in Lahore. Speaking to media alongside the JUI-F chief after the meeting, the PML-N leader said he stands by his comments and added his statement was distorted to give a particular colour. Neither he nor anybody has the right to bill him or anyone else a traitor, he opined.

Sadiq said they will give India a befitting response as they have always done. “My comments were given political colour, which didn’t benefit Pakistan. An effort was made to promote one narrative in India,” he said. “Linking my statement with Pakistan Army is a disservice to the country,” he said, explaining that he had referred to the government in his statement that was misquoted. Putting up banners against him is no service to the country either, he added. Having previously served on key positions, the PML-N leader said he knew many secrets but neither has he given any irresponsible statement before nor will do so in future. When asked whether he will apologise over his statement, Ayaz Sadiq said: “I have not done anything wrong that I have to apologise for.” TLTP

Officials served show-cause notice over failing to produce Hamza in court

LAHORE

LAHORE

TLTP

STAFF REPORT

Days after Ayaz Sadiq's statement in the National Assembly, Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on Saturday warned that there could be dangerous repercussions of picking up a fight against the state. Addressing a press conference in Lahore, the minister said a political fight was well within the oppositions’ rights but they had no right to stage a war against the state. He warned that the opposition’s stance could hurt political forces in the country. “I don’t get why Nawaz Sharif has launched Ayaz Sadiq — who was quiet in the last 2.5 years,” he said.

“This is all happening as per Nawaz and Maryam’s instructions.” Ahmed said Ayaz Sadiq’s comments had saddened and hurt the armed forces. “Our soldiers and generals are both respectable.” The Awami Muslim League chief advised politicians to be reasonable. He said if the Opposition wanted a political fight then Imran Khan will come to the field. He said the premier hadn’t said no to talks. “Doors for negotiations are never close. If the PPP and PML-N can unite then so can other parties.” “Dialogues and negotiations are part of politics,” stressed the veteran politician. Ahmed noted that JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has the power of religious schools but he is dependent on big political parties.

“The PPP is playing smart,” he noted of the Bilawal Bhutto Zardari-led party. “At this point, anything can happen in politics.”

An accountability court here on Saturday has served show-cause notices to the government and police officers over failing to produce Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hamza Shehbaz for a hearing of the Ramzan Sugar Mills case. The prison’s deputy superintendent said Hamza was handed over to judicial authorities at 8:25 am but he refused to travel to court in the armoured vehicle and would not come out of his prison cell. Expressing his dismay, Accountability Court Judge Amjad Nazir Chaudhry asked where the jail officials were, adding that it was their duty to fulfil their responsibility of producing accused persons over court orders.

“Will the suspect now decide when and how he appears before the court?” asked the judge. He questioned whether other suspects who appear before the bench do

so in their favourite cars.

“It is the failure of the state to be helpless in front of an accused,” he observed.

Judge Chaudhry issued directives to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to produce its witnesses in the next hearing and asked authorities to modify the date on the warrants of Hamza. Later, the court adjourned the hearing till November 10. The show-cause notices have been served to secretary home department, Superintendent Central Jail, Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO), Superintendent Police (SP) headquarters and other officers. The officials were directed to appear in the next hearing to clarify their positions for not producing Hamza in the hearing. Moreover, the accountability court’s judge termed the report presented by the jail superintendent ‘unsatisfactory’. and remarked that such an attitude of accused persons in sensitive cases poses dangers to the judicial system. The judge also hinted at contempt of

court action against the responsible persons over the violation of orders. Hamza has been in the NAB’s custody since June last year. The bureau is investigating two different cases against Hamza regarding money laundering and holding assets beyond means.

According to the agency, in 2003, Hamza’s assets were worth Rs22.5 million, adding that from 20052007, the PML-N leader had not stated his assets. In 2009, his assets rose to Rs210 million, as per an investigating officer. According to a NAB report regarding the grounds for his arrest, Hamza’s assets increased beyond his known means of income from 2003 till 2017. He is accused of causing a loss of over Rs210 million to the national treasury in the Ramzan Sugar Mills case. As per the report, Hamza had purchased many commercial and residential properties from 2012 to 2015. Hamza contracted Covid-19 during his incarceration in September, his father and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif had said.

Afridi seeks UN intervention over India’s illegal transfer of land in Occupied Kashmir ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir Chairman Shehryar Khan Afridi on Saturday urged the UN experts on human rights and freedom of expression to make an immediate intervention into the Indian government's illegal transfer of 2.4 lakh kanals of land in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) to Industries and Commerce Divisions. Addressing at a reception held to eulogise the services of doctors, paramedics and armed forces in fight against Covid-19, Shehryar Afridi said all Indian actions in IIOJK were illegal and in blatant violation of the United Nations resolutions on the Kashmir dispute and were aimed at genocide of Kashmiris.

He also asked the UN experts to take note of the ongoing raids of National Investigation Agency (NIA) of India on offices and residences of human rights defenders, journalists and of members of civil society, humanitarian aid organizations operating in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

"The NIA has been raising fears among the activists of human rights organizations and journalists since October 28 so that the media and human rights organizations do not report on the Indian government's genocidal actions against Kashmiris," he said. "Hindutva regime of India wants to cover up the ongoing genocide in Kashmir by gagging the voices of media and human rights organizations. Amnesty India was also forced to shut down its operations in India last month.

Amnesty International has also condemned the Indian government's ongoing campaign against human rights organizations and the media, " Afridi said. Afridi added that the Modi government must understand that the truth cannot be hidden by such raids and atmosphere of fear. "RSS goons and Modi administration cannot fool the world on Kashmiri genocide. We will continue to expose the inhuman actions of the colonial rulers in Kashmir. The world must break its criminal silence and give freedom to Kashmiris," he added. Afridi said nations are formed when they are connected to their foundation.

"We must pay tribute to our heroes. Our heroes are

performing significant tasks in every field. My salutes to the doctors, paramedical staff and the Armed Forces who have been instrumental in defeating the coronavirus pandemic under the vision and strategy of Prime Minister Imran Khan," he said.

The Chairman Kashmir Committee also lauded the services of the staff and administration of the NIH and all the institutions that have added a new chapter in history by combating the pandemic better than the Western world.

"There are more than 70 million refugees in the world.

There are more than 3.5 million refugees in Pakistan alone for whom Prime Minister Imran Khan's efforts earned the honor of being the first country in the world to pay Rs 12,000 per family to help the homeless and stateless people infected with the coronavirus. The whole world, including the WHO, paid tribute to Pakistan's successful strategy," he said. Afridi said on the other hand, by imposing the worst lockdown in India, Narendra Modi created the worst human tragedy in India. India's RSS government has made life difficult for Kashmiris but they would keep the fight against occupation till they attain freedom, he added.

04

Sunday, 1 November, 2020

NEWS

CDA ChAirmAn vows To renovATe CAPiTAl PArKs wiThin Three monThs ISLAMABAD

C

APP

APITAl Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Amir Ali Ahmed on Saturday directed the departments concerned to carry out development work in all parks to provide quality recreational facilities to the capital’s dwellers.

Amer Ali issued the directions during his surprise visit to the green places, which were in dilapidated condition mainly due to power-sharing rift between the CDA and Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) in the past. The rift between civic agencies over power-sharing has resolved to some ex-

tent and development work is in full wing since the CDA has recently taken the charge of key departments back from MCI, that included environment directorate as well.

Taking exception over the shabby conditions of parks, the chairman asked the relevant CDA’s wings to step up their efforts to carry out renovation, restoration and repair work for transforming all the 235 parks of Islamabad into fully-equipped recreational facilities within a few months time.

Instructions were also issued to add a cycling track in Sector E-7, said a news release of the CDA. Members and Directors of the various directorates including Environment, Sanitation, City Sewerage, Street lights and other officers and staff were also present on

the occasion.

The CDA Chairman said the parks would be rehabilitated so that the citizens could spend a quality time in the parks with their families. In this regard, all the required facilities had been provided to the Environment Department, he added.

“We have changed the concept of small and big parks. Development work is being carried out in all the parks on equal basis,” he noted. Amer directed the Environment Department to immediately repair the existing swings in the parks, install new swings, cut wild grass, plants and shrubs, plant new flowers and fruit plants.

Commenting over the development, the public appreciated the government for taking

eco and public friendly initiatives.

“Parks in the capital city were one the hallmark of ‘Islamabad the Beautiful’ but the long-prevailed negligence of the authorities concerned has turned them into dens of addicts,” Khurram Shehzad, a resident of sector G-7 told APP. However, people living in the rural areas of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) also made appeal to the city managers for setting up parks in their respective areas.

Raja Khurram Nawaz, a local Member of the National Assembly (MNA), said the unplanned development in the outskirts of Islamabad left the rural people in the lurch, keeping them deprived of the basic amenities of life.

Badin men allegedly gang-rape teen with speech impairment

Karachi ridehailing service driver killed in possible target killing: Police

A teenage girl was allegedly gang-raped for four months near a Badin village, with the incident coming to light after the victim got pregnant, police said Saturday. According to the police, the incident took place in the Goth Mohib Dal area near Badin. The 17-yearold girl was unable to tell her parents as she is unable to speak due to a speech impairment. The police have registered a case against the suspects, who are reportedly relatives. Meanwhile, the victim has been shifted to a hospital for medical tests. NEWS DESK

KARACHI TLTP

Coast Guards rescue boat passengers stranded in sea KARACHI: The Pakistan Coast Guards (PCG) in an operation rescued nine passengers and crew of a boat stranded off Kaemari on Saturday. According to reports, the Coast Guards Marine Wing conducted a rescue operation in sea and saved nine passengers of a fishing boat, Al-Daniyal, a spokesperson said. The boat was stranded in the sea after its engine failed and the vessel could likely to capsize in the sea, PCG spokesperson said. STAFF REPORT

Another doctor dies from coronavirus in Peshawar PESHAWAR: A senior medic, Dr Sultan Zeb, died after being diagnosed with the novel coronavirus in Peshawar, the Provincial Doctors Association (PDA) confirmed on Saturday. Dr Zeb was being treated at Hayatabad Medical Complex in Peshawar and was on a ventilator. He was shifted to the hospital after his health deteriorated earlier this week. The PDA said the coronavirus has claimed the lives of 20 doctors and 40 health workers in the province. Since the pandemic began, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has reported 39,458 cases of the virus. Earlier in the day, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Covid-19 decided to enlist the help of the public to enforce the government-defined SOPs to address the coronavirus pandemic. STAFF REPORT

The MNA said the Capital Development Authority (CDA) should follow Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Clean & Green Pakistan vision, and set up new parks and develop green spaces in other than sectoral areas as it had owned sufficient land in those areas.

He mentioned encroachment of the state land by miscreants in the rural areas such as Burma and Farash Town. The residents in some areas had even started burying their loved ones in the state land.

Khurram said the conversion of state land through green spaces and parks would save it from encroachment and help provide outdoor recreational opportunities to the residents.

CDA Chairman Amer Ali, in an exclusive chat with APP the other day, also regretted over unplanned development in the rural areas during the past, with the scope of Authority’s zoning rules and regulations limited to the urban areas only in the past.

He, however, said the civic body would try to build parks and green places in rural areas with the extension of its zoning laws to those areas.

LAHORE: A PML-N worker removes a banner that was put up against senior party leader Ayaz Sadiq following his controversial statement on Indian pilot Abhinandan. ZUBAIR MEHFOOZ

Smart lockdown to be imposed in areas with high ratio of cases: CM Buzdar LAHORE APP

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has said that smart lockdown would be imposed in areas where coronavirus cases were reported.

In a statement issued Saturday, the CM said the decision to close markets at 10 pm had been taken with consultation of all stakeholders, adding that strict measures could be taken in case of not following the SOPs in bazaars and markets.

He warned that due to violation of the coronavirus SOPs, the number of patients were increasing day by day, therefore, precautionary measures were utmost necessary for saving lives and health.

He said that the number of active coronavirus cases had reached to 4228 in the province while 185 new cases of Covid-19 had been surfaced during the last 24 hours, whereas, three others have lost their lives.

He said that 6,637 tests were conducted to diagnose coronavirus during the last 24 hours, adding that overall, 1,583,563 tests had been conducted in the province.

He informed that out of 104,016 confirmed coron-

CTD, police personnel ‘involved with smugglers’ arrested NEWS DESK

avirus patients, 97,431 had been recovered so far.

Balochistan governor lays foundation stone of IT University campus QUETTA APP

Balochistan Governor Amanullah Khan Yasinzai on Saturday laid the foundation stone of Information Technology (IT) University Campus in Zhob district during his oneday visit.

Addressing the groundbreaking ceremony of IT University Zhob, the Balochistan governor said the establishment of IT University Zhob would help provide the required manpower in the country and the province.

He said the formation of the university would facilitate the students of Zhob and adjoining areas in pursuing higher education, saying the graduates of BUITEMS Zhob could play a significant role in the development of the country.

A firing incident in the city’s central district earlier on Saturday claimed a life, which the police have now identified as Bashir. The police have expressed their suspicion that the incident was not random mugging but “target-killing”, as the culprits did not snatch the belongings from the slain. According to the details in the case shared by the police, Bashir was associated as a driver with an online ride-hailing service who they suspect might have been followed and killed in a targeted bid as his belongings remained on the scene. He was killed near Qalandria Chowk of Karachi’s centre district whom the rescue officials picked up after the scene. On Friday, in a brief exchange of fire between personnel and suspected dacoits, one suspect was killed while two managed to flee. The police confirmed they killed one suspect after engaging in a gun battle in the Federal B area of Karachi’s District Center.

They recovered the weapon, mobile phones, and cash from the deceased suspect while two of his accomplices managed to flee the scene, police confirmed. The identity of the suspect, Fazal Ullah AKA Khanan, executed in the shootout has been divulged by the police who claim he was wanted in a number of felonies and burglaries.

The need and importance of the university have increased with the formation of CPEC Western Route, he said adding after the success of peace talks in Afghanistan, Qamruddin Karez Gate Way would be opened.

The Governor said the team of BUITEMS aimed to provide quality education to the youth.

