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Tuesday, 5 July, 2022 I 5 Zil Hajj, 1443 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XII No 366 I 12 Pages I Lahore Edition

No delays iNvolved as iMF prograMMe oN track: MiFtah g

KP Cabinet authorises KP CM to sign Mou in ConneCtion with iMF agreeMent ISLAMABAD

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eDeraL Minister for Finance and revenue Miftah ismail on Monday refuted reports claiming that the international Monetary Fund’s (iMF) loan programme for Pakistan had been postponed, assuring that “the extended Fund Facility (eFF) programme with the Fund was on track”. taking to twitter, the minister shared a news report by global Village space claiming the postponement of the iMF programme due to an alleged impasse over “anti-corruption regulations”. the report adds that iMF was seeking the review of laws pertaining to the national accountability bureau (nab), adding that “the government is willing to implement other financial measures, except the ones related to the nab.”

Miftah category rejected the report, adding that there was no truth in this as the programme was on track. “i have been reading with some amusement all the tweets and stories about iMF program being postponed

or delayed due to some anti-corruption law. there is no truth to it. the iMF program is on track,” he tweeted. in May 2019, Pakistan and the iMF reached a staff-level agreement on

economic policies for a three-year eFF. under the agreement, Pakistan was to receive about $6 billion for a period of 39 months, and so far it has received almost half of it.

it is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan received Memorandum of economic and Financial Policies (MeFP) in the last week of June from the iMF for combined 7th and 8th reviews under eFF. the federal government is now required to share with iMF an Mou with provinces along with the finance bill passed by parliament as prior actions to ensure that budget numbers presented in the fiscal framework would be adhered to. the two sides would then jointly go through the MeFP soon before formal signing by the finance minister and the sbP governor to enable the fund staff to circulate Pakistan’s case among the executive board members for approval.

Meanwhile, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Cabinet on Monday with authorised the provincial chief minister to sign Mou in connection with the iMF under the shared fiscal responsibilities of the federal and provincial governments. the decision was taken in a meeting held here with Chief Minister Mahmood Khan in the chair.

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Imran’s regime change mantra ‘biggest drama’ of history: Maryam Nawaz LAHORE Staff RepoRt

PML-n Vice-President Maryam nawaz on Monday denounced that former prime minister imran Khan staged “the biggest drama in the history of Pakistan under the name of foreign conspiracy”. she lashed out at former prime minister imran Khan for what she called “ignoring Punjab”. “unfortunately, Pakistani politics met a person who is the biggest liar, chaosmaker and imposter. he used to say to people that we are us slaves. he kept people busy with his conspiracy claims. this is the biggest drama in Pakistan’s history,” she said while addressing an election rally in PP-170 Lahore.

Maryam said that imran Khan had been maligning us diplomat Donald Lu in his speeches. however, she added, that two days ago, a Pti representative went to Lu who apologised to him and sought forgiveness from the us official. she said that imran used to call people traitors and even called former prime minister nawaz sharif a traitor as well but even today he could not prove anything. “now a video has surfaced in

which bushra bibi [imran Khan’s wife] can be heard instructing to make traitor trends,” she added. “i am thankful that she [bushra bibi] did not say that she say a dream and got a basharat to run traitor trends,” Maryam said sarcastically. hitting out at the ousted premier for using a “religion card”, the PML-n leader said that because of his irresponsible behaviour, people got shot.

Maryam said that the biggest scandals in Pakistan’s history surfaced during the Pti tenure. “Lng scandal, bushra bibi involvement, sugar scandal you name it… all these scandals came during imran Khan’s government.” she said that aun Chaudhry, aleem Khan and Jahangir tareen all were part of the Pti but they distanced themselves because of the corruption. “all left with their hands on their ears, saying they had never seen such a liar. they tell stories of corruption.” she said that those who left nawaz sharif never said he was involved in corruption despite having political differences but they admit the honesty of the three-time premier.

“Fitna [mischief] Khan has his eyes on Punjab now. he sees Punjab as a

snake on his chest. the people of Punjab know that imran Khan is the enemy of the progress of Punjab. You [imran Khan] came into power with “support” in 2018 but now your politics is finished not only in Punjab but entire Pakistan,” she added. the PML-n VC further said that imran Khan and his gang which included bushra bibi, Farah Khan and others plundered the resources of Punjab.

“Punjab was like an orphan during the

Pti tenure. but now lion is back and Punjab will progress as it used to in the past.”

Crediting nawaz sharif for conceiving the China-Pakistan economic Corridor (CPeC) project, Maryam said that imran Khan too created a mega project, naming it gPeC (gogi-Pinki economic Corridor). “under this project, money from Punjab used to flow into bani gala,” she claimed.

pM shehbaz wants zero loadshedding during eid days ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Prime Minister shehbaz sharif on Monday directed authorities concerned against carrying out loadshedding during eidul azha holidays. according to sources privy to the development, the recent directives from the prime minister comes a day after energy Minister Khurram Dastagir sunday announced that loadshedding will continue on eidul azha. on PM’s directives, the energy ministry has sought power generation and consumption details from Discos during the eid days from distribution companies. “Directives have been issued to supply adequate fuel and gas to all power generation companies,” they said, adding that concerned Chief executive officers (Ceos) of wapda power companies will be responsible for ensuring uninterrupted power supply during eidul azha days. Prime Minister shehbaz sharif sunday directed the authorities concerned to take immediate steps for making the shutdown power plants functional. PM shehbaz sharif issued directives while chairing an important meeting to overcome the energy crisis. he also sought a report entailing clear reasons of load-shedding in the country. the electricity shortfall in the country has reached 7,787 megawatts as production is stagnated at 21,213 Mw and demand reached 29,000 Mw. according to the power division of the country, the electricity shortfall has reached near 8,000 Mw. the demand for electricity in the country has exceeded 29,000 while the production lags at 21,000 Mw. the power division told that currently, a total of 5,430 Mw of power is being produced by hydropower while 705 Mw are being produced via thar mill plants. the production via the private sector is 10,241 Mw while wind and solar plants throughout the country are producing 1,742 Mw of electricity, it added.

Malicious campaign against state institutions, brainchild of Bushra Bibi: Marriyum ISLAMABAD app

Minister for information and broadcasting Marriyum aurangzeb on Monday said malicious campaign run by the Pakistan tehreek-e-insaf (Pti) against the state institutions was a brainchild of imran Khan’s wife bushra bibi.

Fawad Chaudhry and Dr shireen Mazari had confessed that bushra bibi was spearheading the campaign against the state institutions by peddling fake narrative on the social media, the minister said

while responding to the Pti leaders’ news conference held earlier in the day. she said the Pti leaders’ news conference was in fact a confession that bushra bibi was not only behind the venomous campaign against the institutions, but also coined the idea of awarding certificates of sedition to political opponents.

Marriyum said both the Pti leaders did not only confirmed that the (viral) audiotape was of bushra bibi, but also it was her personal opinion to link the political opponents’

statements with sedition. the minister it had been confirmed that bushra bibi led the campaign against institutions and it was her who had been instigating her party’s spokesmen to use abusive language against opponents in their “unethical” press conference. she said bushra bibi was pushing the narrative of “treachery and foreign conspiracy” by hiding in her abode at “Money gala.”

Political opponents were being abused by bushra bibi from everywhere with the aim to hide her un-

precedented corruption, she added. she said the Pti had also confessed that the treason cases were filed against political opponents to conceal bushra’s corruption. however, the champions of foreign conspiracy narrative were now caught begging and apologizing to the country whom imran Khan accused of the regime change conspiracy. the minister said imran Khan was seeking apology from that country by imploring ‘let the bygones be bygones.

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Tuesday, 5 July, 2022 | LAHORE

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ELECtrICIty FrEE FOr 100-unIt COnSuMErS, annOunCES HaMZa LAHORE

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UNJAB Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz has said that the government will provide free electricity to domestic consumers using up to 100 units per month.

While addressing a press conference here on Monday, he said that nine million households or 550 million people of the province would benefit from the relief and the government had reserved Rs 100 billion for it.

He said that it was also being reviewed that solar power should replace the current energy sources for these consumers so that free electricity for them also continues in future. He said that under the proposed model, the government would provide solar panels to such consumers, and the private sector would also be encouraged for the purpose.

He said that the government was fully aware of problems of the common man and it was taking measures to address them. “I have no right to continue in this seat if

SECP chairman meets Finance Minister Miftah Ismail ISLAMABAD newS deSk

SECP Chairman Aamir Khan on Monday called on Finance Minister Miftah Ismail. He apprised the finance minister of SECP’s recent reforms in digitization, improving ease of doing business, expanding financial inclusion, and increasing transparency. Khan shared that the SECP has completely digitalized the incorporation process and has also established a state-of-the-art business centre to quickly resolve issues in company incorporations. He also expressed delight in SECP’s successful establishment of independent supervision and adjudication departments that has not only streamlined the commission’s internal operations but have also markedly increased transparency in its enforcement processes. SECP has also hired experts in legal and enforcement fields and has also introduced frameworks for new products and services, including the issuance of convertible debt securities and regulations for assesbacked securitization. A concept note on further issues of shares and another for P2P lending has also been issued, SECP Chairman apprised the finance minister. Other measures and issues related to capital markets, nonbanking financial sector, digital lending and insurance sectors were also discussed during the meeting.

Medical board determines age of Dua Zehra

KARACHI newS deSk

The medical board set up to determine love marriage girl Dua Zehra, on Monday submitted its report, saying the bone ossification test revealed her age as between 16 to 17 years. The report determined her age at 14 to 15 years keeping in view her physical appearance while the age determined through her teeth is between 13 to 15 years. The medical board was formed to determine age of Dua Zehra, the teenage girl who went missing from Karachi and later claimed to have married Zaheer Ahmed in Lahore. The report concluded that after consultation between medical experts on multiple factors determining her age, it has been agreed that the girl is aged between 15 to 16-years old. The report has been signed by the chairman and other 10 members of the medical board. Previously, a medical report determined that Dua Zehra is aged between 16 to 17 years. However, her father rejected it and claimed that she is aged 14 years, contrary to Dua Zehra, who in her statement before the SHC said she is 18 years old. Later, the Sindh Health Department constituted the largest-ever medical board of 10 experts, to ascertain the age of Dua Zehra, following an order from a Karachi trial court during the hearing of alleged kidnapping of the girl.

According to the notification shared by social media activist and petitioner’s lawyer Jibran Nasir, Dow Medical College Principal Prof. Saba Sohail led the medical board. The board also included experts in radiology, gynecology, dentistry and forensics.

people find it hard to make ends meet,” he added. Hamza assured that the issue of the price hike would also be overcome in the coming days and the economic situation would soon return to normality.

“The International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme will continue, and other international donor will also come here,” he said, adding that the friendly countries will also help Pakistan.

He said that the government took difficult decisions to save the country, instead of its politics, and definitely every

decision has it political price.

The chief minister said that when the PML-N government tenure came to an end in 2018, Pakistan’s growth rate was standing at 5.8 per cent, and there was no loadshedding in the country. What happened in the past four years that the growth rate went down to zero, whereas the menace of loadshedding surfaced again, he asked.

He said that his government faced constitutional and legal crises during the past three months, but it continued taking steps for provision of relief to masses. He said that

the government gave a Rs 200 billion subsidy on flour and now Rs 160 subsidy was being given on 10-kg flour bag and the common man was also getting free medicines, even for cancer treatment, at THQs, DHQs and teaching hospitals. Also, a good local government law was introduced during this period, he added.

Criticising the previous government, the chief minister said that the nation would hold the PTI leaders accountable in coming elections.

“The PTI government ruined the economy, and Imran Khan will have to be answerable for the foreign funding, Toshakhana, and Farah Khan’s corruption of billions of rupees.” A whole line of wrest watches had been set up in the state of Madina, and a fake company was formed to get a plot of Rs 600 million for peanuts, he added. He said that the PML-N would secure majority seats in the by-polls, to be held on July 17.

PM orders review of gas load-shedding policy for gas-run factories LAHORE StAff RePoRt

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday directed the authorities concerned to review load-shedding policy of gas supply for gas-run factories.

Chairing a review meeting for the promotion of investment-related industries and export sector, Shehbaz Sharif said the country’s economic stability was linked to addressing

problems faced by the industrial sector.

The federal ministers including Minister for Energy Division Engineer Khurram Dastagir, Minister for Board of Investment Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Commerce Minister Syed Naveed Qamar, Minister for Industries Syed Murtaza Mehmood, Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik, and Member National Assembly Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Provincial Minister for Law Malik Ahmed Khan and leading businessmen of textile sector attended

the meeting.

On the occasion, PM Shehbaz said by extending every possible facility to industries, the county would be better able to present its products in the international market.

He directed to review gas loadshedding schedule and policy for the factories that entirely relied on gas for their functioning.

He also asked the ministers to hold meetings with the delegation of businessmen to resolve their issues.

OGDCL headquarter remains closed in protest

IHC again orders govt to produce missing people by Sep 9 ISLAMABAD

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The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday giving final opportunity to the federation for taking measures to recover the missing persons said that the chief executive would appear on September 9, if no concrete steps were taken. Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the cases regarding the recovery of missing persons including journalist Muddasir Naro.

Deputy Attorney General Arshad Mehmood Kayani said that the interior minister couldn’t appear due to the cabinet meeting. He sought adjournment due to unavailability of attorney general of Pakistan due to sickness.

At this, the chief justice said that the court wouldn’t adjourn the case. Justice Minallah said that the two forums had declared that it was a case of forced disappearance but then what happened. It was clear that the current and previous governments had no active role in the matter, he remarked.

The court remarked that it would move forward only in accordance of the constitution. Federal government and chief executive were responsible to protect the basic human rights, it added. The DAG said a committee had been formed on the subject and it would also hold a meeting tomorrow.

The chief justice asked what the court should do now when the all institutions included in the JIT had declared it the matter of forced disappearance. The DAG said he assure the court that the cabinet committee would view the matter.

The DAG further said that the interior ministry had written to the federal cabinet to seek affidavits from former chief executives.

He prayed the court to grant sometime to the incumbent government as it was aware of the feeling of petitioners and viewing the matter seriously. The attorney general wanted to give arguments by himself in it, he said.

The chief justice asked the DAG to tell AGP for arguments through video link as the court wanted to hold someone accountable. The DAG said most of the cases were of previous regimes and requested the court to directly summon the former chief executives for answering.

Farhatullah Baber said that chairman Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearance (CoIED) had told the senate body in 2018 that 153 persons of an institution were involved in the incidents of missing people.

The 111 people who released from Adyala Jail were listed from the gate, he said. At this, the chief justice asked

The OGDCL Officers Association in collaboration with CBA Union on Monday closed the headquarter of the Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDCL) in protest and declared that it will remain closed till the resolution of their demands. Speaking on the occasion, OGDCL Officers Association head Ghulam Murtaza Lashari and President CBA Union Raja Muhammad Saleem said that the incumbent managing director (MD) has appointed blue eyed people from service companies on various important lucrative slots which is a conflict of interest because OGDCL is purely an Exploration & Production (E&P) company. They said that the MD, in a tone deaf manner, has gone on a foreign a trip despite the protest call by OGDCL Officers Association and CBA Union. The also lamented that OGDCL has earned record profit of around Rs250 billion this year; however, wages of officers and staff have not been increased. “This protest will continue till the resolution of our demands and if they are not heard then we will completely shut down field sites of the state-owned E&P company,” they warned. They reiterated that the service companies’ employees inducted at all positions reflect conflict of interest for personal gains, and should immediately be removed as per Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules. It is relevant to note that there was no representative of the senior management was available to handle the situation when the OGDCL Officers Association and CBA Union were closing the headquarter. The demands of OGDCL Officers Association and CBA Union include salary packages for all OGDCL employees, lifting of salary capping, immediate cancellation of oppressive open-ended contract policy along with appointment of contractual officers against company’s policy, rules on hefty salary packages without any limitation. While talking to Profit, Lashari said that they are forced to protest as they are being not heard by the senior management.

that what the parliament had done on it. Farhatullah Baber said the house had introduced a law to bring the institution in order. The chief justice remarked that the said institution come under Prime Minister in accordance of the Constitution.

