Epaper_22-07-14 KHI

Thursday, 14 July, 2022 I 14 Zil Hajj, 1443 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XII No 373 I 12 Pages I Karachi Edition

Pakistan, iMF reach staFF-level agreeMent For loan resuMPtion g

PROGRAMME SIzE INCREASED By $1B TO TOTAL $7B

LAHORE

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Staff RepoRt

N a breakthrough, Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Wednesday reached a staff-level agreement over the revival of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme.

Although officials from the Ministry of Finance confirmed the same to the local media, a confirmation from the IMF side was not available; however, the fund does not comment on talks with countries before a formal statement has been released. The statement which was expected to be released Wednesday night had not

been released til the publishing of this news.

Government sources connected with the talks had informed Profit that an agreement has finally been reached and the fund will issue a statement during working hours in Washington DC on Wednesday.

The first tranche is expected to be SDR894 million, equal to $1.2 billion. The program has been extended till July 2023, and total program size increased by $1bn to reach $7bn.

“Pakistan has met all prior actions for the IMF board approval already” the same source told Profit.

The talks had dragged on over questions on the revenue plan, power tariff adjustments, the question of those Independent Power Producers

(IPPs) whose tariff has not been renegotiated, the fiscal surplus that the provinces are expected to run, and the quarterly fiscal targets.

“The MOU with the provinces has been signed and shared with the fund” the source tells Profit.

Agreement on all the other issues was clinched last night. The government is now expecting an announcement from the IMF by later tonight.

Earlier in June, Pakistan had received the Memorandum of Economic and Financial Policies (MEFP), a document that contains details regarding striking a staff-level agreement, from the IMF for the seventh and eighth reviews.This was confirmed by Finance Minister Miftah Ismail on his official Twitter handle.

Pakistan unveiled a 9.5 trillion rupee ($47 billion) budget for 2022-23 last month aimed at tight fiscal consolidation in a bid to convince the IMF to restart much-needed bailout payments.

However, the lender later said additional measures were needed to bring Pakistan’s budget in line with the key objectives of the IMF programme. The two sides held several meetings and agreed on the budget and fiscal measures.

Pakistan had sought an increase in the size and duration of the programme when Ismail met with IMF officials in Washington in April.

Pakistan entered the IMF programme in 2019, but only half the funds have been disbursed to date as Islamabad has struggled to keep targets on track.

The last disbursement was in February and the next tranche was to follow a review in March, but the government of ousted prime minister Imran Khan introduced costly fuel price caps which threw fiscal targets and the programme off track.

Pakistan’s new government has removed the price caps, with fuel prices going up at the pump by up to 70% in a matter of three weeks.

IHC declares Navy Golf Course construction as illegal ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) declared Wednesday the construction of Navy Golf Course in the Margalla Hills National Park illegal and ordered the Defense Ministry to inquire into the illegal construction of the golf course.

In a detailed 108-page verdict, the IHC also directed the defence secretary to conduct a forensic audit to assess the damage to the national exchequer.

“Since the command and control of the Armed Forces vests in the Federal Government, therefore, no branch can undertake any activity or perform functions outside their respective establishments unless expressly directed or called upon to do so. The unique responsibilities have been prescribed under the Constitution and, therefore, obedi-

ence to the provisions ibid and law is an inviolable obligation of every branch and member of the Armed Forces as provided under Article 5,” the detailed judgment reads.

The court also rejected the ownership claim of the Pakistan Army Directorate on 8,068 acres of land in the National Park.

The court also rejected the

claim of the Remount, Veterinary and Farms Directorate of Pakistan Army about the ownership of 8068 acres of land in the national park.

The lease agreement of the Remount, Veterinary and Farms Directorate of Pakistan Army with Monal Restaurant was also declared illegal by the court.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah

wrote and signed the verdict before leaving for the Eid holidays, and it was released on Wednesday (today). The report of the Islamabad Environmental Commission was also included in the 108-page verdict.

“The state and the government officials are bound to protect the Margalla Hills,” the court said.

“The state has the responsibility to take action against those who violate the fundamental rights of the people,” it added.

“Ironically, the state institutions are also involved in the desecration of the notified protected area of the Margalla Hills,” it stated.

“The Pakistan Navy and the Pakistan Army took the law into their own hands and violated the enforced laws,” the court declared.

“It was an ideal case of the power of elite and undermining the rule of law,” it pointed out.

The court further said that the state had the duty to take steps to lessen damages to the Margalla Hills to prevent further destruction.

It merits a mention here that the court had earlier issued a summary judgment in the case on January 11, 2022.

Bani Gala had become ‘Money Gala’ during Imran’s rule: Maryam Nawaz LAYYAH Staff RepoRt

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz has said that Bani Gala had become “Money Gala” during the rule of former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan.

Addressing a rally here in Layyah on Wednesday ahead of July 17 by-elec-

tions in Punjab, Maryam Nawaz contended that her party will defeat incompetence, inflation and corruption and the PML-N has already won. On July 17, there will be a competition with Punjab s enemy Imran Khan and “Fitna Khan” is another name of anarchy.

She also claimed that the petrol and diesel prices will come down in the next 24 to 48 hours.

The PML-N vice president further said

that her party will be contesting on July 17 against inflation, corruption, incompetence and unemployment brought by the previous rulers. “Imran Khan is the biggest plan of destruction of Punjab, while Nawaz Sharif started projects for the prosperity of the country,” she said.

“The lion’s fight is with corruption, incompetence and unemployment,” she said. “July 17 is the main battle with Punjab’s enemy Imran Khan,” she concluded.

saudi crown prince ‘accepts’ invitation to visit Pakistan ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

The crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, “accepted” on Wednesday the invitation from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to visit Pakistan.

Sharif extended the invitation during a telephonic call with the prince wherein he also conveyed warm greetings to the petro-rich nation’s head on the eve of Eid ul-Adha.

He expressed good wishes to the Prince and the people of Saudi Arabia. Sharif also felicitated him on the successful Hajj and thanked the Saudi government for taking care of the pilgrims, particularly those from Pakistan.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have also agreed to pursue a joint strategy for the execution of the decisions taken during Prime Minister Sharif’s visit to the kingdom in April.

Both leaders also discussed the ongoing bilateral projects and agreed to further strengthen cooperation in the fields of trade and investment.

On July 9, Sharif also invited the president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Mohammed bin zayed Al Nahyan, to visit Pakistan which the latter “accepted with great pleasure”.

A statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office said the invitation was extended during a telephone call from Al Nahyan. Sharif had called the UAE leader to convey warm greetings to him on Eid ul-Adha.

more inside

On Martyrs’ Day, Sharif reaffirms commitment to Kashmir cause STORY ON BACK PAGE

Gulf based crypto trading company aims to enter Pakistan STORY ON BACK PAGE

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Thursday, 14 July, 2022 | KARACHI

NEWS

Formal launch oF Islamabad aIrport metro Faces Further delay IsLAMABAD

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GhulaM abbaS

He formal launch of the Orange Line Islamabad Airport Metro is facing a further delay due to political interference and pressures from different operators, Profit learnt on Wednesday.

According to sources, unresolved issues related to the bus service are delaying its formal launch, incurring a huge loss to the government in terms of subsidy while the civic body of Islamabad has diverted 15 buses of the Orange Line Airport Service to the blue and green lines which were inaugurated by the prime minister last week.

On the other hand, a senior official in the government said that the launch will be further delayed as the contractor for infrastructure development has not

completed the trials of elevators, escalators and automatic glass doors at the platforms – which are all currently non-functioning.

Sources said that the Airport Metro’s schedule has already been altered by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) due to business related tussles between the operator of Rawalpindi-Islamabad metro bus service and the operator of airport metro.

They informed that 30 buses belonging to the Orange Line reached Islamabad more than a month ago.

However, so far operational contracts with the company responsible to drive and maintain the buses have only been signed for the blue and green lines. Out of these 30 buses, 10 and five are to be transferred to the blue and green lines, respectively.

On the other hand, 15 buses borrowed

from the Red Line – RawalpindiIslamabad Metro Bus Service in April to operate on a trial basis continue to operate while buses coming from China have remained parked at the Peshawar Mor Metro Bus Terminal for over a month.

Sources in the civic body said that due to delays in the handing over the new buses to the operator, the government continues to incur a huge loss at the airport route as the operator is charging Rs405 per kilometer from CDA and is threatening to move to the court against the authority for delaying the contract’s signing. The rate set through the auction of an operation contract was Rs149 per kilometer.

To accommodate Orange Line’s operator, CDA recently launched the blue and green lines, diverting 15 out of the 30 buses of the airport service.

The authority has also been given a

budget by the federal government to procure 10 more buses from the National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC), for the two lines.

The NRTC has around 250 buses as it was set to operate the Intra District Peoples Bus Service Project on routes in Karachi and Larkana. However, in the process, as half of the buses scheduled for the airport service have been diverted to other routes, the frequency of buses at Orange Lines has reduced from five minutes to around 10 minutes.

It may be mentioned here that recently inaugurated bus services will travel along the Green Line from Bhara Kahu and Blue Line from Koral to PIMS, whereas the Green-Blue service will combine with the Red Line (Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro). The Orange Line runs from the airport to the Faiz Ahmad Faiz bus stop.

pm accepts resignation of chairman privatisation commission IsLAMABAD ShahZad Paracha

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday accepted the resignation of Chairman Privatisation Commission Saleem Ahmad who had tendered in the document on the same day. Ahmad’s resignation, which closely follows the resignation of managing director Utility Store Corporation (USC), another expert who was hired by the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) government, cited personal reasons behind the move. Saleem Ahmad was appointed as chairman PC on January 18, 2022, on the basis of extensive experience in the financial sector both in Pakistan and abroad. In his short tenure as chairman PC, Saleem Ahmad worked to expedite the revival process of PSMC, recapitalisation of National Power Parks Management Company Limited (NPPMCL), and the sale of House Building Finance Corporation Company Limited (HBFCL) among others. As per details, the prime minister has accepted the resignation in view of the importance this government grants to the privatisation programme and the PM will soon appoint a new official to fill the post. It is pertinent to note that MD USC also tendered his resignation earlier last month.

Subsequently, the Cabinet has approved the posting of Muhammad Ali Amir.

News Desk The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Wednesday sent a summons letter to Aamir Liaquat’s widow Dania Shah. A case against Aamir Liaquat’s widow Dania Shah was heard in Karachi City Court in this regard the FIA submitted a progress report to the court. The report said that a letter of summons had been sent to Dania Shah and the family of Aamir Liaquat has been asked to record a statement for the investigation of the case. The report further informed the court that the FIA wants to take Dania Shah’s statement under section 154 while the letter asked the widow of Aamir Liaquat to bring the videos. The court should be informed when Dania Shah’s statement is recorded, the report added. In this regard, the court has adjourned the hearing seeking a progress report from the FIA at the next hearing.

News Desk In yet another success on the diplomatic front, Pakistan on Wednesday once again thwarted India’s bid for permanent seat in United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Pakistan s position on permanent membership in the United Nations was recognized, while, the Arab League and the African Union also supported Pakistan’s position. Twothirds majority is required for permanent membership in the Security Council. India does not have the support of half the members to become a permanent member of the UNSC. New Delhi has always violated UN resolutions and is also involved in serious human rights violations in occupied Kashmir.

nab lahore dG moves Ihc against pac summons in sexual harassment case News Desk

LAHORE: Families enjoying rainy weather in historic Shalimar Gardens. Photo by Zubair MehfooZ

Sindh, Balochistan to receive above normal precipitation: Sherry News Desk

FIa summons aamir liaquat’s widow dania shah

pakistan thwarts India’s bid for permanent unsc seat

Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman on Wednesday said the provinces of Sindh and Balochistan were receiving above normal monsoon rainfall which would scale up further in the coming day.

The Federal Minister for Climate Change took to Twitter to share the abnormal rainfall situation in Sindh and Balochistan causing serious urban flooding and risk to human life and property.

She wrote, “Sindh & Balochistan still under heavy monsoon pressure for the last 13 days. Sindh is 625 % above the 30 year average, Balochistan 501”.

Sherry further wrote that the Pakistan Meteorological Department reports claimed a further rise in heavy rainfall starting tomorrow (July 14th).

She urged that the quarters concerned across the board were asked to ensure better preparedness and response measures during the inclement weather.

The weather cycle again would focus on Sindh and Balochistan for high precipitation, she added. The Minister also shared an info-graphic highlighting the monsoon rainfall situation across the country.

In a separate tweet, the Minsiter said climate change was sweping through the world with its existential impacts.

She also posted the images of urban flooding in Sydney that submerged the major thoroughfares under water. “This is Sydney last week, Australia’s biggest city, lashed by torrential rains, leading to flash urban flooding”.

She added that over 30,000 residents had to be evacuated from Sydney’s flooded areas. The Minister went on to mention that South Asia, especially Pakistan was still in a serious monsoon cycle.

Woman dies after being ‘boiled alive’ in cauldron by husband News Desk In a shocking incident, a 33-year-old woman was baldly tortured and allegedly burnt alive by her husband in Karachi’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal area, police said on Wednesday.

According to police, the 33-year-old woman was found dead at a school located in Karachi’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal Block No 4. The woman had been beaten and burnt alive by her

husband in a boiling cauldron, they said.

As per the initial investigation, the husband, Aashiq, used to force her wife, identified as Nargis, into illicit relations and killed her after she refused for immoral activities.

“The husband brutally tortured his wife and burnt her alive in front of children by putting Nargis in a boiling cauldron,” SHO Saleem Awan told media.

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Lahore DG Major (r) Shehzad Saleem on Wednesday filed an application in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the summons issued to him by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the National Assembly (NA) to answer the sexual harassment charges levelled against him as well as ex-NAB chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal by a woman named Tayyaba Gul. Naming the National Assembly (NA) secretary, Public Accounts Committee and others as respondents in the petition, the petitioner prayed to the court to declare the notice issued to him null and void. In the petition, DG NAB argued that by summoning him, the PAC had gone beyond its powers. He further stated that the woman’s petitions were already sub judice at an accountability court in Lahore and the Federal Shariat Court. “And as long as Tayyaba’s petitions are pending in the courts, it is prayed to the court to grant me stay in the case,” he requested. Truth of the matter, the DG went on to add, was that the woman had filed a petition in the PAC with a mala fide intent. “It cannot be ruled out either that the committee chairman member of the National Assembly (MNA) Noor Alam Khan might have himself asked the woman to file the complaint against me and the ex-NAB chairman only for his own vested interest because he is already facing an inquiry by the bureau,” read the petition. And when, the petitioner added, relevant forums already existed to Tayyaba for the redressal of her complaint, initiation of an inquiry by the PAC was not justified.

“Such is the conduct of the committee chairman that he keeps bragging about that he was not loyal to the party on whose ticket he was elected as MNA,” the petition concluded.

mustafa Qureshi’s wife rubina breathes her last News Desk Rubina Qureshi, the legendary Sindhi singer, and the wife of renowned actor Mustafa Qureshi, passed away here on Wednesday. Rubina had been suffering from cancer for the last two years. She was 81. The funeral prayers for Rubina Qureshi will be offered at Abdullah Shah Ghazi Shrine after Asr prayers. She will be laid to rest in the compound of Abdullah Shah Ghazi Shrine. Meanwhile, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb on Wednesday expressed deep grief and sorrow over the demise of renowned actor Mustafa Qureshi’s wife Rubina Qureshi. In her condolence message, the minister prayed to the Almighty to rest the departed soul in the highest ranks of Jannah and grant courage to the bereaved family for bearing the loss with equanimity. She said the services of Rubina Qureshi in music industry would never be forgotten.

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unGa to contInue unsc reForm: pakIstan urGes For reconcIlIatIon oF dIverGent stands

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News Desk

He General Assembly Tuesday decided that intergovernmental negotiations (IGN) on enlarging the UN Security Council will continue during its upcoming 77th session, with the 193-member body’s President , Abdulla Shahid, saying that the negotiating process this year has made progress towards agreement on reforming the 15-member Council.

“We have made progress this year. This is clear,” Shahid said, ahead of the unanimous adoption of a draft oral decision to rollover the IGN process to upcoming session that begins in September this year.

Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram concurred with Assembly president’s assessment about the progress achieved.

“We agreed that the areas of

convergence have been broadened, and divergences have been further reduced through the IGN process this year,” he added.

Full-scale negotiations to reform the Security Council began in the General Assembly in February 2009 on five key areas, the categories of membership, the question of veto, regional representation, size of an enlarged Security Council, and working methods of the council and its relationship with the General Assembly.