The young generation in Balochistan is moving towards development after the construction of BUITEMS, he said adding there will be an educational revolution in Zhob. The Governor also distributed the keys of motorcycles to the Eagle Force.

He said police have a key role to play in maintaining law and order and the police have made many sacrifices for curbing terrorist activities.

The Eagle Force in Zhob will play a crucial role in improving law and order in the area, he maintained.

Officials of Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and Gadap Police Station were detained by the police on Saturday for alleged involvement in smuggling activities, a private channel reported. On intelligence information to the Customs department, the anti-smuggling force headed out to intersect a smuggling activity reportedly taking place near Northern Bypass, but they were allegedly impeded by police personnel. One of the personnel to harass the customs officials was a CTD official while the other was the duty officer at Gadap Town Police Station who, together, allegedly aided and abetted the smuggling customs had set out to capture. The alleged personnel not only harassed customs and impeded their bid, but also got the vehicle wherein the smuggling was taking place, freed from their custody. According to the available information, both police personnel with their accomplices have now been detained by the police in the case of aiding and abetting smuggling and hindering state officials in curbing criminal activity. Earlier in the day, the Pakistan Coast Guards (PCG) in an operation rescued nine passengers and crew of a boat stranded off Keamari. The PCG Marine Wing conducted a rescue operation in the sea and saved nine passengers off a fishing boat, Al-Daniyal, a spokesperson said.

The boat was stranded in the sea after its engine failed and the vessel could likely have capsized in the sea, PCG spokesperson said.

Sunday, 1 November, 2020

UP to 44PC SAlARy CUt elevAtInG hARdShIPS of PIA emPloyeeS: PAlPA LaHoRe

P

HASSAN NAQVI

AKISTAN Airlines Pilots’ Association (PALPA) has said that the employees of the national airline, the Pakistan International Airline (PIA) were facing hardships due to further reduction in their salaries, which takes the total salary cut up to 44pc.

Appealing to the government, PALPA spokesperson said that despite the COVID-19 outbreak, they have been working relentlessly for the progress and reputation of the national carrier and ensuring all possible services to the passengers. “We have always been at the forefront of any difficult situation,” he said.

Govt hints at proceeding against Ayaz Sadiq under high treason continued on page 01 “India never attacked Pakistan but the government nonetheless handed over Abhinandan to Indian authorities,” Ayaz had said. The comments had kicked off a furore in Indian media, as channel upon channel and publication upon publication seized on Sadiq’s statement, misrepresented parts of it, and painted the picture that India had somehow prevailed over Pakistan in securing the downed pilot’s release.

In his defence, Ayaz lambasted the Indian media for “distorting” his comments. “One thing is clear: Abhinandan did not come to Pakistan to distribute sweets; he had attacked Pakistan,” the PML-N leader said. However, the former NA speaker, in a pointed attack directed at Prime Minister Imran Khan, also asked if the decision to release Abhinandan was made “on dictation” from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On Friday, Faraz had hinted at legal action against Ayaz for accusing the incumbent government of caving to Indian pressure. “What Ayaz Sadiq said is not forgivable,” he wrote in a tweet.

“Now the law will take its course,” the information minister asserted, adding that “weakening the state” is an “unpardonable offense”, and Ayaz and his followers would be punished for it.

Q32020: Standard Chartered Pakistan reports Rs19.9bn profit before tax The Board of Directors of Standard Chartered Bank (Pakistan) Limited on Saturday reviwed the bank’s performance and announce its financial results for the third quarter ending September 2020. The bank delivered a resilient financial performance in Q3 2020 with year to date profit before tax of Rs19.9 billion as compared to Rs19.7 billion in the corresponding period last year. With revenue of Rs32 billion, the overall revenue growth was 12pc, whereas client revenue increased by 19pc year on year with positive contribution from financial markets, retail products and transaction banking. Cost discipline continues with only 5pc YoY increase in operating expenses.

The current slowdown in the economic activity due to Covid-19 impacted the advances momentum. The bank is closely monitoring the portfolio in the backdrop of the uncertain economic environment and is maintaining adequate provisions, where required.

The bank achieved another milestone as total deposits crossed Rs550 billion. With a growth of 22pc year to date, total deposits closed at Rs570 billion, with current and saving accounts constituting 94pc of the deposits base. NEWS DESK

Plans to test Covid-19 vaccine in ages 12-18 on the cards NEW YORK: Johnson & Johnson plans to start testing its experimental COVID-19 vaccine in youths aged 12 to 18 as soon as possible, and the company’s previous experience with the same technology in a vaccine successfully used in children could give it a leg up with regulators. “We plan to go into children as soon as we possibly can, but very carefully in terms of safety,” J&J’s Dr. Jerry Sadoff told a virtual meeting of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices on Friday. Depending on safety and other factors, the company plans to test in even younger children afterwards, said Sadoff, a vaccine research scientist at J&J’s Janssen unit, without giving a timeline. AGENCIES

The spokesperson apprised that on top of the initial salary cut of 19pc, further 25pc deduction has been put in place by the Pakistan International Airlines Corporation Limited (PIACL) management, despite the directives of the prime minister not to reduce any employees’ salaries during the pandemic.

“We sincerely hope that the Prime Minister will intervene in this matter to end the difficulties of the pilots and other employees,” he said. The latest admin order No. 13/2020 dated October 27, 2020, shows the management’s vengeance in total violation of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Annex-6 and ANO-V of Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority.

With the said admin order, PIACL management has introduced a culture of harassment for pilots. The very

idea to impose financial penalties using Flight Data Monitoring System (FDM) is in explicit contrast and averse to this non-punitive concept, he added.

The spokesperson stressed that the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) crew was risking their lives to keep the airline service operational, even though very few airlines were operating passenger flights due to Covid-19 pandemic.

“Without any notification, further deduction in gross salaries of the pilots is unjustified and will lower the already rock bottom morale of the community which is demoralised and under severe pressure due to stressful and draconian working conditions. This situation is a grave safety hazard and may potentially compromise flight safety,” he contended.

Sadiq says Indian pilot statement blown out of proportion continued on page 01 Following the claim, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) chief Major General Babar Iftikhar held a press conference on Thursday to “set the record straight”, saying Abhinandan was released only to “give peace another chance” and not for any other reason.

Speaking to the media in Lahore, Ayaz, who was flanked by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman — the head of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) — said that he had “many secrets” but never made irresponsible statements.

He said that the “political colour” given to his statement did not benefit Pakistan’s narrative.

“We can have different thoughts politically but where Pakistan is concerned, the whole nation is united and God willing, will give a splendid answer to India. People may have objections to what I said but the political colour given to it did not benefit Pakistan’s narrative,” Ayaz said.

“This selected government tried to support the unsuccessful narrative that was being created in India,” he claimed, adding that the opposition had “strong reservations” about the government on what he termed its silence on Indian occupied Kashmir and its foreign policy failures.

“But these are political differences. Their attempt to associate my statement with the armed forces of Pakistan was not a service to the country. My statement can be seen and heard in which I talked about this government, which government officials misread by adopting Indian media’s strategies. This is not only a blatant plot against Pakistan but is a disservice to Pakistan,” he said.

“You [the government] have played in the hands of Indian media and you have not done justice to Pakistan. I am standing by my stance and you will see in the future, I have many secrets. I had been heading the National Security Committee.”

The opposition leader added that he had, however, never made irresponsible statements and would

never do so in the future as well.

“I want to say about this inefficient government, you can fight any political battles you want but political parties will only agree with you when it comes to Pakistan. I request you to keep the armed forces out of this fight.”

Referring to posters put up in Lahore, calling him a “traitor”, Ayaz said that such posters were not doing a service to Pakistan.

The PML-N leader said that “we are political people” and have been making statements against political opponents in the past and would continue to do so in the future.

“But at one point, when it comes to Pakistan or the matter of our unity or institutions, Pakistan’s message to India is very clear: we, the Pakistani nation are one. We have political differences with the government but we are united in the matter of India,” he said and requested the media to not blow up the matter.

When asked whether he would apologise, Ayaz said he had “not said anything [for which to apologise]” and he has already issued a clarification.

Meanwhile, Fazl said that the government tried to create a “storm in a teacup” over the former NA speaker’s statement, adding that if someone “destroys a person’s character and his patriotism”, then they should also be brought back to their “original standing”.

“It is our responsibility to keep our politics according to the law and the Constitution,” he stated.

He said the PDM had a clear stance. “There was rigging on July 25, 2018. We do not accept the basis of this government. We are steadfast on our stance.

Today is the day I was passing to Islamabad from Lahore in Azadi March and I will walk towards Islamabad again,” he said. “Nobody is above criticism [… ] our institutions are so sacred that they are above criticism. We do not accept this rule. We are against blasphemous attitude, whether related to courts and judiciary or ourselves,” he added.

Fazl claimed the PTI government had “bankrupted the country and Pakistan was at risk” under its regime.

NEWS

05

Pakistan expects ‘evenhanded treatment’ from US, Imran says continued on page 01 “As we know from the Panama Papers, the same is true for Pakistani politicians. Millions of dollars went into properties in the most expensive areas in London, siphoned off from this country,” he added. When asked about Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), the 11party anti-government alliance of opposition parties, the premier said, “They want to blackmail me into getting them out of corruption cases. But there’s no way I will ever relent.” “We are facing the biggest trade gap in our history. Our imports were $60 billion but exports were only $20 billion. The rupee is falling and there’s inflation because we import fuel. Everything is getting more and more expensive, even electricity,” he added.

“We have to raise our revenues so we have to increase our tax base. We’re going through these painful reforms and all these guys from the opposition get together.

They are worried that once we stabilise things, they will all end up in jail because of huge corruption cases,” he further said. Reflecting on the changing nature of the Arab-Israel conflict, he pointed out that every country had its own foreign policy priorities. “As for Pakistan, the founder of the nation, Muhammed Ali Jinnah, a brilliant man, spoke in the 1940s about the Palestinian situation as a huge violation of human rights,” he said, adding, “Pakistan still takes this view. Unless there’s a just settlement [of the Palestine issue], we cannot recognize Israel.” On the government’s decision to introduce laws prohibiting criticism of the military, the premier said that there was more freedom of speech in Pakistan “than almost any Western country,” and all criticism “based on truth and facts” was accepted.

“There will be another way of dealing with the security forces – not through the media, but through the government,” he added. “I will speak to the army chief if I think there’s something wrong. There are always human rights violations in military operations and sometimes we speak about it when it happens.” “But this should not be done in public. When soldiers are risking their lives, you cannot demoralise them in public,” he further said. Commenting on the relatively low number of coronavirus cases and deaths in Pakistan, PM Imran said that “smart lockdowns” were the key to curbing the spread of the virus. “Almost half of the population survives on daily and weekly wages.

Therefore, we imposed a ‘smart lockdown’ [and] only restricted areas where we discovered an outbreak. We didn’t stop supply lines,” he said. “We didn’t stop the agriculture sector and quickly reopened the construction sector because that’s what employs the most people in urban areas. That saved us,” he also said, adding that India, on the other hand, restricted people to their homes in poor areas.” “They have a lot of poverty now, same in Iran,” he further said. Asked whether the government has a clear picture of the pandemic in the country, the prime minister replied, “Around 180,000 to 200,000 people are tested every week and our national coordination team looks at multiple statistics and has a very clear composite picture of the epidemic.” “From peak numbers in June, we saw a steady decline in cases, positivity and deaths across the country until late August. Now, we’re hoping to survive the second wave,” he added. The prime minister, on a lighter note, said that his wife, Bushra Maneka, was his “soulmate”. “Only a fool doesn’t talk about everything with his wife. She has great wisdom. I discuss everything with her,” he said. “She is my soulmate. She is my companion. I would not have survived without her,” he added.

Former James Bond actor Sean Connery dies aged 90 Scottish movie legend Sean Connery, who shot to international stardom as the suave, sexy and sophisticated British agent James Bond and went on to grace the silver screen for four decades, has died aged 90.

The BBC and Sky News reported his death on Saturday.

“I was heartbroken to learn this morning of the passing of Sir Sean Connery. Our nation today mourns one of her best loved sons,” said Scottish First Minster Nicola Sturgeon. “Sean was a global legend but, first and foremost, he was a patriotic and proud Scot.”

Connery was raised in near poverty in the slums of Edinburgh and worked as a coffin polisher, milkman and lifeguard before his bodybuilding hobby helped launch an acting career that made him one of the world’s biggest stars.

Connery will be remembered first as British agent 007, the character created by novelist Ian Fleming and immortalized by Connery in films starting with “Dr. No” in 1962.

As Bond, his debonair manner and wry humour in foiling flamboyant villains and cavorting with beautiful women belied a darker, violent edge, and he crafted a depth of character that set the standard for those who followed him in the role.

He would introduce himself in the movies with the signature line, “Bond – James Bond.” But Connery was unhappy being defined by the role and once said he “hated that damned James Bond”.

Tall and handsome, with a throaty voice to match a sometimes crusty personality, Connery played a series of noteworthy roles besides Bond and won an Academy Award for his portrayal of a tough Chicago cop in “The

CMYK

Untouchables” (1987).

He was 59 when People magazine declared him the “sexiest man alive” in 1989.

Connery was an ardent supporter of Scotland’s independence and had the words “Scotland Forever” tattooed on his arm while serving in the Royal Navy. When he was knighted at the age of 69 by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth in 2000 at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh, he wore full Scottish dress including the green-and-black plaid kilt of his mother’s MacLeod clan.

BECAME FED UP WITH ‘IDIOTS’: Some noteworthy non-Bond films included director Alfred Hitchcock’s “Marnie” (1964), “The Wind and the Lion” (1975) with Candice Bergen, director John Huston’s “The Man Who Would be King” (1975) with Michael Caine, director Steven Spielberg’s “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” (1989) and the Cold War tale “The Hunt for Red October” (1990).

Fans of alternative cinema will always remember him starring as the “Brutal Exterminator” Zed in John Boorman’s mind-bending fantasy epic “Zardoz” (1974), where a heavily moustachioed Connery spent much of the movie running around in a skimpy red loin-cloth, thigh-high leather boots and a pony tail.