Amna Janjua said that the commission had been issuing the production orders against the missing persons for years.

The commission should hold in camera session so they may at least know whether their family members were alive or not, she said. The court remarked that the top court had given judgment in 2013 but it was never implemented. Abid Nazir Advocate adopted the stance that the Prime Minister should be summoned before passing any order. To a query regarding appearance of former interior minister Sheikh Rasheed, the DAG said that he was not in their control. He said 600 people were still missing out of 8,400, adding that many people were playing double role in this case. To a question by the court, the deputy secretary interior ministry said FIA, FC of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan come under the control of the ministry while the IB and ISI were under the Prime Minister.

The court appointed Farhatullah Baber and member Islamabad Bar Abdi Nazir Advocate as amicus curiae, and once again ordered the government to recover the missing people. The court said that if concrete measures were not taken then the Chief Executive would appear on September 9, for clarification.

Meanwhile, in a written order the court asked the Prime Minister to ensure appearance of the missing persons on next hearing otherwise he would appear to answer on the matter. The order said the chief executive would appear at 10:30am on September 9. It further said the AGP was also being given last chance for arguments.

Exports surge by 25.5pc to $31.8b in FY22 ISLAMABAD GhulAm AbbAS

Exports from the country witnessed an increase of 25.51 percent during the fiscal year 2021-22 (FY22) as compared to FY21, totaling $31.076 billion, so far the highest figure in Pakistan’s exports.

According to PBS data, the exports were recorded at $31.760 billion during July-June (2021-22) against the exports of $25.304 billion recorded during July-June (2020-21). PBS’s monthly summary on foreign trade statistics for June 2022 shows that imports increased by

41.93 percent during the last fiscal and stood at $80.019 billion compared to $56.380 billion during the same period of the previous year (FY21).

However, the country’s trade deficit also widened by 55.29 percent during then last fiscal, reaching a whopping $48.259 billion. The country’s trade deficit widened by 33.41 percent on a year-on-year (YoY) basis, jumping from $3.624 billion in June 2021 to $4.835 billion in June 2022.

On the other hand, exports registered 5.83 percent growth on a YoY basis and increased from $2.758 billion in June 2021 to $2.887 billion in June 2022

while imports registered an increase of 21.57 percent on a YoY basis and jumped from $6.352 billion in June 2021 to $7.722 billion in June 2022. According to the PBS data, the trade deficit widened by 16.48 percent on a month-on-month basis from $4.151 billion in May 2022 to $4.835 billion in June 2022.

Imports increased by 13.94 percent on a month-onmonth basis and stood at $7.722 billion in June 2022 compared to $6.777 billion in May 2022.

Exports increased by 9.94 percent on a month-onmonth basis and stood at $2.887 billion in June 2022 compared to $2.626 billion in May 2022.

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nEPra HIkES POwEr tarIFF FOr k-ELECtrIC By rS9.42 PEr unIt

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ATIONAL Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has scrutinized a massive Rs9.42 per unit increase in the electricity tariff for the consumers of K-Electric on account of Fuel Charge Adjustment (FCA) for the month of May 2022.

As per details, Karachiites may face additional burden of billions of rupees as NEPRA has so far worked out an enormous Rs9.42 per unit hike in power tariff for KElectric (KE) consumers under the head FCA of May. However, it (NEPRA) will issue the detailed verdict in this regard after further examination of the data submitted by

KE. NEPRA’s hearing was held on Monday under NEPRA chairman Tauseef H. Farooqi wherein NEPRA members Rafique Ahmed Shaikh and Anwar Maqsood were in attendance. Earlier, K-Electric asked the National Electric Power Regulatory

Petroleum Division unsatisfied with HuBCO undertaking for EnI sale

Authority (NEPRA) to jack up the electricity price by colossal Rs11.34 per unit on account of fuel charge adjustment (FCA) for the month of May 2022.

It is relevant to note that protected lifeline consumers of K-Electric will not be affected with this power tariff hike while this requested increase in power price will be applicable for only one month.

As per the definition of lifeline consumers by National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), lifeline consumer means those residential consumers having single phase electric connection with a sanctioned load up to 1 kilowatt (KW) and the lifeline consumers to include residential Non-Time of Use (Non-ToU) consumers

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The Petroleum Division is not satisfied with the undertaking provided by Hub Power Holding Limited (HUBCO) regarding the transfer of the entire share capital of Eni Pakistan Limited to Prime International Oil & Gas Company Limited (PIOGCL), Profit learnt on Monday. According to sources, following the provision of an undertaking by HUBCO regarding the sale of entire share capital of Eni Pakistan Limited to PIOGCL which is a consortium of Hub Power Holding Limited (HUBCO) and Eni Employees Buy Out Group (EBO Group), the petroleum division has sought opinion from the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Law & Justice over the undertaking. In a letter to Chairman SECP, the Petroleum Division has asked to clarify whether Companies Act restricts companies to provide undertakings to another company regarding financial support for future operations or otherwise. The division informed SECP chairman that ENI Pakistan Limited is disposing its entire share capital to PIOGCL. And in order to establish the financial strength of sponsor of PIOGCL regarding future operations of petroleum exploration licenses and development and production leases, Petroleum Division asked Eni Pakistan Limited to provide an undertaking from HUBCO that in case PIOGCL falls short of meeting financial obligations in respect of running of operations in future, HUBCO will provide for such financial support. In response, petroleum division’s letter said HUBCO has stated that they can provide support to PIOGCL including EBO’s share with regard to acquisition price, however, have not provided such undertaking regarding future operations as according to them giving such openended undertaking regarding future operations is against the Companies Act 2017. “SECP may also like to advise us as to what could be a foolproof mechanism to make M/s HUBCO obligated to provide requisite funding if required due to any financial inability of EBO Group,” read petroleum division’s letter. As per sources, HPHL has submitted an undertaking with the petroleum division that lacks the required unconditional financial support of PIOGCL for obtaining the assets of ENI Pakistan. Upon this, the petroleum division has sought opinion from the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Law & Justice, said sources. Sources further said that serious questions have been raised over the sale of assets of ENI Pakistan to PIOGCL for only $16.4 million dollars while ENI Pakistan keeps oil and gas reserves worth approximately $407 million dollars.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday nominated Mahmood Moulvi as its candidate for the by-election to Karachi’s constituency NA-245.

Addressing a press conference, former federal minister and PTI Sindh President Ali Zaidi asserted that Mahmood Moulvi has been active in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf for past many years. “He has helped a lot in unearthing corruption in Port and Shipping,” Ali Zaidi said.

Referring to the NA-240 by-elections in Karachi, the former minister said that the voter turnout at the NA-240 by-polls was less than expected due to his party’s boycott of the poll. “Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has been limited to Sindh, while MQM has become the party of Karachi,” he added.

Speaking about the PTI’s performance in Karachi, Ali Zaidi said that his party cleaned the stormwater

drains of the metropolis in 2019 and 2020. “As a result, no urban-flooding was witnessed in Karachi,” he added.

He further said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf provided 350MW of electricity to Karachi. “Today, the incumbent government has dropped a power bomb on the people of Karachi, while industries are shutting down. Fishermen are reluctant in using boats due to expensive diesel,” he added.

NA-245 BY-POLLS: The national assembly seat was vacated after the death of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA Aamir Liaquat Hussain. Syed Nadeem Haider has been as the returning officer for the byelection.

The final list of candidates will be released on July 5, while the candidates will be able to withdraw till July 6. Election symbols will be allotted on July 7.

According to the schedule, the polling for the vacant seat of the NA-245 constituency of Karachi will be held on July 27.

Cement despatches declined 7.91pc during FY22 ISLAMABAD GhulAm AbbAS

Total cement despatches including domestic and exports during the fiscal year 2021-22 (FY22) clocked in at 52.89 million tons which is 7.91 percent lower than 57.43 million tons despatched during FY21, Profit learnt on Monday.

According to details, domestic uptake during the last financial year reduced by 1 percent to 47.63 million tons as compared to 48.11 million tons registered during the fiscal year ending June 21, whereas exports during the same period declined by a massive 43.57 percent to 5.25 million tons from 9.31 million tons during July 2020 to June 2021. According to the data released by All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA), cement despatches increased by 1.01 percent in June 2022. Total Cement despatches during June 2022 were 5.26 million tons against 5.21 million tons despatched during the same month of last fiscal year.

As per the association, the decline in cement dispatches despite incentives announced for the construction industry by the previous government was because of uncertainty in government policies.

Local cement despatches by the industry during June 2022 were 4.97 million tons compared to 4.66 million tons in June 2021, showing an increase of 6.66 percent.

On the other hand, exports despatches suffered decline by 47.57 percent as the volumes reduced from 542,622 tons in June 2021 to 284,471 tons in June 2022.

In June 2022, North based cement mills despatched 4.12 million tons cement in domestic markets showing

an increase of 6.8 percent against 3.85 million tons despatches in June 2021. South based mills despatched 856,863 tons cement in local markets during June 2022 that was 5.98 percent higher compared to the despatches of 808,490 tons during June 2021.

Exports from North based mills massively declined by 51.79 percent as the quantities reduced from 201,540 tons in June 2021 to 97,163 tons in June 2022. Exports from South also reduced by 45.08 percent to 187,308 tons in June 2022 from 341,082 tons during the same month last year.

North based Mills despatched 39.44 million tons cement domestically during the fiscal year July 21 – June 22 showing a reduction of 2.81 percent than cement despatches of 40.58 million tons during July 20 -June 21. Exports from North declined by 64.52 percent to 910,685 tons during July 21 – June 22 compared with 2.56 million tons exported during last fiscal year.

Domestic despatches by South based Mills during July 21 – June 22 were 8.19 million tons showing an increase of 8.74 percent over 7.53 million tons of cement despatched during the same period of last fiscal year.

There was however a substantial decline of around 35.6 percent in exports from the south zone as the volumes reduced to 4.34 million tons in the fiscal year July 21 – June 22 from 6.74 million tons during last fiscal year.

According to APCMA, the industry is going through difficult times due to the historical high prices of fuel, electricity, coal and other raw materials. Due to the high cost of production, the prices of cement will continue to increase in the local market while export has already declined massively due to high cost of production.

Murad, Chinese delegates review security, probe into KU suicide attack case KARACHI StAff RePoRt

A 13-member Chinese delegation led by Deputy Director General CTD of China Gao Fei called on the Sindh chief minister and discussed security of Chinese nationals working in the province and progress in the investigation of suicide attack in Karachi University.

The meeting was attended by Sindh Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, IG Police Ghulam Nabi Memon, Home Secretary

of Rs9.387 per kWh in March 2022.

Fuel Charge Adjustment (FCA) is incurred by utilities due to global variation in fuel prices used to generate electricity and change in the generation mix. These costs are passed through to the consumers following NEPRA’s scrutiny and approval and are onetime charges. Consumers also receive a benefit when the cost of fuel decreases.

As per NEPRA guidelines, the submissions of KE will be discussed in the public hearing scheduled to be held on July 4, 2022 and the regulator is likely to approve KE this request after necessary scrutiny of the data and issue instructions on the period during which these costs can be applied to consumer bills, said the KE.

PTI fields Mahmood Moulvi for NA-245 Karachi by-poll: Zaidi KARACHI

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having maximum of last twelve months including current month’s consumption is equal or lesser than 100 units.

According to KE, the major impact on the monthly FCA of May 2022 is due to an increase in the fuel price increase of furnace oil and power purchased from the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA). The price of furnace oil in May 2022 has increased by 38 percent from March 2022 while the price of Re-gasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) between March to May 2022 has increased 50 percent.

The price of electricity from CPPA in May 2022 has increased by 53 percent and the price of CPPA as of May 2022 is Rs13.897 per kWh as compared to the price

Saeed Mangnijo, Additional IG CTD Imran Yakoob Minhas and Special Secretary to CM Rahim Shaikh.

The Chinese delegation members include Chinese Consul General in Karachi Li Bijian, police counselor in China Embassy Li Qingchun, Technical Expert from Li Zhigang, CTD of MPS Li Xiaoguang, Director, technical expert from cyber–security Ma Jingchao, Expert from Shanghai police authority Pei Lianxi, and others.

The chief minister said the data collected by the police department

showed that 3,637 Chinese were working on eight CPEC projects in Sindh. He said that 3,361 personnel, including 1,500 policemen, 517 Army personnel, 173 Rangers, 28 FC personnel and 1,143 Pvt. Security guards have been deployed for their security.

Murad Ali Shah said that CPEC security was being dealt with by 441 brigade of SSD and supported by the Special Police Unit of Sindh Police.

According to the CM, there are 21 Government sponsored non-CPEC projects, including NED University and

Karachi University and 194 are private sponsored (non-CPEC) projects where 2,879 Chinese were working. The CM said that his government was also providing security to them.

IG Police Ghulam Nabi Memon briefed the participants on the progress made on the Karachi University suicide attack case. He said that an in-depth investigation has been carried out into the case by utilizing technical as well as ground sources. He said that with the efforts of the CTD Intelligence team an important accused has been arrested.

The details of the investigation have been shared with the Chinese authorities concerned. The Chinese delegation told the chief minister that they were technically strengthening CTD and the Special Branch of Sindh Police. The chief minister thanked the Chinese authorities for their support.

Eunuch gangraped in Swat SWAT Syed ShAhAbuddin

A eunuch was allegedly gang-raped in Bodigram area of Swat by three persons, confirmed police officials here on Monday. The victim namely Anwar Ali wrote in a complaint filed at the Matta police station that three accused picked him up and raped. “They (accused) set me free in the same night,” he later told police, adding he knows his three assailants. Police, however, registered an FIR of the incident and sent the victim for a medico-legal examination at Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Matta.

Anwar Ali told to police that one of accused named Irfan was his friend on facebook. “He called me and told that we have arranged a program in Matta area.” “We – accused Irfan along two others persons, were going in a when reached Bodigram area on river bank they raped me,” Anwar Ali claimed. Matta Police SHO Fazal Rahim told this scribe that a police team has been constituted to arrest the accused soon as soon possible.

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04 NEWS

SHC orderS reCovery of Ned StudeNt AlleGedly ‘AbduCted for SeCoNd time by leAS’

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NEwS DESk

HE Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday ordered the police to present Abdul Rehman Khan — who was allegedly abducted and illegally confined by law enforcement agencies (LEAs) — in court on the next date of hearing “without fail”.

A two-member bench, comprising Justice Mohammad Iqbal Kalhoro and Justice Kausar Sultana Hussain, issued the order on a habeas corpus petition filed by Abdul Rehman’s father, Abdul Moiz Khan.

The petition, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, stated that 26-year-old Abdul Rehman, who is a masters student at the NED University in Karachi, was allegedly “abducted” by 12 to 15 unidentified armed personnel from his house on the night of June 3.

“The abductors had come in two official

police mobiles, two white Corolla cars and one double-cabined vehicle. Apparently, the incident has been orchestrated not by private miscreants but law enforcement agencies with tacit involvement of the Sindh police,” it stated.

Abdul Moiz said in the petition that the police had initially rejected his application which he had attempted to submit later that same night, following which he had to send the petition via a courier.