Despite a general agreement on enlarging the Council, as part of the UN reform process, member states remain divided over the details.

The so-called Group of Four — India, Brazil, Germany and Japan — who seek for themselves permanent seats on the Council have shown no flexibility in their push for expanding the Council by 10 seats, with six

lovebirds sprayed with bullets outside larkana court; girl dies News Desk Unknown persons on Wednesday opened fire on a couple who contracted love marriage killing the girl and injuring her husband seriously outside a court in Larkana. As per details, the married couple was ambushed by unknown assailants when they were coming out of a court in Larkana.

The attackers sprayed them with bullets. As a result, Marvi Gadhi died on the spot while her husband Jawad Ahmad, resident of Bahawalpur, got critically injured. On getting information, Civil Lines police reached the crime scene and shifted the injured man to the emergency ward of Chandka Hospital. However, the police failed to capture the armed assailants as they had managed to flee the crime scene. Two dead by rival group’s firing Separately, two people were killed in a trade of fire between two groups in Kacha area of Mehar, Tehsil Dokari in Larkana. Reportedly, people of Sargani and Lashari tribes got involved in a conflict over a piece of irrigation land. They opened fire on each other. Resultantly, two men belonging to Sargani tribe died on the spot. The deceased were identified as Amjad Hussain and Ghulam Hussain.

additional permanent and four nonpermanent members.

On the other hand, the Italy/Pakistan-led Uniting for Consensus (UfC) group, which firmly opposes additional permanent members, has proposed a new category of members — not permanent members — with longer duration in terms and a possibility to get re-elected.

The Security Council is currently composed of five permanent members — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States — and 10 non-permanent members elected to serve for two years.

In his remarks, Ambassador Akram said that slow pace of progress in Security Council reform “is not due to any deficiency in the procedure or process; it is due to the inflexible position adopted by a few individual States which have come into the negotiations with the pre-determined goal of

fulfilling this ambition to become new permanent members of the Security Council, regardless of the principles of sovereign equality.”

In contrast, he said the UfC has demonstrated the greatest flexibility in these negotiations and shown its willingness to explore imaginative ways to reconcile divergent positions.

The Pakistani envoy said the UfC looks forward to continuing its constructive participation in the IGN process at the next session in order to further broaden the areas of convergence and narrow the areas of divergence.

“We hope all Member States and groups will demonstrate similar flexibility. If so, we can reach agreement on Security Council reform in the near future,” he said.

However, Ambassador Akram expressed surprise at the reference in the Assembly

Punjab by-polls: ECP begins distribution of electoral material

Staff rePort

Staff rePort

who had voted for PML-N’s Hamza Shehbaz Sharif in Punjab chief minister’s election.

Speaker Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Pervaiz elahi had sent reference against 25 members including five members on reserved seats, to the election commission.

Lahore police arrest five PTI workers during raid on candidate’s offices LAHORe NewS deSk

karak, tank devastated by heavy monsoon rains kARAk Staff rePort

Rainwater seeped into homes, streets and shops as heavy monsoon rains wreaked havoc in several areas of Takht-e-Nasrati in Karak. People were forced to move out in the open due to water entering their houses and damaging everything inside. The administration is completely absent, whereas people are engaged in self-help relief activities. Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department has forecast more rains, which could cause massive damage. Takht-e-Nusrati’s streets, bazaars and neighborhoods offer views of streams and ponds. On the other hand, the flood victims in Tank started relocating. The KP government has declared Pai calamity hit area.

About 70% of the houses in Pai, the largest village in the district, have been flooded. The closure of drinking tube wells in the area has created a water crisis. Furthermore, the KP Chief Minister will meet the flood victims today after an aerial survey of Pai. Pakistan Army and regional youth have been engaged in relief operations for the third day. While, no assistance is being provided to the flood victims by the district administration.

The Lahore Factory Area Police on Wednesday stormed the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) corner meeting being held in PP-168 ahead of by-election and arrested five, of total 15 party workers nominated in the case of display of weapons and violation of the electoral code of conduct.

According to the FIR registered on the complaint of Sub-Inspector Rashid Shakoor, a PTI worker named Ahmed Nawaz was posing as FC personnel by donning the Force’s uniform. It was further alleged in the report that the PTI workers resisted the police action and even managed to get three of their party men from its custody.

Meanwhile, PTI candidate from PP-168 Lahore Malik Nawaz Awan alleged that police came to his party office and asked him to stop the election campaign. He said that police have also arrested his guards and workers.

On the other hand, police said that five persons were arrested for displaying weapons and violating code of conduct during the raid on PTI candidate’s office.

Meanwhile, PTI leader and former federal minister Farrukh Habib while talking to media said that Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shahbaz is misusing his power and government machinery is being used in the by-elections.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has strongly condemned a “raid” at its Lahore PP-168 constituency candidate Malik Nawaz Awan’s office that occurred late Tuesday night. Video footages of the incident have since surfaced on social media where police can be seen arresting personnel at the event.

PTI Senator Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry termed the incident “police harassment” of the candidate and urged the officials “not to become personal slaves of Hamza Shehbaz.”

Senior PTI leader Dr Yasmin Rashid echoed the same concerns, as she called on the Punjab police to “stop open bullying”. Another PTI leader Andalib Abbas expressed concerns that “police are sabotaging peaceful elections by bullying PTI leaders and workers”.

Meanwhile, party senior leader Farrukh Habib alleged that the incident occurred as a result of “fears of defeat” on part of the provincial government. “Police cannot

two arrested for selling drugs in universities IsLAMABAD

LAHORe Preparations for by-elections to 20 constituencies of Punjab Assembly have entered final stage with provision of electoral material to returning officers.

According to sources at the electoral watchdog on Wednesday, the election commission has started sending ballot papers and forms to returning officers. “The eCP has printed 4.7306 million ballot papers for the byelections to 20 constituencies,” the sources informed and added the commission has printed 153,657 surplus ballot papers.

The election commission has summoned authorized representatives of returning officers to receive ballot papers. “Ballot papers have been printed in Islamabad for the Punjab by-elections, which will be transported constituencies concerned under stringent security,” the sources added.

It is to be mentioned here that polling for by-elections is scheduled to be held on Sunday, July 17. The eCP had announced by-election to 20 Punjab Assembly seats fell vacant after defecting PTI MPAs were de-seated.

The eCP de-seated 25 dissident members of the PTI,

president’s letter forwarding the draft decision, “encouraging” Member States to move gradually towards “text-based negotiations”, saying that this advice is gratuitous; it does not reflect the consensus or even a majority sentiment within the UN membership.

“It is beyond the PGA’s (president of General Assembly) mandate to convey such advice,” he added. ” We see this only as an expression of your personal view which has no bearing on the continuing work of the IGN,” Ambassador Akram said in remarks aimed at Abdulla Shahid, who is from Maldives .

“Any precipitate move to move to socalled ‘text-based negotiations’ will lock in positions and accentuate differences and freeze, if not reverse the progress we have made in expanding areas of convergence.”

demoralise PTI workers with its clever tactics,” added the PTI information secretary for Central Punjab.

“IG Punjab should take immediate notice and release the guards and marriage hall owner immediately,” said Senator Ijaz Chaudhry.

The by-elections in 20 Punjab constituencies are to be held on July 17.

‘No raid at PTI candidate’s office’ Contrary to the PTI’s claims, the Lahore Police have denied the incident saying: “Police did not raid any PTI candidate’s office.” “Private armed men were accompanied by gunmen from another province in a corner meeting with the PTI candidate Malik Nawaz Awan in a private market,” said the Lahore Police Operations Wing spokesperson.

The spokesperson added that the “use of private gunmen in the election campaign is a clear violation of the electoral Code of Conduct” and therefore the “private gunmen” were arrested by the police.

The police shared video footage of a private gunman, claiming to be from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa to corroborate their claims.

According to police sources, “supporters of Malik Nawaz Awan clashed with the police during their attempt to arrest private gunmen.”

Furthermore, the police assert that “the impression of a raid on the PTI office is not correct. The action was taken due to the presence of armed men.”

Police have arrested two alleged drug dealers who sold drugs to university students in Karachi, police said. The dealers were arrested following an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the city, while another female suspect escaped, the police said in a statement. The arrested admitted to selling opium, ice and heroin in some private universities in Karachi, the police said, adding the dealers focused on providing expensive drugs to the students. The police confiscated 1.5kilogramme heroin and 0.5-kilogramme opium and ice from the drug dealers, and the top-quality drugs seized from them had a street value of tens of millions of rupees, according to the police. A case has been registered against the arrested and efforts are underway to capture other members of the group, the police added.

punjab ace summons sh rasheed in corruption case LAHORe NewS deSk

The Punjab Anti-Corruption establishment (ACe) on Wednesday summoned the former interior minister Sheikh Rasheed for interrogation in a corruption on July 15. According to an ACe official, the former interior minister has been summoned for interrogation regarding the embezzlement of millions of rupees in payment of government fees. The officials revealed that corruption in the payment of government fees has been reported in the sale of land situated at a housing society in the federal capital. In this regard, the AML chief has been summoned for further interrogation. Rasheed has been directed to appear before the Anti-Corruption officials with record and documents pertaining to sale of the land in question. Moreover, the ACe has also summoned management of the housing society.

covid-19 daily update: 236 new cases

IsLAMABAD Staff rePort

Pakistan has recorded 236 new Covid-19 cases, the Ministry of Health said on Wednesday. The total tally of infected people increased to 1,543,741 after adding the new cases, according to data released by the ministry. Data showed a total of 30,424 people have died from Covid-19 in Pakistan, with no more deaths recorded on Tuesday. Currently, there are 152 active cases who are in critical condition in the country.

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Coalition alliES StRiVinG foR PRoSPERity, not PowER: CM Punjab ISLAMABAD

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Staff RepoRt

unjab Chief Minister Hamza Shahbaz Sharif has said that had the party permitted, he would have been on canvassing for the by-elections. addressing a press conference here at his residence in Model Town after meeting PPP South Punjab President Makhdoom ahmed Mahmood, the Punjab CM said: “The goal is to save the state, not politics.”

He continued: “We will not go for political persecution. Our alliance is not a union alliance to form a government but we are united for the country and the nation.

“We did not come together for politics. For the past four years, we found piles of rubbish in the streets. and now in Punjab, including Lahore, cleanliness remained ideal on Eidul azha.”

The chief minister listed his government’s feats, saying: “We worked for the

welfare of the people. We brought in projects like 100-unit free power, subsidy on essential foodstuff.”

He came down hard on former prime minister Imran Khan saying: “Imran niazi himself could not do anything and went to the Election Commission on the issue of free electricity and took a restraining order on it.

“Imran niazi bought and sold watches gifted by friendly countries from the treasury. He wants to spread chaos. We will spare no effort to make the people prosperous. no single political party can overcome the crises looming large. Imran niazi that he is the number one liar.

He hoped the alliance will win the byelection and we will not engage in vindictive politics.

“Together we have to improve the country’s economy. We have made decisions that have a political price to pay. now is the time to give full benefit to the people to reduce the prices of petroleum products.”

NewS DeSk

He expressed gratitude to former president asif Zardari and Foreign Minister bilawal bhutto Zardari for standing by him.

Makhdoom ahmed Mahmood said under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Hamza Shahbaz, a meeting was held with the friends of PML-n to devise a strategy for the by-elections on july 17.

He said there was complete harmony

in the leadership of both parties in this regard. “Together we would give good results in the by-elections in South Punjab.

“We agreed that together we have to think of Pakistan and put our politics aside. Sardar ayaz Sadiq, Khawaja ahmad Hassan, Khawaja Salman Rafique, Khawaja Imran nazir, Syed Hassan Murtaza, Makhdoom usman ahmed and other personalities were also present on the occasion.

PECN lauds KP’s decision on free transportation facilities for female students PeSHAwAR Staff RepoRt

The Pakistan Education Champions network (PECn) has lauded the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government decision to provide free transportation facilities to female students in province. according to a press release issued here on Wednesday, the KP government recently announced free transportation facilities for female students.

KP Chief Minister Mehmood Khan approved free transportation for female students attending any public sector school in the province to increase the literacy rate among the girls. Many girls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province were discouraged from continuing their education each year because of the long distances between their homes and schools and the lack of affordable transportation options for them to travel.

Initially, the PTC (Parent-Teacher Council) fund would be utilized for the pilot project in remote areas of the province, according to the details provided by the Elementary and Secondary

Education Department (ESED).

In 2022 Women Parliamentary Caucus (WPC) through a recommendation paper and joint position paper by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Commission on Status of Women and Child Welfare & Protection Commission in their joint position paper with Pakistan Education Champions network emphasized the provision of free transportation for girls in the rural areas of

actor tanveer jamal succumbs to lung cancer in japan LAHORe NewS DeSk

Veteran PTV actor Tanveer jamal passed away on Wednesday in japan after battling cancer. according to media reports, bulbulay actor nabeel Zafar confirmed that jamal passed away Wednesday morning at a hospital in japan.

The news about death of the veteran actor spread like a wildfire and the social media abuzz with condolence messages and tribute to jamal Tanveer. The veteran actor starred in a number of dramas during his long career, including Teri Raza and Tasweer. Fellow actor Faysal Quraishi said jamal was in the dramas Khalish and Zakham with him. “When I was doing Zakham, around the end of 2020, that’s when I learnt more about him. He may have been older than me but we were good friends,” he said.

“We had a cordial relationship for a long time. He wanted to make a film and we wanted to do it together but I had an issue with my dates and he ended up casting someone else,” he said. “but what a man. He was so full of life and just so much fun. You could sit and talk to him for hours.

He was just like a friend with his juniors. at the end, all that is left are your conversations and these memories,” he said. The actor said he last spoke to jamal on june 20 and he wasn’t really able to speak. “His lungs had totally collapsed,” he said. He offered prayer for jamal’s soul and hoped that God would grant him peace. actor aijaz aslam said he had only acted alongside jamal once or twice but as a producer, he had worked on projects with jamal. “He was a wonderful human being. We had quite a good friendship, I used to meet him at his house in Lalazar. I last met him five or six months ago and also spoke to him on the phone,” he said. He recalled that jamal painted and had once gifted him one of his paintings. “He was a very nice gentle man, very decent. His [family] lived in japan.”

Cheap tactics of indian forces can’t suppress Kashmiris’ indigenous movement: President

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. according to the survey, which was carried out as part of the bISP’s national Socio-Economic Registry census with the help of elementary and secondary school teachers, the children not attending school in the province total 4.7 million while the number of out-of-school girls in the province is 2.9 million, which amounts to 53 per cent of the total 5.4 million girl

population of the same age group. blue Veins local not-for-profit organization working to promote and protect girls’ secondary Education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for girls says if there is no school in her village she is forced to drop out. Parents will not allow their girls to walk to school due to the risk of violence, and there is no affordable way for them to attend school outside of their village. because of this, there is little incentive for a girl in these rural villages to stay in school past sixth grade.

Qamar naseem, Program Manager blue Veins and Education Champion from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said “free transportation can support girls at the transitional stage, leading the way in establishing female education as a norm rather than an anomaly.”

“The approved scheme will help mitigates gender imbalances, bolsters individual self-esteem and fosters a greater, more active role for women in society.”

“The impacts of this program will be far-reaching, reverberating across the economy and the futures of women and their families,” he added.

KP CM expresses satisfaction over relief measures, activities NewS DeSk Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan has expressed satisfaction over the measures and relief activities carried out by the concerned provincial agencies to deal with the flood situation due to the recent monsoon rains in the province.

He was chairing a meeting held here on Wednesday to review the flood situation in the province.

Provincial Minister for Relief Iqbal Wazir, Special assistant to CM on Information barrister Muhammad ali Saif, Chief Secretary Dr. Shehzad bangash, administrative secretaries of the concerned departments, Director General PDMa and other relevant officials attended the meeting.

The chief minister said that the provincial government would extend all possible support to the flood affectees in this difficult situation. He directed the quarters concerned to ensure immediate provision of financial assistance (compensation packages) to the affectees as per the policy of provincial government and to take result-oriented steps for their rehabilitation. He also directed them to carry on relief activities especially medical camps and aerial spray to prevent epidemic diseases in Tank and other flood affected areas till the situation returns to normal.

Mahmood Khan said that the provincial government was utilizing all available resources to give relief to the people affected by the recent rains/ floods.