Connery retired from movies after disputes with the director of his final outing, the forgettable “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen” in 2003.

“I get fed up dealing with idiots,” he said. The Bond franchise was still going strong more than five decades after Connery started it. The lavishly produced movies, packed with high-tech gadgetry and spectacular effects, broke box office records and grossed hundreds of millions of dollars.

After the smashing success of “Dr. No,” more Bond movies followed for Connery in quick succession: “From Russia with Love” (1963), “Goldfinger” (1964), “Thunderball” (1965) and “You Only Live Twice” (1967).

Connery then grew concerned about being typecast and decided to break away. Australian actor George Lazenby succeeded him as Bond in “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” in 1969.

But without Connery it lacked what the public wanted and he was lured back in 1971 for “ Diamonds Are Forever” with temptations that included a slice of the profits, which he said would go to a Scottish educational trust. He insisted it would be his last time as Bond.

Twelve years later, at age 53, Connery was back as 007 in “Never Say Never Again” (1983), an independent production that enraged his old mentor, producer Albert “Cubby” Broccoli. AGENCIES

Sunday, 1 November, 2020

06 COMMENT

On collusion course

Need to tone down political hype Why worry when world has accepted your narrative?

T

he statement by ex-Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq does not in any way belittle Pakistan’s achievement as its air force brought down two Indian fighter jets and arrested an Indian pilot, Wg Cdr Abhinandan. The statement does not make any comment about military personnel. It rightly questions why the Prime Minister who should have been present at the crucial meeting was missing while the Foreign Minister showed signs of nervousness. It expresses concerns over the Foreign Minister’s insistence on immediately returning the Indian pilot. Pakistan was no doubt required to release Wing Commander Abhinandan under the Geneva Convention.

The Convention however does not require an immediate repatriation of the hostile country’s POWS. It is a matter of record that in the case of India and Pakistan the return of POWs has in cases taken months or years. The Foreign Minister’s insistence was bound to give birth to questions as there were two opinions then, as there are now, regarding whether the Indian pilot should have been released immediately or after a while.

The no-holds-barred fight initiated by the PTI against its opponents has vitiated the atmosphere of the National Assembly where the level of debates has deteriorated.

Recourse to unparliamentary language and point scoring has become the norm. What Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said was in response to provocations by a PTI MNA. One would however expect from a senior politician to be more circumspect.

Nothing pleases India more than government ministers calling opposition leaders traitors despite the combined opposition having obtained more votes than the PTI. It is facile to maintain that Sardar Sadiq’s comment has provided India material for propaganda. More dangerous in fact is Federal Minister Fawad Choudhry’s “Ham nay ghar main ghus kay mara” claim followed by “Our successful policy in Pulwama is the nation’s success under Imran Khan’s leadership”. Indian media calls it a confession by a Pakistani minister of his government’s involvement in the Pulwama attack and has demanded that India take up the matter at FATF There is a need to end infantile politics. The government functionaries should stop hurling treason charges and make the National Assembly functional. The ISPR should have no worries as the world has accepted its narrative about defeating India’s plans. The establishment should be seen to be above party politics if it is not to be drawn into politics.

Arif NizAmi

F

OR once the purveyors of doom and gloom may prove to be not far wrong. The political opposition, after successfully launching large rallies against the government is on a virtual roll. The other day the PDM’s (Pakistan Democratic Movement) nominal chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman was heard bragging at the alliance’s Gujranwala rally that the government will not be able to last more than a few weeks owing the opposition’s putsch.

This might be partly owing to wishful thinking on behalf of the Maulana and his cohorts and to some extent, bravado.

Nonetheless, it has to be conceded that this is an opposition’s most well organized show since the MRD (Movement of Restoration of Democracy) founded in February 1981, to end the military rule of general Zia ul haq. The wily dictator got lucky as the movement never got off the ground owing to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979. however, Imran khan and his mentors are not so lucky this time to be showered with American dollars.

The cold war ended many decades ago. Nor is Pakistan viewed as the sole custodian of Western strategic goals in South Asia, on the contrary the Islamic Republic is viewed as an international basket case even by its well-wishers.

The economy in dire straits, and despite all the exaggerated claims, the numbers simply don’t add up.

We take great pride in being the fifth largest nuclear power. But we might have barely noticed that

Rising Islamophobia Violence is not the answer

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ROTeSTS against French President emmanuel Macron’s vow to protect the right to caricature the Prophet Muhammad (PBUh) turned violent in Islamabad on Friday with thousands of charged protestors attempting to breach barriers placed in front of the Red Zone, where the French embassy is located, were met with security forces baton-charging and tear gassing them, in reaction to which a nearby forest was set on fire. This is an unfortunate outcome of a legitimate protest as similar protests around the world and even as close as Lahore, have remained relatively peaceful. That the law enforcement agencies present in the area were able to stop the situation from spiraling too much out of control is commendable. however, it seems that these protests will continue to grow given how the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, that originally printed the highly offensive cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUh) and reprinted the same last month when a trial opened over the 2015 attack on the their office killing 12 staffers, has said that it is ‘proud to provoke Islamists’ and continues to poke fun at Islamic extremism.

The functioning of progressive democracies relies upon upholding the ideals that allow it to be a free society and freedom of expression and speech are central to that philosophy. however when these are used as tools to intentionally offend a particular set of people, the motivation behind such actions is blatantly evil rather than a desire to uphold the democratic values of a country.

President Macron has taken the ‘freedom of speech’ and ‘secularism in democracy’ route but there are limits to both. Five per cent of France’s population is Muslim, so it becomes all the more important for its government to be more sensitive towards their sentiments rather than endorsing the fanning of flames that more often than not results in the deterioration of law and order in the country.

Both the gruesome and highly condemnable separate incidents of extreme violence that saw beheadings being carried out by charged Islamist terrorists were in reaction to the cartoons. Charlie Hebdo claims that its fight is against Islamist extremism when in reality it is attacking an entire faith because what it is doing is found highly offensive by all Muslims and President Macron’s comment sends out only one message: this is OK and it will continue under my watch.

‘The strongest among you…’

In an age of political correctness, how do such things happen?

rAbiA Ahmed …is the one who controls his anger.” ─ The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

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heRe are certain roads down which we are told it is best not to go. Certain others we have learnt to abandon ourselves. An example of the latter is that ever since some segments around the world became more conscious about how people ought or ought not to be treated, certain words have become ‘haram’, so to speak. It is because these words refer to people who have been severely discriminated against, and therefore the terms carry much distressing baggage. You do not say ‘handicapped’ now for example; that is a word that brings back memories of a time when persons unable to do this or that were considered lacking.

Now, since it is recognized that we are each of us unable to do something or the other the word has been abandoned for an adjective with less overtones, such as disabled or differently abled.

Similarly since the 1970s, the word ‘negro,’ associated with generations of slavery, discrimination and cruelty, is not used. It has been replaced by

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many others before him.

Although the opposition is pretending that it is business as usual, despite the multifarious probthe economic might of a nation is a litmus test of lems in this volatile situation, the nation is faced being great, rather than the number of missiles in its with the possibility of an existential threat posed silos. by rising terrorism.

We are a divided nation where our so-called ideMany in the PTI and the rest of the polity harological frontiers have dismally failed to evolve a bour a somewhat soft corner for extremist elements. common ethos. Admittedly the BJP (Bharatiya Janata This is perhaps why neither previous governments Party) led government of India are purveyors of hate nor the current regime has been able to effectively and xenophobia. That is why our hatemongers can lit- implement the National Action Plan (NAP) that was erally get away with murder by citing numerous ex- agreed upon by all parties following the horrific APS amples of atrocities being Peshawar attack. committed by so-called secuIn fact, space for an inlar states. dependent discourse or deThe question that begs an bate on such matters has There is an immediate need answer is: after all, what went visibly shrunk. Prime Minwrong? Jinnah and Nehru ister Imran Khan is himself therefore, on part of the PTI could have led the subcontiresponsible for the rising innent towards a tolerant socitolerance in politics. Supgovernment, to cool down ety. But unfortunately this has planted by the state not proven to be the case. apparatus, he apparently bethe political temperature Narendra Modi never lieves that using incendiary and establish some form of was a secularist. Nor did he remarks against his oppoever profess to be one. hownents will earn him brownie a working relationship with ever we got the biggest surpoints amongst his supportprise when Imran Khan, the ers and mentors. opposition parties. sportsman turned politician ever since the opposition who was never taken serihas launched its anti-governHowever, that seems to be a ously became a central player ment movement, extremely near impossibility as in Pakistani politics in 2013. bitter language bordering on he achieved this transition the abusive is being used by neither side is ready to after his retirement from first the government’s spokesperclass cricket through sheer sons. Resultantly, there inmeet in the middle. tenacity, hard work and creasing political undying ambition. polarisation, that according Not only has he sucto some observers can lead to ceeded in becoming a top spurts of violence. politician of Pakistan but is also the first ever crickThere is an immediate need therefore, on part of eter to lead a country. his party the PTI Pakistan the PTI government, to cool down the political temTehreek e Insaf was able to bag majority of seats for perature and establish some form of a working relahim to become prime minister in 2018. tionship with opposition parties. however, that seems So far so good, but the real test starts after win- to be a near impossibility as neither side is ready to ning an election as forming a government and actu- meet in the middle. ally performing through good governance are two Sadly enough, there is no meeting ground bevery different things. history is replete with exam- tween the opposition and the government, and now, ples of populous demagogues sweeping elections after close to three years, the PTI government has hands down but only to leave in ignominy after fail- miserably failed on the performance front and curing to deliver. rently the only strategy it is depending on is bashing Some of them ruled for decades but only to the opposition. The reality is that empty stomachs leave in disgrace after being booted by the same cannot be filled with even emptier rhetoric. people who once loved them. Time will tell how Khan will end up, whether or not he is the leader Arif Nizami is Editor, Pakistan Today. He can be he claims to be, an ideologue or merely another contacted at arifn51@hotmail.com demagogue relegated to the history books like so http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk

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‘black’ or ‘African American,’ words that are acceptable to the people referred to.

Certain attitudes too have become unacceptable, more in some countries than other, attitudes such as invading another person’s personal space, or gender bias.

Commendable as this is, in this matter– as in many others– people seem to have gone too far due to their inability or unwillingness to think about these matters, and understand what makes them important.

The BBC reported last month that ‘Professor Greg Patton at the University of Southern California (USC) was telling students in a Communications lecture last month about filler or pause words, such as ‘err’, ‘umm’ or ‘you know’ in english. he said: “In China, the common pause word is ‘that, that, that’, which in Chinese would be na-ge, na-ge, na-ge.’ enunciated, na-ge sounds like the english word ‘negro’ which as mentioned above is no longer an acceptable word. It led several of the professor’s students to complain to the university, following which the dean of the university told the students that Professor Patton would no longer be teaching the course.

A supreme example of political correctness pushed to the extreme. Not only was it based on a fallacy since the professor was not saying the N-word at all, but even if someone did, as part of a lecture on the subject of racism for example, how would he broach the issue without using words such as this?

Surely that is an objection born of people’s failure to think.

Roads down which we have been asked not to go are those leading to idolatry.

Muslims believe that the foundations of Islam were laid with Adam, but the religion was completed as we know in the time of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUh), when the practice of idol worship was at its peak. It is for this reason that the Prophet (PBUh) himself forbade his followers from making images of his person because there was a good chance that this would lead to an over-veneration of his person, and perhaps even its worship. even with this prohibition, as we know, people tend to bow down at his tomb, a practice strictly forbidden in Islam. Whether or not someone else wishes to draw him is their headache.

There are already many pictures in existence purport-

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ing to represent Muhammad (PBUh). We Muslims do not do this. Yet to kill a person for doing this therefore is insanity. even more so since the killing is done in the name of a man who was peace personified, who brought us a religion the very name of which means ‘peace’. A religion that allows war only in self-defense, that asked its followers during that war not to harm even the plants and trees growing around them and to treat prisoners of war with kindness. So wherefore the beheading of the French teacher Samuel Paty?

Yes, Paty should have had the sensitivity not to display drawings of the Prophet (PBUh), particularly given that, at 10 percent, France’s Muslim population is the largest in europe. But Paty was not Muslim, and France is a secular country. We cannot expect the world to follow exactly the same customs as we do, because yes, not making images of the Prophet is a custom─ our custom, not a law.

French President emanuel Macron proved himself to be divisive and lacking in diplomacy in his subsequent statements, but how does our own Prime Minister come off in the matter?

Pakistan’s record in matters concerning its minorities is hardly spotless. There is little need to go into detail at this point, but the fact remains that the country has not treated its minorities well, and has been in the past home ground for extremists and continues to be so in the present. For a representative of any government of Pakistan to object to someone else’s insensitivity, is laughable.

In which case of course Macron’s statements too lacked a sense of history, given France’s colonial past in Algeria, and its treatment of its Algerian minorities.

The fact remains that Islam is a religion of peace, it will always be a religion of peace, a rational religion.

Nothing can change that, not an army of extremists or any number of mindless politicians. It is the perception of Islam through other eyes that will ‘be in crisis’ until Muslims fix their own image of extremism and violence, an image that taints the whole even though it is created by the very few. To magnify that image and use it for their own ends will be something politicians do, because that is what politicians do. To moan and whine about the fact is an exercise in futility, and stupidity.

Yes we do not like the image of our beloved Prophet (PBUh) to be made or displayed. Aside from anything else, no image can accurately depict the towering personality he was. But is murder going to prove either of those points or betray them?

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Sunday, 1 November, 2020

COMMENT 07 Editor’s mail Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan.

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

How free is free speech?

Crossing the red lines With a sordid history of crimes behind them, the long arm of the law waits in front

Candid Corner rAoof hAsAN “Without strong watchdog institutions, impunity becomes the very foundation upon which systems of corruption are built. And if impunity is not demolished, all efforts to bring an end to corruption are in vain.”