He also stated that it was not the first time his son had gone “missing”. Abdul Rehman had earlier travelled from the metropolis to Rawalpindi in connection with his professional work on January 11 and later went to visit his relatives in Taxila.

However, when Abdul Rehman reached Taxila, his mobile phone was suddenly switched off and his family lost contact with him. Subsequently, the family tried to locate him but could not find any clue, after which

they approached the Lahore High Court (LHC), according to the petition.

Abdul Rehman had been “released by his unknown captors on February 4” in Rawalpindi’s Hasan Abdal area, the petition continued. “[He] apprised his family pertaining to the details of his abduction, and in such regard, reproduced a written statement of the same duly signed by him.”

According to the petition, that statement showed the student was allegedly abducted by “entities that interrogated him”.

“It is the legitimate apprehension of the petitioner that such abduction was tantamount to state-enforced disappearance done by law enforcement agencies, who had subsequently released [him] in light of the honourable high court’s order and after finding no incriminating evidence of any unlawful activity.”

The petitioner stated that his son also suffered from a neurological disorder and he feared that these incidents would lead to his

health deteriorating beyond recovery.

The petition argued that Abdul Rehman had been “abducted not once but twice by LEAs and kept under illegal confinement”, which was a violation of the rights granted to him under Articles 4 (right of individuals to be dealt with in accordance with law), 9 (right to security), 10 (safeguards against arrest and detention), 10-A (right to fair trial), 14 (inviolability of dignity of man), 15 (freedom of movement), 19-A (right to information) and 25 (equality of citizens) of the Constitution. It nominated the state, Ministry of Interior, Directorate of Military Intelligence, Intelligence Bureau, Inter-Services Intelligence, director general Rangers (Sindh), Sindh government, Sindh inspector general of police and Karachi Central SSP as respondents.

The petition requested the court to direct the respondents to present his son in court and deal with him in accordance with the law

Moonis interim bail extended till 14th in money laundering case LAHORE Staff RepoRt

A banking court here in the metropolis on Monday extended the interim bail of former federal minister and PML-Q leader Moonis Elahi till July 14 in money laundering case. On Monday, Banking Court Judge Muhammad Aslam Gondal took up the bail pleas of former MNA Moonis Elahi and others. The former federal minister appeared before the court.

During the hearing, the judge chided Investigation Officer (IO) for wasting time and directed him to submit his report at the earliest. To this, the IO told the court that a 47 percent investigation was completed in the case. Subsequently, the banking court extended the interim bail plea of Moonis Elahi and adjourned proceedings in the case till July 14. It is to be noted that Moonis Elahi was grilled by a four-member FIA team for five hours. During interrogation, the PML-Q leader asked the FIA

team to check records, when he was asked about the RYK sugar mills. The mills were established by Umar Shehryar and he is its chief executive, Elahi said and added his company has shares in the RYK mills.

When asked about Nawaz, Mazhar, the alleged benamdar of Moonis Elahi, through which money was laundered, the former federal minister said he don’t know both of them.

‘Political victimization’: Former federal minister Moonis Elahi has

Pervaiz Elahi calls on US special envoy Dilawar Syed LAHORE app

Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Monday called on US Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs Dilawar Syed. On the occasion, Pervaiz Elahi said that for the promotion of long standing relations between the

United States and Pakistan, there is a need for more contacts, exchanges and exchange of delegations at the public level.

The Speaker Punjab Assembly said that the partnership between the United States and Pakistan is 75 years old and the United States is the largest export market for Pakistan, the people of both countries should be provided maximum facilities for economic development.

termed the Rs720 million money laundering case against him a ‘political victimization’. Later, talking to journalists outside Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) office, the PML-Q leader said he appeared before the investigation authority for interrogation instead of fake cases registered against him. “Rana Sanaullah said Rs720 million money-laundering case was registered against me in Sugar Inquiry,” Moonis Elahi said, adding that no doubt, cases were made for political ‘victimization’.

“The entry of Pakistan and the United States into Silicon Valley will play a key role in enhancing bilateral trade relations,” Elahi said. Special Representative Dilawar Syed said that the United States would play its full role in enhancing the cordial relations between Pakistan and the United States, and the United States was dedicated to enhancing bilateral relations with Pakistan. The meeting was also attended by Miss Gaia, Regional Policy Leader for US International Development Finance Corporation, Kathleen Gbelisco, Political and Economic Head for US Consulate Lahore, and Political and Economic Specialist US Consulate Sadaf Saad.

Punjab ACE summons Bushra Bibi’s brother for ‘occupying govt land’ LAHORE Staff RepoRt

The Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) has summoned Ahmed Mujtaba, the brother of Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi,

over his alleged involvement in illegal occupation on state land. According to media reports quoting officials, Mujtaba is accused of occupying government land in Depalpur.

The reports citing sources said that Mujtaba has been accused of “illegally leasing govern-

Pakistan makes impressive progress in immunization coverage: WB ISLAMABAD NewS DeSk

Pakistan has made impressive progress in immunization coverage in the past 30 years with 117.6 percent increase in the proportion of children (ages 12 to 23 months) who were fully immunized between 1990 and 2020, a new study of the World Bank said.

Country Director World Bank for Pakistan, Najy Benhassine said in his tweet on Monday that the World Bank has issued a policy note on the new study outlining 30 years of progress for children’s full immu-

nization in Pakistan. The policy note added that consequently, the incidence of vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs) has reduced.

Immunization remains a high priority for the government of Pakistan and an important part of making progress towards universal health coverage and building resilient health systems. The government initiated the National Immunization Support Project (NISP) in 2016 with financing from partners including the World Bank, the United States Agency for International Development, Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the policy note added.

PM, Hina Rabbani Khar discuss Pakistan’s foreign affairs, regional diplomacy ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif here on Monday. During the meeting, views were exchanged about the country’s foreign affairs particularly regional diplomacy. Ms. Khar briefed the Prime Minister about Pakistan’s participation in the recently held Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Kigali, Rwanda.

and the Constitution, and disclose the charges against him if any.

It also requested the court to proceed against the respondents for “illegally detaining and arresting” Abdul Rehman without the due process of the law.

In its order, the bench noted that the petitioner’s counsel, Jibran Nasir, had informed the court that a first information report (FIR) had not been registered verbatim on the petitioner’s application.

“SDPO Gulberg undertakes that if the complainant appears, his further statement will be recorded accordingly and investigation will entrusted to an officer not below the rank of DSP, who has experience to deal with such matters.

“After such formality, the investigation officer shall make efforts to produce the alleged detainee before this court without fail,” it added. Subsequently, the court adjourned the hearing till August 9.

Govt set to allow import payments to Afghanistan in rupee ISLAMABAD INp

Finance Minister Miftah Ismail on Monday summoned a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) which would mull over import payments to Afghanistan in Pakistani rupees and other issues. According to sources, the Miftah Ismail-led meeting of the ECC would mull over an eight-point agenda. “The agenda includes payment of items imported from Afghanistan in Pakistani rupee in addition to according an approval for the import of 120,000 tons of wheat from Afghanistan,” they said. The meeting, according to sources, will also consider approval of funds for payment of markup to be paid by heavy electrical complex, and implementation of national disease emergency to deal with lumpy skin disease. Furthermore, technical supplementary grants for economic affairs and planning ministries will also be considered for approval in the meeting. During the last meeting, the ECC of the Cabinet approved a levy of 10 percent regulatory duty on the import of motor spirit with Miftah Ismail in the chair. ment land earmarked for a market and seizing government land through the chairman market committee”, incurring a loss of Rs200 million to the national exchequer. According to anti-corruption officials, shops were built in Depalpur by occupying government land. They added that ACE Punjab has directed Mujtaba to appear at the Sahiwal office of the anti-corruption watchdog on July 6 for further investigation.

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Tuesday, 5 July, 2022 | LAHORE

NEWS

BISP CovEr ExtENDED FroM 65PC to 70PC oF PoPuLAtIoN: ShAzIA MArrI ISLAmABAd

F

Staff RepoRt

EDERAL Ministry for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, Shazia Marri said that 500,000 more people from Balochistan province will be included in Benazir Income Support Program (BISP), which will cover 65 to 70 percent of the population.

Addressing a presser here, the federal minister announced the establishment of more BISP centres in Balochistan province and said. “A total of 25 mobile units will be engaged for execution of BISP operations till the time”.

Shazia Marri said that the present government has increased the budgetary allocations for the Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division up to Rs372.32 billion which is 43.2 percent more than the previous budget, considering the prevailing situation in the country.

She said that BISP has proved as the mos successful and strong social protection intervention in the country. The amount of Rs364 billion has been allocated for the BISP while

Rs6 billion will be utilized for the schemes of Pakistan Baitul Maal.

Shazia Marri said that around eight million people are getting assistance under the Benazir Kafalat and other schemes which would be increased up to nine million this year and ten million till the next year budget.

ECP issues directions to cancel NAB DGs transfers LAHORE

She said that around three million children were getting Benazir Educational Stipends which would be increased up to five million soon while the budgetary allocations have been increased from Rs. 20 billion to Rs36 billion.

About the Benazir Nashonuma program,

Shazia Marri revealed that Nashonuma Centers will be established in all districts of the country this year through the increased allocation of Rs21 billion to address the issue of issue of malnutrition amongst the children.

On Ehsaas Undergraduate Scholarship program, she said that so far 92,000 scholarships have been granted under the program while 10,000 additional students will be included in the program with increased allocation amount during this year.

The scholarships were granted to those students having family income of less than Rs45,000 monthly however the income slab for this scholarship is proposed to be increased up to 80,000 rupees keeping in view the inflation and economic woes.

The minister said that a dynamic registry of BISP will also be prepared that will update the socio-economic status of the BISP beneficiaries.

Criticizing the previous Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf led government for the worse economic situation due to the ineffective policies; Shazia Marri said the coalition government is striving to bring the country out of economic crisis.

05

For this purpose, the government is compelled to take some difficult decisions to stabilize economy and the Finance Minister, Miftah Ismail is working hard to put the economy on right track.

The former Prime Minister, Imran Khan did nothing for the masses and this country during his four years tenure and is unable to utter a single word about the performance of his government and the scandals associated with his tenure.

She said that the country is passing from a difficult situation and cannot tolerate any anarchy like situation, “Imran Khan is dragging the country into controversies however the Prime Minister, Shahbaz Sharif is working hard to put the country on right track”.

To a question, Shazia Marri said that the previous government had changed the name of BISP into Ehsaas without giving it a legal cover, using it for political point scoring.

To another question, she said that those BISP beneficiaries who were expelled from the program due to the unjustified filters are given a chance to lodge appeal for their right.

They are also eligible to apply for the Sasta Petrol scheme through sending SMS to 8171.

Palanchai Meadows true ‘fairy paradise’ in Pakistan

agencieS

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday taking action on recent transfers and postings by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), issued directions to cancel such orders by the NAB. The NAB had issued transfer and posting orders of Director Generals of NAB Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi while the by-elections in these districts were scheduled to take place on July 17, 2022 so the ECP had imposed a ban on transfers and postings in these districts. ECP District Monitoring Officers of Lahore, Rawalpindi and Multan issued directions to the NAB officials for cancelling the transfer and posting orders of NAB DGs.

KP asks SLIC to include 6m tribal residents inclusion in Sehat Card PESHAWAR Staff RepoRt

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Monday decided to immediately ask State Life Insurance Corporation (SLIC) to include all 6 million tribal residents (merged districts) in Sehat Card Plus as interim relief. In a statement, Finance and Health Minister Taimur Khan Jhagra said that the decision was taken after the federal government stopped free medical facility to around 1.2 million families in merged districts through Sehat Card. He said that on the one hand, federal government announced medical colleges and universities in merged districts while on other it denied free medical treatment facility unilaterally. He further said that no one except Pakistan Tehreeki-Insaf (PTI) and Chairman Imran Khan cared about mainstreaming ex-FATA. He also said that KP government would ensure that the federal government gave equal rights to the province and merged districts.

No delays involved as IMF programme on track: Miftah CONNTINuEd fROm PAGE 01 The meeting unanimously decided that the rights of the province would be protected at every cost. “An agreement with the IMF is a collective responsibility; however, protecting the interests of the province is also our foremost responsibility which would be fulfilled any way. The people of merged areas are our brethren, and they would not be deprived of the free treatment facility,” they observed. “No decision to ink MoU has been taken as yet and we don’t want to do politics on this issue. However, the MoU will be signed as and when our concerns are addressed by the federal government,” they remarked.

SWAT Syed Shahabuddin

The scenic view of fairy paradise “Palanchai” Meadows attracts a large number of visitors to this remote hilly valley, which is situated in the middle of the mountains range in Bahrain Tehsil of Swat District.

The Meadows, which is located at an altitude of 10,200 feet above sea level, can be reached by crossing the difficult trails of mountains.

To reach this beautiful and charming place, one has to travel from Bahrain to Kulbir Valley by jeep. After trekking for three hours on rocky and difficult paths, large mountains on one side and swaying flowers and dense forest on the other side, welcome visitors.

The singing of waterfalls and streams here and there calms the hearts and quenches the thirst with cold and sweet fresh water of the springs.

Shaukat Ali, a well-known trekker from Swat, said that this place was very lovely and a glimpse of the whole Swat can be captured from here. “Madyan and Bahrain can also be easily seen from the upper part of it while the weather here is also very beautiful,” he pointed out, adding that even in this scorching summer, they were compelled to wear warm jackets. “The ascent is long and arduous, but the lassitude of reaching the Palanchai weariness turns into an enchanting feeling” he commented.

Another trekker, Hazrat Ali, said that they, often, used to visit this naturally pleasant area to enjoy the lush environment and invigorating weather and climate. “I have seen Switzerland and other places in the videos, but this place is very beautiful,” said Pardul Khan, a 64-year-old

trekker. He said reaching these meadows was also very easy and the locals of this meadow were also very nice and friendly.

This beautiful valley is hidden from view but if the government pays attention to it by constructing roads and providing other necessary facilities, a large number of tourists would visit these scenic areas, adding that it will not only promote tourism here but also provide employment opportunities to local people.

16 INJURED RIVAL GROUPS CLASH: At least 16 persons were injured in a clash between two rival groups here at Alamganj area of Charbagh Tehsil, Swat District,

police officials confirmed here on Tuesday. According to Charbagh Police SHO Ali Badshah, the incident occurred over a dispute on salary of Imam-e- Masjid and Khadime-Masjid, adding that one group wanted to raise the collection from houses that was aiming to financially support the clerics while the other group opposed the decision that led to clash among families belonging to the two groups.

Mr. Badshah said that sixteen persons from both sides sustained injuries, who were shifted to THQ hospital Khwazakhela by Rescue 1122 and the locals. Police registered an FIR against both the groups and arrested 25 people including Khatib (cleric) of the Masjid.

Pakistan, China team up to protect Indus Delta against climate change BEIJING Xinhua

Researchers from Pakistan and China are working together on the challenges and solutions for the sustainable development of the Indus Delta.

On the Progress Meeting of the UN Ocean Decade ‘Mega-Delta Programme’ť hosted last month by the State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research (SKLEC), East China Normal University, scientists from Pakistan, China and several other countries shared their progress in research and announced that online archives on the scientific data for major river deltas will be set up to share with partners.

Known as the vertebra of Pakistan’s ecology and economy, the Indus Delta is the fifth largest in the world and home to the seventh biggest mangrove forest.

The complex system of swamps, mudflats, and streams are home to rice,

cotton, and wheat plants, fish and prawn, mangrove forests, and wild animals, offering various sources of income to the inhabitants. However, recent years has witnessed a sharp decrease in sand and water supply to the delta area.