The chief minister further directed the concerned authorities to formulate a proper plan to protect the people of vulnerable areas from flood damages in future on a sustainable basis.

“The plan should have short-term, mid-term and long-term safety measures and development initiatives with set priorities”, he said and added that the provincial government would implement that plan under the annual Development Programme.

He further directed all relevant agencies to remain high alert during the possible second spell of monsoon rains in the province.

Earlier, briefing about the flood situation, damages and relief activities in the province, the meeting was informed that from june 15th 2022 to 12th july 2022, a total of 80 houses were fully damaged whereas more than 272 houses were reported as partially damaged in the various districts of the province.

Similarly, a total of 27 deaths and 37 injuries were reported till date.

The meeting was informed that Rescue and Relief activities were in full swing in the flood affected areas of the province. Tents, food items, drinking water and other necessary commodities have been distributed among the affectees. So far 150 patients have been examined by health teams in medical camps. Livestock department has established a free camp in Tank to ensure vaccination of animals and provide necessary medicines.

They also informed that a de-watering operation in flood hit areas was also in progress by Rescue 1122 teams. The participants were informed that the monsoon contingency plan was developed in consultation with all key stakeholders and timely advisories were issued to all concerned stakeholders for the mitigation of monsoon effects adding that the PDMa has close liaison with all stakeholders and sufficient stock of required equipment and other resources was available in all districts.

President Dr arif alvi on Wednesday said that the aggression and the cheap tactics of the Indian Occupation Forces had neither succeeded in the past, nor would be able in the future to suppress the indigenous movement of the Kashmiri people. The president, in his message on Kashmir Martyrs’ Day, paid rich tribute to the martyrs and brave people of Kashmir for their continuous freedom struggle. He said only the resolution of Kashmir dispute in accordance with the resolutions of the united nations Security Council could guarantee the regional peace. He saluted the resolve of the Kashmiri people who embraced martyrdom on july 13, 1931 by the Dogra rule. The president said the Kashmir Martyrs’ Day was also a reminder of the decades-old struggle of the Kashmiri people for their right to self determination.

He said the people of Kashmir had been sacrificing their lives since generations to keep the passion for freedom alive. The president demanded the Indian Occupation Forces to immediately stop the human rights abuses in Indian Illegally Occupied jammu and Kashmir (IIOjK) and take measures for holding an impartial plebiscite. He reiterated the resolution of Kashmir dispute as per aspirations of the Kashmiri people as well as the united nations Security Council (unSC) resolutions was inevitable for peace in the region. He said on Kashmir Martyrs’ Day, the nation should reiterate a pledge to continue its diplomatic, moral and political support to the Kashmiri people till they get their right to self determination.

Rainfall forecast for parts of country ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Strong winds and heavy rains are forecast for parts of the country including Islamabad this week, because a strong jet stream is steering low-pressure systems across that part of the world. Large rainfall is expected in the Pothohar Plateau, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, upper and central Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, and Kashmir, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said on Wednesday. The temperature in some major cities recorded this morning was: Islamabad at 25 degrees, Lahore 30, Karachi and Peshawar 39, Quetta 24, Gilgit 26, Murree 17 and Muzaffarabad 24.

Meanwhile, the administration in Karachi was told to brace for yet another spell of heavy monsoon showers and possible flooding days after it braved a deadly and destructive period of deluge during Eid ul-adha. Heavy showers may cause flooding and travel disruption, with forecasters warning there is a small chance of fast-flowing or deep flood waters that could cause danger to life. “another strong monsoon low-pressure area” was likely to approach Sindh on Thursday (july 14) and persist till Monday (july 18), the PMD said. “under the influence of this weather system, widespread rain-thunderstorms with few heavy/very heavy falls are likely to occur in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, badin, Mirpurkhas, umerkot, Tharparkar, Tando Mohammad Khan, Tando allahyar, Sanghar, nawabshah, naushero Feroz, Khairpur, Sukkur, Larkana, jacobabad, Qambar-Shahdadkot, Dadu, jamshoro, Shikarpur, Ghotki and Kashmore districts between july 14 and july 18,” it predicted. Forecasters are also warning of difficult driving conditions, with road closures and power cuts possible. Meanwhile, army Chief Gen. Qamar javed bajwa was flown over to Karachi to oversee the impact of urban flooding due to recent spells of rains. He was also briefed about the latest situation of flooding and the support military provided to the civil administration in the provincial metropolis.

Thursday, 14 July, 2022 | KARACHI

NEWS

corporate corner Mondelēz Pakistan MD, Sami Wahid, joins the Male Champions of Change

INFlAtIoN, RAIN Put DAMPeRS oN eIDul AzhA IN PAkIStAN ISLAMABAD

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Karachi: Mondelēz Pakistan has achieved a significant milestone with its MD, Sami Wahid, joining the Male Champions of Change Pakistan (MCC Pakistan). MCC Pakistan is a leading platform whose members are committed to utilizing their influence and resources on leveling the playing field with respect to issues like gender equality, diversity and women’s empowerment within their organizations and in society as a whole.

MCC Pakistan was established in 2018 and is a member organization of the Champions of Change Coalition. The body's strategy is focused on engaging men of power and influence to advance gender equality. Members include 19 MDs and Managing Directors from some of the biggest entities in Pakistan from various sectors including hospitality, telecommunications, information technology, textile, financial advisory, micro-finance, logistics and media. pr

XiNhua

ATEH Khan, a small farmer on the outskirts of Islamabad, faced a major disappointment when he failed to sell his goats for Eid ul-Adha.

“I have been raising 15 goats for over a year. I spent a lot of money on their food and care. I was expecting to sell them at a good price in the market, but I only sold four because there were very few customers this year,” Khan told Xinhua at the Tramri cattle market on the second day of Eid. Last year, he was able to sell 80 percent of his livestock because he could settle for less. But he has no option this year because of a sharp in-

crease in the prices of food and transport. He will face losses if he lowers the price to meet the purchasing power of the customers.

The three-day Eid ul-Adha falls on the 10th day of the last month of the Islamic calendar. During the festival, Muslims slaughter animals and share a portion of meat with the poor, another with relatives and keep one for themselves.

The greatest economic activity of the year takes place during Eid. People splurge billions of rupees to buy cattle, dresses, food, and other festive items.

Last year, spending on sacrificial animals for Eid amounted to about Rs335 billion.

Local analysts believe that this year, due to inflation in fuel, electricity and food, the purchasing power has

LAHORE

LAHORE staff report

As a result of an own-motion notice of Punjab Ombudsman retired Maj. Azam Suleman Khan over the news about the delay in payment of salaries to janitorial and security staff at Data Ganj Baksh complex, the Auqaf Department has paid pending dues valuing Rs6.5 million to the affectees.

According to a spokesman of the office, the financial aid case of another applicant from Sheikhpura, Safia Bibi, has been resolved after the involvement of the ombudsman and she has been paid Rs0.3 million after a long wait of 13 years.

Meanwhile, a summary was being moved to the competent authority by the School Education Department for seeking approval to initiate a formal inquiry under the Punjab Employees, Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability (PEEDA) Act, 2006, in the light of the initial departmental inquiry against 14 officials of the department found responsible for depriving the applicant of her legal right for over a decade without any reason, the spokesman said.

The spokesman added that one Safia Sikandar from Lahore has been paid Rs4.3 million in family pension while another complainant from the provincial metropolis, Rahat Abdul Raheem, received Rs3.4 million as arrears of the salary of her husband who died during service.

The Higher Education Department has also provided Rs3.4 million in financial aid to one Muzammila Akram from Bahawalpur, the spokesman said.

decreased, which had a direct influence on Eid. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), inflation accelerated to 21.3 percent in June, a 14-year high.

Talking to Xinhua, Jameel Ahmad, a teacher at a local college, said this year the prices of cattle are beyond the budget of most middle-class families.

Skin disease in cattle contributed to the rise in goat prices due to high demand.

Monsoon rains, which have left 147 people dead across the country, have also marred the festivities.

Karachi remained drenched in the rain during the first and second day of Eid, with many streets and roads underwater, making it hard for people to slaughter animals, or buy them from the market.

Market sees less supply of hides as sacrifices dropped by 30pc on Eid shahab omer

Punjab ombudsman settles decade-old salary dispute

Rising inflation and declining purchasing power have led to a 25 to 30 percent drop in the supply of animal hides, sparking fear that the shortage might affect the rapidly growing local leather goods export industry.

Speaking with traders of the leather market here on Wednesday, Profit learnt that the number of hides of sacrificial animals brought to the market declined approximately by 175,000 for cow hides and 250,000 for goat’s skins as compared to last year.

The market’s general secretary Shahid Younis informed that the leather business has been severely affected, as seen on Eid, with inflation resulting in people buying fewer animals to sacrifice, which had a direct impact on the market and its business.

Younis said that on one hand, there is a shortage of sacrificial animal skins and on the other, prices of skins have gone up by 20 to 30 percent. “Last year, 600,000 skins of large animals such as cows and camels were brought to the market while preliminary market data from this year suggests that the market was given 425,000 skins.”

“Similarly, 900,000 skins of small animals were brought to the leather market last year. However, this year, with a decrease of 250,000, approxi-

mately 650,000 skins came to the leather market. If we talk about the prices of hides, cow skins are currently being sold for Rs3,000, goat skins for Rs400, lamb skins for Rs60, buffalo skins for Rs1,200 and camel skins for Rs600,” he informed.

Tariq Malik, another leather market trader, told Profit that sacrificial skins are a major economic activity for the leather industry and traders and the shortage of skins this year will probably shock the industry.

Referring to the statistics, Malik added that the consumption of leather products in Pakistan is very low with 95 percent of locally produced leather and its products being exported.

“The share of leather products in exports was 5.1 percent in 2014, which declined to 3.7 percent in 2019. In the 1990s, these exports accounted for more than 10 percent; now exports of leather products from Pakistan are once again increasing rapidly with an increase of over 30 percent by the end of the last financial year,” he said.

Malik said that due to the increase in exports, leather markets need to fulfill a huge demand which seems unlikely at the moment. “The shortage of skins is one of the reasons for the increase in their prices in addition to the labor cost for preparing raw skins which has also increased compared to last year,” he added.

11 killed as van falls into ravine in Swat swat: At least 11 people were killed and six others injured when a pickup van plunged into a ravine in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, media and officials said late Tuesday. The incident happened when the van tumbled off the road near the tourist area of Gabin Jabba in the Swat district, police told the press. The van driver lost control over the vehicle while trying to take a turn, said police sources, adding that an investigation into the matter has been launched. Following the accident, rescue teams and local volunteers reached the site and retrieved bodies and the injured, and shifted them to a nearby hospital where at least three of the injured are in a critical condition, police said. staff report

PTI takes N League to ECP as ‘rigging’ fuels fears of dirty by-polls ISLAMABAD staff report

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) filed Wednesday a petition in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), claiming the Punjab government was working behind the scenes to swing the by-elections this week in favour of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

The commission has announced the holding on July 17 of polls in 20 Punjab Assembly constituencies that fell vacant after it de-seated 25 dissident lawmakers — including five nominated on reserved seats — from PTI in May for crossing the floor and voting for PML-N vice president Hamza Shehbaz during the election for the chief minister. The petition, filed by the PTI leaders including Omar Ayub Khan, Riaz Fatyana and Iftikhar Durrani, nominated Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) as a respondent.

The party has also submitted to the commission what it called evidence of pre-poll rigging against it. “Section 39(2) of the Elections Act, 2017, clearly states that revisions, transfers, addition, or deletion of voter lists are not permitted in an electoral area that has been called for an

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election,” the petition observed. “…it is the election commission’s foremost duty to conduct free, fair, and impartial elections, yet the voter list has been altered and the voters have been reshuffled, which is in complete violation of the

election Commission Act 2017,” it said.

One of the most “egregious” examples, according to the petition, was the issuance of voter lists of PP-140 (Sheikhupura-VI), which were issued after the announcement of the election

schedule — in “violation of the law”.

Even after the election date was announced, various developmental schemes were announced in several constituencies in a clear violation of Section 181 of the Elections Act, 2017, it observed, adding that several petitions have already been moved in this regard.

The way things are unfolding in Punjab, there’s no way a free and fair election can be held, the petition asserted.

The vote on Sunday is expected to be a two-way race between the PTI party, whose chairperson Imran Khan has for months now had tense relations with the establishment, and the PML-N, the party now headed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Earlier, Khan warned powers that be that by-elections should be held in a free and fair manner, a demand he said was the first test of the establishment to prove its claim of neutrality.

“They could only win elections through rigging and fear,” he declared.

Khan also asked the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja to tell him the number of times he visited the residence of Shehbaz and PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz who is spearheading the party’s election campaign.

“Normally during Eid, cattle farmers from Balochistan head towards Punjab and Sindh to sell their animals, but this year the rain stopped the farmers from heading for other cities,” Tasawwar Awan, a cattle market dealer in Islamabad, told Xinhua.

Though fewer sales took place during Eid, due to inflation, the Eid market is expected to grow because of an increase in the prices of cattle from the previous year.

“Due to inflation, the purchasing power of a lot of people has decreased, while a significant rise in the prices of cattle, transport and other connecting sectors made people spend more money,” said Ahmad Farhan Saeed, assistant professor of economics at the University of Peshawar.

Flight brings 181 Afghans from Pakistan to the Netherlands THE HAGUE the associated press

A group of 181 Afghans has arrived in the Netherlands on a chartered flight from Pakistan, the Dutch government said Wednesday, the latest group to fly to safety in the aftermath of the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan last year.

Most of the new arrivals who landed Tuesday night at an airport in Eindhoven left Afghanistan by crossing the land border into Pakistan, where Dutch diplomats and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) helped them reach Islamabad.

The Dutch government said the Afghans were unable to flee their country earlier because they did not have valid travel documents. Pakistan allowed them into the country so they could travel on to the Netherlands.

Earlier this year, Islamabad allowed 329 people into the country so they could fly to the Netherlands.

The European country pledged to evacuate Afghans who assisted Dutch diplomats and military personnel before the Taliban seized power, sparking a chaotic rush by many Afghans to escape. The Dutch government said Wednesday that it hopes to evacuate “as many eligible people as possible” from Afghanistan who make it to Pakistan.

Earlier this month, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said it had brought 1,801 Afghans to the Netherlands since late August 2021 and another 942 people were awaiting transfer, including 766 who remained in Afghanistan.

The former Dutch foreign minister, Sigrid Kaag, quit in September over the government’s muddled handling of evacuations from Kabul.

Fire at Guddu plant causes Rs15b loss GUDDU: The Guddu power plant was burned to the ground during Eidul Aza holidays due to a fire, causing a huge to the tune of Rs15 billion to national exchequer. According to the sources, a huge fire broke out in Guddu power plant on the night of Eid, which not only severe power supply of 747 megawatts to the national grid but also caused a huge loss worth Rs15 billion. Sources added that there were no fire extinguishers in the power plant and the staff members were not on duty when the fire broke out. A four-member team led by the chief engineer has started investigation into the incident. A senior engineer said that the generators were flooded due to heavy rains, adding that the fire was caused due to an accident. He, however, added that a probe has been launched into the matter. He further said that restoration of the power plant would take approximately one month. “The damage incurred is not as severe as is being reported, and those responsible will be identified,” he claimed. News desk

06-07 Comments - 14th July 2022_Layout 1 7/13/2022 11:30 PM Page 1

Thursday, 14 July, 2022

06 COMMENT

Election conspiracy against Qureshi?

Learning from Sri Lanka Why Pakistan’s political antagonists should wake up and smell the coffee

Losing direction by admitting electables

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S the economic situation turns grim, the Pti and the ruling alliance remain concentrated on winning the by-elections in Punjab by hook or by crook. Whatever reference is made to the current economic slide, is aimed at point scoring in the electoral race. Each side accuses the other for prevailing economic woes. Pti chief imran khan continues to claim in the prepoll power shows that Pakistan was making exemplary progress on the economic front under his watch.