— Rigoberta Menchú

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heRe has been a spate of activities over the last couple of weeks in the political domain. But there were some which trespassed into the dangerous arena– that, too, with a premeditated venom that can spell disaster not just for the individuals involved, but for the whole country.

After a litany of poisonous statements emanating from convict-absconder Nawaz Sharif and his crony chorus, Ayaz Sadiq, a sitting PML(N) MNA who has also been a speaker of the National Assembly, fired the thunderbolt claiming that when Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa came to brief a session of the parliamentary groups held before the release of the captured Indian pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan, “his legs were shaking and he was perspiring” as Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi “pleaded in the name of God that we should let him go as, otherwise, India would attack Pakistan”.

The statement was celebrated wildly in India as authentication of its narrative that Abhinandan was released under Indian pressure.

This has come on the heels of the earlier statements by convict-absconder Nawaz Sharif when he tried to drive a wedge between the leadership and the rank and file of the military, virtually attempting to incite a mutiny within the institution. he also held the COAS and the DG ISI directly responsible for his removal and warned that “you shall have to answer for that”.

This is stretching things far by the perpetrators in a desperate bid for pursuing what has been denied to them. The platform of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has been put in place specifically to increase pressure on the military for provision of relief that is proving elusive given the uncompromising and principled stance of Prime Minister Imran Khan. This is against an unsavoury tradition of repeated such reliefs which corrupt leaderships of various political dimensions were able to secure in the past, both from the governments of the time as

well as by manipulating the courts, state institu- as our national language and pleading the cause of Baluchistan as a separate province. Merely tions and accountability forums.

The patently fabricated, provocative and ill- saying that the statements were interpreted out advised statement evoked a plethora of protest. of context is not enough to justify these having After a meeting held between the Prime Minister been made in the first place. This reflects the and the COAS during the morning of October coming together of disparate and desperate 29, the Director-General, Inter-Services Public forces, united in a bond of evil. ever since the advent of the PDM, many red Relations (ISPR) held a press briefing to set the record straight regarding a statement that tried lines have been crossed. The state has acted with to “distort history relating to national security enormous patience, eliciting considerable critimatters”. he went on to explain that the release cism for not moving against the perpetrators of of the Indian prisoner-of-war was reflective of a this narrative. After the last one from Ayaz “mature response of a responsible state and the Sadiq, further pressure is being exerted on it to effort to link it with any other reason or motive act without further delay to nip the evil.

The time may actually have come to do that. was false and condemnable. This was tantamount to rendering controversial the clear vic- What is the cause of this pandemonium which is tory of the Pakistani people over India which being orchestrated with such venomous intensity and frequency? It is nothing other than an effort was not acceptable”. he further elaborated that “such negative for securing a reprieve by these leaders for havnarrative adversely impacts the national secu- ing committed countless crimes during their rity paradigm which the enemy exploits in the tenures in power ranging from merciless plunder of national resources to information domain. rendering the state instiThis narrative is also tutions toothless and used to mitigate the dysfunctional to escape enemy defeat and mortification”. he pleaded There is no option for these the consequences of their vile acts. This is no that “all of us should exercise full responsibility discredited leaderships except longer possible. The last couple of years have witin our conduct” and reiterated the resolve to to give in to the dictates of law. nessed the gradual onset of a broad-based effort thwart the enemy’s Their increasing despair is to reform the system and agenda with the unstintgoing to test the patience of make it transparent, acing support of the Pakcountable and driven by istani people. the state for they have the dominant desire to There are no two relief to the maropinions about the fact obviously pushed their luck provide ginalised people who that the statement by Ayaz Sadiq can only be far. With a sordid history of need support and punish those who transgress the the sinister work of a devillainous indulgences behind limits of law to advance feated mindset which afthe cause of their perflicts Nawaz Sharif and them, the long arm of the law sonal interests. his coterie of criminal The problem is that, supporters. It had all the waits in front in the event this effort provocative ingredients succeeds, there is no to belittle the achieveroom left for the corrupt ments of the military in leaderships of the past to an environment when inimical forces have augmented their efforts to stage a comeback. So, their goose, and that of their destabilise the country. With the support of some anointed successors, is all but cooked. This is what foreign interests, this evil effort is being pro- has driven them to such a state of desperation that moted at home from the platform of the PDM they are not even hesitant to compromise the nawith the sole objective of weakening the military tional security interests in their bid to exert presand, consequently the state, so that they could sure on the military to intervene on their behalf.

That has neither happened nor is it likely to again dig their tentacles in the corridors of power.

In the process, they fail to understand that the happen. There is no option for these discredited times have changed and their vile and wicked leaderships except to give in to the dictates of machinations are not going to work any longer. law. Their increasing despair is going to test the The state is already reeling under the weight of patience of the state for they have obviously their loot and plunder and their patronage of forces pushed their luck far. With a sordid history of working against the inherent interests of Pakistan. villainous indulgences behind them, the long In the process, they have also lost the support of arm of the law waits in front.

The choice may not be too stimulating, but the people who stand alongside the armed forces in defending the security and sanctity of the coun- it is a well-deserved atonement for a really long try. The effort to provoke revolt within the institu- list of gruesome crimes they have committed. tion of the military borders on treason. Little From here on, it is going to be a quick plunge cognisance was taken of this factor in their des- into political oblivion. peration to seek their selfish objectives.

The writer is a political and security strateLet me also reiterate that the role of the media is palpably partisan as it has failed to gist, and heads the Regional Peace Institute – highlight the malevolence of these and other an Islamabad-based think tank. Email: Twitter: statements which have been made from the raoofhasan@hotmail.com.

PDM platform including renunciation of Urdu @RaoofHasan

DeSeCRATING a highly venerable, epoch making personality who categorically and rightly commands the highest status not only among the Muslims but also among unbiased, conscientious, sensible and sensitive people of the world. Prophet Muhammad (saw) the mercy for the whole universe had been and still is a target of ridicule and humiliation for some so called civilized and the harbinger of “Freedom of expression”. Freedom of expression as a fundamental human right is unambiguously an unalienable right of everyone. everyone has the right to express his/her views without any fear or intimidation. But, the use of the right needs wisdom, acumen and sensibility. A little slip of pen or slip of tongue can bring disastrous results in the world. Notwithstanding, no one has the right to use this right blatantly and shamelessly without showing any regard for others feelings and sentiments. The International Charter on Freedom of expression lucidly forbids to ridicule, defame and incite others against any religion or sacred personalities, it shall be considered as punishable offence.

Countries like, Denmark, Sweden and France initiated the obnoxious, abominable, organized and deliberate campaign against Islam (Islamophobia) by publishing derogatory cartoons of the Prophet (saw). All the drawings are to smirch the Prophet (saw)’s character. Many newspapers and magazines like Jyllands- Posten, a Danish newspaper, Charlie hebdo of France and Nerikes, Allehanda of Sweden repeatedly published these cartoons to incite the Muslim community all around the world. It provoked and abashed them. Tens of Thousands of Muslims took to streets to give vent to their religious sentiments against those who published them. A few Muslims got enraged and were so overwhelmed that they resorted to violence resulting in killing of those who propagated the cartoons and of course some innocent people as in Nice. The situation is outrageous. It demands serious concerted efforts with wisdom and foresightedness.

MuhaMMad ahMad ISlaMabad

Increasing medicine prices SIR, the government of Pakistan is allowing an increase in prices of 94 life saving drugs, while other countries are making free of life-saving drugs for the comfortability of their public. Drugs whose prices have been allowed to increase include medicines such as furosemide injections for emergency are in high blood pressure, acetazolamide tablets for glaucoma, hydralazine tablets for lowering blood pressure and carbamazepine tablets and suspension for epilepsy. however, atropine sulphate injection used in emergencies, magnesium sulphate used to treat seizures due to preeclampsia during pregnancy, hydroxyurea, daunorubicin , cancer nitroglycerin and glyceryl trinitrate used as emergency heart medicines and rabies vaccine are also among the medicines. The patients are facing several problems and they can't get proper treatment. So, the government should control the prices of life-saving drugs in order it's public should be save from diseases.

ImTAIz JAvId, AWARAN

Mismanagement of resources NATURAL resources and minerals make a country rich and it’s people prosperous. The Arab world is the best example of it. Oil reserves found there have made the Arab countries prosperous. Similarly, small countries like Kuwait and Brunei are among the richest countries of the world because of their natural resources. Also Allah the Almighty has blessed our country Pakistan with a large number of natural resources like chromite, copper , gold ,iron ,and etc. But they are useless for the people and government because of their mismanagement. however, Pakistan has plenty of water resources but cannot avert the water crisis. It has many untapped mineral resources but cannot make use of them. Furthermore, it has huge gas and oil resources but cannot do away with gas and oil shortage. Public of it’s is facing many problems due to the gas and oil.

There are many reasons of Mismanagement of resources. These include corruption, technical expertise and many more.

IMTaIz JavId awaRan

Domestic politics AFTeR Pakistan's triumph on 27th February 2019 along with the capture and release of Abhinandhan, we had got over the incident with a triumphant sense. But now that particular incident has resurfaced with a different narrative. The recent coalition of rival political parties against the ruling party has given birth to PDM (Pakistan Democratic Movement). People have rights to express their contrary views in a democratic nation, and so the opposition parties have decided to practise their rights. The problem arises when the political rivalry goes international. The recent statement of Ayaz Sadiq is a prime example of why politics should remain domestic. This statement has made headlines in India and started trends on Twitter. The legitimacy of Pakistan's victory on 27th February, 2019 is now being questioned and leaders are forced to give statements for clarity. This should be a lesson for all the political parties and general public, that political rivalries should remain domestic and shouldn't be allowed to damage National interests. abubakaR SaddIquE lakkI MaRwaT

Book habit ReADING books is one of the most important things for everyone. There are a lot of benefits of reading books. It makes our vocabulary power impressive, one will get many advantages. Furthermore, writers wrote something in the books for everyone’s benefit, so we should read and get that knowledge. Always manage the time for reading books. Without reading books no one can improve. We frequently lose hopes and judge the covers of books without knowing about the treasure in it. After reading books one gets things that they never knew before. It is a great thing to start life with a small number of really good books which can make your further life better.

Finally, everyone should have a small library at home. That library will always remain the closest friends and will support you everywhere. The writer is a student at I-WeeL Academy Kech.

SaTTaR SaMad TuRbaT

Sunday, 1 November, 2020

08 WORLD VIEW

Macron's real crisis has More to do with French values than islaM ISLAMOPHOBIA IS DEEPLY ROOTED IN FRENCH SOCIETY, AND POLITICIANS NURTURE IT UNDER FAKE SLOGANS SUCH AS LIBERALISM, FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, HUMAN RIGHTS, AN AFFIRMATION OF “THE VALUES OF THE REPUBLIC”, AND THE APPLICATION OF SECULARISM

middle easT moNiTor

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Dr amira abo el-Fetouh

MMANUEL Macron’s fierce campaign against Islam and Muslims has not come out of nowhere. It is the product of racism rooted deep within the French psyche. It is a crisis of French values not of Islam.

As a supposedly secular state, France does not want to recognise Islam as a religion, even by separating it from the state, as it did with Christianity in 1905. The French regard their Muslim fellow citizens as a problem; they are intruders who cannot and should not be integrated into French society or its culture. The state prohibits the appointment of Muslims in various state institutions, regardless of their qualifications and competence, and despite there being more than six million French citizens from a Muslim background. Many French Muslims were born and raised in the country, the children and grandchildren of those whom France used in its conquests of the countries it colonised, and who defended it during two world wars.

They went on to be housed in isolated and impoverished ghettos on the outskirts of the major French cities, to be treated with hateful racism when it came to employment, healthcare and education.

French racism and white supremacy pre-

vail in society and is manifested across the political spectrum, from the extreme right to the progressive left. There is barely any difference between them. Remember, for example, Jacques Chirac, the former socialist President of France. In 1991, he consoled white workers who lived among the Arab and African immigrants, and wondered how they could bear their unpleasant odours and disturbing noise. These racist and offensive words were met with great popular support; the first to applaud Chirac’s words was the leader of the racist right-wing National Front at the time, Jean-Marie Le Pen. In fact, the president’s words were not very different to what was said by the farright Minister of the Interior, Gerald Moussa Darmanin, when he expressed his annoyance and shock recently at the presence of special sections for halal food products in stores across France, but is not bothered by special sections for kosher food. He pointed out that, in recent years, the Macron government has closed 358 Muslim institutions, including mosques, and deported 480 foreigners. His grandfather was Algerian, by the way, hence his middle name. The minister has clearly been assimilated so successfully that his own ancestors mean nothing to him.

France’s issue with Islam, therefore, is not new, and has not just appeared with the murder of a school teacher who mocked Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. As an educator, he would reasonably have been expected to consider the beliefs of his teenage students when planning his lessons, but apparently decided to talk about and show the offensive Charlie Hebdo cartoons yet again.

It was reported that he told his Muslim students to leave the classroom if they were going

to be offended. Where was the equality and equal access to education in doing that?

This is a deeply rooted problem in French society and the foolish young colonist Macron expressed this when he challenged the Muslims around the world and reiterated that he would re-publish the caricatures and not let them go. He is determined to humiliate Muslims and incite people against them in France, and possibly elsewhere, creating a hostile environment. The little-reported stabbing of two women wearing hijab near the Eiffel Tower and the call to burn down mosques are just two manifestations of the French president’s hateful racism.

The French authorities have used the incident to their advantage, launching frenzied security, political and media campaigns against Muslims. Civil society groups have been targeted, including the Collective Against Islamophobia in France, which monitors Islamophobic crimes. It also provides legal support to the victims, meaning that attacks on ordinary people can continue more or less sanctioned by Macron’s government and with nobody there to defend the victims.

In addition to right-wing violations against French Muslim citizens, we have seen mosques, schools and shops closed under the pretext of combating “Islamist” terrorism.

Macron announced at the beginning of this month — well before the teacher’s murder — the enactment of a law to create a “French Islam” to fight what he called “Islamic separatism”, imposing conditions on associations and citizens to ensure their secularism. Conspiracy theorists might say that the teacher’s killing was a false flag operation plotted behind closed doors to “prove” Macron’s thesis about Islam being in “crisis”.