A World Bank study shows that the sediment that reaches the delta has declined from an estimated 270 million tonnes per year at pre-development levels to 13 million tonnes in 2019.

The rising sea level and offshore storm surge have triggered beach erosion and salt-water encroachment, leading to the degradation and death of mangrove forests and decreased production of fish and shrimp.

The Third Pole, a platform dedicated to promoting information and discussion about the Himalayan watershed and the rivers that originate there, released that around 1.2 million people from the Indus Delta have already migrated to Karachi.

CmYK

According to Dr. Samina Kidwai, Director of the National Institute of Oceanography, Pakistan, the challenges faced at the Indus River Delta include coastal erosion, mangrove degradation and decreased fishery production.

“Comprehensive management of water and sand resources in the entire drainage basin is required”, said Li Xiuzhen, Professor of Ecology and Deputy Director for International Affairs, State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, in an interview with China Economic Net (CEN).

The Mega-Delta Programme of UN Ocean Decade was initiated in June 2021 in response to the global issues plaguing the deltas around the world, such as reduced sediments and excessive nutrients inputs from the catchment, frequent storm surges from the sea, as well as land subsidence, reclamation and flooding.

According to Prof. He Qing, Director of the State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, it aims to understand the current status of global river deltas, explore the mechanisms of delta evolution under the influence of global climate change and human activities, predict future trends of water-sediment and socio-economic evolution, as well as early warning for hazards, and provide solutions for common problems, such as sea-level rise, coastal erosion, flood disasters, salt water intrusion, soil and water pollution, and ecosystem degradation.

“Collaboration among different disciplines and stakeholders is required to support sustainable development in delta regions, ” she said.

It is learned that in the future, collaboration will be conducted in the management of hazards and resources, carbon sequestration and micro-plastics, etc.

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Tuesday, 5 July, 2022

06 COMMENT

Our close-knit society

Paying respect to the vote is not enough Respecting voter equally important

Playing the devil’s advocate

P

eOPLe in Pakistan, irrespective of whether they are men or women have shown keen interest in elections, be these local government polls or general elections for the NA or provincial assemblies. It is not unusual to see pictures in media of octogenarians or those with physical disabilities being carried to the polling stations by relatives. Voters living in small and distant hamlets in mountainous areas cover long distances to make use of their right to vote. So do people living in desert areas of Thar and Cholistan. People have again and again challenged dictators who imposed themselves on the people by force knowing well that they could be beaten up, shifted to torture centers or sent to jails. There is a need on the part of those who are elected to pay due respect to voters who send them to the assemblies to debate over issues that concern people and do necessary legislation. The MPAs and MNAs are paid monthly wages, air tickets and provided perks and privileges to facilitate their work. The least required is to justify the funds and costly privileges is to attend the sessions of the Assembly they belong to.

Federal Minister for Water resources and PPP leader Khursheed Shah who wanted a discussion in NA on development in the agricultural sector as the sole remedy for the prevailing crisis complained that like former prime minister Imran Khan, Shehbaz Sharif too does not attend sessions of the parliament which shows that “we have not given due respect to parliament”. The issue reflects a general malaise as similar complaints used to be made when Nawaz Sharif was the PM. With the PM not in the house the minsters also start dodging the sessions. This encourages the treasury members to go shopping or attend to personal affairs, instead of performing the function for which they were elected. Since 2008, it has been common to adjourn the sitting after it was found to be lacking in quorum. The absence of the PM has frequently led to use of expletives or physical skirmishes in the house, which would not have otherwise been possible. This has eroded the Parliament’s stature and will continue to do so till PMs realise that their negligence to sufficient time to NA weakens democracy.

HaSaN aFTaB SaEED

T

he benefits of the integrated family systems of the east are well known and even better documented. It sure has many things going for it, and I am fond of it as much as the next man. however, the vaunted family system of the east, especially the Indian Sub-continent, has a dark side to it as well. especially in my weaker moments, I have serious doubts about the whole thing.

Thankfully, sanity ultimately prevails every time. But let me first list some of my misgivings.

A friend recounts an incident from back in the early nineties when he was at the stage of life when men are apt to throw all caution to the wind. In that spirit, and for motives that hardly need elaborating, he took to visiting a certain house rather regularly – as in every day. One day he rang the doorbell only to notice an elderly lady prowling the scene, apparently interested in paying a visit to the same house.

The hostess (mother of the romantic interest) was taken aback when she spotted the lady (who happened to be her neighbour and relative, as my friend would later come to know) at the door at the worst possible time. She quickly recovered her poise by introducing the potential suitor as the son of so-and-so who occasionally paid the family a visit. The neighbour lady thought it necessary, by way of correcting the record, to point out that the boy visited much more than occasionally. The boons of the close-knit society come at a price.

While our folks go out of their way to be in touch with their relatives, there is almost inevitably this usvs-them theme to all these relations. The usual groupings manifest themselves in these configurations: My siblings against my cousins and uncles; my cousins, uncles, and aunts on the mother’s side against their counterparts on my father’s side; my close relatives

Strategic leaks Multiple cans of worms

Lessons to be drawn

Wali Ejaz NEkokara

D

uA ZehrA’S case is alive due to her parents’ steadfastness and commitment. usually, such kinds of cases remain relevant for a short period. Parents do not pursue cases owing to the stigma attached. Though her Parents’ callousness led Dua to exercise her immaturity yet they deserve praise for standing against social taboos. This is the age of progress as well as distortion. The massive contribution of technology has provided people ease on one hand and has marred their mental and psychological health on the other. Weakening mental and psychological health coupled with dying moral values and the inactive roles of parents have created insurmountable issues for the young generation. According to one’s observation, today’s parents are not meticulous about the upbringing of their offspring. The absence of Parents’ proximity to Children, excessive use of the mobile phone by latter and parents’ over-confidence in Children make a recipe for distortion. Additionally, Parents feel happy when they see that their children are at home and have not gone anywhere. They prefer using mobile at home to going outside for sports which makes children addicted to useless games like PuBG. Online classes in Covid-19 days provided children with a pretext to purchase phones. Many children bought phones and most of them ended up becoming PuBG addicts. Online

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over the relative – another peculiarity of the Sub-continental family system. In either extreme, merit can go suck a lemon.

A significant increment of difficulties in the already tough life of the lower and salaried classes comes from family pressure – the fear of relatives’ and loved ones’ nasty opinions if (for example) the wedding dinner is not lavish enough, or if the dress one wears on a given occasion is not deemed to be expensive enough. every ounce of this fear is justified because the one fearing knows that he would have passed even nastier comments if the boot was on the other foot so to speak. No amount of effort is spared to avoid this kind of criticism.

If that means incurring debt that one cannot possibly repay, so be it; even though such measures have never stopped anybody from voicing unfavourable opinion of anybody.

Another unmatched gift of our family system comes in the form of the ubiquitous khaloo/phupa who inevitably gets offended on every wedding and wants an unconditional apology in exchange for his valuable presence on the occasion.

I occasionally have these disturbing thoughts during those dreaded phases of near madness when one is half-asleep and half-awake.

These are the occasions when men are at their most vulnerable. In my saner moments however, especially after getting outside the first cup of tea of the day, I invariably surrender to the dictates of reason. By lunch time I am again a staunch advocate of the eastern family system, extremely grateful for belonging to a society where family ties are as intimate and as resilient as they are.

I occasionally have these disturbing thoughts during those dreaded phases of near madness when one is half-asleep and half-awake.

These are the occasions when men are at their most vulnerable. In my saner moments however, especially after getting outside the first cup of tea of the day, I invariably surrender to the dictates of reason.

Dua Zehra case

I

T was a rather damning audio leak, the one of the conversation between the former first lady and the head of the PTI’s social media team. What is more interesting: till the filing of this editorial, there hasn’t been a denial by either of the two concerned individuals.

There are two issues to consider here. First, the party as a whole has been on an image maintenance exercise as far as the former first lady is concerned. She is a homebound, typical housewife who keeps to her domestic and religious affairs. That she should not be dragged into the scuffle of political point scoring. Fair enough. But then she was embroiled in a scandal that involved a friend of hers. The PTI still stuck to its guns. This is propaganda, they said, and that she is being dragged into this only because she is the chairman’s wife. With the release of the audio, it has become clear that the former first lady was deep in the thick of it, as far as social media policy is concerned. And if the audio leak were to be believed, she wasn’t above using the traitor card for anyone who kept on talking about the scandal involving her friend. Does this mean she’s fair game now, as far as the rough and tumble of political point scoring is concerned?

There is another issue at play as well. For the PTI, the penny has finally dropped as far as the propriety and morality of recording audios and (strategically releasing them) is concerned. They are making veiled allusions to the establishment regarding the leak. On this issue, their talking points are all correct, and mirror those of this very publication and those of other pro-democracy members of the press and civil society. But the problem here is that they cannot (rightly) continue saying that it is not the job of the nation’s intelligence agencies to record the private conversations of the prime minister, the cabinet and their respective families, because not too long ago, the party chairman, then prime minister, not only said that his conversations were being recorded by the said agencies but also that he endorsed such a practice!

Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

against the far ones, the far relatives against those farther away, those farther away against the rest of mankind.

‘Acrimonious’ is the adjective used in the West to describe particularly bitter divorces. In our society, we dispense with such adjectives because every divorce here, without exception, is acrimonious. While in the West the former couple generally behaves reasonably civilly with one another in the event of a chance encounter, in our society the other person is immediately relegated to the subhuman category, not worthy of even a mention.

Thanks to our integrated family system, even extended relatives on either side establish any sort of contact with the ‘other’ side at their own risk.

Another distinguishing feature of our vibrant family system is malicious gossip.

In the world of backbiting, there are no fixed categories.

Almost everybody is a perpetrator and a victim at the same time: A and B talking unfavourably about C in her absence; B and C talking about A behind her back; C and A badmouthing B – which is certain to be brought to the knowledge of B by D (another exponent of double dealing and intrigue) who happens to be there when A and C are discussing B, much to the shock and consternation of B. experience tells that badmouthing relatives and ‘loved’ ones is much more delicious, and therefore that much more satisfying, than badmouthing mere friends and acquaintances.

Nepotism, and its connection with a close-knit family structure, has been discussed to death. Not nearly enough attention has been devoted to the opposite phenomenon, which is hardly less deleterious.

For a man in official position will either go out of his way to help a relative of his to get ahead in life, or else make sure that even a Martian gets preference

games like PuBG have assisted both genders to trap each other. This is what happened with the Dua. Now, It would be pertinent to highlight the lessons; Dua’s case offer to our society. First of all, this case has exposed legal flaws. While making laws related to family, hanafi school of thought is followed in our country. If not by legislators, at least by Islamic ideological council hanafi school is preferred while recommendations. In Islam, it is considered highly favorable to take the principle of ‘Wali’ and ‘Kufu’ into consideration in Nikah. ‘Wali’ means guardian under whose supervision, the Nikah is concluded. hanafi School indeed gives a girl the right to choose her partner without a guardian’s will. The issue of ‘Kufu’ remains unsettled. ‘Kufu’ means ‘compatibility’. Islam says that there should not be much difference between girls’ and boys’ social status because it can make marriage life difficult. Such marriages hardly remain intact for a long time owing to the differences emanating from different social classes.

Those marriages are highly unfavorable in Islam in which unavoidable differences in social status exist. however, such marriages are not ‘haram’. The point one wants to make is about ‘Interference of Guardian’. Dr. Muhammad Tahir Mansoori, in his book titled “Family Law in Islam: Theory and Application” mentions that “They (hanafi -jurists) agree that guardian can interfere where the woman has agreed to marry a person who is not compatible and to dower which is not suitable to a woman of her status. As to the criterion of compatibility, the hanafi jurists consider genealogy (nasab) is the basis of compatibility and allow the guardian to interfere on this account”. Dr. Mansoori mentions some other factors which define suitability and compatibility in sight of hanafi School: “lineage, religion, financial condition, piety, and profession”.

In the case of Dua and Zaheer, both have not much compatibility and suitability. hanafi School permits Dua’s father to intervene and void the unsuitable marriage, but due to the absence of Law, her guardian is unable to exercise his legitimate right. The law to in-

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tervene in cases like Dua is direly needed; otherwise immature girls would choose unsuitable partners.

Consequently, it would lead to rising cases of divorce.

Secondly, Dua’s case has divided society into two camps: a majority of people follow parents and a small number of secular minds are in favor of Dua. Like many countrymen, one would say that neither should we support Dua nor should promote her. Supporting and promoting both can have stark consequences on other immature underage boys and girls.

Thirdly, if we take Dua’s action as acceptable, then it would be a step against the basis of our family unit.

Fourthly, following the selection of partners on video games without being aware of each other’s background, a drastic rise in the divorce rate could be expected. Fifthly, Dua’s case offers another important lesson: parents should keep an eye on their children’s activities and ensure that the internet is being used for the right purpose. Sixthly, Parents must consider the will of the children at the time of marriage. either should parents accept the daughter’s choice if the boy’s family is appropriate or should get the daughter’s approval for their choice through her counseling.

Seventhly, the religious scholars who have a thorough knowledge of Islam must sensitize the parents and children about the importance of the family unit and their responsibilities. even, in universities, teachers must educate students about the significance of the family unit. eighthly, Dualike cases would provide International NGOs an opportunity to spread their evil designs under the aegis of free will. Various NGOs are already bent on altering our family structure by promoting menaces like LGBT. Ninthly, Parents must meticulously monitor what their children are watching. Parents should stop their children from watching Indian dramas and love stories in which eloping is shown as a common practice. The material we watch plays an imperative role in shaping our thinking. Tenthly, saving children from PuBG addiction is the foremost duty of Parents today. They must imbibe altruistic values in children instead of making them PuBG addicts. Last but not least is that unnecessary promotion of such cases may damage the image of Pakistan.

Seventhly, the religious scholars who have a thorough knowledge of Islam must sensitize the parents and children about the importance of the family unit and their responsibilities.

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Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

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Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

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Tuesday, 5 July, 2022

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

Scarcity of Colleges eDuCATION is the most salient need which depicts the real image of society. One without education is like a bird without wings, a body without soul and a flower without beauty. Women are the most prominent part of our society. Institutions play an essential role in the flowering of education.

For a long time, the residents of Kohi Goth (uC 14) Malir, have been highlighting sensitive issues but I want to grab the attention of relevant authorities regarding the aforementioned hypersensitive problem.

The scarcity of girls’ colleges in Kohi Goth has become a grave threat to all girls. After completion of their secondary education, they confront numerous impediments. Some of them do not have permission to get out and most of them are unable to bear the expenditures of education. 20% of girls are enough able to go out in order to achieve education and 80% of girls are deprived of educational rights. The government of Sindh and the higher education Commission (heC) is requested to establish a girl college in Kohi Goth district Malir, Karachi.

MUHEEM ABDUL NABI KARACHI

Two decisions by the Supreme Court put America to shame Both rulings are despicable as they will only severely undermine the health and security of millions of Americans

Dr aloN BErN MEir Righting the WRong: Over the past two weeks the Supreme Court passed two rulings that history will recall as the most infamous and extremely dangerous for the American people.

Last Friday, the Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a 50-year-old ruling that enshrined a woman’s right to an abortion, which violates their right to choose and acutely compromises their health and wellbeing. The other ruling, overturning New York’s 100-year-old gun licensing law, put in harm’s way millions of New Yorkers and other Americans in states with similar laws, as more firearms will be easily accessible. More people will be killed, deliberately or accidently, as a result of this thoughtless and reckless ruling.