According to him, the policies of the ruling alliance have brought the country into a situation where it could soon turn into another Sri Lanka. he fails however to explain how a country supposedly on a sound footing and on way to becoming a regional power could be turned within a couple of months into a failed state PML(n) leader Maryam nawaz on the other hand holds Mr khan responsible for the current inflation as he reduced the petroleum price against an understanding reached with iMF. According to her, people have to vote for the PML(n) candidates to see economic recovery. She claims that hard decisions have been taken and henceforth they would be hearing good news. She just stopped short of claiming that the PML(n) possessed Alladin’s lamp. the economy continues to be in the doldrums. the cut in the gas supply to the textile sector which was provided on a regionally competitive price has reportedly led to closure of over 300 textile mills. Auto industry players anticipate a 30 percent drop in production. Meanwhile the global economic turndown is having a negative impact on the country’s start-ups with some closing down their operations while others reducing their activities. in all these cases there would be lay-offs as well as considerable losses to government revenues. With the rise in external debt servicing, the State Bank of Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves have fallen to single digits despite a $2.3bn inflow from China late last month. the two governments in Fy22 could not control the influx of huge imports totalling $80billion, creating a large current account deficit (CAD). there is a need for political parties to learn the right lesson from Sri Lanka. if a country continues to spend beyond its means it is bound to land up in debt and lose its ability to stand on its feet.

Dr FariD a Malik

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AkhDooM Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the evergreen and ambitious Vice-Chairman of the Pakistan tehreek-e-insaf (Pti) has complained that his own party conspired against him in the 2018 provincial assembly elections in his Multan constituency. this is an interesting accusation coming from him. historically speaking, the Pti remained clean of all foul play till the Lahore Jalsa of 30 october 2011 before the pandemic of electables hit the movement for change. till that time, Comrade Ahsan Rashid, President Punjab and one of the six founding members, was the Chou-En-Lai of the party and a clear second after the Chairman. Ever since nawaz Sharif as Chief Minister was able to corner the then Prime Minster, the position has become critical.

After the 18th Amendment the CMs have now become omnipotent. After 56 days the party had a power show at Mazar-e-Quaid on 25 December 2011, by that time new funny faces were seen sitting on the mainstage next to imran khan. there was a tussle to sit next to ik. the trio from Multan (Qureshi, Javed hashmi, Jehangir tareen) were most active followed by the duo from kasur (khurshid kasuri, Sardar Asseff). till that time Ahsan Sahibb was calling the shots, as the host had arranged a lavish dinner at a five-star hotel which proved to be the ‘Last Supper’ for the party ideologues. the battle for control of the party had started.

Family planning should be nonpartisan

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Fifth Generation warfare demands new technology

nStEAD of raising his hands now at the high rate of population growth, President Arif Alvi should have been advising the Pti government to get the national conversion on the subject to move beyond the expressions of regret, and ther supine acceptance that the population has to grow. not only does the country have to accept that the world has a problem, but that Pakistan is part of the problem, not the solution. the belief often used by supporters of the nonrestriction of growth has been that every mouth to feed also brings with it two hands to work. that only applies if those hands, and the brain controlling both the mouth and the hands are properly trained. Apart from this education, it is essential to arrange a proper health care system so that the nation has a healthy workforce. how much national effort has gone into education and training, or into healthcare, is visible to all. Both are inadequate for the population that exists today, let alone that which will be in existence later.

Perhaps like global warming, population is not going to be a problem for one nation alone to solve, but which requires an effort by the comity of nations. While there is much regrettable exploitation of the South and its resources by the north, it must also be accepted that the peoples of the South, while plenteous, remain unedifying because they remain ignorant and unwell. Pakistan has long seen worry expressed about the number of people we have, but what should have been part of a national consensus has been made a touch-button issue by the religious right. Along with population growth, certain discussions become inevitable, such as sex education and contraception. the ulema have not been brought on board on these subjects, as they have been in Bangladesh for example, and have been left as opponents where they can become instrumental in informing people that population planning is beneficial.

NaDir ali

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nything that is conventional becomes conservative, and anything that is conventional is possessed by the segment of society that grows more conventional. People prefer to follow contemporary trends in the current environment than to hold onto outdated ideas. technology has been optimized for national defence in the context of the struggle between major powers. Because it is obvious that this conflict between big powers will result in a major reset. there are mergers that are obviously strategic alliances and partnerships in that reset. therefore, Deterrence and defence are the two fundamental ideas for the countries in the more conventional sense. Both of these concepts– deterrence and defence– have a definite and ongoing role for technology to play. technology has an increasingly important role to play in each of these concepts, particularly in the strategic and defence domains. this is due to the fact that the current spectrum is squarely between the war and peace extremes. no peace and no war are the two extremes of the spectrum at the moment. this implies that Pakistan is in a grey area where conflict is currently taking place. this grey area is essentially being disputed in a hybrid manner in which what is popularly known as Fifth generation warfare is at the forefront. technology is supplying the best ways to easily accomplish the best impacts in this grey area through the use of hybrid warfare. therefore, any shrewd businessperson would as-

Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor

Yousaf Nizami M. A. Niazi

Umar Aziz

Joint Editor

Joint Editor

Executive Editor

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

The PTI has to be revived to start the crusade of change from where it was hijacked by the traditional old players of status quo and vested self-interests.

Technological Optimization

President Alvi needs to have been more proactive when PTI was ruling

Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

Ahsan Sb was the first target in 2013 elections as he was next in line to become the CM Punjab. First a conspiracy was hatched within the party by the newcomers to unseat him as PunjabPresident in the inter Party Elections (iPE). Votes were purchased to keep the old guard out. the Multan trio was in as Vice Chairman, Party President and Secretary general (With their support). once they were in the saddle the struggle to control the party started. Everyone was eyeing for the coveted position of CM Punjab. After the 2014 Dharna, Javed hashmi was expelled by the Chairman and now it was the ‘Multan Duo’ at work. Pti had been a party of change under able and honest leadership but with the entry of these ‘ambitious electables’ the purity of the party was seriously dented.

Ahsan Sb passed away before the 2018 elections, and his glorious innings came to an end. he had served his party with honesty and dedication. till the last moment it was not sure whether ik would come for his final rites but he did. in line with the comrade traditions, and with the permission of his family, i draped his bier with the party flag as a final tribute for his services to the party and the change he desired for his motherland. now the ‘Multan Duo’ was all over. they even surrounded the Chairman. While the old guard was sidelined, some of the newcomers like the Leghari Brothers and Sardar Asseff left the party as they too were marginalized. now it turned into a Multan-versus-Multan duel for the coveted slot of CM Punjab. it may have been a ‘Multan Conspiracy’ to keep him out but certainly it was not the Pti which even till today remains a relatively clean political entity.

Luck favoured Qureshi as tareen was disqualified by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, leaving the political field open for him. tareen, despite his ouster from politics, continued to control the party affairs till he was shown the door after the ‘Sugar Scandal’. Comrade naeem-ul-haq, another founder member of the party, remained close to imran till the end. Despite his battle with cancer,

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Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

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he provided an important link between the party rank and file and the leader whom the ‘Multan Duo’ had monopolized.

After his passing away, a tussle started between the bureaucracy led by the Principal Secretary and tareen for the control of the PM Secretariat. As always, the bureaucrats have the final laugh as they control the files and the paperwork. the rest as they say, is history, members of the tareen and Aleem group have now lost their seats and are contesting by-elections on PML(n) tickets while Qureshi has fielded his son for the same seat that he lost in 2018. in his own words, “i did not suffer, as i became the Foreign Minister, you were made to suffer by my defeat “. he urged the voters to wake-up, i wish the voter are also able to break the spell of spiritual monopolization which has dominated the politics of Multan for centuries. After his great election triumph in 1970, Bhutto declared that he had finished the politics of ‘Pirs and Mirs’, but they are very much there.

Qureshi’s outburst against his own party should be taken seriously. if the Vice-Chairman feels cheated, how about the rank and file of the party? All is not well since 25 December 2011.

Even the Father of the nation complained about the ‘Counterfeit Coins’ in his pocket. it is widely believed that what goes around comes around. Conspiracies take place when merit and transparency are missing. openness is the most important ingredient of democracy which has been missing in the movement since the entry of electables. the Pti has to be revived to start the crusade of change from where it was hijacked by the traditional old players of status quo and vested self-interests.

Like Jinnah, imran too believes in merit but the ‘counterfeits’ come in the way through conspiracies of all kinds. Most of them have been shown the door while a few still remain, it is indeed curtain time for them as the script has been changed from ‘ ghulami to Azadi ‘. the march for freedom has started in which the slaves have no role to play.

sert that the triangle of aims, ways, and means is always the same. however, during the past 20 years, a circle has emerged within this triangle, and it is made up of technology since both the methods and the means are greatly influenced by it. What resources do people have available to them in terms of both the methods they propose and the way they wish to use those means in order to achieve their goals? Right now, technology is crucial. it is so for a reason, and that reason is that the technology is essentially crossdomain and does not involve those murky areas of thought.

Similarly, technology won’t influence, touch, or rule. As a result, it serves a variety of purposes, which implies that because technology is dynamic and non-static, it gives decision-makers and policy-makers a strategic advantage or leverage to help them achieve their goals. technology may become obsolete tomorrow if someone touched it now.

Like time, it’s, even in nanoseconds, time is always moving forward.

Similar to this, technology never stays the same; there is always an evolution, revolution, or even– according to some– an explosion of seismic natures. As a result, the way technology is used is always changing. it is less existential and more futuristic in character. Because of this, the character of war will undoubtedly be impacted by the technical advancements made for national defence in the internal discussion over the nature and character of war. it will redefine the nature of battle and transform, alter, and improve it.

But up to this point, the conflict has moved beyond politics and into the realm of the military, where it has taken on a military logic or grammar. When that happens, the nature of war is unquestionably altered, but up until that point, this contest of wills was between humans because, as homo-sapiens, we believe ourselves to be superior due to our intelligence. this is true whether we are acting in an individual capacity, acting on behalf of a tribe, or acting on behalf of an empire. there is now at least a theoretical possibility, if not

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

The writer is ex-Chairman, Pakistan Science Foundation. He can be contacted at: fmaliks@hotmail.com.

a practical one, that if artificial intelligence development is not controlled, it could result in a conflict between artificial intelligence entities rather than between humans. this would fundamentally alter the nature of war and make it much more unpredictable because human psychology, philosophy, anthropology, history, and culture are all things we are familiar with.

Artificial intelligence will, however, be divided from this very last aspect of human existence. therefore, there can come a moment when technology changes how war is fought. A fight of mechanical power rather than human will may occur hundreds of years from now. the phrase “He who has the data, rules the world” refers to one of the two main elements that are crucial for this technical optimization.

More importantly, technology will actually produce effects, whereas ways and means are generally not intended to produce them. For instance, technology will produce an effect on disruption; therefore, if someone can disrupt an enemy’s design, that is the primary goal; disruption of force is merely a secondary goal. By using the appropriate technologies, if someone is capable of designing opponents, they may do it more wisely. technology can play a key role in ending a war because it will be made possible by enablers such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and nanotechnology, the internet of things, autonomous weapon systems, semi-autonomous weapon systems, and biotechnology weapons. technology will have an impact on how a war is initiated, shaped, influenced, and how it is ruled. the core of this upcoming strategic endeavour in the field of combat is technology. technology will determine the boundaries of your strategic space due to the great power competition that someone will experience, but it will still be the game-changer. however, there are two factors that are very crucial. the first is the need for boots on the ground. no matter what advances in technology are made, states will still need boots on the ground to complete the tasks. the second is human resilience, which no amount of technology can match as long as it is recognized, nourished, and refuelled in the proper way and is owned by the state.

There are two factors that are very crucial. The first is the need for boots on the ground. No matter what advances in technology are made, states will still need boots on the ground to complete the tasks.

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Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

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The writer is associated with the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad. He can be reached at hafiznadirali7@gmail.com

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

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Thursday, 14 July, 2022

COMMENT 07 Editor’s mail

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Impact of China thwarting joint resolution by US and India at UNSC on Pakistan

The West’s Betrayal of Afghan Immigrants Those Afghans waiting for Western visas are meanwhile stuck in Pakistan

SajjaD Shaukat

S

inCE the taliban came to power in Afghanistan in August, 2021, due to deteriorated economic and humanitarian conditions, tens of thousands of people, including more than 100,000 urban Afghans, mostly well-off and educated professionals as well as skilled persons, crossed into Pakistan, seeking asylum and a resettled status abroad. they are largely vulnerable Afghans looking to move to the USA and other Western countries under refugee resettlement programmes. Most of them have been living in hotels, guesthouses and apartment buildings in islamabad. they are facing multiple problems owing to their extended stay in Pakistan. they claim deliberate delays in processing of their resettlement applications by the US and other related Western embassies, and a lack of help from the islamabad office of the United nations high Commissioner for Refugees.

A number of the migrant families want the UnhCR to register them as refugees, while some want the status of asylum-seekers. Pakistan rules out refugee status for the latter.

After the taliban regained power in kabul, they had issued a statement for general pardon to all Afghans, clarifying they would not seek revenge or harm those who had previously worked for foreign forces.

But, pointing to the taliban regime of the 1990s, under the pretext of the taliban’s ban on girl’s education and other restrictions on women, alleging the taliban for creating sense of fear for them— exaggerating that their life is in danger— these Afghans who were affiliated with the USA and other Western countries, do not want to return to their native country. in the recent past, top taliban officials have stated that many skilled workers their country needs, have gone to other countries, particularly the West. it is notable that America’s Priority 2, or P2, programme is meant to help relocate at-risk Afghans such as journalists and rights activists otherwise ineligible for the US special immigrant visa (SiV) programme, opened to interpreters and others who worked with US troops in Afghanistan— and also expands the opportunity to permanently resettle in the USA to many thousands of Afghans and their family members.

Susceptible Afghans who do not meet the P2 criteria may be referred under the pre-existing Priority 1, or P-1, refugee programme. But, the US officials say that the application process in

all cases can take 14 to 18 months or more. the SiV programme authorizes the issuance of Special immigrant Visas (SiVs) to Afghan nationals who meet certain requirements and were employed in Afghanistan by or on behalf of the US government. it was stated that section 602(b) of the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009, as amended, will continue until all visa numbers allocated under the Act are issued. the US Embassy in islamabad and US Consulates in karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar are not designated special processing posts for Afghan immigrant visas. there are various Websites such as Pk.US Embassy.gov/Visas/immigrantVisas/, Pk.US Embassy.gov/Visas/immigrantVisa-inquiries/ with the case number and local contact information for further information.

While there are numerous unjustified conditions in this regard— to apply for an immigrant visa, a foreign citizen seeking to immigrate generally must be sponsored by a US citizen or lawful permanent resident, immediate relative or prospective US employer, and have an approved petition before applying for an immigrant visa. the sponsor begins the process by filing a petition on the foreign citizen’s behalf with US Citizenship and immigration Services. in this context, Aljazeera.Com wrote: “there is no official data on how many applications for SiV were turned down. Some 18,864 applicants for SiV were still being processed. A report published by the Cost of War project at Brown University has shown that the SiV processing system is highly inefficient. Many applicants go through this arduous process, only to find themselves ineligible for trivial reasons… failing a polygraph test or being classed “security ineligible” for unexplained reasons.”

The Washington Post pointed out: “More: than 7,000 special visas allocated to Afghans by Congress…went unissued, compared with about 5,000, according to State Department data…All Special immigrant Visa applicants already hold some kind of security clearance that allows them to work closely with U.S. military or government personnel but are vetted again by multiple U.S. security and intelligence agencies. Applicants are also required to sit for multiple interviews and a rigorous medical examination. in all, 14 steps are required before an applicant and his or her immediate family is cleared to travel.” other nAto countries have also started similar schemes. For instance, the British government announced to expedite visas for local staff, including interpreters who worked for the Uk embassy or military in Afghanistan, under its Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP).

Quite opposite to the support provided to those fleeing war in Ukraine, exposing the racism behind government policy, the Uk has broken its promise to resettle refugees from Afghanistan, following last year’s withdrawal from Afghanistan. Britain is sending old Afghan asylum seekers and refugees to Rwanda.

A British entity admitted by saying: “Almost a year later after the withdrawal of nAto from Afghanistan, our resettlement and relocation schemes are still abysmal— and Afghans, without safe passage to the Uk, now constitute one quarter of those crossing the English channel.” the ARAP was launched to resettle Uk-affiliated Afghans. the government is due to issue the result within two weeks, and over a year later, numerous Afghans are still waiting, facing the unlawful delays.

taking cognisance of the West’s empty promises, these Afghan entities have said that the US-led West has betrayed them.

As the USA and its Western allies especially the Uk, have not addressed the needs of the Afghans, promised by them, Pakistan which already hosts at least three million Afghans, is bearing the burden of these Afghans— both refugees and illegal economic migrants, including those immigrants who travelled to Pakistan on visas, announced in 2021 that it would not accept new refugees and tightened border controls to block illegal entrants after the taliban takeover. in this connection, the then information Minister Fawad Chaudhry had stated: “this country already hosts nearly 3 million Afghans, including officially declared refugees and illegal economic migrants, and that the fragile Pakistani economy cannot bear the burden of new arrivals.”