France should be combating terrorism, not criminalising Muslims

washiNgToN PosT rokhaya Diallo

Once more, France has been struck by tragedy. A knife attack on Thursday at a church in Nice — by a man who later reportedly shouted “Allahu akbar” at police — killed at least three people. Less than two weeks earlier, the horrific murder of a teacher had spread rage and emotion across the country. The alleged killer, a Muslim teenager who was offended by the cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that Samuel Paty shared in his classroom, beheaded the teacher near a school in a Paris suburb on Oct. 16.

It is the responsibility of any government to address such atrocities and the context that allowed them to happen. But what has happened in France since Paty’s murder is different. Instead of working to bring the population together, the government has chosen to adopt reactionary language and direct its rhetoric toward criminalising and stigmatizing France’s Muslim population.

A couple of days after the killing, Gérald Darmanin, the interior minister, proclaimed “a war against the enemies from within.” He then launched a series of police operations and raids against Muslim organizations and individuals who, in his words, “were not linked with the investigation but to whom we are clearly willing to send a message.” Darmanin also announced his intention to imme-

diately disband several anti-Islamophobia organizations, labeling one of them an “enemy of the republic.” The minister then went further, saying he was “shocked” to see halal and kosher sections in supermarkets, because he apparently finds them divisive.

Setting a climate of suspicion in a moment of major tension is irresponsible. Using the national emotion to target political opponents is even worse.

Yet that is what happened to “Observatoire de la Laïcité” (Secularism Observatory) rapporteur Nicolas Cadène, who learned he might be removed from the position from the media. After repeatedly opposing Islamophobic policies, the observatory has been criticized by those who have repeatedly tried to single out Islam and Muslims. The office of Prime Minister Jean Castex seized the opportunity to declare that the institution “should evolve so that it can be possible in France to defend [secularism] without being branded as Islamophobic.” There is now momentum for the government to disqualify all those who are accused of being too soft or complacent.

This has also become prevalent in academic settings. The education minister, JeanMichel Blanquer, has opposed what he termed “intellectual complicities with terrorism.” He said that so-called “Islamo-leftism . . . wreaks havoc in university” and in organizations such as UNEF, a prominent students’ union whose vice president is a Muslim woman. The union promptly responded in a statement that it was regrettable a person who was supposed to lead “the institution of knowledge” had “sunk into ignorance and hatred.”

And the response is not just limited to the French government. I myself was violently targeted by an odious accusation from by a well-known philosopher during a television debate. He identified me as a “Black Muslim woman” and shockingly accused me of bearing responsibility for the terror attack against Charlie Hebdo, which caused national trauma in 2015. He said I “armed the hands of the killers” because I co-signed an open letter criticizing the magazine’s editorial decisions years before the killing.

This rhetoric has accelerated after the Nice attack. Former prime minister Manuel Valls, who has often expressed his support for French President Emmanuel Macron, stated in an interview that we were “at war against political Islam.” Christian Estrosi, the mayor of Nice and a well-known figure of the right, said it was “time now for France to exonerate itself from the laws of peace in order to definitively wipe out Islamo-fascism from our territory.”

Valérie Pécresse, another right-wing leader, said that “our Muslim fellow citizens should raise alongside with us their voices to state loudly that this is not in their name.” The “us vs. them” language was disturbing enough, but adding that Muslims should demonstrate they have nothing to do with the terrorist is extremely problematic. Dozens of Muslims have been killed in other attacks in France, so it is up to the whole nation to fight back. Now, more than ever, we need to stand together.

The goal of terrorists is to break our society, and the government is offering them a perfect opportunity to make their point. Nothing good will come from a country in which one of the largest minority groups faces constant suspicion. Resentment is the breeding ground of violence.

By focusing on these public displays, the government has not put enough work into the adoption of a broader long-term strategy to oppose extremism. Their words make headlines, but combating terrorism requires time and information. This does not draw immediate attention and votes — but make the difference in the long run.

When he was a presidential candidate, Macron said, “the illness is to revive those debates (about Islam) ever since there is an attack; we should denounce that.” Now, as he is likely weighing the impact on his reelection chances, his position is calibrated to appeal to far-right voters. Yet his words after Paty’s murder — “this is our battle, and it is existential” — could have been the signal for a push in a totally different and more inclusive direction.

Rokhaya Diallo is a French journalist, writer and filmmaker.

That could explain why the young Chechen responsible was killed instead of captured and arrested, and put on public trial, when the truth would come out. With him out of the way, we have no option but to swallow the security services’ version of events.

It is worth comparing the French incident and response to what happened in Christchurch, New Zealand last year, when a young extremist named Brenton Tarrant shot the worshippers at Al-Noor Mosque and the Linwood Islamic Centre, killing and wounding more than 100 Muslims. The police in New Zealand apprehended and arrested the perpetrator; he went on trial and is now in prison serving a life sentence. In France, the killer was eliminated immediately, and the truth died with him, creating the perfect atmosphere for politicians to make outrageously provocative statements against a large segment of the population. Macron obviously knows that his popularity is waning due to his domestic and foreign policy failures, so he is appealing to the extreme right for its support in the next election.

Let us also compare Macron’s foolishness in fuelling hatred and intolerance within society, with the way that New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern contained her country’s crisis wisely and rationally. She earned the respect of people all over the world, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, for her humanity in the way that she cared for her citizens and respected their faith.

Islamophobia is deeply rooted in French society, and politicians nurture it under fake slogans such as liberalism, freedom of expression, human rights, an affirmation of “the values of the republic”, and the appli-

cation of secularism, as well as the greatest myth of all: “Liberté, égalité, fraternité”. The essence of this ignores and even encourages discrimination and racism against Muslims and other marginalised minorities. Macron may preach about freedom of expression, human rights and the values of the republic, and yet he rejects any expression of Islamic identity by French Muslim citizens.

France has a history of truly terrible violence in the Arab and African countries that it colonised. The details don’t need to be recounted here; the French may deny it and try to whitewash their history, but many are still alive who witnessed France’s terrorism at first hand. The reality behind the glossy façade and eloquently deceptive reasoning is that France has never been a civilised country, but a place of intolerance, injustice and darkness. Its Museum of Mankind, which is adorned with the skulls of Algerians and others executed by France, is testimony of the extent of its brutality and criminality.

If France is crying today about terrorism, it is because, as the late Malcolm X once said about America, the chickens are coming home to roost.

It fell to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to remind France of its shameful past.

He is the only president in the Muslim world who defended Islam and Muslims, and warned Macron about insulting the faith of more than a billion people. Erdogan also said that Macron’s talk about reshaping Islam illustrates his lack of knowledge and his French counterpart should “have a mental check”.

The words of Turkey’s Erdogan seem to have calmed the hearts of millions of Muslims at a time when their own rulers have let them down by failing to defend Islam and the Prophet, peace be upon him. Their leaders did not utter a word in response to the statements by this vengeful fool who appears to desire a religious war. He should be careful what he wishes for.

The French thinker Michel Onfray says that we are living in a time of post-Christian civilisation. Hence, the crisis in France, and Macron’s real crisis, is that he wants to resurrect his secular republic’s Christian heritage to confront Islam.

The irony will be lost on him, but he must know that Islam defeats, it is not defeated, by the Will of God. And that whenever forces against it become stronger, it expands and spreads. Foolish Emmanuel Macron will discover that he is tilting his lance at windmills.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, speaks out against harmful online behaviour

New York Times

SHE SAID THE BIRTH LAST YEAR OF ARCHIE, HER SON WITH PRINCE HARRY, HAD COMPELLED HER TO TAKE A STAND AGAINST ONLINE BULLYING AND MISINFORMATION

Jenny Gross

The Duchess of Sussex on Tuesday said she felt compelled to speak out against online misinformation, negativity and hate speech out of concern for the world that Archie, her son with Prince Harry, would grow up in.

Asked if becoming a mother had made her more cautious or more courageous, Meghan said that it was the latter, and that raising a child had made certain issues feel more urgent. “It makes you so concerned for the world they’re going to inherit,” she said, addressing Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Next Gen Summit by video from California. “And so the things that you’re able to tolerate on your own are not the same, for you go every single day, ‘How can I make this better for him, how can I make this world better for Archie?’”

“At the same time,” she said, “I am cautious of putting my family in a position of risk by certain things, and so I try to be rather very clear with what I say and to not make it controversial, but instead to talk about things that seem fairly straightforward, like exercising your right to vote.” Her comments came several weeks after she and Harry encouraged Americans to vote in the upcoming U.S. election and warned against misinformation and hate speech, a rare intervention in American politics by members of Britain’s royal family, who typically stay neutral on political matters. Meghan, a U.S.

citizen, called the election the “most important election of our lifetime.” The couple, who gave up their royal duties in January and moved to Los Angeles, did not endorse any candidates in the video. Over the summer, Meghan said that those who did not vote would be “complicit” in its outcome.

Harry and Meghan’s comments prompted a blowback in the United States. Representative Jason Smith, Republican of Missouri, sent a letter to Britain’s ambassador to the United States saying the couple had displayed an “inappropriate act of domestic interference.” A spokeswoman for Britain’s Foreign Office declined to comment on whether the ambassador responded. Before Meghan married Harry in 2018, she was a vocal critic of President Trump. Asked at a news conference about the royal couple’s appeal to Americans to vote, Mr. Trump said that he was “not a fan of hers.” Meghan, who has been the target of racist and sexist harassment by online trolls and in the British tabloids, also spoke out against the dangers of becoming addicted to social media. She said she closed down her personal accounts for “self-preservation.” “I don’t think people have even started to scratch the surface on what this is doing to us,” she said.

Jenny Gross is a general assignment reporter. Before joining The Times, she covered British politics for The Wall Street Journal.

Sunday, 1 November, 2020

BUSINESS 09

corporate corner Jubilee Life introduces Ujala Insurance Plan for cancer protection benefit ISLAMABAD: Jubilee Life Insurance introduces Ujala Insurance Plan which is a first of its kind insurance proposition in the bancassurance channel that offers cancer protection supplementary benefit along with other insurance riders at a modest additional cost. This proposition provides financial protection in case of illness or accident and is especially curated to make the customer feel safe and secure for their financial future.

In addition to the cancer protection benefit, the Ujala plan also offers a choice of obtaining a second medical opinion from specialists located all over the world so that one can find correct diagnosis and a treatment plan which will help the person make informed decisions about his/her life. PRESS RElEASE

KARACHI: Faysal Bank Limited, one of the leading Islamic banks in Pakistan, has joined hands with Pink Ribbon Pakistan to support the organization’s efforts towards breast cancer and women’s health in the country. PRESS RElEASE

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s digital transformation frontrunner, Zong 4G, has once again brought Pakistan into a positive global limelight by hosting the worldfamous Turkish chef Burak Ozdemir in Pakistan. Burak’s sought-after visit is one of the ways Zong brings its slogan ‘Aik Nyaa Khwab’ to life by helping Pakistanis meet their favorite chef and realizing their dream. PRESS RElEASE

Sindh govt plans insurance of crops through commercial banks, companies KARACHI STAFF REPORT

The Sindh government has planned the insurance of seasonal, cash and oilseed crops from commercial banks and private companies in order to prevent farmers from bearing financial losses in an emergency situation.

According to details, the Sindh government has stepped back from its previous insurance plan involving utilization of own funds and decided to get insurance of the crops from commercial banks and insurance companies. Sindh Agriculture Minister Ismail Rahu said in a statement that a suggestion was tabled for insurance of seasonal, cash and edible oil crops in the province. “In this connection, the provincial government contacted the central finance and commercial banks.” He said that farmers will get relief from the insurance plan in case of facing financial losses due to any emergency situation.

Ismail Rahu said that the provincial government withdrew its initial insurance plan due to shortage of funds. The minister expressed hope to get better results from the insurance for providing relief to the farmers.

PakIStan’S remIttanCeS to grow 9PC In 2020: wB rePort ISLAMABAD

D

GhUlAM ABBAS

ESPITE the overall negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, a new World Bank report has projected Pakistan’s remittances to grow at around 9 per cent in 2020, totaling about $24 billion for use as a formal way of sending money to home country.

“The negative impact of the Covid-induced global economic slowdown has been somewhat countered by the diversion of remittances from informal to formal channels due to the difficulty of carrying money by hand under travel restrictions as well as the incentives to transfer remittances,” said the report published in the World Bank’s Migration and Development Brief.

Citing example, the report titled ‘Phase-II Covid19 Crisis through a Migration Lens’ noted that Pakistan had introduced a tax incentive in July 2020, whereby withholding tax was exempted from cash withdrawals or the issuance of banking instruments or transfers from a domestic bank account. The tax incentive was capped by the remittance amounts received from abroad into that account in a year.

The report said although South Asia was the least costly region to send $200 the third quarter of 2020, costs were well over 10 per cent in some corridors – from Japan, South Africa and Thailand, and from Pakistan to Afghanistan.

Some of the lowest-cost corridors – including those originating in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Singapore, and the India-Nepal corridor – had costs below the SDG target of three per cent. This is probably due to high volumes, competitive markets, and deployment of technology.

The report stated that remittances to South Asia

are projected to suffer a protracted decline of four per cent in 2020 and 11 per cent in 2020. The deceleration in remittances to the South Asian region is driven by the prolonged global economic slowdown due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Given that the pandemic is likely to persist through 2021, the earlier anticipated V-shaped recovery now seems implausible. This is likely to directly affect remittance outflows from the United States, the United Kingdom, and the GCC and EU countries to South Asia, the report says.

About the migration trends, the report said the coronavirus crisis has affected both international and internal migration in the South Asia region. Many international migrants, especially from the GCC countries, returned to countries such as India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Some migrants had to be evacuated by governments.

Migrant outflows from the region have also been affected adversely. In Pakistan, the number of emigrants was only 179,487 for January–September 2020 compared to 625,203 for the year 2019.