The saddest aspect of the Court’s first decision, however, is the sharp turn the Court has taken to become deeply ideological and intensely religious, and it will now likely target other civil right legislation, including same-sex marriage. To be sure, the Court, which has been held in the highest esteem, has now not only lost its reputation but has also abdicated its responsibility and compromised its credibility to render justice, which was the hallmark of the Court. oveRtuRning Roe v. Wade: In a May 2022 poll, two-thirds of Americans said they did not support overturning Roe, albeit a similar percentage believe there should be some restrictions on abortion access (ranging from only allowed in cases of rape/incest/to save the mother’s life, to permitting it up to the first six months). Only 9 percent believe abortion should be banned under any and all circumstances.

Yet, the Supreme Court ruled against established precedent and against the will of the American people to overturn Roe, only to further their own personal religious beliefs. This is religious extremism, plain and simple, inflicted upon a religiously diverse nation that is supposed to be governed under the principle of separation between church and state. It is truly astonishing and alarming to see how far the nation’s principles have fallen.

The overturning of Roe means that abortion will be all but banned in nearly half of the states.

Women’s healthcare will suffer as a result of this irresponsible and shameful Supreme Court decision. Just imagine, if physicians know they may go to prison many years because they crossed the line – say, by ending a pregnancy that endangered the life of the mother – then doctors will go nowhere near that line and con-

sequently many women will likely die.

This Court decision will also have ripple effects that go well beyond abortion. The ruling dismisses 50 years of Supreme Court precedence, and in doing so it undermines the right to privacy and personal autonomy which has been used as the backbone of Roe and other rulings, and raises concerns over the future of other civil rights legislation, including same-sex marriage and relationships, access to contraception, and more, as explicitly cited

by Clarence Thomas in his opinion.

Tragically, overturning Roe v. Wade and banning abortion in a number of states, predominantly across the South, will not stop abortions, but only restrict access to them and make them unsafe.

Abortion access should not be a privilege granted only to the wealthy or well-connected, who will always have the resources to travel for abortion care and/or take time off of work to do so.

Indeed, it is low-income and marginalized people who will be the most impacted—the mother with two children who already struggles to put food on the table; the underage victim of incest who should not be forced to carry the burden imposed upon them by their rapist and whose body is not developed enough to carry a pregnancy; the transgender man who already faces a heightened risk of violence just for being transgender, and for whom pregnancy can exacerbate gender dysphoria; the woman whose desperatelywanted pregnancy is putting her life at risk due to sepsis, placental abruption, or some other condition; and more.

Some anti-abortion advocates speak about the “consequences” of becoming pregnant, as in “If a girl gets pregnant, she must face the consequences.” What cruelty, to speak of a potential human life as a consequence—to the prospective parent and to the future child itself. using a living person as “punishment” for another person’s actions will cause a great emotional and financial burden on the parent, and for the child, it is even worse— to grow up in a home unwanted and unloved causes untold emotional trauma for a child, which impacts their emotional well-being throughout adulthood as well.

This sick and twisted mindset of the six conservative Supreme Court Justices only damages people, and for what? Sadly, it is clear that for many on the right, the cruelty is the point.

The people impacted by abortion bans will be pushed further into poverty, deteriorated health, and worse.

The American people cannot and must not stand for this appalling act and never cease to protest make their voices heard to ensure that at a minimum the individual states will be far more prudent and commit to protect women’s right where the Supreme Court failed miserably.

trol, especially egregious in the wake of recent mass shootings that have claimed the lives of 67 Americans and injured a further 265 in the past month alone. In this case the Court struck down a century-old New York law requiring those seeking to carry firearms in public to demonstrate need. The law was overturned with Justice Clarence Thomas writing the majority opinion, arguing that the provision was inconsistent with the Second Amendment.

In other words, at a time when the country is literally consuming itself with gun violence, when mass shootings have reached epidemic proportions, when gun violence is the leading cause of death among children in this country, the Supreme Court has decided to make it easier for people to carry guns in public. And this ruling will not affect New York alone: many states have similar laws on the books, and they are all now scrambling to revise these laws so that they are honor the Court’s ruling while maintaining restrictions wherever possible.

To grasp just how epidemic mass shootings have become in this country: since the shooting rampage in uvalde, Texas on May 24, which left twentytwo dead, there have been 82 mass shootings.

The Gun Violence Archive defines a mass shooting as an incident in which at least four victims are shot (injured or killed), not including the shooter. On Saturday, May 28 alone there were five mass shootings, which left two dead and twenty people injured. The very next day, Sunday, May 29, there were seven mass shootings, which left four dead and thirtyfive people injured.

Since uvalde, there have been 64 school incidents involving guns.

The united States is a country inundated with guns (with over 120 firearms for every 100 citizens): is it any wonder that rarely a day goes by without a mass shooting somewhere? We have grown to accept gun violence as an ineliminable feature of daily life in America, and that perhaps is the greatest tragedy of all. If we grow numb to this horror and shame, we will never mitigate the scourge of mass shootings and other forms of gun violence.

The Supreme Court has been politized and lost its credibility and its responsibility to render justice. It is time to revisit the process of appointing Supreme Court Justices to ensure that the highest Court in the land is apolitical, fair, and just. every sensible American should be disgusted by these two infamous Supreme Court rulings that will endanger the lives of countless Americans, stain the Court’s reputation for decades to come, and sadly put America to shame.

The Supreme Court has been politized and lost its credibility and its responsibility to render justice. It is time to revisit the process of appointing Supreme Court Justices to ensure that the highest Court in the land is apolitical, fair, and just.

gun ContRol: The other contemptable ruling of the Supreme Court relates to gun con-

Dr Alon Ben-Meir is a professor of international relations at the Centre for Global Affairs at NYU. He teaches courses on international negotiation and Middle Eastern studies. alon@alonben-meir.com

Our Ruling Elite IT is time that the paid and elected ruling elite of this country, who aspire to hold public office, must be seen to have all their stakes in this country, no conflicts of interest, and lead by example in their total commitment to Pakistan. This country was created by politicians with integrity and character, who were not smitten by greed for assets and real estate allotments.

In 1930 Quaid left for London, where he served as a successful barrister, bought a house in hampstead and was well settled. however, when he was approached by Allama Iqbal and others to return to India, he sold that house and returned back to lead the All-India Muslim League, never to return back to england. In his 11th August, 1947 address to the First Constituent Assembly MAJ warned about the cancer of corruption, that years of colonial rule had nurtured to buy loyalties of natives, willing to betray their motherland and serve the British raj. The British used land and titles to lure the paid servants of the state to serve them loyally. unfortunately, since 1955, these remnants of the British raj conspired to derail Jinnah’s vision of a modern democratic welfare state to be replaced by a security state, serving their former colonial masters. We may be amongst the few countries whose paid and elected elite are allowed to own vast assets abroad, settle their families there and yet be eligible to hold sensitive public offices in the civil and uniformed services. Our paid bureaucracy, both civil and uniformed, while in service have no restriction to buy properties abroad, facilitate their families from acquiring immigration and after retirement shift abroad, to live with there.

Individuals holding important sensitive public offices are facilitated to sell their assets in Pakistan, including lands allotted to them, and transfer proceeds of such sales to their foreign bank accounts.

MALIK TARIQ ALI LAHORE

Exploiting travellers eArLIer this month, I was travelling from Sukkur to Karachi via a wellmaintained and air-conditioned van, which was a relief because most vans or buses are in deplorable conditions. During the journey, we stopped at a hotel near hala for a while, so that the passengers can buy food and water.

Like others, I went to one of the shops and took some eatables. When I went to the cashier to pay for my items, he charged me almost double the original amount. I refused to pay the high amount and urged the shopkeeper to show me the rate list.

To my surprise, the shopkeeper said that many reputable individuals come to his shop and never argue about prices. Therefore, I can either take the items at his given rate or leave. unfortunately, all other passengers stood as mere bystanders ignoring the unlawful conduct of the shopkeeper. having little choice, I purchased the items and left. This experience made me acknowledge the lawlessness in society and the inability of people to correct others’ unjust practices. This also reveals that retailers near bus stands exploit passengers and illicitly earn higher profits. Considering that we already have a poor transportation system and unlike myself, most people cannot afford air-conditioned vans, these looting sellers are further adding to the miseries of the travellers. In addition to the drivers’ misconduct and unsafe driving, passengers are also forced to either arrange for their own food and water or travel without it. The relevant authorities should consider these issues and address them effectively. Besides reforming the transport system, shops and restaurants on the highways and bus stands must be given fixed price lists, which they should adhere to.

NAZIR AHMED KUBAR SUKKUR

Shortage of nurses DeSPITe being considered the backbone of hospitals, nursing staff seldom receives recognition or appreciation for their work. They are faced with dire conditions such as long working hours, stressful environments, complex patient conditions, and lack of support and resources.

Increased dissatisfaction amongst the nursing staff stems from the unmet needs. Poor wages reduce their ability to fulfil basic requirements, which is why they resort to switching professions or migrating abroad. Also, unsafe conditions i.e., an imbalance in nurse-patient ratio induces anxiety and stress among the nurses. Often the female nursing staff are subjected to harassment or abuse at work. They receive little acknowledgement from surgeons and other staff, which causes them to feel alienated. Opportunities for professional growth and training sessions are seldom offered. A shortage of nursing staff will put a severe strain on the healthcare department; therefore, relevant authorities and hospital management must take the initiative to improve working conditions for nurses. Their salaries must be raised to ensure staff dedication and strict policies should be enforced to ensure safe and secure working conditions for all staff members. Also, nurses should be engaged in the decision-making process and be offered non-monetary rewards to recognise their hard work and foster a sense of connection among them. Without taking measures to create a cooperative and cordial environment, the hospitals will remain unable to halt the turnover of nurses.

MADRIKA MIRZA KANJIANI KARACHI

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Tuesday, 5 July, 2022

08 WORLD VIEW

ReThinking The global oRdeR

Failing to engage with China will lead to a growing threat of war

FOR DECADES, IT HAS BEEN OBVIOUS THAT THE UN SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE REFORMED TO ACCOUNT FOR THE REALITIES OF THE TWENTYFIRST CENTURY. YET RECOMMENDATIONS TO RESTRUCTURE GLOBAL GOVERNANCE HAVE BEEN IGNORED BY THOSE WITH THE POWER TO CARRY THEM OUT, LEAVING US WITH A WORLD OF MULTIPLYING CRISES FOR WHICH THERE ARE FEW SOLUTIONS

Project syndicate TURKi bin FaiSal al-SaUD

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UST as the world was beginning to recover from one of the biggest crises in recent decades, another one has erupted in europe. Just as the COvID-19 pandemic underscored our common humanity, Russia’s war on Ukraine has reminded us of how fragile, interconnected, and interdependent our world is.

As the Chinese say, “All is one under heaven.”

Intensifying great-power confrontations and deglobalization are jeopardizing world peace and security. New crises seem to be lurking around every corner, but appropriate solutions are nowhere to be seen – not in the Far east, South Asia, the Middle east and North Africa, SubSaharan Africa, eastern europe, or Latin America. The popular mood has darkened, reinvigorating populism, nationalism, Islamophobia, and other atavistic trends that threaten the progressive achievements humanity has made since World War II. The Ukraine crisis itself is a symptom of deeper structural problems in the international order. That order, led by the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States), has failed to live up to the principles of good governance enshrined in the UN Charter.

New global orders tend to emerge from major wars. In the case of WWII, the victors created structures designed to preserve international peace and security. But while our increasingly integrated world has changed dramatically since the UN’s founding, our organizing principles still reflect the mentality of the post-war and Cold War era. Within the current framework, a failure to respond to global challenges is a failure of the entire international community.

Can the system be reformed? Calls since the early 1990s to restructure the UN system – the avatar for the broader international order – have consistently fallen on deaf ears. Worse, Russia and China are now using their

seats at the helm of the international order to push for a more multipolar system. Rather than working to reform the current framework, they are challenging its validity. humanity’s collective achievements over the past seven decades are a testament to why we must work together to make the UN system more fair, inclusive, and attentive to people’s needs and aspirations. Indeed, that was the mission of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s highLevel Panel on Threats, Challenges, and Change in 2003.

Consisting of 16 eminent figures from different parts of the world, and chaired by former Thai Prime Minister Anand Panyarachun, the panel analyzed contemporary threats to international peace and security; evaluated how well existing policies and institutions had done in addressing those threats; and offered recommendations aimed at strengthening the UN and enabling it to provide collective security for the twenty-first century.

The panel’s final report made clear that all of the UN’s principal organs needed reform, including the Security Council, which the panel argued should be expanded. Unfortunately, the Security Council’s veto-wielding permanent members simply ignored the panel’s recommendations, setting the stage for today’s paralysis and dysfunction. The Middle east is especially in need of a well-functioning, genuinely representative UN system. No region has suffered more from the unfair bipolar and unipolar dynamics of the past. We have been the altar on which the principles of the international order are routinely sacrificed. The same principles that led to the creation of the State of Israel also led to the Palestinians being deprived of their homeland and denied their basic rights to self-determination and statehood.

As the Middle east has gone from one war to another, from one catastrophe to another, and from one UN resolution to another, justice has continuously eluded it. every time an Arab, Muslim, or Middle eastern issue comes up, the hypocrisy of the great powers that lead the international order becomes crystal clear.

The leaders of those powers need to come to their senses. Reforming the existing order requires new thinking by all UN member states, including the Security Council’s five permanent members. The international order can preserve peace and security only to the extent that it is equitable and capable of meeting the challenges that humanity faces. Short of that, geopolitical upheavals will continue to threaten world peace and security.

His Royal Highness Turki bin Faisal al-Saud, Chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, was the Director General of Al Mukhabarat Al A’amah, Saudi Arabia’s intelligence agency from 1977 to 2001, and has served as Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United Kingdom and the United States.

ProsPect Magazine DaviD MilibanD

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he war in Ukraine is deplorable for many reasons. The scale of human suffering, after the unprovoked assault on the sovereignty of a peaceful neighbour, is shocking. It seems like a throwback because in so many ways it is: land wars in europe are so 20th century.

The western response has in various ways defied expectations. Unity and action have replaced division and dither. But it has all been done on the fly, making up for lack of previous strategy rather than in service of it. And that lack of strategy is precisely what worries former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd about western engagement with China.

I don’t know of anyone else in the west who can casually mention that they first met Xi Jinping in 1986 when he was vice mayor of Xiamen. Rudd was then an Australian diplomat on a visit to China with the then prime minister Bob hawke. he puts his lifetime of observations to good use: this is an original, informative book that articulates his concern to sustain the values of the west.

Rudd calls his book a “letter to two friends… the Chinese and American peoples.” his concern is simple: that they end up in a war. Not a Cold War of the kind we became more or less comfortable with until 1990, but a hot war of the kind averted at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Of the scenarios for US-China relations over the next decade that Rudd lists at the end of his book, five involve conflict. The sense of dread is real. everyone agrees that Xi’s leadership marks a decisive turn for China and therefore for the world. This book is centered on close reading, in Mandarin, of what Xi actually says. Rudd calls Xi a “Marxist nationalist,” whose thinking revolves around three ideas.

First, a desire to amalgamate Marxism-Leninism, which he learnt at his father’s knee, with Chinese tradition and Chinese nationalism. Second, to move “left” on politics and economics, with more repression and state control, and “right” on nationalism, emphasising the “Chinese characteristics” of his approach. Third, to build practice from the concept of “struggle.”

The central question for western foreign policy is how to engage with a China which, despite multiple domestic strains—not least dealing with its perverse “zero Covid” policy—has increasing weight to throw around in the global system, with growing implications for western interests and aspirations. On both sides of the aisle of American politics, there is not just a hardening of attitudes towards China but a default to the idea of a sustained “Cold War.” On the Republican side, there is often relish, while on the Democratic, resignation, but the zero-sum assumptions are similar.