Pakistan also helped the USA and other Western countries in evacuation of thousands of at-risk Afghans for their onward journey to the country of their resettlement. nevertheless, in coordination with the US and other Western embassies, and UnhCR, islamabad facilitated the Afghan refugees and those who worked for nAto in Afghanistan, but now cannot accept more Afghans or even host those Afghans awaiting their immigrant visas through SiV programmes, and also pledged by other Western countries.

At present, Pakistan is facing political instability and economic crisis. Particularly, foreign investment stopped, which further gave a setback to the economy. As a result, islamabad’s dependence on US-controlled financial institutions like iMF and the World Bank, increased, as it was compelled to borrow more them. taking note of the US-led Western entities’ negative reaction regarding the taliban’s seizure of Afghanistan, Pakistan, iran, Russia and China have urged the world to support the Afghans at this critical moment. the three-day Loya Jirga which was attended by more than 4,000 Afghan scholars, political, social and business figures ended in kabul on July 2. the participants called on the international community to recognise the taliban government. the resolutions passed in the Jirga also said all regional and international countries, especially islamic countries, should recognize the government of the islamic Emirate and the international community should lift all sanctions on Afghanistan and restore Afghan assets. other resolutions called for a ban on any affiliation with iSiS, support for the islamic Emirate’s decree against drugs and encouraged national unity. nonetheless, islamabad has urged the USled international community to assist the people of Afghanistan by addressing their humanitarian needs, and to restore their financial and economic aid, as a peaceful and stable Afghanistan is essential for the stability in Pakistan as well as the entire region. now, besides some other countries, Pakistan which has already dispatched basic commodities to Afghanistan is partly sending various goods after the destructions, caused by the recent earthquake in that country.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations and can be reached at: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com

ChinA has thwarted a joint resolution by the United States and india at the United nations Security Council (UnSC) by putting ‘technical hold’ on it. that resolution intended to place Abdul Rehman Makki’s name on the list of Un-designated terrorists.

Pakistan, no doubt, should welcome this news for obvious reasons. But i feel necessary to mention two reasons for how this news is, or should be, alarming for Pakistan. the Chinese move has strengthened our all-weather and evergreen friendship with China as it means that the US-india nexus failed to have its way for the time being. But we must note that China has not vetoed the resolution. instead, it put a ‘technical hold’ on it, bringing temporary relief for Pakistan. this technical hold will be valid for six months, after which the resolution will again be presented in the UnSC for voting. i would like to remind all concerned of the case of Masood Azhar. in 2019, the US proposed a resolution in the UnSC to declare Azhar an international terrorist. on that occasion, too, China had put the same ‘technical hold’ on the resolution. But after six months when that resolution was again tabled in the UnSC, China allowed it to be passed. this news is, and should be, concerning for Pakistan because of still growing US-india ties regardless of the latter’s refusal to condemn the ongoing Russian military intervention in Ukraine and its recent purchase of S-400 missile defence system from the American political rival. on the other hand, Pakistan has been rather forced to condemn Russia’s actions.

Also, india and the European Union free trade agreement is also underway to take indo-West relations to newer heights. the eagerness of the West to increase its presence in the indo-Pacific region through india should naturally concern Pakistan. therefore, in the wake of significantly growing indo-West ties, Pakistan should expedite its efforts for forming a bloc with regional and trans-regional, like-minded players to counter the the wicked and nefarious designs of the unholy nexus. this step is the need of the hour and is vital to Pakistan’s national security and prosperity.

MUHAMAD IRFAN LAHORE

High time to upgrade education standards in Pakistan thE standard of education, especially of the higher education, in Pakistan demands several steps on a war footing so that it may match the prevailing standards around the globe. one of the processes that may assure and advance the quality of teaching and learning is the academic valuation. in principle, it is meant for having a clear picture regarding the faculty performance within a given framework. Many areas of educational process may be improved with the help of such a practice.

For instance, it can help in designing curriculum and setting up the learning objectives. the scope in terms of market demand as well as best practices and the resources to be used in order to achieve the set goals may also be accomplished in this manner. the judgment of connectivity of courses and coherence evaluation of curricula is also possible by it.

While the purpose of such practice for individuals and mostly novice teachers is to provide support for effective delivery of contents so that the grasp level of students may be high, it may be useful for enhancing the overall efficacy of educational processes and to safeguard quality in academic as well as cocurricular teaching activities.

For the institutions of higher education, this will ensure proper institutional functioning and monitoring the performance so far as academic and research standards are concerned. it helps to improve administrative aspects and leads for accomplishing excellence. there is thus a high need that academic institutions, especially the universities make internal assessment a regular practice. to accomplish this, visits by panel comprising external contemporaries and senior experienced colleagues to identify the areas of strength and weaknesses should be arranged on a regular basis. this will help improve the academic standard for which there is a plenty of room as far as teaching, working environment and organisational structure of a particular academic setting are concerned.

DR INTIKHAB ULFAT KARACHI

Elitism PEtRoL prices have been skyrocketing. in addition to other consequences, this increase mainly causes rise in production cost. owing to higher cost of production, prices of all commodities are rising, putting them out of the reach of the common man.

Sadly, the government urges the people to reduce their expenditure.

But why should it always be the public who should bear the brunt due to follies of the politicians? in Pakistan, unfortunately, it is always the people who bear the burden of inconsistent policies by the government. As a result of such policies, only the common man will suffer, while the upper class and the political elite will remain unaffected. this will further push more people below the poverty line. Moreover, the middle class will struggle to sustain its living standards, and the lower class will hardly make ends meet. this will increase the crime rate, making the law and order situation worse.

We have already seen ugly scenes in Sri Lanka. the elite better adopt austerity instead of asking the masses to bear the burden of the economic policies pursued by successive governments. if that is not done, i fear social unrest may cause further problems which can only be disastrous, for we already have a political crisis and a polarised society to deal with.

AIJAZ ALI ARISAR UMERKOT

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08 WORLD VIEW PALESTINIANS HAVE NO EXPECTATIONS FROM BIDEN’S VISIT: From a Palestinian point of view, we expect nothing from President Joe Biden’s Middle East tour. All signs indicate he will continue what his predecessor Donald Trump Mustafa Barghouti started.

One such indicator was the US stand on the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. Last week, a State Department statement claimed the killing was unintentional. This clearly aimed at exonerating Israel and sparing the president the embarrassment if questioned about the issue during his visit to Israel.

It has become clear that the resumption of the negotiation process between Israel and the Palestinians is not among US regional policy priorities. Also, there does not seem to be any intention on the part of this administration to pressure Israel to stop its settlement activities.

In fact, Biden has made it clear that his main goal is to support Israel, and even boasted about providing it with $4bn in financial support, the largest sum given to Israel in US history.

There is no doubt that Biden is visiting the region to follow in the footsteps of former US President Donald Trump. Most likely he will continue to build on the socalled Abraham Accords and support normalisation between Israel and Arab states without a solution to the Palestinian question and in contradiction to the Arab Peace Initiative.

His administration has failed to make even the smallest steps towards re-engaging the Palestinians, like opening the US consulate office in Jerusalem, reopening the Palestine Liberation Organization office in Washington, or removing the PLO’s name from the terrorism list in the US Congress.

If this administration can’t open a consulate in Jerusalem for the Palestinians, despite promises to do so, we can’t expect it to pressure Israel to stop the settlements. Therefore, we can say that the Biden administration’s policy, like Trump’s, will only lead to the perpetuation of the occupation and apartheid against the Palestinian people.

The objectives of the visit are to normalise relations between Israel and some Arab states; to support Israel fully; to trap Arab countries into joining a military and intelligence alliance with Israel, and push them into conflicts with other countries; and lastly to secure energy resources for the US as it is struggling with a rise in oil prices.

If this US administration wants to make real change, it must call for an end to the Israeli occupation and the apartheid regime against the Palestinians. It should exercise immediate pressure on Israel to stop all settlement activities that are destroying the very last potential of the so called “two states solution”. And it should also voice support for an independent Palestinian state with defined borders. Without these conditions, the visit will be pointless.

Mustafa Barghuoti is the leader and founder of the Palestinian National Initiative and an elected member of the Palestinian Legislative council since 2006.

THE MIDDLE EAST IS IN TATTERS, AND THE PROGNOSIS IS BLEAK: Biden’s visit to Saudi Arabia has been widely praised by the US foreign policy establishment. According to this view, good policy is routed in realpolitik and pragmatism, not alNader Hashemi truism and human rights. A rapprochement with Mohammed bin Salman, while offensive to American values, can be justified by focusing on US national security interests rooted in the global energy crisis, rising inflation and the ongoing threat from Iran.

The central problem with this approach is that it represents more of the same failed policy, rooted in short-term calculations and erroneous assumptions. What is needed is a long-term vision for US policy in the Middle East - and a grand strategy to guide it. This must be rooted in a firm commitment to invest in the peoples and societies of the region, not in the dictators who rule over them.

Since the US became the dominant external actor in the Middle East after the Second World War, its focus has been on supporting authoritarian regimes, hoping to preserve regional stability, promote development and protect US interests. Looking back over the past 77 years, the objective reality suggests the opposite.

This region is in tatters, and the progno-

Biden in the Middle east FROM THE ENERGY CRISIS TO ISRAEL NORMALISATION, MIDDLE EAST EYE COLUMNISTS OUTLINE WHAT WE CAN EXPECT TO COME OF THE US PRESIDENT’S VISIT BIDEN HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT HIS MAIN GOAL IS TO SUPPORT ISRAEL, AND EVEN BOASTED ABOUT PROVIDING IT WITH $4BN IN FINANCIAL SUPPORT, THE LARGEST SUM GIVEN TO ISRAEL IN US HISTORY

sis is bleak. When judged by key indicators, such as civil and political rights, media freedom, censorship, women’s representation, the status of minorities, and state-sanctioned executions, the countries of the Middle East score dismally. Adding to this grim picture is the expansion of mass poverty and economic destitution.

Data on global inequality reveals that the Middle East, despite an abundance of wealth, has some of the highest wealth inequality scores. According to the World Inequality Lab, “the Middle East [is] the world’s most unequal region”, with the top 10 percent capturing 61 percent of national income. Oxfam has further observed that the Covid-19 pandemic has significantly expanded the problem of mass impoverishment across the region.

The picture becomes bleaker still with the 2021 Global Peace Index, which notes that MENA “remained the world’s least peaceful region”. With the region riven by instability, “conflict in the Middle East has been the key driver of the global deterioration in peacefulness since 2008”.

Repressive Middle Eastern regimes are largely responsible for this state of affairs. Their primary focus is on retaining power and crushing domestic opposition to their rule.

In a rare moment of candour nearly two decades ago, then-US President George W Bush admitted the problem: “Sixty years of western nations excusing and accommodating the lack of freedom in the Middle East did nothing to make us safe - because in the long run, stability cannot be purchased at the expense of liberty.

“As long as the Middle East remains a place where freedom does not flourish, it will remain a place of stagnation, resentment, and violence ready for export. And with the spread of weapons that can bring catastrophic harm to our country and to our friends, it would be reckless to accept the status quo.”

As Biden sets off for the Middle East, no one in Washington wants to have this conversation.

Nader Hashemi is the director of the Center for Middle East Studies, Associate Professor of Middle East and Islamic Politics at Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver.

NO HASTY US RETREAT FROM THE WORLD’S MAIN OIL SPIGOT: With the signing of the 2020 Abraham Accords, Israel began - with US oversight - the process of openly normalising relations with two Gulf states: the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

Jonathan Cook The accords have ostensibly focused on deepening economic, technological and diplomatic links.

But Washington’s ultimate goal is to fully integrate Israel into a regional Arab “defence” alliance against Iran and its allies in the Middle East.

Success hinges on formal ties being established between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

According to a report last month by Axios, Washington intends to use Biden’s visit to the region this week to develop a “road map for normalisation” between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Biden will symbolise that push personally by being the first US president to fly directly from Israel to Saudi Arabia. But as White House officials observed on Monday, normalisation between the two would be a “long process”.

The groundwork was laid early last year when the Pentagon quietly reorganised its military command structures to move Israel into Centcom, its Central Command in the Middle East. Then, a few months ago, Centcom reportedly hosted in secret for the first time the heads of both the Israeli and Saudi

WASHINGTON KNOWS THAT THE LOYALTY OF ITS MIDDLE EASTERN ALLIES DEPENDS ON EACH BEING PERSUADED THAT THE US MILITARY WILL CONTINUE TO GUARANTEE ITS SECURITY

militaries - as well as representatives from Qatar, Egypt, the UAE, Bahrain and Jordan - at a summit in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.

There, they apparently discussed closer security coordination.

To underscore a burgeoning climate of trust, Biden is expected to announce a new security arrangement involving Saudi Arabia in the Straits of Tiran - the entrance to Israel’s only Red Sea port, Eilat.

One of the inducements for strengthening ties is Israel’s pioneering military technology. Biden will reportedly be shown a new laser-based interception system, Iron Beam, the latest of Israel’s missile defence systems. Since launching its devastating war on Yemen, Saudi Arabia has faced repeated drone and missile strikes on infrastructure, including oil installations.

Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz has characterised what he terms a fledgling “Middle East Air Defence Alliance” as “already operative”, with joint mechanisms for intelligence-sharing and intercepting drones and missiles being developed.

Arab states have become one of the biggest customers for Israeli military tech, buying more than $3bn in weapons systems over the past two years. Israel is said to be lobbying Washington for permission to sell Iron Beam to the UAE and “likely also to Saudi Arabia”.

Israeli officials reportedly aspire to build a network of radars, detection and interception systems, based on Israeli technology and coordinated with US bases in the region.

Such a network would not only make Gulf states’ security dependent on Israel, but it would give Israel earlier warning of attacks.

Putting Israel in the driving seat would allow Washington - at least in principle to become less directly involved, freeing its hands to focus on what it characterises as bigger “threats” from Russia and China.

But complete integration may not be plain sailing.

As long as King Salman is alive, the Saudis will be reluctant to formalise an alliance with Israel in violation of their official commitment to make normalisation dependent on Israeli recognition of Palestinian statehood. Israel will not oblige on that score.

Riyadh and the UAE have both been trying to tread a difficult path that involves allying more closely with Israel, while also building tentative bridges to Tehran. Israel’s continuing hard line - which prompted the Trump administration to tear up the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran - could make navigating that course harder.

Further, Saudi Arabia has hedged its bets by failing to strictly follow US sanctions towards Russia, and it continues to cosy up to China. Riyadh will bargain hard with Washington for every concession it makes towards Israel. And any regional defence alliance will have to deal with deep divisions within the Arab world on Israel; Iraq recently passed a law criminalising normalisation.

Ultimately, Washington knows that the loyalty of its Middle Eastern allies depends on each being persuaded that the US military will continue to guarantee its security. For that reason, if no other, there is not likely to be a hasty US retreat from the world’s main oil spigot.

Jonathan Cook is the author of three books on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

ISRAEL-PALESTINE POLICY FOLLOWS FAILED FORMULA: Some pundits are hopeful about Biden’s upcoming visit to Israel/Palestine and Saudi Arabia. But I, and most Palestinians, see it as an exercise in futility, retracing the footsteps of previous US Mazin Qumsiye presidents, from Harry Truman to Donald Trump, with only minor exceptions. American foreign policy is still driven by lobbies, rather than by national interests.

Truman famously said he supported the formation of Israel in Palestine because of his Christian upbringing. But in a closed cabinet meeting, now declassified, he said he supported it because he needed backing for his election from Jews who were in favour of the idea. Every subsequent president has since had to adjust US policies to accommodate such demands.

Two minor diversions can be cited: President Dwight Eisenhower pressed Israel, France and the UK to end their 1956 campaign that had Israel occupying the Sinai and Gaza; and in the early 1960s, President John F Kennedy pushed Israel over its development and possession of nuclear weapons. In 1963, the powerful American Israel Public Affairs Committee was founded to advocate pro-Israel policies in Washington.

In the early 1990s, then-US Secretary of State James Baker briefly tried to push a peace process by suggesting linking US aid to Israel with halting its illegal settlementbuilding in the occupied territories. But President George HW Bush quickly backtracked, saying there were thousands of lobbyists on Capitol Hill who were tying his hands: “I am this lonely guy in the White House,” he said.