According to the report, “As the Covid-19 pandemic and economic crisis continues to spread, the amount of money migrant workers send home is projected to decline 14pc by 2021 compared to the pre Covid-19 levels in 2019, according to the latest estimates published in the World Bank’s Migration and Development Brief.

Remittance flows to low and middle-income countries (LMICs) are projected to fall by 7pc, to $508 billion in 2020, followed by a further decline of 7.5pc, to $470 billion in 2021. The foremost factors driving the decline in remittances include weak economic growth and employment levels in migrant-hosting countries, weak oil prices; and depreciation of the currencies of

SHAREit appoints Nabeel Khan to lead SEA sales, partnerships KARACHI: Smart Media4U Technology Pte Ltd has taken its first steps towards direct sales and partnerships in Pakistan by hiring Nabeel Khan, former head of sales of Connect Ads. In this new role, he will report to Sumit Batheja, the regional director of growth for the MENA region.

Khan told Profit that when he joined Connect Ads in 2012, he represented MSN.com and Windows Live Messenger in Pakistan, later shifting to representing ad sales for Skype and Outlook.

When YouTube was banned, Connect Ads represented Dailymotion, Verizon Media, WeTransfer, and TubeMogul.

Connect Ads is also the Twitter representative in Pakistan.

“I’ve joined SHAREit as associate director [of] sales & partnerships [for] Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal,” said Khan, in a statement to

Profit. “[I will] increase the ad sales revenues in these markets focused on performance & branding opportunities.”

The Chinese technology company operates SHAREit, an app for file sharing and a discovery engine for games & content. According to a pitch deck seen by Profit, SHAREit claims to account for 30 per cent of all Android apps installed, allow users to transfer files and apps without using data, and have 1.8 billion users covering 200 countries in 45 languages.

According to SHAREit, it has nearly 14 million monthly active users (MAU) and 2.275 million daily active users in Pakistan, with the traction attributed to the design thinking applied to how the app is experienced by users: frictionless one-click install, no email dependency or sign in required, and an ability to work seamlessly in low or zero

network connection.

As per App Annie, SHAREit is the fifth most downloaded app in Pakistan. Sensor Tower analytics show that SHAREit has consistently placed in the top 50 free apps downloaded in Pakistan. When rankings are filtered to reflect top apps with file sharing and transfer capabilities, SHAREit is ranked in the top ten for Pakistan. Within the file sharing and transfer category, it competes with Zapya in Pakistan, which currently ranks in the top five in its category. With EasyPaisa as its most loyal client, the SHAREit app has also worked with local advertisers such as Jazz, KFC, Daraz, and RB, with future campaigns slated with food delivery and financial services companies as well. For Khan, traction is dependent on media agencies such as GroupM, Starcom, Synite, and Adcom. BABAR KhAN JAvEd

Govt slashes petrol price by Rs1.57 per litre ISLAMABAD: The government on Saturday decided to reduce petrol price by Rs1.57 per litre to Rs102.40 per litre, as against its sale at Rs103.97 per litre during the month of October 2020. The new prices would be applicable from November 1st, 2020, according to press statement issued by the Finance Ministry here. Likewise, the price of high speed diesel has been slashed by Rs0.84 per litre, which would now be sold at Rs103.22 per litre against its sale at Rs104.06 per litre in Oct. The prices of kerosene oil and light diesel oil will remain unchanged at Rs65.29 per litre and Rs62.86 per litre, respectively, the press statement added. APP

remittance-source countries against the US dollar.

“The impact of Covid-19 is pervasive when viewed through a migration lens as it affects migrants and their families who rely on remittances,” said Mamta Murthi, Vice President for Human Development and Chair of the Migration Steering Group of the World Bank. “The World Bank will continue working with partners and countries to keep the remittance lifeline flowing, and to help sustain human capital development.”

The importance of remittances as a source of external financing for LMICs is expected to amplify in 2020, even with the expected decline. Remittance flows to LMICs touched a record high of $548 billion in 2019, larger than foreign direct investment flows ($534 billion) and overseas development assistance (about $166 billion). The gap between remittance flows and FDI is expected to widen further as FDI is expected to decline more sharply.

This year, for the first time in recent history, the stock of international migrants is likely to decline as new migration has slowed and return migration has increased. Return migration has been reported in all parts of the world following the lifting of national lockdowns which left many migrant workers stranded in host countries. Rising unemployment in the face of tighter visa restrictions on migrants and refugees is likely to result in a further increase in return migration.

The report says that origin countries must find ways of supporting returning migrants in resettling, finding jobs or opening businesses. The surge in return migration is likely to prove burdensome for the communities (to which migrants return) as they must provide quarantine facilities in the immediate term and support housing, jobs, and reintegration efforts in the medium term.

LCCI seeks stakeholders’ involvement in auto policy formulation LAHORE APP

The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) said on Saturday that the government must consult stakeholders while formulating the auto policy. LCCI President Mian Tariq Misbah, Senior Vice President Nasir Hameed Khan and Vice President Tahir Manzoor Chaudhry made this demand during a meeting with the delegations of Pakistan Automobile Spare Parts Importers & Dealers Association (PASPIDA) and Ferozepur Road Industrial Association (FRIA). The PASPIDA delegation was led by Sanaullah Mughal while the delegation of FRIA was headed by Tanvir Ahmed Sheikh. The LCCI president said that the government should consult all stakeholders in the formulation of the auto policy. He said that customs duty on items which were not manufactured locally should be reduced immediately so that the cost of production could be reduced. He added that rate of electricity for exporters should also be reduced to ensure ease of doing business. Misbah maintained that the LCCI was committed to serving the business community for economic development of the country. Speaking on the occasion, PASPIDA Chairman Sanaullah Mughal expressed confidence that the lahore chamber would extend complete cooperation in resolving their issues, adding that his association was facing various problems from the FBR and other ministries. Senior Vice President Lahore Chamber Nasir Hameed Khan stressed maintaining unity in business community, as both industry and trade were interconnected. The meeting agreed that businesses could continue to operate by following the standard operating procedures (SOPs) laid down by the government, citing that country's economy and businesses could not afford another lockdown. LCCI Vice President Tahir Manzoor Chaudhry thanked the members of the delegation and assured them of complete cooperation from the chamber.

Peshawar petrol pump owners deplore admin’s high-handedness, warn of protest PESHAWAR AZIZ BUNERI

Owners of petrol pumps and dealers of petroleum products in Peshawar have warned of protest if the high-handedness of district authorities continued with respect to their businesses.

During a meeting with Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) President Sherbaz Bilour at his office on Saturday, a delegation of Sarhad Petroleum and Cartage Association (SPCA) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa expressed annoyance at the imposition of heavy fines and harassment by district ad-

ministration official in the pretext of violation of its orders regarding the ban on the sale of petrol to bikers without helmets and ones not wearing masks.

The delegation vowed that if the practice did not stop, they would resort to protest against the administration.

The delegation was represented by former SCCI president and SPCA patron-inchief Engr Maqsood Anwar Pervaiz. Others in the delegation included office bearers Abdul Majeed, Hafizullah Marwat, Taimoor Zeb Khan, Mian Shafiq Ahmad, Bazadur Rehman among others.

The meeting was told that the decision

of district authorities to ban the sale of petrol to bikers without helmets was not acceptable to them since it was hostile to their business. “This would create mistrust with the government and hurt our business,” the delegation said.

“It is the responsibility of traffic police, excise and other relevant departments to implement road safety rules. But it appears that the duty has been shifted from government officials to the business community, which is unacceptable to us,” the meeting participants said.

The meeting also condemned the increasing incidents of robberies and thefts at

CMYK

petrol pumps, demanding that steps be taken for the provision of security at gas stations.

Furthermore, the participants called upon the provincial government to take notice of the misconduct of district administration officials with the pump managers and staffers. They added that the quality of petrol should be checked and tested by authorities at the provincial level.

The speakers also expressed concerns over checking of cleanliness by the district administration at petrol pumps and requested that the quality checking of petrol should be carried out in presence of labour department and district administration officials. They

further said that the traffic rules should be implemented through departments concerned instead of asking petrol pumps to enforce traffic laws.

Earlier, a meeting of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Standing Committee on Petroleum announced the cabinet of SPCA KP which elected Engr Maqsood Anwar Pervaiz as patron-in-chief of the association. The meeting had announced Abdul Majeed as chairman of the association, Hafizullah Marwat as general secretary, Abid Khan as finance secretary, Bazadur Rehman as information secretary, among other members of the executive body of SPCA.

Sunday, 1 November, 2020

10 FOREIGN NEWS

IndoneSIa CondemnS FRanCe attaCkS, bUt waRnS agaInSt maCRon'S RemaRkS JAKARTA

I

AGENCIES

NDONESIAN president Joko Widodo on Saturday condemned what he called “terrorist” attacks in France, but also warned that remarks

by President Emmanuel Macron had “insulted Islam” and “hurt the unity of Muslims everywhere.”

Conservative Islamic organizations in Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, have called for protests and boycotts against France, sharing an image of Macron as a red-eyed devilish snail.

“Freedom of speech that injures the noble purity and sacred values and symbol of religion is so wrong, it shouldn’t be justified and it needs to stop,” the Indonesian leader, who is known by his popular name Jokowi, said in a televised address.

He added, however, that “linking religion to acts of terrorism is a massive mistake. Terrorists are terrorists.”

A knife-wielding Tunisian man beheaded a woman and killed two other people in a church in the French city of

Sudan, US sign accord to restore sovereign immunity KHARTOUM AGENCIES

Sudan and the United States have signed an agreement to restore the African country’s sovereign immunity. The Sudanese Ministry of Justice said in a statement that the agreement will settle cases brought against Sudan in US courts, including for the bombing of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998, for which Sudan has agreed to pay a $335m compensation to victims. Last week, US President Donald Trump announced he would take Sudan, which the US designated as a state sponsor of terrorism in 1993, off the list once it had deposited the amount it had pledged to pay in compensation for the bombings. “New government of Sudan, which is making great progress, agreed to pay $335 MILLION to US terror victims and families. Once deposited, I will lift Sudan from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list. At long last, JUSTICE for the American people and a big step for Sudan!” Trump tweeted earlier this month. Following the decision, Trump announced a normalisation agreement between the African nation and Israel. The US placed Sudan on the list in 1993, four years after Omar al-Bashir seized power, accusing his government of supporting “terrorism” by sheltering al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

Washington further accused Khartoum of providing logistical and financial support to al-Qaeda and of helping it bomb the US embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya in 1998 and to attack the USS Cole off the port of Aden in 2000. It also placed comprehensive economic and trade sanctions on Sudan which were eased by former US President Barack Obama during his final weeks in office in 2017. Being on the list has kept foreign investors away from Sudan, depriving it of much needed hard currency to sustain an economy that was dealt a heavy blow when South Sudan became independent in 2011, taking with it three-quarters of Sudan’s oil output.

With no foreign trade and starved of hard currency, authorities have long struggled to contain the country’s spiralling inflation. Last month, annual inflation rose to 212.29 percent from 166.83 percent in August, according to the country’s Central Bureau of Statistics.

Nice on Thursday. The attack came less than two weeks after a middle-school teacher in a Paris suburb was beheaded

by an 18-year-old attacker who was apparently incensed by the teacher showing a caricature of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) in class.

Macron has vowed to stand firm against “attacks on French values and freedom of belief”, but some of his comments both prior to and after the recent attacks - including calling Islam “a religion in crisis all over the world” - have proved controversial.

Jokowi did not specify which of Macron’s comments he was referring to in his address on Saturday.

An Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Saturday the ministry had summoned the French ambassador on Tuesday over remarks by Macron they said “insulted Islam” and the fact he allowed publication of the cartoons.

Tens of thousands of Muslims in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Russia, and the Palestinian territories protested against France on Friday.

Philippines evacuates nearly 1 million as world's strongest 2020 typhoon approaches

Canada aims to bring in over 1.2m immigrants in three years OTTAWA TLTP

Canada plans to bring in more than 1.2 million new immigrants over the next three years, the federal immigration minister informed, as the country tries to fill gaps in its labour market and boost the economy, both hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking to reporters in Ottawa, Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino said the federal government aims to accept 401,000 new permanent residents in 2021, another 411,000 in 2022 and then 421,000 in 2023. Canada needs more workers, he said, “and immigration is the way to get there…Before the pandemic, our government’s goal to drive the economy forward through immigration was ambitious. Now it’s simply vital,” said Mendicino, who tabled the new immigration targets earlier in the day. Robert Falconer, a refugee and immigration policy researcher at the University of Calgary School of Public Policy, tweeted that if the government meets its goals, the next three years will be “the highest years on record since 1911”. In a notice outlining the details of its plan, Ottawa said it aims to welcome 232,500 newcomers from the economic class of immigrants in 2021, as well as 103,500 family members of people already in Canada, 59,500 refugees and other protected persons. Another 5,500 people will be accepted on humanitarian grounds. Canada’s immigration system has long been held up as a model, as it has historically brought in skilled workers as well as refugees and individuals seeking to reunite with family members already in the country. The country closed its borders to most immigrants in March due to COVID-19.

Through August, it had settled 128,425 newcomers, media reported – less than half of the 341,000-person target it had set for 2020.

Iran, Russia clinch new agreement to build Sirik Power Plant TEHRAN AGENCIES

MANILA AGENCIES

Officials have evacuated almost a million residents in the southern part of the Philippines’ main island of Luzon as a category 5 storm - the world’s strongest this year - makes landfall on Sunday.

Typhoon Goni, with 215 kph (133 miles) sustained winds and gusts of up to 265 kph (164 mph), will bring violent winds and strong rains, state weather and disaster officials said.

It is among the strongest typhoons to hit the Philippines since Haiyan, which killed more than 6,300 people in 2013.

“We are having a hard time with Covid-19, and then here comes another disaster,” Senator Christopher Go, the

top aide of President Rodrigo Duterte, told a virtual news conference.

Local executives should ensure that the virus does not spread in evacuation centres, he said. Officials have started pre-emptive evacuations, with Albay province bringing 794,000 residents to safety, Ricardo Jalad, executive director of the national disaster agency, told a news conference.