Rudd’s book challenges lazy assumptions in a healthy way. In his model, there are 10 concentric circles that explain the Chinese leadership’s approach to statebuilding. The first one, a guiding light of all the others, is domestic rather than international. Xi’s priority is ensuring that the Communist Party stays permanently in power, and that he remains its paramount leader. From this comes commitments to secure national unity (Tibet, hong Kong, Taiwan) and grow the economy in an environmentally sustainable way, then broadening out to the Chinese neighbourhood and the wider world.

Rudd’s response is what he calls “managed strategic competition.” It has three cornerstones. Learning from the US-Soviet standoff in 1962, he makes the case for each side to set out “strategic red lines” that are clear and recognised. he then argues for strategic competition outside these areas, and for strategic cooperation in areas of mutual interest, like global health or the climate crisis. Rudd argues that we are doomed to a “decade of living dangerously,” but that it does not need to end in disaster—so long as the west gets its act together and fashions a way to engage with China. The Russian invasion of Ukraine shows the dangers that lurk when a fragmented west is too preoccupied with its own problems to think beyond its Twitter feed. We do not yet know the outcome of the war, but it has shown what happens when threats are ignored, weaknesses exacerbated and allies neglected.

We should attend to our own national problems, but there is no holiday from international events. In fact, what is happening in the rest of the world is more important than ever, because of the very interdependence against which the populist right now inveighs.

One consequence of Covid has been that, for two years, informal and formal exchange with China has shut down. When I was last in China, in November 2019, a very senior official compared populism in the west to the Cultural Revolution. he told me he remembered the 1960s and 1970s, when the country was caught in a vortex of its own making. Ironically, Xi has talked up Mao since then.

Kevin Rudd’s insistence that the west shape a realistic agenda for its relations with China needs to be heard. his knowledge of how the Chinese leadership thinks is indispensable in that task. There is space for co-operation as well as confrontation—so long as we try.

David Miliband is president and chief executive officer of the International Rescue Committee. He was foreign secretary from 2007 to 2010.

The Avoidable War: The Dangers of a Catastrophic Conflict between the US and Xi Jinping’s China by Kevin Rudd, Public Affairs (RRP: £25)

Prince Charles is unfit to be king IN ALL THE YEARS SINCE, AND HE IS NOW 73 YEARS OLD, CHARLES HAS BEEN THE VERY DEFINITION OF INDULGENCE AND ENTITLEMENT, BECAUSE AFTER ALL, THAT IS WHAT HE IS

newsweek GaRETH MClEan

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e’ve all done it. Tripped over a suitcase full of a million dollars in cash, gifted to us by a visiting Qatari dignitary. It is to Prince Charles’ credit that, in a fit of pique, he didn’t immediately go out and buy himself a treat to soothe his bruised toe. The english county of Devon, say. Instead, he handed over the wares to his courtiers for his charity foundation and got on with whatever heirs to thrones do of an afternoon. Open a new hospital, bridge or packet of biscuits, depending on the day.

While there is no suggestion of illegality in these shenanigans, they still raise significant questions. Chief among these: Why this story has appeared now, and who is briefing against the heir to the British throne? Who does it benefit? It is also just as pertinent to wonder how suited Charles is soon to assume the mantle of monarch.

My money—used bills, non-sequential serial numbers—

is on: Not at all.

To recap: Prince Charles accepted three cash donations totaling 3 million euros ($3.2 million) from Sheikh hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, a former Qatari prime minister, for the prince’s charity between 2011 and 2015, according to The Sunday Times. A spokesperson for the prince said the donations were passed to one of the prince’s charities which “assured us that all the correct processes were followed.”

This is just the latest in a long line of embarrassing revelations about the relationship between Charles’ status, his rich visitors and their donations to his undoubtedly good-doing charity foundation. Last year, his most beloved aide Michael Fawcett was forced to resign, following disclosures that he had been willing to lobby for a Saudi billionaire’s honor to be upgraded to a knighthood in acknowledgement of the billionaire’s generosity to one of Charles’ charities. And this wasn’t the first time Fawcett had quit. Or even the second.

Nobody doubts Charles’ good intentions, from conserving the environment to investing in the future through his Prince’s Trust. he was the first person in Britain to have a bottle bank for recycling, he was a vocal champion of alternative medicine before it gained widespread credibility, and he famously talked to his plants long before that was... A Thing. But his judgment is an-

other matter. You could argue that he’s naïve or that he’s haughty but one way or another, in Charles’ life and work, boundaries are definitely... blurred.

This matters more than ever when optics are such a consideration. ever since the death of Diana in 1997, when the royals felt the full glare of an appalled public, they have, in a way, been more accountable than ever because of how their behavior looks. (Thirty years ago, Prince Andrew would have emerged unscathed from the scandal that has scuppered him. Fifty years ago, we would never have heard even a whisper of that horror story).

Critics have been quick to pounce on the difference between Charles’ questionable judgement and his mother’s inherent sense of what is right. But this is a false binary as the Queen is no angel. This is the same monarch who recently interfered in the legislative process in Scotland to exempt herself from new laws to protect the environment. She is now the only private landlord in Scotland not required to harness renewable energy.

And, as unseemly or treacherous as it might sound to say, she must also take responsibility, along with her husband, for how their son has turned out. holding him at arm’s length throughout his childhood and sending him away to boarding school—though conventional for their era and class—can’t not have negatively affected the youngster. You only need look at the British ruling

class—Prime Minister Boris Johnson, for example —to see how the damage they endured as children is now inflicted on the rest of us through their actions.

Moreover, Charles’ whole life has been informed by the knowledge that he is God’s anointed representative on earth, or the U.K. at least. That is the principle of divine right from which monarchy derives its legitimacy and not a day of Charles’ life will have passed without him being reminded of it or thinking about it. And if God is infallible then Charles is infallible, he can do literally no wrong.

In all the years since, and he is now 73 years old, Charles has been the very definition of indulgence and entitlement, because after all, that is what he is. Think of your own life and how you have become who you are through pain, challenges and the hard choices that you’ve had to make. Charles has never had to make a cup of tea, let alone a difficult decision. he was asked to make a sacrifice once: to relinquish his mistress to save his marriage. he refused.

But the ultimate responsibility for the Charles of today must lie with the courtiers, the lackeys and all those who genuflect before him, and that includes us. We have enabled him. Like Doctor Frankenstein, we cannot now be horrified by the creature we have created.

Gareth McLean is a screenwriter and cultural commentator.

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Tuesday, 5 July, 2022 | LAHORE

NEWS

BISP cover extended from 65Pc to 70Pc of PoPulatIon: marrI

CORPORATE CORNER

islaMabaD

Shahida akhtar appointed Parliamentary Secretary on communications ministry ISLAMABAD: Ms. Shahida Akhtar Ali today assumed the responsibilities of her post as Parliamentary Secretary for Communications. Ms. Shahida Akhtar Ali was received by Federal Secretary Communications and Chairman National Highway Authority Capt (R) Muhammad Khurram Agha . He briefed her on departmental matters. During the meeting, Federal Secretary Communications congratulated her on assuming office. On the occasion, Shahida Akhtar Ali said that Communications is an important ministry for welfare of the people. She expressed her resolve that National Highway Authority will bring mega projects which will be completed within the stipulated time to bring the backward areas of the country into the national mainstream.

Bank Islami Proudly Sponsors Bahria’s BSPc talks ‘voice of Youth’ KArAchI: BankIslami, Pakistan’s leading Islamic financial institution, served as the title sponsor for Bahria Society of Professional Communication (BSPC) Talks, a platform where captivating stories and ideas are exchanged that have the potential to transform the listeners’ lives. BSPC is a studentrun society at Bahria University that focuses on the development of communication skills among its members by organizing various workshops and seminars.

The event, which took place on Wednesday, June 29, 2022 at the Al-Beruni Auditorium, Bahria University on Karsaz, focused on the theme ‘Voice of Youth’, bringing on board speakers with inspirational stories to spark confidence among the participants. The Talks were held in the presence of Chief Guest and Keynote Speaker Honorable President and CEO BankIslami, Syed Amir Ali. Commenting on the occasion, Syed Amir Ali, President & CEO, BankIslami said, “I am honored to be invited as the Chief Guest and thrilled to connect with the future of our country, which is the promising youth sitting before me. Communication is the most crucial ingredient when it comes to developing meaningful connections and we must all learn and develop this skill.

Silk Bank and tPl insurance launch all in one current account ISLAMABAD: NUST Internship Programme for International Students (NIPIS '22), the university's signature internship programme, was officially launched at the Islamabad campus on Monday. The programme promises to deliver a sublime internship experience that not only advances professional skills of students coming in from around the world but also reinforces their academic competence. This year, as many as 25 student interns from different countries, including Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Gambia, Germany, Sudan, Turkey, UK and USA, are physically attending the program, while 15 student interns will be virtually joining the programme.

f

StAff REPoRt

EDERAL Ministry for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, Shazia Marri said that 500,000 more people from Balochistan province will be included in Benazir Income Support Program (BISP), which will cover 65 to 70 percent of the population.

Addressing a presser here, the federal minister announced the establishment of more BISP centres in Balochistan province and said. “A total of 25 mobile units will be engaged for execution of BISP operations till the time”. Shazia Marri said that the present government has increased the budgetary allocations for the Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division up to Rs372.32 billion which is 43.2 percent more than the previous budget,

considering the prevailing situation in the country.

She said that BISP has proved as the most successful and strong social protection intervention in the country.

The amount of Rs364 billion has been allocated for the BISP while Rs6 billion will be utilized for the schemes of Pakistan Baitul Maal.

Shazia Marri said that around eight million people are getting assistance under the Benazir Kafalat and other schemes which would be increased up to nine million this year and ten million till the next year budget.

She said that around three million children were getting Benazir Educational Stipends which would be increased up to five million soon while the budgetary allocations have been increased from Rs. 20 billion to Rs36 billion. About the Benazir Nashonuma program, Shazia Marri revealed that

Nashonuma Centers will be established in all districts of the country this year through the increased allocation of Rs21 billion to address the issue of issue of malnutrition amongst the children.

On Ehsaas Undergraduate Scholarship program, she said that so far 92,000 scholarships have been granted under the program while 10,000 additional students will be included in the program with increased allocation amount during this year.

The scholarships were granted to those students having family income of less than Rs45,000 monthly however the income slab for this scholarship is proposed to be increased up to 80,000 rupees keeping in view the inflation and economic woes.

The minister said that a dynamic registry of BISP will also be prepared that will update the socio-economic status of the BISP beneficiaries.

09

Criticizing the previous Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf led government for the worse economic situation due to the ineffective policies; Shazia Marri said the coalition government is striving to bring the country out of economic crisis.

For this purpose, the government is compelled to take some difficult decisions to stabilize economy and the Finance Minister, Miftah Ismail is working hard to put the economy on right track. The former Prime Minister, Imran Khan did nothing for the masses and this country during his four years tenure and is unable to utter a single word about the performance of his government and the scandals associated with his tenure.

She said that the country is passing from a difficult situation and cannot tolerate any anarchy like situation, “Imran Khan is dragging the country into controversies however the Prime Minister, Shahbaz Sharif is working hard to put the country on right track”.

To a question, Shazia Marri said that the previous government had changed the name of BISP into Ehsaas without giving it a legal cover, using it for political point scoring.

Jomo.pk partners with HSY to launch luxury-bespoke program for global audiences The world of HSY, the celebrity designer and powerhouse luxury couture brand, is entering the world of global digital marketplaces to deliver luxury ethnic wear through Jomo.pk.

In a joint press release statement, HSY and Jomo Technologies announced a strategic partnership that will provide HSY’s latest fashion and new style solutions to all their followers and aficionados of Pakistani Fashion. Jomo’s partnership with HSY is an excellent opportunity for his global consumers to get their hands on his most sought-after luxury fashion brand even more conveniently. The statement also said, “more details on our exciting plans together will be unveiled in the coming months.”

Hassan Sheheryar Yasin, the cre-

ative force behind the brand and an international celebrity, has been referred to as the New King of Couture by Harper's Bazaar magazine. The HSY brand is committed to growing its brand’s footprint within Pakistan as well as in the international market.

Aligned with the brand's mission HSY partners with JOMO to bring consumers online the opportunity to own a signature HSY ensemble.

Ali Khan-Bajauri, CEO Jomo Technologies, says 'Onboarding HSY is a huge win for the online Pakistani fashion space and we are thrilled to kick off our Made-to-Order couture line and Bespoke solutions with a powerful name like HSY. Our extensive reach, delivering to more than 180 countries

and thousands of cities globally will be one more step in promoting our fashion and ethnic culture to the world.” Hassan Shehryar Yasin adds "Jomo and HSY believe in the same thing which is great customer experience." Jomo is

Qamar highlights opportunities for US companies existing in various sectors press release Minister for Commerce, Syed Naveed Qamar and U.S. Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs, U.S. Department of State, Mr. Dilawar Syed met in Ministry of Commerce to discuss issues of trade and investment between the two countries.

Mr. Dilawar Syed was accompanied by Regional Policy Lead for Europe and Central Asia at the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), Ms. Gaia Self.Minister for Commerce highlighted the opportunities exist-

ing in Pakistan for U.S. companies and businesses in various areas such as IT, textiles, pharmaceutical, etc. Minister for Commerce expressed the resolve to solve the genuine issues being faced by foreign investors including U.S. companies operating in Pakistan.

The U.S. Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs expressed interest in the opportunities being offered and hoped that Government of Pakistan’s focus on improving business climate of the country will further enhance trade and investment between the two countries.

Pakistan’s premiere Ecommerce Fashion marketplace - making waves in Pakistan and globally. HSY is amongst the pre-eminent Pakistani fashion brands in the Couture and Luxury wear.

It is a match made in fashion heaven.

Power suspension schedules for today ISLAMABAD: According to Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO)’s spokesman, System Maintenance/Development Work is in process. Therefore power supply of below mentioned feeders/areas will be temporary suspended as per given schedule: On 05th July, From 07:00 am to 12:00 noon, Pipli, Tumair, New Kalyam, Old Kalyam, HPT-III, Industrial Feeders, From 09:00 AM to 14:00 PM, Dehla Feeder and surroundings will be closed. IESCO management apologizes to its esteemed customers for the power outage. If the work is completed ahead of time, the power supply can be restored even before the scheduled time and the surrounding power will be cut off. PRESS RELEASE

CPEC will provide long term welfare for local residents

Qaiser Nawab China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic partners. The two countries have formed a rock-solid friendship. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a landmark project of the co-construction of the "Belt and Road Initiative" by China and Pakistan, and an important manifestation of the ever-growing "Iron Friendship" between the two countries.

The CPEC is of over 3000 kilometers, it is a bond, connecting the Silk Road Economic Belt to the north and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road to the south. While building a bridge for economic and trade exchanges between China and Pakistan, the CPEC is also constantly enriching the con-

notation of a China-Pakistan community with a shared future.

In 2013, the CPEC was formally proposed and positioned as a "Four-sphere Integrated" channel and a trade corridor covering roads, railways, oil and gas pipelines, and fiber-optic cables; in 2015, the "1+4" cooperation layout was formed with the construction of the corridor as the center, with emphasis on Gwadar port, energy, infrastructure, and industrial cooperation. In December 2017, the "China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Vision Plan (20172030)" was officially released, combining China's "The Belt and Road Initiative" and Pakistan's "Vision 2025". In December 2017, the "China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Vision (2030)" was officially released, dovetailing China's “Belt and Road Initiative" and Pakistan's "Vision 2025", with focuses on development in areas including connectivity, energy, trade, and industrial parks.