Taking stock of history since 1948 helps to explain why the US exempts Israel from legislation that prevents aid to countries that persistently violate human rights; why Israel got away with targeting a US ship in 1967; why Israel consistently gets away with competing with the US in arms sales to despots; and why US taxpayers continue to funnel billions of dollars in annual aid to Israel, a small and wealthy country.

Taking stock of this history also helps to explain why Biden is reneging on his election promises to reverse some of the Trumpera damage in Israel/Palestine, including through his failure to reopen a consulate for

Palestinians in Jerusalem.

Biden’s agenda will surely continue to mirror that of Trump’s. Dutifully, the Palestinian quisling president (whose term expired 13 years ago) will welcome and thank Biden.

In the end, this attempt to prop up the status quo is bound to fail. The best evidence of this can be found in the growth of the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement, and in the chorus of human rights groups that have labelled Israel an apartheid state.

Mazin Qumsiyeh is author of ‘Sharing the Land of Canaan’ and ‘Popular Resistance in Palestine’. He is a professor at Bethlehem University and director of the Palestine Museum of Natural History.

US HAS NO VISION TO CHALLENGE REGIONAL DYNAMICS: Biden’s visit to the Middle East comes at a time when regional actors are reaching out to each other to reconcile their differences. The trip is unlikely to change the broader US retrenchment in the reKadir Ustun gion, despite Biden’s vow to launch a “new and more promising chapter of America’s engagement there”.

Biden touts the absence of American combat missions in the region, the diplomatic isolation of Iran, the relative calm in Yemen, and the prevention of a larger war in Gaza as accomplishments on his watch. Defending his decision to visit Saudi Arabia, Biden argues that he never advocated for a “rupture”, but rather for a reorientation of relations. The visit is clearly meant to reassure regional allies, without offering a new vision for US policy in the region.

Middle East powers have already started adjusting to US retrenchment, amid the country’s focus on extricating itself from regional conflicts. Their main challenge has been to find a solution to the Iran nuclear standoff, but the inconsistent policies between successive US administrations have made that impossible so far - a situation that has significantly fuelled regional tensions.

Yet, while the US says it has been aiming to reduce its regional footprint, it remains a key actor on multiple issues, including the Iran nuclear file, Iraqi politics, countering the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, and the Yemen war, among others.

In many ways, US policy continues to matter - and regional players have had to make their calculations accordingly. Meanwhile, Russia and China have sought to increase their influence in the region, pushing regional powers to seek a balancing act.

Turkey, for its part, has been seeking to maintain relations with western powers, improve relations with regional powers, and get directly involved when its interests are at stake. This posture is unlikely to change anytime soon.

One persistent aspect of Turkish foreign policy in the Middle East is its commitment to stability and predictability. A stable environment allows Turkish trade to increase and diplomatic relations to develop, serving its national interests. If Biden’s visit is seen as contributing to regional stability, this would be welcome in Ankara.

Turkey’s recent openings with the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Israel have aimed to repair bilateral relations and bolster regional stability. At the same time, Turkey wants to avoid isolating Iran, while also competing with it on multiple fronts.

Biden likely missed an opportunity by not returning to the Iran nuclear deal immediately after assuming the presidency, and he is now struggling to strike a deal with a somewhat disinterested and demanding Tehran. Turkey would prefer a diplomatic solution through a new nuclear deal, which could generate regional buy-in.

On the issue of Russia and China, Biden’s promise to unify the western alliance in the face of such adversaries has had some successes but also some failures.

While the West has broadly united against Russia, such a united front has not yet been forged against China.

When it comes to the Middle East, there is little indication that there exists such a broad perspective. In a difficult and complicated region, such a comprehensive vision might be impossible. Yet, with or without a fully developed strategic vision from Washington, regional players such as Turkey will continue to balance western powers against each other, while developing intra-regional relations to further their national interests.

Kadir Ustun is executive director at the SETA Foundation, Washington, DC. He holds a PhD in Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies from Columbia University.

Thursday, 14 July, 2022 | KARACHI

NEWS

09

BIdEn To PErSUadE rIyadh To PUMP MorE oIL

corporate corner Motorway Police returns rs5.8m to passengers overcharged during Eid

LONDON

J

IsLAmAbAd: Under the directions of Inspector General Khalid Mahmood, NHMP returned around Rs5.8 million to passengers who were overcharged during Eid season.

Additionally, 4,077 public service vehicles were fined for overcharging and 17,499 were fined for overloading.

These initiatives are a continuation of NHMP's #NoMore campaign that has delivered promising results. Over two thousand vehicles have been chased, stopped, and fined while spotters, variable messaging sign boards, and manned toll plazas have also complimented enforcement of the law. NHMP is determined to serve the public with a new vigor and commitment. PR

U Microfinance Bank Enters into Strategic Partnership with TPL Corp Limited

AfP

OE Biden will make his first visit as US president to Saudi Arabia on Friday, where he will seek to persuade Riyadh to pump more oil to bring down prices that are fuelling inflation to the highest levels in decades. Prior to his election, Biden had vowed that Saudi Arabia should be a “pariah” state following the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, in a recalibration of relations with the oil-producing country that is a kingpin of the OPEC oil cartel. However, since then, key crude producer Russia had invaded Ukraine, propelling oil prices to levels last seen during the 2008 global financial crisis.

That pushed US inflation to the highest rate in more than four decades – and this could yet persuade Biden to set aside human rights concerns before key US mid-term elections in November, experts say. “It highlights his desperation ahead of the mid-terms to at least be seen to be trying to alleviate

the tightness in the market and bring prices back down,” Oanda analyst Craig Erlam told AFP. “Desperate times call for desperate measures.”

Biden’s chances could be boosted by the looming expiry of a crucial deal among the wider so-called OPEC+ group to boost oil production.

OPEC+ comprises the 13-nation Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries led by Saudi Arabia and

its 10 partners headed by Russia. The group had previously slashed output in 2020, when demand was decimated by Covid pandemic lockdowns worldwide. But since last year, countries have been gradually reopening the taps as economies rebound. Last month, OPEC+ stuck to a previously agreed output hike, shrugging off calls for bigger increases to tame elevated prices.

The deal will soon run its course once

Banks want more: The case of 3-month t-bills KARACHI ARibA ShAhid KARAcHI: President & CEO U Microfinance Bank Limited (U Bank) Mr. Kabeer Naqvi and Mr. Ali Jameel, CEO, TPL Corp Limited, signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of a strategic partnership to promote synergic partnership between the two organizations.

This strategic partnership will create a platform for strengthening the capability of organizations to provide a comprehensive range of tailor-made solutions for the U Bank’s customer base. PR

Mobilink Microfinance Bank signs an agreement with IBP to upskill its employees

The first day of business after the Eid holidays saw yields rising further still in government debt auctions, despite a 125 basis point hike in the policy rate on the last day before the holidays began.

The SBP SBP raised Rs506bn against target of Rs500bn. The 3-month cut-off yields increased by 52bps, by 100 bps for 6 month, and 99 bps for 12 month.

The State Bank’s efforts to reign in the appetite of the banks for higher yields on government paper seemed to be in vain as the spread be-

tween the cut-off yield on all tenors and the policy rate rose despite the pre-Eid rate hike.

The auction saw heavy participation with Rs1,574 billion being offered against a target of Rs500 billion. Not only were the yields higher, but the vast majority of the bids were clumped around 3 month tenor, showing the reluctance of the banks to go far even with the higher yields.

With more than 70% of all bids clumped in the shortest 3month tenor, the market consensus seemed to be that further rate hikes will be required before the market stabilizes.

Fahad Rauf, Head of Re-

search at Ismail Iqbal Securities explains that the market had already built in the rate hike. “OMO effort to bring down yields has gone down the drain. Markets remain uncertain in the absence of forward guidance in the monetary policy statement,” explains Rauf.

“The government managed to raise significant debt against a meager target in the last auction, so it will be interesting to see if they reject this auction,” Rauf adds.

In the previous auction on June 30, the government set a target of Rs800 billion. However, it lifted Rs1.742 trillion against the target.

Pakistan’s regional exports increase 18.3pc in 11M FY22 ISLAMABAD APP IsLAmAbAd: Pakistan’s largest digital bank - Mobilink Microfinance Bank Limited (MMBL), has joined hands with the Institute of Bankers Pakistan (IBP), the country's leading premier banking training institute, to upskill and develop the capacities of its valued workforce and help strengthen banking experience of its customers and delivery standards. Through this collaboration, more than 1500 frontline MMBL employees will be enrolled at IBP in its specialized banking education and training programs, IBP Superior Qualification, and IBP Microfinance Diploma.

President and CEO, MMBL, Ghazanfar Azzam, and Khawlah Usman, Director of Marketing and Sales, IBP, signed the agreement earlier this week in the presence of senior officials from both organizations, expressing their commitment to ensure quality banking services to the customers through meaningful collaborations. the quality of services in the banking industry through meaningful collaborations. PR

Pakistan’s exports to regional countries witnessed an increase of 18.26 percent in the first eleven months of fiscal year (2021-22), as compared to the corresponding period of last year (11MFY21).

The country’s exports to seven regional countries including Afghanistan, China, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, and the Maldives total $4172.741 million, which is 14.22 percent of Pakistan’s overall exports of $29333.048 million during July-May (202122), the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reported.

According to the details, exports to China posted a growth of 38.77 percent to $2543.24 million in 11MFY22 from $1832.649 million during last year while exports to Bangladesh

also increased by 42 percent to $783.469 million from $551.712 million.

The country’s export to Afghanistan, however, dropped by 44.82 percent to $494.080 million during the period under review from $895.399 million whereas exports to India also dipped by 43.53 percent to $1.289 million from $2.283.

Similarly, exports to Sri Lanka rose by 43.34 percent to $338.986 million from $236.486 million in the previous year whereas exports to Nepal also increased by 26.07 percent to $5.420 million from $4.299 million, in addition exports to Maldives increased by 12.52 percent to $6.261 million from $5.564 million, it added.

On the other hand, the imports from seven regional countries were recorded at $16166 million during the period under review as compared to $11938.173 million.

OPEC+ returns to pre-pandemic production after August.

“The expiration of the OPEC+ deal in September does create an opportunity and perhaps (Biden) would not be making such a move if he had not been assured that something is possible,” said Erlam. The grouping will hold its next production gathering in August.

Yet Biden’s hopes for more oil could be dashed because elevated crude prices, despite recent losses, have energised state revenues and economies across the Middle East. “It would be a massive surprise if Saudi Arabia produced more oil,” said independent analyst Stephen Innes. Saudi Arabia’s oil-driven economy expanded by 9.6% in the first quarter, its strongest growth rate in a decade.

There is a “significant economic incentive to not increase production”, said XTB analyst Walid Koudmani.

Riyadh is already pumping close to maximum capacity. In May, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan stated that the kingdom had “done what it could” for the oil market.

Sarsabz Fertilizer marks cotton significance thru nostalgic journey of ‘Khaki desan’

LAHORE: The nostalgic memories of our mothers opening rustic family trunks and taking out hand-knitted khaees and dariyan made from indigenous cotton and proudly setting them for the frequent guests have faded away.

However, to try and revive this lost cultural heritage and tradition, Sarsabz Fertilizer released the second episode of its Sarsabz Kahani web series titled “Khaki Desan” which focused on the true story of Jugnu Mohsin, a wellrecognized entrepreneur and public figure, who quickly realized the dearth of good quality local cotton and its dying breed called Khaki Desan which nobody was striving to preserve. This latest film is part of a strategic initiative called ‘Sarsabz Kahani’, which highlights true inspirational stories of farmers passionately fond of their motherland and its cultural heritage and was released on the momentous occasion of Eid ul-Azha as a short film on July 10, 2022, across its social media platforms.

Seeking technical assistance from Sarsabz Fertilizer, which is a brand of Fatima Fertilizer, the protagonist went on to successfully harvest the finest crop of Khaki Desan cotton to create an exceptional quality of khaddar, which is a hand-spun and hand-woven cotton cloth being used in the sub-continent since many centuries. Sarsabz Fertilizer extended their unravelling contribution and support to Jugnu Mohsin to implement this community support program as a sustainable initiative which can re-engage and empower a community of thousands of rural women in the centuries-old craft of cotton spinning and weaving and earn a decent livelihood for their families. Sarsabz also supported Jugnu Mohsin in setting up a workshop under the name “Haveli Crafts” to market the final products. The story of this unique collaboration is multifaceted in many ways. Most importantly, it refers to the recent decline of cotton production in Pakistan which is detrimental to our economic stability. As per the Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, the cotton crop holds a 0.8 percent share in GDP and contributes 5.2% to the agriculture value addition. Cotton also holds a 51 percent share in the country’s total foreign exchange earnings. PR

PR exploring ‘gateway of prosperity’ under CPEC ISLAMABAD StAff RePoRt

Pakistan Railways was expanding the scope of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to explore the “Gateway of Prosperity” for both countries and the region at large through the advancement of the Railways sector. The department considered CPEC as a long-term development project as it has the potential to serve as a corridor with multiple doors connecting

China with Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, said an official document issued here.

It said the Chinese and Pakistani workforce, in a large number, was employed to ensure timely completion of the infrastructure projects.

There were also new projects launched such as Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway (M-6), Peshawar-DI Khan Motorway (M-14), KKH Alternate Route (Gilgit-Shandor-Chitral), Swat Expressway (PhaseII), Dir Expressway, and Karachi Circular Railways.

Pakistan Railways was providing one of the key modes of transport in the public sector which promoted national integration and economic growth, it added.

Pakistan Railways comprised a total of 466 locomotives for a 7,791 km long route. During July-March FY-2022, the gross earnings of railways were recorded at Rs43.73 billion, it added.

The modern transportation and communication system was one of the key inputs for achieving sustainable economic growth, the document said.

LAHORE: Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif appreciates Special Assistant to Chief Minister Punjab / Chairman Lahore Waste Management Company Khawaja Ahmad Hassan over best cleanliness arrangements and public convenience during Eid holidays. Khawaja Ahmad Hassan was garlanded with flowers. PR

Thursday, 14 July, 2022 | KARACHI

10 FOREIGN NEWS

IndIan hackerS Launch freSh attack on PakIStan under chIna-reLated code naMe: chIneSe cyBerSecurIty fIrM BeIJING

a

MiAn AbrAr

FTER one and a half years of investigation and analysis, a Chinese cybersecurity company found that an advanced persistent threat (APT) group based in India with a code name “Confucius”, had launched fresh attacks on the Pakistani government and military institutions.

Chinese cybersecurity company Antiy told the Global Times on Tuesday that the group’s earliest attacks can be traced back to 2013. It mainly targeted governments, military and energy sectors of neighboring countries like China, Pakistan and Bangladesh to steal sensitive data.

The group was named “Confucius”

by international cybersecurity insiders.

According to Li Bosong, chief engineer of Antiy, the group uses the command “Confucius says” to deliver its attacks.

“This means that the hackers have studied Chinese culture during their consistent attacks on China,” Li said, noting that the group is good at using spear phishing e-mails and phishing websites, together with unique social engineering measures to attack targets.

The group’s actions are driven by political and economic profits. It steals core data or damages the key infrastructure facilities of its targets. Their attacks can have an real impact outside the network.

According to Antiy CERT, it detected the group’s attacks against Pakistani government and military facilities when it traced the attacks from the direction of the South Asian

Protesters storm Sri Lanka PM’s office after President flees abroad Protesters in Sri Lanka defied tear gas, water cannon and a state of emergency to storm the prime minister’s office on Wednesday after the president fled overseas, with the crowd demanding both men step down in the face of an economic crisis.

In a televised statement Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said he had instructed the military and police to do “what is necessary to restore order”.

But footage showed armed security personnel standing by in the grounds of his office as protesters, some holding national flags, milled and took pictures. Other demonstrators at one point broke into state television studios, as the country’s months-long political and economic crisis appeared to be moving towards a climax.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa promised at the weekend to resign on Wednesday after escaping his own official residence in Colombo just before tens of thousands of protesters overran it.

As president, Rajapaksa enjoys immunity from arrest, and he is believed to have wanted to go abroad before stepping down to avoid the possibility of being detained.

The 73-year-old, his wife and two bodyguards took a military aircraft to the neighbouring Maldives, immigration sources told AFP. Hours later, with no formal announcement he was stepping down, thousands of demonstrators mobbed the office of Wickremesinghe — whom Rajapaksa named as acting president during his absence — demanding both officeholders should go.