In the capital Manila and nearby Bulacan province, roughly 1,000 Covid-19 patients housed in large isolation tents could be transferred to hotels and hospitals, Jalad said.

The Philippines has the second highest Covid-19 infections and deaths in Southeast Asia, next only to Indonesia, with 380,729 cases and 7,221 deaths.

Typhoon Molave last week killed

22 people, mostly through drowning in provinces south of Manila, which is also in the projected path of Goni, the 18th tropical storm in the country.

The main island of Luzon accounts for more than two thirds of the economy, which fell into recession in the second quarter, and half of the population of more than 108 million.

Relief goods, heavy machinery and personal protective equipment are already positioned in key areas, Filipino Grace America, mayor of Infanta town in Quezon province, told DZBB radio. “But because of the COVID-19 pandemic, our funds for calamity concerns and expenses are insufficient.” Local officials cancelled port operations and barred fishers from setting sail. Airlines cancelled dozens of flights.

New agreement was clinched between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation for the construction operation of Sirik Power Plant in southern Hormozgan province. Commissioner of Steam Power Plant Projects of Thermal Power Plants Holding Company broke the news on Sat. and pointed to the agreement of this company made with new Russian contractor for building this power plant and added, “Construction operation of this giant power plant project will begin soon using state-owned loan of the Russian Federation.” Behnam Khaefinejad added, “Given the introduction of new contractor by the Russian Energy Ministry for the construction of 1,400MW Sirik Power Plant in Hormozgan province, negotiations for conclusion of contract started with this company since the beginning of the current year (started March 21, 2020).” After holding 90 expert-level sessions, necessary agreement was finally reached with the Russian Company and the contract was inked between the two sides, he added. After finalization of this contract in the presence of representatives of employer, consultant and representatives of the Energy Ministry of Iran and Russia, the land area for construction of the power plant, as large as about 200 ha, was provided to the new contractor, Khaefinejad underscored.

Long in Trump's shadow, Vice President Mike Pence set to emerge WASHINGTON AGENCIES

Vice President Mike Pence, a Christian conservative and one of the few constants in Donald Trump’s tumultuous White House, has kept his boss’s confidence by being careful never to step out of the president’s shadow.

Whether Trump wins or loses the election on Tuesday, that strategy and status are likely to change. Pence, 61, will be catapulted into a group of front-runners for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination as soon as the 2020 results are known.

He will do so with the record of a No. 2 who was content to play a largely behindthe-scenes White House role, eschewing Trump’s propensity for drama and endearing himself to the former reality-television-starturned-commander-in-chief.

A former governor and US congressman, Pence has been central to some of the Trump administration’s main legislative victories, including tax cuts passed in 2017.

He also oversaw the US response to the coronavirus pandemic as head of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, but that brief - despite being hailed as a success by the administration - has not gone well.

About 230,000 people have died from COVID-19 in the United States, the highest death toll for a single country in the world, and the administration has been widely criticized for undermining health experts’ calls for widespread use of masks and social distancing.

Pence has been a key defender of Trump throughout the tumult of the pandemic and often battling factions in the White House, maintaining his own influence by developing a close relationship with the former New York businessman.

Pence’s chief of staff, Marc Short, who came down with the coronavirus himself, said Pence speaks to Trump multiple times a day from morning to night.

Reducing taxes and regulation, advancing anti-abortion policies, and transforming the judiciary with conservative judges and

Supreme Court justices are among the policy changes of which Pence is most proud.

As for the pandemic: “I think that he looked at what people had forecast was possible, lives saved, building up of PPE ... development of a vaccine and thinks it’s a pretty significant accomplishment,” Short said.

But during their Oct. 7 vice presidential debate, Pence’s Democratic rival Kamala Harris assailed the administration’s record on the virus, saying: “The American people have witnessed what is the greatest failure of any presidential administration in the history of our country.”

Pence is always careful to praise Trump and hew to his positions, even in closed-door meetings when the president is absent. He often says the job is “the greatest privilege of my life.”

Critics say he effectively validates Trump’s often erratic behavior by quietly accepting the president’s combative style.

DARLING OF CONSERVATIVES: Trump picked Pence as his 2016 running mate from a list of finalists that also included

former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

If Pence runs for president in 2024, he could face other Trump acolytes such as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley in the race for the Republican nomination.

What he will not be able to do, and perhaps not want to do, is separate himself from Trump’s agenda.

His style, however, is much different from that of his boss. He is calm rather than volcanic, and deeply religious.

“I’m a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican, in that order,” Pence has said.

Pence has been married to his former schoolteacher wife Karen since 1985. They are both born-again evangelical Christians and have three adult children.

The Indiana native is a darling of conservative Republicans for his opposition to abortion rights and passionate support for deregulation of business. He has been pivotal to securing Trump support among

those voters.

Pence long advocated for Jerusalem to be recognized as Israel’s capital, which Trump announced over the objections of Arab nations and many Western allies, in another win for evangelicals.

Pence was instrumental in placing several abortion opponents in key positions at the Department of Health and Human Services, which has made several decisions advancing conservative social policies, including broadening exemptions for employers who cite religious or moral reasons for refusing to cover birth control, a rule that upheld by the Supreme Court in July.

He also led the charge for reinstating a policy that requires foreign non-governmental organizations that receive US funding to vow not to discuss or perform abortions.

He is often to the right of mainstream America on social issues such as gay rights.

In 2015, as Indiana governor, he was forced to revise a state “religious liberty” law he had signed that opponents said allowed discrimination against gay people.

Sunday, 1 November, 2020

BABAR DefeNDS PAkIStAN'S DULL BAttING IN 1St ODI, SAyS PINDI wICket wAS 'twO PACeD'

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NEWS DESK

AKISTAN captain Babar Azam has admitted that his team were rusty in Friday's slim win over Zimbabwe, having not played the format for over a year, but vowed to do better in the remaining matches of the series.

"We were rusty as we were playing ODI cricket after a year so benefit (sic) should be given to the players," Azam said in a post-match interview.

"We need a few adjustments, which you will see in the upcoming matches."

However, Azam defended himself and others, saying that as flat as the wicket had seemed, it also had two paced'.

"At the start of the innings, the wicket was a bit 'double pace'," he revealed. "The ball was not coming on to the bat every time. That leaves a bit of doubt as to what shot you should play."

The first ODI was an exciting one for the neutrals, and everyone looking for a competitive series, but it's best to a bit cautious if anyone feels that the

Hazard stunner gives revived Real Madrid win over Huesca MADRID: Eden Hazard scored his first goal for Real Madrid in over a year and his team appear to turn a corner as they beat newly-promoted Huesca 4-1 in La Liga on Saturday. Hazard has had a terrible time with injuries since joining Madrid for 100 million euros ($113 million) from Chelsea in 2019 but the Belgian will hope his stunning strike from distance at the Alfredo di Stefano can kick-start his career in Spain.

Karim Benzema and Fede Valverde made the win secure before Huesca scored through David Ferreiro, only for Benzema to add his second and Madrid's fourth in injury-time. Zinedine Zidane's side jump above Real Sociedad to the top of the table to cap an encouraging week, which began with a Clasico win over Barcelona at Camp Nou and finishes with them moving nine points clear of the Catalans, who play away at Alaves later on Saturday. In between, Madrid came too close for comfort to another damaging defeat in the Champions League but two late goals salvaged a draw at Borussia Monchengladbach that in the end felt like a win. Huesca, who are yet to win this season, might feel the scoreline was harsh after they squandered early chances. Madrid will hope the dip that put Zidane under pressure earlier this month is over. Zidane will have been particularly delighted with Hazard, whose goal was his first for Madrid since he scored against Granada in October last year, and his second overall in La Liga. Ankle surgery kept Hazard out for the majority of last season and he was not fit for the start of this one, with Madrid only describing his latest setback as a "muscle injury". But he made his first appearance off the bench in the Champions League in midweek and against Huesca marked his first start with a brilliant goal in the first half. Until then, Huesca had been the better team but Hazard's strike turned the contest in the 40th minute, when he received the ball on the half-turn and swerved a superb shot into the corner from 30 yards out. Benzema made it two, chesting down Lucas Vazquez's cross at the back post and driving in, before Valverde struck a sweet half-volley into the corner.

Ferreiro gave Huesca brief hope with 16 minutes left but Madrid were never overly troubled and Benzema rounded off the win in injury-time, converting a smart header back from Rodrygo. AGENCIES

CAS accepts PCB's request to have virtual hearing of Umar Akmal's case Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) has accepted the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) request for a virtual hearing of Umar Akmal’s case.

The hearing is expected to take place in December.

Akmal was in favour of a public hearing of his case, but it was not granted while PCB’s request, last month, of a hearing outside Switzerland was rejected.

It is pertinent to mention that the batsman was slapped with a three-year suspension, by PCB's Disciplinary Panel, for not reporting approaches by corrupt elements.

Supreme Court judge Justice (retd) Faqir Muhammad Khokhar, in his capacity as an independent adjudicator, reduced that ban to 18 months to which the PCB has filed an appeal while Akmal has appealed for further reduction in his suspension. NEWS DESK

close finish has set a template of sorts for the remaining two games. The difference was 26 runs in the game, and what will gut Zimbabwe the most about

not getting over the line was that they had in front of them an off-colour Pakistan for much of the game. It's hard to believe Pakistan won't alter their approach, particularly with the bat, and while Babar Azam's side have a few more gears to go through, it isn't quite clear if Zimbabwe do, too.

While Chamu Chibhabha's men ran Pakistan close and, at one stage, were arguably favourites to come up trumps, that they failed to do so is emblematic of one of the challenges they face. Success breeds success, and Zimbabwe have had so little of it lately, they might have lacked the self-belief to see themselves over the finish line. That happens to Zimbabwe not infrequently, and while pushing Pakistan hard away from home deserves nothing but plaudits, in the World Super League, results matter, and yesterday's did not take Zimbabwe any closer to automatic world Cup qualification.

No ceremony but plenty of buzz around 2021 Tour de France route PARIS AGENCIES

The pomp may be missing but the punch will be there when Tour de France organisers reveal the course for the 2021 edition of the race on Sunday.

Normally, the presentation masquerades as a ceremony with the great and the good of the cycling world among 4,000 people gathering in Paris for a glitzy show designed to make as big a splash as possible. This year, inevitably, it will be different. Coronavirus, which caused a delay to the 2020 edition which only ended in Paris on September 20, has already pulled the plug on the show and this week the presentation was pushed back from Thursday to Sunday.

But it will happen. Live on national television in the early evening on Sunday and simulcasting to cycling fans around the world, tour director Christian Prudhomme will unveil the 2021 course.

It wasn't easy as certain creases in the map had to be ironed out, although the site of the 'Grand Depart', the biggest headache, was switched from Copenhagen in July. "We finished it in mid-October," course director Thierry Gouvenou told AFP "We were dependent on the establishment of municipal teams after the elections (end of June).

"It was tense. We did a third of the course be-

fore the start of the 2020 Tour (end of August), we rushed after the finish for the last two-thirds. But all the stages have been approved."

The Tour was scheduled to open with three stages in Denmark. After the postponement of football's European Championship, in which Copenhagen is hosting four matches, and the Tokyo Olympics until 2021, the Danish capital decided in July that it could no longer handle the 'Grand Depart'. "We had to find another 'Grand Depart' and change a week of the Tour de France," Prudhomme recently told AFP. And that starting point is Brest and, according to local press, four days in Britanny, seen by many as the cradle of French cycling having produced the likes of Louison Bobet and Bernard Hinault.

According to local politicians talking to the regional media, the race will head swiftly for the Alps, take in the iconic Mont Ventoux and several Pyrenean stages including Andorra, Col du Portet and Luz-Ardiden before a time trial near Libourne and Saint-Emilion, through the Bordeaux vineyards. Prudhomme, though, has been careful not to give away too much of the course in advance.

"There is no dogma", he says while adding that the only reality is "to vary as much as possible". For the full story, cycling fans will just have to tune in on Sunday.

SPORTS 11 Aleem Dar set to break record for most ODIs as on-field umpire Aleem Dar, the 52-year-old from Pakistan, will go past South African Rudi Koertzen's mark for officiating in the most ODIs as an on-field umpire when he steps out for his 210th match in the format, the second ODI between Pakistan and Zimbabwe in Rawalpindi on Sunday. Dar already holds the record for officiating in the most international matches, 387, as well as the mark for Test matches, 132; he earned the Test record last year when he officiated in his 129th Test Australia vs New Zealand in Perth in December - to go past Jamaican Steve Bucknor's mark. He is second only to compatriot Ahsan Raza when it comes to T20Is, having officiated in 46 of them. "It is a matter of great honour for me to be on the top of the list of both Tests and ODIs for umpires," Dar said in a statement released by the ICC. "When I had started out in the profession, I had never imagined I would get this far. I can only say that I have enjoyed every moment on the field and learning has been an ongoing process all this while." Dar, who played 17 first-class matches, mainly as a legspinner, between 1986-87 and 1997-98 and also turned out in 18 List A games, made his international debut as an umpire in February 2000, in an ODI between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Gujranwala, his hometown. He has been a part of the ICC's elite panel of umpires for 16 years, something Adrian Griffith, the ICC's senior manager for umpires and referees, put down to Dar being "a very consistent umpire over the years". NEWS DESK

Nine Sports organises final of 1st IGI Life Vitality Super League 2020

Final of 1st IGI Life Vitality Super League 2020 organised by Nine Sports was played between GT and GFareed on Saturday at Aleem Dar Academy. GT scored 167 playing first and the GFareed chased it down in 19.1 overs. It was a befitting end to a wonderful tournament. The tournament was sponsored

by IGI life Vitality (lead sponsor), Dar Jewellers, Shakarganj Food Products and Good Goodies. Azhar Paracha (GM IGI Life), Hamid Mirza (Head Marketing Services Silkbank), Ahmed Dar (CEO Nine Sports), Saboor Khawaja (CSP) and Hassan Tariq attended the final amongst other dignitaries. Speaking to the occasion Azhar Paracha praised the quality of cricket witnessed throughout the tournament and expressed how serious IGI (being the main sponsor) takes such CSR activities. He expressed that IGI will continue to play its role add back to society through such events. Hamid Mirza also appreciated the sponsors and organisers for arranging such healthy events. Ahmed Dar thanked the sponsors for making this event possible and his team for making it a huge success. The final match was covered live on social media. Total of 8 highly competitive teams participated in the event and played 28 matches altogether majority of which ended in nail biting finishes. PRESS RELEASE

Bottas snatches pole from Hamilton on F1's return to Imola IMOLA AGENCIES

Valtteri Bottas said he had "the shakes" after snatching pole position for Sunday's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix from his Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton with a dramatic late lap in qualifying at Imola on Saturday.