CPEC construction bears fruitful results Since its start of construction in 2013, the CPEC has created miracles one after another: China-Pakistan cross-border optical cable, Karakoram Highway upgrading and reconstruction project, Karot Hydropower Station, Lahore Rail Transit Orange Line Project, second stage of dam cut-off achieved at the Sugejinaree Hydropower Project, etc. As of September 2021, the 22 priority projects from the first phase of the

CPEC is almost complete, half of which are energy projects. For example, the Port Qasim coal-fired power station, since it entered commercial operation in April 2018, has generated about 10% of the power supply of Pakistan’s national grid. It is reported that the coal-fired power station will exceed 4.6 billion kWh in 2021.

While accelerating its construction as a power supply base, the CPEC also attaches great importance to the development of clean energy. In November 2021, the Karot Hydropower. Station, the first hydropower investment project under the CPEC, has successfully completed the closure of its diversion tunnel and officially started storing water in the reservoir, laying a foundation for the commissioning of subsequent generators. It is reported that the construction of the Karot Hydropower Station and the Sugijinari Hydropower Station is progressing smoothly, and the construction of the Kohala Hydropower Station project will also begin after the signing of the franchise agreement in May 2021.

During the first phase of construction, China and Pakistan are not only committed to improving energy shortage problems, but also focused on infrastructure constructions.

There are many highlight projects, including Gwadar Port, Lahore Rail Transit Orange Line Project, Karakoram Highway upgrading and reconstruction project Phase II, China-Pakistan Cross-Bor-

der Optical Cable Project, etc. These mass transport infrastructure constructions are of great significance to Pakistan's economic development. Thanks to highways and energy infrastructures, an increasing number of Chinese enterprises have come to invest in Pakistan, effectively promoting Pakistan's economic development and at the same time, laid down a solid foundation for industrial cooperation in the second phase of the corridor.

Under the framework of the CPEC, China and Pakistan have greatly facilitated inter-regional connectivity through the construction of various infrastructure facilities.

Taking Gwadar port in Balochistan as an example, it is not only one of the four key points of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, but also a pilot project for the co-construction of the “Belt and Road Initiative” between China and Pakistan. In November 2016, Gwadar port was officially opened, and from this place, the first Chinese commercial ships set sail. From its humble beginnings as a small fishing village, over years of development, Gwadar port gradually turned into a regional logistics hub.

Even during the epidemic period, the construction of Gwadar port continued to advance. It is worth mentioning that Gwadar Port has also created many "firsts" in 2020: for example, the launch of transit trade through Afghanistan, fully showing its transshipment potentials; for the first time, it is

expected that 10,000 tons of LPG will be shipped to Pakistan each month through Gwadar Port; and it is the first time where commercial operation was realized.

In July 2020, a medium-sized cargo ship loaded with 16,000 tons of chemical fertilizers docked at Gwadar port for the first time, and completed the unloading, warehousing, and storage of all goods, this marks the official launch of Afghanistan's re-export business. It also shows that the CPEC can be extended to Afghanistan and further to Central Asia. From this point on, Afghanistan and the landlocked countries of Central Asia have a connecting access channel.

Relying on the location advantage and connectivity of Gwadar port, in July 2020, a series of industrial projects such as Gwadar Fertilizer Factory, Gwadar Exhibition Center, and Gwadar Lubricating Oil Factory also started construction in Gwadar port Free Trade Zone. Bajwa, who once served as the chairman of the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor Affairs Bureau, said: "The construction of Gwadar Port also has radiating benefits to the development and prosperity of Balochistan and other surrounding areas."

The author, Qaiser Nawab is an awardwinning strategic communications expert with nearly 10 years of experience as an advocate for social change. He is a freelance journalist. He can be reached at

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Tuesday, 5 July, 2022 | LAHORE

10 FOREIGN NEWS

Fight on, Putin tells trooPs as russia gains in ukriane

r

MOSCOW

USSIAN President Vladimir Putin orders the military to fight on after Moscow’s troops won control of the last city held by Ukrainian forces in the eastern Lugansk area on their rapid advance through the Donbas region.

Russia claimed full control of Lugansk, one of two areas making up the industrial Donbas along with neighbouring Donetsk, after capturing the city of Lysychansk at the weekend.

The Ukrainian army said it withdrew from the city to minimise its losses in the face of superior Russian firepower.

Putin says Russian forces “must carry out their tasks according to previously approved plans” and says he hopes they will continue to advance “as has happened in Lugansk”.

$750 bn needed to rebuild ukraine: PM Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal estimates it will take $750 billion to rebuild his war-torn country and says confiscated Russian assets should be sold off to help offset the cost.

Shmygal announces the figure during a donor conference in Switzerland which is discussing a “Marshall Plan” for Ukraine — a huge package of aid to help it rebuild like Europe received from the United States after World War II. Leaders from dozens of countries, international organisations and the private sector are attending the meeting in the Swiss city of Lugano.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says the reconstruction of Ukraine is a job for “the whole democratic world”, not just Ukrainians.

aussie start-up using spider venom to treat heart attacks SYDneY

ukraine retreats froM key city in Major russian gain: The Ukrainian army retreated from the strategic city of Lysychansk Sunday, as Russia claimed a major victory by seizing control of the entire eastern Lugansk region.

The Ukrainian withdrawal followed weeks of fierce fighting and marked a decisive breakthrough for Moscow’s forces more than four months after their invasion and after turning their focus away from the capital Kyiv.

Lysychansk had been the last major city in the Lugansk area of the eastern Donbas region still in Ukrainian hands and this frees up Moscow’s forces to advance on Kramatorsk and Sloviansk in neighbouring Donetsk.

President Volodymyr Zelensky had earlier denied Russian claims of Lysychansk’s fall before the Ukrainian army announced the retreat on Sunday evening.

Protests in US after release of video of police killing Black man AkROn, UniTeD STATeS

Agencies

Agencies

A team of drug researchers from the University of Queensland (UQ) have developed a new heart attack treatment made from deadly spider venom and are now looking to bring the lifesaving treatment to market through a local start-up. The team said on Monday that the drug candidate was one step closer to human trials after Brisbane startup Infensa Bioscience received 23 million Australian dollars (15.6 million U.S. dollars) of initial funding from private investors. UQ Principal Research Fellow and Infensa CEO Associate Professor Mark Smythe said this would be the first drug worldwide that would have the ability to prevent irreversible cell damage caused by a heart attack or stroke. “The heart can’t regenerate muscle cells that die during a heart attack, which is why these injuries cause permanent damage and can lead to heart failure, disability and reduced quality of life.” The drug candidate comes from the venom of one of Australia’s most venomous spiders, the K’gari funnel web spider. IB001, the current name of the drug, works by blocking the signal the body sends that causes heart cells to die during a heart attack or a stroke. Now, with the new seed money at Infensa Bioscience the candidate is poised to enter into phase 1 clinical trials in the Australian state of Queensland next year. The treatment would be particularly useful for treating patients in Australia’s rural areas, who may experience a stroke or a heart attack in locations hours away from the nearest hospital.

“This is a drug that could be given really at the earliest point when a first responder meets a patient who might be having a heart attack or a stroke,” added contributing UQ researcher Nathan Palpant. “(Currently) doctors don’t have any drugs to prevent these injuries from happening in the first place.” The company is also looking at raising funds to expand the use of the drug to extend the life of donor hearts used for organ transplants.

Several hundred protesters marched Sunday in Akron, Ohio after the release of body camera footage that showed police fatally shooting a Black man with several dozen rounds of bullets.

As anger rose over the latest police killing of a Black man in the United States, and authorities appealed for calm, a crowd marched to City Hall carrying banners with slogans such as “Justice for Jayland.”

The slogan refers to Jayland Walker, 25, who was killed Monday after officers tried to stop his car over a traffic violation, police said.

Sunday marked the fourth straight day of protests. Demonstrations were peaceful but for a tense moment in which

some protesters got close to a line of police and shouted at them. After the first rally, a crowd of people remained in the street protesting. Fearing potential unrest, authorities in the city of 190,000 people moved snowplows and other heavy equipment near the police department to serve as a barrier.

After initially providing few details of the shooting, Akron authorities released two videos Sunday: one that was a compilation of body-camera footage, body-cam still frames and voiceover, and another of the complete body-cam footage of the entire chase and shooting.

The voiceover explained that Walker did not stop and drove off. Police engaged in a car chase and said a shot had been fired from Walker’s vehicle. After being chased for several minutes, Walker got out of his car while it was still mov-

ing and fled on foot. Officers tried to subdue him with their tasers, but he kept running. Several officers finally chased Walker to a parking lot. The body-cam footage is too blurry to see clearly what happens, but an initial police statement released after the shooting says he behaved in a way that caused officers to believe he posed a “deadly threat.”

All of the officers at the scene opened fire on Walker, shooting multiple times in rapid succession.

He was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident was the latest death of an African-American citizen at the hands of police, events that have sparked mass protests over racism and police brutality.

“Many will wish to air their grievances in public, and I fully support our residents’ right to peacefully assemble,”

Akron mayor Dan Horrigan told a press conference, saying he was “heartbroken” over the events.

“But I hope the community can agree that violence and destruction are not the answer.” He also said an independent investigation was being conducted. Police chief Steve Mylett said he didn’t know the exact number of bullets fired at Walker, but the medical examiner’s report “indicates over 60 wounds to Mr. Walker’s body.”

He added that the eight officers involved in Walker’s death have been placed on paid administrative leave until the investigation is complete.

Authorities canceled a festival planned for the July 4th weekend.

Basketball star LeBron James, an Akron native, said in a tweet Sunday he was praying for his city.

Qatar, US discuss efforts to revive Iran nuclear deal DOHA,QATAR AnAdolu Agency Qatar’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani held talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the latest developments of efforts to revive the Iran nuclear deal, the state news agency QNA reported.

This came during a phone call made by the Qatar minister with the chief US diplomat on Sunday. Bilateral ties and ways of developing them in various fields and issues of mutual concern also figured in the talks between the two sides, QNA said. Last week, Doha hosted EU-mediated indirect talks between Tehran and Washington to revive the 2015 nuclear

deal. In May, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani visited Tehran and held wide-ranging talks with Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi amid reports of Qatari mediation efforts to break the stalemate in the Vienna talks and unfreeze Iran’s frozen assets abroad.

The key disagreements between the US and Iran that have led to the stalemate include the de-listing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)-linked organizations and guarantees that the future US administration will not walk out of the deal again. Former US President Donald Trump pulled his country out of the landmark deal in May 2018, which was followed by the reinstatement of sanctions on Iran under the “maximum pressure” campaign.

China says ready to promote more robust, greener global development BeiJinG Agencies

Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Monday that China is ready to work with countries around the world to promote more robust, greener and healthier global development. Xi made the remarks in a congratulatory letter to a forum on global development held in Beijing on Monday.

The world is facing drastic changes and a pandemic both unseen in a century, and the global economic recovery is weak and sluggish, Xi said. The development gap between the North and the South is widening, and the world has entered a new period of turbulence and changes, he said, adding that promoting global development has become a major subject faced by mankind.

Therefore, China proposed the Global Development Initiative (GDI), he said.

China is ready to make joint efforts with

countries around the world to follow a people-centered approach, stay committed to benefits for all, and prioritize development on the international agenda, he said.

He stressed China’s readiness to work with other countries in promoting innovation-driven development and harmony between man and nature, accelerating the implementation of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and pursuing more robust, greener and healthier global development.

The GDI was put forward by the Chinese president in September last year at the general debate of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly.

Wang Yi calls for building stronger development of Lancang-Mekong economic belt. Countries associated with the LancangMekong Cooperation (LMC), China, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, should make joint efforts to build

a stronger Lancang-Mekong economic development belt, said the Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday.

He made the remarks while co-chairing the seventh LMC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting with Myanmar’s Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin in Bagan, Myanmar.

Priorities of LMC in the future: Noting that the Chinese economy, which enjoys sustained growth in the long run, is accelerating the building of a new development pattern and promoting high-quality development, Wang said that it will provide greater opportunities for countries along the Mekong River.

He called on the LMC countries to jointly build demonstration zones for highquality Belt and Road cooperation, pilot zones for Global Development Initiative, and pilot zones for Global Security Initiative.

In deepening economic integration, he

proposed developing the China-Laos Railway and promoting the construction of the railways of China-Laos and Thailand.

In strengthening agricultural cooperation, he proposed jointly building demonstration bases for agricultural products and carrying out cooperation on green and ecological grain storage.

He also underlined further cooperation in adhering to green development, promoting digital industry, and having closer people-to-people exchanges.

Initiatives benefiting Mekong countries: In the next phase, China will introduce more initiatives to share the benefits of cooperation and boost development momentum with Mekong countries, Wang announced at the meeting. China will carry out 100 agricultural technology projects for Mekong countries, train 1,000 agricultural pioneers and build 10,000 hectares of demonstration farmland, he said.

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sports 11

BABAr opTIMIsTIC ABouT TEAM’s good show AgAInsT srI LAnkA LAHoRe

p

Staff RepoRt

AKISTAN all-format cricket teams captain Babar Azam has said that the national team has prepared hard and he is optimistic about the team’s good show against Sri Lanka.

Addressing a press conference ahead of the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, the skipper said here on Monday , “We are well aware of the Sri Lankan conditions that’s why we have prepared hard and trained very well for the twomatch Test series against Sri Lanka.

Hopefully, all the boys will play with great responsibility and help their side win the series.”

He said that the national team

has practised at special pitches for the spin challenge. “Spin pitches were specially prepared at the National High-Performance Center (NHPC) while practice matches were also played on similar kinds of tracks in Rawalpindi. Conditions in Sri Lanka are quite similar to Pakistan, so we have prepared well to play spin in Sri Lanka.”

When asked whether Pakistani pacers would also deliver against Sri Lanka at their home soil, Babar replied: “If the pacers get less wickets in the match between Australia and Sri Lanka, it does not mean that our pacers cannot succeed either.

Our pace battery has enough capacity to put pressure on the Lankan batters and hopefully, they will pose a threat to Sri Lankan batters.”

But the captain believes that

spinners will play a key role in Sri Lankan conditions, saying leg-spinner Yasir Shah and left-arm spinners Nauman Ali and Mohammad Nawaz will be crucial for them in Tests against Sri Lanka. “Yasir has returned to our squad and his form is good. Nauman and Nawaz are the other two key options for us to dominate in Sri Lankan conditions that usually favour spinners.”

Babar said he is eager to gain a top position in Test format as well. “I am working really hard to make my performance equal to white-ball format. Gaining top position and making Pakistan proud is such a great feeling. I will try my best to continue performing for my country.”

Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar attended the national team’s training camp and met fast

bowlers. Babar said Shoaib Akhtar’s meeting with pacers helped them learn a lot. “Our fast bowlers got useful tips from Shoaib Bhai. Hopefully, his motivation and tips to our pacers will help them deliver against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka.”

Babar Azam’s side converged in Islamabad on June 25 to finalise their preparations for the Test series at the Pindi Cricket Stadium with a seven-day camp that ended on July 2. The national cricket team will be departing for Sri Lanka on July 6.

While Pakistan will play a threeday warm-up match between July 11-13. The first Test will be played at Galle from July 16, while the second Test will be staged at Colombo from July 24.

Spin specialist Yasir Shah has made a comeback in the team as he

was instrumental in Pakistan’s 2-1 victory over Sri Lanka on their last tour of the island in 2015, snaring 24 wickets at 19.33. He comes back into the side after regaining full fitness.