“Go home Ranil, Go home Gota,” they shouted.

Tear gas and water cannon fired by police and the declaration of both a nationwide state of emergency and a curfew failed to disperse them and the crowd poured into the building. Wickremesinghe, also 73, would automatically become acting president if Rajapaksa steps down, but has himself announced his willingness to resign if consensus is reached on forming a unity government.

“We can’t tear up our constitution,” he said in his statement. “We can’t allow fascists to take over. We must end this fascist threat to democracy,” he said, adding that the official buildings occupied by protesters must be returned to state control.

The protesters’ actions were a repeat of the capture of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s home and office on Saturday, when Wickremesinghe’s private home was also set ablaze. The prime minister’s office confirmed that Rajapaksa had left the country, but said it had no schedule for any presidential resignation announcement. Agencies

subcontinent since 2021. The group operates in the name of the working staff from the Pakistani government and sends targeted spear phishing emails. Once the recipients open or download the documents, Trojan horse programs are installed into the machine, stealing all the data.

For example, Antiy found that in June 2021, the group used the malicious file with contents related to the list of those who died in the Pakistani army to conduct attacks and in February 2022, it used the file on vaccination status of Pakistani government staff to conduct attacks, according to Li. The hackers install different kinds of malicious software in spear phishing e-mails and trick the targets to open the links.

Antiy has fully analyzed the sam-

ples of the group’s attacks and found that the hackers shared tools and codes with another APT group, SideWinder.

It is common for Indian APT groups to share tools and codes. Previously, international cybersecurity companies revealed that the APT group codenamed “Confucius” also shared codes with other Indian groups like Urpage, Li said.

The attacks have caught the attention of Pakistani authorities. The Pakistani National Telecom & Information Technology Security Board has issued a nationwide warning saying that hackers are sending spear phishing emails under the name of the prime minister’s office, and called for officials and the public to stay alert and not to provide any information via emails or social media platforms.

Pakistan to participate in 13 trade exhibitions in China during 2022-23 NeWS deSk Pakistan to participate in 13 trade exhibitions in China during 2022-23, Gwadar Pro reported on Wednesday. In line with Trade Development Authority Pakistan (TDAP) Annual Business Plan (ABP), Pakistani officials, experts, importers, and exporters will participate in exhibitions and fairs in different Chinese cities during this period.

The exhibitions will cover a variety of topics including textile, leather, agro & food, exports of rice, mangoes, and meat to China, etc.

Apart from exhibitions, the authority has also planned export promotional conferences, webinars, workshops, and delegations to and from Pakistan during this period.

The 7th China-Eurasia Expo under the category of International Markets Development Division (IMDD) will take place from August 25 to 30 in Urumqi, China. Similarly, Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics will be organized from August 29 to 31, 2022.

From September 16 to 19, the ChinaASEAN Expo will take place in Nanning, China under the IMDD category while in October 2022, Seafood and Fisheries Expo will take place in Hongdao, China.

China Int’l Import Expo (CIIE) has been planned for November 5-10 2022 in Shanghai under the category of IMDD while Wenzhou 4th Intl Import Expo will be organized on November 18-21 in Wenzhou. The Western China International Sourcing Fair will take place on November 19-21 in Xi’an, China.

In March 2023, the Xiamen Stone Fair will take place in Xiamen, China. Pakistan’s Engineering & Minerals Division will participate to showcase the country’s marble sector.

During the same month, Pakistan’s Textile and Leather Division will exhibit the country’s apparel and fabrics at ‘Inter Textile Shanghai Fabric’ in China.

In April 2023, China Import & Export Fair (Canton Fair) will take place in Guangzhou in the category of IMDD while the Textile and Leather Division of Pakistan will showcase the country’s articles of leather at APLF Hong Kong.

From May 25 to 27, the textile and leather

division will participate in the Domotex-Shanghai exhibition in Shanghai China.

In June 2023, Pakistan will participate in China Int’l SME Fair which will take place in Guangzhou.

As per the business plan 2022-23, 10 Pakistani delegates associated with ready-made garments and hosiery will visit China while four Chinese delegates (quarantine inspectors in meat) will visit Pakistan.

Several seminars and webinars/B2B Sessions and interactions are also planned wherein importers and exporters from both countries will participate. For example, in August 2022, a webinar titled ‘Replacing imports from China due to US sanctions/tariff increase’ will take place to understand the market dynamics of China after US sanctions.

In September 2022, another B2B interaction on replacing imports from China will be organized to understand the market dynamics of China after US sanctions.

In November 2022, a webinar/B2B session will take place to introduce Pakistani citrus products to the Chinese market. The stakeholders of the B2B are TIO China, TDAP, PFVA, SCCI, fruits and vegetable association of China.

In December 2022, a webinar titled ‘Market awareness on China under CPFTA, Potential and Issues of the Plastic Sector and Prospectus of Plastic Exports to China under CPFTA’ will take place.

In January 2023, a webinar/B2B session will take place to introduce Pakistani mango products to the Chinese market. The stakeholders of the B2B include TIO China, TDAP, PFVA, fruits & vegetable association of China.

In January 2023, a B2B interaction of local exporters with major buyers of the world-leading dry fruit importer will take place to secure more shares in the Chinese market.

In March 2023 a webinar/B2B, PakistanChina Tobacco Trade, Trade Mission China TDAP, business community in China and business community in Pakistan will explore the potential of Pakistan- China Tobacco Trade as China is among top 10 largest exporters of Tobacco.

Bolton admits to planning attempted foreign coups, following Imran’s ‘regime change’ claims Ever since the former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has been ousted through a no-confidence motion, he had been claiming that his ouster was entirely a by-product of foreign interference, primarily an orchestrated regime change operation intitiated by the US against the PTI-led government in Pakistan.

The former PM and PTI Chairman’s claims have been constantly negated by the US. However, John Bolton a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and former White House national security adviser on Tuesday, indirectly confirmed the allegations leveled by Imran Khan by revealing that he had helped plan attempted coups in foreign countries.

According the the details, Bolton made the remarks to CNN after the day’s congressional hearing into the Jan 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. The panel’s lawmakers on Tuesday accused former President Donald Trump of inciting the violence in a last-ditch bid to remain in power after losing the 2020 election.

Speaking to CNN anchor Jake Tapper, however, Bolton suggested Trump was not competent enough to pull off a “carefully planned coup d’etat,” later adding: “As somebody who has helped plan coups d’etat – not here but you know (in) other places – it takes a lot of work. And that’s not what he (Trump) did.”

Tapper asked Bolton which attempts he was referring to.

“I’m not going to get into the specifics,” Bolton said, before mentioning Venezuela. “It turned out not to be successful.

Not that we had all that much to do with it but I saw what it took for an opposition to try and overturn an illegally elected president and they failed,” he said.

In 2019, Bolton as national security adviser publicly supported Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido’s call for the military to back his effort to oust socialist President Nicolas Maduro, arguing that Maduro’s re-election was illegitimate. Ultimately Maduro remained in power.

“I feel like there’s other stuff you’re not telling me (beyond Venezuela),” the CNN anchor said, prompting a reply from Bolton: “I’m sure there is.”

Many foreign policy experts have over the years criticized Washington’s history of interventions in other countries, from its role in the 1953 overthrowing of then Iranian nationalist prime minister Mohammad Mosaddegh and the Vietnam war, to its invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan this century.

But it is highly unusual for U.S. officials to openly acknowledge their role in stoking unrest in foreign countries.

“John Bolton, who’s served in highest positions in the U.S. government, including UN ambassador, casually boasting about he’s helped plan coups in other countries,” Dickens Olewe, a BBC journalist from Kenya, wrote on Twitter.

It is pertinent to note that earlier this month, former PM Imran Khan stated that the United States (US) backed regime change because it wanted to have military bases in Pakistan and use the country once again to meet its foreign policy objectives in the region and beyond.

The former premier said that the US once again wants to have bases in Pakistan and use the country against Russia, saying the issue was going on between the US and Russia but Pakistan can’t import cheap oil and gas from Russia; a condition that doesn’t apply to India.

Speaking at a seminar titled ‘Regime Change: Impact on Politics, Security and Economy’ organised by Islamabad Policy Institute (IPI), he said the regime change has profoundly harmed Pakistan. MAnAl JAffery

Biden heads to Middle East for first tour as president WASHINGTON Afp

US President Joe Biden lands in the Middle East on Wednesday for a trip that will see Israeli leaders urge tougher action against Iran, before a delicate stop in Saudi Arabia.

The 79-year-old president’s visit to Jeddah on Friday will be the focus of the tour, after Biden branded Saudi Arabia a “pariah” over the 2018 murder of dissident Saudi journalist and US resident Jamal Khashoggi.

Air Force One will also make an unprecedented direct flight between the Jewish state and the conservative Gulf kingdom that does not recognise its existence.

Before that, Biden will meet Israeli leaders seeking to broaden cooperation against Iran, and Palestinian leaders frustrated by what they describe

as Washington’s failure to curb Israeli aggression.

The persistent frustrations of Israeli-Palestinian diplomacy are nothing new for Biden, who first visited the region in 1973 after being elected to the Senate.

Iran and Israel were allies then, but the Jewish state now considers Tehran its top threat.

Israel’s caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid, who took office less than two weeks ago, has said talks “will focus first and foremost on the issue of Iran.”

Jerusalem to Bethlehem: Moments after Biden touches down, Israel’s military will show him its new Iron Beam system, an anti-drone laser it claims is crucial to countering Iran’s UAV fleet.

Israel insists it will do whatever is necessary to thwart Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and is staunchly opposed to a restoration of the 2015 deal that gave

Tehran sanctions relief.

Israel says it is raising 1,000 flags across Jerusalem to welcome the US leader, who has not reversed former president Donald Trump’s controversial decision to recognise the city as the capital of the Jewish state.

Palestinians claim Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem as their capital and, ahead of the visit, have accused Biden of failing to make good on his pledge to restore the United States as an honest broker in the conflict.

“We only hear empty words and no results,” said Jibril Rajoub, a leader of the secular Fatah movement of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.

Biden will meet Abbas in the occupied West Bank city of Bethlehem on Friday, but there is no expectation of bold announcements towards a fresh peace process, meaning the visit may merely deepen Palestinian frustration.

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Thursday, 14 July, 2022 | KARACHI

UncertAinty sUrrOUnds PAKistAn tOUr Of sri LAnKA

U

newS DeSk

NCERTAINTY surrounds Pakistan’s tour of Sri Lanka after a state of emergency was declared in the island country on Wednesday. The Babar Azam-led unit are currently playing a three-day warm-up match, ahead of their two-match Test series against the home side.

“PCB and Sri Lanka Cricket are constantly in contact; however, no decision has been taken about calling off the tour,” a PCB official said. “If the situation is not under control, the series could be postponed.”

The first is set to take place in Galle from July 16, meanwhile the second match will be held in Colombo from July 24.

It must be noted that thousands of people mobbed the prime minister’s office after the country’s president flew to the Maldives, following months of widespread protests against an economic crisis.

Leeds saviour raphinha set to join Barcelona AgencIeS Brazil winger Raphinha, who played a pivotal role in Leeds United retaining their place in the Premier League last season, is poised to sign for Barcelona after the clubs agreed to the deal in principle on Wednesday. The 25-year-old will cost the Catalans a reported 55 million euros ($55.3million) — with a potential 15 million euros in add-ons — and sign a five year contract. “Barcelona and Leeds United Football Club have reached an agreement in principle for the transfer of Raphael Dias Belloli, Raphinha, pending the player passing his medical,” read a statement on the Barcelona website. Barcelona said they were buying: “a winger who is excellent in one on ones, taking on defenders being a key part of his game.”

Raphinha spent two seasons at Elland Road, scoring 17 goals and providing 12 assists after they signed him from Ligue 1 outfit Rennes for £17 million – the French side are due a cut of the transfer fee. Raphinha — who had two years remaining of his contract — became a fans favourite and earned himself a permanent place in their hearts when he scored a penalty in the 2-1 win over Brentford in their final match of last season to ensure they stayed up in the English top-flight. Barcelona have been able to spend after easing their massive financial problems by selling 10% of their TV rights at the end of June to American company Sixth Street for 25 years at a cost of around 207.5 million euros. Raphinha — capped nine times — is Barca’s third signing of the close season following Ivory Coast defender Franck Kessie from AC Milan and Denmark central defender Andreas Christensen from Chelsea.

Mo farah says he was a victim of child trafficking LOnDOn

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had promised at the weekend to resign on Wednesday and clear the way for a “peaceful transition of power” after fleeing his official residence in Colombo just before tens

of thousands of protesters overran it.

Police fired tear gas to hold them back from overrunning the compound and officials declared a nationwide state of emergency “to deal with the situation in the country”, the prime minister’s spokesman Dinouk Colombage told media.

Police imposed an indefinite curfew across the Western Province, which includes Colombo, “to contain the situation”, a senior police officer said. Sri Lanka defaulted on its $51-billion foreign debt in April and is in talks with the IMF for a possible bailout. The island has nearly exhausted its already scarce supplies of petrol. The government has ordered the closure of non-essential offices and schools to reduce commuting and save fuel.

Japanese mountaineers arrive to summit Shispare peak ISLAMABAD StAFF RePoRt

A three-member Japanese team has arrived in Pakistan to attempt 7611-metre challenging Shispare peak in the Karakoram range in Gilgit-Baltistan.

“The team is led by Nakajima Toshiya, while Fukasawa Yusuki and Mizutani Takeo are its other member,” Karrar Haidri, secretary Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) told APP on Wednesday.

According to Haidri, so far this is the only international outfit, which has applied to summit Shispare, this summer. “Scaling Shispare is considered as one of the standout mountaineering accomplishments. If the trio successfully attempts the peak it will be a great feat of the season,” he added.

Located in the east of the Batura Wall, Shispare is a famous peak, known for its tremendous rise above local terrain.

The popularity of Pakistan’s captivating mountains is growing across the globe at a rapid pace as for the first time in recent history over 1400 international climbers have 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. Around 57 expeditions across 23 peaks with a combined total of 672 climbers [576 male and 96 female] had been issued permits.

A stunning 400 international climbers will be attempting K2 this season.

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 Pak-

istan. Besides these five peaks and Shispare, various climbers will alpine K7 peak (6943m), Saltoro Kangri (7700m), Sia Kangri (7422m), Virjerab Sar (6601m), Spantik Peak (7027m), Lupghar Sar (7200m), Gasherbrum VI (7004m), Pumari Chhish (6850m), Dut Sar Peak (6800m), Gasherbrum-III (7952m), Kuron Kuh (7164m), Muchu Chhish (7453m), Urdok Kangri (7250m), Masherbrum Peak (7821m), Muchu Chhish (7453m), Diran peak (7260m), Tahu Rutum (6652m), Ghamubar zom (6518m) and Karun kuh (6977m).

SPORTS 11 Africa’s fastest man Omanyala on a sprint mission for Kenya AgencIeS Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala is on a mission to put sprinting on the map in Kenya, a country where the long-distance runner is king. The 26-year-old Kenyan is hoping to shine in the 100m at the World Athletics Championships opening this week in Eugene, Oregon. But he was facing a race against time on Wednesday to obtain a US visa to enable him to get to Oregon for the 100m heats on Friday. “Sad that I haven’t travelled to Oregon yet and 100m is in 2 days. Visa delays!!” he posted on Instagram. “We are anxiously waiting for the US embassy to issue visas for a number of athletes, including Omanyala.

Hopefully they will be able to fly out today,” Athletics Kenya executive member Barnabas Korir told AFP. Omanyala is the third quickest man in the world this season behind Americans Fred Kerley and Trayvon Bromell. He wears two wristbands on his right arm: one, made of black and green beads, bears the numbers 9:85, his season-best 100m time set in May. The other, a bracelet crafted from leather and metal, is inscribed with 9:77, the African record he set last September. It made him the ninth fastest man ever, behind four Americans and three Jamaicans. Making the podium in Eugene would be an historic first for an African runner. Namibia’s Frankie Fredericks twice won Olympic silver in the 100m in the 1990s, but his one gold and three silvers in the World Championships were all over 200m.