The Finn, who is 77 points adrift of series leader and six-time champion Hamilton with five races remaining in this year’s title, grabbed the prime grid position by a tenth of a second.

Hamilton, who was fastest in the only practice in the morning, had been on top through most of the qualifying session and took provisional pole on his first run in Q3 before Bottas beat him in the final seconds.

Max Verstappen was third for Red Bull ahead of his former team-mate Pierre Gasly of Alpha Tauri, Daniel Ricciardo of Renault and Alex Albon in the second Red Bull.

Charles Leclerc took seventh for Ferrari with Daniil Kvyat eighth in the

second Alpha Tauri ahead of the two McLarens of Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz. Bottas's success brought him his fourth pole of the season and his 15th career pole as the Mercedes team claimed another front row lockout ahead of the race in which they can claim an unprecedented seventh consecutive constructors’ championship.

They need only one car to finish in the top four to seal that record success.

"It’s never easy to get pole position, but I really enjoyed it around this track,” said Bottas.

"I knew I had to improve on my last lap, so I found those little gains – and I had the shakes after the final run, which is always a good sign!”

Hamilton praised his team-mate.

"Valtteri did a great job and it was a pretty poor lap from myself, but you can’t always get it right. This track is unbelievable, but I’m pretty certain it will be a boring race tomorrow – just a train after Turn One.” LUCKLESS ALBON: Verstappen said: “It was tricky, but P3 is not bad re-

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ally – though I expected to be a bit closer to the Mercedes.”

Having been limited to only 90 minutes’ practice, several teams struggled to deliver a consistent lap, Ricciardo securing his passage to Q2 with seconds remaining.

Among those out in Q2 was Kimi Raikkonen, 41, the only man in the field to have raced before at the circuit. He qualified 18th for his record-increasing 325th race just days after agreeing to stay with Alfa Romeo next year. As he dropped out, George Russell of Williams, who was also confirmed for 2021 ahead of the race, maintained his impressive ‘Mr Saturday’ form by squeezing into Q2 for the eighth time this year. At the top, Hamilton’s best lap was deleted for overstepping the track at Turn Nine thus giving Bottas top spot in Q1.

The Finn and the defending champion, along with both Ferraris, headed out on medium tyres for Q2 as Red Bull faced trouble – Verstappen’s power unit suffering electrical problems that left his mechanics working against the clock to

ensure he could take part.

The Dutchman’s team-mate Alex Albon, under pressure to retain his seat next year, spun at Turn 15, flat-spotting his tyres, and also had to repair to the pits. He was 11th with less than three minutes to go when Verstappen, armed with new spark plugs, re-joined the fray.

With no time to spare, on a single run on mediums, he grabbed his passage to the top-ten shootout in sixth while Albon, on softs, took fourth.

Bottas led Hamilton at the top as Sergio Perez and his Racing Point teammate Lance Stroll were eliminated in 11th and 15th along with Esteban Ocon of Renault, Russell and Vettel.

The ‘black arrows’ stayed on top in the opening Q3 runs, but with Hamilton taking provisional pole in 1:13.781 after dropping a wheel in the gravel, fractionally, at the final corner. Bottas was adrift by 0.031seconds with Verstappen third.

Albon’s lap, good enough for fifth in the opening salvos, was deleted, leaving the luckless Thai driver under pressure again as the second runs began.

Sunday, 1 November, 2020

PrAyEr TImINGS

NEWS ANKARA

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AGENCIES

ESCUE teams have ploughed through concrete blocks and the debris of eight collapsed buildings on Saturday in search of survivors of a powerful earthquake that struck Turkey’s Aegean coast and north of the Greek island of Samos on Friday, killing at least 25 people.

More than 800 people were injured from the quake that toppled buildings in Izmir, Turkey’s third-largest city, and triggered a small tsunami in the district of Seferihisar and in Samos. The quake was followed by more than 400 aftershocks, according to Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency, or AFAD. Early on Saturday, onlookers cheered as rescuers lifted a teenager out of the rubble of a devastated eight-storey apartment building.

Friends and relatives waited outside the building for news of loved ones still trapped, including employees of a dentist’s surgery that was located on the ground floor. Two other women were rescued from another collapsed two-storey building. AFAD reported that at least 24 people were killed in Izmir, including an elderly woman who drowned.

Two teenagers were killed on Samos after being struck by a collapsing wall. At least 19 people were injured on the island, with two, including a 14-year-old, airlifted to Athens and seven hospitalised on the island, health authorities said. The small tsunami that hit the Turkish coast also af-

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rescue efforts underwAy After deAdly eArthquAKe in turKey, Greece fected Samos, with seawater flooding streets in the main harbour town of Vathi.

Authorities warned people to stay away from the coast and from potentially damaged buildings. The earthquake, which the Kandilli Institute said had a magnitude of 6.9, struck at 2.51pm (11:51 GMT) in Turkey. Its epicentre was in the Aegean northeast of Samos. On Friday, Izmir Mayor

Tunc Soyer told broadcaster CNN Turk about 20 buildings had collapsed. Turkey’s interior minister tweeted that six buildings in Izmir were destroyed. Izmir Governor Yavuz Selim Kosger said at least 70 people were rescued from the wreckage.

Speaking from Izmir, Al Jazeera’s Sinem Koseoglu, said the situation was chaotic across the district as rescue workers contin-

ued to look for missing people under the rubble. “About 100 people have been rescued across Izmir so far,” said Koseoglu, adding that many people are still waiting for missing members of their families. The effect was felt across the eastern Greek islands and as far as Athens and Bulgaria. In Turkey, it shook the regions of Aegean and Marmara, including Istanbul. Istanbul’s governor said

PAKistAn extends condolences over eArthquAKe, offers helP NEWS DESK Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday extended condolences to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the people of Turkey over the loss of precious lives in an earthquake in Izmir city. He tweeted, “We stand with the Turkish nation, offering every help we can give. We can never forget the way Turkey stood with us when the devastating earthquake hit Pak & AJK in 2005.” Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi telephoned his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu on Saturday and expressed deep sorrow and grief over the loss of lives and property in Friday’s earthquake in Turkey. He conveyed his condolences to the families of the deceased in the Izmir earthquake and prayed for early recovery of the injured. FM Qureshi said the Pakistan government and the entire Pakistani nation stand by their Turkish brethren in this difficult moment, and they are ready to extend every sort of help. He extended Pakistan’s offer to dispatch relief teams and field hospitals for rehabilitation of quake-affected people. The Turkish FM thanked on behalf of his leadership to the president, the prime minister and the people of Pakistan for best wishes and the offer of assistance. He said the Turkish government is utilising all out resources for relief of the quake-hit people. He said if Turkey needs any material support, it will accept Pakistani brothers’ offer first of all.

Held Kashmir shuts down to protest new land laws SRINAGAR AGENCIES

Shops and businesses were shut in several parts of Indian occupied Kashmir on Saturday during a general strike to denounce new laws that allow non-residents to buy land in the disputed region.

Government forces in riot gear patrolled streets in the region’s main city of Srinagar in anticipation of anti-India protests. Public transport also stayed off the roads. All Party Hurriyat Conference called the strike to protest new land laws that India brought in on Tuesday, allowing any of its nationals to buy or its military to directly acquire land in the region.

Pro-India politicians in Kashmir have also criticised the laws and accused India of putting the region’s land up for sale. The new legislation ended or modified most laws that governed local land rights. It also abolished 1950s land reform laws that redistributed large patches of land to landless farmers.

The move has exacerbated concerns of Kashmiris and rights groups who see such measures as a settler-colonial project to change the Muslim-majority re-

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gion’s demography. They are likening the new arrangement to the West Bank or Tibet, with settlers living in guarded compounds among disenfranchised locals. They say the changes will reduce the region to a colony.

Until last year, Indians were not allowed to buy property in the region. But in August 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government unilaterally scrapped Kashmir’s special status, annulled its separate constitution, split the region into two federal territories —

Ladakh and Jammu-Kashmir — and removed inherited protections on land and jobs. The move triggered widespread anger and economic ruin amid a harsh security clampdown and communications blackout. Since then, India has brought in a slew of changes through contentious laws. They are often drafted by bureaucrats without any democratic bearings and much to the resentment and anger of the region’s people, many of whom want independence from India or unification with Pakistan.

The new laws, part of a series of hard-line Hindu nationalist policies by Modi, also authorize the Indian army to declare any area as “strategic” for operational, residential and training purposes against Kashmiri rebels. The Indian government said the decision was made to encourage development and peace. “I want to say this forcefully and with full responsibility that agricultural land has been kept reserved for farmers,” Lt. Guv. Manoj Sinha, New Delhi’s top administrator in held Kashmir, said recently. “No outsider will come on those lands.”

The government has also said it only wanted to invite outside industries into the designated “industrial areas.”

The pro-freedom conglomerate said in a statement that India was undermining any possibility of peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute.

“Instead, a policy of permanent demographic change is aggressively being pushed to snatch our land, destroy our identity and turn us into a minority in our own land,” the statement said, adding that “laws are being invented and amended by New Delhi and forcibly thrust upon the people.”

Armenia, Azerbaijan trade fresh accusations of Karabakh attacks YEREVAN/BAKU: Armenia and Azerbaijan once more accused each other of bombing residential areas on Saturday, in defiance of a pact to avoid the deliberate targeting of civilians in and around the mountain enclave of NagornoKarabakh. Shelling was reported by both sides within hours of the latest agreement to defuse the conflict, reached after talks in Geneva between the two countries’ foreign ministers and envoys from France, Russia and the United States. The agreement with the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group fell short of what would have been a fourth ceasefire since fighting began on Sept. 27. AGENCIES

there were no reports of damage in the city.

Authorities warned residents in Izmir not to return to damaged buildings, saying they could collapse in strong aftershocks. In Samos, an island with a population of about 45,000, residents were urged to stay away from coastal areas.

In a show of solidarity rarely following tense bilateral relations, Greek and Turkish government officials issued mutual messages of solidarity while the presidents of Greece and Turkey held a telephone conversation. Relations between Turkey and Greece have been tense with warships from both facing off in the eastern Mediterranean in a dispute over maritime boundaries and energy exploration rights.

The ongoing tension has led to fears of open conflict between the two neighbours and NATO allies. Crisscrossed by extensive fault lines, Turkey is among the most earthquake-prone countries in the world. More than 17,000 people were killed in August 1999 when a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Izmit, a city southeast of Istanbul. In 2011, an earthquake in the eastern city of Van killed more than 500.

free speech has limits, canada’s trudeau says

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defended free speech on Friday but added that it was “not without limits” and should not “arbitrarily and needlessly hurt” certain communities. “We will always defend freedom of expression,” Trudeau said in response to a question about the right to show caricatures deemed blasphemous, as France’s Charlie Hebdo magazine did. “But freedom of expression is not without limits,” he added. “We owe it to ourselves to act with respect for others and to seek not to arbitrarily or unnecessarily injure those with whom we are sharing a society and a planet.” “We do not have the right for example to shout fire in a movie theatre crowded with people, there are always limits,” he argued.

Distancing himself from the position of French President Emmanuel Macron, Trudeau pleaded for a careful use of free speech. “In a pluralist, diverse and respectful society like ours, we owe it to ourselves to be aware of the impact of our words, of our actions on others, particularly these communities and populations who still experience a great deal of discrimination,” he said. At the same time, he said society is ready for a public debate on these issues, “to have these complex conversations in a responsible way”. As he had done the day before with the leaders of the European Union, Trudeau insisted on condemning the recent “awful and appalling” extremist attacks in France. “It is unjustifiable and Canada wholeheartedly condemns these acts while standing with our French friends who are going through extremely difficult times,” he said. Canada’s parliament observed a moment of silence on Thursday for the three people stabbed to death earlier in a church in Nice, in southern France, by a Tunisian man who was apprehended. Anger erupted in the Middle East in response to Macron defending the right to publish the blasphemous caricatures of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) in France. AGENCIES

Saudi Arabia angers India with independent Kashmir banknote NEWS DESK India has complained to Saudi Arabia over a banknote that shows Kashmir as a separate country, in the latest protest over maps of the disputed region that have also targeted foreign media outlets and a social media giant.

The foreign ministry in New Delhi said it expressed “serious concern” over a new 20 Riyal note issued to mark Saudi Arabia's presidency of the powerful G20 bloc of countries, which includes India. Kashmir is contested between India, Pakistan and China but the world map on the note's background shows it as a separate country, including the part of the territory occupied by India. The ministry said on Thursday it had asked Saudi authorities to take “corrective steps”. Saudi authorities have yet to publicly respond.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is still expected to address a virtual G20 summit in November.

India has become increasingly assertive in expressing its custodianship of the former princely state of Kashmir. Tens of thousands have died in a threedecade insurgency in Indian-occupied Kashmir and since August 5, 2019, the Indian government has imposed a curfew and communications restrictions in the valley after stripping the region of its autonomy. The Indian government this week warned social media giant Twitter over geo-tagging data that showed Ladakh region — a part of greater Kashmir occupied

by New Delhi — as belonging to China.

Three years ago, India ushered in new laws that made erroneous depictions of the country's map a criminal act, punishable by a three-year prison sentence. New Delhi banned broadcaster Al-Jazeera in 2015 for nearly a week after it published an Indian map that excluded Kashmir. It has also regularly censored The Economist magazine for showing Kashmir as a disputed region.

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