PAKISTAN TEST SQUAD FOR SRI LANKA: Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-

captain, wicketkeeper), Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood and Yasir Shah.

Djokovic into 13th Wimbledon quarter-final despite blip LoNDoN agencieS

Six-time champion Novak Djokovic overcame a mid-match blip to defeat Dutch wild card Tim van Rijthoven and reach his 13th Wimbledon quarter-final on Sunday.

Top seed Djokovic, looking to equal Pete Sampras as a seven-time champion at the All England Club, downed his 104th-ranked opponent 62, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.

The Serb will face 10th seeded Jannik Sinner for a place in the semi-finals after the Italian knocked out Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz.

“He was very tough. I have never

faced him before,” said Djokovic after racking up a 25th successive win on grass. “He has a great serve, powerful forehand and nice touch.”

Djokovic cruised through the opening set under the Centre Court roof with breaks in the second and eighth games.

However, Van Rijthoven stunned the 20-time Grand Slam title winner by levelling the contest, pocketing the second set with his 13th ace of the tie.

Normal service was resumed, however, in a 30-minute third set on the back of a double break for the champion.

Two further breaks against the wilting Dutchman, who ended the contest with 53 unforced errors, proved enough for Djokovic in the fourth set.

Foreign climbers reach Skardu to summit above 8000m peaks IsLAMAbAD Staff RepoRt

A four-member foreign expedition has reached Skardu as part of its campaign to summit K2, Broad Peak, GasherbrumI (GI) and Gasherbrum-II (GII).

“The team is led by Norwegian female climber Kristin Harila, who has arrived in Pakistan to scale it’s above five 8,000 metre peaks within two months,” Secretary Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) Karrar Haidri told APP on Monday.

The 36-year-old Harila and her three Nepalese team members – Pasdawa Sherpa, Dawa Ongju and Chhiring Namgel are part of 8K Expedition.

“They have already ascended Nanga Parbat along with another expedition team Dolma Outdoor a couple of days ago.”

According to Haidri, Harila is on a mission to beat the time record of ascending the world’s all 14 above 8000metre peaks in just six months.

“Now she has summited seven eight thousanders. If she meets her target it will be a monumental feat as she will become the first woman in history and the

second person ever to climb all the eightthousanders in such a short span of time [in six months],” he said.

Kristin climbed Makalu in May, this year. That was her sixth 8,000m summit in just 29 days, beating out Nepali adventurer Nirmal Purja’s 31 days in 2019 for the fastest time to summit that many 8,000m peaks.

Five of the 14 above 8000m peaks in the world, including the world’s second highest peak K2 (8,611m), Nanga Parbat (8,126m), Gasherbrum I (8080m), Broad Peak (8051m), Gasherbrum II (8,035m) are located in Pakistan. “This is the second phase of her campaign wherein she will be attempting to summit Pakistan’s all the above 8000-metre peaks in two months,” Haidri said.

“The 8K Expeditions will now attempt K2, then Broad Peak and finally Gasherbrum-I and Gasherbrum-II,” Haidri said.

Only 44 people in history have summited all the 14 peaks. By accomplishing the goal Kristin will also become the first person to do so from a Scandinavian country.

Haidri said popularity of Pakistan’s

captivating mountains was growing across the globe at a rapid pace as for the first time in recent history over 1400 international climbers had applied to attempt its 6,000 to 8,000-metre peaks, this summer. “This number is quite staggering as compared to the last year when 550 climbers tried their luck. Several teams have arrived in Pakistan, while multiple outfits have already set off on the trekking mission,” he added.

Around 57 expeditions across 23 peaks with a combined total of 672 climbers [576 male and 96 female] had been issued permits. “So far, the permits have been issued till August. But as the summer season will continue till September, the rest of the expeditions will get permits with due course of time,” he added. He said a stunning 400 international climbers will be attempting K2 this season.

On this day Imran Khan made cricket history Web Desk Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made a tweet remembering Imran Khan’s performance on this day 35 years ago, when he became the first Pakistan bowler to take 300 Test wickets. By doing so, he beat Englishman Jack Richard’s record in the Leeds Test.

In the 1987 tour of England, five Test matches were played in the series between Pakistan and England, in which Pakistan won one out of four.

Khan is considered one of the most legendary cricket players of all time.

In 1978, he was the third-fastest bowler in the world, behind icons like Dennis Lillee and Andy Roberts.

In 1992, the Pakistani cricket team became world champions when they beat England in the finals in Melbourne, Australia, with Khan as captain.

Brazilian forward Jesus moves to Arsenal from Manchester City beIJING Xinhua

Arsenal on Monday confirmed the signing of Brazilian forward Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City on a longterm contract. “I’m very excited. The club has done a tremendous job to recruit a player of this stature. I know Gabriel personally very well, and we all know him well from his time in the Premier League and being really successful here,” Mikel Arteta, the Gunners manager, said in a statement. “This is a position that’s been on our radar for a long time now and we have managed to get a player that we all wanted, so I’m really happy,” he added. The 25-year-old produced 95 goals and 46 assists in 236 appearances in all competitions during his five seasons in Manchester. He helped the City win 11 major trophies, including four English Premier League titles. Jesus is a regular in the Brazilian national team, making 56 appearances and scoring 19 goals. He was a member of the squad which clinched the 2019 Copa America.

England set 378 to win fifth Test against India AGeNcIes Birmingham, United Kingdom: England were set a target of 378 to win the fifth Test against India at Edgbaston on Monday. India were dismissed for 245 in their second innings shortly after lunch on the fourth day. There have been only two successful fourth-innings chases above 200 in a Test at Edgbaston, with South Africa making 283-5 in 2008 and England 211-3 against New Zealand in 1999. England, however, reached seemingly stiff targets of 277, 299 and 296 during a recent 3-0 whitewash of Test world champions New Zealand. And they now have more than 150 overs in which to chase down this latest target and so end this five-match series with India level at 2-2. Recalled opener Cheteshwar Pujara topscored for India with 66, while Rishabh Pant followed his first-innings 146 with 57. But India lost their last six wickets for 55 runs, with England captain Ben Stokes taking 4-33 in 11.5 overs. This decider should have been played in Manchester last September only to be postponed just hours before the start because of coronavirus concerns within the India camp.

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7,000 MW tO BE addEd tO natiOnal gRid BEfORE nExt SuMMER: daStagiR ISLAMABAD

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stAff report

INISTER for Power Engineer Khurram Dastgir on Monday said around 7,000 MW electricity would be added to the national grid before next summer season, which would help overpower load-shedding in the country.

About 4,623 MW electricity would be added to the system through those projects, which were launched by the last Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government in 2018, and the rest through net metering and solar projects, he said addressing a press conference after the cabinet meeting.

Flanked by Minister of Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb, Minister of State for Petroleum Dr Musadik Malik, Advisor to the PM on Kashmir Affairs Qamar Zaman Kaira, Federal

Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Khurram said the government was framing a comprehensive solar energy policy under which not only large scale plants would be set up but also all the government departments would be converted to the solar energy.

Loans on easy installments would be provided to small consumers for installing 5KV solar plants, he added.

The minister said a detailed briefing would be given to the prime minister about the policy, which would be announced in next few weeks.

Sharing a good news, he said 720 MW Karot Hydropower Project had started its full operation. Its foundation was jointly laid by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2015.

The Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project, he added, had already been sup-

plying 969 MW electricity to the national grid since April 2018.

He said the inauguration of 720 MW Karot Hydropower Project was scheduled on June 29, but it was deferred by the prime minister as per the directives of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Khurram said the cabinet was informed that water inflow in Tarbela Dam had significantly improved, which would improve power generation, while the K-2 nuclear plant would also start supplying 1,100 MW to the system before Eid-ul-Azha after completion of its refueling.

He said the coalition government was working day and night to provide maximum relief to the masses. The entire leadership was united for strengthening the national economy and democracy, he added.

To a question, the minister said tariff would not be increased for consumers using up to 200 units per month.

Patel stresses SOPs as Covid positivity ratio rises to 4.6pc ISLAMABAD stAff report

govt looks forward to engaging with Biden administration: PM ISLAMABAD stAff report

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday felicitated the United States on its Independence Day and said the government looked forward to promoting bilateral relations. “The government looks forward to engaging with the Biden administration at all levels to promote our bilateral relations including trade and investment,” he said in a tweet. The prime minister said, “It is my pleasure to extend the heartiest felicitations and greetings to the people and the government of the United States on their Independence Day”.

Last month, Pakistan Ambassador to the United States Sardar Masood Khan visited the White House to meet President Joe Biden and have an official photograph with him – an established tradition in Washington for newly appointed envoys. According to the press release issued by the Pakistan embassy in the US, during the ceremony, President Biden and Ambassador Khan had a brief conversation on building a strong basis for moving the US-Pakistan ties forward.

Parliamentary Committee discusses current security issues today ISLAMABAD stAff report

The meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security will be held at the National Assembly Hall here on Tuesday (today) to discuss current national security issues. A letter has been sent to the members of the Committee to attend the meeting including Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly, Senior Parliamentary Leaders of both the Houses, Federal Ministers, Senior Political Leaders, Provincial Chief Ministers, President and Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan. The committee will also be attended by senior members of the National Assembly and the Senate, members of Standing Committees on Defense, Federal Secretaries Defense, Foreign Affairs, Interior, Kashmir Affairs, Health and National Security Division, four provincial chief secretaries, chief secretary Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. In the absence of NA Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf, who will be away from the country, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will chair the meeting and it will be attended by the services chiefs and heads of other relevant agencies. Special security arrangements will be in place out and inside of the Parliament on the occasion. In all, 140 members of the two houses have been invited to the meeting, including members of the security committee. The NA through a motion last month had already permitted to use the premises for the meeting.

Minister for National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination, Abdul Qadir Patel on Monday emphasized the importance of social distancing and mask-wearing, expressing concern over increasing number of Corona cases in the country.

Addressing a press conference, he said that keeping in view the current COVID-19 situation and considering the case positivity ratio of 4.6% in the last 24 hours, all stakeholders concerned have been directed to remain alert and vigilant.

He said that as per data, the daily death ratio had reached to 1.5% as one or two deaths were being occurred daily while five percent patients were on ventilator. As many as 176 more patients got admission in hospitals during the last 24 hours.

He said that more Coronavirus cases were being reported throughout the country.

He added, considering the situation, SOPs had been issued for offices and more focus was on its implementation side.

He said that overall 80% eligible population was fully vaccinated and the government had advised all provinces and regions to administer booster doses on a priority basis to further improve protection against COVID-19 transmission.

Patel said that as per directions of the Prime Minister, special instructions had been issued to the Sindh government as more cases were being reported from Karachi and asked them to increase testing facility besides taking various measures to control the disease.

He said that a daily-base meeting was being held at National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) to closely monitor the situation and the apprised that mostly cases being reported were from BA.5 subvarient.

Patel said that special instructions had been issued to the provinces to

ensure resources are available to manage any emergency like isolation center etc. and added that they had been asked to contact with the federal government in case of any need.

He said that discussion was being held with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to exactly know the demand and supply situation and manage any gap.

The minister also highlighted the need to strictly follow the guidelines for the management of markets for Eidul Adha and also asked the citizens to avoid unnecessary movement during Eid days in crowded places.

He said, “So far we did not issue any direction to close down the markets as our appeal to the citizens is maintaining social distancing, using masks and sanitizers.” He added there is no need of starting smart lockdown in Karachi. He said that besides many other tall claims there was a fake claim of the past government of producing locally made ventilators in Pakistan.

Imran Khan moves SC against revocation of overseas Pakistanis’ voting rights ISLAMABAD Agencies

PTI Chairman Imran Khan Monday approached the Supreme Court against the amendments in election laws revoking voting rights of overseas Pakistanis through internet voting.

On June 9, Parliament’s joint session passed the Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2022, and National Accountability (Amendment) Bill, 2022 — depriving overseas Pakistanis of voting rights through i-voting, abolishing the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs), and making changes to NAB chairman’s appointment procedures.

The PTI had already challenged the amendments made to the NAB laws and today, it has sought the apex court’s intervention to reverse the amendments made to the election laws. Khan, filing the petition through his lawyers, has made the federal government, Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), and National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) parties in the case.

The PTI chairman prayed to the court for declaring the

amendments “unconstitutional, ultra vires and void, ab initio and to strike down the same”.

He asked the court to declare that section 94(1) of the Elections Act, 2017 as inserted by the Elections (Amendment) Act, 2021, is the existing law, and that all institutions, especially ECP and NADRA, are bound to act in accordance with it. “Direct the ECP and all relevant authorities to take necessary steps to give effect to the right of overseas Pakistanis to vote in all future elections, especially the upcoming general elections from their country of residence,” reads the petition.

In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, he asked the court to direct the ECP to grant the necessary approvals and funds to NADRA for developing the new I-Voting System so it can be used in the next general elections. “Grant a continuing mandamus and supervise the process of putting in place a system for ensuring that overseas Pakistanis are able to cast their votes in all future elections, especially the upcoming general elections, from their country of residence,” he prayed to the court.

Ehsanullah Reki sworn in as State Minister ISLAMABAD App

Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) leader and Member of National Assembly Ehsanullah Reki took oath as the Minister of State here on Monday. President Dr. Arif Alvi administered the oath to Ehsanullah Reki at a ceremony held here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.

SBP announces 74 day OMO injection, rejects all bids KARACHI AribA shAhid

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) conducted a 74-day Open Market Operation (OMO) injection through Reverse Repo Purchase earlier today.

This OMO is important as it may be seen as a signal for a hike in the policy rate especially with the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting scheduled for July 7, 2022. Twentyeight bids that were placed by participants ranging between 13.97 percent to 13.84 percent to raise PKR 1.91 trillion were rejected by the SBP. According to a senior banker, “Usually when longer OMOs are introduced, it is to address rising yields, but also to provide a signal that the policy rate is likely to remain unchanged. However, taking back or shelving today’s OMO may be a hint to the markets to expect a rate hike.” The source adds, “The SBP seems confused.

They’re making an injection today, while they conducted a mop-up last week.” Earlier last week, on Thursday, the SBP conducted a four-day OMO to mop up liquidity. It picked up PKR 392.6 billion at a rate of return of 13.65 percent per annum. On June 24, the SBP announced a 77day OMO injection into the interbank, this is the longest OMO tenor till date. PKR 402 billion was injected through this OMO expected to mature on September 9, 2022.

PTI demands forensic test of Bushra Bibi’s leaked audio ISLAMABAD news desk

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Shireen Mazari and Fawad Chaudhry on Monday demanded a forensic test of the phone tapping of Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi.

On Saturday, an audio clip went viral on social media in which Bushra Bibi can be allegedly heard directing the Focal Person to PTI Chairman on

Digital Media Dr Arsalan Khalid to spread the “narrative of treason”.

Talking to media persons in Islamabad on Monday, Shireen Mazari claimed that a forensic test would prove whether “it was fake or real”.

The PTI leader went on to add that “according to the Supreme Court decision, phone tapping is illegal,” while stating that “the entire conversation has been cut and pasted”.

“Nonetheless there is no political

issue here,” she claimed before adding that “previously, a government was removed for the same reason”.

Although the former minister for human rights did not clarify this, it appears she was referring to the previous Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government’s claims in 2017 when the Prime Minister House had accused the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing into the Panamagate case of tapping phones and mon-

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itoring witnesses, which is in violation of the law and the Constitution.

Calling on the apex court to take notice of the alleged phone tapping of Imran Khan’s house, Mazari contended that the actions were part of an attempt to “cover-up” the conspiracy that PTI claims was behind Imran Khan’s government’s ouster.

“This is being done by those who brought the current government,” she stated.