Omanyala said he has set his sights on at least reaching the final on July 16. “I’m targeting 9.6,” he told AFP in an interview during a training session at the main stadium in the Kenyan capital Nairobi. “That will be my biggest achievement. And of course, I am going for the win.” As well as Kerley and Bromell, his opposition in Oregon should include Olympic gold medallist Marcell Jacobs of Italy and the 2019 world champion Christian Coleman. “I am an athlete who runs well under pressure. So I am looking forward to getting better in Oregon, because now everybody who is an athlete will be there,” said Omanyala, who beat Kerley in May. The young athlete and his coach Duncan Ayiemba have been mapping out ways to make sprinting more popular in Kenya, renowned for its top middle and long-distance runners. “Normally it’s long distance in Kenya, so I want the 100 metres to be something big in Kenya this year,” said Ayiemba. Omanyala became the first Kenyan sprinter to reach an Olympic semi-final at the Tokyo Games last year. The chemistry student took up athletics six years ago after playing rugby sevens. “When I started athletics, my aim was to make people know that Kenyans can sprint, that is something that has changed,” he said. Omanyala, who hails from western Kenya and is the third of five brothers, said he has had to overcome obstacles, not least the distance.

French Senate re port to shed light on chaos at Champions League final

ReuteRS

PARIS

Multiple Olympic and world champion Mo Farah was brought to Britain from Djibouti at the age of nine and was forced to do housework and childcare in exchange for food, he told the BBC. The 39-year-old Briton, who was born in Somalia, added his name had been changed to Mohamed Farah from Hussein Abdi Kahin in the fake travel documents used to fly him to Britain by a woman he had never met before. Once he arrived in the UK, the woman took him to her home in Hounslow, west London, and tore apart a paper with the contact details of his relatives. Her family did not allow him to go to school until the age of 12. “For years I just kept blocking it out, but you can only block it out for so long,” he said in the BBC documentary, which will be broadcast this week. “Often I would just lock myself in the bathroom and cry. The only thing I could do to get away from this (living situation) was to get out and run.” His physical education teacher Alan Watkinson contacted social services and helped him find a foster family in the Somali community after Farah told him what he was going through. “I felt like a lot of stuff was lifted off my shoulders, and I felt like me.

That’s when Mo came out — the real Mo,” Farah said. “I had no idea there was so many people who are going through exactly the same thing that I did. It just shows how lucky I was.

“What really saved me, what made me different, was that I could run.”

AFP

The findings of a French Senate enquiry into the crowd chaos at this year’s Champions League final in Paris are set to be published on Wednesday, threatening further embarrassment for the police and under-fire Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin.

A fact-finding mission led by two senators has been hearing from witnesses since the Liverpool-Real Madrid game on May 28 which was marred by a delayed kick-off, crushes, teargas and street crime.

The investigation has already concluded the problems were mostly caused by a lack of preparation by French authorities, who offered to host the biggest game in European football after it was stripped from Russia following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

The final report is almost certain to contradict repeated statements from Darmanin that Liverpool fans were mostly to blame, with the minister claiming that up to 40,000 of them travelled to the stadium either with fake tickets or without them.

“Our work has already made clear a number of dysfunctions,” senator Francois-Noel Buffet, a co-chair of the investigation, said on June 21 during one of the final hearings.

“Contrary to what has been said, in-

cluding here by the interior minister, English supporters were not the cause of the incidents. Let’s say things clearly and bluntly: everyone recognises that they demonstrated great self-control in the face of what you could call chaos,” he added.

Many Liverpool supporters struggled to travel to the stadium because of a transport strike, then found themselves in bottlenecks and crushes at the stadium entry gates, where police fired tear gas to move

them back. Disabled Liverpool fans testified to the Senate commission that officers had even sprayed people in wheelchairs.

After the game, fans from both sides were preyed on by local gangs as they made their way to local transport connections, with many reporting pickpocketing, muggings and threats as the police looked on. The televised events were a national embarrassment and are thought to have influenced parliamentary elections in June

when President Emmanuel Macron lost his majority and the anti-immigration National Rally party made unprecedented gains.

Darmanin survived a government reshuffle in May and has since been given extra responsiblity as interior minister despite his widely disputed claims, which caused fury in Liverpool and tensions with the British government.

Authorities have also been under pressure to explain why security camera footage from the stadium was not saved, removing a potentially vital source of information for investigators as they try to piece together events.

“Should things have been managed better at the Stade de France (stadium)?

The answer is yes. Am I partly responsible? The answer is yes,” Darmanin told RTL radio at the end of June in his first apology. The head of the Paris police, Didier Lallement is also set to face stinging criticism after he admitted in a hearing on June 9 that security operations had been a “failure”. But the renowned hardliner defended the use of teargas to move fans back from the stadium, saying there was “no other way.”

France is to host the Rugby World Cup next year and the Olympics in 2024, with the Senate report also set to make a series of recommendations to improve coordination for major sporting events between organisers, local authorities and police.

Thursday, 14 July, 2022

prayer timings

NEWS

ON MaRtyRS’ Day, SHeHbaz ReaffIRMS cOMMItMeNt tO KaSHMIR cauSe ISLAMABAD

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staff report

S people of Kashmir living on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) and around the globe observed Martyrs Day on Wednesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the day is a reminder of the sacrifices Muslims in the Indianoccupied region rendered for their inalienable and UN-sanctioned right to self-determination.

The day is celebrated on July 13 in commemoration of a gory incident in 1931 on the same day, when 22 Muslim protestors were killed while they were protesting the sedition case against Abdul Qadeer, a resident of British India, who was being tried on the charge of sedition for inciting the people against the Dogra ruler at a gathering in Khanqah-i-Moula, a mosque located in the Old City of Srinagar, on June 21.

In a tweet, the prime minister said the flame of freedom from New Delhi’s occupation has been kept alive by the generations “in the face of Indian

tyranny and oppression”.

Since 1931, the people of Kashmir observed Youm-i-Shuhada every year.

The incident marked the beginning of the modern-era freedom struggle which has traversed through different phases including civilian protests and political and armed struggle.

Interestingly, until 2019, the day was also observed in occupied Kashmir.

However, in December 2019, four months after revoking the special status of the disputed region, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government removed this day from the region’s official holiday list. According to Kashmir Media Service, a complete strike is being observed across the held territory today as part of the week-long protest calendar, a call for which has been given by the joint resistance leadership.

A call for the strike was also given by the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) and supported by all pro-freedom organisations to commemorate the day.

Mourners will assemble at the Martyrs’ Graveyard at Naqshband Sahab in Srinagar to offer prayer for the dead.

‘WORST MILITARY SIEGE’: A Foreign Office statement said the government and people of Pakistan “solemnly observed” the day and paid homage to the martyrs who rendered the ultimate sacrifice while braving the indiscriminate force unleashed on them.

“On this sombre day, we join our Kashmiri brethren on either side of the Line of Control in commemorating the contribution of the martyrs of 1931,” it said in a statement. “Regretfully, Kashmiris are still struggling against India’s illegal occupation. Even today, the 900,000-strong Indian occupation forces continue to hold hostage the Kashmiri people under the worst form of military siege to perpetuate their wrongful occupation of Jammu and Kashmir.”

The statement mentioned also recalled India’s “illegal and unilateral” revocation of the special status of occupied Kashmir on August 5, 2019, a step it said was yet another attempt to strip the people of Kashmir of their distinct identity and turn them into a minority in their own homeland.

Since then, more than 640 people,

mostly Muslim, have been killed in staged encounters. 120 have been killed in cold blood this year alone, it said.

“As we honour the invaluable sacrifice of the heroes of 1931 as well as all innocent Kashmiris who have laid down their lives in this just struggle, Pakistan once again urges India to immediately halt its state-terrorism in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK),” the statement said.

The Foreign Office urged India to cease all rights violations, release all political prisoners, lift the inhumane military siege, stop its attempts to change the demographic structure of the occupied territory, and let the people exercise their legitimate right to self-determination.

“We also call upon the international community, international human rights organizations, and particularly the United Nations and its human rights mechanism to take cognisance of the dire human rights and humanitarian situation in the region and ensure peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions and the wishes of the people,” it said.

Gulf based crypto trading company aims to enter Pakistan

Six terrorists gunned down, solider martyred in Datta Khel operation: ISPR RAWALPINDI staff report

Security forces on Wednesday gunned down six terrorists during an operation in North Waziristan.

According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces conducted an Intelligence Based Operation in general area Datta Khel, North Waziristan District, on reported presence of terrorists.

The troops executed a successful operation and killed 6 terrorists. Weapons and ammunition was also recovered from the killed terrorists.

The killed terrorists remained actively involved in terrorist activities against security forces.

However, during intense ex-change of fire, Lance Naik Islam ud Din (age 34 years, resident of Khyber District), having fought gallantly, embraced shahadat.

Sanitization of the area is being carried out to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area.

Earlier today, Pakistan Army troops observed and engaged terrorists movement in general area of Datta Khel, North Waziristan District.

During exchange of fire, four terrorists got killed. Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the killed terrorists. The killed terrorists remained actively involved in terrorist activities against security forces.

Rain Financial, a cryptocurrencies trading company based in Bahrain is trying to persuade authorities in Pakistan to develop a legal framework to allow formal trading in cryptocurrencies. In Pakistan trading in crypto is not considered illegal, although the State Bank (SBP) has in the past issued a notice to the public refraining them from trading in cryptocurrencies. According to the previous State Bank governor trading in crypto is risky and outweighed the benefits.

In an interview to a local media outlet, Rain Financial Country General Manager Zeeshan Ahmed said, “Presently trading in cryptocurrencies is ongoing in Pakistan in the informal sector and as per the Global Crypto Adoption Index Pakistan is among the top ranking countries.

Since crypto trading is unregulated in Pakistan the government is not able to collect any sort of tax from the investors”.

Rain Financial is interested in a regulated market and believes in licensed trading platforms, therefore prior to moving into a market such as Pakistan they are engaging the regulator and concerned financial authorities to show

them the benefit from trading in crypto.

Rain Financial was incorporated as a crypto asset company in 2017, a crypto policy framework was issued in Bahrain in 2018 and Rain Financial got licensed under it in 2019.

Presently the company is a regional player in the Middle East and plans to expand its reach.

The global crypto market for the past six months has been extremely volatile and faced huge losses. Although Country General Manager Rain Financial believes that the market volatility will come down in the long run and that the present global adoption rate of crypto is only seven per cent, which is still very low.

Moreover, the Country General Manager is of the view that once the central bank in Pakistan allows formal trading in cryptocurrencies after which Pakistan is expected to be a high volume, low transaction market and the crypto trading app users will increase many folds as the market becomes regulated. It is expected that the market size will be around 70 to 80 million users one year after market formalization takes place. staff report

Rupee falls against US dollar in interbank The US dollar on Wednesday gained value against the rupee in the first session after the holidays, the Pakistani rupee (PKR) dropped over two rupees in the interbank market, according to Mettis Link News.

The last close of Pakistani rupee was 207.91 per USD. The rupee is now trading at 209.94/210.10 with open market trading at 210 per USD.

Meanwhile, the price of the euro decreased by Rs1.30 and closed at Rs210.88 against the previous day’s closing of Rs212.06.

The Japanese Yen gained one paisa to close at Rs1.53, whereas a decrease of 79 paisas was witnessed in the exchange rate of the British Pound, which was traded at Rs 249.80 as compared to its last

closing of Rs248.17.

The exchange rates of Emirates Dirham and Saudi Riyal increased by 60 paisas to close at Rs57.20 and Rs55.97 respectively. Since the beginning of the last fiscal year (July 1, 2021), the rupee has dropped by a massive 33.36% (or Rs52.56) compared to the previous fiscal year’s close at Rs157.54. news desk

FAJR SUNRISE

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PM orders immediate restoration of Neelum Jhelum Hydro-project ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday took notice of a technical fault in the 969MW Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project, directing the relevant departments to ensure the immediate restoration of power supply.

The prime minister, who chaired a high level meeting on the matter, expressed his annoyance over the technical failure of the project which suspended the supply of environment friendly electricity to the national grid during the peak summer season.

It was told that the power production from the powerhouse was affected owing to the closure of three-kilometer Tailrace Water Tunnel.

The prime minister directed the authorities concerned to hold an inquiry into the incident through a reputable international organization, besides ensuring revival of the power plant. He said all resources should be utilized to provide relief to the people without any delay. The prime minister told the meeting that the government was about to introduce an effective mechanism for pre-qualification, third party monitoring and evaluation of companies to ensure transparency and quality of the development projects.

Minister for Energy Khurram Dastgir, Advisor to PM Ahad Cheema, Member of National Assembly Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and relevant senior officers attended the meeting. app

POL prices may witness massive cuts from July 16 ISLAMABAD ahmad ahmadani

Owing to a significant fall in oil prices in the global oil market, the government is likely to decrease the prices of petroleum products by up to Rs35 per litre for the second half of July.

In this regard, a meeting with PM Shehbaz Sharif in the chair took place on Wednesday wherein he vowed to reduce oil prices transparently at par with the reduction in the international market. A summary in this regard will soon be sent to the Cabinet.

Sources informed Profit that the government is likely to approve a Rs 12 per litre decrease in the price of petrol and a Rs35 per litre cut in the price of high speed diesel (HSD).

“The federal cabinet is likely to take a final decision in favour of the inflation-hit public which is bearing the brunt of skyrocketing oil, gas and electricity prices,” sources said.

They added that the Cabinet may also approve a Rs25 per litre reduction in the price of kerosene oil and a Rs27 per litre reduction in the price of light diesel oil (LDO).

The sources said that above prices are based while keeping the current government’s taxes in view. The government has been collecting Rs10 per litre as petroleum levy (PL) through petrol and Rs5 per litre from HSD, kerosene, and LDO. Profit further learnt that the ex-depot sale price of petrol from July 16 might be decreased from Rs248.74 per litre to Rs231.53 per litre, a cut in price by Rs17.31 per litre while ex-depot HSD sale price may go down from Rs276.54 per litre to Rs234.76 per litre, a decrease of Rs41.78 per litre.

Similarly, the ex-depot sale price of kerosene oil is also likely to witness a Rs30.38 per litre reduction with its price likely to stand at Rs199.88 per litre after witnessing a decline from Rs230.26 per litre.

It may be mentioned here that the coalition government led by the PML-N has enhanced the price of petroleum by 66 to 95 percent in its three month tenure. It has so far made per litre price hikes of Rs99 in petrol, Rs132 rupees in diesel, Rs111 in kerosene oil and Rs100 light diesel oil.

Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had sought a summary from finance and petroleum ministries for the reduction of POL prices after global crude oil rates went down.

Imran Khan urges voters to protect Pakistan from ‘American slaves’ on July 17 JHANG inp

Former prime minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said that they are attempting to protect the state against ‘slaves of the US’, as he urged voters and supporters in the constituency to stand guard against alleged poll rigging in the upcoming Punjab byelections. He said this while addressing a political rally in Jhang on Wednesday evening.

He started off his speech by telling his supporters that they had to go back to the polls because their candidate from this constituency had sold his conscience and become a turncoat.

He reiterated his rhetoric that the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had been planning to rig the upcoming polls and that they had co-opted the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and a ‘Mr. X’ in Lahore and his accomplice, ‘Mr. Y’, in Multan who are allegedly attempting to rig the elections.

The former prime minister said that during his tenure, he had tried to introduce electronic voting systems in the country to eradicate rigging.

“The chief election commissioner also did not allow us to introduce electronic voting machines,” he said, alleging collusion.

He added that the powers that be

wanted to retain a system of electoral rigging in the country. However, the ex-premier said they would win the bypolls in Punjab – scheduled on Sunday – despite that all forces have gathered against his party. He told the people, especially youngsters, to come out on the election day for casting their votes as it would mar all plans of rigging. PTI chairman said that it was reprehensible that with only days to go in bypolls, they were looking for ways to stop rigging in the bypolls in a country that was formed on the basis of Islam.

He added that the local government elections in Sindh were rigged to a level that even the government’s coalition part-

ners including MQM-P and JUI-F called it out, claiming that the election commissioner of Sindh takes money from the Sindh government.

He said Yousaf Raza Gillani’s son – who is a national lawmaker – was caught red-handed ahead of the Senate election while the chief election commissioner lent a deaf ear to the Supreme Court’s order regarding the identification of vote.

The former prime minister said the nations progress not because of the resources but because of the moral standards as he recalled how – after reaching Motorway today – he witnessed the photos of two convicts including Maryam Nawaz and Nawaz Sharif.

Published by Arif Nizami at Plot No 66-C, 1st Floor, 21st Commercial Street, Phase-II (Extension), DHA Karachi and printed at Ibn-e-Hassan Printing Press, Hockey Stadium, Karachi, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited. Ph: 021-35381208-9. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk